Author: Babajanian Karo

HAYK ALUMIAN: ONE CAN EASILY PROVE THAT VIDEO WAS EDITED

Thursday,
July 18

Hayk Alumian, the lawyer of Colonel Artak Budaghian, sent today a
letter to Armenian Prosecutor General Agvan Hovsepian in order to
find out if the public statements of Military Prosecutor Gevorg
Kostanian about Budaghian express the official viewpoint of the
Prosecutor’s Office.

Hayk Alumian told this to the correspondent of Aysor.am. In his words,
the results of a number of expert examinations are already known,
and based on the results of one examination, he filed a petition for
dismissal of the charge against Artak Budaghian.

The lawyer said it is quite normal that he has not yet received an
answer to his letter to the police. “The letter is a long one and it
will take time to answer it,” he noted.

Asked by Aysor.am whether it is possible to prove that the video was
edited, Hayk Alumin replied: “Yes, it can be easily proved”. “If it
is not considered a disclosure of the preliminary investigation’s
secrecy and if the full video is posted on the Internet, everything
will be clear,” he noted.

We would remind you that Colonel of Armenia’s Defense Ministry Artak
Budaghian was seriously wounded in the June 1 shootout near the house
of the then governor of Syunik province Suren Khachatrian. He was
taken to a military hospital and underwent three surgeries.

17.07.2013, 18:50

Aysor.am

JEWS SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE, JEWISH HISTORIAN SAYS

Mediamax, Armenia
July 17 2013

Wednesday 17 July 2013 16:23

Yerevan, July 17. /Mediamax/. Jewish historian, specialist of genocides
Yair Auron said in Yerevan today that Jews should have been the first
to recognize the Armenian Genocide.

The Jewish specialist said this during his meeting with Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan today former Minister of Immigrant Absorption,
former member of Israeli Knesset Yair Tsaban also took part in the
meeting, Mediamax reports.

Yair Auron is in Yerevan to take part in the presentation of the
“Banality of Indifference” book based on extensive archive studies
and translated into Armenian which took place a few days ago.

President Sargsyan thanked Yair Auron for his valuable work noting that
many Jewish intellectuals had always supported the Armenian people.

The Jewish historian stressed he shares the Armenian people’s double
pain – the first for the genocide and the second -for the policy of
denying the horrible crime against which he and a number of outstanding
intellectuals fight.

Yair Auron noted that there were considerable positive changes in
his country’s civil society over the past years and he hoped it will
concern the policy as well.

In his book, historian Yair Auron touched upon the situation of
the two minorities of Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century –
Armenians and Jews- as well as the political forces, morality and
complex balance of pragmatism. He analyzed the attitude of the Jewish
community of Palestine and leaders of the Zionist movement toward
the Armenian Genocide.

– See more at:

MICHAEL MEUNIER: “CHRISTIANS IN EGYPT WILL NOT BEND TO ISLAMIC JIHADISTS AND TERRORISTS”

Mediamax, Armenia
July 17 2013

Wednesday 17 July 2013 14:21

Almost 3 weeks have passed after the Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi
ouster, but unrest in Egypt continues. In different regions of Egypt
violence against the Christian population has increased.

Mediamax has talked with Michael Meunier, who is the President of Al
Haya Party in Egypt. He is the founder of the U.S. Copts Association
and a democracy, human rights and religious freedom activist in Egypt.

– An Orthodox priest was killed in Egypt recently. Father Cheroubim
was shot and killed by masked gunmen in the streets of a northern
Sinai Egyptian city. It appears to be a deadly trend of targeting
Christians as supporters of the popular uprising that led to the
removal of Mohamed Morsi from office.

– It is obvious that the religious establishment in Egypt and the
Muslim brotherhood have tried to use religious hatred to motivate
their supporters even before June 30 revolution. They have attempted
to intimidate Christians and threaten them not to go on the streets on
June 30 otherwise they will be attacked. The terrorists who supported
Morsi tried to threaten leaders such as myself with death threats,
in case if I was to show up on the streets on the June 30 or if I
ask Christians to participate.

After losing the power they are using violence and attacks in attempt
to punish Christians and to incite a civil war. They have killed
another Christian in Sinai during weekend and decapitated him. They
have burnt 4 churches and have burnt 5 Christians in Luxor people
inside their homes. They also killed 4 other Christians in the south
of Egypt. All those attempts are designed to push Egypt into civil
war. However, the Egyptian people are smart and understand what the
Muslim brotherhood are trying to do.

– There were reports that the Muslim Brotherhood was trying to
represent the protests as the ones organized only by Christians. What
are the real aims of Islam radicals connected with the Christians
of Egypt?

– They tried to represent the protests as the ones only organized by
Christians to mobilize the fanatic elements of the population to go
against the protest. They also used this tactic to stop regular Muslims
from participating in the protest. All these attempts failed and
Muslims and Christians together went on the streets and removed Morsi.

– Under what conditions were the Christians of Egypt, Armenians in
particular, living during the one year of Morsi presidency?

– All Egyptians were persecuted in Egypt during that period. Armenian
community in Egypt is not very big, so they are not distinguished from
most Egyptian Christians. As I know, Armenians are not participating
actively in political life of Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood was trying
to install a religious state in Egypt with no rights for non-Muslims
and for even Muslims who are not members of their clan. They have
modified the Constitution to turn Egypt into a religious state.

Christian churches were attacked, Christians were excluded from public
life and the political process. Many Christian business owners ended
up closing their business and immigrating.

– What does the post-Morsi Egypt look like?

– The most important step is the roadmap that we have set up. We are
now forming an interim government to lead Egypt into modifying the
constitution, then we will hold presidential and then parliamentary
elections. This was the path that we should have taken after removing
Mubarak but the Muslim Brotherhood derailed the process.

– A report last year by Civitas, a British think-tank, warned that
Christianity in the whole Middle East was facing “extinction” due to
mounting attacks and persecution. How real is this fear?

– That is very true due to the intervention of the US in Iraq and other
countries without providing protection to the Christian minorities
living in those countries. Christians were immigrating from Egypt
in huge numbers. However, after the revolution I hope we can get
them to come back. There are 18 million Christians in Egypt and they
will stay strong in the Middle East as long as the Copts are well in
Egypt. Egyptian Christians are the original inhibitors of this land.

We are all here determined to stay and reclaim Egypt as a untied
nation for all Egyptians. We intend on living as first class citizens
and will not bend to Islamic jihadists and terrorists.

Narine Daneghyan talked to Michael Meunier specially for Mediamax.

– See more at:

FREEDOM OF SPEECH SITUATION WORSE IN ARMENIA COMPARED WITH LAST YEAR – HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST

16:17 17.07.13

A comparison of the freedom of speech and mass media rights situation
in Armenia for three months with the corresponding period of last
year shows a worse freedom of speech situation in Armenia now, Ashot
Melikyan, Chairman of Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression,
told journalists on Wednesday.

“Whatever are international organizations’ assessments, I have facts
of the real situation,” Melikyan told journalists.

He presented the report for April-June 2013, which deals with the
elections to Yerevan’s Council of Elders.

Specifically, more cases of physical violence were reported during
the three months than last year – four cases of violence against
journalists against two in the previous 3-month period.

“One of the incidents happened during the elections to Yerevan’s
Council of Elders. Three instances of physical violence were recorded
last year, with all of them during elections,” Melikyan said.

“In 2012, ten cases of pressure on media outlets were reported, while
21 cases have been reported this year, with eight of them during the
elections. Also, one case of physical violence was reported during
the election campaign,” he said.

Armenian News – Tert.am

AGREEMENT OF SECRET INFORMATION PROTECTION WILL BE SIGNED BETWEEN ARMENIA AND BELARUS

18:40, 17 July, 2013

YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS: Government of the Republic of Armenia
during July 18 session will discuss the decision project of agreement
between Armenian and Belarusian governments “On mutual protection of
secret information”. “Armenpress” reports that the agreement will be
singed between Armenia and Belarus having the aim of protection of
state and operative secrets used during foreign affairs, military,
economic, scientific cooperation.

Diplomatic relations between Republic of Armenia and Republic of
Belarus were established on June 12, 1993. Armenian embassy in Minsk
was opened in 1993. Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of
Armenia to Belarus is Armen Khachatryan.

Belarusian embassy in Yerevan was opened in 2001.

Ambassadorextraordinary and plenipotentiary is Stepan Sukharenko.

CHAIRMAN OF ARMENIAN HELSINKI COMMITTEE: RUSSIA HAS USED HRACHYA HARUTYUNYAN CASE AS PART OF ITS ANTI-ARMENIAN CAMPAIGN
by Karina Manukyan

Wednesday, July 17, 18:06

Russia has used the Hrachya Harutyunyan case as part of its
anti-Armenian campaign, Chairman of Armenian Helsinki Committee Avetik
Ishkhanyan told journalists on Wednesday.

“Harutyunyan’s appearance in court and the harsh articles in the
Russian press prove that Russia’s political attitude towards is Armenia
is nothing but disdain. The humiliation of Harutyunyan was an insult
for all Armenians, starting from the President,” Ishkhanyan said.

On the other hand, he could not but mention the social problems in
Armenia, which force people like Harutyunyan – people who once fought
for their homeland – to leave it in search for job.

On July 13 Harutyunyan’s Kamaz drove into a bus with 64 passengers. 18
people were killed. On July 15 the Tver court of Moscow ruled that
Harutyunyan should be in custody till Sept 13. If found guilty,
he may face seven years in jail.

Harutyunyan was brought to court in a colored housecoat and slippers,
which has raised a wave of discontent in Armenia and among the
Armenians living in Russia.

SYRIAN MP: US PROVOKING TERRORISM IN MIDEAST

News Code : 80738846(0)

Date : 7/16/2013 9:01:21 AM

Damascus, July 16, IRNA – Vice-Speaker of the Syrian Parliament Khaled
Al-Abboud said Tuesday that US and the Zionist regime are provoking
terrorism in the Middle East region with the help of certain regional
countries.

Speaking to IRNA exclusively, Al-Abboud said terrorists are tools in
the hands of Washington and Tel Aviv but there would come a day when
the same terrorists would rise against their present supporters and
their allies.

Al-Abboud said that US and Zionist regime are fighting with Syria
for the cause of Palestine.

He warned certain Arab supporters of the US and the Zionist regime
including the Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait, that it was a plot
by Washington and Tel Aviv to continue instability in the Middle
East region.

Al-Abboud said although the three Arab states could stop crimes
committed by terrorist groups, especially in Iraq and Syria, they
instead helped the spread of terrorism.

Referring to the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran as a good lesson
for the Syrian nation, he said Syrians have learned from Iran that
no revolution could ever achieve victory without relying on the people.

He stressed that the Syrian nation would be the true winner of the
upcoming presidential election in that country.

1394**1422

MOVSISYAN RECEIVES THE DON T-SHIRT AS GIFT (PHOTO)

July 17, 2013

An American-Armenian football fan gave a T-shirt as a gift to Armenian
national football team and Russia’s FC Spartak Moscow forward Yura
Movsisyan.

Before Spartak’s first-round away match, which was played on
Tuesday against FC Krylia Sovetov of Samara in the new season of the
Russian Premier League, the fan came to the hotel-where Spartak was
staying-wearing a “Godfather” T-shirt, presented to Movsisyan a similar
T-shirt but with the 25-year-old Armenian international’s face on it,
and with the inscription: THE DON.

Movsisyan thanked the fan for the gift, and noted that someone who
receives such honor must score a goal in each match, Sovsport.ru
reports.

To note, FC Spartak Moscow defeated Krylia Sovetov by a score of 2-1,
and Yura Movsisyan converted a penalty kick.

US GOVERNMENT AFTER SUBSERVIENT EGYPT – ANALYST

09:22 17/07/2013 ” INTERVIEWS

Press TV has talked with Mohamed Sharaf, political analyst from Cairo,
to discuss the ongoing power struggle in Egypt following the ouster of
President Mohamed Morsi. What follows is an approximate transcription
of the interview.

– Mr. Sharaf, some people have been saying that the Muslim Brotherhood
deputy leader, Kheirat el-Shater, and others who have lead the
Muslim Brotherhood have an interest now in turning the situation into
something radical and confrontational. That in fact, they say, the
majority of those in the new regime like ElBaradei and Beblawi, they
want the Brotherhood to be a part of the new political process but the
Muslim Brotherhood does not want that and this is not going to help.

What do you say to that?

A lot of people are saying that the members of the interim government
right now want the Islamic parties, the Muslim Brotherhood, to be
in the political transition process and to move things forward but
the Muslim Brotherhood by remaining defiant is only complicating
the situation.

– Yes, whatever government and whatever will happen is illegitimate.

You know, it is coming as a result of a coup, it is against the will
of the people. We did not authorize them, we had a democratic path
from which they deviated and they are coming on the tanks, you know,
on the muzzle of a tank. So those people behind whatever they said
as a roadmap, it is a map without a road, really.

So we see it as infringing on our rights, we are for democracy and
the only gain which we had from the revolution of 2011 was to have
our democratic path and to have a respect for our vote.

This time our votes have been stampeded on by this military coup. It
is purely a military coup, it is uncalled-for, because if the process
was the performance of the government or the performance of President
Morsi we have the parliamentary elections coming soon and according
to our new constitution if you win the parliament then you have the
legislative power and also you form the cabinet. The cabinet has 70
percent of the powers, about 70 percent of the powers, so you can force
your way, you can force your will, you can start whatever you think
and even you can modify the constitution or amend the constitution
in whatever way you think.

– But Mr. Sharaf, the thing is, the Muslim Brotherhood right now has
been saying: we have a just cause and we are prepared to sacrifice
for that cause but does this mean that there is going to be no
compromise under any conditions with the Muslim Brotherhood and the
interim government?

I mean is not that going to lead to further violence and bloodshed?

– You know, I am not really an Islamist but I see the Islamists are
the people now abiding [by] and adhering to the democratic process.

They had been demonstrating now or sitting in Rabaa al-Adawiya for
18 days.

They did not resort to any violence, the violence came from the
government or the government forces. The coup, you know, killed the
people at prayers, when they were saying prayers, when they were
calling their god. So they were really peaceful, they were attacked
badly, you know. We have about 100 martyrs and we have thousands of
bad (serious) injuries.

So I do not really call the Muslim Brothers calling for any sort
of violence but I am with them, you know, for staging a peaceful
sit-in and a peaceful demonstration to return to normalcy because
what really happens, there is nothing worse than infringing on our
will by a military coup. It is taking our vote by force.

So those who are taking our vote by force, they have to resort to
violence, and that is what we saw just a week ago in the massacre of
people at prayers.

– Mr. Sharaf, we know that the United States has so far refused to call
the situation in Egypt a coup d’etat and William Burns, he was speaking
in Cairo today, he said that this is a second chance for the Egyptians.

What do you think first of all his visit to Egypt is about? I mean the
Muslim Brotherhood is saying that he was siding with the Military but
those on the other side are, actually, saying that the United States
is trying to vie for the Muslim Brotherhood.

The position of the United States here, William Burns said this is
second chance for Egyptians. What do you think about the United States’
role in the situation? Is it taking sides?

– The United States had been a key player from the very first moment
and not just right now, right after the revolution they had been
intervening to shape the fluid state in Egypt and their main cause is
to guarantee the security of Israel and to guarantee their interests
and to make sure that Egypt is subservient to their causes in the
Middle East and remains subservient to them just to serve Israel.

But what really happened, the American ambassador in Cairo, she
had been a key player since November. I mean we have been seeing
her inciting the opposition to stage demonstrations and asking them
if you reach certain numbers we would be on your side and she had
been staging all that and she had been part with the military in
the last moment… for their take over, she was there, also, asking
the president to sign for his abrogation. So this really is a clear
intervention…

– Mr. Sharaf I will just jump in here if I may, we are very short
of time. Just concluding remarks. Mr. Sharaf quickly if you can,
if none of the two sides are going to enter into a compromise this
will leave in a divided state and who is going to benefit from this?

– What compromise? If you take my vote I am not going to
compromise.

We have to return to normalcy. When they did their coup they said
that people were out in the streets and they had a headcount. We ask
them to have the headcount now and reverse their coup because what
we will be after is our democratic process, we will preserve it and
preserve our votes.

Source: Panorama.am

SHADOW ECONOMY IN ARMENIA IS STILL HIGH: PRESIDENT

YEREVAN, July 17./ARKA/. The portion of shadow economy in Armenia
is still high, President Serzh Sargsyan said at the meeting with the
State Revenue Committee, the president’s press office reported.

“We know that despite our efforts to reduce the shadow economy,
it is still high compared with that in developed countries,” he
said following the opening of the new building for one of Yerevan
Tax Inspections.

Sargsyan noted even though budget revenues have increased twice over
the recent 4-5 years, it is still not enough.

“First of all, we don’t have other revenues and other opportunities
to spend money in order to keep army, pay salaries to teachers and
doctors. We should constantly increase tax revenues,” the president
said.

According to Sargsyan, tax and customs bodies should first of all
support and foster competition through creating equal conditions.

“If one company works in the shadow, another -in the tax field,
the conditions for their development are not equal.”

President expressed his hopes that during the next meeting
the Committee will report on a successful process of
solving a number of such issues.-0- – See more at: