Author: Badalian Vardan

AZERBAIJAN ALSO HOLDS ARMENIAN CIVILIANS AS CAPTIVES – NGO PRESIDENT

16:04 * 23.02.15

The president of an Armenian NGO of missing Karabakh war veterans on
Monday shared her expectations of a Government decision to declare
June 29 Day of the Disappeared.

Rima Arakelyan, who is also a member of a commission tasked with
arranging the return of captives, hostages and missing people,
complained particularly about the impossibility of having meetings or
maintaining a direct contact with Azerbaijan over handover procedures.

She said that Azerbaijan holds not only Armenian prisoners of war
but also civilians as captive.

“We are not able to find common language with Azerbaijan. We have
demonstrated good will, yet it isn’t possible to work with them.

That’s their policy and diplomacy that has been continuing ever since
the war period,” Arakelyan noted.

She added that the commission works to the best of its efforts to
manage the return. “We collaborate with the Red Cross, which operates
a similar office also in Azerbaijan and appears to be the only mediator
between us,” she said.

Samara Grigoryan, a parent of a missing Karbakh freedom fighter also
attending the news conference, said they are still hopeful that the
Government will spare no effort to return their sons.

“There are both captive and people who have disappeared or died,
but we hope that at least one of them will return. No mother thinks
that her son has died. We work with consolidated efforts to return
everybody. And our Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan is doing
everything possible to bring back at least someone,” she added.

IRWF TO PAY TRIBUTE TO ARMENIANS WHO REACHED-OUT TO THE VICTIMS OF HOLOCAUST

February 24, 2015 13:58

Eduardo Eurnekian and former Swedish FM Carl Bildt.

Photo:

Yerevan/Mediamax/. The Board of the International Raoul Wallenberg
Foundation (IRWF) has decided to create a Memorial Plaque to pay
tribute to the brave Armenian women and men who reached-out to the
victims of Holocaust.

To date, 24 Armenians have been officially recognized as Righteous
among the Nations, but many more stories are waiting to be revealed.

Researchers from the IRWF are collecting and evaluating information
regarding additional Armenian rescuers, whose feats have not been
hitherto properly documented.

In a special statement, Eduardo Eurnekian, Chairman of the
International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation has elaborated further:

“Despite the small size of the Armenian nation, the share of Armenian
rescuers is remarkable, exemplifying the spirit of solidarity of this
ancient people. The Wallenberg Foundation is proud to have embarked
in a two-pronged quest to unveil unknown cases of rescue protagonized
by Armenians and paying tribute to those who have been recognized and
those who are still awaiting recognition. The decision of the IRWF to
create a specially designed Memorial Plaque is our way to recognize
their courageous deeds and say thanks to these heroes”.

The commemorative plaques will be affixed in major cities of the world.

The Armenian Association of Tel Aviv-Jaffa, which headquarters are
adjacent to the St. Nicholas Monastery will be the first house to
host the commemorative plaque.

14-YEAR-OLD TEEN FOUND HANGED IN KHANJIAN VILLAGE OF ARMENIA

A teen, 14, was found hanged on February 23 in the village of Khanjian
of Armenia’s Armavir province.

“He spent the day with boys from neighborhood. Around 4:00 pm he was
found hanged in a barn. He was a tenth grader, had no problems with
anyone. He did sports,” the village administrator Samvel Avagyan
told Aysor.am.

He said the teen left no suicide note.

24.02.15, 14:09

ISRAELI SCHOLAR YAIR AURON ABOUT ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION AND THE IMPRESSIONS FROM ARTSAKH

13:28, 24 Feb 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Lusine Avanesyan
Public Radio of Armenia
Stepanakert

On a three-day visit to Artsakh Israeli genocide scholar Yair Auron
had meetings with officials, youth and soldiers. He met with reporters
in Stepanakert to share the impressions. The scholar confesses he
didn’t know much about the Artsakh war.

As a genocide expert, Auron does not accept describing the events in
Khojalu, as well as Sumgait and Baku as “genocide.” “Some people say
the events in Khojalu constituted genocide, but they do not comply
with the classical definition of genocide.” As for the events in
Sumgait and Baku, the scholar said he has not conducted research on
these concrete cases, but considers they should be called “massacres.”

Yair Auron confessed that on the first day of the visit the impressions
were not that bright, but everything changed over the next two days.

“My impression on the first day was that you are week. Now I’m
confident you are very strong, strong with your spirit.”

“I admire your struggle for self-determination,” he said. “This is
your right and I with you every success,” the scholar added.

“After I met with the soldiers, I saw they are ready to continue the
struggle with the same spirit. They have the resoluteness to fight,
to master their own destiny. I admire that determination.”

Mr. Auron said he’s ashamed for the fact of Israel selling arms to
Azerbaijan, knowing those will be used against the people of Karabakh.

“I go mad, when I think these weapons are used against you,” the
scholar said.

According to Yair Auron, upon his return to Israel he will continue
the struggle for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Besides, he
will talk to his friends about Artsakh, its people and their struggle.

He plans to visit Nagorno Karabakh again in summer.

EU DOES NOT PERMIT VIOLATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AGAINST ASGAROV AND GULIYEV

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Feb 24 2015

24 February 2015 – 2:16pm

The EU disapproves of any actions and developments that create tensions
and undermine the efforts toward a peaceful and negotiated settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the spokesperson for the European
commissioner for enlargement and European neighbourhood policy,
Maya Kosyanchich, said.

The EU underscores the obligations under international humanitarian
law, in particular with regard to civilians and treatment of persons
taken into custody during times of conflict.

“The heads of the delegations of the Minsk Group co-chair countries,
in their statement issued on December 4, 2014 at the OSCE Basel
Ministerial Council, called on the sides to settle humanitarian
issues in the spirit of the Astrakhan statement of October 2010 by
the presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan and the Russian Federation,”
Trend cited her as saying.

PRESS RELEASE
One Armenia
Check us out at
()
Facebook: facebook.com/onearmenia
()

YouTube: youtube.com/user/onearmenia
()
Twitter + Instagram: @onearmenia
()
110 East 25th St, 3rd Floor,
New York, NY,
[email protected]

Third time’s a charm in Kashatagh!
————————————————————

1A preps its 3rd campaign in Karabakh…
————————————————————

…all of which have taken place in the Kashatagh region and, trust
us, that’s no accident.
————————————————————

We think Kashatagh is a fertile ground for possibilities and
potential, but there’s still so much more to be done. We’re launching
a campaign there next week, so we thought we’d quickly recap the work
we’ve already accomplished (with our awesome partners at Tufenkian
Foundation () ) in this beautiful,
but developing region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Clean Water in Karotan
A few months later, we focused our attention on another village, where
families had been drinking out of a dirty well for nearly 20 years and
had to walk over 3 kilometers several times a day to retrieve water
from the only well in the area. Again, thanks to you 125 people in
Karotan and neighboring Vardabats, Kumayri and Pakahan, now have fresh
drinking water.

A Kindergarten in Moshatagh
In 201, we discovered kids in Moshatagh village lacked child-care and
educational facilities. With your help, we turned the barren first
floor of the stone building into a place of learning and play for the
children of 60 families in Moshatagh and other students from
neighboring Mirik, Bertik and Herik villages.

A Medical Clinic in Aghavnatun
What’s up next? We heard that closest medical center for the 150
residents of Aghavnatun is a 2 hour drive (on possibly the bumpiest
roads your bum has ever experienced–no fun, especially for a sick
person). In Feb., we traveled to Aghavnatun and are excited to launch
our campaign next week to raising $33,098 to provide the community
with a fully stocked clinic.

==========================================================Join our
Ambassador program ()
to be a part of Armenia’s development.

Copyright © 2014 ONEArmenia,
All rights reserved.

REMEMBER, RECOGNIZE, CONDEMN AND REIMBURSE: 4 DEMANDS BY 4 GENERATIONS

15:22, 24 Feb 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

Ahead of the Armenian Genocide centennial the youth unions of the
Araratian Patriarchal Diocese launch a campaign to present the demands
of the four generations of the Armenian nation.

Remember, recognize, condemn and reimburse – these are the four demands
will be reflected in four videos to be presented tonight. The videos
will present the approaches of four generations of the Armenian nation
on the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide.

They will be posted on the Internet with the hashtag #4demand.

Fr. Petros Malyan, Spiritual Advisor of the youth unions of the
Araratian Patriarchal Diocese told reporters today that “the four
videos should be an example for every Armenian.”

The organizers urge every Armenian to shoot his own video on the
topic and share it in social networks with the hashtag #4demand. The
initiative aims to raise the 4 main demands of 4 generations in 4
seasons of the year in the 4 sides of the world.

Through the videos the Armenians of the world will make it clear to
the world that the struggle will continue until a proper solution
to the demands is found. After April 24, 2014 the youth unions of
the Diocese have been commemorating the centennial of the Armenian
Genocide on the 24th of every month. Today’s initiative will be the
tenth in the series of events.

“Everyone should raise his/her voice and present his/her demand. This
should be done not only by Armenians, but also the foreigners, who
have a say about the Armenian Genocide,” Fr. Petros Malyan said.

After the project is unveiled, the four videos will be available on
the Internet. The initiatives dedicated to the 100th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide will not be restricted to these. The Araratian
Patriarchal Diocese will hold events throughout the year.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION IS LAME IN THREE LEGS – NAGHDALYAN

15:27 24/02/2015 >> POLITICS

The Armenian opposition is lame in three legs, Deputy Speaker of
Armenian National Assembly Hermine Naghdalyan stated in parliament
on Tuesday, commenting on the Armenian National Congress-submitted
draft on the ways to overcome the management crisis.

In her words, this sickness of the opposition cannot be cured in a
short time.

Mrs Naghdalyan noted that there are many serious political, economic,
external and internal problems in Armenia that need to be discussed
and the authorities are discussing them.

She stressed that it is time to admit that opposition does not mean
just criticism and in order to succeed, the opposition must offer a
way to resolve the problems.

ANTI-CORRUPTION COUNCIL: TI HEAD SKEPTICAL OF GOVERNMENT-FORMED INITIATIVE

SOCIETY | 24.02.15 | 15:34

Alina Nikoghosyan
ArmeniaNow intern

Although an anti-corruption council is provisioned to be created in
Armenia, the head of the organization fighting against corruption in
the country is skeptical about this council being able to realize a
serious mission.

On Thursday an anti-corruption council will be created on a government
initiative and led by Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan. The council
include the government’s Chief of Staff, Ministers of Justice and
Finance, Attorney General, Chairman of the Ethics Committee for high
rank officials, one member from each Parliamentary opposition faction
(if they agree), Chairman of the Public Council, one representative
from each Union of Armenian Communities and two representatives of
civil society.

Reaction has been skeptical, as some observers see the makeup of the
council as something of a “fox guarding the hen house” situation.

Transparency International (TI) anti-corruption NGO Executive Director,
Varuzhan Hoktanyan spoke about the anti-corruption council and told
reporters Tuesday that there is no serious fight against corruption
in Armenia today.

“Let both the wolves be full and the sheep not suffer; that is the
attitude here. They try to take up some cosmetic measures – electronic
governance, so that there are less citizen-official relations, that
is a very mild solution of the problem, it cannot be considered a
serious solution, that is why, if there is no political will, then
I do not see a serious fight happening today,” Hoktanyan said.

According to Hoktanyan, the situation with corruption is not that
favorable and six studies done in Armenia showed that, according to
the perception, Armenia is in stagnation.

“The situation does not ameliorate, but it does not improve, either and
remains stable at a level which is typical of countries with high level
of corruption. Upon the latest data Armenia is the 36th, on a scale
from 0-100, 0 – highly corrupt and 100 – completely clear,” he said.

Compared to the corruption level of the neighboring countries,
according to Hoktanyan, Armenia stays back both from Georgia and
Turkey, but it still is in a favorable state compared to Azerbaijan
and Iran.

GEVORG GHAZARYAN: I WILL DO MY BEST TO PLAY IN GERMANY OR ITALY

18:14, 24 Feb 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

In an interview with RedCampeon.gr Armenian midfielder Gevorg Ghazaryan
talks about his transfer at Olympiacos, his new club Kerkyra, his
manager Raiola, coach Michel and his football dreams:

How is your new team?Are you satisfied?

Everyone was really welcoming and warm.I feel good. I feel more
confident. I want to help the team to win more games and to achieve
our targets. It’s a pleasure to play with the boys and I think we
are really strong.

Do you feel that Michel was unfair to you? Do you think you deserved
to play more games at Olympiakos?

I was and I am in a good relationship with the coach. May be it
didn’t go as well as either of us would have liked I believe I have
dedicated myself in all of the matches I have played and I feel Like
I have worked on right things .I wanted to play, I had the chance to
make the step up.

Was your dicision to choose Olympiacos a mistake?

No. It wasn’t a mistake. I have experienced myself in a high level
team. I hope I will continue on this path, with strong ambition,
humility and hard work.

Did Raiola made you choose Olympiacos as part of his own deals? I
mean, he forced you in a way because he thought that was the better
for him and you?

No he didn’t. We have had several options and we came to the conclusion
that Olympiacos was the best at that moment.

Do you have any regrets like if you should have put more effort in
training at Pireaus?

No, quite the opposite. The desire to get better all the time, to
want more and be the first person to be critical of myself.”

Do you have any complaints from the Olympiacos board? Mr Marinakis?

No.I’m lucky that I get to play here and that I get to play for
Olympiacos, where I get to play with fantastic players. It’s so
fundamental to be able to play with quality teammates.

Where, which team or country do you see yourslef in 6 months?

I would like to play either in Germany or in Italy. And I will do my
best to achieve this goal.