Author: Babajanian Karo

Yezidis emigrated to Turkey expressed a desire to be moved to Armenia

September 2 2014

The 100 thousand dollars provided by the Government of Armenia to
Iraqi Yezidi refugees still has not reached the recipients. This was
said by the Head of “Sinjar” Yezidi National Union, Boris Murazi, in
the conversation with Aravot.am, who returned last night from the
Turkish border, where the camps of Yezidi refugees displaced from Iraq
are deployed. Boris Mirazi was not interested in the destiny of 100
thousand dollars being convinced that it is on the way as it was
transferred through the UN High Commissioner for Refugees office.
Recall that our government assisted Yezidi after the incident when on
August 14, thousands of Yezidis raised a big protest in front of the
government building in protest, accusing the Government of Armenia in
neglect. In the conversation with us, Murazi said that the Yezidi
refugees are expressing a desire to be moved to Armenia knowing that
Yezidis are well treated in our country, but they are unable to do it,
as there is a road issue. Whereas the Armenian authorities had not
proceeded the verbal appeal of the Head of “Sinjar” Union, urging to
submit the appeal in writing. “I do not understand why, in fact, when
submitting in writing, it will take a long time,” said Mr. Mirazi. To
our question whether there were people among these refugees who have
relatives in Armenia, the Head of the Union said that there are no
close relative to Yezidis in Armenia, but there are relatives of the
same big family. Boris Mirazi and his colleagues have taken food and
clothing to Yezidi refugees moved to Turkey. According to him, the
Turkish authorities have provided Yezidi refugees with food, but the
problem of shelter is still not solved, people spend overnight in the
street. The matter, according to the Head of the Union, is about more
than 20 thousand refugees.

Lusine BUDAGHYAN
Read more at:

The 6th Pan-Armenian Barbeque Festival will be held in Akhtala on 6 September

by Karina Manukyan

ARMINFO
Tuesday, September 2, 16:36

The 6th Pan-Armenian Barbeque Festival will be held in Akhtala on 6
September. The festival traditionally attracts a big number of guests.
Last year, nearly 5,000 people attended the event.

Sedrak Mamulyan, Head of the Public Organization for Development and
Preservation of Traditional Armenian Cuisine, told ArmInfo not only
the festival will involve Armenian restaurants, but also teams from
Georgia and the Armenian Defense Ministry. As many as 24 pavilions
will be opened during the festival.

The teams will be competing with their BBQ and other dishes enjoying
the music by The Beautified Project rock band. The guests will also
enjoy theatrical performances and folk songs. The Armenian Defense
Ministry Orchestra will open the event.

The participants will compete for victory in the following 10
nominations: Best Taste, Best Idea, Best Look, Best Pavilion, as well
as the People’ Choice Award and the Grand Prize. According to
Mamulyan, the BBQ – winner of the Grand Prize will be set to auction,
with the proceeds to be used for charity.

Artak Zakaryan: Turkey’s efforts cannot help resolve Karabakh conflict

by Nana Martirosyan
Tuesday, September 2, 16:27

If Armenia were a country committed to the policy of ‘revenge,’ it
would not initiate the process of Armenian-Turkish reconciliation,
Artak Zakaryan, Head of the Armenian Parliament Committee for Foreign
Affairs, told ArmInfo when commenting on Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu’s latest statement claiming that Yerevan is allegedly
committed to the policy of revenge in the relations with Ankara.

“It is Turkey that takes no specific actions to normalize the
relations with Armenia and torpedoes the process,” Zakaryan said.

He recalled that the foreign policy course of Ankara and Davutoglu
calls for “Zero problems with neighbors,” while the problems with the
neighbors have not been settled. Quite the contrary, now Turkey has
even more problems with its neighbors.

“Turkey, particularly, Davutoglu, should think over it and seek the
cause in Ankara’s policy,” he said. As for Davutoglu’s statement
suggesting that Ankara will do everything to resolve the Karabakh
conflict, Zakaryan said: “Turkey’s efforts will not help resolve the
Karabakh conflict.”

Newly appointed Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said
introducing the policy of the new government that Ankara’s foreign
policy priority in the Caucasus is settlement of the regional
conflict, establishment of peace and reduction of tensions.

To this end, he said, Ankara will do everything to end “occupation of
Azerbaijani lands and Nagorno Karabakh,” as well as reduce tensions
between Armenia and Azerbaijan and establish peace in the region.
Davutoglu said that Ankara will continue “the steps towards
normalization of relations with Armenia.”

He said Turkey does not anticipate historical revenge from Armenia,
but search for the ways of cooperation and revealing justice in
response to Ankara’s “progressive offers”.

“MP entrepreneurs do not want to legalize the business and occupy
Russian market.”

September 2 2014

When the shipment of a number of European, American and other
countries’ products to Russia was embargoed, some Armenian officials,
economists and entrepreneurs announced with confidence that new
opportunities for Armenian manufacturers are opened up in the Russian
market. Meanwhile, the 2nd President of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, had
expressed another opinion about the Russian embargo. In the interview
to Moscow-based “Noev Kovcheg” Armenian newspaper as of August 28, Mr.
Kocharyan, in particular, has said, “Generally, it’s a great delusion
to think that Armenia’s economy can benefit from the sanctions.” Mr.
Kocharyan mentioned that, for instances, the Armenian exporters of
agricultural products can significantly expand the volume of exports
to Russia, but to be strengthen in the market for a long-run, they
must produce quality and cost competitive products. Chairman of
Republican Union of Employers of Armenia, Gagik Makaryan, was among
the first who announced that Russian sanctions provide new
opportunities to Armenian producers, so Aravot.am asked Mr. Makaryan
how he will comment on the 2nd president’s opinion. “Our words do not
contradict each other, really, we should think about how to increase
the quantity and quality. Many of our products’ quality is not bad, a
number of products have international certificates. However, there are
2 ways to attract the markets of big states: either low-cost,
high-quality and large quantity of goods, or the costly, less
quantity, but intellectual, value added products. Let’s say, special
type of organic food, special food flavors, food, but when exporting
ordinary wine, soft drinks, canned food, and cognac, they must know
very well that there are products there imported from Chilly, Moldova,
Belarus, Turkey, and Azerbaijan, and how you can compete with them.”
Under this type of competition, according to Gagik Makaryan, the
Armenian manufacturers should ensure a certain quantity because Russia
is a big country and their major supermarkets have monthly consumption
of Armenian quantity. And if our manufacturers do not ensure the
quantity for a moment, they no longer would be interested by Russia as
a partner. “So, my words and the words by the former president do not
contradict each other. Yes, he is right saying that these problems
should be solved. During our meeting, the Prime Minister, Hovik
Abrahamyan, was trying to motivate the manufacturers, if necessary,
they must increase the production volume, take loans, and the
producers must be flexible, not to stay idle, work quickly, and take
subsidized loans from the state,” said Mr. Makaryan. To the question
of Aravot.am of whether our producers are encouraged and interested,
the economist said, “No, they are not particularly encouraged, because
some manufacturers are deputies of the National Assembly, or are
working under the cover of, let’s say, brotherhood, friendship, and
party, and under the conditions of such “warmth”, they feel good; they
are working in semi-shadow and semi-legal conditions, it is a hardship
for them to start legalizing and issuing a certification for the
product, they should make efforts, run back and forth, they do not
want it.” Nevertheless, as said by Mr. Makaryan, there are some
manufacturers who are already taking steps to be expanded in the
Russian market, and the Employers’ Union supports them in finding
partners.

Nelly BABAYAN
Read more at:

Anelik bank joins Sigue Money Transfer

YEREVAN, September 2. / ARKA /. Armenia-based Anelik Bank said today
it has joined the Sigue Money Transfer system, formerly known as
CoinStar.

The bank’s customers in more than 100 countries will be able to send
and receive remittances without account opening. The lowest commission
is 1.3% of the remitted amount. Money transfers from Armenia may be
made in US dollars and euros, and received also in Russian rubles.

Astkhik Martirosyan, a bank press officer, was quoted as saying in a
press release that the bank’s clients are actively using money
transfer systems, and the bank is trying to provide them with the
widest choice of services.

She said Sigue Money Transfer is the fourth money transfer system the
bank has joined this year. The bank’s partners in this area are
IntelExpres, Tandem Transfers, Avers, Anelik and MoneyGram “systems.

Anelik bank is owned fully by Lebanese CreditBank. As of June 30 the
bank’s assets stood at 69.2 billion drams, a 15.3 percent surge from
the beginning of the year. Its liabilities stood at 56.9 billion drams
(a 21.3% rise), the capital was worth 12.3 billion drams (a decline of
6.2%) and its credit investments were 47 billion. drams (a 21.9%
growth). ($ 1 – 411.26 drams). -0

Relations with Armenia a hot point on new Turkish Government’s agenda

13:23 02.09.2014

Turkey’s new Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu revealed the government’s
agenda Monday and said the foreign policy vision is for “peace” and
“open dialogue,” the Turkish Weekly reports.

The government’s foreign policy goals were read as “Turkey being an
actor who contributes to the solution of global problems” and the
provider of “an effective, just, versatile and respected foreign
policy.”

Relations between Turkey and Armenia are a hot point on the foreign
policy agenda. The agenda said one of the crucial points of Turkey’s
normalization process with Armenia is the “handling of tensions
between Armenia and Azerbaijan, a Turkic country situated at the
crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia.”

Armenia able to export up to 120,000 tons of agricultural produce to
Russia in 2015

YEREVAN, September 2. /ARKA/. Armenia is able to bring its
agricultural exports to Russia up to 100-120,000 tons next year,
compared to about 64-65,000 this year, having in mind the recent
Russian embargo, head of Armenia’s Union of Local Manufacturers Vazgen
Safaryan said.

But decisive measures should be taken to ensure this, he told a press
conference on Tuesday.

According to the expert, investments should be made in agriculture and
greenhousing in particular, free economic zones should be created at
border villages, rural loans shall be subsidized and tax burden should
be eased for producers, he said.

There are currently some 140,000 plots of land in the country and
agricultural cooperatives need to be set up to ensure efficient
cultivation, according to Safaryan.

If these measures are carried out to the fill extent, Armenia will be
able to raise its exports to Russia by some $70-80 million, he said.

According to ArmStat, Armenia’s foreign trade with Russia amounted to
$596 million in the first half of this year, a reduction of 0.5%
compared to the same period of 2013. Armenia’s exports to Russia were
about $133.9 million, a 6.4% decrease. Meantime, Armenia’s imports
from Russia stood at $462 million in the period, a 1.4% increase.

Russia’s president Vladimir Putin introduced a ban on certain
agricultural import items against the countries that applied sanctions
on Russia over Ukraine. The embargo list includes beef, pork, fruits,
poultry, cheese and milk products. -0–

Border incidents proved that Karabakh is strong and invincible

September 2, 2014 10:31

Nagorno-Karabakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan issued a
congratulatory address on the Artsakh Republic Day.

The Central information Department of the Office of the Presidentof
the Nagorno Karabakh Republic informed “Artsakhpress” that the
President’s address runs as follows:

“On behalf of the authorities and personally myself, I cordially
congratulate everybody on the most significant holiday in our country
– the Day of the Artsakh Republic.

“September 2, 1991 was a turning point in the life of the Artsakh
people, and it became the starting point in realizing our century-long
dreams. It marked the birth of the Artsakh Republic, which was the
outcome of our people’s long struggle and strong will. We finally
gained our right to live freely and independently in our land, and in
accordance with the universal human and national values, democratic
norms, and international principles.

“On that path we faced both severe challenges and gained great
victories, which were attained at the cost of incredible losses and
hardships, the blood shed by our heroic sisters and brothers. These
were made possible due to the unity and consolidation of all
Armenians, the unwavering spirit and self-devotion of our nation.

“The incidents, which took place at the Azerbaijani-Karabakh border
precisely one month ago, proved that the Artsakh Republic is strong
and invincible, since it is protected by the soldier defending his
land and home and the whole Armenian nation. It was so during those 23
years, so it will be from now on.

“Dear compatriots:

“I congratulate you once again and wish peace, great health, happiness
and all the best to your families, and strength and prosperity to our
native land Artsakh,” the NKR President’s message reads.

Artsakhpress.am

– See more at:

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Sept 1 2014

Fatih Akın’s movie on the Armenian question

AHMET HAKAN

I watched Fatih Akın’s film `The Cut,’ and there is no reason why
this film should not be released in Turkey.

Yes, there are disturbing scenes: there is rape, there is slaughter.
Yes, the atrocities committed by the Turks are present.

But this film is not one that attempts to stamp or abuse all of these
issues. It is not trying to say: `Look, what kind of genocidal people
these Turks are.’

There are good Turks also in the film, there are signs in the film
that the massacres were not systematic. There are references in the
film that most of the rapes and massacres stemmed from deserters. The
film also shows how Turks were subject to attacks while leaving
Arabian lands. There are outcries in the film that cruelty and
brutality does not have a race.

There are of course deficiencies in the film. The biggest one is that
the film does not say one word concerning why the Ottoman
administration of the time launched those unacceptable practices
against the Armenians.

In the film, everything starts in 1915.

Director Fatih Akın, on this shortcoming, said, `I did not make a
genocide movie. I am telling the story of an Armenian ironsmith from
Mardin who has no knowledge of any political development. I viewed the
events from his window. For him, everything started in 1915. That’s
the reason I started there.’

Only the first 40 minutes of the film depict `the atrocities the Turks
committed against the Armenians.’ The rest focuses on the man
searching for his family, a journey that starts in the Middle East and
takes him all the way to Cuba and the United States.

We can say this film is more of a `search film.’

The English name of the film is `The Cut.’ It will be released in
Turkey as `Kesik’ (The Cut).

Tahar Rahim, the French actor of Algerian descent, does a good job in
portraying the Armenian ironsmith from Mardin. Also featuring in the
film is the actor of Armenian descent, Kevork Malikyan, who was born
in Diyarbakır.

The soundtrack of the film is also very good. Armenian requiems and
lullabies are abundant throughout the movie.

This film is very much out of the box compared to Akın’s other movies.
It has an epic style that tries to move you, make you think and be
poignant. He attempts to produce a movie similar to Roman Polonski’s
`Pianist,’ but fails in my opinion.

The film is 2 hours 28 minutes in length. It is an expensive film as
well, costing around $15 million, which is three times more expensive
than his last movie. Still, the setting, cinematography and costumes
are perfect.

All the Armenians in the film speak English. Turks, on the hand, speak
Turkish. Well, the Arabs are also speaking Arabic, but the fact that
Armenians speak English seems to generate a prejudice from the start.
Fatih Akın said the Armenians in the film were speaking English
because of technical reasons.

The festival audience liked the film. There was a long applause after
it ended. An Armenian woman sitting next to me could not stop crying
throughout the movie.

However, film critics did not like the movie that much.

Among the viewers was Hrank Dink’s widow, Rakel Dink. I asked her how
she liked it. She said, `It was moving. I cried during the whole
movie. It was depicted beautifully, the actors were perfect. I hope
this film causes empathy.’

Fatih Akın said, `The German press is writing and concluding that this
film will not be shown in Turkey, that Turks would not allow it. We
should not confirm these comments. This film has to be released in
Turkey.’

The director also said this about the film’s release in Turkey: `This
is a movie… Let people watch it and then they can react after
watching the film. Those who do not like it or who oppose it should
come out and do so. But, prejudice should not be the only motivation,
without watching it. That is my only wish.’

September/02/2014

Armenian trucks stranded at Lars, while Georgia says highway is open

20:23 | September 1,2014 | Social

The information provided by the Armenian and Georgian sides on the
situation on Stepantsminda-Lars highway is not the same. According to
the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia, the highway is only
closed for trucks.

However, the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of
Georgia, in a telephone conversation with the correspondent of A1+
Company said that the highway is open for all vehicles.

Traffic is still one-sided but the Georgian side says it has not
caused serious traffic jams.

In the meantime, the chairman of the Association of International Road
Carriers of Armenia says the closed highway undermines the development
prospects of our economy. Herbert Hambardzumyan says Armenian trucks
are stuck at Upper Lars right now.