Author: Kalantarian Kevo

36-VOLUME PUBLICATION TO PRESENT ALL PROVINCES OF WESTERN ARMENIA

16:21 17.03.2014

Alisa Gevorgyan
Public Radio of Armenia

Ahead of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the Research
on Armenian Architecture (RAA) NGO plans to release a 36-volume
publication, presenting all provinces of Western Armenia. According
to the President of the NGO Samvel Karapetyan, the publication will
refer to about 7,000 villages.

“Every volume will present all villages in the given province.

Therefore, it will refer to all villages, to the birthplaces of all
1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide,” Samvel Karapetyan told
reporters today.

In 2014 the NGO plans to publish several works dedicated to the
Khojivank cemetery and Dadivank.

Samvel Karapetyan said at least the two first volumes will be released
before the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

YOUNG SCHOLARS PROTEST AGAINST ARMENIA PENSION REFORM (PHOTOS)

March 17, 2014 | 13:45

YEREVAN. – Several dozens of young researchers at the National
Academy of Sciences (NAS) of Armenia, who are protesting the new
pension plan in the country, assembled in front of the NAS building
on Monday afternoon (photo).

They wrote a letter addressed to NAS President Radik Martirosyan, in
which they express their disagreement with the decision to deduct the
mandatory pension payments from their salaries, demand from Martirosyan
to appeal this matter at the relevant bodies, and also warn that the
young scholars are ready to defend their rights and freedoms.

The young scholars handed the letter to the NAS Letters’ Section.

Radik Martirosyan, on the other hand, received solely the journalists,
and said that nothing is dependent on them, and if there is a law,
everyone shall obey it.

After handing the letter, the young scholars walked toward the
Constitutional Court building, where they will hand a similar letter
that expresses their concerns over this new law.

The new funded pension plan, which formally came into force in Armenia
on January 1, 2014, is mandatory for those born in and after 1974
and voluntary for those born before 1974. In line with this plan,
5 to 10 percent of the monthly salaries in Armenia will be deducted
and mandatorily be allocated to cumulative pension funds; the latter
will be reimbursed as pensions once a person turns 63 years old.

On January 24, however, the Constitutional Court decided to suspend the
execution of some components in the Law on Funded Pensions pending
the hearing–on March 28–of the petition submitted by the four
non-ruling-coalition parliamentary forces–the Armenian National
Congress, Prosperous Armenia, ARF Dashnaktsutyun, and Heritage–,
and into the constitutionality of the several articles of the law.

Notwithstanding this, some employers already are deducting the
mandatory pension payment from the salaries of their employees.

KARABAKH FOREIGN MINISTRY: CRIMEA REFERENDUM IMPLEMENTATION OF PEOPLE’S RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION

March 17, 2014 | 19:04

STEPANAKERT. – Foreign Ministry of Nagorno-Karabakh issued a statement
on the referendum in Crimea.

“Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
(the Artsakh Republic) considers the referendum held on March 16
in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea as yet another manifestation
of realization of the right of people to self-determination,” the
statement reads.

“The right of every people to choose its path of development and
determine its destiny on its own through democratic expression of
will, as it is enshrined in the UN Charter and a number of fundamental
international documents, is a key principle of international law.

The experience of recent years, in particular the referendums envisaged
in Catalonia and Scotland prove that the recognition and realization
of the inalienable right of people to self-determination is the most
optimal and democratic way for the peaceful settlement of this kind
of issues.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
hopes that the situation following the referendum in the Autonomous
Republic of Crimea will be addressed and resolved in the legal context
exclusively by peaceful means.”

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

DE PLUS EN PLUS DE VOLS D’AVIONS DE GUERRE RUSSES EN ARMENIE

Militaire

Les avions de combat deployes a la base militaire russe en Armenie va
continuer a augmenter la frequence de ses vols d’entraînement et ainsi
renforcer ses aptitudes au combat, a declare leur commandant vendredi.

” Nous essayons maintenant d’augmenter l’intensite de nos vols
d’entraînement “, a declare le colonel Alexandre Petrov aux
journalistes de la base Erebuni a Erevan où la plupart des avions de
combat MiG- 29 sont stationnes.

” Mais nous ne sommes pas seuls ici “, a ajoute Petrov. ” Un escadron
d’helicoptères armenien effectue egalement des vols, et chaque fois
qu’ils ont des jours de conge, nous les utilisons pour des vols. Nous
augmentons la frequence de nos vols pour rester en bonne forme “.

L’armee russe a deja rapporte des augmentations significatives de ces
vols effectues en Armenie au cours des dernières annees. Un communique
du district militaire du Sud de la Russie avait declare le mois
dernier que le nombre et la duree a deja augmente de 15 % cette annee.

L’unite d’aviation de la base russe dirigee par Petrov aurait au
moins 16 MiG-29. Le colonel a confirme que trois d’entre eux ont ete
modernises recemment.

Dans un autre coup de pouce a l’unite de Petrov, la Russie deploiera
environ deux douzaine d’helicoptères de combat a Erebuni plus tard
cette annee. Le deploiement prevu semble faire partie d’un renforcement
plus large de la base militaire russe avec plus d’armes modernes.

lundi 17 mars 2014, Claire (c)armenews.com

Press TV, Iran
March 16 2014

Iran thrashes Armenia 8-0 in wrestling world cup

Wrestlers train before the 2014 FILA Freestyle Wrestling World Cup at
The Forum in Inglewood, California on March 15, 2014.

Sun Mar 16, 2014 3:4AM GMT

Iranian national wrestling team has thrashed Armenia 8-0 in the
Freestyle Wrestling World Cup 2014 in the United States.

Iran’s wrestlers managed to win all eight categories against Armenia
in their first matches in Pool A at The Forum arena in Inglewood,
California on Saturday.

Hassan Rahimi blanked Artak Hovhannisyan 10-0 in the 57-kilogram
category, Masoud Esmailpour Jouybari trounced Valodya Frangulyan 11-1
in the 61-kilogram category, and Meisam Nasiri beat Artur Arakelyan
14-4 in the 65-kilogram category.

In the 70-kilogram category, Mostafa Hosseinkhani thrashed Davit
Apoyan 11-0, while Ezzatollah Akbari defeated Varuzhan Kajoyan 11-1 in
the 74 kilogram category, and Ehsan Lashgari pummeled Vahe Tamrazyan
10-0 in the 84-kilogram category.

Moreover, Reza Yazdani won the 97-kilogram-category match against
Viktor Kazishvili by fall, and Komeil Qasemi overpowered Andranik
Galstyan 15-4 in the 125-kilogram category.

Ten teams are taking part in the Freestyle Wrestling World Cup 2014,
being held in Los Angeles on March 15 and March 16. Iran, US, India,
Armenia, and Turkey are in Pool A while Russia, Georgia, Ukraine,
Mongolia, and Japan are in Pool B.

NT/NN/AS

New York social worker transfers skills to Yerevan

Published: Sunday March 16, 2014

Connie Koumjian and other AVC volunteers recycling flowers at
Tsitsernagaberd in April 2013.

YEREVAN – In her application to Armenian Volunteer Corps (AVC), Connie
Koumjian, 59, wrote “The desire to serve the people of Armenia came to
me gradually.”

After many years in New York City, she had just recently started to
attend Armenian Church where she also sang in the choir; and this
awoke her interest in Armenia, the land and the people, the culture
and traditions. It didn’t take long for her to decide that she needed
to learn more, so she signed up for a volunteer trip to Armenia
through the Fuller Center for Housing.

Connie spent one month in Armenia in the summer of 2011, working on a
house-building project in Vanadzor and then discovering the art of
iconography in Yerevan. But it wasn’t enough. Back in New York, she
realized that the trip had given her great joy and that learning about
her heritage as an Armenian was a very enriching experience. And so
the decision was made; she would return to Armenia for a longer-term
stay to live and work with her brethren, this time through Armenian
Volunteer Corps (AVC).

Connie arrived in Armenia in March 2013 with a keen desire to serve
her homeland. Over the course of 10 months, Connie was able to
experience life as a resident of Armenia. For the first two months,
she lived with a host-family, but once she was acclimated and
confident that she could get by independently, she moved into her own
apartment and began living like a ‘native’ – paying rent, shopping and
cooking for herself, chatting with neighbors, making friends…and of
course, going to ‘work’.

Work in Connie’s case involved multiple volunteer placements. Based on
her background as a social worker in New York City where she had
worked in a variety of settings with disadvantaged and immigrant
populations in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan, assisting them with
family issues and addiction-related problems, as well as her extensive
volunteer work, AVC was able to arrange service opportunities that
would benefit from her years of experience.

In Yerevan, Connie spent part of each week helping at a soup-kitchen
and a center for the elderly. She admits that at times the work was
quite hard, but it was always very fulfilling. “The workers at the
jasharan (soup-kitchen) were very warm and kind; I developed rewarding
friendships there with both the staff and the guests and had many
interesting conversations — and they helped me practice my Armenian!
I was welcomed at the dzeranots (senior center) and made some very
meaningful contacts there; that experience gave me interesting
cultural insights into Armenia.”

Connie also volunteered at Real World Real People (RWRP), a
non-governmental organization whose mission is to improve the quality
of life of people living with HIV and their families through social,
psychological and legal support, and improved access to treatment,
care and prevention. Although Connie’s Armenian skills limited the
amount of direct consultations she could have with beneficiaries at
RWRP, her extensive experience enabled her to focus her efforts on
program development – specifically working on developing and
implementing a 12-step recovery support group for people recovering
from substance abuse (alcohol/drug abuse), a first for Armenia. The
process included obtaining the donation and delivery of the necessary
books and training materials to Armenia, which Connie secured through
her global network of contacts.

In her free time, when she wasn’t studying Armenian or out exploring,
Connie also found time to pursue her love of iconography/miniature
painting through weekly classes, lots of independent practice and
meetings with some of the best iconographers in Armenia today.

Of her experience, Connie says, “As a Christian, I have always
considered it important to serve. I enjoy sharing with others their
experiences, learning about their needs and being in a caring
relationship with others. Serving in Armenia was extra special for me
as it afforded me the opportunity to know the country and culture of
my heritage more intimately. I am proud to have served as an AVC
volunteer in Armenia and to have been able to share my love, concern,
skills and time.”

Connie is now back in the United States where she has resumed her work
with the marginalized and less fortunate. Before she left Armenia,
Connie promise that she would practice her Armenian as much as
possible and, more importantly, that she would return very soon!

Founded in 2000, the Armenian Volunteer Corps (AVC) is Armenia’s
premier volunteer placement organization. AVC invites individuals 21
years of age and older, of all backgrounds from across the globe, to
volunteer in Armenia for two weeks to one year. In addition to
placements, AVC provides all logistical support from airport pick-up,
to host-family living arrangements, Armenian language classes, and
more, in partnership with its sister organization Birthright Armenia.
To date, over 550 volunteers from 34 countries have served in hundreds
of organizations throughout Armenia. [For more information, visit
]

ARMENIE
La production de l’élevage s’élève à 671 000 têtes

La production de bétail a augmenté à 671 000 têtes en Arménie en 2013
soit 10000 têtes supplémentaires selon le premier vice-ministre de
l’agriculture Grisha Baghiyan.

Le ministère poursuivra ses efforts visant à accroître la production
de bétail a indiqué le ministre lors d’une conférence de presse.

Les ovins et caprins ont augmenté d’environ 40 000 têtes en 2013 par
rapport à l’année 2012.

La production de porc a dépassé le niveau de l’an 2012 et atteint 145000 têtes.

La vente de bovins et de volailles (poids vif) a augmenté d’environ
10000 à 15000 tonnes à environ 145 000 tonnes.

M.Baghiyan a déclaré que la production de lait a augmenté d’environ 30
000 tonnes à 658 000 tonnes en 2013. Un total de 690 millions d’oeufs a
été produit en 2013 soit 32 millions de plus qu’en 2012.

dimanche 16 mars 2014,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

ARMENIE-VATICAN
Le président arménien a salué le 1er anniversaire de l’élection du
pape François 1er

Le 13 mars, à l’occasion du 1er anniversaire de l’élection du pape
François 1er, le président arménien Serge Sarkissian lui a envoyé un
message de félicitation. Le chef de l’Etat arménien a souhaité au
souverain pontife réussite, santé et force. Rappelons que depuis juin
2013, l’Arménie dispose d’une Ambassade au Vatican avec pour
ambassadeur… Mikaël Minassian, le propre gendre du président Serge
Sarkissian.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 16 mars 2014,
Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com

TURQUIE
Istanbul accueille une conférence sur le génocide arménien

Un groupe de citoyens turcs composé de journalistes, d’avocats et des
militants des droits de l’homme va tenir une conférence consacrée à la
célébration du 100e anniversaire du génocide arménien.

L’événement, intitulé >, a lieu aujourd’hui à Istanbul.

Mehmet Gojekli, l’éditeur du site turc “Demokrat Haber”, a appelé la
nation turque à se pencher sur son passé avant le tragique
anniversaire.

Le groupe affirme que l’État a déjà commencé à préparer le centenaire
de génocide. “S’ils se préparent [pour l’anniversaire], nous aussi,
nous nous préparons à dire la vérité et affronter notre passé” a
déclaré Gökçeli, ajoutant que le sujet est trop important pour faire
confiance au gouvernement.

Il a dit qu’il est du devoir de toute personne résidant sur le
territoire de la Turquie de se demander à elle-même, ce qui s’est
passé en 1915 ?

“Il y a cent ans, la moitié de la population d’Hakkari était
assyrienne, avec la moitié de ceux qui résidaient dans Van étant
Arméniens. Où ces gens sont-ils et pourquoi ? Cela est-il sans intérêt
pour vous “a-t-il dit, appelant à des efforts visant à prévenir des
tragédies à l’avenir.

La conférence se tiendra au btiment de la Fondation Ismail Besikçi à
Beyoglu. La première session est intitulée “Les femmes face de 1915”,
les auteurs Gavrilof Kayus Caliman, Takuhi Tovmasian et Gülçiçek Günel
prendront la parole. Cette session sera animée par la journaliste
Müjgan Halis.

La deuxième session de la Conférence est intitulé

Why have the offended European parliamentarians “reconciled” with
Armenians? Tevan Poghosyan about the new EP report

March 15 2014

Recently, after the recent harsh treatment of European
parliamentarians to members of the Armenian delegation, the European
Parliament has published a new and very unexpected report. In the new
report, the European Parliament has changed its attitude in 180
degrees and its accent of speaking with Armenians. This time, the EP
calls to promptly exercise a positive impact policy on Armenia related
to free movement, energy, and transport sectors. The report also talks
about the financial assistance to Armenia. With regard to
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the EU has called the High Commissioner to
develop confidence-building projects. With regard to other details
associated with the report, today, on March 14, Aravot.am talked to
the member of Armenia-EU Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, a
“Heritage” faction MP, Tevan Poghosyan. Mr. Poghosyan recalled how the
European Parliamentarians were offended and outraged at Strasbourg
sessions following September 3, and took an anti-Armenian stance
without even listening to the members of the Armenian delegation. “The
whole problem was that at that time they did not even want to leave
such points where the EU would be ready to continue helping the
development of civil society. However, today, after the events in
Ukraine, a change occurs in their minds, too, that if they are trying
to have a major role in the region, they should not display a tough
position rather than trying to help the development of civil society,
and go for peace-promoting actions. To this respect, their move is
welcomed. Anyway, let’s not forget that even 2 years ago the EU had
adopted a decision that their forces should involve the territories of
unresolved problems. But, every time, when we were raise the question
of why you aren’t you going to work in Karabakh, they were saying that
it was more associated with Georgia, or any other place, but not
Karabakh. Let’s hope that in addition to words they will make some
actions, practical steps.” Tevan Poghosyan urged to be guided by own
interested after this report and such disposition. “If there is a
consciousness by the EU that offended or tough stance does not solve
an issue, and there is a consciousness that they should be included,
work, collaborate, and help-support, it generates from our interest.
This should be only welcomed and be happy with. Let’s try to take
advantage of it and even go a step further reminding that right after
September 3 the Armenian authorities and the whole society admitted
that Armenia is ready to sign the political component of the
Association Agreement. We should try to be consistent, negotiate, and
why not, to go ahead and sign. Especially now it is very favorable.
After the Ukraine event, they also realize that they have been willing
to go for these steps for Ukraine, which Armenia suggested to take on
September 4-5. The fact that the European Parliament is ready to
assist Armenia so that we are included in a larger format, now we need
to go ahead and convince that we are ready to sign the political
component of the Association Agreement, in particular, that we are the
first to say it, and earlier than Ukrainian authorities.”

Hripsime JEBEJYAN
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