ARMENIAN FM TO PARTICIPATE IN FRANCOPHONIE SUMMIT
13:06, 27 Nov 2014
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian will visit Senegal November
28-30 to participate in the summit of the International Organization
of the Francophonie, Press and Information Department of the Armenian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.
AZERBAIJAN HAS BECOME REAL THREAT TODAY, ARMENIAN FM SAYS IN STOCKHOLM
13:08 * 26.11.14
Armenia’s foreign minister called the international community’s
attention to Azerbaijan’s increasingly belligerent rhetoric and
aggressive policies as he addressed a wide audience at the Stockholm
International Peace Research Institute.
Edward Nalbandian said that despite the international community’s
continuing calls for peace, the country embarks on stronger and
stronger efforts towards strengthening its anti-Armenian propaganda.
“The more the international community calls upon the conflicting sides
[Armenia and Azerbaijan] to prepare the peoples for peace instead of
war, the more the Azerbaijani military leadership voices belligerent
rhetoric provoking war and ant-Armenian propaganda, strengthening
the persecutions against Azerbaijani civil society representatives
advocating strengthening of confidence measures and reconciliation.
“The more the sides are called upon to withdraw snipers from the Line
of Contact and elaborate mechanisms of investigation into incidents
and violations of ceasefire, the more sniper shootings, provocative
incidents and subversive operations by the Azerbaijani side follow,
leading to considerable losses,” the minister said, adding that the
country uses its revenue from oil and gas resources to purchase arms
and armament.
Noting that the country has increased its military budget from
$136 million to $3.6 billion since 2013, the minister said that the
excessive military spending and the procurement of weapons pose a
serious threat to regional and international stability and security.
Condemning the glorification of Ramil Safarov (the Azerbaijani
army officer pardoned after extradition from Hungary where he was
serving a life sentence for axing an Armenian serviceman to death)
as a national hero, the repeated border infiltration attempts and the
recent shooting of the Armenian helicopter (that claimed the lives of
three pilots), Nalbandian noted that the country in this way deepens
the divide between the civilized world and itself.
“Baku not only ignores the calls the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing
countries and international community’s calls for not using force,
strengthening the ceasefire, ensuring investigation mechanisms along
the Line of Contact and reinforcing confidence, but also takes contrary
steps, bearing full responsibility for the exacerbations,” he added.
Nalbandian started an official visit to Sweden on Monday.
According to the Foreign Ministry’s press service, his speech,
delivered at the instute on Tuesday, was attended by Swedish government
officials, diplomats, representatives of scientific centers and
universities, and political analysts. At the end, the minister also
answered the participants’ questions regarding Armenia’s foreign
policy and position on regional and international issues.
EEU IS A GROWING REAL ECONOMY ZONE – EXPERT
YEREVAN, November 26. /ARKA/. The Eurasian Economic Union is a real
economy area that will grow strong, Russian political analyst and
vice-president of PIR Centre Dmitry Polikanov said, as cited by
Novosti-Armenia.
“CIS is a certain general platform for meeting and discussing things,
while the EEU is a mechanism of practical cooperation and interaction.
I don’t think they will merge soon as the EEU implies a much more
serious set of obligations than the CIS, and not everyone is prepared
for it”, Polikanov said in his online interview to Novosti-Armenia.
The two organizations will continue co-existing, with CIS used more
and more as a place of consultations and the EEU being a zone of real
economy, hence, with prospects for growth, according to the expert.
On October 10 Armenia signed the EEU treaty that will come into force
on January 1, 2015.
Journalists are interviewing experts, analysts and politicians as part
of the “pressing-interest dialogues with Armenian media” project that
is held by Region Research Center (Armenia) and is supported by the
British Embassy in Armenia. -0–
RESULTATS DU PHONETHON EUROPEEN DU FONDS ARMENIEN : PLUS DE 1,37 MILLION D’EURO RECUEILLIS EN 4 JOURS
FRANCE
Le Phonethon europeen, operation humanitaire organisee par le
Fonds Armenien de France en faveur de l’Armenie, du Karabagh et des
populations sinistrees de Syrie, place sous le signe de la solidarite
et du partage et parraine cette annee par Adriana Karembeu et Patrick
Fiori, s’est clos ce dimanche 23 novembre 2014.
Grâce aux appels telephoniques donnes par près de 750 benevoles a
partir des plateformes Orange (a Lyon, Marseille, Paris, Toulouse),
plus de 1.37 million d’EURO ont ete recoltes en promesses de dons en
Europe auprès des 60 000 familles et entreprises contactees au cours
de cette operation.
Pour le president du Fonds Armenien de France, Bedros Terzian,
ARMENIA INTENDS TO WIN BACK ITS INDUSTRY NICHES IN EEU MARKET -NEWSPAPER
YEREVAN, November 25. /ARKA/. Armenia intends to be back into its
industry niches in the Eurasian Economic Union market, “Golos Armeniyi”
newspaper says.
The authors say the last months’ statistics indicate reduction in
Armenian exports to Russia, which has happened not only due to apricot
crop failure this year, unlike the potato exports that have risen by
several times.
Russian ruble versus US dollar depreciation by about 30% is a much
more serious factor to the exports and is hardly encouraging Armenian
producers to sell their products in Russia.
According to the newspaper, Armenia will benefit more from exporting
processed agricultural products to the Russian market.
“In other words, it is better to export tomato paste than tomatoes,
wine than grapes, canned vegetables than the fresh ones, and etc.”,
the authors say.
According to the newspaper, Armenian wines are getting more
recognizable in the world largely due to various exhibitions and
tasting events held abroad with the government support.
Armenian shoes that are made of pure leather and have competitive
advantages in price and quality can also be exported to the Russian
and the EEU market. The same should be said about Armenia textile and
pharmaceutical industries with the latter having to make its products
available in target markets, according to Golos Armeniyi.
As to the precise engineering, the newspaper says, possibilities of
cooperation within the EEU, particularly on LED (light-emitting diode)
products, are currently discussed in various committees of the Eurasian
Economic Commission. -0–
HAYASTAN ALL-ARMENIAN FUND’S PAN-EUROPEAN PHONEATHON RAISES OVER 1.37 MILLION EUROS
12:51, 25 Nov 2014
The annual Pan-European Phoneathon of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund,
headed by the Fund’s French affiliate and held during November 19-23,
raised over 1.37 million euros in donations and pledges.
The large-scale fundraising campaign mobilized the Armenian
communities of France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium. The Greek
community traditionally joined the Phoneathon with their fundraising
held in Greece from November 22 to 23.
Throughout the four-day event, 750 volunteers stationed at Orange
Telecom call centers in Paris, Marseille, Toulouse, and Lyon reached
60,000 households, businesses, and organizations in the participating
countries to request their support.
The Phoneathon was held under the slogan “Talent, charm, and
generosity.” The event’s godmother and godfather, fashion model and
French Red Cross ambassador Adriana Karembeu and singer Patrick Fiori
(Chouchayan), made impassioned appeals for financial contributions
toward the realization of vital development projects in the Armenian
homeland.
Proceeds form the Phoneathon will be used for the expansion of
agricultural projects in Armenia’s Tavush Region, construction of
community centers in Artsakh and assistance to the Armenian community
of Syria.
The following is the breakdown of donations and pledges by country:
France: 1,246,344 euros Germany: 71,345 euros Switzerland: 31,726
euros Greece 21,000 euros Belgium 6,000 euros
Les Echos
Mardi 18 Novembre 2014
Petrossian, le caviar à la sauce internationale
par VALERIE LEBOUCQ
Le spécialiste du caviar profite de l’engouement pour les produits
gourmands. En France, et de plus en plus à l’international, il marie
épicerie de luxe et restauration.
Pour sa cinquième implantation parisienne, Armen Petrossian s’est
s’installé dans l’ancien quartier des Russes blancs, Rive droite, Ã
deux pas de l’église orthodoxe de la rue Daru. Coup de chapeau aux
fondateurs de la maison, son père Mouchegh et son oncle Melkoum,
Arméniens du Caucase émigrés à Paris dans les soubresauts de la
révolution bolchevique.
« Au début, ils pensaient revenir très vite en Russie et mon
grand-père a continué à acheter des terrains là -bas dans les années
1920 », raconte Armen. Mais, de même qu’on vit des grands ducs devenir
chauffeurs de taxi à Paris ou à Londres, les deux hommes d’affaires
qui avaient réussi dans le pétrole, se firent importateur de l’autre
or noir de la Caspienne. La suite est connue. Petrossian est devenu
synonyme de caviar, qu’il fit découvrir aux Français. Presque un
si̬cle plus tard Рle centenaire est pour 2020 Рles affaires se font
toujours en famille chez les Petrossian, qui ont aussi pignon sur rue
à Lyon. Michaël, expert-comptable de formation et « foodie »
professionnel avec, à son actif, la création des restaurants Yoom,
spécialistes des dim sum, aide son père sur la partie restauration
tandis qu’Alexandre développe les activités américaines. Entre Los
Angeles (où réside une importante communauté arménienne), Las Vegas et
New York, la maison est maintenant à la tête de cinq épiceries de
luxe, restaurant, café-boutique avec même une boulangerie primée pour
la qualité de ses croissants ! Ajoutez les implantations de Dubaï et
Bruxelles, celles de Ṣo Paulo Рferm̩es r̩cemment par le licenci̩
mais qu’Armen Petrossian souhaite relancer en direct – et l’on aura
compris que le déploiement international de la maison suit assez
fidèlement la carte de la création de richesses. Prochaine étape ?
Londres et Hong Kong, où la marque commencera par fournir les
professionnels, restaurateurs notamment. Une activité B to B qui
s’équilibre désormais avec la vente aux particuliers. En baisse, en
revanche, la vente aux compagnies aériennes, qui serrent leurs coûts.
« Nous réduisons aussi progressivement celles aux industriels de la
transformation agroalimentaire », note-t-il.
POPULARISER LE CAVIAR
A côté de la sélection caviar, une dizaine de variétés proposée dans
les célèbres boîtes bleues, Petrossian a mis au point des produits «
dérivés » conçus pour l’apéritif et le brunch. Exemples : les
mini-cubes de caviar à croquer, les lamelles de « pressé » à glisser
dans un croque-monsieur ou encore le CaviarCream, un tarama « augmenté
» à moins de 30 euros le pot de 60 grammes. Autre trouvaille pour les
vrais « accros » : la fleur de caviar séchée, à consommer moulue ou en
grains entiers sur un risotto ou des oeufs brouillés
ELARGIR L’ASSORTIMENT
Au-delà des oeufs et poissons fumés, Petrossian élargit
progressivement son assortiment aux autres produits festifs : foie
gras, truffes, chocolats, de même qu’à certaines spécialités russes,
bortsch, koulibiak, pirojki ou les thés La tentation serait grande
d’aller plus vite pour transformer les boutiques en mini-market de
luxe, histoire de faire revenir les clients plus souvent. Mais Armen
est prudent. « J’ai besoin d’aller au fond de chacun des produits que
nous vendons », dit-il, choqué par « certains taramas au goût prononcé
d’huile, ces saumons fumés qui sentent le copeau de bois. Le pire
étant ces prétendus produits parfumés à la truffe et qui sont en fait
arrosés d’arômes artificiels. »
DEVELOPPER LE « TRAVEL RETAIL »
Avec la vente en ligne démarrée dès 1999, les boutiques d’aéroport et
l’aviation d’affaires constituent un axe prometteur en France et
surtout à l’étranger. Après Roissy et le terminal affaires de celui de
Nice, un Bar à Caviar et Champagne Petrossian a ouvert dans le nouvel
aéroport de Los Angeles, dont les surfaces commerciales ont été
considérablement développées.
À noter
Le groupe Petrossian réalise un peu moins de 40 millions de chiffre
d’affaires, dont 20 % réalisés par Dom Petroff, la marque vendue dans
la grande distribution.
Associated Press International
November 22, 2014 Saturday 12:21 PM GMT
Nagorno-Karabkah says it killed 2 Azeri soldiers
YEREVAN, Armenia
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) – Nagorno-Karabakh says its forces have killed
two Azerbaijani soldiers in an operation to recover the bodies of
three helicopter crew members whose craft was shot down by Azerbaijan
this month.
The separatist region’s army revealed the overnight operation in a
statement Saturday.
The Azerbaijani region and some adjacent territory have been under the
control of Armenian soldiers and ethnic Armenian local troops since
the end of a six-year separatist war in 1994. Both sides report
frequent shootings and attempted incursions along the cease-fire line,
but a recent outbreak of fighting has been the worst in many years.
The Azerbaijani defense ministry denied there had any rescue
operation, Azerbaijani media reported.
The helicopter was shot down on Nov. 11 and fell inside the
demilitarized zone separating the two sides.
Global Post
Nov 22 2014
Ethnic Armenian rebels ‘recover bodies’ from chopper downed in Karabakh
Ethnic Armenian separatists in the disputed Nagorny Karabakh region
said Saturday they have recovered the bodies of their crew shot down
in a helicopter by Azerbaijani forces last week.
Since the military chopper was brought down close to the frontline of
the breakaway ethnic Armenian region on Wednesday, the crash site has
come under Azerbaijani fire.
But in a statement issued Saturday, the separatists said they
successfully carried out an operation to recover the corpses, and also
killed two Azerbaijani soldiers in the process.
Baku however denied the claims, saying that the rebels had carried out
no operation in the area and that the Azerbaijani military had
suffered no losses.
“This information is a purposeful provocation and falsehood,”
Azerbaijan’s defence ministry said in a statement.
Armenia has threatened “grave consequences” over the downed helicopter
and the incident sparked fears of a major escalation in the
decades-long Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over the disputed region.
Armenia-backed separatists seized the mountainous region, which is
mainly inhabited by ethnic Armenians, from Azerbaijan in a war in the
1990s.
Despite years of negotiations, the two sides have not yet signed a
final peace deal, with Karabakh still internationally recognised as
part of Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijani and Armenian forces have in recent months regularly
exchanged fire across their frontier and along the Karabakh frontline.
Last August saw an unprecedented spiral of violence with more than 20
troops killed from both sides in the deadliest clashes since an
overall ceasefire was agreed.
Oil-rich Azerbaijan, whose military spending exceeds Armenia’s entire
state budget, has threatened to take back the region by force if
negotiations fail to yield results.
Armenia, which is heavily armed by Russia, says it could crush any offensive.
mkh-eg-im/am/hmn
Secret details of Artsakh rescue operation against Azeri murderers revealed
21:14, 23.11.2014
STEPANAKERT. – The source from the military command revealed to the
Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter some secret details about the special
operation conducted by Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) Armed Forces to
rescue the bodies of Armenian pilots of helicopter destroyed by Azeris
in violation of the ceasefire.
According to the source, the counterterrorism and special operations
units of the Artsakh Armed Forces prepared for the operation for
several days, as the military experts planned and examined all details
in advance. Azerbaijani side expected that Armenians will not leave
their people and will attempt to rescue the bodies of Armenian pilots
from the helicopter crash site, so Azeris prepared a trap near the
helicopter, where they supposed to kill Armenian rescuers. However,
Armenians predicted that in advance and first Artsakh counterterrorism
and special operations forces destroyed the trap set by Azeris. During
the operation, Artsakh units eliminated the Azeri soldier who kept the
spotlight over the crash site and another Azerbaijani military
standing next to him. The entire operation and the elimination of
combat soldiers was done so quiet and fine that the Azerbaijani
sentinel next to the site did not hear anything.
After the elimination of the combat soldiers, Artsakh counterterrorism
and rescue units approached the helicopter crash site and rescued the
remains of three Armenian military servicemen. According to the
source, the shot helicopter split in two parts, and only one part of
it was burnt. The remains of two soldiers were partially burnt as
well, while the body of the third Armenian serviceman was preserved.
The Azerbaijani armed forces violated the ceasefire and shot down
Artsakh Air Force helicopter on Nov. 12. The chopper was downed during
a training flight, and it crashed very close to the
Karabakh-Azerbaijan Line of Contact. As a result, three pilots were
killed: the commander of the helicopter, Major Sergey Sahakyan, as
well as Lt. Senior Sargis Nazaryan and Lt. Azat Sahakyan.The
adversary, on the other hand, was firing intensive shots toward the
crash site, thus, not allowing access to the area. However, the
remains of the three Armenian military servicemen and some necessary
parts of the chopper were removed from the helicopter’s crash site
through a special operation by the Artsakh.
Armenia News – NEWS.am