ARMENIE-ECONOMIE
Le vin arménien pourrait renforcer sa position sur le marché de la Russie
Le vin arménien pourrait renforcer sa position sur le marché de la
Russie a affirmé le 20 août lors d’une conférence à Erévan, Vazken
Safarian, le président d’association des producteurs d’Arménie. Il
évoquait ainsi les conséquences des mesures d’embargo imposées par la
Russie aux produits européens.
Baku Slams US, France over Condemnation of Villager’s Death
Friday, August 22nd, 2014
A screenshot of an amateur video of Armenian citizen Karen Petrosian
talking to residents of Aqbulaq village (Photo: RFE/RL)
BAKU–The Azerbaijani government in a statement on Friday criticized
Washington and Paris for their condemnation of the Azerbaijani
authorities’ killing of Karen Petrosian, an Armenian border villager
who had wandered into Azerbaijan.
Baku’s authorities maintained that the man, killed in captivity on
Aug. 8, was an “Armenian saboteur” insisting that he had crossed the
border as part of a “commando group.” Eye witness testimonies from
Azeri villagers who found Petrosian first, however, contradicted
Baku’s assertions. Video footage shot by the residents of Azerbaijan’s
Agbulaq village showed Petrosian unarmed and talking with the
villagers.
On Aug. 18, the U.S. State Department issued a statement condemning
the death of Petrosian in captivity and calling on Baku to conduct a
full investigation.
“The United States is deeply concerned by reports on the death of
Karen Petrosyan while in Azerbaijan’s custody and by allegations that
his death was not due to natural causes,” the statement read. “The
United States offers its sincere condolences to Mr. Petrosyan’s
family. We call on the Government of Azerbaijan to conduct a full and
transparent investigation into this incident and to make its findings
public.”
News reports showed Azerbaijani defense ministry officials dragging,
questioning and publicly humiliating Petrosyan on national television.
On Friday, Aug. 8, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry announced that
Petrosian had died of “acute heart failure.”
Armenian authorities insist that the 31-year-old Petrosian did not die
from natural causes, but was tortured or beaten to death.
Petrosian’s death rekindled memories of Manvel Saribekian, a
20-year-old resident of another Armenian border village who was
captured by Azerbaijani soldiers in September 2010. A visibly injured
Saribekian was paraded on Azerbaijani television, saying that he is a
member of an Armenian commando squad that planned to carry out
terrorist attacks in Azerbaijan.
Saribekian was found hanged in an Azerbaijani detention center shortly
afterwards. The Azerbaijani authorities claimed that he committed
suicide. The Armenian government said, however, that Saribekian was
tortured to death or driven to suicide. Both the government and
Saribekian’s family insisted that the young man was a civilian who
accidentally crossed the Armenian-Azerbaijani border while grazing
cattle.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, in its statement on Friday, urged
the U.S. and France to a “principled stance on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict’s settlement, and to be unbiased in expressing condolences
and concerns.”
High-developed relations between Armenia and Georgia lay ground for
discussing any regional problem – Sargsyan
YEREVAN, August 22. /ARKA/. The highly developed relations between
Armenia and Georgia lay the ground for discussing any regional
problem, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said Friday as met with
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, who was in Armenia for a
two-day official visit.
After thanking Armenia’s leadership for a cordial reception, the
Georgian premier said he came here to express deep respect for
Armenia, its president and its people and to strengthen relations
between the two nations.
“The bilateral relations are highly developed now and such meetings
make ties between the two states closer,” he said.
Garibashvili also stressed that Armenia is not only Georgia’s
neighbor, but also a friend. He is convinced that these friendly
relations give room for doing plenty for the two countries’ welfare.
The construction of a new bridge on Bagratashen-Sadakhlo border
checkpoint was among the issues discussed at the meeting. The Armenian
president and the Georgian premier confirmed their willingness to
speed up the construction. –0—-
US ambassador visits Armenia MOD
17:17, 22.08.2014
YEREVAN. – Armenian First Deputy Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan on
Friday met with US Ambassador John Heffern, and members of an expert
group, from the UN and the Kansas Army National Guard, which is
conducting a workshop at the Ministry of Defense (MOD) of Armenia.
The interlocutors discussed Armenia’s participation in the UN
peacekeeping missions, and the upcoming projects within the framework
of the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI), the Armenia MOD
press service informed.
GPOI is a US Government-funded security assistance program intended to
enhance international capacity to effectively conduct United Nations
and regional peace support operations. Armenia’s membership to this
program was approved in 2013.
Armenia News – NEWS.am
Azerbaijani official’s announcement on captives is vulgar
disinformation: Armenia’s MOD
13:37, 22 August, 2014
YEREVAN, AUGUST 22, ARMENPRESS. The announcement of the Chairman of
the State Committee of Republic of Azerbaijan for Refugees and IDPs
Ali Hasanov on refusing Azerbaijani authorities’ suggestion of
exchanging captives is a vulgar disinformation. The Press Secretary of
Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia Artsrun Hovhannisyan
posted about this in his facebook page.”We are not yet in Baku’s
market and we are not engaged in trade. We strictly remain loyal to
the humanitarian principles and do not present and accept
preconditions. Just out of respect to the ICRC’s efforts in that
direction, we periodically apply to them for support to organize the
return of citizens of the Republic of Armenia and the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic. The announcement of Azerbaijani official is a vulgar
disinformation,” Hovhannisyan stressed.
Yezidi human rights defender: “Armenia can save more Yezidis in this
dire situation”.
Friday 22 August 2014 14:22
Mirza Ismail
On 3 August 2014, Islamic State (IS) militants attacked and took over
Sinjar, a Kurdish-controlled town that was home to Yezidis.
As a result, there were over 800 killed, thousands of captives and
missing people and dozens of thousand migrants.
Mirza Ismail is the Chairman of the Yezidi Human Rights Organization
based in Canada. Nowadays he is in Washington DC, meeting with
different US officials, therefore trying to find solutions to save
Yezidi population of Iraq.
Mediamax presents its exclusive interview with the Yezidi human rights defender.
-Was the IS attack on Yezidi population of Iraq a surprise for
Yezidis or was it an expected act?
-This is not the first time the Yezidis have faced genocide. There
have been 74 genocides against the Yezidis, just because we Yezidis
practice ancient faith that is different from Islam. The IS attack was
expected, when they took control over Iraqi-Syrian border, Baaj town
(34 km south of Sinjar) and Talafar city (about 37 km east of Sinjar).
Prior to the IS attack against the Yezidis in Sinjar region on July
17, we (a Yezidi Delegation) came to Washington, DC, had meetings with
three House of Representatives and U.S. State Department Office of
Religious Freedom. At the meetings, we explained the situation of
Iraqi Yezidis and the fact that they were surrounded by IS who had
already killed many of them.
For the Yezidis themselves the attack happened suddenly, but the
Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) officials were aware of it, and
their militias did not fight against IS. The KRG also withdrew its
militias from the Sinjar region just prior to the attack and they also
refused to give Yezidis any weapons to defend themselves against the
IS.
-KRG has called on the international society to deliver military aid
for fighting against IS. Should KRG expect positive answer from the
West?
– That is true, the KRG has asked the U.S., UK and EU as well for
support with high technology weapons. I think EU has already agreed,
but U.S. is still thinking about it. However, this was a plan by the
KRG to leave the Yezidis and Christians’ areas of Sinjar region and
Nineveh Plain in order to get support with good weapons, by convincing
the West that if they had good weapons they would be able to protect
the minorities. But it is not true at all, because KRG has been able
to defend Erbil and take the Mosul Dam back from the ISIS with same
weapons. So here is a question: why did the KRG not fight against ISIS
in Sinjar and Nineveh Plain regions?
-According to a well-spread view IS is sponsored by Turkish state.
What goal is Turkey trying to achieve by these kind of actions?
– Turkey has a very good relationship with the KRG. I think Turkey has
sponsored the ISIS because they are Sunnis and that they are against
the Regime of Bashar Al-Assad in Syria. This is not something new, the
conflict between the Sunnis and Shiites has been there for centuries.
>From my own perspective the Sunnis are scared of the Abbasi State
(including Iran, Iraq and Syria) to come back. If these three
countries unite under the Shiite Islamic State, it could become very
powerful and later could destroy the Sunni countries such as Saudi
Arabia. That’s why these Sunni countries created the IS or Islamic
Khalifat that would fight against Iran, Iraq and Syria not to become a
strong Shiite State.
– Are Yezidis happy with reaction of international community or do
they think that international society could do more?
– No, the Yezidis are not happy with the International community’s
reaction. Of course, they could do more. They have not stopped the IS
from killing the Yezidis. The situation gets worse day by day.
Presently, there are hundreds of thousands of displaced Yezidis in the
KRG regions, who sleep in streets, parks, schools, open fields, etc.
The International aid has not reached 50% of those displaced Yezidis.
Young babies die every day of starvations and lack of medical care.
-Armenia is the 5th country with biggest Yezidi population (35
thousand). How can Armenia help Iraqi Yezidis?
– We think that Armenia should be the first country to send
humanitarian aid to Iraqi Yezidis, because the Armenians and the
Yezidis, Chaldo-Assyrians in past have gone together through many
difficult times and Armenians know how does it look like to face a
total genocide. Any humanitarian aid is greatly appreciated. The
Yezidis and Armenians have saved each other in the past and I think
Armenia can save more Yezidis in this difficult and dire situation.
– What is happening nowadays with Yezidi population of Iraq, is often
compared with the Armenian Genocide in 1915. Does the history repeat
100 years later?
– Well, at the same time with the Armenian Genocide in 1915, there was
a genocide against Yezidis, during which 350 thousands Yezidis were
killed.
My grandfather was from Urfa and he escaped the genocide and fled to
Syria and then to Iraq. Though at that time (1915), the Turkish and
Kurdish did not have that high technology weapons, there is no much
difference between the past and current situation. That time’s
killings and beheadings are being repeated by the IS today. But in
1915 we did not have UN and NATO, who are nowadays responsible for the
World Affairs and they are still failing to protect the Yezidis.
-While raising awareness about the recent tragedy of Iraqi Yezidis,
what would you like to address the international society at this
moment?
– The whole world is aware that total genocide against the most
peaceful nation is taking place nowadays. We can’t force the
international societies to do more. As Yezidis maybe we deserve this
74th genocide in the 21 century or maybe God created us (Yezidis) by
mistake, so that Islam is trying to correct God’s mistake… maybe that
is why the world is not taking our issue seriously.
By the way, Yezidis who were able to escape the IS and have reached
the KRG controlled area, are facing assimilations into Kurdish
culture…
Narine Daneghyan talked to Mirza Ismail.
LE PREMIER MINISTRE GEORGIEN IRAKLI GHARIBACHVILI S’EST RENDU AU MEMORIAL DU GENOCIDE ARMENIEN A EREVAN
GENOCIDE ARMENIEN
En visite officielle de deux jours en Armenie, le Premier ministre
georgien Irakli Gharibachvili s’est rendu aujourd’hui 21 août au
memorial du genocide armenien a Dzidzernagapert (Erevan). Le chef
du gouvernement georgien etait accompagne de son homologue armenien
Hovig Abrahamian. Irakli Gharibachvili a depose devant le memorial
du genocide armenien une gerbe de fleurs avant de planter un arbre
dans le parc de la Memoire a Dzidzernagapert. Il rencontrera dans
les prochaines heures le president armenien Serge Sarkissian.
Krikor Amirzayan
jeudi 21 août 2014, Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com
ARMENIA HAS NO INTEREST IN WAR BUT A WILLINGNESS TO FIGHT FOR PEACE, ZOHRAB MNATSAKANYAN STATES AT UN
Friday 22 August 2014 11:28
Photo: Mediamax.
Zohrab Mnatsakanyan
Yerevan/Mediamax/. Permanent Representative of Armenia to UN,
Ambassador Zohrab Mnatsakanyan said that Armenia fully supports the
agreement reached in Kazan in 2011.
He said this during the discussions of “Use of System-Wide Approach
to Conflict Prevention” resolution at UN Security Council.
The Ambassador stressed the importance of prevention of a resumption
of conflict in situations when the final resolution remained pending.
“In the past weeks, an alarming escalation of tension and considerable
increase of ceasefire violations across the Armenian-Azerbaijani
border, as well as attempted incursions and subversive operations of
Azerbaijan army units had occurred”, said Zohrab Mnatsakanyan.
He stressed that lessons had to be taken from those developments on
the conflict zone.
“Armenia had no interest in war, but a willingness to fight for peace”,
said Armenia’s Permanent Representative to UN.
He also noted that confidence-building measures were necessary,
meaning “strict adherence to the 1994 and 1995 ceasefire agreements,
as well as other credible measures, which must be implemented as soon
as possible”.
VAZASHEN-PARAVAKAR BYPASS TO BE READY AT END SEPTEMBER
YEREVAN, August 22. /ARKA/. The construction of Vazashen-Paravakar
bypass road in Armenia will be completed on September 30, Armenian
deputy minister of transport and communication Artur Arakelyan said
after the government meeting on Thursday.
The cabinet meeting approved appropriation of an additional of 55
million drams for construction of the road. The decision to build the
road was made for security purposes, bearing in mind regular Azeri
shelling on the border.
The contractor, Ijevan road construction company, failed to cope with
the deadlines, hence the agreement was cancelled, Arakelyan said. A
contact will be signed with another company, but the commissioning
deadlines will be maintained due to importance of the road section,
he said. Blasting works have led to additional expenditures, the
deputy minister said.
At the meeting Armenian premier Hovik Abrahamyan suggested the ministry
proposed to the ministry to carefully consider funding for similar
projects so that no additional funds are required afterwards in future.
The total length of the road is 3,188 kilometers. A 250-meter-long and
5-meter-high protective wall is to be built as part of the construction
to ensure security on the most dangerous section of the road. The
cost of the project is 519.8 million drams. ($1 – 407.74 drams). -0–
ARMENIA AND GEORGIA PLEDGE TO COOPERATE DESPITE MEMBERSHIP OF DIFFERENT INTEGRATION BODIES
FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE
* Friday, 22 August, 2014
Armenia’s forthcoming membership of the Eurasian Economic Union is
unlikely to affect its current relations with Georgia.
“Armenia and Georgia can benefit from membership of different
integration bodies,” Armenian Prime Minister Ovik Abramyan said at
talks with his Georgian counterpart Irakly Garibashvili on Thursday.
“Armenia is making steps to join the Eurasian Economic Union. At the
same time, our country continues active cooperation with the European
Union with an aim to give new impetus to reforms in various spheres,”
Abramyan went on to say.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakly Garibashvili, in turn, expressed the
hope that Armenia and Georgia would be able to preserve economic,
political and cultural cooperation despite the fact that they would
be members of different integration bodies.
“That would be a good example for the world community,” Garibashvili
stressed.
— ITAR-TASS