Author: Kanayan Tamar

YAZIDIS WANT TO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE AT THE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION (VIDEO)

16:01 | February 10,2015 | Social

The Yazidi community is the biggest of the ethnic minorities living
in Armenia- more than 35.000 people. A decade ago their number was
about 10.000 more. “The main reason for migration is social-economic
conditions, there is no political problem, noted Siaband Bakoyan, the
representative of the Yazidi community of Council for Coordination
of Activities of National-Cultural Organizations of the National
Minorities of Armenia.

At present Yazidis have 20 homogeneous villages in our country, where
the main problem is the lack of medical centers or their incomplete
condition. There are problems also in the sphere of education. “We
would like to have a representative at the Ministry of Science and
Education,”- highlighted Mr. Bakoyan. At present 562 Yazidi children
study in the capital.

They have 20 villages in Aragatsotn region, “Isn’t it possible to
have a representative at that regional administration?,”- noted the
representative of the Yazidi community.

The Greek community in Armenia has 2800 members, the majority lives in
Lori region. “In the course of time they leave for their homeland or
Russia,”- noted Chairman of “Ilios” NGO, representative of the Greek
community Slava Rafaelidis. He hopes that the statement intended by
the National Assembly condemning their and Assyrians’ genocide will
be adopted until April 24.

According to the official data, the Assyrian community consists of 3000
people. “But according to our calculations there are 6000 Assyrians
in Armenia,”- highlighted Arsen Mikhailov, Chairman of the “Atur”
Assyrian union. He also claims that they have no political problems,
the main difficulties are the social conditions.

KARABAKH ISSUE: ARMENIAN FM BLASTS AZERBAIJAN’S “MAXIMALIST” POLICY

KARABAKH | 10.02.15 | 10:53

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian again accused Azerbaijan
of undermining progress in the Karabakh peace talks as he received
Herbert Salber, the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus
and the crisis in Georgia, in Yerevan on February 9.

According to the Foreign Ministry’s official website, Minister
Nalbandian drew the attention of the EU Special Representative to
the drastic increase in subversive acts of the Azerbaijani forces
along Armenia-Azerbaijan border and the Line of Contact with
Nagorno-Karabakh.

“At the end of last week, at the Munich Security Conference,
Azerbaijan’s President’s refusal to accept the well-known three
principles of the international law as a basis for the conflict
resolution, the approaches that he expressed are a proof to the
contempt towards the appeals of the international community and
continuation of its maximalist line,” Minister Nalbandian underlined.

The foreign minister of Armenia mentioned that Azerbaijan continuously
rejects the OSCE Minsk Groups’ proposals on confidence-building
measures, i.e. the measures on consolidation of cease-fire regime,
withdrawal of snipers, creation of investigation mechanism for
incidents, and by its destructive stance undermines progress in
negotiation process.

The EU special representative reaffirmed his support to the OSCE
Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ efforts towards peaceful settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

Gulen supports the Armenians-Davutoglu’s sick imagination

17:44, 10 February, 2015

YEREVAN, 10 FEBRUARY, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Turkey Ahmet
Davutoðlu has made another provocative, anti-Armenian statement.

As “Armenpress” reports, citing Turkey’s TRT Haber website, Davutoðlu
has declared that the Armenian lobby is using Fethullah Gulen’s
movement to pressure Turkey. According to Davutoðlu, the leader of
the movement and its supporters are campaigning against the Turks in
the United States of America.

“Recently Gulen declared that the rights of non-Muslims, including
Armenians are being violated in Turkey, and that is in the interests
of the Armenian lobby,” Davutoglu said, mentioning that such a
statement is not by chance, if the fact that April 24th marks the
100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide is taken into consideration.

“WELL, IT TURNS OUT THAT YOU ARE MISTAKEN. TSARUKYAN IS GOING AGAINST THE AUTHORITIES.”

February 10 2015

Levon Zurabyan assures the critics of Gagik Tsarukyan that the change
of power is very likely with him “I do not whether you have noticed or
not, but the country has seen a broader consolidation than until now.

Not only the ANC operates, like it was operating for all 7 years
and fighting alone against the current authorities, now, there is a
broader consolidation”, so responded ANC faction leader Levon Zurabyan,
in the conversation with “Aravot”, in response to our question of
why they have taken the way for the change of power, which they had
tried several times and had failed. In particular, the matter is
about the actions pointed out by PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan at the
conference of non-government forces, according to which they give
a chance for the government to review its policy, if not, they will
force holding extraordinary elections through rallies. Levon Zurabyan
said, “There is a power in the nationwide movement, about which you
and the rest were saying with a great criticism that he will never
join the opposition and Gagik Tsarukyan will never go against the
authorities. But, it turns out that you are mistaken. He now is going
against the authorities. He now even intimidates for raising the issue
of extraordinary presidential elections. A thing that many analysts
were also saying that it is never possible for Gagik Tsarukyan to say
such a thing. But it was said. And instead of seeing it, you say that
there is nothing new. Why isn’t there anything new? The fact that
however a consolidation of forces is taking place for the change of
power is the very news. And if God grants for the consolidation of
these forces reach an appropriate level, then I consider the change
of power more likely.” To our observation that there was a time when
the date and time for the change of power was clearly mentioned,
but nothing has happened, and if Gagik Tsarukyan had mentioned about
the extraordinary presidential elections, so whether having so much
high hopes is justified, Levon Zurabyan replied, “I am sorry, but if
the date and time for the regime change is mentioned, just consider
it already a guarantee that no change of power will take place. This
question does not refer to us as we’ve never done anything like this.”

HRIPSIME JEBEJYAN

Read more at:

BAKU FAILS TO TAKE OSCE MISSION OBSERVERS TO THE LINE OF CONTACT

STEPANAKERT, February 10. /ARKA/. Azerbaijan failed to take the
OSCE mission to its frontline during the monitoring on the line of
contact between Azerbaijani troops and the Karabakh army of defense,
the press office of Karabakh foreign ministry reported.

The OSCE mission carried out a planned monitoring on the line of
contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijan, east from Seysulan village
of Martakert region. The monitoring has been agreed upon with the
NKR authorities.

Field assistants to the personal representative of the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office Yevgeniy Sharov (Ukraine) and Hristo Hristov
(Bulgaria), together with Peter Swedberg (Sweden), will be observing
from the side of Karabakh army of defense.

Field assistants to personal representative of OSCE Chairman-in-Office
Irji Aberle (Czech Republic) and Simon Tiller (Great Britain) were
monitoring from the opposite site.

Monitoring was carried out as per the schedule, and no cease fire
violations were recorded, according to the report. -0-

MOTHER SEE HAS TO FACE THE FACT

Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Comments – 10 February 2015, 12:52

The bank accounts of the Mother See were always registered in the
name of Catholicoses, the information system of the Mother See told
Armenpress, commenting on the leaked bank account in the name of
Garegin II Nerses among Swiss HSBC customers. It was made known by
the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.

The information system of the Mother See explained that the bank
account was opened during the tenure of Garegin I. The bank account
was renamed when Garegin II became the next catholicos after his death,
and it is noted that not only the account but also the money mentioned
in it was transferred.

The leaked information is about 1.1 million dollars on the account.

Interestingly, the published information states that the bank account
appeared in the bank’s official files in 2000. Is it a new bank account
or a renamed account? If the bank account had been renamed, and the
money had been transferred accordingly, the difference should have
been reflected in the bank’s official records, it should be visible
whether it is a new account or a renamed account.

The questions are many, and other questions occurred after the
clarifications of the Mother See. For example, Mother See’s bank
accounts are in the name of catholicoses. Are all the bank accounts of
the church in the name of the Catholicos or not? If not, what is the
policy of deciding which bank account is opened in the name of the
Catholicos? Because it is almost the same as having the treasury of
Armenia in the name of Levon Ter-Petrosyan renamed to Robert Kocharyan
renamed to Serzh Sargsyan. Mildly speaking, it would be absurd.

Why would the bank account of the Armenian Apostolic Church or the
Mother See be in the name of the Catholicos, not the church?

Besides, it is interesting why the church account is in a Swiss bank,
not another country. It is known that the Swiss banks observe a high
level of confidentiality, and usually the money of people or companies
is kept in Swiss banks who do not want to be visible. Is the Armenian
Apostolic Church such? Is it impossible to open a bank account in
France or any other country with a developed banking system instead
of a system which is actually offshore?

At the same time, it is understood that the church is an organization,
and a lot of money is needed to sustain it. Besides sustaining the
organization, the church implements social programs which also require
funds. And the problem is not why the Armenian Apostolic Church should
deal with foreign banks, have bank accounts etc. Such questions would
have been at least illogical.

The problem is why part of the assets is kept in a closed system,
in the bank offshore. And where the tradition of keeping the money
in the name of the Catholicoses instead of the church comes from.

Furthermore, this would have never become known to anyone if there
had not been for the leak, which arouses questions. Moreover, these
questions occurred in public consciousness earlier, judging by the
life of some high-ranking officials of the Armenian Apostolic Church,
as well as their involvement in other offshore scandals. In fact,
another occasion has come up to raise these questions once again.

These are questions that must be answered for the sake of the
reputation and public confidence of the Armenian Apostolic Church
which has been damaged considerably over the past few years due to
its behavior as an amorphous public and social institution, egoistic,
highly materialized activities fitting within the essence of the
ruling system of Armenia.

In addition, apparently the Mother See should take a step ahead and
start preparing clarifications for other bank leaks if there are such.

The modern geopolitical processes, their logic, tense, matured
competition of civilizations, revision of its content and limits make
such leaks regular, and the information which seemed to be kept in
safes suddenly causes a fire in the press, such as the leaks from
one of the British offshore islands, revealing Aliyev’s assets.

Time and technology do not spare those who hope to hide successfully in
a small space in fast time, covering itself with forgery of religious
and patriotic values.

The time for accounting for these things comes unexpected and
inevitably, hence it is worthwhile to prepare answers for them as well.

A GRENOBLE, PRES DE 500 PARTICIPANTS AU LANCEMENT DE L’ANNEE DE LA COMMEMORATION DU 100EME ANNIVERSAIRE DU GENOCIDE ARMENIEN – PHOTOS

COMMUNAUTE-GRENOBLE
Un grand moment d’emotion

Le 5 fevrier, près de cinq cents personnes ont brave la neige et
repondu a l’invitation de la municipalite de Grenoble et du collectif
des associations armeniennes de l’agglomeration pour le lancement
de l’annee du centenaire du genocide des Armeniens. Une soiree qui
a debute par le discours du nouveau maire de Grenoble, Eric Piolle,
suivi de celui de Pascal Babakhian au nom du Collectif et celui de
Vahagn Atabekian ministre plenipotentiaire de l’Armenie representant
Viguen Tchitechian, ambassadeur d’Armenie en France. Des propos
empreints d’authenticite et d’emotion devant une assistance attentive.

Ensuite, un film realise a partir d’archives par Gregoire Atamian,
Arayik Sakunts et Daniel Marandjian a retrace l’Histoire du genocide,
depuis mise en oeuvre jusqu’a la periode actuelle comprenant la
demarche entreprise par le CCAF pour obtenir de la France, une loi
penalisant la negation du genocide. Un document, qui par ses images
parfois difficiles a soutenir, a surpris et instruit une bonne partie
du public, notamment les nombreux amis et sympathisants non armeniens.

Après ce documentaire très fouille, les jeunes de la MCAGD ont
relate avec ferveur les rapports ecrits des temoins oculaires de
l’epoque, ambassadeurs, militaires etrangers, religieux. La sequence
a ete suivie de chants patriotiques qui ont fait vibrer une salle
particulièrement emue. Un excellent depart pour la commemoration du
centenaire a Grenoble Un grand moment d’emotion En cette soiree du 5
fevrier, près de cinq cents personnes ont brave la neige et repondu
a l’invitation de la municipalite de Grenoble et du collectif des
associations armeniennes Grenoble et de l’agglomeration pour le
lancement de l’annee du centenaire du genocide des Armeniens. Tout
a commence par le discours du tout nouveau maire de Grenoble, Eric
Piolle, suivi de celui de Pascal Babakhian au nom du Collectif et
celui de Vahagn Atabekian ministre plenipotentiaire de la Republique
d’Armenie representant S.E. Viguen Tchitechian, ambassadeur d’Armenie
en France. Des propos furent empreints d’authenticite et d’emotion
devant une assistance attentive. Puis un film realise a partir
d’archives par Gregoire Atamian, Arayik Sakunts et Daniel Marandjian
a retrace l’Histoire du genocide, depuis son execution jusqu’a la
periode actuelle comprenant la demarche entreprise par le CCAF pour
obtenir de la France, une loi penalisant la negation du genocide. Le
documentaire, par ses images parfois difficiles a soutenir, a surpris
et instruit une bonne partie du public, notamment les nombreux amis
et sympathisants non-armeniens. Après ce documentaire très fouille,
les jeunes de la MCAGD (Maison de la Culture Armenienne de Grenoble et
du Dauphine) ont relate avec ferveur les rapports ecrits des temoins
oculaires de l’epoque, ambassadeurs, militaires etrangers, religieux.

La sequence a ete suivie de chants patriotiques qui ont fait vibrer
une salle particulièrement emue. La mobilisation autour du centenaire
avec ses vingt-trois programmations preparees depuis de nombreux mois
par les associations reunies autour de Monique Atamian, s’annonce très
suivie. Beaucoup d’emotion pour ce lancement qui bouleverse et suscite
l’interet de l’auditoire. De nombreux commentaires passionnes ont ete
changes lors de la collation qui a suivi. De toutes parts, les uns
et les autres se sont accordes pour annoncer une participation active
lors des prochaines manifestations memorielles. C’est un signe fort.

Le collectif s’est constitue afin de rassembler les differentes
associations de l’agglomeration grenobloise pour organiser ensemble
les commemorations du 24 avril. L’annee 2015 marque un peu plus
cette notion de rassemblement puisque que le collectif propose
un programme detaille de tous les evenements du centenaire sur la
region grenobloise. Le collectif des associations armeniennes de
Grenoble et de son agglomeration regroupent 8 associations de la
region grenobloise :

Armenie Echange et Promotion, Association des Anciens Combattants
et Resistants Armeniens de l’Armee Francaise, Azad Magazine, Club
des Armeniens de Grenoble, Croix bleue des Armeniens de France, FRA
Tashnagsoutioun, Maison de la Culture Armenienne de Grenoble et du
Dauphine, Paroisse de l’Eglise Apostolique Armenienne.

Collectif des Associations Armeniennes de Grenoble et de son
Agglomeration 15 cours de la liberation| 38100 Grenoble e-mail :
[email protected]. Tel : 04 76 48 59 38

Krikor Amirzayan

Pascal Babakhian pendant son discours entoure des presidents
d’associations Près de 500 personnes a Grenoble pour le lancement du
programme du 100ème anniversaire du genocide armenien Eric Piolle
Maire de Grenoble Vahagn Atabekian ministre plenipotentiaire de la
republique d’Armenie Poèmes et chants Une manifestation très reussie
Près de 500 personnes a Grenoble pour le lancement du programme du
100ème anniversaire du genocide armenien Une soiree très reussie a
Grenoble pour le lancement des manifestations du 100ème anniversaire
du genocide armenien

lundi 9 fevrier 2015, Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com

DE NOUVELLES VICTIMES A LA FRONTIERE ARMENO-AZERI

Haut-Karabagh

Deux soldats, un Armenien et un Azerbaïdjanais, ainsi qu’un civil
armenien ont ete tues dans la zone de “ligne de contact” autour du
Haut-Karabagh.

Vanik Ghukasian, un resident de 60 ans de Nerkin Karmir Aghbyur, a ete
abattu jeudi soir après que son village, frontalier dans la province
de Tavush, ait ete attaque par l’armee de l’Azerbaïdjan. Beaucoup de
residents auraient passe la nuit dans leur sous-sol.

Le ministère armenien de la Defense a declare que les forces
azerbaïdjanaises avait aussi ouvert le feu dans la nuit sur
pratiquement tous les autres villages du Tavush proches de la frontière
azerbaïdjanaise. Artsrun Hovannisian, le porte-parole du ministère,
a declare vendredi que les troupes armeniennes stationnees dans la
region ont replique a l’arrière.

effectues samedi. L’armee azerbaïdjanaise a nie ces allegations. Mais
elle a admis qu’un soldat azerbaïdjanais est mort ce jour-la.

lundi 9 fevrier 2015, Claire (c)armenews.com

AZERBAIJAN, ARMENIA URGED TO EASE TENSIONS

World Bulletin, Turkey
Feb 9 2015

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has expressed
concern over a record high number of casualties in January during
clashes.

World Bulletin / News Desk

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has called
for easing of tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Last year, some 60 people were killed over a long-standing conflict
between the two countries over a disputed zone.

In a statement Saturday, the organization expressed concern over the
volatile situation.

The remarks came after a meeting in Munich between the interim chairman
of the organization, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic and the OSCE
Minsk Group, which was established to solve the conflict by Russia,
the U.S. and France.

In January, 12 people were killed, while 18 others were injured,
which is a record high number since a cease-fire was established in
1994, according to the statement.

“We call on the sides to end incursions, cease targeting villages and
civilians, stop the threat of reprisals and the use of asymmetric
force, and take additional steps to reduce tensions and strengthen
the cease-fire,” the statement said.

An Azerbaijani solider died Friday after succumbing to his wounds
following clashes a day before, officials said.

Azerbaijan and Armenia, two former Soviet republics, fought a war
over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region in the 1990s.

On May 12, 1994, a cease-fire agreement was signed between Azerbaijan
and Armenia after two decades of conflict over the disputed territory.

In February 1988, the regional parliament in Nagorno-Karabakh,
which is largely populated by ethnic Armenians, voted to declare its
independence from Azerbaijan.

Armenia’s parliament voted to recognize the independence, a move that
prompted a forceful evacuation of over 200,000 ethnic Azerbaijanis
from Armenia. Thousands of Azerbaijani civilians lost their lives in
the resulting conflict.

Azerbaijan Oil Price Decline Could Affect Standard of Living
By Aydin Mammadov
Feb. 9, 2015

Serious decline of world oil prices forces Azerbaijan to reconsider
some of the costs as it is about to face and unemployment in 2015.

`International agencies predict the price of oil from USD $55 to 60
per barrel, even in this the maximal price drop, our country will face
serious challenges,’ says economist and board member of the public
movement REAL Natig Jafarli.

`Our country was making USD $500 millions per month only from taxes
from oil companies, but when the oil price dropped, this amount
decreased as well,’ he adds.

At the same time the Budget for the year 2015 was based on oil prices
of USD $90 per barrel and to fill the budget expenditures the
authorities allocated USD $10 billion from the national reserve, the
Oil Fund.

`It is not possible to support the budget this way, and there are
other means to use right now,’ Jafarli says adding that at the end of
2014 Azerbaijan’s Central Bank spent USD $1 billion to support the
exchange rate of the local currency manat last year.

But Jafarli says the country can’t keep spending money on supporting
manat, because it’s not clear how much more money will be needed for
this process on one hand, and, on the other hand, locals, worried
about depreciation of the currency, keep buying dollars.

Jafarli says the government’s goal is to support the economy until
November parliamentary elections. But then, by the end of this year,
the economy will undergo serious problems.

`If there will be manat devaluation, it will cause severe inflation,
as we are by 60% we are dependent on imported goods, and non-oil
production in Azerbaijan is minimal,’ Jafarli says.

Aside from these problems, Jafarli says, Azerbaijan has committed to
spending on the construction of Baku-Akhalkalaki-Kars, TANAP and other
projects, which means that USD $7 billion out of Oil Fund’s USD $32
billion will be spent on various ambitious projects.

`And if oil prices will remain low in 2016, then all the Oil Fund
money will be spent for the budget,’ Jafarli says.

Former president of State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR)
Sabit Bagirov, however, isn’t that pessimistic.

`I do not expect a serious impact on citizens’ well-being because the
state has foreign exchange reserves (about USD $50 million). In
addition, we have still income for the Oil Fund from oil and gas, even
if it is less,’ ` says Bagirov, adding that if in the near future the
oil prices will remain low, `the state is likely to develop more
cost-effective policies and aims at diversifying economic
development.’

Another problem ahead of Azerbaijani economy in 2015 is unemployment,
says Jafarli, adding that spheres that will suffer the most are
construction and transportation.

According to another economist, Gubad Ibadoglu, Head of Center for
Public Initiatives, there could be layoffs also in the oil sector.

`If prices remain the same until summer, there could be layoffs at
SOCAR and foreign oil companies. Other sectors related to oil industry
will suffer as well, such companies as Azeriqaz and Azerenerji.’

Bagirov, however, doesn’t see any changes that should lead to unemployment.

According to Sabit Bagirov, changes in government funding are not as
significant that it could lead to unemployment.

`I do not think investment in construction will be seriously reduced,
because important events of political significance are coming up `
European Olympic Games and parliamentary elections,’ he says.

Jafarli says one more important factor is the reduction of labor
migrant remittances from Russia to Azerbaijan.

But Ibadoglu says that Russian crisis will affect Azerbaijan not as
much as other countries in the region.

`As the percentage of revenues imported into the country from Russia
make less than 5% of total GDP, while in Armenia and Tajikistan income
from Russia is about 20% total profits, we shouldn’t be affected as
much,’ he adds.

On the other hand, Jafarli notes that while even in Russia the crisis
and its consequences are being discussed openly, while in Azerbaijan
the crisis is being denied overall.