Author: Kajoyan Gevork

A message from the Zoryan Institute

Zoryan celebrates the life of International human rights champion, Nelson
Mandela.

Let us remember what Mandela said after 27 years of incarceration:

“True reconciliation does not consist in merely forgetting the past.”

At Zoryan, we maintain that true peace can be achieved only if nations can
talk to each other openly about their past. Therefore, we see education
through the Common Body of Knowledge as one of the best ways to alleviate
the tension between Turks and Armenians because it provides a basis of
shared knowledge of their past that can counter generations of hostility and
lead to mutual understanding and dialogue.

May he rest in peace.

Dikranagerdsi Vernacular Handbook Released
07/12/2013 21:48:00 Oratert News
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[image: Dikranagerdsi Vernacular Handbook Released]

After years of compilation, a new dictionary of words and expressions
from the Dikranagerd-Armenian dialect is now available. Titled, `Inch
g’usis’: A Dikranagerdtsi Vernacular Handbook,’ the term `Inch g’usis’
literally means `What do you say?’ in the dialect of Dikranagerd.

Authored by Charles Kasbarian, `Inch g’usis’: A Dikranagerdtsi
Vernacular Handbookshowcases the earthy and humorous dialect of
Dikranagerd, presented in English transliteration. Kasbarian is also
known as `C.K. Garabed,’ the columnist behind `Uncle Garabed’s
Notebook,’ which has appeared in The Armenian Weekly for almost 25
years.

No one knows how many Armenian Genocide survivors were integrated into
Turkish society, nor how many native Armenians may remain, though hidden
away. In either case, there are few, if any Armenians in the Diarbekr
region of Western Armenia (present-day Turkey) who still speak the native
dialect. As a result, it is likely that the dialect of Dikranagerd will
become extinct in our lifetime. Aside from this obvious fact, Kasbarian
explained his reasoning for creating `Inch g’usis?’: `The Dikranagerd
dialect is my native language. In my childhood, while trying to converse
with non-Dikranagerdtsi Armenians, I would get laughed at for what they
perceived to be a queer way of speaking. But in my maturity, I realized
that there was a lot to be said for dialects – the one of Dikranagerd in
particular.’

As such, Kasbarian took on the task of trying, in some small way, to
document elements of the Dikranagerd dialect for posterity. And so, he
began to note Dikranagerdtsi words and phrases, which grew into the present
collection. `And far from being laughed at,’ Kasbarian continued,
`linguistic scholars have consulted me on the virtues of the dialect which
they feel is worthy of preservation.’

To make the work widely accessible, Kasbarian decided to put the handbook
online. The work can be freely accessed on Kasbarian’s Armeniapedia page:

Included are words and terms `A’ through `Z’, a section on
Dikranagerdtsi nicknames, and an Armenian alphabet mnemonic. Arranged
alphabetically and containing a pronunciation key, the handbook offers
many colorful phrases, interjections and exclamations such `Kher
eghnah’ (`May it be useful or good,’ often said when somebody
sneezes); `Leghin badri’ (`May his gall bladder burst,’ meaning `May
he drop dead.’); `Jivit godreh, doun nusdi’ (`Break your leg, stay at
home,’ meaning `Stop gadding about.’); and `Kna kni’ (`Go to sleep,’
meaning `Get out of here.’). Parents of young children are cautioned
that there are many ribald entries.

Kasbarian grew up, during the Great Depression, in Union City, New Jersey
— which was once heavily populated by Dikranagerdtsi Armenians. Over the
years, he has presented folk tales and skits in the Dikranagerdtsi dialect
at cultural evenings held in the New Jersey area. Also in progress on his
Armeniapedia page are his The Dikranagerd Mystique Armenian Cookbook; a
number of articles about growing up Dikranagerdtsi; Oyin Mi Tavli, a
one-act play in the Dikranagerd dialect; and The Dictionary of Armenian
Surnames.

Says Kasbarian of `Inch g’usis?’, `like everything else, there are
bound to be missing words and phrases and even mistakes, in which case
readers should feel free to bring them to the attention of the
author.’ Kasbarian can be reached at [email protected]

Armenian activist speaks of monopolist journalists, human rights campaigners

13:31 – 08.12.13

Well-known Armenian activist Vardkes Gaspari left a message on his
Facebook page, wherein he mentioned `most disgusting monopolists and
beneficiaries, namely, journalists and human rights activists.’

In commenting on his message to Tert.am, Gaspari said that some human
rights organizations have monopolies on visits to penitentiaries,
monitoring, work with secret structures. But they work very bad, while
many others are deprived of this right.

As regards journalists, he said: `They have special airtime, granted
them not on a competitive basis. For example, the H1 TV channel. Do
the journalists working there really think they have virtues others
have not?’

Armenian News – Tert.am

ARMENIE-IRAN
L’Arménie reçoit du gaz iranien à un tarif inférieur de 2,8 fois à
celui pratiqué pour la Turquie

Le gaz iranien est transféré à l’Arménie à un tarif de 2,8 fois
inférieure à celui livré par Téhéran à la Turquie. L’Arménie livre à
l’Iran 3 kilowats/heure d’électricité contre 1 mètre cube de gaz. Cela
représente pour Erévan un achat de gaz iranien inférieur au tarif que
livre Moscou à l’Arménie qui est de 189 dollars pour 1000 mètres cubes
de gaz.

L’Ambassadeur d’Iran en Arménie, Mohamed Reyisi a affirmé lors de sa
conférence de presse effectuée à Erévan le 6 décembre que le prix
pratiqué pour la livraison de gaz iranien à l’Arménie était largement
inférieur au tarif international. Mais que ces prix sont réservés aux
pays amis. Mais le diplomate iranien a insinué qu’avec une levée des
sanctions internationales à l’encontre de l’Iran, ce dernier pourrait
réviser le prix de l’exportation de son gaz au tarif international du
marché. Téhéran étant autorisé à exporter sa production sur tous les
marchés concurrentiels. Le tarif du « pays ami » ou « pays privilégié
» dont bénéficie l’Arménie devenant caduc. De 2011 à juillet 2012
Téhéran a exporté vers la Turquie son gaz au prix de 505 dollars le
millier de mètre cube. Erévan devra attendre dans les prochains mois
une hausse du tarif du gaz iranien.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 8 décembre 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

COMMUNAUTE-VALENCE (DRÔME)
« Arménia » s’interroge sur l’avenir de l’Arménie

Le public était venu très nombreux vendredi 6 décembre à la MJC Jean
Moulin de Bourg-Lès-Valence à la table-ronde d’« Arménia » sur le
thème « Où va l’Arménie ? ». Parmi le public, Patrick Royannez Adjoint
au Maire de Valence et vice-président du Conseil Général de la Drôme,
Marlène Mourier, conseillère municipale et suppléante du député
Patrick Labaune, Sonia Abrahamian conseillère municipale ainsi que
Jean-Pierre Sandoz, président du Comité de Jumelage de
Bourg-Lès-Valence. Des responsables associatifs étaient également
présents à la soirée d’« Arménia ».

A noter également la présence d’Alain Euksuzian, Georges Erétzian,
Christian Charrière, Vartkés Simonian et Gérard Jassoud, membres du
bureau d’« Arménia ».

Krikor Amirzayan, le président d’« Arménia » et correspondant de la
presse arménienne a tout d’abord présenté un bref tableau de l’Arménie
où il s’est rendu fin octobre, avant de donner la parole au public
pour une table-ronde.

Quel est l’avenir de l’Arménie en guerre avec l’Azerbaïdjan ?
L’émigration arménienne qui continue va-t-elle mettre en danger
l’avenir de l’Arménie par une saignée démographique sans précédent ?
Jusqu’où ira le soutien militaire et économique de la Russie,
partenaire stratégique de l’Arménie au Sud Caucase ? Quelles sont les
inquiétudes de la population de l’Arménie aujourd’hui ? Quel sera le
régime politique de l’Arménie de demain ? Erévan prendra-t-il le
chemin de la démocratie ou de l’oligarchie ? L’entrée de l’Arménie au
sein de l’Union douanière -sous l’égide de la Russie- est-elle au
détriment de l’entrée de l’Arménie dans la Communauté européenne ?
Quel doit-être le rôle de la diaspora arménienne dans son soutien à
l’Arménie ? Autant de questions que le public tenta de répondre.

Une partie de l’assistance

Le débat s’est déroulé avec de très nombreuses interventions et
notamment des réfugiés Arméniens récemment installés en France. Ces
échanges furent coordonnés par Krikor Amirzayan qui s’affichait en
modérateur dans le débat très animé.

Patrick Royannez s’exprime. A droite Krikor Amirzayan et Jean-Pierre Sandoz

Mission réussie pour membres de l’association « Arménia » qui
insistaient sur la nécessité de « faire parler tout le monde afin que
chaque personne qui est concernée par l’avenir de l’Arménie émette ses
réflexions et interrogations afin d’alimenter le débat et les échanges
».

Au terme de plus de deux heures d’échanges, K. Amirzayan affirma pour
clore le débat « cette soirée est très enrichissante et le débat est
passionnel. Néanmoins de très nombreuses questions se trouvent encore
sans réponse. Nous devons poursuivre nos discussions lors de nouveaux
rendez-vous ».

En fin de soirée, « Arménia » invita le public à une réception autour
de quelques verres et des spécialités arméniennes. Un public qui
continua encore le débat dans une ambiance très chaleureuse.

Photos association `Arménia` et Sonia Sarkissian

dimanche 8 décembre 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

Génocide des Arméniens
La bande originale du film The Genex

Le projet du film The Genex, dédié au génocide des Arméniens est en
cours de préparation par son réalisateur Art Sevada. Mais, comme il en
est souvent ainsi dans le cinéma, le budget n’est pas couvert. Sevada
qui n’en est pas à son premier film, attend toujours une réponse du
ministère arménien de la culture qui a promis son soutien… De même
que de magnats arméniens. Selon lui, c’est un vrai parcours du
combattant pour obtenir des aides financières pour une production à
dimension internationale marquant le centième anniversaire du génocide
des Arméniens. Un film qui contribuera à l’internationalisation de la
question en 2015, dit-il.

Le thème du film tourne autour d’un futur procès sur les biens que
Salomon Solomonyan (Komitas) avait déposé à la Rhinebank en 1913. Une
banque qui a participé au génocide en finançant la ligne de chemin de
fer Berlin-Bagdad. Une vaste conspiration à rebondissement, mêlée de
meurtres, amènent les protagonistes, dont la belle Sally Salomon, 25
ans, et un jeune avocat, à tenter de subdiviser les documents prouvant
l’implication de la banque dans le génocide, mais qui s’acharne à la
garder secrète. Durant le procès, l’évocation du sort de Komitas et de
sa famille dans le désert syrien est mis en images.

Toute personne pouvant apporter une aide quelconque à cette production
est priée de s’adresser à Armenews qui transmettra

Mais d’ores et déjà certains extraits de la future bande originale du
film sont disponibles à l’écoute. En voici les premiers extraits. Le
compositeur canadien, François Jolin, est également l’auteur, entre
autres, de la BO du film l’Illusionniste (The Illusionist), avec
Edward Norton et Jessica Biel.

Jean Eckian

Fils de Samuel Sevada, Artak Sevada Grigorian est né en Arménie le 23
juillet 1972. Après avoir fait des études musicales, il émigre aux
États Unis et devient lauréat d’un concours de composition et en
conception graphique de la CSUN University.

dimanche 8 décembre 2013,
Jean Eckian ©armenews.com

25e ANNIVERSAIRE DU SEISME ARMENIEN
A Stepanakert, le président de la République du Haut Karabagh Bako
Sahakian a rendu hommage aux victimes du séisme de décembre 1988

A l’occasion du 25e anniversaire du séisme de Spitak, samedi 7
décembre le président de la République du Haut Karabagh, Bako
Sahakian, s’est rendu à Stepanakert au mémorial des victimes du séisme
arménien de décembre 1988 pour y rendre hommage. Bako Sahakian était
accompagné d’une très forte délégation gouvernementale. Des gerbes de
fleurs ont été déposées.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 8 décembre 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

527 million drams worth of asphalt in Gyumri in honor of Vladimir Putin

December 6 2013

Today, Aravot.am tried to calculate how much money was spent in Gyumri
for getting prepared to RF President Vladimir Putin’s visit. It should
be noted that this is kept silent almost everywhere, it seems it is a
state secret. For example, the State Drama Theater of Gyumri after
Vardan Achemyan had been reluctant to give a clear answer to this
question, noting that the theater had also made its share in
financing. Gyumri City Hall assures that they have nothing to do with
funding, they even have no idea how much money is spent, and what
resources were used for the work done. Yet, talking with well-informed
specialist, we managed to know that 60-62 thousand square meters of
asphalt was covered in Gyumri, one square meter costs 8.500 drams, on
other word, it is roughly 527 million drams. Also, 127 new light poles
were installed, of which two of them were installed on the way to the
airport, they contain support post and each one costs 86 thousand
drams. The remaining 125 poles, which do not have support posts, cost
cheaper – 37.500 drams per piece. In short, a total of 4 million 859
thousand 500 drams was spent to add new lighting posts in the city. As
to how much it cost to repair the Gyumri theater and the airport
buildings, since relevant departments keep silent, it is not possible
to publicize precise figures. Of course, we have repeatedly said that
Gyumri residents are extremely happy that their city buried in dark
and mud is illuminated, covered with asphalt, but it is equally
offensive that this is done not for ordinary Gyumri residents, but in
the honor of the high-ranking guest visiting the city.

NUNE AREVSHATYAN
Read more at:

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Dec 7 2013

Ankara to test waters for talks in Yerevan, Azerbaijan ?

7 December 2013

A regional meeting is likely to be the venue for discussions between
Turkish and Armenian politicians to break the current stalemate in the
normalization process between the two estranged neighbors, as Turkey
has recently voiced its intention to normalize ties with Armenia.

Ankara is expected to test the waters at first hand with Armenian
officials in Yerevan about possible progress in talks for a settlement
to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which
could pave the way for rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia.

Although a bilateral meeting has not been scheduled yet, a meeting
between Foreign Minister Ahmet DavutoÄ?lu and his Armenian counterpart,
Edward Nalbandian, is `highly possible’ on the sidelines of a regional
meeting, a Turkish Foreign Ministry official told the Hürriyet Daily
News.

DavutoÄ?lu will pay a visit to Yerevan on Dec. 12, to attend the
ministerial meeting of the Organization for the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation (BSEC). Speaking to reporters late on Dec. 5, he said the
invitation had come from the Armenian side, and he accepted after
consultations with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an.

`Turkey is one of the founding members of the organization. Its
headquarters are located in Istanbul, where Armenia, which is a member
of the organization, also has a representative. I received the
invitation and decided to accept it after consultations,’ DavutoÄ?lu
said.

However, the visit has more meaning than a regular BSEC meeting, as
Turkey wants to ease the current stalemate with Armenia.

Turkey is preparing for the 100th anniversary of the 1915 events,
which will be commemorated both in Armenia and by the Armenian
Diaspora abroad in 2015 with grand ceremonies. The U.S.-based Armenian
diaspora, in particular, seeks official recognition of the killings as
genocide by the White House.

As the anniversary approaches, Ankara urges members of the Minsk
group, the United States, Russia and Azerbaijan, to move forward for a
settlement on the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.

A 2009 protocol aiming to boost ties between Ankara and Yerevan,
including the opening of the border between the two countries, was
halted upon a move by Azerbaijan, which has repeatedly said such a
move must not happen until there is an agreement on the status of
Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Armenian Constitutional Court, meanwhile, has declared that the
protocol was not compatible with the country’s Constitution. Turkey
has recently been working on some `creative ideas’ to develop
relations with Armenia, which Ankara considers as part of efforts to
maintain peace and stability in the region. One of those `creative
ideas’ is to reopen the long-closed railway link between Turkey and
Armenia, contingent upon parallel progress in Nagorno-Karabakh talks.

Foreign Minister DavutoÄ?lu first voiced Turkey’s willingness to
develop ties with Armenia during a recent visit to Switzerland, which
hosted the signing ceremony of the protocol in 2009.

`We are now looking to develop it and advance with creative ideas and
new ways of thinking. We will increase our works in the coming period.
When relations between Turkey and Armenia are normalized, most of the
issues between Azerbaijan and Armenia will also be within the
framework of a solution,’ he said during his visit to Bern in October,
when he also sought the support of Switzerland for steps in developing
ties with Armenia.

The issue was on the agenda of Turkish leaders during recent visits to
Washington and Moscow. The presidential-level talks between Armenia
and Azerbaijan resumed in late October with a meeting under the
auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs after a long interval.
Ankara intends to assess Armenia’s approach to the recent round of
talks during the visit of Minister DavutoÄ?lu to Yerevan.

NAGORNO KARABAKH THROUGH THE EYES OF TRAVEL AGENCIES

Wednesday, 27 November 2013 16:05

As we reported earlier, on November 12, the Valex Garden
HotelCompany organized a conference in Stepanakert on tourism
development in Artsakh.

Representatives of the companies dealing with tourism in
the RA and NKR, as well as Chief of the NKR Department of Tourism and
Historical Environment Protection Sergey Shakhverdian attended the
conference. Some of the conference participants shared their opinions
and impressions with the Azat Artsakh readers.

Sergey SHAKHVERDIAN, Chief of the NKR Department of Tourism and
Historical Environment Protection

– The initiative can be only welcomed. Generally, we try to make
similar visits frequent and regular. The importance of similar
conferences is that we get the opportunity to learn the opinions of
the tourism sphere’s employees on our activity, its positive and
negative sides. It became clear during the conference that it would be
constructive. Quite rational proposals were sounded and issues that we
have to decide were raised. Frankly speaking, there were also
superficial ideas. So, we’ll have to analyze and summarize the entire
information and to find the optimal options for increasing the tourism
image of our country and for resolving the issues, which should be
preliminarily studied. And all the reasonable proposals will certainly
be implemented. We aren’t, surely, satisfied with the statistics on
the tourists coming to Artsakh (though the flow is growing from year
to year). We do everything to increase their number and try to improve
the level of service. The state is making enormous efforts in this
direction.

Michael GALUMIAN, Director of Valex Garden Hotel Company

– We have long wanted to organize such an event. The goal
is to familiarize travel agents of Armenia with Artsakh, as different
countries of the world sell their packages to them and they can be
useful in terms of tourism development in the NKR. Almost 90% of them
have not been to Artsakh and, surely, have no idea of the changes in
the country, its development opportunities, abilities, places of
interest; in other words, we have presented them everything, for which
a tourist is ready to pay. At the same time, we tried to present also
ourselves. I think we have succeeded. We will show them the sights of
Artsakh, and I believe they will leave Artsakh with great impressions.

Helena SHUVAYEVA-PETROSSIAN, editor-in-chief of Tourist Armeniajournal

– I arrived in Artsakh a little earlier than the main
group and unlike many of them, I’m not here for the first time. My
current visit was in the framework of cooperation between the Mayor’s
Offices of Yerevan and Stepanakert. According to the contract, Yerevan
Municipality pledged to build a park here. Its draft was presented to
the Mayor of Stepanakert. I participated in a roundtable organized by
the two Mayors’ Offices and then extended my trip to participate in
this forum. I traveled a lot in Artsakh, as I’m fond of
mountaineering, and there is no better place than Nagorno-Karabakh.
Nagorno-Karabakh immediately made a great impression on me. It is
surprising that the whole world is solving the Karabakh issue, while
the people of Karabakh have long resolved it themselves and they just
live in this wonderful land. Unfortunately, many tourists consider
Artsakh a war zone. Some of them even asked me, «Is it true that the
Lachin corridor is a narrow road controlled by armed forces, and
Karabakh is a dangerous military zone?» Surely, I explained that it is
not so. At the same time, it is my duty to inform the masses about the
history and sights of this country.

Camella KARAKHANIAN, manager of Tatev travel agency

– I have worked at the agency for almost 14 years. The agency itself
has operated for 21 years. Immediately after Armenia gained
independence it was based by an Iranian businessman of Armenian
origin. I’m from Iran and moved to Armenia 15 years ago. The first
group, which our agency brought to Artsakh 12 years ago, comprised 48
people. That time there were almost no hotels in Artsakh, and
comparatively comfortable was Nairi hotel. But even then, tourists got
quite good impressions of Artsakh. Then, we began to periodically
bring here groups, and each time the impressions were more vivid.
Currently, the situation in Armenia is somewhat different – more
tourists want to go abroad than to travel within the country. Yet, we
bring one or two groups to Artsakh in a month. As for European
tourists, if their travel package has at least one-week vacation, we
certainly include Artsakh in it. Tourists always come back with great
impressions. The only problem is a long road. Let’s admit that the
Yerevan – Stepanakert highway is very tiring and hard for the guests.
For small groups, the issue of guide is topical, which also requires
an immediate solution. I offered Sergey Shakhverdian to place a list
of guides at the website, if there are any, because we do not know
whom to contact for such services. I believe that through cooperation
we’ll be able to organize the work more effectively.

Zara ADAMIAN, manager of Sakvoyaj Travel domestic tourism agency

– I think the issue of guides requires an immediate
solution. The agencies of Armenia should cooperate with officials of
the NKR tourism sphere, as well as to study and apply the
international experience. It is desirable that the guides are locals.
Yet, here is another issue for the future. We’d like to see tourists
not to coming to Armenia and just for a day or two to Artsakh, but
treating Artsakh as an independent tourism entity. Similar tourists
are already available. And this practice should be developed.

Srbuhi VANIAN