Author: Kanayan Tamar

ARMENIE
Hélène Ségara à l’Honneur à l’Ambassade de France

C’est par un concert d’Hélène Ségara, à la salle Aram Khatchatourian,
que s’est ouverte la saison de la Francophonie en Arménie, en présence
notamment de la Première Dame, Mme Rita Sarkissian, de l’épouse du
Premier Ministre, Mme Gohar Sarkissian, du Ministre des Affaires
étrangères, M. Edouard Naldandian, accompagnée de son épouse et de
l’Ambassadeur de France, M. Henri Reynaud.

Hélène Ségara a interprété pendant près d’une heure et demie les plus
belles chansons de son répertoire, notamment « La vie avec toi » et «
Elle tu l’aimes », pour le plus grand plaisir des spectateurs
présents.

Le lendemain, Hélène Ségara a fait l’honneur de sa visite à
l’Ambassade de France, où elle a été accueillie par l’Ambassadeur, M.
Henri Reynaud et de Mme Nathalia Nalbandian, épouse du Ministre des
Affaires étrangères, en présence de nombreuses personnalités du monde
de la politique, de la culture et des medias.

L’Ambassadeur de France a salué en Hélène Ségara « la meilleure
interprète des chansons d’amour ». Mme Nalbandian soulignant pour sa
part le talent de cette artiste au grand c`ur qui « a réussi à faire
vibrer le public ».

Hélène Ségara, manifestement émue, a souhaité s’entretenir avec
chacune et chacun des participants. Elle a promis de revenir très vite
en Arménie.

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Arménie

dimanche 7 avril 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

HAUT KARABAGH-PRESSE INTERNATIONALE
Soutenir la paix et le développement dans le Haut-Karabagh de François
Rochebloine dans Le Huffington Post

Ci-dessous un article signé de François Rochebloine paru sur le site
du `Le Huffington Post` le 6 Avril 2013.

ARMÉNIE – Le Haut-Karabagh n’évoquera probablement rien à la plupart
de nos compatriotes. C’est pourtant là, aux confins de ce Caucase
méconnu et oublié, que voici vingt-cinq ans, prit naissance un
mouvement populaire, un mouvement de liberté et d’espoir qui devait
aboutir à la chute de l’ancienne URSS.

Depuis lors, le Haut-Karabagh aura tout connu : le pire jusqu’en 1994
avec une guerre d’indépendance qui fit des milliers de morts et
détruisit des infrastructures du pays, le meilleur depuis avec
l’édification d’une nation jeune et enthousiaste au sein d’un Etat
nouveau et plus démocratique que ceux du voisinage du Caucase du Sud.

Depuis son indépendance, la République du Haut-Karabagh procède à des
élections ouvertes et un nombre substantiel (trente pour cent) de
femmes sont ministres ou députées, un acquis qui détonne dans la
région.

Mais si le Haut-Karabagh a gagné sa liberté, c’est toute la région qui
doit maintenant gagner la paix, c’est-à-dire transformer l’armistice
précaire qui prévaut actuellement en traité de paix et d’amitié
régionale. A cet égard, l’Organisation pour la Sécurité et la
Coopération en Europe (OSCE) a mis en place le `groupe de Minsk` que
copréside la France, aux côtés de la Russie et des Etats-Unis. C’est
pour notre pays un honneur et c’est une lourde responsabilité.

C’est un honneur car qui mieux que la France saurait promouvoir ces
valeurs de paix, de justice et de démocratie qui fondent, dans le
respect de la Charte des Nations Unies et de la Déclaration
universelle des Droits de l’Homme, le droit de tous les peuples de la
région -y compris de celui de Haut-Karabagh- à l’autodétermination ?

C’est une lourde responsabilité car nous savons qu’il n’y aura ni
stabilité, ni sécurité régionale, ni a fortiori développement
économique et humain tant que la défiance prévaudra, tant que le
dialogue ne primera pas et tant que l’exemple de la construction
démocratique opérée au Haut-Karabagh n’aura pas atteint l’ensemble des
nations voisines qui, elles-aussi, aspirent à la liberté et récusent
les discours de haine.

C’est dans l’idée de soutenir le groupe de Minsk, de relayer la voix
de la France et d’accompagner la transition démocratique de toute la
région que nous avons décidé -responsables politiques français de tous
bords- de créer un Cercle d’Amitié de la République du Haut Karabagh.
Ce Cercle se veut ouvert à toutes les bonnes volontés, c’est-à-dire à
tous les élus qui, comme nous, sont convaincus que le meilleur garant
de la justice internationale et de la sécurité régionale, c’est le
droit inaliénable des peuples à l’autodétermination.

Dans cette noble entreprise, nous ne sommes pas seuls car il y a là
comme une évidence de plus en plus partagée. La libre expression des
citoyens du Haut-Karabagh ne constitue que le dernier exemple du
mouvement d’émancipation qui a légitimement conduit à l’apparition de
plus d’une dizaine de nouveaux Etats lors de ce dernier quart de
siècle. Et la création d’un groupe d’amitié parlementaire avec le
Haut-Karabagh au Parlement lituanien, une initiative que nous saluons
chaleureusement, témoigne de la sympathie internationale que suscite
l’édification d’une nouvelle démocratie.

Nos objectifs sont clairs et transparents : nous souhaitons contribuer
à l’établissement d’une paix juste et durable dans la région. Nous
souhaitons que la région du Caucase du Sud devienne la zone d’échange
sûre, prospère et dynamique qu’elle mériterait d’être, située à la
croisée des mondes européen, russe et moyen-oriental.

Nous souhaitons rompre avec l’isolement qu’endure le peuple du
Haut-Karabagh depuis 22 ans afin de l’intégrer comme les autres
nations du Caucase du Sud dans les projets régionaux de développement.
Aussi nous sommes convaincus que la réalisation de ces objectifs passe
par le dialogue, la restauration de la confiance et la propagation des
valeurs de justice et de démocratie à l’ensemble des sociétés de la
région.

Article paru dans Le Huffingon Post du 6 Avril 2013

dimanche 7 avril 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

ARMENIE
40% de la population veut émigrer selon un sondage de Gallup

RIA Novosti : Les Arméniens sont plus disposés à s’exiler que les
habitants des autres pays membres de la Communauté des Etats
indépendants (CEI), indiquent des sondages effectués de 2010 à 2012
par l’institut Gallup World dans 12 pays de l’ex-URSS.

Selon les résultats des sondages, 40% des Arméniens ont exprimé leur
désir de quitter à jamais leur patrie.

L’Arménie arrive en première position parmi les pays de l’espace
post-soviétique pour le pourcentage d’immigrants potentiel. Elle est
suivie par la Moldavie (32%), l’Ukraine (21%), la Biélorussie (17%) et
le Kirghizstan (16%).

Les pays d’Asie centrale – le Kazakhstan (13%), le Tadjikistan (11%),
le Turkménistan (6%) et l’Ouzbékistan (5%) – arrivent en fin de liste.

Interrogés sur les motifs qui les incitent à vouloir émigrer, plus de
52% des sondés ont cité le désir d’améliorer leur niveau de vie, plus
de 13% ont déclaré vouloir assurer un meilleur avenir à leurs enfants
et 10% ont évoqué l’absence de travail.

Pour l’ensemble des pays post-soviétiques, le pourcentage moyen des
personnes désireuses d’émigrer s’élève à 15%.

Le sondage a été effectué sous la forme d’interviews auprès d’environ
41.000 personnes gées de 15 ans et plus entre 2010 et 2012, Par
comparaison, les voisins de l’Arménie, en Géorgie et en Azerbaïdjan,
étaient beaucoup moins enclins à reconnaître leur volonté de trouver
l’herbe plus verte ailleurs – à peine 14 pour cent des personnes
interrogées dans les deux pays. Les sondés dans le Caucase russe ont
exprimé le même niveau de bougeotte.

L’Arménie a longtemps en tête pour la migration de main-d’`uvre ; plus
particulièrement vers la Russie, mais aussi vers l’Europe et les
États-Unis. Après une brève reprise économique, le malaise est revenu
en 2009 avec la crise financière internationale. Malgré diverses
tentatives faites par le gouvernement pour relancer l’économie, le
chômage, selon des estimations non officielles, reste vertigineusement
élevé, à plus de 50 pour cent.

Le sondage Gallup reflète cette tendance. Cinquante-deux pour cent des
sondés interrogés citent l’amélioration du niveau de vie comme leur
principale raison de vouloir partir à l’étranger. Pour moins de 13
pour cent des personnes interrogées c’est assurer un meilleur avenir
pour leurs enfants.

L’Arménie est bien conscient de son problème de migration . Elle a
récemment réussi à pousser à la fermeture d’un programme de migration
russe qui offrait de l’argent, la citoyenneté et un hébergement à ceux
qui désiraient se déplacer pour le travail en Russie, la destination
pour la plupart des migrants arméniens.

L’assouplissement des règles européennes de visas vers l’Union
Européenne , prévu pour 2013, cependant, pourrait soulever de
nouvelles inquiétudes. Le mois dernier, l’UE a alloué 1 000 000 à
l’Arménie pour un programme de migration, qui, entre autres objectifs,
serait la « prévention de l’émigration » selon les propos du
vice-ministre du travail et des affaires sociales Araik Petrossian.

D’autres, cependant, face à la perception de la corruption endémique
dans le pays et des maigres signes de changement politique , croient
que les grandes questions doivent d’abord être réglés avant que les
Arméniens soient d’accord que, est ou ouest, la maison est le meilleur
endroit pour vivre.
Voir le lien plus bas.

dimanche 7 avril 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

Mgrdichian Foundation donates $100,000 to the Armenian EyeCare Project

Published: Saturday April 06, 2013

The Project’s Mobile EyeCare Hospital weighs 14 tons, is 48-feet long,
9-feet wide, 14-feet high and has 410 square feet with a
state-of-the-art surgical suite and two examination rooms.

NEWPORT BEACH, CALIF. – The Board of Directors of the Armenian EyeCare
Project (AECP) is proud to announce that the John and Hasmik
Mgrdichian Foundation has generously donated $100,000 to the Project’s
Initiative, “Bringing Sight to Armenian Eyes.”

We are most grateful the Foundation joins us in our mission to
eliminate preventable blindness in Armenia and for their continuing
and loyal support.

The Board of Directors is very appreciative of the foundation’s most
generous gift. Their support is testimony of their confidence in the
work of the Armenian EyeCare Project and its eye care programs, which
have treated more than 600,000 and restored the sight of 50,000
through Cataract and other surgeries.

Founded in 1992, and incorporated in 2002, the Armenian EyeCare
Project is a California Non-Profit Public Benefit Corporation. Over
the past 21 years-with programs that combat the causes of
blindness-the Project has been able to treat eye disease, restore
sight and change lives.

In 2003, the Project’s 18-Wheel Mobile Eye Hospital (MEH) traveled by
boat from Vermont, where it was constructed, to the country of Georgia
and then by truck to Yerevan. The Project’s hub of regional service
delivery, the MEH travels throughout the regions of Armenia delivering
quality eye care to children and adults living in the outlying
villages who otherwise would not have access to eye care services. The
MEH physicians and support staff have traveled to all marzes in
Armenia at least twice providing outreach and education, diagnostic
examinations, prescription eyeglasses, medical treatment and
sight-restoring surgery as charitable services at no cost to the
Armenian people-bringing the gift of sight to thousands.

The John and Hasmik Mgrdichian Foundation’s participation in the
Armenian EyeCare Project’s programs will change lives and directly
contribute to the elimination of preventable blindness in Armenia.
Their donation demonstrates their resolve to help provide eye care for
Armenians in need and their support will have a profound impact on
thousands of lives through the restoration of sight. To donate please
visit

APA, Azerbaijan
April 6 2013

Moldovan press: Ministry of Defense of Moldova is going to sell 1,500
uncontrolled missiles S-8 to Armenia

Baku. Rashad Suleymanov – APA. After General Prosecutor’s Office of
the Republic of Moldova considered `entirely legitimate’ the agreement
on arms sales signed between Armenia and Ukraine, the weapons are
waiting for their delivery, APA reports citing Omega agency.

The delivery was reportedly suspended due to the inquiry by the
parliamentary commission after media covered the arms sale: `Recently,
the agreement has been considered `legitimate’ under the decision of
the General Prosecutor’s Office and the delivery of weapons allowed.
All these will be realized after the order of Prime Minister.

According to the agreement, Ukraine must deliver 9 fighting vehicles
(FV) 9P140 equipped with 220 mm – Uragan (Hurricane) multiple rocket
launcher system, 19 units of 9T425 loader transport vehicles for this
system, 27 self-propelled launchers of anti-tank complex `Shturm-S’,
1344 S-8 KOM missiles, 219 units of 9M114 `Shturm-S’ antitank guided
missiles and 1 9V868 `Shturm’ control-screening machine to Azerbaijan
and 1500 uncontrolled missiles S-8 to Armenia.

According to the agency, criminal investigation on arms sales to
Armenia, which is in a state of war with Azerbaijan, was launched on
25 April 2012. According to the media, the Moldovan government
secretaly sold 60 tonnes of missiles to Armenia in September of 2011.
The study of Omega agency reveals that the Ministry of Defense of
Moldova sold the weapons without a tender and at a lower cost. The
parliamentary commission of inquiry also revealed a number of law
violations in relation to the agreement on arms sales and sent them to
the General Prosecutor’s Office for further investigation.

The agency noted that a year after parliamentary investigation, the
General Prosecutor’s Office dropped the case due to `lack of evidence’
without informing the Parliament.

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
April 6 2013

Agos head KoptaÅ? and writer Kıvanç investigated for insulting `Turkishness’

ISTANBUL – Radikal

The editor-in-chief of the Armenian weekly Agos, Robert KoptaÅ?, and
writer Ã`mit Kıvanç are being investigated for allegedly insulting
Turkishness during a televised program right after the verdict in the
Hrant Dink case on Jan. 17, 2012, daily Radikal reported April 6.

The Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office began the investigation a day after
citizen from Antalya identified as Aydın TaÅ?çı filed a complaint
claiming that he was bothered by both writers’ opinions, the report
said. He was invited to give a testimony in May 2012.

Dink, the renowned chief editor of Agos, was shot in front of his
office in Istanbul on Jan. 19, 2007. The triggerman, Ogün Samast, was
sentenced to 22 years in prison, but the prosecutors’ inability to
bring to the light the other actors behind the murder has caused
widespread anger. On Jan. 17, 2012, two days before the fifth
commemoration of the murder, the court ruled that it saw no `deep
state’ role in the plotting of the assassination. The ruling attracted
strong reactions, and both writers harshly criticized the verdict on
private broadcaster Habertürk.

Following a long period of gathering evidence, prosecutors summoned
both KoptaÅ? and Kıvanç to testify last week. Sources at the office
told Radikal that the investigation was in the phase of collecting
evidence and that it could be dropped after testimony from both of the
accused. However, because of a new law, prosecutors are now forced to
ask permission from the Justice Ministry before launching any
investigation into any case that falls under the purview of Article
301, which encompasses the crime of insulting `Turkishness,’ Radikal
said. The Justice Ministry has said there has not been any application
to obtain permission in the case of KoptaÅ? and Kıvanç.

`Obviously an Armenian’

TaÅ?çı referred in his complaint to KoptaÅ? as `obviously an Armenian,’
Radikal reported. `I wanted to notify that as a Turkish citizen, I do
not accept them saying that the Turkish state is a murderer, that it
continues its murders, as well as the objectionable words they have
used about the judicial process,’ TaÅ?çı wrote.

KoptaÅ? and Kıvanç’s lawyer said the complaint should not have been
taken into consideration. `The responsibility of public servants in
the murder of Hrant Dink was determined in a decision by the European
Court of Human Rights. Even the prosecutors [of the Dink case] said
the investigation had not been effective enough. This was the opinions
expressed by KoptaÅ? and Kıvanç.’

April/06/2013

Russian Embassy in Baku is waiting for clarification from Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan’s on deportation of Russian

17:30 06/04/2013 » REGION

Russian embassy in Baku commented on the information that appeared in
the media about the fact that the embassy has sent a protest note to
the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, in connection with the incident that
took place in Baku with a journalist of “Nezavisimaya Gazeta” Milrad
Fatullayev, the Azerbaijani news agency “Trend” reports.

As press attaché of the Russian Embassy Alina Zolotarev told the
agency, Embassy of Russia had really sent a note to the Foreign
Ministry of Azerbaijan to help clarify the reasons of the fact that
the citizen of Russian Federation Milrad Fatullaev, who possessed
valid documents for entering the territory of Azerbaijan was not
allowed to get such entry, and was deported to Russia.

According to her, the Embassy of Russia in Azerbaijan expects a rapid
response of the Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan to the note. At the same
embassy employee noted that the word “protest” was not mentioned in
the note.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich also told the
Azerbaijani news agency “APA” that the Russian embassy in Baku asked
the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry to clarify the incident, but it was
not a note of protest.

According to the “Trend” agency, earlier the media reported that the
Russian Embassy in Baku, had sent a note of protest to Azerbaijani
Foreign Ministry in connection with the incident that occurred to
Milrad Fatullayev at the Airport of Heydar Aliyev.
According to the agency, a columnist of “Nezavisimaya Gazeta”
Fatullayev was arrested at the Airport of Heydar Aliyev in Baku, and
then was deported from the country.

According to Milrad Fatullaev the cause of his deportation from
Azerbaijan served his visits to Armenia, articles of Levon
Melik-Shahnazaryan which were published in the newspaper “Real Time”
headed by Fatullayev , as well as his Lezgin origin. “The third reason
is my nationality. I am a Lezgin. Lezgins in Azerbaijan are
discriminated minority, which are subject by the official Baku to
violent Turkisation “, said the journalist.

Source: Panorama.am

Road map already designed for Carrefour’s entry into Armenia –
security council head

April 06, 2013 | 13:20

YEREVAN. – The French well-known Carrefour hypermarket chain
definitely must enter Armenia’s market, and this has two important
meanings. Coalition government’s junior partner, Orinats Yerkir (Rule
of Law) Party (RLP) Chairman, and National Security Council Secretary
Arthur Baghdasaryan noted this during a press conference on Saturday.

`Our product sellers can sell their goods in one of the largest chains
and go out to international markets. In addition, Carrefour’s entry
into Armenia means economic liberalization, the weakening of the
competitive positions of the [business] subjects that have a
monopolistic position, and the free competition in Armenia’s market. A
[respective] road map already exists, and I hope Carrefour will enter
Armenia’s market this year,’ Baghdasaryan said.

He also noted that he has a negative outlook on the bankruptcy of
Armavia Airline Company – which is Armenia’s national carrier – , and
believes that, by observing the mistakes of the past, the country will
have a developed aviation in the future. According to Baghdasaryan, in
the aviation sector Armenia can be ranked among the developed
countries.

`Armenia needs to pass to the `open skies’ policy, [but] at the same
time, not rule out the circumstance of having a national carrier. We
must be able to bring major airline carriers to Armenia, enabling our
air space to be liberalized,’ he noted.

To the query as to whether it is already known which positions will be
given to RLP in the new Government, the party chairman responded as
follows:

`The presidential elections do not envision a redistribution of new
positions because the [ruling] political coalition was formed after
the parliamentary elections.’

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

Diarbekir Kurdish city delegation in Armenia

12:45, 6 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 6, ARMENPRESS: The Yerevan Deputy Mayor Kamo Areyan
received the delegation, headed by the Deputy Mayor of the Kurdish
city of Diarbekir of Turkey Hafize Ipek. As Armenpress was informed by
the Information and PR Department of the Yerevan Municipality,
welcoming the guests on behalf of the Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan,
Kamo Areyan stated that all the necessary conditions had been created
for the national minorities living in Yerevan to live a normal life,
including the Kurdish community as well and they regularly stand for
cultural and other initiatives.

Expressing his gratitude for the warm reception, the Deputy Mayor of
Diarbekir Hafize Ipek mentioned that the Kurdish community, making the
major part of the population in Diarbekir, has always been in good
relations with the local Armenians, adding that the Armenians had
played quite an active role in the political and economic life of
Diarbekir.

`We have always treated Armenians as a friendly nation and we are
certain that our relations could have good prospects in the future’, –
said Hafize Ipek.

David Babayan offers to include water resources in Armenian state symbols

12:13, 6 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 6, ARMENPRESS: It is necessary to include water
resources on the state symbols of the Republic of Armenia and the
Republic of Artsakh. This was stated to Armenpress by the Spokesperson
of the President of Artsakh David Babayan. `On the flags of Armenia
and Artsakh we have the blue color, but, unfortunately, we do not have
our water resources depicted there. Under the explanation of the blue
color it is written `the aspiration of the Armenian people to live
under the peaceful sky’. I think that it would be much better to add a
comma and after the peaceful sky to write some information about the
water resources of the Armenian people as well’, – said Babayan.

The flag of the Republic of Armenia is one of the Armenian state
symbols. It is tricolored with equal horizontal red, blue and orange
layers. The red color symbolizes the Armenian Plateau, the Armenian
people’s continued struggle for survival, the Christian faith,
Armenia’s independence and freedom. The blue color symbolizes the will
of the Armenians to live under the peaceful sky. The orange shows the
creative talent and diligence of Armenians.

Another symbol of the Republic of Armenia is the Coat of Arms, in the
center of which the Ararat Mountain with the Noah’s Arc and symbols of
the four historical Armenia’s kingdoms of Bagratuni, Arshakuni,
Artashisyan and Rubinyan are depicted on the shield. The shield is
kept by an eagle and a lion and depicts as well a sword, a branch,
ears of wheat, a chain and a ribbon.