YEREVAN TO VOTE ITS MAYOR
Panorama.am
14:54 19/02/2009
The elections of elders, as well as the Mayor of Yerevan are scheduled
on 31 May, defined the Government in its regular session.
Vache Terteryan, the Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration
said that it is expected to receive 183 million AMD to organize
the elections.
The council of elders of Yerevan is elected for four years via direct
elections, and the Mayor is elected via indirect elections by the
elders.
NEW BOOK DIGS DEEP INTO HISTORY OF WEST BENGAL’S ARMENIANS
by Nyree Abrahamian
AZG Armenian Daily
19/02/2009
Diaspora
Celebrating the 300th anniversary of the Indian-Armenian community
Since the 300th anniversary celebration of Holy Nazareth Armenian
Church in Kolkata just a few weeks ago, Armenians all over the world
have been reading, learning, and talking about the fascinating history
of Armenians in India.
Armenians arrived in the region now known as West Bengal in the early
1600s, some 60 years before the British became established traders
there. Despite their small numbers, Armenians thrived in colonial
India well into the 19th century, undertaking construction projects
and running trading companies, shipping lines, coal mines, and hotels.
Their rich and relatively unknown history is now coming to light
as a result of the recent festivities. In addition to the 300th
anniversary celebration, Armenian churches in India have undergone
major renovations, and Catholicos Karekin II reconsecrated the church
in Chennai (formerly Madras), which had fallen into disrepair and
was all but abandoned. Hundreds of pilgrims from around the world
came to be a part of the historic event.
Whereas the recent revitalization of Armenian churches in India has
sparked renewed interest in the country’s Armenian community, Deacon
Tigran Baghumian has been poring over the history of Indian-Armenians
for years.
In 2005, Baghumian was appointed by Karekin II as the administrator
of the Armenian Philanthropic Academy of Kolkata and the deacon in
charge of all Armenian churches in India. The deacon spent three years
in India trying to revive the school and the community. In addition
to performing his administrative duties, Baghumian managed to pursue
a project that was near and dear to his heart, a true labor of love:
he researched and wrote a book about Armenian religious and community
leaders who served and were buried in India. His study, published in
Armenian, is titled Armenian Clergymen Buried in West Bengal.
Baghumian spent a great deal of his time in India in the graveyards of
Armenian churches, painstakingly cleaning gravestones and photographing
them, going through church registries, and researching the lives he
uncovered, one by one.
It may strike one as odd that someone would dedicate so much time
(and an entire book) to the study of long-forgotten gravestones and
documents, but Baghumian’s work is truly commendable when we consider
the instrumental role that the Armenian church and its clergy have
played in the creation and burgeoning of India’s Armenian community.
"It was with great pity that I noticed that neither Indian-Armenians
nor the students of the Philanthropic Academy – who walk over these
gravestones every time they go to church – know who are buried in the
Armenian cemeteries," says the young deacon. "Many of them don’t even
know the history of the Indian-Armenian community. So, as a young
member of the Brotherhood of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin,
I considered it my sacred duty to photograph, catalog, and decode
the records inscribed on the gravestones of our clergymen, while
also trying to find additional information about them and their
service. . . . The aim of my study is to save the names of those
brave pastors from falling into oblivion."
Baghumian did not limit his research to clergymen. He also uncovered
graves of other members of the Indian-Armenian community, resurrecting
their stories, shedding light on the way of life of Indian-Armenians
through the centuries and their role in Indian society. For example,
one of the graves he highlights in the book belongs to an Armenian
woman named Rezabeebeh. Dating back to 1630, it’s the oldest Christian
grave in West Bengal. "We have to understand that the Armenian
historical graves are not only a part of our national history, but
also an inseparable part of Indian history," the deacon says.
Baghumian’s dedication to his work and his passion for rediscovering,
acknowledging, and respecting the Armenian past is apparent in his
writing. He says he is sad to see that of the few Indian-Armenians
who remain in India, most don’t speak Armenian and are disconnected
from their heritage. It is against this backdrop that Baghumian has
carried out his work. As a result, he has succeeded, in his own way,
to bring many of the Indian-Armenian community’s stories back to life.
"When, in the last century, the famous Indian-Armenian historian
Mesrovb Jacob Seth was writing about the Armenians of India, many
people were laughing at him," he says. "However, today it is impossible
to imagine Indian-Armenian history without his vital work." Baghumian
hopes that his research, too, will be valued in the future as a key
unlocking some of the treasures of the Armenian past.
CONTENT OF OIL PRODUCTS IN BORDER RIVERS WITH ARMENIA AND GEORGIA TOPPED ACCESSIBLE NORM 1.4 FOLD
Azerbaijan Business Center
Feb 17 2009
Azerbaijan
Baku, Fineko/abc.az. The National Environmental Monitoring Department
(Azerbaijan Ministry of Environment & Natural Resources) has conducted
monitoring for the first 10-day period of February 2009 to define
level of pollution in the Kura and Arax trans-border rivers.
The Ministry’s press service informs that the monitoring revealed
exceeding multi-fold the norm of phenols and copper compounds in the
Kura and Arax rivers adjoining to points under trans-border pollutions.
The main water contaminants in Shikhli-2 point of Kura River are
phenols and copper compounds, content of which exceeded maximum
allowable coefficient 2 and 3 fold, in Agstafachay River two-fold,
and Agstafachay water storage 3-fold (phenols) and two-fold (copper
compounds).
Such biogenic matters as ammonium containing in these waters exceeded
the norms as well.
"The cause of that is discharge of water without treatment from
industrial and stock-breeding enterprises on the territory of Armenia
and Georgia.
The monitoring also uncovered that content of phenols and copper
compounds in the Arax River on the border with Armenia exceeded the
norm multifold.
"In Goradiz point content of main pollutants – phenols and copper
compounds was exceeded 2 fold, in Bahramtepe 3-fold, Shahsevan 4-fold,"
it was informed.
Content of oil products in the three points overtopped admissible
norms 1.2-1.4 fold.
Oxygene regime in all points was in sanitary norm and ranged 6.63-9.78
mg/l.
Inga & Anush to represent Armenia at Eurovision 2009
armradio.am
15.02.2009 01:40
Sisters Inga & Anush will represent Armenia at the Eurovision Song
Contest 2009 with the song Jan Jan, performed in English and Armenian.
Inga & Anush defeated their twenty competitors in the Armenian national
final and will defend the Armenian colors in the first semifinal of the
Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow.
Twenty-one songs were presented in the national final, and the winner
was picked by a combination of SMS voting and an expert jury.
Armenia has taken part in the Eurovision Song Contest three times since
2006 and so far, all Armenian entries have been in the Final of the
Contest. The best placing to date was reached by Sirusho in 2008 – she
came fourth with her song Qélé Qélé.
MIKHAIL POGHOSIAN SAYS SUPERJET-100 FIRST SERIAL PLANES TO BE PROVIDED TO "AEROFLOT" OR "ARMAVIA"
ARMENPRESS
Feb 13, 2009
BANGALOR (INDIA), FEBRUARY 13, ARMENPRESS: Head of the "MiG"
corporation of "Sukhoi" holding Mikhail Poghosian told journalists that
"Sukhoi" intends to provide first serial Superjet-100 planes to Russian
"Aeroflot" airlines or to Armenian "Armavia".
"Now we try to ensure the supply of first planes to "Aeroflot" and
"Armavia". Let’s see who will get the first", – he said.
Poghosian considered getting the international permit a primary issue
of creators of the Superjet.
Sukhoi Superjet-100 is the first project of "Civil planes of
Sukhoi". The first Sukhoi Superjet-100 was presented to the public
on September 26, 2007 in Amur Komsomolski factory.
At present two Sukhoi Superjet-100 planes take part in the program
of flight tests in Russia. As of today the portfolio of stable orders
of Sukhoi Superjet-100 reaches 98 planes.
ARMENIA’S PRESIDENT MEETS RUSSIAN PROSECUTOR GENERAL
Trend
Feb 13 2009
Azerbaijan
President Serzh Sargsyan today received the Prosecutor General of
the Russian Federation, Yuri Chayka, President’s Press Office reported.
During the meeting Serzh Sargsyan and Yuri Chayka rated high the
current level of cooperation between the law-enforcement bodies of
the two countries and emphasized the importance of the memorandum the
Armenian and Russian Prosecutor Generals signed today, Public Radio
of Armenia reported.
The Armenian President and the Russian Prosecutor General agreed that
the implementation of the primary provisions of the memorandum will
contribute to the improvement of the activity of the Prosecutor’s
Offices, raise of the efficiency of the work in the direction of
solving different crimes, defense of the peoples’ and citizens’
rights and freedoms, prevention of corruption, fighting terrorism, etc.
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:34:20 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Russia, Turkey Hail Flourishing Neighbourhood Ties
RUSSIA, TURKEY HAIL FLOURISHING NEIGHBOURHOOD TIES
Agence France Presse
Feb 13 2009
France
MOSCOW (AFP) — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Friday
he welcomed diplomatic moves by historical rival Turkey in the two
countries’ Caucasus and Black Sea neighbourhood.
As Medvedev evoked a role for NATO member Turkey in ex-Soviet nations
that abut both Russia and Turkey, a Russian official said Moscow and
Ankara were close to making lucrative new energy deals.
"Our countries naturally want to strengthen security in the Caucasus
region and to ensure proper security in the Black Sea. In this,
we’re fully in solidarity," Medvedev said during a visit by Turkish
President Abdullah Gul.
Medvedev struck a defiant note on "outside powers" in the region,
clearly referring to US support for Tbilisi in a war last summer
between Georgia and Russia.
"The August crisis showed the importance of coordination by all
countries of the region… and showed we can deal with such problems
ourselves, without the involvement of outside powers," Medvedev said.
Russia remains fiercely protective of its role in the Caucasus nations
that broke from Moscow in 1991 — Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan —
and Medvedev in August described Moscow as the "guarantor" of the
region’s security.
Moscow’s sense of entitlement has historically put Turkey and Russia
at loggerheads.
But as Gul visited on Friday both countries emphasised cooperation,
not least in Russian help with energy supplies to Turkey.
Medvedev said he welcomed an initiative put forward by Turkey during
last year’s Georgia war known as the Caucasus Stability and Cooperation
Platform.
The latter is part of a push by Turkey that includes improving
relations with Armenia poisoned by differences over Ottoman-era
massacres of Armenians.
Gul told Medvedev on Friday: "Russia and Turkey are neighbouring
countries, which are developing their relations on the basis of
mutual confidence."
Later at a meeting with former president Vladimir Putin, now the
country’s prime minister, Putin applauded the emergence of Russia as
Turkey’s number one trade partner.
Gul responded: "The author of those relations is you. You have done
a great service in this."
On the sidelines of the talks in Moscow the two countries were working
on new energy deals expected to increase Russia’s role in Turkey,
including a plan for Moscow to build a nuclear power station in Turkey.
Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said the two sides were nearing
agreement on Russia winning the nuclear contract.
A consortium led by Russia’s Atomstroixport partnership was the sole
bidder in a tender launched in September to build a 4,800 megawatt
nuclear power plant at Akkuyu on the Mediterranean coast.
"We expect our proposal will be forwarded by the tendering commission
to the Turkish government in the near future," Shmatko told reporters.
"According to different estimates, such a project could be worth
18-20 billion dollars (14-15.5 billion euros)," he added.
Shmatko also said Russia and Turkey were discussing a long-term
contract worth 60 billion dollars over a period of 15 years to supply
Russian electricity to Turkey.
"The volume of supplies of electricity from Russia to Turkey could
reach 60 billion dollars over 15 years," he said.
In practice Russian-Turkish energy cooperation has fallen short of
Moscow’s expectations.
The Blue Stream gas pipeline that supplies Russian gas to Turkey is
now operating at well below the capacity envisaged by its planners,
as Turkey eyes other energy sources such as Iraq and Central Asia.
Russia is Turkey’s biggest trading partner and bilateral trade was
worth 37.8 billion dollars last year.
ACCORDING TO GEGHAM BAGHDASARIAN, FORMER KARABAKH AUTHORITIES WANTED TO GET FREE OF RESPONSIBILITY OF PARTICIPATING IN NEGOTIATIONS PROCESS
Noyan Tapan
Feb 13, 2009
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The Nagorno Karabakh Republic
lacks home political activity and pluralism since the 1994 truce up
to the present.
Gegham Baghdasarian, NKR National Assembly independent deputy,
stated at the February 13 press conference. According to him, under
the conditions of universal calmness and Artsakh media imperfection
the Demo independent newspaper, the editor of which was he, was
perceived as opposition. "We closed Demo so that the semi-stagnation
condition could be seen, and society could draw conclusions from that,"
G. Baghdasarian said. He mentioned that henceforth he is going to edit
a new magazine, Analitikon, each issue of which will be dedicated to
an individual subject.
Touching upon the subject of NKR home political sphere, the deputy
said that it stagnated for even more in the last presidential
elections, when all political forces, including Dashnaktsutiun
considered opposition, supported Bako Sahakian. As G. Baghdasarian
clarified it, the above mentioned forces explained their decision by
the necessity to be united, while, in deputy’s affirmation, it was
an absolutely wrong decision. "Dashnaktsutiun, for instance, thought
that it had no chance to win the presidential elections and supported
B. Sahakian. That psychology is not understandable for me," G.
Baghdasarian said adding that thus the sound political fight and
competition was lost.
The only intrigue in Karabakh’s home political sphere, as the speaker
mentioned, was the talks that allegedly former President Arkady
Ghukasian will become Prime Minister soon in NKR and former President
Robert Kocharian in Armenia. G. Baghdasarian found it difficult to
say whether the talks correspond to reality.
Touching upon the reasons of Karabakh’s being left out of the
negotiations process ten years ago, G. Baghdasarian said that
he does not share the opinion that it took place because of
R. Kocharian. According to the deputy, the Artsakh authorities
themselves wanted to get free of the responsibility of taking part
in the negotiations.
A GIRL’S WAR BY JOYCE VAN DYKE RUNS 2/14-3/8 AT THICK HOUSE
Broadway World
Feb 12 2009
NY
A Girl’s War: An Armenian-Azeri Love Story, written by Joyce Van Dyke,
and directed by Torange Yeghiazarian featuring Ana Bayat, Adrian Mejia,
Zarif Sadiqi, Simon Vance* and Bella Warda runs February 14 – March 8,
2009 Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 5 pm Previews:
Saturday, February 14 & Sunday, February 15
Opening: Monday, February 16 at the Thick House, 1695 18th St,
San Francisco
Golden Thread Productions is proud to present the West Coast premiere
of Armenian-American playwright Joyce Van Dyke’s award-winning play,
A Girl’s War. This love story of opposite sides was first produced at
Boston Playwrights’ Theatre in 2001. Named one of the "top ten" plays
of the year by the Boston Globe, A Girl’s War won the John Gassner
Playwriting and the Provincetown Theatre Company Playwriting Awards.
During a stormy fashion shoot, Anna Sarkisian, a New York fashion
model, learns that her younger brother has been killed by enemy
soldiers in her native Karabakh in the Caucasus Mountains. In
the Armenian enclave of Karabakh, formerly part of the Soviet
Union, an unresolved civil war still smolders between Armenians
and Azerbaijanis. The war has already killed Anna’s older brother
and driven her mother into the army. Anna decides to return home to
her village for the first time in 15 years. Living with her fiercely
partisan Armenian mother in the bombed ruin of her childhood home, Anna
defiantly refuses to identify herself with the Armenian cause. Tensions
ignite when, Ilyas, a young Azeri deserter shows up, claiming to be
a former neighbor. Anna and Ilyas, powerfully drawn to one another,
become lovers in secret. The competing desires of love and vengeance,
fueled by jealousy, propel the characters toward an explosive climax
with tragic consequences.
ARRESTS OF ARMENIANS GOING ON IN JAVAKHK
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.02.2009 16:39 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Georgian Ministry of Interior continues arrests
of Armenians in Samtskhe Javakheti region.
A certain Gisho was detained in Akhaltsikhe on February 7 (the details
are being clarified). Although the search in his house produced
no result, Georgian police officers took the man under arrest and
conveyed him to Tbilisi.
The population of Akhaltsikhe link the incident to the recent arrest
of Grigor Minasyan, director of Akhaltsikhe youth center, and Segei
Hakobjanyan, chairman of Charles Aznavour benevolent organization,
Bagin information center reports.
Grigory Minasyan and Sargis Hakobjanyan were detained in Samtskhe
Javakheti on January 22.
The Georgian Minister of Interior initiated a criminal case in
compliance with articles 18.1, 223.1 and 314 (formation of illegal
armed unit and espionage) of the Georgian Penal Code.