Author: Badalian Vardan

ARAM IER APPELLE A METTRE FIN A LA FORME DE PENSEE DU ” NOUS ET VOUS ”
Jean [email protected]

armenews.com
mardi 20 septembre 2011

EREVAN

Le catholicos de la Grande Maison de Cilicie Aram Ier a fait une
declaration forte a la conference Pan-Armenienne devant les dirigeants
et 500 representants de la Diaspora (50 pays). Il a appele a mettre
fin a la forme de pensee du ‘nous et vous’ et pour la promotion d’un
‘nous’ collectif.

Une attention particulière doit etre portee sur la Diaspora Armenienne
en tant que partie du peuple Armenien extremement competente, sur
les Armeniens du Javakhk, sur la protection des droits humains,
sur la preservation de l’identite nationale, sur le renforcement de
l’Armenie, sur la consolidation du Karabagh et sur la reorganisation
de la Diaspora Armenienne.

“La plus grande inquietude pour notre nation est le fait que
l’emigration d’Armenie s’en tient a ce meme niveau. Notre ennemi
voudrait voir l’Armenie sans Armeniens. Mais a present, c’est
nous-memes qui laissons l’Armenie se vider de son peuple”, a dit
Aram Ier.

Il est a noter que le Catholicos Karekine II, n’a jamais evoque cette
question en public, ni le sort de l’armee, la pauvrete, la flambee
des prix, l’ecart croissant entre les immenses profits des oligarques
et le salaire minimum en Armenie.

La corruption, la minorite prospère et, d’un autre côte, les pauvres
conditions de vie des intellectuels, des ecrivains, des enseignants
et des gens ordinaires, requièrent des reformes urgentes. “L’Eglise
ne peut rester indifferente devant ce phenomène malsain”, a dit le
Catholicos Aram.

Il a exprime sa confiance dans le developpement d’une pensee
pan-Armenienne qui doit etre place au centre des projets et des
programmes armeniens, a propos des positions relatives tenues par
l’Armenie et la Diaspora Armenienne – au profit des plus hautes
valeurs et des interets armeniens.

Près de 500 representants des communautes armeniennes de cinquante pays
ont pris par a la conference. Le President Armenien Serge Sarkissian,
le President du Karabagh Bako Sahakyan et le Catholicos de Tous
les Armeniens Karekine II ont adresse des messages de bienvenue a
la conference.

On espère que le dirigeant Armenien recevra les participants a la
conference.

NO-ONE ‘INTERESTED IN WAR’ IN KARABAKH

news.az
Sept 19 2011
Azerbaijan

News.Az interviews Russian candidate of political science Olga
Safonova.

Is the current Kremlin policy on the South Caucasus countries justified
in terms of ensuring Russia’s future security?

I think the future security of Russia requires more politically,
economically and diplomatically important events. We lost much time
and opportunities because of the forced loss of influence on the
region after the USSR collapse. Other countries, on the contrary,
strengthened their influence on the South Caucasus countries. For
this reason, if Russia wants to return to the region as a respected
and strong player and a participant in all processes ongoing there,
a policy that considers not only momentary gains but also long-term
perspectives is required.

Can Moscow’s recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia create future problems for Russia, which is facing similar
difficulties with separatism in the North Caucasus?

It seems to be two different stories. Anyway, the two externally
similar conflicts have different causes, preconditions, sources,
and ways of settlement. The internal state difficulties in the North
Caucasus won’t lead to the events of 2008 in the short term.

How likely is Russia’s recognition of the “independence” of
Nagorno-Karabakh, if Azerbaijan decides to use war to restore its
territorial integrity?

Hypothetically, without ruling out attempts at a conflict settlement
through war, I am sure that it won’t come to a forced settlement of
the conflict. Russia will not face the question of recognition.

Neither the conflict parties, nor the mediators and mediating
organizations are interested in resolution by war. For this reason,
all the parties concerned will continue talks as long as possible. It
is difficult to find a solution, which would be favourable to both
Armenia and Azerbaijan.

What implications would a new war over Karabakh have primarily
for Russia?

I have to repeat that I see no real preconditions for wide-scale
military actions in the near future. For Russia, escalation of the
conflict to outright hostilities could threaten economic and political
cooperation and the presence of such action in its neighbourhood would
force the country into the conflict area, which Russia does not want
at all.

Recalling the Russo-Georgian war of August 2008, Dmitriy Medvedev
recently said that “it is better to hold endless talks about the
fate of Nagorno-Karabakh than to fight for five days”. Do you share
Medvedev’s opinion or do you think that a state should do everything
possible to ensure its territorial integrity?

As we know, the issue of the territorial integrity of a state, is
extremely delicate, especially concering ethnopolitical conflicts
based on territorial disputes. Each party has its truth and it is
very difficult to be a mediator in such a dispute, since it can a at
any moment lead to the question “against whom are we friends”, who
will win and what will be gained from the resolution of the issue in
favour of any party. When the founders of geopolitics compared a state
to an organism, they said that like any other life form, states are
born, develop, waste away and die. Their survival is subjected to the
common law of the fight for existence, which is why self-preservation
combines with the struggle for existence in the form of a fight for
space. I see a potential tendency for conflicts in this issue.

The easiest answer to this territorial question would be the
following: the dispute should be solved in a way that benefits the
whole population who are fighting for state independence. Ninety-nine
percent of people need no more than a stable political regime, a
peaceful life, a well-paid job, social guarantees, happy children and
a quiet old age in their country of residence. If it’s not artificially
ignited, the ethnic issue is not remembered so often.

But there are no miracles in life. The cruel truth of the current
state of world relations is that while the international community
uses statements pleasing to one’s ears, it often takes actions,
that do not promote peace and tranquility, often collectively or
individually, with the support of the vast majority. The exercise
of the right of nations to self-determination and the principle of
inviolability of borders remain hazards on the way to overall peace,
and a good weapon for political and economic blackmail or a policy of
double standards depending on the need to settle a geopolitical issue.

And often states become hostage to, or a bargaining chip in, the game
of stronger political players who do not stop in the fight to redivide
spheres of influence, markets, convenient transportation corridors,
resources or future military interests.

It is already no secret to anyone that the system of global relations
(in both politics and the economy) is in a state of crisis, while not
everything is smooth in the system of global peacekeeping organization
either; everyone knows that multi-polarity also contains potential
risks, that globalization is not merely an opportunity to exchange
instant messages with distant relatives instead of using snail mail,
but a process that can lead to the extinction of national states.

In these complex foreign political conditions in combination with
domestic political problems, some of which have been continuing since
the early 1990s, Russia, as a very important geopolitical player
in the world arena, shows a peace-loving non-aggressive policy in
international relations without seeking to interfere in the internal
affairs of states, when they do not request it and without imposing
their standards of conduct and values on anyone.

For this reason, I would support Dmitriy Medvedev in his opinion that
it is better to hold endless peace talks.

CHP DEPUTIES ATTEND ERGENEKON HEARING TO SUPPORT SUSPECTS

Today’s Zaman
Sept 19 2011
Turkey

A group of Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputies on Monday attended
a hearing of the second Ergenekon case in order to lend support to the
suspects, which include three CHP deputies suspected of membership in
Ergenekon, a clandestine network charged with plotting to overthrow
the government.

Ä°stanbul 13th High Criminal Court resumed the Ergenekon trial with
the 131st hearing attended by Mustafa Balbay, journalist Tuncay
Ozkan and Ä°brahim Å~^ahin, the former head of the National Police
Department’s Special Operations Unit. Sixteen suspects, who have been
released pending trial, including CHP deputy Sinan Aygun, retired
Gen. HurÅ~_it Tolon and journalists Yalcın Kucuk and Unal Ä°nanc,
also appeared in the courtroom.

A total of 21 CHP deputies, excluding the suspected deputies, showed
up at the trial. CHP parliamentary group deputy chairs Emine Ulker
Tarhan and Muharrem İnce as well as Mersin deputy İsa Gök also
attending the court hearing, watching the trial in the section where
lawyers are seated.

Judges cross-examined Oguz Bulut, the Ä°zmir provincial head of Ulku
Ocakları, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) youth organizations,
over his connection with the Ergenekon terrorist organization. Bulut
said he had not seen Ergenekon suspects Å~^ahin and Ersin Gönenci,
who allegedly carried out an assassination of an Armenian community
leader as part of Ergenekon network’s activities, after he left
his post as the head of Sivas Ulku Ocakları in 2006. Rejecting the
charges of being a member of Ergenekon, Bulut said he only talks to
Å~^ahin on the phone on special occasions, such as holidays.

Former CHP provincial head reacts against numerous handovers of
Ä°stanbul chair Former head of the CHP’s Ä°stanbul branch Å~^inasi
Oktem has reacted against the four-time handover of the CHP Ä°stanbul
provincial chair over the past 15 months. Having served as the CHP
Ä°stanbul head between 2002 and 2007, Oktem said he agrees with the
criticism of the handover of the chair and that it has turned into a
game. The appointments became part of the April 23, Children’s Day,
in which young people symbolically took on significant political posts
for the occasion of the day. In an interview with Today’s Zaman, Oktem
emphasized that the new provincial head, Oguz Kaan Salıcı, comes
from the Dec. 10 movement, which was launched by the Confederation of
Revolutionary Workers’ Unions (DÄ°SK). While noting that the movement
had been established against the CHP, Oktem said: “These are attempts
to replace CHP members with individuals who were unsuccessful in their
movements and took shelter in the CHP. These people have nothing to
do with the past and the organizations of the CHP at all.”

ARMENIAN ENVOY HAILS TIES WITH KUWAIT

Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)
September 18, 2011 Sunday

Armenian Ambassador in Kuwait Fadi Ghalian commended cooperative
relations between Armenia and Kuwait as “close and firm”, hoping that
they would be further developed in various domains.

Speaking at a news conference on the occasion of the 20th anniversary
of his country’s independence, Ghalian said the Armenian people
are looking forward to His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah
Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s planned visit to Armenia.

He said preparations were underway for HH the Amir’s tour, during which
he is expected to open a Kuwait-financed college of Islamic science.

Armenia and Kuwait forged their bilateral relations when the former
gained its independence from the Soviet Union, he said.

Ghalian said Armenia was in the forefront of the countries which
supported Kuwait during the Iraqi invasion, noting that bilateral
relations were being swiftly developed.

He said Armenia had opened an embassy in Kuwait in 2009, and signed
several cooperative agreements in the fields of higher education,
culture and economy.

Ghalian recalled that during a recent visit by an Armenian delegation
to Kuwait a joint cooperation agreement was concluded in the technical
and economic areas and a joint economic committee was made up.

The Armenian ambassador noted that Armenia and Kuwait had hammered
out a bilateral cooperative deal in the fields of culture and higher
education during Kuwaiti Minister of Finance Mustafa Al-Shimali’s
visit to Armenia in July 2011.

Armenia attaches much attention to Arabic language and Islamic studies,
he said, adding that the joint economic committee would convene in
Armenia October.

On economic relations, he said his country was working closely with
the Kuwaiti government to push forward economic cooperation.

He urged Kuwaiti tourists to visit Armenia to enjoy its historical
sites and landscapes.

U.S. DASHNAKS IN SARKISIAN BOYCOTT U-TURN

Armenialiberty.org
Sept 19 2011

A major Diaspora branch of the opposition Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) has reversed its decision to boycott an
upcoming banquet in Los Angeles to be attended by President Serzh
Sarkisian.

The September 25 event is organized by the Armenian Consulate there
and dedicated to the 20th anniversary of Armenia’s independence.

Sarkisian will attend it as part of a visit to the United States
that will involve meetings with representatives of the influential
Armenian-American community.

The Dashnaktsutyun chapter in the western U.S. said on August 18 that
its leaders will boycott the banquet in protest against Sarkisian’s
track record in office. It said his presence there will “cast a shadow
on the idea of independence and denigrate the struggle of our people
for the restoration of justice.”

Dashnaktsutyun’s supreme decision-making body based in Yerevan,
the Bureau, was quick to criticize the extraordinary move.

In another statement circulated over the weekend, Dashnaktsutyun’s
Western U.S. Central Committee claimed that the “nature” of the
celebration has been changed and that it is no longer be aimed at
honoring Sarkisian.

“As such, the reason for us to not participate has been rectified,”
read the statement reported by Dashnaktsutyun’s Los Angeles-based
newspaper “Asbarez.” “Once again we salute the 20th anniversary of
the re-establishment of Armenia’s independence and congratulation
our people on the occasion.”

Armenian government sources on Monday denied any changes in the
format of the event. “It was always meant to be a banquet devoted to
Armenia’s independence and attended by President Serzh Sarkisian,”
one of them told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).

The initial announcement of the boycott was a rare manifestation of
differences within the influential pan-Armenian party. Despite being
in opposition to the Yerevan government, the Dashnaktsutyun leadership
in Armenia has been quite cautious in criticizing Sarkisian.

By contrast, the party’s main U.S. branch described the Armenian
president on August 18 as a “discredited” individual who “tramples
democracy and democratic values underfoot” in order to ensure “the
reproduction of the criminal regime.”

In a Friday interview with “Asbarez,” the branch chairman, Avedik
Izmirlian, downplayed the significance of the harsh verbal attacks
on Sarkisian. Izmirlian also slammed unnamed forces that he said are
trying to “sow the seeds of division” in the party.

RUSSIAN, U.S. PRESIDENTS CONGRATULATE ARMENIA ON INDEPENDENCE DAY

VestnikKavkaza
Sept 19 2011

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and US President Barack Obama have
congratulated Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on the occasion of
the 20th anniversary of the Independence of Armenia, News-Armenia
reports citing the presidential press service.

The congratulatory message of the president of Russia states that over
the years, republic has achieved significant success in economic and
social spheres and increased its prestige in the international arena.

Medvedev also noted that both countries are successfully developing
mutual relations in the spirit of alliance partnerships and are
working together on opening new promising areas of cooperation in
trade, investment, humanities and other spheres.

ARMENIAN NATION SHOWED TO THE WORLD EXCEPTIONAL EXAMPLE OF SURVIVAL – PRESIDENT

news.am
Sept 19 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan attended on Monday
the opening ceremony of Panarmenian Conference of the Leaders and
Representatives of Diaspora organizations held in Yerevan. Armenian
News-NEWS.am posts the full text of President’s speech.

President of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, Your Holiness,
Catholicos of All Armenians, Your Holiness, Catholicos of the Great
House of Cilicia, Eminent Fathers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I cordially welcome you in the Motherland, where you will participate
at the Panarmenian Conference of the Leaders and Representatives
of Diaspora organizations. I also heartily congratulate you all on
the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Republic of Armenia’s
independence. The Conference is attended by 550 representatives
from 46 states who represent 151 Armenian organizations of Diaspora,
including all its pivotal structures. I announce the opening of the
Panarmenian Conference of the Leaders and Representatives of Diaspora
organizations.

Dear Compatriots,

I am confident that the Conference will greatly promote the development
of the Armenia-Spyurk cooperation for the benefit of the Armenian
nation’s peaceful and prosperous future.

This assembly hall represents a collective force. It signifies power
of ten million Armenians and inspires us with pride. That force has
been solving numerous problems through the decades and will continue
to do so.

The Armenian nation is bonded together with its national aspirations
and Armenia’s destiny. All our thoughts, emotions sometimes even anger
and outbursts, heated disputes and serene discussions, silent work
and manifestations of protest – all they eventually have one purpose
– to make sure that the Armenia of tomorrow is a better country,
more powerful, more beautiful, more attractive, to see the Armenian
nation more united, more cohesive and well-organized. We are united
not only by our roots but also by our common goals.

Diaspora is not a new phenomenon in our centuries-long history,
however after the Mets Eghern it acquired quite a different nature.

The Armenians had to withstand the test outside their cradle, on the
“alien and desolate roads”, had to withstand the test of assimilation
and degradation and had to prove their viability in most different
circumstances. The almost hundred-years long history of the Armenian
Spyurk is a history of struggle and victory, unavoidable setbacks
and exceptional willpower. Armenian communities from Uruguay to
Australia, from America to the Middle East have been covered with
the network of Armenian schools, churches, media outlets, as well as
political, public, cultural and sport organizations – this was done
to save the generation. Each family has become an epitome of the
historical homeland. The Armenian nation has shown to the world an
exceptional example of survival, even though many reputable figures
were considering the Western Armenians out of the historical picture.

Moreover, Diaspora has been able to manifest extraordinary political
achievements. With the horrendous images of the Genocide still in
their minds, Spyurk has been begetting new generations dedicated to
the ideas and aspirations of independence.

Dear Compatriots,

Yet, Spyurk is also our pain and our concern because on the foreign
shores we daily encounter problems and challenges. There is an
imperative to keep the new generation Armenian-speaking, sticking
to its roots, close to the Motherland, just keeping them Armenian
which is countered by the ocean of circumstances, conditions,
and temptations. We should admit that that ocean has brought
also some losses, which unfortunately and unavoidably will happen
again. To minimize these losses is the most important task for the
entire nation. I believe that the best means and the most efficient
immunization against the evil of assimilation is empowerment of Armenia
and earning of a great international repute. The level of Armenia’s
recognition in the world may bring back to the Armenian nation even
those who have moved away, if he or she will have an opportunity to
be proud of the homeland, of the achievements of the compatriots and,
finally, of the Armenian identity.

I think, it wouldn’t be redundant to repeat that Spyurk and Armenia
should become each other’s extension. Spyurk – politically and
culturally, scientifically and in terms of health care and sports
should be nurtured by the Motherland and in its own turn should nurture
Armenia. It doesn’t mean that it will become a faceless adjunct of
Yerevan; it means mutual complementarity.

In the existing conditions of globalization, the danger of assimilation
is multipling and the identity is jeopardized. And it is possible
to prevent imminent threats only through a closer cooperation and
regular contacts with the reborn Armenian state – the Republic of
Armenia. Armenia is the nucleus of the preservation of the Armenian
identity and its shield.

The Diaspora structures, centers, periodicals, benefactors,
intellectuals and individuals who have been creating Armenian schools,
cultural centers, centers for Armenian studies and those who bestow on
the Armenian children, boys and girls our euphonical mother tongue,
who preserve and promote Armenian culture deserve deep gratitude and
profound recognition.

The mother tongue is a potent earnest of the Armenian identity.

For many centuries, the language actually substituted the homeland.

Preservation of the Armenian identity abroad emanates from the vital
interests of the Republic of Armenia. It’s not a solely Diaspora
problem; and we do realize that. The Armenian language and national
identity are indispensable prerequisites of our nation’s eternity.

Let’s try to agree, all of us, the entire nation that in the Armenian
families we speak Armenian only. The Armenian teenager must keep the
Armenian language sacred, must be vigilant, conscientious and realize
that along with speaking many languages, one should not forgo one’s
native language, especially now, when high technologies make distant
learning possible.

In Spyurk, the issue of the Armenian language preservation
and dissemination is high on the agenda because a large part of
Diaspora does not speak Armenian or speaks insufficiently, while in
some communities the usage of the language is limited to the oral
Armenian only. Our language is our main weapon in the mission of the
preservation of the Armenian identity, a pillar of our existence and
an important promise of our national unity. Thus, I appeal to you
and expect that issues of teaching, transmission and preservation
of the language will become an objective of our future consolidated
activities. The Armenian state will play a pivotal role in the process,
and we will continue our efforts aimed at making Armenia the center
of the native language teaching through its universities, schools
and express language courses.

I would like to specially touch upon the issue of the Western
Armenian. We, the Armenian authorities will do our best to support
the Western Armenian literary language, which along with the Ancient
Armenian – Grapar, Middle Armenian and literary Eastern Armenian
constitutes a part of our greatest treasure. We have to note without
false modesty that the literary heritage created in the Western
Armenian is of universal significance but at the same time it needs
serious protection. We are ready to listen to the proposals of the
experts and not only on this but also on other issues.

Distinguished Participants,

I wish the Conference productive works and concrete results. I am
confident that Armenia-Artsakh-Spyurk triumvirate can move mountains.

Moreover, some mountains have already been moved. It is not accidental,
that a mountain, the biblical Ararat is the symbol of our unity.

Our formula is precise: the utmost of the Motherland’s capacities
for Spyurk, and the utmost of Spyurk capacities for the Motherland.

I once again congratulate us all on Armenia’s 20th anniversary of
independence!

ARMENIA-ARGENTINA COOPERATION MEMORANDUM SIGNED

news.am
Sept 19 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – The 7th “Fruitful Armenia” International Forum got underway
on Monday in Armenia’s capital Yerevan.

Armenian Deputy PM and Regional Governance Minister Armen Gevorgyan
and Agriculture Minister Sergo Karapetyan delivered the event’s
opening remarks. In his talk, Gevorgyan reflected on recent opening
of the new complex of Armenia’s Zvartnots International Airport
and Argentinean-Armenian benefactor Eduardo Eurnekian’s charitable
programs, specifically the “One Computer for Every Child” project,
Fruitful Armenia Foundation representatives told Armenian News.NEWS.am.

Armen Gevorgyan also expressed a conviction that, through combining
the efforts by such individuals and the state organizations, it will
be possible to materialize projects which would turn Armenia into
a regional leader, and also to have the region’s most productive
agriculture.

After the Forum’s official opening, the Union of Manufacturers and
Businessmen of Armenia (UMBA) and the Union of Manufacturers of
Argentina (UMA) signed a memorandum on cooperation. The document was
signed by UMBA President Arsen Ghazaryan and UMA President Jose Ignacio
de Mendiguren. After the signing ceremony, Ghazaryan noted that this
cooperation memorandum is extremely important in terms of increasing
the volume of commodity turnover between Armenia and Argentina.

ARMENIAN EMIGRATION CREATES ‘WOMEN-ONLY’ VILLAGES
By Mariam Harutunian (AFP)

Agence France Presse
Sept 19 2011

VARDADZOR, Armenia – There are no men to be seen in the rural lanes
of Vardzador as mother-of-four Susanna Asatrian makes her way to the
fields to thresh barley and wheat.

Her husband has left the country in search of work like so many other
men in remote, impoverished Armenian settlements, leaving them almost
entirely populated by women to symbolise the country’s depopulation
problem.

“It’s a total matriarchate. We even joke that our village’s name
should be changed from ‘Canyon of Roses’ to ‘Canyon of Women’,”
said the 36-year-old.

In the midst of the harvest season in Vardadzor, around 130 kilometres
(80 miles) from the ex-Soviet state’s capital Yerevan, women do the
hard agricultural labour, prepare for the long winter ahead and raise
their children practically without male assistance.

“The children miss their father, but what can we do?” asked Asatrian.

In villages like this, women traditionally marry young and their
husbands often leave after their honeymoon to work as migrant
labourers, only returning for a couple of months each year.

The men who remain are largely elderly.

More than a million people left Armenia in the years from 1988 to 2007,
with around two-thirds of them relocating to Russia, like Asatrian’s
husband, leaving the small Caucasus republic with a current population
of 3.2 million.

Asatrian is one of the lucky ones, however; her husband comes home
every New Year, rings her up frequently and sends hundreds of dollars
to support the family every few months.

Others fear that their husbands will find new wives in Russia and
abandon them completely, as in the case of one woman from Vardadzor
whose emigrant partner broke off contact while she was expecting her
second baby.

“There has been no news of him for the past 10 years, not a single
phone call,” said the 29-year-old who gave her name as Tamara.

“People say that he lives in Omsk with an older Russian woman, brings
up her child and does not want to think about us.”

Emigration has increased again in recent months, a trend which analysts
link to the economic recovery after the global financial crisis.

The United Nations Population Fund and the state statistics agency
estimate that some 25,000-30,000 people abandon Armenia permanently
each year.

“Those who leave the country are mainly young men in the prime of their
life,” said Garik Hayrapetian of the United Nations Population Fund.

“The situation negatively affects the population’s reproduction and
gender balance and contributes to the ageing of society.”

Armenia’s opposition argues that migration threatens the country’s
national security, and President Serzh Sarkisian has declared that
the authorities must take action.

“The number of people looking for overseas success is large, and
of course we should be seriously concerned about this problem,”
Sarkisian said earlier this year, suggesting that the only way to
reverse the trend was to create better economic conditions.

Surveys have suggested that 70-75 percent of emigrants leave because
of the lack of job opportunities and low wages in a country that
suffers from economic isolation because its borders with neighbours
Turkey and Azerbaijan have long been closed due to political disputes.

But the head of the country’s migration agency Gagik Eganian accused
the opposition of trying to score political points by describing the
latest wave of emigration as catastrophic and suggesting that Armenia
was becoming “deserted”.

“There is no data on what proportion of these people (this year’s
emigrants) left the country forever,” he said.

Some analysts also argue that migration has economic benefits,
with many families surviving on money sent home by relatives working
abroad — $772 million (548 million euros) in the first half of this
year alone.

But in a more worrying statistic, the United Nations Population Fund
says that 44 percent of people responding to one of its surveys did
not see a future for themselves and their children in Armenia.

Hayrapetian also raised concerns that not only the poor and jobless
were now leaving.

“Migration has changed qualitatively. Well-off people with higher
education and well-paid jobs are now emigrating,” he said.

The government is preparing what it calls a National Programme for
Migration Reduction, which is due to be launched soon, while another
scheme entitled ‘Come Home’ aims to encourage people from the huge
Armenian diaspora to resettle in their ethnic homeland.

Back in Vardadzor, Susanna Asatrian’s children keep in contact with
their father via the internet, while others wait expectantly for their
dads to return from Russia for Christmas — although some of them,
it seems, are likely to be disappointed.

FRUITFULL ARMENIA: PRIME MINISTER OFFERS DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY FOR QUALITY WINE-MAKING IN ARMENIA

AZG DAILY
20-09-2011

The sixth FruitFull Armenia international conference kicked off
Thursday, September 16, in Yerevan with winemaking and grape growing
experts, marketing specialists from France, Argentina, Italy, Austria,
Australia and other wine-making countries in attendance.

According to ArmeniaNow, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan addressing
the conference said that large investments were made in winemaking
over the past years, contributing to better quality of products,
new technologies and to expanding the farms. However, small economies
are affected by the competition.

Grape growing development provides a solution to villagers~R social
problems in Armenia, he said, adding that Armenian winemaking companies
need to create an association which will get state assistance.

“We need to build the chain from production to sales of agricultural
products for state assistance to small households to be efficient,”
the Premier stressed.

The Prime Minister said that successful implementation of the program
of Free Economic Zone will allow to market agricultural products
abroad.