Author: Kanayan Tamar

SERZH SARGSYAN CHOSE WRONG AUDIENCE
HAKOB BADALYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 11:24:59 – 10/04/2012

Serzh Sargsyan launched his campaign with meeting with young people
in Tsaghkadzor, a mountain resort. “My purpose is to incorporate
your recommendations, wishes, approaches in our programs. The world
is changing at a pace when the ideas of young people must act as
guidelines. Since young people are, as a rule, always courageous and
in most cases are not bound by cliches, they can give better and more
useful advice.”

Apparently, Serzh Sargsyan made a mistake in choosing his audience
if he needs fresh ideas by young people which are in line with global
development and will help Armenia keep up with this development.

In Armenia, youth is somewhere else and hardly ever appears in the
halls where Serzh Sargsyan makes his speeches. These young people make
the civil framework of the Armenian National Congress, the Heritage
Party and the Free Democrats, even the ARF Dashnaktsutyun, this
youth is in Mashtots Park, at Trchkan waterfall, Teghut forest, this
youth is the avant-garde in the battle for rights, law enforcement,
civil freedoms.

If Serzh Sargsyan needs fresh ideas and approaches which are in line
with the global development, he must go and address this youth.

Because the youth brought to him is just a group of young upstarts
who care for competition with their peers to appear in the sight of
Serzh Sargsyan and government and advance in their careers rather
than boost Armenia’s competitiveness in the region and in the world.

This youth justifies the mental and ideological defective goods of the
government rather than generates ideas. To make sure this is true, it
is enough to take a glance of the young people sitting in the first
row in meetings with Serzh Sargsyan. Most of them are Republicans
and government functionaries, worthy heirs of their senior colleagues
who are hopelessly behind the global developments, while the others
are standing in line for their turn.

The youth generating ideas is somewhere else, brings up and pursues
other issues which are related to public welfare, protection of rights
and freedoms and have nothing to do with their personal welfare.

Moreover, these young people forget about their own welfare and
personal comfort and choose the street, the square, spending nights in
rain instead of warm and comfortable offices not to let Armenia appear
in the deadlock of global developments, create a harmonious state in
Armenia, attractive for its citizens, upholding its Constitution.

Does he have the courage to face this audience and speak about change?

Is Serzh Sargsyan ready to meet with this youth, listen to their
unpleasing questions and opinions?

Certainly, there is another question too. Are these young people ready
to listen to Serzh Sargsyan, to meet him? Unlike the career hunters,
they do not rely on Serzh Sargsyan and his administration, they rely
on themselves, on other fighting citizens.

Serzh Sargsyan explained to those career hunters his campaign slogan
“Believe to Change”, urging them to believe themselves. Meanwhile,
the majority of young people in this hall believes their luck and
Serzh Sargsyan and hope that Serzh Sargsyan and the Republican Party
will appreciate their devotion and change their life, as the life of
most of their peers.

In reality, it is the young people involved in different opposition
political and civil movements who believe themselves and rely on their
struggle to achieve change, and unlike Serzh Sargsyan’s audience,
they believe only the citizen who claims to his rights and thinks free.

THE ENGLISH PHOTOGRAPHER’S WORK ABOUT ARTSAKH IS AWARDED A PRESTIGIOUS PRIZE

Wednesday, 11 April 2012 05:43

Photographer from London Anastasia Taylor-Lind is awarded a prestigious
international prize for the project National Womb: Baby-Boom in
Nagorno-Karabakh, the initiator of which is the non-commercial
Photographers’ Organization Center in Santa Fe.

In her work, Taylor-Lind presented the state program of birth
rate encouragement in the NKR, according to which, the newlyweds
are granted cash benefits for every newborn baby to ensure stable
demographic development of the region, which strongly suffered from
the war unleashed by Azerbaijan.

Anastasia Taylor-Lind will get a cash bonus in $10 000 and will present
her work at an exhibition in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She will also
have an opportunity to attend the annual Photo Gallery in Santa Fe,
which brings together hundreds of photographers, editors, and curators.

The contest’s jury comprised representatives of Denmark, Mexico,
Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Great Britain, and the USA. In their
statement, the contest’s organizers noted, “Regardless of the area,
where the photos were made, bringing victory to the author, this work
covered universal topics, to some extent internationally highlighting
the issues that affect us all”.

BLOOMINGDALE’S KITCHEN AREA TAKES AN ARMENIAN FLAVOR
By Mel Fabrikant

ParamusPost.com

April 9 2012

Two renowned Armenians, Michael Aram and Anahid Krichian Met at
Bloomingdale’s on March 28th to display their talents. Michael
Aram is well known for specialty high design household artwork and
Bloomingdale’s has devoted a unique area in which his showpieces are
on display. Anahid Krichian , the proprietor of Krichian Bistro &
Grill prepared Armenian food at Karinas Cuchina. The two Armenians
made their native country proud of this get together.

While Michael was on hand to showcase his products, Anahid catered
Armenian food at a private party before they approached the public. Mr
Aram was busy signing purchase for the public and the consumer was
offered a special gift with any regularly priced purchase of $150.00
or more.

Ms Krichan offered Armenian style food at a private reception before
the 1 – 4 PM public display. She made: Spinach & Cheese Beureg, Choreg
-Armenian Sweet Bread, Tahini Bread, Mini Lahmajuns, Olive Beureg,
Muhamara, Taboule, Keufte (Kibbe)and Yalanji (grape leaves)

While Michael Aram products are contnulally on display at
Bloomingdale’s Riverside Square location, Anahid Krichian can be
reached at or at Krichian Bistro & Grill

BURJ HAMMOUD: TREASURE TROVE OF CULINARY DELIGHTS
By Mirella Hodeib

The Daily Star

April 9 2012
Lebanon

BURJ HAMMOUD, Lebanon: Inside the bustling, densely populated narrow
streets of Beirut’s Armenian quarters, true culinary gems, each one
more enticing than the next, have existed since the Caucasus population
fled Ottoman tyranny to safer, less oppressive realms.

The industrial district of Burj Hammoud, northeast of the capital,
is not merely home to Lebanon’s Armenian community or migrant workers
from Asia and Africa; it is a treasure trove of cultures and culinary
traditions.

Scratching beneath the surface, scents of sumac, cumin and garlic
mix with those of caramel and vanilla in almost every corner of
Burj Hammoud.

Lebanon’s Armenians develop their skills to the point of perfection;
they’ll prepare their legendary sujok sausages and basterma meat with
the same passion and dexterity as when they create the fine jewelry
they are known for.

Crimson-red sausages and cured meat coated with pungent spices
hanging next to window displays of flashy jewelry are not completely
unfamiliar sights, since in Burj Hammoud, meat retailers, jewelers
and other craftsmen perfectly cohabit.

The district’s sujok and basterma can be tasted fresh because in the
past decade or two several butchers started sandwich sections.

The Basterma Mano deli on Municipality Street has been the most
creative in the field. In addition to traditional specialties such as
sujok and basterma sandwiches, Mano borrowed the concept of shawarma
and came up with the succulent fusion shawarma sujok, which is served
in Lebanese bread on a bed of finely sliced tomatoes and topped with
sour wild cucumber pickles.

To extend the Mano experience, think of buying sliced to order
basterma from their retail section as well as some old-fashioned
golden sandwich bread, “khibz franji” from the Veronna Bakery in
close-by Dora for a garlicky dinner the next day.

Mossis is another venue offering a wide range of sandwiches with an
Armenian twist. Located on the inner road linking Burj Hammoud to Dora,
Mossis is famous for its spicy, paper-thin meat on dough known as lahm
baajin, which is rendered even tastier by a squeeze of lemon on top,
as well as for its comforting chicken and celery amuse bouche.

Mossis’ roast beef, beef tongue and basterma sandwiches are also
widely popular for their taste, which is reminiscent of old times
when sandwiches did not drown in an overgenerous slosh of mayonnaise.

If you’re not offered vanilla-scented sweet dumplings with your
sandwich at Mossis, make sure to remind the staff about the crunchy
deep-fried tubular desert – a real enchantment to the taste buds.

But what about real Armenian home food? Fulfilling dishes such as
eetch, the hot version of Lebanese tabbouleh, or manti, the spicy
ground lamb mixture in a dough wrapper soaked in garlic yogurt with a
generous sprinkle of sumac on top, and sou boreg, the buttered phyllo
pastry with a melted cheese filling.

Typical Armenian cuisine, the kind of food you’d have at the home of
an Armenian friend, is not served in the capital’s well-known Armenian
restaurants but rather in the minuscule low-key chophouses hidden in
the maze-like backstreets of Burj Hammoud.

Karnigue Nigolian and his devoted commis/waiter Raffy have been feeding
their customers authentic Armenian specialties at the charming 30-seat
Restaurant Onno on Aghabios Street facing Sabtieh Church since 1990.

Nigolian, who goes by the nickname Onno, is particularly strict when
it comes to reservations, due to the dimensions of his two-story
restaurant, decorated with snapshots of pre-Civil War Downtown Beirut.

Onno’s fairly priced menu includes items hailing from Armenian and
Lebanese mezze and a lot of arak, of course – the anise spirit is
dearly cherished in both cultures.

The fiery chef is especially proud of his sweet and savory kebab
bi karaz (cherry kebab), which he serves up with toasted nuts and
fried bread.

Onno, in fact, nails the recipe: The gooey dark red cherry chutney
is satisfyingly sweet and the lamb kebab tender and juicy.

Onno confides that he shops for his meat, vegetables and most of the
remaining ingredients inside Burj Hammoud. One street in particular
will definitely delight every foodie.

Souk Marash is the home of spices and other materials required to
concoct flavorsome Armenian and other cuisine.

Bulk spices and seasonings, and also dried fruits, nuts and candy are
displayed on stands throughout the packed market, which is located
parallel to Arax Street, Burj Hammoud’s shopping hub.

At the spacious Bann Garo store right in the middle of Marash,
dried black cherries, an essential ingredient for kebab bi karaz,
are sold, but also a wide variety of cayenne pepper, chilli paste,
and walnuts to make the piquant muhamara dip.

Sweet sujok, the Armenian version of the Lebanese malban sweet,
is a bestseller at Bann Garo too.

Sold on wooden skewers, the sweet sujoks can be the perfect ending
to a culinary journey in Burj Hammoud. The caramel-scented sweets
are made with grape molasses, flavored with rose water and mastic
and stuffed with a variety of nuts, including walnuts and pistachios.

And just like Burj Hammoud was once a comforting refuge for newcomers,
in Marash, one is likely to find comforting infusions and herbal teas
to calm the indigestion incurred after a heavy meal in the lively
district that never fails to enchant inhabitants and visitors alike.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION DEMANDS PEOPLE LIVING ABROAD TO BE REMOVED FROM ELECTORAL LISTS

Vestnik Kavkaza
April 9 2012
Russia

Dashnaktsutyun, Heritage and the Armenian National Congress have filed
a letter to the police chief, prime minister, justice minister, CEC
chairman, international observers and foreign ambassadors in Armenia,
Armenia Today reports.

The letter says that the list of voters has 2,485,844 names, and with
account of 50,000 jailed servicemen and civilians of secret lists,
the figure reaches 2,535,844.

The document states that the census of 2011 stated a population
of 3,285,767, while the real population is 2,871,767. The three
opposition parties question authorities about 414,258 other people,
or about 700,000 according to experts.

Armenian opposition demands information on full list of citizens,
including the ones living abroad to make elections clear and legal.

The authors of the letter believe that it would make the elections
clear and prove elections as legal.

ARMENIA INTERESTED IN IRANIAN PETROLEUM

Vestnik Kavkaza
April 9 2012
Russia

Armenia is interested in Iranian petroleum, as stated by Jalil Salari,
Executive Director of the Iranian National Oil Company for petroleum
sales, Armenia Today reports.

Salari noted that it is disadvantageous for Armenia to import petroleum
from Georgia. Iran offers exports of fuel via road tankers, which
may be replaced by a pipeline in the future.

The Iranian and Armenian energy ministers signed a deal on exports of
gasoline and petroleum in February. Iran has refineries producing 50
million liters daily, with the oil industry producing 100 liters daily.

Alireza Zeydami, Executive Director of the National Oil Company for
refining and exports of Iranian oil, said that shipments of oil have
already started for Iraq, Armenia, Afghanistan and Pakistan. He said
that Iran exported 43 million liters of petroleum (from March 19,
2011, to March 19, 2012), making about $10 billion. Iran plans to
increase petroleum output.

V. BOSTANJYAN LIKED ARF’D ELECTION PROGRAM

06:40 pm | Today | Politics

Armenian MP Vardan Bostanjyan is delighted with the election program
of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaksutyun.

“The society should be ready to implement similar programs,” he
saidduring the presentation of the ARF election program.

Vardan Bostanjyan had a chance to get acquainted with the program
before the ARF decided to present it to the public.

Asked whether the MP, who was left out of the electoral list of the
Prosperous Armenia Party, is likely to side with the ARF, Mr Bostanjyan
said, “I have never thought of it.”

Note that Vardan Bostanjyan had a chance to publically express his
opinion on the party’s program during today’s meeting at Yerevan’s
Erebuni Hotel.

EUROPEAN RESTRICTIONS ON IRANIAN OIL EXPORT TO PLAY NO DECISIVE ROLE: RUSSIAN EXPERT

On Line: 09 April 2012 14:13
In Print: Tuesday 10 April 2012

MOSCOW – Export restrictions for the Iranian oil into Europe will play
no key role on the export potential in the long-term perspectives,
Russian economist Leonid Grigoryev told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“Iranian oil is mainly exported to China, India, South Korea, which
are strategically important to the state. What happens today is more
politics then economics. Restrictions toward Iran will not make its
economy knee down,” Grigoryev said adding another positive effect
for Iran is the increase in prices.

Besides, restrictions refer not to fully cutting the oil supplies but
to suspend its import to Europe. Over 20% is expected to cut down,
while taken into account the raise of the

HERITAGE, FREE DEMOCRATS EMBARK ON ELECTION CAMPAIGN

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 9, 2012 – 17:27 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Opposition Heritage and Free Democrats parties
launched their election campaign by an event organized in Armenia
Marriott Hotel in Republic Square in Yerevan downtown.

“Today we launch our election campaign. We start at Republic Square,
and will end up at Freedom Square, with our campaign and out victory,”
Free Democrats leader Khachatur Kokobelyan said at the event opening.

Following this, he gave the floor to leader of Heritage party Raffi
Hovannisian who presented the members of Heritage’s proportional list
for the upcoming parliamentary elections.

“This event marks the path to a new Armenia, citizen rights, sovereign
Armenia and national interests,” Heritage leader declared. He said
they are going to “give the power back to people, for the first and
last time”.

Hovannisian further added that their party will not only gain the
majority in the next parliament, but also take part in forming the
executive, judicial and presidential power. “Those who are doubtful
now will believe in this in 30 days,” he emphasized.

Following the hotel event, participants marched from the Republic
Square to the Freedom Square.

Parliamentary elections are due in Armenia on May 6 featuring 8
political parties (Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), Prosperous
Armenia, ARF Dashnaktsutyun (ARFD), Orinats Yerkir, Heritage,
Democratic Party of Armenia (DPA), Communist Party of Armenia and
United Armenian party, as well as one election bloc represented by
opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC).

On the threshold of elections, Heritage merged with Free Democrats
opposition party, the representatives of which were included in the
Heritage candidates list. The list is topped by the leader of Heritage
party Raffi Hovannisian, Free Democrats party head Khachatur Kokobelyan
and MP Zaruhi Postanjyan (Heritage).

Iran Starts Deployment Of New Home-Made Radar

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 9, 2012 – 15:38 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Iran will start using a new home-made powerful radar
system in coming days, a senior Iranian commander announced on Monday,
April 9.

“Samen Radar System will come online in the next ten days,” Commander
of Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base, Brigadier General Farzad Esmayeeli
told Fars News Agency.

“We are now deploying it,” the commander said, adding that Samen’s
range is “good” and is able to detect and identify targets with very
low Radar Cross Section (RCS).

Esmayeeli stated that the radar will be stationed in the most
far-fetched and remote areas first and will later be deployed
throughout the country.

In February, the Iranian Armed Forces launched new radar and missile
systems with various ranges all throughout Iran.

Tens of radar and missile systems with various ranges were manufactured
and deployed in Iran’s defense sector and new systems were to join
the defense network during the 10-Day Dawn celebrations, marking the
anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran.