Author: Kanayan Tamar

CAFESJIAN CENTER FOR THE ARTS HAS NEW STATUES

17:02, 15 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS: The Cafesjian Center for the Arts
was supplemented by new works. It was reported to Armenpress by the
Director of the Department for Public Relations and Marketing of
the Center for the Arts Lilit Sokhakyan. On April 10 Armenians were
provided with the opportunity to enjoy the works “Pirate” and “LOVE”
of the American artists Peter Coffin and Robert Indiana.

Peter Coffin’s works are exhibited in different exhibitions and
collections.

The American artist Robert Indiana is the representative of the
pop-art. Originally designed as a Christmas card commissioned by
the Museum of Modern Art in 1965, LOVE has appeared in prints,
paintings, sculptures, banners, rings, tapestries, and stamps and
later was co-opted as an emblem of 1960s idealism. In printed works,
Indiana has rendered LOVE in a variety of colors, compositions,
and techniques. He even translated it into Hebrew for a print and a
sculpture at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.

The majority of exhibitions presented by the Cafesjian Center for the
Arts are derived from the private collection of its main benefactor,
Mr. Gerard L. Cafesjian. This collection of more than 5,000 works
includes one of the most comprehensive glass collections in the world.

It is particularly rich in the work of the Czech couple Stanislav
Libenský and Jaroslava Brychtova, whose collaborative work
revolutionized the use of glass as an artistic medium. Other
important glass artists in the collection include Dale Chihuly,
Bohumil Elias, Pavel Hlava, Jaromír Rybak, Ivana ©ramkova, Bertil
Vallien, Lino Tagliapietra, Mark Peiser, and Hiroshi Yamano. The
collection also has substantial holdings in drawing, painting and
sculpture by such influential artists as Fernando Botero, Arshile
Gorky, Jennifer Bartlett, Lynn Chadwick, Barry Flanagan, Jaume Plensa
and Francois-Xavier Lalanne.

The Cafesjian Center for the Arts is dedicated to bringing the best
of contemporary art to Armenia and presenting the best of Armenian
culture to the world. Inspired by the vision of its founder, Mr.

Gerard L. Cafesjian, the Center offers a wide variety of exhibitions,
derived from Mr. Cafesjian’s own extensive collection of contemporary
art.

Having celebrated its grand opening in November 2009, CCA continues
to exhibit unique works of modern art and offers a diverse program
of visiting lecturers, films, concerts, and numerous educational
initiatives for adults and children. In 2011 the Cafesjian Center
for the Arts had over 1,200,000 visitors.

ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS SHOULD BE NORMALIZED BEFORE 2015

18:07 15.04.2013

Armenia and Turkey should step up their efforts o normalize relations
before the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, otherwise
there will not be any progress on the issue, professor at the Oxford
University Neil MacFarlane said in an interview with “Regnum” agency.

He believes the rapprochement largely depends on the kind of events
to be organized in Armenia and the Diaspora to commemorate the tragic
anniversary.

“The process of ratification of the Armenian-Turkish protocols is
currently frozen. Taking into consideration the current situation,
Turkey will hardly ratify any document acceptable to the Armenian
side. Yerevan, in turn, will not sign under the preconditions posed
by Ankara,” the Professor said.

He said the protocols between the two countries could offer a chance
for normalizing ties on the upper levels whereas events to be organized
in lower circles could focus more on the practical aspect of relations
– air communication, visa issues, trading, strengthening of cultural
and academic ties etc. According to Neil MacFarlane, steps on the
lower level could prove more effective at this point.

Reader’s statue by Nur to decorate Yerevan’s facade

16:38, 15 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 15, ARMENPRESS. Within the framework of the
International Poetry Festival the Reader’s statue will be opened
in front of the Library after Khnko Aper on April 20. As reports
“Armenpress” the Chairman of the Writers’ Union of Armenia Levon
Ananyan stated this during the press conference held on April 15.

According to him the opening of the statue is one of the central
events of the international festival held in Yerevan. The festival is
scheduled to be held on April 15-21. Levon Ananyan jokingly said:
“People say that there is a lack of readers in life, let there
be a reading statue at least.” He stated that a comprehensive and
interesting program has been developed for the Armenian and foreign
participants of the program.

In a conversation with “Armenpress” artist, sculpture, and designer
Nur (Arman Davtyan) stated that this is the first time he is working
over such a grandiose project. Among other things Nur underscored:
“I have never worked over such big projects before, notwithstanding
I am confident that this project will not be the last one.”

Azeri writer’s novel published in Armenian

15:46 12.04.2013
Akram Aylisli

Alisa Gevorgyan
`Radiolur’

Azerbaijani writer Akram Aylisli’s novel `Stone Dreams’ has been
published in Armenian. The novel has been translated by Leonid
Zilfugharyan and published by `Nork’ publishing house.

Aylisli’s novel tells about the Agulis, the writer’s birthplace.
Leonid Zilfugharyan says Aylisl’s novel is very honest.

Aylisli’s novel was like a bomb blast in an atmosphere filled with
anti-Armenian propaganda. For the first time an Azerbaijani writer
dared speak about Armenians not as `bitter enemies,’ about Armenians
he lived side-by-side in Agulis and Baku, about Armenians, whose trace
has been erased from those places.

According to writer and publisher Ruben Hovsepyan, Aylisli’s novel was
a light in the darkness, which comes to say that not everything is
lost in that society. `The novel is not anti-Azerbaijani, as his
compatriots insist. On the contrary, the writer raises the image of
Azerbaijanis in his book, for which his country should have been
grateful to him,’ Ruben Hovsepyan said.

Akram Aylisli faced persecutions in Azerbaijan after the novel was
published in the Russian `Druzhba Narodov’ magazine. His books were
burnt, the author received a number of threats. According to
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s decree, the writer was stripped
of his presidential pension and the honorary title of People’s Writer
of Azerbaijan.

After the book was published in Armenian, people in Azerbaijan started
saying Armenians violate the copyrights of the Azerbaijani author.

In the novel Aylisli writes about a little girl named Lusik, who was
always visiting her grandmother in Agulis. The little girl was
ethnographer Lusik Aguletsi, who told about her meeting with Akram
Aylisli in one of the recent interviews. What unites the two is their
great love for Agulis, which has been renamed Aylis after the
massacres.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan equals record of Ukrainian championship’s best scorer

20:44, 13 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 13, ARMENPRESS: Midfielder of Armenian National Team
Henrikh Mkhitaryan equaled the record of Ukrainian championship’s best
scorer.

As reports Armenpress, Shakhtar Donetsk Armenian midfielder scored his
22nd goal in the match of round 24 against FC Zorya. Shahktar defeated
Zorya 3-0.

Previosly, the record of the Ukrainian championship belonged to Sergey
Rebrov and Maksim Shachkikhin who scored 22 goals during one
championship. With six rounds ahead, Mkhitaryan can set a new record.

Russia and Genocide of Armenians

The genocide of the Armenians in 1915 was a political instrument for
the Soviet Union. The politics of the USSR supposed total control over
this problem, prevention of consideration of this issue by other
countries and international organizations, manipulation of different
situations about the respective discussions.

However, the main ground of consideration of this issue was the
Soviet-Turkish relations. Russia recognized the genocide but Russian
officials confessed in backstage talks that this step was a mistake
and Moscow will not do anything further.

The Turkish politics and diplomacy has always been mysterious and
closed, including the aspect of Turkish-Russian relations but the
friends of Armenia in Moscow noted that Ankara is trying to trade this
problem with Moscow. In addition, the Turkish politicians think that
if the United States continues to play a role in this issue, only
Russia could help close the chapter of the genocide internationally.

Moscow never gave up this opportunity understanding that it is
possible to reach an agreement on this with highly dependent Armenia
integrated in a certain interstate system. Ankara understands that if
closely related to the United States and NATO, Armenia will be more
dangerous from the point of view of the carrier of the idea of
recognition of the genocide than while being dependent on Russia. This
could be a paradox, not quite fair towards Russia which recognized the
genocide but politics is understood in dynamics.

Turkey and Russia were unable to reach an agreement on a number of
issues, including concessions in the region, the South Caucasus and
the Black Sea. The Turkish-Russian relations will encounter trouble,
and in most cases, making significant concessions, Turkey did not
carry out its commitments to Russia. The classic example is the
Kurdish issue where Russia, conceding all, received nothing not only
in Anatolia but also the Caucasus.

There are not many hopes for a plot on the `Armenian issue’ and other
issues but there are still hopes. Turkey and Azerbaijan have launched
a furious activity in Moscow to prevent reanimation of the `Armenian
issue’ and have achieved considerable success not only with the mass
media but also different levels of the authorities. The Russian
authorities will not even dare erect a monument to the Armenian issue
without watching the reaction of the Turks.

What can Turkey and Azerbaijan hope for in this controversial
situation? The main issue is to silence the issue of the genocide by
2015. It is not little. Russia is always ready for it because there
are no Armenian organizations there. Turkey and Azerbaijan are worried
about resolutions by provinces and states, not nations because the
former are harder to control. In Russia everything is fine.
Igor Muradyan
18:08 13/04/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

Levon Ter-Petrosyan delivers extended speech at ANC party’s congress,
compares Gagik Tsraukyan with Khachatur Sukiasian

17:19 – 13.04.13

Armenian National Congress party’s already elected leader Levon
Ter-Petrosyan delivered a speech at the party’s first founding
congress today in Karen Demirtchyan Sports and Concert Complex.

In his speech he referred to the Prosperous Armenia party leader and
hailed the independent policy he has started carrying out.
Ter-Petrosyan also criticized Raffi Hovannisian’s prayer with Vova
Gasparyan.

He referred to the ANC history, calling it the most exclusive unity in
Armenia’s history which in the beginning comprised of 18 parties and
organizations.

Referring to the party’s program, Levon Ter-Petrosyan said that there
is no need to put the accents on steps or landmarks but on philosophy.
`There is also a part which is a conjuncture, which relates to the
practical policy and this part may not be needed anymore when
constitutional rules be really established in Armenia. This part
reflects what we have in our Constitution,’ he said, adding that every
authorities that will succeed in the implementation of the provisions
of Constitution will do a great work for Armenia and its people. He
stressed that politics is a work reflected in the Constitution.

He stressed that today he is of the same opinion that the prior thing
is the implementation of bourgeois-democratic revolution, which he
said was criticized by many.

He said if bourgeois-democratic revolution is not implemented there
will be no socialism. Explaining what bourgeois-democratic revolution
is, Ter-Petrosyan said, `The producing forces must be freed from
chains. Previously there were feudal chains, while today in Armenia
they are bandocratic chains – no difference.’ He stressed that until
Armenia is freed from bandocratic chains the country will not prosper
and no democracy will be established. `Until big bourgeoisie is freed
from these chains small and medium-sized business will not develop in
Armenia. There is no other secret,’ he said.

He said they want to do it in Armenia, while many accept it with
hostility. `They say `how it is possible to cooperate with the PAP as
it is part of authorities’…Of course, we understand it, the PAP was
part of the coalition. But what’s bad in our attempts to cut them from
authorities, then the others, then the others. There is no other way,’
he said.

Levon Ter-Petrosyan noted that though they were intertwined but still
they had succeeded. `At least we have managed to sow doubts among the
people. Who was Khachatur Sukiasyan? Part of the same bourgeoisie and
oligarchy and there was such attitude against him as well but this
person have realized and came and joined our movement getting nothing
for it, just the opposite, the authorities gave the first blow to him.
The authorities better understand where the danger is than the
political forces. They understood where it is and made Khachatur
Sukiasyan go bankrupt,’ he said.

Ter-Petrosyan said they could do it as Sukiasyan was alone, and if he
was not they would have failed. `The same way has chosen Gagik
Tsraukyan. And what are they doing instead of promoting this process
to deepen? This person has not done anything to raise doubts that he
is not trying to cut himself from the authorities. I do not say he has
fully cut from them as he can’t do it having great wealth and being
tied with them with thousands of issues, but all steps he has done
testify it. He has withdrawn from coalition, refused to back Serzh
Sargsyan in the elections, participated alone in the parliamentary
elections, did not attend Sargsyan’s inauguration and is ready to
fight at the Yerevan City Council elections. How can a force,
promoting the fight gainst evil be revolted?’

Levon Ter-Petrosyan said Serzh Sargsyan will change his attitude
toward Raffi Hovannisian at City Council election and will not allow
him get as much votes as he did during the presidential ones. `Serzh
is a vindictive person and he will never forgive what was done against
him. He will neither forgive Gagik Tsarukyan for his independent steps
and will not allow him reinforce and become a serious political factor
in Armenia. The same is with Raffi. It seems he allows him to become
opposition’s leader, control the street but will not forgive his 37%
of votes which is just the official figure. Now he will show Raffi
other figures,’ he said.

Referring to Hovannisian he said many are interested why they do not
join him. `First of all, I do not want to say any negative thing about
Raffi,’ he said adding that they were first to announce that Raffi
Hovannisian was the winner in elections which was a great political
support that could have made the relations with Heritage party closer.
`Secondly, the main part of our activists where in the Liberty Square.
And finally, why has not the ANC leadership joined them? Like Serzh
Sargsyan says – join them for doing what? For praying with Vova
Gasparyan? Believe me or not, but praying with Vova was not my
childhood dream,’ he said.

Speaking about the processes following presidential elections, Levon
Ter-Petrosyan said everything was taking place except political
process. `We are ready to cooperate with Heritage party now as well.
By saying political process I understand elections only. You should
understand, there is no other process. Let’s unite, we have stated
about readiness to go with joint list, we had no ambitions to have our
mayor, it did not matter for us whether the list would have been
topped by members of ARF-D or Heritage, or Prosperous Armenia party.
We were ready to contribute to this process. They did not want it and
did not do it. The ARF-D tried another format. They three tried to
have a joint list but failed again. Who is guilty, I do not know. I
just register a fact,’ Ter-Petrosyan said.

He said there is still an opportunity to carry out joint political
process but seriously with the creation of mechanism that will allow
controlling the elections, cooperate in future.

`Believe me, this authorities are totalitarian. It does not allow any
vacuum. If they succeed they will not allow even a village governor be
from other party,’ he stressed.

Levon Ter-Petrosyan also stated that there is an opportunity to defeat
the Republican party in Yerevan. In his words if the regime undergoes
such painful defeat it is condemned to collapse.

`Those who want to become president must know the way to reach it is
win Yerevan mayoral elections,’ he said, adding that he does not want
to personalize the campaign noting that Taron Margaryan is the
system’s marionette and any other appointed by the regime will not be
better than he. `I am fighting not against persons but system,’
Ter-Petrosyan said.

Armenia-Syria flights to resume April 16

April 13, 2013 – 16:15 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenia-Syria flights are being resumed, with a new
Damascus-Qamishli-Yerevan flight to operate, the manager of Syrian
Airlines Yerevan office said.
`The first flight is scheduled for April 16, with the total number of
the passengers not specified yet. 29 tickets have already been
purchased in Syria, with seats booked in Armenia,’ Svetlana
Hovhannisyan said.

Negotiations are underway to resume Yerevan-Beirut direct flight.

Paris-Normandie, France
Mardi 9 Avril 2013

L’ultime recours des parents;
Sans papiers. Pétition et mobilisation d’élus aux portes de l’école
Pouchet en signe de soutien à une famille arménienne.

ROUEN; Pg. 10

Terminé le temps béni où les baptêmes républicains étaient plus
nombreux que ceux des églises, où les élus se pressaient pour ”
adopter ” leur sans-papiers. Il semble que cette solidarité citoyenne
soit passée de mode si l’on en croit la seule présence du sénateur
maire d’Oissel, Thierry Foucaud et de Michèle Ernis, élue de
Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, hier, à la sortie de l’école Pouchet, en
plein centre-ville… de Rouen. Ils sont venus marquer leur soutien à
Lianna Usoyan et ses deux petites filles, Lida, 7 ans et Milèna, 5
ans. Kyaram, le père des fillettes, est, lui, au centre de rétention
d’Oissel depuis la fin du mois de mars.

Pétition en cours

Sous le coup d’une obligation de quitter le territoire, ce
ressortissant arménien doit être expulsé dimanche 14 avril (lire notre
édition de samedi 6 avril). Il faut bien admettre que cette famille a
aujourd’hui épuisé les recours offerts par la Justice. Il reste bien
la décision de la cour nationale du droit d’asile… mais elle ne sera
pas rendue avant le 24 avril. Trop tard pour que Kyaram Usoyan puisse
espérer rester en France. Pour Réseau éducation sans frontières (RESF)
et les parents d’élèves FCPE, la pétition proposée aux parents hier en
fin d’après-midi se présente bien comme le geste ultime de solidarité
adressé à cette famille, arrivée en France en février 2012.

D’évidence, dans cette petite école, le but n’est pas de recueillir
des centaines de signatures ” mais de faire parler d’eux et peut-être
amener le préfet à réviser sa position “, espère les représentants de
RESF.

Dans cette école où une seconde famille vit une situation toute aussi
complexe et douloureuse, les parents reconnaissent la qualité de
l’intégration de l’aînée des fillettes, inscrite en CP. ” Exemplaire
“, en dit même l’instituteur.

La petite Lida, qui aujourd’hui ne parle même plus arménien, pourrait
rester à Rouen avec sa mère, sa petite soeur et son petit frère, né en
France. ” Mais, il paraît toujours impensable de séparer les familles
“, argumente Réseau éducation sans frontières.

Outre la pétition, RESF et la FCPE ont demandé le soutien d’élus
Rouennais. ” On a obtenu la gratuité de la cantine pour les deux
fillettes et une adjointe au maire nous a dit qu’elle parlerait de
cette famille au député PS, Pierre Léautey “.

P. B.

Mediamax, Armenia
April 12 2013

Military exercises underway in eastern part of NKR

Yerevan/Mediamax/. President of Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) Bako
Sahakyan attended the military exercises of a number of Defense Army
subdivisions in the eastern part of the republic.

The NKR stressed the importance of taking up such measures noting that
they contribute to keeping the high level of fight capacity of the
Armed Forces.

The President gave valuable gifts to a group of military servicemen
for having properly fulfilled the tasks during the exercises.

The delegation of the Armenian Armed Forces headed by the acting
Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan was also present at the exercises.