Author: Kalantarian Kevo

TURKEY SLAMS FRANCE FOR PROMOTING HATE SPEECH WITH GENOCIDE INITIATIVE

Today’s Zaman

Aug 27 2012
Turkey

The chairman of the Turkish Parliament’s powerful education committee
has accused the French government of planting the seeds of hate with
its move to include the so-called “Armenian genocide” in history and
geography books used in French secondary schools.

Nabi Avcı, chairman of the National Education, Culture, Youth and
Sports Commission, told Today’s Zaman in a phone interview on Monday
that “the erosion of French culture and moving to the radical right in
French politics that started with [former president Nicolas] Sarkozy
continues to have a negative impact on the French education system.”

“I just hope that sensible French intellectuals will raise their
voices against this kind of provocative move that will plant seeds
of hate into minds of young people in France,” he added.

A Turkish daily reported on Sunday that the French Education Ministry
has decided to include chapters about the so-called “Armenian genocide”
in history and geography books used in French secondary schools —
a move that could once again upset relations with Turkey, which
was hopeful about rebuilding strained ties with Paris following the
election of the new president, Francois Hollande.

French students studying world history since 1910 will also read
a chapter called “The Armenian Genocide.” Hollande said last month
that he will stand by a campaign pledge to make it illegal to deny
that the killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in 1915 was genocide.

Relations between Paris and Ankara had begun to thaw after a decision
in February by France’s constitutional court to strike down the
genocide denial law as contrary to free speech.

Turkey had canceled all economic, political and military meetings with
France in December after the French parliament voted in favor of the
draft law. At a joint news conference early in July, French Foreign
Minister Laurent Fabius said the law was unlikely to be resurrected
and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu hailed the opening of
a warmer phase in relations with France.

Armenia, backed by many historians, says that about 1.5 million
Armenians were killed in what is now eastern Turkey during World War
I in a deliberate policy of genocide ordered by the Ottoman government.

Turkey says there was heavy loss of life on both sides during the
fighting, in which Armenian partisans supported invading Russian
forces. The Ottoman Empire collapsed after the war. Successive Turkish
governments and the vast majority of Turks feel the charge of genocide
is an insult to their nation.

Turkey hoped Hollande’s election might mean France is more open to its
joining the European Union than under his conservative predecessor
Sarkozy, but has so far received no public support for its EU bid
from Paris.

History-Geography Teachers Council Secretary-General Hubert Tison
has said the chapter in the textbooks is devoted to giving detailed
information on the so-called “Armenian genocide.”

Tison criticized as “redundant” the inclusion of the chapter, which
will explain in detail the genocide, ethnic structure of the Ottoman
Empire, rule of Talat Pasha and policies of nationalist Turks and
purported exiles. The chapter will also include the numbers of
Armenians who were killed, exiled or sent to death.

Turkish Education Ministry officials said they will first need to
examine the book and see if it includes phrases that incriminate
Turkey and they will respond in line with international law through
diplomatic channels. The officials said both countries earlier
established commissions composed of experts to remove discriminatory
phrases in textbooks and accused the French government of making what
they said is a “politically motivated” move.

MUSIQUE CLASSIQUE-PIANO
Le duo Darius Milhaud des s`urs Anaït et Arminé Sogomonyan a enchanté
le public de l’Abbaye de Beauport (Bretagne)

Lundi 2O août, dans le cadre du 13ème festival des Chapelles et
Manoirs en musique, l’association paimpolaise des amis de la culture
(APAC) organisait dans la salle comble du Duc de l’abbaye de Beauport
(Paimpol-Bretagne), le concert Le duo Darius Milhaud, composée de deux
pianistes d’origine arménienne Anaït et Arminé Sogomonyan.

Le duo Darius Milhaud des s`urs Anaït et Arminé Sogomonyan à l’Abbaye
de BeauportFace à la prestation magistrale de ces deux pianistes
originaires d’Arménie (l’une vivant en France, l’autre à Erévan), le
public réserva une très large ovation. « Salle comble pour le duo
Darius Mihaud, un triomphe » titrait le journal « Ouest-France » daté
du 24 août. « Deux pianos, quatre mains… Le concert de ce soir, qui
clôture la 13ème édition du festival « Chapelles et manoirs en musique
», s’annonce inédit. « Nous avons déjà accueilli des concerts de piano
à quatre mains, mais c’est la première fois en 40 ans que nous
présentons un concert de deux pianos : cela s’annonce spectaculaire »
affirmait Jacques Guivarc’h, président de l’association paimpolaise
des amis de la culture (APAC) peu avant le concert des deux s`urs.

« Ouest-France » écrivait qu’Arminé Sogomonyan et Anaït Serekian (née
Sogomonyan) les deux artistes, « ont été formées à la prestigieuse
Ecole russe de piano, qui figure parmi les plus réputées au monde ».
Anaît et Arminé Sogomonyan du duo Darius Milhaud ont joué à merveille,
notamment Les Préludes de Liszt et les Valses de Schubert dans la
magnifique Abbaye de Beauport (rendue célèbre par l’émission « Des
Racines et des Ailes »). Rappelons que le concert était produit par
Artmania Productions gérée par Patrick Trebor qui ne ménage pas ses
efforts pour la promotion de musiciens d’Arménie sur les scènes
françaises et qui participera prochainement à un Festival de musique à
Erévan.

Pour en savoir plus :

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 26 août 2012,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

German-Armenian Boxer Crowned New World Super Middlweight Champion

Posted by Weekly Staff on August 25, 2012
Armenian Weekly

BERLIN, Germany (AFP) – Germany’s Arthur Abraham (born Avetik Abrahamyan
in
Yerevan) is the new world WBO super middleweight champion after his
unanimous win over compatriot Robert Stieglitz on Aug. 25.

German Armenian Boxer Crowned New World Super Middlweight Champion]

Arthur Abraham from Germany celebrates after defeating Robert Stieglitz
after their WBO title bout at the O2 Arena in Berlin. Abraham is the new
world WBO super middleweight champion after his unanimous win over
Stieglitz. (AFP Photo/John Macdougall)

Abraham, 32, who defended his IBF middleweight title 10 times between 2005
and 2009, is now the world champion at the heavier weight after the judges
scored the fight 116-112, 116-112, 115-113.

`This is an emotional moment for me and it’s hard to describe how I feel,’
said Abraham.

`I always wanted to be the middleweight world champion and now I am the
super middlweight champion too.’

`I trained hard for this and I had to box cleverly against such a good
champion.’

Having held the title for three years, Stieglitz was well beaten with heavy
bruising and cuts around both eyes at the end of the punishing title bout,
while Abraham was left relatively unmarked.

Abraham lived up to his `King Arthur’ moniker and the new champion now
has
a record of 27 knock-outs in 35 wins and three defeats.

Having labored to a points win over Piotr Wilczewski to defend his
European WBO title in March, Abraham was back to his best fighting for
the world title.

Abraham started the stronger of the pair, but the champion twice pinned the
challenger to the ropes in the second and started to exert his authority.

Stieglitz raised the tempo in the third and Abraham fell clearly behind on
points going into the fourth, but responded with some body-head
combinations, and one sharp hook left Stieglitz with swelling above his
left eye.

By the fifth, Stieglitz’s face was marking noticeably while Abraham started
to let his guard drop to lure the champion as he landed some punishing
shots.

Stieglitz put together some good combinations in the 7th round and kept up
his impressive work-rate, despite a cut above his right eye needing the
attention of the ring doctor in the 10th.

Abraham raised his fists to the Berlin crowd in early celebration
before the start of the 12th, and finished clearly ahead on points as
Stieglitz, 31, suffered the third defeat of his career in his 45th
fight.

Germany’s WBA super-middleweight and IBF middleweight title-holder Felix
Sturm, who fights next Saturday against Australia’s Daniel Geale, has said
he will fight the winner of Saturday’s bout.

Lurer.com, Armenia
Aug 25 2012

PM instructs to combat shadow economy

2012-08-25 17:15:20

Armenia’s PM Tigran Sargsyan chaired a consultation meeting devoted to
the country’s healthcare sector, Government’s official website
informs. PM Sargsyan noted: `We need to understand as to why the
economic growth in this sector reduced by 4.4%, as compared with the
same time period last year, even though we took very serious measures
in the healthcare sector. I believe there is one explanation here:
shadow economy has grown.’

The PM instructed Health Minister Derenik Dumanyan to launch a
monitoring system within his ministry, and to demand respective
monthly reports from Armenia’s 466 medical facilities. In his turn,
State Revenue Committee Chairman Gagik Khachatryan proposed to carry
out, jointly with the Health Ministry, precise programs to combat
shadow economy. Also, the PM stressed that the results of inspections
at the medical facilities will be finalized in September, and he
called upon the Health Minister to implement urgent personnel changes
in case of facing any obstacles.

Prime-Tass English-language Business Newswire, Russia
August 24, 2012 Friday 5:44 PM EET

Russia’s Rosagroleasing could open branch in Armenia soon

MOSCOW Aug 24

Russian state-controlled agricultural leasing company Rosagroleasing
can open a representative office in Armenia in the near future,
Armenian Agriculture Minister Sergo Karapetyan said Friday, as cited
by RIA Novosti.

Rosagroleasing’s representative office would be in charge of
allocating agricultural machinery to farmers under leasing at
beneficial terms and for consultations on the creation of
cooperatives, Karapetyan also said.

Karapetyan said that Rosagroleasing has significant potential to
carrying out large investments in Armenia’s agriculture industry.

The Armenian Agriculture Ministry plans to establish about 20
cooperatives – in various fields of the agriculture industry – by the
end of 2012. There are currently 39 cattle cooperatives in Armenia,
according to Karapetyan.

Rosagroleasing was established in February 2001. The company’s charter
capital stands at 78.823 billion rubles.

(31.6830 rubles – U.S. $1)

Why does Azerbaijan need Hungarian stocks

13:55 25/08/2012 » Daily press

`Golos Armenii’ has published a material with the following title,
`Why does Azerbaijan need Hungarian stocks?’ which reads:

Azerbaijan is looking to buy Hungarian government bonds of 2 to 3 year
maturity, on a scale of EUR 2 to 3 billion, Hungarian weekly FigyelÅ`
learned from an Economy Ministry source.

The currency of the debt and issue is not clear from the article; the
bonds would be probably denominated in Azerbaijani manat. Turkey might
also involved in the deal but most likely in an intermediary role
only. The issue is seen as delivering benefits to both Hungary and
Azerbaijan. Importantly, the transaction might possibly precede an
agreement between Hungary and the EU/IMF, something that could create
uncertainty among Western investors as to whether Hungary’s government
is genuinely committed to reaching a deal with the international
organizations.

Source: Panorama.am

Let’s Help the Syrian-Armenians

Syrian-Armenian Relief Fund

`A terrible thing is taking place there, under the mask of darkness.’ VT

ASBAREZ

BY KHACHIG JANOYAN

The famous author William Saroyan believed in the Armenian spirit as he
wrote, `Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes
and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For
when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a
New Armenia.’ Saroyan understood the power of prayer for Armenians, `Der
Voghormia’ (God beseech us).

Having felt the horrors and misery of war on their own skins, Armenians,
more than any other people in the world, appreciate peace. As a people, we
have experienced Genocide, we have lost lives to many wars, and therefore,
we comprehend the physical and emotional tolls of wars.

During the past 30 to 40 years in the Middle East, where a substantial
number of Armenian live, we have many highly organized communities with
schools, churches and organizations. The immortal poet, Vahan Tekeyan
wrote, `A terrible thing is taking place there, under the mask of darkness.’

Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Egypt and these days Syria, once prosperous Diaspora
communities, have had to migrate and settle in new countries, just as the
poet Ghazaros Aghayan described how the swallows rebuild their nest,
remembering and singing about the old nest (`Dzizernageh pooyn geh shiner’).

Today, the Armenian people, having been both witness and victim, and having
learnt from experiencing both, have come together as a single and united
community to reach out to those Diasporans in need. The lay and religious
Armenian leaders of communities, came together in the homeland and
Diaspora, formed bodies resembling their counterparts in other countries,
and held a hand to reach out to their suffering sisters and brothers.

That’s how it happened in Lebanon, in Iraq, after the earthquake in
Armenia, and during the liberation of Artsakh. The Armenian people, all
over the world, acting together, reached out to help those communities: the
rich with their wealth; those with modest means, with their pennies; the
intellectuals with their pens; and everyone with their hearts and spirits.

Today, the ten million Armenians of the world are faced with yet another
challenge.

Today, the cherished Armenian community in Syria is facing a debacle.

Our compatriots in Syria are loved and respected by the kind people of
Syria, on personal and institutional levels. We all know that there are
clashes between the east and the west; between Sunnis and Alawites; and
between the interests of Israel and Arab countries. As a result, the people
of Syria are the ones who suffer, and the Armenians are a part of them.

A Joint Committee in Support of the Syrian Armenian Community was formed in
the Western United States to facilitate the efforts of the churches,
political and charity organizations.

In the near future, this committee will ask our community members to
participate in the fundraising efforts for the Syrian-Armenian Relief Fund.

As we watch the daily images of bombardments and violence with broken
hearts and spirits, we realize that innocent people are the victims.

It is our collective responsibility to assist our brothers and sisters in
Syria, until the conflict recedes.

It is heartwarming to know that the authorities in Armenia are also
concerned and are ready to lend a hand to ensure their safety.

We take pride in our people, who know how to unite, collectively face
challenging times, and to generously donate to ensure that our sisters and
brothers survive not only physically, but also with high spirits.

Kachig Janoyan is a member of the Syrian-Armenian Relief Fund Executive
Committee of Western U.S.A.

###

Snipers wanted to kill Aliyev from multi-storey building

tert.am
12:34 – 25.08.12

New details have emerged about the death attempt against Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev and his son-in-law, Emin Agalarov.

Citing their sources at the law enforcement agencies, the Azerbaijani
media reported that on April 29, Aliyev was scheduled to attend a
concert devoted to Eurovision 2012. The president’s security service
and the Ministry of Interior and National Security had warned Aliyev
not to go to the event in which Agalarov, a popular singer and song
writer, was to perform. Aliyev however insisted that a special plan
aimed at resolving a possible assassination attempt had helped find
two on snipers on the roofs of two multi-storey buildings.

An investigation revealed that the snipers targeted both the president
and his son-in-law.

Investigative bodies are now conducting a probe to find the organizers
and the masterminds.

Covering Up Vahe’s Murder

Haik Aramyan
Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 11:56:16 – 25/08/2012

The process of investigation of Vahe Avetyan’s murder in Harsnakar
Restaurant and developments relating to Member Parliament show that
everything will end thus.

The advocates and reporters have revealed breaches during the
investigation, and the law enforcement agencies were busy attenuating the
circumstances of the murder and separating Ruben Hairapetyan from the case.
In fact, two important law enforcement bodies, the police and the office of
the prosecutor general, serve Ruben Hairapetyan and his bodyguards.

This is not something new. Despite the Constitution and legislation, law
enforcers serve the criminal-oligarchic authorities, not the society. No
representative of these authorities has ever been punished proportionately
for their offenses, even murders. Recently one of the relatives of Member
of Parliament Mher Madatyan involved in several murders was released, and
one of his guarantors was a prosecutor.

When the tragedy of Harsnakar happened, a lot of people expressed doubt
that the case would be covered up. They were right. The case travelled to
three agencies in one day. Heads of law enforcement bodies made statements
on the case, violating the requirements of the law. Under the pressure of
the society another option of cover-up was chosen, which is what we see
now.

A lot of people said the heartbreaking statement written in the president’s
administration and issued on behalf of Ruben Hairapetyan repenting and
stating to resign was intended to mislead people, and he is not likely to
resign at all. Today the press reported that the RPA activists are
collecting signatures in Avan district in defense of Ruben Hairapetyan. In
addition, the parliament refrained from holding an extraordinary meeting to
accept his resignation and postponed it till autumn, to take a time out for
Hairapetyan and his bodyguards.

There is no doubt that Hairapetyan will not resign and he never had such an
intention. Earlier before the election he announced that he will not run in
the elections but was nominated on the last day of nominations. His
bodyguards will not have to stay in prison for a long time. Hairapetyan is
not an exception.

And again singer Nune Yesayan’s monstrous phrase will be referred to: were
Vahe not there, he would not get killed.

Paper says RPA, ANC formed coalition in Armenia’s Syunik province

August 24, 2012 – 20:25 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – According to Zhoghovurd daily, Armenian National
Congress (ANC) has given its precinct election commission seats for
September 9 local elections in city of Kapan to the ruling Republican
Party of Armenia (RPA). Moreover, ANC representative Rafik Asryan has
urged the voters to cast their ballots for RPA member Ashot
Hayrapetyan in the mayoral race.

Thus, ANC and RPA have formed a coalition in Armenia’s Syunik province.

However, asked by the paper’s reporter if the information is true to
fact, ANC member Vahagn Khachatryan said it was the first time he had
heard such a thing.