FRIENDSHIP KHACHKAR TO BE INAUGURATED IN FEODOSIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
11.01.2010 11:03 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A khachkar to symbolize friendship with Armavir
Armenian town will be inaugurated in Feodosia, Ukraine, in May 2011.
The 2-meter khachkar will be made of marble. It will feature three
human figures – two adults and a child. A public garden will be laid
out and a portrait gallery of prominent Armenians will open as well.
Is the process of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide
endangered?
08.01.2010 14:02
Nvard Davtyan
`Radiolur’
In order to continue the process of international recognition of the
Armenian Genocide, it’s first of all necessary to understand what the
year 2009 gave us and what it took. Head of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (ARF) Bureau’s Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office Kiro
Manoyan considers that that 2009 was a year of losses and says that in
order to succeed in 2010 it is necessary to declare that the process
of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide does not hinder
the Armenian-Turkish negotiations.
Director of the Oriental Studies Institute of the National Academy of
Sciences Ruben Safrastyan believes that the process of recognition of
the Armenian Genocide is not endangered. It will continue, promising
to yield results in the near future.
Kiro Manoyan views the process of international recognition of the
Armenian Genocide in the context of signing of the Armenian-Turkish
protocols. The later did no good to the process of genocide
recognition. On the contrary, they created a proper opportunity for US
President Barack Obama to refrain from uttering the word ‘genocide’ in
his April 24th address.
According to Kiro Manoyan, the Armenian diplomacy should make it clear
that the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide will not
endanger the Armenian-Turkish talks.
Director of the Oriental Studies Institute of the National Academy of
Sciences Ruben Safrastyan considers that the Armenian-Turkish
protocols have not hindered or aborted the process of international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide. The Genocide bills introduced in
the US Congress were not a sign of protest against the
Armenian-Turkish protocols. The bills just meant the continuation of
the process.
news.am, Armenia
Jan 6 2010
Bagrat Aasatryan: 2009 one of the hardest years in our modern history
13:46 / 01/06/2010Below is an interview with the ex-chairman of the
Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) Bagrat Asatryan.
NEWS.am: Mr. Asatryan, what are the economic results of the year 2009?
B. Asatryan: The year 2009 was one of the hardest years in Armenia’s
modern history: we faced a huge economic decline. In terms of U.S.
dollars, a more than 30% decline was registered as compared with the
previous year. Last year, Armenia’s GDP totaled 3,600bn AMD or almost
U.S. $12bn. The preliminary results show that the GDP will total
3,000bn AMD or about U.S. $8bn this year. Of course, our economic
history has seen an even harder year, 1992. That year Armenia found
itself in isolation, all the ways of communication were blockaded and
large-scale military operations began. Unfortunately, we had had hard
years in our modern economic history, but we had never had an economic
decline like in 2009. The year 2009 proved to be a lesson for us.
Today we should most seriously think about the causes. For me it is
evident that the global economic crisis was not the main cause. It
only revealed the defects and unresolved problems in our state and the
defects of the Government’s economic policy. The record set by Armenia
is evidence thereof. No other country registered such indicators ` a
30% decline is a most serious figure.
NEWS.am: A 16% GDP decline was registered in November 2009. What
decline do you forecast for the year 2009?
B. Asatryan: In terms of AMD a decline of 15-15.5 per cent can be
expected. Last September we registered an 18% decline, in
January-October a 17.5% decline and in November a 16% decline. It does
not, however, mean positive tendencies in the Armenian economy. The
same statistical data show a 6.6% decline in GDP last November as
compared with last October. It is too early to talk about positive
tendencies.
NEWS.am: What is your opinion of the Government’s work considering the
fact that no increase in wages and pensions is budgeted for 2010,
whereas the prices for gas and other products are expected to rise?
B. Asatryan: If we speak of the fiscal policy, I would first of all
like to note that it is not adequate to the present situation. I would
not like to dwell on budgeted revenues or expenditures. The crisis is
obvious, and the Government must do its best to prevent a further
decline and ensure economic growth, while the budget, unfortunately,
does not provide such guarantees.
NEWS.am: Do you think the Government will resort to money emission in 2010?
B. Asatryan: Let us not use the term `emission,’ as we are now dealing
with different phenomena. In the year 2010, we are going to deal with
a large-scale crisis ` the Government will spend unearned money. If by
the term `emission’ we mean this, yes, it can be called `emission.’ It
can also be designated as an expansionary policy. The Government seeks
economic activity by increasing incomes. Another matter is how the
money is spent and where it is directed. Will there be a result? It is
no secret that corruption is widely spread throughout our country.
Will the funds not go into the pockets of a couple of oligarchs?
NEWS.am: The Government forecast certain growth for 2010. What do you
think this year will be?
B. Asatryan: It is too early to speak of growth now. Even with the
present positive tendencies, we are going to have a hard year. The
present preconditions are insufficient for economic growth. Moreover,
possible unfavorable developments will cause a decline of 1-2 per
cent.
NEWS.am: So what steps should the government take?
B. Asatryan: An approach to the problem should first of all be
changed. The Government must realize that Armenia is facing challenges
to the system, so it should think of comprehensive changes in all the
spheres of our life. The Government needs political will and must be
ready to carry out radical changes in all the spheres. The political
system formed in Armenia is unable to ensure the country’s progress.
Nobody denies the fact that an oligarchic system and oligopolies have
formed in Armenia. Many, even the Government, say that this system
must be destroyed. Otherwise no economic recovery is possible. The
basis is, however, the political system formed over the last decade.
Only serious system changes can put an end to monopolies, curb
corruption, an integral part of the political system, which stifles
any initiative to develop economy and our state and society.
T.P.
Sunday’s Zaman, Turkey
Jan 3 2010
A dictionary of `one of the oldest cities in the world’
`When a man is tired of London he is tired of life.’ So said Dr.
Samuel Johnson, the famous compiler of an English dictionary in the
18th century.
The comment was made to his great friend James Boswell, the lawyer and
diarist who was also to become his biographer. The two companions were
discussing whether Boswell, who lived in Scotland, would continue to
be so fascinated with London if he were to move there permanently,
rather than just visiting it occasionally.
The famous sound bite above comes from a slightly grander observation:
`Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to
leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of
life; for there is in London all that life can afford.’
I guess Johnson had never seen Ä°stanbul. I wonder what he would have
said if he had!
İstanbulian Ali Akpınar has compiled a dictionary of things to say
about Ä°stanbul. A trained language teacher, he has for many years been
applying his methodology to teaching Turkish to foreigners. Like all
good teachers, he has realized that what makes the lessons interesting
is not just repetitions of grammar (essential though this is for
learning) but the stories and insights that the teacher gives.
Johnson’s dictionary was published in 1755 and is often regarded as
one of the most important dictionaries ever compiled. The full title
is: `A Dictionary of the English Language: In Which the Words are
Deduced from Their Originals, and Illustrated in Their Different
Significations by Examples from the Best Writers. To Which are
Prefixed a History of the Language, and an English Grammar.’
He added notes on how to use the word, rather than just defining it,
often with quotations from literature. Johnson’s dictionary was
detailed and surprisingly complete, considering it was the work of one
man. He also added a large portion of wit, for example in defining
oats he quips: `A grain which in England is generally given to horses,
but in Scotland supports the people.’
Akpınar’s Turkish-English dictionary, similarly, does not just give a
translation from Turkish into English. He gives us a story, a meaning,
some fascinating facts, a quotation, a poem, as well as few useful
sentences to help his foreign friends practically.
So, if Johnson’s quote about London is so famous, how does Akpınar
define Ä°stanbul?
Well, the short form is: `City: One of the oldest cities in the world.’
Then comes a magnificent descriptive paragraph: `Ä°stanbul is a bridge,
a gate opening to the East and West, a pot where the cultures meet and
is cooked slowly, absurd and mystical as a fairy tale, a beautiful
woman, tender as a girl, chaotic as hell, melancholic as a poem, sea
gulls of Sait Faik, a rakı bottle Orhan Veli is a fish in, beloved
city of Yahya Kemal he looked at over a hill, the city made of golden
soil, hope, frustration, abundance, poverty, the country of the blind,
a kalabalık city full of balık, a rose pink erguvan in the spring, a
fistful of wheat, a pigeon run after in the mosque yard, a duet of a
sea gull and a muezzin, a serenade of a nightingale, a story, running
after this story and becoming part of this story.’
Not content with this, Akpınar then gives us more than 35 names of
Ä°stanbul (from the well known Constantinople to the more poetic
Asitane-i Aliyye) complete with their own definitions and derivations,
and refers us to a useful Web site.
In this dictionary the casual visitor will find translations into
English of most of the common words they will encounter. From çay to
ocakbaÅ?ı, dolmuÅ? to deprem, all are covered.
The Ä°stanbul explorer will find a wide range of places to visit, with
helpful tips and recommendations from the author. Because he lives in
Acıbadem, the Asian side is as well represented as the European side:
This is truly a dictionary of all of Ä°stanbul.
The beginner language learner will find examples of how to use the new
words in sentences. Hangi takımı tutuyorsunuz? — Which team do you
support?
The intermediate language learner will find idioms. (Under `kedi —
cat’ I learned more than five new phrases, including the marvelous
`Kedi uzanamadıÄ?ı ciÄ?ere mundar der: He criticizes it only because he
knows it is something he cannot attain himself.’)
The advanced language learner will find derivations. `Kalabalık.
Language. Crowd, crowded, packed like sardines. The word is believed
to come from kala [good in Greek] and balık [fish] in Turkish. Good
fish, a lot of fish, good harvest, a lot of people.’
The literature student will find helpful translations of famous poems
such as Orhan Veli Kanık’s `Ä°stanbul’u Dinliyorum Gözlerim Kapalı’ (I
am Listening to Ä°stanbul) and the Turkish national anthem.
Those interested in culture will find a range of useful explanations,
for example, a list and definitions of all of the religious Kandil
nights.
The historian will find a wealth of information. Of course the famous
Turkish architect Mimar Sinan is described, but Akpınar doesn’t
neglect to tell us all about the efforts of the famous Armenian
family, the Balyans, who were responsible for palaces, public
buildings and factories.
The gourmet will find a host of recommendations. The list of 100
tastes of İstanbul includes tripe soup at Apık in Dolapdere, stuffed
vegetables at Asitane in Edirnekapı, cucumbers in �engelköy and yogurt
in Kanlıca.
The serious researcher will find references to Web sites for more information.
The curious will find enough general knowledge to satisfy their
longings. If you are seeking the answers to trivia questions such as
`Who won the first Eurasia Marathon?’ `What was the first newspaper
published in Ä°stanbul?’ or `When was Sirkeci station opened?’ this is
the book for you!
The dinner party host will find an eclectic range of unusual facts and
stories with which to impress and entertain their guests. For example,
did you know that in ages past, sailors sacrificed animals in Beykoz
in the name of Zeus and Poseidon before entering the Black Sea in
order to travel in good weather and be protected from the storms?
Sadly, the stickler for perfect English will find a few turns of
phrase to criticize (as in the Ä°stanbul definition quoted above) when
Akpınar becomes poetic: Maybe the second edition will include a
thorough check by a native speaker.
Akpınar says, `I hope the reader will take away more from the book
than Turkish vocabulary and that he or she will want to read it while
drinking tea or coffee by the Bosporus.’ Whether you just dip in to
this dictionary to glean a few facts each day, or use it to quiz your
Turkish friends on how much they know about this great city, you are
sure to have great fun with `Ä°stanbullu.’
Ä°stanbullu — Dictionary of Ä°stanbulians by Ali Akpınar, Published by
Dem Yayıncılık, TL 20 in paperback, ISBN: 978-605892687-5
03 January 2010, Sunday
MARION JAMES Ä°STANBUL
Brantford Expositor, Canada
Dec 31 2009
‘Mysterious group’ subject of research
Posted By HEATHER IBBOTSON, EXPOSITOR STAFF
A local historical researcher is seeking to uncloak the mystery
surrounding a 1914 Brantford roundup of Turkish Muslim foundry workers
and their subsequent internment at a camp in Kapuskasing.
Bill Darfler, a researcher for the Ontario Visual Heritage Project,
has received a grant of $5,000 for the project from the Canadian First
World War Internment Recognition Fund.
The fund, established in 2008, was set up to support projects to study
and recognize the experiences of ethnocultural communities affected by
Canada’s first national internment operations of 1914 to 1920.
In November 1914 about 100 men were rounded up by city police and
transported several days later to an internment camp in Kapuskasing,
Darfler said.
"This was a mysterious group of people and there are few records," he said.
The small Turkish community was comprised of men only, many of whom
boarded downtown in houses owned at the time by members of the city’s
Armenian community, he said.
Some of the men had resided locally for about 10 years and some had
Canadian citizenship, which was stripped from them when they were
interned, he said.
The event is a largely overlooked incident in Brantford’s history and
trying to delve into its reasons and consequences is a lot like
chasing ghosts, Darfler said.
"They were shadowy creatures," said Darfler, adding that only a
handful of the men’s names were reported in the news coverage of the
time.
The best-case scenario would be to find a list of the men who were
interned but it is believed that any such records from the First and
Second World Wars were destroyed in the 1950s, he said.
The end result of Darfler’s project depends on the scope and content
of information he is able to uncover over the course of the next year
but he hopes to prepare a presentation of his findings.
Can you help?
Researcher Bill Darfler is studying the roundup in Brantford in 1914
of Turkish Muslim foundry workers. He asks anyone with any
information, sources, or even vague family stories about the event to
contact him at [email protected] or 519-756-2805.
rticleDisplay.aspx?e=2242551
Central bank of Armenia to support commercial banks consolidation
YEREVAN, December 30. / ARKA /. Central Bank of Armenia supports the
consolidation of commercial banks, the deputy chairman of the Central
Bank of Armenia Vache Gabrielyan said on Tuesday, commenting on the
rumors about a possible merger of some banks.
"Our policy is that we are supporters of the consolidation of banks,
and if there is such a trend, we will assist in the merger,"
Gabrielyan said.
Deputy Chair of the Central Bank found it difficult to say whether it
is worth to expect such trends in 2010, stressing that everything will
depend on economic subjects.
"In our view this is desirable, since the consolidation of the banking
system will lead to a number of positive effects, including reduction
of interest rates," Gabrielyan said.
Regarding the possible release of new banks in the Armenian financial
market, then according to the deputy chairman of the Central Bank,
there aren’t any clear-cut applications, but such a possibility is not
excluded, since many parties periodically turn for information in the
CB.
"However, there is no information about the entrance of new banks in
the Armenian market," Gabrielyan said.–0-
ARMENIAN BUDGET EXPENDITURES EXCEED AMD 900 BILLION IN 2009
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
29.12.2009 13:24 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian budget expenditures will exceed AMD
900 billion in 2009, surpassing the last year’s index with AMD 100
billion, Armenian Minister of Finance Tigran Davtyan told journalists
in Yerevan, summing up the year.
According to the Minister, the crisis required extra efforts, however
in 2009 all budgetary commitments have been fully met. "The overall
situation during the year was hard, but we managed to fulfill all
social obligations, not accumulate debts and now continue to execute
all budgeted expenses," he said.
In 2009 the budget was replenished with AMD 520 billon tax payments,
less than in 2008, but more than in 2007, Tigran Davtyan said.
MINISTER OF FINANCE SUMS UP OUTGOING YEAR
Aysor
Dec 29 2009
Armenia
Armenia’s Minister of Finance Tigran Davtyan has summed up the outgoing
year. "The year was extra complicated since we were working at the
crisis times. There have been difficulties as Armenian economy never
faced such a complicated situation after 1990s," he said.
"Armenia’s economy has stepped into the stage of stability and next
year we will return to previous indicators. The economy decreased
by 15% this year according to researches by Armenia’s government and
international organisations. The inflation stands by 5-5.5% and goes
with the state budget.
"Salaries increased by 11% for 2009.
"A growth is expected in retail trade next year due to decrease of
‘shadows’.
"Despite the situation was complicated, we managed to fulfill all
social obligations. We do not expect any difficulties in allocations
next year either, while at the current moment we have 80 billion
dram free. Besides, there are Russian loans and monetary means of
the stabilization fund," said Minister.
Tax receipts amounted 520 billion drams which is lower than last
year’s index, but is higher than next year’s projected figure,
according to Tigran Davtyan.
ARMENIA-TURKEY RAPPROCHEMENT PROCESS GOING ALONG WRONG LINES FROM VERY START
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
28.12.2009 19:45 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia-Turkey rapprochement process was going along
the wrong lines from very start, with countries having no chance for
direct opinion exchange on the issue, Armenian National Movement
member, former chairman of parliamentary committee for external
affairs Hovhannes Igityan said.
As he noted at open discussions on annual presentation of Civilitas
foundation report, entitled "Armenia 2009: promises and realities",
in Zurich, Edward Nalbandian deprived Armenians of the chance to
learn true position of Turkey, by disallowing the latter to voice
the statement supposed to be read out upon protocols’ signing. At the
same time, Hovhannes Igityan noted that the Protocol contents fully
met Turkey’s interests.
DETAILS OF THE ASSAULT
Lragir.am
28/12/09
The coordinator of the Armenian National Congress Levon Zurabyan with
the responsible of Congress external relations Vladimir Karapetyan and
the head of Nikol Pashinyan’s electoral headquarter David Matevosyan
presented the details of the assault against the HAK activists. On
December 27, the HAK youths were conducting pre-electoral campaign in
the center of Yerevan when a group of people headed by someone called
Vahan Nadryan approached them with the demand to stop campaigning. Then
another group joined. Both groups assaulted the HAK youths and Vladimir
Karapetyan and beat them up. Six young people Vahagn Gevorgyan, Sahak
Muradian, Sargis Gevorgyan, Tevos Matevosyan and Sergey Gasparyan got
concussion of the brain. Youths were hospitalized. David Matevosyan
arrived at the scene, called the police and presented as the head of
the headquarter, only then the assaulters were repressed a little.
The police reached the scene only 40 minutes after the call in case
the assault lasted only for 15-20 minutes. The HAK coordinator Levon
Zurabyan says all the RP sub-headquarters work in support of the
candidate of the National Unity Ara Simonyan. According to Zurabyan,
Gagik Beglaryan heads the violent recourse and concretely Ruben
Sandoyan, who is a NA member, organized everything. In answer to
the question why Beglaryan has been appointed to head everything,
Zurabyan said that the government knows very well who the best in
heading hooligans is.
David Matevosyan noted that among the members of the second group
which joined the first from where Sashik Sargsyan’s house is there
was a young man who before in a strike with Sashik’s people lost his
rein and for this reason was appointed an Elders’ Council member. Nikol
Pashinyan also responded to the incident and made a statement from the
isolation cell appealing to the headquarter members not to break down.
David Matevosyan noted that partial attitude is performed towards
Nikol Pashinyan as TV channels do not his electoral video.