Author: Kalantarian Kevo

ANNULMENT CASE FOR TAKSIM RENOVATION PLAN UNDERWAY

Hurriyet, Turkey
June 27 2013

A landmark plea to cancel the Gezi Park Master Plan has started in
Istanbul with the attendance of protesters’ representatives. The case
is expected last for a period of time between a week and a month.

Some seven people attended the case, including members of the Taksim
Solidarity Platform who initiated the most widespread unrest in the
country for decades in the “Gezi resistance.”

Lawyer Gonca Yılmaz said legal steps had been disregarded from the
very beginning of the Taksim pedestrianization plan, which started
on Oct. 31, 2012. She said the related law ruled that the Istanbul
Metropolitan Municipality should have held two meetings with locals
and non-governmental organizations but this never happened.

Yılmaz also said some 747 square meters of the park had already been
demolished by the municipality so far.

On the other side of the case, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s
lawyers said every step had been taken in accordance with the laws.

Meanwhile the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) hosted a
workshop yesterday with a focus on the ongoing Gezi protests.

Gezi talks

The workshop aimed at offering a debate on the possible future
strategies to follow. Part of the analysis also included the need to
work further on the younger population.

Deputy chair of AKP, Suleyman Soylu, described the events as the
“most interesting 20 days of Turkey’s democracy,” adding that the
protests soon took a different turn with foreign interventions and
radical groups’ involvement.

A guest list including deputies, academics and experts attended
the workshop. Several of the party’s Central Decision and Executive
Council members, including Nikhet Hotar and Prof. Yasin Aktay, were
among those who attended the workshop.

The editor-in-chief of the Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos, Rober
KoptaÅ~_, however, declined the invitation to attend the workshop,
citing the prime minister’s attitude as the cause.

June/27/2013

AZERBAIJAN’S PRESIDENT: WE CAN CONTINUE ISOLATING ARMENIA FROM ALL INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL PROJECTS

APA, Azerbaijan
June 26 2013

‘I am sure that we will reach our goal in the solution of the conflict’

Baku. Konul Kamilgizi – APA. ‘There is internal stability in
Azerbaijan, which is a key factor for the development. There is a
unity between the people and the authorities in Azerbaijan. All our
initiatives are supported by the people’, Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev said addressing the parade dedicated to the 95th anniversary
of Azerbaijani Armed Forces, APA reports.

The head of state stressed that significant activities were carried
out towards economic growth in Azerbaijan: ‘The international financial
institutions appreciate our activity in this area. Years of crisis are
continuing in the world. Azerbaijan, our economy is developing during
these years. All sectors of our economy are developing. In 5 months
of this year, non-oil sector increased by 11%, the total economic
output grew by approximately 5%. The problem of unemployment, poverty
is being eliminated in Azerbaijan, major infrastructure projects are
being implemented, as well as all military campuses are restored. I
gave instructions to rebuild all military units, military campuses
and military bases in the next two years.

Appropriate instructions have been given, funds allocated and the
process is successfully going on. That is, we continue our activity
in all directions successfully and with confidence. The welfare of
the people is improving, the country’s reputation is growing, the
economy is in progress, the industry is developing and Azerbaijan
is moving forward very dynamically. With only a little more than 20
years of independence, Azerbaijan has proved that it can survive as
a free country and can protect its independence’.

The Supreme Commander-in-Chief said the Azerbaijani authorities have
strong political will, the state has strong economy and strong army.

‘The army is defending the statehood, our independent policy. The
people are protecting and should protect the army. I always say that a
strong state must have a strong army. Azerbaijan has been able to fall
under the group of strong states within a short period of time. Now
we are implementing great projects, making great investments. We have
great influence in the international arena. Of course, today given
its military potential, combat capacity and provision, Azerbaijan’s
army is among the strong armies not only in the region, but also in
the world. I am sure that as Azerbaijan is strengthening, our army
will also strengthen. Our army is ready to fulfill any task. Being
Supreme Commander-in-Chief I will continue supporting military
buildup, development of the army. I am sure that Azerbaijan will
successfully fulfill the tasks lying ahead. Almost no problem, except
Nagorno Karabakh problem remains unsolved. There is development in all
directions, there is concrete policy and splendid results. I am sure
that we will reach our goal in the solution of the conflict. We will
restore historical justice. We will return to our native lands. There
is no other way. The development of history, historical processes,
ongoing processes in the world, strengthening Azerbaijan and weakening,
impoverishing Armenia. All these are realities and we have created
these realities with our policy, will. We can continue isolating
Armenia from all international and regional projects. We will further
strengthen Azerbaijan. Our strong state will have its say in the
resolution of this conflict and the Azerbaijani army will fulfill the
order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. Long live Azerbaijani Army,
long live Azerbaijan!’

20 SYRIANS INJURED IN BEIRUT BUS ATTACK

Al-Akhbar English, Lebanon
June 26, 2013 Wednesday

Unknown men attacked a minibus carrying 25 Syrians in eastern Beirut
Wednesday and stabbed the passengers with knives, local media reported.

Twenty of the passengers were injured as a result of the attack,
AFP said.

The young assailants exited from an X5 SUV without covering their
faces, el-Nashra news agency reported, in the neighborhood of Jisr
el-Wati.

The Lebanese National News Agency said eight men in three different
cars were behind the attack.

They attacked the people in the minibus – a group of Muslim, Armenian
and Kurdish Syrians – with knives, witnesses told el-Nashra.

The wounded were moved to the Saint Joseph and Mount Lebanon hospitals,
the agency said.

The Syrians were on their way to Hazmieh from Bourj Hammoud to record
Syrian heritage songs in the studios of an Iranian television station,
the NNA said.

Syrians are frequent targets of racist attacks and discrimination in
Lebanon, as Lebanese authorities turn a blind-eye to these violent
acts.

With Syrian refugees reaching almost 1.5 million, municipalities
around Lebanon have imposed curfew on Syrian nationals. Syrians risk
being attacked in the streets after curfew hours.

(Al-Akhbar)

ARMENIA’S INTERESTS FOR FOREIGN INTEGRATION

The Messenger, Georgia
June 26 2013

Gallup International Association representatives have recently stated
that the Armenian population considers integration with Russia as
a priority for the country rather than with the EU. More than 50%
of those who had been questioned support closer integration with the
Russian Federation. 43% expect further investments from Russia.

Similarly, 70% of the respondents expect military support from
Russia; 90% consider that the highest risk for the country comes from
Azerbaijan and Turkey; 61% support the idea of entering the Customs
Union with other former Soviet Republics headed by Russia.

YEREVAN SAYS THREE AZERBAIJANI SPIES RECRUITED THROUGH SOCIAL NETWORKS DETAINED

Interfax, Russia
June 25 2013

The special services of Armenia and the unrecognized Nagorny Karabakh
have detained three people on the suspicion of spying for Azerbaijan.

A contract servicewoman of an Armenian military unit, Mane Movsisyan,
31, was detained on June 22, the Armenian National Security Service
told Interfax on Tuesday.

“From January 2012, prior to starting military service, Movsisyan
began her activities using the pseudonyms of S Dr, Seryan Dervisyan and
Tigran Dervisyan. She had contact with an employee of the Azerbaijani
special services operating in Turkey, coordinating actions through
social networks like Odnoklassniki, mail.ru agent and Facebook. This
correspondence lasted after her joining the Armenian army,” the
National Security Service said.

According to investigative information the detainee has given the
Azerbaijani special services information of military nature about
Armenia containing state and official secrets, access to which she
got while serving.

“The National Security Service of Nagorny Karabakh detained two people
for committing a similar crime, one of them is a serviceman of the
Nagorny Karabakh Defense Army. They were recruited via the Internet
by employees of the Azerbaijani special services acting under the
same profiles,” the Armenian National Security Service said.

“ARMENIAN SQUARE” OPENS IN WARSAW

Mediamax, Armenia
June 26 2013

Yerevan /Mediamax/. “Armenian Square” opened in Warsaw today.Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan, Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan and Mayor
of Warsaw Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz took part in the ceremony of
inauguration of the Square, the press service of Yerevan Mayor’s
Office said. The decision to denominate the Square was made by the
Warsaw City Council as a sign of Armenian-Polish friendship.

HENRIKH MKHITARYAN’S MOVE TO ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE EXPECTED TO GIVE BOOST TO ARMENIA’S FOOTBALL INDUSTRY

By Appo K. Jabarian
Executive Publisher / Managing Editor
USA Armenian Life Magazine

June will go down in the annals of Armenian football history heralding
the emergence of football as a viable industry in Armenia. Literally
hundreds of Mkhitaryan-related news articles inundated the internet
news portals such as Google, Yahoo and Bing. The absolute majority
of the articles acknowledged Mkhitaryan’s multifaceted talents and
drive as a rising international football sensation.

On Wednesday, just before press time, an advanced search on Google
News revealed over 18,000 news item references with the words “Henrikh
Mkhitaryan.” Sunday night that number had reached 31,000.

Major media carried thousands of up-to-the-minute news on the high
profiled Armenian international giving a strong indication that once
Mkhitaryan enters the English Premier League scene there will be
generated an avalanche of news on Mkhitaryan and Armenia emanating
from England on a regular basis.

England is well known for having developed a world class league that is
“the talk of the town” in many countries among millions of football
fans. The English league is one of the highest rated in the world.

England is credited to have become the first country that near-fully
developed the game of football (soccer). The Laws of the game were
originally codified in England by The Football Association in 1863.

Despite dozens of reliable news sources suggesting the imminent
signing last week of Mkhitaryan by Liverpool Football Club of the
English Premier League, Shakhtar Donetsk chief executive Sergei
Palkin claimed there had been no approach from Liverpool for in-demand
midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan – but they would be “willing to listen
to offers.” The 24-year-old has emerged as the Reds’ major transfer
target this summer and reports have suggested he could be available
for £22 million.

“Armenia’s position in the world rankings – 89th – could complicate
the pursuit of a work permit for the 24-year-old playmaker, whose
acquisition might be the centerpiece of a busy summer of remodeling
at Anfield. Permits are more complex for players from nations outside
of the top 70 in the world, though Mkhitaryan is a much sought-after
player in Europe,” reported The Independent.

British employment authorities may consider the fact that Armenia is
already expected to move into the top 70 in FIFA World Ranking as
a result of her June 11 stunning victory against Denmark, a major
world soccer powerhouse ranking 20th among 209 nations. Armenia is
expected to register a major jump from her current 89th place to a
spot well within the 60’s.

Mkhitaryan has reportedly flown to the UK to finalize a deal and
there was a photo and caption tweet by journalist Artur Petrosyan,
editor-in-chief of Russian publication sport-express.ru showing the
Armenian international signing a Liverpool shirt in London.

Whether Armenia international Mkhitaryan’s transfer from Ukraine
Champions Shakhtar Donetsk to Liverpool materializes or not, Armenian
football has already earned much acclaim for having produced quality
and talented players like Mkhitaryan.

There are many indications that Mkhitaryan is positioned to have
major media presence in Europe and other continents. So it would
be a good idea for European TV, Radio and Webcast announcers and
commentators to accurately pronouncing Henrikh’s Armenian last name –
“Muh-Khee-Taryan.” A few of them have come close. But many still
refer to him as “Mkitryn.”

“Mkhitaryan” or “Mekhitarian” is based on the Armenian root word
“mekhitar” (or spelled “mkhitar”) which means healer or consoler.

True to his last name, Henrikh became a ‘healer’ for his club team’s
score sheet. He has already become famous by giving boost to Shakhtar
Donetsk to come out of the doldrums of draws and defeats, and go on
to accumulate series of unprecedented victories. Mkhitaryan lit up
his teammates with 29 goals in 41 matches and rallied them to stage
a set of victories that have enabled Shakhtar Donetsk to capture the
championship titles for several years in a row.

Mkhitaryan’s Shakhtar experience brought positive results both
for him, in terms of further boosting his self-esteem; and for
his national squad where he has been performing his duties as an
impressive attacking midfielder. He was an important architect of
Armenia’s June 11 triumph (4-0) against Denmark, a top 20 in FIFA
wrorld ranking. Mkhitaryan scored one of the goals.

Looking ahead to a possible Liverpool experience, the transfer has
all the attributes to produce a win-win-win-win relationship between
Liverpool FC, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Football Federation of Armenia (FFA)
and millions of Mkhitaryan fans around the world – especially in the
rest of Europe and North America. Mkhitaryan’s fans are especially
numerous in the media markets of Southern California, Eastern US,
and Canada’s Toronto and Montreal who can contribute to high TV
ratings for televised Liverpool matches.

Thanks to his resilient character, Mkhitaryan continues to rise
in European charts and has been steadily climbing since his very
promising starting days at Pyunic FC in Armenia where he has earned
three “Best footballer of the year” titles out of the last four.

His move to Shakhtar Donetsk proved to be talismanic both for himself
and the three times Ukrainian champions. Mkhitaryan contributed to
making Shakhtar a European powerhouse. And now he is tasked to assist
Liverpool to make a come-back to the European elite tournament scene.

Mkhitaryan, Yura Movsisyan, Aras Ozbiliz, Mario Pizelli, Artur
Sarkisov and others are by-products of blossoming Armenia-Diaspora
football environment.

Even though he is already rated a prolific and well-established
Armenia international, Mkhitaryan’s Liverpool experience is expected
to contribute to further accumulation of wealth in his armory as an
international player with impressive staying power.

Mkhitaryan’s move to Anfield club is expected to produce huge publicity
for the rising Armenian football industry giving birth to homegrown
and Diaspora-born future Armenian international stars.

SERIOUS CLOWNING: “SHAPITO” AIMS TO ESTABLISH TRADITION OF TRAVELLING CIRCUS IN ARMENIA

Arts and Culture | 26.06.13 | 14:59

By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter

The bright colorful circus tent – shapito – amidst the abundant summer
green of the Armenian capital is a cheerful sight that evokes
curiosity.

“The first day we were putting up the tent, people from the
neighborhood were approaching us wondering if we were gipsy,” says
artistic director of the Travelling Circus Gevorg Grigoryan aka clown
Gosha. “This was my idea. I wanted people in Armenia to get to know a
travelling circus. This culture has to be developed here; people have
to perceive what a travelling circus is. Why should we lag behind the
rest of the world?” he says with pride for his brainchild.

In Yerevan the former premises of Dolphinarium now hosts the circus,
next to Komitas park. Before getting to the capital the circus offered
joy and laughter to the residents of Abovyan, Ashtarak and Artashat
towns.

“Somebody came up in Artashat and asked what this is. We said it was a
circus. ‘All right, so circus you say, ha? But, what is going to be
inside?’ At another place someone made an assumption: ‘They have
knocked down the circus and left you wondering in the streets.’ It is
not surprising, because people in Armenia are not familiar with the
concept, they have never seen a mobile circus,” says Grigoryan, who
has devoted three decades of his life to circus.

“Gosha” has been performing since he was 14, graduated Moscow Circus
Academy, worked at the Soviet State Circus. After the collapse of the
Soviet Union, he worked on contract basis at various circuses. He says
circus doesn’t age, it is universal art.

“Abroad 70 percent of the audience is adults; only those come with
children who either do not have anyone to leave them with or want to
show a doggie to the child. I am a clown, but the program is designed
both for adults and children. The claim that circus is only for
children is a remnant of the Soviet demagogic heritage,” he says,
explaining that “shapito” means tent translated from Italian
(sciapito). There are more than 400 functioning in Europe.

The performers invited from Russia, the Ukraine and two locals, and
the animals – 3 bears, 3 monkeys, dogs and reptiles – are housed next
to the circus tent. They will stay in Yerevan till September; so far
they have performed five times here. The tent holds up to 800
spectators.

“We have done everything at our own expense with our own means. And it
does not matter whether we would profit or not, what matters most is
that we are doing something good for our children,” he says.

>From Yerevan the circus will travel to Gyumri, Artik, Vanadzor,
Dilijan and so on to cities and towns of Armenia, then leave for
Nagorno Karabakh. Close to Christmas time it will return to Yerevan
and offer Armenian circus fans a new holiday program. Tickets in the
capital cost $5, but are more affordable in the provinces.

The travelling circus has been granted a premise license by the
municipality of Yerevan, however Grigoryan is unhappy about the
culture ministry’s indifference.

“Of course they know that a mobile circus is performing in the
country, but nobody from our culture ministry comes to ask ‘Who are
you? What a good thing you are doing! Let us be your information
sponsor, make it public, involve larger audiences, since you have
brought performers and animals.’ When a child comes to a circus today
and watches a good performance, then stands up to applaud, that is due
to our efforts, isn’t it, and that’s culture,” he says.

The first circus functioned in Yerevan in 1930s in a wooden building;
in 1939 it was replaced by a new stone building, which underwent full
repair in 1962. That very building was demolished last September and a
new one on the site is expected to be put into operation in 2014.

OPPONENTS OF CURRENT PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN READY TO GET RID OF ALIYEV’S DYNASTIC RULE

18:46 27/06/2013 ” REGION

As the two-term Azeri president Ilham Aliyev prepares to run in the
October presidential elections, his opponents are looking to field a
credible candidate to rid the country of the Aliyevs’ dynastic rule,
the business news agency Zawya reports.

The article reads that Aliyev’s family has had an uncomfortable
relationship with democracy. His father Hyder, who was once a senior
KGB officer, launched a successful coup against Azerbaijan’s only
democratically elected leader Abulfaz Elchibey in 1993 to become
president.

It is said that after ruling for 10 years, he stepped aside and
nominated his son as his party’s sole candidate in 2003. Ilham Aliyev
secured majority votes but opposition groups claimed the process was
deeply flawed. Aliyev won a second term in 2008 after the opposition
boycotted the elections in Azerbaijan.

The author notes, that there are some concerns among the Azeri
political elite whether the president should run a third term.

The material also says that the president is looking to change
the status quo because for the first time he may be up against a
credible opposing candidate: 74-year-old writer Rustom Ibrahimbeyov,
who could be acceptable to a number of opposition groups after they
came together under the National Council coalition.

The article reads that, Azerbaijan may have prospered, it has received
dismal marks from virtually every human rights institution and NGO
in the world. Thus, Human Rights Watch says that since March 2012,
the Azeri authorities have arrested or convicted at least 22 political
activists, journalists, social media bloggers, human-rights defenders,
and others who criticized the government.

However as the author of the article says it is unclear whether Azeris
are ready for a major change.

As the article reads, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says that
Azerbaijan has been one of the world’s fastest growing economies in
the past decade, yet the country is at a critical juncture given the
foreseeable decline in oil production and gas reserves.

Most analysts are predicting oil production to decline within two
decades and while natural gas revenues are on the rise, they may not
be enough to offset falling oil receipts. The age-old recommendation
to diversify away from the hydrocarbon economy has been falling on
deaf ears.

The article also says that the focus on natural gas is crucial to
maintaining the Azeri economy’s growth trajectory, especially as
Aliyev needs a healthy flow of revenues to keep his citizenry content
and opposition parties at bay. But the country could face a number of
challenges as commodity prices are falling, which is inconvenient for a
president fighting for re-election, the author of the material writes.

As the IMF reports, the government’s planned spending program,
including in the 2013 budget, is exacerbating oil dependence and
increasing risks to a potential fall in global oil prices.

Source: Panorama.am

BORDYUZHA AGAINST CSTO’S JOINING KARABAKH CONFLICT NEGOTIATIONS

16:54, 27 June, 2013

YEREVAN, JUNE 27, ARMENPRESS: The intervention of any other bodies into
the negotiations process of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement
issue, besides the OSCE Minsk Group, is deconstructive. This was
stated by the Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization Nikolay Bordyuzha at the meeting with the journalists
held on June 27. He noted that the Collective Security Treaty
Organization is aware of the situation and follows the conflict
settlement process. As reported by Armenpress, Nikolay Bordyuzha is
certain that the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan should find a
consensus in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement issue in the
framework of the OSCE MinskGroup.

Azerbaijan lost in the war in 1994 against Artsakh. Azerbaijan has
not learnt a good lesson from the history and continues threatening
with the intention to settle the Karabakh conflict issue with a
military way. The negotiation process of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement is coordinated by the OSCE Minsk Group, which consists of
the Russian Federation, France and the United States of America.

Azerbaijan uses any possible opportunity to put the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement issue into different instances, the UN General
Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
in particular.