Author: Kalantarian Kevo

OPPOSITION MP CRITICAL OF GOVERNMENT-SUBMITTED BILL

tert.am
25.10.12

No self-respecting government would ever approve a bill on the minimum
monthly wages amounting to 35,000 (less than $90) as, by approving such
a bill, the government would admit its being a poor and backward one.

The economist Zoya Tadevosyan, a member of the opposition bloc
Armenian National Congress (ANC), told Tert.am that she does not see
any economic grounds for the bill.

“In civilized states the minimum wages are normally raised as prices
rise. Since 2007, a 40% price rise has been recorded in Armenia. So
the minimum wages must be raised as much rather than just 7%,”
Tadevosyan said.

By 65 to seven, with 25 abstentions, Armenia’s parliament approved
in Thursday the bill on the minimum monthly wages in its first reading.

The Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) and Armenian Revolutionary
Federation Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) groups abstained from voting,
while the Heritage and ANC groups voted against the bill.

Ms Tadevosyan believes the government has made a political step on
the threshold of presidential election in Armenia, which will be of
no benefit to either Armenian citizens or employers.

“Because the price rise makes people spend their savings – if they
have savings – on food products and services,” she said.

The minimum basket of goods is AMD 120,000 (about $300) in Armenia,
and the minimum monthly wage is nothing but “a mere pittance.”

Mrs Tadevosyan noted that, with the average price rise of 40% since
2007, the prices for meat and butter have shown a rise of 100% and
200% respectively.

The government is the first to benefit from its own step – from
January 1, 2013, tax revenues will double or even triple due to the
new minimum wage rates.

LIFT KILLS TWO, INJURES TWO IN ARMENIA’S CAPITAL

tert.am
25.10.12

At 5:22pm, Armenia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations received a call
on an accident at a newly constructed building in Sasna Tsrer Str.

A lift fell down the shaft, killing two and injuring two others.

Rescuers arrived at the scene and found out that a freight lift, which
had not been examined by technical experts or officially registered
at the Ministry of Emergency Situations, fell down the shaft with
its freight.

Khachik Yepremyan (45) and Gevorg Safaryan (60) were taken to hospital.

RA NA PRESIDENT HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN TAKES PART IN THE OPENING OF THE 5TH RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION

24.10.2012

On October 24 the RA National Assembly President Hovik Abrahamyan took
part in the solemn ceremony of the 5th Russian-Armenian Industrial
Exhibition. Welcoming the participants of the exhibition the Head of
the Parliament has noted that this event, which has become traditional,
is the tribune, where the establishment of mutually beneficial ties,
the origination of new ideas and the implementation of practical
programmes create a field of competition, hence also cooperation.

“Certainly, any initiative, as well as the countries representing
them on behalf of Armenia and Russia, have different possibilities,
different markets, different colleagues. Bring together and comparing
all that we can reach more achievements, and in the sphere of economy
every achievement means one more step of progress, one more stimulus
of development, which, eventually, results in the expansion of
economic possibilities of the country”, the President of the National
Assembly noted. In his word, in the conditions of globalization the
changes caused in the economic field bring to arena new challenges,
which every country tries to face in peculiar way, serving its own
capabilities for the full use of its economic traditional potential
and establishment of mutually beneficial relations.

“In case of such strategic counterparts, as Armenia and Russia,
the possibilities of cooperation are much wider, taking into account
the firm bases and trust of that cooperation towards each other and
the commonness, which is special for the economic entities of the
two countries together with their differences. Russia has been and
remains a big trade-economic partner for Armenia”, Hovik Abrahamyan
said. The Head of the Parliament expressed conviction that the 5th
Russian-Armenian Industrial Exhibition will once again become a
tribune of manifestation of economic possibilities of Armenia and
Russia, reliable cooperation, creation of new partnership ties and
expansion of current relations.

The NA President Hovik Abrahamyan took a tour in the exhibition,
got acquainted with the participants’ pavilions, and presented the
most various kinds of goods and technologies.

More than hundred companies of Armenia and Russia take part in the
exhibition.

KIM KARDASHIAN AND KANYE WEST PLANNING $20 MILLION WEDDING

ARMENPRESS
OCTOBER 25, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 25, ARMENPRESS: After her multi-million dollar
wedding to Kris Humphries ended badly, Kim Kardashian is planning a
more modest affair for nuptial bash number two -$20 million should
be enough, reports Armenpress citing London Evening Standard. The
reality TV star is already contacting possible wedding planners so
she can tie the knot with her latest boyfriend, rapper Kanye West,
as soon as her divorce to Humphries is made official. The couple have
been dating for eight months and recently returned from a whirlwind
tour of Rome and Paris for Kim’s birthday. A source told OK! Magazine
that Kim’s “dream dress” is a Yumi Katsura gown, encrusted with real
pearls and white diamonds and carrying a $8.5 million price tag. The
Keeping Up With The Kardashians star is also said to be eager for
either Beyonce or Celine Dion to sing at their special day. Kim
previously promised her next wedding would be very different from
her first. “It had always been my dream to have a big wedding,” she
said. “But the next time, I want to do it on an island with just my
friends and family and that’s it.”

ARMENIAN CULTURAL DAYS LAUNCHED IN FLORENCE

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 26, ARMENPRESS: “Armenian Cultural Days” festival
launched in Italian Florence city on October 13-23 arouse great
interest among Italians. The festival was organized in the frame of
Yerevan State University of Architecture 90th anniversary celebrations
by the support of Armenian Ministry of Education, Italian Embassy
in Armenia and Armenian Embassy in Italy. Yerevan State University
of Architecture called the initiative into reality by the close
cooperation of Romualdo Del Bianko Foundation and Delta Culture
Association. The festival is seeking intensification of cooperation
between Italy and Armenia. Charlotte Del Bianko, Vice President of
Romualdo Del Bianko Foundation stated “Our cooperation with Yerevan
State University of Architecture dates back to 2002 and during the time
it proved to be a practical one”. Armenian cultural days in Florence
were saturated not only by architectural and cultural projects but
round tables and discussions.

SARGSYAN TROUBLE FOR TURKEY
HAKOB BADALYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 14:51:06 – 26/10/2012

Serzh Sargsyan has congratulated the Turkish president for the
Republic Day. This congratulation appears interesting for two
circumstances. First, Serzh Sargsyan is visiting different military
units for the past two days, and on October 25 when the congratulation
was circulated he attended the opening of a new air defense military
unit in the south of Armenia.

The other circumstance that makes the first circumstance more
interesting is Serzh Sargsyan congratulated four days earlier. The
Turkish Republic Day is celebrated on October 29 while Serzh Sargsyan
congratulated on October 25.

Everyone wonders why Serzh Sargsyan hurried, as well as why he
congratulated. As some Armenian social network users rightly mentioned,
the Turkish Republic was established on the blood of our compatriots
so it is a little strange that the president of Armenia congratulated
Turkey four days early.

Besides, the Armenian and Turkish normalization seems to have been
frozen and the diplomatic and political conjuncture does not require
hasty congratulations.

But it is possible that the Armenian-Turkish normalization does
not matter.

Recently the Russian and Turkish relations have been tense. The press
reported the content of a telephone conversation between the Turkish
prime minister and the Russian president. The sides were tough on
Syria and threatened each other. Putin cancelled his visit to Turkey,
Turkey forced the Russian plane flying to Syria to land and seized
the military equipment it shipped.

Serzh Sargsyan’s early congratulation seems relevant to this context.

The impression is that Sargsyan hurried to congratulate Gul while
there is tension in the Russian-Turkish front.

Whenever the Russian and Turkish relations were tense, Armenia was
used as small change by Russia to deal with Turks. Under the current
Russian-Turkish tension Russia could use Armenian interests as change
in dealing with Turkey.

At the same time, Russia could use Armenia pushing Yerevan to take
steps against Ankara. With his early congratulation Serzh Sargsyan may
be trying to convey to Moscow that it is unlikely to become Moscow’s
tool or small change. Perhaps Sargsyan hurried to congratulate before
Moscow would make claims to Yerevan or use Yerevan to mitigate tension
with Ankara.

Although it is possible that his hastiness has a symbolic or even
mystical reason. There is a superstition that congratulating someone’s
birthday early is a sign of trouble. It may be the reason of Sargsyan’s
early congratulation.

ARMENIA HAILS NSW’S RECOGNITION OF KARABAKH

Karabakh | 26.10.12 | 14:40

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian (R) meeting with President
of the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica Victor Emilio Granados Calvo

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian welcomed the decision
by Australia’s largest state to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh, as he
continued his Central American tour on Thursday.

Earlier that day the Legislative Council of the New South Wales
Parliament adopted a resolution recognizing Nagorno-Karabakh and the
right to self-determination of its Armenian people from Azerbaijan.

During a meeting with the Costa-Rican parliament speaker in capital San
Jose Nalbandian also accused Azerbaijan of torpedoing international
efforts on finding a peaceful solution to the protracted conflict in
the South Caucasus.

“The more Azerbaijan hampers the mediators’ efforts trying to
preserve the status-quo, the more decisions like the one taken by the
Legislative Council of Australia’s largest State New South Wales on the
recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic will be made,” he said.

“Such decisions will clear a way for the international recognition
of Nagorno-Karabakh,” the Armenian minister added.

The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan are due to hold a
meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs in Paris, France, on
October 27.

THE ARMENIAN EVANGELICAL COMMUNITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST

24.10.2012

An attempt to assess potential

Vahram Hovyan
Expert, Center for the Armenian Studies, “Noravank”
Foundation

Currently there are Armenian Evangelical communities in 6 countries
in the Middle East – in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Turkey, Iran and
Egypt1. Besides the fact that the Armenian Evangelical communities
are an integral part of the Armenian communities in general and their
study is of great importance for forming complete idea of the Armenian
Diaspora, the study of the Armenian Evangelical communities in the
Middle East is also important due to the following reasons:

* The Middle East is a volatile region. Through a contemporary
history internal and external wars accompanied the countries of this
region – Arab-Israeli confrontation, civil war in Lebanon (1975-90),
Iraqi-Iranian war, Gulf war (1991), Iraqi war in 2003, “Arab spring”
(2011), etc. These events have a direct impact on the local Armenian
communities, including Evangelical ones.

* The Middle East is in immediate geographic proximity of Armenia and
two of the aforementioned countries – Turkey and Iran – are contiguous
with Armenia. Correspondingly, events proceeding in this region
directly or indirectly influence not only local Armenian communities
but they have impact on Armenia either. And the Armenian Evangelical
communities are a certain factor of not only separate countries’
policy but also of regional policy in general and its correct and
proper use can be rather efficient.

For the efficient and proper use of the potential of the Armenian
Evangelical communities it is necessary to assess it and this
assessment has been implemented by the following methodology. Two
criteria are distinguished – human and organizational. This two
criteria in their turn fall into sub-criteria. On the bases of these
sub-criteria the Armenian Evangelical communities in the Middle East
have been divided into three groups – with big, medium and small
potential2. Every sub-criterion has its standards.

Human criterion

1. Size. While considering communities in accordance with this
sub-criterion, the communities which size goes beyond 2000 people were
considered to be communities with big potential. The communities which
size was 1000-2000 people were considered to be with medium potential
and finally communities which size does not exceed 1000 people were
considered to be with small potential.

Correspondingly, the Armenian Evangelical communities in Lebanon,
Syria and Turkey are considered to be communities with big potential.

The number of the Armenians in Lebanon and Syria is 4-5 thousand
people.

In the aspect of size Turkey where contradicting processes are
proceeding is remarkable. On the one hand the atmosphere of religious
and national intolerance brings to their shrinking. According to
some sources number of the Armenian Evangelicals in Turkey today is
about 500 people3. On the other hand Christian missionary activities
have gained ground in Turkey recently. As a result the process of
Christianization is taking place. In consequence of the activity of
German and other missionary organizations in Turkey Protestantism
is also gaining ground and the generations of Islamized Armenians
are also involved in this process. Thus, according to the Turkish
Protestant organizations, among the Protestants of Adana there are many
people of the Armenian descent4. And re-conversion (to Protestantism)
among the descendants of the Islamized Armenians is also accompanied
by the revival of their national consciousness.

Thus, though on the one hand the number of the Armenian Evangelicals
in Turkey shrinks due to the national and religious persecutions,
on the other hand missionary activity which has gained ground causes
the growth of the number of the Armenian Evangelicals in Turkey. It
is difficult to distinguish the number of the generations of the
Islamized Armenians who converted to Protestantism as they constitute
heterogeneous human society. This hampers estimation of the number
of the Armenian Evangelicals in Turkey. Nevertheless, taking into
consideration the process of conversion of a great number of Islamized
Armenians into Protestantism one can assume that the total number of
the Armenian Evangelicals in Turkey goes beyond two thousand.

The Armenian Evangelical community in Iran, which size, by
our estimations, is about 1-2 thousand people, according to this
sub-criterion, is considered to be community with medium potential and
Armenian Evangelical communities in Egypt and Iraq, the sizes of which
are less than 1000 people, are the communities with small potential.

2. Dispersion. According to this sub-criterion, the communities which
are represented in more than two regions of the country are considered
to have big potential. The communities which are spread across two
regions are considered to be with medium potential and the communities
centered in one place are considered to be with small potential.

The observations prove that the Armenian Evangelical communities in
Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and Iran are communities with big potential.

They are spread over the regions populated by the Armenians. In Lebanon
the Armenian Evangelicals live in Beirut, Burj Hammoud, Achrafieh,
Anjar, etc. In Syria they mainly live in Aleppo, but there are Armenian
Evangelical communities in Kessab, Damascus and Homs as well.

According to this sub-criterion Turkey is also unique. There are 500
Armenian Evangelicals in Istanbul and the descendants of the Islamized
Armenians who converted to Protestantism are mainly spread over various
districts of Western Armenia and Cilicia. There are such groups in,
e.g., Malatya (Western Armenia), Adana (Cilicia). etc.

The Armenian Evangelicals in Iran mainly live in Tehran, New Jugha,
Tabriz, Aral, Hamadan5. Nevertheless, most of them live in Tehran6.

The Armenian Evangelical communities in Egypt and Iraq can even
be called, correspondingly the Armenian Evangelical community in
Alexandria and Armenian Evangelical community in Baghdad, as there
are no Armenian Evangelicals in other cities and population centers
of those countries. This allows considering them communities with
small potential.

Organizational criterion

The following four sub-criteria can be distinguished:

1. Quantity. According to this sub-criterion the communities which
have more than 10 organizational structures are considered to be with
big potential. If the number of the organizations vary from 5 to 10,
this community is considered to be with medium potential and those
which have less than 5 organizations – with small potential.

>From the perspective of this sub-criterion Armenian Evangelical
communities in Lebanon and Syria, which correspondingly have 24 and
287 organizations, are considered to have big potential.

They are followed by the Armenian Evangelical community in Iran,
which has 7 organizations8, thus being classified as a community with
medium potential.

The atmosphere of national and religious intolerance and persecutions
in Turkey has affected not only the number of the Armenian Evangelicals
but also their organizations. As a result instead of great number
of churches and rich property (schools, nurseries, etc.) which they
possessed long ago, today there are only two organizations in Turkey –
the Armenian Evangelical churches in Gedikpasa and Beiogli quarters
of Istanbul9.

As for the Armenian Evangelical churches in Egypt and Iraq, there is
only one organizational structure – Armenian Evangelical Church in
Alexandria in Egypt and two organizations – Armenian Evangelical church
and Armenian Evangelical radio broadcast in Bagdad in Iraq. Thus,
according to their organizational sub-criterion, the Armenian
Evangelical communities in Turkey, Egypt and Iraq are assessed as
communities with small potential.

2. Diversity. Following this sub-criterion, the communities which
have more than two types of organizations are considered to have
big potential. Communities which have two types of organizations are
considered to be the ones with medium potential and those with one
type of organizations – communities with small potential.

Correspondingly, the Armenian Eangelical communities in Lebanon, Syria
and Iran, which has 4-5 types of organizations – managing, church,
educational, and social and information ones10, are considered to be
communities with big potential. It is remarkable that the Armenian
Evangelical community in Iran, though being inferior to the Lebanese
and Syrian communities in the aspect of number of organizational
structures, is being equated with them in the aspect of the variety.

According to this sub-criterion, the Armenian Evangelical community in
Iraq, having two types of structures – church (Armenian Evangelical
Church in Baghdad) and information (Armenian Evangelical radio
broadcast in Baghdad), is considered to be a community with medium
potential.

And Armenian Evangelical communities in Turkey and Egypt which have
only one type of organizations (church) are assessed as the communities
with small potential.

3. Dispersion. Considering the issue from the perspective of this
sub-criterion, the communities which organizations are spread over
more than two population centers of the country are considered to
have big potential. Communities which organizations are located in
two populations centers are considered to have medium and those which
are located in one population center – small potential.

4. Significance of the activity. According to this sub-criterion those
communities which have organizations the activity of which is not
restricted to the local (community) level but has regional and even
nationwide significance are considered to have big potential. If the
activity of the organization is restricted to the community level it
is regarded as a community with small potential. There are no medium
potential communities while classifying by this criterion.

While classifying communities according to this criterion we see that
only Armenian Evangelical community in Lebanon matches criteria of
community with big potential. The headquarters of the Union of the
Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East is in Beirut. Due to
this circumstance it can be assumed that Beirut is the center of the
Armenian Evangelical churches in the Middle East.

The only higher educational institution is also located in Beirut –
Haigazian University. In spite of the fact that the university is
Evangelical organization, Armenian youth not only from Lebanon but
from more than 20 countries, despite its confessional affiliations,
study there. Moreover, the university, besides nationwide significance,
has a status of international educational institution as young people
of other nationalities which constitute half of the total number
of the students, also study there. And “Haigazian” Armenian studies
journal, published by the university, is one of the most authoritative
periodicals devoted to the issues of Armenology.

The Christian Endeavor Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches of
Syria and Lebanon and Near East School of Theology, which are the
organizations of regional importance, are also situated in Beirut.

The activity of the organizations of the Armenian Evangelical
communities of other countries – Syria, Turkey, Iran and Egypt –
is of local (community) significance.

Conclusions

Summarizing the analysis of the Armenian Evangelical communities in
the Middle East in accordance with separate sub-criteria, one can make
their rating in correspondence with their potential. On the bases
of six sub-criteria the communities were classified as communities
with big, medium and small potential. Correspondingly communities
with big potential can be given 3 points, medium – 2 and small – 1
point. According to this logic, total points of the potential of the
Armenian Evangelical communities of separate countries varies within
6-18 points where 18 points show maximal potential (communities which
have big potential in accordance with all the six sub-criteria –
6×3), and 6 points show minimal potential (communities which have
small potential in accordance with all the six sub-criteria – 6×1).

Thus, communities which have 6-9 points are considered to have small,
communities which have 10-15 – medium and communities which have
16-18 – big potential,

According to this rating, the Armenian Evangelical communities in
Lebanon and Syria, which has 18 and 16 points correspondingly,
are considered to have big potential. The Armenian Evangelical
communities in Iran (12 points) and Turkey (10 points) are considered
to be communities with medium potential and the Armenian Evangelical
communities in Iraq (8 points) and Egypt (6 points) are communities
with small potential (Table 1).

Table 1. Classification and rating of the Armenian Evangelical
communities in the Middle East (In accordance with their potential)

[2012-10-24_122840.gif]

1 Though the Union of the Armenian Evangelical
Churches in the Near East includes the Armenian
Evangelical communities in Greece and Australia
(see
id=3&Itemid=6), but this study covers the Armenian Evangelical
communities chosen on the assumption of their geographic location,
i.e. the communities of the countries of the Middle East.

2 It should be mentioned that such notions as big, medium and small
potential used here are relative and can be used only for consideration
of the Armenian Evangelical communities in the Middle East.

3 Õ~@Õ¡Õµ Õ½O~CÕµÕ¸O~BÕ¼O~D Õ°Õ¡Õ¶O~@Õ¡Õ£Õ”Õ¿Õ¡O~@Õ¡Õ¶,
ÔµO~@O~GÕ¡Õ¶, Õ~@Õ¡ÕµÕ¯Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¶ Õ°Õ¡Õ¶O~@Õ¡Õ£Õ”Õ¿Õ¡O~@Õ¡Õ¶
Õ°O~@Õ¡Õ¿Õ¡O~@Õ¡Õ¯Õ¹Õ¸O~BÕ©ÕµÕ¸O~BÕ¶, 2003, Ñ~A. 185 Tessa Hofmann,
Armenians in Turkey Today: A Critical Assessment of the Situation of
the Armenian Minority in the Turkish Republic, Brussels, 2002, p. 9.

4 Ð~PкопÑ~Oн Ð~P., Ð~^ Ñ~Gем моДÑ~GиÑ~B Ð~Pдана,
Ð~]оев Ð~ZовÑ~Gег, â~D- 01, Ñ~OнваÑ~@Ñ~L, 2010.

5 Õ~DÕ¡Õ¶Õ¸O~BÕ¯ÕµÕ¡Õ¶ Õ~D., Ô”O~@Õ¡Õ¶Õ¡Õ°Õ¡Õµ Õ£Õ¡Õ²Õ©O…Õ”Õ¡Õ­Õ”
Õ¡Õ¼O…O~@ÕµÕ¡Õ¶, ÔµO~@O~GÕ¡Õ¶, 2000, p. 40

6 See for details: Õ~@Õ¸Õ¾ÕµÕ¡Õ¶ Õ~N., Ô”O~@Õ¡Õ¶Õ” Õ°Õ¡Õµ
Õ¢Õ¸Õ²Õ¸O~DÕ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¶ Õ°Õ¡Õ´Õ¡ÕµÕ¶O~DÕ¨, (Hovyan V. The Armenian
Evangelical Community in Iran. Globus, National Security, 2010, #5,
p. 33, (In Armenian)).

7 See: AMAA Directory 2012: Armenian Evangelical Churches,
Institutions, Organizations, Pastors and Christian Workers Worldwide
for website.pdf

8 Ibid.

9 Ibid.

10 Ibid.

“Globus” analytical journal, #10, 2012

Return

____________________________________________________________________________
Another materials of author * THE ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IN GREECE AT
THIS STAGE[04.06.2012] * ARMENIAN EVANGELICAL COMMUNITY IN URUGUAY
[06.02.2012] * CURRENT CONDITION OF THE ARMENIAN EVANGELICAL COMMUNITY
IN RUSSIA[09.01.2012] * ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IN BULGARIA[07.11.2011]
* ARMENIAN EVANGELICAL COMMUNITY IN EGYPT[20.01.2011]

ARMENIAN INVESTOR’S LETTER TO US AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA

‘s-letter-to-us-ambassador-to-armenia.html
11:48, October 26, 2012

The Honourable Mr. John A. Heffern, US Ambassador to Armenia 

Honourable Ambassador Heffern,

My name is Edmond Khudyan, a US citizen and the president of Arin
Capital & Investment Corp., a real estate investment-development firm
in Glendale CA. I am also the founder of Arin Capital & Investment
LLC, a real estate development co. in Yerevan, Armenia, development
project known as Mashtotc 33. I am writing to You hopping that I can
bring to your attention and get your diplomatic mission’s appropriate
involvement in an almost $8,500,000 (up to date) embezzlement case
which I filed in November of 2010 with RA State Revenue Committee
(PEK). This organized set of criminal activity in my company has
resulted in missing of millions of dollars, and defrauding of the RA
tax agency by 2 shareholders of the company.  

A few months later, in March of 2011, I filed several complaints
with the RA President and other judicial bodies of the government
regarding the embezzlement of $4,500,000 from the company. A copy of
that complaint was also sent to the former U.S. Ambassador, Honourable
Marie Yovanovitch, and it can be viewed on the web, at Hetq Online. My
complaint described all the illegal activities of Vladislav Mangasaryan
and Ghevond Ghaloumyan, 2 shareholders/partners in Arin Capital &
Investment LLC, and company director Edward Yesayan. Based on a set
of preliminary findings, a criminal case #83159711 was initiated on
May 3, 2011.

Since May 3, 2011, another $4,000,000 worth of assets were swindled
from my company and this was done with the direct consent of officials
from the Prosecutor’s Office and the State Revenue Commission. In
the fall of 2011, it became clear to me that the same group, through
fabricated judicial acts, wanted to seize an additional $2,000,000
worth of assets (properties) and I immediately notified the appropriate
representatives of agencies dealing with criminal case so a freeze
could be placed on the property (equivalent of a Lis Pendens, in the
states), until a judicial conclusion is reached in this case. However,
those authorities failed to take such measures,  baselessly arguing
that there was no victim or accused, and thus, they could not place
a freeze.

In May of 2012, to avoid a similar situation, we met with assistant
General Prosecutor Mr. Mnacakan Sargsyan and Department Director
Grigor Hovhannisyan where we obtained their verbal agreement that
they would proceed with the “freeze”, if we officially file such a
request.  However, after filing the request, again, no measures were
taken and additional $2,000,000 worth of real estate was seized. No
words could express our frustration. This underhanded act – or better
said “lack of action” – once again proved complete and intentional
failure of the abovementioned RA governmental agencies and officials,
putting corruption “front and center” as the core reason behind
their actions.

As the evidence of the crime was presented to State Revenue Committee
Lead Inspector Tigran Harutyunyan, prosecutor Lernik Hovhannisyan,
department director Grigor Hovhannisyan, assistant to the prosecutor
general Mnatsakan Sargsyan and prosecutor general Aghvan Hovespyan,
all of whom failed to recognize me as a victim, and as such prevented
me from defending my interests. My civil rights have been violated.

Under the sponsorship of the abovementioned officials, the criminals
were permitted to continue seize properties. Yes, the crime is being
deliberately buried and justice is not being served. Criminals go
unpunished and continue to conduct sales of the units in the building,
with no regard for the company’s rightful owner’s interests. This is
“corruption reigning supreme” in Armenia.

We are dealing with a well organized criminal group which knows how
to commit crime and steal, operating thought high ranking officials,
and their family members, who have the power to influence and obtain
favourable court decisions and avoid prosecution. The Prosecutor’s
office and State Revenue Committee officials are well aware of this
group’s identity, their criminal profile, their criminal activities
causing the fraudulent unpaid taxes and the crime committed, but they
are unwilling to do anything about it. The prosecutor’s office has
sheltered this group and allowed them to seize the few last properties
belonging to Diaspora Armenians. 

The U.S. Embassy staff members have periodically been present at
my trials. They too have certain details at their disposal. I would
kindly ask that you instruct your staff members to follow the conduct
of RA legal agencies and the manner of their operations. Please
also be informed that steps are being taken to relocate this trial
to the United States and file a legal suit against the Republic of
Armenia according to the ICSID Convention (International Centre for
Settlement of Investment Disputes), UNICITIRAL arbitration rules, the
USA/RA Investment Agreement, and/or the “RA Law on Compensation for
Losses Incurred by Foreign Investors”. Considering that the Armenian
judicial system does not seem to be working, and I have been left
powerless to defend myself and my interests, I hope to have U.S.

Embassy’s active follow-up and oversight of my ongoing judicial
struggle against all parties involved, including the RA agencies and
officials. A court trial about this case is scheduled for Monday,
Oct 29th at 11am and I would appreciate if Embassy’s staff members
can be present.  

Information, articles and press conferences about this case can be
viewed at arincapital.com 

Respectfully,

Edmond Khudyan

USA 

THE MEETINGS OF THE ARMENIAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS IN GUATEMALA

24.10.2012

In the second half of October 23 Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
arrived in Guatemala, where he had a meeting with Harold Caballeros,
the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala.

Welcoming the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister
of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala said that since the establishment
of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1998, not much
has been done and today he was pleased to welcome Edward Nalbandian
in Guatemala City, as they agreed during the New York meeting at the
end of September, and to have substantive discussion over the steps
to be undertaken towards the development of bilateral relations.

Expressing gratitude for the warm reception, Minister Nalbandian said
that he was confident that there is a huge potential between the two
countries to develop cooperation in political, economic and cultural
spheres. The Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs mentioned that an
Armenian Ambassador’s concurrent accreditation in Guatemala would
contribute to that.

The Ministers agreed upon the creation of legal framework, holding
of consultations between the MFAs of the two countries, promotion
of interaction in the international organizations, establishment of
business contacts and conducting of cultural exchanges.

Minister Caballeros presented the integration processes in the
Central America region, current challenges and steps undertaken
towards their overcoming. In the contexts of Guatemala’s membership
in the UN Security Council, the Ministers discussed current issues
of international agenda.

Edward Nalbandian presented his Guatemalan counterpart the main
vectors of Armenia’s foreign policy and the efforts exerted towards
the solution of regional issues.

On October 24 Edward Nalbandian had a meeting with Gudy Rivera Estrada,
the President of the Guatemalan Congress.

Welcoming the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs, the President of
the Guatemalan Congress said, “It is a special year for my country as
according to the Mayan calendar this year symbolizes a new beginning
which may be a new start for the Armenian-Guatemalan relations, as
well, because since the establishment of diplomatic relations between
the two countries Minister Nalbandian is the first high-ranking
Armenian official visiting Guatemala.”

The President of the Guatemalan Congress informed that a number of
Congress deputies expressed intention to create a friendship group
for the development of relations with the Armenian National Assembly.

Thanking for the reception, Edward Nalbandian conveyed Gudy Rivera
Estrada the greetings of the Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly
Hovik Abrahamyan.

During the meeting the sides exchanged views on setting up of
cooperation between the two countries’ parliaments, and mutually
expressed confidence that the parliamentary diplomacy would be an
important link in giving a new impetus to those relations.

In the frames of the Guatemala visit, Edward Nalbandian gave an
extensive interview to the Guatemala City-based Notisiete TV.