Author: Andres-Papazian

COUNCIL OF EUROPE SECRETARY GENERAL TO VISIT ARMENIA IN OCTOBER

October 02, 2013 | 16:41

President Serzh Sargsyan, who is in France on a working visit, today
in Strasbourg met with the President of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe (PACE) Jean-Claude Mignon, CE Secretary
General Thorbjørn Jagland and CE Commissioner for Human Rights
Nils Muižnieks.

At the conclusion of the meeting with CE Secretary General, President
Serzh Sargsyan and Mr. Thorbjørn Jagland summarized the results
of the negotiations and responded to the questions asked by media
representatives.

President Sargsyan noted they had discussed Armenia’s priorities during
the presidency of the Committee of Ministers, in particular reforms
of the Council of Europe, improvement of effectives of the European
Court of Human Rights and the struggle against racism and intolerance.

President Sargsyan reiterated Armenia’s commitment to the European
system of values. He said Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland will
visit Armenia in October to participate in the conference on struggle
against racism, intolerance and xenophobia.

Later, President Serzh Sargsyan participated at the plenary session
of PACE. He made a statement and responded to the questions raised
by the members of the Assembly.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: A. Papazian

IM LAND DER GRANATAPFEL, KREUZE UND KLOSTER

Samstag, 28. September 2013, 11:10 Uhr
Judith Wipfler

Armenien ist reich an Geschichte und Traditionen. Die Armenier
von heute haben aber nicht viel davon. Das Land ist bettelarm,
Arbeitslosigkeit und Armut dominieren den Alltag. Der Stolz auf das
eigene Land bleibt dennoch ungebrochen.

Der National-Berg Ararat der Armenier liegt zwar in der Turkei,
wacht aber dennoch uber das Land. SRF/ Judith Wipfler

1/5

Sewansee-Kloster: Eines von unzahligen Klostern im Land. SRF/
Judith Wipfler

2/5

Das Kirchenoberhaupt, der Katholikos, umringt von Glaubigen und
Schaulustigen. SRF/ Judith Wipfler

3/5

Die Agrarwirtschaft ist Haupteinnahmequelle nachdem die Industrie
zusammengebrochen ist. SRF/ Judith Wipfler

4/5

Armenien war in der UDSSR der grosse Kupferlieferant, jetzt liegen die
Anlagen brach oder wurden durch Erdbeben zerstort. SRF/ Judith Wipfler

5/5

Der National-Berg Ararat der Armenier liegt zwar in der Turkei,
wacht aber dennoch uber das Land. SRF/ Judith Wipfler

1/5

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Armenien, das Land im Herzen des Kaukasus, tragt viele Namen. Land der
Granatapfel, Land der Aprikosen (“Prunus armeniaca”) oder auch Land
der Steine und “Felseninsel”. Armenien ist ein Gebirgsland mit einer
Durchschnittshohe von 1700 Metern. “Land der Kloster und Kirchen”
– diesen Namen hatte Armenien genauso verdient, denn beinahe auf
jeder grosseren Anhohe, scheint hier ein Kirchenkloster erbaut worden
zu sein.

Alte Traditionen

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Bildlegende: Der Heilige Mesrop kreierte um 303 die armenische
Schrift. SRF/ Judith Wipfler

Die armenische Architektur ist voller Eigenheiten und erreichte im 12.

und 13. Jahrhundert Hohepunkte. Bis heute sind die Armenierinnen und
Armenier stolz darauf, im Jahr 301 der erste Staat gewesen zu sein,
der das Christentum als Staatsreligion annahm. Die heute bettelarme
Nation mit 40 Prozent realer Arbeitslosigkeit ist auch auf anderes
stolz. Etwa auf feinste Aprikosen, Wein und Cognac, jahrhundertealte
Handschriften, die eigene Sprache und Schrift, Kirchengesang und eine
ganz eigene kirchenmusikalische Tradition.

Die Macht der Kirche

Zusatzinhalt uberspringen

Literaturhinweise

Jasmine Dum-Tragut: “Armenien. 3000 Jahre Kultur zwischen Ost und
West”, Reisefuhrer, Trescher Verlag 2011.

Franz Werfel: “Die vierzig Tage des Musa Dagh”, Fischer TB,
div. Auflagen.

Ossip Mandelstam: “Die Reise nach Armenien”, Edition Suhrkamp 2012.

Das Sowjetregime hat den Armeniern das Christentum nicht austreiben
konnen, auch wenn der Traditionsabbruch uberall spurbar ist. In den
“Klostern” gibt es oft gar keine Monche mehr. Manchmal ist es ein
einzelner Abt, der fast allein seine zeremoniellen Dienste versieht.

Die Kirche nimmt zwar wieder viel Einfluss auf Nationenbildung
und Politik. Sie hat es auch geschafft, dass Kirchengeschichte zum
regularen Schulfach wurde. Aber die priesterliche Versorgung ist noch
lange nicht flachendeckend. Klerikaler Nachwuchs wird in der Stadt
Etschmiadsin ausgebildet, die auch Sitz des Katholikos (Patriarchen)
der armenisch-orthodoxen Kirche ist.

Aber der priesterliche Nachwuchs geht zur Halfte in alle Welt, denn
die Armenier sind ein Volk der Diaspora mit Millionen starken Zentren
in den GUS-Staaten wie auch in Nordamerika. In der Schweiz gibt es
Gemeinden in Zurich und Genf.

Ruhe und Konzentration statt Prunk

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Bildlegende: Die Kreuzsteine standen einst verstreut uber das ganze
Land als Zeichen der Christianisierung. SRF/ Judith Wipfler

Eine armenische Besonderheit sind die so genannten Kreuzsteine.

“Chatschkar” heisst der Kreuzstein auf Armenisch. 40’000 von ihnen soll
es heute noch geben. Sie waren einst in der ganzen Region zerstreut,
um deren Christianisierung anzuzeigen. Dieses Kreuz ist hier immer
ein bluhender, sprossender Lebensbaum und symbolisiert damit die
Erlosung zum Leben durch das Kreuz.

Die Kloster der armenischen Kirche lassen sich kaum mit denen anderer
orthodoxer Kirchen vergleichen. Hier gibt es keine Ikonenverehrung
und kaum Bilder. Die Kirchlein sind oft sehr dunkel und wenig verziert.

Man kommt hier gut zur Ruhe und kann sich auf das Wesentliche
konzentrieren, wenn nicht gerade die nachste Touristengruppe drangelt.

Von der Kupferindustrie zuruck zur Agrarwirtschaft

Zusatzinhalt uberspringen

Musikhinweis

Jordi Savall und Hesperion XXI: “Esprit d’Armenie – Armenian Spirit”,
Alia Vox 9892.

Der Tourismus ist eine wichtige, devisenbringende Einnahmequelle fur
das Land. Es wurde in die Agrarwirtschaft zuruck katapultiert. Der
Sowjetstaat Armenien lieferte einst 75 Prozent des Kupferbedarfs in
die Staaten der UDSSR. Nach deren Zusammenbruch und nach Erdbeben,
die wichtige Industrieanlagen zerstorten, liegt die Kupferverarbeitung
fast danieder. Uberall rosten und rotten Fabrikanlagen vor sich hin.

Viehherden dagegen weiden selbst auf uber 2000 Metern.

Geleugneter Genozid

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Bildlegende: Das Denkmal in der Hauptstadt Jerewan erinnert an den
Genozid durch Jungturken 1915/16. SRF/ Judith Wipfler

Die Erinnerung an den Genozid an den Armeniern wird uberall wach
gehalten, besonders aber in der nationalen Gedenkstatte in der
Hauptstadt Jerewan. Weit uber eine Million Armenierinnen und Armenier
sind in den Jahren 1915/16 von den Jungturken ermordet worden. Die
Turkei erkennt diesen Genozid bis heute nicht als solchen an. Darum
gibt es auch immer wieder diplomatische Spannungen zwischen der Turkei
und den Politikerinnen oder Kirchenoberhauptern, die offen von Genozid
sprechen oder gar ein Schuldeingestandnis der Turkei einfordern.

National-Berg auf fremdem Terrain

Auch Armeniens National-Berg Ararat steht heute auf turkischem Gebiet.

Der Ararat ist jener Berg, auf dem Noah einst mit der Arche gestrandet
sein soll. Der Ort, an dem Gott seinen ewigen Bund mit allem Lebendigen
auf der Erde schloss und zum Zeichen dafur den Regenbogen schickte. Der
Blick auf den schneebedeckten Ararat begleitet einen auf der ganzen
Reise durch Armenien. Er ist das Erste und auch das Letzte, was beim
An- und Abflug auf Jerewan unvergesslich in den Blick kommt.

Sendung zu diesem Artikel

Lokaltermin Armenien: Neue Monche suchen das alteste, christliche Land

Freitag, 27. September 2013, 18:15 Uhr

Armenien ist stolz darauf, das erste Land gewesen zu sein, das 301 das
Christentum als Staatsreligion einfuhrte. Doch die Sowjetzeit hat viel
vom einzigartigen christlichen Erbe zerstort. Nicht nur Kirchbauten,
sondern auch Gemeindeleben.

From: A. Papazian

VAST MAJORITY OF ARMENIANS SUPPORT PRE-SIGNING OF ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT: SERZH SARGSYAN

15:30, 2 October, 2013

STRASBOURG, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS. Armenia will participate in the
Vilnius Summit of the Eastern Partnership, which is scheduled to be
held in November. The President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh
Sargsyan stated this at the plenary session of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe. Also the President of the Republic
of Armenia stressed that Armenia is willing to continue close
cooperation with the EU and pre-sign the Association Agreement. As
reports “Armenpress” the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh
Sargsyan underlined: “We are a part of the military security system,
the members of which form the Customs Union. We cannot be isolated
from the geopolitical unit, we are cooperating with for over 20 years.”

Among other things Serzh Sargsyan emphasized that Armenia will not
build its relations with the EU at the cost of its ties with the other
structures and countries. Armenia is willing to make certain changes
in the Association Agreement before the Vilnius Summit to pre-sign
it. As per the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area Agreement,
it contradicts the Customs Union.

In addition the President noted that Armenia has a commitment with
the international partners to support the Syrian refugees. “We take
all the steps to provide them comprehensive security in Armenia. We
try to find solutions for the challenges our Syrian-Armenian brothers
and sisters have to face with. A special school has been established
for the Syrian-Armenian children, so that they could continue their
educational program,” Serzh Sargsyan underscored.

Among other things the President of the Republic of Armenia
emphasized that Armenia believes that the situation in Syria will be
normalized. In addition the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh
Sargsyan highlighted: “Armenia supports the international negotiations
aimed at the regulation of the Syria crisis. We support the agreement
already reached on the international level.”

Previously the Armenian President stated that Armenia will continue the
efficient cooperation with the European Union. “We have always stated
that Armenia wants to be close to Europe”, – said Serzh Sargsyan.

The President of Armenia emphasized as well that Armenia has allied
relations with the Russian Federation, which will be efficiently
continued.

Serzh Sargsyan noted that Armenia is for the peaceful settlement of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and evaluates all the efforts made by
the parties in that direction. “For you Karabakh is just a territory
but for us it is the second motherland”, – stated the President of
the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, quoting the words of the
prominent Armenian actor Sos Sargsyan, who has passed away recently.

Serzh Sargsyan also touched upon the necessity of the international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

From: A. Papazian

IN CASE OF RESUMING MILITARY ACTIVITIES, AZERBAIJAN WILL START TALKING ABOUT LOSS OF LARGER TERRITORIES: ARMENIA’S PRESIDENT

16:13, 2 October, 2013

STRASBOURG, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS. All the three main principles of
the Helsinki final act must function jointly. Armenia is willing to
reach agreement based on them. But in case of resuming the military
activities, Azerbaijan will start talking about the loss of major
territories. The President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan
stated this at the plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe. “The OSCE Minsk Group is engaged in the
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and the negotiations
are ongoing. Notwithstanding Azerbaijan has shown for a number of
times that they do not accept the two principles put forward by
the Co-Chairs, and among them is the right of self determination of
the nations.”

Among other things the President underscored: “Peaceful resolution
of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue under the aegis of the OSCE Minsk
Group Co-Chairmanship has been and will remain our priority until we
achieve a comprehensive settlement. We value the efforts of all those
who support regional stability, but we also know that we must rely
primarily on our own power to deter the opponent against possible
negative developments and to maintain peace, especially as the
leader of our neighboring state continues to make public statements
threatening with war, declaring the Armenians his “enemy number one”,
boasting about disproportionate increases in military spending,
and the buildup of arms.

Nonetheless, I hope that the people of Azerbaijan or their significant
part actually do not share this mindset. Unfortunately, those in
Azerbaijan who are trying to bring up candid memories of the past,
which was once shared with the Armenian people, are being publicly
admonished, threatened “to have their ears cut,” and expelled from
the country. Hence, the actual mood of the people of Azerbaijan is
not articulated and whatever is voiced is demanded by the propaganda
machine. It results in the ineffectiveness of any attempt to implement
confidence-building measures.

I am confident that our peoples will have a better future than the
one contemplated by some leaders who preach hatred and war. As I have
already stated publicly on other occasions, I do not consider the
people of Azerbaijan to be the enemy of the Armenian people. We are
capable of respectfully resolving our disagreements and peacefully
co-existing as neighbors.

Two days ago, my people mourned demise of Sos Sargsyan, a brilliant
actor, the People’s Artist of the Republic of Armenia. The master’s
last public statement was his open letter to the intellectuals of
Azerbaijan, which was nothing but an appeal for peace, justice, and
reason: ‘Are you really going to unleash a war? My dear neighbors! It
will bring nothing except innocent victims. Why? It is very simple:
Karabakh is a territory for you, but a Sacred Fatherland for us,”
wrote the great intellectual. Indeed, we regularly appeal for sobriety
and firmly claim that zealous incitement of xenophobia, unyielding
threats to use force and the arms race will not do any good. Peace and
cooperation are the only feasible means of building a prosperous future
for the peoples of the region. It is an axiom that requires no proof.

The international experience proves that democratic societies are
best placed to resolve conflicts peacefully. In the last two decades,
democratic institutions have been built and continuously developed in
Nagorno Karabakh. According to respectable international organizations
such as the Freedom House, the level of democracy in Nagorno Karabakh
is noticeably higher than in some of its neighbors.

Karabakh has been and will remain a part of Europe. Its people are a
part of the European family, regardless of Karabakh’s political status.

Therefore, I believe that the Council of Europe could, regardless of
Karabakh’s status, initiate direct contacts with Karabakh within the
framework of its pertinent functions, especially since the Council
of Europe has similar experiences with respect to other conflict zones.

From: A. Papazian

SERZH SARGSYAN: COMMITTMENT TO EUROPEAN VALUES A GUARANTEE OF PROSPERITY,STEADY DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE

16:38 02.10.2013

Council of Europe, Serzh Sargsyan

Within the framework of the working visit to Strasbourg, Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan met with the President of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the council of Europe, Jean-Claude Mignon, CoE Secretary
General Thorbjørn Jagland and Human Rights Commissioner Nils
Muižnieks.

Serzh Sargsyan and Thorbjørn Jagland made a statement for the press
upon the conclusion of the meeting and answered the questions of the
members of the Assembly.

President Sargsyan said they discussed the priorities of the
Armenian presidency of the Council of Europe, particularly the
reforms implemented within the framework of the CoE, the raise of
effectiveness of the European Court of Human Rights and the need to
fight intolerance and racism.

“Armenia attaches great importance to the productive activity of the
Council of Europe and will continue to contribute to the raise of
the role and standing of the structure in European architecture,”
President Sargsyan said.

“Armenian has always been committed to universal European values as
a most important guarantee of our country’s prosperity, pan-European
cooperation, steady development and maintenance of peace. Democracy,
rule of law, protection of human rights comprise the value system
the vision of our country’s development is rooted in,” he added.

The CoE Secretary General is set to visit Armenia to attend the
High-Level Conference on Combating Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance
in Europe to be held in Yerevan on 21-22 October. Referring to the
conference, President Sargsyan said: “I think the issue is more
than urgent today and we can resist these challenges thanks to the
experience of the Council of Europe and the effective application of
its legal tools.”

During the meeting the parties referred to the Karabakh issue and
reiterated the trust in the format of the Minsk Group co-chairmanship.

From: A. Papazian

NA VICE PRESIDENT RECEIVES THE DELEGATION OF THE IRAQI YEZIDS

02.10.2013

On October 2 the NA Vice President Eduard Sharmazanov received the
delegation of the Yezids who arrived from the Republic of Iraq and
the Autonomous Republic of Kurdistan. It included the deputy of the
Autonomous Republic of Kurdistan Mir Hazem Tahsin Sayeed, the Minister
of Civil Society Relations of Iraq Doctor Mamo Otlan, the Minister of
Agriculture of Kurdistan Jemil Sleman Haydar, the Adviser to the Prime
Minister of Kurdistan Mirza Hasan Ali, the lawyer Kerim Sleman, the
clergyman Ido Haji and the Chairman of the Council of Mirza Shangal
NGO Amo Sharoyan.

In the course of the meeting problems pertaining to culture, religion,
language and in general, national identity preservation of the Yezid
community in Armenia and the Armenian community in Iraq and Kurdistan
were discussed.

Eduard Sharmazanov has assured that the state concern towards
the national minorities in Armenia, particularly, the Yezids’
national-cultural problems is at high level, and the Armenian people’s
attitude is conditioned by the friendship coming through centuries and
Armenian people’s value system. The best opportunities created for
the preservation and development of the Yezids’ language, culture,
customs witness to that, its vivid evidence is also the Yezids:
religious sacred place in Armavir marz. To more activate the friendly
relations of the two countries and peoples Eduard Sharmazanov also
proposed to develop the parliamentary relations making more frequent
the deputies’ mutual visits.

The members of the delegation thanked the Armenian side for the steps
aimed at state concern, preservation of their people’s identity,
informing them the Government of Kurdistan does its best in providing
the involvement of the Armenian community in different circles of
governing the country and in the reinforcement of the friendship of
the Yezid peoples.

During the meeting other issues relating to the strengthening of
cooperation between the two peoples and joint solution of different
problems were discussed.

From: A. Papazian

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN: ARMENIA REMAINS COMMITTED TO CONSOLIDATION OF EUROPEAN VALUES

October 02, 2013 | 14:25

It is an honor and a great responsibility for Armenia to chair the
Council of Europe Committee of Ministers.

President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan stated the aforesaid Wednesday
addressing the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)
delegates, in Strasbourg France.

He stressed that Armenia recently marked the 22nd anniversary of its
independence and it has achieved numerous things over the course of
these years.

In Sargsyan’s words, Armenia remains committed to the consolidation
of European values, democracy, rule of law, and liberties.

Speaking about Armenia’s challenges, he specifically pointed to
corruption and unemployment.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: A. Papazian

DOUBLE-DIGIT ECONOMIC GROWTH NOT EXPECTED IN ARMENIA IN THE NEAR FUTURE – IMF

October 01, 2013 | 17:51

YEREVAN. – Armenia should not expect double-digit economic growth in
the near future, since economic growth is falling to its normal rate
of 4-5 percent, IMF Resident Representative said.

In an interview with the RFE/RL Armenian service, Teresa Daban-Sanchez
said Armenia’s economic activity keeps slowing down.

“Armenia’s economy grew by 7 percent last year, and our prediction
was that this will slow down and will reach, as we call it, normal
growth rate for Armenia, that is 4-5 percent,” she said.

From: A. Papazian

A PROTEST AGAINST AGAINST SERZH SARGSYAN IN STRASBOURG

September 30 2013

Head of Armenia Delegation in PACE Zaruhi Postanjyan from Strasbourg
told Aravot.am that an action of protest had been launched, today,
at the adjacent territory to the Council of Europe building on the
occasion of Serzh Sargsyan’s visit to the Council of Europe. The
assembled Armenians had also initiated a petition with the following
theme: “We are against the illegal domestic and foreign policy of
non-elected RA President Serzh Sargsyan.” To remind that the autumn
session of the PACE session launched today. Today, the President of the
Committee of Council of Europe Ministers, Foreign Minister of Armenia
Edward Nalbandyan will summarize the six months of presidency in the
Committee of CE Ministers in the plenary session. Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
Media can quote materials of Aravot.am with hyperlink to the certain
material

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© 1998 – 2013 Aravot – News from Armenia

From: A. Papazian

40,000 YOUNG MEN IN ARMENIA WILL NOT FIND GIRLFRIENDS – SPECIALIST

October 01, 2013 | 13:35

YEREVAN. – Forty-thousand young men in Armenia will not be able to
find girlfriends.

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Armenia Executive Director Garik
Hayrapetyan stated the above-said during a press conference on Tuesday.

In his words, the cause for this phenomenon is the gradually increasing
number of abortions based on the gender of the fetus.

“If you go to the schools now, you will see that the boys are 15 to
20 percent more than the girls in any elementary and intermediate
classroom [in Armenia],” Hayrapetyan stressed.

He added that this problem exists in the entire Caucasus, where
parents first prefer to have boys.

Selective abortions were not performed in the Soviet times, since
there was no ultrasound in the ex-USSR.

“Hence, it was impossible to determine the sex of the child before
birth,” Garik Hayrapetyan added.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: A. Papazian