Ashotyan: Armenia rules out customs border with Karabakh

May 30, 2014 By administrator

Deputy chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), Education and Science Minister Armen Ashotyan says Armenia is not considering the possibility of establishing a customs border with Nagorno-Karabakh after joining the Eurasian Economic Union.

“No individual living and working in Armenia, especially a political figure, is considering such a possibility. I cannot imagine that any member of a political party in Armenia could take such an absurd idea serious, and, what is more, discuss it,” Ashotyan told a briefing in the National Assembly on Friday.

“Armenia and NKR are one territory. Yes, they are two separate states, but they are one economic, educational and cultural area,” he said, adding that Armenia has repeatedly stated that it is the guarantor of Nagorno-Karabakh people’s security.

Identity crisis among Kurdish Yazidis in Armenia

May 29, 2014 By administrator

By Deniz Serinci

YEREVAN, Armenia,— In the small Caucasian country Armenia there is a dispute over the identity of the area’s Yazidis, a religious minority found only among the Kurds, thorough history mistakenly believed to be “devil worshippers” and persecuted for some of their beliefs.

Last week Yazidis in Armenia held a protest in front of the UN Office in Yerevan against the recent attacks on Yazidis in Iraq. The protest was led by The Yezidi Union in Armenia, which are known for sharing the view that Yazidis have no connections to Kurds. The approximately 40,000 Yazidis came to Armenia as refugees from the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century and are the largest minority group in the mainly Christian country.

During a visit, Aziz Tamoyan, the director of the Yezidi Union in Armenia, told Rudaw:
“We are not Kurds. They speak Kurdish, we speak Ezdiki. They come from the Middle East, Yazidis come from the ancient Babylonians.”

Tamoyan showed the Union’s newspaper “Yezidikhaya” which on the front page write “My nation is Yezidi, my language is Ezdiki and my religion is Sharfadin”, a term for the belief. In 2002 the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia at the request of a group of Yazidis of Armenia, headed by Tamoyan have recognized Yazidis as a separate ethnicity and their language as Ezdiki. This is now taught in Armenian universities, where ‘Kurdish’ and ‘Ezdiki’ are taught as different languages.

In addition they have their own flag, consisting of a white and red color, and a yellow sun. The flag is similar to the Kurdish flag, but missing the green color, as this color in their opinion symbolizes Islam.

Kurdologist Garnik Asatrian from Yerevan State University supports the Yezidikhaya project’s denial of being Kurdish, although disagreeing voices refer to the fact that Ezdiki sounds just like Kurmanji-Kurdish.

“Yazidis and Kurds are completely different ethnic identities. Language is not a decisive criterion, some people in Africa speak English, but has nothing to do with British,” Asatrian told Rudaw.

However, the Yezidikhaya project is not, condoned by academic specialists on Yazidis outside of Armenia, who say that Yazidis speak Kurmanji Kurdish and belong essentially to Kurdish culture.

Philip G. Kreyenbroek is professor and director of Iranian Studies at University of Göttingen and told Rudaw:

“Obviously the Yazidis are Kurds. Their common language, including that of their sacred texts, is Kurmanji Kurdish, and they originate in the Lalish area in Northern Iraq.”

He says the denying of being Kurdish is due to the Armenian genocide in 1915 during the reign of the Ottoman Empire, in which the Kurdish Hamidiyye regiments played an important role in killing Armenians.

Barzoo Eliassi, researcher at University of Oxford, agrees with Kreyenbroek.

“There are no doubt Yazidis are Kurds. Kurdishness is not a homogenous category. Turks and some Kurds were involved in genocidal acts against the Armenians in 1915. So for Yazidis, to avoid being Muslim and Kurd, mean avoiding double stigmatization in the Armenian context,” he told Rudaw.

Matthias Bjornlund, a Danish historian and author to books about Armenia, believes Yazidis in Armenia feel a need to distance themselves from Non-Yezidi Kurds, some of which helped to carry out the genocidewAgainst Against Armenian in 1915. After the Nagorno-Karabakh war 1991-94 between the Armenians and Muslim Azerbaijanis Yazidis once more felt pressure to appear loyal.

“The war has contributed to an increasing number of Yazidis in Armenia saying they are ‘pure’ Yezidi, rather than Kurds, because it is less controversial and not associated with Islam,” Bjornlund told Rudaw.

Titale Kerem is editor of the newspaper Riya Taze, the world’s longest-lived Kurdish newspaper, founded in Armenia in 1932. He describes himself as a “Kurd by ethnicity and Yezidi by religion”.

“Of course we are Kurds. We speak Kurdish. However many Yazidis hold grudges due to past massacres against them by non-Yezidi Kurds and therefore will not be associated with them,” he told Rudaw.

Aziz Gerdenzeri is a Yezidi Book Author, theater writer and doctor, born in Georgia, but lived for many years in Armenia and Central Asia. He believes that some Yazidi groups after political events have begun to consider the word “Kurd” as synonymous with “Muslim” and therefore reject a relationship with the Kurds.

“Yezidi and Kurds are one and the same nation. We have the same language, history and traditions. But due to historical massacres against Yazidis, people perceive the word ‘Kurd’ as ‘Muslim’,” he told Rudaw.

Outside Armenia most Yezidi associations do not share their views of their co-religionists in the Caucasian country. Chairman of Ezidi Culture Association in Denmark, Yilmaz Yildiz is questioning why generations of Yazidis have fought side by side with Muslim Kurds as Kurdish partisans, Peshmergas in Iraq, Turkey and Syria if they themselves were not Kurds.

“The Yezidi are and have been part of the Kurdish resistance movement throughout Kurdistan, simply because they consider themselves indigenous Kurds and are part of the Kurdish community. When Saddam Hussein killed Yazidis during Anfal, it was because of their Kurdish identity and not because they were Yazidis. When he burned their houses and gave their land and villages to the Arabs, it was because they were Kurds,” Yildiz told Rudaw.

“If they Yazidis are not Kurds, why do we talk the same language as all other Kurds? Why do we not have our own common language?” he added.

Deniz B. Serinci, a freelance Danish professional journalist. You can visit his official website at: www.serinci.dk.

Nazarbayev offers Armenia to join Eurasian Economic Union without Karabakh

May 29, 2014 By administrator

May 29, 2014 | 16:08

President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev pointed at a political “incident” with Armenia’s accession to Customs Union, Izvestiya newspaper reported.

“There is an unpleasant topic. Not to instigate a person in Azerbaijan [Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev – Izvestiya], you joined the WTO this way, and you need to join the Eurasian Union within the borders recognized by the UN, with the reservation [without Nagorno-Karabakh and several other areas of the former Azerbaijan SSR – Izvestiya],” Nzarbayev said.

The treaty on establishment of Eurasian Economic Union was signed by the leaders of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan in Astana on Thursday. President Serzh Sargsyan participated in the meeting of Supreme Eurasian Economic Council and offered to sign a treaty on Armenia’s accession till June 15, 2014.

FOOTBALL: Saturday friendly match Algeria Armenia to Sion (Switzerland)

May 28, 2014 By administrator

After his victory over the United Arab Emirates (4-3) Tuesday night in Geneva for its second friendly match, Armenia will face Saturday, May 31 in Sion (Switzerland) to the Algeria team. ThE kickoff meeting to be held at “Tourbillon” stage of Zion which can accommodate 14,000 people is under 18 hours. The game will be broadcast live on Armenia Armenian TV channel. Algeria is ranked 25th in the World Cup, Armenia is 33.

Then for the third friendly match on June 6 in Mainz (Mainz) will play the German team, ranked second worldwide position in the table of FIFA. This will be the last match of preparation for the German team before leaving for the world of Brazil.

Krikor Amirzayan

On May 28 Armenia marks First Republic Day

May 28, 2014 By administrator

May 28, 2014 | 00:09

YEREVAN. – Armenia celebrates First Republic Day on May 28.

The Armenian regular military forces and volunteers defeated the Turkish troops, in May 1918, and thus prevented the latter’s invasion of Armenia’s capital city Yerevan.

This triumph enabled the Armenian people to restore their statehood, which was lost centuries ago.

It was 96 years ago on this day that the Armenian National Council declared, in Tbilisi, Armenia’s independence and the creation of the First Republic of Armenia.

The May 28 celebrations in Armenia are traditionally held at Sardarapat Memorial, which eternalizes the memory of the Armenian heroes who prevented a Turkish invasion of Armenia in 1918.

Armenia Beats Emirates 4 – 3

May 27, 2014 By administrator

GENEVA—Armenia’s national soccer team won their friendly face-off against the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday in Switzerland with a final score of 4 – 3 at Geneva’s Stade de la Fontenette Carouge.

The score line was opened by Armenia’s Levon Hayrapetyan with a goal at the 37th minutes, but the two teams would stay level pegging for much of the game. First came a response by the Emirates’ Ismail Ahmed making it 1 – 1, then Dortmund playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan with a goal in net to make it 2 – 1 before half-time.

At the outset of the second half, the UAE’s Omar Abdulrahman equalized again before Armenia took the lead by two goals from striker Yura Movsisyan and midfielder Rumyan Hovsepyan who scored within four minutes of one another.

The UAE’s Mohanad Salem found the target at the 85th minute, but it was too late for an equalizer and the score was 4 – 3 for Armenia at the full-time whistle.

The match was the first for Armenia’s new coach Bernard Challandes, who has scheduled two more friendly matches before the start of the World Cup and before the start of Armenia’s next Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, which will start in September.

Armenia will face Algeria next on Saturday, May 31, and then Germany on Friday, June 6, just ahead of the start of the World Cup.

Japan plans to open embassy in Armenia next year

May 27, 2014 By administrator

May 27, 2014 | 01:05

YEREVAN. – The government of Japan plans to open an embassy in Armenia, head of the information department of Armenian Embassy (residence in Moscow) told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Kotaro Otsuki said the opening is planned for early 2015, and preparations are underway.

The opening of an embassy will become an additional step to intensify bilateral relations. The Armenian Embassy in Japan opened in 2010.

Armenia president invites Turkish leader to visit Yerevan on April 24, 2015

May 27, 2014 By administrator

May 27, 2014 | 14:39

YEREVAN. – No one should pin hopes that the centennial of the Armenian Genocide is a limit of our trial, President Serzh Sargsyan said on Tuesday (photo).

The President attended a meeting of the fourth meeting of a state commission dealing with preparations for the 100th anniversary of Armenian Genocide. The meeting focused on clarifying the schedule and strategy of the commission, and bought together representatives of regional commissions, experts, Armenian diplomats and the clergy.

“Crimes against humanity can not be expire. Recognition and condemnation of the terrible chapters of human history is the only way to prevent genocides. We, as people who survived the Genocide, have a special mission to rule out repetition of similar disasters,” President said in his speech.

He noted that Ankara takes new steps, which sometimes are unprecedented in their form, but, unfortunately, reflect the content of the same century-old denial policy by Turkey. They repeat the famous Turkish position, trying to distort history by putting a victim and an executioner at the same level and by comparing the incomparable.

“The only possible step that Turkish authorities should make to get rid of the heavy burden of past is to recognize the Armenian Genocide. It is impossible to achieve serious results by half-steps,” he said.

President informed about numerous invitations sent to the heads of several states to visit Armenia on April 24 and pay tribute to 1.5 million innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide.

“If the Turkish authorities are interested in truth, they must come to Armenia and stand next to the Armenian people on April 24. I do not think that after this they can voice the idea of visiting archives. Taking an occasion, I would like to officially invite the president of Turkey, who will be elected during the upcoming elections, to visit Armenia on April 24, 2015 and stand face to face with the eloquent evidence of the Armenian Genocide history,” he added.

LEBANON A common memory is possible between Armenia and Turkey?

May 24, 2014 By administrator

An international symposium was held at the Saint-Joseph University at the initiative of the Boghossian Foundation entitled “Rebuilding the memorial dialogue: Example Turkish-Armenian.”

Heavy Turkish-Armenian dispute was the subject of an international symposium was organized by the Boghossian Foundation and St. Joseph’s University. It was held at Campus Social Sciences Huvelin Street, in the presence of the Catholicos of the Armenian-Catholic Patriarch Nerses Bedros XIX, the Vice-President of the USJ Michael Scheuer and many personalities, as well as a passionate about the issue public. A dozen speakers from Europe, Lebanon and Turkey have raised questions about the possibility of a dialogue between Armenia and Turkey share a memory and a reconstructive approach to turn the page black a crime still alive.

For Armenians, any reconciliation process begins with the recognition of the Armenian genocide by Turkey. This is not the case now before a policy of denial confirmed by a social and even political amnesia. “The Turkish community lives trauma of the loss of the Ottoman Empire,” said Ahmet Insel, a lecturer at Paris I. The Turks live nostalgia of politico-religious and social system of millets where the Muslim millet was higher than the other . This nostalgia is not conceived until today a tie between a Christian and a Muslim, between a Jew and an Orthodox, etc.. Why the company has struggled to live the very notion of difference and its aspiration to homogeneity is very strong. This obsession is the basis of a violence that could explode at any time. In this sense, the speaker Ahmet Insel said that this violence is linked to a fear and a kind of repression of the story based on several denials: What ethnic cleansing suffered Armenians in Anatolia, seizure of their property, massacres Greek Orthodox, etc..

Change factors Michel Marian, of Esprit presented the developments of the Armenian problem. These steps forward are beginning to develop in the early twenty-first century, when Turkey seeks to open up the European Union. We are witnessing the end of “Armenian taboo” in Turkey by its obligation to comply with the standards for human rights in the European Union. International recognition of the genocide is obtained by entering the history books.

In 2014, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his condolences to the grandchildren of the Armenians, the eve of April 24, considered the anniversary of the start of the Armenian tragedy. But “this statement also refers to a shared grief and describes the end of the Ottoman Empire as a difficult period for millions of Ottoman citizens, Turkish, Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian and other, whatever their religion or ethnic origin “says Christine Babikian Assaf, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, USJ.

Evolution takes place on the Armenian side that manifested by the decision to open borders with Turkey and the Armenian National Unity to honor the victims of genocide and to demand recognition by Turkey. Ms. Babikian has compiled a chronology of this union that began in 1945 when the diaspora raised his claims for the first time in a letter to the UN to put pressure on Turkey through international bodies. Armenians have expanded their scope from the commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the genocide in 1965, with the founding of the Defence Committee of the Armenian cause. And since the birth of the Armenian state in 1991, successive Armenian presidents have continued in the same direction and have placed this issue high on the agenda of foreign policy.

Reconciliation is possible? Henry Laurens, historian and expert in the Near and Middle East, noted the importance of the reconstruction of a historical relationship by showing the limits of the work of a historian. Mr. Insel emphasized the importance of redefining the Turkish citizen identity. This problem is all the communities that make up present-day Turkey, the Kurdish community who claims to be recognized in its identity. This new definition should allow recognition of all identities which make up society today Turkey: Armenian, Greek, Kurdish, Jewish, Muslim and Arab …

On the other hand, it is time the designer responsible for the massacre. “We must learn to nationals of Turkey that the responsibility for genocide is not that of the company,” says Ahmet Insel. Responsibility is that of state officials who were directly involved. The corporation is guilty of having attended but did not complete the crime. And today as these crimes are no longer alive and can not be judged in court, he should at least do not consider them as heroes, and renaming schools and streets that bear their names.

The international media have contributed to highlight the Armenian cause, but it is time that the work done in the company of today’s Turkey. Guillaume Perrier wants, through his book Turkey and the Armenian ghost, translated and published recently in Turkey, the Turks learn their history. It confirms that everyone is responsible for the oversight and policy that currently, more and more Turkish citizens demand the truth.

Can one ever forgive? Ahmet Insel, the question is not one of forgiveness, although it is necessary to live together, but the recognition of facts; forgiveness is individual, some do, some do not, it is the consciousness of each and everyone to do, but the recognition is collective.

François Dermange, ordinary ethics professor at the Faculty of Theology at the University of Geneva, stresses that reconciliation is not done by legal means and memorial, but forgiveness must have a religious source. “Only forgiveness can meet the impossible,” he says with emphasis on the fact that this is a personal opinion.

L’Orient-Le Jour

ECONOMY Creation of the Franco Armenian Institute of Construction in Armenia (IFA-BTP)

May 21, 2014 By administrator

After the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding Premier in May 2013, the birth of this institute was signed Tuesday, May 13, 2014 in the premises of the Institute in Yerevan, attended by representatives of French Schools partners * representatives of ASIFA-BTP, and the Armenian Branch of the Institute.
The Armenian press and television covered the event.

This ambitious project initiated in 2011 by the Association of Support for IFA-BTP for its creation and sustainability (ASIFA-BTP), chaired by Michel Kevorkian, a professional construction now retired, aims however strong and mingled with humility:

• to participate in the modernization of Armenia’s education system, particularly in the specific construction,

• to train skilled workers, technicians and senior engineers who will address the growing shortage of professionals in Armenia.

In short, to modernize the industry creates jobs and wealth that the Republic of Armenia much needed now. Like any country that aspires to modernize its infrastructure, Armenia can not ignore any longer the absolute necessity.

This institute will be as Regional International train for careers in the construction of Armenian students from all backgrounds: Armenia, neighboring countries (Iran, Georgia, Russia), Europe, America … but also host non-Armenian students who wish to s’ form there.

Diplomas discerned at IFA-BTP affect all levels of education: Master of the CAP Engineers (Bac +5). They cover all sectors of the construction industry.

This first year will begin with the opening of two Prep classes in September 2014. Hopefully success and long life to the Institute.
* Higher Studies Engineering (HEI)
Establishment of Higher Education Associative
13 rue de Toul, 59046 Lille, France
Lycée Claude-Nicolas Ledoux / School of Building and Construction (EBTP)

Establishment of Vocational Education under contract with the State Association
18, 18bis Rue de Belfort-30 rue de la Paix, 94307 VINCENNES Cedex, France

Lycée Maximilien Perret Etablissement Public Education and Professional Versatile Place San Benedetto del Tronto BP 56, 94142 Alfortville, FRANCE