http://vem.am/ Vem Radio: Analyses & News from Armenia, Christianity & Culture, Classical & Sacred Music: Vem Radio http://vem.am/topics/news/news/2086/ 09/02/2012 [22:29] During its session on Thursday, the Government of Armenia rejected the legislative initiative on holding the upcoming parliamentary elections solely by 100-percent proportional election system.  This matter was presented to the Government by Deputy Justice Minister Grigor Muradyan, who noted that the elections’ effectiveness and fairness are not conditioned on any election system. In his words... http://vem.am/topics/news/news/2087/ 09/02/2012 [22:29] The author of the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial, Valerie Boyer offers to renew attempts if the draft law gets rejected. “I didn’t except such an acute reaction from some senators. The bill reaffirms such global values as freedom, equality and fraternity,” Boyer said in an interview with Nouvelles d'Armenie magazine. “Media doesn’t seem to be... http://vem.am/topics/news/news/2084/ 08/02/2012 [22:35] Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian commented on remarks by his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Liberman who suggested that “the term Holocaust is inapplicable in reference to any other tragedy. “We don’t accept attempts to term any other conflicts or massacres as Holocaust,” Liberman said. As Nalbandian said, the term Holocaust was never used to describe the Armenian Genocide. “Introducing the term... http://vem.am/topics/news/news/2085/ 08/02/2012 [22:35] President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz met with the Turkish Minister for the EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis. The official discussed the role of Turkey in Syria, the visa regime and the prospective for Turkish membership in EU. Bagis and Schulz also commented the Armenian Genocide and the new bill adopted by the French senate. Egemen Bagis refused to answer a question about... http://vem.am/topics/news/news/2082/ 07/02/2012 [22:10] The municipality in the eastern Turkish province of Malatya has agreed to rebuild a complex involving a chapel, a guard house and an annex for washing the dead inside a historical Armenian cemetery after municipal workers demolished it on Feb 3, Hurriyet Daily News reported. “The folk in the street cried when they saw that our ‘Last Prayer’ [complex] was demolished. I don’t think it to be ‘neighborhood pressure.’ There is... http://vem.am/topics/news/news/2083/ 07/02/2012 [22:10] It is considered that Armenians drink a lot of coffee. However, consumption significantly yields that of European states. Armenia imported 11,800 tons coffee over last year but 1,400 tons returned back. Thus, Armenia used 10,400 tons coffee annually, which is 3.25 kg per person. Hence, each Armenian drinks 67 liters of coffee on average annually. Is it too much? Most of all coffee is... http://vem.am/topics/news/news/2080/ 07/02/2012 [00:15] Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman for the first time publicly spoke against recognition of the Armenian Genocide. His position supposing not to threaten strategic partnership with Azerbaijan was clear before. However, the only officials to voice it were deputy minister Danny Ayalon and Robert Ilatov, head of Israel is Our Home parliamentary group. Speaking to RTVi television, Liberman said the sufferings that Jewish... http://vem.am/topics/news/news/2081/ 07/02/2012 [00:15] A Swiss prosecutor has launched a probe into remarks by Turkey’s chief EU negotiator Egemen Bağış, who said in Davos that "the Armenian Genocide doesn't exist." "There was no Armenian Genocide. Let them arrest me," Bağış said last week following a French reporter’s question. Zurich public prosecutor Christine Braunschweig confirmed the probe... http://vem.am/topics/news/news/2078/ 06/02/2012 [02:48] The Nagorno Karabakh conflict should be resolved peacefully, U.S. Secretary of State said. During a meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Hillary Clinton said that the United States, as a co-chair country of the OSCE Minsk Group, will continue helping the sides towards an agreement. According to RA MFA press office, the two diplomats discussed... http://vem.am/topics/news/news/2079/ 06/02/2012 [02:55] Interesting developments have unfolded after when Ahmet Karadag, a 57-year-old resident of Turkey’s Gaziantep (Ayntap) city, filed a lawsuit against the French President, France, French-Armenians, and four Armenian foundations in Istanbul—following the French Senate’s passing of the bill that criminalizes the denial of genocides, including the Armenian Genocide—and he demanded compensation. Ever since... http://vem.am/topics/news/news/2076/ 05/02/2012 [04:34] Armenian media outlets are actively discussing the names of possible candidates who would represent Armenia at the Eurovision 2012 in Baku. Among the possible candidates are Lucia Moon and Dorians rock band. The final decision will be made by the council of the public television to be voiced ahead of March 18. Lucia Moon who currently lives in Los Angeles expressed... http://vem.am/topics/news/news/2077/ 05/02/2012 [04:40] French state aircraft and warships are no longer using Turkish airspace and territorial waters after permission requests in three different cases were rejected by the Turkish government, France’s top diplomat in Ankara said, amid the ongoing spat over the French bill penalizing the Armenian Genocide denial. “Our requests [for an aircraft and two warships] have been rejected, so we are no longer issuing such requests. http://vem.am/topics/news/news/2074/ 04/02/2012 [00:34] A celebratory event, devoted to the 20th anniversary of Armenia’s Armed Forces, was held on February 1 at the US Central Command. The event brought together high-ranking officers and civilian officials from more than sixty countries. Lieutenant Colonel A. Mkrtchyan, Armenian Armed Forces representative for US Central Command, delivered opening remarks and presented the Armenian army’s history. http://vem.am/topics/news/news/2075/ 04/02/2012 [00:34] On a tip from the Haynews.am news site regarding illegal tree felling in the village of Garni, the Kotayk Regional Prosecutor directed local police to investigate. Cops discovered 77 cases of illegal felling and estimated the damage to worth around 2.4 million AMD. They have sent their findings to the Kotayk Investigative Unit for review. http://vem.am/topics/news/news/2072/ 03/02/2012 [05:15] Several Swedish MPs have applied to the Nobel Peace Committee with the proposal to give the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize to famous Turkish human rights defender Ragip Zarakolu. As the Turkish Evrensel website informs, the Swedish MPs mentioned in their proposal that Zarakolu published materials on the Armenian Genocide and the Kurdish issue which are taboos in Turkey. He has been sentenced for those... http://vem.am/topics/news/news/2073/ 03/02/2012 [05:12] French President Nilocas Sarkozy and his Foreign Minister Alain Juppe differ on the genocide denial bill that recently passed the French Senate. As CNN Turk reported, citing French media, Sarkozy criticized Juppe for his position, making the latter keep silent on the matter. On January 23, the French Senate passed the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial with 127 votes for and 86 against. http://vem.am/topics/news/news/2070/ 02/02/2012 [06:40] Come Home 2012 program which is organized in the framework of Armenia-Diaspora cooperation will start in June 2012 and will continue until October. This is told in the Ministry of Diaspora’s report which was presented to the government. In the framework of the program Armenian families will host around 800 13-20 year-old youths from the Diaspora. It is planned to organize a summer... http://vem.am/topics/news/news/2071/ 02/02/2012 [06:48] President Nicolas Sarkozy will immediately submit a new draft of a law punishing denial of the Armenian Genocide if France's top judicial body rejects it, two ministers stated, according to AFP. "The president told us in cabinet that he would immediately submit a new draft if there is a rejection by the Constitutional Council" of a bill approved recently by the French parliament, said one of the ministers, who spoke on condition of anonymity. http://vem.am/topics/news/news/2068/ 01/02/2012 [00:01] Chairman of  the Writers Union of Armenia ,Levon Ananyan, told reporters today that Gyumri Mayor Vardan Ghukasyan has pledged to purchase the Hovhannes Tumanyan house in Tbilisi from its current owner Archil Lezhava.  “The Mayor of Gymri has purchased the house on his own funds. I talked to Lezhava this morning and he is ready to wait for a few weeks,” Ananyan said at the press conference. http://vem.am/topics/news/news/2069/ 01/02/2012 [00:02] Constitutional Council of France accepted on Tuesday Senators’ appeal against the bill criminalizing genocide denial, European Democratic and Social Rally parliamentary group informed AFP. Seventy-two signatures have been collected so far, although only 60 were enough, Le Figaro writes. With a vote of 127 in favor and 86 against...