Author: Badalian Vardan

ARMENIA MIDFIELDER SAYS SORRY FOR HURLING BALL AT BALL-BOY

First Post

Sept 14 2012

Armenia midfielder Gevorg Gazaryan has apologised for his altercation
with a ballboy during this week’s 1-0 defeat by Bulgaria in a World
Cup Group B qualifier.

The 24-year-old Metalurg Donetsk player, who has scored eight goals
in 28 internationals, was sent off in the 77th minute for angrily
hurling the ball at the youth in Sofia on Tuesday.

“I want to apologise to FIFA for having violated the rules of fair
play,” Gazaryan wrote on his Facebook page.

“I would also like to apologise to the FFA (Armenian football
federation), all members of the national team, the fans and finally
the guy that I hit with the ball.

“I understand and accept my mistake,” added Gazaryan who won five
Armenian league titles with Pyunik Erevan between 2006-10.

The ballboy was also ordered off by fourth official Stephan Klossner
of Switzerland.

“The fourth official shouted in my face ‘You – out’ but it was
the coolest day of my life,” said Slavia Sofia junior team player
Bozhidar Atanasov.

SINGER BAYRAKDARIAN ILLUSTRATES HOW MUSIC TRANSCENDS LANGUAGE
By: Gwenda Nemerofsky

Winnipeg Free Press
Sept 14 2012
Canada

IF you ever doubted that music could transcend language, Wednesday
night’s Manitoba Chamber Orchestra (MCO) concert would have changed
your mind.

Guest artist, spectacular Armenian-Canadian soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian
sang in Greek and Armenian. Audience members were provided lyric sheets
with translations, but who wanted to read fussy bits of paper when
Bayrakdarian was onstage? This musical treasure told us everything we
needed to know with her limpid voice, impassioned facial expressions
and graceful gestures. No words necessary.

The concert was introduced by the always debonair CBC Radio 2
personality, Bill Richardson. Conductor Anne Manson was at the helm
for this 40th anniversary season opener.

Gourmet candy

Bayrakdarian began with Five Greek Songs by Maurice Ravel, arranged
by her husband Serouj Kradjian. It was evident from the singer’s
appearance that the couple is expecting an addition to their family
soon, but this did not affect her gorgeous voice. The song cycle
resembled a box of gourmet candy, each piece more deliciously tempting
than the last.

Song of the Bride was immediately lilting, full of colour and power.

Yonder, Near the Church had a somewhat melancholy tenor, rendered with
long seamless phrases that were satisfyingly assertive. Bayrakdarian
is so communicative, possessing a unique style that makes you feel
that she is singing right to you. The soulful Song of the Lentisk
Gatherers displayed her purity of tone, full of emotion and subtle
inflection. And All Merry! was a dance in song form, bursting with
playfulness.

The addition of the separate Ravel song, Tripatos was joyous fun,
Bayrakdarian almost laughing as she sang.

She also performed 18th-century Armenian composer Sayat-Nova’s Four
Songs, arranged by Kradjian. One couldn’t help but be struck by
the modern tunefulness of the poignant first song Kani Voor Janim,
Bayrakdarian’s voice carrying effortlessly through the hall. Versatile
concertmaster Karl Stobbe matched her emotion in his solo violin
passages in Blbooli Hit, which was steeped in sorrow, his sensitive
playing well-controlled. We felt we had travelled back in time to an
earlier Armenia. The spirited Kamancha was an ode to the Armenian bowed
instrument. Bayrakdarian’s weighty voice crafted this beautifully,
deftly shaping phrase endings, imbuing it with personality. You really
couldn’t ask for more.

The concert ended with Manson and the MCO whisking us off to Dvorak’s
Czech countryside in a rousing performance of his elegantly substantial
Serenade for Strings.

This is a work that shows the composer’s love of the instruments
— and he gives everyone a chance to shine. Overall, the musicians
made the most of the opportunity, sweeping us up in the introductory
melody with smooth bowing and effective nuance. The tempo di valse
was wonderfully textured, only marred by a few stray violins letting
their colleagues down with squeals and untidy notes. But the scherzo
brimmed with life, violins scampering brightly and the finale was
suitably upright and urgent. A nice start to the season.

TURKISH JOURNALIST AUTHORS BOOK ON ‘ARMENIAN GENOCIDE’

Ahram Online

Sept 14 2012
Egypt

Hasan Cemal, a columnist with the Milliyet daily, and the grandson
of WWI Ottoman Empire general Cemal Pasha, lays out the evolution of
his thinking on the issue in the book ‘1915: The Armenian Genocide’

A veteran Turkish journalist has characterised the World War I
massacre of Armenians in his country as genocide in a new book,
defying the government’s stance on the sensitive issue.

Hasan Cemal, a columnist with the Milliyet daily, and the grandson
of WWI Ottoman Empire general Cemal Pasha lays out the evolution of
his thinking on the issue in the book “1915: The Armenian Genocide”.

“The pain of 1915 is not an issue of the past, but of the present,”
he writes in the foreword. “We can only find peace and finally rest
by making our peace with history — but with the real history, not
an invented or altered one like ours — and ridding ourselves of the
virus of exploiting it.”

Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their forebears were killed in
a 1915-16 genocide by the Ottoman Empire. Turkey says 500,000 died
of fighting and starvation during WWI and categorically rejects the
term genocide.

The Turkish official view has been disputed in the country by some
academics and intellectuals since the late 1990s. Some historians in
2005 held a conference to debate the Armenian question.

“I know your pain of the genocide, I share it,” Cemal last year told
a Los Angeles conference attended by many members of the Armenian
diaspora.

AZERBAIJAN CLAIMS ‘ARMENIAN TERROR THREAT’ TO DIPLOMATS

Agence France Presse
September 13, 2012 Thursday 4:08 PM GMT

Azerbaijan alleged Thursday that a revived version of a long-dormant
Armenian “terrorist” group had vowed to kill its diplomats abroad
amid a new upsurge of tensions between the ex-Soviet foes.

The Azerbaijani foreign ministry said its embassies around the world
had received threatening letters from a group calling itself the New
Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia.

“This letter yet again points to the fact that the Armenian side as
always prefers the terrorist method of resolving issues,” foreign
ministry spokesman Elman Abdullayev told a news conference.

“They are openly threatening us with terrorism,” he said.

The militant group had staged attacks on Turkish targets in the 1970s
and 1980s with the aim of forcing Ankara to recognise the mass killings
of Armenians during World War I as genocide and ceding western regions
of Turkey to Yerevan.

Its most notorious strikes were a bombing of a Turkish Airlines
check-in desk at Paris’s Orly airport in 1983 that killed eight people
and a bomb-and-gun attack at Ankara’s Esenboga Airport in 1982 that
left nine dead.

In a statement on Tuesday, the apparently dormant group — which has
shown no sign of resuming militant activity — denied any intention
of threatening Azerbaijanis.

“As an organisation, the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of
Armenia has never engaged into any activity concerning the colonial
and expansionist policy of Azerbaijan, and consequently we deny such
misleading, fake news and declarations in our name,” the statement
said.

Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a bitter long-running conflict
over the disputed region of Nagorny Karabakh, where they fought a
war in the 1990s.

Tensions soared between the ex-Soviet foes when Azerbaijan pardoned
and promoted soldier Ramil Safarov after he was extradited last month
from Hungary where he had been serving a life sentence for hacking
an Armenian officer to death during a NATO training course in 2004.

Armenia-backed separatists seized Nagorny Karabakh from Azerbaijan
during the war that left some 30,000 people dead.

But despite years of negotiations since a 1994 ceasefire, the two
sides have not yet signed a final peace deal and there are frequent
gun battles along the frontline.

YEREVAN CONDEMNS HEROIZATION OF SAFAROV WHO KILLED ARMENIAN OFFICER MARGARIAN

Interfax
Sept 13 2012
Russia

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan thanked everyone condemning the
heroization of Azeri serviceman Ramil Safarov, the killer of Armenian
officer Gurgen Margarian, at a meeting with EU Special Representative
for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia Philippe Lefort,
the Armenian presidential press service said.

“Heroization of the killer by Azeri authorities deserves straight
condemnation, especially by European partners,” he said.

Sargsyan thanked countries and international organizations, among
them European, for their strong condemnation of Azeri authorities
for the release and heroization of Safarov.

In turn, Lefort said he would go to Baku to hear explanations of
Azeri authorities. He said the European Union condemned the step,
which undermined confidence between sides to the Karabakh conflict.

On August 31, Hungary extradited Safarov, who was sentenced to life
in jail without the right to pardon for 30 years for killing Armenian
officer Margarian in 2004.

Azeri President Ilham Aliyev pardoned Safarov on the day he was
extradited.

Safarov and Margarian were learning English under the NATO Partnership
for Peace Program in Budapest.

HOLLYWOOD COMMUNITY URGED TO VOTE IN NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL ELECTIONS ON SEPT. 16

ASBAREZ
Friday, September 14th, 2012

>From left to right: Tereza Yerimyan, Sam Kbushyan and Harout Harry
Semerdjian

HOLLYWOOD-With neighborhood council elections in the greater Hollywood
area fast approaching, the Armenian residents and stakeholders of
Hollywood are urged to learn more about the candidates and vote.

“Armenian Americans who are stakeholders should take this opportunity
to learn more about the candidates running to represent them.” said
Paul Seradarian, Chairman of the ANCA Hollywood. “By casting your vote
our community has a voice in selecting neighborhood council members
whose advisory role addresses important quality of life issues that
affect our lives.”

Stakeholders are individuals who live, work, go to school or use
other types of services in the communities represented by the council.

Stakeholders do not need to U.S. Citizens or registered voters. All
individuals will an invested interest in the area are encouraged to
get out and vote.

The East Hollywood Neighborhood Council is divided into 11 districts.

Four Armenian-Americans are running for different positions; Sam
Kbushyan and Shahan Suzmeyan are running for re-election. They are
joined by first time candidates Tereza Yerimyan and Harout Harry
Semerdjian. Only 1 candidate will be elected in each district in East
Hollywood. Hollywood area residents aged 16 and above can cast their
ballots on Sunday, September 16 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.at Immaculate
Heart of Mary, 1055 N. Alexandria Ave. on the corner of Santa Monica
and Alexandria.

The elections for Central Hollywood, Hollywood United and Hollywood
Studio District Neighborhood Councils will also take place on September
16. You can find out more about these candidates by visiting the
Empower LA website.

Next month, the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council will
be holding their elections. GGPNC is divided into 5 districts and
each district will elect 2 representatives. Longtime activist and
Armenian-American, Christina Amerian-Khanjian is running for district
B. Residents aged 13 and above, can cast their votes on Saturday,
October 6 the time and location will be determined later.

The Armenian National Committee of Hollywood advances the social,
economic, cultural, and political rights of the area’s Armenian
American community and promotes increased Armenian American civic
participation at the grassroots and public policy levels.

East Hollywood Neighborhood Council Elections

TEREZA YERIMYAN: DISTRICT 5 I have lived, worked, and volunteered in
Hollywood for over 20 years.

There is a great deal that this community can do to work together to
beautify the region and make it a more friendly environment for new
businesses. I’m determined to provide a better learning environment
for our youth and provide opportunities where they have access to
young professionals who can guide them to appropriate careers. My goal
is to apply my experience and education toward building coalitions,
empowering our youth, and lending an ear to all who have concerns
in Hollywood.

SAM KBUSHYAN: BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE I am seeking re-election to
continue work with East Hollywood business owners and further promote
the commercial interests of our East Hollywood Community. Additionally,
invite new organically homegrown business investments to improve
the economic conditions of our neighborhood. I strongly believe
that engaging business owners to work with the community can bring
improvements, beautification, and a sense of ownership to care for
the health of our neighborhood.

HAROUT HARRY SEMERDJIAN: AT-LARGE Raised in the ethnic neighborhoods
of L.A. since the age of 1, and after several years of academic
training and professional enrichment on the East Coast & Europe,
I recently returned to Hollywood with the intention of giving back
to my community. I hold B.A. & M.A. degrees from UCLA, a M.A. from
The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy (Tufts University), & I am
currently a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Oxford. My goal is
to make an intellectual & qualitative impact to EH & strengthen its
image as a national & international asset of culture & diversity. If
elected, I will be an available resource to our community & will focus
on education & community empowerment to help implement much-needed
changes in our neighborhood. I will bring to our community a wealth
of experience & knowledge with a truly global perspective.

ARMENIA’S NEWLY FORMED SECOND NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM TO FACE ABKHAZIA

news.am
September 14

DILIJAN. – Armenia’s second national football team, which is called
the National Team of Artsakh [Karabakh], is formed comprising players
from the clubs competing in Armenia’s championship, the official
website of Dilijan city’s F.C. Impulse informs.

The National Team of Artsakh will play friendly games against the
teams from the world’s unrecognized republics. Twenty-two footballers
have been invited to Armenia’s second national squad, and they played
a match during their camp at capital city Yerevan’s Avan Football
Academy.

On September 25, the National Team of Artsakh will play a friendly
away game against Abkhazia’s team, and the latter will arrive in
Yerevan a month later on a return visit.

RAMIL SAFAROV’S GLORIFICATION ‘MONSTROUS ACT’ – VLADIMIR ZHIRINOVSKY

14.09.12

“Turkey and suchlike have resorted to violence to settle their
problems for 100 years,” Vladimir Zhironovsky, Chairman of the Liberal
Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), stated at a rally in protest
at Hungary’s decision to transfer Azeri officer Ramil Safarov to
Azerbaijan, REGNUM reports.

Recalling the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey, he noted that
“Turkey took advantage of other nations’ concentration on World War
I to resolve its domestic problems.”

Under the circumstances, Armenians should “use their brains” and
defend themselves. Zhirinovsky is sure that, if needed, Russia
will certainly defend Armenia. Russia should beef up its military
presence in Armenia, supply weapons to Armenia’s army and improve
border defense for “Turks to retreat at the sight of troops.”

The LDPR leader urged Armenian oligarchs not to be “greedy” and provide
funds for strengthening Armenia’s army. “Armenian oligarchs, do not
be greedy! You must help Armenia have a modern army,” Zhirinovsky said.

He criticized Chairman of the Union of Armenians of Russia Ara
Abrahamyan for being absent from the rally. “Where is he? He must be
here. On a business trip? If so, he must only go to Armenia because
this is Armenian money.”

The LDPR leader expressed his support to the Armenian people and
indignation at glorification of Ramil Safarov in Baku. “That’s a
monstrous act. He was promoted and given the salary for the years he
spent in prison in Hungary. Who ever heard such a thing?”

The LDPR always did and will support Armenians. On the other hand,
it hopes for Armenians’ support.

The action was organized by the Armenian-Russian Union and sanctioned
by the Moscow Mayor’s Office.

THE EP RESOLUTION IS JUST THE BEGINNING
Karen Ghazaryan

“Radiolur”
14.09.2012 18:23

The European Parliament resolution on the extradition and release
of Azerbaijani murderer is the first crack in the concrete barrier,
representative of Orinats Yerkir Party, MP Hovhannes Margaryan told
reporters today.

According to his assessment, the resolution is not adequate, but it
provides an opportunity to reach the adoption of a proper resolution
through consistent work.

President of the National Self-Determination Union Paruyr Hayrikyan
said, in turn, that no politician from any European country has said
a single positive word about the deal. Therefore, according to him,
speaking about double standards in this case would not be fair.

Hayrikyan said the EP resolution is satisfactory to him.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS ON REPUBLIC SQUARE MAY TURN INTO HOTELS

news.am
September 14, 2012 | 18:23

YEREVAN. – Yerevan chief architect Narek Sargsyan does not mind
turning Armenian government buildings on the central Republic Square
into hotels, he told journalists on Friday.

It mainly refers to the buildings of the Ministry of Transportation
and Communication and the MFA.

At the same time, Sargsyan did not state that the city hall has
conducted any talks with possible investors. Anyway, if the private
sector will make an offer and there will be companies who want to
set up hotels, than 3 out of 5 buildings on the Yerevan Republic
Square (with the exception of the Picture Gallery and the Government
headquarters) will turn into hotels.

The chief architect did not clarify where the ministries will move.