Author: Badalian Vardan

Armenian-Belarusian agricultural enterprise to be set up in Gyumri

14:39, 13 September, 2014

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS: Armenian-Belarusian cooperation will be
expanded in the direction of strengthening of the economic ties, National
Assembly Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov said at a press conference at
the National Assembly after the 8th sitting of the Armenian-Belarusian
Inter-Parliamentary Committee on Cooperation.

There are three issues on the agenda – expansion of trade and economic
cooperation, cooperation of MPs of our countries at parliamentary summits
and the events dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the World War II,
Eduard Sharmazanov told Armenpress.

According to him, the parties concluded that for activation of economic
cooperation the members of the Inter-Parliamentary Committee should get
involved in the works of the committee. “There is an initial agreement to
set up a joint agricultural enterprise in near future in Gyumri,” said NA
Deputy Speaker.

“My partner stressed that Belarus is for peaceful settlement of the
Karabakh conflict. We have adopted a joint statement, where we consider any
expression of fascism, racism, nazism and xenophobia unacceptable,” he said.

Armenia president opens Gyumri Technopark – Photos

13:35, 13.09.2014

GYUMRI. – President Serzh Sargsyan on Saturday participated in the
opening of Technological Center (Technopark) in Gyumri, Armenia’s
second largest city.

The President was accompanied by Deputy PM Armen Gevorgyan, Economy
Minister Karen Chshmarityan, officials from Gyumri and Shirak Region.

In 2014 the center will organize trainings on engineering, multimedia,
web, mobile, business skills.

Enterprise Incubator Foundationhead Bagrat Yengibaryan noted that
after 700-million investment and 6-year preparatory work, the Gyumri
Technopark opened its doors for the IT industry, and similar centers
will be opened in Vanadzor and Stepanakert in the future.

“This is the first move on the way of turning Armenia into Silicon
Valley,” he said.

Authoritative international companies will work in the Technopark, and
the leadership is currently holding talks with National Instruments,
Clean Tech and Nokia, Yengibaryan added.

The technological center will provide information and incubator
services to the startups to promote their production and help with
exporting it abroad.

Gyumri technology center was founded as a result of cooperation
between the Armenian government, Enterprise Incubator Foundation, and
the World Bank.

Around 300 experts will be trained at the center which has 60
employees and 100 students at the moment.

In Armenia The Kid Is Prosecuted For Not Betraying His Father

Siranuysh Papyan, Interviewer
Interview – 13 September 2014, 12:34

Ruzanna, the prosecutor has demanded a severe punishment for Shant
Harutiunyan and your son. In your opinion, what is the reason for such
tough punishment and is the government really afraid of Shant and his
friends?

If you pay attention to the time when charges were brought against
Shahen Harutiunyan [the son of Shant Harutiunyan and Ruzanna Badalyan
– ed.], five months past 5 November 2013, the government is definitely
after something. There was only one act, he hit the policeman once,
and all the cameras shot it. Since then no new circumstance or episode
of crime has become known. Over these five months there have been a
number of cases that caused serious concerns. I even held a press
conference. Unknown people intimidated Shahen at school and at the
entrance of the house. In Metro the plainclothes policeman pushed him
to the ground, nobody has been held responsible for this violence.
Eventually, charges were brought against him. I felt there was
pressure on him. It is clear that Shahen was charged to put pressure
on Shant, to silence him. But then they saw that Shant would not go
silent, and Shahen, despite his young age, does not stop fighting,
grows up and is determined to continue the cause of his father and
grandfather.

Imprisonment for five years for a single punch for his and his
father’s defense demonstrates that this is persecution against a
teenage boy. The government that has usurped power is growing brazen.

In your opinion, does the instruction on severe punishment for Shant
and his friends come from Moscow or inside?

Shant is fighting against the Customs Union. The Customs Union does
not support the values for which Shant and his friends are fighting
for. Russia is so demoralized today that it is simply unable to
support those values. Russia is not the country towards which we
should be walking. Besides, historically the interests of this state
have never matched the interests of our country. Unfortunately, very
few forces act against the Customs Union, including Paruir Hairikyan’s
National Self-Determination Union and some individuals. Today the
government sees more danger coming from Shant because he makes
revolutionary calls. Apparently, the Armenian government wants to pass
the way to the Customs Union smoothly, and Shant is a hindrance, so
they may fear him. Shant and his friends took to the street for their
political goals and ideas and are now undergoing persecution.

There is no single legal fact that they committed one crime or
another. If a person is dissatisfied with the government and takes to
the street, tries to bring his ideas into being through different
methods, save the country and cannot achieve anything, the time of
revolution comes. And there are different forms of revolutions. In
court Shant Harutiunyan brought Ukraine’s example that in the
beginning Yanukovytch punished Maidan’s activists, revolutionaries
like criminals because he was stronger, but when Maidan became
stronger and won, they became heroes, and Yanukovytch fled from the
country.

Today Shant and his friends are called bullies and are punished
because the opposite side is stronger. If the Armenian people were a
little more viable and won, the situation would have been different.
Even the boys picked up sticks and hit, they did it for their ideas,
there is no doubt. All revolutions involve pressure and non-legitimate
steps. Simply our society is indifferent but if our society stands up
one day, our boys will get out of prison and win.

How is Shahen feeling? Is he distressed by the thought that he may be
sent to prison?

Of course, he is not. It may sound pompous if I say that his ideas
empower him but it is true. He has grown up on his father’s ideas and
he knows that a person must have principles and make sacrifices for
defending his principles. Of course, he is still a child and he does
not know a lot about prisons, about how it feels to be deprived of
freedom but I am sure that one can hardly find one or two other people
of his age that would so calmly go to prison for five years for the
sake of something.

Long-awaited industrial park opens in Armenia’s Gyumri

14:23 * 13.09.14

The plan to turn Gyumri into a technological center can now be
considered a reality in part, as Armenia’s second largest city on
Saturday launched its industrial park in a ceremony attended by
high-ranking guests.

The initiative is part of a larger project aimed at making Gyumri an
industrial center equipped with modern technologies, says Bagrat
Yengibaryan, the director of the Enterprise Incubator Foundation.

“This is an exceptional opportunity for Armenia in terms of training
high-quality human resources and making investments based on them.
International organizations’ presence in Gyumri will, in turn, help
create a highly-paid workforce which will have its impact on raising
not only the education level but also the living standards,” he told
reporters covering the event.

The ceremony was attended by President Serzh Sargsyan, Minister of
Economy Karen Cshmarityan, Mayor of Gyumri Samvel Balasanyan and many
other guests.

In his speech, Minister Cshmarityan said that the Armenian Government
works consistently to promote the continuing growth of IT and High
Tech industries (which it has declared a priority trend).

“Considering Gyumri’s role in the economy of Armenia, the existing
potential of technological development, the presence of corresponding
physical infra-structures and educational institutions, as well as the
technological traditions, the Armenian Government made a decision to
found a technological center here. I am confident that the center will
play an essential role in the training of quality specialists, the
improvement of the business and investment atmosphere and the solution
of the socio-economic problems in Gyumri. It will also boost the
sector’s development,” he noted.

Armenian News – Tert.am

REVUE DE PRESSE
Les Alévis du Dersim, une identité métissée

Dans ses articles sur la recherche identitaire au Dersim (Les
identités au Dersim et Les Arméniens alévisés du Dersim), l’ethnologue
arménienne Hranoush Kharatyan nous livre une intéressante étude sur la
perception identitaire adoptée par les populations alévies du Dersim
sous l’Empire Ottoman et la République Turque. Néanmoins, la seule
étude des sources arméniennes et occidentales ne nous apporte pas tous
les éléments pour comprendre le culte alévi. Ses origines remontant
aux anciennes croyances de la Perse ainsi que sa double structuration
clanique et religieuse sont des éléments majeurs. Aussi, il convient
de mettre en avant le métissage de ses populations à travers
l’histoire pour éviter de chercher une origine ethnique unique.

Lire la suite…

samedi 13 septembre 2014,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

REVUE DE PRESSE
L’Arménie développera sa coopération militaire avec les USA et l’Allemagne

L’Arménie continuera à développer sa coopération militaire avec les
Etats-Unis et l’Allemagne, a annoncé mercredi le ministère arménien de
la Défense.

“Les Etats-Unis poursuivront le développement de leur coopération
militaire avec l’Arménie dans tous les domaines d’intérêt mutuel”, a
déclaré l’ambassadeur des Etats-Unis à Erevan John Heffern lors d’une
rencontre avec le ministre arménien de la Défense Seiran Oganian. Les
interlocuteurs ont évoqué la coopération arméno-américaine au sein de
l’Otan, y compris dans le cadre de la nouvelle plateforme de
partenariat mise en place par l’Alliance lors du sommet au Pays de
Galles.

Le premier vice-ministre arménien de la Défense, David Tonoïan, a
rencontré mercredi une délégation du ministère allemand de la Défense
en visite à Erevan pour étudier les perspectives de la coopération
militaire bilatérale.

Les participants aux négociations ont dressé le bilan du programme de
coopération pour 2014 et conçu le projet de programme pour l’année
prochaine.

“Les deux parties se sont félicitées du travail effectué ces dernières
années dans le cadre de la coopération bilatérale”, lit-on dans un
communiqué du ministère arménien de la Défense. Selon le communiqué,
ce travail comprend trois axes principaux : le concours aux réformes
engagées dans les forces armées arméniennes, la formation militaire et
la participation conjointe à la Force internationale d’assistance à la
sécurité en Afghanistan (ISAF).

L’Arménie participe à l’ISAF depuis février 2010. Tous les frais
relatifs à la présence du contingent arménien en Afghanistan sont
assumés par l’Allemagne.

RIA Novosti

samedi 13 septembre 2014,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

U.S. SENATE TO CONSIDER CANDIDACY OF NEW AMBASSADOR TO BAKU

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Sept 12 2014

By Sara Rajabova

The United States Senate committee on foreign relations will hold
hearings on the nomination of new U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan.

The hearing on approval of Robert Cekuta’s nomination to the post
of the U.S. ambassador to Baku was scheduled for September 17, the
committee reported.

The committee also will hold hearings to approve nominations for the
post of new ambassadors to Armenia, Macedonia and Montenegro.

Cekuta, nominated by U.S. President Barack Obama, is Principal Deputy
Assistant Secretary of State of the Energy Resources Bureau. He also
has direct oversight over the Bureau’s work on transparency and access
to energy. Bob comes to the Bureau having most recently been Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Energy, Sanctions, and Commodities in the
State Department’s Bureau for Energy and Business Affairs.

Cekuta, in case his candidacy approved, will replace Richard
Morningstar, who completed his diplomatic mission late this summer.

PARTNERS IN CRIME…

J-Wire Jewish Australian News Service
Sept 12 2014

writes Michael Kuttner

John Kerry’s frenzied efforts to put together a coalition of terror
busting countries and his boss’s equally futile attempts to contain
rather than defeat one particular terror group while ignoring many
others highlight the Mickey Mouse situation currently prevailing.

Michael Kuttner

Israelis can only look on in bemused horror as the leading democracies
of the international community continue to agonize and procrastinate
in the face of unambiguous plans to spread Islamic terror throughout
the world.

The absurdity of the situation was forcefully reinforced the other day
when Joe Biden, the American Vice President, in an effort to prove
that the Administration had a strategy and was in full control of
the situation, proclaimed: “we will chase ISIS to the gates of hell.”

Little did he realize that this sort of bluster is the same sort of
rubbish stated by terror groups confronting Israel who promise at
regular intervals to do this to us. Moreover his overinflated rhetoric
was immediately blown out of the water by reports that GI’s stationed
in Iraq tweeted: “how will he do this when we cannot even leave the
front gate of our own base?”

The sad fact of the matter is that resounding resolutions which are
not backed up by realistic, resolute and robust action have no show of
doing anything other than garner headlines and satisfy those who prefer
verbal pyrotechnics, acquiescing appeasement and political doublespeak.

In this regard I want to focus on two supposed allies being coddled
and serenaded at present and show how the alleged fight against terror
is being conducted in a manner which one can only politely describe
as hypocritical.

First of all take Turkey which as a member of the NATO alliance one
would imagine it to be a shining example of liberal democracy and
upholder of human rights. Anyone with even a smattering of history
and current events will know that this country which aspires to join
the European Union at some stage has not only a sordid past but a
very spotty current track record. This erstwhile ally has until today
refused to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide in which up to one and
a half million Armenians were murdered. Granted this was carried out
by the Ottomans but the fact that Turkey still cannot bring itself to
accept historical responsibility speaks volumes. After all Germany
today has not only confessed the crimes carried out in its name
during the Nazi period but has also made restitution to its victims,
something the Turks have not contemplated. In fact any attempt to
get Turkey to own up to its sordid behavior has resulted in violent
reactions and threats of intimidation.

Anybody heard of North Cyprus? This is the illegally occupied territory
of the sovereign State of Cyprus invaded and occupied by Turkey. For
some mysterious reason neither the USA nor any other member of the
United Nations has lost any sleep over this continuing and flagrant
violation of international law. I wonder why?

Human rights abuses and intimidation of political opponents do
not seem to be a barrier to becoming an ally in Obama’s intended
coalition. However a far more worrying aspect of Turkey’s current
situation is deliberately ignored. That is its full hearted and
enthusiastic support for Hamas which has been designated as a
terrorist organization. Not only does Ankara provide safe havens for
Hamas leaders but it actively promotes the financial and political
advancement of that terror group. Thus, we witness virulent anti
Israel statements and policies which condemn our war on terror and
encourage those carrying out these acts. Is this the sort of ally
who can be relied on and indeed should be even considered?

The second country with a decidedly spotty record which Kerry is eager
to recruit is Qatar. This feudal bastion of democracy with its immense
wealth is the prime funder and supporter of Hamas which without its
help would be unable to fire rockets at Israel’s civilian population.

It also hosts Hamas leaders and helps promote anti Israel activities
In other words this Gulf State is hardly a suitable candidate to be
part of any coalition against terror.

These two partners in crime should be held to account and not embraced
for their support of terror. However, international double standards
being the order of the day, these considerations play no part in
formulating strategy to eliminate terror groups. It is notable that
Israel was not mentioned in Obama’s speech. Despite it being on the
front line and suffering more than any other country it is obvious that
in order to build a coalition, no matter how shaky that will prove to
be, the USA needs to freeze out the only country which is a constant
victim and moreover takes concrete steps to combat this scourge.

Assurances notwithstanding by American officials, the plain truth is
that Israel is not wanted. Those Arab regimes which give lip service
to the campaign will at the end of the day do very little. Turkey
has already bowed out of anything meaningful.

With friends and allies like Turkey and Qatar, who needs terrorists?

One can judge the sincerity of one’s friends by the company they keep.

The lesson for Israel is that once again we are on our own.

Some have yet to learn that lesson.

Michael Kuttner is a Jewish New Zealander who for many years was
actively involved with various communal organisations connected
to Judaism and Israel. He now lives in Israel where he is J-Wire’s
correspondent.

WHERE IN THE GLOBE IS ARMENIA?…

Mynextfone, UK
Sept 12 2014

Armenia in global publicity drive.Where in the globe is Armenia? It’s a
question that the nation ‘s President, Serzh Sargsyan, is anticipating
to get more individuals around the world to answer accurately .

He likes to mobilise the 10 million Armenians living abroad for a
global internet publicity campaign to boost tourism and influence
foreign investors.

Entitled the One Armenian, One Article campaign the idea is to get
expatriates to write positive stories regarding the nation .

President Sargsyan and others behind the publicity drive state their
nation needs a higher profile, because many individuals struggle to
recall anything regarding the country .

So only what do individuals know regarding Armenia?

‘We never hear regarding it’

London in the summer is full of tourists so it was easy to operate
an impromptu series of informal interviews, ambushing dozens of
unsuspecting strangers from around the world to get their views.

A couple from Saudi Arabia had heard of Armenia but just knew it was
in Asia, while a Danish woman said to me that “we never hear regarding
it in Denmark.”

But the most amusing was a man with his family from the United States,
who could just tell me that “all the individuals ‘s names end in
‘-ian’.”

His wife was quick to tell me he based that on the celebrity Kim
Kardashian.

The socialite Kim Kardashian is one of many who have family roots
in Armenia

Only one of the individuals I spoke to knew much regarding Armenia,
and that was a woman from Paris who had been to the capital, Yerevan,
and stated , “It is a small nation and its individuals have suffered
a lot.”

My questioning was strictly informal, but it does indicate the size
of the challenge experiencing President Sargsyan and his compatriots.

‘Soft power’

Enlisting individuals around the globe who have Armenian roots to raise
the nation ‘s profile could prove efficient . Famous individuals with
connections to Armenia include the singer Cher, tennis player Andre
Agassi, billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian and the late Steve Jobs
of Apple.

“The Armenian diaspora sees itself in many ways as the second army
of the Republic of Armenia,” states Aram Suren Hamparian, executive
director of the Armenian National Committee of America, based in
Washington DC.

“Armenians spread around the globe and prospered wherever they went,
and they haven’t forgotten their roots and they try to stay connected –
and that is part of the soft power of the Armenian country .”

Armenia’s ancient culture survived decades of Soviet influence before
independence in 1991. But regardless of its independence, the nation
still has significant economic ties to Russia.

Next year, the government in Yerevan plans to join the common economic
zone of the Russian Federation, alongside Kazakhstan and Belarus.

Armenia relies heavily on loans from Moscow too as the World Bank,
the International Monetary Fund and the Asian Development Bank.

Armenia: Key facts Size of economy: $10.4bn (£6.3bn) Economic expansion
: 3.5% Population: 2.9 million Proportion of population below poverty
line: 32.4% Life expectancy: 74 years

Sources: World Bank and CIA World Factbook, 2013

Closed borders Continue reading the main story “Start Quote

Opening the border with Turkey will really be a game changer”

End Quote Teresa Daban Sanchez IMF representative in Yerevan

Money delivered home by expatriate workers is also a major driver of
economic activity, and accounts for one-fifth of Armenia’s economy.

“Remittances from Armenian workers living abroad are very important,
it provides resources, US dollars, to fund imports in Armenia and to
fund consumption,” states Teresa Daban Sanchez, the IMF’s inhabitant
representative in Yerevan.

Yet “90% of remittances come from Russia,” she adds – emphasizing
the nation ‘s trade links with Russia.

However, Armenia’s economic development is hindered because its
borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey are closed.

Being blocked from trading with Turkey, one of the district ‘s largest
economies, is a big barrier to expansion .

Reopening the borders would transform Armenia’s economy, states Ms
Daban Sanchez.

“Opening them, particularly the border with Turkey, will really be
a game changer, because Turkey’s a large diversified economy with
access to European markets.”

Being landlocked presents a ” enormous challenge”, states the IMF’s
Teresa Daban Sanchez

The reasons the borders are shut lie in two 20th Century conflicts.

During World War One, between 1915 and 1917, hundreds of thousands
of ethnic Armenians died at the hands of Ottoman Turks.

Yerevan wants Turkey to recognise the deaths as genocide and some
countries have done so, but Ankara insists there was no genocide and
that the dead were victims of the war.

It remains a extremely sensitive problem .

Expatriate Armenians provide significant “soft power”, states Aram
Suren Hamparian

Meanwhile, a fragile ceasefire is in place with Azerbaijan on Armenia’s
eastern border, over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh district .

In 1988, towards the end of Soviet rule, Azerbaijani soliders and
Armenian secessionists began a war that left the district in the
hands of ethnic Armenians when a cease-fire was signed in 1994.

Negotiations have until now failed to produce a permanent peace
consensus , and the dispute remains as a so-called frozen conflict.

Tourism potential

Yet even if Yerevan and its neighbours do reopen their borders, the
IMF’s Teresa Daban Sanchez cautions that the nation still faces the
more basic challenge of its location.

“Armenia, remember is a landlocked nation , so even without these
geopolitical issues Armenia has a enormous challenge.”

If Armenia’s expatriate society can effectively be mobilised for an
online public relations offensive then the nation could attract more
visitors and perhaps more business for travel agents.

“People will get an idea of what it’s such as ,” states Gillian
Leaning, marketing manager at the UK travel company Regent Holidays.

“They’ll see images of the ancient monasteries and they’ll hear
regarding the rolling valleys of the Lesser Caucasus, or what it’s
such as to taste the nation ‘s brandy in Yerevan.

“So they’ll be far more likely to choose it as a destination for
their next holiday.”

Furthermore to boosting tourism, positive stories online could also
catch the attention of possible foreign investors and to quote an
old Armenian proverb: “Whatever the eye sees, the heart won’t forget.”

Listen to more from Russell Padmore on Armenia’s publicity drive on
BBC World Service’s World Business Report.

MORE FROM IDC ON TED CRUZ’ DESPICABLE BEHAVIOR

Patheos
Sept 12 2014

September 12, 2014 by Mark Shea 0 Comments

Washington, D.C. – “In 1915, a German army officer named Armin
Wegner…

began to document a genocide that was taking place against Armenians.

Over one million people, eradicated, marched into the desert, and
murdered. Armen Wegner smuggled photos out at great risk to himself,
to show the documented genocide that was taking place. In 1933 in
Germany, Wegner became the only German author to publicly write an open
letter in condemnation of what he saw coming down the road. For this,
he was imprisoned in a concentration camp. The title of the letter was,
In Defense of the Jews.”

“This was the story IDC’s Executive Director, Andrew Doran, told in
tears about the inspiration for the name ‘In Defense of Christians.’
The organization was founded to stand in solidarity with the Christian
communities of the Middle East who are even now facing systematic
genocide. Doran made these remarks after Senator Cruz abruptly left
the stage during his keynote address.

“Last night, over 1,000 people gathered from over 24 states and a
dozen countries to stand in solidarity with the persecuted Christians
of the Middle East. On Tuesday night, an ecumenical gathering of
Christian leaders opened IDC’s three-day Inaugural Summit with a
call for unity with all minorities of the Middle East. The heads of
the major Churches of the Middle East–the Maronite Patriarch, the
Armenian Orthodox Catholicos, the Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch,
the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch, the Syriac Catholic Patriarch, the
Representative of the Antiochian Orthodox Patriarch, the Representative
of the Chaldean Catholic Patriarch, the Representative of the Coptic
Orthodox Patriarch, the Representatives of the Assyrian Church of the
East, and the representatives of the Protestant Churches–all came
together to support Christians suffering across the region. It is the
first gathering ever of the Eastern Patriarchs in the United States.

“In last night’s Solidarity Gala Dinner, Senator Cruz chose to stand
against the small and vocal minority of attendees who disagree with
his views on Israel rather than standing with the vast majority of
those who attended the gala and support both Israel and the Middle
East’s Christians.

“Cruz said in his remarks: ‘Today we are gathered at a time of
extraordinary challenge. Tonight we are all united In Defense of
Christians. Tonight we are all united In Defense of Jews.” His
statement was immediately met with a full round of applause.

“Yesterday, 17 Republican and Democratic Senators and Representatives
addressed this same audience, referring to peace and unity with
Muslims and Jews–themes expressed throughout the conference with
the resounding support of those present.

“Senator Cruz was not ‘booed off stage’ last night,” Baaklini said.

“He was asked to focus on the persecution of Christians in the Middle
East under the theme of Religious Freedom and Human Dignity. Some
participants inappropriately shouted, ‘Talk about the Christians!’
when Cruz refused to do so. Sadly, there was a small but vocal
anti-Israel element in the room. Those individuals do not represent
the views of IDC. In fact, there were many more people shouting down
the hecklers than there were hecklers. The hecklers who did not remove
themselves were removed by security.

“Senator Cruz abruptly ended his remarks accusing some participants
of being ‘consumed with hate.’ That was as unfortunate as the
inappropriate reaction by a small number of attendees.

“IDC regrets that last night’s event, the only deviation from unity
of the entire Summit, was briefly politicized and that some were
discourteous. The work of this summit, however, remains vital. All the
leaders present resumed the call to unity undeterred on Thursday. The
work to protect and preserve Christianity in the Middle East will
continue, despite efforts to derail this work.

As Nina Shea, who introduced Cruz later said, “We will not agree on
territorial disputes, but we stand united against religious persecution
regardless of the religion.