Month: February 2012

REPEAL OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE LAW RESULT OF TURKISH LOBBY’S PRESSURE – HAY DAT REP

Tert.am
29.02.12

Repeal of the law criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide by
the Constitutional Council of France was the result of the Turkish
lobby’s overt pressure.

“There is not any other explanation,” Hrach Varzhapetyan, Head of the
Hay Dat (Armenian Cause) office in France, said in an interview with
the Yerkir Media TV channel.

The Armenian community in France will not give up. “This law is of
paramount importance for all of us. We are ready to start the process
anew,” he said. Varzhapetyan announced his intention to initiate a
process of putting another bill on the French parliament’s agenda. He
noted that President Nicolas Sarkozy remains committed to his pledges:
discontent with the Constitutional Council’s ruling he ordered a new
bill to be drafted.

Aarhus Centers Of Armenia Demand Canceling Decision To Place In Mashtots Park

arminfo
Wednesday, February 29, 14:48

In their letters to the President, Prime Minister, Urban Development
Minister and Yerevan Mayor the Aarhus centers of Armenia demand
canceling the decision to transfer the trade pavilions formerly
located on Abovyan Street to Mashtots Park, Ecolur reported

The municipal authorities say that this is part of the program to
zone Yerevan’s center, but the greens insist that this is contrary
to the city’s general outlay.

The Heritage party has sued the Yerevan Municipality. Experts say
that the project runs counter to the Land Code and the law on urban
development and note that no public hearings and environmental impact
assessment have been conducted.

A number of cultural workers and public figures have already stood
up for the park, with as many as 4,000 signatures collected against
the project.

On Tuesday Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan met with a group
of architects and told them that the transfer of the pavilions to
the park was a temporary measure.

From: A. Papazian

PRESS-SERVICE OF NATO: NATO REPRESENTATIVES ARE IN YEREVAN WITH A WORKING VISIT

arminfo
Wednesday, February 29, 14:49

Press-service of NATO told Arminfo correspondent that at present NATO
representatives are in Yerevan with a working visit.

“This is a regular working visit by representatives of the Alliance
to the country which is NATO’s partner. Such kind of visits are not
public. For this reason, I cannot tell you the agenda of the visit
either”, – representative of the press-service said.

For its part, NATO Information Centre in Armenia reported that
Frank Boland, the head of Force Planning Department of NATO Defence
Policy and Planning Division, and Ambassador Huseyin Dirios,
NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning,
arevisiting Yerevan. Today they will have meetings in Armenian Foreign
Ministry and Defence Ministry to discuss the results of IPAP and PARP
fulfillment by Armenia.

From: Baghdasarian

NEWSPAPER: ORINATS YERKIR IS LOSING MEMBERS

arminfo
Wednesday, February 29, 14:49

Businessman Misak Sargsyan has broken away from the Orinats Yerkir
party.

According to the Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper, Sargsyan, who owns the
Top Motors and Real Motors companies, first said that he did it because
of health problems but then admitted that it simply was not his place.

Earlier Orinats Yerkir expelled MP Gagik Bagdasaryan because of his
reluctance to do what the party said.

TWO MINISTRIES HAVE OBJECTIONS AGAINST CONSTRUCTION OF SMALL HPPS IN SYUNIK

arminfo
Wednesday, February 29, 14:50

On March 1 Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration Vache
Terteryan will submit a project on changing the category of land
areas in Litchq (Syunik region) for the construction of 2 small HPPs
at the government meeting.

Ecolur reports that Agriculture Ministry has objection to changing
the category of 0.15 ha land areas, which belong to the forest fund,
while Nature Protection Minister makes a reference on government
decision N1209 dated on 15.10.2009.

In accordance with this decision, the third national park, “Arevik” has
been set up in Armenia, where any agricultural activities disturbing
the park regime are banned.

The construction project of 2 small HPPs is developed by Suren
Khachatryan, Governor of Syunik Region.

FRANCE WILL ADOPT LAW CRIMINALIZING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIAL: OPINION FROM YEREVAN

epress.am
02.29.2012

France’s tango has nothing to do with Armenia’s interests, said
Yerevan-based political analyst Ruben Mehrabyan, in conversation with
Epress.am and commenting on the French Constitutional Council ruling
that determined the genocide denial bill approved by parliament last
year and the Senate last month was unconstitutional.

“What’s important for Armenia is relations with Turkey. How long can
we remain at the hope of the Russians?” he asked.

“Let this be a lesson for Armenia’s authorities not to get ahead of
themselves and not appear in such a foolish situation. We, as citizens
of the Republic of Armenia, when both the French parliament adopted
the legislation and the Council then rejected it, should’ve shown
restraint,” Mehrabyan added.

According to him, the Constitutional Council ruling is tied with the
current domestic situation in France and France-Turkey relations.

Recalling the Algerian prime minister’s warning to his Turkish
counterpart, that the blood shed by Algerians shouldn’t be made into
a subject of political speculations, Mehrabyan, drawing parallels,
said if Armenia’s authorities “had a little bit of dignity, they
wouldn’t allow for similar speculations [to be made].”

According to Armenian Center for National and International Studies
Director of Research Manvel Sargsyan, the French court ruling could’ve
been predicted, by following the opinions voiced when the bill was
being discussed in Senate – most notably, the view that the bill
violates freedom of expression.

Recall, the Constitutional Court based its verdict on provisions
of the “1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen,”
the fundamental document of the French Revolution. It said the law
was not in line with the declaration’s 6th and 11the articles, which
highlight freedom of expression and thought, one of the main pillars
of the democracy.

“Of course if there was discordance on the law inside the country,
it would be more vulnerable to pressure from the outside. Most likely,
there was also the factor of pressure from Turkey, as well as internal
factors in France, and as in the case of initiating any other law,
an issue of raising politicians’ ratings,” said Sargsyan.

Nevertheless, the analyst noticed France adopting the genocide bill
is considered a matter of key importance, which is testified by the
fact that French President Nicolas Sarkozy has already requested the
government draft a new bill taking into consideration the Council’s
decision.

“The French give more importance to this issue – they view it as an
issue tied with the future of the state. Hence, they view the issue
more seriously than Armenians. I think there will be another bill
from France, which, of course, will be important in the international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide,” he said.
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From: Mihran Keheyian
Subject: France Will Adopt Law Criminalizing Armenian Genocide Denial: Opinion
from Yerevan

France Will Adopt Law Criminalizing Armenian Genocide Denial: Opinion
from Yerevan

02.29.2012 14:25 epress.am

France?s tango has nothing to do with Armenia?s interests, said
Yerevan-based political analyst Ruben Mehrabyan, in conversation with
Epress.am and commenting on the French Constitutional Council ruling
that determined the genocide denial bill approved by parliament last
year and the Senate last month was unconstitutional.

?What?s important for Armenia is relations with Turkey. How long can
we remain at the hope of the Russians?? he asked.

?Let this be a lesson for Armenia?s authorities not to get ahead of
themselves and not appear in such a foolish situation. We, as citizens
of the Republic of Armenia, when both the French parliament adopted
the legislation and the Council then rejected it, should?ve shown
restraint,? Mehrabyan added.

According to him, the Constitutional Council ruling is tied with the
current domestic situation in France and France-Turkey relations.

Recalling the Algerian prime minister?s warning to his Turkish
counterpart, that the blood shed by Algerians shouldn?t be made into a
subject of political speculations, Mehrabyan, drawing parallels, said
if Armenia?s authorities ?had a little bit of dignity, they wouldn?t
allow for similar speculations [to be made].?

According to Armenian Center for National and International Studies
Director of Research Manvel Sargsyan, the French court ruling could?ve
been predicted, by following the opinions voiced when the bill was
being discussed in Senate ? most notably, the view that the bill
violates freedom of expression.

Recall, the Constitutional Court based its verdict on provisions of
the ?1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen,? the
fundamental document of the French Revolution. It said the law was not
in line with the declaration?s 6th and 11the articles, which highlight
freedom of expression and thought, one of the main pillars of the
democracy.

?Of course if there was discordance on the law inside the country, it
would be more vulnerable to pressure from the outside. Most likely,
there was also the factor of pressure from Turkey, as well as internal
factors in France, and as in the case of initiating any other law, an
issue of raising politicians? ratings,? said Sargsyan.

Nevertheless, the analyst noticed France adopting the genocide bill is
considered a matter of key importance, which is testified by the fact
that French President Nicolas Sarkozy has already requested the
government draft a new bill taking into consideration the Council?s
decision.

?The French give more importance to this issue ? they view it as an
issue tied with the future of the state. Hence, they view the issue
more seriously than Armenians. I think there will be another bill from
France, which, of course, will be important in the international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide,? he said.

NGO FILES COMPLAINT AGAINST TURKEY MINISTER FOR SUPPORTING RACIST SLOGANS AGAINST ARMENIANS

epress.am
02.29.2012

Human Rights Association’s (IHD) Istanbul branch filed a criminal
complaint against Turkish Interior Relations Minister Ä°dris Naim
Å~^ahin, whom they claim supported the controversial slogans uttered
against Armenians at Khojaly massacre demonstrations held in Istanbul
on Feb. 26, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.

Meral Cıldır, the head of IHD’s Istanbul branch, said Armenian-origin
Turkish citizens called upon their association after the meeting,
saying they felt themselves in danger and targeted. Cıldır said
Å~^ahin’s speech in the meeting area was open support for those
who carried racist banners. The protest, which commemorated the
Khojaly massacre in which hundreds of ethnic Azerbaijani civilians
were killed, had staged some racist comments and slogans such as
“You are all Armenians, you are all bastards.” Another banner said
“Today Taksim, tomorrow Yerevan will be conquered.”

Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the
banners consisting hate speech in the march were singular examples.

“A few marginal and singular banners carried in the protest cannot
put our solidarity and sorrow into the shade. We will not forget the
Khojaly massacre and we will not let them forget,” Erdogan said in
the group meeting of his Justice and Development Party (AKP) yesterday.

However, AKP deputy Ayhan Sefer Ustun, also the head of Turkish
Parliament’s Human Rights Research Sub-Commission, said those banners
were racist and discriminative, daily Radikal reported yesterday.

Ustun called on the prosecutors to investigate the march.

“The law is obvious. The ones who commit discrimination crimes must be
punished. They [non-governmental organizations] demand us to prepare
a bill against hate crimes, but firstly we need to implement the
current law against those crimes,” Ustun said.

From: Baghdasarian

PRICE OF BREAD INCREASES IN GYUMRI. IS YEREVAN NEXT? ASKS PAPER

epress.am
02.29.2012

The increase in the price of flour in Armenia is due to the 25%
increase in the price of wheat in the global market, State Commission
for the Protection of Economic Competition of the Republic of Armenia
press secretary Gayane Sahakyan told local daily Haykakan Jamanak
(“Armenian Times”).

According to the Commission’s findings, the price of flour in Armenia
rose by an average of 9% – particularly in the country’s second-largest
city, Gyumri, which has led to an increase in the price of bread.

Though the bread market is not among the markets the Commission
monitored, the Commission hopes that it will be possible to prevent an
escalation in the cost of bread elsewhere on account of wheat and flour
acquired and accumulated ahead of the growth of global market prices.

Nevertheless, the newspaper concludes, if the prices of wheat and
flour increase, the price of bread undoubtedly will too. The only
question that remains is when.

ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER OPPOSED TO PAVILIONS IN MASHTOTS PARK

epress.am
02.29.2012

The buildings constructed in Mashtots Park will not be permanent and
they will be moved, said Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan in a
meeting on Tuesday with Yerevan mayor Taron Margaryan and a group of
architects, according to a statement issued by the ruling Republican
Party of Armenia, of which Sargsyan is a member.

The prime minister noted that the president has instructed the
situation regarding the park become a subject of discussion.

Recall, environmental and civic activists have been camped out nearly
every day for over two weeks in the central Yerevan park, protesting
the construction of shops that were dismantled on Abovyan St. and
moved to Mashtots Park, one of the few remaining green spaces in the
Armenian capital.

“This project has to be confirmed also by the government so that
there is public trust that this problem will be solved. I, generally,
am against the placing of permanent pavilions, and I have to do
everything [possible] so that those pavilions are moved. There
shouldn’t be permanent pavilions in parks. There is a problem of
green spaces in Yerevan, and I am displeased that there is major
construction happening there,” he said yesterday.

Tigran Sargsyan also mentioned that the Armenian National Congress’
statement that civil society has developed in Armenia left a great
impression on him. “The authorities are obliged to present to the
public the logic and necessity of their decisions and to hear the
public’s opinion. We are obliged to strengthen civil society and
constantly dialogue with our public, including also in the field of
architecture,” he said.

The architects welcomed Sargsyan’s proposal to move certain state
functions (structures) from Yerevan to the regions so that each city in
Armenia has a particular focus or specialization. “The proportionate
regional development of Armenia also has an architectural aspect to
it. All [state] functions have become centralized in Yerevan, which
impedes also the proportionate developed of the regions. We have to
think about how we can unburden the capital,” he said.

Taron Margaryan stated that he is ready to collaborate with the Union
of Architects of Armenia and to find solutions to current problems
in the capital.

“I’m convinced that as a result of cooperating with you we will see
the Yerevan that we want to see. Yerevan has to be comfortable for
our citizens and its residents,” he said.

ANNA G. ESHOO: WITHOUT RECOGNITION AND CONDEMNATION, THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE WILL CONTINUE

armradio.am
29.02.2012 14:39

“February 27th marks the 24th anniversary of a violent and horrific
attack against Azerbaijani citizens of Armenian descent. The 1988
attacks began in the town of Sumgait in Soviet Azerbaijan Dozens of
Armenians were killed, and hundreds more were wounded. During what even
the Soviet government officially described as a “pogrom”-an organized
massacre of helpless people – Armenian women and children were raped,
and people were set on fire and beaten to death, all while police
stood by,” Rep. Anna G. Eshoo stated at the House of Representatives,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“Tragically, the events in Sumgait presaged further pogroms in
Kirovabad in November of 1988 and Baku in January of 1990. This
violence initiated a broader attack against Azerbaijan s Armenian
population, resulting in thousands of deaths. The conflict persists
today, and the Azeri military blockade of the Nagorno- Karabakh
Republic and other aggression sadly continues.”

“For me, it is also a very personal remembrance. My own family fled
the slaughter of the Armenian Genocide under the Ottomans, and when
we learned of the massacres against Armenians in 1988, we saw history
repeating itself. These vicious acts of murder targeted at ethnic
groups, must be forcefully condemned whenever and wherever we see
them. Yet 96 years after the slaughter of Armenians the U.S. House of
Representatives has yet to officially recognize the Armenian genocide,”
she said.

“Without our recognition and our forceful condemnation, the cycle of
violence will continue. Today, Christians and other minority groups are
being driven from Iraq by extremists, and the once large and diverse
ethnic communities are being eradicated. Without our attention and
action by the world community, there will be no end to this senseless
violence around the world.

“Today, let us remember the Armenians who lost their lives in
Azerbaijan in 1988, and pray that the world will finally take greater
account of these atrocities and work together. Let us take up the
work that our principles demand of us, standing united against
ethnic violence, discrimination, extremism and brutality, wherever
we find it.”