Category: 2018

Azerbaijani Press: Denmark’s FM voices support to OSCE MG activity on Karabakh conflict resolution

Boris Nahapetian
Trend, Azerbaijan
Jan 23 2018
19:43 (UTC+04:00)

    • Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 23

    By Nigar Guliyeva – Trend:

    Denmark’s Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen encouraged Azerbaijan and Armenia to follow their commitments before the Council of Europe on peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

    Denmark, as the chair country of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, supports the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group on the conflict resolution, said Samuelsen at the winter session of PACE on Jan.23, when answering the questions of Azerbaijani MPs Rafael Huseynov and Ganira Pashayeva.

    “Mediation for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the responsibility of the OSCE Minsk Group. This was repeatedly underlined by the Committee of Ministers,” he said. “It is central that Armenia and Azerbaijan abide by their commitments to the Council of Europe to settle the conflict by peaceful means. The Council of Europe can help establish conditions conductive to a peace agreement by encouraging confidence building measures.”

    The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

    The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

    Book: Tell Us 5 Things About Your Book: The Rags-to-Riches Life of Kirk Kerkorian

    Karakhanian Suren
    The New York Times
    Jan 23 2018
    Tell Us 5 Things About Your Book: The Rags-to-Riches Life of Kirk Kerkorian

    By John Williams

    Jan. 21, 2018

    Image
    CreditAlessandra Montalto/The New York Times

    Kirk Kerkorian’s life ended, geographically, not far from where it began. Born in Fresno, Calif., he died in Beverly Hills. But in every other way, he had traveled an incredible distance. Kerkorian was born into poverty in 1917. His father was a fruit merchant who had immigrated to the United States from Armenia. Kerkorian dropped out of school after eighth grade, but eventually made millions in the airlines industry, putting him on the path to becoming a billionaire. He bought and sold MGM Studios three times. He counted Cary Grant and Frank Sinatra among his good friends. By the time he died, at 98 in 2015, he owned many of the major hotels and casinos in Las Vegas. William C. Rempel, author of “The Gambler,” a new biography of Kerkorian, spent 36 years at The Los Angeles Times, many of them as an investigative reporter. Below, he talks about how he identified with Kerkorian’s background, the skills he drew on to learn about his deeply private subject and more.

    When did you first get the idea to write this book?

    I didn’t get the idea. What I got was Julia Cheiffetz, my editor at HarperCollins, who read Kerkorian’s obituary in The New York Times and called me. At that point, I only knew him as a name in the business pages. I had no knowledge of his background. Julia was so fascinated by the life that he lived, she asked if I would look at it to see if there was a book in it.

    I pulled up coverage of Kirk over the years, and right away I found some intriguing elements. What really appealed to me was how far he had come, how modest and humble his beginnings were. And I identified with it. Kirk and I both have immigrant fathers, and they started as entrepreneurs who weren’t very successful financially. My father was from southern Ukraine; Kirk’s family came over from Armenia in the early 20th century. The boat that my folks came over on was full of Armenians, too.

    Kirk and I both moved all the time, were evicted from time to time. He became a billionaire and I didn’t. Here’s a guy who started as far from the Forbes list of billionaires as possible. He was five when his family was evicted from a farm in the San Joaquin Valley in California. I know a story when I see one.

    What’s the most surprising thing you learned while writing it?

    I found things in his life that I didn’t know about: his heroics in World War II, pioneering the polar route with guys who were in the Royal Air Force Ferry Command. Five hundred of these ferry pilots didn’t come back, and he was risking everything. He also had a boxing career, as “Rifle Right Kerkorian.” How many of our present moguls and tycoons could you picture in the ring? He spent 20 years building up a charter airline, 20 years becoming an overnight success.

    In what way is the book you wrote different from the book you set out to write?

    The estate had protected Kerkorian’s privacy for so many years in life, and they were continuing to protect his privacy right into the grave. So I wasn’t going to have the official cooperation of the Kerkorian estate, which made it a greater challenge. My investigative reporting background came immediately into play. Defeating that privacy to find so much about him was the kind of challenge reporters like. I was able to get people who were very close to Kirk to trust me. His story is incredibly inspiring, and the people who loved him and knew him really well wanted to share that inspiration. His lawyers, his fitness guru, the range is wonderful. I talked to a lot of people who didn’t want their names used, and they’re not in the book but their stories are.

    It’s the same thing in my investigative reporting career; it’s mostly about getting in front of people and being able to convey sincerity and competence and the ability to adequately tell their stories. It goes back to my father, who was a door-to-door vacuum salesman. Some of those skills, getting people to trust you and let you in, I probably inherited.

    Who is a creative person (not a writer) who has influenced you and your work?

    I’m a movie fan, and one of the things I’ve learned from my watching is how really great filmmakers, like David Lean, have the image in every frame of their movies carefully constructed, like a complete photograph. Filmmakers like Lean have given me ideas for how to tell stories with images. Even a word guy can learn from that. Part of my goal is to write cinematically.

    Persuade someone to read “The Gambler” in 50 words or less.

    This is one of those inspirational all-American tales of a poor immigrant’s son going from rags to riches with good old-fashioned hard work and sheer daring. In this era of anti-immigrant rhetoric, it’s a reminder of how important immigrants have been to all aspects of this country.

    Follow John Williams on Twitter: @johnwilliamsnyt.

    THE GAMBLER
    How Penniless Dropout Kirk Kerkorian Became the Greatest Deal Maker in Capitalist History
    By William C. Rempel
    414 pages. Dey St./William Morrow. $28.99.

    Follow New York Times Books on Facebook and Twitter (@nytimesbooks), and sign up for our newsletter.

    https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/01/21/books/gambler-kirk-kerkorian-william-rempel.html?referer=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.google.com

    Azerbaijani Press: Azerbaijan assesses Germany’s refusal to grant visas to Armenian separatists as support for its territorial integrity

    Jalatian Sonya
    APA, Azerbaijan
    Jan 23 2018

    Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry hosted regular political consultations with Germany on Jan. 23.  

     Azerbaijan was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov and Germany by Director for Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia of the Federal Foreign Office Andreas Peschke, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry told APA.

     Referring to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Khalafov pointed out that the German government’s decision not to grant visas to representatives of the separatist regime created in Azerbaijan’s occupied territories is highly appreciated as Germany’s support for a peaceful resolution of the conflict and the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

     Peschke, in turn, said that Germany adheres to the unequivocal position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and supports the settlement of the conflict based on the principles of the Helsinki Final Act.

     He noted that Germany, during its OSCE Chairmanship, made efforts to achieve progress in resolving the conflict.

     

    ACNIS reView

    Chatinian Lara

    Free chair

    What is Armenia busy with?
    the defense minister

     

    20.01.2018


    ​


    in Artsakh on the night of January 16 under unknown circumstances
    a soldier died. As reported by the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Artsakh,
    “At around 01:15 in the northern direction of the Defense Army    locateddefensive
    In 1998, he was mortally wounded in one of the points under unexplained circumstances. born Resurrection
    Khachatryan. An investigation is underway to find out the circumstances of the incident.” What?
    the Ministry of Defense is silent about “undisclosed circumstances”.
    is

     

    In general, in 2018 from the beginning, before the month is over,
    there were several incidents. On January 4, two servicemen were seriously injured by a mine explosion
    they received and will remain disabled for the rest of their lives, on January 6, he died from an “unfortunate accident”.
    Mher Zeroyan, on January 7, the bullet fired by an Azeri sniper hit Vache Chilingaryan.
    And in November of last year, three soldiers were killed again by a mine explosion.
    another one was seriously injured. As of today, the most recent incident in January
    It was on the 17th, this time already in Tavush region of RA. A contractor was wounded by an enemy bullet
    soldier, 30-year-old Adibek Mikoyan    the

     

    A:the most terrible
    is that we are already kind of “used to it”.    to news reports about tragic events:
    We have become “accustomed” to the fact that no one is responsible for these losses
    wear, all is forgiven. Meanwhile, society must soldier on to death    caseobject of complaint
    to raise his voice and demand that the guilty be brought to justice. This never happens
    can be tolerated.

     

    2016 year April war, while causing great misery, revealed of army building in been the terrible gaps, which were overlooked our military by the department: Universal corruption, non-statutory
    relations, “dedovshchina” forever    are the “weak” places of the army: Illegalities because of servicemen of suicide cases have been registered, and the culprits, as a rule,
    remained unpunished.

     

    2016year October
    3-    in Vigen Sargsyan appointed is protection minister: Thatfrom the date one for more than a year is passed: What? isto changeabove specifiedfrom the state. Almost nothing. Meanwhilethe people big hopes was pinning with him, it in sense, thatthe new ministerwill be able to eliminate wounds in the army, which ones accumulate werehimselffrom ahead: Why? for evenmandatorywas not military have an education: It was enoughto have political decision to make will: Desire case can wasstudy and imitate, for exampleIsrael’s experience, where? young men and: women general military in terms of service absolutely cases of corruption, “dedovshchina” are excluded,
    other negative phenomena.

     

    instead protection the minister is busy
    is     in other cases: «nation–army-church» idea is nomination. We understand that fundraising is a valuable addition to improving life in the military and providing additional care for certain service members. But when we see foreign luxury cars with license plates of the RA Ministry of Defense (worth more than 50,000 dollars) along with all of this, involuntarily doubts arise as to where the 1000 drams transferred from our monthly salaries actually go, and do they really need such cars? Or we see deputies, high-ranking officials children do not serve in the army again, and preferential service conditions are created for some.

     

    The people have lost confidence in the leadership of the army and do not believe their words at all. The April war showed that the people and the army were already united without the adoption of that combination, and literally the next morning, hundreds of volunteers from different cities of the country left for positions. The Minister of Defense could fix many things in more than a year, but as we can see, he could not overcome the most fundamental problems. The rest is just an application. Again, no conclusions will be made. At best, he can be transferred to another, more prestigious position for the death of servicemen without incurring any liability.

     

    Skilled
    Kalenchyan



    ACNIS reView

    Badalian Vardan

    Pass of the week with commentary

    January 13-20

     

    ​


    A:down
    on the weekend
    Q:president of the province, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces
    commander Serzh Sargsyan    led byP:Ministry of Healthhasheld Armed
    the discussion of the project of the seven-year plan for the modernization of the forces. It was emphasized that, account
    taking into account the existing challenges, in 2018-2024 were predicted when developing the program
    the possible options for the development of the situation, the ways of countering them,
    necessary conditions have been created to manage available resources to the maximum
    to implement effectively.    K:doand:thatw:the substantive discussion of the presented project was held,
    that    according to Serzh Sargsyan,will enable
    having a modern Armed Forces to keep the borders of the state intact.

     

    … First
    The question that arises when reading this information is the following. what is it anyway?
    dictated the need for a seven-year plan to modernize the Armed Forces.
    Let the question not sound strange, it is not that we are against this or that
    system upgrade. On the contrary, we consider it welcome in that sense
    the sincere concern and efforts of the authorities, if directed
    to the implementation of visible reforms, rather than simple eye contact or
    are cheap shows. If we are not mistaken, we have a national one
    security concept, we also have a defense strategy and
    other software related to system reforms. But what is the benefit? That
    concepts are not properly applied in life, even their public ones
    discussions were overlooked. For years, the army has not been released to the public
    many exciting issues, related to, for example, the circumstances of the death of servicemen,
    murders and suicides, corruption phenomena
    with findings. Now, in a few months, the president will step down
    Serzh Sargsyan, instead of strictly demanding the solution of the accumulated issues,
    introduces a new program. And that too, “leap-like development” and, most importantly, seven years
    in the form of a remote document. The president announced that last year
    on October 24, during a meeting with the system officials. He, in particular,
    said: “We must have one of the most modernized armies in the world.
    In other words, we must have a continuously improving state, thanks to which also
    the army is being modernized. It is possible andwe
    together with you, together with our whole society, we will make it a reality
    purpose”    he said. That’s how we reached the “goal”, the current president, it turns out
    has the intention to make reality “together with the society” for another 7 years
    make… well, the rest is irrelevant. Opinions are not random
    the fact that the motley faces of the RPA have tirelessly yoked themselves to Serzh Sargsyan, scheduled for April
    on the occasion of the end of his tenure, to strengthen him in a new position in the government
    imperative.

     

    Q:January
    On the 15th, the third session of the 6th convocation parliament started in the National Assembly
    the first four-day session. The agenda included 26 issues, including RA criminal issues
    on amendments and additions to the Code, of the Constitutional Court
    about, additions to the Law of the Republic of Armenia “On Police” and
    projects about making changes. Chairman of the National Assembly at the beginning of the session
    Ara Babloyan announced that parliamentary hearings will be held on January 23
    will carry out the agenda of mitigating price increases and their consequences.

     

    … In fact, the problem of price increases remains
    one of the key topics of the past week. As is already known, Harkay
    As a result of the changes in the code, prices have increased by about 40 drams since the beginning of the year
    gasoline and gas for cars, and widely in agriculture
    the price of used diesel fuel increased from 390 to 440 drams. In addition, 150
    those earning a salary of more than a thousand drams, about 2 percent less than this month
    will be paid due to the increase in income tax rates. On the subject of inflation
    in the meeting of January 10, to which the Government’s economic representatives were invited
    representatives of the bloc, President Serzh Sargsyan announced. “If indeed some
    price increases of products have objective reasons, then we should think about
    how to mitigate those consequences.” The President instructed the Government to propose
    options for mitigating the effects of inflation for those socially important goods,
    which have increased in price as a result of tax or other legislative changes.
    On January 15, the first protest action against price increases was undertaken in Yerevan
    Drivers of several route lines of Malatia-Sebastia administrative district, announcing
    that they will not stop the strike until the gas filling problem is solved
    not be given. According to drivers, price increases are illegal due to monopoly
    due to the existence of the economy. It was aimed at mitigating the effects of inflation
    “Tsarukyan” alliance, parliament, on changing income tax rates
    presented the project, which, however, the January 15 plenary session of the National Assembly
    the proposal to include in the agenda was rejected by the vote of the RPA faction. And?
    “Yelk”, the other parliamentary opposition force, called for a protest on January 20
    march against price hikes. “If tens of thousands of RA citizens are our demand
    protect, I can guarantee that changes in the Tax Code
    will take place”, he announced during the press conference held on the eve of the march
    Nikol Pashinyan, head of the “Yelk” faction. They are skeptical on social networks
    evaluating the “Exit” action, reminding that Pashinyan once called the marches meaningless
    walk in Yerevan. According to the latter, he never “defeats” people
    take it.” Time will tell what is what. In any case, it is obvious that
    the “dough” of price increases will still draw a lot of water.

     

    Q:After the ceremony of awarding the Order of the Fatherland to Hovhannes Chekijian, who was awarded the title of national hero of Estonia, on January 16, Serzh Sargsyan met with a group of intellectuals who participated in the ceremony at a tea table at the President’s residence. During the conversation, which was related to the security and future of Armenia, the role and mission of intellectuals in the life of the country, as well as the issues of education and culture, the President of Armenia presented his ideas about the 4th President at the request of the participants of the meeting. In the face of the next president, Serzh Sargsyan sees “an individual who has a long history and great recognition and the country inside and outside, can adequately represent Armenia abroad.” According to him, the future president “must know foreign languages, have wide connections in the Diaspora and Armenia, enjoy a good reputation and, most importantly, be an impartial person who has never been involved in politics and has never been a member of a party.”

     

    … Who was the current president referring to in the future?
    in the position of president, it became known two days later. A meeting of intellectuals
    following the long-thin description of the president, the listed criteria,
    it seems that Eduard Nalbandyan’s “ears” could be seen. Of course, the future president
    in the list of candidates, another name – Mets – was circulating in parallel
    Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to Britain Armen
    Sargsyan. It was possible that the current president was referring to him. And he tooof the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA)
    was nominated by that party at the January 18 meeting of the executive body.    It is clear which of the two diplomats Serge preferred
    Sargsyan, the average citizen of Armenia would hardly be better off than that
    life. Since the first of them is considered “the man of Russia” and
    accordingly, he would serve his interests, and Armen Sarkissian would serve the interests of the West.
    therefore, we, the ordinary Armenians, had to rely on them in any case
    To the mercy of God. On the other hand, it was logical that the unresolved problem of Artsakh
    the number one symbol of the state having such that after the impending April
    will be the president of RA, be someone seasoned and experienced in diplomacy. That
    from the point of view of Armen Sargsyan, who does not lack such experience, it seems suitable
    is a candidate for the presidential throne. But the concern here is another issue. The constitution has been changed and the government system is, in fact, more democratic
    made by Serzh Sargsyan behind the smokescreen of “toothless” intellectuals, in fact
    single-handedly “appointed” the future president. No matter how much they try to prove otherwise
    in the republican camp, all the same, the people remained “out of the game”.
    It was Serzh Sargsyan personally, who no longer hides his ambitions for the position of prime minister
    the appointer, and now he can easily see himself both in the position of prime minister and
    in the role of president. As they say, two in one.

     

    Gevorg Lalayan commented



    “Inheriting Genocide: Lessons from Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma” to Be Held at the Museum of Tolerance

    Garnik Zakarian 
    For Immediate Release 
 
 
 
 
USC INSTITUTE OF ARMENIAN STUDIES
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California, USA
Contact: Syuzanna Petrosyan, Associate Director
[email protected]
213.821.3943
 
 
“Inheriting Genocide: Lessons from Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma” to 
Be Held at the Museum of Tolerance
 
A full day symposium featuring academics and service providers focusing on 
trauma transmission among Holocaust and Armenian Genocide survivors and their 
descendants will take place at the Museum of Tolerance on February 7, 2018. 
 
The program, entitled “Inheriting Genocide: Lessons from Intergenerational 
Transmission of Trauma in Holocaust and Armenian Genocide Survivor 
Populations,” is organized by the USC Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging, the 
Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles, The Jewish Federation of North America, 
and the Museum of Tolerance. 
 
Salpi Ghazarian, director of the USC Institute of Armenian Studies, and 
Holocaust survivor Lya Frank, will share their personal stories of inheriting 
genocide and trauma in the day-long program. 
Opening remarks will be made by Charles Kaplan, Research Professor and 
Associate Dean of Research at the USC Hamovitch Center for Science in the Human 
Services. He will be followed by Swedish-born Israeli psychologist Dr. Natan 
Kellermann and psychiatrist Dr. Andrei Novac. 
 
During the second part of the symposium, marriage and family therapist Christie 
Tcharkhoutian will give a talk on clinical interventions for descendants of the 
Armenian Genocide.
 
The program will continue with a panel entitled “Voices from the Trenches.” The 
panel will feature service providers Cally Clein of the Jewish Federation & 
Family Services, Dr. Selina Mangassarian from Harbor UCLA Medical Center, 
Sheila Moore of the Jewish Family Service, and clinical psychologist Dr. 
Charles Pilavian.
 
Registration is required for symposium attendees at 
 Admission is free. Program will take place from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm on February 
7, 2018 at the Museum of Tolerance (9786 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, 
California). Free underground parking is available at the Museum. 
 
Light breakfast and lunch will be provided. Three Continuing Education Units 
available for therapists and social workers. 
 
For inquiries, write to [email protected] or call 213.821.3943.
 
 
# # #
 
About the Institute:
 
Established in 2005, the USC Institute of Armenian Studies supports 
multidisciplinary scholarship to re-define, explore and study the complex 
issues that make up the contemporary Armenian experience—from post-genocide to 
the developing Republic of Armenia to the evolving diaspora. The institute 
encourages research, publications and public service, and promotes links among 
the global academic and Armenian communities. 
 
 
 
 

    RFE/RL Armenian Report – 01/22/2018

    Baghdasarian Karlen 
                                            Monday, January 22, 2017
Opposition Bloc Rejects Presidential Candidate Favored By Sarkisian
 . Ruzanna Stepanian
Armenia - Edmon Marukian (L) and Nikol Pashinian, leaders of the
opposition Yelk alliance, address supporters rallying in Yerevan,
19Jan2018.
Lawmakers representing the opposition Yelk alliance said on Monday
that they will vote against former Prime Minister Armen Sarkissian if
he agrees to run for president as a candidate of the ruling Republican
Party of Armenia (HHK).
"We will talk to Armen Sarkissian but the Yelk faction [in the
parliament] will vote against his candidacy," one of them, Ararat
Mirzoyan, told reporters.
The Armenian parliament is due to elect a new and less powerful
president of the republic by March 10. President Serzh Sarkisian
offered Sarkissian on Friday to become the ruling party's presidential
candidate.
Sarkissian, who currently serves as Armenia's ambassador to Britain,
said he needs "some time" to decide whether to accept the offer. He
said he will hold consultations with major political and civic groups
before making the decision.
It is not clear when those talks will get underway. The Armenpress
news agency reported that Sarkissian flew back to London over the
weekend and will return to Armenia by the end of this week.
"I think that when it receives such a proposal the Yelk faction will
definitely meet with the presidential candidate to hear [his views,]
discuss some issues and even voice concerns," said Mirzoyan. "But I am
almost certain that that meeting will not reflect on the Yelk vote."
"After all, Armen Sarkissian is a Republican Party candidate and that
is a quite telling fact in itself," he added.
Yelk announced late last year its desire to nominate its own
presidential candidate, Artak Zeynalian. But in order to formally do
that, it needs the backing of at least 27 members of Armenia's
105-seat parliament.
The bloc holds only nine seats in the National Assembly. It has tried
in vain to get the second largest parliamentary force, the Tsarukian
Bloc, to provide the remaining 18 signatures needed for putting
Zeynalian's name on the ballot.
Another Yelk deputy, Gevorg Gorgisian, challenged the ruling HHK to
help register Zeynalian as a candidate, saying that would make the
upcoming presidential vote competitive and more legitimate. "Otherwise
it will be an election without an alternative, without a dialogue and
without a debate, which will run counter to democracy" he said.
The HHK's parliamentary leader, Vahram Baghdasarian, scoffed at the
idea. "You won't find such a precedent in any country of the world,"
he told a news conference.
Under the Armenian constitution, a presidential candidate has to be
backed by a three-fourths and two-thirds majority of lawmakers in
order to win in the first and second rounds of voting respectively. A
simple majority of votes is enough to win the presidency in the third
round. The HHK has such a majority.
Nevertheless, President Sarkisian expressed hope on Friday that Armen
Sarkissian will win outright in the first round. In that case, the
former premier would need the backing of at least 79 members of the
105-seat parliament.
The HHK and its junior coalition partner, the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), control 65 seats between them. They will
therefore need the backing of the Tsarukian Bloc which holds 31
seats. The bloc's leader, Gagik Tsarukian, has not ruled out the
possibility of supporting an HHK presidential candidate.
Fuel Prices In Armenia Rise Further
 . Anush Muradian
Armenia -- A petrol station in Yerevan, 22Jan2018
The prices of gasoline and diesel fuel in Armenia have risen further
despite President Serzh Sarkisian's calls for possible "drastic
measures" against a handful of companies importing fuel.
One liter of gasoline cost at least 440 drams (90 U.S. cents) at
filling stations across Yerevan on Monday, up by 10 drams from the end
of last week. The price stood at 390 drams per liter in early
December. Fuel companies have raised it for three times since then.
The most significant price rise followed the entry into force on
January 1 of new legislation mandating higher excise duties on fuel,
alcohol and tobacco. The prices of pressurized natural gas, used by
most vehicles in the country, as well as some essential foodstuffs
have also gone up in recent months, prompting strong criticism of the
Armenian government from opposition politicians and many ordinary
citizens.
Sarkisian expressed concern over the price hikes at an emergency
meeting with senior government and Central Bank officials held on
January 10. He said the government should look into the situation in
the domestic fuel market and decide whether it warrants "drastic
measures" by the State Commission on the Protection of Economic
Competition (SCPEC).
The bulk of fuel is currently imported to Armenia by two companies,
Flash and CPS. At least one of them is owned by individuals close to
the ruling establishment. Both companies declined to comment on the
latest price rises.
An SCPEC official told RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) that
the anti-trust body will again "monitor" the fuel market to decide
whether the importers have abused their dominant positions in the
lucrative business.
Echoing statements by Prime Minister Karen Karapetian, a leading
member of the ruling Republican Party (HHK), Vahram Baghdasarian,
insisted on Monday fuel prices in Armenia are still lower than in
neighboring Georgia. "The current petrol price is congruent with the
international market," he claimed.
A senior member of the opposition Yelk alliance, meanwhile, decried
the latest price hikes. "What excuses will they come up with now?"
Gevorg Gorgisian said of the authorities.
Opposition politicians have long held the authorities and President
Sarkisian in particular responsible for the existence of de facto fuel
monopolies. Government officials have denied, however, that any sector
of the Armenian economy is monopolized.
Babayan Appeals Against Guilty Verdict
 . Karlen Aslanian
Armenia - Samvel Babayan (R), Nagorno-Karabakh's former military
leader, stands trial in Yerevan, 20Nov2017.
Samvel Babayan, a retired army general recently convicted of illegal
arms acquisition and money laundering, insisted on his innocence as
Armenia's Court of Appeals opened hearings in the high-profile case on
Monday.
A district court in Yerevan sentenced Babayan to six years in prisons
in November at the end of a four-month trial that also involved six
other defendants. Two of them were sentenced to three and two years'
imprisonment, while the four others received suspended jail terms.
Babayan was arrested in March 2017 after Armenia's National Security
Service (NSS) claimed to have confiscated a surface-to-air rocket
system smuggled to the country. The arrest came about two weeks before
Armenia's last parliamentary elections. Babayan was unofficially
affiliated with the ORO alliance led by former Defense Minister Seyran
Ohanian and two other opposition politicians. ORO condemned the
criminal case as politically motivated.
Armenia - Former Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian (second from right)
and other leaders of the ORO opposition bloc hold a campaign rally in
Yerevan, 11Mar2017.
Babayan has repeatedly denied prosecutors' claims that he promised to
pay other defendants, notably his longtime associate Sanasar
Gabrielian, $50,000 for the delivery of the shoulder-fired Igla
rocket. Gabrielian, who received the three-year prison sentence,
insisted during the trial that it was he who commissioned the
confiscated Igla. He claimed that he wanted to donate the launcher
along with its shoulder-fired rockets to Nagorno-Karabakh's army.
Both defendants appealed against the guilty verdict handed down by the
lower court. Speaking at the start of Court of Appeals hearings,
Babayan accused a trial prosecutor of deliberately omitting key facts
which he said prove his and Gabrielian's innocence. The court rejected
his demand for the prosecutor, Aram Aramian, to be barred from the
case.
Gabrielian charged, meanwhile, that he and the once powerful general
were jailed for their involvement in ORO's activities.
Law-enforcement authorities deny any political motives behind the
case. But they have still not explained why Babayan would seek to get
hold of the rocket designed to shoot down planes and helicopters.
Late last month, law-enforcement authorities in Georgia extradited to
Armenia an Armenian man accused of providing the sophisticated weapon
to Babayan. The 40-year-old Robert Aghvanian was detained in Tbilisi
just days after Babayan's controversial arrest.
Babayan, 52, led Karabakh's Armenian-backed army from 1993-1999 and
was widely regarded as the unrecognized republic's most powerful man
at that time. He was arrested in 2000 and subsequently sentenced to 14
years in prison for allegedly masterminding a botched attempt on the
life of the then Karabakh president, Arkady Ghukasian. He was set free
in 2004.
Babayan criticized the current authorities in Yerevan and Stepanakert
after returning to Armenia in May 2016 from Russia where he lived for
five years in what appeared to be self-imposed exile.
Armenian PM Courts Swiss Investors
Switzerland - Armenian Prime Minister Karen Karapetian addresses Swiss
businesspeople in Zurich, 22Jan2018.
Prime Minister Karen Karapetian urged Swiss businesspeople to invest
in Armenia when he visited Switzerland on Monday following a drastic
increase in trade between the two countries recorded last year.
Karapetian addressed them in Zurich at the start of his first trip to
a European country in his capacity as prime minister. He will also
attend the annual World Economic Forum that will get underway in the
Swiss resort town of Davos on Tuesday.
An Armenian government statement said he will hold "a number of
bilateral and multilateral meetings" on the sidelines of the forum. It
gave no details.
"My message to you today is clear and straightforward," Karapetian
declared at a dinner meeting in Zurich organized by the Swiss-Armenian
Chamber of Commerce. "Come and do business in Armenia, come and invest
in Armenia. It is a worthy place for investing and doing business."
"We have undertaken significant reforms in every aspect of our
country," he said in what was apparently his first-ever speech
delivered in English.
Karapetian touted his government's efforts to improve Armenia's
investment climate and attract more foreign investment. He said that
they are already producing concrete results, pointing to official
statistics which shows that the Armenian economy grew by about 7
percent last year.
The premier also cited Armenian government data indicating that
Swiss-Armenian trade tripled in 2017. According to the National
Statistical Service (NSS), it totaled almost $316 million in
January-November 2017, making Switzerland Armenia's third largest
trading partner after Russia and China.
Significantly, Armenian exports to Switzerland accounted for
three-quarters of that figure. They include watches and watch parts
manufactured by plants belonging to Swish entrepreneurs of Armenian
descent. It is not yet clear what exactly caused those exports to more
than triple in the eleven-month period.
Karapetian encouraged Swiss companies to invest in a wide range of
Armenian sectors, including energy, mining, jewelry and
agribusiness. He said that they would gain tariff-free access to
Russia's market thanks to Armenia's membership in the Eurasian
Economic Union (EEU). He also called for Swiss investments in a free
economic zone which was set up on Armenia's border with Iran last
month.
Press Review
(Saturday, January 20)
Political analyst Alexander Iskandarian tells "Haykakan Zhamanak" that
the nomination of former Prime Minister Armen Sarkissian for the post
of Armenia's president should go down well with most Armenians not
least because he is widely regarded as an outsider. Iskandarian also
says that the continuing uncertainty about who will be Armenia's prime
minister after April 9 is natural. "If [the prime minister's] name is
announced now that person will simply be `savaged' before April," he
says. "They would start circulating compromising information and
launch smear campaigns. Serzh Sarkisian will therefore keep up the
suspense almost until the last minute."
"Zhamanak" describes the choice of Armen Sarkissian as "yet another
artificial life support for the authorities." "The nomination of Armen
Sarkissian's candidacy suggests that Serzh Sarkisian has no real
desire to reform the system and once again connects it to artificial
life support," writes the paper. It argues that for the first time
ever a president of Armenia has been "effectively appointed by one
man." The paper is also confident that parliament deputies from the
Tsarukian Bloc will also vote for Sarkissian despite its nominally
opposition status and frequent criticism of the government's economic
policies.
"Aravot" carries an editorial on Friday's demonstration in Yerevan
against recent price rises which was organized by the opposition Yelk
alliance. "If hundreds of thousands of people are unhappy [with the
government] why don't they take to the streets when a political group
stages a protest against price hikes?" asks the paper. "The easiest
thing to do is to accuse that political group, Yelk, of being not
popular or sincere enough. But such accusations are usually made by
the authorities or those oppositionists who are definitely less
popular and, more importantly, less sincere than Yelk." The paper
believes that Armenians' lack of civic consciousness is a more
important reason for the relatively poor turnout at the Yelk rally.
(Tatev Danielian)
Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
Copyright (c) 2018 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc.
1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
www.rferl.org

    Califonia Courier Online, Jan. 25, 2018

    Arbi Tashjian

    The California Courier Online, January 25, 2018
     
    1 –    Commentary
            Human
    Rights Watch Reports on Violations
            In Armenia, Azerbaijan
    and Turkey
            By Harut Sassounian
            Publisher,
    The California
    Courier
            www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
    2 –    Airport
    Mogul Eurnekian to Pass Baton to Nephew
    3 –    L.A. Armenians Honor
    Grammy Nominees
            Tigran
    Mansurian and Constantine Orbelian
    4 –    Times Square
    Armenian
            Genocide
    Commemoration
            Slated
    for April 22
    5 –     Turkish Party Woman
            Who Recognized
    1915
            Genocide
    Hounded by
            Pro-Government
    Media
    6 –    Flag Raising Dedication Marks Completion
            Of
    The Vineyards at California Armenian Home
    7-     Two
    Russian-Armenians Among Putin’s
            Proxies
    in 2018 Presidential Campaign
    8 –    Armenians Are World’s
            Top Backgammon
            Players in
    2017
    9-     Victoria Bedrossian Wilson Appointed
            LA Superior Court Judge by Gov. Brown
    10-   Garo
    Paylan Testifies in Ankara
            Over
    Assassination Warnings
    ******************************************
    1 –    Commentary
            Human Rights Watch Reports on
    Violations
            In Armenia, Azerbaijan
    and Turkey
     
    By Harut Sassounian
    Publisher, The California Courier
    www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com
     
    Human Rights Watch, a respectable and prominent
    non-governmental organization, issued last week its annual report that
    documented human rights violations during 2017 in more than 90 countries,
    including Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey.
    ARMENIA
    Below is the summary of what
    Human Rights Watch reported on violations in Armenia during 2017:
    “Parliamentary elections,
    the first since the 2015 constitutional amendments moving the country from a
    presidential to a parliamentary system, failed to improve public confidence in
    the electoral system. The ruling Republican Party dominated the polls amid
    reports of irregularities. Authorities failed to bring to justice officials
    responsible for excessive use of force against protesters and journalists,
    including during largely peaceful protests in Yerevan in July 2016. The trials of 32 men
    accused of crimes committed during the violent takeover of a police station in Yerevan, which prompted
    the protests, were ongoing at time of writing. Four defendants have reported
    ill-treatment in detention.”
    AZERBAIJAN
    Below is the summary of what
    Human Rights Watch reported on violations in Azerbaijan during 2017:
    “The government intensified
    its crackdown against critics in 2017. Courts sentenced at least 25 journalists
    and political and youth activists to long prison terms in politically
    motivated, unfair trials. Dozens more were detained or are under criminal
    investigation, face harassment and travel bans, or have fled. Draconian laws
    and regulations impede independent groups’ work and ability to secure funding.
    Torture and ill-treatment in custody persist. In a violent campaign, police
    arrested and ill-treated dozens of gay men and transgender women. Following
    years of scrutiny and several warnings, the Extractive Industries Transparency
    Initiative (EITI), an international coalition promoting better governance in
    resource-rich countries, suspended Azerbaijan for failing to ease
    restrictions on civil society groups.”
    Human Rights Watch also
    provided the following details of human rights violations in Azerbaijan:
    — “18 activists are
    imprisoned or awaiting trial on politically motivated criminal charges.”
     — “7
    journalists and bloggers are imprisoned or awaiting trial on politically
    motivated criminal charges.”
     — “11 times
    the Council of Europe called on Azerbaijan
    to release opposition leader Ilgar Mammadov.”
     — “5 major
    media outlets are permanently blocked by Azerbaijan under the pretext of
    ‘national security.”
     — “162 out of
    180 countries is where Reporters without Borders ranks Azerbaijan for press freedom.”
     — “11
    activists, including journalists and NGO leaders, are banned from leaving Azerbaijan.”
     TURKEY
     Below is the
    summary of what Human Rights Watch reported on violations in Turkey during 2017:
     “An April 2017
    referendum, which voters approved by a slim margin, introduced constitutional
    amendments switching Turkey
    to a presidential system of governance, the most significant change to its
    political institutions in decades. The referendum took place under a state of
    emergency imposed after the July 15, 2016 attempted military coup, and in an
    environment of heavy media censorship, with many journalists and
    parliamentarians from the pro-Kurdish opposition in jail. The new presidential
    system, which consolidates the incumbent’s hold on power, is a setback for
    human rights and the rule of law. It lacks sufficient checks and balances
    against abuse of executive power, greatly diminishing the powers of parliament,
    and consolidating presidential control over most judicial appointments. The
    presidential system will come fully into force following elections in 2019.”
     Below are brief
    excerpts from the Human Rights Watch report which provides lengthy details
    about violations in Turkey:
     “Public
    officials continued to be dismissed or suspended by decree without due process,
    with more than 110,000 dismissed since July 2016. Hundreds of media outlets,
    associations, foundations, private hospitals, and educational establishments
    that the government shut down by decree remained closed in 2017, their assets
    confiscated without compensation. …Those affected have no right to work in
    public service, their bank accounts are frozen, and passports confiscated.”
    Furthermore, “people
    continued to be arrested and remanded to pretrial custody on terrorism charges,
    with at least 50,000 remanded to pretrial detention and many more prosecuted
    since the failed coup. Those prosecuted include journalists, civil servants,
    teachers and politicians as well as police officers and military personnel….
    Under the state of emergency in Turkey
    over 500 lawyers have been jailed pending trial, and over 1,000 prosecuted”
    The report also stated that
    “Turkey
    is the world leader in jailing journalists and media workers as they face
    criminal investigations and trials, with around 150 behind bars at time of
    writing. Most newspapers and television channels lack independence and promote
    the government’s political line.”
    Compared to Azerbaijan and Turkey,
    Armenia
    had the least number of human rights violations. Turkey
    is one of the biggest violators of human rights in the world with Azerbaijan
    a close second. However, most Armenians prefer that their homeland be as
    democratic as possible regardless of how undemocratic the neighboring countries
    are.
    **************************************************************************************************
    2-     Airport
    Mogul Eurnekian to Pass Baton to Nephew
    NEW YORK
    (Bloomberg) – Argentine Armenian businessman Eduardo Eurnekian reportedly will
    pass the ownership of the Corporacion America Airports SA to his nephew,
    Martin, according to a report in     Bloomberg  on January 11.
    Eurnekian’s
    company, which operates concessions in 51 airports worldwide is looking to sell
    as much as $750 million of shares between January and February in an initial
    public offering, said he will oversee the deal, “but that doesn’t’ mean I’m in
    charge.”
    “I am
    doing this IPO, but that doesn’t mean I’m in charge — the one who manages the
    airports is my nephew,” Eurnekian told Bloomberg during an interview in his Buenos Aires office. “I
    will oversee this deal this month, and my career in airports will be complete.”
    Armenia
    International Airports, which operates Yerevan’s
    Zvartnots and Gyumri’s Shirak International airports, is part of the
    Corporacion America Airports, which announced the IPO.
    A son of
    Armenian Genocide survivors, Eurnekian, who has other holdings in Armenia, and has been a fixture in Armenia
    since its independence, transformed the Zvartnots airport from its Soviet
    structure to a bustling international travel hub. His investments in the Shirak
    airport enabled air travel to Armenia’s
    second largest city, which had long been dormant.
    ***************************************************************************************************
    3 –    L.A. Armenians Honor
    Grammy Nominees
            Tigran
    Mansurian and Constantine Orbelian
    LOS ANGELES – At a celebration luncheon held on
    January 13 in Los Angeles,
    the Armenian community honored two Armenian musicians, Tigran Mansurian and
    Constantine Orbelian, on the occasion of their nomination for the prestigious
    Grammy Awards. The luncheon, held at Bistro
    Garden in Studio City,
    was attended by a cross section of cultural leaders and music lovers. It was
    sponsored by Drs. Nazareth and Ani Darakjian, Mrs. Alice Navasargian, and Mr.
    and Mrs. Joe and Joyce Stein.
    In his
    opening remarks, the event’s MC Prof. Peter Cowe, Narekatsi Chair of Armenian
    Studies at UCLA, formally introduced the honorees and encapsulated the
    achievements for which they have received Grammy Award nominations from the Recording Academy. Importantly, Prof. Cowe
    highlighted     the fact that this year marks the 85th anniversary of the
    Yerevan Opera House, as well as the 150th anniversary of Armenian opera, which
    was founded with the operatic masterpiece Arshak II.
    During
    the ensuing luncheon, Prof. Cowe also presented the biographies of the honorees    ,
    detailing their outstanding bodies of work. 
    Mansurian,
    recognized as a People’s Artist of the Republic of Armenia,
    is a leading composer of classical music and film scores. His “Requiem” has
    been nominated for the Grammy Award in two categories: Best Choral Performance
    and Best Contemporary Classical Composition.
    Orbelian is a globally acclaimed pianist and
    conductor, and an Honored Artist of the Russian Federation. Since June
    2016, he has helmed     the
    National Opera and Ballet Theater of Armenia (the Yerevan Opera House) as its General
    Director and Artistic Director. His recording of Sviridov’s “Russia Cast
    Adrift,” featuring the late baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky and the State Symphony
    Orchestra of St. Petersburg, has received a Grammy nomination in the category
    of Best Conductor on a Solo Vocal Album.
    Following
    Prof. Cowe’s remarks, the guests were treated to a musical interlude performed
    by pianist Artashes Kartalyan.
    Subsequently,
    in the event’s most anticipated segment, Maestro Orbelian was interviewed on
    stage by “Asbarez” English editor Ara Khachatourian. The lively, highly
    informative conversation touched on current plans for expanding the activities
    of the Yerevan Opera House through new musical productions, performances
    abroad, educational programs, and community outreach; and the need for
    substantial pan-Armenian support toward the further modernization and
    development of the Yerevan Opera House, as a dynamic cultural hub and a
    national treasure.
    *****************************************************************************************************
    4 –    Times Square Armenian
            Genocide
    Commemoration
            Slated
    for April 22
    NEW YORK (PanArmenian.net) – The Armenian Genocide Commemoration
    organized annually in Times Square will be
    held on April 22.
    Thousands gather in New York City
    each year to commemorate the anniversary the Armenian Genocide in April.
    In recognition of Genocide Awareness Month in
    April, Holocaust Remembrance Day is usually being commemorated too, along with
    other genocides committed in contemporary history.
    The Genocide
    is remembered in various corners of the world, where Diaspora Armenians and
    locals alike join to remember those martyred in the massacres.
    *************************************************************************************************
    5 –    Turkish Party Woman
            Who Recognized
    1915
            Genocide
    Hounded by
            Pro-Government
    Media
    ISTANBUL
    (News.am) – Canan Kaftancıoğlu, who has been elected as head of the Istanbul
    Province Chapter of main parliamentary opposition Republican People’s Party
    (CHP) of Turkey,
    has been targeted by the pro-government media.
    Turkish pro-government media and representatives
    of the authorities have launched a smear campaign against Kaftancıoğlu, in the
    press and on social media.
    One of the main accusations made against her is
    that she recognized Armenian Genocide, by means of Twitter, on April 24, 2012,
    the anniversary day of this tragedy.
    “Today in history: Armenian Genocide started,”
    Canan Kaftancıoğlu tweeted on that day. “We commemorate our murdered Armenian
    citizens, at 19:15 at Taksim [Square in Istanbul].”
    *****************************************************************************************************
    6-     Flag
    Raising Dedication Marks Completion
            Of
    The Vineyards at California Armenian Home
    FRESNO,
    CA – The Board of Directors of the California Armenian Home celebrated the
    completion of its $42 million senior lifestyle community, The Vineyards, and
    the extraordinary 65-year, 5-star legacy of senior care of every national
    origin with a symbolic flag raising dedication held on January 17 – the first
    of several milestone events to be held through February.
    The flag
    raising dedication provided an opportunity for the community to come together
    to honor its diverse cultures and proudly honor the generations before them –
    and those yet to come. It also served as a tribute to the founding fathers of
    the California Armenian Home whose foresight 65 years ago helped to lay the
    foundation for The Vineyards – the region’s newest senior lifestyle community
    that welcomes residents of every origin, and where life is celebrated in a
    beautiful continuing care community.
    In a
    patriotic gesture, and in honor of their love and respect for the senior
    generation, the Mimi Koligian Family donated three stately flag poles that were
    the center of the event. In a moving ceremony, the U.S.,
    California and Armenia flags were presented by
    residents of The Vineyards to the Sanger High School Navy Junior Reserve
    Officers Training Corps who raised each flag while the national, state and
    Armenian anthems were performed by the Sounds of Freedom band.
    The
    dedication event was followed by ribbon cuttings led by the Fresno and Clovis Chambers of Commerce, which
    were held in front of a new monument sign at The Vineyards. Attendees of the
    dedication included the Board of Directors of the California Armenian Home,
    donors, cultural, political leaders, and veterans.
    “The
    flags now on display represent the many cultures that make up our new senior
    lifestyle community, and the deep respect we all feel for the older
    generation,” said George Juarez, Executive Director for the California Armenian
    Home. “We are eternally grateful to the Mimi Koligian Family for such a
    generous donation and are excited to have these flags forever be a part of our
    community.”
    The
    Vineyards at the California Armenian Home is the largest privately funded
    senior lifestyle community in the Central Valley and includes private pay,
    month-to-month rentals for 72 resort-style independent living villas and
    apartments, 50 assisted living and 36 memory care apartments, plus a host of
    hospitality amenities such as a theater, beauty salon and more, plus multiple
    dining establishments, recreation, fitness and daily needs services.
    *****************************************************************************************************
    7-     Two
    Russian-Armenians Among Putin’s
            Proxies
    in 2018 Presidential Campaign
    MOSCOW (RIA-Novosti) – Two prominent Russian-Armenian
    women – an Olympic champion and a top journalist – are among the proxies of
    President Vladimir Putin in the country’s upcoming nationwide
    election.  
    Yana Yegoryan, a double Olympic fencing
    champion, and Margarita Simonyan, the editor-in-chief of Russia Today – are on
    the list of the 259 individuals authorized to represent the incumbent leader.
    The Central Electoral Commission completed the
    registration of proxies on January 12.  
    Under the country’s legislation, a presidential
    candidate is entitled to appoint up to 600 proxies.
    The presidential elections are slated for March
    18. The official campaign kicked off three months earlier, in December.
    *************************************************************************************************
    8-     Armenians Are World’s
            Top Backgammon
            Players in
    2017
    YEREVAN
    (News.am) -The year 2017 was successful, especially for Armenian professional
    backgammon players.
    In particular, the national backgammon team of Armenia became the winner in the final of
    world’s best backgammon teams’ tournament, the Worldwide Team Challenge, which
    was held in Georgia
    within the framework of the Backgammon World Championship. In addition, Tsaruk
    Manukyan of Armenia
    won the Grand Prix at this event.
    Separately, Muscovite Armenian Mikayel Vardanyan
    became bronze medalist in speed gammon at the annual Backgammon World
    Championship, which was held in Monte
    Carlo.
    Armenians were among the best also at the
    tournaments of the Russian Sport Backgammon Federation. 
    In addition, Russian Armenian football
    journalist Artur Petrosyan became the winner of the speed competition at the
    annual International MERIT Open Backgammon Championship, which was held in Cyprus.
    ************************************************************************************************
    9 –    Victoria Bedrossian Wilson Appointed
            LA Superior Court Judge by Gov. Brown
    SACRAMENTO – California Governor Jerry Brown appointed Victoria
    Bedrossian Wilson, 48, of Los
    Angeles, to a judgeship in the Los Angeles Superior
    Court.
    Wilson
    has been a Supervising Deputy Attorney General at the California Department of
    Justice, Office of the Attorney General since 2001, where she has served as a
    deputy attorney general from 1994 to 2001.
    She has handled several significant cases.
     Wilson
    received the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in 2007 from then-Attorney
    General Jerry Brown.  She has taught appellate brief writing to new
    attorneys at the Attorney General’s Office and lectured at peace officer
    training courses for the California Peace Officers’ Association,
    She earned a Juris Doctor degree from USC School
    of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from UCLA with
    honors: Phi Beta Kappa; Magna Cum Laude; Dean’s Honor List.
    She graduated from Alex
    Pilibos Armenian
    High School in Hollywood.
    She is the daughter of Armine Bedrossian and the
    late Kourken Bedrossian.  She is married to Malcolm Wilson. 
    *****************************************************************************************************
    10-   Garo
    Paylan Testifies in Ankara
            Over
    Assassination Warnings
    ANKARA, (Ermenihaber) – Garo Paylan, an Armenian
    member of the Turkish parliament representing the opposition People’s
    Democratic Party (HDP), has testified at the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s
    Office in connection with his statement over assassination plots.
    Speaking at a press meeting in the Turkish
    parliament on December 20, Paylan said he had received intelligence about
    assassination plots targeting Turkish intellectuals and public figures living
    in Europe, among them Armenians who have left Turkey.
    “There is Hrant Dink’s case in Turkey. He was my friend. He was
    constantly under target at that time. I wanted him to leave Turkey but he didn’t and was
    killed,” Paylan told reporters after leaving the prosecutor’s office.
    “At present, some people, including Can Dündar
    (the former editor-in-chief of the Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet), as well as
    several HDP figures are also targeted. We received intelligence from Germany
    about assassination plans against those people. I made a statement after
    receiving the information,” he said. 
    **************************************************************************************************
    ******************************************************************************************************
    California Courier Online provides viewers of
    the Armenian News News Service with a few of the articles in this week’s issue of The
    California Courier.  Letters to the
    editor are encouraged through our e-mail address, [email protected]. However,
    authors are requested to provide their names, addresses, and/or telephone
    numbers to verify identity, if any question arises. California Courier
    subscribers are requested not to use this service to change, or modify mailing
    addresses. Those changes can be made through our e-mail,     , or by
    phone, (81    8) 409-0949.
    ******************************************************************************************************
     
     

    Press release – What is going on at Teghut Mine (Video). AEF

    Emil Lazarian
    Good day
    Dear media,    please publishnext toEnglish article in the English section of your websiteswhile maintaining active links.

    Sincerely –Best regards,
    Armenian Environmental Front (AEF) Civil Initiative

    Website: channel:  http://www.youtube.com/user/armecofront
    Facebook page: group: / Contact person Levon Galstyan / Levon Galstyan – tel./tel.+374 99 53 05 88, +374 91 53 49 59, +374 93 53 49 59

    Address: Yerevan, Spendiaryan 5, apt. 24:00
    Address: 5 Spendiaryan str. apt. 24, Yerevan, Armenia



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    Sports: Mkhitaryan – Why I always dreamt of playing here

    Emil Lazarian
    Arsenal, UK
    Jan 21 2018
    21 Jan 2018

    Click the ‘Play’ button above to watch his first interview with Arsenal Player and you can read a transcript below:

    Henrikh, congratulations, how does it feel to be an Arsenal player?
     
    I’m very happy that we could finish this deal and I’m very happy to be here. It’s a dream come true because I’ve always dreamed of playing for Arsenal. Now that I’m here, I’ll do my best for this club to create history.
     
    I want to take you back to 2009 – in an interview with UEFA you said you wanted to play here at Arsenal. Now you are, but what was it that you admired about the club back then?
     
    I always loved the way that Arsenal played and the way that Arsène Wenger has managed the team. There have been a lot of young players, he’s managed them and they’ve done very well. Of course I was in love with the game of Thierry Henry. I loved the way he played – and maybe that was the reason to support Arsenal.
     
    What was it about Thierry that you particularly liked?
     
    That he was scoring lots of goals, that he was playing for the team. He was like a hero.
     
    For those Arsenal fans that don’t know much about you, what can you tell us about your playing style?
     
    What can I say? It’s better that I don’t say anything and they can see it when I play for Arsenal! 
     
    You’re a versatile attacking midfielder – but what’s your favoured position?
     
    All over the pitch! It doesn’t matter exactly where. I don’t stay in one position, I always try to move to create space to [support] my team-mates. I’m everywhere! 
     
    In terms of your game, what would you say your particular strengths are?
     
    I don’t know – it’s better that you ask this question to the manager, not to me.
     
    Who are you most looking forward to playing alongside in this team?
     
    With everyone. There is not any exception. I would like to play with everyone, to start training very soon. Let’s hope for it.