Author: Kanayan Tamar

ARMENIANS INVITED TO ATTEND FEB 11 RALLIES

Islamic Republic News Agency IRNA, Iran
Feb 11 2014

Tehran

Archdiocese of Isfahan in a statement invited Armenians living in
Iran as well as other people from different strata to participate in
the nationwide rallies to be held on Bahman 22 (February 11).

[Armenians invited to attend Feb 11 rallies]

The statement said Armenians will have high turnout in the rallies
commemorating the 35th victory anniversary of the 1979 Islamic
Revolution.

About 8,000 Christian citizens are living in this central Iranian
province.

SOME TEN HOTELS COMMISSIONED IN ARMENIA EVERY YEAR

YEREVAN, February 12. /ARKA/. Some ten new hotels are
commissioned in Armenia every year, Mekhak Apresyan, chief of
the Armenian economy ministry’s division in charge of tourism,
said Wednesday in Novosti International Press Center during the
Moscow-Kiev-Astana-Kishinev-Yerevan video discussion focused on
tourism development in the Commonwealth of Independent States.

he said.

According to the National Statistical Service, Armenia hosted 924,965
tourists in 2013 – 9.7% more than in 2012.

Apresyan said that more than 320 hotels function in Armenia now along
with more than 320 apartment hotels in provinces.

“I want to stress that hotels once were located mostly in Yerevan,
while now more than 60% of hotels are in provinces,” he said.

Some 906,154 people travelled from Armenia abroad in 2013 – 12.3%
more than in 2012. -0—

– See more at:

Content-Type: MESSAGE/RFC822; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-Description:

MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
From: Mihran Keheyian
Subject: Some ten hotels commissioned in Armenia every year

Some ten hotels commissioned in Armenia every year

YEREVAN, February 12. /ARKA/. Some ten new hotels are commissioned in
Armenia every year, Mekhak Apresyan, chief of the Armenian economy
ministry’s division in charge of tourism, said Wednesday in Novosti
International Press Center during the
Moscow-Kiev-Astana-Kishinev-Yerevan video discussion focused on
tourism development in the Commonwealth of Independent States.

he said.

According to the National Statistical Service, Armenia hosted 924,965
tourists in 2013 – 9.7% more than in 2012.

Apresyan said that more than 320 hotels function in Armenia now along
with more than 320 apartment hotels in provinces.

“I want to stress that hotels once were located mostly in Yerevan,
while now more than 60% of hotels are in provinces,” he said.

Some 906,154 people travelled from Armenia abroad in 2013 – 12.3% more
than in 2012. -0—

– See more at:

ARTAK ZAKARYAN: RUSSIA HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND REMAINS ARMENIA’S STRATEGIC PARTNER

12:05 12/02/2014 >> POLITICS

Below is the speech of Chairman of the NA Standing Committee of
Foreign Relations Artak Zakaryan in Euronest Parliamentary Assembly.

I would like to thank our Europarliament partners for such high level
meeting and providing constructive working atmosphere. Also want to
greet the authors of the report Mr. Dolidze and Mr. Protasevich. I
think that the draft reports are very useful and interesting.

Deep and advanced relations with the EU and Eastern Partnership member
states has always been and will remain as one of the main vectors of
the Armenian foreign policy. The strengthening process of political
dialogue, economic cooperation and cultural ties with the European
countries are one of the main priorities of the Armenian foreign
policy. On November 29, the President of Armenia participated in the
third Summit of the Eastern Partnership in Vilnius, where both sides
reaffirmed their commitment to develop and enhance the comprehensive
partnership in all areas of mutual interest.

In this context, Armenia-EU issued a Joint Statement and the Armenian
Foreign Minister and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and
Security Policy exchanged letters which outline the future agenda of
Armenia-EU cooperation.

The further active cooperation between Armenia and EU will be directed
to the continuous improvement of democratic institutions and judicial
system, enhancement of human rights and rule of law, good governance,
fight against corruption, enhancement of civil society, improvement
of environment for the enlarged trade and investments, continuous
implementation of mobility partnership, as well as expansion of
sectoral cooperation.

Regarding Armenian’s sovereign decision of joining the Customs Union,
I would like to note that this political decision derives from a
number of vital national and state interests.

Russia has always been and remains Armenia’s strategic partner,
about what we have always openly talked at all Euronest Parliamentary
Assembly meetings and discussions. Our decision of joining the Customs
Union can never influence commitments we have in relations with Europe.

We are against dividing lines policy and think that Eastern Partnership
should become the natural bridge spreading the economic integration
from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. We continue to be responsible
for our commitments within the framework of Eastern Partnership.

We believe that 2014 will mark the start of the new phase in Eastern
Partnership with development of more effective political cooperation.

MERKEL URGES ERDOGAN TO HAVE HISTORICAL SHOWDOWN WITH ARMENIA

11:47 * 08.02.14

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called upon Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayip Erdogan to work towards a historic showdown with Armenia
and the opening of the closed border.

The Turkish PM, who is on a visit to Germany, was the first to address
the issue of the Armenian Genocide at his meeting with the chancellor,
the Turkish Hurriyetreported. The topic has been a cause of tensions
between the two countries.

“Your country will make budgetary allocations in connection with
the centennial of the 1915 events. So take an understanding approach
to that. You must warn your group of the allocations,” Erdogan was
quoted as saying.

His remark angered the German chancellor who later spoke of the
Armenians residing in Armenia and in different parts of the world.

“Germany is a democratic country; so do not make any intervention.

Turkey must confront its history. The Armenians in Armenia are now
in difficulties,” she told the Turkish premier.

Merkel called for efforts towards opening the Armenian border, to
which Erdogan replied with indignation. “So you are telling us to
admit something we haven’t done? We have opened all our archives. We
called upon the world to come and launch studies, but no one came. Do
not be unfair to Turkey,” he said.

Armenian News – Tert.am

ARMENIA-EU: RELATIONS GOING SOUR AFTER SEPTEMBER 3 WATERSHED

ANALYSIS | 12.02.14 | 10:12

Photolure

By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
ArmeniaNow correspondent

An unpleasant atmosphere has been established in the relations
between Armenia and the European Union, said member of the EU-Armenia
Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, member of the Armenian National
Congress faction Nikol Pashinyan.

On February 5-6, the Committee had a meeting in Strasbourg and for
the first time it failed to sign a joint statement.

According to the head of the Armenian delegation to the Committee
Samvel Farmanyan, who represents the ruling Republican Party of
Armenia, the draft joint document was unacceptable for the Armenian
side due to lack of references to “the right to self-determination”
in the settlement of the Karabakh problem.

However, the opposition members of the Committee insist that Armenia
did not sign the statement in order not to spoil relations with Moscow
and demonstrate its commitment to Eurasian integration.

Boris Navasardyan, who coordinates the Eastern Partnership Civil
Society Forum in Armenia, told ArmeniaNow that European institutions
also have not defined the format of relations with Armenia. “In
2011-13, surprisingly for entire Europe, Armenia demonstrated a
high rate of negotiation and preparation of documents related to
European integration. Even for the deputies that are unfavorably
configured towards Armenia and are often objects of Azerbaijan’s
‘caviar diplomacy’ it was difficult to realize their political
orders. After September 3 (when Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
stated about the decision to join the Customs Union) the situation
changed, and now very few European lawmakers have incentives to resist
the Azerbaijani-Turkish lobby,” said Navasardyan.

At the same time, the European Union has preserved financial assistance
to Armenia and in 2014 it will allocate about EUR 40 million (about
$54.5 million) as budget support. The condition for the allocation of
the grant is reforms in the justice sector. In addition, the European
Union has announced the development of a new package of proposals
for the Eastern Partnership countries, including for Armenia.

During a recent visit to Prague President Sargsyan said that Armenia
does not reject association with Europe and is ready to sign a relevant
agreement but without its economic part concerning the establishment
of a deep and comprehensive free trade area with the EU.

In Europe, they still do not imagine such a format of association,
however, they do not cease attempts to demonstrate the benefits of
European integration and the damage of Eurasian one.

DARFOUR : SUSPENSION DES ACTIVITES DU CICR PAR KHARTOUM

Publie le : 12-02-2014

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
propose cette information publiee sur le site du Collectif Urgence
Darfour le 9 fevrier 2014.

Legende photo : Intervention chirurgicale par un delegue CICR au Soudan

Collectif Urgence Darfour

Par Jacky Mamou le 9 fevrier 2014

Suspension des activites du CICR, Khartoum multirecidiviste, par SO

En 2009, le regime soudanais avait retire les autorisations de 13 ONG
majeures* travaillant au Darfour, en reaction a l’emission par la Cour
Penale Internationale d’un mandat d’arret pour crimes de guerre et
crimes contre l’humanite a l’encontre du president soudanais Omar El
Bechir. En 2012, la Commission des affaires humanitaires, organisme
gouvernemental soudanais, avait de nouveau expulse 7 organisations
humanitaires de l’est du pays. Egalement, depuis 2011, Khartoum
bloque l’accès a l’aide humanitaire dans les regions du Nil Bleu et
du Sud-Kordofan, regions tenues par le SPLM-N (Mouvement Populaire
de Liberation du Soudan – Nord).

Cette fois, c’est le CICR (Comite International de la CroixRouge)
qui fait les frais de la volonte de Khartoum de limiter le travail
des organismes humanitaires internationaux. L’organisation a en effet
ete contrainte de suspendre ses activites le 1er fevrier. Ou plutôt de
suspendre de nouveau ses activites, puisque cela avait deja ete le cas
dans les annees 1990. Le CICR, se voulant pourtant un intermediaire
neutre, se voit accuse par la Commission des affaires humanitaires
de mener certaines activites sans la participation du Croissant Rouge
soudanais et donc d’agir hors du cadre de son mandat. Selon la radio
Dabanga, Khartoum venait d’imposer de nouvelles conditions au CICR :
mettre le budget et les fonds du CICR a la disposition du Croissant
Rouge soudanais. Conditions inacceptables precise Ramallah Gureishi
du bureau du CICR de Khartoum, qui rappelle que tous les bureaux du
CICR dans le monde travaillent de manière independante des autorites
des pays où elles opèrent. Khartoum pretexte donc des >. Des discussions ont ete engagees afin de parvenir a
un accord.

Le CICR vient en aide a plus d’1,5 million de Soudanais, via des
services de sante, d’aide alimentaire, de fournitures semences
ou encore d’accès a l’eau potable. Ces populations civiles, deja
vulnerables, se voient donc privees d’une assistance humanitaire
qui leur est indispensable. Par sa politique d’entrave a l’aide
humanitaire, temoin genant des exactions perpetrees, le regime
soudanais prouve une nouvelle fois qu’il ne se soucie guère de la
situation dramatique dans laquelle se trouve une grande partie de la
population civile, deja en proie aux violences et de nouveau prise
en otage.

SO

*Medecins Sans Frontières France et Hollande, Action Contrela Faim,
Solidarites, Oxfam, Save the Children UK et US, le Conseil norvegien
des refugies, Care, IRC, Mercy corps, CHF, et l’entreprise padco. 3
ONG nationales avaient egalement vu leur licence revoquee.

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : Collectif Urgence Darfour

LE SECRETAIRE GENERAL DE L’OTSC A EREVAN

ARMENIE

Nikolaï Bordiuzha et le chef d’Etat-major de l’OTSC, Alexandre
Stoudenikine, qui l’accompagne dans ce voyage, ont ete recus par le
President Sarkissian et le Ministre de la Defense, Seyran Ohanian,
avec lesquels ils ont discute de la mise en place du programme de
cooperation militaire entre les pays membres adopte en septembre 2013
a Sotchi, du perfectionnement de l’action de l’Etat-major de l’OTSC,
des questions de securite au sud Caucase etc.

Hayastani Hanrapetoutioun reproduit les propos d’Alexandre Sokolov,
membre du Conseil interethnique auprès du President russe, selon
lequel >. Il a mis en garde contre
toute reprise des hostilites qui serait suicidaire pour la region et
insiste sur le fait que le conflit du HK n’a pas de solution militaire.

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 5 fevrier 2014

mercredi 12 fevrier 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

ARMENIE : LE PLAN DE STATIONNEMENT PRIVE SOUS LE FEU D’ACCUSATIONS DE CORRUPTION

ARMENIE

Toujours en convalescence depuis les retombees politiques d’un recent
boycott des bus , les autorites de la ville d’Erevan sont maintenant
aux prises avec la colère du public croissante sur des allegations
selon lesquelles un système de stationnement prive servirait les
interets commerciaux d’un proche collaborateur du president armenien
Serge Sarkissian.

Le transport dans cette ville capitale de 1,1 million de personnes
a deja prouve que c’etait un sujet delicat pour l’administration
municipale, qui est contrôle par le Parti republicain au pouvoir en
Armenie. En Juillet, un boycott des bus publics et des manifestations
contre l’augmentation des tarifs a force la ville a reculer face a une
hausse des prix. De nombreux residents ont affirma que l’elevation
des tarifs ne serviraient qu’a augmenter les profits des membres de
l’elite politique qui sont presumes detenir les compagnies de bus.

Les detracteurs des places de parking privees d’Erevan ont des
arguments similaires. >,
a declare la deputee Naira Zohrabian, porte-parole du parti Armenie
Prospère dans l’opposition.

Dans ce petit pays du Caucase du Sud, les hommes âges recoivent
de l’argent pour regarder les voitures de certains conducteurs
agrandissant de fait la zone de parking “prive” dans les zones
urbaines. Au mois d’août, le maire d’Erevan Taron Margarian, arguant
que l’espace est insuffisant pour accueillir toute la population
automobile, a promis de mettre fin a ce système informel.

La privatisation de places de stationnement est devenu la tendance mais
la societe qui a remporte l’appel d’offres, Parking City Service,
(qui se trouvait etre le seul candidat), n’a aucune experience
connue dans le domaine. Ce manque d’expertise a incite de nombreux
observateurs locaux a parler d’un accord.

. Selon le registre
des societes, Parking City Service de l’Armenie, fonde un mois après
l’annonce par le maire, est detenue par Tigran Michael Harutiunian,
qui est inscrit a la meme adresse a Erevan comme l’homme d’affaires
Michael Harutiunian, un proche allie et ami d’enfance du president
Serge Sarkissian. Les deux Harutiunian semblent etre une seule et
meme personne.

Michael Harutiunian est le proprietaire enregistre de l’une des
plus grandes societes contribuables du pays, Mikmetal, un important
producteur de tiges et barres metalliques, et un operateur en
affichage.

Ces liens presumes ont incite beaucoup de conclure que la ville utilise
simplement les parkings pour remplir les poches d’un autre copain
presidentielle. Le fait que la ville n’ait recu aucune commission ou
autre forme de paiement pour la remise des espaces de stationnement –
lorsque les recettes de stationnement sont capables de generer des
centaines de millions de dollars de revenus pour certaines villes
americaines – a alimente les soupcons de copinage.

Selon l’accord, Parking City Service a peint des pointilles rouges
a travers le centre-ville d’Erevan pour designer des espaces de
stationnement payants. Le nombre total de places qu’il pretend est
inconnue, la societe affirme que le processus est en cours. Il prevoit
toutefois de conserver 70 pour cent des droits percus, avec 30 pour
cent allant aux impôts locaux et >, selon le
directeur de Parking City Service Vazgen Harutiunian.

Par rapport aux taux dans les villes europeennes ou americaines, les
frais sont faibles – une heure coûte 100 drams (environ 25 cents)
; une journee entière 500 drams (1,20$). Le tarifs a la semaine,
mensuelles et annuelles sont de 1000 drams (2,50 $), 2000 drams
(5,00 $) et 12000 drams (environ 30 $), respectivement. L’amende
pouvant aller jusqu’a 5000 drams (environ 12 $).

Parking City Service elle-meme pretend gerer la distribution
des amendes – en prenant les numeros de plaque d’immatriculation
enregistres au moment du paiement – mais, dans un autre brouillage
des frontières entre les sphères publique et privee, la police de la
route d’Erevan le 10 Septembre a annonce qu’elle aussi imposera 40000
drams (100 $) d’amendes et mettra en fourrière les voitures qui ne
parviendront pas a se garer dans des zones designees. De nombreux
habitants d’Erevan ne voient pas pourquoi ils devraient payer une
entreprise privee, plutôt qu’a la ville, pour le droit de garer leur
voiture devant leur domicile ou lieu de travail.

> a declare Artur Sakunts, chef du bureau de Vanadzor
de l’Assemblee des citoyens d’Helsinki.

MEDIA CENTER
30 Saryan str., Yerevan
Tel: +37460 505 898
+37499 755 898
Email: [email protected]
Web:

Media Center, February 7: `Armenian mass media has little hate speech
– 1%: online media, unfortunately, is the leader in the dissemination
of hate speech, which is mainly political by nature, Ashot Melikyan,
President of Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression NGO, said
today during the discussion on ”Hate speech in Armenian mass media”
held at the Media Center.

Since April 2013 the Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression,
supported by the Open Society Foundations – Armenia, has been
monitoring the Armenian mass media to identify hate speech in their
publications. 9 Armenian mass media were monitored: 3 TV companies
(”H1” Public Television Company, `Yerkir Media”, ”Kentron”), 3
print media (”Azg”, ”Haykakan Zhamanak”, ”Hayots Ashkharh”), 3
online media (1in.am, 7or.am and tert.am).

The leader in dissemination of hate speech in online media is 7or.am
website. As for TV companies the lowest rate of hate speech is in
Public Television Company, the highest one – in Kentron TV. Print
media has an average position as compared with online media and TV
companies. There were 492 hate speech expressions in the newspapers
monitored, 247 of them found in ”Haykakan Zhamanak”.

”The word ”oligarch”, in some cases which are context-dependent,
was considered a case of political or social hatred’ Anna Aloyan,
Expert of Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression NGO said,
stressing that politicians’ nicknames are especially common in the
expressions of hate speech.

The speakers pointed out such examples of hate speech as ”gang”,
”homosexual”, ”sect”, ”sectarian”. Ashot Melikyan said that
every Armenian news outlet has a preconceived attitude towards sexual
minorities qualifying them as a `second class’.

Lusine Minasyan, lawyer, Women’s Resource Center, reminded about
examples of hate speech and threats against their Center during 2013
noting the positive outcomes of litigation and legal processes.

Ashot Melikyan added that according to the monitoring results, the
total number of expressions of hate speech in all the media was 1,795
=80′ the majority of which (64.2%), were expressions of political
hatred. The main disseminators of hate speech are journalists (67%),
in other cases – political and public figures, government officials
and others.

On February 7 a discussion on `Hate Speech in Armenian Mass Media’
took place at the Media Center. The speakers of discussion were Ashot
Melikyan, President, Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression NGO;
Anna Aloyan, Expert, Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression NGO;
Lusine Minasyan, Lawyer, Women’s Resource Center.

Please follow this link
()
to watch the full video of the Press Conference.

===========================================================
About the Public Journalism Club
The Public Journalism Club is an Armenian NGO and the representative
of the Hacks/Hackers organization functioning in the US.

Our mission is to promote the freedom of speech, support diversity and
diversity of views in Armenia by developing bridges between
participatory and public journalists, civil and professional media
journalists, news agencies, information technology social network
specialists and experts of informational and social disciplines in
general.

Our platforms are aimed to change the common trend of information
consumption and give everyone a possibility to be an active
contributor.

About the Media Center The Media Center is a new platform, the purpose
of which is to bridge civil society and media in Armenia, particularly
during the election season.

Our main mission is to create efficient channels of communication
between non-governmental organizations, leading media organizations
and the advocacy groups that monitor elections and uncover violations.

The `Media Center’ is coordinated by Public Journalism Club and is
supported by the Open Society Foundations – Armenia and the Embassy of
Great Britain.

All the Media Center events broadcasts are available live at MC .
Copyright © 2013 Media Center, All rights reserved.

This email aims to update you on Media Center latest events.

AZERBAIJAN SHUTS DOWN IRANIAN CHARITY CENTRE

Fars News Agency , Iran
Feb 9 2014

Azerbaijan has closed Iranian Imam Khomeyni Relief Committee centre
in Baku.

Citing the International Studies and Research Abrar Mo’aser Tehran
Institution, Fars news agency reported that Azerbaijan closed Imam
Khomeyni Relief Committee centre in Baku, a centre which provided
“extensive philanthropic services” for over 20 years, especially
during the Karabakh dispute.

Ahmad Avvalinasab, the writer of the article (quoted by Fars) added
that Baku had stressed “the country [Azerbaijan] has become richer,
and does not need philanthropic activities”. The writer noted that
many similar American, Israeli, European and Asian institutions were
still active in Azerbaijan. He said that the decision to revoke the
licences of Imam Khomeyni Relied Committee and Imam Ali medical clinic
was “illogical”.

The article added that the decision was taken in line with Azerbaijan’s
“restrictive” approach to Iranian institutions over the past three
years. It added that the Republic of Azerbaijan tried to depict Iran
as an “enemy [of Azerbaijan] and a supporter of Armenia”.

In conclusion, the author of the article suggested the Imam Khomeyni
Relief Committee to open an office in the county of Bilesavar, in
Iran’s north-western Ardabil Province.

[translated from Persian]