Author: Andres-Papazian

TURQUIE
La rue réclame le départ d’Erdogan, empêtré dans un scandale de corruption

Six mois après la fronde populaire qui a fait vaciller le pouvoir de
M. Erdogan, plusieurs organisations ont appelé à deux rassemblements
de masse à Istanbul, sur l’emblématique place Taksim, et dans la
capitale Ankara pour exiger le départ de M. Erdogan et de son
gouvernement islamo-conservateur.

Le chef du gouvernement fait face à un vaste scandale de corruption
qui a éclaté le 17 décembre avec l’arrestation de dizaines de
personnes, parmi lesquelles figurent les fils de trois ministres.
L’enquête de police avait été menée en secret depuis plusieurs mois.

M. Erdogan a de nouveau affirmé vendredi être la victime d’un «
complot » de « lobbies des taux d’intérêts et du chaos », exploitant
son pays et ses richesses. Lors d’une allocution à Sakarya
(nord-ouest), il s’en est pris à l’action de certains procureurs et
magistrats qui ont mis au jour le scandale.

Bras de fer avec la justice

Le remaniement gouvernemental d’urgence qu’il a opéré après la
démission de trois ministres éclaboussés n’a pas suffi à étouffer
l’onde de choc. L’annonce jeudi du dessaisissement d’un des procureurs
en charge de l’enquête a mis en lumière le bras de fer qui oppose la
justice turque et l’exécutif.

Dénonçant des « pressions » de la police et de sa hiérarchie, ce
procureur a accusé la police d’avoir refusé d’appréhender une
trentaine de personnes, notamment des personnalités proches du Parti
de la justice et du développement (AKP) du Premier ministre, et des
hommes d’affaires connus.

Le Conseil d’Etat, la plus haute juridiction administrative turque, a
asséné vendredi un camouflet à l’exécutif en bloquant un décret
gouvernemental controversé publié dans la foulée du scandale. Ce
décret obligeait la police à informer sa hiérarchie avant toute
arrestation.

Dans sa chasse aux sorcières au sein de la police, M. Erdogan a
sanctionné plus d’une centaine de hauts gradés, leur reprochant de ne
pas avoir mis le gouvernement au courant de l’enquête qui le vise.

Démissions au parlement

La presse turque a vu dans cette épreuve de force entre le
gouvernement et la police d’un côté, la magistrature de l’autre, une
atteinte flagrante à l’indépendance de la justice.

Trois députés du parti gouvernemental, menacés d’expulsion pour s’être
prononcés en faveur de l’indépendance de la justice, ont annoncé leur
démission.

« Il n’est plus possible de faire entendre quoi que ce soit au parti
au pouvoir », a indiqué l’un d’eux, Ertugrul Günay, un ancien ministre
de la Culture. Il a accusé son ancien parti d’« arrogance » et
d’entraver les actions de la justice. En dix jours, l’AKP a perdu cinq
députés.

L’armée prend ses distances

L’armée, qui a pris plusieurs fois dans le passé le pouvoir en
Turquie, a jugé bon d’affirmer publiquement qu’elle refusait de
prendre parti dans cette crise. « Les forces armées turques (TSK) ne
veulent pas être impliquées dans les débats politiques », selon un
communiqué en ligne.

Les médias ont indiqué par ailleurs que l’enquête s’intéressait de
près à l’un des deux fils du Premier ministre, Bilal Erdogan,
président d’une fondation. Il est soupçonné de trafic d’influence. Le
chef du gouvernement aurait lui-même admis son inquiétude. « La cible
principale de cette opération, c’est moi », aurait-il dit à son
entourage.

Tension sur les marchés

La crise politique a provoqué une forte nervosité sur les marchés. La
devise nationale est tombée à 2,1661 livres pour un dollar vendredi,
soit un nouveau bas historique, en dépit d’interventions de la banque
centrale. La Bourse d’Istanbul a reculé de 2%.

L’ampleur du scandale est susceptible d’affecter le score de M.
Erdogan aux élections locales de mars et à la présidentielle d’août
qui, pour la première fois, aura lieu au suffrage universel direct.

dimanche 29 décembre 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

The Georgian and Azerbaijani Elections: A Postmortem

Richard D. Kauzlarich | December 23, 2013 12:12pm

It’s a fair question to ask: what was all the fuss about last October?
The elections in Georgia and Azerbaijan came and went and the results
were no surprise. Azerbaijani incumbent Ilham Aliyev won and Georgia’s
Mikhail Saakashvilli did not. The Azerbaijani elections were bogus;
the Georgian elections were not. So what? Life goes on.

But perhaps it is not that simple. Most outside observers saw these
elections as a barometer of democratic progress in a region where the
West – and the U.S. in particular – has invested time, resources and
effort over more than 20 years to help these countries to build a
better future for themselves. As stakeholders in the democratic
process in the South Caucasus since Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
gained their independence in 1991, Europe and the U.S. must fuss over
the outcomes of the Azerbaijani and Georgian elections.

Beyond Election Day

Evaluating these elections and their impact on the domestic social and
political landscape as well as foreign relations requires, however, a
focus on more than just election day. The excellent report from the
European Stability Inititive on the election observation mission to
Azerbaijan makes a strong case for not judging democratic progress
based only on how the elections may appear to be conducted on election
day.

The Georgian elections proved that post-Soviet governments could
change, politicians could change and a European path be chosen. The
Azerbaijani elections proved that a regime could `buy’ favorable
reports from short-term observers imported for election day, carry on
with election rigging, continue human rights violations and ignore
international criticism, whether from the Department of State or the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s long-term
observer mission.

Why the difference between the two neighboring countries? There are
several reasons. First, Georgia’s generally free and fair 2012
parliamentary elections set a strong example for the 2013 presidential
elections, and Georgia welcomed outside involvement and observation.
Azerbaijan, on the other hand, prevented the visit of U.S. Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Democracy and Human Rights Tom Melia before
its elections. Second, Georgian political parties, including the
opposition, agreed on electoral ground rules. Third, the Georgian
population demanded leadership change. Fourth, the outcome of
elections in Georgia was accepted as a transparent way to – for the
first time in modern Georgian history – transfer political legitimacy.

Test of Democratic Evolution

The real test of democratic evolution has to do with actions – over a
period of months before and after election day – as well as rhetoric
that affect the integrity of the elections. The pre- and post-election
environments in Azerbaijan consist of continuing intimidation of the
political opposition and independent NGO leadership, suppression of
freedom of expression and official dismissal of any need to change.
While Georgia had a pretty good pre-election period, the post-election
period remains fraught with challenges to the effectiveness of
Parliament and other fragile institutions, and whether the current
government will pursue criminal charges against former President
Saakashvili.

Is it Our Business?

There are different views regarding whether democratic evolution – in
its broadest sense – is our (e.g. the West, U.S.) business at all. Who
are we – despite our support for democratic change – with all our
defects to establish standards for others to follow? At least for the
short-term the Maidan events in Ukraine put this point into practical
focus. If a country wants to be part of the West there are certain
standards of economic and political reform that must be met as part of
that association. In other words values matter. The traditional
excuses of geopolitical importance or interests of energy security for
failure to accept even the minimal international norms for treatment
of a country’s own citizens are gone.

A major issue for the post-election period has become the choice
between closer association with the EU or Vladimir Putin’s Eurasian
Union. This choice really is about values that countries choose to be
identified by. Armenia and Georgia made clear choices at Vilnius
summit for the Eastern Partnership: Georgia and Moldova for the EU;
Armenia for Eurasian Union. Ukraine was asked to make a decision but
chose to walk the line between short-run financial expediency and a
long-term commitment to a European future. Azerbaijan decided to
choose none of the above; `neutrality’ the regime called it. All the
while proclaiming – along with its apologists in the West – the
strategic importance of Azerbaijani energy for Europe’s future.

These countries can no longer talk their way around this or employ
foreign surrogates to do this for them. Arguments for overlooking
bogus elections, corruption and human rights abuses based on
overriding strategic importance to the U.S. (e.g. war against terror,
Northern Distribution Network, energy security) are excuses for
inaction on the fundamental values that must be at the core of our
relationships in the 21st century.

When countries like Azerbaijan fail to live up to these standards we
do not walk away. Rather we continue to insist on solid, value-based
behavior by those who profess they are partners with us. That means
economic and political reforms to complete the transition from
post-Soviet to 21st Century status. This requires observance of human
rights, respect for freedom of expression, and release of political
prisoners. It also requires a pattern of increasingly democratic
elections. That’s why we need to care about elections in the south
Caucasus.

We must congratulate Tbilisi on its accomplishments in the October
electoral process. At the same time we must encourage the Georgian
government to move along with strengthening institutions like
Parliament and the judiciary so Georgia can avoid a political justice
system.

Richard D. Kauzlarich

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Center on the United States
and Europe

Richard Kauzlarich served as national intelligence officer for Europe
from September 2003 to April 2011. Formerly, he was director of the
special initiative on the Muslim World at the United States Institute
of Peace. Kauzlarich joined the Institute in 2002 after a 32-year
career in the Foreign Service.

From: A. Papazian

Armenia has new seismic station

December 28, 2013 | 15:07

The Armenian National Seismic Protection Service (NSPC) workers
installed a new digital seismic station at the NSPC Sevan Observatory.

The new station enables to study, in more detail, the seismic activity
at the active Pambak-Sevan fault line, and to improve the quality of
seismic risk assessment in Armenia.

The seismic sound was measured and the recordings were analyzed near
the observatory. Subsequently, an educational training was conducted
for the observatory staff.

From: A. Papazian

GENED TRAINS TEACHERS AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ‘PSYCHOLOGY OF GENOCIDE’

By Contributor // December 27, 2013

Meets St. Louis and Illinois Area Armenian-American Community

ST. LOUIS, Mo.-The Genocide Education Project (GenEd) presented a
training workshop for high school history teachers at the National
Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) conference, held in St. Louis
from Nov. 22-24.community-gened (1Y)

GenEd representatives Sara Cohan (left of banner) and Roxanne
Makasdjian (right) with St. Louis area community members

GenEd’s education director, Sara Cohan, led a conference workshop
titled, “The Psychology of Genocide,” which explored the social forces
and personal psychology that can lead to extreme acts of cruelty,
as well as to heroic acts of compassion, during a genocide.

Approximately 50 social studies teachers participated in the workshop.

They learned about the key psychological concepts that apply to the
actions of individuals leading to and during genocide. Examples
from the Armenian Genocide and other genocides were examined,
and participants received instructional materials to use in their
classrooms.

“It was gratifying to have such a strong turnout and positive response
from all the teachers we met,” said Cohan.

She was joined by GenEd Board member Roxanne Makasdjian, and
together distributed Armenian Genocide teaching materials to
hundreds of educators visiting GenEd’s information booth. They also
displayed the resources found at the organization’s “cyber” teaching
library,

“I think the teaching materials will really help me give my students
a better understanding of the Armenian Genocide,” said teacher Leah
Jardine of Kansas. “I can use the videos and lessons based on personal
stories, instead of just lecturing to them.”

While in St. Louis, Makasdjian and Cohan also attended the St. Louis
Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) “Antranig” Chapter dance, where they
introduced GenEd’s work to community members. Members of the local AYF
and ANC chapters, and their supporters, also generously contributed
to GenEd’s efforts.

The Genocide Education Project is a non-partisan, non-profit,
tax-exempt 501(c)(3) educational organization that assists educators
in teaching about human rights and genocide, particularly the Armenian
Genocide, by developing and distributing instructional materials,
providing access to

teaching resources, and organizing educational workshops. For
more information about the Genocide Education Project, go to

From: A. Papazian

U.S. AMBASSADOR HEFFERN ISSUES NEW YEAR MESSAGE TO ARMENIANS

15:37 27/12/2013 ” SOCIETY

U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern congratulated the Armenians
on the New Year and Christmas.

In a video message, Ambassador Heffern said – in Armenian – that in
2013 the U.S. and Armenia deepened economic and political cooperation,
particularly in the implementation of domestic reforms.

“I hope that 2014 will bring more democracy, prosperity and peace to
the Armenian people,” he said.

Source: Panorama.am

From: A. Papazian

IRAN’S PRESIDENT HASSAN ROUHANI VISITED FAMILIES OF IRAN-IRAQ WAR MARTYRS

19:46 26/12/2013 ” REGION

“Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani wished Merry Christmas to Iranian
Armenians,” it is reported in the official website of Iran’s president.

According to the report Hassan Rouhani visited the families of the
martyrs of Iran-Iraq war, father and son Movsisyans, to wish them
Merry Christmas.

“Iran is the motherland of everyone, be it a Muslim or a representative
of religious minority. All should make efforts to contribute to the
development of the country,” the president of Islamic Republic of
Iran said.

Hassan Rouhani as well visited the apartment of Albert Mamudlu who
became crippled in Iran-Iraq war.

The president of Iran emphasized that Iranian Armenians had their
major share in defending the country during Iran-Iraq war.

“Hassan Rouhani, during his visits, wished Merry Christmas to all
the Christians of the world, particularly to Iranian Armenians and
wished them happy and prosperous year,” the official website of Iran’s
president reports.

Note, that Iran-Iraq eight years war that took place from 1990 to
1998 is considered to be the most long lasting local war after Second
World War.

Source: Panorama.am

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT’S GREENHOUSE DEVELOPMENT PLAN IGNORES BENEFICIARIES’ INTERESTS – OPINION

20:59 ~U 26.12.13

The Armenian Government’s decision to boost the greenhouse industries
in rural areas does not appear to meet direct beneficiaries’ interests.

Gevorg Poghosyan, the director of the Armenian Greenhouse Association,
says none of his development proposals submitted to the Government
has received approval so far.

Speaking to Tert.am, Poghosyan complained that even a proposal for
lowering the natural gas consumption prices hasn’t been met.

“They could have at least reduced the limit to 5,000 [cubic meters
instead of 10,000],” he said.

Armenia’s major natural gas supplier, Hayrusgazard, offers privileged
terms to companies consuming 10,000 cubic meters of gas. It charges
a lower price from them instead of the established tariff of $156
per 1,000 cubic meters.

Another proposal, Poghosyan said, was to introduce the technologies
of an Israeli company which ensures high yield, using 30% less
natural gas.

“They want the Government’s guarantee, but our Government will not
ever offer support to anything of the kind,” he said.

The Association’s director complained that the Government demands a
32% tax from companies wishing to introduce the technology.

Besides, Poghosyan said, the Government has rejected a proposal for
granting greenhouses a first-class consumer status.

He said tomato, cucumber and pepper appear to be the most common
greenhouse products in Armenia, adding that there are no economic
pre-requisites for growing other greenhouse cultures.

Poghosyan added that this year’s higher natural gas tariffs also
affected the greenhouses, which grew 300 million less seeds compared
to the previous years.

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: A. Papazian

STATUE HONORS ARMENIAN WOMEN WHO SURVIVED REPUBLIC’S 1915 GENOCIDE

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

Las Vegas Review-Journal, NV
Dec 25 2013

By SANDY LOPEZ
View Staff Writer

Gary Deratzou lives comfortably in a quiet Sunrise neighborhood with
his wife, Doris. Despite his relatively peaceful life, he remembers
tragic stories shared by his mother, who lived through the Armenian
Genocide of 1915.

His close connection with his mother is what led him to sponsor a
statue to remember the women who survived the massacre.

“My wife and I used to travel around the world, and we would stop at
different Armenian centers,” Deratzou said. “We never saw anything
to honor the Armenian women that escaped the genocide. I wanted to
bring my mother’s intentions out into the world and give credit to
these women.”

Deratzou was born in Aleppo, Syria, shortly after his father and
mother escaped the Armenian Genocide, which occurred in present-day
Turkey. The genocide took place during World War I and killed an
estimated 1.5 million people.

Michelle Tusan, professor of history at UNLV, said the Armenian
Genocide became recognized as a systematic attempt to exterminate
the Armenian community.

The event is commemorated on April 24, when the government rounded
up hundreds of leaders of the Armenian community and subjected them
to deportation and then executed most of them.

“My mom said that the massacre was very harsh,” Deratzou said.

“She remembered those times and told me stories about how much the
women suffered.”

Although men were initially targeted, the genocide forced the
deportation of many women and children through the harsh conditions
of the Middle Eastern desert.

“The women showed great courage and strength during the most horrible
of times,” Tusan said. “These mothers and children survived in the
most inhospitable circumstances. The survival (of Armenians) was
really based on the courage of these women.”

Deratzou and his wife moved to Las Vegas 28 years ago from the East
Coast. Since moving to the city, Deratzou has been involved with the
Armenian community.

In 1988, he founded the Armenian American Cultural Society of Las
Vegas. He has since retired from his position of president, but the
society is still active with nearly 60 members.

Adroushan “Andy” Armenian, secretary of the St. Garabed Armenian
Apostolic Church of Las Vegas and a member of the Armenian American
Cultural Society, said the group continues to honor the memory of the
millions of Armenians who lost their lives during the 1915 genocide
through events and memorials at the church.

Every year on April 24, people from all around the world gather to
have a day of commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.

With the help of Armenian, Deratzou was able to track down sculptor
Roman Galstyan to create a bronze 8-foot-by-4-foot statue in memory
of Armenian mothers who survived the 1915 genocide and created a new
generation of Armenians.

The statue is titled “The Surviving Mother” and found a home at
the entrance of St. Garabed Armenian Apostolic Church of Las Vegas,
2054 E. Desert Inn Road.

After three years of planning, the unveiling of the statue occurred
in May under the auspices of H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian and
was celebrated with a performance by the Armenian Dancers of Las Vegas.

“The statue has been a magnet for the (Armenian) community,”
Armenian said. “Every single (Armenian) family was affected by the
genocide. People come to take photos with the statue and to honor
these women.”

The church, which was established in 1994 and became consecrated this
year, has attracted Armenians from all over Las Vegas.

“The government ordered the killings of male Armenians, including
children,” Deratzou said. “My father was in fear of his life, so he ran
away to Syria. Two years later, my mother was able to locate him, and
that’s where I was born. I am very thankful for my mother’s courage.”

The women who stayed in Turkey during those times had to accept the
local religion and marry someone from Turkey, which was against their
Christian faith, Deratzou said.

“I’ve never seen an acknowledgement of Armenian mothers or women who
ran away,” Deratzou said. “I ordered the statue and donated it.

The statue is in memory of Armenian mothers who created our new
generation in America and around the world.”

Deratzou said he hopes the statue will teach the new generation of
Armenians to remember their history and cultural roots.

“This is a great accomplishment that he did,” Doris Deratzou said.

“We just hope that the young Armenian generation appreciates where
they came from.”

Tusan said there are an estimated 800,000 people of Armenian descent
living in the U.S. and 3,078 Armenians living in Clark County.

“These were the generations that were able to survive because of
the women who escaped the genocide,” Armenian said. “We are all the
results of the dislocation of millions of Armenians.”

urvived-republic-s-1915-genocide

From: A. Papazian

ISRAEL GRANTS AN ARMENIAN DANCER LEGAL RESIDENCY

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Dec 25 2013

25 December 2013 – 10:36am

Peter Lyukimson, Israel. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

The Interior Minister of Israel, Gideon Saar, has granted Israeli
citizenship to the famous ballet dancer and former soloist of the
National Ballet of Armenia, Ludwig Ispiriyan. The request to the
Israeli Interior Ministry by Ispiriyan was supported by recommendations
from the general director of the Israeli Ballet Ensemble, Lea Lavi,
and its art director Ido Tadmor.

The letter by Lea Lavi and Ido Tadmor says that Ispiriyan has danced
for Israeli Ballet for six years and he is not only a wonderful
artist, but also “contributed to the development of classical ballet
in Israel.”

Vestnik Kavkaza found out that the dancer requested citizenship for
the first time several years ago, when he married Israeli ballerina
Shani Perez.

“We are very happy that Ludwig was granted Israeli citizenship. It is
a formal recognition of the fact that Ludwig feels Israeli for a long
time, he cares about the problems and needs of our country. He became
one of leading artists of Israeli Ballet, played many roles in various
performances. In recent times he has been actively working with young
people, preparing a new generation of Israeli ballet dancers. His
contribution to Israeli art deserves the highest assessment and de
facto he was an Israeli citizen long ago,” Lea Lavi told journalists.

From: A. Papazian

RUSSIA GETS ARMROSGAZPROM STOCK

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Dec 25 2013

25 December 2013 – 9:17am

Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

On December 23 the Armenian parliament ratified the agreement on
selling 20% of ArmRosGazprom shares which belonged to the state to
the Russian side; it provoked indignation in society and political
circles. However, for the first time in a while the voting process
which plays a key role in “pressing through” governmental decisions
turned into a fiasco, providing a motive for the opposition’s justified
accusations.

MPs from the opposition factions – the Armenian National Congress,
Prosperous Armenia, Heritage, and Dashnaktsutyun – accused the
government of an agreement which contradicts the national interests
of Armenia. They urged the parliamentary majority not to ratify the
agreement, which gives exclusive rights to Gazprom. The opposition
activists were perplexed by an article which says that “assignment
of the assets and rights of ArmRosGazprom is provided without an
initial agreement in writing from the Armenian side.” Moreover,
till 2043 Armenia has no right to import gas from any other company
but Gazprom; and till 2043 no law or decision can be made in Armenia
that would change or violate the rights and interests of Gazprom.

The Minister of Energy Armen Movsisyan states that everything is
secured by the Armenian laws, but considering the fact that there
are no such articles in the document, the minister’s statements are
thought to be empty promises in Armenia.

The authorities found themselves in a difficult situation. First of
all, the parliamentary majority could hardly resist multi-faceted
and reasonable criticism by the opposition, presenting only low gas
prices as a key argument. Secondly, some deputies from the Republican
Party of Armenia also have doubts about the discussed document.

During the voting 43 opposition MPs left the hall as a protest. And
the well-known scheme failed. The parliamentary majority had to vote
by a show of hands, as voting cards suddenly disappeared (it was found
out that the cards of many government MPs were taken by the head of
Heritage, Zrui Postandzhyan); and they made a procedural error. The
opponents were quick to use the moment. According to the law on the
order, if the electronic voting system doesn’t work, votes should be
counted by an election commission. The vote counting was organized by
the speaker of the parliament Ovik Abramyan. But nobody considered the
fact that the same law states that decisions are made by the majority
of an election commission which adopts a protocol of voting. And
four out of seven members of the commission are representative of
the opposition, who didn’t take part in the voting.

According to the statement by four factions, the decision on
ratification of the agreement wasn’t made. The opposition intends to
file a lawsuit to the Constitutional Court, which goes against the
decision on ratification.

The events of December 23 were the crown of all the processes that have
been happening in the country in the last 6 months, when almost any
step by the government faces resistance from society or the opposition,
including protests on the streets, joint demonstration and requests
to the Constitutional Court. The authorities are experiencing problems
fulfilling well-known schemes.

From: A. Papazian