Author: Kajoyan Gevork

L’ANNULATION DU FILM DE LARS VON TRIER PROVOQUE LA POLEMIQUE

CINEMA

Un theâtre prive a Erevan est sous le feu des critiques et des
spectateurs armeniens après l’annulation de la première du dernier
film, connu pour son contenu très erotique, de Lars Von Trier
realisateur danois de premier plan .

Rempli de scènes de sexe explicites , ” Nymphomaniac “de Von Trier a
ete presente comme l’un des films très attendus de 2013. Il est sorti
au Danemark en decembre et a ete montre a travers l’Europe depuis lors.

Le cinema Star d’Erevan devait commencer la projection du film jeudi.

Cependant, il a annonce mercredi que le spectacle a ete annule en
raison de ” nombreuses plaintes deposees par des citoyens et des
groupes sociaux . ” Lesquels n’ont pas ete nommes.

Aucun groupe armenien n’a publiquement fait campagne contre ”
Nymphomaniac ” durant les jours ou les semaines recentes. Ni les
membres du gouvernement ni les responsables religieux ne se sont
prononces contre lui.

Repondant a une avalanche de commentaires critiques publies sur sa
page Facebook après l’annonce , Cinema Star a argue du caractère
” familial ” de ses operations et a indique qu’il voulait eviter
” des opinions contradictoires ” sur le film. L’operateur prive a
refuse d’en dire davantage.

Deux autres grands cinemas d’Erevan ont clairement fait savoir jeudi
qu’ils n’avaient pas l’intention d’acheter des droits de diffusion pour
” Nymphomaniac “.

Les critiques de cinema liberaux ont condamne cette situation comme une
manifestation de la censure culturelle. ” Cela peut creer un mauvais
precedent dans un pays où la censure est officiellement illegale”,
a declare Zaven Boyadjian , un expert chevronne , au service armenien
de RFE / RL ( Azatutyun.am ) .

Diana Martirosian, une critique plus jeune, a ete encore plus
cinglante, avertissant qu’elle et ses amis vont protester contre
l’annulation en regardant les premières oeuvres du cineaste danois
dans un club prive jeudi soir . > dit-elle . ” Mais c’est a chacun de decider. L’Etat fait
montre de sa position et je considère que c’est normal ” .

Boyadjian ecarte les allegations de pornographie , en disant qu’elles
emanent de ceux qui n’ont pas vu ” Nymphomaniac . ” Le theâtre Erevan
aurait dû seulement interdire ses projections aux mineurs, dit-il
. Le critique a egalement estime que de toute manière la foule ne se
serait pas precipitee pour voir le film de ce realisateur d’elite. ”

Sa reputation avait ete cependant ternie lorsqu’a la suite d’une
polemique au Festival de Cannes 2011 alors qu’il avait fait des
plaisanteries sur ses sympathies avec Adolf Hitler. Cette situation
avait fait l’objet de la première expulsion de ce festival en 64 ans.

vendredi 14 fevrier 2014, Ara (c)armenews.com

SPAIN TO INVITE HOME DESCENDANTS OF JEWS 500 YEARS AFTER EXPULSION

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Feb 13 2014

13 February 2014 /JOSHUA KEATING, SLATE

WASHINGTON — The Financial Times reports that Spain is considering a
new change to its citizenship laws that would allow the descendants
of Jews expelled from the country during the Spanish inquisition to
obtain citizenship:

Until now the descendants of Jews expelled from Spain during the 15th
century – known as Sephardic Jews – could claim Spanish citizenship
only after living in the country for two years, and then only if they
renounced their previous nationality.

The new bill, which is still to be approved by the Spanish parliament,
will allow the estimated 3.5m Sephardic Jews who are alive today to
claim Spanish nationality without having to give up their current
passport. […]

While the biggest community of Sephardic Jews lives in Israel, other
communities also exist in Latin America, Turkey, the US and other
parts of Europe. The proposed offer of Spanish citizenship would also
apply to them.

The law would be pretty unusual. A number countries have laws to
encourage members of their diasporas to return to the motherland.

Ireland, for instance, will grant citizenship to people with Irish
grandparents, though not – as Bill Clinton seems to believe – to
anyone of “Irish descent.”

Israel’s law of return will give citizenship to Jews from any country.

Armenia passed laws in 2007 to grant dual citizenship to ethnic
Armenians born in other countries.

But the Spanish law would apply to people who were expelled from the
country, and not recently but five centuries ago. There are already
questions about how the Federation of Jewish Communities in Spain,
which will vet the prospective returnees, will determine eligibility.

Part of this may be Spain looking to address one of the darkest periods
of its history, but it’s also worth noting that people are leaving
the country in record numbers these days. As many as 700,000 people –
roughly 1.5 percent of the population – may have departed for other
countries since 2008.

Allowing Sephardic Jews to return may be one way of attracting
new citizens without risking an anti-immigrant backlash. Something
tells me that given the current political climate, the descendants
of Muslims expelled during the Inquisition might have a longer wait.

VIDEOS: ARGENTINA’S MELTING POT OF CULINARY TRADITIONS

Global Voices
Feb 12 2014

Translation posted 12 February 2014 11:34 GMT · View original post
[es]

[All links lead to Spanish-language sites unless otherwise noted.]

The diverse migratory flows that have reached Argentina from the
1880â~@²s and until now contributed to the richness and variety of
the typical [en] cuisine in the country.

The various ‘ferias de colectividades’ (cultural fairs) that take
place throughout Argentina are good illustrations of this. In
these fairs we can witness not only a display of each community’s
traditions, folkloric dances, beauty pageants and souvenirs but
also their traditional dishes. For instance, during the Fiesta de
Colectividades in the city of Rosario that takes place every year, a
varied menu is offered representing the multiple communities (Latin,
European and Asian) that compose the Argentinian society. In this
video, we can see how typical Paraguayan food is prepared and sold
during that same fair in Rosario.

Subtitle MeShare

On Facebook, the page Encuentro Anual de Colectividades (Annual
Gathering of Communities) shows some dishes that will be sold during
the 2014 program in the city of Alta Gracia [es]. The city, located
in the Córdoba province, is quite famous because it is where the
revolutionary Che Guevara [en] lived for 12 years.

Photo posted on the Facebook Page of the Encuentro Anual de
Colectividades event

Every September, the Misiones province [en] also celebrates its
traditional Fiesta Nacional del Inmigrante (National Feast of the
Immigrant). For the occasion, the Polish community, among other migrant
groups, cooks Kursak Polski na Royezaj, better known as Polish chicken.

Ingredientes 1 pollo 1 cebolla grande 2 ajo puerro 1 morrón rojo
mediano 1 morrón verde mediano 200 gramos crema de leche 200 gramos
champiñones sal y pimienta

Preparación de la salsa Picar la cebolla bien fina, rehogar con
una cucharada de aceite, agregar los morrones cortados en daditos,
agregar el ajo puerro picado muy fino. Revolver muy bien, agregar
crema de leche y los champignones.

Cocinar durante cinco minutos, agregar sal y pimienta a gusto.

Optativo nuez moscada.

Si queda muy espesa la salsa agregar leche para suavizar. Servir
acompañado con pollo a la parrilla o al horno

Ingredients

1 Chicken

1 Large Onion

2 Leeks

1 Medium Red Pepper

1 Medium Green Pepper

200 g. Cream

200 g. Mushrooms

Salt and Pepper

Preparation of the sauce

Chop the onions very finely. Fry lightly with one tbsp of oil. Add
the peppers after they’ve been diced followed by the leeks finely cut.

Stir well. Add the cream and mushrooms.

Cook for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. You can also add
some nutmeg if you wish. If sauce gets too thick, add some milk. Serve
with grilled or roast chicken.

In addition there are community-specific celebrations, such as the one
by the Volga Germans [en], who settled mostly in the province of Entre
Ríos. The Volga Germans lived in the region of southeastern European
Russia, close to the Volga river [en]. They came to Argentina in 1878
and preserved their traditions as well as their language. Cuisine
is naturally at the heart of these traditions. This video produced
by theAsociación Argentina de Descendientes de Alemanes del Volga
(Argentinian Association of the Volga Germans Descendants) demonstrates
how to prepare a Kreppel:

Subtitle MeShare

There also many restaurants serving foreign food. The Croatian
community in Argentina, for instance, keeps its culinary traditions
with restaurants like Dobar Tek,offering a rich Croatian menu. This
video shows the “art” of preparing an apple strudel.

Subtitle MeShare

The Armenian community is also quite influential in Argentina. Romina
Boyadjian suggests the 5 best dishes in Armenian cuisine while
pointing out that the Community in the diaspora has reinvented the
typical dishes:

Algo curioso es que la comida armenia que se come en Argentina es
muy distinta a la que se consume en Armenia. Esto tiene que ver con
las reinvenciones que hacen los diferentes pueblos al partir de su
tierra natal, las costumbres que traen consigo y lo que termina siendo
valorado en la nueva comunidad. Hay comidas que acá se consideran
típicas y que allá apenas se conocen.

It’s quite intriguing that the Armenian cuisine we eat in Argentina
is quite different from the one actually consumed in Armenia. This has
to do with the reinventions done by the different populations based on
their homeland, the traditions that they bring and what ends up being
valued in the new community. Some dishes are considered traditional
yet they are barely known there (in Armenia).

One of the cities symbolizing the Jewish immigration to Argentina is
Moisés Ville [en], established by the first immigrants who reached the
country. On the YouTube account of the initiative Señal Santa Fe we
can see the city and get to know how traditions are preserved through
well-known dishes such as the strudel or the Knish [en] among others:

Subtitle MeShare

But which dish was quickly adopted by immigrants upon their arrival to
the country? Theasado [en] without any doubt, especially because the
majority of the newcomers were peasants and meat was quite cheap. The
Club Argentino de Asadores a la Estaca(Argetinian Club of Rotisseurs)
has some photos for you to enjoy.

Watch videos at

HOUSE COMMITTEE SHELVES AZERBAIJAN-ARMENIA RESOLUTIONS

Honolulu Civil Beat, Hawaii
Feb 13 2014

Despite testimony six-to-one in support, Hawaii Rep. Mark Takai had
to shelve two House resolutions today that he and Rep. Rida Cabanilla
introduced at the behest of the Azerbaijan ambassador.

Dozens of people from around the mainland submitted the same
boilerplate statement calling on the Veterans, Military and
International Affairs Committee, which Takai chairs, to pass House
Resolution 9.

The legislation urges President Obama to strengthen his
administration’s efforts to facilitate a political settlement to
the decades-old Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. But
critics say the language in the reso rewrites the history between
the neighboring nations.

Roughly 20 people submitted testimony against the resolution, compared
to some 120 for it. There were 256 pages of testimony in all, quite a
bit for a mere resolution that doesn’t carry the full weight of a law.

Regardless the interest, a majority of the committee couldn’t get
behind it.

The committee deferred HR 9 and House Resolution 13, which recognizes
the 22nd anniversary of the Khojaly tragedy. The language in HR 13
drew similar opposition from Armenian-Americans and others who felt
it was rewriting history.

ARMENIAN POWER GANG ASSOCIATE CONVICTED FOR HIS ROLE IN RACKETEERING CONSPIRACY

Justice Department Documents and Publications
February 12, 2014

U.S. Department of Justice February 12, 2014

Office of Public Affairs (202) 514-2007/TDD (202) 514-1888

Andranik Aloyan, an associate of the Armenian Power gang, has been
convicted at trial for his role in a racketeering conspiracy that
included stealing personal and financial information of elderly bank
customers who held accounts that were valued at more than $25 million.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice
Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Andre Birotte, Jr. of the
Central District of California and Assistant Director in Charge Bill
L. Lewis of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office made the announcement.

Aloyan, 40, of Los Angeles, was convicted by a federal jury on
February 11, 2014, of racketeering conspiracy, attempted bank fraud,
access device fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft, and
possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to evidence
at trial, Aloyan possessed personal and financial information of more
than 75 mostly elderly customers of banks throughout the country. The
combined value of the accounts for which Aloyan possessed account
information exceeded $25 million.

Aloyan was among 90 individuals charged in two indictments, including a
140-count indictment in July 2011 charging 70 defendants with a variety
of criminal activities associated with the Armenian Power gang. The
indictment accused 29 defendants, including Aloyan, of participating
in the Armenian Power racketeering conspiracy that involved a host of
illegal activities such as sophisticated fraudulent schemes of bank
fraud, identity theft, debit-card skimming, manufacturing counterfeit
checks, and laundering criminal proceeds. In addition, defendants
in the case were allegedly involved in a variety of violent crimes,
such as kidnapping, extortion, and firearms offenses, along with
other crimes including drug trafficking and illegal gambling.

According to court documents, the Armenian Power street gang formed in
the East Hollywood district of Los Angeles in the 1980s. The gang’s
membership consisted primarily of individuals of Armenian descent,
as well as of other countries within the former Soviet bloc. Armenian
Power has been designated under California state law as a criminal
street gang and is believed to have more than 250 documented members,
as well as hundreds of associates. According to court documents,
Armenian Power members and associates regularly carry out violent
criminal acts, including murders, attempted murders, kidnappings,
robberies, extortions, and witness intimidation to enrich its members
and associates and preserve and enhance the power of the criminal
enterprise.

Aloyan was convicted after a five-day jury trial before U.S. District
Judge Philip S. Gutierrez in the Central District of California. He
is scheduled to be sentenced on June 2, 2014.

Five defendants remain pending trial in March 2014. Seventy-seven
defendants have previously been convicted or pleaded guilty to the
indictments.

The case is being investigated by the Eurasian Organized Crime Task
Force, which is composed of the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, the Los
Angeles Police Department, the Glendale Police Department, the Burbank
Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service, and U.S. Immigration
and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Martin
Estrada, Elizabeth Yang, and Stephen Wolfe of the Central District
of California and Trial Attorney Andrew Creighton of the Criminal
Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.

ARMENIAN EX-FMS’ SPEAK OF DOMESTIC SITUATION, LOST OPPORTUNITIES

21:39 * 13.02.14

If there were a political counterbalance inside Armenia, the country’s
would be in a different situation in the context of its accession
to the Customs Union, Armenia’s ex-FM Vartan Oskanian stated at the
discussion ‘Armenia: the present and future” held at the Civilitas
Foundation.

According to him, Armenian-Russian relations are not at the same
strategic level, and the domestic political situation in Armenia is
the cause of the current situation.

“Our economic situation is not favorable, we have problems of
emigration, violations of legal and democratic standards,” Oskanian
said.

“We have a one-party system, not much has changed since the
Soviet times. Others say they are free, but they can never be in
power. The Armenian president’s positions would have been stronger
on September 3 if there had been a political counterbalance inside
the country. Even if the president was under Russia’s pressure,
he might have maneuvered,” he added.

If there had been a political counterbalance, Armenia’s leadership
would have been able to oppose the pressure due to Armenia’s
Parliament.

“We could have blocked that in Parliament, but we had no
counterbalance,” Oskanian said.

“We are not confident in ourselves. We may have been shown Georgia’s
example. But we should not forget that Georgia’s task was integration
into NATO and the European Union.”

The problem is that people that do not want to lose what they have come
to power in Armenia. “Russia can do whatever it wants because it has
huge resources. But we have no resources. And it is the people that
gained independence that have the right to change the situation in
the country. Personal interests must be put aside, and the country’s
problems must be dealt with,” Oskanian said.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is impossible to settle even if Turkey
re-opens the border, unless the conflicting parties are ready for
concessions.

Vahan Papazyan, who was Armenia’s FM in 1993-96, said that Armenia
did not lose its independence on September 3.

“Politics always allows for maneuvers,” he said as he commented on
the opinions that the Customs Union is economic cooperation. Rather,
it is political consolidation, he said.

Alexander Arzumanyan, who was Armenia’s FM in 1996-98, noted that
Armenia has been seeking independence of Russian influence since it
gained independence. And nothing has changed, he said.

“Armenia’s political elite is for the Customs Union. It is a disgrace
for us all,” he said.

Armenian News – Tert.am

RUSSIAN COMPANY NOT WAIVED INTEREST IN YEREVAN RUBBER PLANT – ARMENIA ENERGY MINISTRY

February 13, 2014 | 16:50

YEREVAN. – In response to the media reports that the Russian party
has waived, once and for all, its interest in capital city Yerevan’s
Nairit chemical [rubber] plant, the Energy and Natural Resources
Ministry of Armenia stated that this information is not true.

A working group from the Russian Rosneft Company will arrive in Yerevan
next week, to discuss the future courses of action in connection with
Nairit Plant JSC, informs the ministry press service.

As for the SandbadTir INTL Transport Co. LTD of Iran, Nairit Plant
JSC had sent a letter to the legal address of this company, and with
a request for documents that prove the “existing debt,” but Nairit
received a reply saying that such a company is not registered in the
noted legal address.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

ARMENIA STANDS AGAINST ANY MANIFESTATIONS OF VIOLENCE

16:22 13.02.2014

Armenia, UN

An open discussion on the “Protection of the civilian population
during armed conflicts” was held at the UN Security Council. Speaking
at the event, Armenian Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador
Karen Nazaryan referred to Azerbaijan’s belligerent rhetoric and the
provocative actions at the line of contact.

Ambassador Nazaryan noted that the Armenian side is concerned by the
humanitarian consequences of the use of force, which aggravates the
condition of the population in frontline villages.

Karen Nazaryan noted that Armenia stands for “putting an end to all
manifestations of violence and believes that it’s important to reach
a final and lasting solution to conflicts through peaceful means on
the basis of international law.

ACTIONS OF AZERBAIJANI MILITARY UNITS NOT CONTROLLED BY COMMAND

Thursday,
February
13

Armenian Defense Ministry issued a statement in connection with
repeated violations of the ceasefire by Azerbaijani troops. According
to the ministry’s press service, the statement says:

“In defiance of numerous calls of the international community and the
OSCE Minsk Group to observe the ceasefire during the Winter Olympics,
the Azerbaijani armed forces continue to fire at Armenian frontline
positions and settlements. These actions give reason to believe that
actions of Azerbaijani military units are either not controlled by
the commanders or are aimed at destabilizing the situation on the
border through provocations.

In the past few days the Azerbaijani side has repeatedly violated
the ceasefire regime in various directions of the border with Armenia
and Nagorno Karabakh. Desultory fire was mainly opened at the Nagorno
Karabakh section.

On February 9, 58 shots in the direction of Armenian positions were
recorded, including 54 shots at frontline positions of the NKR Defense
Army. 66 shots were recorded on February 10, including 62 shots in
the direction of the NKR Defense Army’s frontline positions. 53 shots
were recorded on February 11, including 50 shots at the NKR Defense
Army’s frontline positions. 61 shots were recorded on February 12,
including 59 shots at the NKR Defense Army’s frontline positions. In
10% of cases, fire was opened from large-caliber machine guns and
sniper rifles.

Armenian servicemen refrained from returning the fire and did not
fire a single shot.

The Armenian armed forces confidently control the situation along the
border, strictly observe the ceasefire and will resort to appropriate
actions only in case the enemy’s aimed fire.

As regards the Azerbaijani propaganda machine’s information about
ceasefire violations by the Armenian side, it should be noted that
this is an unsuccessful attempt to mislead the international community
and the Azerbaijani people by spreading misinformation”.

Aysor.am

ARMENIA CONSTITUTIONAL COURT CHIEF JUDGE TO BECOME NEXT PRESIDENT? – NEWPAPER

February 13, 2014 | 08:46

YEREVAN. – Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan is in search of a
candidate, for the 2018 presidential election, whose presence at the
Presidential Palace will not obstruct him from maintaining the whole
power, for example, by being a Prime Minister, Haykakan Zhamanak
daily reports.

“During a talk with our correspondent, a source, who is well informed
of the processes taking place at the backstage of the ruling circles,
was surprised how journalists do not notice the most suitable
candidate for the role of the ‘British Queen;’ this refers to CC
[i.e., Constitutional Court] President Gagik Harutyunyan. He will
turn 70 years old in 2018, whereupon he can no longer stay at the
office of the CC President.

“According to our source, there are numerous people among the
authorities who believe that a 70-year-old Gagik Harutyunyan is
a very suitable candidate for holding a five-year term of old age
at the Presidential Palace, and not obstructing Serzh Sargsyan,”
Haykakan Zhamanak writes.