Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

TURKEY STEEPLY REDUCES IRANIAN CRUDE IMPORTS IN MAY

PanARMENIAN.Net
June 11, 2012 – 16:49 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Turkey steeply reduced its imports of Iranian crude
oil in May, bowing to international pressure ahead of planned EU and
U.S. sanctions, shipping data seen by Reuters showed, according to
the news agency.

The figures show Turkey, the world’s fifth-largest buyer of Iranian
oil in 2011, is holding to its pledge to cut imports from the Islamic
Republic after buying and stockpiling more Iranian oil from January
through April than it did last year.

Before May, Turkey was the only buyer in Europe to increase purchases
from Iran, while other European refiners cut back on imports of the
crude ahead of an impending EU oil embargo due to take effect from
July 1.

The latest round of U.S. sanctions come into effect on June 28 to
pressure Tehran into halting its nuclear program. The United States
this week is due to announce a list of countries it will exempt from
financial sanctions on oil trade with Iran if they make significant
reductions to the crude imports.

In the first four months of 2012, Turkey imported 210,000 barrels per
day of Iranian oil on average, including a huge 270,000 bpd in March,
much higher than its 2011 average of 185,000 bpd.

In May Turkey’s state-controlled refining company, Tupras, imported
around 140,000 barrels per day (bpd), a 20 percent drop from its 2011
average, according to the latest shipping data, obtained by Reuters.

Port data showed 152,000 tonnes of Iranian crude was delivered to
the port of Aliaga in May, while 443,000 tonnes of Iranian crude
was delivered to its second import terminal, Tutunciflik. Tupras is
expected to import the same volume in June.

>From July 1, Turkey will remain effectively the sole buyer of Iranian
crude in Europe.

Official trade data showed that in the first four months of this year,
Iran accounted for about 58 percent of Turkey’s near 6 million tonnes
in total crude imports.

The EU and U.S. widened sanctions at the start of the year on
suspicions that Iran is trying to develop atomic bombs, while
Iran insists its nuclear program is solely for civilian purposes,
Reuters said.

From: Baghdasarian

GRAFFITI PRAISING HITLER SPRAYED AT HOLOCAUST MUSEUM

PanARMENIAN.Net
June 11, 2012 – 17:09 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Israel’s Holocaust memorial has been daubed with
graffiti saying “Thank you Hitler”, in a suspected attack by Jewish
religious extremists, Sky News reported.

The words were sprayed in Hebrew at the entrance to Yad Vashem in
Jerusalem, provoking outrage from the Israeli government.

“This is an escalation and an unprecedented crossing of red lines,”
Minister Yuli Edelstein said, describing the attack as a “spit in
the face of Holocaust victims”.

Other graffiti at the site said: “Only because of the Holocaust did we
receive a state from the UN. If Hitler hadn’t existed, the Zionists
would have created him” and “Wake up Jews, the cynical evil regime
does not protect us it only endangers us”.

The references to the Holocaust and Zionism appear to reflect the
views of a small section of ultra-orthodox Jews who believe the State
of Israel was created in violation of religious doctrine.

They claim Israel can only exist when the “messiah” comes and oppose
“Zionism” as an abomination.

Yad Vashem is a memorial, a museum and research centre, commemorating
the six million Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust.

The chairman of the museum, Avner Shalev, said the Hebrew writing and
the content of the slogans led him to believe that Jewish extremists
were responsible. “We are shocked by this expression of burning hatred
against Zionism and Zionists,” he said.

Israeli police are investigating the graffiti attack and reviewing
security camera footage at the site.

From: Baghdasarian

RUSSIAN FM DRAWS PARALLELS BETWEEN THE CRISIS IN SYRIA AND THE KARABAKH CONFLICT

armradio.am
11.06.2012 11:55

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov draws parallels between the
conflict in Syria and the Nagorno Karabakh issue.

“Outer players must not impose any schemes to the parties of the
Syrian conflict. Instead, they should create conditions for them to
start negotiating with each other,” Lavrov told a briefing at the
Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs dedicated to the Russian offer
to call on a conference on regulating the situation in Syria.

“They must be forces to sit at the bargaining table, having first
stopped the military actions,” he said.

“The conference is not meant to predetermine the parameters of
political settlement. It’s called to create necessary conditions
for the continuation of talks. For example, this happens in case
of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict,
where the international community acts on the basis of the accepted
principle that the parties should come to an agreement themselves,”
the Minister said.

Lavrov recalled the example of the Karabakh conflict, where the
Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group ensure conditions, push the sides to
seeking compromise, but do not impose a solution. “This is how we
must act in all cases, including Syria,” the Russian Foreign Minister
stated.

From: Baghdasarian

SCR TO LAUNCH SUMMER TRAIN TO LAKE SEVAN

/ARKA/
9 June, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, June 9. /ARKA/. An electrical train traveling between Yerevan
and Sevan will be departing daily from Almast station in the capital
of Armenia from July 1, according to Gagik Movsisyan, chief of the
directorate of passenger transportation of the Russian-run South
Caucasian Railways company that operates Armenian railroads.

Speaking at a news conference at Novosti international press center,
he said the cost of tickets from Yerevan to Shorzha on Lake Sevan
will be 750 drams; the cost of ticket to Sevan will be 500 drams.

He said the train to Shorzha will travel 3 hours. He said last summer
the train transported 300 people a day. ($1 ~V 412.75 drams).

From: Baghdasarian

UNOFFICIAL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS EXIST BETWEEN ARMENIA, TURKEY, EXPERT SAYS

tert.am
11.06.12

Turkey’s invitation to Armenia to attend the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation’s (BSEC) meeting in Istanbul proves the existence of
certain diplomatic relations between the two countries, political
analyst Richard Giragosian told at a news conference today.

“BSEC is the platform where Armenian and Turkish governance bodies
meet. It is also an additional pressure on Turkey to make the
unofficial relations official,” the analyst said. The BSEC summit is
scheduled for June 26 in Turkey.

Referring to the regional visit of the US Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton, particularly to Turkey, Giragosian said Turks and Americans
agreed with the fact that the peace in the region is endangered
because of Azerbaijan.

“Turkey has addressed a message to Azerbaijan that the attacks against
Armenia are wrong steps. That country does not want Azerbaijan to
start war as it will limit Turkey’s activities in the region. This
means that Turkish-Azerbaijani relations are not as warm as they used
to be,” the political analyst stressed.

The latter said even Turkey considers Azerbaijan a country threatening
regional peace. “Turkey is not Azerbaijan’s sole strategic partner,
we know that Israel, Pakistan and other states are helping it to
build arms,” the political analyst said.

The latter also stressed that the conception “one nation two states”
does not work for the two countries any more.

From: Baghdasarian

BAKU DEPLOYS SNIPERS TO PROTECT “INVINCIBLE AZERI ARMY” FROM ARMENIAN VILLAGERS
Marina Ananikyan

PanARMENIAN.Net
June 11, 2012 – 15:43 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Tensions at contact line between Artsakh and
Azerbaijan and those at Azeri-Armenian border have entered their
second week. Azeri troops shell Armenia’s border villages, keeping
fear alive among peaceful population with attacks and subversion
attempts. Sources say, 21-25 Azerbaijani soldiers were killed in
Azeri subversive actions over the last week.Azerbaijani authorities
try hard to concoct reasons behind the deaths and injuries on its
side. In fact, these are saboteurs, killed or wounded by Armenian
armed forces who were trying to hinder Azeri subversive acts. Thus,
according to Azerbaijani authorities, Azeri soldiers commit mass
suicides, get blown up by mines, and die in accidents.

At the same time, official Baku is trying to shift the blame for
subversions on Armenian side. Azeri media abound in reports of
Armenian attacks and victims on Armenian side, with no deaths or
injuries reported on Azeri side.

Thus, according to Azeri media report, “on the night of June 4,
Armenian side tried to infiltrate Azeri border on a tractor. The
tractor was stopped by a fire from Azeri positions, foiling Armenian
attempt to advance.”

Also, Azeri Defense Ministry issued an official report urging local
media against publishing reports of dead Azeri soldiers.

However, reports of injured and dead soldiers slip, as well as Azeri
plans for further subversions slip out in Azeri online outlets.

As Defence.az website reported citing military sources, numerous sniper
groups have been deployed at contact line and Armenia-Azerbaijan
border. Obviously, the move came as an attempt to protect the
“invincible Azeri army” from peaceful Armenian villagers and “smart”
tractors.

Clearly, the official Baku seems unable to control every source from
leaking information. After all, Azerbaijan won’t be able to position
itself as an innocent victim of “Armenian aggression” in the eyes of
international community for much longer.

The international community and mediators, though unable to keep
silence over Azeri provocations, diplomatically dubbed Baku’s
aggression “tensions at contact line,” and mildly reproaching every
side, restricted themselves with urges for preservation of ceasefire.

Is it possible they too, only read Baku-controlled media?

From: Baghdasarian

NUMBER OF BIRTHS DROP 5.7% IN ARMENIA DURING 1ST QUARTER OF 2012
Mаry Mamyan

hetq
14:51, June 11, 2012

There were 9,569 births registered in Armenia during the first quarter
of 2012, a drop of 5.7% over the same period last year.

Karineh Kouyoumjyan, who heads the census and demographics unit at
the Department of Statistics, told reporters today that the number
of births surpasses the number of deaths by a factor of 1.2, thus
ensuring a natural increase of 1,616.

She added that this also constitutes a drop over last year’s number
of 2,360.

Kouyoumjyan noted that the death rate is slowly increasing while the
number of births has been sliding over the past 5-7 years.

The official minced no words when she posited that such trends,
coupled with the numbers leaving the country, would lead to a drastic
decrease in Armenia’s overall population.

From: Baghdasarian

UN CENTRE DE LUTTE CONTRE LE CANCER ETABLI A EREVAN
Stephane

armenews.com
mardi 12 juin 2012

Un centre de lutte contre le cancer ultra-moderne sera cree a Erevan
dans le cadre de la cooperation entre la Fondation nationale Armenienne
de la Competitivite et la societe belge Global Medical Solution.

Un memorandum de comprehension d’execution et de gestion d’un centre
d’oncologie regional a ete signe par le President de la Fondation
Arman Khachaturyan et le PDG de societe belge Haig Bagerdjian.

” Aujourd’hui est un jour important pour nous, marquant le debut
d’un espoir d’importer des technologies modernes en Armenie ” a dit
Haig Bagerdjian.

” Je crois que le centre sera pret a la fin de cette annee ” a ajoute
Arman Khachaturyan.

Le nouveau centre comprendra trois departements, un laboratoire,
un centre de diagnostique equipe d’un scanner pour les premiers
diagnostics et une clinique où les patients subiront les traitements
avec des isotopes radioactifs.

Le programme est execute grâce a la cooperation entre les secteurs
publics et prives afin de promouvoir le developpement de la medecine
nucleaire en Armenie.

From: Baghdasarian

UN CADRE D’ENTREPRISE ENTRE AU PARLEMENT SOUS LA BANNIERE DU PARTI DASHNAK
Stephane

armenews.com
mardi 12 juin 2012

Un cadre d’entreprise travaillant pour l’un des entrepreneurs
les plus riches d’Armenie siègera au Parlement pour la Federation
Revolutionnaire Armenienne (Dashnaktsutyun) grâce aux demissions de
dernière minute de deux membres eminents du parti d’opposition.

Armen Babayan, directeur de la societe basee a Erevan ” Grand Candy
” etait en septième position sur la liste des candidats du parti
Dashnaktsutyun lors des elections parlementaires du 6 mai.

Des resultats officiels ont donne 5% de votants en faveur du parti
Dashnaktsutyun.

Un de ces candidats, Artush Shahbazian, aussi bien que Karine
Harutiunian, dont le nom etait sixième sur la liste, ont offert
leurs demissions a la Commission Electorale Centrale (CEC) a la fin
de la semaine dernière, frayant la voie pour l’entree de Babayan au
Parlement. À la difference de ces candidats le directeur de ” Grand
Candy ” n’est pas membre du parti Dashnaktsutyun.

Spartak Seyranian, un porte-parole du Conseil Supreme du
Dashnaktsutyun en Armenie, a confirme que le parti a ordonne les
demissions d’Harutiunian et a Shahbazian. Mais il a nie que cela
a ete specifiquement fait pour laisser Babayan obtenir une place
au Parlement.

” Nous avons juste trouve opportun que M. Shahbazian s’engage dans
un travail pour le parti ” a dit M.Seyranian au service armenien de
RFE/RL (Azatutyun.am).

Artush Shahbazian a affirme au service armenien de RFE/RL qu’en tant
que membre de la dernière Assemblee nationale, il aurait pû defier
la decision du Conseil Supreme et conserver son mandat parlementaire.

Mais a-t-il dit il a choisit de suivre la ligne parce qu’il n’a pas
voulu saper la discipline du parti.

Vahan Hovannisian, un chef du parti Dashnaktsutyun, a insiste pour que
Babayan represente le parti au Parlement en raison de ses capacites
professionnelles. ” C’est un economiste et pas un representant de
Grand Candy ” a dit M.Hovannisian. ” Vous devez regarder la question
de ce point de vue “.

Cependant, une autre figure du Dashnaktsutyun, Hrayr Karapetian,
a admis une connexion entre la promotion de Babayan et le fait que
Grand Candy fait parti du Groupe Grand Holding detenue par Hrant
Vartanian, un magnat lie de gouvernement qui a longtemps soutenu
le Dashnaktsutyun.

” Il y a eu des cas auparavant où notre faction parlementaire
comprenait non seulement des membres du Dashnaktsutyun mais aussi des
sympathisants ” a dit M.Karapetian au service armenien de RFE/RL. ”
S’il y a cinq ou six d’entre nous [au parlement,] il doit bien avoir
un sympathisant parmi nous “.

From: Baghdasarian

LES COMPOSITEURS ARMENIENS A L’HONNEUR A PARIS

L’Orient-Le Jour

6 juin 2012
Liban

l’invitation du centre culturel armenien Mesrob de Paris, du nom du
moine qui, au Ve siècle, inventa l’alphabet armenien, Zeina Saleh
Kayali et Bahjat Rizk ont donne une conference autour des compositeurs
libanais d’origine armenienne et de leur considerable apport a la
musique savante au Liban.

Devant un public venu très nombreux, Bahjat Rizk, attache culturel
de la delegation libanaise a l’Unesco et ecrivain, commence par
planter le decor historique, expliquant comment la communaute
armenienne s’est etablie au Liban au debut du XXe siècle, a la
suite du genocide perpetre en 1915 par l’Empire ottoman, et comment,
en 1932, cette communaute est officiellement recensee et reconnue
comme faisant partie integrante des 18 communautes libanaises. Par sa
composition multicommunautaire, le Liban permet alors aux Armeniens
de se structurer en gardant la pratique de leur langue en parallèle a
la langue arabe et en fondant leurs propres institutions, notamment
la prestigieuse universite Haïgazian où le conferencier a lui-meme
enseigne pendant un temps. Puis Bahjat Rizk rappelle l’attachement du
peuple armenien a ses racines musicales, racines qui se developpent
et s’enrichissent au contact de la culture libanaise en y puisant
une fructueuse inspiration et en y apportant un savoir-faire, une
technique et une sensibilite qui s’articulera autour de la souffrance
de l’exil et de l’experience de l’enracinement.

La deuxième partie de la conference est consacree a presenter plus
precisement les compositeurs en commencant par le ” duo fondateur
” qui a joue un rôle essentiel dans le paysage musical libanais :
Boghos Gelalian (1927-2011) et Stephane Emiyan (1930-1994). La musique
de Boghos Gelalian, extremement sophistiquee et raffinee, prend sa
source dans le folklore armenien. Orchestrateur de genie, il est, dans
les annees 1960, l’une des pierres angulaires du festival de Baalbeck.

Stephane Emiyan fut quant a lui un pianiste et un improvisateur
hors pair qui laisse une immense ~uvre pianistique. La conference
se poursuit avec le ” quatuor intermediaire ” : Antoine Setrakian
(1938), Jean Beujekian (1946) qui a surtout compose pour la guitare,
Edouard Torikian (1952), grand specialiste de musique liturgique,
et Irma Toudjian (1955), fondatrice en Italie d’un des concours de
piano les plus prestigieux d’Europe. Le tour d’horizon se termine
avec le ” trio de la relève ” : Rita Kassabian (1976) qui compose des
~uvres pour l’orchestre de la garde republicaine francaise, Sevag
der Gougassian (1977), specialiste de la musique de chambre, et Garo
Avessian (1979) qui mettra en musique de nombreux textes de Kuchac,
le grand poète armenien du XIIIe siècle. Sans oublier le talentueux
et charismatique chef d’orchestre Harout Fazlian qui, ayant pris
la relève du maître disparu Walid Gholmieh a la tete de l’Orchestre
philharmonique libanais, se promet de valoriser le patrimoine musical
national en y incluant regulièrement des ~uvres de compositeurs
libanais de tous horizons. En fin de seance, pour illustrer le propos,
une ecoute musicale avec des extraits d’~uvres d’archives de Boghos
Gelalian et Irma Toudjian est proposee a l’assistance.

Cette conference a mis en avant le riche apport des compositeurs
armeniens du Liban au patrimoine musical libanais dans son ensemble,
ainsi que la participation feconde de la communaute armenienne et
son attachement a la culture libanaise dans sa diversite.

From: Baghdasarian