Author: Andres-Papazian

Yerevan to host liturgy and protest action against mess in
unconsecrated church on Akhtamar Island in Turkey

September 18, 2010 – 16:28 AMT 11:28 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

On September 19, a liturgy and protest action against the Turkish
`show’ in Holy Cross Church on Akhtamar Island of Van will be
organized in Yerevan, near the Armenian Genocide Memorial.

It was reported earlier that the liturgy will be organized in Van as
per permission of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
However, despite promises, a cross will not be set on the church dome.

According to Chairman of Van Chamber of Commerce and Industry Zahir
Kandasoglu, `a cross will definitely be set, but after the liturgy.’
We would like to note that a mess in an unconsecrated church and
without a cross on its dome is considered to be a sin in Christianity.

According to Advisor of the Turkish Ministry of Culture Ismet Yilmaz,
an Italian specialist rehabilitated the dome of Holy Cross Church so
that it is impossible to set a cross on it. `A cross was delivered to
Van to obtain permission for its placement. But it is over 2m-high and
weighs around 200kg. If it is set, the dome will ruin. We are going to
invite specialists again to create a possibility cross placement,’ he
said.

Experts state that Turkey is inventing a range of tricks to prevent
rehabilitation of a normal Armenian church. According to Director of
the Institute of Oriental Studies of the RA National Academy of
Sciences, turkologist Ruben Safrastyan said that the Shariah laws, by
which the Turkish leadership is unofficially guided, do not allow
setting a cross on churches.

The action in Yerevan is initiated by the Armenian Genocide Museum and
Institute. A PanARMENIAN.Net reporter was told that the liturgy will
be conducted by a priest of the Armenian Apostolic Church, but the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has not decided yet who will administer
the divine service. Representatives of the Armenian traditional
parties, clergy and public activists will participate in the liturgy
and protest action.

The first liturgy in 95 years will be served in Holy Cross Church on
September 19. Despite promises, Turkish authorities disallowed
placement of a cross on the dome of the church. The Holy Sees of
Cilicia and Etchmiadzin, Jerusalem Patriarchy, as well as a number of
Diaspora organizations refused to participate in the ceremony.

Only the Armenian community of Istanbul expressed its wish to
participate in the liturgy in Holy Cross Church on Akhtamar Island.
And the mass will be held by the coadjutor of Constantinople
Patriarchate of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Archbishop Aram
Ateshyan.

From: A. Papazian

Azeri propaganda insinuates stray shepherd is an Armenian diversionist

September 18, 2010 – 16:47 AMT 11:47 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

Information presented in Azeri-made Youtube video, showing an
interview with a so-called Armenian diversionist Manvel Saribekyan is
untrue, Armenian Defense Ministry press service reported.

`Manvel Saribekyan completed military service this year, and bears no
relation to Armenian special service. An attempt to insinuate that a
stray shepherd is an Armenian diversionist is just another primitive
step by Azeri propaganda. The expertise proves the person on video was
drugged into obedience, being induced to speak under physical and
psychological pressure,’ the ministerial statement said.

`The video is another attempt by Azerbaijan to destabilize the
situation on the line of contact, aiming to mislead the international
community.’

Characterizing the video as an overt violation of the norms of
international law, Armenian Defense Ministry urged the international
structures to give an adequate response to outrageous actions of
Azerbaijan.

From: A. Papazian

International community concerned over ineffectiveness of OSCE Minsk
Group efforts

September 18, 2010 – 15:25 AMT 10:25 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

Expert of the Armenian Center for Political and International
Researches Ruben Mehrabyan said that conversations around the
necessity to appoint a UN special representative on the Karabakh
conflict indicate that the international community is concerned over
the ineffectiveness of the OSCE Minsk Group efforts.

Similar initiatives aimed at facilitation of the Karabakh conflict
resolution can become a slap in the face of both mediators and parties
to the conflict, Mehrabyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

`The mediators and parties to the conflict are told through these
reports that it is enough to postpone the resolution. Thus, in my
opinion, the pressure on the parties to the conflict will be
intensified shortly, while the general political situation around the
Karabakh conflict will become more active,’ concluded Mehrabyan.

The idea to appoint a special representative for Nagorno Karabakh was
suggested by Vaira Vike-Freiberga, Vice-president of the Reflection
Group on the long-term future of theEuropean Union, and
Anne-MarieLizin, President of theSenateofBelgium.

From: A. Papazian

Bambir band to represent Armenia at EuroVoice music contest

September 18, 2010 – 17:07 AMT 12:07 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

Soloist of Bambir band Narek Barseghyan said that the band will
represent Armenia at EuroVoice TV music contest due September 23-24 in
Athens with That’s Fine with Us song.

Bambir has been selected to represent Armenia by the results of an
internet voting held from April 2010, Barseghyan told a press
conference in Yerevan on September 18.

EuroVoice contest will bring together representatives of 33 European
countries. The contest winner will be defined through SMS voting,
while people will have the opportunity to give their votes both `for’
and `against’ the contest participants. The winner will receive a
prize at the amount of 100,000 euros.

From: A. Papazian

RA legislation does not provide for signing agreements with volunteers

September 18, 2010 – 14:36 AMT 09:36 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

Director of Civic Development and Partnership Foundation David Chityan
said that it is difficult in Armenia to maintain statistics on
volunteers among Armenia’s citizens, at the Armenian legislation does
provide for signing agreements with volunteers.

The Armenian NGOs offered a range of amendments to the RA Law on
Public Organizations, including with respect to this matter. However,
the bill has not been submitted to the parliament yet, Chityan told a
press conference in Yerevan.

According to him, Civil Society Day marked on September 19 in Armenia
will be dedicated to volunteerism. An event aimed at disseminating the
idea of volunteerism will be held in Lovers’ Park of Yerevan. Besides,
an exhibition of volunteers’ works, solemn march of volunteers and
competition on the best slogan of a volunteer will be organized to
mark the day.

`Around 16 organizations will present their works implemented through
the assistance of volunteers,’ said David Chityan.

Peace Corps Armenia Programming and Training Officer Nicholas Bruno
told journalists that 92 Peace Corps volunteers currently serve in
Armenia.

According to him, volunteers’ work in July-August in various regions
of Armenia will be presented as part of Civil Society Day celebration.
The project was implemented at the initiative of Peace Corps
headquarter in Washington through the financial assistance of USAID.
Initiative groups were created jointly with five NGOs in 30
communities of the country to be trained in organization of
volunteers’ work.

From: A. Papazian

Disabled Sailing Championship held on Lake Sevan

September 18, 2010 – 14:33 AMT 09:33 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

The Disabled Sailing Championship is being held on Lake Sevan September 18-19.

The EU-sponsored championship is organized with the assistance of
Hayas Naval Research Club and Armenian Yachting Federation.

The winning team will be awarded with Lions Club International cup,
the Armenian Federation of Disability Sport told PanARMENIAN.Net

From: A. Papazian

Armenia-Turkey: FM Advisor in Ankara talks to Armenian journalists on
past and present

Opinion | 18.09.10 | 10:39

Photo: Gayane Lazarian/ArmeniaNow

Turkish Foreign Ministry assistant adviser Selim Yener says Karabakh,
`April 24′ remain stumbling blocks in relations with Yerevan

Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter

A Turkish Foreign Ministry official says the rapprochement between
Ankara and Yerevan has stalled because `the issue is very delicate to
both countries.’

Still, assistant adviser to the Minister Selim Yener expressed hope
that improvement in relations between the two neighboring states would
be achieved as he met with a group of visiting Armenian journalists in
Ankara on Friday.

`We will do everything to achieve it [improvement]. We were one of the
first countries to recognize the independence of the Republic of
Armenia. Both countries took courageous steps by signing the
protocols. We stopped at the stage of ratification. And this is also
what we need to do, but unfortunately there are some sensitive issues
that we have to take into consideration,’ said the official, referring
to the recent Armenian-Turkish normalization process and relevant
documents signed by the foreign ministers of Armenia and Turkey in
Switzerland in October 2009.

The process came to a standstill this April after both sides blamed
each other for setting conditions for parliamentary ratification.

In an interview with the Ukrainian Profile magazine earlier this week
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said: `…The Turkish side refused to
ratify the signed protocols in parliament. And now we are waiting for
a political force or political leaders to appear in Turkey who will be
ready to show political will.’

Yener explains that at this point even if the Armenian-Turkish
protocols enter the Turkish legislature, they will still fail to get
ratified by the country’s lawmakers.

`The problem is connected with Karabakh. Armenia should make a step.
Whatever happens, we will always reckon with Azerbaijan. At the moment
of the signing of the protocols, Azerbaijan thought that Turkey had
betrayed it and hit it from the back,’ says Yener.

The assistant advisor says that Turkey has adopted a new policy: zero
problems with neighbors and having an open dialogue. He says that
today much more is being said about the 1915 Armenian massacres than a
few years ago and that `April 24 [Armenian Genocide commemoration day]
should not create problems for the two countries.’

`But for the Armenian Diaspora, it would have been easier for us today
to come to terms with Armenia. No doubt, I understand the emotions of
the Diaspora, and, of course, most of them are the result of 1915. But
here there is another important issue. If Turkey admits [the
genocide], we don’t know where the Armenian side’s demands will take
us to,’ he says.

Yener acknowledges that the events of 1915 are an `established
reality’ for the Armenians and that there is no Armenian that would
deny this reality.

`A solution should be found one day. But you won’t find an Armenian
who would make a compromise. They do not agree when you say let’s sit
and talk to see how it happened. Genocide is a very harsh word and no
state would want to say that its predecessors committed genocide,’
says the Turkish ministry advisor.

From: A. Papazian

European Heritage Days launch in Yerevan

September 18, 2010 – 14:59 AMT 09:59 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

European Heritage Days program launched in Yerevan’s Cafesjian Center
for the Arts on September 18.

`For the 7th year in a row Armenian Ministry of Culture jointly with
the EU have been organizing the event, aiming to raise awareness on
Armenia’s cultural riches,’ the Deputy Minister of Culture Arev
Samuelyan told a news conference.

The 2-day program envisages 44 events to be held throughout Armenia. A
free admission to all Armenian museums will be offered during the
European Heritage Days.

From: A. Papazian

President of Armenia offers Ombudsman to set up working group to
complete legislative regulation of transition of TV companies to
digital broadcasting

2010-09-18 13:15:00

ArmInfo. Press Secretary of the President of Armenia Armen Arzumanyan
reported on Saturday that President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan has
offered the Armenian Ombudsman to set a working group to complete the
legislative regulation of the process of transition of TV companies to
digital broadcasting after
politicians and public organizations had hot discussions and disputes
on the Law On Television and Radio.

“We expect that involvement of the organizations and privates
interested in the group will contribute to versatile discussion of
relevant problems,” the press secretary said.

To recall, the Parliament of Armenia passed first reading of
amendments to the Law On Television and Radio that implies transfer to
digital broadcasting. The bill provides for operation of 18 TV
channels and 12 radio stations in Yerevan and 9 TV channels and 4
radio stations in the regions. The transition to digital broadcasting
will cost $18-30 million. The document aroused sharp response of mass
media and public in Armenia, Dunya Miyatovich, OSCE Representative on
Freedom of the Media, also responded to the bill and presented her
first report on Mass Media freedom in 56 OSCE member – countries on
July 30. She says in her report that during her meetings with the
Armenian authorities that were quite open and constructive she took
the point of the necessity of pluralism in the sphere of broadcasting,
timely publishing of tender procedures and transparent transition of
digital broadcasting. She recalls that in her statement on June 15 she
said that the given bill will not guarantee pluralism in the sphere of
broadcasting.

From: A. Papazian

Empirical approach – key to development of winemaking

By Lilit Aslanyan, ArmInfo, September 16 2010
2010-09-16 12:21:00

ArmInfo’s exclusive interview with Avag Haroutiunyan, Chairman of
Armenian Winemakers Union

Mr. Haroutiunyan, what are your forecasts on the grape harvest for
brandy and winemaking in Armenia in the current year?

I revised my forecasts about the harvest due to some unfavorable
weather conditions. If initially I forecasted 20%-30% growth in the
yield of grapes for 2010, now I think that the growth will range
between 10% – 15%. I think about 148-155 thousand tons of grapes will
be gathered in Armenia in 2010 for industrial processing versus 137
thousand tons in 2009. At the same time, total yield of grapes for
brandy and wine making in 2010 may make up 225-230 thousand tons. Only
20% of the total volume of the gathered grapes is the red sort, of
which only 10% are use for wine making.

Does Armenia fully use its winegrowing potential?

No. In Armenia the yield of grapes is too little as compared with the
potential Armenia really has. I have conducted a survey recently and
found out that nearly 16 thousand ha of vineyards are cultivated at
present whereas in the Soviet period of time cultivated vineyards
occupied 37 thousand ha. The difference is evident. I think that up to
60 thousand ha can be cultivated in Armenia for winemaking alone. This
requires introduction of relevant irrigation systems on the bases on
new technologies, for instance, drip irrigation systems. No matter if
the vineyard is in a valley or on hills, such technology of irrigation
is applicable to any type of vineyard. Using such irrigations systems
on the basis of new technologies may give an opportunity to Armenia to
grow grapes even on 100-120 thousand hectares. If such technology is
introduced, on 20 thousand hectares one can grow grapes for production
of wine similar to French Bordeaux wine and Italian Chianti wines by
quality. Relevant investments are necessary to use the whole area, but
wealthy people refuse to make these investments for lack of proper
insurance. It is normal, because they should be insured at least
against losses in case of grape louse.

When do you think the vintage should be started?

Unfortunately, few observe the right time of vintage in Armenia.
Brandy vintage is September 15-25 when the content of sugar in grape
is low, some 17%-18%, whereas winemaking vintage starts on October 20
when sugar content is at least 21%. Considering that 90% of grape
yield is used in production of brandy, farmers gather the entire
harvest till September 25. They cannot leave just one small part of
vineyard for winemaking because it requires additional spending, first
of all, and grape may lose weight by 30% and cattle may damage it. All
these factors impede high-quality grape production for winemaking in
Armenia. Only in some vineyards in Vayots Dzor region, especially near
the village of Areni, vintage for winemaking is quite good.

Official statistics say brandy production in Armenia shows upward
trends this year as compared to last year. What is your assessment of
the situation in the brandy market, specifically, the export?

Brandy production is really gathering pace again. At present total
brandy production volume yields to the level of the pre-crisis period
by some 20%-30%. In the very period of crisis, brandy production in
the country fell 70%. However, the crisis had some positive aspects as
well. First, production of false low-quality brandy fell some 30%
because in the crisis period demand for brandy in the country fell.
Therefore, brandy quality in the country has comparatively improved.

As for exports, almost the whole volume of brandy and some 10%-13% of
wine produced in Armenia are exported at present. It is normal because
Armenian wines yield to brandy by their image in the world markets.
Yet in the Soviet period all the best technologies and recipes of
brandy were delivered to Armenia, whereas wine production was promoted
in Georgia. This is probably what made us less engage in winemaking.
It is noteworthy that in the period of crisis reduction of export and
brandy production made many local producers thinking seriously of
market diversification, reserving products for export not to be left
with nothing in case of force-majeur situations. Part of the resources
that was spent on brandy production before the crisis has now been
reoriented at production of high quality wines.

Thanks to this diversification, 2-3 wine producers having up-to-date
equipment emerged in the country over the last year. Thus, the reasons
of low quality wine production (outdated equipment etc.) are gradually
being liquidated in Armenia. The stalemate in development of
winemaking in Armenia is that Armenians that have been focusing on
brandy production for the last 150 years have lost their skills of
producing vine variety. But we must display an empirical approach to
this issue, make experiments and we will see real results in 20-30
years.

From: A. Papazian