Author: Kalantarian Kevo

NEWS RELEASE
Armenian Bar Association
Contact: [email protected]
P.O. Box 29111
Los Angeles, CA 90029
Tel: 323-666-6288
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

The Armenian Genocide resulted in the loss of life and land and also
in the misappropriation of personal property, including works of art
belonging to the victims and survivors of the Genocide. Their
families and heirs remain the rightful owners of the plundered
artwork, some of which is in the illegal possession of Turkish
government-owned or controlled museums. If a pending Congressional
bill is enacted into law, the art and antiquities which were stolen
during the Armenian Genocide will enjoy undeserved protection from the
claims of their legal owners.

The United States Senate is now considering a bill (the Foreign
Cultural Exchange Jurisdictional Immunity Clarification Act), approved
overwhelmingly last month in the House of Representatives, which would
block legal claims to artworks on loan from abroad. The bill would
divest U.S. federal and state courts of all jurisdiction, with one
major exception and one monumental omission.

The exception is Nazi-looted artwork belonging to Jews. The omission
is Ottoman/Turkish-looted artwork belonging to Armenians.

The Armenian Bar Association questions why the Holocaust alone, among
atrocities affecting ownership, is being afforded special treatment.
To be sure, the lending and borrowing of artworks has been viewed as
the essence of cultural exchange between museums in the United States
and abroad. So prevalent is the practice that the U.S. government has
traditionally protected it with laws that shield the artworks from
being seized by anyone with a claim to legal ownership while the
artwork is on display in this country.

Nevertheless, in view of the potential denial of the property rights
of the descendants of the victims and survivors of the Armenian
Genocide, the Armenian Bar Association has requested that the bill’s
sponsor, Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, act responsibly to
defeat the bill or to put Armenian Genocide-related claims on equal
footing with Jewish Holocaust claims.

Our letter to Senator Feinstein is attached above and appears below.

Armen K. Hovannisian
Chairman of the Board of Governors
Armenian Bar Association

_______________________________________________________________

Senator Dianne Feinstein
United States Senate
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20150

Dear Senator Feinstein:

The Armenian Bar Association is writing you to express
our concern about a pending bill, the “Foreign Cultural Exchange
Jurisdictional Immunity Clarification Act.” We understand that the
art museums in the United States especially wish this bill passed.

When a museum owned by a foreign government lends
artwork or other cultural property to a museum in the United States,
it runsthe risk that an American citizen will claim title to that
artwork or cultural property on the grounds that it was stolen from
that citizen or his or her ancestors. We appreciate the hesitation
that foreign state museums have in lending anything to an American
museum if there is any danger that they will have to fight such claims
in court.

However, we are more concerned with the rights of
American owners. We are primarily concerned with the fact that an
American cannot easily seek to recover stolen property while it is in
a foreign country. Only if the property physically arrives in the
United States can an American citizen truly bring a claim.

The bill exempts foreign state-owned museums from these claims, with
the sole exception of claims for property stolen during the Holocaust
from 1933-1945. Notably, the bill does not similarly except claims of
property stolen during the Armenian Genocide from 1915-1923 which
should be afforded viability to the hundreds of thousands of your
Armenian-American constituents.

We know that many Americans of Armenian, Greek, and
Assyrian descent can bring colorable claims against Turkish museums
for property stolen from their ancestors. Moreover, many Americans who
have roots in countries once under Soviet Communist domination can
also bring colorable claims.

Why should this bill deny the right to bring claims to
all Americans except those regarding Holocaust claims? We think such
a singling out of one group could well be unconstitutional under the
United States Supreme Court cases of AIA v. Garamendi (Holocaust
insurance claims) and Movsesian/Arzoumanian v. Victoria Versicherung
(Armenian Genocide-era insurance claims).

Moreover, why indeed should the United States want to
grant exemptions to foreign museums at all? It is true that many
foreign state-owned museums might refuse to let property travel to the
United States unless they could obtain immunity. There would be a
loss to the Americans who would like to see these objects here.

However, we believe it is more important to protect the
rights of American citizens to have their and their families’ property
returned to them. This bill would place the interests of foreign
museums over the interests of American citizens.

Very truly yours,

Armen K. Hovannisian
Chairman of the Board of Governors
Armenian Bar Association

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Message from His Holiness Aram I

Dear Dr. Paulo Sergio Pinheiro,
I am writing to you as the Head of the Spiritual Head of Armenians in
Syria and many communities in the Diaspora.
I read your 29 July 2013 report to the General Assembly of the UN on the
situation in Syria, which you made as the Chairman of the Independent
International Commission of Inquiry for Syria. I still remember your
statement that “Syria is in free-fall” and your description of a “fragmented
society” in which “fighters are changing allegiances.” I would add that
minorities are also the victims of violence perpetrated by all sides.
With great grief I have been observing the victimization of my community.
The late events in Kessab, facilitated by Turkey, demonstrate the free hand
with which third-party countries are exploiting the situation. As we prepare
to commemorate in 2015 the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
perpetrated by Ottoman Turkey, modern Turkey has forced another tragedy upon
our people. Our community in Kessab, which have been displaced from their
historical land of Cilicia, have lost everything and have become refugees
once more.
I am currently on an official visit to Pope Francis I in the Vatican. I
would like very much to meet with you and share our concern personally.
However, my representative in Switzerland, Ms Teny Pirri-Simonian is
available to brief you on the situation of our people in Kessab. I would
appreciate if you could meet her personally (She can be reached either
through the current email or by phone: 022 362 66 24 or Mobile 079 255 28
83). If that would not be possible, I propose that we forward to you
information concerning the situation of the Armenian community in Syria.
I pray that the report of your commission will touch the heart of all
those contributing to the disintegration of Syria and the victimization of
helpless minorities.

I look forward to hearing from you through our representative.

Prayerfully,
Aram I
Catholicos of Cilicia

His Holiness Aram I received the Ambassador of The United States of America

Antelias – On Wednesday 11 June 2014, Ambassador David Hale visited His
Holiness Aram I. During the meeting they discussed the situation in the
region and most importantly in Syria and Lebanon.

# #

MURDER OF THE TRUTH

Lragir.am
Politics – Friday, 13 June 2014, 10:37

On June 11, 2014, the Geopolitical Club in coordination with Satar
Non-Profit Organization, Los Angeles County citizens of Republic of
Western Armenia, the Artsakh War Veterans Union of California, and
representatives from other organizations of the Armenian Diaspora
in Los Angeles held a seminar to commemorate the loss of Shahumyan
District and Armenian martyrs who were killed by the Russian 104th
Airborne Division under the command of General Shamanov, which
was stationed in Kirovabad, Azerbaijan Republic, and the Army of
Azerbaijan. That operation is known as the Operation Goranboy.

Operation Goranboy, organized and executed in June 1992, was the
continuation of Operation Koltso.

During the seminar topics related to the recent history and the current
situation in Armenia, the war in Karabagh (Artsakh) and its causes and
effects and its aftermath, and the conflicts in the Caucasus Region
were discussed, and it was noted that Russia was the main cause for
those conflicts.

Based on facts and history, since 1763, Russia has been destabilizing
the Caucasus by creating conflicts among the ethnic minorities of the
Caucasus one against another with intentions to divide and conquer
them all, and history proves that so far Russia had exceeded their
goal by enslaving its neighbors and expanding Russia’s influence in the
region. The Circassian Genocide, the Armenian Genocide, the massacres
of the Armenians in Azerbaijan SSR, which led to the Karabagh War, the
massacres in Chechnya. The recent sales of state of the art military
weapons, including T-90 tanks, Mi-8 helicopters, MIG Warplanes, and
weapons of mass destruction called Smerch (10 Smerch missiles have
the power of one atomic nuclear bomb) and S-300 missiles, all prove
that Russia is destabilizing the ceasefire agreement between Armenia
and Azerbaijan with intentions to subjugate both.

Even if you read Russia’s history, Russians talk about the First
Caucasus War, the Second Caucasus War, the Chechen War, etc. So,
to Russians it was WAR. This means Russia is fighting a war in the
Caucasus, and the ethnic minorities of the Caucasus need to realize
that fact and fight back the same way.

The participants of the seminar suggested to build political
partnerships with all the ethnic minorities of the Caucasus Region
in order to prevent Russia from creating future aggressions and
conflicts. It was resolved to improve the existing relationships
with the Circassian Parliament, and the Chechen leaders, as well as
to establish new relationships with other ethnic minorities in the
Caucasus, in order to build a unified front against Putin and his
Russian imperialists.

The events in Ukraine should be a wake up call for all republics of
the former Soviet Union. The pro-Russian governments of the former
Soviet Union republics need to be replaced with new governments that
will support the spread of democracy in those republics, and the USA,
as the world leader should support our goal for achieving peace in
the region.

Russia should be removed from the Minsk Group, and the pro-Russian
government of Armenia should be replaced with a New Democratic
government in order to free Armenia from the vassal status. The
Armenian Diaspora should be unified to support the Armenian National
Movement. Armenia should break away from Ruso-Turkic Customs Union
also known as the Eurasian Union.

Russia and its silent partners, Turkey and Azerbaijan, should be
destroyed from within by empowering the ethnic minorities to become
independent countries and to form their own independent governments
based on democratic values. There is a need to form a new economic
area in the Caucasus and to develop a geopolitical union of those
republics in order to keep the peace and to ensure their independence
from Russia and Turkey. A partnership with the USA was suggested in
order to achieve these goals.

– See more at:

HRAPARAK: ARMENIA’S PREMIER ‘BEGINS WITH HIS RELATIVES’

10:14 * 13.06.14

In speaking of his relatives, Armenia’s Premier Hovik Abrahamyan
actually meant appointing them to senior posts rather than making
them pay taxes.

The Zhoghovurd newspaper reported on Thursday that head of the
checkpoint at the Zvartnotz international airport Samvel Safaryan
was appointed head of the Bagratashen checkpoint.

The premier’s son-in-law Vova Tamrazyan was appointed head of the
checkpoint at the Zvartnotz international airport.

Moreover, the premier’s other son-in-law, Vahan Mamikonyan, was
appointed head of the taxation service of Yerevan’s Shengavit
community.

Armenian News – Tert.am

SARGSYAN INVITES AUSTRIAN COMPANIES TO DO BUSINESS IN ARMENIA

ECONOMY | 13.06.14 | 10:37

President Serzh Sargsyan has called on Austrian businesspeople to
invest in Armenia, stressing that Armenia is determined to advance
its relations with the European Union despite its choice of the path
of joining the Eurasian Economic Union.

Attending in Vienna an Armenian-Austrian economic forum, jointly with
his Austrian counterpart Heinz Fischer, President Sargsyan emphasized
that “by granting a status of the Generalized System of Preferences
Plus to Armenia, the European Commission gives a serious impulse to
Armenian manufacturers.”

“Concurrently, Armenia’s integration into the Eurasian Economic Union
opens up new prospects for European investors by simplifying their
penetration into the Eurasian market having 170 million consumers.

Armenia is a leading CIS country in terms of its economic freedom and
application of market regulations. It is proved by numerous ratings
published by authoritative international organizations. Our country
holds the 41th place in the 2014 Index of Economic Freedom, and in
the “Doing Business 2014″ annual report Armenia is ranked 37th among
185 countries and is placed immediately between France and Belgium,”
said the Armenian president, as quoted by his press office.

“I would be happy to invite Austrian companies to do business in
Armenia. Our country can become a useful platform for the well-known
Austrian food recycling companies Spitz and Darbo by offering healthy
and tasty agricultural raw materials, for the world-famous jewelry
company Frey Wille by offering qualified goldsmiths and granting
special privileges in free jewelry economic zone (by the way, there are
more than thousand famous jewelry companies in the world with Armenian
capital or owned by Armenians operating in all parts of the world,
almost in all countries and cities), for the mineral raw materials
recycling company Asamer Basaltic Fibers by offering a wide range
of natural stones, for the pharmaceutical companies G.L. Pharma and
Genericon Pharma who can take full advantage of free economic zones.

“Be sure that your steps targeted at advancing the Armenian-Austrian
trade and economic relations are in the focus of our attention. We
understand that in developing economies long-term successes depend
on stimulating business activities, that is why in case of large
investments, especially in innovative technologies, we are ready to
enforce a special law on a given investment and give tax exemptions
and by this I refer to the corporate tax as well.”

APS IN REVERSE TAKEOVER BID FOR GOLD MINING BUSINESS IN ARMENIA

The Straits Times (Singapore)
June 11, 2014 Wednesday

by Rennie Whang

BEREAVEMENT services firm Asia Pacific Strategic Holdings (APS) –
involved in a reverse takeover (RTO) of miner Coeur Gold Armenia –
is confident its mining business will soon take off.

The company said yesterday it believes pilot production at two gold
mines in Armenia in the South Caucasus region will start within three
months of the completion of the RTO.

APS also intends to dispose of its current assets, which consist
mainly of Semenyih Memorial Hills, a memorial park in the Greater
Klang Valley, Malaysia.

“We have a viable platform in Singapore which will allow the project
to grow, and (the vendors) intend to grow it into a big mining
conglomerate,” said APS chairman and chief executive officer Choo
Yeow Ming.

The vendor is GR Business Holdings, of which investment holding
company China Global Energy and Resources (CGER) holds 51 per cent
and businessman George Richmond 49 per cent.

As part of the proposed deal, APS will issue 1.35 billion new shares
to GR Business Holdings at 37.1 cents a share, the firm said.

Mr Richmond had previously built two of the largest gold mining
operations in Armenia and Georgia: the Madneuli, Bolvisi and Sakdrisi
Deposit; and the Ararat Zod Deposit.

Coeur Gold Armenia has controlling stakes in Azatek and Sofi Bina Mines
in Armenia, previously assessed by government officials to contain
18 tonnes to 25 tonnes of gold, a figure that was updated in 2008.

A mineral resources estimate, required for the RTO, is being prepared
by the consultancy Wardell Armstrong. The assessment report is expected
to be completed in September.

This is not the first time Coeur Gold Armenia had been an acquisition
target. In June last year, steel trader Albedo said it had entered a
memorandum of understanding to buy the firm, but aborted the purchase
in August.

Mr Vardan Ayvazyan, vice-prime minister of the Republic of Armenia,
said he looked forward to the further development of the mining sector.

There are 28 mines in Armenia, of which 14 are in production.

“We look forward to developing other chains of mining-linked
industries, like refineries and the metallurgical sector,” he said.

FREEDOM HOUSE: AZERBAIJAN REGISTERS DECLINE IN DEMOCRACY IN A YEAR

20:08 12/06/2014 >> LAW

Azerbaijan has worsened its index in the sphere of democracy and
is still ruled by an authoritarian regime reads the new report on
Nations in Transit 2014 written by the international organization
Freedom House.

Freedom House has analyzed the democracy progress in 29 countries
in Central Europe and Eurasia, 13 of which were called democratic,
6 – transition countries and 10 – authoritarian. Democracy degree
is measured at 7-point scale, where 1 is the highest point and 7 –
the lowest.

According to the article Armenia over the past year has not recorded
changes in the field of democracy and is ranked among the transition
countries. Georgia has made progress in the area of media freedom and
has improved the electoral processes. Except Armenia, Moldova and
Kyrgyzstan the other CIS countries are classified as authoritarian
states.

It is noteworthy that the electoral process in Azerbaijan received
the least point – 7 points. All other areas – freedom of media,
the justice system, corruption, etc. received not more than 6.5 points.

“Azerbaijan is ruled by an authoritarian regime characterized
by intolerance for dissent and disregard for civil liberties and
political rights,” the document reads.

It is noted that the presidential elections held in October 2013,
have become known for their serious irregularities.

“In a year were held series of protests in the capital and in the
regions. Some of these demonstrations were organized by the opposition;
others appeared spontaneous, most notably the riots in the town
of Ismayilli at the end of January and rallies in Baku protesting
violence in the military in March. Throughout the year, the regime
arrested and detained political opponents, activists, and journalists
and used bogus charges against its critics,” the report reads.

On the eve of elections the government had increased pressure over the
independent media. In late 2013 two opposition newspapers, “Azadlig”
and “Musavat”, faced the threat of closure due to excessively large
fines.

“The state’s control over oil resources and the oligarchic structure
of the economy contribute to widespread corruption in Azerbaijan,”
the Freedom House concludes.

Source: Panorama.am

BAKU CONFESSES TO SPREADING LIES ABOUT ARMENIAN ATTACK ON NAKHIJEVAN

June 11, 2014 – 18:39 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Azeri media refuted the rumors spread earlier,
claiming attack of Armenian armed forces on the Nakhijevan-deployed
Azeri posts.

Earlier, Azeri media suggested that Armenians seized the previously
neutral Julfa-located Laketag heights, establishing their posts.

Also, the media reported “fierce fighting in Nakhijevan,” quoting
local residents, Haqqin.az said.

Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan refuted the rumors
above, slamming those as an outright lie in a conversation with
PanARMENIAN.Net

Later, Azeri Defense Ministry denied the reports of fights in
Nakhijevan’s Julfa, Sadarak and Shakhbuz regions, as well as seizure
of Leketag heights, noting the situation to be stable.

ARMENIA NEEDS TO CARRY OUT MONETARY REFORM, ARF MEMBER SAYS

YEREVAN, June 11. / ARKA /. A senior member of the opposition Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARF) party, Artsvik Minasyan, says Armenia
needs to reform its monetary system.

Speaking at parliament today he said it is naive to speak about
macroeconomic stability, which implies economic growth, high
employment, and objective balance of payments, because none of these
factors can be found in Armenia.

According to him, the current state is the result of curbing inflation
and domination of monopolies in the market, making a monetary reform
even more urgent.

He argued that all economic calculations show that the current
monetary system is no longer able to serve the economy and ensure
quick development.

According to him, by saying monetary reform he means a weak national
currency that will increase export opportunities for manufacturers,
as well as preserve the purchasing power of the population.

“With current rate of revenue collection and spending our economy
is unable to develop. The ratio of taxes to GDP is far from normal,
but in reality, the burden on the government is extremely high. There
is a large shadow economy, no level playing field, which is another
evidence in support of monetary reform,” he said.

According to the National Statistical Service, Armenia’s GDP grew by
3.5 percent in 2013, down from the projected 6.2%. The 2014 projection
is 5.2%. -0-

– See more at:

ARMENIAN TOURISTS PREFER GREECE, SPAIN AND THE MALDIVES

Global Travel Industry News
June 10 2014

Jun 10, 2014

Outbound travel from Armenia is on the rise. A strong economy and
with money to spend Armenians are shifting their favorite holiday
destination to include Greece, Spain and the Maldives.

In earlier years Egypt, Dubai and Turkey was on the top of their
travel agenda.

The shift in favorite destinations was stated by Armenian travel
agents. With the facilitation of EU Visas for Greece and Spain this
had helped for this shift to take place.

A decrease in air fares from an average of 450 to 380 euro to most EU
destinations and new direct flights without having to change planes
in Moscow help for new destination to become favorites.

An open secret are the Maldives. It’s one of the most demanded new
destinations for Armenians.