Author: Kalantarian Kevo

GENOCIDE COMMEMORATIVE BILLBOARDS ON DISPLAY IN MASSACHUSETTS

April 3, 2013

By Rosario Teixeira

WATERTOWN, Mass.–During the month of April, in Foxboro, Watertown,
and Cambridge, Peace of Art, Inc. will display Armenian Genocide
commemorative billboards to honor the victims of the Armenian Genocide,
and call for recognition and condemnation of the genocide.

Commemorate billboard in Foxboro “With these billboards, we
are honoring the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide,
calling upon the international community to recognize the Armenian
Genocide, and to condemn the perpetrators,” said artist Daniel
Varoujan Hejinian, the president and founder of Peace of Art Inc.,
a non-profit educational organization.

“Ninety-eight years have passed but the bloody handprints of the
horrible events of 1915 stained the pages of the world history,
when 1.5 million Armenians lost their lives.”

The 2013 billboard depicts bloody handprints on the words “Armenian
Genocide” over a black background. One 10â~@² x 30â~@² digital
billboard is on display on Route 1 in Foxboro, a quarter of a mile
south of the main entrance to Gillette Stadium and Patriot Place. A
second 11â~@² x 27â~@² billboard is on display in Watertown, on Mount
Auburn Street, in the heart of the Armenian community, close to the
Armenian cultural centers and churches. A third 11â~@² x 27â~@²
billboard will be on display on Cambridge Street, near Lechmere
Station, East Cambridge. This area, with high traffic and high
visibility, is the gateway between Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville.

Since 1996, Hejinian has been calling for the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide. In 2004, Peace of Art, Inc. began to sponsor the
commemorative billboards. This year’s message further calls for the
condemnation of genocide.

To date, the Armenian Genocide has been recognized by over 20 countries
and 42 U.S. states. However, in spite of his campaign promise to
recognize the genocide, in the last four years President Obama has
failed to use the term “genocide” in reference to the slaughter of
Armenians, which took place almost to a century ago.

The Armenian Genocide is not a matter of concern for Armenians
alone but to everyone. Genocide is a crime against humanity. Without
recognition and condemnation, the Armenian Genocide remains a wound
that continues to bleed, under the handprints of the culprit.

62.1 PER CENT DECREASE IN HUMANITARIAN AID TO ARMENIA

2013-04-03 23:02:24

During January-February this year, 432.0 tons of goods valued at more
than three billion drams or $7.5 million were delivered to Armenia
in the form of humanitarian aid, Panorama.am wrote referring to data
published by the National Statistical Service of the Republic of
Armenia received from the State Revenue Committee under the Government
of Armenia.

According to the data 49.8 per cent of the total aid comprised of
chemical products and related industries, 14.7 per cent of textile
goods, 9.7 per cent – devices, 6.5 per cent – machinery, equipment
and mechanisms, 8.2 per cent – industrial products, 2.7 per cent –
base metals and articles and 8.4 per cent other merchandise.

Most humanitarian aid arrived in Armenia from Switzerland (31per
cent), U.S. (28.1per cent), France (3.6per cent), Germany and China
(3.5per cent) and Russia (2.9per cent).

During January and February of this year the volume of humanitarian
aid sent to Armenia reduced by 62.1per cent compared to the same
period last year.

ARMENIA ARRESTS HEAD OF AIRPORT CUSTOMS ON SUSPICION OF SMUGGLING DIAMONDS

TACY, Israel
April 3 2013

The Special Investigation Service of Armenia on Tuesday arrested the
head of the department of customs control of Yerevan international
airport on suspicion of helping to smuggle into the country a large
consignment of diamonds that had arrived from the United Arab Emirates,
RIA Novosti reported.

The customs official, Arsen Papazian, was arrested with another man,
Ashot Gasparyan, a resident of the capital, Yerevan.

“According to the preliminary investigation, a large consignment
of diamonds weighing 2,702.58 carats, acquired in the United Arab
Emirates, in collusion with Papazyan was taken on March 1, 2013 through
the customs border to Armenia by hiding from the customs control and
non-declaration,” according to a statement by the customs authority.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT STARTS NEW CHESS PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS

My High School Journalism
April 3 2013

Tuesday, April 02, 2013 By Wes Patton

Armenia recently implemented mandatory chess lessons in public school
in order to create a better society. Armenia is the first and only
country to make the game of strategy compulsory. This new policy
seems to have paid off, as the small Caucasus nation with only three
million residents has become a chess powerhouse, creating over thirty
Grandmasters and winning the team Chess Olympiads in 2006, 2008,
and 2012. This may even be a new way to scout out young talent to
continue the legacy of impressive Chess players.

The program requires children in grades two, three, and four to
receive two hours of chess every week during school. The students
also play one-on-one games for one hour of this time. While it may
seem a little odd to require elementary-aged children to play this
game, most of the participants say they enjoy learning and playing
chess. Armenia has spent about three million dollars to supply chess
equipment learning aids in all Armenian schools. Armen Ashotyan,
Armenia’s education minister, says that most of the money has been
put towards finding and producing good teachers.

“Chess develops various skills – leadership capacities,
decision-making, strategic planning, logical thinking and
responsibility,” Ashotyan said. “We are building these traits in our
youngsters. The future of the world depends on such creative leaders
who have the capacity to make the right decisions, as well as the
character to take responsibility for wrong decisions.”

Perhaps this new program will create a better future for Armenia and
convince education reformers around the world to incorporate similar
activities for the brain in their schools.

“SARGSYAN AND HOVANNISIAN CAN FIND CONFLICT-FREE SOLUTIONS”

Wednesday,
April
03

“A new political situation has formed in Armenia today. Hopefully,
Serzh Sargsyan (unlike Robert Kocharian) and Raffi Hovannisian
(unlike Levon Ter-Petrosian) are more inclined to seek conflict-free
solutions,” the first Ombudsperson of Armenia Ms. Larisa Alaverdian
told the correspondent of Aysor.am.

In her words, Serzh Sargsyan and Raffi Hovannisian should find
solutions, which are devoid of such elements as political bargaining
or secret negotiations, while the people should feel that changes
are taking place in the country.

“I wish the authorities would find the strength to dissolve the
National Assembly. The political force led by Serzh Sargsyan knows
how to do it,” L. Alaverdian noted.

She said the ruling party is able to understand that this path is
ruinous for the incumbent president, the country, and the ruling
party, so the dissolution of the parliament should be put on the
political agenda.

TODAY, 20:23

Aysor.am

CARREFOUR’S FIRST HYPERMARKET IN ARMENIA TO OPEN IN ARSHAKUNYATS AVENUE

ARMINFO
Wednesday, April 3, 20:44

Carrefour (France) will open a hypermarket with a total area of 6
thsd sq m in Arshakunyats Avenue in Yerevan, a reliable source told
ArmInfo. The source says that Carrefour is going to open 3 hypermarkets
in Armenia.

Earlier Karen Vardanyan, Head of the Business Environment Improvement
Department of the Armenian Economy Ministry, said that Carrefour
is already in Armenia and is intensively working at expansion of
its business.

To recall, Carrefour was going to open a hypermarket in Armenia in
Dalma Garden Mall. However, the leadership of Dalma Garden Mall in
the person of the well-known Armenian entrepreneur Samvel Karapetyan
cancelled the contract on the lease of business premises for the
hypermarket. The key person “to be blamed for it” is Samvel Alexanyan,
the Armenian oligarch importing essential goods, the owner of the
large network of Yerevan City supermarkets.

To note, according to the reliable sources of ArmInfo, the Carrefour
hypermarket in Yerevan will work on the basis of a franchise owned
by a large U.A.E. developer Majid Al Futtaim Holding (MAF). “We
are already working in 13 countries of the world. We have recently
included several CIS countries in our portfolio, among them Kazakhstan,
Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia”, MAF Chief Executive Officer said to
Russkiye Emiraty. The company opened its first Carrefour supermarket
in Georgia in Sept 2012. At present MAF has already 45 supermarkets.

To note, by the number of its stores (over 15 thsd) Carrefour Group
(France) holds the first position in Europe and the second position in
the world. Carrefour hypermarkets’ assortment includes up to 80,000
food and non-food items. The total staff consists of over 400 thsd
people. Nothing has been said about the investments in the opening of
the hypermarket in Yerevan, however, experts estimated the investments
at 6-8 mln USD.

ANOTHER AZERBAIJANI MP HADI RAJABLI IS FOR THE LIMITATION OF FACEBOOK IN COUNTRY

17:11 03/04/2013 ” SOCIETY

Chairman of the committee on social policy of the Parliament of
Azerbaijan Hadi Rajabli is the second deputy who spoke in favor of
limiting the social network “Facebook” in Azerbaijan, the Azeri news
agancy “Haqqin.az” reports.

“Sometimes in social network “Facebook” materials badly influencing
on the education of our young people are published,” the Chairman of
the Commission said at the meeting on April 2.

According to him, “Some people write such things in the social
networks,” which casts a shadow on the achievements of Azerbaijan.

“Unfortunately, some young people are influenced by these destructive
forces,” says Rajabli.

According to the Azerbaijani MP, the social networks should contain
more materials about the “achievements of the country, the Karabakh
issue, the policy carried out by the president and the state,” the
portal says.

In the beginning of March, MP Fazail Agamali, the leader of the
pro-governmental party of Azerbaijan “Fatherland”, spoke for imposing
restrictions on social networks, including “Facebook.” He told that
social networks are a threat to the Azerbaijani statehood.

On March 10, in Baku, a mass protest against the deaths of soldiers in
the army in non-combat situation was held. The rally was dispersed by
the police; at least 60 people were detained. There were about 3000
protesters at Fountain Square. The number of participants increased
due to the relatives of the recruits killed in the Azerbaijani army.

Earlier, a similar protest was held on January 12 in 2013 and was
also dispersed by the police. Both protests were organized in social
networks.

Source: Panorama.am

TURKS CONCERNED OVER GENOCIDE 100TH ANNIV. COMMEMORATION – EXPERT

April 3, 2013 – 16:26 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Turkey prioritizes neither the Genocide issue, nor
Armenian-Turkish reconciliation, political expert Artak Shakaryan said.

“Turks do the utmost to prove that not only Armenians, but also Turks
were massacred in 1915. For this reason, memorials to the so-called
“Turkish genocide” and to the victims to ASALA operations will be built
in Turkey,” the expert said, adding that Turks are seriously concerned
about Armenian Genocide 100th anniversary commemoration events.

“Unfortunately, Armenia only responds to Turkish scenarios, rather
than initiates new plans,” he said, adding that the frozen state of
Armenian-Turkish protocols benefits Ankara.

ARMENIA TURNING INTO INTERNET MARKET

16:24 ~U 03.04.13

Up to 40 GB Internet traffic will be supplied from Georgia to the
neighboring countries through Ucom cables, Ucom Director Hayk Yesayan
told journalists on Wednesday.

To render this service, the company signed a contract with Caucasus
Online.

“Armenia is going to be a transit country for Internet communication.

This is an opportunity for us to compete with the neighboring states.

Armenia is turning into an Internet market,” Mr Yesayan said.

In response to Tert.am’s question about the benefits Armenia may get
from the contract, Mr Yesayan said that speedier Internet will soon
be supplied, with the cost to remain unchanged. “Higher speed can be
said to be a lowered cost,” he said.

Armenian News – Tert.am

350 NEW WORKING PLACES TO BE OPEN IN CHARENTSAVAN INDUSTRY

14:51, 3 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 3, ARMENPRESS: ASCE Group OJSC, functioning in the
field of industry in Charentsavan, will shortly create 350 new working
places. As informed by Armenpress, this was reported to the Prime
Minister of the Republic of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan during his visit
to ASCE Group.

The member of the Board of Directors of the Company Vahan Harutyunyan
informed that investments of 30 million USD had been implemented.

According to him, in the republic as well there is need for local
production of wires, which were currently imported from Georgia
and Ukraine.

The upgrades of the Company will have been completed by June-July
2013 and about 350 new working places will be created in the result
with an average salary of 120 thousand AMD. The works on importing
and installment of the necessary goods are currently being carried out.

Tigran Sargsyan got acquainted as well with the activity of another
enterprise Dzulakentron (Foundry Center). The Enterprise realizes
it production mainly in the internal market, buys the raw materials
for the Armenian companies and imports some part of it from Russia,
Ukraine and Iran as well.