Author: Kalantarian Kevo

RUSSIAN COMPANIES TOLD ARMENIAN COMPANIES TO WAIT

Roza Hovhannisyan, Reporter
Business – 13 February 2015, 12:45

The minister of economy Karen Chshmarityan told Lragir.am after the
meeting of government that problems have occurred within the Eurasian
Economic Union which are being attended to at this stage.

Commenting on complaints of companies, Chshmarityan said: “Introduction
of a new system or changes in any system… We informed companies,
almost every day but after the roadmap available there are activities
to carry out, which are now going on.. If we compare in terms of
change of regulations, their simplification and introduction of new
regulations, I think we are not in a bad but in a very good situation
because the impression was that problems would have been many more
but they are not as many as we had expected,” the minister said.

He noted that as part of the EEU Armenia is facing problems with
regulations which are objective problems.

“But I think that they will be resolved shortly. Problems are addressed
with Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan on a daily basis, they are mostly
technical issues,” he said.

In answer to our question that aside from technical issues the Armenian
companies are facing serious problems with exports, in fact exports
have been brought to a halt, Karen Chshmarityan said it was expected
until Russia finalizes adjustments.

“It is not so that the Russian companies told our companies to stop
exports. If deals were made in dollars, and our deals were made mainly
in dollars, it was not profitable for them. They had not adjusted
prices, if they bought in dollars, they would suffer losses. Deals
in Russian rubles were not profitable for our companies. Now this
adjustment is underway. They say wait, they don’t say we don’t want
your products because our products are competitive by their kind,
uniqueness. There will be demand, and if we can, we will support,”
he said.

The minister could not estimate losses the Armenian economy will bear
until these problems are overcome. He noted that nobody can provide
exact numbers.

In answer to the observation that the Armenian government used
to hail the huge market and opportunities that would open up in
the EEU but apparently the picture is opposite, Karen Chshmarityan
said simplification of any trade relations will definitely produce
a positive impact. “Whether the EEU or the European Union. The real
picture of that impact will be visible when the situation stabilizes,
and the signals are already in place in our partner countries. It is
too early to make a forecast today,” he said.

In answer to our question why they hurried to join the EEU in such
uncertainty, he said we are already a member.

The minister denies there is economic crisis. “One cannot say that
there is an economic crisis as such. I can justify. The factors that
you are mainly trumpeting, I mean the impact of the Russian economy,
it tends to stabilize already. Prices are up, of course, but over
the past 1-2 months there were no big fluctuations, there are no bug
fluctuations of currency rates, the oil price, if you have noticed,
does not have big fluctuations, it is even rising,” he noted.

As to problems in the Armenian banking sector, and rumors that
banks refuse loan applications, the minister said: “It is not true
that banks refuse everyone. I am saying this as a representative of
economic entities, not banks. With some limited quantity… you know
when the rate of refinancing rises, when collateral loan rate rises,
or reserve ratio rises, loans grow expensive, this is a process which
will undergo adjustments. Along with stabilization demand and supply
will get closer.”

The minister economy says the Economic Activity Index in 2014 is not
low, considering the external negative factors. “Where did you learn
that the economic activity was low, it was 3.9% despite such external
impact, fluctuations. You are saying low. First remove that impact
and see what it would be like,” he said.

Karen Chshmarityan said gas supply to Armenia was not discussed in
the latest EEU conference.

TSARUKYAN NOT CONCERNED ABOUT UPCOMING TAX CHECKS – SPOKESMAN

14:39 13/02/2015 >> POLITICS

Soon you will briefly familiarize with comprehensive and weighty
political statement of Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan,
which will give answers to all questions and offer solutions to the
existing problems, Prosperous Armenia spokesman Tigran Urikhanyan
said after the meeting of the party’s political council.

Asked whether Gagik Tsarukyan is concerned about the upcoming tax
checks as well as the process of stripping him of his parliament seat,
Urikhanyan said, “No, to put it mildly.”

In his words, Prosperous Armenia is rather concerned about the problems
of starving people.

Source: Panorama.am

COMMENT FORCER LES ALEVIS A RENONCER A LEUR FOI ET LEUR CULTURE

Turquie

Le quotidien turc Hurriyet Daily News du 11 fevrier 2015 rapporte
qu’une directive du Directoire charge de l’education religieuse
du ministère turc de l’Education precise que seuls les elèves de
confession chretienne ou juive seront dispenses des cours obligatoires
sur l’islam sunnite.

Cette directive est essentiellement dirigee contre la communaute
alevie de Turquie. Rappelons que l’alevisme regroupe des membres
de l’islam dits heterodoxes et revendique la tradition universelle
et originelle de l’islam et plus largement de toutes les religions
monotheistes. Il s’agit d’un large syncretisme qui donne une approche
très liberale de la religion. Les alevis sont musulmans mais n’ont
pas l’obligation des cinq prières quotidiennes ni du pèlerinage a La
Mecque, ils boivent de l’alcool et les femmes ne sont pas voilees.

Leur lieu de culte n’est pas la mosquee mais le cemevi, (cem evi) qui
signifie, en turc, maison ou lieu du rassemblement. Pour les alevis,
les textes relatifs au foulard des femmes n’ont aucun caractère
universel et ces textes sont, selon les conditions sociales et de
vie d’aujourd’hui, caduques.

L’alevisme constitue la seconde religion en Turquie après le sunnisme.

Si officiellement ils constituent les 10 et 15 % de la population
turque, les sources alevies estiment qu’ils sont entre 20 a 25 %
de la population.

lire la suite, voir lien plus bas

vendredi 13 fevrier 2015, Jean Eckian (c)armenews.com

SARKISSIAN : DECLARATION DE GUERRE A TSARUKIAN

POLITIQUE

Dans une riposte spectaculaire a la pression croissante de Gagik
Tsarukian, le President Serge Sarkissian s’en est pris vivement
au chef de file du Parti Armenie prospère (BHK). Il a ordonne
des verifications fiscales sur ses entreprises et a averti de la
possibilite de poursuites engagees contre lui jeudi soir.

Dans un discours prononce devant les membres dirigeant du Parti
republicain d’Armenie (HHK), Sarkissian a fustige son ancien partenaire
de la coalition dans un discours rempli de descriptions desobligeantes
envers Tsarukian, mentionnant y compris son surnom pejoratif de >.

L’attaque particulièrement rigoureuse a marque une nouvelle etape dans
la montee des tensions entre l’administration Sarkissian et le BHK,
laquelle avait commence après une reunion des forces d’opposition
organisees par Tsarukian la semaine dernière. Le magnat avait mis
a profit ce rassemblement pour intensifier ses critiques envers la
feuille de route du gouvernement et, plus important encore, avait
lancer un avertissement a Sarkissian contre la modification de la
Constitution armenienne.

Sarkissian a defendu a nouveau son desir de transformer l’Armenie
en une republique parlementaire, et a rejete les accusations du
BHK et d’autres groupes d’opposition selon lesquelles la reforme
viserait a lui permettre de rester au pouvoir après la fin de son
deuxième et dernier mandat presidentiel en 2018. Mais il n’a pas
annonce explicitement quelle serait la prochaine etape du processus
de reforme qui ouvrirait la voie a un referendum national sur les
amendements constitutionnels.

Au lieu de cela, Sarkissian, apparemment très en colère, a exprime
clairement son intention d’en decoudre avec Tsarukian qui contrôle la
deuxième plus grande faction politique au Parlement armenien. Selon
lui, l’ancien champion de bras de fer, qui est devenu l’un des hommes
les plus riches du pays pendant le règne de son predecesseur Robert
Kotcharian, manque de l’intelligence, des competences et de l’education
necessaires pour gouverner l’Armenie.

>. >,
a-t-il poursuivi. >. Sarkissian a affirme qu’il se sentait
maintenant desole d’avoir pendant des annees ordonne a ses partisans
de moderer leurs reactions aux > venant de Tsarukian. > a-t-il dit. “Rapidement, complètement
et clairement. On ne peut pas rester davantage dans l’expectative “.

Le president a declare a cet egard que Tsarukian n’avait participe
qu’a 4 des 145 seances parlementaires tenues entre 2013 et 2014. Le
taux d’absenteisme semble etre une raison suffisante pour lui retirer
son siège au Parlement, a-t-il dit, ajoutant : >.

Sarkissian a poursuivi en citant > de longue duree impliquant Tsarukian dans des pratiques d’evasion
fiscale a grande echelle.

IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO CLOSE THE DOOR WHEN IT’S LOCKED FROM THE INSIDE-ARMENIA’S MFA COUNTERS ERDOGAN

19:05, 11 February, 2015

YEREVAN, 11 FEBRUARY, ARMENPRESS. It’s impossible to close a door
when it’s locked from the inside. This is what press speaker of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Tigran Balayan
declared as he commented on Turkish President Recep Tayyib Erdogan’s
statement at the request of NEWS.am.

Earlier, it became clear that during the official visit to Colombia,
Erdogan had declared that “Armenia has closed the door to peace”.

“We know that the Armenian Diaspora is leading an anti-Turkish
campaign. We have made efforts to turn a new page, but unfortunately,
the hand that we extended is still hanging in thin air. We said let
us remove that issue from the political agenda and move it to the
academic level prior to the 100th anniversary. We sent an invitation
to Canakkale on April 24th, but Armenia closed the door to peace,”
Erdogan declared.

Let us mention that Turkey traditionally marked the anniversary of
the Battle of Gallipoli on March 18th, not on April 24th.

Before Turkey would decide to move the date, President of Armenia
Serzh Sargsyan had invited President of Turkey Recep Tayyib Erdogan
to Yerevan and attend the Armenian Genocide Centennial Commemoration
events on April 24th, but Erdogan had not responded to the invitation.

TURKISH PRESIDENT: IF ARMENIANS HAVE OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS ON THEIR UNFOUNDED CLAIMS, SO LET THEM OPEN THOSE DOCUMENTS

The Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency
Feb 11 2015

Istanbul, February 11, AzerTAc

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has strongly criticized the
Armenian leadership and diaspora organizations for insincerity towards
Turkey.According to Anadolu Agency, the Turkish President, who spoke
during his official visit to Colombia, said Armenia`s and Armenian
diaspora organizations` claims against Turkey are fully groundless.

“The only way to reveal the truth about these imaginary claims is to
open archives.” “Turkey has taken the first step on this front. More
than one million documents from the archives uncovered false claims of
Armenia against Turkey,” said Mr Erdogan.”If Armenians have official
documents on their unfounded claims, so let them open those documents,”
he added.

Sabir Shahtakhtı

TURKEY-EU PARLIAMENTARY MEETING DELAYED A MONTH AMID COOL RELATIONS

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Feb 11 2015

ANKARA

A planned joint parliamentary meeting between Turkey and EU
representatives was postponed for a month due to lawmakers’ busy
agenda, the Turkish co-chair of the joint commission has said, after
a European lawmaker accused Ankara of delaying the event in order to
avoid criticism.

Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Commission (KPK) Co-Chair Afif
Demirkıran said a commission meeting planned to be held on Feb. 18
and 19 in Istanbul has been delayed to March because 25 KPK member
lawmakers will have to attend debates for the much-debated security
bill in Ankara.

EU ‘knows Turkey’s red lines’

Speaking to semi-official Anadolu Agency on Feb. 11, Demirkıran
ruled out claims that the decision was politically-motivated and was
a reaction to the 442 change motions filed about the Progress Report
on Turkey’s accession bid currently being prepared by the European
Parliament.

Some 442 motions have been filed by European Parliament lawmakers
to sharpen the tone of the report, including calling on Ankara to
recognize claims that the 1915 massacres of Ottoman Armenians amounted
to genocide, and removing the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)
from the EU’s terror list.

Demirkıran said the European Parliament’s Progress Report called for
the reconciliation of Turkey and Armenia, but stressed that Turkey
rapporteur Kati Piri is “aware of Turkey’s red lines” on the issue.

‘Cold climate in Istanbul’

A day before, one of the European Parliament’s Turkey rapporteurs,
German Christian Democrat party member Renate Sommer, said the delay
request from the Turkish side was “incomprehensible behavior.”

In a statement, Sommer suggested that the Turkish government backed
away from the meeting because it feared possible reactions from
European parliamentarians, particularly over the issues of press
freedom and the ongoing Cyprus tension.

Hannes Swaboda, the leader of the Socialist group in the European
Parliament, posted a message on his Twitter account late on Feb. 10
indicating the tension between Ankara and Brussels.

“Cold climate in Istanbul – also politically. But we need to keep
channels of discussion and dialogue open,” Swaboda tweeted

February/11/2015

ERDOGAN: ARMENIAN DIASPORA HINDERS PEACE EFFORTS AND DIALOGUE

Daily Sabah, Turkey
Feb 11 2015

NURBANU KIZIL

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan highlighted that Turkey
is ready for a constructive and objective approach to resolve the
tensions between Armenia and Turkey due to the 1915 incidents despite
the objection of the Armenian diaspora

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that every time Turkey tries to
approach Armenia to resolve the issues between the two countries, they
have been left without a response as the Armenian diaspora continues
to block Turkey’s efforts to establish peace through dialogue.

As part of his official visit to Colombia, Erdogan spoke on Tuesday
at a symposium co-organized by Bogota Externado University and Ankara
University and urged Armenia to examine the 1915 events in a more
objective manner through the lens of science and not politics. He also
said that Turkey is sincere in its readiness to investigate the issue
in order to reach accurate conclusions. He highlighted that the 1915
events have not been properly examined or discussed.

“On the 100th anniversary of the 1915 events, as Turkey we repeat our
sincere call to Armenia,” Erdogan said, urging Armenians to take a
more proactive and objective approach and let scholars and academics
investigate the matter rather than politicians.

Erdogan said that Armenian leaders rejected Turkey’s invitation to
attend the ceremony organized in Canakkale to commemorate the 100th
anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli in a discourteous manner
and that their offensive statements closed the doors of dialogue
once again.

“We wanted them to be in Canakkale on April 24 and breathe the spirit
in the air, try to comprehend what hundreds of thousands of Turkish
martyrs experienced,” Erdogan said, and reiterated that Turkey will
not give up its efforts to reach peace and dialogue with respect to
the 1915 events.

He underscored that Turkey has always been against conflicts and crises
in the region and has made rational and justified objections to such
attempts. “We want peace, justice, friendship and brotherhood in our
region,” he said, adding that Turkey is not requesting anything else.

In January, Erdogan sent invitation letters to over 100 world leaders
to take part in the ceremonies commemorating the 100oth anniversary
of the Battle of Gallipoli on April 24.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan reportedly rejected Erdogan’s
invitation as being a “short-sighted” attempt to cover the 100th year
commemoration of the 1915 events.

In a the speech, Erdogan said that understanding World War I was
crucial to comprehending the current state of events in the world as
it drew the borders of the current nation-states, which had serious
implications for today.

“Many of our global problems today are rooted in World War I,” he
said, explaining that the issue in Palestine and conflicts in Iraq,
Yemen, Egypt, North Africa, the Caucasus and the Balkans can all be
traced back to the war.

“The borders were not only drawn for territories, but were also imposed
on the people,” Erdogan said, arguing that abstract borders had been
forcefully imposed on people’s mentalities, cultures and religions
and that siblings had been made enemies.

The 1915 events occurred during World War I when a segment of
Armenians living under the Ottoman Empire supported the Russian
invasion and revolted against the state and were relocated to eastern
Anatolia. While Turkey refrains from using the term “genocide” to refer
to the incident, as many Turks also lost their lives due to attacks
carried out by Armenian gangs in Anatolia, the Armenian state and
diaspora are campaigning for the incident to be recognized as genocide.

Erdogan issued a letter expressing condolences for the 1915 events
on April 23, 2014, which was unprecedented in Turkey’s history. In
the letter, he urged for the establishment of a joint historical
commission to investigate the events and called Armenia to open their
archives as Turkey has done.

BOSTON, BILLBOARDS COMMEMORATE #ARMENIANGENOCIDE CENTENNIAL

February 12, 2015 By administrator

By Rosario Teixeira

billboards were displayed in Foxboro, Mass., on Route 1 South, about
a quarter mile from Gillette Stadium.

BOSTON, Mass.–In January 2015, Peace of Art, Inc., began to display
digital billboards that commemorate the Centennial of the Armenian
Genocide and pay tribute to all victims of genocides over the past
100 years. This project will continue through the end of the 2015,
with electronic billboards displayed throughout the United States.

The first billboards were displayed in Foxboro, on Route 1 South,
about a quarter mile from Gillette Stadium. Another digital billboard
measuring 14’x48â~@² is located in Peabody, on I-95/128 facing south,
approximately one mile from Market St. in Lynnfield. In Seattle,
Wash., a large digital billboard is located in Bothel, on Highway
527 facing north. More locations and images will follow.

In reference to the first billboards, the president of Peace of Art,
Daniel Varoujan Hejinian, said, “We are sending a message of peace to
the world, to condemn the past crimes of genocide and resolve that
no other nation be the next target of genocide. With the electronic
billboards, Peace of Art’s message is that genocide continues to be a
threat to humanity. It urges viewers to condemn the crime of genocide,
to be alert…and put an end to this crime against humanity once and
for all.”

The first of the billboards reads, “Condemn the Past, Don’t Be the
Next Victim. Remember 1915 the Armenian Genocide.” Within the word
“genocide,” the letter “o” is a target. The second of the electronic
billboards reads, “In Remembrance of All Genocide Victims 1915-2015.

The Centennial of the Armenian Genocide.” The letter “o” in “genocide”
includes the flags of those countries that have recognized the Armenian
Genocide, as well as a dove symbolizing peace.

The next billboard will read, “1915-2015 the Centennial of the Armenian
Genocide.” The letter “o” will have a heart (representing the heart
of a nation) with a bite (representing the loss of 1.5 million people).

Since 1996, Hejinian, an artist, has been displaying large billboards
in Massachusetts to inform the community at large to the reality
of the Armenian Genocide. In 2003, Hejinian founded Peace of Art,
a nonprofit organization that uses art as an educational tool
to bring awareness to the universal human condition, and promote
peaceful solutions to conflict. The organization is not associated
with political or religious organizations, and its focus is on the
global human condition.

Since the Armenian Genocide took place, millions of people have been
the target of genocide, torture, rape, dispossession, and murder.

These are only some of the genocides and mass atrocities that followed
the Armenian Genocide of 1915: the Holocaust (1933-1945); Cambodian
Genocide (1975-1979); ethnic cleansing in Bosnia (1992-1995); Rwandan
Genocide (1994); and Darfur Genocide (2003). Refugee camps are just
a footnote to this ongoing tragedy. The general indifference of
the international community is dangerous, allowing the crimes to be
repeated without impunity.

A century ago in the Ottoman Empire, genocide was carried out against
the Armenians, while reporters and foreign dignitaries, ambassadors
and consuls, alerted the leadership of their respective countries.

Henry Morgenthau Sr., the U.S. ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, sent
several appeals and protests to Ottoman officials as well as to the
State Department. In 1915, the New York Times published 150 articles,
one just about every other day, reporting on the ongoing atrocities.

Governments remained indifferent, and proceeded with non-action
according to their political interests. “Our only goal is to keep
Turkey by our side until the end of the war, regardless of whether
Armenians perish in the process or not,” the German imperial adviser
Bethmann Hollweg said.

One hundred years have passed but many nations continue to ignore the
crime of genocide taking place around the world. The international
community has the power to put an end to these atrocities, and it
should begin by recognizing and condemning the Armenian Genocide.

For more information on Peace of Art, Inc., visit

ANKARA CANCELS MEETING OF EU-TURKEY JOINT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE

Trend Daily News (Azerbaijan)
February 11, 2015 Wednesday 5:48 PM GMT +4

Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb.11
By Rufiz Hafizoglu – Trend:

Ankara has cancelled the next meeting of the EU-Turkey Joint
Parliamentary Committee as the committee’s agenda included discussions
on the “Armenian genocide”, Hurriyet newspaper reported on Feb.11.

The meeting was to be held on Feb.18-19 in Turkey’s Istanbul city.

Earlier, Turkey’s authorities warned the EU that Ankara will refuse
to hold the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee’s meeting if its
agenda includes discussions on the “Armenian genocide”.

Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that Turkey’s predecessor, the
Ottoman Empire allegedly carried out “genocide” against the Armenians
living in Anatolia in 1915. Turkey in turn has always denied “the
genocide” took place.

While strengthening the efforts to promote the “genocide” in the
world, Armenians have achieved its recognition by the parliaments of
some countries.

Although Turkey has repeatedly proposed to create an independent
commission to investigate the events of 1915, Armenia continues to
reject this proposal.

Moreover, previously, Turkish authorities have repeatedly made gestures
to Armenia. Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s message to the Armenian people on
April 24, 2014 is one of such recent gestures.

Erdogan said in that message that the events of 1915 were a
difficult time not only for Armenians, but also for Arabs, Kurds and
representatives of other nations living in the country.