Author: Kanayan Tamar

ARMENIA’S EUROPEAN FRIENDS COUNTER CAVIAR MOTIVATED POLITICIANS

ARMENPRESS
8 October, 2012
BRUSSELS

BRUSSELS, OCTOBER 8, ARMENPRESS: The essence of Azerbaijan’s
“caviar diplomacy” is widely discussed by various structures of
the international community. Armenpress had an interview with the
Secretary-General of the EuFoA-Dr. Michael Kambeck about Azeri
multi-million spending on anti- Armenian propaganda, as well as on
the activities of the “European Friends of Armenia”.

-Armenpress: Dr. Kambeck, Azerbaijani high-ranking officials, including
President Aliyev, often describe Armenian lobbying as the biggest
threat. Whereas in reality we have a completely different picture
in Brussels, with the increasing number of different Azerbaijani
organizations such as the European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS) and the
Office of Communication of Azerbaijan (OCAZ).

– This is true, but if I express any opinion on their activities it
will be considered as biased. So I better refer you to an interesting
summery published by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, a London
based not-for-profit organization. They have well summarized who
is behind TEAS i.e. the son of Azerbaijan’s Minister for Emergency
Situations, Kamaladdin Heydarov. The fact of “caviar diplomacy”
and luxurious trips to Azerbaijan were all well illustrated in the
article. TEAS became active in Brussels shortly after EuFoA was
established (2009). From our experience and observations, in most
cases this type of lobbying takes an effect but very quickly the
involved persons realize that they have been used and thus do not
stay committed for a long time. Only very few do stay committed to
Azerbaijan, whatever their motivations are. It is up to investigative
journalism to uncover this.

Armenpress: How do they conduct their lobbying in the EP?

-Dr. Kambeck: They provide their own MEPs and coordinate an Azerbaijani
secret friendship group within the institution. I call it secret,
because the membership is secret. MEP Evgeni Kirilov (Group of the
Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats (S&D), Bulgaria) once
mentioned that he was a member of that group though without specifying
his concrete function. It is until now unclear who covers the expenses
of this group and there is no public information either on the web or
somewhere else. We believe that these types of activities are against
the spirit and the letter of European lobbying rules.

-Armenpress: Could you please bring concrete examples?

Dr. Kambeck: We had two resolutions on Armenia and Azerbaijan in
the spring session (April, Strasburg week) of the EP. The friendship
group was very active. We had amendments circulated in the EP which
strangely enough matched with the statements of Azerbaijani officials,
published on official governmental sites, even including grammatical
mistakes. This has been tabled by totally different people from
different groups. Obviously, it was drafted outside of the EP and
not by the MEPs themselves.

A more recent example concerns MEP Inese Vaidere (European People’s
Party (EPP), Latvia) who circulated an email on 12 September about the
Safarov case in the EP (one day before the resolution’s adoption),
spreading objectively false information about Garabedyan’s case,
obviously given by an Azeri source. Despite the whole machinery of
Azeri lobbying, this case did not get into the final version of the
resolution, as several MEPs requested both from us and other sources
a verification of the information about Mr. Garabedyan. When MEPs
saw that no parallels could be drawn, they deleted the respective line.

Unfortunately, the European Parliament is not the only institution
where an Armenophobic strategy is attempted by Azerbaijan. They try
to reach as many national parliaments in Europe as possible and this
is a very dangerous pattern. Look at the national parliaments where
Azerbaijan tries to push for resolutions for the commemoration of
what they call the “Khojali genocide”, without providing reliable
information, for example the UN documentation on that case.

Some innocent and poorly informed MPs, some even with best intentions,
follow this line. This is a misuse of naivety and lack of knowledge.

We have just stopped this type of resolution in Rome. The wider
public is not informed about how many agencies Azerbaijan hired in
most EU capitals to back up their activities. For example, we were
informed that Hans-Dietrich Genscher (former Foreign Minister and
Vice-Chancellor of Germany) called an MEP to talk about the April
resolutions. He is a board member of Consultum, a PR agency working for
Azerbaijan in Berlin. Another example of how bad lobbying is conducted:
the case of MEP Vytautas Landsbergis, Vice Chair of the EP’s South
Caucasus Delegation (EPP, Lithuania). I respect him for what he has
done for his country. However, with his age and convictions he seems
to be Russo- and Armenophobic. He normally does not travel due to
his health condition. Yet, during the April Strasburg week, where EP
reports on Armenia and Azerbaijan where discussed, he was quoted by
Azeri media as just having been in Baku and meeting President Aliyev.

Then, in the same week, on the voting day he walks into the EP
plenary. So he took the trouble to travel to Baku and then be back
in time on the voting day in Strasburg, which is logistically very
complicated. A source told us that he used a private jet but we
were not able to verify the information. The online news service
‘EU Observer’ questioned him about the same issue and he refused
to elaborate as to who paid for his trip to Baku and back. He then
presented a last-minute oral amendment, introducing the official
Azerbaijani demand on “first” withdrawing troops from Karabakh,
contrary to the Minsk Group’s Madrid Principles, which the EP has
always strongly supported.

According to the rules of procedure, such last-minute oral amendments
cannot be admitted in the Parliament if a group of MEPs disagrees
– which was the case. But the EP staff made a mistake and allowed
voting, thus mistakenly amending the final text, even though it was
agreed that both resolutions on Armenia and Azerbaijan will have the
same wording on NK, i.e. in line with the Minsk Group principles. The
text immediately appeared in Azeri media, stating that the EP fully
side-lines with the Azerbaijani position of an unconditional withdrawal
of troops. For many experienced MEPs with years of experience in the EP
it was a shock to see such things happening, because Mr. Landsbergis
knew that his own group was against such an amendment. But apparently
he had a reason to show that he was trying “something” pro-Azeri,
and by mistake, he even managed. Some days later, the Conference of
Presidents reversed this mistake and Mr.

Landsbergis was cautioned in the EPP group for his behavior. Armenia
is constantly running against this type of activities all around
Europe. The Azerbaijani embassies are very well equipped and have
more staff than the Armenian ones.

I believe that Armenia should reinforce the strength of the embassies
in the EU as much as possible.

Armenpress: Could you please elaborate on ALDE’s (Alliance of Liberals
and Democrats for Europe) last minute decision to vote against the
Safarov resolution? They were one of the initiators of the resolution
– weren’t there questions raised within the Parliament as to why
it happened?

Dr. Kambeck: Yes, this surprised many and this question was raised
during the debate in the plenary. One day before the resolution was
voted, the Chairman of Azerbaijani Delegation to the EURONEST PA –
Elkhan Suleymanov – published an article in the Azeri press in which
he publicly boasted about having flipped around the ALDE group not
to vote on their own resolution, using MEP Norica Nicolai (Romania,
ALDE). Armenpress: How then do you counter misinformation? Dr.

Kambeck: By showing to the decision makers that some forces are
playing with them. We provide facts and figures, reliable sources
where the information can be checked. Over the years we have become
a credible source of information and people ask us for our views. By
now, MEPs and other decision makers know they can rely on us.

PARIS : UNE ROMA PRIDE 2012 ENGAGEE ET FESTIVE

Publie le : 08-10-2012

Info Collectif VAN – – Dimanche après-midi, plus
de deux-cents personnes se sont reunies sur la place du Pantheon (Ve) a
l’appel de Benjamin Abtan, president du Mouvement antiraciste europeen
(Egam) a l’origine de la “Roma Pride” organisee simultanement dans 14
pays europeens avec la communaute des gens du voyage representee par
l’UFAT. Autour de prises de parole, de concerts et de spectacles de
danse, les Rom ont voulu denoncer les discriminations dont ils sont
victimes au quotidien. Tony Gatlif, le realisateur de Gadjo Dilo et
Exils, a assure avec talent la mise en scène artistique de l’evènement.

En haut de l’affiche, le superbe guitariste gypsie Titi Robin a
enflamme la foule en compagnie de Francis Varis et Ze Luis Nascimento,
et d’une somptueuse danseuse tzigane. Auparavant, etaient venus sur
la scène dressee devant le Pantheon, le quintet Gypsy Roots et la
fanfare de Vagabontu.

Côte prises de parole, outre celles des organisateurs, notons
celles de Jonathan Ayoun, President de l’UEJF, du representant du
Parti socialiste, de Cindy Petrieux, Presidente de la Confederation
etudiante (Ce), de Seta Papazian, Presidente du Collectif VAN, d’Eva
Joly d’Europe Ecologie les Verts, des representantes du Front de Gauche
et du MRAP, du musicologue et directeur artistique Alain Weber, etc.

Une belle journee de solidarite, festive et engagee.

Photos sur : Citizenside – Roma Pride : Une marche pour la dignite
des gens du voyage a Paris

Photothèque du Collectif VAN : Paris : Une Roma Pride 2012

Le Collectif VAN vous propose de retrouver ci-dessous le texte lu a
la tribune par Seta Papazian, Presidente du Collectif VAN.

Seta Papazian, Presidente du Collectif VAN

7 octobre 2012 – Place du Pantheon – Roma Pride 2012

Bonjour,

Je viens ici, en tant que representante du Collectif VAN, Vigilance
Armenienne contre le Negationnisme, apporter l’expression de notre
solidarite aux pestiferes que sont dans notre societe les Rom,
tsiganes, gitans et manouches.

Descendants des rescapes du genocide armenien perpetre dans l’Empire
ottoman en 1915, nous avons, tatouee au plus profond de notre memoire,
la marque de la haine anti-armenienne qui a permis en son temps le
plus terrible des passages a l’acte.

Ce souvenir encore vivace nous rend attentifs aux dangers qui guettent
les plus faibles et les minorites. Nous ne pouvons rester indifferents
a la discrimination qui frappe des populations pour ce qu’elles sont.

Une discrimination juridiquement illegale, puisqu’elle vise directement
une categorie de population en tant que telle et non des individus
pour certains faits precis.

En tant que membres epars d’une diaspora atomisee, nous avons a c~ur
de rappeler que les misereux ou les enfants de misereux, de persecutes,
de parias, donnent souvent au pays qui les accueille, des artistes et
des intellectuels qui lui font honneur. Dans ces camps de Rom qu’on
demantèle sans pitie, en ecrasant les poussettes et les jouets, il
y a des enfants qui feront la fierte de l’Europe de demain pour peu
qu’on leur en donne les moyens.

Mais pour cela encore faudrait-il que l’accès a l’education soit le
meme pour tous les enfants qui vivent et grandissent sur le territoire
de la Republique. Et c’est loin d’etre le cas.

Le 27 août 2010, le Comite pour l’elimination de toutes les formes
de discrimination raciale (CERD) de l’ONU a demande a la France de
” garantir l’accès des Rom a l’education, a la sante, et aux autres
infrastructures temporaires dans le respect du principe d’egalite “.

Faut-il donc attendre de l’ONU qu’elle rappelle a la France ce qu’est
sa propre devise ” Liberte, egalite, fraternite ” ? Pouvons-nous –
sans fouler aux pieds nos valeurs les plus essentielles – fermer
les yeux sur les conditions degradantes dans lesquelles vivent les
populations Rom en France ? Plus prosaïquement, ignorons-nous que
la pauperisation de ces groupes sociaux conduit a des comportements
delictueux qui entraînent a leur tour une plus grande marginalisation
et un accroissement du racisme anti-Rom, instituant un cercle vicieux
qu’aucune politique positive ne semble vouloir briser ?

Dans un texte intitule ” Les Rom, une minorite europeenne, la
plus oubliee, la plus discriminee … et la plus importante ” la
sociologue Geneviève Decrop relève que ” Depuis la chute du Mur de
Berlin, les Rom font l’objet d’une serie de resolutions des instances
europeennes visant a preserver leurs droits. Mais la pratique dans
les Etats membres et les Etats candidats a l’entree dans l’Union
est fort eloignee de ces preconisations. Presque partout, les Rom
accèdent difficilement aux droits humains fondamentaux. Leur droit
au logement et a l’habitat est particulièrement bafoue. La majorite
d’entre eux vivent une existence precaire, voire pour certains,
de parias pourchasses. ”

Rien n’a change depuis un ” Rapport de la Commission Europeenne sur
la situation des Rom dans une Union Europeenne elargie “, paru en 2004.

On y lisait, je cite, ” La manière dont sont traites les Rom dans
l’Union Europeenne et au-dela de ses frontières actuelles est devenu
un test determinant d’une societe humaine. Le traitement des Rom
compte aujourd’hui parmi les questions les plus pressantes des droits
politiques, sociaux et humains auxquelles se trouve confrontee l’Europe
“.

Rom signifie simplement “etre humain” en romani.

Nous sommes tous des Rom. Ne l’oublions pas.

Je vous remercie.

Seta Papazian Presidente Collectif VAN [Vigilance Armenienne contre
le Negationnisme] BP 20083 – 92133 Issy-les-Moulineaux – France
Boîte vocale : +33 (0)1 77 62 70 77 Email: [email protected]

Retour a la rubrique

NEW DOCUMENTARY ON ”THE FORTY DAYS OF MUSA DAGH” AND HOLLYWOOD

ARMENPRESS
8 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 8, ARMENPRESS: Franz Werfel’s 1933 novel, The
Forty Days of Musa Dagh, portrayed one small Armenian community’s
efforts to resist deportation and massacre during the genocide. As
Armenpress reports citing The Armenin Weekly, the novel was highly
controversial-having been banned by Nazi Germany and Turkey-and
several attempts to produce a Hollywood film were blocked. The
documentary Epic Denied: Depriving “The Forty Days of Musa Dagh”
depicts the trials and tribulations of Hollywood’s multiple attempts
to produce a film based on Werfel’s bestseller, which, according
to Variety magazine, has become “the most on-again and off-again
motion picture production in Hollywood history.” The documentary,
however, has yet to be completed. In order to finance the project,
the producers have launched an online fundraising campaign. One of
the producers/filmmakers, Edwin Avaness, spoke with the Weekly about
the importance of this feature-length documentary making its way
to the public. “Our goal is to give audiences a unique look at the
controversy surrounding the novel, and the unprecedented political
maneuverings by foreign forces to halt the production of the motion
picture,” explained Avaness. He also noted the key themes that will
be explored, including conspiracy, complicity, collusion, and blatant
censorship in the context of Hollywood’s history, and infringement
of the First Amendment by a foreign power. “After reading the book,
we saw the importance of the content and decided to option the rights
and make a documentary,” he said. The project is thoroughly documented
based on research in the MGM archives, the U.S. State Department,
the Franz Werfel Papers at the UCLA Special Collections Library, the
American Film Institute, and interviews of personalities involved in
the film project. The “basic components of historical research are
covered in a manner that finally unveils the truth of a film denied,”
Avaness said. “Organizers and activists know the power of the media
and how a good documentary motivates audiences into action. That is
why we also plan to invite civil liberties organizations to use [our
documentary] as a tool of engagement, and to promote the importance of
free expression in media,” Avaness told the Weekly. Prominent directors
and actors such as Elia Kazan, Rouben Mamoulian, and Sylvester Stallone
throughout the decades have attempted to produce the film based on
Werfel’s novel. Avaness describes how Dore Schary, the successor to
MGM Studio boss Louis B. Mayer, believed that The Forty Days of Musa
Dagh was one of the few great books written since War and Peace by Leo
Tolstoy, and dreamed of making the movie. In 1934, MGM purchased the
rights to make the novel into a motion picture. “Undertaken by veteran
producer Irving Thalberg in the 1930’s to unknown millionaire John
Kurkjian in the 1980’s, the project faced enormous foreign intervention
and blackmail, preventing it from reaching the silver screen,” he
explained. Avaness noted that today’s Hollywood is not the same as it
was in the 1930’s. “Therefore, the question becomes how profitable
an epic film based on Franz Werfel’s novel will be?” Research and
development of the documentary have already been completed. “Our next
phase is interviewing individuals in the entertainment industry who
were involved in various capacities through the many incarnations
of the project, as well as scholars who have the expertise to shed
light on this untold story,” Avaness detailed. He stressed that The
Forty Days of Musa Dagh is “an important part of the Motion Picture
history. We need everyone’s help to document it.”

GARRY KASPAROV : L’ARMENIE EST LA NATION LA PLUS FORTE AUX ECHECS DANS LE MONDE
Stephane

armenews.com
mardi 9 octobre 2012

L’Armenie est actuellement la nation la plus forte aux echecs dans le
monde a declare la’ancien champion du monde d’echecs Garry Kasparov
dans une interview avec sobesednuk.ru.

” Jugeant par les resultats de la dernière Olympiade d’echecs,
l’Armenie semble etre le numero un des nations aux echecs. Les Echecs
en Armenie sont quelque chose dans le genre du football en Amerique
latine. Ils sont meme inclus dans le programme des etudes scolaire. À
propos, après 2002 la Russie a echoue a gagner une simple Olympiade
d’echecs. Elle a ete gagne trois fois par l’Armenie et deux fois par
l’Ukraine ” a-t-il dit.

Times of Malta
Oct 7 2012

International song contest

Former Junior Eurovision contestant Nicole Azzopardi will be
representing Malta in an international four-day festival in Armenia.

Eighteen participants from 17 countries will be competing in the first
edition of the festival Yerevan is Calling.

The aim of the contest, which runs between today and next Sunday, is
to promote Armenian culture and develop cultural relations with
different countries.

The festival is being organised by Yerevan City Hall and EMI-BI
Production Centre together with Armenia’s Culture Ministry.

The show will be broadcast live on Armenian national television as
well as other foreign channels.

Armenian Football Cup: Mika, Ararat FCs beat rivals

tert.am 21:31 – 07.10.12

The 25th round of the Armenian Football Cup saw two football teams
celebrate a victory.

Mika, which was hosting a match with Alex, managed to defeat the rival
with only one goal. As for Ararat FC, which has been progressing
greatly since having a new chief, it beat Dilijan’s Impuls 1-0.

UNESCO Organization of World Heritage Cities meets in Echmiadzin

tert.am
18:06 – 07.10.12

The UNESCO Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC) opened on
Sunday its general assembly and board of directors meeting in the city
of Echmiadzin.

The event is being held as part of the celebrations dedicated to the
city’s 2,697th anniversary. Earlier in the day, the Echmiadzin City
hall hosted a festive concert attended by the organization’s
president, Harry Brinkman, vice president, Jorge Castro, and 17 other
members.

Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II blessed the participants in an
opening speech. He was pleased to note that the organization’s board
of directors is meeting in Echmiadzin to discuss plans for the
preservations of historical cities.

`This is a day of joy for all of us as it is the anniversary of our
blessed city. Our lord, Jesus Christ, has descended here. And our
nation welcomed St. Mesrop Mashtots here. Over centuries, this place
has been visited by numerous descendents of Armenians, as well as
foreign pilgrims. St. Echmiadzin is the religious center of the
Armenian nation,’ he said, appealing to the participants to love the
city.

The patriarch noted that it is a big honor to a resident of
Echmiadzin, adding that the local population has always demonstrated
its love for the holy temple.

In her speech, Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosyan highlighted the
Echmiadzin’s unique role in the life of the Armenians. She spoke about
the city’s history, noting that its has been home to the first
Mesropian school, the first repository of manuscripts, the first paper
factory and the first seminary.

`Echmiadzin became a religious center not only for those who live in
Armenia but also for the sons of many Armenians who had found
themselves outside their homeland,’ she said.

`Several Armenian churches have been included in the UNESCO list of
monuments, while others are waiting for their turn. There are a number
of monuments beyond the borders of Armenia, which need protection.
Lots of Armenian khachkars [cross-stones] were destroyed in Julfa a
couple of years ago,’ the minister added.

Congratulating everybody on the city’s anniversary, Echmiadzin Mayor
Karen Grigoryan welcomed the guests on behalf of their residents and
said it is a ig honor for them to join such a highly reputable
organizations.

`Our city became more recognizable after that. It is very symbolic
that the assembly is being held on the city’s anniversary day,’ he
said, wishing the participants an effective work.

The mayor awarded the catholicos as an honorable resident of the
Echmiadzin and bestowed the title of the city’s friend upon the OWHC
president. Brikman highly praised the opportunity to be in Echmiadzin
on the remarkable occasion.

The OWHC general assembly and board of directors’ meeting will run
through October 9.

Since 2009m Echmiadzin has been celebrating its anniversary every year
on October 8.

Anatomical Theater Is Over

Siranuysh Papyan
Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 22:16:28 – 06/10/2012

Interview with Tigran Khzmalyan, filmmaker, member of Sardarapat Movement
Initiative Group

Mr. Khzmalyan, a parade of reprimands and arrests has set out, calls for
fighting corruption are made, on the other hand, Vartan Oskanian is
stripped of immunity. What is your opinion on this situation?

In some cases it can be referred to as an electoral campaign because these
things take place in election logic but the words election and electoral
campaign are highly conventional because the election takes place inside
the ruling group. The so-called two parties represent the same governmental
performance, the same play, the same gang. This is not politics because
politics represents the interests of the society. This is against the
majority of our society.

However, some intrigue is there, and I think that the changing situation in
Georgia may have a certain impact on the developments in Armenia. First
implementing the two-party model in Georgia, the West, particularly the
United States, will try to implement the same model in Armenia for which it
is easier to pick a part of the same governmental pyramid, especially that
Vartan Oskanian will be convincing for both outside and inside. There is
not an alternative, there is not a choice, these are personified, economic
rather than ideological controversies. I think Serzh Sargsyan is skilled in
administrative and staff cyclones because he has had a soviet schooling.
Today they often evoke Waiting for Godot by Becket, I would advise those
art lovers who compare theatre and politics to read The Servant of Two
Masters by Carlo Goldoni because Serzh Sargsyan will use the old and
sometimes effective option, involving the West and Russia in the Armenian
electoral process. These are efforts to protect property from the robbed
public.

The second president made a statement after Vartan Oskanian had been
stripped of parliamentary immunity. Will he enter into the electoral
scramble directly?

I would like to go back to theater again as we mentioned theater several
times. It was forbidden to work with dead bodies in the Middle Ages, and
scientists had to create anatomical theaters, and the phrase `anatomical
theater’ lived until the early 20th century. People studied the anatomy of
man on dead bodies. This word was used in scientific literature for some
time. I think all the conversations on Robert Kocharyan and other figures
refer to the anatomical theater. If a political faction is set to revive
political dead bodies, all I can do is congratulate them.

Mr. Khzmalyan, you wrote on your Facebook wall that the fourth republic
will be established when values change.

I dream that our children live with real values, real art, real politics
and not with an anatomical theater and a parliament of a theater. We are
guided by false, dead values which is the reason why our life is decayed.
It is necessary to change the values, it is necessary to change the topic
of conversation. A lot depends on it, it is necessary to forget about this
cemetery which is the political landscape of Armenia. This process has
started because I think the 4th republic is not a dream, it is already in
place. I was excited to learn that five or six environmental activists
interfered in the outrageous case the police put up against a man called
Norik Sargsyan, suspecting him of the recent poaching in Khosrov Forest. I
was happy to learn that the environmentalists have succeeded changing his
status, and now he is a witness, not the accused.

These young people protect not only trees and animals, they protect people
and human dignity and real values. I think this is an example of the life
of the 4th republic and activities of its citizens.

The Georgian election indicated a mechanism is in place there. When will
our citizens be ready for an election?

Our society is not worse than the Georgian society. The problem is not
societies but the elite. In Georgia the elite had a slightly operetta
nature but they were proud to mention their nobility. They understood that
the nation is led and ruled by the elite, our elite was dissipated,
expulsed, especially in the last two decades, and unfortunately their place
was filled by the residue of the society. It takes only several hundreds of
people in government to achieve fast and abrupt change. It is possible.

I have stated once that this government is worse than thieves, a thieve
would not rob a nursery school, a pensioner. In our country these people
are legislators and government. The problem is them, and we must solve this
problem soon. The Georgians have succeeded. We have not succeeded yet.

UzDaily (English), Uzbekistan
October 6, 2012 Saturday 12:24 AM GMT

Tatevosyan’s art: an echo of 19th-century Samarkand

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com)

Fifty-three paintings by late prominent Uzbek painter of Armenian
origin Oganes Tatevosyan are on display at the Youth Art Palace.
Titled “Samarkand Suite”, the art show offers pieces reflecting daily
life in Samarkand in the early 19th and mid-20th century.

The simplicity in Tatevosyan’s paintings is combined with fine
details, accuracy in observation and deep content. In his series of
works dedicated to Samarkand, currently on display at the Youth Art
palace, the painter conveys the spirit of not only the people but also
of the time when he created the artworks, thereby perpetuating through
paints another page in the history of ancient Samarkand.

Tatevosyan is one of the artists who contributed massively to the
formation of Uzbekistan’s school of fine art. In the early 1920’s,
Tatevosyan, through the interpretation of miniature, was in the quest
for achieving national originality in his paintings. In the late
1920’s, the artist created a series of landscapes and genre
compositions, relying on a blend of free style painting and thorough
miniature with a distinctness of each object. Subsequently, these two
trends intertwined in Tatevosyan’s creations. His paintings can be
found at museums in Uzbekistan, Russia and other countries.

Haled Omar Abdallah, the director of the Egyptian Culture Center (Egypt):

“When I just arrived in Tashkent, I was struck by the amount of work
that Fund Forum carries out and the number of events it organizes.
These events help people to learn so much about culture and science.
Tatevosyan’s exhibitions is one of the first art shows that I attended
and I think that through works about just one city the painter was
able to demonstrate general oriental elements as well. Egyptian and
Uzbek cultures have a lot in common. I identify with both the cultures
because although I am an Egyptian the nationality item in my birth
certificate says ‘Uzbek’.”

Emmanuel Cosmo, photographer (Italy):

“I visited Uzbekistan five years ago and today I see so many changes
in the country. I see the way historical monuments blend with modern
architecture. I love ancient cities and especially the Uzbek cities of
Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. Therefore Tatevosan’s exhibition
dedicated to Samarkand is very interesting. I now think it would be
great to create a series of photographs titled ‘Samarkand Suite’.”

Eight Member Family Squeezed Into One Dormitory Room While 2nd Floor is Empty
Marine Madatyan

hetq
16:10, October 4, 2012

For the past four years, Ashot and Marieta and their six children have
been living in a cramped one room in a dormitory in Hrazdan.

Marieta is expecting another child in a few weeks. She doesn’t know
how they will continue to cope.

The family’s only furniture consists of two beds, which take up most
of the room, a small table and a TV. When you enter, there’s hardly
any room to move around.

When I visited, I noticed that there weren’t any residents on the
dorm’s second floor. I knocked on all the doors and no one answered.

Ashot and Marieta say they have filed numerous requests for additional
space, but to no avail. They’ve even wrote to President Sargsyan about
their situation.

“They answered that we should apply to the Regional Authority
(Marzpetaran), but we’ve already done so. They had sent us to the
Hrazdan Municipality. They promised to help us out but nothing has
happened,” Marieta says.

What the municipality has done is to send four of the kids to a
boarding school in Byureghavan.

Marieta says she misses her children but at least they’re now living
in normal conditions.

“We visit them when we have enough money for the trip,” she tells me.

The local parish priest sends the family a daily meal, for which the
family is thankful.

Ashot, who suffers from epilepsy, says he gets construction work every
few days and can make about $10 a day. The family’s main income is the
61,000 monthly AMD in child assistance.

Ashot says that the municipality promised to send someone to check the
dormitory for empty rooms.

“So far, no one has come to inspect the place. There are many empty
rooms here,” he says.

Shota Khachatryan, from the municipality’s housing stock department,
told Hetq that the dorm is private property and that management must
allocate additional rooms. He also said that there weren’t any free
rooms to allocate.

When I told him about the empty rooms on the second floor, Khachatryan
replied that they belong to former company employees who have
padlocked the rooms and have left the area.

I then asked if it was possible to unlock one of the empty rooms and
allocate it to the family.

“Let them come to my office and we’ll discuss the matter. We would
have to reach an agreement with the owners. They should come with a
specific number of an empty room. I’ll then make a proposal to the
owners.”