Author: Andres-Papazian

ECONOMIST URGES ARMENIA TO BENEFIT FROM ADVANCEMENT IN WB REPORT

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 23, 2012 – 15:02 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenia’s advancement in World Bank’s 2013 Doing
Business report may boost the country’s authority in international
arena, Ameriabank’s Development Director said.

As Tigran Jrbashyan noted, Armenia’s jump was quite “predictable”,
as it reflected the reforms implemented in the country.

“The indicator proves the feasibility of the reforms in the country.

However, their continuation and impacts depend on a number of factors,”
he said.

Dubbing the index the best in the whole history of Doing Business, Mr.
Jrbashyan urged to correctly use it to attract foreign investment
flows to the country.

Armenia has improved its position by 18 points to be placed 32nd in
World Bank’s 2013 Doing Business report.

Meanwhile, as Tech in Asia reported, Singapore remains on top for
the seventh straight year according to the ‘ease of doing business’
rankings. Hong Kong and New Zealand also retained their second and
third rankings respectively, as did the US in fourth place.

Drilling down to notable APAC markets to compare with last
year’s rankings, Taiwan jumped from 25th to 16th, credited with
big improvements by a number of criteria, including ‘protecting
investors.’ Japan, on the other hand, was downgraded in many areas,
including ‘starting a business.’

From: A. Papazian

COMMENTATORS DERIDE YEREVAN-EREBOUNI CELEBRATIONS AS WASTEFUL
Narek Aleksanyan

hetq
14:30, October 23, 2012

Several public commentators in Armenia criticized the significance
of the recent Yerevan-Erebouni festivities, calling them financially
wasteful and void of true cultural significance.

Karineh Hakobyan said that mass public celebrations like
Yerevan-Erebouni were not only a drain on the Armenian budget, but
that such annual festivities also psychologically drained our culture.

“The money spent could have cleaned up the entire Komitas Park. Four
years from now we will mark the 2,800th anniversary of Yerevan. But it
will not be celebrated in proper style since we celebrate the holiday
every year. It loses its significance. Other countries celebrate the
anniversary of cities every ten or twenty five years,” Hakobyan said.

She argued that such celebrations are just opportunities for the
public to have some fun but have nothing to do with preserving our
core cultural values.

“People love the city by taking care of it and not by participating in
festivities. If you really want to properly prepare for the 2,800th
Yerevan-Erebouni anniversary, let’s start by cleaning and greening
the city rather than allowing for construction all over the place,”
Hakobyan noted.

Architect Levon Igityan said there was nothing healthy in mob
psychology and that mass celebrations were void of cultural value.

Igityan added that the government was not to blame, however, since
some celebrations are organized by individuals and groups.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA REBUKES MEXICO OVER KHOJALU STANCE

Karabakh | 23.10.12 | 14:42

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian meeting with his Mexican
counterpart Patricia Espinosa in Mexico City

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian has expressed his
nation’s bewilderment over the position of the parliament of Mexico
on a controversial episode of the 1992-1994 Karabakh war that he said
misrepresented reality and was “flagrantly contrary” to the position
of the international community.

Mexican lawmakers passed a resolution earlier this year saying that
the military operation launched by Armenians near Khojalu in late
February 1992 was an instance of ethnic cleansings against Azeri
civilians. Armenia has denied the charge, saying that deaths among
civilians happened through the fault of the retreating Azerbaijani
troops.

On a visit to Mexico on Monday the Armenian foreign minister
communicated to his Mexican counterpart Patricia Espinosa a message
from Yerevan that such a position of the Mexican Parliament affected
relations between the two countries and harmed broader efforts
to settle the protracted conflict between the two South Caucasus
neighbors.

According to the Foreign Ministry’s press office, Armenia’s top
diplomat also “shared the views” expressed by Mexican human rights
advocates that erecting a monument to the victims of the Khojalu
tragedy was an insult to the memory of genocide victims just like
he shared the negative reactions in Mexico and worldwide to the
installation of the statue to former Azerbaijani president Ilham
Aliyev in Mexico City.

In her turn, Espinosa reportedly gave explanations, saying that her
own society had reacted negatively as well.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN FM WARNS AGAINST AZERI CORRUPT TEMPTATIONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 23, 2012 – 14:33 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian delivered
a lecture at the Diplomatic Studies Institute, with ambassadors of
foreign countries accredited in Mexico, foreign ministry’s high-ranking
representatives, experts, journalists, professors and students present.

“Azerbaijan seeks to exercise its vast corrupt practices in
international relations. Unfortunately, some politicians fall into
the trap, unable to counter Baku’s corrupt temptations. Thus, an
opinion is shaped in Azerbaijan that everything is bought and sold
in international relations,” Minister Nalbandian said.

In response to the remarks expressing dissatisfaction with installation
of the monument to ex-Azeri president and the so-called “Khojalu
memorial”, he said, “A similar reaction was observed in Mexico and
in the whole world. The plate of the monument to ex-Azerbaijani
leader says that the former head of KGB served a brilliant example
for commitment to peace. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan has been included in
the lists of the most corrupt and undemocratic countries by a number
of human rights organizations.”

From: A. Papazian

“HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK”: CRIMINAL CASE TO BE LAUNCHED AGAINST VARDAN GHUKASYAN

2012-10-23 07:32:21

The paper says Armenia’s National Security Service, Police and
Prosecutor’s General office, each separately demanded from Gyumri
municipality the whole document archive for 2005-2011.

Citing its sources at the NSS, the paper says the structure is
interested in how the municipality has spent the 1.5 billion drams
donation provided by the state. According to the circulating news,
they have completely vanished and a great noise will be raised over
it in a month.

The other establishments demanded all the documents which show what
deals the municipality has implemented during those years as well as
the staff list. The paper says according to some opinions a criminal
case will be filed against Vardan Ghukasyan and he will appear in jail,
of course, within the framework of fighting against corruption.

From: A. Papazian

ARF-D’S PARTICIPATION IN 2013 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS NOT END IN ITSELF, PARTY’S REP SAYS

tert.am
23.10.12

Nothing is an end in itself, the participation in the presidential
election either, representative of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation-Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) Supreme Body Armen Rustamyan said
speaking to Tert.am.

He did not exclude the possibility of not participating in the election
at all. “If we see that the election becomes a way to change the power,
we will participate in it,” he said.

In any case the ARF-D’s supreme body will decide. Rustamyan said
already now the ARF-D is discussing the format of participation in
the presidential election.

Asked whether the party discusses candidates of Armen Rustamyan or
Artsvik Minasyan, the party representative said the issues will be
discussed and solved during the meeting og the Supreme body.

Asked whether the analyses that the ARF-D may back Vartan Oskanian’s
candidacy in case the latter runs for presidency, are close to
reality, Rustamyan said all the analyses are cut from reality and
are the results of imagination of different people.

From: A. Papazian

Artsakh’s new Ministry of Culture opens in Shoushi

tert.am
16:06 – 21.10.12

President of the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) Republic Bako Sahakyan
attended on Sunday the opening of the country’s new Ministry of
Culture and Youth Affairs in the city of Shoushi.

Speaking at the ceremony, the president highlighted the importance of
opening the new building in the country’s cultural capital and
considered it a key factor for the city’s further development.
Sahakyan emphasized that it would also contribute to the protection of
historical buildings.

According to a press release by the NKR Presidential Office, the event
was also attended by the primate of the Artsakh Diocese of the
Armenian Apostolic Church, Archbishop Pargev Martirossyan, speaker of
the NKR National Assembly Ashot Ghoulyan, Prime Minister Ara
Haroutyunyan and other officials.

From: A. Papazian

FRANCE
Soirée sur la Syrie présentée par Krikor Amirzayan

Beaucoup de monde vendredi 19 octobre à la salle Cheneviers de la MJC
Jean Moulin de Bourg-Lès-Valence (Drôme) pour la soirée de
conférence-débat du Collectif Mémoire et Avenir consacrée à la Syrie,
présentée par Krikor Amirzayan.

Ce dernier, coordinateur du Collectif et président de l’association «
Arménia » et natif d’Alep (Syrie) correspondant de la presse
arménienne est un fin connaisseur de la région aujourd’hui touchée par
la guerre civile.

L’histoire de la Syrie, mais également les données démographiques,
sociales, culturelles et politiques ont permis au public de mieux
comprendre les enjeux sur de la guerre civile qui ravage ce pays de 22
millions d’habitants (dont trois millions de chrétiens) depuis près de
deux ans.

Dans une brillante présentation très détaillée, Krikor Amirzayan, aidé
d’une riche documentation a captivé le public. Il a également évoqué
le sort des Arméniens d’Alep et de Damas pris au piège de ces
évènements qui firent suite au Printemps arabe dès mars 2011 et qui
ont fait à ce jour plus de 32 000 morts.

« Nous soutenons pas le régime syrien de Bachar al-Assad. Mais au
regard du danger de partition du pays, des déchirements
inter-communautaires, divisions ethniques et religieuses qui menacent
aujourd’hui la Syrie, nous craignons le pire également par
l’opposition armée. Une opposition qui vient essentiellement de
l’étranger et qui est financé par des pays étrangers. L’exemple des
déchirements de l’Irak, des centaines de milliers de morts, la
division du pays et le départ de plus d’un million de chrétiens est
devant nous ! Nous voulons espérer que le peuple syrien soit au-dessus
de ces provocations » a déclaré Krikor Amirzayan.

Après sa présentation, Krikor Amirzayan a ouvert la voie au débat.

Avec des interventions remarquées du sculpteur Toros (également natif
d’Alep) et de nombreuses questions, précisions ou témoignages du
public. Un débat vif et passionné avec de nombreuses questions qui ne
trouvaient malheureusement pas de réponse. Et surtout des
interrogations sur l’avenir de la Syrie. Soirée passionnante du
Collectif Mémoire et Avenir qui présentera par Henri Siranyan le 7
décembre les Coptes d’Egypte.

dimanche 21 octobre 2012,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Oct 20 2012

Is the Fazıl Say affair a case of `blasphemy?’

MUSTAFA AKYOL

Turkish pianist Fazıl Say, a world-renown musician, went on trial the
other day before an Istanbul court on charges of insulting religious
beliefs. The trial made international news, as many media outlets
interpreted the affair as a case of `blasphemy.’ It was also often
reported that Turkey’s `Islamic government’ is no big fan of Say and
reports implied that his trial might have something to do with the
`Islamization’ of Turkey, which once used to be a beautifully secular
country.

The facts, however, are a little more complicated. As someone who is
also not a fan of Say, but who opposes him going to jail for what he
said, let me try to explain the nuances here.

First of all, it is neither the current Turkish government nor any new
law or regulation it enacted that put Say on trial. The Turkish penal
code article that he is accused of violating, Article 216, has been in
practice for decades. Its relevant part reads as follows:

`Any person who openly denigrates the religious beliefs of a group
shall be punished with imprisonment from six months to one year if the
act is conducive to a breach of the public peace.’

In fact, with an amendment in 2004, the `Islamist’ Justice and
Development Party (AKP) government, in line with EU suggestions,
liberalized this law by adding the final clause ‘ `if the act is
conducive to a breach of the public peace,’ ‘ Before this, it was
easier to accuse someone of `denigrating the religious beliefs of a
group.’

Moreover, this law has recently led to other trials that would
probably be welcomed by most liberal critics. In 2009, for example a
group of Turkish men who put a sign on the door of their `cultural
association’ that read `Jews and Armenians cannot enter, [but] dogs
are free to enter’ was found guilty of violating Article 216. They
were sentenced to five months in prison, commuted to 3,000 Turkish
Lira.

Say too is being accused of `denigrating the religious beliefs of a
group,’ specifically that of Muslims, by likening the Islamic heaven
to a brothel and calling Muslims (`Allahists’ in his language)
`pricks, low-lives, buffoons, thieves and jesters.’

This means that Say is not accused of `blasphemy,’ which would be
defined as `offending God.’ No, he is rather accused of offending a
group of people, by both denigrating their values and insulting their
character.

This means that Say’s comment can indeed be considered as `hate
speech’ according to some European standards. (Calling Jews `pricks,
low-lives, buffoons, thieves, jesters’ would probably not be very
welcome in countries like Germany.) So I have had a hard time in
understanding some of the harsh European voices that have rushed to
Say’s defense.

But personally speaking, my standards for free speech are higher than
the European average. (Although I find Holocaust denial insane and
irresponsible, for example, I find it unacceptable to criminalize it.)
Hence I would not argue for the banning of racist rhetoric and even
hate-mongering, as long as it does not come to the level of
encouraging imminent violence.

Therefore, I think we Turks should further reform Article 216 and save
people like Say from such court cases. The fact that I see Say as an
illiberal, anti-democratic, military-coup craving, rude and arrogant
Islamophobe does not change that.
October/20/2012

From: A. Papazian

RusData Dialine – Russian Press Digest
October 19, 2012 Friday

US probes South Caucasus’ attitude to Iran

by Igor Potylov
source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta

Eric Rubin, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and
Eurasian Affairs, is touring Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia to
promote democracy and cooperation and develop partnership on the
issues of Syria and Iran. The media in Azerbaijan reports that Rubin’s
visit to Georgia focused on economic issues, civil freedoms and
Nagorno-Karabakh. The US Embassy in Armenia’s press service said Rubin
would attend a meeting of the US-Armenian group on economic
cooperation to discuss stimulating investment in energy and trade, as
well as nuclear power.

The agenda for high-ranking Washington officials’ visits to the South
Caucasus seldom varies, and this is not simply because Azerbaijan,
Georgia and Armenia face largely similar problems, but also for
ethical reasons. Washington wants to convince them that they are all
equal partners. Therefore, if Rubin talked about Iran in Georgia, he
did or will do the same in the other two South Caucasus states.
“During the meetings with the President and future Prime Minister of
Georgia, we discussed the international community’s efforts to prevent
Iran from developing nuclear weapons,” Rubin told a press briefing at
the US Embassy in Tbilisi as quoted by Azernews. “We are broadly
cooperating over the Turkish-Syrian issue, and Georgia is called upon
to play a peacekeeping role in the region.” However, some Georgian
experts believe that Rubin met with Mikheil Saakashvili and Bidzina
Ivanishvili to probe Georgia’s attitude to Iran, where Washington will
want Georgia to play a special role if the situation escalates.
Georgian politician Irina Sarishvili said before Rubin’s visit that
many hospitals built in Georgia recently under a presidential program
bear an alarming likeness to standard US military hospitals.
Considering the speedy modernization and construction of airports for
heavy transport planes and other infrastructure improvements, this
could be more than straightforward concern for the Georgians. Eric
Rubin also said in Tbilisi, clearly referring to Russian bases in
Abkhazia and South Ossetia that “the US position regarding the
obligations that Russia undertook in 2008 to withdraw its troops from
the Georgian territory remain unchanged.” He said the US stance on the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia is firm and clear.
Commenting on the recent parliamentary election, Rubin congratulated
Ivanishvili on the victory and praised Saakashvili’s personal
contribution to positive developments in Georgia. He said the world
can see that democracy in Georgia is real, and that the country can
become a model for the region. Rubin also met with ministerial
nominees, notably Irakly Alasania who is slated to become the Defense
Minister. Alasania assured him that Georgia would honor its
commitments in Afghanistan. In response, Rubin said that Washington
would redouble its efforts to promote Georgia’s rapprochement with
NATO. The US official refused to comment on Ivanishvili’s plans to
participate in the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014. He said he was
pleased with Saakashvili’s assurances that Georgia is committed to
strengthening ties with Euro-Atlantic organizations and the United
States, and to guaranteeing press freedom.

From: A. Papazian