Author: Kanayan Tamar

EUROPE
Géorgie et Arménie : le moment est venu d’approfondir notre
coopération et de nous engager à respecter nos valeurs communes

M. Åtefan Füle, le commissaire européen chargé de l’élargissement et
de la politique européenne de voisinage, se rendra en Géorgie et en
Arménie du 9 au 12 juillet pour examiner les relations et la
coopération de l’UE avec ces deux pays et faire le point sur les
progrès accomplis au cours de la phase finale des négociations en vue
de la conclusion d’accords d’association prévoyant notamment
l’instauration de zones de libre-échange approfondi et complet, dans
la perspective de leur lancement lors du sommet du partenariat
oriental qui se tiendra à Vilnius en novembre.

En Géorgie, le commissaire Füle rencontrera le président Mikheil
Saakachvili le 9 juillet à Tbilissi et le Premier ministre Bidzina
Ivanichvili, la ministre des affaires étrangères Maïa Panjikidze,
plusieurs autres ministres, des députés ainsi que des représentants de
la société civile les 11 et 12 juillet à Batoumi, où il participera Ã
la 10e conférence intitulée « Georgia’s European way ».

Le 10 juillet, en Arménie, le commissaire Füle rencontrera le
président Serge Sarkissian, le Premier ministre Tigran Sarkissian, le
ministre des affaires étrangères Édouard Nalbandian, les ministres de
l’économie, des finances, de l’éducation et des sciences ainsi que des
représentants des partis d’opposition et de la société civile.

à la veille de sa visite, le commissaire Åtefan Füle a déclaré : « La
période précédant le sommet de Vilnius constitue une phase cruciale,
au cours de laquelle nos partenaires devraient démontrer leur
détermination à approfondir leur coopération avec nous sur la base des
valeurs qui nous sont communes et faire en sorte de partager les
bénéfices de cette coopération plus étroite avec les citoyens. Elle
est aussi l’occasion de souligner l’engagement et le soutien constants
de l’Union européenne et de ses États membres en faveur de l’Arménie,
de la Géorgie et de leurs citoyens. »

dimanche 14 juillet 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

FOOTBALL
Henrikh Mkhitaryan, auteur de deux passes décisives du « Borussia »
Dortmund face à « Bursaspor » (4-1)

En Suisse, lors du second match amical de « Borussia » Dortmund le
vice-champion d’Allemagne était opposé hier soir au club turc de «
Bursaspor ». L’international arménien Henrikh Mkhitaryan qui a joué la
première mi-temps a fait une nouvelle fois un match excellent. Il fut
le passeur des deux buts du « Borussia » Dortmund en première partie
de jeu. De plus à la 13e minute l’Arménie faillit marquer de la tête.
Son action permit à Robert Levandovski d’ouvrir le score. Le «
Borussia » Dortmund s’imposa facilement sur le score de 4-1 face à «
Bursaspor ».

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 14 juillet 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

ARMENIENS DE CONSTANTINOPLE
Découverte de13 pierres tombales arméniennes sous la place Taxim
d’Istanbul selon « Agos »

`290

Selon « Agos », le journal arménien paraissant à Istanbul, lors des
travaux sur la célèbre place Taxim à Istanbul, furent mis à jour 13
anciennes pierres tombales arméniennes. Des découvertes proches de
l’hôtel Divan et Hilton, ainsi que du boulevard Azker Otchakh. Ces
pierres tombales arméniennes dateraient du 17e au 19e siècle. Ces
découvertes se trouvent actuellement au Musée archéologique
d’Istanbul. Selon les premiers éléments, ces pierres en marbre portant
des caractères arméniens et des datations, se trouvaient à 1,5 mètre
de profondeur et en ordre dispersé. Mais la datation de seulement 5 de
ces 13 pierres est lisible. Elles apparentaient à des artisans,
vendeurs de café et coiffeurs arméniens de Constantinople. L’une de
ces pierres porte l’inscription « Village de Talas de la région de
Césarée ». Une autre « village de Kéghva ». Parmi ces 13 pierres, 5
disposent divers motifs gravés.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 14 juillet 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

ARMENIAN PUNDIT SAYS EU BACKING YEREVAN AGAINST RUSSIAN “PRESSURE”

168 Zham [in Armenian], Armenia
July 11 2013

An Armenian political analyst has said that the recent visit by a
top EU official to his country is meant to counter Russian “pressure”
on Yerevan.

One of the goals of the visit to Yerevan by European Commissioner
for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fule was to
encourage Armenia to choose European integration over falling under
Russian influence, Suren Surenyan said in comments published by the
privately-owned Armenian daily 168 Zham on 11 July.

“Such visits are primarily meant as a check-up and let us not forget
– and this is no secret – that Russia is exerting serious pressure
with the goal of convincing the Armenian authorities to slow down the
pace of their European integration. Brussels, of course, is aware of
such attempts, and through visits like this it is trying to prevent
possible negative things coming from Moscow,” Surenyan said.

The pundit added that Russia, unlike the West, exerted hard and
“uncivilized” pressure against Armenia. He said that examples of
such pressure were Moscow’s recent move to increase gas prices for
Armenia and to sell arms valued at 1bn dollars to Baku, with which
Yerevan is technically at war over Azerbaijan’s breakaway region of
Nagornyy Karabakh.

The pundit warned that Russia risked losing its influence over
Armenia entirely if it did not ease its pressure. “Either the Russian
authorities acknowledge the simple fact that Armenia is independent and
treat [Armenia] as an equal, or they will lose Armenia. If Russia’s
counter-productive policy persists, the seriousness of its regional
influence will be put in question. Willingly or unwillingly, the
Russian elite will one day come to realize that it has to deal with
an independent nation, not a province or a district [of Russia],”
Surenyan said.

[translated from Armenian]

BLACK SEA SILK ROAD CORRIDOR OPENING EVENT TO TAKE PLACE IN NORAVANK

17:52, July 12, 2013

The Armenian, Georgian, Greek, and Turkish partners of the Black
Sea Silk Road Corridor (BSSRC) Project will celebrate the official
trans-regional launch of the project at Noravank Monastery in Vayots
Dzor, Armenia on July 16.

BSSRC is a joint-project between NGO partners in Georgia, Greece,
Turkey, and Armenia to create a 3000 kilometer-long tourist trail
stretching from Thessalonica, Greece to Meghri, Armenia.

The project will also develop and introduce applications for iPhones,
iPads, Android and Windows smart phones and tablets.

The BSSRC Project is funded by the EU office through its Black Sea
Basin Joint Operational Programme, with co-financing for Armenia from
the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through
its Enterprise Development and Market Competitiveness (EDMC) project.

Participants will watch performances from the Areni and Shatin Village
dancers and musicians, take part in a bread and salt ceremony with
local villagers, tour the Monastery complex, and visit a local winery.

U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern, Head of the EU Delegation
to Armenia Traian Hristea, Ambassadors of Greece, Georgia, Italy
and China, representatives from the Armenian Ministries of Culture,
Economy, Transport and Communication, as well as the Holy See
Etchmiadzin will attend the event.

SARKIS AND ALIN NOURIAN ADD A TOUCH OF CLASS TO NAVASARTIAN GAMES

Friday, July 12th, 2013

2013 Honorary Presidents, Sarkis and Alin Nourian.

BY DONIG L. DONABEDIAN

As Homenetmen followers, we know well what’s entailed in producing
generation after generation of exemplary citizens. As willing
volunteers, we excel in putting our best foot forward to get
things done selflessly. Often, we forget to stop, take a breath,
and look around us. This year, though, it’s different and it’s
special. We can take a step back and admire the organizational
big picture. This year’s Navasartian games have been graced by a
young couple, Honorary Presidents, whose respectability would compel
anyone to stop unwittingly and take notice. Sarkis and Alin Nourian,
this year’s Honorary Presidents, shone at the center of Homenetmen’s
universe, the Navasartian Games.

Well known for their unbridled support of the Armenian American
Community, Sarkis and Alin have been part of this community since
early childhood.

Born in Beirut, Lebanon, to Krikor and Jeannette Nourian, Sarkis
was the youngest of four siblings, Natalie, Peter and Caroline,
with Natalie being the eldest of them all. Sarkis grew up in a very
close knit family. His father, himself, an avid Homenetmen Member
and Honorary President of the games in 1978, 1980 and 1983 in Beirut
Lebanon, has been in the construction business in Beirut, Lebanon,
for many decades. Jeannette, his beloved mother, now passed away,
was a homemaker and strict disciplinarian. She was, if you will,
the school after the school.

Sarkis began his early childhood education in nursery at Mkhitarian,
followed by Aksor Kassardjian (’73-’75), where he left after 2nd grade
and joined Khanamirian as an elementary school student from 1975 to
1976. Logos English School, British Curriculum, in Cyprus (’76-’86),
would be his final stop until he graduated high School, proceeded
by his subsequent move to the U.S. in 1987 where he embarked on a
career in Jewelry Manufacturing and joined the much vaunted Armenian
Jewelers Association in 1997, where today he is its Vice-Chairman.

Before his eventual move to the U.S., Sarkis Nourian’s family life as
staunch supporters of the Armenian Community was a common thing. As a
result of his family’s fervent involvement in Armenian Organizations,
it was a natural fit for Sarkis to be involved from early on. His first
involvement in Karekin Njteh’s Badanegan ranks in 1976 propelled him
to join the Akhpalian Chapter’s AYF ranks for 10 years, from 1976 to
1985. In the meantime, in Lebanon, Sarkis was a Homenetmen Scout from
1974 to 1982. Once in the U.S., Sarkis joined the Homenetmen South Bay
Arakadz Chapter as an Executive Committee Member in 1990, and has been
there ever since. It didn’t stop there. His unabashed love for his
community transcended all else in those days, and because of that he
has been in the ARF’s ranks since 1991 and was even a member of the ANC
from 1992-1994. His deep involvement in all matters Armenian drove him
to a path that would make his life complete, meeting his future partner
in life and soul mate, Alin, whom he met in 1990 and married in 1996.

Alin Baghasarian was born in Beirut, Lebanon, to Hovhanness and Ardemis
Baghasarian. Alin moved to the United States with her family in 1974
when she was two years old. She has two older siblings, Hagop and
Antranig. They first moved to Hollywood and lived there for five years
where Alin went to Alex Pilibos Armenian School until 2nd grade, and
eventually ended up moving to Montebello where she went to Mesrobian
Armenian School until her graduation from high school in 1989.

In 1995 Alin graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a degree in Accounting
and worked for the family’s jewelry manufacturing and retail business
which had roots in Beirut, Lebanon.

Much like Sarkis, Alin came from a close knit family as well, with
deep Armenian roots and pride in her heritage. Her father was involved
in Homenetmen Montebello as an Executive Committee Member and was
on the Board of Trustees of Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church as
well as the Mesrobian School’s Support Committee. Alin, being an avid
supporter of the Armenian American Community’s causes, was herself
a Scout Khoumpabed Leader in Homenetmen Montebello from 1985 to 1988.

After getting married in 1996, both Sarkis and Alin built a wonderful
home life together and have three beautiful children. Talar, 13 years
of age and twins Rita and Hovig, 8 years of age are the pulses that
beat their hearts and their “raison d’etre” in life.

While both work very hard to enjoy their successful and fruitful life,
their lives are immeasurably enriched by being surrounded by their
children and families. At every chance they get, they travel and delve
into hobbies they enjoy. Sarkis particularly likes to hunt, go fishing
and ride motorcycles; hobbies he enjoyed while growing up in Lebanon.

Sarkis and Alin Nourian draw their inspiration from their children on
whose futures they are completely focused and committed. They intend
to pass on their heritage and culture as Armenians and community
leaders to their wonderful children in order for them to keep it
alive at home as well as in the community.

Both Sarkis and Alin exude compassion, humanity, and responsibility,
in demeanor and in action, and find it a priority to support the
future generations of Armenian youth. They intend to preserve and
nurture their heritage, remaining true to the teachings and values of
their families, in order to leave behind a legacy that their children
and others may follow.

Homenetmen’s future looks bright as Sarkis and Alin Nourian add a
touch of class and ignite our passion for Homenetmen while gracing
this year’s Navasartian Games and Victory Banquet as Honorary
Presidents. What makes it even brighter is the fact that they are a
young and successful couple, and focused on Homenetmen’s traditional
path of “making history and not living in it.”

As custom has always dictated, the Homenetmen Western United States
Regional Executive Committee hosted its annual Navasartian Victory
Banquet on Saturday, June 29th, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium
with 750 guests, Homenetmen members and supporters and community
leaders present to enjoy the lavish banquet. A very tasteful event,
where Sarkis and Alin Nourian, as well as this year’s Exemplary
Homenetmenagan, Zareh Ekmekjian, were given awards for their unfettered
dedication to Homenetmen over many decades. The banquet’s entertainer,
the much loved, Harout Pamboukjian, had saved his best for the
beautiful occasion and delivered as expected, keeping the crowd
thoroughly entertained until the event’s conclusion.

SARKISIAN CALLS FOR EU PRESSURE ON TURKEY

Friday, July 12th, 2013

President Serzh Sarkisian (L) at a news conference in Chisinau.

CHISINAU, Moldova-Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian at a news
conference in Chisinau has urged the European Union to press Turkey
to normalize relations with Armenia, saying that the closed border
between the two neighboring states will hamper the implementation of
Yerevan’s forthcoming Association Agreement with the EU.

“Within the framework of the [EU’s] Eastern Partnership, Armenia
attaches great importance to ending the practice of closed borders,”
Sarkisian said during a visit to Moldova late on Thursday.

“The agreement on the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA),
which is currently being negotiated with the European Union, cannot
work in full, after coming into force, if the Armenian-Turkish border
remains closed. We think that the European Union should seriously
address the issue of closed borders because their existence cannot
make trade with the EU’s customs union effective,” he said.

The Armenian leader referred to the customs union of the EU member
states and Turkey that came into effect in 1996, abolishing virtually
all trade barriers. The DCFTA is a similar arrangement that will be
a key element of the Armenia-EU Association Agreement.

The EU has long been advocating an unconditional normalization
of Turkish-Armenian relations. Accordingly, it strongly backed
normalization protocols signed by Ankara and Yerevan in 2009. The
Turkish government makes their parliamentary ratification conditional
on a resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict acceptable to
Azerbaijan. The Armenian side rejects this precondition.

EU leaders have likewise called for an unconditional implementation
of the protocols. But they do not seem to have raised the matter in
ongoing talks on Turkey’s membership of the EU.

The European Union’s Eastern Partnership program for Armenia and five
other former Soviet republics is not designed to weaken their links
with Russia or any other state, Sarkisian insisted late on Thursday.

“From our perspective, the Eastern Partnership is an initiative aimed
at creating cooperation rather than differences. It is not directed
against any state or grouping of states. This partnership is aimed at
finally overcoming division lines,” he said during a visit to Moldova.

Sarkisian was speaking at a joint news conference in Chisinau with the
leaders of Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia whose parties are affiliated
with the European People’s Party (EPP). They, as well as EPP President
Wilfried Martens, addressed the media after discussing preparations
for an EU summit on the Eastern Partnership due in November. The
EU is expected to finalize “association agreements” with Armenia,
Georgia and Moldova during that summit.

Sarkisian’s remarks came amid signs that Russia, which has viewed
the Eastern Partnership with suspicion, is unhappy with Armenia’s
plans to conclude the association accord and hence avoid joining a
proposed Eurasia Union of ex-Soviet states loyal to Moscow.

In an interview published on Monday, Vyacheslav Kovalenko, until
recently Russia’s ambassador to Armenia, warned that Yerevan will
undermine its close ties with Moscow if it steers clear of the
Russian-led union. Konstantin Zatulin, a prominent Russian pundit and
former parliamentarian, likewise criticized “the disdainful attitude
to the Eurasian integration project in Armenia” on Thursday.

“The West is competing with Russia, trying to impede any integration
processes in the Eurasian space,” Zatulin told the Regnum news agency.

“He who sides with our competitor will face consequences of that
choice,” he warned.

The Russian government has so far issued no such warnings in public.

Sarkisian insisted in March that Yerevan is not under Russian pressure
to promise membership of the Eurasian Union.

MOLDOVAN NGOS DEMANDED AURELIA GRIGORIU’S RESIGNATION

July 12, 2013 | 14:58

Representatives of the Moldovan NGOs demanded resignation of
parliamentary advocate Aurelia Grigoriu following her controversial
statements made during the international conference in Yerevan,
vesti.md reported.

In their statements, representatives of NGO said Grigoriu made
a political statement which misrepresented the situation of human
rights in conflict areas and responsibilities of the Council of Europe
“which is incompatible with the official duties of the ombudsman.”

They said Girgoriu’s remarks created prerequisites for tension in
relations between Moldova, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

During last week’s international forum that was held in Armenia’s
capital city Yerevan, Grigoriu had said: “Armenia has occupied 20
percent of Azerbaijan’s territories committing genocide against
Azerbaijanis.”

This statement caused a negative reaction in Armenia and in Moldova,
alike. The statement was condemned and it was considered a provocation
aimed at exacerbating the situation.

In addition, the Armenian community of Moldova informed about its
intention to formally demand from the Moldovan parliament the remove
Aurelia Grigoriu from office.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

GERMAN TABLOIDS GIVE FUNNY NICKNAME TO BORUSSIA PLAYER MKHITARYAN

YEREVAN, July 12./ARKA/. As Armenian number ten Henrikh Mkhitaryan
arrived from Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday, and with the first goal
and an assist in his first friendly appearance for Borussia Dortmund
impressed the fans, the German tabloids slipped along giving nicknames
for the new player, Novosti-Armenia reports Friday.

One of the most often-used and funny nicknames appeared to be “Mucke”
that means “mosquito” in English. The German “news guys” shortened
Henrikh’s last name to “Mucke” after one of the football commentators
had mispronounced the footballer’s last name as “Mucketaryan.” The
interesting thing is that “Mucke” appeared in the headlines of Die
Welt edition too, which has pretty good reputation in Germany.

This nickname agiotage around the 24-year-old midfielder has left his
fans divided into two groups: the first group is bristling at “Mucke”
name claiming Mkhitaryan doesn’t actually mind to be called Heno,
the second group (minority though) say Mucke sounds pretty good for
“unpronounceable” Mkhitaryan. There is also another group of fans
calling him “Miki, ” but they are too few.

The things are getting more interesting as Ukrainian sport reporter
Denis Trubetskoy uploads a video on Youtube explaining how to pronounce
“Henrikh Mkhitaryan.” In just three days, over 30,000 users have
watched it unleashing active discussions through the comments.

The only thing that makes all German fans agree is that they will have
to get used to pronouncing the last name of our Heno. But given the
names of Borussia’s other players, such as Jakub BÅ~Baszczykowski,
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, it won’t take
long to learn how to pronounce Mkhitaryan.

Borussia Dortmund paid 27.5 million euros to Shakhtar Donetsk for
Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan was born on 21 January 1989 in Yerevan, Armenia. He
transferred to Shakhtar Donetsk on 30 August 2010. He played 72
matches in the Ukrainian Premier League scoring 38 goals. In total,
Heno played 106 matches for Shakhtar scoring 46 goals. Mkhitaryan
also scored record 25 goals at the last Ukrainian Premier League thus
assisting Shakhtar to win gold double in Ukraine.–0-

– See more at:

NEWSPAPER: SONS OF THE TEGHOUT VILLAGE COMMUNITY HEAD ANUSHAVAN TAMRAZYAN SKIRMISH IN DILIJAN

by Nana Martirosyan

ARMINFO
Friday, July 12, 14:01

Sons of the Teghout Village Community Head Anushavan Tamrazyan
skirmished in Dilijan on July 7, but the incident is not publicized,
a Yerevan-based newspaper Hraparak reports.

The paper writes that Arto and Argo Tamrazyans fired from hunter’s
guns at the gas-filling station belonging of the retired general of
the Emergency Situations Ministry Ashot Gharibyan. The reason of the
incident was an old quarrel between the families of Tamrazyans and
Gharibyans over business interests, the paper writes. “Tamryazans
family also owns a gas-filling station on the road to Haghartsin,”
Hraparak writes.

Immediately after the incident, the law-enforcement began confiscating
weapons from the village. A criminal case has been initiated on
Article 185 (intentional damage to property).