Author: Andres-Papazian

EAI DECLINES MONTH BY MONTH

Business – Friday, 20 September 2013, 14:03

The pace of economic growth is slowing down although the government
hopes for a 7-9% growth by the end of the year. According to rapidly
collected date of the National Statistics Service, the economic
activity index in January-August was 3.8% compared with the same
period last year. The economic activity index is dropping month by
month. In January-July, compared with the same period of last year,
the EAI totaled 4%, in January-June 4.4% compared with the same period
last year, 5.3% compared with the same period of last year, and 8.7%
compared with the same period of last year. In January-August the
industrial output grew by 6.2%, gross agricultural output grew by
7.1%, trade 2.5%, services 3.2%, foreign trade 2.8%. An 8.5% decline
was reported in building, electricity generation dropped by 4.5%.

Salaries are not adjusted to inflation: In the abovementioned period
the average monthly wage increased by 3.7%. Inflation was at 5.3%.

From: A. Papazian

DEBUT DES PREMIERS TRAVAUX DU NOUVEAU QUARTIER ” NOR ALEP ” A ACHDARAK

ARMENIENS DE SYRIE-ARMENIE

A Achdarak a quelques dizaines de kilomètres d’Erevan, ont debute le 17
septembre les premiers travaux du futur quartier ” Nor Alep ” (Nouvel
Alep) qui accueillera plusieurs centaines de familles armeniennes
refugies de Syrie. C’est la societe ” Yergrapanagan-Oudik ” dirigee
par Vladimir Kinovian qui dirige les travaux d’etudes geologiques de
ce quartier qui va naitre. Après ces premières etudes, un plan des
fondations sera trace et les premières tranchees seront creusees.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 21 septembre 2013, Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN WOMEN’S GROUP THREATENED

Institute for War and Peace Reporting, UK
IWPR Caucasus Reporting # 702
Sept 20 2013

Women’s Resource Centre becomes target of abuse even though it
wasn’t actually involved in drafting a gender equality law hated
by conservatives.

By Gohar Abrahamyan – Caucasus

A prominent Armenian women’s rights organisation has received bomb
threats amid a public controversy surrounding a gender rights bill.

The Women’s Resource Centre, founded in 2003 to campaign for
reproductive and sexual health, to combat rape and to improve women’s
position in society, has received a number of threatening messages.

The centre’s director Lara Aharonian has asked the police to look
into the threats, which included Facebook comments like “We need to
blow up this Women’s Resource Nest”, and “We’ll slit your throats”.

“We’ve received abuse before and haven’t paid it much attention,”
Aharonian told IWPR. However, we’ve recently become the target of
specific threats, and we are particularly alarmed by statements
threatening to blow up the organisation.”

Threats of this kind have been taken seriously by civil society
groups like Aharonian’s since last year, when a gay-friendly club
called DIY was attacked and burned down.

At the time, DIY club director Armine Oganesova, said she had
repeatedly reported earlier threats, but police had ignored them.

After the arson attack, Oganesova left Armenia and received asylum
in Sweden.

The Women’s Rights Centre has won support from 30 NGOs working on
rights issues, which have urged the police to track down those behind
the threats.

Nvard Piliposyan, a lawyer for the Women’s Rights Centre, noted that
while “hate speech is a concept used in international law and in many
countries, it has no legal force in Armenia, although Article 47 of
the Constitution does bar the use of rights and freedoms to spread
ethnic, racial or religious hatred”.

Aharonian says threats to the Women’s Resource Centre escalated after
parliament passed a law enshrining equal rights for men and women. The
use of the term “gender” in the law enraged conservatives who warned
that it might encourage homosexuality and undermine traditional family
values. (See Storm Over “Gender” Word in Armenia.)

Aharonian pointed out that although she supports the law and believes
it will benefit the country, the Women’s Resource Centre had nothing
to do drafting it. Instead, she said, conservative activists seized
on her organisation as a convenient target.

“The recently-formed All-Armenian Parents’ Committee, whose entire
activity is based around an incorrect interpretation of the word
“gender” and on spreading hatred, has created the atmosphere in which
these threats are being made,” she said.

Arman Boshyan, one of the leaders of the Parents’ Committee, which
was set up in July, denied any involvement in intimidation or violence.

“We are not so stupid as to make threats. We are fighting for peace
and happiness,” he said. “They say they’ve received threats. I’ve
been asking them for the last month to send us an electronic copy of
these threats, but I haven’t received anything yet,” he said.

Boshyan said the moderators of his committee’s website and Facebook
page made an effort to remove any comment that advocated violence or
breaking the law.

Turning to the Women’s Resource Centre, he said it was responsible for
a leaflet called “Let’s Talk about Sex”, which provides reproductive
health information for women aged 18-plus.

“It’s supposed to be for health purposes but when I showed it to a
doctor, he said that in fact the suggestions could actually contribute
to a reader getting an infection,” Boshyan said.

The leaflet has provoked hostility from conservative-minded Armenians
ever since it came out in 2008. They include Hayk Babukhanyan, a
member of parliament from the governing Republican Party, who even
tried to get state prosecutors to seek a ban on the grounds that the
sexual health information was pornographic.

Aharonian noted that Babukhanyan has regularly called for the Women’s
Resource Centre to be closed.

Last year, her centre won a libel case against one of the publications
owned by the Iravnuk Media group, which belongs to Babukhanyan.

Despite that victory, she says her staff are still subjected to
harassment and misinformation by parts of the media.

Anna Nikoghosyan, programme manager for the NGO Society Without
Violence, said women’s rights groups did an essential job in Armenia.

“Women’s organisations have existed in Armenia for close to 15 years
now, and they have helped tens of thousands of women and girls. These
organisations have often assumed the duties and functions of the state,
compensating for the authorities’ shortcomings on women’s rights, such
as setting up phone hotlines and rapid-response teams for domestic
and sexual violence,”

Last year, she said, women’s rights organisations took 3,300 phone
calls and responded to about 850 cases of sexual or domestic violence.

Gohar Abrahamyan is a reporter for ArmeniaNow.com.

From: A. Papazian

EBRD: ARMENIA’S ACCESSION TO THE CUSTOMS UNION WILL BENEFIT THE COUNTRY’S ECONOMY

Belarusian Telegraph Agency, Belarus
Sept 20 2013

20.09.2013 15:12

YEREVAN, 20 September (BelTA-Armenpress) – Armenia’s accession to the
Customs Union will lead to lower gas prices and benefit the country’s
economy in general, EBRD regional director for Caucasus, Moldova and
Belarus Bruno Balvanera told a press conference, BelTA has learnt.

The official stressed that the gas prices in the Customs Union
are lower than in other countries. “The only thing we know is that
Armenia will benefit in what regards gas prices. It will have its
positive impact on the country’s economy and inflation rates,” the
EBRD representative said.

According to Bruno Balvanera, the Customs Union countries, Russia,
Kazakhstan and Belarus, are also EBRD members. With this, he added
it was too early to talk about other advantages or disadvantages of
Armenia’s membership in the Customs Union for the country’s economy.

As it has been reported before, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan,
after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on 3 September,
voiced Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union as well as the
country’s readiness to take up necessary steps, including in the
establishment of the Eurasian Economic Union in the future.

At the joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin,
President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan stressed that Armenia’s decision
to join the Customs Union does not mean rejection of dialogue with
European organizations.

Head of the Armenian Presidential Administration Vigen Sargsyan
announced on 4 September that the signing of the agreement remains
on Armenia’s agenda.

From: A. Papazian

MANAS BOUJIKIAN TO RECEIVE ANCA-WR LEGACY AWARD

Friday, September 20th, 2013

Manas Boujikian (left) with ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian, ANCA-WR
Board Co-Chairperson Chris Gouldjian and ANCA National Board member
Raffi Hamparian

GLENDALE-Entrepreneur, mentor and life-long ANCA activist Manas
Boujikian will be honored with the ANCA-WR Legacy Award at its Annual
Banquet on Saturday, November 30, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in the
heart of Hollywood.

The honor is among the organization’s highest awards and is being
granted to Boujikian for more than 30 years of leadership and
philanthropy. Boujikian has and continues to advance HyeTad-from
getting talented young Armenian Americans started in government,
politics and journalism to educating the American media and public
about the Armenian Cause to leveraging the tremendous energy of
hundreds of thousands of volunteers.

Boujikian was born in Kessab, Syria, in 1932 to Hagop and Bayzar
Boujikian-one of five children. The Boujikian family migrated to the
United States in 1954 where Boujikian earned his B.S. in Mechanical
Engineering from the California State University, Los Angeles
and continued with graduate courses at the University of Southern
California and the University of California, Los Angeles. Currently,
Manas lives in Torrance with his wife of more than 55 years, Donalee.

Manas and Donalee are proud parents, grandparents and
great-grandparents.

By education and trade, Boujikian is an engineer and farmer. However,
his true passion resides in helping sustain the growth of Armenian
advocacy. In 2009, Boujikian completed his $400,000 pledge to the
ANCA Endowment Fund, marking yet another philanthropic milestone in
his life-long commitment to ensuring that the collective voice and
common aspirations of Armenian Americans are heard and respected in
the nation’s capital. Boujikian also served several terms as an ANCA
National Board Member beginning in 1983.

“Our ANCA-WR Board of Directors unanimously voted to bestow this year’s
Legacy Award to such a well-deserving activist as Manas Boujikian,”
said Nora Hovsepian, ANCA-WR Board of Director Co-Chair.

“He has been an unwavering, staunch and deeply committed ANCA leader
and supporter over a period of decades, both on the regional level as
well as on the national level. We are proud of all he has accomplished
and very grateful for his continued activism on behalf of the Armenian
Cause, to which we are all so dedicated.”

This year, the ANCA-WR Annual Banquet will take place on Saturday,
November 30 at the Ray Dolby Ballroom, the site of the Oscar’s
Governors Ball. The catering for the event will be provided exclusively
by world-renowned chef and personality Wolfgang Puck, who is devising a
menu specifically for the ANCA-WR. The banquet will be bookended by the
prestigious ANCA Grassroots Conference, which in 2011 attracted more
than 600 activists from around the country. Individuals interested
in attending the ANCA-Western Region Annual Banquet and Grassroots
Conference are encouraged to contact the ANCA-WR office at (818)
500-1918.

The Armenian National Committee – Western Region is the largest and
most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization
in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network
of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United
States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR
advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad
range of issues.

From: A. Papazian

CHURCH LEADERS DISCUSS SYRIA DEVELOPMENTS

September 20, 2013 | 13:56

The World Council of Churches (WCC) organized a meeting to discuss
of the churches in effectively moving all parties in Syria towards
a peace agreement

The meeting was held on Wednesday at the Ecumenical Institute in
Bossey, Switzerland.

The meeting was attended by representatives of U.S., Russia, France,
Germany, England, Syria and Iraq as well as representative of Holy
Etchmiadzin Archbishop T. Vigen Aykazyan and head of Armenian diocese
of Syria, bishop Armash Nalbandian, Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
press service reported.

Church leaders have called a political solution the only way towards
peace in Syria, says the statement posted on the WCC officialwebsite.

A communique issued at the end of the meeting said, “Churches must
continue to raise their voice in their congregations, in their
societies and with their governments. We must strengthen the public
outcry so that those in power will protect the common interest of
humanity.”

It adds, “We believe there can be no military solution to the crisis
in Syria. It is time for the international community to assume its
responsibility to end the violence and initiate a political process
that brings peace for all the people of Syria.”

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA’S PM HOSTED PARTICIPANTS OF ARMENIAN SECOND INTERNATIONAL NURSING CONGRESS

19:41, 20 September, 2013

YEREVAN, September 20, 2013 Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia
Tigran Sargsyan hosted participants of Armenian second international
nursing congress which was held on September 18-20. “Armenpress”
was informed from press service of Armenia’s Government that the
guests introduced to the Prime Minister the process of their work,
programs and projects.

It was mentioned that during the congress leading specialists arrived
from various countries shared with their experience and knowledge
which will be favorable for raising the quality and knowledge of
nurses in our country.

The head of the government welcomed the holding of the congress and
expressed hope that reports introduced during works will support the
development of above-mentioned sphere in Armenia.

The participants of the congress thanked authorities of our country
for supporting organization of the congress and development of nurses’
activities.

© 2009 ARMENPRESS.am

From: A. Papazian

Anahit Bakhshyan to RPA councillors. `Let them `enjoy’…’

September 20 2013

`With their such statements and comments they confirm that they need
the presence of our `Hello Yerevan’ to legitimize their illegal
actions in order to involve us into this responsibility’, – so
responded the head of `Hello Yerevan’ faction of the Yerevan Council
of Elders to Aravot.am referring to statements of RPA faction members
of the Yerevan Council of Elders. To recall that yesterday RPA faction
members Vahe Nikoyan and Naira Nahapetyan reacted to the fact that the
councillors of PAP and `Hello Yerevan’ factions will not constitute a
part of the the committee formed by the municipality for review and
discussion of public transport fare. According to the authors of the
statement http.//, this `once again
proved the abstained status of the latter and opportunistic approach
in solving the problems concerning Yerevan people’. Ms. Bakhshyan
urges the representatives of RPA never to talk about commitment,
moreover, not to say that they bear some responsibilities based on the
interests of Yerevan. `Today, we, based on Yerevan interests, dispute
the legality of the decisions at the court, and will prove as to what
extent illegality and fabrication are in the legal documents available
under those decisions. They do not want us to do it, but they want us
to be part of the activities of a commission having no legal status,
the powers and decision-making procedures of which we still do not
know,’- said Anahit Bashkhyan, adding, `Let them `enjoy’ the
groundless sense of responsibility, and answer before people how they
made the decision on raising transport fees. Let it be also left to
their conscience.’ Nelly Grigoryan

Read more at:

© 1998 – 2013 Aravot – News from Armenia

From: A. Papazian

22nd anniversary of Armenia’s independence: achievements and losses

13:03 – 21.09.13

Today, September 21, 2013, is the 22nd anniversary of Armenia’s independence.

On September 21, 1991, 2,042,627 of 2,056,758 voters of Armenia
(94.39%) voted for the country’s independence.

On September 23, 1991, the Supreme Council of Armenia declared the
country’s independence.

Independence is a victory that will never be snatched from the Armenian people.

Following the statement on Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union,
different political figures and forces are speaking of restrictions on
Armenia’s sovereignty and even of Armenia’s lost independence.

Tert.am interviewed the painter and poet Samvel Sevada and Art
Director of the Sharakan folk song company Daniel Yerazhisht.
Sevada notes progress among young people.

`I mean free thinking. It was not so in our times. We were bearers of
the Soviet ideology. I could not know many things. But now
communication is free and information is thousand times as much as it
was in our times,’ he said.

Independence means problems. Good or bad, the Soviet Union guaranteed
certain stability.

`People worked and thought of achievements. We lived in 1/6 of the
world, and all the roads were open. Now we have open ways to the
world, but many other ways are closed,’ Sevada said.

He regrets that independence caused emigration of many art and
cultural workers – 60% to 70% of them left the country.

`We can see many absurd things. The generation of independence does
not know modern Armenian writers,’ he said.

Musicians and artists face the same problem. Art workers are not paid
in Armenia.

`My dream is clean and well-developed independent Armenia, with moral
people who are honest to each other, with prospering villages and no
emigration. I want my country to be really independent,’ Sevada said.

For his part, Daniel Yerazhisht believes that independence requires
great efforts and responsibility, self-sacrifice because `this is our
people’s centuries-old dream.’

`We are saving what our forefathers have left for us. They are waiting
for full victory and independence as well. They are watching us from
the ages. Can we achieve a full victory?’

Dabiel Yerazhist is optimistic. He believes that Armenia has the
potential to achieve the goals.

“Independence is a process. We must win every day,’ he said
.
With respect to Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union, Daniel
Yerazhist said he is not an `expert.’

In response to the statements that independence remains on paper, he
said, `So we must keep this paper.’

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: A. Papazian

DAVID BABAYAN: IT’S MORE LIKELY THAT NAGORNYY KARABAKH FLAG WILL FLY OVER THE MAIDEN’S TOWER AND ILHAM ALIYEV’S RESIDENCE

by Marianna Lazarian

ARMINFO
Thursday, September 19, 17:41

If president of Azerbaijan thinks that he will rise his flag in Shushi
and Stepanakeret, starting the battle actions and getting a victory,
he is grossly mistaken, press-secretary of the NKR president, David
Babayan, told ArmInfo correspondent.

He said that Aliyev’s such threats are not new and cannot frighten.

“It’s more likely that Nagornyy Karabakh flag will fly over the
Maiden’s Tower and Ilham Aliyev’s residence than Azerbaijan’s flag
in Shushi and Stepanakert”, – Babayan said. He called on Aliyev to
stop the fascist rhetoric.

At the same time, Babayan said that the authorities of Nagornyy
Karabakh are ready to see Azerbaijan’s flag only over the building
of the future embassy of Azerbaijan in the NKR. “In this context,
we are rather positive regarding Ilham Aliyev’s aspirations”, –
Babayan concluded.

From: A. Papazian