Author: Babajanian Karo

Armenia should demonstrate its importance to other EEU members, expert says

YEREVAN, January 30. / ARKA /. Armenia should indicate in a clear way
the steps and actions that will demonstrate its importance and value
to other members of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), Karen Bekaryan,
head of a non-governmental organization called “European Integration”
told a news conference today.

He said the year of 2015 will be ‘rich and interesting’ in terms of
integration processes, as Armenia’s membership in the EEU will be
materializing in practice. According to him, along with this Armenia
should make intensive steps towards enhancing cooperation with
neighboring Georgia and Iran, because as a member of EEU it could
provide Georgian businesses with better opportunities to enter the EEU
markets, while Georgia, as an associated country with the EU could
open new opportunities for Armenia.

According to him, Armenia can use this formula to step up cooperation
with Iran, “but with certain differences.”

Bekaryan said Armenia should use also some of its advantages, compared
with other EEU member states, particularly, the freedom of doing
business, to attract new investments.-0-

Mardik Martin: From “Raging Bull” to “The Cut”

Mardik Martin
January 30, 2015 09:36
exclusive

>From February, the Yerevan cinema theaters will screen The Cut
historic drama shot by German director of Turkish descent Fatih Akin.
The plot hinges upon the period during the Armenian Genocide and
following years. The closed screening of the movie for journalists
will take place in Yerevan today. Mardik Martin who is of Armenian
descent is among the screenwriters of the movie, and he agreed to talk
to us.

The Cut stands out not only because it’s the first time in the history
that a Turkish director shoots a movie on the Eghern, but the fact
that Mardik Martin who has Armenian roots is among the creative cast
of the film as a screenwriter. Few people know about Mardik Martin now
while he was one of the people in the 1970-s who changed the “face” of
the Hollywood cinematography and showed real lives on the screens.

Born in Baghdad, Mardik settled in New York in the 1960-s, as his
father didn’t want him to serve in the Iraqi army. After shifting
various professions, he entered New York Film School where he got
acquainted with his future partner and legend of cinematography Martin
Scorsese. By the way, Armenian Hayk Manukyan was one of their
lecturers. It was him who advised them to work together.

The advice proved more than effective. In 1973, “Mean Streets”
criminal drama was released. The film brought fame not only to
director Scorsese and screenwriter Martin but also leading actors
Harvey Keitel and Robert de Niro.

Then followed 2 documentaries – Italian Americans featuring the story
of Scorsese’s parents and Last Waltz dedicated to the Band rock group
(it is considered one of the best pieces of rock-documentary), and 2
more movies – “New York, New York” (Frank Sinatra’s famous song of
the same name was composed as a soundtrack to the movie) and “Raging
Bull”, popular sports drama with De Niro starring as boxer Jake La
Motta.

Afterwards, Scorsese’s and Mardik’s paths diverged. The director
re-found himself and achieved many heights, while Mardik gradually
left the “big cinema”.

“The Cut” is his first major work over the 34 years.

– When exactly did you join Fatih Akin? Did he already have a story in
mind at that point?

– Fatih had a rough of a story, which we used as the main thread to
base the script on. My main contribution was making the story simpler,
more cinematic, and rewriting the last third in a way which was
different than what he had.

– Few years ago in Yerevan, Akin told me in an interview that Raging
Bull is one of his most favorite movies ever. Was that one of the
reasons why you worked together? And have you seen Akin’s previous
films?

– I don’t know about his love of Raging Bull except that it’s a movie
he loves. I assume he liked my work, especially Mean Streets. My
reason for working with him: this was a story I wanted to tell and I
didn’t put any of his films as a reason, although I liked his work.

– What attracted you most in this project?

– This is a story that has to be told. I wanted to be one of the first
to tell it to the world. It’s about time audiences learned what
Armenians had to go through.

– I guess Genocide is not just a historical event for you but
something that made your family move from Armenia to Baghdad many
years ago. Did you use stories you heard in your family while writing
The Cut?

– Indirectly. My only family connection with the massacres was through
my mother’s father, who was killed in defense of his family’s village.

– Not that many Genocide films have been shot till now. Did you watch
any of them -Henri Verneuil’s Mayrig, Atom Egoyan’s Ararat etc before
you started working on The Cut? If yes, what you liked and disliked in
them? And what is the most important part in reflecting such tragic
historical events in films?

– I did not see any of the above movies. Frankly, I was told that they
were not good. The important part of telling the story of an
historical event is audience edification. In this case, it took a
century.

– It was your first feature film since 1980’s “Raging Bull”. More than
30 years! What did you feel about it? What was the most difficult
part?

– I had become a full time professor at the University of Southern
California. I enjoyed teaching immensely. It did not have the
heartbreaks of writing a script, giving birth to it, and then several
years later, having it die because the studios didn’t spend the
requisite money.

– Will you work on other scripts after The Cut that may be filmed in
near future?

– Very unlikely. I intend to retire peacefully with a part-time
professorship at USC. Life is passing me by as I get older.

Artavazd Eghiazaryan talked to Mardik Martin

“N’oubliez pas”: France’s Eurovision 2015 entry said to allude to
Armenian Genocide

Genocide | 30.01.15 | 11:48
Photo:

A French song to be presented at Europe’s biggest pop music contest
this year is believed to be about the Armenian Genocide perpetrated in
Ottoman Turkey a century ago.

According to the official website of the Eurovision Song Contest, the
song of France’s contest Lisa Angell, 46, entitled “N’oubliez pas”, or
“Don’t Forget” was first performed at a concert in November during the
commemoration period of the First World War, “while the singer
emphasizes that the song refers not only to this very special event in
history but to any kind of conflict.”

There is a part of the lyrics in the song sung in French that
translates as: “I remember the smiles of the kids, the voice of the
men when they went out in the fields, the Thanksgiving celebrations,
the scent in the houses, the love and laughter. But I am here, do not
forget.”

The song makes no specific reference to any historical event,
including the Armenian Genocide, as Eurovision rules prohibit
“political messages” in contestants’ entries.

France was one of the nations that gave refuge to many Armenian
survivors of the Ottoman-era massacres. The country that has a sizable
ethnic Armenian community today officially recognized the Armenian
Genocide in 1998.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2015 is due to take place in Vienna,
Austria, on May 19-23.

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Jan 30 2015

Yerevan City Hall tries to turn surplus profit into bigger surplus profit

30 January 2015 – 11:34am
Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza

Another problem will soon appear in the complex of problems of the
Armenian economy: the increase in public transport ticket prices in
Yerevan. City Hall plans to transfer management of the capital’s
public transport to a private operator. According to the mass media,
another attempt to increase ticket prices is hidden behind the deal.

In July 2013 Yerevan City Hall decided that the prices for tickets on
public ground transport in the capital should rise by 50%. It was
planned to increase ticket prices for minibuses and buses from 100 to
150 drams; for trolleybuses – from 50 to 100 drams ($1=470 drams). Due
to a powerful protest movement, City Hall had to reject the plans.
However, the growth of ticket prices is still acute.Considering
statements by officials who try to prove the necessity of increasing
ticket prices, the problem stays on the agenda of City Hall. Thus, the
decision by the capital authorities to maintain the old prices in 2013
was only a temporary concession.

2014 was marked by protests of transport service workers, primarily
drivers of minibuses, who demanded to increase ticket prices to 300
drams. They explained their demands by the fact that the current
prices didn’t cover the revenues of transport services, including
taxes, purchasing repair parts, fuel.

Last year Yerevan City Hall presented calculations to justify a growth
of ticket prices. According to them, the cost of transportation of 1
passenger by microbus is 138 drams, by bus -149.8 drams. According to
experts of the City Hall, considering the number of transported
passengers, owners of one minibus lose 80 million drams annually under
ticket prices of 100 drams; as for owners of buses, they lose at least
125 million drams. However, some economists pointed out that City Hall
calculated that one microbus carried only 15 passengers in one round,
while one bus carried 30 passengers. And this is not true.

The former mayor of Yerevan, Vaagn Khachatryan, suggested they take a
minibus and count how many people it carries to the final stop. “These
are shadow sums of the minibuses’ owners – $12-5 thousand every month.
And I mean one route only. If ticket prices grow, their revenues will
grow by 20-30%.”

Experts state that City Hall’s calculation of the sums which are
necessary for purchasing repair parts are overvalued seriously, as
well as drivers’ salaries of 150-200 drams, as in reality a bus driver
earns about 80 thousand drams. The real balance between the suggested
ticket prices and gas prices in gas stations also contradicts the
logic of the calculations. The authorities included all the risks in
their ticket price, including an interest rate on loans which owners
of minibuses had to pay from their profit.

“City Hall is trying to turn the existing surplus profit into bigger
surplus profit. This is the result of a merger between business and
political power,” lawyer Karen Mezhlumyan thinks.

According to the Armenian mass media (nobody has disapproved the
information yet), microbus routes N5 and N32 are controlled by Taron
and Robert Company, i.e. the mayor of Yerevan Taron Margaryan and his
relative, an MP. The mayor also owns minibus line N20. Several routes
in the Achapnyak Community belong to the family of the speaker of the
National Assembly Galust Saakyan; both his sons are top officials.
Several minibus lines belong to oligarchs Ruben Ayrapetyan and Samvel
Alexanyayn.

It appears that transport routes belong to numerous private owners. In
other cities of the world only 2-3 companies are involved in the
public transport sphere, rather than several dozen of them. Public
transport should provide high-level services and security; it
shouldn’t be aimed at getting surplus profit. The system needs a real,
transparent tender, but this is impossible in modern Armenia.

Thus the increase of ticket prices will be another problem in the
complex of social problems, along with the devaluation of the dram,
growing food prices, and a planned growth of electricity power prices.

Turkish president’s response to Pan-Armenian Declaration proves Turkey
has no answer

13:49 * 30.01.15

Chairman of the European Integration NGO Karen Bekaryan does not
consider it coincidence that thePan-Armenian Declaration on 100th
anniversary of Armenian Genocide mentions future generations.

It suggests that the relevant work will be continued. The document is
based on four fundamental principles – memory, gratitude,
international struggle and the way the Armenian people is passing.

“The third fundamental element is international struggle. Armenia
declares at such a level that the Armenian people, which survived
genocide, feels responsible for playing its role in preventing further
genocides,” Mr Bekaryan said.

He commented on Turkish President Recep Erdogan’s statement on Friday
that a commission of historians needs to be formed to study the issue
of Armenian genocide. He point out rapid developments.

“Turkey’s ‘unprecedentedly clever step’, inviting world leaders to
Canakkale events, was, at first sight, a clever decision. However, we
can say now that it caused an opposite effect. To make sure, we can
look through international press because cynicism could not be
concealed,” Mr Bekaryan said.

Turkey is well aware of that, as well as of its abortive attempt to
respond to that declaration.

“It proves they have nothing to answer. So they are telling the same
tale about historians.”

Il Giornale, Italia
28 gen 2015

La moglie di Clooney debutta nel processo a Strasburgo sul genocidio armeno

Amal Alamuddin rappresenta il governo armeno, costituitosi parte
civile nel processo contro un cittadino turco, che in Svizzera ha
negato l’esistenza del genocidio armeno

Orlando Sacchelli – Mer, 28/01/2015 – 15:56
commenta

Amal Alamuddin, moglie di George Clooney, debutta alla Corte di
Strasburgo. Nota avvocato dei diritti umani, rappresenta il governo
armeno che si è costituito parte civile nel processo che vede imputato
un politico turco, Dogu Perincek, che durante un viaggio in Svizzera
negò il genocidio armeno. Perincek fu multato per le sue affermazioni,
ma presentò appello alla Corte europea dei diritti dell’uomo di
Strasburgo, sostenendo che la Svizzera aveva violato il suo diritto
alla libera espressione.

Oggi è iniziato il processo di appello. La sede della Corte era
assediata dalla stampa. Oltre ai numerosi giornalisti e fotografi
presenti circa 200 armeni che chiedono il riconoscimento del genocidio
del 1915.

Il genocidio armeno

Gli armeni erano già finiti al centro di una dura repressione da parte
del sultano ottomano Abdul Hamid II, tra il 1894 e il 1896. Per
genocidio, tuttavia, si intende quello avvenuto tra il 1915 e il 1916.
Gli armeni lo commemorano ogni anno il 24 aprile. Nella notte tra il
24 e il 25 aprile 1915, infatti, furono compiuti numerosi arresti e
deportazioni di armeni, inizialmente contro l’élite intellettuale di
Costantinopoli: più di mille tra giornalisti, scrittori e persino
parlamentari armeni furono deportati in Anatolia, e molti di essi
neanche vi arrivarono perché uccise (o lasciate morire di stenti)
nelle lunghe “marce della morte”. Da qualche anno nell’impero ottomano
si era affermato il governo dei “Giovani Turchi”, formazione
costituitasi alla fine del XIX secolo per trasformare l’impero in una
moderna monarchia costituzionale, con un esercito ben addestrato. I
giovani turchi temevano che gli armeni potessero allearsi coi russi,
di cui erano acerrimi nemici. E in effetti alcuni battaglioni armeni
dell’esercito russo nel 1915 si misero a reclutare armeni che prima
avevano fatto parte dell’esercito ottomano. Anche i francesi, con il
loro esercito, forniva soldi e armi agli armeni, spingendoli alla
rivolta contro il movimento che, nel 1923, avrebbe dato vita alla
repubblica. Furono anche (qualcuno dirà soprattutto) ragioni politiche
e di alleanze, dunque, a causare i massacri.

Ancora oggi la Turchia rifiuta di riconoscere il genocidio compiuto a
danno degli armeni. E nel modo più assoluto Ankara nega che il
massacro fu pianificato e messo in atto così come, anni dopo, fecero i
nazisti in Germania contro gli ebrei. Uno storico turco, che negli
anni Settanta affrontò il tema spingendosi a ipotizzare che vi fosse
stato un genocidio, fu incarcerato e condannato a dieci anni di
prigione.

Oggi Taner Akçam vive e lavora negli Stati Uniti. La Turchia tuttora
punisce con una pena fino a tre anni chiunque in pubblico citi
l’esistenza del genocidio degli armeni: viene considerato un gesto
anti-patriottico. Questo negazionismo ha creato moltissime frizioni
tra Turchia e Unione Europea, in relazion al negoziato per l’adesione
di Ankara nell’Ue. Eppure le foto di Armin T. Wegner testimoniano quel
massacro.

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Jan 30 2015

The Perinçek case should be studied in law schools

by TAHA AKYOL

Years ago, Turkish politician DoÄ?u Perinçek gave a number of
conferences in Switzerland on the topic: `Genocide in an imperialist
lie.’

As a result, a Lausanne Police Court tried and found him guilty of
racial discrimination on March 9, 2007, sentencing him to 120 days in
prison before converting his prison term to a fine and postponing it.

The penalty is not important. If the Swiss court’s verdict is accepted
then it would have been difficult to say the `1915 events were not a
genocide’ in Europe. Perinçek followed up and took the case to the
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

The 2nd Chamber of the ECHR ruled that the Swiss court’s conviction of
Perinçek was against his human rights. But the judgment was not
limited to this: It is extremely important in terms of the definition
of the concept of `genocide.’

The ECHR’s judgment, dated Dec. 17, 2013, is 50 pages long. It
contains many quotes from several constitutions, legal declarations
and court practices. It not only describes how wide the concept of
`freedom of expression’ is in modern law, but it also examines in
detail the legal aspect of the concept `genocide.’

The ECHR said the Holocaust is a proven historical fact, recognized by
international courts, but the events of 1915 do not fall into this
category. The most important legal finding of the ECHR judgment is
this: `The notion of `genocide’ is a precisely defined legal concept
… for the crime of genocide to have taken place, the acts must have
been perpetrated with intent to destroy not only certain members of a
particular group, but all or part of the group itself. Genocide is a
very narrow legal concept that is, moreover, difficult to
substantiate.’

Despite Amal Clooney

The second chamber of the ECHR ruled that it is incompatible with
freedom of thought and expression to ban saying `it was not genocide’
for the arguable 1915 events, unlike the Jewish genocide. To punish
this is a violation of freedom of expression.

Switzerland and intervener Armenia challenged this judgment, and the
ECHR’s Grand Chamber convened in Strasbourg earlier this week. Of
course, human rights attorney Amal Clooney was the focus of attention,
but this did not change the legal proceedings or outcome.

The claims that Clooney made at the court on topics such as the Sevres
Treaty, dated 1920, and Talat Pasha (the Ottoman commander held
responsible for the unfortunate deportation decision) were responded
to wisely and insightfully by Perinçek.

Actually, I don’t believe the ECHR grand chamber will ever take these
individual claims seriously, because the legal aspect of the issue
became clear with the original judgment of the ECHR’s 2nd chamber, as
well as the previous verdicts of the French and Spanish constitutional
courts, which became `established case law.’

I don’t believe the 17-judge grand chamber will now fall into an
unreasonable political mistake by changing this `established case
law.’

The Constitutional Council of France

I would especially draw attention to the Constitutional Council of France.

A French court ruled in 1993 that the famous historian Bernard Lewis,
who said `It was not a genocide,’ must pay a fine. The French had
recognized the `genocide’ and Sarkozy later issued a law that
criminalized its denial.

The members of the French Constitutional Council all have political
origins. A significant portion of its members were appointed during
the Sarkozy era. However, even the members appointed by Sarkozy
decided that the law was against the French constitution and France’s
1789 declaration. (Feb. 28, 2012)

Real lawmen, who consider law above politics and interests, are like
this. They reach decisions according to universal law, without feeling
indebted to those who have appointed them.

These decisions of the ECHR and the Constitutional Council of France
are of such caliber that they should be studied closely in all law
schools.

January/30/2015

ANCA – Burbank
75 E. Santa Anita Ave.
Burbank, CA 91502
818/562-1918

PRESS RELEASE
contact-Zareh Khachatourian
[email protected]
818/562-1918

January 28, 2015

Register to Vote; Voter Ballot Packages Sent

Burbank, CA – The Armenian National Committee of America Burbank (ANCA
Burbank) encourages Burbank residents to vote in the 2015 City Council
and School Board Elections. The ballot packages were mailed by the
Burbank City Clerk on Wednesday, January 28. Voters can expect to
receive them as early as Friday or Saturday. For those who are not yet
registered to vote and want to participate in these elections, the
final day to register is February 9th.

The ANCA has commenced a last-chance voter registration effort, part
of the local Hye Votes program, in the two weeks remaining before the
deadline. Interested citizens can request forms or assistance by
writing to [email protected], by calling the ANCA Burbank office
at 818/562-1918, or by going to HyeVotes.org.

Hagop Hergelian, long-time ANCA Burbank activist asks voters to, `cast
your ballots immediately upon getting them in your mailbox, since in
Burbank, our municipal elections are all-mail. If you have any
questions or need help in filling out your ballot, ANCA Burbank is
happy to assist. Just call or e-mail us.’

The Primary Election ends on February 24th and the General Election
will end on April 14th. There are several opportunities to meet the
candidates in informal events, as well as, candidate forums at
Woodbury University. A full list of events can be found on the City of
Burbank Elections website. Also, residents can contact the City
Clerk’s office directly at 818-238-5851 or email
[email protected].

The ANCA Burbank reminds voters that for Burbank City Council, Emily
Gabel-Luddy has been endorsed. For Board of Education, vote for ONLY
THREE candidates, even though four have been endorsed, choose from
among them: Armond Aghakhanian, Steve Ferguson, Vahe Hovanessian, and
Roberta Reynolds.

The Armenian National Committee of America-Burbank advances the
social, economic, cultural, and political rights of the area’s
Armenian community and promotes its increased civic participation at
the grassroots and public policy levels.

#####

The Daily Star, Lebanon
Jan 29 2015

Clooney in court to condemn Armenia genocide denier

Agence France Presse

STRASBOURG, France: A long-running battle over one man’s denial of the
Armenian genocide returned to the EU Court of Human Rights Wednesday,
drawing added attention by the presence of Amal Clooney.

The international human rights lawyer, who married Hollywood star
George Clooney last year, was representing the Armenian government
against a Turkish politician who denies a genocide took place 100
years ago.

Dogu Perincek, chairman of the Turkish Workers’ Party, was convicted
eight years ago in Switzerland for describing the Armenian genocide of
1915 as an “international lie.”

He says that was an attack on his freedom of speech and the ECHR
agreed with him in a December 2013 ruling.

The Swiss authorities have appealed the decision, and have the backing
of Armenia, which says 1.5 million people were killed by Turkey’s
Ottoman rulers.

Amal Clooney said the court’s 2013 decision “cast doubt on the reality
of genocide that Armenian people suffered a century ago.”

She also slammed Turkey for hypocrisy, saying: “This court knows very
well how disgraceful Turkey’s record on freedom of expression is.”

Lawyers for Perincek and the Turkish government argue that the
genocide is not a matter of “general consensus” like the Holocaust.

Turkey has always denied that the massacre of Armenians was a
preplanned attempt to wipe them out and says only 500,000 were killed.

Perincek “neither denied nor apologized for the massacres, nor did he
incite hatred against the Armenians,” his lawyers argued, adding that
he only denied a “genocidal intent” on the part of the Ottoman
authorities who ruled Turkey at the time.Turkey further argues that
Perincek’s claims cannot possibly incite hatred since there is no
widespread hatred toward the Armenians.

The controversy continued outside court where some 600 Turkish
protesters had gathered, according to police, carrying Turkish flags
and portraits of the country’s modern founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
The crowd cheered Perincek when he emerged from the court.

Around 20 Armenians stood on the other side of the road with one
placard reading: “No to denial – Europe must react.”

Associated Press International
January 28, 2015 Wednesday 5:15 PM GMT

Amal Clooney on legal team in Armenian genocide case

STRASBOURG, France

STRASBOURG, France (AP) – Lawyer Amal Clooney went before Europe’s top
human rights court Wednesday to argue against a man convicted of
denying the 1915 Armenian genocide.

Clooney is representing Armenia as part of an appeal before the
Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights, which ruled in favor
of the man, Dogu Perincek, in December 2013.

Perincek believes his right to free speech was violated when Swiss
courts convicted him of racism for denying the genocide in 2005. He
described the genocide as “an international lie.”

Clooney said the “most important error” of the court’s 2013 ruling in
favor of Perincek was that “it cast doubt on the reality of the
Armenian genocide.”

Historians estimate up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman
Turks around the time of World War I, an event widely viewed by
genocide scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century. Turkey,
however, denies the deaths constituted genocide, saying the toll has
been inflated and that those killed were victims of civil war and
unrest.

The court said its decision would be made at a later date.

Amal Clooney, who married actor George Clooney last year, has also
argued on behalf of Greece for the return of the so-far unsuccessful
campaign to reclaim the Parthenon Sculptures from Britain.