Author: Kajoyan Gevork

RAFFI HOVHANNISIAN REPLIED TO SERZH SARGSYAN’S LETTER

12:20, 26 March, 2013

YEREVAN, MARCH 26, ARMENPRESS. The Chairman of “Heritage” party Raffi
Hovhannisian replied to the March 25 letter of the President of the
Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan. Raffi Hovhannisian’s headquarters
informed “Armenpress” that he positively assessed that Serzh Sargsyan
answered to his complex suggestion via a direct note. In particular
the letter runs as follows: “Although there are certain disputable
arguments and preconceived convictions in general formulations of the
letter, notwithstanding it can be considered as progress that You are
ready to hold negotiations based upon the document I introduced to You.

I reaffirm my willingness to have a meeting with You and discuss
present pan national outcome any time and in any format in the Liberty
Square. I am grateful to You for Your concerns about my health. There
is no need to be worried. I am absolutely healthy, and I don’t need
recovery and You can launch our working meeting for the sake of new
Constitutional Armenia without delay. If there are certain reasons
that make you consider the Liberty Square as an inappropriate place
for the meeting, feel free to introduce Your inclusive suggestions,
which were not involved in Your previous reply, in a letter stemming
from my comprehensive document.”

Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan responded to “Heritage” party
chairman Raffi Hovhannisian’s letter on March 25. The President urged
Raffi Hovhannisian to stop the hunger strike, recuperate for a day or
two and start working seriously together. In particular the President
stated: “I urge you, please stop the hunger strike, recuperate for a
day or two and we will start working seriously together, committing
our ideas to paper, quietly, without shows, even taking as a point
of departure your – at the moment very incondite – account.”

LE CELEBRE MUSICIEN ET PIANISTE TURC FERDI OZBEGEN ETAIT D’ORIGINE ARMENIENNE

Des details inconnus de la vie du celèbre musicien et pianiste turc
Ferdi Ozbegen qui est decede en raison d’une insuffisance respiratoire
le 28 janvier ont commence a emerger.

Recemment, une enquete a ete lancee pour retrouver ses documents
personnels a l’Ecole armenienne Mýhitaryan d’Istanbul, où il a recu
son education primaire.

Une biographie d’Ozbegen ” a Þohret Dedigin : Ferdi Ozbegen’in Hayati
” a ete ecrite par Ali Riza Turker et publie ce mois-ci.

S’adressant au journal Hurriyet le pretre de l’Ecole Mýhitaryan,
Hagopos Copuryan, a declare qu’Ozbegen etait le fils d’un père turc
et d’une mère catholique armenienne et que son nom d’origine etait
Ferdinand. Copuryan. Il a precise que les dossiers scolaires seront
analyses afin d’en apprendre plus sue les details de son histoire. ”
Les archives [de l’ecole] sont si vastes que nous devons passer en
revue tous les dossiers pour atteindre les dossiers personnels [
d’Ozbegen] ” a declare Hagopos Copuryan.

Il a dit que la Commission provisoire sur les minorites (ATK) a
commence a fonctionner dans les annees 1970 que l’ecole Mýhitaryan
a ete prefere par de nombreux groupes de la societe, en plus des
Armeniens en raison de sa haute qualite d’education. ” Aujourd’hui,
on peut recevoir une education dans notre ecole que si un des parents
est d’origine armenienne, mais une telle distinction n’a pas ete
faite avant 1976 “, a declare Hagopos Copuryan.

Dans sa biographie, Ozbegen decrit sa mère, Afet (Anita), comme ” une
fille d’une famille armenienne-catholique d’Ankara. Son premier mari
etait un Egyptien, et il etait beaucoup plus âge que ma mère. Comme
ma mère etait catholique, je suis alle a l’ecole catholique Mýhitaryan
pendant un certain temps “.

mardi 26 mars 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

SERZH SARGSYAN CONGRATULATED MARTUN ISRAELYAN

15:42, 25 March, 2013

YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS: President Serzh Sargsyan sent a
congratulatory message on 75th anniversary of Honored Artist of the
Republic of Armenia, composer, professor at the Yerevan Komitas State
Conservatory Martun Israelyan. As Information and Public Relations
Department of the Presidential Office told Armenpress, the message
in particular runs:

“You have been living an interesting artistic life, enriching in
the process the Armenian classical music. Your contribution to the
organization of the musical life in Armenia is significant. You also
have great pedagogical accomplishments which have been duly appreciated
not only by your students but also by the entire art-loving community.

I wish you good health, happiness and success in your gratifying work.”

YSU PARTNERING WITH ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY TO PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY AND WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP

16:45, 25 March, 2013

YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS: Yerevan State University (YSU) will
be partnering with U.S. Arizona State University to promote gender
equality and women’s leadership through a new program organized
by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and
Higher Education for Development (HED) reports Armenpress citing
NewLiberian.com non-profit human-rights news site. As a result a
new Center for Gender and Leadership Studies will be established at
YSU that will develop a new curriculum in women and gender studies;
promote career advancement for women university graduates; conduct
outreach activities; and advance public policy research on issues
related to gender equality and women’s leadership.

With funding from USAID totaling approximately $8.75 million, HED
will manage the partnerships – one each in Armenia, Paraguay and
South Sudan, and two in Rwanda.

POLITICAL CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN THE FOREIGN MINISTRIES OF ARMENIA AND ARTSAKH

16:52 25.03.2013

On March 25, Foreign Minister of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
Karen Mirzoyan received the delegation of the Foreign Ministry of
the Republic of Armenia headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey
Manasaryan.

Consultations on various aspects of inter-ministerial cooperation,
in particular, on the issues of consular service took place between
the representatives of the Foreign Ministries of the two Republics.

The meeting participants noted the helpfulness and practical
significance of such consultations

RUSSIA SOLD 64 TANKS TO ARMENIA, 62 TO AZERBAIJAN DURING PAST 20 YEARS

APA
March 25 2013
Azerbaijan

Baku. Rashad Suleymanov – APA. Russia has exported 2,000 tanks to 19
countries during past 20 years, APA reports quoting Russian media.

Moreover, 200 more tanks are planned to be exported on the orders
in 2013-2015.

Main part of export – 1,300 tanks fell to share of UralVagonZavod,
others – to Omsk engineering factory.

Under the contracts, Russia sold 557 units of T-90 S tank to India, 426
T-72 S to Iran, 195 T-90SA to Algeria, 52 T-55 and T-62 to Afghanistan,
51 T-72 to Cuba, 92 T-72 B1V to Venezuela, 100 T-72 A/AK to Bulgaria,
64 T-72 to Armenia, 62 T-72 B to Azerbaijan, 50 T-72 A to Mongolia,
30 T-62 to Angola, 31 T-90 to Uganda, 82 T-80 U to Cyprus.

Besides, during the reporting period, Russia sold tanks to Yemen, Oman,
North Korea and Turkmenistan. At the same time, $ 3 bln contract was
signed with India to deliver 900 more tanks.

HETQ’S BALASANYAN WINS “FREEDOM OF SPEECH” AWARD
Yeranuhi Soghoyan

17:14, March 25, 2013

Hetq reporter Grisha Balasanyan won an investigative journalism award
at this year’s Freedom of Speech ceremonies organized by the Asparez
Journalists Club in Gyumri.

Balasanyan was especially noted for his series covering the financial
assets of various Armenian officials and MPs.

For the past five years, the club has earmarked March 25 as Freedom
of Speech day, commemorating the end of a public fundraising campaign
to save Gyumri’s Gala TV from bankruptcy after being unfairly targeted
by tax authorities in Armenia.

Gala TV provoked the wrath of the government after extensively covering
2008 post election developments in Armenia.

PRESS RELEASE
RAFFI HOVANNISIAN HEADQUARTERS
31 Moscovian Street
Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 53.69.13
Fax: (+374 – 10) 53.26.97
Email: [email protected]
Website:

26 March 2013

Public forums and football at Liberty Square

Yerevan–On the seventeenth day of his hunger strike at Liberty
Square, Raffi K. Hovannisian presided over the latest in a series of
public forums, an ongoing dialogue of political leaders,
intellectuals, and activists. The discussions today were led by Petros
Makeyan and Manvel Gasparyan, whose parties–Democratic Fatherland and
Democratic Way, respectively–have joined the historic Barev Yerevan
coalition, which will contest the municipal elections to take place in
the capital on May 5.

`On February 18 the people of the Republic of Armenia went to the
polling stations and gave their voice to Raffi Hovannisian,’ Makeyan
said. `Now, through his hunger strike–by taking the burden of the
nation upon him–Hovannisian is issuing a challenge to all of us: Come
to Liberty Square and take ownership of your voice.’

In the evening, serious discussions gave way to chants of
`Ha-yas-tan!’ as hundreds of football fans gathered around Raffi
Hovannisian in front of a big screen at Liberty Square to cheer on
Armenia’s national football team as it took on the Czech Republic in a
highly anticipated match taking place cross-town.

Tomorrow at 12pm Raffi Hovannisian will hold a press conference at
Liberty Square. At 5pm he will take part in the next public forum,
which will be led by young intellectuals and activists, and tackle
issues facing the Armenian youth.

Raffi Hovannisian Headquarters

`You Must Visit Jerusalem’

Houston Chronicle
Sunday, March 24, 2013

By Wardah Khalid

I was waiting at the airport gate for my flight back to New York when
an elderly woman happened to sit in the empty seat next to me.

`Do you speak Arabic?’ she asked, eyeing the words I was studying.

`Not really, but I’m learning.’ I answered. `Do you?’ I couldn’t
determine her heritage based on her appearance alone. She was tan,
blonde, and didn’t speak with a distinct Arabic accent.

`Yes, that’s why I recognized what you were reading,’ she nodded,
taking a closer look at my notebook.

`Where are you from?’ I asked, intrigued.

`I’m from Jerusalem.’

`Jerusalem?!’ I cried incredulously. `No way! I’m thinking of visiting
there soon!’

She smiled. `You certainly should. I’m a Christian, and I think every
single person on Earth should visit the Holy Land. It is
beautiful. The land is like gold. Even the soil there is rich and
different. It is better than even Mecca or the Vatican in Italy.’

I couldn’t agree more. Jerusalem is sacred land for Muslims,
Christians, and Jews alike. Al-Aqsa Mosque, located in the Old City of
Jerusalem, is the third holiest site in Islam after Masjid al-Haram in
Mecca and Masjid al-Nabawi in Medina, both of which I visited last
year. Muslims used to pray in its direction before divine revelation
instructed them to face the Kaabah in Mecca. The Dome of the Rock, a
shrine named after the shiny golden dome erected over the Foundation
Stone, is also of significance. Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) ascended to heaven, along with Angel Gabriel, from the stone.

`When did you move to America?’ I inquired, curious about her
background.

`1966,’ she said. `I got married when I was 15. In those days,
probably your grandmother’s time, you did that. We said `if God didn’t
want you to get married, you’d drop dead.’ I didn’t drop dead, so I
got married.’

I laughed and chatted with her a little longer about our families, her
ancestry (she was part Armenian), and of course, Jerusalem. She
revealed that she’d read the Quran in the past and thought it was
beautiful.

`Arabic is the hardest language in the world, but it’s the best
language to learn,’ she stated matter-of-factly. `I’m trying to teach
it to my grandkids.’

I thought it was interesting how the generations, religion, and
cultures between us could not take away our love for the same
language. As we parted ways a little while later, she wished me
farewell and repeated the words she’d spoken earlier.

`You must visit Jerusalem.’

I fully intend to, God willing. Funny how in life we are united with
individuals who touch our hearts in unimaginable and meaningful
ways. Our meeting was especially timely for me, since just earlier
that day I was debating whether or not to venture to the Holy Land. I
later realized it was nothing less than fate for me, a young American
Muslim, to have a chance encounter a few hours later with this
encouraging, Christian woman from Jerusalem. Of that, I am sure.

Follow Wardah on Twitter @YAmericanMuslim.

PRESS RELEASE
RAFFI HOVANNISIAN HEADQUARTERS
31 Moscovian Street
Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 53.69.13
Fax: (+374 – 10) 53.26.97
Email: [email protected]
Website:

ATTEMPT ON RAFFI HOVANNISIAN’S LIFE
Raffi Hovannisian Headquarters demands answers

On Saturday, March 23, at 6pm, an unidentified man entered Liberty
Square and, yelling and pushing violently through the crowd, made his
way to the stage, where Raffi K. Hovannisian was taking part in the
Barevolution’s weekly folk concert. As the man closed in on his
target, the 20 or so policemen, assigned to keep the peace at the
Square, stood idly by–deciding to intervene only when the citizens
themselves blocked the potential assassin, when he was within ten
meters of Hovannisian. Less than an hour earlier, those very policemen
had been most efficient in mobilizing to form a human wall between
Hovannisian’s supporters and a small patch of grass to prevent a
veteran tight-rope walker from making a short acrobatic presentation.

It is a matter of public record that Raffi Hovannisian has been
leading the most peaceful and constitutional popular movement in the
history of the Republic of Armenia, and has struggled in earnest to
create a culture of mutual respect between citizen and policeman. So
it is with great regret that we must express our deep disappointment
in the state police who, in their fulfillment of unrightful political
directives, failed to take timely action to thwart a possible attempt
on Hovannisian’s life and to ensure the safety of citizens at Liberty
Square.

We call on the police, furthermore, to reveal immediately the identity
of the potential assassin and the details of the criminal charges to
be filed against him. And finally we demand that the police
immediately change their increasingly hostile demeanor toward the very
citizens whom they have been called to protect–but whom, instead,
they continue to drive toward distrust, disobedience, and a final
rejection of the regime.

The people’s patience is not without limit. Full responsibility for
all violations or violence committed against it, together with any
measures that the people might take in response, shall fall on the de
facto authorities and their agencies of enforcement.

Raffi Hovannisian Headquarters
25 March 2013
Yerevan