Author: Babajanian Karo

ORINATS YERKIR IS IN FAVOR OF CONTINUATION OF CONTROL CHAMBER’S FULL-SCALE ACTIVITIES

16:40 09/07/2013 ” LAW

No one has spoken about the limitation of the Control Chamber’s powers,
Secretary of Armenian National Security Council, leader of Orinats
Yerkir Party Arthur Baghdasaryan told a press briefing when commenting
on the possibility of limiting the Control Chamber’s powers following
an amendment of the RA Law on Control Chamber.

“The Control Chamber is a fully operating state body. There was a
sound discussion, with the respective decisions made. We are in favor
of the continuation of Control Chamber’s full-scale activities and
I am convinced that it will be just this way, and that professional
and not political assessments will be given,” Baghdasaryan said.

Source: Panorama.am

LONGEST DOLMA TO BE MADE IN ARMENIA

Tuesday,
July 09

This year the traditional all-Armenian festival of dolma (Armenian
national dish made of aborigines, peppers or wine leaves, with savory
filling) will be held in Sardarapat on July 10. The longest dolma will
be made at the festival, Chairman of Development and Preservation of
Armenian Culinary Traditions NGO Sedrak Mamulian told reporters today.

“Our aim is to make the longest dolma to be mentioned in the Guinness
Book of World Records, ” Mamulian said. In his words, the proceeds
from the festival will go to a high school in Armavir province.

08.07.2013, 16:18

Aysor.am

La Montagne, France
Mercredi 3 Juillet 2013
Moulins Edition

Des Arméniens font un pari sur Béguin

MOULINS OUVERTURE; LURCY-LEVIS

Les investisseurs arméniens qui ont transformé le chteau de Béguin en
hôtel- restaurant de luxe, à Lurcy-Lévis, ont sorti le grand jeu.

Malgré son charme et ses attraits, Lurcy-Lévis n’est pas un bord de
mer. Dans ce paisible village rural, on est loin de la Riviera
française. Ainsi que des stations de sports d’hiver huppées des Alpes
où les riches du monde entier aiment se divertir.

C’est évidemment loin d’être un reproche ou une perfidie. Mais une
question incontournable, nécessaire, impérieuse, se pose d’emblée :
pourquoi diable des investisseurs arméniens ont-ils déboursé une
petite fortune pour acheter, retaper et transformer en
hôtel-restaurant de grand standing, un chteau situé à mille lieux des
villégiatures habituelles des voyageurs argentés ?

La question fait sourire Karen Ayvazyan. Parce que pour le directeur
arménien de l’établissement lurcyquois, la réponse semble confiner à
la Lapalissade :

« Avec cette propriété, nous proposons à notre clientèle le calme et
la séduction de la campagne française que nous associons au confort et
aux services d’un hôtel-restaurant de très grande qualité. Je suis
persuadé que cette formule peut fonctionner à Lurcy-Lévis, en plein
centre de la France ».

Les quinze chambres de son hôtel élégamment dressé dans un écrin de
nature bourbonnaise, Karen Ayvazyan souhaite notamment les
commercialiser auprès d’une clientèle d’Arméniens et de Russes
fortunés

Là, quelques explications s’imposent donc pour bien comprendre le
raisonnement des investisseurs Le chteau de Béguin est la propriété
du groupe Chteaux de France, une société dirigée par un Arménien :
Hrant Grigoryan. Mais Chteaux de France n’est qu’une filiale de la
compagnie arménienne Prometey Club gérée par le frère de Hrant
Grigoryan.

Prometey Club possède deux hôtels haut de gamme en Russie (1), ainsi
que plusieurs restaurants cossus en Arménie. Et les clients russes et
arméniens de ce petit empire constitueraient un formidable réservoir
de touristes prêts à visiter la France, affirme Gemma Driver, la
chargée de marketing anglaise du chteau de Béguin :

« On espère les convaincre de venir séjourner à Lurcy-Lévis,
explique-t-elle. Ce serait déjà une excellente base pour remplir notre
établissement. En tout cas, il a tout pour leur plaire ».

Le luxueux hôtel-restaurant lurcyquois souhaite aussi séduire une
autre clientèle occidentale aisée, plus spécialement américaine et
anglo-saxonne. Mais pour capter ces riches touristes étrangers,
Chteaux de France ne mise pas sur le seul magnétisme du chteau de
Béguin.

La société de Hrant Grigoryan a mis la main sur une belle btisse en
Normandie et projette ainsi d’acquérir plusieurs somptueuses demeures
dans l’Hexagone, assure Gemma Driver : « Notre stratégie, à terme,
c’est de proposer un circuit touristique en France à notre clientèle
étrangère, avec un hébergement haut de gamme dans les résidences que
Chteaux de France possédera dans différentes régions ».

C’est déjà fait en Auvergne avec le chteau de Béguin. Mais bien
qu’affichant des ambitions à l’international, l’hôtel-restaurant
lurcyquois cible aussi une clientèle française : patrons stressés
affectionnant les week-ends détente, people du show biz’recherchant un
havre de paix, couples avec ou sans enfants souhaitant se mettre au
vert, retraités désirant profiter d’une cure de repos, amoureux
friands d’escapades romantiques, pilotes des circuits de Magny-Cours
ou Lurcy-Lévis cherchant un pied-à-terre

Des gens aisés, voire fortunés. Mais pas seulement. Le chteau de
Béguin, grce à une politique de prix très attractive (2), compte bien
capter les classes moyennes qui s’offrent ponctuellement un repas, une
nuit, un week-end ou un séjour dans un établissement de standing.

Il espère enfin accueillir de nombreux mariages, fêtes de famille,
conférences ou séminaires : « Lurcy-Lévis est au coeur de la France,
c’est un énorme atout pour rassembler des gens venant de partout ».

Les investisseurs arméniens, ça saute littéralement aux yeux en
visitant Béguin, ont dépensé une somme colossale pour mettre toutes
les chances de leur côté : la résidence hôtelière est grandiose.
Alors, combien d’argent ? « Beaucoup, beaucoup d’argent », confirme
son directeur, sans étayer par un chiffre. Mais si l’argent attire
l’argent, dit-on, le chteau de Béguin devra d’abord se faire
connaître, puis fidéliser sa clientèle.

Manifestement, tout reste à faire. La semaine dernière, l’hôtel, bien
qu’ouvert, n’avait pas encore enregistré de réservations.

(1) Un premier hôtel à Sotchi, un second près de Moscou.

(2) Le premier prix pour une chambre supérieure pour deux personnes
avec petit-déjeuner, déjeuner et dîner compris est de 280 ?.

Antoine Delacou

Hraparak: Hovik Abrahamyan repairs relations with President

10:45 06/07/2013 » DAILY PRESS

During the meeting of RPA Executive Body on Friday, President Serzh
Sargsyan spoke positively about candidate for Syunik governor, Vahe
Hakobyan, saying that he knows that Hakobyan will work well, Hraparak
reports. The next issue regarded the Control Chamber’s report. Old
members of the Executive Body say Serzh Sargsyan mostly repeated what
he had said during the consultation meeting at his office, but in a
comparatively mild tone.

The meeting attendees couldn’t but notice that although the President
had not allowed Hovik Abrahamyan to leave for the Ukraine, their
relations were good, like they were before. The paper’s sources say
the two met before the meeting and discussed the situation and Hovik
Abrahamyan managed to repair his relations with the President.

Source: Panorama.am

Moldova renounces its corrupted anti-Armenian lawyer

Regarding the allegations of Moldovan corrupted advocate Aurelia
Grigoriu, made in Armenia, in the context of the international
conference, the Center for Human Rights of Moldova submitted a letter
to the Armenian ombudsman in which express the regret about the
incident, Armenian News-NEWS.am informs.

The Center for Human Rights of Moldova expresses the hope that the
provocation by corrupted Moldovan lawyer in Yerevan will not affect the
traditional relations of esteem and good cooperation between national
institutions for human rights protection from Republic of Moldova and
Republic of Armenia.

The full text of the letter reads (original grammar and punctuation were
preserved):

`I express my regret regarding the accident that recently happened in the
Parliament of Republic Armenia, in the context of the International
Conference titled `The European Legal Standards and the Scope of Discretion
of Powers in the Member-States of the Council of Europe’, organized by
Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia.

The allegations of parliamentary advocate Aurelia Grigoriu, certainly do
not reflect the position of national institution for the protection of
human rights from the Republic of Moldova in so sensitive issue.

The Center for Human Rights of Moldova as well as the ombudsman
institutions from other states is one apolitical, and its activity is
focused exclusively on the monitoring of human rights observance.

The ombudsman Offices from Moldova and Armenia maintained constantly
lasting relations of cooperation and mutual support, the allegations of
parliamentary advocate Aurelia Grigoriu should not be a reason of discord
between the two institutions.

I hope what has happened recently in Yerevan will not affect the
traditional relations of esteem and good cooperation between national
institutions for human rights protection from Republic of Moldova and
Republic of Armenia. I take this opportunity to reaffirm the ombudsman
institution openness for cooperation into realisation of the goals for
promovation and protection of human rights in our countries.

Anatolie Munteanu,

Director of the CHRM, Parliamentary Advocate

To Mr. Karen Andreasyan

Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia’

Earlier Armenian News-NEWS.am informed
that the attempts of Moldova’s corrupted lawyer Aurelia Grigoriu to provoke
a scandal and damage Armenia’s image have ruined. Madame Grigoriu, a
participant of Yerevan-hosted international conference, deliberately locked
herself in her room and refused to participate in the program following her
provocative speech and statements about `occupied territories’ voiced in
the Armenian parliament.

According to many journalists, Grigoriu was bribed by Azerbaijani
officials, which whom she maintains intimate relations and whom she visited
for many times in Baku (the media paid attention to the fact that the
corrupted lawyer removed from her Facebook
account
all photos which prove close relationship
between Moldovan lawyer and Azerbaijani officials).

Kansas Conservatory postgraduate to perform concert in Yerevan

16:54, 6 July, 2013

YEREVAN, JULY 6, ARMENPRESS: The composer and pianist Tatev Amiryan
will perform a creative concert on July 8 at the Aram
Khachaturian House Museum. As Armenpress was reported by Tatev
Amiryan, during the concert her songs will be presented to
the audience. The concert will be attended by Tatevik Movsisyan
(soprano), Eduard Nersisyan (saxophone), Alisa Darbinyan (violin),
Anita Bayandur (viola) and Mariam Babayan (cello).

Tatev Amiryan is an Armenian composer, pianist and musicologist who
completed her undergraduate and graduate studies in Yerevan,
Armenia. She studied composition and music theory at the Tchaikovsky
Special Music School, and composition and musicology
at the Komitas State Conservatory. Her principal teachers include
Armenian composers Melik Mavisakalyan, Ashot Zohrabyan, Mikhail
Kokzhayev, Aram Satyan, and American composers James Mobberley, Mara
Gibson, and Chen Yi.

As a composer and pianist, Tatev Amiryan has participated in many
festivals held by the Association of Composers and Musicologists of
Armenia, and in numerous concerts and competitions and collaboration
projects at the Yerevan Komitas State Conservatory and University
of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance. She has also
given solo concerts in different regions of Armenia, performing
both her own music and pieces from the classical and contemporary repertoire.

Tatev Amiryan composes in different genres: vocal, instrumental,
chamber, symphonic, choral, as well as popular songs and folk musical
arrangements. Her music has been performed in Armenia and in the
United States. She has participated in many international
composition competitions and music festivals. Most recently, in 2011
she was awarded the first prize at the Armenian Allied Arts 71st
Annual Competition.

As a musicologist Tatev Amiryan has presented research on the music of
contemporary Armenian composers and European composers,
history of dance, and on other topics at professional conferences in
Armenia. Her articles have been published in many Armenian
periodicals. She is the author of a monograph about Armenian composer
Levon Chaushyan. Recently she had a presentation at the Women
in the Arts International Conference at University of Missouri St. Louis.

Currently Tatev Amiryan is a doctoral student in Music Composition at
University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and
Dance. Also, she is teaching piano at the Community Music and Dance
Academy at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory.
She plans to continue teaching after graduation as well as composing
and performing and doing research on music.
The concert entrance is free for visitors.

Armenia’s authorities responsible for solving Hrach Muradyan murder crime

15:11 – 06.07.13

Artsvik Minasyan, an Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun
(ARF-D) parliamentary group member, believes that Armenia’s
authorities are the only party responsible for the assassination of
Hrach Muradyan, head of the Proshyan village community.

`We have no alternative except for trusting the authorities because
they are responsible for solving the crime and can take concrete
measures,’ Minasyan told Tert.am.

`The police are ready to solve the crime. The real perpetrators and
masterminds behind the murder must be punished,’ Minasyan said. He
stressed the importance of results.

`Hrach Muradyan’s murder was not just a crime. It was an attack
against our statehood, our dignity. The authorities must redouble
their efforts to solve the crime,’ Minasyan said.

`Russia is a very dangerous ally.’

()
22:24 | July 5 2013

So thinks David Shahnazaryan

– Russia raised the price for gas, then we learned that the Government
of Armenia is negotiating with `Gazprom’ regarding selling of 20% of
the share owned by Armenia in `ArmRusGasArd’. What is going on in
Armenian-Russian economic relations?

– Gas price increase, of course, was predictable, but it was obvious
that it’s just a political pressure of Russian to Armenia. The issue
of yielding 20 percent of share owned by Armenia in `ArmRusGasArd’ to
Gazprom, in my opinion, is an unacceptable deal, it provides a small,
but important part of ownership and sovereignty to RF. I would call on
the NA factions and the Deputies not to organize hearings or
discussions with the press, but to come up with the initiative holding
an extraordinary session of the National Assembly, to submit a project
on 20% share owned by Armenia in `ArmRusGazard’, which will expressly
prohibit by the law the potential of the share to transfer to RF or
any other country. This problem once again proved the indisputable
fact that we have a serious problem of energy security.

I would like to point out that, in compliance with latter-day
standards and requirements of the free market, in the sector of
energy, the gas supplier and the gas distribution implementer can not
be the same company, while in the case of Armenia it is the `Gazprom’,
which performs these two functions from the position of monopoly, to
the point, almost the same situation is in the energy sector. The
hostage situation of energy in Armenia prevents the efficiency of the
economy, affects the living standards of citizens, and endangers our
country’s development prospects. It is necessary to take steps aimed
at strengthening of energy security, and diversification of our energy
system.

The small diameter of Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, years ago, during the
period of Kocharyan was handed over to RF. I think that this is now a
strategic issue, and the government should promptly take steps in
getting a new large diameter gas pipeline from Iran, which will have
all the capabilities to become a transit, especially under the
conditions when, after the presidential election in Iran, new and more
favorable situation seemed to be created for the implementation of
such a project.

– What is your opinion of selling weapons of $ 1 billion to Azerbaijan
by RF and persistently circulated information about the fact that
Iskander-M complexes were brought to Armenia from RF?

– The fact of selling weapon worth $ 1 billion to Azerbaijan is
directly related to our national security. Pay attention to the fact
that the matter is purely about the offensive arms, and as a number of
international military experts correctly assess, in the result of this
transaction the military balance between Armenia and Azerbaijan is
violated. It’s amazing both the indifferent response of the
authorities (although I’m sure they are seriously concerned), as well
as the fact that the parties of

Armenia did not react to the fact, with the exception of `Free
Democrats’ and `Heritage’ parties. The explanations and assurances of
RF high-rank officials cannot be any way considered satisfactory that
it is a purely economic transaction. In the case, Armenia, in its
relations with RF, should pursue by its economy and not only economic
interests. The explanations of RF high-rank officials that selling
weapons to Azerbaijan is an `economic interest’, `purely business’ is
not serious, even I would like to remind you about the well-known
justification of anti-heroes Mario Puzo: `Nothing personal, just a
business…’

We should record that RF has promoted and promotes the militant policy
of Azerbaijan to Armenia, as well as further sharpens the arms race
started between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Generally, arms race may
result in two things: either a war or at least economic decomposition
of one of the parties, the bright example of which is the
decomposition of the Soviet Union.

I am confident that Moscow clearly realizes the possible consequences
of its actions. On June 30, Putin’s statement () was quiet `eloquent’, when
replying to the Azerbaijani journalist’s question, he said,- `The
Russian military base located in the Republic of Azerbaijan is not
directed against the interests of Azerbaijan.’ And what are the
interests of Azerbaijan, is known to everyone, the official Baku
announces about it on the highest level that Azerbaijan is going to
set up a war against the republic of Armenia

RF has become a very dangerous ally for RA, and signing the
Association Agreement with EU is no longer an alternative, moreover,
Armenia need to deepen and expand its military cooperation with the EU
and the Eastern Partnership countries within the process of the EU
Association Agreement. As for the news of brining Iskander-M to
Armenia, I think that dissemination of such information by RF was a
very well organized outflow with the objective to slightly mitigate
the concerns of the Armenian society in connection with the
transaction of selling 1 billion dollars of weapons to Azerbaijan.
But Russian experts are mistaken if they think that the idea of
supplying Iskander-M complexes should be accepted in Armenia with
great enthusiasm. I would like to mention about one more important
fact. The RA voting in UN was not clear, recently. UN GA adopted the
draft submitted by Georgia regarding the issue of refugees from the
occupied territories. The Republic of Armenia should have voted
abstained for the proposal. Georgia is not only a strategically
important neighbor, but we are involved in the EU Association process.

– Customs Union, or EU Association Agreement: is the issue of choice
really an item of the agenda?

– The RA authorities announce that they keep balance between RF and
the EU relations, that is, they are saying that they are maintaining
strategic relationships with the Russia; however, Armenia is headed to
initial the EU association agreement. The statements by European
diplomats are positive that negotiations around al clauses of the EU
Association Agreement are almost completed, and just

technical type of issues are left. I hope it is the case, because it
is not only a political decision for Armenia but also a choice of
civilization. We hope that the government will have enough political
courage that can withstand the pressures of RF.

The latest developments lead to the following conclusion: Armenia can
not maintain its current status. Armenia has to make that choice,
either a nonexistent Eurasian Union, or EU Association Agreement, and
an agreement on Free Trade Zone. In other words, either a free market
with the EU, or return to the Soviet Union.

Nelly GRIGORYAN

Soldier’s Body Found Hanging from Telephone Tower

12:00, July 6, 2013

Yesterday, the body of a conscript soldier was found hanging from a
telephone antennae tower in an Armenian military barracks.

Gabriel Lazaryan, the dead soldier, had been hanging from a sheet
wrapped around his neck.

The RA Ministry of Defense has launched a criminal investigation.

Elimination of consequences of Armenian genocide is connected with
compensation: Aghvan Hovsepyan

17:12, 5 July, 2013

YEREVAN, JULY 5, ARMENPRESS: Geopolitical and economic interests of
powerful countries and sometimes conflict of those
interests lay obstacles for recognition of Armenian genocide. About
this mentioned Prosecutor General of Armenia Aghvan Hovsepyan
during the second session of pan-Armenian conference of lawyers
organized by the ministry of Diaspora. `Armenpress’ reports that
Aghvan Hovsepyan expressed satisfaction that suh conference has been
organized by the ministry of Diaspora which can lay light on
many legal issues of Armenian genocide and become serious stimulation
for studying of Armenian genocide from legal point of
view. `The discussed topics are very interesting and up-to-date.
Many countries have already recognized and condemned Armenian genocide
but unfortunately this issue has not been solved totally.
For that reason the recognition of the genocide by this or that
country give us only feeling emotional satisfaction,’ said
Hovsepyan.

He mentioned that often the issue of recognition or non-recognition of
Armenian genocide became a tool for stressing Turkey. `We
must make conclusions from it. Both recognition of Armenian genocide
and regulation of Armenian-Turkish relations should have
international-legal guarantees. And we -Armenian lawyers, have to
implement that difficult task’, he stressed adding that we cannot say
that Armenian lawyers have not done anything for legal guarantees of
recognition of Armenian genocide but they especially young ones
must continue the necessary researches and analyzes in this sphere.

Aghvan Hovsepyan considers the fact that Armenian genocide has been
fundamentally proved undisputable. He stressed that there are
many evidences of it – testimonies of eyewitnesses, letters, diaries,
official documents and etc. There are also self-confessions of Turkish
authorities which are fixed in court decisions of 1919-1920. `During
those years Turkish courts implemented many cases in which Turkish
politicians, militarists and officials have been sentenced for mass
killings of Armenians and deportations. Those sentences are legal,
official
evidences condemning Armenian genocide which can be litigated with
difficulty even by current Turkish nationalists. I think that this
direction of legal researches has prospects and will be efficient,’
mentioned Prosecutor General.

Speaking about the commitment of young lawyers Aghvan Hovsepyan
considered that the elimination of consequences of Armenian
genocide is connected with compensation. He is sure that heirs of
victims must receive material compensation, to Armenian Church must
be returned the churches, Republic of Armenia must receive its lost
territories ant etc.

Prosecutor General is concerned also with today’s reality. He is
concerned by the fact that high-level Azerbaijani officials declare
that
Syunik and Yerevan are Azerbaijani territories. `We today listen to
this absurd and keep silence. I agree that it is really absurd, it is
obvious lye. We advise Azerbaijanis to get acquainted with the works
of ancient historians where even name `Azerbaijan’ is not known. But
won’t it be more efficient to present well-grounded counter-claim?’ he said.