Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

ARMENIAN BUSINESSMEN’S GOODS WILL NOT FLOW LIKE RIVER INTO CU – ECONOMIST

February 27, 2014 | 12:31

YEREVAN. – The Customs Union (CU) opens good prospects before Armenian
businessman only temporarily.

Economist Gagik Makaryan, who is Chairman of the Republican Union of
Employers of Armenia, told the above-said to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“If we develop our economy, the CU will be good for us temporarily.

Our businessmen are managers of the Soviet culture. Naturally, the
Russian business is familiar to them,” he said.

Nonetheless, Makaryan expressed a conviction that these businessmen
are being replaced by new businessmen, who are not pro-Russian.

As per the economist, the Armenian products will be in demand in the
CU countries solely if the Armenian party signs proper agreements.

“If we want to survive, we need to negotiate correctly, sign proper
agreements. If the [Armenian] businessmen think that it will be as it
was before, it will not be like that. Our goods will not flow like a
river into Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan,” Gagik Makaryan concluded.

Following the talks that were held on September 3, 2013 in Moscow
between Armenian and Russian Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Vladimir
Putin, Sargsyan had announced that Armenia plans to join the Customs
Union and subsequently engage in the formation of the Eurasian Economic
Union. In December 2013, the “road map” for Armenia’s accession to the
Customs Union was adopted. And in January of this year, the Government
of Armenia approved the action plan for the implementation of this
“road map.” Aside from Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan likewise are
members in the Customs Union.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: Baghdasarian

IT REMAINS ONLY FOR ROBERT KOCHARIAN TO DEMAND MARCH 1 KILLINGS BE SOLVED: MP

02.27.2014 17:27 epress.am

As long as the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) remains in power,
it won’t allow the “slaughter” of March 1 to be uncovered, said
MP Alexander Arzoumanian today in parliament during discussion on
establishing a commission to study the events of March 1, 2008.

Recall, on Mar. 1-2, 2008, the forceful dispersal of peaceful protests
of supporters of unsuccessful opposition presidential candidate Levon
Ter-Petrossian resulted in the death of 10 people and the arrest of
hundreds of opposition members.

Arzoumanian remarked that Republicans in parliament speak about the
different sides of March 1; meanwhile, there is one side — the people,
and those who shot them.

“You ask so many questions to [Armenian National Congress MP Gagik]
Jhangiryan. You should’ve asked questions to [former president of
Armenia] Robert Kocharian, who said on television that opposition
members fired at police. There was a foreign minister who spread
the same [message] in English to the entire world. A person who is
suspected in the case of October 27 proposes creating a commission.

Well create it — who’s stopping you?” said the opposition MP.

At that moment, shouting something from his seat was HHK MP Hayk
Babukhanyan, to whom Arzoumanian’s last remark was directed: “Ara, I’m
not afraid of going to jail. I’ve sat behind bars three times, boy.”

The opposition MP also said that, examining Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe documents, he discovered that apart from
the Heritage Party and the Armenian National Congress, all factions
currently in parliament are party to concealing the events of March 1.

He said, it’s surprising that those who participated in covering up
the events of March 1 now declare that they want to uncover them.

“It remains [only] for Robert Kocharian to organize a demonstration and
demand March 1 be uncovered. Cynicism has a limit. You’ve changed the
law four times, so you could judge us [in court]. March 1 is in your
subconscious. A person proposes to respect the memory of the victims
with one minute of silence. Margarit Yesayan has nothing to do with
this or that side, but she subconsciously pictures herself as a Berkut
[special police forces] because the majority is the Berkut,” he said.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN MP: PACE TO STUDY LEGITIMACY THE ATTACKS ON DEMONSTRATORS IN YEREVAN AND KYIV

February 27, 2014 | 16:03

YEREVAN. – PACE will study legitimacy of the attacks on demonstrators
in Yerevan and Kyiv, head of opposition ANC group Levon Zurabyan said
in parliament.

Zurabyan said Armenian authorities have a chance to clean themselves
and find those guilty of March 1 events, but they are not brave enough
to do it and accept ANC initiative on creating a new ad hoc committee
to investigate tragic events.

“Armenian authorities have drawn lessons neither from the past, nor
from fresh events at Maidan. The lesson is that Armenian authorities
by shooting at their people once again lost legitimacy. I repeat once
again as the first time was on October 27,” he said.

Zurabyan explained he had addressed PACE with an initiative to study
competence of using force by authorities against demonstrators in
Yerevan on March 1 and at Maidan in Kyiv, other cities and countries.

The opposition representative added that the previous ad hoc committee
on March 1 events headed by Samvel Nikoyan was simply covering
the crime.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: Baghdasarian

PRAGUE RESIDENTS ANGERED BY AZERBAIJANI ACTION, DEMAND TO STOP RACIST PROPAGANDA

February 27, 2014 | 12:56

Installation of two tents with an inscription “Past and Present of
Azerbaijan” in Prague angered the local residents.

A group of local residents demanded that racist propaganda must be
stopped in Prague. As a result of scuffle , Azerbaijanis were forced
to collect anti-Armenian materials and started handing over tea and
sweets to the passers-by.

The Azerbaijani Embassy in the Czech Republic with financial support of
Heydar Aliyev Fund, installed two tents that, according to application,
had to present the history and culture of Azerbaijan.

However, the day chosen for the event coincided so as to make
an attempt to present Khojalu events with the help of racist and
anti-Armenian materials.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: Baghdasarian

NKR NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTS STATEMENT ON SUMGAYIT ANNIVERSARY

13:56 27.02.2014

Lusine Avanesyan
Public Radio of Armenia
Stepanakert

The factions and groups of the National Assembly of the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic adopted a joint statement on the 26th anniversary of
Armenian massacres in the Azerbaijani city of Sumgayit. The statement
notes that the decision of the Regional Council of People’s Deputies
of February 20, 1988, was a “justified legal step targeted at restoring
justice, which derived from the spirit of the policy of reconstruction
that started in the USSR from 1985.”

On February 20, 1988, the People’s Deputies made a decision at
extraordinary session of the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Republic
Council to appeal to the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijani SSR for
secession, to the Supreme Soviet of Armenian SSR for unification, and
to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to approve this act based upon the
existing legal norms and the precedence of resolving similar disputes
in the USSR.

“In response to the righteous aspirations of the Artsakh Armenians,
the Azerbaijani authorities organized and perpetrated the severe
massacre and deportation of the Armenian population of Sumgayit from
February 27 to 29,” the statement reads.

Condemning the Sumgayit crimes, the political forces represented in the
NKR National Assembly draw the attention of the international community
to the ongoing anti-Armenian policy of Azerbaijan, which hinders the
efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship to establish lasting
peace in the region.

From: Baghdasarian

Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918
[email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
February 25, 2014
Contact: Elen Asatryan
Tel: 818.500.1918
[email protected]

SOUTH DAKOTA REJECTS ANTI-ARMENIAN MEASURE

— State Legislators Defeat Khojaly Measure Backed by Azerbaijani Government

PIERRE, SOUTH DAKOTA – The South Dakota House of Representatives today
tabled action on an anti-Armenian resolution initiated by Azerbaijan,
effectively dealing a serious setback to a biased and historically
inaccurate measure pressed aggressively by Baku’s U.S.-based
lobbyists, reported Armenian National Committee of America – Western
Region (ANCA-WR).

Sources from the State Capitol report that following an extensive
discussion in the House Republican Caucus on Monday morning, the
sponsor of the resolution, Rep. Lance Russell, agreed to defer and
ultimately officially withdrew the measure.

“It’s unfortunate this resolution made it this far in our process but
the positive side of that is there are now 105 legislators in South
Dakota who got a real earful on the plight of persecuted Armenian
Christians,” explained Rep. Steve Hickey (R-09), Pastor of the Church
at the Gate in Sioux Falls, who was among the vocal opponents to the
resolution.

“We are deeply gratified that the elected leaders of yet another U.S.
state have stood up to the oil-rich and corrupt President of
Azerbaijan’s efforts to export his hateful anti-Armenian campaign to
the American heartland,” said Elen Asatryan, ANCA-WR Executive
Director. “We share our profound thanks with the proud people and
principled leaders of South Dakota, a state that has shown remarkable
care and compassion for the Christian nation of Armenia since the
Armenian Genocide era.”

A two-page flyer used by local opponents of the Azerbaijani-backed
measure is available via the following link:

In the days leading up to today’s vote on HCR 1020, the ANCA-WR worked
with local community leaders and activists to alert state legislators
about Azerbaijan’s efforts to use the Khojaly issue to somehow enlist
South Dakota in its increasingly virulent campaign against the
landlocked and blockaded Armenian homeland. The ANCA action alert to
South Dakota legislators can be viewed via the following link:

“Having found safety and the blessing of freedom here in South Dakota
– after having been driven from my home by the Azerbaijani
government’s brutality – I am deeply thankful that my state
legislators, today, took a principled stand against intolerance, lies
and hatred,” said Vazgen Mikhayelyan of Sioux Falls, who was among
those actively opposing the measure, including Igor Avetisov and Bella
Musayelyan.

Similar legislation promoted by Azerbaijan was also defeated in Hawaii
following testimony by Hawaii Armenian community members spotlighting
the growing democracy in Nagorno Karabakh and ongoing Azerbaijani
aggression. For full coverage of the Hawaii effort,
visit:

Earlier this month, ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian issued an
open letter to all U.S. state legislatures earlier this week urging
them to take as stand against foreign interference in American civic
life by corrupt Azerbaijani dictator Ilham Aliyev. “It is truly a
tribute to our great American democratic tradition that even a regime
as flagrantly corrupt as Ilham Aliyev’s is allowed to operate freely
within our open society, ” explained Hamparian. “But that does not
mean that American citizens need to remain silent in the face of
meddling by foreign leaders who neither respect our rights nor share
our values -especially when they try to export their intolerance to
our shores.”

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the
Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country,
the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.

#####

From: Baghdasarian

SULTANATE’S AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA / CREDENTIALS

Oman News Agency, Sultanate of Oman
Feb 25 2014

Yerevan, Feb 25 (ONA) —- President Serzh Sargsyan of the Republic
of Armenia received at the Republican Palace today Yousef bin Issa
al-Zadjali, who presented his credentials as the Sultanate’s accredited
and non-resident ambassador to the Republic of Armenia.

The Ambassador conveyed greetings of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos Bin Said
along with His Majesty’s best wishes of good health and happiness to
President Sargsyan and the friendly people of Armenia further progress
and prosperity.

On his turn, the President of Armenia asked the Ambassador to convey
His greetings and best wishes to His Majesty the Sultan and the Omani
people further progress and prosperity.

The credentials presentation ceremony was attended by Edward
Nalbandian,Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Head of the Presidential
protocols.

—-Ends/SH/FS

From: Baghdasarian

FAREWELL TO NEUTRALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION?

Sacramento Bee, CA
Feb 25 2014

By Switzerland-Armenia Association

BERN, February 25, 2014 — /PRNewswire/ —

– Racial Discrimination: Switzerland’s Passiveness Before ECHR Ruling?

– Indication: The “Factsheet national and international positions
in favor of a revision of the ECHR ruling” can be downloaded free of
charge under:

–

The ruling of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) of 17th
December 2013 Perincek c. Suisse (no. 27510/08) has serious procedural
and substantive shortcomings. Switzerland still has the chance to
appeal a final revision at the Great Chamber of the ECHR. The deadline
for this appeal is 17th March 2014.

The Strasburg ruling is not just unacceptable for Swiss citizens
of Armenian origin, but also for the Swiss justice system which has
condemned twice at the highest level the denial of the genocide of
the Armenian people.

The Switzerland-Armenia Association (SAA) requested a legal opinion
from renowned international public lawyers as well as Swiss penal
code experts. This document was submitted to the Federal Council and
Head of the Swiss Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP)
and the Swiss representative at the ECHR with the urgent request to
consider thoroughly an appeal for a revision of the ruling.

A refusal to appeal the ECHR ruling would mean that Switzerland

– bids farewell to the basic principles of the protection of human
rights, primarily however human dignity;

– back steps from her international commitments in combating racism
(cf Switzerland’s report before the UN Committee on the Elimination
of Racial Discrimination, CERD);

– proactively favors a weakening of her own law;

– takes clearly sides, violating thus massively neutrality
principles. Switzerland’s mediation role in the solution of the
conflict between Armenia and Turkey on the one hand, and between
Armenia and Azerbaijan on the other – the latter elevated to a central
task in the annual program of the Swiss OSCE Chairmanship by President
Didier Burkhalter-would lose entirely its credibility.

In addition, a refusal would also mean that Switzerland essentially
ignores the numerous calls of Swiss and international NGOs for a
revision appeal at the Great Chamber of the ECHR, including positions
of recognized international experts in genocide research and in
human rights. The latter emphasize the factual foundation of the
genocide on the Armenian people and speak against the establishment
of a hierarchy of genocides as de facto carried out by the ECHR
ruling. In the case of a refusal, Switzerland would further ignore
the substantively argued position of the largest and oldest Turkish
human rights organization (Human Rights Association in Turkey, IHD),
as published yesterday. This position describes the racial impact
of the ECHR ruling of 17th December 2013 and considers a revision of
this ruling with a view towards the situation of national minorities
in Turkey as indispensable. IHD emphasizes amongst others that the
ECHR has contradicted, with its ruling, previous decisions of the
European Parliament.

It is assumed that the decision for a revision appeal rests entirely
in the competence of Swiss Federal Concillor Simonetta Sommaruga. The
sudden visit of State Secretary Yves Rossier on 27th January 2014 in
the Armenian capital Yerevan, however, opens up the speculation that
the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs will also claim a
role in the decision. Should, however, Switzerland refrain from using
her right to request a revision, this would send the wrong signals
with unforeseeable international consequences: Switzerland’s good
offices in a resolution of a conflict would not be taken seriously
any longer. The SAA recalls that the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu’s visit to Bern on 10th October 2013 led the Swiss Federal
Department of Foreign Affairs to announce a strategic partnership
with Ankara. President Burkhalter has therefore not hidden the fact
that this was primarily tied to the Swiss expectations to be invited
by Turkey in 2015 on the occasion of Turkey’s Chairmanship of the G20
Summit. A passive position would further show that Switzerland does
not give priority to the defense of her own basic constitutional
rights. Finally, a refusal to appeal the ruling would give those
populist forces an upswing who have traditionally sought to abolish
the anti-racism penal code and the Swiss Federal Commission Against
Racism. At the European level, Switzerland would confirm the supremacy
of the legal body of the freedom of expression before all the other
legal bodies and thus contribute to the violation of future human
rights principles.

We hope that President Didier Burkhalter – who by the way has only
recently condemned with clear words the denial of all crimes against
humanity on the occasion of his visit to Auschwitz at the end of
January 2014 – as well as the Head of the FDJP, Federal Concillor
Simonetta Sommaruga, are aware of their responsibility towards
Switzerland and the world at large.

Attachment: Factsheet national and international positions in favor
of a revision of the ECHR ruling

Contact: Andreas Dreisiebner, SAA Co-President [email protected]
Phone +41-79-671-86-19

Sarkis Shahinian, SAA Honorary President [email protected]
Phone +41-76-399-16-25

SOURCE Switzerland-Armenia Association

From: Baghdasarian

ENVIRONMENTALISTS CONTINUE EXPRESSING CONCERNS ABOUT AYRUM TAILING DUMP

by Karina Manukyan

Tuesday, February 25, 15:48

Environmentalists continue expressing concerns about the Ayrum
tailing dump. According to Chairman of the Green Union of Armenia
Hakob Sanasaryan, the tailings have come very close to the local road
and may well cause its collapse.

“Besides, the residents of the nearby villages of Chochkan and Ayrum
keep complaining that they are forced to inhale dust containing heavy
metals,” Sanasaryan said, noting that heavy metals in the air may
cause serious respiratory problems.

The Ayrum tailing dump belongs to the Akhtala Ore Mining and Processing
Combine (owned by the Metal Prince company).

Earlier Sanasaryan complained that waste from the Shamlukh complex
deposit (another project by Metal Prince) was thrown directly into
the nearby gorge.

From: Baghdasarian

TIGRAN URIKHANYAN: STOOGES OF THE POWER PARTY STOPPED WATER SUPPLY OF ARARATCEMENT PLANT

by Ashot Safaryan

Tuesday, February 25, 17:28

Deputy of the National Assembly of Armenia, press-secretary of
the Prosperous Armenia Party, Tigran Urikhanyan, has come forward
with a statement because of switching off the water supply system of
Araratcement plant. He said that “some men, which introduced themselves
as ecologists”, accompanied by policemen, closed the pump station of
the channel towards the plant and nearby settlements, and in fact,
directed water resources to Azerbaijan.

‘I am confident, that it is clear to everybody that eagerness of
the stooges of certain forces to damage the plant and about 1600 its
workers is conditioned by political disagreements, and has no moral
borders. Although it looks strange, but the owner of the Avshar wine
factory, Araik Grigoryan, which is the brother of the governor of
the Ararat region, said that the plant has debts. For this reason,
the water supply system was switched off. I would like to remind that
Araratcement has no debt. Moreover, the plant overpaid for services.

This information is official and available to everybody”, – Urikhanyan
said.

Stemming from the above mentioned, Urikhanyan said that Grigoryan’s
explanation is lie. “There is no doubt that the owner of the Avshar
wine factory may pretend at Azerbaijani certificate of gratitude”,
– Urikhanyan concluded.

To recall, Araratcement plant is within the “Multigroup” group of
companies which belongs to the leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party,
Gagik Tsarukyan.

From: Baghdasarian