Author: Hambardsumian Paul

ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES WITH LOST CREDIBILITY OFTEN ACT AS BRAVE SOLDIERS: AZERBAIJANI MP

Today.Az
84.html
Aug 28 2009
Azerbaijan

"Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s statement is meant for a domestic
market rather than to influence negotiations," Azerbaijani parliament’s
security and defense committee deputy chair Aydin Mirzazade said
commenting Armenian president’s statement about Armenian army’s
increased military efficiency and constant improvements in country’s
armed forces.

During a working meeting in the Defense Ministry, Armenian president
said "Armenia’s political leadership has a confident and dignified
position in the negotiating process, as such opportunities are
provided by country’s army, established structure of Armenia",
PanARMENIAN.Net reported.

"Serzh Sargsyan is well aware of the state of the Armenian army. He
knows that the morale of the army is very low. Corruption, military
hazing is rife in the army. The equipment is old, combat readiness
is low and there are no any new weapons or NATO standards. Armenian
soldiers’ crossing border to Azerbaijan in large numbers shows
lamentable condition of the Armenian army," Mirzazade said.

"The talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia are about withdrawal of
Armenian forces from occupied Azerbaijani territories, Armenia’s
recognition of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, and I think we
will witness precisely this result," he said.

"With regard to Armenia’s new Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian, I think
he can only attack unarmed people, destroy women, elderly people and
children as he did as a head of the 366th regiment which attacked
Khojaly on February 25 to 26, 1992. I think Ohanian’s shoulder straps
figure not stars, but blood of Azerbaijani civilians with which he
stained himself," Mirzazade said.

In an interview with Armenian Public Television, country’s Defense
Minister Seyran Ohanian stated that "the Armenian army is ready to
confront any aggression."

The minister also said Armenia is ready to not only defend, but
if necessary, to carry out various preventive measures. Asked to
clarify whether it is offensive the defense minister said: "Why not –
offensive, counteroffensive. In order to protect civilians from the
cruelty of war, Armenia has no alternative," ArmToday Info reported.

Mirzazade said Armenian army’s battle readiness is out of question.

"Azerbaijan is not a supporter of bloodshed. We support resolving
the conflict peacefully. But if hostilities between Azerbaijan and
Armenia erupt, Ohanian will be able to feel power of the Azerbaijani
army for a short time frame," he noted.

"I think that this kind of populist speeches has recently become very
frequent by Armenian officials. Losing credibility in Armenia, barely
clinging to power, with no accomplishments, no economic or political,
they often act as a brave soldier. I think that not only Azerbaijan,
but also entire international community knows in what a lamentable
state Armenian authorities are," he said.

VEILED IN MYSTERY OF ARMENIA-TURKEY NORMALIZATION

Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am, Armenia
Aug 26 2009

12:48 / 08/26/2009"We support Armenia-Turkey normalization without
preconditions, but unfortunately the incumbent [Armenian] authorities
hold different views though stating the contrary," Coordinator of the
Armenian National Congress Levon Zurabyan told journalists in Gyumri
(Armenia), NEWS.am reports.

According to him, the incumbent authorities consented for a document to
set up Armenian-Turkish joint commission of historians to study "Was
there a Genocide?" issue. "For us it is tantamount to renunciation of
Genocide. It will have a negative impact over international recognition
of Armenian Genocide, as contests the very fact," Zurabyan declared.

"As a result the process of Genocide international recognition is
suspended, as the international community is eager to see to what
extent Armenia-Turkey relations will converge." The expert also
mentioned the so-called "roadmap" – a document agreed upon by Armenia,
Turkey and Switzerland on April 22, 2009, that is however kept secret.

"Indeed, in order to reach an agreement, the negotiation process
should not be publicized, but if there is an agreed document infolded
in mystery, there can be only one explanation to it – they beware
of public opinion. For the first time in the history of independent
Armenia concealment of agreed document is practiced. If Armenia-Turkey
normalization developed under these conditions, noone can guarantee
that there is no similar document on Nagorno-Karabakh issue, also
veiled in mystery" he concluded.

STADIUM X – LIVE ART PROJECTS

ahos||society&pid=14980
13:19:16 – 25/08/2009

AICA Armenia invites you to presentation by curator Joanna Warsza
(Laura Palmer Foundation, Warsaw: )

The 10th-Anniversary Stadium in Warsaw was built in 1955 from the
rubble of a war-devastated capital, and was to preserve Communisms
good name for forty years. In the early 1990s it fell into ruin,
being revived by Vietnamese and Russian traders, pioneers of
capitalism. Since then the Stadium and the open-air market surrounding
it have become an Asian town, a primeval garden, a realm of discount
shopping, a storehouse of biographies and urban legends, a spontaneous
piece of Land-Art, or a work camp for archaeologists and botanists. The
heterotopic logic of the place and its long-standing (non-)presence
in the middle of Warsaw, inspired Joanna Warszas curated series of
live art projects The Finissage of Stadium X and the related reader,
Stadium X A Place That Never Was (published by Ha!art and Bec Zmiana
Foundation).

A Trip to Asia: An Acoustic Walk Around the Vietnamese Sector of
the 10 th-Anniversary Stadium by Anna Gajewska, Joanna Warsza and
Ngo Van Tuong (2006); Boniek!, a one-man re-enactment of the 1982
Poland-Belgium football match by Massimo Furlan, with commentary by
Tomasz Zimoch (2007); or Radio Stadion Broadcasts by Radio Simulator
and backyardradio (2008) were subjective excursions undertaken by
artists into the reality of a Stadium no longer extant. The projects,
of a participative and semi-documentary nature, touched upon issues
of memory, deterioration, or the problematic exoticism of the place.

The Art School of Mekhitar Sebastatsi Educational Complex 27 th of
August, at 7pm

ARMENIA TO ATTRACT EURASEC FUNDS

Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am
Aug 24 2009

Armenia intends to attract the capital from EurAsEC Anti-Crisis Funds
to finance industry, infrastructures and information technologies
fields, Banks.am reports referring to the RA Deputy Finance Minister
Vardan Aramyan, that head the workgroup at RA Government for attraction
of funds from EurAsEC Anti-Crisis fund.

Aramyan said the workgroup cooperates with the departments and
ministries to elaborate a program that would be presented to
anti-crisis fund in fall this year. EurAsEC funds will total about
U.S. $10bln.

However, the Deputy Minister did not specify the amount Armenia
would procure.

Mental Health Weekly Digest
August 10, 2009

ALCOHOLISM;
New alcoholism study findings have been reported by scientists at
Yerevan State University

According to recent research published in the journal Alcoholism –
Clinical and Experimental Research, "Chronic alcoholism leads to
elevated plasma and brain homocysteine (Hcy) levels, as demonstrated
by clinical investigations and animal experiments. It has been posited
that elevated levels of Hcy mediate DNA damage, brain atrophy, and
excitotoxicity."

"The current study sought to elucidate the effect of vitamin E on
ethanol-induced hyperhomocysteinemia, DNA damage, and atrophy in the
developing hippocampus and cerebellum of rats. Pregnant Wistar rats
received ethanol with or without vitamin E from gestation day 7
throughout lactation. Weight changes in the brain, hippocampus and
cerebellum, DNA damage, and Hcy levels in the plasma, hippocampus, and
cerebellum of male offspring were measured at the end of
lactation. The results revealed that along with a significant decrease
in brain, cerebellum, and hippocampus weights in animals that received
alcohol, the levels of DNA damage and Hcy significantly
increased. Significant amelioration of brain atrophy and DNA damage as
well as restoration of the elevated level of Hcy to that of controls
were found in vitamin E-treated rats," wrote A. Shirpoor and
colleagues, Yerevan State University (see also Alcoholism).

The researchers concluded: "These findings strongly support the idea
that ethanol intake by dams during pregnancy and lactation induces
Hcy-mediated oxidative stress in the developing hippocampus and
cerebellum of offspring rats, and that these effects can be alleviated
by vitamin E as an antioxidant."

Shirpoor and colleagues published their study in Alcoholism – Clinical
and Experimental Research (Protective Effect of Vitamin E Against
Ethanol-Induced Hyperhomocysteinemia, DNA Damage, and Atrophy in the
Developing Male Rat Brain. Alcoholism – Clinical and Experimental
Research, 2009;33(7):1181-1186).

For additional information, contact A. Shirpoor, Yerevan State
University, Dept. of Physiol, Faculty Biology, Yerevan 0025, Armenia.

EX-MP LAHOUD VOWS TO RESORT TO JUDICIARY OVER CHARGES
By Mohammed Zaatari

Daily Star
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Lebanon

BEIRUT: Former MP Emile Lahoud threatened he would resort to the
judicial authorities to respond to accusations against him in the
issue of the illegal Internet company in the Barouk region with links
to Israel. He described as an "orchestrated campaign" allegations by
Future Movement MP Ammar Houry. Lahoud said the aim behind filing
a lawsuit was to "show the public who collaborated and is still
collaborating with the Israeli enemy at the expense of the homeland,
the people, the military and the resistance." Houry had questioned over
the weekend Telecommunications Minister Jebran Bas sil’s involvement
in the Barouk issue. Houry alleged that the Internet company was
established with the protection of President Emile Lahoud and ended
up under Bassil’s shelter. In remarks published Monday by the daily
Al-Liwaa, Houry said the political team under Lahoud’s era "benefited
financially from this network; and today Minister Jebran Bassil is
profiting." Houry claimed that the director of the imaginary company
benefiting from the illegal network belongs to the Armenian Tashnag
party, claiming that senior opposition figures are involved in this
case. Jisr stressed that Article 53 of the Constitution "places the
formation of the Cabinet in the hands of both the president and the
premier-designate who have the right of evaluating and deciding."In
reference to the demands of Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel
Aoun, Jisr reiterated "every political party has the right to place
demands, but that does not imply their demands have to be accepted
by the president and the premier-designate." – Naharnet

Polish Army chief regrets decision to quit UNIFIL SIDON: Polish Army
Chief of Staff Mihai Wiski said Sunday he regretted his government’s
political decision to withdraw Polish troops from the United Nations
Interim Force in Lebanon later this year. Polish troops have served
in South Lebanon for more than 13 years and are currently based in
the southern town of Tebnin. Wiski said he was "grateful for the warm
welcome the Polish contingent received from the town’s people."

ARMENIA TO GET OPPORTUNITY TO ESTABLISH MILITARY STATIONS IN RUSSIA

armradio.am
18.08.2009 16:41

Armenia may get opportunity to establish two military stations on the
territory of Russia to provide transit. According to the sources it is
quite possible, in particular within the frameworks of agreement on
establishing rapid reaction forces in CSTO. The same source informed
that the matter is now being discussed by the military circles of
the two states.

MORE AZERI CHILDREN COMMIT SUICIDES

News.am
11:46 / 08/17/2009

Twenty Azeri children (ten girls and ten boys) committed suicides in
2008, Azerbaijani Trend Life agency reports.

Five people hanged themselves, including a ten-year-old boy in Lankaran
since the beginning of 2009.

The causes of suicides are domestic conflicts, drug addiction,
social-economic problems and mental diseases.

Armenia has no market creating information security guarantees
15.08.2009 17:59 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia has no market creating information security
guarantees, Helix Consulting company’s director Aram Mkhitaryan and
Smart Tech company’s Deputy Director on Information Security Issues
Ruben Muradyan told today a press conference devoted to situation with
Armenian Web sites in view of incessant hacker attacks.
Particularly, it was noted that Armenia viewed information security as
a product vs. a process. Information security is not something to be
achieved at once. It should be supported by relevant specialists and
constantly upgraded programs.
Experts also drew public attention to the fact that state is not
obliged to engage itself in the protection of commercial Web
sites. That’s something to be dealt with by their owners, they
stressed.

AN EVENING IN EGYPT

/news/general/an-evening-in-egypt/1596173.aspx
Gre nfell Record and Bland Advertiser
14/08/2009 10:00:00 AM

The Grenfell CWA Evening Branch hosted an ‘Evening in Egypt’ at the
Railway Hotel on Wednesday July 8, where forty six members and guests
were present.

Egypt is the country of study for CWA this year and everyone enjoyed
a feast of Egyptian food prepared by Carol Logan, commencing with
Messe (starters) of Baba Ghanoosh, (Aubergine dip), roasted chick
peas, fresh vegetable strips and Pita bread. The mains consisted
of Ta’amiah/Kofta/Falafel (Broadbean and chicken rissoles), Lahma
Dani Matbukha (Onion and Lamb casserole Egyptian style), Dawood
Nasha Salsa Hara (Meatballs with spicy sauce) and accompaniments –
Aiysh (Egyptian Bread), Kusherie (Pasta Bolognaise), Fattosh (crunchy
salad and Turli (steamed mixed vegies). This was followed by Dessert –
Um’ali (pastry pudding), Fig and date cake and melon fruit salad with
honey and mint. To top of the wonderful meal minter tea and full milk
chicory coffee was served.

Carol sought out recipes whilst she and her husband Allan toured
Egypt earlier this year.

Guest speakers for the evening were Margaret Lynch who was born
in Egypt and Jan Jones. Margaret spoke on her early life in Egypt
and the family’s migration to Australia and presented a PowerPoint
presentation of early Egypt and her family enroute to Australia.

Margaret whose father is Coptic Egyptian was the eldest of four
children and his father owned and operated a jewellery store in
Cairo. Coptic Egyptians are not of Arabic descent they belong to the
Christian faith – a minority group in Egypt.

The ancestors of the Coptic Egyptians are responsible for the ancient
Egypt we all know about – the Pyramids, the Sphinx, the tombs, and
the great civilisation that has intrigued people for centuries. That
civilisation came to an end over 3000 years ago and for some 750
years after that various foreign dynasties ruled until, in 332BC the
Macedonian conqueror Alexander the Great added Egypt to his Empire. He
established the city of Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast and
left the rule of Egypt under the dynasty of the Ptolemy’s.

The last of whom was the famous Cleopatra. 300 years after Alexander,
Cleopatra’s armies defeated by the Romans who then maintained rule
for several hundred years.

Margaret spoke about the decline of the Roman Empire and the takeover
by the Arabs, followed by the Ottoman Turks and whilst they did not
mix with the populace, they were also Muslim and Islam continued to
grow until it became entrenched as the main national religion.

Ottoman rule of Egypt lasted until the early 20th century and was
followed by a brief period of British Rule before Egypt finally became
independent in the middle of last century.

Although born in Egypt, Margaret’s mother, the youngest of five was
not Egyptian, but Armenian. Her father arrived in Egypt in the early
1900’s seeking to set up business and her mother and grandmother came
as refugees, escaping persecution of the Armenians in their homeland,
Turkey, which was traditionally Armenian, but had been conquered by
the Ottoman Turks. Margaret’s mother’s family lived in Alexandria,
where she met and married Margaret’s father who had moved to the area
for work in tourism with a Greek family shipping company. When Margaret
was born she was named in honour of her father’s boss, Mr Margueritis.

Margaret gave a very detailed review of her early life in Egypt and
told how when she was only 4 years old and her sister Annie 10 months,
her family and maternal grandmother left Egypt on board a ship from
Port Said, on a journey that took 21 days migrated to Australia;
firstly docking in Perth and then Sydney, arriving on January 1st 1965.

Margaret spoke on her early life in Sydney, her family, schooling,
teachers college, touring oversees and finally her taking the first
job that came up, a position as an English/History teacher at the
Henry Lawson High School.

The day Margaret was due to depart Sydney there was a train strike,
so it was coach all the way. She arrived in Grenfell in searing heat on
January 26 1985 and was dropped off outside the Grenfell Library. Her
sister worked in the travel industry and had rung around Grenfell
for accommodation and finally booked a room at the Railway Hotel,
then run by Peter and Shirley Mawhinney. Margaret said "Having no
idea where anything was, I jumped in a cab waiting outside the library
and asked the driver to take me to the Railway Hotel. Without so much
as a blink of the eye, he let down his park brake and rolled the car
down-hill to the Railway Hotel. The charge was 40 cents. I gave him
$2 and told him to keep the change.

Well 25 years later, standing in the Railway Hotel talking to you and
my 18 year old son is now working for Peter and Shirley Mawhinney at
Grenfell Commodities."

Jan spoke on her recent trip with Adele Stead and her daughter to
Egypt and presented a PowerPoint memorabilia of photographs showing
all the famous tourist attractions that they visited.

All present voted that it was a top night of fun, food and
fellowship. On behalf of those present, Nicola Mitton presented an
appreciation gift to Jan and Margaret.

The next meeting of the CWA Evening Branch will be held on Tuesday
August 18 At Bolero’s Restaurant at the Grenfell Bowling Club.

All members are counted as attending unless an apology is phoned
or emailed to Deidre Carroll on 6343 1574 or [email protected] by
Monday evening August 17.