Author: nina hovnanian

Newspaper: Armenia ex-FM to give up parliamentary seat?

10:22, 21.03.2015

YEREVAN. – There is a queue at the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) for
a vacant parliamentary mandate, Hraparak daily reported.

“It is actively discussed in the party backstage that whether MP,
former Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, who has left the PAP, will
lay down his [parliamentary] mandate at the NA [i.e. National
Assembly] four-day [session] starting next week.

“After the events of the past, he had informed in a narrow circle
about his wish to lay down the mandate. But as a result of
negotiations, Oskanian has so far announced solely about leaving the
PAP, suspending the wish to put [down] the [MP] mandate.

“Now, the former foreign minister is silent on whether or not to put
[down] the mandate, and it is difficult to say whether or not he will
indeed make that move next week.

“But perhaps it is those standing in line for a vacant [parliamentary]
mandate in the PAP who are spreading such news,” Hraparak wrote.

As reported earlier, speaking at the February 12 meeting of the ruling
Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Board, President Serzh Sargsyan, who
is also chairman of the RPA Board, had stated that then-PAP Chairman,
MP and oligarch Gagik Tsarukyan had become a vice for the country as a
political player. He also relieved the PAP leader from his status as a
National Security Council member, and promised that a process will
begin in connection with Tsarukyan’s frequent absence from the
parliament sessions.

In response to President Sargsyan’s remarks, Gagik Tsarukyan issued a
statement, on February 13, noting that the incumbent authorities must
be removed from power immediately. In addition, he urged to achieve
Serzh Sargsyan’s resignation by way of lawful political methods.

On February 17, however, Serzh Sargsyan and Gagik Tsarukyan held a
brokered talk, and on the next day, the then-PAP leader issued a
milder statement. He also called off the rally that was slated for
February 20.

And on March 5, Tsarukyan announced that he is quitting the PAP and
active politics, PAP National Assembly Faction Secretary Naira
Zohrabyan was elected new leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party, and
she declared the latter–which had been a non-pro-government force–an
opposition party. Subsequently, however, numerous members have started
quitting the party.

Armenia News – NEWS.am

“I am happy to accept that Armenia isn’t invited to the EEU events”:
T. Poghosyan (video)

14:23 | March 21,2015 | Politics

It isn’t the first year that our soldiers have proved that they
deserve to be called professionals, today announced the NA Deputy
Tevan Poghosyan touching upon the recent tension on the border and the
adversary’s sabotage, “Still last summer they proved that they didn’t
differ from the “professionals” trained in Turkey. Since 1994 our Army
have proved that the front line is in our hands. The Army implements
its function and we must rely on our boys.”

What relates to the view that not the young but the professionals must
keep the borders, Mr. Poghosyan noted, “I wish we had devices so that
nobody stands on the border, I wish there were robots and devices,
which would fight against the adversary.”

The NA lawmaker doesn’t connect the adversary’s recent activation with
Serzh Sargsyan’s speech at forum “At the foot of Mount Ararat”, “Let’s
remember Seyran Ohanyan’s speeches at the beginning of the year: he
said that the adversary would get active. So it is baseless to connect
the activation with a single speech. As far as April 24 approaches,
they will become more and more aggressive: they are serving their
friend and neighbor Turkey.”

By the way, yesterday the meeting of three leaders of the EEU member
countries was held in Astana. Armenia wasn’t invited to that meeting.
Asked what it means, Tevan Poghosyan answered, “Being a person who
voted against the EEU and doesn’t believe in the existence of that
union, I am happy to accept that Armenia isn’t invited to those
events.”

LECTURE ON THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN WARSAW

18:38, 20 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

On March 19, a lecture, dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian
Genocide was delivered by prominent publicist, religious and public
figure Tadeusz Isakowicz-Zalewski at Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski
University in Warsaw. Ambassador of Armenia to Poland Edgar Ghazaryan,
diplomats, politicians and public figures, and more than 100 students
and professors of the university listened to the lecture.

Publicist presented the history of the Armenian Genocide, reflected on
the settlement of part of Armenians in Poland and the history of the
Armenian community in Poland, touched upon prehistory of the Armenian
Genocide, presenting essence and planning. He also briefed about the
process of international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian
Genocide, as well as memorials and cross-stones dedicated to the memory
of victims of the Armenian Genocide, installed in different cities of
Poland. At the end of the lecture Tadeusz Isakowicz-Zalewski answered
moving questions of the attendees.

TSAKHKADZOR TO HOST FIDE WORLD TEAM CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP 2015

13:26, 20 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Tsakhkadzor, Armenia, will host the World Team Championship 2015. The
event organized by the Armenian Chess Federation and will take place
from April 18 to.

According to FIDE Regulations and the decision of FIDE President the
following federations participate in the championship: Russia, China,
Hungary, India, USA, Egypt, Ukraine, Armenia, Cuba, Israel.

Each team will play a match against all other teams. Colours and
starting numbers will be drawn at the Opening Ceremony. Time control
for the event is 90 min/40 moves +30 min/end, with 30 seconds
additional time per move, starting from move 1.

The teams are made up of four players plus one reserve and one captain.

Each match will be scored by match points as used in the FIDE
Olympiad. Winner will get 2 points, a draw will give each team 1 point,
and a loss is scored as 0 points.

Trophies will be awarded to the first three teams and gold, silver
and bronze medals for all members (players, reserve and captain)
of the first three teams respectively.

Tsaghkadzor, which literally means “Valley of Flowers” and is Romanized
to Tsakhkadzor, is a spa town and a popular health resort in Armenia,
located north of the capital Yerevan in the Kotayk Province (marz).

A FUSION OF OLD AND NEW: LOS ANGELES ELEMENT BAND BRINGS INNOVATIVE SOUND TO YEREVAN

Mаry Mamyan

14:06, March 20, 2015

The group Element Band, founded in Los Angeles in 2005, recently
performed for the first time in Yerevan.

Element Band, which partners Armenian and a host of other ethnic
musical traditions and rock melodies via innovative new arrangements,
is touring Armenia with two of its six members – Ara Dabandjian,
the group’s founder and song writer, and Soseh Aramouni, one of
the vocalists.

“When we arrived we thought how people would accept us, being we were
from overseas and sing in Armenian,” says Sose with a laugh.

The group has three CDs under its belt and is working on a fourth.

“But one thing became clear. First, such music is acceptable and the
second is that people have never heard such arrangements and that
the result was very positive,” Ara notes.

On stage, Ara can be seen playing a number of instruments. When I asked
exactly how many does he play, Ara joked, “One day I’ll count them.”

While most of Element Band’s repertory is based on Armenian traditional
renditions, the group fuses traditional American, French, Spanish,
Bulgarian, Italian, Portuguese, Greek songs as well. In all, the
group sings n ten languages. The band members like to call their
unique product a part of the world music scene.

“I always stress that the soul and breath is very Armenia; that
which we have felt and feel. Coming here, those feelings have doubled
because we are playing in the homeland after all,” says Ara.

Element Band has played at the prestigious Hollywood Bowl in Los
Angeles, a stage graced by the likes of the Beatles and Frank Sinatra,
on several occasions.

Ara confesses that the band’s music really hits home in an Armenian
setting where people long for a taste of national culture.

Nevertheless, the group wants to enlarge the audience of its music
to audiences beyond its present confines, thus the exploration of
new renditions and arrangements.

“This is the part that’s a bit more difficult. We have succeeded to
a small degree and are proud of the accomplishment. It’s not easy
and it’s something new to present Armenian songs publicly to other
peoples. But we are proud to be a part of that scene and that people
come to hear us,” Ara says.

He believes that music is at the core of culture and preserving one’s
identity. Sose adds that it’s easier to portray one’s culture to
others via music. In the case of music, people come and listen. It’s
not like literature which demands knowledge of the language.

Ara and Sose do not want to see Armenian young people in the diaspora
losing their culture. They may don’t speak the language but at least
they love to listen to the music.

“In a place like Los Angeles material things are more important than
culture. This important question cannot be stressed enough. Hopefully,
we are doing are part through music,” Ara says.

DEADLY RESPONSE: SARGSYAN’S CALL FOR KARABAKH PEACE FOLLOWED BY AZERI AGGRESSION

ANALYSIS | 20.03.15 | 10:29

By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
ArmeniaNow correspondent

Hours after Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan spoke of the need to
settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict peacefully, Azerbaijani commando
forces launched an attack on Karabakh positions, killing three and
wounding four Armenian servicemen.

Speaking at a March 18 media forum in Yerevan attended by foreign
journalists, Sargsyan also reproached Russia for arms deliveries
to Azerbaijan. Answering a question from a Russian journalist, the
Armenian leader, in particular, said that “an Armenian soldier who
defends the country’s borders realizes that Azerbaijan is trying to
kill him with a Russian weapon.”

Armenian analysts tend to see a link between the commando raids
attempted by the Azerbaijani army and developments in Russia and
statements in Armenia. In particular, analyst Hakob Badalyan cites
the whole chronology of the bloody Azeri subversive activities in
Karabakh and on the border with Armenia after the arrival to Armenia
of the CSTO Secretary General and anti-Armenian statements in Yerevan.

Karabakh lawmaker Vahan Badasyan also sees this link. He believes
that the March 19 attack was a response to Sargsyan’s statements.

Azeri attacks also happen after visits to the region of the co-chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group when Armenia categorically rejects the
possibility of the introduction of peacekeepers into the region and
cede territories.

President Sargsyan says that Azerbaijan practically rejects the
mediators’ proposals and thwarts not only the negotiation process,
but also tries to undermine the format of the Minsk mediation. Baku
accuses Armenia of attempts to maintain the status quo.

Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan said that now the situation
at the border is fully controlled. Earlier, his spokesman Artsrun
Hovhannisyan said that the Azerbaijani side is imposing a “slow war”
on Armenia. Soldiers get killed in periodic fighting, and while the
Armenian side also reports destruction of a greater number of enemy
soldiers it does not deter Baku.

Analysts say that subversive activities on the part of Azerbaijan
will only intensive closer to April 24, the day when Armenians
will commemorate the Centennial of the Ottoman-era Genocide. A
number of heads of state are expected to arrive in Yerevan for the
commemoration events that day. Meanwhile, Turkey is intensifying its
diplomat efforts to contain the international acknowledgement of the
1915 Armenian Genocide.

It is yet difficult to say on which side Russia will be in this
“battle”. At the media forum Sargsyan said that in a conversation with
him Putin confirmed that he will come to Yerevan on April 24. But
Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said yesterday that the date of
Putin’s visit to Yerevan has not been specified yet. It happened
after President Erdogan called Putin and talked to him about the
“Armenian issue” and the “1915 events”.

In any case, soldiers and officers of the Armenian army are being
instructed to be especially vigilant in the coming days.

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN MEETS RUSSIAN MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES

18:49, 20 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

President Serzh Sargsyan today hosted representatives from the
governing bodies of a series of leading Russian media outlets
– Vladimir Sungorkin, Editor-in-Chief at Komsomolskaya Pravda,
Alexander Minkin, reporter at Moskovskij Komsomolets, Leonid Mlechin,
commentator at the Public Television of Russia, Marina Zakharova,
Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Regnum News Agency, as well as Ashot
Dzhazoyan, Secretary of the Russian Union of Journalists, Boris Reznik,
Secretary of the Russian Union of Journalists and State Duma Deputy,
and Urmo Soonvald, Editor-in-Chief at the Estonian news agency Delphi.

The participants of the meeting exchanged views on a number of topics
of mutual interest.

The Armenian President also responded to the journalists’ questions
related to Armenia’s foreign and domestic policy, regional challenges
and current international problems, as well as to the commemorative
events to mark the Armenian Genocide Centennial.

SALES OF RUSSIAN ARMS TO AZERBAIJAN CAN BE DISCUSSED IN EEU FRAMEWORK – EXPERT

YEREVAN, March 20. /ARKA/. The sales of Russian arms to Azerbaijan can
be discussed in the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU),
political analyst Movses Demirchyan said on Sputnik-Armenia radio,
in commenting the recent statement by Armenia’s president during the
international “At the Foot of Ararat” media forum.

Speaking at the forum on Wednesday Armenia’s president Serzh Sargsyan
said Armenia is concerned over the Russian arms sales to Azerbaijan.

The Armenian leader also said military and defense cooperation plays
an important role in the allied partnership with Russia.

According to Demirchyan, the president’s statement came in right
time, when Armenia commemorates the centennial of the 1915 genocide,
and when the cooperation within the EEU is deepening.

The analyst also said Sargsyan’s statement reflected the position
of the Armenian society. Some Russian experts as well agree that
firing with Russian arms on Armenian military sounds strange, the
analyst said.

“I suppose this statement may have far-reaching aims and may be
discussed in terms of Armenia’s membership in the EEU,” the analyst
said. Armenia understands well it is a business, but Russia should
understand this is a paradoxical situation unacceptable to Armenia,
Demirchyan said. -0–

EU, ARMENIA CALL FOR GENOCIDE RECOGNITION, REGRET THE HUMAN COST OF KARABAKH CONFLICT

14:49, 20 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

The EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee held the 15th
meeting in Yerevan. Upon the conclusion of the meeting the Committee
adopted a Final Statement and Recommendations.

The Parliamentary Cooperation Committee

Recalls the historic European Parliament resolution of 1987 on the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide and, on the eve of the 100
year commemorations, calls on all the Member States to acknowledge
it, and encourages the Member States and the EU Institutions to
contribute further to its recognition; pays tribute to the memory of
the innocent victims; is however encouraged by the fact that the issue
has, in recent years, become the focus of open and public debate in
Turkey itself;

strongly hopes that, on this occasion, the legacy of the past could
be overcome by the normalisation of Turkey – Armenia relations,
without any preconditions and with the opening of the unilaterally
closed border; therefore supports initiatives aimed at promotion of
regional cooperation, in the belief they can contribute to the ending
of isolation of any country in the region;

fully supports the progressive differentiation provided for within the
EaP framework – insofar as it matches the partners’ varying levels
of ambition and capacity, but nonetheless believes that a regional
approach is essential for the EU to contribute effectively to the
economic development and stability of the South Caucasus; in this
respect, underlines the value it attaches to unconditional access
for EU representatives to the region, including Nagorno-Karabakh;

deeply regrets the human cost of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and
would expect from the EU to play a more active role in supporting
further confidence building measures to spread the ideas of peace,
reconciliation and trust among all sides; thus condemns actions
taken to curb contacts between civil society and intellectuals from
all sides;

believes there can be no alternative to a peaceful solution in
accordance with relevant international law and the principles of the UN
Charter and the Helsinki Final Act,; supports the negotiation process
under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group and calls for a greater
political commitment from all parties involved, while firmly deploring
all violations of the cease-fire agreement and reminding the value of
confidence-building measures, including withdrawal of snipers from the
line of contact, in accordance with OSCE recommendations; underlines
that many of the suggestions contained in European Parliament’s
resolutions remain pertinent; expresses its support to the OSCE
Minsk Group Co-Chairs proposal on the creation of a mechanism of
investigation of incidents.

calls for the pursuit of EU-Armenia cooperation in all possible areas,
welcoming the joint commitment issued by the last Cooperation Council;
regrets, nonetheless that the scoping exercise has not yet allowed
to establish a legally binding contractual basis for the future of
these relations, especially given the obsolete nature of the 1999
Partnership and Cooperation Agreement;

stresses the importance of reviewing and updating the existing basis
of relations as noted in the EU-Armenia Joint Statement adopted in
the margins of Vilnius Eastern Partnership Summit in November 2013;
recalls the remarkable energy and dedication shown by both sides at
the time of previous negotiations, and hopes a similar effort will be
made ahead of the Riga summit; underlines that both EU and Armenia
have now identified the areas where cooperation is possible despite
Armenia’s engagement in the Eurasian Economic Union; believes that the
future agreement should provide a forward-looking framework for the
future development of relations between Armenia and the EU, enhancing
and strengthening political relations and economic cooperation;

welcomes the EU-Armenia Human Rights Dialogue which took place on 11
December 2014, focusing on issues such as the fundamental freedoms,
including the freedom of assembly and association, the development
of civil society, the rule of law, mobility, judicial reform, the
continued fight against corruption, the independence of the media
and the fight against torture; calls on Armenia to implement all the
recommendations issued by the OSCE/ODIHR election observation missions;

highlights that these issues are expected to be examined also in
the framework of the ongoing Scorecard exercise, to be presented to
the EP on 1 January 2016 given the enhanced role played by the EP
in the reformed EU monitoring procedure of the GSP+ scheme; reminds
thatGSP+ was renewed for Armenia from 1 January 2014, with this trade
instrument precisely aimed at encouraging the effective implementation
of core UN/ILO international conventions on human and labour rights,
sustainable development and good governance.

takes note that the EU-Armenia Visa Facilitation and Readmission
Agreements came into force in January 2014, which will enhance
people to people contacts between Armenia and the EU and strengthen
cooperation in the area of mobility and management of migration;
and notes with satisfaction steps taken towards management of the
Visa Facilitation and Readmission agreements and endorses further
steps towards launching a Dialogue on Visa Liberalisation, aimed at
a visa-free travel for the citizens of Armenia in due course;

welcomes the commitment of Armenia and the European Union to further
develop and strengthen the cooperation in all areas of mutual interest;
recognizes that the EU’s support and assistance provided to Armenia
over the years has been instrumental for the effective implementation
and sustainability of the reform process and institutional capacity
building; and calls upon EU’s continued support reflecting the pace
of Armenia’s reforms and economic needs in line with the principles
of differentiation and

more for more;

LA BERD ET L’UE PROPOSENT UNE AIDE POUR AMELIORER LA GESTION DES DECHETS SOLIDES EN ARMENIE

ARMENIE

La Banque europeenne pour la reconstruction et le developpement (BERD)
a accorde un pret de 3,5 millions d’EURO a l’ Armenie pour financer
la construction du premier site d’enfouissement de dechets solides
conforme aux directives europeennes. Le pret est complete par une
subvention de 3,5 millions d’EURO fournis par le Fonds de voisinage
de l’Union europeenne.

Le nouveau site d’enfouissement, qui sera situe dans la ville de
Hrazdan dans la province du Kotayk et gere par huit municipalites
participantes – Hrazdan, Abovian, Charentsavan, Tsakhkadzor,
Byureghavan, Yeghvard, ne Hachn et Sevan – fonctionnera comme
une unite commerciale durable avec un solide système de gestion
des dechets, couvrant la collecte et l’elimination des dechets
solides municipaux. Cela offrira des avantages environnementaux et
sociaux majeurs pour les 215 000 personnes dans la zone couverte
par l’installation.