Author: Kalantarian Kevo

LIVERPOOL FC EYE £20M MOVE FOR SHAKHTAR DONETSK’S HENRIKH MKHITARYAN

Click Liverpool, UK
June 4 2013

by Richard Buxton

Liverpool are planning a move for Shakhtar Donetsk playmaker Henrikh
Mkhitaryan.

The 24-year-old scored 25 goals in 29 appearances last season and
on the Reds’ hit list as part of Brendan Rodgers’s rebuild in his
efforts to secure Champions League qualification next term.

Mkhitaryan has previously been linked with Barcelona, Chelseea and
Manchester City, and would cost in excess of £20million but Liverpool
are understood to be willing to match that valuation.

But the move for the Armenian international has not been motivated by
Luis Suarez’s attempts last week to engineer a move away from Anfield,
as Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid continue to circle.

Liverpool remain unwavering in their demands for the controversial
Uruguayan, who is banned for the first six games of next season,
with offers of £50million – their record fee accrued from Fernando
Torres’s sale to Chelsea in January 2011 – expected to be enough to
secure his departure.

Their plans to strengthen will be boosted when Andy Carroll is
expected to complete his protracted £15million move to West Ham
United later this week. The striker had stalled on his Upton Park
switch as he considered his options but has now accepted that his
career on Merseyside is over.

Schalke defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos remains high on Liverpool’s
list of priorities this summer, having already secured the signature
of City’s outgoing centre-back Kolo Toure on a free transfer and
agreed a £7.7million deal with Celta Vigo for striker Iago Aspas.

FOOD FROM HOME: THE ARMENIAN CHEESE BOREG

New University Online, CA
june 4 2013

by Carla Kekejian | Jun 04, 2013 | Comments 0

You’re sitting in your dorm room, apartment or beachside Newport
complex, bored and hungry. You think to yourself, wishing you knew
how to cook something fun, easy and delicious. If only, right? Well,
worry no more!

Let me introduce you to the Armenian Cheese Boreg (Borek.) Quite
similar to the Latin empanada, the boreg is a stuffed bread/pastry
turnover, filled with a variety of savory ingredients. Baked or fried,
it’s often stuffed with different cheeses, meats and/or vegetables.

The boreg is a traditional Armenian food item, and depending on its
size and quantity, is served as an appetizer, side dish or meal.

At every family gathering, whether it was birthdays, New Years’
celebrations, graduations or just simple Sunday afternoon family
dinners, the boreg was always present on the table. The main dishes
always changed for every event, varying from turkey, lamb, barbecued
chicken or beef kebabs. However, the boreg, along with a few other
side dishes never did.

The number of guests at gatherings varied as well. Whether it was
an intimate family dinner for six or a pre-wedding party for 60, the
amount of food at gatherings was always doubled, if not tripled. This
way, the immediate and extensive family can enjoy delicious leftovers
for days to come. It’s all part of the tradition. Some things just
never change!

My family had a relatively difficult time accepting the fact that I
would be moving away from home. “What will she eat? What if she can’t
adjust to ‘college food’?” were just a few of the many worries they
had about me moving to college. But through it all, they managed to
find their own silver lining. “We’ll have to make more food for you
to take to school,” they said. And gladly, I accepted.

Living on campus is great, and “Late-Night” at the dining commons will
forever be my favorite meal of the day, but homesickness is inevitable;
even when home is just an hour and a half drive away.

Bringing boreg, and other foods, to school makes “school” feel a little
more homey. The way I see it, you can take a person out of a house,
but you can’t take the home out of a person.

So, let’s get cooking! Here is what you’ll need:

1 box of puff pastry (available in the frozen section at any market)
1 lb Jack cheese 1/2 lb Feta cheese 1/2 tsp powdered mint 1/2 tsp
powdered red pepper 1 small onion 2 eggs 1/2 tbs powdered oregano
(optional) 1/2 stem of parsley (optional) 1 can of Pam (No, you won’t
be using it all!)

Directions:

Prior to preparing your dish, make sure your puff pastry has defrosted
completely. Grab a flat pan and spray “Pam” cooking oil spray over it;
this will help your boregs not stick to the pan. Next, lay out all
of your puff pastry squares and cut each square diagonally, creating
two even triangles out of one square. Keep in mind that each box of
puff pastry contains eight to 10 squares. You will now need to prepare
your cheese stuffing. Grate your pound of Jack cheese and half pound
of Feta cheese, and place them in a bowl. In that bowl, add your half
teaspoon of powdered mint and half a teaspoon of powdered red pepper.

Then, chop up your small onion into tiny bits and add that to your
mixture as well. Next you will need to crack one of your eggs, and
add only the egg whites into your blend. Furthermore, if you’re one
who prefers a stuffing more enhanced in flavor, you may add half a
tablespoon of powdered oregano and half chopped up parsley. Thus,
our stuffing is complete!

Now place two tablespoons of your mixture at the center of a puff
pastry triangle. Grab another triangle and use it to “close” the
one you just filled. Use a fork (or your fingers) to press on the
edges of the two triangles to keep your cheesy stuffing inside. At
this point you have filled half of your puff pastry triangles, and
closed over them with the other half, creating eight to 10 cheese
boregs depending on how many pieces of puff pastry came in your box.

Next you’ll need to grab another bowl. This time crack your second
egg in it. Mix the yolk along with the whites, and with a blush,
stroke the egg mixture over your boregs – this will give it a glossy
look once you have completed baking. Grab your tray and place it in a
freezer for one hour so that your puff pastry does not deflate. After
an hour in the freezer, remove your tray and place it in the oven for
about 20-25 minutes at about 350 degrees. Finally, carefully remove
your pan of the oven. Your boregs are now golden and ready! Give it
a few minutes to cool down, and then enjoy your homemade delicacy!

GEORGIA FACING THREAT OF MUSLIM DENOMINATIONS CONFRONTING EACH OTHER

Alia, Georgia
May 31 2013

Mamuka Areshidze: ‘It is a really serious danger for the country’

A great part of society does not know that a mosque is being built
in Ponichala [outskirts of capital Tbilisi]. The issue has not been
made public up to now. What threats does the construction of a mosque
pose and what danger can it cause for Georgia?

Expert in Caucasus issues Mamuka Areshidze substantiated the issue
in his interview to Alia.

[Samkharadze] Up to now, the construction of a mosque in Ponichala
has raised no stir. Why was the issue secretly pushed and why was
the vigilance dulled?

Wahhabism picking up “momentum” in Georgia

[Areshidze] The thing is that all this has a prehistory and I would
like to ask you to publish everything I say. Back in the early 1990s,
the then Russian leadership opened the gate for Islamist groupings
to hinder the national movement. In 1995, a person who is the leader
of Al-Qa’ida today, arrived in [Russia’s North Caucasus Republic of]
Dagestan. His name is [Abu-Mus’ab] al-Zarqawi. He is an Arab. And
this is when the term Wahhabi first emerged. They opened the gate to
organizations preaching radical Islam, which was used as a political
instrument. It must be noted that in 1995, an Arab mullah first
appeared in [predominantly ethnic Chechen-populated] Pankisi Gorge in
Georgia. At the time, the fact was given insufficient attention by the
Georgian special services. Wahhabism was a novelty not showing any
special aggression in Georgia. However, as soon as Chechen refugees
appeared in the Pankisi Gorge, Wahhabism spread more widely. Things
came to such a pitch that at they made an attempt to oust mullahs
from a traditional Islamist mosque. Having failed to do so, they
constructed a new mosque. Correspondingly, there are two mosques in
Pankisi today. To be able to control the situation in the Pankisi
Gorge, they decided to rely on Wahhabis.

Azerbaijani, Iranian influences struggling in Georgia’s Azeri-populated
area

The Georgian authorities relied on force rather than professionals.

They used blackmail and all sorts of nasty methods. This ideology was
implemented in the [Pankisi] Gorge by brothers Lortkipanidze. Later,
one of the brothers became [former Georgian Interior Minister]
Vano Merabishvili’s deputy and the other became head of the
security [department] in Kakheti [of which Pankisi is part]. Then,
the [religious] denomination started to spread in Kvemo Kartli
[predominantly populated by ethnic Azeris], where the situation is as
follows: There, Azerbaijani and Iranian influences are struggling with
each other at the state level. Once, there was also Turkish influence,
which is now reduced despite the fact that in Kvemo Kartli, there are
representatives of the Turkish denomination too. I mean the Sunnis. It
should be noted that Kvemo Kartli is predominantly [populated by]
followers of the Muslim denomination, which is dominant in Iran.

However, the Azerbaijanis are a Turkic tribe. The situation is
paradoxical. By the rules, they should be pro-Turkish. However,
with regard to religion, they are inclined to Iran. As a result, in
Kvemo Kartli, Shi’a Azerbaijan and Shi’a Iran are struggling with
each other. Their struggle for the influence in Kvemo Kartli is a
very complicated issue, as the situation is extremely difficult. The
Iranians seem to be trying to influence the situation there by means
of Azerbaijanis living in Georgia. In addition to it all, Wahhabism
is picking up momentum in Pankisi.

Now let us discuss what happened in the outskirts of Tbilisi. The
place is mainly populated by Shi’a Azerbaijanis. Out of a sudden,
a community is formed there calling itself “Islamic community”. They
appealed to the City Hall for a permission to build a prayer house.

Eventually, they received the permission. The fact caused indignation
among the local Shi’a population, which is natural, as Wahhabism is
absolutely unacceptable to them. When I saw the document, which was
published by your newspaper, too, I read a very interesting piece of
information there. The City Hall gave a building permit to a corporate
entity. This means that it cannot be a private house as the City Hall
is trying to say in self-defence that they gave a permit to build a
private house. This is a building given to a corporate entity. In
reality, they are building a mosque. The main thing is that the
City Hall did it intentionally aiming to bring more tensions to the
situation, or they gave permission out of ignorance. If you know
nothing, why do you give permission? After all, it was possible to
ask others… [Ellipsis as published] The head of the organization is
Mufti Kamil Mamedov. Shi’ism knows no term like this. He is a shaykh.

Situations like this should be approached with caution. This is not
a certain harmless sect, whose existence causes no problems. This
is a Wahhabi organization. Wahhabism has taken on in Kvemo Kartli
in a creeping format. I have always said that the Pankisi Gorge was
a stepping stone and it would by all means go on. We can see the
results brought about by Wahhabism in the North Caucasus. The first
thing Wahhabis did was to start a struggle against the followers of
local Islam. Immediately after beating them, they went on to struggle
against secular forces. Therefore, it all constitutes a really serious
danger for the country. Incidentally, our Western partners disapprove
of the fact that we pay no attention to all this.

[Samkharadze] Yes, but Wahhabism in Kvemo Kartli and the whole of
Georgia is controlled by the security service, is it not?

[Areshidze] Control is not enough. You should be well aware of the
different denominations existing in Islam and you should not only
control, but should know who is backed by whom, so as to be able
to settle the situation. Just control is not enough in a situation
like this.

Neighbouring countries struggling for influence in Georgia

[Samkharadze] The following headline appeared in the Azerbaijani
media: “Iran is going to hit Azerbaijan from Borchalo [old name of the
Azeri-populated area in Georgia adjacent to Azerbaijan”. It drew a huge
response outside this country. According to the article, the Ahlul-Bayt
[descendants of Prophet Muhammad] organization in Georgia is busy
popularizing Iran. Finances were allocated for the 2012 parliamentary
election in support of several [ethnic] Azeris to become MPs. One of
them succeeded in becoming an MP via the Georgian Dream party. Money
was transferred for popularizing Iran and thousands of young people
from Borchalo were sent to Iran to study. In Tbilisi, Ahlul-Bayt
built an office on the money received from Iran. What is going on,
Batono [Georgian polite form of addressing man] Mamuka? What office
is it and what are its functions? We know that the United States
is getting ready to hit Iran. Meanwhile, Iranian organizations are
founded in Tbilisi and carrying out their work.

[Areshidze] Moscow is interested in replacing [Azeri President Ilham]
Aliyev’s regime. For this reason, a club of billionaires was founded
in Moscow, its members being Moscow-based [ethnic] Azeri billionaires.

This club [Ahlul-Bayt] was founded with their help. The club is also
known as Azerross [Azerbaijan and Russia]. Their aim is to struggle
for influence. Can you see what is going on in Kvemo Kartli? Shi’as,
Sunnis, Wahhabis, plus the billionaires’ club are all struggling for
influence. In fact, this is a running process. I do not know how well
the security service is controlling it. It looked as if the processes
were under control in previous years. However, it is a fact that these
groupings have consolidated and enlarged. The office of Ahlul-Bayt is
located in Tbilisi, at 14, Zhani Kalandadze St. It is a humanitarian
organization, to be more precise, an Islamic educational organization.

It would be a lie to say that the organization was spotted to be
carrying out activities against the state. I would also like to add
that the Iranians are being very delicate towards Georgia. But as
regards the [ethnic] Azeris living in Georgia, they are doing their
best to use these people for the interest of their own influence.

[Ethnic] Azeris living in Georgia are not distinguished by their
religious devoutness. If the processes were deep, I would not be
giving you an interview. Instead, I would be shouting in respective
[government] offices. I am giving you this interview since I know
that things can be remedied at the public level.

Despite the fact that Iran is indeed being delicate towards Georgia,
all countries are making efforts to gain influence in this country.

These are Russia, the United States, Turkey, Iran and even our
neighbour Armenia. Everyone is struggling for influence; some have
interests in Georgia. We are the only imbeciles. We even fail to
organize our disaporas in Russia, Turkey or the North Caucasus,
not to mention other countries.

Muslim prayer house likely to be turned into storehouse of weapons

[Samkharadze] Yet, a mosque it being built in Ponichala. Can you tell
us what particular threats might it pose.

[Areshidze] The mosque has not been completed yet: Only the walls
and the dome have been built. I would like to say that I am not and
will never be against constructing mosques. It is not this particular
mosque that constitutes a danger, but a likely confrontation between
local Shi’as and Wahhabis to take place on our territory in case
Wahhabis turn this prayer house of Islam into their outpost. Today,
it is going to be an educational centre. Tomorrow, it will become a
place for political debates. The day after tomorrow, it will be used
to store weapons. Chechnya and Dagestan have already gone through it.

On the whole, I would like to say that if Islam exists in Georgia, it
means that it is part of the Georgian religious culture. And if so,
[our] young people should not be going abroad to study, but should
be capable of receiving education in Georgia. Similarly to Christian
youths getting education in ecclesiastic schools, Muslim youths should
be studying in madrasahs built in Georgia. To sum up, I would like to
urge the Georgian authorities to pay due attention to the issue. In
addition, the Muslim administration of Georgia should undergo a serious
reorganization. This is what our Muslim population insists, on so that
people like Vagip Akperov, who is a nonentity and enjoys no authority,
does not become chief shaykh. He was attached to the security [service]
of the former government, and now resides in the Tbilisi mosque and
does not allow anyone to enter it. This is why other centres emerge
in Azeri villages, uncontrollable centres and religious houses.

[Translated from Georgian]

ISRAELI EXPERT SAYS MILITARY COUP POSSIBLE IN TURKEY

Tuesday, June 4, 17:40

The ongoing unrest in Turkey may lead to a new military coup in that
country, Israeli political expert Avigdor Eskin told ArmInfo. The
expert believes that Turkey is changing its image these days. Even if
Prime Minister Erdogan manages to suppress the wave of protests, they
will have a crucial role in the history for the former Ottoman Empire.

“I witnessed the overthrow of Nicolae Ceausescu in Romania, then the
public unrest in Russia in 1991 and 1993. The scales are incomparable.

Turkish dissidents managed to awaken the entire city. No spontaneous
speeches for the authorities. A silent majority of people went into the
streets protesting against extreme forms of Islamism. They do not favor
Erdogan’s aggressive behavior and country manners either. Actually,
the entire creative class protests against Erdogan’s regime. Students,
intellectuals, businessmen and artists have come together on the same
side of the fence,” he said.

Eskin thinks that Erdogan is so far losing with every new day of
protest that involves more and more people and shakes once strong
positions of the authorities.

“At present, a military coup is also possible, given that it once
had happened in Turkey before. If the police display violence and the
victims to clashes reach significant scales, a new military coup is
quite possible,” he said.

At the same time, Eskin said, interference of external forces into
the current developments on the shore of Bosphorus is not real at
the given stage. Those forces failed to stop bloodshed in Syria. As
regards Syria, the Israeli expert said, the unrest in Turkey may
weaken the international pressure on Bashar Assad. The latter can
take advantage of the situation and strengthen its positions.

“Inherently, what is currently being observed in Turkey is Middle
East autumn. It is Arab Sprint with a negative sign. Nevertheless,
at the given stage, the ongoing public unrest in Turkey constitutes
no threat to the neighbor states,” Eskin said for conclusion.

ARCHITECT LAMBASTES MUNICIPALITY’S PLAN FOR REPUBLIC SQUARE
Narek Aleksanyan

13:49, June 3, 2013

At a press conference today, RA Meritorious Architect Sashour
Kalashyan lambasted the Yerevan municipality’s design proposal for
Republic Square as ill-conceived and one that would not solve any
existing issues.

Kalashyan also refuted claims made by Yerevan Chief Architect Narek
Sargsyan that the plan, including underground parking, had been
discussed on numerous occasions.

Kalashyan stated that the plan had only been discussed twice by the
Municipality’s 15 member Architectural Committee of which he is a
member as well.

INTEGRATION PROSPECTS OF POST-SOVIET STATES ON THE EXAMPLE OF KIRGIZIA AND UKRAINE (EXPECTATIONS AND CONCERNS)

03.06.2013

Sergei Sargsyan
Deputy Head of the Center for Political Studies, “Noravank” Foundation
Coming forward on the post-Soviet space of a new integration project –
Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), initiated polemics, discussions and
blazing rows on the issue of viability of the project itself as well
as on possible advantages and disadvantages of joining it.

The alternative offer of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus stirred
up negotiating activity of the “Eastern partnership” programme
member-countries in the European direction too. This is mostly
noticeable on the example of Ukraine, with which the European Union
can sign the “Association Agreement” in November 2013.

The prospects of joining the Customs Union in the Central Asia
states, which are geographically located between two geopolitical
power centers – Russia and China, are discussed no less tensely.

Despite the fact that the treaty on Eurasian Economic Union must be
ready by May 1, 2014 and on January 1, 2015 it should start functioning
as a new international organization, a number of experts, politician
and culture experts still remain skeptical on the very possibility
of creation of a supranational structure by three states.

At the same time its economic basis in the form of the Customs Union
is already functioning and this allows estimating rather accurately
economic prospects of possible joining the project by one or another
country, revealing its strong and weak sides in regard to each separate
branch of economy.

Many applied researches, which allow the ruling elites of the
interested countries to orient in this situation and elaborate
the policy in regard to the European and Eurasian Unions, have been
carried out. The expectation from their joining one or another project,
the problems they may face and reasons, which cause most concern,
are of definite interest for Armenia.

Among the positive sides of Kirgizia’s joining of the Customs Union
mentioned by a number of the economists is the competitive growth of
the Kirgiz goods as compared to the Chinese import in consequence of
imposition of curtain duties. At the same time the absence of inner
customs duties in the CU and the access of Kirgizia to the markets
of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus will make the deployment of the
industrial and agricultural objects on its territory commercially
viable.

It especially concerns the production of the agricultural complex of
Kirgizia, which is assessed as the second important and prospective
item of export to the CU markets1. Direct positive and, which is
important, immediate effect is anticipated in the customer goods
industry, which export potential is demonstrating some growth
even now. As for ore industry, under the current investments flows
from China and Canada, drawing companies from the CU countries on
advantageous terms will cause the growth of competitive attractiveness
of the objects of this sector, which will also have a good effect
on its development pace. In the future achieving of the acceptable
balance of interests between the old and new investors is forecasted.

Specialization of Kirgizia on some clusters of the ore industry against
the background of the branch cooperation with profile objects of the
CU states in a mid-term prospect will cause even bigger growth of
the profitability of the local production. And the further prospects
of the country on joining the Common Economic Space in future will
provide free movement of capital, investments and the work force. At
the first stage the labor migration (according to some estimations
up to 2 million citizens of Kirgizia2), first of all to Russia and
Kazakhstan, have to stabilize the level of unemployment, increase the
level of the life in the country and to some extent it will decrease
the social tension. At the same time, as the results of the public
opinion polls show, most of the respondents among the labor migrants
are resolute to return home at the earliest opportunity in case if
the workplaces are opened3.

As it is expected, the Common Economic Community will initiate
development of the tourism industry too; it will increase a possibility
of drawing additional large investments there. At the same time
joining the Customs Union, growth of the average rate of the customs
duties up to 10% will cause, at least in a short-term perspective,
a decrease of the customs dues approximately at one third and will
greatly affect a considerable segment of Kirgiz businessmen who are
dealing with the re-export of the Chinese goods (and it is about 70%
of the goods coming from the PRC). In the social aspect it means growth
of the prices on Chinese production of everyday use and general growth
of retail prices4.

Opening of the Kirgizia’s market for the Chinese goods, which
was lobbied by the Beijing on the official level, brought to the
substitution of the local products and now restoration and support
of the local producers will not be an easy task for the leadership
of the country.

As for Ukraine, the advantages and disadvantages of its joining
Customs Union can be vividly observed by the alternative prospects
of implementation of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and EU.

In the opinion of the supporters of Ukraine’s integration into the
EAEU who take as ground the data provided by a number of different
researches (in particular, a study carried out in 2010-11 by a working
group headed by the Deputy Minister of Economics of Ukraine Prof.

V.Muntian), in case of joining the Customs Union Ukraine can have –
for the whole of the economics – 3-3,5% gain in production, GDP growth
at a level of 2,5%, and the forecasted additional growth of the budget
income at a level of 9,4 billion grivna per year (about $1,2 billion).

And this does not include tariff, energy and other privileges5.

As the editor-in-chief of “Folio” publishing house (Kharkov)
A.Krasovitsky believe, small and medium business of Ukraine, which can
broaden its presence on the Customs Union’s vast market, and the common
population of the country are interested in the integration with the
CU. And the political elites and big business are not interested in
joining CU, though their representatives in iron and steel, chemical,
oil industries and energy production may face serious problems after
the entry into a force of the EU Association Agreement.

In particular, in the appendix to the Agreement reservations on
regulating “limits of the emission for the existing plants” are made.

It means that Ukraine will have to take urgent measures on installation
of the cleaning systems. Taking into consideration the age of the
industrial objects, it is not excluded that some of them will have
to be closed.

Nevertheless, according to the president of the Center for System
Analysis and Forecasts R.Ishenko, for the 20 years of independence
Ukraine has managed to preserve only 30% of its industrial potential
as compared to the level of 1991. Back in 2012 40% of iron and steel
capacities was closed and in 2013 it is planned to close 30% of the
coal producing enterprises and mines6.

Besides, Ukraine cedes in its investing attractiveness to Russia,
and as a result the Ukrainian businessmen move their works to Russia.

Thus, Peter Poroshenko – the “chocolate king” – moved its chocolate
business and the plant on producing “Bogdan” buses to Russia.

The supporters of the integration of Ukraine with the EU have the
arguments of their own. Thus, according to official data, the stance
of this country, e.g. on agricultural production market of the EU
is only getting stronger – for the first quarter of this year the
commodity turnover between Ukraine and EU countries has been up by 46%
and reached the level of $2.5 billion. According to the Minister of
Agricultural Policy and Food of Ukraine Nikolai Prisyajnyuk, joining of
Ukraine to European Neighbourhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural
Development (ENPARD) is also prospective: “In Europe this programme
has already produced results. Europe has already elaborated programme
which provides technical, financial support for the creation of the
cooperatives. And we, after we liquidated collective farms, need to
offer an efficient form of management in the rural areas”7.

At the same time, in accordance with the Agreement all kinds of the
export agricultural production of Ukraine will be strictly regulated.

For example, instead of 3 million tons of wheat, which have been
exported to Europe from Ukraine for the recent several years, its
quota will be decreased up to 1 million tons; it stipulates 10 times
shrinkage of sugar export – from 300 thousand to 30 thousand tons.

Besides, according to the WTO accession treaty Ukraine has been obliged
to impose a ban on selling meet, fat, butter and milk produced in
the private households. Now the ban is spread upon kraut, salting,
soaked apples, natural oil, veal rum steak, honey, etc. “Directive
on the common catalogue of varieties of agricultural plant species”
provides an exact list of the species grown in Ukraine that can go
to the market.

Besides, in the first years after signing the Agreement Ukraine will
have to fully substitute the system of standards – there are more than
20 thousand of them – on European one. According to the estimations of
the experts of the Federation of the Employers of Ukraine, due to the
differences in the systems of standards with the CU member countries,
their country will lose no less than $15 billion annually8. And they
can hardly substitute this market by the European Union’s market.

At a bottom Ukraine faces a fateful selection – either to stay at a
usual post-Soviet space market, or to radically reform or in fact to
start creating almost new economy and try to win new markets.

The point is whether it will manage to avoid default and social
explosion in the transition period. Under the global economic crisis
its condition, as compared to the countries which joined EU in the
1990s, is less favourable and prospects are vaguer. At least because
those countries had a guarantee of entering the European Union and
for Ukraine signing of the Association Agreement is only a beginning
of the first (and not the last) “stage of rapprochement”, which will
last at least ten years.

Of course every post-Soviet state has its own unique relations
with the European Union, and their relations with a newly forming
Eurasian Economic Union are built up in different ways. But, as
it would seem, scrutiny of the experience of other countries can
and must help Armenia to avoid many disappointments and mistakes,
to orient more confidently and to participate in the integration
processes with maximum efficiency.

1 Labour export is an income item number one for Kirgizia.

2 – ×ÓÔÕÐÌÅÎEÅ ëEÒCEÚEE × ôo: ÚÁËÒÙÔÙÊ
ÓEÔÕÁÃEÏÎÎÙÊ ÁÎÁÌEÚ. ea , 26.03.2013.

3 Only 6% of respondents want to stay on permanent residency in Russia
and 9% – in Kazakhstan. The public opinion poll was carried out within
the framework of “Aftermaths of Kirgizia’s joining Customs Union
and Eurasian Economic Partnership for the Labor market and human
capital of the Country” project. Center for Integration Studies,
Saint-Petersburg, 2013.

4 – ×ÓÔÕÐÌÅÎEÅ ëEÒCEÚEE × ôo: ÚÁËÒÙÔÙÊ
ÓEÔÕÁÃEÏÎÎÙÊ ÁÎÁÌEÚ. ea , 26.03.2013.

5 .

6 Ibid.

7 , 30 ÁÐÒÅÌÑ 2013C.

8 ,
,
03 ÍÁÑ 2013C.

“Globus” analytical journal, #5, 2013

Another materials of author INTENSIFICATION OF RUSSIA-TURKEY
INDIRECT MILITARY AND POLITICAL CONFRONTATION[25.02.2013] GEORGIA:
AN ATTEMPT TO MANEUVER IN A NARROW GAUGE[14.01.2013] SOME ASPECTS
OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF MILITARY AND POLITICAL SITUATION ROUND THE
NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT [02.08.2012] “IT IS NECESSARY TO RAISE
ENERGY EFFICIENCY”, – says the deputy head of the Center for Political
Studies of “Noravank” Foundation Sergei SARGSYAN in his interview
to “Golos Armenii”[26.07.2012] TRANS-CASPIAN GAS PIPELINE: GOALS,
PROBLEMS AND RISKS [25.06.2012] TURKEY IN THE US MISSILE DEFENCE
SYSTEM: PRIMARY ASSESSMENT AND POSSIBLE PROSPECTS[13.10.2011]
ARMENIA AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE INTERESTS OF THE MILITARY AND
POLITICAL BLOCKS[05.09.2011] SHALE GAS GHOST[08.02.2011] GAS FROM
IRAQI KURDISTAN FOR NABUCCO: TURKISH INTEREST [15.12.2010] AZERBAIJAN:
SEARCHING NEW FOREIGN POLICY BALANCE[27.10.2010]

LEAVING ARMENIA IMF RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE CALLS ON GOVERNMENT FOR DRASTIC STEPS TO IMPROVE BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT ENVIRONMENT

ARMINFO
Tuesday, June 4, 11:41

IMF Resident Representative in Armenia Guillermo Tolosa who is
completing his mission in the country has called on the Government
for drastic steps to significantly improve business and investment
environments in the country.

Talking to media, Mr. Tolosa said that despite many unresolved
problems, Armenia has made significant breakthroughs over the last
years in terms of macroeconomic stability, GDP growth and low
inflation, improvement of tax administration and discipline. In
addition, he said, the country’s key figures have nearly outstripped
the pre-crisis level of 2008. Due to these successes, he said, IMF
no longer considers Armenia among the poorest countries in the world
and has given Armenia a status of an Emerging Markets Country. Other
donor organizations will follow IMF’s example soon. This new status,
he said, necessitates correction of the approaches to cooperation
between IMF and Armenia, which will be reflected in a new program
of cooperation to be developed after the results of the three-year
arrangements EFF/ECF are summed up. The three-year SDR 266.8 million
(about US$408.7 million) EFF and ECF arrangements with Armenia were
approved by the IMF s Executive Board on June 28 2010.

In response to ArmInfo’s question about current dependence of Armenia’s
economy on foreign transfers (from Diaspora) and low level of economic
diversification, Guillermo Tolosa said IMF insists of drastic measures
of the Government to turn the tide for that very reason. Tangled up
in domestic political problems over the last year Armenia must now
work seriously to make drastic reforms. It is time for the policy
makers to forget about domestic political issues and refocus on
economic problems of the country, Mr. Tolosa said. In fact, coming
out of the list of the poorest countries, Armenia needs new economic
instruments and expectations. In this light, IMF supports the program
of the country’s accession to the international debt market where
the Government plans to raise $500 million at the first stage and
diversify its credit liabilities in such a way.

Mr. Tolosa believes that IMF’s call for drastic measures is
misinterpreted occasionally. He explained that IMF is quite satisfied
with the Government’s policy and considers it rather successful,
but entering a new stage of development, Armenia must shift focus and
“drive fast.”

Partially sharing the views of journalists regarding differences in
the statistical data on the country’s development, precisely, that
Armenia’s foreign debt per capita have nearly doubled over the last
years, the poverty level was back to the data of early 2000, and GNI
per capita based on purchasing power parity (PPP) has even declined,
Mr. Tolosa urged media to take these data in a single package. He
outlined the growing level of tax collection, tax discipline and red
tape reduction as positive facts. Nevertheless, he said, the results
will become more visible only after business environment is improved
in the country.

As regards the fact that direct foreign investments in Armenia for
2012 fell by 40% despite Armenia’s growing rating in the WB’s Doing
Business reports, Mr. Toloso tried to explain that with the financial
and economic crisis. Nevertheless, he said, there is certain optimism
about successful development of Armenia’s economy.

Unfortunately, he said, business environment in the country is not
good enough to feed that optimism

It is noteworthy that Teresa Daban, Senior Economist at the
International Monetary Fund, having experience in macroeconomic and
financial issues in Latin America, will replace Guillermo Tolosa on
the position of IMF Resident Representative in Armenia.

RAFFI K. HOVANNISIAN: “THE UNITED STATES WILL RECOGNIZE THE VOICE OF THE ARMENIAN PEOPLE”

12:49, June 4, 2013

On official visit to the American capital, Raffi K. Hovannisian met
with Deputy Secretary of State Eric Rubin on June 3. In a private
meeting at the Department of State, they discussed not only Armenia’s
domestic democratic challenges, but also its international challenges,
including a righteous resolution to the conflict surrounding the
Mountainous Karabakh Republic and a true recognition of the Armenian
Genocide and Great National Dispossession of 1915.

On the same day Hovannisian delivered a keynote address to an audience
of diplomats, policy-makers, and intellectuals at the George Washington
University Law School. The event, “A Conversation on Armenia,” was
co-sponsored by the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian
Studies, Policy Forum Armenia, and the Armenian Bar Association.

After the event he gave interviews to representatives of the local
and international media.

Hovannisian June 3 speech at the George Washington Law School can be
seen here.

INTRONISATION DE S.B. NOURHAN I, PATRIARCHE ARMENIEN DE JERUSALEM

Mardi 4 Juin 2013, en l’eglise cathedrale saint Jacques du monastère
armenien de Jerusalem, aura lieu la liturgie d’intronisation de sa
beatitude Nourhan I, Patriarche armenien de la ville sainte.

Avec la benediction de sa Saintete Karekine II, Patriarche supreme
et Catholicos de tous les Armeniens, l’archeveque Nathan, president
du Conseil monastique et responsable des Editions du saint Siège
d’Etchmiadzine et l’eveque Vahan, primat du diocèse de l’Eglise
armenienne en Grande Bretagne, representeront le Catholicossat supreme.

Après la mort du patriarche Torkom II, le 12 octobre 2012, l’archeveque
Nourhan Manoukian avait elu 97ème patriarche armenien de Jerusalem. Les
autorites civiles de Terre Sainte (le gouvernement israelien et le
roi de Jordanie) ont recemment ratifie le choix du chapitre general
de la Fraternite des saints Jacques de Jerusalem qui s’etait tenu
les 23 et 24 Janvier derniers.

Centre d’information du diocèse de France de l’Eglise armenienne.

mardi 4 juin 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

TURKEY’S CRITICISM OF GENOCIDE MOTION REBUFFED

Assyrian International News Agency AINA
June 3 2013

Following the NSW Parliament’s adoption of a motion recognising
genocide by Turkey of its Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic communities
in the early 20th century, the Turkish Foreign Ministry’s condemnations
of the motion have been rebuffed by NSW parliamentarians.

Both houses of the state parliament passed the motion earlier this
month, affirming the reality of genocides committed by Turkey in the
1910s and 1920s, which Turkey continues to deny.

In a provocative reaction, the Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned the
motion, calling it a “hate speech”, and adding that those responsible
for it would in future “doubtlessly be deprived of the hospitality
and friendship” normally extended to Australians.

More specifically, the official statement said: “These persons who
try to damage the spirit of Canakkale/Gallipoli will also not have
their place in the Canakkale ceremonies where we commemorate together
our sons lying side by side in our soil.”

Member of the NSW Legislative Council Marie Ficarra has condemned
the Turkish reaction, which implies the country would block NSW
politicians from visiting Gallipoli for the centenary of Anzac in 2015.

Ficarra has written to the Turkish Consul General saying that to
politicise Gallipoli was “an unacceptable and irrational act” and
that the ministry’s comments “diminishes Turkey’s credibility and
reputation”.

In his speech to the NSW Parliament on Tuesday, Reverend Fred Nile MP
– who moved the motion – referred to a letter written by the Turkish
Consul General to the NSW Parliament criticising its adoption.??

Mr Nile said that his intention was not to attack or denigrate
the modern state of Turkey, but an action that drew on irrefutable
conclusions reached by national and international scholarly groups.

“The unanimous opinion is that the Assyrian, Armenian and Hellenic
peoples were victims of genocide in the 1910s and 1920s,” said Mr Nile.

“These genocides were carried out by the leaders of the Ottoman
Empire, not the modern state of Turkey which has wonderful relations
with Australia.”??

Mr Nile refuted suggestions made by the Turkish Consul General that
the NSW Legislative Council resolution constituted “sowing the seeds
of hatred” in Australia.

Mr Nile said that as a representative of the Christian Democratic Party
and the Parliament of New South Wales, “recognition of the genocides
of the indigenous Assyrian, Armenian and Hellenic peoples of the
Ottoman Empire is not simply a matter of history… the effects of
the genocides continue to this day – it is an issue of international
law and human rights.”

Mr Nile vowed “to continue to advocate such issues at every
opportunity.

“Let justice be done, souls consoled, broken hearts mended, nations
reconciled and honour given to all those who perished so needlessly
during a dark hour in mankind’s recent history.”???

Mr Nile said in his response to the Turkish Consul General that
the Genocide Recognition motion had a strong focus on the genocides
“as part of the Australian national story”.

“As documented in the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Anzacs
were captured and imprisoned as far south as the Sinai Peninsula, as
far east as Mesopotamia – modern Iraq – as well as across Anatolia.”?

Mr Nile pointed out that the archives of the Australian War Memorial
contained written and photographic evidence that the Anzacs rescued
Armenians and Assyrians in Persia (Iran) and Mesopotamia (Iraq) –
as well as during the Palestine Campaign.

“Many of these Anzacs later became involved in an international
humanitarian relief effort on behalf of the survivors for over a
decade,” said the MP, who added that the events of the Assyrian,
Armenian and Hellenic Genocides were documented by the Australian
media before WWI and into the 1920s.

By Michael Sweet