Author: Babajanian Karo

OPPOSITION MP SUBMITS INQUIRY ON HISTORICAL ARMENIAN BUILDING IN ISTANBUL

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
July 24 2013

ANKARA – Hurriyet Daily News

Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy Sezgin Tanrýkulu recently
submitted a parliamentary inquiry directed at Turkish Culture and
Tourism Minister Omer Celik, questioning reports a building had
been rented out despite ongoing trials led by Turkey’s Armenian
Patriarchate.

The inquiry focused on the fate Sanasaryan Han, which the Armenian
Patriarchate claims ownership of, but asked a broader question about
foundation properties in general. Tanrýkulu noted the report in the
Official Gazette announcing the tender allowed for the rental of the
building for the next two decades and included the cost of renovations
at around 11 million Turkish Liras.

The inquiry asked Celik how he felt about the tender, and whether or
not he had given any instructions regarding the building. Reports
have surfaced over the months that claimed a hotel was to be built
instead of the han, Doðan news agency reported.

Tanrýkulu also questioned whether or not the minister would take any
initiatives to “return the building to the Armenian Patriarchate” and
if there was any significance to the date of the tender announcement,
which came “ahead of the 100th anniversary of the 1915 events.”

The han, after being donated to Turkey’s Armenian Patriarchate in
1881, was confiscated by the then government in 1935. Located in
Istanbul’s Eminonu district, Sansaryan Han was refashioned into the
Istanbul Police Headquarters in 1944 and eventually gained notoriety
as a bastion of ill treatment by the police, as many people, including
a number of prominent poets and writers, had been tortured there.

The Directorate General of Foundations, on the other hand, claims
that the building did not fall under the jurisdiction of a law on
the return of properties to community foundations that took effect
in 2011 as it had been owned by a person.

The tender for renting the historical building, organized by the
Directorate General of Foundations on July 18, was won by Ozgeylani
Construction Company, despite the ongoing trial over the ownership
of the building.

The inquiry also asked the minister about the ongoing struggles of
several foundations over property ownership, and whether or not the
ministry was leading any proceedings on related matters.

July/24/2013

FLAME OF FLAVOURS AT AL MAYASS

Gulf News, UAE
July 24 2013

This Middle Eastern restaurant nestled in the Sheraton Hotel impresses
your palate with some gourmet delights

By Anjana Kumar, Staff Reporter

Abu Dhabi: Diners with a fetish for Middle Eastern cuisine are in
for a treat at the Sheraton Hotel in the Abu Dhabi Corniche.

The Lebanese-Armenian restaurant Al Mayass, which opened last year,
is a complete joyride, especially if you are a fan (like me) of herbs,
vegetables and yoghurt.

As we settle in, a variety of starters – Salata Armaniyeh (Dh36),
Mutabbal Al Mayass (Dh28) Batenjan Bi Zeit Maa Laban (Dh37) and a
Hummus Snobar (Dh34) – comes to the table, followed by some hot khubz
(Arabic bread). Must say the service is rather quick.

The Salata Armaniyeh (Armenian salad) is made of finely chopped
lettuce, cucumber, tomato, lemon juice, olive oil, balsamic vinegar,
hot chilli powder, dry mint leaves and it’s easy to finish the
entire bowl.

THE COMPLAINT IS JUSTIFIED

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

July 24 2013 Citizens’ complaints against the increase in transport
fare is just. The municipality has adopted the decision without
discussion, without justifying (presented justification is ridiculous)
and without the necessary legal basis. Yerevan City Council with the
majority of RPA in its staff, by the way, with regard to this issue
once again played the role of ‘cap of the nail’, casting no doubt
on the disputed decision.  If all the routes in Yerevan work with
losses, then there is a question as to why the NA deputies, generals,
government and municipal officials own these routes. Are they all
altruists and are willing to bear the privations and sufferings,
only to provide the transportation service. In addition, the version
of “working with loses” contradicts themselves, the explanation
of authorities with regard to the same Taron Margaryan. When the
opposition inquired how it turned out that the mayor has a few million
dollars assets, they were explained that Mr. Margaryan since childhood,
before becoming mayor, was a business tycoon and having innate talent
of a businessman achieved a great success in that sector. And to
the question what his main business was, the opposition replied,-
“Minibuses and taxi lines.” Well, if it is possible to become a
millionaire with mini buses and taxis, according to you, then the
business must be assumed did not work with losses. 

About the forms of struggle. Naturally, all the forms found in the
law are acceptable. In particular, how long and how big the protests
at the City Hall continue and become, higher the possibility of
reaching the success (going back to the old rate) is. However,
the calls to break anyone’s head by activists and damnation to the
address of police officers, on the other hand, unfounded decisions to
‘apprehend’ to the police are equally unacceptable for me. Paying 100
drams to mini buses and taxes is also a form of struggle. It will be
logical that the drivers of transportation means understand that this
action is not directed against them, and ultimately, they are going
to suffer from the price increase and not to benefit. The Armenian
‘stars’ also chose an interesting form of struggle, who, as a sign
of protest, transport people by their own car for free. 

Finally, about moving the struggle to “global political field”.

Approximately as follows: “My dear nation, understand that the
transport fare will not become 100 drams unless the power is
changed.” I think the previous attempts have shown repeatedly and
unequivocally that due to this approach both this “narrow” objective
and that of “global” fails. 

ARAM ABRAHAMYAN

Read more at:

IN MEMORIAM: ARAM HAGOP KALIKIAN (1924-2013)

Posted on July 24, 2013

Aram Hagop Kalikian, 88, formerly of Cranston, R.I., passed away July
1, 2013 in Frederick, Md. Born on Oct. 20, 1924 to Hagop Kalikian (born
in Agn, Turkey) and Haigouhi-Artinian Kalikian (born in Bucharest,
Romania), he grew up in Bucharest, Romania, with his sister Louisa
(1921) and brother Garabed (1923). Due to the early and prolonged
illness of his father, Aram had a very brief childhood and schooling,
and became an apprentice to a master jeweler in order to help his
family. Hardship followed Aram, as he lost his parents and brother in
the early 1940’s. However, through hard labor and an honest application
of his trade, he was able to survive the tough years during World
War II in Romania and immigrated to Armenia in 1948 with his sister
Louisa. Unbeknownst to him, the same ship that transported him to
Armenia was also carrying his future bride, Vassilica Effeian.

In Armenia, Aram quickly earned a reputation as a trusted and
well-respected master jeweler, and trained many young apprentices.

Aram, along with a few of his fellow recent emigrants from the
diaspora, was instrumental in establishing the first fine jewelry
manufacturing factory in the then-Soviet Republic of Armenia. The
facility went on to become one of the major fine jewelry production
facilities in the former USSR. Aram was also a fine model maker, and
many of his jewelry creations earned top prizes and awards.1×1.trans
In Memoriam: Aram Hagop Kalikian (1924 2013)

Aram and Vassilica Effeian met each other in Yerevan, and after a
brief courtship were married on April 25, 1954. Aram and Vassilica
immigrated to New York City in August 1973 with their two sons, Hagop
and Varoujan. Soon after his arrival, Aram opened a small jewelry
business on 47th Street, in Manhattan’s jewelry district. Here again,
Aram soon became recognized as an honest and hardworking master
jeweler. In 2007, Aram and Vassilica moved to Cranston, R.I. They
were in the process of moving to Frederick, Md., when Aram succumbed
to illness and passed away at Frederick Memorial Hospital. Aram and
Vassilica were looking forward to beginning a new chapter in their
long marriage by moving into their new apartment at Spring Ride Senior
Apartments when Our Lord called him. Heaven must have been in need
of a master jeweler.

Aram is survived by Vassilica, his loving wife of 59 years, their two
sons Hagop and Varoujan, and their spouses Armine and Aida, and four
grandchildren, Arpi, Aram, Arman, and Narek, his sister Louisa of
Salem, Mass., and two nieces Haigouhi and Araxi, and their spouses
Onig and Richard, and their children Ara, Manoug, Hasmig, Anahid,
and Karine.

Despite having gone through much hardship and turmoil, Aram loved
and enjoyed life, and was always infusing laughter and joy at many
happy gatherings, by singing, reciting poems, and telling jokes. Aram
loved to host friends and family at his home for all occasions, and
especially enjoyed decorating Vassilica’s delicious preparations,
and made certain the dining table was always well stocked and
decorated for guests. He particularly enjoyed singing and was always
complimented for his good vocals. Despite having limited education,
he loved to read and was able to learn on his own to read, write, and
speak three other languages, in addition to his native Romanian. He
succeeded in learning how to read and write Armenian, Russian, and,
finally at the age of 50, English. Aram was a caring and generous
person, who always offered to help when he saw the need.

Aram loved life, and was loved by all who were lucky enough to get
to know him well. He will be greatly missed.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in his
memory to St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church, 4125 Fessenden St. NW,
Washington, DC 20016.

Funeral service was held on Sat., July 6 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary
Armenian Apostolic Church, followed by burial at Mount Olivet Cemetery,
515 South Market St. in Frederick, Md.

EYE ON SYRIA: CONCERN MOUNTS AS ANOTHER ARMENIAN DIES IN ALEPPO

News | 24.07.13 | 16:32

Photo: Screenshot from youtube.com

By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter

In the Near East, where clashes between rebels and the state army
continue inflicting heavy human casualties, two passenger buses from
Aleppo to Beirut suffered from an armed assault, leaving one Armenian
dead, 16 more injured.

Press Service of the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports,
with reference to the Armenian Embassy in Damascus, that the victim
was a mother of two, 40-year-old Tamar Varvaryan-Srunyan (her husband
and two children are among the injured passengers). Two of the injured
Armenians are in life-threatening condition.

Zhirair Reissian, press secretary of Aleppo~Rs Berio Armenian Diocese,
told ArmeniaNow that some got checked out after receiving first aid,
others are under doctors~R supervision.

~SNo changes in the city, the armed clashes continue, with gunshots
and explosions and unceasing human casualties,~T says Reissian, adding
that leaving Aleppo is challenging, too, that is why few people would
take the risk.

The hostilities of the past two years in Syria, with its 80,000-member
Armenian community, have taken more than a 100,000 lives, 50 among
them Armenian.

Chief of Staff at the Diaspora Ministry Firdus Zakaryan, also
leading the task force group managing Syrian-Armenians~R issues,
told ArmeniaNow there are currently around 9,000 Syrian-Armenians
in Armenia at the moment. Their inflow has stopped because of the
blocked air and land communications.

Syria remains to be gravely challenged with unrest. There has been
news recently that the authorities are using chemical weapon against
the opposition. Days ago General Martin Dempsey, US Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff, reporting to the US Congress, outlined five
options for U.S. military action in the Syrian conflict, according
to which the United States can provide ~Sa train, advise and assist
mission~T, which could raise opposition fighters~R capabilities but
carries a risk that extremists could gain access to U.S. weapons;
limited stand-off strikes, establishing a no-fly zone or buffer zones.

The last, most complex option Dempsey outlined ~W controlling chemical
weapons ~W would require a no-fly zone, air and missile strikes and
thousands of troops on the ground.

Giro Manoyan, leading the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Dashnaktsutyun~Rs Armenian Cause office in Yerevan, told ArmeniaNow
that only Turkey and Qatar support the external extremist forces in
Syria, others are trying to localize the issue one way or another
and deter the forces that have come from the outside, however the
Syrian people pay the price for all of it, and so are the Armenians
living there.

~SArmenia has to keep in touch as much as possible with all the key
forces, so that should the need arise it could turn to one of them
for the protection of Armenia~Rs interests ~V in this case the safety
of the Armenian community of Syria, which I believe is more or less
being done,~T says Manoyan.

“DISILLUSIONED” OPPOSITION MILITANTS IN SYRIA ASKING GOV’T AMNESTY: REPORT

Local Editor
Opposition fighters are disillusioned by the extremists’ twist of the
so-called Syrian revolution, with growing numbers of them are signing
up to a negotiated amnesty offered by the government, a report said.

British daily, the Telegraph reported on Tuesday thSyria opposition
militantsat “growing numbers of rebels are signing up to a negotiated
amnesty offered by the Assad regime.”

It said that these militants are “disillusioned by the Islamist twist
that the “revolution” in Syria has taken,” and “exhausted after more
than two years of conflict.”

The Telegraph added that the fighters are feeling they are losing
the fight.

“At the same time, the families of retreating fighters have begun
quietly moving back to government-controlled territory, seen as a
safer place to live as the regime continues its intense military push
against rebel-held areas.”

The Syrian government has established a “ministry of reconciliation”
with the task of easing the way for former opposition militants to
return to the government side.

The minister in charge of reconciliation, Ali Haidar said: “Our message
is, ‘if you really want to defend the Syrian people, put down your
weapons and come and defend Syria in the right way, through dialogue’.”

“Haidar, who has a reputation as a moderate within the regime, has
established a system in which opposition fighters give up their
weapons in exchange for safe passage to government-held areas,”
The Telegraph added.

Source: Newspapers

24-07-2013 – 13:19 Last updated 24-07-2013 – 13:19 | 205 View

FIRST RUSSIAN LANGUAGE CENTERS TO OPEN IN CIS, INCLUDING ARMENIA

YEREVAN, July 24. /ARKA/

The first Russian language and culture promotion centers will open in
the CIS, European countries, as well as in Cuba and China, assistant
to Russian vice-premier Olga Golodets Aleksey Levchenko said.

Levchenko also said a coordination council was set up in the
government for promotion of the Russian language and culture headed
by Golodets. The council will comprise of Russian Duma members and
representatives from the foreign ministry, the ministry of culture,
Rossotrudnichestvo and other NGOs.

The idea is to have such a program at a government level to do the
work more efficiently and systematically, Levchenko said adding that
the same is done in practically all countries.

The centers will arrange teaching of Russian language and culture.

This year some 1.5 billion rubles were allocated for the program.

“This money will be distributed for creation of Russian language
centers abroad”, Levchenko said, as quoted by Novosti-Armenia.

The program will cover almost all countries of former USSR area,
including Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,
Ukraine and Moldova. Similar centers will open in most European
countries, e.g. France, Finland, Germany, Czech Republic, Bulgaria,
as well as in Cuba and China. -0–

– See more at:

HRAPARAK: CHINESE DEVELOP SYMPATHY FOR ARMENIA

10:27 24.07.13

The paper says the ruling Republican Party representatives’ recent
visit to China is a sign of that country’s increasing geopolitical
interests in Armenia.

A source has told the paper that China, which used to consider Armenia
a non-independent Russian-influenced state, has now started working
separately with the country, making cooperation proposals in almost
all the sectors. The country, which faces serious problems with its
Turkish minority – the Uyghurs – is also Armenia’s ally in terms
of its negative attitude to Panturkist policies, says the paper,
adding that the Chinese interest in Armenia is likely to cause a
little discomfort to Russia in the near future.

Armenian News – Tert.am

DRIVERS OF MINIBUSES ASK PASSENGERS GET OFF AT TARON MARGARYAN’S HOUSE

Director of Yerevantrans CJSC, notorious Misak Hambardzumyan and
other operators of public transport routes showed up at the Opera to
hinder the protest against rise of fare. They clashed with citizens,
and as some of the citizens called police, these persons walked away
to the nearby cafe. When the citizens urged the police to arrest the
persons who insulted and hit demonstrators, the police refrained from
fulfilling their duties, while those persons left the place freely.

At the moment most drivers of minibuses of route N 20 ask passengers
to get off and refuse to continue to transport them because passengers
refuse to pay 150 drams. They say they will not be able to perform
their duties if the passengers continue to pay 100 drams.

One of the passengers informed that drivers stop at Taron Margaryan’s
house and ask the passengers to get off there.

11:51 24/07/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

ARMENIAN GIFTS FOR ROYAL BABY TO SUPPORT LOCAL CHARITIES

NEWS | 24.07.13 | 11:41

A gift box has been placed at the British Embassy in Yerevan for
those who want to donate a gift for the royal baby to be able to do so.

In an announcement the Embassy said that these gifts will go to a
disadvantaged family in Armenia.

“The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge do not want to encourage gifts
on the occasion of the birth of their first child. Their Royal
Highnesses feel that any generosity of spirit felt by individuals
should be directed to those more in need. They would be grateful if
those wanting to offer a gift to them could be encouraged to support
a local children’s charity as a way of marking the birth,” said the
Embassy in a statement.

Kate Middleton, the wife of Prince William, gave birth to a son in St.

Mary’s Hospital, London, on Monday afternoon and the royal couple
already appeared in public with their newborn the following day.

The birth of the royal baby, who becomes third in the line to the
British throne, became a global event followed by international media,
with people around the world sending their greetings and wishing to
donate gifts on the future king’s birth.