Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

IAEA HAS NO REQUIREMENTS FROM ARMENIA NUCLEAR PLANT

March 25, 2014 | 13:34

YEREVAN. – The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has no
requirements in connection with the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant
(ANPP) in Metsamor city.

Vanik Nersisyan, Deputy Chairman of the Armenia State Nuclear Safety
Regulatory Committee by the Government, told Armenian News-NEWS.am that
during Monday’s Vienna discussions of the reports by the countries
members in the Convention on Nuclear Safety, Armenia’s report was
introduced, accepted for consideration, and it was discussed.

In addition, as per Nersisyan, the Armenian delegation members
responded to the questions from the discussants.

“Complete answers were given to all queries linked to the safety of
the plant. The report did not even evoke any minor requirements,”
he stressed.

To the remark that Azerbaijan attempts to exploit the ANPP’s presence
in a seismic zone, Nersisyan responded that political statements and
accounts are one thing, the experts’ opinion is something else.

The experts do not have any requirements of the plant, Vanik Nersisyan
noted.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: Baghdasarian

AZERBAIJAN CONTINUES ITS FASCIST, ARMENOPHOBIC POLICY

19:05 * 25.03.14

Armenian Parliament Vice-Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov made a statement
on the developments in Syria’s Kessab, ceasefire violations on the
Line of Contact and Azerbaijan’s policy to the Nagorno-Karabakh peace
process, calling it “fascist” and “Armenophobic.”

Azerbaijan keeps on grossly violating the ceasefire, showing disregard
for the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ appeals for a peaceful settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Striking evidence thereof is the killing of Armenian soldier Garnik
Torosyan by an Azerbaijani sniper on the Line of Contact on Monday.

This is obviously the result of the Azerbaijani leadership’s fascist
and Armenophobic policy.

The regrettable developments in the Armenian-populated town of Kessab,
Syria, have lately been the focus of attention. Speaking of the
developments, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan rightly noted that
the Kessab Armenians’ expatriation – third in succession – is a most
serious challenge to mechanisms of protection of national minorities.

The irrefutable fact is that the armed attack on Kessab is a flagrant
violation of human rights. It is not only an apparent threat to
regional peace, but is also a signal to the United Nations and
international human rights organizations, Mr Sharmazanov said.

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: Baghdasarian

AZERBAIJANI ORGANIZATION THREATENS ARMENIAN REPRESENTATIVE OF CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE OF THE CIS MEMBER STATES

18:39 25/03/2014 >> REGION

The so-called “Karabakh Liberation Organization” founded in Baku
issued a statement in which threatens to expel from Baku the Armenian
representative who is to attend the meeting of the Chiefs of Staff
Committee of the CIS member states, reports the Azerbaijani information
agency “Salamnews”.

“We declare that if the Armenian representative arrives in Baku,
our organization will resort to all possible and impossible means to
see his expulsion from here and for disruption of the CIS meeting as
a whole,” the statement reads.

>From April 7 to 8 Baku is to host a meeting of the Chiefs of Staff
Committee of the CIS member states. As Armenian Defense Ministry
spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan told “Razminfo”, the representative of
the Armenia Defense Ministry to participate in the event is from the
Russian Federation. The Press secretary denied the disinformation
spread by the Azerbaijani media allegedly Colonel-General Yuri
Khachaturov, Chief of Staff of Armenian Armed Forces, is to leave
for Baku.

Source: Panorama.am

From: Baghdasarian

SILENCE THE LIES, ROCK THE TRUTH VI CONCERT ANNOUNCED

Friday, March 21st, 2014

Silence the Lies, Rock the Truth VI

LOS ANGELES–As the Armenian Diaspora and human rights activists from
around the world prepare for the 99th Anniversary Commemoration of
the Armenian Genocide, Angelenos will join community artists to raise
awareness of genocide prevention and education through the 6th annual
Silence the Lies, Rock the Truth concert.

This year’s concert will take place on April 24 at 7 p.m. at the
Mayan Theater in Downtown Los Angeles.

“This is the 99th year of denial of the Armenian Genocide,” stated
Viza oud player Andrew Kzirian. “We’ve worked for several years to do
something special and different on April 24, and this year we will be
again teaming up with our community’s stakeholders to let the world
know that we stand united on this issue,” he added.

Silence the Lies, Rock the Truth! is a social justice concert
dedicated to raising awareness of the Armenian Genocide. For the
past 5 years, socially conscious artists in the Los Angeles area
have come together to work with the community through music, activism
and commemoration. Viza, Chameleon Conductor, Armenian Public Radio
and several others will take the stage on April 24, 2014 at the El
Rey Theatre as the arts will inspire the need for recognition and
contrition through a uniquely powerful performance that will indeed
Silence the Lies and Rock the Truth.

Various community organizations like the Armenian National Committee of
America – Western Region, Armenian Youth Federation – Western Region,
and UCLA Alpha Gamma Alpha are teaming up with these artists to make
for a high impact show.

“April 24, 1915 marked the beginning of a plan to exterminate an
entire race; a genocide that is denied to this day. Not only are
we fighting for genocide recognition, but also for the continuation
of our culture and heritage that we fought to preserve, stated AYF
Commemoration Committee Chair Lori Tashdjian. “‘Silence the Lies, Rock
the Truth’ highlights our beautiful culture and resilience. Through
programs such as the AYF Youth Corps, Armenian youth are given the
opportunity to travel to our beautiful homeland, experience working
with the children there, and take part in the activism that shows
the futility of the Young Turks plan. We will persevere to reach our
goals of recognition, restitution, and reparations,” she added.

“Organizations like the AYF and ANC do a tremendous job of helping
society become more aware and involved in contemporary issues that
impact the concerns and interests of the community,” Kzirian added.

Kzirian has served as Chairman of the AYF Central Executive in the
Eastern United States and Executive Director and Chairman of the
Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region.

This year, proceeds from the concert will be donated to two needy
organizational projects. The Armenian Youth Federation’s Youth Corps
6-week program provides a memorable and productive opportunity for
youth to establish and strengthen ties with the homeland, consisting
of 4 weeks of volunteer work and 2 weeks of touring. Beginning in
1994, volunteers first came to the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic to
help rebuild war-torn villages after the cease-fire. In 2008, the
AYF opened a summer camp in Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city,
and continued to empower Diaspora Armenians with more direct roles in
nation-building. This is a chance for some to make a direct impact on
the lives of Gyumri’s most impoverished children and families. More
information is available at the Youth Corps website.

The Orran Charity provides vital support and assistance to needy
Armenian children in Yerevan. Established in 2000, Orran which means
“haven” in Armenian, works to decrease the disparity between the needs
of at-risk groups and the availability of essential services. Orran
provides food services, academic assistance, cultural enrichment
opportunities and medical, psychological and social services for
vulnerable communities in central Yerevan. More information is
available at the Orran Charity website.

The artists and organizations involved with this special concert
would like to encourage everyone in the community to participate
in an event that will provide incredible talent and entertainment,
but will also benefit those in need.

For more information and tickets please visit silencethelies.com

From: Baghdasarian

ARMED CLASHES IN SYRIA’S KESSAB CONTINUE (VIDEO)

12:15 * 25.03.14

The militant attacks in Kessab, Syria’s Armenian-populated region
that has been a target of Islamist fighters since Sunday, have entered
their third day.

The region is now said to be under the armed opposition’s control.

Government forces were earlier reported to have sent troops from
Latakia.

A footage posted in a Facebook group shows militants keeping an
Armenian church under control.

The Islamists pretend that they do not intend to desecrate Christian
sacred places, but the comments below suggest that the “honest”
goals do not inspire wide confidence.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT THANKS SYRIAN AUTHORITIES FOR PROTECTION OF KESSAB ARMENIANS

Monday 24 March 2014 18:07

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said in The
Hague today that “eviction of Kessab Armenians is a serious challenge
to mechanisms of minority protection in the 21st century”.

Serzh Sargsyan said this in a press statement in The Hague today,
Mediamax reports.

The President said he was deeply concerned about the developments
around Kessab.

“Today’s already third eviction of Kessab Armenians is a serious
challenge for the 21st century mechanisms of protection of minorities”,
stressed Serzh Sargsyan.

The President thanked Syrian authorities for their steps toward
protecting Kessab Armenians at this tough moment.

“I assigned Armenian diplomatic representations in UN’s New York
and Geneva Offices to keep track of the issues related to ensuring
security of Kessab Armenians in the structures specialized in minority
issues and their safe repatriation to the places of their permanent
residence”, said the President.

Serzh Sargsyan also said that Armenia’s Embassy in Syria is working
out a necessary action plan for supporting Kessab Armenians and it
will be implemented in full force.

From: Baghdasarian

FRANCE 24 – REVUE DE PRESSE (+VIDEO)

Syrie : le village armenien de Kassab, victime d’une epuration ethnique

Le village de Kassab en Syrie, situe dans un fief du regime de Bachar
al-Assad et adosse a la frontière turque, est tombe aux mains des
rebelles islamistes syriens. Un evènement qui a provoque la fuite de
ses habitants majoritairement armeniens.

La prise de Kassab, une localite adossee a la frontière turco-syrienne
dans la province de Lattaquie, fief du regime du president Bachar
al-Assad, par les rebelles, entre samedi et dimanche, constitue un
important revers pour les forces loyalistes. Ce point de passage etait,
en effet, l’un des deux derniers postes frontières officiels avec la
Turquie encore aux mains de Damas.

Mais Kassab n’est pas seulement un village frontalier très prise
pour le charme qu’offre son climat et sa proximite avec la mer. Il
s’agit surtout du seul village armenien de l’ancien Empire ottoman
situe hors des frontières de la Turquie actuelle.

Selon Fabrice Balanche, specialiste de la Syrie et directeur du Groupe
de recherches et d’etudes sur la Mediterranee et le Moyen-Orient
(GREMMO), l’enjeu dissimule derrière cette bataille “officiellement”
menee pour s’emparer d’un poste frontière, est tout autre.

“Les rebelles n’ont pas besoin de passer par ce poste frontière pour
faire venir des armes et des munitions, ils traversent facilement par
les collines boisees du Djebel turkmène plus au sud, explique-t-il. La
prise du poste frontière n’est qu’un pretexte, nous sommes face a une
strategie d’epuration ethnique a l’egard de la population armenienne
de Kassab”.

Un village vide de ses habitants

Kassab est en effet peuple très majoritairement de rescapes du genocide
des Armeniens de Turquie, en 1915. Sur les 5 000 habitants des cinq
villages du canton, les deux-tiers sont Armeniens et le dernier tiers
est alaouite, la communaute du president syrien.

En août 2012, le village, protege par des combattants locaux,
accuses d’etre a la solde du regime, et les forces gouvernementales,
avait deja repousse une attaque de la rebellion. À l’epoque, dans
un article du “Monde” date du 24 octobre 2012, un rebelle turkmène
(syrien d’origine turque) avait lance un avertissement très clair
a la population armenienne de la bourgade. “Je previens nos frères
armeniens a Kassab : qu’ils partent avant l’offensive de l’Armee
syrienne libre, sinon ils vont avoir des pertes civiles et encore se
plaindre d’un genocide perpetre par des Turcs”.

Un message qui semble avoir ete entendu puisque le village s’est
vide de ses habitants. “La population armenienne a ete obligee de
fuir a Lattaquie devant l’arrivee, via la Turquie, des centaines de
combattants islamistes, diriges par le Front Al-Nosra [la branche
d’Al-Qaïda en Syrie, NDLR] tandis que le gros des troupes est compose
de Turkmènes de la region”, explique Fabrice Balanche.

Feu vert de la Turquie

Sur le terrain, la prise du village n’a pu etre possible sans un feu
vert des autorites turques. Voire meme un soutien militaire. “Les
rebelles se sont facilement empares du village avec le soutien des
autorites turques, ces dernières empechant l’aviation syrienne
d’epauler les combattants armeniens et l’armee regulière” juge
Fabrice Balanche.

Dimanche, la Turquie a abattu un avion militaire syrien qui bombardait
des rebelles, près du poste frontière de Kassab. La Syrie, qui a
denonce une “agression flagrante”, a affirme que l’avion avait ete vise
en territoire syrien, mais Ankara a assure pour sa part que l’appareil
avait viole l’espace aerien turc. En outre, Damas accuse l’armee turque
d’avoir “fourni une couverture pour cette attaque terroriste” dans
ce secteur, et permis aux insurges de s’infiltrer depuis la Turquie.

Cite par l’AFP, Omar al-Jeblawi, un activiste anti-regime de la region,
a declare que “le fait que la Turquie ait abattu un avion syrien
prouve que, contrairement aux autres fois, les rebelles sont soutenus”.

En 2012, un avion turc avait ete abattu par les Syriens dans la meme
zone. “Il est clair que les Turcs attendaient cette occasion pour
se venger, estime Fabrice Balanche. En pleine campagne electorale
[le premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip] Erdogan a besoin de montrer
a ses electeurs qu’il reste ferme sur le dossier syrien. Le problème
est que ce sont les Armeniens qui payent, rappelant une des pages
les plus sombres de l’histoire de la Turquie”, conclut le specialiste.

Texte par Marc DAOU

Avec AFP

mardi 25 mars 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

IMF OFFICIAL: SLOWDOWN OF RUSSIAN ECONOMY IS NOT A DOOM FOR ARMENIA

March 24, 2014 | 18:59

Slowdown of Russian economy does not necessarily mean adverse outcomes
for Armenia, told IMF mission chief to Armenia, Mark Horton, at the
conclusion of the mission’s visit to the country.

He mentioned that Armenian economy has stronger links to Russia than
its regional peers do. Still, one must keep in mind that the Armenian
exports to Russia have totaled $280 mln in 2013, and this is but a drop
in the ocean against the approximately $400 bln of the total trade
of just the capital city of Moscow. “So Armenia is tightly linked to
the Russian economy, but it does not necessarily mean it is destined
to follow the ebb and flow of the economic performance of Russia”,
told Horton.

He noticed that Russian market is in demand of new labor force,
following the country’s poor demographic record. And Armenians
already have a strong position in that market. “They don’t occupy
lowest-rank jobs, but are well up the scale”, he added, concluding
that the remittance flow from Russia is expected to remain strong.

“Finally, we understand that Russian authorities are tightening
restrictions on migrant workers, but maybe Armenia’s expected entry
into the Customs Union will make the conditions somewhat milder for
Armenian citizens”, Horton concluded.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: Baghdasarian

OSCE MINSK GROUP U.S. CO-CHAIR: “I WAS CORRECTED TODAY-THE CONFLICT IS NAGORNO KARABAKH AND AZERBAIJAN”

11:02 24/03/2014 >> REGION

“I was corrected today – the conflict is Nagorno-Karabakh and
Azerbaijan,” wrote in his Twitter microblog James Warlick, the U.S.

co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group.

“Still, we want a peaceful settlement for all parties for NK,” he said.

Co-Chair expressed hope that the meeting with the Foreign Ministers
of Armenia and Azerbaijan in The Hague will give positive results.

“Working together, a lasting peace is possible,” wrote Warlick on
his microblog.

Source: Panorama.am

From: Baghdasarian

NKR FM MEETS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF ARF-D HAY DAT COMMITTEES

15:47 24/03/2014 ” SOCIETY

On March 24, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic Karen Mirzoyan met with representatives of the Hay Dat
Committees of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun.

The NKR Foreign Minister stressed the importance of such meetings in
terms of discussing possibilities for joint steps and expanding the
cooperation agenda.

The parties exchanged views on a number of issues, including the
current stage of the settlement of the conflict between Azerbaijan
and Nagorno-Karabakh and the process of the international recognition
of Artsakh. The interlocutors also touched upon recent regional
developments.

At the end of the meeting, Minister Karen Mirzoyan awarded the
representatives of the ARF-D Hay Dat Committees the commemorative
medals of the NKR MFA, the press service of NKR Foreign Ministry
reports.

Source: Panorama.am

From: Baghdasarian