Month: September 2013

MAJOR FIRE AT GRAND CANDY FACTORY IN YEREVAN

11:20 25.09.2013

A fire broke out at about 7 a.m. in the territory of Grand Candy
factory at 31, Masis Street in Yerevan.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations reported that the factory’s
cardboard workshop on the first floor of a two-storey building –
an area of a total of 650 sq. meters – was on fire.

Twelve firefighting teams are engaged in extinguishing of the fire.

The fire reportedly broke out.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GERMAN CUP: MKHITARYAN SEALS DORTMUND’S VICTORY IN THE 107TH MINUTE

23:50 24.09.2013

Borussia Dortmund required extra time to advance to the third round of
the German Cup on Tuesday as they won 2-0 away to 10-man 1860 Munich.

The Bundesliga leaders dominated their second-tier opponents at the
Allianz Arena but were made to wait until the 105th minute before
they broke the deadlock through a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang penalty
after Dominik Stahl was sent off.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan then sealed Dortmund’s passage into the next round
two minutes later with his fourth goal of the season.

NEO-OTTOMANISM AND EURASIAN DOCTRINE VS. ARMENIA

Neo-Ottomanism has been put forth by the new Turkish elite as one of
the world’s most ambitious foreign political doctrines. To some extent,
Neo-Ottomanism is being implemented along with a doctrine put forth
by Russia’s government, which is called Eurasian for whatever reason.

Like in Turkey, in Russia the new doctrine has been initiated by
the new elite (in a historical context) who are driven by personal
and group interests rather than imperial ones. In addition, any
technique is used to achieve the goal, including blackmail and
aggressive campaigns.

These ambitions are not so popular but are based on fundamental
populism. Most probably, both doctrines have run into similar problems
and counteraction. Armenia must follow more attentively and respond to
the ambitions of Turkey and Russia because Armenia is still exposed
to the traditional and real threat – a deal and division between
those states.

Turkey was able to experience the failure of its own regional policy
and understand that in a confrontation with the United States it
cannot achieve its goals and even keep what it has achieved earlier.

Turkey is facing a new economic crisis and is concerned that the
United States and Great Britain, as in 1999, will cause a collapse
of the Turkish economy according to the previous scenario.

The United States has staged new conflicts and an extremely unfavorable
situation around Turkey and reached its goal. Turkey has accepted
the American conditions and will be limited to its modest role in
the regions, hoping for a more favorable situation in the future.

The U.S.-Turkey relations are currently less tense. The reason is not
the United States concessions. The Americans have offered a lot to
Turkey but have also demanded a lot of concessions. To sum up Turkey’s
concessions, those have lead to limited ambitions in the region.

Turkey has avoided escalation with Russia, trying to have Russia
back it up. However, the Americans understood that Turkish ambitions
and demands in the Black Sea-Caucasian region will one way or another
lead to a confrontation with Russia. There is not a real confrontation
however Russia bewares it indeed.

Most probably, the United States is interested in re-orienting Turkish
expansion towards the Black Sea and the Caucasus, which has always
been viewed as an option for distracting Turkey and, most importantly,
a back-up option for its conflict with Russia.

However, activation of the Russian policy is not the only problem
the United States is facing in regard to the Turkish expansion. The
United States must address Turkey’s containment in the Caucasus. The
hookup of Armenian factors – genocide recognition, Armenian-Turkish
normalization, Karabakh, Javakheti and South Georgian Armenians,
domestic scrambles in Armenia.

One way or another, problems are activated in the South Caucasus but
in the format of campaigns and pseudo-intentions rather than real
politics. The Americans are trying to keep Turkey under control by
reducing Turkey to “concessions” and “embarrassment”.

Practically, Turkey refrained from comments and statements on the U.S.

intentions in the Black Sea, agreed to refrain from interventions in
the South Caucasus and Iraq, as well as prevention of an intervention
in Syria. The United States provided military assistance to Turkey
instead.

Of course, Turkey will continue to attract attention as a state
with its own ambitions but cannot disagree with the outstanding
representative of the American political science who said in a private
conversation in Washington that Turkey will return but the question
is how it will return, riding a white horse or creeping.

Nevertheless, Turkish is sending signals of its intentions to
“regulate” relations with Armenia, especially at the top level. No
doubt it is part of the U.S.-Turkish agreements, and the United States
is going to continue reinforcing its levers of control and pressure
on Turkey.

Igor Muradyan 23:17 24/09/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

TRANSPARENCY OR COVER-UP: HOW WILL THE ASSEMBLY OF BISHOPS HANDLE THE KJOYAN “AFFFAIR”?

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

Edik Baghdasaryan

[29584.jpg] 16:30, September 24, 2013

While attending yesterday’s Assembly of Bishops in Etchmiadzin, a
reporter from the Arajin Lratvakan new site asked Ararat Diocesan Locum
Tenens Archbishop Navasard Kjoyan to comment about his involvement
in the Cyprus offshore scandal recently uncovered by Hetq.

–   Your Holiness, you’ve never issued a denial about the offshore
scandal.

–   I have already answered that question.

–   But why haven’t you issued any clarification?

–   What is there to clarify? Are there any charges against me to
clarify? Are there any charges against me to clarify?

I am at a loss for words as to why Navasard (Samvel) Kjoyan has yet to
be questioned by law enforcement regarding the fact that he appears on
Cypriot Registry documents as a shareholder in two offshore companies.

The Archbishop is a close friend of diamond jeweler Ashot Sukiasyan,
who is now on the run and being sought by Armenian Police, having
been charged with embezzling millions in loans from AmeriaBank.

In fact, Kjoyan and Sukiasyan are known to have travelled to Cyprus
together.

What I also find incomprehensible is why law enforcement hasn’t yet
seized the Bentley limousine that Sukiasyan gave to Kjoyan as a gift.

Sukiasyan purchased the half million dollar car with loan money he
got from AmeriaBank and for which he placed assets belonging to Paylak
Hayrapetyan as collateral.

The bishops attending the meeting in Etchmiadzin should be raising
the question as to why Kjoyan, a high ranking clergyman, receives
such expensive gifts while 40% of his flock lives in poverty.

After all, what else is left for the bishops to discuss if not the
corruption in their ranks?

bly-of-bishops-handle-the-kjoyan-afffair?.html

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

IRAVUNK: LILIT GALSTYAN MAY GET MP SEAT

12:24 25/09/2013 ” DAILY PRESS

According to Iravunk newspaper, the possible appointment of Vahan
Hovhannisyan as Ambassador of Armenia to Germany is still being
discussed. The press reported that former Agriculture Minister Aramais
Grigoryan comes next on the ARFD’s proportional list.

“However, the ARF Dashnaktsutyun thinks that a female deputy should be
included in the parliamentary faction. Ruzanna Arakelyan is number 11
on the ARFD’s list, but Vahan Hovhannisyan does not object to passing
his mandate to Lilit Galstyan,” the newspaper says.

When asked to comment on whether she plans to take over the MP seat,
Ms Galstyan said, “I think it is inappropriate to comment on this
issue when Vahan Hovhannisyan is still a Member of Parliament and my
good friend.”

Source: Panorama.am

ZHAMANAK: TESTS SHOW OSKANIAN’S SON USED DRUGS

11:38 25/09/2013 ” DAILY PRESS

According to Zhamanak daily, a decision has been made in the
Investigation Department of Kentron district of Armenian Police on
the case of Vartan Oskanian’s son, Ara Oskanian, and his friend,
Vahagn Markosyan, who were charged with using drugs.

The Police press service told the paper that the test results have
been released and that drugs were found in the blood of Ara and his
friend. They were subjected to administrative penalty and were fined
AMD 200,000 each.

Source: Panorama.am

SACRED VICTIMS OR MARTYRS? ARMENIAN CLERICS’ CALL RAISES CONTROVERSIES

12:10 ~U 25.09.13

An Armenian monument expert has expressed his disagreement with the
clerical proposal for beatifying the victoms of Genocide.

Speaking to Tert.am, Samvel Karapetyan said the question, which has
been repeatedly raised by the Armenian Apostolic Church and is now
on the agenda of the Bisops’ Synod being held in St. Echmiadzin,
should not address the 1.5 people who died during the Genocide, but
rather those who helped the Armenian nation to survive the hard moment.

“The problem is not of course in the number of victims, but if those
victims had struggled and died for their homeland, I would be in favor
of their beatification. I do not want to say a rude word, but they
were martyred for the sake of nothing. They went to the grave with
bowed heads for the sake of nothing and without a struggle,” he said.

“If beatification is the issue, why don’t they beatify those who
fought and helped create the Republic of Armenia? Why don’t they
beatify [Garegin] Nzhdeh, David Bek-Pirumyan? Why don’t they beatify
[General] Andranik and the commanders and soldiers of the 1910s-1920s?”

Vardan Khachatryan, a theologist and a former parliament member,
holds the contrary viewpoints. He thinks beatification is important
given that the 1.5 people who died accepted their death for belief
and with obedience as did Jesus Christ.

“A central principle in Christianity is that a certain part of people
shared Jesus’ fate, and that’s why, they resurrected from the dead.

That, as a matter of fact, can be considered the repetition of Jesus’
fate, a behavior of Christians,” he told Tert.am.

“Considering the ancient tradition, and simultaneously the fact that
they are innocent victims who died without violating the principles
of faith, I don’t find it illogical. I assure you that there are two
factors here: first, they would have saved their lives by changing
their belief – while they didn’t – and second, I recall the words of
[Ottoman leader] Sultan Hamid, who said, ‘I respect the Armenians
because they never write letters from a death row saying they are
converting to Islam’.”

Armenian News – Tert.am

HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK: EUROPEAN COURT TO FACE NO MORE RESTRAINTS BECAUSE OF ARMENIA

10:06 ~U 25.09.13

The Armenian and Russian presidents’ joint decision on the Customs
Union membership is expected to seriously affect the European Court
of Human Rights’ (ECtHR) conduct.

The lawyers involved in the cases sent to the court from Armenia
have reportedly admitted in non-public speeches that the European
institutions, including the ECtHR, were in a somewhat uncomfortable
situation until September 3, the day the landmark statement was made.

The problem, according to the paper, is that ECtHR rulings on the
March 1 post-election clashes in Yerevan would by all means have a
political context if the European integration process continued.

“In absolutely all the cases, it would be confirmed that the Armenian
courts incriminated and convicted innocent people. And thise people
would be acquitted under the European Court’s rulings, with all
the consequences arising therefrom. On the other hand, [President]
Serzh Sargsyan launched a ‘European integration’ processes following
the March 1 [tragedy], thus managing to have the Europeans close the
chapter on the March 1. It is, probably, due to this that five years
after the tragedy, no ruling has been passed over the cases sent to
the European Court,” the paper comments.

Armenian News – Tert.am

ZHOGHOVURD: ARMENIAN ECONOMISTS TO NEGOTIATE CU MEMBERSHIP PROCEDURES IN RUSSA

11:08 ~U 25.09.13

Upon his return from Sochi, Russia, where he was taking part in the
Collective Security Treaty Organization’s summit, President Serzh
Sargsyan reportedly issued an instruction for sending a delegation
of knowledgeable Armenian economists to the country.

Citing its sources, the paper says that the president expects the
delegation to inform the Russian side of the possible economic risks
that the country may face in case of joining the Eurasian Customs
Union.

“The group, headed by President of the Armenian Union of Manufacturers
and Businessmen Arsen Ghazaryan will leave for the Russian capital
today to discuss with Russian experts and the chairman of the Eurasian
Economic Commission Board, Victor Christenko, the mechanisms of a
united Customs zone with Armenia in the absence of a common border.

Considering the haste with which the group was formed, it is easy to
guess that the Russians wish to maximum accelerate Armenia’s membership
in the Customs Union,” the paper comments.

Armenian News – Tert.am

HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK: PUTIN NOT TOLERANT OF ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES’ WESTERNISM?

10:34 25.09.13

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend the opening
of a Russian church in Yerevan next year, the paper says, citing the
president of the Union of Armenians of Russia.

Ara Abrahamyan, who sponsors the project, has told the paper that
the place of warship will very probably open next October when the
World Armenian Congress (of which he is also the president) will be
holding its meeting in Armenia’s capital.

The paper notes that Putin did not attend the opening of an Armenian
cathedral in Moscow last week. “It is already quite a long time Putin
avoids visiting Armenia, event though he successfully travelled to Baku
last month. At the CSTO’s [Collective Security Treaty Organization]
summit yesterday,y he avoided meeting [Armenian President] Serzh
Sargsyan although he met with the presidents of Kyrgyzstan and
Belarus. All Putin does is actually demonstrating an intolerance of
the Armenian authorities’ pro-European manners,” the paper concludes.

Armenian News – Tert.am