Author: Badalian Vardan

DES FERMIERS BLANCS SUD-AFRICAINS REVENT D’UNE NOUVELLE VIE EN GEORGIE
Stephane

armenews.com
vendredi 5 aout 2011

Loin de son Afrique du Sud natale, des tensions raciales et de la
reforme agraire lancee après la fin de l’apartheid, le fermier Piet
Kemp veut commencer une nouvelle vie en Georgie, pays du Caucase qui
mise sur l’apport de ces agriculteurs experimentes.

“J’ai demenage en Georgie car je vois de grandes opportunites ici,
le climat est agreable, les sols sont fertiles et il y a un bon
marche”, explique a l’AFP cet homme de 67 ans, d’origine Boers,
qui apprend desormais le georgien et envisage de se convertir au
christianisme orthodoxe.

“Je suis venu en Georgie pour etre Georgien”, ajoute-t-il, precisant
que sa famille doit bientôt le rejoindre.

M. Kemp a ete le premier des dix fermiers blancs sud-africains a
s’etre recemment installes dans cette ancienne republique sovietique,
où le secteur agricole est en perte de vitesse depuis la fin de l’URSS.

Mais outre les opportunites financières, M. Kemp a surtout voulu fuir
les violences et la reforme agraire dans son pays natal.

Après la chute de l’apartheid, au debut des annees 1990, le
gouvernement a mis en place une politique de redistribution des terres,
dont 87% etaient alors entre les mains de la minorite blanche.

Cela a provoque le mecontentement de cette population blanche,
qui inclut les Boers, des descendants des pionniers essentiellement
neerlandophones arrives en Afrique du Sud a partir du XVIIème siècle,
et des violences ont explose.

“Nous avons essaye de defendre nos droits, mais nous avons perdu
cette guerre”, dit M. Kemp.

700 hectares de terres dans l’est de la Georgie

Il a vendu sa ferme dans la province de Mpoumalanga, a obtenu la
nationalite georgienne et en mars 2011 a recu 700 hectares de terres
dans le village de Sartichala dans l’est de la Georgie, où il cultive
desormais du maïs et du ble.

“D’importants capitaux vont etre investis dans le secteur agricole en
Georgie” avec ce nouveau projet, a indique le ministre de la Diaspora
Mirza Davitaïa, qui en a la charge.

Les fermiers sud-africains “vont apporter leurs competences, leur
experience et leur technologie”, a-t-il ajoute.

Un site Internet, , a meme ete cree pour attirer ces
fermiers experimentes et M. Davitaïa se veut très optimiste, estimant
que les dix premiers venus ne sont que le debut d’une longue serie.

une initiative pas appreciee de tous

Cette initiative n’est toutefois pas appreciee de tous. A Sartichala,
des paysans locaux estiment que le gouvernement devrait avant tout
s’occuper d’eux.

“Je n’ai rien contre les Boers mais notre gouvernement devrait
d’abord se soucier de ses propres citoyens. Les villages georgiens,
l’agriculture georgienne et les paysans georgiens ont ete negliges
depuis des annees”, a declare a l’AFP l’un d’eux, Tengo Paatachvili.

La Georgie importe actuellement près de 80% de ses denrees
alimentaires, ce qui a un impact important sur l’inflation.

Avant la chute de l’URSS, l’agriculuture etait pourtant extremement
developpee dans le pays, alors connue pour ses agrumes, ses vignes,
ses noix et son the. Mais au cours des sept dernières annees, le taux
de terres cultivees a diminue de 43%.

Après l’independance en 1991, les exploitations collectives ont ete
morcelees en petites parcelles privatisees qui ont cree une agriculture
de subsistance peu efficace.

“La Georgie a un reel potentiel pour devenir un exportateur de produits
agricoles : de fruits, de legumes, de viande et de betail”, a declare
l’expert David Chervachidze.

RICCIARDONE SAYS TURKISH-U.S. SECURITY RELATIONS ABOVE INDIVIDUALS

Cumhuriyet
Aug 3, 2011
Turkey

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Francis Joseph Ricciardone said on Wednesday
that security relations between Turkey and the United States was
above the individuals.

WASHINGTON- Commenting on the stance Turkey’s Chief of General Staff
and force commanders who asked for their retirement, Ricciardone
said the U.S. was ready to work with the new army brass. He said
security relations between Turkey and the United States was above
the individuals but bases on institutions.

Ricciardone, who was nominated as ambassador to Turkey for one year by
U.S. President Barack Obama, spoke at a hearing took place in Senate
Foreign Relations Committee, as his nomination process re-started in
the Senate.

“During my 33-year career in the Foreign Service, I’ve had the
pleasure and the privilege of having served in Turkey previously
three times. And through this period, I’ve observed Turkey’s
continuing transformation into a more democratic and more open and
more economically vibrant modern state, and as a player with growing
influence on the world stage,” he said adding that, “throughout this
change in development, there has been one constant, and that has been
Turkey’s continued commitment to its partnership with the United
States and the NATO alliance. It’s also a member of the G-20 now,
and having one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.

And noting Turkey’s history as a majority Muslim nation and as a
secular democracy that respects the rule of law, President Obama cited
Turkey’s critical role in helping to shape the mutual understanding
and stability not only in its neighborhood, but around the world.

If confirmed, I will continue to do everything I can to reinforce
Turkish-American cooperation in support of our common goals, which
are rooted in the security alliance, and our shared democratic values.

Ricciardone said, “For decades, Turkey and the United States have
cooperated intensively to promote regional stability, including
by countering terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction, resolving regional conflicts, promoting energy security,
expanding trade, investment and economic development; and integral
to all of those, strengthening democracy, human rights and the rule
of law.

While we share many goals with Turkey, one of the most important
is countering global terrorism and networks. And Turkey has been
one of our strongest partners in that pursuit. Just last month,
Turkish security officials arrested an alleged al-Qaida cell that was
plotting to bomb Western interests in Turkey, including the United
States Embassy. We support Turkey’s own foremost security objective of
defeating the terrorist violence which the PKK continues to perpetrate
and which has led to the deaths of over 30,000 Turks since the 1980s.

We strongly support Turkey’s efforts to improve the human rights and
economic situation for the Kurds, and their democratic participation as
full citizens, and the rights also of other communities of vulnerable
groups in Turkey.

As the United States maintains its longstanding support for Turkey’s
aspirations to join the European Union, we will continue to press for
the reforms required for accession. It’s important to note the Turkish
citizens themselves are demanding further progress on promoting human
rights and the rule of law, most certainly including freedom of speech
and religious freedom.

The U.S. supports the transparent and inclusive constitutional
reform process to strengthen Turkey’s democracy. We regard freedom of
expression as central to democracy, and we believe the reform process
offers a unique opportunity to strengthen the protections afforded
to journalists, to nongovernmental organizations, and to minorities.

ARAB SPRING Ricciardone referred to the importance the U.S. has been
giving to improvement of economic relations. “I’ve been privileged to
serve in Ankara during the Arab Spring, during which I’ve strived to
enlist Turkish support for the NATO role in Libya, for a successful
transition to democracy in Egypt, and in collaboration with my
colleague and friend next door in Syria, to pressure the regime
in Syria to cease its brutal repression and to heed the will of
its people.

Asked to comment on the stance of Chief of General Staff and force
commanders who asked for their retirement and what this meant for
Turkey, Ricciardone said Turks have been analysing what this meant
for Turkey, its democracy and civilian government. Ricciardone said
they were ready to work with the new command element, underlining
that he was sure that security relations between the parties would
continue to be strong.

MISSILE DEFENSE Ricciardone said, “On missile defense, Turkey did
support, of course, the NATO statement at Lisbon. They support the NATO
effort to have a phased adaptive approach radar system. We’ve moved
well beyond that generality to have detailed technical discussions
and legal discussions with the government of Turkey,” adding “We hope
that the Turkish government will feel it has enough information to
make a decision very soon. I’ll be racing back to Ankara to try to
find out more. We’re waiting for that.”

Senator Robert Menendez, known with his opposing stance against Turkey,
criticized statements of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyi Erdogan
on Cyprus, and asked about own views of Ricciardone.

Ricciardone said the United States wanted a solution basing on bi-zonal
bi-communal federation in Cyprus.

Referring to the question of Menendez on Armenian allegations
regarding 1915 incidents, Ricciardone said, “We have — I stand
behind President Obama’s characterization of the Yeds Meghern (sic),
as the Armenians themselves call it, the tragic massacre, murder of,
you know, a million and a half men, women and children marched to
their deaths in 1915. But I stand behind our characterization of that
and our efforts of what we’re trying to do now.”

Responding to a question on Syria, Ricciardone said any instability in
Syria could have direct security and economic repercussions on Turkey’s
vital national interests. He also conveyed recent statements of Turkish
President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Erdogan regarding Syria.

RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS Responding to a question, Ricciardone said the
United States gave importance to religious freedoms and religious
rights of minorities in Turkey. He said Turkey has been exerting
efforts on the matter.

Ricciardone said Turkish government did not see religious minorities
a threat and was pleased over religious diversity in the country.

“On Israel. But I feel very certain, having discussed this at length
with the prime minister and the foreign minister, certainly the
military leadership, that all these Turks, whatever their feelings,
misgivings, irritation, issues over the terrible flotilla incident
of last year, over events in Gaza, they understand that to influence
events in the region, to be part of a more peaceful and prosperous
region, which is in their vital national interest, they need to have
a normal, fruitful, respectful, full diplomatic dialogue with Israel,
and they want to get back to that,” he said.

GOOGLE VOICE PUTS KARABAKH IN ARMENIA

news.az
Aug 3, 2011
Azerbaijan

Internet giant Google has wrongly listed Karabakh as part of Armenia
on its Google Voice website.

Nagorno-Karabakh has declared itself an independent republic, although
it remains unrecognized by any other country. Legally, the area is
part of Azerbaijan and should be listed as such.

Google Voice is a computer-based phone system, available only to
users in the USA. Users can, however, use the service to place calls
to many countries. The mistake on Karabakh occurred in the list of
charges for Google Voice calls to different countries.

This is not the first Google error concerning Karabakh.

Google Translate in June made a bizarre mistake in its translation of
the place name Qarabag (Karabakh) into English.The online dictionary
gave the English for “Qarabag” as “Armenia” but this was quickly
corrected.

Gun.Az

ALROSA MAY RAISE DIAMOND TRADE QUOTA FOR ARMENIA

Israel Diamond Portal

Aug 3, 2011

Alrosa’s $30 million quota for diamond sales to Armenian businesses
may be raised, according to a statement made to Armenian News.am by
the head of the Domestic Market Regulation Department of the Armenian
Ministry of Economy Gagik Kocharyan. Currently, four Armenian jewelry
companies trade in rough diamonds with diamond-mining giant Alrosa.

The department head said that the Ministry of Economy was in
negotiations with Alrosa to increase the limit and the number of
diamond companies permitted to buy from Alrosa. At present, Armenia
has between 10 and 12 diamond companies. The country’s jewelry industry
in the first half of 2011 reached some $13 million.

Armenia recently signed agreements with other raw material suppliers,
including a memorandum of cooperation in the diamond industry signed
in South Africa last year.

ARMENIA WON’T FOLLOW KAZAKHSTAN’S SUIT IN PROVIDING ARMENIAN WEBSITES WITH LOCAL HOSTING

Gazeta.KZ

Aug 3, 2011
Kazakhstan

Armenia does not intend to follow the suit of Kazakhstan, where
websites, registered with .kz domain zone must be provided with a
hosting inside the country to enable tracking of their work.

As the Internet-Society NGO vice-chairman Grigor Sahyan told a
news conference in Yerevan, Armenia does not plan to implement such
a restriction.

According to Mr. Sahyan, currently, there’s equal number of residents
and non-residents registered with .am domain zone. The hosting
for about 20% of Armenia-oriented websites is provided locally, Mr. Sahyan said.

RA NA SPEAKER HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN MET WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE WORDS CULTURE CENTRE AFTER MESROP MASHTOTS

Aug 3, 2011
Armenia

On August 2 the RA NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan received the members of
Scientific-Artistic and Youth’s Councils of the Words Culture Centre
after Mesrop Mashtots.

In recent days they referred to the NA Speaker with a letter, in which
taking into consideration the NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan’s interest in
recitation, the Armenian language and literature, they asked to receive
the representatives of the Centre for considering jointly several
other proposals on measures of preaching mother tongue and their
practical mechanisms, on the Armenian literature, and on cooperation.

Thanking for responding to the letter directed to the NA Speaker
and for receiving them, the intellectuals submitted thoroughly the
proposals, expecting the NA Speaker’s support. They highly appreciated
the organizing of the Children and Youth Republican Contest-festivals
under the aegis of the RA Speaker, highlighting the Armenian literature
and the necessity of preaching the Armenian language. Nadya Antonyan,
Director of the Words Culture Centre after Mesrop Mashtots, submitted
their proposals, which would promote increasing the role of native
language and proliferation of the Armenian literature.

Particularly, the Centre suggests to establish a special youth
structure titled “Mashtotsazang” for preaching the Armenian literature
and words culture and to fulfill a project for creating and issuing
electronic library titled “Armenian classics” with the aid of the
potential of that structure, to preach the Armenian language and
the Western and Eastern literature on TV, as well as it is proposed
to establish scientific-artistic councils at the TV companies. One
of the offers refers to the support of organizing the jubilee event
devoted to the 1650th birth anniversary of Mesrop Mashtots, which is
anticipated for the third ten-day period of October.

The intellectuals participating at the meeting, Levon Ananyan,
President of Writers’ union, Astghik Gevorgyan, President of
Journalists’ union, and others presented their concerns on the existing
attitude towards the language and literature, TV programs.

Thanking for the care, devotion displayed by the Centre towards the
language and literature, the NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan has noted
that shares concerns, expressing confidence that for representing
a nation and a country the strong and key means is the culture. The
President of the Parliament expressed willingness to conduct detailed
and broad deliberations on the voiced concerns and raised issues both
in the relevent Committee and in the Paliement in general.

The Professor Samvel Muradyan, Head of the Department of Armenian
Literature at Yerevan State University, Doctor of Philological
Sciences, which was participating at the meeting, expressed
satisfaction on the occasion of conducting Republican Contest-Festival
under the auspice of Hovik Abrahamyan, in which he had participated
as a member of jury, emphasizing the excitement and the enthusiasm of
participants which he witnessed during the festival. “You are very keen
that we have an educated generaton, that is why we have come to you,”
said the professor, applying to the NA Speaker. In his word, we should
be able to inject patriotism through mother tongue and literature.

Artak Davtyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Science,
Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, noted that as a result of
the Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan’s legislative initiative there are no
commercials transmitted on the spiritual-cultural TV Channel. He has
suggested that the representatives of the Words Culture Centre after
Mesrop Mashtots be present during the annual reports of Council for
Public Television and Radio and the National Television and Radio
Commission in the Parliament and voice their concerns.

At the end of the meeting the NA Spekaer expressed willingness to
meet with them one more time in the beginning of September till the
start of Autumn session of the Parliament, to consider the raised
issues with the participation of heads of relevent departments and
to give possible solution to them.

SECTS’ ACTIVITY IN ARMENIA REASON OF PHYSIOLOGICAL ABERRATION IN 150 PEOPLE

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 3, 2011

PanARMENIAN.Net – “According to the information received from Ministry
of Healthcare, 150 cases have been fixed when it turned out that people
with psychological aberration had earlier contacts with sectarian
organizations,” according to Vardan Astsatryan, the head of Committee
on National Minorities and Religious Affairs at the Government.

“However there is no information on whether these organizations incite
people on suicides, or no,” Astsatryan told journalists Aug.3.

“We have no cases when people involved in any religious organization
tried to commit a suicide,” he said.

Astsatryan noted that they are frequently addressed for family
conflicts.

ARMENIAN COMPANY HONORED WITH RUBAN D’HONNEUR AWARD

Tert.am
03.08.11

The Armenian company Byurakn has been honored with a Ruban d’Honneur
award in the 2011 European Business Awards.

Representatives from 28 countries were selected for the first round
of the competition. Byurakn LLC, which is the owner of such brands as
“Arzni”, “Ayg”, “Papa Carlo” Aygi, as well as AG Electronics, AG Plast
and AG Print, won the award in the Chairman’s Selection nomination.

The selection was made considering the innovative business model of
the company and its remarkable achievements over the last 12 months.

“Over the past five years we’ve received an incredibly high standard
of entries from organizations that are passionate about their
business. However, very few get the chance to fly the flag for their
country and compete across Europe to be recognized as one of the EU’s
leading companies. It really is an exceptional accolade to be picked
as a Country Representative, and together with HSBC we’re looking
forward to seeing Armenia in the next round”,- says Adrian Tripp,
CEO of the European Business Awards.

“It was a great responsibility to participate in this prestigious
award and to represent Armenia, as largest businesses from developed
European countries take part in this Award. For example, this year
Coca-Cola from Hungary, Unilever and Microsoft from Italy, Skoda from
Czech Republic were participants of the Awards. We are proud to be
selected as Ruban d’Honneur recipient: this is the outcome of diligent
work of a big team”, said Gevorg Afandyan, the founder of the company.

The recipients of Ruban d’Honneur are invited to be present at the
Awards ceremony in Barcelona on 22nd November 2011, where overall
winners in each of the categories will be announced. The event will be
attended by Europe’s top business leaders, politicians and influential
European press representatives, providing an excellent opportunity to
network. Key issues fundamental to the growth and success of businesses
within the EU will be discussed and debated during the business forum.

TER-PETROSYAN CANNOT MARGINALIZE ANYONE – OPPOSITION MP

Tert.am
03.08.11

A political party cannot be forced out of the political arena unless
it wishes so, says an opposition MP.

“No one can push a political force out unless that force itself
chooses a long-term inaction. Levon Ter-Petrosyan cannot marginalize
anyone,” Stepan Safaryan of the opposition Heritage party faction in
parliament told Tert.am, commenting a recent statement by Armenia’s
first president and the leader of the opposition Armenian National
Congress (ANC), Levon Ter-Petrosyan.

Speaking at the ANC’s rally on Tuesday Ter-Petrosyan referred to the
current dialogue between the opposition and the authorities, saying
that the ANC and the ruling coalition are the only parties involved
in the process.

“The dialogue is being held between Armenia’s chief political forces –
the coalition government and the Armenian National Congress, the former
being aware of the country’s security, defense, economic, financial,
administrative and propaganda resources and the latter enjoying support
by large masses of people. So the elements not influencing political
processes should blame only themselves for not being involved in the
dialogue,” the ex-president had said.

Commenting on the above statement Safaryan said their party works
actively every day.

“I would like very much our political forces to speak on behalf of
their supporters. The majority of the people do not represent either
the authorities or the ANC. They maximum represent the [officials]
they elect. And those people do not make up a majority,” he added.

ARMENIAN YOUNG POLITICIANS NEED RUSSIAN PREMIER’S ATTENTION

Tert.am
02.08.11

Talking to Tert. am, Khachik Galstyan, Spokesman for Chairman of the
Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) Gagk Tsarukyan, confirmed Russian media
reports that a young PAP member has invited Russian Prime Minister
Vladimir Putin to Armenia. “Yes, at a CIS youth camp a young member
of our party invited Mr. Putin to Armenia,” Galstyan said.

A CIS youth gathering is to take place in the resort town of
Tsakhkadzor, Armenia, Aug. 20-31. The young man invited the Russian
premier to take part in the gathering as well. As to the reasons for
the invitation, Galstyan said that “it will be the first CIS youth
gathering in Armenia.” “It is a fact that Vladimir Putin is most
popular with young people,” he added.

The young PAP members have not so far received the Russian premier’s
answer. “He said he would think over their offer,” Galstyan said.