Author: Babajanian Karo

ANTI-ARMENIAN PROPAGANDA ON RUSSIAN TELEVISION

The Russian Culture TV channel broadcasted on June 11 the program
“History of facts” dwelling on the history of Turkey, its relations
with Russia, similarities between both countries and other issues. It
was justly noted that Russia and Turkey have never been opponents,
more, since the beginning of 20th century, these countries have
been allies.

The program dwelt also on the Armenian genocide. Guest of the program
Mikhail Meyer, Head of the Asian-African Studies Center at Moscow
State University, historian and Turkologist, actually carried out
anti-Armenian propaganda mutating the 1915 events.

In particular, Meyer said that the events are presented as if Muslims
are to blame, while Christians that is Armenians, are the victims. In
reality, the massacre was carried out by both sides, he said.

According to the scientist, during the genocide many fewer people
died. Only 1.5 million Armenian used to live there, some of them
survived, so how could 1.5 million die? Many starved to death like
during Stalin deportations, he said.

Note Culture is a state channel, while Russian State Duma recognized
the Armenian genocide in 1995.

15:57 12/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

ARMENIAN FACTOR IN PROTESTS IN TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN

The Armenian factor is acquiring more significance in the context
of ongoing processes in Turkey and Azerbaijan. The reason is not the
money spent by the Armenian government to throw a monkey wrench into
the affairs of the neighboring countries. All happens automatically
because, despite the genocide, displacement and other methods, the
Armenian spirit is still alive in these countries. Appeals to restore
the monument to the Armenian genocide were voiced in Taksim Square
in Istanbul which used to be an Armenian cemetery for centuries. The
monument was established in 1919 and was demolished in 1940. It was
stated in the square that the stairs in the Gazi Park were built
from Armenian gravestones. Turkish authorities blamed everyone for
the protests in Gazi Park, including extremists, foreign forces and
the West. Armenians have not been mentioned among the organizers yet.

Meanwhile, in Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev called Rustam Ibrahimbekov,
his future opponent in the next presidential elections, a henchman
of Armenians.

Experts in Armenia reasonably warn that the participation of Armenians
in protests in Turkey may lead to a new bloodshed. Armenian Nor Zartonk
is among many other protesting organizations. But it is evident that
the protests may become a stimulus for many Armenians hiding their
identity to announce about their origins.

Serious processes have kicked off in Turkey which may not be limited to
protests against Erdoghan. Different ethnic and religious groups which
were forced to join the empire and which were deprived of history,
freedom of expression, where everyone was considered “Turk” cannot
exist for a long time. Meanwhile, everyone has the right to freedom
of expression and identity.

Azerbaijan also has major identity-related issues. No one can say
whether there is a state-building ethnos in this country.

Turkic-speaking Azeris who are not Sunni like in Turkey but Shiites
like in Iran, a lot of Kurds, representatives of other ethnicities,
they all want to express their identity. But now it is impossible
in Azerbaijan.

In sedentary nations, identity is associated with a particular
territory, property, monuments. Deprivation of Armenians of identity
in modern Turkey was accompanied by depriving them of their place of
residence. And the issue of restoring the right to expression of one’s
identity cannot pass unheeded in their area of residence and property.

Just like in modern Azerbaijan: even after 500 years, traces of
Armenian identity and property will still be found there. Not only
appeals to restore the monument to genocide will probably be voiced
in Turkey.

Naira Hayrumyan 12:06 11/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

PRICES OF IMPORTED GOODS ROSE

Prices of imported goods and services if converted to a US dollar
amount rose by 2.8% in the first quarter of 2013 compared with last
year, the Central Bank report states. In the fourth quarter of 2012
it was 2.2%. According to the report, the rise of prices of imported
goods and services were prompted by depreciation of the US dollar in
the first quarter of 2013. At the same time, the increase of prices
compared to the same period last year was mainly due to increase of
prices of consumer goods. The report states that the 2.8% increase of
prices of imported goods and services and a 5.1% drop in the exchange
rate of USD in the reporting period pushed the cost of goods included
in the subsistence basket by 7.1% from the same period in 2012. ($
1 is equal to AMD 414.14).

ARKA 12:33 11/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

WHAT DOES TARON SWEAR FOR?

According to the official results of May 5 elections Taron Margaryan
was elected Yerevan Mayor, and is going to swear-in and re-assume
his office on June 11. It is not clear why Taron swears-in. He has
already sworn-in once after which he did steps, such as wasting Yerevan
budget for unnecessary luxury, which could have been done even without
swearing. It is necessary to swear only for noble deeds which will
be inherited by generation. Taron Margaryan will leave only luxury
and misery records to generations, which live alongside in Yerevan.

Hundreds of millions are spent in Yerevan for city’s design. In
the meantime, thousands of residents of Yerevan have basic needs,
health needs and housing needs. If hundreds of millions were not
spent on Yerevan design, the city would have not become uglier or
more uncomfortable. Instead, thanks to the millions spent for luxury,
Yerevan is becoming an anti-Christian city where people have basic
needs, while the Municipality is engaged in rendering Yerevan a totem.

Large part of elevators in Yerevan buildings is dangerous for the
life of residents, while hundreds of millions are still used for
cosmetics in Yerevan.

Taron Margaryan should hold his swearing-in ceremony within a narrow
governmental circle the interests of which he is going to serve. Taron
Margaryan may swear in front of Samvel Alexanyan promising to allot
to him many more areas for new supermarkets. Taron Margaryan may swear
to render the reconstruction of Republic Square a profitable business.

Margaryan may swear to do everything not to change anything in the
transport sphere in Yerevan not to cause troubles for the owners of
minibus lines.

Taron Margaryan’s swearing-in should not be public but targeted in
accord with the deals different people will stipulate with Yerevan
municipality.

He could swear in front of his friends and relatives to justify their
hopes to see him as a Mayor and later even as the president. Though, in
this case, it would be a bit responsible to swear, because here Taron
has many strong competitors. So, he should swear to his relatives
and friends to work to meet their wishes and expectations because
otherwise he could appear in the trap of expectations.

Moreover, he seems to be so close to it.

This borderline is very delicate in the Armenian governmental system,
and it requires experience to notice it. If Taron Margaryan is
sensible, he will understand that the countdown of his term kicked
off on May 5. But if he does not understand the borderline, he will
shift from the status of “son of the regiment” to the “victim of
the regiment”.

Yeghisheh Metsarents 13:01 11/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

LES JEUX MEDITERRANEENS MAINTENUS MALGRE LES MANIFESTATIONS ANTI-ERDOGAN EN TURQUIE

La 17e edition des Jeux mediterraneens aura lieu normalement du 20
au 30 juin prochain a Mersin, dans le sud de la Turquie, malgre les
manifestations antigouvernementales parfois violentes qui agitent le
pays depuis dix jours, ont confirme lundi les organisateurs.

“La tenue des Jeux mediterraneens n’est pas affectee par les
manifestations pour l’essentiel pacifiques qui se sont deroulees dans
la region d’Adana et Mersin”, ont declare le comite d’organisation et
le Comite olympique turc dans un communique. “Après un examen attentif
de la situation avec des experts, il ressort qu’il n’existe pas de
risque important pour les athlètes qui participent a la competition”,
ajoute le texte. “La Turquie a un excellent bilan en matière de
securite en ce qui concerne les evenements sportifs des dix dernières
annees et les athlètes, officiels et supporters peuvent etre assures
que ces Jeux respecteront les memes règles”, ajoute-t-il. L’une des
salles où se derouleront certaines epreuves des Jeux a precisement ete
inauguree dimanche par le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
qui y a prononce un discours très offensif contre les manifestants qui
exigent depuis dix jours sa demission. La Turquie est agitee depuis
dix jours par un mouvement de contestation politique sans precedent
depuis l’arrivee au pouvoir du gouvernement islamo-conservateur en
2002, qui a debute avec la repression brutale le 31 mai par la police
d’un mouvement de protestation contre un projet d’amenagement urbain
a Istanbul.

mardi 11 juin 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

LES BARRICADES DEMANTELEES AUTOUR DE LA PLACE TAKSIM, CONTRELEE PAR LA POLICE

ISTANBUL, 11 juin 2013 (AFP) – Des pelleteuses ont demantele mardi
les barricades erigees autour de la place Taksim d’Istanbul, dont
la police a repris le contrôle au douzième jour de la contestation
antigouvernementale qui agite la Turquie, ont constate des journalistes
de l’AFP.

En milieu de matinee, les forces de l’ordre sont parvenues, a grand
renfort de gaz lacrymogènes et de canons a eau, a eloigner de la place
les centaines de jeunes manifestants casques et proteges de masques
qui se sont opposes a leur intervention par des jets de pierre et de
cocktails Molotov.

La police n’est pas intervenue pour evacuer le parc Gezi, adjacent a la
place, dont la destruction annoncee a donne le 31 mai le coup d’envoi
des manifestations dirigees contre le gouvernement islamo-conservateur
du Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

M. Erdogan, qui doit rencontrer mercredi des representants de la
contestation, doit s’exprimer a la mi-journee, comme chaque semaine,
devant les deputes de son Parti de la justice et du developpement
(AKP) a Ankara.

mardi 11 juin 2013, Ara ©armenews.com

TROIKA CHYPRIOTE : QUI A DEPOUILLE DE SES BIENS L’HOMME D’AFFAIRES PAYLAK HAYRAPETYAN ?

De sombres operations de WLISPERA HOLDINGS LIMITED, une societe
offshore enregistree a Chypre, revèlent comment des individus issus
des secteurs religieux et d’affaires d’Armenie, ont pu collaborer
pour satisfaire leurs interets economiques.

La societe est la propriete a parts egales de trois actionnaires
: Tigran Sargsyan, Premier Ministre de la Republique d’Armenie,
l’archeveque Navasard Kjoyan, Primat du diocèse Ararat de l’Eglise
Apostolique Armenienne, et le filleul de ce dernier Ashot Sukiasyan,
homme d’affaire qui avait defraye la chronique en offrant il y a
quelques annees une Bentley au prelat.

Or il apparait que cette societe WLISPERA (WHL) serait directement
liee au processus qui a conduit a la saisie des avoirs de l’homme
d’affaires Paylak Hayrapetyan.

Du 25 juin 2010 au 15 juin 2011, Ashot Sukiasyan a periodiquement
recu des prets pour un montant de 10,7 millions de dollars de la
AmeriaBank. Ces prets ont pu lui etre octroyes grâce a la caution
que lui ont donne les entreprises appartenant a Paylak Hayrapetian
et au fils de ce dernier.

En recevant cet argent, Sukiasyan n’a pas respecte les conditions
d’obtention du pret et du business plan qu’il avait presente. Ce qui
n’a pas empeche la AmeriaBank de continuer a transferer des sommes sur
de nombreux comptes bancaires detenus par des societes enregistrees
a Chypre.

La cooperative de production Dzoragyugh a donne a la AmeriaBank un
ordre de virement sur les comptes de plusieurs societes offshore,
detenus a la Hellenic Bank Publik Company de Chypre, d’un montant de
9 370 450 dollars sur les sommes transferees du pret Les montants du
pret ont ete transferes a :

1. A.B.S GLOBAL LIMITED – 7 020 450 $ 2. WLISPERA HOLDINGS LIMITED –
350 000 $ 3. STR EMERALD LIMITED – 2 000 000 $.

Autre fait interessant, une partie des montants transferee sur les
comptes offshore a Chypre, etait en meme temps retransferee sur les
comptes de la cooperative de production Dzoragyugh a la AmeriaBank.

En particulier, 3 233 000 dollars etaient transferes a STR EMERALD
et 2 099 733 dollars a WLISPERA.

La cooperative Dzoragyugh est la propriete a parts egales de Sukiasyan
, de sa femme et de sa fille. Il est de notoriete qu’il doit enormement
d’argent non seulement en Armenie, mais aussi en Afrique et en Russie.

Il a depuis quitte l’Armenie avec sa famille. Nos efforts pour le
contacter ont echoue.

La police armenienne a ouvert une enquete concernant cette histoire
d’emprunt, mais a ce jour personne n’a ete inculpe.

Ce delit a ete signale par Paylak Hayrapetyan qui raconte comment il
s’est trouve implique dans cette affaire et comment ses actifs sont
sur le point d’etre saisis.

” En 2009, quand le gouvernement armenien appuyait un plan de
developpement du secteur diamantaire et joailler dans le pays, j’ai
investi 3,5 millions de dollars et cree une entreprise employant
400 personnes. J’ai construit une usine et une ecole d’enseignement
professionnel pour former des artisans. Un jour, j’ai recu un appel
de Gagik Kocharyan, alors chef du departement de l’artisanat et du
commerce au ministère de l’Economie. Il m’a incite a rencontrer le
ministre pour une question urgente concernant une consultation sur
ce secteur. ” declare Hayrapetyan.

Hayrapetyan precise qu’a son arrivee au ministère, le Premier ministre
avait deja quitte la consultation. Ils se sont rencontres sur le
palier de la cage d’escalier. Il est entre dans le bureau puis le
ministre de l’Economie Nerces Yeritsyan s’est assis. D’un côte se
trouvait l’archeveque Kjoyan, de l’autre, Ashot Sukiasyan.

Durant la rencontre, le ministre dit aux dirigeants des 23 manufactures
de diamants et de bijouterie que 100 millions de dollars du pret de
500 millions de dollars devant etre accorde par la Russie, seraient
alloues sous forme de diamants bruts. De plus la Russie avait
accepte que l’Armenie rembourse cet emprunt sous forme de diamants
travailles. Durant cette rencontre, le ministre precisa aux fabricants
que l’emploi de 10 000 personnes etait une exigence du gouvernement
et faisait partie des conditions du pret.

” Le ministre a ensuite donne la parole a Ashot Sukiasyan qui dit
posseder des mines en Sierra Leone en Afrique et qu’il etait pret a
fournir du materiel brut de qualite 15 % moins cher que l’offre russe,
” dit Hayrapetyan. ” Ceci satisfaisait tout le monde,Yeritsyan et
ses amis. Ils se mirent d’accord et après de longues palabres Ashot
apporta un echantillon. 17 a 18 hommes d’affaires etaient presents
a ce meeting. Ils etaient accompagnes d’experts. Le diamant etait
effectivement de très haute qualite. ”

Toutefois, Sukiasyan precisa qu’il pouvait fournir un tel materiau
indefiniment, si un investissement de 12 millions de dollars etait
effectue dans ses mines sud-africaines pour acheter l’equipement
necessaire. Ceux presents a ce meeting, accompagnes de Gagik Kocharyan,
chef du departement de l’artisanat et du commerce au Ministère,
sont ensuite alles a la Swiss Bank.

” Comme ceci etait un projet gouvernemental d’envergure et que j’etais
le plus âge des personnes presentes, j’ai dit que je pourrais me
porter immediatement caution pour que les autres n’aient pas a le
faire individuellement. Ce n’etait pas pour une longue duree, juste
pour trois ans. ” raconte Paylak Hayrapetyan.

Peu de temps après, Ashot Sukiasyan dit que la Swiss Bank avait refuse
d’accorder le pret, mais qu’avec l’intervention du Premier ministre,
le ministre Yeritsyan, l’archeveque Kjoyan, et la AmeriaBank avaient
accepte de preter l’argent.

Sukyasyan placa 33 millions de dollars d’avoirs appartenant a Paylak
Hayrapetyan en garantie avec la banque et recut un pret de 10,7
millions de dollars.

” Le plan d’affaires pour obtenir ce pret etait elabore par la
AmeriaBank, et fut paye par Sukyasyan 6000 dollars . ” dit Hayrapetyan.

Le plan etait très similaire au plan du gouvernement de 2008 et de
2013. Celui-ci etait egalement un plan grandiose qui envisageait de
transformer l’Armenie en une plate-forme pour le polissage et la vente
des diamants. Cette fois, c’etait le debiteur Dzoraghbyur Ltd., qui
faisait une telle promesse conformement au plan. La banque a continue
a transferer des sommes d’argent a une cooperative de production
portant un nom similaire jamais note dans le plan d’affaires original.

D’où la question, pourquoi et sur les ordres de qui la AmeriaBank
a-t-elle conduit de telles transactions ? Pourquoi les depenses du
pret n’etaient-elle pas surveillees precisement quand les montants
etaient verses a temperament ? Le debiteur n’ayant execute aucune de
ses obligations concernant les six temperaments precedents, la banque
aurait pu par exemple, arreter le septième temperament verse. Mieux
encore, la banque a ” ferme les yeux ” sur le fait qu’une partie des
montants du pret avait ete retransferee sur un compte ouvert a la
AmeriaBank par la cooperative de production Dzoraghbyur.

Malgre tout cela, AmeriaBank prit curieusement possession de tous
les avoirs saisis a Paylak Hayrapetyan.

Traduction : Gisèle Garabedian

mardi 11 juin 2013, Ara ©armenews.com

D´autres informations disponibles : HETCQ

NEW YORK TIMES RESPONDS TO TURKISH PM’S CRITICISM OVER GEZI PARK AD

Hurriyet, Turkey
June 8 2013

The New York Times has said it accepts advertisements “from all
advocacy groups who wish to share their opinions” in response to
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan’s criticism over a
full-page ad placed in the newspaper by Gezi Park supporters.

“We publish this type of advertising because we believe in the First
Amendment, which affords us the right to publish news and editorials,
but just as important, guarantees the public’s right to be heard,”
the New York Times said in a written statement to daily Hurriyet
published on June 8.

“Our advertising department and our newsroom are completely distinct
operations and the newsroom has nothing to do with the placement or
acceptance of advertising messages,” it also added.

The prime minister targeted the foreign media during a speech June 7,
accusing foreign outlets of “running stories based on orders with
ideological approaches.”

The ad run under the title “What’s happening in Turkey” and supported
the popular resistance following the protests in Gezi Park, while
issuing several demands, such as the end of police brutality, the
start of democratic dialogue and a freer media.

Times’ answer filled my eyes with tears: EU Minister

EU Minister Egemen Baðýþ, who lived for years in the United States,
chided the New York Times over its decision to publish the ad.

“When I read the New York Times answer with a mention to the First
Amendment, I had tears in my eyes, I was really touched,” Baðýþ told
daily Hurriyet, adding that when he was lobbying in the United States,
the broadsheet had refused to print an ad that said “A systematic
Armenian Genocide did not take place.”

“They have made an incomplete statement. They should have said ‘We
only support the ads of advocacy groups that we want, on subjects that
we want.’ I experienced this personally when I lived in the United
States. I saw how libertarian the American media was with concrete
experiences,” he said, adding that they never managed to print their
ads on the Armenian or other issues.

“We were also a nongovernmental organization. We also wanted to
express our freedom of thought. But when it comed to hear our voices,
their ears went deaf. All the doors were closed. How come they have
become so sensitive to a problem inside Turkey?”

June/08/2013

AIR ARABIA STARTING YEREVAN SERVICES

Gulf Business News
June 10 2013

Sharjah low-cost carrier to take on flydubai as it seeks to capitalise
on Armenia’s growing popularity.

By Dominic Ellis

Air Arabia will begin twice weekly services between Sharjah and
Yerevan from August 16.

Flights will depart from Sharjah International Airport on Tuesdays and
Fridays at 0830, arriving at Zvartnots International Airport at 1115.

Return flights will leave Yerevan at 1235 and arrive in Sharjah
at 1540.

Armenia is an emerging leisure destination with its mountains, forests,
lakes and waterfalls and Yerevan is one of the oldest continuously
inhabited cities in the world, offering a range of museums, parks,
restaurants and sightseeing opportunities.

Air Arabia will compete on the route with flydubai, which flies three
times weekly. Air Arabia’s return prices at launch are currently
AED1,329 compared with flydubai’s AED1,934, although they are
promotional fares.

Yerevan is Air Arabia’s fifth new route this year.

UVM SENIOR TREKS BACK INTO HER ARMENIAN PAST

BurlingtonFreePress.com
June 10 2013

Written by Chris Bohjalian & Idyll Banter

Just how small is this world really? Sarah Aghjayan, 21, has been going
to the University of Vermont since the autumn of 2010 and will begin
her senior year there this September. Our paths have never crossed
in Vermont. Yet last month we met seven time zones to the east in a
now largely Kurdish section of Turkey.

Sarah and I were two of seven Armenian-American pilgrims on a journey
into the geography of our past. I’ve chosen the word geography
carefully. Her father, George Aghjayan, was with us and he was quite
literally charting our route via GPS and locking in the coordinates.

Once upon a time – actually, up until 98 years ago – this part of
Turkey was a land of Turks, Kurds, Assyrians and Armenians. In
the Armenian Genocide that began in 1915, three out of every
four Armenians in the Ottoman Empire – 1.5 million people – were
systematically slaughtered and the hallmarks of their culture here
all but obliterated. Over the course of one week in May, the seven
of us traveled from village to village to see the remains of the
monasteries and churches, some massive, and the communities that
anchored this part of Historic Armenia.

And among the places we visited was a tiny Kurdish community now called
Yazibashi. A century ago, when it was populated with Armenians, it
was known as Sakrat. The hamlet is a far cry from the Boston suburbs
where Sarah grew up, her family diehard Patriots fans and her father
an executive with a software company that specializes in structured
finance. But some of her Armenian roots are here. This is where her
great-grandfather, Giragos Der Manouelian, was born. All that remains
of the Armenian church in Sakrat today is a part of the altar, a stone
arch, but this is the very church where Giragos was baptized. The
arch towers over a small barn and a single-story cement block home.

“I never knew my great-grandfather,” Sarah told me, “but I’ve heard
my dad recount numerous stories of him, so this was a very special
experience for me. It’s very emotional for me.”

This was Sarah’s second pilgrimage with her father: “I make these
journeys to learn more about my family’s history. It’s not everyday
that Armenians get to visit the remote villages of our ancestors and
speak with the people who live there now.” Usually, she said, the
villagers are gracious. When we were in Sakrat last month, the farmer
who owns the land that once was the Armenian church insisted that we
stay and share glasses of thick tahn – a yogurt drink – with him.

None of us brought up the reality that much of this land once belonged
to Armenians, because that wasn’t why we were there. This was about
what Thomas Moore calls the “care of the soul,” not real estate. As
we sipped our tahn, George and Sarah wanted to be sure that our
translator conveyed to our host how grateful they were that he was
preserving the arch. He wasn’t tearing it down, he wasn’t allowing
it to sink further into the earth.

That’s one of the things that made the journey so poignant: Most of
the time, there is no one or no group looking after these remnants.

Moreover, the ruins we saw were often parts of active, thriving
communities as recently as 98 years ago. This wasn’t Pompeii. These
weren’t medieval castles in Scotland. There may still be people alive
today who sat in some of these pews.

Which perhaps explains what Sarah said was her favorite moment on the
trip: Our visit to Ktuts Island in Lake Van, and the ancient monastery
there that’s now home only to thousands of seagulls. “Armenians have a
knack for picking the most beautiful locations for their monasteries
and churches, and that one takes the cake,” she said. “The monastery
was in decent shape, which made the experience even better; there
was no heart-wrenching destruction to it.”

Ruins, according to Moore, “show us that something remains of beauty
in a thing when its function has departed.” It’s a part of the reason
we’re drawn to them. This was Sarah’s second journey to her ancestral
homeland. It’s clear that it won’t be her last.