Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

25 YEARS AGO: ARMENIA SEEKS RELIEF AFTER DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE

World Socialist Web Site
Dec 9 2013

This Week in History

Rescue worker searching for survivors under the rubble

European rescue teams and equipment were airlifted into Armenia
on December 10, 1988, just days after the strongest earthquake on
record for the region hit the Soviet Transcaucasus. The quake, with
a magnitude of 6.9, virtually wiped out the region of Spitak, killing
a large part of the population of more than 55,000. Armenia’s second
largest city of Leninakan, with a population of nearly 250,000, was
more than 80 percent destroyed, according to a government communique.

Also devastated were the cities of Kirovakan and Stepanavan as well
as the district of Akhuryanansky. In addition to Soviet troops and
equipment that were sent into the disaster area to conduct rescue and
relief operations, rescue teams, food, clothing, and medical supplies
were flown in from around the world.

For days, people were trapped in the rubble of schools, factories
and apartment buildings. The newspaper of the Soviet Communist Party,
Pravda, later said that poor construction from the era during the rule
of Leonid Brezhnev (1964-1982) was responsible for the extent of the
death toll. Rescue efforts were largely given up a week after the
quake. The voices and cries for help from under the rubble dropped
off sharply after December 12, when temperatures plummeted to below
freezing.

In the aftermath of the quake, an estimated 500,000 were made
homeless. In the freezing weather, displaced residents were forced to
huddle around huge outdoor bonfires before tents arrived to provide
limited shelter. The final estimated death toll was as high as 50,000,
with injuries over 100,000.

From: Baghdasarian

Armenian cultural worker speaks of art, culture, country’s major problems

12:21 – 08.12.13

Gusan Haykazun, Art Director of the Haykazunk folk song and dance
company, talked to Tert.am about the role and dissemination of
Armenian folk songs and music as well as about his concerns over the
current situation in the country.

`Our nation needs our folk and patriotic songs as air – both in
Armenia and throughout the Armenian Diaspora. Unfortunately, the
government is not sponsoring this field. Our moneybags and officials
prefer low-class songs. Our folk songs live on due to enthusiasts.
With difficulties we are moving forward.

`Yes, folk and patriotic songs, which are of national value, are being
composed now. Since 1988 I have composed about 100 songs, and at least
15 or 20 of them are well-known. Over the past ten years, the title of
gusan (folk singer) has been conferred on four composers. Each period
has its popular songs, and we should not be contented with what we
have now. People need refreshing.

`I took part in the Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh] war. If only you could
hear the songs sung on the battlefield! Good songs’ role for soldiers
was like heavy artillery’s role. In peacetime, we have given five or
six concerts in Armenia’s regions this year. In hundreds of schools we
have participated in different events. Young people have changed for
the better. Although they listen to songs of different styles, they
are giving priority to folk songs. But I would note TV’s negative
role, and the people are accepting all they are shown,’ Haykazun said.

As regards the emigration problem, he said that it has been a concern
for many years, but the situation in changing now.

`Let us hope for the better. But if things go on like this, Armenia’s
people has to do nothing but carry out revolution. But such a
situation poses a threat to the nation. We must prevent emigration.
Armenia must be turned into a paradise on earth, and we have all the
preconditions for it.’

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: Baghdasarian

REVUE DE PRESSE
À Istanbul, le pouvoir turc rêve d’islamiser Sainte-Sophie

Le vice-premier ministre, Bülent Arinç, souhaite reconvertir le
célèbre musée-basilique en mosquée.

Le vice-premier ministre turc a profité samedi de la cérémonie
d’ouverture d’un Musée du tapis, dans le quartier historique de
Sultanahmet, pour exprimer son souhait de voir la basilique
Sainte-Sophie qui se trouve juste à côté reconvertie en lieu de culte
musulman. « La mosquée Sainte-Sophie, a espéré Bülent Arinç, sourira
bientôt de nouveau », selon les médias. Cette déclaration intervient
dans un contexte tendu où le Parti de la justice et du développement
au pouvoir (AKP) est accusé d’islamiser la société et l’espace public
turcs en multipliant les réformes en faveur d’une certaine conception
de la religion.

Pour étayer sa démonstration, le numéro deux du gouvernement a
critiqué le statut actuel de l’édifice religieux, transformé en musée
par un décret de 1934. Selon lui, « un lieu de culte ne peut pas
servir à une autre fonction que celle initiale ». Et à sa grande
satisfaction, c’est fort de ce précepte que deux églises-musées
également nommées Sainte-Sophie, l’une à Trabzon, sur les rives de la
mer Noire, l’autre à Iznik, dans l’ouest du pays, ont été enregistrées
comme des mosquées ces derniers mois.

Attraction touristique phare d’Istanbul, Sainte-Sophie est un joyau
architectural avec son immense coupole de trente mètres de diamètre et
ses mosaïques recouvertes de feuilles d’or. Édifiée au VIe siècle
après Jésus-Christ par l’empereur Justinien, la btisse qui fut le
siège du patriarche orthodoxe de Constantinople, a été mise à sac au
cours de la quatrième croisade puis changée en mosquée lors de la
prise de la ville par les Ottomans en 1453. Les demandes de
transformation de Sainte-Sophie en mosquée se multiplient

Sa reconversion en mosquée est une vieille revendication de l’extrême
droite et des islamistes turcs. L’année dernière, au mois d’octobre,
le jour de la fête du sacrifice, une centaine de membres du Parti de
la grande unité (BBP), des islamo-nationalistes, a ainsi prié devant
le musée-basilique. Mais ces derniers mois, les demandes se
multiplient. Une pétition de particuliers réclamant sa transformation
est ainsi étudiée par une commission parlementaire depuis le mois de
février. Le numéro d’août de Skylife, le magazine de la compagnie
aérienne Turkish Airlines, dont l’actionnaire majoritaire est l’État
turc, consacrait sa couverture à « La mosquée des sultans ». Sans
faire mention de l’origine chrétienne de « cet héritage en grande
partie ottoman », le dossier met en doute la légalité du statut de
musée. Mosquée Sainte-Sophie… « Comment ce nom résonne-t-il à vos
oreilles ?, fait mine de s’interroger l’éditorialiste Burak Bekdil
dans le Hürriyet Daily News. (…) Que signifierait la synagogue al-Aqsa
ou l’église Sultanahmet pour les musulmans ? Défaite et injustice
n’est-ce pas ? Cela serait exact. »

Les propos de Bülent Arinç sur l’avenir de Sainte-Sophie suivent de
quelques jours son opposition à un projet du premier ministre. Début
novembre, Recep Tayyip Erdogan s’en était pris aux dortoirs mixtes
pour étudiants, au motif que certains « modes de vie » ne sont pas «
légitimes ». Des descentes de police dans des colocations avaient
suivi dans des immeubles de plusieurs grandes villes de Turquie. Cette
prise de position morale, vécue comme une violation de la vie privée
par une grande partie de la population, avait également été critiquée
par le vice-premier ministre. Mais le statut de Sainte-Sophie s’ajoute
à une liste, qui ne cesse de s’allonger ces derniers mois, de mesures
en faveur d’une présence plus visible de l’islam, qu’il s’agisse de
restrictions de la vente d’alcool ou de l’introduction de cours
supplémentaires sur la religion sunnite dans le cursus scolaire.

Par Laure Marchand

LE FIGARO

dimanche 8 décembre 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIE-TURQUIE
La visite de Mehmet Davutoglu à Erévan pourrait signifier le
réchauffement des relations diplomatiques entre l’Arménie et la
Turquie

Le journal turc « Today’s Zaman » dans un article consacré au
déplacement du ministre turc des Affaires étrangères, Ahmet Davutoglu
en Arménie, entrevoit le début d’un réchauffement des relations entre
Ankara et Erévan. Selon Sinem Gengiz qui a consacré un large article
sur le dossier, depuis les protocoles de normalisation des relations
diplomatiques signés en 2009 entre la Turquie et l’Arménie, cette
visite du chef de la diplomatie turque à Erévan s’inscrit comme le
premier acte tangible entre les deux pays. Un diplomate turc aurait
confié au journal que cette visite de Davutoglu à Erévan était très
importante pour la Turquie et la première de ce niveau.« Cette réunion
d’Erévan permettra d’aborder de nombreux dossiers liés à la région »
dit le diplomate. Le journal a également interrogé un spécialiste du
Caucase, Mehmet Fatih Oztarsun qui a vécu et étudié en Arménie. Selon
ce dernier « si l’Arménie désire donne une importance à ces rencontres
à Erévan, les relations entre l’Arménie et la Turquie pourraient
marquer une nouvelle étape ».

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 8 décembre 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

Tribute to the memory of earthquake victims

14:02 07.12.2013

On December 7 in connection with the 25th anniversary of the Spitak
Earthquake Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan accompanied by top
officials of the republic visited Stepanakert memorial complex and
laid a wreath at the monument of innocent victims of the natural
disaster, Central Information Department of the Office of the NKR
President reported.

From: Baghdasarian

Quake in Yerevan would cause worse losses than in Gyumri – expert

13:59 – 07.12.13

An earthquake in Yerevan or its surrounding regions is likely to cause
heavier than it did in Gyumri 25 years ago, according to an expert.

At a news conference on Saturday, Movses Poghosyan, the director of
the National Platform on Disaster Risk Reeducation, said the risk
factor in the capital city is considerably higher than in Gyumri.

`The development standards are observed mainly theoretically today;
the urban development norms are never followed. People sometimes
prefer to quickly complete the construction, forgetting about the fact
that a natural disaster may occur every day. The center of our capital
is densely built. That’s a fact, so we cannot do anything. But it
poses a threat. The state shouldn’t have simply allowed it,’ he noted.

Poghosyan called for the population to always keep small bags near
their apartment doors to have all the necessary first aid items and
copies of documents in case of an emergency.

Though the specialist said that the population is now better aware of
techniques of handling disasters, many residents of multi-apartment
building have build additional walls and window lattices in their
apartment, potentially complicated the evacuation of people when
necessary.

From: Baghdasarian

IHS Global Insight
December 6, 2013

Raft of commercial deals with Russia to help Armenian economy

Lilit Gevorgyan

Heading a nearly 600-strong official delegation, Russian president
Vladimir Putin visited Armenia on 2 December to emphasise the
commercial benefits Armenia would gain from joining the Moscow-led
Customs Union, as well as highlighting Russia’s important role in
Armenia’s defence infrastructure.

Rewards for Customs Union membership

Russian president Vladimir Putin’s visit to Armenia on 2 December was
to map out Armenia’s accession to the Russian-led Customs Union with
Belarus and Kazakhstan. The visit comes at the height of Russia’s
diplomatic victory in its efforts to deter Armenia and Ukraine from
signing their long-negotiated and nearly finalised draft association
and free-trade agreements with the EU. Armenia was the first to make a
sharp turnaround on its integration deal with EU in early September
2013, and Ukraine followed suit a week before the 27-29 November EU
summit in Vilnius, where the Association Agreements were supposed to
be signed. While Ukraine’s membership of the Customs Union remains
uncertain, Armenia is taking concrete steps in finalising the deal and
taking the rewards for it.

As was expected, security and energy issues dominated the packed
agenda of the Russian high-level delegation, which consisted of nearly
600 delegates. As well as top-level ministers, the Russian delegation
also included representatives from the country’s regions and top
businesses. In a symbolic gesture, Putin landed in the northern
Armenian town of Gyumri, which hosts Russia’s only military base in
South Caucasus.

Maintaining military parity with Russia’s help remains Armenia’s top
priority in its current unsettled conflicted with Azerbaijan. It was
also a leverage that Russia used on Armenia to dissuade it from
pursuing European integration, as it clearly spelt out when Armenian
president Serzh Sargsyan made his surprise announcement on 3 September
about joining the Customs bloc. Russia has promised to modernise the
No.102 military base in Armenia, and supply weapons and military
hardware at domestic rate. The lease of the base was extended in 2010
until 2044.

Armenia’s price for energy imports

Another point of pressure for Armenia when choosing its partner was
the price of Russian energy imports. These significantly increased in
July, following an initial request from the Russian-controlled
ArmRusGazArd (ARG) to increase gas prices by nearly 60%. This resulted
in a 30% increase in domestic natural gas prices, eroding Armenian
households’ real disposable income. Furthermore, the energy price
increase pushed consumer prices well above the 2.5-5.5% inflation
target band. Inflation peaked at 9.3% in August, gradually climbing
down to 8.2% in September and reaching 7.1% in October, but still well
above the target range triggering the Central Bank of Armenia to
increase its key refinancing rate in August by 50 basis points to
8.5%.

The latest round of negotiations saw Gazprom signing a new gas supply
agreement with Armenia to meet the country’s entire gas demand for
2014-18. Armenia will receive 2.5 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas
shipments every year, up from the 1.7 bcm that the country received in
2012. More importantly, the gas price for Armenia will be determined
by a formula linking domestic Russian domestic gas prices. According
to Russian media outlets, this will set the price for imported natural
gas at USD189 per 1,000 cubic metres, down from USD270. Joining the
Customs Union also will lead to scrapping the 30% duty on natural gas
exports to Armenia.

As expected, Russia also took full control over ARG. Russian Energy
Minister Alexander Novak and Armenian Energy and Natural Resources
Minister Armen Movsisyan signed an agreement on the terms of the sale
and purchase of the Armenian state’s remaining 20% stake in the
monopoly gas importer and distributor in Armenia, thus giving Gazprom
full control over ARG. According to Armenian media reports, the
proceeds from the sale of the 20% stake in ARG will be used to pay off
outstanding Russian debt. However, in late September the government
stated that US700 million in Eurobonds would be used to cover the
USD500-million Russian debt loaned in 2009 ahead of schedule.

Russia’s largest oil company Rosneft agreed to set up a joint venture
with Armenian Oil Techno JSC. According to Rosneft’s statement, “The
main purpose of the joint venture will be a steady supply of quality
petroleum products in Armenia through wholesale and retail trade in
the country and the development of appropriate infrastructure for
storage and distribution of petroleum products in the Republic of
Armenia.” In addition, as a prospective member of the Customs Union,
Armenia will benefit from Russia scrapping its 35% export duty on
petroleum products supplied to Armenia.

Close relations with EU to attract Russian capital

In his welcoming speech at the sizeable gathering hosting the Russian
delegation, Armenian prime minister Tigran Sarkisian highlighted the
commercial advantages that Armenia can offer to the members of the
Customs Union. Sarkisian pointed out that there are over 1450
companies in Armenia created with the involvement of Russian capital.
Considering that Armenia has a GPS Plus (General Preferential Scheme
Plus) regime with the EU, the Russian businesses operating in Armenia
could take advantage of Armenia’s close commercial relations with EU.
GPS Plus is the EU’s incentive scheme for vulnerable countries that
have been compliant with key international conventions on labour
rights and good governance, and it offers preferential market access
to cover over 7,200 products. According to the EU, GPS Plus is the
most generous preferential treatment systems when compared to similar
trade regimes currently in place across the developed economies.

Outlook and implications

In the short term, a partial reduction in energy prices could help the
Armenian monetary authorities to rein in the inflation that was
hurting already weak private consumption. Apart from the energy
agreements, Armenia’s diamond industry will also see some benefits;
Russia will eliminate duties on uncut diamonds, cutting input costs
for Armenia’s diamond-cutting firms. It is expected that customs
duties will be eliminated for a number of products. This is likely to
contribute to an increase in trade volumes, which stood at USD1.2
billion in 2012, rising by 22% in annual terms. This is likely to
increase, however the terms of trade for Armenia are likely to worsen
considering that thus far the ratio of Russian imports to Armenian
exports to its largest trading partner has been rising in favour of
Russia. Still, cheaper imports could partially help to restore
Armenian consumer confidence.

Russian capital already has a strong presence in Armenia, not least
due to the large Armenian community in Moscow as well as across the
country. Simplified customs regulations are expected to help to boost
co-operation between the two countries, as well as Kazakhstan and
Belarus. This is also likely to increase further the already strong
outflow of seasonal labour from Armenia to Russia, contributing to a
steady inflow of remittances, which remains an important contributor
to Armenia’s overall foreign-exchange revenues.

Despite localised protests, Armenians support closer links with
Russia. Thus, the latest survey by Gallup International Association’s
Armenian Office suggests that 64% of the respondents looked favourably
on Armenia’s planned accession to the Customs Union. While military
dependence on Russia plays a significant role in determining this
mood, another contributing factor is the EU’s failure to press Turkey
to open its borders with Armenia, which is a significant hindrance to
taking full advantage of trade with the EU. High transport costs due
to closure of shorter routes to Europe since 1993 by Turkey has been
and was going to remain a problem, even if Armenia opted for EU
Association Agreement. Conversely, the Armenian government has been
also seeking immediate gains when choosing between the EU and
Russian-led Customs Union.

On balance, the recent deals with Russia appear to have short-term
incentives for Armenia. However, in the long term it would need to
work away from its complete oil and gas dependence with Russia, a task
that Yerevan has tried to tackle before by launching co-operation with
Iran, but subsequent efforts had limited success. Meanwhile, with
handing over full control of ARG to Gazprom, Armenia has effectively
marked a setback in its earlier bid for energy supply diversification.

The Customs Union indeed offers a wider market for Armenian exports,
but it is not as large as the EU. However, considering security,
energy and political factors, it appears that for now Armenia has to
make the best out of its integration with the Customs Union, while
trying to improve its macroeconomic fundamentals and business
environment to attract Western capital as well, despite leaving behind
its Association Agreement offer from EU.

From: Baghdasarian

Youth in Armenia’s Tavush call for roadway repairs

18:34 – 07.12.13

Youth activists from Tavush demand urgent repairs of the only safe
roadway in the region, promising to raise funds on their own if no
measures are taken.

Speaking to Tert.am, Siranuysh Melkonyan, a resident of the
north-eastern region and a student at the Yerevan State University’s
International Relations Department, said the highway which connects
the towns of Berd, Itsakar, Gandzakar and Ijeven now remains the only
trafficable route which, however, hasn’t been repaired since launch.

Another roadway is the one between the villages Vazashen and Paravakar
but it has been close since last year after gun attacked by the
Azerbaijani armed forces, Melkonyan said. There is also the
Berd-Chambarak roadway which is mostly non-trafficable in winter due
to mountain snowfalls, she added.

`We now cross the Berd-Ijevan roadway through mountains. There have
already been two accidents, because the storms never leave the road
clean. But just a few days ago, there were gunshots there too. Only
the enemy’s visibility is a little far there,’ Melkonyan noted.

Several community governors and the mayor of Berd have conducted a
joint meeting and sent a letter to the president, Melkonyan said,
adding that they haven’t got any answer yet. Another letter has been
sent by the youth activists who believe that any problem in Armenia is
solved only on the president’s level.

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: Baghdasarian

25th anniversary of Spitak earthquake marked in Ukraine

December 07, 2013 | 16:49

The 25th anniversary of Spitak earthquake was marked in all Armenian
churches of Ukraine.

The opening of a khachkar (Armenian cross-stone) took place in
Chernivtsi, a city in southwestern Ukraine.

According to AnalitikaUA.net, a stone stele with carved image of the
cross was made in Armenia and was installed in the territory of St.
Peter and Paul church in Chernivtsi.

Head of Ukrainian diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Archbishop
Grigoris Buniatian consecrated the khachkar.

Representatives of the Armenian community from different regions of
Ukraine, those helping to overcome the aftermath of the earthquake and
local authorities participated in the ceremony.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: Baghdasarian

Official Kremlin: No discussion about Customs Union during
Putin-Yanukovych meeting

December 07, 2013 | 13:34

Presidents of Russia and Ukraine Vladimir Putin and Viktor Yanukovych
did not discuss Ukraine’s accession to the Customs Union during their
Friday meeting in Sochi, Kremlin spokesperson said.

Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for Vladimir Putin, said the issue was not
discussed. He added that the presidents had discussed the current
state and prospects for bilateral cooperation in financial sector, RIA
Novosti reported.

Earlier the senior editor of The Economist Edward Lucas tweeted that
Putin and Yanukovych made a deal in Sochi, quoting a reliable source.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: Baghdasarian