Author: Badalian Vardan

ARMENIA TO FORMALLY ASSUME BOLOGNA PROCESS SECRETARIAT

news.am
June 27, 2012 | 14:55

YEREVAN. – The ceremony for Armenia’s official taking on of the Bologna
Process Follow-up Group Secretariat will be held in the capital city
Yerevan on Thursday.

During the event, welcoming remarks will be delivered by Karine
Harutyunyan, Armenia’s Deputy Minister of Education and Science;
Traian Hristea, the EU Mission Chief to Armenia; and Silvia-Maria Zehe,
Head of Council of Europe Armenia Office.

The event will bring together the Group’s co-chairs: representatives
from Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Romania, which will transfer
the Secretariat to Armenia.

NRNADZOR ROAD IS BEING REPAIRED BY STATE BUDGET

ARMENPRESS
27 June, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 25, ARMENPRESS: The road connecting Meghry’s Nrnadzor
village to the outside world is being rehabilitated by state budget.

The works are being carried out by “Meghry Road Construction
Enterprise” LTD. The company has undertaken to conduct the scheduled
works by 160 million AMD instead of stipulated 180 million AMD.

About 80 % of the work is already completed; ground works are about to
reach the end, reportedly sheltering works will follow it then. The
company director Azat Gasparyan informed Armenpress that instead
of the old village roads the habitants will have renovated two-way
traffic road, besides the road slopes will get relatively mild.

The works started at the beginning of April are set to end in August.

During summer time the company is engaged inYerevan-Meghry interstate
highway works as well.

ISTANBUL : RESTAURER LES BATIMENTS ARENIENS

Publié le : 27-06-2012

Info Collectif VAN – – ” Le bâtiment qui doit
être transformé en hôtel date du début des années 1900, a dit
Sanli, ajoutant que c’était une école jusqu’en 1983, mais qu’elle
avait dÔ fermer, car qu’il n’y avait plus d’étudiants. Ce bâtiment,
situé sur la péninsule historique d’Istanbul, a ensuite été une
usine de chaussures pendant des années. Les revenus générés par
l’hôtel seront transférés aux établissements arméniens d’Istanbul
et seront utilisés pour aider les gens dans le besoin. ” Le Collectif
VAN vous livre la traduction d’un article en anglais paru sur le site
turc Hurriyet Daily News le 25 juin 2012.

Légende photo : le bâtiment historique qui doit devenir un hôtel
date des années 1900. Il est situé dans le quartier GedikpaÅ~_a
Fatih a Istanbul. DAILY NEWS photo, Emrah GUREL

Une école arménienne va être transformée en hôtel

ISTANBUL – Hurriyet Daily News

Vercihan Ziflioglu [email protected]

Une école arménienne historique, l’école Mesrobian située dans
le quartier Gedikpasa d’Istanbul, va être transformée en hôtel.

La Fondation Surp Hovhannes GedikpaÅ~_a de l’Ã~Iglise arménienne,
est dirigée par Harutyun Å~^anlı, qui est également le
secrétaire général de la Plateforme de solidarité des fondations
arméniennes. Il a parlé au journal Hurriyet Daily News et déclaré
que la raison principale derrière cette décision prise avec
courage, est la politique modérée que le gouvernement a adoptée
ces dernières années.

” Avant 2008, nous ne pouvions pas même planter un clou dans
les propriétés que nous possédions, mais depuis 2008, tout a
changé. Avec la nouvelle Loi sur les Fondations, adoptée l’année
dernière, nous pouvons réclamer nos propriétés et nous les faire
restituer ”, a-t-il dit.

Un bâtiment historique

Le bâtiment qui doit être transformé en hôtel date du début
des années 1900, a dit Sanli, ajoutant que c’était une école
jusqu’en 1983, mais qu’elle avait dÔ fermer, car qu’il n’y avait
plus d’étudiants.

Ce bâtiment, situé sur la péninsule historique d’Istanbul, a
ensuite été une usine de chaussures pendant des années.

Les revenus générés par l’hôtel seront transférés aux
établissements arméniens d’Istanbul et seront utilisés pour aider
les gens dans le besoin.

Å~^anlı a dit qu’il pensait que l’hôtel serait très demandé
puisqu’il est proche de la péninsule historique.

” J’espère que l’administration prendra rapidement une décision
pour l’hôtel Tokatlian a Beyoglu, afin que cet hôtel redevienne le
célèbre l’hôtel qu’il était, car il est actuellement en ruine. ”

Si le Tokatlian est rénové comme celui de Gedikpasa, la communauté
arménienne n’aura plus de problèmes financiers, a déclaré Sanli.

” Nous avons des difficultés pour lever des fonds pour nos églises,
nos écoles et les familles dans le besoin. Nous essayons de joindre
les deux bouts avec des donations et des fonds collectés lors de
certains événements ”, a-t-il dit.

L’hôtel Tokatlian

L’hôtel Tokatlian, situé dans la rue Ä°stiklal a Beyoglu, a accueilli
plusieurs dirigeants a l’époque et en particulier Ataturk, ainsi
que les élites mondiales.

L’administration de la Fondation Tokatlian, qui est la fondation la
plus riche de la communauté arménienne, n’a pas changé depuis
30 ans et a rejeté tous les projets soumis. Par conséquent, la
communauté a poursuivi en justice l’administration de la fondation.

Considéré par les historiens comme une réalisation architecturale
importante, le Tokatlian-Péra est l’un des meilleurs exemples de
l’architecture fin de siècle en Turquie.

L’hôtel appartient a la Fondation Uc Horan de l’Ã~Iglise arménienne,
l’une des plus riches fondations de la communauté arménienne
en Turquie.

L’administration de la fondation, qui n’a pas changé depuis 30 ans,
a choisi de ne pas adopter une seule des nombreuses propositions de
rénovation qui lui ont été soumises au fil des années.

25 juin 2012

©Traduction de l’anglais C.Gardon pour le Collectif VAN – 27 juin
2012 – 07 :00 –

Lire aussi :

Istanbul : l’hôtel Tokatlian en ruine

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : Hurriyet Daily News

AFFAIRE HRANT DINK – FETHIYE CETIN ECRIT AU CONSEIL DE L’EUROPE
Stephane

armenews.com
mercredi 27 juin 2012

Fethiye Cetin avocate da la famille Dinnk a envoye une lettre
au Conseil de l’Europe, soutenant que le gouvernement Turc avait
echoue a executer la moindre mesure serieuse, concrete ou franche
pour executer le verdict publie par la Cour Europeenne des Droits
de l’Homme et qu’il avait recompense les parties responsables en les
promouvant plutôt que d’essayer de les traduire devant la justice.

Le gouvernement turc avait revu son plan d’action datant du 27 juin
2011 de nouveau le 19 octobre 2011 en raison du verdict de la Cour
europeenne le 14 decembre 2010.

” [Le contenu] ecrit du plan d’action du gouvernement indique
clairement qu'[il) n’a pris aucune mesure serieuse pour executer le
verdict. Le gouvernement n’a rien essaye de positif depuis le dernier
plan d’action ” a dit Fethiye Cetin.

” Le plan [d’action] precise en detail les mesures pretendument
prises, les procès en cours et les enquetes non encore complètes, mais
[il] n’a divulgue aucune information concrète quant a l’execution
du verdict de [la Cour europeenne] sur Dink ou un nouveau procès ”
a ajoute Fethiye Cetin dans sa lettre.

CONSEQUENCES OF AZERBAIJAN’S ‘CAVIAR DIPLOMACY’ AT PACE

tert.am
25.06.12

Naira Zohrabyan, a member of the Armenian delegation to the CE
Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) informed Tert.am of the report Caviar
Diplomacy – How Azerbaijan silenced the Council of Europe by the
European Stability Initiative (ESI).

The report contains the names and photos of the PACE members bribed
by Azerbaijan and lobbying for its interests.

“The report indicates that the persons in question got about 0.6kg
of caviar each, in addition to the money they may have got from
Azerbaijan’s authorities. Twenty MPs are named, including Mike Hancock,
who is known for his anti-Armenian positions,” Zohrabyan said.

Specifically, with respect to the manifestation of this “caviar
policy,” its financial aspects and scale, the ESI, referring to its
source in Strasbourg, writes: “One kilogram of caviar is worth between
1,300 and 1,400 euro. Each of our friends in PACE receives at every
session, four times a year, at least 0.4 to 0.6 kg. Our key friends
in PACE, who get this, are around 10 to 12 people. There are another
3 to 4 people in the secretariat.”

The source also notes that for some of these “friends” the caviar is
just the beginning.

“Caviar, at least, is given at every session. But during visits to
Baku many other things are given as well. Many deputies are regularly
invited to Azerbaijan and generously paid. In a normal year, at least
30 to 40 would be invited, some of them repeatedly. People are invited
to conferences, events, sometimes for summer vacations. These are
real vacations and there are many expensive gifts. Gifts are mostly
expensive silk carpets, gold and silver items, drinks, caviar and
money. In Baku, a common gift is 2 kg of caviar.”

On behalf of the Armenian delegation, Mrs Zohrabyan stressed that
not only the Armenian delegation, but also European organizations are
concerned over the fact that international institutions are turning
into ones with high corruption risks.

Strasbourg-based sources report that the Azeri delegation spares no
efforts to prevent the report from being discussed by any political
group.

DOLLAR STILL LOSES VALUE IN ARMENIA

news.am
June 26, 2012 | 17:06

YEREVAN. – This is the second consecutive day that the US dollar’s
exchange rate against the Armenian Dram (AMD) fell in Armenia’s
financial market.

Its average exchange rate comprised AMD 417.25/$1, at NASDAQ OMX
Armenia stock exchange on Tuesday, and this is a 0.17-percent-or a
0.71-point-drop from the previous trading session on Monday.

The total sales were $3 million.

The US currency is bought and sold at the AMD 416-418/$1 range in
Armenia’s cash foreign currency market.

And the Central Bank’s official exchange rate is set at AMD 418.02/$1.

AZERBAIJAN’S STANCE HINDERS SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT – PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA

Interfax
June 26 2012
Russia

Armenia favors a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said.

“Today’s situation is a challenge to both regional and European
security. We don’t see an alternative to peaceful settlement of this
conflict,” Sargsyan told a press conference he gave together with
his Austrian counterpart Heinz Fischer, who is now in Yerevan.

Sargsyan said Azerbaijan’s policies and “militant statements and
ungrounded self-reliance” create tensions in the relations between
the two countries.

He recalled that the heads of the countries co-chairing the OBSCE
Minsk Group have recently called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to
observe the truce regime, saying that the conflict has to be settled
on the basis of the three principles of the Helsinki Final Act:
territorial integrity, non-use of force, and the rights of nations
to self-determination.

“Azerbaijan accepts only one of those principles, territorial
integrity. The problem will be resolved when all principles are
accepted. We are prepared to move on on the basis of these principles.

A prompt solution to this problem is in the interests of the people
of Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia,” Sargsyan said.

The Austrian president, in turn, said the Karabakh conflict should
be resolved without the use of force and called for the withdrawal
of snipers from the front positions of the conflicting parties.

THIS TIME TURKEY’S AND AZERBAIJAN’S EXPECTATIONS CONNECTED WITH ARMENIA DIDN’T COME TRUE

18:15 . 27/06

The dinner in Dolmabahche Palace in the evening of June 26 with the
participation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation member countries
was symbolic in terms of representation and proved not everything is
smooth in the palace. The Dolmabahche Palace was created by Istanbul
based Armenian architect Palyan.

Armenian high-rank official- Deputy FM Ashot Hovakimyan sat with the
presidents of the other countries, beside Davutoglu.

>From the start, Turkey planned to use the summit devoted to BSEC’s
20th anniversary for concealing the tense situation recorded in the
Armenian-Turkish relations and to present itself with a peaceful
disposition to the international community. Armenia, one of the
founders of BSEC, this time was represented at the summit only at
the level of the deputy foreign minister.

>From the very start, first with the information outflow, then also
officially the Turkish side attempted to convey special importance to
the invitation sent to the Armenian president. But Yerevan’s refusal in
connection with the participation in the summit mixed Ankara’s cards
a little. Though even in this case Turkey didn’t miss the opportunity
to specially highlight the Armenian-Turkish relations.

“Armenia’s membership to the organisation of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation is a result of Turkey’s positive disposition. And many
problems of the region must be settled in the same spirit. I attach
great importance to Armenia’s participation in this summit, as it is
necessary to hear their opinion,” Turkish President Abdullah Gul said.

Within the frames of the conference Gul also had meetings with
different presidents including Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili
and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The latter’s visit to Istanbul
was full of surprises.

Till the last moment it was announced that FM Mammadyarov was going
to participate in the summit. But a little while before the summit
the airplane of the Azerbaijani President landed at Ataturk Airport
in Istanbul. He used this stage to speak out about Nagorno -Karabakh
once again defining the issue as a main obstacle for the regional
cooperation.

To note, the Turkish and Azerbaijani delegations made attempts
to include a clause almost with a similar content in the final
document, but in vain. The main agenda of Aliyev’s visit to
Istanbul became signing an economic agreement. Aliyev and Erdogan
signed the inter-governmental agreement on the implementation of the
Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline (TANAP) project. In December, 2011 these
two countries signed a memorandum of mutual understanding to establish
a consortium for the pipeline construction. In the initial stage,
the pipeline will pipe 16 billion cubic metres of gas a year, 6bln
cubic meters of which is foreseen for Turkey and the rest for Europe.

Many experts think by signing this agreement NABUKKO project was
“buried”. Perhaps it was only Azerbaijan and Turkey that didn’t leave
the summit of the BSEC empty-handed.

To note, Turkey will assume the chairmanship of the structure from
July 1.

BAKU’S IMAGINATION RUNS WILD WITH REASONS BEHIND AZERI SOLDIER’S DEATH

PanARMENIAN.Net
June 27, 2012 – 18:10 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Azerbaijani defense officials are rivaling in
concocting reasons to justify their soldiers’ deaths. Azeri servicemen
“commit mass suicide, get blown up by mine, drown in Kur River and
die in accidents.” The concrete slab which “collapsed, killing two
and injuring one soldier” is beyond the competition.

However, this time Baku resolved to think of a new reason, tired of
the previous ones.

“Azerbaijani servicemen suffered non-combat losses. Aliyev Ehtiram
Seyfaddin, 1968, died of heart and lung failure at hospital,” Azeri
media outlets report.

Azerbaijan’s logic is quite conceivable, given official Baku’s
impossibility to let the public learn that “soldiers of the most
combat-ready army” in the region die in attacks and provocations
against Armenia and Artsakh. Hence, necessity arises for concocting
different reasons due to Azeri continuous attacks.

However, trying to retain its army’s image, Azerbaijan fails to
consider the following: sooner or later, the society, which is
constantly brainwashed, may wonder why so many accidents are reported
in Azeri army.

ARMENTEL SUPPORTS ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM “LET’S RELIEVE THE ENVIRONMENT OF POLYETHYLENE BAGS”

arminfo
Wednesday, June 27, 18:45

ArmenTel CJSC (Beeline trademark) and Children of Armenia Fund
announce the launch of the program “Let’s relieve the environment
of polyethylene bags” aimed at protection of the environment and
development of entrepreneurship in rural communities.

The program envisages production of fizz bags, the use of which will
allow reducing the use of polyethylene bags, which inflict a big
damage to the environment, because they do not mold within hundreds
of years and contaminate the land and the water. Their use is serious
problem for nature. The first phase of the program will be implemented
in Karakert community, where 7 jobless women will be involved in the
process of production of 1300-1500 fizz bags.

“Within the frames of its social responsibility programs, ArmenTel
is striving to contribute to resolution of various problems in
Armenia’s regions and to provide real benefit to both people and the
environment. The given program contributes to resolving of not only
environmental, but also social problems, as it is aimed at developing
entrepreneurship in rural communities and creating new workplaces”,
said Igor Klimko, Director General of ArmenTel CJSC.

“This program is of great importance to us. Firstly, it is
environmental importance, as we consider it in the context of the
movement against the use of polyethylene bags. Secondly, the program
will allow providing dozens of rural residents with jobs”, said Serob
Khachatryan, Executive Director of the Children of Armenia Fund. To
note, in early 2012 ArmenTel CJSC and the Children of Armenia Fund
signed a memorandum on long-term cooperation.

ArmenTel CJSC (Beeline brand) is the subsidiary of VimpelCom Group.

The VimpelCom Group consists of telecommunications operators
providing voice and data services through a range of wireless, fixed
and broadband technologies. The Group includes companies operating
in Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia and
Armeniaas well as Vietnam and Cambodia, in territories with a total
population of about 843 million. The Group companies provide services
under the “Beeline” brand. VimpelCom was the first Russian company to
list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). VimpelCom’s
ADSs are listed on the NYSE under the symbol “VIP”.