Author: Kanayan Tamar

ARMENIA’S PRESIDENT SENDS LETTER OF CONDOLENCES ON GERARD CAFESJIAN’S DEATH

17:16, 17 September, 2013

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. The President of the Republic of
Armenia Serzh Sargsyan sent a letter of condolences to the Cafesjian
family on the death of national philanthropist Gerard Cafesjian. The
Media and Public Relations Department of the President’s Office
informed “Armenpress” that the aforesaid letter particularly runs
as follows:

“Mr. Cafesjian significantly contributed in the strengthening of the
Armenia-Diaspora ties years along. His activity was a good example for
all those people, who desired to provide a palpable support to Mother
Armenia. I highly appreciate his patriotic enterprises. His abilities
of an experienced organizer and gracious and unselfish benefactor have
found their brilliant expression in the transformation of Yerevan’s
Cascade and establishment of the Cafesjian Centre for the Arts,
which became one of the favorite and popular places in Yerevan.

At this moment of grave loss I offer deepest condolences to Gerard
Cafesjian’s relatives and friends.”

American-Armenian businessman and philanthropist Gerard Cafesjian
died at the age of 88 on September 15. The Cafesjian Centre of the
Arts informed “Armenpress” about this. The cause of death has not
been announced yet.

Gerard Cafesjian was born April 26, 1925 in the Bensonhurst
neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. His parents had come to the United
States preceding the Armenian Genocide by the Turks in 1915.

After amphibious training, he served in the United States Navy in WWII
aboard JP Morgan’s yacht, the Corsair III, built in 1895 and renamed
the USS Oceanographer. The ship did extensive survey work in and
around Guadalcanal and other Solomon Islands. He also served aboard
the USS Andres (DE45), a destroyer escort for convoys from the United
States to North Africa. When he returned after the war he married
Cleo Thomas, a nurse he met during the war. He earned a degree in
economics from Hunter College, and a doctorate of jurisprudence from
St. Johns University Law School, both in five and a half years. He
is a member of the New York Bar Association.

He began his career with West Publishing as a legal editor in New York
City. He was the first employee in the history of the 100-year-old
company to be transferred from any subsidiary company into the home
office in St. Paul, Minnesota. At West Publishing he rose through the
ranks to the position of executive vice president; overseeing sales,
marketing, customer service, public relations, all Westlaw office
training and development. At West, he also conceived of and started
the West Legal Directory and a well-known program, “Art and the Law”,
which earned he and West numerous awards.

Mr. Cafesjian retired from West Publishing when it was sold to Thompson
Publishing in 1996. He felt his destiny was to help the country of
Armenia, which had gained its independence after hundreds of years
of subjugation under various rulers. The time and circumstances
and confluence of resources would help him make a difference for
the country.

After attending to his family needs, Mr. Cafesjian established
the Cafesjian Family Foundation. Through that Foundation he
devoted millions of dollars to Armenia on relief projects including
renewable energy, headed a TV station, ran a newspaper, contributed
to the clearing of land mines by specially trained dogs, founded a
bank, insurance company, and supplied the resources for many other
projects. If any of the projects were to prove successful, the profits
were to remain in Armenia for further development.

He received accolades and recognition from both the United States
and Armenia institutions, including the Ellis Island Award in 2000.

Mr. Cafesjian completely renovated the Cascade site in downtown
Yerevan, Armenia. The Cascade was a huge old crumbling Soviet structure
of epic proportions. He opened the Cafesjian Center for the Arts at
the Cascade in 2009. Over one million people have visited the Center
annually since its opening. His goal was to bring some joy into the
lives of the Armenians through exposure to art. The Museum enjoys a
world-class sculpture garden with works by Botero, Flanagan, Chadwick,
Plensa and Lalanne, to name a few. Admission to the sculpture garden
is free and it is now the most prominent meeting place in Armenia.

Mr. Cafesjian also assembled a group of properties in Washington,
D.C., two blocks from the White House. The intention was the building
of an Armenian Genocide Museum and Memorial, but due to continuing
litigation, the project remained unrealized and still in limbo awaiting
the outcome for still another time killing appeal. Mr. Cafesjian won
the basic lawsuit and was awarded the property to do with as he wished.

The community was hoping the museum will be built by April 2015 in
time to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the 1915 Genocide.

IT’S TIME TO CLOSE DOWN FOREIGN MINISTRY

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia welcomes Russian-American
agreement to destroy Syria’s chemical weapon and achieve a peace
settlement in Syria.

This is the first statement of the Armenian foreign minister after
Serzh Sargsyan’s statement on Armenia’s membership to the Customs
Union. The MFA was not distinguished for initiatives but attempts
at diversifying political priorities allowed room for Armenia to
maneuver. However, many people assessed September 3 as the final loss
of the right to foreign policy.

Now Armenia will have to walk behind Russia. And the statement on
Syria is evidence to this.

Armenia’s foreign policy has its unique aspects due to the existence
of the Armenian Diaspora which exceeds the population of Armenia 2-3
times. On the one hand, the Diaspora provides lobby, financial and
other means of foreign policy. However, it must also be an object
of foreign policy which must insist on national interests all over
the world.

This refers to Syria and Turkey and the entire Bigger Near East
which is on the verge of transformation. Armenians living in Turkey
do not call themselves Diaspora because they live in their historical
territory. But it is their duty to protect Armenia, as a duty of the
descendants of the genocide victims.

Unprecedented things are happening in Turkey. In Diarbekir
(Tigranakert) a monument in honor of the victims of the Genocide
of Armenians and Syrians was opened. The monument was dedicated by
the mayor of Diarbekir Abdullah Demirtas. “We the Kurds are asking
absolution from Armenians and Assyrians for what our ancestors did in
1915. We will continue our endeavor for compensation to the innocent
victims,” Demirtas said.

The Armenian MFA did not react to this unprecedented event, as well as
to Aghvan Hovsepyan who stated earlier in summer to launch a process
of legal claims to Turkey. It is not known whether the process will
continue in the light of membership to the Customs Union. Obviously,
the MFA was unable to give it a state or national status. Moreover,
Shavarsh Kocharyan had to disavow his statement under foreign pressure.

Appeals to establish a united Armenian army appeared on social
networks. But first it is worthwhile to create a united Armenian MFA
which will work out an integrated policy, express a stance and pursue
national interests. Because Armenia’s foreign political isolation
could expose to threat the interests of the whole nation, and not
only Armenia. Armenia’s foreign policy has already exposed state and
national interests. It is time to close down the MFA, given that its
building has already been sold to a Diaspora Armenian.

Naira Hayrumyan 17:12 17/09/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

ARMENIAN WINE IS ON EUROPEAN MARKET BY 35%

This year was special because the harvest of grapes was high
quality, the president of the Association of Armenian Winemakers Avag
Harutiunyan told journalists today. He says before last year farmers
begged them to buy their harvest, next year we will start begging
farmers to produce grapes. According to him, there is a U-turn in
the Armenian market.

The president of the Union said ten companies have already bought
10,000 tons. On September 20 everyone will start to buy. This year
160,000 tons of grapes will be harvested which will be bought and
processed by 45 entities. The price per kg of grapes costs 145 drams
minimum, the price is set by Yerevan Brandy Company. Red grapes will
cost at least 170 drams per kg except for the grapes of Vayots Dzor
where one kg of Arenee grapes costs over 200 drams per kg. According
to Avag Harutiunyan, the tendency will continue.

In answer to the question whether membership to the Customs Union
will boost or harm winemaking, Avag Harutiunyan said there is no
official stance on this issue but brandy and wine should be considered
separately because 90% of grapes is used for brandy and 90% of brandy
is exported to the countries of the Customs Union, so there will not
be a major change. Earlier 500 sorts of grapes were grown in Armenia,
now 180 sorts are left but there is no official statistics.

Avag Harutiunyan disagrees that we have difficulty placing Armenian
wine in the European market but will not take one hundred years
because Armenian wine is already on the European market by 35%.

14:39 17/09/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

DAVID SAFARIAN (66 KG) CHAMPION DU MONDE DE LUTTE LIBRE SOUS LES COULEURS DE L’ARMENIE…A BUDAPEST !

SPORTS

A Budapest (Hongrie), l’Armenien David Safarian (66 kg) a offert
hier soir a l’Armenie un titre de champion du monde de lutte libre
en s’imposant (2-1) en finale au Cubain Livan Lopez. David Safarian
(24 ans), champion d’Europe en titre a ainsi realise un exploit
de remporter le titre mondial a Budapest où l’hymne armenien
avait des airs de justice dans cette ville tristement celèbre
pour l’assassinat de l’officier armenien Kourken Markarian et la
liberation de l’Azeri Safarov par les autorites hongroises l’an
dernier. L’Armenie n’avait pas remporte un titre mondial depuis
2002. Lors de la levee du tricolore armenien sur l’hymne armenien,
des millions de telespectateurs qui suivaient ces championnats du
monde en direct sur leurs ecrans explosaient leurs joie pour ce qui
est un veritable exploit.

Krikor Amirzayan

mardi 17 septembre 2013, Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

Juneau Empire, AK
sept 15 2013

May peace reign in Syria

By BISHOP EDWARD J. BURNS

Two weeks ago I celebrated the final Mass of the summer season at the
Shrine of St. Therese. After Mass I met a group of about 25 Armenian
Christian pilgrims who had come to the Shrine to pray. They shared
with me that about half their number had emigrated from Syria, which
has a small but ancient Armenian community.

My brief encounter with these good people was a reminder to me not to
lose sight of the human dimension of the current Syria crisis. Over
100,000 Syrians have been killed in the past two years of civil war.
An estimated 2 million Syrian refugees have sought refuge in the
countries that border Syria – in desperate need of food, water,
shelter, medicine and above all, in need of an end to the conflict so
they can return home.

The intensifying conflict between the dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad
and the various groups that have risen up in rebellion against his
regime has been a tragedy of violence and destruction that has
affected all of the various religious and ethnic communities that make
up the Syrian nation.

The conflict escalated on Aug. 21 with the presumed use of sarin nerve
gas, a chemical weapon, by the Assad forces against neighborhoods in
Damascus held by rebel forces. A thousand or more civilians, many of
whom were children, were killed and many more were poisoned with these
horrific weapons.

This attack, in turn, has led President Obama and his administration
to threaten a military assault against Syria, both to punish the Assad
regime’s use of chemical weapons and to deter the future use of these
internationally outlawed weapons by countries that continue to possess
them.

Military action by our country, however, carries with it the real
possibility of a wider regional conflict that could involve both the
United States and some or all of the states that border Syria, some of
which, like Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States support the
rebels; and others, such as Iran, Russia and Iraq, support the Assad
government.

Catholic moral teaching absolutely condemns the production, possession
and use of chemical weapons, which by their nature cannot discriminate
between innocent civilians and legitimate military targets. While
Catholic moral teaching always favors peace between nations, it also
recognizes that in some very limited circumstances the resort to
military force may be justified.

I am grateful that Pope Francis responded to the threat of an
escalation of the war in Syria by calling on Catholics around the
world to a day of prayer and fasting for peace – this took place last
Saturday on Sept. 7. He invited members of other Christian communities
and other faiths, as well as all men and women of goodwill, to join us
in this spiritual endeavor. Although his call to prayer came at very
short notice, I was moved by the generous response to his call for
prayer and fasting here in Southeast Alaska and around the world.

An integral aspect of the call of the Church, as expressed by the Holy
Father in this critical moment, has been the summons that the
international community makes a renewed effort toward a peaceful
solution rather than a military one in Syria. The Church, following
the guidance of the Holy Father, desires to be a catalyst for a
non-violent solution to the crisis in Syria; a solution that is just,
respects the dignity of persons, and is careful not to deepen the
tensions that exist.

Fortunately, in the past week, the possibility of a peaceful solution
to the crisis has developed. The Russian government proposed that
Syria agree to give up its chemical weapons. Syria has admitted its
possession of chemical weapons, has expressed its desire to sign the
treaty banning them and has said it is willing to place them under
international control. In response, President Obama has postponed
seeking Congressional authorization for military action while pursuing
a diplomatic solution that would lead to the destruction of all Syrian
chemical weapons and the dismantling of production facilities.

Last Saturday’s day of prayer and fasting was a timely reminder that
peace, whether in the individual heart, in families or between
nations, depends upon our openness to the divine will of God – the
very source of compassion, mercy, forgiveness and sacrificial love. As
this crisis continues to unfold, it is important that we continue to
pray that peace may reign in Syria, the Middle East and throughout
world.

Armenia imports Turkish powder instead of Italian

19:12, 13 September, 2013

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS: The volume of powder imported to
the Republic of Armenia increased more than 7 times in the first half
of this year compared to the same period of the previous year becoming
1 tone. According to data of State Revenue Committee in the first half
of last year in our country was imported around 140 kg of powder from
Italy. This year the whole volume of powder imported to our country
was brought from Turkey, reports `Armenpress’.

In the first half of this year the indicators of foreign trade of the
Republic of Armenia are the following: `import – 2 059 817 000 AMD,
export – 710 395 000 AMD.

Armenia decreases wheat import and increases its production

11:53, 14 September, 2013

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS: The volume of wheat imported to the
Republic of Armenia in the first half of this year has decreased
around 3.3 times compared with the same period of the previous year
becoming 62 596.1 tons. According to data of State Revenue Committee
in the first six months of previous year to our country were imported
206 439 tons of wheat and during the whole year 477 681 tons. At the
same time according to data of National Statistics Service village
economies sold one kilo of wheat in average 182-209 AMD. The wheat
imported to our country during the first six months of 2013 was
brought from Russia (54 833.1) tons and from Ukraine (7762.5) tons.
`Armenpress’ reports that this year Armenia has not exported wheat.

The internal demand on wheat in the Republic of Armenia is annually
700 000 tons. During the last years the volumes of wheat gross harvest
show growing trend. In 2010 there were 183 500 tons of wheat harvest,
in 2011 – 224 100 tons, I 2012 – 243 000. In current year is expected
around 305 000 – 310 000 tons of wheat harvest which will exceed the
previous year result by almost 25 percent. According to international
standards food independence is considered secured when 70-75 percent
of the most necessary food is secured due to own production. It means
that in order to be self-sufficient in part of wheat Armenia should
increase wheat production up to 500 00 tons.

In Artsakh republic the gross harvest of crops showed positive trend.
For many times has been announced about Artsakh’s still unused
opportunities to grow corns.

SO in case of maintenance of existing trend of wheat harvest volume in
the Republic of Armenia and using Artsakh’s opportunities for growing
corns, two Armenians states during coming years will solve the issue
of strategic importance and will have self-sufficiency in part of
wheat.

© 2009 ARMENPRESS.am

Leader of Armenia’s `Free Democrats’ is Building a 2nd Hydro-Plant on
the Same River – Photos

Kristine Aghalaryan

16:05, September 11, 2013

Small Hydro-Electric Plants: Attractive Profits and Environmental Annihilation

MP Khachatur Kokobelyan, leader of the Free Democrats Party is
building a new small hydro plant (SHP) on the Paghdjour River in the
village of Getahovit in Armenia’s Tavoush Province. This will be his
second SHP on the site.

A third SHP, `Khachaghbyour 2′, is being built by MegaEnergy Ltd. The
100% shareholder of the company is Gegham Aghadjanyan, an Armenian
citizen.

In its answer to our inquiry, Armenia’s Ministry of Nature Protection
stated that Energy Kok Ltd. had presented a business plan and that on
September 1, 2009 the ministry issued a positive Environmental Impact
Assessment for the Khachaghbyur SHP. Four years have since past. At
the time an operating license hadn’t been issue to MegaEnergy to build
the Khachaghbyur-2 SHP on the Paghdjour River. Public hearings that
took place were merely for show. (Energy Kok belongs to the
Kokobelyan family, but the MP denied that they were building the SHP –
K.A.)

None of the residents gathered in the center of Getahovit could
remember any public hearings ever being held for the SHP being built
by Kokobelyan. Nevertheless, village mayor Artour Ghazaryan claims
that the company possesses all the required documents and that
everything was finalized years ago.

We tried to reach Kokobelyan throughput the day on September 9, but
failed to talk to him at any length. At first he claimed he was busy
and told us to call again after 4pm. We did, but again he claimed he
was busy and promised to call us back the next day by noon. He never
did. We asked for the name of someone else we could talk to about the
SHP. Kokobelyan answered that he was the only one qualified to speak
about the matter. We should remind readers that the National
Assembly’s `Rules of Procedure’ (Article 9.1), specifically prohibits
Members of Parliament from engaging in entrepreneurial activities. It
appears, however, that Khachatur Kokobelyan is personally managing and
overseeing his SHP business. Why else would he tell us that he is the
only person qualifies to answer our questions?

The construction site of Kokobelyan’s new SHP
The building housing Kokobelyan’s operating SHP
The water intake complex
Two pipes take the water from the intake tank to the main station. The
river bed you see is what’s left of the flow after the environmental
discharge.
In the background is the fish ladder. Theoretically, the river’s fish
are supposed to climb or descend this during their migration.

According to data in the Ministry of Nature Protections’ assessment,
Kokobelyan’s SHP will feature four hydro-turbines with a combined
output of 1,292 kilowatts. An environmental discharge of 1,100 liters
per second is planned for. In order to minimize and prevent any
possible environmental damage, the site will be leveled, fenced off
and replanted after the SHP is built. The plan calls for fifteen trees
to be planted. The area to get new plantings will cover 450 square
meters. The plantings and cosmetic improvements will cost 830,000 AMD.
Environmental measures will cost some 7.1 million AMD. By the way,
bio-toilets will be installed for workers.

These are numbers that are usually presented in the initial plans.
But, more importantly, there are no agencies that monitor how many
trees were actually cut down in order to install the 1,430 meters of
pipe to carry the river water to the SHP. And who will certify that
the company actually planted the fifteen trees promised?

We were not allowed to enter the construction site. Director Loris
Yeghoyan said that he was ready to answer our questions at the
company’s office on Northern Avenue in Yerevan. He specifically
stressed this. Yeghoyan said he couldn’t permit us entry to the
construction site because he couldn’t ensure our safety. `We have no
safety helmets,’ he said. Indeed, none of the workers wore safety
helmets, even though the SHP is regarded as a danger zone.

The village of Getahovit

Getahovit lies 700 meters above sea level. According to the
environmental impact assessment, the pipes at the new Kokobelyan SHP
will start at an elevation of 656 meters and end at the main water
input section of the SHP at an elevation of 725 meters.

According to figures of the Public Services Regulatory Commission, the
pipes at Kokobelyan’s SHP will start at 731 meters and end up at 850
meters. As for the MegaEnergy SHP, the pipes will begin at 860 meters
and wind up at 1,050 meters.

Another company, ATVA Ltd., received water usage rights in 2011 for
the Khachaghbyour-3 and Khachaghbyour-4 SHPs on the Paghdjour River.
However the Public Services Regulatory Commission has still not
granted the company a license. ATVA Ltd. is owned by Arben Ghoulanyan,
a former Executive Director of Armenia Water and Sewerage CJSC, and an
advisor to the President of the State Water Economy Committee of the
Ministry of Territorial Administration of Armenia. This agency told
Hetq that the SHPs would be at an elevation of around 1,400 meters.

These figures show that water from the Paghdjour River below will be
mainly piped to the SHPs at a higher elevation. If the SHP owners
decide not to allow for an environment discharge, as is the case with
the vast majority of SHPs now operating in Armenia, Getahovit
residents will be deprived of using the river for irrigation and other
purposes. There will be little or no water left to flow.

The once struggling residents have given in and no longer want to
discuss the SHPs. They regard any further struggle as pointless.

The efforts of Getahovit residents and environmentalists to prevent
one of the SHPs under construction proved fruitless. Today, the
situation has changed add residents are no longer voicing their
opposition. In private conversations with them it is clear that while
all are opposed to the SHPs, no one can publicly express it. They are
afraid of doing so. Some of the residents say they have been
intimidated, while others say they have been `bought off’.
Construction continues. One Getahovit woman offered her solution – let
them fill the pipe with dirt and be done with.

One magnificent section of Tavoush’s natural landscape is being
destroyed. Various government agencies, including the Ministry of
Nature Protection, are assisting in the destruction. The Public
Services Regulatory Commission and local community leaders are also
playing their part in the destruction.

They are directing the waters of the Paghdjour River, slowly but
surely, into feeder pipes. This translates into the destruction of the
flora and fauna of the river and its surroundings.

Several Eurovision countries, including Azerbaijan offering bribes for votes

17:22 – 13.09.13

An investigation has been launched into claims that several countries
have bought votes in the Eurovision Song Contest, The Daily Mail
reported.

An executive from an unnamed country’s delegation, who had been
contacted by several rival countries seeking to strike deals for high
points, has made the claims in a Swedish newspaper this week.

The executive, who worked on this year’s contest in Malmo, Sweden,
accused 2011 winners Azerbaijan of offering him ‘enough money to live
for a year’ if they could arrange high jury points.

It is also claimed that members of the Azerbaijani delegation handed
out free mobile phone SIM cards to Lithuanian students and paid them
to vote.

Speaking in Swedish newspaper Skanska Dagbladet, the source claims to
have been contacted by a member of the Macedonian team hoping to
strike a vote swap deal at the semi-final stage.

The source claims to have been offered ‘enough money to live for a
year’ over a coffee meeting with an Azerbaijani delegate in return for
high jury points.

According to the Daily Mirror, the executive added that there are at
least three other countries who have attempted to strike similar deals
behind the scenes.

UK entrant Bonnie Tyler, who came 19th out of 26 finalists in the
competition back in May, also told a French newspaper that she
overheard Russians asking why they didn’t get votes that they had paid
for the morning after the contest.

Sietse Bakker, Eurovision Song Contest Event Supervisor, told the
Mirror that the European Broadcasting Union is now investigating.

He said: `We have a very clear policy on such speculations.

`First of all, we always look into the story. And if we would find
actual proof that the rules have been breached, we will impose firm
sanctions and do everything we can to avoid it in the future.’

The newspaper added that Eurovision experts fear that even though an
investigation into corruption has been promised, no real action will
be taken.

Turkey’s pressure on Alawites clear message to Bashar Assad

September 15, 2013 | 09:11

YEREVAN. – Amid tense relations with Syria, Turkey is trying to use
violence against the citizens of its country based on their religious
affiliation, turkologist Ruben Melkonyan said.

The rights of Alawites have been violated in Turkey for centuries.
They experienced pressure up to genocides and ethnic cleansings.

`The current policy of the Turkish authorities against Alawites has
two meanings. First of Alawites have recently been very active. They
often hold protest actions. On the other hand, it may also include an
external message,’ Melkonyan toldArmenian News-NEWS.am.

Turkey considers the Alawites as the agents of Assad and Syria, and it
is for this reason that they are being persecuted, he explained.

`Thus, Turkey is sending a message to Syrian President Assad,’ he concluded.

Clashes with police in Alawi-populated district of Ankara continue for
the sixth day. The reason of clashes is an intention to build a Sunni
mosque and an Alawi house (djemevi) at one site.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am