Author: Andres-Papazian

GOVERNMENT FAILS TO CONSIDER SPECIALISTS’ PROPOSALS ON KHOSROV FOREST ISSUE

tert.am
15.11.12

Specialists of the National Academy of Sciences and NGOs have
discussed the bill worked out by Armenia’s Nature Protection Ministry
on Khosrov reserve and presented a number of proposals and remarks
to the ministry.

Environmentalist Silva Adamyan, though, claims neither of the officials
took into consideration the proposals during its presentation at
the government.

“We have sent a letter demanding a new discussion as the ministry’s
step is unacceptable. Serious scientific proposals have been made
that should not have been ignored by the ministry,” Adamyan told the
reporters on Thursday, noting that according to the law the place
will be just a reserve.

The environmentalist said the ministry has not conducted hearings
of the bill established by law and has not discussed the bill with
the NGOs.

One of the specialist’s proposals is not to make Khosrov forest a
place for tourists and allow entrance there on foot only like it
is done in many countries. “Khosrov forest is a natural monument
for all of us and any encroachment against it is inadmissible,”
the environmentalist said.

From: A. Papazian

YEREVAN TO HOST HAYK MELIKYAN’S FINAL 2012 PIANO CONCERT

November 14, 2012 – 16:18 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian pianist Hayk Melikyan will give his final
Yerevan concert on November 17 to mark world famous American composer
John Cage’s 100th birth anniversary.

The event, organized by American University of Armenia in the framework
of “1900+” World Piano Music Concerts Series, will feature works by
John Cage, Morton Feldman, E. Carter and H. Cowell, the pianist’s
artistic manager told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Melikyan is expected to give solo concerts in Moscow, Montreal and
Geneva in December. After the New Year holidays he will participate
in Sound of Stockholm annual festival for contemporary classical music.

From: A. Papazian

PAPER: FRANCE TO SCRAP 1BN FUNDING TO ARMENIA OVER KARABAKH

November 14, 2012 – 15:56 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – As Zhoghovurd daily reported citing diplomatic
sources, French President Francois Hollande expressed readiness to
organize a meeting between Armenian leader Serzh Sargsyan and his
Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev if Armenia agrees to ratify a document
on Karabakh conflict settlement.

President Sargsyan, however, refused the offer, noting the step as
impossible on the threshold of 2013 presidential elections in Armenia.

“The President’s refusal brought the issue to a stalemate; which
means Yerevan won’t be receiving a funding of $1bn for new energy
unit construction, promised by France,” the daily said.

From: A. Papazian

THE PARTICIPATION OF ARTSAKH AND THE REGULAR ATTACK OF HYSTERIA OF AZERBAIJAN

Wednesday, 14 November 2012 12:00

Together with the RA Artsakh also participated in the “World Travel
Market” international tourism show that was conducted in London from
November 5 to 8. As it usually was, various brochures, posters and
other materials about the country were exhibited in the pavilion
of Artsakh, each visitor was provided as much information about the
history of Artsakh, its people, its everyday life, culture and the
picturesque nature as possible.

But as usual the participation of Artsakh in the international show
caused some fits of hysteria by the neighbouring country Azerbaijan.

Still on November 5, the first day of the opening of the show head
of the tourism department at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism
of Azerbaijan Aydin Ismiev announced that corresponding measures
would be applied against the pavilion presenting the “occupied
Nagorno Karabakh”. He noted in his announcement that the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan and its embassies in different countries
exerted joint efforts to prevent the presentation of Karabakh in such
arrangements as an Armenian land and had so far been successful.

It must be stated that never before there was any obstacle to prevent
the participation of Karabakh though a lot of attempts were made by
the opponents even during the previous show in Paris.

In London Artsakh continued its participation in the exhibition and,
as usual, the pavilion attracted the attention of a great number of
visitors and, as the participants from Artsakh, state the interest
for Artsakh is yearly increasing.

One of the greatest achievements in the show was the removal of all
the anti-Armenian agitation materials of the Azerbaijani participants
on the demand of the Armenian delegation.

Armine Hayrapetyan

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJAN SENDS A NOTE TO URUGUAY OVER SPEAKER’S VISIT TO KARABAKH

armradio.am
13:37 14.11.20120

Azerbaijan has sent a protest note to Uruguay on the recent statements
made by this country’s MP and his visit to Nagorno Karabakh.

Abdullayev said that the Azerbaijani Embassy in Argentina, also
accredited to Uruguay, is instructed to present a protest note to the
Foreign Ministry of Uruguay, Spokesman of Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry
Elman Abdullayev said at a briefing on Wednesday, Trend reports.

The delegation headed by the Jorge Orrico, Chairman of the Chamber
of Representatives of Uruguay, visited Nagorno Karabakh on November 13.

The delegation was received by NKR President Bako Sahakyan.

“Uruguay could become the first country to recognize the independence
of Nagorno-Karabakh,” co-chairman of the Armenian-Uruguayan
inter-parliamentary friendship group and member of the Commission on
Foreign Relations of Uruguay’s Parliament, Ruben Martínez Huelmo said
in Stepanakert.

From: A. Papazian

UN OFFICIEL DE L’UE INTERDIT DE VISITER L’HEPITAL DE LA PRISON DE BAKOU MALGRE UNE PROMESSE PRESIDENTIELLE
Stephane

armenews.com
mercredi 14 novembre 2012

La vice-presidente de la Commission Europeen la hollandaise Neelie
Kroes a ete interdit de visiter l’hôpital de la prison de Bakou,
malgre la permission du President Ilham Aliyev.

Neelie Kroes a dit aux journalistes a Bakou qu’elle a rencontre le
president de l’Azerbaïdjan le 6 novembre et il a reconnu qu’elle
pourrait visiter l’hôpital pour observer les conditions des residents.

Neelie Kroes a dit que quand elle est parvenue a l’hôpital de la
prison, les fonctionnaires ne lui ont pas permis d’entrer dans le
bâtiment.

Elle a dit que dans son pays, ” si un president dit quelque chose,
cela est toujours fait, comme dans n’importe quel pays democratique “.

Un porte-parole du Service des Prisons d’Azerbaïdjan, Mehman Sadiqov,
a dit a RFE/RL que la visite de Mme Kroes a l’hôpital de la prison
n’a pas eu lieu a cause ” de questions de protocole “.

mercredi 14 novembre 2012, Stephane ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

LES ARMENIENS D’AMERIQUE DEVRAIENT EMPRUNTER UNE VOIE NOUVELLE POUR ATTEINDRE LEURS OBJECTIFS
Jean Eckian

armenews.com
mercredi 14 novembre 2012

par Appo Jabarian, Editeur/ Directeur de la Publication

USA Armenian Life Magazine n° 1337

Le 6 novembre, le President Barack Obama a ete reelu, eliminant son
adversaire Mitt Romney. Pour les Americains armeniens, peu importe
qui a gagne la presidence des Etats-Unis. Contrairement a beaucoup de
leurs predecesseurs, ni Obama ni Romney n’ont offert un choix valable
pour la communaute armenienne americaine. Le premier mandat d’Obama a
ete gâche par un grand nombre de promesses non tenues, pas seulement a
la communaute armenienne americaine, mais a l’ensemble des Americains.

Dans mon article preelectoral du 28 octobre, j’ai qualifie Obama et
Romney de candidats ” corporatistes “. Meme s’ils semblaient etre
les candidats du peuple americain dans son ensemble, ils etaient au
fond largement finances – directement ou indirectement, par des grands
groupes et ce qu’ils appellent super pac’s [political action commitee,
comites electoraux – la loi des USA autorise a present certaines
associations a soutenir un candidat, sans obligation de declarer leur
source de financement] ou mega lobbies [les groupes de pression aux
USA atteignent a present les dimensions de firmes et se comportent
comme telles]. Au cours de cette campagne presidentielle, la question
posee le plus frequemment etait ” Allez- vous mieux aujourd’hui que
vous n’alliez il y a quatre ans ? ” Comme nous abordons le second
mandat du President Obama, les Armeniens americains, contraries par
le manquement pur et simple d’Obama aux promesses de sa première
campagne electorale, peuvent se demander presque tous les jours, ”
Allez-vous mieux maintenant que vous n’alliez il y a quatre jours ? “.

Les elections de 2012 aux USA marquent une fin qui ouvre le debut
d’une ère nouvelle pour les Armeniens americains.

Il y a eu trop d’elections qui ont vu les Armeniens americains abuses
par des candidats presidentiels en representation.

Au cours des dernières decennies, les Armeniens americains, y
compris l’auteur de ces lignes, etaient stimules par les promesses ”
solennelles ” des campagnes se succedant de reconnaître le Genocide
Armenien ; accroître l’aide a l’Armenie entre autres projets. Mais
cependant, les administrations des presidents successifs et leur
Departement d’Etat ont failli a certains de leurs engagements,
soutenant que de tels actes ” deterioreraient nos relations avec un
allie strategique des USA – la Turquie “.

En outre, le president Obama a activement encourage la signature
des infâmes protocoles imposes par la Turquie, entre l’Armenie et
la Turquie. Mais par chance pour l’Armenie et les Armeniens, les
protocoles ont echoue. Il faut esperer que le Departement d’Etat du
president Obama ne conspire pas pour le developpement et la promotion
d’une nouvelle version des Protocoles Turcs. Il faut aussi esperer que
le president Obama ne se fera pas le defenseur d’un faux ” dialogue
” d’une fausse ” reconciliation ” entre les Armeniens et la Turquie,
pour obtenir des Armeniens qu’ils renoncent a leurs droits legitimes.

La Turquie responsable du Genocide doit restituer les biens spolies et
cesser l’occupation illegale qu’elle exerce sur l’Armenie de l’Ouest
et en Cilicie.

Pour la première fois depuis longtemps, comme electeurs armeniens
americains, nous faisons face a la dure realite : la politique
presidentielle aux Etats-Unis, contrôlee par le communautarisme,
n’offre aucun avantage tangible aux Armeniens americains. Les groupe
de pression des grandes societes, dont font partie les societes
petrolières, ne sont pas les allies de communautes comme celle des
Armeniens americains. Ils ne sont meme pas les allies honnetes du
peuple americain. Ils pillent lentement l’economie des Etats-Unis en
elaborant certaines politiques au service d’elles-memes telles la
delocalisation des emplois a l’etranger. Ces lois anti-americaines
et cette politique sont developpees par des mandataires dans les
diverses structures de l’etat federal americain, y compris au Congrès
des Etats-Unis ; engageant l’Amerique dans des guerres lointaines pour
proteger leurs interets de multinationales aux frais des contribuables
americains, et au prix d’ enormes sacrifices de soldats americains
et pour leur famille.

Comme je l’ai ecrit dans l’un de mes articles precedents, les candidats
des deux principaux partis a la presidence, ensemble, le democrate
Obama et le republicain Romney etaient soutenus par les memes groupes
d’interet enormes – ceux de groupes multinationaux qui ne se soucient
que de leur rentabilite et se soucient moins du peuple americain et
de la patrie americaine, et encore moins d’une fraction de la societe
americaine – la communaute armenienne americaine.

En un sens, tout cela est pour nous tous un rappel salutaire a revoir
notre liste commune de priorites et degager une nouvelle strategie
pour la poursuite de nos interets. Nous reinventer nous-memes en une
communaute mieux organisee et plus puissante est a l’ordre du jour.

Devenir plus attentifs pour ne pas nous faire rouler par les futurs
candidats. Tandis que l’optimisation pragmatique de nos ressources
peut nous permettre d’atteindre nos objectifs a court et a long-terme,
il faudra quelquefois pratiquer le jeu dur.

Avec lucidite, le journaliste de Los Angeles tire des elections aux
Etats-Unis les lecons pour les Armeniens. Il n’ y avait de toutes
facons pas grand-chose a en attendre. Mais Appo Jabarian dit ici des
choses qui semblent aller de soi mais qui vont mieux en les disant. A
l’occasion de ces presidentielles, la confusion entretenue par une
certaine Amerique entre le capitalisme global ( ou ultraliberalisme)
et les interets du peuple americain semble avoir atteint des limites.

La Syrie, l’alliance entre Israël et l’Azerbaïdjan, le soutien a
tout crin de la Turquie, sont les avatars de la politique inspiree
par les multinationales americaines. Ce ne sont sûrement pas ces
multinationales americaines qui ont elu le nouveau president. Le
grand ecart d’Obama entre la politique etrangère qui lui est imposee
et ses ideaux progressistes durera-t-il encore longtemps ?

Traduction et commentaire Gilbert Beguian

mercredi 14 novembre 2012, Jean Eckian ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

EL CONCIERTO DE ARA EN ALMERIA

El Almeria
9 nov 2012
España

Gonzalo Hdez. / Guarch

EL Diario de Almería ya es mayor de edad. Privilegio de la prensa que
crece muy rapido. Demostracion de su madurez, el brillante acto del
jueves en el Auditorio de Almería, con un lleno absoluto. Aunque creo
que habrían podido llenar varios auditorios, ya que la presencia de
alguien tan renombrado como el violinista Ara Malikian, perfectamente
acompañado por la Orquesta Joven de Almería, madura para la edad de
sus componentes, mostrando un desparpajo y un talento enorme, y por
cierto, extraordinariamente bien dirigida, asombrando al público
con su madurez interpretativa, en piezas no especialmente faciles,
transformo el acto en una noche magica, como si el mismísimo Paganini,
hubiera vuelto a tocar, aunque Malikian esta mas cerca de la gracia del
“Violinista en el tejado”, metiendose a los presentes en el bolsillo
desde el primer momento, y dando una clase magistral a los jovenes
músicos, que lo observaban arrobados, al tener la oportunidad de
compartir concierto con una estrella mundial.

Tuve la oportunidad de conocer a Ara hace unos años en una cena
en casa de Jeronimo Molina Herrera, un melomano, un gran experto y
alguien que ha hecho mucho por la difusion musical en Almería. Se lo
agradecí especialmente ya que Ara es armenio libanes, y mi relacion
con los armenios es desde hace unos años muy fuerte. El haber escrito
la Trilogía Armenia, El arbol armenio, El testamento armenio y La
montaña blanca, este último precisamente sobre la importancia de
los armenios en la creacion del estado del Líbano, me ha abierto las
puertas de Armenia y de sus gentes, esparcidas por todo el mundo por
la llamada Diaspora armenia. Me han colmado de honores y de amistad.

Armenia es una tierra singular de artistas y excelentes músicos. Ara es
demostracion palpable. Allí la música se entiende como algo cotidiano,
como expresion de su caracter y su idiosincrasia. La oportunidad de
gozar de alguien como Ara y su magistral forma de entender la música
deleito a los asistentes. Enhorabuena al Grupo Joly. Un acierto
doble. Cinco años de exitos periodísticos, y un broche de oro a esa
primera etapa, con un discurso impecable de su director.

From: A. Papazian

‘LIVING TOGETHER’ UNDER CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

Today’s Zaman
Nov 13 2012
Turkey

An intensity of expectations and a fear of failure are now part of
the peculiar process of Turkey’s transition towards democracy. It
becomes rough and complicated, as days go by; it has hit serious snags.

The heart of the matter is living together in peace and accord. When I
watched a fresh manifestation on the theme last Sunday in Ä°stanbul, I
could not help but swing between hope and despair about such a future.

Hope was stemming from the Living Together Awards by the Journalists
and Writers Foundation (GYV), affiliated with the Hizmet movement. The
print and visual media award was handed out to the Armenian newspaper
AGOS and Dunya TV, a unique private TV channel in Kurdish. A mixed
group of Turkish and Armenian gymnastics students were highlighted
for their joint friendship project “Ashura/Anushabur” and others
went to the Suryani Metropolit (Aramean Metropolitan) of Mardin and
an elderly Kurdish opinion leader/spiritual guide in Batman.

There should be no doubt that this ceremony comes at a time when the
government and Parliament need a powerful “heads-up” for the completion
of the democratic transition. The fact that this comes from a globally
benevolent, pious movement underlines the urgency to establish
social peace. Despair is also for real. The hunger strikes of some
700 Kurdish prisoners have entered the ninth week, with no agreement
in sight. Nine members of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), the
political wing of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), also joined
the hunger strike, as Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan employs
a harder rhetoric, talking about reintroducing capital punishment,
refusing to discuss the change of prison conditions of Ocalan and,
as he reiterated yesterday in the Justice and Development Party (AKP)
weekly meeting in Parliament, that “nothing will happen unless the
PKK lays down its arms,” emphasizing loudly that “I am not talking
about silencing the guns, but laying down the arms.”

The only positive sign — a tiny one — is the hastily inserted bill
that will make it possible to defend oneself in Kurdish in court. How
to read the latest row on hunger strikes? How can it end? Erdogan’s
threat to reintroduce the death penalty should not be taken that
seriously. It will simply remain a tactical tool to vent the mass
emotions, but also, as an instrument for appeasing the Nationalist
Movement Party (MHP), as Erdogan proceeds with his plans for his
presidency. But there are dangers ahead in his vicinity: AKP will
start showing wider cracks — because its DNA is set to reject a
return to the old times — and a new political reality will develop.

Senior AKP figures watch the path of Erdogan with unease, and if
the hardliner rhetoric turns into tougher action on the Kurdish
issue, AKP’s conservative Kurdish segment will burst under the local
pressures. No matter what, the AKP is approaching a crossroads that
will confirm or redefine its identity.

The hunger strikes push forward major points. One of them has to do
with the macro objective of the transition, namely a new constitution.

Education in one’s native tongue, as well as the definition of
citizenship and decentralization, have to be dealt in that context.

But there is also the hottest of all potatoes, the issue that dynamited
the negotiation process: namely, what to do with Ocalan.

This part of the problem has to be handled under the title “amnesty”
(or whatever other term is applied) or a special deal. One severe
consequence of the current deadlock around the hunger strikes is the
BDP’s choice to abstain from the Constitutional Commission’s critical
work. The BDP so far refused to send a “reason” for its absence,
raising fears that it may weaken the commission’s legitimacy. It
raises the hopes of the MHP, of course; and the CHP is left adrift
in the midst of the turmoil.

If the bill of “legal defense in Kurdish” passes, will it end the
hunger strikes? It probably will. Because the BDP does not want to be
the one that throws in the towel in the constitutional process, but
the huge problem remains intact. Where to go from there, about the PKK
insurgency and a solution to the democratic part of Kurdish demands?

No matter what, the bull is out there, wildly galloping, waiting to be
tamed. Not by constant beating, but by other methods. What a challenge.

From: A. Papazian

BAKERY SERVES UP EUROPEAN-STYLE TREATS CREATED FROM FAMILY RECIPES

Las Vegas Review-Journal
Nov 13 2012
NV

By Jan Hogan
VIEW STAFF WRITER

There’s a new kind of therapy in town: pastry therapy.

Its proponent can be found at the new European-style Manan Bakery,
6620 W. Flamingo Road, No. 4.

“Every customer leaves with a smile on their face and something sweet
in their bag,” said owner/operator Naira Vardanyan. “It’s like getting
a dose of happiness that uplifts the soul. I think of it as pastry
therapy. Nobody leaves depressed.”

Vardanyan crafts pastries passed down from her parents, who owned a
bakery in Armenia. They created the recipes, which were never written
down but rather passed along in a hands-on manner.

She tweaks the flour so it has the right taste.

“It is not the kind you get in (Armenia),” she said of her American
supplier.

It took a number of trials to get it the way she wanted. Vardanyan
said she knows it is right by the bread’s taste and aroma.

Some items have exotic names. A thin-crust delicacy is lahmajoon,
a type of Armenian pizza. Nazuk is a sweet pastry. The bird milk roll
is a Russian cake filled with a light cream.

Every day, taste samples are available for patrons by the checkout
register.

Irina Kolkila rings up orders and said people like everything the
shop offers but that the Napoleon and the bird milk roll probably go
the quickest.

“It’s delicious, everything,” she said.

Local business owner Art Vardapetyan has an insurance office next
door and heads to Manan Bakery for a treat before going to work.

“I like it. I eat it. I’m there every day. I like the llama juice,
their fresh cakes,” he said.

The operation lures customers with its tempting aromas. Items are
prepared in the early morning. Bread is baked every day. If it doesn’t
sell, Vardanyan refuses to put it out for the next day.

The bread rack was just to the side of the entrance and contained a
variety —- bukhanka, matnakash, nazook, whole wheat and barbari.

Manan Bakery also offers challah —- a Jewish braided bread eaten
on the Sabbath and holidays —- every Friday before 4:30 p.m.

Manan Bakery also provides baked items to Armenian restaurants and
has a catering arm.

The display case faces the door and is chock-full of pastries. Items
offered include almond tarts, tiramisu, cannoli, carrot cake, eclairs,
chocolate mousse and lemon tarts.

Little pastry cups held glazed fruit with kiwi, strawberry and
blueberries. With the cooler weather, Vardanyan plans to offer fall
flavors such as apricot.

The little shop makes its own Bavarian crème each evening after the
store closes. Vardanyan heads in back and makes it up for the next
batch of pastries. She said she always enjoyed creating foods.

“I like the baking, (being in) the kitchen. That’s my favorite. I
wanted to go to the French school,” she said of Le Cordon Bleu College
of Culinary Arts Las Vegas. “But with three girls, running to pick
them up, drop them off, there’s no time.”

The store is named for the owner’s 14-year-old daughter. Manan
sometimes helps her mother at the bakery but does not plan to follow
in her footsteps. She plans to be a doctor.

Manan Bakery is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information,
call 702-733-4000 or visit mananbakery.com.

From: A. Papazian