Author: Badalian Vardan

ALEXAN HAROUTIOUNIAN POURRAIT ETRE LE FUTUR AMBASSADEUR D’ARMENIE EN ARGENTINE, URUGUAY, CHILI ET PARAGUAY

DIPLOMATIE ARMENIENNE

Alexan Haroutiounian pourrait selon > (Liberte)
etre nomme Ambassadeur d’Armenie en Argentine, Uruguay, Chili et
Paraguay, en remplacement de l’Ambassadeur Vahakn Melikian qui revient
a Erevan trois ans avant la fin de sa mission.

Alexan Haroutiounian -qui avait debute ses fonctions diplomatiques a
Paris- et ancien president du Conseil d’administration de la Radio
et Television publique d’Armenie pourrait ainsi s’envoler vers le
contient Sud-Americain.

Krikor Amirzayan

vendredi 26 decembre 2014, Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com

ARMENIA MAY PRESERVE GREATER PART OF ITS PREVIOUS AGREEMENTS WITH EUROPEAN UNION- DEPUTY MINISTER

YEREVAN, December 25. / ARKA /. Armenia still may preserve the greater
part of its previous arrangements and agreements with the European
Union after joining formally the Eurasian Economic Union on January 1,
2015, according to a deputy economy minister Garegin Melkonyan.

Speaking to a news conference today he said Armenian and EU officials
resumed discussions on the format of their future relations this
month with the focus on a set of specific economic and trade issues,
including the wordings of some documents.

“We have preserved the bulk of the existing formats of relations
and agreements, which were reached when we worked on the Association
Agreement with the European Union. There are questions that do not meet
or can not meet the commitments Armenia has assumed as a member of
the Eurasian Economic Union, but the assessment made by our European
partners shows that most of the package of agreements with the EU
can be preserved to be incorporated in the new format of relations,”
Melkonyan said.

According to him, there is a shared confidence that in 2015 Armenia
and EU can make significant progress in their talks.

After negotiations in early September 2013 Armenian and Russian
presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Vladimir Putin said in a joint statement
that Armenia intended to join the Russia-led Customs Union and
participate in the establishment of the Eurasian Economic Union.

Before that announcement Yerevan was expected to sign an association
and free trade agreements with the EU at an Eastern Partnership
summit in Vilnius. European officials said the two formats were
incompatible.-0–

ESCALATION AROUND KESSAB CALMS DOWN: REPORT

December 25, 2014 – 17:36 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Armenian-populated Syrian town of Kessab saw
certain escalation in recent days. Women and children were evacuated
to neighboring Latakia, with men left behind to guard the town,
Karabakh-open.info said.

The town, that just started reviving after the spring 2014’s tragic
events, was under the threat of shelling 3 days ago, after the rocket
strike on Leghi Jur checkpoint nearby.

At present, the situation has calmed down, with Kessab residents
urging against spreading unverified information.

According to earlier reports from military sources, groups of armed
militants were noted at the border with Syria.

Located in the northwestern corner of Syria, near the border with
Turkey, Kessab had, for a while evaded major battles in the Syrian
conflict. The local Armenian population had increased in recently years
with the city serving as safe haven for those fleeing from the war-torn
cities of Yacubiye, Rakka and Aleppo. On March 21, extremist foreign
fighters launched a vicious attack on Kessab civilians, forcing them
to flee neighboring Latakia and Bassit. Hundreds of Kessab Armenians
found refuge in Latakia.

The 3-year civil war in Syria took the lives of over 170,000 and
displaced around 9 million. Before the war, Syria was home to around
80,000 Armenians. At present, 10,000 left for Armenia and 5,000
for Lebanon.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Chris Zakian
Tel: (212) 686-0710 or (973) 943-8697
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

** TOP STORY December 24, 2014
————————————————————
St. David
An angel announces the birth of Christ (detail from a Nativity mural
at Holy Etchmiadzin).

** What It’s All About
————————————————————
There were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping
watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came
upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they
were sore afraid.

But the angel said unto them, `Fear not! For, behold-I bring you good
tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is
born this day, in the city of David, a savior, which is Christ the
Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.’

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly
host, praising God, and saying: `Glory to God in the highest! And on
earth, peace; good will toward men.’

As a very wise person once said, having quoted this passage from the
gospel of Luke: `That’s what Christmas is all about.’

Today, in these hours before so much of the world celebrates the birth
of Jesus, we wish our readers all the blessings of Christmas.

Some 12 days from now, faithful souls in Armenian sanctuaries across
the world will be raising their voices in grateful praise of our
Lord’s birth-and we encourage you to be a part of that joyous
celebration in your local church.

And throughout the coming days, keep hold of what Christmas is all
about: God’s love for mankind; His gifts of peace and good
will=80’embodied in the birth of His precious son.

To read the Primate’s Christmas message for this year, click here
()
.

New Website for Summer Camps

** Visit the New Summer Camps Website
————————————————————
The Diocese’s Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries is
pleased to announce the launch of the new summer camps website:

The new site offers online registration and credit card payment
options for both Hye Camp and St. Vartan Camp, simplifying the
registration process for families across the Diocese. In addition, all
CIT, staff, and volunteer applications are available for
download. Other features include a blog, photo galleries, resources
for parents, and an alumni corner.

Click on the following links to visit the new site
()
and to download this year’s camps flyer
()
and brochure
()
. To be added to the camp e-mail list, send your contact information
to Jennifer Morris, the Diocese’s Director of Youth and Young Adult
Ministries, at [email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) .

** Scripture of the Week
————————————————————

Is 41:4-14
Heb 7:11-25
Lk 19:12-28

** Prayer of the Week
————————————————————

Guard us, O Christ our God, in peace under the shadow of your holy and
venerable Cross. Deliver us from the visible and invisible enemy. Make
us worthy to give you thanks and to glorify you together with the
Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always. Amen.

** Upcoming Saints & Feasts
————————————————————

25 December: St. Stephen the Protodeacon and First Martyr

27 December: Holy Apostles Peter and Paul

29 December: Holy Apostles James and John, “Sons of Thunder”

3 January: Sts. Basil, Gregory of Nissa, Sylvester of Rome, and Ephrem
the Syrian

5 January: Eve of the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord Jesus Christ

6 January: Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord Jesus
Christ

** CHURCH NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
————————————————————
Youth Center Opens in Gyumri
His Holiness Karekin II tours the new youth center.

** Armenian Church Youth Center Opens in Gyumri
————————————————————
The Armenian Church Youth Center (
Hayortyats Tnner) program opened a new branch in Gyumri earlier this
month. His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos
of All Armenians, presided over the opening ceremony on December 4.

The Gyumri Youth Center offers sports, singing, dancing, music, and
painting classes to local children. Construction of the new center was
made possible through the generosity of Sandra Shahinian Leitner, a
parishioner of the Eastern Diocese and a longtime servant of the
Armenian Church. Located at the site of a Soviet military edifice
erected in 1930, the original structure was largely destroyed by the
1988 earthquake.

Click here
()
to read more.

** DIOCESAN NEWS
————————————————————
Armenian Christmas Schedule at St. Vartan Cathedral

** Christmas Services at St. Vartan Cathedral
————————————————————
The Feast of the Nativity and Baptism of Jesus Christ will be observed
at New York’s St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral on Monday and Tuesday,
January 5 and 6, 2015. Click here
()
to view the special liturgical schedule for these “Armenian Christmas”
services.

The Blessing of Water service will follow the Divine Liturgy on
January 6. Dr. Vicken Pamoukian will serve as “godfather” of the
Blessing of Water service.

A Home Blessing service and Christmas reception will be held in Haik
and Alice Kavookjian Auditorium following services on January 6. The
Akh’tamar Armenian Dance Ensemble, under the direction of Sylva
Assadourian, will perform during the reception, which is open to all.

Most local parishes will celebrate Christmas on January 6, but the
Primate has also directed that they may observe the occasion on
Sunday, January 11. For information on services in your area, contact
your local parish
()
to ascertain the date and time of its Armenian Christmas celebration.

Submit Your Photo

** Christmas Photo Album: A Call for Submissions
————————————————————
How do you celebrate Armenian Christmas in your hometown? Send us
digital photos from your local Christmas church services and other
celebrations, and we will feature them in our online album the week
after Christmas.

Please e-mail photos (with your name, parish, city, and country) to
[email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) by Wednesday, January 14.

We look forward to receiving submissions from the parishes of the
Eastern Diocese, as well as from our readers in Armenian communities
across the globe.

Diocesan Council
Council members gathered for their monthly meeting on December 16.

** Diocesan Council Continues Work on Strategic Plan
————————————————————
Meeting at the Diocesan Center in New York on Tuesday, December 16,
members of the Diocesan Council heard reports from Archbishop Khajag
Barsamian, Diocesan Primate; the Very Rev. Fr. Simeon Odabashian,
Diocesan Vicar; and Jacob H. Yahiayan, the Diocese’s Director of
Administration.

The council discussed three areas of the Diocesan Strategic Plan:
outreach, clergy education, and subject oriented topics. (The
Strategic Plan was introduced at the 112th Diocesan Assembly.) They
also discussed the Diocese’s Annual Appeal, other development efforts,
and ideas for enriching parish visits by the Primate and Diocesan
Council liaisons.

On the subject of the 100th year of remembrance of the Armenian
Genocide, the council spoke about the national commemoration (see the
item below) and ways to disseminate information regarding upcoming
events.

Armenian Genocide Cintennial

** The Armenian Genocide: 100th Year of Remembrance
————————————————————
The coming year will mark 100 years since the start of the Armenian
Genocide of 1915. At the time, it was the greatest calamity to ever
befall our nation. But the subsequent century also tells an
extraordinary tale of our people`s resilience, strength, and faith.

Armenian-Americans will commemorate this milestone year with a
national observance in Washington, D.C. in May 2015. Special events
are scheduled for May 7 to 9. The weekend will include an ecumenical
prayer service at the National Cathedral, a Pontifical Divine Liturgy,
a memorial concert, and an awards banquet honoring organizations and
individuals who helped the survivors. His Holiness Karekin II, the
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and His Holiness
Aram I, the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, will both
journey to the United States to lead the Washington
commemoration. They will be joined by Armenians from across the U.S.,
under the auspices of the Eastern and Western Dioceses, and the
Eastern and Western Prelacies. Click here
()
to learn more about the May events in the nation’s capital.

The Eastern Diocese’s Annual Diocesan Assembly and Clergy Conference
will convene in Washington that same week; details on the 2015
Assembly will be forthcoming.

People in the New York metro region should also reserve the dates of
April 24, 25, and 26 for commemoration events in New York City. These
will include liturgical celebrations and the annual Times Square
program sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Knights and Daughters of Vartan.

We encourage our parishes to let us know as early as possible about
their local observances. Resources are available on the Diocesan
website to assist parishes in raising awareness in their surrounding
communities. Click here
()
to access these materials.

2015 Diocesan Calendar

** “We Are Few”: The 2015 Diocesan Calendar
————————————————————
The 2015 Diocesan Calendar is a meditation on the 100th year of
remembrance of the Armenian Genocide, titled
We Are Few: The Persistence of a People.

Featuring powerful words by the great Armenian poet Barouyr Sevag,
alongside images from photographer Scout Tufankjian’s odyssey through
Armenian communities around the world, the 2015 calendar is a glimpse
into Armenian life, a century after the Genocide.

The result is a beautiful, spiritually uplifting testimony to our
persistence as a people-which we hope will be a source of inspiration
throughout the coming milestone year.

If you have not received your free copy of the calendar, click here to
subscribe
()
to our mailing list.

Art Class Students Visit St. Vartan Cathedral
Dr. Helen Evans speaks about the architectural plan of St. Vartan
Cathedral during a tour of the sanctuary.

** Learning About Armenian Art at St. Vartan Cathedral
————————————————————
Columbia University students taking a class on Armenian art visited
the Diocesan Center on Friday, December 19, with their professor
Dr. Helen Evans, curator for Byzantine art at the Metropolitan
Museum. The students toured St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral, visited the
Diocese’s Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center, and viewed
manuscripts in the Diocese’s collection.

Dr. Evans described the architectural plan of St. Vartan Cathedral,
which is patterned on the medieval St. Hripsime Church in Armenia. The
Very Rev. Fr. Simeon Odabashian, Diocesan Vicar, accompanied the group
on the tour of the sanctuary and answered questions. The Very
Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan, director of the Zohrab Center, spoke to the
students about the Diocese’s collection of manuscripts and art.

Dr. Evans, a preeminent scholar of Byzantine and Armenian art, is
teaching a fall semester course titled `Origins of Armenian Art:
Creating an Identity’ as part of the Armenian Center visiting
professorship at Columbia University.

Click here
()
to view photos from last week’s visit.

Anna Turcotte
Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte reads from her book, Nowhere: A Story of
Exile.

** Author Speaks of Family’s Escape from Baku
————————————————————
Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte presented her book,
Nowhere: A Story of Exile, at the Diocese’s Krikor and Clara Zohrab
Information Center on Thursday, November 13. The book tells of her
family’s experiences during the anti-Armenian pogroms in Baku,
Azerbaijan, in the late 1980s and early `90s.

Ms. Astvatsaturian Turcotte was 10 when the brutalities began in Baku,
and kept a diary from ages 14 to 16 of her family’s struggles in
Azerbaijan, Armenia, and America. More than two decades after settling
in the United States, she decided to publish her recollections in what
became Nowhere: A Story of Exile.

Click on the following links to read more
()
and to view a video of the presentation
()
.

FAR
Children welcome FAR representatives to their school in Berd.

** Improving Educational Facilities in Tavush
————————————————————
Hundreds of young people living in Armenia’s Tavush region now have
improved educational and recreational facilities, thanks to the Fund
for Armenian Relief’s `Breaking the Cycle of Poverty’ program. These
facilities include outdoor playgrounds, a gymnasium, and a special
cooking classroom.

The `Breaking the Cycle of Poverty” program was established by the
Mardigian Family Foundation through the largest-ever contribution made
to FAR. The five-year project addresses malnutrition, unemployment,
poverty, and infrastructure weaknesses in Armenia’s northeastern
Tavush province.

Click here
()
to read more on FAR’s blog.

advent

** Read our Advent Blog
————————————————————
Throughout the Advent season, Eric Vozzy of the Diocese’s Department
of Christian Education has been posting weekly Advent reflections on
the Diocese’s blog. Click here
()
to visit our blog for this week’s entry.

Advent is a season of preparation for one of the greatest feasts of
the church, the Nativity of Jesus Christ. In the Armenian Church,
Advent is a period of 50 days called Heesnag (from the Armenian word
for 50, heesoon). It is a time for prayer, reflection, devotion to
Scripture, fasting, and service.

Annual Appeal

** Support the Diocese’s 2014 Annual Appeal
————————————————————
With only weeks remaining, the Eastern Diocese is making an urgent
plea for support of the 2014 Annual Appeal. Follow this link to donate
now
()
to the 2014 Annual Appeal-the only Diocesan-wide fundraiser conducted
each year to help the Diocese undertake the many ministries, programs,
and resources that enrich life in our parishes.

Your thoughtful gift brings light to our local churches. It supports
Christian education, Armenian language instruction, summer camps,
youth programs, mission parish outreach, and the use of new
communication technologies.

To our past and prospective donors, we are deeply grateful for your
support of the creative, educational, and inspirational programs that
lift up Armenian communities throughout the Eastern Diocese.

Please accept this invitation to strengthen our efforts. Your generous
contribution to the 2014 Annual Appeal will help spread the good work
of the Armenian Church across our local communities-and across the
generations.

Follow this link to donate now
()
to the 2014 Annual Appeal.

Donate Stocks

** Now is the Time for Tax-Smart Giving
————————————————————
With a little planning, you can do more for the Armenian Church than
you might have thought possible. Here are two end-of-the-year
opportunities for you to consider.

1. Give stock. Stock gains on Wall Street have set record highs in
2014. You may wish to consider a charitable gift of appreciated
securities before 2014 closes. There is no federal income tax on your
gain, and you may be able to take a tax deduction. Please consult with
your financial advisor to see how the rules apply to your specific tax
situation.

2. Give from your IRA. Congress has just reinstated the IRA charitable
rollover. This means that if you are age 70½ or more, you can make a
tax-free charitable gift of up to $100,000 directly from your
IRA. This significant tax break expires on December 31. Ask your
financial advisor to show you how easy it is.

Gifts to the Diocese are payable to:
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
EIN: 13-1628202
630 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10016

Then please contact Angela Kazarian at (212) 686-0710 so that we can
thank you! With planned giving, you can take care of yourself, your
loved ones, and your church.

** PARISH NEWS
————————————————————
St. James Church, Watertown, MA
ACYOA members hold up gifts they collected for a local charity.

** Watertown ACYOA Completes Outreach Project
————————————————————
Last week, ACYOA members of St. James Church of Watertown, MA, took
part in a Christmas outreach project by volunteering at a local
Christian charity called My Brother’s Keeper. The project began
earlier this winter when the ACYOA organized a `Giving Tree’ toy drive
at St. James Church, asking parishioners to select and fulfill wish
lists attached to a Christmas tree at the church.

On December 16, a group of ACYOA members, led by youth minister Maria
Derderian, traveled to Easton, MA, to deliver the presents they
collected to My Brother’s Keeper. Volunteering in the organization’s
`Santa’s Workshop,’ ACYOA members spent time wrapping the gifts and
writing Christmas messages to families in the Boston area.

Click here
()
to view photos.

St. Stepanos Church, Elberon, NJ
Purchasing baked goods at the St. Stepanos Church bake sale.

** Bake Sale in Elberon
————————————————————
The Women’s Guild of St. Stepanos Church of Elberon, NJ, organized its
annual bake sale on December 20 and 21.

New this year was a gift auction table, which was well received by the
many parishioners and members of the larger community who stopped by
the two-day event. Other highlights included a lahmajun lunch and
Armenian baked goods, such as choreg, tahin hatz, pakhlava, khadayif,
and cheese boreg.

Click here
()
to view photos.

St. Mesrob Church, Racine, WI
ACYOA members with Fr. Yeprem Kelegian.

** Christmas Caroling in Racine
————————————————————
This Christmas season, the ACYOA Seniors and Juniors of St. Mesrob
Church of Racine, WI, under the leadership of their pastor, the
Rev. Fr. Yeprem Kelegian, reached out to parishioners in nursing homes
and to those who recently lost loved ones. The young people split up
into two groups and visited 13 places to sing Christmas carols, pray,
and spend time in fellowship with others.

Upcoming events

** Upcoming Parish Events
————————————————————

Hye Pointe Church | Haverhill, MA
The ACYOA of Hye Pointe Church of Haverhill, MA, will host a
`Chocolate and Cookie Christmas Social’ on Saturday, December
27. Enjoy an interactive chocolate and cookie decorating demo with
guest chef and ACYOA member Nathan Kibarian. Gift baskets and packaged
sweets will be available for sale after the program. Click here
()
to view a flyer for ticket information.

St. Garabed Church | Baton Rouge, LA
St. Garabed Church of Baton Rouge, LA, will host a `New Year Holiday
Dance Party’ on Saturday, December 27. The evening will feature live
music by Kevork Artinian and George Tebrejian. The event will be held
at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Baton Rouge. Click here
()
to view a flyer for ticket information.

St. Thomas Church | Tenafly, NJ
St. Thomas Church of Tenafly, NJ, will host a New Year’s eve
celebration on Wednesday, December 31, beginning at 8 p.m. Enjoy music
by DJ Alan, a full-course dinner, champagne, and special activities
for children. Click here
()
to view a flyer for reservation information, or contact the church at
(201) 567-5446.

The Kirikian Armenian School of St. Thomas Church will host an
Armenian Christmas dinner on January 6 at 1 p.m. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information. To RSVP, contact Talar Sarafian at
(201) 240-8541 or [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) ;
Tanya Vartanyan at (201) 941-6764 or [email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) ; or call the church office at (201)
567-5446.

Armenian Church of Jacksonville | Jacksonville, FL
The Armenian Church of Jacksonville will host a New Year’s eve
gathering on Wednesday, December 31, beginning at 10 p.m. Enjoy
dinner, music, dancing, and raffles. Reservations must be made in
advance. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.

Armenian Church of Southwest Florida | Naples, FL
The Rev. Fr. Karekin Kasparian will celebrate the Divine Liturgy and
perform the Blessing of Water service at the Armenian Church of
Southwest Florida on Sunday, January 11, at 1:30 p.m. The service will
be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (3901 Davis Blvd., Naples,
FL). Leon Nigohosian will serve as “godfather” of the Blessing of
Water service. A Christmas dinner (reservations required) will follow.

Services and activities are also scheduled for the following dates:
February 8 (Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan; bake sale to follow);
February 17 (Ladies and Men’s Luncheon at M. Waterfront Grille); March
1 (Very Rev. Fr. Aren Jebejian; Lenten luncheon to follow); and March
10 (picnic at Longshore Lakes in Naples).

For information, or to make reservations, e-mail Carole Meghreblian at
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

** YOUTH NEWS
————————————————————
ACYOA Chapter Workshop

** Register for ACYOA Chapter Workshop
————————————————————
The ACYOA Central Council is looking forward to the annual ACYOA
Seniors Chapter Workshop at the St. Hagop Church of Pinellas Park, FL,
from January 9 to 11, 2015.

All young adults 18 and older are invited to gather for a weekend
filled with learning through interactive discussions, Bible study, and
worship. In addition, participants will take part in a `Faith in
Action’ service project to benefit a local Florida charity. The plans
for the weekend express the spirit of the ACYOA through worship,
witness, service, education, and fellowship.

The Chapter Workshop is organized by the ACYOA Central Council and
hosted by the parish community of St. Hagop Church.

Click on the following links to view a flyer
()
and register online
()
. For information, contact Lorie Odabashian at (212) 686-0710, or via
e-mail at [email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) .

** A NOTE TO OUR READERS
————————————————————
The Diocese’s e-Newsletter will not be published on New Year’s Day,
Thursday, January 1. We wish our readers a blessed Christmas season,
and we look forward to resuming e-Newsletter publication on Thursday,
January 8.

ECONOMIST: INFLATION IN ARMENIA INCONSISTENT WITH CURRENCY DEPRECIATION

Economy | 25.12.14 | 15:47

By Sara Khojoyan
ArmeniaNow reporter

The Armenian government’s claims that the December inflation was
conditioned by the dram’s devaluation and is within the projected
limits cannot be true, economist Bagrat Asatryan said on Thursday.

The former Central Bank governor believes there is no direct
correlation between the devaluation of the national currency and
inflation, although Armenia is mostly an importing country and
naturally it is not possible to avoid inflation.

“There is dependency, but it is nothing, if we count based on current
developments, then inflation must have been only 0.3-0.5 percent.

There is no direct correlation; simply in Armenia the pricing policy
is not efficient. The gas price has not increased yet, and it is what
affects price formation most,” Asatryan told reporters today.

Emphasizing that mistrust toward the government is the main cause
of the dram’s drastic devaluation and the panic and the main cause
for the economic situation that followed, the economist said that it
was possible to prevent the situation if the government implemented
a correct policy.

“They say that exchange offices did speculations, but they are made
exactly for that. They must get out of such a level of debate and work
ethic and make decisions regarding the financial system, they must
make problems public and think about their solutions,” Asatryan said.

The dram depreciated drastically on December 17, which many observers
evaluated as “a day of panic currency buying”, when the dram exchange
rate hit its historic lows at above 600 AMD, after which it quickly
rebounded settling at 455-465 AMD per dollar.

“Approaches and decisions toward stabilization of the financial
system are important, and the Central Bank has that potential,”
Asatryan said. “The policy implemented during the dram devaluation
was a result of political pressure.”

“For 20 years we’ve been spending money to have an independent Central
Bank. But what do we have now?” he said, adding that risks for the
banking system have increased today.

ANCA: JUSTICE THAT PUNISHES THE PERPETRATOR, MAKES THE VICTIM WHOLE, AND PREVENTS FUTURE CRIMES

15:39, 24 Dec 2014

It’s particularly vicious to hear people preaching that Armenians
should only be working for change from within Turkey, according to
Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA).

“We once had this chance, and, despite great challenges and even
greater risks, played a courageous and consequential role in reforms —
until 1915, when Turkey massacred and exiled us, effectively ending
our ability to press for progress as citizens of that state. It
takes a very cruel or equally calculating heart to lecture the
brutalized victims of a crime about their failure to rehabilitate
their attackers,” Aram Hamparian said, according to Asbarez.

“Given the vast post-genocide power asymmetry between the Turkish state
and the surviving Armenian citizens of Turkey — or between Turkey
and landlocked, partitioned, and blockaded Armenia for that matter —
arguing that the Armenian Genocide should be a matter between Turks
and Armenians is just a harsh way of saying leave Turkey alone to
consolidate the fruits of its crime,” he said.

Turkey’s preferred “lion and lamb” formulation is all the more
one-sided by virtue of the added power Turkey secured through genocide
and the incalculable harm caused to the Armenian nation by this still
unpunished crime, according to Hamparian.

“This approach, of course, stands at odds to the basic conceptions
of justice held by nearly every culture on earth. Genocide may be
the worst of all crimes, one with serious geopolitical implications,
but it remains a crime. And the answer to crime is justice. Justice
that punishes the perpetrator, makes the victim whole, and prevents
future crimes,” he said.

“It is to our credit that decades of diasporan advocacy for justice
— undertaken in countries around the world in the wake of our near
annihilation — has started to break down walls of denial in Turkey
and sparked a small but growing domestic movement for a truthful and
just resolution of the Armenian Genocide,” he added.

“Having “forced the Spring,” we are now — with increased resolve —
waging our struggle on two mutually reinforcing fronts: one in Turkey,
one in the rest of the world,” Hamparian concluded.

L’ARMENIE A ENREGISTRE OFFICIELLEMENT 65000 CHEMEURS

ARMENIE

Le nombre de chômeurs officiellement enregistres en Armenie est
de 65.000, y compris 15 300 jeunes de moins de 30 ans. L’essentiel
des ch̫meurs 46900 Рsont des femmes a annonce le vice-ministre du
travail et de la securite sociale Ara Petrosyan. Selon Ara Petrosyan,
la creation d’emplois est une priorite pour le gouvernement armenien.

Le vice-ministre a aussi dit que seulement huit ou neuf pour cent
des handicapes citoyens armeniens en âge de travailler ont un emploi.

mercredi 24 decembre 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

WASHINGTON POST’S COVERAGE OF DEVELOPMENTS IN AZERBAIJAN IS BIASED — EMBASSY

Trend News Agency (Baku, Azerbaijan)
December 22, 2014 Monday

Dec. 22–The coverage of the developments in Azerbaijan by the US
Washington Post newspaper reflects neither widely acknowledged success
nor the robust US-Azerbaijan partnership, Counselor of Azerbaijani
embassy in the US Mammad Talibov said in his article published in
that newspaper.

“Contrary to the assertion in the Dec. 12 editorial “Dystopia on
the Caspian,” the Azerbaijani people today are fulfilling their
centuries-old aspirations by building a prosperous, stable, free and
a truly independent nation,” said the article.

Talibov said the case of journalist Khadija Ismayilova is going through
Azerbaijan’s legal system. As recent events in the United States have
shown, legal decisions are not always popular and, in some cases,
even spark mass protests, according to the counselor.

Under any circumstances, the process must be respected in Azerbaijan
and in the United States, and all citizens, including journalists,
should be equal before the laws of the land, according to the article.

“I believe we’d all agree that promotion of human rights and democracy
is best done when one leads by example rather than by mentoring,”
he said. “This is especially true when the United States speaks to
its friends, including

Azerbaijan.”

Talibov added that voicing concern for humanitarian needs of hundreds
of thousands of Azerbaijanis displaced as a result of the Armenian
occupation would go a long way.

US EMBASSY IN ARMENIA STARTS EARLY ISSUANCE OF MULTIVISAS FOR 5, 10 YEARS

Trend, Azerbaijan
Dec 23 2014

23 December 2014, 20:28 (GMT+04:00)

The US Embassy started early issuance of multivisas for 10 years,
Novosti-Armenia news agency said, referring to the New Times (Novoye
Vremya) newspaper.

The US embassy had the opportunity to start a new visa process since
January 1, 2015 on the basis of the recently reached agreement with the
government of Armenia, but chose to accelerate it and starting from
December 22, 2014, the citizens of Armenia were issued “long-term”
permission to enter the US, according to the US diplomatic mission.

Armenian citizens, who have applied for a nonimmigrant visa of B
category, can get multivisas valid for up to 10 years for both business
and leisure trips. Participants of exchange programs, eligible for a
visa of F, M or J categories, and persons under their tutelage from
now on will be issued multivisas valid up to 5 years. It is noteworthy
that the fee for visa services remained unchanged.

HEADING FOR A JEW-FREE TURKEY

Middle East Forum
Dec 23 2014

by Burak Bekdil
The Gatestone Institute

At the beginning of the 20th century, there were about 200,000 Jews
in Turkish lands – when the entire population was barely 10 million.

Today, the Turkish population has reached 77 million – and there are
fewer than 17,000 Jews.

Mois Gabay, a Turkish Jewish writer for Salom, the Istanbul
Jewish newspaper, recently wrote in his column, “Are Turkish Jews
Leaving?”: “We face threats, attacks and harassment every day. Hope
is fading. Is it necessary for a ‘Hrant among us’ to be shot in order
for the government, the opposition, civil society, our neighbors and
jurists to see this?” The ‘Hrant’ to whom he referred is Hrant Dink,
a Turkish Armenian journalist who was shot dead in 2007 by a gang of
nationalist Turks.

On Dec. 15, the Turkish liberal daily Radikal interviewed Gabay,
who started by showing Radikal’s reporter dozens of threats and hate
messages he has received through Twitter, Facebook and mail messages.

“This is almost daily,” he said.

According to Gabay, only this year 37% of high-school graduates in
Istanbul’s Jewish community left Turkey to study abroad, twice as many
as in previous years. “We don’t know how many of them will return,”
he says. “But the idea to leave Turkey (for good) is also in the
minds of my generation.”

The reason is simple: “The circle is closing in,” according to Gabay.

“In an atmosphere like this, especially if you are a trader, you tend
to change your name. Mois’s tends to become “Musa’s,” “Cefi’s,” become
“Cem’s” and “Meri’s” become “Peri’s” (all the latter are Turkish
names.) His Jewish friends tell Gabay that they are elaborating on
the idea of leaving Turkey and settling in far-away countries such
as Canada, Panama and Australia. Two Jewish friends of his who have
shops in Istanbul’s busy Unkapani district recently complained to
him that “The imam in the neighbourhood has the habit of preaching
to his congregation ‘not to make friends with Jews and Christians.'”

According to Gabay, the Turkish government’s [anti-Israeli/anti-Jewish]
rhetoric paves the way for this, provokes Turks and spreads [hatred]
to even larger masses. But there is more.

“Thanks to the spread of social media, the previously ‘invisible Jew’
is reachable now. There are laws against hate speech. But not a single
person has ever been prosecuted [let alone sentenced] for threatening
and insulting [Jews].

But according to a prominent Turkish Armenian, part of the blame is
on Turkey’s tiny non-Muslim minorities.

Etyen Mahcupyan is a leading Turkish Armenian intellectual, writer
and columnist. He has published more than 15 books and has written
regular columns in Turkey’s leading liberal newspapers. Last October,
Mahcupyan, one of a dwindling number of liberals keenly supporting
Turkey’s Islamist government, was appointed as “chief advisor” to
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. In a recent interview with Turkey’s
leading daily, Hurriyet, Mahcupyan said,

Whatever has been a [political] asset for Turkey’s Armenian community
(they number around 60,000) is an asset for the Jewish community too.

But… there is Israel… As long as the psychology of the Israel
issue continues to influence politics in Turkey and relations between
the two countries do not normalize…

The line Mahcupyan shyly did not finish probably would have gone on
like this: “Turkey’s Jews will keep on paying the price.”

Turkish Armenian intellectual Etyen Mahcupyan thinks that daily
attacks on Turkey’s Jews and other non-Muslims happen because they
are better-educated then Muslims and have a “superiority complex.”

In a recent article, Mahcupyan, a former editor of Agos, where the
slain Turkish Armenian journalist Hrant Dink wrote, argued that
Turkey’s [secularist] Jews harboured an allergy against Muslims.

Mahcupyan apparently deserves his new position as “his master’s voice.”

He admits that it is the government’s responsibility to do something
if Turkey’s Jews felt awfully alienated. But he thinks “there is the
other side of the story.”

Mahcupyan said: “All of this [anti-Semitism in Turkey] is related
to the Jewish community’s perception of Islam and the region. This
is a perception that powerfully produced politics and positions. If
the Armenians do not behave like them [the Jews] we can understand
the historical difference between the two [Jewish and Armenian]
communities.”

Apparently, Mahcupyan, the prime minister’s chief advisor, tends
to blame the victim, not the criminal. “I have lived through this
personally for the past 60 years,” he explains. “Among Turkey’s
non-Muslim minorities, including Jews and Armenians, there is an
[established] opinion about humiliating Muslims.” So, did your poor
friend Dink deserve to be murdered because he humiliated Muslims?

Secondly, Mahcupyan continues, “Both Jews and Armenians are
better-educated [than Muslim Turks] and more open to the West. And
this brings in a feeling of superiority complex.”

To sum up, the Turkish Armenian liberal intellectual, who also happens
to be advising the Turkish prime minister, thinks that daily attacks
on Turkey’s Jews and other non-Muslims, including the murder of his
“friend” Dink, happen because: Jews and Armenians humiliate Muslims;
they are better-educated then Muslims and hence their superiority
complex. Lovely!

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Ottoman state machinery produced
several non-Muslim converts (the devshirme) who enjoyed higher
echelons of the palace bureaucracy and finer things of life because
their pragmatism earned them excellent relations with the ruling
Muslim elite. It looks like the devshirme system is still alive in
post-Ottoman Turkey.

Burak Bekdil, based in Ankara, is a columnist for the Turkish daily
Hurriyet and a fellow at the Middle East Forum.