Author: nina hovnanian

WHY FEWER IRANIAN TOURISTS IN ARMENIA?

12:05 * 27.03.14

Iran and other Muslim countries celebrated Nowruz on March 21, and
Iranian tourists flowed to Armenia.

However, far fewer Iranian tourists are visiting Armenia now as
compared with previous years. Tour operators, the Tourism Department
of Armenia’s Ministry of Economy, as well as tourists themselves
believe US dollar fluctuations account for the situation.

Gohar Hovhannisyan, manager of the Sati travel agency, says far fewer
tourists have visited Armenia in the recent three or four years.

“They have problems with the US exchange rate, and Armenia is not a
cheap country now, beginning with renting. Iranian tourists can visit
Turkey or Dubai and spend half the sums they spend in Armenia. We
are not a cheap country for them any longer,” Ms Hovhannisyan said.

“We are not a Muslim country, and they come here to feel freer. They
are not interested in the country’s history or culture. They come
here to enjoy themselves,” she said.

The director of an Iranian restaurant complained to Tert.am that
Iranians are often deceived in Armenia, particularly, when too high
prices for services are asked from them.

“To take Iranian tourists to Lake Sevan, taxi drivers ask 70,000
drams (about $170). Iranians pay AMD 40,000 bills at restaurants,
while European tourists pay 15,000 for the same,” he said.

Mekhak Apresyan, Head of the Tourism Department, Ministry of Economy,
does not share the opinion that religious differences and lack of
interest in historical monuments means that Armenia is of no interest
to Iranian tourists.

“Despite of their religion, Iranians feel favorably treated here.

Armenia has developed infrastructures. I cannot say we have no
problems, but we have very interesting sights, and Iranian tourists can
enjoy pastime. They also visit our historical and cultural monuments,”
Apresyan said.

Iranian tourists also voice “welcome complaints.”

“They ask why the information on different historical and cultural
monuments is not provided in the Persian language as well. They also
want to be allowed to pray in hotels, and private companies often
meet their wishes.”

“The number of Iranian tourists had steadily been increasing until
2011. That year, about 134,000 Iranians crossed the border into
Armenia. The financial crisis caused a decline in the number of
tourists going out of the country, including those visiting Armenia.

Far fewer tourists visited Armenia in 2012 and in 2013,” Apresyan said.

Specifically, about 111,000 Iranian tourists visited Armenia in 2012,
and 94,000 in 2013.

“But this is not a low figure, which shows that they do not visit
Armenia during Nowruz only,” the official said.

Some Iranians strolling in Yerevan’s Republic Square and along North
Avenue told Tert.am that service prices have risen in Armenia.

So they do not now visit the country as often as before. Another
reason is USD fluctuations in Iran.

ARTSAKH LEADER MEETS WITH HADRUT YOUTH

12:36 27/03/2014 >> SOCIETY

On March 26, Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan visited the
town of Hadrut and met with the youth in the region.

The republic’s socioeconomic development and domestic policy were
discussed at the meeting. Special attention was paid to the state’s
youth policy.

According to the President, the creation of necessary conditions for
young people in the regions and villages aimed at securing their full
involvement in the implementation of various projects is among the
most important tasks on the country’s development agenda as well as
one of the cornerstones of its demographic policy.

In this context, the President highlighted the importance of active
position and zealousness of the youth, adding that such an approach
will enable to more efficiently solve many problems.

Bako Sahakyan then visited the country’s southern wing and familiarized
himself with the course of agricultural activities carried out there.

NKR Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Aghabekyan and other officials
attended the meeting, the press service of Artsakh Republic President
reports.

Source: Panorama.am

PROTEST AT UNO OFFICE: “KESSAB IS OURS, WE ARE KESSAB’S” (VIDEO)

16:58 | March 27,2014 | Politics

Today UNO silence on Kessab events gathered dozens of citizens at the
institution’s Armenian office. The reason for anger was the same,
“We want from international public to give relevant estimation and
make Turkey avoid war provocation and anti-Armenian actions.

UNO must create conditions that Kessab Armenians return to their
residence.”- announced the organizer of the action, Dashnaktsutyun
“Nikol Aghbalyan” students’ union department’s chairman Gerasim
Vardanyan, to which the participants of the action responded,
“Kessab is our, and we are Kessab’s.”

Dozens of Kessab Armenians took part in today’s action, “We express
our anger to Turkey, who entered into alliance with the aggressor
and tries to destroy Kessab’s small homeland,”- said Hovsep Paslikyan.

Action participant Kessab-Armenian student Shogher Melkonyan moved
to Armenia 6 months ago and left her parents in Syria. According to
her words, Turks attacked Armenian district suddenly, “It was in the
morning, they were many, our relatives didn’t manage to take anything,
they only rescued themselves.”

Other Kessab-Armenians in Armenia informed that their relatives are
now in Latakia, “They are in very bad conditions, the church helps
them and several charitable organizations. The Government takes care
of them. We are also ready to help them.”

So Kessab-Armenians are sure that one day they will return to Syria,
“Kessab has become a homeland for us, it is our birthplace, all our
memories,”- said Shogher Melkonyan.

During today’s action, the protestors gave letter to the
representatives of the UNO in Armenia, and they got answer from the
organization, that the concerns of the letter will be passed to the
heads of the UNO.

MUDAR BARAKAT: “ATTACK ON KASSAB IS A REFLECTION OF ERDOGAN’S ANGER TOWARDS ARMENIA”

Thursday 27 March 2014 13:56
Photo: REUTERS

Mudar Barakat: “Attack on Kassab is a reflection of Erdogan’s anger
towards Armenia”

Mediamax’s exclusive interview with Dr Mudar Barakat, Syrian political
observer and analyst

– Armenian-populated town Kessab, which was previously considered as
one of the safest places in Syria, was attacked last week by gunmen
from Turkey. Why they chose Kessab as a target?

– First of all, these are not ordinary gunmen, they are mercenaries
employed and trained by the Erdogan neo-fascist government of Turkey,
financed by the Wahhabi rulers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait,
and armed by USA, Israel and their European allies.

According to a report published in Oct. 2013 by an American research
centre, most of these terrorists are Islamic jihadists, the majority
of them are from Saudi Arabia (19 700 terrorists, 4 000 of them have
been killed already), Tunisia, Turkey, Chechnya, Somalia, Afghanistan,
Pakistan and many other countries.

Syrian government proved with documents and evidence presented to
the UN that terrorists from 87 countries have been involved in this
war so far.

According to the same U.S. research center, about 58 000 foreign
terrorists have been killed inside Syria between April 2011 and Dec
2013, evidently 247 of them are Turkish army officers and soldiers,
many others are arrested.

Since we clarified who these terrorists are, you can notice that this
idiotic attack on the city of Kassab was timed to be during Erdogan’s
presence in Antakya to launch his election campaign. You can also
notice the intentions of Erdogan’s performance during his speech in
Antakya, where he announced the attack on a Syrian air fighter by
Turkish F16, which happened at the time of the speech. According to
Turkish opposition sources, he was planning to announce the fall of
Kassab during the speech as a symbolic victory for his government in
support of the so called “Syrian revolution”, which means a lot for his
party in the coming elections, and it shows his American and Israeli
masters that he succeeded where the Wahhabis and Muslim brotherhood
rulers of Saudi Arabia and Qatar have failed again and again over
the last three years. He also thinks that such success can convince
the Americans and the Israelis that there is still a chance to bring
down the Syrian regime, and that the planned attack on Lattakia is
now possible. But more importantly, he intended to use such success
in convincing the Americans to relieve him from his fears of losing
power to his new enemy and ex-friend Fathullah Gulin.

Erdogan is targeting Kassab’s symbolic importance as a peaceful Syrian
cradle for the Armenian families who survived the massacres enforced
by his Ottoman predecessors and it seems that this attack on Kassab
is a reflection of Erdogan’s anger towards Armenia’s stand against
his terrorism in Syria, and a reminder of the 1915 massacres and the
historical Turkish animosity towards the Armenians.

However, just like what happens in any war zone, most of the citizens
of Kassab had moved to Lattakia before the arrival of the terrorists
and the people of Lattakia opened there homes for them, knowing that
it will not be long until Kassab is cleaned from Erdogan’s terrorists.

About 450 Armenian families have left Kassab to Latakia, some of them
are now staying in the Armenian Church.

On March 26, a parliament delegation arrived to Lattakia from Armenia
to witness and condemn the terrorist Turkish behavior. The Armenian
members of Parliament met with the Kassab families, and while they
were there, an Armenian-Syrian citizen arrived from Kassab after
he was lucky enough to escape from the terrorists who kidnapped him
and was interviewed by the representative of the Syrian TV who was
accompanying the Armenian Parliament delegation.

– Are there ongoing fights at the moment near Kessab? What measures
does the Syrian government take to get back Kessab as heavy fire is
reported in the area?

– The terrorists managed to take the boarders cross point near Kassab,
and from there they advanced towards the west side of the city of
Kassab, they are equipped with anti-aircraft missiles as well as a
number of American tanks, all provided by Turkish army.

Early in the morning today [March 26], the Syrian army regained the
strategic base (point 45), and surrounded the entire region around
Kassab. The Syrian army is entering the city from the east, other
units are surrounding the terrorists in the west part of the city.

The fighting is still ongoing, it will continue until all terrorists
are killed. I was told that 1200 terrorists, among them Turkish
officers and soldiers, were killed in the fights that took place over
the night.

– The gunmen crossed the Syrian border from Turkey, so can we say
the Turkish government supported them and even organized these attacks?

– Yes, as I said earlier, Erdogan’s government provided the terrorists
with American tanks, anti-air-craft missiles, and also provided them
with the Turkish army logistic support, in addition to participating
directly with the terrorists in the attack.

-The Turkish border is reported to be open now and large-scale robbery
is said to take place in Kessab.

– Perhaps they haven’t managed yet to do that on a large scale,
but surely, Erdogan’s gangsters will repeat in Kassab what they did
in Aleppo, they have robbed everything in Aleppo, the museums, the
mosques, the houses, the markets.

– The Al Nusra group still controls Kessab. How long will they be
able to resist?

– I can assure you that they will not succeed in facing the national
Syrian army, just like in other areas, they will be smashed under
the boots of the Syrian soldiers.

– What steps do the Syrian officials take to prevent attacks on
Christians?

– The Syrian Christians don’t differ from any other Syrians – this
is how we have always lived together.

Christianity was born in Syria, and the Syrian soldiers are defending
the whole nation. This is why our enemies, Erdogan and all others,
failed and will always fail to achieve their goals since they can’t
comprehend our way of living in Syria. The Syrian people believe
that some Syrians have been Muslims for 1400 years, other Syrians
have been Christians for 2014 years, but we all have been Syrians
for more than 10 000 years.

– There are rumors that an attack on Lattakia will happen soon. What
do you think?

– Analyzing the situation, I can assure you that this will not happen
since these terrorists have failed to achieve easier goals during the
past three years despite the fact that they were at the peak of their
strength and had the best international support. Now the situation
has changed, the Syrian army is attacking rather than defending,
also the US and international support for the rebels is at its’
weakest after the many victories achieved by the Syrian army.

Narine Daneghyan talked to Mudar Barakat.

DE JEUNES MANIFESTANTS POINTENT DU DOIGT LE SORT DES ARMENIENS DE SYRIE

Syrie

Des dizaines de jeunes a Erevan ont marche hier vers le bureau des
Nations Unies dans la capitale armenienne afin d’attirer l’attention
des instances internationales sur le sort des Armeniens syriens.

Ils ont notamment souleve des inquietudes sur le sort de Kessab, ville
principalement peuplee d’Armeniens situee au nord-ouest de la Syrie.

La ville a ete saisi par des militants islamistes ces derniers jours,
ce qui a conduit a l’evacuation de centaines de familles armeniennes.

Les militants d’Erevan ont souligne le rôle de la Turquie dans
l’agression contre Kessab : des groupes extremistes affilies a Al-Qaïda
avaient penetre en Syrie en passant par le territoire turc.

” Le processus est une continuation du genocide. La Turquie s’est
donnee pour mission d’aneantir tous les Armeniens a la frontière.

Grâce a notre unite, nous voulons montrer aux Armeniens syriens que
la nation armenienne n’est pas indifferente a leur cause et que nous
les soutenons “, a declare Armen Mkhitarian.

Les participants de l’action ont remis une lettre au bureau de l’ONU
après l’avoir lu a voix haute.

Hranush Aloyan, un autre militant, a declare : ” Nous appelons a
maintenir la paix et la securite internationales afin d’initier des
mesures efficaces pour eliminer toutes menaces a la paix ainsi que
d’autres actes d’agression qui perturbent la paix. Et l’Organisation
des Nations Unies, par son silence, prend en charge les activites
illegales de la Turquie. Nous appelons a la condamnation des actes
illegaux de la Turquie “.

Plus tôt cette semaine, le president armenien Serge Sarkissian a
egalement souleve la question de la Kessab en marge du Sommet sur la
securite nucleaire a La Haye. Il a exprime la “profonde inquietude”
de l’Armenie sur la situation autour de la ville syrienne, la decrivant
comme ” un serieux defi pour les mecanismes du 21e siècle de protection
des minorites ethniques. ”

Sarkissian a declare qu’il avait demande a des diplomates armeniens a
l’Organisation des Nations Unies d’engager les responsables a prendre
des mesures pour assurer la securite des Armeniens de Kessab.

Pendant ce temps, une delegation parlementaire armenienne de six
membres a quitte la Syrie mardi pour remedier a la situation des
environs de Kessab. Ils sont censes informer leurs collègues a Erevan
sur la situation la-bas lors de leur retour.

jeudi 27 mars 2014, Claire (c)armenews.com

SYRIA’S KESSAB: THE DEVASTATION OF AN ARMENIAN SAFE HAVEN

Al-Akhbar, Lebanon
March 26 2014

By: Kevork Almassian
Published Wednesday, March 26, 2014

The Syrian town of Kessab, once a popular holiday destination,
has recently come under heavy gunfire from rebel groups linked to
al-Qaeda. Armed men entered the town, looted Armenian shops and homes,
taking families hostage, and desecrating the town’s three churches.

The attack has forced at least 2,000 ethnic Armenian civilians to seek
refuge in Latakia and other neighboring hills. For Syria watchers,
this incident further highlights the systematic targeting of Christian
communities in the country.

Part of an ancient civilization that extends from the Syrian coast
up to the valley of the Orontes River, Kessab is located in the far
northern countryside of Latakia, 2 km south of the Turkish border and
7 km east of the coastline. The majority of the population in Kessab
and the surrounding region are descendants of the survivors of the
Siege of Antioch (Antakya), which took place in the thirteenth and
fourteenth centuries. Many Antochians, predominantly ethnic Armenians,
fled Ottoman persecution and found refuge in more mountainous regions,
such as Kessab. Centuries later, in 1915, fleeing massacres at the
hands of Ottoman Turks, more Armenians found refuge in Kessab while
others perished in the desert of Deir el-Zor and toward the south of
the Jordanian desert.

Almost a hundred years after the Armenian Genocide of 1915, the AKP
government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyib Erdogan appears to have
proven William Faulkner’s saying: “The past is not dead. In fact it
is not even past.”

Turkey intervened in the Syrian crisis from its early stages. Erdogan –
along with other countries – provided anti-regime forces safe havens
inside Turkish territories and turned a blind eye to the influx of
foreign fighters into Syria, including some from Chechnya and other
Central Asian countries. Those fighters currently form the strongest
elements of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) and other
al-Qaeda affiliated groups.

While Syrian-Armenian parties did not participate in the ongoing war –
apart from young Syrian-Armenians who are conscripted into the army –
the Armenian community was not spared from the systematic targeting
of ethnic and religious minorities by anti-government forces, such
as the St. Kevork Church in Aleppo, the Armenian Catholic Church in
Raqqa, among many other churches, schools and institutions.

The Syrian government, as well as several Armenian websites, reported
the recent cross-border attacks were waged from three border points
inside Turkish territories. According to security sources in Kessab,
the attacks were waged under heavy artillery cover by the Turkish
army, while the injured were being treated in the city of Yayladagi
in Turkey, which borders Syria.

Three days before the assault on Kessab, the leader of Turkey’s
opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), Kemal Kilicdaroglu,
called on Chief of General Staff General Necdet Ozel “not to embark
on an adventure” with a military intervention in Syria, saying that
“He [Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan] could decide to move the
army into Syria before the elections.”

Kilicdaroglu’s prediction seems to have come true when the Turkish
air force gunned down a Syrian warplane on March 23, in an area where
al-Qaeda affiliated groups have been battling the Syrian Army and
National Defense Forces (NDF) over control of a border crossing. PM
Erdogancongratulated his army in an election rally in northwest Turkey.

Analysts believe this could be Erdogan’s last card before local
elections in Turkey take place on March 30. Some Syrian observers
believe this escalation on the part of Turkey is a provocative act
aimed at dragging both armies into a direct confrontation in order
to mobilize the Turkish public and regain some of the support Erdogan
lost in the last few months as a result of the corruption scandals and
restrictions on media freedom. With Erdogan’s popularity in decline,
he is seemingly hoping to export the internal crisis abroad to gain
a moral victory which could help him in the upcoming elections.

Abdoullah Ali, an expert on Islamic groups in Syria, confirmed the
takeover was headed by Abou Mousa al-Chechani (Chechnyan), among
other senior and experienced fighters who had previously fought in
Afghanistan, Bosnia, Chechnya and Iraq, thus indicating the importance
of this battle.

These vicious and unprompted attacks against the Armenian-populated
towns and villages of Kessab are the latest examples of this violence,
actively encouraged by neighboring Turkey.Kessab was the only city
bordering Turkey that was controlled by the Syrian government.

Syrian-Armenian war correspondent Sarkis Kassargian believes taking
control of Kessab means taking control of the border crossing with
Turkey, which allows anti-government fighters to advance toward the
coastline, and in turn strengthen their position on the ground. In
addition, the alleged capture of Samra village by rebel forces grants
them access to the highest point in the village.

An influential Washington-based Armenian advocacy group, the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA), has condemned the “onslaught on
Kessab” and accused Turkey of facilitating the infiltration of radical
groups in their attacks on Christian and other minority populations in
Kessab. The group has also called on the US administration and Congress
to pressure Ankara to end its support for “the destruction of Kessab.”

“For months, we have warned the international community of the imminent
threat posed by extremist foreign fighters against the Christian
minority population in Syria,” the group said, in a statement. “These
vicious and unprompted attacks against the Armenian-populated towns
and villages of Kessab are the latest examples of this violence,
actively encouraged by neighboring Turkey.

We call upon all states with any influence in the Syrian conflict to
use all available means to stop these attacks against the peaceful
civilian population of Kessab, to allow them to return to their homes
in safety and security.”

After targeting the Armenian-populated villages of Ghnaymiyeh
and Yaakoubiyeh, it is now the turn of Kessab, from which some 670
Armenian families fled to Latakia under the protection of the Syrian
Army. Armenians who were displaced from Aleppo to Kessab have found
themselves homeless yet again in Latakia. “Is this is our destiny?”

many Armenians are now wondering.

Kevork Almassian is a political analyst specializing in Middle East
affairs. He’s also a presenter and programme producer at Al-Etejah TV.

RUSSIAN DEPUTY FM, SWISS STATE SECRETARY DISCUSS UKRAINE

The Voice of Russia
March 26 2014

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin and State Secretary
in the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Yves Rossier met
in Geneva on March 25 to exchange views on the situation in Ukraine,
the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

“A detailed exchange of opinions on the situation in Ukraine included
possible steps on the part of the Chairman-in-office of the OSCE
(Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) to assist
the resolution of the crisis in this country,” the Russian Foreign
Ministry said on its website.

Russia stressed the importance of the practical implementation of
the February 21, 2014 agreements, including constitutional reform
in Ukraine.

The diplomats also discussed the objectives of the OSCE mission
currently being deployed in Ukraine.

The diplomats also touched upon the Karabakh settlement process and
the forthcoming meeting in the framework of the Geneva consultations
on Caucasus security and stability.

HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK: ‘PARAJANOV’ FILM’S CO-DIRECTOR FEARED PERSECUTIONS IN UKRAINE

11:58 26/03/2014 >> DAILY PRESS

Speaking to Haykakan Zhamanak, director Serge Avedikian, who played
the role of Parajanov in the film of the same name, commented on the
statement of Ukrainian director Yelena Fetisova that she is rejecting
the State Award of Armenia because of the Armenian President’s position
on the Crimea referendum.

Avedikian noted that Fetisova probably rejected the award because
she feared that she could be persecuted in Ukraine. He added that in
any case she should have come to Armenia to express her position on
the matter.

Source: Panorama.am

VAHAGN CHAKHALYAN: SAAKASHVILI MAKES UNRESPONSIBLE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Today – 19:02 26/3/14

Georgian former President Mikhail Saakashvili had a large interview
with Georgian “Rustavi 2” TV channel on March 25. During his interview
he spoke about the last amnesty in Georgia and said that “…as a
result of it murderers and chakhalyans were set free and we see what
now they do in Javakhk”. Times.am spoke with Vahagn Chakhalyan about
the latest interview of Georgian former President.

Answering to the question why Saakashvili does not miss any opportunity
to offend Vahagn Chakhalyan and what makes him act so, Chakhalyan
said: “Unfortunately, Georgian former President can’t help himself
from making unresponsible expressions either before or now.

And he again has made unresponsible announcements. He presents me as
murderer, robber and criminal but at the same time he forgets that my
case is still under examination and nothing is proved. My case now is
under European Court examination and this mean that many violations
have been done. So nothing proves that I was guilty. This means, that
Saakashvili does not have any right to announce such things about me.

This is the legal part of teh issue”.

Chakhalyan added that Saakashvili spoke about his “crimes” even without
examining the case. “Saakashvili accused me in various crimes, and
again made unresponsible announcements”.

In the end of his speech Chakhalyan gave a rhetorical question to
Saakashvili. “Saakashvili said yesterday “Do you see what happens in
Javakhk now?” And now I want to ask: What does happen in Javakhk?

Javakhk is now as stabilized as never. And his supporters aim to
violate this stability”.

ARMENIAN ENVOY INTRODUCES KARABAKH HISTORY TO CZECH STUDENTS

11:34 * 26.03.14

Armenian Ambassador to the Czhech Republic Tigran Seyranyan has
delivered a lecture on Nagorno-Karabakh for students of the Jan Neruda
University of Prague.

Andrey Martirosyan, a native of Karabakh, introduced visual facts at
the beginning to develop a better understanding of the country’s past
and present. The ambassador then introduced the country’s history,
addressing different epochs from the ancient times to our days
(including the latest developmets in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
settlement talks), says a statement by the Nagorno-Karabakh Foreign
Ministry.

The diplomat also called the participants’ attention to the Czech
Repubic’s balanced approach to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Jaromir Shtetina, a Czech senator and a good friend of the Armenian
nation who witnessed the Nagorno-Karabakh war, also delivered a lecture
to share his impressions and memories. He particularly dwelled on the
Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians’ brave and painstaking struggle against the
Azerbaijani yoke and the liberation of the historical Armenian lands.

Armenian News – Tert.am