Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Aug 2 2014

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict escalates again

2 August 2014 – 7:48pm

The tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh are increasing. Four Azerbaijani
servicemen died last night as result of Armenian saboteurs attempts to
enter the Azerbaijani positions. It was a second skirmish for the
recent days.

On July 31 Armenian soldiers also tried to to violate the territory of
Azerbaijan. The clash was one of the most blloody skirmishes within
the period of the ceasefire.

According to Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Ali Akhmedov, the
increasing violence is the result of Armenia’s nerveous reaction to
continuing calls for “fair resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.”

The US has already expressed its concern over the situation in the
region, According to the US State Depertament’s representative Mary
Harf, the United States calls for observation of the ceasefire
agreement.

Representative of Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova also says
that Russia calls on both parties involved in the Karabakh conflict to
abstain from violence.

From: Baghdasarian

The Daily Star, Lebanon
Aug 2 2014

Ethiopia’s Armenians: Long history, small numbers

Associated Press

ADDIS ABABA: The numbers at the St. George Armenian Apostolic Church
in Addis Ababa are not adding up. Church records show an average of
two funerals a year, but a wedding only every three years and a
baptism every five.

“Some people don’t come to church vertically. Only horizontally,”
Vartkes Nalbandian said with a laugh.

Vartkes is among a small handful of people keeping Ethiopia’s Armenian
community alive. Despite a fall in numbers from a peak of 1,200 in the
1960s to less than 100 people today, the Armenian school, church and
social club still open their doors.

“There is more to a community than just statistics. We are proud of
the Armenian contribution to Ethiopia. It’s worth fighting for,” said
64-year old Vartkes, the church’s fulltime acting archdeacon since the
last priest left in 2002.

But given the shrinking numbers, the fight can feel daunting.

Armenian goldsmiths, traders and architects were invited to settle in
Ethiopia more than 150 years ago by Emperor Johannes IV. Buoyed by the
ties between Ethiopian and Armenian Orthodoxy, the community thrived.

After the Armenian Genocide in 1915, Haile Selassie, Ethiopia’s regent
who later became emperor, opened his arms to the Armenian people even
wider, adopting 40 orphans as wards of court. In return, the
Ethio-Armenians proved fiercely loyal.

One trader used his European connections to buy arms for Ethiopia’s
resistance movement against the Italian occupation during World War
II. Others ran an underground newspaper. Several gave their lives in
service of their adopted homeland.

“Those were the best days,” said 61-year old Salpi Nalbandian, who
runs a leather business with her brother Vartkes and other family
members. “We were valued members of the court. We made the crowns the
emperors wore on their heads. We were not like the Italians, we
weren’t invaders. We contributed.”

But the community’s fortunes have changed through the years.

Ethio-Armenians had their property and businesses confiscated when the
communist Derg seized power in 1974. Many families left then, fearing
for their lives. The Nalbandians stayed, determined not to give up on
a country they had called home for four generations.

Salpi and Vartkes’ musical family has made a lasting contribution to
Ethiopia’s heritage. Great uncle Kervork wrote Ethiopia’s first
national anthem, and their father Nerses became well known for his
pioneering work in Ethio-Jazz, which blends traditional Ethiopian
five-tone scales with the diminished scales of Western jazz.

The pair have become the gatekeepers to a part of Ethiopian culture
and history that is in danger of being forgotten.

Ethio-Armenians are gradually resembling a diaspora within a diaspora.
Children and grandchildren who live in the U.S. and Canada now make
pilgrimages to Addis to see the place where their ancestors grew up.

Most of the Armenian buildings in the Armenian “safar” – or
neighborhood – in Addis Ababa’s city center are now empty or gone,
victim to the city’s appetite for high-rise buildings that are
beginning to dominate the skyline.

St. George’s Church holds maybe 200 people but seems larger because it
often stands dark and empty. Golden orthodox crosses are the only
objects that catch the light from high small windows in the church’s
pointed dome. The African sunshine struggles to brighten the church’s
dark green walls.

The remaining Armenian families are scattered around Addis’ outskirts,
including the Nalbandians, who were forced to vacate their family
home.

The only reason the house, which in a traditional Armenian style has a
wrap-round balcony – is still standing is because Salpi is fighting
against the local government to preserve it as a museum dedicated to
her father’s life and work.

She has had some help upholding her father’s legacy from Aramatz
Kalayjian, an Armenian filmmaker. He has being working on “Tezeta,” a
documentary about Ethio-Armenian music, since 2012.

“The only remnants of a great cross-pollination of cultures are the
few Armenian community members left, the music, history books, and
memories that tell of the relationship between Armenians and
Ethiopians,” Kalayjian said.

Vartkes Nalbandian disagrees with Kalayjian’s view that the community
is fading. He notes that a Syrian-Armenian man recently visited the
Addis community with a view to moving there with his family.

“The school is open, the church is open, the club is open,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter if I open the church on a Sunday and preach to many
people or just a handful. As long as our spirit is strong, our
identity is, too.”

From: Baghdasarian

Jerusalem Conference Brings Together Scholars from Seven Countries

By Contributor on August 2, 2014

>From July 2-4, the interdisciplinary conference, “The Making of
Jerusalem: Constructed Spaces and Historic Communities,” was held in
the Gulbenkian Library of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and
supported by the Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste
Gulbenkian Foundation and St. Sarkis Charity Trust, London.

A scene from the conference

Twenty-six scholars from 7 countries and various disciplines,
including anthropology, sociology, and area studies–notably Armenian,
Jewish, and Ottoman studies–presented their papers. The conference was
officially opened by His Beatitude Nourhan Manougian, Armenian
Patriarch of Jerusalem, on the evening of July 2. The opening
roundtable featured esteemed experts Michael Stone, Reuven Amitai,
Khader Salameh, and Tigran Zargaryan from a range of academic
disciplines.

Over the past six years, these conferences have covered scholarly
developments within Armenian studies. This year, the conference was
open to all scholars who conduct research in humanities and area
studies with a focus on the history of Jerusalem after the 16th
century.

Jerusalem’s status as a focal point for pilgrimages was discussed in
papers presented on the representation of the city by pilgrims and the
influence of pilgrimages from ancient to modern times. Some included
evidence from fresh historical sources and hitherto unused archives,
while others utilized new research methodologies. The history of
immigration to and emigration from Jerusalem in the 20th century was
also discussed.

The conference demonstrated the need to develop scientific networks in
order to create connected histories of the city, as opposed to
segregated communal histories. The closing roundtable discussed
challenges researchers face in their work, from having access to
archives to building trust.

In his closing comments, Razmik Panossian of the Calouste Gulbenkian
Foundation noted the importance of Armenian studies in a wider
context, as well as the need to open and improve access to archives,
notably through digitization, for the benefit of wider communities of
researchers. The Armenian Communities Department is committed to
supporting the digitization of archives as part of its aim to preserve
and make available the Armenian literary heritage.

A volume of selected papers from the conference will be published,
edited by Boris Adjemian, Sossie Andezian, and Talin Suciyan.

From: Baghdasarian

No to robbery! – Civil society holds a procession against rise in
electric power tariffs

by Karina Manukyan
Friday, August 1, 16:19

On 1 August, a procession was held in Yerevan against the rise in the
electric power tariffs. The protest action was organized by the
representatives of the civil society, who urged the residents of
Yerevan to join the protest by switching off the light in their flats
during the action. Heritage Party also joined the protest action.
The demonstrators were moving along Mashtots Avenue and chanting “No
to robbery!” and holding candles and bright yellow balloons
symbolizing electric bulbs.

The demonstrators read out a statement stressing the need to set up a
special commission to study the revenues and expenses of the power
generating companies. The initiative “No to robbery!” demands
retaining the electricity tariffs unchanged until the investigation is
over. The activists said that their demands must be carried out before
the first week of September.

To note, similar actions of protest will be held in Gavar, Kapan and
Shirak region.

By the Public Services Regulatory Commission’s decision that came into
effect on 1 Aug 2014, the daytime tariff for the population has grown
to 41.85 AMD per 1 KW/h from the previous 38 AMD (10.1% rise), and the
nighttime tariff has grown to 31.85 AMD from 28 AMD (13.7% rise). The
Commission says that the rise in tariffs is caused by the current 20.3
bln AMD financial deficit in the power generating companies of the
republic.

From: Baghdasarian

Another regular agricultural product fair opened in Yerevan

YEREVAN, August 2. /ARKA/. Another regular annual agricultural product
fair opened on Saturday in Yerevan’s Mashtots Avenue.

Armenian Agriculture Minister Sergo Karapetyan came here to see the
fair activity.

“This time we opened the fair three weeks earlier than usually, but we
see an active trading here,” he told journalists. “We see that
products are abundant this year, and that is why they are affordable.”

He said that only apricot crop was scant this year. There is a similar
fair is available in Kasyan Street.
Karapetyan said products from the areas close to Yerevan are offered
at this fare.

“Some 96 farms put their products for sale here,” he said answering
ARKA News Agency’s question.

The fair is organized in compliance with the Armenian president’s
instruction to provide people with a first-hand purchase chance – only
farmers, not second-hand dealers, are entitled to trade here. Fair
booths are provided to farmers for free. -0—-

– See more at:

From: Baghdasarian

Armenia’s membership in EEU can not be put under doubt, minister says

YEREVAN, August 2. / ARKA /. Asked whether the statement of the US
Embassy about the possible impacts on Armenia of the sanctions imposed
by the EU and the USA against the Russian companies, as well as the
delays of the membership of the Republic of Armenia to the Eurasian
Economic Union, could lead to a revision of the policy of Armenia’s
membership to that structure Armenian foreign minister Edward
Nalbandyan said:

“The membership of the Republic of Armenia to the Eurasian Union is
deriving from the interests of economic development and strategic
interests of our country. Our membership to that structure can not be
put under doubt. Armenia will surely strive to lead the membership
process to the Eurasian Economic Union to its conclusion, undertaking
its full share of responsibility in the decision making mechanisms in
that structure. That will grant new opportunities to Armenia in terms
of raising competitiveness in its main export markets and increasing
the export volume, further enhancing and deepening of economic
relations with the member states of the Union, as well as encouraging
direct investments from those states into Armenia.”

At the May 29 summit of the Customs Union in Astana, Kazakh president
Nursultan Nazarbayev publicly demanded that the treaty on Armenia’s
accession make clear that Armenia is joining the EEU with its
internationally recognized borders that do not include
Nagorno-Karabakh.

He said this demand was conveyed by Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev
in a letter sent to him and presidents of Russia and Belarus. The
demand presumably means that the Armenian government will have to
start taxing goods imported from Karabakh. Armenian authorities have
ruled out such a possibility.

After a meeting with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in
Russian Sochi in July Armenian prime minister Hovik Abrahamyan told
reporters in Yerevan that the treaty on Armenia’s accession to the
Eurasian Economic Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan will be
signed in late October. -0-

From: Baghdasarian

Fitch ratings confirmed Armenia’s long-term foreign and local currency IDRs

YEREVAN, August 2. / ARKA /. Fitch Ratings has affirmed Armenia’s
Long-term foreign and local currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) at
‘BB-‘. The Outlooks are Stable.

The issue ratings on Armenia’s senior unsecured foreign and local
currency bonds have also been affirmed at ‘BB-‘. The Country Ceiling
has been affirmed at ‘BB’ and the Short-term foreign currency IDR at
‘B’

The affirmation of Armenia’s sovereign ratings reflects the following
key factors: The general government deficit fell to 1.7% of GDP in
2013, against initial projections of 2.8%. This was mainly due to
under-execution and delays in the implementation of public investment.

The government expects the deficit to rise to 2.4% of GDP in 2014,
although further under-execution is possible.

The increase in public sector wages, effective from 1 July 2014, will
increase public spending by about 0.4% of GDP in 2014 and 2015, but
has already been budgeted for and will be compensated by an increase
in tax collection.

The general government debt level is expected to remain stable at
around 43%-44% of GDP in 2014-15, and could fall in 2016 if GDP growth
picks up. -0-

From: Baghdasarian

Armenia to become EEU full member in due time, ambassador

YEREVAN, August 2. / ARKA /. Russian ambassador to Armenia, Ivan
Volynkin, has downplayed today speculation over Armenia’s delayed
membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU0 of Russia, Belarus and
Kazakhstan saying at a news conference that Armenia will become a full
member of the trade bloc in due time.

In comments on a Kazakh foreign ministry statement that the treaty on
Armenia’s accession will be signed in October 2014, Volynkin said it
might happen even earlier.

At the May 29 summit of the Customs Union in Astana, Kazakh president
Nursultan Nazarbayev publicly demanded that the treaty on Armenia’s
accession make clear that Armenia is joining the EEU with its
internationally recognized borders that do not include
Nagorno-Karabakh.

He said this demand was conveyed by Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev
in a letter sent to him and presidents of Russia and Belarus. The
demand presumably means that the Armenian government will have to
start taxing goods imported from Karabakh. Armenian authorities have
ruled out such a possibility.

After a meeting with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in
Russian Sochi in July Armenian prime minister Hovik Abrahamyan told
reporters in Yerevan that the treaty on Armenia’s accession to the
Eurasian Economic Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan will be
signed in late October. -0-

– See more at:

From: Baghdasarian

Zorah Wine’s vineyard in Rind, Armenia

Friday, August 1st, 2014 | Posted by Contributor

Armenia Fund: In Vino Veritas

Armenia Fund continues its new series on welcome developments in
Armenia, including Artsakh. For over two decades, the Fund has been
doing humanitarian work throughout Armenia and this series is a
showcase of encouraging initiatives, some that are a direct result of
Armenia Fund’s work and some that are the product of innovation and
pure determination.

Pliny the Elder was convinced that in wine, there is truth — in vino
veritas. His early adage about the drink has been followed by
thousands more seeking to succinctly express its mystical properties.
Whatever the motivation behind the millennia-long enchantment with
wine, it has returned to Armenia.

Zorik Gharibian is a fashion mogul in Italy. You might even have
bought clothing in Los Angeles manufactured by his company without
knowing it. Growing up in the wine-obsessed culture of Italy, he
dreamed of one day tending to his own vines in the country’s famed
Tuscany region. Until he visited Armenia, that is.

Zorik Gharibian

After running soil tests at university laboratories in Italy,
Gharibian was assured that the traditional winemaking area of Vayots
Dzor in southern Armenia would be the ideal place for his vineyards.
He chose Rind as the center of his operations, not far from Areni,
where the world’s oldest winery was discovered.

Karas, in Armenian, translates to amphora, the clay jars in which wine
was aged for thousands of years before the advent of wood barrel
aging. These are the jars that were found at the ancient winery in
Areni. Karasi is the name of Gharibian’s most famous production thus
far. Listed among bottles of wine costing thousands or tens of
thousands of dollars, it was chosen as a top 10 wine by Bloomberg from
a field of over 4,000 wines.

Besides being just a name that honors a method of winemaking used in
the ancient world, Karasi is actually aged in amphora. Gharibian
recognizes that employing these disused clay jars is not easy: “We of
course have trouble finding amphora [to use in our wine production]
because unfortunately there is no longer amphora production in
Armenia,” says Gharibian. The ones used by Zorah Wines – the name of
his winery – were bought, piece by piece, by visiting the homes of
local villagers.

Not one to be discouraged, Gharibian plans to establish a school in
Rind where the art of making amphora will be revived by a new
generation of expert artisans. Serendipitously, his wife, Yeraz
Tovmasyan, is an expert ceramicist whose skills will be put to good
use when the school opens.

If it wasn’t already obvious, Gharibian insists on originality and
that goes for the grapes he uses in his wines. While most people had
dismissed areni as a good enough grape to be used in quality
winemaking, the ambitious entrepreneur did his research and found
strains of areni that he says “can compete with any grape variety in
the world.” He believes that by embracing and promoting indigenous
Armenian grape varieties – as opposed to imported foreign ones like
cabernet sauvignon or pinot noir – those grapes will become as well
known, putting Armenia on the wine world’s map.

Wine in traditional amphora at Zorah Wines

Tenaciously pursuing his goal of making Armenia a global player in the
wine market, Gharibian says that in 2016, Zorah will release a red
wine better than Karasi, the one that was listed in Bloomberg’s top
ten. Asked where he gets his inspiration, he references Armenia’s
6,100-year winemaking tradition that is apparent throughout Armenian
culture from social customs to stone carvings.

For Zorik Gharibian, winemaking is not a business so much as it is a
labor of love. It would seem then that Pliny the Elder was right. It
was in wine that Gharibian found the truth that his passion belongs in
one place: Armenia.

From: Baghdasarian

Political expert: Incidents on contact line may trigger a new war

by Marianna Lazarian

ARMINFO
Saturday, August 2, 15:47

Even though experts do not expect a new war in Nagorno-Karabakh,
Armenia must be always ready for it, political expert Levon Shirinyan
told journalists on Saturday.

He said that the recurring incidents on the contact line may trigger a
new war. “We don’t know what the Azeri authorities are thinking about,
so, we must be ready for the worse. As a matter of fact, the war is
already in progress,” the expert said.

He advises Armenia to follow Israel’s example and to create a military
zone along the contact line. “We need a multi-layer defense. Our
soldiers are excellent fighters, but we must not forget that we have
nowhere to retreat. We also need a clear plan of action to be able to
win quickly should the war resume,” the expert said.

From: Baghdasarian