Author: Babajanian Karo

ARMAVIA ENDS NEGOTIATIONS WITH ZVARTSNOTS AIRPORT

Vestnik Kavkaza
March 15 2012
Russia

Armavia has ended four-day negotiations with the Yerevani Airport of
Zvartsnots, despite the airport authorities saying they were willing
to fulfill all requests, News Armenia reports.

A press conference will be held at 12 pm.

Armavia was on strike on March 6, protesting against high service
prices at the airport. The strike ended on March 13, renewing flight
service.

Armavia is under congressional management of Zvartsnots Airport. The
air company said that it cannot fly to Russia due to numerous debts.

Rosaviatsiya said that the letter on payments of debts for December
2011 totaling $178,000 until March 20, 2012, allowed flights to
be renewed.

Armavia was formed in 1996. President of MIKA Limited Mikhail
Bagdasarov purchased all shares of the company in 2005. The company
conducts over 100 flights a week in 40 directions and 20 states. The
company exploits Airbus, CRJ, Boeing planes and the Sukhoi Superjet.

TALKS WITH ANKARA TO CONTINUE, FM JUPPE

ANSA med
March 15, 2012 Thursday 12:33 PM CET
Italy

After friction over Armenian genocide issue

(ANSAmed) France is “continuing to talk” to Turkey, said French
Foreign Minister Alain Juppe’ on the France Culture radio station.

“Our relations with Turkey have not been severed, to the contrary.

Our economic relations are still very strong (…), our cultural
relations are as well, and we will continue to speak to Turkey,” Juppe’
said in reference to the recent friction between the two countries
over the French law penalising denial of the Armenian genocide. The
latter was recently rejected by the Constitutional Court.

CHAIRMAN OF ARMENIAN UNION OF SCIENTISTS MAY JOIN PAP

Tert.am
15.03.12

Hmayak Hovhannisyan, Chairman of the Union of Political Scientists,
refutes the press reports that he is going to join the Free Democrats
or Heritage party to run for parliament.

“I have never had such an intention. I respect the Free Democrats
party and I am going to attend their congress as Chairman of the
Union of Political Scientists,” Hovhannisyan told Tert.am.

He also attended the Heritage party’s congress, which, however,
does not at all mean that he is going to run for parliament on the
parties’ tickets. “Be it the Armenian Revolutionary Federation,
be it the Armenian National Congress,” he added.

On the other hand, Hovhannisyan does not rule out his running for
parliament on the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) ticket.

He is ready to inform the public should any political force propose
cooperation to him. “I can clearly state that I am nonpartisan,”
Hovhannisyan said.

In any case, he does not rule out his participation in the
parliamentary elections.

“I like the Prosperous Armenia Party and have had warm relations with
its leader since 2006,” he said.

NOISY STORY WITH AIR CARRIER ARMAVIA HAS ENDED BUT IS STILL SECRET

arminfo
Thursday, March 15, 21:11

Today, as a result of the long-lasting talks, several minutes before
the beginning of the press-conference, the new agreement was signed
between “Armenia” International Airports company and Armavia national
carrier. Within the frames of the new agreement, over 6 months (till
September 2012) Armavia is obliged to repay to the airport the debt
accumulated for half year – $5.3 mln.

Although the agreement sets new obligations of the parties, including
new tariffs for the air carrier, nevertheless, it does not clarify
rather serious the problems of the national air carrier. The talks
between the parties have turned into a lot of fuss about nothing,
as the arrangements made today easily transfer into serious
disagreements. Over the whole negotiating process the leadership
of Armavia was disseminating obscure and two-way statements in mass
media. For instance, that Armavia is ready to sell its shares, as it
does not want any more to preserve its monopoly at the market.

Having accumulated rather serious debts Armavia, nevertheless, goes
on speaking about purchasing of new planes, in particular, another
Russian Sukhoi Jet 100, which will be delivered in April 2012. It
costs about $100 mln, and the aggregate debt of the company is just
$7 mln. The leadership of the airport told journalists they cannot
understand such a policy of the air carrier. Nevertheless, the airport
still makes concessions and even does not rule out the possibility of
buying the shares of the air company in case of having such an offer.

Andranik Shkhyan, Deputy Director of “Armenia” International Airports,
told journalists that the new agreement meets all the requirements
and requests of the air carrier, including the new tariffs, which
are favorable for the company and will start acting from 1 April 2012.

For his part, Executive Director of the airport Marcello Vende added
that the tariffs of the airport do not exceed 15% out of the total
expenses of the air company.

In his words, AIA had gone to a concession with Armavia and accepted
the latter’s request to reduce the passenger service fee. And as of
February 1, this fee was set at $20.

According to Vende, AIA had agreed to this concession in anticipation
of receiving the debt that needs to be repaid between March 31 and
September 1. But he announced that if Armavia does not make its
first payment and duly pay for the current services on March 31,
their agreement will be declared null and void.

“This is the world’s first case when the airline company is complaining
against the airport. Everywhere the airport’s service cost comprises
a small portion in the expenditures of an airline company,” the
manager said.

POLITICIAN: WE HAVE A NEW “1 MARCH” AHEAD OF US, WHICH THIS TIME WILL LAST FOR SEVERAL DAYS

arminfo
Thursday, March 15, 21:26

If the ruling Republican Party of Armenia says that white is black, in
that case it will do everything possible to prove this “truth” to the
society. And May – the month of the great victories of the people of
Armenia, will turn into another “1 March”, the leader of the National
Accord party, Aram Harutyunyan, said at today’s press-conference.

“I think that stemming from the present situation, unfortunately
we will become witnesses of the new tragedy, which this time will
last for several days. Armenia has not got a strong neutral force
which would be able to provide fair and unbiased elections. Anyway,
our party will take part in the election.

We shall be active although we don’t hope to get a mandate. At present
there is no political force in Armenia able to get 50+1 percent of
votes. Our key goal is after the 6 May not to have the shock situation
in Armenia similar to 1 March 2008”, – Harutyunyan said.

When commenting on President Serzh Sargsyan’s speech at the 13th
congress of RPA, he said it was like a slogan to migrate from Armenia.

“The president said that today 3 mln people live well in Armenia.

Whereas, the great part of the population think how to get minimal
means for living. In such conditions Sargsyan’s words may be assessed
just like a call to leave the country”, – he said.

ARMENIAN ENVIRONMENTALISTS TO CONTINUE SIT-IN PROTEST IN MASHTOTS PARK

Tert.am
15.03.12

Despite the Armenian government’s decision, the environmentalists have
no intention to stop their sit-in protest in Yerevan’s Mashtots park.

Gor Hakobyan, a member of the ‘We are masters of this city’ group,
said the protesters plan to spend this night in the park as well. “As
we said the sit-in protest will last until March 16, and we are going
to issue a new statement tomorrow,” Hakobyan told Tert.am.

Mary Khachatryan, an active group member, said that the protesters
will arrive at the park on Friday as well. “Many of us have been not
been able to stay here. I personally have not slept for 25 hours,”
she said. The environmentalists are determined to demand removal of
kiosks from the park.

The Armenian government approved on Thursday bill on Alienation Public
Property thus delaying the removal of kiosks in Yerevan’s Mashtots
Park until the Old Erivan project is launched.

CHARENTS’ GENIUS NOT REVEALED FULLY

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 15, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 15, ARMENPRESS: A literary event dedicated to Armenian
great poet Yegishe Charents was held March 15 in Writers Union
of Armenia.

“This is the holiday of all Armenian people. We must do our best
to make our geniuses known to the world,” Lilit Hakobyan, Director
of Yegishe Charents House-Museum, said during the literary event,
Armenpress reports. Charents occupies a unique place among the geniuses
of the 20th century, she added.

Lilit Hakobyan noted society should spend more time on reading and
studying his works.

Candidate of Philological Sciences Arkmenik Nikoghosyan highlighted
Charents’ name is always circulated among young people. “Charents
continues to have big influence on young creative people, but Charents’
greatness is not fully revealed yet,” said Arkmenik Nikoghosyan,
adding Charents has no tomb, as he is not dead.

ARMENIANS ASK FOR EQUAL CITIZENSHIP IN NEW CHARTER

Hurriyet
March 13 2012
Turkey

Acting Armenian Patriarch Aram AteÅ~_yan joins a meeting in Parliament.

Acting Patriarch Aram AteÅ~_yan, the religious leader of Turkish
Armenians, asked for equal citizenship for all the Turkish Republic’s
citizens, as well as an “embracing” charter, during an appearance in
front of Parliament’s Constitution Conciliation Commission yesterday.

AteÅ~_yan issued a call for a definition of “constitutional
citizenship” during his presentation. His definition was reportedly
different from the Greek Patriarchate, which had asked for citizenship
under the definition of Turkishness.

“There may not be any definition of citizenship in the Constitution.

But if there is to be a definition, then anybody born on the soil of
the Republic of Turkey, or one who has acquired Turkish citizenship,
or one whose parents or father are citizens of the Republic of Turkey,
is a citizen of the Republic of Turkey,” AteÅ~_yan said.

Demand for property rights

AteÅ~_yan also asked for an arrangement in the new constitution that
would provide “equal citizenship” that would pave the way to the
“right of property” and “equal benefit from state opportunities.”

Non-Muslim minorities in Turkey have legal rights based on the 1923
Lausanne Treaty, AteÅ~_yan said, adding that they were true children
of the country and did not want to be “treated as foreigners.”

AteÅ~_yan also demanded that Armenians be allowed to take jobs at
state institutions.

AteÅ~_yan submitted an 11-page proposal for the new constitution
including constitutional guarantees against hate crimes. Expressing
his wish for an “equalitarian, pluralist and liberal” constitution,
he asked that freedom of religion and conscience be provided.

‘We want to train the clergy’

Asking for the right to form, manage and supervise any kind
of educational institution to train the clergy, AteÅ~_yan said
the state, which provides all kinds of support for public schools,
should also support non-profit minority schools that are also doing
a public service.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, AteÅ~_yan said: “The
constitution actually should be like a mother [a reference
to the Turkish word for constitution which starts with ‘ana’
(mother)]. It should be like a mother who is warm, embracing, merciful,
conscientious, one that does not discriminate among her children, one
that keeps the same distance from all her children. The Constitution
should serve this purpose. We believe this constitution will serve
this propose.” k HDN March/13/2012

US SENATORS TO INTRODUCE NEW ARMENIAN ‘GENOCIDE’ MEASURE

Today’s Zaman
March 13 2012
Turkey

Two US senators are set to introduce a resolution that labels the 1915
killing of Armenians during the last days of the Ottoman Empire as
“genocide,” the Armenian Assembly of America (AAA) has said.

The AAA said in a statement on Monday that Senator Robert Menendez
(D-NJ) along with Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) will officially introduce
the measure later this month. Specifically, the statement highlighted
the fact that “the Roman persecution of the Christians, the Turkish
massacre of Armenians, the extermination of millions of Jews and
Poles by the Nazis are outstanding examples of the crime of genocide.”

The Armenian diaspora in the US generally intensifies its lobbying
activities in Congress ahead of April 24, “Armenian Genocide
Remembrance Day,” to push Washington and Congress to endorse referring
to the killings of Armenians as genocide. Armenians claim that up to
1.5 million Armenians were killed in the Ottoman Empire around the
time of World War I, an event widely viewed by scholars as the first
genocide of the 20th century.

Turkey denies that the deaths constituted genocide, saying the toll
has been inflated and that those killed were victims of civil war
and unrest.

The issue has also previously roiled US-Turkish relations. A move
by the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs in 2010 to advance a
nonbinding resolution to the House of Representatives recognizing
the killings as genocide caused Turkey to temporarily recall its
ambassador to Washington. The resolution was opposed by the Obama
administration. Ultimately, the full House of Representatives did
not bring the measure up for a vote.

CONSERVATIVES LAUNCH SIGNATURE CAMPAIGN URGING JUSTICE TO BE SERVED IN DINK CASE

Today’s Zaman
March 13 2012
Turkey

A group of intellectuals, journalists, activists and members of
civil society organizations mainly from the conservative wing of the
Turkish public have launched an online signature campaign demanding
an extensive and fair retrial in the murder case of Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink.

The group has launched the petition website adalettalebimizvar.com,
where people can show their support by putting their names under
the call.

The late editor-in-chief of the Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos, Dink was
shot dead in broad daylight on Jan. 19, 2007, by an ultranationalist
teenager outside the offices of his newspaper in Ä°stanbul. The gunman,
Ogun Samast, and 18 others were brought to trial. The investigation
into his murder was stalled, but the perpetrator and his accomplices
were put on trial. However, the final ruling of the Ä°stanbul 14th
High Criminal Court issued in January failed to please those expecting
justice to be served. Samast stood trial in a juvenile court because
he was a minor at the time of the murder. He was recently sentenced
to 22 years, 10 months in prison by the court. In a separate trial,
two gendarmerie officers were convicted on charges of dereliction of
duty in the run-up to the Dink murder.

Another suspect, Yasin Hayal, was given life in prison for inciting
Samast to murder. However, Erhan Tuncel, who worked as an informant for
the Trabzon Police Department, was found not guilty of masterminding
the murder. The prosecution believes the killers are affiliated with
the Ergenekon network, a shadowy crime network that has alleged links
within the state and whose suspected members are currently standing
trial on charges of plotting to overthrow the government.

Neslihan Akbulut, secretary-general of the Women’s Rights Association
against Discrimination (AK-DER), who is among the organizers of the
campaign, said the deep disappointment caused by the court’s final
verdict in the Dink murder case was what prompted them to launch such
a campaign.

“The worst thing to do [following the court’s decision] would be
to not take any action. So, we launched this campaign to raise our
voice against the injustice. The Hrant Dink case is the case of all
who seek democracy and freedoms in Turkey,” Akbulut told Today’s Zaman.

“Five years have passed since the massacre of Hrant Dink. Despite
the years that have passed, no determination has emerged to cast
full light on the murder. The deep masterminds of this murder, whose
existence is known by all, were not exposed. From the very first day
of the murder, a collective bureaucratic resistance was shown, aiming
to prevent the fulfillment of justice. The political authority, which
was also targeted by this murder, failed to show the determination to
break this resistance and ensure a fair trial took place. In short,
the organization or the structure that carried out this murder was not
unearthed and punished, justice was not served,” wrote the organizers
of the campaign, voicing their deep disappointment over the situation.

Referring to a verse in the Muslim holy book, the Quran, which says
the unjust killing of one man is equal to the killing of all mankind,
the organizers of the signature campaign said, as Muslims, it is out of
the question for them to remain silent regarding this obvious injustice
in the Dink case and not intervene according to their beliefs.

“We call on everyone and all institutions with an Islamic tendency
to fulfill their responsibilities and, after the five wasted years,
to work more actively with people of conscience from all circles
to ensure an extensive and real retrial in the Dink murder case,”
the organizers of the campaign said in the petition.

Another organizer of the petition campaign, Ahmet Faruk Unsal, head of
the human rights group MAZLUMDER, said in organizing this campaign,
they wanted to announce that as people of conscience, they are aware
of the game that has been played with the murder of Dink and are
disturbed by the court process, which resulted in disappointment.

He said it is very pleasing that different circles in Turkish society
share the same views and common sense regarding the Dink murder.

“We wanted to show that although the state’s mind is confused regarding
the Dink murder, the public’s mind is very clear on this,” he noted.