Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

YEREVAN MUNICIPALITY RESPONDS TO TERT.AM REPORT: HOMELESS MAN GIVEN SHELTER

11.01.13

Gevorg Asatryan, an old man who has been homeless for years, has
been taken to the homeless shelter run by the Hans Christian Kofoed
Foundation, Ruzanna Zakaryan, Head of the Social Security Department,
Yerevan Municipality, informed Tert.am in her written response.

Gevorg Asatryan has been homeless for five years. Although of
pensionable age, he does not receive a pension as he has never applied
to relevant bodies.

Ms Zakaryan informed Tert.am that the man has been provided with the
first social aid, which will be followed by round-the-clock care and
social service.

The relevant bodies have been asked to find Gevorg Asatryan’s passport
to able him to receive a pension.

Ms Zakaryan expressed her gratitude to Tert.am for help.

“Although the problem of homeless people is viewed in the context
of social policy, the Yerevan mayor’s initiative to provide homeless
people with shelter will be further developed,” Ms Zakaryan said.

About 140 homeless people have been provided with shelter.

From: Baghdasarian

WB: ADVERSE GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS MAY AFFECT ARMENIAN ECONOMY

YEREVAN, January 11. /ARKA/. The recent economic crisis revealed a few
channels through which global developments may affect the Armenian
economy, Jean-Michel Happi, the World Bank’s Country Manager for
Armenia, said in an interview with ARKA News Agency.

The first is trade, he said. “Reduced demand for base metals, which
constitute the major part of the Armenian exports, pushes down metal
prices which results in lower export incomes or even contracting in
the mining sector if the prices go below the break-even point.”

The second channel he pointed is remittances and FDI. “Worsened
economic situation in partner countries (EU and Russia) affects their
decision and capacities to invest / send money to Armenia.”

Happi also singled out food and energy price shock among outside
factors able to affect Armenia.

“Armenia is heavily dependent on the imported wheat and fuel
commodities. Unfavorable weather conditions in Russia and Kazakhstan
have already had some spillover effects on Armenia, as prices for bread
accelerated during the second half or 2012,” he said in his interview.

Happi said that the global developments and their impact on Armenia
largely depend on whether and what kind of risks will materialize.

“Our medium-term forecasts do not anticipate major upside or downside
risks associated with the current uncertainties in the eurozone area
and growth projections remain within the range of 4-5 percent per
annum, he said.-0—

From: Baghdasarian

KURDISH REBELS SAY TURKISH NATIONALISTS PERPETRATED PARIS KILLINGS

January 11, 2013 – 19:57 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Kurdish rebels suggested on Friday, Jan 11 that
clandestine Turkish nationalists may have assassinated three Kurdish
activists in Paris, but Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said the killings
appeared to have been the result of an internal feud, Reuters reported.

The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) said the execution-style killings
in an institute in central Paris had been premeditated and planned
and warned France would be held responsible if it failed to get to
the bottom of their deaths.

Sakine Cansiz, a founding member of the PKK, and two fellow activists
were found shot in the head early on Thursday in an attack which
shocked the Kurdish community and overshadowed peace moves between
Turkey and the rebels.

Turkey put its missions in Europe, home to a large Kurdish diaspora ,
on alert and asked the French authorities to boost security around
its interests there, after the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party
(BDP) called for protest meetings.

From: Baghdasarian

534 HAVE JOINED THE PETITION URGING TO OPEN TURKISH BORDER FOR SYRIAN ARMENIANS
Nvard Davtyan

“Radiolur”
18:14 11.01.2013

The petition launched on the White House website, which urges to open
the Armenian-Turkish border for Syrian Armenians, is still open for
signing. The author of the initiative is Daniel Ioannisyan. He’s a
member of the Heritage Party, but it was his personal initiative. The
petition has been signed by 534 so far.

“Everyone irrespective of the nationality and citizenship can join
the initiative. The deadline is February 4th,” Daniel Ioannisyan told
reporters today.

He stressed the importance of the petition, as it will be easier for
Syrian Armenians to move to the motherland through the Armenian-Turkish
border.

“In case the Margara checkpoint at the Armenian-Turkish border opens,
it will be possible to cross the distance from Aleppo to Yerevan in
8-10 hors,” he said.

Expert of Turkish studies Artak Shakaryan described the initiative
as interesting, but risky. “It provides another opportunity to speak
about the Armenian-Turkish issues, which are not restricted to the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide.”

However, according to Shakaryan, the initiative raises a number of
questions. Is Armenia ready for the opening of the Armenian Turkish
border even in this restricted context? Are our migration services
ready to accept all refugees, Arabs among them?

The author of the initiative has not discussed the issue with
the authorities. He says it’s simply necessary to withstand the
challenges. As for Arab refugees, he says Armenia is not that
attractive to them, at least because of the language difficulties.

Ioannisyan is confident his initiative will benefit the country,
if correctly used by our diplomacy.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA PLANS TO RUN STATE RESERVES NETWORK WITH RUSSIA

news.am
January 11, 2013 | 15:53

YEREVAN. – Armenia is planning on running a large-scale state reserves
network jointly with Russia, National Security Council (NSC) Secretary
Arthur Baghdasaryan informed during a press conference on Friday.

As per Baghdasaryan, this program will become the largest of Russia’s
similar initiatives in South Caucasus.

“The reserves will be provided to secure essential goods in emergency
situations, and they will be restocked on a regular basis,” the
Armenian NSC head noted.

From: Baghdasarian

FORMER CANDIDATE: ARMENIAN PRESIDENT’S POST CORRUPT BY LAW

Aysor.am
January 11, 2013

Attorney of the European Court of Human Rights, member of Prosperous
Armenia Party (BHK) Ruben Aivazian said at a press conference today
that his recent decision to drop out of the presidential race had
to do with the results of his meeting with fellow members of BHK,
rather than with the amount of electoral pledge.

“My election campaign office was being furnished, financing was already
provided, but a thorough examination of the law revealed that the
post of Armenian President already envisages a corrupt system. If a
presidential candidate whose monthly salary is 400,000 AMD can invest
10 million AMD, then the president has to work for two years to pay
the electoral pledge. My sum was collected within a day. I already
announced previously that I did not consult with BHK because the BHK
Political Council’s decision applies only to candidates nominated
by the party. BHK neither nominates its own candidates nor supports
other candidates. I decided not to oppose the party’s decision,”
Aivazian said.

From: Baghdasarian

HOVVI CHUCRH: THE RUINED PEARL OF ARMENIAN ARCHITECTURE

14:52 11.01.2013

The documentary about the Armenian Hovvi (Shephard’s) Chucrh prepared
by the Research on Armenian Architecture NGO premiered on the eve.

HovviChurch is one of the pearls of Armenian architecture. It stands
outside the ramparts of the medieval Armenian city of Ani occupied
by Turkey since 1920.

The film tells viewers about its history and gradual destruction also
showing its 3D reconstruction.

From: Baghdasarian

January 11, 2013
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

EPISCOPAL DIVINE LITURGY AND BLESSING OF MADAGH ON THE NAME DAY OF ST.
GARABED CHURCH IN HOLLYWOOD

Monday, January 14, 2013 is the Feast of St. John the Forerunner,
which is also the name day of St. Garabed Church of Hollywood.
On this occasion, on Sunday, January 13, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh
Mardirossian, Prelate, will celebrate Divine Liturgy and deliver the sermon
at St. Garabed Church. Parish Pastor Archpriest Fr. Vicken Vassilian will
assist at the altar.
The blessing of madagh will take place after the service, followed
by a celebratory luncheon at “Karapetian” Hall organized by the Parish
Pastor and Board of Trustees. This annual luncheon is also an opportunity
to recognize and honor church and community members for their service to our
collective life.

PRELACY FAMILY REJOICES AT THE
PRELATE’S NEW YEAR AND CHRISTMAS DINNER

– MR. & MRS. EDDIE & TALIN AMROYAN HOST THIS YEAR’S DINNER
– NEW DONATIONS BY THE CAROLAN AND KHACHATURIAN FAMILIES
– “GAGIK AND KNARIK GALSTIAN MEMORIAL FUND” ESTABLISHED

On the evening of Sunday, January 6, over 600 members of the Prelacy
extended family gathered for an evening filled with tradition and merriment
at the annual “Prelate’s New Year and Christmas Dinner”, which was held at
Holy Cross Cathedral “Bagramian” Hall in Montebello.
The dinner was organized by the Prelacy Ladies Auxiliary and hosted
by Mr. and Mrs. Eddie and Talin Amroyan. The Master of Ceremonies was
Archpriest Fr. Vicken Vassilian.
The official program began with the procession of the Prelate and
Clergy members into the hall, candles in hand. It was a moving and
heartwarming scene. With the hall illuminated only by candlelight, the
crowd was still and followed attentively as the peaceful sound of Christmas
hymns sung by the clergy filled the atmosphere.
Master of Ceremonies Fr. Vicken welcomed the guests and conveyed his
wishes for a happy New Year and a Merry Christmas. He then invited
representatives from the Ladies auxiliary and Executive Council to in turn
deliver their remarks.
Remarks were also conveyed by the Consul Generals of Armenia and
Lebanon.
The annual Prelate’s Christmas Dinner is a unique occasion for the
community to hear directly the guiding words of His Holiness Catholicos Aram
I, who each year communicates to the guests through this taped video
message.
The evening also featured a cultural program of music and dance.
Throughout the night, guests enjoyed traditional Armenian songs performed by
the “Donagan” Band on traditional Armenian instruments. The newly
re-organized Prelacy “Lousavorich” Choir, led by conductor Rev. Fr. Ghevont
Kirazian, performed Christmas hymns, and two dances were presented by
Hamazkayin “Barouyr Sevag” Chapter “Nairi” dance group, led by artistic
directors Cathering Hairabedian and Ari Libaridian.
The highlight and conclusion of the evening was the Prelate’s
message.
The evening came to a close with the benediction by the Prelate and
the collective singing of the Cilician and Pontifical anthems.

CHRISTMAS LITURGY IN PRELACY CHURCHES

Sunday, January 6, was a most festive day for Armenians worldwide as
faithful gathered with their families to celebrate the Birth and Theophany
of our Lord Jesus Christ, exchanging good tidings of love, peace, and
goodwill, and wishes for a blessed New Year. Western Prelacy faithful
ceremoniously celebrated the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany beginning
on Christmas Eve, Saturday, January 5th, with Divine Liturgy and the
lighting of the candles service (Jrakalooyts). The Prelate celebrated
Christmas Eve service at St. Sarkis Church in Pasadena. The celebration
continued the following morning with Divine Liturgy and the blessing of
water in Prelacy Churches.
On Sunday morning, Prelacy Churches were filled to capacity as
faithful gathered for Christmas service to collectively celebrate the Birth,
Theophany, and Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Prelate celebrated
Holy High Mass at Holy Martyrs Church in Encino where over 1,500
parishioners had assembled to partake in the joyous service and hear his
spiritually uplifting sermon which centered on the tidings of peace, love,
and humility brought to mankind by Christ’s Birth. “Christ was sent to save
man from sin. The good news of His Revelation came from Bethlehem but how
will He be revealed in our lives and souls so that we too can receive His
Light? The timeless message of the Nativity and Theophany can live in us
when we lead our lives following to Christ”, said the Prelate. Continuing
his sermon, His Eminence reflected on the symbolic ceremony of the blessing
of water, stating that through the Baptism of Christ, our Heavenly Father
revealed His will and promise for mankind, and our Lord Jesus Christ
demonstrated that He was ready to fulfill God’s will and journey to the
Cross to grant us redemption and salvation. The ceremony took place at the
conclusion of Divine Liturgy, with Sunday School student Alexander Tavitian
as the Godfather of the Cross.
On the morning of Monday, January 7, Christmas memorial day services
were held at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills “Hall of Liberty” and Forest Lawn
Glendale “Church of the Recessional”. The Prelate presided over the service
at Hollywood Hills Forest Lawn.

AMBASSADOR JOHN HEFFERN VISITS
ST. GARABED CHURCH OF LAS VEGAS

On Tuesday, January 8, 2013, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of
Armenia, His Excellency John Heffern, visited St. Garabed Church of Las
Vegas to become familiarized with the parish community and get acquainted
with the church construction progress. The Ambassador was accompanied by
Mr. Chris Smith, COO of Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy.
During his visit, Ambassador Heffern met with St. Garabed Church
Parish Pastor Archpriest Fr. Avedis Torossian, Parish Council Chair Mr.
Adroushan Armenian, and construction committee members Mr. Levon Gulbenkian
and Mr. Koko Darakjian.
The Ambassador toured the facility and was briefed about the
construction project, which is scheduled to be completed in March 2013.
Parish representatives also reported that on Sunday, January 6, Christmas
service was held inside the Church for the first time, with an unprecedented
250 faithful in attendance.
Ambassador Heffern congratulated the community on their achievements
and promised to visit the completed church during his next U.S. tour.

H.E. BISHOP MIKAEL MOURADIAN CELEBRATES
25TH ANNIVERSARY OF ORDINATION

On Sunday, January 13, the 25th anniversary of the ordination to the
priesthood of His Excellency Bishop Mikael Mouradian, Eparch of the Armenian
Catholic Church of the U.S. and Canada, will be celebrated at St. Gregory
Armenian Catholic Church in Glendale.
On this occasion, Bishop Mikael will celebrate Holy Mass, which will
be followed by a special reception at the Church “Kouyoumjian” Hall.
Very Rev. Fr. Muron Aznikian will attend the Mass and reception and
convey the Prelate’s well wishes.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA: CAN DEARTH OF PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES GIVE DEMOCRATIZATION A BOOST?

EurasiaNet
January 10, 2013

Supporters of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan hold placards with
his portrait during an election rally in Gyumri in late February
2008. The incumbent is expected to be re-elected on Feb. 18 from a
current list of 15 candidates. (Photo: Anahit Hayrapetyan)

Armenians will be voting for president in February, but it looks
like they will have to defer expectations of a genuinely competitive
election.

The incumbent, Serzh Sargyan, would have been the favorite in any
event. But now he is widely expected to cruise to reelection in
the February 18 poll. That’s because, in a surprise move, Armenia’s
largest opposition parties are opting out of the presidential contest,
announcing they will not field candidates. The decision leaves a
sizeable question mark over whether or not the election will enhance,
or further damage, theArmenia’s democratization image.

While it appears Sargsyan won’t have to break a sweat during the
campaign, he still will face token opposition on the ballot. The
diverse array of pretenders to the presidency includes a specialist in
Armenian epic poems and a 45-year-old unemployed man. The field also
features a former foreign minister and a former prime minister. But
none of the challengers possesses the level of political heft needed
to pose a credible threat to the Republican Party of Armenia’s
13-year-plus hold on power.

Five years ago, in the last presidential election, Armenia faced a
sharply different situation: that contest saw the political comeback
of former president Levon Ter-Petrosian, who rallied support with
calls for a non-stop struggle against the government.

This time round, according to political analyst Richard Giragosian,
director of the Regional Studies Center in Yerevan, “the deeper
political implications from the election stem more from who is not
running.”

Citing his age, among other reasons, the 68-year-old Ter-Petrosian
announced in December that he would not run for office. “Whatever
they say, a 68-year-old person cannot work with the same diligence
and commitment as those in their forties or fifties,” he told the
newspaper Chorrord Ishkhanutiun (Fourth Estate). “I have to concede
the arena to those who are younger than me.”

The degree to which the deadly 2008 post-election clashes between
police and opposition protesters influenced Ter-Petrosian’s decision is
not clear. Ter-Petrosian’s party, Armenia’s largest opposition group,
the Armenian National Congress (ANC), has stated simply that it has no
plans to back a younger man, or woman, for this year’s presidential
race. It called attention to alleged past election fraud, inflated
voter lists and what it described as a “counterfeiting machine”
for votes.

Beyond the ANC, Prosperous Armenia, the country’s second-largest party
after Sargsyan’s Republican Party, along with the usually outspoken
Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutiun, have also declined
to mount a presidential campaign. Both parties have so far offered
no explanation for their inaction.

That leaves Sargsyan facing “only two candidates,” [Heritage Party
leader Raffi Hovannisian who served as Armenia’s first foreign minister
after the Soviet Union’s collapse, and former Prime Minister Hrant
Bagratian], who “are seen as serious political figures,” commented
Giragosian. The expert emphasized, however, that both Hovannisian and
Bagratian are “perceived as weak underdogs, more capable of raising
issues than garnering votes.”

The fact that none of Armenia’s largest opposition parties chose
to field a presidential candidate this year “indicates the level
of perversion in the political arena,” asserted Manvel Sargsian,
director of the Armenian Center for National and International Studies,
a Yerevan-based think-tank.

“These elections showed who is who, and that many people who spoke
about a struggle did not think about systematic efforts [to gain
power], but about other things,” Sargsian said.

The decisions of Prosperous Armenia, headed by billionaire businessman
Gagik Tsarukian, and the ANC came as a particular surprise for
observers. Prior to their respective announcements, party activists
had urged rank-and-file supporters to be ready for the campaign.

Remaining on the sidelines doesn’t sit well with some of
Ter-Petrosian’s backers.

“I feel as if I’ve been deceived. We had high hopes in 2008, and now
we are in a vacuum,” said Andranik Avagin, a 28-year-old manager for
a private company in Yerevan. “Has Levon Ter-Petrosian just realized
that he is too old? Has the ANC only now realized that elections are
being falsified? What about the struggle?”

Candidate Raffi Hovannisian counters that the absence of Ter-Petrosian,
Tsarukian and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation “does not mean
that the elections will not be competitive.” In January 8 remarks to
reporters, Hovannisian also seemed to take a swipe at the de-facto
election boycott. The “easiest thing of all” for an opposition party
to do is “to sit at home,” he said.

Giragosian, the political analyst, contended that the relatively weak
competition for Sargsyan offers an opportunity for a clean vote,
something that international observers have never recognized in
Armenia. The very “lack of an openly competitive race … requires
a clear improvement in the vote itself,” he said.

Representatives of the European Union, Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe and United States have all underlined that they
will be watching the vote closely for any improvement on Armenia’s past
experiences at the polls. Last October, the EU linked the conduct of
the election to “the pace of our bilateral cooperation with Armenia.”

The governing party, for its part, maintains that everything is
in order, and that past international recommendations have been
duly noted. “[T]he elections in Armenia will be democratic,” assured
Parliamentary Speaker Hovik Abrahamian in a January 9 statement. “This
is our political will.”

Editor’s note: Marianna Grigoryan is a freelance reporter based in
Yerevan and editor of MediaLab.am. Anahit Hayrapetyan is a freelance
photojournalist also based in Yerevan.

From: Baghdasarian

ELECTION WITHOUT INTRIGUE OR WITHOUT ILLUSIONS
HAKOB BADALYAN

Comments – Thursday, 10 January 2013, 14:44

The upcoming presidential election is described as an election without
intrigues, though a number of candidates try to prove the opposite and
convince the public that they will fight against Serzh Sargsyan. But
the definition of the forthcoming election as one without intrigues
needs a comprehensive analysis. For example, if we judge the concept
of intrigue in terms of the common perception, then all the previous
presidential elections were full of intrigues except the election of
1991. In 1996, there was a serious battle between Levon Ter-Petrosyan
and Vazgen Manukyan, in 1998 the battle was between Karen Demirchyan
and Robert Kocharyan, in 2003 Robert Kocharyan and Stepan Demirchyan,
while in 2008 Ter-Petrosyan and Serzh Sargsyan. The intrigue has
always been there, while after each intrigue the state went deeper
into the marsh of totalitarian governance, economy divided to quotas,
criminal oligarchy. In other words, the efficiency of intrigue was
zero, or even less since it only crystallized the ruling system.

Consequently, if the so-called intrigue is what we saw in the previous
elections, then its lack in the 2013 election is not a big loss.

Moreover, strange though it may seem, it is a loss mainly for the
government. The society will not lose anything just because it did
not win anything when there was intrigue. In addition, the political
forces which caused election intrigues have always failed to maintain
it until the next election. Meanwhile, the loss of the government is
the disappearance of the arena for illusions of the public. Especially
that it is always easy to create illusions during elections taking
into account a number of objective and subjective electoral factors.

Consequently, in terms of public interest, taking into account the
experience and the political and electoral traditions of Armenia and
the systemic challenges that build a wall in front of the public,
the lack of intrigue may open up new opportunities for the public and
may help to forget illusions of the past 20 years. As to increased
cynicism of the authorities because of the “intrigue-free” election,
here the concerns are exaggerated. The point is that the factors
repressing the cynicism of the authorities are not the ARF, ANC and
PAP. There are a lot of other domestic and foreign factors, including
the aforementioned forces too, but their role is not decisive.

Moreover, these forces showed their willingness forces to enter into
deals with the authorities. In addition, not all of them take that
step out of political dishonesty and immorality, since sometimes it
is just the outcome of political ideas. But the difference is not big,
since the effect is against the society anyway.

From: Baghdasarian