Author: Kajoyan Gevork

Snow patrol: the ski season starts here
Will it be Armenia or Zermatt? Glacier skiing or deep-powder boarding?
Here’s how to make the most of the coming season on the slopes

Susan Greenwood
The Observer, Sunday 23 October 2011

Grab some air: the ski season takes off. Photograph: Richard Price/Getty Images
Get in early
The mantra for early-season skiing is go high, go glacial and don’t
ride your own skis lest those delicately snow-covered rocks act as an
angle grinder to their base. Bearing this in mind, it’s worth taking a
look at Sölden (soelden.com) in Austria. The resort opened its glacier
on 3 September and is holding the first leg of the Ski World Cup this
weekend. With three skiable peaks rising up to 3,370m, snow is a safe
bet: last season saw 1.84m on the upper slopes by December.
Ifyouski.com has a week’s accommodation in catered chalet Eishaus,
including flights departing Gatwick on 16 December, for £529pp based
on two sharing.

Another famously glaciated resort is Saas-Fee (saas-fee.ch), which
sits at 1,800m with high skiing up to 3,500m. Chocolate boxes were
invented so Saas-Fee would have somewhere to put its picture –
glittering nightlife is best left to neighbouring resort Zermatt while
you tackle the T-bars from 17 December. Ski Total (skitotal.com) is
offering £150 off per couple on a seven-night stay at Chalet Hotel
Ambassador. Half-board accommodation, flights from Southampton and
transfers costs £854pp based on two sharing, departing 23 December.

French resorts took a hammering last season with a paucity of snow
across the board. But Tignes (tignes.net) in the Espace Killy
frequently emerges as the place to kick off your season with the
3,455m Grande Motte glacier guaranteeing time on piste and Val Claret
at 2,100m making “ski-in” a definite possibility. Inghams
(inghams.co.uk) has seven nights at the four-star Hotel le Levanna in
Tignes, departing on Friday 16 December, from £759pp on a half-board
basis, including flights.

In 1999, Mount Baker (mtbaker.us) in the Northern Cascades held the
world record for the most snowfall in one season – 29m – and it
frequently enjoys deep powder as early as November. Located two hours
from Seattle, it’s not a large resort, with only nine chairlifts, but
if you want rooster tails before Christmas this is the place. There
are direct tour operators in Mount Baker, but BA (ba.com) has return
flights to Seattle departing 3 December for £527, while lodging at
Snowline Condo in Mount Baker for those dates costs £456
(mtbakerlodging.com).

Keystone (keystoneresort.com) in Colorado will be throwing open its
doors from 4 November, with sophisticated snow-making, a fantastic
snowpark and protective tree runs offering great early skiing. The
resort lacks the buzz of Breckenridge and Vail (with which it shares
the Epic ski pass), but it has a cosier feel and lots of expert
terrain. A seven-night Keystone package with Ski Safari
(skisafari.com), based on two people sharing and including flights
with BA departing 6 December, room-only accommodation at The Inn and
transfers comes in at £965pp if you book by 24 October.

Tignes in France, dwarfed by the Grande Motte glacier. Photograph:
Getty Images Exciting new destinations

Ski touring, once the preserve of hardy mountain types, has seen a
growing popularity over the past few seasons with its green
credentials (no lifts), offers of endless untracked powder and the
thrill of a new challenge. Norway has emerged this season as one of
the most exciting destinations for touring with the lure of skiing in
waist-deep powder against a backdrop of fjords. Strandafjellet
(strandafjellet.no), midway between Geiranger and Ålesund, is a good
off-piste base and offers amazing skiing on the cusp of
Geirangerfjord. The Ski Club of Great Britain
(skiclub.co.uk/freshtracks) has a tour this season to the Lyngen Alps
above the Arctic Circle, and if you fancy something more, well,
Norwegian, then local company Breogfjell (breogfjell.no) has a
three-day tour from its cabin base in Sogn. The area houses the
biggest glacier in mainland Europe as well as the longest fjord and
the most alpine mountains in Norway so you can expect some spectacular
skiing.

Turkey started being explored last year so it was only a matter of
time before attention was turned to the potential of neighbouring
Georgia and Armenia. Jagged Globe (jagged-globe.co.uk) has added a
15-day tour to its ski roster which takes in Mount Aragats as well as
Georgia’s Mount Kazbek. “The potential for Armenia is amazing,” says
Tom Briggs, managing director of Jagged Globe. “We thought we’d
combine it with Georgia which also has some really exciting touring.”
Georgia’s main resort of Gudauri makes up for its slow chairlifts and
rustic accommodation with deep snow and acres of rideable terrain.

An emerging resort for 2012 is Kopaonik in Serbia which in March hosts
the Big Snow Festival (facebook.com/thebigsnowfestival), previously
held in Andorra. It only has 62km of piste, but the town is vibrant,
its snow record is reliable, much of the accommodation is slopeside
and it has a range of runs. But the deal maker is lift pass prices of
around half those in western Europe, with food and drink costs a
fraction of what you’d pay in the Alps.

In 2014 Sochi in Russia hosts the Winter Olympics and already hosts a
leg of the Freeride World Tour each year. Consequently there’s a
temptation to visit the area while it undergoes its transformation
from four ski lifts to Olympic mega-resort. Crystal
(crystalski.co.uk/ski-resorts/russia-ski-holidays) is offering
holidays to Gasprom at the Hotel Polyana with days at Rosa Khutor and
Mountain Carousel as well. The off-piste, with a vertical drop of
1,700m, is worth the trip alone.

THe Northern Cascades, two hours from Seattle, often has deep snow in
November. Photograph: Getty Images The latest resorts

It appears we are entering the golden age of skiing with many resorts
celebrating their 50th anniversaries. Stratton Mountain (stratton.com)
in Vermont is commemorating its big 5-0 (during which time the resort
has been home to many snowsport legends, not least Jake Burton,
founder of Burton Snowboards) by opening four new runs.

Avoriaz (avoriaz.com), in the Portes du Soleil (portesdusoleil.com),
also turns 50 this season and seems to be getting better with age. The
car-free resort is opening seven new residences with a total of 369
luxury apartments overlooking the slopes, with the new Amara district
also offering a wellbeing centre with pool, spa and gym. The final
piece of the puzzle, the Aquariaz tropical aqua centre, is due to open
next July. In the meantime, you’ll have to make do with a new ice rink
in the centre of town. Elsewhere in the Portes du Soleil, Chatel
(chatel.com) has invested 7m in its lift system and snow cannons to
herald a slicker and snowier 2012.

Over in the US, Northstar-at-Tahoe (northstarattahoe.com) has seen a
$30m investment from Vail resorts, using the money to build a new lift
– the Promised Land Express – and consequently increase skiable
terrain by 10%.

If backcountry not park is your thing, Chamonix (chamonix.com), the
epicentre of off-piste skiing, sees the opening of its first dedicated
avalanche training school this season. The Avalanche Academy (0033
78730 3104) uses practical sessions and video analysis to help you
tackle some of the massif’s more extreme terrain. One-day courses
start at 80.

Flashy accommodation

Instead of slapping “chalet”, “France” and “ski” into Google in the
hope of finding decent accommodation, a new website promises to make
life a lot easier. More chilled in fact. Chilledlife.com is a website
and community where you post your requirements to all chalet and
apartment owners who then come back to you direct with deals.

Val Thorens has long been at the forefront of snowboarding with its
progressive park and snowboarder-friendly terrain. Crystal is taking
this one step further with the launch of their Riders’ Lodge
programme. The 16-sleeper lodge has a relaxed vibe and staff who will
show you all the sweet spots. A week including flights, transfers and
half-board accommodation starts at £599
(crystalski.co.uk/riders-lodge).

Ski Wildfire (skiwildfire.com) is opening its new flagship Eagle Lodge
chalet in Breckenridge in time for Christmas. The luxury accommodation
has everything from laptops and hot tub to a media den. It’s also a
mere 380m from the fast Peak 8 Gondola.

Not everyone wants to stay in a chalet though. There are already five
igloo villages in Swiss ski resorts but Zermatt (zermatt.ch) is upping
the ante with its Mammut Iglu Camp (iglu-dorf.com/iglucamp) – two days
of freeriding with a mountain guide before camping in your own igloo.
Takes ski-in, ski-out to new levels.

A lunchtime stop in the Alps Early-bird deals

It’s always a gamble booking before the snow has started to fall. But
there are deals to be had if you’re happy to sacrifice spontaneity.
Valley Fever (valleyfever.co.uk) has reduced rates on its two chalets
in Argentière, France. A pre-Christmas fully catered week starts at
£350pp per week including transfers, saving £125 off its usual low
rate.

Whistler in Canada is offering a 36% discount on its terrific Stay &
Ski packages which include lodging and lift tickets if you book before
16 November (whistlerblackcomb.com).

If you ski in Cortina in the Dolomites before 23 December, you get one
day’s accommodation and lift pass free – so ski four, pay for three
and so on (dolomiti.org/dengl/cortina/index.html).

Mountain Mavericks (mountainmavericks.com) is an owner-run company in
Morzine, France, which has 30% off any date between 10 and 26
December. Book before 4 December and a festive getaway needn’t be so
expensive.

EMI Yerevan Congress – Fostering Civil Society’s role for further
European integration in the Eastern Partnership countries

(Noyan Tapan – 23.10.2011)

On 20-21 October 2011, 150 civil society delegates, high level experts
and decision makers gathered at a Congress organised by the European
Movement International (EMI) in cooperation with its National Council
of the European Movement Armenia in Yerevan to discuss the theme
“Fostering Civil Society’s role for further European integration in
the Eastern Partnership countries”.

Pat Cox, EMI President, noted that “our values are our shared beliefs
in a pluralist democracy, in multi-party systems, based on free, open
and fair elections; in the rule of law with a separation of powers
between the executive and the judicial branches of government; in
respect for individual human rights and the dignity of the person and
in the classic freedoms of expression, association and religion”.

He continued that “our identity as Europeans matters to us wherever we
come from and to be European together does not require us to be less
of who we are but ideally permits us to be more of who we wish to be.
Respect for diversity is an important aspect of contemporary European
values. So too is solidarity between the richer and the poorer within
Europe and globally between the North and the South”.

Mr. Cox stressed that “the Yerevan Congress hopefully will encourage
civil society deepen its network and roots encouraging it to educate,
to motivate and to advocate.. Our congress reminds us also that
integrating Europe is not just a top down elite project but rather
must be legitimized and built on consent from the bottom up”.

He underlined that “the European Movement is politically active but is
not politically partisan, not party political. It is necessary to
understand this distinction as it is not the role of civil society
organisations to be political parties but rather they should play a
different and complementary role to representative democracy. Moreover
Civil Society needs a system of good governance, one that permits the
ability to rotate and to renew its leadership. In order to be able to
assure such minimum standards funding has to be made available to
guarantee sustainability but without so many strings attached that it
compromises autonomy”.

With regards to the free movement of people and the Visa Question,
Naira Zohrabyan, Chair of the Committee on European Integration of the
National Assembly of Aremenia, said that “Armenia is ready to conclude
visa agreements with several states and that in the framework of the
visa facilitation process 16 professional groups have been allocated”.
She underlined that of course some security problems remain and that
for the process of European integration and migration those problems
would need to be solved. Ms Zohrabyan was nonetheless hopeful that
given the current cooperation process between the European Union and
Armenia future and current challenges will be managed.

Zdzislaw Raczynsiki, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Armenia,
referred to the fact that “Poles have a long history in striving for
their freedom and rights. One of the most memorable moments in
Poland’s history was written by Solidarnosc. Solidar means one
together with the other never one against the other. This is what the
Eastern Partnership and the Civil Society is about. This is the very
idea that stands behind the European integration”. He continued that
“the fruitful discussions and the exchange of opinions during this
congress have given us new incentives for cooperation and will
stimulate greater solidarity”.

Hovik Abrahamyan, President of the National Assembly of the Republic
of Armenia, welcomed the Yerevan Congress in Armenia as a step to
strengthen Civil Society. He said that “Armenia was the first Eastern
Partnership country to join the European Movement.. Recently an
association agreement was launched between Europe and Armenia..
Armenia is ready to embrace the human rights and democracy agenda. He
pointed out that the National Assembly has adopted a new code for the
elections in conformity with democratic standards soon to enter
force”. He promised that Armenia will seek to deliver good results and
that he expects Armenia to participate more fully in the European
integration process.

President Pat Cox concluded that “the European Movement International
Eastern Partnership which has been born here in Yerevan over the last
few days provides us with a well of good practice from which we can
draw together inspiration and motivation and develop our capacity to
act”.

During the two day programme the participants had the possibility to
share best practice and work on a political strategy aimed at
providing recommendations on the further development of regional civil
society dialogue. The strategy will be published on the EMI website
reflecting the weekend’s unprecedented exercise in cooperation in the
history of the post-soviet states of the region.

President
European Movement in Armenia

ARMENIE-TOURISME
Plus de 800 000 touristes attendus cette année en Arménie
contre 680 000 l’an dernier

Selon le ministère arménien de l’Economie, le nombre de touristes en
Arménie dépassera cette année le chiffre de 800 000 contre 680 000
l’an dernier. L’information fut annoncée par le vice-ministre de
l’Economie Ara Petrossian, lors d’une conférence de presse vendredi 21
octobre. Fin septembre ils étaient 580 000 touristes à avoir visité
l’Arménie depuis le début de l’année, en croissance de 18 % par
rapport aux neuf premiers mois de l’année 2010. Les premiers
bénéficiaires de ce tourisme en Arménie furent les hôtels qui
doublèrent le nombre de leurs clients, passant de 28 500 en 2010 au
1er semestre 2010 à 52 500 à la fin du dernier semestre. En 2011 on
note une forte croissance du nombre des touristes venant de Grande
Bretagne, d’Allemagne et des pays de la C.E.I.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 23 octobre 2011,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

COMMUNAUTE-CULTURE
L’Arménie à travers sa cuisine et sa musique
présentée au public à La Médiathèque de Bourg-Lès-Valence (Drôme)

La Médiathèque La Passerelle de Bourg-Lès-Valence (Drôme) organisait
samedi 22 octobre une journée « Arménie » avec dégustation de la
cuisine arménienne, un concert du groupe Sheram et une exposition
d’objets et de bijoux arméniens. Parallèlement la librairie Urubu de
Valence proposait un stand de livres liés à l’Arménie et aux
Arméniens. A 14 heurs, face à une cinquantaine d’invités, Zarmig
Nourissian présentait la cuisine arménienne. Des keuftés aux beuyreks
en passant les ptisseries arméniennes et l’incontournable feuille de
vigne, chaque plat était commenté et sa préparation expliquée en
détail par Z. Nourissian devant un public très intéressé et à
l’écoute. Un stand d’objets rappelant l’Arménie ainsi que des bijoux
arméniens était également exposé. Puis Georges Rastklan donna quelques
informations sur l’Arménie, le peuple et la musique arménienne. Le
public fut ensuite invité à assister au concert de l’ensemble musical
arménien Sheram. Un groupe fondé en 2004 à Valence qui autour de
Georges Rastklan (doudouk, clarinette), Sarkis Yanbekian (oud) ainsi
que d’autres musiciens et chanteuses présentent la musique arménienne.
Sheram mit l’ambiance invitant une partie du public à effectuer
quelques kotcharis. Après le concert, le public dégusta la cuisine
arménienne autour de quelques verres. Cette présentation agréable de
l’Arménie à travers sa cuisine sa musique et quelques objets rappelant
le pays de l’Ararat en enchanté le public.

Krikor Amirzayan à Bourg-Lès-Valence

dimanche 23 octobre 2011,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

PaperBlog, Italia
14 ottobre 2011

Nikolai Hovhannisyan, Il problema del Karabakh

Il faticoso percorso verso la libertà

Roma, Studio 12, 2011
174 p. ; 23 cm
EAN 9788896109311

Recensione di Giuliano Luongo

In quante pagine si può riassumere la lunga e sanguinosa tragedia del
Nagorno-Karabakh, questione di confine che tutt’ora affligge il popolo
armeno e che ancora pare senza uscita? Al Prof. Nikolay Hovhannisyan
dell’Accademia Nazionale delle Scienze d’Armenia, nel suo `Il problema
del Karabakh – il faticoso percorso verso la libertà e l’indipendenza’
(ed. Studio 12, 2011), ne sono bastate meno di duecento per inquadrare
con efficacia e lucidità il lungo e doloroso percorso degli abitanti
di quest’area verso l’autodeterminazione e la libertà.

Il Nagorno-Karabakh o Artsakh – l’antico nome armeno della regione – è
un’area contesa tra Armenia e Azerbaigian sin dall’annessione di
queste due repubbliche all’Unione Sovietica. Il governo dell’URSS,
come mossa strategica di avvicinamento alla Turchia, decise negli anni
’30 di far passare la regione del Nagorno-Karabakh – a stragrande
maggioranza di popolazione armena – all’Azerbaigian. Dopo anni di
soprusi e di tentativi di pulizia etnica da parte del governo di Baku,
il Karabakh ha cercato il ritorno all’Armenia e l’indipendenza a più
riprese, sino agli ultimi anni di esistenza dell’URSS: il traguardo
sembrava raggiunto tra la fine degli anni ’80 e primi anni ’90 grazie
al risultato di un referendum favorevole al distacco dall’Azerbaigian,
ma la caduta del governo sovietico impedì il riconoscimento ufficiale
del plebiscito, aprendo così la strada alle pretese azere e al
conflitto armato.

L’intera impostazione del libro è molto efficace nella sua semplicità:
ognuno dei capitoli del testo approfondisce un elemento particolare
della storia del Karabakh, descrivendo con abbondanza di dettagli ogni
singolo aspetto delle pretese armene e della loro legittimità,
smontando al contempo tutte le ragioni azere con motivazioni
ragionate. Uno dei temi portanti del libro è infatti non solo la
dimostrazione della vacuità delle pretese del governo di Baku, ma la
stessa messa in dubbio delle ragioni storiche dell’esistenza
dell’Azerbaigian come stato.

L’analisi del Prof. Hovhannisyan inizia dai fattori storici antichi,
geografici e etno-culturali dell’area, al fine di dimostrare come
l’Artsakh sia armeno a dispetto di ogni pretesa o imposizione estera.
Sulla base di queste premesse, l’autore procede, capitolo dopo
capitolo, con un’esposizione dettagliata di tutte le dinamiche, sino
alla guerra degli anni ’90 e all’affannoso cessate il fuoco, a
tutt’oggi vigente, seppur costantemente violato. Il testo si avvia
alla conclusione con un lungo, preciso e disincantato elenco delle
varie proposte di risoluzione del conflitto, per poi chiudersi con un
epilogo cosciente sullo stato attuale del Nagorno-Karabakh, un ente
dichiaratosi indipendente, uno stato a sé che crede nel valore della
democrazia.

A rendere peculiare il testo non è solo la tematica trattata –
ingiustamente ignorata da molti storici mainstream – e
l’incontestabile precisione della ricostruzione storica, ma anche lo
stile con il quale vengono descritti i fatti storici e le
argomentazioni.

L’intero libro, nonostante una prosa di base distaccata –
testimoniante l’obiettività e l’attenzione scientifica di un abile
storico come Hovannisyan – lascia che la passione e l’accoramento per
la tematica trattata affiorino in maniera impercettibile quanto
inesorabile nei passaggi più salienti, riuscendo a coinvolgere il
lettore in pieno senza bisogno di iperboli e sensazionalismi:
Hovannisyan rende vivo il desiderio di libertà dei suoi connazionali
senza perdere di vista il metodo d’analisi scientifico che si confà ad
un saggio di questa portata.

Panorama, Armenia
Oct 22 2011

Armenian Supreme Patriarch to visit Armenian Diocese of Nor Nakhijevan
and Russia

Armenian Supreme Patriarch Garegin II leaves for Armenian Diocese of
Nor Nakhijevan and Russia, where on October 23 a service will be held
to bless and consecrate the crosses of the churches, said press
service of Mother See of Holly Etchmiadzin.

The construction of an Armenian church, located in the center of
Moscow and occupying 1,32 hectare, launched yet in 2006.

————–

H.H. Karekin II: We are optimistic because there is no alternative to
peace, reconciliation, solidarity

His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians received the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassadors
Bernard Fassier of France, Robert Bradtke of the United States, Igor
Popov of Russia, and Personal Representative of the OSCE
Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk in the Mother See
of Holy Etchmiadzin on Friday, the Information Services of the Mother
See of Holy Etchmiadzin reported.

His Holiness Karekin II expressed his appreciation to the Minsk Group
Co-Chairs for their efforts towards peaceful settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and establishment of peace in the region.

Karekin II informed the Co-Chairs of the trilateral and quadrilateral
meetings between the sacred leaders of Russia, Armenia, Georgia and
Azerbaijan organized periodically with the mediation of the Patriarch
of Moscow and All Russia, when the sacred leaders make appeals for
peace and solidarity to the regional nations.

`We are optimistic because there is no alternative to peace,
reconciliation and solidarity,’ H.H. Karekin II said.

During the meeting, the two sides exchanged thoughts about the
peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Fashion designer Ermanno Scervino’s collection to be exhibited in Yerevan

October 21, 2011 – 14:21 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – On October 24, 1 p.m. local time, Yerevan
Municipality’s Youth Arts Center will exhibit the collection of famous
Italian fashion designer Ermanno Scervino on the sidelines of Toskana
Week in Yerevan.

The outerwear of popular singer Cher (born Cherilyn Sarkisian) which
appeared in Franco Zeffirelli’s Tea with Mussolini 1999 film, will be
among exhibit highlights.

A Toskana Week in Yerevan due Oct 24-28, was organized by Italian
Embassy in Armenia jointly with Yerevan Municipality’s Youth Arts
Center. The Week will feature Venice-staged Ararat performance,
restorers’ master classes and many other events.

Azeri drones reported in Nagorno Karbakh airspace

October 22, 2011 – 15:02 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Over the last week, 180 instances of ceasefire
violation by the Azerbaijani armed forces were reported, with 1000
shots fired. On October 18, Azerbaijan fired about 200 shots using
machineguns and sniper rifles.

Beside, Azerbaijani drones making reconnaissance flints in NKR
airspace were reported.

The fire was stopped due to retaliatory measures taken by the Karabakh
armed forces, no victims were reported, NKR defence army press service
reported.

Despite Azeri army’s aggressive actions, NKR forces refrained from
retaliatory measures, continuing with their military duty.

Bako Sahakyan calls OSCE MG co-chairs’ attention on Baku propaganda

October 22, 2011 – 14:16 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – On October 22, Artsakh President Bako Sahakyan met
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group Robert Bradtke (USA), Igor Popov
(Russia) and Bernard Fassier (France).

Issues related to Karabakh conflict settlement and regional
developments were discussed during the meeting.

As President Sahakyan noted, Azerbaijan continues anti-Armenian and
anti-Karabakh propaganda, violates cease-fire and boosts
militarization, thus seriously hindering conflict settlement prospects
as well as maintenance of regional and international security. NKR
leader said that bringing Azerbaijan into constructive stream is among
key issues in conflict settlement process

The parties mutually stressed the importance of continuing talks based
on direct dialogue and unacceptability of military solution.

Artsakh Republic acting foreign minister Vassily Atajanyan, personal
representative of the OSCE chairman-in-office Andrzej Kasprzyk and
other officials were present at the meeting, the Central Information
Department at NKR President’s Office reported.

Gevorg Poghosyan denies disqualification info

October 22, 2011 – 14:10 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – According to recent Armenian media reports,
International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) disqualified European
Championship bronze and silver winners, Gevorg Poghosyan and Elen
Grigoryan for doping.However, Poghosyan denied the info in a
conversation with a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. As the weightlifter
noted, the injury prevented him from participating in team practice
session in Podolsk.

`Elen Grigoryan will miss world championships because of an injury. No
report as to her disqualification has been obtained from IWF,’ the
head coach of Armenia women squad Artashes Nersisyan told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

According to ITF website, the doping case investigation for Poghosyan
and Grigoryan is in progress.