Author: Kajoyan Gevork

QUEBEC, STORNOWAY TALK LOCAL DIAMOND PROCESSING SPINOFFS

Regina Leader-Post, Canada
Nov 6 2013

By Nicolas Van Praet, Financial Post November 5, 2013

MONTREAL – In a small office in downtown Montreal, a band of
Armenian-raised gem cutters is chomping at the bit to get their hands
on Quebec-made diamonds.

Whether they get their way depends on how hard the Parti Quebecois
government pushes for a Quebec-based secondary sector spun off from
mining – and how much the miners push back. It’s a situation that
highlights a familiar predicament in Canada: We’re really good at
pulling commodities from the ground. But processing them here is
often a complex negotiation that ends in failure.

Melisende Diamonds Ltd. is a six-person diamond polishing crew
operating on Montreal’s precious-metal row on Cathcart Street. They
were part of a group of about 60 Armenians who settled in Yellowknife
when the government of the NorthWest Territories hatched the
territory’s diamond processing industry by mandating the two diamond
producers active there to set aside 10% of their output for local
cutting and polishing.

Related

The effort fizzled out. Of four diamond processing plants started
in Yellowknife, only one is still operating. And so the Melisende
workers came to Montreal.

Right now, the Montreal operation buys most of its rough diamonds from
Africa, which it then polishes here for resale. But it hopes Quebec
will negotiate a deal with Stornoway Diamond Corp. that would force
the Montreal-based company to save a portion of its planned output
for local industry.

Reserving just 10% of Stornoway’s production volume would create 100
jobs for cutters and polishers alone, said Melisende president Harry
Ohanessian. He said Melisende is willing to teach Quebecers how to
cut diamonds to create a local cutting base.

“We’re all waiting for this,” Mr. Ohanessian said in an interview
Tuesday, adding the key element of any agreement is asking Stornoway
to provide bigger and higher-grade diamonds, not just lower-quality
smaller stones. He argues the NWT’s processing effort was crippled
by the lower-calibre of diamonds being provided to the cutters by
the mines, which wasn’t good enough to make up for higher operating
costs in Yellowknife.

Negotiations between the Quebec government and Stornoway continue and
“all options” are on the table including mandating a dedicated volume
for local processors, Quebec Natural Resources Minister Martine Ouellet
told reporters at Stornoway’s head office Tuesday. “Our desire is to
create jobs in Quebec. So now we’re at the stage of examining which
stage of processing has the most opportunity for job creation.”

Stornoway management has been cool generally to the idea of trying
to create local diamond polishing centres in Canada, saying the
cost-sensitive business has not been shown to be viable in high-wage
economies. Much of the world’s diamond cutting is done in developing
countries such as India, where pay is typically several times less
than in North America. Ontario has a polishing operation fuelled by
dedicated output from De Beers’ Victor mine in northeastern Ontario,
but it is small and staffed with foreign workers.

The value-added created by Renard’s diamond output doesn’t necessarily
lie in diamond polishing, said Stornoway CEO Matt Manson. It could
also be generated by starting an industry around jewellery design
and branding.

“Our ethos is to make sure there’s as much wealth creation [from
our mine] as possible… But the most important thing for us [as a
miner] is to sell the diamonds into a free market to maximize price,”
Mr. Manson said. “That means selling them through the existing rough
diamond market in Antwerp, Belgium to the maximum bidder.”

Stornoway’s Renard diamond project in northern Quebec will mine 16
million carats a year worth $4-billion over an initial 11-year mine
life, according to company projections. The miner is in talks with
lenders and potential equity investors for the $800-million it needs
to build the operation.

PETITION WANTS WHITE HOUSE TO DISPLAY RUG MADE BY ARMENIAN REFUGEE ORPHANS

Glendale News Press, CA
Nov 5 2013

October 31, 2013

Armenian refugee orphans wove this rug, pictured, in… (Courtesy
of Asbarez…)

A petition on Whitehouse.gov is urging President Barack Obama to
display a rug woven by Armenian orphans at a refugee camp in 1920. The
tapestry was donated to President Calvin Coolidge in 1925, as a gift to
thank Americans for their humanitarian support following World War I.

The carpet has remained in storage and was expected to make its debut
on Dec. 16 during a Smithsonian event and book launch for Hagop Martin
Deranian’s “President Calvin Coolidge and the Armenian Orphan Rug.” On
Sept. 12, the Smithsonian scholar who helped plan the event canceled
the display, explaining that the White House decided to no longer
loan the carpet, according to the Washington Post.

Armenian National Convention officials in Washington, D.C. have sent
out an action alert, asking activists to pressure the White House
House to make the orphan rug available to the public and press Turkey
to recognize the Armenian genocide, said Talar Malakian, Armenian
National Committee Executive Director in Glendale.

GUERILLA TACTICS NEEDED – ACTIVIST

19:38 ~U 06.11.13

In an interview with Tert.am, Garegin Chukaszyan, a Preparliament
Secretariat member, explained the reasons why the Preparliament did
not join “Shant Harutyunyan’s revolution” whereas the Preparliament
member Zhirair Sefilyan complained about the Armenian ex-president
Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s not making radical steps.

The events showed that struggle on the front line is doomed to failure,
and a guerrilla tactics is needed. It requires time until the people
become increasingly convinced of their ability to gain victories. A
number of minor victories will develop into a major victory.

“I am sure that struggle similar to that waged by Shant Harutyunyan is
inspiring considerable sections of our population. On the other hand,
we are aware of the necessity for pressing the oligarchic system. I
know that this criminal and oligarchic system hired instigators to
show the struggle was doomed to failure and they would own everything.

But I am sure that yesterday’s events assured people of the need to
get rid of this declining system,” Chukaszyan said.

Armenian News – Tert.am

ARMENIA’S PRESIDENT RECEIVES DELEGATION LED BY AUSTRIA’S CONSTITUTIONAL COURT

18:35, 6 November, 2013

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS. Today the President of the Republic
of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan received the members of the delegation
of Austria’s Constitutional Court led by the president of the
Constitutional Court of Austria Gerhart Holzinger. Armenpress was
informed from the Department for Mass Media and Public Relations of
the President’s office of the Republic of Armenia that President Serzh
Sargsyan welcomed the members of the delegation in our country. Serzh
Sargsyan underscored that such high level visits give opportunities
to comprehensively hold discussions upon the present day issues on the
justice systems of the countries, the opportunities of overcoming them
and achievements in the area, as well as realization of experiment
exchange.

The President of the Republic of Armenia stressed the importance of
the further deepening and widening of the cooperation with Austria
in different areas, including justice, taking into consideration the
fact that Austria passed a great way especially in that area and can
be helpful by the accumulated rich experience.

The president of the Constitutional Court of Austria Gerhart Holzinger
pointed out that Austria attaches great importance to the relations
with the Constitutional Courts of the other countries of Europe and
is glad for the opportunity of close and efficient cooperation with
the partners of the Constitutional Court of Armenia.

RUSSIA TO PROVIDE CREDIT FOR ANPP RE-EQUIPMENT

18:42 06/11/2013 ” ECONOMY

Russia plans to provide a credit to Armenia for the re-equipment of
the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP), according to the Secretary
of the Armenian Presidential Council on Nuclear Energy Safety.

“The amount of the credit is currently under discussion,” Vahram
Petrosyan told reporters in Yerevan.

“The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant has been re-equipped in the course
of many years, and now corresponds to the international standards.

Further measures will be taken to raise the safety level of the ANPP,”
Petrosyan said.

Chairman of the Council Adolf Birkhofer, for his part, highlighted
the importance of Armenian-Russian cooperation in nuclear energy area.

“Safety of the ANPP is in the focus of people’s attention – which is
why it operates up to this day,” he noted.

Source: Panorama.am

PRESS RELEASE
United Nations Development Programme / Armenia
14 Petros Adamyan St., Yerevan 0010
Contact: Mr. Hovhannes Sarajyan, Communications Associate
Tel: +37460 530000
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site:

UNDP and AMAA Address Youth Employment Challenges in Armenia

Yerevan, 05 November 2013 – Capitalizing on the successful partnership
and joint achievements in increasing youth employability, today
Bradley Busetto, UNDP Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident
Representative in Armenia, and Harout Nercessian, Armenia
Representative of Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA),
signed an agreement to further continue the Youth Career Trail (YCT)
project. Former beneficiaries of the YCT were also present at the
signing ceremony, who shared with participants their experiences and
ideas on further expansion of the initiative.

YCT is a paid internship program, which offers young professionals an
opportunity to be involved for the first time in employment relevant
to their education, and to gain valuable work experience and practical
knowledge to become more competitive in their access to the labor
market. It provides educated but unemployed youth (fresh graduates)
with a first paid career-related work experience to prepare and
position them for future employment.

It is estimated that about 60 interns – between the ages of 19 and 25
(inclusive), who hold at least Bachelor’s degree and have a good
academic record – will accomplish a 6-month internship program during
the next year.

“Our partnership with AMAA has a proven track record, as since 2012,
together with AMAA, we managed to facilitate the successful transition
of unemployed youth into workforce by provision of direct employment
opportunities through internships. This project is an excellent
example of cooperation between the donors, public and private sectors
with strong potential for further development and expansion for the
sake of Armenian youth,” said Bradley Busetto, UN Resident
Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia, The AMAA
cosponsors the YCT because it believes that youth employment in
Armenia is a major development priority and can highly contribute to
the economic growth and solve some of employment challenges that youth
are facing in the country. The AMAA is a non-profit organization that
supports underprivileged people in 24 countries. The AMAA was
established in 1918 in the U.S.A.

“The AMAA started its Armenia operations with the distribution of
relief supplies and medical programs. This was essential in those
‘dark years’ of the early 1990’s when Armenia was experiencing severe
economic conditions, and shortages of basic life necessities. In
recent years, through various educational and development programs,
the AMAA has been focusing on helping people earn their own living, be
self-sufficient and thus preserve their dignity. The YCT program is an
important part of this strategy. We greatly value our partnership with
the UNDP,” said Harout Nercessian AMAA Armenia Representative.

During 2007-2013, UNDP in Armenia implemented four rounds of the YCT
initiative, which turned to be popular and of high demand among both
the university graduates and employers. In total, around 180 fresh
graduates passed the YCT internship in Yerevan and 6 regions of
Armenia and around 50 percent of the interns were offered permanent
employment by the host organizations at the end of their internships.

***

UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build
nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of
growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground
in 177 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and
local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. UNDP
in Armenia has been established in March 1993 and supports the
government to reach national development priorities and the Millennium
Development Goals by 2015.

YEREVAN’S AUTHORITIES AFRAID OF SOCIAL UNREST

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Nov 5 2013

5 November 2013 – 5:07pm

Yerevan City Hall is afraid of a popular uprising and that is why
transport tariffs will be increased ahead of New Year, the Aykakan
Zhamanak newspaper says.

According to the newspaper, the authorities believe that if this is
case people will not hold protest demonstrations.

AZERBAIJAN BOYCOTTS EURONEST FOLLOWING ITS ELECTION EVALUATION U-TURN

eTurboNews
Nov 5 2013

Nov 05, 2013

KIEV, Ukraine – During the bureau meeting of the Euronest Parliamentary
Assembly in Kiev, Ukraine, the head of Azerbaijan’s delegation issued
a statement explaining why he is set to boycott the body following
its recent motion in which it criticised the Presidential election
in Azerbaijan.

Euronest PA last month passed the motion in defiance of its own
observer delegation, which had found the poll to be “free, fair and
transparent”.

In his letter to Euronest, the Chairman of the Azerbaijani Delegation,
Elkhan Suleymanov, asked: “What’s the actual position of the European
Parliament? Does it want to cooperate with Azerbaijan and create
peace and stability in South Caucasus? Does it recognise its reports
and delegation?”

He went on to condemn Article 32 – the motion criticising the election
– before announcing the withdrawal of Azerbaijan’s Euronest delegation.

“Azerbaijan will stop its activity in this institution during the
Armenian chairmanship of the Euronest PA from EaP component until
the liberation of Azerbaijani territories from the occupation,” he
said, a reference to Armenia’s occupation of about 20 per cent of
Azerbaijani territory.

Suleymanov reminded his Euronest colleagues that observer missions of
the European Parliament, PACE and OSCE PA had all found the election
to be fair, with the ODIHR verdict the stand-out exception.

Yet Euronest chose to side with ODIHR in defiance of its own observer
team. This, he said previously, amounted to “political sabotage”.

In a landslide result, incumbent Ilham Aliyev won the election of
October 9th, with exit polls by American pollsters Arthur J.

Finkelstein finding voters in no mood for change, given Azerbaijan’s
booming economy and the President’s high ratings on the issues of
security and Nagorno-Karabakh.

The territory and surrounding regions continue to be occupied by
Armenia despite resolutions in the United Nations, the European
Parliament, the OSCE and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe.

European Parliament President Martin Schultz said recently: “Azerbaijan
and Armenia themselves should solve this complex issue.”

This contradicts the remit of the Minsk group, which is committed to
a political solution to the occupation.

Given the lingering tensions surrounding the Armenian occupation of
Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan was angered that Armenia was allowed to
co-chair Euronest EaP. Now Suleymanov says his team will only resume
their seats when this “inflammatory chairmanship” comes to an end.

EU GIVES ARMENIA “LAST CHANCE” OF REVISING DECISION ON CUSTOMS UNION

168 Zham, Armenia
Oct 31 2013

[Translated from Armenian]

European diplomatic and expert circles have recently changed their
assessments regarding future ties with Armenia to a certain extent
in the context of political and propaganda-related attacks on Armenia
by countries members of the [Russian-dominated] Customs Union.

At present, more opinions are being voiced that Armenia’s European
future is not totally lost, that Europe should fight for Armenia,
and that the association agreement and the free trade area agreement
continue to be on the agenda of relations between EU and Armenia
instead of the evaluations sounding like hopelessness and sorrow
following 3 September [when Armenia’s intention to join the Customs
Union was made public].

The message of the Europeans is very clear: If Armenia manages to
renounce the decision to join the Customs Union in any way before
the summit of the Eastern Partnership Programme to be held at the
end of November in Vilnius, they are ready to initial the association
agreement and the agreement on free trade area with their same content.

Naturally, Europeans can see how countries members of the Customs
Union are treating Armenia. They can hear comments and statements
on coordinating Armenia’s membership [in the Customs Union] with
Azerbaijan, and they record all those steps, which may become a
profound ground for the Armenian authorities for reviewing their
decision to join the Customs Union.

Of course, revision of the decision to join the Customs Union by
Armenia and the initialling of the signature of the association
agreement with the EU seems unrealistic at a glance.

However, this is unrealistic and non-serious to the same extent as the
prospect to join the Customs Union was before 3 September. Europeans
understand this as well and give the Armenian authorities the last
chance to use the obstacles created by “partners” in the Customs Union
and to revise that decision, which, as they [Armenian authorities] told
almost all EU officials, was made under pressure from the Russian side.

[Translated from Armenian]

TURKEY SHOWS PROGRESS, SAYS ARMENIAN HISTORIAN RAYMOND KEVORKIAN

Yerepouni Daily News
November 4, 2013 Monday

Armenian-descent French historian Raymond Kevorkian says the conference
held on Islamized Armenians is a result of Turkey’s positive progress
in democracy, but remains pessimistic about the country to take any
step towards breaking “dogmas” regarding the 1915 incidents before
its 100th anniversary.

“Turkey has been changing for the good and it would be unfair not
to see that, this conference is a result of that,” Kevorkian told
Hurriyet Daily News on the sidelines of three-day conference regarding
Islamized Armenians that started Nov. 2 in Istanbul.

Despite hailing the opening of archives, Kevorkian implied he still
does not expect drastic moves from Turkey before the 100th anniversary
of the 1915 incidents, which is anticipated as a breaking point for
Armenian diaspora. “2015 is an opportunity to break this dogma, but
Turkey doesn’t look like it will take a step toward it.” Speaking
about the idea of the establishment of a Historian’s Commission to
be consisted of the two countries’ historians, Kevorkian said he is
against the formation of a commission under a state’s guidance.

“Historians should be independent; they don’t wait for the state’s
approval to start working. Besides, we, Armenian and Turkish
historians, are already in cooperation and congregate together in
scientific meetings.” “Moreover, there is no need to discuss the
presence of the Armenian genocide as the result is obvious. The
Armenian genocide is a reality acknowledged by the international
community as well,” he added.