Author: Zakarian Garnik

Armenian wrestlers and boxers won 6 medals
Review of February 18-25 sports events.

28.02.2010 GMT+04:00

Freestyle Wrestling: Armenia’s Ruslan Basiev (w/c 120) and Mihran
Jaburyan (w/c 55 kg) won silver at the 2010 Takhti Cup freestyle
wrestling tournament which ended in Isfahan (Iran) on February 19.
Zhirayr Hovhannisyan (w/c 66) and Edgar Yenokyan (w/c 96) won bronze.
Armenian freestyle wrestling coach Araik Baghdadyan told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter that he is satisfied with the performance of
his sportsmen.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian wrestlers will have a team practice session
together with Ossetians in Vladikavkaz between March 6 and 20.
`Starting from March 28, we are having the last practice session in
Yerevan, after which we’ll participate in 2010 Europe Championship,’
Baghdadyan said.

Boxing: Armenian boxers led by head coach Rafael Mehrabyan returned
from the international tournament in Bulgaria with 2 medals. Hovhannes
Danielyan (w/c 48) won gold; Vladimir Hayrapetyan (w/c 64) came 3rd in
his weight class.

Arthur Abraham (Germany) vs. Andre Dirrell (USA) battle scheduled for
March 6 fight was postponed to March 27. Direll suffered a back injury
in training and was unable to move forward with the scheduled date of
March 6. The the venue is still discussed.

Abraham-Dirrell is the first of three scheduled fights in the second
stage of Showtime’s Super Six Tournament. Abraham is currently
training for the fight in California. According to Meyer, Abraham will
likely remain in the U.S. to continue his training camp and return to
Germany following the March fight.

Abraham’s coach Ulli Wegner meanwhile questions the validity of Andre
Dirrell’s back injury. "How can he [Dirrell] already know that he’ll
be 100% fit by March 27? When someone gets injured he can’t say the
exact date of his recovery. Camp Dirrell just want to play mind games
with us, but this won’t give them any advantage. Arthur is staying
focused and won’t get thrown off track.’

Abraham, who is the current leader following the knockout win, had
moved his camp to the United States on Feb. 8 in anticipation of the
Dirrell fight. `Of course, I was disappointed when I first heard of
the postponement,’ Abraham said. `But I am happy to take on Dirrell on
March 27. I want him to be in top shape so that he has no excuses once
I am done with him. `My training has gone very well thus far. I am in
great shape, and I will defend my tournament lead against him,’ he
added.

Susi Kentikian, the WBAÐ? and WIBF flyweight champion of Armenian
origin (Germany) is training in the most popular resort of Austria,
Zelden. The German boxer is getting prepared to her fight in Germany
on April 24, which is going to be the main event. She will be fighting
with another German boxer Nadia Raoui (WIBA title).

Weightlifitng: On February 21-23, Yerevan State Olympic Reserve
College was hosting Armenian Weightlifting Championship.

Women’s Weightlifting Championship gold went to: Isabella Yalyan
(weight category 53kg), Elen Grigoryan (weight category 55kg), Alla
Samvelyan (weight category 63kg), Kristine Petrosyan (weight category
69kg), Meline Daluzyan (weight category 75kg) and Hripsime Khurshudyan
(weight category +75kg).

Men’s Weightlifting Championship gold went to: Mais Tatosyan (weight
category 56kg), Vanik Avetisyan (weight category 62kg), David Muradyan
(weight category 69kg), Aghasi Aghasyan (weight category 77kg) and
Gevorg Poghosyan (weight category 85kg), Armenian Weightlifting
Federation secretary general, Pashik Alaverdyan told PanARMENAIN.Net
reporter.

As was earlier reported by head coach of Armenian Team Ashot
Mkitaryan, based on championship results, Armenian team will be formed
to participate in European Weightlifting Championship.

Chess: Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronian came 3rd at Linares chess
tournament. Scoring 5.5 points, Aronian drew 9 games and won one
victory over Azerbaijan’s Vugar Gashimov in the last round. Bulgaria’s
Veselin Topalov won the tournament with 6.5 points.

The World Chess Federation (FIDE) has issued the list of chess players
for Grand Prix final to be held in Astrakhan, Russia, from May 9 to
25. Levon Aronian, the winner of 2009 Grand Prix will not be
participating, according to an agreement with FIDE.

Armenia will be represented by Vladimir Akopian. Other participants
are: Boris Gelfand (Israel), Peter Leko (Hungary), Vassily Ivanchuk,
Ruslan Ponomarev, Pavel Elyanov (Ukraine). Peter Svidler, Dmitry
Yakovenko, Evgeny Alekseev, Ernesto Inakriev (Russia), Vugar Gashimov,
Teimour Radjabov, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan) and Yue Wang
(China).

Women will play in Nalchik, Russia, from April 25 to May 8.
Participants: Elina Danielyan, Lilit Lazarian (Armenia), Humpy
Koneru (India), Zhao Xue, Yifan Hou (China) Zhu Chen (Qatar). Pia
Cramling (Sweden), Nana Dzagnidze (Georgia), Tatiana Kosintseva, Baira
Kovanova (Russia), Batkhuyag Munguntuul (Mongolia) and Betul Yildiz
(Turkey).

Winter Olympic Games: Armenian skier Ani-Matilda Serebrakian withdrew
from the giant slalom race at Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games on February
24. 15 more skiers also fell by the wayside.

Armenia’s Arsen Nersisyan will race on February 27.

Football: During a team practice session in Turkey, FC Khimki played
first friendly match against Kayrat of Almaty on Friday, February 19.

Armenian team goalkeeper Roman Berezovski and football player of
Armenian decent Arsen Hovhannesyan were included in FC.

Khimki beat Kayrat 3:2, with Arsen Hovhannesyan scoring the second goal.

In the second friendly, Khimki tied against Volgar Gazprom Astrakhan.
Arsen Hovhannesyan entered the field as a substitute in the 51st
minute of the game.

FC Gandzasar, representing Armenia at Turkmenbashi Cup traditional
international tournament, were defeated 1:2 by Tajik Vahsh. The only
goal was scored by Artak Oseyan.

The prize fund of the annual Turkmenistan President’s Cup totals $35
000. The winners will be awarded $20 000. Silver and bronze winners
will get $10 000 and $5 000 respectively.

The second round of the Romania’s Football Championship has started.
FC Steaua, where the Armenain football players, Artavazd and Arman
Karamanyan are playing, lost FC Chakhlauli with score 1:3.

Artavazd Karamyan made his debut in the official matches of FC Steaua,
playing as a substitute on 73 minutes of the game.

Steaua ranks 3, scoring 34 on Romania’s Football Championship.
Steaua’s next match will be held on February 28.

Basketball: Basketball Federation of Armenia awarded the winners and
champions of Armenia in 2009 among women and men.

Women’s Hatis received the Cup and gold medals, Gyumri Grand Candy
came second and third respectively. Polytechnic became the champions
among men, followed by Hatis and FIMA. Sports School Ajapnyak was
recognized the best sports school of 2009.

On the whole, the work of the Basketball Federation in 2009 was rated as "good".

On February 20, Basketball Federation of Armenia elected a president.
The only candidate was the current president of Federation Hrachya
Rostomyan, who was unanimously re-elected for another 4 years. Since
February 18 Mr. Rostomyan has also acted as general secretary of
Armenian National Olympic Committee.

According to Hrachya Rostomyan, since 2006 Basketball Federation
fulfilled a lot of activities, 260 basketball teams in 450 schools
have been formed involving some 4617 children. Armenian Basketball
Federation has joined FIBA `Europe and FIBA- World since 2007.

Armenian Basketball Federation will organize Army Tournament and
Junior Basketball Championships in 2010.

`This summer Yerevan will host European Basketball Championships `
division C will be held in Yerevan and we should make it successful,’
he said. `We’ll also try to settle the problems of Yerevan sport
halls.’

Armenian Basketball Federation projects to involve 2 international
arbiters and an inspector by 2012.

Tennis: Argentinean Armenian tennis player David Nalbandian did not
take part in the quarterfinal of Copa Telmex-2010 having $ 475.300
prize fund.

On February 18, Nalbandian had to meet with Spain’s Albert Montanes.
Unfortunately, due to injury before the quarterfinal of Copa
Telmex-2010 David Nalbandian withdrew from the tournament.

Nalbandian dropped 19 points in February 22 ATP ranking, moving down
to 159th position with 325 points to his score.

Armenia’s Tigran Martirosyan is ranked 460th with 70 points.

Roget Federer (Switzerland) tops ATP rankings, followed by Novak
Djokovic (Serbia) and Rafael Nadal (Spain).
«PanARMENIAN.Net» analytical department

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Feb 27 2010

DavutoÄ?lu conveys Turkey’s concerns to Sarksyan

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet DavutoÄ?lu and Armenian President Serzh
Sarksyan had a comprehensive discussion on developments in the
Caucasus and the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations during a
meeting in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev, the Anatolia news agency
reported on Thursday.

DavutoÄ?lu was in Kiev to attend the inauguration of Ukrainian
President Viktor Yanukovych.

Following the meeting, DavutoÄ?lu told reporters that he had expressed
the Turkish side’s concerns to Sarksyan during the meeting. `We also
discussed what should be done in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. I had
the chance to convey our concerns, views and vision for the region to
Sarksyan,’ he said.

Speaking about the ideal Caucasus that Turkey would like to see,
DavutoÄ?lu said Turkey wants a Caucasus that does not suffer from
closed borders, occupation or prejudice, but which has peace,
prosperity and stability. `There must be dialogue to realize this
vision,’ he added. Surprisingly, the Armenian presidential
administration reported that President Sarksyan had no meeting with
the Turkish foreign minister, saying only that `DavutoÄ?lu just
approached President Sarksyan and they had an exchange of views.’
During the meeting Sarksyan reportedly emphasized that political will
is needed to move forward. Armenia feels the ongoing process should be
brought to a conclusion within a short period of time; otherwise, as
reported previously, Armenia will withdraw its signature from the
protocols.

President Sarksyan reiterated that Turkey’s engagement in the
resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict does not appear to be
possible as Turkey positions itself as a country unilaterally
providing military aid to one of the conflicting sides, Azerbaijan,
and always makes `biased announcements’ over the settlement of the
conflict.

While attending a reception following the oath-taking ceremony,
DavutoÄ?lu also spoke of Turkish-Ukrainian relations. DavutoÄ?lu said
Ukraine was a very important neighboring country for Turkey. `Ukraine
has been going through a critical process due to domestic political
developments,’ he said, adding that political stability and domestic
peace in Ukraine were important for Turkey’s regional policy. Noting
that he had met with his Ukrainian counterpart, Petro Poroshenko, and
discussed the steps they would take for the future, DavutoÄ?lu said he
would pay an official visit to Ukraine within the next few months.

`We consider 2010 to be a year during which stability will be restored
in Ukraine and relations between Turkey and Ukraine will be further
strengthened,’ DavutoÄ?lu said.

On the sidelines of his visit to Ukraine, DavutoÄ?lu also met with US
National Security Adviser James Jones and the Swiss chief of the
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, Micheline Calmy-Rey, on
Thursday.

DavutoÄ?lu and Jones discussed Turkish-US relations, Iran’s nuclear
program and the developments taking place in the Caucasus. DavutoÄ?lu
and Calmy-Rey talked about the new Turkish president of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and issues on
the council’s agenda. Furthermore, DavutoÄ?lu and Calmy-Rey discussed
the recent developments between Turkey and Armenia vis-a-vis the
protocols signed last year.

DavutoÄ?lu and Calmy-Rey also touched on a ban on minarets in
Switzerland, an issue on which Foreign Minister DavutoÄ?lu conveyed
Turkey’s sensitivity.

27 February 2010, Saturday
TODAY’S ZAMAN Ä°STANBUL

Aysor, Armenia
Feb 27 2010

`An Ordinary Genocide’: Speaking of Sumgait massacres in RAU

On February 27, on the eve of the Commemoration Day of the victims of
pogroms in Sumgait, in Russo-Armenian (Slavonic) University was
organized a presentation of documentary films "Baku, January 1990" and
"Sumgait, February 1988" from the series of "An Ordinary genocide’. On
the presentation in RAU was present also the head of the project
famous journalist Marina Grigoryan.

"In our region, both the present and the future are mainly determined
by the past’, – noticed Marina Grigoryan. `No matter how hard we try
not to think about what our people experienced during the whole XX
century, we will not succeed in it, because what they have started at
the beginning of the XX century, they want to finish in the XXI’.
"Apart from the fact that we all need to know the history of our
people, the reason for the establishment of this cycle is that we all
want to live safely. However the guarantee of security can only be the
recognition and the correct assessment of the international community
in the acts that were committed in the past ", – she noticed.

Films from the series of "An ordinary genocide," tell of the genocide
acts, deportation of Armenians of Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh and
mass violence against the them. "The facts presented in these films
come to witness that these events occurred not only due to the
activities of individual criminal structures, but also because of the
intentional policy of the Azerbaijani government towards our
compatriots", – said the professor of the RAU Arman Saghatelyan,
introducing the film. "Much of what these people had experienced
before the death, we can not make public even today, because it is
really dangerous for the psychology of the normal people", – added
Marina Grigoryan, the author of the films.

The project "Ordinary genocide" is being implemented by the support of
the Information and Public Relations Center of the Armenian
President’s Office.

GOLD MARKET EMPLOYEES CEASE THEIR STRIKE

gold-market
03:27 pm | February 26, 2010

Social

Employees of "Gold World" market owned by "Vagharsh and Sons" CJSC
today resumed their daily routine after an 8-day strike.

They sounded content with the government’s decision dated February 25,
2010 by which the market owners are bound to care for all expenses,
place cash registers, establish order and not levy taxes on small
and medium businesses.

"I think the government held an in-depth discussion on the matter
and found our compliant justified. We are pleased with the government
decision and need not worry any more," Rafael Antonyan, an employee
of the gold market, told A1+.

Recall that during the strike Rafael Antonyan and his colleague
Artashes Arakelyan were denied access to the building by the
administration.

Today both of them were in the market in their usual places.

"The director came to me and said we could continue working as the
decision was recognized void," said Mr. Antonyan.

Though the employees have sustained great losses during the past eight
days they think things will better after the tax burden alleviates.

They are still waiting for President Serzh Sargsyan to give a written
answer to their letter.

Deputy Director Armen Baghdasaryan refused to comment on the matter.

The demonstrators stopped the strike yesterday as they did not want
the action to be linked to the opposition’s upcoming rally on the
events of March 1, 2008.

AS YEREVAN GETS FACE-LIFT, MANY ARMENIANS LOSE THEIR HOMES

States News Service
February 25, 2010 Thursday

The following information was released by Radio Free Europe /
Radio Liberty:

Nune Hambardzumian was evicted from her home in downtown Yerevan in
late December, as the authorities began clearing out residents to
make room for new commercial and residential districts.

"This is anarchy! They can just come and throw you out of your house,"
she says. "This is my husband’s ancestral home. But it turns out
that one day you wake up and find out that it is already somebody
else’s property."

This is the dark side of urban renewal. As the Armenian capital
undergoes a face-lift, with private investors moving in to gentrify
what was once a dreary post-Soviet cityscape, residents like
Hambardzumian are finding themselves kicked out of their homes with
little or no compensation.

The Yerevan authorities are using eminent-domain legislation — or as
it is called in Armenia "prevailing public interest" — to turn over
entire neighborhoods to private developers, who then build lucrative
high-end shops, hotels, restaurants, and upscale housing.

Thousands of families have been displaced in the past decade and
some 30 neighborhoods in Yerevan are currently slated to be renovated
under eminent domain. While such legislation has traditionally been
reserved for public-works projects like schools and roads, it is
increasingly being invoked to make way for commercial projects run
by private investors.

Watch: Residents complain of being evicted from their homes in downtown
Yerevan (in Armenian).

The State’s Needs

"A redistribution of property is being carried out under the guise of
state needs," says Sedrak Baghdasarian, head of the NGO Victims of the
State’s Needs, which helps evictees win adequate compensation in court.

"When I hear ‘state needs,’ I understand that to mean the construction
of a reservoir or an airport. But look what the government has done —
it has taken property from one owner and handed it over to another
to construct a building and make super profits."

When residents are evicted from their homes, Baghdasarian explains,
they also lose their registration as residents of their district,
meaning they are unable to vote in elections, get passports for their
children, or use municipal services.

Baghdasarian himself was evicted from his home back in 2004 and offered
just $300 per square meter in compensation, a fraction of the price
new residences constructed in its place are now being sold for.

After failing to win legal redress in Armenia, he and 15 other evictees
have taken their case to the European Court of Human Rights.

Vahe Grigorian, an attorney who is representing some of the evicted
tenants in the European Court, says Armenia’s justice system is deeply
corrupt and subservient to the authorities and real estate developers.

"The courts have been used as tools by the developers and the
authorities in order to deprive people of their property and give them
as little compensation as possible. It’s very difficult to believe
that courts have changed their ways now," Grigorian says.

"The real and primary reason for the wholesale violations of the
rights of Yerevan residents is that there wasn’t and isn’t now a
system of justice in the Republic of Armenia. The presence of any
law by itself does not imply the protection of human rights."

Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov (center) and Armenian officials discuss a
major redevelopment project.

Yerevan officials say they are simply trying to improve the city,
and need private investors to do so. "We are not depriving people of
their property. We are simply dealing with the unsanitary condition
of the city," says Levon Hakobian, the director of the department
dealing with construction in Yerevan’s City Hall.

"The whole purpose of this development is to implement an urban
development project so that the city will be beautiful," Hakobian
adds. "And they [the residents] are trying to get as much money as
they can, which is natural. What else can you say?"

Luzhkov Branches Out

The wave of redevelopment in Yerevan began a decade ago, in 2000,
with the Northern Avenue project, a pedestrian boulevard in downtown
Yerevan that now houses chic boutiques, shops, and cafes.

According to local media reports, a key investor in that project
was the Russia-based company Inteko, which is controlled by Yelena
Baturina, the wife of Moscow’s powerful Mayor Yury Luzhkov.

The Moscow mayor has already expressed interest in another planned
urban-renewal project in Yerevan, a business center in the city’s
central Noragyugh district. The $6 billion project will be spread
across 184 hectares and will also include residential properties and
foreign embassies.

Luzhkov himself visited Yerevan in January and toured the site with
Yerevan Mayor Gagik Beglarian. Luzhkov said at the time that the
"location is good…. That’s why we will pay serious attention
to this project." Luzhkov added that his first deputy mayor would
visit Yerevan in March, when construction is scheduled to commence,
to further assess the project.

Luzhkov has his own problems related to real estate development back
home. Critics have long accused him of staging regular "land grabs"
in order to clear prime real estate of low-budget tenants in order to
move ahead with lucrative development plans. Most recently, residents
of the Moscow suburb of Rechnik resisted efforts to evict them.

For his part, Beglarian assured Luzhkov that he would "do everything"
to assure that the residents of Noragyugh "move from here gladly."

Beglarian said the residents would be relocated to new apartments
elsewhere in the city.

But that is small comfort to those currently living in Noragyugh,
as they anxiously await their fates.

"If you were in my place, wouldn’t you be afraid?" one resident asks.

"They forced people in Northern Avenue out of their homes and did not
pay proper compensation to them. People turned into tramps. Will the
state give me the amenities that I already enjoy? No, it won’t."

RFE/RL correspondent Brian Whitmore contributed to this report
from Prague

SESSION OF THE COUNCIL MANAGING THE NORTH-SOUTH ROAD CORRIDOR INVESTMENT PROGRAM TAKES PLACE

5/lang/en
2010-02-22

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 22, ARMENPRESS: Session of the council managing the
North-South road corridor investment program took place today chaired
by the Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan. Within the framework
of the agenda of the session issues on the process of implementation
of the North-South program.

Governmental press service told Armenpress that at the session the
participants also referred to the formation of the organization dealing
with the program implementation and to the issues on transparency of
the activity.

NEW BUILDING OF STEPANAKERT YOUTH AND CHILDREN’S CREATIVE CENTER OPENS

Noyan Tapan
Feb 22, 2010

STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The solemn opening ceremony of
Stepanakert Youth and Children’s Creative Center took place on February
20. Nagorno Karabakh President Bako Sahakian was present at it.

Attaching importance to center’s role in preservation of national
culture B. Sahakian expressed confidence that it will contribute
to children’s aesthetic education, revelation and development of
creative abilities.

ARMENIAN WEIGHTLIFTING CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS ANNOUNCED

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.02.2010 18:29 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On February 21-23, Yerevan State Olympic Reserve
College was hosting Armenian Weightlifting Championship.

Women’s Weightlifting Championship gold went to: Isabella Yalyan
(weight category 53kg), Elen Grigoryan (weight category 55kg), Alla
Samvelyan (weight category 63kg), Kristine Petrosyan (weight category
69kg), Meline Daluzyan (weight category 75kg) and Hripsime Khurshudyan
(weight category +75kg).

Men’s Weightlifting Championship gold went to: Mais Tatosyan (weight
category 56kg), Vanik Avetisyan (weight category 62kg), David Muradyan
(weight category 69kg), Aghasi Aghasyan (weight category 77kg)
and Gevorg Poghosyan (weight category 85kg), Armenian Weightlifting
Federation secretary general, Pashik Alaverdyan told PanARMENAIN.Net
reporter.

As was earlier reported by head coach of Armenian Team Ashot Mkitaryan,
based on championship results, Armenian team will be formed to
participate in European Weightlifting Championship.

ANC PRESENTS A SOCIAL-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Siranush Muradyan

"Radiolur"
23.02.2010 18:06

The Armenian National Congress has presented a 100-step social-economic
development program.

The program, in particular, provides for progressive taxation of large
enterprises, reduction of tax load on small and medium enterprises,
export stimulation, reformation of banks and large CJSCs into OJSCs,
stirring up of security market, implementation of definite steps
on radical reduction of shadow economy volumes, revision of prices
for natural monopoly services, ANC Coordinator Levon Zurabyan told
a press conference today.

Levon Zurabyan said they had been working on the program from the
very first day of formation of the Armenian National Congress. He
added that the ANC invites the public to discuss the program.

TURKISH DIPLOMAT SAYS ARMENIANS WOULD NOT STOP AFTER GENOCIDE RECOGNITION

Yerkir
23.02.2010 12:59

Yerevan (Yerkir) – In case the Turkish-Armenian protocols enter a
deadlock, the processes in the United States will continue in two
directions," former Turkish ambassador to the United States Faruk
Logoglu has said in an interview with the Turkish newspaper Hurriyyet.

He said the first direction is Obama’s speech on April 24: "This speech
is of a great importance. However, Obama will hardly use the notion of
‘genocide’ as it may endanger the relations with Turkey.

According to Logoglu, the second direction is the US Congress. He
noted that the Armenian lobby and their political supporters intensify
pressure on the Congress for adoption of a bill to recognize the
Armenian genocide. He said that the chances of Armenian supporters
are high this time because the "so-called Armenian rapprochement"
has entered a deadlock.

He also said that the Armenians will not stop on the adoption of
the bill on genocide in the Congress because the principles fixed in
the Constitution and Declaration of Independence of Armenia are not
limited with the recognition of genocide. "It will then be the time
of territorial claims, demands for material compensation and other
claims that Armenians will put to Turkey".