Author: Badalian Vardan

Interfax, Russia
Feb 6 2015

Armenia reports civilian death in Azeri military attack

YEREVAN. Feb 6

A resident of the village of Nerkin Karmirakhbyur, Tavush region of
Armenia, was killed in an attack coming from Azerbaijan, the region’s
hospital told reporters on Friday.

The doctors said Vanik Gukasyan, 60, died from a gunshot wound.

Manvel Kamenatdyan, the elder of the village, told reporters Gukasyan
was wounded near his house on Thursday and died on his way to
hospital.

In the meantime, Artsrun Ovannisyan, press officer for the Armenian
defense minister, told reporters the Azeri military had breached the
ceasefire regime on all tracks along the border on the Tavush region.

“Fire was opened on populated areas. Armenia opened fire on the Azeri
positions from which the shots had been fired,” he said.

Ovannisyan earlier said Levon Andreasyan, 85, an Armenian resident,
was wounded in an attack by the Azeri military on the village of
Movse, Tavush region of Armenia on February 4.

The OSCE on January 27 called on Azerbaijan and Armenia to exercise
restraint in resolving the Karabakh conflict.

The OSCE reiterated the importance of measures that could rule out the
possibility of incidents between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

FRANCE
Libérons Internet du négationnisme

Aujourd’hui, qui recherche des informations sur la Shoah via les
grandes plateformes d’échange et de diffusion en ligne tombe
immanquablement sur des discours qui cherchent à prouver que la Shoah
n’aurait pas existé.De nombreuses vidéos figurant parmi les premiers
résultats de la recherche mobilisent des arguments
pseudo-scientifiques afin de démontrer que l’extermination des Juifs
et des Roms en Europe ne fut pas ce que l’on prétend dans les livres
d’histoire. Avant les négationnistes d’aujourd’hui, les nazis
eux-mêmes ont cherché à effacer toute trace du génocide afin
d’oblitérer leur crime. Aujourd’hui, le négationnisme est un délit
dans un grand nombre de pays, et aux yeux de des Nations unies depuis
2007.

Alors qu’Internet est devenue la source d’information essentielle pour
les nouvelles générations, la diffusion du négationnisme contribue à
la banalisation du racisme et de l’antisémitisme dans notre société,
augmente l’indifférence et provoque des passages à l’acte violents.
Les réseaux sociaux se sont donné les moyens de bannir le fléau des
contenus pédo-pornographiques, et d’interdire les incitations à la
haine. Aujourd’hui, nous demandons aux grands réseaux sociaux de
prendre leurs responsabilités et d’interdire les contenus
négationnistes dans leurs conditions d’utilisation. Nous, survivants
de la Shoah, refusons qu’au 70e anniversaire [lire pages 32-35] de
notre libération du camp d’Auschwitz- Birkenau, les outils de la
modernité soient laissés à ceux qui veulent détruire notre monde de
valeurs.

Nous, étudiants, dernière génération à connaître des rescapés,
refusons que les réseaux sociaux que nous utilisons au quotidien
abondent de contenus et vidéos négationnistes.

Nous,dirigeants d’associations engagées dans la lutte contre le
racisme et l’antisémitisme, refusons d’abandonner la liberté pour
laquelle nous combattons à ceux qui en font un alibi de la haine.
Nous, citoyens, refusons qu’Internet légitime la violence et la
manipulation. La vérité de l’histoire a besoin que chaque citoyen
responsable s’engage pour veiller sur elle. Il est déjà plus que temps
que tous les hommes de bonne volonté, de toutes les nations, simple
utilisateur, architecte ou investisseur d’Internet, s’impliquent pour
la défense de la vérité. Car si Internet est notre bien commun, il
dépend de chacun de nous que la vérité y triomphe du mensonge.

Par D’ANCIENS DÉPORTÉS et PLUSIEURS ASSOCIATIONS ANTIRACISTES

Signez l’appel sur :

SIGNATAIRES

Raphaël Estraïl président de l’Union des déportés d’Auschwitz, Sacha
Reingewirtz président de l’Union des étudiants juifs de France,
Benjamin Orenstein président de l’Amicale des déportés d’Auschwitz
Birkenau du Rhône, Elie Buzyn ancien déporté d’Auschwitz Birkenau,
Alberto Israel ancien déporté d’Auschwitz Birkenau, David Schulhof
ancien déporté d’Auschwitz Birkenau, Zesia Laskier ancien déporté
d’Auschwitz Birkenau, Alfred Szalawecz ancien déporté d’Auschwitz
Birkenau, Claude Bloch ancien déporté d’Auschwitz Birkenau, Sam
Rupkowski ancien déporté d’Auschwitz Birkenau, Jeannette Deplace
ancienne déportée d’Auschwitz Birkenau, Julien Godet ancien déporté
d’Auschwitz Birkenau

Ainsi que :William Martinet président de l’Unef, Alexandre Leroy
président de la Fage,Olivier Vial président de l’UNI, Gilles Clavreul
délégué interministériel à la lutte contre le racisme et
l’antisémitisme, Dominique Sopo président de SOS Racisme, Alain
Jakubowicz président de la Licra, David Harris directeur de l’American
Jewish Committee, Seta Papazian présidente du Collectif Vigilance
arménienne contre le négationnisme, Marcel Kabanda président d’Ibuka
France (pour la mémoire du génocide des Tutsis au Rwanda), Alain
Daumas président de l’Union française des associations tsiganes,
Benjamin Abtan président de l’European Grassroots Antiracist Movement

samedi 7 février 2015,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

Minsk Group Co-Chairs called for the resumption of presidential dialogue

23:02, 06 Feb 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Igor Popov of the
Russian Federation, James Warlick of the United States of America, and
Pierre Andrieu of France) met with Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward
Nalbandian 5 February in Munich. The Personal Representative of the
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, also
participated in the meeting.

We noted with alarm the rising number of incidents along the Line of
Contact and Armenia-Azerbaijan border, including in civilian areas. We
also discussed with the Minister proposed measures to reduce the
likelihood of such incidents. In particular, it is imperative for the
sides to take steps to prevent a repeat of the November 12 helicopter
downing.

The violence and tensions between the sides underscore the necessity
of starting comprehensive negotiations as soon as possible to reach a
lasting settlement. We urged the Minister to show more flexibility so
such negotiations can begin.

We raised the importance of implementing the Presidents’ agreement now
to exchange data on missing persons under the aegis of the ICRC. This
data exchange can build trust between the sides and facilitate the
reconciliation process.

In addition, we called for the resumption of presidential dialogue at
the earliest opportunity.

The Co-Chairs will travel to the region later this month.

PRESS RELEASE
Ararat-Eskijian Museum
15105 Mission Hills Rd
Mission Hills CA, 91345
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 818-838-4862

February 05, 2015

Mission Hills Calif. Ararat-Eskijian Museum and National Association for
Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) presents an illustrated talk by
Attny. Mathew Karanian *`Historic Armenia after 100 years: Ani, Kars, and
the six provinces of Western Armenia’. February 15th*, 4 PM Ararat-Eskijian
Museum/Sheen Chapel, 15105 Mission Hills Road, Mission Hills CA 91345

One hundred years after the Armenian Holocaust, the homeland of the
Armenians remains unknown to much of the world. During the century since
the Genocide of 1915, most of the cultural monuments of the Armenian nation
in the lands of historic Armenia have been eliminated or repurposed.

But there is much that still remains. Author Matthew Karanian
celebrates the Armenia that has avoided destruction, as well as the hidden
Armenians who have struggled to carry on in the face of persecution. He
shines a light on the remnants of Western Armenia that are at greatest risk
of being lost forever, and he leads readers on a journey of rediscovery in
this groundbreaking guide, *Historic Armenia After 100 Years*. For the
first time since the Genocide, the cultural wealth of the Armenian nation
in Western Armenia is presented in one readable and beautifully illustrated
volume. This book serves as a guide through the history and culture of the
ancient Armenian homeland-whether one intends to travel there in person or
only through the pages of this book.

*Historic Armenia After 100 Years* is the product of several years of
research and photography by Matthew Karanian. The book is illustrated with
125 color maps and photographs and includes antique photos from 100 years
ago that are juxtaposed with images of the same locales as they appear
today. Karanian is a second generation Armenian American who lives in
Pasadena. His four grandparents are from Western Armenia and both of his
grandmothers survived their deportation during the summer of 1915. Karanian
has served as Associate Dean of the law program at the American University
of Armenia, and as the Director of the university’s Legal Research
Department. He is the author of *Armenia and Karabakh: The Stone Garden
Travel Guide*. He practices law in Pasadena.

– =8F Admission free (Donations appreciated)

– =8F Reception and book signing following the program.

For more information call the Ararat-Eskijian Museum at (747)500-7585
e-mail [email protected]

CREDIT PORTFOLIO OF ARMENIAN BANKS’ BRANCHES IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH FALLS BY 1.5 PERCENT TO 9.6 BILLION DRAMS

YEREVAN, February 6. / ARKA /. The credit portfolio of Armenian banks’
branches in Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) stood at 9.6 billion
drams as of February 1, 2015, a 1.5% decrease from the year before,
NKR National Statistical Service said. It said compared with the 2015
January, the portfolio was down by 2.7%.

Some 64.8% of the portfolio was loans in foreign currency, while the
share of overdue loans was 2.1%.

As of February 1, 2015 the amount of bank deposits stood at 56 billion
drams. The figure represented a 20.6% decline from 2014 February. When
compared to January this year, the total amount of deposits in the
branches was down 4.5%.

According to NKR National Statistical Service, 71.8% of deposits were
term deposits, 19.2% were demand deposits and 9% were target deposits.

($ 1 – 477.46 drams). -0-

AZERBAIJAN SPREADS DISINFORMATION IN CONNECTION WITH PHOTO EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO NAGORNO KARABAKH HELD IN CZECH REPUBLIC

15:21 06/02/2015 >> REGION

In the Capitol bookstore at the Czech town Frýdek-Místek photo
exhibition of famous Czech photographer-blogger Ladislav Vetvichk
dedicated to the Nagorno Karabakh was opened for nearly a month.

Although the opening of the exhibition took place on 7 January and
the house was full, the Azerbaijani side spreads disinformation,
saying allegedly there were no visitors at the exhibition at all and
it failed, the European edition of “Orer” reports.

As noted in the article on February 3, the closing ceremony of the
exhibition was attended also by the Armenian Ambassador to the Czech
Republic Tigran Seyranyan, representatives of the Armenian community
and many other visitors. Director of the bookstores Jan Becher was
pleasantly surprised that the citizens are so interested in the
exhibition. “We have not had such vibrant and exciting activities
for a long time,” he said.

However, as the newspaper writes, the Azerbaijani Ambassador to the
Czech Republic Farid Shafiyev told with irony Azerbaijani news agency
“Trend” that from the photos it is clear whether the exhibition was
held in domestic atmosphere or in a public place where “there were no
visitors.” The ambassador also assured that he was trying to clarify
the situation with the local authorities.

The publication stresses that the ambassador of Azerbaijan actually
is trying to hide his own incompetency. “It is not surprising that
at any event devoted to the Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan spreads
disinformation. Regarding this fact we publish the photos from the
exhibition,” the paper concludes.

It should be mentioned also that on the published photographs the
attendees of the photo exhibition are clearly visible – there are
citizens of all ages among them. In addition, it must be noted that
some of the visitors stand or sit on the shelves as well, apparently
the chairs weren’t enough.

TURKISH NGOS URGE WORLD LEADER TO GO TO YEREVAN, NOT GALLIPOLI ON APR 24

February 6, 2015 – 17:30 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – 5 Turkish NGOs urged world leaders “not to accept
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s invitation to Gallipoli on April 24
but to visit Yerevan instead for commemoration of the 100th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide,” Bianet.org reports.

Previously, President Erdogan announced that in 2015 Turkey will
commemorate the defense of Gallipoli – a ceremony usually observed
on March 18 – on April 24. He also invited the world leaders to the
northwestern province of Canakkale to join the ceremony

The associations (Human Rights Association (IHD)’s Commission Against
Racism and Discrimination, Izmir Assyrian Friendship, Culture and
Solidarity Association, Nor Zartonk, Culture
Platform and Zan Social, Political, Economic Research Foundation)
issued a statement protesting Erdogan’s invitation at IHD Headquarters
in Istanbul, Bianet reports.

“April 24 is marked worldwide as the Armenian Genocide Remembrance
Day,” IHD Vice Chairperson Meral Cıldır said in a statement.

“As the 100th anniversary of Armenian Genocide draws near, we, groups
and peoples that struggle against the denial of the Genocide, protest
the president’s invitation and urge the world leaders to visit the
Genocide memorial in Yerevan instead of Gallipoli in Canakkale.

Following the press statement, IHD Vice Chairperson Eren Keskin said
the following: “The mentality that founded the Republic of Turkey is
the very mentality that committed the Armenian – Assyrian Genocide
in 1915. For us, 24 April 2015 is of huge importance. We want to face
our history. We don’t want our children to be told lies. We know that
the Genocide is still not openly mentioned by many countries, but we
are asking a show a bit of conscience. The Turkish invitation mocks
the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims. Go to Yerevan where the
real pain is.”

OSCE MINSK GROUP HAILS ARMENIA’S COMMITMENT TO REDUCING TENSION ON BORDER WITH AZERBAIJAN

YEREVAN, February 6. / ARKA /. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs from
the USA, France and Russia welcomed Armenia’s commitment to reducing
tensions in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, the US co-chair James
Warlick wrote in his Twitter microblog.

“We had a good meeting with Armenian foreign minister Edward
Nalbandian on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference to
discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We welcomed his commitment to
the reduction of tension in the conflict zone,” he wrote, according
to RIA Novosti. He also posted a photo of the meeting.

Nalbandian’s meeting with Igor Popov (Russia), Pierre Andrieu (France)
and James Warlick (USA), as well as the Personal Representative of
the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk took place on Thursday
night in Munich.

During the meeting Nalbandian drew the co-chairs’ attention to
violation of ceasefire by Azerbaijan on the border with Armenia and
on the line of contact with the armed forces of Nagorno-Karabakh.

According to him, the leadership of Azerbaijan “hampers the peace
process.” At the same time, Nalbandian confirmed that Armenia
will continue joint efforts with the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Grouptowards a peaceful resolution of the Karabakh problem.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict erupted into armed clashes after the
collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s as the predominantly
Armenian-populated enclave of Azerbaijan, sought to secede from
Azerbaijan and declared its independence backed by succeeding
referendum. A truce was brokered by Russia in 1994, although no
permanent peace agreement has been signed.

Since then, Nagorno-Karabakh and several adjacent regions have been
under the control of Armenian forces of Karabakh. Nagorno-Karabakh
is the longest-running post-Soviet era conflict and has continued
to simmer despite the relative peace of the past two decades, with
snipers causing tens of deaths a year.-0-

FATHER TURNS TO CROWDFUNDING SITE FOR HELP RAISING DISABLED SON REJECTED BY HIS MOTHER

After his son, born with Down’s syndrome, was rejected by his mother,
a father has turned to a crowdfunding site to generate funds to help
raise the child alone

‘I looked at this guy and said, “he’s beautiful and I’m absolutely
keeping him”‘ Photo:

By Telegraph Men

10:55AM GMT 06 Feb 2015

A heartbroken father whose son was born with Down’s syndrome in Armenia
has revealed that his wife filed for divorce after he refused to give
up the baby, which she had rejected.

Samuel Forrest then took to crowdfunding site Gofundme to raise money
to return home to New Zealand and raise his son there.

Forrest told ABC News: “This pediatrician walks out of the room with a
little bundle – that was Leo. She had his face covered up and hospital
authorities wouldn’t let me see him or my wife. When the doctor came
out, he said, ‘There’s a real problem with your son.'”

After being told Leo had Down’s syndrome, Forrest said: “I had a few
moments of shock. I looked at this guy and I said, ‘He’s beautiful –
he’s perfect and I’m absolutely keeping him’.”

However, the reaction of Forrest’s wife, Ruzan Badalyan, was very
different. “I got the ultimatum right then,” Forrest said. “She told
me if I kept him then we would get a divorce.”

According to Forrest, it is not uncommon for parents in Armenia to
reject children born with Down’s. “What happens when a baby like this
is born here, they will tell you that you don’t have to keep them,”
he told ABC News. “My wife had already decided, so all of this was
done behind my back.”

Badalyan filed for divorce a week after baby Leo was born, Forrest
said. After that, Forrest, a business contractor, made plans to return
to his native Auckland, using the crowdfunding platform Gofundme.

“As a now solo father, Sam’s aim is to raise enough money to be able
to care for Leo fulltime himself for at least a year, to give him
the love, cuddles & devotion he needs to thrive,” reads a message on
Forrest’s funding page.

Within 24 hours, his story had gone viral and he had received pledges
of over $170,000 (far exceeding his target of $60,000).

Forrest has vowed to use some of the funds to help other families in
Armenia whose children are born with disabilities.

ATTORNEY ARSEN DANIELIAN NAMED CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD FOR THE HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION OF GLENDALE ADVENTIST MEDICAL CENTER

By MassisPost
Updated: February 5, 2015

GLENDALE – Arsen Danielian, Esq., a senior partner at the Glendale law
firm of Baker, Olson, LeCroy & Danielian, has been appointed chairman
of the board for the Healthcare Foundation at Glendale Adventist
Medical Center. He began his two-year term of office January 1, 2015.

As board chair, he presides over a distinguished board of directors
for the Healthcare Foundation at Glendale Adventist Medical Center.

The mission of the Healthcare Foundation is to support the work and
mission of Glendale Adventist Medical Center through philanthropy –
last year, Danielian and his wife, Hasmik, were honored at the
hospital’s gala and received the 2014 Erwin J. Remboldt Founder’s
Award for Outstanding Individual Philanthropy.

“Arsen and Hasmik are wonderful role models for every person and every
social, ethnic and cultural organization in our community. They
demonstrate in their words and actions that when we all work together
toward a common purpose, we all benefit,” says Healthcare Foundation
President Irene Bourdon.

Danielian will lead the board in efforts to expand the community’s
knowledge, understanding and support of Glendale Adventist Medical
Center and to strengthen the relationships between the community and
the Medical Center. In his role as chairman of the board, he will be a
bridge to the business community, the Armenian community; and the
entire Glendale community.

Danielian believes wholeheartedly in the hospital’s mission and deeply
values the vital role it plays in the community. He and his family are
also loyal patients and have adopted Glendale Adventist Medical Center
as their hospital and charity of choice. He has been a member of the
Healthcare Foundation board of directors for more than 18 years and
most recently served as vice chairman. He is also the chairman of the
Ambassadors of Faith of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of
North America and chairman of the board of trustees of the Armenian
Society of Los Angeles.

Over the course of his career as an attorney, Danielian has served on
many national and international councils, assemblies and committees.

In October of 2014 Arsen Danielian was honored with the prestigious
St. Nerses Shnorhali medal and the accompanying Pontifical Encyclical
of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all
Armenians in recognition of his four decades of service rendered to
the Armenian Apostolic Church.