Author: nina hovnanian

NEW DETAILS ON SEVAK BALIKCI’S MURDER COME TO LIGHT

Tert.am
11:21 08.08.11

The Istanbul based Armenian-Turkish weekly Agos has unveiled new
details on the murder of Sevak Shahin Balikci, an ethnic Armenian
soldier who served in a military unit of the Turkish police.

A fellow serviceman standing as a witness in the trial has told a
court hearing that Kivanc Agaoglu – a Turkish nationalist accused of
shooting Balikci dead – had earlier threatened to kill him.

The lawyer of the family, Cem Halavut, said during the hearing that
the witnesses had changed their testimonies in court, says the paper.

“The witnesses said completely different things at the Prosecutor’s
Office. But they changed their testimonies in court. It means their
activities are being dictated by someone,” Halavut was quoted as
telling the jury.

A military court in Diyarberkir had set Agaoglu free after the first
hearing that lasted 13 hours.

Balikci, who was killed in the military unit on April 24, had 23 days
to complete his service. Official data suggested that a bullet released
accidentally from a fellow servicemen’s gun had caused his death. The
prosecution calls for sentencing the defendant to nine years of
imprisonment on charges of a negligent murder. Sevak’s family demands,
however, that Agaoglu be found guilty of a premeditated murder.

LES ARMENIENS DE BEYROUTH RESERVENT UN ACCUEIL CHALEUREUX A “ARMENIA”
Krikor Amirzayan, [email protected]

Armenews.com
lundi 8 aout 2011,
ARMENIE-DIASPORA

Le 6 aout, le voilier armenien ” Armenia ” etait au port Marina de
Beyrouth (Liban) ou il recut un accueil officiel en presence d’une
foule nombreuse. A l’arrivee du bateau a Beyrouth, apres les hymnes
du Liban et de l’Armenie, l’Ambassadeur d’Armenie au Liban Achot
Kotcharian, l’archeveque Kegham Khatcherian et Aram Malian representant
le maire de Beyrouth Bilal Hammadi ont prononce des discours de
bienvenue. Dans le public, de tres nombreuses personnalites politiques
et responsables de la communaute armenienne de Beyrouth etaient venus
saluer l’arrivee d'” Armenia “. Ce dernier qui a pris la mer le 28 mai
2009 a partir du port de Valence (Espagne) traverse la Mediterranee
a la rencontre des communautes armeniennes pour marquer le 20eme
anniversaire de la Republique d’Armenie. De Beyrouth ” Armenia ” se
dirigera vers Chypre qu’il devrait atteindre dans les prochains jours.

MEDVEDEV’S WARNING TARGET MORE THE AZERBAIJANI LEADER – ZERKALO

Tert.am
13:56 ~U 06.08.11

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has warned his Armenian and
Azerbaijani counterparts against a resumption of war in Nagorno
Karabakh, the Azerbaijani newspaper Zerkalo said, commenting on the
Medvedev’s recent interview with Georgian and Russian media.

“But Medevedev’s warning apparently target the Azerbaijani leader
more,” the paper says.

It refers to the Russian leaders’ remarks on the 2008 Russia-Georgia
war and his warning to Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev.

“Had our Georgian counterpart demonstrated a little intelligence, we
could have organized meetings like those in Kazan and Sochi and thought
of ways of settling the problem,” Medvedev was quoted as saying.

“Medvedev seems to be warning the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents
of the impermissibility war, given especially his personal failure in
the conflict settlement process. Medvedev realizes perfectly that no
one draws any conclusions from the lessons of history in the long run,
especially that the parties, at least Azerbaijan, feared more Russia’s
non-adequate response to Georgia, rather than that country’s attempts
to re-establish its territorial integrity through the use force.

That’s why Medevedev gives clear hints that Russia will intervene
in military operations in case they are resumed,” the paper says,
adding that Medevedev himself would be forced to make decisions
independently should there be serious developments in the Karabakh
conflict settlement process.

The paper claims that such measures are dictated by the personal
interests of Medvedev, especially ahead of his presidential campaign.

It says Medvedev’s move might be decisive for his political future.

“But the most important thing is that the Russian president openly
admits he cannot promise a speedy settlement of conflict in case of
even his personal intervention,” says the paper.

ARMENIAN PREMIER VISITED FISH-BREEDING FACTORY IN ARARAT REGION

ARKA
Aug 6, 2011

ARARAT REGION. August 6. /ARKA/. On Saturday Armenian Premier Tigran
Sargsyan, Economy and Justice ministers visited the fish-breeding
company “Aquatechavtomatika” located in the territory of the village
Sis in Ararat region of Armenia. He got introduced to the production
processes and pools of the company, correspondent of “ARKA” news
agency informs.

“Aquatechavtomatika” deals with fish-growing in artificial pools
using deep-well water. It is the leading company in the sphere of
fish-breeding and processing of fish products in the country.

General Director of “Aquatechavtomatika” Artak Gevorgyan said that
the company was built in 1996. Till 1998 it was growing trout and
from 1998 till present it deals with fish growing of sturgeon,
especially starlet.

In 2010 the company invited an international expert from Dutch
company Aquaculture Consultacy & Engeneering and with the expert’s
support developed measures targeted at the increase of productivity
of investments.

“Besides the concrete pools, six plastic pools were assembeled
which allow to double production volumes in the same investment
sizes. Use of plastic pools in fish-breeding is very common abroad”,
said Gevorgyan. Plastic pools are more effective than concrete pools
from the point of view of construction expenses and operation.

Expiration date of the pools is about 25 years. The pools can be
installed in a short period of time and disassemble in three hours.

“The most important thing is that for the installation of plastic
pools it is not necessary to change the land category and conduction
of large-scale land works”, he said.

Director of the Fund of Economic development of land territories of
Armenia Tigran Khanikyan informed that in 2010 the Fund has invested
about 200 million drams in the company, of which 82.2% should have been
directed at obtaining the main equipment – pools, oxygen generators,
aerators and laboratory equipment.

“The remaining amounts should be target at the replenishment of
maternal staff of fish”, he said. ($1 – 366.56 drams).

TURKISH COALITION OF AMERICA HAD PAID HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE CASE AGAINST DAVID KRIKORIAN

armradio.am
06.08.2011 14:01

In 2008, our compatriot living in Ohio David Krikorian has submitted
himsekf for election in the U.S. House of Representatives. He threw
his glove against the congressman Jeanne Schmidt whose activity in the
House of Representatives was not satisfied for the state’s residents.

It should be noted that there are almost no Armenians in State Ohio, so
he was nominated as one who was relying on American residents voting.

But the Turkish lobby has struggled against him. When David Grigorian,
accused his opponent of taking bloody money from the Turkey for
the genocide denial, Jeanne Schmidt requested a court against our
compatriot, accusing him of defamation.

As an answer to this court process David Grigoryan appealed to the
Ethic Committee of the House of Representatives demanding from the
House Ethics to review who pays for Schmidt lawyers and who are
involved in the court against him.

And here is the result of investigations conducted by the Commission
on Ethics: The Turkish Coalition of America had paid only for this
case half a million dollars.

KHACHATUROV MERELY REPEATED

Lragir.am

13:46:04 – 06/08/2011

The Hraparak Daily reported that Yuri Khachaturov, chief of the general
staff of the Armed Forces, stated July 11, 3 pm, in the meeting hall
of the Defense Ministry, that the liberated territories must be handed
over because the army of Azerbaijan is stronger, and Azerbaijan will
grant Karabakh wider sovereignty.

The information service of the Ministry of Defense refuted this
information but the Hraparak Daily insists that the information is
reliable. In this case, the information of the newspaper is more
reliable.

The point is that Khachaturov’s statement is not news. The entire
political class headed by the top government is inclined for handing
over part of our country. Khachaturov, as a military man, merely
repeated it.

The political-business-military elite of Armenia, as any other
elite, has two ways: either serve the strengthening of the state
self-denyingly or focus on their personal interests. In our country,
they chose the second. It doesn’t require deep surveys to understand
this. It is enough to look around, from the pavements of streets to
the daily meals of soldiers.

To eternalize their heaven, they are ready to agree to anything. To
hide their inability, they are ready to wear a serious expression
of the face and “justify” capitulation by our weakness, the enemy’s
strength, the world, lack of money and resource. However, for whatever
reason, it does not affect their personal welfare.

There is money, there is a lot of money, judging by the lifestyle of
Khachaturov and all the other generals, and the government in general.

And there is will, judging by the report that during the speech of
this general the officers resisted. This resistance will one day get
control of the country’s resource and direct it where necessary.

TURKEY’S INTERIOR MINISTRY CALLS COMPENSATION TO DINK FAMILY “UNJUSTIFIED ENRICHMENT”

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 6, 2011 – 10:46 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Turkey’s Interior Ministry has denied any
responsibility in Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink’s
assassination, claiming in a failed appeal to the Council of State
that paying compensation to the man’s family would lead to “unjustified
enrichment.”

“The [plaintiff] would have had to have felt great anguish and grief as
a consequence of an unlawful operation or an act by the administration
for non-pecuniary damages to be imposed [on the defendant,]” the
Interior Ministry said in appeal.

Paying 100,000 Turkish Liras in compensation for non-pecuniary
damages would lead to “unjustified enrichment” for Dink’s family,
the Ministry further said, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

The 10th Istanbul Administrative Court ordered the Interior Ministry on
Oct. 27, 2010, to pay 100,000 liras in damages to Hosrof and Yervant
Dink, Hrant Dink’s two brothers, due to the gross dereliction of duty
allegedly committed by the Ministry in Dink’s assassination.

The court said the Ministry had not prevented the murder and failed to
protect Dink despite the fact that it was in possession of sufficient
evidence that there was a plot against the journalist’s life.

The Interior Ministry then appealed to the Council of State for the
execution to be stayed. The Council of State, however, denied the
Ministry’s appeals. The Interior Ministry also said the lawsuit against
it should have been filed at a court of first instance, rather than
at an administrative court; it also referred to Dink’s assassination
as a “nefarious attack” in its appeal to the Council of State.

Dink was the editor of Agos and Turkey’s best known Armenian voice
abroad. He was shot in broad daylight as he left his office in
Istanbul’s Sisli district in 2007.

ACCIDENT KILLS 18-YEAR-OLD GIRL ON YEREVAN-GYUMRI ROADWAY

Tert.am
13:08 06.08.11

A car accident has killed an 18-year-old girl on the Yerevan-Gyumri
roadway in Aragatsotn province.

According to the Emergency Channel of Armenia’ Ministry of Emergency
Situations, the accident took place on 66th kilometer of the road in
the vicinity of Katnaghbyur village as a VAZ-2107 car belonging to
Hrayr Azatyan crashed into a Volkswagen belonging to Aghvan Mosoyan
on Friday.

Hasmik Petrosyan, 18, was killed on the spot the scene of the accident,
while Hasmik Heboyan, 31, received various injuries.

Local residents pulled Azatyan and Heboyan out of the car before the
arrival of emergency personnel. They were taken to a hospital in Talin.

Doctors assess their health condition is “medium grievous”.

LES REELS TOURISTES ETRANGERS VISITANT L’ARMENIE REPRESENTENT A 10 A 15 POUR CENT DE TOUS LES VISITEURS
Stephane

armenews.com
samedi 6 aout 2011

Robert Minasian, le recteur de l’Institut armenien du Tourisme a
questionne le gouvernement sur les soi-disant centaines de milliers
des touristes etrangers visitant l’Armenie chaque annee. S’exprimant
lors d’une conference de presse M. Minasian qui est aussi le president
de l’Union des Organisateurs de Voyages, a dit que les statistiques
officielles montrent que l’annee dernière 600 000 touristes ont
visite l’Armenie mais que le nombre reel des touristes etrangers
etaient d’environ 10 a 15 % du total.

Les donnees du gouvernement ont aussi ete ecartees par les experts
qui disent que les chiffres officielles tiennent compte de tous
les individus entrant au pays, qui reste ici pendant 24 heures. Ils
prennent en compte meme des milliers de migrants armeniens travaillant
a l’etranger et passant leurs vacances dans leur patrie. Il a dit la
methodologie employee par des autorites pour calculer les touristes
etrangers visitant l’Armenie, deforme l’image reelle.

UN TOURISTE ARMENIEN SAUVAGEMENT ASSASSINE A BODRUM EN TURQUIE
Krikor Amirzayan

armenews.com
samedi 6 aout 2011

Un Armenien des Etats Unis, Arman Azak (74 ans) qui sejournait
dans un centre de vacances dans la region de Bodrum en Turquie a
ete sauvagement assassine. Selon l’agence de presse ” Dogan “, le
30 juillet Arman Azak aurait vers 19 heures appele la police pour
informer qu’il avait recu plusieurs coups de couteau. Lorsque les
premiers secours parvenaient a son domicile, le corps inerte d’Arman
Azak baignait dans une mare de sang. L’examen de son corps laissait
apparaître une trentaine de coups de couteau ainsi que des os brises
par un objet. Le malheureux avait ete sevèrement battu avant d’etre
tue. Mais il semblerait qu’aucun bien precieux de la maison n’ait
disparu. Ce qui pourrait donner une piste a ce crime. Les responsables
du village de vacances ainsi que les services de securites sont
interroges par la police.