Author: Kajoyan Gevork

ARMENIAN CHESS PLAYERS BECOME CHAMPIONS OF BRAZIL AND FRANCE

ARMENPRESS
11 May, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 11, ARMENPRESS: Brazilian-Armenian chess player Armen
Prudyan has achieved the title of the champion in the U18 Youth
Championship of Brasilia for the second time, Chess Federation of
Armenia told Armenpress.

And Gary Giroyan has been recognized winner at U16 Youth Championship
of France.

Both chess players, confirming their advantage over their
contemporaries with the victories, also successfully perform at French
and international tournaments of older age groups.

IRAN’S ELECTRICITY EXPORTS UP BY OVER 37% IN LESS THAN 2 MONTHS ECONOMIC DESK

On Line: 11 May 2012 15:36
In Print: Saturday 12 May 2012

Iran’s electricity exports to its neighboring countries have increased
more than 38 percent since the beginning of the current Iranian
calendar year (started March 20, 2012) compared to a year before.

A report published by Iran’s Energy Ministry on Thursday noted that
the country has exported a total of 1,347 gigawatts per hour (GW/h)
of electricity to the neighboring countries during the aforementioned
period, up by 38.57 percent compared to the previous Iranian calendar
year (ended March 19, 2012).

During a corresponding period last year, Iran exported 972.1 GW/h of
electricity to its neighbors.

The report noted that the implementation of the Subsidy Reform
Plan by Iran has contributed to the reduction of domestic power
consumption, paving the way for more electricity exports to the
neighboring countries.

The Islamic Republic is currently exporting electricity to Armenia,
Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Nakhichevan, Iraq and
Afghanistan.

Based on the current plans, Syria and Lebanon will be purchasing
electricity from Iran in the near future as well.

On Saturday, April 28, Iran’s deputy energy minister for electricity
and energy affairs said the country is moving toward self-sufficiency
in the power industry by promoting the domestic manufacture of
necessary equipment in the field.

Mohammad Behzad said that 100 percent of power distribution equipment,
99 percent of the equipment needed for power transmission, and more
than 90 percent of power plant equipment are currently being designed,
manufactured and installed in the country.

The Islamic Republic, which seeks to become a major regional exporter
of electricity, has attracted more than USD 1.1 billion in investment
to build three new power plants.

ARMENIAN FM GETS INVITATION TO VISIT NEW ZEALAND

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 11, 2012 – 17:43 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – On May 9-10, Armenian Foreign Minster Edward
Nalbandian met with his counterparts from Australia, Myanmar, New
Zealand, Indonesia in the framework of the ministerial meeting of
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) member-states in Sharm el-Sheikh (Egypt).

Establishment of bilateral relations became the focal points of
discussion between Foreign Minister of Myanmar Wunna Maung Lwin and
Edward Nalbandian. Myanmar’s top diplomat said that Armenian community
in the country creates favorable conditions for development of ties
between the two republics.

Issues related to cooperation in the framework of international
organizations were in focus of discussion with New Zealand’s Murray
McCully. The latter invited Minister Nalbandian to Wellington to give
new impetus to development of relations between the two countries.

Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Indonesia discussed conduction of
consultations and formation of legal framework. Minister Nalbandian
further briefed his Indonesian counterpart on the latest developments
of Nagorno Karabakh conflict, with Marty Natalegawa calling for
peaceful resolution of the problem.

OBITUARY: ARIS G. SEVAG (1946-2012)

Armenian Weekly
May 11, 2012

Aris Sevag, editor of AGBU’s Ararat Magazine, passed away on April 28.

Aris Sevag, loving husband, father, educator, writer, editor,
and translator, passed away on April 28 in his home in Jackson
Heights, N.Y., after a courageous battle with cancer. Born in 1946
in Philadelphia to Dr. and Mrs. Manasseh Sevag, his intellectual
curiosity and commitment was evident from his early years. After
graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, this curiosity took
him around the country and around the world. Ultimately, he focused
on his life’s mission: to serve his Armenian nation that he loved.

In a lifetime of service as a teacher, educator, writer, activist,
editor, and most notably, expert translator, his meticulous intensity,
discipline, and passionate intellect allowed him to honorably and
humbly serve his people throughout his distinguished literary career.

His kindness, generosity, warm heart, passion for life, and robust
sense of humor touched and inspired all who knew and loved him.

He is survived by his loving wife Asdghig, son Armen, daughters Aida,
Alice, and Ani, and brother Paul.

In lieu of flowers, donations (which will be distributed to various
orphanages in Armenia in his memory) may be sent to Mrs. Asdghig Sevag,
33-39 80th Street, Apt. 2, Jackson Heights, NY 11372.

0.1% VICTORY

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 15:43:12 – 11/05/2012

The participants of the protest in Moscow’s Chistoprudni Park were able
to keep the toilets. The activists blocked the way of the car which
was trying to remove the toilets from the park. The demonstrators
considered it as an attempt to prevent their people’s walk.

After Member of Parliament Dmitry Gudkov, TV presenter Ksenia Sobchak
and opposition movement leader Ilya Yashin’s interference the car
stopped, and another 3 toilets were brought to the park.

The Russian opposition organizes political walks, like those of
the Armenian National Congress on North Avenue. Later the Congress
launched a 24/8 sit-in on Freedom Square to “save” the dialogue with
the government, while the government closed all the toilets around the
square. Levon Ter-Petrosyan urged Serzh Sargsyan to open the toilets
but the latter did not recall this inhuman step, while Republican
Galust Sahakyan called for bringing chamber pots to the square.

In fact, the only thing that interests Serzh Sargsyan is the following:
will the participants of the protest obey this inhuman order or will
they take steps to open at least one toilet? At first sight, this is
a minor issue. In reality, after making sure that the opposition will
obey, Serzh Sargsyan set to handle the parliamentary elections. The
Congress ran in these elections and entered the parliament with only
0.1%. 0.1% for the courageous ones.

In the meantime, a significant development was there not far from
the Freedom Square. A group of young activists defied the illegal
decision of the government in Mashtots Park. They announced that the
country belongs to them and struggle for 3 months and the groups
of citizens willing to dismantle the boutiques illegally built on
the public land joined then, and joint efforts were productive –
the government removed the boutiques.

Interestingly, all through the struggle, the Congress used the press
and social networks to play down the importance of the civil struggle
and real achievement. The theory of conspiracy was made complete by
Serzh Sargsyan with his “esthetic visit” to the park and instruction
to dismantle the boutiques.

Neither Serzh Sargsyan, nor the Congress needed the uncontrollable
victory of the citizens who dismantled the status quo. Moreover,
it is dangerous for them, and Serzh Sargsyan tried to misappropriate
the victory, while the Congress ascribed it to Serzh Sargsyan. And
altogether they achieved a 0.1% victory.

Then Serzh Sargsyan set to revenge on the activists of the park.

ARMENIA, PAESE DI CROCI E MONASTERI

11/05/2012

ViaggiStampa

di Marco Masetti

Visitare l’Armenia è come fare un tuffo indietro nella storia, fino
alle origini del cristianesimo, per scoprire un paese martoriato
nei secoli, le cui croci di pietra, presenti ovunque, sembrano
testimoniare la grande partecipazione religiosa e l’estrema sofferenza,
non ancora sopita, alla quale è stata sottoposta la sua popolazione. Ma
l’Armenia sa anche stupire; incastonata in zona caucasica al crocevia
tra Asia, Medio Oriente ed Europa, si mostra nettamente, in tutte le
sue sfaccettature e manifestazioni, la più europea delle nazioni che
la circondano; poi, il paesaggio: catene montuose, altopiani, laghi,
in successione continua nell’ormai esiguo territorio nazionale, che
alternano a brutture post industriali sovietiche, paesaggi naturali di
una bellezza unica. Quindi la citta, perche l’Armenia è Yerevan, dal
centro cittadino vivace, raccolto nella semplice piazza circolare della
Repubblica, dove tutte le sere si riuniscono in molti, popolazione
locale e turisti, ad ammirare il grande e variopinto spettacolo di
suoni e luci. Attorno alla piazza, viali ampi e moderni, ricchi
di negozi, anch’essi a racchiudere in cerchio il centro storico,
si perdono in periferie decadenti, offese da palazzi dormitorio come
celle d’alveare. Poi cultura, arte, folclore, con musei e gallerie. Da
non perdere il Matenadaran, la grande biblioteca dei manoscritti
e dell’alfabeto armeno e la Cascade, la monumentale scalinata
centro d’arte internazionale. Tanti e variopinti i mercati, tra i
quali spiccano a due passi dalla piazza principale il Vernissage,
dove artigiani e mercanti presentano il sabato e la domenica i
loro prodotti; il Vernissage dell’arte, a lato del grande edificio
dell’Opera, meta dei pittori locali e, il mercato coperto Pag Shuka,
quasi di fronte alla Moschea Blu. Tra tanti contrasti ed interrogativi,
un fatto è certo, l’Armenia non è luogo da lasciare indifferenti.

Il 21 settembre 1991, staccandosi dall’Unione Sovietica, il Paese
diviene stato indipendente, fondando la terza Repubblica d’Armenia
e, con grande coraggio, ancora martoriato dal terremoto del 1988,
affronta l’enorme crisi economica insorta per mancanza delle risorse
energetiche un tempo garantite dall’Urss. Una difficile avventura
nella quale il paese è ancora impegnato e che ne caratterizza
palesemente la vita quotidiana, solo in parte aiutato dalle rimesse
dei tanti emigranti. All’occhio del visitatore, l’Armenia potrebbe
essere definita “Il Paese delle croci”. Tante sono le croci, che
ne caratterizzano storia e luoghi, croci reali e croci simboliche,
di alcune delle quali proviamo a tracciare il profilo.

I KhatchkarI Khatchkar, o croci di pietra, discendenti dai menhir
(monoliti verticali), sono una presenza ricorrente di un viaggio in
Armenia. Ad attorniare i monasteri o nei negozi di souvenir, la loro
immagine si fissa immancabilmente negli occhi del turista. Queste
grandi lastre di pietra, solitamente di tufo intagliato, stimate in
30.000 sul territorio nazionale, sono simboli religiosi cristiani
e normalmente raffigurano, al centro, la “croce fiorita” armena,
caratterizzata da allegorie di foglie o frutti a rappresentare la
continuita della vita, con numerose varianti, alcune delle quali, in
rarissimi esemplari, arrivano anche a raffigurare Cristo. I Khatchkar,
immancabili in quasi tutti gli edifici religiosi, potevano essere
offerte votive, monumenti funerari o commemorativi, l’obbligo, era,
come per i monasteri, di essere orientati ad occidente. Tracce di
queste croci si hanno gia dal V secolo, ma le più belle sono datate
tra il IX ed il X secolo. I migliori Khatchkar si trovano spesso
presso i monasteri; quello di Geghard, patrimonio dell’umanita,
incastonato in uno spettacolare canyon o il Monastero di Haghpat,
in posizione dominante su un altopiano. Visitare l’Armenia, infatti,
è anche visitare i suoi tanti monasteri, ma il fatto non deve sembrare
monotono, poiche molto spesso il contesto paesaggistico nel quale
questi sono inseriti è di per se meta di grande interesse. Ne sono
testimonianza il Monastero di Noravank, uno splendido complesso in
quota ad una gola rocciosa; il Monastero Khor Virap, nello splendido
scenario che ha come sfondo il Monte Ararat o, citandone solo alcuni,
il Monastero di Sevan, in zona panoramica sulla sponda dell’omonimo
lago.

Echmiadzin e la Chiesa Armena: la Chiesa Apostolica Armena è
antichissima, nata tra il I-II secolo, anche se l’evangelizzazione
proseguì ad opera di San Gregorio l’Illuminatore, alla fine del
III secolo. Interessanti le vicende tramandate che hanno portato re
Tiridate III ad adottare il Cristianesimo come religione di stato,
primo paese al mondo, precedendo anche l’Impero Romano. La versione
più nota coinvolge Gregorio, rinchiuso dal re in un pozzo profondo
infestato da serpenti, dal quale nessuno era mai uscito vivo, per
punirlo della sua fede cristiana, ma Gregorio, segretamente nutrito
da una vedova, venne liberato dal re dopo tredici anni, ancora in vita.

Di lì la conversione del sire. Il pozzo è visitabile presso il
Monastero Khor Virap con alle spalle lo stupendo scorcio del Monte
Ararat. Oggi il fulcro della Chiesa Armena è Echmiadzin, dove vive il
suo massimo rappresentante, il Catholicos, attualmente Karekin II,
a capo di una comunita di circa novemila fedeli sparsa in tutto il
mondo, che cerca una rivitalizzazione dopo settant’anni di regime
sovietico. Un’interessante presenza armena è anche in Italia,
con i Padri Mechitaristi, sull’Isola di San Lazzaro, a Venezia, ex
lazzaretto, che merita sicuramente una visita. Echmiadzin è il luogo
dove l’Illuminatore fece costruire nel 301 la cattedrale omonima,
divenendo da allora luogo di residenza del Catholicos e meta di tutti
i fedeli. L’attuale austera cattedrale è frutto di numerosi interventi
architettonici nei secoli, ma l’atmosfera che vi si respira nelle
solenni funzioni, riporta l’uomo al misticismo delle sue origini.

Memoriale e Museo del Genocidio: un popolo in “croce”, quello
armeno, ormai a testimoniarlo è la storia. Dalle grandi estensioni
dell’antichita, che hanno visto la “Grande Armenia” estendersi dalla
Cappadocia, alla Cilicia, a Gerusalemme ed all’Eufrate, le tante
vicissitudine, ultime quelle con la Turchia, l’Unione Sovietica e
l’Azerbaigian, hanno ridotto il territorio nazionale a soli 29.800 Kmq
e la popolazione a poco più di tre milioni di abitanti. Ma tra tutte
le piaghe sopportate, sicuramente il Metz Yeghem, il Grande Male,
come gli armeni lo chiamano, è coinciso col genocidio perpetrato
dal governo dei Giovani Turchi tra il 1915 e il 1917, che provocò
la morte di un milione e mezzo di persone. Significativo richiamo a
questa tragica vicenda, anche il libro di Antonia Arslan, “La masseria
delle allodole”. Il complesso, formato dal Memoriale e dal Museo del
Genocidio, si trova sulla collina delle rondini, nei pressi di Yerevan
e una visita può far riflettere, come poi accadde anche nei confronti
degli Ebrei, di quanto sia stato capace l’uomo. Di grande emozione il
24 aprile di ogni anno, quando per commemorare l’inizio del genocidio
del 1915, migliaia di armeni da tutto il mondo risalgono la collina
per deporre un fiore alla base circolare della fiamma eterna. L’ultima
“croce” che ancora ferisce questo popolo è il rifiuto della Turchia di
riconoscere il genocidio e l’indifferenza di alcuni governi che per
non incrinare i rapporti con lo stato turco non prendono posizione
in merito.

Former Foreign Minister Oskanian on a pathway to political self-destruction?

– May 11, 2012
By Appo Jabarian
Executive Publisher/Managing Editor
USA Armenian Life Magazine

There is absolutely no doubt that the May 6 Armenian parliamentary
elections were marred by serious irregularities, large-scale bribes
and outright fraud. Many political leaders and observers criticized
the tainted polls – some with healthy, and some others with ulterior
motives.

Soon after the elections ended, Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) and
Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) came under fire by Armenian former
President Levon Ter-Petrossyan. Interestingly, former Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian, a ranking member of the rival Prosperous Armenia
Party agreed expediently.

Oskanian’s all-too-willingness to appease the former Pres.
Ter-Petrossyan seems to have back-fired among his fellow PAP members.
They questioned Oskanian’s allegiance.

Exacerbating the situation for Mr. Gagik Tsarukyan the leader of PAP,
Oskanian arbitrarily declared that he `would strongly object to
Prosperous Armenia’s establishing a coalition with the ruling
Republican Party of Armenia again.’ Naira Zohrabyan, the spokeswoman
of PAP refuted Oskanian’s statement.

Committing one political fiasco after another, he erroneously boasted:
`The reason for my leaving the government is that I was discontent
with the situation. Do not think that the authorities longed for my
resignation, rather, they (Pres. Sargsyan’s administration) not only
offered me a post, but also begged me to stay.’

In reality, in early 2008, Mr. Oskanian had reportedly appealed and
reportedly even engaged the lobbying services of second Pres.
Kocharyan in order to convince Pres. Sargsyan to grant him a cabinet
post. Back then despite Pres. Kocharyan’s efforts with then newly
elected third Pres. Sargsyan; Oskanian was nixed.

Last week, belatedly speaking out against corrupt oligarchs, he
declared: `It seems that people in high echelons of power began to
realize that things cannot continue in this way.’

Commentators on A1plus.am questioned his honesty: `Some people asked
why he did not criticize the authorities when he was holding a
high-ranking position in the government?’

Oskanian stated: `When I was the country’s foreign minister, I was in
no way related to the sectors I am criticizing today.’

But many observers are wondering, how come he has now closely
associated himself with PAP’s Tsarukyan, one of Armenia’s top
oligarchs?

Can anyone function in Armenia without being closely associated with
the oligarchs? Twenty years have passed since Armenia’s independence
from the former Soviet Union. Yet, unfortunately Armenia has not been
able to free itself from the yoke of corrupt leaders and plunderers.

So why is Mr. Oskanian shedding crocodile tears and for whom? Is it
because the current powers-that-be refuse to co-opt him?

Now that he is elected as a Member of Parliament, it is widely
anticipated that he will milk to the max his new position by
constantly barraging Armenian readers and viewers with endless chains
of press conferences fueled by petty personal interests and political
vendettas.

As if his dismal popularity both in the homeland and Diaspora wasn’t
worrisome enough, a few days ago, he himself triggered a new wave of
anti-Oskanian criticism. He said to Today’s Zaman Turkish daily: `If
the problem over the Nagorno-Karabakh could be solved by Armenia and
Turkey, then Turkey could open its border with Armenia.’

Was he hinting at his 2007 anti-Armenian declarations as FM? Back then
he had ignited widespread indignation in Armenia, Artsakh, and the
Diaspora, when he expressed willingness to `hand’ the liberated
Armenian Karvadjar in Artsakh to Azerbaijan.

Exposing ex-FM’s true persona, in late 2011 the whistleblower website
Wiki Leaks released a classified cable sent by U.S. Ambassador to
Armenia Marie Yovanovitch on February 25, 2010 to report on a meeting
with former FM Oskanian.

During the meeting, the cable said, Oskanian accused Pres. Sargsyan of
`mishandling the entire process. In Oskanian’s view, the controversy
surrounding the protocols has prevented any movement on Nagorno
Karabakh. … Oskanian criticized the manner in which President Sargsyan
has handled the entire process. According to him, the President `put
the cart before the horse.”

`Oskanian did not understand why … Pres. Sargsyan began the process
with Turkey so publicly, and how unprepared he was for the negative
public reaction. … the President should have expended his political
capital with Armenian citizens and the Diaspora to persuade them that
some of the Nagorno Karabakh territories must be returned to
Azerbaijan. … Oskanian said this had been his plan as Foreign
Minister,’ the cable says.

In response to the ambassador’s question on how to move the process
forward, Oskanian responded that the `protocols cannot be left in
abeyance. … He truly hopes the protocols will be ratified by both
sides.’

Going further back, in a May 2000 article titled `Exchanging Meghri
With Karabagh: Good Idea or Political Suicide?,’ Harut Sassounian,
Publisher of The California Courier blasted then FM Oskanian for the
latter’s treasonous idea on giving Meghri to Azerbaijan. During a
community forum in Glendale, California, Oskanian had tried to `sell’
the Meghri Plan: `There are many rumors about the resolution of the
Karabagh conflict. There are criticisms alleging that the Armenian
authorities want to give Meghri to Azerbaijan. In fact, there is a
small degree of truth in those rumors. Such a proposal on the exchange
of territories has been made to the Armenian Republic, to the
President of Armenia. … It has been rejected… But when people say that
it’s treasonous to even think about it … This proposal has a certain
logic. … because this proposal is worth thinking about.’

To which Sassounian swiftly responded in his commentary: `There isn’t
much to think about in this proposal. Armenia is basically being asked
to cede to Azerbaijan one of the most strategic parts of its already
tiny territory in return for (Artsakh) Karabagh. This would be
exchanging one Armenian territory with another. We would be cutting
off Armenia from Iran, strategically a very important access to the
outside world. By ceding Meghri, we would also be helping the Turks to
achieve their age-old dream of Pan-Turkism, linking Turkey through
Nakhitchevan and Meghri to the Turkic Republics of Central Asia. … I
am confident that both Iran and Russia would strongly pressure Armenia
not to go ahead with it in order to safeguard their interests.
…Armenia has nothing to gain and much to lose from such an exchange.’

Why would any sitting President or future leaders re-engage his
services fully knowing that during his decade-long tenure as FM,
Oskanian has caused considerable political damage to Armenia?

Oskanian was Foreign Minister for too long, without having achieved
any substantial gains for Armenia. Furthermore, Armenia squandered
away many valuable opportunities for diplomatic gains in the
international arena and even sustained self-inflicted damages thanks
to FM Oskanian’s mishandling of several cases at the United Nations
and elsewhere. He repeatedly failed in giving timely guidance to
Armenia’s ambassadors. On many occasions, Armenia’s succeeding
Permanent Representatives at the UN were deprived of effective
political orientation because of their incompetent FM’s chronic
inaction. And as a result, they have missed golden opportunities to
cast important votes. Yet they simply abstained from voting causing an
Armenian political retreat in the international arena.

It is also absurd that on countless occasions, as the foreign minister
of a land-liberating state – Armenia – Oskanian obstinately mislabeled
the liberated Armenian lands as `occupied’ territories!

In reference to Oskanian’s 2007 championing of the so-called Madrid
Principles, David Boyajian, a leading Armenian American activist
asked: `Does Oskanian have any guiding principles at all?’

In 2004, when UK Amb. Thorda Abbott-Watt denied the Armenian Genocide
there was total silence at the Armenian Foreign Ministry. When
criticized for his timid muteness then FM Oskanian claimed that he had
given a diplomatic note `strongly criticizing’ the British amb.’s
denial. But later it became clear that contrary to his allegations
Oskanian had simply given a friendly note advising the denialist UK
Ambassador to ignore the Armenian Genocide issue.

One wonders if Oskanian is more sensitive to his own personal
interests at the expense of the Armenian people. His over-zealous
attempts to appease Turkey and its cronies make Armenians wonder if he
is qualified to hold any diplomatic or government post. Recently over
2000 students in Turkey were poisoned by toxic milk provided free of
charge by Ankara. Is it possible that Oskanian too drank tainted
Turkish milk?

Astrophysicists report new discoveries

Published: Saturday May 12, 2012

Prof. Ashot Chilingarian (back row, second from right) with colleagues
at the United Nations meeting in Vienna.

Yerevan – In April 2012 the head of Armenia’s Cosmic Ray Division
(CRD) and director of the Yerevan Physics Institute, Prof. Ashot
Chilingarian, was invited to the European Space Agency center in
Italy. A conference there was devoted to the Italian “AGILE” space
satellite mission which discovered many unexpected astrophysical
phenomena during its five years of scientific exploration.

Discoveries included unexpected flares from the Crab Nebula – the
debris resulting from the explosion or “supernova” of a massive star
which occurred about 1000 years ago. The Crab Nebula had always, and
apparently wrongly, been assumed to be a constant, unvarying source of
radiation which astronomers relied upon to calibrate their
measurements. Also discussed at this conference was the recently
discovered phenomenon of Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flashes (TGFs) in which
thunderclouds emit high energy radiation previously assumed to
originate only from space. Through mechanisms not completely
understood, electrons are accelerated from thunderstorms into outer
space.

Particle fluxes (radiation of subatomic particles) from thunderclouds
are a very important and yet poorly understood phenomenon which is
intensively researched both from space and from high altitude mountain
research stations. CRD’s Aragats research station atop Mt. Aragats has
assumed a leading position in this branch of research. Prof.
Chilingarian presented CRD’s latest research results on fluxes of
electrons, gamma rays, and neutrons measured on Mt. Aragats. Discussed
were energy spectra and physical models of Thunderstorm Ground
Enhancements (TGEs) in which high energy electrons are accelerated
both downward towards the earth, and upward towards space, from within
thundercloud formations. Much of the research on this phenomenon is
conducted by young CRD scientists. Recent PhD recipient Bagrat
Mailyan’s doctoral dissertation characterizing this phenomenon shed a
great deal of light on this subject within the international science
community.

Numerous particle detectors and electric field meters located on the
slopes of mountain Aragats and in Yerevan continuously monitor
changing geophysical conditions. A new planned geophysical station
near Lake Sevan, with three existing stations on the slopes of Mt.
Aragats, will monitor particle fluxes from the sun, thunderclouds, and
our galaxy as well as magnetic and electrical fields and lightning
occurrences. CRD will issue alerts and forewarnings on upcoming
dangerous consequences of space weather events and thunder-storms.

In series of three papers published by the journal of American
Physical society, “Physical Review”, Armenian physicists reported new
phenomena manifested by a number of physical effects. These included
large fluxes of electron and gamma radiation, neutron radiation, short
microsecond bursts of electron radiation coinciding with negatively
charged electric fields near the earth’s surface, and reduced
lightning between clouds and the ground along with increased lightning
within clouds. The most recent paper was published on April 16, 2012.

Armenia invited to join international scientific team
The President of the Scientific Committee on Solar-Terrestrial Physics
(SCOSTEP), Dr. Nat Gopalswany, on February 13, 2012 invited Armenia to
joint SCOSTEP as an adherent member of this important international
scientific team. This invitation is a direct result of the monumental
achievements of the Cosmic Ray Division (CRD) of the Yerevan Physics
Institute in the global scientific arena. In his invitation Dr.
Gopalswamy noted the valuable contribution of Armenia’s scientists and
of Prof. Ashot Chilingaryan to understanding the physics of Sun-Earth
interactions. In his letter to Professor Samvel Harutunyan, Chairman
of Armenia’s State Committee on Science, Dr. Gopalswamy cited the
enormous Armenian scientific contributions from both the data
collected at observatories on Armenia’s Mt. Aragats and the data
analysis tools developed by Prof. Chilingarian and his scientists.
Stated Gopalswamy, “Armenia has been very active in the Solar
Terrestrial Physics research area with lots of young researchers
active and making their presence known with excellent publications.
Armenian scientists have also been contributing enormously to the
physics of the Sun-Earth system by creating observing facilities and
data analysis tools, and are recognized internationally. For this
reason, I invite Armenia to become an official member of the
Scientific Committee on Solar Terrestrial Physics (SCOSTEP).”

Dr. Gopalswamy is a noted research scientist at the U.S. National
Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA). Professor Ashot Chilingarian is
the director of Armenia’s Yerevan Physics Institute, the head of its
Cosmic Ray Division (CRD), a noted scientist researching cosmic ray
physics and space weather – the effects of solar disturbances on the
earth’s environment, and a professor of cosmic ray physics at Yerevan
State University with several PhD students under his wings.

In mid-February the United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs held
its International Space Weather Initiative (ISWI) steering committee
meeting in Vienna. As a member of this elite group of scientists from
around the world, Prof. Ashot Chilingarian reported on CRD’s Space
Environmental Viewing and Analysis Network (SEVAN), which is a network
of cosmic ray monitors which are designed and made in Armenia and are
being deployed in a number of countries. The ISWI currently has 15
instrument projects either under development or in deployment in 101
countries. These instrument deployments are coordinated by scientists
from Armenia, France, Japan, Switzerland and the United States. The
conclusions from the steering committee meetings were reported to the
United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
forty-ninth session held in Vienna, Austria on February 6 – 17, 2012

On a further note, in February Prof. Chilingarian visited a number of
National Scientific Laboratories in Germany and Austria, meeting and
solidifying relationships with their directors. In his visits to these
research institutions, Prof. Chilingarian noted the large number of
scientists from Armenia who, after the collapse of the Soviet Union
and Armenia’s difficult economic situation, moved to scientific
institutions in Europe. During discussions, Chilingarian worked to
establish collaborative relations between these expatriate Armenian
scientists and their colleagues in Armenia.

Prof. Chilingarian announced that starting in mid-March, the
“Vaporciyan Multivariate Analysis Project” will begin at the Cosmic
Ray Division. This is an important new project which enhances the
ability to analyze massive amounts of complex cosmic ray data gathered
around the world. Armenian scientists from the Cosmic Ray Division of
the Yerevan Physics Institute and the Cosmic Ray Division of the
Forschumzentrum in Karlsruhe, Germany will lead the project. New
students at the CRD will have the opportunity to work on it as part of
their PhD thesis work. This project is named in honor of late Kirakos
Vaporciyan and his surviving brother Harutyun and their family. The
Vaporciyan family has been a steadfast supporter of the CRD for the
past 10 years and thanks to them and other supporters like them, CRD
has been able to put Armenia on the map for outstanding scientific
achievements such as enumerated above. Equally importantly, it is this
support that has helped to retain bright young scientists in Armenia,
a trend that will hopefully expand with time.

PACE Standing Committee to consider Armenia’s elections

news.am
May 13, 2012 | 00:29

PACE Standing Committee will consider observation of the parliamentary
elections in Armenia during the May 25 session in Albania’s capital,
Tirana. The issue has been already included in the agenda, says PACE
website.

PACE observation mission head Baroness Emma Nicholson will present a report.

Parliamentary elections in Armenia were held on May 6 with the
participation of nine political forces.

A total of 31,418 observers from 53 local organizations and 647
representatives from 11 international organizations and foreign
embassies monitored the elections.

On May 7 the international election observers presented preliminary conclusions.

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
May 11 2012

Sarkozy and his four losses against Turkey

ABDÃ`LHAMÄ°T BÄ°LÄ°CÄ°
[email protected]

There is no question that, for a politician like Nicolas Sarkozy, who
despite coming from nothing has always managed to look on from above
with a smirk on his face, losing the election caused great pain. But
what no doubt magnified this pain even more for Sarkozy was losing to
the Socialist Party’s second choice, Francois Hollande, whom Sarkozy
never really took seriously.
Sarkozy’s defeat bodes different things for his political career,
French politics in general and a Europe engulfed in crisis. Even
though it is not yet clear what Hollande’s victory will bring, the
fact that Sarkozy — who engaged in anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim
politics — lost is meaningful for European values. Now, of course, in
order for Hollande to really leave an imprint on France, his party
must be successful in the upcoming June parliamentary elections.

News of Sarkozy’s defeat — making him the 11th European leader to
lose his seat due to the ongoing financial crisis — put economic
circles on immediate alert. That’s because this defeat means a serious
blow to the France-Germany axis of belt-tightening policies
implemented recently in Europe in regard to the financial crisis. The
new government promises to lower the age of retirement from 62 to 60,
plans to increase the employment rate through the hiring of more
government clerks and plots to tax 75 percent those earning more than
1 million euros annually. At the same time news of Hollande’s victory
came in, news of the shattering defeat of center-right and left
parties in Greece that had been implementing strict belt-tightening
policies there also came in; add to this electoral losses for Angela
Merkel and her partners in Germany’s Schleswig-Holstein state, and it
all means bad news for the entire French-German axis.

Meanwhile, we in Turkey, who have almost miraculously remained
unshaken by the crisis in Europe, watched the defeat of Sarkozy almost
as though it was a national duel between us and the French leader. As
is well known, since the day he took over at Paris’ Elysee Palace,
Sarkozy has held strong and open anti-Turkey policies.

Over the course of his five years in office, Sarkozy carried out four
different political maneuvers against Turkey. The first was to call
for a special commission with the job of drawing the borders of
Europe, thereby shedding some light on the possible expansion of the
EU. The real goal here was to show that Turkey was neither
geographically nor culturally speaking part of Europe.

However, a 2010 report published by this committee, a committee formed
at the insistence of France, underscored that the concept of `European
borders’ was defined not by geography, but rather by values. The
report found the EU must respect the promises made to all candidate
member countries, and that the accession processes should continue.
The decision was like a slap in Sarkozy’s face.

The second move by Sarkozy, who was unsuccessful in branding Turkey as
not belonging to Europe, was to block a full five of the 35 different
accession talk chapters between Turkey and the EU. He was not
technically able to bring the accession process to an end, as a joint
vote by the 27 EU member countries would have been necessary for this,
but this tactic was successful at slowing the talks to nearly a
standstill. Perhaps the real aim was to force Turkey to push away from
the table. But this move also really did nothing but increase
antipathy toward France.

The third maneuver was to try and pass a bill through the French
parliament that would bring fines as well as prison sentences to those
who would deny the Armenian genocide. But this step by Sarkozy was
also frozen in its tracks when the Constitutional Council found the
bill to be contrary to the constitution.

Will Hollande at the helm of Paris mean that all of Turkey’s problems
will suddenly disappear? Well, the two leaders (Sarkozy and Hollande)
do have parallel views on the Armenian issue. But now, extra efforts
on this front do have to take into account the French Constitutional
Council. And keeping in mind the general economic crisis and a
negative pubic opinion, it would not be realistic to expect Hollande
to be an enthusiastic supporter of Turkey on the EU accession front.
Though, it is clear already that he won’t be quite the enemy that
Sarkozy was. And this could reflect positively on the accession
process.

In this new period before us, even just leaving behind the hostile
approaches and rudenesses that don’t suit standard diplomatic
courtesies will be a great victory. And so I congratulate the French
voters, who despite all of the various negativities of the times, did
not credit the extreme right-wing rhetoric out there. Both France and
Europe will be much better off without Sarkozy and other populist
leaders of his ilk.