Author: Badalian Vardan

THIS IS A COMPILATION OF ALMOST THE SAME NEWS ABOUT MKHITARYAN…

PLEASE POST AS IS AND DON”T SEPARATE SINCE THERE ARE TOO MANY OF THE
SAME.

THANKS
KATIA

Express, UK
June 4 2013

Liverpool must pay £20m for Shakhtar star Henrikh Mkhitaryan

LIVERPOOL will have to pay at least £20 million to secure Armenian
playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan this summer from Ukrainian champions
Shakhtar Donetsk.

By: James Dickenson

Mkhitaryan – who has been heavily linked with Liverpool over the last
few months – will cost at least £20m after Shakhtar placed a lofty
price-tag on their star player.

However, it is thought that Reds manager Brendan Rodgers is prepared
to meet such a valuation for the 24-year-old, with Luis Suarez’s
potential departure to Real Madrid not dependant on the deal after
West Ham agreed to pay £15m for Andy Carroll.

The Armenian international has previously aired his desire to play
in the Premier League, and could do so next season after a strong
campaign in Ukraine.

“For every player to play for the strongest clubs in the world is
a dream, and I will do everything possible to move this summer to a
different team,” said Mkhitaryan.

Rodgers’ other midfield targets Christian Eriksen of Ajax – who is
close to a switch to Borussia Dortmund – and Newcastle’s Hatem Ben
Arfa – wanted by Monaco – look to have passed the Northern Irish boss
by already.

But unsettled Slovakian defender Martin Skrtel could be used as a
makeweight for Mkhitaryan, who is a wanted man across Europe.

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The Sun, UK June 4 2013

Kop pay Armen leg

By PHIL THOMAS

LIVERPOOL are ready to push the boat out to sign crack Armenian
Henrikh Mkhitaryan – whether Luis Suarez quits or not.

Brendan Rodgers has tailed the Shakhtar Donetsk golden boy for months
but is now on the point of following up with a firm offer.

The Kop boss believes he will get his man for around £20million –
and the Reds’ owners have not baulked at the figure.

Mkhitaryan, 24, has just set a Ukrainian Premier League record for
most goals in a season, bagging 25 – despite playing much of the
campaign as an attacking midfielder.

He is contracted until 2015 yet has admitted he would love to play
in one of Europe’s top leagues, even signing with Italian super-agent
Mino Raiola before the transfer window opened.

—————————————————————————————————————

This Is Anfield, UK June 3 2013

Report: Liverpool in for much-hyped £22million Henrikh Mkhitaryan

By This Is Anfield on June 3, 2013

Liverpool are preparing a £22million bid for much talked about Shakhtar
Donetsk attacker Henrikh Mkhitaryan, according to Tuesday’s media.

The 24-year-old Armenian international has caught the eye of some of
Europe’s top clubs after finishing the Ukranian league season as top
scorer with 25 goals.

The Guardian report that Mkhitaryan is looking for a new challenge
and has ambitions to reach the top:

Mkhitaryan put Europe’s leading clubs on alert following Shakhtar’s
elimination from the Champions League by admitting he wanted to play
for “one of the strongest clubs in the world”, and the 24-year-old
was subsequently linked with Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester City.

The Daily Mail also pick up the story in tomorrow’s back pages:

The Armenia international has a burgeoning reputation and Liverpool,
who have scouted the midfielder on several occasions, would have to
pay more than £20million to stand any chance of signing him.

Mkhitaryan plays as an attacking midfielder, capable of scoring a
very attractive amount of goals, and is well known for his pace.

Since signing for Shakhtar in 2010, Mkhitaryan has scored 38 goals
in 72 appearances. He has won 36 caps for the Armenian national team,
scoring 10 goals.

The Mirror report Liverpool will make a move regardless of whether
Luis Suarez leaves the club this summer.

Liverpool could make a good portion of Mkhitaryan’s transfer fee from
the sale of Andy Carroll. The former Newcastle Utd striker should
complete his switch from Anfield to West Ham on a permanent deal this
week, netting the Reds around £15million.

Brendan Rodgers is also eyeing Celta Vigo’s Iago Aspas, who is
expected to arrive on Merseyside for a medical this week and sign
for around £7million.

Rodgers’ pursuit of players in the transfer market this summer will
hinge on whether he is able to keep hold of Uruguayan international
Luis Suarez, whose future on Merseyside is unclear.

—————————————————————————————————————

Sports Mole, UK June 4 2013

Liverpool plot £22m Henrikh Mkhitaryan bid

By Liam Power, Reporter

Liverpool have reportedly identified Shakhtar Donetsk playmaker
Henrikh Mkhitaryan as their top transfer target this summer.

Armenian international Mkhitaryan has excelled at Shakhtar in the
last 12 months, scoring 25 goals from midfield to top the Ukrainian
scoring charts last season.

Reds boss Brendan Rodgers believes that Mkhitaryan is a player capable
of making the difference at Anfield and will meet Shakhtar’s valuation
of £22m to seal the deal, according to The Guardian.

Any move for Mkhitaryan is also not thought to be linked to the future
of Luis Suarez, as Rodgers bids to strengthen in the close season.

Celta Vigo forward Iago Aspas is due to complete his move to Merseyside
later this week, joining first summer signing Kolo Toure in becoming
a Liverpool player.

—————————————————————————————————————

Vital football, UK June 4 2013

Liverpool: Reds On Mkhitaryan Trail

Armenian attacking midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is said to be a key
part of Liverpool’s summer recruitment plans…

Liverpool have been linked with a big money move for Shakhtar Donetsk’s
Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Despite a hefty price tag of as much as £22million, The Guardian’s
Andy Hunter even goes as far as describing the 24-year-old as one of
the club’s ‘leading targets’.

Mkhitaryan has emerged as one of the most coveted players in European
football after scoring a record 25 goals in the Ukrainian Premier
League last season.

Add in some impressive Champions League performances and it is easy
to see why the likes of Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester City have
also been linked.

Reds boss Brendan Rodgers is thought to have had his eye on the
player for some time after scouting him previous to his recent rise
to wider prominence.

The report suggests Liverpool have already registered their interest
with Shakhtar and that the player would consider the move despite
other offers and the club’s lack of European football next season.

Mkhitaryan, who has 10 goals in 37 internationals, learnt his trade
at Armenian side Pyunik FC before earning a move to the Ukraine,
initially with Metalurh Donetsk.

There he became the club’s youngest ever captain at the age of 21 and
a record of 17 goals in 45 matches helped to earn a [email protected] move
to Shakhtar in 2010.

Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, are believed to have
sanctioned a move for the three-time Armenian player of the year
regardless of the situation with potential outgoings.

A £15million deal with West Ham United for Andy Carroll is still on
the table whilst leading stars Luis Suarez and Pepe Reina have been
linked with transfers to Spain which could net the Merseysiders in
excess of £50million.

Whatever happens it is already shaping up to be a busy summer at the
club with moves for Manchester City’s Kolo Toure and Iago Aspas of
Celta Vigo set to be completed imminently.

Vital Verdict On paper a £22million deal for an Armenian who plays
in the Ukraine sounds crazy but Mkhitaryan could prove to be worth
every penny. As we’ve seen over the years with Steven Gerrard, and
the likes of Frank Lampard, goal scoring midfielders are worth their
weight in gold. The Shakhtar man is also a natural leader who inspires
others around him which is something Liverpool are beginning to run
out of. Hopefully there is a deal to be done, especially if the club
decide against going for Ajax’s Christian Eriksen.

—————————————————————————————————————

KopTalk June 4 2013

Henrikh Mkhitaryan linked with Liverpool transfer

Liverpool have added Henrikh Mkhitaryan to their list of possible
transfer targets and are making sure everyone knows about it.Details
of Liverpool’s interest in the Shakhtar Donetsk ace has been leaked
to several national journalists and we’ll let you speculate as to
why that may be.The 24-year-old Armenia international – who scored a
record 25 goals in the Ukrainian Premier League last season despite
playing as an attacking midfielder – has been sounded out about a
possible move to Anfield and is said to be interested.Mkhitaryan
can play as an attacking midfielder or as a striker. He prefers to
play slightly behind the strikers but would clearly be a versatile
addition.It is reported that he would cost in the region of £20million
and that our interest is not subject to the possible sale of Luis
Suarez.Having had a quick look back, it would appear that Mkhitaryan
was last linked with us a couple of months ago. He also signed for
Italian super-agent Mino Raiola back in April. Raiola has a close
relationship with Liverpool and that was considered an interesting
move by many observers at the time.

—————————————————————————————————————

Soccer-Laduma, South Africa June 4 2013

Liverpool Want Mkhitaryan 04 June 2013

Liverpool have reportedly made Shakhtar Donetsk’s Armenian
international midfielder, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, one of their primary
transfer targets for next season.

The 24-year-old attacking midfielder has quietly become one of the
most highly-rated young players in Europe, after shattering the
Ukrainian goal-scoring record last season.

>From his position in central midfield, Mkhitaryan scored a remarkable
25 league goals.

Far from a small league wonder, he also caught the eye playing
for Shakhtar in the Champions League, and Liverpool have had their
attention on him for most of the past 12 months.

Seen as a potential long-term replacement at Anfield for club icon
Steven Gerrard, Liverpool are apparently not put off by the transfer
fee in the region of £22 million that Mkhitaryan would likely command.

Bankrolled by a billionaire and adept at singing under-the-radar
quality, Shakhtar are not hard pressed to sell Mkhitaryan, but
Liverpool are confident that he is open to a move to Merseyside.

Tall and powerfully built, Mkhitaryan also has electric pace off
the mark.

His box-to-box abilities have led to comparisons to the Premier
League’s two primary midfield tyros, Gerrard and Frank Lampard. And
Liverpool seemingly view Mkhitaryan as the ideal candidate to power
forward alongside their more subtle Brazilian, Philippe Coutinho.

Mkhitaryan is also comfortable playing on the right wing, and so if
the three-time Armenian is indeed signed, his arrival could spell
the end of the line for Stewart Downing at Liverpool.

The Reds also reportedly retain an interest in Schalke’s Greek defender
Kyriakos Papadopoulos, and expect Spanish attacker Iago Aspas to sign
in the coming days.

The sale of Luis Suarez to Real Madrid remains a possibility, despite
the fact that it will take an official transfer request and a massive
bid from Los Blancos to lubricate any deal. A host of other squad
players are also expected to be sold.

And so it appears that Reds boss Brendan Rodgers could have close to
£100 million to spend as he attempts to mould Liverpool in his image,
with Henrikh Mkhitaryan the kind of player Rodgers has his heart
set on.

—————————————————————————————————————

A Different League, UK June 4 2013

Liverpool ready to move for Shakhtar star Mkhitaryan regardless of
Suarez future

By Andrew Tuft Tuesday 04 June 2013

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers wants to sign Shakhtar Dontesk’s
Henrikh Mkhitaryan regardless of the future of Luis Suarez, according
to the Daily Mirror.

It had been suggested that Mkhitaryan was to be a replacement for the
Uruguayan, who has suggested he sees his future away from Anfield. But
Rodgers is keen to bring the £20m-rated Armenia international to
Merseyside whether or not Suarez remains a Liverpool player.

Mkhitaryan is more of an attacking midfielder than the striker Suarez,
but is viewed by Rodgers as another source of goals for his team.

Rodgers is said to have watched the 24-year-old over the last few
months – sending his scouts to see Mkhitaryan play on 12 occasions –
and has the blessing of the club’s owners to pursue the deal.

Rodgers faces competition from a number of clubs around Europe,
however, with Chelsea, Manchester United, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid
and Juventus all previously expressing an interest in the prolific
midfielder. Mkhitaryan scored 25 goals from midfielder for Shakhtar
last season.

Liverpool are not said to be reliant on funds from any sale of Suarez
to push through a deal for Mkhitaryan as Rodgers has in the region
of £35m to work with already. Suarez would command in the region of
£40m if he were to leave, while a further £25m could be generated by
selling Andy Carroll to West Ham for £15m and Martin Skrtel to Napoli,
managed by former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez, for £10m.

—————————————————————————————————————

Other links to Mkhitaryan news

LIVERPOOL EYE SHAKHTAR’S MKHITARYAN

ESPN
June 4 2013

ESPN staff

Liverpool are weighing up a move to bring in Armenia international
Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Shakhtar Donetsk, ESPN understands.

Mkhitaryan, who scored 25 goals from midfield in the Ukrainian Premier
League last season, is likely to cost more than £20 million.

The 24-year-old is under contract with Shakhtar until 2015, but
suggested in March that he would be looking to move on after his
side were knocked out of the Champions League in the last 16 by
Borussia Dortmund.

Mkhitaryan reportedly said at the time that he “will do everything
this summer to join one of the strongest clubs in the world”, although
he later back-pedalled via a statement on Shakhtar’s official website
claiming he had been misquoted.

The attacking midfielder has since been linked with Chelsea, Manchester
City and Barcelona, but Liverpool have been tracking him too.

It is understood that owners Fenway Sports Group have not been put
off by the player’s price tag, and are prepared to sanction an offer
for Mkhitaryan, who was Armenia’s player of the year in 2009, 2011
and 2012.

Such a bid does not depend on Liverpool bringing in money by selling
Luis Suarez, who declared at a press conference in his native Uruguay
last week that he wants to leave Anfield. Liverpool have yet to
receive a bid for Suarez, who has still to submit a transfer request.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are hoping to complete that £7.7 million signing
of Celta Vigo forward Iago Aspas this week.

KERRY PLEDGES TO HELP END CONFLICT OVER NAGORNO-KARABAKH

Xinhua General News Service, China
June 3, 2013 Monday 6:11 PM EST

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pledged on Monday to continue
efforts to help end the long- running conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh
between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Prior to a meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov
at the State Department, Kerry said “This is a frozen conflict, as
we call it, one that threatens the stability of the region and one
that we need to deal with.”

“The last thing we want is a return to war and to conflict,” stressed
the top American envoy, whose country co-chairs the Minsk Group of
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe along with
Russia and France, which has been mediating the conflict.

“I believe there is a path forward, and we will continue to work
quietly and patiently in an effort to try to encourage the parties
to be able to take either confidence-building measures that may get
to further down the road, or to find a way towards a settlement with
respect to this issue,” Kerry added.

The Azerbaijani minister said he believed his country can move past
the challenges with the help of the United States. “All the negative
outcome of the conflict will be in the past, and we will look to the
bright future of successful cooperation and living next to each other
as a good neighborhood,” he added.

Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been controlled by
Armenian troops and ethnic forces since a separatist war broke out in
1988. The two South Caucasus countries signed a cease-fire agreement
in 1994 but skirmishes have broken out time and again despite repeated
mediation by the Minsk Group.

Kerry is scheduled to meet with his Armenian counterpart Edward
Nalbandian on Tuesday.

GEORGIAN MPS WILLING TO SOLVE PROBLEMS OF JAVAKHK – ARMENIAN OFFICIAL

June 04, 2013 | 21:20

YEREVAN. – There are no problems between Armenia and Georgia that
cannot be solved through talks, Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov
told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

He noted that Armenian parliamentary delegation participated in the
festivities marking founding of Damala, an Armenian-populated village
in Georgia.

The ceremony was attended by Georgian MPs, including Deputy Speaker
Georgi Baramidze.

Eduard Sharmazanov said that during the meeting with his Georgian
counterpart they discussed socio-economic situation in Javakhk.

“The Georgian side stressed importance for Armenians of Javakhk to set
up a fund to help address social and economic issues. In this regard,
a number of agreements were reached,” he added.

Armenian Deputy Speaker also noted that the Georgian parliamentarians
expressed their willingness to solve socio-economic problems of
Javakhk.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

FAMOUS MASTER OF ARMENIAN PAINTING. EDGAR CHAHINE

2013-06-04 20:36:33

Edgar Chahine was born on October 31, 1874, Vienna, Austria. He was a
respected French painter, engraver, and illustrator of Armenian decent.

Edgar Chahine was born in Vienna but moved to Constantinople at a
very young age. There he began his studies under the financial support
of his father who was the director of the Ottoman Bank. His artistic
abilities were soon noticed by his professor, Melkon Tiratzuyan, who
advised him to pursue his studies in Italy in order to participate in
a more active artistic environment. He then moved to Venice, Italy
where he attended the prestigious Armenian Lyceum Mourad Rafealian
on the San Lazzaro Island. He studied under Antonio Ermolao Paoletti
at the renowned Academia di Belle Arti.

After gaining much experience in Italy, he then moved to Paris
in 1895. He enrolled at the Academie Julian, and had successful
exhibitions at the Society of French Artists. His first painting
which was exhibited at the Paris Salon “Societe Des Artist Francais”
in 1896, was a portrait of a beggar.

He continued to have exhibitions from 1896 to 1899. In these
exhibitions, Chahine included his art series called “Lamentable Life”
which features the tables of poor people. In 1900, his prints earned
him a gold medal at the Universal Exhibition in Paris. In 1903, he
won another gold medal at the Venice Biennale. Chahine often turned
to Armenian themes and in 1926 was a founding member of “Ani”, the
Union of French-Armenian Artists of Paris.

He became a naturalized French citizen in 1925 and was awarded the
Legion d’Honneur in 1932. Unfortunately, Edgar Chahine’s artistic
career took an unexpected turn when many of his prints were lost in a
fire in his atelier in 1926, and many more were destroyed in a flood
in 1942. Due to these unfortunate events, much of his paintings and
prints are yet to be seen or discovered.

In 1928, Edgar Chahine became very popular in France. By the end
of that year, a museum in Crouttes-Vimoutiers in the Orne region of
France was named after him, Musee Chahine.

Edgar Chahine died on March 18, 1947, Paris, France.

ARTSAKH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES CENTER CONSTRUCTION IS PROGRESS

June 4, 2013 – 19:52 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) Republic President
Bako Sahakyan visited the construction site of Stepanakert-based
Artsakh Information Technologies Center.

President Sahakyan stressed the importance of the institution in the
development of information technologies in Artsakh.

He also thanked the philanthropist Constantine Manoukyan for supporting
the project.

NKR Minister of Municipal Engineering Karen Shahramanyan and other
officials accompanied the President on his visit, the Central
Information Department at Artsakh President’s Office said.

GAGIK HARUTYUNYAN: NEW FORM OF GENOCIDE THROUGH SELF-ANNIHILATION HAS BEEN LAUNCHED IN IRAQ AND SYRIA

Interview of director of scientific and educational fund “Noravanq”
Gagik Harutyunyan with Arminfo news agency

by David Stepanyan

Tuesday, June 4, 19:28

Judging from recent disagreements in UN Security Council and from
reaction of Iran and Israel, Syrian conflict has been gradually
developing towards a new field. What impulses we have to wait for
around the events in Syria in the near future?

If we compare the situation in Syria and Iraq, we may come to the
conclusion according to which a new form of genocide on the basis of
self-annihilation has been launched in this region.

That is developing stably, day by day, against the background of
degradation of statehood. And in this context, it is very much
important to find a customer, thanks to which the machinery was
launched. This is a new form of genocide which finds no room in
the rules and ideas. Today it is very much difficult to name one
customer-country. Everything is closely connected with each other,
and several countries, such as, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as well as
transnational companies play a great part in similar issues. As for
me, I like Germany’s stance, which unlike France, voted against the
anti-Syrian resolution and occupied a rather abstained stance in the
Syrian conflict.

There is information that Turkey is trying to resolve the “Armenian
issue” in Syria, via ruining of Armenian churches and forcing Armenians
leave Syria, which gave them shelter after the genocide…

The successors of the victims of the Genocide of Armenians in Ottoman
Turkey are now feeling the same in Syria again due to Turkey. Turkey
actively uses Syrian rebels to oust Armenians from Syria by burning
their shops and houses. Six Armenian churches have already been
burnt, and only one Armenian Church has remained there. Armenians are
reluctant to escape to find refuge. A secret subdivision of Turkish
commandos together with Syrian fighters resorts to violence against
the Armenian community. In such a way in Syria, Turkey tries to settle
also another painful problem for it i.e. the Armenian Cause.

Our compatriots bear the west-Armenian cultural and civilization code.

The communities in the Middle East greatly contributed to preservation
of Armenians, the Armenian civilization and culture in the countries
of the Eastern and even Western Europe, and America. Now when
representatives of the Armenian communities in Syria and Middle East
began actively migrating to Europe, North and South America, we are
losing our very important national segment. Suffice it is say that
the situation in Syria implies that not only Armenians and Christians
generally, but also the Syrian alawis will have no place in the new
Syria in case of a negative scenario.

What is the difference between the situation in Syria and the “Arab
revolutions”?

There is a typical war in Syria and not just fight of the opposition
or local rebels. He said that the number of Syrian citizens in
the groupings fighting against the government troops does not
exceed 15%-20%, according to experts. All the remaining fighters
are mercenaries from Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and other regimes
of the Middle East as well as citizens of some western countries
and post-Soviet states, for instance, Azerbaijan. NATO Special
Services help those forces via Turkey, first of all. In other words,
it is Turkey that actively fights against Syria and it was Turkish
professional soldiers that were killed or captured in Syria by the
Government troops

The machinery, with a help of which Iraq residents were killing another
residents of Iraq, and Arabs another Arabs was launched just in Iraq,
and more than half a million people left the country.

Neither UN not other international human rights protection
organizations dispute on this. There is practically no Armenian in the
Arab sector of Iraq after the American operations in this country,
some of them found shelter in the Iraqi Kurdistan. The governmental
troops in Syria thanks to the Iraqi, Russian and indirect Chinese
support have succeeded in the fight against rebels supported by the
Western secret services. However, even this success will not prevent
Syria’s degradation like a state, as the life in this country was
broken and about 1,2 mln people left it, and the number of victims
are more than 80 thsd people. As for economy, it practically does
not develop in this country.

Who is the customer?

Today it is very much difficult to name one customer-country.

Everything is closely connected with each other, and several countries,
such as, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as well as transnational companies
play a great part in similar issues. As for me, I like Germany’s
stance, which unlike France, voted against the anti-Syrian resolution
and occupied a rather abstained stance in the Syrian conflict. The
Americans themselves are very much concerned about the growing affect
of Al-Quida in Syria. The processes in Syria differ from those in
Libya, Tunis, Egypt and even Iraq, in which external forces did not
take part in the organized way. Whereas, Iran, Russia and China have
in fact come forward to support Assad and are for peaceful settlement
of the Syrian conflict. And in this case, which is developing near
Armenia’s borders, Turkey takes an active part, as well as Azerbaijan,
the military bands of which have been fighting against the governmental
troops in Syria.

How will extra activeness of Turkey and Azerbaijan in Syria affect
the relations of Ankara and Baku with Moscow?

The obvious participation of Turkey and especially Azerbaijan in the
Syrian conflict does not at all promote development of their relations
with Moscow. Today Turkey and its close ally Azerbaijan have felt
themselves very much independent players and even let themselves to
ask Russians leave Gabala. As a response, Moscow stopped exploiting
Baku-Novorosiysk oil pipeline and limited military equipment delivery
to Azerbaijan. All this is evidence of the fact that the relations
between Baku and Moscow have a tendency of worsening. These relations
are not those that used to be two years ago. Of course, good words are
voiced over the visits to Moscow but they can hardly make correction
in the realpolitik between Moscow and Baku.

All this cannot but put Armenia on the alert, as Turkey feeling
itself a superpower of the regional level in case of success at
the Syrian-Iranian front, may make any even inadequate steps. The
Turks are not the obedient members of NATO which they used to be
during the years of the “cold war”. And today having a strong army
they can allows themselves the independent steps too. For its part,
Azerbaijan under the protection of such a boss feels itself rather
free, and the rhetoric of the official Baku is evidence of that.

How may it affect the Karabakh settlement taking into consideration
the fact that Russia still remains the key mediator of the Karabakh
conflict?

I advise to look for the answer only in the statements made by the
Russian officials, for instance, the statement made by CSTO secretary
general Nikolay Bordyzha. At the same time, I especially remembered
the statement made by president Dmitriy Medvedev long ago, who advised
“not to act in the way, which will force Russia again settle all the
problems for 5 days”. In this context, I think the allied relations
with Russia and the CSTO membership are an extra guarantee for Armenia,
that any external aggression will have a rebuff. It is good that Baku
also seems to understand that.

On 20 May press-service of Azerbaijani parliament disproved the
information disseminated by several pro-government mass media about the
draft law “On the occupied territories of Azerbaijan”, which foresees
criminal punishment for NGOs and separate citizens of Azerbaijan for
cooperation with Armenia. What is the reason of such information?

On the basis of the information in mass media similar to that about
an inadequate draft law, I have got an impression that Azerbaijan was
in feverish in the local political context. I have to confess that
the situation is rather unstable at the local front in Azerbaijan. I
mean the problems of the national minorities and the religious trends:
vahabits, sunits, and shiits which have been actively functioning in
Azerbaijan. That is to say, a true religious confrontation has been
developing there. Moreover, Ilham Aliyev oversteps all the possible
and impossible lines. He has been ruling the country on the basis of
rather ambiguous alterations to the Constitution, All this is evidence
of the fact that the great funds spent by Azerbaijan for the army, are
not at all panacea for all local woes. Ilham Aliyev needs overstepping
the unacceptable lines more and more, the expert said.

And an offer “to make criminally responsible the Azerbaijani citizens
which cooperate with any public organization or structure of Armenia
before liberation of the lands from occupation” is one of such cases of
overstepping. And the fact that the given draft law was not submitted
for discussion in Azerbaijani parliament, may be explained only by
the fact that somebody very smart advised not to do that. For this
reason, the authorities refused the repressions announced in advance.

CURRENT DEMONSTRATIONS IN TURKEY ARE SPONTANEOUS – ARMENIAN TURKOLOGIST

June 04, 2013 | 03:45

YEREVAN. – Turkey’s main political opposition forces are not yet
taking part in the current demonstrations in Istanbul and in other
major Turkish cities, turkologist Ruben Safrastyan told Armenian
News-NEWS.am.

In his words, the second important factor is that the Kurdish
organizations likewise are not actively involved in these protests.

“The movement turned into a mass resistance firstly because the Turkish
authorities took tough measures to suppress them,” Safrastyan noted.

As per the turkologist, the movement is developing spontaneously and
without a connection with the political forces; but this does not
mean the movement cannot expand further.

“Such movements may succeed only if they can generate leaders,”
the turkologist stated.

He also stressed the role of external factors, that is, the US,
which supports Turkey’s ruling elite.

In Safrastyan’s conviction, the role of the Turkish army should be
considered, too, and the specific slogans suggest that some forces
are taking part in the protests.

“This shows that the protests are directed not solely against the
curtailing of democratic rights [in Turkey], but also [against]
the Islamic policy of the Turkish authorities,” Ruben Safrastyan
maintained.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

MASS MEDIA: MANY CLAIM THE POSITION OF THE SYUNIK GOVERNOR

ARMINFO
Tuesday, June 4, 12:11

A Yerevan-based Haykakan Zhamanak Daily writes the new Governor of
Syunik region will be current Head of the Public Relations Office of
the Armenian Defense Ministry, Major General Vardan Avetisyan. The
latter says however that there were no relevant talks. By some data,
Avetisyan is a cousin of President Serzh Sargsyan. Both them are from
the village of Tegh, Syunik region.

By some media reports, there are also other candidates for the given
position: Khachik Asryan, Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports Affairs,
and Republican MP Vahe Hakobyan, who is a son of Maksin Hakobyan,
the co-owner of the Zangezour Copper and Molybdenum Combine.

To recall, shootouts in front of Syunik Governor’s house at
00:10am on June 2 killed former candidate for Goris mayor Avo
Budaghyan and wounded his brother Artak Budaghyan (who is in a grave
situationcurrently), a commander at a military unit in NKR. There
was another wounded, Nikolay Abrahamyan, a relative and bodyguard of
Governor S. Khachartyan. A criminal case has been initiated on the
basis of Article 103.1 (murder) and Article 235 (illegal use, storage
and bearing weapons) of the Criminal Code of Armenia. Syunik Governor
Suren Khachatryan’s son, Tigran Khachatryan, has been arrested over
latest shootouts in Syunik. Earlier, the governor’s bodyguard Zarzand
Nikoghosyan was arrested over the case.

Suren Khachatryan sent in his resignation overnight declaring that
everyone must answer for his mistakes. He regretted for failing to
prevent the tragic incident near his house.

ANCA SHARES LESSONS WITH HUNDREDS OF DIASPORAN COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Monday, June 3rd, 2013

IDEA Conference materials

Executive Director Speaks at State Department During Global Diaspora
Forum

WASHINGTON-Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Executive
Director Aram Hamparian shared the lessons learned by Armenian
Americans over the course of more than a century of community
organizing and civic advocacy, during a recent robust, roundtable
discussion for Diaspora leaders held at the State Department Global
Diaspora Forum.

The panel, titled “Grooming Next Generation Leadership,” was moderated
by Semhar Araia, America’s leading voice on the vital role that
women of the African diaspora play in supporting Africa’s development
and in shaping U.S. policy toward the continent. Sophia Lafontant,
Senior Alliance Advisor at Oxfam America, was, along with Hamparian, a
featured speaker, bringing to the discussion her extensive development
experience and her far-ranging and effective diaspora outreach to
Haitian Americans and other communities. The discussion drew on the
speakers’ success stories and lessons learned in developing paths
forward for engagement in their Diaspora communities, with a special
focus on finding the best ways to effectively leverage creativity,
dynamism, and energy, particularly at the university and young
professional levels.

The International Diaspora Engagement Alliance was launched in 2011 as
a non-partisan, non-profit organization managed via a public-private
partnership between the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID), and the Migration Policy Institute
(MPI). To learn more, visit:

Following the Forum, the ANCA tweeted notes of thanks to the organizers
@DiasporaIdea, @USAID and @StateDept using the program’s hashtag
#2013GDF, and also tweeted a more general message about a common
misunderstanding about civic advocacy by Americans who identify with
the ethnic heritage: “Diasporan Americans often unfairly accused of
moving US foreign policy left or right, when all we’re asking is that
we raise our sights.”