Author: Andres-Papazian

JEWS LEAVING TURKEY OVER SECURITY CONCERNS: COMMUNITY MEMBER

December 16, 2014 – 15:05 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Many people from Turkey’s Jewish community are
leaving the country after increased threats and attacks, a businessman
from the community has written in an article for the Istanbul-based
Jewish newspaper Ã…~^alom, according to Hurriyet Daily News.

“We face threats, attacks and harassment every day. Hope is fading. Is
it necessary for a ‘Hrant among us’ to be shot to make the government,
the opposition, civil society, our neighbors and jurists see this?”

Mois Gabay wrote, referring to the murder of Armenian-Turkish
journalist Hrant Dink in 2007.

Gabay, a professional in the tourism industry, added that increasing
numbers of Turkish Jews are making plans to move abroad with their
families, feeling unsafe and under pressure in the country.

“Around 37 percent of school graduates from the Jewish community
in Turkey prefer to go abroad for higher education … The number
doubled this year,” he wrote.

Gabay’s column came a few days after verbal attacks on the Neve Shalom
Synagogue in Istanbul’s Beyoglu district, which has been previously
attacked with explosives in 1986, 1992 and 2003. A paper reading
“to be demolished” was stuck on the entrance of the synagogue by an
unknown group two weeks ago.

From: A. Papazian

CHINA TO PROVIDE ARMENIA WITH 60 MILLION YUAN IN GRATUITOUS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

17:09, 16 December, 2014

YEREVAN, 16 DECEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Governments of Armenia and China
will be signing an agreement on technical and economic cooperation. As
“ArmenPress” reports, the issue on giving consent to the agreement is
included in the agenda for the December 18 session of the Government
of the Republic of Armenia. The agreement “On Technical-Economic
Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and
the Government of the People’s Republic of China” envisages the
provision of 60 million Yuan in gratuitous technical assistance from
the Government of the People’s Republic of China to the Government
of the Republic of Armenia. The content of the specific program
carried out through those funds will be additionally agreed upon by
the parties,” as stated in the justification.

Based on the above mentioned, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
the Republic of Armenia considers the signing of the given agreement
appropriate.

From: A. Papazian

ZHOGHOVURD: ARMENIAN NUCLEAR PLANT ENTANGLED IN MONEY SCANDAL

11:00 * 16.12.14

The paper has published new details over a recently reportedincident
that saw top managers of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant’s (ANPP)
fired and detained.

The report, with slight abridgements, is provided below.

Zhoghovurd managed to find out that the criminal case was instituted
earlier this year. The inspections revealed that tens of millions
of Drams were drawn down from the ANPP for years under the pretext
of procurements or repairs. Reports reveal that the scheme resolved
had worked actually since 2007.

What’s even more, our sources say that all the documents authorizing
the deal were signed by Gagik Markosyan, the plant’s general director.

But there is no signature by Rubik Martirosyan, the detained deputy
director who “masterminded the affair”. Under the circumstances, Gagik
Markosyan can be said to have been a director under Rubik Movsisyan’s
supervision. Anyway, the National Security Service gave assurances
that it hadn’t been aware of any abuses or kickbacks. So given that
he is now in detention without facing charges, the allegations on his
innocence can be thought to have sounded convincing to investigators.

The key question in the case is how it was possible to draw down money
from the ANPP for so many years without anyone’s knowledge. Rubik
Movsisyan is reported to have been appointed a deputy director under
the direct sponsorship of Amren Movsisyan, a former minister of
energy and natural resouces and a current advisor to President Serzh
Sargsyan. What’s even more, deputy director Movsisyan was considered
Minister Movsisyan’s most faithful ally at the ANPP.

Reports emerged back in October about Minister Armen Movsisyan’s
possible detention. And our sources claimed connections with this
affair. But the political decision hasn’t yet been made. However,
even if Movsisyan faces no detention at all and manages to escape
conviction, he will, nonetheless, be left power. That’s for sure.

From: A. Papazian

LE GOUVERNEMENT DEMENT TOUT IMPLICATION DANS LES AGGRESSIONS CONTRE DES OPPOSANTS

POLITIQUE

Les autorites armeniennes ont rejete lundi les accusations selon
lesquelles elles auraient ordonne les dernières agressions physiques
commises contre des militants anti-gouvernementaux dans la perspective
de prevenir une campagne de manifestations contre le president Serge
Sarkissian.

Des hauts representants du Parti republicain d’Armenie (HHK) ont fait
valoir que l’administration de Sarkissian n’avait aucune raison de
relancer les tensions politiques après l’echec des trois principaux
partis d’opposition lors de leurs recentes manifestations. Elles ont
egalement affirme que les attaques de la semaine dernière contre
cinq participants actifs de ces manifestations peuvent avoir ete
orchestrees par les forces desireuses de saper l’image du gouvernement.

>, a declare Vahram Baghdassarian,
un des leaders du HHK. Sans pour autant dire qui aurait pu etre
derrière les attaques.

Eduard Sharmazanov, porte-parole du HHK et vice-president du Parlement
a egalement parle d’une eventuelle provocation contre le gouvernement.

Tout en condamnant ces violences, Sharmazanov a souligne : >

Le Procureur general Gevorg Kostanian a lui aussi rejete les
accusations selon lesquelles les trois incidents distincts de la
semaine dernière ainsi qu’une precedente serie d’incendies criminels
contre les voitures appartenant a plusieurs membres d’un autre groupe
d’opposition etaient dues aux autorites armeniennes. de
toute personne qui oserait fustiger le president Sarkissian. Vladimir
Gasparian, chef de la police nationale, a officiellement reprimande
Yeranosian pour cette remarque scandaleuse.

mardi 16 decembre 2014, Ara (c)armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

LES ATTAQUES CONTRE LES MEMBRES DE L’OPPOSITION CONTINUENT

Agression

La police a arrete deux hommes vendredi soir, quelques heures seulement
après qu’un autre militant de l’opposition armenienne a ete attaque
et blesse dans la rue.

L’incident est survenu dans la ville centrale de Hrazdan. Ashot
Piliposian, chef de la section locale du HAK, a ete hospitalise suite
a des blessures graves.

Allonge dans son lit d’hôpital, Piliposian a dit que deux hommes
inconnus l’ont battu.” “Je suppose que c’est lie a mes activites
politiques “, a t-il dit.

Dans un communique publie tard dans la soiree, la police armenienne
a declare qu’elle avait identifie les agresseurs : il s’agirait de
Pargev et Roman Manoukian, residents d’un village voisin. Le communique
indique que les deux hommes ont avoue.

La police n’a pas precise si les raisons etaient politiques, ni si les
suspects ont ete places en etat d’arrestation en attendant une enquete.

L’incident a eu lieu vendredi, au lendemain de l’agression d’une autre
figure du HAK, Aram Manoukian, qui a ete battu dans des circonstances
similaires a Erevan. Trois autres militants impliques dans les
recentes manifestations anti-gouvernementales organisees par le HAK
et ses allies de l’opposition ont ete agresses plus tôt cette semaine.

Plus tôt dans la journee de vendredi, de hauts representants du HAK
ont tenu des reunions urgentes avec les ambassadeurs, britannique,
allemand et americain en Armenie pour discuter de ces incidents.

Le parti d’opposition dirige par l’ancien president Levon Ter-Petrosian
a accuse les autorites armeniennes d’avoir orchestre la violence
pour intimider l’opposition. Les representants du Parti republicain
du president Serge Sarkissian nient ces allegations.

lundi 15 decembre 2014, Claire (c)armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

DES ARMES POUR LES RESISTANTS DE KOBANÊ !

COMITE DU COLLECTIF SOLIDARITE KOBANE
Appel a manifester mardi 16 decembre, 18h, Place des Invalides
(sortie Metro Invalides)

Depuis plus de deux mois, les forces democratiques kurdes s’opposent
aux offensives meurtrières et recurrentes de l’Etat Islamique.

Cette resistance heroïque se fait au prix de souffrances et
de sacrifices tant la dissymetrie des forces en presence est
considerable. Daesh dispose d’armements sans commune mesure
avec ceux des combattant(e)s des YPG et des YPJ. Ces hordes
obscurantistes continuent de recevoir le soutien des monarchies du
Golfe et beneficient de la duplicite de la Turquie qui, chaque jour,
s’illustre davantage dans sa complicite et son appui aux djihadistes.

Kobane est plus que jamais en danger. La situation est precaire et
peut basculer a chaque instant en depit des frappes aeriennes.

Alors que les peuples du monde expriment leur solidarite avec
les valeurs humanistes et de liberte defendues par les kurdes,
la communaute internationale, dont la France, oppose une fin de
non-recevoir aux demandes d’aide du PYD.

Cette politique – alignee sur celle de la Turquie – qui vise a briser
l’experience democratique de Rojava constitue une lâchete criminelle.

Il y a urgence a faire grandir la solidarite pour mettre en echec
la barbarie. La France et l’Union Europeenne doivent cesser leurs
gesticulations et prendre des mesures concrètes immediates. Cela
passe par :

La livraison d’armes aux combattants kurdes de Kobane pour repondre
a l’urgence de la situation, Des sanctions contre toutes les
puissances regionales qui soutiennent Daesh et notamment la Turquie,
Le developpement de l’aide aux refugies et aux municipalites kurdes de
Turquie qui seules organisent l’accueil et la solidarite L’engagement
sans delai des demandes d’intervention des Nations Unies afin de faire
prevaloir une paix democratique respectueuse des droits des peuples.

Collectif Solidarite Kobane : Alternative Libertaire ; Association
France-Kurdistan ; Collectif des Amazighs en France ; collectif
Feministe Kobane ; Confederation Nationale du Travail – Solidarite
Ouvrière (CNT-SO) ; Conseil Democratique Kurde en France ; Ensemble !

; Federation Anarchiste ; La Maison du Tamil Eelam ; Mouvement contre
le Racisme et pour l’Amitie entre les Peuples (MRAP) ; Mouvement de
la Paix ; Nouveau Parti Anticapitaliste (NPA) ; Parti Communiste
Francais (PCF) ; Parti de Gauche ; Sortir du Colonialisme ; Union
syndicale Solidaires.

lundi 15 decembre 2014, Ara (c)armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

IRAN EARTHQUAKE NOT FELT IN ARMENIA’S KAPAN – PREFECT

10:57, 15.12.2014

Mayor Ashot Hayrapetyan of Armenia’s Kapan city heard about the
earthquake in the city, the Syunik regional center, from the Armenian
News-NEWS.am reporter.

Hayrapetyan told us that they had felt no tremor, the people likewise
had not raised an alarm, and therefore there is no panic and damage
in Kapan.

The National Seismic Protection Service of Armenia provided a report
on Monday at 8:45am. Accordingly, a magnitude-4.3 earthquake struck
Iran, at 8:05am local time, and it measured magnitude 5 to 6 at
the epicenter.

The hypocenter of the tremor was 10 km beneath the surface, informed
the Rescue Service of Armenia. The seismic activity was also felt in
Kapan, Armenia, where it measured magnitude 3.

Armenia News – NEWS.am

From: A. Papazian

Interfax, Russia
December 8, 2014 Monday 6:12 PM MSK

Consent on fundamental principles should be key to conclusion of
Karabakh peace treaty – Armenian foreign minister

YEREVAN. Dec 6

The development of a comprehensive peace treaty may be started after
agreement is achieved on fundamental principles of settling the
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian said.

“When agreement is achieved on fundamental principles and
Nagorno-Karabakh’s consent is obtained, then it would be possible to
start negotiations between Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia on
the development of a comprehensive peace treaty,” Nalbandian told
journalists following the 21st OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in
Basel.

There is no alternative to negotiations, he said.

“This is our principled position. But the difficult situation that has
taken shape as a result of an Armenian helicopter’s destruction and
provocative acts on the part of Azerbaijan requires more steps on
creating favorable conditions for promoting negotiations,” he said.

Azerbaijan “regularly backtracks from agreements that already were
reached,” he said.

“This is among the principal reasons, which doesn’t leave even a hint
of trust during negotiations,” Nalbandian said.

From: A. Papazian

Child abuse should not be hushed up, an expert says

by Karina Manukyan

ARMINFO
Friday, December 12, 17:38

Over the past 10 years, 60 criminal cases have been instituted in
Armenia regarding nfliction of grievous bodily injuries to minors and
140 more cases related to sexual assaults, David Tumasyan, lawyer at
the OSCE Office in Yerevan, said at a press conference on Friday.

The quantitative indices of child abuse in Armenia are lower than
those in Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Tumasyan said that the children from needy families are the most
vulnerable group. As regards sexual assaults, the expert pointed out
cases of assaults by the children’s relatives (e.g. fathers-in-law,
uncles).

The major part of the crimes against minors has been registered in
Yerevan. Tumasyan thinks this may be the result of the fact that in
rural communities and other towns the victims’ relatives prefer to
keep silence because they fear to spoil the child’s future (for
instance, to deprive him/her of the opportunity to start a family in
the future).

In the meantime, the expert pointed out that last year Armenia
toughened the legislation on sexual assaults against minors.
Tumasyan calls on the parents to be more attentive to their children’s
behavior. For instance, the parents should be concerned over the
children’s sudden reluctance to go to school to go to the yard. In
case the parents reveal the crime, they should not blame the child,
because their reproach may harm the children even more.

The expert also recommends consulting a psychologist.

From: A. Papazian

PR Newswire Europe
December 5, 2014 Friday 5:09 AM EST

Azerbaijan Urges European Parliament to Respect Legal Standards on
Leyla Yunus and Nagorno-Karabakh

BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 5, 2014

The Chairman of the Azerbaijani Delegation to the Euronest PA, Elkhan
Suleymanov, has urged his European colleagues to respect legal
standards covering two issues of importance to Azerbaijan: the
criminal case against activist Leyla Yunus and the continued Armenian
occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding territories.

In a bid to clarify what he says are inconsistencies on the part of
the European Parliament (EP) in both areas, he has written to its
President Martin Schulz challenging him for answers.

Firstly, Suleymanov asked Schulz to clarify his November call for
accused fraudster Yunus to be released “without delay”. This, he said,
“disrespects judgments of the (Azerbaijani) courts” given she is
midway through a serious treason and corruption case, something that
wouldn’t happen if an EU nation was involved.

“Could any prominent public and political figure demand to release a
person who is (being) investigated in the European zone?” he asked in
an open letter. “Certainly, the reaction would be negative. Then why
do you apply this model to Azerbaijan?”

Suleymanov said he is also concerned about “international legal
standards” being ignored by the European Parliament over the issue of
the Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding
territories.

Despite the fact that the invasion more than two decades ago and the
continued occupation have in the past been deemed unlawful by a number
of international organisations, including the United Nations Security
Council and the European Parliament, such bodies are now reluctant to
call to account the aggressor state.

Schulz said in 2012, “I hope that Armenia and Azerbaijan will overcome
their difficult conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh,” and last year added
that they should solve it “themselves”.

Suleymanov wrote that this shows he has forgotten “about the
importance of liberating the Azerbaijani territories from armed
Armenian occupation within the framework of internationally legal
standards.”

He said bodies such as the EP should be just as concerned about the
violation of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity at the hands of
Armenia as they have been of Ukraine’s loss of territorial integrity
at the hands of pro-Russian separatists.

In the spring of 2014 the EU joined the United States in imposing
tough sanctions on Russia as punishment for its involvement in the
Ukrainian crisis.

From: A. Papazian