Month: September 2013

NEW MEDICAL CENTER OPENS IN STEPANAKERT

13:53 24.09.2013

On 24 September President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako
Sahakyan participated in a solemn ceremony of opening the new complex
of the Republican Medical Center in Stepanakert, Central Information
Department of the Office of the NKR President reported.

According to Bako Sahakyan, the work of the state’s central medical
institution will give a qualitatively new impetus to the sphere of
healthcare development in Artsakh, prevention, diagnosis and treatment
of various diseases.

Bako Sahakyan expressed gratitude to national philanthropist Samvel
Karapetyan for constructing a new complex of the Republican Medical
Center, stressing that it was the best manifestation of patriotism
and devotion to the native people.

NKR second President Arkady Ghoukasyan, RA National Assembly speaker
Hovik Abrahamyan, First Lady of Armenia Rita Sargsyan, Primate of the
Artsakh diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Archbishop Pargev
Martirosyan, speaker of the NKR National Assembly Ashot Ghoulyan,
Prime Minister Ara Haroutyunyan, member of the British Parliament’s
House of Lords Baroness Caroline Cox, officials from Artsakh and
Armenia, numerous guests from abroad partook in the solemn ceremony,

Gulf Times, Qatar
September 22, 2013 Sunday

Using falcons to scare off fruit-eating birds

Vahe Alaverdian feeds one of his raptors after flying the bird over a
vineyard in Los Alamos, California. Alaverdian uses the birds to
control nuisance birds which cause damage to crops. By David Pierson
To keep pesky birds away from his blueberries, veteran farmer Mark
Flamm has blared recordings of avian distress calls, shot noisy “bird
bangers” from a pistol and ordered an employee to shake a
gravel-filled bottle at the sky.

He even went old-school and planted a scarecrow.

“That didn’t work,” said Flamm, 58, who once lost a fifth of his
berries to his feathered foe despite the efforts, “though I got a
picture of a bird sitting on the scarecrow.” That’s when he called in
the falcons.

Starting three years ago, the central Washington state grower hired
Vahe Alaverdian of Falcon Force ( ), a master
falconer based in La Crescenta, California, to drive out the flocks of
sparrows and starlings that were fattened off Flamm’s fields.

Using a hunting technique that some think dates back to the Bronze
Age, Alaverdian prompted his raptors to launch into a series of
high-speed dives, called “stooping,” meant to mimic the capture of
winged prey. The maneuvers – not unlike an aeronautical war dance –
trigger an innate panic attack in the fruit-munching birds, who are
either paralyzed with fear or flee for new surroundings.

The falcons are trained to scare, not snack on, their targets.

“It’s amazing. Suddenly all the other birds go quiet because they know
they could be eaten,” said Flamm, who has seen his crop loss from
birds dwindle to around 3 percent.

In the age-old face-off between farmer and bird, falconry has
presented a relatively new way to tip the scales in man’s favour.

It’s an ancient twist to modern farming, which has embraced technology
to resist disease, conserve water and conjure a smorgasbord of
expensive hybrid fruit. Yet when it comes to marauding birds, growers
have few solutions short of ringing the skies with shotgun blasts.

“There’s not much we can do,” said Joe MacIlvaine, president of
Paramount Farming Co. in Bakersfield, California, the world’s largest
grower and processor of almonds and pistachios. “You can’t shoot them,
and you can’t poison them, which aren’t great ideas anyway.” One
Ventura County strawberry farmer’s imperfect answer is riding his
bicycle on his farm and sounding its bell. Others use timed propane
canons and firecrackers that can make a tranquil country morning sound
like the Battle of Waterloo.

“I give one of my workers a pan and a hammer, and he just pounds away
to scare the birds,” said John Tenerelli, a stone-fruit farmer in
Littlerock, near Palmdale, California.

Alex Weiser, a specialty fruit and vegetable grower in Kern and San
Bernardino counties, has an employee drive up and down his fields
shooing away the birds like a come-to-life scarecrow.

Recently, he tried specially manufactured inflatable yellow balloons
with reflective silver patches he calls the “evil eye.” Hung on the
end of a branch, the orbs are meant to spook the burglars in
midflight.

Despite all that, some of his best results come from firing a flare
gun in the general direction of the airborne offenders.

“Not too popular with the neighbours,” Weiser said.

Bird damage is often overshadowed by weather and water as a farmer’s
chief concerns. But avian pests are a formidable challenge, raising
the risk of contamination and costing growers hundreds of millions a
year in damaged crop.

Recent research by the US Department of Agriculture estimates that
birds peck $49 million away from California’s wine-grape industry each
harvest, $12.3 million from the state’s sweet-cherry growers and $2.6
million from blueberry farms.

In Washington, bird damage cost growers of Honeycrisp apples $26.7
million, blueberries $4.6 million and sweet cherries $31.9 million.
Birds, like humans, prefer sugary fruit; it’s one reason tart cherries
in Washington suffered only $1.8 million in losses.

“Birds are a serious problem because they tend to like the crops that
are expensive,” said Stephanie Shwiff, one of the study’s authors and
a researcher at the USDA’s National Wildlife Research Center in Fort
Collins, Colo.

With a modest investment in bird abatement, farmers can protect more
of their profits, Shwiff said.

The problem is choosing the right method. Putting a net over the
entire bush makes sense for small farms. But at around $400 an acre,
it could set a larger grower back $400,000.

Flash tape, whose shiny surface wards off the birds, speckles most of
California’s wine vineyards, but even that loses its luster once birds
realise it poses no threat.

“Anything that doesn’t change day to day, the birds will get used to
it,” said Alaverdian, the falconer.

A killing machine like a peregrine falcon will grab the attention of
your run-of-the-mill finch or crow.

Alaverdian demonstrated how on a recent summer morning at a 1,000-acre
commercial vineyard in Los Alamos, about a 45-minute drive northwest
from Santa Barbara.

Patrolling the hilly property in his dusty white SUV, Alaverdian
spotted about two dozen magpies roosting on a nearby cluster of oak
trees. Although posing no danger to the grapes below, the presence of
black and white birds risked attracting the most prolific plunderers –
starlings.

Alaverdian released Genghis, one of four falcons perched patiently in
the back of his car strapped with radio transmitters just in case they
fly out of sight. The four-year-old peregrine circled over the
chardonnay and pinot grigio grapes, gained altitude and then swooped
with astonishing force toward his handler.

Genghis was lured by pigeon feathers tethered to the end of a rope
that Alaverdian twirled with precision. Each time the falcon got
close, Alaverdian pulled back the lure.

“This whole process is devastating from the prey’s point of view,”
said Alaverdian, 39, who repeated the performance several times until
the magpies vanished over a hill. Genghis was rewarded with a bloody
pigeon carcass pulled out of a Ziploc bag in the SUV cup holder.

The constant pressure encourages unwanted birds to seek their meals
elsewhere, sometimes to the detriment of neighbours. Alaverdian was
once cursed out by a vineyard manager next door. He took it as another
sign his falcons were hitting their stride. In the five years he’s
worked at the vineyard, netting has decreased from 95 percent to 5
percent.

That makes Alaverdian’s $700 day rate a bargain by comparison, though
it might take weeks or even months to take care of the problem.

Though effective, there aren’t enough certified master falconers like
Alaverdian to expand beyond a niche market in the nation’s $15 billion
fruit industry.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service said falconry is growing in
popularity. Traditionally a blood sport for the rich, it has found a
second life in the world of bird abatement. E & J Gallo Winery has
been using falcons for eight years in Sonoma County. Kendall Jackson
Winery has been doing it just as long in Monterey and Sonoma counties.
The birds are also employed at airports, landfills and beaches.

Still, not just anyone can pick up the craft. The life of a falconer
can be gruelling.

Alaverdian, whose Armenian family fled war-torn Iran in the 1980s,
said the job requires a comfort with ruggedness and solitude. He
spends months without a break on a single vineyard or farm.

He hasn’t bought commercial meat in 14 years. He eats salmon, trout,
elk and deer he catches in the wild. So engrossed with his work, he
can’t help but flinch when he sees a flock of birds even when he’s
driving back to his motel.

“When I was in Washington, I was asked why I didn’t go to church,”
said Alaverdian, who sports a perpetual five o’clock shadow and an
intensity on par with his prized predators. “I said, ‘Unless the
starlings go to church too, I’m not going either.'”- Los Angeles
Times/MCT

From: A. Papazian

Kviris Palitra, Georgia
Sept 9 2013

Is Ivanishvili Leaving in Order To Call Former Government to Justice?

The following is the text of Giorgi Kvitashvili’s interview with
political analyst Soso Tsiskarishvili

If you want to find out which subject is topical in Georgia, you
should take a taxi. You are in trouble if the taxi driver learns that
you are a journalist because you will have to listen to his political
observations, as well as questions and conclusions, before you get to
the destination point: Are things ever going to get better for us?
However, sometimes even our “political experts” driving taxis make
very accurate observations. A taxi driver recently told yours truly:
“I have been a driver since my childhood years and I can look at
Ivanishvili’s move (whether the prime minister will quit politics or
not is the main subject discussed by the Georgian taxi drivers) from a
driver’s perspective. Imagine driving uphill in mud and there is still
a long way to go but the driver suddenly opens the door and jumps out
of a moving car. The car left without a driver will either hit a tree
or fall off a cliff.” This could be a mere joke but the public does
fear that Ivanishvili’s resignation at this point will, in fact, leave
the country in the condition of a car that is moving fast without a
driver. We spoke to political analyst Soso Tsiskarishvili about these
and other topical issues.

[Tsiskarishvili] I am convinced that a reasonable person like Bidzina
Ivanishvili will make sure to end the speculations as to what might
happen after he quits politics. The prime minister also wrote in his
most recent [open] letter about the prerequisites for his quitting
politics. I believe that Ivanishvili will not take this step in the
near future.

[Kvitashvili] What do you mean by “near future”: Several months, a
year, or two years?

[Tsiskarishvili] If Bidzina Ivanishvili has Superman’s qualities and
can do two or three years’ work in two months, I can only wish him
good luck. Based on Ivanishvili’s letter, I would say that two or
three months will not be enough to achieve the results that he wants
to achieve before quitting politics.

[Kvitashvili] So, Ivanishvili’s statement that he would definitely
quit politics before the New Year was a mere metaphor?

[Tsiskarishvili] Ivanishvili did not specify which particular New Year
he was referring to.

[Kvitashvili] So, do you think that the prime minister will not take
this step before 1 January 2014?

[Tsiskarishvili] Let us hope that he will not.

[Kvitashvili] Why cannot Ivanishvili specify that he will not quit
politics before 1 January 2014? His statements regarding his intention
to resign before the New Year keep business in uncertainty and
contribute considerably to the lack of investment, while also causing
public anxiety and preventing the country from achieving stability.

[Tsiskarishvili] I agree with you. We Georgians are generally strange
people and our billionaires are no exception. I do not want anyone to
think that I am arguing that Ivanishvili will not quit politics before
1 January 2014. I am only suggesting and hoping that it will be so. We
can also discuss a different theory whereby Ivanishvili will resign as
prime minister before 1 January 2014. This theory is reinforced by the
statements by Georgian Dream presidential candidate Giorgi
Margvelashvili.

[Kvitashvili] Which statements?

[Tsiskarishvili] Margvelashvili has emphasized in every speech of his
that cohabitation [between Ivanishvili’s Georgian Dream coalition and
President Mikheil Saakashvili’s United National Movement] will end in
Georgia 27 October. Could this mean that the restoration of justice
that the Georgian people have been dreaming of will finally begin,
albeit with a year’s delay? If they start bringing charges against
former officials in Georgia, the West will not be able to criticize
Ivanishvili because he will no longer hold the office. The new
president and the new prime minister will assume the responsibility
and Georgian Dream could acquire greater freedom in terms of the
restoration of justice. In short, according to this theory,
Ivanishvili could resign this December. However, he will change his
decision to quit politics if some signs of danger appear in the
country.

[Kvitashvili] This means that Ivanishvili is resigning in order to
call the former government to justice. However, signs of danger could
appear, could they not? Could we face the threat that Ivanishvili’s
resignation will be followed by uncontrolled or controlled chaos with
all its implications?

[Tsiskarishvili] The country could, indeed, face the danger of chaos
after Ivanishvili quits politics. However, this should not be a matter
of speculation. I will only say one thing: It all depends on the mood
of Georgian Dream’s members. Some of them are indifferent towards the
question of Ivanishvili’s quitting politics today. Some of them are
very afraid, while others are trying to foresee their own place in the
future political alignment.

[Kvitashvili] To sum up, we can discuss two theories today. The first
one is that, for various reasons, Ivanishvili will not quit politics
before 1 January 2014, while the second one suggests that the prime
minister will resign two months after the presidential election, so
that a large-scale process of restoration of justice can begin in the
country. Another question also arises here: Why can the restoration of
justice not begin while Ivanishvili is still prime minister?

[Tsiskarishvili] Ivanishvili has drawn more criticism both
domestically and abroad than he had heard during his entire life.
Consequently, he believes that he does not deserve this criticism and
he wants to take a break. It would be unfair and ungrateful to
begrudge him this. He managed to do what no one else had been able to
achieve during the preceding nine years: He changed the Saakashvili
regime through elections. We need to find the strength to contribute
to the country’s revival. I am convinced that Ivanishvili wants what
is best for the country and I do not believe that he will leave
Georgia at some point. If he agrees with the civil society’s
democratic principles, he will be very successful in that field as
well. However, Ivanishvili will remain a target of criticism if the
government and Georgian Dream continue to coordinate every single
matter with him.

[Kvitashvili] Let us look at the matter from our fellow citizens’
perspective. Let us put it straight: The majority of the people do not
believe that the government will be able to cope with the challenges
without Ivanishvili. The people fear that chaos will begin in Georgia
once it loses its “head.” The people who voted personally for
Ivanishvili 1 October 2012 expect the simplest of things from him: To
sort things out in the country and to create guarantees of stability.
They do not mind if he takes a break afterward.

[Tsiskarishvili] Certainly, theoretically, there are reasons for this
kind of concern. However, it is also clear that Ivanishvili is not
planning to leave Georgia and the new prime minister will be someone
associated with him. If we discuss the theoretical threat of chaos in
Georgia, Georgian Dream will have the levers for declaring a state of
emergency. However, I am convinced that, by the time Ivanishvili quits
politics, there will be no political force in Georgia that will need
chaos as a means of self-preservation.

[Kvitashvili] There are, however, the special services of neighbouring
countries.

[Tsiskarishvili] The special services of neighbouring countries will
not stop their operations regardless of who the prime minister is or
how many Ivanishvilis there are in Georgia. We should therefore be
ready for these challenges and we hopefully will be.

[Kvitashvili] I would like to ask you about the statement that
Ivanishvili made in response to a journalist’s question at the last
week’s press conference. He said that he would not rule out the
possibility of Georgia joining the Eurasian Union. This statement
triggered such a stir that the prime minister had to explain himself
the next day and say that the pro-Western course remains the keystone
of Georgia’s foreign policy.

[Tsiskarishvili] Russia’s political circles showed a strong interest
in this statement by Ivanishvili and I became convinced that it was
not by chance that Ivanishvili was asked about the Eurasian Union at
the press conference. I am convinced that the stir that you mentioned
was not entirely accidental.

[Kvitashvili] Who planned it, the Russians?

[Tsiskarishvili] I would not rule out the possibility that this stir
was, in fact, planned by Russia. There is a strong aspiration in
Russia to see Georgia join the Eurasian Union. Incidentally, they also
had a teleconference at [Russian news agency] RIA Novosti ‘s office 6
September in which I participated. The Russian side was represented by
Sergey Glazyev, Vladimir Putin’s adviser on post-Soviet integration,
as well as members of the State Duma and the Public Chamber. The
Russians were happy about Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union
(official Yerevan signed an agreement on joining the common customs
area of Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan a few days ago). However, I
told them that information about the mood in Yerevan arrives in
Tbilisi before it reaches Moscow. At the time when we were discussing
this, protest rallies against the Customs Union were taking place in
Yerevan. The Russians lectured us on why Georgia should join the
Eurasian Union and one of the arguments they cited was that our
country supposedly needs the “benefits” of this Customs Union. We also
discovered there that this Customs Union is managed by the Eurasian
Union’s economic collaboration commission, which is a telling fact by
itself. Incidentally, Putin’s adviser claimed that Georgia is already
participating in the Eurasian Union’s work because it uses the Customs
Union’s system and tariffs in its trade relations with Kazakhstan and
Belarus. The next question that was discussed was whether Russia is a
trustworthy partner even within this Customs Union. My argument turned
out to be inconvenient for the Russians. I told them that the Georgian
Government had agreed to Russia’s accession to the World Trade
Organization and Moscow was supposed to supply Tbilisi with
information about the turnover of goods on the Abkhazia and South
Ossetia sections of Georgian-Russian border. Several years have passed
but Russia is yet to meet this condition.

Incidentally, the Russians want Azerbaijan to join the Eurasian Union
along with Armenia. I told the Russian side’s representatives that
Moscow had blackmailed Armenia with the Karabakh question. They are
doing the same to Azerbaijan and then they are surprised why, having
seen this, the Georgian Government does not go begging to the Kremlin.

[Kvitashvili] We all probably remember what methods Russia used to
make us join the CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States] because the
attitude towards this organization in Georgia in the early 1990s was
the same as towards the Eurasian Union now. Could history repeat
itself and will the Kremlin try to force us to join the Eurasian
Union?

[Tsiskarishvili] In order to prevent this, we need to constantly
remind the public of what you just said. We discussed earlier whether
Ivanishvili will leave or not. It is possible that the theory that we
discussed is groundless and there is an entirely different reason. I
would not rule out the possibility that Ivanishvili’s decision to quit
politics is linked to the reports that they could demand that he take
this step.

[Kvitashvili] Do you mean that Russia will demand that Ivanishvili
bring Georgia into the Eurasian Union?

[Tsiskarishvili] Yes, it is possible that Ivanishvili has information
that Russia will demand in the near or distant future that he bring
Georgia into the Eurasian Union. This could be the reason for his
decision to quit politics.

[Kvitashvili] What kinds of levers can they use against Ivanishvili?

[Tsiskarishvili] These could be business levers, political levels,
personal relations, threats, or blackmail. There were reports in
Georgia about preparations for terrorist attacks against Ivanishvili.
They can always find thugs willing to do this in the country. You
should therefore refrain from judging the person who has access to a
lot of information. Ivanishvili once told me that he has independent
sources of information in a lot of countries and it was only in
Georgia that he could not find time to follow the media. So, you
should not assume that this person has a lack of information from any
of the countries that are important for Georgia.

[Kvitashvili] Once Ivanishvili resigns, why can Russia not demand that
Margvelashvili (in the event of his victory in the presidential
election) or prime minister X, whom Ivanishvili names as his
successor, bring Georgia into the Eurasian Union?

[Tsiskarishvili] Because Margvelashvili did not build his business in
Russia and did not live there for many years. The Russians probably
believe that it will be easier for them to discuss the Eurasian Union
with Bidzina Ivanishvili. However, Ivanishvili considers it
categorically unacceptable to start this discussion.

[Kvitashvili] Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigoriy Karasin
complained last week that the new Georgian Government does not want to
restore relations with Russia.

[Tsiskarishvili] The fact that Georgia has not restored diplomatic
relations with Russia is a source of inconvenience for the latter. Yet
the fact is that it was Georgia that proposed warming of relations
between the two countries. Diplomatic relations will not be restored
for obvious reasons.

[Kvitashvili] Armenian Security Council Secretary Artur Baghdasaryan
made a strange statement last week. He said that the Georgian,
Russian, and Abkhazian sides had agreed to reopen the railroad
[linking Armenia with Russia through Georgian territory]. The Georgian
Government denied this. However, experts still voiced suspicions that
some secret deal could have been made behind our backs.

[Tsiskarishvili] This was a propaganda statement for Armenia’s
internal audience. Protests against the Customs Union are taking place
in Yerevan, so they tried to please their people with the railroad
question and make them happy by announcing that they would have direct
railroad link with Russia.

[Translated from Georgian]

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ITAR-TASS, Russia
September 21, 2013 Saturday 09:23 PM GMT+4

Putin congratulates Armenian people, president on Independence Day

MOSCOW September 21

– President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, September 21, congratulated
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and the people of Armenia on
Independence Day.

In his message, Putin lauded Armenia’s progress in solving
socioeconomic, scientific, technical and cultural tasks and noted the
growing authority of the country in international affairs.

The president stressed that Russian-Armenian relations had deep
historical roots, had grown into allied partnership and continued to
develop further.

Putin also expressed confidence that together Russia and Armenia would
be able to further strengthen their relations and expand cooperation
in various multilateral formats, including in the context of Armenia’s
accession to the Customs Union created by Belarus, Kazakhstan and
Russia.

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said earlier that Russia and
Armenia cooperated most actively in all areas of interstate relations
without exception. Over the past years, Russian-Armenian cooperation
has developed into a rather complex and multifaceted structure.

He stressed that Russia plays a key role in ensuring Armenia’s
security and has a leading position in its economy.

“Today Russia plays a key role in Armenia’s security system and it
occupies a leading position in our economy,” he said. “Russia is the
main investor in the Armenian economy, one of its main creditors and
one of the major foreign trade partners.”

“We are interested to improve these relations further, which is fully
consistent with our national interests,” the prime minister said.

“Over the past 20-odd years we have not only preserved the
centuries-old friendship between our peoples but we have also enriched
it with new content and raised it to a qualitatively new level,”
Sargsyan said, adding, “Strategic partnership between Armenia and
Russia has crowned this friendship.”

“We give priority among others to diversification of economic
cooperation between our countries. We are convinced that intensive
interaction in sectors that build up innovation potential will give a
boost to our economic cooperation. This will also allow us to fill our
strategic partnership and allied relations between Russia and Armenia
with new substance,” he said.

Trade turnover between Russia and Armenia in 2012 was about one
billion U.S. dollars.

The two countries have good prospects in many sectors of the economy,
primarily in the energy sector, the power industry, atomic energy, and
many other serious projects.

There is also a big potential in joint development of the
agro-industrial sector in Armenia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

States News Service
September 21, 2013 Saturday

STATEMENT MINISTER KENNEY ISSUES STATEMENT MARKING ARMENIAS INDEPENDENCE DAY

OTTAWA, Canada

The following information was released by Citizenship and Immigration
Canada (CIC):

The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister for Multiculturalism, issued the
following statement recognizing the celebration of Armenias
Independence Day:

On this date in 1991, 99.5 per cent of voters in an Armenian
referendum voted in favour of full independence from the Soviet Union.
The subsequent declaration of independence helped establish a
sovereign democratic Armenia, ending almost 70 years of oppression
under the Communist regime.

The Government of Canada recently announced that it will be providing
funds to build a memorial to the victims of Communism within sight of
Parliament Hill. This memorial will help teach future generations how
millions of people lost their lives and suffered in inhumane
conditions in Armenia and other countries victimized by tyrannical
regimes.

Canada has enjoyed a strong relationship with the Republic of Armenia
for 22 years, and has been proud to support Armenias economic,
political and democratic development.

The Government of Canada fully supported Armenias candidacy to become
an associate member of lOrganisation international de la Francophonie
at the Quebec Summit in 2008, and was very happy to welcome Armenia as
a full member last October. Canada and Armenia have also signed a
number of bilateral trade agreements.

Our two countries close ties have only been strengthened by the many
positive contributions of the Armenian-Canadian community, whose
members have played an important role in Canadian society for more
than a century.

As Minister for Multiculturalism, I join with Canadians in wishing a
happy Independence Day to all Armenian citizens and people around the
world of Armenian descent.

Syrian Arab News Agency SANA, Syria
Sept 22 2013

Rallies in support of Syria in France, Spain, Armenia and West Bank

Sep 22, 2013

Capitals, (SANA) – Members of the Syrian community and Syrian students
in France organized a protest denouncing the policies of French
President Francois Hollande and his Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius
against Syria.

The participants, who included Frenchmen and members of the Algerian,
Tunisian, Lebanese and Palestinian communities, marched from St.
Michel square to the Pantheon, carrying Syrian and French flags and
pictures of President Bashar al-Assad.

The participants chanted in opposition of the aggression against
Syria, voicing utter rejection of the war led by the French government
against Syria and demanding that those who support Al Qaeda terrorists
in Syria to cease that support.

They also saluted the Syrian Army and voiced their support for it in
its war against terrorism.

** Sit-in in Armenia in solidarity with Syria

The National Union of Syrian Students, Armenia Branch, in cooperation
with the Syrian community in Armenia, organized a sit-in in support of
Syria against the US threats and terrorism in front of the UN
headquarters in Armenia’s capital, Yerevan.

The participants expressed their rejection of terrorism and foreign
intervention in Syria, voicing support to Syria’s people and army in
the face of the aggression funded by the US, France, UK, Turkey and
some Gulf countries.

Chanting the Syrian anthem and national slogans, the participants
hailed the firmness of the Syrian Arab Army in confronting the
terrorists and defending the homeland.

** Rally in Spain in support of Syria against conspiracies

Syrian students, community members, the Anti-Imperialist Platform, the
Communist Party of Spain, and several Arab and foreign activities
organized a rally in solidarity with Syria against the vicious
conspiracy targeting it.

Participants in the rally, which was held in San Fernando Square in
Madrid, called for stopping support for terrorists in Syria and voiced
rejection from any US aggression against it.

Secretary of the Communist Party of Spain Maite Mola rejected the
false pretenses and lies created by the US and its allies with the
sole purpose of targeting Syria and destroying it, wondering why
militants appeared at the beginning of the crisis in Syria without
giving the Syrian government a chance to launch dialogue, proving the
presence of a premeditated conspiracy against Syria.

Other participants called upon the international community and
humanitarian organizations to curb the countries supporting terrorism
and halt the flow of weapons and terrorists to Syria.

** Mass rally in West Bank in solidarity with Syria

Hundreds of Palestinians in al-Taybeh village in the West Bank staged
a huge mass rally in solidarity with Syria in the face of terrorism
and the US-Western aggression against it in cooperation with some
regional countries.

Participants in the rally raised the Syrian and Palestinian flags and
banners condemning the Western-Gulf support for the takfiri terrorists
in Syria.

Participants in the oral speech held near al-Khudr Church stressed the
Palestinian people’s support to the Syrian people and leadership and
rejection of any aggression on Damascus.

They also held a prayer in the Church for restoring peace and security to Syria.

The rally was organized by the Popular Committee for Solidarity with
the Syrian people and leadership.

The Press & Journal
Sept 21 2013

Never a dull moment

Published: 21/09/2013

I’d been planning this little trip in my head for weeks, so now, sat
in the back of my Lada taxi heading out of Armenia’s capital Yerevan,
I couldn’t believe I’d be at my destination in half an hour.

I already knew the basics; that Armenia produces some of the finest
Cognacs in the world and can beat the French stuff hands down. And of
course I’d heard the famous Churchill story and so wanted to believe
it was true!

As I climbed the near hundred steps up towards the vast red-brick
fortress that loomed above me, I saw a solitary young woman standing
waiting for me.

Sevana, my own personal tour guide for Yerevan’s famous Ararat Cognac
Factory. She was the perfect guide in all ways and made it clear to me
that I should not hesitate to ask her anything.

I bit my tongue as I decided not to ask for her phone number, not yet
anyway. C’mon man, concentrate on the cognac!

As we walked from room to building, Sevana talked and I soaked up the
info like a sponge, learning that Cognac had been made in this valley
since 1887 and is to this day Armenia’s most import export, vital to
its economy.

`If it’s that good’ I asked, `why has barely anyone in the west heard about it?’

`Well of course, in Soviet times, it was not allowed to export Ararat
and the very best was kept for the Soviet elite. Even today, 85% of
our cognac is consumed in Russia.’

Suddenly we came to a stop. Sevana opened a door and we entered a vast
holding shed that contained hundreds of gigantic barrels which she
informed me contained thousands of litres of Cognacs.

The smell was wonderfully intoxicating and I breathed it in deep while
taking in the sight that stood before me.

Just as I was to ask a question, Sevana put her finger to my lips and
whispered with a smile `Sshhh, the cognac is sleeping.’

Towards the end of my tour, I was led into an opulent wood-panelled
room and proudly shown a display dedicated to the greatest Britain
ever.

`So, tell me, and be honest here, is the Churchill story true?’ I asked.

`Most definitely’ replied Sevana with conviction.

The story goes that Ararat Cognac was served up to Churchill,
Roosevelt and Stalin at the Yalta conference in February 1945 and on
learning of Churchill’s obvious love for it, Stalin (until his death)
reportedly sent our Mr C an astonishing 300 bottles of Ararat, every
year.

Churchill later claimed he had drunk enough of the stuff to fill three
railway carriages. Go Winston!

Eventually I was guided by Sevana into a room with marble floors.
Three crystal tasting glasses, three bottles of cognac and a jug of
iced mineral water sat waiting for us on a huge glass table.

`Now, you can taste the famous Ararat, if you care to?’

`Oh, I care! I care!’

The first dram was from a bottle of one-year-old Cognac and being
left-handed I picked up my crystal glass as I would normally do which
certainly got Sevana’s approval.

She explained: `Good, must always hold Cognac glass in left hand …
that way the Cognac stays closer to your heart.’

After a sip of water, it was on to the five-year-old stuff … oh yes,
getting smoother all the time. No going back now. Another generous sip
of water and it was time for the finale … the 10-year-old Ararat.

Oh goodness me, it was, one word – exquisite. I bought two bottles.

Twenty minutes later (minus Sevana’s number as I’d forgotten to ask
for it) I was sat in my taxi heading back to Yerevan and I couldn’t
but help think that the bottles I was clutching contained more than
just quality alcohol.

For here I was holding the same drink that had oiled three old, but
very important, men as they haggled and carved up central and east
Europe over 70 years ago.

NEXT WEEK: George visits Bohinj – God’s Country

WAM – Emirates News Agency, UAE
Sept 22 2013

UAE President and Vice President congratulate Armenian President on
his country’s Independence Day

Sep 22, 2013 – 01:52 –

WAM ABU DHABI, 22nd September, 2013 (WAM) — President His Highness
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a congratulatory cable to
the President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, on the occasion of the
anniversary of his country’s Independence Day.

Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, sent a similar cable to the
Armenian President.

One India
Sept 22 2013

Armenia celebrates 23rd Independence Day

Yerevan, Sept 22: Armenia Saturday celebrated 22 anniversary of its
independence from the former Soviet Union with a range of festive
events held across the country, including a gala reception in the
national capital.Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan also delivered a
congratulatory speech in the capital on this special day to mark the
occasion, Xinhua reported.On Sep 19, US Secretary of State in his
congratulatory note said: “On behalf of President Obama and the
American people, I extend my warmest wishes to the people of Armenia
as you celebrate your Independence Day on September 21.””The United
States and Armenia have a strong relationship based on historic ties
and mutual respect. I am proud and grateful for the enduring
friendship of many in the Armenian community.””I wish all Armenians a
joyful and prosperous Independence Day, with peace and happiness in
the coming year.”Twenty-two years ago, by the decision of the Supreme
Council of the Soviet Armenia, a referendum was held over the question
of withdrawal from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and
proclaiming an independent state was put to vote, and 99 percent of
the participants voted in favour of an independence.IANS

Gulf Today, UAE
Sept 22 2013

Armenian woman drowns in Sharjah

By Lina Abdel Rahman September 23, 2013

Sharjah: A 75-year-old Armenian woman has drowned in the sea off Al
Khan beach, police have said.

A spokesman said that the police was notified at around 11 am of the
drowning of the Armenian woman opposite a hotel on Al Khan beach.

A team of police sea rescuers and coast guard hurried to the scene and
found the victim’s body floating in water.

The body was transferred to the forensic laboratory to help in the
investigations surrounding her death. Police have also urged
beachgoers to follow the warnings and notices on the beach about the
no-swim areas and stop risking their lives by venturing into the
prohibited parts.

Police also urged all hotels on the beaches to specify the safe
swimming areas and notify their guests about them.

———————————

The National, UAE
Sept 22 2013

Woman drowns off Al Khan beach in Sharjah

Yasin Kakande

Sep 22, 2013

SHARJAH // A 75-year-old Armenian woman drowned at Al Khan Beach on
Sunday morning.

A police spokesman said that officers were notified at around 11am.

A rescue team and coast guards rushed to the scene and found the
victim’s body floating in the water.

The body has been taken to the police forensic laboratory to help with
investigations.

Authorities have urged beach goers to abide by warnings and notices on
the beach.

They have also asked all hotels in the area to inform guests of safe
areas to swim.

————————————–

Khaleej Times, UAE
Sept 23 2013

75-year-old woman drowns off Al Khan beach

Afkar Abdullah / 23 September 2013

An Armenian woman drowned off Al Khan Beach on Sunday morning, police
said. A police spokesman said they were notified of the drowning of
the 75-year-old woman at around 11am on Sunday.

A team of sea rescuers and coast guards rushed to the scene and found
the victim’s body floating on the water. The body has been moved to
the forensic laboratory to help the investigations surrounding the
death. The police have urged beach-goers to follow the warnings and
notices on the beach and asked hotels on the beaches to specify the
safe swimming areas and inform their guests about them.

—————————————-

The Gulf News, UAE
Sept 22 2013

Tourist drowns in sea off Al Khan beach

Sharjah Police urge visitors to take heed of warning signs

By Aghaddir Ali, Staff Reporter

Sharjah: An elderly tourist visiting Al Khan beach drowned on Sunday morning.

A Sharjah Police official said the police operations room received a
notification about an Armenian woman who was in difficulty.

The emergency services went to the scene but the 75-year-old woman was
already dead. Her body was taken to Kuwaiti Hospital and later to the
forensic laboratory for an autopsy.

Sharjah Police said those who insist on swimming in the sea should pay
heed to warnings about which stretches are dangerous – for instance,
beaches with rocks or rip currents.

They advised swimmers to be extra careful during high wind or bad
weather conditions and to avoid dangerous places.

Al Khan beach has several signs urging beach-goers not to swim in
rough weather or places with currents but many ignore them.

In March Sharjah Police launched a safety campaign to warn residents
and tourists about the potential dangers of going to the beach during
the summer.

Lieutenant Colonel Yousuf Bin Harmol, director of Buhairah police
station in Sharjah, said the `Safety First’ initiative was discussed
in a meeting with officers and hotel directors and representatives.

Police called for a specialised sea police unit and new legislation to
protect swimmers after dozens of people drowned at beaches last
summer.

Officers said some of the victims had ignored signs that warn people
about currents.

The new initiative aimed to prevent swimmers from entering dangerous
water to reduce the number of deaths.

Directions and guidance were given to the hotel directors and their
representatives about how to deal with emergency cases and problems
and how to find appropriate solutions.

————————————————-

Emirates 24/7, UAE
Sept 22 2013

Elderly woman drowns off Sharjah beach

By

Mohammad El Sadafy

Published Sunday, September 22, 2013

A 75-year-woman Armenian woman has drowned while swimming off the Al
Khan Beach in Sharjah.

The woman’s dead body was salvaged from the sea by the emirate’s
rescue patrol and sent to the forensic laboratory for a post mortem
report.

Sharjah Police has renewed its call to the public to take note of
guidelines and sign posts for safe swimming off the beaches of the
UAE.