Author: Andres-Papazian

PARIS
Le président du Karabakh dit craindre une reprise de la guerre par Bakou

PARIS, 2013 (AFP) – La communauté internationale doit prendre au
sérieux les menaces de l’Azerbaïdjan de reconquérir le Nagorny
Karabakh, a déclaré vendredi à Paris le chef de ce territoire
séparatiste en faisant état d’importants achats d’armes opérées selon
lui par Bakou. Le `président` du Nagorny-Karabakh Bako Sahakian, en
visite en France pour y rencontrer de membres de la diaspora
arménienne et des entrepreneurs, a déclaré à l’AFP qu’il ne voyait
aucune avancée dans les pourparlers de paix entre l’Arménie et
l’Azerbaïdjan pour trouver un statut à cette région disputée du
Caucase.

`Nous ne pouvons qu’être inquiets devant la politique de
militarisation et de surarmement menée par l’Azerbaïdjan, parce qu’il
y a aussi des menaces claires et explicites à l’encontre de notre
pays`, a-t-il affirmé. `La communauté internationale doit réagir à
cette situation`, a-t-il ajouté.

Le budget militaire de l’Azerbaïdjan représente 15% du budget total de
ce pays qui bénéficie d’une importante manne pétrolière. Rattaché à
l’Azerbaïdjan pendant la période soviétique, le Nagorny Karabakh
– à majorité arménienne – a proclamé son indépendance, non reconnue
par la communauté internationale, après une guerre qui a fait 30.000
morts et des centaines de milliers de réfugiés entre 1988 et 1994.

Le cessez-le-feu conclu en 1994 reste fragile avec des échanges de
tirs impliquant des troupes arméniennes et azerbaïdjanaises, qui ont
fait au moins six morts depuis le début de l’année. La région toute
entière reste une source de tension dans le Caucase du Sud, une zone
stratégique située entre l’Iran, la Russie et la Turquie.

Les négociations entre l’Arménie et l’Azerbaïdjan ont lieu sous la
médiation du `groupe de Minsk` présidé par la France, la Russie et les
Etats-Unis. M. Sahakian, réélu à la tête du Nagorny-Karabakh en
juillet 2012, demande que des représentants de ce territoire
séparatiste soient partie prenante des pourparlers.

`Pour avoir des progrès réels et sérieux dans le processus de
négociation, il faut redimensionner le format avec des participants du
Nagorny Karabakh`, a-t-il dit. Le `président` de la `république`
autoproclamée a dit croire qu’une solution négociée du conflit est
possible et a assuré que les autorités du Karabakh ne prendraient pas
l’initiative de déclencher une guerre.

`C’est un conflit complexe, on ne peut pas attendre une solution d’un
jour à l’autre. Mais il n’y a pas d’autre alternative que la paix et
le dialogue`, a-t-il dit.

Le Karabakh survit largement grce à l’aide militaire et financière de
l’Arménie et de la diaspora arménienne à travers le monde, notamment
de France. M. Sahakian a dit souhaiter susciter des investissements
français dans l’économie de cette petite région de 150.000 habitants
fondée essentiellement sur l’agriculture ainsi que quelques usines et
mines.

Il a affirmé que le Karabakh, accessible par une seule route à partir
de l’Arménie, n’était `pas loin` d’être en mesure de permettre une
reprise des vols commerciaux vers l’aéroport de Stepanakert, la
`capitale` du territoire.

Bakou a averti qu’il ne tolèrerait pas une violation de son espace
aérien par des avions desservant le Nagorny Karabakh, dont le
territoire est enclavé en Azerbaïdjan.

`L’établissement de vols civils entre Erevan et Stepanakert n’est
destiné qu’à nous aider à sortir de l’isolement qui nous est imposé`,
a déclaré M. Sahakian.

dimanche 28 avril 2013,
Ara ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

Journal of Turkish Weekly
April 27 2013

Obama’s “one-sided approach” on Armenian issue

By Ebru Ã-zarslan
27 April 2013

JTW

Again on 24 April 2013, in Armenia, `quasi genocide’ was memorialized.
During the ceremonies, the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan made
harsh declarations to the detriment of Turkey about the so-called
genocide. While the Vice President of the Armenian Assembly accused PM
of Turkey ErdoÄ?an and President Gül for not being sincere, Russian
Ambassador of Armenia Vyacheslav Kovalenko supported the claims of the
Vice President of Assembly and said that “this genocide will not be
forgotten and all Russian society will be informed about that”.

Amid harsh reactions put forth by the Muslims of Caucasus and Turkish
public against Armenian allegations, Obama didn’t use the term
`genocide’ in his speech and he preferred to use the term `great
disaster’ ( Meds Yeghern) instead once again in this year’s annual
message.

Hürriyet Dailiy News reported on April 24 that Obama made the
following remarks regarding the anniversary of the so-called genocide:

`Today we commemorate the Meds Yeghern and honor those who perished in
one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century. Ninety-eight years
ago, 1.5 million Armenians were massacred or marched to their deaths
in the final days of the Ottoman Empire.’ President added that his
view about this issue had not changed.

After the comments of Obama about the Armenian issue, Turkish Foreign
Ministiry responded by referring Obama’s statements as the expression
of a `one-sided approach’.

President Obama used the same term `great disaster’ rather than
genocide again in his relevant annual message last year.

From: A. Papazian

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
April 26 2013

`After the self-elimination of Armenian political forces, the role of
foreign players grew’

26 April 2013 – 8:31am

Interview by David Stepanyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

Director Tigran Khzmalyan, the representative of the initiative group
of the Sardarapat opposition movement, commented for Vestnik Kavkaza
on prospects of the protest movement in Armenia.

– What were reasons for appearance of `Revolution of
Greeting’, a protest movement headed by Raffi Ovannisyan?

– The party system was destroyed in the republic completely
when Prosperous Armenia, Dashnaktsutyun, the Armenian National
Congress, and other political forces decided not to take part in the
parliamentary elections. Armenian parties didn’t fulfill their direct
duties because they didn’t represent the society. They were kind of
clubs established around an oligarch who gathered people interested in
the protection of their economic interests. So, they failed to protect
the society from the regime, when it was needed.

In fact, political parties disappeared in Armenia after the tragic
events on March 1st, 2008. Only labels remained, but in autumn 2012
they disappeared as well. After self-elimination of Armenian political
forces, the role of foreign players grew. At the same time, these
players have never been interested in destruction of Armenian parties,
unlike three presidents of Armenia, who since 1995tried to destroy the
political field of the country and establish such pocket parties as
the Republican Party and Prosperous Armenia.

– Who was interested in the processes which resulted in the
appearance of the Armenian president and an opposition controlled by
foreign forces?

– Foreign forces which try to replace the ruling junta by a
new colonialism policy in Armenia. After the self-elimination of
Armenian political forces, the vacuum in the political field was
filled with the civil society. Social movements intensified –
protectors of the Mashtots park, environmentalists, civil activists
who fight for justice in army and courts. These processes seemed
especially dangerous for foreign controllers. And an attempt to settle
its own problems by the Armenian society was considered abroad
nervously. An inevitable shift to the bourgeois-democratic system is
taking place in Armenia. The last leader who managed to consolidate
the public movement of Armenia was the head of Heritage Party Raffi
Ovannisyan.

– Why do you say `was’?

– Because on April 9th, the day of Serge Sargsyan’s
inauguration, Ovannisyan and his Heritage turned away from the public
movement and returned to the Armenian political system, preparing for
next elections. After Ovannisyan’s two-month activity, foreigners who
monitor the situation in Armenia realized that it could lead to
unexpected consequences for the current political and socio-economic
system of Armenia. On April 9th Ovannisyan faced the fact – he was
offered rejection from leadership in the public movement for
improvement of his power in the party.

– Why did Western power centers help Sargsyan to stay in
office, despite the fact the pro-Western Ovannisyan seems more
beneficial for them?

– The current president fulfilled most of the tasks set to
him by the West. In 2008 Sargsyan was saved by an ability to balance
between Soviet values and Western, bourgeois-democratic values.
Sargsyan took duties which were assigned to Levon Ter-Petrosyan. As he
continued fulfilling this function, he managed to weaken Ovannisyan by
April 9th, 2013. However, he cannot get rid of the military-federal
heritage. That is why the West didn’t support Ter-Petrosyan in
2009-2010. In the modern world no bourgeois leader can come in office
at the discretion of people. Leaders come in power due to
behind-the-scene intrigues, agreements, and will of certain power
centers. And Armenia doesn’t even hide this.

– What can be an alternative way of development for Armenia?

– The bourgeois-democratic model doesn’t require anything but
new colonialism. Only the democratic development model is acceptable
for Armenia, which is implemented in the countries where societies
govern through referendums. In Iceland and Switzerland citizens use
their national resources in favor of their countries. In Armenia
resources are being robbed by foreign companies. We associate
development of Armenia not with political parties and foreign forces,
but with development of the civil society.

– What is the Russian role in these processes?

– Russia continues playing an important role in internal
processes of Armenia. Unfortunately, the process of reduction of
duties, traditional control spheres, and Russia’s influence is taking
place today. The South Caucasus is a bright example of it: Georgia,
Azerbaijan, and now Armenia . The Armenians continue to treat Russia
and the Russians warmly, but now we have raised a generation which
doesn’t think the pro-Russian direction is the only option.

From: A. Papazian

Armenian Tatev monastery reconstruction to be completed in 2017 –
Armenian businessman

April 27, 2013 | 23:11

A lot of work conducted by Sberbank CIB is related to education,
charity, and private equity funds, said well-known Russian businessman
of Armenian descent Ruben Vardanian in an interview with Novaya
Gazeta, commenting on Russian Sberbank CIB plans.

`These all are projects of international level. I generally
successfully establish good communication between people of different
generations, nationalities and views. We still have projects in the
framework of Sberbank that we are discussing with German Gref,’ he
said.

Vardanyan added, he also has a lot to do in his first homeland,
Armenia. Thus, unlike Russia, which gives a lot of possibilities and
where the effect of the efforts can be achieved in a decade, the small
size of Armenia allows seeing the results of the efforts very fast.

`Take, for example, the project of reconstruction of [Armenian] Tatev
monastery, in the framework of which there will be created a tourist,
religious, cultural, and historical complex. In 2010, we already
completed the construction of `Wings of Tatev’ ropeway,’ he said.

Vardanyan said that since the opening of ropeway the number of
tourists visiting the monastery has grown tenfold. Last year, in
particular, the ropeway served about a hundred thousand people, while
in the nearest city in the past two years, 10 new hotels were opened.

`We expect to complete the project by 2017, when there will be 1111-th
anniversary of Tatev,’ he said.

Ruben Vardanian is the co-Head at Sberbank CIB, Head of the SKOLKOVO
business school’s Brand and Fundraising Committee. He has worked at
Troika Dialog since it was founded and has been the CEO since 1992.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: A. Papazian

Yerevan Victory Park shooters appear

16:39 – 27.04.13

Two brothers Arshak Kh, 28, and Sargis Kh, 26, went to Kanaker-Zeitun
police department today with a gas gun with which they shot two young
people Sargis K and Tigran Ch during a fight near eternal fire in
Yerevan Victory Park.

According to the police press service, Arshak Kh shot at Sargis K and
Tigran Ch, while Sargis Kh ran over Michael M with VAZ-2121 model car.
The car has also been discovered.
The gas gun has been sent for expertise. Investigation is under way.
Earlier Tert.am reported that two people have been admitted to a
hospital on April 26 at about 11 pm with body injuries.

The police squad found out that Sargis K, 22, and Tigran Ch, 23, were
transported to hospital after receiving injuries as a result of a
fight with an unknown person near the eternal fire at the capital’s
Victory Park at about 10.30 pm.

During the fight the person opened a fire from a gas gun. It was also
found out that another young man Michael M has received injuries
during the same fight after a driver of VAZ-2121 model-car ran him
over.
Armenian News – Tert.am

From: A. Papazian

A Member of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) Assures That They Are
Not With the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) in Spirit and Haven’t
Been Even in the Coalition – Video

April 26 2013

`The Prosperous Armenia Party asks what Yerevan this is, what is going
on in Yerevan, why there is lawlessness in our country. However, they
voted for all the decisions as one man, along with the RPA. And now
they are surprised,’ talked with Gurgen Gasparyan, a
member of the PAP and a member of the Yerevan City Council, on this
criticism of the Hello Yerevan Coalition today. He assured that `the
PAP voted against many issues in the Yerevan City Council, abstained
from voting on many issues, raised many issues. The city council’s
rules of procedure, according to which the city council functions
these days was written by us. The main discussions took place in
commissions, where there were heated discussions. Many issues are not
put on the agenda, and the residents are not aware of them. They are
put forward in a commission. As to the issues, which we voted in favor
of, I am ready to take responsibility for each question voted in favor
of. There is official information; it is not just according to me.’ In
response to our question what prevented the PAP from declaring itself
opposition, if they struggled against the government, he said: `We are
an alternative force. I want to repeat that we are always with the
people. What does it matter what we declare ourselves or how. It is
obvious and visible. It is visible that we are with the people, isn’t
it? The Yerevan City Council stood by the people also when the booths
were being dismantled. When they wanted to dismantle 243 booths, we
didn’t allow them. And dismantlement of booths was stopped after that
completely.’ In response to our question why the PAP hadn’t been with
the people when the people had been in Freedom Square after the
presidential election, he said: `The PAP is always with the people.
Members of our parliamentary group visited Raffi Hovhannisyan; who
says that they were not with the people?’ In response to our
observation that it was not about the visit during the hunger strike,
there had been no representative of the PAP in Freedom Square when
people had gathered there to protest, Gurgen Gasparyan said: `Now, did
a representative of the PAP have to be there? If I say we are with the
people, we are with the people.’ In response to our question how we
should realize that they were with the people, Mr. Gasparyan urged us
to ask their party spokespersons that question, and they would answer.
We asked the member of the city council to answer on his own behalf,
why he for one hadn’t been in Freedom Square, say, on April 9. He
answered the question with a question: `What on April 9? Should we go
and be there? We participated. Perhaps we didn’t participate with our
presence, but we participated with our actions. Let me remind that it
was the president’s inauguration day, at which we weren’t present.’ As
to the fact that several members of the PAP were nonetheless at that
inauguration, the PAP member said: `There were people present, but it
doesn’t mean that the whole party was for all that and was present.’
We asked to clarify whether the PAP members who had gone to Serzh
Sargsyan’s swearing-in had gone on their own initiative, he said: `You
can say so, yes. I think there was no party decision on that.’ We also
inquired of the PAP representative whether there were guarantees that
if I, as a voter, cast my vote for the PAP, they wouldn’t sell the
seats to the RPA, once they got them. He replied: `I am talking about
the city council of the past 4 years, which has done work and hasn’t
sold any seats. Isn’t it a result when booth owners do their business
these days; we stood up for them and didn’t allow? Or the idea of
minimarkets or cigarettes and spirits or property tax privileges, I
can enumerate many things.’ As for our question why they were not
distinguished from the government, Gurgen Gasparyan didn’t know the
answer; he urged us to address that question to those who didn’t
distinguish. We also inquired whether they had broken away from the
RPA in spirit after they hadn’t formed a coalition with the RPA. He
replied: `We hadn’t been with them in spirit anyway. We have always
had our opinion. During the coalition when the small and medium
enterprises act was discussed, our members voted against it. What does
it matter whether we are in the coalition or not? We don’t support
something that is against the people. We are with the people.’
Hripsime JEBEJYAN

Read more at:
© 1998 – 2013 Aravot – News from Armenia

From: A. Papazian

Classical music concert in memory of renowned conductor Colin Davis

14:31 27.04.2013

On April 29 at 19:00 at Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall the State Youth
Orchestra of Armenia headed by the Artistic Director and Principal
Conductor Sergey Smbatyan will perform its next concert. Aram
Talalyan, the laureate of numerous international festivals, the RA
Honored Artist will perform as a soloist, Public Relations Department
of the State Youth Orchestra of Armenia informs.

The concert is dedicated to the memory of renowned British conductor
Sir Colin Davis, under whose leadership Sergey Smbatyan studied at the
Royal Academy of Music in London.

The concert program includes: Dmitri Shostakovich (Symphony No. 6),
Camille Saint-Saens (Cello Concerto No.1), Maurice Ravel (Waltz,
Choreographic Poem).

Aram Talalyan is the third from the dynasty of well-known Armenian
musicians Henrik and Geronty Talalyans. After receiving Master’s and
Postgraduate degrees at Yale University (USA) in the classes of cello
and conducting, Mr. Talalyan returned to Armenia. Since 1997 he has
been teaching at Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory. A. Talalyan is a
founder and artistic director of the `Yerevan Baroque Festival’ and
the `Talalyan brothers’ Viola-Cello Festival in Armenia.

Aram Talalyan is the RA Honored Artist and the laureate of numerous
international festivals; he is the first performer and initiator of a
great number of compositions written for orchestra, chamber ensembles
and cello by Armenian and foreign modern composers. The musician
performs regularly in CIS countries, Europe, North and South America
and Middle East.

From: A. Papazian

Key witnesses to give new testimonies in Hrant Dink murder probe

13:57 27.04.2013

The investigation into the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant
Dink is set to start again from square one, as the new prosecutor in
the case, Muammer AkkaÅ?, has collected new testimonies and asked for
the re-interrogation of key witnesses, Hurriyet Daily News reports.

AkkaÅ?, who was previously one of the prosecutors in the Ergenekon coup
plot case, has decided to deepen the Dink investigation, DoÄ?an News
Agency reported April 26. Ten new witnesses, including police and
gendarmerie officers, have recently given their testimony, the report
said.

The Prosecutor’s Office also analyzed the testimonies of key witnesses
` including those of triggerman Ogün Samast and Yasin Hayal, who was
convicted for being the instigator of the murder ` and found a number
of inconsistencies. Along with Samast and Hayal, Ersin Yolcu and Ahmet
Ä°skender, who were both convicted for complicity in the murder, as
well as Erhan Tuncel, a former suspect acquitted in the trial, were
also asked to give new testimonies.

Following a five year trial, the court had ruled on Jan. 17, 2012,
that it saw no `deep state’ role in the plotting of the assassination,
despite serious claims that a number of civil servants were
`indirectly’ involved. The ruling was overturned a year later by the
Supreme Court of Appeals, which led to prosecutors restarting their
probe into the murder.

Dink, the renowned chief editor of Agos, was shot in front of his
office in Istanbul on Jan. 19, 2007.

From: A. Papazian

Some new projects will be implemented in Artsakh by “Support to
Karabagh” association

Today – 14:09

On 26 April President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan met in
Paris a group of members of the `Support to Karabagh’ association,
headed by leader of the organization Tamara Kocharyan-Petrosyan.
Central Information Department of the Office of the Artsakh Republic
President informs about this.

Issues related to the implementation of a number joint projects were
discussed during the meeting.
President Sahakyan considered important the association’s patriotic
activity, underlining that it contributed both to providing accurate
and objective information about Artsakh in France and other European
countries and strengthening ties between Artsakh and the
French-Armenian community.

NKR minister of foreign affairs Karen Mirzoyan, ambassador
extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to France
Vigen Chitechyan, head of the Central Information Department of the
Artsakh Republic President’s Office David Babayan, NKR permanent
representative to France Hovhannes Gevorgyan and other officials were
present at the meeting.

From: A. Papazian

Armenia-UK relations are excellent – UK official

April 26, 2013 | 23:07

YEREVAN. – At the moment Armenia-UK relations are excellent, a
representative of the UK foreign office said.

Colin Roberts, Director, Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate
of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, said the countries have
excellent relations `thanks to our energetic Ambassadors.’

`But, we are broadening our bilateral relationship to cover lots of
new things. Particularly building up the work that we do with Armenia
on economic development business and investment,’ he told the Armenian
News-NEWS.amcorrespondent.

He noted that the sides have a lot more to talk to each other in terms
of the EU and Armenia’s journey towards the European Union.

`So, relationship is growing and expanding and we have a lot more high
level visits between the countries,’ he added.

Asked when the level between Armenia-UK relations can reach the level
of Azerbaijani-UK relations, the UK diplomat said `perhaps it has
already has.’ He added that they are not making those comparisons.

Although, Collin has been in Armenia for several hours, he said there
is something unique about this country.

`It is very special not quite like anywhere else. It is very
interesting in itself. That is an example of why Armenia will fit in
very well to Europe and the European Union because EU is about a lot
of unique states,’ the UK official emphasized.

Colin Roberts is making a working visit to Armenia on 25-27 April.

From: A. Papazian