Month: February 2015

IDEA CHARITABLE FOUNDATION AND WWF-ARMENIA IS STARTING A PARTNERSHIP IN A FRAMEWORK OF NATURE CONSERVATION AND ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT

16:30 February 06, 2015

WWF-Armenia

On 6th February a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed
between the Initiatives for Development of Armenia Charitable
Foundation (IDeA Foundation) and WWF-Armenian Branch (WWF-Armenia),
according to which the parties will collaborate in a framework of
nature conservation and ecotourism development.

On the bases of the MoU IDeA Foundation and WWF-Armenia will implement
joint activities towards improvement of management of Dvil’s Bridge
Nature Monument as well as will initiate an establishment of a new
protected area – Tatev National Park, in the South of Armenia. The
aim of the above mentioned initiatives is to conserve the unique
ecosystem and biodiversity of the area as well as to support ecotourism
development.

The MoU has been signed by Mr. Armen Gevorgyan, CEO of IDeA Foundation
and by Mr. Karen Manvelyan, Director of WWF-Armenia.

“Our collaboration is directed to the nature conservation and tourism
development in the area of Tatev. One of the main objectives of the
Tatev Revival project implemented by IDeA Foundation is to make
the area attractive in terms of tourism, which will also promote
socio-economic development in the adjacent communities. For this
reason all prerequisites are available such as medieval monastery, air
tram, rich nature and unique ecosystem, conservation of which is also
important in terms of ecotourism development. I am sure that by our
joint efforts we will succeed in carrying out all project directed
to the development of the area,” mentioned Mr. Armen Gevorgyan,
CEO of the IDeA Foundation.

“It is very important for us to work together with IDeA Foundation
in order to protect unique biodiversity and ecosystems of the area
as well as to create opportunities for local people to improve their
livelihoods in Tatev area,” said in his welcome speech Mr. Karen
Manvelyan, Director of WWF-Armenia.

SUPREME PATRIARCH AND CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS

Photo: GCBA/Prensa (CC BY 2.0)

Armenian nationality or passport

His Holiness Karekin II

Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians

Born Ktrij Nersessian, he was enthroned in 1999 as the 132nd Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos (meaning “universal leader”) of Echmiadzin,
the holy seat of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church. He has
traveled the world visiting the Armenian diaspora and promoting
inter-faith dialogue. His travels have taken him to places including
Vatican City, the United States, India and Turkey, milestones of his
pontifical visits.

File details

HSBC internal files first listed Karekin II among its clients in 2000.

He was connected to an account named “His Holiness Karekin II Nersis”
that listed one bank account and held as much as $1.1 million in
2006/2007. The leaked files do not specify the exact role that Karekin
II had in relation to the account.

A spokesman told ICIJ that the account in question was opened by His
Holiness Karekin II’s precedessor “for the benefit of the Church and
its charities. This account was transferred to His Holiness Karekin
II Nersissian upon the death of his predecessor to be used for the
same purposes. The Catholicosate -the area of responsibility of the
Catholicos- of the Armenian church is a national religious institution
and is not subject to any taxes” and that His Holiness “has immunity
from any taxes.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HEAD OF ARMENIAN CHURCH SHOWS UP IN LEAKED HSBC FILES

13:32, February 9, 2015

The head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Garegin II, has
shown up in a project published by The IJIC (International Consortium
of Investigative Journalists) looking into 60,000 leaked files
providing details on over 100,000 HSBC clients and their bank accounts.

The HSBC files were obtained through an international collaboration
of news outlets, including the Guardian, Le Monde, BBC Panorama and
the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists reveal that
HSBC’s Swiss private bank:

The Guardian writes:

HSBC’s Swiss banking arm helped wealthy customers dodge taxes
and conceal millions of dollars of assets, doling out bundles of
untraceable cash and advising clients on how to circumvent domestic
tax authorities, according to a huge cache of leaked secret bank
account files.

The HSBC files, which cover the period 2005-2007, amount to the
biggest banking leak in history, shedding light on some 30,000 accounts
holding almost $120bn (£78bn) of assets.

Here’s the profile of Catholicos Garegin that has appeared in the
IJIC website:

His Holiness Karekin II

Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians

Born Ktrij Nersessian, he was enthroned in 1999 as the 132nd Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos (meaning “universal leader”) of Echmiadzin,
the holy seat of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church. He has
traveled the world visiting the Armenian diaspora and promoting
inter-faith dialogue. His travels have taken him to places including
Vatican City, the United States, India and Turkey, milestones of his
pontifical visits.

File details

HSBC internal files first listed Karekin II among its clients in 2000.

He was connected to an account named “His Holiness Karekin II Nersis”
that listed one bank account and held as much as $1.1 million in
2006/2007. The leaked files do not specify the exact role that Karekin
II had in relation to the account.

Comment

A spokesman told ICIJ that the account in question was opened by His
Holiness Karekin II’s predecessor “for the benefit of the Church and
its charities. This account was transferred to His Holiness Karekin
II Nersissian upon the death of his predecessor to be used for the
same purposes. The Catholicosate -the area of responsibility of the
Catholicos- of the Armenian church is a national religious institution
and is not subject to any taxes” and that His Holiness “has immunity
from any taxes.”

HEALTH CONDITION OF BEATEN MEMBER OF PROSPEROUS ARMENIA PARTY CRITICAL BUT STABLE – BROTHER

YEREVAN, February 9. /ARKA/. Health condition of Artak Khachatryan,
a member of Prosperous Armenia Party’s board, is critical but stable,
his brother, Artem Khachatryan, told reporters on Monday.

He was quoted by Novosti-Armenia as saying that some positive signed
were already seen and special measures have been undertaken along with
lung drainage to ease breathing, and this will last two or three days.

In his words, his brother has his lugs injured and ribs broken.

According to the Armenian Investigation Committee, on Saturday at
12:00 local time, Artak Khachatryan was kidnapped and beaten by a
group of unidentified men.

Artem Khachatryan ruled out possibility of criminal wrangles saying
that his brother had no ties with criminals and oligarchs.

“He was involved in public activity over the last five years,” he
said. He is a member of a movement called Kasetsum that is struggling
against the amendments to the turnover tax law to which small and
medium entrepreneurs are strongly opposed.

The National Assembly, responding to the government’s proposal,
postponed enforcement of the amendments until July 2015.

The postponement was prompted by the protests staged by SMEs. Artem
Khachatryan denounced this violence not as a crime against only one
person, but against the whole society.

He, however, refrained from naming suspects. Levon Torosyan and Armen
Nersisyan, representatives of Kasetsum movement, said a demonstration
will be staged on Monday outside the government building.

He also stressed that the movement is vigorously combating corruption
and assumed that may be somebody was unhappy about this.

On Sunday, the Prosperous Armenia’s board issued a statement condemning
the kidnapping and denouncing it as an impudent and cynical challenge
tossed to political forces and society.

“It is obvious that the political leadership of the country is
responsible for what happened,” the party’s members said in their
statement. Prosperous Armenia, a moderate centrist liberal-leaning
party, was established in April 2004 by Gagik Tsarukyan, a prominent
entrepreneur.

In the 2012 parliamentary elections, the party won 36 of 131 seats
in the National Assembly forming the second biggest faction here.

Over a period between 2007 and 2012 the party was a member of the
ruling coalition, but now it introduces itself as an alternative
political party. –0—–

ARMENIA’S CONSUMER PRICES HIKE 2.5 PERCENT IN JANUARY

YEREVAN, February 9. /ARKA/. Armenia’s consumer prices rose by 2.5%
in January, 2015, compared to the month before, Armenia’s National
Statistical Service (NSS) reported.

Food prices hiked is recorded mainly due to a 4.5% rise in food prices
in the period. Prices for nonfoods and for services hiked by 0.5%
compared to the month before, according to the report.

The year-on-year consumer price index was 104.3% in January 2015.

Price index was 105.3% for foods alone (including alcohol and tobacco),
102.4% for nonfoods and 103.2% for services.

The 2015 budget projection for inflation is 4% (±1.5%). -0–

“ARMENIAN STANDARD” PRESENTS THE TRAILER OF “TAJ MAHAL: ARMENIAN WOMAN AND SYMBOL OF INDIA”- VIDEO

Lragir.am
Society – 09 February 2015, 11:42

The trailer of the film “Taj Mahal: Armenian Woman and Symbol of
India” has been already presented to the public. The premiere of the
documentary shot by the cinema center “Armenian Standard” will take
place soon.

“Armenian Standard” Production

From: A. Papazian

UKRAINE DEVELOPMENTS HAVE SHIFTED INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION FROM SOUTH CAUCASUS – ARMENIAN ANALYST

15:31 * 09.02.15

Regrettably, the Ukraine developments have shifted international
attention from the South Caucasus and the regional conflicts, as well
as reduced pressure on the sides, political scientist Hrant Melik
Shahnazaryan told Tert.am.

“It is because of the Ukraine developments that one of the factors
of ensuring peace in our region, namely, international pressure,
is not actually in effect now. The Russia-West confrontation lets
Aliyev feel free,” he said.

International news agencies report that Azerbaijan plans to reduce
construction this year, which may be the result of the decline in
the world oil prices, along with fewer real estate businesses in
Azerbaijan.

In an earlier interview with Tert.am, political analyst Aghasi
Yenokyan said hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan are likely
to resume this year. According to him, evidence thereof is that
“British Petroleum is now extracting as much oil as possible in
Azerbaijan within the shortest period possible.”

Asked whether those energy and oil projects are treated as key factors
in terms of preventing a war in the region, Melik-Shahnazaryan said
he is more inclined to consider it a restraining tool.

“There are more fundamental factors which guarantee the current level
of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. So I don’t think it is quite
right to link the war renewal with difficulties on the oil [market],”
he answered.

Commenting on the economic problems in Azerbaijan, the analyst said
he sees that despite its efforts to claim that they are diversifying
the economy, that country is now largely dependent on oil and its
international prices.

“That series includes all that has taken place: opposition arrests,
persecution etc. And also, the ‘external threat’ factor which they
are trying to use against the people. I mean the possible war with
Armenia and Artsakh,” he noted

Meantime Melik Shahnazaryan ruled out the possibility of Azerbaijan’s
pro-activeness in launching a war, noting that the country bewares
very much of its unpredictable consequences.

At the international Security Conference in Munich last week,
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev expressed his concerns over the
increasing border clashes along the Armenian Azerbaijani border.

Commenting on the his as well as the Minsk Group’s recent statement
calling for abstinence from violence, the expert said he sees that
the international mediators’ position hints signs of calmness in
the region.

“To the best of my understanding, the idea in the international
community’s perception is that the situation has more or less
calmed down over the past fortnight. So they believe it has become
controllable to an extent,” he said, pointing out to the international
mediators’ efforts towards returning to balanced methods of conflict
settlement.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIANS DEMANDING JUSTICE FOR KIDNAPPED POLITICIAN – VIDEO

14:48 * 09.02.15

A crowd of Armenian civic activists gathered Monday afternoon in
front of the Government building in Yerevan’s Republican Square to
condemn the recent kidnapping of Artak Khachatryan, a member of the
opposition-leaning Prosperous Armenia party (PAP).

The protesters, identifying themselves as members of the group
Suspension, were calling for strong measures to condemn the violence
against the politician.

The protest was joined by PAP lawmakers, including Vartan Oskanian,
a former foreign minister who strongly condemned the incident. He
called for taking a broader outlook on the kidnapping. “Democracy,
the country’s situation today … it is really necessary to put an
end to all this through a revolt; it’s no longer possible,” he told
reporters at the scene.

Oskanian said he sees the authorities’ responsibility behind the
kidnapping. “What is going on in the country lies upon the authorities’
responsibility. If they are not able to end all this and resolve this
particular incident, then they are to blame for that,” he noted.

Asked whether the incident might be treated as a challenge to Gagik
Tsarukyan, the Prosperous Armenia party’s leader, Oskanian replied,
“This is a challenge to the entire Armenian nation, so we as a nation
have to put an end to all this. No one must be beaten in Armenia for
his or her activities; the people’s patience has really worn thin,”
he noted.

‘WE ARE ALL ARTAK KHACHATRYAN’ PROTEST IN YEREVAN

14:31 * 09.02.15

A protest under the slogan ‘We are all Artak Khachatryan’ is taking
place on front of the government building.

The protesters demand that Armenia’s authorities solve the crime
against activist Artak Khachatryan.

“I think the incident is the result of his activities. It is a good
chance for law-enforcers to show their efficient work. The protesters’
only demand is that the authorities identify the criminals,” he said.

On February 7, activist Artak Khachatryan was kidnapped and later
brought back to his home, brutally beaten up. He was rushed to
hospital, where he underwent surgery.

From: Baghdasarian

AZERBAIJAN’S DESTRUCTIVE POSITION HINDERS NEGOTIATION PROCESS PROGRESS

12:50, 9 February, 2015

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS: The Minister of Foreign Affairs of
the Republic of Armenia Edward Nalbandian hosted on February 9 the
EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in
Georgia Herbert Salber. The press service of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Armenia told Armenpress that Edward Nalbandian drew the
attention of the EU Special Representative to the drastic increase of
the provocative actions, carried out by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces
on the line of contact with Karabakh and on the Armenian border.

“In the end of the last week, at the Munich Security Council, the
refuse of the Azerbaijani president to commit to the well-known three
principles of the international rights, proposed by the mediators, as a
conflict settlement basis, his stated positions prove the continuation
of the disregard and maximalistic line towards the international
community’s calls,” – said Edward Nalbandian, Armenpress reports.