Author: Babajanian Karo

UKRAINE, ARMENIA BOOST BILATERAL TRADE

ForUm, Ukraine
Nov 11 2013

Trade turnover between Ukraine and Armenia this year has grown 5%
and at the end of seven months reached 117.1 million USD, the
Information-Analytical Bulletin of the Cabinet of Ministers of
Ukraine informs.

“Our country is steadily implementing the course of European
integration. At the same time we continue to develop relations with
our strategic partners, one of which is Armenia. Trade turnover between
our countries grew by 5%, and in the seven months of this year reached
117.1 million USD. A promising direction is to deepen cooperation
in the industrial sector, nuclear energy, agriculture, transport and
communications,” said Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Vilkul.

Experts say Armenia plans to build a new nuclear power plant. The
participation of Ukrainian companies in production of equipment for
the nuclear power plant and directly in the construction project
looks very appropriate and promising.

To date, the domestic machine building industry has a significant
capacity for production and delivery of the major equipment for
construction and operation of nuclear power plants, other than reactor
facility components.

At the same time, government analysts note the dynamic development
of bilateral cooperation in the field of transport, especially rail
transportation. As of October 2013, the volume of railway traffic
between the two countries amounted to 127,630 tons, which is up
63.9% year-on-year. In road transport, the number of permits for the
transportation of goods in 2013 was 2,600 on each side, which fully
meets the demands of Ukrainian and Armenian haulers. However, of
strategic importance is the intensification of regular flights between
the countries. To date, only 3 Ukrainian airlines have permits flights.

The Ukrainian side is also interested in development of bilateral
trade in agriculture, potentially, in a supply to Armenia of domestic
dairy and poultry products.

The parties are also convinced of the importance of deepening
cooperation in science and technology. This will allow to perform joint
research projects and contribute to the establishment of partnerships
between scientific communities.

NIKOL AGHBALYAN STUDENT UNION OF ARFD TO HOLD A STOP PROCESSION ON NOV 14

by Marianna Lazarian

Monday, November 11, 19:12

On November 14, the Nikol Aghbalyan Student Union of ARF Dashnaktsutyun
will hold a STOP procession in Yerevan. The participants will finish
their procession near the Government building.

The Union has told ArmInfo that the young ARFD members will say STOP
to the Armenian Government, whose policy has led the country to a hard
situation. “Our procession will say STOP to the high tuition fees
at the educational establishments, as well as to low educational
allowances, migration, corruption, high public transport fare,
injustice, monopolies and ineffective governance”, the Union says.

The source says that the procession is sanctioned. It will start
at midday in front of the central building of the Armenian State
Engineering University and will have the following course: Engineering
University – Students’ Park – Abovyan Street – Koryun Street –
Nalbandyan Street – Alek Manukyan Street – Vardanants Street – Khanjyan
Street – Tigran Mets Avenue – Republic Square – Government building.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION SAYS ISHKHAN ZAKARYAN’S CANDIDACY NOT IMPLYING FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION

November 11, 2013 | 18:33

YEREVAN. – The revelations mentioned by head of the Control Chamber
Ishkhan Zakaryan contain evidence of embezzlement of budget funds,
ANC MP Levon Zurabyan said.

Addressing the lawmakers on Monday, Levon Zurabyan said under
the influence of the ruling majority Zakaryan refuses to publish
conclusions on the thefts not to give the opposition a trump card.

“ANC does not see even the crumbs of the fight against corruption
in the candidacy of Ishkhan Zakaryan. Samvel Aleksanyan, Barsegh
Beglaryan, Gagik Khachatryan, Alexander Sargsyan and others are
enjoying illegal preferences by the regime, while Serzh Sargsyan is
the commander of this pyramid. President’s nominee must be considered
from this point of view,” Zurabyan emphasized.

The parliament will vote on the re-appointment of the head of the
Control Chamber Ishkhan Zakaryan on Tuesday.

Notizie Geopolitiche, Italia
9 nov 2013

Nagorno Karabakh. Incontro di Serž Sargsyan ed Ilham Aliyev, con regia Osce

nov 7th, 2013 | By redazione | Category: L’Analisi, Qui Medio Oriente

di Giacomo Dolzani –

Si incontreranno entro la fine di novembre Serž Sargsyan ed Ilham
Aliyev, presidenti rispettivamente di Armenia ed Azerbaigian, in un
vertice organizzato dal Gruppo di Minsk, creato nel 1992 dall’Osce
(Organizzazione per la Sicurezza e la Cooperazione in Europa) per
risolvere in maniera pacifica il conflitto creatosi tra i due paesi
per il controllo della regione del Nagorno Karabakh, sfociato in una
guerra iniziata il 20 febbraio 1988 con la dichiarazione di
indipendenza di Step’anakert da Baku e conclusasi con il cessate il
fuoco firmato il 16 maggio 1994.

Il Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh in lingua armena) è un’enclave a netta
maggioranza armena all’interno dei confini azeri che, sin
dall’indipendenza delle repubbliche del Caucaso dall’Unione Sovietica
ha richiesto di ricongiungersi alla madrepatria, volontà che Baku ha
sempre ignorato e contrastato in quanto in aperto conflitto con i
propri interessi; il Karabakh è infatti una regione situata su un
altopiano strategico dal quale si può tenere sotto tiro gran parte
dell’Azerbaigian e in cui, oltretutto, hanno il loro tratto iniziale
molti dei corsi d’acqua che riforniscono le principali città azere di
risorse idriche.

I metodi utilizzati da Baku per contrastare queste spinte
secessioniste sono stati spesso duri, comparabili a veri e propri
tentativi di pulizia etnica a danno dei cittadini di nazionalitÃ
armena, cosa che ha irrimediabilmente ampliato le divergenze con
Yerevan; con il sostegno di quest’ultima, la repubblica ha infatti
dichiarato la sua indipendenza il 20 febbraio 1988, scatenando il
conflitto che vide schierati: da un lato 40mila uomini tra truppe
armene e del Karabakh, dall’altro un numero circa uguale di soldati
azeri, con alcune migliaia di soldati ceceni e Mujaheddin afghani
giunti in sostegno del paese islamico; il risultato fu però una netta
vittoria di Yerevan e Step’anakert, oltre che la nascita della
Repubblica del Nagorno Karabakh, di fatto oggi indipendente.

Dei 30mila morti causati dai sei anni di guerra infatti ben 25mila
erano soldati e civili azeri mentre le vittime tra le file armene sono
risultate meno di 5000.

Come annunciato sul sito dell’Osce quindi i presidenti delle due
repubbliche, alla presenza degli ambasciatori di Francia, Stati Uniti
e Russia in qualità di copresidenti del Gruppo, `hanno confermato la
loro disponibilità ad incontrarsi a novembre di quest’anno per
chiarire le loro posizioni e per confrontarsi sul come procedere’ e
quindi per discutere di una soluzione a questo annoso problema che,
nonostante la tregua accettata quasi un decennio fa da entrambe le
parti, continua a mietere vittime nei frequenti scontri a fuoco tra
guardie di confine del Karabakh e militari azeri che circondano
l’enclave.

La Croix, France
Jeudi 7 Novembre 2013

Un évêque transfrontière pour les Arméniens de la diaspora. Vicken
Aykazian; Figures d’Églises dans le monde (4/5)

Alors que le Conseil oecuménique des Églises réunit sa 10e Assemblée à
Busan, en Corée du Sud, « La Croix » propose chaque jour le portrait
d’une personnalité engagée en faveur de l’unité des chrétiens.
Aujourd’hui, Vicken Aykazian, archevêque de l’Église apostolique
arménienne d’Amérique du Nord. BUSAN (Corée du Sud), de notre envoyée
spéciale

LESEGRETAIN Claire

S’il y a une date que Vicken Aykazian n’oublie pas, c’est celle de son
arrivée aux États-Unis. « Le 24 janvier 2000 a changé ma vie! »
s’exclame-t-il. C’est à cette date qu’il est installé à Washington en
tant qu’archevêque des Arméniens d’Amérique du Nord (1,5 million de
personnes sur les 7 millions en diaspora).

Ce polyglotte qui parle couramment l’arabe, l’hébreu, l’arménien, le
turc, l’anglais et le français n’a cessé de se confronter à des
réalités différentes. Né à Siirt, dans le sud-est de la Turquie, en
1951, il a quitté son pays natal à l’ge de 16 ans, avec ses parents,
pour s’établir à Jérusalem. C’est au Patriarcat arménien de cette
ville qu’il commence ses études de théologie, avant de les poursuivre
au King’s College de Londres, puis à Fribourg en Suisse, où il ne
parlait « pas un mot de français » à son arrivée. Ordonné prêtre en
1981, il a été « tellement pris » dès son ordination qu’il n’a jamais
trouvé le temps de publier son doctorat sur « Le rôle de l’évêque dans
le droit canon arménien ».

Il inaugure à Genève son ministère de prêtre. Ordonné évêque en 1992,
primat de l’Église arménienne de Suisse, il établit et organise
plusieurs communautés à Zurich, Berne et Lugano. Après quelques années
à Etchmiadzine, siège de l’Église apostolique en Arménie, où réside le
catholicos, l’archevêque Aykazian est envoyé à Washington.

Là, il prend davantage conscience de la sécularisation et de
l’assimilation des Arméniens. « Comme il n’y a que 250 églises
arméniennes sur tout le territoire des États-Unis, beaucoup
fréquentent des paroisses catholiques ou protestantes. Du fait des
mariages mixtes, les Arméniens renoncent peu à peu à leur identité, à
leur culture d’origine », regrette-t-il. Néanmoins, il considère aussi
cette confrontation à la modernité comme une « une chance, une
obligation à s’adapter », à la différence « des conservateurs qui ne
veulent rien changer à la liturgie en arménien classique ».

Ce même souci d’ouverture et d’adaptation motive en grande partie son
engagement oecuménique. Depuis deux ans, Vicken Aykazian préside le
groupement des Églises chrétiennes des États-Unis (Christian Churches
Together, CCT) dont l’Église catholique est également membre, et
participe à la Commission de mission et d’évangélisation du Conseil
oecuménique des Églises (COE). Il reste aussi très actif au sein du
Conseil national des Églises des États-Unis (NCC) dont il a été
président en 2006 et qui représente plus de 100 000 dénominations et
églises locales, soit 45 millions de chrétiens américains « Dès lors
que nous nous référons tous au même Dieu trinitaire, au même
Jésus-Christ, nous ne pouvons être crédibles face aux autres religions
que si nous parvenons d’abord à nous réconcilier entre chrétiens »,
estime-t-il.

Convaincu aussi que « les Églises ensemble ont du poids face au
gouvernement américain », l’archevêque Vicken Aykazian se réjouit que
les responsables catholiques, protestants et orthodoxes aux États-Unis
aient su « influencer le président Obama » pour qu’il renonce à lancer
une opération militaire en Syrie. Lui-même a participé à plusieurs
rencontres sur la Syrie, notamment à Genève, en octobre, en présence
de l’ancien secrétaire général de l’ONU Kofi Annan et du médiateur
onusien dans le conflit syrien Lakhdar Brahimi. Il se joindra à une
nouvelle rencontre, le 17 novembre.

Iran Book News Agency IBNA, Iran
Nov 10 2013

Released in Persian: ‘The Road from Home’

10 Nov 2013 9:12

David Kherdian’s `The Road from Home: the story of an Armenian girl’
has been released in Persian in the Iranian book market.
IBNA: The novel focuses on the historical massacre of Armeians during the WWI.

The writer gives details about the historical incident throughout the book.

David Kherdian re-creates his mother’s voice in telling the true story
of a childhood interrupted by one of the most devastating holocausts
of our century. Vernon Dumehjian Kherdian was born into a loving and
prosperous family. Then, in the year 1915, the Turkish government
began the systematic destruction of its Armenian population.

Many Armenians were murdered under the Ottoman Empire in Turkey which
dramatically diminished their population as many in the ethnic group
were displaced from their houses.

The 240-page Persian rendition of the book has been provided by Shahla
Soheil and has been published by Thaleth Publications.

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Nov 10 2013

Armenia should define its priorities in European and Eurasian integration

10 November 2013 – 12:15pm

Aza Migranyan, the head of the laboratory of Inter-regional
Development Problems under the Institute of the Market Problems of the
Russian Academy of Sciences, discussed with Vestnik Kavkaza the
prospects of Armenia’s European and Eurasian integration.

According to the expert, the country shouldn’t cancel one of its
integration projects in order to enhance efforts to implement the
other one. In such circumstances, Armenia should define its priorities
in both projects.

“In its integration into the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and
Kazakhstan, Armenia focuses on economic and military cooperation,
while in its collaboration with the European Union, Armenia pays
special attention to the humanitarian sphere, cultural and democratic
development, since the country is committed to European values,” she
says.

“Sow the Wind, Reap the Whirlwind”

Interview with Alain Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the Ararat Magazine
who was detained on Mashtots Street on November 6

Alain, how did you appear on Mashtots Street? Did you go there to take
part in Shant Harutiunyan’s revolution?

I showed up after the events when I was telephoned at the office and
told about the unrest. I went there to take photos for the website and
got there when it all had happened, I started taking pictures. When
they [policemen] went up to my friend Vilen, I went over there and
tried to understand why they were arresting him, they said they would
take me away as well. A policeman twisted my arms and put us into the
car, they started misbehaving, we resisted to their unlawful actions.
In the police station they behaved quite well though, I saw no
violence.

Is this the right method for a revolution or are people running out of
patience and are ready for any step to get free?

This is the consequence, I have already said this. When one is unable
to express one’s wish, exercise one rights through free elections,
such outburst is to take place. I don’t know, I cannot say what
happened, I cannot make any evaluations because there are lots of
things which I don’t know but I can say that this was a consequence,
they led to this situation, and I do not rule out repetition of this
thing in a larger scale, transforming to a social uprising. When
opposition is destroyed and depressed, people are impoverished, there
is no need to be surprised at aggression in people. This is the same
as beating someone repetitively and be surprised when the beaten one
turned round and slaps back. I am not justifying this, this would not
happen in a normal society. This is a challenge, this is an indication
of serious problems which need to be addressed. This may produce even
worse consequences. Thanks god nobody was killed. Now actions should
be taken to restore the feeling of justice in people.

Will these incidents wake up the government or is the change of
government the only way?

The fact is that people live badly, not only financially but also
psychologically. There is lack of justice, there are privileged
people. Something interesting is happening. A general attitude is
being formed. Even a policeman who has never done anything is
associated with trouble. Everything is distorted, people are
psychologically and financially depressed, and this will explode. They
tell as that fare will rise to 150 drams, that we need to pay 5000
drams to park our car in our city, they say you will not get your
benefit and we will get higher salaries. What next?

The bible says `sow the wind, reap the whirlwind’. This is past,
someone will sit down and set up a commission to get over it but the
source is somewhere else.

Siranuysh Papyan
09:30 09/11/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

V. Petrosian: If I’m guilty, I’m prepared to spend 15-20 years in prison

Saturday, November 09, 2013

Actor Vardan Petrosian was today taken by an ambulance from the Stress
mental rehabilitation center in Yerevan to the Kotayk regional court
of general jurisdiction. The court will examine the police petition
for using arrest as a measure of restraint against V. Petrosian.

A charge under the Criminal Code’s Article 242 part 3 was brought
against Vardan Petrosian today.

During a talk with the correspondent of Hetq.am at the medical
center’s entrance, Vardan Petrosian expressed his condolences to the
families of the persons killed in the road accident. Then he said: `I
consider the investigator’s actions more than strange. I don’t
understand why they are in such a hurry. If I am guilty, I am prepared
to spend even 15-20 years in prison. I don’t avoid responsibility’.

Around 10:10 pm on October 20 a BMW-320 and a VAZ-21214 collided on
Yeghvard-Yerevan Highway. The driver and six passengers of VAZ
received injuries and were hospitalized. Two of the passengers – Edgar
and Edward Hakobians died in the hospital.

A criminal case was opened under the Criminal Code’s Article 242 part
3 – violation of traffic rules and rules of operation of transport
means, resulting in negligent homicide of two or more people.

TODAY, 16:36
Aysor.am

Turan Information Agency, Azerbaijan
November 8, 2013 Friday

Ahmet Davutoglu on Possibility of Opening Border with Armenia

Baku/07.11.13/Turan:

The Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu spoke at the Commission
for External Relations of the Parliament, which commented on the
situation around the situation on the Armenian border.

The newspaper Aksham reported the minister said that Turkey insists on
the withdrawal of Armenian forces from Karabakh. “This is our
condition and we expect progress in this direction. If that happens,
the border and the railway and all other communications will be
opened. However, such a decision may be made by us together with
Azerbaijan,” he said.

The minister also noted that Turkey is conducting preparatory work on
the railroad, waiting for the negotiations on the settlement and for
the success achieved.

Davutoglu said that he intends to discuss the details during his
forthcoming visit to Baku. “This will be the main topic of our
discussions,” aid the Minister. -03D-