Author: Andres-Papazian

REPS ENGEL, VAN HOLLEN, LOWEY, AND WAXMAN CO-SPONSOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

18:23 07.08.2013
Armenian Genocide

Senior Congressional leaders serving on key foreign policy and
appropriations panels have lent their support to a groundbreaking
human rights measure that seeks improved Armenian-Turkish ties based
upon Turkey’s acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide and a just
international resolution of this still unpunished crime, reported
the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

Among the top House Committee leaders supporting H.Res.227, the
Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution, are Representatives
Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), the ranking member of the Foreign Affairs
Committee; Scott Garrett (R-N.J.), the chairman of the Financial
Markets Subcommittee on Capital Markets; Rush Holt (D-N.J.), the
ranking member of the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy;
Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), the chairman of the Democratic Congressional
Campaign Committee; Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.), the ranking member on the
Appropriations Committee; Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.), the ranking
member of the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power; Devin
Nunes (R-Calif.), the chairman of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on
Trade; Janice Schakowsky (D-Ill.), the chief deputy whip; Allyson
Schwartz (D-Pa.), the vice ranking member on the Budget Committee;
Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), the ranking member on the Foreign Affairs
Subcommittee on Terrorism; John Tierney (D-Mass.), the ranking
member of the Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on
National Security; Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), the ranking member on
the Budget Committee; and Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), the ranking member
of the Energy and Commerce Committee.Introduced and spearheaded by
Congressmen David Valadao (R-Calif.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Michael
Grimm (R-N.Y.), and Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) in May of this year, the
Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution reflects and reinforces
previous U.S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide as a crime of
genocide, citing the U.S. government’s May 28, 1951 written statement
to the International Court of Justice regarding the Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide; President Ronald
Reagan’s April 22, 1981 Proclamation; and Congressional adoption of
Armenian Genocide legislation in 1975 and 1984.

H.Res.227 builds on the record of past U.S. executive and legislative
branch affirmation of this crime, and calls on “the president to work
toward equitable, constructive, stable, and durable Armenian-Turkish
relations based upon the Republic of Turkey’s full acknowledgment of
the facts and ongoing consequences of the Armenian Genocide, and a
fair, just, and comprehensive international resolution of this crime
against humanity.”

ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian discussed the very real,
modern-day consequences of Turkey’s denial of the Armenian Genocide-and
international community inaction in the face of that denial. “Turkey’s
obstruction of justice has, over the course of nearly a century,
allowed Ankara to consolidate its hold on the genocidal gains of
its crimes against the Armenian people, blocking the return to the
Armenian nation of key elements-indispensable elements-of viability
that long sustained the Armenian people on their ancient homeland,”
he explained. “This denial poisons Armenian-Turkish relations,
fosters wave after wave of anti-Armenian intolerance within Turkey,
threatens Armenia’s and Artsakh’s security, and, of course, fuels
regional tensions.”

Prominent supporters of this bipartisan measure also include the two
Members of Congress of Armenian heritage, Congresswomen Anna Eshoo
(D-Calif.), the ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee
on Communications and Technology, and Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), the
ranking member of the Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee
on Energy Policy, Health Care and Entitlements, as well as Tim Bishop
(D-N.Y.), the ranking member of the Transportation and Infrastructure
Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment, and Jim McGovern
(D-Mass.), the co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, and
Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.), Bruce Braley (D-Iowa), Michael
Capuano (D-Mass.), Tony Cardenas (D-Calif.), Judy Chu (D-Calif.) ,
David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Chris Collins (R-N.Y.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.),
Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), Jeff Denham (R-Calif.), Janice Hahn (D-Calif.),
James Langevin (D-R.I.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Grace Meng (D-N.Y.),
Gary Peters (D-Mich.), John Sarbanes (D-Md.), and Dina Titus (D-Nev.).

From: A. Papazian

AREXIMBANK-GAZPROMBANK GROUP TO CARRY OUT INTERNATIONAL MONEY TRANSFERS VIA RIA MONEY TRANSFER
by Gayane Isahakyan

ARMINFO
Wednesday, August 7, 17:32

Areximbank -Gazprombank Group has received the permit of the Central
Bank of Armenia to carry out international money transfers via Ria
Money Transfer (USA). The press service of Areximbank-GPB Group has
told ArmInfo that money is transferred to both the CIS and different
foreign countries. The money is transferred in US dollars and euros.

Areximbank-GPB Group also carries out international money transfers via
MoneyGram, Anelik, Bystraya Pochta, UNIStream, Avers, IntelExpress,
Coinstar Money Transfer, as well as Gazprom Express transfers from
Russia to Armenia without opening any account.

In Q1 2013 Areximbank-GPB Group fixed 4-fold growth in individuals’
transfers as compared to Q1 2012. The transfers amounted to $30,804
mln, and their quantity grew by 12,485, or by 19% to 64,765 in Q1
2013 versus Q1 2012.

To note, in November 2007 Gazprombank acquired 80% of Areximbank’s
shares. In July 2008 Gazprombank’s stake increased to 94.15%, and in
September 2008 Gazprombank bought the remaining 5.85% from Raiffeisen
Bank and became the sole owner of Areximbank- Gazprombank Group CJSC.

From: A. Papazian

HEAD OF THE ASSEMBLY OF ARMENIANS OF AZERBAIJAN SEEKS A MEETING WITH THE OPPOSITION CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN
by Ashot Safaryan

ARMINFO
Thursday, August 8, 13:16

Head of the Assembly of Armenians of Azerbaijan Grigory Ayvazyan,
who earlier decided to run for president of Azerbaijan, intends to
meet with the single opposition candidate for president of Azerbaijan
Rustam Ibragimbekov in Moscow to discuss cooperation issues, Ayvazyan
told media on 8 August.

He said the two presidential contenders have a common desire and
aspiration to get rid of Ilham Aliyev’s dictatorship. In addition,
Ayzavyan, as a representative of the Armenian community, thinks that
involvement of Armenians in the public and political life of Azerbaijan
is legitimate and necessary.

“If Azerbaijani Central Electoral Committee refuses to register me
as a candidate for president, it will be a political decision, which
will not stop me, however, on the way to my goal,” Ayvazyan said.

He is sure that successful cooperation with Rustam Ibragimov’s team
will make closer the Armenian and Azerbaijani peoples in future
through creation of common mechanism of peaceful co-existence.

“Actually, Ilham Aliyev’s policy of xenophobia leads the multi-national
Azerbaijan to a collapse and healthy political forces in that country
are well aware of that. Consequently, we have a good opportunity to
cooperate to avoid further aggravation of the situation,” Ayvazyan
said.

He informed media that he had already sent his documents to Azerbaijan
a few days ago for registration as a candidate for president. Ayvazyan
said he was ready to visit Baku and fight for the post of the president
despite possible obstacles.

From: A. Papazian

MORE THAN 15 THOUSAND AZERBAIJANI RECEIVE TURKISH CITIZENSHIP

12:32 08/08/2013 ” SOCIETY

15,604 Azerbaijani citizens were granted Turkish citizenship over the
last decade, reports Azerbaijani “Haqqin.az” website. According to
the data of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkey, 124 thousand
foreigners were granted an ID of a Turkish citizen in the time period
of 2003-2012. In fact, the majority of applicants for the citizenship
were residents of Bulgaria – more than 44 thousand. Also, around
8,197 individuals were deprived of Turkish citizenship for various
reasons during the same time period.

Source: Panorama.am

From: A. Papazian

HENRIKH MKHITARYAN AND ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI MOST DANGEROUS STRIKER PAIR IN BUNDESLIGA

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

09:47, 8 August, 2013

YEREVAN, AUGUST 8, ARMENRPESS. The midfielder of the Armenian National
Football Team and his teammate in Borussia Dortmund Robert Lewandowski
can become the most dangerous duet of the new Bundesliga season. As
reports “Armenpress” the Bundesliga official website conducted relevant
polls. In accordance with the results of the aforesaid polls Henrikh
Mkhitaryan and Robert Lewandowski received 40,7 percent of the votes
and thus were declared the most dangerous striker pair of Bundesliga’s
new season. They are followed by Mario Mandzukic-Mario Gotze pair
from Bayern Munich.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan was born 21 January 1989. He is an Armenian football
player who currently plays as a midfielder for German Bundesliga
club Borussia Dortmund and theArmenian national team. Mkhitaryan has
participated in 39 international matches and scored 11 goals for the
Armenian national team since his debut on 14 January 2007. His previous
clubs include Pyunik Yerevan, where he came through the youth system,
Metalurh Donetsk, and Shakhtar Donetsk.  Mkhitaryan was chosenArmenian
Footballer of the Year in 2009, 2011 and 2012. In 2012 he was voted as
the best Shakhtar player of 2011-12 season by the fans,  and Ukraine
Premier League MVP.

In 2012, Mkhitaryan was named in UEFA’s Top 100 players by UEFA
European Football Yearbook 2012-13. Mkhitaryan was voted the CIS
Footballer of the Year for 2012, making him the first Armenian
footballer to be named the best player from post-Soviet countries.

On 8 July, Borussia Dortmund announced that it was set to sign a
four-year deal with Mkhitaryan for ~@25 (£21.5) million. Shakhtar
and Borussia officially “resolved all the necessary formalities”
and agreed on [email protected] (£23.6) million, making him the most expensive
purchase in the club’s history.

On his debut in a pre-season friendly against FC Basel on 10 July 2013,
Mkhitaryan set up a goal for Marco Reus in the 11th minute and scored
his first goal for the club 16 minutes later, helping his side to a
3-1 victory away at St. Jakob-Park. Mkhitaryan couldn’t take part at
the 2013 DFL-Supercup which his club won due to an injury he received
on a friendly game before that.

From: A. Papazian

UEFA SUSPEND MATCH OFFICIALS

Teamtalk.com
Aug 7 2013

Wednesday 7th August 2013 18:35

UEFA has suspended two Armenian match officials after they admitted
to attempted match-fixing in a Europa League match last month.

Referee Andranik Arsenyan and assistant Hovhannes Avagyan admitted
to attempting to manipulate the outcome of the first qualifying round
second leg match between FC Inter Turku and Vikingur on July 11.

The UEFA betting fraud detection system had detected suspicious
betting patterns around the fixture which finished 1-0 to Vikingur
and an investigation had already been launched.

The two officials were called before the Executive Committee of
the Football Federation of Armenia yesterday where they admitted
their roles.

A disciplinary procedure has now been launched by UEFA and both
officials are suspended until the case is dealt with on August 22
in Nyon.

A statement on read: “UEFA yesterday took note of the
decision of the Executive Committee of the Football Federation of
Armenia (HFF) with regard to the referee and assistant referee who
officiated at the UEFA Europa League first qualifying round match
between FC Inter Turku and Vikingur on 11 July 2013.

“In a hearing at the HFF, referee Andranik Arsenyan and assistant
referee Hovhannes Avagyan admitted having tried to manipulate the
outcome of the second-leg game, which ended 1-0 in favour of Vikingur.”

The statement continued: “Today, the chairman of the UEFA Control
and Disciplinary Body has decided to suspend with immediate effect,
and for any football-related activities, both match officials.

“At the same time, a disciplinary proceeding has been opened in
accordance with Article 12 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations
(integrity of matches and competitions, and match-fixing).

“The case will be dealt with by the Control and Disciplinary Body
on Thursday 22 August at the House of European Football in Nyon,
Switzerland.”

From: A. Papazian

EU AND AZERBAIJAN: SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT PDF PRINT E-MAIL

AzeriReport , Azerbaijan
Aug 6 2013

By Eldar Mamedov, Eurasianet.org

BAKU. August 8, 2013: At a cabinet meeting in mid-July, Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev lashed out at the European Parliament for
supposedly conducting a “dirty campaign” against Baku. The shrill tone
of Aliyev’s comments indicate that European pressure on Azerbaijan
to respect basic rights is stinging the Aliyev administration.

The latest EU parliamentary resolution critical of Azerbaijan came
in June, when European officials called for the release of Ilgar
Mammadov, a jailed leader of the opposition Republican Alternative
movement. Euro-criticism in 2012 included the loud and public
condemnation by European MPs of an officially orchestrated smear
campaign against independent investigative journalist Khadija
Ismailova.

Aliyev, who is expected to travel to Brussels to confer with top EU
officials in the fall, showed himself to be sensitive to criticism. At
the July cabinet meeting, he dismissed the recent European assessments
of Azerbaijani policy as the work of a jealous few. “There are still
prejudiced people, [European] parliamentarians who do not accept
Azerbaijan’s success, and they are systematically trying to make
attacks on Azerbaijan,” he groused, according to comments broadcast
on state television.

While official statements critical of Baku’s behavior have succeeded in
vexing government officials, if European criticism is actually going
to be effective in getting Aliyev & Co. to change its authoritarian
ways, it’s important for European officials to dispel some persistent
myths among Azerbaijani policymakers surrounding EU actions.

Here are a few widely held assumptions in Baku that European officials
should keep in mind as they consider taking the next steps:

1) European criticism of Azerbaijan´s human rights record is
the work of the pro-Armenian lobby and other actors who wish to
undermine Azerbaijan´s “independent foreign policy”. Not true. There
is no evidence that the members of the European Parliament who are
critical of Azerbaijan´s rights practices have any connections to the
Armenian lobby or to Russia, which is believed to want to re-integrate
Azerbaijan into its own sphere of political and economic influence. In
fact, some critical Euro MPs, such as the Austrian Green Ulrike
Lunacek, are on record as demanding the withdrawal of Armenian forces
from occupied Azerbaijani territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh.

The reason for European criticisms is simple: the situation of the
human rights is deteriorating, in spite of the commitments undertaken
voluntarily by Azerbaijan. When the EU offers criticism, it is simply
assessing the country on its own merits.

2) Demands for democratization and respect for human rights are nothing
but a smokescreen to promote the regime change. Not by a long shot. The
last thing the EU wants is a new source of instability in an already
combustible part of the world. In fact, the EU is quite comfortable
with the Aliyev administration, as long as it delivers on energy
cooperation and regional security — particularly counter-terrorism,
Afghanistan and Iran. But for the sake of its own credibility, the EU
cannot completely ignore human rights issues. It is also in the EU´s
self-interest: it needs a government in Baku with enhanced domestic
legitimacy as its partner. Its message to Aliyev seems to be: better
to start reforms today, while you can manage a controlled transition
from a position of strength, rather than to risk a popular explosion
tomorrow. But if the government persists in tightening the screws,
and in the meantime, a viable opposition emerges, the calculus might
shift in favor of the latter.

3) Azerbaijan is unfairly singled out and is a victim of double
standards. Yes, there are double standards, but they actually work
in favor of Azerbaijan. For instance, the European consensus holds
that Belarus has nine political prisoners. In Azerbaijan, there are
at least several dozens of them. Yet several Belarussian officials
are subjected to EU travel bans and an asset freeze, while the EU has
never even considered similar measures against Azerbaijani officials.

Furthermore, ODIHR, the OSCE’s democracy watchdog, has never recognized
presidential and parliamentary elections in both Belarus and Azerbaijan
as free and fair. But it is only the Belarussian parliament that is not
recognized as such by the European Parliament, and which is banned from
participation in EURONEST, the parliamentary dimension of the Eastern
Partnership. Azerbaijan´s Milli Mejlis delegation, on the other hand,
enjoys full participation rights in inter-parliamentary bodies.

4) The EU ignores the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani lands and the
human rights of Azerbaijani IDPs. Not true. The European Parliament
adopted a resolution in 2010 on the need for an EU strategy in the
South Caucasus (known as the Kirilov Report) in which it clearly calls
for the withdrawal of Armenian forces from all occupied territories of
Azerbaijan, and upholds the right to return for Azerbaijani IDPs. In
2012, in addition to these demands, the European Parliament for
the first time linked the conclusion of association agreements with
Armenia to progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace talks, including the
withdrawal from occupied territories of Azerbaijan and return of IDPs.

Of course, Azerbaijan could have won more converts to its cause had it
stopped sending wrong messages, such as the pardon and promotion of
Ramil Safarov, an army officer guilty of the murder of an Armenian
counterpart, and the state-orchestrated campaign against Akram
Aylisli, a writer who dared to depict a more nuanced picture of the
Azeri-Armenian conflict than is usually accepted in Azerbaijan.

5) There is no point in satisfying EU demands, since Azerbaijan will
never be admitted to the EU anyway. Too simplistic. It is true that
the EU has lost its appetite for enlargement, and the example of
Turkey’s stalled candidacy lends credence to this assertion. But
current fiscal troubles will not last forever, and Europeans
might still change their mind on enlargement. Meanwhile, there are
other forms of association with the EU that can be beneficial for
Azerbaijan, such as association agreement, free-trade agreement and
visa liberalization. Most importantly, reforms that conform to EU
norms are needed not to satisfy Brussels, but to improve the quality
of life of Azerbaijanis. If implemented consistently, they might
even help Azerbaijan to win over hearts and minds of the residents
of Nagorno-Karabakh, and solve the long-festering conflict on terms
that are more favorable to Baku.-0-

* Eldar Mamedov is a political adviser to the Socialists & Democrats
Group in the European Parliament, who writes in his personal capacity.

From: A. Papazian

ANEC RELEASES ‘ATLAS OF HISTORICAL ARMENIA’

18:34 07.08.20130

The Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC) recently announced
its publication of the bilingual (Armenian and English) Atlas of
Historical Armenia, edited by Dr. Vartan Matiossian, the executive
director of the ANEC. The Atlas was published under the auspices of His
Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy
of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, on the 500th anniversary
of Armenian printing. The cost was underwritten through the generous
donation of the Hagopian family of Providence, R.I., in memory of their
parents, Ervant and Serpouhi Hagopian, the Armenian Weekly reports.

While the book’s primary target audience are students and teachers,
the Atlas is equally valuable for the general public. The basic premise
is to offer readers an essential core that may serve as a starting
point to widen their knowledge. To this end, the new edition has been
rewritten and updated, with the addition of four new chapters. It
contains 32 chapters, 30 maps, and 174 photographs (148 in full
color). The maps are also provided on a CD attached to the book.

The Atlas combines three books in one: a book of historical geography
(maps), a book of history (text), and a book of illustrated history
(photographs). It is an educational tool that may be used as a standard
textbook of Armenian history-in Armenian and English-that supersedes
other textbooks currently in use.

The book is structured in four sections. It opens with an overview
of Armenian historical geography, followed by a second section on
Armenian cultural heritage. The main section of the book is the
third, which introduces compact chapters on Armenian history from
its origins to 1991. The final section, entitled “Armenians Today,”
presents chapters on the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Nagorno
Karabagh (Artsakh), and the Armenian Diaspora. An extensive chapter
on the Armenian Church is followed by an “Afterword” that succinctly
explains the current status of Armenians and Armenia.

As part of its series of publications in Armenian studies, the
ANEC released the first edition of theAtlas, written by Dr. Garbis
Armen and edited by Vrej-Armen Artinian, in 1987. It remains the
only bilingual atlas of Armenian history ever published. (Whereas
other atlases were published before and after, all of them were
monolingual). Incidentally, the Atlas was the first such publication
in English until Dr. Robert Hewsen’s Armenia: A Historical Atlas
(2001), an erudite work for a different audience.

The unprecedented historical transformations that followed the initial
publication of the Atlas, including the independence of the Republics
of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh in 1991, demanded a revision. After a
long hiatus, work on the new edition resumed in 2010 and 25 years after
the first edition, the ANEC can offer a new atlas for a new generation.

From: A. Papazian

OPPOSITION PARTY THREATENS YEREVAN CITY HALL WITH EUROPEAN COURT

August 07, 2013 | 13:17

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s opposition Heritage Party is not planning on
holding a rally against the capital city Yerevan Municipality decision
to raise the public transport fares in the city.

Heritage’s secretary Stiopa Safaryan, who is also member of the
opposition “Barev [Hello], Yerevan” faction in the Yerevan Council of
Elders, announced the aforesaid during a press conference on Wednesday.

In his words, even though the faction members are not sure whether
the Administrative Court will examine their petitions to invalidate
the two respective decisions by the Mayor of Yerevan, Heritage will
not hold a rally on this matter.

“We demand not only the cancelation of the unlawful decisions of the
mayor, but the dismissal of Yerevan Trans Company Director Misak
Hambardzumyan and Yerevan Municipality Transport Department Chief
Henrik Navasardyan. The law is not exercised in Yerevan Municipality,”
Safaryan stressed.

He added that if the Administrative Court does not examine their
petitions, they will appeal to the Constitutional Court of Armenia
and the European Court of Human Rights.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: A. Papazian

SEVERAL PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS OF ARMENIA COME FORWARD WITH A DEMAND OF GAGIK BEGLARYAN’S RESIGNATION
by Nana Martirosyan

ARMINFO
Wednesday, August 7, 14:43

Several public organizations of Armenia have come forward with a
demand of Transport Minister, Gagik Beglaryan’s, resignation because
of the transport collapse in Yerevan.

As the head of the League for Protection of Drivers’ Rights Tigran
Hovannisyan said, Beglaryan does not fulfill his obligations and
has not drawn out the needed conceptions to avoid chaos, which the
transport system of the country has found itself in. “The Mayor’s
Office adopts decisions about the tariffs, but Transport Ministry
should put the frames which private businessmen cannot break. However,
our ministry does not need that”, – he said. He also offered the
minister to set up a commission which will find solution together
with public organizations.

He said that the protesting taxi drivers and drivers of the public
transport have given a week to Beglaryan to reform the system,
otherwise they will take radical measures.

Taxi drivers were displeased with the decision about the paid parking
in Yerevan. If somebody want to park his car for more than 5 minutes,
he should send SMS to the number 1045 (an hour of parking costs 100
drams), and to the number 5045, for 24 hours of parking, which costs
500 drams.

From: A. Papazian