Author: Andres-Papazian

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Oct 7 2014

Excavations shed light on Urartian’s social life

VAN – Anadolu Agency

This year’s works in the north part of the Van Castle have revealed
important data on social and cultural life of Urartian people. A trade
mandate is among the interesting findings in the excavation

The excavations that have been continuing for five years in the
tumulus located in the northern side of the Van Castle have unearthed
objects that shed light on social and cultural life of the Urartians.
Among the most interesting findings is trade tablet detailing
commercial information.

Istanbul University Van Region History and Archaeology Center Deputy
Director Assistant Professor Erkan Konyar is the head of the
centuries-old excavation field, where 35 academics are working.

The patterns of chariots that were produced 3,000 years ago in the
Urartian Kingdom, rare pots and pans from the 15th and 16th centuries,
a 5,000-year-old portable oven and 2,700-year-old jewelry have been so
far unearthed in the tumulus. Bronze fibulas, a trade mandate and
civic settlements of the Urartian public are among this season’s
discoveries, according to Konyar.

He said that during this season’s works, Urartian houses were found in
civic settlements and their architecture structure showed that the
houses belonged to the people who were working to meet the needs of
the royal people living in the citadels.

“Most of the findings have civic characters. Among the most important
findings of this year is a tablet of mandate, which has commercial
content. It is about products that were dispatched from here. It is
very important to understand commercial relations. Maybe this place
was the house of a clerk, and kiln tablets had been written here. It
is now being scientifically examined,” he said.

Konyar said most of the excavations on the Urartian era were carried
out in castles and revealed the life style of the king. “Not much is
known about the civic life in the Urartian era. This is why the
excavations in the tumulus are very important.”

He added that inside the Urartian people’s houses they had found ovens
and foodstuffs. “We see that the traditional house culture in Van also
existed in the Urartian era. We see the reflections of the Urartians
today. Ovens and cellars, which are seen in Van houses today, are also
seen in the Urartian houses. Houses do not have a certain order. They
were arranged to meet the needs of the people living there. Their
architecture is different. This is why further excavations are very
important. It was also a surprise for us that the houses were
preserved well. Walls still survive. The tumulus will provide us very
important data to determine the history of the city,” Konyar said.

October/07/2014

From: A. Papazian

SARGSYAN PRAISES BELARUS FOR ITS ROLE IN PROMOTING CIS COOPERATION

Belarus News (BelTA)
Oct 10 2014

10 October 2014 13:50 | Politics

MINSK, 10 October (BelTA) – Belarus, during its out-of-turn
chairmanship in the CIS, continued playing an important role in the
strengthening of cooperation between the CIS member states, Armenia
President Serzh Sargsyan said at the CIS Heads of State Council
meeting in Minsk on 10 October, BelTA has learned.

The Armenian President emphasized the importance of the address in
connection with the 70th anniversary of the Victory in the Great
Patriotic War. “Bloody lessons of the two world wars of the 20th
century should be remembered by the future generations as the lessons
of heroism of our peoples. The events planned to celebrate the day
should underline the importance of counteracting the attempts to
revise the history,” he said.

The President of Armenia believes it is vital to bring up the young
generation in the spirit of tolerance and interethnic concord. He
condemned the bombing of one of the temples of the Armenian Apostolic
Church by the Islamic State. Such things cannot fit in the philosophy
of many religions, including Islam, Serzh Sargsyan noted.

He believes that cooperation in the CIS should be aimed at preventing
possible conflicts and regulating the current ones by peaceful methods.

From: A. Papazian

BETWEEN EUROPE AND EURASIA

DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
October 8, 2014 Wednesday

by Sergei Markedonov
Source: Profil, No. 36, October 06-12, 2014, p. 13

ARMENIA, GEORGIA AND AZERBAIJAN WILL HAVE TO RECONFIGURE THEIR FOREIGN
POLICY BECAUSE OF THE CONFLICT OF RUSSIA AND THE WEST; Membership of
Armenia in the Eurasian Economic Union may be discussed at a meeting
in Minsk on October 10 of 2014.

At the end of September, a draft treaty on joining of Armenia to the
Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) was published in mass media.

Authenticity of the text was confirmed by representatives of the
Foreign Ministry of this Trans-Caucasian Republic. Publication of
the draft treaty on joining to the EAEU at the end of September is
not incidental and is not a political improvisation. Most likely,
membership of Yerevan in this association will be debated at
negotiations in Minsk on October 10 of 2014.

At present, the post-Soviet space as a whole and Transcaucasia
in particular are viewed as a territory of competition of diverse
integration projects.

Commenting on the geopolitical situation in Transcaucasia, observers
traditionally use a “two-pole scheme.” Armenia, the only military
ally of Moscow in the region (the 102nd Russian base is located on
its territory) at one of the poles. There is Georgia that has no
diplomatic relations with Russia (unlike Ukraine) on the other pole.

Along with this, Azerbaijan does not fit this two-color scheme. It
does not manifest interest in entrance into NATO but it is more than
interested in development of energy partnership with the West. It
was started 20 years ago by signing of the “contract of the century”
between Baku and the leading energy companies of eight countries.

Azerbaijani authorities have significant skepticism about integration
projects under the aegis of Russia. They are viewed like some
similarity to non-functional CIS or association not very useful for
solving of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, the central problem on agenda
of the republic. Along with this, Baku values the existing business
relations with Moscow and readiness of the Kremlin to accept the
internal political priorities of the official authorities without
any reservations.

But not everything is so simple and unambiguous with regard to
Georgia and Armenia. Having reputation of a pro-Russian outpost,
Yerevan is very interested in preserving of positive dynamic in
relations with the EU and US. First, there is a numerous Armenian
Diaspora concentrated there (especially in the US and France). It
is very active in promotion of a positive image of unrecognized
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Second, people in Yerevan understand that
if they go away from cooperation with the West initiative in this
direction will be taken by Azerbaijan. In any case, even this is not
the most important. There are different views at integration prospects
of Armenia inside of the EAEU. Kazakh leader Nursultan Nazarbayev
frequently expressed a cautious but noticeably skepticism about
entrance of Armenia into the Eurasian Economic Union de facto with
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Inside of Armenia some people would like
to debate all topics related to tariffs (inside of the republic they
are lower than in the integration structure) before the final entrance.

With regard to Georgia, rapid development of the Middle Eastern
region towards turbulence together with growing radicalization of the
population of the Pankissi Gorge and neighborhood of Dagestan, Chechnya
and Ingushetia force politicians of this country to raise the issue of
the need for cooperation with Moscow about security issues increasingly
often on top of the existing Abkhaz and South Ossetian barriers.

Thus, if we put integration aside, nobody cancelled the national
interests yet. And countries of the Caucasian region will look for
their own ways against the background of common scarcity of resources
and opportunities not in strict correspondence to the harsh principles
of “parties,” understanding that policy is an art of possible,
especially in such difficult region as Transcaucasia.

[Translated from Russian]

From: A. Papazian

Trade fair opens in Stepanakert

11:15 11/10/2014 >> SOCIETY

Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan, accompanied by country’s
senior officials, visited the trade fair organized in Stepanakert city
in connection with the Agricultural Worker’s Day.

President Sahakyan noted that such trade fairs have become traditional
and have formed a new culture in marketing of agricultural production.

Primate of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan, Chairman of the National Assembly Ashot
Ghulyan, Prime Minister Ara Harutyunyan and other officials attended
the event, the President’s press service reported.

Source: Panorama.am

From: A. Papazian

“RA borders issue is the hazardous side of the EEU membership” (video)

13:48 | October 11,2014 | Politics

Politician Styopa Safaryan thinks that the issue of having a
checkpoint with Karabakh continues to remain the hazardous side of the
membership agreement.

The announcement of Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbaev, that the
problems of Armenia’s membership are solved, is nothing.

“The announcement of Nazarbaev, that border problems with Armenia are
solved, isn’t a ground to say that the conflict is solved. Let’s
remember that still in summer Nazarbaev said that Armenia must join
with internationally recognized borders and Karabakh mustn’t be a part
of the union. And our authorities have said for many times that a
checkpoint won’t be put between Armenia and Artsakh,”- said Styopa
Safaryan.

How the sides came to an agreement will be known in the near future,
thinks the politician.

More in the video
`FRYk-wHaU

From: A. Papazian

Armenia’s Eurasian integration signals new processes – debate

15:00 * 11.10.14

The latest developments in Armenia’s Eurasian integration process
signal serious geopolitical challenges, an Armenian analyst has said,
commenting on the signing of Armenia’s treaty to accede to the
Eurasian Economic Union.

“Armenia is not becoming a member by signing [the document]; this is a
treaty that still needs a ratification,” the Modus Vivendi Center’s
president, Ara Papyan, told a debate in Yerevan.

The expert said he expects serious problems in Armenia’s future
relations with Belarus and Kazakhstan, founding member states of the
Russia-led economic bloc.

“Let us not forget about the October 10 Zurich protocols [on the
normalization of the Armenia-Turkey ties and the opening of border],
which haven’t been ratified for five years,” he noted.

Aram Sargsyan, the Democratic Party’s leader also attending the
meeting, agreed that the signing heralds new serious developments.
Addressing the possibility of a customs checkpoint between Armenia and
the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, the politician said he hopes that the
question will not turn into a humanitarian disaster for the country’s
population. “We see only an economic organization developing here,” he
said, adding that the checkpoint, if installed, will have only a
formal significance.

Addressing the topic, the Iranian expert Puya Huseyun said commented
on the future partnership with the Islamic Republic. She said the
question will be possible to discuss only after developing programs.
“While [Our cooperation] used to address the Armenia-Iran relations,
we now have to deal with the Iran-Customs Union border,” she noted.

The expert said she hopes that the country will be able to continue
the cooperation with Armenia despite the possible difficulties. She
said they can make investments from Iran to promote a further export
to the Customs Union member states.

From: A. Papazian

NEWSPAPER: ARMEN GEVORGYAN STEPS DOWN AS DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OF ARMENIA FOLLOWING SURIK KHACHATRYAN’S APPOINTMENT AS SYUNIK GOVERNOR

by Ashot Safaryan

Friday, October 10, 12:01

Armen Gevorgyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Territorial
Administration of Armenia, has tendered his resignation after Surik
Khachatryan was reappointed as Syunik Governor, a Yerevan-based
newspaper Irates-de-facto writes. According to the source, Gevorgyan
filed resignation yet two weeks ago, actually, immediately after
Khachatryan’s reappointment. “A day after Prime Minister Hovik
Abrahamyan’s extraordinary step, ‘the direct supervisor’ of governors
packed up his belongings,” the paper writes.

Khachatryan’s reappointment sparked public protests in Syunik and
then throughout the country. Regional businessmen and intellectuals
are among the protesters.

To recall, Khachatryan resigned from the post of the Syunik Governor
following shootouts in front of his house on June 2 2013 when the
former candidate for Goris mayor Avo Budaghyan was killed and his
brother Artak Budaghyan, a commander at a military unit in the
NKR was wounded. There was another wounded, Nikolay Arustamyan, a
relative and bodyguard of Governor Suren Khachartyan. Syunik Governor
Suren Khachatryan’s son, Tigran Khachatryan, was arrested over the
shootouts. Earlier, the governor’s bodyguard Zarzand Nikoghosyan was
arrested over the case. However, the Court terminated the case and
set free the Governor’s son and his friend.

To calm down the tensions in Syunik, parliamentarian Vahe Hakobyan,
the son of Zangezour copper and molybdenum plant’s ex-director Maksim
Hakobyan, was appointed as Syunik Governor. However, according to
ArmInfo’s data, Surik Khachatryan, who enjoys the support of the
country’s leadership, put a spoke in the young governor’s wheel.

Actually, Vahe Hakobyan was reluctant to send in his resignation.

From: A. Papazian

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I MET WITH PRIME MINISTER OF GREECE

GREECE

The day of his arrival, His Holiness Aram I, his entourage, the prelate
Archbishop Khoren Toghtramadjian, and representatives of the Armenian
community met with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras.

Catholicos Aram I thanked the Prime Minister for supporting the
Armenian cause. He said that the recent decision of the Greek
Parliament to criminalize the denial of genocide by law embodies the
initiative of Mr. Samaras 1996, in which he proposed that the Greek
Parliament to recognize the Armenian genocide. His Holiness then
expressed his gratitude for his efforts to address the country’s
economic crisis.

In response to the request of Mr. Samaras, His Holiness informed
of the visit of the Patriarchs of the Middle East to Washington and
meeting with President Obama.

In the end, in recognition of the contribution of the Prime Minister
to the Armenian cause, Catholicos was decorated with the insignia of
Knight of Cilicia. ‘

Later that day, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Mr. Anastasios Mitsialis received Catholicos Aram I on behalf
of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, which was absent in the country.

Friday, October 10, 2014, Stephane © armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

LES KURDES, UN PEUPLE ECARTELE ENTRE QUATRE PAYS

KURDISTAN

Les Kurdes, qui defendent leur ville de Kobane en Syrie face aux
jihadistes de l’Etat islamique (EI), sont un peuple d’origine
indo-europeenne installe principalement dans quatre pays, comptant
de 25 a 35 millions de personnes selon les estimations.

UN PEUPLE ECARTELE ENTRE QUATRE PAYS

Les Kurdes vivent dans un territoire montagneux s’etendant du sud-est
de la Turquie au centre de l’Iran en passant par le nord de l’Irak
et de la Syrie. Ils y ont preserve leurs dialectes, leurs traditions
et une organisation largement clanique.

Ils sont actuellement repartis sur près d’un demi-million de km2
a cheval sur la Turquie, où vivent la plupart (12 a 15 millions,
soit environ 20% de la population totale du pays), l’Iran (environ
5 millions soit moins de 10%), l’Irak (4,6 millions soit 15 a 20%)
et la Syrie (environ 3 millions, 15% selon le geographe francais
Fabrice Balanche, expert de la Syrie).

D’importantes communautes kurdes vivent egalement en Azerbaïdjan,
en Armenie et au Liban ainsi qu’en Europe, notamment en Allemagne.

DES RAPPORTS DIFFICILES AVEC LES POUVOIRS CENTRAUX

Les Kurdes revendiquent la creation d’un Kurdistan unifie et sont
percus comme une menace envers l’integrite territoriale des pays où
ils vivent.

En Turquie, la rebellion du Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan
(PKK, considere comme une organisation terroriste par la Turquie,
les Etats-Unis et l’Union europeenne) a fait 45.000 morts depuis
trente ans.

Le gouvernement a engage fin 2012 de difficiles pourparlers de paix
avec le PKK qui a decrete une treve en mars 2013. La chute de Kobane
ferait echouer le processus, a averti le 2 octobre le chef historique
du PKK Abdullah Ocalan. De violentes manifestations kurdes ont secoue
mardi le sud-est pour denoncer l’inaction turque (14 morts) face aux
jihadistes de l’EI.

En Iran, l’armee demantèle en 1946 une republique kurde creee un an
auparavant. Un soulèvement kurde durement reprime suit la revolution
islamique de 1979. Teheran accuse Washington de soutenir des groupes
armes bases en Irak comme le Parti pour une vie libre au Kurdistan
(PJAK, proche du PKK turc).

En Irak, les Kurdes persecutes sous Saddam Hussein se soulèvent en
1991 après la defaite de Bagdad au Koweït. La repression provoque
l’exode de quelque deux millions d’entre eux vers l’Iran et la Turquie,
les Occidentaux imposent une zone d’exclusion aerienne.

Depuis, ils gèrent un territoire autonome riche en petrole regroupant
les provinces de Souleimaniyeh, Dohouk et Erbil. Les peshmergas
(forces kurdes irakiennes) prennent Kirkouk le 12 juin a la faveur
de la deroute irakienne face a l’EI. Le 3 juillet, le president
du Kurdistan irakien Massoud Barzani lance un projet de referendum
d’independance, denonce par son allie americain.

En Syrie, les Kurdes pourtant reprimes par le pouvoir s’engagent
prudemment dans la revolte de mars 2011. Ils administrent leurs zones
du nord après le retrait des forces gouvernementales mi-2012. Le
puissant Parti de l’Union Democratique (PYD) y a etabli le 12 novembre
2013 une administration autonome de transition.

EN PREMIERE LIGNE FACE AUX JIHADISTES

Essentiellement sunnites, avec des minorites non-musulmanes (chretiens,
Yazidis…) et des formations politiques souvent laïques, les Kurdes
constituent une cible privilegiee des jihadistes car le “califat”
voulu par l’EI inclut les zones kurdes d’Irak et de Syrie.

En Syrie, où une coalition menee par Washington mène des frappes depuis
le 23 septembre, l’EI a lance le 16 septembre une offensive dans le
nord sur la ville majoritairement kurde de Kobane (Aïn al-Arab en
arabe), faisant fuir quelque 300.000 personnes dont plus de 180.000
en Turquie voisine.

Les jihadistes ont penetre lundi dans la ville où combattent les
forces kurdes, moins nombreuses et moins bien armees, aidees par les
frappes de la coalition.

En Irak, l’effondrement de l’armee les a laisses en première ligne face
a l’offensive de l’EI lancee le 9 juin. Depuis août, ils beneficient
d’aide occidentale (livraisons d’armes et bombardements, d’abord des
Etats-Unis rejoints mi-septembre par la coalition).

vendredi 10 octobre 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

INQUIETUDES QUANT A UN CONTRELE EXTERIEUR POSSIBLE DE LA FRONTIERE AVEC LE KARABAGH

ARMENIE

Bien que les gouvernements de l’Armenie et du Haut-Karabagh aient
donne a diverses occasions l’assurance que l’adhesion de l’Armenie
dans l’Union economique eurasienne (UEE) ne va pas creer des points
de contrôle douaniers entre l’Armenie et le Karabagh, les conditions
d’adhesion a l’UEE dans les frontières reconnues a l’echelle
internationale restent un motif de preoccupation.

La semaine dernière, le gouvernement d’Armenie a approuve le projet
de traite sur l’accord d’adhesion a l’UEE qui sera probablement signe
le 9 ou 10 octobre lors du prochain Sommet de l’Union economique
eurasienne a Minsk, en Bielorussie.

Dans le projet publie precedemment de l’accord, il etait mentionne
que >.

Toutefois, les experts estiment que, meme si elle n’est qu’officiel,
il y aura toujours un poste de douane.

> a declare le president du Club Asparez
base a Gyumri, Levon Barseghyan a ArmeniaNow ajoutant qu’il ne sait
pas quel pouvoir et personnes seront caches sous le nom de point de
contrôle douanier.

Les fonctionnaires armeniens du gouvernement a diverses occasions ont
mentionne que l’adhesion de l’Armenie a l’UEE vise non seulement a
des avantages economiques, mais aussi est pour des raisons de securite.

Une telle declaration a ete faite dernièrement le 21 Septembre par
le president Serge Sarkissian qui a declare que > a dit Barseghyan, ajoutant
que lors des attaques contre le Tavush l’OTSC n’a pas reagit du tout et
donc, selon Barseghyan,

From: A. Papazian