Author: Andres-Papazian

APA, Azerbaijan
Jan 6 2015

Azerbaijani embassy to investigate reports on Uruguayan FM’s alleged call

[ 06 January 2015 14:42 ]

Baku – APA. Spokesman for Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Hikmet Hajiyev has commented on the reports about Uruguay’s Foreign
Ministry’s call to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent state,
APA reports.

Hajiyev said that under the instructions of Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry, the country’s diplomatic mission in Uruguay would
investigate this issue along with Uruguay’s Foreign Ministry: “In most
cases, Armenian mass media outlets, like “asberaz.com” distort such
news, especially disseminate them in the form out of context. The
statements of Danilo Astori, Vice-President, President of the Senate
of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay have been recently distorted.
Uruguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Danilo Astori said
this report is untrue, he didn’t make such statements and Uruguay’s
position is to support a peaceful resolution of the conflict through
dialogue and negotiations taking into account the interests of the
conflicting parties,” said Hajiyev.

Armenian media reported that Uruguayan Foreign Minister, Luis Almagro
asked for the international recognition of Nagorno Karabakh as an
independent state.

From: A. Papazian

The enigmatic phenomenon of Desert Kites in Israel and Armenia

By DANI NADAL
01/06/2015 13:26

“Desert Kites” is a nickname to ancient structures first discovered by
RAF pilots who flew over the Near East during the 1920’s.

A kite by Kibbutz Samar, where two undulating walls are leading
towards the round head. An Early Bronze Age grave (tumulus) was later
built on top of the kite, and we found in it human and cattle bones,
tiny beads and a stele.. (photo credit:UNIVERSITY OF HAIFA)

JPost Holy Land is a new column that will bring you the latest
archaeology news and stories from Israel in collaboration with the
University of Haifa.

It all begun a few years ago, while walking back to the bus from a
desolate archaeological site in the Negev. With a bunch of archaeology
students trailing behind, two of us (Dani Nadel and Guy Bar-Oz) were
talking about the age and function of the ancient “Desert Kites”. It
was during that morning that we decided to launch a new research
project. We thus gathered several experts and built a
multi-disciplinary research team; it included Uzi Avner (the Arava
Institute and the Dead Sea-Arava Research Centre) who already
excavated a couple of kites in the Negev, Dan Malkinson – a landscape
ecologist (the Department of Geography), Naomi Porat (the Geological
Institute) for OSL dating, Elisabetta Boaretto (the Weizmann
Institute) for 14C dating and Sagi Filin (Technion) for 3D modeling.
Within a few months we went out, camped in remote places and started
to survey and excavate on behalf of the Zinman Institute of
Archaeology at the University of Haifa.

“Desert Kites” is a nickname to ancient structures first discovered by
RAF pilots who flew over the Near East during the 1920’s. Over 4,000
kites are currently known between Yemen in the south and Armenia in
the north, most of them only through Google Earth images. So far about
1% has been thoroughly surveyed, and less than 30 kites were ever
excavated. Interestingly, the first to ever be excavated in modern
times was a kite by Kibbutz Samar, followed by excavations near Eilat
and in Sinai.

The kites in the Negev look like a funnel, with two diagonal walls
(usually some 50-150 meters long) leading to a cliff below which a
round wall was built. The aim was to chase and drive small herds of
ungulates into the funnel, and down to the trap head where they were
killed and then carried away to be eaten elsewhere.

We have studied the 12 known kites in the Negev. The structures were
excellently planned by their contractors, based on deep knowledge
regarding both the behavior of the target animals and the landscape.
Their construction details show sophisticated techniques and well
organized manpower, which is not self evident for desert societies.
The target animals were gazelles and maybe also onagers. Today we are
using a Laser Scanner and photogrammetric methods to construct
high-resolution 3-D models of the kites.

For obtaining a wider view of the kites phenomenon, we also launched a
project in Armenia and established collaboration with Boris Gasparyan
(Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, National Academy of
Sciences, Armenia). We added Dafna Langgut (Tel-Aviv University) to
study past vegetation communities, and Israeli and Armenian scholars
and students spent several weeks together in excellent collaboration,
in the field, in the labs and in leisure time. We excavated there four
kites, all located on the fringes of the Ararat Depression, 900-1,000
meters above sea level, in a barren landscape covered by smelly sedge
with no trees. One of the kites was actually a wide enclosure with
several cells annexed to it. Likely, it was used to capture wild sheep
and keep them alive.

Based on radiometric dates, it appears that most Negev kites were
first constructed during the Early Bronze Age (about 5,000 – 4,500
years ago). This was the period that the Pyramids were built in Egypt,
and palaces and temples were constructed in many urban centers around
the Fertile Crescent. We were able to date two kites in Armenia, to
the end of the Middle Bronze Age (about 3,500 – 3,200 years ago).

>From a broader point of view, one can’t refrain from admiring past
societies living in some of the harshest and driest areas. While urban
societies were thriving at the time, the desert nomads and herders
were inventing ingenious ways to survive, and indeed show high
technological skills and complex social organization. Noteworthy, many
of the Near Eastern kites are among the longest structures in their
time, yet built in the deserts and not in or near the urban centers.
Their contribution to local economy and diet must have been
substantial, to be worth the efforts.

From: A. Papazian

COMMUNIQUÉ DU CCAF
Le CCAF appelle à la démission d’Hubert Haenel

Le bureau national du CCAF (Conseil de coordination des organisations
arméniennes de France) prend connaissance des informations diffusées
depuis quelques jours dans un certain nombre d’articles de presse sur
les échanges qui ont eu lieu en février 2012 entre Yasar Yakis,
ex-ministre turc des Affaires étrangères et Hubert Haenel, membre du
Conseil constitutionnel. Cette correspondance révèle une complicité
qui confine à la collusion entre ce haut personnage de la République
et le représentant d’un état étranger à propos de la loi Boyer, un
texte voté par l’Assemblée nationale et le Sénat et invalidé par le
Conseil constitutionnel.

Le CCAF dénonce les pressions exercées sur la personne d’un Haut
magistrat français par le président du groupe parlementaire
France-Turquie à Ankara. Il s’indigne de l’oreille complaisante que
lui a prêtée Monsieur Haenel qui, dans deux messages séparés, tente
d’une part de le rassurer quant au destin de cette loi
anti-négationniste et d’autre part l’informe avant l’heure de la
décision du Conseil. Une attitude qui contrevient au serment de
confidentialité, de réserve et d’impartialité que prêtent les sages
devant le président de la République, comme le stipule l’article 3 de
l’ordonnance du 7 novembre 1958.

Le CCAF demande aux plus hautes autorités de l’Etat d’ouvrir une
enquête administrative sur cette affaire et appelle à la démission
d’Hubert Haenel.

Bureau National du CCAF

lundi 5 janvier 2015,
Ara (c)armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

Trend, Azerbaijan
Jan 5 2015

2015 should be year for lasting settlement of Karabakh conflict – OSCE MG

5 January 2015, 11:46 (GMT+04:00)

By Jamila Jafarova – Trend:

The US co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group James Warlick wrote on Twitter
about his expectations from 2015 in terms of settlement of
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“2015 should be a year for Nagorno-Karabakh peace and a lasting
settlement,” Warlick tweeted. “Renewed violence is not the answer.”

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result
of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent
of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven
surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently
holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIE
Le directeur du musée du Génocide met en garde contre les efforts
turcs pour lutter contre le centenaire

La Turquie et ses partisans mettent en oeuvre une politique visant à
neutraliser l’effet de la préparation par la partie arménienne du
centenaire du génocide arménien a déclaré Hayk Demoyan, directeur du
Mus̩e РInstitut du G̩nocide arm̩nien aux journalistes.

Cette politique est mise en oeuvre de deux façons a dit Hayk Demoyan. ;
d’autre part, en provoquant des désaccords internes et ainsi prendre
le contrôle de la société >>.

From: A. Papazian

California State University to hot Armenian Genocide Conference

10:15, 05 Jan 2015

The Armenian Studies Program at the California State University,
Northridge (CSUN) on Saturday, January 31, 2015 will host a one-day
conference from 9:30 am-4:30 pm on the theme of “The Armenian
Genocide: Accounting and Accountability.” Held at CSUN’s Grand Salon,
it will constitute a part of the United Armenian Council of Los
Angeles’ Armenian Genocide Centennial events, and will be dedicated to
the generations of 1915 and 2015, Massis Post reports.

The morning session will include two panels. Entitled “Language as a
Victim,” the first panel will be moderated by Dr. Hagop Gulludjian and
will feature the following speakers and topics: Dr. Vartan Matiossian,
“Pleading no Context: On Uses and Abuses of the Word Yeghern”; Prof.
Barlow Der Mugrdechian, “Western Armenian Language and Literature in
Exile: Genocide and Its Consequences”; Dr. Shushan Karapetian, “The
Burden of Language as a Moral Obligation.”

The second morning panel will deal with “Teaching Genocide,” with Dr.
Rubina Peroomian moderating. Dr. Hasmig Baran will talk about “Content
and Pedagogy of Genocide Education in the 21st Century: The Armenian
Case”; Ms. Roxanne Makasjian about “Armenian Genocide Education in
Secondary Schools Today”; Dr. Kori Street about “Educating for Change:
Using Testimonies in Teaching about Genocide.”

The third and fourth panels will be held in the afternoon session. Dr.
Levon Marashlian will moderate the third panel, entitled “Those Who
Were Forced to Assimilate.” It will feature the following speakers and
subjects: Prof. Khatchig Mouradian, “Un-Hiding the Past: Myth-Making
and the ‘Hidden Armenians’ of Turkey”; Dr. Elyse Semerdjian, “‘The
Girl with the Cross Tattoo’: Field Notes on Crypto-Armenians”; Dr.
Vahram Shemmassian, “The Fate of Captive Armenian Genocide Survivors
in Syria.”

The fourth panel, entitled “Legal Responses to Genocide-Related
Liabilities,” will be conducted by the Armenian Bar Association (ABA).
Garo Ghazarian, Esq., will introduce the ABA and its panelists, and
Armen K. Hovannisian, Esq., will moderate the panel. The speakers and
their topics will be: Saro Kerkonian, Esq., “Justice for Genocide and
Challenges in United States Courts”; Edvin Minassian, Esq., “Justice
for Genocide and Challenges in Turkey’s Courts”; and Karnig Kerkonian,
Esq., “Justice for Genocide: Opportunities and Challenges in
International Courts.” The conference will conclude with a commentary
by Dr. Richard G. Hovannisian.

The conference is generously co-sponsored by the United Armenian
Council of Los Angeles, the National Association of Armenian Studies
and Research, the Knights of Vartan – Los Angeles County Chapters, the
Armenian Bar Association, the Armenian General Benevolent Union, the
Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures at CSUN,
and the Mousa Ler Association of California. Near East Relief posters
will be exhibited during the conference by the Ararat-Eskijian Museum
of Mission Hills, CA.

From: A. Papazian

TURQUIE
La Turquie autorise une nouvelle église à Istanbul

Le gouvernement islamo-conservateur turc a autorisé la construction à
Istanbul d’une église pour la petite minorité syriaque, une première
depuis la création de la République turque en 1923, a-t-on appris
samedi de source gouvernementale.

“Ce sera une première depuis la création de la République. Des églises
ont été restaurées ou rouvertes au public, mais aucune nouvelle église
n’a pour l’heure été construite”, a expliqué ce responsable sous
couvert d’anonymat.

Les chrétiens sont ultra-minoritaires et parfois victimes d’attaques
en Turquie, pays laïque à 99% musulman, où le régime est accusé par
ses détracteurs de “dérive islamiste”.

Le gouvernement d’Ankara, qui espère rejoindre l’Union européenne, a
dans cette perspective élargi les droits des minorités religieuses,
restaurant églises, monastères et synagogues, et restituant certaines
de leurs propriétés.

L’église doit être btie dans le quartier de Yesilköy, au bord de la
mer de Marmara, sur un terrain accordé par la municipalité, a précisé
le responsable.

Sa construction, lancée dans les prochains mois, sera financée par une
fondation défendant les droits des Syriaques (orthodoxes et
catholiques) qui vivent pour la plupart dans le sud-est de la Turquie
et dont le nombre est estimé à près de 20.000 personnes.

Yesilköy, située sur la rive européenne d’Istanbul et surtout connu
des Européens sous son ancien nom de San Stéfano, abrite déjà trois
églises : arménienne grégorienne, grecque orthodoxe et catholique.

Le pape François a effectué une visite en Turquie fin novembre lors de
laquelle ils s’était inquiété de la situation précaire des chrétiens
d’Orient, menacés par les jihadistes en Irak et en Syrie.

AFP

dimanche 4 janvier 2015,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

The National, UAE
Jan 4 2015

New church a haven for Abu Dhabi’s Armenian population

Haneen Dajani
January 4, 2015

ABU DHABI // Deep inside the alleys of Mussaffah stands the
long-awaited Armenian Church, which opened its doors three weeks ago.

About 1,000 Armenians living in Abu Dhabi are thrilled to have their
own church, and it is one that has been designed according to their
traditions and architectural style.

The 2,475-square-metre building has three main structures placed in a
U-shape. The main church building stands on the right and next to it
in the centre stands the archbishopric. On the left is a building
partially constructed of glass and decorated with the Armenian
alphabet. A statue of Mesrob Mashdots, the theologist and linguist who
founded the Armenian alphabet, lies ahead.

“Since the letters were founded in 405 they did not change, only two
letters were added, the O and the F,” said Raffi Simonian, secretary
of the council of the Armenian community of Abu Dhabi.

“It (the alphabet) is very important for the Armenian identity. Even
the Armenian translation of the bible from Aramaic is considered the
queen translation in the Christian world. When there are any doubts
they go back to the Armenian copy.”

The translation was begun in 406 and took Mashdots and a student three
years to finish.

Mr Simonian said that the support of governments in the Middle East in
general, dating back to the days of Salah Al Deen when he entered Al
Quds, helped.

“They gave us the best in everything. Arabs and Muslims protected us
and gave us support.”

When the first Armenians arrived in the capital in 1976, they
established the Armenian Sunday school to teach youngsters their
language and to keep the community together.

In 1980, the Armenian pope in Lebanon established a council, “and
since then until 2005, we were trying to have a piece of land from the
government [to build a church] but we had a problem; the members were
not fixed and they kept coming and going, so the Sunday school was OK
for the time being”.

For church activities they used to borrow the Greek Orthodox Church
every other week, and the Greek Orthodox borrowed the Armenian church
in Sharjah every other week. The priest held mass one week in Sharjah
and the other in Abu Dhabi.

In 2005, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and
Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, issued a special decree
from the diwan and donated land to build the Armenian church.

“Then we started gathering donations from the Armenian community in
the UAE and Kuwait. Construction began in 2012.”

So far, a mass is held every Friday, and celebrations for holy and
national holidays will take place at the church. In the near future, a
priest is expected to be based there so the church will be open on a
daily basis.

Anita Shahmirzayan said she cannot wait for that to happen.

“If I’m feeling down or have a certain issue I can just go and pray, I
don’t have to wait for mass,” said the 36-year old bank manager.

The complex on the left, which contains a ballroom, will be the base
for the Sunday school.

“Now we have our own church and it has a ballroom, so if there is a
celebration or a funeral or any occasion we can do it here – no need
to rent places,” Ms Shahmirzayan said.

Once Arpy Eskenian steps inside the gate of the church she says she
feels she is back to her original home.

“When I enter I feel I am outside of Abu Dhabi and that I am existing
within my own hub,” she said. “Because it follows our church style,
like the altar and architecture.”

Mrs Eskenian, 49, plans to attend mass weekly with her husband and
20-year-old son.

Armenia was the first country to declare Christianity as its official
religion, in 301.

From: A. Papazian

Armenia’s MFA urges international community to sober Azerbaijani authorities

20:10, 3 January, 2015

YEREVAN, JANUARY 4, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
Republic of Armenia has issued a statement strictly condemning the two
sabotage and reconnaissance attempts in the southern and eastern directions
of the Defense Army initiated by the Azerbaijani side on 2nd – 3rd of
January, which resulted in human casualties. As reports “Armenpress”, the
statement runs as follows:

“We strongly condemn the subversive actions carried out by the Azerbaijani
Armed Forces during the night of 2nd – 3rd of January on the Line of
Contact with the Artsakh Defence Army, which has resulted in casualties. We
express our deepest condolences to the families and relatives of the killed
soldiers.

With this another provocation Baku continues to implement the continuous
threats of the Azerbaijani authorities on the use of force which are being
stated even in New Year messages by the leadership of that country.

This is a flagrant contempt towards the appeals of the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chair Countries to refrain from provocative actions and escalation of
the situation, especially on the eve of and during religious holidays.

It is long overdue for the international community to sober the Azerbaijani
authorities acting against its calls.”

Previously it was reported that the Azerbaijani side had casualties due to
the subversive action it has initiated. The Defense Army of the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic also had casualties. The Press Service of the Defense
Army of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic informed “Armenpress” that at around
03:15 on 2nd – 3rd of January, the Azerbaijani side initiated two sabotage
and reconnaissance attempts in the southern and eastern directions of the
Defense Army.

The Defense Army of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic has issued a statement,
which particularly runs as follows: “Due to the operative actions of the
front units of the Defense Army, the rival was thrown back to its primary
positions with casualties. Alas, servicemen of the Defense Army Karen S.
Grigoryan and Vardan M. Lazarian lost their lives facing with the rival.
Serviceman Volodya G. Harutyunyan was injured. The Defense Ministry of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic shares the sorrow of loss and expresses its
support to the family members, relatives, and fellow servicemen of the
fallen soldiers.”

From: A. Papazian

Armenfilm’s future is still vague

by Karina Manukyan

ARMINFO
Saturday, December 27, 15:31

The future of Armenfilm is still vague. To recall, 9 years ago the
film studio was sold to CS Films-Studios owned by Cafesjian Family
Foundation for 350 mln USD. The company was to digitize the films and
overhaul and technically reequip the studio. However, it was found out
that the contractual obligations were not carried out over the past
few years.

At a press conference on December 27, Armenian Culture Minister Hasmik
Poghosyan expressed concern over the fate of the Armenian cinema
heritage. Some of the films were not digitized in the proper manner.

Earlier “CS Films-Studios” promised to turn Armenfilm into a modern
cinema city by means of 10 bln AMD investments in the material and
technical basis within 10 years. Given that the promises were not
kept, the issue of further fate of Armenfilm’s property was raised.

“A serious economic analysis should be conducted here. We need to find
out whether the state will be able to maintain that film studio or we
need to find an investor, who will seriously address this issue”, said
Poghosyan.

From: A. Papazian