Author: Kalantarian Kevo

INSTALLMENT OF ONE ANTI-HAIL STATION FOR PROTECTION OF 80 HECTARES ESTIMATED TO COST ABOUT AMD 7 MILLION

YEREVAN, July 5. /ARKA/. Installment of one anti-hail station for
protection of 80 hectares is estimated to cost about AMD 7 million,
and the cost of anti-hail network intended for one hectare ranges
from $12,000 to 22,000, Deputy Agriculture Minister Robert Makaryan
said Wednesday at a news conference.

“Anti-hail networks designed for one hectare are quite expensive,
and neither the government nor farmers can afford them,” he said
answering a question of ARKA News Agency’s correspondent.

The deputy minister stressed that it would be more reasonable to
deploy anti-hail networks, since they are more effective than stations.

The talk about deployment of anti-hail facilities in Armenia was
prompted by the recent hailstorms, which have inflicted significant
damage to 17,000 hectares of crop land in Armenia’s Armavir province.

Crops in Shirak, Aragatsotn, Lori, Kotayk and Syunik provinces have
been stricken by hail as well.

Makaryan said that taking into account that thunderous clouds mostly
come to Armenia from Turkey, 101 anti-hail stations have been deployed
on the Armenia-Turkey border.

In 2012, 35 new anti-hail stations were installed in Armenia in 2012.

The government intends to increase their number to 250 this year. ($1 –
AMD 416.02).-0-

ISRAEL DOES NOT RECOGNIZE NEW ARMENIAN PATRIARCH

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
June 5 2013

Archbishop Nurkhan Manukyan has recently been enthroned as the 97th
Armenian patriarch of Jerusalem in St. James Church in the Armenian
quarter of Jerusalem.

The official ceremony has been attended by many senior clerics of the
Armenian Church, including the head of the Armenian Church in Great
Britain, Vaan Ovanisyan.

The 97th Armenian patriarch of Jerusalem was born in 1948 in Aleppo,
Syria, and educated in Lebanon, Jerusalem and the United States.He
served as a priest in Switzerland, New York and theIsraeli cities of
Jaffa and Haifa. In 1999 he became a bishop and in 2000 an archbishop.

One should note that previously all Christian churches in Jerusalem
were trying to elect as their heads people who were equally supported
by Israel, Jordan and Palestine. That is why such elections have
always been a serious diplomatic game.

The election of the new Armenian patriarch has violated this unwritten
rule, as his candidacy was supported by Jordan and Palestine, but
not Israel. The reason is quite clear. Manukyan has made a series
of anti-Israeli statements and in 2013 condemned Israel for not
recognizing the 1915 Armenian Genocide.

The Israeli authorities are quite open about the fact that they see
the election of Manukyan as a direct challenge and are worried about
possible conflicts with the Armenian diaspora in Jerusalem.

By Pyotr Lyukimson. Exclusively to VK

RECENT PROTESTS IN TURKEY SERIOUS BLOW TO FOREIGN POLICY AMBITIONS

June 05, 2013 | 14:53

YEREVAN. – Protest actions in Turkey involve different groups,
from nationalists to the lefts, intellectuals and common citizens,
expert in Turkish studies Levon Hovsepyan said at a press conference
on Wednesday.

However, he believes the action cannot be characterized as the
opposition clashes with the government. He stressed that Turkish PM
Erdogan is faced with serious problems, adding that success of ruling
party will be questioned as the country will hold elections in 2014.

As to foreign policy, the expert is confident that recent processes
are a serious blow to Turkey’s ambitions since the country tried to
act as a state stabilizing the regional situation.

“The U.S. and EU will take up the matter with Turkey, and Ankara will
have to reckon with all this,” Levon Hovsepyan said.

Summing up, the analyst said he believes the movement is not likely
to fade away.

Police used violence against protest action in Taksim Square of
Istanbul which was followed by uprising throughout the country. Around
2,000 people were arrested and dozens were injured during the clashes.

Environmental mottos turned into political ones demanding Erdogan’s
resignation.

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH: EYES ON ISTANBUL AS TAKSIM SQUARE PROTESTS SPREAD

News | 04.06.13 | 16:06

By Siranuysh Gevorgyan
ArmeniaNow reporter

Analysts in Armenia have their watchful eye on the dramatic events
unfolding in Turkey. Political changes in the neighbor country with
which Armenia has no diplomatic relations, can nonetheless have a
direct tangible impact on the whole region.

Enlarge Photo Ruben Melkonyan

Expert in Turkish studies Ruben Melkonyan says the spontaneous small
act of protest held by a group of young environmental activists last
week in Turkey has turned into a large-scale political turmoil, which
has even spread to Turkey’s “younger brother” Azerbaijan. Melkonyan
says all the developments in Turkey commonly find their reflection
in Azerbaijan, although in a more provincial and primitive manner.

Last week’s peaceful sit-in to protect one of Istanbul’s last public
parks rapidly spread to 44 of Turkey’s 80 states and became a huge
wave of protest against the authorities. Malkonyan says the active
leftist sector of Turkey’s Armenian community is also part of it.

Despite the fact that the movement against Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan does not have an obvious political leader,
Melkonyan says, it clearly indicates the conflict and discord between
the Islamist-rooted authorities and the ruling military and the
supporters of more secular government.

Analysts are cautious to call these developments a “Turkish spring
or Turkish summer” (as in the “Arab spring”), however the revolt of
people out in the streets now is met with rather brutal treatment by
the police, with grave consequences: more than 3,000 demonstrators
have been detained, hundreds more have been wounded, two young men
(20 and 22 years old) have died.

“Turkish ‘democracy’ has revealed its true face once again,”
says Melkonyan, in reference to the actions of the policemen which
have undergone numerous EU-sponsored trainings, but are now acting
merciless, and adds with conviction that these events are a mighty
card to play against Turkey for the countries opposing its potential
EU membership.

As opposed to President Abdulla Gul, who viewed the protest as an
expression of democracy, premier Erdogan has demonstrated arrogance
towards the protestors, calling them liars. Prior to leaving for
Morocco on Monday, he said accusing outside forces in supporting the
protest that the Turkish intelligence service is now searching for
connections between the demonstrators and foreign forces.

Melkonyan, in fact, does not rule out the role of western forces
in the Turkish turmoil, as a restrictive measure against Turkey’s
aggressive policy.

“Turkey has become too active in the region recently and even resorts
to political unruliness, meaning it uses tough tones when talking
not only to the region’s other countries, but also to its sponsors –
the West, the USA. Hence, I view this as the West’s sobering blow
against the Turkish authorities, by which it might be sending a
message to restrain themselves a little bit, and to remind that the
Turkish society has many weak spots and is vulnerable, and problems
can arise at any minute,” says Melkonyan.

PROTESTERS DO NOT EXCLUDE SOCIAL UPHEAVAL IN ARMENIA

02:59 PM | TODAY | SOCIAL

About two dozen people today gathered outside the Russian Embassy
in Yerevan, protesting against the pending increase in the cost of
Russian natural gas imported to Armenia.

“Let’s prevent the hike in natural gas tariffs” initiative group had
brought with them a letter addressed to Russian Ambassador to Armenia
Ivan Volynkin. In the letter, the group said that ‘the hike in gas
prices would increase the cost of public utilities and staples. By
increasing the gas prices GasProm seeks to have annually $150 million
in revenue. Our patience also has limits.’

The authors of the letter do not rule out the possibility of a social
upheaval and say the issue can be easily tacked at this stage if the
Russian side agrees not to increase the gas prices.

No one from the Embassy showed up to meet the protesters. They left
the letter in the mailbox and left the area.

TOURISTS FROM LATIN AMERICA, AFRICA, AUSTRALIA AND SINGAPORE INTERESTED IN ARMENIA

11:03, 5 June, 2013

YEREVAN, JUNE 5, ARMENPRESS. The geography of the tourists visiting
Armenia is growing each year. In accordance with the regular surveys
conducted in the frontier units not only tourists from the Russian
Federation, Georgia, United States, and a number of European countries
visit Armenia, but tourists from Latin America, African countries,
Australia, and Singapore as well. The Head of the Tourism Department of
the Ministry of Economy Mekhak Apresyan stated this in a conversation
with “Armenpress”.

Among other things Mekhak Apresyan underscored: “There are tourists
from certain countries, which used to visit Armenia very rarely,
but presently the number of those countries recorded a growth.

Surely, the number of visits is not so important, but the fact that
Armenia’s popularity and interest towards Armenia grew, is of a certain
importance for us.” It is considered to maintain the results of the
past year and make attempt to record a progress. In addition Mekhak
Apresyan underscored: “We are considering to increase that number by
10 percent. 128 237 tourists paid a visit to Armenia on January-March
of 2013. In comparison with the same period of the previous year
we have recorded a growth of 22.9 percent. It’s very promising,
but these rates may be altered.

IN VATICAN, POPE FRANCIS RECOGNIZES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE – VIDEO

09:41 05.06.2013

Armenisn Genocide, Pope Francis

Pope Francis, during a meeting Monday with a delegation led by Nerses
Bedros XIX, Catholicos Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenian Catholics
at the Vatican reiterated his earlier recognition of the Armenian
Genocide, Diaro Armenia reports.

During the visit, the pope met with members of the delegation, when
one of them said that she was a descendant of Genocide victims, to
which the pontiff responded: “The first genocide of the 20th Century
was that of the Armenians,” thus reiterating his earlier recognition
of the Armenian Genocide while he headed the Catholic Church in Buenos
Aires as Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio.

Seven years ago, during events marking the 91st anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide in Buenos Aires, then Archbishop of Buenos Aires
Jorge Mario Bergoglio urged Turkey to recognize the Genocide as the
“gravest crime of Ottoman Turkey against the Armenian people and the
entire humanity.”

Director of the Armenian National Committee of South America, Dr.

Alfonso Tabakian explained that this was the first such statement
from the pontiff since being elevated to pope and leader of the Roman
Catholic Church.

Tabakian called the statement “very important since his words transcend
any state or religion.”

“This recognition of the Armenian Genocide as the first genocide
of the twentieth century reaffirms the statements of John Paul II
[which were made] upon his arrival in Armenia on September 25, 2001,
demonstrating that more and more states, parliaments and international
organizations are adopting this position against the denial of history
perpetrated by the Turkish State,” added Tabakian.

During the visit, Nerses Bedros XIX presented the pope with a painting
depicting Jesus Christ on the crucifix.

cide/

LA COMPAGNIE DES CHEMINS DE FER DU SUD CAUCASE DEVELOPPE SA COOPERATION AVEC LES SOCIETES ARMENIENNES

La compagnie des Chemins de fer du Sud Caucase a declare que dans le
cadre de sa strategie de soutien et de developpement de la production
nationale, l’annee dernière elle a achete 3,65 milliards de drams
de biens et services auprès de 35 societes armeniennes. A titre de
comparaison, en 2011, elle avait achete 2 milliards de drams de biens
et services.

La majeure partie des marchandises achetees sont des equipements
de chemin de fer, du carburant, de l’huile et des lubrifiants, de
l’habillement et des chaussures, des pièces de rechange necessaires
pour assurer l’exploitation sûre et harmonieuse de l’installation
dit un communique de l’entreprise.

” L’exigence majeure de la compagnie des chemins de fer du Sud Caucase
est la qualite. Par consequent, elle a mis fin aux contrats avec
trois compagnies qui ont rompu les termes du contrat en fournissant
des produits de moindre qualite, ” dit le communique.

mercredi 5 juin 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

LES ETATS-UNIS SOUHAITENT UNE RESOLUTION PACIFIQUE DU CONFLIT DANS LA REGION DU HAUT-KARABAGH

Le secretaire d’Etat americain John Kerry s’est entretenu avec
les ministres des Affaires etrangères armenien et azerbaïdjanais
a Washington pour discuter des moyens de sortir du conflit du
Haut-Karabagh. ” Il est essentiel que toutes les parties trouvent un
moyen pour aider a sortir de l’impasse “, a-t-il declare.

Kerry a souligne ” l’interet ” de Washington pour regler pacifiquement
le conflit lors son allocution d’ouverture a la reunion. ” La dernière
chose que nous voulons, c’est un retour a la guerre et au conflit “,
a-t-il dit.” Je crois qu’il y a une voie a suivre, et nous allons
continuer a travailler tranquillement et patiemment pour essayer
d’encourager les parties a trouver un moyen vers un règlement sur
cette question. ”

Les agences de presse azerbaïdjanaises ont cite Mammadyarov qui
souhaite faire avancer le processus de paix. Mais il n’a pas voulu
dire si des accords concrets en ce sens ont ete conclus a Washington.

Mammadyarov a egalement annonce qu’il se reunira avec les co-presidents
du Groupe de Minsk de l’OSCE a Londres vendredi.

Nous ne savons pas si les trois mediateurs envisagent de rencontrer
Nalbandian. Le ministre armenien et son bureau de presse n’ont fait
aucune declaration après la reunion avec Kerry.

Les copresidents ont visite Bakou et Erevan le mois dernier. Ils ont
dit qu’ils essaient maintenant d’organiser une nouvelle reunion avec
les presidents de l’Armenie et de l’Azerbaïdjan.

Le president azerbaïdjanais Ilham Aliyev a critique la mission des
mediateurs a son retour.

mercredi 5 juin 2013, Laetitia ©armenews.com

PERSPECTIVES OF SUNNITE CALIPHATE

Apparently the factors and arguments for the reproduction of a certain
pseudo-imperial formation in Eurasian around Russia or actually Russia
have worn out, and now the last haven for the Moscow imperialism is
the Sunnite caliphate as a threat to many countries and peoples. But
how serious are the arguments about the Sunnite caliphate, especially
under the aegis of the United States?

The Huntington doctrine on the fight of civilizations encountered an
irresistible and omnipresent thing – a severe struggle among certain
civilizations. This is taking place in the Catholic and Orthodox
worlds, a fatal fight is going on between the Sunnites and Shiites
which distracts mostly Sunnite states from national interests.

However, the major fight for recarving of borders and layout of
geopolitical configuration is taking place in the Sunnite world
and space.

Dreaming of the role of the Sunnite world leader, Turkey faced
ambiguous events and openly hostile attitude of leaders and outsiders
of Sunni Arab states. Sunnite Arab states are still having acute
controversies (sometimes in a sleeping mode). Look at Central Asia.

There are no Shiites, Christians, Buddhists, Confucians, countries
and people with common languages and cultures are torn by hostility.

Some Sunnite states still face conflicts among clans and tribes
which expose territorial integrity of some states. Certain projects
of leading Sunnite states of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan, such
as those in Bosnia or Iraq, do not get assistance and support because
most outposts of the “caliphate” would like to keep to completely
different geopolitical and socio-cultural aspects. These projects are
rather relating to national ambitions of these leading states rather
than the idea of caliphate.

In addition, the United States is carrying out a total policy of
division, fragmentation and formatting of giant spaces. In addition,
the current U.S. doctrine is determined by the lack of means and
levers of influence rather than their strength. The partners of
the United States in the Near East, including Israel, have already
understood this.

The establishment of a Sunnite caliphate under the aegis of the
United States is one of the propaganda-oriented scenarios, which is
wholly fiction. The promoters of this scenario have not answered the
question why the Americans would need to do this. Or is the United
States making the next fatal mistake?

The United States is using occasional conflicts and ambitions of
Sunnite elites to resolve local and complex geopolitical issues. There
is no doubt that Washington’s official statements state the goals and
objectives of the United States differently but which state is more
honest? The global goal of the United States is not an integrated
but a fragmental state, prevention of strengthening global centers of
force, even in regard to their partners. Separate clusters of Sunnite
radicalism are activated in each geopolitical aspect, not the idea of
“caliphate”.

Let us assume that Russia will be designated or will choose the
role of saving someone from the caliphate. Which countries will
appear under its control, the countries of the Sunnite area? So,
what is awaiting Russia – a lasting war with the Caliphate on its
own territory or the territory its holds under control? Following the
insolent and mercantile behavior of Moscow, a real den, it is hard to
imagine that it would be ready for such large-scale resistance. The
Russian elites would like to be Americanized and prefer not to fly
the Russian civil aviation planes while their children study at the
universities of North America and Europe.

There are threats and risks and they are well-identified, and
specifically and professionally stated agreements between current and
potential partners are needed to eliminate those threats rather than
unsuccessful propaganda flying somewhere in the clouds. Modern Russia
is still a young power because it does not have sufficient experience
of strategic and tactical studies. All the 22 years of independent
existence of Russia is all faults, failures and deliberate betrayals
in foreign policy.

Now the ruling elite has apparently decided that in-house problems
have been resolved, and it is time to deal with outer space. Not bad!

However, it needs to be solid, taking into account the realities but
not take their fantasy for reality and in addition to this mislead
their “brother” nations. Apparently, it is allowed to gag their
society but not their brotherly nations.

Calls are made to make a choice between the British approach of
interests or the Russian approach of brotherhood. How about us? What
have we been doing over the past 23 years? Have we been engaged in
brotherhood which turned out to be buddy-buddy and hangout in nature?

In fact, any doctrine should first be tried out and adapted to
the one’s own national contingent before exporting it, furthermore
combining it with elements of blatant blackmail.

Igor Muradyan 18:08 04/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News: