Author: Kanayan Tamar

EAST OF BYZANTIUM – COMICS ABOUT ARMENIAN HISTORY
Marina Harutiunyan

Noyan Tapan – News from Armenia
2012-02-06

Comics depicting one of the most famous chapters of the Armenian
history have become popular among comics fans in the U.S. The idea of
comics showing the Armenian history belongs to Roger Kupelian, famous
Hollywood producer, writer and matte artist. He was making visual
effects for such films as “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End”,
“The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers”, “Constantine”, “Terminator
Salvation” and others. Roger agreed to answer questions of the Armenian
News-NEWS.am reporter and told about his East of Byzantium project.

Are you currently working on any film projects or you are mainly
engaged in the East of Byzantium?

I have developed other projects but put them on hold as the impetus
is to put East of Byzantium onto the fast track. People also forget I
am a very busy participant in the Hollywood Visual Effects industry. I
have to pay bills too.

How did the idea of East of Byzantium come into your head? When did
you launch the project and do you have any ideas how to present the
Armenian history through comics or other means?

The Vartan Mamigonian and Armenian Wars Mythology has always played
a part in my upbringing. You can thank my parents for that. Once the
tools presented themselves, the imagery began to flow. The point of
the Graphic Novels (online comics etc) were to serve as a foundation
for televised or cinematic projects, a kind of ‘Bible’ if you will.

But at the very least the goal is to provide an exciting and sublime
experience for young (and young at heart) readers. The secondary goal
was to reach beyond the Armenian world and make this an internationally
appreciated story (which is why I simplified the approach and focused
more on the visuals). My goal is to reinvent and reinforce a mythology
for our modern age we can draw strength from.

You have recently cooperated with Serj Tankian and prepared
illustrations for his “Glaring Through Oblivion” collection of poems.

Do you plan to launch other joint projects with Tankian or other
Armenian celebrities?

Serj and I have discussed other projects but we are both quite busy
with our current roster of upcoming releases. Who knows. There are
always ideas. Both of us serve on the advisory board for TUMO, for
example. As far as other Armenian celebrities, I am sure the future
holds the answer to that.

ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS SHOULD REMAIN ON ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT’S AGENDA – SPEAKER

news.am
February 06, 2012 | 12:47

YEREVAN. – The Armenian-Turkish protocols’ withdrawal from the Armenian
National Assembly’s (NA) agenda is within the President’s powers,
NA Speaker Samvel Nikoyan stated during NA’s session on Monday, in
response to opposition Heritage Party Parliamentary Faction leader
Stepan Safaryan’s question.

Safaryan had noted that Turkish Minister of State Egemen Bagis had
promised to recognize the Armenian Genocide if it is academically
proven. According to Safaryan, such statements are unacceptable,
and the Armenian parliament must ultimately withdraw these protocols.

“The Armenian-Turkish protocols’ withdrawal from the National
Assembly’s agenda is within the Armenian President’s powers. But I
believe the Armenian-Turkish protocols should remain on the agenda.

The Armenian Genocide’s international recognition is not dependant
on those protocols. On the contrary, the international community
respects Armenia’s position,” Samvel Nikoyan said.

And Stepan Safaryan responded by noting that Heritage will vote against
NA’s agenda as long as “the infamous protocols, which do not promise
anything good, are included there.

ARMENIAN JOURNALIST HAYK GEVORGYAN RELEASED

news.am
February 06, 2012 | 12:55

YEREVAN. – Minutes ago journalist of Haykakan Zhamanak daily Hayk
Gevorgyan was released.

Hayk Gevorgyan was taken into custody on February 3 and transferred to
prison. He is accused of hitting a citizen with his car. But Haykakan
Zhamanak’s editorial staff stated that this was untrue.

On Monday morning Yerevan’s Kentron and Nork-Marash General
Jurisdiction Court held a hearing deciding to commute Gevorgyan’s
restraint order from imprisonment to a signature bond.

UNE HONTE !
Jean Eckian

armenews.com
lundi 6 fevrier 2012

Que celles et ceux qui n’ont pas encore lu “Vidures” de Denis Donikian
aillent l’ecouter mercredi 8 fevrier a 20h a la Maison des Etudiants
Armeniens de la Cite Universitaire. Ce roman d’une criante actualite
est une metaphore en partie illustree ici par ces photos intolerables,
inacceptables.

Cela se passe dans la region de Tavush. La rivière Aghstev est un
veritable depotoir qui sert de decharge, frontière entre l’Armenie
et l’Azerbaïdjan.

RULING REPUBLICAN PARTY COMMENTS ON COALITION PARTNER’S RECENT MOVE

news.am
February 06, 2012 | 16:59

YEREVAN. – Ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MPs consider
coalition member Prosperous Armenia Party’s (PAP) recent actions as a
PR move, violation of coalition agreements.

The ruling coalition’s Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) Parliamentary
Faction did not take part in National Assembly (NA) voting on the bill
concerning limitations to financial operations, and thus PAP
“torpedoed” the passing of the bill.

“It is a violation of coalition agreements. I believe the bill was
discussed very seriously and there could be no conflict of interests.

It was an anti-corruption bill, besides, a political team releases a
statement prior to being absent from the voting,” head of RPA
parliamentary group Galust Sahakyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

SARIBEKYAN WONDERS WHAT ‘DEFENDERS OF REFORMS ARE BEING DEFEATED’ EXPRESSION MEANS

Panorama.am
06/02/2012

“Oxford Analytica” paper referred to reforms being implemented in the
Armed Forces of Armenia noting that casualties and murders recorded in
peace conditions obstruct advancement recorded in the Armenian Armed
Forces in the recent phase. The paper also mentions that defenders
of reforms in Armenian army are being defeated.

Panorama.am asked Karen Saribekyan, member of NA Standing Committee
on Defense, national security and interior affairs, to remark on the
analytic story.

According to the MP reforms being implemented in the army are
being intensively carried out. K. Saribekyan said the committee was
discussing a new Defense Ministry Code which suggests serious changes.

“I don’t understand what does it mean – “defenders of reforms are
being defeated” expressions. Pivotal reforms are important for all
the fields and they are being implemented,” he said.

Military expert Artur Petrosyan said the process of reforms is not
end in itself.

“Before remarking on the feature story it’s important to understand
what sources have been used. Army shortcomings are being transparently
discussed which is evident that serious reforms have got under way.

Nobody says there are no shortcomings in the army, but to say those
reforms are failed and slow, I think is wrong,” A. Petrosyan said.

Asked if there are senior army officials who impede process of
reforms in the army, expert said: “I don’t think so, I’m sure they
know reforms are requirements.”

Panorama.am asked Defense Ministry spokesman Davit Karapetyan to
remark on the analytical story, but D. Karapetyan said the Ministry
would issue comments later.

DIASPORA-ARMENIAN EDUCATORS~R YEARLY TRAINING PROGRAM TO BE HELD IN SUMMER

news.am
February 06, 2012 | 16:15

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s Education and Science Ministry has commenced
preparations for the 2012 training program for the Armenology studies
teachers, principals, and teaching inspectors at Diaspora-Armenian
educational institutions.

The training course will be held in Armenia between July 8 and
August 7.

At the end of the program, the participants will receive corresponding
certificates, teaching manuals, textbooks, and other material. Ever
since 2000, this program is funded by Armenia’s state budget, and
so far more than 600 Diaspora-Armenian educators have taken part in
these training courses.

SWISS PROSECUTOR LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION AGAINST TURKISH MINISTER FOR DENYING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

armradio.am
06.02.2012 17:33

A Zurich prosecutor on Monday launched an investigation into remarks by
Egemen BagıÅ~_, Turkey’s EU affairs minister and chief EU negotiator,
after he said in Zurich that there was no Armenian genocide and
that Swiss authorities could arrest him if they wanted to, Today’s
Zaman reports.

News about the prosecution’s move was published in the Swiss daily
Neue Zurcher Zeitung. The Zurich Chief Prosecutor’s Office launched
the investigation into BagıÅ~_’s remarks- which he made last month in
Zurich on his way back from the World Economic Forum at Davos – based
on a complaint filed by members of Switzerland’s Armenian community.

“There is no Armenian genocide. Let them arrest me,” BagıÅ~_ said last
week following a question from a French reporter on the 1915 killings.

Zurich State Prosecutor Christine Braunschweig was quoted by the daily
as having said: “Last week we received a petition about this issue,
informing us that Mr. BagıÅ~_ violated the anti-racism Article 261 of
the Swiss Penal Code. Our prosecutor’s office has taken this allegation
seriously and launched an investigation. We will investigate whether
Egemen BagıÅ~_ uttered words denying the Armenian genocide as asserted
in the petition. We will also see if he has diplomatic immunity. At
the end of this, we will press charges against him if there indeed
is a violation and if he cannot benefit from diplomatic immunity.”

Last week, in response to a question from a French journalist on
what he thought of a bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian
genocide adopted by the French Senate in January, BagıÅ~_ said:
“Here I am in Switzerland today, and I’m saying the 1915 incidents
did not amount to genocide. Let them come arrest me.”

ONE-YEAR-OLD BABY POISONED IN YEREVAN

news.am
February 06, 2012 | 15:08

YEREVAN. – One-year-old Irina P. was poisoned and hospitalized in
Yerevan on Monday.

Her health condition is satisfactory, while nothing is available on
reasons of the poisoning Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations
informs.

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS OPPOSE RESTRICTION OF CASH OPERATIONS

arminfo
Monday, February 6, 15:25

Armenian parliamentarians killed the Bill of amendments to the Law
on restriction of cash operations and a number of accompanying laws,
including amendments to the Civil Code and the Code of Administrative
Offences, Monday. The parliament speaker had twice put the bill on
voting and the parliamentarians killed it.

Vahan Hovhannisyan, parliamentarian from ARFD party faction in
the parliament, says the idea of the bill is welcomed for it is
progressive. However, he thinks that various issues and problems
emerge in the real life and there is no solution to these problems
yet. The faction made a number of suggestions and will its stance on
the bill will depend on the response to the above suggestions.

Therefore, the party abstained from voting.

Earlier in his speech, Vice Chairman of the Armenian Central Bank
Nerses Yeritsyan said that the bill regulates non-cash operation, in
particular, the transfers to the name of a recipient. The bill provides
for non-cash operations for the operations exceeding 300,000 AMD at
medical establishments, 100,000 AMD at educational establishments. In
addition, the bill sets a specific term for the non-cash operation
to avoid delay of financial receipts. Realty deals of individual’s
exceeding 3 mln drams should also be non-cash.

Earlier, such law applied to legal entities only. The bill stipulated
that starting 2014 Post-terminals will be installed at all the public
catering, trade facilities and medical establishments with an area
exceeding 200sq.m in Yerevan.