Author: Kajoyan Gevork

FRESNO HOSTS FIRST ARMENIAN HONORARY CONSUL; CEREMONY MONDAY

Merced Sun-Star, CA
Oct 20 2014

By Andrea Castillo

Fresno is now home to the country’s first Honorary Consul of the
Republic of Armenia.

Armenian dignitaries and Fresno County representatives are hosting an
inaugural ceremony for the new consul at 5 p.m. Monday on the eighth
floor of the Pacific Southwest Building.

Berj Apkarian, executive director of physician relations at Community
Medical Centers, was announced as honorary consul during the annual
State of the County address last month. He immigrated to Fresno from
Syria in 1979.

Apkarian said the voluntary appointment is an honor and a privilege.

For his first big project as consul, Apkarian said he wants to take a
team of medical and dental professionals to Armenia next October to
host a medical education conference and provide free care for needy
people in rural communities.

“In addition to the project itself, my goal is to establish a closer
tie between the central San Joaquin Valley and Armenian commerce,
(culture, medicine) — all aspects of bringing two nations and
communities closer,” he said.

Fresno has one other honorary consul — Ed Fanucchi, of Italy — and
one official consul — Vicente Sanchez Ventura of Mexico. Armenians
around the country currently get visas, citizenship documents and other
diplomatic services through the Armenian Consulate in Los Angeles.

Those services will now be available in Fresno.

“Given the size of our community, that’s just not representative,”
said Fresno County Board of Supervisors Chairman Andreas Borgeas.

Borgeas, whose wife is Greek Armenian, had pushed for the honorary
consul since he helped the city of Fresno establish a sister city
relationship with the city of Etchmiadzin, Armenia in 2009. While he
was on the City Council, he sent a letter of request in 2012 to Grigor
Hovhannissian, then the L.A.-based Armenian Consul General. He said
the ceremonial position resulted from several years of work with the
Armenian embassy in Washington, Armenia’s foreign ministry in Yerevan
and the U.S. State Department.

The appointment is huge from a regional standpoint, Borgeas said,
considering that Los Angeles and San Francisco have many more
diplomatic institutions.

“This is a matter of regional pride,” he said. “It shows that Fresno
is evolving and diversifying its interests that reflect the ethnic
makeup of our area.”

Armenians first arrived in Fresno in the 1870s and continued through
the Hamidian Massacres of the late 1800s, the Armenian Genocide from
1915-1922, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the emergence of
the Republic of Armenia. The community has since established local
educational institutions, such as Fresno State’s Armenian Studies
Program, religious organizations, two Armenian-American newspapers —
Asbarez and The California Courier, and a yearly cultural festival.

Now, between 40,000 and 50,000 Fresno area residents are Armenian,
Apkarian said.

The ribbon cutting ceremony will be attended by representatives from
the Republic of Armenia, the Armenian-American community, members
of Congress and the California state legislature, as well as county
and other local officials, including Tigran Sargsyan, Ambassador of
the Republic of Armenia in the United States and Sergey Sarkisov,
Consul General for the Republic of Armenia in Los Angeles.

TURKISH ARMENIANS SPLIT INTO TWO CAMPS; WANT TO APPEAL TO COURT

Trend, Azerbaijan
Oct 21 2014

21 October 2014, 19:00 (GMT+05:00)

By Rufiz Hafizoglu – Trend:

A split has taken place within the Armenian community of Turkey as the
Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople Mesrob Mutafyan fell into coma,
and the patriarchy was given to Aram Ateshyan, the newspaper Milliyet
said Oct. 21.

Reportedly, most of the Armenians say that such a transfer of
patriarchy is incorrect.

They also said they hope the Patriarch Mutafyan will be able to
miraculously recover.

It was also reported that the Turkish Armenians, who split into two
camps, want to appeal to the court to settle their problem.

The Patriarch Mutafyan has been in a coma since February 2013.

AZERBAIJANI DIASPORA ORGANIZATIONS SEND PROTEST LETTER TO VU UNIVERSITY OF AMSTERDAM

APA, Azerbaijan
Oct 21 2014

[ 21 October 2014 17:04 ]

Baku – APA. The Benelux Azerbaijanis Congress (BAC) and other
Azerbaijani Diaspora organizations functioning in the Netherlands have
sent a letter of protest to the VU University of Amsterdam regarding
the presentation of the book by Armenian Anna Astvatsaturian born in
Baku, about the Baku and Sumgayit events in the 1990s.

The letter says it has already been proved that the clashes in Baku
and Sumgayit in 1990 were committed by Armenians and more than 30 000
Armenians are currently residing in Azerbaijan, the State Committee
on Work with Diaspora told APA.

“The Armenians, who cannot accept the fact that Azerbaijan is a
tolerant country where several nations friendly co-existed many years,
continue to spread slanders. The existence of the Armenian Church in
Baku also proves that Azerbaijan is a tolerant country. There is no
Azerbaijani in Armenia which continues pursuing a policy of ethnic
cleansing. These and similar facts are still being hidden from the
world community,” the letter says.

The young members of BAC also attended the presentation of the book.

At the end of the event organized by theDutch Armenian Committee
and Armenian Youth Organization, the young members of the Benelux
Azerbaijanis Congress addressed questions to Astvatsaturian about the
Armenian atrocities in Nagorno Karabakh and Khojaly, bringing facts
and arguments.

The Benelux Azerbaijanis Congress (BAC) and other Azerbaijani
Diaspora organizations functioning in the Netherlands have sent
protest letters to the VU University of Amsterdam and author of the
book Anna Astvatsaturian.

Geoteam
Hanrapetutyan 37, 4 floor,
Yerevan, Armenia
Tel: +37410546037

1aaa90b5

Geoteam Welcomes IFC and EBRD Review of Amulsar Gold Project

Geoteam worked with experts from the International Finance
Corporation, part of the World Bank Group (IFC) and the European Bank
for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), who visited the Amulsar
Gold Project area last week to perform their annual review of the
project development.

IFC and EBRD are both shareholders of Lydian International Limited –
the parent company of Geoteam CJSC, which holds the exploration
licenses of the Amulsar Gold Project in Armenia.

Both IFC and EBRD conduct annual supervision visits to assess the
project’s environmental, social and technical components.

Amulsar has concluded the exploration phase. After the final mining
right is granted, and all environmental and social mitigation measures
are in place, Geoteam plans to start construction of the mine in
2015. The initial capital investment according to the Feasibility
Study will be $ 426 million.

The IFC and the EBRD supervision teams consisted of environmental,
social development, geology, and mining specialists. They held working
meetings with Lydian and Geoteam, visited the Amulsar site, the
community of Gndevaz as well as the town of Jermuk. They assessed the
current exploration rehabilitation activities, social development
projects, met with the community members, and took a site tour.

Experts of international consultancies who had taken part in the mine
design, the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and other
technical support also took part in the site visit.

The company plans to disclose the Environmental and Social Impact
Assessment (ESIA), a requirement for international funding, in
November 2014. The project feasibility study and ESIA will inform
stakeholders and help them engage in more useful public discussions of
the environmental and social considerations.

`IFC supports a wide range of projects in different sectors that help
create jobs and contribute to the growth of Armenia’s economy,’ said
Karsten Fuelster, IFC Principal Investment Officer. `As part of that
effort, we seek ways to foster a sustainable mining sector in
Armenia. Once given permission to proceed, the Amulsar project, IFC’s
only investment in this sector in Armenia, is expected to have many
important economic benefits for the country, including generating
revenue for the state and boosting employment in rural areas. IFC
applies the highest environmental and social standards to its clients
and the projects it finances, including the Amulsar project. One way
we do this is through regular monitoring trips, like the one we
concluded last week in Armenia. We will continue to closely monitor
the project to make sure it complies with IFC standards throughout its
implementation.’

`The EBRD is committed to enhancing the economic development in the
countries where it invests and the Amulsar project has the potential
to have a positive impact on the region and the country. We are
committed to ensure that our projects meet the highest standards of
environmental and social performance. Visits such as this week’s play
an important role in reaching this goal. We are encouraged by the
stakeholder engagement and social and environmental works that have
been performed by Lydian and Geoteam. The environmental and social
impact assessment will be the next important step for the development
of the project in line with international best practice. We look
forward to reviewing the ESIA to determine whether it meets the
requirements of our Environmental and Social Policy, and to be
appraised of the outcomes of the extensive public consultations the
company is planning following disclosure of the ESIA,’ said Sam
Walker, Senior Environmental Specialist at the EBRD.

`Geoteam and Lydian management would like to thank IFC and the EBRD
teams for the visit and reaffirm the Company’s’ commitment to meet all
environmental and social standards and requirements set by the
`Equator Principles’ as well as IFC and EBRD environmental and social
requirements. Geoteam and Lydian will work towards ensuring that the
Amulsar Gold Project becomes an exemplary mining operation in Armenia
that benefits the country and the communities economically and sets a
high standard for environmental management’, Hayk Aloyan, Managing
Director of Geoteam stated.

When the construction of the mine starts in 2015, Amulsar will employ
around 1,300 people at the peak. Around 770 people will be employed
permanently during more than 10 years of planned mine life.

Copyright © 2014 Geoteam CJSC, All rights reserved.

AMBASSADOR: ARMENIA’S MEMBERSHIP IN EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION MAKES COUNTRY MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR FRENCH ENTREPRENEURS

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

YEREVAN, October 22. /ARKA/. French Ambassador to Armenia Henri
Reynaud, who is completing his diplomatic mission here, said
Wednesday at a news conference that Armenia’s membership in
the Eurasian Economic Union makes the country more attractive for
French entrepreneurs.

He said that Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan’s statement
that a 170-million, not three-million market will be open for the
entrepreneurs doing business in Armenia is a strong argument that
can’t fail interest, since it promises good prospects.

In his words, many French companies are already trying to use these
opportunities. Mr. Reynaud said that Armenia, after joining the
Eurasian Union, keeps stressing its ties with the European Union and
remains steadfast in its determination to cooperate, and the European
Union, on its side, wants to retain strong ties with Armenia.

The ambassador said the European Union, and particularly France,
will keep cooperating with Armenia.

On October 10, the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council gave its
approval to Armenia’s accession to the Eurasian Economic Union
as the union member countries’ leaders gathered in Minsk. As
a result, the accession agreement was signed. It means Armenia,
along with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, will become a full member
of the union that will start functioning on January 10, 2015. —0—-

conomic_union_makes_country_more_attractive_for_french_/#sthash.p5za6YH0.dpu
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WILL ARMENIA ENJOY EEU FOUNDING MEMBER’S RIGHT?

14:57 * 22.10.14

Armenia is acceding to the foundation treaty and will enjoy all
the rights the founding member-states are supposed to enjoy, Artak
Zakaryan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations,
Parliament of Armenia, told Tert.am.

“This organization was founded by three states, and we are joining the
founding states and will enjoy all the rights all the member-states
enjoy, with the application of the right to consensus,” Mr Zakaryan
said.

As to whether other prospective members will enjoy the same rights,
Mr Zakaryan said that the treaty is open, but each state needs
specific approach.

“The models applied in our case have their specific features, and we
are acceding to the treaty on foundation,” he said.

Armenia would have been a founding member if the country had signed
the treaty in May.

Styopa Safaryan, Chairman of the Armenian Institute of International
and Security Affairs (AIISA), believes that the current situation has
shown in the best way the reasons why Armenia was not allowed to sign
an Association Agreement.

“By signing the treaty on October 10 we only became a party to the
treaty, while Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia are founding members
and enjoy the rights different from Armenia’s.”

Safaryan said he doesn’t think that Armenia’s membership in a union
which hasn’t yet come into existence should necessarily mean that it
is a founding member state.

Addressing the Eurasian integration’s future, the Institute’s director
said he knows that certain political circles in Armenia attempt to
justify their inaction against the union by the argument that it is
doomed to collapse. “That’s not absolutely the case. The EEU may fall
short to meet Russia’s plans, but there is a unit which will become
accomplished. I have no doubt about that,” he said, adding that the
political problems that led to the signing of the EEU accession treaty
have not yet been resolved.

Safaryan said further that he sees conflicting points between the
document signed on October 10 and the statements made by President
Serzh Sargsyan earlier.

“Armenia’s authorities ‘smoothed out’ those contradictions, describing
them as a compromise settlements reached as a result of internal
discussions. But which were those compromise settlements? No one ever
spoke about that,” he added.

Commenting on the issue, economist Tatul Manasaryan said he doesn’t
think Armenia is not a member state of a union which hasn’t so far
existed. “There was just a customs union, whereas the Eurasian Economic
Union is only now coming into existence. I am personally inclined to
think that Armenia is actually becoming a co-founder,” he noted.

The economist added that he doesn’t expect Armenia to suffer any
losses as a result of joining the Russia-led bloc. “All are equal;
moreover, the decisions are adopted jointly, with many questions
requiring a consensus,” explained.

Manasaryan said he knows that very few remember today which countries
founded the Eurasian Economic Union. “Those are speculations. Any
country that has its demands satisfied is a full and equal member
like all others,” he added.

Asked whether he doesn’t think that Armenia suffered losses by not
signing the treaty in May, Manasaryan gave a negative answer. “I
think these are undue and even unserious speculations,” he said.

GAREGIN NZHDEH STATUE TO BE INSTALLED IN YEREVAN

14:47 22/10/2014 ” SOCIETY

Yerevan Municipality plans to install a statue of prominent Armenian
military commander, public and political figure Garegin Nzhdeh in
Kentron administrative district of Yerevan. The draft decision is
included in the agenda of the upcoming meeting of Yerevan Municipal
Council.

The project has been approved by the Artistic Commission of Urban
Development Council of Yerevan Municipality. The authors of the
sculpture are Gagik Stepanyan and Aslan Mkhitaryan.

MY FILM IS NOT IS NOT DEVOTED TO GENOCIDE, SAYS TURKISH DIRECTOR

15:24 * 21.10.14

Fatih Akin, the Turkish-German director whose movie The Cut stirred
up anger over Genocide in Turkey, has complained about facing threats.

In an interview with Evrensel, Akin said the film is neither political
nor devoted to the Genocide per se. He said he was inspired by book
written by Hassan Cemal, Cemal Pasha’s grandson.

“If the grandson of someone who was responsible for the era uses the
word, why shouldn’t I use it? The book is on sale in book-stores and
displayed on shop-windows,” he noted.

“I didn’t search the topic; it found me itself. As a child of a
family from Turkey, it was always of interest to me, especially when
it turned into a taboo. When something is banned, you become curious
and studious. ”

Asked whether the topic still remains a taboo in Turkey, Akin said
he sees that a lot has changed since the assassination of Hrant-Dink,
the editor-in-chief of the Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos.

“If, seven years ago when Hrant Dink was killed, you tried to speak
about the Genocide in any cafe, those sitting at the table would
show resistance. You can now speak about it without whisper almost
everywhere,” he answered.

Akin blamed the Turkish propaganda for diverting the Turkish society
from the historical truth.

“If one nation was permanently cheated by historians and politicians
[who said] ‘nothing of the kind happened; it’s a big lie’ etc., and
heard nothing else from families, textbooks and newspaper, I cannot
blame them.

“But the politicians calls for leaving history to historians is wrong.

History belongs to us, to people and to all of us …” he added.

INTERNATIONAL POETRY FESTIVAL TAKING PLACE IN ARTSAKH

14:43 21/10/2014 >> CULTURE

Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan received a group of
participants of the 2nd Artsakh International Poetry Festival ongoing
in capital Stepanakert.

President Sahakyan noted that holding International Poetry Festival
in Artsakh is already becoming traditional, adding that such events
have a significant role in the development of culture in the republic
and presentation of Artsakh to the world.

Head of the Artsakh Union of Writers Vardan Hakobyan and other
officials attended the meeting, the President’s press service reported.

Source: Panorama.am

ZHAMANAK: MIHRAN POGHOSYAN BUYS KECHARIS HOTEL

The head of Armenia’ Judicial Acts Compulsory Enforcement Service
Major General Mihran Poghosyan, 38, bought the Kecharis Hotel in the
resort city of Tsakhkadzor about a year ago, according to ‘Zhamanak’
paper. Besides, M. Poghosyan resumed operation of Fresh supermarket
chain belonging to him, the paper says.