Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

ARMENIA TO DECLARE DECEMBER 9 AS DAY OF REMEMBRANCE OF VICTIMS OF ALL GENOCIDES

16:21, 12 Feb 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

The Armenian Government today approved the motion to declare December
9 as the Day of Commemoration of Victims of all Genocides.

The measure was proposed by MPs Artak Zakaryan, Zaruhi Postanjyan,
Koryun Nahapetyan, Shirak Torosyan and Alexander Arzumanyan.

The date was chosen considering that the UN General Assembly adopted
the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of
Genocide (CPPCG) on December 9, 1948.

The Government rejected the bill on “The occupation of Armenian lands
by the Republic of Turkey and the Deprivation of Armenians of their
Motherland” proposed by Zaruhi Postanjyan.

According to another decision of the Government, an agreement on
lifting the visa regime will be signed between Armenia and Serbia.

From: Baghdasarian

NEWLY APPOINTED US AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA: FIRST DAY IN OFFICE

10:27, 12 February, 2015

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 12, ARMENPRESS: The newly appointed US Ambassador
to Armenia Richard Mills is already in Armenia and got to his
responsibilities in the office. Armenpress reports that the Embassy
of the United States of America congratulated in its twitter blog the
Ambassador on the occasion of the first day in the office. “First day
of the Ambassador Mills in the office. Welcome”, – says the Embassy
in its twitter blog.

The graduates of the exchange programs of the US Government
sent a welcome video message to Richard Mills. Via its Facebook
page the Embassy suggests not missing the opportunity to dine
with Mills, preparing a 30-second video, continuing the sentence
“Barev (Hello), Rick Mills. Together we can…” and sending it to
[email protected].

As it was earlier reported by Asbarez, President Barack Obama nominated
Richard M. Mills, Jr. as his pick to become the US Ambassador to
Armenia, the White House announced. If confirmed by the Senate,
Mills replaced Ambassador John Heffern. Mills was Deputy Chief of
Mission at the U.S. Embassy Beirut, where he began his tour in 2012.

Richard Mills assumed the role of Charge d’Affaires of the U.S.

Embassy in Malta, ad interim, in June 2011. Since August 2010, he
had been serving as the Deputy Chief of Mission for the Embassy.

Mills joined the Foreign Service in 1988, serving at Embassy Paris as a
consular officer, then as staff aide to the Ambassador. He returned to
Washington to join the Soviet Desk, eventually becoming desk officer
for the newly independent Armenia and Azerbaijan, followed by a tour
as a political officer at the U.S. Consulate in St. Petersburg, Russia.

>From 1996-98 Mills served in the Executive Secretariat, followed by a
tour as economic officer at Embassy Dublin from 1998-2001. Subsequent
tours included Political Advisor at the U.S. Mission to the UN;
Deputy Political Counselor at Embassy Islamabad; and Energy Attache
and Acting Economic Counselor at Embassy Riyadh. Rick was Political
Counselor at Embassy London from 2006-2009.

Immediately prior to his Valletta assignment, Mills served as the
Senior Democracy Advisor at Embassy Baghdad, where he managed $325
million in State Department democracy and human rights programs.

Mills is a graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign
Service. He also holds a law degree from the University of Texas School
of Law and received a Masters Degree in International Security Affairs
from the National Defense University in 2005. Prior to joining the
Foreign Service, Rick practiced law in Washington D.C.

Mills is married to Leigh Carter, a retired Foreign Service Officer.

Rick’s foreign languages are French and Russian.

From: Baghdasarian

ITALIAN ARTIST IMPRESSED BY “TCHAIKOVSKY” STUDENTS

February 11 2015

Pianist Antonio Gonzalez will give a concert together with music school
students Italian pianist Antonio Gonzalez visiting Armenia for the
first time gave a master class at the Tchaikovsky Specialized Music
Secondary School. Without presenting the importance and necessity for
such events, it should only be mentioned that giving master classes by
eminent musicians visiting our country for decades at this 75-year old
school, which trains musicians for the Komitas State Conservatory,
seems to become a tradition. “Aravot” attended the classes given
by this Italian pianist. School auditorium was full not only with
students and professors, but also our prominent musicians, moreover,
not only pianist. At the end of the master class, Antonio Gonzalez,
talking to us and evaluating the role of music secondary vocational
schools, said that in Italy, for example, the 6-year-old child,
decades ago, was attending Conservatory from the first grade.

Music vocational children’s institutions have begun to operate in
our country since recent times. To half-jokingly and half-serious
question of why he had attended the piano lessons not at the age of
6 but 7, our interlocutor replied, “My parents were not musicians,
but my father who was an engineer by profession was an ardent music
lover. He even played on a few musical instruments. It was my father
who first noticed my musical abilities. That was the reason why I
started to learn the piano at the age of 7. In general, there are
children whose musical abilities are displayed at the age of 6, 7, 8 or
at a higher age. For example, if Mozart started playing piano at age
3, then, if I’m not mistaken, my favorite composer Aram Khachaturian
started to seriously deal with composition at the age of 21…”. We
inquired whether the information reached us is true that one of his
professional preferences is to communicate with children, that is
to say, giving master classes. If yes, then whether he can bring at
least one example that seeing a talent with the beginner pianist,
he has kept him in his “visual field”. “Years ago, in the USA, during
the sequential master class, I was attracted by a 5-year-old kid. He
was just a genius. I began to work with him as much as possible. Now,
this child is 11 years old, the famous Gavin George, who recently won
the US President Barack Obama prize,” informed the pianist. Skipping
the question of whether he met someone talented among the students
whom he was teaching at the Tchaikovsky Specialized School, Antonio
Gonzalez replied, “Really, they are wonderful students. I’m impressed
so much that just hearing them playing, I already got an idea about
the high quality Armenian piano school. At this point, I can only say
that the school director Martun Kostandyan gladly accepted my offer on
giving a concert jointly with the students at the school concert hall.”

Samvel DANIELYAN In the photo – Antonio Gonzalez with Tchaikovsky
school students

Read more at:

From: Baghdasarian

MOSCOW COURT REJECTS APPEAL TO RELEASE LEVON HAYRAPETYAN FROM HOUSE ARREST

15:24 11/02/2015 >> LAW

The Moscow City Court has turned down the appeal to free Armenian
businessman and benefactor Levon Hayrapetyan from house arrest,
RIA Novosti reports.

The businessman will remain under house arrest until April 15.

Levon Hayrapetyan was released from the isolation ward and placed
under house arrest in October 2014.

On Wednesday, the court rejected the appeal by Hayrapetyan’s lawyer,
who requested to release him, citing his poor health.

The Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia arrested Levon
Hayrapetyan, one of the wealthiest representatives of the Armenian
Diaspora in the world on July 15, 2014. The arrest took place as part
of an ongoing investigation conducted by the Russian Investigatory
Committee into the activities of one of the local criminal groups. On
July 24, the Investigation Committee of Russia brought charges against
Levon Hayrapetyan for embezzlement (Article 160) and money laundering
(Article 174).

From: Baghdasarian

CENTRAL BANK’S HIGHER REFINANCING RATE TO RAISE PRICE OF MONEY – ARMENIAN ECONOMISTS

11:15 * 11.02.15

The Central Bank of Armenia’s (CBA) decision to raise its finance
interest rate by 1% is like to raise the price of money, says Hayk
Gevorgyan, a economic commentator for the Armenian daily Haykakan
Zhamanak.

“What the banks do now is they borrow money from the Central Bank
to sell it to clients as loan-takers. And the bank isn’t able to
give that money at a low interest rate, as the rate at which it has
borrowed it was high,” he told our correspondent.

Over the past month, the CBA has twice raised its inteerest rate by
1%, increasing the total refinancing level to 10.5% instead of the
former 8.5%.

It’s an open secret that Armenia’s population widely relies on consumer
loans to buy electronic equipment, and their interest rate, which is
24%, is thought to be considerably high.

Asked whether that loan too is expected to rise, the economist he
thinks that all depends on the general trends on the market. He said
an increase of up to 50% would be possible in case consumers turn
out to be ready ready to afford the sum.

But the consumer loans, according to him, have a very small share –
around $50-$60 billion – in the total crediting.

In a statement on Tuesday, the CBA reported 2.5% price surge
against the backdrop of a 4.3% annual inflation rate (recorded in
late-January).

“The macro-economic records do not imply that the Central Bank was
supposed to raise refinancing interest rate. It isn’t easy to say at
the moment what the underlying factor is, but because the inflation
is within the norm, the economic activity is low too. Hence it would
have been logical of the Central Bank to pursue the contrary trend
to contribute to an economic growth at the expense of inflation,”
Gevorgyan said.

The expert said he feels that the bank made the decision in an attempt
to prevent a possible hike in prices.

Commenting on the CBA’s move, Doctor of Mathematical Economics,
Professor Ashot Tavadyan said he thinks that the high interest rate
may restrain inflation only in the short-term perspective.

“But in case it is long-term, the impact may be negative, causing a
hike, especially in case of a high money shortage. The money volume
in our country is contingent on the GDP – below 40%,” he noted.

Tavadyan said he doesn’t think that a high refinancing rate is always
an efficient tool in terms of suppressing inflation or vice versa. He
also ruled out its direct impact on the inflation rate, especially
in countries like Armenia where the import volumes several times tops
the exports.

“If the international prices change, the higher refinancing interest
rate may have a produce a contrary effect,” he warned.

From: Baghdasarian

ANALYSIS: NEW AMBASSADOR’S ARRIVAL IN YEREVAN COULD MARK NEW STAGE IN U.S.-ARMENIA RELATIONS

ANALYSIS | 11.02.15 | 10:50

By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
ArmeniaNow correspondent

A new United States ambassador to Armenia, Richard Mills, will be
arriving in Yerevan this week and his arrival could mark a new stage
in Armenian-American and Russian-Armenian relations.

Before the envoy’s coming to Yerevan, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary
of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Eric Rubin made an important
statement. He said that the United States stands ready to help Armenia
and other countries in the region to overcome the economic problems
arising due to the deteriorating economic situation in Russia.

He said that the matter will be on the agenda of Richard Mills’
meetings with officials in Yerevan. According to Rubin, the United
States considers its relations with the countries of the region not
in the context of competition with Russia, but in the context of
bilateral relations with each of these countries.

Russia, however, appears to be considering Armenia’s relations with
the United States as competitive, and one can assume that the probable
development of Armenia’s relations with the United States may cause
Moscow’s jealousy. Until now, as many experts say, Armenia’s economic
and military relations with the United States have been torpedoed
from Russia.

In particular, the matter concerns cooperation with the United States
within the framework of NATO and the supply of arms, as well as
investments of American capital in Armenia. Under apparent pressure
from Russia a few years ago the Armenian parliament adopted a law,
according to which there can be no military infrastructure of third
countries in the territory of Armenia without Russia’s consent.

Besides, by means of pressure on the government of Armenia, Russia
is clearly torpedoing a deal on the sale of the Vorotan cascade to
a private American company, ContourGlobal. This deal could break
Russia’s monopoly in the energy sector of Armenia. However, it has
been delayed more than a year now.

What policies will be carried out by the new U.S. ambassador to
Armenia? At the beginning of his tour of duty in Armenia in 2011
former Ambassador John Heffern said his main goal was to diversify the
economic and other relations of Armenia. Several years down the road,
no significant progress appears to have been made in this direction.

According to Eric Rubin, Washington’s priority in the development of
relations with Yerevan is to achieve economic growth in Armenia, as
well as ensure an increase in bilateral trade and foreign investment
in the Armenian economy. “We are not satisfied with the current level
of economic cooperation and would like to see more substantial U.S.

investment in the Armenian economy,” he, in particular, said.

Besides, the new American ambassador is starting his duty in Armenia
at a time when the world is going to mark the 100th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide. The United States, according to some experts,
may adopt some resolutions that will oblige Turkey to return the
property and monuments of Christian peoples that were illegally
confiscated a century ago to their rightful owners.

From: Baghdasarian

NKR PRESIDENT LIED: VETERAN ON THE ATTACK IN LACHIN

02.11.2015 16:07 epress.am

The attack on the Founding Parliament movement’s members in Berdzor
(Lachin) by the NKR administration was either a direct order from
or approved by Baghramyan 26 (RA President’s Office), basically a
state crime, said the latter movement’s coordinator, veteran Jirayr
Sefilyan today during a press conference about the attack registered
on the NKR border.

He explained that the NKR authorities and media had begun working
against the Founding Parliament since December of 2014, when they had
made a statement about possibly having a car rally to Karabakh. “In
the beginning of December their controlled scribblers (journalists)
began damaging the movement and us personally, on the village level.

Then they tried using the connections between us and forced us to
suspend the rally,” said Sefilyan.

The movement’s coordinator stressed that the NKR police chief Kamo
Sahakyan personally asked him to give up the idea of the rally. Not
receiving the desired response, the police chief said that he had
spoken to NKR President Bako Sahakyan, and the latter had promised
that the Founding Parliament would have their awareness campaign live
streamed on TV, instead of the rally. However, the movement’s members
were skeptical about the promise, Sefilyan left to Karabakh with his
friends anyways.

“It’s natural that Bako Sahakyan lied, he said that he hadn’t promised
anything. On that day, they admitted that they had dreamed for a year
of entering the Eurasian Economic Union. Of course, it pains us to
hear such an idea from a man who controls Artsakh’s frontline, which
thousands of dedicated men have spilled blood for. After all this,
some low ranking official chinovnik comes and says something like
that,” noted Sefilyan.

The latter stated that “we are going to go to Artsakh again,” because
no one can force their will on others. Sefilyan recalled that thousands
of Armenians and diasporan Armenians went to Artsakh to defend it and
called them to come to Yerevan on April 24 and participate in the
Founding Parliament’s fight, which calls for removal of the ruling
authorities. He refused to answer as to exactly what measures would
be used to reach their goal before April 24, he only stressed that
their activities would not disturb Genocide commemorations.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER TO VISIT IRAN

February 10, 2015 17:23

Speaker of the Armenian parliament Galust Sahakyan will visit Iran
in late February, IRNA agency reported quoting Iranian Parliament
speaker’s Advisor for International Affairs Hossein Sheikholeslam.

STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 10, ARTSAKHPRESS: During a four-day visit,
Sahakyan will meet with high-ranking officials in Iran and discuss
various issues especially development of bilateral relations.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN CITIZEN IS JUDGED IN SOCHI

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Feb 10 2015

10 February 2015 – 1:13pm

A criminal case against an Armenian citizen, Ashot Arakelyan, has
been transferred to a magistrate’s court in Sochi.

Arakelyan filed a false report to the police about an impending
explosion in the Kremlin, the Krasnodar Territory prosecutor’s
office said.

The incident, for which the 37-year-old Arakelyan was taken into
custody, took place on January 15.

“According to the investigation, the Armenian citizen, who was
illegally in Russia, in order to attract attention phoned the call
center of the department of interior in Sochi, and deliberately made
a false report on an impending explosion in the Kremlin,” RIA Novosti
news agency cited the prosecutor’s office’s message.

The defendant could face up to three years in prison under the article
‘deliberate false reports about a terrorist act’.

From: Baghdasarian

LA COMMUNAUTE JUIVE DE TURQUIE AGITE, UNE FOIS ENCORE, LE CHIFFON ROUGE !

ERDOGAN DEFORME LE TALMUD POUR DEMONISER LES JUIFS !

Turquie

Le Ministre des Affaires etrangères Ahmet Davutoglu s’en est pris a la
communaute juive turque dimanche dans une reference a peine voilee au
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son discours il a critique cette >

Le 31 Janvier, Erdogan avait declare lors d’une reunion des chefs
d’entreprise a Istanbul, que >

From: Baghdasarian