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Eurovision’s dirty secret – BBC (video)

staff — Thu, 24 May 2012 04:08:55 +0000

With just a few days left until the Eurovision Song Contest, BBC Panorama has prepared a film about Azerbaijan to discover the truth about the 2012 host country and its approach to what it has called the world's most watched non-sporting event. Reporter Paul Kenyon finds out how the contest has been used as a tool of intimidation. The film, which lasts 30 minutes, uncovers all the facts that discredit Azerbaijan as a country which earned the right to organize the 2012 contest after its representatives, Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal, won the first place in Germany last year. According to Kenyon, Azerbaijan has taken advantage of the contest for political ends. He considers Eurovision a chance for the country to sing a song of respectability amid the criticism against its repressive regime. Kenyon recalls the country’s hostile attitude to Armenia’s 2009 participants, Inga and Anush Arshakyans, noting that Azerbaijan stopped the broadcast as the singers made their entry on the stage. The BBC reporter believes Armenia is not attending this year’s contest for security considerations. He has talked to Rovshan Nasril, an ethnic Azerbaijani, who voted for Armenia as a sign of protest against his country’s anti-democratic move. Kenyon has also interviewed the Azerbaijani Ambassador to the UK, Fakhraddin Gurbanov, and the organizer of the contest, Ingrid Deltenre, to know their opinion about the democracy situation in the country. The full film is below.

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Armenia hands over PABSEC chairmanship to Azerbaijan

staff — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:34:33 +0000

The 39th plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) continued its work at the National Assembly of Armenia.The session discussed and approved reports and proposals concerning the activities of three standing committees. The meeting also approved a number of amendments discussed in Istanbul and Tbilisi.PABSEC Secretary General awarded a diploma to Vice-Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly Areg Ghukasyan.Armenia handed over PABSEC chairmanship to Azerbaijan. Ghukasyan handed the token hammer to Head of the Azeri delegation Asef Gajiev.PABSEC will hold its 40th meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 21 and 22.

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DIY Controversy: Ombudsman calls for tolerance

staff — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:34:01 +0000

Armenian Human Rights Defender Karen Andreasyan is calling for tolerance in the heated atmosphere created by the torching of a “gay-friendly” bar in Yerevan, and subsequent statements and skirmishes between proponents of “diversity” and “patriotic nationalists”. According to news.am the Ombudsman condemns the incidents of violence and intolerance against homosexuality and other minorities. “I suggest to ease this escalation, which I think has artificial origins, and I call on both sides to stop the tension as there is an aggressive division in our society

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Knowing the neighbors: Armenia to raise the level of Caucasus studies

staff — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:33:39 +0000

The Yerevan State University (YSU) says in the next academic year Caucasus studies will become available for undergraduate students.

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Opposition Bloc Faces New Hurdle To Parliament Entry

staff — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:33:09 +0000

The main opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) faced an unexpected obstacle to its entry into parliament on Wednesday as it emerged that most of its newly elected deputies are in legal limbo.The Central Election Commission (CEC) said that they technically remain members of Yerevan’s municipal council and therefore cannot to join the National Assembly.Under Armenian law, members of the 131-strong parliament are not allowed to hold any other positions in the executive branch and local government bodies.The HAK refused to take up its 13 seats in Yerevan’s Council of Elders in protest against the alleged falsification of municipal elections held in May 2009. According to Armen Smbatian, the CEC secretary, neither the bloc nor any of its 13 candidates elected to the council formalized that decision with written notifications that had to be sent to the Mayor’s Office.Four of those candidates also ran for the National Assembly in this month’s elections and won seats there along with three other members of the HAK. Smbatian told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) that they cannot receive their parliamentary mandates without resigning from the Yerevan council in a manner required by law.Asked what the CEC will do if they refuse to comply with that requirement, Smbatian said, “We don’t even envisage a scenario whereby they will refuse to renounce their membership in the Yerevan Council of Elders.”The HAK said it is now assessing its options and will announce a decision within days

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U.S. ‘Still Pushing For Turkish-Armenian Normalization’

staff — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:32:30 +0000

The United States is continuing to press Turkey to unconditionally normalize its relations with Armenia, the U.S. ambassador in Yerevan, John Heffern, said on Wednesday.“We still are very hopeful that the process will resume as long as it’s not linked to any other issue,” Heffern told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). “So we are continuing to work with Turkey and to push Turkey to do the right thing.”He seemed to refer to the ratification of two U.S.-brokered protocols that were signed by Armenia and Turkey in October 2009

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Azerbaijan Blames ‘Armenian Lobby’ For Deepening Row With Iran

staff — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:32:01 +0000

High-ranking representatives of Azerbaijan’s ruling party have blamed Armenia and the worldwide “Armenian lobby” for their country’s mounting tensions with Iran that led Tehran to withdraw its ambassador from Baku on Tuesday.The envoy was recalled “for consultations” after months of bitter recriminations traded by the two neighboring nations over alleged interference in each other’s affairs.Iran has accused fellow Shia Muslim Azerbaijan of helping Israel to assassinate Iranian nuclear scientists and facilitating possible Israeli and U.S. air strikes against the Islamic Republic’s nuclear facilities

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‘Complementary’ maneuver: Armenia trying to get security from Russia, while economically integrating with Europe

staff — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:34:44 +0000

The conflict between Russia and the West is apparently becoming the main dividing line in the domestic politics of Armenia. The split along this line occurs both within the opposition and pro-government forces. Aram Sargsyan, the leader of the Hanrapetutyun party, who was number three on the proportional list of the opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC), gave up his mandate in parliament and announced its departure from the ANC.

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Iran nuclear talks set to open in Baghdad

staff — Wed, 23 May 2012 08:47:27 +0000

A group of six world powers is due to hold fresh talks with Iran about its controversial nuclear programme, BBC reports.The talks are being held in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, at Iran's request. They come a day after the UN's nuclear watchdog held talks with Iran to try to gain better access to the regime's nuclear installations. Tehran insists its uranium enrichment programme is for peaceful purposes, but the West fears Iran is developing a nuclear weapon. The five permanent members of the UN Security Council - the US, Britain, France, Russia and China - plus Germany will try to persuade Iranian officials to scale back their nuclear programme. Security is tight, with about 15,000 Iraqi police and troops protecting the venue inside Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone.Previous talks in Istanbul in mid-April managed to find enough common ground to arrange a further meeting in Baghdad.

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Probe into fire of ruling party’s building to last for week

staff — Wed, 23 May 2012 08:47:17 +0000

The probe into the fire broke out in the roof of the building of the central office of Armenia’s ruling Republican Party of Armenia will take at least a week, Nikolay Grigoryan, director of Emergency Channel of Emergency Situations Ministry told Tert.am. The State Fire Inspection is due to probe into the fire case and present a conclusion on the basis of which either a criminal case will be filed or not. Nikolay Grigoryan, who is also deputy head of the rescue service said a criminal case is being filed in case of intent. He said the causes of the fire are not clear yet.

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