Author: Andres-Papazian

ARMENIA WILL RESTORE ITS INDUSTRIAL POTENTIAL – ECONOMY MINISTER

news.am
July 17, 2012 | 12:30

Armenia will restore its former industrial potential in the next
ten years, Economy Minister Tigran Davtyan stated Tuesday during his
meeting in Charentsavan city with local businessmen.

He recalled that in December 2011 the Government adopted an industrial
policy strategy, whereby the export volume of Armenia’s industrial
products is envisioned to virtually triple within ten years. And
several dozen industrial enterprises are planned to resume their
operation each year.

Davtyan noted that Armenia was an industrial country in the past,
too, but the industry’s basis was planned economy. The new strategy,
however, assumes the creation of an internationally competitive
industry, with the use of new technologies. And along the lines
of this policy, the Government provides incentives for investment
companies by way of postponing the payment of the value added tax
for imported equipment.

In addition, technological centers, with educational and industrial
infrastructure, will be created in Charentsavan and Vanadzor cities.

Such center already functions in Gyumri city.

Armenia’s Economy Minister also noted that the 2013 State Budget will
allocate amounts for developing industry, including the subsidizing
of industrial loan interest rates.

From: A. Papazian

YEREVAN STATE UNIVERSITY RECTOR CONCERNED OVER VACANT SEATS

tert.am
16.07.12

A total of 3,507 applicants have been admitted to Yerevan State
University (YSU) this year, with only 381 of them enjoying the right
to free education.

YSU Rector Aram Simonyan told journalists on Monday summed up this
year’s entrance examinations. He is content with this year’s exams
as only 81 seats remained free in all the faculties.

The all the seats at the Faculty of Mathematics are filled, which is
not the case with the faculties of chemistry, biology, biophysics,
bioinformatics.

The faculties of geology, Russian language and literature, as well
as the faculty ecclesiology (opened this year) announced vacant seats.

On the other hand, Aram Simonyan is satisfied with the entrance exams
at the faculties of the French, German and Spanish languages, as well
as with the competition for Caucasian studies. The 50 students that
won the competition will study Azerbaijani, Georgian and Old Georgian,
as well as Caucasian people’s culture and daily life.

The most prestigious specialities are law, political science, Romance
studies, Iranian and Arabic studies, economy, Oriental studies,
informatics and applied mathematics.

Education is most expensive at the Faculty of Law – the annual fee
is AMD 700,000 ($1,750). The least expensive education is at the
faculties of Russian language and literature, technical science and
radio physics – AMD 280,000 (about $700).

From: A. Papazian

ARFD SUPPORTS VITALI BALASANYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 14:30:58 – 16/07/2012

According to reliable sources, four of seven committees of the
ARF Dashnaktsutyun operating in Artsakh decided to support Vitali
Balasanyan at the upcoming presidential elections. Three said
neutral. But the ARFD Central Committee of Artsakh yielded against
Hrant Margaryan’s repression and took the opposite decision.

After this decision of the Central Committee, the Stepanakert and
Martakert committees decided to support Vitali Balasanyan and expressed
no confidence to the Central committee. Discussions in other committees
are underway.

From: A. Papazian

FIG LEAF ON ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN RELATIONS
Naira Hayrumyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 15:27:16 – 16/07/2012

The home political situation in Armenia and the lack of a clear
political “orientation” influences first of all the mass media. Many
traditional mass media means, especially the television, as if lost
the orienteer and don’t know how to react to the changes of the home
political course of the authorities, perhaps they are just waiting
when Armenia will go back the way they should be.

The Republican party of Armenia headed by Serzh Sargsyan, as we
know, stated about the European orientation of Armenia and is doing
everything to sign the Association agreement by autumn. Parallel to
this, the West takes up means to deblock Armenia and open the railway
at least from Armenia to turkey. Russian, in turn, is trying to keep
Armenia in its zone of influence.

These metamorphoses are almost invisible in the Armenian media.

However, the politicians also prefer not talking about this. Perhaps
the inertia also plays a role in this: for a long time the pro-Russian
position was considered identical to the pro-government. Accusations
and even reproaches against the political moves of Russia were
considered sedition, and the pro-Western position, Americanism or
Europism was considered conspiracy against the authorities, hence
the state.

The vertical of the power was very clear – the local princes,
tycoons, “sponsors” of defined area or spheres, the Republican
government, and, finally, the Kremlin. Now the vertical has been
broken in two places: on the one hand, some oligarchs are no longer
perceived as an authority, and the other is a direct link between the
presidential administration in Yerevan and the Kremlin is no longer
so straightforward.

Many political scientists and mass media really don’t know how to
react. They are used to be led by one position: the authorities, the
oligarchs and Moscow in the one side of the barricade and the society,
the “sold” opposition and the West in the other. Now, when everything
is confused, the authorities are not considered purely pro-Russian,
politicians and mass media have to choose between the authorities
and Russia.

The choice for many politicians and mass media is the works punishment
ever because it is connected with risks: if you criticize the
government for pro-Western position or support to Russia, you will
automatically become opposition, if you criticize Russia, you don’t
know how it will end. After all, Russia could regain position, and
then you will have to pay for your independent choice.

Russian businessmen of Armenian origin are almost the same situation.

According to Chorrod Inqnishkhahutyun paper, Ara Abrahamyan, Samvel
Karapetyan, Karen Karapetyan and Muradyan brother will soon arrive
in Armenia. They want to find out how they should behave at the
presidential elections. Moreover, they “respond” to the Russian
authorities for their ties in Armenia.

Either Serzh Sargsyan should give them guarantees that the whole
pro-Western policy is just a game, and that he is not going to “betray”
Russia, or “allow” the Russian business go to another candidate,
who will issue pro-Russian positions.

But here, this topic will hardly be discussed publicly, and this
in turn, will lead to the fact that most important issue on the
geopolitical orientation will not become a public discourse. It will
become a regular small issue on orientation of separate politicians
though the change of orientation has always become a milestone in
the history.

From: A. Papazian

PSYCHOLOGICAL MATURITY MORE IMPORTANT FOR MARRYING COUPLES – SPECIALIST

tert.am
16.07.12

Psychological maturity matters more for marriage than a person’s
real age, Anna Badalyan, a psychologist, told reporters on Monday,
commenting on the Armenian Government’s recent decision to raise
women’s marital age.

“Sometimes a person aged 40 has the mentality and perceptions of an
18-year-old. And also, there are 18-year-olds who are quite developed
and mature personalities. A person’s right development is largely
affected by the family and the parents’ role in his or her life. The
society too has a big influence,” she said, adding that a preferable
age for marriage is 24-25 from the point of view of psychology.

The cabinet approved on Friday a legal proposal to raise the women’s
marital age to 18. So far, the Family Code allowed women to conclude
marriage upon turning 17. The draft is pending consideration by the
National Assembly.

Hailing the move, Lilit Kujulyan, a gynaecologist also attending the
news conference, said a said the decision is justified as a girl is
not fully mature at the age of 17.

“The pelvic bone in girls develops at age 18, sometimes even at 20. So
marriage and pregnancy in this period is dangerous for a woman. The
reproductive health age, according to the World Health Organization,
is 25-30. The best age for childbirth is between 20 and 25,” the
doctor said, recommending girls marrying at 18 to give birth after
they are 20.

She also agreed with Badalyan that a couple’s psychological maturity
is very important.

Asked whether the legislative amendment raising women’s marital age
by just one year really mattera, Kujulyan said a person is considered
adult from age 18.

From: A. Papazian

RUSSIA SAYS SYRIA’S ASSAD SHOULD STAY

PanARMENIAN.Net
July 16, 2012 – 13:44 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov labeled
Western demands that Moscow should persuade Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad to step down as ‘unrealistic’, RIA Novosti reports.

“We have been hearing statements that a key to the Syrian settlement
is in Moscow,” he told a news conference in Moscow on Monday, July 16.

“But they [the West] tell us that we should make Assad step down
but it’s not realistic. He will not leave – not because we support
him but because a very significant part of the country’s population
doesn’t want him to go,” Lavrov said.

Lavrov also emphasized that the conflict in Syria “is gaining a
religious dimension” and al Qaeda forces are making roots in the
country.

“We are very concerned over the situation in Syria which is
getting more and more complicated, and the conflict is gaining an
inter-confessional dimension,” he said.

Besides, Lavrov said, Russia would accept a technical extension
of the UN observer mission in Syria. “We are prepared to accept a
so-called technical extension – a resolution that will not contain
any substantive evaluations,” he said.

Two draft Syria resolutions are pending at the UN Security Council –
one sponsored by Russia, calling for the extension of the observer
mission to establish dialog between the authorities and the opposition,
and the other proposed by Britain, which contains the threat of
sanctions to end violence.

From: A. Papazian

PRESS RELEASE
The Paros Foundation
Contact: Peter Abajian, Executive Director
Tel: (310) 400-9061
Email: [email protected]
Web:

STUDENTS DISCUSS UNITED STATES – ARMENIA RELATIONS WITH U.S. AMB. JOHN HEFFERN

Yerevan, Armenia – Sixteen high-school students from The College
Preparatory School in Oakland, California had the unique and exciting
opportunity to meet with U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Heffern to
discuss the mission of the U.S. Embassy in Armenia as part of their
recent journey to Armenia. While at the Embassy, students also heard
from several senior staff about careers in the U.S. Foreign Service.

In addition to being hosted at the U.S. Embassy, the delegation of 16
students and representatives from the School and The Paros Foundation
visited the ROA Foreign Ministry and met with H.E. Amb. Vahe
Gabrielyan, head of the Armenia’s Diplomatic Academy, and several
historic and cultural sites throughout Armenia including riding on the
aerial tramway to the magnificent Monastery of Tatev.

As part of their visit, the students from The College Preparatory
School were introduced to several students from the Manana Youth
Center, where they each had a unique opportunity to interact with one
another as peers. During the visit, both groups of students
participated in the ground breaking and clearing of the future site of
`Ari’s Playground,’ one of the Paros 100 for 100, Projects for
Prosperity initiatives currently underway. Ari’s Playground is being
built at the Yerevan Children’s Home in Nork, Armenia, which houses
more than 80 children ages 0-6 years of age. Ari’s Playground is
being named after Ari Spiglanin, who was adopted from the Yerevan
Children’s Home more than 2 years ago by Lauren and Tom Spiglanin, who
have taken the initiative to raise the funds necessary to complete
this exciting project. For more information about Ari’s Playground
visit

Founded in 1960, The College Preparatory School is an independent
coeducational day school, grades 9-12 for intellectual risk-takers who
want to pursue a serious, purposeful education with others who feel
the same way. The College Preparatory School has been ranked by the
Wall Street Journal and by Forbes.com as one of the top independent
high schools in the nation.

Formally launched in 2006, The Paros Foundation’s goal is to develop
high-quality, high-integrity non-governmental organizations in Armenia
by providing guidance and needed resources. This includes providing
inspiring office space; free of charge, to three of the six
organizations The Foundation works with in Armenia. To honor the
centennial of the Armenian Genocide, The Paros Foundation launched The
Paros 100 for 100, Projects for Prosperity program to implement 100
special projects, to help grow Armenia stronger and improve the lives
of her people.

The College Preparatory School delegation was made possible through
the support of The Paros Foundation.

>From One of the Participants:

American Students Visit Armenia

On Tuesday April 3, 2012, 16 jet-lagged American teenagers and two
faculty members arrived at Zvartnots Armenian International Airport.
We planned to spend 11 days touring the beautiful and culturally rich
country of Armenia. My fellow students and I attend The College
Preparatory School in Oakland. Our group ranged in age from 14-18
years old and came from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. Many
students had yet to travel outside North America. The idea for the
trip came from Roger Strauch, the founder of Paros Foundation. Peter
Abajian, Paros’ Executive Director, organized the itinerary and
logistics. Beginning in October, we students raised funds from food
sales and school wide car washes. Eventually, we were ready for this
unique opportunity and once in a lifetime experience.

Our itinerary was packed with adventure. At the airport, we were met
by the chief coordinator, Pete, our energetic tour guide, Marina, our
good friend and trip assistant Harutoun, our nationally famous bus
driver, Varek, and of course, Roger. We immediately set off for our
`home’ passing by a little Las Vegas, Drunken Bridge, the National
Assembly grounds, and the president’s house.

On the first day, the group visited key tourist destinations in
Yerevan. First thing in the morning, we climbed aboard our bus named
`Cool Bus’ and headed for Mother Armenia, an enormous statue at the
top of the city visible from anywhere in Yerevan. At the same site, we
saw the war memorial, which is dedicated to unidentified Armenian
soldiers KIA during WW1 and the Azerbajian war. We then visited the
modern art museum in the Cascade, which features famous art pieces
connected with ancient Armenian history and awesome glass sculptures.
Afterwards, we ate delicious chicken kebab sandwiches and made a quick
visit to St. Gregory’s, Armenia’s largest church located in central
Yerevan. The same day, we were honored to meet the United States
Ambassador, the Honorable John Heffern, and his senior staff at the
embassy itself. We visited and befriended the children of the Manana
Youth Center, the leading organization in Armenia that provides kids
with the technology and professional guidance for movie making and
journalistic photography. We paired up with Manana high school
students who were were English speaking. They showed us some of their
brilliant, beautiful, and touching movies and the rooms where they
filmed and edited many of these films. We all met for dinner later
that night, and after warming up to our new friends, we all danced to
traditional and classy live Armenian music in the center of the
restaurant. It was incredibly fun.

On Day 2, the combined student group of about 35 people visited
Samosavank monastery, located on the edge of a 2,000 ft. deep canyon.
There we learned about the geology of the area and the history of the
Church. We of course also found time to have a huge snowball fight!
That afternoon our large group worked on a service project to clear
out the yard of an orphanage so that the Paros Foundation could begin
construction of a wading pool and play area. That night, we invited
the Manana kids to a homemade American lasagna dinner, and together we
worked several hours to make an entertaining stop motion pixilation
film.

The third day consisted of the Manana and Prep kids bussing to the
ancient pagan temple at Garni. After Garni, we drove, while playing
some pretty crazy Armenian kids games, to the monastery complex at
Geghard and explored the seven different chapels built into the
mountain. We then drove back to Yerevan and toured the National
History Museum in Republic Square. At this museum, our proud and
knowledgeable tour guide showed us ancient wheels, golden jewelry, the
world’s oldest shoe, and enormous food cauldrons. On our way home via
subway, innocent Charlie, a 6’8” Prep basketball player, thought he
that he should take some pictures of the “Armenian Underground” to
show to his family. Alas, poor Charlie was arrested because the
subway system is also a bomb shelter. Fellow Prep student Dina’s
awesome Russian-speaking skills came to the rescue, and he was let out
with only a warning.

On Day 4, the group perused the market of Vernissage where the Prep
students purchased all sorts of fun merchandise including old Soviet
military medals, a Soviet stopwatch and dysfunctional spyglasses,
duduks, teeshirts, and bracelets. After that, we bussed to lunch at
Lake Sevan and wound up the path to take pictures of the beautiful
lake and landscape. On the path, we met a famous stone carver who was
diligently working on his next piece while overlooking the spectacular
scenery. We then traveled to the ancient city of Dilijan and watched
some pottery being made. That night, barbeque dinner was at an
enormous restaurant equipped with a jumpy house for kids, a dance
floor and stage, a Las Vegas style fountain, and 1,400 of our best
Armenian friends.

The next day was Easter. We were fortunate enough to attend Badarak
at Holy Etchmiazin and then engage in a traditional egg cracking
competition at the Armenian Cultural Center. Later the group was
taken to the Genocide Memorial where we laid a wreath at the eternal
flame, but unfortunately the museum itself was closed. The next day,
we climbed down St. Gregory’s pit at Khor Virap, and then drove many
hours to Tatev Monastery. To reach the secluded fortress, we had to
take the world’s longest sky tramway. We then explored the labyrinth
of rooms dug into the mountain. That night, the group stayed in a
hotel in the village of Goris and walked around in the hills looking
for all the caves where the locals keep their cattle. The next
morning, the group visited the Stonehenge of Armenia, Karahunge, and
then we took the long winding road, through a canyon, to Noravank
monastery. We had to climb a narrow, ancient staircase to access the
sanctuary.

After an exhausting week of travel, we returned to Yerevan for our
last full day in Armenia. We visited Grand Candy, the Foreign
Ministry, and then had a fantastic party with the Manana kids
celebrating a successful trip. Besides being fun and a first class
adventure, Armenia broadened all of our horizons, and many of the
students have said that they want to return to Armenia with their
families in the future.

Photos can be found at:

Written by: Alex Kulhanjian Strauch

The College Preparatory School Class of 2014

###

Peter J. Abajian
Executive Director
Paros Foundation
(093) 99-80-99 From US dial 011-374-93-99-80-99
US Cell (310) 400-9061
[email protected]

Be sure to visit our website at

From: A. Papazian

PRESS RELEASE
United Nations Development Programme / Armenia
14 Petros Adamyan St., Yerevan 0010
Contact: Mr. Hovhannes Sarajyan, Communications Associate
Tel: +37410 566 073
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site:

Supporting Sevan municipality to reduce environmental pollution levels

Sevan, Armenia – Dafina Gercheva, UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP
Resident Representative in Armenia and USAID/Armenia staff visited the
town of Sevan on July 12 to tour the waste collection and recycling
activities of the USAID-UNDP plastic recycling program, which recently
installed 140 plastic waste bins in the town and in recreational areas
around Lake Sevan. Partners met with Deputy Mayor of Sevan Pap
Petrosyan and transferred a garbage truck to the municipality for
plastic waste collection in the project area.

In order to address Armenia’s environmental challenges, USAID and UNDP
launched a joint initiative in March 2011 – the Collection and Reuse
of Plastic Refuse (CRPR) project – to improve the quality of potable
water sources in Armenia through the collection and recycling of
plastic containers. The program also sought to spur private sector
investment in the recycling of plastic waste. As of June 2012, a
total of 1,000 specially marked bins were installed in Vanadzor,
Hrazdan, Alaverdi, Sevan, Tsakhkadzor, Ararat, Charentsavan, Artashat,
Ashtarak, Berd, Ejmiatsin, Armavir, Sisian and Dilijan, resulting in
the recycling of nearly 80 tons of polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
waste.

“UNDP’s support is aimed at creating a better environmental condition
for the population. Proper management and recycling of this toxic
material is not only urgent from the environmental point of view, but
it also carries an essential potential for delivering currently
unrealized economic benefits,” said Dafina Gercheva, UN RC/UNDP
Resident Representative.

During the initial phase of the project, UNDP provided special bins
for PET waste, balers, and compactors in the target communities for
separation of PET bottles and relevant plastic products immediately at
the first stage of the waste collection cycle. The project then helped
design and implement partnerships between the local authorities
responsible for solid waste management and private companies with
capacities to buy and recycle the PET waste. An intensive public
awareness campaign in the project areas was an important component to
inform the general population on the importance of separating the PET
waste into the special bins.

Based on the results and proved interest and support of the
authorities and community residents, the project plans to expand to
other towns of Armenia, including Yerevan, where around 3,000 tons PET
waste is still thrown out to landfills each year.

***

UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build
nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of
growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground
in 177 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and
local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations.
UNDP in Armenia was established in March 1993 and supports the
government to reach national development priorities and the Millennium
Development Goals by 2015.

Since 1992, the United States Agency for International Development
(USAID) has been a leading donor agency in Armenia, managing about
two-thirds of the total U.S. assistance program. The USAID Mission to
Armenia works with the Armenian public, the Government of Armenia,
non-governmental organizations and businesses, as well as other donors
to increase the Armenia’s economic competitiveness, promote civic
participation and access to a wide range of media outlets, expand
access to quality healthcare and social services, and protect the
country’s most vulnerable citizens from poverty.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA AND IRAN TO ESTABLISH ”GARDEN OF PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP”

ARMENPRESS
17 July, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS: Minister of Environmental Protection of
the Republic of Armenia Aram Harutyunyan hosted the delegation headed
Vice President and Head of Environmental Protection Organization of
Iran, Mohammad-Javad Mohammadizadeh.

As press office of the Ministry of Environmental Protection informed
Armenpress, in the course of the meeting Armenian-Iranian expert
group activities as well as the minutes put down as a result of the
launched works, the issues on the creation of “garden of peace and
friendship” , its mapping, data collection, scientific research and
the elaboration of the scheduled park project , Araks river jointly
monitoring implementation tasks and the possibilities of their future
expansion were touched upon.

The sides are set to commission mutual assistance in the academic,
scientific, information technology and monitoring field.

Welcoming the guests Armenain Minister of Nature Protection noted
that each held meeting creates new opportunities for more effective
cooperation and that he high estimates the work carried out by
working groups, as a result of which Armenian-Iranian joint expert
group based protocol is scheduled to be signed.

In his turn Mohammad-Javad Mohammadizadeh thanked for the intensive
work and noted that Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to cooperate
with the Republic of Armenia, especially in the field of environmental
protection and call into life the acquired agreements.He also noted
that it is already his 2 nd visit during the passing six months and new
horizons of joint cooperation are opening with each launched meeting.

From: A. Papazian

LE VICE-GOUVERNEUR DE LA PROVINCE DU KOTAYK ARRETE POUR CORRUPTION
Gari

armenews.com
mardi 17 juillet 2012

Le vice-gouverneur de la province de Kotayk, au centre de l’Armenie,
Levon Mikaelian, a ete arrete le vendredi 13 juillet pour corruption
par les agents du Service de Securite nationale (NSS) d’Armenie. Le
NSS a indique que M.Mikaelian aurait ete pris en flagrant delit de
corruption alors qu’il recevait un pot de vin d’un montant de 40
000 drams (environ 100$) des mains du directeur d’une ecole publique
locale. L’identite de ce dernier n’a pas ete precisee.

Le porte-parole du NSS, Artsvin Baghramian, a precise que durant
son mandat, le suspect aurait extorque des pots-de-vin de plusieurs
directeurs d’ecoles publiques du Kotayk en echange de la garantie
que l’administration provinciale fermerait les yeux sur la gestion
de leurs comptes et finances et leur eviterait une inspection. Le
vice-gouverneur aurait menace plusieurs d’entre eux de leur “creer
des problèmes’ s’ils refusaient de le payer, a ajoute M. Baghramian.

Celui-ci n’a pas precise si M. Mikaelian avait plaide coupable
pour ce chef d’accusation. Membre du Parti Republicain d’Armenie
(HHK) du president Sarkissian, qui a confirme son domination sur le
Parlement a l’issue des legisaltives du 6 mai dernier, M. Mikaelian
est vice-gouverneur du Kotayk depuis 2002. Le gouverneiur du Kotayk,
Kovalenko Shahgaldian, de son côte, s’est declare atterre par
l’arrestation de son second, qu’il a designee comme “incroyable”
et “tout a fait inattendue.” M. Shahgaldian a affirme qu’il n’etait
aucunement informe des agissements attribues a son adjoint. “Vous ne
demandez generalement pas l’autorisation pour prendre des pots-de-vin”,
a commente le gouverneur, en repondant aux questions des journalistes
du service armenien de la radio RFE/RL.

M. Shahgaldian, qui est lui aussi membre du HHK, a souligne que le
responsable mis en examen n’avait pas pour mission d’inspecter les
ecoles. “Il n’avait rien a voir avec le service des inspections,
et je ne pense pas que cela soit credible”, a-t-il ajoute, mettant
donc manifestement en doute les accusations du NSS. “On ne peut rien
affirmer a ce stade. Il n’y a guère que des suppositions”, a indique
le gouverneur qui a aussi balaye d’un revers de la main l’eventualite
d’un lien entre cette affaire de corruption et les speculations
entretenues depuis plusieurs dans la presse selon lesquelles il
pourrait etre lui-meme limoge…

From: A. Papazian