Author: Kajoyan Gevork

OVER 95% OF ANCA ENDORSED CANDIDATES WIN SEATS IN CONGRESS

10:45, 06 Nov 2014

Months of intensive voter registration efforts and grassroots
campaigning contributed to significant Congressional victories for
pro-Armenian American issues candidates during Tuesday’s mid-term
elections, with over 95% of Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA) endorsed candidates being elected to office. Top winners
included Bob Dold (R-IL), a former Republican Vice-Chairman of
the Congressional Armenian Caucus, who won one of the most closely
contested U.S. House races in the country.

“It’s always gratifying for the ANCA to empower Armenian American
voters, especially during highly competitive election seasons like
this, when our efforts contribute meaningfully to the victory of so
many Congressional friends,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of
the ANCA. “While we’re certainly proud that our nation-wide electoral
participation this season hit an all-time high-water mark, we’re
already planning to top this unprecedented effort during the coming
2016 election cycle.

Among other wins in competitive races were those by Congressman
Michael Grimm (R-NY), the current Co-Chairman of the Armenian Caucus,
who won by 13% in a high profile campaign; and David Valadao (R-CA),
the co-author of the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution,
with a convincing 18 point victory in a race that was rated a toss-up
earlier in the election cycle. Congressman Jim Costa’s (D-CA) race
for reelection was still too close to call, as were those contested
by three other candidates endorsed by the ANCA: Mike Honda (D-CA),
Peter Aguilar (D-CA), and Raul Ruiz (D-CA).

Other high-profile victories by ANCA-endorsed candidates included
those by David Brat (R-VA), who will take the Richmond U.S. House
seat formerly held by Majority Leader Eric Cantor, and incoming Senate
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). U.S. Representative Gary Peters
(D-MI), an ANCA-backed candidate, won a seat in the Senate.

Both Americans of Armenian heritage who serve in the U.S. Congress,
Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Jackie Speier (D-CA), won reelection, with a
host of Armenian American state and local candidates following suit,
including: Assemblymembers Adrin Nazarian and Katcho Achadjian, who won
reelection to the California State Assembly; Assemblymember Katherine
Kazarian who won reelection in Rhode Island; Scott Avedisian who was
re-elected Mayor of Warwick, RI; and Richelle Noroyan, who secured
a seat on the Santa Cruz, CA City Council.

An ANCA Election Day on-line poll found that 73% of respondents believe
that Armenian American voters are willing to cross U.S. party lines
to support pro-Armenian candidates, results that are consistent with
feedback from previous election cycles.

ARMENIAN MEAT PRODUCERS FORM UNION

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Nov 5 2014

5 November 2014 – 9:35pm

Today the founding meeting has taken place at the Armenian Ministry
of Agriculture of the Union of Meat Producers, at which the head of
the ministry Sergo Karapetyan and representatives of agrobusiness
took part.

Participants in the meeting signed a charter, approved the statute
of the Union and elected the director of the company A. Bilyan Ltd.,
Aramais Bilyan, as the head of the organization created by them.

TASHNAQ: OUR DEPUTIES WILL ATTEND WEDNESDAY’S SESSION AND VOTE AGAINST PARLIAMENT EXTENSION

National News Agency Lebanon (NNA)
November 4, 2014 Tuesday

NNA – “Tashnaq” Political Party declared Tuesday that the “Armenian
Deputies Bloc shall attend the Parliamentary session scheduled
for Wednesday and shall vote against the extension of the outgoing
Council’s mandate.” In an issued statement following the Party’s
central committee’s extraordinary meeting this evening, it indicated
that “the Party’s previous approval of extending the current Parliament
Council’s mandate for 19 months was based on the need to provide the
Council ample time to decide on a modern and new electoral law that
ensures true representation of all segments of the Lebanese society.”

“Unfortunately, the Council has failed in its duty to come-up with such
a law,” added the Party’s statement. “The Lebanese people deserve a
modern electoral law, one that would eliminate the inequity reaching
many categories of the Lebanese people and allow them the chance to
elect their true representatives at the Parliament,” the statement
concluded.

LES CITOYENS AZERIS JUGES AU KARABAGH N’ONT PAS ETE SOUMIS A LA PRESSION SELON LARISA ALAVERDYAN

ARMENIE

Les deux citoyens azerbaïdjanais juges au Haut-Karabagh pour avoir
franchi illegalement la frontière et avois commis des crimes l’ete
dernier n’ont pas ete soumis a des pressions avant le procès, pas plus
qu’ils ne craignent de subir des pressions après a declare l’ancienne
mediatrice de l’Armenie Larisa Alaverdyan aux journalistes a Erevan.

Larisa Alaverdyan, qui dirige l’ONG “contre l’arbitraire juridique” a
rencontre Shahbaz Quliyev et Dilham Askerov le deuxième jour du procès.

“Je suis sûr que le procès sera mene conformement aux principes du
droit international >>, a declare Larissa Alaverdyan.

Les citoyens azerbaïdjanais sont accuses d’espionnage, de transport
d’armes, d’avoir traverser illegalement la frontière du Karabagh, du
meurtre du resident de Karvatchar Sembat Tsakanyan âge de 17 ans et
de l’officier de l’armee Sargis Abrahamyan, ainsi que d’avoir blesse
la residente du Karvatchar Karine Davtyan.

L’zerbaïdjan a dit que le Karabagh n’a pas de fondement juridique
afin de lancer une procedure penale contre ses citoyens. La decision
de la cour Karabakh aura pas de force juridique ont soutenu les
fonctionnaires de Bakou.

Or selon Larissa Alaverdyan, l’Azerbaïdjan n’a laisse aucun passage
pour ses citoyens, ils ne peuvent faire appel a la Cour europeenne
des Droits de l’Homme dans le cas où ils ne seront pas d’accord avec
la decision du tribunal.

“D’autre part, la Cour europeenne n’a aucune raison de poser
une decision au sujet du Haut-Karabagh, considerant qu’ils ne le
reconnaissent meme pas et qu’ils disent que les elections ne sont
pas legitimes” a-t-elle dit.

Le directeur du Centre armenien pour des Etudes Nationales et
internationales Manvel Sarkissian pense que l’Azerbaïdjan ne va pas
reconnaître ce processus et n’est pas beaucoup interesse a la vie et
l’avenir de ses citoyens, mais plutôt au procès en lui-meme.

“Si elle reconnait ce procès, cela signifie qu’ils reconnaissent a
l’echelle internationale qu’il existe un tel etat qui dispose d’un
système judiciaire. Voila pourquoi l’Azerbaïdjan tente de fausser
ce processus par tous les moyens “, a declare Manvel Sarkissian
a ArmeniaNow et a cet egard, l’evaluation de la question par le
porte-parole Jennifer Psaki du Departement d’Etat des Etats-Unis du
procès est une reaction significative au niveau de la plate-forme
internationale.

Par Sara Khojoyan

ArmeniaNow

mercredi 5 novembre 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

GEORGIA’S PM SACKS DEFENCE MINISTER, FOREIGN MINISTER RESIGNS

12:28, 05 Nov 2014

Georgian Prime Minister Irakly Garibashvili fired his defence minister
on Tuesday hours after he criticised the arrests of several officials
in his ministry as politically motivated and aimed at those who favour
better relations with the West, Reuters reports.

Alasania, one of the most pro-Western and most popular ministers,
had earlier denounced the detention of one former and four serving
ministry officials last week, as well as new charges filed against
several army medical officers on Tuesday.

“I want to unambiguously state that this is obviously politically
motivated,” he told reporters.

“I want to clearly state that this is an attack on Georgia’s
Euro-Atlantic choice,” he said, referring to Georgia’s stated interest
in joining NATO and its recent trade deal with the European Union.

“This is an attack on the structure, which … is distinguished by
its successful reforms and is distinguished on the path of achieving
this foreign policy goal,” he said.

Garibashvili called Alasania’s remarks “irresponsible.”

“Instead of contributing to the investigation in order to help
establish objective truth in the case, Irakly Alasania’s actions
are causing a politicisation of the defence ministry and of the
armed forces, which is categorically inadmissible for me and which
negatively affects our country’s security and the efficiency of the
government’s work,” Garibashvili said.

Alexy Petriashvili, State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic
Integration and also from the Free Democrats, said after the
announcement he would tender his resignation by letter to Garibashvili
on Wednesday.

Foreign Minister, Maia Panjikidze, has filed her resignation on
November 5 a day after PM Irakli Garibashvili sacked Defense Minister
Irakli Alasania, which was then also followed by stepping down of State
Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Alexi Petriashvili,
civil.ge reports.

First Deputy Foreign Minister, Davit Zalkaliani, who was also
Georgia’s chief negotiator in the Geneva talks, has also announced
about resignation; Zalkaliani is a member of Alasania’s Free Democrats
party. Three other deputies of foreign minister – Tamar Beruchashvili;
Davit Jalagania and Vladimer Gurgenidze – are also stepping down,
Panjikidze said.

WHO SHARES RESPONSIBILITY WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA?

© Сollage by RIA Novosti
15:00 04/11/2014
Ekaterina Kudashkina

For a major part of his term President Obama has been blamed both for
his own mistakes as well as for those of his predecessors, for those
which he never committed. But – how independent is the US President
in his decision making and what kind of pressure is he subject to?

Radio VR is discussing it with Russian expert in US policiesAreg
Galstyan.

“First of all, we must understand that the US is the only state in the
world where lobbying is permitted and regulated at the legislative
level. Today in America there are hundreds of different companies
providing power to the wealthy customers. At the same time, there
are very powerful lobbies. For example, the oil lobby, the health
lobby, gun lobby, which are a Republican Party-oriented commercial
and educational, financial lobbies, which is in close contact with
the Democrats.

It should be noted that the majority of larger organizations and
corporations operate and win over the legislature from both parties.

And now lobbying is the third largest enterprise in the American
national capital, after the Government and tourism. There are thousands
or more people lobbying the legislature and some executive branches
at different levels of the American Government. And the lobby center,
interest groups and advocates of all kinds are very influential in
the American elections. And they participate in the campaigns in a
variety of ways.

That’s why, first, we must understand the difference between lobbying
and public advocacy. Despite the fact that public advocacy and
lobbying come from the same source – a fundamental right of free
speech, assembly and the right to petition the government, which
are guaranteed by the American Constitution. However, a federally
registered lobby is defined in the law. And now the lobbies play
an assertion role in the five key functions of Congress. There are:
representation, law-making, deliberation, oversight and education of
the American public. It plays an assertion role in the administration
of a public policy in the executive branches of Government.

Whatever we call it – lobby or advocacy – we mean a horrible
profession. Yes, lobbyist is a horrible profession. And we also have
negative examples as, for example, Jack Abramoff or Bob Ney. And in
the US we have top ten lobbyists who are influencing the American
foreign policy.

Do I get you right that President Obama, if I remember it correctly,
used to somehow try to oppose this practice? Is my understanding
correct?

Yes, it is correct. Obama was famous for being anti-lobbyist. In 2008
he said that – lobbies don’t fund my campaign, they will not run my
White House and they will not draw out the voices of the American
people when I’m the President of the US. But Obama has promised a lot
of things. We must understand that Obama as the candidate and Obama
as the President are at different levels of political reality. Obama
was sure that he could ignore the lobbies and could take them not
seriously.

But lobbying is an integral part of the American political system.

Moreover, you cannot find any serious political decision in Washington
accepted without the lobbies’ participation. And in this case, as
the Illinois Senator, he lobbied the interests of Polish and Armenian
diasporas. In addition, he has close contacts and very strong ties with
the leading Saudi Arabia lobbyists in America, such as Tony Rezko. And
now, a large number of lobbyists work in the Obama administration –
Eric Holder, John Podesta, Patrick Gaspard, Thomas Donilon and others.

And now, according to the analysts from the Center of Responsive
Politics, more than 15 current members of the Obama administration
are the former lobbyists and, if combined, they’ve worked for over
500 years for the firms that lobby the government. And I think it is
very remarkable. It shows that Obama, making some political decision,
cannot ignore this factor.

On the other hand, now Obama is anti-big-oil lobbyist and
pro-financial lobbyist. The oil industry is integral with the law
makers. Nobody can argue with that. For example, George W. Bush and his
presidential cabinet had deep ties to different oil companies. For
example, the Vice-President Dick Cheney was the Chief Executive
of Halliburton. Condoleezza Rice was the Director of Chevron. In
addition, big oil spends on lobbies more than any other group. Only
in 2010 they’ve spent near $200 million for lobbying.

But Obama is anti-oil lobbyist and a pro-financial lobbyist. He
supports such financial organizations as the Goldman Sachs, because
Goldman Sachs has contributed to Obama’s campaign nearly $4 million.

But how does that translate into what we actually see in the US
foreign policies, in the US domestic policies? How does the influence
of those influence groups affect the decision making in those domains?

Well, the lobbies, for example, some financial or some oil
organizations, the gun lobby, they have their representatives in
Congress and in the White House and they lobby their interests. It is
a very easy system for lobbying; it is the direct lobbying. They can
do that, because they have a lot of money, they have the influence,
they have the strong political ties with the most powerful American
politicians. For example, the Senate majority leader Harry Reid,
he is the lobbyist of Exxon Mobil. And Exxon Mobil pays him and he
lobbies the interests of this corporation. And there are others.

I want to say that it is very easy, because the legislator needs
money and you, as a director of a big company or corporation, your
success cannot be effective without your direct lobbyist in Congress
or in the White House.

Right! Suppose, we take, for example, something of the latest news
in the foreign policy, say, the ME. How have those interests of the
lobbying groups been translated into the developments in the ME? Could
we talk about that?

Yes, we can. But, first of all, it is necessary to understand
that lobbyism is a very important factor in the political decisions
making process, but not the main one. The main factor is the national
interests of the US. In this case we have the national interests of the
US in the ME and the interests of some lobbyists there. For example,
now the US needs a dialog with Iran. But the American-Israel Public
Affairs Committee as a lobby, they are not interested in it.

And we see the conflict between the American national interests and
this lobby.

In Syria we have the interests of the US and we have the interests
of, for example, some Saudi Arabian lobby. But in this case we have
no conflict, because the US is interested in a coup d’état in Syria
and Saudi Arabia is interested in this. And they give money for some
legislator, and they are effectively lobbying it. A lot of senators
and congressmen, they have strong ties with the representatives of
the Saudi Arabian lobby in the US, including Obama as well. As I’ve
mentioned Obama has a good relation with Tony Rezko. Tony Rezko is
the main representative of the Saudi lobby in the US. And they support
the Syrian rebels. And in this case, Obama supports the Syrian rebels,
and Congress supports the Syrian rebels.

But if the interests of lobbies come into a conflict with the national
interests of the country, you cannot be successful. For example, Obama
as the candidate promised to recognize the Armenian genocide. But as
the President he didn’t, despite the serious influence of the Armenian
lobby. Why? Because the strategic relationship with Turkey is more
important for America, than the Armenian question. Or for example,
in the ME, despite the influence of the powerful Israeli lobby,
America takes off the sanctions against Iran. And now Iran and the
US have a political dialog. That’s why lobbying shouldn’t be idealized.

For example, if we connect the lobby with the Ukrainian question,
we can see that Obama was trying to maintain his own policy without
connection to the lobbyists. And he supported Ukraine, and he tried
to hold onto the point of reforming the International Monetary
Fund. But Koch brothers’ oil lobby blocked this resolution and Obama
realized that he must accept the interests of this lobbyists. So,
every situation is unique.

>From what you are saying I get an impression that, perhaps, it is
not exactly fair to blame all the faults and all the trouble the US
is going through now on President Obama alone.

Yes, of course. You must understand that Obama has received a very
heavy political legacy of Bush and neoconservative elite in general.

But he withdrew the American troops from Iraq and the majority of the
American contingent from Afghanistan. So, we cannot say that Obama
failed the entire foreign policy. But, of course, he’s made a lot of
mistakes. We must understand that Obama is a very proud politician.

And he doesn’t want to admit that he was wrong. He doesn’t like some
advices. He often ignores the members of his administration, Congress
and lobbies.

At the same time, Obama likes to blame the others. So, he accused the
secret service that they had underestimated the threat of the ISIS,
for example. If you want to know about the critics from the mass media,
I want to say that many media outlets received financial support from
various corporations and they lobby their interests. So, many of the
articles against Obama are just the orders from the lobbies. And on
the other hand, we have the factor of personal dislike. For example,
the speaker of the House John Boehner doesn’t like Obama and he doesn’t
support his decisions, even if he makes the correct ones and even if
these decisions are pro-Republican. He just doesn’t like Obama and
that’s all.

So, of course, we cannot say that Obama failed the entire foreign
policy, that it is just Obama or any other person. In the US you
cannot say that only one person is guilty. It is not like that,
because we have Congress, we have the Ministry of Defense, we have
the secret services and others. And we cannot say that Obama can
control all the American political elites.

You said that he doesn’t listen to some of his advisors. Whom does
he listen to? Who are his closest aides and advisors, whom he still
listens to?

There are some persons, for example, John Podesta. Now John Podesta
works in Obama administration. And he is the close friend of Obama. As
I’ve mentioned, Tony Rezko, he is also the close friend of Obama,
and also, in the Syrian case. Michael Kempner, he was the General
Director of the one of the largest American farm lobbying groups. And
I think that’s all, four or five persons.

How professional are they as policy advisers?

Tony Rezko is not a politician, he is a businessman, but he is a
lobbyist. He is the Chief Executive Director of one of the Arabian
funds which is situated in the US. He has strong ties with the
Democratic Party and with Obama, because he is from Chicago, as
well as Obama. John Podesta is a professional politician and he is a
professional lobbyist. And I think that Podesta can say Obama that
something is wrong, and Obama can accept it. Michael Kempner is a
professional lobbyist, he is a political technology expert. But I don’t
think that he is a very serious foreign affairs advisor. I think that
Michael Kempner just helps Obama to understand the internal processes
in the US and Michael Kempner gives some advice on, for example, the
immigration reform or the budget reform and others. So, that’s why we
have this situation when Obama doesn’t listen to his Vice President
Joe Biden, but he can accept the advices from non-politician Tony
Rezko. And of course, I think that he is one of the main factors that
influenced on Obama’s decision making process, and that’s why he made
a lot of mistakes”.

AZERBAIJAN’S HUMAN RIGHTS ARE ON A KNIFE EDGE. THE UK MUST NOT WALK AWAY

Young democracies such as Azerbaijan need help with freedom of
expression. Tory threats to leave the ECHR risk it all

Thorbjørn Jagland, secretary general of the Council of Europe
theguardian.com, Monday 3 November 2014 16.05 GMT

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev. ‘Azerbaijan has been repeatedly
warned over its poor human rights record.’ Photograph: Kenzo
Tribouillard/AFP/Getty Images

Azerbaijan’s six-month chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of
the Council of Europe comes to an end in November, when it hands over
to Belgium. Like the Eurovision song contest in Azerbaijan’s capital
Baku in 2012, the chairmanship has been an opportunity for NGOs and
activists to highlight the country’s numerous human rights violations.

Much less is reported about how the Council of Europe itself confronts
these violations.

Earlier this month, the European court of human rights, which is
part of the Council of Europe, confirmed an earlier decision ruling
that Azerbaijan’s arrest and detention of Ilgar Mammadov, a well-known
opposition politician and commentator, violated the European convention
on human rights.

The judgment was as critical as it was clear: the court concluded that
“the actual purpose of his detention had been to silence or punish
Mammadov for criticising the government and publishing information
it was trying to hide”.

A request from the authorities to have the case transferred to the
grand chamber of the court was rejected. The 47 member states of
the Council of Europe are bound by the convention to implement the
court’s decisions, and I have urged the authorities in Azerbaijan
to release Mammadov without delay. This pivotal judgment underscores
the deep-rooted systemic problems in Azerbaijan’s judiciary.

We are closely following several other trials against human rights
defenders in Azerbaijan. I have called on Council of Europe member
states with larger embassies in Baku to observe the current court
proceedings. The UK has already responded positively.

Several Azerbaijani and international NGOs, whose representatives
I meet with regularly, complain that current legislation stifles
their activities. I have tasked the Council of Europe’s group of
international constitutional experts – the Venice Commission – with
scrutinising Azerbaijan’s NGO-related laws, and their compatibility
with the convention. Legal opinions of the commission are recognised
globally, and member states cannot afford to ignore their advice.

We have repeatedly warned Azerbaijan over its poor human rights
record. Earlier this year, the Council of Europe’s human rights
commissioner, Nils Muižnieks, issued a report on the freedom of
assembly and expression in the country, in which he expresses his
serious concern about the harassment and arrest of journalists.

Muižnieks recently visited prominent activists including Anar Mammadli
and Leyla Yunus in prison, and called on Azerbaijan to stop reprisals
against human rights defenders.

But there are glimmers of hope. Three weeks ago, Azerbaijan’s President
Ilham Aliyev pardoned some 80 prisoners, among them four human rights
defenders. The move was welcomed by the US and the EU.

Following an agreement I reached with Aliyev last August, a
Joint Working Group on Human Rights Issues – composed of human
rights defenders, parliamentarians, officials of the presidential
administration and a Council of Europe expert – recently met for the
first time since 2008 in Baku. We intend this group to facilitate
fresh talks between civil society and the Azerbaijani authorities,
which I hope will lead to further releases of activists.

In addition, the Council of Europe and Azerbaijan have been able to
agree on an action plan incorporating projects to promote freedom of
expression and independence of the judiciary.

Azerbaijan was accepted into the council in 2001. Our member states,
including the 28 EU states, also accepted its six-month chairmanship of
the organisations’ committee of ministers. Senior European officials
like Germany’s foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier – also in
Baku last week – have reminded Azerbaijan to use this opportunity to
show it is willing to begin to turn the tide.

Abandoning our efforts would mean abandoning the country’s struggling
civil society. Excluding Azerbaijan would mean depriving 9.4 million
citizens of their last resort to access the rule of law in Europe and
the right of individual appeal to the European court of human rights.

The case of Azerbaijan is also important in another regard. When
politicians in established democracies such as the UK threaten to
leave the ECHR for essentially domestic reasons, this is likely to
have negative repercussions on the respect of fundamental freedoms in
Europe’s younger democracies. Conservative party proposals to render
the binding decisions of the Strasbourg court merely advisory, if
enacted, will be welcomed by regimes less committed to human rights
than the UK.

Europe is already witnessing a serious erosion of minority rights,
freedom of expression and judicial independence, as highlighted in
the council’s 2014 consolidated report on the state of human rights,
democracy and the rule of law. Urgent action is needed to stop this
dangerous development, starting with a clear commitment of member
governments to implement the European convention on human rights.

In the interest of peace and stability, Europe’s leaders should
promote the rule of law at the European level, not denounce it.

Federation of Armenian Organisations in The Netherlands ¢ FAON
Address: Weesperstraat 91
2574 VS The Hague, The Netherlands
Telephone: +31704490209
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: M. Hakhverdian

Press Release

New Questions by the Dutch Parliament on the Turkish rally inciting hatred
against Armenian Genocide Memorial

The Hague, 3 November 2014 ` Five Parliamentary factions have submitted new
written questions to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Social
Affairs and Employment (including Integration portfolio) and the Minister of
Security and Justice, because they are dissatisfied with the answers to
their earlier questions on the Turkish demonstration on 1 June 2014 in
Almelo, see:

The Dutch MP Pieter Omtzigt (CDA ` Christian Democratic Appeal) also on
behalf of the Socialist Party (SP), the Christian Union (CU), the Reformed
Political Party (SGP) and Party for Freedom (PVV) continues asking the
Government with 17 new questions, among others, about the contacts that have
taken place, according to the answers to their earlier written questions,
between the Turkish and Dutch authorities concerning the Genocide Memorial
in Almelo and the Turkish demonstration organised against it, as well as the
active role of the Turkish authorities in the organisation of the
demonstration. This concerns, among others, the offer by the Presidency of
Religious Affairs of Turkey Diyanet for free bus transport, of which the
Government says to have taken note and the call by Turkish consul upon the
Turkish organisations to participate in the demonstration, which is known to
the government but it would not be subject to verification.

In particular, the members of parliament miss the position of the government
regarding the state of affairs, the chanted slogan from thousands of throats
“Karabakh will be the tomb of the Armenian”, the entourage with Ottoman
costume and music and the Genocide denial expressed in many forms. The
members of parliament also point out to the letter of the FAON of 23 June
2014, in which it is clearly indicated that the Armenian community greatly
missed an adverse reaction of the government on the events of 1 June 2014,
the letter which is still not answered, while the Parliament has asked a
reaction of government to it.

The members of parliament stress why the Dutch government has so far always
been aloof with regard to discrimination and Genocide denial regarding
Armenians, while in other cases, Dutch Ministers, in particular the Minister
for Integration Affairs, rightly and directly make a stand when such issues
arise in the Netherlands. Is the Dutch government willing to come to a
similar attitude towards different population groups and towards the three
major genocides, which are taught at the Institute for War, Holocaust and
Genocide Studies (NIOD)…? They also want to know why the Dutch government
keeps so far distance from the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, while
it is always rightly and consistently present at commemorations such as the
Holocaust and the Rwandan genocide and other historical events of various
population groups in the Netherlands.

Members of parliament also question how the government, given the hitherto
successful actions from Turkey, will ensure that the Turkish government does
not further influence the events in the Netherlands dedicated to the
centennial of the Armenian Genocide. The members of parliament demand
assurances from the government not to be distant from this commemoration and
to attend these events.

The members of parliament also want to know when a reaction from the Public
Prosecution Service is expected on the complaints made ??against the
declarations and slogans denying Armenian Genocide and inciting hatred
during the Turkish demonstration. These complaints have been made end June
2014 by the Joint Armenian Organisations, namely the Federation of Armenian
Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON) and Dutch Armenian Committee for
Justice and Democracy (Hay Tad), see:

BURBANK HOMENETMEN PARTICIPATES IN SOUTH AMERICAN NAVASARTIAN GAMES

Monday, November 3rd, 2014

Standing from left to right, Timmy Mardirosian, Very Reverend Father
from Buenos Aires , Varaga Zeinali, Argin Haghoubian, Vardan Adzemian,
Ara Margoosian, Robik Khodadadian, Gurgen Adzemian, Eduardo D.

Tateosian, Homenetmen South America Regional, Albert (Afo) Eskandari,
Alec Baghdasaryan, seating from left to right, Eric Hartoonian,
Tomik Baghoomian, Ishkhan Setagayan, Shahen Hartoonian and Christian
Der Gregorian

BY ALEC BAGHDASARYAN

Last month, I was fortunate to have attended the South American
Homenetmen Navasartian Games in Argentina. I was part of a group
representing the Homenetmen Sipan – Burbank Chapter at the games. I am
sure every person, who knows anything about soccer, would be wondering
about the sanity of taking a Homenetmen Soccer team from the USA to
Argentina to play in a tournament with players from Brazil, Argentina,
Uruguay, Peru and Chile. These countries are soccer powerhouses. For
many kids growing up in these countries, soccer is second to none.

Realizing that winning on the court, however, is not the lone objective
of these games, and that all athletes attending the Navasartian Games
are winners, on October 8, 2014, thanks to the generosity of Timmy
Mardirossian, the Homenetmen Sipan – Burbank Chapter’s soccer team
became the first Homenetmen team from Northern America to participate
in the South American Homenetmen Navasartian Games.

Our team made up of the following players; Christian Der Gregorian,
Ara Margoosian, Vardan Adzemian, Gurgen Adzemian, Argin Haghoubian,
Varaga Zeinali, Eric Hartoonian, Tomik Baghoomian, Ishkhan Setagayan.

Our team was coached by Albert Eskandari, assistant coach was Shahen
Hartoonian, Robik Khodadadian was assisting the coaching staff with
their needs and Timmy Mardirosian as the team sponsor.

At the airport we were greeted by true Homenetmen-akans. It is amazing
how an organization can instill in its members from throughout the
world such an intimate feeling towards a fellow Homenetmen-akan and
towards Homenetmen. It was as if Eduardo, the head of the Regional
Homenetmen Committee, was one of the members of the Massis Chapter
in the San Fernando Valley, or the Ararat Chapter in Glendale.

Homenetmen provided lunch for all the attendees in the restaurant of
the center

The experience of our players dealing with other athletes was no
different than the one experienced at the airport. As it happens with
all Homenetmen games, athletes start talking, laughing, and forming
friendships that will certainly last for many decades. On their part,
our team players made us proud since, as true Homenetmen-akans, their
demeanor was exemplary on and off of the court. Our athletes grew
fond of their South American counterparts asking to take pictures
with them, cheering them during the games, and exchanging gifts as
a reminder of their friendship. Their popularity was boosted by the
fact that, from the very first game, they proved themselves to be
worthy opponents to the teams with which they competed. In fact,
they became the team to beat for the championship. I may be biased,
but I believe they were the best soccer team at the South American
Navasartian Games, and, as such, they were able to beat every team
they played, and proudly brought the Championship Cup back to the
Homenetemen – Sipan Chapter. In addition, Vardan Adzemian, one of
our players, was named the most valuable player of the tournament.

The hotel where our chapter members stayed was about 30 minutes from
the Homenetmen Agoump. Our team was transported to the center every
morning by bus, where we spent our time in between games, enjoying the
Homenetmen Center’s facilities. The Homenetmen Center in Argentina is
the largest that I have seen since the Ararat Center in Tehran. It
includes two full-size swimming pools, indoor and outdoor soccer
fields, tennis courts, many other playing fields, indoor and outdoor
restaurants, and a number of meeting and conference rooms. I was told
that Armenians of all ages come to the center to play backgammon,
chess and rummy with friends, or simply sit at the cafeteria or an
outside seating area to chat and enjoy one another’s company. Of
course, as fellow Homenetmen-akans, and, especially, as first time
visitors to the South American Homenetmen games from the USA, we were
always treated kindly by all Armenians from different participating
countries. Everyone was pleasant and courteous, and spent time chatting
with us about our community in Los Angeles, and shared information
with us about their own communities.

At the closing ceremony

The most memorable events were the Opening and Closing Ceremonies,
when each country’s participants entered the gym carrying their
respective flags, while singing and marching to patriotic songs. These
are the times that you appreciate the true power of the Armenian
Diaspora. You appreciate the hard work of the Armenian leaders
that have kept these communities alive since the 1920s and 1930s
in geographically distant South American countries. These are the
leaders, who work hard to organize the Navasartian Games, and bring
Armenians together to share in their common heritage, and learn about
our rich culture and treasured values. It is at such well-organized and
joyous celebrations that one cannot help but remember the part of the
William Saroyan’s famous saying “… then see if they will not laugh,
sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world,
see if they will not create a New Armenia.”

Bravo to Argentina’s Armenian community, which has thrived for so many
decades as successful citizens of their country, while remaining true
to their Armenian heritage, and keeping an undying love towards Armenia
in their hearts. Of course, the Argentinian-Armenian community is no
different than any other Armenian community when facing challenges
such as assimilation and acculturation. No challenge is more apparent
than the youth’s inability to speak in the Armenian language. I wish
the leadership of the Argentinian-Armenian community all the best in
addressing their challenges. I am confident in their abilities, knowing
that they are hard at work looking for ways to address all challenges,
in order to keep their community alive, while ensuring that the youth
remain engaged with the local Armenian community and our homeland.

This article will not be complete without mentioning that the trip was
made possible thanks to the kind sponsorship of Timmy Mardirossian. In
fact, the Homenetmen Burbank-Sipan Chapter is named after this
benefactor’s family. Timmy has sponsored other trips for chapter
members in the past. He is a true community leader and a successful
business person, who, along with his wife Seda, always finds the time
to help Armenians of all ages, but especially Armenian youth. Timmy’s
interest during these games was not the score of the game, but rather
the importance of the youth bonding with one another, in addition to
having a chance to learn about each player’s plans for their future
education and careers.

CJSC Armenian Copper Programme reduces blister copper production 9,8%
for nine months of 2014

by Arthur Yernjakyan
Friday, October 24, 17:01

CJSC Armenian Copper Programme reduced blister copper production 9,8%
for nine months of 2014 – to 7,312 thsd tons versus 8,103 thsd tons
for the same period of 2013, press-secretary of Vallex group of
companies, Vahram Avagyan, told Arminfo correspondent.

The processing volume reduced to 34,329 thsd tons of copper
concentrate versus 36,075 thsd tons for the same period of 2013.

Avagyan explained falling of the production volumes by decrease of the
copper concentrate delivery to the Armenian Copper Programme, and by
the fact that different deliveries contain different volume of metal
in the copper concentrate.

To recall, in 2012 CJSC Armenian Copper Programme increased blister
copper production by 13,5% – up to 10,075 thsd tons versus 8,877 thsd
tons in 2011. 100% shares of the CJSC Armenian Copper Programme belong
the Russian citizen of the Armenian origin Valeriy Mejlumyan.

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