Author: Andres-Papazian

Panorama, Armenia
Oct 30 2010

Financial Times: Armenia opens up to visitors

British `Financial Times’ opens a window of `country squeezed into the
highlands between Turkey and Azerbaijan, a country which became the
first in the world formally to adopt Christianity’ – Armenia to
foreign readers. FT reporter speaks about Tatev Monastery `within
whose fortified walls this small group is sitting, was once a great
centre of learning, home to a thousand souls’, the impressions he got
after his visit to Armenia.

`Below the monastery, the Vorotan ravine plunges 1,000 feet into
wooded depths. To reach it by car, we had snaked round the mountains
for an hour, descending to cross Satan’s Bridge before rising again to
Tatev, and to a sense of peace that you might imagine has persisted
for the past 11 centuries. But telltale cables above our heads herald
a new dawn. Earlier this month, the world’s longest cable car opened
here, linking Tatev with Halidzor village in the valley below,’ the
author says. `Carrying 25 passengers at a time over a 5.7km long
cableway, at a speed of 23 miles an hour, it is expected to ferry
20,000 people a year to the dizzy heights of Tatev, cutting the
journey time to 11 minutes. The 11-month, 13m project of a
Swiss-Austrian firm is the first stage of a 36m plan to provide
tourism facilities at the monastery and surrounding gorge. It’s
symbolic of a process going on across Armenia, with improvements to
roads, hotels and other tourism facilities helping to open up the
country to visitors.’

The writer recalls her first visit to Armenia: `I first went to
Armenia in the 1990s, in the early years of independence, after
earthquake and war with Azerbaijan had devastated the economy. A
combination of fuel shortages and atrocious infrastructure made it
impracticable to venture far beyond the capital’s hinterland. Today,
however, good roads make their way into dizzyingly remote reaches,
encouraging a nascent tourism industry. And although throwbacks to
Soviet hospitality linger on – such as the Armenia Hotel in the spa
town of Jermuk, where the corridor to dinner is lined with doors
enticingly labelled Colonoscopy, Gastroscopy, Proctologist – foreign
companies have arrived to manage Yerevan’s classic hotels. For
something more distinctive, however, it is the Tufenkian Heritage
Hotels chain that leads the way. Characterised by excellent service,
fresh local food, personal touches, Frette sheets and wonderful views,
they welcome travellers in Yerevan, Lake Sevan, Lori and Dilijan – the
lushly-forested region and favoured holiday spot of Soviet musicians,
where Benjamin Britten spent the summer of 1965.’

In 301, Armenia became the first nation in the world formally to adopt
Christianity, and, 100 years later St Mesrop Mashtots invented his
spikily impenetrable alphabet of 36 `warrior’ letters – on which Lord
Byron was to sharpen his wits at the Armenian Monastery in Venice – to
translate the Bible. Against a history of invading Persians,
Byzantines, Arabs and Turks, and periodic pogroms, not least the
genocide of 1915 attested to by a memorial in the capital city of
Yerevan, `the twin pillars of religion and language have stood in
defence of national identity,’ the author sums up.

From: A. Papazian

A new Turkey is redefining itself

Trudy Rubin, The Philadelphia Inquirer

11-29-2010

ISTANBUL All during the Cold War, Turkey was the NATO country the United
States took for granted, a secular Muslim state that straddled Europe
and Asia and defended a long border with the Soviet Union.

Then communism collapsed, and Washington thought it had a new role for
Turkey: With the election of an Islamic-oriented government in 2002, it
could become the model of moderate Muslim democracy. But after several
days in Ankara and Istanbul, I saw that this country is no longer ready
to play a role designed by others.

Welcome to the new Turkey, which is changing so rapidly that smart
people here tell me they don know where their country is headed abroad
or at home.

When it comes to Turkey foreign policy, the debate over whether Turkey
has shifted its axis from West to East misses the point, says veteran
journalist Sami Kohen. He says the message from Ankara is: the staunch
supporter of NATO, the loyal ally, we no longer in the Cold War. Turkey
is getting strong and can build its own axis. Don take Turkey for
granted anymore.

Indeed, Ibrahim Kalin, foreign policy adviser to Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan, told me that no longer feels it necessary to define
itself in oppositional way, linked to one country at the expense of
another. People see no contradiction between membership in the European
Union and increasing trade with Russia, the Middle East and Central
Asia.

economic interests compel us to have better relations with all our
neighbors, he said.

No question Turkey efforts to expand its foreign trade and attract new
sources of foreign investment are part of what drives its new interest
in its Arab neighbors and Iran. Turkey is a country that is booming
economically while Western Europe sags; its once-backward heartland
boasts 15 so-called Anatolian , or growing industrial cities. The
middle-class businessmen of Anatolia, a region of Turkey, are more
comfortable, and better placed, to export to the Middle East and North
Africa than to Europe.

Turkey dynamic construction sector which has rebuilt northern Iraq and
is a force all over the region had high hopes of getting huge contracts
in Iran, and Erdogan has called for increasing trade with Tehran
fivefold. That has proved far more difficult than expected, and Iran has
so far been skittish about letting the Turks in.

But Turkey aspirations for developing its own foreign policy axis go far
beyond economic expansion. How far is a matter of debate inside Turkey
and the West.

Does Erdogan, who has traveled extensively to Muslim countries in the
Middle East and Asia, and receives adulation from Arab publics, harbor
dreams of becoming the pre-eminent Sunni Muslim political leader? He
vehemently denied that to me in an interview, saying, have an identity
as the prime minister of the Republic of Turkey.

Kalin describes Erdogan role as most powerful leader in Turkey in a long
time who has become a regional leader by virtue of geography, not to
score points with the Arab street. Every major issue in the region
affects stability of the region, and therefore we pay attention.

The unspoken premise is that the one-time guarantor of Mideast regional
stability the United States is fading from the picture. is still popular
here, Kalin said, most Turks think he can deliver. What he didn say, but
I heard everywhere, was that Turks think Obama has used up his political
capital and his Mideast peace policy is a failure. Turks of every
political persuasion are also scornful of the mess made in Iraq by the
Bush administration.

So given the American fade, Turkey foreign minister, Ahmet Davotoglu,
has concluded that the United States is but one pole of many, and Ankara
will pursue better relations with China, Russia, Iran and its Arab
neighbors. Perhaps the most startling indication so far of this shift
was the recent joint air exercise that Turkey held with China, which
raised questions about Ankara commitment to NATO, and whether NATO
security was being breached.

And Davotoglu has famously scripted a foreign policy aimed at having
zero enemies on Turkey borders, while undertaking ambitious efforts at
peacemaking in the region. So far most though not all of these efforts
have come to naught.

Ankara has vastly improved its relations with Iraqi Kurds, and its ties
with Syria, with whom it nearly went to war a decade ago. But the
Erdogan government efforts to reconcile with Armenia tanked, as did
efforts to broker talks between Israel and Syria, which came apart when
Israel invaded Gaza in 2009.

After a week in this fascinating country, the question that lingers is
whether the Erdogan government can juggle its multiple ambitions,
maintaining links with the West and NATO while showing its independence
of both and occasionally spitting in their eyes. And whether Erdogan can
woo the Iranians without alienating the Arabs, or promote regional
stability without rapprochement with Israel.

No one can be certain where Ankara foreign policy is headed, perhaps not
even the Erdogan government, just as it hard to predict the outcome of
the deepening secular-religious split in the country. All one can say
with certainty is that this is a country to be watched.

Trudy Rubin is a columnist and editorial board member for The
Philadelphia Inquirer, P.O. Box 8263, Philadelphia, PA 19101, or by
e-mail at [email protected].

From: A. Papazian

Death of a hippie and rise of high value tourism in Goa

2010-10-28 12:30:00

Panaji, Oct 28 (IANS) The death of 85-year-old Yertward Mazmanian aka
‘eight finger Eddie’, arguably Goa’s first hippie, curiously comes at
a time when the state is on the verge of a strategic shift in its
tourism approach. A day before Mazmanian – called eight finger Eddie
because of two missing digits on his right hand – died Oct 18, tourism
officials stressed the need for bidding goodbye to hippie and backpack
tourism at an international travel mart held here. The same hippie
culture had helped put Goa on the international tourism map in the
1970s.

News of the death of the American-born hippie of Armenian descent
created a lot of static on social networking site Facebook, where over
Rs.100,000 was pooled from his fans the world over towards his
cremation.

It was Norwegian freelance journalist Oystein Krogsrud, who shuttles
between Goa and Norway, who gave Eddie company during his last few
days in the hospital and the final journey to a local crematorium
where Eddie was cremated with Hindu rites.

‘I think all hippies who have died here have been cremated. The
hippies have a much stronger connection to Hinduism than Christianity,
even though Eddie often pointed out that he was not following any kind
of religion,’ Oystein, who also broadcast Eddie’s funeral through live
internet across the world, told IANS.

Oystein had been following Eddie closely for over 10 years and had
last interviewed him four days before he died. According to him, Eddie
had left his biological family behind in 1963.

In a video interview to a researcher a couple of years ago, Eddie said
he first came to Colva, a beach village in south Goa, in 1965.

‘Some people let me stay in their house at Colva beach. Those days you
didn’t have to pay rent unless you yourself wanted to contribute
something. Sometimes people were sceptical, but then they realised
you did not want anything,’ Eddie said.

Eddie was also responsible for starting the now famous Anjuna flea
market back in 1975 — a place for hippies and other foreigners to
just hang out or to barter goods. The same market is now a vibrant hub
of trade, starting from food to clothes, junk jewellery, and loads of
trinkets found in virtually every stop on Goa’s popular tourist
circuit on Wednesdays.

‘Only freaks came to the first flea market then. It wasn’t a regular
thing. Then we’d make another one on some other auspicious
day. People gave things away, or it was only free…it was like a
party,’ he said.

But the brand of tourism Eddie came to represent is not what the
tourism industry is keen to promote any more. Officials and tourism
captains are looking to move Goa away from backpack, hippie to ‘big
bucks’ tourism. Seven offshore casinos, more than a dozen onshore
casinos, 25 five-star hotels and a planned marina and a golf course is
Goa Tourism’s new ‘big picture’.

Hugh Gantzer, a tourism industry expert, said hippie tourism gave Goa
a bad name.

‘They have outlived their usefulness. Goa has to say goodbye to them.
Tourism in Goa has moved on. Hippie and backpack tourism inevitably is
associated with drugs and does not make a healthy spectacle,’ said
Gantzer, an award-winning travel writer, who was a resource person at
the International Travel Mart-Goa, which concluded Oct 17.

However, despite his death, Goa’s first hippie will continue to live
in the consciousness of travellers coming to Anjuna for years to come
thanks to a u nique initiative started by Oystein.

‘We have emptied Eddie’s house and plan to make a museum out of
Eddie’s personal stuff at this year’s Anjuna flea market when it
resumes in a few weeks, coinciding with the beginning of the six-month
tourism season here,’ Oystein said.

From: A. Papazian

Davit Tonoyan received FRG officer-students

Aysor.am
Saturday,October 30, 2010

Yesterday RA First Deputy Minister of Defense David Tonoyan received
the officer-students of Bundesver University of Federal Republic of
Germany and its teaching staff. As the Defense Information and Public
Relations Department reported, D. Tonoyan presented the factors that
influence the internal and external security. He also gave
explanations on the basic directions of MOD international military
cooperation.

During the discussion the First Deputy Defense Minister also presented
the views of the defense ministry about the regional security issues
and the possible challenges. FRG Bundesver University delegation
thanked David Tonoyan for the open and direct discussion, and noted
that it contributed to the deepening of their perceptions in regional
problems.

From: A. Papazian

Yerevan hosts International Tango Festival

Aysor.am
Saturday,October 30, 2010

International Tango Festival kicks off today in Yerevan. The festival
is organized by the Cadence Ensemble with the support of the Ministry
of Culture.

Accordionist and bandoneon player Richard Galliano and Cadence
Ensemble will open the festival at Al. Spendiaryan National Academic
Theater of Opera and Ballet.

The festival including five concerts will last until June 30, 2011.

From: A. Papazian

Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire 17 times

armradio.am
30.10.2010 11:43

On October 28-29, seventeen ceasefire violations by the Azerbaijani
side were registered at the line of contact between the armed forces
of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani units fired 120 times in the direction of Karabakh
positions from different types of small arms and sniper rifles, Press
Service of the NKR Ministry of Defense reported.

The rival was silenced by the response actions taken by divisions of
the NKR Defense Army.

From: A. Papazian

Trend, Azerbaijan
Oct 28 2010

Russia, U.S., France should not be neutral in Karabakh issue – Baku

BAKU. Oct 28

Azerbaijan will continue to develop relations with Russia, head of the
Azeri presidential administration’s department of public and political
issues Ali Hasanov said at a Thursday roundtable in Baku.

The roundtable discussed the parliament’s role in the promotion of
civil society.

“The only reason why bilateral relations cannot develop into a
strategic alliance is that Russia does not support Azerbaijan in the
Karabakh settlement process,” he said.

“We should ask the question whether Russia can support Azerbaijan. I
think it can, but that will lead to exacerbation of its relations with
other states. That is why, Russia and other co-chairmen of the OSCE
Minsk Group [the United States and France] have to stay neutral in
this conflict. We think they should not do that, because international
laws are on the side of Azerbaijan,” he said.

Azerbaijan and Russia are united in 99 areas, “and disconnected only
in one, the Karabakh conflict,” he said. “If we ask the question of
Azeri-Russia relations in Azerbaijan, the most radical opinion will be
that Russia does not give sufficient attention to the Karabakh
settlement and does not do enough for combating separatism in the
region,” Hasanov said.

In all, he described bilateral relations as ‘very good’.

te dp

From: A. Papazian

Today, Azerbaijan
Oct 30 2010

Azerbaijanis prevent Armenian provocation in Netherlands

30 October 2010 [13:13] – Today.Az

The members of the Benelux Azerbaijanis Congress (BAC) came across
foods with a `Artsakh Fruit’ label at one of supermarkets in
Amsterdam.

After taking it up with the administration, the products imported by
the Dutch Hayfood company were removed.

Artskhan Fruit company was founded in 2007 in Khankendi. Hayfood
violated international norms to import by smuggling to the European
Union the fruits and vegetables from Nagorno-Karabakh, original land
of Azerbaijan.

The BAK started monitoring markets selling products from former USSR
in Netherlands and Belgium. It informed the Azerbaijani embassy in
Netherlands, which, for his part, expressed protest to the Foreign
Ministry.

The BAC sent official letters to the Shop Keurmerk newspaper, Kassa
Vara and Tros Radar TV channels, saying `Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’ is
not recognized by any state or international organization and Hayfood
company violated international legal norms.

/AzerTAc/

URL:

From: A. Papazian

Asia Pulse
October 29, 2010 Friday 11:11 AM EST

TURKEY CITES KARABAKH ISSUE IN REFUSING TRADE TIES WITH ARMENIA

NAKHICHEVAN, Azerbaijan Oct 29

Turkey will not open its border and develop commercial relations with
Armenia unless a solution to Karabakh problem is found, Turkey’s
foreign trade minister said on Tuesday.

Zafer Caglayan, who is in Nakhichevan, which borders Armenia, said
that Nakhichevan was important for both Azerbaijan and Turkey.

“That’s why we have to develop Nakhichevan,” Caglayan said. “We will
do it by the help of trade. We will sign deals. The size of our trade
with Azerbaijan is around US$2 billion but this is not enough. We have
to make it $5 billion.”

On opening Turkey’s border with Armenia, Caglayan said, “our
commercial relations cannot develop and the border cannot open unless
the Karabakh problem is resolved. Our president and prime minister
have made it clear. And now, I am repeating it here. We will neither
do business with Armenia nor open the border unless Armenians withdraw
from the territory they occupied.”

Turkey shut down its border and cut off diplomatic ties with Armenia
in 1993 after Armenian army forces occupied Azerbaijan’s Karabakh
region. Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols in October 2009 to
normalize relations, reopen their border and restore diplomatic ties.
However, protocols have yet to be ratified by both parties.

(TUR)

From: A. Papazian

ANS TV, Azerbaijan
Oct 28 2010

Azeri presidential aide hails “positive result” of Astrakhan talks on Karabakh

[Presenter] Another factor that increases hopes after the presidents’
trilateral meeting [referring to the 27 October meeting between the
Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents in Astrakhan mediated by Russian
President Dmitriy Medvedev] was Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev’s
statement that agreement could be reached on the general principles of
settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict before the OSCE summit in
Astana on 1-2 December. In general, the meeting has been assessed
positively both by Azerbaijan and Armenia.

[Passage omitted: Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan praised
the Astrakhan meeting as “important and useful”]

[Correspondent] The director of the public and political department of
the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, Ali Hasanov, highly
praised this meeting mediated by the Russian president. He also
believes that the resolution adopted at the meeting is a milestone in
the negotiations to settle the conflict.

[Hasanov] We believe that any means, any form and any format should be
used to settle the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagornyy
Karabakh. Any suggestion that can bring us closer to a settlement
should be considered. Yesterday’s meeting was what I have mentioned as
the format of direct talks mediated by the Russian president. As you
saw yesterday, the presidents of the two countries signed a joint
resolution as a positive result of these meetings.

From: A. Papazian