Russia Slaps Health Restrictions On Several Armenian Companies

RUSSIA SLAPS HEALTH RESTRICTIONS ON SEVERAL ARMENIAN COMPANIES

09:22, September 26, 2013

Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Photsanitary Surveillance
reports that it has recently placed restrictions on the importation
of products manufactured by companies based in Armenia for health
and safety reasons.

On September 5, an enhanced control regimen was placed on milk and
milk products manufactured by the Vordi Armen Ltd. based in Hrazdan.

On September 13, an enhanced control regimen was placed on fish and
fish products (sturgeon, trout, crawfish, frogs) from BAKCC Ltd.based
in Sis.

On August 30, a temporary restriction was placed on fish and fish
products (sturgeon, trout, crawfish) from Konstantin and Sisters Ltd.

based in Djrarat.

On July 15, a temporary restriction was placed on fish and fish
products (trout, crawfish) from GOS CJSC based in Lichk.

From: A. Papazian

http://hetq.am/eng/news/29626/russia-slaps-health-restrictions-on-several-armenian-companies.html

Darfour : La CPI Demande D’arreter Omar El Bechir

DARFOUR : LA CPI DEMANDE D’ARRETER OMAR EL BECHIR

Publie le : 26-09-2013

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN
vous propose de lire le communique de presse de la Cour Penale
Internationale (CPI) publie sur le site du Collectif Urgence Darfour
le 21 septembre 2013.

Collectif Urgence Darfour

le 21 septembre 2013

LA CPI DEMANDE A OBAMA : ” ARRÊTEZ-LE ! ”

En vue de la tenue de la prochaine Assemblee generale des Nations-Unies
qui se tiendra bientôt a New-York, le president soudanais a fait
benoitement une demande de visa pour les USA.

Omar el Bechir fait l’objet d’un mandat d’arret international pour
crimes de guerre, crimes contre l’humanite et genocide commis sous
ses ordres au Darfour. L’homme ne manque ni de culot ni de cynisme.

Le Collectif Urgence Darfour demande aux Etats Unis et a tous les Etats
membres de l’ONU de tout mettre en ~uvre pour arreter Omar el Bechir.

Communique de presse de la Cour Penale Internationale(CPI)

Affaire Al Bashir : Les juges de la CPI invitent les Etats-Unis a
arreter le suspect et a le remettre a la Cour

Aujourd’hui, 18 septembre 2013, informee par le Bureau du Procureur
qu’Omar Al Bashir pourrait se rendre aux Etats-Unis, la Chambre
de première instance II de la Cour penale internationale (CPI) a
invite les autorites americaines competentes a arreter le suspect et
a le remettre a la Cour, dans l’eventualite où il penetrerait sur le
territoire americain.

La Chambre a egalement rappele aux Etats-Unis que, le 4 mars 2009
et le 12 juillet 2010, elle avait delivre deux mandats d’arret,
encore non executes, a l’encontre d’Omar Al Bashir pour genocide,
crimes de guerre et crimes contre l’humanite. Par la suite, le 6 mars
2009 et le 21 juillet 2010, le Greffe de la CPI avait transmis des
demandes d’arrestation et de remise a l’ensemble des Etats membres
du Conseil de securite de l’Organisation des Nations Unies qui ne
sont pas parties au Statut de Rome, parmi lesquels les Etats-Unis.

La Chambre a rappele que les Etats qui ne sont pas parties au Statut
peuvent decider de cooperer avec la Cour sur la base d’arrangements ad
hoc. N’etant pas partie au Statut, les Etats-Unis n’ont donc aucune
obligation envers la Cour. La Chambre a toutefois fait observer que
la situation au Darfour avait ete renvoyee a la Cour en vertu de la
resolution 1593 (2005), dans laquelle, tout en reconnaissant que le
Statut de Rome n’impose aucune obligation aux Etats qui n’y sont pas
parties, le Conseil de securite ” demande instamment a tous les Etats
et a toutes les organisations regionales et internationales concernees
de cooperer pleinement ” avec la Cour.

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : Collectif Urgence Darfour

From: A. Papazian

http://www.collectifvan.org/article.php?r=0&id=75801
www.collectifvan.org

Une Succession D’erreurs Par Keghart.Com

UNE SUCCESSION D’ERREURS PAR KEGHART.COM

OPINION

Le 3 septembre 2013 entrera dans les livres d’histoire comme le jour
où l’Armenie a ete publiquement humiliee par la Russie. Comment
est-il possible que les protagonistes du rapprochement d’Erevan
avec l’ouest – Serge Sarkissian en Armenie et hauts fonctionnaires
de l’Union Europeenne (UE) – n’aient pas prevu le deraillement qui
allait se produire ?

Engage dans une impasse, et ne voyant aucun lendemain dans son
alignement a un pays ” retrograde “, dictatorial, dominateur, comme
toujours interesse, la Russie, Sarkissian decida de s’aligner –
politiquement, commercialement, et culturellement – avec l’Occident.

Il a cru, c’est incroyable, qu’il pourrait le faire tout en maintenant
son alliance militaire – synonyme de protection – avec l’Est. Entre
temps, les bureaucrates de l’UE, avec nonchalance et de facon
incomprehensible, pensaient que l’ours russe regarderait sans rien
faire l’Armenie tentant de sortir de la sphère d’influence de Moscou.

Ce n’est pas un secret depuis la fin de la seconde guerre mondiale,
l’Occident s’est efforce de circonscrire l’URSS-Russie. Avec la chute
de l’Union Sovietique, les frontières de l’Ouest de la Russie ont
ete fermees hermetiquement et une ouverture dans les ” positions ”
au Caucase et en Asie Centrale sont apparues encore plus importantes
au regard de ses interets geopolitiques, par la Russie. La ” perte ”
de la Georgie par la Russie a donne encore plus de poids a l’importance
de l’Armenie pour la Russie, en particulier parce que l’Azerbaïdjan
(” un peuple, deux nations ” avec la Turquie membre de l’Otan),
est très desireux de se debarrasser de ses liens avec la Russie.

Il n’y avait aucune chance que la Russie tolère que l’Armenie puisse
se jeter dans les bras de l’Europe. Pour rendre l’Armenie encore plus
vulnerable a l’eteinte etouffante de la Russie, il faut se rendre
compte de plusieurs realites dans la situation de l’Armenie coincee
entre deux ” republiques ” (les guillemets sont du traducteur) turques
– l’une d’entre elle menacant l’Armenie en permanence – Erevan a besoin
de Moscou. Cela ne prendrait que quelques heures a la plethorique armee
turque pour avaler le verrou armenien, les biens qui s’y trouvent
et Medzamor. Entre temps, l’Azerbaïdjan montre ses muscles gonfles
d’hormones petrolières, grâce aux armes fournies par plus de 18 pays.

L’Armenie est en outre rendue plus vulnerable par la pression de
l’economie russe. La Russie est de loin le plus grand importateur
des produits armeniens et la Russie possède la plupart des capitaux
productifs d’Armenie… et des centaines de milliers d’Armeniens,
qui travaillent en Russie, transfèrent des millions de dollars a
leur patrie.

Pour rester sur le terrain de l’economie, tandis que l’Armenie
exprimait son affection a l’UE, et que la Russie serrait la vis
economique sur Erevan, Bruxelles se gardait de faire aucune allusion
a une aide quelconque pour resoudre la crise economique de l’Armenie.

En depit du tableau peu encourageant decrit dans ce qui precède, le
Panglos [personnage optimiste de la legende] Sarkissian continuait
sa cour envers l’UE, omettant de devoiler publiquement le texte d’un
accord entre l’Armenie et l’UE. Les critiques ont dit qu’il ne voulait
pas faire etat des positions hostiles de l’UE envers l’Artsakh libere.

Après avoir fait envoyer des signaux – par les groupes de reflexion
russes ou des journalistes armeniens russophiles – Poutine a la fin,
a sorti le gros bâton. Sarkissian a du retourner sur terre avant que
ne soit signe par l’Armenie l’accord de partenariat entre l’UE et
les pays de l’est a la mi-novembre a Vilnius, en Lituanie.

En depit de son experience dans les services secrets (de 1974 a 1991),
Poutine ne s’embarrasse pas de subtilites. Il a promptement vendu
pour quatre milliards d’armement a Bakou, l’ennemi de son ” allie ”
belligerant. Puis son ministre des affaires etrangères – Serguei Lavrov
– a laisse tomber quelques allusions qui pourraient passer pour un
soutien a la souverainete de l’Azerbaïdjan sur le Haut-Karabagh. Et
pour faire bonne mesure, Poutine a augmente le prix du gaz vendu a
l’Armenie. Le tigre de Siberie chuchoteur, esperait peut-etre que
les augmentations de prix creerait un soulèvement politique qui
emporterait Sarkissian.

Polyanna [un autre personnage optimiste a l’excès] Sarkissian a recu
le message au debut du mois de septembre ; il lui a bien fallu avaler
la pilule amère et annoncer l’adhesion de l’Armenie au club eurasien
de Poutine. Adieu europification !

Sarkissian, c’etait le ” cerveau ” auteur de cette comedie, ou de
cette tragedie grecque, comme on voudra. Il a meconnu des faits connus
meme des lyceens d’Armenie. La situation geopolitique de l’Armenie est
telle qu’elle ne peut survivre sans la Russie. Son voisin du nord, la
Georgie, n’est pas fiable et son voisin du sud, l’Iran, est considere
comme un paria par l’occident qui a coupe a toute relation politique
avec ce pays.

Mais Sarkissian n’est pas la seule partie qui s’est gravement trompee.

À quoi pensaient les fonctionnaires de l’UE lorsqu’ils ont commence
a faire la cour a l’Armenie ? Pensaient-ils que l’Armenie serait
autorisee a sortir du parapluie russe ? Et tandis que la date
de la signature approchait, pourquoi l’UE n’a-t-elle pas fait
envers l’Armenie les gestes politiques et economiques qui auraient
consolide la demarche entreprise ? Pourquoi, lorsqu’ont ete rendus
les rapports montrant que les produits armeniens n’avaient pas la
qualite requise pour le marche de l’UE, aucun encouragement n’est-il
venu de Bruxelles ?

Lorsque le château de cartes s’est ecroule, pour sauver la face,
Sarkissian n’a pas cesse d’affirmer que le reve europeen de l’Armenie
n’etait pas termine. Entre temps, un fonctionnaire haut place de
l’UE promit ” Nous n’avons aucunement renonce abandonne pour ce qui
concerne l’Armenie et le peuple armenien “. L’UE n’aurait pas abandonne
l’Armenie ? Quand, et combien de fois, les Armeniens n’ont-ils pas
deja entendu de mots aussi creux et hypocrites venus d’Occident ?

Dans ce qui est peut-etre la litote de l’annee, le secretaire general
des Amis Europeens de l’Armenie a dit qu’il pensait que le choix
de l’Armenie de rejoindre l’Union douanière ” n’etait pas un choix
delibere “. Hum !

Et enfin, il y a Poutine. Tandis que son pays depend dangereusement de
l’exportation d’un seul produit, Poutine a des ambitions irrealistes ;
il voit les restes des ruines de l’Union Sovietique comme un super-bloc
politico-economico-militaire. Pour realiser son reve impossible, il a
attire dans son bloc deux etats, le Kazakhstan (où 24% de la population
est russe), et la Belarus, en exercant sur ce dernier le chantage.

La Russie est en detresse. Une corruption effrenee, un alcoolisme
rampant, un taux de naissance sur le declin, une chute libre de la
longevite de ses citoyens, ont envoye la Russie a l’infirmerie. Pour
arreter toute baisse de sa population, Poutine a offert des avantages
aux citoyens de quelques anciennes republiques sovietiques pour
s’installer en Russie.

L’ours a la demarche pesante est friand de l’Armenie. Et que l’Armenie
le veuille ou non, la Russie est la seule voie qui lui est offerte.

Il se peut que Poutine ait debouche une bouteille de Stolychnaya
Elit [une Vodka reputee de Russie] pour feter le revirement de
Sarkissian, mais l’ancien agent du KGB devrait savoir qu’un mariage
force n’augure rien de bon pour l’avenir de cette relation. Il ne
realise pas forcement que ce mariage de raison n’humilie pas seulement
Sarkissian, mais humilie partout les Armeniens. Sa tactique brutale
laissera une cicatrice definitive sur les relations armeno-russes. On
ne peut forcer a aimer. Malheureusement, Vlad le sabreur n’est pas
un debonnaire Casanova….

Keghart.com

Traduction Gilbert Beguian

jeudi 26 septembre 2013, Ara ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

Homemade Armenian Food Stars At Saturday Festival

HOMEMADE ARMENIAN FOOD STARS AT SATURDAY FESTIVAL

The Fresno Bee, CA
Sept 25 2013

By Robert Rodriguez – The Fresno Bee

If you are a fan of shish kebab, kufteh and wrapped grape leaves,
then you don’t want to miss the annual Fresno Armenian Food Fest on
Saturday. The daylong event features homemade Armenian food, a bazaar,
dancing and a farmers market. Held at the Armenian Community Center
in downtown Fresno, 2348 Ventura St., the event is a celebration
of everything Armenian, especially the food.Volunteers have been
busy for weeks preparing the dishes that are made from scratch, said
Raffi Chekerdemian, one of the organizers.”We have great food that is
very traditional and very popular,” he says. “We have really amazing
volunteers who made all this delicious food.”Among the event favorites
will be grape molasses foam, called prpoor, fresh-baked lavash bread
and stuffed grapes or yalanchi. The carefully wrapped young grape
leaves are stuffed with rice, vegetables and spices. Also on the menu
will be burek, a puff pastry filled with spinach or cheese, and kufteh,
tender meatballs.One of Chekerdemian’s favorites is the marinated
beef. The meat is cut into small cubes and seasoned with salt, pepper,
red pepper, paprika, olive oil and onions.”It is delicious,” he
says.The Armenian Food Fest is from 10 a.m. to midnight and admission
is $3. For more information, visit fresnoarmenianfest.com.

From: A. Papazian

http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/09/23/3515057/homemade-armenian-food-is-star.html

Lighting Ceremony To Be Held In Memory Of Gerard L. Cafesjian

LIGHTING CEREMONY TO BE HELD IN MEMORY OF GERARD L. CAFESJIAN

16:17, 25 September, 2013

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. On September 27, at 21:00 a special
lighting ceremony will be held in the Cafesjian Center for the Arts,
in memory of the founder of the Center, great national benefactor
Gerard L. Cafesjian.

Symbolically, the lighting ceremony will follow this year’s last
traditional Armenian dancing event with Karin group. The program
had gained Mr. Cafesjian’s special attention and was realized with
his sponsorship.

Right after the event, at 21:00 the participants situated on the
Cascade steps will turn on flashlights to be provided beforehand,
in memory of the great patriot Gerard Cafesjian.

American-Armenian businessman and philanthropist Gerard Cafesjian
died at the age of 88 on September 15.

Gerard Cafesjian was born April 26, 1925 in the Bensonhurst
neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. His parents had come to the United
States preceding the Armenian Genocide by the Turks in 1915.

After amphibious training, he served in the United States Navy in WWII
aboard JP Morgan’s yacht, the Corsair III, built in 1895 and renamed
the USS Oceanographer. The ship did extensive survey work in and
around Guadalcanal and other Solomon Islands. He also served aboard
the USS Andres (DE45), a destroyer escort for convoys from the United
States to North Africa. When he returned after the war he married
Cleo Thomas, a nurse he met during the war. He earned a degree in
economics from Hunter College, and a doctorate of jurisprudence from
St. Johns University Law School, both in five and a half years. He
is a member of the New York Bar Association.

He began his career with West Publishing as a legal editor in New York
City. He was the first employee in the history of the 100-year-old
company to be transferred from any subsidiary company into the home
office in St. Paul, Minnesota. At West Publishing he rose through the
ranks to the position of executive vice president; overseeing sales,
marketing, customer service, public relations, all Westlaw office
training and development. At West, he also conceived of and started
the West Legal Directory and a well-known program, “Art and the Law”,
which earned he and West numerous awards.

Mr. Cafesjian retired from West Publishing when it was sold to Thompson
Publishing in 1996. He felt his destiny was to help the country of
Armenia, which had gained its independence after hundreds of years
of subjugation under various rulers. The time and circumstances
and confluence of resources would help him make a difference for
the country.

After attending to his family needs, Mr. Cafesjian established
the Cafesjian Family Foundation. Through that Foundation he devoted
millions of dollars to Armenia on relief projects including renewable
energy, headed a TV station, ran a newspaper, contributed to the
clearing of land mines by specially trained dogs, founded a bank,
insurance company, and supplied the resources for many other projects.

If any of the projects were to prove successful, the profits were to
remain in Armenia for further development.

He received accolades and recognition from both the United States
and Armenia institutions, including the Ellis Island Award in 2000.

Mr. Cafesjian completely renovated the Cascade site in downtown
Yerevan, Armenia. The Cascade was a huge old crumbling Soviet structure
of epic proportions. He opened the Cafesjian Center for the Arts at
the Cascade in 2009. Over one million people have visited the Center
annually since its opening. His goal was to bring some joy into the
lives of the Armenians through exposure to art. The Museum enjoys a
world-class sculpture garden with works by Botero, Flanagan, Chadwick,
Plensa and Lalanne, to name a few. Admission to the sculpture garden
is free and it is now the most prominent meeting place in Armenia.

Mr. Cafesjian also assembled a group of properties in Washington,
D.C., two blocks from the White House. The intention was the building
of an Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial, but due to continuing
litigation, the project remained unrealized and still in limbo awaiting
the outcome for still another time killing appeal. Mr.

Cafesjian won the basic lawsuit and was awarded the property to do
with as he wished. The community was hoping the museum will be built
by April 2015 in time to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the
1915 Genocide.

© 2009 ARMENPRESS.am

From: A. Papazian

http://armenpress.am/eng/news/734309/lighting-ceremony-to-be-held-in-memory-of-gerard-l-cafesjian.html

Armenia’s Membership In Customs Union To Increase Its GDP By 4-5 Per

ARMENIA’S MEMBERSHIP IN CUSTOMS UNION TO INCREASE ITS GDP BY 4-5 PERCENT A YEAR: RUSSIAN EXPERT

YEREVAN, September 26. / ARKA /. According to preliminary estimates,
two years after Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union, its GDP will
be increasing by 4-4.5 % annually, according to Yevgeny Vinokurov,
who is the director of the Center for Integration Studies of the
Eurasian Development Bank.

“First of all, Russia will abolish gas export duties for Armenia that
will translate into $140 million of economic effect a year. Second,
Russia will eliminate export duties on rough diamonds – 6.5 %- for
Armenia,” he said during Moscow – Yerevan video news conference.

According to Vinokourov, the accession will also have a beneficial
impact on Armenian migrant labors in Russia as it will increase the
amount of transfers they send home as Russia would abolish quotas
and licenses for them.

Out of $1.7 billion non-commercial remittances sent t Armenia last
year, $1.4 billion came from Russia, more than 85 % of all transfers
or round 15% of Armenia’s GDP, Vinokurov said.

Viktor Spassky, director of the Department of Integration of the
Eurasian Economic Commission, claimed that as much Armenian migrant
labors took home in their pockets.

According to Central Bank of Armenia, $1.687.2 billion, or about 17 %
of Armenia’s GDP were remitted to Armenia in 2012 as non-commercial
transfers, a 9 % rise form 2011.

At the same time, Armenia’s trade with Russia increased last year by
20 %. Moreover, more than 45 % of direct investments in Armenia are
from Russia. There are also Kazakh investments in Armenian banking
sector and Belarus investments in trade.

Armenia’s Gross Domestic Product at market prices last year amounted
to almost 4 trillion drams, resulting in a 7.2 percent economic
expansion.-0-

16:36 25.09.2013

From: A. Papazian

http://arka.am/en/news/economy/armenia_s_membership_in_customs_union_to_increase_its_gdp_by_4_5_percent_a_year_russian_expert/

Iran Reiterates Readiness To Assist In Karabakh Conflict Settlement

IRAN REITERATES READINESS TO ASSIST IN KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

September 25, 2013 – 18:39 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – A National Security and Foreign Policy Parliament
Commission member Javad Jahangirzadeh expressed Iran’s readiness to
assist in the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, IRNA said.

As the Iranian MP noted during a Baku-hosted meeting with Azeri
parliament speaker Ogtay Asadov, “Tehran is ready to assist in the
settlement of the Kababakh conflict to provide regional security.”

As Iranian ambassador to Azerbaijan said in July, “Tehran can assist
in the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict through improving
ties with Armenia.”

“Baku is wrong in believing that freezing of Tehran-Yerevan ties
will impair Armenian economy, thus promoting the Karabakh conflict
settlement,” Mohsen Pak Ayeen said.

“Despite friendly relations with Azerbaijan, several U.S. states
officially recognized the NKR independence. We believe to be able to
promote Karabakh settlement through improving ties with Armenia.

Moreover, good relations between Yerevan and Tehran prevented the
conflict from assuming a religious nature,” the envoy said.

In conclusion, the ambassador expressed hope for a peaceful settlement
of the issue.

From: A. Papazian

http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/170466/

Referendum On Customs Union Membership Would Be Formality For Armeni

REFERENDUM ON CUSTOMS UNION MEMBERSHIP WOULD BE FORMALITY FOR ARMENIA, SAYS EXPERT

18:24 ~U 25.09.13

In an interview with Tert.am, the political engineer Armen Badalyan has
ruled out the need of a referendum on the Customs Union membership. He
has considered the move a useless formality for a country like Armenia.

Mr Badalyan, the analyses in the press say the authorities are
unwilling to rely on a referendum, citing Article 55 of Armenia’s
Constitution, which says the foreign policies in the Republic of
Armenia are implemented by the president.

The part of the active civil society, which is against Armenia’s
accession to the Customs Union, would, of course, vote against the
[plan] but the authorities would manage to extort 20-, 30-fold votes
in favor of the Customs Union, and by the way, [from people who would
cast their votes] without reading the text and analyzing whether it is
good or bad, necessary or not. They [would succeed in that] by putting
just a few thousand drams into people’s pockets, so those people would
vote as they are instructed to. Why should they conduct a referendum
in situations like this? A referendum bears a formal character.

You were, by the way, among the first to say that nobody is waiting
for us in either the EU or the Customs Union.

They aren’t really waiting because Armenia does not have the economic
potential to bring about qualitative changes to the Customs Union
in case of joining it. The situation with Ukraine is completely
different; it has a huge economic potential. So Russia wishes it
to join the customs area. As for Armenia, hadn’t it chosen the
Association Agreement, nobody would have probably made us accede to
the Customs Union.

The Prosperous Armenia party does not make haste to express any
opinion regarding the Customs Union, unlike, for example, the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaksutyun, which this time was in favor
[of the idea].

First, that was supposed to be the de jure answer. Unless a political
party sees all the documents it will remain silent. This is the de
jure answer, but the de facto answer is that everybody – both at
home and abroad – realized that Russia has the authority to not only
implement the foreign policies of Armenia but also resolve domestic
policy issues. And when I declare I am against the Customs Union,
I am against [Vladimir] Putin, not the president of Armenia.

Why do you think Prosperous Armenia’s position would be negative?

Things aren’t definitely clear. It is very common to say they are
a pro-Russian party and that’s being done for propaganda purposes,
whereas Armenia pursues neither pro-Western, nor pro-European and
nor even pro-American ideologies. What we have in Armenia are two
ideologies: you are either for or against the ruling authorities. We
do not have any other ideologies.

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: A. Papazian

Economist: Armenian Development Agency Doesn’t Perform Its Functions

ECONOMIST: ARMENIAN DEVELOPMENT AGENCY DOESN’T PERFORM ITS FUNCTIONS

Wednesday,
September
25

“Growth in some sectors of the economy has slowed. Expectations in
construction sector have proved to be wrong, export growth rates
have also slowed. Although the real estate market is oversaturated,
paradoxically the prices didn’t go down,” economist Tatul Manaserian
said at a meeting with reporters today.

He at the same time noted that an economic setback has not been
registered. In the economist’s opinion, the existing problems are
caused by the absence of necessary marketing. According to Manaserian,
the Armenian Development Agency shall perform that function, but it
is inactive.

TODAY, 15:44

Aysor.am

From: A. Papazian

Yerevan Press Club Weekly Newsletter – 09/26/2013

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

SEPTEMBER 20-26, 2013

HIGHLIGHTS:

CSF ARMENIAN NATIONAL PLATFORM IS IN RUN-UP TO FORUM IN CHISINAU

MEDIA INITIATIVES CENTER ESTABLISHED FIRST MEDIA MUSEUM IN ARMENIA

RADIO “HAY” GOES ON STRIKE IN PROTEST TO UNSCHEDULED TAX AUDIT

PRESS CAMPAIGN IN SUPPORT OF TIGRAN ARAKELIAN

CSF ARMENIAN NATIONAL PLATFORM IS IN RUN-UP TO FORUM IN CHISINAU

On September 20-22, at “Arthur’s Aghveran Resort”, Yerevan Press Club held
the seminar “Tasks of the Eastern Partnership CSF Armenian National Platform
in the Run-Up to the Forum’s Meeting in Chisinau”. The event was organized
with the support of Friedrich Ebert Foundation and attended by the
ANP-member organizations, which were selected as official Armenian delegates
to the Fifth Meeting of the EaP Civil Society Forum
in Chisinau on October 4-5, 2013.

The seminar started with a brainstorming (moderated by Gevorg
Ter-Gabrielian, Country Director of Eurasia Partnership Foundation) on the
possible frameworks of EU-Armenia future cooperation, given the RA President
Serzh Sargsian’s announcement about Armenia’s intention to join the Customs
Union. YPC President Boris Navasardian, Co-President of the EaP CSF Steering
Committee and Armenian National Platform’s Facilitator, talked about the
priorities and aims of the Forum’s Meeting in Chisinau. YPC Expert Arevhat
Grigorian presented different studies, administered by CSOs within the
framework of Eastern Partnership. Stepan Grigorian, Chairman of Analytical
Center for Globalization and Regional Cooperation, told about the activities
of the CSF Armenian National Platform carried out over the year. Tsovinar
Nazarian, member of the “Army in Reality” civic initiative, spoke about the
informal civic activism movements in Armenia. The seminar ended with a
discussion on the Armenian National Platform’s tasks at the EaP Civil
Society Forum’s Meeting in Chisinau.

MEDIA INITIATIVES CENTER ESTABLISHED FIRST MEDIA MUSEUM IN ARMENIA

On September 24, in Yerevan, the Media Initiatives Center (formerly,
Internews-Armenia) held the presentation of Lratun media museum. The first
media museum in Armenia is established by the Media Initiatives Center
within the framework of the
“Alternative Resources in Media” program, supported by the USAID.

The museum’s multimedia concept presents the history of the coverage of
significant events in Armenia over the last 25 years through the use of IT
technologies. The idea to found a media museum came from Newseum
, an interactive museum of news and journalism in
Washington, D.C., which displays how the media describe events of public
significance. Lratun’s establishment was initiated by Nouneh Sargsian,
Managing Director of the Media Initiatives Center, who told the journalists
that such museums are, at first, an opportunity to gather in one place the
different types of media connected to important events, and second, this is
a form of media literacy for the public at large understands what topics and
why the media choose, how they depict them and what they leave to history.

The first exhibit of the newly-created media museum – “An Earthquake that
Shook the Media” – displays how the press, television and documentarians of
the time covered the 1988 devastating Spitak earthquake. According to Vahram
Martirosian, Coordinator of Lratun project, they have chosen the Spitak
earthquake as the first theme for
two reasons: first, the earthquake opened up the Soviet Union to the world
(humanitarian assistance to the victims of the disaster was provided by many
countries, Ed. Note) and changed the media sector, the approach to news
outlets and to journalism; second, this year is the 25th anniversary of the
tragic event.

The travelling exhibition, “An Earthquake that Shook the Media”, will
display in Gyumri on September 26 till October 2, later it will be in
Vanadzor, October 5-15, in Martuni, October 15-19, and in Kapan, October
22-27.

Afterwards, the organizers of the country’s first media museum hope to find
a place in Yerevan where it can operate permanently.

RADIO “HAY” GOES ON STRIKE IN PROTEST TO UNSCHEDULED TAX AUDIT

On September 25, Radio
“HAY” announced that it goes on strike. The reason of the protest is the
order of the RA State Revenue Committee about holding an unscheduled tax
audit in broadcasting companies. According to the September 23, 2013 order
of the State Revenue Committee’s Head, Radio “HAY” and other radio companies
shall be subject to tax assessment to value the “production, mining and sale
of minerals, turnover and volume of provided services, shortage of goods,
factual, including average prices (tariffs) of sales”, notes Radio “HAY” in
its statement. It further says that since the order specifies neither the
scope of audit, which should be related to the radio station’s activities,
nor the methods of assessment, the management of Radio “HAY” has banned the
conducting of the audit. The radio station’s staff considers the actions of
the State Revenue Committee illegal and regards them as an attempt to
interfere in the activities of independent media, aimed at restricting
freedom of speech in Armenia, mentions the statement.

The statement also informs that the strike will last up until October 4. The
daily broadcast of Radio “Hay” will be interrupted for an hour, from 12.00,
and during the rest of time the radio station will operate on an automatic
programming mode.

PRESS CAMPAIGN IN SUPPORT OF TIGRAN ARAKELIAN

Starting from October 21, the daily newspapers “Aravot”, “Hraparak”,
“Zhamanak”, “Zhoghovurd”, “Chorrord Ishkhanutiun”, “Haykakan Zhamanak”, as
well as “168 Hours”, issued three times a week, are posting on their first
or second pages a slogan – “We recognize Tigran Arakelian a political
prisoner and demand his immediate release”. According to Aravot.am
, the campaign is carried out in
agreement with the Armenian National Congress party. Tigran Arakelian is an
activist representing the party.

It should be noted that Tigran Arakelian was arrested in connection to the
incident with police that happened in Yerevan on August 9, 2011 and was
charged with using violence against authorities. On July 20, 2012 the Court
of General Jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork-Marash Administrative Districts
of Yerevan sentenced him to six years in prison. The defendant appealed to
the RA Criminal Court of Appeals, which dismissed the complaint. The RA
Court of Cassation partially granted the complaint and returned the case to
the Court of Appeals for new consideration. The trial at the Criminal Court
of Appeals started on August 5, 2013 and is still ongoing. During all this
time, Tigran Arakelian is in custody; the court rejects the repeated motions
of his lawyer to change the preventive measure.

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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
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From: A. Papazian

www.ypc.am