Author: Kanayan Tamar

Russia main factor restraining Turkish-Azerbaijani aggression –
Armenian analysts

15:44 * 06.12.14

Russia currently appears to be the main factor restraining the
Turkish-Azerbaijani aggression against Armenia, a political analyst
has said, characterizing both countries as traditional enemies of
Armenia.

Gagik Harutyunyan, Director of the Yerevan-based scientific
educational foundation Noravank, made the remark in comments to
Tert.am, as he addressed a recently approved technical-military
cooperation agreement signed between Armenia and Russia and Russia’s
simultaneous weapons deal with Azerbaijan.

“I think Russia will keep selling weapons to Azerbaijan and others. It
is thanks to those policies that they also supply us with armament at
somewhat reduced prices, sometimes even free of charge. We must, of
course, complain about what Russia is doing, bearing in mind that
Azerbaijan purchases weapons not only from Russia but also Ukraine,
Israel and other countries,” he said.

Describing weapons sale as an internationally important process, the
expert said he thinks that Armenia’s only choice is to put up with the
idea. “Apart from our interests, there is also the national interest
of Russia, which requires selling to the maximum their leading
sector’s product,” he added.

Harutyunyan said he doesn’t think that Russia in this way fails to
fully meet its obligations towards Armenia as a strategic ally. “There
are very many questions that do not please us, and there are things
which they do not like themselves,” he said, citing the Armenian Armed
Forces’ troops’ presence in Kosovo within the frameworks of a NATO
program.

“We see what is advantageous to us, and they do what offers advantages
to them, but our main objectives and interests coincide.”

Commenting on the issue, political analyst Alexander Margarov cited
the imperative of maintaining balance as an question of mutual
interest for both countries.

“Any acquisition of weapons has specific objectives, so the other side
– whether Armenia or Azerbaijan – must have the necessary weapons
supply and make procurements, considering its real situation. A
purchasing side has to know what weapons the other side possesses to
maintain the balance,” he noted.

“Russia has its own arguments as to why it sells weapons to
Azerbaijan, and that’s a business beals. On the other hand, they said
that it’s the only way to keep the situation under due control. From
this point of view, it is naturally important to exercise control from
all sides and make procurement based on the existing strategic
doctrine,” he added

“Security maintenance first of all addresses us, the armed forces of
Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. So a counteraction the adversary
receives is already enough for it to feel that the Armenian forces are
adequately armed and properly trained to [react to] any encroachment.”

Surging Dollar’s impact on air ticket prices in Armenia

12:03 * 06.12.14

The increasing exchange rate of the US Dollar has not left Armenia’s
air ticket market unaffected.

Travel agencies and airlines claim that they observe a surge in flight
tickets’ prices in almost all directions.

Speaking to Tert.am, a source from the travel agency ITOUR said that
flights from Yerevan to Moscow are now 5,000 Drams (approx $11) more
expensive, with the air tickets to Europe selling for a 10,000 Drams’
(approx $20) higher price. More distant flights have grown even more
costly: passengers who want to travel to Thailand, Malaysia, the
United States, Australia, Canada, South America and Singapore have to
pay at least 20,000 Drams (approx $45) more to buy a ticket.

The company source said they are hopeful a decrease in the Dram-Dollar
exchange rate may cause the air ticket prices to drop. But the surge
may be even higher in case the Euro price is up on the currency
market.

A representative from the air company Avia Tour also confirmed a surge
in all ticket prices.

Sources from RIMA travel said that air tickets for Moscow now sell for
70,000 Drams (approx $155), instead of 74,000 Drams ($165) ten days
ago.

The company’s founding director, Rima Khachatryan, voiced her concerns
also of another problem. “The surges in the prices of air tickets are
not that essential; tour packages appear to be a greater problem. As
we collaborate with international organizations, we take Dram from our
customers, change the exchange rate and transfer it to those
organizations. And here is where the tour agency faces a problem,” she
explained.

Khachatryan said the company does not now expect any income from the
packages’ sale. “We cannot call a customer back and say that it is
necessary to pay more because the [exchange] rate is higher. A
customer may refuse [to buy the ticket], causing a problem for us. And
that’s not about a loss of 70,000-80,000 Drams (approx $155-$180) but
a million or two,” she added.

Tert.am also talked to Babken Pipoyan, the president of the NGO
Informed and Protected Consumer, for comments on the surges’ possible
impact on Armenia’s economy and the population’s well-being.

“We have a big Diaspora, as well as people who leave abroad as
employment migrants. They come to Armenia once or twice a year and
then leave back. But the surge will cause people to come once instead
of twice every year,” he said, expressing further concerns of possible
impacts on the imports.

Pipoyan said he fears that expensive air tickets will create problems
also in the tourism sector, lowering the domestic trade overturn.
“Armenia has wonderful perspectives to develop health tourism. But the
surge block those changes too,” he added.

Zhoghovurd: Ruble’s depreciation causes damage to Yerevan Beer

11:06 06/12/2014 >> DAILY PRESS

Yerevan Beer company is suffering great losses due to the depreciation
of the Russian ruble. Company’s deputy director Armen Hayiryan told
Zhoghovurd that the company has been exporting its production to
Russia for a long time, but it had to cut the export volumes due to
the ruble’s devaluation.

“Several problems arise when purchasers realize the products on the
spot and the purchasing ability of people is declining. Otherwise we
could export a larger volume of beer to Russia,” Hayiryan said.

Source: Panorama.am

TURKISH UNIVERSITY FAILS TO FIND LECTURERS FOR PIONEERING ARMENIAN LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Dec 5 2014

EDÄ°RNE – Dogan News Agency

Lectures at the Armenian Language and Literature department of a
university in Turkey’s northwestern province of Edirne have not been
held since the beginning of the 2014-2015 academic year, due to the
lack of instructors.

The 16 students of the Armenian Language and Literature department
at Trakya University in Edirne, which was established by the Higher
Education Board (YOK) three years ago, have been unable to attend
classes as no lecturer with the necessary qualifications could
be found.

Trakya University Literature Faculty Dean Prof. Recep Durmaz said
they could not find any new lecturers to replace the previous teachers.

“When the department was opening, we brought lecturers who were
native speakers. The lecturers, whose contracts came to an end, did
not renew their contracts. We could not reach a new deal and therefore
we cannot provide the education,” said Durmaz, adding that they were
still searching for lecturers.

Ahmet Duman, a junior student at the department, said he had enrolled
in the department three years ago and until this year, he had attended
his classes without any problems.

“Right now, we are taking Russian classes once a week. We cannot have
other classes because we lack the lecturers. Other departments have
had their first exams. The final exams are soon, but there are still
no lecturers,” said Duman.

He added that the faculty had offered to move them to other
departments, but two months have passed and the final decision on
the issue has yet to be made.

“We want to continue studying in the department that we chose,”
Duman said.

December/05/2014

HONOR: CLIFFSIDE WOMAN CITED

Herald News (Passaic County, NJ)
December 4, 2014 Thursday

by Kara Yorio

Cliffside Park resident Alice Movsesian is being honored by the
Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region (ANCA-ER) at
their annual banquet Sunday. She will receive the Vahan Cardashian
Award, which is given annually to an ANCA supporter who has
demonstrated longstanding dedication and active involvement in the
Armenian-American community and its priorities.

“Her generosity of time and spirit has touched so many lives —
here in New Jersey and in our homeland — and serves as a model for
community activism,” ANCA of New Jersey co-chairman Karine Shnorhokian
said of Movsesian in armenianweekly.com.

To purchase tickets or to make a tax-deductible donation:
anca.org/erbanquet. For more information: [email protected],
917-428-1918.

L’HIVER EST ARRIVEE EN ARMENIE

ARMENIE

Les residents des parties basses de la capitale Erevan se sont enfin
reveilles sous la neige, qui, cependant, n’a pas tenue et s’ est
arretee bien avant midi. Pendant ce temps, les gens dans les provinces
de l’Armenie ont deja eu “la joie de l’hiver” depuis plusieurs jours.

Le ministère armenien des Situations d’urgence (MES) a declare que
dans les regions montagneuses et de piemont, Lori, Tavush et du Syunik
des precipitations sont prevues sous forme de neige, il y aura des
tempetes de neige, des routes verglacees et une faible visibilite
horizontale sur les routes internationales et intercommunautaires .

Du 4 au 6 decembre principalement dans les regions de l’Est devrait
apparaître des precipitations occasionnelles et du brouillard et
dans les zones montagneuses de la neige, et le 7 Decembre le temps
sera clair.

Malgre la neige et les blizzards a travers l’Armenie le 3 Decembre
toutes les routes du pays etaient pour la plupart ouverts a la
circulation a partir de 8 heures, a rapporte le ministère des
Situations d’urgence. Les mauvaises conditions sont, en particulier,
signalees pour la route Sotk-Karvachar et le col de Vardenyats.

Les conducteurs sont egalement mis en garde sur les conditions glacees
sur certaines sections de la ville de Sisian, des villages de Lanjik
et Jajur de la province du Shirak, sur les routes du Ashotsk-Amasia,
Aparan-Aragats de la province d’Aragatsotn, Charentsavan-Hrazdan –
de la Province du Kotayk.

Le ministère signale que les routes recoivent du sel et du sable pour
la securite du trafic.

La Mairie d’Erevan a declare que les travaux de deneigement ont
commence et se poursuivront encore dans les rues principales et
secondaires, les trottoirs dans certains des districts administratifs
de la capitale.

>, a declare Surenyan.

GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN

ArmeniaNow

vendredi 5 decembre 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

LE CHEF DE LA DIPLOMATIE TURQUE MEVLUT CAVUCOGLU ESTIME QUE LA TURQUIE FAIT DES EFFORTS POUR L’OUVERTURE DE LA FRONTIERE, MAIS PAS L’ARMENIE !

TURQUIE-ARMENIE

Le ministre turc des Affaires etrangères Mevlut Cavucoglu aurait
declare selon l’agence de presse turque Arca que la Turquie faisait
des efforts continuels pour rechauffer les liens diplomatiques avec
l’Armenie mais que cette dernière ne souscrivait pas a ces efforts
d’Ankara. Une desinformation de plus d’un des hommes les plus rigides
et farouchement anti-armenien de la diplomatie turque. Mevlut Cavucoglu
aurait effectue cette declaration devant les journalistes dans l’avion
lors de son depart au sommet de l’OTAN. Il aurait ainsi repondu a la
question de l’ouverture de la frontière armeno-turque soulevee par
le Pape Francois lors de sa visite en Turquie. > dit le chef
de la diplomatie turque avec un brin de cynisme et de mauvaise foi.

Krikor Amirzayan

vendredi 5 decembre 2014, Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com

THE US AND RUSSIA HONOR ANDRZEJ KASPRZYK FOR HIS WORK ON NAGORNO KARABAKH

13:25, 05 Dec 2014

The US and Russia honored the Special Representative of the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk for his work on Nagorno Karabakh,
US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group said in a Twitter post.

Warlock also congratulated the OSCE Swiss Presidency for its focus
on security in Europe. “Peace and prosperity will be the result of
diplomacy, not military conflict,” he said.

NAIRIT WORKERS THREATEN TO BLOCK BAGRATUNIATS STREET

Yerevan’s Nairit chemical plant workers who staged a protest
outside the plant now intend to resort to resolute actions and block
Bagratuniats Street. They demand that the Board of Directors of Nairit
CJSC convene a sitting.

The plant’s spokeswoman Anush Harutyunyan earlier told Aysor.am that
the issue of convening a siting of the Board of Directors was to be
solved within 1-2 hours.

A lot of law enforcers have arrived at the scene.

As was reported, yesterday, on December 4, Nairit workers held a
protest outside the Armenian president’s residence, demanding a meeting
with him. The Nairit plant’s trade union chairman Hrach Tadevosyan said
that the protesters had two demands: full repayment of their back wages
and suspension of the procedure of giving layoff notices to workers.

05.12.14, 15:58

PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA’S ENEMIES SEEK TO DESTROY ITS ECONOMY

December 4, 2014 – 15:53 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – President Vladimir Putin accused Russia’s enemies
on Thursday, Dec 4, of seeking to carve it up and destroy its economy
to punish it for growing strong, according to Reuters.

He accused the West of “pure cynicism” in Ukraine and said economic
sanctions must drive Russians to develop their own economy.

The ruble fell as he spoke to an ornate hall packed with dignitaries,
delivering a speech that showed no sign of turning back from policies
that have brought his country to confrontation with the West unseen
since the Cold War.

Russia’s “enemies of yesterday” wished on it the same fate as
Yugoslavia in the 1990s, he said in the speech, which ran for more
than an hour and was interrupted repeatedly by applause.

“There is no doubt they would have loved to see the Yugoslavia
scenario of collapse and dismemberment for us – with all the tragic
consequences it would have for the peoples of Russia. This has not
happened. We did not allow it,” he said.

So determined was the West to destroy Russia, he said, that sanctions
would have been imposed even without the crisis in Ukraine.

“I am certain that if all this did not take place… they would come
up with another reason to contain Russia’s growing capabilities,” he
said. “Whenever anyone thinks Russia has become strong, they resort
to this instrument.”

“We will never pursue the path of self-isolation, xenophobia,
suspicion and search for enemies. All this is a manifestation of
weakness, while we are strong and self-confident,” Putin said.