Author: Kajoyan Gevork

ARMENIA IS ALSO INTERESTED IN SUKHUMI-TBILISI RAILWAY RESUMPTION – LAVROV

17:54 11/03/2015 >> SOCIETY

Moscow will support resuming railway traffic between Sukhumi and
Tbilisi, but the final decision should be made in Georgia and Abkhazia,
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday after talks
with his Abkhazian counterpart Vyacheslav Chirikba, TASS reported.

“The Russian side is ready for such consultations, considering that the
Russian Railways company is operating part of the Abkhazian railroad
in accordance with inter-state agreements,” Lavrov said.

“However, the final decision should be made by the direct participants
in the process — Abkhazia and Georgia,” he added. “Armenia is
interested in this as well,” the minister noted.

Talking about ensuring control over border between Russia and Abkhazia,
Chirikba said that it is important to ease border crossing between
the two countries. “Our aim is to ensure the most convenient regime
of border crossing,” Chirikba said. “We are not talking about opening
the border, we need to make it transparent, so that people can freely
cross the border on foot or by car,” the minister added.

“This process cannot move forward without simultaneously strengthening
the Abkhazian-Georgian border along the Ingur River,” Chirikba said.

Source: Panorama.am

GARNIK ISAGULYAN: SERZH SARGSYAN HAS DONE ME MORE FAVORS BUT I HANDED IN MY RESIGNATION

20:17 | March 11,2015 | Politics

Serzh Sargsyan has done me more favors than to anyone else, but I
have handed in my resignation since I disagreed with some of his
decisions and actions, which, I believe, contradicted our national
interests, Chairman of the National Security Party Garnik Isagulyan
told Aravot.am.

Speaking about the session of the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK)
which became fatal for the party and its leader Gagik Tsarukyan,
Mr Isagulyan said Tsarukyan had simply spoken about the pending
constitutional amendments saying his party would vote against them
and urge people to say ‘no’ to the amendments.

When Aravot.am reminded Mr Isagulyan that Gagik Tsarukyan had also
warned the government that a single careless action or word would be
enough for them for taking people to the street, the chairman of the
National Security Party said, “Look, how scared the authorities got!”

“We all know Gagik Tsarukyan very well. I have shared bread with him
on several occasions. Once I told him, “Mr Tsarukyan, when you sit
at table, you speak freely and fluently.” But when that man takes
a microphone in his hands, something happens to him as is the case
with people who have fear enclosed spaces or heights.

“He [Tsarukyan] said the constitutional amendments aimed to ensure
the reproduction of the authorities and they would fight against them
with all legal methods. Did the authorities fear legal methods?” said
Garnik Isagulyan.

SHARMAZANOV: TURKEY CONTINUES ITS TRADITIONAL POLICY OF DENIALISM

13:29 11/03/2015 >> SOCIETY

On March 10, Deputy Speaker of Armenian National Assembly Edward
Sharmazanov took part in the conference, titled “Crime of Genocide:
Legal and Political Aspects,” at Charles University in Prague, where
he delivered a speech-lecture, the parliament’s press service reported.

Together with the professors, lecturers and students, Ahmet Necati
Bigali, Ambassador of Turkey to the Czech Republic, accompanied by
the employees of the Embassy, attended the speech-lecture.

The text of his speech is below.

“Dear Academicians, Deans, Professors, Students, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The centennial of the Armenian Genocide is only a month away.

One and a half million Armenians fell prey to a crime that would find
its proper name decades later. As you might know, the term “genocide”
was first used in 1944 by Raphael Lemkin, a Polish legal scholar of
Jewish origin. With this term Lemkin wanted to describe the atrocities
committed against Armenians in the Ottoman Turkey in 1915.

As far back as in 1911, at the congress of the Ittihat ve Terakki in
Thessaloniki a decision was made to murder the Armenians living in the
Ottoman Turkey. The indigenous Christian population, in particular
Armenian nation, was the main obstacle on the way to implement the
Young Turks’ pan-Turkic plans. The Turks insist as if all this had
not been planned beforehand – both Armenians and Turks became victims
of deportation during WWI.

When WWI erupted, the government of the Young Turks, hoping to
maintain the remains of the weakened Ottoman Empire, adopted the
ideology of Pan-Turkism.

On 24 April 1915 the arrest and massacres of 600 Armenian
intellectuals, members of the Ottoman parliament, as well as public
figures marked the beginning of a crime which was initially planned and
implemented at the state level by Ottoman Turkey, and which is known to
the history of humankind as the first genocide of the 20th century. The
crime aimed at depriving Armenians of their homeland. The massacres
and ethnic cleansing were aimed at the extermination of Armenians,
as well as the destruction of the millennia-old Armenian heritage.

Dear attendees,

I would also like to remind you that on May 24, 1915, the Triple
Entente (Great Britain, France and Russia) gave a joint declaration to
the Ottoman government on the Armenian massacres in the Ottoman Empire
and personal responsibility of the members of the Turkish government.

This declaration was the first official document adopted in the
20th century which considered that the members of the Ottoman Turkey
government were responsible both collectively and in person for the
offences and crimes committed by them.

Dear friends,

In 1919 the courts-martial of the Ottoman Turkey sentenced minister
of war Enver Pasha, interior minister Talaat Pasha, minister of the
navy Jemal Pasha, minister of education Nazim Pasha and others to
death by recognizing them guilty of organizing and carrying out the
Armenian massacres.

The 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide is not the endpoint – it
is just the end of one phase. The centennial will sum up a historical
period and will herald a new phase in the fight for restoration
of justice, which will be reinforced with new methods of struggle
against denialism.

Today 22 countries throughout the world have already recognized
the Armenian Genocide. In 1965 Uruguay became the first country to
recognize it. Quite recently South Dakota became the 43rd US state
which officially recognized the Armenian Genocide. The Armenian
Genocide was recognized by such organizations as the Council of Europe,
European Parliament, several UN committees, the World Church Council,
etc. A few days ago the European People’s Party passed a resolution
condemning the Armenian Genocide and the fact of the deprivation of
the Armenian people of its homeland by calling on Turkey to accept
the history and recognize the Armenian Genocide.

Unfortunately, Turkey continues its traditional policy of denialism.

Dear attendees,

We strongly believe that only the recognition and condemnation can
prevent the recurrence of such crimes in the future. As it is justly
mentioned in the resolution of the European People’s Party on the
Armenian Genocide, the denial of the genocide, attempts to avoid
responsibility and forget or justify the committed crimes need to
be condemned, since they are qualified as an on-going crime and a
tendency to encourage new genocides.

Had the Armenian Genocide been recognized and condemned, perhaps the
Holocaust might not have occurred. I believe that you might recall
the famous statement by Adolph Hitler in the 1930s, when he declared:
“Who remembers now the destruction of the Armenians?”

The recognition of the Armenian Genocide is in the interests of
all those countries, which consider themselves to be democrats and
proponents of the defence of human rights. In this fight we should
say no to denialism, no to genocides, no to any crime against humanity

Thank you for your kind attention.”

HRAPARAK: CAMPAIGN AGAINST ARMENIAN COPPER MOLYBDENUM PLANT

09:16 * 11.03.15

Employees of the Zangezour Copper Molybdenum Combine are thought to
have launched a strong campaign against their new leadership.

The paper says that a Mitsubishi Pajero car, belonging to a security
guard who is also a major shareholder, was recently burnt down in
circumstances yet to be clarified. Citing its sources, it claims that
another car earlier saw its glasses broken. Some reportedly think
that the incidents might be a sign of protest against Neil Stevenson,
the plant’s Australian owner, who embarked on serious structural and
human resources reforms after replacing the former general manager,
Maxim Hakobyan.

AURORA PRIZE: ARMENIAN LEADERS ESTABLISH RIGHTS AWARD TO COMMEMORATE CENTENARY OF GENOCIDE

GENOCIDE | 11.03.15 | 10:41

Aurora’s Light: Institute vows to remind Armenia of its great hero

Ahead of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide to be marked
on April 24, leaders in the Armenian Diaspora have collaborated with
Hollywood celebrities and human rights advocates to create a prize
to be awarded annually to those who put themselves at risk to ensure
that others survive.

The humanitarian prize announced on Tuesday in New York is part of an
expansive effort by prominent Armenians to ensure that the history of
the genocide committed by Ottoman Turkey is documented and archived
through the stories of survivors and their saviors, in ways similar
to the chronicling of the Jews’ suffering in the Holocaust.

About 1.5 million Armenians died from 1915 to 1923 in what is widely
acknowledged as the 20th century’s first genocide. About 500,000
survived, many because of interventions by foreign individuals and
institutions.

“The humanity, generosity, strength and sacrifice shown by those
who saved so many Armenians compels us to tell these stories,” said
Russian-Armenian businessman Ruben Vardanyan, who is a co-sponsor of
the commemoration effort known as the 100 Lives Initiative.

“My grandfather was saved by a missionary,” Vardanyan said as quoted
by The New York Times.

Along with commemorating the survivors and those who saved them, the
effort will establish a $1 million award to be called the Aurora Prize
for Awakening Humanity, to be given starting next year. The winners
will not keep the money, instead presenting it to the organizations
that they identify as the inspirations for their work.

The award is named after a survivor of the genocide, Aurora
Mardiganian, who as a child was forced to witness the deaths of family
members. She devoted her life to raising awareness of the genocide
and starred in a 1919 film called “Ravished Armenia.”

Vardanyan and his associates collaborated with Not On Our Watch,
an organization founded by George Clooney and other celebrities —
including Don Cheadle, Matt Damon and Brad Pitt — that seeks to
prevent mass atrocities.

In a statement, Clooney said his group shared a common goal with
the Armenian sponsors, “to focus global attention on the impact of
genocide as well as putting resources toward ending mass atrocities
around the world.”

Clooney is to award the inaugural prize at a ceremony to be held in
the Armenian capital of Yerevan on April 24, 2016, the sponsors said
in a statement.

AGHVAN VARDANYAN: ARFD’S JOINING THE RULING COALITION IS NOT IN DEBATE

by Ashot Safaryan

Tuesday, March 10, 11:00

The issue of ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party’s joining the ruling coalition
is not in debate, Aghvan Vardanyan, ARFD Supreme Body representatives,
MP, told ArmInfo.

Meantime, a newspaper Hraparak (Square) writes the ARFD and the
authorities are actively negotiating for the Party’s joining the
coalition. They say the authorities are ready to provide 5 ministerial
portfolios, mainly in the social sector, to ARFD. “There are no
negotiations. Consequently, no issues are discussed,” Vardanyan said.

Earlier, ARFD left the bloc of the four parliamentary opposition
parties actually supporting the government-initiated constitutional
reform. In addition, after their recent conflict, President Serzh
Sargsyan and Gagik Tsarukyan had a reconciliation meeting brokered
by the ARFD.

L’IDENTITE DES GRECS DE TURQUIE, AUJOURD’HUI

Publié le : 10-03-2015

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
invite a lire cet article publié sur le site Repair le 9 mars 2015.

Repair

lundi 9 mars 2015

Par Céline Pierre Magnani, Traductrice et journaliste francaise
installée a Istanbul depuis 2008

En déclin constant, le nombre de Grecs de Turquie serait passé de
près de 100 000 personnes au début de la République a seulement
quelques milliers aujourd’hui. Céline Pierre Magnani évoque dans
cet article le rapport très particulier qu’entretiennent les Roums
avec la ville d’Istanbul, qu’ils considèrent comme leur véritable
patrie. L’auteur aborde également les difficultés auxquelles
fait face cette communauté grecque d’Istanbul (la romiosini) dont
l’identité s’est considérablement modifiée avec l’arrivée des
grecs-orthodoxe arabophones d’Antioche.

L’évocation de ” la Ville ”, en grec i Poli (η ΠÏ~LÃŽ”η),
nous mène directement a Istanbul… Les hellénophones orthodoxes
ont prospéré sur les rives du Bosphore depuis des milliers
d’années. Dans l’historiographie grecque, l’Empire byzantin est
présenté comme l’apogée de la culture hellène, et la continuité
revendiquée par la communauté roum[1](communauté des Grecs
d’Istanbul) durant toute la période ottomane a contribué a perpétuer
le visage cosmopolite de cette gigantesque agglomération. La
naissance de la République en 1923 et la volonté d’affirmation de
l’Etat-nation turc ont conduit a définir un statut juridique pour
les Roums, dès lors reconnus comme une ” minorité ”[2].

De citoyenneté turque et de nationalité grecque, la romiosini
(Ï~AÏ~IμιοÏ~CÏ~Mνη, ” communauté grecque d’Istanbul ”) vit
en deux dimensions, partagée entre son espace identitaire référent
(la Grèce) et son espace politique concret (la Turquie). Pris dans les
cadres classiques de la conception de l’Etat, l’esprit peine a imaginer
que nation et territoire ne sont pas toujours superposables. C’est
a travers cette double identité qu’il faut essayer de comprendre le
rapport des Roums a la ville d’Istanbul.

Officiellement, le consulat de Grèce gère les affaires
administratives des ressortissants hellènes a Istanbul. Or, depuis les
accords de Lausanne de 1923, les difficultés de gestion entraînées
par le statut même de la communauté roum l’ont conduit a intervenir
de manière régulière. Comme le patriarcat, le consulat s’est
substitué bien des fois a l’institution représentative qui manque a
la communauté. Faute d’interlocuteur officiel, le consulat endossait
souvent ce rôle. Que le soutien soit politique ou économique, la
communauté peut difficilement se passer de cette aide précieuse,
bien que les prises de position consulaires ne fassent pas toujours
l’unanimité.

Fiers de la spécificité de leur identité, les Grecs d’Istanbul
ne se sentent liés au consulat que par nécessité. De nationalité
grecque, ils n’en restent pas moins des politis (Ï~@οΔίÏ~DηÏ~B, ”
habitants de “la Ville” ”), des habitants d’Istanbul avant tout. La
richesse du vocabulaire employé traduit d’ailleurs la conscience
de cette spécificité. Trois termes quotidiennement employés
se traduisent par ” Grec ” en francais, et les catégories
de pensée de la langue grecque permettent d’introduire une
distinction entre culture et origine géographique. Le terme ellinas,
(έΔΔηναÏ~B) désigne tous ceux qui se sentent dépositaires de
cette culture grecque, vivant aussi bien sur le territoire national
grec qu’ailleurs. Chypriotes grecs, Grecs d’Istanbul, Grecs de la
diaspora… La traduction juste serait plutôt ” Hellènes ” que
” Grecs ” si l’imaginaire francais, nourri d’études classiques,
n’y associait pas une connotation antique.

Istanbul : la véritable ” patrie ”

Dans le contexte de la communauté d’Istanbul, l’usage du terme
elladitis (εΔΔαδίÏ~DηÏ~B, ” Helladique ”) est fréquent. Le
mot désigne les ” Grecs ” (ou ” Hellènes ”) qui habitent sur
le territoire national grec afin de les distinguer des Grecs de la
communauté. Le terme romios (Ï~AÏ~IμιÏ~LÏ~B) est utilisé pour
désigner les ” Grecs d’Istanbul ”, c’est-a-dire les Roums. Aussi
bien employé en grec qu’en turc (rÔm), il désigne donc les ”
citoyens turcs, orthodoxes de langue grecque ” (l’emploi du terme
remonte a la période ottomane, les Roums, chrétiens orthodoxes de
l’Empire assimilés aux ” Romains ”). Les Roums sont les garants de
la continuité de la romiosini, branche de l’hellénisme épanouie dans
le cadre de la ville d’Istanbul. L’existence de cette terminologie
spécifique atteste d’une distinction nette dans les esprits. La
connaissance parfois approximative du grec et l’accent typique des
Roums génèrent parfois un complexe vis-a-vis des ” Helladiques
”. Ils utilisent d’ailleurs des expressions et un vocabulaire qui
trahissent l’influence de la langue turque.

Le territoire concrétise l’identité, lui offre un cadre pour
s’épanouir et évoluer. En somme, ils sont en dialogue. Si la
société turque reflète l’identité des individus de nationalité
turque, qu’en est-il pour un Roum ? L’identité grecque risque de
rester abstraite, alors que le dynamisme du quotidien les amène
a développer une identité turque vivante. A la question ” Quel
est ton pays ? ”, la réponse est toujours la même, i Poli (”
la Ville ”). Tout se passe comme si leur identité n’avait pas plus
de projection possible sur le territoire grec que sur le territoire
turc. Espace de synthèse entre nationalité grecque et citoyenneté
turque, seule Istanbul est leur véritable ” patrie ”.

Le patriarcat, les églises, le patrimoine byzantin constituent autant
de points de repère dans le paysage de ” la Ville ” qui confirmaient
leurs racines et donc la légitimité de leur présence. C’est
d’ailleurs plus sur l’héritage byzantin que sur l’héritage de
l’Antiquité que semble se cristalliser la conscience identitaire.

Des mécanismes de protection se mettent en place pour tenter de
conserver l’intégrité de la romiosini ; la réticence au mariage
mixte (grec-turc) en est un exemple. Nombreuse jusqu’a la naissance de
la République turque en 1923, la communauté perpétuait d’elle-même
des réflexes ” endogames ”. Au fur et a mesure des départs, les
mariages internes a la communauté se raréfiaient et chaque union
mixte signifiait l’érosion de la romiosini. Ce conservatisme est
en partie a l’origine de sa continuité historique ; il entraîne
souvent le rejet des ” nouveautés ” apportées par la société
environnante, de peur d’édulcorer la culture. La moyenne d’âge
avancée de la communauté est symptomatique de ce manque de dynamisme.

Le patriarcat incarne traditionnellement ce pôle conservateur. Son
usage du grec comme langue liturgique sous l’Empire ottoman en a fait
le garant de la continuité de la nation grecque. Tout au long de la
République, le patriarcat a fait l’objet de nombreux soupcons dans
l’opinion publique turque. Il est vrai que son statut reste flou :
il n’est définitivement plus l’institution religieuse locale qu’avait
prévu la République turque et s’internationalise tout en conservant
une responsabilité vis-a-vis de la communauté grecque d’Istanbul. Le
patriarcat est tour a tour vu comme traître a la République,
institution politique locale ou allié de l’Occident. Interface entre
la communauté grecque et le gouvernement turc, impliqué dans les
relations gréco-turques et acteur de la scène religieuse mondiale,
il cumule trois échelles d’intervention.

La nomination en 1991 du patriarche Bartholomée Ier a cependant
changé la donne. Réputé pour son ouverture d’esprit, il a permis par
son action d’apporter un nouveau souffle a l’institution. L’intérêt
manifesté pour des problématiques contemporaines (écologie, dialogue
des civilisations…) et les activités de l’institution sous sa
houlette ont rehaussé l’image du patriarcat. Avec le consulat, le
patriarcat reste référent dans la gestion de la communauté ; il y
participe indirectement par simples conseils ou donations. Son rôle
religieux auprès de la communauté justifie sa présence a Istanbul ;
il est donc directement menacé par la diminution des effectifs. Si
ces citoyens turcs orthodoxes venaient a disparaître, le patriarcat
d’Istanbul n’aurait plus véritablement de raison d’être. Aller
régulièrement a l’église est une manière de consolider les
ancrages. D’ailleurs, le rendez-vous dominical relève plus d’un
mode de sociabilité que d’une manifestation réelle de la foi :
il permet de se retrouver ” entre-soi ”, de prendre des nouvelles,
de réactiver les liens communautaires.

De nouveaux questionnements identitaires

Comme pour les églises, la réduction des effectifs freine le bon
fonctionnement des établissements scolaires. Les écoles sont le
principal vecteur de la transmission de la romiosini, mais elles
ferment en nombre, ce qui cristallise les angoisses et pèse sur le
moral de la communauté. La Grande Ecole de la nation (1454), Zappeion
(1885) et Zografeion (1893) font partie des derniers établissements
ouverts, emblèmes d’un âge d’or révolu. Le coÔt de leur
fonctionnement est un gouffre pour le budget communautaire. Pourquoi
ne pas concentrer leurs petits effectifs sur un établissement central
? La question ne semble même pas se poser. Bien plus que l’efficacité
et l’économie, c’est l’image que la communauté a d’elle-même qui
se joue dans le maintien de ces établissements.

La question des écoles soulève un autre problème : l’arrivée des
arabophones d’Antioche, qui entraîne de nouveaux questionnements
identitaires. La catégorie Rum, utilisée dans l’administration
turque, regroupe les citoyens turcs de religion orthodoxe. Or, depuis
les années 1990, les vagues de migrations successives ont amené
de nombreux orthodoxes arabophones d’Antioche a venir s’installer
a Istanbul. Ils sont, au moins administrativement, assimilés a la
communauté roum et bénéficient, au regard de la loi, des mêmes
prérogatives que les individus de nationalité grecque. Dans le cas
des écoles, leur arrivée pose un problème tout particulier, celui
de la langue. En tant que Roums, ils fréquentent les établissements
scolaires de la communauté, mais sont mécaniquement pénalisés faute
de connaître le grec. Si les enfants scolarisés dès le plus jeune
âge peuvent rapidement s’en imprégner, les plus âgés rencontrent de
sérieuses difficultés pour jongler entre la langue arabe d’origine,
le turc imposé et le grec, désormais nouvelle langue d’étude.

Leur nombre a augmenté de manière constante ces dernières années et
ces élèves représentent désormais jusqu’a 50 % des effectifs dans
certaines classes. La question du niveau des étudiants se pose, mais
elle est secondaire. La véritable préoccupation de la communauté,
c’est celle de l’assimilation a la romiosini. Les réactions
sont variées ; elles vont du rejet pur et simple a la volonté
d’intégration. La dynamique démographique des arabophones est inverse
de celle des Roums. Gonflant les effectifs, ces arrivées permettent de
maintenir ouverts des établissements scolaires anciennement menacés.

Ce dynamisme permet aussi d’anticiper un inversement du rapport de
force a long terme. Faut-il continuer a faire vivre la romiosini si le
contenu de sa définition doit changer ? Les Roums de l’administration
turque seront demain majoritairement arabophones, tandis que la
romiosini hellène est amenée a s’éteindre.

La question des départs fait partie des sujets tabous dans ce petit
monde où tout le monde se connaît, s’observe et se jauge a l’aune
de sa fidélité a la romiosini d’origine. Au regard des chiffres, la
situation de la communauté laisse peu d’espoir de se renouveler. Mais
quelques personnalités très actives se battent pour le maintien
de cette romiosini et les représentations semblent se transmettre
efficacement. En Grèce comme en Turquie, l’origine de l’autre occupe
une place essentielle dans les perceptions. On expose ses origines
remontant jusqu’a la deuxième, troisième génération ; on parle
avec fierté du grand-père qui venait de ” la Ville ”. Plus que
le lieu de provenance, c’est l’atmosphère culturelle de l’autre
qui intéresse.

Une romiosini d’ici et d’ailleurs prend forme : de nombreux Grecs
d’Istanbul partis s’installer a l’étranger perpétuent le lien a
la communauté d’origine. Et pour eux, le maintien de la romiosini
constitue un enjeu vital, comme si l’existence des descendants de la
communauté ne pouvait avoir de sens sans un référentiel vivant de
la culture d’origine.

Notes

[1] En turc, le terme ” Rum ” (” οιÏ~AÏ~Iμιοί Â” en grec)
désigne les individus appartenant a la communauté orthodoxe de langue
grecque établie sur le territoire de la Turquie actuelle. Dans le
langage courant, il est également utilisé pour désigner les Grecs
chypriotes.

La catégorie administrative ” rum orthodoxe ” qui lui est associée
inclue également les orthodoxes arabophones d’Antioche (Hatay). Depuis
la conférence de Lausanne (1922-1923), la communauté roum bénéficie
du statut officiel de ” minorité ”, a l’instar des communautés
juives et arméniennes.

[2] La communauté des Grecs de Turquie s’est régulièrement réduite
depuis 1923. Evaluée a près de 100 000 personnes au début de
la République[2], elle ne compterait plus que quelques milliers
d’individus a Istanbul (1500, selon les chiffres avancés par le
Patriarcat d’Istanbul) dont une majorité aurait plus de 60 ans. Tout
au long du XXe siècle, les départs se sont faits a destination
de la Grèce, ainsi que vers les pays traditionnels de la diaspora
grecque (pays d’Europe occidentale, Etats-Unis, Australie, Canada
…). De facto en décalage avec les politiques d’homogénéisation
culturelle, la ” romiosini ”(” ηÏ~AÏ~IμιοÏ~CÏ~Mνη ”)
a évolué sous pression, prise en tenaille entre les logiques de
deux Etats nations. Plusieurs étapes historiques semblent avoir
accéléré le processus d’émigration : 1942 ” varlık vergisi ”
ou impôt sur la fortune ;les évènements du 6 et 7 Septembre 1955,
dits ” pogroms ” dirigés contre la minorité grecque; 1963-1964
puis 1974 lors de la crise chypriote.

Source/Lien : Repair

WHAT WERE THE MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF ARMENIA AND THEIR WIVES BRINGING FROM CHINA?

March 10 2015

The history of the Armenian aviation in a book “Why are you giving
names, het guy?” such questions were voiced by the assailants of
Artashes Yepremyan. The incident occurred in 2013, near the English
school, right in the school yard, in front of the schoolchildren. The
cars coming the opposite direction had simply cut off the road of
Artashes Yepremyan’s car, pulling him out of the car, beating him, then
drove across his legs and went off. All of this was done to intimidate
him and to take his draft records from the car. Artashes Yepremyan is
a pilot and was the Chairman of trade union of the “Armenian Airlines”
Company up to 2004. He says that during that period and after it,
he has managed to collect “enough evidence” about why, how, and with
whose “support” the Armenian aircraft was wrecked.

He had decided to complete it in one book and publish it. “I told
the police the make of the car attacking me and the plate number,
the investigators knew very well who they are, but moreover, they
denounced me for visiting the forensics doctor. If I defame, then
judge me, why do you settle scores with me. Early in the morning, at
6 a.m., the police broke into my apartment and I was taken to the 6th
Division…,” said Artashes Yepremyan recalling the incidents not in
the far past, in the conversation with “Aravot”. Fortunately, a copy
of the stolen draft had fallen at the corner and was left there. Our
interlocutor, who has temporarily moved to Germany after these events,
is now finalizing his records. In the coming months, the book, however,
will be published. The book will illustrate the whole history of
the Armenian aviation in the newly independent country. Artashes
Yepremyan promises in the book all the facts yet not found in the
press about the facts how and why the pilots who were members of the
AAL Regulatory Council together with the Chairman of the Council
Dmitri Adbashyan were “arrested” at the office of Prime Minister
Khosrov Karutyunyan in 1992, what “contribution” Vigen Chitejyan and
Shahen Petrosyan had to the fate of the AA (Armenian Airlines). “Levon
Ter-Petrosyan laid the foundation for the demolition of the aviation,”
says our interlocutor with confidence. “The Armenian airlines”
should have maintained its existence in this complex period. It was
quite profitable, also attractive in that sense as we did not have
a land connection. Our proposed plan was rejected, and the process
of treating the aviation like a taxi began from it. But the aviation
conduct and charter are different, being a pilot is not an ordinary
profession. Today, preparing one pilot requires 250-300 thousand
dollars, we had 450 pilots, now we have none, even a school, nor
already an aircraft. While, our aviation could be the strongest in
the region, in both professionals and geographical location. Later
on, Robert Kocharyan, Serzh Sargsyan and various criminal clans felt
the benefit of it and began extending their hands to aviation under
the name of a business. Gagik Tsarukyan took the air-service sector,
but was servicing the interests of Robert Kocharyan’s niece. They
brought Ernekyan along with the law on monopoly prohibiting the
service of other airport at the radios of 250 km. He did not make
investments in Armenia, he has shown the 0.1 percent of the money
entered into Armenia and has taken the rest to him.” In his book,
Artashes Yepremyan promises to bring detailed and arguments about
how David Harutyunyan along with his brother “demolished the AA with
an intention to recognize it bankrupt. Like in 2004, they signed a
contract with Michael Bagdasarov, and then handed the whole market to
him. “If they had put the AA’s assets: the market, parking, flights,
lines and offices up for the auction, the then prices would be 600
million dollars. Bagdasarov also signed a crucial contract with
“Siberia airlines” for using the territory of AA jointly for 25 years.

He worked with “Siberia airlines” for 3-4 years in the Armenian market,
took the money available in the budget, trained his staff and quit
the Armenian market. Bagdasarov remained a monopoly as an owner and
the master of the Armenian market and began selling the flights to
the Russian airlines, by receiving a ticket price for 11-20 seats for
each flight. It turns out to make money out of the air. And then,
he brought aircraft by leasing formulating under the name of the
LLC belonging to him. It turned out that an LLC that belongs to him
leases an aircraft to another company by causing astronomical sums to
“Armavia”. Without paying this amounts as salaries to the pilots,
Bagdasarov had left for Bucharest to open a company, it operates
and so far does not bear any responsibility,” says our interlocutor,
adding, “But the absurdity is that from 2004 until now, the AA cannot
be recognized bankrupt, because the AA’s assets are still being sold.

Germany, Holland, France, Moscow, various Russian cities, London,
Beirut and Greece have their own offices and assets. The land plots
owned by the AA near the Lake Sevan, the Tsakhkadzor resort house were
sold for pennies. What happened to them? No one knew.” He recalls
that during the National Assembly hearing in 2005 to dissolve the
“Armenian Airlines”, he was one of the speakers. He handed the AA
recovery plan to the RoL MP Hovhannes Margaryan. The latter and the
Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Legal Affairs Rafik Petrosyan
promised to discuss, but there was no response. Artashes Yepremyan
will tell in his book how the RA Government members and their wives
were leaving for China on TU-134, on business trip, and returning with
all their goods loaded on the plane, which, naturally, were entering
Armenia without taxation. He will tell about the famous “Brilliant and
diamond” flight to India, and how IL-86 took the flight to Singapore,
no flight was conducted from there, but after returning Yerevan,
it was revealed that it had conducted more than 12 flights. “How
did they make a flight and then erase it, the Transport Prosecutor’s
Office will have to give the answer,” says our interlocutor. He will
present his personal and professional approaches on the fallen Armenian
aircrafts in Sochi and Congo. “They exploited it to the end without
conducting any technical service work on them, suck up to the last
drop. There is no in Armenia, and a chaos in the market for tickets,
the ticket prices are inflated by 30 percent, because thieves and
plunderers have entered the aviation.” He is sure in one thing, if
the “Air Armenia”, which was formed by the former director of the AA
Arsen Avetisyan and David Harutyunyan’s brother Vahan Harutyunyan,
have allowed the AA’s leftover assets: AN-12 and AN-24 to operate,
now the situation would have been much better. Recall that the air
company was carrying only cargo flights and submitted an application
to enter into the market for passenger flights, but an “open sky”
policy was announced in Armenia. Artashes Yepremyan thinks that
it is wrong. “It seems there’s a group of people in Armenia who do
everything specifically so that Armenian would not have a national
carrier. If they had allowed for the “Air Armenia” to stay, today
the results would be visible. It is also a matter of military and
strategic importance, the Armenian aviation had played a big role
during the Karabakh war and the earthquake.”

Nelly GRIGORYAN

Read more at:

FORMER MP’S CASINO HAS NOT PAID EMPLOYEES SINCE LAST SEPTEMBER

03.10.2015 13:06 epress.am

Former Republican Party faction MP Levon Sargsyan’s Golden Palace
casino employees are protesting, claiming their salaries are not being
paid and they are being subject to trafficking. 168 Zham newspaper
spoke to one of the employees who wished to be left anonymous.

“We are subject to trafficking. They’ve made us work since last
September without any pay. Everywhere they explain to us about what
trafficking is, they warn us about trafficking in foreign countries
but we are subject to trafficking in our own country and no one is
defending us. Today, we have presented an appeal about the criminal
act; people have taken advantage of us and committed a crime,” said
the casino worker.

168 Zham writes that the casino employees have applied to the
Human Rights Defender’s office over a month ago, however, being
neglected, they sent a letter to the President, Prime Minister,
General Prosecutor, NSS head, Investigative Committee President,
demanding a criminal case be initiated for the months long nonpayment
of their salaries.

LITURGIE DANS LA BASILIQUE DU SAINT SEPULCRE POUR COMMEMORER LE GENOCIDE ARMENIEN

ISRAEL

Jerusalem (Agence Fides) – A Jerusalem, le principal evenement dedie au
centenaire du Genocide armenien aura lieu le 24 avril prochain en la
Basilique du Saint Sepulcre. Il s’agira d’une liturgie commemorative
a laquelle participera notamment le President d’Israël, Reuven
Rivlin. La nouvelle a ete diffusee par les moyens de communication
armeniens et provient de Georgette Avagian, qui preside le Comite
national armenien d’Israël. Dans ses interventions officielles –
y compris la conference a l’ONU du 29 janvier dernier – le President
israelien a fait reference a plusieurs reprises au Genocide armenien,
pas encore reconnu officiellement par Israël. Le 13 mai dernier, le
Parlement israelien avait discute, en plenière, de cette question a
la demande d’une motion presentee par Zehava Gal-On, porte-parole du
parti de gauche Meretz, qui demandait au gouvernement israelien de
reconnaître le Genocide armenien avant qu’en 2015 ne soit commemore
son centenaire (voir Fides 14/05/2014). Entre temps, le 4 mars, les
cent ans du > ont ete commemores dans le cadre d’une
seance commemorative de l’Assemblee du peuple syrien, cette initiative
ayant en particulier ete promue par le parlementaire syrien chretien
Maria Saadeh. (GV) (Agence Fides 09/03/2015)

mardi 10 mars 2015, Stephane (c)armenews.com