Author: Andres-Papazian

IFC AND AMERIABANK SIGN GENERAL INTEREST-RATE AND CURRENCY SWAP AGREEMENT

/ARKA/
October 15, 2010
YEREVAN

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group and Armenian Ameriabank signed
a General Interest-Rate and Currency Swap Agreement today for risk
management.

Under the agreement, IFC will provide Ameriabank with U.S.-dollar
interest-rate swaps and multiple-currency swaps, enabling the bank to
better manage its interest-rate risks on borrowed funds as well as
currency risks for its euro deposit base, and provide a wider range
of deposit products to customers..

“This transaction will help strengthen our risk-management capacity,
which is particularly important in the post-crisis period,” said
Andrei Shinkevich, Investment Banking Director of Ameriabank.

Tigran Jrbashian, Ameriabank development director, said the bank is
attracting loans at floating interest rates, more frequently by using
the LIBOR mechanism, while loans to Armenian banks are provided at
fixed rates, which contains loss risk from floating exchange rates.

Thomas Lubeck, IFC Regional Head of the Caucasus said: “This is our
first swap agreement in Armenia are we are happy to be providing
this high-level financial technology. It will provide Ameriabank with
important risk management tool and improve the bank’s sustainability.’

He said the IFG has signed similar agreements with 22 countries,
including Russia and Georgia.

From: A. Papazian

Oct. 10, 2010

Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

NORM: Emotional Agassi thanks Kerkorian

Andre Agassi paid an emotional tribute to Las Vegas gaming pioneer Kirk
Kerkorian on Saturday at Agassi’s Grand Slam for Children annual megacharity
event.

With the 93-year-old Kerkorian in attendance, Agassi singled him out early
in the evening’s program, which included a surprise appearance by Bill
Cosby.

Agassi revealed to the crowd of about 1,500 that Kerkorian “put bread” on
the family table during some lean years when his father worked for the
original MGM Hotel.
“You called him by his name one day, and he wore it as a badge of honor,”
Agassi said.

The tennis superstar said his middle name was Kirk in honor of Kerkorian
“because you saved my father,” Emmanuel “Mike” Agassi.

“I will forever, forever, forever be grateful and I love,” Andre Agassi said
to Kerkorian.

After his remarks, Agassi”s mother, Elizabeth, approached Kerkorian at his
table and said, “We would have never made it without you.”

Agassi’s brother, Phil, was seen with tears streaming down his face as he
thanked Kerkorian.

“When the MGM fire happened (in November 1980) and no one had a job, no one
knew Mr. Kerkorian helped us out,” Phil Agassi said.

“When our dad had heart surgery in 1995,” he said, “Kirk Kerkorian was big
on supporting the medical community at the time. We’re still waiting for
that bill.”

Kerkorian, known for his media shyness, was seen leaving his table shortly
after being honored.

Organizers said the event raised about $8.5 million, including 450
sponsorship pledges of $2,500 which were matched by the Ralph Engelstad
Foundation, which translates into annual scholarships for three quarters of
the 600 kids at the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy.

That’s a half million dollars more than a year ago in a tough economy.

Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or [email protected]. Find
additional sightings and more online at

From: A. Papazian

Holocaust Memorial in Yerevan Vandalized

Epress.am ()
Oct. 20, 2010

Unknown individuals desecrated a memorial erected in 2006 dedicated to
the memory of Holocaust victims. A red swastika was spray-painted on
the memorial, along with the words (in Armenian) “Death to Jews,”
reports Armenia Today.

The monument is meant to symbolize the suffering of the Jewish
people. It is located in the center of Yerevan, near in Circle Park at
the intersection of Teryan and Moscovyan streets.

This is not the first time that this monument to the memory of
Holocaust victims has been desecrated.

From: A. Papazian

“NAKHICHEVAN WILL BECOME A SUBJECT OF DISCUSSIONS”

A1Plus.am
18 Oct 2010

“We are no longer surprised at Azerbaijani President’s statements. The
last statement is not exclusion,” said Ashot Grigoryan, President of
the Forum of Armenian Associations of Europe (FAAE).

“Speaking at a meeting of NATO in Bratislava a few years ago, Aliyev
Junior said, “Armenians live in many countries of the world. Can you
imagine them demanding independence for their communities in those
countries?” Due to the lack of analytical mind, Mr. Aliyev is unable
to realize that the right of Artsakh people to self-determination
cannot be confused with the rights of Armenian communities in other
countries,” Ashot Grigoryan said in a statement.

“In 1918-1920, the tribe Kara-Koyunlu captured those territories
and established its statehood thanks to Bolsheviks. The tribe also
received Nakhichevan as a gift.

Ethnic cleansing and cultural genocide carried out in Nakhichevan over
the past 100 years have become a subject of international discussions.

Azerbaijan will undoubtedly answer for its misdeeds. I promise that
FAAE will do its utmost to expose the ethnic cleansing and cultural
genocide of Nakhichevan,” reads the statement.

From: A. Papazian

U.S. NEXT STEPS
NAIRA HAYRUMYAN

Lragir.am
18 Oct 2010

The connection between the U.S.-Armenian criminal group with the
authorities of Armenia becomes the main issue in the publications
on this topic. Journalists wonder in what form this relationship is
manifested and how the U.S. will punish Armenia.

Indeed, what the form in which the U.S. can impose sanctions to the
Armenian authorities, when suddenly it is found out that frauds in
America were supported by the Armenian leadership or persons close
to it can be. Diplomatic practice hints that the leadership of this
country may deny visits to the United States and other states. It
is also likely that the U.S. Attorney’s office will apply to the
international court. The third way is that the U.S. simply stops
supporting the Armenian leadership. And this is perhaps the most
terrible punishment for the government.

Experts say the most likely the connection between the criminal
gang and the authorities of Armenia will remain undisclosed. They
will agree. They say that America is unlikely to deteriorate the
U.S.-Armenian relations. The fact is that the U.S. is clearly unwilling
to harm Armenia, moreover, on many issues, they simply catch Armenia
on the fly into the abyss. Take, for instance IMF loans, which have
already been issued under the 0%. In other words, the U.S. simply
gives money to the government of Armenia to ensure that it pays the
salaries and pensions in time. And it is unlikely the U.S. would use
sanctions or pressure which may harm the Armenian state, including the
foreign affairs. If Washington wanted that Armenia retreated from the
present geopolitical position, it would have found relevant leverages:
the State Department publishes an annual report, which can be called
open compromises on the Armenian authorities.

This means that U.S. sanctions will apply exclusively to the
authorities, starting with the refusal of support and ending with
the change of government. No accident, panic is noticed in the camp
of the authorities. Representatives of the ruling party desperately
deny the links between the Armenian leadership and the criminal gang,
although only a judge can determine whether officials from Armenia
are involved in the machinations.

Be that as it may, it is obvious that the revelation of the gang in
America has shaken the position of power in Armenia. Whether it will
recover from the blow is unclear, because there is not much time –
in fact the campaign has begun, and the competition will be desperate.

Now we should see from which ship rats will escape.

From: A. Papazian

MUNICIPAL PANTHEON UNDER SIEGE
Vahe Sarukhanyan

2010/10/18 | 13:30

Feature Stories society

Vandals Deface Grave of Writer Derenik Demirchyan

On October 6, Emil Stepanyan, the son of poet Anjela Stepanyan,
telephoned the staff at the Derenik Demirchyan House-Museum in Yerevan.

He wanted to know if they were aware of the fact that the bust of
the famous Armenian novelist and playwright had disappeared from the
Central (Tokhmakh) Cemetery’s Municipal Pantheon.

Museum Director Karineh Rafayelyan recounts that the last person to
see the bust was Emil, who had gone to the cemetery after Easter. He
visited the cemetery again in September, right after Khachverats
(Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross). This time he noticed that
the bronze bust was missing. Emil assumed that the museum staff knew
that the bust was no longer where it should be so he never called
them. Later on, when he noticed that no one was writing or talking
about the missing bust, he decided to contact the museum.

Museum staff visit grave every five years

The news came as a shock to the Demirchyan Museum staff. They couldn’t
believe what they heard. Karineh Rafayelyan says that once every
five years the museum organizes a grand cortege to the pantheon to
celebrate Demirchyan’s anniversary. In 1997, they commemorated the
writer’s 120th anniversary; in 2002 his 125th and in 2007 his 130th.

The last time the museum staff saw the bust was back in 2007.

After Emil telephoned, museum staffers visited the pantheon. Mrs.

Rafayelyan immediately contacted her immediate superior, Henrik
Bakhchinyan, Director of Armenia’s Literature and Art Museum. He
advised her to call the police; which she did.

On October 8, the RA Police issued a communique stating that the
Erebuni Division had received a report from the Yerevan Central Police
that sometime on October 7 the bust of Derenik Demirchyan had been
stolen from the gravesite at the Central Cemetery’s Municipal Pantheon
and that an investigation had been launched.

Stolen Demirchyan bust weighed 300 kilos

Upon inspecting the site, the police concluded that the thieves had
toppled the huge bust from its perch and that this had caused the
damage to other grave stones immediately in front of Demirchyan’s.

In addition, it became apparent that the theft had occurred at least
one month before the police inspected the crime site. Investigators
noticed that that birds had proceeded to build a nest atop the basalt
memorial stone and that it had already dried-up and withered.

Mrs. Rafayelyan says that according to Demirchyan’s relatives the
bust weighs about 300 kilos and that a sculpture named Aharonian from
the diaspora was invited to Armenia to construct it. Most likely
it was placed at the grave site in 1957, one year after the death
of Demirchyan.

Vandals hit other graves as well

Other graves of Armenian notables in the cemetery have also been
vandalized. Years ago, thieves removed a metal cloak-like ornament
from the gravestone of actor Vagharsh Vagharshyan. The sculpted laurel
wreath framing the round gravestone of Armenia most famous sculptor
Yervand Kochar has also vanished. Robbers have also carted off the
bronze cross that once adorned the grave of writer Sipan Shiraz.

Just last month, vandals made off with a 10 kilo metal section ripped
from the grave of linguist Hrachya Ajarian. One of the maintenance
crew at the Central Cemetery has said that just 20 days ago the metal
bust of former Yerevan Mayor Yeghisheh Vardanyan was also stolen from
the pantheon.

After 5 pm, the Central Cemetery literally becomes a ghost town;
no one patrols the grounds. Only grounds sweepers and laborers are
to be seen at the cemetery. There are no gatekeepers to monitor the
comings and goings at the huge facility. The cemetery is open to the
public from Monday to Friday from 9 to 5, and on the weekend till
3pm. It seems that those with ulterior motives in mind wait until
the cemetery officially closes to do their dirty work.

No guards on duty

There are four entrances to the cemetery through which cars can pass.

The gate at the main entrance is always open. A few years back the
police padlocked the gate. The next morning street sweepers noticed
the locks had been smashed and tossed aside.

Katarina, a woman who’s been sweeping the cemetery grounds for the
past ten years, says that thefts have risen during recent years.

When we asked Karineh Rafayelyan why a prominent writer like Derenik
Demirchyan was never buried in the more prestigious Komitas Pantheon
she answered, “Not all of our notables have caring and selfless
descendants.”

She pointed out that given the pitiful condition of the museum itself,
the condition of Demirchyan’s gravesite wasn’t high on their list of
priorities. After the theft of the bust, however, it’s become their
main concern.

About a year ago the poet Lyudvig Duryan made a public plea that the
remains of Derenik Demirchyan be interred at the Komitas Pantheon.

Presently, Armenian Writers Union President Levon Ananyan and Karineh
Rafayelyan are discussing the matter. Ananyan claims that the Armenian
public does not appreciate Demirchyan in a manner befitting his rich
literary legacy.

Thieves don’t care whose grave they rob

“Today, we should be talking about why Demirchyan was not worthy of
eternal resting place in the Komitas Pantheon upon his death in 1956.

The unfortunate situation in the Municipal Pantheon demands that we
must learn from our past mistakes and see to it that the writer’s
remains are transferred to the Komitas Pantheon,” Mr. Ananyan says.

The Writer’s Union President also argues that the public at large
can no longer afford to tolerate such outrages. “The looting of these
gravesites is just one manifestation of the immorality that surrounds
us and which we take for granted. We have returned to the level of
the grave robbers of old.”

“Do you think the thieves knew who Demirchyan was? More improbably,
do you think they ever read his masterpiece Vardanank? Of course not.

They just were interested in making a few bucks to get by,” notes
writer Hrachya Matevosyan. “This nation which has survived through
the centuries today has lost its moral compass because a social system
has arisen in which there are the filthy rich and the dirt poor. And
those who plunder are in control.”

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT UPBEAT ON 2011 BUDGET; ARF UNIMPRESSED

Asbarez
Monday, October 18th, 2010
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)

Armenian government officials described the budget drafted for next
year as ‘unprecedented in several aspects’ as the country’s main
financial document came up for discussion in parliament on Monday.

In particular, the government believes the budget provides for
‘manageable’ risks, ensures stability and seeks to stimulate export.

Speaking in parliament, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan described the
budget as having “a clear social orientation,” since it “increases
social spending to unprecedented amounts” for social welfare, health
and education.

The budget unveiled by the government late last month calls for a
nearly seven percent increase in its expenditures.The draft commits the
government to spending a total of 998.4 billion drams ($2.8 billion),
up from 935.5 billion drams projected for this year.

Armenian public spending had steadily and rapidly grown until last
year’s global recession that hit the country’s economy hard. A
resulting fall in tax revenues forced the government to cut it in
2009. Government expenditures rose by roughly seven percent in the
first eight months of this year amid renewed economic growth.

The government plans to boost its overall budgetary revenues by 14.6
percent, to 850 billion drams, in 2011. That would translate into
a budget deficit equivalent to almost 4 percent of Gross Domestic
Product (GDP).

The budgetary targets are based on the assumption that the Armenian
economy will grow by 4.6 percent in 2011 – a growth also forecast
for Armenia by the International Monetary Fund.

“We are reaching a one-trillion-[dram] level and in this sense the
budget constitutes an essential grow from what it is this year by a
total of about 63 billion drams (about $175 million) in the spending
pattern,” said Finance Minister Tigran Davtian.

Premier Sargsyan, meanwhile, said the measures the government plans
to implement in 2011 will result in the stimulation of exports.

“For the first time we will present our logic of an industrial policy
that will be aimed at stimulating export and will target specific
projects in this sphere that contain export encouragement mechanisms,”
said Sargsian.

But opposition Armenian Revolutionary Federation faction member
Artsvik Minasian said he remained unimpressed by the government plans.

He said the government lacks a “serious program” to ensure Armenia
is able to meet its economic challenges.

“The current policies that the government has announced and is
trying to realize in connection with softening tax administration
and its risk-based tax collection policy not only have failed to be
implemented, but also have resulted in a stricter tax administration
not based on law but rather on the engagement of the clan-based
system,” said Minasian. “As a result, now we have a large number of
closed small and medium-sized enterprises, a considerable loss of
employment and emigration is looming large.”

From: A. Papazian

PBS TO AIR ARMENIAN DOCUMENTARY ON THE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Asbarez

Monday, October 18th, 2010
YEREVAN

Public Television stations across the US will air an award-winning
documentary about the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict on Sunday October 24.

“A Story of People in War and Peace,” directed by Vardan
Hovhannisyan,is a powerful and passionate portrayal of life in the
trenches for Armenian soldiers and medics struggling to defend their
homeland as the Soviet Union collapses.

The film has already screened on BBC, ARTE and other international
channels, and has won over 20 awards including the FIPRESCI
(International Federation of Film Critics) prize. For Hovhannisyan,
the film garnered a Best New Documentary Filmmaker Prize at the
Tribeca Film Festival in New York for the film.

The screening will come a week after public television aired another
Armenian documentary on Sunday October 17-“The Last Tightrope Dancer
in Armenia.”

The film is the acclaimed work of two young filmmakers-Inna Sahakyan
and Arman Yeritsyan. It is a warm, thoughtful, beautifully-shot
story about the dying art of tightrope dancers, and the continuing
competition and camaraderie between two old masters, and the hopes
they place on one young artist.

Both Sahakyan and Yeritsyan have produced several documentaries
over the last decade. Sahakyan has directed more than 10 social
documentaries for Armenian television and worked as assistant director
on “A Story of People in War and Peace.” Yeritsyan has directed a
number of award-winning documentaries including,”Under the Open Sky”
and “Goodbye Fellini.”

Both films are produced by Bars Media, which was established by Vardan
Hovhannisyan in 1993. Bars Media specializes in producing documentaries
on human stories, culture, history and other social issues. The studio
currently develops documentary films in Africa, Russia and Afghanistan.

Click here for information about cities and airing times

Connect with BarsMedia:

YouTube Website

From: A. Papazian

MESSAGE TO TSARUKYAN?
HAKOB BADALYAN

Lragir.am
18 Oct 2010

One of the most essential components of the regular rally of the
Armenian National Congress held on October 15 is perhaps Levon
Ter-Petrosyan’s message to the major business. The leader of the HAK
has sent such messages before too stating that they would be happy to
work in the legal field, but now, they are just forced to pay tribute
to the power otherwise they will be punished. Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s
once again makes a partnership proposal to major businessmen. I
personally believe that this hint is addressed to the leader of
Bargavach Hayastan party Gagik Tsarukyan.

In an interview with lragir.am, BHK faction secretary Aram Safaryan
said that next year we should expect major fermentation. And his
party will be active on all levels. He said they the Prosperous
Armenia party will fight in all legal methods and will receive as
many votes as people give. He is always an extremely cautious person
while he also said that if the BHK has no problems in parliament
with coalition partners, at the level of local organizations, there
is stiff competition, which may find an incorrect form. He said that
there is a struggle below, people of below rows do not agree with
the policies of the upper class.

If such a cautious person makes such revelations of struggle between
upper and below classes, we can only imagine the degree of panic of
the Prosperous Armenia party. Apparently, feeling that panic, Levon
Ter-Petrosyan again decided to offer cooperation, of course without
giving concrete names.

Will Gagik Tsarukyan understand this offer? Does he need it? If yes,
then he will understand to whom the words of Levon Ter-Petrosyan
were directed.

Times are unfavorable not only for the BHK but also for the Armenian
National Congress. Building it policies of the last year of their
policies mainly on the calculations of foreign policy failures,
the Congress significantly weakened its potential impact on domestic
political processes. He still remains the largest opposition force
in space, but this is not enough for major changes. Furthermore, a
few months ago, Levon Ter-Petrosyan said during a rally that Congress
was unable achieve change of government alone.

But the question occurs: why Congress does not dare to offer
cooperation to the ARF? Maybe because the ARF is too ambitious and
may challenge the leadership of Ter-Petrosyan. Not excluded, and
in this sense, Gagik Tsarukyan’s ambitions can be less. But Levon
Ter-Petrosyan is not ruled out not to turn to the ARF and Heritage
simply because they do not need cooperation with Congress. But the
Prosperous Armenia needs, simply because, in contrast to the ARF and
Heritage, BHK has much to lose.

And the fact that the BHK is on the way to the losses already it is
not a secret. That’s why Levon Ter-Petrosyan found it necessary to
repeat the offer now. For the first time, the situation in the power
camp was still uncertain: it was not clear who was going to hold the
dominance. Now everything is clear – Serge Sargsyan went ahead and is
already close to establishing dominance. And now Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s
proposal has a concrete addressee in the face of Gagik Tsarukyan.

Ter-Petrosyan’s proposal does not mean that Tsarukyan has to announce
his withdrawal from the coalition and join the Congress. The point
is about that Tsarukyan thinks about the current political moment
and assess the reality not on concepts in the power camp, but in the
frameworks of political ideas. And in this case it is easy to see
that the political interests of the BHK are similar to the Congress,
than by constructing the further activities on this similarity get
the BHK out of course of losses it appeared in.

All this does not mean that the BHK leader is no more likely to once
again enter into a deal with the government and once again become a
part of it. The question is what will be Serge Sargsyan’s ratio to
the new arrangements. It is not necessary to go far for this, it is
sufficient to recall how members of the Republican Party talked about
“weakening” of the BHK at any moment they wished. If someone in the
BHK thinks that such statements can be made without prior clarification
with Serge Sargsyan, the BHK is has to leave the coalition even more,
as it is dangerous to stay close to those, whom you do not know. Well,
if they know Republican Party it is even more dangerous it stay by
its side.

From: A. Papazian

LEVON SHIRINYAN: ARMENIAN ISSUE HAS “STOPPED IN THE THROAT OF THE TURKISH STATE”

ARMENPRESS
OCTOBER 18, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 18, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian issue has “stopped
in the throat of the Turkish state”. This opinion was expressed by
political analyst Levon Shirinya in conversation with Armenpress. He
said Turkey’s policy in Armenian issue is like a huge iceberg –
the visible part is quite small and what is under water is huge.

Referring to the re-opening of St Kirakos Church of Tigranakert
(current Diarbekir), the political analyst said that this issue may
have several backgrounds. “In case of Akhtamar the issue is quite
simple: Turkey does it for its own economic interest,” Shirinyan said,
explaining that in case of inflow of tourists Turks hope to improve
the economic condition in Western Armenia and lay ground for inflow of
Turkish population as this region is mainly inhabited by Kurds. “The
second explanation is that the so-called merins inhabited in the
Tigranakert region who in reality are Kurdishized Armenians show that
they have preserved the germs of their self-consciousness and do not
want fully lose their Armenian cultural heritage,” Shirinyan said.

The political analyst said now the main issue of Turkey is entering
the European Union to get utmost economic uses and that is why it has
adopted “policy of formalities” and the issue of St. Kirakos must be
viewed in this logic.

From: A. Papazian