Author: Kajoyan Gevork

ISTUTUITA LA BIBLIOTECA “SAN MATTEO DEGLI ARMENI”

Qui Perugia

26 Aprile 2012
Italia

Sara specializzata sui temi del dialogo interculturale e della pace

Perugia- L’obiettivo dell’Amministrazione comunale di destinare
parte del complesso di San Matteo degli Armeni a centro studi volto
ad accogliere documentazione e a promuovere ricerche intorno ai
temi della pace, dell’interculturalita e dell’interreligiosita fa un
deciso passo avanti. La giunta ha, infatti, approvato nel pomeriggio,
la delibera con cui viene istituita la “biblioteca San Matteo
degli Armeni”, specializzata sui temi del dialogo interculturale
e interreligioso, inserita nel sistema bibliotecario comunale. Nel
documento si stabilisce di prendere in considerazione le richieste di
trasferimento presso la biblioteca San Matteo degli Armeni di fondi
librari e documenti di argomento pertinente, a partire dal fondo
“Aldo Capitini” e di favorire rapporti di collaborazione con enti e
istituzioni la cui finalita sia aderente al progetto.

“E’ un ulteriore e qualificato tassello che si aggiunge all’articolato
sistema delle biblioteche a Perugia. Dopo il successo di Bibliobus –
commenta l’assessore alle Politiche Culturali e Giovanili, Andrea
Cernicchi – che ha visto in appena due mesi (l’iniziativa era stata
inaugurata lo scorso 25 febbraio) 1.500 prestiti, l’Amministrazione
comunale potenzia ulteriormente il sistema bibliotecario e lo fa in
una delle perle architettoniche di prestigio della citta. Si rafforza,
in questo modo, quel percorso di confronto, dialogo e incontro fra
culture, religioni e sensibilita diverse, su cui l’Amministrazione ha
investito risorse ed energie”. Per l’assessore Cernicchi, l’apertura di
una nuova biblioteca “non è un fatto scontato, soprattutto in questa
fase in cui la tendenza politica nazionale e le scelte di finanza
pubblica vanno nella esatta direzione opposta. Siamo, tuttavia,
convinti che investire in cultura significhi investire sul futuro
della nostra comunita, dei giovani, sullo sviluppo e sulla crescita
del nostro territorio”.

AZERBAIJAN PREPARING TO SIGN AGREEMENTS OF MILITARY COOPERATION WITH ANOTHER 27 COUNTRIES

arminfo
Wednesday, May 2, 14:38

Azerbaijan is expected to sign defense cooperation agreements with
27 countries. APA reports quoting the Defense Ministry’s website
that Azerbaijan signed agreements and memorandums with 29 countries
creating legal basis of military relations. Now Azerbaijan is
discussing similar documents with another 27 countries.

300-400 different language and career courses, working meetings,
workshops, conferences, HQ talks, consultations and other events are
planned and held on bilateral defense cooperation in Azerbaijan and
other countries within the current year. At least 1500 representatives
of the armed forces attend these events every year.

According to The Los Angeles Times, Azerbaijan increased its military
budget 89%, which is the highest growth of the military budget in
the world in such a short period of time. Earlier Prime Minister
of Azerbaijan Artur Rasizade said that Azerbaijan had increased its
military expenditures over the last 8 years over 20fold. In Azerbaijan,
military spending increased by 39.74 million manats to 1.36 billion
manats (about 1.73 billion U.S. dollars) in 2011. It is also reported
that for 2012 Azerbaijan’s military spending account for 15 percent
of its overall annual budget, increasing to 1.38 billion manats
(about 1.77 billion U.S. dollars).

AWARD-WINNING AZERI REPORTER BADLY INJURED IN ATTACK
By Samira Ahmedbeyli

Institute for War & Peace Reporting
CAUCASUS REPORTING SERVICE, No. 638
April 25, 2012
UK

Idrak Abbasov placed in intensive care after assault while filming
house demolition.

An award-winning Azerbaijani journalist is in hospital in Baku
suffering head injuries when he was severely beaten while filming
workers attempting to demolish homes in a long-running land dispute.

The April 18 attack on Idrak Abbasov came just three weeks after
he received a prestigious award for his journalism at an Index on
Censorship ceremony in London.

Abbasov, who reports for the Ayna and Zerkalo newspaper and the
Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety, as well as working
as an IWPR trainer and contributor, was beaten after residents of
Sulutepe, just outside Baku, blocked a major road in protest against
the demolition.

It was the latest round in an ongoing campaign to remove homes from
land which the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan, SOCAR, says belongs
to it. In previous incidents, local homeowners say they have been
assaulted by security guards accompanying the demolition teams.

“But this time they were particularly fierce,” Gunay Musayeva,
a reporter for the Yeni Musavat newspaper, said. “They beat all
the residents of the area, and did not stand on ceremony even with
journalists. I was filming oil company workers beating a woman, when
just a metre-and-a-half away from me, they knocked Idrak to the ground
and started hitting him with sticks and kicking him.”

She continued, “When I ran to him, one of the workers grabbed me from
behind by my hair and punched me right in the face. Then others came
and took my camera away.”

Roman Abbasov, one of Idrak’s brothers, said the workers spotted
Abbasov filming them.

“They took the camera, threw him to the ground and started kicking
him. He was covered in blood, his head smashed up, and one eye closed
over,” he said. “My brother Adalat and I threw ourselves upon Idrak
to cover him. Then they started beating us,” he said.

Other journalists who heard about the attack rushed to the scene,
among them Esmira Javadova, who reports for Radio Liberty.

“The taxi I was travelling in together with Galib, a cameraman for
IRFS [Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety], was brought to a
halt by SOCAR buses blocking the road,” she said. “Workers came out
of the bus and started to hitting the car with sticks, and smashed
the windscreen. They forcibly hauled Galib out of the car and started
taking him off somewhere. At the same time, they were shouting every
swearword imaginable at us, demanding that we leave.”

Abbasov and other who had been injured were taken to the Baku’s main
hospital, accompanied by a group of journalists.

“We spoke to the doctors, and they said Idrak had damage to his
skull and brain and was now in intensive care,” Seymur Kazimov,
a close friend of Abbasov, said.

Hospital doctors told IWPR that Abbasov’s brother Adalat was also
in serious condition with head injuries and broken ribs. It is not
clear how long they will require treatment.

A spokesman for SOCAR, Nizamaddin Guliyev, said he knew nothing about
the clash but promised to look into it.

“I heard about this incident from a journalist. I was in a meeting. I
will look into the matter and give you an answer,” he said.

Orkhan Mansurzade, a spokesman for Azerbaijan’s interior ministry,
said an investigation was already under way.

Media rights activists said the assault on Abbasov came within a wider
context of recent official statements equating criticism of the country
with support for Azerbaijan’s enemy Armenia, in other words treason.

“If the president makes a speech saying that many journalists are
defending the interests of Armenia, then lower-ranking officials are
going to take their lead from that and take tougher action against
journalists,” Emin Huseynov, director of IRFS in Azerbaijan, said. “I
believe restrictions on the press and on freedom of speech come from
the very top of government.”

On March 28, Abbasov won the prestigious Guardian prize for journalism
at the Index on Censorship awards ceremony in London. Judges citing
the work he had done to expose attacks on private property, and
the violence he had suffered in the course of his work. (See Azeri
Journalist Honoured for Courage.)

This is the second time in recent months that Abbasov has been
targeted. Several of his family members were hospitalised last year
in an assault on their home, which is located in Sulutepe but is not
subject to a demolition order. (For more, see Azerbaijani Journalist
Under Pressure.)

Samira Ahmedbeyli is an IWPR reporter in Azerbaijan

REAL NUMBER OF VOTERS IS 1,400,000

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 20:59:30 – 01/05/2012

Lragir.am had learned that according to the National Statistics
Service the permanent population of Armenia is 3,275,500 as of April 1.

In an interview with Lragir.am Movses Aristakesyan, member of the
Armenian National Congress, compared this data of the census conducted
last year and made an interesting comment.

He says the permanent population of Armenia was 3,285,000 according
to the census, while the resident population was 2,870,000. “It is
evidence that the number of the population of Armenia was exaggerated
during the census to further exaggerate the voters’ register. These
data indicate emigration. It comes to prove that the real number of
voters in Armenia is 1,400,000,” Aristakesyan says.

PETROL PRICE WENT UP BY 15.3 PERCENT FOR ONE YEAR IN ARMENIA

news.am
May 01, 2012 | 01:43

YEREVAN. – Petrol and diesel fuel prices went up by 5.8 and 2.3 percent
respectively in April in Armenia, as compared to March, Armenian
National Statistical Service reports. To note, the prices went up by
15.3 percent in April, as compared to the same period last year.

In addition, the international petrol price got stabilized during
the recent weeks, while it reduced in the United States. However,
experts believe that it will go up again in the midst of May in
connection to the beginning of the holiday season.

NEGOTIATIONS WITH AZERBAIJAN ARE HELD BEHIND SCENES – EXPERT

news.am
May 01, 2012 | 02:22

The statements of OSCE Minsk Group should be open and honest but
negotiations with Azerbaijan are held behind scenes, political
scientist Sergei Minasyan, the director of the Caucasus Institute,
told Armenian News-NEWS.am, commenting on the statement of OSCE
co-chairs upon the ceasefire violation by Azerbaijan. According to
him, it is evident that OSCE Minsk Group brings together the leading
actors in the region, especially Russia and the United States who are
not interested in escalating the conflict. “Diplomatic announcements
are one thing, but a serious ‘discussion’, which I am sure took place,
is something entirely different,” he noted. Commenting on the question
whether a serious ‘discussion’ might affect Azerbaijan’s actions in
the future Minasyan announced that the situation must be assessed
realistically. “Such incidents will occur until Azerbaijan is able
to demonstrate its discontent and dissent on the current situation.

Everybody knows that there is a certain line which Azerbaijan will not
overstep,” Sergei Minasyan said. As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed
earlier, Dovegh village’s kindergarten was fired at on Thursday,
and a VAZ 2107 was fired at on Friday at the road section between the
Aygepar and Movses villages, and, as a result, the three citizens in
the car were killed.

ANNUAL BUDGET HAS BEEN EXECUTED WITHOUT DEBTS

NKR Government Information and
Public Relations Department
27.04.2012

At the session of the NKR Government

Today a regular session of the NKR Government chaired by the Prime
Minister Ara Haroutyunyan has been held.

At first the Executive listened to the account of the NKR budget
execution of 2011, which was reported by Vice Premier, Minister of
Finances S.Tevosyan. According to him in 2011 economic growth in the
republic made up 9,1%. Principal value of GDP made up 135.5 milliard
AMD (in 2010 it was 118.2 milliard AMD).GDP per head made up 936.1
thousand AMD against last year’s 823.2 thousand AMD. In 2011 the volume
of industrial production made up more than 39,9 milliard AMD ensuring
0,8 % actual growth as against 2010. Last year nominal average wage
of one worker per month was 98453 AMD, as compared to 2010 it grew by
6,2 %. The reporter noted in parallel to the economic and employment
raise profits and expenses of the population increased as well. Last
year, as compared with 2010, cash incomes of the population raised by
16.6% and amounted 111,5 milliard AMD. Consumer price indices in 2011,
as compared to December 2010 made up 104.0 %.

While mentioning state allocation according to spheres the Minister
of Finances summarized that in 2011 state budget incomes amounted 25
milliard 756 million 398,1 thousand AMD execution – 95,5%. During
the accountable year 35 milliard 357 million 944,3 thousand AMD
intergovernmental credit was received from the RA.

In 2011 financial resources for state budget deficit were borrowed
means, budget remains of the beginning of the year and incomes from
repayment of credits.

We have no accumulated debts,- he noted.

The account of 2011 budget executed was approved by the Government
and submitted to the National Assembly’s consideration.

The Executive adopted several decisions concerning the sphere of
audit. Mainly the licensing order for realizing audit services,
form of license order, forms of references about legal and physical
entities interrelated with auditor. Changes were made in the formerly
adopted decisions regarding the sphere.

At the session the Government approved the arrangements program of
2012 for exploring and using subsoil of NKR. The arrangements will
be carried out in the zones of villages Taghavart and Zardanashen
of Martuni region and Mets Tagher of Hadrout region by the State
Non-commercial Organization “Artsakh geological expedition”. 62 million
AMD will be allocated this year for exploring and using subsoil.

The Government approved the NKR law project ” On asserting the
annual statement 2011 project implementation of the state property
privatization of 2010-2012″. As it was mentioned in the document 173
million 456,6 thousand AMD has been debited to the NKR budget in the
accounting year from alienation of state property. 10 companies out
of 27 included in the project are in the process of liquidation.

Liquidation process in 3 companies is completed and in 7 companies
it is foreseen to complete in 2012. Minister of Economic Development
K.Yesayan informed that process of state property registration is
not completed in the republic which gives rise to serious concerns.

The Government asserted the exploiting order of the completed
construction.

According to a Government resolution the order of keeping and carrying
arms in calculation and assigning ammunition was asserted.

The Executive adopted a number of resolutions regarding the sphere
of real estate cadastre.

Changes were done in the Government decision N 172 of 2011 according
to which in the communities (except Stepanakert) where cadastre
cartography is completed the first state registration of ownership
will be done free of charge.

The Government allowed the commission formed with the purpose of
industrialization of Kashen’s mining territory to pass cartography
materials to the CJSC “Base Metals” for official use. In this respect
Prime Minister mentioned that the commission must work hard in the
zone of Kashen for settling a number of issues connected with housing,
social and legal problems. Ara Haroutyunyan assigned a task to the
chairman of the commission K.Yesayan to inform the society about the
process of works periodically.

At the session the Government made a number of changes and amendments
in the Government decisions formerly adopted.

OSCE REPRESENTATIVES ARE INFORMED ABOUT AZERBAIJAN’S FIRING AT KARABAKH AMBULANCE

news.am
May 01, 2012 | 10:46

Armenian MOD representative informed OSCE Chairman-in-Office field
assistants Hristo Hristov and Irji Aberle about the Azerbaijani Armed
Forces’ firing at an ambulance (photos).

During the OSCE monitoring on Monday, Lieutenant Colonel Andranik
Mkrtumyan-representative of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed
Forces-informed the field assistants about the incident which occurred
on April 24 and in the direction of Karabakh.

“The ambulance was caught under the firing of shots in broad daylight,
when it was clear that the vehicle was an ambulance. The latter
was fired upon by snipers. As a result, two soldiers from the
[Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Armed Forces] NKR AF were wounded,”
Mkrtumyan informed, and stressed that what occurred is a blatant
violation of the Geneva Conventions.

PRESS RELEASE
The Heritage Party
31 Moscovian Street, Suite 172
Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 53.69.13
Fax: (+374 – 10) 53.26.97
Email: [email protected]
Website:

30 April 2012

Heritage visits Ararat region, offers vision of a New Armenia

Yerevan–Today residents of the Ararat region were introduced to the
Heritage program and its vision of a New Armenia, as Heritage
candidates for parliament led by Raffi Hovannisian, visited Khor
Virap, Surenavan, Ararat, Vedi, Artashat, Verin Artashat, Aygezard,
Baghramyan, and Masis.

Hovannisian as always met with constituents one-by-one assuring them
that names–whether Serzh, Robert, Levon, or Raffi–are not important.
`The only important thing is whether our nations wants to stay in the
past or step into the future,’ he said. `The vast majority of
Armenia’s citizens have already chosen to take that step: by voting
for the Heritage party.’

Former foreign minister and political prisoner Alexander Arzoumanian
urged people not to submit to fear. `We have defeated the external foe
and fulfilled the dream of our grandfathers,’ he said. `We have an
independent Armenia where we choose our authorities via direct
elections, yet we are afraid of them. They are our servants. If they
ignore and abuse the call of public service we must force them to
resign by electing others who will heed it.’

`Current coalition authorities have failed in the spheres of economy,
judiciary, social justice, and industry, and accordingly promote
immigration,’ Heritage candidate Susanna Muradyan said, encouraging
residents to vote according to their souls and not according to the
false promises of the corrupt authorities.

MP Zaruhi Postanjyan, political scientist and analyst Tevan Poghosyan,
pedagogue and former political prisoner Hovannes Khazaryan, and
historian Stepan Hasan-Jalalyan also met with constituents.

Postanjyan promised that Heritage will lead citizens out of the
misery, immigration, and injustice that has plagued Armenia for the
last twenty years. `Heritage is coming,’ she said.

Heritage Campaign Headquarters

________________________________________
The new campaign headquarters is located at Yerevan 0002, Moscovian
Street 31. The new press contacts are (374) 55052803 (phone), (57410)
532697 (fax), and [email protected], and website at

Comité National Arménien du Canada
Armenian National Committee of Canada
130 Albert Street,Suite 1007
Ottawa, ON, K1P 5G4
[email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Roupen Kouyoumdjian Tel: 514-265-4602/

Armenian-Canadians Will Gather in Ottawa to Congratulate Canada’s
Stance against Turkey’s Genocide Denials

On Tuesday, April 24th, Armenian-Canadians will gather in Ottawa to
commemorate the 97th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, with its
annual noontime Parliament Hill observance and subsequent demonstration
in front of the embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Canada. Some 1,500
Armenian-Canadians from across the nation are expected to gather on
Parliament Hill to hear Members of Parliament, dignitaries, and
community leaders honour the memory of the 1.5 million Armenians that
systematically perished at the hands of the Ottoman Turks beginning in 1915.

The observance will be followed by a planned march toward the Turkish
embassy for a peaceful demonstration against Turkey’s decades-old
campaign of denial. “Armenians are resolved to pursue justice for the
horrendous genocide committed by the Turks against the Armenian people,”
stated Dr. Girair Basmadjian, president of the Armenian National
Committee of Canada. “The government of Turkey will never succeed in
its constant attempts to rewrite history. The world will never forget.
Canadians will never forget. We are fortunate that, in Canada, both
Houses of Parliament, the government of Canada, and Prime Minister
Stephen Harper have officially recognised the Armenian Genocide. We
commend the efforts of our government and parliamentarians in ensuring
that truth and justice prevail.”

For decades, successive governments of the Republic of Turkey have
embarked upon an active campaign of denial, fabrication, and
misrepresentation as it attempted, and continues to attempt, to cover-up
its crimes against humanity. In its attempts to rewrite history, Turkey
has consistently employed some of the world’s leading lobbyists and
public relations firms, having spent tens of millions of dollars over
the years. In Canada, Turkey has in the past retained the services of
Fleishman-Hilliard and other lobbyists.

“Armenian-Canadians are asking their government to encourage Turkey to
stop its denials and come to terms with its past,” stated Dr.
Basmadjian. “All Canadians should be proud of their parliamentarians for
standing firm against Turkish pressure to change Canada’s position
regarding the Armenian Genocide.”

_Backgrounder_

Since its inception, Turkey’s credibility as a nation of peace continues
to be marred by its belligerent and arrogant actions — continued acts
of genocide, the invasion of Cyprus, its treatment of the Kurds, its
blatant violation of human rights within its own borders. Numerous
international human rights organisations continue to single out Turkey
as being a gross violator of basic human rights including freedom of speech.

The Genocide of the Armenians by the Turkish government during World War
I represents a major tragedy of the modern age. In this the first
Genocide of the 20th century, almost an entire nation was destroyed. The
Armenian people were effectively eliminated from the homeland they had
occupied for nearly three thousand years. This annihilation was
premeditated and planned to be carried out under the cover of war.

During the night of April 23-24, 1915, Armenian political, religious,
educational, and intellectual leaders in Istanbul were arrested,
deported to the interior, and mercilessly put to death. Next,
the Turkish government ordered the deportation of the Armenian people to
“relocation centres” – actually to the barren deserts of Syria and
Mesopotamia. The Armenians were driven out brutally from the length and
breadth of the empire. Secrecy, surprise, deception, torture,
dehumanization, rape and pillage were all a part of the process. The
whole of Asia Minor was put in motion.

The greatest torment was reserved for the women and children, who were
driven for months over mountains and deserts, often dehumanized by being
stripped naked and repeatedly preyed upon and abused. Intentionally
deprived of food and water, they fell by the hundreds of thousands along
the routes to the desert.

—
R.Roupen Kouyoumdjian B.Sc., M.Sc.
Executive Director
Armenian National Committee of Canada, National Office
130 Albert Street, Suite 1007, Ottawa, ON K1P 5G4
Tel.: 613-235-2622
Fax: 613-238-2622
E-mail: [email protected]