Author: Babajanian Karo

GERMANY HOPES FOR ARMENIAN-TURKISH RECONCILIATION: FOREIGN MINISTER

20:28, 23 Oct 2014

Anna Nazaryan
Public Radio of Armenia

“We respect Armenia’s decision to join the Eurasian Economic Union
and hope that it will not hinder the development of relations with the
EU,” German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier said at a joint
press conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.

Touching upon the forthcoming Sargyan-Aliyev meeting scheduled for
October 27 the German FM voiced hope it would mark progress in the
process of settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

Edward Nalbndian said, in turn, Armenia is doing its best to achieve
a peaceful resolution of the issue, and I ready to move forward on
the basis of the statements adopted by the leaders of the co-chairing
countries. He added, however, that Azerbaijan has not demonstrated
such willingness so far.

As for the Armenian Turkish relations, Minister Steinmeier said
Germany hopes for certain signs of reconciliation.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Germany’s long road to partnership with
France after two world wars could serve as an example following the
1915 slaughter and exile of Armenians during World War I.

“When it comes to the bloody history of the 20th century, in which
Germany started two world wars, we should not present ourselves as
the schoolmasters,” he told reporters after talks with his Armenian
counterpart Edward Nalbandian in Yerevan. “But we can offer our
experience.”

He noted that he had also told Turkish leaders earlier this year
that Germany and France had worked hard to overcome the hatred of
previous generations.

“After a difficult century, we have reconciled by not keeping silent
about our historical responsibility” but by “working through the
horrific things that happened,” he said.

“If our experience can be helpful, we are ready to offer it,” he said,
citing youth exchange programs as one initiative that had helped to
build bridges. “But that must be decided here.”

Nalbandian said Armenia was ready to reduce tensions with Turkey but
insisted the ball was in Ankara’s court.

“Five years ago, on Armenia’s initiative, we started a process that led
to the signature of the Zurich protocols — to make the normalization
of our relations possible,” he said. “But Turkey is not respecting
these agreements.”

GERMANY OFFERS RECONCILIATION HELP TO ARMENIA, TURKEY

Global Post
Oct 23 2014

Germany’s foreign minister on Thursday offered Berlin’s experience
in post-war reconciliation to Armenia and Turkey to help them forge
peace a century after a World War I-era massacre.

On a visit to Yerevan, Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Germany’s long
road to partnership with France after two world wars could serve as an
example following the 1915 slaughter of Armenians during World War I.

“When it comes to the bloody history of the 20th century, in which
Germany started two world wars, we should not present ourselves as
the schoolmasters,” he told reporters after talks with his Armenian
counterpart Edward Nalbandian in Yerevan.

“But we can offer our experience.”

He noted that he had also told Turkish leaders earlier this year
that Germany and France had worked hard to overcome the hatred of
previous generations.

“After a difficult century, we have reconciled by not keeping silent
about our historical responsibility” but by “working through the
horrific things that happened”, he said.

“If our experience can be helpful, we are ready to offer it,” he said,
citing youth exchange programmes as one initiative that had helped
to build bridges.

“But that must be decided here.”

Nalbandian said Armenia was ready to reduce tensions with Turkey but
insisted the ball was in Ankara’s court.

“Five years ago, on Armenia’s initiative, we started a process that led
to the signature of the Zurich protocols — to make the normalisation
of our relations possible,” he said.

“But Turkey is not respecting these agreements.”

Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their forebears were killed in a
1915-1916 genocide by Turkey’s former Ottoman Empire.

Turkey categorically rejects the term genocide and argues that 300,000
to 500,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks died in civil strife
when Armenians rose up against their Ottoman rulers and sided with
invading Russian troops.

In April, Turkey’s then prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is now
president, expressed his condolences over the massacre of Armenians,
which he called “our shared pain”, but his overture was brushed aside
by Yerevan as insufficient.

Switzerland mediated between Armenia and Turkey in 2009, leading
to landmark pacts being signed in October that year in a first step
towards ending decades of hostility but the efforts soon stalled.

(AFP)

EU AND EBRD SUPPORT SMES IN ARMENIA TO ACCESS FINANCE AND ADVISE

Financial Services Monitor Worldwide
October 22, 2014 Wednesday

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and
the European Union (EU) issued statements today on the importance
of access to finance and access to know-how for the development of
small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Armenia.

“The development of SMEs is one of the priorities of the European
Union and a clear target in our cooperation in partner countries
like Armenia,” noted the Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation
to Armenia, Hoa-Binh Adjemian. “Programmes like the EBRD’s, which
specifically aim at promoting and improving the work of SMEs here
in an integrated way, are very important to achieving this aim. This
is only one of several projects and facilities that are available to
Eastern Partnership countries thanks to the European Union.”

The EU is currently a core donor to the EBRD’s advisory support
activities to support to development of sustainable private sector in
Armenia, which bring international best practice and local know-how
to benefit of local SMEs.

Mr Mark Davis, the Head of EBRD Yerevan Resident Office, said: “It
is necessary to develop viable private sector in Armenia that will
enhance the supply chain and exports”. To ensure the development of a
strong private sector, the EBRD in Armenia provides both finance and
know-how to SMEs, including business advice in how to access finance.

“This is very relevant for Armenia as, in terms of finance,” continues
Mr Davis, “the SME sector in Armenia is constrained specifically
by lack of equity: therefore, the development of an active capital
market is crucial for ensuring the further growth and development of
the local SMEs while leading them to a higher level of sophistication”.

At the same time EBRD’s vast experience with local enterprises at pre-
and post- investment stageshas shown that SMEs are often insufficiently
prepared to present themselves to potential investors.

Under the EU SME Flagship Initiative, the EBRD has invited Mr Gavin
Ryan, an international expert with over 25 years’ experience in
financial industry and private equity markets, to share his expertise
of exposing local SMEs to investment opportunities to grow and become
genuine catalysts for their local economies.Mr Ryan’s successful
experience as an investment banker in London and Tokyo with Nomura
Securities and HSBC Investment Bank, and his knowledge gained as a
private equity fund manager with Soros Investment Management will allow
obtaining the best practice knowledge and offering more sophisticated
tools to SMEs on engaging with investors. As Tigran Aghabekyan,
the National Programme Manager of the EBRD’s Small Business Support
team in Armenia said, “We believe that businesses in Armenia need
the professional know-how of experienced and qualified advisers to
better present themselves and engage with investors.

That’s where we come in. We connect businesses with qualified local
and international advisers, and offer consultants lots of opportunities
for continuous professional development”.

Another opportunity for such professional development is the
tailor-made course on Management Presentation / Investor Factsheet
Preparation for SMEs which Mr Ryan will deliver to financial advisers.

Mr Ryan said: “Both countries and companies are competing for the
attention of investors. A quality factsheet should stand out, capture
the attention of investors and make them curious to know more. It will
do this only by both containing credible information and by presenting
it well. The course will help financial advisers achieve this objective
and thus better serve their clients.” 2014 Global Data Point.

FRENCH PRESIDENT TO VISIT ARMENIA 2015 DUE TO SO-CALLED “ARMENIAN GENOCIDE”

Trend, Azerbaijan
Oct 23 2014

23 October 2014, 15:21 (GMT+05:00)

Trend:

French President Francois Hollande will visit Armenia in April 2015.

President Hollande will participate in the events of the 100th
anniversary of the so-called “Armenian genocide”, the Armenian media
reported Oct. 22 with reference to the French ambassador to Armenia
Henry Reynaud.

President Hollande said in Paris on April 24, 2014 that he will visit
Armenia on the same day of 2015. This statement was confirmed during
President Hollande’s visit to Armenia in May, the diplomat said.

Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that Turkey’s predecessor the
Ottoman Empire allegedly carried out ‘genocide’ against the Armenians
living in Anatolia in 1915.

While strengthening the efforts to promote the so-called “genocide” in
the world, Armenians have achieved its recognition by the parliaments
of some countries.

GERMAN FM: WE SEEK EU INVOLVEMENT IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

The Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency
Oct 23 2014

23.10.2014 [22:10]

Baku October 23, AzerTAc
German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier
has said his country wants to find a lasting solution to the
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and seeks the European
Union`s involvement in the dispute`s mediation along with the OSCE
Minsk group.

Speaking to a press conference following his meeting with Azerbaijani
FM Elmar Mammadyarov, Mr. Steinmeier said: “We would like to play a
role in the settlement of the conflict. Newly appointed EU Special
Representative for the South Caucasus Herbert Salber is an experienced
German diplomat.”

He said Germany is keen to expand its cooperation with all Eastern
Partnership countries, including Azerbaijan. “From a strategic point
of view, Azerbaijan is an important country between the East and the
West, and plays the role of a bridge. Azerbaijan is also an important
country in terms of energy, and plays a profound role in ensuring
European energy security.”

Mr. Steinmeier said Azerbaijan is the only country in the region,
where Russia and Germany have foreign chambers of commerce. “This
is a strong signal of the expansion of our economic relations. The
Southern Gas corridor, in turn, opens great opportunities for the
development of our bilateral cooperation,” he added.

FM Mammadyarov said: “During our private and expanded meetings with
the German Minister we discussed the issues of mutual interest.” “We
also discussed educational cooperation, and regional issues,” he added.

EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE SAYS SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH PROBLEM IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR EU

The Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency
Oct 23 2014

23.10.2014 [21:09]

EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Herbert Salber has
said the organization attaches a particular importance to finding a
solution to the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“Settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is very important for the
European Union,” Mr. Salber told chairman of “Azerbaijani Community
of Nagorno-Karabakh” Public Union Bayram Safarov.

He said the EU backs soonest and peaceful settlement of the dispute
Mr. Safarov expressed regret that “international organizations took
a double standard approach to the problem of Azerbaijan”.

“Unfortunately, the organizations which have to demonstrate a resolute
position on the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict still remain committed to their double standards,” he noted.

Mr. Safarov said the conflict must be settled only in compliance
with international legal norms and within Azerbaijan`s territorial
integrity.

“So we are waiting for both the European Union and other international
organizations to show resoluteness. Azerbaijan supports peace and
we want peace in Azerbaijan, in the South Caucasus and in the whole
world.”

He also stressed the need for close involvement of the European
Union in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. “Building
a EU-supported dialogue between the communities, ensuring active
participation of the parties in programs and projects of the
organization is important in terms of solving the conflict,” Mr.

Safarov added.

NAREK GALSTYAN: NO OLIGARCH CAN BECOME OPPOSITIONIST

Friday,
October
24

“No oligarch can become an oppositionist. I am sure that Prosperous
Armenia Party will not be able to bring about systemic changes in
the country,” the chairman of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
Narek Galstyan told reporters.

He said the country is in need of systemic changes. “However, I
think that the speeches made during a rally cannot change anything
in Armenia if clear actions are absent. In any case, we need to hear
speeches and see what happens,” Galstyan noted.

TODAY, 15:40

Aysor.am

TURKISH JOURNALISTS VISITED THE GENOCIDE MUSEUM-INSTITUTE

October 24 2014

Aravot.am informed that it takes in the Eurasia Partnership
Foundation and EU financial supported program “Support to Armenia
– Turkey normalization process”, under which the Armenian and
Turkish journalists are holding a two-week bus tour to Turkey and
Armenia. The group of journalists are already in Armenia, and on the
first day, they visited the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute and
also the Genocide Memorial. The Turkish journalists were told that
currently there are repair works going on in the Museum-Institute,
also preparation work ahead to the Genocide Centennial, therefore, the
whole collection of the museum is not displayed. Nevertheless, a small
part of the collection was presented to the participants, which was
describing the period of genocide execution by Turks. The journalists
also met with Hayk Demoyan, the Director of the Armenian Genocide
Museum-Institute. In the conversation with him, one of the Turkish
journalist was interested to know whether the archives are available
to outside researchers. Hayk Demoyan replied, “We have nothing to
hide.” He said that many people come here to study the theme for the
Museum is also a place to study the history of others. In the future,
the equipped and supplemented Museum-Institute, according to Mr.

Demoyan, will also try showing the feelings of the people who have
passed through the genocide, some of them survived and others did not.

One of the Turkish journalists was interested to know whether people
in Armenia would also like the Turkish archives to be opened for
studying the historical facts. Mr. Demoyan replied that we would like
to have access to some ratification documents or their copies, but
Turkey does not allow even the researchers of Turkey to be acquainted
with them. The fear of the Turkish journalist that perhaps they are
destroyed, Mr. Demoyan replied that if they are destroyed, then
it is pity, because the loss for studying the history of the two
nations would be irreversible. However, according to Mr. Demoyan,
if Turkey does not want to open the archives and make them available,
it means that it hides something. Speaking about the Armenian Genocide,
Hayk Demoyan mentioned, “Recognition of the Genocide is an important
prerequisite for having genuine reconciliation between the two
countries.” According to Mr. Demoyan, Turkey does not recognize the
Armenian Genocide, because it fears of the psychological collapse,
changing the history provided over the years, and as a result,
the psychological complexes occurred in people. “It is necessary to
overcome this psychological complex,” said Mr. Demoyan, adding that
we should try to find the historical truth, and not to deny or hide it.

Hripsime HOVHANNISYAN Photo by Sona ADAMYAN

Read more at:

FAMOUS ARMENIANS KILLED BY THE SOVIET AUTHORITIES (VIDEO)

Lragir.am
Society – 24 October 2014, 12:28

As it is known, more than 7000 Armenians were killed in the Soviet
Union as a result of executions and inhumane conditions in prisons.

The video presents the most well-known 20 Armenians which were victims
of the Soviet authorities.

ARMENIA EX-DEPUTY PM TO MANAGE EDUARDO EURNEKIAN’S BUSINESSES?

00:06, 24.10.2014

YEREVAN. – The Armenian News-NEWS.am’s sources have informed that
Armenia’s previous Deputy Prime Minister and Territorial Administration
Minister, Armen Gevorgyan, is spending vacation in Europe, and he
will start a new job upon his return.

According to our information, numerous options were discussed as to
Gevorgyan’s next employment.

The Armenian News-NEWS.am’s sources, however, have informed that, in
all likelihood, he will remain in Armenia and assume the management
of the businesses of renowned Argentinean-Armenian businessman,
Eduardo Eurnekian.

Armenia News – NEWS.am