Author: Babajanian Karo

MONSEIGNEUR MARGOS HOVHANNISSIAN, NOUVEAU PRIMAT DU DIOCESE ARMENIEN

Ukraine

A la suite du decès de monseigneur Grigoris Bouniatyan, le Catholicos
Karekine II a nomme a la tete du diocèse d’Ukraine de l’Eglise
armenienne l’eveque Margos Hovhannissian, precedemment en charge du
diocèse du Kegharkounik (siège a Gavar). Age de 42 ans, Mgr Margos
est originaire de la region d’Ani (village de Partsrachen). Au terme
de ses six annees d’etudes a l’academie de theologie d’Etchmiadzine,
il a ete ordonne diacre en 1996.

De 1998 a 2000, il accomplit ses obligations militaires dans l’armee
armenienne.

Rendu a la vie civile, il est ordonne hieromoine en 2000.

En 2001 et 2002, il exerce son ministère dans le diocèse de Russie,
puis devient recteur de l’eglise saint Gregoire l’illuminateur de Riga
(Lettonie).

2003 : admission a l’Academie de Theologie saint Tikhon de Moscou.

2005 : soutenance de sa thèse > dont le siège est a Astana (Khazakstan).

2009 : nomination au >, equivalent du > de la Republique d’Armenie.

Mgr Hovahanissian est aussi president du conseil de la

“WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO ASK FOR ANYTHING HAD THE ARMENIAN POLICE DONE ITS JOB”: DISCUSSION ON GYUMRI MURDER CASE

04.02.2015 17:04 epress.am

On April 2, a public discussion organized by “Media Center” was to
take place at the Journalists’ Club “Asparez” in Gyumri, with the
participation of the representatives of the victim’s successor in the
Avetisyan family murder case, human rights defenders, representatives
of the public sector, as well as authorized persons from the RA
General Prosecutor’s office. However, minutes before the session the
Prosecutor’s office informed that they could not send a representative.

During the discussion, the representative of the victim’s legal
successor, Lusine Sahakyan said that the results of forensic
examinations obtained to date indicate Russian soldier Valery
Permyakov’s guilt, but the main issue is – what was the motive behind
this brutal murder?

Human rights defender Artur Sakunts, another representative of the
victim’s legal successor, said that the existing factual circumstances
were not enough to answer that question. According to Sakunts, it is
also unclear as to how it was possible that nobody nearby had heard
those many shots fired, not even the witness who was 5 meters from
the scene of the crime.

In turn, lawyer Yervand Varosyan stated that their side is unaware
of the kind of correspondence between the Armenian and Russian
prosecutors’ offices, so they could not make any comments.

According to Lusine Sahakyan, it is humiliating for Armenia when
Russian officials are the ones declaring when the Armenian side should
complete the preliminary investigation.

“The reason we are gathered here today, discussing things, while some
Lebedevs come and give out orders is due to the fact that Permyakov
was not captured by our police. We would not have to ask or demand
anything from anyone, had the Armenian Police done its job,” Yervand
Varosyan said.

Permyakov’s testimonies given both to the Armenian and Russian
investigators should be compared to the scene investigation protocol,
he added. It would show whether he was at the scene that day, or is
giving testimonies based on someone else’s words.

Six members of the Avetisyan family were murdered on January 12 in
their Gyumri home. The family’s seventh member, 6-month-old Seryozha
Avetisyan, who had serious injuries, was transferred to the hospital
and died 7 days later. Russian soldier Valery Permyakov is the central
murder suspect of the case and was arrested on January 13th near the
Armenian-Turkish border and was handed over to the Russian military
base by Russian border guards. The latter stimulated a protest of
thousands of people in Gyumri demanding his transfer to Armenian
law enforcement.

NEW PRODUCTION LINE FOR ARMOR AND MILITARY EQUIPMENT OPENS IN ARMENIA

18:40, 2 April, 2015

YEREVAN, 2 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. A new production line for armor and
military equipment has opened in Armenia. Minister of Defense of
the Republic of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan attended the official opening
ceremony of the production line on April 2.

As the Public Relations Service of the Ministry of Defense of the
Republic of Armenia reports to “Armenpress”, Minister of Defense
Seyran Ohanyan stated that the production line would provide the
opportunity to pay close attention to the upgrading of the special
military devices, armor and military equipment of the Anti-Air Defense,
which is one of the most important and most efficient subdivisions
of the Armenian army. In addition, there would be new jobs, and this
will contribute to the solutions to social and economic issues facing
the Republic of Armenia.

PRESENTACION DEL NUEVO EMBAJADOR ARGENTINO ANTE LA COMUNIDAD ARMENIA

2.4.15

En la noche del martes 1° de abril se presento al flamante embajador
de Argentina en Armenia, el Dr. Gonzalo Urriolabeitia, ante dirigentes
y representantes de la comunidad armenia.

“Ser embajador en Armenia es algo muy particular porque voy a
representar no solo a los argentinos, sino tambien a los armenios
que viven en la Argentina, que tambien son argentinos”, expreso
Urriolabeitia, en el acto del que participaron tambien la consul de
la embajada de Armenia, Ester Mkrtumyan, el embajador de Armenia en
Argentina, Alexan Harutiunian, y el arzobispo Kissag Mouratian.

“La flor que usted deposite en memoria de nuestros martires, estara
dedicada a quienes cayeron para que la armenidad perdure. En ese
momento nuestro corazon latira junto al suyo”, dijo Alberto Djeredjian,
representante de la Institucion Administrativa de la Iglesia Armenia.

El abogado Gonzalo Urriolabeitia había sido confirmado como el nuevo
embajador de Argentina en Armenia por medio del decreto 307/2015
publicado en el Boletín Oficial, firmado por la presidenta Cristina
Fernandez de Kirchner y el canciller Hector Timerman.

Urriolabeitia reemplazara a Diego Álvarez Rivera, uno de los
organizadores de la importante mision comercial a Armenia que llevo
a cabo la Secretaría de Comercio Exterior argentina en 2013, de la
cual participaron una gran cantidad de empresarios.

El flamante embajador fue uno de los que recibio en noviembre de 2013
a la delegacion de parlamentarios armenios que visitaron el país.

Ademas, Urriolabeitia fue encargado de prensa en la embajada de Brasil
entre 2002 y 2008, y luego trabajo en la Cancillería argentina a
partir del 2010 en la Direccion de Asuntos Parlamentarios. Estudio
en el Instituto del Servicio Exterior de la Nacion y se recibio de
abogado en la Universidad Catolica de La Plata.

ANDREY ARESHEV: KARABAKH-RELATED HUMANITARIAN INITIATIVES FROM RUSSIA COULD BE USEFUL

ArmInfo’s interview with Andrey Areshev, editor-in-chief of the
website of the Scientific Society of Caucasiologists

by Ashot Safaryan

Thursday, April 2, 14:21

Mr. Areshev, president of Armenia has recently addressed the issue of
Russian arms deals with Azerbaijan calling it a problem that needs
to be settled. Do you think Armenia has any levers to influence the
situation? Would you comment on the president’s statement on the
issue that had not been voiced at such high level before?

I don’t think that this issue has not been voiced earlier, though,
over the past few days the topic of the arms supply has been voiced
more often, which is obviously explained by the escalated tension in
the Karabakh conflict zone. Official Baku has obviously got its own
reasons to exert constant pressure on the Armenian side and I think
that the “weapon” cooperation between Moscow and Baku is not a key
factor here. In this light, I would like to note that Moscow had
military and technical interaction with both Yerevan and Baku over
the previous years as well, however, the death toll on the frontline
has sharply risen within months.

I think the main solution to the problems is the political dialogue
between Russia and Armenia at the level of the Presidents, Governments,
Parliaments, and civil society structures. Much is still to be done
in this regard, though intensification of bilateral contacts is
evident. Of course, not everyone likes it.

One of the key motives of Armenia accessing the EEU was the security
component. However, tensions on the Karabakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact
and on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border escalated in January and keep
growing. This has become a bargaining card for the opponents of the
EEU. What do you think about it?

Armenia has recently been experiencing an alarming trend. The authors
of a number of publications are linking not only the security problems
but also the imbalances in the socio-economic development with the
fact of Armenia’s accession to the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).

However, those who think so obviously are playing cunning.

Those criticizing Armenia’s EEU course suggest replacing the EEU
membership with a closer integration into the European “neighborhood
system” and the North-Atlantic security structures, which envisage
partnership with Turkey. However, the possible consequences are vivid
through the example of present-day Bulgaria at least.

I think it is quite obvious that the current security system in the
South Caucasus may change only in case the Armenian leadership adopts
a Karabakh problem resolution scheme that meets the logic of official
Baku. It is impossible to say that openly, this is why they invent
various kinds of unrealistic schemes.

Nevertheless, I am also concerned about the attempts to split the
Armenian society on political or any other grounds. This runs counter
to Russia’s interests because it directly destabilizes the situation
in the region (even via “thawing” of the Karabakh conflict).

Russia will keep supporting Armenia both in the framework of bilateral
relations and in the process of adaptation to the EEU rules. In the
meantime, Armenia remains an independent state within the EEU and
contributes to formation of a favorable economic environment and
implementation of joints projects, even with the western, Chinese
and other investors.

Certainly, the participation in the macro-regional integration unions
implies delegation of a certain share of state sovereignty to the
supranational bodies (in the EEU to a small extent than in the EU,
by the way), but Russia is unlikely to need weak allies.

U.S. Department representatives call on Armenia to display a
“humanitarian gesture” and set free two Azerbaijani saboteurs. Do
you see there any preconditions for exerting pressure on Yerevan?

The United States as usually gives various signals that can be
interpreted as both support and pressure. All this is a method of
manipulation. Pressure on Yerevan and Stepanakert like on Baku will
continue through both ‘soft’ and tough methods depending on the
specifics of a problem and the country.

Russia is not an exception, by the way. However, in Russia they
realize that provoking the counteragent with ones own weakness is,
to put it mildly, not the best way to respond.

Don’t you think Russia’s stand too inert amid the upsurge in tension
in the conflict zone? Moscow could join the call for release of the
Azerbaijani raiders as a humanitarian gesture. Don’t you think so?

It appears to me that Russia could make initiatives of humanitarian
nature that would at least partially stabilize the situation in the
conflict zone. It could be assistance in repatriation of captives
(I don’t mean saboteurs and terrorists, indeed), improvement of the
ceasefire monitoring mechanisms and so on.

Maybe, Moscow’s diplomatic efforts in the Caucasus are certainly
impeded by other challenges and the status of the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chair that implies actions within certain frameworks. It is not
a secret that problems are intentionally created not only along our
borders, but also inside the country. Nevertheless, it is high time
for a more active stand in the Karabakh peace process, at least in
settlement of local problems.

LA COUR EUROPEENNE CONDAMNE L’ARMENIE

Droits de l’homme

La Cour europeenne des droits de l’homme a condamne les autorites
armeniennes a une amende de 71 000 euros pour avoir torture et
effectue d’autres > a quatre citoyens
armeniens en detention.

La Cour de Strasbourg a egalement declare illegale l’interdiction
gouvernementale de mai 2008 de la manifestation contre la brutalite
policière.

La plupart des dommages ordonnees par la Cour, 62 000 euros, doivent
etre payes aux trois membres d’une famille qui residait dans la ville
armenienne orientale de Vardenis. Bagrat Nalbandian et son epouse
Narine ont ete arretes en 2004 et par la suite condamnes a 9 et 14
ans de prison respectivement pour avoir tue un camarade de classe de
leur fille, Arevik.

Le couple a initialement avoue le meurtre, avant de se retracter au
cours de leur procès, disant que leurs aveux avaient ete extorques
par la torture et le chantage. Narine Nalbandian aurait ete >.

“À la meme occasion, la police a menace de violer sa fille de 16 ans,
qui avait ete amene au poste de police et enferme dans un endroit
sombre a proximite, infeste de rats, si elle n’avouait pas”, lit-on
dans le jugement.

Les juges et procureurs armeniens ont a plusieurs reprises refuse
d’enqueter sur les allegations de torture.

La Cour europeenne a declare que les autorites armeniennes ont
egalement viole un autre article de la Convention europeenne des
droits de l’homme qui garantit le droit a un procès equitable des
citoyens. En 2005, celui du couple s’est deroule dans une “atmosphère
de trouble constant dans la salle d’audience”.

Dans une troisième decision concernant l’Armenie, la Cour alloue
9 000 euros de dommages et interets a un ancien banquier armenien,
Artak Davtian, qui a ete arrete en 2003 sur des accusations de fraude
et par la suite condamne a 6 ans de prison. Davtian pretend que,
de 2003 a 2006, on lui a refuse des soins medicaux urgents.

La reticence de l’administration a donner au condamne l’accès aux soins
de sante adequats s’elevait a >
interdit par la Convention europeenne, a juge la Cour de Strasbourg.

Davtian a exprime sa satisfaction a l’annonce de cette decision.

#ARMENIANGENOCIDE: CYPRUS MARKS ANNIVERSARY WITH ORPHANAGE STAMP

02 April, 2015

The postal services of Cyprus and Armenia jointly launched a
commemorative stamp on Thursday to mark the 100th anniversary of the
genocide of Armenians by the Ottoman Turks.

________________________________

Symbolically, the pair of stamps with identical designs, depict the
Melkonian school in Nicosia that originated as an orphanage in 1926
to shelter some 500 young survivors of the massacres.

The Cyprus Post stamp, with a value of 64 cents, shows the historic
school buildings with cypress saplings planted by the first orphans,
that have since blossomed and are as tall as nearby buildings along
the main arterial Limassol Avenue. The Haypost stamp, with a value of
350 dram, shows a historical photograph of the first group of orphans
in uniforms and lined up with the school band.

The visiting President of the Armenian Assembly was greeted by
Communications and Works Minister Marios Demetriades, who said in
his speech that it was “a great honour to welcome Galoust Sahakyan
on behalf of the Cyprus government at the ceremony in remembrance of
the 1.5 mln Armenians that perished in 1915. The international must
not allow for such a crime to be committed again.”

He said that the joint stamp launch and the first day of issue marked
the level of “solidarity of our two nations,” adding that the Armenians
of Cyprus are an integral part of the island’s society.

Sahakyan said that “the atmosphere in Cyprus is just as warm as in
Armenia. We are linked by genuine feelings of solidarity.”

He noted that the symbolic Melkonian orphanage and school resulted in
the “rebirth of the Armenian nation, and has over the decades produced
a great number of intellectuals, politicians and scientists,” adding
that all these would never be possible without the support of the
state of Cyprus and its friendly nation.

Host Yiannakis Omirou, President of the House of Representatives,
criticised Turkey’s continued denial of the Armenian Genocide after
which the island provided shelter to thousands of orphans and victims
of the massacres, many of whom later emigrated to other parts of the
world and created the Disapora.

Vartkes Mahdessian, Armenian MP in the Cypriot parliament, said that
the photograph of the orphanage, taken by Haigaz Mangoian, one of
the many Armenians that excelled in Cypriot society and the business
world, said that the idea for the stamp was first conceived by the
late Communications Minister Tassos Mitsopoulos and completed by the
incumbent Minister Marios Demetriades.

Finally, Cyprus Post Director Andreas Gregoriou gave a historical
overview of the Armenians in Cyprus, saying that the oldest records
suggest they arrived on the island during the Byzantine era in 575,
but their numbers dwindled, as did most Christians, during the island’s
Ottoman rule from 1571 to 1878.

Gregoriou said that Cyprus Post has had two Armenian Cypriot Directors
in the past and that a special stamp was issued in 1989, after the
earthquake that struck Armenia, with the 3c levy used as financial
aid to the survivors.

HANDS OFF 44 HANRAPETUTYAN STREET! YEREVAN SENIOR PROTECTS HOME FROM DEMOLITION – PHOTOS/VIDEO

Kristine Aghalaryan

19:08, March 30, 2015

Eighty-six year-old Albert Makyan, who lives at 44 Hanrapetutyan Street
in Yerevan, posted a sign above the entrance to his home that reads,
“Please don’t try touching 44 Hanrapetutyan.”

The 23-member family is in limbo.

If the private property, now considered eminent domain is flattened,
11 young children will become homeless since the Makyan’s promised
home, as compensation, has yet to be built by the developers.

The Yerevan Municipality has listed “Firdusi” neighborhood and 44
Hanrapetutyan as eminent domain. At the end of February the home’s
neighboring properties were demolished and the area was flattened.

On demolition day Makyan took the permit from the diggers’ hands and
ripped it up. The permit allowed for part of Makyan’s property to be
flattened, so he didn’t let them near.

On November 20, 2008, the Armenian government decided to designate
various properties as eminent domain in the public’s interest. The
property in question was handed over to City Centre Development LLC.

The company signed an agreement with Makyan in 2009 transferring
ownership of the 126.2 sq m. residential home, the 645 sq m. property
and the surrounding buildings and territories, all valued at 201
million dram.

As part of the agreement, City Centre Development committed to
appropriate seven homes in an apartment building, three parking spaces
and a public space in Yerevan’s 33rd District to the Makyans 42 months
(3.5 years) after the signing. The company had 12 months to back
out of the agreement. Six years have passed since the agreement was
signed and the construction time limit was set at 1.5 years.So far,
only the building’s foundation and the first floor have been built
and construction has stopped.

City Centre Development was founded in 2006. The company operates at
the same address as Glendale Hills and Downtown Yerevan LLC, which
has the rights to develop Kond.

The above video was produced by the company in May 2012 to prove
that construction was underway in the 33rd district. As of the end
of March, nothing has changed as Hetq’s photos clearly show. What’s
more, construction equipment has been removed from the area and the
tower crane will be relocated soon.

“They’re saying that they aren’t building homes anymore, they have no
money, they can’t build,” Makyan said. “They gave me this contract,
and now they’re breaking it, deceiving us. They didn’t build the
first building or the second one. If the notary, the government, that
seal and signature are all valid, then how can you have that kind of
attitude towards people? It means war will break out between us.”

The person on behalf of the company giving that explanation, according
to Makyan, is named Tigran. Tigran refused to answer our questions by
phone or even meet with us. He told Hetq that a specific department
in the company handles such requests and if the need arises they will
contact us. “Be satisfied with the response that we have notified them
[of your request] in writing,” Tigran told Hetq. The Makyans, however,
have not received an answer to date.

Albert Makyan has appealed to the government. The Ministry of Finance
responded that the official agency that handles matters related to
expropriation is the Yerevan Municipality as well as the appropriator,
City Centre Development. “We inform you that City Centre Development
is responsible for its own obligations related to its own properties,”
stated the head of the Ministry of Finance Legal Department Armen
Gabrielyan.

Design Plans for Buildings to be Constructed in the 33rd District

Mr. Makyan also appealed to the Prosecutor General’s Office. Deputy
Prosecutor of Yerevan S. Arakelyan replied that the matter was out
of the Prosecutor General Office’s jurisdiction and is subject to
being settled in court since the issue involves civil liability.

The residents of 44 Hanrapetutyan sent a letter to Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan and Prime Minister Hovik Aprahamyan stating: “Mr.

President and Mr. Prime Minister, the 33rd District is in deplorable,
unsanitary condition. We demand that we be furnished with apartments
as was agreed upon in the initial agreement. We have not received
a concrete answer from the construction department. One hundred
fifty square meters of property have been demolished, more than 30
trees were cut and the surrounding areas have been damaged. If the
apartments will not be built, we demand that our property deeds be
returned to us so that we may put our living space in order.”

Makyan Family Property Already Demolished (highlighted in red)

The Makyan family came to Yerevan from Baku in 1988. The message
painted by Mr. Makyan on the rear door promises “death” to
trespassers. In his eyes, the law takes priority.

!-yerevan-senior-protects-home-from-demolition.html

KOTAYK GOVERNOR REPLACED

12:29 * 02.04.15

The executive on Thursday approved a decision to replace the regional
governor on Kotayk.

Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan said at the cabinet meeting that Aram
Harutyunyan was leaving office to . Under another decision, Karapet
Guloyan was appointed a governor. But as Chief of the Government
Staff David Harutyunyan said later, the appointment is conventional
until the earlier decision to sack the former governor is signed by
the president.

Guloyan is a relation of Gagik Tsarukyan, the former leader of the
Prosperous Armenia party.

CIS INTERSTATE BANK LIKELY TO WRITE OFF ARMENIAN NAIRIT PLANT’S DEBT- CENTRAL BANK CHAIRMAN SAYS

YEREVAN, April 2. / ARKA /. The CIS Interstate Bank may write off the
debt of Narit chemical plant in Yerevan and return the bank’s shares
to the Armenian government, Central Bank chairman Artur Javadyan told
a Cabinet session today.

“We asked the Interstate Bank to show goodwill and write off the
plant’s debt and return its secured shares to the Armenian government
given the fact that its chances of repaying the debt are equal to
zero,” Javadyan said.

According to him, the plant’s debt stands at 102 billion drams,
including 63 billion dram to be paid as loans.

Javadyan said the “Interstate Bank has already removed the debt from
its balance sheet and it is likely to write the debt off.

On January 22, 2014 the Moscow Arbitration Court ruled that Rhinoville
Property Limited, the owner of Nairit chemical plant in Armenia
pay $107.95 million to the Interstate Bank. Particularly, the court
ordered that the company pay $68.6 million of principal debt as well
as interests and penalty on an Interstate Bank loan.

Nairit was the only plant in the Soviet Union to produce chloroprene
rubber. The plant was closed in 1989 for environmental reasons and
resumed operating partially in 1992. In 2006, 90% of Nairit’s shares
were sold to British Rhinoville Property Limited for $40 million. The
remaining 10% belong to the Armenian government.

Rhinоville Property Limited has been co-founded by the Samex company
(Poland), Intertex (USA) and Evrogaz (Russia). In 2010 production
was suspended at the plant. The back wages in late 2013 were worth
$12 million.

The Interstate Bank was founded in 1993 by ten CIS countries –
Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. The bank promotes development
of CIS member countries’ national economies. -0-