Author: Kalantarian Kevo

ASA JOURNALISM INTERNSHIP AT THE WEEKLY A GREAT SUCCESS

Armenian Weekly
August 1, 2012

WATERTOWN, Mass.-This summer, the Armenian Students’ Association of
America, Inc. (ASA) sponsored an internship at the Armenian Weekly
for one undergraduate student in journalism.

The first ASA journalism intern Lilly Torosyan For a six-week period,
Lilly Torosyan, the first intern accepted into the program, wrote
articles for the Weekly, receiving a stipend of $150 a week. Torosyan’s
internship was later extended for another six-week period and will
conclude in late August.

>From West Hartford, Conn., Torosyan is an active member in her
church’s ACYOA and in Boston University’s ASA. A junior at Boston
University, she is studying international relations and political
science. Torosyan’s articles for the Weekly are available here.

“I was thrilled to find out that I received this internship. It
has been a great opportunity to advance my writing and interviewing
skills, as well as to make connections with other Armenian communities
throughout the country,” she said. “[Editors] Khatchig and Nanore
are the best bosses anyone could ask for. They were really patient
with me-even when I lacked ideas,” she added.

“We are grateful to the ASA for sponsoring this internship. It has
given us an opportunity to engage a greater number of Armenian-American
university students in journalism,” said Armenian Weekly editor
Khatchig Mouradian. “Lilly Torosyan, our first ASA journalism intern,
has been a great asset for our newspaper. We wish her continued success
in her studies at BU, and we are confident we’ll see her byline in the
Weekly even after her internship concludes later this month,” he added.

Dr Michael G. Mensoian, a member of the ASA Board of Trustees,
originally formulated the idea of the internship. “We were fortunate
in placing the first recipient of the Armenian Students’ Association
of America, Inc. Journalism Internship with the Armenian Weekly,”
Mensoian said. “Her successful completion of the internship is an
important milestone for the ASA, Inc. as the Board of Trustees seeks
to provide professional-level experiences for our young men and women.

The ASA, Inc. Board of Trustees believes it is important that more
of our undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to enter
the important field of journalism. This new program will augment
the successful Scholarship Grant Program that has been the hall-
mark of the ASA since its founding in 1910.” Mensoian said he hopes
to continue the internship program next year, as well.

The Armenian Students’ Association, Inc. has provided financial
assistance for Armenian-American college students in the form of
scholarships and internships for the past 100 years. The journalism
internship will be continued next summer.

To learn more about the ASA or participate in one of their educational
opportunities, visit

SCR CARRIES OUT RESTORATION WORK ON CHILDREN’S RAILWAY IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 1, 2012 – 19:17 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – On the initiative of South Caucasus Railway (SCR)
CJSC, restoration work is carried out on the Children’s Railway
in Yerevan. Thus SCR as a socially-oriented company has assumed
responsibility for providing safe and comfortable leisure and
rehabilitating such a popular animation area for children.

Reconstruction is a way to support the development of urban
infrastructure of the Armenian capital carried out in the framework
of the agreement signed in 2011 on the socio-economic cooperation
between SCR and Yerevan Municipality.

Reconstruction on the Children’s Railway is conducted in two phases.

The first stage envisages rehabilitation and modernization of the
station units, rolling stock and tracks.

In particular, SCR specialists repaired diesel and engine locomotives,
as well as three summer cars of the Children’s Railway. They also
repaired 1.2 km of track of the CR and improved nearby areas.

The first stage of reconstruction will be completed by the day of
the Rail Worker on August 5.

The second stage stipulates reconstruction of the station building
by the owner. Currently a initiative is being developed to set up
an educational center for children enabling them to learn the main
railway professions, technologies of transfer processes, etc., SCR
press service reported.

EXTREMIST FORCES’ COMING TO POWER IN SYRIA COULD MAKE SITUATION EVEN WORSE, SAYS EXPERT

Panorama.am
01/08/2012

If extremist forces come to power in Syria, all national minorities,
including Armenians, will appear in even worse situation, Arabic
Studies expert Sargis Grigoryan told reporters in Yerevan.

According to him, first of all, Syrian events target Iran which may
lose Syria, its ally in the Middle East, in the aftermath of the
Syrian developments.

The position of the medium stratum of Syria’s population will be
decisive, and if they become more active, they can change the outcome
of events, said the expert.

Mr. Grigoryan said that it’s hardly probable that a separate state
of Alevins will be created in Syria, with Latakia as the capital.

The expert found it difficult to predict who will come to power in
Syria after Assad, noting that Syrian opposition is represented by
various groups and forces.

WAR IN IRAN TO WORSEN TIES BETWEEN MOSCOW AND BAKU

News.Az
Wed 01 August 2012 05:07 GMT | 6:07 Local Time

News.Az interviews Maxim Minayev, leading expert of the Russian
Political Center.

How real do you think the war over Iranian problem is?

I think the military script won’t come true this year for the only
mere reason that the United States is the only country that can
sanction military intervention but they are in anticipation of their
elections. And I do not think that before elections the US president
can sanction the start of a serious offensive. Especially that the
military intervention in Iran is doomed to serious implications. On
the other hand, the current situation allows the Russian political
elite to strengthen dialogue with Turkey for the political reducing
of tensions in the situation. Turkey is also cautious about the
Iran issue. This means that Russia will likely think of expansion of
diplomatic activity for the peaceful settlement of this problem.

What changes can the Russian policy in the South Caucasus experience
in case of the West’s military campaign against Iran?

I think everything depends on the stage of the conflict between Iran
and the West, that is whether the matter will be limited to expansion
of economic sanctions or the issue of military intervention will
be raised. Certainly, this will have an indirect impact to Russia’s
policy in the Caucasus, overall, because such a script will likely
cause changes in the balance of powers in the region, can change
configuration of interaction between the leading superpowers.

Russia’s relations with some Caucasus states, in particular, with
Azerbaijan that will likely join the coalition led by the United
States and Israel may worsen in case of war. In addition, Russia
will lose the current format of ties with Iran, which in case of the
success of anti-Iranian campaign may return to the times before 1979
that is to Shah’s period loyal to the United States and Great Britain.

You suppose the support of anti-Iranian campaign by Azerbaijan. But
no one has ever cancelled the Azerbaijani-Iranian agreement not to
use their territories against each others fort he interests of the
third parties.

Yes, it will clearly be the most extreme script but nonetheless it
has been discussed for already a few months and will be discussed in
the future and it cannot be ignored. By means of its companies engaged
in production of hydrocarbons in Azerbaijan, the west influences the
country’s capacities and can influence it for Baku to at least listen
to Washington’s opinion.

The second moment is that much will depend on the geopolitical balance
of powers in the region and the interests of the United States and
other western countries. I think that most countries that border on
Iran will at least take the position of hidden support to US. Even
Iraq will unlikely hamper the implementation of US plans.

Can the potential change in the Russian line of conduct in the South
Caucasus in case of a war in Iran soften Moscow’s position in the
talks with Baku on Gabala radar for preservation of military presence
in Azerbaijan?

I think that the script of reducing Russia’s presence in Azerbaijan
will likely take place. Because in this case the Russian military
presence in Azerbaijan, the potential place for dislocation of
anti-Iranian coalition, will be completely inappropriate.

And what about Armenia? Can Russia raise its military grouping in
this country?

As for Armenia, here Russia does not have a need for expansion of
military presence and raise the military grouping there in conditions
of worsening situation in adjacent countries. On the other hand,
the North Caucasus, where such growing of a military potential is
possible but will be quite local and limited since there will be no
such clearly obvious threats to Russian interests.

NO THREAT OF SYRIAN ARMENIANS SETTLEMENT IN KARABAKH

News.Az
Wed 01 August 2012 07:32 GMT | 8:32 Local Time

News.Az interviews Heydar Mirza, MBA, research fellow in Foreign
Policy Analysis Department at Azerbaijani president’s Center for
Strategic Studies.

Armenian government has decided to ease the issue of Armenian
citizenship to countrymen from Syria and Lebanon. Do you this the
Armenian authorities really took this step because their care for
their countrymen or they thus seek to settle the demographic problem
in their country?

Yes, there is such information. I think that the second factor here
plays a more weighty role than the first one. Though the Armenian
leadership will undoubtedly play on this by presenting their actions
as a care of ‘watchmen of world Armenians’ for their countrymen.

How many Armenians from Syria and Lebanon can make use of this proposal
considering the disastrous economic situation in Armenia?

Armenian media are the main source of information on the issue.

Reports on this issue are full of vague formulations that do not allow
specifying the number of Armenians of Syria who are willing to move to
Armenia. In addition, few would move for permanent residence without
prior familiarization. The current passenger flow in direction of
Aleppo-Yerevan should be viewed in this very context. In the short-term
perspective, Armenia will likely become a temporary residence for the
Armenians of Syria. In my previous materials, I have already written
about the contrasts that the Diaspora Armenians notice in their first
visit to Armenia. Please, read the material ‘Armenia and Diaspora:
how pandukhts did their homeland in’.

Is there a threat that these Armenian migrants will be settled in
the occupied lands of Azerbaijan?

There is such a possibility and nothing more. It cannot reach the
degree of threat for several reasons. First, socioeconomic situation
in occupied Karabakh is worse than even in impoverished Armenia.

Meanwhile, compared to the Syria of Assad’s best times this is a
completely ‘cold shower’ for the Dashnak-Emigrant romanticism. If
the Armenian state had at least the reasonable tools of attracting
representatives of Middle East Armenians for permanent residence to
Armenia and Karabakh, this would have been done long before. There is
no threat of settlement of Syrian Armenians in Karabakh, when people
abandon Armenia for Russia? Second, do you imagine the reaction
of those Karabakh Armenians to the appearance of those fifth wheel
Armenians from Syria in conditions when the occupied Karabakh almost
has no opportunities for self-realization except for in agriculture?

Candidates stand in a queue for every potential work place there in
six month before an employer commissions his facility. I think that
the number of Syrian Armenians that will take this step won’t exceed
100-150 families.

How will the mass migration of Armenians of Armenia evidenced by the
statistical data of Yerevan affect the situation in the region?

Mass migration of Armenians from Armenia has already affected at least
the balance of powers influencing the situation if not the situation
in the region already in the perspective of three to five years. What
figure did Naira Zoghrabyan specify on people who leave the country
for at least long-400 people, isn’t it? This is a small village in
terms of the same Karabakh.

At the recent session in the government President Aliyev especially
noted Azerbaijan’s superiority over Armenia in the sphere of
demography. What can be the role of the demographic factor in the
resolution of the Karabakh conflict?

The fact that the president noted this factor in his appeal to members
of the government, there is additional evidence to the fact that the
rule of transition from quantity to quality is known to the supreme
military and political leadership of the country. Relevant measures in
the sphere of military and industrial construction, the structure and
volumes of arms import, as well as accents of Azerbaijani diplomacy
on the ineffective negotiation process as part of the OSCE Minsk
Group prove that Azerbaijani side realizes its strong and weak sides.

However, the problem of occupation is too complex and demands the due
complex approach and, by the way, I have to note that the president
never mentions the fact of demographic superiority of Azerbaijan over
Armenia separate from other factors. If you want to hear from me that
for the resolution of the problem of occupation it would be enough to
have what we have now and we are better prepared, it would be a great
mistake. There are numerous military and political factors in favor
of both Azerbaijani and Armenian parties and each of these factors
have several provisos. Thus, it is primarily necessary to be better
on the whole specter of comparisons and then to me more.

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY REMEMBERS MARCH 1
Roza Hovhannisyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 12:11:48 – 01/08/2012

The UN Committee on Human Rights has recently adopted conclusions
on Armenia expressing concern over the violation of human rights in
different spheres in Armenia, as well as the no-disclosure of the
March 1 cases. In this connection, Lragir.am talked to the head of
the Vanadzor office of Helsinki Citizens’ Association, Artur Sakunts.

Mr. Sakunts, the UN Committee conclusions give time to the Armenian
government to eliminate the breaches pointed out is its conclusions
and to come up with proposals. Do such assessments by the international
structures make the Armenian authorities alert?

It they didn’t, the Armenian authorities would not try working out
some projects. They understand the need of changes, but the issue
is whether there are necessary conditions for the implementation of
changes. In this sense the government is in a deadlock: it realizes
the situation but can’t do anything since it does not stem from the
interests of the oligarchs. For example, the case with Nemets Rubo
[Ruben Hayrapetyan]. How can we understand whether they want changes
or not. They speak about 15 people, but only 6 are detained. Are they
carrying out a proper investigation to disclose this incident? All
these questions prove nothing is well-done. Unfortunately, in terms
of the human rights defense there are no favorable conditions in
Armenia to change the situation.

The only favorable factor is the fight and disagreement of a part of
the society. There is a layer in the state structures, which knows the
situation very well, but they have no influence on the decision-making
process. The political leadership understands everything, but it has
no wish to make changes. The ongoing events make it clear that the
system must undergo radical changes for which serious will is required.

Taking into account the fact that the current authorities are clung
on their chairs and have no intention to leave, can we deduce radical
changes are far and we will have the same situation for the next
couple of years?

I don’t think the authorities will have the necessary resources. They
will have to count on emigration for the dissatisfied mass to leave
the country, but this is very dangerous. For me, no steps aimed at
improving the human rights situation in Armenia is a crime against
their own country. The idleness of the principle of supremacy of law
destroys the power and people’s trust in it. If people’s trust fades
away, the state will appear in a collapse. All the concerns voiced by
the Torture Committee, Human Rights Committee, PACE resolutions on the
democratic institutions of Armenia show it is time for changes. The
international community sees the potential for changes in Armenia.

The UN Committee conclusions on Armenia largely dwell March 1. The
international community is focused on these events from time to time.

Can this factor boost practical steps aimed at the revelation of
the events?

The mention of March 1 was an alerting step. The UN Human Rights
Committee dedicated two points to this issue which means the
international community has not forgotten the March 1 events. All
the propaganda measures applied in the country to alleviate the
sharpness of the issue are not consistent with the assessment of the
international community. All the attempts to ignore this issue so
that time will scar the wounds are useless because this is a serious
obstacle to the development of the country. The international community
will not accept this. This power was born by March 1. I don’t believe
in miracles, but it would be real patriotism if Serzh Sargsyan one day
says the whole truth on March 1. And if he supports the revelation,
I will vote for him. If Serzh Sargsyan really loves Armenia, if he
is courageous enough and if he wants Armenia to be a dignified state,
let him tell the whole truth.

AZERBAIJANI SOLDIERS TO BE TRAINED IN TURKEY

Today’s Zaman
July 31 2012
Turkey

Special soldiers from the Azerbaijani Armed Forces will undertake
commando training in Turkey, the Anatolia news agency reported
on Tuesday.

According to the press department of Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry,
special representatives from the Azerbaijani military will be trained
at Egirdir Mountain Commando School, attached to the Turkish Armed
Forces. At the school Azerbaijani soldiers will take part in training
courses for “defying obstacles” on Aug. 13-17 and “primary commando
training” between Aug. 27 and Nov. 16.

The training will be held as part of military cooperation between
Turkey and Azerbaijan, which has been in place for many years. Both
sides regularly hold discussions over the military-political situation
in Azerbaijan as well as in the region, and the problems caused
by the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, a conflict that has remained
unresolved for decades between Turkey’s closest ally, Azerbaijan,
and its estranged neighbor Armenia.

ARMENIA: AN UNCERTAIN “HOMECOMING” FOR SYRIA’S DIASPORA
Marianna Grigoryan

EurasiaNet.org

July 31 2012
NY

Many ethnic Armenians are disgruntled after fleeing the embattled
Syrian city of Aleppo for the safety of Armenia. They say they have
been left to fend for themselves in the country they view as their
ethnic homeland. Armenian government officials, meanwhile, insist
they are doing what they can to accommodate diaspora members.

Roughly 100,000 ethnic Armenians, descendants of the survivors of
Ottoman Turkey’s World-War-I-era massacre of ethnic Armenians, are
estimated to live in Syria, most of them in Aleppo. A tiny sliver of
that number – 6,248 individuals, based on Armenian visa and passport
applications from Syrian citizens – appear to have left for Armenia
since January 2012, according to Armenian government data.

As one of the first Diaspora groups to form after the massacre,
the Aleppo community is among the strongest of Armenia’s far-flung
Diaspora networks.

Nonetheless, members of the Aleppo community face numerous obstacles
as they try to adjust to life in Armenia proper. The problems start
with the price of plane tickets to Yerevan from Aleppo on the Monday
flights offered by Armenia’s state-run Armavia Airlines. It’s the
only regional airline, as of July 30, reportedly still flying into
the city. Since early July, ticket prices on Armavia – only round-trip
tickets are sold — have increased by 58 to 63 percent to 180,000 to
190,000 drams ($442 to $466.50).

The prices and lack of one-way tickets have fueled accusations that
Armavia is engaging in price gouging, taking advantage of the violence
that has cut off other exit routes from Aleppo. Flights on Syrian
Air to Yerevan have been sold out for months; on Armavia, they are
sold out until September, Yerevan travel agencies said.

In comments to EurasiaNet.org, senior Armavia executive Isabella
Muradyan conceded that the fighting in Aleppo is “a very important
circumstance,” but attributed the “fluctuations” in ticket prices
to Yerevan to “the euro rate and fuel prices.” [International
airline fares are calculated based on an International Air Transport
Association currency pegged to the US dollar, and then converted into
the local currency – ed].

As criticism of Armavia’s prices started to gain traction, the airline
and the Armenian government announced on July 26 that flights from
Aleppo would increase “soon” to twice per week and would be “almost
free of charge.” The government indicated that it might subsidize
ticket prices by 100,000 drams ($245.52) per ticket.

Syrian citizens are now allowed to obtain Armenian visas at the border,
and Armenian passports within Syria, rather than in Yerevan alone.

Upon arrival, though, they still face an uphill struggle to reestablish
a normal routine, refugees from Aleppo told EurasiaNet.org. “We got
no assistance at all from the Diaspora Ministry or the government,”
commented 23-year-old Mkrtich Nersesian, an economist now working in
Yerevan as a snack-bar cashier.

With unemployment one of Armenia’s thorniest problems (unofficial
jobless rates soar into the double digits), employment options are
slim, and depend on locals’ assistance. Many Syrian-Armenians work
in catering or retail stores, where job vacancies are more frequent.

Networking is also the key to finding an affordable apartment to rent
or place to stay. The Diaspora Ministry says it only organizes and
forwards assistance requests to the relevant ministry. “Everybody now
is relying on their own resources,” said 21-year-old Karo Kzirian,
a recent arrival from Aleppo.

Language can be another obstacle; particularly when schools reopen
in September. Syrian-Armenians use the Western Armenian dialect of
Armenian, distinct from the Eastern Armenian dialect spoken locally.

There are also challenges connected with cultural assimilation. Like
Iranian-Armenians, often referred to as “Persians,” Syrian-Armenians
can face discrimination.

Representatives of the Diaspora Ministry could not be reached for
comment about its work with Syrian-Armenians. Earlier in July,
however, Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakobian sharply responded to
the criticism. “Why do you think all of you are concerned about the
Syrian-Armenians and the Diaspora Ministry is not?” Hakobian was quoted
as saying by the Tert.am. news website. “Who says the ministry should
publicize all its activities?”

Ministry representatives have not visited Syria since 2010, according
to the ministry’s website, which names “collective power” as the
“salvation” of ethnic Armenians.

The criticism of the government is gaining a political dimension.

Vartan Oskanian, an MP for the semi-oppositional Prosperous Armenia
Party and a native of Aleppo, charged in early July that the Aleppo
Armenians “do not feel the support of their homeland at all.”

On his Facebook page, Oskanian, a former foreign minister, claimed
that no Armenian government official has visited Syria since February
to evaluate the situation. “The Armenian state has no right to delay.”

The Armenian government in Yerevan is approaching the strife in Syria
with caution in part because officials may be concerned about who
could replace Assad, in the event his regime falls. Relations between
Yerevan and Damascus have generally been warm; in 2009, President
Bashar al-Assad and his wife, Asma, paid an official visit to Yerevan.

Many Syrian-Armenians respect Assad, saying that his family has
supported ethnic Armenians’ interests as a Christian minority group
in a predominantly Muslim country. When it comes to the treatment
of the Armenian community in Syria, life under Assad might be more
tolerable than what might follow him.

One senior MP from the governing Republican Party of Armenia emphasized
the need for caution in tackling the question of Aleppo’s ethnic
Armenians. “We cannot interfere and evacuate Syrian-Armenians …

this can further increase the tension; the terrorist attacks may
target our compatriots’ neighborhoods next,” said Hovhannes Sahakian
in an apparent reference to Syrian rebel fighters. “The situation is
very delicate, and we must be on the alert.”

“The government is taking steps and is going to boost the measures”
to help Syrian-Armenians, Sahakian added, without elaborating. Not all
“measures require public announcements,” he added.

Whether public or private, the measures can come none too soon for
many of Aleppo’s ethnic Armenians. “We helped Armenia when it needed
[us],” commented refugee Shaghik Rastkelenean. “Now it’s time Armenia
supports us.”

Editor’s note: Marianna Grigoryan is a freelance reporter in Yerevan
and the editor of MediaLab.am.

EXPERT: REAL AREA OF UNCULTIVATED LAND REACHES 60 TO 70 IN ARMENIA

/ARKA/
AUGUST 1, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, August 1. /ARKA/. The real area of uncultivated land in
Armenia reaches 60 to 70%, though official reports indicate 37-40%,
Sarkis Sedrakyan, chairman of Farmer Movement non-governmental
organization, told journalists on Wednesday.

According to Agriculture Minister Sergo Karapetyan, total areas of
cultivated land in Armenia were expanded by 25,300 hectares or 7%
in the first half of this year.

He said arable land constitutes 449,200 hectares, of which only 30%
is cultivated.

“Armenia has little agricultural land – about 1,391,000 hectares,
including arable land, pastures etc,” Sedrakyan said. “Arable land,
which occupies only 560,000 hectares, is gradually degrading because
of a wrong agricultural policy – soil is eroding and coming close
to desertification.”

He said the government admits the fact of desertification, “but the
real area of uncultivated areas is larger than the 30% reported by
the ministry, and nobody is responsible for these processes”.

In his opinion, land cultivation in Armenia needs greater attention.

He is opposed to the statement of the minister, who, following
Argentina’s example, found unreasonable to dig over land.

Sedrakyan is convinced that unlike other countries, where soil is
cultivated without using plough, Armenia can’t do this, since its
climate and soil differ from theirs.

“We not only fail to enlarge areas under crop, but also lose the arable
land we have – nothing is being controlled and nobody cares of this,”
the expert said. He thinks it is possible to remedy the situation by
merging farms.

Now the country has 340,000 farms. One economy entity has 1.1 hectare,
on average.

The agriculture ministry plans to establish 20 plant-growing and
fruit-cultivating cooperative economies this year.

RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND CONDEMNING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE WAS ADOPTED IN BUENOS AYRES

ARMENPRESS
AUGUST 2, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, AUGUST 2, ARMENPRESS: The urban council of Buenos Ayres
state’s San Isidro administrative district under the presidency of
Julia Rita Cuzis on August 1 unanimously voted for the resolution
recognizing and condemning Armenian Genocide. Armenpress was informed
from Armenian Foreign affairs ministry that the council at the same
time joined the Republican law No. 26199 which was adopted on December
13, 2006 by Argentinean Senate according to which April 24 was declared
“Day of tolerance and respect between nations in memory of genocide
of Armenian nation”.

At the session of urban council were present ambassador of Armenia
to Argentina Vahagn Melikyan, members of Armenian Church as well as
representatives of Armenian institutions and organizations.

After the end of the voting there speeches performed by Armenian
ambassador, representatives of Armenian Apostolic Church.