22 YEARS The Noah’s Ark #23 (1063) 08 June 2015 Published Since 1993

Weekly Newspaper HIGHLIGHTS ÜáÛÛ³Ý î³å³Ý ß³μ³Ã³Ã»ñà (³Ý·É. / ýñ³Ýë.) Armenian President partakes in Midem Gala Supper in Cannes

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In This Issue New Armenian opposition party Noyan Tapan Printing House takes shape p.4 is offering coloured and black and white offset and digital printing of books, brochures, booklets, journals, etc with IMF forecasts zero growth in Armenia high quality and low prices Tel: 060 27 64 62 economy p.6 Address: Isahakyan 28, 3rd floor, Yerevan 0009 Deal on Vorotan hydro cascade signed p.7 Noyan Tapan Video Studio Brazil Senate recognizes Armenian is offering professional video and photography for indoor Genocide p.10 and outdoor events such as weddings, birthday parties, official events, seminars and conferences. Tel: 060 27 64 62 Three Armenians elected to Turkish Address: Isahakyan 28, 3rd floor, Yerevan 0009 Parliament p.13 8 June #23 (1063)  2015 2 www.nt.am The Noyan Tapan Highlights SOCIETY Armenian President partakes in Midem Gala Supper in Cannes

On the evening of June 6, President Serzh Sargsyan took part in the Midem Gala Supper in Cannes, where he deliv- ered a speech. Prior to it, the video clip titled "We are Armenians" had been displayed. The five- minute video clip "We are Armenians" presents about 50 well-known diaspora Armenians who have become world- famous for their achievements. There took place an award ceremony during the event. On the occasion of Republic Day, the Armenian president awarded Rosy Khurshudi Hovannisian (Rosy Armen) the Order of Honor for making a significant contribution to the preservation of national identity and to the country to deliver its own culture to the music to the European one." strengthening of cultural ties between the world and to get acquainted with the oth- Unfortunately, the Armenian ideas and homeland and the diaspora. Film director ers' achievements. Armenia's history and talents had not gone unnoticed, and those and actor Robert Guédiguian was also culture is among the most ancient, and were the first targets for annihilation. awarded the Order of Honor for contribut- our nation has been creating, building It took place at the beginning of the ing to the development of cultural ties and establishing values for centuries. previous century. Today, however, as one between Armenia and France and to the Unfortunately, the early preceding hundred years passed since the carnage preservation of national identity. century imprinted its darkest pages in the in the Ottoman Empire was perpetrated, On June 7, Serzh Sargsyan attended history of our ancient nation: the Ottoman in this utmost symbolic year, when the the concert of the State Youth Orchestra of Empire planned and perpetrated the Armenian Genocide Centennial is being Armenia in Cannes. Armenian Genocide. 1915 is a black commemorated, we unambiguously regis- wedge driven into our memory, thinking ter that no brutality could have been able Remarks by President and lives. That was the calamity to which to murder virtues of civilization and French writer Anatole France reacted at morale in the Armenian spirit, its longing Serzh Sargsyan at the the beginning of the previous century: to live and create, as well as its spiritual Midem international "We have finally realized that it was our and cultural progress. Both ups and music festival sister dying in the East, who perished for downs have given a potent impetus to our being our sister and for the crime of shar- progress. This very outstanding power Dear friends, ing our feelings, for having liked what we impelled Armenians to cut churches in the Distinguished attendees, liked, for having thought what we thought, rock, to save books and manuscripts for having believed in what we believed instead of precious gems and golden jew- It is a great honor to greet and wel- in, for appreciating wisdom, justice, poet- elry while barely surviving the Turkish come you at the world-famed MIDEM ry and arts as we did." yataghan, to throw themselves into the music festival. It has been for half a cen- Indeed, it was a ruthless extermina- fight against fascism while the nation was tury that Côte d'Azur annually unites peo- tion of the people that appreciated, culti- still recovering from the Genocide, and to ple of global fame and youth that just vated and promoted arts and culture. go on living and creating. entered their careers in culture, for whom There had been numerous vivid examples That outstanding power is first and it is an honor to perform in this amazing in the very area of music. In foremost about passion of spirit that city and its prestigious stages that could Constantinople Armenians had estab- awakes when we got a shared dream, be of vital importance for establishing lished the first orchestras, musical maga- which we would like to make true. That is them professionally. zine, opera and operetta theatres. The the same outstanding power that enables Armenia is the country honored this Turkish press of the time had written: us to present ourselves to the world as a year by the MIDEM international music "Tigran Tchoukhadjian is the first com- nation that embodies values, a nation that festival. It is a great opportunity for our poser that attempts to connect the Turkish lives at the cross-section of cultures and

8 June #23 (1063)  2015 SOCIETY The Noyan Tapan Highlights www.nt.am 3 connects freely and confident- Dear friends, ly, without any hesitation, to the two worlds of East and Today the French soil West. consolidated us around mu- These are all qualities sic, which is the most lucid, undoubtedly build around most human, most perspicu- our culture, which has ous and most affecting per- become the ends and means haps of all arts. Today we to assert Armenian existence present ourselves here thro- and identity. Wherever there ugh a comprehensive langu- is an Armenian, he/she does age that is speechless. This not shy away from keeping is exactly the case that ren- up with modernity, does not ders words unnecessary. stagger in this greater world, This is exactly the case that but assert his/her continued makes art to emanate from presence and valuable con- heart and reach other he- tribution. arts. It was yet a century ago That had been the instan- that the distinguished ce from the medieval poet Armenian composer Komitas and composer Nerses the presented himself and our Gracious to Komitas, Ale- national vocal arts and tradi- xander Spendiarian and Ar- tion to France. And he was men Tigranian, and then to enthusiastically received in Aram Khachaturian and France; moreover, the great Avet Terterian. And that will French composer go on eternally. The- Claude Debussy re are gifted people kneeled in front of in the current Arme- him, and another nian music culture great Frenchman, too. Some of them Romain Rolland, are here with us, pre- wrote after attend- sent in this same hall ing the perform- - Hovhannes Chekid- ance by Komitas: jian, Robert Amir- "The Armenian is khanian, Aram Sati- profound, tragic an, Arthur Grigori- and virile even in an. Their talents are his dreams… What with us, and talents a wonderful music! will proliferate since Sooner or later the their art is infinite, it European art will cherishes and nour- Armenians, whose descendants today be exposed to the impact of that art." ishes us. adorn the French culture - Charles Therefore, it is highly symbolic that On coming days, when you will listen Aznavour, Rosy Armen, Alain Terzian, tomorrow in this very exquisite city, to the Armenian music presented in vari- Alexander Siranosian, Mr. and Mrs. under the auspices of this globally most ous genres, I believe, you will conceive Robert Guédiguian. These individuals important music event, in the music hall that our art is inherently national and, are full-fledged and distinguished named after Debussy music works by simultaneously, boundless and universal. French citizens, but they, meanwhile, Komitas will be performed. I strongly believe that the national tunes cultivate their Armenian heritage, histo- There have been numerous instances that generated and emanated from the ry, faith and culture. The memories of of the Armenian cultural and spiritual Armenian soil will muffle the sadness, their past and reminiscences of their ori- perseverance. Many people that prove appeal to the ears and hearts, and fill the gin imbue with peculiar allure the works our perseverance are now present in this spirits of the listeners with harmony. they created, make those works hall. The boats that reached and Armenian and, simultaneously, global anchored in Marseille brought many Thank you. and universal.

8 June #23 (1063)  2015 4 www.nt.am POLITICS Japan's new Ambassador presents credentials to Armenia's President

Japan's first resident ambassador to Japan already had embassies in neigh- Armenia handed his credentials to President boring Azerbaijan and Georgia at the time. Serzh Sargsyan on June 3 more than four Its ambassadors to Armenia have until now months after the opening of the Japanese been based in Moscow. Armenia, for its Embassy in Yerevan meant to facilitate clos- part, opened an embassy in Tokyo in 2010. er relations between the two countries. Serzh Sargsyan paid an official visit to Serzh Sargsyan was reported to express Japan in June 2012, meeting with Emperor hope that Ambassador Eiji Taguchi will Akihito and then Prime Minister Yoshihiko contribute to the current "positive dynam- Noda. His talks with Noda touched, among ics" in Japanese-Armenian ties and help to other things, upon nuclear safety. A joint Japan Bank of International Cooperation deepen them "in all areas." statement issued by the two leaders said the (JBIC). It was used for the construction of a "I will commit myself to further pro- Armenian government will use "Japanese new thermal power-plant in Yerevan. The mote the Japan-Armenia relations in a broad experience" in boosting the safety of the 242-megawatt facility was inaugurated in range of fields," Taguchi said in a statement nuclear power plant at Metsamor. April 2010. Later in 2010, Japan donated 28 posted on his embassy's website this week. Japan's Deputy Foreign Minister new fire engines worth $8 million to the "I believe that this long-awaited inaugura- Minoru Kiuchi visited Yerevan and met Armenian Rescue Service. Japanese spe- tion of the Embassy marked the beginning Sargsyan in January just a few weeks after cialists also trained 135 Armenian firefight- of a new stage of our bilateral cooperation," the opening of the Japanese Embassy there. ers to use the new equipment. he added. The Japanese government Serzh Sargsyan thanked Japan for its "con- According to Armenian government sta- revealed plans to open diplomatic missions siderable" economic aid to Armenia provid- tistics, the total volume of Japanese- in Armenia as well as five other countries ed since independence. Armenian trade rose by 18 percent to $114 nearly two years ago. Some Japanese media That assistance includes a $247 million million last year. By comparison, Armenia's reported that the government is keen to low-interest loan provided by the Japanese 2014 trade with China totaled almost $590 counter China's growing influence there. government in 2007 through the state-run million. New Armenian Opposition Party Takes Shape Opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan ond and final presidential term in 2018. regime change have not succeeded in pledged to mount a serious challenge Pashinyan, who turned 40 on Monday, Armenia. In particular, he said his party against President Serzh Sargsyan as he rose to prominence in the late 1990s as edi- will strive to set up a nationwide network presided at the weekend over the founding tor-in-chief of "Haykakan Zhamanak," the of branches so that it can deploy proxies at congress of his new party tipped to become country's best-selling daily newspaper all 1,800 polling stations across Armenia one of Armenia's main opposition forces. highly critical of successive governments on election days. The group called Civic Contract for- in Yerevan. He played a major role in for- The Civic Contract congress did not malized its status as a political party about mer President Levon Ter-Petrosian's 2007- adopt any programs or specify the party's 18 months after being founded by 2008 opposition movement that nearly positions on foreign policy issues like the Pashinyan as a movement offering an alter- scuttled a handover of power from outgo- Nagorno-Karabakh conflict or Armenia's native to both the Armenian government ing President Robert Kocharyan to relations with Russia and the West. and the mainstream opposition. It mainly Sargsyan. Pashinian said the party will do that ahead unites young civic activists who have pre- Like dozens of other oppositionists, of the 2017 elections. viously had no partisan affiliations. Pashinyan went into hiding following a Pashinian also promised that unlike "We are not setting up yet another deadly suppression of Ter-Petrosian's street other opposition leaders he will not stifle party," Pashinyan told some 200 delegates protests held in the wake of a disputed internal dissent and impose his will on his of the one-day congress held in Yerevan. February 2008 presidential election. He loyalists. This why, he said, he will not "We are setting up a party that does not subsequently surrendered to law-enforce- become official head of Civic Contract.The intend to be in opposition for long and ment bodies and spent about two years in delegates elected one of his close associ- expects to assume power in the Republic of prison on controversial charges. ates, Arayik Harutiunyan, as party chair- Armenia in the foreseeable future by gain- Pashinyan, who is popular with many man. ing a popular vote of confidence." opposition supporters for his tough anti- Speaking to RFE/RL's Armenian serv- The outspoken oppositionist attacked government rhetoric, fell out with Ter- ice (Azatutyun.am) after the speech, the the current and former Armenian authori- Petrosian in 2012 before deciding to set up former journalist stressed the importance ties, saying that systematic vote rigging a political group of his own. He has since of bringing "new faces" into the Armenian and other abuses committed by them have repeatedly criticized Ter-Petrosian's political scene. Sasun Mikaelyan, another dealt huge blows to "the people's spine." Armenian National Congress (HAK) and prominent oppositionist and the sole mid- Pashinyan also made clear that the other established opposition parties. dle-aged member of the Civic Contract party's primary objective is the next parlia- In his latest speech, Pashinyan said the board, agreed. mentary elections due in May 2017. The Civic Contract leadership will not repeat "Our hope is the youth," Mikaelyan vote could predetermine who will govern their mistakes which he believes are the said. "We are here to open the way to the Armenia after Sargsyan completes his sec- reason why opposition campaigns for future for young people."

8 June #23 (1063)  2015 POLITICS The Noyan Tapan Highlights www.nt.am 5 Armenian Governor Questioned Over Assault

According to an assistant to a lawyer for Suren Khachatrian, the Syunik governor insisted during the questioning that his son is innocent. "Tigran Khachatrian had no part in the incident. "He only separated people," the assistant told RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). He refused to give other details. Khachatryan claimed in the immediate aftermath of the inci- dent that Tigran was not in Goris on May 2. Meanwhile, the injured brothers' mother, Anahit Galstyan, decried what she sees as a lack of progress in the probe and warned the Investigative Committee against a cover-up. "We won't keep silent," she said, insisting that her sons were beaten up Law-enforcement officials have questioned Suren by Tigran Khachatryan and dozens of his "thugs." Khachatryan, the controversial governor of Armenia's Syunik Galstyan also reiterated that they received threats from the province, in connection with a violent attack that was allegedly led governor's son over the phone shortly before the incident. She by one of his sons, it emerged on June 2. challenged the investigators to listen to the audio recordings of The May 2 incident in the regional town of Goris reinforced a their phone calls. widely held belief that Khachatryan and his equally violent rela- The beating occurred almost two years after Tigran and his tives enjoy impunity thanks to their loyalty to President Serzh father's bodyguards clashed with a Goris businessman, Avetik Sargsyan. It left two Goris residents severely injured. The 32-year- Budaghyan, and his brother Artak outside the Khachatryans' local old Harut Zakaryan lost vision in one eye while his elder brother villa. Avetik was shot dead while Artak was seriously wounded in Mushegh suffered a broken nose after they were attacked by a the incident. large group of other men. They claim that they attackers were led Tigran and one of the bodyguards were arrested in the follow- by Khachatryan's notorious son Tigran. ing days only to be cleared of murder charges and set free two Armenia's Investigative Committee, a law-enforcement months later. Law-enforcement authorities said the gunshots fired agency investigating the assault, reluctantly interrogated the 21- by them constituted legitimate self-defense. year-old on May 16 amid a media and opposition uproar in Despite denying any involvement, Suren Khachatryan was Yerevan. But he was not detained or charged as a result. Nor have sacked in the wake of the 2013 shootings. But he was reinstated as the investigators levelled accusations against anyone else so far. Syunik governor a year later. Chemical plant workers keep up protests reaction from the government. "We're fed up. We can't wait anymore," said Anush Harutiunyan, one of the organizers of the protest. Harutiunyan told the protesters moments later that Abrahamian has agreed to meet with their representatives in the coming days. She said that the Nairit workers will start a non- stop sit-in on Tuesday if he fails to present a concrete "timetable for the payment of our wages." "We will come here with our families," she warned. "We will come with our children. We will come with our grandchil- dren." The protesting workers already held a two-day sit-in in Hundreds of current and former employees of a troubled Republic Square last month. Energy Minister Yervand chemical plant again rallied in Yerevan on Thursday to demand Zakharyan said earlier in May that the wage arrears should be that the Armenian government reactivate it and pay more than cleared by the end of this year. But he stopped short of promis- one year's worth of their back pay. ing a relaunch of production operations at Nairit, which essen- The workers have pressed these demands during regular tially stopped in 2011. demonstrations that have been held in the Armenian capital for The Yerevan-based plant, which employed several thousand the last several months. Their representatives have repeatedly people in Soviet times, specializes in the production of chloro- met with senior government officials, including Prime Minister prene rubber. It has struggled to remain afloat since the early Hovik Abrahamyan. The workers received only a fraction of 1990s, repeatedly changing foreign owners and operators in their back wages as a result. murky deals overseen by successive Armenian governments. The protesters gathered outside Abrahamian's office in the The current government, which effectively controls the city's central Republic Square during a weekly session of his plant, dealt a further blow to Nairit workers' hopes when it laid cabinet. They briefly blocked an adjacent street after hearing no off 1,700 of them in January.

8 June #23 (1063)  2015 6 www.nt.am The Noyan Tapan Highlights ECONOMY IMF Forecasts zero Growth in Armenia Economy

The International Monetary Fund has slightly improved its outlook for the Armenian economy but still thinks that it will not grow this year, the IMF's resident representative in Yerevan, Teresa Daban Sanchez, said on June 2. In the most recent World Economic Outlook published in April, the IMF forecast that Armenia's Gross Domestic Product will likely shrink by 1 percent in 2015 due to knock-on effects of a recession in Russia. According to Daban Sanchez, the fund now expects zero growth in the country. She argued that oil prices stabilized in February, somewhat shoring up the Russian ruble. This should reflect positively on the Armenian economy, she said. "We have moved from the minus one [growth] to the zero," the improve Armenia's flawed business environment. "Armenia needs IMF official said. She went on caution, though, that even this eco- a more dynamic economy," she stressed. "That means more com- nomic outlook is fraught with "huge uncertainty." petition, more players, better rules of the game … a justice system The Armenian government has publicly disagreed with such that is fair." gloomy projections. Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamian last month "That's what's working in other countries and what's not work- forecast an economic growth rate of "at least 2-3 percent." He ing in Armenia," the IMF representative went on. While the situa- claimed that it could even reach 4 percent. tion with the rule of law has seemingly improved over the past "This is not the first time we have differences with the govern- decade "we are still below where Armenia should be," she added. ment," Daban Sanchez told reporters. "We had them in the past. The president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and We have that in other countries. It's OK." Development, Suma Chakrabarti, also called for such reforms Daban Sanchez reaffirmed the IMF view that the government when he visited Yerevan last month. He said the Armenian author- should seek to offset the fallout from the Russian economic down- ities should boost competition and create a level playing field for turn with more aggressive reforms that would significantly all businesses. Gas Operator To Buy Iran-Armenia Pipeline Gazprom-Armenia will likely pay another $9 million to com- plete the takeover. Simonian argued that such a takeover will make an econom- ic sense because the Gazprom subsidiary already owns Armenia's practically entire gas infrastructure. "We believe that private companies are much better than the state at managing such energy facilities," he said. The Iran-Armenia pipeline was constructed with the aim of easing Armenia's heavy dependence on Russia for energy resources. Critics have long said that Gazprom could exploit its control over the Armenian gas infrastructure to minimize the importance of that alternative source of gas supplies. A senior Armenian official on June 3 revealed the planned Armenia imports roughly 2 cubic meters of Russian gas sale of a key section of a pipeline transporting natural gas from each year, compared with only 500 million cubic meters sup- Iran to Armenia's national gas distribution network owned by plied by Iran. The Iranian gas is mainly delivered to a thermal- Russia's Gazprom giant. power plant in Yerevan which pays for it with electricity sup- The 41-kilometer section runs from the Iranian border to the plies to the Islamic Republic. southeastern Armenian town of Kajaran. The rest of the pipeline Simonian insisted that Gazprom-Armenia will not be able to completed in 2008 is already owned by the Gazprom-Armenia sabotage gas imports from Iran after buying the Meghri-Kajaran operator. section. He argued that under the terms of its operating license Deputy Energy Minister Ara Simonyan told RFE/RL's issued by the Armenian government the company is obliged to Armenian service that the Armenian government and Gazprom ensure unfettered transport of gas through its pipeline network. have already signed a "tentative agreement" on the sale of the The vice-minister also stood by government assertions that Meghri-Kajaran section. He refused to disclose its financial the Iranian gas will be more expensive than the gas supplied by terms or specify when a final deal could be signed. Gazprom if Armenia increases its imports and pays for them in A spokeswoman for Gazprom-Armenia, Shushan cash, rather than through the existing barter arrangement. Sardaryan, confirmed this information. Sardaryan revealed that Armenia currently pays Gazprom $165 per thousand cubic the tentative accord was finalized in 2007 with a $30 million meters of Russian gas. The Russian giant charges European "prepayment" made by the company at the time. She said that countries more than $300 per thousand cubic meters.

8 June #23 (1063)  2015 ECONOMY The Noyan Tapan Highlights www.nt.am 7 U.S. Firm Completes Takeover Of Armenian Power Plants

Abrahamian. A government statement said the Armenian premier described Vorotan's sale as an "important step towards strengthening bilater- al economic relations" between the United States and Armenia. In that context, Abrahamian also stressed the importance of the U.S.- Armenian Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) that was signed last month during President Serzh Sargayan's visit to Washington. Serzh Sargsyan announced the impending competition of the Vorotan deal just hours after the signing ceremony in the U.S. cap- ital. "It will be the largest ever American investment in Armenia," In a $250 million deal which Prime Minister Hovik he said. Abrahamyan called a significant boost to U.S.-Armenian econom- The Vorotan Cascade consists of three hydroelectric plants ic ties, a U.S. energy company completed on Monday the repeat- that were built in Soviet times on the mountainous Vorotan river edly postponed purchase of Armenia's largest hydroelectric com- flowing through Armenia's southeastern Syunik province. With a plex. combined operational capacity of 405 megawatts, they are nearly The New York-based group ContourGlobal thus became the as powerful as the Metsamor nuclear plant that accounts for first Western firm to buy a major asset in the Armenian energy roughly 40 percent of Armenian electricity production. sector currently dominated by big Russian corporations. "We decided to sell [Vorotan] not because we needed money," Under a takeover agreement signed in Yerevan by its chief Davit Harutiunyan, the chief of the government staff, told executive Joseph Brandt, ContourGlobal will pay $180 million for RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) on Monday. "First of Vorotan Hydro Cascade's equity and invest another US$70 mil- all, we are diversifying the [energy] market. The second important lion in the facility's modernization over the next five years. factor is proper management." The acquisition welcomed by the U.S. government was initial- "The head of the [U.S.] company expressed hope that within ly due to be completed by April 2014. Abrahamian put it on hold the framework of this modernization program Vorotan will gener- shortly after he was appointed as prime minister over a year ago. ate much more electricity than it does now," said Harutiunian. He said that some of its provisions run counter to Armenian law Greater output at Vorotan would lower the overall cost of elec- and need to be renegotiated. tricity production in Armenia. Nearly 40 percent of it is power The move fuelled media speculation that Russia is pressuring generated by thermal-power plants mostly using Russian natural Armenia to sell Vorotan to a Russian energy company instead. gas. It is considerably more expensive than nuclear energy and Armenian officials denied such pressure. hydroelectricity. Energy and Natural Resources Minister Yervand Zakharyan All but one of those thermal-power plants are controlled by announced in January that the Armenian government and Russia's Gazprom and RAO Unified Energy Systems (UES) ContourGlobal are now close to sealing the renegotiated deal. giants. The latter also own Armenia's gas and electricity distribu- Brandt signed it with Zakharyan following talks held with tion networks.

Council of Europe grants to support citizen participation initiatives in four communities in Armenia selected through a competitive process the following community annual budget. and will receive coaching and expert sup- "These are actually participatory port from the Congress of Local and budgeting pilot initiatives, which as a Regional Authorities of the Council of process, practically doesn't exist in Europe. Armenia. We are confident that these "This is the first time that the Council "pilots" will be successful. We will assist of Europe will provide grants to its part- the dissemination of results and lessons ners in Armenia," stated Natalia Voutova, learnt to other local governments Four Armenian communities - the Head of Council of Europe Office in throughout Armenia," concluded Ms Urtsadzor, Ararat Marz, Vardenik, Yerevan, congratulating partner munici- Voutova. Gegharkunuk Marz, Akhtala, Lori Marz, palities. This initiative is implemented by the and Artik, Shirak Marz signed agree- Starting from June 2015, the four Congress of Local and Regional ments, on 3 June 2015, with the Council communities will launch citizen partici- Authorities of the Council of Europe as of Europe to receive grants for imple- pation processes by involving their resi- part of the project "Support to consolidat- menting citizen participation initiatives in dents in identifying, prioritizing and find- ing local democracy in Armenia", which their communities. ing shared solutions to urgent community is funded by the Government of The four communities have been problems, which will then be included in Denmark.

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Price:1.000.000 USD 3003.Sayat-Nova str, 5/3, 105sq.m, 2bedrooms, negotiable 3576.Avan, Tsarav Akhbyur /near Botanical gar- stone building, capitally repaired. Price: Negotiable 2155.Mashtots ave., 3storied building, 540sq.m., den/, Land-560sq.m., 4 storied building-560sq.m., 1560.Northern Ave., Newly built,10/3, 130 sq.m., each floor-180sq.m, window glasses,parking. 4 bedrooms, 4bathrooms, a kitchen, office, capitally 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, capitally repaired,climate Price:3.600.000 USD repaired, heating system, swimming pool, garden, 2 control, parking. Price: 2020.Hr. Kochar str., car parking. Price: 850.000 USD 400.000 USD. Land-300sq.m,1st line, 3606.Avan, Tsarav Akhbyur/near Botanical gar- 2818.Northern Ave., 4storied building, den/, Land-1000sq.m.,3 storied building- Newly built, 3rd floor, 1080sq.m.,each floor- 750sq.m.,6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 2 kitchens, 120sq.m, 2 bedrooms,2 270sq.m, h-3.6m,with- capitally repaired, heating system swimming pool, bathrooms,capitally out divisions, parkings, 3 garden, sauna, 2 car parking. Price-1.500.000 USD repaired, heating system, Ac, access. Price:1.400.000 3574.Blur, Land-779sq.m.,2 storied building- furnished. USD negotiable 720sq.m.,4 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, study, capitally Price:400.000USD 1986.Cascade, Land repaired, heating system,sauna swimming pool, gar- 1156.Komitas Ave., 1000sq.m. 3storied den. Price: 2.000.000 USD Hambardzumyan str. 5/3, building1200sq.m., 3590 Blur, Barbyus str., Land-450 sq.m.,4 sto- 110sq.m, 2 bedrooms, capi- unfinished, parking. ried building-470sq.m.,3bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, tally repaired, heating sys- Price:1.000.000 USD. capitally repaired, heating system, AC, garden. tem, kitchen is furnished. 2167.Sayat Nova str., Price: 680.000 USD Price: 150.000 USD nego- newly built, 38sq. m, 3651.Blur, Barbyus str., Land-900sq.m.,5 storied tiable. capitally repaired. Price: building-800sq.m.,4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, capi- 2949.Aram str., Newly 200.000 USD tally repaired, heating system, AC, garden. built, 1st floor, 143 sq.m, 2 bedrooms, zero state, 2175.Tumanyan str, Ground and 1st floorof the Price:1.700.000 USD. Price: 2000 USD per sq.m. building, 600sq.m, ground floor300sq.m, 1st floor- 3401.Antarayin str, Newly built, land-700sq.m, 3 2300.Northern ave., Newly built, 6/2, 130 sq.m., 220sq,m, basement-80sq.m, - 1st line, zero level, 2 storied bld-690sq.m, 5 bedrooms, capitally repaired. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, capitally repaired, heating entrances, facade-15m, 4 window glasses, capitally Price: 1.300.000 USD system, AC,parking. Price: 400.000 USD. reapired, heating system, AC, Price: 3500 USD per 3712 Cascade Newly built, land-450sq.m, 4 sto- sq.m, ried bld-600sq.m, zero state. Price: 550.000 USD 3 ROOMS 2172. Isahakyan str, 92sq.m, 1st line, 7 degrees above zero level, facade-9m, 2 window NEWLY BUILT RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS 3046.Amiryan str., Newly built, 9/9, 81sq.m.,with- glasses, h-3.20m, 2 halls, cabinet, bathroom, capital- out divisions. Price:Negotiable. ly repaired, heating system. Price: 450.000 USD 74.Cascade, Verin Antarayin. 136-315 sq m.,walls 3012.Aram str, Newly built, /7th floor, 136sq.m, 3 plastered, electricity, water, gas, euro windows,no bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, capitally repaired, heating exploitation fees. Price:1200 USD per sq.m, parking system, AC, parking, facing to bulvar, Price:300.000 LANDS -15.000 USD. USD negotiable. 2122.Davitashen, 1800 sq.m., water, gas, electrici- 107.Monument, Verin Antarayin. inhabited, 8 2998.North Ave, Newly built, 9/6, 181sq.m, 3bed- ty, possible to sell separately 600 sq.m., and 1200 floors, gas, windows, street view -1000 USD per rooms, capitally repaired, climate control, parking, sq.m. Price: 150 USD per sq.m. sq.m., city looking -1500 USD per sq.m., parking - 4 Price: 700.000 USD 2121.Demirchyan str., 1338 sq.m.,building per- million USD preliminary. 2682.Aram Str., Newly built,13/6 187sq.m., 3 bed- mits. Price: 2million USD. 87.Sayat-Nova str., 21 floors, 3 bedrooms -188 rooms,2 bathrooms, 2 open balconies, capitally rea- 2013.Cascade. 1000 sq.m. building permits, first sq.m., 199 sq.m., Price 1900 USD per sq.m., 2 bed- paired,heating systen, 2AC, 2 garages, view to gar- line, gas, water and electricity possibilities. Price rooms have a beautiful sight - 117 sq.m., 120 sq.m., den. Price: 550.000 USD negotiable. 460.000USD 124 sq.m.,Price: 1700 USD per sq.m., climate con- 2958.Pushkin str., 5/2, 140 sq.m., stone building,4 1402.Hr. Kochar Str., 1100 sq. m.,facade -25 m. trol, gas. bedrooms,capitally repaired,heating system. Price: Price negotiable. 93.Kievyan str., Given to the operation in October Negotiable. 2090.Lori region, close to Stepanavan, Gyargyar 2011, 16 floors, walls plastered, windows, exterior 2895.Northern Ave., Newly built, 3rd floor, village, 6 hectares, forest 2 hectare has building per- doors, h -3, 15 m, gas,parking. Price: 1500- 300sq.m,3bedrooms, 2 bathrooms,capitally repaied, mits, 3 water source, electricity. Price: 100.000USD. 1600USD per sq.m,parking-12 000 USD. Possible climate control, AC. Price: negotiable 2406.Avan, Mher Mkrtchyan block, 1000 sq.m., with mortgage, for 13 years term. 2802.Amiryan str., Newly built,8/4, electricity, gas, water, the district is inhabited. Price: 94.Masiv. 3floors,8 flats,each flat has 3 bed- 166sq.m,3bedrooms, 2 bathrooms,capitally repaired, 30USD per sq.m rooms, 210 sq.m., parking. Price: negotiable. central heating,AC,security system. Price:320.000 2310.Monument, Babayan str, 1000 sq. m, 130.Antarayin str., 34 flats, 110-275 sq.m., 4 USD. facade-25m, privatized, Price:350 USD negotiable penthouses-200-275sq.m,available sevices-car 1104.Komitas Ave., Aram Khachatryan str., 5/2, 2107.Monument, 2400sq.m, building permits, wash, cleaning service, garbage removal service, 125sq.m.,stone bld, h-2.75m.,3 bedrooms, office, 2 building project. Price: 400 USD per sq.m. parking. Price: Negotiable bathrooms, old repair, gas, garage. Price: 130.000 2413.Ashtarak roadway, 1000sq.m, building 131.Busand str., commercial, office and resi- USD permits, building project. Price: Negotiable dential areas, penthouse, available sevices-car 2836.Pushkin str., 4/4,5, 400sq.m., 3 bedrooms, 3 2414.Demirchyan str. land-750sq.m., building wash, cleaning service, garbage removal service, bathrooms, capitally repaired, heating system, AC. permits. Price:750.000 USD. parking. Price: Negotiable Price: 460.000 USD.

8 June #23 (1063)  2015 FOR RENT The Noyan Tapan Highlights www.nt.am 9 YOUR CHOICE IS OUR CHOICE www.mrealty.am (010) 564631 (010) 562181 [email protected] 12 G. Lusavorich str., Yerevan, Armenia parking. Price: 2500 USD capitally repaired, heating system, sauna, gym, fur- 1 ROOM 2316 Northern Ave, Newly built,6th floor, nished, swimming-pool, garden. Price: 4.000 USD 227sq.m.,4bedrooms, 2bathrooms, guest toilet, negotiable. 2037.Baghramyan str., 5/2, 60sqm, 1 bedroom, capitally repaired, furnished,parking. Price:2500 1142.Djrvej, Bagrevand community. Land-1000 euro repaired, gas, heating system, AC, modern fur- USD sq.m., 3 storied bld.-700 sq.m., 5 bedrooms, 5 bath- nished,equipped. Price:negotiable 2303 Hanrapetutyan str Newly built, 9/5, rooms, pantry, playing room, capitally repaired, no 2189.Vardanants str., Newly built,24/12, 90 sqm, 165sq.m, 3bedrooms,1bathroom, 1 guest toilet. cap- furniture/ can be furnished, if necessary /garage for 1 bedroom, capitally repaired, furnished, equipped. itally repaired, furnished, parking. Price: 2000 USD 2 cars. Price: 4 000 USD. Price: 1000 USD. 2286.Sose str, Newly built, 12/2, 154sq.m, 3bed- 1293.Nork-Marash, Land-1100sq.m,2 storied 2099.Sayat-Nova Ave., 12/6, 1 bedroom, capital- rooms, 2 bathrooms, capitally reapired, furnished, bld-520 sq.m, 6 bedrooms,5 bathrooms, capitally ly repaired,gas, heating system, AC, furnished, equipped. Price: 1700 USD repaired, heating system, AC, swimming pool, gar- equipped. Price:600 USD. 2257.Northern Ave., Newly built, 17/16, 160 den.Price7.000 USD 1972.Northern ave., 8/4, 80sq.m.,1bedrrom, 2 sq.m.,3 bedrooms, capitally repaired, heating system, 327. Nork-Marash, Land-500sq.m.,4 storied bathrooms, open kitchen, capitally repaired, climate AC, parking. Price: Negotiable building-600 sq.m., 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, cap- control. Price: 1200 USD 2021.Teryan Str., Newly built,9/8,9, 245 sq.m., 4 itally repaired, heating system, furnished, equipped, 2171.Tumanyan str., Newly built, 5th floor, 94 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms,capitally repaired, heating swimming pool, garden, sauna, 2 car parking. Price- sq.m., 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, capitally repaired, system, furnished. Preliminary price: 3500 USD. 4000 USD central heating, furnished, equipped. Price: 1000 2005.Northern Ave., Newly built,8/8, 130 sq.m, 3 1306. Tsarav Akhbyur /near Botanical garden/, USD bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, capitally repaired, heating Land-1000sq.m., 3 storied building-750sq.m., 6 2367.Northern ave., Newly built, 9th flloor, 98 system, furnished, parking. Price: 2200 USD. bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, 2 kitchens, capitally sq.m., capitally repaired, heating system, furnished 1723.Northern Ave., Newly built,8/4., 170 sq.m 3 repaired, heating system swimming pool, garden, equipped. Price: Negotiable. bedrooms,3 bathrooms, open kitchen, capitally sauna, 2 car parking, with or without furniture. repaired, furnished, equipped. Price: 2000 USD. Price:6000-8000 USD negotiable 1981.Vardanants Str., Newly built, 14/14, 140 sq 1288. Tsarav Akhbyur /near Botanical garden/, 2 ROOMS m,3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, capitally repaired, Land-560sq.m., 4 storied building-560 sq.m., 4 bed- heating system, AC, 3 open baconies, furnished, rooms, 4bathrooms, a kitchen, office, capitally 2302 North Ave, Newly built, 11/4, 137sq.m, equipped,parking. Price: 2000 USD. repaired, heating system, furnished, equipped, 2bedrooms,2bathrooms,capitally repaired, furnished, 1793.Teryan str., Newly built, 8th floor, 260 swimming pool,garden, 2 car parking. Price: 5000 parking. Price: 2000 USD sq.m.,3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, study, capitally USD 2295 North Ave., Newly built,16/15, repaired, climat control, parking, unfurnished (possi- 1197. Blur, Land-779sq.m.,2 storied building- 173sq.m.,2bedrooms, 2 bathrooms,capitally ble to furnish), Price: 3500 USD. 720sq.m.,4 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, study, capitally repaired, furnished. Price:5000 USD 1720.Amiryan str., Newly built,16/10, 179 sq.m, repaired, heating system, sauna swimming pool, 2290 Bayron str., Newly built, /5th floor, 220sq.m, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, capitally repaired, central garden. Price:8000 USD 2bedrooms, study, open kitchen, 2 bathrooms, capi- heating, AC, cellar- 25sq.m, with or without furni- 1312. Blur, Barbyus str., Land-450sq.m., 4 sto- tally repaired, climate control,furnished, parking. ture, parking, Price 3000 USD negotiable ried building-470sq.m., 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, Price: 4000 USD 2195.Northern ave., Newly built, 3rd floor, capitally repaired, heating system, AC, garden. 1780.Amiryan str, Newly built, /13th floor, 82 300sq.m, 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 2 kitchens, Price: Negotiable sq.m, 2 bedrooms, capitally repaired, heating system, capitally repaired,climate 1317. Blur, Barbyus str., Land-900sq.m.,5 storied AC, furnished, equipped. control, AC, parking. building-800sq.m., 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, capi- Price: 1700 USD nego- Price:5000 USD tally repaired, heating system, AC, garden. Price: tiable. 2261.Hin Yerevantsi, Negotiable. 942.Teryan str. 4/3, 130 /North Avenue/, Newly 1323.Monument, Babayan str, Land - 400 sq.m, 3 sq.m.,2 bedrooms, capitally built, 10/3, 124sq.m., 2 storied bld-300sq.m, each floor-100sq.m, 4 bed- repaired, heating system, bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, rooms, 4 bathrooms, capitally repaired, heating sys- furnishred, equipped. Price: capitally repaired, heating tem, AC, furnished, equipped. Price: Negotiable 1500 USD. system, AC, furnished, 1950.Buzand/Mashtots equipped, parking. Price: area. Newly built,8th floor, PREMISES 1700 USD 163 sq.m.,2 bedrooms, 2 2084.Tumanyan str., 4th bathrooms, capitally 2049.Teryan str, ground floor+basemnet, 1st line, floor, 200sq.m, 3 bed- repaired,climate control, 200sq.m, repaired. Price: 6.000 USD rooms, 2 bathrooms, capi- furnished, open balcony. 1693.Malatia-Sebastia 4 storied building, tally repaired, climate con- Price: 2500 USD. 1200sq.m, each floor-300sq.m, 2 separate trol, parking. Price:5000 1681.Northern Ave., Newly built,6/2,130 sq.m.,2 entrances, climate control, 2 elevators, basement, USD bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, capitally repaired, heating parking. Price: 15USD per sq.m. 2252.Northern ave, 7th floor, 350 sq.m., 3 bed- system, AC,parking. Price: 2000 USD. 1526.Byuzand str., 5/semi-basement, 170 sqm., rooms, 4 bathrooms, study, open balconies, capital- 1535.Busand str., Newly built, 7/4, 82sq.m,2bed- 4-5 degrees below zero level,window glasses, cellar ly repaired, climate control, parking. Price rooms, capitally repaired, heating system, AC, park- - 50 sq.m.,6 rooms, the largest is 30 sq.m., 2 Negotiable. ing, furnished, equipped. Price: Negotiable. entrances, 2 lavatories. Price 2000 USD per month, 2089.Northern ave., Newly built,8/6, 120sq.m.,2 negotiable. bedrooms,2 bathrooms, capitally reapired, climate PRIVATE HOUSES 1408.Zarobyan str., /parallel to Baghramyan str./, control, furnished, equipped. Price: 2500 USD 2 storied building,600 sqm. ground floor- hall and 1738.Amiryan str., 8/8, 159sq.m.,2 bedrooms, 2 1335 Baghramyan str., Land-200sq.m, 3storied kitchen,1st floor 5 rooms, bathroom, open balcony, bathrooms, capitally repaired, heating system, park- bld-300sq.m.,4 bedrooms, 3bathrooms,capitally capitally repaired, gas, heating system,parking. ing. Price: Negotiable repaired, furnished. Price: 3000 USD Price: Negotiable. 1951.Busand str., Newly built, 13th floor, 1336 Aygedzor, Land-1000sq.m, 2 storied bld- 1462.Teryan str., 3 storied building, 800 sq.m., 122sq.m, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, capitally 240sq.m, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathroosm,capitally capitally repaired, AC, parking, Price: 10.000 USD. repaired, climate control. Price: 2500 USD repaired, furnished. Price:2000 USD 1945.Mashtots Ave., 5/1,2, 140sq.m., window 1406.Sayat Nova ave., 7/3, 110sq.m., 2 bed- 1337 Davtashen Land-406sq.m,3 storied bld- glasses, capitally repaired, AC. Price: 8000 USD rooms, 2 bathrooms, capitally reapired, heating sys- 306sq.m, 4bedrooms, 2bathrooms, capitally 1943.Tumanyan str., Ground floor of the building, tem, furnished, equipped. Price: Negotiable repaired, furnished. Price:3900 USD 265sq.m.,1st line, capitally repaired, heating system, 2109.Northern ave., Newly built,10/4, 137sq.m, 1323.Monument, Babayan str, Land-400sq.m, cellar. Price: 7000 USD 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, capitally repaired, central 3storied bld-300sq.m, 4bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 1868.Tumanyan str., Ground floor of the building, heating, furnished, equipped, parking. Price: 2000 capitally repaired. Price: Negotiable 220sq.m.,1st line, facade-55m.,capitally repaired, USD. 1248.Aygedzor, Land - 1021 sq m ,3 storied bld. - h-5m., cellar. Price: 15.000 USD. 2243.Buzand str, Newly built, 17/4, 125sq.m, 2 501 sq.m., 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, study, capital- 2087.Northern ave., Ground floor of the building, bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, capitally repaired, heating ly repaired, central heating, AC, sauna, boiler room 100sq.m,1st line, zero level, capitally repaired, win- system, AC, furnished, equipped. Price: 2000 USD garden, swimming pool, garage, alarming system, dow glasses. Price: Negotiable.  Amiryan str, Newly built, 14/5, 120sqm, 2 bed- security system. Price: 8000 USD. 2033.Abovyan str, 388sq,m, Ground floor of rooms, 2 bathrooms, capitally repaired, heating sys- 999.Aygedzor, Land -1000 sqm, basement + 2 the building, 3 degrees above zero level, windoq tem, AC, partly furnished. Price 2000 USD floors- 310 sqm, capitally repaired, 4 bedrooms, 4 glasses, h-3m.,basement-235sq.m, capitally bathrooms, newly furnished, equipped, sauna, repaired, heating system, AC. Price: 15.000 USD swimming-pool. Starting Price: 5000 USD. 2031.Vardanants str, 500sq.m, ground floor of 3 ROOMS AND MORE 1094.Noy block, Land-450sqm, 2 storied building the building, 2 entrances, facade-20m, window - 220sq.m, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, capitally glasses, without divisions, ,basement-250sq.m, 2277.Kievyan str. duplex, 4 bedrooms, 3 bath- repaired, heating system, furnished, equipped, Price:8000 USD rooms, capitally repaired, with or without furniture. swimming pool, garden. Price: 2000USD. 2027.Sayat Nova str, 95sq.m, ground floor of the Price: Negotiable. 1195.Nork, Armenakyan str., Land - 2000 sq.m, building, 2 entrances, 7 degrees above zero level, 4 2310 Busand str., Newly built, 190sq.m, 3bed- 4 storied bld.-520 sq.m., 4 bedrooms, 4bathrooms, window glasses, capitally repaired. Price: 4.000 USD rooms, 3bathrooms, capitally repaired, furnished,

8 June #23 (1063)  2015 10 www.nt.am POLITICS Azerbaijan Wants New OSCE Minsk Group Format

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) - Azerbaijan believes that the United States, Russia and France must no longer be the only countries spearheading international efforts to end the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the chairman-in-office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said on Wednesday. "Azerbaijan is proposing an increase in the number of OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs," Ivica Dacic, who is also Serbia's for- eign minister, said after talks in Yerevan with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian. Dacic, who visited Baku earlier this week, did not specify whether the Azerbaijani government has suggested that particu- lar OSCE member states take over as additional co-chairs of the Minsk Group. "I don't think it's a new proposal," he told a joint news con- "In the last 20 years the three countries co-chairing the ference with Nalbandian. "But in order to accept this proposal OSCE Minsk Group have not taken a single step to settle the we need a decision taken by consensus by all participating Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," Azerbaijan's Deputy Prime countries. We may look into this issue in the future." Minister Ali Hasanov charged last month. "But I think that the OSCE Minsk Group must continue to Armenian leaders have repeatedly rejected this criticism, work. Even if one party is not happy with its work, it's the only saying that the three mediating powers deserve praise for their format where different negotiations and dialogue have been joint efforts. Yerevan is therefore extremely unlikely to agree to going on and it must be preserved," Dacic said. any change in the negotiating format. In recent years President Ilham Aliyev and other Azerbaijani "Armenia believes that the Minsk Group is a fairly effective officials have increasingly criticized the U.S., Russian and framework within which it is possible to achieve a settlement," French mediators for not helping Baku regain control over Tigran Balayan, the Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Karabakh and surrounding territories. Some of them have told RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am), commenting accused the West and Russia of pro-Armenian bias. on Dacic's statement. Brazil Senate Recognizes Armenian Genocide Brazil's upper house of parliament, the cide survivors who had taken refuge in constituted genocide. Federal Senate, has joined 23 countries Brazil for their "economic, social and cul- Armenia welcomed the resolution around the world in officially recognizing tural" contributions to Latin America's even before it was formally passed by the the 1915 Armenian genocide in the largest nation. Brazil is now home to more Brazilian senators. Foreign Minister Ottoman Empire. than 40,000 ethnic Armenians. Edward Nalbandian issued a special state- The Brazilian Senate described the The resolution was drafted by two ment to that effect on Friday. slaughter of some 1.5 million Armenians senators representing the main opposition "I can reaffirm that Armenia wel- as genocide in a "motion of solidarity with Brazilian Social Democratic Party comes the decision made by the Brazilian the Armenian people" that was approved (PSDB). One of them, Aloysio Nunes Senate," Nalbandian told reporters on by 55 of its 81 members on June2. Ferreira, reportedly urged Turkey to stop Wednesday. The resolution pays tribute to the vic- denying that the World War One-era mass The Turkish government did not react tims and praises descendants of the geno- killings and deportations of Armenians to the resolution as of Wednesday evening. It recalled Turkey's ambassadors to Austria and Luxembourg to Ankara for consultations recently after the parlia- ments of the two European states recog- nized the Armenian genocide with similar resolutions. The Turkish ambassador to the Vatican was likewise withdrawn in late April in protest against Pope Francis's description of the 1915 massacres as "the first genocide of the 20th century." The 23 countries that have recognized the genocide also include Brazil's neigh- bors Argentina, Uruguay, Venezuela and Bolivia as well as another South American nation, Chile.

8 June #23 (1063)  2015 POLITICS www.nt.am 11 Hastert should also be investigated on Turkish bribery accusations

Hastert worked for Dickstein Shapiro in checks" because contributions less than Washington, D.C., as a lobbyist for $200 do not have to be itemized in pub- Turkey and other clients. lic filings. In fact, Vanity Fair's exami- Ironically, at the start of his political nation of Speaker Hastert's federal fil- career, Cong. Hastert strongly supported ings from 1996 to 2002 showed that his Federal Prosecutors indicted last recognition of the Armenian Genocide. campaign had received close to week former U.S. House Speaker He spoke on the House floor on April $500,000 in un-itemized payments. Dennis Hastert for: 19, 1984, in favor of a congressional res- Shockingly, rather than investigating 1) Lying to the FBI on why he had olution acknowledging the Genocide. Edmonds' credible accusations, the FBI withdrawn nearly $1.7 million from var- On June 5, 1996, he voted for an amend- fired her, and the US government did not ious banks in the last four years, ment to cut U.S. aid to Turkey until that allow her to testify in Congress or in 2) Evading the reporting require- country recognized the Armenian court, using the "state-secrets privilege" ments of banks for large cash transac- Genocide. Furthermore, in August 2000, as a cover. tions. Speaker Hastert met with Armenian Not surprisingly, Speaker Hastert's Each count carries a maximum community leaders in Glendale, pledg- visits to Turkey in 2002 and 2004 were penalty of five-years in prison and a ing to bring the pending Armenian funded by the Turkish-US Business $250,000 fine. Genocide resolution to a vote, despite Council. Consequently, in July 2004, The indictment charges that in 2010 Pres. Clinton's vehement objections. Hastert issued a blunt statement vowing Hastert secretly met one of his former However, moments before the geno- to block all future Armenian Genocide students and agreed to pay him $3.5 mil- cide resolution was to be voted upon on resolutions - a pledge he kept until his lion to secure his silence for "past mis- October 19, 2000, Speaker Hastert departure from the House in November conduct", when he was a wrestling yanked the bill from consideration, 2007! coach at the Yorkville High School in using the excuse that Pres. Clinton had Interestingly, Hastert's personal Illinois from 1965 to 1981. Since that sent him a letter raising "grave national wealth went from $270,000 to up to $17 meeting, Hastert, 73, paid him $1.7 mil- security concerns." How is it that the million during his two decades of serv- lion by withdrawing initially $50,000 at Republican House Speaker, who fiercely ice in Congress, at a time when his con- a time from several banks, and after opposed a Democrat President on almost gressional salary was $175,000 a year! being questioned by bank officials, he every issue and supported his impeach- Where did his millions come from? reduced each withdrawal to just under ment, suddenly decides to agree with Six months after leaving the House, $10,000, to evade the banks' reporting him on rejecting the Armenian Genocide Hastert began to reap the benefits of requirements. resolution? Four days later, the Turkish serving Turkish interests in Congress by In December 2014, when asked by Sabah newspaper reported that Hastert joining the firm Dickstein Shapiro as a the FBI as to why he had made such had agreed to block the resolution on lobbyist representing the Turkish gov- large cash withdrawals, Hastert made condition that Pres. Clinton made such a ernment, among other clients. He "materially false, fictitious and fraudu- request in writing. worked jointly with former House lent statements," the federal prosecutors Could there have been a sinister rea- Majority Leader Dick Gephardt, some- said. Hastert was making these pay- son why Speaker Hastert had a sudden times travelling together to Turkey, and ments to his former student to conceal change of heart on the Armenian splitting millions of dollars in lucrative sexually abusing him decades ago, Genocide issue? lobbying fees. Last week, immediately according to various news reports. Vanity Fair magazine revealed in its after the federal indictment was issued, Hastert's indictment is of particular September 2005 issue that former FBI Hastert resigned from the lobbying firm. interest to the Armenian-American com- translator Sibel Edmonds had reviewed A full investigation should now be munity because of past accusations that wiretaps of Turkish phone calls claiming conducted of all allegations against he received large bribes from Turkish that Speaker Hastert's price to withdraw Hastert that have been ignored for far entities to quash pending Armenian the Armenian Genocide resolution too long. The American public needs to Genocide resolutions, while serving as would be at least $500,000. The FBI know if he were being bribed, or even Speaker of the House of Representatives overheard Turkish speakers boasting worse, blackmailed, by Turkish entities from 1999 to 2007. These claims were that they have "arranged for tens of during his tenure as Speaker, the third never fully investigated by the U.S. gov- thousands of dollars to be paid to most powerful office in Washington ernment. After retiring from Congress, Hastert's campaign funds in small after the President and Vice President!

8 June #23 (1063)  2015 12 www.nt.am The Noyan Tapan Highlights POLITICS US State Department denounces Turkish President targeting journalists, Armenians and gays The U.S. State Department has criti- said that for a long time." cized Turkish President Recep Tayyip "As Turkey's friend and as their NATO Erdogan for branding Armenians as well as ally, we urge the Turkish authorities to independent media and religious and sexual ensure their actions uphold democratic val- minorities as "representatives of sedition" in ues, including due process, judicial inde- Turkey. pendence, and freedom of expression, Erdogan launched the broadside at "the including access to media and information," Armenian lobby, homosexuals and those she said. who believe in Alevism without Ali" during Asked by a reporter whether an election campaign rally on June 3. He Washington deplores Erdogan's references said they are secretly helping a pro-Kurdish to Armenians, journalists and homosexuals, party to prevent his AK Party from scoring Harf replied: "Absolutely." a landslide victory in Sunday's parliamen- Erdogan has resorted to anti-Armenian tary elections. rhetoric throughout the Turkish parliamen- slur against Armenians. In a TV interview Erdogan had earlier voiced similar alle- tary race. On May 27, for example, he listed aired just days before a Turkish presidential gations against Turkish media critical of his "the Armenian Diaspora" among forces election, Erdogan complained that the government and international media organi- which he said oppose Turkey's transforma- Turkish opposition is carrying out a smear zations such "The New York Times," the tion into a presidential republic headed by campaign against him by claiming that he is BBC and CNN. "When it comes to journal- him. Three days later, he claimed that "The of Armenian descent. ists, certainly, the U.S. supports freedom of New York Times," which has repeatedly Armenia condemned those remarks as expression, and we remain concerned about criticized his human rights record, is "close "racist." Nevertheless, President Serzh government interference in freedom of to the Armenian lobby." Sargsyan subsequently congratulated expression in Turkey," Marie Harf, a State Erdogan also came under fire from his Erdogan on winning the ballot and sent Department spokeswoman told a news domestic and foreign critics last August Foreign Minister to his inauguration cere- briefing in Washington on Thursday. "We've after what was widely construed as a racist mony in Ankara.

Turks are using terrorism against Syria just as they did against the Armenian people: Bashar al-Assad Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said facing the people of Syria and Armenia, the That's why parliaments, in their position the Syrian and Armenian people face the President said the Ottomans who commit- as representatives of peoples, are called same challenges and dangers, SANA ted massacres against the Armenian people upon to take effective action to pressure the reports. a hundred years ago are today represented international community into adopting an The President's remarks came during a by Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his govern- efficacious policy against terrorism and the meeting on Thursday with the visiting del- ment, using the same tools, mainly terror- obscurantist thinking for the sake of not just egation of the Armenian-Syrian Friendship ism, against the Syrian people. the Syrian people but also the peoples of the Association at the National Assembly of the He warned against the expansive threat region and the world, the President added. Republic of Armenia, headed by the of terrorism on the entire Middle East Vardapetyan, for his part, stressed that Association's President Tachat region and the world, saying terrorism the Armenian people stand by the side of Vardapetyan. "knows no border and doesn't stop at the the people of Syria in the face of the region- Drawing parallels between the dangers frontier of this or that country." ally-backed terrorist war waged on them, voicing confidence that Syria will get over this war and rout terrorism and its backers. Talks during the meeting highlighted that further developing the relations between the National Assembly of Armenia and the Syrian People's Assembly would help in consolidating the relationship between the two countries. Chairman of the Syrian-Armenian Friendship Association at the People's Assembly Butrus Marjaneh and Armenia's Ambassador in Damascus Arshak Poladian attended the meeting.

8 June #23 (1063)  2015 POLITICS The Noyan Tapan Highlights www.nt.am 13 Three Armenians elected to Turkish Parliament bers of the Christian minority to the legisla- Two Christians will also enter parlia- ture. ment from the Peoples' Democratic Party Markar Esayan, an Armenian-Turkish (HDP) ticket, one from Istanbul and the journalist for the pro-AKP daily Yeni Safak, other from the southeastern province of entered the parliament on an AKP ticket as Mardin. the 12th candidate from Istanbul's second Garo Paylan, who ran for parliament as election area. the second nominee from the HDP's third Selina Dogan, from the Republican election area in Istanbul, holds Armenian People's Party (CHP), was elected as the roots and is listed as a trainer on the Turkey's Christian minority will be rep- first deputy candidate from the second elec- Supreme Election Board (YSK) candidate resented in the Turkish parliament in tion area of the CHP's Istanbul list. Dogan, list. greater number after a long absence as four who is of Armenian origin, practices law as Erol Dora, who is a member of Turkey's members of the community will become an attorney. Syriac community and a lawyer, was the deputies after the June 7 elections, the CHP head Kemal Kilicdaroglu said HDP's third deputy candidate from Mardin Hurriyet Daily News reports. while introducing Dogan as a candidate that and an incumbent in the legislature. The results of the parliamentary elec- her candidacy was an important message In addition to the four Christians, two tion, one of the most critical and closely for the world. members of Turkey's small Yazidi commu- fought in years, ended the Justice and "We do not want division in this socie- nity were also elected for the HDP - Development Party's (AKP) 13-year one- ty. We want to grow and develop together," Feleknas Uca from Diyarbakir and Ali party rule, while also propelling four mem- Kilicdaroglu said in early April. Atalan from Batman. Armenian, Iranian clerics concerned about 'extremism' Catholicos Garegin II and a visiting It was an apparent reference to the representative of Iran's Supreme Leader Islamic State (ISIS) militants fighting Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reportedly against the Iranian-backed governments of expressed concern at the rise of religious Iraq and Syria. The Armenian government extremism in the region when they met in condemned the Sunni jihadist movement Echmiadzin on June 3. as a "plague threatening the civilized The meeting between the supreme head world" last year following the destruction of the Armenian Apostolic Church and Ali of an Armenian church in Syria. Ghazi Asgar, a high-ranking Iranian cleric Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said serving as Khamenei's representative for men voiced concerns over challenges "Iran, Armenia and all regional states Hajj affairs, underlined close ties between stemming from "the globalization process, should join forces to fight terrorism" dur- the two neighboring states. decline in moral-spiritual values, the prob- ing talks in Tehran last October with Garegin's office quoted Ghazi Asgar as lem of family protection, and extremist Armenian Prime Minister Hovik praising "the exemplary and warm rela- movements that have emerged in the Abrahamyan. tions between the two nations in the reli- world." It did not elaborate on those move- It was not clear whether Ghazi Asgar gious political, economic and areas." He ments, saying only that they are having a was due to hold talks with Armenian gov- said they are "developing year by year." "devastating impact on the life of the ernment officials during his trip. No such A statement by the office said the two humankind." talks were reported as of Friday evening. Plaque dedicated to Armenian Genocide unveiled in Marseille The plaque reading "1915-2015: 100th Boyer, Armenian Consul in Marseille international recognition of the Genocide. anniversary of the Armenian Genocide" Samvel Laylayan, Deputy Mayors, repre- Mayor Lionel Royer-Perreaut decorat- was solemnly unveiled on the front of sentatives of the local self-government, ed Charles Aznavour with a memorial "Maison Blanche" - the administrative heads of Armenian and French organiza- medal of the honorary citizen of the 9-10th building of the 9-10th district of Marseille tions, journalists, and representatives of the district. Later on a plaque reading on June 4. Armenian community. The speakers at the "Centennial Olive Tree from Charles The event was attended by Armenian event attached importance to the impor- Aznavour" was unveiled in the park of Ambassador to Switzerland Charles tance of commemoration of the 100th Maison Blanche. Aznavour, President of the Urban anniversary of the Armenian Genocide for The event was widely covered in Community of Marseille Provence Armenians and the international communi- French media. The events dedicated to Métropole Guy Teissier, Head of the 9- ty and hailed Charles Aznavour's participa- Armenia will continue at the Marseille 10th district of Marseille, MP Valerie tion and contribution to the process of City Hall for 10 days.

8 June #23 (1063)  2015 14 www.nt.am The Noyan Tapan Highlights POLITICS Sotheby's withdraws sale of Aivazovsky painting alleged stolen The international auction house Cairo" by Russian artist of Armenian been withdrawn at the request of the con- Sotheby's withdrew from auction on June descent Ivan Aivazovsky, had been with- signor." 2 a painting by Ivan Aivazovsky that drawn from sale at the request of the con- It said there was "no further informa- Russia's Interior Ministry said last week signor, or seller. tion available". had been stolen in 1997 from a private Russia's Interior Ministry had asked Russia's Interior Ministry declined collection in Moscow, Reuters reports. that British police block the auction. immediate comment, saying it would The auction house said "Evening in Sotheby's said last week it had found make its position clear later on Tuesday. no record of the The Interior Ministry did not name painting in the data- the complainant but Sotheby's earlier bases of stolen art identified them as the Nosenko family, and would proceed which Russian media said had purchased with the sale on June the painting in the 1940s. 2, with the agreement The 1870 painting had been listed as a of the consignor and lot on the website of Sotheby's, with an the family which said estimated value of 1.5-2 million pounds it had been stolen. ($2-$3 million), as part of a collection of In an emailed Russian pictures due to be sold in London statement on on June 2. Tuesday, Sotheby's The Sotheby's website had listed the said: "Ivan work's provenance as being in the collec- Aivazovsky's tion of N.I. Dedov. Evening in Cairo, Sotheby's kept the identity of the sell- Lot 23, in Sotheby's er confidential but said that it had 2 June 2015 Sale of acquired the painting in good faith in Russian Pictures has 2000.

German Bundestag to hold Atom Egoyan receives Canada's a final vote on Armenian most prestigious award in arts

Genocide bill before Some of Canada's most "The Captive," was among the the end of July renowned artists received life- laureates at the award ceremo- time achievement awards this ny held Saturday at the recently quit his party year's Governor General's National Arts Centre in because of his party recog- Performing Arts Awards Gala, Ottawa. nizing the Armenian the country's most prestigious Other award winners Genocide. award given for artistic accom- included songwriter Sarah According to Hayruni, plishments. McLachlan, actress and direc- the bill pending at the Oscar-nominated Armenian tor Diana Leblanc, composer Bundestag is more favorable Canadian filmmaker Atom and conductor Walter than the one adopted in Egoyan, known for works such Boudreau, and actor R. H. The German Bundestag 2005. The current document as "The Sweet Hereafter" and Thomson. is expected to hold a final clearly mentions that what discussion on the Armenian happened to Armenians in Genocide bill and put in on a 1915 was an example of vote before the summer genocide. break by the second half of He added, however, that July, historian Ashot Hayruni the bill is not 100 percent told reporters on June 8. acceptable. It includes It's not yet clear what "dark" points, which the will be the final shape of the Armenian diplomatic corps resolution, considering the should work to edit. As for constant pressure on the part the positive sides of the bill, of Turkish President Recep they range from the preser- Tayyip Erdogan and the vation of the Armenian cul- Turks living and working in tural heritage to the contri- Germany. As an example he bution to Armenian-Turkish reminded that a German MP dialogue.

8 June #23 (1063)  2015 POLITICS The Noyan Tapan Highlights www.nt.am 15 Gephardt and his lobbying firm have taken $8 million from Turkish government As a member of Congress, Dick the bill. The groups sent letters to roughly Gephardt often spoke passionately In 1998, speaking to frequent 200 clients who had hired either about the need for the United States to applause from the Armenian National Gephardt or other lobbying firms that recognize as genocide the mass deaths Committee of America in a Capitol Hill represented Turkey, saying the compa- of as many as 1.5 million Armenians event, Gephardt called for Congress to nies had a "troubling relationship" with under the Turkish government that "solemnly remember the genocide genocide deniers. began one century ago. which occurred many years ago, but The results of the letter campaign But as a lobbyist for Turkey since which so deeply affected so many fami- are unclear. leaving Congress in 2005, Gephardt, a lies and people in Armenia. We must Spokesmen for Google, Boeing and Democrat, has taken the opposite side. always keep that fact, those real facts, in of St. Louis-area companies Ameren, His behind-the-scenes work has been our mind." Anheuser-Busch and Peabody either cited as a factor in the refused to comment or annual failure of said they had no record Congress to recognize of receiving the letter. the Armenian genocide, But Frederick D. according to St. Louis Palmer, Peabody's sen- Post Dispatch. ior vice president for Justice Department government relations, records show that wrote back to the Gephardt's lobbying Armenian-American firm has been paid more groups saying his com- than $8 million since pany would not drop 2008 to fight the decla- lobbyists just because ration and represent they represented Turkey on other con- Turkey. tentious issues, includ- "The events you ing repatriation of describe are tragic Christian holy sites seized over the last But after going to work for Turkey indeed, but there is no basis to punish century in that Muslim nation. in 2007, he told the Post-Dispatch that Turkey today, an ally for more than 60 Now, in the 100th-anniversary year he was working toward a reconciliation years along with being a democratic and of what Armenians refer to as Meds that would avoid a genocide declara- free market example that is rare in the Yeghern - "great calamity" - two tion, to "get all the facts on the table and region," Palmer wrote. Armenian-American groups are pres- let the chips fall where they may." The Los Angeles World Airport can- suring Gephardt's lobbying firm to drop In January, as the 100th anniversary celed its $20,000-a-month contract with Turkey as a client, and for companies to of Meds Yeghern approached, two Gephardt exactly a month after the let- drop Gephardt as their lobbyist. Armenian-American groups began pres- ter was sent. Mary Grady, managing Gephardt, who declined to respond suring Gephardt and his clients."The director of media and public relations to repeated interview requests, has American corporate community must for the airport, declined to say why. ignored the Armenian groups' letters. have a zero-tolerance policy against any Mike Zampa, communications Three companies have ended contracts action that either covers up past geno- director for the Port of Oakland, said the with the Gephardt Group since the two cides or in any way contributes to future port allowed a $160,000 contract with Armenian-American groups launched a atrocities," declared a Jan. 28 letter to Gephardt to expire in January but letter-writing campaign in January, the former congressman signed by lead- described it as a normal change. although none publicly tied the decision ers of the groups, the Armenian The Human Rights Campaign also to the letters. National Committee of America and the canceled its $10,000 monthly contract, Critics of the former congressman Armenian Assembly of America."To but Fred Sainz, the rights organization's from St. Louis say he is just another that end, as a courtesy, we would like to director of communications, said it had example of the revolving door between inform you that we have reached out to "nothing to do with the Armenia letter." electoral office and the lucrative lobby- all of your clients … to educate them A lobbyist left the Gephardt Group, ing business, where policy positions about your lobbying on behalf of the Sainz said, "and we followed him to his seem to change based on who's paying Turkish government." new firm."

8 June #23 (1063)  2015 16 www.nt.am The Noyan Tapan Highlights SOCIETY Lavish 'Donations' To Armenian Officials Not Investigated Senior Armenian state officials tasked with combatting corruption have faced no investigations into millions of dol- lars in financial aid which they and their wives claim to have received from undisclosed sources in recent years. The officials running the "oversight services" of President Serzh Sargsyan, Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan and the Armenian parliament have reported such lavish financial con- tributions in their annual asset declarations filed with the state Commission on the Ethics of High-Ranking Officials. So far none of them has been accused by the commission of using their position to enrich themselves and their rela- tives. Nor are law-enforcement authorities known to have investigated the origin of the "donations" which Armenia's leading anti-graft watchdog believes carry serious "corrup- villa in Yerevan reportedly worth millions of dollars. tion risks." Zakaryan said that the mansion's construction was mainly Hovannes Hovsepyan, the wealthy head of the presiden- financed by Albert Boyajyan, an Armenian-American busi- tial Oversight Service, claims to have especially generous nessman described by him as his "friend." benefactors. Hovsepyan's income declarations say that from For the Anti-Corruption Center (ACC), the Armenian 2011 through 2014 he received a total of $2.75 million in dol- branch of the Berlin-based group Transparency International, lar donations from individuals or legal entities not identified these financial statements are a cause for serious concern. by him. According to the document, the minimum amount of "Such donations can be considered to be transactions a single donation to Hovsepyan was $100,000, while the fraught with high risks of corruption," Artak Manukyan, an largest one stood at as much as $1.6 million. ACC expert, told RFE/RL's Armenian service The presidential service headed by him is supposed to (Azatutyun.am) on Friday. Manukyan said that they would at monitor use of public funds by various government agencies least be investigated in many countries that are "really fight- and detect possible instances of their embezzlement. ing against corruption." Sargis Grigoryan manages a similar oversight division in Siranush Sahakyan, the chairwoman of the Commission the prime minister's office. He has reported no lavish dona- on the Ethics of High-Ranking Officials, last month could not tions and claims to live off his monthly salary of 314,000 name a single state official who the anti-graft body believes drams ($660). His wife, Armine Kocharyan, is apparently has enriched themselves through abuse of power. The remarks unemployed, having reported no financial incomes to the suggest that the commission has never scrutinized the "dona- anti-graft commission. tions." However, Kocharyan somehow managed to receive No such investigations have been reported by Armenian $530,000 in loans from Armenian banks from 2012-2014. She law-enforcement bodies either. They declined on Friday to also admitted paying around $120,000 to buy several paint- respond to RFE/RL inquiries on the subject. ings last year. This stance will only fuel more skepticism about the Just how Grigoryan's wife secured the sizable loans is not Armenian government's stated efforts to tackle widespread clear. Armenian banks are extremely unlikely to lend so much bribery, nepotism and other corrupt practices. money to a regular client who has no well-paid job. The government pledged to reinvigorate those efforts in The wife of Gagik Mkrtumyan, a senior official at the par- February when it announced plans to set up a new Anti- liamentary Audit Chamber, claimed to have received last year Corruption Council that will be headed by Prime Minister $100,000 in "donations" in addition to earning 180,000 drams Abrahamian and comprise several ministers and other top ($380) per month. Karine Mazmanyan too did not disclose state officials. It also urged the political parties represented in the source of the cash. the Armenian parliament and civic groups to nominate their The wife of Ishkhan Zakaryan, the controversial Audit representatives to the council. None of those groups Chamber chief, reported a single and far more modest dona- expressed readiness to join the body. tion: $15,000. Zakaryan's asset declaration says that Gayane Armenia ranked, along with four African states, 94th of Soghomonyan received the money in 2011. 174 countries and territories evaluated in the Transparency The sum pales in comparison with the conspicuous wealth International's most recent Corruption Perceptions Index of Zakaryan. Two years ago he was forced by opposition law- (CPI) released last December. It occupied the same position makers to comment on sources of funding for his newly built in the 2013 CPI which covered 177 nations.

8 June #23 (1063)  2015 SOCIETY The Noyan Tapan Highlights www.nt.am 17 Plaque stolen from William Saroyan home in Fresno the times. Everyone is down on their luck," Deborah Robles said. The new owners say they just want the plaque returned. They are in the process of selling the house to a nonprofit which plans to restore the house and make it a historical place. "That would be nice if they could do something with that house and raise the property values that would be wonderful. That is the worst house in the neighborhood," Robles said. Many have speculated it was stolen for the metal. But Baca says it is a piece of Armenian Heritage and Fresno History. "If the person is watching who took this it should mean nothing to them. You can bring it to my house and put it on the porch," he said.

A plaque honoring the late William Saroyan has been stolen from his last residence, yourcentralvalley.com reports. The new owners say they noticed the plaque was taken along with tools in the garage this week. The plaque has been on the front of the house for 25 years and details some of the work the Pulitzer Prize winning author did the last 17 years of his life in the house. Neighbor Ernie Baca lives next door and knew Saroyan as a kid. "He gave me my first book when I was five years old and he signed it to read to my little sister," Garza said. Few neighbors on West Griffith Way have such fond mem- ories of the home. They know it for going into foreclosure, attracting squatters and falling into disrepair. "We've been broken into. Everyone has been broken into. It's

Kim Kardashian, Kanye West First guide to reportedly planning a movie Armenian wines based on their lives published

her second child, is reportedly planning The first "Guide to Armenian to make a movie about their lives with Winemaking and Armenian Wines" has three big studios trying to bag the rights. been published with the support of the A senior executive from Universal "Antares" publishing house and the reportedly told the Daily Star Sunday: "I Armenian Association of Winemakers. doubt we are talking about an Oscar-wor- The author of the book Anik thy production with high artistic merit. Petrosyan says it will provide thorough "But with almost 45 million Twitter information about Armenian wines to followers between them, they have a tourists. worldwide fan base which virtually guar- The publication consists of two parts. antees box office success followed by The first one presents the history of strong DVD sales." Armenian winemaking; the second is Kim Kardashian has already got her Kim has allegedly got her eye on cur- dedicated to Armenian wines. own film - it's one of the best-selling X- vaceous stars such as Sofia Vergara and Head of the "Antares" Media Holding rated movies of all time - but she report- Christina Hendricks who could play her Armen Martirosyan says the guide is a edly wants a movie about her life and so on screen, and is "hyper excited" about considerable achievement for presenting does her husband Kanye West, according the project. Armenia to tourists. to a new report, according to the Daily "Kim is fantasizing about who might Five hundred copies of the guide Mirror. play her and has Sofia Vergara or Mad have been published. They will be avail- The Keeping Up With The Men's Christina Hendricks I mind," an able in bookstores and will cost 6-7 Kardashians star, who is pregnant with insider told the newspaper. AMD.

8 June #23 (1063)  2015 18 www.nt.am The Noyan Tapan Highlights WHAT? WHEN? WHERE? Enjoy your leisure Comedy after H. Paronyan 8 June 12 June 19:00. Ah, Women, Women. Play | Hamazgayin State 19:00. Traviata. G.Verdi. 15:00. The Golden Key. Play Theater Opera in 4 acts. Opera | for kids | M. Mkrtchyan 19:00. It Doesn't Matter With National Academic Theater of Artistic Theater Whom. Play | Yerevan State Opera and Ballet after A. 19:00. Tagharan Ensemble of Chamber Theater Spendiarian Ancient Music. Concert | 19:00. Dear Pamela. Chamber Music House after 14 June Premiere. Play | H. Malyan Komitas Theater of Film Actors 19:00. Everything for Sale. 12:00, 14:00. Three Piglets. Premiere. Play | Russian Play for kids | State Puppet 9 June Drama Theater after K. Theater after H. Tumanyan Stanislavski 12:30, 14:00, 15:30. The Kid 19:00. Coma Nostra. New 19:00. Sexual Chaos in the & Karlsson. Play for kids | performance dedicated to the Hotel. Play | State Musical State Marionette Theater author's 55th anniversary. Play Chamber Theater 13:00. Three Piglets. | State Puppet Theater after H. 19:00. Compensation. Premiere. Play for kids | Tumanyan Pessimistic Comedy. Play | Russian Drama Theater after 19:00. Two Suns. World pre- Yerevan State Chamber K. Stanislavski miere. Ballet | National Theater 14:00. Beauty and the Beast. Academic Theater of Opera Children's Musical Fun Show. and Ballet after A. 13 June Play for kids | State Musical Spendiarian Chamber Theater 12:00, 14:00. Goldfish. Play 16:00. Little Red Riding 10 June for kids | State Puppet Theater Hood. Play for kids | State after H. Tumanyan Puppet Theater after H. 19:00. Two Suns. World pre- 12:30, 14:00, 15:30. Little Tumanyan miere. Ballet | National Red Riding Hood. Play for 19:00. Love Rectangle. Academic Theater of Opera kids | State Marionette Theater Comedy in 1 act. Play | State and Ballet after A. 14:00. Cinderella. Play for Theater of Musical Comedy Spendiarian kids | State Musical Chamber after H. Paronyan 19:00. Mrs. Ministress. Theater 19:00. It Doesn't Matter With Premiere. Play | State Theater 15:00. The Adventures of Whom. Play | Yerevan State of Musical Comedy after H. Chipollino. Play for kids | M. Chamber Theater Paronyan Mkrtchyan Artistic Theater 19:00. The Dragon. Play | 16:00. The Silly Man. Play 11 June Hamazgayin State Theater for kids | State Puppet Theater 19:00. Yerevan-Barcelona. after H. Tumanyan 19:00. Victims of Love. Comedy. Play | M. Mkrtchyan 19:00. Like Gods. Premiere. Premiere. Play | State Theater Artistic Theater Play | Russian Drama Theater of Musical Comedy after H. 19:00. The Shoemaker's after K. Stanislavski Paronyan Prodigious Wife. Play | 19:00. Four Reasons for 19:00. Ardalion. Historical Russian Drama Theater after Marriage. Premiere. Play | mimodrama. Play | Yerevan K. Stanislavski State Theater of Musical State Pantomime Theater

8 June #23 (1063)  2015 The Noyan Tapan Highlights www.nt.am 19 Zodiac Weekly Forecast ARMENIAN POETRY

Aries (Mar. 20--Apr. 19) : Libra (Sep. 23--Oct. 22) Vahan Teryan A new idea, plan, or introduction Venus, your ruling planet, travels that was hatched in March appears to be with you into the territory of friend- LAND OF NAYIRI showing signs of growth. ships, community and organizational Circumstances change in your favor. It affairs. Over the next three weeks she is not necessary to force things or pres- will enhance your presence at any activ- (Excerpt from Ergir Nayiri/ sure people. You have found the ity in this sphere. It is a good time to "I love my fatherland, but that kind of groove. Just follow it. Love and social plan a party for friends or to meet new love life are positive. people at other gatherings. requires another word." —Lermontov

Taurus (Apr. 20--May 19): Scorpio (Oct. 23--Nov. 21) : Homer will tell you You have favorable aspects related See the lead paragraph on the home how the wanderer feels: to home, property and family matters. page because it is specific to your sign. Laertes' son homesick You may have a desire to improve the You are fortunate this week. Resources for the place that he leaves, appearance of the environment around increase and you are able to repay always an alien you, whether at home or at work. It's loans, whether they be in money, time with loyalties scat- fine to purchase small items. But wait or energy. A new person entering your tered, crossing sea and mountains until the 11th before you commit to life may spark some interest. This to find every joy flat. something large. might also be a previously known indi- vidual who has changed for the better. I too have been tempted Gemini (May 20 -- June 20) : by voices, taunts, need, You have the opportunity at this Sagittarius (Nov. 22 --Dec. 20): offers and office but your name, living seed, time to act as go-between or a bridge This is an ideal time to take a trip or between one person and another. This plan one. It is also a wonderful period I have kept in a clean heart may come by way of negotiation or it to enjoy both romantic and social life. to replant, like wheat. might be an introduction. The signs are Your upbeat attitude brings invitations favorable. your way. Legal matters are judged in Now consumed with the yearning your favor. What's not to like? only you can cure Cancer (June 21--Jul y 21) : I return, my country Your path has no planetary chal- Capricorn ( Dec 21 -- Jan 19) : for the place to be sure lenges this week. Therefore your time You want to challenge the rules or of hearing the music will probably be spent doing the routine the authorities and this is not the time to I have kept and keep, things of your life. Sometimes it feels expect success, regardless of the topic. our sacred songs, Nayiri, really good to have nothing on the You will be blocked, no matter which sweet songs to weep. stove, no big challenges or new experi- way you present your desired outcome. ences to absorb. Have a peaceful week. Save yourself the trouble and settle your ESTONIAN SONG mind for the present. Leo (July 22 --Aug. 21): When you're sated, weighted down and Venus enters your sign on the 5th Aquarius (Jan. 20--Feb. 17) : tired of fate, you can always turn, turn back again, and will be with you until July 17th. This is not your smoothest week. to the heart, like yours, that's racked with You always have an interest in appear- Details may nag your mind and your time pain ance and this transit notches it up a cou- like pecking ducks. This is nit-picking but where the walls still echo with your ple of pegs. You may "redecorate" and will not serve you now. Shift gears name. yourself with new glasses, clothing, or and open your mind to share some quali- hairstyle. The goddess of love brings ty time with a significant other. This is a When good fortune brightens up your complements, small gifts, romance, or good time to discuss issues within a rela- road with light, other pleasures. tionship because you are steady of mind and clinging strangers spring up left and right, and likely to be realistic. someone will be happy but wary of fickle Virgo (Aug 22--Sep. 22) : fame, Beware the liar. The probability is Pisces (Feb. 18--Mar. 19) : still hoping that you turn, return again. high you will encounter one this week, You likely will hear favorable feed- someone who believes his own story, back from others this week. Giving But if fate hardens your heart and turns thus making it unclear if he is telling the attention to your health and your home your head truth. Check out the sources and ask will be satisfying. You might have a so you cannot feel delight and you forget other people who may know something new inspiration to experiment with and what it is to love, someone will mourn your loss, about the situation. Don't accept any- it likely will flow easily. The routine of but can do nothing more. Do not return. thing of importance at face value. life is a pleasure. You're lost.

8 June #23 (1063)  2015 20 www.nt.am The Noyan Tapan Highlights Yahoo Travel: Road trip to Tatev Monastery in Armenia By Greg Keraghosian There's a certain irony in riding a five- year-old tramway to reach a 1,200-year-old monastery. Kind of like Snapchatting the Mona Lisa to your friend. But that's what I did recently, and I couldn't be happier that the technology now exists - it's made an Armenian historical treasure more accessi- ble to visitors, and as you reach the other side, the shiny cable car to Tatev Monastery feels more like a time machine. Perched dramatically on the edge of a rugged plateau that falls into the Vorotan River Gorge in southeast Armenia, the monastery inspires easy analogies to Game of Thrones. But unlike Winterfell, this place actually lived those stories. Built as far back as 848 A.D., the monastery near the village of Tatev has seen religious prominence, economic influence, foreign monastery's three churches and adjacent of Tatev, a 10-minute tramway ride away. invasions, massive earthquakes, an impor- grounds. I had come here leading five The latter made more sense for us consid- tant Medieval university, destruction, and high-school-age members of my Tumo ering our time constraints, though I would restoration. travel storytelling workshop in the have loved to take the scenic route, which These days it's just a tourist site, but a Armenian capital of Yerevan. includes a natural crossing called the magnificent tourist site at that. You reach And while I was at least 20 years older Devil's Bridge. (A more sensible base of Tatev Monastery by taking the world's than my companions, I was probably the operations for a visit to Tatev would be longest reversible aerial tramway, which most impatient - like a restless kid who just from the town of Goris, under 20 miles floats up to 1,050 feet above the gorge. wants to cut past the line at Disneyland, I away.) After that, for some real Instagram street just wanted to find that shot of Tatev Plus, at least you can say you rode cred, you'll want to capture one of the best Monastery, the one I'd been thinking about something in the Guinness Book of World photo ops nobody knows about: looking for days. Records. Wings of Tatev launched in down at the monastery in all its glory as it But we had to save that for last. First, October 2010 in an effort to revive tourism seemingly teeters on the cliff's edge. we had to drive four hours from Yerevan to in the region, and it cost an estimated $18 Amazingly, my crew and I were the reach the village of Halidzor. From there million to build. The tramway extends 3 ½ only visitors enjoying that view, from a we had two options to reach Tatev miles, with the cable cars reaching 23 mph. vista point that's a 1 kilometer hike away. Monastery: drive 40 minutes through the These are hardly ziplining speeds and the On a sunny Saturday afternoon in May, deep ravine with its narrow, switchback- ride is smooth, though people who fear tourists stuck to striding around the laden roads, or simply float there on Wings heights may tense up at times.

President of the NT Media Holding: E-mail: [email protected], URL: www.nt.am The Noah’s Ark Tigran Harutyunyan Address in 28 Isahakian Str., Yerevan, 0009, RA. Editor-in-Chief of the Media Holding: Tel.: (+374 60) 27-64-62 Gayaneh Arakelyan Armenia: (+374 60) 27-64-61 HIGHLIGHTS Director of the Weekly: Address in Masion De L' Armenie, Paris 17e - 95 Marina Harutyunyan Bld. Gouvion, France. Weekly Newspaper, Since May 4, 1993. France: The publisher: NT Holding LTD. Chief Correspondent:Gourgen Khazhakian Tel.: (+33) 01 43 59 66 72 Circulation: 1500 print copies and Proofreader: Susanna Mkrtchian Address in 1146 E. Lexington Dr., #112, Glendale, CA, USA, 91206. 15.600 copies by e-mail list in PDF format ISSN 1829-0604 USA: Registration certificate and the date: 273.110.00512, 15.12.1995 Tel.: (+1 818) 646 10 72

8 June #23 (1063)  2015 Price: 1000 dr.