Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

GAGIK MAKARYAN: AZERBAIJAN’S ECONOMY IS BASED ON ONE COMPONENT
Nvard Davtyan

“Radiolur”
03.02.2012 18:04

“War will destroy Azerbaijani economy, as it is based on one component
– oil industry,” Gagik Makaryan, President of the Republican Union
of Employers of Armenia said, presenting the report on the analysis
of the economies of the three South Caucasian countries – Armenia,
Georgia and Azerbaijan.

The Union has used the data of the statistical services of the three
countries, the World Bank, thee International Monetary Fund and has
combined them with independent analyses.

Azerbaijan’s economy is based on one component – oil industry.

According to the report, the volume of oil production in Azerbaijan
decreased with 11.6% in 2011, the downfall tends to continue this
year. Based on the results of the study, Gagik Makaryan concludes
that if no new mines are exploited, the volume of oil production
will decrease thrice by 2024. This will cause a serious damage to the
economy, Azerbaijan will make less bellicose statements, as a result,
Gagik Makaryan said.

According to the report, Armenia’s foreign debt is greater than that
of Azerbaijan and Georgia. Armenia falls behind as regards the level
of tax collection. Therefore, Armenia still has to implement a number
of reforms, he added.

According to Makaryan, it’s necessary to improve the business
atmosphere and pay attention to the labor market. Competitive labor
force can solve hard problems and boost production, and this is an
important condition for attracting investments. This is the effective
route of development of economy, President of the Republican Union
of Employers of Armenia said.

From: Baghdasarian

INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEDICATED TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN ANTELIAS

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 3, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 3, ARMENPRESS: February 23-25 in the Mother Cathedral
of Antelias, the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia will
hold an international assembly dedicated to the Armenian Genocide. The
assembly will be entitled “From Recognition to Compensation”.

Thirty internationally known specialists of international law and
genocide will participate in the assembly. The opening and closing
ceremonies will be headed by Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia
Aram I.

From: Baghdasarian

CNN TELLS ABOUT “LITTLE ARMENIA”

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 3, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 3, ARMENPRESS: Film director Nigol Bezjian was
born in Syria, raised in Lebanon and studied in the United States,
but nowhere does he feel more at home than in Little Armenia,
Armenpress reports.

Little Armenia is the vibrant Bourj Hammoud neighborhood of Beirut.

Bourj Hammoud was developed mainly in the 1930s by Armenian refugees
who arrived in Beirut after the Armenian Genocide in 1915 and the
collapse of the Ottoman Empire.

Bezjian, 77, director of the 1992 film “Chickpeas,” took CNN on a tour
of his favorite parts of Bourj Hammoud, taking in a family restaurant,
bookshop, church and art gallery, where he catches up with colleagues.

He said: “If you ask me what I am, I would tell you I’m Armenian.

“Bourj Hammoud has played a significant role especially after 1950s —
this is where the Armenian patriotism was born … Armenian literature
took root again.

“Armenian culture was reborn here in a way.”

As he walked down the bustling streets, Bezjian shook hands with
people he knew. “This is the thing I like, you run into people and
friends without planning,” he said.

In an Armenian bookstore, he said: “When I come here, I see lots of
acquaintances and friends from all different walks of life, I directly
connect to my people and I get lots of inspiration from them.”

In 2003, Bezjian made a documentary called “Muron,” named after
the consecrated mixture of oil, flowers, and scents used in various
rituals in the Armenian Church.

Visiting a church Bourj Hammoud, he said: “Muron is basically used
to consecrate icons and also for baptizing, and I wanted to see how
this was made.

“When they do a new one what remains from the oil is mixed in the new
one so in a way the Muron that is made today is directly connected to
what was made in year 301. This sense of continuity is very important.”

Bezjian said he is not religious, but loves the church for the silence
it provides from the noise of the streets outside.

“Church has always played a central role in preserving the Armenian
identity and culture,” he added.

Bezjian takes CNN to an Armenian radio station where the news is read
in Armenian and where he is a regular guest.

Ending his tour in a restaurant called Baroud run by a father and son,
Bezjian ponders the question of identity.

“In this part of the world people don’t talk about identity so much,
it’s a given. Identity is North American invention … who am I? You
are who you are.”

From: Baghdasarian

THE FIRST AND LAST RESIGNATION
HAKOB BADALYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 13:29:21 – 03/02/2012

In the history of independent Armenia, February 3 is the day of the
first and for the time being the last resignation of president. In the
evening of February 3, 1998 Levon Ter-Petrosyan made a speech on TV,
informing people that he stepped down at the demand of the forces
that are well-known to everyone.

There are different approaches and opinions on his resignation,
from extremely positive to extremely negative. A lot of people think
that Ter-Petrosyan~Rs resignation was a perfect expression of the
democracy and tolerance of the president, he did not hold on to power
desperately. Others think that if he was a really democratic president,
he should have left at the demand of the public in 1996, and not at the
demand of the notorious forces in 1998, and in 1998 he paid the price
for the falsifications and violence used to hold on to power in 1996.

Some people consider Ter-Petrosyan~Rs resignation as an ultimate
expression of responsibility, and others consider it as lack of
responsibility.

Ter-Petrosyan~Rs resignation is said to be related to the Karabakh
issue, while others think it was a mere reason for those forces known
to everyone to force him to resign.

Upon departure Ter-Petrosyan threatened that the party of peace leaves
and is substituted by the party of war. 14 years have passed since
his resignation but no war started, and the status quo was conserved,
a criminal and oligarchic system has been institutionalized in Armenia
the seeds of which were planted in the election stage of 1995-1996
when the so-called warlords and local strongmen took on key roles in
politics and gained wealth.

Moreover, this circumstance gave rise to a situation when the
application of the constitutional powers of the president would
incur instability.

It is strange that the application of the powers of the president might
destabilize the state, isn~Rt it? Hence, the state is build wrongly,
it is based on a mistake.

The establishment of constitutional order in Armenia is the primary
problem. Levon Ter-Petrosyan who resigned instead of using his
constitutional powers in 1998 is the leader of one of the forces
struggling for the establishment of constitutional order in Armenia,
demanding the resignation of a person who had demanded his resignation
in 1998 together with the ~Sforces known~T to everyone.

In the meantime, the resignation of 1998 was the first and the last
in the history of independent Armenia, perhaps because in Armenia
resignation is less and less viewed as an essential mechanism of
change of the situation because there is a precedent to indicate that
the situation does not improve.

Moreover, the precedent indicates that in the institutionalized
criminal and oligarchic militarized system the public should demand
that the presidents change the system rather than resign, though the
best way is that the society does it itself.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN DIASPORA PROMISES TO HELP LOCAL ACTIVISTS IN SAVING TEGHUT FOREST

epress.am
02.03.2012

The group fighting to save Teghut forest in Armenia’s north has
launched an awareness campaign outside of the country, said group
members Yeghia Nersisyan and Gor Hakobyan at a press conference in the
capital today. Group members were in Moscow recently, where they met
with members of the local Armenian community. According to Nersisyan,
Moscow Armenians were extremely concerned about the issue and expressed
willingness to help: they promised to organize protests outside VTB
Bank (which is funding mining operations in Teghut) and write letters
to Greenpeace.

Present at the Moscow meeting, continued Nersisyan, was a
representative from Vallex Group (of which Teghout CJSC, the mining
company, is a subsidiary) who tried to make a speech. According to
the activist, though the environmentalists allowed him to speak,
the youth at the meeting refused to speak to him.

“For the first time, the solution to an environmental problem goes
outside the country’s borders. We plan to leave and meet with members
of Armenian communities in Canada and the US. Recently, one of our
activists, Arpine Galfayan, met with members of the Armenian community
in Germany and raised the issue of the Qajaran mine,” she said.

Their movement, Nersisyan continued, has received offers of financial
assistance from various organizations, but the environmentalists have
refused such offers, because they believe the issue “doesn’t recognize
political parties or programs and has a pan-Armenian urgency.”

“Teghut means Armenia. They tell us we’re fighting to save a couple of
trees. This isn’t a fight over a few trees, but for Armenia. Kajaran
[where residents are being displaced from mining operations] is a
testament to the consequences of the mining industry,” she said.

Gor Hakobyan also addressed the oft-expressed idea of the need to
politicize the movement. “The group defending Teghut is a civic
initiative – we have no political motives. However, any civic
initiative is associated with politics, as well as with social and
legal platforms.”

Recall, publicist Ara Nedolyan, in an interview with filmmaker Davit
Stepanyan published by Epress.am on Thursday, addressed this matter
of politicizing environmental issues, saying that by choosing not
to politicize these problems, environmentalists are treating the
symptoms but not the disease itself, which can be treated only by
changing the system.

From: Baghdasarian

PRESS RELEASE
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
Governmental Buiding 3, Yerevan, RA
Contact: Hasmik Grigoryan
Tel:? +(3741) 56 01 06? ext. 105
Fax: +(3741) 52 15 05
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

Yerevan, February 3, 2012

Hayastan All-Armenian Fund launches renovation of Gyumri Children’s Home
orphanage

With contributions made by the German-Armenian community to Phoneathon 2011,
the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has launched an extensive renovation of the
Gyumri Children’s Home orphanage.

Built in 1924, the orphanage was used as a boarding kindergarten until 1972.
Two additional wings were constructed in 1946 and 1993, respectively. The
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund will refurbish the two older buildings, which
comprise a total area of 900 square meters. The project will include the
renovation of the bedrooms, gym, cafeteria, kitchen, and restrooms as well
as installation of air-conditioning and fire-protection systems.

Currently over 120 children with mental or physical disorders live and
receive care at the facility. After they reach age 6, they are placed in
various mainstream or specialized orphanages, among them the Kharberd
special-needs orphanage and the Mary Izmirlian Orphanage in Yerevan. These
subsequent placements are made based on assessments of each child’s mental
and physical health, specific care needs, and prospects of improvement. For
instance, children with eyesight disorders are placed in Yerevan’s No. 14
Boarding School, which specializes in the education and care of children
with ocular diseases. As for children whose health improves considerably
following appropriate medical treatment, some rejoin their families at the
families’ request.

“Conditions at the facility deteriorated day by day,” said Ruzanna Avagyan,
director of the Gyumri Children’s Home orphanage. “The water and sewage
pipes were corroded. As a result, the restrooms were frequently out of
order, and the walls were gravely damaged because of water seepage.
Furthermore, the air-conditioning system had long ceased to work, a fact
that has made the care of children with various disorders all the more
difficult.”

Commenting on the upgrades currently implemented by the Hayastan
All-Armenian Fund, Avagyan stated, “When completed, the renovations will
allow us to vastly improve our operations. We will also be able to provide
the children with critically important physical therapy.”

On his part, Gilbert Moumdjian, chairman of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s
German affiliate, reaffirmed the German-Armenian community’s commitment to
supporting development projects in the homeland. “Naturally we wish that all
Armenian children can be healthy in body and mind,” he said. “As for those
children with various disorders, we must do our utmost to help ease their
pain, to make their lives better and more meaningful.”

From: Baghdasarian

POURQUOI JE SUIS CONTRE LE RECOURS CONTRE LA LOI PENALISANT LE GENOCIDE ARMENIEN
Ara

armenews.com
samedi 4 fevrier 2012

Le 23 janvier dernier le Senat adoptait une loi penalisant la negation
du genocide armenien. Quelques jours plus tard cette loi etait deferee
au Conseil constitutionnel. Nicolas Sarkozy declarait alors qu’un
nouveau projet de loi serait depose s’il y avait annulation. Depuis des
semaines des manifestations pour et contre la loi se sont succedees
temoignant de la sensibilite et des enjeux d’actualite autour d’un
genocide qui s’est pourtant produit en 1915.

Depuis plusieurs annees, je me suis engagee aux côtes des Armeniens
de France sur la necessite de faire progresser la reconnaissance du
genocide par le gouvernement turc. Je crois que cette loi pouvait avoir
cette vertu, alors meme que certains Armeniens vivant en France sont
confrontes au negationnisme ordinaire. Dans le refus de la loi qui
s’est exprime avec force du côte du gouvernement turc, c’est le deni
qui s’est une fois de plus manifeste. Avec des debats autour d’une
vraie contradiction : certes le genocide s’est deroule en Turquie
mais le genocide est par nature un evenement universel.

Le groupe Europe ecologie les verts du Senat a choisi de voter contre
cette loi ( ce n’est pas la position qui avait ete adoptee par les
deputes EELV).

Je n’avais pas pris de position publique, souhaitant respecter une
forme de reserve. Mais plusieurs senateurs EELV se sont ensuite
associes au recours en inconstitutionnalite. Cette fois j’estime
necessaire de faire part de mon desaccord pour trois raisons
essentielles : je ne crois pas que la politique ne doive pas se meler
d’histoire. Il peut selon moi y avoir des lois memorielles, s’il est
parfaitement clair que la loi ne se substitue pas a la recherche. Le
droit, la politique et l’histoire ont des liens forts. Autant il est
indispensable que les recherches historiques progressent et fassent
la lumière sur les evenements, particulièrement les plus sensibles
et douloureux, autant s’imaginer qu’on puisse separer histoire et
politique est un leurre ! Que près d’un siècle après ce genocide, on en
soit encore a affirmer qu’il convient de mener des recherches montre
bien qu’une chape de plomb politique pèse sur ce sujet ; l’argument
sur l’electoralisme de cette loi est comprehensible mais fait peser
sur les Armeniens une culpabilite qu’ils n’ont pas a assumer. Que
droite et gauche choisissent de faire passer cette loi juste avant
des echeances electorales, quitte a brouiller tout message et a
prendre les Armeniens en otage est une erreur. Cela ne remet pas en
cause la gravite des faits et du negationnisme ; le resultat de cette
confusion pourrait etre de creer un risque de guerre des memoires et
de nouvelles divisions entre Francais et personnes habitant sur notre
sol. Ainsi le gouvernement turc a commence d’affirmer que cette loi
etait anti-musulmane. Attention aux amalgames, sachons conserver a
l’esprit que le genocide est un evenement de portee universelle dont
la reconnaissance n’a rien a voir avec un choix fait en faveur des
chretiens comme le suggère cette argumentation.

Lucile Schmid Membre du bureau national d’Europe Ecologie – Les Verts.

From: Baghdasarian

DEUX VOLS REGULIERS HEBDOMADAIRES ENTRE ISRAEL ET L’ARMENIE
Krikor Amirzayan

armenews.com
samedi 4 fevrier 2012

La compagnie aerienne israelienne ” Eshet Tours ” vient de signer un
accord avec ” Armavia ” pour etre la compagnie officielle desservant
l’Armenie depuis Israël. Ainsi a partir d’avril 2012 debuteront les
vols reguliers directs depuis Israël vers Erevan. Actuellement ”
Armavia ” realise un vol hebdomadaire en direction d’Israël avec un
petit avion de 50 places. Entre avril et l’automne prochain, seront
mis en place deux vols hebdomadaires sur des avions de près de 130
passagers qui s’envoleront depuis l’aeroport Ben-Gourion en direction
d’Erevan. Un vol d’une duree de deux heures. Selon ” Newsru-Israël
” la compagnie ” Eshet Tours ” va vendre les billets Israël-Armenie
tout en distribuant des brochures publicitaires liees a ces vols
Israël-Armenie.

From: Baghdasarian

UNE PLACE ” ARMENIA ” ET UN KHATCHKAR A PUERTO WILLIAMS AU CHILI
Krikor Amirzayan

armenews.com
samedi 4 fevrier 2012

Au village de Puerto Williams qui se trouve au nord du Chili, vient
d’etre inauguree le 29 janvier un khatchkar venu d’Armenie et une
place ” Armenia “. Le ministère armenien des Affaires etrangères
informe qu’a l’origine de cette realisation se trouve l’homme
d’affaires armeno-argentin Edouardo Eurnekian, le president de la
societe ” Corporation America ” proprietaire de nombreux aeroports
internationaux dont celui de ” Zvartnotz ” a Erevan. Edouardo
Eurnekian etait present a Puerto Williams lors de l’inauguration,
tout comme Vladimir Garmirchalian, l’Ambassadeur d’Armenie pour le
Chili (venant d’Argentine). De nombreux representants des autorites
chiliennes etaient egalement presents.

From: Baghdasarian

TCHAKARIAN OFFICIER DE LA LEGION D’HONNEUR

Le Figaro
3 fev 2012
France

S’abonner au Figaro.fr Le dernier survivant du groupe Manouchian,
Arsène Tchakarian, ne en 1916, a ete promu a titre exceptionnel
officier de la Legion d’honneur par un decret du president de la
Republique publie aujourd’hui au Journal officiel.

Arsène Tchakarian, president d’honneur de l’Association nationale
des volontaires, anciens combattants et resistants armeniens, avait
ete nomme chevalier de la Legion d’honneur en juin 2005.

Ne en Turquie a l’epoque du genocide armenien, il a connu le Front
populaire et combattu dans la Resistance dans les rangs du groupe
Manouchian, demantele en fevrier 1944. 22 de ses camarades avaient
ete arretes, juges et executes au Mont-Valerien mais Arsène Tchakarian
avait echappe a l’arrestation.

From: Baghdasarian