PROTEST IN FRONT OF UK EMBASSY IN YEREVAN
Correction email to a previous news item received from Nurhan:
I am a fluent Turkish speaker (being born in Istanbul).
I listened to this video three times and they don’t mention anything
about killing Kurds or Armenians. What they scream about is the
glory of the Turkish army etc.
It is happening in Silopi (they scream that name a few times).
Incidentally there are some other videos where they insult the Kurds
by mentioning Armenians, but not in this particular one. This video
is nothing but a poor attempt by some Kurds as propaganda
(the item was attributed to armenews.com).
Therefore I would suggest that you might want to inform your mail
group about this.
tert.am
PROTEST IN FRONT OF UK EMBASSY IN YEREVAN
25.01.16
A number of young people held a protest in front of the Embassy of
the United Kingdom in Armenia.
They protested against two anti-Armenian reports on the agenda of the
January session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE).
They handed a letter of demand to the vice-ambassador.
Young members of the For Law organization offered two glass jars of
caviar as a symbolic bribe to the vice-ambassador thus alluding to
Azerbaijan caviar diplomacy at PACE.
Activist Arman Ghukasyan told Tert.am that the reports on the agenda
of the PACE session pose threat to the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process.
"We are well aware of the reasons for the biased reports. We have
numerous precedents, particularly in 2003-2004, when Azerbaijan
was able to bribe PACE members, and we have decided to express our
indignation, hand over our letter of demand and offer a symbolic
bribe - two glass jars of red and black caviar. If British officials
love caviar very much, we have brought caviar for them to reject the
reports," she said.
The report entitled "Inhabitants of frontier regions of Azerbaijan are
deliberately deprived of water" by PACE Rapporteur Milica Markovic, as
well as the one entitled "Escalation of Violence in Nagorno-Karabakh
and Other Occupied Territories of Azerbaijan" by Robert Walter, is
on the agenda of the PACE session this January. The anti-Armenian
resolutions are to be put to the vote on January 26.
Tsovinar Kostanyan, another member of the NGO, said she evaluates
the reports as "encroachment upon the Armenian nation and statehood
and the native lands."
"We now have a generation which will never allow such a disgraceful
encroachment. We are ready to defend our motherland, and its
interests."
The activists were at the protests site with banners bearing English
slogans.
At the end, they agreed with the deputy ambassador to have a meeting
with him in his office to in case the reports receive approval.
armenianow.com
EX-PRESIDENT'S OFFICE: TER-PETROSYAN OPERATED ON
FOR CANCER
25.01.16
Armenia's former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan has undergone a surgery
for intestinal cancer, his office said in a statement on Sunday.
According to the press release, the surgery took place at Glendale
Memorial Hospital in California, USA, on January 15.
It is reported that after post-surgery treatment Ter-Petrosyan was
discharged from hospital on January 24 and now continues to recover
at his relatives' in the United States.
Ter-Petrosyan, who turned 71 earlier this month, was post-Soviet
Armenia's first president in 1991-1998. He ran for president again
as an opposition leader in 2008 but lost to current head of state
Serzh Sargsyan in a disputed election.
Since then Ter-Petrosyan has led the opposition Armenian National
Congress (ANC). In 2013, he officially explained his decision not to
run for president again by his age. The ANC eventually did not field
a candidate in that election that was again officially won by Sargsyan.
armradio.am
ZVARTNOTS TERMINAL FIRST IN THE CAUCASUS TO EARN
25.01.16
Armenia's former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan has undergone a surgery
for intestinal cancer, his office said in a statement on Sunday.
According to the press release, the surgery took place at Glendale
Memorial Hospital in California, USA, on January 15.
It is reported that after post-surgery treatment Ter-Petrosyan was
discharged from hospital on January 24 and now continues to recover
at his relatives' in the United States.
Ter-Petrosyan, who turned 71 earlier this month, was post-Soviet
Armenia's first president in 1991-1998. He ran for president again
as an opposition leader in 2008 but lost to current head of state
Serzh Sargsyan in a disputed election.
Since then Ter-Petrosyan has led the opposition Armenian National
Congress (ANC). In 2013, he officially explained his decision not to
run for president again by his age. The ANC eventually did not field
a candidate in that election that was again officially won by Sargsyan.
armradio.am
ZVARTNOTS TERMINAL FIRST IN THE CAUCASUS TO EARN
ISO 50001 CERTIFICATION
25 Jan 2016
Siranush Ghazanchyan
British Standards Institution (BSI) has given Zvartnots Terminal,
located in Yerevan, Armenia Energy Management System ISO 50001
certification emphasizing the company's firm commitment to continuous
improvements in energy efficiency.
The program was launched in 2015 and is intended to provide the energy
team with a recognized framework for integrating energy performance
into their management practices. It specifies requirements applicable
to energy use, measurement, documentation and reporting, design and
procurement practices for equipment, systems, that contribute to energy
performance. Full commitment from all levels and functions of the
organization assured the successful implementation and timely results.
Marcelo Wende, General Manager of AIA said: "We are committed to
minimize our energy consumption by maximizing energy efficiency in
a continual improvement cycle and to provide a safe and comfortable
environment to our passengers and employees".
"We cannot control energy prices, but we can control how we manage
energy. Since the launch of the program we reduced waste, increased
efficiency and more importantly were able to develop the culture of
continuous improvement within the organization at all levels. I hope
that similar efforts are initiated by other organization not only in
Armenia but in the region."
25 Jan 2016
Siranush Ghazanchyan
British Standards Institution (BSI) has given Zvartnots Terminal,
located in Yerevan, Armenia Energy Management System ISO 50001
certification emphasizing the company's firm commitment to continuous
improvements in energy efficiency.
The program was launched in 2015 and is intended to provide the energy
team with a recognized framework for integrating energy performance
into their management practices. It specifies requirements applicable
to energy use, measurement, documentation and reporting, design and
procurement practices for equipment, systems, that contribute to energy
performance. Full commitment from all levels and functions of the
organization assured the successful implementation and timely results.
Marcelo Wende, General Manager of AIA said: "We are committed to
minimize our energy consumption by maximizing energy efficiency in
a continual improvement cycle and to provide a safe and comfortable
environment to our passengers and employees".
"We cannot control energy prices, but we can control how we manage
energy. Since the launch of the program we reduced waste, increased
efficiency and more importantly were able to develop the culture of
continuous improvement within the organization at all levels. I hope
that similar efforts are initiated by other organization not only in
Armenia but in the region."
hetq.am
WHILE HOTEL NUMBERS INCREASE, MOST TOURISTS STAY
WITH RELATIVES OR RENT APARTMENTS
Seda Hergnyan
January 25, 2016
Four or five new hotels are set to open In Armenia this year according
to the tourism department at the ministry of economics.
Four hotels opened for business last year: Opera Suite (Yerevan),
Hyatt Place (Jermouk), Double Tree by Hilton (Yerevan), Gayane
(Haghpat). Eight hotels opened in 2014.
This signifies that there is a demand for hotel beds in Armenia and
that investors are cashing on the opportunity. Simply put, there are
profits to be made in the sector.
Currently, there are 337 hotels operating in Armenia: 122 (36%)
in Yerevan and the rest throughout the country. (The term hotel
encompasses a variety of establishments - hotels, motels, guesthouses,
pensions, hostels, vacation camps, etc.) In total, these establishments
provide 20,235 sleeping accommodations.
In 2000, a year when tourism data started to be collected, there were
just 3-4 hotels; all in Yerevan.
In addition to the above-mentioned establishments there are over 200
bed and breakfasts (B&B) operating, mostly outside Yerevan.
Today, there are 42 hotels operating in Sevan, 37 in Tzaghkadzor,
17 in Jermouk, 15 in Dilijan, and 9 in Aghveran.
Despite the increase in hotel numbers, most tourists visiting Armenia
continue staying with relatives and in rented apartments. Apartment
owners make more money by renting their apartments on a daily basis
to tourists when compared to renting to locals on a monthly basis.
According to the latest data from the National Statistical Service
(NSS), more than 443,000 tourists visited Armenia in the 3rd quarter of
2015. Only 55,400 (12%) of them are said to have stayed at hotel-like
establishments. The rest stayed with relatives or rented apartments.
The NSS reports that in the 3rd quarter of 2015 19% of tourists came
from CIS countries, 28.8% from EU member states, and 52% from other
countries.
A majority of those staying at hotels in Armenia are in fact domestic
tourists; residents of Armenia.
According to the NSS, 781,714 residents of Armenia stayed at local
hotels from January-September of 2015. 69.2% were on vacation, 17.6%
travelled for business/practical reasons, 7.8% for medical matters,
and 5.4% for other reasons.
Seda Hergnyan
January 25, 2016
Four or five new hotels are set to open In Armenia this year according
to the tourism department at the ministry of economics.
Four hotels opened for business last year: Opera Suite (Yerevan),
Hyatt Place (Jermouk), Double Tree by Hilton (Yerevan), Gayane
(Haghpat). Eight hotels opened in 2014.
This signifies that there is a demand for hotel beds in Armenia and
that investors are cashing on the opportunity. Simply put, there are
profits to be made in the sector.
Currently, there are 337 hotels operating in Armenia: 122 (36%)
in Yerevan and the rest throughout the country. (The term hotel
encompasses a variety of establishments - hotels, motels, guesthouses,
pensions, hostels, vacation camps, etc.) In total, these establishments
provide 20,235 sleeping accommodations.
In 2000, a year when tourism data started to be collected, there were
just 3-4 hotels; all in Yerevan.
In addition to the above-mentioned establishments there are over 200
bed and breakfasts (B&B) operating, mostly outside Yerevan.
Today, there are 42 hotels operating in Sevan, 37 in Tzaghkadzor,
17 in Jermouk, 15 in Dilijan, and 9 in Aghveran.
Despite the increase in hotel numbers, most tourists visiting Armenia
continue staying with relatives and in rented apartments. Apartment
owners make more money by renting their apartments on a daily basis
to tourists when compared to renting to locals on a monthly basis.
According to the latest data from the National Statistical Service
(NSS), more than 443,000 tourists visited Armenia in the 3rd quarter of
2015. Only 55,400 (12%) of them are said to have stayed at hotel-like
establishments. The rest stayed with relatives or rented apartments.
The NSS reports that in the 3rd quarter of 2015 19% of tourists came
from CIS countries, 28.8% from EU member states, and 52% from other
countries.
A majority of those staying at hotels in Armenia are in fact domestic
tourists; residents of Armenia.
According to the NSS, 781,714 residents of Armenia stayed at local
hotels from January-September of 2015. 69.2% were on vacation, 17.6%
travelled for business/practical reasons, 7.8% for medical matters,
and 5.4% for other reasons.
MY ARMENIA. BABADJANIAN: SIX PICTURES. BAGDASARIAN:
NOCTURNE; RHAPSODY
The Strad, UK
Jan 25 2016
Rhapsody. Khachaturian: Poem-Song; Two Dances from Gayaneh. Komitas:
The Apricot Tree; The Crane; It Is Spring; Seven Folk Dances.
Mirzoyan: Introduction and Perpetuum mobile
Leading Armenian players lovingly perform the music of their country
January 25, 2016
THE STRAD RECOMMENDS
Musicians Sergey Khachatryan (violin) Lusine Khachatryan (piano)
Composer Babadjanian; Bagdasarian; Khachaturian; Komitas; Mirzoyan
Catalogue number: NAÃ~OVE V 5414
This recording, 'dedicated to the 100th commemoration of the Armenian
Genocide', is presented by violinist Sergey Khachatryan, winner
of the Queen Elisabeth and Sibelius competitions and the leading
Armenian musician of his generation. Performing with his sister,
pianist Lusine, who also plays a number of solo works on this disc,
Khachatryan brings his glorious tone to the music of his homeland.
There is a school of Armenian composition, informed by folk and
religious music, that stretches back to the mid-19th century, although
its founder Komitas Vardapet, who suffered during the events of 1915,
is the only composer here to have written in that century. His Krunk
('The Crane'), a national song, opens the recording and sets the
tone with its lushly melodic, distinctly Eastern violin lines. Of the
music that follows, Khachaturian's Sabre Dance - spikily dispatched
by Khachatryan - is by far the most famous, but there is much else on
the disc to enjoy: a second, sotto voce miniature from Khachaturian's
ballet Gayaneh, Edvard Mirzoyan's driving work Perpetuum mobile and
a brooding Rhapsody by Eduard Ivanovich Bagdasarian.
Sergey Khachatryan's playing is flawless throughout, while the
recording is both well balanced and resonant, and together the
siblings' love for this music shines through. Only the poorly written
(or possibly translated) notes are a disappointment here.
Tim Woodall
arka.am
FITCH FORECASTS ARMENIAN GDP GROWTH AT 2 PERCENT
The Strad, UK
Jan 25 2016
Rhapsody. Khachaturian: Poem-Song; Two Dances from Gayaneh. Komitas:
The Apricot Tree; The Crane; It Is Spring; Seven Folk Dances.
Mirzoyan: Introduction and Perpetuum mobile
Leading Armenian players lovingly perform the music of their country
January 25, 2016
THE STRAD RECOMMENDS
Musicians Sergey Khachatryan (violin) Lusine Khachatryan (piano)
Composer Babadjanian; Bagdasarian; Khachaturian; Komitas; Mirzoyan
Catalogue number: NAÃ~OVE V 5414
This recording, 'dedicated to the 100th commemoration of the Armenian
Genocide', is presented by violinist Sergey Khachatryan, winner
of the Queen Elisabeth and Sibelius competitions and the leading
Armenian musician of his generation. Performing with his sister,
pianist Lusine, who also plays a number of solo works on this disc,
Khachatryan brings his glorious tone to the music of his homeland.
There is a school of Armenian composition, informed by folk and
religious music, that stretches back to the mid-19th century, although
its founder Komitas Vardapet, who suffered during the events of 1915,
is the only composer here to have written in that century. His Krunk
('The Crane'), a national song, opens the recording and sets the
tone with its lushly melodic, distinctly Eastern violin lines. Of the
music that follows, Khachaturian's Sabre Dance - spikily dispatched
by Khachatryan - is by far the most famous, but there is much else on
the disc to enjoy: a second, sotto voce miniature from Khachaturian's
ballet Gayaneh, Edvard Mirzoyan's driving work Perpetuum mobile and
a brooding Rhapsody by Eduard Ivanovich Bagdasarian.
Sergey Khachatryan's playing is flawless throughout, while the
recording is both well balanced and resonant, and together the
siblings' love for this music shines through. Only the poorly written
(or possibly translated) notes are a disappointment here.
Tim Woodall
arka.am
FITCH FORECASTS ARMENIAN GDP GROWTH AT 2 PERCENT
IN 2016
YEREVAN, January 25. Fitch Rating said in a statement
that its estimates Armenian GDP growth was 2.7% in 2015, revised up
from its forecast of 1.5% in July. It estimates domestic demand fell
by 4.9%, but net trade underpinned growth. Imports dropped 26% YoY
(in USD terms) in the first three quarters of 2015, while exports
fell only 1%, supported by the opening of the Teghut copper mine and
strong growth of agriculture output.
Fitch forecasts also GDP growth at 2% in 2016, before picking up to
2.8% in 2017, but the outlook depends on external conditions. The
remarkable rebalancing of the economy and access to funding has eased
pressures on Armenia's external finances.
Fitch estimates the current account deficit narrowed to 4.3% of GDP
in 2015, from 7.3% in 2014, despite the drop in remittances. Foreign
exchange reserves recovered to USD1,771m in December 2015 from
USD1,261m in February 2015, helped by the issue of a USD500m eurobond
in March (USD300m net of the buyback of the eurobond due in 2020),
USD100m from the Eurasian Fund for Stabilisation and Development
as well as funding from the IMF and World Bank. Nevertheless, net
external debt is high, at an estimated 46.5% of GDP at end-2015,
compared with the 'B' category median of 21.5%. -0-
armradio.am
AUSTRALIAN PAPER SHINES LIGHT ON AZERBAIJAN'S
YEREVAN, January 25. Fitch Rating said in a statement
that its estimates Armenian GDP growth was 2.7% in 2015, revised up
from its forecast of 1.5% in July. It estimates domestic demand fell
by 4.9%, but net trade underpinned growth. Imports dropped 26% YoY
(in USD terms) in the first three quarters of 2015, while exports
fell only 1%, supported by the opening of the Teghut copper mine and
strong growth of agriculture output.
Fitch forecasts also GDP growth at 2% in 2016, before picking up to
2.8% in 2017, but the outlook depends on external conditions. The
remarkable rebalancing of the economy and access to funding has eased
pressures on Armenia's external finances.
Fitch estimates the current account deficit narrowed to 4.3% of GDP
in 2015, from 7.3% in 2014, despite the drop in remittances. Foreign
exchange reserves recovered to USD1,771m in December 2015 from
USD1,261m in February 2015, helped by the issue of a USD500m eurobond
in March (USD300m net of the buyback of the eurobond due in 2020),
USD100m from the Eurasian Fund for Stabilisation and Development
as well as funding from the IMF and World Bank. Nevertheless, net
external debt is high, at an estimated 46.5% of GDP at end-2015,
compared with the 'B' category median of 21.5%. -0-
armradio.am
AUSTRALIAN PAPER SHINES LIGHT ON AZERBAIJAN'S
WOOING OF FEDERAL POLITICIANS
25 Jan 2016
Siranush Ghazanchyan
The Australian newspaper's Weekend edition has reported on Azerbaijan's
efforts to gain a "diplomatic edge" over Armenia and the Armenian
National Committee of Australia by treating "Federal politicians and
their wives ... to expenses-paid, business-class trips to Azerbaijan."
Furthermore, in the article titled 'War of words over shuttle
diplomacy in Azerbaijan', Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Australia,
Rovshan Jamshidov has admitted that gaining Australia's firm backing
in the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute was "one of the main reasons" for
opening a Canberra Embassy in 2013.
The article also quotes recent visitors to Azerbaijan as part of its
government's 'shuttle diplomacy', Federal MPs Luke Simpkins and Alan
Griffin - the Chair and Vice-Chair of the recently-formed Australia
Azerbaijan Parliamentary Friendship Group.
Simpkins came under fire by the Armenian National Committee of
Australia (ANC Australia) recently, when he rose in Australia's
Parliament to condemn the self-determined Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh
as "illegally seized" territory belonging to the Aliyev dictatorship
of Azerbaijan. This statement was delivered as a Constituency
Statement, when The Australian confirms there are only four Azeri-born
constituents in Simpkins's electorate of Cowan.
The Australian quotes ANC Australia Executive Administrator, Arin
Markarian on this point: "Simpkins ... is wined and dined in Baku, and
all of a sudden develops an intimate knowledge of Caucasus geopolitics
-- intimate enough to take a hardline anti-Armenian view ... without
once visiting Nagorno-Karabakh or Armenia to talk to the other side."
Markarian added: "You can forgive Armenian-Australians for thinking
something smells fishy about Simpkins."
In MP fiduciary reports obtained by ANC Australia, it is confirmed all
entertainment and accommodation expenses on these trips are covered by
"the government of Azerbaijan".
Markarian commended The Australian on shining a light on this
"questionable" form of diplomacy exercised by Azerbaijan.
"We have tried to ask these questions to Mr. Simpkins, but he has
avoided us. He couldn't avoid The Australian, but yet, he still
wasn't able to answer the questions raised by its reporters and the
Australian public," said Markarian.
Markarian added: "A Parliamentarian from Western Australia, which
hardly has any Azeri population, is invited to Azerbaijan. His
fiduciary report of the trip reveals his on-ground expenses, including
accommodation and meals, were all paid for by the 'Parliament of
Azerbaijan', which in itself is a funny concept in a dictatorship
ruled by the same family since Soviet time."
"Then Simpkins returns to Australia and speaks in Parliament about the
'illegal occupation' by 'aggressor Armenians' of Nagorno-Karabakh."
"The Armenian National Committee of Australia and the Armenian
community of Australia finds it preposterous that the native people
of a land, who have exercised their rights to self-determination
after years of abuse faced by a foreign dictatorship, are now called
'illegal occupants' of their native land... by an Australian politician
who is only interested in meeting representatives of the Azerbaijani
side of this conflict after a sojourn to Baku."
25 Jan 2016
Siranush Ghazanchyan
The Australian newspaper's Weekend edition has reported on Azerbaijan's
efforts to gain a "diplomatic edge" over Armenia and the Armenian
National Committee of Australia by treating "Federal politicians and
their wives ... to expenses-paid, business-class trips to Azerbaijan."
Furthermore, in the article titled 'War of words over shuttle
diplomacy in Azerbaijan', Azerbaijan's Ambassador to Australia,
Rovshan Jamshidov has admitted that gaining Australia's firm backing
in the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute was "one of the main reasons" for
opening a Canberra Embassy in 2013.
The article also quotes recent visitors to Azerbaijan as part of its
government's 'shuttle diplomacy', Federal MPs Luke Simpkins and Alan
Griffin - the Chair and Vice-Chair of the recently-formed Australia
Azerbaijan Parliamentary Friendship Group.
Simpkins came under fire by the Armenian National Committee of
Australia (ANC Australia) recently, when he rose in Australia's
Parliament to condemn the self-determined Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh
as "illegally seized" territory belonging to the Aliyev dictatorship
of Azerbaijan. This statement was delivered as a Constituency
Statement, when The Australian confirms there are only four Azeri-born
constituents in Simpkins's electorate of Cowan.
The Australian quotes ANC Australia Executive Administrator, Arin
Markarian on this point: "Simpkins ... is wined and dined in Baku, and
all of a sudden develops an intimate knowledge of Caucasus geopolitics
-- intimate enough to take a hardline anti-Armenian view ... without
once visiting Nagorno-Karabakh or Armenia to talk to the other side."
Markarian added: "You can forgive Armenian-Australians for thinking
something smells fishy about Simpkins."
In MP fiduciary reports obtained by ANC Australia, it is confirmed all
entertainment and accommodation expenses on these trips are covered by
"the government of Azerbaijan".
Markarian commended The Australian on shining a light on this
"questionable" form of diplomacy exercised by Azerbaijan.
"We have tried to ask these questions to Mr. Simpkins, but he has
avoided us. He couldn't avoid The Australian, but yet, he still
wasn't able to answer the questions raised by its reporters and the
Australian public," said Markarian.
Markarian added: "A Parliamentarian from Western Australia, which
hardly has any Azeri population, is invited to Azerbaijan. His
fiduciary report of the trip reveals his on-ground expenses, including
accommodation and meals, were all paid for by the 'Parliament of
Azerbaijan', which in itself is a funny concept in a dictatorship
ruled by the same family since Soviet time."
"Then Simpkins returns to Australia and speaks in Parliament about the
'illegal occupation' by 'aggressor Armenians' of Nagorno-Karabakh."
"The Armenian National Committee of Australia and the Armenian
community of Australia finds it preposterous that the native people
of a land, who have exercised their rights to self-determination
after years of abuse faced by a foreign dictatorship, are now called
'illegal occupants' of their native land... by an Australian politician
who is only interested in meeting representatives of the Azerbaijani
side of this conflict after a sojourn to Baku."
No comments:
Post a Comment