Author: Andres-Papazian

US AMBASSADOR’S STATEMENT OVER OSKANIAN’S CASE DEEPENS SUSPICIONS MORE, REPUBLICAN PARTY REP SAYS

tert.am
19.10.12

The statement of the US Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern about the
criminal charges against ex-FM Vartan Oskanian deepened the suspicions
more, deputy leader of the ruling Republican party Galust Sahakyan
told the reporters on Friday.

“The suspicions that he is engaged in money laundering deepened more.

Why for instance the opinion was not voiced by ambassadors of China,
Japan. I know Oskanian quite well. I want to understand who will
bring two million dollars and give it to him, saying ‘do charity in
a way you want’. A philanthropist gives a program,” he claimed.

Asked whether Sahakyan suspects Huntsman, the ruling party’s faction’s
head said, “I do not suspect anyone. It is the work of law enforcers.

I would not like Oskanian be considered a criminal as it will appear
that we have worked with a criminal for ten years and if everything
is in the way Oskanian claims, they will apologize to him,” he said.

From: A. Papazian

HAS ARMENIA’S FORMER FM TRULY FORGOTTEN? – NEWSPAPER

news.am
October 19, 2012 | 08:55

YEREVAN. – The Civilitas Foundation founder, former FM, and Prosperous
Armenia Party (PAP) MP Vartan Oskanian made a new entry in his Facebook
account, and noted that the foreign and Armenian diaspora assistance
and investments, which are very indispensable for Armenia, depend on
reforms, and he pointed to the termination of the Millennium Challenge
program, Aravot daily reports.

“Considering the law enforcement’s recent actions with respect to
Oskanian as well as his demeanor in the [ruling Republican Party]
RPA-PAP interrelations, however, it must be admitted that his raising
this issue is unsuccessful because the decision to terminate the
[aforesaid] program was made during the years of his tenure [as FM],
[and] as a consequence of the [tragic] events [that unrolled in
capital city Yerevan] on March 1-2, 2008,” Aravot writes.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, the National Security
Service (NSS) Department of Investigation brought formal charges
against Vartan Oskanian.

To note, on October 2 the National Assembly voted in favor of
Prosecutor General’s petition to include Vartan Oskanian as a defendant
in a criminal lawsuit.

On May 25 NSS Department of Investigation had filed a criminal
lawsuit on charges of money laundering with respect to The Civilitas
Foundation.

The NSS Press Center had informed that an investigation is underway
in connection with selling the 100-percent shares of the Huntsman
Building Products Company for around $2 million, but not informing
Armenia’s tax authorities about this business deal; not using for
charitable purposes $1,135,000 of that amount envisioned for charity;
transferring this amount to the bank accounts opened under the names
of the Civilitas Foundation’s founder Vartan Oskanian, and of the
Foundation’s Board of Trustees member Tigran Karapetyan; and using
some of this amount for private purposes.

In addition, and as per the NSSPressCenter, The Civilitas Foundation
had not presented a report on the $2 million allocated for charitable
purposes. In his turn, Vartan Oskanian considers the charges to be
politically motivated.

The Civilitas Foundation was founded in 2008 by Vartan Oskanian. After
joining Prosperous Armenia Party ahead of the May 6 parliamentary
elections, however, Oskanian gave up his post as the Foundation
Chairman.

From: A. Papazian

CONFERENCE TO EXPLORE LINGERING IMPACTS OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE ON THE DESCENDANTS OF ITS INHABITANTS

hetq
11:45, October 19, 2012

Internationally Renowned Novelist Amitav Ghosh Joins as Keynote Speaker

Several years of artistic collaborations, informal conversations, and
public discussions among artists and scholars from around the world
have resulted in the Strategies of (Un) Silencing (SoUS) Conference
being held in Yerevan, Armenia on October 26-27, 2012 at the American
University of Armenia.

SoUS developed out of the Blind Dates Project, a series of artistic
collaborations that tackle the traces or ‘what remains’ of the peoples,
places and cultures that once constituted the diverse geography of
the Ottoman Empire. The undertaking explores the effects of various
forms of ruptures, gaps, erasures as well as (re)constructions through
the prism of contemporary lived-experiences.

SoUS focuses on the intersections among artistic practice, literature,
and ethics/law. The conference will also include comparisons/contrasts
to other ‘residues’ of similar or parallel ruptures, including those
involving the Soviet regime and the Cold War.

Internationally renowned Bengali author Amitav Ghosh will be the
conference’s keynote speaker. The distinguished novelist and essayist
will address the bonds between Indian and Armenian prisoners in death
camps in Syria from 1916-1918. A host of academics, artists, and
cultural critics from Armenia, Germany, Greece, Switzerland, Turkey,
and the United States will deliver presentations. “Their topics range
from reconsidering national narratives, the limits and possibilities
of expressing violence and trauma, and critical perspectives in
reimagining the legacy of empires,” said Neery Melkonian, external
director of Blind Dates Project and initiator of SoUS.

– A press conference will be held on October 26, 10:30 AM, at AUA

– The two day event is free and open to the public

– Registration at the door 15 minutes prior to each session

– For program details see attachment or please visit:

– SoUS has been made possible through a grant from Open Society
Foundations-Armenia

and by patrons of the Blind Dates Project

Home page

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From: A. Papazian

NEW CIRCUMSTANCE IN GEVORG MHERYAN’S MURDER CASE

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 11:00:25 – 19/10/2012

The Hayacq newspaper reports that Grigor Igityan, convicted of fraud
against the family of American philanthropists George and Carline
Najaryan, was recently released. This is the same man whom the law
enforcement, and not only, suspected and now suspect of the murder
of Deputy Chief of Police of Armenia Gevorg Mheryan.

In February 2012 then Chief of Police Alik Sargsyan said at the board
meeting of the Police that the case would be revealed by the end of
the year because there was already enough material.

In April it was announced that there people were arrested, though
they were in prison under another article, however, they are related
to Mheryan’s case.

And, so Igityan is at large and has already made a sensational
statement that a number of senior police officers tried to persuade
him to take on the murder.

The newspaper wonders why the former head of one of the traffic
police departments, Artur Margaryan, tried to persuade Igityan to
assume responsibility for the murder, knowing that the real killer
and the customer would remain at large. And how is he related to
Mheryan’s case?

By the way, Igityan said that he had been threatened, and after his
statements, which will feature specific names, he needs guaranteed
security for himself and his families.

Igityan also said that about 2 hours after Mheryan’s murder two
policemen came to his house and took him to the main building of the
police, the office of Chief of Police, and in the presence of his
brother Khoren Igityan, Alik Sargsyan asked him, “What would you like
to drink?”

The newspaper reports that Sargsyan’s family is related to Artur
Margaryan with some crony relationships.

From: A. Papazian

DYNAMIC WAVE OF FRENCH COLLECTORS

The International Herald Tribune
October 17, 2012 Wednesday
France

Independent networks are shaking up and globalizing the arts scene

by DEVORAH LAUTER

ABSTRACT
Independent networks of art collectors are shaking up and globalizing
the arts scene in France.

FULL TEXT
When Sandra Mulliez received a private Facebook message from a
stranger inviting her to see the work of Armen Rotch, a little-known
Armenian artist based in Paris, she hesitated, but only for a
split-second.

“I thought, ‘I never do this. I’m going to do this,”‘ said Ms.

Mulliez, the Brazilian-born art collector who founded the nonprofit
organization SAM Arts Projects in 2009 with her French husband, Amaury
Mulliez, to promote and finance French artists internationally, as
well as foreign artists from emerging countries within France.

Ms. Mulliez arranged to meet the artist’s wife, Gilda Guegamian, who
drove her to Mr. Rotch’s studio in a suburb southeast of Paris.

Now the stairwell windows and one of the larger rooms at the SAM Arts
headquarters in the 14th Arrondissement of Paris, are draped with Mr.

Rotch’s sculptural paintings, which are fabricated from tea bags. The
exhibition of Mr. Rotch’s work, along with works by the Brazilian
artist Brigida Baltar, will be part of the “Parcours V.I.P.” – a
circuit of major galleries and exhibitions shown to important guests –
at the 39th International Contemporary Art Fair in Paris, or FIAC, for
its French acronym, which is running from Thursday through Sunday.

“This is fantastic,” said Ms. Mulliez, watching the couple install
the exhibition earlier this month. Gesturing in the air in wide
strokes, Ms. Mulliez said she liked the “deconstructed,” larger
piece of Mr. Rotch’s work, where tea bags were ripped from parts of a
larger canvas, leaving behind stains. “I can’t explain what they are,
but I like it,” she said.

Ms. Mulliez is one of a growing number of “activist” art collectors
and gallerists in France who, alongside collecting artworks, are
looking to support artists and to better involve them – and often
France as a whole – in the international contemporary art world. They
aim to do this partly by promoting French artists abroad and at
international venues at home and partly by exhibiting lesser-known
contemporary foreign artists in France, which opens up the French art
scene. But they face an uphill battle.

For years, French participation in the contemporary art world has been
viewed as relatively sluggish compared to its British, Chinese, German
and American counterparts. This has been attributed in part to the
country’s largely state-funded arts system, which, while ensuring a
plentiful flow of money, was also seen to bias the art market and
limit the dynamism of the arts scene, by imposing its own criteria as
to what constitutes great art. Another possible factor is a French
tradition of perceiving the contemporary art market as too commercial
and a tendency to hide evidence of material success, with many French
collectors storing art works rather than displaying them.

As the state has increasingly had trouble funding ambitious projects
in the arts and has reduced its budget, however, independently funded
networks and individuals have chosen to step in where the state has
fallen back, supporting artists and trying to internationalize the
French scene, while a small but growing number of collectors have
chosen to exhibit parts or all of their private collections to the
public.

Inspired by collectors abroad, and a few pioneers at home, France has,
in the past few years, “produced a generation of people that are
actually quite activist and quite militant,” said Jennifer Flay, the
director of the FIAC. These art patrons, she added, are “proving that
France is not only producing art, but that collectors are actually
producers of cultural energy, cultural instruments, and that they can
be very effective.”

Ms. Mulliez, whose organization includes a prize for emerging artists
and a residency program, said she believes in taking risks to support
new talents and building international networks with the aim of
helping artists get noticed abroad. SAM Arts funds and helps organize
independent projects and museum exhibitions for contemporary artists
in France and abroad, while also acting as a kind of public relations
agent for little-known artists. “When the artist arrives here, nobody
knows who he is, when he leaves… This is like a trampoline,” she
said.

She recently organized a prolonged exhibition of the works of her
organization’s artists at the Museu Brasileiro da Escultura in São
Paulo and is planning a new show in Mexico. “I see these good
projects and I want to help them happen,” she said. “You have to
help … and there’s less public money, so you’ve got to invest
yourself.”

The French collector Steve Rosenblum, who, with his wife, Chiara
Rosenblum, started one of France’s first private-gone-public
collections, Rosenblum Collection & Friends, agrees that art patrons
have to take risks in order to help artists.

“Hiding work in a warehouse or a house is the opposite of what an
artist wants,” said Mr. Rosenblum, one of the founders of the French
e-commerce Web site Pixmania. The couple opened a large space in the
13th Arrondissement in Paris in 2010. Their next display, “Crossing
mirrors,” an interplay between contemporary and tribal art, opens
Thursday to tie in with the opening of the FIAC.

Alongside the couple’s own works, collectors from around the world are
invited to loan works to the space (hence the “Friends” concept).

“We said we’ll take the risk, and exhibit, and we’ll support artists,
especially when they’re young,” Mr. Rosenblum said.

“We also show artists who are well-known abroad, but not necessarily
in France,” Ms. Rosenblum added, pointing out that as individuals,
they are able to take “the risks that institutions can’t.”

Within the last decade, internationally-minded initiatives by key
institutions and individuals in the Paris art scene – like the Palais
de Tokyo museum, which exhibits young artists; the Maison Rouge
foundation, overseen by the collector Antoine de Galbert; and the
young collector Guillaume Houze of Galerie des Galeries – have helped
to bring emerging artists from all over France into a wider public
view.

The Marcel Duchamp prize, created in 2000 by the Association for the
International Diffusion of French Art or Adiaf, which is chaired by
the French collector and art patron Gilles Fuchs, is another key tool
in bringing French artists to a wider audience. The prize is awarded
each year during the FIAC and winners, who include Laurent Grasso,
Cyprien Gaillard, Mircea Cantor and Tatiana Trouve, have gone on to
become global art stars. The winners receive (EURO)35,000, or about
$45,000, as well as a solo show at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, but,
more importantly, they also gain a wider international credibility.

Five laureates of the prize, for example, will be showing their work
at the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery from Nov. 29 through Jan. 7,
in conjunction with FLAX (France Los Angeles Exchange) an organization
that works in partnership with the Palais de Tokyo, the Adiaf and the
Los Angeles department of cultural affairs to connect emerging French
and Californian artists.

The FIAC’s success in recent years, meanwhile (this year over 65,000
visitors are expected to attend and more than 180 galleries),
continues to attract top international galleries and collectors,
providing a crucial opening for French galleries and artists looking
to break into the international scene.

“The FIAC’s new status is linked to the improved image of
contemporary art in France in recent years, and has almost certainly
pushed some art lovers to start collecting,” said Cyril Mercier, a
specialist on the French art scene whose doctoral thesis, completed
this year at the Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris III university, focused on
the role of collectors in the contemporary French art market. Mr.

Mercier said he had notably seen an increase in younger art collectors
in France, attracted to a contemporary art scene become more glamorous
since intertwining with the fashion and design world. And, he added,
many of these collectors take an activist role.

“Collectors are clearly becoming more involved in attempts to
distribute French contemporary art more widely throughout the world,”
said Mr. Mercier.

The French gallery owner Emmanuel Perrotin, who has long had
international ambitions for his artists, who include Sophie Calle,
Maurizio Cattelan and Xavier Veilhan, and who opened a new space in
Hong Kong in May and plans to open another in New York, said that it
has become increasingly easy to export French artists abroad. “I have
noticed an enormous evolution,” Mr. Perrotin said. But, he added,
French artists need gallerists or collectors who are willing to take
the risk to support them and, crucially, to provide them the means to
display their works internationally.

“I start on the principle that it will work,” he said of his
attitude toward working with new French artists. “You have to dare to
do it, and make other galleries want to take these artists as well.”

From: A. Papazian

THE LAST FALL OF THE PATRIARCH OR GOING TO JERUSALEM IS A MUST

Mediamax News Agency
Oct 17 2012
Armenia

In January 2000, I happened to witness an exceptional scene in
the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Three people were quietly
standing by the Star of Bethlehem – President of the Palestinian
Autonomy Yasser Arafat, President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan and
Catholicos of All-Armenians Garegin II. For me, it became one of the
most vivid proofs to the fact that we are a global nation.

The funeral of the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem Torgom Manukyan
will take October 22. It seems that the leaders of our state and church
only decided to send telegrams of condolence. Top officials or church
representatives weren’t announced to take part in the funeral of the
Patriarch in Jerusalem yet.

After the aggravation of the situation in Syria the disputes on what
Armenia can do for supporting the Armenian communities when they
find themselves in severe situations aren’t ceasing in Armenia. It’s
just the day now when not much is needed for supporting the Armenian
community of Jerusalem – the country’s and church leaders should just
get seated in the plane and set off there.

When the Armenian President visited Israel and Palestine in 2000,
Yerevan didn’t conceal that demonstration of moral support to
the Armenian community was one of his main goals. In particular,
spokesman for the President Vahe Gabrielyan said then that the issue
of Jerusalem’s status concerns all Armenians as the spiritual and
material values accumulated there belong to the whole Armenian people.

However, after the visit just a little was done and the Armenian
community of Jerusalem kept on shrinking in number and losing
influence. It’s clear that Armenia’s resources are limited and don’t
allow implementing big projects outside the country. It’s also clear
that Armenia’s such attempts can hardly make Israel happy. However,
one can always find ways to reach if not 100% but partial results if
he wants to.

We are proud of the presence we have in the Holy Land. Indeed,
one feels indescribable sensations while seeing Armenian clergymen
in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem or the Church of
the Nativity in Bethlehem. But one should fight for preserving these
riches. If none of Armenian leaders or leaders of the Armenian Church
go to the Patriarch’s funeral it will be definitely beneficial for
those who have “some intentions” on our heritage.

I suppose the support to the Armenian community in Jerusalem is of
special importance now when tremendous changes take place in the
Middle East. We can’t allow ourselves to reject the “card” called
the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem. Let’s not forget that the issue
of Armenian Quarter’s future became one of the principal issues that
Israeli and Palestinians couldn’t agree upon in Camp David in 2000.

I think the leaders of our state and church should go to Jerusalem to
say their last farewell to the Patriarch as he deserves and demonstrate
the whole world that we are protecting the interests of the Armenian
Quarter, Armenians living there and our heritage.

Otherwise, it will mean that the concept of “the Armenian world”
lacks real content.

Ara Tadevosyan is the Director of Mediamax.

From: A. Papazian

YEREVAN HOSTS WORLD TOURISM CONFERENCE

Vestnik Kavkaza
Oct 18 2012
Russia

Yerevan is hosting an international conference of the UN World Tourism
Organization today. A declaration will be passed, Armenian Deputy
Minister for Economy Ara Petrosyan said.

The conference will focus on common humanitarian values and cultural
diversity of the 21st century.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and UNWTO head Taleb Refai agreed
to hold the conference in Armenia last year.

Delegations will arrive from the US, Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece,
Czech Republic, Ukraine, Romania, Poland, Georgia and CIS states.

Armenia will also host a session of the CIS Council for Tourism.

Yerevan is hosting the session for the first time. It will be attended
by Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan
and Ukraine.

From: A. Papazian

AMERICAN ARMENIANS ARE NOT GOING TO SUPPORT ANY OF U.S. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

Mediamax News Agency
Oct 18 2012
Armenia

Interview of Armenian National Committee of America’s Executive
Director Aram Hamparian to Mediamax

– Presidential elections will be held in USA in a couple of weeks.

Whom will American Armenians support?

– If you do not see results you cannot see any special loyalty from
the part of the Armenian community. In Congress we have both many
Democrat and Republican friends and we support them very eagerly.

Though, in this presidential race neither candidate has either
demonstrated significant support for issues of special concern to
Armenians or reaches down in any special way to Armenians. Our support
to them is proportional to their support of us. If they have not
prioritized Armenian issues, then certainly we are not prioritizing
supporting their campaign.

– One of the main issues of the Armenian community in the USA is the
issue of the Armenian Genocide. On the one hand, we have Barack Obama,
whose position is clear and who prefers to use the term “Mets Yeghern”
instead of Genocide. On the other hand, there is Republican candidate
Mitt Romney, who has never touched upon this issue. So, who is more
preferable for the Armenian community in these conditions?

– Firstly, our disappointment with Obama is particularly sharp,
because he raised expectations so high. In his records and statements
he described the Bush administration’s policy as immoral, he attacked
the firing of Ambassador John Evans, he promised to recognize the
Armenian Genocide and said that America deserved the President who
would recognize it. So, our disappointment is again proportional to
his records. He promised one thing but delivered the exact opposite.

Secondly, Romney has not spoken on the issue as a candidate and I
think that this reflects the level of priorities. The reality is that
if we look at the record, they are not distinguishing themselves as
candidates and as a result there are no great differences between
them as a president. The sad reality is that we have had different
leadership in the White House over the years, they were from different
parties, gave different pledges and promises, but at the end they all
delivered the same things. And it means that this work should be done
on our part. We have got a majority at the US Congress ready to vote
for a Genocide Resolution, we have 42 US states that recognized the
Armenian Genocide. “New York Times, “Boston Globe” and “Associated
Press” have dramatically improved their approaches towards Genocide
as a historical fact. In the entertainment world you have books like
“Sandcastle Girls”, which is a bestseller nowadays; you have the film
“Ararat”, the band “System of a Down”, etc. The American culture
recognizes, embraces and condemns this crime with the one exception –
the White House. But the White House is part of the American civil
society that should respond to American citizens, but in reality it
is responding and giving in to threats from a foreign government. The
American state, movie producers, media, executives and all the civil
society can easily say “no” to Turkish threats and bribes to American
environment.

– We will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
in three years. What do you expect from this date?

– Our general approach remains permanent – to put America on the
right side of the Armenian Genocide issue. America should stand for a
truthful, just, comprehensive resolution on the Armenian Genocide. We
think that American support is a key in Turkish denial of this crime.

We started this process long time ago and we are going to continue
it to the end until our success.

Certainly, the 100th anniversary will draw a lot of attention, but
it does not alter the fundamental strategy, which is how we can end
Turkish denial of the truth, how we can end Turkish obstruction of
justice and how we can secure the Armenian nation. There are three
important components – end the denial of truth, stop the obstruction
of justice and guarantee the security, which Armenian people deserve.

We don’t want truth only and simply for the truth. It is not enough
to say “yes, it was Genocide” and even Turkey’s apology is not enough.

The truth is important because it leads to justice. Justice is
important because it leads to security.

The resolution on Genocide issue, firstly, would help ensure that
Turkey will never do such actions again and, secondly, it will restore
Armenian elements of viability, which were stolen. I mean water
resources, agriculture resources, transportation routes, security,
defensible borders, etc.

– We all remember that 4 years ago, when the normalization process
began and the Protocols appeared, the Armenian Diaspora was sharply
against them. We all remember large protest actions during Armenian
President’s Pan-Armenian tour. Many people said then that Armenia
and Diaspora have split. How would you assess the collaboration and
cooperation between the two sides today?

– The Protocols process was reckless and irresponsible on the part
of the Armenian government. I think it was clear to almost everybody
that this process was wrong. Almost everybody understood it then and
everybody understands it now. All benefits have gone to the Turkish
side and Turkish friends in Washington. They secured a concession on
the border, which Turkey did not deserve. They secured a concession
on the Genocide issue through the historic commission. They deferred
international recognition efforts by saying a dialogue was underway and
there was no need to recognize it. They saved President Obama from the
need to recognize the Genocide in the face of the obvious facts on his
own records; they gave him a way out. The beneficiaries of this process
are Turkey and Turkish allies. The Armenian side has received nothing.

I don’t think that anybody today would defend the Protocols. The
only good thing in this process is that it showed the common sense of
the Armenian people. The irresponsible policy of the government was
recognized and rejected by demonstrations and protests. They stood
up against it and I am proud of that.

I think that the whole process hopefully will teach the current and
future leaders of Armenia to abstain from reckless and irresponsible
actions.

– Let’s make it clear. Is the Diaspora against these concrete protocols
or against the normalization of relations with Turkey before Ankara’s
recognition of the Genocide?

– There are two elements. Everybody is for a dialogue, but the
question is how you define a dialogue. I would say that the terms
of the dialogue should be truthful, just – that is a comprehensive
resolution of the Armenian Genocide. That is the obvious fact. The
Armenian-Turkish relationships are defined not only by Genocide,
but predominantly by Genocide. It is a fundamental issue between two
nations. One nation nearly destroyed the other. One nation stole much
of the other’s assets. One nation killed a majority of the other’s
population. That’s why it is inescapable not to talk about it. It is
like talking about America’s relationships with Navajos or Cherokees
(American native tribes). This is also fundamental reality. They were
here first, they were displaced, killed and mistreated. To ignore
these facts is a fantasy and it does not serve America or those
tribes. The same is true in Armenian-Turkish relations.

Second, let’s reverse the issue of concessions. In the past Armenia
made a concession upfront on the border, on the historical commission,
on Genocide recognition and gave the President of the United States an
excuse in return for the future possibility of opening the border. I
think that was a stupid deal. In the future all the Turkish concessions
should be upfront concessions. Turkey should admit the Genocide,
Turkey should no longer teach its citizens that organizers of this
crime are heroes. Turkey should restore Armenian place names.

Turkey should do these things upfront and after it we will talk about
the things what Armenia should do.

-The other important issue is the US foreign AID (military and economic
assistance) to Armenia and Karabakh. How do you assess the volumes
of this aid and, what do you think, is the balance between Armenia
and Azerbaijan kept?

– The Congress has always led the effort for aid for Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh. Almost every year since Armenia’s independence the
Congress has asked for more than the Administration approved. The
Congress is a part that really drives that process. The aid for
Nagorno Karabakh was adopted by Congress already in opposition of
the Administration in 1990s. We appreciate American generosity but
we understand that this process is pushed and driven by the Congress,
not by the Administration.

We are very aggressive on economic and military aid package to Armenia
and direct aid to Karabakh. As you know, Congressman Adam Schiff in the
House proposed to increase the aid to Karabakh from $2 to $5 million,
which is excellent. But there are many steps yet. So we push very
aggressively on these issues.

But we consider that in a long-term perspective the future is not
aid but trade. That’s why we think that the US and Armenia need to
negotiate on some important trade agreements. I mean a trade and
investment framework agreement. It would set a permanent platform
for two countries to discuss trade issues all the year. Right now
they meet once a year and mostly discuss aid issues.

For example, we want to see a new double tax treaty, because the
treaty which exists now is very old. It can be very helpful for
business ties. Eventually we would like to see a free trade agreement.

There is some interest from Yerevan but unfortunately very little
interest from Washington, and we are very disappointed by that.

– Tell us about your cooperation with other powerful lobbyist groups
in Washington, particularly with the Jewish one.

– We have a lot of coalitions in America, including religious, ethnic
and human rights groups. We are close to the Greek, the Cypriot,
the Kurdish and the Syrian communities on issues dealing with Turkey,
religious rights and the Armenian Genocide.

There are some genocide groups. For instance, we actively cooperate
with them on issues dealing with Darfur, Sudan, Ruanda. There is a
whole range of ethnic groups from Africa.

In terms of the Jewish community, at the local level we have excellent
relations, but sadly some of large Washington-based organizations do
not take lead from their community, but take it from overseas. Sadly,
Israel has not had a good policy on the Armenian Genocide issue. This
issue should be treated like a moral issue, which is above politics.

But instead, they treated it as a political issue, which has been a
commodity in Turkish-Israeli relationships, that’s why some day it
is up, and some day it is down. Genocide is a moral issue and its
condemnation should be unconditional. I think the Jewish-American
community really appreciates it but not the Israeli government.

– Do you really believe that one day the United States will recognize
the Armenian Genocide?

– Yes, of course. America is a place where eventually we bring our
policies up to the level of our values. It just takes a long time
and hard work.

Let me give you one example. Smoking is very harmful for us and
everyone knows that. But there were very few laws against smoking in
America still 10 years ago. Why? Because the tobacco industry was
very strong. Their lawyers were very tough, legislators were very
strong and their lobby was very powerful.

But the fight against it has started. There appeared slogans and ideas,
for example, “companies should not lie” or “people should not die
because of smoking”. It took years work by citizens to overcome all
the power of tobacco industry. But they did it. It just takes time
and efforts and does not happen for free. The same thing is true for
the Armenian Genocide and for a lot of other issues.

Another great example is Apartheid. America has supported South
Africa for decades, it was a terrible policy, but eventually when
enough people protested against it, it became impossible.

Getting back to the issue of the Armenian Genocide, I am sure that
we are going on the right direction.

– What is your opinion about the “Safarov’s case” and the US reaction
to it?

– In my view, there are three levels in this issue. The first is the
immediate reaction which was quick and appropriate. The President,
the Department of State, a lot of Congress members and many other
nations condemned Aliyev. But two other things have not happened
yet. One is that it needs to result in concrete action. The first
concrete action we would seek is the end of all the military aid and
arms sales to Aliyev. America is not a major source of these things,
but anyway the symbolism is also very powerful.

In the broad sense, this case showed that the terms of the Karabakh
process should be changed. We always underline it and we understand
that it is unacceptable that Karabakh was placed under Azerbaijani
rule, but this event showed the world why it is unacceptable.

Aram Araratyan talked to Aram Hamparian.

From: A. Papazian

Zhoghovurd: First flight at Stepanakert airport due in the coming days

tert.am
10:38 – 20.10.12

Nagorno Karabakh Prime Minister Ara Harutunyan told the paper that the
first flight at Stepanakert airport is due to take place in the coming
days. The NKR PM says it will be a technical flight. He said it is
early to speak about passenger transportation.

Head of the NKR civil aircraft department Dmitry Adbashyan said that
there are still some small issues, but voiced hope that they will soon
be solved and by the end of the year the flights will be implemented
and Yerevan-Stepanakert flight will take place. The paper reminds that
in response to Azerbaijani threats, Serzh Sargsyan stated that he will
be the first passenger but now does not hurry to keep the promise.

As it is seen the Stepanakert airport is already ready for
exploitation. Asked whether Serzh Sargsyan is ready to implement his
promise, his spokesperson said mass media will be informed about it at
convenient time.

From: A. Papazian

Armenia’s Police chief warns law breaking bodyguards of punishment

tert.am
15:40 – 20.10.12

Chief of Armenia’s Police Vladimir Gasparyan considers the disarming
of bodyguards a normal phenomenon.

Speaking at a two-day workshop in Tsakhkadzor on Peculiarities of
Covering Police Activity, Gasparyan said the police are not disarming
the bodyguards but isolate them.

`The problem is that there are people trying to somehow self-sustain
but have chosen an unsuccessful way of doing it,’ he said.

The police chief said he cannot tolerate them violating the traffic
rules, driving cars on people, adding that they are fighting against
it.

He also stressed that there is no need to be surprised when the police
officer disarms his colleague. Gasparyan explained how people entered
the police system and then became bodyguards. `The principle is the
following – they brought their relatives, gave them weapons and job.
It is a crime. I warn against such things. About 100 people were
sacked, and will be sacked if such thing happens,’ he said.

The police chief said they want to clean the `old garbage.’

From: A. Papazian