Month: October 2008

ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN TRADE TURNOVER GROWS 19.5 PERCENT IN JAN/AUG 2008

ARKA
Oct 1, 2008

YEREVAN, October 1. /ARKA/. Armenian-Russian trade turnover grew
19.5 percent in Jan/Aug 2008 to $482.4 million, National Statistical
Service of Armenia reports.

Export from Armenia to Russia reached $136.4 million (19% of Armenia’s
total export) by late August after growing 9% over the period between
January and August 2008, compared with the same period a year earlier.

Russian goods worth $346 million were imported in Armenia in Jan/Aug
2008 (24.2% growth).

Import from Russia totals $397.8 million (15.9%) or 15.2 of total
import.

Russia’s share in Armenia’s foreign trade turnover was 14.6% in
Jan/Aug 2008. It means Russia retained its supremacy over other
importers in Armenia.

Share of Commonwealth of Independent States in Armenia’s foreign
trade turnover was 30.6% in Jan-Aug 2008 (32.6% at the same period
a year earlier).

Armenia’s foreign trade turnover S3308.9 million after growing 24.5%,
compared with the same period of the previous year. Export totaled
$696.8 million and import $2612.1 million.

ARMENIA 67TH AMONG 141 COUNTRIES IN ECONOMIC FREEDOM OF THE WORLD 2008 RATINGS

ARKA
Oct 1, 2008

YEREVAN, October 1. /ARKA/. Armenia ranks the 67th among 141 countries
in ratings of Economic Freedom of the World 2008 published by Cato
Institute.

Armenia got 6.83 on 10-point scale, Washington ProFile international
news agency reports referring to the results of the study.

The ratings of other CIS countries are as follows: Estonia (11th,
7.89 points), Lithuania (31 and 7.40 respectively), Georgia (39 and
7.29), Latvia (40 and 7.27), Kazakhstan (42 and 7.23), Kyrgyzstan (60
and 6.96), Moldova (78 and 6.51), Azerbaijan (118 and 5.73), Ukraine
(121 and 5.64). Belarus, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan have
not been covered in the study.

The first ten most free in terms of economy countries are Hong Kong
(special administrative region of China – 8.94 points), Singapore,
New Zealand, Switzerland, Great Britain, Chili, Canada, USA (8.04
points each), Australia and Ireland (7.92 each).

Ratings of other major world economies are as follows: Germany –
17th (7.64 points), Japan – 27th , France – 45th, Italy – 49th,
Mexico – 58th, India – 77th, China – 93rd, Brazil – 96th, Russia –
101st (6.12 points).

The worst situation has been recorded in Zimbabwe (141st, 2.67 points),
Angola, Myanmar (Burma), Congo and Niger. Eight out of ten countries
with the lowest level of economic freedo m are in Africa (apart from
Myanmar and Venezuela).

The USA has appeared among the countries where the steepest reduction
in economic freedom level was recorded (Zimbabwe, Argentina, Niger,
Venezuela and Guiana). In 2000 the USA was the second in terms of
economic freedom after Hong Kong.

A record high progress in economic freedom was achieved in Ghana,
Uganda, Israel, Peru and Jamaica.

Five main criteria have been assessed during the study – first,
government dimensions (i.e. number of public servants not involved in
economic process directly, share of government involvement in economy,
volume of government investments, and etc.); second, protection of
property rights; third, accessibility of monetary funds (inflation
rates, accessibility of currency account control, and etc.); fourth,
level of freedom of international trade and fifth, level of business,
labor market and loan market regulation.

The ratings’ authors mention that the highest annual economic growth
rates are recorded in countries of the first ¼ of the ratings list –
2.31% against 0.50% in countries of the last forth of the ratings. More
economic freedom goes together with higher life expectancy (79
against 58 years), greater political rights and personal freedoms,
the report says.

–Boundary_(ID_lrDY2s00nC2RRtCuBBXeZw)–

ARMENIA TO PARTICIPATE IN SITTING OF CIS ANTIMONOPOLY INTERSTATE COUNCIL IN ASTANA

ARKA
Oct 1, 2008

YEREVAN, October 1. /ARKA/. Chairman of Armenia’s State Commission
for Protection of Economic Competition Ashot Shakhnazaryan left
for Astana yesterday to participate in the 28th sitting of CIS
Antimonopoly Interstate Council, the press service of the Commission
reported. Shakhnazaryan is to make a report at the sitting, says the
press release.

Results of joint studies in airfreight market and wheat and
telecommunication market study process are to be discussed at the
sitting.

In the scope of the sitting, a conference on role of antimonopoly
policy in raising competitiveness will be held on October 3.

The next sitting of the CIS Antimonopoly Council is to be held
in Yerevan.

PRELATE COMMEMORATES SOURP KEVORK NAME DAY WITH LAVAL COMMUNITY

armradio.am
01.10.2008 09:28

Under the Auspices of His Eminence, Archbishop Khajag Hagopian, Prelate
of the Armenian Prelacy of Canada, a special ceremony celebrating
the feast Sourp Kevork was held during Divine Liturgy at its namesake
church in Laval.

His Eminence was joined by Sourp Kevork’s pastor Archpriest Hrair
Nicolian during this service in honour of one of the most venerated
Saints in the Eastern & Oriental Orthodox Churches, Eastern Catholic
Churches, as well as the Anglican Church.

Canonized during the fifth century, Sourp Kevork is the patron Saint
of many countries and cities and is revered as a liberator of captives
and the defender of the poor.

PACE TO CONSIDER DISCREDITING RUSSIAN DELEGATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.10.2008 13:03 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ An urgent debate on the consequences of the war
between Georgia and Russia is the main focus of the autumn session
of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) that
started in Strasbourg on 29 September.

Under the pretext of ‘serious concerns over the conflict between two
CoE member states’, a group of 24 PACE members called to ‘discredit
the Russian delegation’.

PACE President Lluis Maria de Puig scheduled a debate for October
2. Meanwhile, head of the Russian delegation, Konstantin Kosachev
insisted the discussion be held before the vote on resolution,
as stated in the Assembly’s charter. "The initiative to discredit
the Russian delegation is absurd. Discussion of the key subject of
the current session without participation of the Russian delegation
will be a farce and will drive the Council of Europe into an awkward
position. Unable to decide who started the war – Georgia or Russia
– the CoE risks to accept a flagrant lie and put all the blame on
Russia," he said, RBC reports.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT DECORATED WITH GEORGIAN GOLDEN FLEECE ORDER

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.10.2008 14:25 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili decorated
his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan with state Golden Fleece Order.

During a briefing, the Armenian President stressed the necessity to
maintain stability in Armenia and Georgia, which ensures transit for
70 percent of Armenian cargo.

"Armenia intends to develop relations with Georgia, harnessing the
potential at most. We also agreed to simplify the rules of crossing
the Armenian-Georgian border," he said.

Touching on the August events, President Sargsyan reiterated that
conflicts cannot be resolved with the use of force. "The Caucasus is
situated at the crossroad of interests which should be used for the
glory of the region," he said.

UNFREEZING THE FROZEN CONFLICTS: IS NAGORNO-KARABAKH NEXT?

Hurriyet
HotNewsTurkey.com
Wednesday, October 01, 2008 14:15
Turkey

The developments of the summer of 2008 in Caucasus are likely to open
the Pandora’s box and to have an impact on the frozen conflicts that
are the legacy of the Soviet Union.

Russia’s recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two breakaway
regions of Georgia, as independent states is sure to have
ripple effects on other conflicts — Moldova’s Transdniester and
Nagorno-Karabakh, a region within Azerbaijan but invaded by Armenia.

The disputed Nagorno-Karabakh territory differs from the other frozen
conflicts.

Unlike South Ossetia, Abkhazia, and Transdniester, the population of
Nagorno-Karabakh does not hold Russian passports and does not seek
extensive Russian patronage.

Rather, its goal is outright independence, or barring that,
reintegration with Armenia.

Still the road to resolve this conflict goes through Moscow as well.

The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia began in 1988 due to
Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

Since 1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20 percent of
Azerbaijan including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven
surrounding districts.

INTENSIFIED DIPLOMACY The efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh
problem seem to be intensified after Georgia-Russia conflict as the
situation of South Ossetia and Abkhazia increased fears of a renewed
violence and escalation of tension.

Turkey, who does not have any diplomatic ties with Armenia, had
proposed the formation of a Caucasian platform, while its president
paid a landmark visit Yerevan in early September.

During the United Nations summit in New York last week a couple of
multi-sided meetings held on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Turkish foreign minister brought his counterparts from Azerbaijan
and Armenia together, while Minsk Group also gathered to work on a
meeting of two disputed countries’ leaders.

A breakthrough in solving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict would also
contribute to the warmer atmosphere between Turkey and Armenia, as
well as help the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between
two neighbors.

MEDIATING EFFORTS Some suggest Turkey could act like a mediator between
Armenia and Azerbaijan as the relations between the U.S. and Russia,
co-chairs the Minsk Group with France, sour after the Georgia issue.

In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which
time the active hostilities ended. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group are currently holding peaceful negotiations.

Azerbaijan, on the other hand, signaled it want Turkey as the
co-chairman of the Minsk Group.

Both of these suggestions, however, is unlikely given the fact
Armenia’s unwillingness to give Turkey, who has historic and cultural
ties with Azerbaijan, such a role.

Turkey had cut its diplomatic relations and closed the border with
Armenia after it occupied Azerbaijani territory.

Some 10 percent of the Azeri population was displaced due to a
series of bloody clashes both between and within the two neighboring
countries.

RUSSIA FACTOR Russia helped Armenian forces in the Nagorno-Karabakh
war and has a military base in Armenia.

Russia’s efforts to gain a grip on Azerbaijan’s vast energy resources
has also served Armenia’s interests in Nagorno-Karabakh by blocking
a resolution of the conflict in Azerbaijan’s favor.

And now Azerbaijan signals it could take a step towards Moscow while
keeping its relations with the West on balance. Azerbaijani leadership
said in New York Russia is a key player in the process.

Meanwhile after Georgia conflict Baku had decided to divert its West
energy exports routes to Russia and Iran.

Although the process to resolve the conflict has sped up, the
expectations of a rapid solution are low.

Moreover Baku still insists the solution must based on the territorial
integrity of the region, while Yerevan says the region could and
should be recognized as independent state.

This is more than enough to show that there is still a rocky road
ahead.

DUTCH PARLIAMENTARIAN: U.S. AND NATO RESPONSIBLE FOR WAR IN GEORGIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.10.2008 14:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Many say that the bombing of Tkhinvali was Georgia’s
attempt to restore order in its territory but it’s cynical to justify
an armed aggression, a Dutch parliamentarian said during a debate in
the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

"The United States and NATO which have been arming and training
Georgian troops are responsible for the tragedy," said Tiny Kox,
President of the PACE Unified Left Group.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN TOP-LEVEL TALKS HELD IN TBILISI

DeFacto Agency
2008-10-01 14:52:00
Armenia

YEREVAN, 01.10.08. DE FACTO. A meeting of the RA President Serge
Sargsian, who had arrived in Tbilisi on an official visit, and
Georgia’s President Mikhail Saakashvili behind closed doors was
held on September 30. Then Armenian-Georgian talks were followed by
expanded negotiations.

On the same day, in the evening, Georgian and Armenian Presidents
issued a joint statement. A joint briefing of the two states’ heads
was also held on the outcomes of Armenian-Georgian talks.

According to Regnum, an agreement concerning maximal simplification
of the procedure of crossing Georgian-Armenian border was reached in
the course of the talks. As for the delimitation of Georgian-Armenian
state border, Georgian President stated the works were coming to
an end. "We are finishing the work on the border’s delimitation,
and actually there are no unsettled issues", Mikhail Saakashvili said.

Armenia and Georgia also agreed on the establishment of a joint
consortium on the construction of a new automobile road connecting
the two countries. The highway is expected to be built through the
region of Adjara. According to Saakashvili, the new road "will connect
all regions of alpine Adjara with Georgian-Armenian border and,
simultaneously, via South Georgia, with Georgia’s capital city". He
added it was an alternative route to Tbilisi-Batumi highway.

"It will take a few years to open the highway, however, our succeeding
generations will recall today’s meeting with great joy", Mikhail
Saakashvili stated voicing confidence that joint projects will
"change economic geography of Armenia and Georgia and will serve to
their citizens’ well-fare".

CLEVELAND-AREA COOKS PASS ON ARMENIAN TRADITIONS

The Plain Dealer – cleveland.com
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
OH

Thirty years ago, members of the St. Gregory of Narek Women’s Guild
foraged for edible wild grape leaves in the back seven acres of their
Richmond Heights church.

"The men came with us," said Sandy Aurslanian. "You could get lost
back there."

Much of that property has been sold off for development, but the
domed and arched church — Ohio’s only Armenian church — still sits
elegantly across from Richmond Town Square. And the women of the
church are still coming together to stuff grape leaves with rice,
onion and herbs and raise money for the parish.

Less than two weeks remain before this year’s Armenian Food Festival
and Bazaar, Saturday and Sunday. Already the women have stuffed
1,700 grape leaves, tucked feta cheese into puff pastry for 1,500
cheese boereg and cooked and seasoned ground lamb and beef for 1,008
flatbread pizzas called lahmajoun.

Many of the desserts they will serve, including an Armenian-styled
baklava, will be prepared over the next week. Lamb and chicken will
be marinated, skewered and cooked over charcoal. Cracked wheat pilafs
will be simmered in broth, and green fattoush salads will be seasoned
with tart, red sumac berries.

"It’s a lot of work," said Aurslanian. "We have a couple crates of
parsley to prepare, and that has to be washed and the leaves picked
off and chopped. All the lemons must be juiced."

In a cooperative interfaith culinary moment, the women will store
much of what they make in extra freezer space at St. Paschal Baylon,
a nearby Catholic church.

None of these Mediterranean-styled festival dishes would be made if
the women thought of it only as work. On a strikingly clear September
Saturday morning, about 20 of them gathered in the church hall to
make cheese boereg. While Armenian congregations in Boston and New
York may be larger, some feel St. Gregory’s is special for the way
it continues to pull in the young to learn the tricks of the old.

Some of those tricks include the logistics of turning 30 pounds of
cracked wheat into pilaf. Or, testing the proper texture of baklava
syrup as it rolls off the fingernail.

Each procedure comes with room for other opinions.

"We’re all critics here," said Alice Paterna, who co-manages the
festival’s food preparation.

The event has raised about $10,000 a year for the past six years,
which added up to a little more than half the money needed to rebuild
the church hall kitchen last year. Festival manager Dina Walworth,
41, Aurslanian’s daughter, said she thinks of Armenians as warm,
hardworking people who have similarities with Jews because of the
way they merge their religion with their cultural identity and have
survived terrible genocides.

Armenia was the first Christian country, as of the year 301, and has
suffered a parade of persecutors. It is north of Turkey and Iran and
sits landlocked in the isthmus between the Black and Caspian seas.

"My mom’s generation knew some of the million-and-a-half people who
died in the attacks of 1915," she said. "They were driven to build
this church and after hearing the stories, we, the younger generation,
are driven to keep it going.

"It’s one of the reasons we make this food."

Walworth calls the cooks who came before her "pillars of the
kitchen." She thinks of them as she works her way through recipes,
especially when she’s stuffing grape leaves at home with leaves she
gathered herself.

So does her mom, Aurslanian, who can barely speak of her food —
and life — mentors without fanning her face to ward off her tears.

"I learned everything from them," she said, before turning back to
the job at hand.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-4357

L01%ARMENIAN, ,30012LLE1001, , PEGGY TURBETTTHE PLAIN DEALER

%%head%%Cheese Boereg With Puff Pastry

%%endhead%% %%bodybegin%%

Makes 24 servings

FILLING:

1 pound brick cheese

¾ cup crumbled feta cheese

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

DOUGH:

1 package Pepperidge Farm puff pastry

GLAZE:

1 egg, beaten

Cook’s notes: Brick, a melting cheese, is often found in su permarket
deli sections. A small pizza wheel cutter is handy for cutting
the dough.

Prepare dough: Thaw dough according to package direc tions. Divide each
pastry sheet into thirds and cut each strip into 4 equal pieces. Roll
each piece into a 4-inch square.

Fill pastry: Place about 1 heap ing tablespoon of cheese mix ture
on half of the square and fold the other half over to cover cheese,
making a trian gle. (Wet edges of dough with water if needed.) Seal
edges by pressing with fork. Brush tops with beaten egg.

Baking: Bake at 400 degrees until golden, about 12 to 14 minutes.

Serving: Cool slightly before eating; cheese can be hot.

Source: Adapted from the St. Gregory of Narek Women’s Guild, Richmond
Heights.

–Boundary_(ID_FZBZ2cYuBX+kxpvu nnwJ+A)–