Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

ARMENIE-MEDIAS
Le site yerkir.am attaqué par les Azéris

Hier soir les hackers azéris ont attaqué le site arménien
d’information yerkir.am. Ils ont également détruit les archives du
site. L’attaque est signée du groupe azéri anti-armenia.org. Néanmoins
les responsables du site promettent de remettre rapidement en route le
site grce à la réintégration des sauvegardes des données. Force est
de constater que ces hackers azéris sont encouragés par les
déclarations du président Aliev qui a ouvertement affirmé que
l’Arménie et la diaspora arménienne étaient les ennemis de
l’Azerbaïdjan. Dans ces conditions les crimes et délits commis à
l’encontre des Arméniens bénéficient d’un soutien affiché des
autorités de Bakou.

Krikor Amirzayan

mercredi 12 décembre 2012,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

Politique
Le chef du BHK n’a toujours pas annoncé sa candidature

Le chef du BHK, Gagik Tsarukian, était largement attendu pour annoncer
officiellement sa candidature à la présidence de cette semaine.
Certains journaux arméniens ont déclaré qu’il a décidé de ne pas
contester le président sortant lors du scrutin à venir en raison de la
pression du gouvernement. La porte-parole de Tsakurian, Ivetta
Tonoyan, a rejeté ces allégations comme une simple spéculation des
médias. Elle a dit que le leader du BHK n’a toujours pas pris de
décision sur l’élection présidentielle. Le porte-parole de Tigran
Urikhanian (BHK) a fait une remarque similaire. « Personne n’a jamais
fourni aucune information au nom du BHK et de son chef en ce qui
concerne les élections présidentielles », a-t-il déclaré à RFE / RL
(Azatutyun.am).

La décision de Gagik Tsarukian devraient être annoncée dans les
prochains jours. Le BHK aurait soi-disant subi des pressions
gouvernementales depuis qu’il s’est retiré de la coalition au pouvoir
en Arménie en juin dernier.

mercredi 12 décembre 2012,
Laetitia ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

US BECOMES LESS APPEALING FOR ARMENIANS

news.am
December 11, 2012 | 16:32

YEREVAN. – The number of Armenia residents that moved to the United
States reduced as compared with ten years ago, US Consul in Armenia
George Lynn stated during a press conference on Tuesday.

Despite not having any statistics on the number of people in Armenia
that are applying for a US visa, the consul informed that they hold
application interviews three times a week and they interview seventy
applicants per day. “We work under such routine in the recent months,”
the consul noted.

In his words, the work load on those days has increased by 25 percent
so as to avoid large queues.

From: Baghdasarian

FRENCH-ARMENIAN TOPS CHALLENGER IN PARLIAMENT BY-ELECTION

11.12.12

French-Armenian politician Patrick Devejian, who stood for France’s
parliament earlier this year, has garnered more votes than his
challenger in the recent by-election, according to the Turkish media.

To ensure a victory, Devejian needed more than 50% of votes, but he
received 49,82%, thus making a run-off necessary..

The politician had won the first round of polls in his district, but
the French Constitutional Council later had to appoint a by-election
after his challenger appealed against the result.

The Turkish organizations in France had earlier launched a campaign
against Devejian, calling upon the Turkish voters to cast their
ballots in favor of the other election runner, Julien Landfried .

The two candidates will now challenge each other in the second round.

Devejian had earlier served as France’s minister of industry, and
local government.

From: Baghdasarian

FABULOUS FLORA: NATION BIDS FAREWELL TO ITS BELOVED ARTIST

FEATURES | 11.12.12 | 15:14

Photolure

By GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

Living soul legend Stevie Wonder promised to write a song and sing it
in a duet with Flora Martirosyan after he heard her perform last year
in a concert promoting awareness of the Armenian Genocide.

Wonder was one of a few world-famed artists to join the Armenian
singer in a cause against injustice.

Martirosyan intended to stage more of her “Never Again” events until
2015 when Armenians worldwide will commemorate the centennial of the
Ottoman-era Genocide, but she succumbed to complications after a
surgery at a U.S. clinic last month.

Martirosyan, who moved to the United States together with her husband
in 1991, but shuttled between the two continents to remain attached to
her homeland Armenia, died in Burbank, LA, California, on November 20,
aged 55.

With consent of the family, the body of Martirosyan, the People’s
Artist of Armenia, was transferred to Yerevan Monday and laid to rest
at the City Pantheon in the Armenian capital today, December 11.

People of all walks of life – from state officials and dignitaries to
scholars and ordinary fans of her art – turned out to attend the
funeral organized by an Armenian government commission.

Before that, many came to bid farewell to Martirosyan at St. Ghevond
Church in Los Angeles last Thursday.

Martirosyan, a native of Gyumri, which is held as Armenia’s cultural
capital, was the youngest in the family of four children. Having
inherited vocal skills from her mother, the young singer took part in
the Garoun 1973 song contest to win the first place among 800
participants. In 1978, she went to win her first international prize
at a festival in Hamburg, Germany.

Gusan Ashot’s famous Tsovastghik song performed by Martirosyan has for
15 years stayed on top of the Armenian music charts to become the
singer’s brand song.

As a soloist at a state folk orchestra Martirosyan visited more than
70 countries and also unfolded activities in Armenia where from 1997
to 2001 she headed a music school in Yerevan. In 2002, Martirosyan
established an International Music Academy named after Komitas in the
United States and in 2006 initiated A Pan-Armenian Song Contest
Festival.

In 2008, the singer, jointly with Michael Stone (a brother of Sharon
Stone), set up an international organization, Artists for Peace, to
raise awareness of crimes against humanity and the 2011 “Never Again”
concert featuring several famous artists was part of the
organization’s efforts.

Reflecting on the path of the singer, one of her music teachers Arzas
Voskanyan says that she would not stop at her achievements, while
always trying to reach new heights.

“Flora was already a recognized artist with beautiful, lyrical songs,
but she also took up medieval music and we also reached Komitas. Flora
overcame [performance difficulties related to] all these songs to
achieve a result, making gorgeous performances of Komitas,” remembers
the composer and singer.

“Her voice seemed to have been meant for performing Komitas,
Yekmalyan,” he adds.

Voskanyan and Martirosyan met in 1976 when the commencing singer was
still a student at the choir conducting department of the Romanos
Melikian Music College in Yerevan.

Voskanyan remembers the day when “a pretty, pale-skinned, plump girl
talking with humor typical of Gyumri natives” appeared in his
classroom. “We got acquainted, chatted for a bit, but Flora liked
singing, more than choir-conducting,” says Voskanyan.

Shortly Martirosyan became a soloist of the Folk Instruments Orchestra
led by Voskanyan.

“She was the heart of the orchestra, a pillar supporting its roof. She
made friends with everyone and always cheered people up in difficult
situations,” remembers Voskanyan.

In 2005, Armenian pop singer Kristine Pepelyan sang in a duet along
with Martirosyan, performing one of the most popular Armenian lyrical
songs, “Let My Love Remain Secret”.

“Flora was very hospitable. She liked having guests in the yard of her
house in the States. When she prepared something delicious, she rang
her friends up for a dinner,” remembers Pepelyan.

Martirosyan had many fans in and outside Armenia who tried not to miss
her concerts. One of them, Bella Kurghinyan, says that the singer was
always immediate during her concerts, she talked to the audience and
always wanted people to accompany her in singing – the audience
responded gladly.

“Unlike many other singers who quickly disappear from stage, she
patiently stayed and talked to everyone, allowed everyone who wanted
to take pictures with her. She is a symbol of femininity and morality
for me,” says the fan.

From: Baghdasarian

BAKU PLEDGES SECURITY FOR ARMENIAN ATHLETES AT EUROPEAN OLYMPICS

December 11, 2012 – 13:31 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Azerbaijan is ready to give Armenia an opportunity
to participate in the European Olympics, vice-president of Azerbaijan’s
National Olympic Committee, Trend quoted Chingiz Huseynzade as saying.

Armenia refused to vote when a decision was taken by the General
Assembly of the EOC to hold the first-ever European Games in Baku.

“We are ready to provide security assurances to all participants of
the Olympics, including Armenian athletes,” Huseynzade said.

According to Huseynzade, Armenians will participate in the
Olympics.”There is no problem on our part,” he said.

The 41st General Assembly of the European Olympic Committee, held
in Rome on Saturday, Dec 8 decided to hold the first-ever European
Games in Baku.

The Games will be held in 2015.

From: Baghdasarian

EXPERT EXPECTS UKRAINE TO HOLD CONSTRUCTIVE STANCE ON KARABAKH ISSUE

December 11, 2012 – 13:45 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Ukraine is expected to hold a constructive stance
on Nagorno Karabakh conflict resolution, after it assumes 2013 OSCE
chairmanship, political expert said.

Sergey Minasyan cited the Ukrainian government’s awareness of the
conflicts in OSCE area to prove his point.

Dwelling on the 19th meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council,
the expert said, “The statements on Karabakh problem issued at
Dublin-hosted meeting are in line with Armenia’s position.”

From: Baghdasarian

BODY RECOGNITION OF CONGO CRASHED PLANE PILOTS IS UNDERWAY

11:21, 11 December, 2012

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS: The bodies of Ilyushin 76 cargo
planes pilots , crashed on December 1 are still not recognized: the
process is still underway. “There is work to be conducted with the
relatives of the victims, only after it will be become clear whether
the bodies will be taken to Armenia and reportedly which structure will
undertake it” spokeswoman of Civil Aviation Department , adjunct to the
Government Nelly Cherchinyan stated in the briefing with Armenpress.

The timetable of the actions regarding the issue is not yet clarified.

Accordingly to preliminary version Trans Air Congo hired cargo plane
has crashed in the Republic of Congo’s capital, Brazzaville. The
crash is reported to have happened during bad weather, plane have hit
houses. 30 people had died, 20 were injured. The plane was flying
from Congo second largest city, economic capital, Pointe-Noire to
the capital Brazzaville. Congo Republic capital airport was closed
down after the occurred disaster.

From: Baghdasarian

WELL-KNOWN ARMENIAN OLIGARCH FINED FOR SELLING EXPIRED EGGS – NEWSPAPER

news.am
December 11, 2012 | 06:32

YEREVAN. – The Armenian Agriculture Ministry’s State Service on Food
Safety recently fined X Group President, capital city Yerevan’s
Water World aqua park proprietor, Yerevan Poultry Factory (YPF)
head, and Valencia Company Director Khachik Khachatryan, Zhoghovurd
daily reports.

“The reason is that YPF, which belongs to Khachatryan, sold expired
eggs in the Armenian market. The expired eggs were distributed
specifically to the stores in Yerevan and Gyumri [city]. And, recently,
the egg-delivery drivers were instructed to deliver [the eggs] in
the evening hours so that there would not be much uproar.

We conversed with Khachatryan to clarify as to what really is
happening. ‘Are you provoking me? You have received false information;
that is ruled out. There is no and there cannot be such matter. I’m
going to Leninakan [Gyumri] tomorrow. You may come and see where I
sell those eggs. We don’t have expired eggs,’ Khachatryan said.

In the meantime, official sources report otherwise,” Zhoghovurd writes.

From: Baghdasarian

GAGIK TSARUKYAN’S AND TIGRAN SARGSYAN’S BURDEN
Naira Hayrumyan

13:44 11/12/2012
Story from Lragir.am News:

Gagik Tsarukyan proved a bad newsmaker. No one is waiting to hear
about his nomination because it is clear that the burden laid on him
by Robert Kocharyan turned out too heavy for him. Tsarukyan failed
to propose anything new and interesting for Armenia. He even had to
deny the statement he had made earlier in Brussels.

Instead, Tigran Sargsyan proved a newsmaker who had left for the U.S.
to attract capital for the IT sphere in Armenia. This is really a
new style for Armenia, and if he succeeds, Tigran Sargsyan may be a
guide of the economic development of Armenia.

IT development in Armenia implies several transformations. First,
it will bring economic dividends because IT is profitable. Owners of
IT companies top the lists of world billionaires. Second, IT is the
only sphere which can develop even under physical blockade and bad
weather conditions. Third, the big flow of foreign capital in Armenia
will lead to change of the economy and subsequently of the political
culture of the country. Fourth, this will enable active ties with the
United States and reduction of the economic dependence on oligarchs
and Russia.

There are many reasons, and Armenians living in the U.S. can’t but
know about it. But they, for some reason, don’t want to invest in
Armenia, because they don’t believe the current Armenian authorities
and don’t think their investments are protected. They need guarantees,
and if the Armenian power can’t provide guarantees, the U.S. can.

For this reason, it seems the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern
left for the U.S. with Tigran Sargsyan. He will try to convince the
U.S.-based Armenians that the American authorities guarantee the
security of their investments. As a proof, the ambassador will bring
the example of many court hearing processes relating to U.S.

investments in Armenia with the participation of the U.S. embassy.

It is noteworthy that the U.S. wants to strengthen relations with
Armenia through the U.S.-based Armenians. This is a tested method.

During Robert Kocharyan’s tenure, the Lincy Foundation worked in
Armenia with the support and guarantees of the American government.

The foundation ended its activities only because the American
authorities did not provide guarantees for the foundation’s activities
with the new Armenian president. Now guarantees are in place.

If Tigran Sargsyan achieves progress in the return of the Diaspora
in the Armenian economy, it will be big success for Armenia. We
should only hope that the burden put on Tigran Sargsyan is not as
insupportable as it was with Tsarukyan. Otherwise, he will be retained
as unserious as Tsarukyan is.

From: Baghdasarian