Author: nina hovnanian

ARMENIA: 60 MILLION EUROS OF NEW COMMISSION FUNDING FOR JUDICIAL REFORM AND ECONOMIC INTEGRATION

ENPI Info Centre

Aug 28 2012

The European Commission has adopted an Annual Action Programme
providing ~@60 million of bilateral funding for Armenia in the
framework of the Eastern Partnership. The assistance comes through
the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI).

A press release issued today said the aim was to speed up justice
reform and prepare the ground for increased bilateral relations,
political association and economic integration with the EU.

The new assistance will include: new training opportunities for key
national institutions, providing expert advice and best practice,
setting up of schools for lawyers, judges and prosecutors. The overall
goal is to have an independent, transparent and effective judiciary
to serve the Armenian people.

The funding will also support those Armenian institutions involved in
the preparation and future implementation of new EU-Armenia agreements
currently being negotiated, and in particular the Association Agreement
(including a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area), and the Visa
Facilitation and Re-admission Agreement.

The programme is made up of three parts:

Support for justice reform in Armenia – Phase II, to contribute to
the development of a more independent, transparent, accountable,
accessible and efficient judicial system, in line with the national
strategies of justice reforms. It follows and builds on the results
of the current EU support programmes in the sector.

Support for the EU-Armenia Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area
(DCFTA) to ensure that Armenia takes all the necessary measures to
maximise the benefits of substantial new trade opportunities under
the DCFTA, and that these benefits are enjoyed by citizens.

Support for EU-Armenia Agreements to enhance the overall technical
and coordination capacity of a number of core institutions that are
important in preparing and later on implementing the Association
Agreement, the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area and Visa
Facilitation/Readmission Agreement. (EU Neighbourhood Info)

U.S. LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN ON “ANNEXING IRANIAN AZERBAIJAN TO AZERBAIJAN”?

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 28, 2012 – 21:51 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The U.S. State Department has confirmed receipt of
a letter from Congressman Dana Rohrabacher addressed to Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton.

He proposed in the letter to support the idea of annexing Iranian
Azerbaijan (northwest portion of Iran) to Azerbaijan, State Department
spokesman said.

As Victoria Nuland noted at a briefing, though Secretary of State
replied to the letter, the details won’t be publicized.

“We support the principle of territorial integrity,” Nuland said,
asked if the U.S. backs fragmentation of states, Trend reported.

EXPERT: SALE OF 20% OF ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT’S SHARES TO GAZPROM IS IRRELEVANT

arminfo
Tuesday, August 28, 19:22

The sale of 20% the Armenian Government’s shares in ArmRusgasprom CJSC,
the operator of the Armenian gas distribution network of Armenia,
to Gazprom is irrelev nt, Gagik Minasyan, Chairman of the Armenian
Standing Parliamentary Commission on Financial, Credit and Budget
Issues, MP from the Republican Party of Armenia Faction, said at
today’s press conference when asked about the expediency of sale of
the 20% of the Armenian Government’s shares in exchange for non-growth
of prices of the Russian gas imported to Armenia.

He recalled the statement made during the recent meeting of the
Armenian and Russian Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Vladimir Putin
in Moscow that the price of the Russian gas should meet the logic
of the sides’ economic interests on the one hand, and to comply with
the gas prices in the region on the other hand.

To recall, the gas prices in Armenia have not been changed for over 2
years. Earlier the Armenian Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources
reported that Yerevan and Moscow were negotiating on the tariffs of
gas imported from Russia to Armenia. The Armenian mass media reported
that Gazprom was going to raise the gas price for Armenia from the
current 180 USD per 1 thsd cu m to $280 starting 1 October 2012,
and to $320 starting from January 2013. Last time the Russian gas
prices in Armenia grew on 1 April 2010 from 96 AMD to 132 AMD per
1 cu m for the population, and from $215 to $243.13 per 1 thsd cu m
for the large consumers using over 10 thsd cu m monthly.

To note, Gazprom OJSC owns 80% of shares of the Armenian gas monopolist
ArmRusgasprom, and 20% of shares belong to the Government of Armenia.

LE BHK SOUTIENT L’UNION EURASIENNE
Laetitia

armenews.com
mardi 28 aout 2012

Gagik Tsarukian (Parti Armenie prospère (BHK)) a souligne son soutien
a une ” Union eurasienne ” des anciennes republiques sovietiques en
parrainant une conference internationale. La conference de cinq jours,
co-organisee par le BHK et le Forum de la jeunesse base a Moscou,
s’est deroulee dans la station balneaire armenienne de Tsaghkadzor.

Parmi les participants, il y a trois militants du parti au pouvoir,
Russie unie. L’un d’eux, Andrei Smirnov, est egalement president du
Fonds de cooperation eurasienne. Ce dernier a declare vendredi que
le but principal du forum de Tsaghkadzor est d’expliquer l’utilite
de la mise en place de cette Union eurasienne. Le president russe
Vladimir Poutine a lance l’idee de l’Union eurasienne dans un article
de journal publie l’annee dernière. Serge Sakissian serait reticent
face a cette organisation. En revanche, le BHK, qui possède la deuxième
plus grande faction du Parlement armenien, a indique le mois dernier
qu’il soutient l’idee de Poutine.

” L’Armenie doit agir comme un observateur. Nous sommes en train
d’examiner les choses “, a declare Vahe Enfiajian, le chef du BHK,
lors d’une conference de presse avec Smirnov.

Enfiajian a insiste sur le fait que l’union dirigee par la Russie
n’entravait pas les efforts de l’Armenie pour nouer des liens plus
etroits avec l’Union europeenne et les Etats-Unis. ” Nous n’avons
aucun problème avec l’Occident “, a-t-il dit. ” Nous cooperons de la
meme manière avec les differentes organisations de jeunesse d’Europe.

Nous croyons que l’Armenie doit mener une politique souple et doit
participer a divers processus politiques internationaux. ”

Stepan Safarian, un leader de l’opposition du parti Zharangutyun
(Heritage), a rejete ces assurances. Des diplomates europeens auraient
clairement fait savoir que l’adhesion a l’union eurasienne empecherait
l’etablissement d’une zone de libre-echange approfondie entre l’UE
et l’Armenie.

” L’adhesion de l’Armenie a l’Union eurasienne pourrait avoir de très
graves consequences geopolitiques pour le pays “, a declare Safarian
a RFE / RL (Azatutyun.am).

VELINE 2012 – KRISTINE MARTIROSJAN VINCE LA PUNTATA DEL 27 AGOSTO

TV Blog

27 agosto 2012
Italia

Nuova puntata di “Veline 2012â~@³, il programma ideato da Antonio
Ricci e condotto da Ezio Greggio, in onda questa settimana da Piazza
Berzieri a Salsomaggiore Terme. In gara, questa sera, le more.

A vincere la puntata di oggi è Kristine Martirosjan, 24enne nata a
Buenos Aires. Sua madre è armena ed il padre argentino e lavora come
modella, ma gli addetti ai lavori la conoscono come Jennifer Rodriguez,
suo nome d’arte.

Sul palco si è esibita con delle fiaccole in una danza del fuoco.

Molto loquace, si è intrattenuta forse più del dovuto col conduttore,
che ha sottolineato la eccessiva parlantina della ragazza.

LA POLICE REFUSE DE NOUVEAU DE POURSUIVRE RUBEN HAYRAPETIAN

armenews.com
mardi 28 aout 2012

La police armenienne a reaffirme son refus de poursuivre l’homme
d’affaires Ruben Hayrapetian dans le cadre de l’affire du meurtre
d’un medecin militaire dans un restaurant d’Erevan lui appartenant.

Les deux avocats representant la famille de Vahe Avetian, le medecin
militaire qui a ete battu a la mort au restaurant Harsnakar le 17
juin, avaient demande formellement a la police d’inculper le magnat
en tant que suspect.

Un des avocats, Tigran Yegorian, a dit au service armenien de
RFE/RL (Azatutyun.am) que la petition a ete rejetee. Il a dit que
les enqueteurs ont aussi refuse de transcrire les conversations
telephoniques d’Hayrapetian pendant l’incident qui ont ete enregistrees
par les operateurs de telephonie.

Ruben Hayrapetian a toujours fortement nie les allegations affirmant
qu’il aurait ete derrière l’attaque acceptant juste sa responsabilite
” morale ” de l’incident qui a choque beaucoup d’armeniens.

Arsen Ayvazian, un fonctionnaire de haut rang de la police en charge
de l’enquete, a dit que les enqueteurs n’ont aucune preuve de sa
participation.

Six hommes sont actuellement en prison en attente du procès.

La plupart d’entre eux ont travaille comme gardes charges de
la securite dans le restaurant. On s’attend a ce que leur procès
commence bientôt.

Ouest-France
samedi 25 août 2012
chantepie Edition

Le génocide arménien dans les manuels de 3e

En histoire, les collégiens de 3e étudient la période qui va de 1910 à
aujourd’hui. Cette année, du fait de la rénovation des programmes
décidée par l’ancien gouvernement, l’indépendance de l’Algérie et le
génocide arménien entrent dans les nouveaux manuels scolaires. Foch et
Joffre, eux, ne sont plus dans les pages. Ce qui n’empêche cependant
pas les professeurs de les évoquer.

CanWest News Service, Canada
August 26, 2012 Sunday 09:01 PM EST

Fallen Turkish diplomat honoured at memorial; Killing of Altikat in
1982 remains unsolved

by: alicja siekierska, Ottawa Citizen

Dozens of Turkish-Canadians, diplomats and friends gathered on the
grass by the intersection at Island Park Drive and the Sir John A.
Macdonald Parkway on Sunday to commemorate a solemn day in Ottawa’s
history.

It was near that very location, 30 years ago, that Turkish military
attaché Col. Atilla Altikat, 45, was assassinated, becoming the first
victim of international terrorism on Canadian soil.

On Aug. 27, 1982, Altikat was driving to the Turkish Embassy. While
his car was stopped at a red light by Island Park Drive, a man
casually walked over to the passenger side of the vehicle and shot him
10 times before running away.

A terrorist organization called the Justice Commandos of the Armenian
Genocide (JCAG) claimed responsibility for the attack.

Just one week before Altikat was murdered, former Canadian diplomat
Paul Heinbecker spent the day with him and his family. Heinbecker
called Altikat was a smart man who had a promising future in
diplomacy.

“It was a terrible shock,” said Heinbecker, who attended Sunday’s event.

“Every time that I pass by this corner, my heart is heavy and I feel
sad,” said Zahide Sezerman, the president of the Council of Turkish
Canadians.

Most of the people in attendance Sunday had photos of Altikat pinned
over their hearts. A moment of silence was observed.

Sunday’s memorial was about more than commemorating the life of Altikat, though.

Today, many Turkish-Canadians are calling on the Canadian government
to give justice to all Turkish-Canadians and find the person or people
responsible for the killing.

“No one has been brought to justice,” said Huseyin Nurgel, president
of the Federation of Canadian Turkish Associations. “We want justice.
This was a criminal, terrorist activity that cannot be tolerated in
Canada. Something needs to be done.”

The JCAG was an organization that operated between 1973 and 1986 and
sought revenge for what it said was genocide of the Armenian people by
the former Ottoman Empire during the First World War.

In 2004, the Liberal government officially recognized the Armenian
genocide, and Parliament passed a resolution denouncing the Turks for
committing genocide against Armenians in 1915.

It was a decision that still does not sit well with many
Turkish-Canadians, given that Altikat’s killer was never apprehended,
said one of the memorial’s organizers, Ozay Mehmet.

“There is a miscarriage of justice involving the case of a Turkish
diplomat here,” Mehmet said. “The perpetrators are still at large. We
hope and pray that by finally catching those responsible, Altikat’s
memory is cherished for peace and reconciliation.”

The memorial was concluded just a few steps from a monument under
construction that is meant to honour fallen diplomats, and Altikat in
particular.

Nurgel said he expected the monument to be revealed by the National
Capital Commission and Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird at the end
of September. The recognition by the federal government of what
happened 30 years ago was something Turkish-Canadians would
appreciate, he said.

However, Nurgel and others continue to hope that Canada will find
those responsible for the killing of Altikat.

“We are probably the most successful country in the world at
integrating foreigners and protecting human rights,” Heinbecker said.
“But we cannot allow this kind of cancer of terrorism to eat away at
what we have accomplished.”

ARMENIE
L’exploitation de la montagne Tezh va être nuisible à l’écosystème du lac Sevan

L’exploitation de la montagne Tezh constituera une menace pour
l’écosystème du lac Sevan selon la présidente de l’ONG EcoLur.

Inga Zarafyan a dit que l’exploitation d’une mine près des rivières
Marmavik et Aghstev qui alimentent le lac Sevan aura un impact sur
l’écosystème du lac.

« Ainsi, l’opération est permise à une distance de seulement 4000 m du
bassin du lac. Cela posera une menace sérieuse sur les réserves d’eau
douce d’Arménie et donc un désastre environnemental » a dit Mme
Zarafyan, ajoutant que des discussions publiques sont organisées sur
la question.

La mine sera placée entre les villages de Meghradzor et Artavazd, sur
les pentes nord et sud de la montagne Tezh.

dimanche 26 août 2012,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

Tamar Gasparian raises concerns over Armenian-American-funded women’s shelter

Published: Saturday August 25, 2012

Related Articles
Battered women find refuge at `Lighthouse’ shelter

Open letter to Mrs. Seta Ghazarian

Founder of Paros “Lighthouse” Armenian Charitable Foundation USA

Dear Mrs. Seta Ghazarian,

My name is Tamar Gasparian, I live in New York and for several years I
have worked and volunteered for various non-profit organizations in
both New York and Yerevan. I also recently graduated from City
University of New York with an MA in Urban Affairs focusing on
non-profit fundraising and management. As a non-profit professional
and as an Armenian, I am writing to raise my concern regarding your
organization and its director – Naira Muradyan.

The first time I had heard about your organization was in an Armenian
documentary made by Tehmine Yenoqyan, where Christine Gevorgyan
briefly mentions about being evicted from the Lighthouse shelter. I
could not believe that a non-profit organization founded with
donations by Armenian-Americans to help abused mothers and pregnant
women can treat its beneficiaries in such a harsh way, especially
Christine, whose daughter Angeli was born with a cleft palate. I
immediately contacted the director of the film about how to get in
touch with Christine, so I can understand better why the Lighthouse
shelter wouldn’t let her and her baby stay. She told me a few things
but asked me not to tell anyone because Naira Muradyan threatened her
by saying, “Be careful what you say, you have a sick child and a
husband in jail.”

After a few months, when my boyfriend Rafi Hovsepian and I were
traveling in Armenia, we arranged to meet with Christine and talk to
her in person. When we asked Christine why she couldn’t stay at the
Lighthouse shelter, she told me the story of how Naira Muradyan had
mistreated her. For example, Ms. Muradyan had told Christine that
Angeli is a sick baby (just because she had a cleft) and they will not
keep her sick baby at the shelter. She was forced to clean the
bathroom at the shelter (she was eight months pregnant at the time)
and wash the dishes after the staff ate.

Christine also told us that the staff would always go through the
donated clothing first; taking the nice things for themselves and
leaving the remaining unwanted items for the beneficiaries. I was
speechless.

I spoke with a few other people just to be sure that Christine was not
exaggerating, and her stories were confirmed. However, Ms. Muradyan
has threatened some of the people I spoke with, and they now refuse to
speak publicly.

So had Christine, but I told her that if she doesn’t stand up for
herself and all the other women who have been mistreated in that
shelter, no one else would. So she gathered her courage and wrote me a
letter explaining all the details of what went on at that shelter, and
how Naira is mistreating the beneficiaries.

Christine is a brave woman, and that is the reason why we decided to
support her in the first place. I sent the letter she wrote to
and asked the organization to investigate. The result is
this article in English:
“who-are-you?”.html&fb_action_ids=4028731954510&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582

In Armenian:

Naira Muradyan is not even hesitating to call Christine “a person
useless for society” to the reporter of Hetq. I wonder based on what
qualifications did you hire Naira Muradyan to become the director of
your organization?

I am looking forward to hearing your opinion and explanation. Perhaps
you had no idea about Naira’s behavior, and even if that’s the case it
doesn’t comfort me. As a founder of the organization it is your
responsibility to hire and develop staff that will never mistreat or
humiliate any beneficiary, especially abused and neglected women.

In addition, I would like to learn more about your organization’s
operations and your employee development and evaluation process.

I hope that your foundation will dismiss Naira Muradyan and apologize
to all of the beneficiaries who have suffered because of her actions
and misbehavior.

I will make sure these incidents get us much public attention as
possible. Charity is not a private business, and your organization is
dealing with a vulnerable population. As a member of society, I have a
right and obligation to watch and make sure that organizations like
yours are doing what they say they are doing and assure that all the
donations are going to the people and the causes for which they were
donated.

I am not denying that your shelter has probably helped many single
mothers and abused women, but even one neglected beneficiary is one
too many. I will not tolerate this, and I know there are MANY people
out there that will sign under this letter as they join me with their
comments under the article.

Sincerely,
Tamar Gasparian

P.S. Many of our friends, Rafi and I have allocated some money to help
Christine and Angeli. We went shopping with her while in Armenia and
asked her to pick anything she needs for the baby and herself. All she
picked was a bar of soap, diapers, milk and toothpaste. That’s how shy
and modest she is.

Then Rafi and I used our own judgment to purchase food and supplies
for the baby. Christine kept telling us it is enough; she doesn’t need
more because there are other people who have already helped her.

I am telling this to show you Christine’s character. She is a very
humble and grateful human being. She is also a loving and brave
mother, because despite the advice to have an abortion or give the
baby to an orphanage after her birth, she never gave up on her child.