Author: Kanayan Tamar

CHARLES AZNAVOUR: IT IS NECESSARY FOR ARMENIANS NOT TO YIELD TO ‘ROBBERS’ THAT MAKE THEM SELL EVERYTHING THEY HAVE FOR A PENNY AND WORK LIKE SLAVES

ARMINFO
Monday, March 25, 15:35

“I dream of visiting Turkey, and I have never said anything bad about
that country. However, my brother and system don’t recommend me to
visit Turkey as I speak of Genocide and they think the trip may kill
me,” world renowned French chanson singer, Armenian Ambassador to
Switzerland Charles Aznavour said in an interview with La Liberte.

“My Turkish fiends have been inviting me to Turkey for many times to
perform there. If Turkey agrees to reopen the border with Armenia,
I will visit Turkey even if the Genocide issue is not settled. Opening
of the border will settle many problems,” Aznavour said. He said that
he had been only in Istanbul once at the beginning of his career when
nobody knew he is an Armenian.

As for the situation in Armenia, Aznavour said that it is not so good.

To improve the situation in the country, the Armenian-Turkish border
should be opened.

“It is also necessary for Armenians not to yield to the ‘robbers’ that
make them sell everything they have for a penny and work like slaves.

Armenia is a cultural country, which is little known, unfortunately.

It is open for tourists and I call on the Swiss to visit Armenia. They
will enjoy warm reception and delicious cuisine.

Cuisine is part of the Armenian culture. Even if we have nothing,
our tables are always full,” he said.

Gustavo on The Tom Leykis Show THIS WEDNESDAY for Monthly ¡Ask a Mexican! Hour!

OC Weekly (Orange County, California)
Mon., Mar. 25 2013

By Gustavo Arellano

If it’s the last Wednesday of the month, it means that it’s time for
me to trek up to Burbank and spend the afternoon with Tom
Leykis. Lemme explain how it goes, as it’s now part of the show’s
tradition. The first hour (starting at 3 p.m. PST) is devoted to Tom
and I shooting the shit, on conversations that can go ANYWHERE. Last
time, for instance, we ended up talking about KPCC-FM 89.3 and its
recent personnel struggle, with Tom teaching me a radio joke that was
HILARIOUS!

Hour Two is the ¡Ask a Mexican! hour, where I people’s questions on
Mexicans LIVE. And Hour Three? Even better.
If you haven’t tuned in to Leykis yet (and why haven’t you?), the last
hour of every Wednesday (5 p.m.) is called “Be Funny,” and is devoted
to listeners calling in with the task of being funny. People tell
jokes, do song parodies, imitations, go on rants–EVERYTHING. This is
the last bastion of ethnic humor in Southern California, and people
will imitate everybody from Armenians to Cousin Brucie, cover “Shine
On You Crazy Diamond” to “My Cherie Amour” in Spanish–truly, a
fabulous hour.

And did I mention that during the entirety of the hour, Tom and I
drink mucho ON Tequila? I just did!

So the particulars, again: at 3pm PST this Wednesday. Tune in at
blowmeuptom.com–see you there!

Follow OC Weekly on Twitter @ocweekly or on Facebook!

ZOLYAN SUMMONED TO NATIONAL SECURITY SERVICE

ARMINFO
Tuesday, March 26, 17:01

Souren Zolyan, the former Rector of the Yerevan State Lingusitic
University named after V.Brusov, has been summoned to the National
Security Service (NSS).

The newspaper “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun” (The Fourth Power) says that
the NSS is interested in the University’s state purchases during
Zolyan’s term in office. The thing is that Zolyan bought his sister’s
drawings at a very high price with the budget funds and then hung
them at the University. Zolyan, in turn, told journalists that he
really visited the National Security Service and added that no case
has been instituted yet.

To recall, on April 17 Armenian Minister of Education and Science
Armen Ashotyan decreed terminating the 17 March 2008 labor contract
with Souren Zolyan.

RUBEN HAKOBYAN REPLIED TO ANC FRIENDS

03:45 PM | TODAY | POLITICS

Today some heads of bodyguards have more privileges than the prime
minister. Today such a statement was made by NA “Heritage” faction
leader Ruben Hakobyan during a meeting with journalists.

“Many people ask us, why we do not demand the resignation of the Prime
Minister, when we complain about the economy, emigration, election
fraud, etc. But today in our political reality the prime minister
has less authority than any minister or the chief of bodyguards of
any oligarch may have”,- Ruben Hakobyan said.

He said that the main and the most important claim should be to require
reviewing the results of rigged elections, which will be followed by
the claims of self-resignation of the president, the prime minister,
minister of justice, police and of other officials.

Ruben Hakobyan also drew the attention of the authorities on the
incident that took place on March 23 in Freedom, when an unknown
person tried to reach the platform and hurt Raffi Hovannisian. “At that
time, he passed through the police, who instead of taking preventive
measures cursed and pushed people. If there were not people next
to Raffi Hovannisian, it could have tragic consequences. I call on
the authorities to refrain from using criminal elements for solving
political issues”.

Ruben Hakobyan’s feels pity that some of the representatives of the
oppositional ANC’s faction give assessments typical to HHK members.

“In this faction we have very good friends and we are ready to
cooperate with HAK in the municipal elections, but it is important
that they would not come together with the authoritie to stop the
movement and Raffi Hovannisian” .

THE MEDIATORS HAVE PROPOSALS ON THE STEPANAKERT AIRPORT

Friday, 22 March 2013 12:09

Assures OSCE Minsk Group Chairman from France Jacques Faure The regular
visit of OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs Igor Popov (Moscow), Jacques Faure
(France) and Ian Kelly (USA) to the region began on March 19. They
held the first meeting with NKR President Bako Sahakyan. The meeting
was followed by a briefing with journalists.

Russian co-chair Igor Popov informed that they had discussed the
issues related to the Karabakh settlement with the NKR President,
in particular, the last meeting of the RA and Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministers in Paris. It was stressed at the meeting The necessity
of creating an atmosphere of mutual confidence between the parties
and maintaining the cease-fire during the coming Novruz and Easter
holidays in the conflicting countries was stressed during the meeting.

Igor Popov also noted that according to the earlier arranged schedule,
the co-chairs would leave for Yerevan on March 20, where they would
meet with RA President Serzh Sargsyan and Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian. The mediators then will leave for their countries, but
their regional visit will not finish with this â~@~S they will arrive
in Azerbaijan in early April, after the Novruz holidays. After meeting
with all the conflicting parties, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs,
according to the tradition, will issue their statement.

We addressed our first question to co-chairman Ian Kelly â~@~S
â~@~What concrete measures are taken by the co-chairing states for
resuming the operation of the Stepanakert airport? In this case, it
is the right of the NKR citizens to free movementâ~@~]. In response,
Ian Kelly said that it was his first visit to Stepanakert and he was
happy to present his state in this important team. He said the goal was
to promote the peace process, and so it was important for him to listen
to the opinion of the NKR leadership on how they can be helpful in this
issue, and in Yerevan he was going to discuss a few issues. Surely,
the goal is to be helpful. The American co-chairâ~@~Ys remarks were
continued by his French counterpart, who stressed that the issue of
the Stepanakert airport was really disturbing. He noted that in Paris,
at the meetings with the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan,
this issue was permanently discussed. According to Mr. Faure, the
process is ongoing and it is too early to talk about any specific
details. â~@~And do you have any concrete proposals that are to be
submitted to the parties?â~@~] The French diplomat gave a clear answer
to this question, â~@~Yesâ~@~], adding that the proposals will be
presented to the parties in the nearest future. He noted that the
foreign ministers would continue to work in that direction.

In their speech, the co-speech regularly stress that steps are taken
towards the establishment of an atmosphere of mutual confidence. What
is the reaction of Azerbaijan to the suggestion of the Karabakh party
that days of silence between the conflicting parties are declared at
least on the holidays? Answering the question, the Russian co-chairman
noted that as for the proposal to strengthen the cease-fire regime
on some holidays, it had been discussed with the NKR President in
Karabakh, would be discussed at the meeting with the RA President
in Yerevan, and with Azerbaijani President Aliyev during their visit
to Baku in early April. According to Igor Popov, the results will be
reflected in the co-chairsâ~@~Y statement.

A question was asked also to Personal Representative of the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk, who is involved in the issues
of monitoring the contact-line between the NKR and Azerbaijani
armed forces. Can the Personal Representative note any cases of the
ceasefire violation along the line of contact, when the mediators
identified and pointed to the guilty? Kasprzyk doesnâ~@~Yt remember
such a case. â~@~I have the mandate of monitoring the line of contact
between the conflicting partiesâ~@~Y armed forces and not that of
conducting investigation of incidentsâ~@~], he stated.

Õ~Y Ruzan Ishkhanian

NO ACCIDENTS RECORDED DURING OSCE MONITORING OF ARMENIAN-AZERI BORDER

14:04, 26 March, 2013

YEREVAN, MARCH 26, ARMENPRESS. The OSCE conducted monitoring of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani border on March 26. The Press Spokesman of the
Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia Artsrun Hovhannisyan
stated this in a conversation with “Armenpress”. The OSCE mission
conducted monitoring in the direction of Aygepar village of the
Tavush region in Armenia and Alibeyli village of the Tovuz region
in Azerbaijan.

>From the Armenian side the monitoring was conducted by the
field assistants of the Personal Representatives of the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office Yevgeni Sharov and Jonathan Ferraby. From
the Azerbaijani side the Personal Representatives of the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office Chisto Christov and William Prior conducted the
monitoring. No ceasefire regime violations have been recorded during
the monitoring.

SCULPTOR VIGEN AVETIS: “IN LIBERTY SQUARE I SAW THAT HAYK HAS AGAIN DEFEATED BEL”
Anush Kocharyan

18:31, March 25, 2013

Vigen Avetis, the famous sculptor, left Armenia twenty years ago. He
now lives and works in Italy.

Now he is back in Armenia for a brief visit.

Last November I spoke with Vigen and he expressed the following
concerns about life in Armenia.

“My thoughts, spirit and heart are in the homeland. My friends and
relatives live badly. There is great lawlessness and exploitation.

Salaries are so low that people can’t pay their utility bills or
wedding and funeral expenses.”

“The government has been taken over by a bunch of ignorant and criminal
types. Even some MPs are criminals with nicknames. The presidential
candidates are seen in terms of bad or worse. People are thus forced
to leave their family homes and emigrate. Young Armenian men become
laborers in some far off comer of Russia. Armenian women are marrying
non-Armenians. The situation is terrible…I also blame myself for
leaving the homeland. If there is no Armenia, what good are the songs
of Charles Aznavour?”

Was your current visit to Armenia planned? It’s not connected to any
cultural or other event. Why did you decide to come now, during this
time post-election period of intensified politics?

I believe that we do not always decide where to be at any given point.

I you remember the incident when the trolleybus plunged into Lake
Yerevan, the swimmer Shavarsh Karapetyan happened to be walking by.

Luckily he pulled many to safety.

Man is a source of energy. The heavenly forces follow happenings
on earth through our eyes and participate, using all our powers of
contact – thought, speech and action.

The reason for my being here, if I explain it in a conceptual way, were
my works here in Armenia, but the motivating force was a mystical one.

It appears to us that our movements and steps are very personal. We
don’t take into account the creative force of gravity, the push
and pull, the destructive clash and the patience of novelty. It
is necessary to understand that we are participants in the daily
perfection of heaven and earth.

In any case, your visit has coincided with renewed activism in the
civic and political arenas her in Armenia. You went to Liberty Square.

How would you evaluate political developments in Armenia?

They are quite wonderful developments. They are moments that adorn
and enrich one’s life. Without miracles, living becomes quite mundane.

The intensification of energy in Armenia was so great that it not
only pulled me and Vardan Petrosyan but, I am convinced, it also
attracted the attention of all our saints.

All the healthy forces, both earthly and heavenly, are now in Armenia.

This is not merely a political development. Man has been brought back
to life and it is impossible to stop him. Humanity, with an invitation
from Armenians, entered a new century. Hayk yet again defeated Bel.

This is what I saw in Liberty Square, which should now be renamed
the square of human liberty.

You mean this is first a civic movement leading to changes in the
political sphere?

This is something bigger than the concept of victory. This is a
display of the adulation of man and the weakness of evil.

In your view, where will this process lead?

The importance of the appearance alone is so grand that predictions
are worthless. It would be like asking an expectant mother what the
baby’s profession will be.

Raffi Hovannisian declared his final offer of proposals to Sargsyan,
a sort of power-sharing compromise if you will. What are your thoughts?

Raffi Hovannisian is the people’s choice and the light of God now
directs him. He is now bearing a very heavy cross of responsibility.

There is emptiness on the other side, a sewer clogged up with money.

I’ll leave the technical aspects of resolving the issue to the experts.

You will soon be returning to Italy. Do you plan to visit Armenia in
the near future?

I am living and God only knows how much time I have left. I strive
to be sincere with myself and with that grace that I have been
bestowed with,

What is important is not to waste but not to conserve at the same time.

My heart feels the call of Armenia and I am a friend of the heart
and I will not let it grow sad. The day will come and the good with it.

It is not the time to grow weak or fall prey to emotions. I continue
to be an obedient soldier.

“CARREFOUR” TO BREAK SMALL BUSINESS BACK

2013-03-26 12:59:18

It has been a long time since Armenia’s biggest entrepreneurs are
“shocked” by constantly changing news whether “Carrefour” supermarket
chain comes to Armenia or not.

Armenian government is interested in Carrefour hypermarket chains
to enter Armenian market. This was noted by Tigran Sargsyan during
interview with journalists. He informed about his meeting with
representatives of French company and noted that they had discussed
some issue of bilateral interest concerning possible activities and
services of the company in Armenia.

“Armenian government is interested in Carrefour to be presented in
Armenian market and to implement services which are spread all over
the world. It contains number of positive phenomena, first of all for
the citizens, competitive field, institutes of new types, formation
of infrastructure and the export of Armenian products,” Prime noted.

According to Tigran Sargsyan it’s important to present Carrefour in
Armenia and Armenian authorities support the soonest entrance of the
company into Armenian market. Prime Minister of Armenia informed that
earlier French company had signed a memorandum with one of Armenian
private companies but some issue appeared.

“There is no obstacle with public sector, it is grateful for the
support of the government. Government will spare no effort for
creating favorable conditions for the French company,” underlined
head of the government.

In a talk with Lurer.com president of the Consumers’ Association NGO
Armen Poghosyan, referring to “Carrefour”, said that, according to
him, the enter of Carrefour hypermarket chains in Armenia will be
beneficial for our country.

“Supermarkets are located close to each other, they should be
distributed in a way so that they will be available to citizens. We
have only one supermarket chain outside Yerevan,” Armen Poghosyan said,
adding that the big and small shops are not distributed in a right
principles of urban.”Saying Urban said, it means that it should be
suitable for people. For current trade small stores are more suitable
and for big trade- big stores,” Pogosyan said.

He says that both have their place, but when a big store is being
built next to another, small shops are dying.

Poghosyan considers positive the competition between Carrefour and
Armenian businessman. “They should have to meet the competition. Let
them compete, and who can not, let him break.”

ARMENIAN GRAND MASTER SUFFERS FIRST DEFEAT IN LONDON CANDIDATES 2013

ARMINFO
Tuesday, March 26, 12:56

Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronian has suffered the first defeat in
the London Candidates Round 9 vs. Boris Gelfand (Israel).

A leader emerges – naturally it’s Carlsen. The Norwegian super-star
must count how many lives he has remaining, as he certainly used one
up today to salvage his game against Kramnik. Aronian fell prey to an
emerging Gelfand, which gives Carlsen solo lead. Svidler and Grischuk
wanted the attention all for themselves by playing a spectacular game,
while Ivanchuk ground down Radjabov with technical precision.

The next game is on March 27. Aronian will play vs. Ivanuchuk. The
winner will earn the right to challenge current world champion Vishy
Anand for the title.

SYRIAN ARMENIAN SKILYAN FAMILY PREFERS TO LIVE IN HOMELAND

13:28, 26 March, 2013

YEREVAN, MARCH 26, ARMENPRESS: Syrian Armenian Hrayr Skilyan, who
has been in many countries of the world due to his job character,
currently habits in Homeland. Our compatriot has moved to Armenia
from most Armenian populated, second city of Syria-Aleppo.

Skilyan told in the briefing with Armenpress, he is gratified with the
fact currently he resides in Homeland. “This is the first time I am
in Armenia. I have not been here before. Yet from the early childhood
we have been brought up as patriots. We have been taught Armenian,
we always used to hear “Armenia”, ” Homeland”, ” Sasuntsi Davit”
and similar other patriotic words.

Skilyan is very happy local Armenians hosted their family with open
heart. “When I saw Mount Ararat from my window for the first time I
was paralyzed, after regained the ability to speak.It is comforting
especially after habiting over a year in a war situation. “We lost
much, house, job, fortune” the interlocutor noted. Hrayr Skilyan is
busy with woodworking in Armenia. In his words Armenian and Syrian
customers differ from each other, Syrians were more priggish. No matter
the difference in demand did not hinder Syrian Armenian repatriate
to create a qualified product.