Month: August 2008

Bobsguide (press release), UK
Aug 28 2008

Armenian Card to deploy BPC’s SmartVista

28 August 2008

BPC, a leading provider of e-payment solutions for the global
financial business announced the beginning of a new SmartVista
implementation project in the leading Armenian processing company
Armenian Card (ArCa). The deployed solution will provide monitoring
and management of the nation-wide self-service network of the
processor including ATMs and currency exchange terminals.

Armenian Card (ArCa) is the leading payment card processor in the
Armenian Republic. The company was established in 2000 by the Central
bank of Armenia to issue and acquire cards of the national payment
scheme – Armenian Card, to provide third party processing services for
the MasterCard Worldwide and Visa Int. payment cards and support
e-commerce operations. At present the company serves 20 commercial
banks in Armenia managing almost the whole card infrastructure of the
country.

Having faced the problem of lack of performance and poor integrity of
the switching solution used by the company, ArCa management decided to
implement a modern technology and high performance front-end solution
to support its extended ATM and self-service network. ArCa highly
valued the functionality and reliability of BPC’s SmartVista Front-End
solution and chose it to modernise its transaction switching system.

The broad functionality and high performance of SmartVista, its
scalability and ability to support all the modern payment and banking
services available via self-service terminals will allow ArCa to
ensure undisturbed operation of its self-service network and high
availability of all the services provided by the company and to
significantly expand the range of the self-service options in the
future. Besides, SmartVista Front-End offers a wide spectrum of
interfaces for online interaction with ATMs, POS devices, self-service
terminals, payment schemes and other delivery channels and IT
solutions making IT infrastructure built on it universal and allowing
the customer to use any self-service devices regardless of their
configuration and manufacturer.

Presently to raise the economic performance of the processing centre
is possible only through the implementation of modern technologies
like SmartVista, which supports all the necessary tools for efficient
handling of large ATM and self-service networks and support of all the
modern services for the successful business development and this was
duly recognized by ArCa.

`Taking into consideration that Armenian Card is a multi bank
processing centre, while selecting the processing solution we paid
special attention to the opportunity of remote management of both the
whole self-service network and separate devices’, underlined Shagen
Hovhannisyan, Managing Director, Armenian Card. `It was the
convenience and flexibility of the ATMs and other devices handling
through a modern web-interface together with high fault tolerance,
performance and scalability which defined our choice of SmartVista’.

`Implementation of a switching system based on SmartVista is the best
solution for customers who would like to take full advantage of
SmartVista Front-End superior performance and flexibility to enhance
their on-line real-time processing power whilst retaining their
back-office card management environment’ comments Faris Al-Mashta,
Business Development Director, BPC. `BPC has great experience in
similar projects which will allow us to quickly realise all of the
Armenian card’ tasks.’

Aug/28/Armenian_Card_to_deploy_BPC%E2%80%99s_Smart Vista.html

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TECHNICAL PHYSICS: STUDIES CONDUCTED AT YEREVAN STATE UNIVERSITY ON TECHNICAL PHYSICS RECENTLY PUBLISHED

Science Letter
August 26, 2008

"Propagation of light through a planar layer of a chiral photonic
crystal (CPC) enriched by dye molecules," scientists in Yerevan,
Armenia report (see also Technical Physics).

"The limiting case (namely, an amplifying CPC in the absence of local
refraction) is considered. Peculiarities of emission spectra in the
absence and in the presence of insulating boundaries are considered,"
wrote A.H. Gevorgyan and colleagues, Yerevan State University.

The researchers concluded: "Peculiarities of radiation for various
thicknesses of the layer and concentrations of dye molecules are
analyzed."

Gevorgyan and colleagues published their study in Technical Physics
(Peculiarities of radiation in chiral photonic crystals without local
refraction. Technical Physics, 2008;53(6):737-742).

For more information, contact A.H. Gevorgyan, Yerevan State University,
Ul A Manukyana 1, Yerevan 375025, Armenia.

Publisher contact information for the journal Technical Physics is:
Maik Nauka, Interperiodica, Springer, 233 Spring St., New York,
NY 10013-1578, USA.

LASER PHYSICS: FINDINGS FROM A. ISHKHANYAN ET AL IN LASER PHYSICS REPORTED

Science Letter
August 26, 2008

According to a study from Armenia, "The weak nonlinearity limit of the
second-harmonic generation in a medium with variable second-order
susceptibility, changing along the direction of propagation of
interacting waves according to the hyperbolic secant law, is
considered."

"It is shown that the variation of the second harmonic’s normalized
intensity with the spatial coordinate is given in terms of the solution
to an auxiliary linear problem, which is known as the Rosen-Zener
quantum two-level model. The final intensity of the second harmonic
at the exit from the medium is calculated and analyzed," wrote
A. Ishkhanyan and colleagues (see also Laser Physics).

The researchers concluded: "It is shown that, for the particular
Rosen-Zener profile under consideration, because of its inherent
properties, the variation range of the peak susceptibility of the
layer for which the medium can be strictly considered as weakly
nonlinear is narrower than the corresponding parameter range for a
homogeneous medium."

Ishkhanyan and colleagues published their study in Laser
Physics (Second-harmonic generation in a layer with variable
susceptibility. Laser Physics, 2008;18(7):886-893).

For more information, contact A. Ishkhanyan, Armenian National Academy
Science, Institute Physics Research, Ashtarak 0203 2, Armenia.

Publisher contact information for the journal Laser Physics is:
Maik Nauka, Interperiodica, Springer, 233 Spring St., New York,
NY 10013-1578, USA.

LASER PHYSICS: RECENT STUDIES BY A.R. ARAMYAN AND CO-AUTHORS ADD NEW DATA TO LASER PHYSICS FINDINGS

Science Letter
August 26, 2008

"It is demonstrated that the radiation of red sprites and blue jets
formed in the upper atmosphere is due to the superluminescence of
highly excited atomic oxygen induced by an acoustic wave," scientists
writing in the journal Laser Physics report (see also Laser Physics).

"The field observations of the effect of acoustic waves on the
atmosphere are presented. The responses that represent high-frequency
electromagnetic and optical pulses are obtained," wrote A.R. Aramyan
and colleagues.

The researchers concluded: "The laboratory experimental study of
the gas discharge is performed to simulate the processes in the
upper atmosphere."

Aramyan and colleagues published their study in Laser Physics
(Superluminescence of atomic oxygen in the upper atmosphere. Laser
Physics, 2008;18(7):835-841).

Additional information can be obtained by contacting A.R. Aramyan,
National Academy Science Armenia, Institute Applied Physics Problems,
Ul Nersesyana, Yerevan 375014, Armenia.

The publisher of the journal Laser Physics can be contacted at:
Maik Nauka, Interperiodica, Springer, 233 Spring St., New York,
NY 10013-1578, USA.

PLASMA PHYSICS: STUDY DATA FROM E.V. ROSTOMYAN AND COLLEAGUES UPDATE UNDERSTANDING OF PLASMA PHYSICS

Science Letter
August 26, 2008

According to recent research published in the journal Plasma Physics
and Controlled Fusion, "The development of conventional beam-plasma
instability in a system penetrated by short electron bunches is
considered."

"The fields induced by the bunches’ edges increase exponentially and
actually serve as initial perturbations for instability development,"
wrote E.V. Rostomyan and colleagues (see also Plasma Physics).

The researchers concluded: "It is shown that superposition of the field
induced by front and back edges results in a complicated configuration
that can affect various aspects of operation of devices for short-pulse
microwave generation, e. g. transient processes."

Rostomyan and colleagues published their study in Plasma Physics and
Controlled Fusion (Development of beam-plasma instability in systems
for short-pulse microwave generation. Plasma Physics and Controlled
Fusion, 2008;50(8):85019).

For additional information, contact E.V. Rostomyan, National Ac
Science Armenia, Institute Radiophys & Electrical, Alikhanyan Str 1,
Ashtarak 378410, Armenia.

The publisher’s contact information for the journal Plasma Physics and
Controlled Fusion is: IOP Publishing Ltd., Dirac House, Temple Back,
Bristol BS1 6BE, England.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GONE TO BASE
by Ruslan Gorevoi

WPS Agency
What the Papers Say (Russia)
August 26, 2008 Tuesday
Russia

RUSSIA IS REESTABLISHING MILITARY BASES ON THE BORDERS OF THE ERSTWHILE
SOVIET UNION; An update on Moscow’s response to the efforts of the
West to build a sanitary cordon around Russia.

Keeping an eye on geopolitical parity is one duty Moscow never shirks
nowadays. Of course, it could adopt a different pattern of behavior and
succumb to Washington’s every demand the way Yugoslavia once did. What
this compliance cost Yugoslavia is common knowledge. First, all
republics were encouraged to cede and leave Serbia all alone. Second,
the West left Serbia without its own ancestral lands of Kosovo and
Metochia.

Even that is not all, or so it seems. With President Boris Tadic
studiously looking the other way, all of Serbia may be restricted to
Belgrade city limits soon. The Serbian way of non-resistance to the
bullying West is not for Russia. It follows that something has to be
done. Response to appearance of the American ABM defense system in the
Czech Republic and Poland should take the form of an increased military
presence of Russia in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan and also
in Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Belarus. As well as in Syria, Cuba,
and Venezuela. (With Belarus, everything is clear since we will form
a union with this country one fine day.) Military experts say that
these measures will neutralize the American ABM defense system in
Poland whose efficiency is going to be marginal in any event. This
system kills one missile out of five on its lucky day and never even
sees guided missiles with nuclear warheads.

President of Moldova Vladimir Voronin was demanding Russian
peacekeepers’ withdrawal from the Trans-Dniester region and their
replacement with an international contingent barely a year ago. It took
Deputy Premier Sergei Ivanov a great deal of patience and persuasion
to convince Voronin to learn to live up with the idea that Russia
would retain its presence in the region as long as assets of the
14th Army remained there. As a matter of fact, Russia was supposed to
withdraw all of that from the region seven years ago, in keeping with
the Istanbul Accords (1999). On the other hand, withdrawal from the
Trans-Dniester region would have meant leaving the self-proclaimed
republic on its own and depriving itself of a chance to establish a
military base there one fine day.

Now that Ukrainian President Victor Yuschenko reached an agreement with
his Romanian counterpart Traian Basescu to settle the Trans-Dniester
conflict without Moldova, Voronin has a chance (and the time)
to authorize an increase of the numerical strength of the Russian
peacekeeping contingent in the region and permit establishment of
Russian military bases just about anywhere in Moldova.

Russian peacekeepers in the Trans-Dniester region number almost 1,000
men these days (two motorized infantry battalions, battalion of guards,
helicopter unit, and several auxiliary companies). The contingent is to
be increased to brigade’s size soon. Also importantly, the reinforced
contingent will help Moldova itself with its national security.

Restoration of Russia’s military presence in Central Asia began in
Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Return to these post-Soviet
republics was anything but easy and unproblematic, thanks to
NATO. Return to Uzbekistan was particularly difficult. President
Islam Karimov was one of the initiators of the anti-Russian
GUUAM (an alliance of Georgia, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Azerbaijan,
and Moldova). Moreover, one of the first US military bases in
the post-Soviet zone was established precisely in Uzbekistan (in
Khanabad). Karimov even did his best to keep the Russian military out
of Kyrgyzstan, so that a major conflict between Moscow and Tashkent
was barely averted in 2001.

In any event, Karimov and Voronin reconsidered their options. Islamic
gunmen provoked several border incidents several years ago. The Uzbeks
turned to the United States for help but Washington chose to remain
deaf to all requests. Uzbek secret services in the meanwhile came by
the documents proving that the gunmen had aimed to seize Samarkand
and Bukhara and – which was particularly piquant – that they had
elicited promises of non-involvement from the Americans. Karimov did
not forgive the Americans. He ousted them from Uzbekistan in 2005 and
invited the Russians to the former US AF base a year later. Official
Tashkent severed ties with the Americans and withdrew from GUUAM.

More or less analogous metamorphoses occurred in Kyrgyzstan
too. Reassuring Moscow of his goodwill and readiness to advance
relations with it, President Askar Akayev did what he could to prevent
transfer of the airfield in Kant to the Russians. At the same time,
he did not exactly object to the American expansion into Central Asia
so that the US AF established its airbase in Manas right near the
capital city of Bishkek in 2002. Once the AF base was established,
Islamic fanatics launched their attacks – just the way it had been
in Uzbekistan nearby.

Moreover, Akayev was hard pressed by existence of unsolved territorial
disputes with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, ones he couldn’t hope to
settle on his own. Claiming to want "parity" in the country, Akayev
authorized establishment of a Russian military base. It was established
in 2003 (Russia has SU-25 ground-strafers based there). As for Akayev,
he told the Americans to vacate the premises in spring 2005 – the
way Karimov had done before him.

When Kurmanbek Bakiyev was elected the president of Kyrgyzstan, the
Russian military solidified its positions in this country. Russia
has several other military objects in Kyrgyzstan these days – torpedo
testing center, long-range communications center, and seismic station
working for the Russian Strategic Missile Forces.

It is necessary to add that Russian military presence meets long-term
interests of Central Asian republics.

The Tajik Pamir are Kyrgyz-populated. Samarkand and Bukhara in
the southern part of Uzbekistan are Tajik-populated. There are
four Uzbek enclaves on the territory of Kyrgyzstan. State borders
actually exist on paper because Central Asian states cannot maintain
their integrity. Skirmishes between border guards are not exactly
unheard-of (one involving Uzbek and Tajik border guards was reported
only recently).

There is Afghanistan nearby, a major pain in the neck. Islamic
fundamentalists cross the borders without hindrance, ferrying into
Central Asia weapons, drugs, and ideology.

All hopes are pinned on the Russian military, particularly in
Tajikistan. President Emomali Rakhmonov kept stalling for time in the
matter of permitting a Russian military base in Tajikistan when his
country’s national security was maintained by Russian border guards’
presence. All of that ended in December 2004 when Russia withdrew
its border guards and left Tajikistan facing the task of securing
its own borders. It did not take official Dushanbe long to realize
the scope of problems it was facing with Russian border guards gone
and nobody to turn to for assistance.

Russia ended up owner of the Nurek electronic center in less than a
month. Its 201st Motorized Infantry Division posted in Tajikistan was
developed into a fully-fledged military base. These days, three Russian
regiments are quartered in Dushanbe, Kulyab, and Kurgan-Tyube. By
way of military presence in Tajikistan, Russia also has a battery of
Grad multiple rocket launchers, AF group (five SU-25s), helicopter
wing, antiaircraft missile regiment, regiment of self-propelled
artillery pieces, and a regiment of jammers. Nearly 8,000 men strong,
the Russian military contingent includes 100 tanks and 300 infantry
fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers. Also importantly,
Tajikistan does not even demand a rent for the military base.

Georgia’s reckless foray into South Ossetia offered Moscow additional
opportunities even in this region that seemed lost to its influence
forever. President of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity has already
authorized establishment of a major military base, and his Abkhazian
counterpart Sergei Bagapsh is expected to follow suit in the immediate
future. Political situation being what it is, Russian military presence
in the region will ensure its security in the Caucasus and serve as
a counterweight to American presence.

The situation in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan in the meanwhile may repeat
itself again in Azerbaijan. President Ilham Aliyev will probably
be re-elected but the Americans seem to be backing the Azerbaijani
opposition rather than their protege. There are no guarantees at
all that Aliyev will tolerate it. In fact, he is likely to do what
his Uzbek and Kyrgyz colleagues did. In the meantime, there is an
obstacle to the Russian-Azerbaijani rapprochement, one by name of
Yerevan. Two years ago, Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Abiyev
declared his country ready "to take every conceivable measure to
restore territorial integrity and control over Nagorno-Karabakh",
and relations between Moscow and Baku plummeted.

Russian then Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov proclaimed Moscow
ready to dispatch its military to Stepanakert (the capital of
Nagorno-Karabakh). In fact, Ivanov repeated the offer to Stepanakert a
year later. Official Baku was understandably upset then. It is probably
different, these days. Aliyev may put up with deployment of the Russian
military in Stepanakert and with other, even more resolute, steps
now. In any event, Russian military analysts anticipate establishment
of a Russian military base in Azerbaijan in a foreseeable future –
on Aliyev’s request.

In other words, the Russian military returned to the borders of the
erstwhile USSR and established a security belt along the Russian
perimeter. Leaders of Venezuela, Cuba, and Syria offer territories
of their countries for Russian military bases too. It is going to put
Russia in a position where it will be able to make a lot of problems
for the United States in the Middle East and Latin America. Sure,
it is not going to endear Russia to Europe or America, but it will
allow for at least a semblance of military parity. Also importantly,
this expansion promises Russia both foreign political dividends
and purely economic ones. Control is frequently more rewarding than
actual possession.

ARMENIAN REVOLUTIONARY FEDERATION-DASHNAKTSUTYUN BUREAU

Mher Lazarian 12/1, Yerevan, Armenia
Mailing Address: P.O.Box 123 – Yerevan, Armenia 0010
Tel.: (37410) 52-18-90, 52-19-66 – Fax: (37410) 52-14-53
E-mail: [email protected] Website:

THERE IS NO NEED FOR THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENI TO RUSH, ARF-DASHNAKTSUTYUN FINDS

Yerevan, 27 August 2008, ARF Press Office — In response to a question
from a reporter from Republic of Armenia daily, regarding Russia’s
recognition of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Armen
Rustamyan, Chairman of the ARF-Dashnaktsutyun Supreme Council of
Armenia, stated:

"It is a complicated situation for us. We respect the right to
self-determination; we have and will continue to defend the right of
the people of Karabakh to determine their own destiny. The
independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia has been recognized by the
Russian Federation, one of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and
our strategic partner, while the other two co-chairs have recognized
the independence of Kosovo.

"On the other hand, the issue concerns our neighbor Georgia, with whom
normal relations are of vital interest to our country.

"In these conditions, we think, that the Republic of Armenia should
not act hastily, as it did in the case of Kosovo. Armenia has not even
recognized the independence of Karabakh, because it doesn’t consider
that the international community’s ability to resolve the issue
peacefully has been exhausted. We think, that the possibilities to
peacefully resolve the Russia-Georgia conflict have also not been
exhausted and that it is possible and it is the way to proceed. The
Republic of Armenia cannot discuss the recognition of Abkhazia and
South Ossetia outside the context of the Karabakh issue."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TROOPS WILL REMAIN
by Natalia Kostenko, Yelena Ragozina, Aleksei Nikolsky

WPS Agency
What the Papers Say (Russia)
August 26, 2008 Tuesday
Russia

WILL PRESIDENT DMITRY MEDVEDEV ANSWER THE PARLIAMENT’S PLEA TO
RECOGNIZE SOVEREIGNTY OF SOUTH OSSETIA AND ABKHAZIA TODAY?; Aware of
all implications, the parliament appeals to the president to recognize
South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

"The Security Council is meeting in Sochi later today," Russian
Representative to NATO Dmitry Rogozin said. (Rogozin himself had
been called back from Brussels for consultations with the president
in Sochi.) "Defense and foreign ministers are already here. Chairmen
of both houses of the parliament are expected now… Agenda of the
meeting it not known yet which means that it is not going to be a
routine meeting."

Sources in the Duma maintain that the Security Council meeting will
be focused on recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as sovereign
states and consequences of this step for Russia.

The Federation Council meantime expects the president to say how much
in terms of troops he wants in South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Yesterday,
the upper house of the parliament backed the president’s appeal
for deployment as of August 8 of the Armed Forces in the capacity of
additional peacekeepers in the Georgian-Ossetian and Georgian-Abkhazian
conflict areas. The meeting took place behind the closed doors.

Judging by the documents Vedomosti possesses, Medvedev appealed to
the Federation Council on August 20. Suggesting deployment of the
army in South Ossetia, Medvedev referred to genocide and violation
of the existing agreements, UN Charter, and UN General Assembly
resolution dated December 14, 1974) by Georgia. Reinforcement of
peacekeepers in Abkhazia meanwhile was necessitated by deterioration
of the situation, aggressive actions on Georgia’s part, and violations
of the international law by Tbilisi.

The documents included no figures concerning personnel or whatever
else. Victor Ozerov of the Security and Defense Committee (Federation
Council) said it was done deliberately, to give the president certain
freedom.

Federation Council Chairman Sergei Mironov maintains that the Russian
troops will be left in South Ossetia and adjacent areas. In fact,
peacekeepers will set up checkpoints along the frontiers of the
10-kilometers wide security zone. "Additional contingent of the
Russian troops will be deployed behind the peacekeepers," Mironov said.

Mironov ruled out the possibility of "mission internationalization
talks" but promised that the zone taken up by Russian peacekeepers
would be open to OSCE observers.

The Russian military has only made up its collective mind with regard
to the contingent to be deployed in Abkhazia. Chief of the General
Staff Anatoly Nogovitsyn already said that 2,142 peacekeepers would
be stationed in Abkhazia.

As for South Ossetia, 452 peacekeepers will be deployed in the security
zone there on both sides of the Georgian-Ossetian administrative
border. There is no saying how many more servicemen will be deployed
beyond the security zone in South Ossetia itself.

A source in the Defense Ministry does not expect the group to be
large. "Russia does not need a large group there as long as it retains
the capacity to up numerical strength of the contingent." The Defense
Ministry keeps regarding these troops as peacekeepers. "Establishment
of bases is out of the question for the time being," the source said.

These days, Russia has military bases in Tajikistan (7,000 men on
the outside), Armenia (4,000), and Kyrgyzstan (1,000). Their status
is determined by agreements between the government of Russia and
governments of the host countries.

The Federation Council unanimously voted for the appeal to the
president to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia as sovereign
states. The upper house of the parliament ascribed it to Tbilisi’s
reluctance to sign a non-aggression pact, its aggressiveness that
cost so many lives already, deterioration of the Georgian-Abkhazian
conflict, and numerous appeals for recognition from the self-proclaimed
republics themselves.

The Duma adopted a similar appeal on the strength of some other
arguments. The Georgian military operation cancelled 15 years of
Russia’s and other UN countries’ diplomatic and peacekeeping effort;
recognition will make these peoples safe, facilitate peace and
regional stability.

Another appeal adopted by the Duma addressed UN countries. Russian
lawmakers emphasized that Georgia deliberately violated peace
accords and chose to defy UN General Assembly’s "Olympic truce"
calls. The parliamentarians advise their colleagues abroad to take what
happened as a result of a centuries-long confrontation between the two
peoples. They point out that South Ossetia and Abkhazia are entitled
to recognition of their sovereignty because unlike Kosovo, they build
democratic states with all trappings of legitimate statehood.

A source in the upper echelons of the Duma is convinced that
the president will declare recognition of the self-proclaimed
republics. Lawmakers meanwhile understand that it will spell but
trouble for Russia itself and for the republics in question. LDPR
faction leader Igor Lebedev suggested that it would cost Russia a lot
of strategic partners like China. As a matter of fact, Lebedev was
not even convinced that countries of the CIS and Shanghai Cooperation
Organization intended to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

The Civilitas Foundation
One Northern Ave. Suite 30
Yerevan, Armenia
Telephones: +37410.500119, +37494.800754
Email: [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Mr. Vartan Oskanian, founder of the Civilitas Foundation, and former
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, spoke to BBC World Service’s Owen
Bennett Jones on Wednesday, August 27, 2008, about the Caucasus region in
the wake of Russia’s recognition of S. Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Below, Mr. Oskanian’s responses.

What do you think NATO should do?
I think there’s a big responsibility here. I believe NATO at least publicly
but more so through diplomatic channels should talk to Russia and consider
reviewing their policy vis-à-vis the Caucasus, Ukraine. I’m not suggesting
that they change anything, but at least they should be prepared at this
stage to sit down and talk with Russia and express the willingness to review
things, to see if they can come up with an option that will be viable and
also acceptable to all parties.

So you’re suggesting NATO should back down on their positions on membership?
That has to be mutually agreed upon. I understand NATO’s position, that they
don’t want to be dictated to by anybody as they decide what they will do
with membership issues, but given the circumstances and what we have seen
in these past three weeks and particularly after Russia’s recognition of
South Ossetia and Abkhazia, I think it would be worthwhile to put that
=8Cpride’ aside and sit down for the benefit of global harmony and also for
the benefit of the Caucasus, sit down and talk with each other and come up
with a viable option that will be beneficial for all.

Don’t you feel vulnerable to Russian expansion?

We’ve never felt that. We do not have any particular problem with Russia.
What concerns us today is that our room to maneuver will be extremely
limited given the fact that Russia and Georgia, for Armenia, are vital
neighbors. If Russia is our strategic partner, then Georgia is our natural
partner. Our trade goes thru Georgia, historically we have had excellent
ties. So this tension between Russia and Georgia, and I would even go a step
further to qualify this as tension between the West and Russia, by proxy,
will put Armenia in a difficult situation. For a decade, when I was foreign
minister, we implemented a policy of complementarity clearly saying to
everybody that we will not choose between Russia and the U.S. Armenia can
not afford to choose. I think that whole issue now has come closer to home
and Armenia should even enhance that complementarity by clearly telling
everybody that choosing is not an option for Armenia.

Why not? Russia is expanding, why not choose against Russia?
We shouldn’t rush to the conclusion that Russia is expanding. Maybe what
Russia has done is a consequence of a sequence of steps and missteps by both
sides. I’m not putting blame on any one side, or, maybe I’m putting the
blame on everybody. This is the time when cool heads should prevail, not
just in Russia and Georgia but also the West. In the heat of things, lots of
resentments are being expressed. I think there is a moment there. There is
an opportunity so that we sit down and talk – all of us, Brussels, Moscow
and Washington should sit down with Yerevan, Tbilisi and Baku =8B and come up
with a viable option for this region, so that we turn the Caucasus into a
non-aligned Caucasus. Because the Caucasus is too small to accommodate
several security alliances especially when they are exclusionary.

So, keep the Russians out, keep the Americans out, make the Caucasus a
non-aligned neutral area.
I think that will be a viable option. I don’t see how we can proceed with
this kind of tension. It’s not just detrimental for our region but also for
global politics. I don’t think the world these days can afford this kind of
tension, this Cold War redux, because there are more pressing issues before
Russia, the US and the international community. Our focus should be on those
issues rather than fighting proxy wars in different regions.

But it has to be said that with Russia in its current mood and the US in its
current mood, this is not going to happen, is it?

Let’s look at the reasons for those moods. There’s lots of resentment there
that have accumulated since the collapse of the USSR. There has been a
sequence of misunderstandings that have led to this kind of situation. In
the past 400 years, the world has gone through at least four, five major
transformations. After each major war and conflict, a new system has
emerged, at each new mechanisms and new institutions have emerged to
constitute a new world order to regulate state relationships. The end of the
Cold War is the exception. The very institutions that contributed to the
defeat of the USSR remained as the main pillars of the so-called new world
order. That was natural back then when Russia and China were weak. Today’s
Russia and China are not the same. Insisting on those institutions
particularly the security ones, to operate the way they used to, is not
sustainable.

ARMENIA TAKES FURTHER STEPS WITH TAX REFORM
by Natalia Leshchenko

World Markets Research Centre
Global Insight
August 26, 2008

Both the government and the parliament have recently made contributions
to the ongoing effort to reform Armenia’s tax system. The legislature
has approved a package of amendments to a dozen of law related to tax
collection, scrapping, among others, the exemption from VAT and other
taxes for the small retail traders in non-agricultural sector. The
government, in the meantime, had merged the State Tax Service (STS)
and the State Customs Committee (SCC), with a view to streamlining tax
collection. President Sargsyan severely criticised the tax body, headed
by Vahram Barseghian, a close associate of his predecessor Robert
Kocharian. The newly created body, called the State Revenue Committee,
will be headed by former customs committee chief, Gagik Khachatrian.

Significance:The Armenian government is on a mission to reduce tax
evasion in the country, and is pursuing a three-year programme for
the purpose, targeting both corruption in the collection bodies and
improving tax-payer discipline in a two-pronged policy. While many
small traders protested against the removal of tax preferences, these
are likely to stay in place. Radio Liberty reports that Armenia’s
revenues grew by nearly 35% in the first half of 2008, the bulk of
which derived from the collection of VAT, mostly by customs office on
imported goods. The creation of one instead of two bodies responsible
for dues collection is theoretically logical, if the restructuring
itself is accomplished in good time.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress