Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

LE MINISTRE AZERI DE LA DEFENSE AFFIRME QUE SON PAYS EST PRET A ATTAQUER L’ARMENIE

AZERBAÏDJAN

> a declare le ministre azeri de
la defense Zakir Hasanov. Une declaration pour le moins belliqueuse,
qu’il faut certes resituer dans le contexte de la Fete nationale
des forces armees d’Azerbaïdjan, a la veille de laquelle le ministre
azeri accordait un entretien diffuse par l’agence de presse officielle
AzerTAG. Mais les propos du ministre renvoient l’echo de l’allocution
très agressive a l’encontre de l’Armenie prononcee le 24 juin par le
president azeri Ilham Aliev a la tribune du Conseil de l’Europe, dont
l’Azerbaïdjan assume la presidence tournante du Comite des ministres,
sur fond de critiques concernant la situation des droits de l’homme
dans ce pays.

Le ministre azeri a neanmoins nuance ses propos, en laissant entendre
qu’une attaque de l’Azerbaïdjan n’etait pas imminente, quoique puissent
laisser penser les violations toujours plus nombreuses du cessez-le-feu
par les forces azeries sur la frontière armeno-azerie ou sur la ligne
de contact separant les forces du Karabagh et celles de l’Azerbaïdjan
;
From: Baghdasarian

CALL TO THE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS TO ENSURE ARTSAKH’S FULL PARTICIPATION IN THE TALKS

15:55 26.06.2014

Nagorno-Karabakh, OSCE Minsk Group

The Inter-Parliamentary Commission of the National Assembly of the
Republic of Armenia and the National Assembly of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic has adopted a statement, calling on the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairing countries to take practical steps to withdraw snipers from
the lien of contact between the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and
Azerbaijan, investigate the border incidents and exclude statements
and actions inciting hatred between peoples.

The statement stresses that the international recognition of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic will ensure the irreversibility of the
process of settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict, and will
signal to Azerbaijan that the use of force or the threat of force
is impermissible.

Taking into consideration that the signing of the ceasefire agreement
on May 12, 1994 was an important achievement in the process of
settlement of the Karabakh conflict, the Commission reiterated
the importance of reinforcement of the ceasefire to ensure the
irreversibility of the peace process.

The statement reiterates that the Armenian people in Armenia, Artsakh
and worldwide will use their potential to ensure the realization of
the right of the people of Nagorno Karabakh to self-determination on
the basis of the UN Charter and the founding documents of international
law.

The statement also urges the Minsk Group-Co-Chairs to take necessary
steps to guarantee the full participation of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic in all stages of the negotiation process.

From: Baghdasarian

BORDER TENSIONS AMID STALLED TALKS: ARMENIAN SIDE CALLS FOR NKR’S FULL PARTICIPATION IN NEGOTIATION PROCESS

KARABAKH | 27.06.14 | 11:33

Photo:

By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter

Stepanakert airport: Video with small airplane’s flight appears
on internet

The Inter-Parliamentary Commission of the National Assemblies of
the Republic of Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) on
Thursday urged the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to take the necessary
steps to ensure the full participation of the NKR in all stages of
the negotiation process.

According to political analyst Tigran Abrahamyan, the passivity
observed in the negotiation process recently is conditioned by
the apparent toughening of the position of Azerbaijan. He says the
recent tensions along the line of contact in Karabakh and at the
Armenian-Azerbaijani border is the result of this toughening, towards
which, according to the analyst, the international community and, first
of all, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, remain “strangely indifferent”.

“The joint statement is primarily aimed at drawing the international
community’s attention to the dangerous situation in the negotiation
process, as the observed indifference can lead to undesirable
consequences,” Abrahamyan tells ArmeniaNow, adding that he does
not think, however, that this statement will result in significant
changes and that the negotiators will finally decide how to behave
in this situation.

Although top officials in Azerbaijan continue to declare that they
do not want to harm the civilian population of Armenia, shooting at
the border continues unabated and it is also Armenian villagers who
suffer from this shooting.

A few days ago, on the occasion of the anniversary of the establishment
of Azerbaijani Armed Forces the country’s Defense Minister Zakir
Hasanov told the state news agency AzerTAG that Baku has “every
opportunity to hit any object and settlement on the territory of
Armenia.” “However, for the current situation the peaceful Armenian
population is not to blame and it constrains us,” he said.

On Thursday, just like during the whole passing week, Azeri troops
fired at Armenian borderline villages in Tavush not only during night
hours, but also during the day when villagers are engaged in farming
activities and become soft targets for Azeri troops, including snipers.

According to political analyst Abrahamyan, tensions observed in the
frontlines follow a certain pattern and periodicity and are mostly
conditioned by certain events.

“The current tense situation is also connected with the vague situation
in the negotiation process. No matter how hard the mediators try to
arrange a meeting at the presidential level, it is because of the
unconstructive approaches of the Azerbaijani side that these efforts
fail,” the analyst says.

In addition to the border tensions and repeated ceasefire violations,
there is also a continued standoff in the information domain. It
particularly intensified after a video appeared on the internet
showing a two-seater airplane with NKR symbols on it taking off,
flying around and landing again at the Stepanakert airport. Since
the reconstruction of the facility several years ago officials in
Azerbaijan have repeatedly threatened to shoot down any aircraft
taking off or landing in Karabakh, which Azerbaijan still considers
to be its territory.

Ani Margaryan, who monitors Azerbaijan’s anti-Armenian propaganda,
says that during four days the video with the Karabakh airplane was
viewed more than 32,000 times, and that also includes viewers in
Azerbaijan, where they took it as a sign that “Armenians already
re-operate the airport”.

“Meanwhile, on several occasions corresponding bodies in Karabakh as
well as head of the Civil Aviation Department of the Government of
Artsakh Dmitry Adbashyan stressed that helicopters and small aircraft
have many times used the airport before and will continue to do so,
but passenger transportation is not being carried out yet despite
the airport’s being technically ready for that,” Margaryan tells
ArmeniaNow, adding that Azeri media mostly presented the flight by
the two-seater plane as the first flight from the Stepanakert airport,
without mentioning the fact that other flights have also taken place
before. That’s how, she says, they tried to avoid giving explanations
as to why despite threats from Azerbaijan the airport in Stepanakert
is being used by Armenians.

From: Baghdasarian

ZHOGHOVURD: EX-ARMENIAN ENVOY TO IRAQ OWES DEBTS TO COUNTRY

09:15 * 27.06.14

Armenia’s former ambassador to Iraq, Murad Muradyan, is said to have
resigned amid huge debts.

The paper claims that Muradyan was busy arranging business affairs
in the country during his tenure. He is said to own hotel complexes,
development companies and a medical insurance company. Citing its
sources, the paper says that he owes debts to almost half of Iraq.

The paper adds that Muradyan even intended to launch a joint business
with Mikhail Baghdasarov, the former owner of Armavia airlines,
but the plan reportedly didn’t succeed.

Muradyan is a co-owner of BAMO, the company which purchased the
Yerevan Sports and Complex Center in 2005. Speaking to the paper,
the ambassador’s brother, Boris Muradyan, said the recently announced
bid for selling the Complex is unrelated to his brother’s name. “You
have to contact him; I cannot say anything. But it has nothing to do
with him. My answer is argumented,” he was quoted as saying.

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: Baghdasarian

PLANS UNDERWAY TO LAUNCH TUMO-AGBU ARTSAKH PROGRAM

Thursday, June 26th, 2014

Prime Minister of Artsakh Ara Harutyunyan discusses plans for the
forthcoming Tumo-AGBU NKR Program. He was joined to his left by AGBU
Central Board member Vasken Yacoubian and to his right by Chief of
Staff of the NKR Government Levon Grigoryan and Tumo Managing Director
Marie Lou Papazian.

New Center Adds To AGBU-Supported Educational Initiative in
Nagorno-Karabakh

Plans are moving forward for this fall’s opening of the brand new
Tumo-AGBU Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) Program for Creative
Technologies. The program is the latest addition to the ambitious
public education initiative spearheaded, fully funded, and developed
by AGBU across NKR in partnership with the NKR government, the American
University of Armenia (AUA), and Tumo.

The Tumo-AGBU NKR Program for Creative Technologies will build on
the success of the AUA-AGBU Extension Program, which has expanded by
popular demand with AGBU’s financial underwriting. This Continuing
Education Program offers certificate courses in Public Policy and
Administration, Strategic Management, Tourism and Hospitality
Management, as well as English language and standardized test
preparation. With additional seminars in career development, resume
writing and interviewing, it is helping to strengthen the NKR
workforce, one of AGBU’s key goals for the project.

Details for the new Tumo-AGBU NKR Program were discussed at a recent
Stepanakert meeting attended by representatives of the NKR government,
AGBU and Tumo. AGBU Central Board member Vasken Yacoubian, who
was present, remarked on the progress of their collaboration. “The
curricula we’ve developed with NKR officials and AUA administrators
are preparing students to pursue higher education and exciting careers
in public service,” he stated. “With the forthcoming Tumo-AGBU NKR
Program for Creative Technologies, we look forward to helping even
more young leaders advance in the fields of IT, communication and
the arts, as we continue to encourage local development.”

Like the Tumo Center for Creative Technologies in Yerevan, the
Tumo-AGBU NKR Program will offer state-of-the-art computers, design
labs, courses with industry leaders and, above all, an environment
where young Armenians can reach their full potential. A direct fiber
optic connection will link to Tumo’s central servers, allowing staff
in both cities to share information, while interactive workshops will
draw from Tumo’s satellite program in Dilijan.

Tumo Managing Director Marie Lou Papazian welcomed AGBU’s plans,
stating, “From day one, Tumo was designed to be replicable, with the
goal of making its educational programs available to youth everywhere.

Young people in NKR are eager to connect with global networks without
having to emigrate. That need, combined with the NKR government’s
active support, makes Stepanakert a natural choice for the next
Tumo location.”

During the Stepanakert meeting, NKR Prime Minister Ara Harutyunyan
reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the project and expressed
gratitude for AGBU’s financial backing. Prime Minister Harutyunyan,
Yacoubian and Papazian were joined in Stepanakert by Chief of Staff
of the NKR Government Levon Grigoryan, AGBU NKR Representative Sassoun
Baghdasaryan and Tumo Board member Pegor Papazian.

The Tumo-AGBU NKR Program for Creative Technologies expects to enroll
240 students ages 12-18 in its first year, with a goal of serving
over 1,000 students by 2020.

To learn more about Tumo, visit

Established in 1906, AGBU is the world’s largest non-profit Armenian
organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU preserves and
promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through educational,
cultural, and humanitarian programs, annually touching the lives of
some 400,000 Armenians around the world.

From: Baghdasarian

ATTORNEY CONSIDERS SHANT HARUTYUNYAN’S CASE POLITICAL BUT WANTS TO TAKE IT TO EUROPEAN COURT

06.26.2014 20:47 epress.am

Ara Zakaryan, representing the accused Tigran Petrosyan and Armen
Hovhannisyan in the case of Shant Harutyunyan and the other 13 men
arrested with him on November 5, 2013, believes that by providing legal
assistance he doesn’t deny that their actions should be considered
on political grounds.

“Every person has the right to defense in the way that he wants and
considers right. I’ve consulted with my clients, and they’ve given
[their] approval to all my actions. They’re doing a political campaign,
and they’re not pinning great hopes on Armenia’s courts.

It’s just that [we] have to exhaust [all of] Armenia’s courts, in order
to apply to the European Court [of Human Rights],” he told Epress.am.

During yesterday’s trial, Zakaryan submitted a motion to release his
clients on bail; reading that motion lasted about half an hour. Shant
Harutyunyan resented the motion and, addressing the attorney, said:
“You definitely want to make this political process fail?”

He said that there’s no need to cite the Justice Council’s decisions,
since the Council is subject to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

Addressing Tigran Petrosyan, Shant Harutyunyan said that the attorney
should say that they’re organizing a protest, since demonstrators
were killed on March 1 (2008) and those responsible got off scot-free.

“Let him get up and say that these guys grabbed sticks because they
saw they were killing people and they remain unpunished — not talk
about the Justice Council. Isn’t Serzh [Sargsyan] the Justice Council?

I won’t allow this to become a criminal trial […] If you believe
those bodies, then you believe the justice of Serzh Sargsyan,”
said Harutyunyan.

From: Baghdasarian

CHORRORD ISHKHANUTYUN: NEED FOR SCIENCE NO LONGER FELT IN ARMENIA?

June 26, 2014

YEREVAN. – Energy and Natural Resources Minister of Armenia Yervand
Zakharyan has signed a decree, according to which the ministry’s
development department chemistry division will be dissolved on July 2,
Chorrord Ishkhanutyun newspaper reported.

“The reason is understandable: Armenia does not need chemistry.

Ensuring the designing of a state policy and strategy for the
development of Armenia’s chemical industry was a function of the
dissolved division.

“And since our chemical industry has fallen into the same state as
civil aviation, for example, there is no need to develop any project.

“We assume that the need for physics, biology, perhaps Armenian
language, and, in general, for science will not be felt in Armenia
in the foreseeable future,” Chorrord Ishkhanutyun wrote.

From: Baghdasarian

Armenian Assembly of America News
1334 G Street, N.W., Suite 200
Washington, D.C. 20005
Tel: (202) 393-3434
Fax: (202) 638-4904
E-mail: [email protected]
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The Assembly Agenda: This week in Washington, D.C. – June 26, 2014

By Taniel Koushakjian (@Taniel_Shant)

June 26, 2014

HOUSE: The House is in session this week with final votes scheduled for
Thursday night. Congress will begin their 4th of July recess this Friday
and will return on Tuesday, July 8th.

– HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE VOTE THIS MORNING: Today, the House
Foreign Affairs Committee is scheduled to markup H.R. 4347, the Turkey
Christian Churches Accountability Act, at 9 AM. There has been heavy
opposition to this bill, according to sources close to the committee. Rep.
Gerry Connolly (D-VA) issued a letter on Friday urging his colleagues to
vote NO on this important international religious freedom legislation. Even
with an amended bill – one that now praises the Turkish Government
–
Connolly continues to work against it. The Armenian Assembly of America has
written to all the committee members in support of H.R.4347 and has weighed
in directly as well. You can watch the hearing live, today at 9AM, here:

– HOUSE & SENATE APPROPRIATORS ADOPT U.S. FUNDING MEASURES TO ARMENIA &
THE REGION: On Wednesday, the Assembly reported that both the House and
Senate Appropriations Committee have passed their Fiscal Year (FY) 2015
State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) bill, which covers
U.S. economic, humanitarian and military assistance to Armenia, Nagorno
Karabakh, and Azerbaijan. While the House version did not delineate
specific funding to the South Caucasus, the Senate bill highlighted Nagorno
Karabakh, stating: “The Committee recommends assistance for victims of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in amounts consistent with prior years, and for
ongoing needs related to the conflict.”

After both measures pass their respective chambers, the next step in the
legislative process involves the creation of an Appropriations conference
committee, whose members will work out the differences between the House
and Senate versions of the bill before sending it to the President for him
to sign into law.

SENATE: The Senate is in session this week with last votes expected on
Friday. The Senate will be out next week in observance of Independence Day
and will return on Monday, July 7th.

AMBASSADOR WATCH: As expected, President Obama nominated John R. Bass
to serve as the next U.S. Ambassador to Turkey on June 3rd.

His nomination has been sent to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
(SFRC), officially kick starting the confirmation process. Although nothing
is currently listed on the SFRC website, the Assembly expects a hearing to
be held on Bass’ nomination in July. On Monday, current U.S. Ambassador to
Turkey, Francis Ricciardone, paid farewell visits to Turkish Prime
Minister Erdogan and Foreign Minister Davutoglu. Ricciardone will take over
the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East in
September.

– NO LOVE FOR ISRAEL: Turkey recently appointed 30 new ambassadors around
the world. Interestingly, their post in Israel was left vacant.

– HAPPY IN ARMENIA: As previously reported, current U.S. Ambassador to
Armenia, John Heffern, who recently appeared in an Armenian spoof of
Pharrell Williams’ `Happy’ song, is expected to return to Washington later
this year as he concludes his 3-year tour. A successor hasn’t been
named as
of this writing, but here’s the link to the video, needless to say, it’ll
leave you feeling, well, you know:

DC THINK-TANKED: Last week, two major conferences on Armenia related
issues were held in Washington, DC. The Middle East Institute (MEI) held
their 5th Annual Conference on Turkey at the National Press Club, while
the pro-Turkey/pro-Azerbaijani Jamestown Foundation held a conference on
the Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Repercussions for Moldova and the South
Caucasus at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Armenian
Assembly summer interns Mariam Pashayan, Crystal Densmore and intern
coordinator Lena Krikorian, raised Armenian American issues at the MEI
conference, while intern Gevorg Shahbazyan was one of only three
Armenians in the audience to counter the anti-Armenian statements made at
the Jamestown conference. You can read Mariam, Crystal and Lena’s briefing
here and Gevorg’s coverage here

– UPCOMING DC THINK-TANK EVENTS: On Friday, June 27th, the National
Endowment for Democracy (NED) will discuss the 2014 Annual Report of the
United States Committee on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)
with Robert
P. George, USCIRF Chairman, and William A. Galston, NED Board Member and
Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. You can
read the 2014 USCIRF report here

On Tuesday, July 1st, the Atlantic Council will host an event entitled
`NATO
in the Caucasus: The Case of Azerbaijan.’

2014 ELECTION UPDATE – MORE ON WHAT CANTOR LOSS MEANS FOR ARMENIAN
AMERICANS: Last week, I wrote extensively on the shocking primary election
defeat of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), the highest ranking
supporter of Armenian Genocide affirmation in the U.S. House of
Representatives today. Cantor was one of two pro-Armenian Congressman in
the House Republican leadership, the other being Chief Deputy Whip Peter
Roskam (R-IL). Given the Cantor loss and the ensuing leadership shuffle,
Roskam sought to move up the ladder to House Majority Whip, as Kevin
McCarthy sought the Majority Leader position. McCarthy handily won and is
now the Majority Leader-elect. However, Roskam was not as successful, as he
was defeated by Republican Study Committee Chairman Steve Scalise (R-LA).
The Deputy Whip position is appointed, not elected, and it is all but
certain that Scalise will pick someone other than Roskam as his deputy.
Hence, as of July 31, both Cantor and Roskam will no longer be serving in
the Republican leadership. With Cantor’s primary loss, Armenian Americans
have lost two of their most prominent voices in the House Republican
leadership.

– ARMENIAN AMERICANS DON’T FARE SO WELL ON ELECTION DAY: On Tuesday, two
Armenian Americans on the East Coast were on the ballot. New York
Democrat Jeff
Kurzon, a political newcomer, lost the primary for U.S. House District 7
to incumbent, and Armenian Caucus member, Nadia Valezquez (D-NY), with
18.3%. Meanwhile, Democrat Hrant Jamgochian lost an 8-way primary for
Maryland’s House of Delegates District 16. Jamgochian came in 4th place,
with 15.4%. Maryland has an unusual system where, in some districts, up to
three people can earn a seat representing the same district in the House of
Delegates. In this case, Jamgochian was about 2,000 votes shy of getting on
the November ballot.

– NEXT RUNOFF & PRIMARY ELECTION: Voters in Alabama and North Carolina
will head to the polls on Tuesday, July 15th to vote in runoff elections
for U.S. House, while voters in Georgia will vote a week later, Tuesday,
July 22nd, to vote in runoff elections for U.S. House and Senate. The next
primary election will take place on August 5th, where voters in Kansas,
Michigan, Missouri and Washington will cast their ballots to elect their
respective party nominees for November.

DAYS UNTIL GENERAL ELECTION: 132

LAST WEEK’S TRIVIA WINNER(S): Paul Sookiasian, the Assembly’s ARAMAC-PA
Co-Chair, and Vartkes Mengouchian, of Long Island, NY, correctly answered
minutes apart that the Senator who is retiring at the end of this year and
who previously introduced the Armenian Genocide resolution in the Senate is
none other than Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Senator Carl Levin
(D-MI). Levin last introduced the Armenian Genocide resolution, S.Res.241,
in the Senate during the 98th Congress (1983-84). For those of you who
remember those days (I was only one year old!), S. Res. 241 was introduced
on October 7, 1983. It would pass the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on
September 12, 1984 with amendments, but it was never scheduled for a full
Senate vote. It would take almost 30 years for the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee to pass another Armenian Genocide resolution, as we all witnessed
on April 10, 2014.

TODAY’S ARMENIAN CONGRESSIONAL TRIVIA: Paul has this week’s question: Who
was the first Armenian American in the U.S. Congress? Bonus points if you
can tell me what party and state he/she represented. The first person to
correctly respond will get a shout out in the next edition of Assembly
Agenda.

Send tips, suggestions, comments, complaints and corrections to
[email protected]. If you don’t already, please follow me on Twitter
@Taniel_Shant and follow the Armenian Assembly of America @ARAMAC_DC.

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Available online at:

From: Baghdasarian

AZERBAIJAN CAN DESTROY ANY MILITARY OBJECT AND SETTLEMENT IN ARMENIA, DEFENSE MINISTER STATES

Wednesday 25 June 2014 14:39
Photo:

Zakir Gasanov

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Azerbaijan is capable of destroying any military
object and settlement in the territory of Armenia, stated Minister
of Defense of Azerbaijan Zakir Gasanov.

In an interview with AzerTAc State Agency the minister of Defense of
Azerbaijan said that “Armenia continues the occupation of Azerbaijani
territories by violating international laws, regularly violates the
ceasefire, makes attempts of reconnaissance and subversive attacks
to the posts, enemy snipers shoot the military as well as peaceful
residents, cause damage to civilian properties and agricultural lands”.

“You should speak with the rival in the “language he understands”. I
would like to assure you that the divisions of Azerbaijani Armed
Forces immediately give adequate response and the enemy forces cease
fire having incurred losses”, said Gasanov.

“We can also act in the way Armenia does. We can destroy any military
object and settlement in its territory. We have all relevant capacities
for it. However we do not do it because of the principles of humanism
and the high humanity of our people”, said the Minister.

From: Baghdasarian

LET’S PRESERVE AFRIKYANS HOUSE: CAMPAIGN GETS BOOST FROM WORLD-RENOWNED PIANIST

HUMAN RIGHTS | 25.06.14 | 20:46

NAZIK ARMENAKYAN
ArmeniaNow

By GAYANE MKRTCHYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

Worried for the fate of the 130-year-old Afrikyans club building
jazz pianist, the winner of 2006 world-famous Monk international jazz
competition, Tigran Hamasyan joined in the fight for the preservation
of the building in the center of Yerevan.

On Wednesday Let’s Preserve Afrikyans Club Building civic campaign
members brought a piano for Hamasyan and placed it in front of
the construction site where the famous musician gave a concert
in preservation of the historical building, using music as a tool
of fight.

“If there is history with this building, there is the spirit of that
history, the piece of stone has some story, that history must be
respected and loved – what people did two centuries before us. That’s
all, but this shouldn’t be treated with animosity – on both sides. We
must understand each other,” 27-year-old Hamasyan said.

Nevertheless, things got tense between the activists and the police
after the concert, when the activists started heating with hands the
metallic fence surrounding the building. The police applied force
pushing people away from the fence, later forming a human wall around
the construction site.

After the deputy chief of Yerevan’s police Valeri Osipyan arrived
the police opened the way for the traffic pushing the citizens aside
causing some to fall. According to Osipyan, all police actions were
legal because the citizens started the clashes with the police.

Opposition Heritage party secretary Stepat Safaryan mentions that the
system cannot solve problems anymore, they have piled up, just like
Afrikyans building story problems related to which date back to 2000.

“Secondly, we have a generation with a spirit of ownership that
differs from the senior generation, does not want to get along,
views things and events differently, does not ignore illegalities,
wants to live in their land and thus fights. This speaks of a grown
civil society,” he said.

Sarhat Petrosyan, an architect and a member of Let’s Preserve
Afrikyans Club Building civic campaign, writes on his Facebook page,
“I am almost sure that success is on our side, and that we solve
various problems at every moment… Believe me, when nine years ago
we were on Byuzand Street, besides the residents only some ten people
would gather, some of whom are by our side here as well… It is not
one building that we are saving today, but many others that will be
removed in the nearest future; there has never been such in-depth
struggle for heritage preservation before…”

With a document about immediate stop of the dismantling of the
building a member of the History and Culture preservation agency of the
Ministry of Culture stepped up saying that the documents presented by
the construction workers are incomplete. Thus the agency considers it
necessary to immediately stop the dismantling works before presenting
the proper documents. Despite all these, the construction workers
kept on extracting the facade stones of the building.

Another ground for stopping the dismantling works is the application
submitted to the court by joint efforts of the Armenian Helsinki
Committee and the Urban Lab public organization which challenges the
Yerevan City Hall and the Government’s decision about removing the
Afrikyans club building. An additional mediation is also presented
to the court for stopping the processes.

From: Baghdasarian