Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

NKR PRESIDENT RECEIVES ARMENIA’S GOVERNMENTAL DELEGATION

ArmInfo
2010-04-12 09:52:00

ArmInfo. On 10 April President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan
met governmental delegation of the Republic of Armenia headed by
prime- minister Tigran Sargsyan. The delegation arrived in Artsakh
on the previous day. As Central Information Department of the NKR
presidential office told ArmInfo, a wide range of issues related to
the cooperation between the two Armenian states were discussed during
the meeting. Bako Sahakyan expressed satisfaction with the cooperation
between the Armenian and Artsakh governments considering it among
key preconditions for the successful realization of the stipulated
programs. At the same time the significance of continuous deepening
of cooperation and widening economic ties etween Armenian and Artsakh
regions was mutually underlined. Premier of the Artsakh Republic Ara
Haroutyunyan partook at the meeting.

Press Trust of India, India
April 10 2010

Harika holds Melkumyan, Ravichandran loses

STAFF WRITER 10:36 HRS IST
By Our Chess Correspondent

Dubai, Apr 10 (PTI) International Master Dronavalli Harika held
Armenian Grandmaster Hrant Melkumyan to a draw, while compatriot Tejas
Ravichandran’s dream run was halted by Grandmaster Ghaem Maghami Ehsan
of Iran in fourth round of the 12th Dubai International Open Chess
tournament here.

Harika played solidly with white pieces to keep the aspirations of
Melkumyan at bay in a King’s Indian defense game and the Armenian
could do no better than holding on to an equal position in a keenly
contested encounter.

Harika now shares the second spot with eight others, including
compatriot Parimarjan Negi, on 3.5 points each in the nine-round
event.

Meanwhile, Maghami emerged as the sole leader in the USD 45,000
tournament after getting the better of Ravichandran, who had beaten
three Grandmasters coming in to the fourth round.

Manvel Yeghiazaryan: Armenian people should prepare for war

April 10, 2010 – 15:13 AMT 10:13 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

Manvel Yeghiazaryan, the commander of Arabo detachment, stated that
spreading panic around the Karabakh issue is a wrong deed.

`Karabakh can’t be ceded to Azerbaijan. We stand ready to battle its
independence,’ he told reporters in Yerevan. `We don’t want war but
should prepare for it. We will set off war against those who tell us
to cede the liberated territories before the NKR status is
determined.’

Commander Yeghiazaryan labeled Azerbaijan’s threats to unleash a new
war as a mere diplomatic show.

As to Armenian-Turkish rapprochement process, he said any attempt to
reconcile is senseless unless Turkey acknowledges the Armenian
Genocide. `Those who insist that present-day Turkey is not the same as
the Ottoman Empire, which committed the Genocide are mistaken. After
perpetrating the Armenian Genocide, Turks occupied Cyprus, now they
continue massacring Kurds. Turkey is a murderer country,’ Yeghiazaryan
said.

UTV
April 9 2010

‘You are free to write, others have not been so lucky’

For 50 years PEN’s Writers in Prison Committee has been campaining on
behalf of writers who have been imprisoned for speaking their minds

Friday, 09 April 2010
Tags: International News

"You’re free to write," read the email that stood out from the others
in my inbox. I clicked on the message. Its’ words struck home: "Others
have not been so lucky".

The email was an invitation to participate in a project to mark 50
years of the International PEN Writers in Prison Committee.

Choosing to participate caused me to stop and think, properly for the
first time, about the writing freedom I take for granted every single
day.

Since 1960, the PEN Writers in Prison Committee has been campaigning
for writers who have been threatened, suppressed or imprisoned for
their work. The most famous include Wole Soyinka, Vaclav Havel and
Salman Rushdie, who have all had to weigh their words in fear.

The committee was formed at a PEN meeting in Rio De Janeiro, after
researchers passed round a list of 56 writers imprisoned in Albania,
Czechoslavakia, Hungary and Romania.

PEN centres began to spring up in countries where writers had been
imprisoned because they spoke or wrote their minds. Fifty years on,
there are more than 70 centres worldwide and together they support
around 900 persecuted writers, editors and journalists each year.

To mark 50 years of defending freedom of expression, PEN’s Writers in
Prison Committee is running a year-long campaign ` Because Writers
Speak Their Minds.

One strand of this campaign highlights the cases of 50 writers PEN has
campaigned on behalf of in the 50 years that the committee has
operated. Each of the oppressed writers, who include Mamadali
Makhmudov from Uzbekistan, poet Angel Cuadra from Cuba and Bangladeshi
novelist, poet and journalist Taslima Nasrin, has been paired with a
writer from writing group 26, of which I am now a member.

The task? Write 50 words, no more, no less, inspired by the life and
work of the writer.

These pieces are being posted each day online in the run up to, and
during, the Free the Word! Festival, held 14-18 April.

Not all of the campaigned-for writers are still alive. The writer I
wrote about was Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant d****. d**** was
shot dead in January 2007 outside his newspaper Agos, a bilingual
Armenian-Turkish newspaper.

He was among a number of high profile writers charged under Article
301 of the Penal Code, accused of "insulting Turkishness" in his
writings. He had received numerous death threats.

What can you say in 50 words? Not much. But hopefully 50 words a day
for 50 days, will highlight freedom taken for granted, and freedom
lost.

¢ Some of the writers that the committee has supported over the years
will be celebrated at the 50th anniversary of PEN’s Writers in Prison
Committee at the London School of Economics on Friday, 16 April

¢ Follow 26:50 at 26-50.tumblr.com

¢ Free The Word festival blog: freetheblog.typepad.com

are-free-to-write-others-have-not-been-so-lucky/75 ae0c52-1843-4596-bf66-dce53dd060f0

Today, Azerbaijan
April 9 2010

Ukrainian analyst: Compromise in a sensitive matter like so-called
"Armenian genocide" is unacceptable for Turkey

09 April 2010 [19:43] – Today.Az

Day.Az interview with well-known Ukrainian political analyst Sergey Taran.

Turkey recalled its ambassador to the United States as soon as the
U.S. Congress committee adopted a resolution recognizing the so-called
`Armenian genocide.’ However, after relatively short time, Turkish
ambassador returned to the U.S. and Turkish PM Erdogan will soon trip
to Washington to attend the nuclear safety summit. What is your
assessment of the current situation? Does it mean that the crisis in
the Turkey-U.S. relations is in the past?

Let’s start with the fact that Turkey is now playing the role of
strategically very important player, claiming to be a regional leader.
Therefore, all its policies are aimed at demonstrating this leadership
and the ability to make significant, independent decisions concerning
the situation in the region. This applies, for example, Turkey’s
position on the Iranian issue. In the meantime, Turkey also holds
political debates with other strategically important players in the
region. The United States is one of these players.

Disputed issues may emerge during these consultations just like the
"Armenian genocide." It is unacceptable for Turkey, which claims to
regional leadership, to make a compromise in so important and
sensitive issue. The United States leadership also understands this
and therefore it is not going to deteriorate relations with Turkey,
its strategic partner.

In general, both sides are aware of importance of Turkish-American
cooperation and willingness to resolve the crisis in their
relationship, caused by the resolution adopted by the U.S. Congress
Committee on Foreign Relations.

In your opinion, in what way unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh conflict may
hinder Turkey’s claims to regional leadership?

Precisely Turkey’s claims to regional leadership explain its position
on the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. As is known,
the Turkish-Armenian border was closed due to Armenia’s occupation of
Azerbaijani territories.

Therefore, it is logical to expect that the Turkish-Armenian border
may open once the Azerbaijan’s territories are liberated. Displaying
weakness in this matter and ignoring Azerbaijan’s interests may
deprive Turkey of its claims to geo-political leadership in the
region.

In your opinion, what is the architecture of the process of resolving
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

In my opinion, the architecture of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
resolution is that there is some common understanding and consent of
the United States, Turkey and Yerevan and Baku to the fact that
Nagorno Karabakh is de jure a part of Azerbaijan but may have a very
broad autonomous status.

May Armenia accept such resolution of the conflict?

I do not think that the leading geopolitical players in the region are
set to repartition of territories. It is very risky. The main point is
not the position of Armenia or Azerbaijan, but understanding of key
regional players of importance of geopolitical stability in the region
which cannot be ensured without resolution to Armenian-Azerbaijani
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This factor, in my opinion, is the most
important in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

And when may the scenario of resolving Nagorno-Karabakh conflict you
said above happen?

Of course, it is extremely difficult to give an exact answer to this
question. But, in my opinion, we can expect the Armenian-Azerbaijani
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to be settled in the coming years.

/Day.Az/

URL:

Sempad Markarian (56 kg) vice-champion d’Europe
l’Arménien améliore de record d’Europe junior de l’épaulé-jeté

CHAMPIONNAT D’EUROPE D’HALTEROPHILIE

samedi10 avril 2010, par Krikor Amirzayan/armenews

Le jeune Arménien de 17 ans, Sempad Markarian (56 kg) est devenu
vice-champion d’Europe (seniors) avec une charge totale soulevée de
255 kg. S. Markarian a par ailleurs remporté la médaille d’or de
l’épaulé-jeté avec 146 kg, constituant un nouveau record d’Europe
junior de la catégorie. S. Markarian a lors de son troisième essai
demandé une charge de 150 kg qu’il échoua malheureusement. Dans la
même compétition, un autre arménien, Arsène Tamrazian, sous les
couleurs de la Russie se classait 9e au tableau final avec un total de
238 kg.

Suspect in Valley Village massacre is named

Nerses Arthur Galstyan, accused in the slayings of four men, is at
large and considered armed and very dangerous. He has also been
indicted on federal weapons charges.

By Richard Winton and Robert Faturechi

April 10, 2010

Los Angeles police said Friday that they are searching for a 28-year-old
suspected gun dealer in connection with the massacre of four men at a San
Fernando Valley restaurant.

Nerses Arthur Galstyan is considered to be armed and very dangerous and is
still at large somewhere in the city, possibly hiding with the aid of
friends or relatives, said LAPD Chief Charlie Beck, speaking at news
conference downtown.

Investigators said they believe anger was behind the attack April 3 against
six acquaintances at the Hot Spot Mediterranean Restaurant on Riverside
Drive in Valley Village.

Police said Galstyan was among a group of guests attending an afternoon
celebration in honor of a friend who had died in an accident a year earlier.
A quarrel broke out and Galstyan began shooting, they said.

Hayt Yegnanyan, 25; Sarkis Karadjian, 26; Harut Baburyan, 28; and Vardan
Tofalyan, 31, were killed, and two other men were wounded. Galstyan fled and
remains at large, police said.

Members of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division
have been conducting an "extensive, nonstop" investigation into the case,
Beck said.

They have made progress despite uncooperative witnesses and conflicting
accounts, uncovering leads that overlapped with information gathered in an
ongoing federal investigation into weapons violations and prompting federal
weapons charges against Galstyan, said U.S. Atty. Andre Birotte Jr. of Los
Angeles.

Galstyan had not previously been the focus of the federal probe, Birotte
said.

But early Friday, based in part on information uncovered in the homicide
investigation, a federal grand jury in the Central District of California,
which includes L.A. County, indicted Galstyan on charges of dealing firearms
without a license and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial
number.

A law enforcement source familiar with the firearms probe said that one of
the shooting victims, Tofalyan, is believed to have been a co-conspirator
with Galstyan in weapons dealing.

Tofalyan is identified only by his initials in the federal indictment and
the words "a now deceased unindicted co-conspirator." It is not clear
whether the slayings had any connection to the pair’s alleged underground
weapons business. Police said they didn’t know what set off the argument at
the restaurant.

Federal investigators are continuing their probe into possible firearms
violations, Birotte said.

Galstyan’s background remained murky Friday. Before the killings, "he wasn’t
on our radar for anything," said LAPD Capt. Kevin McClure. But the
indictment alleges that Galstyan cleaned and prepared firearms for sale and
had bragged to an informant that he could get his hands on 10,000 to 100,000
rounds of ammunition.

The indictment said Galstyan or Tofalyan unwittingly sold weapons to a U.S.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives informant at a water
store in North Hollywood several times in August, September and October. The
merchandise included a $500 revolver, two $1,800 assault rifles and two
semiautomatic rifles with the serial numbers scrubbed off, sold for a
combined $3,600.

McClure said that two search warrants were served Friday morning on homes
believed to be connected with the case and that Galstyan is believed to be
the sole shooter.

"There is a great deal of physical evidence that leads to this," he said.

Some of the slain men were acquainted with the victim of a 3-year-old
homicide case that remains unsolved, according to police sources. Akop
Akopyan, 24, was found dead on a Hollywood roadside March 12, 2007, with
seven bullets in his upper body.

Law enforcement sources familiar with both probes say Akopyan and the
victims were part of a circle of friends who did business together, but the
sources made no other connection between the two cases.

According to a law enforcement source, all four victims in the Valley
Village case have connections to Armenian Power, a violent street gang in
East Hollywood and Glendale. But none were listed on the county gang
database as formal members of the group. All four are familiar to
investigators who specialize in Eurasian-related crimes.

City Councilman Paul Krekorian stood next to the chief and federal officials
at Friday’s news conference, at which police sought the public’s help in
locating Galstyan.

Krekorian praised the efforts of the LAPD and various federal agencies,
including the ATF and the Secret Service. "A crime like this will never be
tolerated. Not in the San Fernando Valley. Not in Los Angeles," he said.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call LAPD homicide
detectives at (213) 486-6890.

[email protected]

robert.fatu [email protected]

Times staff writer Jill Leovy contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2010, The Los Angeles Times

HEAD OF THE OSCE YEREVAN OFFICE : WHEN IN ARMENIA THEY SAY ABOUT THE POLITICAL PRISONERS, THEY FIRST OF ALL MEAN THOSE SENTENCES AS A RESULT OF MARCH 1, 2008, EVENTS

ArmInfo
2010-04-09 18:01:00

ArmInfo presents apologies to the head of the OSCE Yerevan Office Mr.
Sergey Kapinos and the readers for serious technical mistakes made by
ArmInfo news agency over translation of the issue about the public
lecture delivered by Mr. Kapinos at the Russian-Armenian (Slavonic)
University, on 6 April , 2010, which have led to distortion of the
core of the lecture especially in the part regarding the prisoners
in connection with the 1 March 2008 events in Yerevan.

ArmInfo. The term "political prisoners" is used nowhere in the
international-legal documents. One cannot find it in PACE resolutions
on Armenia either. They just say about the prisoners in connection with
the 1 March events. However, when here, in Armenia they speak about
the political prisoners, they first of all mean those sentenced as
a result of 1 March, 2008, events, Head of the OSCE Yerevan Office,
Ambassador Sergey Kapinos said in the public lecture delivered by
him at Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University.

According to him, the report by OSCE Bureau for Democratic Institutions
and Human Rights on monitoring of judicial proceedings Has revealed
serious tight spots and faults in the work of the judicial system. This
report raises serious problems and causes doubts about impartiality
of a number of court decisions. ‘I am sure the issue will remain open
until these problems and doubts are not removed’, – the diplomat said.

When speaking about the initiative of the Heritage party on
organization of the roundtable with participation of the coalition and
opposition parties for the joint discussion of the problems which are
still relevant today and all the political forces are concerned about
them, Kapinos emphasized that this idea is very useful but should
not be limited by one political topic. There must be a dialogue. S.
Kapinos recalled that in 2008 the OSCE chairman-in-office Ilkka
Kanerva came forward with call to the political dialogue between
the Armenian authorities and the opposition. According to him, a
dialogue is the most civilized way of political struggle, therefore,
OSCE unambiguously stands for the political dialogue among different
political parties. He said this can really give positive results.

According to the diplomat, a dialogue will promote stabilization and
consolidation of the society.

Asked if it would be better for the country if the political process
was concentrated in the parliament, the diplomat replied that the role
of the Armenian parliament in the political life of the country could
be more essential. The parliament must discuss the most serious issues
the people are concerned about. The amendments to the Constitution
of Armenia, adopted in 2005, were also aimed at development of
the parliamentary democracy. There is a field for movement in this
direction. ‘I am for resolving of all the principal issues in the
parliament. The interests of different social layers as well as
the real social and economical structure of the society should be
reflected in the parliament. Moreover, the parliament actually becomes
an important center for making political decisions’, – he said. The
diplomat thinks that despite the popular belief, actually there is
the opposition in the Armenian parliament. According to the diplomat,
the opposition is available even because there is Heritage party,
being an oppositional one from the very beginning. Now, he said, there
is another oppositional party there – ARFD, and it’s another matter
that the opposition is weakly represented, while any democratic state
should be interested in having strong opposition. Kapinos emphasized
that strong opposition makes it possible to form a competitive field
which catalyzes development of the society.

Asked about freedom of mass media in the country, the diplomat replied
that everything is not so bad in Armenia as compared to another
countries. The real pluralism is available in the country’s print
media, which was evident during the presidential election. "However,
the international organizations say there are certain problems with
the electron media, as well as radio and TV broadcasting. And we are
working in that area. S. Kapinos recalled the decision of the European
Court on Human Rights on A1+ TV Company. "An OSCE Representative on
Freedom of the Media is expected to visit Yerevan in May.

We have information that the issue of A1+ will be on agenda. We think
that A1+ should be allowed to take part in the upcoming contest for
broadcast license. This participation must be in conformity with exact
procedures, and all the international organizations, including OSCE,
will observe the process, S. Kapinos said. "A two-year moratorium on
provision of frequencies is currently in force, so, A1+ cannot take
part in any tenders. This moratorium expires in July, 2010, and legal
basis is now developed for conduct of new tenders for TV-frequencies,"
the diplomat said.

RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN INNOVATION CENTER TO BE OPENED IN YEREVAN ON APRIL 15

ArmInfo
2010-04-09 16:12:00

ArmInfo. The Russian-Armenian innovation center will be opened in
Yerevan on April 15, Head of the Armenian Office of the Federal Agency
for CIS Affairs, Compatriots Abroad and International Humanitarian
Cooperation, Viktor Krivopuskov, told journalists, Friday.

According to him, the representatives of large Russian technological
companies will attend the ribbon- cutting ceremony of the center. The
center will allow Armenian scientists to sell their inventions and
patents in the market more effectively. "Our colleagues from the
Armenian Chamber of Commerce and Industry will confirm that they
receive a lot of patents for registration", he said and added that
Armenia’s task is to make innovators launch them not only in Armenia
and even CIS, but also other countries. "Nobody will deny that at
present innovations are one of the most valuable resources for any
country",- said Krivopuskov.

To recall, the center is to become the first joint center for
innovation cooperation within the frames of the Interstate target
program on innovation cooperation of CIS until 2020. According to the
members of the working group for elaboration of the Interstate target
program on innovation cooperation of CIS, the program will allow
CIS countries to enhance labor efficiency 2.5 times by 2020, reduce
GDP energy intensity by 70%, increase expenditures on science by 3%
of GDP, and those on education – by 6% of GDP. The priority spheres
of development are energy, machine building, aerospace industry,
transport, communication, agriculture, biotechnologies and medicine.

ARMENIA CONSIDERS TURKISH PARLIAMENTARIANS’ CONCERN WITH SECURITY OF ARMENIAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT TO BE GROUNDLESS

ArmInfo
2010-04-09 16:16:00

ArmInfo. The Armenian Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources has
responded to some Turkish parliamentarians’ excitement for the Armenian
Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP). The deputies of the Turkish Parliament
have recently made a groundless racket about the ANPP. They expressed
"concern with the fact" that the ANPP, which is 20 km away from
Igdir, operates in a seismic zone and endangers the eastern regions of
Turkey. They also pointed out that according to the classification of
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), from the security viewpoint,
the ANPP holds the last position but one out of 146 NPPs.

The press release of the Armenian Ministry of Energy and Natural
Resources says that these data are false as they are in not a single
document of IAEA.

The IAEA publication of 2009 "Nuclear Power Reactors in the World"
says that the number of nuclear power units in the world is 438,
and they are located on 200 platforms.

The issues related to the ANPP security are in the focus of constant
attention of the Nuclear Power Security Council under the Armenian
President, and the Council includes the best specialists of the world.

The measures on enhancing the ANPP security are coordinated by IAEA.

According to the requirements of the Convention on Nuclear Safety,
Armenia presents a "National Report on Nuclear Safety" to IAEA once
every three years. The report is available for all the IAEA member
countries.

As regards the seismic security, the seismic security of the ANPP
platform was monitored in 2009 with participation of international
experts. According to the monitoring, there are no reasons for any
concern.

In addition, within a radius of 50 km from the ANPP, the Armenian
population is 2,145 mln people, and the Turkish population is 126
thsd people.