Author: Badalian Vardan

STARTING FROM JULY 1ST THERE WILL BE CHANGES IN THE TOP MANAGEMENT OF YEREVAN BRANDY COMPANY

Friday, April 3, 15:48

Starting from July 1st there will be changes in the top management
of Yerevan Brandy Company.

Taking into account the decision of Artak Barseghyan, Managing Director
of Yerevan Brandy Company to pursue new career opportunities outside
the Pernod Ricard Group, the top management structure of YBC will be
as follows:

As from 1st July 2015, Ara GRIGORYAN, currently Vice-President
in charge of External Affairs of Pernod Ricard Eastern Europe and
Chairman of the YBC Board of Directors will take the position of CEO
of Yerevan Brandy Company (YBC) alongside to his current duties.

At the same date, Ignat ARAKELYAN, currently Deputy Managing Director
of YBC, is appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO) of YBC.

Ara GRIGORYAN, born in 1963, graduated from the Yerevan Institute of
Agriculture. He started his career at Yerevan Brandy Company back in
1989 and has been holding different positions in Sales and Marketing.

>From 2001 to 2009 Ara Grigoryan was heading the offices of Pernod
Ricard Minsk and Pernod Ricard Ukraine. From 2009 to 2014 he was
Managing Director of Yerevan Brandy Company.

Ignat ARAKELYAN, born in 1972, graduated from the Yerevan State
University of Architecture and Construction. Ignat joined Yerevan
Brandy Company in 1998 as an Accountant, then became Chief Accountant.

In 2006, he was promoted Finance & Administration Director. Since 2009,
Ignat has been Deputy Managing Director of YBC.

Yerevan Brandy Company is the exclusive producer of ARARAT Brandies
is the direct successor of Armenian brandy-making traditions,
established in1887. Yerevan Brandy Company is the biggest taxpayer
of the field and the biggest grape buyer in Armenia. In 1999 Yerevan
Brandy Company joined the Pernod Ricard Group, the world co-leader
of the Wine & Spirits industry, which unites such brands as Chivas,
Absolut, Martell, Jameson and others.

ARMENIA TO BENEFIT FROM SECURED TRANSACTIONS REFORM

15:46 03/04/2015 ” ECONOMY

On April 3, the USAID Finance for Economic Development (FED) project
in partnership with the Ministry of Justice of Armenia, the World
Bank, the Central Bank of Armenia, and the Unions of Banks and Credit
Organizations of Armenia, held a conference on secured transaction
reform and on the implementation of a unified movable collateral
electronic registry in Armenia, the press service of the U.S. Embassy
in Armenia reports.

The main goal of the event was to increase public awareness of the
reform and facilitate a dialogue between relevant stakeholders.

Following the opening remarks, experts of the USAID FED program, the
World Bank, the Ministry of Justice, and the Central Bank presented
the concept of secured transactions and movable collateral registries,
the international practice, the importance of this reform in Armenia,
and related legislation.

Access to finance is a major impediment to the growth of micro, small
and medium enterprises (MSMEs), especially in the rural areas of
Armenia. One of the main reasons is that there is a serious mismatch
between the assets financial institutions accept as a collateral, and
the assets owned by the enterprises. As a result, MSMEs that have no
real property are often denied in credit or cannot afford to borrow
due to the high cost of funds.

USAID through its Finance for Economic Development project has played
a key role in developing legislation for a comprehensive secured
transactions platform.

Prior to this policy reform, the predominant forms of collateral in
Armenia had been land and buildings. As a result of these legislative
changes MSMEs and individuals will be able to pledge vehicles,
inventory, crops, equipment, and other forms of moveable collateral
to secure loans. This legislation package was adopted by the Armenian
Parliament in December 2014 and signed by the President of Armenia
on December 30, 2014. It provides the legal framework for a movable
collateral registry, expands the definition of movable collateral and
secured transactions, and establishes a more efficient enforcement
process in case of default. It also gives financial institutions the
confidence that they can acquire the asset in case of default. This
legislation will come into force on October 1, 2015 and is anticipated
to expand the number of MSMEs eligible and actually receiving loans.

The USAID Finance for Economic Development Program is designed to
broaden and deepen financial intermediation and improve financial
services for micro, small and medium enterprises in Armenia. The
project also supports the development of the financial sector through
improved laws and regulations, as well as promotes innovation in the
sector and development of relevant infrastructure.

DRAFT BILL ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION SUBMITTED TO UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT

15:05, 03 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

A draft bill on recognition of the Armenian Genocide has been submitted
to the Ukrainian Supreme Rada, Interfax UA reports, quoting the
official website of the Ukrainian Parliament.

According to the source, the bill has been drafted by MP Vitaly
Barvinenko. The text of the document has not yet been posted on
Rada website.

GEOFFREY ROBERTSON TO KEYNOTE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CENTENARY COMMEMORATION IN SYDNEY

14:32, 03 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

The Armenian Genocide Centenary Committee of Australia (AGCC) has
announced that leading international jurist, Geoffrey Robertson QC,
will deliver the keynote address at the Armenian Genocide Centenary
National Commemoration Evening at the Sydney Town Hall on Friday,
April 24th 2015.

Robertson, who launched his latest book An Inconvenient Genocide: Who
now remembers the Armenians?at the National Press Club in Canberra in
2014, will visit Australia after taking part in the “No to Genocide”
Global Forum to be held in Yerevan, Armenia.

The Inconvenient Genocide: Who now remembers the Armenians,
published by Random House, is a groundbreaking publication where
Robertson presents a compelling argument based on fact, evidence
and his knowledge and expertise of international law, proving beyond
reasonable doubt that the horrific events that occurred from 1915 to
1923 do indeed constitute genocide.

High-profile and notable dignitaries will join the Armenian-Australian
community in commemorating the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide,
which was perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923.

Vache Kahramanian, a member of the AGCC stated: “The Committee has
been planning the Centenary commemorations for the past two years to
respectfully honour the 1.5 million victims of this unpunished crime.”

“Mr. Robertson is a worthy guest to keynote such an occasion.”

Geoffrey Robertson QC is a leading human rights lawyer and a former
UN War Crimes judge. He has been counsel in many notable Old Bailey
trials, has defended hundreds of men facing death sentences in the
Caribbean, and has won landmark rulings on civil liberty from the
highest courts in Britain, Europe and the Commonwealth. Robertson is
the Head of Doughty Street Chambers, a Master of the Middle Temple,
a Recorder and visiting professor at Queen Mary College, University
of London.

Robertson recently represented the Republic of Armenia, alongside Amal
Clooney and Gevorg Kostayan in the European Court of Human Rights case
“Perincek v Switzerland”.

SRDAN GOLUBOVIC READS THE TESTIMONY OF SARGIS KAPUTIAN

April 3, 2015 10:05
EXCLUSIVE

Srdan Golubovic

Photo: Mediamax

Mediamax presents 100 Seconds project devoted to Armenian Genocide
Centennial. The project is based on testimonies of Genocide survivors
published by the National Archive of Armenia.

Srdan Golubovic is a Serbian film director. His film “Klopka” won a
total of 21 international awards and was shortlisted for the Oscar
in Best Foreign Film category in 2007.

For 100 seconds project Srdan Golubovic reads an extract from Armenian
Genocide survivor Sargis Kaputian ‘s testimony.

National Archives of Armenia Collection of Documents

Testimony of survivor Sargis Kaputian on the massacre at the village
of Kyoshk of Hayots Dzor in Van district of Van province (extract)

August 14, 1916

Yuva

First day they stripped us, then directed the guns at us and started
waiting for an order.

One of the servants of the agha who felt a special animosity towards
me asked the mob to give me to him to kill with more torture. They
agreed with pleasure. I was separated from my friends, and we moved
a few steps away.

He started beating me with a stick. I understood that I was going to
die in any case so I attacked him. He shouted:”He’s killing me!”.

Suddenly everybody came running towards me and shooting at me but
fortunately it was a dark and rainy day and I managed to hide in
а field because I was unable to run far; my legs were weak and I
fell down.

After a long search they returned to the village. I had some rest
and then climbed Mount Seg. I stayed there for 5-6 days in snow,
storm and rain, hungry, thirsty and completely naked until I met some
women from our village. They told me the village was completely burnt
and everybody was ruthlessly slaughtered.

Producers: Ara Tadevosyan Filming: Lena Gevorgyan, Mariam Loretsyan
Post Production: Tumo LLC

The source of Sargis Kaputian’s testimony: National Archives of
Armenia, Armenian Genocide by Ottoman Turkey, 1915, Testimony of
survivors, Collection of documents, Yerevan-2013.

VivaCell-MTS is the general partner of 100 seconds project.

LEBANESE FM AND PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TO VISIT ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MEMORIAL ON APRIL 24

15:23, 3 April, 2015

YEREVAN, 3 APRIL, ARMENPRESS: Lebanon will be present at the
commemoration ceremony of the Armenian Genocide centenary on April
24 on the state level and will pay tribute to the innocent victims’
memory. The Editor-In-Chief of Azdak Daily, published in Lebanon, and
the Chairman of the Lebanon’s Committee on Coordinating the Armenian
Genocide centenary events Shahan Gantaharian told Armenpress that the
delegations of the legislative and executive bodies of the country
will come from Lebanon to Yerevan.

“On April 24 four-member delegation of the Lebanon’s Government,
including the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Industry, will visit
Yerevan. Besides the executive body, the parliamentary delegation
as well will come to Armenia, including the Vice President of the
National Assembly and the deputies”, – said Shahan Gantaharian.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION TO TAKE PLACE IN DIYARBAKIR

15:54, 03 Apr 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

An Armenian Genocide commemoration event will take place in Diyarbakir
on April 24. The commemoration will be held at the Surp Giragos
Armenian Church, the Armenian Weekly reports.

“Diyarbakir is the location where–one hundred years after the
genocide–the grandchildren of forcefully Islamized Armenians showed
the courage and determination to reveal their true roots. All this
happened after the reconstruction of the Surp Giragos Church, and
was encouraged by the organized Armenian language classes and trips
to Armenia,” Raffi Bedrosyan, a Toronto-based civil engineer and a
concert pianist, told the Armenian Weekly. Bedrosyan will perform a
concert of works by Armenian composers at the commemoration event.

“It means a lot to me to celebrate, not commemorate, the rebirth of
these new Armenians with a concert right where the whole movement
started; in the beautiful Surp Giragos Church,” said Bedrosyan.

Bedrosyan was also involved in organizing the Surp Giragos Church
reconstruction project, and in promoting the significance of this
historic project worldwide. In September 2012, he gave the first
Armenian piano concert in the Surp Giragos Church since 1915.

“Diyarbakir was one of the bloodiest sites of the Armenian Genocide.

About 97 percent of the Armenian population of the province disappeared
in 1915, so it means a lot to me to be there commemorating the victims
of the genocide with the music of Komitas and [Aram] Khatchaturian,”
said Bedrosyan.

For the past several years, proceeds from Bedrosyan’s concerts and two
CDs have been donated to the construction of school, highway, water,
and gas distribution projects in Armenia and Karabagh–projects in
which he has also participated as a volunteer engineer.

The event, which is organized by the Diyarbakir Surp Giragos Armenian
Church Foundation, the Gomidas Institute of London, and Human Rights
Association of Diyarbakir, will include a candle lighting ceremony
to remember the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

Last year, hundreds gathered at the Surp Giragos Armenian Church to
commemorate the Armenian and Assyrian Genocides, with the participation
of Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality co-mayor Fırat Anlı and
former mayor of Sur Municipality Abdullah DemirbaÃ…~_. The first
genocide commemoration event took place in Diyarbakir in 2013.

ZHIRAYR SEFILYAN URGES DIASPORA TO JOIN THE FIGHT AGAINST ARMENIA’S RULING REGIME

by Tatevik Shahunyan

Friday, April 3, 13:38

The leader of the Centennial Without Regime movement, Artsakh war
veteran Zhirayr Sefilyan urges the Diaspora Armenians to come to the
Motherland and join the fight against the ruling regime in Armenia.

“Our country faces a deep crisis. On the threshold of the Armenian
Genocide Centennial, we are undergoing a white genocide, which is
proved by the migration of nearly 2 million people from the country.

The key reason of the Medz Yeghern was that we had no state; today the
reason of the white genocide is that the state does not belong to us.

It is necessary, therefore, to get rid of the genocidal regime”,
Sefilyan says in his statement.

Sefilyan urges the Diaspora to join the fight that will start on April
24, at 6 pm. “This initiative is aimed at reconsidering the April
24 legacy and making it not only the commemoration day but also the
day of statehood restoration. This way we can console ourselves, our
future generations and the souls of our martyrs”, he says. Sefilyan
stresses that on April 24 no measures will be taken to hamper the
mourning events dedicated to the Armenian Genocide Centennial.

MEMORY ALLEY DEDICATED TO 70 ANNIVERSARY OF SOVIET PEOPLE’S VICTORY OVER NAZIS OPENED IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, April 3. /ARKA/. The Memory Alley dedicated to the 70
anniversary of the Soviet people’s victory in the Great Patriotic War
(World War II) opened Friday in the Victory Park in Yerevan. Diplomats
on mission in Armenia, war veterans and young public activists took
part in the planting of fir-trees here. Russian Ambassador to Armenia
Ivan Volinkin, speaking at the alley opening, said he was happy to
take part in this event.

He said Armenian people sustained heavy losses in the Great Patriotic
War and made a priceless contribution to the victory.

Volinkin also said that blatant attempts to rewrite history and bury
the Soviet people’s heroic deed in oblivion are being undertaken now.

The ambassador stressed that many forget today the lessons of this
horrible war, though our ancestors who paid a tremendous price for
the victory over Nazis would never forgive this.

“Today our countries’ objective is not only to defend their borders
but also to protect their history,” he said. “Those who don’t remember
the past have no future. Veterans’ deed is not forgotten.” The alley
opening was held with support of the Union of the University Youth.

–0—-

CHYPRE VOTE UNE LOI CRIMINALISANT LA NEGATION DU GENOCIDE ARMENIEN

DROITS DE L’HOMME

Nicosie, 2 avr 2015 (AFP) – Les deputes chypriotes ont vote jeudi a
l’unanimite une loi criminalisant la negation des massacres d’Armeniens
commis sous l’Empire ottoman il y a un siècle, qu’ils qualifient de
“genocide”. La loi etablit le 24 avril, date des premiers massacres
en 1915, comme Journee nationale du souvenir a Chypre, où les membres
de la minorite armenienne sont pour la plupart des descendants des
rescapes du “genocide”.

L’île mediterraneenne a elle-meme fait partie de l’Empire ottoman,
avant d’etre integree a l’empire colonial britannique au XIXe siècle.

Chypre entretient une très grande animosite a l’egard d’Ankara depuis
l’invasion en 1974 du nord du pays par la Turquie, en reaction a un
coup d’Etat visant a rattacher l’île a la Grèce. L’île et sa capitale
sont depuis divisees.

La Turquie a toujours refuse d’admettre toute elimination planifiee et
le terme de “genocide”, evoquant la mort d’environ 500.000 Armeniens
(contre 1,5 million selon l’Armenie), qui s’etaient ranges du côte de
son ennemie la Russie, lors de combats ou a cause de famines. Selon
l’Institut national armenien, vingt-et-un pays, dont la France et la
Russie, reconnaissent les tueries comme un “genocide”. La loi votee par
les parlementaires chypriotes est un amendement a un texte preexistant
contre le racisme, les crimes haineux et les comportements xenophobes.

Le president du Parlement, Yiannakis Omirou, a salue un vote permettant
de “restaurer (…) la verite historique”, affirmant que le “genocide
armenien” constituait “l’un plus important et des plus odieux crimes
de l’histoire moderne de l’humanite”.

vendredi 3 avril 2015, Ara (c)armenews.com