Author: Babajanian Karo

ITAR-TASS, Russia
January 17, 2014 Friday 05:42 PM GMT+4

Armenia’s integration with CU to raise its GDP by 4% a year additionally – bank

ALMATY January 17

– Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union (CU) and the Common
Economic Space (CES) will yield positive effect for the republican
economy: its additional annual growth is expected to reach about four
percent, the press centre of the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) says,
quoting a survey entitled “Armenia and the Customs Union: Assessment
of the Integration Economic Result.” The survey was carried out by the
bank’s Integration Study Centre.

“The numerical analysis of the results of Armenia’s accession to the
Customs Union showed that the integration process had stimulated
additional annual growth of Armenia’s GDP by almost four percent,” the
document says.

“It is noteworthy that the trading effect from the decline in Russia’s
gas prices by 140 million U.S. dollars over a year is comparable to
the GDP growth by 146 million U.S. dollars. This may enable Armenia to
sign an association agreement with the European Union in the long
term,” the document goes on to say.

The study’s authors are confident that Armenia’s integration with the
CU-CES should be preferable irrespective of what economic development
strategy the republic is going to choose: to expand internal demand or
stick to export-oriented development. If Armenia becomes a
full-fledged member of the Customs Union and the Common Economic
Space, it will be able to find more efficient solutions to urgent
socio-economic problems and will embark on path of sustainable and
balanced economic growth.

Research analysts believe that entry into the common labor markets
will be a key benefit for Armenia from joining the Commonwealth of
Independent States.

“Currently, the republic receives 85 percent of all transfers from
labor migrants working in Russia, which makes up 15 percent of
Armenia’s GDP. The accession to the CES agreements will make it
possible to raise the value of transfers by 40 million U.S. dollars a
year,” the experts note.

The biggest and most promising infrastructure projects in Armenia that
will involve investors from CES countries include the construction of
a new nuclear power plant and implementation of other energy projects
as well as construction of a railroad to Iran, the North-South
transport route and the resumption of railway traffic with Russia via
Georgia.

It is important that not only Armenia but also other CU-CES countries
will benefit from the aforesaid projects because the creation and
development of railway and bus transport routes via Armenia to South
Asia and the Middle East will link those markets to the Customs Union
states.

Established by Russia and Kazakhstan in January 2006, the Eurasian
Development Bank is an international financial organization. The bank
was created to promote economic growth in its member states, extend
trade and economic ties among them and support integration in Eurasia.
The bank’s member states include Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. The EDB’s authorized capital
exceeds 1.5 billion U.S. dollars.

Armenia’s Central Depository becomes available in Clearstream system

14:21, 18 January, 2014

YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. Central Depository of Armenia will as
well be visible in the Clearstream system now which
is regarded as an international central depository. `NASDAQ OMX
Armenia’ informed Armenpress about it.

Through Clearstream the Central Depository gets an opportunity to
deliver services to the Armenian investors and financial
organizations by foreign securities. The investors will be able to
obtain foreign securities from now on and account them on
Armenia’s Central Depository System account of Clearstream system. And
the latter will be able to provide extracts and services
to the investor in Armenia. The account has already been supplemented
with Armenia’s Eurobonds, which will be available to
the local investors in the first quarter of the year.

`NASDAQ OMX Armenia’ OJSC (till 27.01.2009 `Armenia’s Stock Exchange’
JSC, ASE) is the only acting stock exchange in Armenia. It is
part of NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. international group. It is nearly a
decade since the company has offered fully automated electronic
trading platform to the participants of the marke

Hrant Dink’s murder carries out for reasons of state tradition: Taner Akçam

13:37, 18 January, 2014

YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, ARMENPRESS. Seven years have passed since Hrant
Dink died. The real criminals are still in freedom, and
the lawsuit continues. The first round of the trial is complete, the
second one has begun: like Karl Marx’s famous words `The first
was tragedy, the second was comedy,’ Turkish prominent historian Taner
Akçam wrote in his article in `Taraf’ periodical, Armenpress
reports.

`Many of us wonder without reason saying why the real criminals are
hidden, why this lawsuit lasted so long. The answer is very
simple in reality. The consultant of the Prime Minister Hamdi KILIÇ
wrote in Twitter on January 2, 2014: phenomenon called `state
tradition’ continues in this country. To understand what it is, you
may just read a little history. I want to remind that reflexes of our
state traditions for defending itself which developed through the
whole history are rather fearful. ‘Mushaviri was right. The murder
of Hrant Dink was just one of those terrifying reflexes carried out by
the state. If we had read a little history, we would realize what
happened related to his case and would not wonder so much,’ Hamdi KILIÇ writes.

Vova Gasparyan’s Amazing Hobby

Over the past few months the chief of police Vladimir Gasparyan has
introduced a new practice in the police. The policemen take pictures
of participants of demonstrations one by one. Earlier photographing
was practiced as well but the police have replaced group photos with
portraits.

Yesterday, the policemen were taking pictures of participants of the
car march of I Am Against initiative protesting against the mandatory
funded pension. Photo shooting, according to activists, is followed by
telephone calls to and search in their houses. Quite many cases have
been reported so far.

Most probably, as the activists note, the purpose is to intimidate.
Experience shows, however, that these methods are not affecting
people. There are small but highly efficient groups of civic activists
who are aware of the power of law and their actions are literate and
determined. Intimidation is in the past.

The policemen explain the purpose of this `measure’ by security. In
addition, they note generously that they are taking care about the
security of demonstrators, though so far threat to their security has
come from the policemen who often stood idle when some criminals
attacked activists.

In fact, Vova Gasparyan is creating a database of civic activists.
Perhaps, the government has run into some strange phenomenon when
there are no leaders with who they can agree or pray in church.

This is a complicated and somehow useful act because if individual
photographing continues, the chief of police will have a list of about
3 million people, i.e. the population of Armenia excluding the
criminal-oligarchic contingent of about 500,000.

Hence, the government will have 3 million portraits, which may help it
realize the consequence of its policy. Will they be able to look at
those pictures without remorse?

Haikazn Ghahriyan,Editor-in-Chief
15:06 18/01/2014
Story from Lragir.am News:

CONFERENCE HELD IN MEMORY OF SLAIN JOURNALIST HRANT DINK

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Jan 17 2014

Loic Wacquant (Photo: Today’s Zaman)
17 January 2014 /SEVGÄ° AKARCEÅ~^ME, Ä°STANBUL

A prominent sociologist gave a lecture on Friday in Ä°stanbul in memory
of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink since the anniversary of
his assassination is around the corner.

The seventh Hrant Dink Human Rights and Freedom of Expression
Conference hosted Loic Wacquant at Bogazici University, and Dink’s
wife Rakel Dink presented him a plaque at the end of the event.

Dink emphasized in her short speech the importance of reaching the
truth after she criticized people who kill or steal in the name of God.

In her opening speech, Bogazici University President Gulay Barbarosoglu
talked about the history of the lectures, as she said that they are
ashamed because the forces behind the Hrant Dink murder have not been
brought to light.

The prominent French sociologist, Wacquant from the University of
California at Berkeley, lectured on urbanization, urban poverty and
the evolution of ghettos.

Referring to sociologist Max Weber’s statement that “The air of a city
makes you free,” Wacquant said that a city is a place of potential
freedom and cultural diversification.

Touching upon the resistance of people in cities, Wacquant talked
about Gezi and said that it is the educated middle class residents
that protested the demolishing of the park.

In his lecture, Wacquant mostly explained how ghettos developed
and disappeared in the Western world. The most important of them
was the Jewish ghetto in Venice. Describing the ghetto as a form of
integration, the professor said that there are four elements of a
ghetto: stigma, constraints, special confinement and institutional
parallelism.

Another important ghetto was the black ghetto in Chicago in the
first half of the 1900s according to him. However, after the 1950s,
ghettos died in the US, as blacks protested the containment. Yet,
as blacks moved to the cities, whites migrated to the suburbs, he said.

In the Turkish context, Wacquant talked about a transformation from
“gecekondu” (a squatters house) to “varoÅ~_” (a neighborhood where
nobody wants to live).

ECONOMIST: RUSSIA’S PLANS TO DEEPEN RELATIONS WITH IRAN FIT WELL INTO ARMENIA’S POLITICAL-ECONOMIC NORTH-SOUTH PROJECT

by David Stepanyan

Friday, January 17, 21:10

Russia’s plans to deepen relations with Iran fit well into Armenia’s
political-economic North- South project, Head of Alternative Research
Center Tatul Manaseryan told ArmInfo on Friday.

He said that Armenia and Iran enjoy long-term strategic ties. “There
is also a trilateral Armenian-Iranian-Greek cooperation agreement. We
hope that as soon as the world community lifts its sanctions against
Iran, Armenian-Iranian ties will be deepened,” Manaseryan said.

One of the key projects that may be implemented as soon as the embargo
is lifted is the reconstruction of the existing Armenia-Iran railway
and the construction of a new one under the North-South project.

Manaseryan believes that deeper relations with Iran will give Armenia
competitive advantages, particularly, ties with countries having
common political and economic interests. “In the last 2-3 decades
Iran has made a real technological breakthrough and is presently
implementing a number of high-tech economic projects. Unfortunately,
few people in Armenia are aware of this,” Manaseryan said.

HISTORIANS, POLITICIANS COMMENT ON ARMENIAN EDUCATION MINISTER’S PROPOSAL

20:33 ~U 17.01.14

Tert.am turned to a number of scholars and politicians for their
comments on Armenian Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan’s
proposal to rename the Republic of Armenia the Republic of Eastern
Armenia.

“We should be balanced. Do we lay claims to Western Armenia by
renaming the Republic of Armenia Eastern Armenia? This step is
supposed be followed by further logical steps,” Director of the
Institute of History, National Academy of Sciences of Armenia (ANAS),
Ashot Melkonyan said.

“On the one hand, we suspended the ratification of the disgraceful
Armenian-Turkish protocols (which means they are still on the agenda).

On the other hand, we are laying claims to Western Armenia, which is
to our heart. How are we going to combine the two?”

Armenia should not only make statements, but also amend its foreign
policy. If it had been done, Melkonyan would understand Minister
Ashotyan.

Edik Minasyan, Dean of the Department of History, Yerevan State
University, was surprised at Minister Ashotyan’s proposal. He noted,
however, that Armenians lost part of Eastern Armenia as well.

“In other words, we would be glad if Eastern Armenia entirely belonged
to us. But the Republic of Armenia could lay claims at any moment,”
he said.

Chairman of the Public Council of Armenia Vazgen Manukyan said: “I do
not know about Ashotyan’s proposal, so I cannot make comments. In any
case, I do not think it is the best time to discuss such topics. Nor
do I think this is Armenia’s priority task.”

One the historians got indignant at Minister Ashotyan’s proposal.

According to him, such a proposal could be made by a doctor (allusion
to Armen Ashotyan’s medical education) or by Leader of the National
Self-Determination Union (NDU) Paruyr Hayrikyan, but not by Armenia’s
minister of education and science.

HENRI REYNAUD AWARDED “GOLDEN APRICOT” FILM FESTIVAL MEDAL

by Karina Manukyan

ARMINFO
Friday, January 17, 14:35

Ambassador of France to Armenia Henri Reynaud has been awarded
commemorative medal of the International Film Festival “Golden Apricot”
in connection with the 10th anniversary of the festival.

As press-service of French Embassy reported, the medal was delivered
by Director of the “Golden Apricot”, Harutyun Khachatryan, for
contribution of the Embassy in development of the festival. Mr Henri
Reynaud said that the Embassy will go on showing aid to the festival.

He also added that the Embassy also shows aid to such Armenian
festivals like “Kin” (woman) amd ReAnimania.

To recall, the 10th International Film Festival “Golden Apricot”
was held on 7-14 July 2013 in Yerevan.

VARDAN BOSTANJYAN: THE RALLY OF THE NON-POWER PARTIES MAY RESULT IN CANCEL OF OBLIGATORY COMPONENT OF ACCUMULATIVE PENSION SYSTEM

by Nana Martirosyan

Friday, January 17, 15:16

The forthcoming large gathering-march of the non-power parties,
Armenian National congress, Heritage, Prosperous Armenia Party
and ARF Dashnaktiutyun at Yerevan’s Liberty Square, on 18 January
against the new cumulative pension system, may result in cancel of
the given “reform”, economist, Vardan Bostanjan, said at today’s
press-conference.

“The people of Armenia do not want new pension reform, and
the political forces will support them. At the same time we must
realize it is not that easy, the model of state pensions may not
work one day, as it happened with the Soviet system. No one says the
cumulative pension plan is not necessary. The point is why do they
want to introduce it right now without any reference to the current
situation?”- Bostanjyan asked and added that he does not understand,
why foreign companies should command finances of Armenian citizens.

He said that different parties voiced criticism against pension reform,
however, the authorities did not understand absurdity of the new
system. “I would not be against the given system, if I were confident
that there are guarantees of my safe old age. But there are not such
guarantees at present”, – he said. He also added that the new pension
system and raising of the gas tariffs will hit Armenian citizens
in the wallet. “And the companies which promise “to compensate”
introduction of the accumulative system simply lie, as the promised
raising of salary is an elementary bluff directed at supporting of
the regime, but not a citizen”, – the economist concluded.

To recall, the voluntary accumulative pension system was introduced in
Armenia on Jan 1 2011. The system will become compulsory starting Jan
1 2014. According to the bill, the minimal pension in the country will
be equal to the minimum wage, while the basic pension will total 150%
of the minimum wage. The compulsory accumulative pension system will
apply to the citizens born after Jan 1 1974 (the citizens below 40).

Starting Jan 1 2014, 5% of their salaries will be transferred to their
personal accumulative accounts. The government will transfer a similar
amount (but no more than 25,000 drams). It is noteworthy that 6.6%-13%
and not 5% of the monthly wages will be charged, as the charges will
be made from the so-called “brutto-salary.”

ARMENIAN MUSIC AT NYC’S METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

By Contributor // January 17, 2014 in Mid-West

NEW YORK-On Wed., Jan. 22, at 7 p.m., the Hilliard Ensemble, England’s
celebrated a cappella vocal quartet, will perform Armenian liturgical
chants at the New York Metropolitan Museum’s Temple of Dendur exhibit.

The Hilliard Ensemble

The program, titled “Arkhangelos, A Millennium of Music,” will
include a number of classic Armenian liturgical chants and one modern
composition, alongside chants from other traditions.

The Armenian selections include “Ov Zarmanali,” “Hays Harg,” “Amen
Hayr sourp,”and “Sourp Der Zorutyants.” Hilliard will also perform
“Lord, Who Made the Spring Run,” a new Armenian piece set to an
ancient text by Vache Sharafyan, the composer featured in the Silk
Road Project organized by cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

The Hilliard Ensemble has had a long artistic association with Armenia
and its music. In 2004, the group was invited to Armenia to record
sharagans of the Armenian Church arranged by Komitas (1869-1935),
the fountainhead of contemporary Armenian music.

Hilliard’s original recording of the Komitas pieces was made in
the 13th-century monastery of Saghmosavank, atop the gorge of the
Khasakh River.

The Metropolitan Museum is holding “Arkhangelos, A Millennium of Music”
as a complement to its extensive collection of Byzantium artwork. In
addition to the music of Armenia, the concert will include music from
13th-century France and 16th-century England, and will celebrate the
ensemble’s ongoing relationship with living composers Arvo Part (from
Estonia), Katia Tchemberdji and Alexander Raskatov (both from Russia).

Tickets may be purchased online at ; by
phone at (212) 570-3949; or at the Great Hall Box Office (open Monday
through Friday, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.). Ticket buyers can receive a
special discount by mentioning the code HILL14 when purchasing.

For ticket and performance information, log onto the Met Museum
Presents website at wwwmetmuseum.org/tickets. The performance will
be live-streamed by Q2 Music at