Month: September 2013

ARMENIE-AGRICULTURE
La production de blé en forte hausse en Arménie atteindra 535 000
tonnes cette année

Selon le ministère arménien de l’Agriculture, l’Arménie attend une
production record de blé en 2013. Les surfaces cultivées étant passées
de 93 476 hectares l’an dernier à 99 708 hectares cette année.
Actuellement près de 92% de la récolte de blé fut réalisée avec 491
000 tonnes. La rentabilité est également au rendez-vous avec une
production moyenne étant de 29,8 tonnes par hectare contre 26,5 tonnes
l’an dernier. L’Arménie compte cette année récolter entre 530 et 535
000 tonnes de blé contre 456 100 tonnes l’an dernier. L’Arménie qui
consomme néanmoins entre 800 et 900 000 tonnes de blé par an n’a pas
une production autosuffisante, qui est l’objectif recherché à moyen
terme des autorités arméniennes.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 8 septembre 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

Tatev ropeway in Armenia tourist center

11:24 – 08.09.13

Sixty-five residents of the Tatev village are serving the world’s
longest areal ropeway Tatev Wings, which is in the Guinness Book of
Records.

Director of the ropeway Vahagn Meliksetyan says that the employees’
average monthly wages are AMD 90,000 to 100,000.

The number of tourists visiting Tatev has showed a 12 to 14 percent
increase this year.

`The rope is in a perfect state. We are testing it using modern
equipment,’ Meliksetyan said. The Tatev ropeway is a tourist center
now.

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: A. Papazian

Switchover to parliamentary government: opinions

13:47 – 08.09.13

The human rights activist Artak Zeinalyan believes that, under the
pretext of constitutional reforms, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
is seeking an artificial switchover to parliamentary government
thereby extending his own tenure of office.

On the other hand, Zeinalyan says that there is neither time for nor
sense in forming a constitutional reforms committee.

`Our country is facing a number of serious challenges. But there is
neither time for nor sense in launching such processes. But they are
doing what they want. All these processes have no sense or essence,’
Zeinalyan said.

Artsvik Minasyan, an Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnakstutyun
(ARF-D) parliamentary group member, has a different opinion. According
to him, parliamentary government meets the Armenian people’s interests
regardless of who is the president.
With respect to Parliament Vice-Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov’s statement
that a change of the government system is not on the agenda, Minasyan
said that `it is too bad if so.’

`I really want this issue to be put on the agenda because it is rather
important regardless of who Armenia’s president is now and what his
values are. Parliamentary government is the only right way that will
first of all neutralize political monopoly and, secondly, allow the
country to be reformed through sustainable development. Thirdly, a
transition from autocratic decisions to general positions,’ Minasyan
told Tert.am. According to him, the issue of what kind of system
parliamentary government is a different one.

`Parliamentary government has different forms. The presidency may be
preserved, with the president elected by Parliament rather than by
means of national elections. There is no country with parliamentary
government but without human rights as a priority. You cannot cite a
single example,’ he said.

As regards the opinions that this is a way for Armenia’s incumbent
president to extend his tenure of office, Minasyan said: `I would not
like to attribute it to the incumbent president. Moreover, President
Serzh Sargsyan himself is against switching over to such a system.’

The ARF-D commends the Armenian authorities’ desire to implement
constitutional reforms depending on the kind of the reforms.

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Tigran Ter-Yesayan. `If the Russians say from this side, the other
from the other side, it means that we are taken into account…’

September 8 2013

`We need to take into account that together with our neighbors, we
are all Council of Europe members, in other words, when the Soviet
Union collapsed as such, a legal transformation happened and all the
Soviet Union states became a member of the European Council, also the
European countries, then the regulation was developed a Convention,
European Court, which has been so far working for the Council of
Europe countries, and the Council of Europe summit always takes part
in the debates, MPs are always going, and now the question is what
body the EU is. We are all Council of Europe members, we have signed
the treaties and conventions together with our neighbors, but there is
also the European Union, which subordinates to the Council of Europe.
The EU is a hybrid. Euro functions in EU countries, but there is a
European country that is in the EU, however, is not a European
currency. In short, it is a fuzzy thing’, – said the director of the
`Forum’ Legal Center Tigran Ter-Yesayan in the interview with
Aravot.am. Ter-Yesayan notes that Russia is also a member of the
Council of Europe, but it is not a member of NATO, unlike us. `We are
a modest nation, we have entered into this fuzzy stuff. Today, the EU
announces that Armenia need to answer, but to what, to the
comprehensive economic trade … If you know what comprehensive is,
well, well, tell Turkey to open the road. I am asking a question,
Turkey is the EU’s comprehensive friend, member of the Council of
Europe, it imposes blockade against us for years, well, let them say
in a comprehensive form, respected powerful NATO member Turkey, for
you have captured Armenian lands, why don’t you give way, and I put
condition. The EU is very good, with all of its values, but there is a
delicate problem. We say that we do not want to be under the heel of
Russia, a yoke, but Russia is also a member of the Council of Europe,
isn’t it? And not the EU member. For 23 years, NATO member Turkey does
not allow to open the border, it puts conditions, well, if you are so
strong, the Russians have a good word, they say the European Union,
you are not an ordinance for us, i.e., the EU legally cannot give
orders to the members of the Council of Europe, by status. Well, if
you are so brave, why do not you solve the Karabakh problem, or tell
Turkey to to open the road…’ According to Ter-Yesayan, Turkey and
Azerbaijan have closed us for 23 years, and now if we sign the
Association Agreement, they need to tell Turkey to open the road, but
Turkey is not a member of the EU. `We have become a boot, the Russians
say from this side, the other from that side … It has its good side
also. This means that we are taken into account. If Russia of 140
million population asks us to sign Customs agreement, the EU of more
than 300 million population is also asking, then Armenia of 3 million
population, which has a turnover of 3.5 billion budget, which is
ridiculous, and similar international issues should have been
conducted by the referendum, and today 28 countries are saying Armenia
`what are you doing. Diplomacy is diplomacy, but we need to say
directly that you are both the donkey and the outpost. But we should
have a culture, and our leaders should have understood that such
issues should definitely be conducted by the referendum, we are people
of the election size of a village mayor, it would not be difficult,’-
added Ter-Yesayan. Eva HAKOBYAN

Read more at:

From: Baghdasarian

Pope Francis Leads Peace Prayer Vigil For Syria With 100,000 at St.
Peter’s Square, millions worldwide

Sep 08, 2013

The Vatican, (SANA) – Tens of thousands of people filled St. Peter’s Square
for a Syria peace vigil late Saturday in the Vatican, answering Pope
Francis’ call for a cry for peace that was echoed by peace supporters
around the world.

Pope Francis addressed those who threat of a military aggression on Syria
without mentioning them by name” this evening, I would chant from all over
the world=85yes, it is possible for everybody to tell those who are ruling
nations=85 yes, we can.”

[image: 20130908-105842.jpg]

” let’s pray in dear Syria, in the Middle East and around the world for the
reconciliation=85let’s work for reconciliation and peace.”

“Can we go out of the unfortunate death whirlpool?=85can we learn once again
to live for peace?” he added.

This evening, I ask the Lord that we Christians, and our brothers and
sisters of other religions and every man and woman of good will, cry out
forcefully: Violence and war are never the way to peace!” he said.

“May the noise of weapons cease!” he said. “War always marks the failure of
peace, it is always a defeat for humanity.”

The Vatican estimated about 100,000 took part in the Rome event, making it
one of the largest rallies in the West against proposed U.S.-led military
action against Syria.

Worldwide fasting, prayer day for peace in Syria

Prayers for restoring peace to Syria and the Middle East and rejecting any
military aggression on Syria were also held in tens of countries around the
world including Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, India,
Argentina, Venezuela, the USA, Britain, France, Croatia, Bosnia, Italy, the
Philippines and others.

In Lebanon, many churches held the vigils for peace in Syria and the
Middle East, chaired by the Cardinal Beshara al-Rahi, Patriarch of the
Maronite Church at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon Harissa.

[image: 20130908-105911.jpg]

Cardinal al-Rahi said” we celebrate the birthday of virgin Mary, the Lady
of Peace, and we have been fasting and praying daylong for peace of Syria
and the Middle East upon the invitation of Pope Francis.

In coincidence with prayers, nationalistic and Pan-Arab Palestinian powers
and events continued to organize protests and marches in rejection of the
U.S. threats against Syria in different towns and areas.

Sheikh Nasser al-Qerm, member of the Supreme Judiciary Council in
Palestine said” We came from the provinces of the north West Bank to
express our anger and condemnation of the U.S. intentions of launching an
aggression on the brotherly Syria=85we stress it is nothing but a U.S.
attempt to re-shape the Arab and Islamic world according to a new
Sykes-Picot.

Wide participation of Churches of Egypt Churches

Egypt answered the call of Pope Francis, holding prayers for the
protection of Syria and the return of peace and security in it and against
any military intervention against it. In St. Theresa Church, Armenian
Catholic Bishop of Alexandria, Augustinos Koussan prayed to God to restore
peace and security to Syria, calling upon all countries to stand in support
of Syria.

“We pray for the rogue hands of murder, terrorism and mercenaries to move
away from Syria and for any foreign aggression being prepared against it to
move away, so that it may move on anew and continue its humanitarian
message,” he said.

In St. Fatima Church, a mass was attended by Apostolic Vicar of
Alexandria, Bishop Adel Zaki, and Chaldean prelate, Monsignor Philip Negm.
Coptic Catholic Bishop Ibrahim Isaac called upon all Catholic churches to
pray in fast for peace in Syria, affirming that humanity needs to see signs
and hear words of peace.

Participants in Manila and Buenos Aires called for peace in Syria, where
they carried flowers and lit candles, expressing their rejection of war and
aggression.

They expressed their solidarity with the Pope in his call for peace. In
the USA, antiwar protesters and members of the Syrian community organized a
march in the city of Pittsburgh in the State of Pennsylvania, stressing the
American people’s rejection of their government’s intention of aggression
on Syria.

[image: 20130908-105956.jpg]

Also, a mass was held at the Evangelical Church in the Romanian capital
Bucharest for bringing peace in Syria and rejecting a U.S. aggression on
it. The European for solidarity with Syria and the National Union for
Syria’s students , the Romanian branch, participated in the mass.

Muslims in Paris pray for peace in Syria In France , Muslims held a prayer
in Paris Grand Mosque for ending violence in Syria, on the eve of Pope
Francis call for a day of prayer and fasting foe peace in Syria. Imam of
Paris Grant Mosque, Mohammad Awad said “all religions call for peace in
Syria.”

For his part, the Protestant Federation of France directed a message to
French President Francois Hollande warning him against the repercussions of
the military intervention in Syria.

The Federation stressed that this intervention will not solve the crisis
but will increase the risk of the political and religious extremist
movement. Pope Francis, called for a day of prayer and fasting for peace in
Syria on Saturday.

Last week, Pope Francis urged both Catholics and non-Catholics and those
who are affiliated to other religions and all men of goodwill to join a day
of fasting and prayer for peace.

“It is a call for peace.. a call that says we want a world where peace
prevails .. we want to be men and women of peace ,” the Pope said, adding
“Never again war, Never again war.”

Prayer for peace in Syria in Austria, in response to Pope call

A prayer held in St. Stephanos Church for the Roman Orthodox in Vienna,
Austria, in response to the call Pope of Vatican, Francis for peace in
Syria and restoring security and stability to it.

Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schonborn called for laying down weapons,
ending violence and killing and praying for Syria and for protecting the
civilians.

Photos of the kidnapped archbishops, Boulos al-Yazigi, archbishop of the
Greek Orthodox of Aleppo and Iskandaroun and Yuhanna Ibrahim, the
Syrian-Orthodox metropolitan of Aleppo were located at the entrance of the
Church.

The ceremony was attended by huge number of Syrians in Austria, Austrian
people and some Arab communities’ members. They pray for God to stand by
peace, charity and right, and to protect Syria and its people.

English Bulletin

Armenian environmental activist demands explanations for slaughtering
of endangered animals

14:48 – 08.09.13

The user named Lary Knowlton uploaded a video to vimeo.com showing
foreign tourists hunting in Armenia.

In response, the journalist and environmental activist Galust Nanyan
left the following message on his Facebook page: `Foreign tourists
helped by `protectors’ of Armenia’s nature, are slaughtering animals
in Armenia. They are guided to the habitats of the animals included in
the Red Book of Armenia and, without any remorse, kill bezoar goats
and wild boars. The video shows the criminal group hunting in the
secured areas in Armenia’s different regions.’

The environmental activist demands explanations from Armenia’s
Ministry of Nature Protection.

Film on Karabakh’s Shushi to be screened in Paris

September 08, 2013 | 17:08

Le murmure des ruines (The Murmur of Ruins), an artistic documentary
by filmmaker Liliane de Kermadec, will be screened in Paris.

The film is devoted to the City of Shushi in Nagorno-Karabakh, reports
Nouvelles d’Arméniemonthly of France.

The plot of the film is as follows: A flour-loaded truck is lost in
the Caucasus. There is no bread baking factory in Shushi. So, why not
take this truck and open such factory? Music school director Araksya,
school teacher Arsine, and several other residents take part in this
endeavor.

Taking advantage of the ongoing ceasefire, Liliane de Kermadec shot
this film, in which the Shushi residents themselves acted.

This film, `is a tragicomedic ode about survival owing to ingenuity.’

To note, Liliane de Kermadec, who was born in Warsaw in 1928, is a
French film director and screenwriter.

Le murmure des ruines is already screened at several festivals around the world.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

Iran to set up exclusive trade fair in Armenia
Economic Desk

On Line: 08 September 2013 15:33
In Print: Monday 09 September 2013

TEHRAN – Iran will hold an exclusive trade fair in Armenia from
October 19-22, IRIB reported.

The exhibition will be held in Armenia’s capital Yerevan.

Iranian manufacturers, traders, exporters, and merchants will put
their latest products and services in different fields on display.

In July, Iran and Armenia signed an agreement to expand bilateral trade ties.

Armenian-Iranian trade turnover valued at $317.7 million in 2012,
according to the National Statistical Service of Armenia. Armenian
export hit $97.8 million.

Armenia mainly exports to Iran ore fuel, oil products, bitumen, wax,
plastics and plastic products, and aluminum products.

Iran mainly exports to Armenia ore fuel, oil and oil products,
bitumen, wax, plastics and plastic products, fertilizers, salt,
limestone and cement.

New office of Ameriabank’s branch opens in Stepanakert

September 8, 2013 – 19:42 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The official opening ceremony of the new office of
Ameriabank’s Stepanakert branch took place in the Nagorno Karabakh
capital Sunday, Sept 8.

The event was attended by Artsakh President Bako Sahakyan, chairman of
the bank’s board of directors Ruben Vardanyan, chairman of the Central
Bank of Armenia (CBA) Arthur Javadyan and other officials.

`Ameriabank has been functioning in Nagorno Karabakh since 2008,
investing in the restoration and development of the republic’s social
and economic life,’ Chairman of the bank’s Management Board, Director
General Artak Hanesyan said, adding that the new office will first of
all focus on lending to small and medium enterprises as well as on
provision of customer loans and payment cards.

Mr. Javadyan, in turn, noted that the branch will contribute to the
development of Artsakh, thus making it attractive for other businesses
and creating better conditions for competition. `This will help
improve financial mediation level and raise the public awareness,’ he
said.

Ameriabank CJSC is a universal bank offering corporate, investment and
retail banking services in a comprehensive package of banking
solutions.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Syrian rebels attempt to force Obama info ousting Assad

September 7, 2013 – 19:06 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Syrian rebels seem to have become wearied of waiting
for Assad forces to be bombed and decided to use a well-proved
`weapon’ – accusation of using chemical agents.

According to some sources of the so-called Syrian opposition, the
Assad forces used poisonous shells while attacking rebel positions in
Damascus suburb of Al Kabune. To prove their claim, the rebels cite a
video featuring a person being examined by doctors after having been
poisoned by some agent. No official response followed the statement.
Earlier, Al Arabiya TV channel reported the deaths of 56 over the past
day, which, however, were unconnected to the use of chemical weapon.

Looks like Syrian rebels will stop at noting in forcing Obama to oust
Assad, although the U.S. is planning no such step. As Obama repeatedly
stated, the strike aims at punishing, rather that ousting Assad.
However, the militants, unsatisfied with such an outcome, continue
spreading deliberately false reports, in full knowledge that the media
will be thriving on another report of `murdering of peaceful
population.’ No one seems to care about the fact that the militants
have more than enough blood on their hands – Assad is the only `source
of evil’ in the world and he needs to be punished.

Unfortunately, logic does not seem to be either the rebels, or the
U.S. president’s forte. Why poison one’s people with gas when
government forces are gaining ground against rebels? And it’s utterly
unclear why Obama chose this method to make Iran and South Korea
(which the U.S. believes to be guilty of developing their own nuke
programs) `see reason.’

Somehow, Pakistan and Israel are allowed to have nuclear weapons, yet
the countries of `evil’ are not. And what further defies understanding
is that the Christians, whose fellow believers are being killed and
tortured, are the ones to write about Assad’s `atrocities.’ However,
the misfortunes of the Near East Christians remain unheeded these
days, with rare articles being published. In September, only one
serious article was released in The American Conservative.

`So here is the nightmare. If the U.S., France, and some miscellaneous
allies strike at the regime, they could conceivably so weaken it that
it would collapse. Out of the ruins would emerge a radically
anti-Western regime, which would kill or expel several million
Christians and Alawites. This would be a political, religious, and
humanitarian catastrophe unparalleled since the Armenian genocide
almost exactly a century ago,’ Philip Jenkins said in his article
Syria’s Christians Risk Eradication.

`Around the world, scholars and intellectual leaders are debating how
to commemorate the approaching centennial of that cataclysm in 2015.
Through its utter lack of historical awareness, the United States
government may be pushing towards not a commemoration of the genocide
but a faithful re-enactment,’ the author said.

In his weekly address to the nation, Obama reiterated that the Syria
strike aims to protect the U.S. interests in preventing Syria crisis
from turning into another Iraq or Afghanistan. Yet every one of the
U.S. President’s steps is proving the opposite.

Karine Ter-Sahakyan