Author: Kanayan Tamar

COLLOMB EN ARMENIE…

Lyon 1ère , France

19 juillet 2011

Ecrit par Gerald Bouchon

Gerard Collomb a effectue un deplacement a Erevan avec une delegation
lyonnaise. Au cours de ce deplacement dans la capitale de l’Armenie,
du 16 au 19 juillet, le maire de Lyon a rencontre les plus hautes
autorites du pays et de la Ville d’Erevan, avec lesquelles il a eu des
“entretiens denses”.

Mardi matin, il s’est entretenu avec le President de la Republique,
Serge Sargsian. Ils ont evoque l’amitie qui unit le peuple armenien et
le peuple francais, la situation geopolitique armenienne, le conflit
du Haut Karabakh et la relation avec la Turquie. Leur discussion a
egalement portee sur…

la cooperation entre la France et l’Armenie, et plus particulièrement
sur celle de Lyon et d’Erevan.

” Je crois beaucoup a l’action coordonnee des etats et des
collectivites locales ” a declare Gerard Collomb lors d’une reception a
l’Ambassade de France. Cette cooperation entre les villes d’Erevan et
de Lyon se traduit en particulier par une aide au lycee professionnel
et a l’Universite franco-armenienne d’Erevan.

L’inauguration du Jardin de Lyon, ce mardi, en presence des elus de
Lyon et d’Erevan, et de nombreux habitants d’Erevan, illustre egalement
l’aide concrète que Lyon a apportee a Erevan pour l’amenagement d’un
espace vert dans la ville.

Un nouvel accord cadre de partenariat a ete signe entre Erevan, Lyon
et le Grand Lyon. Il concernera notamment le developpement urbain et
social d’Erevan, les transports urbains, le tourisme, ainsi que la
promotion de la francophonie et de la culture.

La delegation lyonnaise s’est rendue au memorial du genocide armenien.

Gerard Collomb s’est egalement entretenu avec le Catholicos. D’autres
rencontres ont ete organisees lors de ce deplacement avec des acteurs
economiques et de la societe civile.

ARMENIA, UK SIGN DOUBLE TAX TREATY, BY JASON GORRINGE, TAX-NEWS.COM, LONDON

Tax-news.com

July 19 2011

The governments of the United Kingdom and Armenia have signed a tax
agreement to assign the taxing rights of the two nations to ensure
that income is not taxed twice.

According to a statement from the Armenian government, a convention
for the avoidance of double taxation with respect to taxes on income
and other assets was signed by the Armenian Foreign Affairs Minister,
Edward Nalbandian and the UK Minister for European Affairs, David
Lidington, in London on July 13.

At the meeting, matters of joint interest were discussed including
dialogue on how bilateral relations in various spheres can be
enhanced. It was noted by the Armenian government that the double
taxation agreement will facilitate increased trade and investment
ties between the two countries by providing increased certainty and
improved tax treatment for investors.

The agreement requires ratification by both countries before it can
become effective.

MEMBER OF SWEDISH PARLIAMENT: I BELIEVE THAT EUROPE ACTS UNFAIRLY WITH REGARD TO KARABAKH PROBLEM – INTERVIEW

APA
July 19 2011
Azerbaijan

Mehmet Kaplan: Karabakh problem must be solved fairly, I am afraid
more dangerous incidents may happen there

Stockholm. M. Guliyeva – APA. APA’s interview with Turkish member of
the parliament of Sweden, chairman of the parliament’s Green Group
Mehmet Kaplan

– As you know, parliaments of Azerbaijan and Sweden established
friendship group. But despite this, Azerbaijan is not known in Sweden
sufficiently. How do you think the parliament group must act so that
Azerbaijan is known better and has positive image in Sweden?

-Azerbaijan is seen as a country, which is far from Sweden and has
no serious economic relations with Sweden. Azerbaijan is viewed as
a country related to Turkey, there is very little information about
the country. Campaign was held concerning Karabakh problem and the
crimes committed there, but it was not sufficient. The people listen
to those who speak about such problems first. Armenians and Armenia
have advantage, as they are strong in America, Europe and especially
in France, and first of all they make others listen to their views. I
think the mutual visit of the Swedish and Azerbaijani parliamentary
delegations will be useful.

A group of Swedish parliamentarians has recently visited Baku at
the invitation of the Azerbaijani side. But the tactics was a little
bit wrong. The parliamentarians were offered to pay the visit at the
expenses of the Azerbaijani side. This is wrongly assessed in Sweden.

Such visits are not so effective, as the persons visiting in this
manner are ashamed or do not want to speak about some things.

-I think you know that the recent meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani
presidents was not successful. How do you think what role Europe can
play in the resolution of Nagorno Karabakh problem? Which steps must
be taken to prevent a new war in the Caucasus?

-I believe Europe was late and acts unfairly with regard to Karabakh
problem. Europe does not care what happened in Karabakh, who is right,
who is wrong. They are engaged in more favorable and easier issues.

Moreover, they do not see any interest when it comes to the foreign
policy. Their approach to Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict over Karabakh
is similar to their approach to Cyprus. In Europe they said “We did
not know that the Greek said ‘no’ in the referendum held in Cyprus,
we were mistaken.” Maybe ten years later speaking about Karabakh
they will say “We did not know, we were mistaken”. Karabakh conflict
must be solved fairly, but I am afraid more dangerous incidents may
happen there. One must not approach Azerbaijan and Armenia similarly,
because Azerbaijan is the side that lost its territory. Maybe years
later Europe will support Azerbaijan, but it may be very late. The
most logical step to be taken by Azerbaijan is to solve the problems
in the area of human rights. Several years ago Turkey kept the human
rights problem in the focus of attention, most of those problems have
been solved and now Europe does not say anything else to Turkey. They
simply demand the solution of the Kurdish problem, but the problem
of human rights has almost been solved. Such problem still remains
in Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani government must solve its internal
problems. 50 percent of the people supported the government in the
elections in Turkey. Of course, in this case, that government is
very strong in the foreign policy. Azerbaijan must be strong inside,
so that it is heard abroad. For now this is not so. Azerbaijan is
viewed as a country having internal problems.

– As you know, there are serious problems in the area of human rights
in Armenia. But Europe closes eyes to it. Does lobby has power in this?

-Lobbies are strong in the European countries, though not in Sweden.

Syrian lobby is strong in Sweden, but Armenian lobby is strong in
France and UK, the most important countries of the European Union.

They see Armenia as a country in hard conditions surrounded by
enemies. There is injustice. I do not want to say that religion
plays role here, but Azerbaijan is a Muslim country and it has some
influence…

-Last year the Swedish parliament adopted a decision on recognition
of “Armenian genocide”. As you know, the genocide was committed
against peaceful Azerbaijanis in Khojaly in 1992. In your opinion,
can the European parliaments recognize the genocides committed against
Muslims? Is there an assumption that the Khojaly genocide will be
adopted in the European parliaments?

-It is the case like Pandorra box: If the parliaments assess the
historical events once, you will not be able to ask to close this
topic. I have said it in my speech in the parliament. It is true,
I couldn’t persuade my party, our party thinks so. But in my speech,
I have concretely said that the parliaments must not appraise the
history. If the box is opened, the other incidents must also pass from
there. For example, if there is a proposal on Khojaly, we must discuss
and adopt a decision, otherwise in my opinion it would be wrong.

You also were in “Freedom flotilla” which carried aid to Gaza. We
remember the end of this incident very well. Despite the world
community’s protest to Israel, no sanctions were used against this
country. In your opinion, why did Israel’s acts remain unpunished?

Last year I joined the “Freedom flotilla”. Our 9 people were killed
there. This is a deliberate incident realized by the order of Israeli
Defense Ministry. We see it as a crime. This is the act which needs
both apology and payment of compensation. Israel must admit its
mistake. The rallies held by us in Sweden and the other places last
year had effects. Israel was reprobated in the UN Security Council
and America didn’t use the right to veto for Israel. Israel had to
weaken the embargo against Gaza. The EU countries also criticized
Israel the Israeli products were boycotted among the people. Three
our MPs joined the rally, everybody returned safe and sound.

In his issue Israel conducts policy “either you are from us, or our
enemies”. America seriously protects Israel in this issue and will
never give up. But Israel will be in difficult situation because
there are revolutions in Arabic countries and the governments are
changing in the region. Now it will not be easy to use the cold war
and terror methods.

TURKISH OPPOSITIONISTS SHOCKED AT CLINTON’S QUESTION ON ARMENIA-TURKEY TIES

yerkir.am
15:00 – 19.07.2011

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is taking part in the
meeting of the Contact Group on Libya in Istanbul, met with leaders
of Turkish oppositional Republican People’s Party and Kurdish “Peace
and Democracy” party.

During the meeting members of the Republican People’s party were
shocked by Clinton’s question why the oppositionists spoke against
the Armenian-Turkish Protocols, Hurriyet newspaper reports.

“The authorities say they do not submit Armenia-Turkey accords to
parliament for ratification, as Republican People’s party speaks
against it” Clinton said. The party leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu was
greatly surprised at the statement, saying the authorities form
a majority in the parliament and they may pass the documents at
any time. He stressed the Turkish authorities did not provide them
information on the protocols and the Karabakh problem and they were
forced to keep track of the developments through mass media.

THE CAMEL’S HOMELAND: A WESTERN ARMENIAN PUPPET SHOW IN NEW JERSEY

AZG DAILY
20-07-2011

Some 130 children and adults crowded into the hall of the
Armenian-American Support and Education Center on June 11 to see
an Armenian-language puppet show, “Ughdin Hayrenike” [The Camel’s
Homeland], performed by children. The show was organized by Vartan
Garniki’s Hye Theater Studio, Armenian Mirror Spectator’s June 25
article reports.

Seven young Armenians performed with their puppets a dramatized
Western-Armenian version of a short story by Sergey Vardanian of
Yerevan. Vardanian originally published a set of children’s short
stories in Yerevan in 1989 called Arevadzaghig [Sunflower], which
was translated by Makruhi Hagopian and published in Western Armenian
in Istanbul in 1994. Vardanian, today working at the Archaeology
and Ethnology Institute of the Armenian Academy of Sciences, worked
for many years as a journalist and also served from 1991 to 2002 as
the vice president of the State Council on Religious Affairs of the
Republic of Armenia. He has organized a movement to collect folkloric
materials in Armenian schools in Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan,
Mountainous Karabagh, Nakhichevan, Abkhazia and Krasnodar (Russia),
which were published in two volumes in 1981 and 2003. He has published
a volume on the twelve historical capitals of Armenia, first in 1985,
and then in an enlarged edition in 1995, and is a specialist on the
Hamshen Armenians of Central Asia and founding editor of the monthly
Dzayn Hamshenakan [Hamshen Voice].

The plot of the play concerns a camel that sets off to find his
homeland and convinces other animals he meets along the way to join
him. When they arrive in the desert, the other animals realize that
this may be an ideal home for the camel but it is too hot and in
general unsuitable for them. They then return to their original homes
with renewed appreciation of their own value. The story can be taken
as a parable for Armenians scattered throughout the world.

Naturally, a show performed by children may not be perfect in all
aspects of its presentation, but in this particular instance, it was
appropriate for the children in the audience, who seemed to enjoy
it greatly. My own two boys eagerly asked when the next performance
would take place. Such plays should be constants in the arsenal of
tools to make Western Armenian relevant to children. Several children
apparently afterwards expressed an interest in participating in
future performances.

The positive effects of the play were not limited to the children in
the audience. Director Vartan Garniki told the audience that some of
the children in the play, who are of varying ages, did not know much
Armenian when they began their rehearsals. In fact, one boy could
only recite his lines and did not understand any Armenian at all.

Garniki has organized similar plays for children for the Khrimian
Lyceum of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern). He
established Hye Theater Studio in 2006 and its first performance,
“Honest Person,” was performed by children and based on four tales
by Hovhannes Toumanian. Hye Theater Studio has also presented two
plays for adults in Armenian.

Garniki (Oganesian) was born in Yerevan, and inspired by his father,
a well-known reciter and actor, he studied drama at the Theatrical
Institute there. His final project won first prize at the Moscow
Festival of Russian Dramaturgy. Afterwards, he worked as an actor
five years before becoming director of the Alexander Shirvanzade State
Dramatic Theater of Kapan, where he directed over twenty productions
from 1985 to 1992. Garniki established his first puppet theater while
in Kapan in 1988 with his wife and two sons. He and his family moved to
the United States in the early 1990s. In 2002, he joined the Tekeyan
Cultural Association’s Mher Megerdichian Theatrical Group and served
as its artistic director for six years. His wife, Anahid Oganesian,
was the stage and puppet designer for “Ughdin Hayrenike.”

Garniki works in theater as a labor of love. He exclaimed, “Drama,
I have to do – if I didn’t do it, I would not be myself!” To make
a living, he works as a tour guide, showing Russian and Armenian
speakers the sights in New York City, Philadelphia, Atlantic City,
Niagara Falls and elsewhere. He arranged with Armenian military
attache Col. Mesrop Nazarian that any profit from “Ughdin Hayrenike”
will be donated to the children of Armenian soldiers who died in the
struggle for the liberation of Artsakh. Several more performances of
this puppet play are planned for this fall at Armenian schools and
churches in the New York and New Jersey area.

NAIRA ZOHRABYAN: “THE ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS MAY BE DISCUSSED ONLY WHEN TURKEY RENOUNCES ITS PRECONDITIONS”

ARMENPRESS
JULY 18, 2011
YEREVAN

The Armenian-Turkish protocols may be discussed only when Turkey
renounces its preconditions, says Naira Zohrabyan, chairperson of
the National Assembly Standing Committee on European Integration,
member of the Armenian delegation to PACE, deputy of the Prosperous
Armenia faction.

Naira Zohrabyan reported Armenpress that it is now Turkey’s turn. “The
Armenian party stated that at any moment when Turkey renounces the
preconditions, it will be ready to revitalize the process, which was
frozen at the parliament. It is Turkey to say whether it abandons its
policy of preconditions or not. I addressed this question to Turkey’s
president, prime minister, foreign minister. Their responses, actually,
are the same. They connect the Armenian-Turkish relations with the
Nagorno Karabakh issue,” Naira Zohrabyan said.

The deputy reminded that the superpowers have stated for many times
that the Nagorno Karabakh issue and the Armenian-Turkish relations
are wholly different processes, “however this was not an obstacle
for Turkey to lead the process to a deadlock.

UNE PETITE MESSE A DIYARBAKIR SIGNE D’UNE RECONCILIATION PLUS GRANDE
Stephane

armenews.com
lundi 18 juillet 2011

Une messe a eu lieu dans l’eglise armenienne de Surp Giragos a
Diyarbakir a annonce la quotidien turc Hurriyet.

” Les sons de l’appel a la prière et des cloches des eglises se
melangeront ici sur cette terre dorenavant ” a declare le Maire de
Diyarbekir Osman Baydemir après le service religieux.

” Il y a eu d’importantes tristesses dans le passe. Nous [condamnons]
ces jours impitoyables dans nos coeurs et nous voulons un nouveau
commencement ” a ajoute l’elu.

” Diyarbakir etait une ville multiculturelle dans le passe mais nous
avons perdu beaucoup avec la politique de la Republique [Turque]. Pour
etre capable de ressusciter la paix sociale, les lecons doivent etre
apprises du passe et l’histoire a besoin d’etre affrontee ” a ajoute
Osman Baydemir.

Abdullah Demirbas maire de Sur a indique que la commune avait recemment
imprime le poète armenien Hovhannes Tumanyan ” Gatil mi Meghr ”
[une goutte de miel] en armenien.

” Contes pour enfants, histoire pour adultes ; nous rendons hommage
a ceux qui ont vecu sur ces terres sans s’occuper des langues ”
a declare Abdullah Demirbas.

Defini comme la plus grande eglise dans le Moyen-Orient par quelques
experts, Surp Giragos accueillera un service religieux plus grandiose
en octobre.

Le dernier armenien a avoir vecu dans Diyarbakir, le vieux Sarkis
Bedrosyan 81 ans, a dit que c’etait un sentiment special de voir Surp
Giragos de ses propres yeux encore une fois.

Il a ajoute ” le maire a parle d’une verite qui a ete oubliee dans
cette ville. Le passe armenien a ete mentionne ; c’etait extremement
important “.

L’homme d’affaires armenien d’Istanbul qui a commence le processus
de restauration de l’eglise de Diyarbakir Ergun Ayik s’est declare
heureux, mais a ajoute qu’il aurait voulu qu’il y ait eu plus d’appui
pour l’eglise.

Le coût total de la restauration est estime a 2,5 millions de $.

TURKISH GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO SUPPORT ARMENIAN NEWSPAPERS

epress.am
07.18.2011

The Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government has decided to
lend support to newspapers and weeklies published by minority groups
in Turkey, which have recently been experiencing difficulties due to
financial problems, Today’s Zaman reports.

The newspapers in question are Greek dailies Apoyevmatini and Ä°ho,
Armenian dailies Nor Marmara and Jamanak, Armenian weekly Agos and
Jewish weekly Å~^alom.

The Prime Ministry’s Press Advertising Agency (BÄ°K) Director General
Mehmet Atalay plans to meet with officials from the six publications
on July 26 to discuss their problems. Atalay spoke to the press about
the meeting and said the AK Party government is willing to help solve
the issues, mostly financial, faced by minority publications. “We have
launched efforts to allow [minority] publications to receive state
aid. We will either amend the existing regulations or pass new ones,”
he said.

Atalay’s meeting with minority publications is part of the government’s
bid to see Turkey admitted as a member of the European Union. Turkey
has so far ignored the problems faced by minority publications. After
the Jun. 12 parliamentary elections, Turkey Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan decided to deal with these problems by making it easier for
the publications to benefit from state aid. In Turkey, publications
by minority groups were previously not allowed to receive any state
financial assistance.

Asked about the content of the upcoming meeting with minority
publications, Atalay said the meeting will help develop a roadmap for
the government to decide how to make financial aid available to the
publications. “We will listen to officials of minority publications
and develop a roadmap. They will tell us about their problems and
needs. We will also exchange views about a financial aid plan for
the publications and share our opinions about effective journalism,”
he added.

KIRO MANOYAN: “THE SITUATION IS NOT SO AS OUR AUTHORITIES PRESENT”

Noyan Tapan

15.07.2011

(Noyan Tapan – 15.07.2011) The statement of Russian President satisfied
neither of the sides. The head of the ARF Armenian Cause and Political
Affairs Office Kiro Manoyan informed about this at the meeting with
journalists held on July 15. “Though the sides didn’t agree to sign
a document in Kazan the Russian President’s efforts to do something
are evident. The Azerbaijan side tried to go back to the principles
of 2009. Ashton’s several approvals were more remarkable which shows
that our diplomacy has not worked well in several regions.

This situation shows that the situation is not so as our authorities
present”, he said. ARF representative doesn’t think that Armenian
Authorities will agree to any principles where the NKR status is not
definitely outlined.

K. Manoyan noted that ARF has always been against the policy
carried out by Armenian authorities. “As far as the Nagorno-Karabakh
authorities are concerned, it is clear that they should take part
in the negotiation process over the conflict,” said he adding that
regardless of the fact who is the President he should carry out the
right policy.

GERARD COLLOMB, LE MAIRE DE LYON A EREVAN
Krikor Amirzayan

armenews.com
samedi 16 juillet 2011

la delegation lyonnaise sera en Armenie jusqu’au 20 juillet

A l’invitation du Maire de la capitale armenienne, Gerard Collomb,
le Maire de Lyon, accompagne d’une delegation est en Armenie du 15
au 20 juillet. Des responsables des transports, de la culture, de
l’education, de l’urbanisme, des chefs d’entreprises et des medias
accompagnent Gerard Collomb a Erevan. Des rencontres avec le president
Serge Sarkissian, le president du Parlement Hovig Abrahamian, le
maire d’Erevan Garen Garabedian et le ministre des Affaires etrangères
Edouard Nalbandian sont au programme de la delegation lyonnaise. Cette
dernière se rendra egalement au memorial du genocide. De nombreux
accords de cooperation entre Erevan et Lyon sont au programme des
rencontres.