Armenianow

Armenian genocide museum benefits from day of service by Washington organization led by boy scouts of America

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Washington, DC - Volunteers from across the Washington, DC area joined the Boy Scouts of America for a day of community service at the Armenian Genocide Museum of America (AGMA), Saturday, October 31, reports AGMA.

Supporting the Boy Scouts of America Troop 50 from Annandale, Virginia, volunteers from Knights of Vartan - Ani Lodge, Armenian Christian Youth Organization of America (ACYOA) from St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church in Washington, DC, Armenian-American Action Committee (ARAMAC) DC Youth, Armenian Network of America, Sigma Chi Fraternity at George Washington University, and Armenian Assembly of America staff and friends joined in a full day of service at the future site of the museum.

Official: Armenian President receives Cafesjian

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

President Serzh Sargsyan on Saturday received the Founding President of Cafesjian Family, Founder of the Cafesjian Culture Center, renowned Armenian-American benefactor Gerard Cafesjian. Present at the meeting was also Gerard Cafesjian’s partner, the President of CS Media Bagrat Sarkissian, according to a report on the president’s official website.

Cafesjian reportedly spoke about his impressions and said that during each of his visits to Armenia he “witnesses positive changes, which is inspiring for every Armenian living in Diaspora.”

McCain, McCan?: Former US presidential candidate recognizes Armenian genocide

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Republican US Senator John McCain, who lost to current US President Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential race, has said he believes “ample documentation” exists proving that “Genocide had been committed against the Armenian people.”

McCain dodged the issue during his presidential campaign in 2008, failing to properly characterize the crime as Genocide.

Mobile TV comes to Armenia: Viva-Cell MTS launches a brand new technology for its subscribers

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Armenia’s leading mobile operator VivaCell-MTS announced Thursday about the launch of its Mobile TV service, which will bring the full-length TV programs right to the 3G mobile phone of the subscriber.

A subscriber of VivaCell-MTS (on the Armenian market since 2005) has to follow links tv.mts.am or tv.vivacell.am from the mobile phone browser to enjoy popular programs broadcasted by leading Armenian TV channels from a user friendly application.

Armenia-Turkey: Football diplomacy on a volleyball pitch

Aris Ghazinyan — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Despite the now common term ‘football diplomacy’, the Armenian-Turkish relations more resemble a volleyball pitch.

The existing border that separates the two countries is like a volleyball net with the teams from each side of it trying to attack. The initiative switches from one team to another; however, on the whole the Turks seem more aggressive.

Practically every week the Turkish diplomatic team makes statements on what impossible task it is to establish diplomatic relations between Ankara and Yerevan without settling the Karabakh issue through recognition of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

Realpolitik: Ter-Petrosian reiterates support for Armenia-Turkey process, opposition to Sargsyan

Suren Musayelyan — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Former president Levon Ter-Petrosian mainly supported the ongoing rapprochement with Turkey, but reiterated his longstanding demand for the current leadership to step down as he spoke to senior members of his opposition alliance on Wednesday.

The opposition leader also dismissed the “nationalist” criticism of President Serzh Sargsyan’s fence-mending deal with Ankara as “having nothing to do with real policies”.

Sport: Aronyan at Tal Memorial in Moscow

Suren Musayelyan — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Chess

Armenia’s number one chess master Levon Aronyan is taking part in the Tal Memorial in Moscow, Russia (November 5 to 18). His opponents are Anand, Kramnik, Carlsen, Leko, Gelfand, Ivanchuk, Morozevich, Svidler, Ponomariov.

Call of Duty: A quarter of conscript age youths in Armenia dodge army

Gayane Mkrtchyan — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

A senior ministry official in charge of army draft says up to a quarter of all available reserves dodge conscription. Colonel Gagik Harutyunyan, however, argues this is still a 50 percent improvement in conscription rates as compared to previous years.

Days before the start of this year’s autumn conscription (officially launching November 9), the head of the Conscription Department at the Defense Ministry’s Republican Military Registration and Enlistment Office presented preparations for the process and challenges faced by military authorities this year.

Central European Visit: President Sargsyan hopes for further cooperation between Armenia and Hungary

Julia Hakobyan — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan thanked the Hungarian justice system for its unequivocal and fair stance regarding the murder case of the Armenian lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan, killed by an Azeri officer Ramil Safarov during the NATO English courses in Budapest in 2004.

In his speech delivered to the President of Hungary Laszlo Solyom during his three-day official visit to Budapest, Sargsyan noted that at the time of the murder, he was the Defense Minister of Armenia and that “the horrendous crime shocked him to the core.”

Living on a budget: Ministries downplay impact of reduced funding on their sectors

Sara Khojoyan — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

The draft 2010 state budget that the opposition has already branded as “a budget of resignation” reduces spending in different sectors of the economy, which, however, does not discourage the ministers in charge of these spheres.

Next year’s budget calls for an expenditure of a total of 859 billion drams (about $2.23 billion), which is by 75 billion drams (about $195 million) less than the budget revenue pattern that had been planned for the current year and by 21 billion drams (about $55 million) less than this year’s planned budgetary expenditure.

For pure water: Expert explains environmental challenges of Lake Sevan

Sara Khojoyan — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

No matter how high the level of Lake Sevan rises it won’t signify any progress unless its water is clean, believes a specialist who has dealt with problems of Armenia’s largest body of fresh water for 25 years now.

Since November last year the level of Lake Sevan has risen by 45 centimeters, however considering evaporation and other circumstances, the overall rise in 2009 is expected to make 31 centimeters.

Credo or Illusion?: Think tank holds discussion on Armenia’s European aspirations and values

Sara Khojoyan — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

The people of Armenia need to revisit their values and authorities need to change the manner in which they act to ensure the country succeeds in its aspirations to become a full member of the European family, according to participants in a Wednesday discussion in Yerevan on prospects of Armenia’s Euro-integration policy.

Crisis management: IMF commends government action, warns against shoring up national currency

Sara Khojoyan — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

A leading international lending institution positively assesses the “anti-crisis” action of the Armenian government, but points out that different wrong steps and approaches had made possible a drastic decline of the economy in 2009.

Talking to media on Thursday International Monetary Fund (IMF) resident representative in Yerevan Nienke Oomes presented the fund’s forecasts for the region for 2010 and said that they expect Armenia to end 2009 with a 15.5 percent economic decline.

Gusan: Ethno music’s in Armenian blood

Siranuysh Gevorgyan — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

A well-known Armenian representative of the ethno bard music genre (known as gusan in Armenia) thinks that television and radio do not pay proper attention to ethno bard songs and music, while these songs and music are in the blood of every Armenian and are never forgotten or ignored.

Gusan Haykazun, who is particularly known for his patriotic songs (“Armenians, Unite!”, “Getashen”, “We Should Go Sooner or Later”, etc) authored during the Karabakh war in the early 1990s, says that during the 20 years of his artistic life he has never been invited to the Public Television of Armenia.

Pashinyan’s case: Time spent in hiding boomerangs opposition editor’s electoral chances

Siranuysh Gevorgyan — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Nikol Pashinyan, the currently jailed editor of an opposition daily, was denied the proof of his five-year permanent residence in Armenia, without which the Central Electoral Commission is not entitled to register his candidacy in a parliamentary by-election.

The ground for not confirming the constitutionally required residence qualification was the letter sent by the Head Department of the Armenian Police’s Criminal Investigation Department on November 3, which states that from February 26, 2008 to July 7, 2009 Pashinyan was wanted by authorities and he did not live in Armenia during that period.

Swine flu: Suspected H1N1 cases in Armenia yet to be confirmed

Siranuysh Gevorgyan — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Armenian healthcare officials have confirmed that three cases of H1N1, commonly known as swine flu, are registered in Armenia this week; however the final conclusion must be given by the referent laboratory of the World Health Organization (WHO) in London.

One of the carriers of the virus is an Iranian, who arrived in Armenia from Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. (During the past few weeks, swine flu was rapidly spreading in Ukraine, where 90 people have already died of the H1N1 virus).

Expert: Delay in Armenia-Turkey protocols ratification against Yerevan’s interests

Siranuysh Gevorgyan — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

An Armenian political analyst believes that the delay of the Armenian-Turkish protocols ratification by the parliaments of the two countries is not favorable for Armenia, since it will give a chance to the countries which are against the Armenian-Turkish relations, namely Azerbaijan, to gain time for making pressure upon Turkey concerning the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

Battle for publication: Opposition newspaper and printing house at odds over old debts

Karine Ionesyan — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

As a result of a legal dispute between the opposition daily Chorrord Ishkhanutyun (Fourth Estate) and the Gind printing house, the daily has been banned and has had to find an alternative for publication – to alter its name and print as Chorrod Inknishkhanutyun, translated as “Fourth Sovereignty” (published 5,200 copies).

Women behind the wire: lost years, new hopes

Karine Ionesyan — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

“One year and 90 days are left until I meet my grandchildren”, “two years and four months are left until I meet my sick mother and take care of her”, “a year is left until my husband and I join forever…”

Women, who circle the days on a calendar, take their punishment in Abovyan’s Penitentiary (some 20 km north-east from Yerevan) and dream about finding their lives again in the world that is on the other side of barbed wires. (A total of 103 women (from 17 to 72 years old) are currently in penitentiary: the only women colony in Armenia).

Slander or truth?: New details emerge in boarding school child abuse controversy

Georg Khachaturyan — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

New details have emerged in a controversial criminal case against a young environmental activist accused of slander in reporting a child abuse and mistreatment in one of Armenia’s boarding schools.

In 2008, Mariam Sukhudyan, a 29-year-old member of the “S.O.S. Teghut” environmental group, gave a video material to the Haylur news program of the Armenian Public Television (H1), where a former pupil at Nubarashen Boarding School 11 for mentally retarded children told of her ordeal in suffering a sexual harassment from an Armenian language teacher, Levon Avagyan.

Going green: HSBC Armenia plants trees and encourages customers to bank electronically

Georg Khachaturyan — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

A leading international bank in Armenia has pursued a major tree planting initiative in one residential community of Yerevan as part of its environmental pledge to encourage its customers to bank electronically.

Continuing the good tradition of tree planting initiated still back in 1996, HSBC Bank Armenia staff and their families on Sunday traveled to the Armenian capital’s Huisi Avan residential community where together with specialists from Armenia Tree Project and community members they planted 500 trees.

Season 2010: Armenia is ready for upcoming winter tourism season

Georg Khachaturyan — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Armenia is fully ready for the start of the winter tourism season – destinations declared by the Armenian Government as winter tourism centers are ready for winter with their whole capacity.

Mekhak Apresyan, head of the Tourism and Regional Development Department of the Ministry of Economy of Armenia, said at a press conference Monday that Tsakhkadzor (Kotayk province) and Jermuk (Vayots Dzor province) are ready to welcome winter tourists “only if snow does not let us down, the way it happened last year, when it snowed less than it had been forecast.” (According to a preliminary weather forecast by meteorologists, the coming winter will be snowy; first snowfalls are expected in mid-December).

Opposition: Authorities in Armenia unable to handle the economy

Georg Khachaturyan — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

The current authorities of Armenia are unable to settle any economic problem in the country, because the whole machinery of state is in the hands of a group of oligarchs, whereas the authorities simply serve that group of people, Levon Zurabyan, coordinator of the main opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC), charged at a press conference Tuesday.

2009 season over: Soccer is not only about diplomacy

Georg Khachaturyan — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Another, eighteenth, national championship in soccer ended this month. It ended without surprises – FC Pyunik representing capital Yerevan, with 65 points in 28 games, won the title for the ninth time in a row. FC Mika finished second (53 points) and FC Ulis took the third place. Last season’s runner-up Ararat, a legendary team for generations of Armenian fans, is leaving the top division to give way to Impulse from Dilijan, a newcomer in the top flight’s 2010 season. The top scorer in the 2009 Armenian premier league is Artur Kocharyan from Ulis (15 goals). Boti Demel from Mika and Arsen Avetisyan from FC Gandzasar Kapan, meanwhile, scored 14 goals each.

Border and attitudes: Pro-opposition economist fears Turks will take advantage of “corrupt” structure of Armenia’s economy

Georg Khachaturyan — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

Armenia is not ready for opening its border with Turkey as long as its economy is controlled by a group of oligarchs and small and medium-sized businesses are all but destroyed, an economist and former mayor of Yerevan claimed at a press conference Thursday.

Dashnaktsutyun: Armenian-Turkish normalization was the ‘last straw’ for the party

Georg Khachaturyan — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800

The process of Armenian-Turkish normalization was the ‘last straw’ for the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Dashnaktsutyun Party, which made the party quit the ruling coalition, ARF member Artsvik Minasyan said at a press conference Friday.

At ArmeniaNow’s request he commented on the widely spread opinion that the party would not have quitted the coalition and would not become an opposition but for what happened on April 22, 2009.