Month: February 2012

FRENCH PRESIDENT INCLUDED AZNAVOUR’S SONG ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN HIS ELECTION CAMPAIGN PLAYLIST

news.am
February 25, 2012 | 00:31

PARIS. – The incumbent French President, presidential candidate Nikolas
Sarkozy and another presidential candidate Francois Hollande presented
their beloved songs, Le Figaro reports.

The playlists consist of mainly French pop-music reflecting the
candidate’s personality and intentions. Despite music tastes differ
radically of the two candidates, there are however, touching points.

Sarkozy’s playlist includes French famous singer of Armenian descent
Charles Aznavour’s Ils sont tombes (They have fallen) song. It reminds
on genocide, the denial of which was criminalized by law and caused
criticism recently.

Besides, Sarkozy included his wife Carla Bruni’s song L’Amoureuse
(In love with) in the playlist.

PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES RENOWNED ARMENIAN SINGER ON 70TH BIRTHDAY

news.am
February 25, 2012 | 11:27

YEREVAN. – President Serzh Sargsyan on Saturday extended his
congratulations to Armenia’s People’s Artist Raisa Lazarian, on her
70th birth anniversary.

“In your person, our people recognize a brilliant representative and
a high-merited person of the Armenian art of singing and culture. You
have performed the Armenian song on numerous world stages, for decades
on end, and deservedly earned a high reputation and a wide popularity.

Together with your colleagues, you have opened a new era in the history
of the Armenian art of singing, and raised our musical culture to a
new level,” President Sargsyan’s message specifically reads.

In the President’s words, Raisa Lazarian’s pedagogical activities,
and her mission to convey to the new generation the best traditions
of true culture also deserve praise.

From: Baghdasarian

RACIST AZERBAIJANI STATE GIVES LESSONS OF TOLERANCE TO GERMANY

news.am
February 24, 2012 | 23:10

Azerbaijan decided to give lessons on fight against national
discrimination to Germany as the German press has published some
articles recently, which made Azerbaijani side angry on state level.

In particular, German press touched upon Azerbaijani reality and
called on international community not to hold Eurovision song contest
in Azerbaijan, a state which throws people to the streets just to
build a stage for the contest.

The Eni Azerbaijan, official paper of ruling party in Azerbaijan,
has published an article entitled “German black-boxes of Otto von
Bismarck or disclosure of confidential meetings between Ali Keremli
and the German Ambassador.” However, as the ruling party’s newspaper
is not very popular in the state, the authorities decided to publish
the article in the Bakinskiy Rabochiy (Baku Worker) newspaper, which
is published in Russian. The article allegedly reveals that Germans
hamper the Nabucco construction deliberately, without making enough
investments for the project implementation.

On the other hand, Azerbaijan decided to give lessons on humanism
and fight against national discrimination to Germany.

“Tendencies to hatred and Nazism have been more and more strengthened
in Germany. The atmosphere of Nazism in the state should be a serious
reason for consideration for the German authorities,” the article
reads.

It is quite bizarre and ridiculous that Azerbaijan, a state
executing propaganda of hatred towards Armenians on the state level,
decided to voice on necessity of fight against racism and national
discrimination. Moreover, to give lessons to Germany, who already
overcame its history and acknowledged the dark pages of it. In the
meantime, the same is not true for Turkey and Azerbaijan, which go
on denying own history violently.

Besides, it is ridiculous that Azerbaijan, which is stuck in corruption
from head to toe, blames Germany for corruption. According to an
international organization, Azerbaijan occupies 143rd position among
183 states on corruption level.

The article attempted to blame Azerbaijani opposition for cooperation
with Germany. Azerbaijani authorities are sure that leader of
Azerbaijani oppositional National Front party Ali Keremli received
financial support from Germany. The latter allegedly tries to
destabilize situation in the state through this opposition power.

BLAME GAME: DIASPORA INVESTORS SQUARE OFF WITH ARMENIA’S TAX OFFICIALS DURING LIVE TV LINK-UP
Kristine Aghalaryan

HETQ
21:07, February 24, 2012

On February 24, a special live TV link-up between Armenia and the U.S.
brought together diaspora investors, lawyers and tax authorities
from Armenia to take a look at the issues involved regarding doing
business in Armenia.

The link-up was organized by a group in Armenia that come out in
support of the interests of diaspora investors. No one would argue
that there is a lot of ground to cover on the topic.

One such investor, Edmond Khutyan, related how his company Arin
Capital, had been criminally charged with tax evasion and premeditated
bankruptcy eight months ago but he has yet to be questioned by Armenian
tax officials on the matter.

Khutyan lawyer Nikolai Baghdasaryan noted that this negatively reflects
on Armenian tax officials.

“If they don’t call the director in while at the same time charging
the company doesn’t it leave the impression that a double standard
is at work?” Baghdasaryan asked.

Participating in the discussion was Armen Alaverdyan, First Deputy
to the President of the RA State Revenue Committee.

Alaverdyan confessed that he didn’t know the details of the Khutyan
case. He only said that if the SRC has taken the matter to court it
would definitely see it to its conclusion. The tax official promised
to look into the matter, adding that if premeditated bankruptcy is
the charge he didn’t believe that it would take a mere 1 or 2 months
to resolve.

Alaverdyan stressed that diaspora investors can not only take advantage
of the same rights as local Armenian businesspeople but aspects of
foreign legislation as well. He sounded a more optimistic note than
the lawyers representing diaspora investors and pointed to several
success stories like VivaCell, Tufenkian and even Parisian Coffee. (The
latter establishment was recently sold by its diaspora owner after
she complained of heavy-handedness by Armenian tax officials.)

Alaverdyan noted that oftentimes diaspora investors are not adequately
informed as to Armenian tax laws and this leads to a feeling that
they are operating on an unlevel playing field. He said the government
must do more to assist investors in this area.

He added that diaspora investors procrastinate in terms of petitioning
the SRC and other agencies when problems arise. “They want to use the
tax agency as a tool to force people to assume their obligations,”
Alaverdyan said.

Also on hand was Vardan Marashlyan, Deputy Minister for Diaspora
Affairs, who said that the ministry was doing all it could to assist
diaspora investors and businesspeople who sought help.

Heritage Party MP Stepan Safaryan countered by saying that the ministry
needs to be more pro-active in this regard and offer more outreach
and information to prospective investors.

Marashlyan noted that the ministry was not involved in the Nareg
Hartounian case since no one had asked for their assistance.

(Hartounian and his family’s GH Storage Enterprises has been charged
with tax evasion)

MP Safaryan recounted a recent visit to Armenia by a group of U.S.

Congressmen. Safaryan noted that during meetings with the Armenian
president and speaker of the parliament, the congressmen declared
outright that Armenia was sliding backwards due to the lack of a
favourable investment environment and that even diaspora investors
didn’t want to do business in the country.

MP Safaryan said what’s at issue isn’t the case of one or two
individual investors but a more widespread and systematic lack of
faith in getting a fair shake.

He warned outside investors not to be taken in by sweet-talking local
Armenian con artists who apply for a job, present a good face, and
then take the investor for a ride.

MP Safaryan noted that problems are exacerbated since diaspora
Armenians can’t really understand the ins and outs of the business
reality and mentality at work in Armenia and avoid settling matters
in the way things are traditionally done in the country.

The Heritage Party legislator pointed to the Lincy Fund backing out
of further investment in Armenia and the Millennium Challenge Grant
stopping further aid as two glaring examples of the problem.

SRC’s Alaverdyan pointed to the case of Parisian Coffee as a success
story, noting that when owner Askhen Gortzounian launched the business
in 2007 it got off to a promising start. The official noted that
in 2010 the business (newly registered as Parisian Coffee Factory)
had sales of 90 million AMD and 320 million in 2011.

He said that if the company, say, imported 92 million AMD worth of
product in 2010 and paid 6.5 in tax, in 2011, the company had imports
of 171 million and paid 31 million in tax. Alaverdyan claimed that
such figures pointed to a profitable business.

Alaverdyan argued that most of the problems faced by diaspora investors
stemmed from getting involved with unscrupulous individuals who are
placed in positions of management. This, he said, oftentimes leads
to civil disputes regarding property and ownership issues.

The SRC official advised prospective investors to get in touch with
his agency first before actually starting any commercial enterprise
in Armenia.

Alaverdyan conceded that tax agencies in Armenia needed to improve
the way complaints are handled and to make the process all the more
transparent.

ARF MP Ara Nranyan said these issues are faced not only by diaspora
investors but everyone dealing with the tax agencies, court system
and property registry (Cadastre).

MP Nranyan cited the example of George Tomasyan, a resident of Germany
who managed a business in Armenia and was swindled out of 70 million.

Emotions flared when Asya Asatryan, a reporter from the States,
got into the discussion.

She argued that if Armenia got its act together on this issue, people
in the diaspora wouldn’t be raising such a fuss.

“You won’t find one American-Armenian who wants to discredit Armenia.

If the name of Armenia is being dragged down, it’s the fault of the
government’s failure to set things right,” Asatryan charged.

Armen Alaverdyan found the reference to Armenia’s dignity a bit much
to take. He responded by saying that individual cases of corruption by
Armenian official or citizens should be reported, rather than taking
cheap swipes at the entire government.

“I am proud that I am a citizen of Armenia. Twenty years ago we had
nothing and now we are discussing these matters out in the open. I’d
say we’re on the right track,” Alaverdyan said.

CELLIST NAREK HAKHNAZARYAN GIVES PHENOMENAL PERFORMANCE IN U.S.

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 25, 2012 – 13:01 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Strathmore Mansion, Maryland, was chock full
of patrons (including cellists and other string players) to hear the
23-year-old Armenian cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan give a phenomenal
account of some musical thrillers by Cesar Franck, Frederic Chopin,
Dmitri Shostakovich and Mstislav Rostropovich, says an article in
The Washington Post.

Franck’s late Sonata in A, the evening’s opener, and Shostakovich’s
Sonata in D minor, Op. 40, call on every dimension of a performer’s
technique and expressive means.

Hakhnazaryan impresses with a degree of freedom that comes hard-won
from discipline of the highest order. And he had a brilliant
pianist, Noreen Cassidy-Polera, to support that level of artistry,
the article says.

The cellist won first prize at last year’s International Tchaikovsky
Competition in Moscow. He is already a seasoned performer in first-rate
concert halls with major orchestras around the world.

Hakhnazaryan’s talent was obvious from the opening phrase of
Franck’s late Sonata (originally for violin). Whether pianissimo or
triple forte, his bow was ever emphatic, and his emotive power and
subjective intensity captured the listener immediately, never letting
go. The whole thrust of the piece – especially the third movement –
is a monumental fantasia, requiring the cellist to hurl through its
wavering thematic transformations while seeming to improvise.

Shostakovich’s Op. 40 demands control and fortitude from both players.

It was all there, with both players evenly matched.

Hakhnazaryan’s two blazing encores weren’t enough for the audience,
who clamored for more, the article says.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE KICKS OFF IN LEBANON

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 25, 2012 – 13:27 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – On February 23, 2012, the International Conference
on the Armenian Genocide: from Recognition to Reparation began in
Antelias, Lebanon, in the presence of 120 experts from all over the
world, ambassadors, current and former government ministers and members
of the Lebanese parliament, heads of Armenian religious communities and
representatives of Armenian political parties and other institutions.

His Holiness welcomed the guests and the participants and explained the
background leading to the conference. After stating his expectations
from the Conference, in which he referred at length to the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of Genocide, Catholicos Aram I concluded with the following
remarks: “Turkey must return the church and community properties
confiscated by the Ottoman Turkish authorities to their legal owner,
the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia. As the Catholicosate of Cilicia,
we claim the ownership of our properties confiscated by the Turkish
authorities”.

Prof. Nora Bayrakdarian introduced the agenda and the two speakers:
H.E. Judge Fausto Pocar, Former President of the International Criminal
Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and H.E. Judge Joe Verhoeven,
ad hoc Judge, International Court of Justice.

Speaking from his experience, Judge Fausto Pocar said that although it
is important to list the acts of the Genocide Convention, it is equally
important to consider intent and incitement. After mentioning examples
from the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and that of the
Former Yugoslavia, he said that in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia,
the Tribunals clarified the crime of genocide by both applying the
acts listed in the 1948 Genocide Convention and showing evidence of
intent and incitement. Judge Pocar stated that the same process could
take place in the case of the Armenian Genocide.

Judge Verhoeven began by saying that recognition of the Armenian
Genocide is an established fact and that the Turkish State is denying
part of its own history. He also said that the fact that the Genocide
Convention had not been written at the time of the Armenian Genocide
is irrelevant and that there is no statute of limitations on the
act of the illegal killing of people. The State of Turkey and its
territories still exist and it is therefore accountable. Speaking of
Church properties, he said that these were semi-public properties:
part of the historical heritage of the Armenian people and a necessary
component of their identity. Turkey cannot deny the identity of a
people. Turkey should respect it and make reparation to the Church,
which is responsible owner of this heritage.

The opening session ended with the anthem of the Catholicosate of
Cilicia and the prayer of His Holiness Aram I at the Martyr’s Chapel.

AZERBAIJANIS SPREAD PROPAGANDA UNDER A VEIL OF TRADE

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 25, 2012 – 11:44 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Armenian community in Prague, Czech Republic,
gave a proper response to the event organized by Azerbaijanis on the
20th anniversary of the “Khojalu massacre”.

Azerbaijan’s embassy, with support of Azerbaijani businessmen and
Heydar Aliyev Foundation organized an event on February 24 on a Prague
square dedicated to the so-called “Khojalu genocide”. Organizers of
the event placed a tent in the square with Azerbaijan’s flag beside
it. The event aimed at spreading Azerbaijan’s position on Khojalu
events, says the report received by PanARMENIAN.Net

During the event free foodstuff was distributed in the tent and Azeri
souvenirs and carpets were being sold. In addition to propaganda
materials, the tent also hosted restaurant advertisements, as the
event supporters demanded. Sponsors also insisted that the organizers
get a permission qualifying it as an ad and trade event and not a
propaganda action.

The report says that 6-7 students in the tent were distributing
propaganda materials to passers-by. The Armenian community in
Czech Republic could not remain indifferent to such initiative of
Azerbaijanis. From the very beginning of Azeri action, Armenian were
spreading Czech-language leaflets to passers-by refuting Azerbaijan’s
misinformation. Coming as a surprise for Azerbaijanis, Armenian
activists entered the very tent and distributed their brochures inside
as well.

Armenian activists spread a total of 300 leaflets and 50 brochures.

Ambassador of Turkey to Czech Republic, Cihad Erginay also arrived on
the scene. The ambassador’s speech was suddenly disturbed by a rally
of Krishna supporters that passed by with loud drum-roll and singing.

ARAM I CALLS FOR RETURN OF STOLEN ARMENIAN CHURCHES

ARMRADIO.AM
25.02.2012 13:59

A two-day international conference titled “The Armenian Genocide:
from Recognition to Reparation” was held in Beirut in the presence
of experts from all over the world, ambassadors, current and former
government ministers and members of the Lebanese Parliament, heads
of Armenian religious communities and representatives of Armenian
political parties and other institutions, Asbarez reports.

His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia welcomed
the guests and the participants and explained the background leading
to the conference. Discussing the issue of reparations, Aram I said,
“Turkey must return the church and community properties confiscated
by the Ottoman Turkish authorities to their legal owner, the Armenian
Catholicosate of Cilicia. As the Catholicosate of Cilicia, we claim the
ownership of our properties confiscated by the Turkish authorities.”

The Catholicosate of Cilicia held jurisdiction over more than 200
Armenian churches in the Ottoman Empire before World War I. Other
Armenian churches, close to 2,000, were under the jurisdiction of
the Patriarchate in Istanbul, the Catholicosate in Aghtamar, the
Catholicosate in Etchmiadzin, and the Patriarchate in Jerusalem.

“The decision of US House of Representatives to urge Turkey to return
confiscated churches and church properties to their rightful owners,
and the approval of a bill by the French Parliament and the Senate
making it a crime to deny the Armenian Genocide, along with the
Turkish government’s aggressive reaction, have, once again, brought
the Armenian Genocide to the fore of international headlines. The
Armenian Genocide is no longer an exclusive concern of Armenian-Turkish
relations; it has become integral part of the global agenda,” His
Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, said in
his introductory remarks.

“For decades we have focused on the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide by Turkey and the international community. In fact, the
recent Court cases against American, Turkish and French insurance
and private companies; the decision of US Congress to urge Turkey
to return churches and church-related properties to their owners,
and the Turkish government’s decision on 27 August 2011decided to
return to the minorities the properties confiscated since 1936, came to
re-emphasize the crucial importance of reparation. Indeed, recognition
of truth implies reparation; these acts are intimately interconnected.

This is at the heart of international law,” the Catholicos stated.

“On the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, should we accept
a symbolic formal apology and recognition by Turkey of the genocide?

Should we claim financial compensation for the victims of Genocide
and for the properties? Or, should we claim the return of church,
community and personal properties? Further, should we demand that
reparation include the damages that the Armenian people were subjected
to during the “white genocide,” namely the constant threat to the
Armenian identity in a diaspora situation that was caused by the “red
genocide”? Should we, finally, consider land reparation within the
provisions of international law? The formal recognition of the Armenian
Genocide is a conditio sine qua non for any attempt or process aimed at
restoration of justice. And, as a first concrete step in the direction
of reparation, Turkey must return the church and community properties
confiscated by the Ottoman Turkish authorities to its legal owner, the
Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia. As the Catholicosate of Cilicia,
which was established in the 10th Century in Cilicia, south-western
part of present Turkey, and which was in 1915 forcefully uprooted
from its historical seat, we claim the ownership of our properties
confiscated by the Turkish authorities,” His Holiness Aram I said.

NBC SHOWED THE FILM “BLACK MONEY” ON THE MILLIONS OF THE ALIYEVS

20:46 . 24/02

The wealth of the Aliyevs shown on the American NBC TV channel. The
documentary “Black Money” is about the world’s financial empires,
their owners and successors. The investigatory film “Black Money”
was shown on air of the American TV channel on February 23.

Among other rich families, the author has also covered the Aliyevs
and their wealth. The TV channel’s known journalist Scott John and
the investigatory team presented the world’s big financial empires
created by corruption and sponsorship with shots made in different
parts of the world.

Where does Azerbaijan’s money go? And how did the president’s family
get so rich? These questions interest many. The president’s annual
salary makes 280,000 USD. According to the law of Azerbaijan, the
country’s president cannot do business. Despite several similar
laws, Ilham Aliyev has many estates, his wife has hospitals, their
daughters have businesses, not included their 11-year-old son who,
not falling behind the couple of stars Jolie Pitt and Beckham, has
houses in Dubai, which cost tens of millions of USD. Ilham Aliyev’s
daughter Leila Aliyeva who is married to the Russian pop-star Emin
Aghalarov leads a luxurious life.

In answer to the journalist’s question what are behind Leila’s success,
the latter one has answered: “If you have aims, you must seek to
reach them. In that case, it is easier to have success. I attach
importance to culture more than to business and I stand beside the
young generation.”

The Aliyevs today live in luxury by the black money of the country
rich in oil and gas when the country’s population lives in poverty and
under threat. Azerbaijan is in the 143rd place among 183 most corrupt
countries. All this facts were presented on a TV channel which is
the biggest in the US and is broadcast in many countries of the world.

POLICE LAUNCH INVESTIGATION OF HRAZDAN ELECTION BRIBERY BASED ON HETQ REPORT

hetq
22:20, February 24, 2012

Kotayk police report that they have launched an investigation based
upon a news report that appeared in Hetq’s February 12 edition.

The report stated that according to eyewitnesses, individuals were
handing out 5,000 AMD bribes from the office of a local real estate
board during the recent mayoral election in the town of Hrazdan.

Noting the presence of reporters, the individuals in question
assaulted them.

The police are requesting that eyewitnesses contact them at 59-06-18.