Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

NEW IRANIAN BIOFERTILIZER PROMISES GOOD RESULTS

13:41 * 07.02.14

Alkazot Plus biofertilizer, which has been created by Iranian
scientists, will be used in Armenia to promote agricultural progress,
Director of the Armen Biotech company Siamak Alizade told reporters
on Friday.

The new fertilizer is 40% to 50% cheaper than chemical fertilizers.

Armen Biotech company has for 15 years been producing fertilizers
in Iran, and, after studying the world market, has decided to start
production in Armenia as well.

“We are going to start production in Abovyan to be able to bring
economic benefits to Armenia,” Alizade said.

Deputy Director Vahik Nariyan said that the new technology helps
plants to absorb useful substances from oil and air.

“The entire world is introducing organic production, which enhances
economic productivity by 20 to 25 percent,” Narinyan said.

He noted that the new fertilizer has been used in hothouses and
produced good results.

From: Baghdasarian

ZHOGHOVURD: TIGRAN SARGSYAN WANTS TO BECOME PRESIDENT

12:49 29/01/2014 >> DAILY PRESS

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan recently makes active efforts
for becoming the successor of President Serzh Sargsyan, Zhoghovurd
writes.

Moreover, according to the newspaper’s sources, via various channels
he swears loyalty to the Russian authorities in an effort to show
that he is “their man,” he “can be trusted” and so on.

Speaking to Zhoghovurd’s correspondent, Prime Minister’s spokesman
Harutyun Berberyan refuted the rumors that Tigran Sargsyan wants to
become the President’s successor.

“As for the second part of your question, we have excellent relations
with our Russian partners,” he said.

Source: Panorama.am

From: Baghdasarian

CATHOLICOS KAREKIN II SENDS CONGRATULATIONS ON ARMY DAY

18:24 28/01/2014 >> SOCIETY

Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II issued a congratulatory message
on the occasion of Army Day.

The message says, in part: “On the occasion of Army Day, we offer our
patriarchal blessings and congratulations to our beloved nation from
the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

Armenian Army is the great achievement of our independent statehood,
and being efficient and strong by the blessing of God, it keeps
awake free, peaceful and creative life of our homeland. Armenian
Army has always been the bearer of faithful and freedom loving soul
of our people, by which it built victories at the decisive moments
in our history.

Today soldiers of our Army become heroes and devote their lives to
their homeland, being ranked beside brave soldiers who fought for the
love of their homeland and died. On this festive day, we remember and
honor our glorious soldiers and generals and immortal heroes who built
the glory of Armenian weapon and all those who devoted themselves to
the noble and worthwhile cause of creating independent statehood.

We wish soldiers of our Army to continue their vigilant service with
devotion and bravery and multiply the achievements of Armenian Army,
defending our country, values and sacred things.”

Source: Panorama.am

From: Baghdasarian

168 Hours: Staff reductions begin at Nairit plant

12:45 08/02/2014 >> DAILY PRESS

About a month ago, 168 Hours newspaper reported that staff reductions
are planned at Nairit plant. Plant’s spokeswoman Anush Harutyunyan,
however, dismissed the information.

“Unfortunately, our report was confirmed. A number of plant workers
said that they received notifications that they will no longer work at
the plant beginning April. They also said that new lists of staff
reductions are being complied,” 168 Hours writes.

Source: Panorama.am

From: Baghdasarian

Haute Living
Feb 8 2014

Haute Eat: Mayrig Dubai

February 8, 2014
Written by Rebecca Anne Proctor

Delicately prepared and full of fresh flavors, I was immediately
enlightened by Armenian cuisine from the first time I ate at Mayrig’s
charming Beirut restaurant. While similar in many ways to Lebanese
fare, what was so memorable about Mayrig’s dishes were their distinct
flavors – tastes like I’d never experienced before. That first
experience stayed clearly in my mind for many years, until I recently
was able to try the restaurant’s new Dubai restaurant.

Dubai is Mayrig’s second venue after its launch in 2003 in Beirut.
Owned by cousins Aline Kamakian and Serge Maacaron, the restaurant was
founded out of their shared passion for cooking and preserving the
tradition of Armenian cuisine. Mayrig, which means “little mother”, a
common Armenian term to refer to grandmother, celebrates the cousins’
mutual grandmother Manouchag through a menu rife of her special
recipes passed down across generations as well as portraits that are
found aligning the walls of the restaurant’s two floors.

While opening a restaurant satisfied Aline’s childhood dream, her
journey to withhold the standards of Armenian cuisine didn’t stop
there. In 2011, she published her first book Armenian Cuisine, a
stunning tome replete with wonderful photographs and recipes of some
of the culture’s greatest dishes.

The warm ambiance decorated with traditional Armenian patterns boasts
an inviting and comfortable ambiance – similar to someone’s home. The
menu, which is decorated in traditional Armenian patchwork, is full of
countless tasty dishes. Without much background knowledge as per the
preparation and philosophy behind Armenian cuisine, except for my one
meal at the Mayrig in Beirut, from among the range of dishes I didn’t
know what to select. Energetic and bubbly, Aline came over to explain
the various options.

Starters came in a great assortment of dishes with the colorful
ingredients Armenian food is renowned for. We were served a mix of
cold appetizers including Itch, Armenian tabouleh; Sempougav Salad,
made with eggplant; Zeitoun Salad with olives; Vospis Salad featuring
a delicious mix of lentils and several hommos dishes such as Hommos
Soujouk topped with Armenian sausage. Everything was incredibly fresh
and fragrant boasting the vibrant tastes that I had loved when I first
ate at Mayrig’s in Beirut. We were also served several salads
including one with wild oregano, which Aline advised was a specialty
because of the season. Among my favorites were the Sempougui Keufteh,
stuffed kebbe with marinated eggplant, the Potato Kebbe and the
Mouhammara, a delicious and highly addictive hot red pepper and walnut
sauce that went perfectly with the variety of Armenian breads we were
served. These included Lavash, a traditional thin flatbread that
unlike other breads, doesn’t contain any yeast.

A selection of hot starters were also provided among which were the
Sou Beureg, layered pastry with three cheeses and the Gdzou Patates,
spicy fried potatoes. Presented with such delicacy and attention to
detail, it is clear that much time and labor had gone into the
preparation of each dish – countless hours in the kitchen to recreate
these much loved specialties.

While the appetizers alone can easily constitute a meal, we openly
welcomed a few main dishes. The Spanakhou Mante, a dish resembling the
intricacy of Italian Ravioli, presented spinach dumplings with tomato
sauce and yogurt. Armenian cuisine is big on meat so we also opted for
the Mante of minced meat dumplings also accompanied by tomato sauce
and yogurt.

The desserts couldn’t have impressed us more by their authenticity and
special flavors. We were served an interesting sweet eggplant filled
with sugar and walnuts inside. There was also a selection of Armenian
biscuits that we could dip in rosewater jam. To top it off and aid our
digestion, we were offered Armenian tea prepared with cinnamon and
black tea anise.

Armenian cuisine is a journey in itself – one which requires much
investigation to the history and nature of this ancient school of
cooking. Mayrig does it superbly well. Such an Armenian venue was
needed in Dubai to balance out the majority of Arabic and Lebanese
venues with something of the same region, but offering different
tastes and a fascinating history. While Aline mentioned the challenges
to procure the freshest produce as possible in the UAE, the food
itself was no less in taste and presentation than the brand’s first
venue in Beirut. This is a place that merits many returns.

Mayrig is located in Downtown Dubai on Tel: +971 56 3649794

From: Baghdasarian

Santa Barbara Independent, CA
Feb 8 2014

Millions Were Lost in Armenian Genocide

Saturday, February 8, 2014
By Alicia St. John, S.B.

The February 2 letter “Armenian Genocide Not Legally Founded” is
completely irresponsible. The denial of the Armenian genocide by
Turkish descendants is notorious. Turkey, as a nation, refuses to
admit to the slaughter of the Armenians. They have been denying it
since it happened in 1915.

Thousands of books have been written on the reality of the Armenian
genocide by people more prominent than Hillary Clinton or any of those
referenced in the letter. It is well known that Hitler based what he
did to the Jews on what the Turks did to the Armenians. He ended his
speech on invading Poland with “Who, after all, speaks today of the
annihilation of the Armenians?” One of the most educated commentaries
about the Armenian Genocide was published in the L.A. Times, noting
that the Armenian genocide was the first genocide of that century, and
had the world interfered, that would have set the precedent that
genocide is unacceptable by nations. The Times writer believed that
would have prevented every other genocide of that century.

The authors of the letter say the Armenian genocide should not be
taught in schools. Personally, I do not believe that children are
capable of understanding man’s inhumanity to man. The subject should
be taught to older students, in the context of genocide, along with
all of the other instances of genocide. But, this does not mean that I
am in any way denying the Armenian genocide. That would be a negation
of history.

The Armenians were the first nation of people to accept Christianity
from the Emperor Constantine, in 301 AD. They lived secularized in the
Ottoman Empire, surrounded by the Muslim Turks. The Ottoman Empire was
tolerant of the Christians in their midst. When the Ottomans were
overthrown by the “Young Turk Guard,” that tolerance was over. The
Turk Guard slaughtered millions of Armenian Christians to ethnically
cleanse their realm. The atrocities are compared to the Holocaust and
are the second-most-studied genocide. I encourage readers to contact
the Museum of Tolerance in L.A. to learn the truth.

From: Baghdasarian

Associated Press International
February 8, 2014 Saturday 7:10 PM GMT

Cuba frees jailed Canadian businessman

by CHARMAINE NORONHA, Associated Press

TORONTO (AP) – A Canadian businessman who served 2 1/2 years of a
9-year prison sentence in Cuba for corruption has abruptly returned to
Canada.

Sarkis Yacoubian, president of Tri-Star Caribbean import company, said
Saturday that he’s extremely happy and excited to be home in Toronto.
However, he says he is still adjusting after he was given only 24 to
48 hours’ notice before his release.

Yacoubian was arrested in 2011 by Cuban authorities but only formally
charged in April 2013 with bribery, tax evasion and “activities
damaging to the economy.” He said that because he was expelled from
Cuba, he is not subject to transfer conditions that would require him
to serve the rest of his sentence in Canada.

“I can’t discuss on what grounds I was expelled,” said the 53-year-old
Yacoubian. “When somebody goes to jail, most of them claim that they
were innocent. It’s not only the facts that support this for me, but
official recognition that supports this,” he said.

“I’m still confused. They released me, 24-48 hours’ notice, I still
don’t know exactly how this whole thing happened. I’m trying to figure
out what happened, who had interest behind it, which were the
organizations or companies that did what they did to me. So it’s just
48 hours. The decision, nobody knew that. They just said we’re going
to let you out,” Yacoubian told The Associated Press from his mother’s
home in Toronto.

He said that he is willing to share his story but wants to consult
with his lawyers, who he said are currently on vacation, before he
provides further details about what he calls a “very interesting,
exciting story.”

“I want to be properly vindicated on the highest level once the facts
are there. I’ve already been officially vindicated, but I just can’t
tell you how, but it’ll come out in the next two weeks,” he said.

Yacoubian, who is Armenian, was born in Lebanon, where he studied
international relations before coming to Montreal to earn his MBA at
McGill University. He then ventured to Cuba, where he spent about 20
years. There, he partnered with the Cuban government on multiple
ventures.

“(I developed) probably the third or fourth largest company (in Cuba).
I started with $3,000 and that’s where I got millions of dollars of
credit from factories, and all my money was confiscated, so there’s a
story behind the story,” he said.

Two months after Yacoubian’s arrest, authorities raided another
Canadian-run company, the Tokmakjian Group, one of the largest foreign
operations in Cuba. Cy Tokmaakjian, 73, was arrested September 2011.
He remains in Cuba’s La Condesa prison with no charges filed.

Peter Kent, Tokmakjian’s Member of Parliament, told The Toronto Star
that Yacoubian’s release had been expected, but that the news that he
was back in Canada came as a relief.

Kent said that his greater concern was for Tokmakjian, who has spent
two years imprisoned and in frail health. Kent said that Canadian
government representatives “have on a number of occasions asked the
Cuban authorities to either take him to court, lay charges or release
him. And that continues to be our position . . . and that hasn’t
happened.”

President Raul Castro has said that rooting out rampant corruption is
one of the country’s most important challenges.

Dozens of Cuban government officials and state company executives have
been imprisoned for graft, while more than 150 foreign businesspeople
and scores of small foreign companies have been kicked out of the
country.

From: Baghdasarian

Marrying Armenian women in Azerbaijan can be perilous

February 07, 2014 | 00:09

An Azerbaijani family’s intention to seek political asylum in Armenia
has caused numerous reactions.

Fine lines in the Azerbaijani press reports show what is not directly
said: those of Armenian descent are in danger in Azerbaijan.

As reported earlier, Resident of Baku Javid Orujev (born in 1976), his
wife and three children on January 29 applied to the Armenian side
seeking asylum for his family. The Azerbaijani citizen explained his
decision by the persecution against him in his homeland. In
particular, Orujev said the pressure of the special services followed
his marriage to Roya Mirzoyeva (born in 1983) having Armenian roots.
Failing to stand the pressure, Orujev was forced to agree to
collaborate with the Azerbaijani special services and inform them
about Armenian news received by his wife’s relatives from Armenia and
the Diaspora.

Azerbaijani media are flooded with articles where they question
Orujev’s statements, considering them cynical and Orujev, a person
devoid of patriotism.

One of the periodicals went even further and spoke about the marriage
of the couple.

“After divorcing his first wife, he married Mirzoyeva who was also
previously married. Her surname is that of her ex-husband. Did Javid
not know whom he was marrying? He knew. Has this become a reason to
refuse the registration of their marriage? It has not,” the writes
columnist, who considers being married once likewise to be
discrediting evidence.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: Baghdasarian

Organizers say 3 billion people watched Sochi Olympics opening

February 8, 2014 – 18:30 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – 3 billion people worldwide watched the opening
ceremony of the 2014 Sochi Olympics on Friday, Feb 7. Another 40,000
watched the ceremony at the Fisht stadium in the Sochi Olympic Park,
the organizers said in a statement.

The three-hour show, which offered an epic overview of Russian history
in 18 parts, utilized a staff of 12,000.

The audience of the opening ceremony at the previous Winter Games in
Vancouver was put by organizers at 1 billion. Between 1 billion and 4
billion people, by various estimates, watched the opening of 2008
Summer Olympics in Beijing.

The Sochi Olympics run February 7 to 23. About 3,500 athletes will
compete for 98 medals in 15 disciplines.

From: Baghdasarian

Paris mayoral candidate: Turkey can’t join EU unless Genocide recognized

February 8, 2014 – 15:46 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Anne Hidalgo, the Socialist candidate for mayor of
Paris named Turkey’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide as a
precondition for Ankara’s accession to the EU.

“The recognition will make Turkey stronger,” Cihan Haber quoted her as saying.

Ms Hidalgo further expressed support for adoption of the Genocide
denial law, further referring to President Hollande’s pledge to work
out a legal instrument that won’t meet the ban of the Constitutional
Court.

“Denial of tragic pages of history is what prevents building a new
future,” she said.

Ms Hidalgo vowed to perpetuate the April 24 commemorative events if
elected a mayor, with Paris Mayor’s Office to extend financial support
to the Genocide centennial events in 2015.

On January 23, 2012 the French Senate passed the bill making it a
crime to deny the Armenian Genocide. The bill envisaged a 45,000 euro
fine and a year in prison for anyone in France who denies this crime
against humanity committed by the Ottoman Empire. However, the French
Constitutional Council ruled the bill as anti-constitutional. In a
statement the Council said the document represented an
“unconstitutional breach of the practice of freedom of expression and
communication

Later, President Hollande pledged to redraft the law criminalizing the
Armenian Genocide denial in France, stressing the need to ensure the
legal framework to avoid censorship by the Constitutional Council.

From: Baghdasarian