Author: Kajoyan Gevork

AUDIENCE’S APPRECIATIONS GREATEST VALUE, ARMENIAN PRODUCERS SAY

14:50 * 27.03.14

The theater has suffered most in Armenia in the recent 15 years,
but workers of theater receive the least awards, Honored Artist of
Armenia, Art Director of the G. Sundukyan theater Razmik Khosroyev
told reporters on Thursday, on the occasion of the World Theatre Day.

Art Director of the Puppet Theater Ruben Babayan does not share this
opinion. According to him, it is the audience’s appreciation rather
than awards that is the greatest value.

“Can there be greater appreciation than the London audience surprised
at our performance of Shakespeare’s King John?”

He spoke of a number of problems of the modern theater. Modern-day
requirements are different. Modern actors are supposed to be capable
of anything.

“In terms of management we are not making any progress. Times have
changed, but we have remained in the Soviet period,” Babayan said.

In his turn, Khosroyev went on:

“May be we do not stage many plays, but we play our best,” the actor
said. On the occasion of the centennial of the Armenian Genocide in
Ottoman Turkey the G. Sundukyan theater will stage ‘Call of Plowmen’
by Khachik Dashtents.

Ruben Babayan said:

“We need to train actors and producers. But being a good actor or
producer does not mean being a good teacher. Two things in Armenia
do not meet international standards – pensions and theater tickets.”

Armenian News – Tert.am

TURKEY’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE ATTACK ON SYRIAN-ARMENIANS IN KASSAB

Neon Tommy (USC)
March27 2014

Syuzanna Petrosyan, Alex Gold |

The violence of the Syrian civil war continued this week as Al Qaeda
affiliated groups Jabhat Al Nusra and Ahrar Al Shamp launched a major
offensive against the Syrian-Armenian village of Kassab this week,
capturing the small town located in northwestern Syria near the
Turkish border.

The groups’ attack was aided by the downing of a Syrian jet by the
Turkish Military. Eyewitnesses claim that the jet was over Syrian
territory and that the shooting of the jet is part of a Turkish
military offensive against Syrians in the Kassab area.

The attack on the predominantly Armenian town in the province of
Latakia resulted in a mass exodus of the entire Armenian community.

An amateur video posted online showed two opposition rebels walking
though Kassab, raising their arms in celebration. “The video appeared
genuine and corresponded with The Associated Press reporting,” states
the Sacramento Bee.

The opposition is now in control of the Kassab border crossing to
Turkey, and the Armenian town of the same name.

Syrian rebels killed at least 190 civilians in the same region
and seized over 200 as hostages during an attack in Latakia last
August, an act labeled a war crime by Human Rights Watch and other
international observers.

SEE ALSO: Syria’s Civil War In Australian Suburbs

The Turkish government allows rebels to use Turkish territory as a
“logistical and support base,” reports the Boston Globe. Turkey also
provides weapons and allows fighters to move freely across the border.

The participation of Turkey in the destruction of the Armenian
populated town in Syria cannot be reflected upon without remembering
the murder of 1.5 million Armenians during the Genocide in 1915
perpetrated by the Turkish Ottoman government in the same region.

For Armenians across the world, memories of atrocities and injustice
gloom over this week’s events as survivors of the genocide in Kassab
are once more refugees in a perennial plight for survival.

RESPONSIBLE MINING IN ARMENIA: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

World Bank
March 27 2014

March 25, 2014

Yerevan, Armenia – On March 25-26 at the Marriott Armenia Hotel,
the Government of Armenia and the World Bank hosted an International
Conference entitled “Responsible Mining in Armenia: Opportunities
and Challenges”.

The goal of the conference is to facilitate dialogue between
the various stakeholders of the mining industry in Armenia by
informing stakeholder groups about modern mining and international
best practices. The conference is supported by the EBRD, IFC, and
Embassies of the U.K., U.S., Germany and Canada.

The Responsible Mining Conference brings together international and
local experts, international diplomatic missions and civil society
representatives to openly discuss current opportunities and challenges
of the mining industry in Armenia. During the two-day conference
international experts will share their expertise and experience with
their counterparts and civil society representatives. The themes of
discussion range from mining in the world economy, foreign investments,
transparency and accountability of mining practices internationally
and in Armenia, to social and environmental management measures.

The conference participants have the opportunity to explore various
perspectives on responsible development of the mining sector in
Armenia, including the improvement of social and environmental
management, promotion of better investment climate, and increased
transparency in the sector. This multilateral discussion of mining
practices in Armenia intends to provide avenues of improving the
regulatory and investment framework in the country.

The conference opened on March 25 with welcome remarks by RA Prime
Minister Mr. Tirgan Sargsyan, Mr. Jean-Michel Happi, World Bank
Country Manager for Armenia, and the Ambassadors of U.K., U.S.,
Germany and a representative of the Government of Canada.

“By engaging multiple stakeholders and the civil society, together,
we aim to promote responsible mining in Armenia, learning from the
best international practices. Armenia’s new mining code and the
upcoming social and environmental regulatory framework will enhance
the sector’s readiness for investments that are economically viable,
socially responsible, environmentally sustainable.”, – noted Mr.

Jean-Michel Happi, World Bank Country Manager for Armenia.

SYRIAN CHRISTIANS ACCUSE ISLAMIST REBELS OF DESTROYING CHURCH CROSSES, PILLAGING HOMES DURING TOWN SEIZURE

The Blaze
March 27 2014

Mar. 27, 2014 3:30pm Sharona Schwartz

Radical Islamist rebels have seized a predominantly Christian town
in northwest Syria in recent days and reportedly destroyed crosses
on churches, pillaged homes and beheaded at least one opponent in
a neighboring area, according to accounts conveyed from Syria on
social media.

According to various media accounts, rebels from the Al
Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front, Ahrah al Sham, the Islamic Front
and Chechen jihadists on Sunday gained control over Kassab, a town
of 1,700 residents who are mostly Armenian Christians who now fear
for their future there.

The Christian Broadcasting Network reported that 80 people have been
killed and at least three churches desecrated as Syrian Christians
have all but abandoned the town.

Syrian Armenian community activist Nerses Sarkissian told Armenian
Weekly that the rebels are desecrating churches, pillaging houses
and destroying government buildings.

While most have fled to neighboring Latakia, the community is concerned
about the Christians who have been unable to leave.

Other atrocities have been reported by Syria watcher Joshua Landis,
who directs the Center for Middle East Studies at the University
of Oklahoma and writes the Syria Comment blog. Landis retweeted
photos apparently taken in Kassab and the vicinity showing the
jihadi militants’ actions now that they control the town, including
desecrating Christian churches, destroying bottles of alcohol and
even beheading an opponent.

Here is the photo Landis tweeted:

This photo posted on Twitter purports to show the destruction of
alcoholic beverage bottles:

Another Twitter user wrote “Jihadists broke the crosses of a church
in #Kassab, and promised to turn it into a mosque” and attached
this photo:

Another photo purported to show the head of a Syrian army soldier
fighting to defend President Bashar Assad’s rule who was allegedly
decapitated outside Latakia near Kassab. The link to the photo can
be found (WARNING — graphic image) here.

Landis told TheBlaze that the photo was accompanied by a warning in
Arabic to those who have “hurt the Muslims of Syria.”

TheBlaze is unable to independently authenticate the photos; however,
Landis said in an email that the “torrent of social media, pictures,
maps and TV clips coming out of Kassab” and surrounding areas provide
“a clearer picture of what is going on.”

Christian residents who have fled the village and the Armenian-American
community are accusing Turkey of aiding the rebels and allowing them
to cross the border from Turkey into Kassab. Turkey has repeatedly
denied that it provides support to the militants.

Armenian Weekly reported that almost all of the Christians have
emptied the town and fled to neighboring Latakia. They are now beset
with fear about their ability to return to their homes.

Their ancestors fled to this same town in Syria to escape the genocide
of the Armenians a century ago carried out by the Ottomans in the
land that today comprises Turkey.

“Almost all the Armenians of Kassab and neighboring towns have fled
to Latakia city, where they have been given refuge in the Armenian
churches there and are receiving food and aid from the Red Crescent,
WFP and church groups,” Landis said.

The weekend offensive of the Christian town yet again “underlines
what a dominant role foreign jihadists and militant, Al Qaeda linked
groups are now playing in Syria,” he added.

View photos at

SHERMAN CONDEMNS KESSAB ATTACKS

Thursday, March 27th, 2014

Rep. Brad Sherman

WASHINGTON–Representative Brad Sherman (D-CA) released the following
statement on the attacks on Armenian civilians in Kessab, Syria.

“I am deeply concerned by the dire situation in Kessab, Syria.

Extremist forces have reportedly crossed the border from Turkey into
Kessab, an area inhabited mostly by Armenians. Hundreds of families
have been forced to leave their homes for fear of their safety. There
are reports that the forces entering Kessab are desecrating churches
and pillaging Armenian homes. I have been in contact with the State
Department and have urged them to take the necessary actions to
assist the Armenians in Syria. Turkey must take immediate action to
help prevent extremist attacks on Armenian civilians.”

CHECHEN LEADER WILL COVER SURGERY EXPENSES OF ARMENIAN FOOTBALLER BATTLING CANCER

March 27, 2014

Ramzan Kadyrov, who is Head of the Chechen Republic of the Russian
Federation and also Honorary President of FC Terek Grozny, will cover
all surgery expenses of young Russian-Armenian football player Grisha
Simonyan.

Kadyrov wrote about the aforesaid in his Instagram account, and asked
that the fundraising for the treatment of the 19-year-old be stopped.

The Chechen leader informed that Terek will pay all surgery costs of
Simonyan, who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor.

The “Orange Sky” charitable foundation and Championat.com were
collecting donations for Grisha Simonyan’s surgery. A total of
5 million Russian rubles (approx. $140,475) are needed for his
operation, and 3,333,000 rubles (approx. $93,640) were collected in
about 1.5 months.

PENSION ROW: PRESSURE GROUP PLANS SILENT ACTION ON MARCH 28 NOT TO INTERFERE WITH JUSTICE AT CONSTITUTIONAL COURT

Pensions | 27.03.14 | 10:27

Photolure

By Siranuysh Gevorgyan
ArmeniaNow reporter

Members of the Dem.am movement campaigning against the compulsory
component of the funded pensions system plan a silent action of
protest on March 28, in front of the Constitutional Court when its
judges gather to start the consideration of a relevant lawsuit filed
by Armenia’s leading opposition parties. No statements or speeches
are planned during the protest.

“We will convey our appeal for impartiality in a unique and symbolic
way and then, since we do not intend to interfere with the normal
operation of the High Court, will conclude our activity for the day,
expecting an impartial decision from the Court,” the statement released
by the movement said.

The group embracing young people who have held various actions of
protest during the past several months say they will not take part
in the actions of other forces planned for that day.

Rallies for March 28 have been called by opposition Heritage
party leader Raffi Hovannisian and chairman of the National
Self-Determination Union Paruyr Hayrikyan.

“We ask all forces who have planned public events for March 28 to
refrain from actions that would interfere with the normal work of
the Constitutional Court so that the Court does not decide to delay
its sitting, putting the society in a standby mode again,” the Dem.am
team said.

Under several provisions of the law on funded pensions, all working
citizens in Armenia born after 1973 must pay five to ten percent of
their salaries to privately owned pension funds in addition to other
social security payments made by their employers. They will be able
to use their accumulated funds when they reach the retirement age,
which is set at 63 for both men and women in Armenia. These provisions
as well as the fact that the application of the law is compulsory for
citizens under 40 are challenged by the pressure group and a number
of leading opposition parties in Armenia.

During the Wednesday question-and-answer session at the National
Assembly lawmaker Tigran Urikhanyan, representing the “alternative”
Prosperous Armenia Party, commented on Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan’s offer of dialogue to Dem.am. The youth activists answered
that they were ready to engage in dialogue, but only around removing
the provisions of the law that imply compulsion.

Government Chief of Staff, Minister Vache Gabrielyan, who earlier
this week said that the government was ready for concessions in the
matter, said that they were ready to work with Dem.am to redress the
existing omissions in the law, but he made it clear that he did not
think it was necessary to speak in the language of preconditions.

“During a working meeting with Dem.am we will discuss all issues that
are subject to change and will try to find some common ground. I
believe that this meeting should take place after the decision of
the Constitutional Court so that all the boundaries are clear,”
the government official said.

Parliament Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan also spoke about possible changes
in the law. “We find that the law does have some shortcomings and
there will be a legislative change. But it won’t be under pressure,
but as part of debate. If we see some omissions in the law, we will
address them by all means. It has nothing to do with pressure,”
Abrahamyan said earlier this week.

It is already known that at the Constitutional Court the four
political parties that dispute the law (Heritage, the Armenian National
Congress, Dashnaktsutyun and Prosperous Armenia) will be represented
by Dashnaktsutyun MP Artsvik Minasyan, human rights activist
Artak Zeynalyan and lawyer Mary Khachatryan. The government will be
represented by first deputy head of the State Social Security Service
Smbat Saiyan, First Deputy Minister of Justice Grigor Muradyan and
Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Finance Karen Tamazyan. The Central
Bank will be represented by Deputy Governor Nerses Yeritsyan, Central
Bank Financial System Regulation Department head Mher Abrahamyan and
Central Bank Financial System Regulation Department leading specialist
Vigen Shahnazaryan.

The Gallup International Association Armenia office recently conducted
a survey showing that in Yerevan nearly 87 percent of respondents
aged 18-41 are opposed to the pension reform, and only 7.5 percent
are in favor of it.

ZHOGHOVURD: NO THREAT OF SPLIT BETWEEN UKRAINE’S COMMUNITIES AFTER CRIMEA JOINED RUSSIA

08:41 * 27.03.14

Vice-Chairperson of the Armenian community in Ukraine Mary Hakobyan
cannot claim that all the Armenians residing in the Crimea voted for
the peninsular joining Russia.

She does not think there is a threat of split between other communities
after the Crimea has joined Russia.

“We are cooperating and since we are Ukrainian citizens each of our
steps is aimed at defending Ukraine’s interests,” Hakobyan said.

Asked about Armenian Ambassador to Ukraine Andranik Manukyan’s
activities, she said:

“We have been in touch with him, but we have not had a private
meeting. Late this week we are holding a meeting. We have invited Mr
Manukyan and we hope he’ll come.”

The newspaper wonders what has to happen to make the ambassador meet
with members of Ukraine’s Armenian community.

Armenian News – Tert.am

ARMAN SAGHATELYAN: PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA MEETING LEADERS OF MANY COUNTRIES, INCLUDING ILHAM ALIYEV

15:10 27/03/2014 >> REGION

OSCE Minsk Group U.S. co-chair James Warlick wrote in his Twitter’s
page that the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan spoke to each
other at Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague.

In this connection Panorama.am has turned to Arman Saghatelyan,
the speaker of the RA President and has asked him to comment on Mr.

Warlick’s statement.

– Mr. Saghatelyan, as the US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group informs
in his comment the Armenian and Azerbaijani president have had a
meeting in The Hague. Is it true? And if it is, then why wasn’t
it covered?

– During the two-day Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague, President
of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan spoke with leaders of many countries in
the lobby during the breaks. These are common format meetings, which
usually are not recorded in official reports. There has been a common
meeting with President Aliyev in The Hague too.

Source: Panorama.am

MINISTER SAYS UNIVERSITY TUITION FEES WILL NOT RISE

YEREVAN, March 27. / ARKA /. Armenian education and science minister
Armen Ashotyan said today that state-run universities are not planning
to raise tuition fees in the near future.

He was speaking at a parliamentary discussion on a government-submitted
bill designed to amend the law “On Higher and Post-Graduate
Professional Education.”

The proposed changes vest the government with authority to set the
highest level of tuition fees for universities.

The minister pointed out that the fee would rise in case of
implementation of ‘serious foreign educational programs in Armenia.”

He said the ministry was negotiating now the implementation of
American curriculum “Kennedy Business” in Armenia. -0- – See more at: