Author: Kanayan Tamar

First-ever wine vernissage open in Parakyar

07:27 PM | TODAY | SOCIAL

Viniculturists and specialists in wine making gathered in Parakyar
community in Armavir province for the first-ever wine vernissage.

The event featured numerous organizations from the capital and
provinces. Factory and home-made wines, dried fruits and souvenirs
were exhibited at the event which was organized with the support of
Areni Foundation, the Ministry of Economy and Administration of
Parakyar community.
For more details watch the video of Armavir’s ALT TV

Artak Budaghyan is recovering

Artak Budaghyan

The health condition of the commander of N unit, Col. Artak Budaghyan
who was injured as a result of gunshot next to former Governor of
Syunik Surik Khachatryan’s house is assessed as of medium severity,
close to good. The head of Central Clinical Hospital Aram Asatryan
said to the reporter of `Factinfo’.

To the question whether the colonel is aware of his brother’s murder,
the head of the Central Clinical Hospital had difficulties in
answering, saying that they did not tell him but he was not aware
whether the relatives did.

The spokesman of the Ministry of Defense Artsrun Hovhannisyan said
that Artak Budaghyan is still unable to testify.

Recall that Artak Budaghyan received gunshot injury in the liver,
muscle tissue, and the ballot was removed the next day when he was
transferred to the Central Clinical Hospital. The colonel has already
undergone 3 surgeries.

Photo by emedia.am

Author:
Factinfo

– See more at:

Karabakh war veterans hold rally in Armenia’s capital

20:22 – 16.06.13

A group of veterans of the Karabakh war (freedom-fighters) held a
rally in Freedom Square on Sunday and raise a number of problems.

They said that unknown people threatened them and tried to force them
to give up the idea of the rally.

One of the freedom-fighters, Khachatur Khachatryan, who participated
in the liberation of Shushi, welcomed his `brothers’ and addressed
Armenia’s authorities:

`Where were you when hundreds and thousands of us were at Yerablur
[pantheon]. If we do not raise our voice today, what can we answer
Yerablur? What are you doing, government! I cannot bring up my child
the way I want. I consider you betrayers of our nation.’

Colonel Volodya Avetisyan, one of the organizers of the rally, called
on all the freedom-fighters to `awake.’ `There must be several
thousands of us here. Do awake. We have a problem of our nation’s
dignity. All the warriors did not war for their families, but for
their homeland, and their families are beside us now,’ he said.

Avetisyan addressed Armenia’s authorities, saying: `Let people live a
life of dignity. If you are unable to sustain us, go away.’
With respect to threats before the rally, he said: `It is not a
problem of individuals or families now. I am calling on all the
freedom-fighters that were not afraid of the war to get rid of their
fears now.’

Armenian News – Tert.am

Defense Ministry refutes Azeri reports on Armenian ceasefire violation

June 15, 2013 – 15:51 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Nagorno Karabakh defense army maintains the
ceasefire and takes retaliation measures only in case of necessity,
army spokesman said.

In a conversation with PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, Senor Hasratyan
dubbed Azeri reports claiming ceasefire violation cases by Armenian
armed forces on June 14 `nonsense.’
RA Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan, too, denied Azeri
reports, citing different political and strategic reasons behind them.

According to Azerbaijan Press Agency (APA), Armenian ceasefire
violation cases were reported at contact line June 14 forcing Baku to
take retaliatory measures.

Armenian president congratulates Iran’s president-elect

16:06 – 16.06.13

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan addressed a congratulatory message
to the newly elected president of Iran Hassan Rouhani on his victory
in the June 14 presidential election.

`I am sure that the traditional friendship and high-level political
dialogue between Armenia and Iran will continue developing to the two
nations’ benefit,’ the Armenian leader’s message reads.

`I wish you good health and new achievements in enduring Iran’s steady
progress and aspirations of the Iranian people,’ the Armenian
president’s message reads.

Armenian News – Tert.am

United struggle must be waged – Heritage party vice-chair

14:42 – 16.06.13

Heritage party Vice-Chairman and member of the Yerevan City Council
Armen Martirosyan believes that the Pre-parliament’s task in its civil
struggle is the agenda to be proposed.

`We have never had any restrictions – if this is a civil or political
force. We have always believed we must wage a united struggle –
involving both political forces and individuals,’ Martiroyan told
Tert.am.

`Can any civil force accuse us that we, the Heritage party, did not
join them in any struggle? Can anyone say that the Heritage party was
given sufficient human and financial resources, but did not struggle?
So restricting the struggle to its civil aspect is unacceptable to
me,’ he said.

A united struggle must be waged to be effective because political
forces are part of society.

`We are for unification, but time will show the Pre-parliament’s
policy. Unfortunately, they are unwilling to unite. But I think they
will change their mind in the course of time,’ Martirosyan said.

Asked about possible use of arms in the struggle, he said: `I would
not say this possibility depends on the forces involved in the
struggle. It depends on the authorities that are absolutely cynical
now.’

The authorities’ policy will cause clashes. `That is, `we are not
going to yield power to you. Come and take it, if you can.”

Martirosyan voiced the opinion that the Pre-parliament will transform
into a political party in the course of time.

Armenian News – Tert.am

ARMENIE
Facilitation des procédures d’obtention de licences pour les taxis

Le gouvernement arménien a approuvé un ensemble d’actes législatifs et
de projets liés à la facilitation des procédures d’obtention de
licence pour les taxis.

Armen Yeghiazaryan, le directeur du centre national pour la régulation
législative, a déclaré que les modifications adoptées permettront au
secteur privé des économies annuelles de 1,5 milliards de drams sans
faire de préjudice pour le gouvernement.

Armen Yeghiazaryan a présenté les principaux changements législatifs
au cours de la réunion du gouvernement.

Ainsi, ceux qui vivent à l’extérieur d’Erevan bénéficieront désormais
de nouvelles procédures pour l’obtention de licences auprès des
administrations locales. Les chauffeurs de taxi n’auront plus besoin
de venir à Erevan pour obtenir leur licence.

En outre, les droits de l’Etat et le paiement des charges fixes seront
désormais fusionnés en un paiement à l’acte de 12 000 drams chaque
mois pour Erevan, et de 4000 pour les régions éloignées. La seule
redevance trimestrielle sera de 34000 et 120000 drams.

En échange il y aura de nouvelles exigences pour les conducteurs, un
code vestimentaire particulier et une meilleure communication avec les
passagers.

« A la demande de la police, des plaques jaunes ont été supprimés,
cela vous aidera à économiser 17000 drams » a déclaré Armen
Yeghiazaryan.

Certaines autres exigences ont été retirés. Parmi ces dernières celles
relatives au stationnement, à l’examen médical et technique. Cela
aidera les conducteurs à économiser encore 10 à 15000 drams par mois.

« Il n’y a pas de telles exigences dans le monde, et c’est
techniquement inapproprié pour nous de les avoir dans notre pays »
a-t-il ajouté.

Gagik Beglaryan, ministre des Transports et de la Communication, a
souligné ces modifications de manière significative peuvent aider le
gouvernement dans sles efforts visant à éliminer les monopoles dans
les services de taxi.

L’état des données officielles, il y a près de 9000 taxis officiels
dans la république, plus de 7000 d’entre eux sont la propriété de 500
services de taxi.

dimanche 16 juin 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

“ARMENIA HAS EXHAUSTED THE RESOURCE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS”

07:31 PM | JUNE 14, 2013 | POLITICS

Keeping opposition activist Tigran Arakelyan in prison does not bring
honour to Armenia, says Vladimir Karapetyan, a senior representative
of the opposition Armenian National Congress.

Together with ANC activists, Karapetyan was outside the Prosecutor’s
Office to demand release for Tigran Arakelyan “We are looking forward
to changes and we shall continue our Friday protests as long as
Arakelyan is in custody,” he said.

ANC activists Tigran Arakelyan, Sargis Gevorgyan, Artak Karapetyan
and David Kiramijyan were taken into custody after an August 2011
standoff with police officers in a Yerevan park. They were charged
with hooliganism against a representative of law-enforcement body
and sentenced to 2-6 years in prison. Arakelyan received the longest
prison sentence for what the Armenian police say was a key role in the
incident. The three activists were later released with only Tigran
Arakelyan remaining in prison. All the four activists denied police
claims that they had attacked law-enforcement officers maintaining
public order in the city center. The Court of Cassation has remitted
the appeal back to the Court of Appeals for review. ANC considers
Tigran Arakelyan to be a political prisoner.

Vladimir Karapetyan stressed that it is shameful to have a political
prisoner in Armenia and political forces should struggle against
the phenomenon.

“Armenia has already exhausted the resource of political prisoners
and the international community will give a rough assessment to it,”
he concluded.

US, RUSSIA, FRANCE PRESIDENTS TO SIGN STATEMENT ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH PROBLEM AT G8 SUMMIT

Trend, Azerbaijan
June 14 2013

The presidents of Russia and the United States Vladimir Putin and
Barack Obama are planning to sign three documents after negotiations
in the framework of the G8 summit, including a joint statement of the
presidents of Russia, the U.S. and France on the Nagorno-Karabakh
problem, the Russian president’s assistant Yuri Ushakov told
journalists, RIA Novosti reported.

“With 100 percent certainty I can say that Obama, Putin and Hollande
(French President Francois Hollande) will adopt a statement on the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem,” Ushakov said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding
regions of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the U.S. are
currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the occupied territories.

THE END OF THE EMPIRE — OR IS IT?

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
June 14 2013

CHARLOTTE MCPHERSON
[email protected]

When I arrived at New York Kennedy Airport the other night, I rang
my family to let them know that I had arrived safely and would catch
my connecting flight.

The first thing they said to me was that Turkey had been in the news
all day.

The world continues to watch as events unfold…

A Today’s Zaman headline in this past Wednesday’s newspaper read,
“Clashes in Ä°stanbul extend into night in Taksim, police clear
square.” What began as a peaceful demonstration against the park’s
redevelopment more than two weeks ago has grown into the biggest
test of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s authority. The outrage
being expressed over a violent police crackdown on May 31 against
a peaceful sit-in in the park is now being covered internationally
around the clock.

As I watched some of the news on local American broadcasts, I realized
how few Western correspondents have an understanding of the situation
in Turkey. Though American news is trying to cover the events as best
they can, it is difficult to really fully understand the situation or
mentality unless you have some knowledge of the culture and language.

Having spent a significant time in the country is a plus!

In my piece today and the next one, I want to provide some cultural
insights and a brief historical summary for those of you around the
world who are watching the news about Turkey. To understand Turkish
society better requires a little knowledge about the general history
of Turkey, so let me start with the end of the Ottoman Empire: the
Treaty of Sèvres.

Before I left Turkey, a number of foreigners who live in Turkey were
wondering why some Turks are blaming the Gezi protest on America or
the West.

There have been accusations that foreigners instigated the Gezi
protest in Ä°stanbul. This is not an uncommon statement to hear when
a problem arises in Turkey. Having lived in Turkey since 1979, I have
noticed over the years that this accusation is often made in times
of trouble. You may wonder why Turks are quick to blame America or
the West.

I have previously written about how the Treaty of Sèvres impacted
the nation. I think this is an important historical point to be aware
of to understand the Turkish mentality and fear factor. Basically,
with the defeat of Germany at the end of World War I in 1918 came
humiliation for its Turkish ally. The Ottoman Empire was dissolved
by the crushing terms of the Treaty of Sèvres, signed in 1920 with
the victorious Allies (excluding Russia and the United States). The
regional map was redrawn: Turkey renounced sovereignty over Mesopotamia
(Iraq) and Palestine (including Transjordan), which became British
mandates; Syria and Lebanon, which became French mandates; and the
kingdom of Hejaz (meaning the loss of Mecca).

Perhaps the most controversial terms were those that compelled Turkey
to grant autonomy to the Kurds, to allow Armenia to become a separate
republic under international guarantees and to see Smyrna (now Ä°zmir)
and its environs put under an interim Greek administration, with the
final outcome to be decided by a vote for national self-determination
by the local electorate.

In Europe, Turkey ceded parts of Eastern Thrace and certain Aegean
islands to Greece and the Dodecanese and Rhodes to Italy, retaining
only Ä°stanbul and its environs, including the zones of the straights
made neutral and international. No part of Turkey was left fully
independent. Turkey also had to pay reparations, enabling the Allies
to tighten their control over Turkey’s economy. The Treaty of Sèvres
thus spelled the end of the Ottoman Empire, placed its lands in the
hands of the Allies and sparked the patriotic fire that drove Ataturk
to fight for an independent Turkish nation.

This treaty is considered one of the most serious acts of foreigners
meddling in domestic affairs. Certainly from this time onward, it has
not been unusual to blame foreigners for instigating problems. After
all, the terms of the Treaty of Sèvres were harsh. Many in the Ottoman
Empire were left angered and embittered by their treatment. The Treaty
of Sèvres territorially carved up an empire that had been known by
Westerners as the “Sick Man of Europe.”

In my next piece, we will look at how Turkish culture has evolved
and Turkey’s future as a democracy.

“The test of democracy is freedom of criticism.” –David Ben-Gurion