Author: Kalantarian Kevo

JOINT ARMENIAN-IRANIAN HPP OVER ARAX RIVER TO COME ON STREAM

On Line: 31 October 2012 18:50
In Print: Thursday 01 November 2012

Iran and Armenia are going to build a joint hydroelectric power plant
(HPP) over the Arax River, the Iranian Deputy Minister of Energy for
International Affairs told ISNA in an interview.

Esmail Mahsouli noted that Armenia and Iran intend to build a joint
HPP with 260 MW capacity, one part of which will be on the Iranian
territory (Ghare Chiler) and the other one in Armenia (Meghri).

The foundation laying ceremony of the new hydroelectric power plant
will take place on November 18, 2012, the Iranian energy official said.

“ELITE” AND “HIERARCHIC” CORRUPTION IN ARMENIA

Law – Wednesday, 31 October 2012, 11:27

Recently, Varuzhan Hoktanyan, executive director of Transparency
International NGO, has said that the Armenian elite should not be place
themselves above law. But the question is if most corrupt spheres of
life still remain education and the judiciary or whether the picture
has changed.

According to V. Hoktanyan, the most corrupt spheres of life in the
CIS members remain the judicial system and education, unlike the
West. In the West most corruption is in the parties. New notions of
corruption have originated in the world, such as “elite corruption”.

Studies in 2010-2011 have revealed that by “elite corruption” Armenia
is 129-133 among 180 countries. Hoktanyan says this is an issue but
not a tragedy.

Research shows “elite corruption” cases are revealed by the next
government. Elite corruption is based on systemic corruption in the
so-called hierarchic expression. Hoktanyan brings the example of the
former head of the state pension fund Vazgen Khachikyan.

According to him, the worst expressions of elite corruption are budget
misuse and kickbacks.

There are no certain data but elite corruption is supposed to be
formed around in 2005 when the businessmen intervene in the legislative
activities and adopted laws stemming from their business interests.

In the world, the post-Soviet countries are considered the most
corrupt ones in the region.

According to Hoktanyan there are two ways of eliminating corruption,
authoritarian and democratic. Armenia, if it follows the example of
Singapore which has fought down the level of elite corruption being an
authoritarian country, should punish all the high-ranking officials,
their friends and relatives engaged in corruption.

ARMENIA CONTINUES NEGOTIATIONS DESPITE AZERBAIJAN’S BELLICOSE RHETORIC

ARMRADIO.AM
17:40 31.10.2012

Secretary of the National Security Council of Armenia Arthur
Baghdasaryan received the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of Austria to Armenia Alois Kraut and Austria’s Honorary Consul in
Armenia Aram Marutyan.

Arthur Baghdasrayan said Armenia attaches importance to the development
of relations with Austria both in bilateral format and within the
framework of the European Union.

The National Security Council Secretary referred to regional issues,
particularly the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and the relations with
Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Arthur Baghdasaryan noted that “Armenia remains committed to the
principle of peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh issue within
the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group and is ready to continue the
negotiations with Armenia, despite the latter’s bellicose statements
and the shameful deal on Safarov.” Reference was made to the current
level and perspectives of development of Armenia’s relations with
Iran and Georgia.

ARMENIAN MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE URGES FARMERS TO FIGHT AGAINST POTATO MOTH

/ARKA/
31 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, October 31. /ARKA/. Armenian First Deputy Minister of
Agriculture Grigory Baghian recommends the country’s farmers to
replace Solanaceae (potatoes, egg-plants, tobacco, tomatoes, pepper,
and etc.) with others to fight against potato moth.

“It is the only efficient way to beat the potato moth”, Baghian told
a press conference. According to the Deputy Minister, farmers should
plant, for example, wheat instead and want for 2-3 years until the
moth disappears. “No other method, neither chemicals nor pheromone
traps, has the required effect”, Baghian said.

According to Baghian, potato moth is not typical for Armenia and was
imported together with the seeds of Solanaceae.

Baghian informed that the moth is currently spread in Ararat
and Armavir regions of Armenia and in the villages of Masis and
Echmiadzin. The Deputy Minister found it difficult to tell any certain
amount of the damage caused by the moth so far.

Potato moth is a thermophilic insect that develops not only in summer,
but also in winter at temperatures above 10 degrees. The pest adapts
easily to moderate latitudes. -0-

MAYOR OF YEREVAN AWARDED GOLDEN MEDAL TO ASTGHIK GEVORGYAN

ARMENPRESS
31 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 31, ARMENPRESS. In accordance with the decision of
the Mayor of Yerevan Taron Margaryan the writer, journalist, member
of the Public Council, Chairman of Journalist’s Union, member of the
Council of the Elders of Yerevan Astghik Gevorgyan was granted with
golden medal for the years of abundant activity, great merit and active
participation in the activity of the Council of the Elders of Yerevan.

As the Department of Information and Public Relations of the Yerevan
Municipality informed “Armenpress” mayor of Yerevan Taron Margaryan
granting the honorary award to Astghik Gevorgyan during the session
of the of the Council of the Elders of Yerevan congratulated her
on the occasion of her birthday and wished her good health, success
in her activity and permanent participation in the activity in the
Council of the Elders of Yerevan on behalf of our beloved capital
and its residents.

Astghik Gevorgyan expressed her gratification for the congratulation
and appreciation and added that she will keep doing her best for the
beauty and comfort of the capital and welfare of its residents.

UNDER THE KREMLIN THUMB: PRE-ELECTION IS PERIOD OF DEAL-MAKING – FAVORING BIG BROTHER
By Gayane Abrahamyan

ArmeniaNow
31.10.12 | 15:21

Over the past two weeks a number of factors have most clearly outlined
the pressure Big Brother and strategic partner Russia is putting on
Armenia for not embracing the “neo-soviet” idea of Vladimir Putin’s
Eurasian Union.

“If not for Russia Armenia would most probably not even be on the map.

Armenia enjoys today’s status solely due to Russia and is able to
survive again solely due to Russia,” wrote Kremlin-adjunct Mikhail
Leontyev, commentator for Odnako magazine.

The latest issue of Odnako led by Leontyev, who is viewed as Putin’s
non-official spokesman, is titled “Whither Armenia?”. Leontyev in
his article titled “Armenia enjoys today’s status solely due to
Russia” mocks that “Armenia has no alternative” other than entering
the Eurasian Union and that “its ravings about European choice are
rather strange”.

Why now? Why is Russia concerned about Armenia now? There are two
reasons: first, it’s a pre-election period and, second, Armenia’s
success in the negotiations on signing the European Union Association
Agreement.

The pre-election period is optimum time for putting pressure on the
authorities, and that pressure is obviously being exerted.

Various politicians and political analysts have stressed a number of
times that Putin’s idea of creating a Eurasian Union with ambitions
of becoming the European Union’s competitor and counterweight,
in reality is set to solve Russia’s “empire-worshipping” goal of
completely depriving smaller countries of their sovereignty.

Yet in April-May Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sarsgsyan in his
interviews to two Russia-based periodicals Vedomosti and Gazeta.ru
said that “entering the Customs Union” which is the basis of the
Eurasian Union “is pointless to us because we have no common borders”.

Speaking publicly against the Customs Union meant opposing also
Armenia’s potential membership in the Eurasian Union; as Putin
pointed out in his famous article of October 2011, the creation of
a free trade zone – the Customs Union – would become the foundation
for building a much bigger – Eurasian – union.

The Armenian premier in his interview to Gazeta.ru even suggested
that a special status be granted to Armenia “respective subsidizing,
assistance, grants, if it is about integrating into a respective
economic area. Economic stimuli have to be created to motivate
integration.”

Theses bold sentiments faded away in August when during
Putin-Sargsyan’s meeting, Putin distantly answered the premier’s
suggestion saying “we will discuss it”.

It was right after this that persistent speculations started
in Armenia’s political backstage on premier Sargsyan’s possible
dismissal. In September the sentiments changed yet once again.

During the newly-elected parliament’s very first Q&A the premier,
responding to Armenian Revolutionary Federation MP Artsvik Minasyan’s
question, said something completely opposite to his earlier statements:
“There is one absolute truth: the steps on creating a free trade zone
around Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus have illustrated the advantages
of that process.”

In Armenia Putin’s promise to discuss the issue was interpreted as
the last chance for positive cooperation.

Political analysts did not rule out that just as the Ukrainian premier
had set a condition for entering the Customs Union – Russia would have
to sell natural gas for $150 per 1000 cubic meters — Armenia, as a
strategic partner, would be able to claim gas for no more than $180.

These hopes died last week when the data placed on State Revenues
official site made it clear that since July Armenia has been purchasing
gas for $244, rather than the officially announced $180.

This confirms radical opposition Armenian National Congress MP Levon
Zurabyan’s claims that “the government has been hiding the price-hike
in gas tariffs” not to create tensions among public prior to the
presidential elections.

At the National Assembly’s Q&A during the previous four-day session
Zurabyan raised a point that the government had been paying the added
gas tariff by selling shares of ArmRusGasArt stock, which is 20 percent
owned by Armenia. It has been speculated that the government sold its
share for $157.5 million. Zurabyan asked the prime minister whether
this information was accurate.

Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan answered
the question saying that “negotiations are in process with Russia
over the gas tariffs, and as soon as they are completed people will
be informed”. But before anyone was “informed” the damaging news
emerged on the State Revenues site.

This latest “property for gas” deal has once again pointed out the
truth in Leontyev’s commentary when he writes that Armenia put herself
“in total dependence” of Russia.

The tradition of such resource for security trades was first set
prior to the urgent presidential elections of 1998, when 45 percent
of ArmRusGazArt company share was given to Russia as compensation
for natural gas, then prior to the 2003 election a whole package was
given by a “property for gas” deal which included five major entities,
and after the election Sevan-Hrazdan cascade was given away as a
payback for $25 million worth of atomic fuel supplied to Metsamor
Nuclear Power Plant.

In 2007 and 2008 the communication field and the railways were
sacrificed for the 2007 and 2008 parliamentary and presidential
elections, as well as Hrazdan Hydro Power Plant’s fifth energy block
– Iran back then was offering much more favourable purchase terms
than Russia.

Hrazdan’s fifth block was given away in 2007 for gas subsidy – back
then Russia, again, had raised the tariff 2.5 times and in order
to ease the social tension the Armenian government subsidized the
gas price for two years, and did it by selling the energy block for
$60 million cash and the remaining $189 million as payment for the
subsidy. Nonetheless, the gas tariff underwent a drastic 40-percent
hike in 2009.

“This is the consequence of a short-sighted policy, which continues up
until now and will keep damaging us. And this kind of short-sighted
policy will ultimately lead us to entering the Eurasian Union which
is potentially dangerous to us from several perspectives,” former
foreign minister, MP Alexander Arzumanyan told ArmeniaNow.

While messages and reminders are voiced by Russia on different levels
on Armenia’s status as its “outpost”, Armenia is expecting Putin’s
visit which has been postponed three times since late September.

Political analysts assume it is being postponed “because of attempts
to come to certain agreements”.

ARMENIA’S PRESIDENT VISITS ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS IN ARTASHAT AND SHENGAVIT (PHOTO)

October 31, 2012 | 13:52

YEREVAN.- Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan visited excavation site
of Artashat, one the ancient Armenian capitals and the territory of
early Bronze Age settlement in Shengavit (PHOTO).

Representative of Archeology and Ethnography Institute Zhores
Khachatryan told reporters the excavation works located about 15
kilometers far from modern Artashat resumed in 2003. The capital was
located on Arks River bank, present day zone bordering with Turkey.

“The Temple of Apollo built by Artashes in 2nd century BC is of great
interest. Temple is one of the capital buildings constructed under
the rule of Artashes when Armenia got independence and turned into
a powerful kingdom,” Khachatryan told reporters on Wednesday. He
informed of baths and 10 rooms discovered during excavatons.

“In the 1st century AD the church was rebuilt again after Artashat
was burnt by Roman general Corbulo. King Tiridates I restored the
temple using 4.5-ton blocks of black marble. The facade of the house
was 22 meters high and 31 meters long,” archeologist said.

In Shengavit, President inspected the excavations carried out here
since 2000. A group of archaeologists has already found a building
for religious services.

2013 DRAFT BUDGET NOT TO ENSURE BETTER LIFE FOR ARMENIA’S CITIZEN – MP

tert.am
31.10.12

The 2013 draft budget does not address the challenges Armenia is facing
and naturally, it will not ensure better life for an Armenian citizen
as compared with 2012, 2011 despite the 13 percent money growth,
MP Arstvik Minasyan said, speaking to Tert.am.

“The second fundamental problem is that the budget does not correspond
to the internationally declared policy of increase of competitiveness
and thirdly, it does not reflect the solution of issues the people
are facing. In particular, the means allocated to the Nagorno
Karabakh continue being small which impedes the implementation
of the active settlement program,” the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation-Dashanktsutyun MP said.

Minasyan noted that the other principal issue is that despite the
budget being described as programming there is no performance indicator
on how many jobs will open during the budget implementation, how much
the poverty will reduce, how much the average salary will be and what
expectations an average Armenian citizen may have.

At a 2013 draft budget discussion on October 30 finance minister said
in Armenia, just like in many developing and developed countries the
raise in salaries is not agreed with inflation.

“It is obvious that Mr Minister is always mentioning the examples of
developed countries, which, at least from the professional viewpoint,
is not correct. It is strange to speak about income policy of developed
countries in case when officially 36 and non-officially 80 percent of
Armenia’s population is living beyond the poverty line,” Minasyan said,
reminding that the developed countries have already overcome the issue.

COMMITTEE FOR RETURNING THE ARMENIAN CHURCHES OF GEORGIA TO THE DIOCESE OF AMRENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH IS CREATED IN GEORGIA

ARMENPRESS
31 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 31, ARMENPRESS. A reciprocal committee is engaged
in the issues of returning the Armenian churches in Georgia to the
Diocese of Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia. In a conversation
with “Armenpress” the deputy of the parliament from the “Georgian
Dream” coalition Ruslan Poghosyan, Armenian by nationality, talked
about this. Poghosyan said: “Although the issue of returning the
Armenian churches in Georgia to the Diocese of Armenian Apostolic
Church has not been discussed in a governmental level yet. At the
present stage the new government is still getting acquainted with
essence of the question. The committee including the representatives
of both churches is engaged in the studies of the relevant documents
and historical monuments.”

The head of “Multinational Georgia” organization Arnold Stepanyan
said that the messages have already been sent to different ministers
regarding the issue of returning the Armenian churches in Georgia to
the Diocese of Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia. Arnold Stepanyan
stated: “As we all know the Diocese of Armenian Apostolic Church in
Georgia was granted the legal status, but in fact this does not give
much privileges to the Church, as the religious monuments still are
not at its disposal.”

The Government of Georgia ratified a legal act in accordance with
which five religious organizations have been granted the legal status
including Armenian Apostolic Church. During various meetings of the
Armenian and Georgian sides the latter certified that endangered and
ruined Armenian Churches will be under relevant surveillance and care
before their returning to the Armenian Diocese.

WHAT AMERICA WE NEED
Igor Muradyan

Comments – Tuesday, 30 October 2012, 20:21

What kind of America do we need? It is impossible to think of a
more stupid wording but everyone thinks so, including the British
aristocracy, oligarchy, the Russian government, the governments of
Iran and Israel, as well as China, Turkey, Georgia, Mali, leaders of
the Kurdish movement and all the others. Nevertheless, the question
“what kind of America do we need?” is meaningful because it will be
necessary to conduct a feedback policy, adjust to what is in place
and what will take place.

Any state has a certain degree of freedom in conducting a foreign
policy and it means that dependence on great powers is a relative
circumstance. The issue of international dependence is a phenomenon
that defies interpretation. Apparently, the majority of 200 states,
despite the modest military and economic potential, functionally
exists “by themselves” and needs no support for their security and
foreign political interests. Such strong and influential states as
Turkey and Israel are in a significant foreign political dependence
which has been obvious over the past decades of modern history.

In the current state of affairs the most effective means of influence
on world powers or big states is cooperation with them, participation
in one alliance or another but any influence is highly relative.

At the end of Reagan’s epoch marginal political scientists who knew
America superficially tried to figure out and analyze the reasons
and factors of polarization of the social and political life and
policy of the United States. These theses can hardly be referred
to as a complete political analysis but these thoughts turned out
to be oracular. The opposition of right conservative and liberal
ideologies intensified in the United States, and the culmination
of this opposition was during Bill Clinton’s term of office. Even
with such striking differences in the political and social ideology,
the Russian experts of the U.S. and Canada Institute of the Russian
Academy of Sciences, as well as outstanding scholars of France and
Great Britain, kept on the safe side regarding the growing differences.

In November 2008, as Obama won the presidential election, the streets
of Paris were cheering with such excitement and admiration as if Obama
was the president of France. Clearly, all the components of the left
project of Europe and many other countries perceived the victory of
Democrats and the president of the United States with openly left
views as support to the global left liberal process.

It is characteristic that during his tenure Obama has divided and
introduced elements of discord in the right conservative camp of
Europe when part of right centrists readily supported the democratic
administration since otherwise a lot of European politicians and
parties of Europe would have appeared in a rather unfavorable situation
and not only in terms of foreign policy.

Bushism which contained everything except real neo-conservatism
certainly facilitated Obama’s victory but it is clear that besides the
notorious middle class and mildly speaking the less secure classes
of the society certain other layers have occurred in the United
States that even the leading American sociologists have been unable
to identify. Like the U.K. the United States is biased to the left,
and it is impossible to overlook it.

However, we should mostly take interest in the foreign political
tendencies of the United States, the change of the paradigm,
to what extent the Democratic Party has stopped being a party of
war and the United States follows the path for self-isolation. An
outstanding U.S. army official called this situation “self-destructive
self-isolation”.

In fact, the architecture of the U.S. policy and security established
after World War II presupposes an active foreign political and military
expansion and presence. The discharge of these ambitions will, one
way or another, lead to fresh crises and catastrophic consequences
of geopolitics which was created at one time as counteraction to the
upcoming expansion of the United States.

In this period of Obama’s policy Turkey’s regional expansion
intensified and though the U.S. policy on its blocking and isolation
proved quite successful, the U.S. approaches supposed shift of most
responsibility for conducting this policy to Turkey’s neighbors
and opponents.

The United States has partly transformed the nature of its presence and
its interests in the South Caucasus. It may be quite effective for the
interests of the United States and it is possible that the Republican
administration would conduct a similar policy but we are interested
in the political style which is more typical of the Republicans. We
do not need a smart America, we need an ambitious America, and it
is clear that under George Bush’s administration Armenia felt more
comfortable though most probably it was not understood by the Armenian
political elite.

Armenia’s interest in the U.S. policy is not limited to the problem
of the international recognition of the genocide. It is obvious that
the American elite was close to the recognition but did not reach a
consensus which is related to Turkey’s current dependence on the United
States although Turks continue to demonstrate an independent line.

Without spending political resources the Americans have assured
Turkey that further campaign and independence will lead to loss of
territorial integrity and a lot of strategic advantages, as well as
collapse of its economy. One may claim that the Turkish discussion
in Washington and the Turkish project have been latent but successful
in Obama administration.

In addition, there is no doubt that the settlement of the
Turkish-Armenian relations has been an important component
of the Turkish project. Armenia is interested in the close
confrontation-partnership between the United States and Turkey.

Armenia is hardly able to use this but one could have expected bigger
and more painful mistakes on behalf of the Armenian government. One
way or another, the issue of our policy stands out.

At the same time, Obama administration is done with its policy on
Turkey and it is not known whether further soft constraints over
Turkey will continue. Besides, Obama administration has committed
a crime – cynical deception of an entire people regarding such a
painful issue. Therefore, the Armenian voters of the United States
must demonstrate their attitude to this inappropriate behavior,
especially that the geopolitics of the Republicans will not be less
useful for the interests of their historical homeland.