Author: Andres-Papazian

NO TURKISH DELIGHT

29 July 2010

APPARENTLY I make our Prime Minister “angry'” for daring to question
whether Turkey should become a member of the European Union (your
report, 28 July).

Mr Cameron seems certain that allowing Turkey into the EU would bring
greater prosperity and stability.

Has he considered what will happen if the more extreme Islamic parties
get control in Turkey? Does it even bother him that it is still a
crime in Turkey to call the massacre of more than a million Armenians
“genocide”? What about the plight of the Kurds? Or of Christians
in Turkey?

It is easy enough to lecture Israel from the safety of Turkey. I would
have a lot more respect for our Prime Minister if he had the courage
to insist that Turkey offered real democracy, freedom of religion
and apologised for its repressive and authoritarian past.

From: A. Papazian

NEEDHAM LETTERS: RETURNING TO THE ADL’S NOBLE MISSION

Wicked Local Needham

Posted Jul 28, 2010 @ 05:05 PM

Needham – I was appalled to read Michael Sheetz of the Anti-Defamation
League stating, “I think the controversy that led to the [No Place
for Hate] program’s demise in Needham is over and been over for a
long time.” (“Needham man, Michael Sheetz, joins ADL New England
leadership,” July 21.)

Let me set the record straight. The ADL not only continues to deny the
veracity of the ongoing Armenian Genocide, but also supports passage
of congressional resolutions on all genocides except the Armenian one.

In fact, the ADL’s most recent formal statement (Aug. 21, 2007) on the
Armenian Genocide employed language deliberately designed to contravene
Article II of the U.N. Genocide Convention of 1948, which defines
genocide as “the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national,
ethnical, racial or religious group.” The ADL statement said that
“the consequences of those actions [by the Ottoman Turkish Empire]
were indeed tantamount to genocide.” The ADL knows full well that
“consequences” is the functional opposite of “intent,” the latter of
which is required for an action to legally be termed genocide.

Thus, the ADL statement was the very opposite of a genocide
acknowledgment. Under these circumstances, no program sponsored by
the ADL or any other genocide-denying entity is welcome in our town
or in any other city or town nationwide and worldwide.

There is nothing more appropriate on this the 95th anniversary of
the start of the Armenian Genocide than for the ADL to steadfastly
return to its noble mission of stopping “the defamation of the
Jewish people and [securing] justice and fair treatment to all”
and to forthrightly recognize the Armenian Genocide and openly back
congressional legislation on this genocide. By doing so, the ADL will
not only restore its moral credibility as a human rights organization,
but also become a leading international partner in genocide prevention
and restorative justice.

As the esteemed Rabbi Hillel advised centuries ago, “What is hateful
to you, do not do to your neighbor … If I am not for myself, then
who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, then what am I? And
if not now, when?”

From: A. Papazian

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH HEAD OF DEFENCE POLICY DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMENIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY, 2ND STATE AIDE DAVIT TONOYAN

Mediamax
July 20 2010
Armenia

[Correspondent] How do you assess the process of defence reforms
in Armenia?

[Tonoyan] The process of defence reforms can be assessed positively. I
would not like to make a big statement since high standards are set
for us by the military-political leadership of Armenia.

The achievements of reforms are already noticeable. In particular, as
a result of the implementation of the law “On Defence” and “On special
civil service”, it became possible to reform structures of the Defence
Ministry and the General Staff of the armed forces, and to introduce
a special civil service at the Defence Ministry. The main outcomes
of the said legislative reforms were to streamline the command,
control and management practices with the mechanisms of democratic
control over the armed forces and also increase professionalism
through recruitment of specialists to those areas of expertise,
which do not require military education.

Reforms in the spheres of personnel management, logistics, budgetary
planning and programming, and the military education progress
successfully. The most important achievement is the fact that the
outputs driven from the different segments of defence reforms, after
being consolidated, substantially boosted the level of overall combat
readiness of the armed forces.

[Correspondent] What are the main tasks for the upcoming year?

[Tonoyan] The upcoming year will become crucial for defence reforms
since they are descending from the higher command and staff levels
to the troops and have started to touch upon fields, conscription,
such as combat readiness and mobilization, military training, command
and control systems, structures and types of troops, armaments and
logistics. Today full-scale activities are ongoing in all these
directions at the Ministry of Defence and the General Staff.

[Correspondent] At what stage is the implementation of the Strategic
Defence Review (SDR) and when do you plan to complete it?

[Tonoyan] Strategic Defence Review is directly related to the defence
reforms. The content and the size of the reforms will be determined
by the results of the SDR. Currently, the SDR is at its final stages,
where proposals on changes of the structure of the armed forces’
structure, definition of tasks for new structures and military units
are being elaborated. Based on these proposals, appropriate decisions
will be made by the military-political leadership of Armenia.

The process is planned to be completed by the beginning of 2011,
after which the Long-term Development Plan of armed forces of the
Republic of Armenia will be elaborated and approved.

[Correspondent] What level of importance is attached to defence
reforms at meetings between the Armenian Defence Minister and his
foreign counterparts?

[Tonoyan] Defence reforms continue to be the focus of the minister’s
constant attention. Taking into account the fact that in the process
of implementing reforms, we actively use international experience and
the opportunities provided by international military cooperation,
this topic is constantly touched upon during bilateral meetings of
the minister.

[Correspondent] There is an opinion that while implementing defence
reforms, Armenia cooperates only with NATO countries. How justified
is this opinion and isn’t there experience exchange with Russia and
the CSTO countries?

[Tonoyan] This must [be] a biased opinion. Most likely, opinions
such that one are conditioned by the fact that cooperation with NATO
supports the introduction of new components, which were either absent
in the Soviet system or functioned on the basis of other logic and
criteria. It is normal that these issues attract more attention of
society and are covered more.

There is strategic cooperation between Armenia and Russia, our
countries are members of one security organization CSTO, and,
naturally, all reforms and integration processes are coordinated. On
this matter, taking into consideration Armenia’s success in the
implementation of the Euro-Atlantic best practices of defence reforms
as a result of efficient cooperation with NATO, Armenia occupies
exemplary position in CSTO.

[Correspondent] One of important directions of reforms is the
development of peacekeeping forces of Armenia and provision of their
inter-operability with foreign armed forces. At which stage is that
process?

[Tonoyan] Formation of Armenian peacekeeping forces aims to provide
capabilities in maintaining international peace and security. The
volume of our participation increases simultaneously with increase
of our capabilities.

Peacekeeping forces are developed in two directions, and this is
conditioned by the necessity to be able to fulfil various international
security operations and missions. To that end, the units of Armenian
peacekeeping brigade are inter-operable with NATO member and partner
countries’ forces if on a mission under the NATO command.

Within the framework of CSTO, inter-operability is provided by other
units, which are trained and ready to operate within the framework
of possible missions of the CSTO.

In any case, both mentioned forces, as operational military units of
Armenian armed forces, have other primary tasks while stationed at
home and the peacekeeping is an additional task for their training
and readiness.

[Correspondent] The Defence Ministry announced vacancies for a number
of civilian positions. What are the results that you expect from this
and how will integration of civilian specialists take place?

[Tonoyan] Integration of civil specialists into the system of the
Defence Ministry can be considered successful. In a number of spheres,
like defence policy and planning, finance, jurisprudence, procurements,
public relations and others, they work successfully. I believe that
this is natural, since the armed forces of Armenia have rich experience
in involving qualified specialists with civilian background.

From: A. Papazian

WE ARE DETERMINED TO EXPAND AND DEEPEN DEFENCE COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA

Mediamax
July 21 2010
Armenia

The exclusive interview of Celeste Wallander, US Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Defence, to Mediamax.

[Correspondent] You held a number of meetings with senior Armenian
officials in Yerevan last Friday. Have you discussed the possibilities
of deepening the US-Armenian defence cooperation?

[Wallander] The primary focus of the conversations was our
determination to expand and deepen defence cooperation. When the
Secretary of State Clinton was here, she expressed the goal to
President Sargsyan that the United States and Armenia expand what we
are working on.

And this was an opportunity to focus specifically on defence
cooperation. I talked with both President Sargsyan and with Defence
Minister Ohanyan about increasing our support for training and
education of Armenian officers. There are other areas for developing
it, in particular, expanding Armenia’s capacity for contributing to
international missions.

Armenia already contributes to missions in Kosovo and Afghanistan,
and the possibility for contribution to international missions is
always there, and we stand ready to help develop those areas.

We also talked about regional security issues, so that I can better
understand Armenia’s concerns and views about issues, such as Nagornyy
Karabakh, but also broader neighbourhood and Armenia’s relations with
countries in the region.

[Correspondent] US assists Armenia in the process of defence reforms
and conducting the Strategic Defence Review. What is your assessment
of Armenia’s performance?

[Wallander] A big part of defence cooperation is about organizational
capabilities – through planning, processes, budgeting and also working
on staff. And we talked about the SDR. The USA and other countries have
been supporting that development and the process is going extremely
well. This is a foundation for being able to do defence programs,
to lay out priorities and assess relationships, interconnections and
then understand the plan to be able to implement.

So, that process has been going well and it provides that framework
for other areas of defence reform. We are working with Armenian
Defence forces to look at NCO (non-commission officer) development.

This is, we think, a good evolution of Armenia’s defence forces. NCO
core is very important to how European and American militaries work
effectively. It has to be helpful for countries to have that kind of
model in military to make it easier to be interoperable with NATO
and to participate in NATO activities and NATO programmes. And we
were looking at other areas of staff development of the Ministry of
Defence’s internal reform to make it more effective and partnering
in planning and executing various plans and programs.

[Correspondent] Many people in Armenia and outside don’t believe
that full US-Armenian defence cooperation is not possible because of
close Russian-Armenian military alliance and the presence of Russian
military base in Armenia. What do you think?

[Wallander] That’s a question for the Armenian Ministry of Defence.

>From our point of view, we don’t see any obstacles to defence
cooperation because of Armenia’s relationship with Russia. The United
States is now working on our positive and constructive relationship
with Russia, so it’s not a zero sum context and we work with many
countries, who have good working relations with Russia, including
military cooperation relationship.

So, that’s not, from my point of view, a constraint on the
relationship. And I don’t speak for the Armenian Ministry of Defence,
but I did not get the impression that they thought it was a constraint
either.

[Correspondent] What do you think about the current level of
NATO-Armenia cooperation?

[Wallander] NATO assessment and US assessment of Armenia’s
implementation of the IPAP over the past couple of years has been very
strong. Again, the planning aspect of the Armenian Defence Ministry is
strong. They have a good plan and they work to effectively fulfil it.

For our part, we have been talking about shaking our bilateral
defence cooperation to support the IPAP. When countries have a plan
for working with NATO, we, the United States, want to support that,
to find synergy in our bilateral relationship. Some of the programmes
that I just mentioned are not only making sense in our bilateral
relationship, but they are meant to support the IPAP.

[Correspondent] What do you think about the possibility of a new war
between Azerbaijan and Armenia? Azerbaijani top officials are openly
saying almost every day that they consider military solution as one
of the options.

[Wallander] We absolutely consider that there is no military
solution to the Nagornyy-Karabakh conflict. During her visit to
Armenia Secretary of State Clinton was absolutely unequivocal about
the need to be firm in the commitments regarding the non-use of force
and non-threat of use of force.

Armenia and Azerbaijan already went through one terrible war and that
experience hopefully will remind us that there is a required commitment
to a peaceful resolution of the conflict and there exists a mechanism
for working up a peaceful resolution. That does not mean it’s easy. If
it were easy, it would have been resolved years ago. But just the
fact that something is not easy is not an excuse to not continue to
commit to that. There are constant engagements, Presidents Aliyev
and Sargsyan have met over the last months, discussions continue
and the United States remains committed as one of the Minsk Group
co-chairs. There are a lot of good ideas on the table and they are
being discussed. And we really believe that we will find a right mix
of ideas and proposals as long as parties remain committed to peaceful
resolution and to the process.

From: A. Papazian

PM PLEDGES TRANSPARENCY ON STATE OF ARMENIAN ECONOMY

World Markets Research Centre
Global Insight
July 27, 2010

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said during a televised
interview that the government is keen to hold open discussions
about the state of the economy. He explained that transparency on
economic challenges will help to solve issues more effectively with
the public’s involvement. Sargsyan named some of the top challenges
facing the government, including the inefficiency of the governing
system, corruption, and the shadow economy. He added that avoiding
public discussions on these issues is counterproductive; instead,
a frank dialogue with the public would enable progress. Sargsyan also
expressed optimism that 6.7% economic growth in the first half of 2010
will be replicated in all sectors of the economy except agriculture.

Significance:The Prime Minister’s appeal to the public is not a
mere gesture, but reflects his ongoing efforts to curb the influence
of Armenian oligarchs and cut corruption. Sargsyan has always been
keen to prove that, as a non-political figure, he can modernise the
Armenian economy. There have been some results in terms of improving
the business environment, tax collection, and the introduction of
e-commerce; however, some major issues remain unsolved. The economy has
an oligarchic and monopolistic structure with an uneven distribution
of tax–small and medium-sized businesses with no political contacts
have to shoulder the tax burden while oligarchic monopolies that are
heavily represented in the government and parliament often avoid
taxation. Sargsyan does not have a strong backing among the top
political hierarchy, hence his attempts to rally public support to
force the politically connected business sector to adhere to tax and
other regulations. The Armenian electorate is certainly sympathetic
to his calls, but at the same time worried that if the Prime Minister
is finding it difficult to curb the oligarchs’ influence, the public’s
calls are likely to remain unanswered.

From: A. Papazian

STUDIES FROM YEREVAN STATE UNIVERSITY HAVE PROVIDED NEW INFORMATION ABOUT MATHEMATICS

Journal of Mathematics
July 27, 2010

“We study the spaces H-mu(Omega) = {f : Omega → C holomorphic.

(0)integral®(0)integral(2 pi)vertical bar f(re(1 phi))vertical bar
d phi d mu(r) < infinity} where Omega is a disc with radius R and mu is a given probability measure on [0, R]," investigators in Yerevan, Armenia report. "We show that, depending on pc, H (11) is either isomorphic to l(1) or to (Sigma circle plus A(n))((1))," wrote A. Harutyunyan and colleagues, Yerevan State University. The researchers concluded: "Here A(n) is the space of all polynomials of degree From: A. Papazian

REPORTS FROM NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE REPUBL ARMENIA ADD NEW DATA TO RESEARCH IN NUCLEAR PHYSICS

Physics Week
July 27, 2010

According to recent research from Yerevan, Armenia, “The diffraction of
neutrons is considered in crystals under the influence of a standing
sound wave. The scattering probability is calculated for the elastic
neutron-crystal interaction, whereas the neutron-standing sound wave
interaction can be either elastic and inelastic.”

“The possibility of short-wave (high-energy) neutrons diffraction is
illustrated. It is shown that the Debye-Waller factor can be changed
and tuned. The analysis of conservation laws are adduced both for
thermal and short-wave neutrons. The formation of a “sublattice” is
shown in the process of neutrons elastic diffraction with respect
to standing sound wave. The analogous to the Kapitza-Dirac effect
is considered for neutrons,” wrote K.K. Grigoryan and colleagues,
National Academy of Science Republ Armenia.

The researchers concluded: “The problem is solved within the frame of
non-stationary S-matrix theory, where the neutron-phonon interaction
is described by the Fermi pseudopotential, which is considered as
a perturbation.”

Grigoryan and colleagues published their study in Nuclear Instruments
& Methods in Physics Research Section B – Beam Interactions with
Materials and Atoms (On the neutron diffraction in crystals in the
field of a standing sound wave. Nuclear Instruments & Methods in
Physics Research Section B – Beam Interactions with Materials and
Atoms, 2010;268(14):2366-2370).

For additional information, contact A.G. Hayrapetyan, National
Academy Science Republ Armenia, Institute Applied Problems Physics,
25 Hr Nersisyan Str, Yerevan 0014, Armenia.

Publisher contact information for the journal Nuclear Instruments
& Methods in Physics Research Section B – Beam Interactions with
Materials and Atoms is: Elsevier Science BV, PO Box 211, 1000 AE
Amsterdam, Netherlands.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA INCREASES DIAMOND EXPORT BY 570% IN H1

Interfax
July 27 2010
Russia

Armenia increased its export of diamonds in the first half of 2010 by
570% to 288,000 carats from 43,000 carats in the same period of 2009,
according to the customs report for the Committee on State Revenue.

A total of $50.41 million (customs value) in diamonds was exported
from the country in the first half of 2010 compared to $22.277 million
in exports for the same period of 2009 (up 130%).

Imports of unfinished diamonds to Armenia in the first half came to
390,000 carat worth $58.234 million compared to 73,000 carat worth
$22.004 million for the first half of 2009.

Armenia’s Economic Ministry told Interfax that diamonds produced
in Armenia are largely exports to Russia, the U.S. and Europe. The
ministry said that the increase in exports had been driven by revival
on the market.

From: A. Papazian

GEORGIAN PRESIDENT SET TO SIMPLIFY CUSTOMS CONTROLS ON BORDERS WITH AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA

Today

July 28 2010
Azerbaijan

Georgia must try to simplify the movement through the border not
only with Turkey, but also with other countries in the region –
Armenia and Azerbaijan, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said
at a meeting with the employees of the Finance Ministry.

He believes that the customs regime with these countries should be
as regime operating with Turkey.

“We are facing a difficult negotiation, but I already have an agreement
with the Armenian side. We must work with the Azerbaijani side to
implement the integration of our systems to ensure that our citizens do
not suffer and their movement and the movement of cargo is facilitated,
which will strengthen economic development,” Saakashvili said.

He noted the successes that have been achieved during border movements
with Turkey. “On the one hand, we achieved what we do not need any line
or barriers with Turkey. We must do like in Europe and other civilized
countries. There must be a single checkpoint on the principle of
“one window” and the cars have to travel without barriers,” said the
President of Georgia.

Saakashvili said that a similar principle of boundary movement is
particularly urgent with Armenia and Azerbaijan.

At the same time, the President of Georgia expressed his
dissatisfaction that Georgian customs officers often humiliate Georgian
citizens and foreigners, checking their personal things and goods. He
said that checking is done very rarely in other countries when there is
reasonable suspicion. There is no necessity to use this method often.

“For example, the first group of Spanish tourists recently arrived in
Georgia, but today I can tell you that they will no longer come to our
country, as they have been inspected, and they could not understand
it because it is offensive, and I want such pithecanthropus not to
work as customs officers,” he said.

From: A. Papazian

DESECRATED ARMENIAN GRAVESTONES IN NOVOROSSIYSK TO BE RESTORED

news.am
July 28 2010
Armenia

Armenia’s General Consul in the South Federal District Ararat Gomtsyan
and the chairman of the region’s Armenian community A. Gevorgyan will
arrive in Novorossiysk on July 29 under the instruction of Armenian
Ambassador to Russia Oleg Yesayan.

They intend to meet with the heads of corresponding agencies to
present them Armenia’s position on an act of vandalism. If necessary
they will assist the local Armenian community, Armenian Embassy in
Russia informed NEWS.am.

As a result of undertaken measures (note of protest sent to Russian
foreign ministry, aletter by the Ambassador addressed to Krasnodar
region’s Governor Alexander Tkachev), the Novorossiysk authorities
issued a statement, saying the gravestones will be restored on
budgetary funds within several days.

As NEWS.am reported earlier, gravestones were destroyed at three
cemeteries. On July 24 morning policemen arrived at the scenes.

Unknown persons destroyed the graves, without leaving any nationalist
or religious inscriptions.

From: A. Papazian