Month: February 2015

FAMOUS ARMENIAN BUSINESSMAN COMMITS SUICIDE

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Feb 16 2015

16 February 2015 – 8:04pm

Abram Amirkhanyan, 61, a famous Armenian entrepreneur, the director of
Levon Amirkhanyan LLC, has committed suicide. The Nor Achen medical
center reported about the discovery of the businessman’s body in a
house in the Pargevashen District of Nor Achen at about 10.40am today,
NEWS.am reports.

The director allegedly shot himself in his bedroom at around 8.30am.

Levon Amirkhanyan specializes in construction of multi-storey apartment
buildings and multifunctional buildings. The company has lately been
experiencing financial problems.

AN ATMOSPHERE OF IMPUNITY IS THE RESULT OF THE MONOPOLY OF THE RULING PARTY OF ARMENIA

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Feb 16 2015

16 February 2015 – 3:54pm

Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza

During the last week relations between the authorities and the
opposition have become tense in Armenia. One reason for the new wave
of tension is the beating up of an activist of the movement Kasetsum
(Suspension), Artak Khachatryan. Members of the movement held protests
a month ago, demanding that the government suspend launching the new
law on turnover tax.

Due to well-organized mass protests of representatives of small
and medium-sized business and due to the active support of the
parliamentary opposition, the government postponed operation of the
law to June 1st. It seemed the problem had been solved in time.

However, on February 7th a member of the Prosperous Armenia Party,
Artak Khachatryan, was kidnapped and taken to an undisclosed location.

According to preliminary data of the Investigative Committee,
Khachatryan was kidnapped in Yerevan by three armed masked men.

Khachatryan was beaten for several hours. Later he was taken to a
lonely street and abandoned there. Later that evening the activist
was taken to hospital.

The parliamentary opposition trio (PA, the Armenian National Congress
and Heritage) organized protests near the government building and
the police headquarters, demanding an instant investigation into the
incident and punishment of those guilty. Participants in the protest
gave the police a few days to investigate the crime. According to
the secretary of the PA parliamentary faction, Naira Zograbyan,
if those who beat Khachatryan up are not arrested and punished in a
short period, PA will raise the question of numerous resignations.

The political council of PA demanded an investigation into this
and other cases of attacking political and social activists: “We
believe that the top authorities of the country should be blamed for
the current bandit atmosphere and outrage in the country, and are
responsible for the incidents. Instead of solving the accumulating
problems, the government is kidnapping and beating its opponents.”

Officials criticized violence, but prime minister Ovik Abramyan
characterized the statement of PA as a snap and emotional judgment;
the press secretary of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia,
vice-speaker Edward Sharmazanov, found the accusations against the
authorities unacceptable: “If PA has evidence, it should show it. I
recommend they await the results of the investigation, rather than
making emotional statements.”

It is true that PA has no facts or evidence that the authorities
stand behind the scandalous incident. However, the party has put the
officials in a difficult situation: if those who are guilty are not
found and punished, it will turn out that the government supervises
violence.

The politicization of the case is interesting. The kidnapping and
beating of a member of PA and one of the leaders of the Kasetsum
Movement, who have economic demands, have political grounds, as he
is not a representative of the criminal world.

Cases of violence against political and social activists have become
frequent. In December 2014 a group of 8-9 people attacked members of
the board of the Union of Veterans, an organization which cooperates
with the opposition – Ramzik Petrosyan and Manvel Yegiazaryan. The
next day, several unknown men in masks beat up another representative
of the Union of Veterans, Suren Sargsyan. The criminals haven’t been
found yet. Another victim was the secretary of the parliamentary
faction of the ANC, the vice chairman of the ANC, Aram Manukyan,
who was beaten up near his house. As a result of an investigation,
the suspect in the attack on the MP, Arshak Svazyan, was released
under an undertaking not to leave the city.

These and other cases of violence, which have a political background,
are the results of the internal political situation which has
formed, when the ruling RPA has a political and economic monopoly,
and it enables the authorities to ignore their opponents, as well as
encourage an atmosphere of impunity in society.

MAMMADYAROV: IT’S NECESSARY TO START WORK ON A PEACE AGREEMENT TO SETTLE KARABAKH CONFLICT

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Feb 16 2015

16 February 2015 – 4:07pm

It is necessary to start work on a great peace agreement on a
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said today.

The minister made the remarks during a joint press conference with
his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif in Baku.

According to the Minister, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs have already
understood that it is time to start work on a great peace agreement.

“There shouldn’t be Armenian soldiers in Lachin or Kalbajar. It is
necessary to start serious negotiations on restoring peace in the
region,” Trend cited Mammadyarov.

“Armenia should withdraw its troops from Azerbaijani territories,” he
said. Mammadyarov also said that the two Azerbaijanis taken hostage by
Armenians in Kalbajar should be handed over to Azerbaijan. “Azerbaijan
has raised this issue in all international organizations,” he
explained.

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJAN READY FOR KARABAKH TALKS

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Feb 16 2015

16 February 2015 – 7:44pm

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said at a meeting with
the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Pierre Andrieu (France), Igor
Popov (Russia) and James Warlick (U.S.) – and Personal Representative
of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andzej Kasprzyk today that Azerbaijan
was ready for serious talks on a settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, Trend reports.

He said that the withdrawal of the Armenian Armed Forces from
Azerbaijan would be essential for the negotiating process and gaining
trust.

Mammadyarov noted that Armenia should leave the territories according
to international law and four resolutions of the UN Security Council.

The Azerbaijani minister and the OSCE officials discussed the action
plan for peace agreements and exchanged opinions about the negotiating
prospects.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT WITHDRAWS PROTOCOLS ON DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH TURKEY FROM PARLIAMENT

Focus News, Bulgaria
Feb 16 2015

16 February 2015 | 16:36 | FOCUS News Agency

Yerevan. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on Monday decided to
withdraw from the country’s parliament protocols aimed at establishing
diplomatic ties with Turkey, TASS reported.

Sarksyan notified Parliament Speaker Galust Sahakyan of the decision,
the president’s administration said.

The protocols on the establishment of diplomatic relations and
development of bilateral relations were earlier submitted to Armenia’s
National Assembly for ratification.

The relations of the two countries have been overshaddowed by Turkey’s
refusal to recognize the 1915 genocide that took away the lives
of 1.5 million people. The first genocide of the 20th century has
been recognized and condemned by a number of states. International
recognition and condemnation of the 1915 genocide that took away the
lives of 1.5 million people is a priority of Armenia’s foreign policy,
since its authorities believe that a policy of this kind prevents
crimes against humanity.

The Turkish government refuses to admit the Ottoman Empire’s
wrongdoings and sizes them up as legitimate actions towards the
Armenian population of the empire, which sympathized with and supported
Russia amid the flaring World War I.

Armenia and Turkey, which have a 330-kilometers-long common border,
have not established diplomatic relations to date.

From: Baghdasarian

SHAHRIYAR’S POETRY NIGHT WAS HELD IN ARMENIA

Iran Book News Agency
Feb 16 2015

Publish Date : Monday 16 February 2015 – 18:54

IBNA- The literature meeting ‘Shahriyar’s poetry night’ was held
at Iran’s Cultural Center in Armenia attended by a group of poets,
literary figures, professors, scholars and students of Persian language
and literature to review the literature of the Islamic Revolution.

According to IBNA correspondent, quoting from the office of the
Public Relations and Islamic Communications that the ceremony aimed
to introducing the literature of the Islamic Revolution and the works
of Shahriyar in particular to the guests by showing a film of him
reciting a poem in the presence of the Supreme Leader. Majid Meshki,
the Iranian Cultural Attache, delivered a speech on comparing the
history of Persian poetry and literature at Pahlavi era with that
of the Islamic Revolution and pointed to the changes in Shahriyar’s
poems before and after the Islamic Revolution.

Iran’s Cultural Attache in Armenia stated in his speech that most
poets and literary figures as well as thinkers were either in jail
or exiled in Pahlavi era due to Reza Shah’s dictatorship, and this
happened at the time when many great poets of the country like Farrokhi
Yazdi and Mirzadeh Eshqi lost their lives to the regime.

ARMENIA-IMF TALKS FOCUS ON GROWTH, AID PROSPECTS

CISTran Finance
Feb 16 2015

February 16, 2015 5:00 AM
By CISTran Finance Reports

Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan met with a delegation from
the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Thursday to discuss the
current state of the economy and future collaborative efforts.

Mark Horton led the IMF delegation, stressing that projects aimed at
increasing growth should be considered a priority so the country can
meet the changing international economic climate.

Abrahamyan said economic activity grew 3.9 percent in 2014, fueled
by the agriculture, service and industrial sectors. He also said the
government plans to implement reforms that allow for a healthier
business environment that facilitates growth. He also called for
measures to promote exports and investment opportunities.

During the meeting, both sides also discussed the potential for future
support from the IMF through the fund’s Extended Fund Facility and
Extended Credit Facility programs. Other changes and enhancements on
taxes, customs and other cooperative possibilities also were discussed.

ARMENIA’S NAIRIT WORKERS PREPARE FOR NEW PROTESTS

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Feb 16 2015

16 February 2015 – 9:58pm

Workers of the Nairit Factory in Yerevan have held protests at the
yard of the facility. The new protests were provoked by Minister for
Energy and Natural Resources Yervand Zakharyan’s response to their
demands for salaries, Epress.am reports.

According to Anush Arutyunyan, spokesperson of the factory, Zakharyan’s
letter reiterated his words of February 2. Zakharyan assured that
salaries would be paid on February 25. The staff of the factory,
however, was expecting him to present a clear schedule of payments.

Some activists went to the government’s building. There they got
a promise that the prime minister will give a response on February
20 personally.

The workers have been demanding salaries for already 18 months.

From: Baghdasarian

TENSE STAND-OFF AS HAKAN HARMAN, CHIEF OF RACIAL HARMONY, ADMITS INFLAMING ETHNIC ANGER

Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
Feb 16 2015

Date February 16, 2015 – 7:17PM
Rick Feneley

Hakan Harman, apologised for issuing guidelines without consultation.

Ethnic leaders demand sacking of Multicultural NSW boss

The chief executive of the state body created to promote racial harmony
has apologised for inflaming anger among ethnic communities when he
issued guidelines that could have curtailed public memorials to war
crimes and atrocities.

But the Minister for Citizenship and Communities, Victor Dominello,
has drawn fire from rival sides in the bitter debate – both for
refusing to sack the head of Multicultural NSW, Hakan Harman, but
also for forcing him to withdraw the guidelines.

The Australian Turkish Advocacy Alliance, which had joined with a
Japanese group to urge Mr Harman to adopt the guidelines, claims
Mr Dominello “is clearly under the immense pressure of some of the
powerful lobby groups, including the Armenian lobby, and in fear of
nothing but losing votes in an election year”.

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The alliance rejects the word “genocide” to describe the deaths
of Armenian, Assyrians and Greeks under the Ottoman Empire. And it
rejects the assertion by leaders from these and the Cypriot and Korean
communities that it was seeking to “airbrush” history by restricting
public memorials in NSW.

Mr Dominello refused to sack Mr Harman, a Turkish Australian, on
Monday afternoon when he met leaders of the Armenian, Assyrian and
Greek communities. He invoked Anzac Day and said he did not want the
controversy to overwhelm the centenary commemorations, according to
the chief executive of the Armenian National Committee of Australia,
Vache Kahramanian.

Mr Dominello told them to lodge their complaint and that due process
must be followed.

Mr Harman, a Turkish Australian, admitted he should have conducted
extensive community consultation before issuing the guidelines.

“This did not occur and for that I sincerely apologise,” he said in
a statement. “The guidelines were intended to provide advice and
guidance on issues relating to historical commemoration of events
and not to inflame concerns or upset anyone.”

He would invite the angered communities to meet him.

But the Turkish alliance said: “We have seen in recent years that some
lobby groups, which are trademarked with their anti-Turkey causes,
are damaging the multicultural harmony exists in NSW by bringing some
unresolved political conficts with them.”

It said one of its roles was to “advocate against turning foreign
historical conflicts into a political football in Australia”.

The guidelines it and the Japanese Community Network proposed to Mr
Harman had “aimed to prevent these powerful lobby groups to use their
political power to waste public funds by using the government funds
or land for their political aims”.

The alliance claimed it had the support of the Indian community and
the previous leadership of the Ethnic Communities Council of NSW –
an assertion denied by the ECC late on Monday.

The Labor spokesman for citizenship and communities, Guy Zangari, said:
“It’s time for Mr Dominello to come out of the shadows and clean up
this mess.”

The chairman of the Multicultural NSW advisory board, Harry Harinath,
said it was determined to promote “peace and harmony” and welcomed
the move to wider consultation with communities.

A spokesman for Mr Dominello said: “The purpose of today’s meeting
was to consult with relevant community leaders, hear their concerns
and resolve a way forward that will ensure community harmony.”

VISHY ANAND BEATS ARONIAN TO JUMP TO JOINT LEAD

Press Trust of India
Feb 16 2015

By Our Chess Correspondent

Zurich, Feb 16 (PTI) Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand
celebrated the Indian World Cup victory with a crushing win against
Levon Aronian of Armenia in the second round of Zurich Chess Challenge,
here.

Under tremendous pressure to perform like the Indian cricket team,
Anand delivered the goods thanks to a remarkable piece of homework
and gave no chance to Aronian who had beaten the Indian ace just a
few days back during the Grenke Chess Classic.