Author: Badalian Vardan

ARMENIA TAKES PART IN WORKS OF INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR RELATIVISTIC ASTROPHYSICS

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 24, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24, ARMENPRESS: The regular annual sitting of
the board of directors of International Center for Relativistic
Astrophysics (ICRA) was held February 20 in Pescara, Italy. The results
of the center’s activity over 2011, the budget 2012 and tendencies
for further development were discussed. Representatives of ICRA
member states Italy, Vatican, Armenia, Brazil and U.S. Stanford and
Arizona Universities participated in the sitting, an official from
the Armenian Astronomical Society (AAS) told Armenpress. From Armenia
Director of NAS Byurakan Observatory Hayk Harutyunyan participated.

For the first time 10000 euros was intended to provide to ICRA
Yerevan Office from ICRA annual budget for obtaining engineering. In
general, presence of small countries like Armenia, is of importance
in international structures, as they always get more from these
organizations than they invest. In the given case the circumstance is
continuously highlighted that being a country of advanced science,
Armenia is also a bearer of European and Christian cultures in
our region. Besides that, the branch of Armenia is of strategic
significance: Armenia is considered a regional center of ICRA for
connecting it with states of Middle East and Middle Asia.

AZERBAIJANIS SPREAD PROPAGANDA UNDER A VEIL OF TRADE

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 25, 2012 – 11:44 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Armenian community in Prague, Czech Republic,
gave a proper response to the event organized by Azerbaijanis on the
20th anniversary of the “Khojalu massacre”.

Azerbaijan’s embassy, with support of Azerbaijani businessmen and
Heydar Aliyev Foundation organized an event on February 24 on a Prague
square dedicated to the so-called “Khojalu genocide”. Organizers of
the event placed a tent in the square with Azerbaijan’s flag beside
it. The event aimed at spreading Azerbaijan’s position on Khojalu
events, says the report received by PanARMENIAN.Net

During the event free foodstuff was distributed in the tent and Azeri
souvenirs and carpets were being sold. In addition to propaganda
materials, the tent also hosted restaurant advertisements, as the
event supporters demanded. Sponsors also insisted that the organizers
get a permission qualifying it as an ad and trade event and not a
propaganda action.

The report says that 6-7 students in the tent were distributing
propaganda materials to passers-by. The Armenian community in
Czech Republic could not remain indifferent to such initiative of
Azerbaijanis. From the very beginning of Azeri action, Armenian were
spreading Czech-language leaflets to passers-by refuting Azerbaijan’s
misinformation. Coming as a surprise for Azerbaijanis, Armenian
activists entered the very tent and distributed their brochures inside
as well.

Armenian activists spread a total of 300 leaflets and 50 brochures.

Ambassador of Turkey to Czech Republic, Cihad Erginay also arrived on
the scene. The ambassador’s speech was suddenly disturbed by a rally
of Krishna supporters that passed by with loud drum-roll and singing.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE KICKS OFF IN LEBANON

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 25, 2012 – 13:27 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – On February 23, 2012, the International Conference
on the Armenian Genocide: from Recognition to Reparation began in
Antelias, Lebanon, in the presence of 120 experts from all over the
world, ambassadors, current and former government ministers and members
of the Lebanese parliament, heads of Armenian religious communities and
representatives of Armenian political parties and other institutions.

His Holiness welcomed the guests and the participants and explained the
background leading to the conference. After stating his expectations
from the Conference, in which he referred at length to the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of Genocide, Catholicos Aram I concluded with the following
remarks: “Turkey must return the church and community properties
confiscated by the Ottoman Turkish authorities to their legal owner,
the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia. As the Catholicosate of Cilicia,
we claim the ownership of our properties confiscated by the Turkish
authorities”.

Prof. Nora Bayrakdarian introduced the agenda and the two speakers:
H.E. Judge Fausto Pocar, Former President of the International Criminal
Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and H.E. Judge Joe Verhoeven,
ad hoc Judge, International Court of Justice.

Speaking from his experience, Judge Fausto Pocar said that although it
is important to list the acts of the Genocide Convention, it is equally
important to consider intent and incitement. After mentioning examples
from the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and that of the
Former Yugoslavia, he said that in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia,
the Tribunals clarified the crime of genocide by both applying the
acts listed in the 1948 Genocide Convention and showing evidence of
intent and incitement. Judge Pocar stated that the same process could
take place in the case of the Armenian Genocide.

Judge Verhoeven began by saying that recognition of the Armenian
Genocide is an established fact and that the Turkish State is denying
part of its own history. He also said that the fact that the Genocide
Convention had not been written at the time of the Armenian Genocide
is irrelevant and that there is no statute of limitations on the
act of the illegal killing of people. The State of Turkey and its
territories still exist and it is therefore accountable. Speaking of
Church properties, he said that these were semi-public properties:
part of the historical heritage of the Armenian people and a necessary
component of their identity. Turkey cannot deny the identity of a
people. Turkey should respect it and make reparation to the Church,
which is responsible owner of this heritage.

The opening session ended with the anthem of the Catholicosate of
Cilicia and the prayer of His Holiness Aram I at the Martyr’s Chapel.

BLAME GAME: DIASPORA INVESTORS SQUARE OFF WITH ARMENIA’S TAX OFFICIALS DURING LIVE TV LINK-UP
Kristine Aghalaryan

HETQ
21:07, February 24, 2012

On February 24, a special live TV link-up between Armenia and the U.S.
brought together diaspora investors, lawyers and tax authorities
from Armenia to take a look at the issues involved regarding doing
business in Armenia.

The link-up was organized by a group in Armenia that come out in
support of the interests of diaspora investors. No one would argue
that there is a lot of ground to cover on the topic.

One such investor, Edmond Khutyan, related how his company Arin
Capital, had been criminally charged with tax evasion and premeditated
bankruptcy eight months ago but he has yet to be questioned by Armenian
tax officials on the matter.

Khutyan lawyer Nikolai Baghdasaryan noted that this negatively reflects
on Armenian tax officials.

“If they don’t call the director in while at the same time charging
the company doesn’t it leave the impression that a double standard
is at work?” Baghdasaryan asked.

Participating in the discussion was Armen Alaverdyan, First Deputy
to the President of the RA State Revenue Committee.

Alaverdyan confessed that he didn’t know the details of the Khutyan
case. He only said that if the SRC has taken the matter to court it
would definitely see it to its conclusion. The tax official promised
to look into the matter, adding that if premeditated bankruptcy is
the charge he didn’t believe that it would take a mere 1 or 2 months
to resolve.

Alaverdyan stressed that diaspora investors can not only take advantage
of the same rights as local Armenian businesspeople but aspects of
foreign legislation as well. He sounded a more optimistic note than
the lawyers representing diaspora investors and pointed to several
success stories like VivaCell, Tufenkian and even Parisian Coffee. (The
latter establishment was recently sold by its diaspora owner after
she complained of heavy-handedness by Armenian tax officials.)

Alaverdyan noted that oftentimes diaspora investors are not adequately
informed as to Armenian tax laws and this leads to a feeling that
they are operating on an unlevel playing field. He said the government
must do more to assist investors in this area.

He added that diaspora investors procrastinate in terms of petitioning
the SRC and other agencies when problems arise. “They want to use the
tax agency as a tool to force people to assume their obligations,”
Alaverdyan said.

Also on hand was Vardan Marashlyan, Deputy Minister for Diaspora
Affairs, who said that the ministry was doing all it could to assist
diaspora investors and businesspeople who sought help.

Heritage Party MP Stepan Safaryan countered by saying that the ministry
needs to be more pro-active in this regard and offer more outreach
and information to prospective investors.

Marashlyan noted that the ministry was not involved in the Nareg
Hartounian case since no one had asked for their assistance.

(Hartounian and his family’s GH Storage Enterprises has been charged
with tax evasion)

MP Safaryan recounted a recent visit to Armenia by a group of U.S.

Congressmen. Safaryan noted that during meetings with the Armenian
president and speaker of the parliament, the congressmen declared
outright that Armenia was sliding backwards due to the lack of a
favourable investment environment and that even diaspora investors
didn’t want to do business in the country.

MP Safaryan said what’s at issue isn’t the case of one or two
individual investors but a more widespread and systematic lack of
faith in getting a fair shake.

He warned outside investors not to be taken in by sweet-talking local
Armenian con artists who apply for a job, present a good face, and
then take the investor for a ride.

MP Safaryan noted that problems are exacerbated since diaspora
Armenians can’t really understand the ins and outs of the business
reality and mentality at work in Armenia and avoid settling matters
in the way things are traditionally done in the country.

The Heritage Party legislator pointed to the Lincy Fund backing out
of further investment in Armenia and the Millennium Challenge Grant
stopping further aid as two glaring examples of the problem.

SRC’s Alaverdyan pointed to the case of Parisian Coffee as a success
story, noting that when owner Askhen Gortzounian launched the business
in 2007 it got off to a promising start. The official noted that
in 2010 the business (newly registered as Parisian Coffee Factory)
had sales of 90 million AMD and 320 million in 2011.

He said that if the company, say, imported 92 million AMD worth of
product in 2010 and paid 6.5 in tax, in 2011, the company had imports
of 171 million and paid 31 million in tax. Alaverdyan claimed that
such figures pointed to a profitable business.

Alaverdyan argued that most of the problems faced by diaspora investors
stemmed from getting involved with unscrupulous individuals who are
placed in positions of management. This, he said, oftentimes leads
to civil disputes regarding property and ownership issues.

The SRC official advised prospective investors to get in touch with
his agency first before actually starting any commercial enterprise
in Armenia.

Alaverdyan conceded that tax agencies in Armenia needed to improve
the way complaints are handled and to make the process all the more
transparent.

ARF MP Ara Nranyan said these issues are faced not only by diaspora
investors but everyone dealing with the tax agencies, court system
and property registry (Cadastre).

MP Nranyan cited the example of George Tomasyan, a resident of Germany
who managed a business in Armenia and was swindled out of 70 million.

Emotions flared when Asya Asatryan, a reporter from the States,
got into the discussion.

She argued that if Armenia got its act together on this issue, people
in the diaspora wouldn’t be raising such a fuss.

“You won’t find one American-Armenian who wants to discredit Armenia.

If the name of Armenia is being dragged down, it’s the fault of the
government’s failure to set things right,” Asatryan charged.

Armen Alaverdyan found the reference to Armenia’s dignity a bit much
to take. He responded by saying that individual cases of corruption by
Armenian official or citizens should be reported, rather than taking
cheap swipes at the entire government.

“I am proud that I am a citizen of Armenia. Twenty years ago we had
nothing and now we are discussing these matters out in the open. I’d
say we’re on the right track,” Alaverdyan said.

ASK CONGRESS TO PRESS CLINTON FOR ANSWERS ON ARMENIAN ISSUES

news.am
February 25, 2012 | 11:23

WASHINGTON, DC. – Below is an appeal from Elizabeth Chouldjian,
ANCA Communications Director.

Dear Friend,

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in the wake of her offensive
dismissal of the Armenian Genocide “as a matter for historical debate,”
will testify and answer questions before four separate U.S.

House and Senate panels this coming week.

Please take a few minutes today to call on your Senators and
Representative to ask Secretary Clinton questions about her offensive
remarks and on the full range of other issues of special importance
to Armenian American voters.

Please click here to get the names and phone numbers of your Senators
and Representative as a well as a relevant sample phone script
for each.

You will be asked to provide your ZIP code, and our alert system will
guide you through the calls to your Senators and Representative. The
phone script will change depending on whether your elected officials
are on the key committees or not.

All four of these hearings will be webcast live, so please watch to
see if your elected representatives act on your request. Links will
be posted on the ANCA website – .

Tuesday, February 28th at 10:00 pm: Senate Appropriations Subcommittee
on State-Foreign Operations

Tuesday, February 28th at 2:00 pm: Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Wednesday, February 29th at 10:00 am: House Appropriations Subcommittee
on State-Foreign Operations

Wednesday, February 29th at 2:00 pm: House Committee of Foreign Affairs

Please let us know when you have made your calls to your Senate and
House members by filling in the forms on the action alert pages or
emailing [email protected]

All best,

Elizabeth Chouldjian

GREATER WASHINGTON DC AREA ARMENIAN AMERICANS MARK AZERBAIJANI MASSACRES IN SUMGAIT, KIROVABAD, BAKU

news.am
February 25, 2012 | 10:40

WASHINGTON, DC. – Greater Washington, DC area Armenian Americans braved
the cold and rain earlier today to mourn the victims of Azerbaijani
aggression and stand in solidarity with the people of the independent
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, in their effort to secure a fair and
lasting peace.

The silent protest, organized by the Greater Washington, DC Armenian
Youth Federation “Ani” Chapter and the St. Mary’s Armenian Church
Youth Organization (ACYO), coincided with the 24th anniversary of
the Azerbaijani pogroms against the Armenian population of Sumgait,
which set the stage for attacks in Baku in 1990, outright Azerbaijani
aggression, and a cycle of anti-Armenian violence that continues
to this day. The demonstrators also called special attention to
Azerbaijan’s destruction of the 1,300 year old Armenian cemetery
in Djulfa, Nakhichevan, demolishing thousands of intricately carved
cross-stones (Khatchkars).

“We gathered at the Azerbaijani Embassy to remember those who perished
in Sumgait and Baku, but to also condemn the Aliyev regime’s ongoing
threats and attacks against Artsakh and Armenia,” said AYF Ani Chapter
Chairwoman Tevin Polatian. “Just this week, another Armenian soldier
was killed by an Azerbaijani sniper – an all too common occurrence
resulting from an international community that turns a blind eye to
Aliyev’s military build-up and attacks. We will continue to stand
strong with the Republic of Karabakh, as they continue to defend
their right to self-determination – a fundamental value the U.S. was
founded upon.”

Following the vigil, Soorp Khatch Armenian Church pastor, Fr. Sarkis
Aktavoukian and St. Mary’s Armenian Church Pastor, Fr. Hovsep
Karapetyan led activists in a prayer in honor of the Sumgait,
Kirovabad, and Baku victims. Participants lit candles and brought
pictures of those who perished in the massacres – making a memorial
in front of the Azerbaijani Embassy.

In what has now become an expected practice at annual Armenian
Genocide and Sumgait/Baku pogroms commemorative protests, flag-wearing
Azerbaijani and Turkish protesters jovially celebrated the atrocities,
dishonoring the memory of those who perished. This year’s counter
protesters included a group of teenagers from a neighborhood home,
who apparently participated as part of an after-school “drinking game.”

KARABAKH: FROM TBILISI TO MOSCOW
Naira Hayrumyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 15:19:54 – 24/02/2012

Russia launched humanitarian contacts with the Armenian and Azerbaijani
intelligentsia. Representatives of intelligentsia of both peoples
are currently in Moscow trying to talk.

The decision to launch humanitarian contacts was taken at the Sochi
meeting of presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia. Medvedev
took charge of supervising the contacts with the aim to settle the
dialogue between the two communities.

The initiative is not new: international organizations have been
holding various meetings with Armenians and Azerbaijanis for many
years. The difference with the current meetings is that they are
held in Moscow, while previously they were held in Tbilisi, Istanbul
or Brussels.

No need to dispute the fact that the lack of any contact between the
communities leads to the deepening of the abyss. But, before holding
such meetings, it is necessary to find out why these contacts suddenly
stopped in 2000. It is not difficult to find it out: Aliyev junior,
coming to power, changed the tactics of his father trying to settle
relations and cut all relations with Armenia.

This was expressed not only through prohibiting citizens to visit
Armenia and pursuing them for “unauthorized contacts with the
Armenians”. No, this was only a consequence of the new policy. Aliyev
considered wrong the policies of his wiser father, who used every
means to achieve goals, including a retreat, and realized that the
world has a permanent thing, and something more than ambitions. The
son decided that ambition is more important, and proceeded to lock-out
policy of Armenia.

By and large, none of the policies brought Aliyevs to their goal –
to return Karabakh but if the father tried at least to save his image,
the son, is not going to do it deepening the abyss always more.

Those, who try to organize cultural contacts, should direct their
efforts to the change of the policies of Aliyev the son and not the
condemnation of it. Because this policy is the reason of the lack
of contacts.

Otherwise, the meetings initiated by Medvedev will turn out
“grant-eating” and “NGO tourism” just like they used to call the
meetings of Armenians and Azerbaijanis sponsored by Western funds.

Apparently, the Western funds understood the lack of any perspective
of these initiatives, “ceding” this right to Russia.

These meetings are not only unpromising, but they are also possible to
give the opposite reaction. Say, if Azerbaijani intellectuals, having
the same manners of Aliyev, keep saying at the meetings, that Baku
will return its lands the same, and now they are just waiting for us to
die from starvation, these meetings will just deepen the abyss between
the peoples and even the wish to attend these meetings vanishes.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES MICHEL LEGRAND ON BIRTHDAY JUBILEE

Tert.am
24.02.12

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has congratulated French composer,
arranger, conductor, pianist, and Knight of Armenia’s Medal of Honor
Michel Legrand on the 80th anniversary of his birthday.

In a greeting address sent to the musician earlier today, the president
highly praises his talent and contribution to the development of
modern music.

“Your music is played around the world. It is thanks to outstanding
personalities like you that your two homelands – Armenia and France –
have been able to strengthen their ties.

With great warmth I remember our Yerevan meeting in September 2009. I
am sure we will have more and more meetings in future, especially in
Yerevan, because the Armenian people love you and take pride in you.

Congratulating you once again on your jubilee, I wish you health and
inexhaustible energy,” reads the congratulatory address.

Michel Legrand was born on February, 24 1932 in Paris.. His father
Raymond Legrand was a conductor and composer renowned for hits such
as Irma la douce and his mother, Marcelle Der Mikaëlian (sister
of conductor Jacques Helian), who married Legrand Senior in 1929,
was descended from the Armenian bourgeoisie. Legrand is a prolific
composer, having written over 200 film and television scores in
addition to many memorable songs.[2] He is best known for his often
haunting film music and scores, such as The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
(1964) and The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) featuring the song “The
Windmills of Your Mind” for which he won his first Academy Award.

CHORRORD INQNISHKHANUTYUN: REPUBLICAN MP TO DEVELOP GEORGIA’S FISH INDUSTRY?

Tert.am
24.02.12

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili continues developing his
country’s business environment, involving Armenian businessmen in
Georgia’s economy, says the paper.

Citing its sources, it claims that a lawmaker of the ruling Republican
Party of Armenia, Vardan Ayvazyan, left for Georgia recently to sign
deals on opening fish breeding companies in the country.

There, he reportedly met with a high-ranking Georgian police official
who later arranged his meetings with other top figures, the paper
comments.

AVANT-GARDE NOVEL JOURNEY TO VIRGINLAND WINS 2012 WRITTEN ART AWARD

Noyan Tapan
2012-02-24

Los Angeles, February 24, 2012 – California author Armen Melikian
won the 2012 Written Art Award in the General Fiction Category,
second place, for his novel Journey to Virginland: Epistle I. The
category’s first-place winner was Stephen Maitland-Lewis, for his
novel Emeralds Never Fade.

Journey to Virginland is “a nihilistic sojourn through fictional
Virginland in search of enlightenment,” wrote Monique Muro of the
Long Beach Book Examiner. Maitland-Lewis’ novel is the story of two
boys in Germany who are separated by the onset of the Second World War.

“I am honored that Journey to Virginland was chosen for this award
from among hundreds of books,” said Melikian, who has garnered three
other literary awards this year.

The anti-hero of the author’s novel, named simply Dog, travels through
a fictional replica of the known world and recounts his experiences,
contextualizing them with powerful commentaries on history, religion,
mythology, and the gender wars. Critic Kam Aures of Rebecca’s Reads
writes of Dog’s odyssey: “In this unique work there exists Dreamland,
which contains locales such as Pharaohland, Allahland, Socratesland,
WhiteBearland, and Napoleonland, [while] the physical United States as
we know it is named Satanland. In Virginland resides God, in Satanland
resides Satan.”

Aures adds: “Melikian has created a very intelligently written
original work of fiction. Journey to Virginland is a book quite out
of the ordinary.”

In addition to Aures’ review, Melikian has received praise from a
cross section of prestigious critics. Publishers Weekly wrote: “Dog
vs. God. In an iconoclastic story, Dog demolishes the foundations of
Western civilization.” And ForeWord Reviews stated: “An engrossing,
brilliantly crafted read. A searing commentary on the earth and its
inhabitants through the canine eyes of Dog. Melikian is an astonishing
writer who teaches his reader about the world and the human condition
through tragedy and humor.”

Commenting on the significance of the Written Art Award, Melikian said,
“It is uplifting to see that the literary community as a whole is
embracing a book that may best be categorized as anti-literature,
one that gleefully inverts the conventions of the novel.”

Melikian continued: “I applaud the courage of the Written Art Awards
judges for bestowing one of only two prizes in General Fiction to an
avant-garde work, a novel that detonates a nuclear bomb at the very
foundations of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Without a doubt, this
is a clear indication of the judges’ open-mindedness and impartiality.”

Book blogger Katie Hale of Arkansas wrote of Journey to Virginland:
“From the first page I was pulled in and intrigued by the oddities I
was reading. Not a typical romance, mystery or even suspense novel –
this book takes a look at things from a level I’ve never went to.

Imagine complete blatant honesty without worry of censorship about
religion, sexuality, war, politics and relationships and you will
have a good idea of the book I am speaking of.”

Hale continued: “I am shocked to read a book of this honesty, this
literary caliber, this level of brilliance, in our time. I only wish
it could become the Twilight of this time – a book that sweeps across
the social classes and impacts everyone opening their eyes to the
destruction WE have created in our world – the lies we have covered up
and the hypocrisy that plagues what used to be Christianity and Faith.”

Journey to Virginland is available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon,
and several other booksellers. For more information and a list of
bookseller links worldwide, visit JourneyToVirginland.com