Le Chef de la défense arménienne loue la nouvelle culture de planifi

ARMENIE
Le Chef de la défense arménienne loue la nouvelle culture de
planification stratégique au sein des forces armées

Seyran Ohanian ministre de la défense considère sa nomination au
printemps de cette année comme une obligation à la fois pour lui-même
et l’ensemble du personnel, en promettant de continuer à travailler
avec une énergie doublée.

Seyran Ohanian considère les cinq dernières années comme une période
où une nouvelle culture de la planification stratégique a été formée
dans les forces armées, dans le cadre duquel un certain nombre de
réformes ont été réalisées.

« Ils visaient à garantir la poursuite de notre développement. Une
revue de la défense stratégique a été la chose la plus importante au
cours de cette période et après son achèvement nous avons un plan de
développement pour les forces armées qui dans le moyen terme assurera
la poursuite de leur progression », a déclaré le ministre lors d’une
conférence de presse à Noyemberyan.

Seyran Ohanian, qui a d’abord été nommé ministre de la Défense en
Avril 2008 a annoncé que la deuxième phase de l’examen stratégique de
défense sera lancé l’année prochaine. « Elle assurera le passage de
cette étape du développement à la prochaine étape couvrant 2016-2020
», a-t-il ajouté.

Le ministre a indiqué qu’un programme d’Etat sur l’armement et le
développement de matériel militaire pour les forces armées a été
développé. Aussi, a-t-il dit, le concept approuvé par le gouvernement
du système militaro-industriel a été approuvé par le Conseil national
de sécurité.

« Nous voulons promouvoir une production [militaire] locale », a
déclaré Seyran Ohanian. « Dans le cadre du budget et de la coopération
militaire et militaro-technique nous avons une occasion d’accroître
notre efficacité et les capacités de combat en acquérant des armes
modernes ».

En parlant des morts dans les rangs et d’autres incidents dans les
forces armées, Seyran Ohanian a déclaré que, malheureusement, ils se
produisent à la suite de relations interpersonnelles. Il a dit que des
efforts sont en cours, y compris le travail éducatif et de formation
afin que les commandants s’attaquent à ce problème.

« Au moins, personne ne reste impunie. Je suis responsable de
l’ensemble de la hiérarchie du commandement militaire. Les commandants
des unités militaires où se passent des incidents seront punis par moi
» a déclaré le ministre. « Au cours des cinq dernières années, environ
25 commandants des forces armées ont été renvoyés, rétrogradés ou
punis autrement. Environ 40 commandants d’unités militaires ont été
démis de leurs fonctions ou nommés à d’autres postes, sans lien avec
des activités éducatives » .

S’exprimant sur l’incident du 1er juin près de la maison de l’ancien
gouverneur de Syunik, au cours de laquelle l’ancien candidat à la
mairie de Goris Avetik Budaghyan a été tué et son frère, commandant de
l’unité militaire d’Askéran, le colonel Artak Budaghyan a été blessé,
le ministre Ohanian a déclaré qu’il condamnait la violence.

« Je trouve que cet incident s’est produit à la suite de relations
interpersonnelles difficiles. Je ne pense pas que cette affaire
pourrait devenir une occasion pour le déshonneur de l’armée.
Aujourd’hui, nos officiers de l’armée effectuent des tches qui
méritent la reconnaissance. Au cours des dernières années, je vous
assure, le climat d’impunité a été réduite au minimum » a-t-il dit.

Parlant de missions de maintien de la paix possibles dans lesquelles
les troupes arméniennes pourraient être impliqués dans l’avenir, le
ministre Ohanian a dit qu’il est possible que des casques bleus
bientôt arméniens, en plus de leurs missions en Afghanistan et au
Kosovo, seront également déployés au Liban ainsi qu’en Afrique du Nord
.

Gayane Lazarian

ArmeniaNow

dimanche 20 octobre 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

Le Festival « Renaissance culturelle » à Dilidjan mettra à l’honneur

ARMENIE-PATRIMOINE
Le Festival « Renaissance culturelle » à Dilidjan mettra à l’honneur
les tapis traditionnels et la cuisine arménienne

A l’amphithétre de Dilidjan (Arménie) se déroulera aujourd’hui le
Festival « Renaissance culturelle » (Mchagoutayin veradznount en
arménien) dédié au tapis et à l’art décoratif. Selon le service de
presse du ministère arménien de l’Economie, ce festival présentera en
plus des tapis traditionnels arméniens des objets de décoration ainsi
que la cuisit arménienne avec exposition et dégustation. En parallèle,
un concert sera donné. Le Festival « Renaissance culturelle » est
organisé par le ministère de l’Economie et la ville de Dilidjan. Il
vise à promouvoir le patrimoine traditionnel arménien tant dans
l’artisanat que de la cuisine traditionnelle arménienne.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 20 octobre 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com
‘088

http://www.armenews.com/article.php3?id_article

Les Arméniens dans le « Dictionnaire des étrangers qui ont fait la F

Vient de paraître
Les Arméniens dans le « Dictionnaire des étrangers qui ont fait la France »

Au moment où la société française traverse une crise identitaire,
secouée par la question de l’immigration et les expulsions de familles
étrangères en situation irrégulière, vient de paraître « opportunément
» un Dictionnaire des étrangers qui ont fait la France, sous la
direction de Pascal Ory. Un ouvrage qui met à l’honneur celles et ceux
qui, « étrangers », ont intégré le pays des droits de l’homme pour sa
plus grande gloire.

L’ouvrage de 992 pages relève les 52 communautés qui ont rejoint la
France à un moment donné de son histoire. Et à ce titre figurent bien
évidemment les Arméniens.

De la page 69 à la 75, Éric Vial brosse le portrait des premiers
arrivants, « souvent des individus isolés », écrit-il, comme
Saint-Grégoire de Tallard, évangélisateur de ce bourg (vers 400) des
Hautes-Alpes figurant à l’inventaire des monuments historiques. Et
aussi Grégoire de Pithiviers, qui introduisit le pain d’épices en
occident, vers l’an 1000. Ou Pascal Haroukian, à qui l’on doit
l’ouverture du premier café à Paris en 1672.

L’auteur s’attache à décrire les situations historiques et
l’itinéraire qui ont conduit les Arméniens à être accueillis en France
comme il se doit dès 1870 ; puis en 1909 en passant par 1894 à 1896,
marquant les massacres perpétrés par la Sublime porte. Ceux qui fuient
le communisme et autres coups d’État en Syrie, Irak ou Égypte. La
Turquie avec les émeutes de 1955, les tensions à Chypre, la guerre
civile au Liban et la révolution islamiste en Iran.

On y apprend, en outre, qu’une plaque à Verdun salue les 35 000
arméniens morts pour la France durant la Grande Guerre, avant que tout
ne bascule à partir de 1915, année de la Grande catastrophe, un
génocide qui a fait « au moins un million de morts », écrit Éric Vial.

S’ensuit la cohorte des personnalités arméniennes qui ont marqué de
leur empreinte la société française, accompagnée de leurs biographies.

Si des noms tels que Serge Avédikian et Hélène Ségara sont cités,
oubli de Georges Leroy (Claude Topakian), journaliste à Europe N°1 de
1955 à 1974, alors directeur de la rédaction et de l’information, et à
déplorer des lacunes criantes dans ce « dictionnaire » comme
l’absence, parmi d’autres, de noms tels Simon Abkarian, Daniel
Bilalian, Alain Boghossian, Patrick Devedjian, Youri Djorkaeff,
Patrick Fiori, Alain et Pierre Terzian, Charles Villeneuve, etc. Des
noms qui font la France.

En revanche, j’ai été très étonné d’y découvrir mon premier patron
dans la photo de presse, Boris Lipnitzki, photographe attitré de la
danse classique, et de notamment Serge Lifar, en passant par Picasso,
Chanel et Sartre.

Jean Eckian

Collection Bouquins – Robert Laffont (30 euros), avec le Musée de
l’histoire de l’immigration (Palais de la Porte dorée)

dimanche 20 octobre 2013,
Jean Eckian ©armenews.com
‘087

http://www.armenews.com/article.php3?id_article

Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee – Western USA Names Aroutin H

Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee – Western USA Names Aroutin
Hartounian Executive Director

By MassisPost
Updated: October 18, 2013

LOS ANGELES – The Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee – Western USA
(AGCC-WUSA), composed of all major Armenian political, religious and
civic organizations, unanimously voted to appoint Mr. Aroutin
Hartounian to the position of the Committee’s Executive Director.

`We are excited to welcome Aroutin as the Executive Director of the
Genocide Centennial Committee. While there are many challenges ahead,
having a highly qualified person as Aroutin in such an important
position will bolster our ongoing campaign for justice. The Committee
can now move forward with full speed to implement its plans for the
Centennial,’ the three co-chairs of AGCC-WUSA, Mr. Garo Ghazarian, Mr.
Harut Sassounian, and Ms. Talin Yacoubian indicated in a jointly
issued statement.

`I am honored and privileged to have been appointed to this position.
For over a year, the members of the AGCC-WUSA have worked hard to lay
the foundation for a successful centennial commemoration. We are
committed to bringing justice for this crime against humanity
committed by Turkey. We Armenians as a collective owe it to our
forefathers who fell victim to the genocidal campaign of Ottoman
Turkey. Despite persistent Turkish denials, numerous nations and
international organizations have recognized the Armenian Genocide,
have properly condemned Turkey and have lent their support to the
Armenian people’s just calls for recognition and restitution,’
Hartounian stated.

Aroutin Hartounian is an attorney and Chairman of the Unified Young Armenians.

The Centennial Committee is composed of the following organizations:
·Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America
·Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church
·Armenian Catholic Church
·Armenian Evangelical Union of North America
·Armenian Revolutionary Federation
·Armenian Democratic Liberal Party
·Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
·Armenian General Benevolent Union, Western District
·Armenian Relief Society, Western USA
·Armenia Fund, Western Region US
·United Armenian Fund
·Armenian Assembly of America
·Armenian National Committee, Western Region
·Armenian Rights Council
·Armenian Council of America
·USC Institute of Armenian Studies
·Armenian Bar Association
·Unified Young Armenians

The AGCC-WUSA was established on August 9, 2012 to steer and
coordinate the multifaceted commemorative activities in the Western
United States in preparation for the 100th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide on April 24, 2015.

The AGCC-WUSA’s mission, as adopted by its member organizations declares:

The 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide signifies a global
demand for justice by Armenians worldwide and all people of good will.

The Centennial marks one of the 20th century’s greatest crimes against
humanity. In 1915, the Turkish Government began a premeditated and
systematic campaign to uproot the Armenian population from its
ancestral homeland and slaughter 1.5 million defenseless men, women
and children.

Turkey must finally acknowledge its responsibility for the Genocide
and make appropriate moral, financial and territorial restitution, as
mandated by the fundamental norms of international law and civilized
society.

Mr. Garo Ghazarian, Co-Chair
Mr. Harut Sassounian, Co-Chair
Ms. Talin Yacoubian, Co-Chair
Ms. Tomik Alexanian, Treasurer
Ms. Lena Bozoyan, Secretary

Executive Committee
Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee – Western USA

http://massispost.com/archives/9819

Names of officials violating right to freedom of information publish

Names of officials violating right to freedom of information published

Freedom of Information Center of Armenia (FOICA) has published the
names of Armenian officials who violated citizens’ right to receive
information in the 3rd quarter of 2013. Speaker of the Armenian
parliament Hovik Abrahamian tops the list, the press service of FOICA
said.

On August 21, 2013, FOICA asked the parliamentary speaker to provide
information about calls made from mobile phones of the RA National
Assembly. 6 days later the parliament said that additional work was to
be done and that under the Law on Freedom of Information, they would
provide information within 30 days. The National Assembly was put on
the black list for the reason that an `insufficient answer of half a
page’ was submitted with a delay – on October 1.

Among the officials on the list of FOICA are Energy and Natural
Resources Minister Armen Movsisian, Economy Minister Vahram Avanesian,
Head of the State Revenue Committee Gagik Khachatrian, Chief of the
Traffic Police Arsen Galstian, Chairman of the State Commission for
Protection of Economic Competition Artak Shaboyan, Yerevan mayor Taron
Margarian, head of the Kentron administrative district of Yerevan Ara
Sadoyan, and directors of several LLCs.

http://www.aysor.am/en/news/2013/10/16/black-list-foi/

Letter to Armenian President Regarding Proposal for Anti-LGBT Legisl

Human Rights Watch
Oct 19 2013

Letter to Armenian President Regarding Proposal for Anti-LGBT Legislation
October 18, 2013

Serzh Sargsyan
President
Republic of Armenia
26 Marshal Baghramian Avenue
0077 Yerevan, Republic of Armenia

Cc:
Tigran Sargsyan
Prime Minister
Republic of Armenia
Republic Square, Government House 1
0010 Yerevan, Republic of Armenia

Hovik Abrahamyan
Speaker of the Parliament
National Assembly of Armenia
19 Marshal Baghramian Avenue
0095 Yerevan, Republic of Armenia

Dear Mr. Sargsyan,

We are writing to express our concern regarding a proposal for
legislative amendments that appeared on the website of the Police of
the Republic of Armenia on August 5. The proposals sought to add two
articles to the Code of Administrative Offenses outlawing the
`propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations,’ a move that would be
in clear violation of freedom of expression and discriminate against
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people.

The police have since removed the proposal from its website, and media
reports indicate that there are no immediate plans for parliament to
consider it. However, we are concerned that other institutions may
seek to introduce similar proposals and ask that you ensure that such
measures are forcefully opposed as incompatible with international
human rights law and would not advance for parliamentary debate.

The proposal claimed the ban would `protect’ Armenian families. It
would impose fines of up to 350 times Armenia’s minimum wage on
citizens, public officials, and legal entities who breach the law. The
proposal did not define `propaganda’ or `nontraditional sexual
relations.’

The broad wording of the proposal meant that it could have been used
to restrict the rights of human rights organizations, civil society
groups, or anyone else who works on issues such as the rights of LGBT
people or sex workers. It also would have discriminated against LGBT
people on grounds of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Armenian civil society organizations learned of the proposal only when
it was published on the website of the Police of the Republic of
Armenia.

Measures such as those proposed by the police are illegal under
international human rights instruments that Armenia is obliged to
uphold. They impose unjustified – and therefore unlawful –
restrictions on the freedoms of expression and assembly, in violation
of articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights and
articles 19 and 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights. Armenia is a party to both. They also violate the
international prohibition on discrimination, guaranteed by both
instruments.

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has unanimously
adopted a set of recommendations (CM/Rec (2010)5) to member states,
including Armenia, on measures to combat discrimination on the grounds
of sexual orientation or gender identity. The recommendations invite
the member states to ensure that the stipulated principles and
measures are applied in national legislation, policies, and practices
relevant to the protection of LGBT people. Relevant recommendations
are:

1.Examine existing legislative and other measures, keep them under
review, and collect and analyze relevant data, in order to monitor and
redress any direct or indirect discrimination on grounds of sexual
orientation or gender identity;

1.Ensure that legislative and other measures are adopted and
effectively implemented to combat discrimination on grounds of sexual
orientation or gender identity, to ensure respect for the human rights
of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons and to promote
tolerance towards them.

Measures such as those in the proposal directly contradict the Council
of Europe recommendations.

Civil society organizations in Armenia have expressed concern over the
government’s failure to protect the social, economic and political
rights of LGBT people. LGBT people continue to face discrimination in
accessing employment and healthcare, as well as violence in the army
and in families. The government has yet to pass a law banning hate
crimes in Armenia, leaving LGBT people vulnerable to abuses such as
the repeated homophobic attacks against the DIY pub during May 2012. A
draft law currently under consideration by parliament outlawing
discrimination on the grounds of sex, ethnicity, and age omits sexual
orientation from its considerations.

Any measures to limit LGBT peoples’ freedom of expression and assembly
on the basis of their sexual or gender identity would further reflect
the Armenian government’s noncompliance with its obligations to
promote tolerance towards LGBT people and protect them against
discrimination. They could also possibly condone homophobia and
transphobia, which contributes to a climate of hatred and violence.

We call on the Armenian government to support LGBT peoples’ human
rights and take actions to curb the passage of any measures that
violate the European Convention on Human Rights and other
international instruments to which Armenia is party.

Sincerely,

Rachel Denber
Deputy Director
Europe and Central Asia Division

http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/10/18/letter-armenian-president-regarding-proposal-anti-lgbt-legislation

Kuwait targets City Hall as part of £1.5bn property bid

The Times, UK
Oct 18 2013

Kuwait targets City Hall as part of £1.5bn property bid

by Deirdre Hipwell

Kuwait has made a knock-out bid of £1.5?billion to buy the More London
complex next to Tower Bridge, which includes the City Hall
headquarters of Boris Johnson.

In what could be Britain’s biggest property deal, The Times
understands that St Martins, the property division of the Kuwaiti
Government, is in discussions to buy the 13-acre site.

More London is one of the biggest and most successful developments in
the capital. It consists of the City Hall building as well as other
properties designed by Foster & Partners and let to companies such as
Ernst & Young, PwC, Terra Firma Capital Partners and the law firm
Lawrence Graham.

The site also includes pedestrianised zones, sculptures and fountains,
the restaurant chains Gaucho Grill and Strada and a sunken
amphitheatre called The Scoop, where scenes from the series Spooks
were once filmed.

More London is owned by London Bridge Holdings – a company registered
in the Bahamas and controlled by a group of investors led by the
principal shareholder Dikran Izmirlian, an Armenian businessman.

Mr Izmirlian made his fortune in the groundnut market in The Gambia by
controlling large parts of the export and processing of peanuts and
creating a near-monopoly in the global market. The entrepreneur, who
is in his eighties, is listed as chairman of a Geneva-based
commodities trading company called Alimenta. His son, Sarkis
Izmirlian, who lives in Nassau, is developing the $3.5?billion Baha
Mar resort in the Bahamas.

If St Martins buys the complex, it would cement its ownership holdings
in the London Bridge area – a part of the capital that since the
development of More London, the Shard and The Place is becoming an
increasingly important business district.

The Kuwaiti property group already owns the Hays Galleria and Cottons
Centre, next to More London, and originally owned the land on which
the More London complex sits.

London Bridge Holdings has appointed Rothschild, the investment bank,
to advise it on its refinancing options at More London. The complex
has close to £740 million of debt, which is secured against six
buildings within the scheme and which matures next year. About £640
million of that debt was securitised by Royal Bank of Scotland in
2006.

No deal has yet been agreed with St Martins and the owners could still
decide to refinance the complex instead. It is understood that
Rothschild isexploring several detailed options for More London, which
could include new debt from banks or another securitisation. Given the
renewed appetite among banks to lend against prime assets in London, a
refinancing option could be the preferred outcome. However, at a time
of fierce overseas demand for London prime assets, a sale to St
Martins could potentially enable the owner to exit the scheme for a
better return than through a refinancing.

Nabarro and Savills are advising St Martins and Nigel Fox at Capital
Real Estate Partners has been brought in alongside Rothschild to
provide property advice on any potential sale. It is understood that
sovereign wealth funds have run the rule over the complex.

A spokesman for More London said that it did not comment on
speculation. He said that it was working with Rothschild and “was
undertaking a process to refinance its bonds due by the early summer
of 2014”.

All other parties declined to comment.

At home in the capital

St Martins owns more than one million sq m of property across the
globe, focusing on prime assets in big capitals. Its holdings in
London include:

The Willis Building, one of the tallest buildings in the Square Mile

Wren House, Adelaide House, 150 Cheapside, 1 Bunhill Row, 2 Gresham
Street and 60 Threadneedle Street

5 Canada Square in Canary Wharf

Hays Galleria, a retail complex near London Bridge station

The Cottons Centre, an office complex near London Bridge Station

Armenian PM: We must promote interest in scientific research

Armenian PM: We must promote interest in scientific research

14:07 – 19.10.13

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan has called for government efforts to
raise an active interest in scientific research in the sphere of
economy.

Speaking at the Armenian Economic Association’s annual conference at
the Yerevan State University, the premier noted that the event
provokes an increasing interest by every year, attracting more and
more participants. The head of the Armenian cabinet said that
conferences of the kind have to contribute to the development of
economic thought, spurring an interest in research in the young
generation.

`We are obliged to create a motivating atmosphere at the Yerevan State
University to enable people to do research. We have to closely follow
those research activities and use the ideas proposed by the Armenian
Economic Union to the best of our abilities,’ he said.

The premier noted that the global economic recession added to the
existing economic problems across the globe, at the same time making
the world a more interesting place,

`If we follow the Nobel Prizes in economics, we’ll see the actual
topics economists are normally interested in. It is obvious that the
number of regularities we learned from economy are not very often
reflected. They come to be replaced by other regularities,
simultaneously making economists closely cooperate with specialist of
other sectors, such as sociology and psychology. All that makes us
broaden the frameworks of the studies,’ he added.

The three-day conference was attended by Minister of Finance Vache
Gabrielyan, Minister of Economy Vahram Avanesyann, prominent
economists and students.

Taron Acemoglu, the Turkish-Armenian economist recognized
internationally as one of the 10 most cited specialists in the sector
has also delivered a speech at the event.

Armenian News – Tert.am

Tensions in Yerevan intn’l airport as passengers told aircraft was d

Tensions in Yerevan intn’l airport as passengers told aircraft was
damaged (updated)

11:22 – 19.10.13

The Zvartnots International Airport had to reschedule a flight on
Saturday morning after news emerged that an aircraft due to fly to
Moscow at 5:30 local time was damaged,Shamshyan,com reported, citing a
passenger.

The passengers were registered 3:00 local time, reports the website,
but they later appeared in a state of uncertainty after they were told
the plane was damaged while flying to Yerevan from Moscow.

The passenger, Gayane Galoyan, has told the website that despite the
repeated promises that the flight will soon take place, they are still
at the airport.

In later comments to Tert.am, an airport representative who preferred
to remain unidentified said the plane had just made a dried landing.
The source said that the plane has to pass a testing before taking a
flight.

Armenian News – Tert.am

Hrachya Harutyunyan case: forgotten, ignored or still under spotligh

Hrachya Harutyunyan case: forgotten, ignored or still under spotlight?

12:40 * 19.10.13

The family of Hrachya Harutyunyan, the Armenian truck driver detained
in Russia over a major crash that left 18 bus passengers dead in July,
say they have no clear idea as to the efficiency of the state support
mechanisms offered to the Armenian citizen.

His daughter, Lilit Harutyunyan, says she is very little aware of the
current stage of the proceeding as they still have to wait until the
new hearing which is set for December 14.

She said only that Harutyunyan was moved to a prison cell from
hospital earlier this week, and that the family were informed he was
all right.

Speaking to Tert.am, the driver’s sister, Seda Harutyunyan, said she
doesn’t think any steps are being taken on the state level. “No, they
are not doing anything yet. They say they will try to bring him to
Armenia [to serve his sentence] after the trial,” she said.

Yeranuhi Tumanyan, an advisor to the human rights defender for
detainees, later gave our correspondent assurances that the issue is
under the ombudsman’s spotlight. “I cannot say anything as to the
Armenian government bodies, but the human rights defender keeps the
issue under spotlight. He maintains contacts with the lawyer and the
family, keeping them up to date of any development. So if the family
has news, all kinds of questions are settled through us ,” she said,
adding that the case is still under inquest.

As for Harutyunyan’s health condition, Tumanyants said he now feels
considerably better. “He is now in the detention place, and the family
was notified of that at the beginning of the week,” she told our
correspondent.

Asked about the possibility of returning Harutyunyan to Armenia, the
advisor said it will be possible to address the question after a
judicial act issued and a final ruling takes effect.

“All the investigative operations – from Åxpert examinations to
testimony procedures – have to be performed there,” she explained.

A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, Tigran Balayan, did not give
any details as to the procedures they are taking to return Harutyunyan
to Armenia. “The activities by the embassy and the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs are not subject to publication in major part. We are
diplomats, not showmen,” he told our correspondent.

Armenian News – Tert.am