Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

DOES MOSCOW NEEDS “MEAT” OF SYRIAN ARMENIANS?
HAKOB BADALYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 15:15:49 – 24/07/2012

Russian experts were in Yerevan who held press conferences and
issued statements saying that Armenia needs to toughen its position
on the Syrian issue and disagree with any military intervention in
that country.

The regular “tours” of Russian experts in Armenia are not news. They
come and propose new games to Armenia. But, as a rule, Armenia does
not have the role of a player in those games, but the one of the ball.

Now Russians are trying to turn Armenia into a ball scored into the
Western gate. Apparently, the visits to Armenia of Russian officials
and chairmen of two chambers of the State Duma have become more often
for this reason.

Armenia, apparently, is resisting understanding that the state
interest of Armenia demands a completely different approach and
instead of useless attempts to influence on the situation around
Syria, it is necessary to take up useful steps to help the Armenian
community of Syria and if necessary, organize the immigration to
Armenia more effectively.

But the Russian plans are different. For instance, the organization
of an effective immigration does not make part of its plans, but it
wants to create as many obstacles as possible such as enhancement
of the flight prices or refusal to increase the intensity of the
flights. In this relation, Armavia assumes a interesting role since
it is the national carrier of Armenia which has debts to Russia. There
have even been rumors that it will be sold to Russia.

The political field has also issued interesting positions. For example,
Head of the ARFD Bureau Hrant Margaryan left for Syria and stated there
that steps to keep the Armenian community there should be taken up.

It seems that when a serious war is underway in a country and the
life of people is threatened, the task should be to take out those
people from that war zone until the war ends and the situation
becomes stable. Let alone the fact that the Syrian Armenians need a
state-homeland where they could find not only protection but also could
correct the hard economic and demographic situation of the country.

But no one knows why and how, the idea on keeping the Syrian Armenians
in Syria is put forward which implies that the Armenian Christian
community of Syria will become a ball or a hostage for someone.

And when Russian experts advise Armenians to enter the Syrian game,
it becomes clear how the idea on not allowing the Syrian people leave
that country came up: the idea on the security and stability of the
Syrian community which is presented by the Armenian public propaganda.

While, the number one issue for Armenia is still not only not to get
involved in that game and not to become a ball, but also to help the
Syrian Armenians come out of it because they can become the victims of
the ball. In addition, in case it is clear that in Syria everything
will not end but will only start with the war because Syria will
undoubtedly become a second Iraq or Lebanon.

It is comprehensible that Syria is the home of the Armenian community
and it is difficult to get stuck of it in terms of human relations.

But the home can’t be an end in itself because the home is beautiful
and pleasant by the life you have in it, while, Syria in this sense,
become dangerous especially for the Christian Armenian people.

Let Russia take care of its geopolitical issues without Armenians
this time.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN FM PARTICIPATED IN THE EASTERN PARTNERSHIP MEETING IN BRUSSELS

armradio.am
24.07.2012 13:53

On July 23 Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian participated in
the meeting of the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the European
Union and the Eastern Partnership countries. In attendance were also
the EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy Catherine
Ashton and European Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Fule.

Speaking at the sitting, the Armenian Foreign Minister said “the
ministerial meetings of the Eastern Partnership provide a good
opportunity to exchange views on different issues related to the
promotion of cooperation, sum up the work don, present the expectations
and develop the future steps.

“I’m pleased to note that Armenia has registered significant progress
two years after the start of the negotiations on the Association
Agreement, 28 out of 29 chapters have been closed,” the Foreign
Minister said.

“Based on the positive experience reached in the talks on the
Association Agreement, we expect fluent progress in the negotiations
on the creation of a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. We aim
to reach the final stage of the talks before the Vilnius summit,”
he added.

“Promotion of people-to-people contacts and mobility are other
important components of cooperation. I’m glad to note that the
agreements on facilitation of the visa regime and readmission have been
finalized and we expect to sign and ratify them in the near future,”
Minister Nalbandian stated.

From: Baghdasarian

“I WOULD LIKE ARMENIANS TO STAY IN SYRIA”

06:56 pm | July 23, 2012 | Politics

You do not come across clashes in the streets in Aleppo, but you
still feel tension, says Hrant Margaryan, a senior representative of
the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun Bureau, who has
recently returned from Aleppo.

Mr. Margaryan says several Armenians have died during the ongoing
internal armed conflict in Syria.

“About six people died in Syria: two of them died accidently in an
explosion, others died during the military service,” said Mr.
Margaryan.

Hrant Margaryan thinks that Armenia should not intervene in the life
of the local Armenian community which has some 60 000 members. First,
as the Dashnaktsutyun member says, the intervention may create panic
in the community. Second, the conflicting sides may come into conflict
with Armenians and finally, Armenia cannot offer much to the Syrian
Armenians.

“We cannot provide them with jobs, housing and many other important
things,” says Mr. Margaryan.

“The Armenia community of Syria, which was formed after the Armenian
Genocide of 1915, has always enjoyed the country’s hospitability. I
would like our compatriots living in Syria to stay in the country
and share its fate along with other citizens,” said Mr. Margaryan.

As long as they are in Syria, Armenia should help them resist all
challenges and keep aloof from the internal conflict. Anyway, if
Armenians decide to leave Syria, Hrant Margaryan would like them to
settle in Armenia.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA’S DEFENSE MINISTRY: WE WILL NOT LEAVE UNANSWERED AZERBAIJAN’S ACTION AGAINST AN ARMENIAN CIVILIAN

arminfo
Monday, July 23, 18:12

We will not leave unanswered Azerbaijan’s action against an Armenian
civilian, Spokesman of Armenia’s Defense Ministry Artsrun Hovhannisyan
told ArmInfo on Monday.

“However, our actions will not be aimed against civilians,” he said.

To remind, resident of the village of Nerkin Karmiraghbyur, Tavush
region, 25-year-old Gor P. was wounded by a shot from the Azeri side
on July 21. The young man was just working in the field.

From: Baghdasarian

POLITICAL INTRIGUE IN GYUMRI: LONG-TIME MAYOR’S RETURN IS IN QUESTION
By Siranuysh Gevorgyan

ArmeniaNow
23.07.12 | 15:24

The Mayor of Gyumri has resigned his post as head of Shirak regional
branch of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), sparking
speculation that without his party’s support he will not run for the
mayor of Armenia’s “second city” during the local government elections
slated for September 9.

Vardan Ghukasyan, who has been in the news as much for his personal
controversies as for his politics, has been running the city for 16
years. He has said that he will definitely seek re-election, saying
that citizens demand his continued service.

When asked by journalists about his resignation, Ghukasyan only said:
“It is what needed to be done”.

Others following Armenian politics say Ghukasyan’s resignation should
be viewed in light of another event. Specifically, Prosperous Armenia
Party has nominated its National Assembly Deputy, Samvel Balasanyan to
run for the mayoral post. It has been reported that prior to announcing
his candidacy, Balasanyan had a meeting with President Serzh Sargsyan,
head of the RPA, during which he got the presidents “approval”.

Further speculation is that an agreement has been struck between
PAP and RPA, which would give the mayor’s race to Balasanyan. It is
noteworthy that at the past parliamentary elections the PAP got more
votes than the RPA in Gyumri.

Vahan Tumasyan, head of Shirak Center NGO in Gyumri, believes that
Ghukasyan’s leaving is an opportunity to weed out corruption.

“The real owner and head of Gyumri during the recent decade and until
now is the criminal mob, and Gyumretsis, at least 99 percent of them,
are its humble servant. At this moment the most important issue is
the decriminalization of Gyumri, and now its possibility is quite
nearer than ever. It could be done only this way,” Tumasyan says.

Political analyst Yervand Bozoyan believes that the RPA refuses
to support Ghukasyan anymore, and yields Gyumri to protect its own
reputation.

“Vardanik [meaning Ghukasyan] has created a criminal zone in Gyumri
during these years, and with his family has defamed himself and the
RPA so much that the RPA understood he has no chances to be reelected,
and if he is nominated he will disgrace the party. Meanwhile PAP has
managed to capitalize Gyumretsis’ protest, to become a force that
would be a counterbalance to Vardanik. And the RPA has decided to
sacrifice Vardanik in order to protect its own reputation,” Bozoyan
told ArmeniaNow, adding that at the moment the RPA has no other person
in Gyumri to nominate other than Ghukasyan, and time would be needed
to find such a figure.

The situation is tense in Gyumri against the background of these
events. On Sunday online newspapers released an open letter, where
a group of Gyumretsis have expressed their concerns over Ghukasyan’s
family, in particular his son – Spartak Ghukasyan – who is known for
his allegedly-illegal behavior.

At the same time, according to Shirakcenter.org, the mayor’s son
has voiced threats and swearing near Balasanyan’s house saying:
“You will not enjoy it.”

From: Baghdasarian

FIRST 8 MILLION EURO TRANCHE OF EUROPEAN UNION GRANT WILL ARRIVE IN EARLY 2013: ECONOMY MINISTER

/ARKA/
July 23, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, July 23. /ARKA/. The first 8 million euro tranche of a 15
million European Union’s grant designed for Armenia to help it prepare
for the signing of the agreement on deep and comprehensive free trade
area will arrive in early 2013, economy minister Tigran Davtyan told
a news conference today. He said the funds will be allocated in three
tranches over the next 1-1.5 years.

“The funding will be provided on the basis of ‘more for more’, that
is – more money for bigger results. The grant is provided to Armenia
because we have justified all of EU’s expectations, and, in their
estimation, we have done even more than planned,” he stressed.

Earlier, the minister brushed aside rumors that the EU cut off
funding for Armenia, saying quite the contrary, the EU has increased
the amount.

European Council president Herman Van Rompuy said during a visit to
Armenia that the country was on the right track, but much remains to be
done in the future. According to Rompuy, the EU stands ready to assist
Armenia in the promotion of shared values. He said the EU appreciates
Armenia’s efforts to comply with European norms and standards.

“We urge Armenia to continue its way to strengthen democratic
institutions, eliminate corruption, improve respect for human rights
and freedom of speech” said Rompuy.

In an earlier interview with the Radio Liberty, Peter Stano,
a spokesman for EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European
Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) Stefan Fule, said that “the European Union
has postponed the promised Armenia donor conference , which was to
discuss the issue of providing financial assistance to Armenia. He
said the May 6 parliamentary polls fell short of EU’s expectations and
now Brussels is waiting for the presidential election of 2013. ”

From: Baghdasarian

GLENDALE’S BERJ BOOKSTORE: ONE MAP’S HISTORY

hetq
11:47, July 23, 2012

By Nelli Shoushi Martirosyan

I buy almost all my gifts and Armenian postcards from Berj Books
located in Glendale, California.

Berj, the owner, always welcomes me to the store and listens to
my stories related to the liberated Artsakh territories with rapt
interest.

When I enter the bookstore, I’m like a small child trying to pick my
favourite knick-knacks. There are so many adorned with the Armenian
tricolor, the national emblem or the Armenian ABC’s.

But there’s one item in the store that really irritates me. It’s a
map of Armenia showing the wrong borders of Artsakh. It taped to the
wall for all to see. When I say Armenia, I’m talking about the two
Armenian states – the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh.

I get the most satisfaction when I point out the inaccuracy of the
map and other customers there agree with my observation. They agree
that it’s totally unacceptable to leave out large swaths of liberated
regions from the map.

It’s an injustice to forget the thousands who gave their lives for
bequeathing us a much larger Armenia than we had a mere twenty years
ago. Have we forgotten so much in the course of twenty years?

A few weeks ago I visited the bookstore to make another round of
purchases. Upon entering, my eyes automatically went to the wall
showing the map I disliked so much. I was in for a pleasant surprise.

Berj had received a batch of ten incorrect maps from Beirut. He took
one of them and affixed it to the wall where the old map had been
and drew a number of lines in an attempt to connect the liberated
territories to Armenia.

Naturally, these lines didn’t point out Aknan, the place where Monte
Melkonian fell to his death. Never fear, I’ll add a line showing this.

Suffice it to say I was elated that my two years of complaining had
finally broke the ice, People who look and the redesigned map will
ponder what these lines actually signify.

I promised Berj that I would present him with a correct map and he
said it would be affixed near the window of the store. It would be
visible to all, even when the store is closed.

I had the honor to spend all of April, 2011, in the Kashatagh district
of the liberated territories. The goal of my visits was to conduct
research about the local population for the Hayrenaser organization. I
also spent two days in the Shahoumyan (Karvatchar) region.

According to the incorrect maps, only showing the old Nagorno-Karabakh
Autonomous Region (NKAR), I had spent a month in Azerbaijani
territory. Kashatagh and Shahoumyan were never part of the NKAR that
existed during the Soviet era.

I urge everyone not to tolerate incorrect maps. A nation that dreams
about historic Armenia must stand as master over all portions of
liberated historic Armenia.

This is the least we can do to honor our fallen heroes and their
families and the people now living on those lands and making them
flourish.

(The author is the co-founder Hayrenaser organization and the article
is part of a public awareness campaign about the liberated territories)

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT WANTS TO OPERATE GOLD MINE AND DEVELOP TOURISM IN JERMUK SIMULTANEOUSLY

news.am
July 23, 2012 | 23:23

YEREVAN. – Tourism development program of Armenia’s Jermuk will run
simultaneously with operation of Jermuk’s Amulsar gold mine, Deputy
Minister of Economy Ara Petrosyan said at a meeting with journalists
on Monday.

According to him, Jermuk’s development program is already complete and
will be executed by Swiss company Tiger Dav who thoroughly examined
all possible environmental risks. Asked about the danger that may
cause Amulsara gold mine located in 12 km (8 miles) from Jermuk,
Petrosyan said that all over the world there are numerous industrial
and environmentally hazardous areas that are located next to tourist
centers and it is not dangerous at all.

From: Baghdasarian

THE EU EXPERTS TO HELP ARMENIA TO IMPROVE THE COMPETITIVE FIELD

ARMENPRESS
23 July, 2012
YEREVAN

Yerevan, July 23, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian State Commission for
Protection of the Economic Competition with the EU Twinning project
continues to organize events aimed at improving the competitive
situation and existing problems in Armenia. As “Armenpress” was
informed by SPEC, the next events will be held on July 24 in Lori
and on July 25 in Aragatsotn regions. The seminar, organized by the
EU member states experts arrived in Armenia and the Armenian SPEC
members and workers, is related to the public assistance questions.

During the event, specialized experts from EU member states, Nikolaus
Graf Victum and Mrs. Monica Hoshrayter, will touch upon the role
of the state support monitoring process, as well as the regional
and local self-government bodies and ministries involved in it. The
experts will also present examples of economic competitive field and
their experience of solving such problems.

It should be noted that the regional events are organized within
the “Competitive and state assistance law enforcement strengthening
in Armenia” Twinning program. The ultimate goal of the program is
the improvement of the competitive environment in Armenia and the
strengthening of the Armenian SPEC enforcement capacities of the
legislation.

The project is funded by the European Union. The total amount of
financing is 1.1 million euro.

From: Baghdasarian

RISE IN YEREVAN-ALEPPO AIR TICKET PRICE MAY SPOIL ARMENIA’S RELATIONS WITH THE ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF SYRIA

arminfo
Monday, July 23, 19:10

The rise in the Yerevan-Aleppo air ticket price may spoil Armenia’s
relations with the Armenian community of Syria, expert of the Center
for Studies of Civilizations and Cultures of Yerevan State University
Hayk Kocharyan said during a press- conference on Monday.

“We must help the Armenians living Syria rather than create artificial
barriers to their contacts with Armenia. We must take more active
measures to protect them or we may lose one more channel of active
external assistance,” the expert said.

To remind, some Syria-based Armenians have complained that the Yerevan-
Aleppo air ticket price has grown from $320 to $470. Armavia says
that the price has been raised by its Syrian partners.

Some 60,000-80,000 Armenians live in Syria, according to unofficial
statistics.

From: Baghdasarian