Author: Kalantarian Kevo

VLADIMIR ABAJYAN TO BE BURIED IN YEREVAN CITY PANTHEON

11:01, 17 January, 2013

YEREVAN, JANUARY 17, ARMENPRESS. The farewell ceremony of beloved
actor, People’s Artist of the Armenian SSR Vladimir Abajyan will be
held today in the in the National Academic Theatre of Yerevan after
Gabriel Sundukyan at 12:00-14:00 o’clock. As reports “Armenpress” the
burial will take place in the Yerevan City Pantheon at 14:00 o~Rclock.

Civil funerals of the beloved artist were held yesterday in St. John
Church in Yerevan, at 18:00 o~Rclock, on January 15, Vladimir Abajyan
was born in Shirak village of Shirak Province, on November 27, 1927.

He was a brother of outstanding art critic Gevorg Abajyan. He graduated
from Actor~Rs faculty of Yerevan State Artistic-Theatrical Institute in
1951. In 1951 he started his career of actor in the National Academic
Theatre of Yerevan after Gabriel Sundukyan, where he had created
over 50 outstanding characters. He played various roles in movies,
TV and radio performances.

He was one of the greatest masters of the national art of reciting. In
1998 Vladimir Abajyan was decorated with “Movses Khorenatsi” medal.

IMF: ARMENIA’S BANKING SYSTEM PROVED RESILIENT TO THE FINANCIAL CRISIS

10:38 17.01.2013

The banking system of Armenia proved resilient to the financial crisis
and the severe exchange rate depreciation and GDP contraction of 2009,
says the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in an assessment of the
country’s financial sector, published on January 11, 2013.

The resilience is in part due to the low level of intermediation and
exposure to key sectors such as construction, but also because of
swift efforts on the part of the authorities to provide support to the
banking sector. Stress tests show that banks would be resilient to a
repeated shock, although there are some heightened vulnerabilities,
according to the IMF’s Financial Sector Stability Assessment Program
(FSAP) Update for Armenia.

“The authorities show considerable commitment to embedding strong
supervision as an expectation in Armenia,” said Jennifer Elliott,
FSAP mission chief. “Further work on deepening understanding of
individual banks’ risk profiles and some additional reporting from
banks would be a continuation of their progress.” The system remains
broadly appropriate for the level of development but additions will
be required as the financial system develops.

The country however remains vulnerable to a current account shock,
according to the assessment. The authorities are engaged in further
action that could be taken to protect the banking sector, including
the introduction of a liquidity coverage ratio in foreign currency to
ensure sufficient liquidity for the high level of dollar deposits and
are developing more robust monitoring of foreign currency exposures
of borrowers, because foreign currency lending generates significant
credit risk.

The authorities have already taken steps, since the FSAP mission,
to strengthen the crisis management framework concluding a Memorandum
of Understanding between the central bank and Ministry of Finance.

UNE MISSION PREELECTORALE DE L’APCE EN ARMENIE
Stephane

armenews.com
jeudi 17 janvier 2013

Une delegation de l’Assemblee parlementaire du Conseil de l’Europe
(APCE), se rendra en mission pre-electorale a Erevan, capitale de
l’Armenie, les 16 et 17 janvier 2013, a-t-on appris lundi du Conseil
de l’Europe a Strasbourg.

Composee de cinq membres de l’APCE et conduite par Karin Woldseth
(Norvège), cette delegation aura pour mission d’evaluer la campagne
et le cadre electoral de l’election presidentielle du 18 fevrier
prochain en Armenie.

Lors de son sejour a Erevan, elle devrait rencontrer le president de
la Republique, le ministre des Affaires etrangères, les principaux
candidats a l’election et des leaders des factions politiques
representees au parlement.

Des entretiens sont egalement prevus avec le procureur general, le
president de la commission electorale centrale, ainsi qu’avec des
representants de la communaute diplomatique, de la societe civile et
des medias.

Apres cette mission preelectorale, selon le Conseil de l’Europe, une
delegation complète de 22 membres de l’APCE se rendra a son tour en
Armenie pour observer le scrutin de l’election presidentielle.

jeudi 17 janvier 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

KATHERINE SARAFIAN REMPORTE LE GOLDEN GLOBE POUR ” REBELLE ”
Stephane

armenews.com
jeudi 17 janvier 2013

Katherine Sarafian, productrice de long metrage d’animation a remporte
un Golden Globe Award dimanche soir quand son film ” Rebelle ”
a remporte le prix du meilleur film d’animation.

Ceci est de bon augure pour Katherine Sarafian et son film, puisque
Brave est nomine a la fois pour un Annie Award et un Oscar, les deux
seront annonces le mois prochain lors de leurs ceremonies respectives.

Les Annie Awards seront remis le 2 fevrier alors que la ceremonie
des Oscars aura lieu le 24 fevrier.

Rebelle, qui a ete un succès au box-office, a ete produit par Pixar
Animation Studios et distribue par Walt Disney Pictures.

jeudi 17 janvier 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

ARMAN MELIKYAN URGES TO PUBLISH LISTS

Country – Wednesday, 16 January 2013, 22:48

Arman Melikyan, the presidential candidate, has appealed to the CEC
to publish the names of people who have accepted dual citizenship, the
people who have left Armenia and who have renounced citizenship. Arman
Melikyan claims that the officially announced number of voters is
400-500 thousand more than the real number of voters.

VOTE 2013: BROADCAST MEDIA MONITORING REVEALS BULK OF PRE-ELECTION COVERAGE TIME ‘SQUANDERED’ ON NON-PARTICIPATING FORCES
By Gohar Abrahamyan

ArmeniaNow
Vote 2013 | 16.01.13 | 15:04

The latest monitoring of Armenian broadcast media shows that coverage
related to the upcoming presidential election has largely been
influenced by the belated political statements of the main expected
participants and has mainly reflected the uncertainty existing in
the political situation.

At a Wednesday meeting with reporters Yerevan Press Club president
Boris Navasardyan presented the report on the first stage of the media
monitoring related to the February 18 presidential vote. He said that
the eight nominated and eventually registered candidates attracted 40
percent of the attention of media in their election-related coverage.

“Because of the political uncertainty 60 percent of broadcast media
attention was somewhere wasted on the politicians and forces that
ultimately have no obvious or clear role in the current presidential
election,” said Navasardyan, referring primarily to the Prosperous
Armenia Party, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and the Armenian
National Congress, which eventually failed to field a presidential
candidate or endorse anyone participating in the race.

The YPC has conducted the monitoring with financial assistance from the
European Union as part of the Support to the Two Stages of Elections
in Armenia program. It consists of two phases. The first phase covered
the period from October 1 to December 15, while the second one will
relate to the official campaign period – January 21- February 16.

A group consisting of several YPC employees is monitoring nine
broadcast media – six television stations with nationwide coverage
(Armenia Public TV, Armenia TV, Yerkir Media, Kentron, Armenian Second
Channel, Shant), one news-oriented channel ArmNews that broadcasts
for Yerevan, as well as two radio stations – Public Radio and Armradio.

“We have registered that the media in question have not discriminated
among candidates or political forces. We will be in touch with the
campaign headquarters of all eighth registered candidates to hear
their complaints and compare them with the reality,” said Navasardyan.

The YPC president added that for the period when the monitoring
was conducted the most frequently mentioned names of politicians,
in descending order, were: incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan,
Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan, Heritage Party
leader Raffi Hovannisian, Armenian National Congress leader Levon
Ter-Petrosyan, Prosperous Armenia Party, former minister of foreign
affairs Vartan Oskanian, ex-president Robert Kocharyan, current
presidential candidates Vardan Sedrakyan and Paruyr Hayrikyan.

IVANISHVILI PAID TRIBUTE TO MEMORY OF GENOCIDE VICTIMS

16:21, 17 January, 2013

YEREVAN, JANUARY 17, ARMENPRESS. On January 17 the Prime Minister of
Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili alongside with the Georgian delegation
visited Tsitsernakaberd hill. As reports “Armenpress” the
distinguished guests were accompanied by the Minister of Culture of
the Republic of Armenia Hasmik Poghosyan. They placed a wreath near
the memorial and flowers near Unquenchable Fire. The delegation headed
by the Prime Minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili arrived in
Armenia on January 17.

On March 12, 2012 the President of Georgia Mikheil Sahakashvili paid a
visit to Tsitsernakaberd memorial. The Georgian president placed a
wreath near the memorial of the Genocide victims and planted a
symbolic fir tree in the alley near the Genocide memorial. Georgia has
not officially recognized the Armenian Genocide yet, notwithstanding,
regularly various political powers and activists voice about the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the necessity of joining over
20 countries, which has recognized the Armenian Genocide.

HITLER HONORED IN UPSCALE ISTANBUL MALL

Turkey is now not only openly hostile to the Jewish State, but also to the
Jewish people.

By: Lori Lowenthal Marcus
Published: January 15th, 2013

Hitler’s poster in an Istanbul mall.

People who have been paying attention know that relations between
Israel and Turkey have been eroding, but not many realize that Turkey
is now not only openly hostile to the Jewish State, but also to the
Jewish people.

On Friday, January 11, a Turkish citizen took a picture to show
exactly how belligerent Turkey has become. The picture is of a huge
poster with the words, ~SWho Would You Like to Meet if You Could?~T
and the last name, and only photograph, is of Adolf Hitler. The other
choices include Suleiman I, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Napolean Bonaparte,
the Beatles, Elvis Presley, Vladimir Lenin, Boris Yeltsin, Leonardo
Da Vinci, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Michael Jackson. But only Hitler
warranted a picture, a huge one at that.

According to Ege Berk Korkut, an active Turkish writer and blogger,
the sign was placed in the Sapphire Mall by the owners, a group of
Turkish businessmen who are devoted to Erdogan. Korkut explained to
The Jewish Press that the Sapphire is an ultra-upscale mall in Levent,
the wealthiest neighborhood in Istanbul. The Sapphire building is
one of the tallest buildings in Europe.

Korkut said that while a few people have complained about the banner
~V and the management has refused to remove it ~V most shoppers just
glance at it and continue shopping. Ho-hum, nothing startling or even
mildly interesting about a huge photograph of Adolf Hitler hanging
in the Turkish equivalent of Via Bellagio in Las Vegas or The Shops
at Columbus Circle in New York City.

And it is not only Israel and the Jews towards which Turkey has turned
its back.

The Iranian Ambassador to Turkey, Bahman Hussein Pour, discussed the
close and ever-increasing Iranian-Turkish relations in an article in
the January 14 MehrNews.com, an Iranian news agency.

Hussein Pour pointed out that while Western countries, ~Sespecially
the U.S.,~T have been pressuring Turkey to reduce economic relations
with Iran, ~SIran-Turkey trade volume exceeds $21b this year for the
first time.~T The Iranian Ambassador concluded that Turkish-Iranian
relations are irreversible.

In addition to the trade relations between the two countries which
has more than quadrupled since 2008, Hussein Pour also explained that
~Smore than 15 Turkish provinces have become sister provinces with
Iranian ones.~T

The timing of the statements is important, as many had predicted that
relations between the neighboring nations would deteriorate over the
violence in Syria, which also shares a border with Turkey. Turkey~Rs
President Recep Erdogan has repeatedly called on Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad to step down, while Iran is the principle backer
of the Assad regime. Nevertheless, Iran has benefited greatly from
Turkey~Rs import of Iranian oil, and Turkey has prospered from millions
of Iranian tourists. In a move that benefits both countries, hundreds
of Turkish movies have been filmed in northern Iran.

This cozy relationship has developed despite the very public love
letters President Barack Obama sent to Turkey~Rs President Recep
Erdogan. Middle East analyst Barry Rubin wrote a telling piece
in the spring about the one-sided relationship between Obama and
Erdogan. In addition to recounting Obama~Rs amorous actions towards
the leader of Turkey who has turned that giant ship away from the West
and into the harbor of the Islamist world, Rubin pointed out that
in 2010 Erdogan made a ~Sdeal with Iran that sabotaged the delicate
U.S. drive to toughen anti-Iran sanctions.~T And despite that blow
to U.S. policy and insult to Obama, the U.S. president gave Turkey
a waiver on implementing the Iranian sanctions. Rubin called it
~Sremarkable,~T others might call it alarming.

With a huge flattering photograph of Hitler hanging in the fanciest
mall in Istanbul, and Erdogan inching towards BFF status with
Ahmadinejad, perhaps it is time for this administration to rethink
putting daylight between the U.S. and Israel, and instead start
putting it between the U.S. and Turkey.

About the Author: Lori Lowenthal Marcus is the US correspondent for
The Jewish Press.

THE NEW YORK TIMES. SYRIAN REBELS FIND HEARTS AND MINDS ELUSIVE

2013-01-16 17:23:14

As the Syrian civil war nears the two-year mark, the opponents of
President Bashar al-Assad and their international backers have failed
to win the backing of many government supporters, including minorities,
a slice of the population whose help is essential not only to resolve
the conflict, but also to keep Syria from becoming a failed state,
analysts say.

Syrian opposition leaders in exile have repeatedly offered promises
that a future Syria will guarantee equal rights to all citizens
regardless of religion and ethnicity, including members of President
Assad’s minority Alawite sect, and that government officials without
“blood on their hands” will be safe. But that has done little to
win the allegiance of a significant bloc of Syrians who are wary of
the uprising.

The opposition, critics say, has missed opportunities to split
government support from within and has allowed Mr. Assad to portray
himself to fence-sitters as the best bet to keep the Syrian state
intact.

That vacuum, some analysts say, was the backdrop for Mr. Assad’s
confident tone in a speech he gave on Jan. 6, when he offered to
engage in political dialogue with opponents he considers acceptable.

The concerns come not only from Russia, Mr. Assad’s strongest ally,
and Mr. Annan, who resigned as international envoy to Syria when his
mediation efforts went nowhere. They are shared by a growing chorus of
Middle East analysts, Syrian intellectuals and a former Syria adviser
to the Obama administration, which has recognized the opposition as
the country’s legitimate representative.

The former Syria adviser, Frederic C. Hof, wrote last month that
although the opposition has offered general assurances to the one-third
of Syrians who belong to minority groups, “probably no more than a
handful” believe it, especially as jihadist groups grow more prominent
on the battlefield and issue videotaped calls for the restoration of
the Islamic caliphate.

The coalition’s only public response was a statement saying that Mr.

Sharaa’s comments showed “the regime is facing its final days with
difficulty and seeks not to die alone.”

Protesters in Syria have raised signs calling for a general amnesty
“for all supporters of the regime with no blood on their hands,” Mr.

Harling said – a statement probably intended to reassure but with
the effect of suggesting that mere support for the government is a
crime requiring amnesty.

Meanwhile, the government has arguably invested more effort in
persuasion. It continues to pay salaries and social benefits in some
rebel-held areas. Since Mr. Assad’s speech, Syrian state news media
have issued a drumbeat of reports on preparations for “national
dialogue.”

ARMENIAN ARMY STAFF DEPUTY CHIEF TO ATTEND NATO MEETING

January 17, 2013 – 16:16 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – From Jan 16-17, delegation headed by deputy chief
of Armenian army staff, major-general Levon Mnatsakanyan will be
in Brussels on a working visit to attend the 168th NATO Chiefs of
Defense meeting.

The meeting will feature discussions on NATO transformation, situation
in Afghanistan after 2014 pullout, NATO mission in Kosovo and other
current NATO operations. The delegation will return to Armenia on
January 18, defense ministry’s press service reported.