Author: Vardapetian Ophelia

B. SAHAKYAN: STIPULATED PROGRAMS SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT IN TIME, WITH HIGH QUALITY

Panorama.am
16:43 21/01/2010

On 20 January NKR President Bako Sahakyan convened a working
consultation dedicated to the activities to be carried out within the
framework of the 2010 capital investment state application program
in social sphere as well as the fields of municipal engineering and
water industry, NKR President’s press office said.

NKR minister of social security Narine Astsatryan, minister of
municipal engineering Anahit Vardanyan, head of the state department
of water industry under the NKR Cabinet of Ministers Seyran Mikayelyan
and the head of the state department of capital construction under the
NKR Cabinet of Ministers Karen Shahramanyan delivered corresponding
reports.

The Head of the State underlined that the stipulated programs should
be carried out in time and with high quality. In this context,
the President underlined the necessity of coordinated work between
different state structures considering it one of the important
preconditions for successful implementation of the programs.

NKR PM Ara Haroutyunyan, vice-premier, finance minister Spartak
Tevosyan partook at the consultation.

NEW BOOK WAS PUBLISHED ON IRANIAN-ARMENIAN PAINTER SUMBAT DER KIUREGHIAN

Noyan Tapan
Jan 21, 2010

SAN FRANCISCO, JANUARY 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Armen Der
Kiureghian, professor of engineering at the University of California,
Berkeley, has published a book about the life and work of his father,
Iranian-Armenian painter Sumbat Der Kiureghian. The book presents
Sumbat’s biography and art, written by his son, as well as 120 pages
of color reproductions of Sumbat’s paintings, personal anecdotes
and letters.

Der Kiureghian compiled the material over a period of nine years,
drawing on archival resources in Iran, Armenia and the United States.

The foreword is written by Armenian cultural anthropologist Levon
Abrahamian. Haroutiun Samuelian.

Sumbat particalarly painted Iranian and Armenian village scenes and
landscapes. According to , through his art,
he played the role of a mediator between East and West: he brought a
European artistic style to Iran and he introduced Iranian lifestyle,
folk traditions and landscapes to Western audiences.

JANUARY 20: AZERI MASS MEDIA LET IMAGINATION RUN WILD
By Ivan Gharibyan

news.am
Jan 20 2010
Armenia

As a rule, it is in the latter half of every January that Azerbaijani
mass media let their fevered imagination run riot. The reason is
quite clear: Azeri journalists are faced with a formidable, almost
impracticable task – in defiance of all the evidence presenting the
tragic events in Baku in January 1990 the wrong way about.

The further are the "masterworks" of the Azeri state propaganda from
the truth, the sheerer is the idiocy shown by the small fry at the
service of the Aliyev clan. And when it comes to the Armenian pogroms
in Baku, Sumgait and Kirovabad, the Azeri mass media, which are fully
controlled by the authorities, resort to such a blatant lie that an
ordinary Azerbaijani will never believe them; or they just pass the
facts over in silence.

Everything is much more apparent with the Armenian pogroms. First
the "national leader" Heydar Aliyev and then his son and "heir to
the throne" Ilham could think of nothing better than holding back
the truth about the Armenian pogroms in Baku on January 13-19,
1990. At the same time, they spare no efforts to advocate the
so-called "January 20 tragedy", the entry of Soviet troops to Baku
to prevent the annihilation of all the Christian population in the
once multinational city.

But the state television channel AzTV, which is immediately controlled
by the Azeri presidential administration, is showing firm leadership in
making the Azerbaijani people lose their memory and turning them into
"humble servants" for the Aliyev clan. So on January 19 the "Habarlar"
(News) TV program did its best to "expose the monstrous terrorist act
against the Azerbaijani people." And the word "monstrous" was quite
to the point, as so much monstrous lie was told on the air that no
normal person would swallow it.

The leading reporters of the main news program provided comprehensive
coverage of the events "in commemoration of the Shahids, who heroically
defended Azerbaijan’s independence and territorial integrity" arranged
by the ruling party Yeni Azerbaijan (New Azerbaijan). The heroes are,
of course, the participants in the Armenian pogroms, the "humans"
that had robbed, raped and murdered hundreds of Armenians in Baku
before Soviet troops entered the city.

U.S. Charge d’Affaires Donald Lu "came to the aid" of Azeri
journalists. With passion he was speaking about the monstrous Soviet
troops that entered Baku on the night of January 20, 1990. Was not
the American diplomat, with his ideas of pan-human values, indignant
at the brutal crimes against the Armenian population in Baku?

However, the state TV of Azerbaijan was not content with all that. The
AzTV channel decided to emphasize the "inhumanity" of the Russian
people. A three-minute story was about Russian servicemen that
allegedly did not allow doctors to help the injured lying on the
streets. This information policy pursued by the main TV channel at
the Aliyev clan’s service must be in harmony with the Azerbaijani
authorities’ policy of strategic partnership with Russia.

But the most "moving" was the story about the "attack on Baku the
Soviet army launched by first occupying the Azerbaijani television."

So it turns out that, in those tragic days, AzTV was "the mouthpiece
for the people" rather than a source of nationalist propaganda (the
Baku TV center was actually out of the Azeri authorities’ control and
was broadcasting on behalf of the Popular Front of Azerbaijan). That
is why, according to official Baku’s propaganda, a KGB task group blew
up the power unit of the Azerbaijani Television. At this point too
the "Habarlar" staff surpassed themselves: the TV channel has been
developing into "a mouthpiece for the people" over the last 20 years!

Indeed! We can do nothing but feel sympathy for the Azerbaijani
people. If AzTV, which has "beaten", say, the Armenian Public TV at
disinforming the public, is the "mouthpiece for the people", things
are really bad with our neighbors.

Of course, we might as well have not watched and listened to that
idiotic piece of "news," but it is better to know your neighbors,
isn’t it?

MANOYAN SAYS TURKEY’S TRYING TO EVADE FROM RESPONSIBILITIES

Panorama.am
16:56 20/01/2010

"Turkish Foreign Ministry has better imagination of the verdict
of Armenian Constitutional Court, than our Foreign Ministry," Giro
Manoyan, the director of Armenian Cause Office told at news conference
commenting on the Armenian Constitutional Court’s verdict over the
Armenian-Turkish protocols and Turkey’s Foreign Ministry’s concerns.

Mr. Manoyan noted that Turkish Foreign Ministry was right to claim
that there are some restrictions, but he said he didn’t agree
with the point that there are some conditions. ARF representative
said it’s an attempt that Turkey makes to evade from its duties and
responsibilities. "Turkey accused Armenia but in fact they even haven’t
resumed the process; they should have to express their observations
until 7 December," Manoyan said. G. Manoyan emphasized that it would be
better if Constitutional Court made a verdict claiming incorrespondence
of the protocols. But still he expects the national assembly either not
to ratify the protocols or to take into account the CC’s observations.

ARMENIAN COMMUNITY HAS NO DECISIVE VOTE ON KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

news.az
Jan 19 2010
Azerbaijan

Bayram Safarov The Armenian community of Karabakh cannot have the
final say on settlement of the conflict, the leader of the Azerbaijani
community said on Tuesday.

"The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a conflict between Armenia and
Azerbaijan. Who are the separatist Armenians of Nagorno- Karabakh
that they can influence the conflict settlement?" Bayram Safarov,
head of the Azerbaijani Community of the Nagorno-Karabakh Region of
the Azerbaijan Republic, told Trend news agency.

"The world says that Nagorno-Karabakh is Azerbaijani territory.

Therefore, a fair approach is needed to peace in the resolution of
this conflict," Safarov said.

He said that the leadership of the Azerbaijani community of
Nagorno-Karabakh intended to meet the OSCE Minsk Group mediators
during their next visit.

"As far as I know, the Minsk Group co-chair from the USA visited
Khankendi and met the Armenian community leaders there," Safarov said.

However, he added that, "The Azerbaijani community has no special
issues that need discussion with the co-chairs as our president has
repeatedly declared the position of our state."

The community leader said that a meeting with the co-chairs had not
been finalized yet.

"The co-chairs have not made a serious breakthrough in the conflict
resolution so far. Will they gain anything after this?" he asked.

VAHAN HOVHANNISYAN: WE NEVER TRIED TO CASH IN ON OUR TRAGEDY

PanARMENIAN.Net
18.01.2010 14:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ ARF Dashnaktsutyun parliamentary group leader Vahan
Hovhannisyan met Monday with N 187 school senior students to conduct
an model lesson on the 1990 Armenian pogroms in Baku.

"Over the past years, there’ve been a number of blunders in Armenia’s
policy regarding the Karabakh conflict settlement," Mr. Hovhannisyan
said, specifically noting the issue of Armenian refugees from
Azerbaijan.

"We never demonstrated the grave living conditions of our refugees
to foreign guests, but this doesn’t mean that refugees experience no
problems," he said, adding that, as opposed to Azerbaijan, Armenia
never tried to cash in on this tragedy.

At the same time he emphasized that, Armenia has to raise two issues in
Karabakh talks: Azerbaijan’s aggression in response to free expression
will of Karabakh people, and indemnity to Armenian refugees.

The Azerbaijani authorities instigated the Armenian pogroms in Baku 20
years ago. Some 400 Armenians were killed and 200 thousand were exiled
in the period of January 13-19. The exact number of those killed was
never determined, as no investigation was carried out into the crimes.

On January 13, a crowd numbering 50 thousand people divided into
groups and started "cleaning" the city of Armenians. On January 17,
the European Parliament called on EU Council of Foreign Ministers
and European Council to protect Armenians and render assistance to
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. On January 18, a group of U.S. Senators
sent a letter to Mikhail Gorbachev to express concerns over the
violence against the Armenian population in Azerbaijan and called
for unification of Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia.

TURKEY CONTINUES TO DEMAND ARMENIA SHUT DOWN METSAMOR NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

Tert.am
11:54 ~U 18.01.10

If the issue of the Metsamor nuclear power plant is not resolved
between Turkey and Armenia, in the case of a nuclear reactor accident,
there might be more disastrous consequences than what happened
in Chernobyl, said Istanbul Technical University Alumni Dr. Tayfun
Kindap, who, in 2008, conducted a study on the potential threats to
Turkey of such an accident. In Kindap’s opinion, the nuclear plant
has been constructed with outdated technologies and is located on an
area of seismic activity.

According to Kindap, in the case of a nuclear reactor accident at
Metsamor, it’s not only Armenia and Turkey, but also Europe that will
suffer the consequences.

"Europe understands that danger, and the European Union with that
purpose is going to shut down Armenia’s Metsamor NPP and they have
proposed 100 million Euro to look into new energy sources. However,
the negotiations didn’t lead to any results, since the nuclear power
plant secures 40% of Armenia’s energy needs and Armenia was demanding
800 million Euro.

"Armenia has to shut down Metsamor NPP and find another route to
secure its energy needs. Turkey can also work on that issue, since
we are located close to the nuclear power plant," said Kindap.

The Metsamor NPP was built during the 1970s and is located about thirty
kilometres west of the Armenian capital of Yerevan, and 16 km east
of the Turkish border. The plant, closed due to the 1988 Spitak (or,
Gyumri) earthquake in Armenia, was reopened in 1993 due to blockades
by Turkey and Azerbaijan, which created energy shortages in Armenia.

In December 2009, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Armenian
Service reported that the Armenian government aimed to create a
Russian-Armenian joint venture tasked with building a new nuclear
power station to replace Metsamor NPP.

‘AVATAR’ JOINS ‘E.T.’ AS ONLY SCI-FI FILMS TO WIN AT GOLDEN GLOBES

Tert.am
16:36 ~U 18.01.10

The sci-fi blockbuster – the most expensive movie ever made and on
track to become the highest-grossing film ever made – won the Golden
Globe tonight for best dramatic film and best director for James
Cameron, reports the Los Angeles Times.

"Avatar" was Cameron’s first film since 1997’s phenomenon "Titanic,"
which also won Globes in those same categories.

"It’s sure an exciting evening," Cameron said, looking at the crowd.

"This is the best job in the world."

He echoed the message of the film about a planet of nature-loving
blue people and remarked that "everything is connected, all human
beings to each other, and us to the Earth" and urged everyone to
"appreciate this miracle of the world we have right here."

"Avatar" shared the spotlight at the 67th annual ceremony with
"Up," which won trophies for score and animated film, and the small
independent drama "Crazy Heart," which won best actor in a drama for
Jeff Bridges and song.

Interfax, Russia
Jan 15 2010

Karabakh mediators to visit Armenia in late January

YEREVAN Jan 15

The OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) Minsk
Group co-chairmen, who broker the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, will
visit Armenia on January 20, country’s Foreign Ministry spokesman
Tigran Balaian told Interfax.

"The Karabakh mediators will arrive in Yerevan on January 20," Balaian
said.

During their visit the co-chairmen will meet with Armenian leaders, he
said.

Armenia FM, US Co-Chair discuss Artsakh settlement

armradio.am
16.01.2010 14:17

On January 16 Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian received US Co-Chair
of the OSCE Minsk Group Robert Bradtke and US Ambassador to Armenia
Marie Yovanovitch.

During the meeting reference was made to issues related to the
settlement of the Artsakh issue.