Author: nina hovnanian

COGNAC ARMENIAN BRAND ONLY IN RUSSIA – EXPERTS SUGGEST ALTERNAIVES

11:31 * 18.02.15

Cognac is recognized as an Armenian brand only in Russia, as all
other countries use the term brandy to name the Armenian product,
says the president of the Armenian Association of Winemakers.

Speaking to Tert.am, Avag Harutyunyan explained that the term
“brandy”, as a beverage name, is a class lower than cognac, which is
internationally known to be typically French brand. “Though on the
Russian market, the Armenian cognac is perceived as an Armenian brand,
that market is little by little growing smaller in size, losing its
attractiveness,” he said.

Harutyunyan noted that despite its high quality and competitiveness,
the Armenian product falls short of meeting the criteria of what is
termed as cognac. He said that while the French cognac represents a
mix of different varieties of grape (that also influences the aroma),
the Armenian brandy is made of distilled spring water. “There are
specificities that ensure the Armenian brandy’s higher quality,
and its place on market. Armenian brandy is sun-smelling; it has a
richer aroma with a chocolate-vanilla flavor, but the whole problem
has to do with the name,” he added.

Harutyunyan noted that Armenia’s EU Association Agreement contained a
provision allowing the use of “Armenian cognac” for maximum ten years.

He added that the question would be problematic again in case Armenia
had chosen to sign the association deal with Europe. “It is a great
pity for us that we didn’t manage to replace the word in the course
of 70 years [of the Soviet rule],” he added.

As for the beverage’s marketability in the Eurasian Economic Union
(EEU), the expert said he knows that cognac is still acceptable in
that trade zone, but he didn’t rule out the possibility of the term’s
future usage also in the EU.

Harutyunyan said he finds cognac to be more a typical Armenian
phenomenon rather than an international cultural value.

“With its sale volumes, it is the world’s twentieth [most popular]
drink. It has a potential, so if we find the right name, it will gain
advantage, having its worthy place in the ranks of gin, rum, whiskey
and cognac,” he said, noting that 90% of the Armenian beverage is
consumed in the post-Soviet area.

Harutyunyan said the right word is difficult to find especially because
the names traditionally perceived as a national brands (Araratm Masis,
Sevan) were long ago handed over to the private sector’s monopoly,
becoming the property of individual entrepreneurs.

“It may be a term characterizing the territory and nation, which
specialists are not able to find,” he said, proposing even a contest
for selecting an appropriate brand.

Avetik Galstyan, a deputy director at the Proshyan Brandy Factory,
also agrees that a possible ban on “cognac” may cause problems in the
industry. According to him, “brandy”, as a term, can potentially work
on the market.

“It is due to Russia now that we are able make exports also to the EEU
countries, labeling our product as ‘cognac’,” he said, adding that
“Armenian brandy” comes to replace the term whenever the drink is
exported to the EU.

Gasparyan said he knows that the Armenian cognac or brandy is the
preferred product on the EEU market ,which is very well familiar with
the drink but noted in the meantime that it is also exported to the
Baltic republics, as well as Poland and Bulgaria. “There are more
opportunities in the countries of Eastern Europe,” he added.

Admitting that the Armenian brandy is widely popular in the Diaspora,
Gasparyan said he doesn’t think that the factor alone is enough for
ensuring the product’s marketability.

“There are price-related issues, so we must try to sell cheaper
to attract the European consumer into preferring the Armenian
[product],” he said, noting that equal prices will still keep the
European consumer’s interest high in French cognac.

ARMENIA’S BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT INDEX DOWN TO 51.8 IN Q 4

YEREVAN, February 18. /ARKA/. Armenia’s business environment index
for the fourth quarter of 2014 fell by 0.8 percentage points to
51.8 compared to Q3, the press office of the Central Bank of Armenia
reports.

At the same time, the index dropped by 0.4 percentage points compared
to the same period of the year before.

The central bank says the index is within the stable range, and
positive sentiments are maintained in almost all economic fields,
according to the report.

The index was influenced by changes of the respective indicators,
including industry, trade and services. In particular, industry
indicator fell by 2.8 percentage points to 55.5; trade index dropped
by 11.4p.p to 48.8 and the services index rose by 9.6 p.p. to 63.8.

The lowest index was recorded for the construction sector – 34.6,
a negligible increase of 0.5 p.p., still below the stable range.

Business environment index is calculated based on averaged assessments
of economic condition and risk changes by organizations.

In 2014 the central bank reviewed the methodology of the calculation
and merged business environment and business activity indices together
into one index of business environment.

Since the beginning of 2005 the central bank has been conducting
quarterly polls among non-financial and financial organizations and
households. -0–

LE GENOCIDE DES ARMENIENS : LA CARICATURE , par
Yves Ternon

La caricature est, pendant la Grande Guerre, un des modes de propagande
les plus efficaces. Elle exagère le trait et livre au lecteur une image
grossièrement deformee de l’ennemi. La presse satirique reproduit des
stereotypes. Ici, dans ce numero de La Guerre illustree paru en mars
1917, deux officiers, epee au côte : l Allemand, arrogant, casque a
pointe, bottes et eperons ; le Turc, fourbe, fez et babouches ; tous
deux cyniques, designant un convoi de civils encadre par des soldats
allemands. Ce mensuel, edite a Londres de septembre 1916 a novembre
1918, regroupait des documents iconographiques provenant de la revue
anglaise Illustrated London News. Ce faisant, La Guerre illustree
exposait essentiellement un point de vue britannique du conflit au
premier sens du terme, et ce bien que la langue de redaction des
articles fût le francais. Les legendes des photos, ainsi que de la
caricature, sont en quatre langues : francais, italien, espagnol,
portugais.

Dans la guerre de propagande et d’images qui faisait rage pendant la
Première Guerre mondiale, il etait monnaie courante de republier des
articles et notamment des caricatures parus dans la presse des pays
neutres, afin de bien montrer que l’opinion publique dans ces pays
tendait a adopter une attitude critique, voire hostile, vis-a-vis de
l’ennemi. En l’occurrence, nous avons affaire a une caricature tiree
du quotidien espagnol La publicidad qui s’attaque aux crimes de guerre
de l’Allemagne ainsi que de son allie turc en mettant dans le meme
sac les violences contre la population civile commises par l’armee
allemande en Belgique et dans le Nord de la France et celles dont
ont souffert les Armeniens dans l’Empire ottoman. Sur le front ouest,
d’août a octobre 1914, les armees allemandes percoivent les populations
des territoires occupes comme des > et prennent
des mesures de retorsion contre de pretendus terroristes : bâtiments
incendies, otages fusilles. Plus tard, les deportations en Belgique
et en France occupees ont pour but d’eloigner du front des civils ou
de les utiliser comme travailleurs forces et non la destruction des
convois, comme le laisserait croire la colonne de deportes poussee
par des casques a pointe et des baïonnettes. La caricature accompagne
d’ailleurs la reproduction d’un ordre de deportation de la population
de Lille “a l’exception des enfants au-dessous de 14 ans et de leurs
mères, ainsi qu’a l’exception des vieillards”.

Dans la caricature, l’officier turc declare a son complice allemand
: >. Ce propos souligne bien le cynisme
des Jeunes Turcs du Comite Union et Progrès (CUP) qui contrôle le
gouvernement ottoman. Celui-ci masque sous une apparence humanitaire un
programme d’extermination des Armeniens de l’empire. Les Armeniens sont
nombreux, et en quelques lieux majoritaires, dans les six provinces
d’Anatolie orientale. L’ordre de deportation, affiche dans ces
provinces a partir de mai 1915, est camoufle par une loi promulguee
a cette date afin d’eloigner du front des civils dont on craint une
collaboration avec l’ennemi. En realite, dans les deux provinces où
pen̬trent alors les armees russes РVan et Bitlis Рpresque tous les
Armeniens sont massacres, a l’exception de ceux sauves par l’avance
russe. Il n’y a donc pas la de deportation, mais une extermination. En
revanche, plus au nord, dans la province d’Erzeroum, où le front est
stabilise, de mai a juillet 1915, les Armeniens sont tues sur place
ou deportes. Il en est de meme pour les autres provinces d’Anatolie
orientale. Les techniques de destruction revèlent un programme
preetabli. Pour le CUP, la priorite est d’ecarter toute possibilite
de resistance : les notables sont arretes les premiers ; les soldats
armeniens, desarmes depuis janvier et regroupes en > sont progressivement elimines ; dès l’ordre publie,
les hommes sont separes des femmes, regroupes et tues près de leur
lieu d’habitation. La deportation ne concerne donc que des femmes,
des enfants, des vieillards. Les convois sont regulièrement decimes
par des bandes de tueurs, des tribus kurdes ou meme par la population
turque lors de la traversee des villes. En outre, la chaleur, la faim,
la soif, les maladies contribuent a cette decimation. De telle sorte
que, sur le million d’Armeniens des provinces orientales d’Anatolie,
seuls quelques 100 000 survivants parviennent a l’automne 1915 a Alep,
en Syrie, lieu fixe pour le regroupement des deportes. Les oiseaux
noirs qui, sur la caricature, tournent autour d’un convoi encadre
par des Allemands, ne sont guère a leur place a l’Ouest. C’est en
Anatolie qu’ils se repaissent alors des milliers de corps abandonnes
sur les chemins de la deportation. Les deportes parvenus a Alep sont
rejoints a la fin de l’annee 1915 par ceux d’Anatolie centrale et
occidentale, de Cilicie ou de Thrace. Ils sont alors plus de 800 000,
entasses dans des camps de transit. Dans une seconde phase du processus
d’extermination, une Commission des deportes gère leur destruction. Le
flux principal est envoye le long de la rive droite de l’Euphrate,
d’un camp de concentration a l’autre.

Ces camps sont de veritables mouroirs, de telle sorte que ne
parviennent au lieu fixe comme terme de la deportation, Deïr-es-Zor,
que moins de 200 000 personnes. Les autres deportes sont morts
d’epuisement ou d’epidemies de typhus et de cholera. En decembre 1916,
les derniers survivants sont alors assassines. Seul une partie des
deportes diriges vers le sud de la Syrie demeurent en vie jusqu’a la
fin de la guerre.

L’auteur de la caricature ne percoit pas la nature singulière de ce
qui se passe en Anatolie. Dans les territoires occupes par l’armee
allemande, en Belgique et en France, les populations civiles sont
victimes d’infractions que le droit international defini après la
Seconde Guerre mondiale nomme > ou

ARMENIAN HAND ENGRAVER CREATES FASCINATING JEWELRY

Daily Sabah, Turkey
Feb 17 2015

DAMLA KAYAYERLI

Berc Melikyan is one of the most renowned goldsmiths and hand engravers
who continues to keep the art of “kalemkarlık” (hand engraving)
alive in Turkey. “So far, no one has been able to make jewelry like
I do. Nobody can do it!” he said. For years, Melikyan has exhibited
great patience and focus to meticulously craft jewels from precious
metals by engraving them with an iron pencil, which is thinner than
a strand of hair, in his small workshop. He has left his mark on
engraved diamonds, and famous goldsmiths still run after him.

The popularity of his hand-made diamonds has spread to faraway lands,
but his name was ironically unknown until he, in his own words,
“fought” to become well-known. Melikyan, 55, has been working as a hand
engraver with his iron pencil for the last 40 years, and his talent
has enabled him to create his own engraving style. At the age of 14,
Melikyan began working as an apprentice at the famous Cuhacı Inn in
Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar.

Initially, he learned the craft of “sadekarlık” (lapidary). As a
child, his dreams were filled with patterns and the appearance of
horses, lions and eagles. Those who noticed his talent used to say he
should become a hand engraver. However, the art of hand engraving is a
rather effortful task. At that time, there were hardly any craftsmen
that were willing to accept apprentices, but later, he began to work
with master craftsman Mardiros Halyacyan. Melikyan’s eyes filled with
tears and became emotional when he started talking about his past.

“You have to carefully watch your master for three or four years. You
should not touch his pencils, though; it is disrespectful. I always
had great respect for him,” he said. Similar to Halyacyan, he started
running his own small workshop with a little light at the Cuhacı Inn.

“I was shocked at first. When you imagine the world of jewelry, it
looks so glamorous. However, there is a big contrast between jewelry
workshops and the glitter of diamonds,” Melikyan said, adding that the
more jewels give brightness to the world, the darker the places they
are made in. “There is great contrast in our profession,” Melikyan
said. During his apprentice years, Melikyan was merely watching
his master without speaking, learned what kind of iron pencils are
necessary and developed himself with patience and great effort.

After his return from obligatory military service, he wanted to
run his own workshop but was unable to open it due to financial
constraints. Fortunately, his uncle helped him and Melikyan began
working as an assistant at his uncle’s jewelry shop in Nuriosmaniye.

He used to engrave jewels for his friends and family, and his
popularity increased with time. “Hand engraving requires patience,
determination and physical effort,” he said. Eventually, Melikyan
opened his own workshop in 1987. “I created my own engraving style,”
added the senior craftsman, who has designed diamonds for world leaders
and famous individuals all around the world. Moreover, jewelry firms
have displayed his works at international fairs, and while he has
yet to travel abroad, the world has fallen into his lap. Melikyan
believes he has not received what he deserves, but has never lost
his ambition. “I make thousands of stokes with an iron pencil while
designing a ring and other jewels.

The art of hand engraving I use to create my works date back 1,000
years,” he said. Melikyan loses himself while working and does not
understand how time flies by. “It has been a narrow and long journey.

Hand engraving is my life,” he said.

The accomplished artist is on the list of the World’s Gold Council
among the jewelers who should be visited in Istanbul. Halic University
also submitted an application to UNESCO to add his name to the list
of “Living Human Treasures.” Melikyan now continues his job at his
small and humble workshop on the third floor of the Cuhacı Inn in
Nuriosmaniye. He tirelessly turns priceless stones into a work of art.

His 18-year-old son Alen is learning his father’s trade as well,
much to his father’s delight. To celebrate his 40th year in the
trade, Melikyan created a masterpiece collection. “With my 45-piece
collection, I want to show Istanbul, Turkey and the world a perspective
from the eyes of a craftsman for future generations.

Istanbul is a living museum and I gain inspiration whenever I go. My
jewels inherit the city’s culture. When we look back, we say ‘what
amazing things they did,’ and I want the future generations to
understand today’s culture through my eyes,” he concluded.

ANKARA ‘COMMITTED TO SPIRIT OF ARMENIAN DEAL

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Feb 17 2015

ANKARA

Turkish Foreign ministry spokesperson Tanju Bilgic.

Ankara will remain committed to protocols signed between Turkey and
Armenia aiming to normalize bilateral relations, Turkish Foreign
Ministry spokesperson Tanju Bilgic has said, after Yerevan recently
decided to withdraw the 2008 protocols from the Armenian Parliament.

Bilgic told reporters yesterday that Yerevan has decided to withdraw
the Protocol on Establishing of Diplomatic Relations and the Protocol
on Developing Relations in order “to create a reason to accuse Turkey”
ahead of the 100th anniversary of the massacres of Ottoman Armenians,
which Armenia recognizes as genocide.

“Turkey disagrees with the attitude taken by the Armenian side,”
he said, describing Yerevan’s step as “wrong and unfortunate.”

The move displays Armenia’s “incoherent and insincere” stance,
Bilgic stated, adding that “Turkey will remain loyal to regional
normalization process which is the fundemental goal of the protocols.”

On Feb. 16, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan announced that he has
asked the country’s parliamentary speaker to withdraw his signature
from a groundbreaking 2009 agreement with Turkey meant to restore
ties between the two nations.

Sargsyan said in a statement that Armenia would not ratify the
agreement because of the “preconditions” that Turkey is putting in
place before it ratifies its side of the deal.

The agreement aims to restore diplomatic ties between the countries
as well as reopen the common border, which has been closed since 1993.

February/17/2015

TURKEY SLAMS ARMENIA FOR HALTING DEAL TO IMPROVE TIES

Zee News, India
Feb 17 2015

Last Updated: Wednesday, February 18, 2015 – 01:35

Istanbul: Turkey lashed out Tuesday at Armenian President Serzh
Sarkisian for his decision to withdraw from parliament a landmark
deal aimed at repairing relations between the two nations.

“We don`t think this is the right approach by Armenia, it is an
erroneous and baseless step,” said Turkish foreign ministry spokesman
Tanju Bilgic in Ankara, quoted by Turkish media.

Sarkisian said on Monday he was recalling the protocols both countries
signed in 2009 from parliament due to the “absence of political will”
on the Turkish side.

The deal was brokered under US, French and Russian supervision in
Zurich but the accords have since languished without ratification in
both nations` parliaments.

Sarkisian`s decision appears to have for now buried the deal,
which would have led to the opening up of the border between the
two neighbours.

Relations between Turkey and Armenia remain blocked as Ankara refuses
to cede to Yerevan`s demands that it acknowledge the mass killing of
Armenians by Ottoman forces in World War I was a genocide.

Sarkisian`s decision to recall the accords comes at a particularly
critical moment, as Armenians prepare to mark the 100th anniversary
of the start of the massacres on April 24.

Armenians have angrily accused Turkey of trying to overshadow
the ceremonies planned in Yerevan by advancing its advancing its
commemorations of the 1915 Ottoman resistance against the Allied
landing in Gallipoli to the same day.

Bilgic in turn accused Armenia of using the anniversary year as a
pretext for renewing accusations against Turkey over the killings.

Yerevan says around 1.5 million Armenians were slaughtered in a
deliberate campaign against them.

Turkey disputes that figure. Last year, President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, then premier, offered condolences for the mass killings for
the first time.

But hopes that the gesture would lead to a breakthrough in relations
between the two countries have so far come to nothing.

TER-PETROSYAN CALLS FOR HEAD TO HEAD MEETING WITH SARGSYAN

Huewire News
Feb 17 2015

Levon Ter-Petrosyan has required a one on one gathering with Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan to actually pass on his worries in regards
to the as of late issued Pan-Armenian Proclamation on the event of
the 100th commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. The declaration
was drafted by a state dedicatory arranging board of trustees and
Ter-Petrosyan contends that the body has violated its power by
asserting that it represents the “united will” of all Armenians.

Faceless Council

Armenia’s first president likewise contends that given that
the announcement was tending to the global group it would have
been instilled with more noteworthy gravitas and lawful political
noteworthiness had it been marked by the presidents of Armenia and
Artsakh and church ;eaders as opposed to a few faceless council.

Ter-Petrosyan likewise blames the decree as somewhat more than a
final proposal to Turkey, imminent Ankara to perceive also denounce
the Armenian Genocide submitted by the Ottoman Empire, however,
that it neglects to determine what Armenian arrangements to do if,
and when, Turkey neglects to do as such.

In his public statement to Sargsyan, Ter-Petrosyan additionally
suggests the thought of arranging a consultative panel to at
last portray the position of the Republic of Armenia vis-vis the
Genocide issue. Ter-Petrosyan says that such a panel would utilize
the announcement as a premise to draft another reminder, marked by
the president of Armenia, to be sent to the United Nations Secretary
General, the presidents of the OSCE as well as the EU, and to all
heads of state.

Taking everything into account, Ter-Petrosyan says that such an
update should not harm the arrangement of the most vital issues now
confronting Armenia, in particular a determination of Armenia-Turkey
relations and the Karabakh clash. Ter-Petrosyan then recommends
individuals to sit on the consultative council; people who have
effectively demonstrated fit for climbing above conventional
recognitions and who can see the matter from the point of view of
Armenian state engages and in the connection of contemporary received
worldwide standards.

The folks proposed are:

>From Armenia: Babken Ararktsyan, Gagik Harutyunyan, Vano Siradeghyan,
Vazgen Manukyan, Vardan Oskanyan, Stepan Demirchyan, Ruben Shugaryan,
Alexander Arzumanyan, Arman Grigoryan, Ashot Voskanyan, Ruben
Vardanyan, Ashot Sargsyan, Ara Sahakyan, Ktrich Sardaryan, Hrant
Ter-Abrahayan.

>From the U.S. – Jirair Libaridian, Ruben Atalian, Ara Sanjian,
Khachig Tllyan, Hampig Sarafian plus Raffi Urfalian.

>From France – Arman Sarian, Michel Marian, Jirayr Malkhasian,
Raffi Kalfayian.

>From Turkey – Levon Zekiyan

>From Argentina – Rupen Mozian.

Ter-Petrosyan says that he would be eager to partake in the exercises
of the panel and that he couldn’t care less how his “antagonistic
companions” see his drive. Ter-Petrosyan closes by saying that the
basic of his drive, paying little respect to the turmoil it will
bring about, is made all the more critical given the forthcoming
100th commemoration of the Genocide.

GAGIK MAKARYAN: SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESSMEN SHOULD BE LEFT ALONE

The requirement of the Law on Turnover Tax concerning document
circulation allegedly has to do with control over big business,
but there are also other ways to do it, Chairman of the Union of
Employers of Armenia Gagik Makaryan told journalists today.

In his words, first of all small and medium businessmen should be
left to their own devices. “In fact, the amendments to the turnover
tax law are good as they are aimed at developing SMEs, which is a
positive approach,” Makaryan said.

By the amendments to the Law on Turnover tax, business entities will
have to pay 3.5% tax if turnover exceeds 58.3 million drams.

“We should not look for those who are wrong and who are right here. I
think small and medium businessmen should be left alone: 1% tax should
remain unchanged, with no requirements related to document circulation
being set,” he noted.

17.02.15, 20:11

CLOWNERY IS OVER: CUBICLES FOR THE SMART AND THE IGNORANT

Haikazn Ghahriyan, Editor-in-Chief
Comments – 17 February 2015, 19:55

Levon Ter-Petrosyan has written a letter to Serzh Sargsyan proposing
to meet and discuss the genocide issue. The letter is dated February
12, Ter-Petrosyan refers to the “bewailing of blood friends”.

Apparently, this is a way of insuring himself in case he is accused of
“betraying” Tsarukyan.

And Tsarukyan has already been betrayed, beginning from his “blood”
friends and in-law to defectors from PAP. However, this is the
so-called second stage of “betrayal”.

This happened after one of the spokesmen for the Kremlin announced
that those who hope for coming to government with Moscow’s help are
clowns And Hovik Abrahamyan returned from Moscow empty-handed.

Over the past few years the non-governmental parties have been busy
with clownery, trying to wrap it up in some political “ideas” and
people’s problems, outrunning the government to hand the country’s
sovereignty to Moscow. They hoped that Moscow would help them come
to government in Armenia. They did not even hide it.

And the culmination was the tragedy in Gyumri which unmasked these
parties. They left the people of Gyumri alone with their grief and
righteous claims.

Continuing the topic of clowns, Serzh Sargsyan noted in his speech they
will not allow anyone to turn our country to a circus, suggesting the
division between the smart and the ignorant. His spokesman disseminated
this thesis, noting that it is a civilization struggle, not a political
struggle, and everyone must stick to the pigeonhole box.

Hence, the choice is clear between the cubicles for the smart and
the ignorant as defined by Serzh Sargsyan. This was the logical end
of the clownery. And it ended with Ter-Petrosyan’s smart letter.

WITHDRAWAL OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS FROM PARLIAMENT A LOGICAL STEP: ALEXANDER ARZUMANYAN

14:34, 17 Feb 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

The withdrawal of the Armenian-Turkish protocols from the National
Assembly was a logical step, ex-Foreign Minister, MP Alexander
Arzumanyan told reporters today.

He said Turkey continues its hostile actions, and maintains the
blockade of Armenia. “Perhaps, this served as a reason for raising
the issue on the threshold of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide, as the interests that exists today will not be as big next
year,” Arzumanyan added.

The ex-Foreign Minister reminded about the recent unacceptable steps
by Turkey, namely the decision to mark the Gallipoli anniversary
on April 24. He noted that the Armenian President’s response to
Erdogan’s invitation and the pan-Armenian Declaration on the Genocide
Centennial contain rather positive approaches that should be taken
into consideration. “We’ll see what happens in the future.”

Speaking about the crisis in Ukraine, Arzumanyan welcomed the signing
of the agreement, but voiced doubt that it would be maintained. He
considers there will be a ceasefire, but not a lasting one.

“There are some points in the agreement, which will make one of the
parties refuse from it at some point,” he said.