NEPHELINE SYENITE MINES TO BE OPENED IN ARMENIA
news.am
May 25, 2012 | 03:13
On May 30 Alumina Corporation is organizing public hearings on the
operation works of Tejsar~Rs nepheline syenite mines at the Regional
Center of Armenia~Rs Kotayk region, this information is stated in
the official website of Armenia~Rs Ministry of Nature Protection.
Nepheline Syenite is used for producing aluminum.
The mine was discovered in 1931-32. Research works were conducted in
1949-1953 and 1957-1959.
SPECIALIST IN MICROHISTORY, GLOBAL TRADE NAMED TO HOLD ARMENIAN CHAIR AT UCLA
Published: Wednesday May 23, 2012
Dr. Sebouh Aslanian.
Sebouh Aslanian: “Quedah Merchant was no ordinary vessel”
Los Angeles – An award-winning young historian has been selected to
fill a chair originally occupied by retired UCLA historian Richard
Hovannisian, who is widely regarded as the world’s dean of Armenian
studies.
Sebouh David Aslanian, who joined UCLA’s department of history in
September 2011 as an assistant professor of history, will be installed
May 22 in the Richard Hovannisian Endowed Chair.
“It was a challenge to find a scholar who could one day fill Richard
Hovannisian’s large shoes,” said David Myers, chair of UCLA’s history
department. “But we believe that Sebouh Aslanian is that person,
and we are delighted and honored to have him.”
Born and raised in Ethiopia, Aslanian is the grandson of Armenian
immigrants who fled the Ottoman Empire in the 1890s. His maternal
grandfather, George Djerrahian, co-founded Ethiopia’s first privately
owned printing press in 1931. The family emigrated to the United States
in 1976, on the heels of the Ethiopian Revolution, and then settled
in the United Arab Emirates, where Aslanian attended middle school,
before moving to Canada.
After completing his undergraduate degree at McGill University in
Montreal, Aslanian received his Ph.D. with distinction from Columbia
University. Before joining UCLA’s faculty, he taught at California
State University, Long Beach; Cornell University; the University of
Michigan; the University of Chicago; and Whitman College. From 2009
to 2010, Aslanian was a Mellon Foundation postdoctoral fellow in
world history at Cornell.
Able to conduct research in a range of European languages (French,
Italian, Spanish) as well as classical Armenian, Aslanian is fluent in
the western and eastern dialects of modern Armenian. In addition, he is
one of the few scholars active today who is able to conduct research
in the dialect of Julfa, the home, until the early 17th century,
of a group of Armenian silk merchants near today’s republic of Armenia.
The history of the merchants, who were resettled under the Persian
empire in New Julfa, a suburb of today’s Iranian metropolis of
Isfahan, is a central theme of Aslanian’s scholarship. He also
is involved in global microhistory, a new trend in world history
scholarship that explores the details of the lives of marginal or
previously overlooked figures as windows onto larger processes and
trends shaping global history.
“With the skill of a detective, he traces the entwined byways of
commerce and culture traveled by Armenian merchants as they made
their way from Julfa to India to Europe and back,” Myers said.
Aslanian is the author of “From the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean:
The Global Trade Networks of Armenian Merchants From New Julfa”
(University of California Press, 2011), a history of the emergence
and growth of a global trade network operated by Armenian merchants.
Tracing a network of commercial settlements that stretched from London
and Amsterdam to Manila and Acapulco, from the early 17th to the late
18th centuries, the book was selected for the PEN Center USA literary
award for the most outstanding first book of 2011 to come from the
UC Press.
“Sebouh David Aslanian has been tireless in his consultation of
archival sources in India, Armenia and Iran, throughout Europe, and
even in Mexico,” said a review of the book that appeared in the Times
Literary Supplement.
With the goal of illuminating the little-told history of French
expansion into the Indian Ocean, Aslanian is now working on a
microhistory of an Armenian merchant from Julfa, Marcara Avachintz,
who in 1666 was appointed by Louis XIV and his minister of finance,
Jean-Baptiste Colbert, as the first regional director in the Indian
Ocean and Iran of the newly created French East India Company.
He also is working on the history of the Santa Catharina, an
Armenian-freighted ship that was seized by the British navy in 1748
against the backdrop of the War of the Austrian Succession. Using more
than 2,000 pieces of family and mercantile correspondence that were
on the ship at the time of its capture, Aslanian plans to illuminate
the larger history of globalization in the Indian Ocean arena during
the 17th and 18th centuries.
In addition, Aslanian is gathering material for a third book, on the
history of diasporic Armenian print culture across a range of areas,
including Venice, Amsterdam and Madras. In a related activity, he is
organizing a two-day international conference at UCLA on the history
of Armenian print culture. Entitled “Port Cities and Printers,”
the Nov. 10-11 conference will celebrate the 500th anniversary of
the printing of the first Armenian book in Venice.
At UCLA, Aslanian has taught a sweeping, two-quarter survey of
Armenian history from its genesis to the 18th century. He has also
taught a seminar in one of his areas of specialization – the early
modern period of Armenian history (1500 to 1800).
Aslanian was selected for the chair in April 2011 after a one-year
international search.
“It’s a wonderful honor to have this position,” Aslanian said. “I’m
extremely grateful, and it’s an excellent fit because I get to do
both things I can’t live without – researching and teaching.”
Richard Hovannisian retired last year after a 50-year career at UCLA.
While earning an international reputation as a pioneer in the field
of Armenian studies, he organized both the undergraduate and graduate
programs in Armenian history at UCLA and amassed one of the largest
collections of oral histories by survivors of the Armenian Genocide
of 1915-1923.
“As the towering figure in the study of modern Armenian history,
Professor Hovannisian not only undertook path-breaking and far-reaching
research,” Myers said. “He established UCLA as the major center of
instruction and research in modern Armenian history in the world.”
YOUNG WOMAN IN ARMENIA COMMIT SUICIDE ATTEMPT FORCED BY FORMER CONVICT
news.am
May 23, 2012 | 21:28
DILIJAN. – Marine Hakhverdyan, 27, tried to commit a suicide by
throwing herself from the fourth floor in Armenia’s Dilijan city on
May 9. She is alive but injured, Aravot.am reports. In addition,
she is married and has 2-year-old son. According to the source,
she took the step because of her former and convicted partner, who
threatened to discredit her.
Armenia’s Tavush Police instigated criminal case and an investigation
is underway.
GEORGIAN RAILWAYS USE MONOPOLY POSITION IN TRANSIT FROM ARMENIA – RUSSIAN MP
news.am
May 23, 2012 | 20:56
YEREVAN. – The Georgian railways use monopoly position in transit
from Armenia, Russian delegation head at the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) Mikhail Yemelyanov
said in response to Armenian News-NEWS.am question.
Head of the Armenian delegation Areg Ghukasyan said in his turn that
the Armenian side holds certain discussions with the Georgia.
“We hold bilateral discussions on the issue of tariffs,” he said.
Content-Type: MESSAGE/RFC822; CHARSET=US-ASCII
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MIME-Version: 1.0
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From: Mihran Keheyian
Subject: Georgian railways use monopoly position in transit from Armenia –
Russian MP
Georgian railways use monopoly position in transit from Armenia – Russian MP
news.am
May 23, 2012 | 20:56
YEREVAN. ? The Georgian railways use monopoly position in transit from
Armenia, Russian delegation head at the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) Mikhail Yemelyanov said in
response to Armenian News-NEWS.am question.
Head of the Armenian delegation Areg Ghukasyan said in his turn that
the Armenian side holds certain discussions with the Georgia.
?We hold bilateral discussions on the issue of tariffs,? he said.
JOHN HEFFERN: CLARA BARTON IS AN EXAMPLE OF A STRONG AND BRAVE WOMAN
arminfo
Wednesday, May 23, 18:17
Clara Barton is an example of a strong and brave woman. As head of
the American Red Cross, Barton directed relief missions in the United
States and abroad. This was at a time when American women did not
even have the right to vote, the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John
Heffern said during the presentation of Clara Barton’s “American
Relief Expedition to Asia Minor under the Red Cross” report on May 23.
Ambassador Heffern said that the presentation of the report in Yerevan
is direct evidence of the friendly relations between Americans and
Armenians. He added that these relations will continue actively
developing.
To note, Clara Barton was the founder and chairperson of the American
Red Cross. Learning about the extensive massacres of Armenians in
1895-1896 in the Ottoman Empire, in 1896 Clara Barton arrived in
Constantinople and coordinated the relief aid distribution to the
survivors of the massacres and homeless people for about a year.
Thanks to Clara Barton’s efforts Armenian survivors of the massacres
were provided with shelter, food, medicine and clothing. Due to many
obstacles created by the Ottoman authorities Clara Barton was forced
to leave the Ottoman Empire and return to the U.S. At the end of 1896
Clara Barton together with her colleagues published a report of their
humanitarian activities in the Ottoman Empire.
PSYCHOLOGIST: “THE ISSUE OF HOMOSEXUALISM IS ARTIFICIALLY MADE WORSE IN ARMENIA FROM OUTSIDE”
17:16 . 23/05
The noise over homosexuals that rose suddenly has lasted more than
a week. No one understood why suddenly the fire at DIY club became
number one news among the crimes and violence acts which occur every
day. Irrespective of the reasons, this was a fine advertisement
and propaganda.
The issue was discussed from moral, legal and medical points of view.
Specialists say homosexualism is an illness, but very often it
emerges artificially-not biological but external factors contribute
to spreading homosexulism.
“It is one of the forms of the world’s collapse. Birth rate decreases
drastically and a fight is taking place from top against overpopulation
of the planet. But for such a small country like Armenia, this is an
issue of security. If 10, 000 youth become homosexuals and even if
they adopt children let alone the fact they don’t have children, it is
most likely their child will also become a homosexual,” psychologist
Samvel Khudoyan said.
Science speaks about homosexualism with “ifs”. They say it is an
incurable illness, though homosexuals don’t turn to doctors to be
cured. Psychiatrist Samvel Sukiasyan is sure that in Armenia this
issue is artificially made worse from outside.
“If they speak about pedophilia, the object of sexual desires in
this case is a child. All condemn this, but when the object is a
representative of the same sex, the world says they are different,
it is their right. A question rises: why does this happen?” the
psychologist says.
Two towns, Sodom and Gomorrah were ruined because of such a moral
decline, priest Ter Chmavon Ghevondyan reminds. He says the church
is ready to help anyone who faces such a problem, but so far no one
has asked for help.
“A healthy family is the means for preventing this. The greater
the presence of the church and God in people’s lives, the less such
kinds of dirt and their development,” Surb Hovhannes Church priest
Ter Shmavon Ghevondyan said.
Should we be tolerant or not? This is the question mostly voiced
on these days. Everyone, including homosexuals, has an inviolable
right of private life. But everyone has also the right to be free
from obvious propaganda of homosexualism.
JOHN HEFFERN: “WE HAVE GREAT HOPES THAT NORMALIZATION PROCESS OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS WOULD RESUME”
16:46 . 23/05
The US is still greatly hopeful that the normalization process of the
Armenian-Turkish relations would resume, and official Washington is
continuing its work with Turkey to that end, US Ambassador to Armenia
John Heffern told Radio Station Liberty today.
Asked if there is any perspective for the normalization of the
Armenian-Turkish relations Ambassador Heffern said: “We have great
hopes that the normalization process of the Armenian-Turkish relations
would resume and it would not be linked to any other issue. We continue
working with Turkey and are pushing it toward taking the right steps”.
Touching upon the question what steps Washington is taking for the
normalization of the relations, Heffern said: “We meet with Armenian
and Turkish leaders frequently and continue pushing them toward
normalizing bilateral relations. We are also very satisfied that
Armenia’s president displayed a will for pushing the [Armenian-Turkish]
protocols forward and he did not recall them from the National
Assembly. We hope Turkey will take the right step.”
IN SWEDEN ARF DASHNAKTSUTYUN CONDEMNS VIOLATIONS AGAINST MINORITIES
news.am
May 23, 2012 | 18:21
STOCKHOLM. – ECOSY Young European Socialists organization initiated
seminar on struggle against right-wing extremism and the problems of
refugees in Stockholm, Sweden on May 18-20.
Armenia was presented by ARF Dashnaktsutyun member Anahit Harutyunyan.
The seminar discussed the role and importance of socialist parties in
the process of fighting against right-wing extremism and neo-fascists
movements.
The Armenian representative presented ARFD viewpoint on the issue by
condemning any action against the minorities.
IRAN RECALLS AMBASSADOR FROM AZERBAIJAN IN EUROVISION ROW
Today’s Zaman
May 22 2012
Turkey
Iran has recalled its ambassador to Azerbaijan, Mohammad Bagher
Bahrami, after Baku accused Iran of carrying out an anti-Azerbaijani
campaign ahead of the Eurovision song contest, Azerbaijani news
agencies reported on Tuesday.
Senior Azerbaijani presidential administration official Ali Hasanov
accused neighbor Iran of spreading false rumors that a gay pride
march would be held the Azerbaijani capital during Eurovision week.
“They are making statements about something that does not exist. We
are holding Eurovision, not a gay parade,” Hasanov told a news
conference. “Actually, there is no word in the Azerbaijani language
for a gay parade, unlike in their language,” he added.
He accused Iran of being “jealous” of Azerbaijan’s economic success
and worried about its secular government.
Unfounded rumors circulated on Iranian websites this month suggesting
that a gay pride march would take place in mainly Muslim but officially
secular Azerbaijan during Eurovision.
The recall and Hasanov’s statement come after hundreds of Azerbaijanis
from various civil society organizations and youth movements staged a
demonstration near the Iranian Embassy in Baku to protest what they
said was “unacceptable support” by Iran for Armenia, a neighboring
country that has occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory since
the early 1990s, calling on Tehran to immediately halt its threatening
statements against Azerbaijan. During the demonstration, the protesters
described Azerbaijan’s southern neighbor as a “threat.”
Bahrami is expected to leave the country “for consultations” on
Tuesday and the date of his return is unknown.
Relations between Azerbaijan and Iran have been tense in recent months
after Tehran accused Azerbaijan of assisting Israeli intelligence in
the killing of an Iranian nuclear scientist.
In February and March, the Azerbaijani Ministry of National Security
carried out several clandestine operations to reveal that Iranian
spies and intelligence agents in Baku were preparing terrorist acts.
Iran has accused Azerbaijan, which borders Iran and has friendly
relations with the United States and Israel, of colluding with Israeli
intelligence in the killing of an Iranian nuclear scientist in January.
Tehran has also blasted Baku over media reports speculating that
Azerbaijan may have been in talks on leasing its airfields to Israel
for a possible airstrike against Iranian nuclear facilities.
The last time the Iranian authorities recalled their ambassador
from Baku was during the visit of Israeli President Shimon Peres to
Azerbaijan in 2009.
EBRD REPORTS ON S. CAUCASUS ECONOMY
The Messenger
May 23 2012
Georgia
According to an EBRD report on the South Caucasus countries, Armenia
is very slowly recovering from the economic crisis, placing more
of an emphasis on the mining industry. The research highlights that
the Armenian government is trying to improve tax administration and
carry out structural reforms. This move is supported by the IMF. The
development of the Armenian economy depends on state financing,
as well as many transfers from abroad. The Armenian Diaspora around
the world intensively supports the country, sending money to their
relatives inside the state. However, this carries certain risks as
well. Concerning Georgia’s achievements, the report highlighted
the country’s moves with regards to decreasing inflation. As for
Azerbaijan, its economic success is mainly based on the export of its
energy resources. However, experts have expressed their concern and
suggest that the country should diversify its dependence on energy
resources.