Author: Kanayan Tamar

Putin tops list of most powerful people

14:04 04.01.2013

An article in leading US magazine Foreign Policy has named Putin as
the most powerful person in the world, with the top spot left empty.

The author, Ian Bremmer, President of the Eurasia Group, explains why
no one is ranked first as being because `in a G-Zero world, everyone
is waiting for someone else to shoulder responsibility for the world’s
toughest and most dangerous challenges.’

He based the ranking on `a quick, informal survey around Eurasia Group
on power and global politics.’

`The leaders you’ll see named further down this list are preoccupied
with local and regional problems and don’t have the interest and
leverage needed to take on a growing list of transnational problems,’
he wrote.

After the top spot’s empty chair, Putin comes in second. `In Russia’s
personalized system, this is still the person who counts. He isn’t as
popular as he used to be, and his country has no Soviet-scale clout or
influence, but no one on the planet has consolidated more domestic and
regional power than Putin,’ the magazine said.

The Russian president is followed by US Federal Reserve chairman Ben
Bernanke, who is ranked third, German Chancellor Angela Merkel (4) and
US President Barack Obama in fifth place.

Then come European Central Bank head Mario Draghi (6), Chinese
Communist Party Secretary General Xi Jinping (7), Iran’s Supreme
Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (8), International Monetary Fund chief
Christine Lagarde (also 8) and Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abd al-Aziz
(10).

Turkey Parliamentarians Argue Over Who Killed Armenians

January 4, 2013

ANKARA, Turkey (A.W.) – The Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TGNA)
witnessed an argument between parliamentarians over who killed the
Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in 1915, Turkish newspapers reported
on Jan. 3.

`Your history is the history of massacres.’
`Your history is a history of massacres. You know very well how the
grandparents of those who are struggling today were killed,’ said
parliamentarian Sirri Sakik (Mush), from the pro-Kurdish Peace and
Democracy Party (BDP), according to the Turkish newspaper Radikal.

In the ensuing argument, parliamentarian Yusuf Halacoglu, from the
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), addressed Kurdish members of the
National Assembly asking, `Then tell me frankly – and I, in turn, will
show you all the documents – who killed the Armenians?’

Halacoglu is the former director of the Turkish Historical Society.

Other members of parliament pointed to massacres committed against
Kurds, while parliamentarians from the ruling Justice and Development
Party (AKP) argued that it is the Kurdish guerilla group PKK that has
committed atrocities in Turkey, and that Turkish history is
genocide-free.

Nurettin Canikli, head of AKP parliamentary group said, `There is no
massacre, genocide, and assimilation in this nation’s history.’

PRESS RELEASE
Ararat-Eskijian Museum
15105 Mission Hills Rd
Mission Hills CA, 91345
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 818-838-4862

RUBINA PEROOMIAN TO SPEAK AT ARARAT-ESKIJIAN
THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN LITERATURE

Dr. Rubina Peroomian will give a lecture entitled “The Armenian Genocide in
Literature: Perceptions of Those Who Lived Through the Years of Calamity” on
Sunday, January 13, 2013, at 4:00 p.m. at the Ararat-Eskijian Museum, Hasmik
Mgrdichian Gallery, 15105 Mission Hills Road, Mission Hills, CA. The
lecture, based on Dr. Peroomian’s most recent book, is sponsored by the
Ararat-Eskijian Museum and the National Association for Armenian Studies and
Research (NAASR). There will be a reception and book signing to follow the
lecture.

The Armenian Genocide that took place almost a century ago is now sliding
into the past, but justice has not been rendered. Obsession with the past
fueled by denial of the crime, the deniers’ distortion of history, and the
image of a lost homeland that kindles a sense of deprivation are hallmarks
of the literature produced in the Armenian Diaspora.

Dr. Rubina Peroomian’s present volume begins with the response of the
first-generation writers who survived, complementing her work Literary
Responses to Catastrophe (1993) and demonstrating more emphatically the
depth of the initial psychological shock of the traumatic experience as well
as the soul-consuming struggle in dispersion. It then proceeds to discuss
the literary response of the orphan generation, anapati serund, in its
diversity and complexity and as a stark departure from the worldviews and
literary traditions of the past with, nevertheless, the Genocide at its
core. The final chapter is devoted to the memoirs of the aging survivors,
ordinary men and women who, without a claim to artistry but with an urge to
record their harrowing past experiences for posterity, have put their
personal stories in writing.

Dr. Rubina Peroomian holds a Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures
from UCLA. She has taught Armenian studies courses, lectured widely,
participated in international symposia, authored books, and contributed
chapters to scholarly volumes.

For more information contact the Ararat-Eskijian Museum at 818-838-4862 or

[email protected] or NAASR at 617-489-1610 or [email protected].

# # #

December 27, 2012

Car crash in Armenia; 3 reported dead

tert.am
17:32 – 02.01.13

Two drivers and a passenger died earlier today after a crash on the
Tsahkadzor-Hankavan highway.

The incident was reported to the Ministry of Emergency Situations at
12:47 pm local time. Ambulance and police services were also
contacted.

The cars, a BMW and a GAZ 24, crashed into each other on the 2nd km of
the highway. The driver of the latter vehicle, H. Panosyan (56) and
one passenger, K Arakelyan (54), died immediately. The other driver,
A. Khachatryan, died after being hospitalized. The passenger of the
GAZ 24, A. Panosyan, was taken to the Hrazdan Medical Center.

400 could be out of work as NC carpet plants close

The Associated Press
Posted: Tuesday, Jan. 01, 2013

ABERDEEN, N.C. A carpet company says it is closing two plants this
summer, leaving almost 400 workers without jobs in Moore and Scotland
counties.

Gulistan Carpet told employees in a letter Friday it will file for
bankruptcy and close its plants in Aberdeen and Wagram.

On its website, Gulistan traces its roots back to an Armenian textile
importer who founded his business in Turkey in 1818. The company
bought the carpet plant in Aberdeen in 1957 and is now owned by
Hampton Capital Partners LLC.

Moore County Chamber of Commerce President Patrick Coughlin says his
group is doing everything it can to help Gulistan find a buyer and try
to save jobs.

Moore County’s unemployment rate was 8 percent in October, while
Scotland County’s rate was 15.7 percent.

Armenian freedom fighter sees New Year in at home

tert.am
13:30 – 03.01.13

Haik Mailyan, a freedom fighter and member of the Special Regiment,
has seen the New Year in with his family this time.

Since the war in Nagorno-Karabakh ended, he has been serving in
Kalbajar, where he has seen several New Years in.

`This is the first time I have seen the New Year in at home during my
service,’ Haik told Tert.am.

After serving in the Soviet army, 20-year-old Haik returned to Armenia
1989 and immediately left for Yeraskh. He fought in Kalbajar, Omar,
Karachinar, Shahumyan, Lachin, Kovsakan and Kubatlu.

He is a contract serviceman now.

The freedom fighter’s family is living in Yerevan, in a flat presented
by Vazgen Sargsyan (Armenia’s premier killed on October 27, 1999).

`In some cases, my wife and children visited me and we saw the New
Year in together,’ Haik says.

He wishes all Armenians, especially Armenia’s armed forces, peace and
stability. `Let no Armenian youth see what we had to see when we were
young,’ Haik says.

Boyer Introduces New Genocide Denial Criminalization Law in France

January 3, 2013

PARIS, France – French Parliament Member Valerie Boyer, who spearheaded
last year’s effort to pass a bill criminalizing the denial of the
Armenian Genocide, submitted a new draft of the bill last week.

Boyer
The bill stipulates the introduction of amendments to the 1881 law on
freedom of press, setting legal foundation for countering racism and
denial of Genocide.

The bill envisions a 45,000 euro fine and a year in prison for denial
of crimes against humanity, including the Armenian Genocide, reported
the Paris-based Nouvelles d’Arménie.

After successful passage of the bill in the French Parliament in
December 2011, on January 23 of last year, the French Senate passed
the bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide.

Later, the French Constitutional Council ruled that the bill was
unconstitutional.

However, in July 2012, French President Francois Hollande confirmed
plans for a new law criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide with
representatives of the Armenian community.

ARMENIE
Elections présidentielles : le parti Dachnak ne participe pas non plus
aux élections présidentielles

Le parti Fédération révolutionnaire arménienne a déclaré qu’il ne
désignera pas de candidat au scrutin du 18 février. Le parti n’exclut
pas de soutenir l’un des candidats mais certainement pas le candidat
du pouvoir. Le parti estime inopportun de prendre part à un scrutin
dont l’issue est connue d’avance. Le parti Dachnak regrette de n’avoir
pas réussi à former un front uni d’opposition, ni obtenu des
aménagements électoraux en vue des présidentielles. Le parti a précisé
toutefois que la non-participation ne signifie pas l’absence de suivi
attentif de la bonne tenue et de la transparence du scrutin.

A l’heure actuelle, quatre candidats ont déposé les documents requis à
la Commission électorale centrale : le Président sortant, Serge
Sarkissian ; le Président du parti Autodétermination nationale,
Parouyr Hayrikian ; un spécialiste de chansons épiques, Vardan
Sedrakian ; et un physicien, actuellement au chômage, Mher
Hayrapetian, sans affiliation politique. Rappelons que le Président du
parti Héritage, Raffi Hovhannissian, et le député du CNA, Hrant
Bagratian, ancien PM, ont également annoncé leur participation.

Suite au refus de Levon Ter-Petrossian de se porter candidat, il est
attendu du CNA qu’il annonce aujourd’hui sa décision en vue de sa
participation au scrutin. Selon Hraparak, le CNA aurait décidé de
boycotter le scrutin et de ne soutenir personne, ni même Hrant
Bagration, dont le parti Liberté lui est affilié.

Poursuivant sur le thème des élections, Hayots Achkhar et Hayastani
Hanrapetoutioun relèvent que la Commission électorale centrale
invitera, entre autres, le Centre international d’expertise des
systèmes électoraux (ICES) qui avait désigné 20 observateurs pour le
scrutin législatif de mai dernier et prévoit de dépêcher 35
observateurs en février 2013 dont quelques-uns de long terme.

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Arménie en
date du 27 décembre 2012

jeudi 3 janvier 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

REVUE DE PRESSE
Rajak Ohanian évoque la mémoire arménienne à la galerie Artae

Rajak Ohanian mêle histoires individuelle et collective en
photographiant les lieux vraisemblablement traversés par son père,
déporté arménien en Syrie à l’ge de onze ans, durant le génocide. Il
en résulte une série de paysages en noir et blanc presque intemporels,
dont la vision est contrariée par des textes se rapportant à
l’événement tragique, rédigés par des historiens ou des commanditaires
du génocide, que l’artiste a superposés aux images.

En abolissant les espaces entre les mots et en quadrillant les images
par des lignes d’écriture, Ohanian crée simultanément l’illisibilité
et l’invisibilité, évoquant inévitablement la perte, la disparition et
la dissolution de la mémoire avec le temps… Au nouvel étage de la
galerie, sont exposées les séries plus anciennes de Rajak Ohanian,
notamment celle sur les gitans, Les Fils du vent, ou À Chicago.

AD

Alep 1915… Témoignages, exposition de Rajak Ohanian. À voir jusqu’au
12 janvier, à la galerie Artae, 11 rue Aimé-Collomb, Lyon 3e

jeudi 3 janvier 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

Complicated Issue for Armenia. Vector Cannot Be Changed

Igor Muradyan
16:47 31/12/2012
Story from Lragir.am News:

NATO’s Regional Policy 2013-2014

NATO’s regional policy will soon be a key issue for the Mediterranean,
Caucasian, Central Asian and the Near Eastern states. Perhaps, the
profile lines and specific aims of this policy will become known only
at the end of 2013.

Failing to set down the definition `NATO’s regional policy’,
nevertheless, NATO’s Chicago Summit marked the start of a new policy
of the alliance in the regions. Technically, it is not the role and
importance of the alliance itself but NATO partners. At the same time,
Turkey whose doctrine of neo-Ottomanism has been defeated has decided
to forestall the developments and pursue its ambitions and obtain a
new place in the NATO strategy.

Turkey thereby tries to ensure informal legitimacy of its policy.
Reportedly, Turkey’s foreign minister Davutoglu has come up with an
initiative of corrections to Partnership for Peace, underlining a more
active participation of the Central Asian states, Azerbaijan, Bosnia
and Herzegovina, as well as Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco in NATO
programs. In reality, it means that Turkey is trying to establish
neo-Ottomanism in NATO and have these countries involved in close
partnership in the alliance.

This is certainly a challenge to the European states and these
attempts will hardly go unheeded. Against the scandalous turn with an
`Islamic finish’ the `Christian’ states of the alliance could involve
the Eastern European `Christian’ countries in a close partnership. I
wonder if the United States will approve this policy. Will the United
States wait or will it support it in the framework of NATO decisions?

In fact, of these states only Azerbaijan can be Turkey’s partner in
creating `an alliance in an alliance’. If Egypt, Morocco or Central
Asian states wished to appear on the orbit of Turkey’s strategy, it
would have already happened. Nevertheless, in the regional aspect, the
states which aspire to the role and functions of a NATO partner must
understand that they will face a new situation. Nevertheless, Turkey
intends to gain influence and pressure on not only the Western
community but also the neighboring regions.

It is not even about NATO but a visible correction of Turkey’s foreign
policy which is trying to impose its own problems on its formal
allies. Provision of air defense systems by Germany and Holland for
the protection of Turkey’s territory is a decorative move while Turkey
needs no defense. This move was the compensation, in fact, but the
ally will demand more, which will lead to a new stage of crisis
between Turkey and NATO. The key NATO members, including the United
States, are not interested in the solution of disputable issues with
Turkey. They prefer keeping issues in the current form and content.
Turkey has appeared in a complicated and harmful situation which is
related to the unprecedented dependence on the United States. Ankara
is trying to get out of this situation by playing games but in
accordance with NATO rules. Turkey may succeed but since World War II
Turkey has not had to resolve such a delicate issue. It has not had
such economic and political importance for decades.

Considering this prospect, Armenia must expand its cooperation with
NATO and try to do what it has not been able or has been reluctant to
do in the relations with Russia and CSTO, namely introduce the
practice of regular and systemic political consultations with NATO.
Turkey’s former and current policy creates more favorable conditions
for the NATO-Armenia cooperation. It should be taken into account that
not only experts but also officials still have an archaic thinking,
referring to formal arguments, relying on paper arguments and from
time to time being startled by U-turns in international policy.

However, besides problems relating to Turkey, in its cooperation with
NATO Armenia will encounter issues relating to Russia’s interests.
NATO is torn by serious internal controversies and there will
certainly be interests with the help of which Armenia will be used to
irritate or put pressure on Russia. Since the Russian politicians are
used to `absence of problems’ with Armenia, only inappropriate
reaction is expected from them.

The clean-up of the ruins of Armenian-Russian relations will reveal
Moscow’s real concerns due to not only NATO-Armenia rapprochement but
also NATO’s new opportunity to have Russia follow the rules of the
alliance and pressure. Therefore, the other issue of Armenia is not to
allow itself to be a lever of pressure against Russia. The problems
relating to Russia’s political interests will be more complicated than
the entire set of Turkey’s problems.

Is this possible? Of course, if we try to think otherwise, as well as
clean the jammed corridors of the government. (For example, it is
advisable to hold extraordinary parliamentary elections one year after
the presidential elections.)

If Armenia wants to save its sovereignty, it had better ensure its
sovereignty and economic development, as well as not allow outsiders
to make decisions on the destiny of Karabakh which has to pass a
complicated way of foreign policy. This vector cannot be changed, the
question is which team must continue and finish it.

I will a Happy New Year to everyone.