Author: Babajanian Karo

AAHPO MEMBERS COMPLETE FIRST MEDICAL MISSION IN ARMENIA
By: Taleen Babayan

Wed, Oct 12 2011

In an effort to continue contributing to the improvement of the
healthcare system in Armenia, the Armenian American Health Professional
Organization (AAHPO) organized its first medical mission that took
place in conjunction with the Third International Medical Congress
in Armenia last summer.

AAHPO medical mission participants During the month of July, AAHPO
members visited hospitals and clinics throughout Armenia, ranging
from Hospital #8 in Yerevan to the Armavir Medical Center, 30 miles
outside of the capital city.

The mission allowed participants to become familiarized with and gain
a better understanding of the medical system in Armenia. Components of
the program included direct patient care, learning how the healthcare
system in Armenia functions, and networking with local physicians.

Returning to the U.S., AAHPO members concluded that two areas most
in need were medical training and the allocation of resources.

“I found the doctors to be knowledgeable but lacking the medical
technology we use here in the U.S.,” said pediatrician Dr. Garbis
Baydar, who noted that there is not a single MRI machine in the
entire country.

One highlight of the mission was when the group visited a 60-bed,
new pediatric hospital in Yerevan, which provides both general
pediatric and intensive care. While there, the head of the Neonatal
and Pediatric Intensive Care Units provided the AAHPO group with a
detailed tour of the hospital and its laboratories, and each member
met with doctors in their fields of specialty.

“The doctors in Armenia know the capabilities of Western medicine but
they just don’t have the resources,” said gastroenterologist Dr. Greg
Koobatian. “They don’t have the tools to do more advanced things such
as endoscopic ultrasounds.”

While participants in the medical mission saw the limited resources
in the hospitals in Yerevan, they saw even more of a disparity in
the rural villages. Two other Armenian humanitarian organizations,
the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) and the Children of Armenia Fund
(COAF), worked with AAHPO to allow them access into hospitals and
clinics in the rural villages.

In one of the hospitals, they learned that only one ambulance covers
the needs of six villages, some of which are up to half an hour away.

“Some of the villages weren’t as affected by the medical system,”
said Dr. Alicia Demirjian, a pediatric infectious disease doctor. “It
was a striking difference, but it was important to see these kinds
of things.”

While it became evident that vast changes need to be made to the
healthcare system in Armenia, something as basic as continuing medical
development is a positive first step in improving patient care.

“If the doctors in Armenia could receive continuing medical education,
it will have a high impact on the medical system,” said Demirjian.

To this end, AAHPO has been working with FAR to help train physicians
in Armenia through the Continuing Medical Education Program (CME),
which brings doctors throughout Armenia to Yerevan for one month of
intensive training.

“AAHPO’s support of the Continuing Medical Education Program is helping
doctors in Armenia learn new techniques, treatments, and medications,”
said Koobatian. “This approach is more efficient than sending doctors
over from the U.S. for a week or two for patient care.”

Reflecting on their time in Armenia visiting various hospitals
and clinics and meeting with healthcare professionals as well as
patients, the participants said they were happy to be a part of the
mission and are looking forward to building on the relationships they
developed there. They also invite other Armenian American healthcare
professionals to join the initiative.

“I encourage every Armenian healthcare professional to pitch in,”
said Baydar.

“AAHPO is doing a great job in making a connection between Armenians
in the diaspora and in Armenia,” adds Koobatian. “I hope going forward
we are able to make more of an impact.”

ITURRALDE GONZALEZ WAS INSTRUCTED TO FAVOR IRELAND IN MATCH V ARMENIA?

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 12, 2011 – 13:15 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Chairman of the Armenian community of Slovakia
Ashot Grigoryan said that on Monday, October 11, he was visited by
representatives of the Slovak Football Federation, who possessed
some information about the Armenia-Ireland UEFA EURO 2012 qualifier
scheduled for the next day.

According to Grigoryan, there was a suspicion that Spanish referee
Iturralde Gonzalez was instructed to favor Ireland in the match and
help them to play-offs, as the UEFA had to compensate Ireland’s defeat
in Paris in 2009, when France striker Thierry Henry, as he admitted
later, had intentionally handled the ball to set up William Gallas~Rs
decisive goal against Ireland.

Grigoryan told PanARMENIAN.Net he wanted to contact the Armenian
Football Federation over the issue but their mobile phones were
switched off.

On October 11, Armenia suffered a 2-1 defeat by Ireland. They were
dealt a huge blow when keeper Roman Berezovsky was harshly sent
off for handball. Ireland striker Simon Cox later admitted the ball
brushed his arm before Berezovsky was sent off.

APPEALS COURT REJECTS SUIT FILED BY HETQ REPORTER
Tatevik Shaljyan

hetq
15:12, October 12, 2011

The RA Court of Appeals today rejected the suit brought by Hetq
reporter Grisha Balasanyan seeking to overturn a lower court ruling
involving MP Ruben Hayrapetyan.

Balasanyan had gone to the lower court seeking a public apology from
MP Hayrapetyan and 1 million AMD in damages for being verbally abused
by the legislator during a telephone conversation.

The lower court had rejected to hear the reporter’s legal suit.

Hetq plans to take the matter to the Court of Cassation.

TIGRAN SARGSYAN: RAISING SOCIAL BENEFITS AND PENSIONS IS ONE OF IMPORTANT INSTRUMENTS TO REDUCE POVERTY

Noyan Tapan
12.10.2011

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan received on October 12 members
of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia.

The prime minister told those present that the government will submit
a big tax package to the National Assembly. The aim is to expand the
tax base in Armenia, which will help increase tax collection by 101
billion drams in 2012 compared with this year. “To solve this problem,
we have targeted those sectors where the available revenues should be
revealed. Part of those revenues should be transferred to the state
budget to solve the current problems. That is, the budget deficit
should be reduced on the one hand and the expenditures should not
decline on the other. The only way is to collect more taxes, so we
will try to find additional revenues that will not hit businesses, but
at the same time will allow solving this important economic problem”.

Noting that the number one problem in Armenia is poverty, to which
the global financial and economic crisis has also contributed, Tigran
Sargsyan said that raising social benefits and pensions is one of
the important instruments to reduce poverty. “In 2012 we plan to take
measures on business development. Part of state budget resources will
be used for this policy’s implementation. The Ministry of Economy has
developed an industrial policy strategy, by which 1.5 billion drams
shall be invested annually to assist local enterprises, which will help
export their goods, establish international ties, etc. So we try to
collect revenues on the one hand and to spend them efficiently on the
other: to spend them on solution of social problems, poverty reduction,
and development of the business environment. The government anticipates
your assistance as well in order to cope with this difficult task”.

According to the press service of the government, the meeting
participants discussed key problems encountered by representatives
of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen and made respective
proposals.

ARMENIAN GROSS AGRICULTURAL OUTPUT GROWS 6.2% IN AUGUST

Noyan Tapan
12.10.2011

Gross agricultural output of Armenia made 131.5 billion drams in
August of this year, growing by 62%, Minister of Agriculture Sergo
Karapetian said at a press conference on October 12. According to him,
the positive changes in agriculture sector, which will continue in
2012, are mostly conditioned by Agricultural Resources Management
Competitiveness Program financed by the World Bank, the import of
elite grain seeds, and good organization of farm produce purchases.

There have also been positive changes in cattle breeding, as well as
grain, melon and gourd production.

“This year 1,150 tons of elite wheat seeds were imported from
Russia and distributed to farmers based on decisions of regional
administrations and the Ministry,” S. Karapetian said. He forecast that
by late 2011 areas under grain crops will increase by 17,000 ha, milk
and meat production will grow by 13,000 and 300,000 tons respectively.

“Out of 175 thousand tons of grapes grown this year, 106 thousand
tons were purchased at the minimum price of 130 drams in marzes,
except in Tavush marz where grapes were purchased at 120 drams,”
the minister noted.

In his words, the government recently took a decision, by which
starting from January 1, 2012 the percentage of milk powder in milk
products will be given on their packages.

Speaking about farm produce fairs held in Kasian Street of Yerevan
on Saturdays and Sundays, the minister announced that next year such
fairs will be organized in 3-4 administrative districts of the city.

LOOK WHO’S TALKING: NICOLAS SARKOZY
by Ihsan Bal

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Oct 12 2011

As the election period approaches, the election fever of politicians
may overcome their minds. However, it is clear that there is a degree
of approval for this.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is a politician who pushes limits
with his ability to bring speeches of the extreme right to the center.

As the general mood of European policy-which is in a period of crisis
in terms of the socio-economic sense-shifted to blame foreigners,
it seems Sarkozy is looking for a different channel to benefit from
and a new target group.

Within this frame; just before the presidential elections, Sarkozy’s
strategy is to convey a message to the strong Armenian lobby in France
from Armenia. As it is known, the best way to impress Armenians is by
going back a hundred years to 1915 and using this tragedy as material.

During his visit to the South Caucasus, Sarkozy went to Yerevan,
capital of Armenia, and it seems he has grabbed his prey in its
homeland. By repeating his support for Armenian claims regarding
events that occurred in 1915, he is trying to draw the attention of
the Armenian lobby by calling for Turkey to face history.

In this manner, mentorship can be recognized from his speeches. He
claims that denying “a historical truth” as a society is worse than
individual ignorance, and argues that big countries like Turkey should
act in an honorable way and face historical truths.

Sarkozy assigns the responsibility of monitoring this honorable
position to France. He warns that in case Turkey will not recognize
the genocide, France will follow up on this issue and take it even
further. Sarkozy’s plan in the French parliament to accept the
denying of the Armenian genocide as a crime just like the denying of
the Jewish genocide in Nazi Germany, is a concrete promise given to
Armenian lobby.

Sarkozy’s Act as Ethics Policeman

First of all, improving relations between Turkey and Armenia and
Turkey’s facing its history are subjects and responsibilities
of Armenian and Turkish societies. Third parties who will act as
negotiators within this regard should have clean hands and a clear
conscience. In addition to massacres in Africa, Algeria, and finally
in Ivory Coast, France’s approach and attitude against North Africans
living in France, a significant portion of them French nationals,
is a great tragedy experienced in recent history.

In 2005, an authority who ended street protests of North African
immigrants, of whom a majority were unemployed, insulted, and
ostracized, by using brutal force was Interior Minister Sarkozy.

Sarkozy’s words “Don’t worry we will eradicate you very soon,” which
he directed toward the abovementioned activists and suburban society
was an expression of his subconscious thoughts.

As is commonly said, “people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw
stones,” or similarly but in different words, “let he who is without
sin cast the first stone.”

On one hand, you will be an imperialist, colonialist, and divisive
country full of tragedies in history, and on the other hand act as
an ethics policeman. Sarkozy should question the history of his own
country before blaming somebody on an ethical basis.

On the other hand, if all these attempts are just for increasing
his ratings through the Armenian lobby, which is at low levels in
public opinion surveys right now, this will be a great example of
his problematic presence in political, ethical, and moral senses.

I DON’T WANT TO TELL STORIES TO MY CHILDREN ANYMORE – ARMENIAN OF ISTANBUL

news.am, Armenia
Oct 12 2011

Representatives of the Armenian community of Istanbul met with Turkey’s
Interior Minister Idris Naim Sahin and Bakirkoy Mayor Ates Unal Erzen.

Armenian community representatives stressed they express problems
more clearly during the meetings on the ministerial level, Hurriyet
Diaily News reported.

During the meeting representative of the Armenian community Arev
Cebeci also highlighted Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arınc’s statement
admitting that the state had seized property from minorities but was
now “giving it back” through a recent decision.

“When will our rights be restored? When will we assume official posts
and achieve the status of equal citizens? When will we be able to
become civil servants? I don’t want to tell stories to my children
anymore, [I want to tell] the truth,” Cebeci said.

The sides also touched upon the issues related to selection of a new
patriarch and the new draft constitution.

ABSENCE OF COMMON BORDER COMPLICATES ARMENIA’S INTEGRATION WITH RUSSIA – EXPERT

Vestnik Kavkaza
Oct 12 2011

The absence of a common border between Russia and Armenia complicates
the integration process, the head of the Caucasus Institute, Alexander
Iskanderyan, told VK correspondent.

Asked about the prospects for the Eurasian Union project in the South
Caucasus, Iskanderyan said that such prospects do not seem promising
to him.

“Speaking about integration with Georgia, such a possibility simply
doesn’t exist, even in the future,” the expert said.

Azerbaijan is a very rich nation, having great oil resources, so it’s
very cautious in such matters, Iskanderyan believes.

He also said that Armenia is interested in further cooperation with
Russia, but the integration process is complicated by the absence of
a common border.

ARMENIAN TENNIS PLAYER ANI AMIRAGHYAN BEATS RUSSIAN RIVAL

Tert.am
23:46 ~U 12.10.11

Armenian woman tennis player Ani Amiraghyan has won over Russia’s
Elena Maltseva at the Futures Play City Cup held in Yerevan.

Amiraghyan beat Maltseva at 6:0 and 6:1 at the two sets.

Now Ani Amiraghyan will have to compete with Tatia Mikadze at the
1/4 final.

The prize fund of Futures Play City Cup is $10,000.

ARMENIAN EXPERTS TO ATTEND SYMPOSIUM ON KARABAKH IN WASHINGTON

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 12, 2011 – 21:25 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The ways to peacefully resolve the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict will be discussed at a symposium in George Mason
University, Washington, with participation of officials from Armenia
and Azerbaijan.

As a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter came to know from a reliable source,
the Armenian side will be represented by Foreign Ministry official
Tigran Lazarian, director of the Regional Studies Center Richard
Giragosian and director of the International Center for Human
Development Tevan Poghosyan.

Azerbaijan will be represented by Foreign Ministry spokesman Elman
Abdullayev, acting head of the Center of Strategic Studies Gyulshan
Pashaeva and member of the Diplomatic Academy Taleh Ziyadov.

Tom de Waal, a senior associate in the Russia and Eurasia Program at
the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, will be the moderator
of the discussions.