Author: Badalian Vardan

ARMENIAN-IRANIAN RELATIONS ARE JEOPARDIZED

Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Comments – Thursday, 13 February 2014, 10:44

Recently the ambassador of Iran has been one of the main heroes of
developments relating to Armenia. Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
is also a hero. However, their heroism is on different poles. The
ambassador of Iran made some important statements that stem from the
interests of Armenia, while it is hard to say the same thing about
Tigran Sargsyan’s activities.

It is hard to tell what may come out of the meeting of these two
personalities with diametrically different roles. Will the ambassador
of Iran Mohammad Reisi ask Tigran Sargsyan, for example, to explain
his statement that the Iranian ambassador’s statement about selling
cheap gas to Armenia was a “diplomatic mistake”? Tigran Sargsyan said
so in answer to the question of a reporter during his end-of-year
press conference.

The Iranian ambassador had said that gas may cost 400 dollars for
one, and 100 dollars for another, everything depends on the result
of negotiations.

Now, was it a diplomatic mistake or, on the contrary, was it evidence
to the mistake of Armenia’s policy which failed to negotiate cheap
gas with Iran?

The story of “mistakes” in the Iranian aspect dates back to 2006,
one of the biggest “mistakes” over the two decades of independence of
Armenia when Iran-Armenia pipeline was laid out but the width of the
pipe was narrow for transit and it was eventually given to Gazprom
as a gift.

Recently Iran has mentioned those “mistakes” more often. Official
Yerevan pretends not noticing them or at least avoids addressing them
in public. It is not clear what is said non-publicly but usually one
bright sunny morning the society of Armenia witnesses a public collapse
of a non-public conversation, as in the case of the Armenian-Turkish
protocols and the Eastern Partnership. This can be the case of the
Armenian-Iranian direction. Tehran was most probably worried about
this prospect, especially after September 3.

On September 3 Armenia took a step that actually disturbed
the balance in the region. Armenia’s step has strengthened the
Russian-Turkish-Azerbaijani line in the South Caucasus which
is supported by Israel from time to time. Such disturbance of the
regional balance worries Tehran which may not manage to improve its
relation with the West as an alternative.

In this regard, Armenia is a key factor. However, this factor has
been handed over to Russia. The Iranian ambassador talked to the
prime minister of Armenia about energy projects while after the
gas deal Russia is not interested in any other projects aside from
gas. In this regard, Russia has already taken up and put to sleep
the project of building a new nuclear plant in Armenia while it is
building a nuclear plant in Turkey which is four times more expensive.

After gas capitulation, at least until 2043, the Armenian-Iranian
energy projects are jeopardized. And it is not accidental that Iran is
trying to find out from Yerevan what should be expected in this regard,
if one can trust Yerevan at all after what happened on September 3.

For the time being, Tehran is trying to establish contacts with
Yerevan. If no certainty is achieved, Tehran will certainly deal with
the Customs Union because Tehran cannot have the situation close to
its border. However, it will bring the Armenian-Iranian relations to
a stop.

The point is that the Armenian-Iranian relations are based on the
natural interests of the two states, not economic projects. The
interests of any other two countries in the region, even the
Turk-Azerbaijani tandem, are not in such harmony as those of Iran
and Armenia. And in this case Armenia’s policy is headed not just
against a state but nature, which is very dangerous.

– See more at:

HAWAII LEGISLATORS REJECT AZERBAIJANI RESOLUTIONS

12:35 13.02.2014

The Hawaii legislature publicly debated and then rejected a pair of
Azerbaijan-initiated anti-Armenian measures, dealing a high-profile
setback to Baku’s well-funded effort to enlist U.S. state legislatures
in its increasingly aggressive campaign against Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh, reported the Armenian National Committee of America –
Western Region (ANCA-WR).

“We want to thank Aloha State legislators, long known for their
commitment to tolerance and human rights, for their wisdom in blocking
Baku’s efforts to manipulate Hawaii and take advantage of the good
name of her citizens,” said Executive Director of ANCA-WR Elen
Asatryan. “Today’s vote sends a powerful signal that Azerbaijan’s
corrupt and undemocratic President Ilham Aliyev – despite all the
millions he’s spending on ‘caviar diplomacy’- doesn’t get a vote here
in America and certainly doesn’t deserve the right to buy influence
in the U.S. government,” added Asatryan.

The Hawaii House of Representatives Committee on Veterans, Military,
& International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts rejected the two
anti-Armenian resolutions during their committee hearing earlier
today at the State Capitol, despite the ardent efforts of Committee
Chairman Mark Takei, who was an author of the bills. Both profoundly
biased and factually flawed measures were reportedly introduced
at the bequest of the Azerbaijani government, a major breach of
diplomatic protocol, confirmed publicly by State Rep. Rida Cabanilla,
who was quoted in “Civil Beat,” a Hawaii publication, as saying that:
“The resolutions came from Elin Suleymanov, Azerbaijan’s ambassador
to the United States.”

“Civil Beat” further reported that Hawaiians looking for the reasoning
behind the introduction of such unlikely resolutions in the State of
Hawaii may look trips taken to Baku last May by Reps. Cabanilla and
Chairman Takai, who joined more than 300 others from the U.S. at the
U.S.-Azerbaijan Convention, courtesy of the Republic of Azerbaijan
which spent nearly $8,000 for the two legislators’ visit.

When he was questioned about the trip last summer, Chairman Takai said,
“There’s nothing in the Legislature now that would directly benefit
Azerbaijan, so it passes the ethics concern.” This contention was
clearly unfounded, as the measures under consideration today clearly
would have, if passed, directly benefited Azerbaijan.

Despite the resources expended on the measure by the Azerbaijani
government, the most persuasive voices of the day belonged to three
members of the local Armenian American community, including: Arpine
Philian Mar, an 82 year-old retiree, Arthur Martirosian, and Ani
Martirosian, an active community leader who was instrumental in
organizing her fellow citizens to speak out on these measures.

Martirosian’s video testimony is available here:

Following the hearing, during which she had delivered a compelling,
comprehensive, and persuasive argument before the Committee, Ani
Martirosian said, “I’d like this to be an example for all Armenians –
and other underrepresented groups – around the world that our voices do
matter. We must stay vigilant to recognize the attempts made to falsify
our history, and we need to then take peaceful and meaningful action to
counter with the truth. Today was a win for not only us Armenians, but
others who are in the minority. For the people, by the people – this
is the way our legislative process should work. Let the truth prevail.”

They were joined by a self-identified neutral, Dr. Alexander Telnov,
who spoke in a very balanced and forceful way in opposition of the
resolutions. “The spirit of ‘aloha’ that we carry throughout the
world is completely foreign to Azerbaijan,” argued Telnov, who went
on to detail the high levels of corruption within the Aliyev regime.

Noting that the Azerbaijani government spends millions for political
lobbying in the United States, while Armenia spends none, he went on
to query, “Why do you need to spend so much money to prove your point?

That’s because your point is not credible. That’s because the
opinions Azerbaijan is trying to instill in the United States and
other countries are distortions and untruths.”

At the beginning of the hearing, Chairman Takai appeared confident
about the passage of both resolutions. However, after the Committee
members took a break to privately discuss the pending legislation,
Takai conceded that H.R. 13 would be deferred (not passed). The
committee Chairman had unsuccessfully suggested to his fellow
committee members that in light of the fact that Hawaii had adopted an
Armenia-Hawaii friendship resolution in 2012 and an Armenian Genocide
commemoration resolution in 2009, the pro-Azeri resolutions should
also be adopted in order to be impartial. Moments later, the Chairman
announced that they had also decided to defer H.R. 9.

In the days leading up to the Committee hearing, hundreds
had submitted letters and testimony opposing both legislations,
including the ANCA Western Region, whose testimony is available here:

ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian issued an open letter to all
U.S. state legislatures earlier this week urging them to take as
stand against foreign interference in American civic life by corrupt
Azerbaijani dictator Ilham Aliyev.

COLLECTIF VAN : L’EPHEMERIDE DU 13 FEVRIER

Publié le : 13-02-2014

Info Collectif VAN РРLa rubrique Eph̩m̩ride est
a retrouver quotidiennement sur le site du Collectif VAN. Elle recense
la liste d’événements survenus a une date donnée, a différentes
époques de l’Histoire, sur les thématiques que l’association suit au
quotidien. L’éphéméride du Collectif VAN repose sur des informations
en ligne sur de nombreux sites (les sources sont spécifiées sous
chaque entrée).

Les éphémérides du Collectif VAN (1ère partie)

Les éphémérides du Collectif VAN (2ème partie)

Légende photo : 13 février 1915 — Empire ottoman : une note est
remise par deux députés arméniens de l’assemblée ottomane faisant
état de massacres et d’exécutions de plusieurs de ces bataillons.

” Il est indéniable que les relations entre le gouvernement et la
nation arménienne sont devenues anormales au cours des derniers mois.

Le gouvernement n’y a fait aucune attention et les efforts déployés,
après les tristes événements de Gavache et de Gardjikan, en vue de
les ”améliorer”, ont échoué… ” Les causes de cette situation
anormale sont au nombre de quatre, découlant l’une de l’autre,
et s’expliquent l’une par l’autre.

Photo: Déportation des Arméniens, 1915

Ca s’est passé un 13 février (les événements sont classés du
plus ancien au plus récent) :

13 février 1892 — Empire ottoman : bien que laborieux, le processus
de formation des Hamidié se poursuit énergiquement. Le 6 septembre,
l’agent consulaire Laviny nous apprend que les huit premiers
bataillons, de quatre cent-cinquante hommes chacun, ont été formés
a Bayazid, tandis que quelques mois plus tard, le 13 février 1892,
le consul Francisci affirme, malgré un ton toujours aussi dubitatif,
que la formation de la cavalerie est effectivement avancée, avec des
bataillons formés d’environ six cents hommes chacun. Ces informations
sont confirmées dans une dépêche en provenance d’Erzeroum, datée
du 18 mars 1892, annoncant que la formation de quarante Hamidié de
six cents hommes est prévue pour la fin du mois. © Revue d’Histoire
Arménienne Contemporaine pour toutes les éditions |© Yves Ternon
pour le texte Mardin 1915 Imprescriptible.fr : La formation des
régiments de cavalerie kurde hamidié

13 février 1909 — Empire ottoman /fin de fonction de Kibrisli
Mehmed Kamil Pasha : dès le 7 octobre, une foule conduite par un
khodja, Ali l’Aveugle, se rend au Palais pour demander au souverain
de rétablir la cheria, la loi islamique. Le mouvement religieux se
renforce aussi après la démission du gouvernement libéral de Kamil
pacha, le 13 février 1909. Hostile a la nomination des nouveaux
ministres de la Défense et de la Marine, le CUP fait voter une
motion de censure contre le grand-vizir. L’Ittihad ne peut, en effet,
tolérer que le contrôle de l’armée lui échappe et fait nommer
un nouveau grand-vizir, Hilmi pacha, ancien inspecteur-général de
Roumélie qui est beaucoup plus proche du CUP. © Revue d’Histoire
Arménienne Contemporaine pour toutes les éditions |© Yves Ternon
pour le texte Mardin 1915 Imprescriptible.fr : Les relations entre
le Comité Union et Progrès et la Fédération Révolutionnaire
Arménienne a la veille de la Première Guerre mondiale d’après les
sources arméniennes Wikipedia

13 février 1915 — Empire ottoman : une note est remise par deux
députés arméniens de l’assemblée ottomane faisant état de
massacres et d’exécutions de plusieurs de ces bataillons. ” Il
est indéniable que les relations entre le gouvernement et la nation
arménienne sont devenues anormales au cours des derniers mois. Le
gouvernement n’y a fait aucune attention et les efforts déployés,
après les tristes événements de Gavache et de Gardjikan, en vue
de les ”améliorer”, ont échoué… Les causes de cette situation
anormale sont au nombre de quatre, découlant l’une de l’autre,
et s’expliquent l’une par l’autre.

1° Le désarmement des soldats et des gendarmes arméniens, en créant
une méfiance politique autour de la nation arménienne, provoqua
une tension entre les relations des Arméniens et des Turcs. 2°
En désarmant les Arméniens on les a réduits pour ainsi dire au
rôle de bêtes de somme, et on a blessé, ainsi, gravement leur
amour-propre national. 3° Les Arméniens désarmés ayant été mis
sous la surveillance de musulmans armés, ou bien étant obligés
de circuler parmi eux, voyaient leur vie exposée a de sérieux
dangers. Ainsi, le bruit court avec persistance que des centaines
de soldats arméniens ont été noyés, fusillés ou poignardés
dans l’armée, surtout aux environs d’Erzeroum et de la frontière
persane. 4° Les Arméniens désarmés ont été expulsés de leur pays
et déportés dans des localités inconnues… ” Imprescriptible.fr
: Chronologie sommaire du génocide arménien Imprescriptible.fr :
Note remise par M. O. Dertzakian-Vramian, député arménien de Van,
a S. E. Monsieur le Ministre de l’Intérieur, a Constantinople

13 février 1916 — Empire ottoman : Rapport communiqué par
le réfugié Roupen, de Sassoun, a la communauté arménienne
de Moscou. Publié dans la presse russe puis réimprimé dans la
Gazette de Lausanne du 13 février 1916. Roupen est un des chefs de
la révolution arménienne.

Pendant le régime du sultan Hamid, il a commandé des groupes de
volontaires et pris une part active aux combats de défense nationale
en Arménie. Lorsque fut promulguée la constitution ottomane,
il déposa les armes et se rendit a Genève et entra a la faculté
des sciences de l’Université pour se spécialiser dans la chimie,
mais le devoir envers sa patrie l’ayant rappelé beaucoup plus tôt
qu’il ne s’y attendait, il abandonna ses études et se rendit en
Arménie. Avec l’insurrection, il reprend les armes et devient un
des chefs de l’insurrection de Sassoun. ” A une récente séance du
Reichstag allemand, le directeur de la division politique des affaires
étrangères, M. Von Stumm, répondant a la question posée par le
député socialiste Liebknecht au sujet des Arméniens, fit cette
déclaration :” Le chancelier sait que la Porte, il y a quelque temps,
devant les menées de nos adversaires, s’est vue forcée d’évacuer la
population arménienne de certaines régions de l’Empire ottoman et de
lui fixer de nouveaux lieux de résidence. ”” Tout ce qui se passe en
Arménie était depuis longtemps projeté par les Jeunes Turcs ; ils
n’attendaient qu’un moment propice, et l’horrible guerre actuelle fut
la meilleure occasion pour eux. L’insurrection arménienne n’est qu’un
prétexte. J’ai des preuves que je publierai toutes en leur temps. ”
Imprescriptible.fr : Les vilayets du nord-est. Rapport communiqué par
le réfugié Roupen de Sassoun a la communauté arménienne de Moscou

13 février 1920 — Empire ottoman : le 11 février, 2 000 Arméniens,
qui s’apercurent du départ, se précipitèrent pour rejoindre la
colonne. Mais ils furent presque tous massacrés dans des conditions
effroyables par des bandes et des habitants turcs de Marach. Seule
une poignée de survivants put rejoindre les fugitifs. La retraite
s’effectua dans des conditions dramatiques, non du fait de l’ennemi
qui ne se manifesta pas, mais a cause d’une violente tempête de
neige accompagnée d’un vent glacial, sans nourriture et sans repos.

Quiconque s’arrêtait, était voué a une mort certaine. Seulement 1
200 Arméniens arrivèrent a Islahié, le 13 février, en présence du
général Dufieux. Déclenché quatre jours plus tôt, ce cataclysme
climatique aurait empêché la sortie de Marach et sauvé la vie de
plusieurs milliers de personnes, les Arméniens comme les militaires
francais. Le général Dufieux estima que la responsabilité de
cette tragédie incombe partiellement au colonel Normand, qui exerca
une pression morale sur le général Quérette ” en ajoutant a ses
instructions des commentaires qu’elles ne comportaient pas ”. ©
Revue d’Histoire Arménienne Contemporaine pour toutes les éditions
|© Yves Ternon pour le texte Mardin 1915 Imprescriptible.fr : La
Légion d’Orient et le mandat francais en Cilicie (1916-1921)

13 février 1941 — 3 600 juifs de Grodzisk Mazoviecki (Pologne)
sont déportés au ghetto de Varsovie.

Israelvivra.com

13 février 1943 — Départ du 48e convoi de déportation des Juifs
de France, du camp de Drancy vers Auschwitz : 1 000 hommes et femmes
sont déportés dans des wagons a bestiaux du camp de regroupement
de Drancy, créé par les Allemands en zone occupée, au camp
d’extermination d’Auschwitz. A l’arrivée du convoi, 589 juifs
sont aussitôt envoyés dans les chambres a gaz. Treize déportés
seulement, dont une femme, survivront jusqu’a la libération du camp
par l’armée soviétique en 1945.

Les nazis décident également de déporter les juifs de nationalité
francaise qui se trouvent au camp de regroupement de Drancy. Cette
décision est prise alors que le problème des juifs francais n’a pas
encore été réglé entre les autorités francaises et allemandes,
les premières n’ayant pas donné leur accord a la déportation de
juifs francais. Néanmoins, 1 000 juifs de nationalité francaise
sont déportés le 13 février au camp d’extermination d’Auschwitz.

Israelvivra.com ajpn

13 février 1943 — Le New York Times révèle que la Roumanie est
prête a aider 70 000 Juifs a quitter la Transinistrie, vers une
destination choisie par les alliés.

ajpn

13-14 février 1945 — Dresde est envahie de réfugiés. Raid aérien
des alliés, près de 135 000 morts.

ajpn

13 février 1945 — La déclaration d’Hitler, faite lors d’un entretien
du 13 février 1945, Hitler confie : ” J’ai lutté contre les Juifs
a visage découvert. Je leur ai adressé un dernier avertissement
au début de la guerre. Je ne leur ai pas laissé ignorer que s’ils
précipitaient de nouveau le monde dans la guerre, cette fois ils
ne seraient pas épargnés, que la vermine serait définitivement
exterminée en Europe.

[…] J’ai percé le furoncle juif comme les autres. L’avenir nous
en sera éternellement reconnaissant. ” PHDN

13 février 1946 — Avant 1994 et l’entrée en vigueur du nouveau code
pénal, les seules dispositions de droit interne relatives aux crimes
contre l’humanité étaient : — la loi n° 64-1326 du 26 décembre
1964 tendant a constater l’imprescriptibilité des crimes contre
l’humanité ; son article unique affirme l’imprescriptibilité des
crimes contre l’humanité, en renvoyant pour leur définition a la
résolution des Nations unies du 13 février 1946, prenant acte de
la définition des crimes contre l’humanité, telle qu’elle figure
dans le statut du tribunal international du 8 aoÔt 1945.

Assemblée nationale

13 février 1961 — Le Conseil de sécurité de l’ONU préconise le
recours a la force pour éviter une guerre civile dans l’ex-Congo
belge.

Nouvel Obs

13 février 1975 — Les Cypriotes turcs installent un gouvernement
séparé dans la partie Nord de l’île occupée par les Turcs.

Wikipedia

13 février 2008 — France : en France, après une proposition
controversée du président Nicolas Sarkozy, le 13 février 2008,
de confier la mémoire d’un enfant juif déporté a chaque enfant
élève de CM2, qui n’a pas été mise en application, le ministère
de l’Ã~Iducation nationale a ouvert le 5 décembre 2008 un site web
dédié a l’enseignement de la Shoah. Il comprend une brochure et
plusieurs documents pédagogiques et fait suite aux propositions
d’un rapport.

Wikipedia

13 février 2010 — Turquie : le Prof. Baskın Oran, chroniqueur
chez Agos, journal arménien de Turquie dont le rédacteur en chef,
Hrant Dink, a été assassiné le 19 janvier 2007, avait porté plainte
contre Mustafa Balbay, l’un des inculpés du procès Ergenekon, car ce
dernier l’avait insulté lors d’une émission télévisée en disant
que Baskin Oran ” était acheté ” [par les Arméniens]. Mustafa
Balbay avait été condamné a payer un dédommagement moral par le
16ème Tribunal d’Instance d’Ankara. La 4ème Chambre de la Cour de
Cassation vient d’annuler a l’unanimité cette condamnation. La Cour
de Cassation a justifié cette décision par le fait que le Prof. Oran
écrivait dans Agos… En Turquie, il est donc légitime de calomnier
Agos, ou l’un des rédacteurs d’Agos : Baskin Oran est déterminé
a porter l’affaire a Strasbourg.

Collectifvan.org

Compilation réalisée par le site

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‘FRIENDS OF HRANT DINK’ SAY TRIAL MUST NOT BECOME ‘SETTLING OF STATE ACCOUNTS’

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Feb 12 2014

12 February 2014

The retrial of the murder of the Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant
Dink continued on Feb. 11, with activists warning against the case
becoming a “settling of accounts within the state” amid the damaging
graft probes.

“Based on the fact this trial is not a legal, but a political matter,
this ongoing second process should be conducted in a way that satisfies
the public. The trial should not be sacrificed to the internal settling
of accounts within the state,” said the spokesman of the self-named
Friends of Hrant Dink group. The group comprises of relatives of the
slain journalist, as well as colleagues and artists.

The original prosecutor in charge of the retrial, Muammer AkkaÅ~_, was
dismissed as part of a wave of purges within the judiciary. AkkaÅ~_
was reassigned in highly-controversial fashion after being removed
from a second graft investigation last December.

The new prosecutor, Murat Ä°nam, took over the Dink case this week.

Some 18 suspects, including key names such as Yasin Hayal, Erhan
Tuncel and Ersin Yolcu, who had been acquitted in the first trial,
are set to stand again in court.

“Seven years have passed [since the murder], either in silence or
with the different wings within the state accusing each other. But
we know very well that what happened is the continuation of a certain
state tradition. It is not a deep state, nor a parallel state. It is
the state in its most obvious and shallow way,” the spokesman said
during the press statement in front of Istanbul’s Caglayan Courthouse.

“The state has a part in this murder, in all of its echelons,”
he added.

The renowned editor-in-chief of Agos, which has been the voice of the
small Armenian community in Istanbul for several decades, was shot
dead by Ogun Samast in front of his office in Istanbul on Jan. 19,
2007. Samast was sentenced to over 22 years in jail for the murder.

The trial into the murder resumed Sept. 17, 2013 after the Supreme
Court of Appeals ruled that all suspects in the case had acted as
part of a criminal organization, rather than individually.

Lawyers representing the Dink family have repeatedly expressed
their dismay over the way the investigations and the trial have
been conducted.

SOUTH CAUCASUS RAILWAYS MAKES NO PAYMENT TO PENSION FUNDS, SAYS COMPANY’S CHIEF

11:36 * 12.02.14

The South Caucasus Railways has no more problems with the pension
fund payments that angered many of its employees, according to the
company’s CEO.

Speaking to Tert.am, Victor Rebets said he doesn’t think that those
who joined the February 10 rally in Yerevan were all employees of
the company. He said he has personally talked to the staff to explain
the situation.

“After my clarifications, which lasted about 45 minutes, they didn’t
almost have any question left. I explained that our company made
certain changes in the salary index last year to adjust it to the
funded pension system which is being launched in 2014. Those changes
that we have made are in the interests of the youth, the employees,”
he said, adding that the company has raised the average salaries by
10% against the backdrop of the 5% salary rise recorded in Armenia
(according to the National Statistical Service).

Several employees of the South Caucasus Railways rallied outside
the company’s headquarters on Monday to express their anger at the
compulsory pension funds. Activists of I am Against!, the civic group
conducting an active campaign against the reforms, also joined the
protesters. The company’s employees demanded that the administration
clarify the reasons behind deducing money from their monthly wages.

The pension reforms, which went into effect on January 1, require
that all the citizens of Armenia born after 1973 pay about 5%-10%
of their salaries to pension funds. The move received a wild public
reaction, with many expressing distrust in the system. On January 24,
the Constitutional Court issued a ruling to temporarily suspend the
mandatory component of the pension law.

Mr Rebets said that the deduced money hasn’t yet been transferred to
the pension funds.

“Unless there is a final decision, I maintain those sums on the
company’s account. Once the law is suspended, I will transfer them
to the employees’ accounts,” he promised.

Mr Rebets added the reforms apply to only 1,253 people in the company,
which he said makes up about 28% of the whole staff.

CONSTRUCTION OF YEREVAN CIRCUS TO BE COMPLETED IN 2-3 YEARS

17:32 12/02/2014 ” SOCIETY

I have seen all the projects, they have passed expert examination and
are ready for getting a license for construction, chief architect of
Yerevan Tigran Barseghyan told a press conference in Yerevan while
speaking about the construction of a new circus in Yerevan.

According to Barseghyan, the construction of a multi-functional circus
building will be completed in the coming 2-3 years.

The old building of Yerevan circus was pulled down after experts said
that it is inexpedient to reconstruct it.

Source: Panorama.am

ARMENIA’S CONSTITUTIONAL COURT REJECTS ARFD MP’S MOTION AGAINST CERTAIN ARTICLES OF LAW ON ACCUMULATIVE PENSIONS

by Ashot Safaryan

ARMINFO
Wednesday, February 12, 11:59

Armenia’s Constitutional Court has rejected the motion by ARFD MP
Artsvik Minasyan against articles 8, 14, 37 and 38 of the law on
accumulative pensions. By doing this the Court left unchanged its
Jan 24 decision.

Minasyan’s motion said that even though the Constitutional Court
suspended article 76 of the law and freed from responsibility those
who will not pay compulsory pension contributions till the Court’s
final decision on the law, the State Revenue Committee still obliges
governmental agencies and some other employers to retain the necessary
sum for the wages of their employees.

To note, people are displeased not only with the law on compulsory
accumulative pension system but also with the absurd situation that
followed the Constitutional Court’s decision to suspend some of its
articles: even though on Jan 24 the Court decided to suspend article
76 and to free from responsibility those who will not pay compulsory
pension contributions until the Court makes a final decision on the
law on Mar 28, the Finance Ministry has still suggested retaining
the new contributions.

100TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DISCUSSED WITH WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

14:59 12.02.2014

Armenian Genocide, World Council of Churches

On Monday, around the meeting of the Executive Committee of the
World Council of Churches held in Geneva, Archbishop Nareg Alemezian,
member of the Executive Committee and Ms. Teny Pirri-Simonian, member
of the Central Committee, met with the Moderator Dr. Agnes Abuom and
General Secretary Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit to discuss the 10th Assembly
Minute regarding the WCC’s commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide.

Archbishop Nareg conveyed the greetings of His Holiness Aram I and
informed the Moderator and General Secretary of the activities that
the Catholicosate of Cilicia has planned for the commemoration of
the 100th anniversary of the Genocide in 2015. This was followed by
a presentation by Ms. Teny Pirri-Simonian, who is also President
of ARMENOFAS, the Swiss-Armenian Foundation, of the plans of the
Foundation and the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches to
commemorate the Genocide next year in Switzerland, as discussed
recently by the President of The Federation of Swiss Protestant
Churches, the ARMENOFAS Board, and His Holiness Aram I.

In view of the Minute adopted by the WCC 10th Assembly on the
100th Anniversary of the Genocide, it was decided: 1) to organize
the international consultation recommended by the Assembly between
February and March 2015; 2) to consider a theme on ‘Impunity’ that
WCC had discussed and around which the Catholicosate of Cilicia had
organized an international conference; 3) nominate a small committee
to assist the staff in planning the conference.

The General Secretary agreed to invite the Armenian members of the
Central Committee of the World Council of Churches to accompany
the staff in implementing the recommendations of the assembly. They
comprise Archbishop Vicken Aykazian and Ms. Paula Der Matevossian
(Holy See Etchmiadzin) and Archbishop Nareg Alemezian and Ms. Teny
Pirri-Simonian (Holy See of Cilicia).

MILITARY-HISTORICAL MUSEUM TO BE ESTABLISHED IN RUSSIAN MILITARY BASE IN GYUMRI

Wednesday 12 February 2014 11:37
Photo: Press-service of the Southern Military District of the Russian
Armed Forces

Military-historical museum to be established in Russian military base
in Gyumri

Yerevan/Mediamax/. A military-historical museum will be established
in the territory of the 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri.

The museum will be established in the historical area of the “Large
Fortress” with pentagonal forms featuring five exits known as gates
(Yerevan, Kars, Akhalkalaki, Tbilisi and Escape), the press-service
of the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces told
Mediamax.

“The building was founded in the 18th century. The museum is expected
to have two exposition halls and a diorama covering a total area of
500 square meters. The exposition will display the Armenian-Russian
relations from the very beginning in the 18th century to the very now
and will display Armenia’s liberation from Persian yoke as well the
history of Aleksandrapol Fortress construction and development. The
employees of military base staff use data from archives, make copies
of valuable records and gather historical exhibits, with the help of
local people as well, for the exposition”, the press-service of the
Southern Military District informed.

EN RAISON DES DECLARATIONS HOSTILES DE BAKOU, LES > DU HK RESTENT PRETES A LA GUERRE

ARMENIE

Les quotidiens reproduisent l’entretien du President Sarkissian avec le
quotidien tchèque Lidove novini, lors de sa visite d’Etat en Republique
tchèque, dans lequel il relève que l’adhesion de l’Armenie a l’Union
douanière ne signifie point une rupture des relations avec l’UE. de Bakou, qui pretend au plus
haut niveau que non seulement le HK, mais aussi l’Armenie sont des
terres azerbaïdjanaises. se tiennent toujours pretes a la guerre >>. Par ailleurs,
Serge Sarkissian a exhorte la Turquie a respecter les accords de
2009 pour normaliser ses relations avec l’Armenie : >.

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 5 fevrier 2014

mercredi 12 fevrier 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com