Author: Badalian Vardan

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

FEBRUARY 1-7, 2013

HIGHLIGHTS:

INFORMATION DISPUTES COUNCIL OPINION ON SUIT OF BUSINESSMAN KHACHIK
KHACHATRIAN VERSUS “ZHOGHOVURD” DAILY

THE VOICE OF RUSSIA UNILATERALLY ENDS COOPERATION WITH RADIO “HAY”

CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS FOR IMPEDING PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES OF A JOURNALIST

POLITICALLY MOTIVATED DEFAMATION LAWSUITS NO LONGER APPEAR TO BE A SERIOUS
PROBLEM IN ARMENIA, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH BELIEVES

COMPETITION TO FILL IN VACANCY IN PTRC COUNCIL ANNOUNCED

INFORMATION DISPUTES COUNCIL OPINION ON SUIT OF BUSINESSMAN KHACHIK
KHACHATRIAN VERSUS “ZHOGHOVURD” DAILY

On February 5, the Information Disputes Council released an opinion on the
suit of businessman Khachik Khachatrian and his company “Yerevan Poultry”
versus the founder of “Zhoghovurd” newspaper, “Editorial Office of
‘Zhoghovurd’ Daily” LLC, and the daily’s correspondent Sona Grigorian. As it
has been reported, the reason for the suit was the article, “Famous Oligarch
Fined for Selling Expired Eggs”, published by “Zhoghovurd” on December 11,
2012. On January 10, 2013, the Court of General Jurisdiction of Kentron and
Nork-Marash Administrative Districts of Yerevan submitted the suit. The
plaintiffs demanded from the respondents a refutation and compensation of
damage, caused by libel and insult, in the amount of 3 mln AMD (about $
7,300). Moreover, the Court partially secured the motion of the plaintiffs
and put the property of “Zhoghovurd” founder and Sona Grigorian under arrest
as a measure to secure the claim (see details in YPC Weekly Newsletter,
January 25-31, 2013).

Taking into account that the court hearing is still at a preparatory phase
(the first preliminary session is assigned on March 22, 2013, Ed. Note), the
IDC abstained from expressing opinion about the merits of the case and only
touched upon the abovementioned motion. According to the IDC, in the way
that the Court has secured the motion, it is not deemed as interference to
the freedom of the media outlet. Consequently, the newspaper’s right to
receive and impart information was not violated, even though under some
circumstances the ban on the media’s property may restrict its right to
freedom of expression.

As far as the plaintiff’s request of monetary compensation is concerned, the
IDC assessed it as excessively disproportionate. In general, the IDC finds
that when submitting claims versus media and journalists the political
figures should abstain from demanding pecuniary compensation: “The highest
compensation award amounts demanded from journalists and media between
2010-2012 were as a rule requested by political figures, which is a
fallacious practice.” Whereas, the political figures, who serve the public
interest, just like the journalists, should apply other methods of legal
protection – as defined by law. Meanwhile, the above-mentioned statistics
prompt that very often the demands for monetary compensation awards pursues
the goal of punishing the media rather than restoring a violated right, the
IDC stressed.

The full opinion of the Information Disputes Council is available in
Armenian and English at

THE VOICE OF RUSSIA UNILATERALLY ENDS COOPERATION WITH RADIO “HAY”

Since February 1, Radio “Hay” stopped the rebroadcast of the Voice of
Russia, Russian state-owned radio broadcasting company. The press release,
disseminated by Radio “Hay” on January 31 notes that the Voice of Russia has
unilaterally broken the agreement on cooperation. According to the press
release, the reason for this decision is the hunger strike of the Head of
Radio “Hay”, Andrias Ghukasian, currently running in RA presidential
elections. It should be noted that the presidency candidate Andrias
Ghukasian started his strike from January 21, on the first day of
pre-election promotion, to protest against the participation in the
elections of the incumbent RA President Serzh Sargsian.

CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS FOR IMPEDING PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES OF A JOURNALIST

In the evening of January 30, at the auto pound of Yerevan Traffic Police an
incident occurred with photojournalist Gagik Shamshian. In the journalist’s
account, he arrived at the pound to shoot the cars, delivered by the police
officers from the site of the accident. According to Shamshian, he was
insulted and threatened by the owner of one of the cars, a certain R.S.,
when he was noticed taking photos. The police officers present at the site
detained R.S. Thus, criminal proceedings were instituted on charges of
Articles 164 (“Impeding the Legitimate Professional Activities of a
Journalist”) and 258 (“Public Disorder”) of RA Criminal Code. Gagik
Shamshian also reported that he is recognized victim in the case, and that a
preventive measure of arrest for two months was applied towards R.S., taking
into account his other actions.

POLITICALLY MOTIVATED DEFAMATION LAWSUITS NO LONGER APPEAR TO BE A SERIOUS
PROBLEM IN ARMENIA, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH BELIEVES

On January 31, the international “Human Rights Watch” organization released
its report on human rights practices in over 90 countries of the world in
2012 ().

In the section on Armenia, the report also presents the situation on the
freedom of expression. “Politically motivated defamation lawsuits no longer
appear to be a serious problem,” the report of “Human Rights Watch”
emphasizes, in particular. At the same time, the authors of the report
reminded about the June 2012 Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
report on media freedom in Europe, which found that Armenian journalists’
capacity to report was “hampered by pressures of self-censorship” and
expressed concern about Armenian TV companies’ use of political
advertisements in news coverage. The “Human Rights Watch” also indicates
some cases of journalists’ rights violation: on May 6, 2012, on the day of
elections to RA National Assembly, incidents occurred with Elina
Chillingarian, correspondent of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Armenian
Service, in Yerevan, and with Karen Alekian, correspondent of “Maks-Info”
news agency, in Gyumri.

However, we would like to stress that the suit of businessman Khachik
Khachatrian against “Zhoghovurd” daily, filed in the beginning of the year
(see above, as well as the “Property of “Zhoghovurd” Daily Put under Arrest”
of YPC Weekly Newsletter at ),
signifies that the Armenian court practice on defamation cases against media
is still not immune from decisions that restrict the freedom of expression,
and this issue should be in the spotlight of journalistic and human rights
organizations.

COMPETITION TO FILL IN VACANCY IN PTRC COUNCIL ANNOUNCED

On February 7, the RA President Serzh Sargsian signed a decree on holding a
competition to fill in a vacancy in the Council of Public TV and Radio
Company. The competition was announced due to the term expiration of the
PTRC Council Chairman Alexan Harutiunian.

The competition jury included: the Chairman – Avetis Berberian, Assistant to
RA President; Secretary – Meri Harutiunian, Head of Information and Public
Relations Department of RA President’s Administration; jury members – Henrik
Hovhannisian, Head of Theatre Department of the Institute of Arts of RA
National Academy of Science; Tigran Farmanian, Chief Editor of “Hayastani
Hanrapetutiun” daily; Flora Nakhshkarian, Chief Editor of “Golos Armenii”
newspaper.

Armenian citizens that are reputed and competent professionals in
journalism, law, TV and radio management, science, culture and arts, having
higher education and fluent in Armenian language, may take part in the
competition. The following individuals are ineligible for the position of
PTRC Council member: members of governing bodies of political parties;
foreign citizens and people with no citizenships; heads of public and
private TV and radio companies; individuals having contractual relations
with TV and radio companies.

The deadline for application submission is February 17, 2013.

When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.

You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
[email protected]

Subscription for the Newsletter is free. To subscribe or unsubscribe from
this mailing list, please send a message to: [email protected]

Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
____________________________________________
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
0002, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 10) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 10) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site:

ARMENIAN EXPERTS SLAM IRAN PRESIDENTIAL RUNNER’S REMARK

TERT.AM
16:05 ~U 07.02.13

Iran will undermine its role on the international arena in case having
territorial claims on the neighboring states, Armenian experts have
said, commenting on a remark by an Iranian presidential candidate.

Rudik Yaralyan, who is specialized in Iranian studies, said at a
news conference on Thursday that such a statement is addressed to
the domestic nationalists whose number is not very big.

It comes after the candidate, Seyyed Mohammad Bagher Kharazi, said
in a recent remark that he will unite Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iran
to the country without bloodsheds in case of elected a president.

Mher Baghdasaryan, another Iranian studies expert attending the news
conference, said the country’s foreign policy is determined by the
religious leader, with the president having no authority to make any
changes independently.

“Even if we imagine that, Iran will weaken all its international
achievements,” he said, considering the statement nonsensical.

The expert attributed the remark to a morbid fantasy for returning
territories which the country lost in the Russian-Persian war.

Yaralyan recalled President Ahmadinejad’s statement that Iran has never
had any claims on the neighboring states. He said the newly-emerged
candidate, who hasn’t even registered yet, is not even a well-known
figure though he comes from a family of politicians.

The Iranian presidential election is slated for June 14. Among the
possible candidates are a former and the incumbent chairmen of the
Iranian parliament, Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel and Ali Larijani,, an
advisor on International Affairs to the Supreme Leader, Ali Akbar
Velayati, and the mayor of Tehran, Mahammad-Bagher Ghalibaf.

MAN CHARGED OVER BALLOON EXPLOSION CASE RELEASED ON PROBATION

TERT.AM
17:42 ~U 07.02.13

The man convicted last year over the explosion of balloons in Yerevan’s
central square has been released from jail.

The Cassation Court ruled Thursday to replace Serob Bozoyan’s
imprisonment with a conditional sentence, his lawyer told Tert.am.

Bozoyan was earlier found guilty of selling balloons which caused the
explosion at the ruling Republican Party’s final pre-election rally in
May, injuring scores of people. He was sentenced to one year in jail.

But the lower court had issued the ruling after a rapid trial,
without examining the facts.

Speaking to Tert.am, a spokesperson for the Prosecutor General’s
Office, Sona Truzyan, said she isn’t aware of any plans for appealing
against the decision. “It’s a short time the ruling has been made
public so I am not familiar with the prosecutor’s position,” she said.

In comments to the local news website A1plus, Bozoyan said he is
happy about the new ruling that will finally get him out of jail.

ARMENIA HAS MADE TANGIBLE PROGRESS IN ENSURING THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

17:26 07.02.2013

Progressive policies in inclusive education have made positive changes
in the lives of children with disabilities in Central and Eastern
Europe and Central Asia, according to UNICEF.

More schools are welcoming first grade children with disabilities
in Serbia as a result of years of policy advocacy. Huge nationwide
awareness raising campaigns in Montenegro and strong engagement of
civil society in promoting inclusion in Armenia have led to increased
public demands for inclusive schools, UNICEF said.

At a briefingfocusing on the issue of children with disabilities
this week during a meeting of UNICEF’s Executive Board in New York,
other governments and donor communities were urged to support policies
that realized all children’s right to quality education as one way
to reduce inequities created by social exclusion.

The Permanent Representative of Armenia, Karen Nazaryan, speaking
on behalf of the government focused on the importance of making a
strategic shift from grassroots school-level work to a comprehensive
policy effort, including the transformation of special schools.

In particular, Mr. Nazaryan mentioned that Armenia has made tangible
progress in ensuring the rights of children with disabilities,
especially in the area of education. Today 1700 children with
disabilities are studying in close to 100 inclusive schools and
this number will increase with the adoption of amendments to the
Law on Education currently being discussed by the National Assembly
of Armenia.

Among challenges Mr. Nazaryan emphasized high poverty rates among
children with disabilities, lack of comprehensive services as well
as stereotypes and discrimination towards persons with disabilities,
including children, and their ability to become full-fledged members
of the community.

SEDA AZNAVOUR DENOUNCED NEWS ON HER SISTER’S CONVERSION TO ISLAM

13:37, 7 February, 2013

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 7, ARMENPRESS. Charles Aznavour’s daughter Seda
Aznavour denounced the news about her sister’s conversion to other
religion. As reports “Armenpress” Seda Aznavour posted in facebook
social network the following: “I would like to inform my all facebook
friends that we – the Aznavours are ethnic Armenians and we are
Christians, adhering particularly to the Gregorian Orthodoxy. Do not
forget that Armenia was the first state to adopt Christianity and our
ancestors were martyred for their faith. We are proud to be a part of
a nation, which remains loyal top its roots. Therefore, do not always
believe what you read in newspapers. We – the Aznavours will never be
converted to another religion. Suffice to say that it was my father,
who wrote ‘Ave Maria’.”

Previously the Azerbaijani media stated that Katya Aznavour married
to an Algerian and converted to Muslim faith.

ISSUE OF RETURNING CHURCH PROPERTIES IN TURKEY

07.02.2013

Vahram Hovyan

Senior Expert at the Center for Armenian Studies, “Noravank” Foundation
Confiscation of the properties belonging to the Christian communities
in Turkey was one of the components of persecution and suppression
policy carried out on the state level in regard to the national and
religious minorities. Since 1936 the state has initiated confiscation
of the religious minorities’ properties by law. The efforts taken for
reclaiming the confiscated property have not taken an effect till
recently thus being doomed.

Hence, over the last period positive tendencies can be observed in the
issue of the protection of the rights of the religious minorities in
Turkey, including the returning of the church properties. This issue
is in direct connection with the international pressure. It is known
that one of the preconditions for Turkey’s entry in the EU was
improvement of the situation connected with the religious minorities,
which includes recovery of the confiscated ecclesiastic property. The
U.S. also, on the political ground, i.e. exerting pressure on Turkey
on certain issues, from time to time raises the problem of the
protection of the rights of the Christians, including returning of the
confiscated church properties. In this aspect the Resolution 306
passed on June 15, 2011 by the House of Representatives of the U.S.

Congress is remarkable; it urged Turkey “to return to their rightful
owners all Christian churches and other places of worship,
monasteries, schools, hospitals, monuments, relics, holy sites, and
other religious properties, including movable properties, such as
artwork, manuscripts, vestments, vessels, and other artifacts”1.

Yielding to international pressure in August 2011 Turkish authorities
passed the law on returning confiscated church properties which found
a broad response in press. It has been a long time since that law was
passed but there has been no considerable progress in the issue of
returning confiscated properties of the religious minorities in
Turkey. This period is enough to analyze the problems connected with
returning of the confiscated properties as well as further actions.

Obstacles connected with returning of the confiscated properties

Despite passing the law, there are some obstacles on practice, which
essentially complicate returning of the confiscated church properties.

These obstacles can be divided into two groups – legal and political.

In the legal aspect there are following main obstacles to returning of
the church properties:

1. Time constraints. The law warrants returning of the church property
confiscated only after 1936; meanwhile confiscations of the church
property did not take place only after 1936. Moreover, confiscation of
the property mostly took place in the prior period – in the years of
pogroms and Genocide. Over that period Armenians (Apostolic, Catholic
and Protestant), Pontic Greeks, Assyrians, etc. lost most of their
church properties. After 1936 the state confiscated only the property
they obtained after that date. It means that even in case if the law
is fully enforced the religious minorities will have a possibility to
return only a small part of the properties they lost.

2. The issue of legal status of the churches. Today only the Armenian
Apostolic, Greek Orthodox Churches and Jews have legal status in
Turkey. And de-facto existing Christian communities, such as Roman
Catholic Church, Armenian Catholic Church, Protestant churches,
including Armenian Evangelical Church, Christian Arabs, Assyrians, are
not officially recognized by the state. Though the latter accepts the
fact of their existence, it refuses to give them legal status. Even
Roman Catholic Church, despite the efforts of Vatican (the diplomatic
relations between Vatican and Turkey were established more than half a
century ago)2, could not acquire legal status in Turkey.

The absence of legal registration considerably restricts capabilities
of the unrecognized communities in this case particularly in the
aspect of returning their confiscated properties.

In the respect of the Armenian community it means that among the
Armenian Apostolic, Catholic and Evangelical churches only the first
one can put forward such a claim to the state.

3. Time limitation. The law fixes one-year time limit for the
religious minorities to put forward a claim for returning the
properties they owned3.Taking into consideration the fact that
drafting of the claim is rather complicated and long process, which is
connected with the acquisition and clarifying of different documents,
it is clear that the time limitation is not enough for the appropriate
drafting of the claims and returning of the church properties.

4. The fact that the properties were sold. The Turkish government sold
a part of the confiscated properties to the individuals. In respect of
the sold properties the law warrants compensation to the religious
minorities4. However, it is yet difficult to say how adequate the
compensation will be and whether it will allow causing the loss.

Among the political obstacles two stand out:

1. Bureaucratic acrimony. Often the religious minorities face serious
bureaucratic problems5 while reclaiming their property, and this
essentially constraints the application of the law,

2. Political speculations. The Turkish party conditions fulfillment of
its liabilities before the Christian minorities by the solution of the
problems of the Muslim minorities in appropriate countries and this
additionally complicates this rather difficult process. For example,
the Minister for EU Affairs of Turkey E. Bagis connected reopening of
the Greek theological school at the Heybeli Island near Istanbul with
the efforts of the Greek government directed to the improvement of the
conditions of the Muslim minorities in Greece6.

The aforementioned legal and political obstacles reveal the formal
essence of the law passed by the Turkish authorities. The latter
rather carries out the policy of creating an image of democratic
country for international community than reclaiming usurped rights of
the religious minorities.

This is the reason why the religious minorities in Turkey managed to
acquire insignificant progress in reclaiming the church properties.

The Turkish government returned only some property to the Armenian and
Greek Patriarchates in Istanbul7. However this is not a solution of
the problem because “There are thousand of confiscated churches and
estates belonging to the community all over the territory of Turkey
which must be returned to their rightful owners”8.

Prospects of cooperation between the churches

Despite some difficulties connected with the enforcement of the law,
it, nevertheless, opens good prospects for the Armenian Apostolic,
Catholic and Evangelical Churches in the aspect of returning their
confiscated properties. The Catholicosate of the Great House of
Cilicia has already started exerting efforts to return their
confiscated properties.

In order to obtain some success in this issue there must be
cooperation between the churches which can proceed on two levels –
“intra-national” and “international”.

â~@¢ Intra-national cooperation supposes inter-confessional cooperation
between Armenian Apostolic. Catholic and Evangelical Churches and this
necessity seems to be acknowledged by them. Due to the fact that this
problem also has legal and political implication it seems reasonable
to involve in this process traditional Armenian parties working in the
Diaspora. In this context the statement of the Catholicosis of the
Great House of Cilicia Aram I9 is remarkable: “The Catholicosate of
the Great House of Cilicia in cooperation with the Armenian Catholic
and Protestant churches and our parties will draft a working programme
in the near future”10.

â~@¢ International cooperation implies cooperation with other Christian
churches in Turkey – Greek Orthodox Church, Christian Arabs,
Assyrians, Roman Catholic Church, Protestant Churches.

Intra-national and international cooperation between the churches
directed to the returning of the church properties can manifest itself
in the following issues:

â~@¢ Struggle for prolonging a time limitation- Christian churches can
jointly struggle for the extension of twelve-month deadline provided
by the law.

â~@¢ Drafting and submitting of the claims – Even if it is impossible to
draft and submit claims jointly, the Christian communities can at
least exert joint efforts by helping each other to draft claims of
each community.

â~@¢ Legal and information assistance – Without having a complete idea
about the complicated legal system of Turkey, separate communities
cannot adequately protect their rights. Besides, the issue of the
church property is connected with large amount of information which
probably may not be possessed by separate communities too, even in
connection with the issues referring particularly to them.

Correspondingly legal and information mutual help (legal
consultations, information sharing, etc.) also plays an important role
for protecting their rights more efficiently.

â~@¢ Calculations – The issue of returning of the church properties is
also connected with numerous and various (sometimes even difficult)
calculations. In this issue some churches can also provide mutual aid.

We believe that for exerting joint efforts directed to the reclaiming
church property as well as making those efforts more efficient, it is
necessary to establish joint church working group dealing with the
aforementioned issues.

1 H. Res. Resolution 306 Urging the Republic of Turkey to Safeguard
its Christian Heritage and to Return Confiscated Church Properties,
June 15, 2011.

2 The diplomatic relations between Turkey and Vatican were established
in 1960 Õ~NÕ”Õ¬Õ°Õ¥Õ¬Õ´ Ô²Õ¡Õ¸O~BÕ´, Ô¹Õ¸O~BO~@O~DÕ”Õ¡Õ¶ O~G Õ¶O~@Õ¡ O~DO~@Õ”Õ½Õ¿Õ¸Õ¶ÕµÕ¡ O~CÕ¸O~DO~@Õ¡Õ´Õ¡Õ½Õ¶Õ¸O~BÕ©ÕµÕ¸O~BÕ¶Õ¶Õ¥O~@Õ¨,
Yerevan, Publishing House of the Yerevan State University, 2010., p.

163)

3 Ð’ ТÑ~CÑ~@Ñ~Fии Ñ~@еаДизаÑ~Fии закона о возвÑ~@аÑ~Iении немÑ~CÑ~AÑ~CДÑ~LманÑ~Aким Ñ~@еДигиознÑ~Kм
обÑ~Iинам конÑ~DиÑ~Aкованного имÑ~CÑ~IеÑ~AÑ~Bва меÑ~HаÑ~NÑ~B бÑ~NÑ~@окÑ~@аÑ~BиÑ~GеÑ~Aкие пÑ~@епонÑ~K,

4 IbidO~I ВоДгаÑ~@Ñ~Aкой Ñ~FеÑ~@ковной обÑ~Iине в СÑ~BамбÑ~CДе бÑ~CдÑ~CÑ~B возвÑ~@аÑ~IенÑ~K Ñ~@анее
конÑ~DиÑ~AкованнÑ~Kе обÑ~JекÑ~BÑ~K недвижимого имÑ~CÑ~IеÑ~AÑ~Bва,
; ТÑ~CÑ~@Ñ~FиÑ~O веÑ~@неÑ~B Ñ…Ñ~@иÑ~AÑ~Bианам и
иÑ~CдеÑ~Oм конÑ~DиÑ~AкованнÑ~CÑ~N Ñ~AобÑ~AÑ~BвенноÑ~AÑ~BÑ~L,

5 See: Ð’ ТÑ~CÑ~@Ñ~Fии Ñ~@еаДизаÑ~Fии закона о возвÑ~@аÑ~Iении немÑ~CÑ~AÑ~CДÑ~LманÑ~Aким
Ñ~@еДигиознÑ~Kм обÑ~Iинам конÑ~DиÑ~Aкованного имÑ~CÑ~IеÑ~AÑ~Bва меÑ~HаÑ~NÑ~B бÑ~NÑ~@окÑ~@аÑ~BиÑ~GеÑ~Aкие
пÑ~@епонÑ~K,

6 Ð~^Ñ~BкÑ~@Ñ~KÑ~Bие ХаДкинÑ~Aкой богоÑ~AДовÑ~Aкой Ñ~HкоДÑ~K завиÑ~AиÑ~B оÑ~B вÑ~AÑ~BÑ~@еÑ~GнÑ~KÑ… Ñ~Hагов Ñ~Aо
Ñ~AÑ~BоÑ~@онÑ~K ДÑ~@еÑ~Fии, заÑ~OвиД Ñ~BÑ~CÑ~@еÑ~Fкий миниÑ~AÑ~BÑ~@,

7 See, e.g., ibidO~I ТÑ~CÑ~@еÑ~Fкие вДаÑ~AÑ~Bи наÑ~GинаÑ~NÑ~B возвÑ~@аÑ~IаÑ~BÑ~L конÑ~DиÑ~AкованнÑ~CÑ~N
недвижимоÑ~AÑ~BÑ~L Ð~ZонÑ~AÑ~BанÑ~BинопоДÑ~LÑ~Aкого Ð~_аÑ~BÑ~@иаÑ~@хаÑ~Bа,
; ТÑ~CÑ~@еÑ~Fкие вДаÑ~AÑ~Bи веÑ~@нÑ~CДи
Ð~ZонÑ~AÑ~BанÑ~BинопоДÑ~LÑ~Aкой Ð~_аÑ~BÑ~@иаÑ~@хии здание Ñ~HкоДÑ~K в ДаДаÑ~Bе,

8 Õ~@Õ¡O~@Õ¸O~BÕ© Õ~MÕ¡Õ½Õ¸O~BÕ¶ÕµÕ¡Õ¶, Ô”Õ¶Õ¹ÕºÕ¥Õ~^Õ½ ÕºÕ¥Õ¿O~D Õ§ Õ~MO~CÕµÕ¸O~BÕ¼O~DÕ¶ Õ¡O~@Õ±Õ¡Õ£Õ¡Õ¶O~DÕ” Ô¹Õ¸O~BO~@O~DÕ”Õ¡ÕµÕ”
Õ´Õ¥O~@Õ±Õ¥O~AÕ´Õ¡Õ¶ Õ¶Õ¡Õ­Õ¡Õ±Õ¥Õ¼Õ¶Õ¸O~BÕ©ÕµÕ¸O~BÕ¶Õ¶Õ¥O~@Õ”Õ¶,

9 2012Õ©. O~CÕ¥Õ¿O~@Õ¾Õ¡O~@Õ” 23-26-Õ¨ Ô±Õ¶Õ©Õ”Õ¬Õ”Õ¡Õ½Õ¸O~BÕ´ ”Õ~@Õ¡ÕµÕ¯Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¶ O~AÕ¥Õ²Õ¡Õ½ÕºÕ¡Õ¶Õ¸O~BÕ©ÕµÕ¸O~BÕ¶Õ¨Õ~]
ճանաչոO~BմՔO~A հատոO~BO~AոO~Bմ” խոO~@ագO~@ով մՔՔազգայՔն գՔտաժողովՔ O~Cակման խոսO~DոO~BմO~I
Concluding address at the international conference on “The Armenian
Genocide – from Recognition to Reparation” held on February 23-26,
2012.

10 Õ~@Õ¡Õ½Õ¯, 2012, O~CÕ¥Õ¿O~@Õ¸O~BÕ¡O~@, Õ©Õ”O~B 2, Õ§Õ” 116O~I

“Globus” analytical journal, #1, 2013

Another materials of author
THE ARMENIAN EVANGELICAL COMMUNITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST[24.10.2012]
THE ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IN GREECE AT THIS STAGE[04.06.2012]
ARMENIAN EVANGELICAL COMMUNITY IN URUGUAY [06.02.2012]
CURRENT CONDITION OF THE ARMENIAN EVANGELICAL COMMUNITY IN RUSSIA[09.01.2012]
ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IN BULGARIA[07.11.2011]
ARMENIAN EVANGELICAL COMMUNITY IN EGYPT[20.01.2011]
ARMENIAN PROTESTANT COMMUNITY IN IRAN[22.10.2010]
ARMENIAN EVANGELICAL COMMUNITY IN SYRIA[24.09.2010]
ARMENIAN EVANGELICAL COMMUNITY IN BULGARIA [26.07.2010]
PROTESTANT ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IN TURKEY[17.06.2010]

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT VICE CHAIRMAN SALUTES ATONEMENT BY TURKISH POLITICAL CIRCLES

NEWS.AM
February 08, 2013 | 11:57

YEREVAN. – Commenting on the recent statement by chairman Ahmet Turk of
Turkey’s former pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), in which
he apologized to the Armenian people in connection with the Kurdish
involvement in the Armenian Genocide, Armenian National Assembly
Deputy Speaker, ruling Republican Party Spokesperson Eduard Sharmazanov
saluted such more-frequent atonement by the Turkish political circles.

“I highly appreciate Turk’s call to [Turkey’s] PM [Recep Tayyip]
Erdogan to stop denying the crime of the Young Turks, to accept the
fact, and to apologize to the Armenians.

I believe this statement by the Kurdish politician [in Turkey]
should serve an example for the present-day leadership of Turkey,
toward reconciling with the painful chapters of their history, [and]
apologizing to Armenians and other people that have become victims
of genocide,” Sharmazanov said.

ARMENIA AND KAZAKHSTAN TO STRENGTHEN INTERPARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION

11:30, 8 February, 2013

YEREVAN, 8 FEBRUARY, ARMENPRESS: The Special and Authorized Ambassador
of Armenia to Kazakhstan Vasily Kazaryan met with the Chairman of the
House Nurlan Nigmatulin in the Lower House of Parliament, Majilis. As
reports Armenpress, referring to Kazakh media, the parties noted that
the issues of interparliamentary cooperation between the two countries,
which were the themes of separate discussion, are an important part of
partnership. The parties discussed the ways to expand the relations
between the highest legislative bodies of Kazakhstan and Armenia,
noting the sharing of experiences in different directions to be the
key aspects of cooperation. It means the establishment of contacts
between the parliamentary parties and committees. They expressed
confidence that this will provide strengthening of the partnership
between the two countries.

According to partners, the cooperation in all sectors, and partnership
as part of such international and regional organizations as CIS,
CSTO, and UNO are of a great importance for both countries.

Nurlan Nigmatulin and Vasily Kazaryan expressed the confidence in
further consolidation of the relations between Kazakhstan and Armenia,
including ones between the parliamentarians of the two countries.

CEC URGES GHUKASIAN TO END HUNGER STRIKE

Friday,
February 08

The Central Election Commission of Armenia expressed its concern over
the prolonged hunger strike of the presidential candidate Andrias
Ghukasian, taking also into account the mass media reports about the
deterioration of Mr. Ghukasian’s health, Aysor.am was informed by
the CEC.

“Being concerned about the presidential candidate Andrias Ghukasian’s
health, we urge him to stop his hunger strike and take steps to avoid
health complications”, the press release says.

At the same time CEC urged the Health Ministry to immediately examine
the presidential candidate and express an expert opinion.

TODAY, 11:45

Aysor.am

ARNO BABAJANIAN’S MUSIC TO BE PERFORMED AT ALMA

February 8, 2013 – 10:29 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Armenian Library and Museum of America (ALMA)
will host Sunday, Feb 10, a concert by students of the renowned Walnut
Hill School for the Arts.

This collaboration between ALMA and the School includes the performance
of a very special piece of Armenian music, Arno Babajanian’s Piano
Trio (written in 1952) which combines traditional Armenian melodies
with richly Romantic textures, and serves as a musical testament to
the feelings of nationalist identity of the Armenian people under
Soviet domination, ALMA says in a press release.

The chamber groups will also present Erwin Schulhoff’s Concertino
for flute, viola and double bass, and Beethoven’s Trio for clarinet,
cello and piano.