Author: Andres-Papazian

‘Come in Baku. Have you been cheating at Eurovision song contest?’

Allegations against Azerbaijan, made by a delegate to 2013’s song
contest, are being investigated

LOULLA-MAE ELEFTHERIOU-SMITH

SUNDAY 15 SEPTEMBER 2013

It is renowned for having one of the most tortuous electoral systems
known to voters. Now the Eurovision song contest is itself in danger
of receiving nul points after allegations of vote-fixing and bribery.

Officials from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises
the annual event, confirmed yesterday that it was investigating claims
that jury members were offered bribes to vote.

The accusations were made in Swedish press reports, which cited an
anonymous delegation member involved in this year’s contest held in
Malmo, Sweden. According to the source, attempts were made by several
delegates to fix votes. Azerbaijan, the source claims, tried to buy
high scores from jury members with `enough money to live off for a
year’.

Azerbaijan’s Farid Mammadov was awarded 234 votes and was runner-up to
Denmark’s Emmelie de Forest, who triumphed with 281. According to the
reports, other delegations tried to set up vote-swapping schemes a
week before the semi-final. The unnamed delegate also claimed to have
received a phone call from a southern European delegate who wanted to
buy votes in return for positive PR coverage of their country’s act.
The source claimed that the EBU had shown no interest in investigating
the claims, despite being told about them last May.

But the EBU insists it is taking the claims seriously. Sietse Bakker,
the event’s supervisor, confirmed that Azerbaijan is under
investigation.

The UK’s entrant, Bonnie Tyler, who came 19th, earlier told a French
newspaper that she overheard Russians `complaining to Azerbaijan: `Why
didn’t you give us the points we paid for?”

Azerbaijan has already been accused of trying to pay Lithuanian
students to vote multiple times. A recording showing teenagers being
offered cash was published on the day of the Eurovision final in May
by the Lithuanian website 15min.

Mr Bakker said: `It is interesting that this `anonymous’ delegate
claims we are not interested in investigating this, or taking action,
while in fact we have been doing so and have been very open about it.’
He dismissed separate claims made against Macedonia, referring to
`speculation without any foundation’.

It is not the first time the song contest has been linked to
vote-rigging. In 1968 Cliff Richard was believed to have been robbed
of victory by General Franco’s regime; the Spanish act Massiel won
with `La La La’ and a one-point lead. A documentary by Montse
Fernandez Vila, released in 2008, claims the win was due to a fix
cooked up by TV executives at Spain’s state-run channel.

From: A. Papazian

Vladimir Putin to offer Iran’s Hassan Rowhani missile systems, nuclear reactor

Posted Wed 11 Sep 2013, 11:00pm AEST

Russian president Vladimir Putin will reportedly offer to supply
missile systems to Iran and build a second nuclear power reactor in
the country, a move likely to gladden Tehran and trouble the United
States.

Iran’s new president Hassan Rowhani is set to meet Mr Putin on the
sidelines of a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation held in
Kyrgyzstan on Friday, in the newly elected centrist cleric’s first
meeting with a major world leader.

The Kommersant business daily reported on Wednesday that Mr Putin will
offer to supply Iran with S-300 air defence missile systems as well as
build a second reactor at the Bushehr nuclear plant.

The S-300 offer would be a particularly contentious development given
it would essentially revive a contract for similar missile systems
that Russia cancelled in 2010 after heavy Israeli and US pressure.

Mr Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Kommersant that Mr Putin and
Mr Rowhani were expected to discuss “working together in the nuclear
energy sphere” and “questions of military technical cooperation” at
the summit.

Mr Putin’s meeting with the leader of Moscow’s long-standing regional
ally comes shortly after he hosted Western powers for a G20 summit
focused on Syria in Saint Petersburg this month.

In 2007, Russia signed a contract to deliver five of the advanced
S-300 ground-to-air weapons systems – which can take out aircraft or
guided missiles – to Iran at a cost of $859 million.

However, in 2010, then-president Dmitry Medvedev cancelled the
contract after coming under strong US and Israeli pressure not to go
ahead with the sale of the weapons system, drawing vehement protests
from Tehran.

Russia to supply Iran if US strikes Syria

Russia could increase supplies of arms to Iran if the United States
decides on military intervention in Syria, the head of the lower
house’s committee on international relations, Alexei Pushkov, told
parliament on Wednesday.

“If the ‘party of war’ prevails in the United States… then I
consider it absolutely justified to suggest considering more serious
measures by Russia, including broadening of supplies of defensive
weapons to Iran,” Mr Pushkov was quoted as saying by Interfax.

Iran is Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s main regional ally and has
warned Western powers against intervention in the conflict.

Moscow has cooperated with Iran on nuclear power generation despite
international opposition to a program that Western powers and Israel
believe is being used as a smokescreen for building a nuclear bomb.

Iran, however, insists that its nuclear ambitions are peaceful.

Russia had urged the West to soften sanctions against Iran after the
June election of Mr Rowhani, a centrist cleric, expressing hopes for a
major breakthrough in the nuclear standoff.

Mr Rowhani has pledged greater transparency in talks.

AFP

From: A. Papazian

Fait-religieux.com, France
11 sept 2013

Turquie : les chrétiens reviennent à l’église d’Akdamar

La rédaction | le 11.09.2013 à 09:55

Six personnes, dont un bébé ont été baptisées dimanche 8 septembre à
l’église arménienne Sainte-Croix, en Turquie, sur l’île d’Akdamar, à
l’est du pays. Cela faisait plus d’un siècle que ce type de cérémonie
ne s’était pas déroulé sur l’île.

Autrefois, l’île d’Akdamar comptait une importante population
arménienne, tout comme la région est du pays de manière générale.
Cependant, la communauté arménienne de la Turquie arménienne a été
victime de massacres et de déportations entre 1915 et 1917. L’Arménie
considère qu’il s’agit d’une génocide, terme récusé par le
gouvernement turc. Aujourd’hui, environ 70.000 arméniens vivent encore
en Turquie, principalement à Istanbul. Depuis 2009, les deux pays ont
signé des accords visant à rétablir des relations diplomatiques et
rouvrir leur frontière – fermée depuis 10 ans -, mais le processus
s’enlise dans des accusations mutuelles.

L’église Sainte-Croix est l’un des rares édifices témoignant de la
présence des chrétiens arméniens dans la région. Il s’agit d’un
édifice du Xe siècle, restauré entre 2005 et 2007 par les autorités
turques. L’église a été un temps un musée, avant que la première messe
y soit célébrée en 2010, après 95 ans sans offices.

L’AFP rapporte que certains baptisés du dimanche 8 septembre étaient
issus de familles islamisées qui souhaitaient renouer avec la religion
de leurs ancêtres.

From: A. Papazian

President Sargsyan awards Medal of Honor to Diaspora-Armenian
historian and benefactor (PHOTOS)

September 14, 2013 | 14:15

YEREVAN. – Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on Saturday hosted
Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, and French-Armenian national
and public figure, publicist, historian and benefactor Hovhannes
Tchilinguirian.

To note, owing to Tchilinguirian’s great devotion, the museum of
famous Armenian intellectual, Armenian Genocide martyr Rupen Sevag was
opened recently at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

Sargsyan thanked Tchilinguirian for implementing such important
initiative in the Homeland, and awarded him with the Medal of Honor,
informs the Press Office of the President.

Karekin II informed that the collection, which the Diaspora-Armenian
benefactor has donated to the museum, will be useful and interesting
for the visitors of the museum.

Hovhannes Tchilinguirian expressed his gratitude to President Serzh
Sargsyan for presenting him such high award, and thanked the
Catholicos for assisting in making his 50-year-long dream come true in
Armenia.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: A. Papazian

Did the authorities act right, or `failed’ the RA foreign policy?
(Video materials)

September 14 2013

`For me, entering into the Customs Union and signing the European
Association Agreement was not the so-called virtuous action by the
President. The RA President was negotiating with the European Union
for four years, and then makes a hasty decision and goes to Russia’, –
so responded the member of ANC Youth Organization Gurgen Asatryan, to
the question of Aravot.am as to whether the RA President Serzh
Sargsyan’s decision to join the Customs Union was right. He said that
we do not know what the Customs Union says to us. Then he continued,-
`The RA President was obligated to introduce the people what the
Customs Union is, but he did not do that.’ To our question whether the
authorities have a chance to correct the mistake, G. Asatryan
replied,- `No, because it is not a legitimate, it was not elected by
the people. The government in the head of Serzh Sargsyan has failed
the entire foreign policy.’ He pointed out that the representatives of
the authorities, in particular Shavarsh Kocharyan, Tigran Sargsyan,
say other thing, Serzh Sargsyan- another, he speaks about the poor
condition of the authorities. According to G. Asatryan, RA in the head
of Serzh Sargsyan has already lost its international reputation, and
the only way out is the change of the power. Member of Hayazn Union
Armen Lazarian also believes that the RA authorities should not have
to sign the Customs Union agreement. Then he continued,- `The RA
leadership did not have such authority to hand the RA sovereignty over
another supper state structure. Even if there was a talk of low-level
sovereignty, in this case, we would have also expressed our
dissatisfaction. But the Customs Union constitutes a threat, therefore
we are giving negative assessment. In this situation, the salvation is
in the formation of the RA central state, which did not happen in the
duration of these twenty years.’ Member of RPA Youth Organization
Taron Parsamyan considers the RA President’s decision justified. He,
in particular, said,- `With his final signature, the RA President
confirmed the the desire that we will enter into the Customs Union. In
other words, he has not signed the issue of joining the Customs Union.
Personally, I think the decision is justified because the economic and
other sectors are projected from the military spheres. Given that, it
is appropriate to recall that we were already a member of the CSTO,
which also operates under the immediate supervision of the RF. Those
people, parties who criticize the decision, I divide them into two
groups: people, who clearly realize that it was a normal process, but
based on their position they were expressing negatively, the other
group are those people who have just lack of information.’ To our
question whether the RA President had the right to declare this
decision so unexpectedly, Taron Parsamyan said,- `This is not
unexpected, such discussions were circulated in the media for more
than a year. The President has not signed the agreement finally, and
it is going to be discussed at the National Assembly in the nearest
future. It is meaningless to talk about the unexpectedness, because it
is clear for those who understand the political processes that the
main collaborative processes with our major military guarantor RF are
more realistic than those of the European family, and it is still a
question as to what consequences joining the Deep and Comprehensive
Trade Zone might bear. I think this adventurous. What is NATO that is
the main military instrument of the European family? Can it be a
guarantee for us, when Turkey is the second to have a large army by
size?’ Tatev HARUTYUNYAN Media can quote materials of Aravot.am
with hyperlink to the certain material quoted. The hyperlink should be
placed on the first passage of the text.

Read more at:

© 1998 – 2013 Aravot – News from Armenia

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIE
La France va faire un prêt de 26 millions d’euros à l’Arménie pour un
projet d’approvisionnement en eau

L’Arménie recevra un prêt de 26 millions d’euros de la France pour
améliorer son système d’approvisionnement en eau dans le cadre de la
politique d’approvisionnement en eau de l’année 2013.

« Ces fonds seront utilisés pour reconstruire partiellement la station
de nettoyage d’Aeratsia assurant ainsi le traitement des eaux usées »
a déclaré le porte-parole d’Erevan Djur Murad Sargsyan. Il a précisé
que les fonds seront également consacrés à la restauration des
collecteurs et améliorer la qualité de l’approvisionnement en eau.

« Un autre élément important de ce programme est que nous allons
construire un système de gestion automatique des ressources en eau et
qu’il sera contrôlé à partir du siège social d’Erevan Djur » a-t-il
dit, ajoutant que pour le moment les ressources en eau sont gérées sur
place par les travailleurs des services publics de l’eau.

Le prêt est soumis à un remboursement en janvier 2017. La période de
grce est de trois ans. Le prêt est accordé à un taux d’intérêt qui
est inférieur à celui fixé par la Banque mondiale.

dimanche 15 septembre 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

Presse Arménienne
Numérisation du journal Haratch – Õ…Ô±Õ?Ô±Õ?

`058

L’association ARAM, basée à Marseille, oeuvre de Jean-Garbis Artin, a
entrepris la numérisation de l’ensemble des numéros du quotidien
Haratch, avec autorisation d’Arpik Missakian. Le contenu sera diffusé
sur le site webaram.com –

Seront numérisés, dans un premier temps, la totalité des numéros
édités entre les années 1950 et 1960, et dans un second temps, les
années 1945 Ã 1949, et de 1961 Ã 2009.

Le projet de numérisation couvrira à terme la totalité des numéros
pour les années 1945 Ã 2009 sur la base des collections Haratch du
fonds ARAM. Les numéros des années antérieures, de 1925 Ã 1940, sont
incomplètes et demandent un traitement de restauration approprié pour
permettre la numérisation. Les exemplaires les plus anciens datent de
1920 et sont édités à Erevan. On remarque que le logo stylisant la
flamme des lettres, n’a pas changé depuis.

Haratch (en arménien Õ…Õ¡Õ¼Õ¡Õ» `en avant`) fut le premier quotidien en
langue arménienne d’Europe, fondé Ã Paris par Schavarch Missakian en
1925. Schavarch Missakian décède le 26 janvier 1957, Haratch annonce
son décès dans le numéro 7794, du mardi 29 janvier. Arpik Missakian
lui succède à la direction du journal dès le 30 janvier 1957.

Le quotidien Haratch a publié son dernier numéro le 30 mai 2009. On
compte au total 22 214 numéros du journal. Les fontes et plombs ainsi
que les 2 derniers marbres de fontes contenant les plaques de
composition du dernier numéro du 30 mai 2009 furent offertes à ARAM
par Arpik Missakian et se trouve exposées dans l’atelier d’ARAM.

Historique de 1905 Ã 1960

1905 : Le parti Dachnaktsoutioun (FRA) fait paraître sous le titre de
Haratch un périodique plus ou moins temporaire, qui resurgit en 1906,
à Tiflis, en 1909, à Garin (Erzeroum), en 1917, à Bakou et en 1919, Ã
Erévan – 2 exemplaires dans le fonds ARAM – puis à Tiflis. Haratch est
la traduction de Vorwrtz (En Avant), le titre de l’organe du SPD (le
parti social-démocrate allemand) publié Ã Leipzig.

1908 : Après avoir été homme à tout faire dans le quotidien arménien
Sourhandak, Schavarch Missakian (né Ã Zmara, non loin de Sépastia ou
Sivas, en 1884) fonde avec Zabel Essayan, Kéram Barséghian et Vahram
Tatoul, l’hebdomadaire littéraire Aztak à Bolis (Istanbul).

1915 : Après la rafle du 24 Avril, Missakian entre en clandestinité.
Arrêté le 26 mars 1916, emprisonné, il tente d’échapper à la torture
en se jetant du troisième étage de sa prison.

1918 : Libéré après l’armistice, Missakian est nommé rédacteur en chef
de Djagadamard – une cinquantaine d’exemplaires dans le fonds ARAM -,
le nouveau quotidien de la FRA publié dans le sillon d’Azadamard – une
cinquantaine d’exemplaires dans le fonds ARAM -.

1925 : Missakian est élu membre du Bureau de la FRA et fonde le 1er
août à Paris, mais en son propre nom, le journal Haratch. Dans un
premier temps, trihebdomadaire, Haratch devient quotidien à partir du
1er janvier 1927. Jusqu’en 1939, Haratch informe, éduque et structure
la communauté arménienne de France.

cliquer sur l’image pour agrandir

Il atteint une diffusion quotidienne de 5 000 exemplaires et autant
d’abonnés, et paraît sans interruption jusqu’Ã l’entrée des Allemands
à Paris. A ses côtés, dès le lancement : Hrand Samuel (1891-1977), un
homme de haute culture et une figure marquante de la FRA. Haratch
guide et conseille les réfugiés arméniens en France sur leur statut,
le renouvellement des titres de séjour, le règlement de police, le
droit au travail, le service militaire, mais aussi sur des questions
d’hygiène, avec Hay Pouj dirigé par Schavarch Nartouni (collection
complète dans le fonds ARAM).

1926 : Naissance de la fille unique de Schavarch, Arpik Missakian, Ã
Paris. Elle grandit dans un cercle rapproché de militants dachnaks et
dans le milieu ouvert et complexe d’écrivains, de musiciens, de
peintres et d’acteurs arméniens de la première génération de la
diaspora.

1940 : le 9 juin, Schavarch saborde volontairement son journal, qui
réapparaîtra après la Libération de la France, le 8 avril 1945. Il
est, Ã ce moement, le seul quotidien de langue étrangère qui ait une
autorisation gouvernementale à paraître.

1953 : la Rédaction de Haratch s’installe dans l’Azkayin Doun (la
Maison Nationale), un charmant hôtel particulier de la rue de Trévise
(9e arrondissement de Paris) où cohabitent pacifiquement des
organisations arméniennes rivales. Haratch est vendu à la criée dans
les `villages arméniens` de la banlieue parisienne et dans les
kiosques de la Place d’Italie, de St Michel ou de Cadet.

1957 : le 26 janvier, décès de Schavarch Missakian, victime d’une
hémorragie cérébrale en rentrant de son travail. Il aura dirigé son
journal jusqu’Ã son dernier souffle. Arpik Missakian prend la suite et
en assure la direction, avec les conseils de ses aînés et amis –
Schavarch Nartouni, Hrand Samuel, Nchan Bechiktachlian, Bédouch, etc.
Hrand Samuelian assurera les éditoriaux, jusqu’Ã sa propre mort ( 7
juin 1977).

Arpik Missakian
Schavarch Missakian
Nchan Bechiktachlian
Hrand Samuel
Schavarch Nartouni

dimanche 15 septembre 2013,
Jean Eckian ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

Turan Information Agency, Azerbaijan
September 14, 2013 Saturday

Why not put Nuru Pasha monument?

Baku/13.09.13/Turan:

World Azerbaijanis Congress held a conference on Friday to mark the 95
th anniversary of the liberation of Baku by the Turkish army and the
creation of an independent state of Azerbaijan .

Co-Chair of the Congress, MP Sabir Rustamkhanly touched liberation of
Baku by the Caucasus Islamic Army under the command of Nuru Pasha
September 15, 1918 from the Russian – Armenian military formations.

“It was the most important event for the creation of an independent
Azerbaijan. In spite of such incomparable merit saviors of Azerbaijan,
until now they have not got a decent score. Thus, Nuru Pasha no
monument in Baku and in the history books he is presented as a
conqueror,” said Rustamkhanly .

Chairman of the association “Azer – Turk Women” Tanzila Rustamkhanly,
in turn, said Nuru Pasha is not well known even in Turkey. He is
called the savior of Azeri Turks, not Turkish Turks.

Other speakers also spoke about the merits of Nuru Pasha , that the
time has come to set up a monument . It was proposed to send to the
formal structures of treatment. -05C04-

From: A. Papazian

Agence France Presse — English
September 13, 2013 Friday 4:42 PM GMT

Armenia to extend life of ageing nuclear plant

YEREVAN, Sept 13 2013

Armenia said Friday it would extend the life of its ageing Metsamor
nuclear power plant, despite safety concerns over the Soviet-era
facility in an active seismic zone.

“The atomic power station will operate until 2026,” Armenia’s energy
minister Armen Movsisyan told journalists.

Earlier this month, President Serzh Sarkisian reached an agreement
with Russian state nuclear agency Rosatom to help keep the plant
running beyond its original closing date of 2016.

Last year, Armenia had postponed the plant’s closure until 2020.

The European Union has repeatedly called for the plant to be closed
down, arguing that it poses a threat to the region.

Armenian authorities say that the plant has undergone considerable
renovations over the past decade and has been passed fit by the
International Atomic Energy Agency.

Built in the 1970s, the Metsamor plant is located in one of the most
earthquake-prone regions on the planet, some 30 kilometres (19 miles)
west of Yerevan.

The facility — which provides the tiny Caucasus nation with around 40
percent of its power — was closed for around seven years following a
devastating earthquake in 1988.

Movsisyan said that a new facility would be built over the next decade
to eventually replace the Metsamor plant.

From: A. Papazian

IF EUROPE WANTED US TO BECOME ITS FRIEND, IT SHOULD HAVE MADE INVESTMENTS – ARMENIAN SOCIOLOGIST

September 14, 2013 | 13:02

YEREVAN. – About 40-50 percent of Armenia’s population has always
been pro-Russian, and 20-25 percent of the population is pro-European.

Sociologist Aharon Adibekyan stated the above-said during a press
conference on Saturday.

In his words, the US comes in third and Iran is fourth, but they have
switched places in recent years.

“Russia has large sums of investment money, [and] it has to take care
of its money. If Europe wanted us to become its friend, it had time;
it should have made investments. And if this territory is risky for
it, let it solve the Karabakh issue,” Adibekyan noted.

The sociologist also stated that the Customs Union is perilous in
terms of the creation of the Eurasian Economic Union, since this will
become a new, super “continent,” which frightens Europe.

“When Russia is alone, it is weak, [but] when it tries to enter with
a metastasis, it gets stronger,” he said.

Aharon Adibekyan added that Europe quietly accepts what Armenia says
now, since it has understood that the country has no other choice.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: A. Papazian