Author: Andres-Papazian

Koutoujian Commemorates Pontian Greek Genocide in Athens

By Contributor // Posted on May 23, 2013 in Community

Peter J. Koutoujian (second from left) and other dignitaries at the
Pontian Greek Genocide Remembrance Day event in Athens

On Sun., May 19, Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian was a featured speaker at
the Pontian Greek Genocide Remembrance Day gathering in Athens,
Greece. He was invited to speak in Athens’ Syntagma Square by the
Pan-Pontian Federation of Greece.

Koutoujian spoke about the shared history of the Pontian Greeks and
the Armenians, both of whom suffered during the Ottoman Empire’s rule
in the early 20th century. He spoke about how those events brought the
two ethnic groups together and bound them in history, while also
underscoring the importance of coming together to remember and honor
those who perished and survived.

`Because my grandfather did not give up hope when he fled
Turkey – didn’t give up on humanity, or the capacity of the human
spirit – I am able to speak to you today as the descendant of a
survivor,’ Koutoujian said.

`And I am not the only one; there are millions of us. That is why
today is so important. We are maintaining a legacy for those who
perished, but also for those who survived.’

Sheriff Koutoujian, whose paternal grandparents fled Marash to escape
the genocide, has been a vocal leader in bringing recognition to the
Armenian Genocide.

From: A. Papazian

Armenians have no hope – Orinats Yerkir

May 24, 2013 | 15:13

YEREVAN. – Member of Orinats Yerkir party Hovhannes Margaryan said
the lack of faith and hope will make even him emigrate from Armenia.

During the Friday briefing, member of Orinats Yerkir, which is a
member of a ruling coalition, said people are emigrating because they
lack hope.

He said people are in a difficult social conditions plus increase in
gas price and damage caused by a hail storm.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: A. Papazian

Lavrov’s formulation is Azerbaijani perception of status quo

Saturday,
May 25

Following the extradition and pardon of Ramil Safarov, the negotiating
process on Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement should be launched
from scratch, military expert David Jamalian stated at a meeting with
reporters today.

Speaking about the latest meeting between Foreign Ministers of Russia
and Azerbaijan, Sergei Lavrov and Elmar Mamedyarov, the expert noted
it was a regular meeting, not envisaging any developments in the
negotiating process.

`Lavrov should have been more cautious in his statements. Azerbaijan
has recently begun advancing a thesis about inadmissibility of the
status quo. Lavrov’s formulation is Azerbaijan’s perception of the
status quo,’ Jamalian said.

In his words, to Artsakh, the Madrid Principles are inadmissible and
obsolete. `Territorial concessions are also obsolete to the Armenian
side. As Shavarsh Kocharian said, if you want a change in the status
quo, then recognize Artsakh,’ David Jamalian noted.

As regards the bellicose statements that Azerbaijan makes almost every
day, the military expert said: `Azerbaijan cannot pass from words to
deeds while we have the state of Artsakh, a powerful defense system,
and the Defense Army of the NKR’.

TODAY, 16:30
Aysor.am

From: A. Papazian

Levon Zurabyan `Agreement for the increase of gas price was signed months ago’

Fri, 05/24/2013 – 21:19

The agreement with the Russia side for the gas supplies with the new
tariff agreement was signed at least before April 1. This information
was intentionally hidden from the public as Armenian was going through
pre-election campaign. During May 24 briefing such an opinion was
expressed by the head of `Armenian National Congress’ parliamentarian
fraction Levon Zurabyan.

As an explanation, he said that during the discussion of the rise of
gas price at the National Assembly the head of the Public Services
Regulatory Commission Robert Nazaryan presented “sensational
information”, according to which the Commission received the bid about
the increase of the prices on May 13, and the attached contract said
that the tariff entered into force on April 1.

Opposition MP did not exclude that the authorities were informed about
the new tariff earlier, prior to the presidential elections, and they
“have done manipulation”, which means “falsified presidential and
Yerevan municipal election, and shall be held responsible for that’.

L.Zurabyan, in particular, recalled that on October 24 last year, the
government planned to sell its 20 percent share to `ArmRusGazProm’ for
63 billion AMD, so that it is able to keep the price until April 1,
but ANK raised the noise, and the decision was reviewed. According to
him, there are “very good grounds” to declare that the agreement was
`already signed’ on October 24, or `at least there was an agreement
with the Russian side’.

Author:
Factinfo

From: A. Papazian

OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs discuss holding summit later this year

11:57 25/05/2013 » ANALYSIS

The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Igor Popov of the
Russian Federation, Jacques Faure of France, and Ian Kelly of the
United States of America) and the Personal Representative of the OSCE
Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, traveled to the
region May 23-24 to continue their efforts to help the sides find a
peaceful resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, they said in a
statement published on the official OSCE website.

They met with Azerbaijani President Aliyev in Baku on 23 May, and
Armenian President Sargsian in Yerevan on 24 May.

The Presidents and the Co-Chairs discussed developments since their
last meetings, reiterated their commitment to the peace process, and
exchanged views on the need for a summit later this year.

The Co-Chairs expressed their readiness to explore ideas for moving
the process forward, and reiterated the need to avoid actions or
rhetoric that could raise tensions or damage the negotiations. They
will meet with the Foreign Ministers in the coming weeks to explore
mutually-acceptable approaches to resolving the conflict.

Source: Panorama.am

From: A. Papazian

Armenian military expert on Lavrov-Mammadyarov meeting

14:30 25/05/2013 » POLITICS

The latest meeting between the Foreign Ministers of Russia and
Azerbaijan was a standard meeting and Sergey Lavrov’s statement should
be viewed in the context of Madrid Principles, military psychologist
David Jamalyan told today’s press conference.

In a meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov,
Sergey Lavrov had said that the status quo in the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict is unacceptable and the issue of the return of the so-called
Azerbaijani territories is still unsolved.

The military expert reminded that Armenian officials have repeatedly
said that Armenia will sign any document only with the consent of
Stepanakert. According to Jamalyan, the situation has changed after
the extradition and pardon of Azerbaijani axe-murderer Ramil Safarov
and the talks should be started from zero.

The Karabakh people will not give Azerbaijan territories that
guarantee their security, Jamalyan said, adding that the Foreign
Minister of Armenia’s allied country should have been more cautious in
his remarks.

Source: Panorama.am

From: A. Papazian

Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity bears no relation to NKR’

Saturday,
May 25

At the request of Novosti Armenia news agency, Deputy Foreign Minister
of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharian commented on the statement of
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov who, interpreting the
essence of the Madrid Principles in his own way, declared that
Azerbaijanis also have a right to self-determination.

`In order to make sure that the Azerbaijani interpretation of the
essence of the Madrid Principles does not correspond to reality, a
comparison of Mr. Mamdeyarov’s comment with the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chairs’ statement in L’Aquila in 2009 regarding the Madrid
Principles would suffice. Mr. Mamedyarov seems to have forgotten about
`a small detail’: the final status of Nagorno Karabakh in accordance
with the legally binding expression of the will of people of the NKR.

The attempts to ignore or make a distorted interpretation of this
provision of the Madrid Principles are one of the main obstacles to
the negotiating process. There is no denying that like all other
peoples, the people of Azerbaijan have a right to self-determination.
Probably it is not advantageous to Mr. Mamedyarov to remember that the
Azerbaijani people exercised that right through a referendum in
December 1991, following a referendum on independence held in Nagorno
Karanbakh.

Both Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh held the above mentioned
referenda in the same legal field. As a result, two subjects enjoying
equal rights – the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and Azerbaijan formed in
the territory of former Azerbaijani SSR. So Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity bears no relations to Nagorno Karabakh, not to mention the
fact that under the United Nations Charter, the principle of
territorial integrity may not be opposed to peoples’ right to
self-determination,’ the deputy foreign minister of Armenia said.

TODAY, 15:09
Aysor.am

From: A. Papazian

Spiritual crisis and Government’s weakness

2013-05-25 14:11:51

Today Tigran Sargsyan’s behaviour generates resentment and dubious
attitude of many people, and it once under the decree of Serzh
Sargsyan to reappoint Tigran Sargsyan Prime Minister, engaging
Armenian society in spiritual shock, forcing to relive painful deja
vu.

In fact, the phenomenon has not made wait for it long, the two most
important news for those few days immediately created a crisis
situation in the Armenian reality. First, it turned out that the price
of gas would be increased, and then the damage caused by hail in the
Armavir region of Armenia became a bit of a puzzle for the government,
forcing Ministers and the Prime Minister to stand up from their chairs
and solve the problem.

In addition to these two facts, there was another notable incident on
Yerevan-Sevan highway, which threatened to be a turning point. But we
will not again apply to this ill-fated occasion, when the father was
carrying the body of his dead son-soldier to protest in front of the
Government building. We will only state that thanks to Defense
Minister’s effort and the direct participation it was possible to
prevent a reality, which is a serious threat for the regime.

If the formation of a new Government target for change was desired
economic growth, both Serzh Sargsyan’s and Tigran Sargsyan’s
expectations and requirements on the change during the first year must
be, at least, noticeable, otherwise the change will be evaluated by
society as perfect zero that in these few weeks has already become a
reality. Thus, leaving the victory to society, once again the
shortcoming of the current regime is highlighted.

All the other Ministries once again deceive the Governmen. First, the
Minister of Agriculture is not perceived as a serious figure from now
on, if once only by society, then now by the Parliament, causing only
laughter and contempt.

On the other hand, Deputy Prime Minister Armen Gevorgyan showed his
weakness, together with the Minister of Agriculture in Armavir region,
showing his weakness in a relationship with the villagers in the
political impotence of case.

But Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, although was able to prevent the
growing threat on Yerevan-Sevan highway, but became the scapegoat of
the government as well as the fact that the problem was solved only by
his direct involvement, shows once again the weakness of all Ministry.

Thus, all Ministers of the Government, headed by their Ministers are
in a deep crisis, some- spiritual, some- on the situational case, in
fact, which again leads to a spiritual crisis.

Gevorg Avetisyan

From: A. Papazian

RusHydro to repair Armenia’s Sevan-Hrazdan hydropower system

May 25, 2013 | 00:39

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $25 million loan that will
help International Energy Corp. (IEC) to repair Armenia’s
Sevan-Hrazdan Cascade Hydropower System.

To note, IEC is majority owned by RusHydro, the Russian Federation’s
largest hydropower generation company, which owns the aforesaid
cascade.

The article titled `Armenia’s Aging Hydropower Plants Get New Life
with ADB Private Sector Loan,’ which is posted on ADB’s official
website, notes that the Sevan-Hrazdan Cascade Hydropower System, which
was built between the 1930s and 1960s, now requires significant
rehabilitation to extend its working life and reduce the risk of major
failures

It is noted that ADB’s participation will also help build confidence
for private sector participation in Armenia’s renewable energy
development.

In January, it was informed that RusHydro had become the guarantor of
the $25 million loan by the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD), which likewise will be engaged in the
modernization of the Sevan-Hrazdan Cascade Hydropower System.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: A. Papazian

PRESSE D’ARMENIE
La colère des journaux arméniens contre l’utilisation de leurs
articles sur internet

Les rédacteurs de plusieurs journaux d’Arménie ont publié un
communiqué commun s’insurgeant contre l’utilisation sans autorisation
des informations contenues dans ces journaux par des sites internet.
Le communiqué précise « (…) l’utilisation sur internet, d’articles
sans tenir compte des droits d’auteur ou de la propriété
intellectuelle (…) dans les secondes qui suivant la publication de
ces journaux, bafoue les droits des journalistes et des journaux, mais
leur procure également des pertes financières ». Les signataires
protestent également contre la non-mention des sources d’information
lors de leur utilisation sur le net.

Les signataires de ce communiqué sont Aram Abrahamian, rédacteur en
chef du quotidien « Aravot », Arman Babadjanian (« Jamanag »), Satik
Seyranian (« 168 Jam »), Õ’Takouhi Tovmassian (« Joghovourt »), Anna
Hagopian (« Haygagan Jamanag »), Arminé Ohanian (« Hrabarag »), Hagop
Avédikian (« Azg »), Flora Nakhchkarian (« Golos Armenii »), Pirouza
Meliksetian (« Iradés de Facto »), Gaguik Mkrdtchian (« Hayots Achkhar
»), Roupen Satian (« Novoyé Vremia »), Chogher Matevossian (« Tchorort
Ichkhanoutioun ») et Garen Haroutiounian (« Oragark »).

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 25 mai 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian