Author: Kalantarian Kevo

ROSNEFT INVESTMENT PLANS IN NAIRIT

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
March 3 2014

3 March 2014 – 10:16am

By David Stepanyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said in late February that
Rosneft (Russia) was ready to invest in the construction of a new
factory at Nairi for $500 million. Sargsyan and his Russian counterpart
Dmitry Medvedev and Rosneft President Igor Sechin reached such an
agreement in Sochi. The state company and an unnamed investor agreed to
finance an investment program developed by Jakobs, an international
company, to modernize Nairit. The sides are working on technical
details of the investment projects, place for construction of a new
tire factory, its links with Nairit, necessary legislative procedures
and benefits. In Sargsyan’s words, the government of Armenia will
grant the investment program for Nairit status of a free economic zone.

Talks about the merging of Nairit and Rosneft started between Igor
Sechin and the Armenian government in Yerevan in late 2013. As a
result, Rosneft, Pirelli Tyre Russia S.p.A., Oil Techno and the
Armenian Energy Ministry signed a memorandum of understanding and
formation of a joint venture to produce butadiene-styrene rubber.

Rosneft investments and Pirelli projects in advanced rubber production
will help open a modern facility to produce high-tech eco-friendly
tires in Nairit. However, the project faces problems rooting from
the debts and bankruptcy of Nairit.

Nairit has accumulated a debt of $400 million, despite being closed
down since 2010. 90% of the factory’s shares were sold to Rhinoville
Property Limited (UK) for $40 million, 10% belong to the government
of Armenia. Rhinoville Property Limited received a loan of $70
million at the CIS Interstate Bank. The bank granted the company
$90 million more in 2009 and $10 million in 2010, making a total
of $170 million. The factory was shut down in 2010 but its owners
have not paid a cent to the bank. The factory generated a debt of
$400 million together with the interest rate and overdue penalties,
becoming bankrupt. It is noteworthy that the owners of the factory
have not only failed to launch the factory after receiving the loan,
they also owe workers salaries for 12 months.

There is little chance that Rosneft would pay the debt of $400
million. The grave situation around the crown jewel of Soviet industry
will only be clarified after the Armenian government gives guarantees.

Rosneft needs to put Nairit on the asset list in order to revive the
chemical giant.

The Dashnaktsutyun fraction at the parliament proposed formation of
a temporary commission to study the causes of the Nairit debts. The
republican majority rejected the idea and believes that it would be a
better idea to tie it with Rosneft talks. Considering the formation
of an independent commission for Nairit would give many answers,
Dashnaktsutyun published a statement about credits and offshore
companies and demanded the parliament majority to give answers.

Millions of dollars from the CIS bank were certainly received under
surveillance of the Armenian government, owner of 10% of shares in
Nairit, and the loans for the closed down factory were affected by
frauds and machinations causing the bankruptcy. The prime minister
has recently tried to deny accusations of Armen and Ashot Sarkisyans
for purposeful bankruptcy of the facility. He said that he had had
nothing to do with machinations in 2006 when he had been President
of the Central Bank. The rebuttal seems rather languid because the
prime minister’s skills in financial operations and ability to “cover
things up” are legendary.

ARMENIAN EMBASSY IN US COUNTERS AZERI LIES

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

Monday, March 3rd, 2014

The Armenian Embassy in Washington, DC.

WASHINGTON-The Armenian embassy in Washington, DC, issued a statement
on Monday calling attention to Azerbaijani efforts to spread
misinformation about the Khojaly events that took place during the
Kharabakh War, voicing concern that this propaganda campaign attempts
to divert attention away from Baku’s responsibility over the
numerous pogroms and massacres that led to the Karabakh War. The full
statement is below.

***

Azerbaijani lobbying and propaganda continues to mislead the
international community and the Azerbaijani people by falsifying the
history of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the facts surrounding
the Khojaly events in particular.

By distorting the Khojaly events, the Azerbaijani regime attempts to
escape responsibility for the Armenian massacres in Sumgait (February,
1988), Kirovabad (November, 1988), Baku (January, 1990), Maragha
(April 1992) and against its own population in Khojaly.

Azerbaijan strives to portray itself as a victim, attempting to
thereby prepare a moral ground both domestically and internationally
to unleash another war against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijan continues to reject international appeals, including
from the European Court of Human Rights, to openly debate the events
in Khojaly. In that regard one can only ask why all those who have
expressed points of views differing from Baku’s official version
of the events have been either killed, like journalist Mustafaev,
or imprisoned like journalist Fatullayev, or politically persecuted
like Ayaz Mutalibov, the first president of Azerbaijan.

In reality, the village of Khojaly was one of the Azerbaijani
army’s strongholds in the heart of Nagorno-Karabakh which
for many months, as Human Rights Watch put it, “pounded the
capital of Nagorno Karabakh, Stepanakert, and other Armenian towns
and villages with shells and grenades. The indiscriminate shelling
and sniper shooting killed or maimed hundreds of civilians, destroyed
homes, hospitals and other objects that are not legitimate military
targets, and generally terrorized the civilian population.”
In this regard, suppressing the Azerbaijani army’s fire had
become a matter of survival for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.

As Azerbaijani journalist Eynulla Fatullayev stated, “And even
several days prior to the attack, the Armenians had been continuously
warning the population about the planned operation through loudspeakers
and suggesting that the civilians abandon the town and escape from
the encirclement through a humanitarian corridor.

According to Khojaly refugees’ own words, they had used this
corridor and, indeed, the Armenian soldiers positioned behind the
corridor had not opened fire on them.”

However, Fatullayev continues, “… part of the
Khojaly inhabitants had been fired upon by our own [Azerbaijani
troops]… Whether it was done intentionally or not is to be
determined by investigators … [They were killed] not by [some]
mysterious [shooters], but by provocateurs from the National Front
of Azerbaijan’s battalions … [The corpses] had been
mutilated by our own …”

Ayaz Mutalibov, then the president of Azerbaijan, blamed his political
opponents for the killings in Khojaly. He stated in an interview with
Russia’s Nezavisimaya Gazetta in 1992 that “…the
corridor, by which people could escape, had nonetheless been left by
the Armenians. So, why did they have to open fire? Especially in the
area around Aghdam, where there was sufficient force at that time
to get help to the people. As the Khojaly inhabitants, who narrowly
escaped, say, it was all organized in order to have grounds for my
resignation. Some forces functioned for the effort to discredit the
president.”

The fact that Khojaly inhabitants fell victim to fierce domestic
political fighting for power in Azerbaijan was confirmed also by then
Chairman of Azerbaijan’s Supreme Council Karayev, his successor
Mamedov, Azerbaijani Human Rights Activist Yunusov, and others.

According to a 1992 report by the Azeri newspaper Bilik-Dunyasi
Agency, Heydar Aliyev, then a presidential hopeful in Azerbaijan,
stated, “…the bloodshed will profit us. We should not
interfere in the course of events.”

Mr. Fatullayev, the Chief Editor of the Azerbaijani newspaper Realny
Azerbaijan spent many years in prison for alleged defamation of the
inhabitants of Khojaly. He appealed to the European court of Human
Rights, which ruled that the Azerbaijani government shall immediately
release Fatullayev. He was eventually released in 2011 and shortly
after confirmed to Radio Liberty that he has not changed his views
on the Khojaly events and that he held “Azerbaijani fighters,
not Armenians, responsible for the 1992 killings” of Khojaly
inhabitants.

Baku’s aggressive rhetoric and distortion of history, backed by
the acquisition of billions of dollars of offensive weaponry, bears
a serious threat to the security and stability of the whole region
and should therefore be adequately countered by the international
community.

Embassy of the Republic of Armenia to the United States of America

MARILYN DEVANEY IS SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

EDITORIAL | MARCH 3, 2014 2:41 PM

(The following letter by Marilyn M. Petitto Devaney originally appeared
in the Weston Town Crier Newspaper last week. She is a member of
the Governor’s Council, which is tasked, among other things, with
recording consent and advice on judicial nominees.)

To The Editor:

As Governor’s Councilor, I must address some very misleading
information concerning Joseph Berman’s nomination for Superior Court
judgeship. I take no joy in this.

Following Mr. Berman’s’ Nov. 13 hearing, five of eight councilors
advised Gov. Deval Patrick in writing that we would vote against Mr.

Berman’s nomination. The governor has not allowed the vote to be
taken for three months now.

Councilor Robert Jubinville asked Mr. Berman, who was under oath,
whether he had contacted any official or candidate to lobby the
Councilors on his behalf, including anyone on his $110,000 political
donor list. He replied “no.” The question was asked again. Mr. Berman
replied, “Absolutely not.”

When questioned again by Councilor Jen Caissie, Mr. Berman replied,
“Oh, I didn’t know you meant today.” He admitted calling Congressional
candidate Katherine Clark that very morning to call Councilors Michael
Albano and Jubinville. Why the lies? Honesty is paramount for a judge.

Mr. Berman has contributed $3,600 to Ms. Clark. Mr. Berman stated Sen.

Clark agreed to make calls.

After Mr. Berman was not approved for a District Court judgeship
by the Judicial Nominating Commission in 2004, he gave $110,000 in
campaign contributions to state and federal candidates, in addition
to fundraising right up to the present application for Superior Court.

The timing and size of these contributions have understandably
created a public perception of improper influence in his pursuit of
a judgeship.

Mr. Berman lacks criminal trial experience in Superior Court. He has
done nothing to educate himself on criminal law, as he admitted.

Councilor Jubinville asked how many trials he has had in District
Court. He replied, “I think I had one or two.”

The majority of Councilors believe Mr. Berman’s deportment at the
hearing was unacceptable for a judge.

Councilor Jubinville asked Mr. Berman, “In your opinion, is drug
addiction medical or criminal?” Mr. Berman shot back sarcastically,
“I’m not a doctor,” and added, “No one in my family is drug addicted.”

Respectful demeanor and composed temperament on the bench are
essential. Mr. Berman’s lack of knowledge and experience in this
crucial legal area is of significant concern to council majority.

When nominees appear before the council, their presentation concerns
their qualification to be a judge. Mr. Berman is the only nominee who
boasted about his political organizational skills. He spoke about
running offices of candidates, organizing fundraising, organizing
workers, “strategizing with people.”

Are political skills a quality to look for in a judge? Mr. Berman
has definitely proven his political skills in his ongoing politicking
for this judgeship. I know of people he has lobbied. However, solid
and relevant legal experience, not campaign experience, is what the
public and Governor’s Councilors expect in a judge.

Regarding National Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and Armenian Genocide
recognition, I fault Mr. Berman, 19-year member of the ADL New England
and national commissioner, for never publicly speaking out against
the national ADL’s direct collaboration with the Turkish government
against genocide recognition long before, during and after the issue
broke in 2007, as he acknowledged at his hearing.

On August 14, 2007, after learning of ADL’s years of successful
lobbying in defeating Congressional resolutions recognizing the
Armenian Genocide, I authored a proclamation to withdraw Watertown
from the ADL’s “No Place for Hate” program. I won the support of many
communities that also withdrew, including Newton. Mayor David Cohen
publicly spoke out strongly against the ADL’s discrimination against
the Armenians.

Mr. Berman neither spoke out publicly nor resigned. New England ADL
Director Andrew Tarsy spoke out publicly and honestly and as a result
was fired. By contrast, Mr. Berman received leadership awards from
the ADL.

In 2007, prominent ADL members resigned, including Stewart L. Cohen and
Boston City Councilor Mike Ross, whose father survived concentration
camps in the Holocaust. Many principled Jewish Americans (including
rabbis) spoke out publicly as well. I stated that if I was a member
of an organization that opposed a Holocaust resolution and did not
recognize it as a holocaust I would resign.

The national ADL has still not unambiguously acknowledged the Armenian
Genocide. New England ADL Director Derek Shulman said in 2012 that
the ADL will not support a Congressional resolution on the Armenian
Genocide.

Finally, some media took my comment about the ADL out of context.

Please listen to the tape of the hearing at the Governor’s Council
office. At the conclusion of the hearing, I stated that though I have a
“bias” against the ADL for depriving the Armenians of their history,
I would have an “open mind regarding Mr. Berman.”

I am proud of the unbiased attention and respect that Councilors and
I have for nominees such as Mr. Berman. Thank you.

Marilyn M. Petitto Devaney

Governor’s Council

– See more at:

ARMENIA TO EQUIP KARABAKH SCHOOLS WITH COMPUTERS BY LATE 2014

Monday,
March
03

Armenian Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotian, who is on
an official visit to the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, delivered today
110 computers to comprehensive schools of Karabakh, the press service
of the ministry reported.

It is planned to solve the problem of equipping Artsakh schools with
computers this year. Armenia will also provide the NKR schools with
educational software and teaching material.

Yerevan State Medical University has assisted with the program’s
implementation.

TODAY, 21:14

Aysor.am

CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS FROM CAFE NEAR GARNI TEMPLE DELIVERED TO BUILDING OF CULTURE MINISTRY

by Karina Manukyan

Monday, March 3, 16:44

Construction of a cafe near Garni Temple has seriously discontented
the public.

According to Pre-Parliament public interest group, several dozens of
people visited Garni, collected the debris in bags and delivered it to
Yerevan leaving the debris near the building of the Culture Ministry.

Activists threaten with more serious steps unless the construction is
stopped. Activists Yeghia Nersisyan and Gevorg Safary6an were taken
to the Police for soiling the territory of the Ministry and then set
free in 1.5 hour.

Earlier, Vladimir Poghosyan, the Head of the State Non-Commercial
Organization Historical-Cultural Musem-Reserve, said that no
construction would be launched, as the cafe would be consisting of
tables and chairs only. He said that the menu would be very modest:
fruits, vegetables, homemade sweet Armenian gata, and the proceeds
would be investment in preservation of the Temple. Nevertheless,
the idea of the cafe has aroused public criticism in blogs and
social media.

Historical and architectural monument Garni Temple is located near
the village of Garni. It is the only Pagan and Hellenistic monument
preserved in the territory of Armenia. The pagan temple of Garni was
built in the 2nd half of the 1st century. It is supposed that the
temple was dedicated to Mitra, the God of Sun.

MIGRATION RATE REMAINS ALARMING (VIDEO)

16:15 | March 3,2014 | Social

Residents of Chochkan village in Armenia’s Lori marz took the path
of migration still in the 1990s, in the dark and cold days after the
Soviet Union’s collapse, when Armenia was facing an energy crisis.

Many years have passed since then but the migration rate remains
alarming.

Alaverdi’s “Ankyun+3â~@³ TV has made a video about the escalating
migration in the village.

EXPERT: ERDOGAN’S “SUPPORT” OF THE CRIMEA POLICY OF RUSSIA IS CONFLICTING WITH THE STATE APPROACH OF TURKEY

by David Stepanyan

Monday, March 3, 15:00

Turkish Prime Minister Receyp Erdogan’s “support” of the Crimea policy
of Russia has nothing in common with the state approach of Turkey,
Turkologist, Artak Shakaryan, told ArmInfo correspondent.

On 2 March when commenting on Moscow’s intention to bring troops into
the Crimea, Turkish premier said that Moscow was right in the matter
of the Crimea, as it protects its national interests.

“The statement by Erdogan is in direct conflict with the Kiev statement
of Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, which did not say about
observing of Russia’s interests in the Crimea. So, the pro-Russian
statements of the Turkish premier continue his anti-American line
after the corruption scandal in Ankara on 17

December around the ruling AKP and the premier, initiated by the
American secret services, as Erdogan thinks. In other words, by
protection Russia Erdogan is trying to discredit the USA and Europe
in general”, – he said.

LA JUSTICE FRANCAISE CONFIRME LE COMPLOT CONTRE UN POLITICIEN KURDE

Publie le : 03-03-2014

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
invite a lire cette informatin publiee sur le site Actukurde le 27
fevrier 2014.

Actukurde

2014-02-27 12:22:40

La cour d’appel de Paris a annule toute la procedure contre Adem Uzun,
le membre du conseil executif du Congrès National du Kurdistan (KNK),
après une requete en annulation pour .

Cette decision confirme le complot orchestre par les services francais.

Arrete le 6 octobre 2012 dans un bar de Monparnasse, lors d’une
entrevue qui aurait dure moins de dix minutes, suite a un complot
organise pour le compte des services francais, le politicien kurde
Adem Uzun etait sorti de la prison, dans la soiree du 9 août 2013.

Son avocat, Me Antoine Comte, avait plaider le 30 janvier dernier
devant la chambre de l’instruction de la cour d’appel de Paris une
requete en annulation pour .

La cour a annonce sa decision le 27 fevrier: toute la procedure a
ete annulee, selon le cabine de Me Comte, ce qui confirme que les
“preuves” obtenues par des services francais pour emprisonner M. Adem
Uzun etaient illegales.

La defense avait deja gagne une première bataille en aout 2013,
obtenant la remise en liberte sous contrôle judiciaire d’Uzun. Cette
liberation etait consideree comme un fait rare dans une affaire de
“terrorisme” d’une telle importance.

Les informations revelees au cours d’un an par des medias francais et
kurdes ont mis en lumière comment le politicien kurde a ete victime
d’une machination politico-judiciaire organisee par des services
francais sur une fausse alerte emanant des services secrets turcs
selon laquelle Adem Uzun cherchait a acheter des armes pour le PKK
en plein Paris.

L’arrestation d’Adem Uzun intervenait après l’echec de la première
tentative de negociation secrète entre gouvernement turc et le PKK
qui avait eu lieu en 2009. M. Uzun faisait partie des principaux
negociateurs pour la paix entres Turcs et Kurdes lors du “processus
d’Oslo”.

“J’ai ete victime d’un complot politique” a denonce Adem Uzun,
affirmant qu’il s’agissait d’un piège pour criminaliser les activites
politiques et pacifiques du peuple kurde.

Les grandes manoeuvres autour du PKK, les manipulations et la
provocation a commettre une infraction ou un delit sont dignes d’un
roman policier.

Selon des informations fiables obtenues par le site d’information
>, Adem Uzun a ete la victime d’une machination
politico-judiciaire organisee par le meme personnage qui a piege Ziad
Takieddine pour le compte de la justice francaise, un denomme Noël
Delarosa qu’en realite s’appelle Noël Dubus. Ce qui renforcait le
soupcon de l’existence d’une “cellule” au sein des services francais
qui organise sur commande de veritables provocations a commettre des
infractions pour pieger des cibles politiques predefinies.

Une autre source affirme que le juge antiterroriste Thierry Fragnoli,
connu pour ses operations sensationnelles contre la communaute kurde,
a envoye le 5 octobre 2012 un mail a la police belge pour l’informer
que le dirigeant kurde sera arrete le 6 octobre. Tout etait organise a
l’avance, meme le jour de l’arrestation d’Adem Uzun. Dans un article
de l’ActuKurde, paru le 3 juin 2013, le juge Fragnoli avait ete mis
en cause par un mail qui revelait les relations du juge avec les
milieux nationalistes turcs.

PARIS NID D’ESPIONS

Me Comte estime que a son client, selon 20minutes.fr, soulignant qu’
a aucun moment le dirigeant kurde n’a su que les discussions qui ont
eu lieu a Montparnasse portaient sur un contrat d’armes.

Canada NewsWire-PR Newswire
March 2 2014

Status of Women Canada – Media Advisory/

OTTAWA, Feb. 28, 2014 /CNW/ – The Honourable Dr. K. Kellie Leitch,
Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women, will celebrate
International Women’s Week in Toronto at events with the Armenian
Relief Society of Toronto and the Red Shawl organization. She will be
highlighting the importance of women entrepreneurs in all sectors of
the economy and how the Government of Canada is supporting women in
leadership roles.

Minister Leitch and other event participants will be available for a
photo op and to answer questions following each press conference.

Please note that this advisory is subject to change without notice.

The details are as follows:

Date: Sunday, March 2

Armenian Relief Society of Toronto
Time: 11:30 a.m.
Place: Sheraton Hotel
600 Highway 7
Richmond Hill, Ontario

Red Shawl
Time: 3:15 p.m.
Place: Mississauga Training Centre
6341 Mississauga Road
Mississauga, Ontario

SOURCE Status of Women Canada

For further information:

Barbara Mottram
Director of Communications
Office of the Hon. Dr. K. Kellie Leitch, P.C.,
O.Ont., M.P.
Minister of Labour and Minister of
Status of Women Tel: 819-953-5646
Fax: 819-994-5168

A number of Armenian NGOs urge world community to condemn Mar 1 2008 events

by Nana Martirosyan
Friday, February 28, 16:40

A number of Armenian NGOs have urged the world community to condemn
human rights violations and the Mar 1 2008 events in Armenia.

Asparez, Transparency International Armenia, Helsinki Citizens’
Assembly Vanadzor Office and Armenian Committee for Solidarity with
Maidan says that the authorities’ inaction in disclosing the Mar 1
crimes has boosted emigration from the country.

“Unless these events are condemned, there will be no supremacy of law
in Armenia. Both former President Robert Kocharyan and current
President Serzh Sargsyan are responsible for the events. Until they
are interrogated, there will be no real investigation,” the NGOs say.

The Mar 1 2008 disorders followed the election of Serzh Sargsyan as
President of Armenia and claimed 10 lives among both civilians and
policemen.

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