An interview with Mher Harutyunyan, Director of the “Kajar”Analytical Center of Shushi and Assistant Professor of Historical Sciences at Artsakh State University.

The NKR seeks to garner international recognition. This first step could be taken by the RoA. Armenian authorities argue that they will not grant recognition in order to hinder negotiations and lead the settlement process into a dead end. »»»»»

Shushan Hunanyan, Assistant to the RoA Minister of Health, informed “Hetq” that vaccinations against the H1N1 virus, more commonly known as “swine flu”, would begin in Armenia as of the end of January, 2010.

The vaccines have been provided by the World Health Organization. Mrs. Hunanyan said that the first to be vaccinated would be health workers and other vulnerable groups – the young, elderly and those with chronic ailments. Presently, 40 cases of swine flu have been registered in Armenia resulting in three deaths.

Rock superstar Ian Gillan, best known as the lead singer and lyricist for Deep Purple, will stage two charity concerts in Armenia next year in tandem with the country’s Philharmonic Orchestra. Proceeds of the concerts will go towards the rebuilding of Music School #6 in Gyumri, now housed in a temporary and totally inadequate structure.

On 2 October 2009 ,in honor of the 20th anniversary of ‘Rock Aid Armenia’, Gillan together with Tony Iommi, Geoff Downes, and the project organizer Jon Dee were received by the Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan who awarded them with the republic’s Orders of Honor.

The slander suit brought by “Radio Hye” against Heritage Party MP Stepan Safaryan, demanding a retraction of an article Mr. Safaryan wrote that was picked up by the press, will continue on December 10 at the Avan and Nor-Nork District Court.

The suit initiated by “Radio Hye” alleges that the article in question, entitled “A Two Part Radio Concert on the Orders of the President” defamed the working integrity of the station. On December 10, MP Safaryan is obligated to prove that the radio program was in fact broadcast at the express request of the president.  MP Safaryan told “Hetq” that he would only speak about the evidence in his possession in court.

The official investigation into the escape of two lifers from the Nubarashen Penitentiary on November 27 has concluded. The RoA Ministry of Justice has stated that General-Major Ashot Giziryan, Chief of the Criminal Correctional Service, has issued disciplinary penalties for what has been described as “dereliction of official duties”.

Those dismissed from their posts as a result include the chief of the penitentiary’s security service division, the chief responsible for security in the lifers’ wing and others. There were also demotions handed out as well to the deputy chief, head of the watch patrol, operational division chief and operational division chief specialist.

Representatives of the Kurdish community in Armenia today gathered at the Stepan Shahumyan statue in downtown Yerevan and issued a call for Turkish authorities to put an end to what they termed the “senseless violence” against Kurds. They specifically called on Ankara to ameliorate the prison conditions of PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, serving a life sentence since 1999 on Imrali Island in the Marmara Sea. It is reported that Turkish prison officials transferred Ocalan to an even smaller prison cell on November 17 not equipped with any lighting. »»»»»

It appears from press reports covering yesterday’s meeting in Washington D.C. between U.S. President Barack Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan that the Armenian issue was way down on the list of priorities of the two leaders. For the United States it was Turkey’s blooming relations with Tehran and Afghanistan that topped the agenda.

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