Author: Kalantarian Kevo

Tasnim News Agency, Iran
Sept 21 2014

Iran’s President Felicitates Armenia’s Independence Day

September 21, 2014 – 19:00

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani in a message
felicitated the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on the country’s
Independence Day.

In his message, President Rouhani expressed the hope that the good
relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Armenia would
strengthen at bilateral and International levels.

Rouhani also wished success for the Armenian president and prosperity
for the nation and government.

September 21 is marked as Independence Day in the Republic of Armenia.
Based on the referendum results (99% of the votes proved in favor of
independence) the Republic of Armenia was proclaimed an independent
State by Parliament.

Iran and Armenia, as two neighboring states, have always enjoyed
amicable relations in a whole host of fields.

Police vs. Suicide: A New Initiative in Yerevan

09.19.2014 17:07 epress.am

It has already been one week that police officers have been keeping
duty on Yerevan’s highest bridges. Among their responsibilities is
preventing suicide attempts. The most well known bridges, in regards
to suicide, mostly follow the Hrazdan river; Hrazdan’s big bridge,
famously known as Kievian (60 meters high), Davtashen’s bridge (92
meters), and Victory Bridge (34 meters).

Anonymous police officers told journalists that they are discontent
with the Law Enforcement leadership’s new initiative, with the hope
that they would be freed from it. “Even without this job, day and
night we’re on the streets, but now we have no way to stay away from
the sun,” protested the police officer with handcuffs and a club tied
to his belt.

According to him, the police leadership warned them that for every
unprevented suicide, they would be reprimanded, their salaries
lowered, and deprived them from future bonuses, “a few days ago on
another bridge, they started an investigation for a registered
incident and those on patrol are under threat of being strictly
reprimanded. Though, there’s no reward for saving someone.”

I said that “if there were rewards, you would present a few acts of
preventions at every shift.”

“That’s impossible. First of all, we won’t let ourselves do that.
Second, they are monitoring us here and there are cameras all over the
city. They follow us even closer than they do ordinary citizens,”
answered the police officer.

Another police officer, who was also discontent with the leadership’s
new spotlight on suicide, interfered in the conversation, he claimed,
“they said that last week the president was attending a wedding which
was to take place in the Hrazdan canyon’s Florence restaurant. Someone
jumped off the bridge and blocked his entourage’s path. They were
forced to change their route and from that moment, they decided to
send patrol units to all bridges. As if everything was alright
before.”

He also noted, that until the present moment they haven’t been told
what criteria they should look for in potential suicide victims, “if
someone wants to commit suicide, no one could prevent the person. You
don’t need to find that person on a bridge. I can’t place a camera in
everyone’s head. What should I do, run after every person who seems
weird? Half the city walks with gloomy mug faces; should I not let
them walk across the bridge? Look, you look gloomy too! Generally, you
don’t even look like a journalist.”

Epress.am spoke to Police public relations department representative
Armen Malkhasyan, who noted that they don’t have a specific service
for suicide prevention. According to Malkhasyan, the patrol units have
routes and police officers may appear on the bridge during the day.

Yuri M.

Nagorno-Karabakh president congratulates Armenian counterpart on 23rd
anniversary of Armenia’s independence

13:39 * 21.09.14

President Bako Sahakyan sent a congratulatory letter to Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan in connection with the 23rd anniversary of
the Republic of Armenia’s Independence.

The letter runs as follows:

“Respected Mr Sargsyan,

I cordially congratulate You and the whole our nation on the Independence Day.

September 21 is a historic and memorial day in the life of all the
Armenians. It was marked as the revival of the Armenian statehood for
the sake of which our people had been struggling for a long time. The
aspiration to manage their own destiny themselves, live freely and
independently in their native soil always accompanied our ancestors,
became an ultimate goal and the only way to maintain national identity
and survive.

It is already 23 years since we have been embarked on this path
overcoming all the difficulties on a nationwide basis and gaining
glorious victories. These victories were achieved by means of
incredible hardships and losses, which oblige us always be on alert
and vigilant, continuously strengthen the independent Armenian
statehood by joint efforts. Armenia and Artsakh constitute the
Motherland for the entire Armenian people and their development and
prosperity is a matter of honor and dignity for every Armenian.

I am confident that due to the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora unshakable
trinity we should be able to further solve the issues raised before
our nation successfully and register new achievements and victories.

I congratulate You and all our compatriots once again on the state
holiday and wish peace, robust health and all the best for the well
being of Mother Armenia and the Armenian people”.

VATICAN
Le président arménien en visite officielle au Vatican

Le président arménien Serge Sarkissian était jeudi 18 septembre en
visite officielle au Saint-Siège (Vatican).

Tel que rapporté par le service de presse présidentiel, dans le
complexe du musée Vittoriano à Rome, Serge Sarkissian a procédé à
l’ouverture officielle d’une exposition de photos sur le
christianisme.

Dans ses remarques, Sarkissian a également parlé de la destruction de
la culture arménienne au Nakhitchevan et tout au long de
l’Azerbaïdjan, et a noté que cette tragédie n’a pas été correctement
évaluée par la communauté internationale.

Dans le cadre de sa visite officielle au Vatican, le leader arménien a
également rendu visite à la basilique de Saint-Barthélemy à Rome.

Les chapelles de cette église contiennent des références sur les
martyrs chrétiens, y compris les victimes du génocide arménien.

Serge Sarkissian a déposé une gerbe sur l’autel principal de la
basilique, et a rendu hommage aux victimes, selon son service de
presse. Il a noté que l’Eglise a eu une importance et un rôle
particulier dans l’histoire du peuple arménien. Serge Sarkissian a
souligné que Saint-Barthélemy est considéré comme l’un des fondateurs
de l’Eglise arménienne.

dimanche 21 septembre 2014,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

ARF TO COMMENCE TALKS WITH ARMENIA AUTHORITIES

18:01, 19.09.2014

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s opposition ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party will start
negotiations with the authorities.

ARF Bureau representative Hrant Margaryan told the aforesaid to
reporters on Friday noting that they support Constitutional reforms.

“We have a historic opportunity to put the country on the right track.

Those who care about Armenia cannot be non-supporters of Constitutional
amendments. We [ARF] have our vision regarding a change, for which
we will fight,” Margaryan noted.

The ARF official added that he hopes they will be able to impose
their respective approach onto the powers that be.

OSCE MINSK GROUP DISSATISFIED WITH PROCESS OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Vestnik Kavkaza Russia
Sept 19 2014

19 September 2014 – 7:42pm

“I cannot agree that the talks are inactive. The problem is that
the contacts between the leaders of the two states are rare. The
last summit was held in November, 2013. It’s a good sign though that
the two presidents have manage to meet with each other,” one of the
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group Igor Popov said.

“It proves the mutual desire to find a solution to the problem,”
the co-chair said.

According to him, at the Sochi summit the parties have analyzed the
positions of each other and issued corresponding orders.

“The meeting was quite peculiar since it was held amid violent tensions
on the border,” he stressed.

Popov also said that the Minsk Group is doing its best to secure the
conflict resolution.

“My colleagues and I are quite dissatisfied with the fact that the
issues is still unsolved,” he underlines.

“SYSTEMIC” PROBLEMS OF ARMENIAN BUSINESSMEN

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Sept 19 2014

19 September 2014 – 11:21am

It has become common for any sensational events affecting people
engaged in politics or in contact with political elites to become
politicized. Early this week, the political subtext was found in the
accusation against Vladimir Yevtushenkov, the owner of Sistema and
Bashneft, one of Russia’s richest men, of money laundering.

The house arrest of Yevtushenko was declared, based on the testimony
of Igor Izmestyev, a Russian ex-senator who had earlier testified
against Levon Ayrapetyan, one of the most active Armenian lobbyists
and a rich businessman. The latter is suspected of acquiring Bashneft
shares and legalizing funds gained illegally.

The “Armenian trace” in Sistema can be seen very explicitly. Robert
Kocharyan, an Armenian ex-president, has been a member of the board of
directors for years. Experts claim now that the problems of Sistema
will affect the resources of Kocharyan in the internal political
struggle in Armenia. Sistema has never had an office in Armenia, it had
companies representing it there. Sistema owned 53.1% of the shares in
MTS and 50.9% in Komstar-OTS. The latter companies were shareholders
of Armenia’s second largest mobile operator K-Telecom (a trademark
of VivaCell-MTS) and internet provider Kornet-AM respectively.

Kocharyan, who has numerously declared his plans to return to Armenian
politics, has no problems with Russian law. Levon Ayrapetyan, however,
who has never officially been in politics, does have such problems.

The Armenian diaspora abroad is doing its best to politicize the case
of Ayrapetyan, one of the world’s richest Armenians. Activists of the
diaspora have organized anti-Russian protests in European and American
cities, and urged French singer of Armenian origin Charles Aznavour
to cancel a Moscow concert on October 3 as a symbol of solidarity
with the businessman.

Areg Galstyan, a political analyst and Armenia expert, accused diaspora
officials who were not efficient enough of politicizing the process:
“If Baku and Ankara can order the arrest of one of the most influential
Armenians in the world, it means that we have big problems and our
diaspora all over the world is worth nothing.”

Attempt to politicize the process went beyond sanity when it became
clear that the Armenian public was not as worried about his fate as
needed. “The great son of the Armenian people is in danger and the
reaction should be immediate, support for Levon Ayrapetyan is the
moral obligation of every Armenian, regardless of their residence and
social status. Support should be moral and absolutely concrete. We
need to evaluate the work of Mr. Ayrapetyan, as Armenians and need
to say that “We are all Levon Ayrapetyans,”” urged Galstyan.

We can only hope that attempts to interfere with justice will only
remain words. Everyone understands that only Themis can evaluate the
actions of a citizen and decide ones fate.

OurWindsor, Canada
Sept 20 2014

Laugh till it hurts

Andrea Martin’s Lady Parts, Harper Avenue, 352 pages, $29.99

The timing of this book is unintentionally, disturbingly excellent.
With Robin Williams’s death still fresh in our memories, here comes a
first-person memoir by another hugely talented comedian/actor whose
manic onstage antics have masked a deeply troubled personal life.

In Andrea Martin’s “Lady Parts” we learn that Martin — brilliant SCTV
alumna, two-time Tony-winning Broadway star and beloved Aunt Voula
from the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” (“You don’t eat no meat?
That’s OK, I make lamb!”) — has suffered from crippling depression,
out-of-control panic attacks, neurotic insecurities and a 15-year
battle with bulimia.

All this from our country’s favourite funny woman? First off, she
isn’t really ours. Born in Portland, Maine, she moved to Toronto at
23, then moved back to the United States 16 years later. She has had a
home in Toronto’s High Park since 2009. But she’s so sweet and
apologetic about being American that she might as well be Canadian.

Of Armenian descent (many mistakenly think she’s Jewish), Martin, 67,
had an enviable youth: she was voted most popular girl in high school,
dated the captain of the baseball team and was Homecoming Queen. Two
weeks after graduating with a college degree in speech and theatre she
joined a touring company, meeting up with fellow unknowns Gilda
Radner, Martin Short and Eugene Levy in the legendary Toronto
production of Godspell.

That led to the Second City stage show and the collaboration of
comedians that became SCTV, the gloriously satirical series that ran
for seven seasons, ending in 1984.

By this point Martin’s marriage to Canadian screenwriter Bob Dolman,
with whom she had two sons, was starting to fray, and her body-image
insecurities became obsessions. Raised by a loving but controlling
father and narcissistic mother, she never felt adequate, either
personally or professionally.

Even after she won her first Tony in 1992, her father asked, “Now do
you think you’ll get a break?” In fact, what followed was a nervous
breakdown and a long and shaky climb back up.

Andrea Martin’s “Lady Parts” isn’t a traditional memoir but a
free-flowing collection of seemingly spontaneous musings that jump all
over the place. She includes a year of charming diary entries from her
11-year-old self: “May 23. I found out the other reason that Stanley
and Steven hate me. It is because I bounce (from) one boy to another.
So I am going to try to be a lady even though I can’t be.”

Her out-of-order chapters include why she flies to Atlanta every six
weeks to get her hair done, how her red Mustang was stolen at
gunpoint; her trip to Armenia, and her year-long affair with a man so
much younger that a store clerk asked her: “Would your son like to try
on the khaki pants?”

The sections on bulimia are brutally honest: “I didn’t care if I stole
half-eaten food off someone’s room service tray that lay in the hotel
hallway …” A conversation with her father is painfully intimate. She
saves her SCTV reminiscences till the end and some of the lines will
make you laugh out loud. She doesn’t mention her latest sitcom, which
is, perhaps, just as well, as critics declare that “Working the
Engels” isn’t working at all.

Martin admits writing the book was like pulling teeth. When she’s
told: “Just write, even if it sucks,” she obliges: one chapter is a
long, tedious list of things she’d rather do than write (“chat with
telemarketers … pluck my chin hairs … fluff pillows …”). There’s a
squirmingly personal account of her visit to the gynecologist, where
she’s prescribed testosterone for her low sex drive. (Really? For a
67-year-old who isn’t dating?)

But her disarming frankness and continuing struggles will make most
readers embrace Andrea Martin’s “Lady Parts.” Chances are we’ll pay
extra-close attention if we go to see “Night at the Museum: Secret of
the Tomb,” to be released in December. The comedy features Andrea
Martin and Robin Williams.

Toronto Star

Alexan Harutyunyan to be appointed Armenia’s ambassador to Argentina

12:30 / 19.09.2014

Former head of Armenian Public TV Alexan Harutyunyan was not
unemployed for long.

The president decided to send him to Argentina as Armenia’s ambassador.
Alexan Harutyunyan has a diplomatic experience, he previously worked
as Armenia’s ambassador to France.

Nyut.am

I expect only the truth ahead of Genocide centennial – Peter Koutoujian

12:49 * 20.09.14

Tert.am has interviewed Peter Koutoujian, the current Sheriff of
Middlesex County (Massachusetts), who is considered an influential
figure in the United States with a poltiical career spanning over 25
years. The politician, who considers himself 100% Armenian and 100%
Irish, says he is now working on a project for young
American-Armenians to get them involved public services and politics
in an effort affect pro-Armenian changes across the United States.

Mr Koutoujian, Armenia is commemorating the 100th anniversary of the
Genocide next year. As a person who is well-aware of, and directly
involved in, the US politics, do you think that President Barack Obama
will use the word “genocide” in its true legal meaning in 2015?

It’s my great hope that he does use the word “genocide” this year. I
know that as a candidate for president of the United States, he said
that he would use the word ‘genocide’. I know that George Bush Junior
said that he would use genocide, and so did Bill Clinton.

And what measures do you think we have to undertake – both here in
Armenia and the Diaspora – to make our expectations come true. I mean
both with regard to the Genocide centennial and the recognition of
Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh)?

I think it’s going to take many more things than just a relationship
between the countries and the people. I think there are going to be
other things in world politics that will probably need to happen,
because the issue of recognition – as we have got a referendum in
Scotland to separate and there are numerous other votes on separation
right now – they are not just unique with Artsakh but in many other
situations. Countries like Artsakh are looking for recognition as an
independent nation.

Do you agree that processes aimed at the recognition of the
self-determination right are gaining a wide momentum around the world,
and it is becoming in a way a unique opportunity for Nagorno-Karabakh
in terms of achieving an international recognition?

Yes. I think that America took its own right to self determination in
its own hands and recognized the right of other countries to
self-determination. I think, unfortunately, it falls within the bounds
of many of much geopolitics, and that’s where our efforts to recognize
Artsakh as a nation are more limited despite the actions of many
people.

And the same question regarding the Armenian Genocide. What do the
Armenians in Armenia and the Diaspora have to do to make their
expectations realistic ahead of the centennial?

We need to organize; we need to speak with one loud voice. In the
United States, I know there are many groups looking to organize
themselves, and I see this effort to organize in Washington DC which
will, I think, be a significant movement. But we need, as an
ethnicity, as a group, as Armenian-Americans in my country, to speak
with one loud voice and make sure that our impact is heard

As an influential political figure in the US political establishment,
what expectations do you have from the United States ahead of 1915?

I expect only the truth, and that’s the recognition of the Genocide by
the United States. I don’t necessarily expect that the US will do so,
sadly, based upon the history of the failure. But that’s my
expectation. My expectation is that the US will do nothing but
recognize the truth.

Do you expect visits on the level of high-ranking officials?

Yes, I expect that this year we’ll bring every weapon out of our
arsenal in order to convince Congress and the president that we need
to recognize the Genocide.

Our former prime minister, Tigran Sargsyan, is Armenia’s ambassador to
the United States. What expectations do you have in that connection?
Do you think it will contribute to the passage of pro-Armenian
measures on the level of the US Government?

I believe so. I met him when he was a prime minister a number of years
ago; I was immediately impressed with his intellect and his passion
and his vision. As I appreciate his vision for Armenia, I know that he
will have an excellent vision for the US-Armenia relations. I think
it’s a good sign that in the first week or two of his job, he was
invited to visit the White House and the President of the United
States. I think it was a good sign for the country and in our
relations.

US-Armenian band-musician Serj-Tankian has composed the musical
symphony, 100 Years, dedicated to the Armenian Genocide. It is going
to be premiered in California. Do you think that such joint efforts by
celebrated Diaspora-Armenian cultural figures can contribute to the
Genocide recognition efforts?

I do, because anyway you can reach out to different communities and
connect with different communities – whether they be political,
historic, cultural, educational – whatever these opportunities are. I
think it will strengthen our ability and unify our visions to achieve
recognition.

To the best of my knowledge, you consider yourself a 100% Armenian and
100% Irish. Has you being an Armenian been of help to you or on the
contrary, it has been an obstacle in your career?

I think that everything that makes me an Armenian is a help. I think
that perhaps the genetic design, the DNA that we all have as being
[Genocide] survivors has made me a survivor even in modern-day
America, and [it has given me] perseverance and strength. I was raised
through Armenian schools, Saturday schools for language and high
school for language, but I really reconnected with Armenians when I
became elected to office. And I didn’t do it because I had Armenians
in my district – my district had very few Armenians – I did it because
I knew that I was in a special place that I could impact issues
affecting Armenians and Armenian-Americans. And I knew that at every
moment I was the reflection of my people. not just my family, but my
entire people, my Armenian family, and that every day I needed to make
sure that I did the right thing, I worked hard and that I reflected
well not only upon myself, not only upon my family but also upon
Armenians – both in America and worldwide.

When you were represented in the state legislature, what problems did
you try to resolve to help Armenia? And did you collaborate with
lobbyist groups?

When I was first elected, each year I planned and participated in the
Armenian Genocide commemoration at the State House in Boston. That was
started by the former Armenian-American speaker, George Gavarian. When
he left, there were no Armenians to run that commemoration ceremony,
which was very rich as part of our community’s heritage. And so I was
able to take that over; I was able to speak about issues when they
came up – about the legislature, about the Genocide (Armenian and
other genocides). I was able to speak about the self-determination
issues, including Artsakh, and I was able to speak in a way that no
one else could – about peoples like Armenians. And I was able then to
use that influence on a more national level.

We built an Armenian heritage park in Boston. I don’t know if you have
ever seen it, but you might want to go and get a picture. It’s a very
beautiful park we built for about 6 million Dollars. And probably, my
greatest legacy, as a public official, in my entire career will have
been the Armenian Heritage Park. We started on a major project – we
had a central artery that ran above the grounds through the small
city. It was terribly ugly, and the government took it and put it
under the ground, under the tunnel in a big dig. And when we did it, a
few of us decided that we should try to put together an Armenian
Genocide memorial on this park way, which was a prime real estate in
Boston at that time. So this was a dream that I had. There were fights
within the community about what it should look like and how it should
progress. And then everyone left the project, and there was just me
left alone. And at the time there were major benefactors – there was
the Jewish Holocaust Memorial, there was the YMCA, many major
organizations and many communities – the Greece and Jewish
communities, the Italian community, the Hungarian community – many
communities that wanted to participate and to get a piece of this land
for some type of memorial. And despite the fact that everyone had a
fight and left the project, I continued to persevere. I think this is
part of the Armenian DNA that I couldn’t just let it go.

And when we celebrated the opening of the Armenian Heritage park, when
we had our groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting grand opening, they were
the very best days of the Armenian-Americans in Boston. Because
whenever we gather, it’s always about the Genocide; it’s a sad
occasion, important but very sad. It’s a recognition, but this is a
celebration, and it really represents all that we’ve gone through in
breaking apart and coming to America and recreating ourselves in a
fashion that is portrayed so beautifully right there in the center of
Boston.

Well, you are really a very busy person. Have you ever thought about
any project for the Armenians in the US?

Yes, I am thinking about a project to start in America right now, with
Armenians. I want to create the rebirth of Armenians politically, and
so I want to begin a program to get young people involved in public
services and politics and know how to work in electoral office in
order to affect changes. Because while Armenians are not largely on
the outside, we don’t have as much influence as we should. So think
about a football game – unless you are actually in the field, you
can’t directly influence the outcome of that game. And that’s why we
need more Armenian-Americans in the public sector, so we can then have
the influence that we need in order to achieve many of these goals.