Author: Kanayan Tamar

OFFICIAL SAYS GOVERNMENT CANNOT HELP ARMAVIA EMPLOYEES

15:03 21/06/2013 ” SOCIETY

As we reported earlier today, employees of Armavia Air Company
gathered today in another protest near the building of Armenian
government demanding their due salaries and expecting support from
Armenian government.

Our correspondent reports from the scene that Alexander Ghazaryan,
head of the department for complaint letters to the government
and citizen reception, talked to Armavia employees, saying that
the government cannot help them. The official explained that the
government also suffered from Armavia’s activities and Armavia also
owes the government. The government has no leverage to influence
Armavia because it is a private company, Ghazaryan said, adding that
Armavia employees should solve the issue through court.

Source: Panorama.am

ARMY RAMPAGE KILLER FOUND HANGED IN PRISON

News | 21.06.13 | 08:59

Photolure

A former soldier who was convicted and sentenced to life for killing
four and wounding three fellow servicemen in a shooting spree in 2010
was found hanged in Nubarashen prison on June 19.

A Justice Ministry information service said on Thursday that Manvel
Hazroyan, 22, committed suicide by hanging himself on a rope that he
managed to make from a bed cover.

It said on June 11 Hazroyan was put in a punishment cell for disobeying
lawful orders of prison wards. No other details of the incident
were reported.

U.S. AMBASSADOR’S HINT TO ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT

The U.S. Ambassador made an interesting statement during the opening
of Digitech Business Forum held the sixth year running. Mr. Heffern
said that he attends the forum for the second time running. Ambassador
Heffern said that the United States has a big role in the IT sector
development in Armenia because the Armenian companies cooperate
closely with Armenian partners. At the same time, he commented on
the government policy on this sector.

He advised the government to keep a distance from the IT sector
as they want to cooperate with their colleagues without having the
government on their way.

Apparently, the U.S. ambassador does not expect that this government
will ever do anything good for the development of the Armenian
economy. And this government is expected not to hinder.

Perhaps, the ambassador is tired of inquiring about Carrefour. The
government never answers his questions. There are assurances made by
the government but there is no Carrefour, there is no competition.

Instead, the monopolist Samvel Alexanyan continues to conquer more
and more retail territories.

Hence, there is nothing left to do but to call the government to keep
off the IT sector instead of inquiring about Carrefour. Keeping off
has a very specific meaning. The IT sector is the only sector where
the oligarchs have not reached. Perhaps this is the reason why the
sector gets significant Western investments, so-called intellectual
investments. The absence of the oligarchy in the IT sphere helps ensure
steady growth, demand for high-quality specialists. The sector is far
from the desirable strategic level but the tendency is positive, and
most probably any intervention of the government stands for oligarchic
intervention to the U.S. ambassador because the precedents show that
whatever the government does, the oligarchy benefits. So, logically,
the ambassador wants the government to keep off the IT sector which
is enough to maintain the steady growth of the sector.

Apparently, the U.S. ambassador hints that if the government does its
job and refrains from intervention, he will do the rest. Recently he
has been actively working for attracting investments to Armenia in
order to create a favorable climate for the key wealth of Armenia,
the intellectual potential.

Last December the ambassador accompanied Prime Minister Sargsyan to
the United States. At that time, several agreements were said to have
been reached but there are no news. Perhaps the condition is not to
let the government hinder.

The IT sector is becoming a priority in the context of developments
in the energy sector. After another punitive application of the
Russian gas Armenia started thinking about alternative energy,
energy saving etc. It is directly linked to the IT sector because it
requires innovation.

This is a political issue as well. Growth of innovative economy will
lead to significant changes in the structure of the economy, weakening
the share and political influence of the oligarchic capital. At the
same time, alternative sources of energy will boost Armenia’s immune
system against the Russian gas disease and open up more opportunities
for Armenia for an independent policy.

And it takes very little from the Armenian government – just keep off.

Although, one of the key features of the Armenian government is to
limit all the tendencies which will jeopardize the status quo of
the oligarchy.

James Hakobyan 14:36 21/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

CONDUCTOR RAFFI ARMENIAN LEAVES MONTREAL CONSERVATOIRE

June 21, 2013 – 13:36 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Raffi Armenian, a former director of the
Conservatoire de musique de Montreal and the conductor of its orchestra
since 1981, has left the school to pursue other opportunities,
Montreal Gazette reported.

One of these is promoting the opera he has just written, Beware of
Pity, based on a novel by Austrian writer Stefan Zweig.

“This is the advantage of being free,” Armenian, 71, said from his
home on Nun’s Island.

Born in Cairo and trained in Vienna, Armenian coached dozens of
conducting students at the Conservatoire and elevated its student
orchestra to a high level.

Among the best-known graduates of his conducting class are Jacques
Lacombe, music director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and
Jean-Marie Zeitouni, music director of the Columbus Symphony and I
Musici de Montreal.

“What I am most proud of is this,” he said of his students.

Music director of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony from 1971 to 1992
and professor of conducting in Graz, Austria, from 1997 to 1999,
Armenian has conducted many Canadian orchestras and opera companies,
including the OSM and the Opera de Montreal.

Armenian said he hoped to restore the professional contacts he lost
during his term as Conservatoire director from 2008 to 2011 and resume
his career as a guest conductor. He and his wife, Agnes Grossmann,
will continue to live on Nun’s Island.

ANCA ENDORSES REP. ED MARKEY IN MASSACHUSETTS SENATE SPECIAL ELECTION

12:26 21.06.2013

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has announced
its endorsement for Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA-5) in this month’s
Massachusetts Senate special election to be held on Tuesday, June
25, 2013.

“For over 30 years, Congressman Markey has been a steadfast supporter
on a broad range of Armenian American concerns – from justice for the
Armenian Genocide to self-determination for Nagorno Karabakh and U.S.

assistance for a stronger Armenia and Artsakh,” said ANCA National
Board member Stephen Mesrobian of Foxborough, MA. “We stand with
Congressman Markey as he seeks to continue his service to the
Commonwealth in the U.S. Senate, encourage Armenian Americans to vote
for him on June 25th, and look forward to working with him following
Tuesday’s special election victory.”

Since first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1976, Rep.

Markey has been a strong and consistent advocate on Armenian issues,
receiving multiple “A+” ratings from the ANCA in its Congressional
Report Card, issued every two years.

He has been outspoken in support of U.S. reaffirmation of the Armenian
Genocide, cosponsoring all related legislation introduced in the U.S.

House, including the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution
(H.Res.227), introduced in May of this year. In his annual Armenian
Genocide commemorative statement submitted for the Congressional
Record this year, Rep. Markey explained, “Almost one-hundred years
have passed since the Armenian Genocide, yet the suffering will
continue for Armenians and non-Armenians alike as long as the world
allows denial to prevail.”

In May of 2006, in the aftermath of the State Department recall of
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans over his proper commemoration of
the Armenian Genocide, Rep. Markey shared his concerns with Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice and rallied 60 of his U.S. House colleagues
to request State Department clarification of the White House action.

“We must not allow the perception to linger that he [Ambassador
Evans] is being required to vacate his position early for accurately
labeling the cataclysmic events of 1915 as genocide,” Rep. Markey
and legislators wrote in the May 22, 2006, letter to Secretary Rice,
adding that Ambassador Evans “did nothing more than succinctly repeat
the conclusions enunciated by those before him.”

As Ranking Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, Rep.

Markey was a vocal opponent of H.R.2362 – The Indian Tribal Trade
and Investment Demonstration Project Act of 2011 – which would have
unfairly limited foreign trade preferences on Indian tribal lands to
only one country, Turkey. In remarks made during July 23, 2012, House
consideration of the measure, Rep. Markey explained, “By acknowledging
Turkey’s ‘unique interest’ in developing tribal economies and in
building ‘robust’ relationships between it and tribal communities,
this legislation rewards a country with a terrible history of human
rights and religious freedom violations, threats to U.S. commercial
interests in Cyprus, and -most importantly-its refusal to acknowledge
the Armenian Genocide which resulted in the deaths of 1.5 million
people.” The measure was defeated in a floor vote.

Since the independence of the Republic of Armenia, Rep. Markey has
been a consistent supporter of robust U.S. assistance to Armenia
and Nagorno Karabakh, annually joining colleagues in urging the
House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations to maintain
high-levels of funding, given the dual blockades of Turkey and
Azerbaijan. In 2008, he joined over 50 of his Congressional colleagues
in calling on then-Secretary Rice to challenge Azerbaijan’s threats
of renewed war against Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh, and to take
concrete action to hold leaders in Baku accountable for actions that
directly undermine the Administration’s policy of fostering peace
and stability in the South Caucasus region.

Rep. Markey has developed close ties with the active Armenian American
community in his district, which includes Watertown, Belmont, Waltham
and Lexington. He has been a frequent participant in Armenian events
in his district, attending church bazaars and, in recent years, the
hugely successful Boston Kermesse street festival. He has toured the
Hairenik Building in Watertown and has closely worked with the ANCA
of Massachusetts and other Armenian organizations over his extensive
career.

The June 25th Massachusetts Senate special election will determine
who will fill now Secretary of State John Kerry’s vacant seat for
the remainder of his term, ending January 3, 2015.

ONE-FIFTH OF SCIENTIFIC DEGREE RECIPIENTS IN ARMENIA ARE FROM IRAN

11:28, 21 June, 2013

YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS: In the Republic of Armenia the Candidate
and Doctor of Science degree is most given in economy and the Professor
and Associate Professor degree – in pedagogy.

As Armenpress was reported by the Higher Attestation Commission of
the Republic of Armenia (HAC), during the first six months of 2013
200 people got scientific degree. The recipients of the scientific
degree are quite many in economy (35), technical sciences (33),
biology (21), law (19), pedagogy (16), philology (15), health (14)
and physics and mathematics (12).

During the current year in Armenia the oldest PhD scholar is 88 years
old and the youngest is 32. In case of candidates, the figures are
different – 66 and 23. During the first six months of 2013 the average
age of the PhDs is 53 and 36 for the candidates.

The one-fifth of the scientific degree recipients of the Republic
of Armenia are foreigners. The major part of them, 37 people are
from Iran, 3 – from the Russian Federation, 1 – from Syria and 1 –
from Georgia.

By the data of the last six months 142 people received academic
title, 104 of which got Associate Professor and 38 got the title of
a Professor.

The information concerns the period from January 1 2013 to June
18 2013.

PIPES AND POLITICS: ENERGY PROJECTS WITH IRAN SEEN AS KEY TO REDUCING ARMENIA’S DEPENDENCE ON RUSSIA

ANALYSIS | 21.06.13 | 10:13

Iran-Armenia gas pipeline is the first completed project between the
two countries

By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN ArmeniaNow correspondent

Iran has been active in Armenia in the past several weeks, which
brings forth opinions about the likelihood of closer Armenian-Iranian
relations in the time to come and the implementation of a number of
major regional projects involving the two neighbors. This closer
cooperation may also mean that Armenia will depend less on Russia
when it comes to energy matters.

The Islamic Republic’s Ambassador to Armenia Mohammad Reisi made a
number of remarkable statements to Armenian journalists at a press
conference that he called earlier this month. In particular, he hinted
at the possibility of Iran’s selling natural gas to Armenia at prices
that would be lower than those offered by Russia. Although a vague
answer was given at the level of the minister of energy – that Iranian
gas is not cheaper than Russian gas – it became apparent that Armenia
did not mind purchasing Iranian gas if it really were sold at a lower
price, if Russia did not mind it and if it did not contradict the U.S.

sanctions imposed on Tehran.

The election of Hassan Rohani as Iran’s next president and mostly
approving response from Washington in this regard make it likely that
U.S. sanctions against Iran will be eased. Recently, for example,
a British court lifted sanctions imposed on the Iranian Mellat Bank,
which operates in Armenia as well. There are also hints that the
West would not be against Armenian-Iranian energy cooperation. In
any case, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern is pursuing a whole
project on Armenia’s energy diversification, which does not exclude
Armenian-Iranian cooperation.

The Armenian parliament recently adopted a law that exempts the laying
of power lines from Armenia to Iran from a number of taxes and duties.

Armenia is known to be paying for Iranian gas with electric power,
but so far only two lines have been laid, while the two countries
agreed on the construction of the third one a long time ago. This
will make it possible to buy more gas from Iran.

Several days ago Iranian news agency Mehr published data from the
National Iranian Gas Company, according to which between 2007 and 2012
only 1.5 billion cubic meters of gas was delivered to Armenia. This
is much less than the planned volumes, and Iran, in fact, suggests
that Armenia should fulfill its obligations.

In order for Armenia to buy more gas from Iran it needs to start
buying less gas from Russia. Moscow recently raised the price of
gas for Armenia. Furthermore, negotiations are currently underway
for the transfer of full control of ArmRosgazprom, which manages the
gas distribution network in Armenia, to Russia’s Gazprom. At present,
the Armenian government has a 20-percent stake in ArmRosgazprom and
if the company becomes fully controlled by Russia, Gazprom will simply
prohibit buying less expensive gas from Iran.

In turns out that it is not U.S. sanctions, but rather Russia’s
position that obstructs the development of energy relations between
Armenia and Iran. And since energy is directly linked to politics,
Russia, in fact, now has to obstruct not only Armenia’s political
integration with Europe, but also regional political integration.

Regional integration can be stimulated if the U.S. sanctions are
really relieved and Iran offers its pipes that will open up borders
in the region. One such project has long been a talking point – Iran
proposes a gas pipeline that would run through Armenia to Georgia,
reaching the Black Sea.

U.S. AND IRAN COULD HAVE BLOCKADE OF ARMENIA LIFTED

Apparently, the United States is coherently trying to end the blockade
of the South Caucasus region but is hindered not only byAzerbaijan
with Turkey but also Russia which limits integration processes in
all directions.

The South Caucasus is blocked not only in a military and political
sense but also in terms of energy and infrastructures. TheUnited
States is trying to separate these two aspects and to ensure opening
of energy and transportation infrastructures without the settlement
of the military-political conflict, and to integrate it in the wider
geopolitical region of the Greater Middle East.

Turkey and Azerbaijan are doing their best to have the minimum of
their wishes come true: return by Armenia of at least one or two
territories of Karabakh. However, this could harm the status quo and
the West clearly discourages this aspiration of Baku.

West’s relief of sanctions against Iran will lead to emergence of new
regional projects. Iran is has already been said ready to lay out a
gas pipeline across Armenia to Georgia and the Black Sea.

New projects and expanded regional cooperation may harm the plans of
Moscow which is trying to maintain its full dominance in the region.

Now Moscow has got down to isolation of Armenia. Actually Gazprom
is doing everything it can to prevent Armeniafrom buying Iranian
gas which is cheaper and “closer”. Taking 100% of Armenian gas
distribution networks, Russia will not allow Iranian gas to reach
the Armenian market.

As of now, Russia, Turkey and Azerbaijan have not met any significant
obstacles to their efforts for Armenia’s isolation in the region
except the U.S. insistent attempts to unblock Armenia through the
Armenian-Turkish dialogue, advocating Kars-Akhakalak-Baku railway etc.

But now Iran is entering into a game in the region which may change
the current status-quo and help the U.S. and Armenia to open the
region for communications.

The Iranian factor may have a fundamental role in the region. Largely
due to the fact that for many years the country was isolated from
regional processes, it has similar relations with all the countries,
it is not involved in the conflict and the mediation process and,
therefore, does not have any obligations to anyone.

In fact, in order to keep its dominance in the region, Russia will
have to fight not only against the West in the face of American
initiatives and European integration but also against arising Iran.

Will it have enough strength? Will Armenia help it to do that?

Naira Hayrumyan 12:10 21/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

ESPAGNE : LIBERTE POUR BAHAR KIMYONGUR

Publie le : 21-06-2013

Info Collectif VAN – – Ce mercredi 19 juin au
matin, Bahar Kimyongur comparaissait devant l’Audience nationale, un
haut tribunal madrilène reserve pour les cas d’importance nationale
ou internationale et certains crimes graves (tels les delits de
terrorisme). Cette première audience devant la Audiencia Nacional
devait permettre de preciser les conditions dans lesquelles B.

Kimyongur (sous le coup d’un mandat d’arret lance par la Turquie le 28
mai dernier) allait etre oblige d’attendre les suites donnees par la
justice espagnole a la demande d’extradition formulee par Ankara. Le
Collectif VAN vous presente le Communique de presse du Clea publie
le 19 juin 2013. Nota CVAN : Bahar Kimyongur a ete libere ce jeudi
20 au soir.

Ses proches doivent reunir 10.000 Euros dans les plus brefs delais

Libere sous caution, Bahar Kimyongur reste toujours menace

Communique du Clea – mercredi 19 juin 2013, 11 heures

Ce mercredi 19 juin au matin, Bahar Kimyongur comparaissait devant
l’Audience nationale, un haut tribunal madrilène reserve pour les cas
d’importance nationale ou internationale et certains crimes graves
(tels les delits de terrorisme).

Cette première audience devant la Audiencia Nacional devait permettre
de preciser les conditions dans lesquelles B. Kimyongur (sous le coup
d’un mandat d’arret lance par la Turquie le 28 mai dernier) allait
etre oblige d’attendre les suites donnees par la justice espagnole
a la demande d’extradition formulee par Ankara.

Dès l’entame de l’audience, l’avocat de Bahar (Gonzalo Boye) a donc
expressement demande la liberation sous caution de son client. Le
juge a accepte cette demande : contre une caution de 10.000 euros, B.

Kimyongur sera autorise a rejoindre la Belgique. Dans quel delai ?

Aussitôt la somme reunie par la famille et versee sur un compte bloque.

Bahar rendu a la liberte… Une liberte provisoire puisque, de retour
a Bruxelles, il devra y attendre un eventuel procès devant la justice
espagnole.

Nous devrons donc rester sur-le-qui-vive.

POURQUOI ? Nous savons tous pourquoi les faits se sont ainsi deroules.

Nous le savons pertinemment.

Bahar une nouvelle fois jete en prison ?

Pour un crime ? Bahar n’a commis aucun crime. Pour un delit ? Bahar
n’a commis aucun delit. Pour une infraction penale ? Bahar n’a commis
aucune infraction.

Sauf a considerer la verite comme une infraction. Sauf a considerer
que prononcer une verite trop “vraie” est un delit. Sauf a considerer
qu’enoncer une verite dans sa radicalite est un crime.

C’est ce que considèrent, sans nul doute, les autorites d’Ankara.

Parce que Bahar n’a jamais cesse de denoncer les conditions de
detention effroyables dans les prisons turques, Kimyongur doit -pour
Ankara- etre bâillonne.

Parce que Bahar n’a jamais cesse de denoncer les hauts responsables
de l’armee et le regime de terreur qu’ils avaient impose par le sang
dès les annees 80, Kimyongur doit -pour Ankara- etre bâillonne.

Parce que Bahar n’a jamais cesse de denoncer l’impunite dont les
generaux turcs ont toujours beneficie malgre leurs crimes de masse,
Kimyongur doit -pour Ankara- etre bâillonne.

Parce que Bahar n’a jamais cesse de denoncer les protections entourant
les groupes d’extreme droite responsables du massacre, sur la Place
Taksim, de 36 militants de gauche le Premier mai 1977, Kimyongur doit
-pour Ankara- etre bâillonne.

Parce que Bahar n’a jamais cesse de denoncer les assassinats de
syndicalistes soucieux de defendre le peuple ouvrier, Kimyongur doit
-pour Ankara- etre bâillonne.

Parce que Bahar n’a jamais cesse de denoncer les atteintes au droit de
la presse et l’incarceration de centaines de journalistes decidement
trop honnetes, Kimyongur doit -pour Ankara- etre bâillonne.

Parce que Bahar n’a jamais cesse de denoncer l’intrication de la
maffia et des plus hauts organes d’Etat, Kimyongur doit -pour Ankara-
etre bâillonne.

Parce que Bahar n’a jamais cesse de denoncer les operations-commando
devolues a des nervis fascistes en vue d’executer extraterritorialement
des militants revolutionnaires exiles a l’etranger, Kimyongur doit
-pour Ankara- etre bâillonne.

Parce que Bahar n’a jamais cesse de denoncer la sale guerre menee
contre le peuple kurde, Kimyongur doit -pour Ankara- etre bâillonne.

Parce que Bahar n’a jamais cesse de denoncer la collusion entre les
gouvernements turcs et les Etats-Unis, leur collaboration parfaite
dans les nouvelles guerres imperialistes, Kimyongur doit -pour Ankara-
etre bâillonne.

Sans parler du courage dont Bahar aura fait preuve quand -a
contre-courant des grands medias-, il perseverait a eclairer l’opinion
progressiste sur la realite du conflit en Syrie, un conflit largement
instrumentalise par le gouvernement Erdogan lequel apporte un appui
politique, logistique et militaire aux forces combattantes islamistes
les plus hysteriques.

Chers amis,

Nous savons tous pourquoi les choses se sont ainsi passees.

Et pourquoi, dès demain et les jours d’après, nous allons continuer
a nous mobiliser pour Bahar.

En nous battant pour sa liberte a lui, nous nous battons (en fait)
pour nos libertes a tous.

Pour le Comite pour la Liberte d’Expression et d’Association,

Jean FLINKER

Vous pouvez aider les proches de Bahar a couvrir la somme de la
caution en faisant un virement au compte du Clea :

363-0054263-80 Code IBAN: BE47 3630 0542 6380 Code BIC: BBRUBEBB

Avec la mention : “Liberte pour Bahar”

Merci

Retour a la rubrique

L’AFFAIRE SAFAROV DEVANT LA COUR EUROPEENNE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME

La Cour europeenne a ete saisie de la requete des heritiers de
Gourguen Margarian, officier armenien assassine a coups de hache
par l’officier azerbaïdjanais, Ramil Safarov, au cours d’un stage
du partenariat pour la paix de l’OTAN a Budapest en 2004 et de Hayk
Makouchian, deuxième officier armenien sauve de justesse dans les
memes circonstances. Rappelons qu’en août 2012, Safarov, condamne
a perpetuite en Hongrie, avait ete transfere en Azerbaïdjan, où il
avait ete accueilli en heros national et gracie par Ilham Aliev./
Haykakan Jamanak

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 14 juin 2013

vendredi 21 juin 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com