Author: Kanayan Tamar

PAS DE DEFICIT DE POMMES DE TERRE EN ARMENIE EN 2013

Le Ministère de l’Agriculture d’Armenie ne prevoit pas de deficit de
pommes de terre cette annee a indique le vice-ministre de l’Agriculture
Garnik Petrosyan.

Le production de pommes de terre a vraiment ete endommagee dans les
villages de Masis et Etchmiadzine (region de l’Ararat et d’Armavir)
par la teigne de la pomme de pommes de terre l’annee dernière. Par
consequent, les agriculteurs sont reticents a planter des pommes de
terre cette annee dans ces regions.

” Nous avons organise un certain nombre de reunions avec les
agriculteurs et fait appel a eux pour ne pas arreter les plants
de pommes de terre semis, car c’est très important pour le secteur
agricole de notre republique. Nous pouvons maintenant enoncer que la
production de pommes de terre dans ces regions sera suffisante pour
satisfaire les besoins des residents de toutes les autres regions “,
a declare Garnik Petrossian.

Il a egalement ajoute que dans le cas où les agriculteurs reduisaient
les plants de pommes de terre, l’Armenie pourrait faire face a un
grave deficit du ” deuxième pain ” en ete.

Selon le Service national de la statistique de l’Armenie, la production
de pommes de terre en 2012 s’elève a 645 700 tonnes contre 557 800
tonnes en 2011.

vendredi 29 mars 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

LES GROUPES MINORITAIRES REJETTENT LA RESOLUTION DU PARTI AU POUVOIR

Les quatre groupes minoritaires du Parlement armenien ont sabote une
session extraordinaire demandee par le parti au pouvoir qui avait
pour objet d’adopter une resolution appelant au calme et au dialogue
politique a la suite de l’election presidentielle contestee.

Le Parti republicain d’Armenie (HHK) dont le chef Serge Sarkissian a
ete officiellement reelu a la presidence le 18 fevrier a redige une
declaration exhortant tous les partis politiques et les groupes de
la societe civile en Armenie a travailler au dialogue pour desamorcer
les tensions actuelles.

Le document mentionne egalement la possibilite de ” discussions
constructives ” sur les reformes constitutionnelles et les moyens
d’ameliorer le système electoral – deux des nombreuses demandes
de Raffi Hovannisian qui continue sa grève de la faim square de la
liberte. Il avait lance recemment une dernière offre au president dans
laquelle il demandait une reforme en profondeur de la loi electorale,
des legislatives anticipees avant la fin de l’annee et un certain
nombre de postes cles.

L’initiative du HHK visait a obtenir le soutien de tous les groupes
autour de cette declaration. Il ont refuse d’y souscrire au motif
qu’elle restait dans un cadre trop general et ne proposait pas de
solutions specifiques.

“Le texte propose par la majorite est inacceptable pour nous. Il
s’agit d’une declaration de principes plutôt que d’une feuille de
route sur la manière dont le Parlement devrait agir pour remedier a
cette situation et resoudre ce problème majeur que connaît le pays,
” a explique Naira Zohrabian, le secretaire d’Armenie prospère a RFE /
RL (Azatutyun.am).

Zohrabian estime que la proposition de resolution du HHK a egalement
omis de tenir compte de la demande concernant la transition vers un
système entièrement proportionnel de la representation parlementaire.

Les suggestions des deux groupes minoritaires, de la FRA et d’Heritage,
n’ont pas ete pris en compte non plus. Les deux partis avaient appele
a une reforme electorale majeure ainsi que l’attribution a l’opposition
d’un rôle au sein des organes de surveillance.

Hakobian a ridiculise la position du HHK, selon laquelle une session
extraordinaire du Parlement sur la situation post-electorale ne
pourrait etre appelee que si toutes les factions acceptaient de
soutenir le texte d’une declaration donnee.

“Cela n’a rien a voir avec le parlementarisme “, a-t-il dit. “Et
cette declaration qu’ils ont proposee est juste vide de contenu. ”

Le Congrès National Armenien s’est egalement positionne contre le
projet. Il exige que les seances parlementaires se tiennent sur la
question du ” retablissement de l’ordre constitutionnel ” en Armenie
par le biais de la tenue des elections presidentielles anticipees
et parlementaires.

Le groupe majoritaire du HHK a pour sa part fait valoir que les partis
minoritaires ont des divergences sur la declaration non seulement
avec le parti au pouvoir, mais aussi entre eux. Il a reconnu que
de telles differences remettaient en question la perspective d’une
approche commune sur la situation post-electorale et donc d’une
session parlementaire consacree a cette question.

vendredi 29 mars 2013, Ara ©armenews.com

WE HOLD THE KEY TO THE FUTURE

Thursday, March 28th, 2013

Glendale Votes 2013

BY BERDJ KARAPETIAN

In February 2013, Mr. Armond Aghakhanian came 105 votes short of
getting into the run-off elections for Burbank City School District.

In March 2013, Mr. Sam Kbushyan came in 3rd place and did not advance
to the run-off elections to represent parts of ~SLittle Armenia~T
and surrounding areas of the 13th District of Los Angeles City.

Both candidates worked diligently to secure the votes of Armenian
and non-Armenian voters. The Armenian votes alone could have made
a difference in both elections. While the percentage of Armenian
voters casting a vote was well above that of others, less than 40%
of the Armenian registered voters cast a vote. It is very likely that
both gentlemen could have advanced to the run-off elections if more
than 50% of the Armenian voters had voted.

What will happen in Glendale? Will more than 50% of the registered
Armenian-American voters cast a vote?

If they do, the City of Glendale and its Armenian residents will win.

The data provided by the City~Rs Election Center shows that
approximately 50% of the vote by mail (VBM) ballots received by March
22 were cast by citizens with Armenian names.

This is encouraging, but not sufficient to conclude that 50% of the
votes will be cast by citizens of Armenian descent. In the past few
elections, we have seen the number of Armenians who vote on election
day to be very low. Less than 40% of the people who voted at the
polling location in the 2009 and 2011 city elections had Armenian
names. We can shape the future by voting on April 2 and getting our
relatives and friends to vote. This Easter Day will provide all of
us an excellent opportunity to remind our family and friends to vote
on April 2.

The Armenian National Committee of America-Glendale (ANCA-Glendale)
has partnered with Asbarez Daily, Shant/ARTN TV, Horizon Armenian
TV, High Vision TV, AABC TV, AMGA, USArmenia TV and other Armenian
newspapers and television content providers to increase awareness about
the elections and encourage voters to cast a vote on election day.
Starting noon on April 2, Armenian TV channels will provide live
up-dates and information on where to vote and how to get rides to
the voting locations.

The ANCA-Glendale has urged Armenian employers to provide time-off
to employees to cast a vote on election day.

The ANCA-Glendale has recruited local transportation providers and
dozens of volunteers to provide rides to individuals who will need
assistance with going to the voting locations.

The ANCA-Glendale has encouraged Armenian businesses and establishments
to display the ANCA-Glendale poster publicizing its recommended list
of candidates.

Glendale~Rs City Clerk will have workers at each voting location who
speak Armenian to assist people who are not fluent in English.

More than 100 volunteers will canvass neighborhoods throughout
Glendale on election day to remind and encourage people to vote.
You can volunteer and help others vote. Send us an e-mail at
[email protected] or call us at 818/234-3444 to volunteer.

Will Mr. Ardashes ~SArdy~T Kassakhian get re-elected as City
Clerk? Will Mr. Rafi Manoukian become the City~Rs Treasurer? Will Ara
Najarian, Zareh Sinanyan, and Chahe Keuroghelian be elected to the
City Council? Will Jennifer Freemon, Greg Krikorian, and Dr. Armina
Gharpetian be elected to the GUSD School Board? Will measures A, B,
and C be defeated?

Your actions will determine the answer to these questions.

Berdj Karapetian is the chairman of the Armenian National Committee
of America-Glendale.

SAAKASHVILI: OPENING RAILWAY VIA ABKHAZIA WILL BE A BLOW TO INTERESTS OF AZERBAIJAN AND GEORGIA

Azer News, Azerbaijan
March 27, 2013 Wednesday

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili is against opening of the
Abkhazian section of the Georgian railway. As he stated during the
Open Air program on Imedi TV, “the opening of the railway would be
such a blow to the interests of Georgia and Azerbaijan, that it is
not even possible to speak about it”.

“The opening of the railway through Abkhazia is against Georgian
interests,” he said.

Saakashvili recalled that the tanks located now in the west of Georgia,
entered the country through this railway section.

In addition, according to the president, opening of the railway would
involve Azerbaijan in the matter, which is something Georgia can not
allow. At the same time, he said Georgia wants to have good relations
with Armenia as well.

“In order to diversify transport routes to Armenia, we opened the
highway through Lars, and worked on construction of the new city
and the port of Lazika, which would triple transportation traffic,
including for Armenia,” Saakashvili said.

He also said he intends to attend the inauguration of the President
of Armenia.

MURDER OF AN ARMENIAN TURKISH SOLDIER ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
March 28 2013

On March 26 the Diyarbakır Military Court delivered its judgment on
the killing of Armenian Turkish soldier Sevag Balıkcı and gave the
suspect, Kıvanc Agaoglu, a sentence of four years, five months for
committing murder by “conscious negligence.” This means that the court
came to the conclusion that the murder was not committed on purpose.

There are so many elements in this “consciously neglected” murder that
would make any reasonable observer quite suspicious as to whether or
not there was really no “intention” on the part of the suspect.

I am just writing down some simple facts about the case:

1-The murder took place on April 24, 2011, namely on the day that marks
the beginning of a long chain of Armenian massacres in 1915 in Turkey.

2-The victim is a Turkish citizen of Armenian descent. Everyone
in his battalion had known that he was an Armenian since this was
unmistakably obvious with his Armenian name, Sevag.

3-The murderer is a Turkish ultranationalist who was doing his
mandatory military service like conscripted private Balıkcı himself.

According to court file documents his Facebook profile showed that he
was a Grand Unity Party (BBP) sympathizer. As you probably may know,
Hrant Dink’s murderer was also connected to this party’s youth group.

4-The murder was committed with a G3 rifle. There is no dispute that
Agaoglu pointed his rifle at Sevag. He says this was a joke and what
happened after was on accident. You have to switch off this rifle’s
safety lock and pull the trigger in order to fire it. Even if he
pointed his gun as a joke, how did the rest transpire?

5-All the witnesses to the incident were conscripted privates like
Balıkcı and his murderer. There is evidence showing that all
witnesses were summoned by some high-ranking military personnel and
that they were said to have given their testimonies carefully since
their statements could put their friend in a difficult position, giving
the “wrong” impression that Balıkcı was killed on purpose. Again
we understood from the court file that all witnesses were contacted
by the family members of the murderer for the same purpose, namely
to encourage them to give “factual” testimony.

The court’s conclusion may be true for technical legal reasons. If
you do not have proof that shows the intent of the murderer beyond
a reasonable doubt, you cannot say that it was an intentional murder.

The witnesses’ testimonies, which were given under circumstances
that I tried to describe briefly above, do not prove that the murder
was intentional.

However, in our hearts, given all these elements I mentioned above,
this is just another murder that was committed out of hatred. The
history of this country, all this amnesia and denial, all this
institutional racism and all this hatred out there create a kind of
unfortunate presumption of “intent” whenever an Armenian is killed
under any suspicious circumstances. I wish I were able to believe that
this murder was committed through negligence. But all I believe is
this: Unless Turkey fully confronts its past, we may witness so many
other “negligently” killed Armenians in Turkey. After all, isn’t it the
official narrative that hundreds of thousands of Armenians died in 1915
because of “unfavorable” conditions that they were “unintentionally”
exposed to? The killings happened accidently by negligence, and we
do not remember anything about how these things happened!

LIVERPOOL TO MAKE EURO 12 MILLION SWOOP FOR SHAKHTAR DONETSK STAR?

MIUSoccer, UK
March 28 2013

There has been some rumours emerge on the TalkSport website which
have claimed Liverpool will make a move to try and prise Shakhtar
Donetsk Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the summer transfer window.

Brendan Rodgers enjoyed a decent winter window with the acquisitions
of Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge and he is eager to build
on that this time around.

He has earmarked Mkhitaryan and the indication is that Shakhtar are
willing to sell.

The Armenia international has played for his current club since
2010 but is keen on a new challenge. Indeed, only recently did the
24-year-old go public on his future. (TalkSport)

The attacker is ready for the step up to one of Europes biggest clubs
and Liverpool would be getting a great player for a good price.

.

ARMENIA AND POLAND TO FORM JOINT DEFENSE ENTERPRISE

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
March 28 2013

Secretary of the Armenian National Security Council Artur Bagdasaryan
has discussed economic and defense cooperation with co-chair of the
bilateral intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation Tomash
Miskevic in Poland, News Armenia reports.

An agreement on formation of a joint venture of Lyubava and
Charentsavansky Machine Tool Plant was signed during the talks.

Bagdasaryan emphasized the need for further military cooperation with
head of the Bureau for National Security of Poland Stanislav Kozei.

The sides discussed regional and international security and support of
Armenia in European integration and cooperation within the framework
of the Eastern Partnership.

ARMENIAN SHORT-TERM CREDIT RISK EASES SOMEWHAT IN IHS GLOBAL INSIGHT’S LATEST SOVEREIGN REVIEW

Global Insight
March 27, 2013

by: Venla Sipila

IHS Global Insight has upgraded Armenia’s short-term sovereign rating
by one notch to 20 (A on the generic scale) in its first-quarter 2013
review. The improvement mainly reflects eased pressure on external
balances from interest payments, while the overall external position
has somewhat strengthened. Before this, the rating had been lowered
by 15 points a year previously, reflecting Armenia’s narrowing
current-account deficit and strong inflows of foreign direct
investment, which helps finance the country’s remaining external
shortfall. Meanwhile, the medium-term rating still signals a very
high payments risk; it was maintained at 60 (equivalent to B- on the
generic rating scale), with a Stable outlook.

Significance:Armenia’s short-term sovereign credit now is categorised
as “good quality”. However, the interest payment metric only just
crossed to the non-scoring category, and while we expect some
further strengthening in this measure in our baseline scenario,
financial pressures from this source may arise again, especially
if overall exchange-rate earnings prove weaker than expected. The
Armenian economy and its external balances remain very dependent on
private capital inflows such as workers’ remittances, and these remain
under risk given the uncertainty in the overall economic environment,
especially taking into account the persistent European credit crisis.

Meanwhile, debt servicing requirements still act as a component on
the medium-term sovereign credit profile, although the risks from
these should remain manageable, assuming that the current account
continues to stabilise, and Armenia’s relationship with international
financial institutions remains good.

PRESS RELEASE
RAFFI HOVANNISIAN HEADQUARTERS
31 Moscovian Street
Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 53.69.13
Fax: (+374 – 10) 53.26.97
Email: [email protected]
Website:

29 March 2013

`We shall celebrate our Resurrection’

Raffi Hovannisian to end hunger strike on Easter

Yerevan – Presiding over a massive demonstration of solidarity, with
tens of thousands of citizens cheering on their true president at
Liberty Square, Raffi K. Hovannisian announced today that he would end
his 22-day hunger strike on Easter, and immediately commence a
regional victory tour in anticipation of the inauguration, on April 9,
of a New Armenia.

`Our self-purification is complete,’ Hovannisian told the electric
crowd. `We have cleansed ourselves of the fear and cowardice in each
and every one of us. Now a new stage – and the final stage – of our
struggle must begin. We shall struggle with principle, with courage,
and with the invincible conviction that we are the true masters of our
homeland. And on April 9 we shall change our destiny forever. We shall
have our resurrection.’

Hovannisian and his supporters will mark the conclusion of this stage
of the Barevolution by taking part, tomorrow at 6pm, in a
concert-on-the-square featuring the Armenian folk-rock band Bambir and
the popular singer Lilit Pipoyan.

On Sunday, March 31, after making a brief public statement at 10am,
Hovannisian will leave Liberty Square to attend church services and
spend Easter with his family.

The following day, Monday, April 1, Hovannisian will launch a four-day
regional tour, for what he called a `national enlistment campaign,’
during which he will recruit a citizens’ army for the liberation of
the New Armenia.

As always the tour will culminate at Liberty Square, with a major
rally scheduled for 6pm on Friday, April 5. That is when Hovannisian
will discuss key organizational issues concerning the highly
anticipated ceremonies of April 9, when Armenia’s citizens will rise
to make history.

Raffi Hovannisian’s Schedule

REGIONAL VICTORY TOUR

April 1, 2013 – Kapan 10:00; Goris 12:00; Sisian 13:30; Eghegnadzor
15:30; Ararat 17:00; Goravan 17:45; Artashat 18:00

April 2, 2013 – Yeghvard 9:30; Udjan 10:30; Talin 11:00; Artik 13:00;
Gyumri 14:00; Armavir 17:00; Etchmiadzin 18:00

April 3, 2013 – Abovyan 9:30; Nor Hachn 10:30; Martuni 12:30; Sevan
14:00; Ijevan 16:00; Berd 18:00

April 4, 2013 – Noyemberyan 10:00; Alaverdi 11:30; Vanadzor 13:00;
Spitak 14:30; Aparan 15:30; Ashtarak 17:00

ORGANIZATIONAL RALLY – LIBERTY SQUARE
April 5, 2013 – 6pm

INAUGURATION OF THE NEW ARMENIA – FROM LIBERTY SQUARE
April 9, 2013 – from 11am

Raffi Hovannisian Headquarters

ARMENIA TO APPLY FOR BEING ONE OF EURO-2020 HOSTS

YEREVAN, March 29. /ARKA/. Armenia is planning to make an application
for hosting the 2020 European football championship and, hence,
to reconstruct Hrazdan stadium, president of Armenia’s football
federation Ruben Hayrapetyan said, as quoted by Novosti-Armenia agency.

“The president assigned a task to us – to reconstruct the Hrazdan
stadium within the next 5 years so that it is one of the best stadiums
in Europe”, Hayrapetyan told a press conference Friday.

UEFA executive committee made a decision on January 25 that 13 cities
across Europe will host EURO-2020 finals.

Hayrapetyan also said that from now on most critical and interesting
matches will be held at Hrazdan stadium to avoid ticket shortage
problems.

“When some 10,000 people come to the Republican stadium, the stadium is
full, whereas Hrazdan looks empty even with 30,000 fans”, Hayrapetyan
said.

Hrazdan stadium of Yerevan holding about 55,000 seats is the biggest
one in Armenia. -0–