Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

MANOYAN: OSCE MG CO-CHAIRS TO SOME EXTENT ENCOURAGE AZERBAIJAN’S DESTRUCTIVE POLICY

15:07 27/01/2014 ” REGION

The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group do not give a correct assessment
of the situation along the border with Azerbaijan, particularly to
the ceasefire violations by Azeri forces and its consequences, says
Giro Manoyan, Director of the ARF bureau’s Hay Dat and political
affairs office.

“With their allegedly balanced position, in actuality, the Co-Chairs
to some extent encourage Azerbaijan and its destructive policy,”
Manoyan told reporters in Yerevan.

According to the ARFD figure, the mediators should ensure Karabakh’s
full participation in the talks as a means of constraining Azerbaijan.

Manoyan stressed that if Azerbaijan goes on like this and continues
to violate the ceasefire, the Armenian authorities should reject
meeting Azeri officials [he means meetings of Armenian and Azeri
Foreign Ministers] in order to show the international community that
Azerbaijan’s destructive policy is unacceptable.

From: Baghdasarian

AZERBAIJANI MERCENARIES FIGHT AGAINST EACH OTHER IN SYRIA – ARMENIAN ANALYST

January 27, 2014 | 13:08

YEREVAN. – A large number of mercenaries from Azerbaijan are engaged
in the Syrian battles, and they very often fight against one another.

Arab Studies specialist Araks Pashayan noted the abovementioned at
a press conference on Monday.

In Pashayan’s words, many people in Azerbaijan say that perhaps
this resource should be directed at other regions, specifically
Nagorno-Karabakh.

“After all this, it is impossible to predict which force fights for
what in Syria” the analyst added.

The Arab Studies specialist also reflected on the UN-backed Geneva II
Conference on Syria, and she stressed that there are no substantial
changes following this international peace conference on the future
of Syria.

“I think that the talks between the Syrian government and the
opposition should continue behind closed doors,” Araks Pashayan stated.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: Baghdasarian

TURQUIE : LES EFFETS DE L’ENQUÊTE DE CORRUPTION

Publie le : 27-01-2014

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
invite a lire la traduction de Gilbert Beguian d’un article en anglais
du site Today’s Zaman, mise en ligne sur le site de NAM (Nouvelles
d’Armenie Magazine) le 16 janvier 2014.

NAM

Les repercussions outre-Atlantique de l’enquete de corruption

Todays Zaman

De Lale Kemal

13 janvier 2014

D’après le premier ministre Erdogan, ” des conspirateurs a l’interieur
et a l’exterieur ” etaient derrière le scandale de corruption active
et passive devenu public le 17 decembre passe, et leur but ultime de
renverser son gouvernement pourrait inciter le Congrès americain a
adopter des resolutions qu’Ankara n’aimerait pas le voir adopter. Le
Congrès des Etats-Unis d’Amerique pourrait, par exemple, finalement
voter une resolution qui qualifierait de genocide les massacres de
masse des Armeniens sous le règne ottoman, une terminologie a laquelle
est farouchement opposee Ankara.

Le fait qu’Erdogan montre du doigt les USA, un allie proche de la
Turquie, comme etant parmi les conspirateurs exterieurs supposes
hostiles a son pouvoir, en designant specifiquement l’ambassadeur
americain sortant en Turquie, Francis Ricciardone, qu’il accusait
d’etre implique dans des actes de provocation lies au scandale de
corruption, a deja provoque l’ire de l’Administration americaine et
du Congrès des USA.

Le Congrès n’a pas aime qu’un ambassadeur americain soit traite en
ennemi dans un pays membre de l’OTAN, c’est-a-dire la Turquie.

La querelle impliquant Ricciardone a eclate lorsque les medias
favorable au gouvernement ont publie des articles le citant, disant
pendant une reunion a huis clos avec les ambassadeurs des pays de
l’Union Europeenne, qu’ils pourraient voir ” la chute d’un empire “,
c’est-a-dire celui de la Turquie. Il a egalement ete cite ayant dit
qu’il avait demande a la banque d’Etat Halkbank, dont le directeur
general a ete arrete pour corruption active et passive, d’arreter de
faire des affaires avec l’Iran, conformement aux sanctions decretees
contre ce pays par les Nations Unies.

La reunion supposee de Ricciardone avec les ambassadeurs des pays de
l’UE n’a apparemment meme pas eu lieu, suscitant des suppositions selon
lesquelles les citations attribuees a l’ambassadeur des Etats-Unis
avaient ete inventees.

Immediatement après les articles parus dans la presse, l’ambassade des
Etats-Unis d’Amerique a Ankara avait publie plusieurs communiques
sur son compte Twitter, indiquant que les Etats-Unis n’avaient
rien a voir avec l’instruction ouverte pour corruption, ajoutant,
” Toutes allegations dans de nouvelles histoires sont purs mensonges
et calomnie. ”

Comment la politique d’Erdogan consistant a viser Washington a travers
son ambassadeur affectera-t-elle les relations entre la Turquie et les
USA ? L’effet immediat prendra probablement la forme d’une attitude
negative du Congrès americain envers la Turquie.

En visant l’ambassadeur des Etats-Unis d’Amerique et en se fondant
sur des histoires peut-etre fausses, Erdogan a ironiquement offert au
Congrès americain une excuse sur un plateau d’argent pour le pousser
a adopter une resolution reconnaissant les evenements de 1915 dans
l’Empire ottoman, le predecesseur de la Turquie, comme etant un
genocide.

La Turquie soutient qu’il y a eu des morts des deux côtes,
lorsque les Armeniens se sont revoltes contre l’Empire ottoman en
collaboration avec l’armee russe et envahi l’Anatolie orientale pour
obtenir l’independance. Ankara insiste sur le fait que des historiens
d’Armenie et de Turquie devraient decider ensemble si les evenements
de 1915 constituent un genocide et que ce n’est pas la fonction d’un
parlement de voter des resolutions reconnaissant ces evenements comme
constitutifs d’un genocide.

En ce qui concerne l’executif, les presidents des Etats-Unis
d’Amerique font des declarations chaque annee le 23 avril, le jour
commemore par les Armeniens comme etant l’anniversaire du genocide,
mais ils ne vont pas jusqu’a reconnaître les evenements comme etant
un genocide. [Nota CVAN : les Armeniens commemorent le genocide
le 24 avril et non le 23] En avril dernier, dans sa declaration,
le president Obama a fait reference aux evenements en utilisant le
terme ” Medz Yeghern ” qui signifie ” grande tragedie ” en armenien,
au lieu de qualifier ouvertement les evenements de genocide.

Cependant, le Congrès americain utilisera probablement les
attaques d’Erdogan contre l’ambassadeur des Etats-Unis pour pousser
l’administration Obama a reduire ses relations avec la Turquie et il
pourrait finalement adopter une resolution qualifiant les morts des
Armeniens lors des dernières annees de l’Empire ottoman comme un ”
genocide ” des Armeniens.

La communaute armenienne d’Amerique est la communaute la plus influente
politiquement de la diaspora armenienne (les Armeniens vivant en dehors
de l’Etat armenien) du monde. Et c’est une communaute très influente
envers le Congrès des USA. Le senateur americain Robert Menendez,
president de la Commission des Affaires etrangères du Senat, vient
du New Jersey, où la communaute armenienne est très importante.

Par consequent, ce n’est pas une coïncidence si toutes sortes
d’histoires qui decrivent la politique du gouvernement turc dans le
processus de l’enquete de corruption, comme une tentative de l’etouffer
et d’empecher la justice de la poursuivre, ont fait leur apparition
dans les journaux locaux du New Jersey. La communaute armenienne
du New Jersey s’efforce d’influencer Menendez, afin qu’il utilise
les episodes de l’enquete de corruption en Turquie et les methodes
employees – en violation du droit – pour pousser vers une resolution
reconnaissant le genocide armenien.

De toute evidence, la communaute armenienne cherche a montrer la
Turquie negativement du fait de la facon dont le gouvernement turc a
gere l’enquete sur la corruption. Les Armeniens veulent prouver que
la Turquie n’est pas un Etat de droit, le gouvernement ayant interfere
avec l’action de la justice au cours de l’enquete de corruption, tout
en rappelant les brutalites policières soutenues par le gouvernement
turc contre les manifestants du Parc Gezi l’ete dernier, et tout en
citant les nombreux journalistes turcs emprisonnes pour leur opposition
au gouvernement.

2015 est le 100ème anniversaire des massacres des Armeniens a
l’epoque des Ottomans. L’an prochain, voire en avril cette annee, les
Armeniens d’Amerique demanderont au Congrès d’adopter une resolution
reconnaissant les evenements comme etant un genocide. Et le senateur
Menendez du New Jersey ne peut pas se permettre de refuser les demandes
de la forte communaute armenienne de sa circonscription.

Le debat sur le thème ” La Turquie est peut-etre une alliee de l’OTAN,
mais quelle est cette alliee qui viole les principes democratiques ?

“, a deja commence au Congrès americain après les manifestations
du Parc Gezi. La mauvaise gestion de l’enquete de corruption par
le gouvernement turc n’a fait qu’accentuer le sentiment antiturc au
Congrès americain.

Traduction Gilbert Beguian pour Armenews

jeudi 16 janvier 2014, Jean Eckian ©armenews.co

Correction C.Gardon pour le Collectif VAN

Artice en anglais :

Graft probe’s transatlantic effects

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : NAM

From: Baghdasarian

Lack of long-term thinking

January 25 2014

We are not used to make long-term plans for our lives. It is, perhaps,
partly national peculiarity, but basically, a phenomenon caused by
external factors. Planning can be made when the country is in stable
condition. During the Soviet period, for instance, I was planning to
become a PhD (I achieved), then an associate professor, then a
professor, to write about music, educate a few private students and so
on. The collapse of the Soviet Union hurled a stone on my plans.
Having a positive and light attitude towards life, I did not make a
tragedy out of it. They did and up to now are living under the
influence of this stress. In addition, for 22 years, we are constantly
living in the `turbulent’ situation and we can not say what will
happen tomorrow. Not to speak about a long-term plan. Uncertainty
about the future, to some extent, is generating from the mistrust
towards the authorities. Here, the real and popular folklore are
intertwined and become a stable stereotype. Recently, for example,
someone explained to me quite seriously, `Do you think that a ton of
heroin was really identified? No, they present that they have
identified it, they have shown it and now they will little by little
sell it. Have you seen that they had burned the heroin?’ That’s it.
Overwhelming majority of Armenia’s population does not believe that
any of our state officials, even theoretically, is capable of doing
something good. Of course, those, who `ex officio’ are engaged in
propaganda, also contribute to the strengthening of this folklore. The
habit of not making long-term plans and not believing in any
initiative of the authorities has been intertwined in the funded
pension issue. `If you give two penny to them (i.e. the government)
and tomorrow go and get it, they’ll tell you what money you, you have
not given me any money.’ The roots of such thinking are too deep, and
it is impossible to change it in one day. The matter is not only the
money lost in the Soviet savings banks, nor the banks `exploded’ in
the first half of 90s. The matter is that the government and the
parliament are constantly changing the rules of the game. In
particular, they are increasing the tax burden. Recently, for example,
I, not a big businessman, was made to buy a $1,000 CCM. The matter is
that we do not believe that our taxes that we are paying reach our
pensioners and budgetary workers, and are not possessed by our
managers, this way or another way. These taxes are added by an
additional 5 percent tax defined for people up to 40 years old. No
matter they say that it is not a tax payment, this 5 percent is
perceived accordingly. I, particularly, see the solution of this
`funded’ issue not in endless delay, anyway, this reform is necessary,
but in adoption of a decision agreed upon by all parliamentary
factions and, naturally, in compliance with the Constitution. I hope
that times when the president was calling the members of the
Constitutional Court and imposing them to pass this-or-that decision
are gone.

ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
Read more at:

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIE
Une inspection du ministère des finances révèle une fraude de 584,7
millions de drams

Une inspection du ministère des Finances a révélé que le montant des
allocations versées aux femmes enceintes dans les six premiers mois de
l’an dernier a dépassé de 584,7 millions de drams la somme prévue.

Des documents sur ce montant à payer ont été soumis au ministère du
travail et de la sécurité sociale par le comité des recettes de l’Etat
a précisé le ministère des Finances.

Il a dit que les femmes enceintes de 6 mois ont reçu des salaires
élevés et qu’après avoir travaillé pendant un mois, elles ont obtenu
des indemnités de grossesse et ont cessé d’aller travailler, mais ont
reçu des indemnités d’une valeur de 150000 à 200000 drams.

Dans d’autres cas, les femmes enceintes ont travaillé à temps partiel
pour deux entreprises et recevaient des salaires plus élevés que le
salaire moyen des autres employés.

dimanche 26 janvier 2014,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

ECHECS
L’Arménien Lévon Aronian remporte pour la 4e fois le Tournoi
international Wijk aan Zee

Par sa victoire au 42e coup de la 10e partie face au Cubain Lenyer
Dominguez, du Tournoi international de Wijk aan Zee (Pays Bas), avec 8
points, le numéro 2 mondial des échecs, l’Arménien Lévon Aronian a
remporté pour la quatrième fois le Tournoi de Wijk aan Zee. L’Arménien
devance le Russe Sergueï Kariakine et le Hollandais Anish Giry qui
n’ont que 6 points. L’an dernier, le Tournoi était remporté par le
numéro un mondial le Norvégien Magnus Carlsen qui avait devancé Lévon
Aronian. A noter que Lévon Aronian était soutenu cette année par de
nombreux supporters Arméniens.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 26 janvier 2014,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

Constitutional Court rules to suspend implementation of two articles
of the new pension law

18:37 24.01.2014

The Constitutional Court ruled today to suspend the implementation of
Articles 76 and 86.3 of the Law on Compulsory Accumulative Pension
System until the adoption of a final decision on the constitutionality
of the law. The decision enters into force from the moment of its
publication.

The suspension of the articles will remain in force until March 28,
when the Constitutional Court is scheduled to consider the
constitutionality of Article 8 of the Law on Compulsory Accumulative
Pension System that has come into force on January 1, 2014.

From: Baghdasarian

BRUSH WITH DEATH HONES LOVE OF LIFE

Wollongong Advertiser, Australia
January 22, 2014 Wednesday

I am an Australian citizen with an Armenian background. My grandparents
escaped their homeland (part of Turkey now) around World War I and
with their children moved around Turkey and the Middle East area
(Syria and Lebanon, eventually settling in Iraq). In spite of
all the misfortunes, adversities and hardships that they faced,
they succeeded in establishing themselves in the many communities
they lived within. My father occupied a prominent position in the
Department of Engineering in Iraq, my mother became a school teacher,
and my uncle was the archbishop representing his community in the US,
Iran and Egypt.

I did part of my study in Iraq, and then my father supported me
to study in England. I finished my PhD in medical microbiology and
married Colin Woodroffe, who is now a professor at the University of
Wollongong. I accompanied my husband when he travelled for his many
different academic positions. In all these new places, I managed to
keep my academic career and find a job. Hence, I held many interesting
postdoctoral research, tutoring and lecturing positions. In New Zealand
at the Auckland University Medical School I was involved in research
on tumour immunology. During a year at Louisiana State University
in the US I joined a team working on avian microbiology. We spent
several years in Darwin during which I researched human chlamydial
infection at the Menzies School of Health Research. My most recent
research was on human cytomegalovirus infection at University of
Wollongong and the University of Western Sydney.

Following a 23-year academic career and after being diagnosed and
successfully treated for breast cancer, I decided to have a sea-change
and to do the things I loved but had shelved until retirement. So, I
joined the Welsh Choir, started practising piano and devoted time to my
hobby – painting. In the last 15 years or so since my early retirement,
I have gone a long way with my painting career. I have won many
prizes and awards for my paintings and been represented by galleries
in Wollongong, Shellharbour, Sydney and Canberra. I have taken part
in art exhibitions, done solo and group exhibitions, and have sold
many paintings, including overseas. I like all the different styles
of painting. I find myself at ease painting traditional abstract or
traditional realist or contemporary impressionistic styles, and I paint
regularly in nature (en plein air) with a group of my artist friends.

For me, nature is so beautiful and perfect with the play of shadow
and light and the expression of colours that are displayed through
the three dimensions, that I stand in front of it in awe for its
perfectness and beauty. All I can do is humbly and truthfully transfer
the magic in front of me and my inner feelings to the two-dimensional
canvas. I paint all sorts of subjects including landscape, seascape,
figurative and portraits, and my favourite medium is oil colour,
though most of the time I start with watercolour or acrylic or pastel,
but I love the texture of oils. More of my work can be found at my
website,

Looking back at my life, I am happy with all the different stages
in my life. I do not consider my brush with cancer so much as a
misfortune but more a waking call to enjoy life and not to take it
too seriously. It has given me the strength to believe in my inner
self, my ability to turn things around, to always put my family as
the priorities in life, to be sensitive to the needs of others around
me, and to increase my friendship with God. In all the trials that I
faced, whether it was juggling family needs with the very demanding
and testing aspects of my research/ teaching career, dealing with
a horrifying accident to my husband, facing my health issues, or
looking after my elderly mother, my faith has helped me through.

Now I have two beautiful grown-up daughters – Sabrina, who has finished
studying dentistry specialising in orthodontics and is working with
the Smile Team in Wollongong; and Clarissa who works as a pharmacist
at the Westmead Children’s Hospital. Also I am so looking forward
to the birth of my first grandchild in a few months’ time. I am very
thankful for the support of my husband, daughters and family.

My motto is life always brings with it happiness, beauty and trials.

It is up to us to appreciate the happy events in our life and
be thankful, to stop and see beauty and enjoy it; and to face
life-challenges, learn from them and turn them around to our advantage
and mature from them.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA’S CENTRAL BANK RESPONDS TO CONSTITUTIONAL COURT’S DECISION

YEREVAN, January 24. / ARKA /. Armenia’s Central Bank was quick to
respond to today’s decision of the Constitutional Court to suspend
several provisions of the law on funded pension system.

Andranik Grigoryan, a central bank senior official, said the decision
would affect the international rating of the country’s financial
market.

The highest court of the country has ruled today to suspend Article 76
(providing for penalties for the failure or delay to make mandatory
pension payments) and the third paragraph of Article 86 (according to
which workers must choose a pension fund and a manager). The hearing
of the case will end March 28, 2014.

“We believe that the (pension) reform will continue, but if for some
reason it will not, it will have very negative effects. Particularly,
it may adversely affect the credibility and the rating our country
in the international market,” he told a news conference.

The constitutionality of eight articles of the law was challenged
by three opposition factions of the National Assembly –
the Armenian National Congress, the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation/Dashnaktsutyun, the Heritage and the Prosperous Armenia
Party.

The new pension system requires that all Armenian citizens born
after 1973 pay social security taxes equivalent to 5 percent of their
monthly wages. That money has to be deposited with private pension
funds licensed by the government late last December. -0-

– See more at:

From: Baghdasarian

CONSTRUCTION OF MARTAKERT-VARDENIS HIGHWAY DISCUSSED AT NKR PRESIDENT’S OFFICE

18:51 24.01.2014

On January 24 President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan
convoked a working consultation dedicated to the construction of the
Martakert-Vardenis highway, Central Information Department of the
Office of the NKR President reported.

Heads and representatives of the “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund and
other structures involved in the process delivered reports.

The President underlined that construction works of this strategically
important highway should go on at a high level, ensuring the necessary
quality.

From: Baghdasarian