Author: Kalantarian Kevo

ARTHUR BAGHDASARYAN RECEIVED CHINA AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA TIAN CHANGCHUN

Noyan Tapan

27.05.2011

(Noyan Tapan – 27.05.2011) On May 27, the secretary of National
Security Council Arthur Baghdasaryan received China Ambassador to
Armenia Tian Changchun.

The sides expressed their content over the process of Armenia-China
mutual cooperation formed since diplomatic relations. Arthur
Baghdasaryan underlined the importance of contribution of Armenia
-China dialogue in different fields of global security. For his part,
the Ambassador noted that China was interested in the deepening of
mutual cooperation with Armenia and would continue to support the
development of Armenia-China cooperation in different fields. The press
office of National Security Council informed “Noyan Tapan” about this.

FOUR ARMENIAN FREIGHT COMPANIES FINED AMD 100 MILLION

/ARKA/
May 27, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, May 27. /ARKA/. On Friday, Armenian State Commission for
Protection of Economic Competition fined four shipping companies for
ungrounded increase of prices.

Chors Enker company was fined AMD 55, SOHO company AMD 30 million,
Prof Improtex AMD 10 million and Nanis AMD 5 million.

These companies ought to submit information confirming payment of
fines within ten days.

Artak Shaboyan, chairman of the antitrust commission, said that these
companies were fined for anticompetitive collusion.

He said that representatives of these companies, explaining the
increase, have said that this step was prompted by raised salaries,
increased prices for leasing storehouses and shipment expenses.

However, no papers confirming it have been submitted.

“We were concurrently conducting our monitoring and examining
price-making mechanisms, but found no objective reasons for increase,”
Shaboyan said.

Prices for shipment of cargoes from Turkey and China were raised
twice. Traders, unhappy about the price rise, have repeatedly staged
protests.

WORLD BANK TO PROVIDE $39 MILLION LOAN TO ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT TO HELP ENHANCE POWER GRID

/ARKA/
May 27, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, May 27, /ARKA/. The World Bank will provide a $39 million loan
to the Armenian government as part of Electricity Supply Reliability
project, head of World Bank Yerevan Office, Jean-Michel Happi, told
journalists in Yerevan today.

Mr. Happi said the loan will be provided to the government which
in turn will finance the Electrical Networks of Armenia (ENA)
distribution company. The loan is repayable in 25 year and has a 10
year grace period. Mr. Happi said the total cost of this project is
$52 million. The government of Armenia will provide the remaining
$13 million.

According to Mr. Happi, despite having strong positions, Armenia’s
power grid’s infrastructure is outdated and this is a serious
challenge. In his words, the loan will be spent on replacing about
230 km long transmission lines, which make 45% of infrastructure
requiring immediate rehabilitation.

Speaking about possible revision of electricity tariffs he said the
government’s energy policy should be aimed at preserving the current
prices and securing concurrently safe electricity supplies.

Electrical Networks of Armenia (ENA) owns and manages Armenia’s
medium and low voltage networks. It is also the exclusive seller of
electrical power in Armenia, and is owned fully by Russian Inter RAO
UES. ENA has about 950,000 subscribers, and is one of the largest
corporate taxpayer.

DEAUVILLE STATEMENT AIMED AT MAINTAINING STATUS QUO, FORMER KARABAKH FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS

Tert.am
27.05.11

The statement the Minsk Group co-chair countries’ presidents made
in Deauville is a call to maintain the status quo, a former Karabakh
foreign minister says.

Commenting on the statement, Arman Melikyan said no agreement has been
reached between the conflict parties, and judging from what they say,
no such agreement is possible in the near future.

“All the presidents want is maintaining the peace because they prefer
peace to war,” he added.

In their joint statement issued in Deauville, France on 25 May,
US President Barrack Obama, French President Niclolas Sarkozy and
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called on the conflict parties
“to prepare their populations for peace, not war.”

RUSSIAN EXPERT: OIL AND GAS NOT TO SAVE AZERBAIJAN FROM SOCIAL, ECONOMIC PROBLEMS

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 27, 2011 – 08:28 AMT

Senior fellow at the Institute of Oriental Studies at the Russian
Academy of Sciences, Andrey Areshev said there are pro-western and
Islamist oppositions in Azerbaijan, while the latter is stronger and
presents more challenges to the government.

Even the presence of gas and oil does not save Azerbaijan from social
and economic problems, which are common for the post-Soviet countries,
Areshev told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

“The West has become active in Azerbaijan with respect to Iran, since
Azerbaijan, as a neighboring country, may play some role in case of
an attack on Iran,” he said. Areshev also pointed to the intensified
criticism addressed to the authorities.

“The experience of western democracy indicates that it is related
to certain interests, while human rights and other matters are mere
rhetoric. The factor of Nabucco also plays a role, but the most
important thing is Iran. The experience shows that a pro-American
regime does not guarantee maintenance of power, what is proved by
the example of Hosni Mubarak. Further aggravation of protests is
possible in Azerbaijan and Central Asia, but the current authorities
have enough resources to keep power,” said Andrey Areshev.

AMD 240.4 BILLION SENT TO GOVERNMENT BUDGET IN JAN-APR 2011 AS TAXES AND CUSTOMS DUTIES

/ARKA/
May 27, 2011
YEREVAN

Gagik Khachatryan, chairman of the Armenian State Revenue Committee,
told journalists on Friday after a session held by President Serzh
Sargsyan that AMD 240.4 billion had been transferred to the government
budget over the first four months of this year as taxes and customs
duties.

This amount is 10.2% greater than that sent to the budget over the
same period a year earlier.

Khachatryan said that 60% of the total taxes came from large economic
entities.

“There is room in Armenia to enlarge tax collection in all the areas,”
he said.

In the 2011 government budget, spending is projected at AMD 1 trillion
1 billion and revenue at AMD 852 billion, of which 44% are planned
to be filled with customs duties and 56% with taxes.

Budget deficit is expected to amount to AMD 148.6 billion in 2011. GDP
growth is projected at 4.6%. ($1= AMD 377.6).

KARABAKH, ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AND ARMENIA TODAY – IN A DOCUMENTARY
By Aghavni Haroutiunyan

AZG DAILY
27-05-2011

On June 3-4, English broadcasting TV channel Russia Today will
repeatedly show a documentary titled “Armenia – 20 years after USSR
collapse”. The film focuses on the modern history of the Republic
of Armenia.

Press center of the Armenian Embassy in Russia reported, the film
starts telling about Spitak earthquake in 1988, and then refers to
the beginning of Nagorno Karabakh conflict and the current stage of
the negotiation process.

The documentary also tells about the 1915 Armenian Genocide and
the consequences it had for the Armenian people. Armenia’s social,
economical and political achievements are also presented in the film.

POST OFFICE DEDICATED IN JUSKALIAN’S HONOR
By Bonnie Hobbs

Centre View

May 26 2011

Col. George Juskalian didn’t live to see the Sully Station branch of
the U.S. Post Office in Centreville named after him, but his family
did. His wife, children and grandchildren were at Saturday’s dedication
ceremony and they couldn’t have been prouder.

“He felt so strongly about letters, and thanking people was always so
important to him,” said his daughter, Elissa Jamaldinian. “So this is
the best way of appreciating someone – to dedicate something that’ll
always be in existence.”

Still, said his wife of 40 years, Lucine Juskalian of Centreville’s
Virginia Run community, “I wish he knew; he would have been so happy
and proud.”

He died July 4, 2010 at age 96, but lives on in the hearts and
minds of those who knew and loved him. “World War II veterans are
the Greatest Generation, and the United States is the most powerful
country in the world because of that generation,” said his wife on
Saturday. “It was the inspiring example of the new generation.”

Juskalian served in the Army for 30 years, retiring in 1967 as a full
colonel. He fought in WWII, Korea and Vietnam, was a POW for 27 months
and received a slew of medals and ribbons for distinguished service –
including two silver stars, four bronze stars, the Legion of Merit
and the Army Commendation Medal.

He and his family moved to Centreville in 1989 and made many friends,
including neighbor Greg Mathieson, who initially contacted U.S. Rep.

Frank Wolf (R-10th) about naming the post office building in
Juskalian’s honor. Wolf introduced a bill to that effect and, on Nov.

29, 2010, the U.S. House of Representatives passed it.

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner then shepherded it though the Senate, where it
also passed, and President Barack Obama later signed it into law. As
a result, the Sully Station Post Office will now be known as the Col.

George Juskalian Post Office.

“The help of Congressman Wolf’s staff, members of Centreville’s
American Legion Post 1995 and VFW Post 8469 [Blue and Gray] of Fairfax
also made this possible,” said Mathieson. “In receiving this honor,
Col. Juskalian does not stand alone, but represents all POWs and
other World War II veterans in perpetuity.”

The dedication ceremony was Saturday afternoon, May 21, and
was attended by some 200 friends, neighbors and relatives of the
Juskalians, as well as war veterans, former POWs and members of the
Armenian community. Participants included politicians, clergymen,
postal employees and students.

Peter DeFreece, commander of American Legion Post 1995, was the
moderator. Westfield High’s band and choir performed the National
Anthem, and the Chantilly Academy’s junior AFROTC presented the colors
with members of American Legion Post 177 and VFW Post 8469.

The Rev. Hovsepkarapetyan of St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church in
Washington, D.C., called Juskalian a man of honor and a good Christian
whose “dedication extended beyond his military career. May the memory
of our veterans who served this country and died for it always be
blessed eternally.” He then asked God to “guard and bless this post
office and everyone working there.”

Michael Furey, USPS Northern Virginia district manager, said the
Postal Service was “proud to be here today and honor an American
patriot. There are many deserving people across the country; it takes
a tremendous amount of work to have a post office named after someone.

The dedication plaque in the lobby will honor one of Centreville’s
own who served his country, family and community in a manner that
was truly exceptional.”

Wolf read letters from Warner and from former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole,
who said it was fitting to honor Juskalian on May 21, which was Armed
Forces Day. “Col. Juskalian embodied the spirit of the military in his
everyday life,” wrote Dole. “Men like him don’t come around too often.

He always put others first, and today is his time to be put first.”

Acknowledging the presence of the many veterans and former POWs
attending the ceremony in front of the post office, Wolf said Juskalian
“actively embraced the values of sacrifice and service that we hold so
dear.” He then gave a summary of Juskalian’s long military career and
honors earned, also recognizing his membership in the VFW, American
Legion and Armenian Assembly of America.

Noting that Juskalian was the son of immigrants, Wolf called him “an
example of the best of America – [someone] who devoted himself to the
preservation of our nation and freedom around the world. His name on
this facility is a fitting tribute to his many years of service and
a constant reminder of the sacrifices our military and their families
have made and continue to make for our country.”

Del. Jim LeMunyon (R-67th) presented a certificate to Juskalian’s son
Kevork on behalf of the governor and General Assembly, acknowledging
the building dedication in his father’s name. Kevork thanked Wolf
for his efforts to honor his father, adding, “Special thanks to Greg
Mathieson who’s been such a good friend to my family and was the
catalyst for this event.”

“Throughout his life, the postal service kept my father in touch with
his family,” said Kevork. “He taught us the value of taking the time
to put words on paper and stay connected with each other. My father
would be proud to be honored this way and to know so many veterans
attended this ceremony.”

After the plaque unveiling came the benediction by the Rev. Vertanes
Kalayjian, also of St. Mary. “This is an honor for Col. Juskalian,
the citizen, soldier and member of the Armenian Church,” he said. “It’s
also a proud day for [our] church.”

Also pleased was Juskalian’s neighbor, Yom Kim, who said afterward,
“We belonged to the same chapter of Korean War Veterans. It’s great
that the post office was named after him. I miss him very much.”

Supervisor Michael R. Frey (R-Sully) was also thrilled about the
building dedication. “Col. Juskalian really was such an incredible
guy – and yet, he’d have had no one know about what he did, except
his family. It’s nice that, now, we will forever remember him.”

Agreeing, son-in-law Joe Jamaldinian said, “He never boasted regarding
his service to the country, and his love for people and talent as a
wordsmith were his gifts to connect with others. I was proud to have
known him and to be able to call him Dad.”

OBAMA AND CAMERON ASK G8 PARTNERS TO BANKROLL ARAB SPRING COUNTRIES WHICH EMBRACE DEMOCRACY

Daily Mail

May 26 2011
UK

Nations could breed ‘poisonous extremism’ if not given financial aid,
warns Cameron Prime Minister defends plans to spend UK money at time
of austerity

U.S. and France once again call for Yemen leader to stand down Cameron
confirms helicopters may soon be deployed in Libya

World leaders call on Armenia and Azerbaijan to move towards a
peaceful resolution in long-standing conflict Serbia praised for
arrest of war crimes fugitive Mladic

Barack Obama has asked U.S. allies gathered at the G8 summit to
back his calls to provide financial assistance to Tunisia and Egypt,
countries at the forefront of the Arab Spring uprisings.

The U.S. President said both countries will need help stabilising and
modernising their economies as they attempt to transition to democracy.

David Cameron echoed Obama’s sentiments at today’s summit in
Deauville, saying the Arab Spring could breed ‘poisonous extremism’
and immigration if wealthy nations do not step in to help fledgling
democracies.

The Prime Minister called on his fellow leaders to demonstrate they
were ‘on the side’ of reforming countries such as Egypt and Tunisia.

‘I want a very simple and clear message to come out of this summit,
and that is that the most powerful nations on earth have come together
and are saying to those in the Middle East and North Africa who want
greater democracy, greater freedom, greater civil rights, we are on
your side,’ Mr Cameron said in a round of interviews.

THE ARMENIANS, THE JEWS AND ISRAEL

Thu, May 26, 2011

Until recently, Israel chose to ignore the genocide in the Ottoman
empire.

In 1915-16, during World War I, the Turks were responsible for the
massacre of as many as 1.5 million Armenian inhabitants of the Ottoman
Empire. Among the first to warn about the nature and scope of the
atrocity was Aaron Aaronsohn – the renowned agronomist from Zichron
Ya’acov who established the Nili spy ring, which in the course of
the war collected information about Ottoman military movements and
other strategic issues and passed it on to the British authorities.

Several of Aaronsohn’s relatives and colleagues actually witnessed the
bloody manifestations of the massacre. In November 1916, Aaronsohn
sent the British authorities a memorandum entitled “Pro Armenia,”
in which he described the atrocities.

The previous month, he had sent a long letter to Judge Julian Mack –
a leading American Zionist – in which he tried to convince him to
adopt a pro-British position, inter alia describing the massacre of
the Armenians and claiming that the Ottoman policy against both the
Armenians and the Jews (who he feared might suffer a similar plight)
had “made in Germany” written all over it. The Ottoman Empire, it
may be recalled, was an ally of Germany in the war, and at the time
Aaronsohn was writing, many Jews held pro-German or neutral positions.

The Jewish yishuv in Palestine, the Zionist Organization and the State
of Israel since 1948 could not claim ignorance of what happened to
the Armenians.

And yet until recently, Israel has chosen to ignore the event, with
numerous excuses, each of which is shameful in its own right.

The first is that since Turkey denies that a systematic massacre of
Armenians ever took place, as well as minimizing the numbers involved
(a number that justifies the term genocide), and since for years
Israel regarded Turkey as a strategic ally – one of the few Muslim
states it could regard as such – Israel would do well not to “let
sleeping dogs lie.”

The fact that other states, including the US, adopted a similar policy
seemed to justify Israel’s position.

The second excuse was that referring to the massacre of the Armenians
as genocide might belittle the enormity of the Holocaust – an Israeli
attitude that applies to other cases of genocide as well (and is,
in my opinion, not just unjustified, but disgraceful). The Jewish
Holocaust – in terms of both its circumstances and its manifestations
– is without doubt unique. Nevertheless, this does not justify our
belittling or ignoring the horrors that have occurred to other peoples.

The third excuse is that since we do not like others criticizing
our treatment of the Palestinians, we should avoid criticizing other
states for the way they treat their minorities. This excuse is simply
foolish, and may easily boomerang, because no matter how problematic
our record of treating our Arab citizens (and the Palestinians in
general) might be, it bears no resemblance to the sorts of acts we are
talking about. On the contrary, given the nature of the Arab-Israeli
conflict, our record – though certainly not free of blemish – cannot
be described as involving massacres or acts of genocide at all, as
some, including the Turks, can. The Turks are the first who should
be confronted with the difference, and it is a shame that only now,
when Israel’s relations with Turkey have deteriorated to unprecedented
levels due to unbridled Turkish attacks, Israel has finally decided
to have its public say on the Armenian genocide.

For years, various MKs from Meretz have tried to get the Knesset to
hold a public debate on the subject. Until last week, the only sort
of debate to which the Foreign Ministry, speaking in the name of
the government, would consent was one in the Knesset Foreign Affairs
and Defense Committee, whose proceedings are confidential and whose
minutes are not published.

On May 18, the plenum finally decided, following a motion brought
forth by MK Zehava Gal-On, to hold an open debate on the subject
in the Education, Culture and Sports Committee – the proceedings of
which are public, with full minutes published on the Knesset website.

No one opposed the subject’s being referred to the committee,
and all the speakers, from Right and Left, religious and secular,
spoke in its favor. All one can say is: “better late than never,”
but what a shame it took so long.

The writer is a former Knesset employee.