Author: Kanayan Tamar

Pressures against people’s right to self-determination lead to
disastrous consequences ` Serzh Sargsyan

19:42 ¢ 08.05.14

The developments in Ukraine prove that any pressures against people’s
right to self-determination lead to disastrous consequences, the
Armenian president has said at a non-official meeting of ex-Soviet
countries’ leaders in Moscow.

Serzh Sargsyan made the remark as he addressed the situation in
Ukraine and Armenia’s cooperation with the Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO).

Considering the Crimea referendum an example of a free exercise of the
right to self-determination, the president added that any attempt to
restrict that freedom without regard to the fundamental principles of
international law can have serious implications.

`Armenia has clearly stated that the referendum in Crimea is
considered yet another example of freely exercising the people’s right
to self-determination. Nevertheless, we are extremely concerned over
the increasing violence in Ukraine, including the developments in
Odessa, Slavyansk, Kramatorsk and other regions. We cannot remain
undisturbed by the current situation, also because there are over half
a million Armenians residing there.

`With a deep regret do I state that those developments have led to
human losses. Our guideline is that the crisis must be resolved
exclusively through peaceful methods, a broad dialogue (which must
involve the society, first of all), as well as negotiations based on
the UN Charter and the international law, including the agreement
reached in Geneva on April 17 this year,’ he said.

The president further called for joint efforts towards reducing risks
and ensuring regional stability and security, as well as focusing
attention on developing and strengthening the Collective Rapid
Reaction Forces.

Noting that Armenia is going to host the CSTO peacekeeping forces’
military drills next year, the president promised to do everything
possible to organize the event on the highest level.

The non-official presidential meeting was attended by the leaders of
Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

Putin: Russia remains a leading trade and economic partner of Armenia – Photos

May 08, 2014 | 19:30

Vladimir Putin is pleased to see that Russia remains a leading trade
and economic partner of Armenia.

The trade turnover between the states increased nearly by 11 percent
(10.6 percent) in 2013 as compared with the previous year, he said
during a meeting with his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan in
Moscow.

President Putin noted that positive pace and growth dynamics is
preserved, and Russia remains the first investor in Armenia’s economy.

`Following my visit to Armenia, huge work was done to implement the
arrangements that were achieved during the visit,’ Putin said, adding
that he is happy to have a chance to see what else must be done to
accelerate the joint efforts.

Pressure of peoples’ right to self-determination brings to
catastrophic consequences: Serzh Sargsyan

19:08, 8 May, 2014

YEREVAN, MAY 8, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has clearly stated that the
referendum held in the Crimea is
another example of the realization of the peoples’ right to
self-determination through free will. The President
of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan reiterates this position of
Armenia at the non-formal meeting
with the Presidents of Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan,
held today in Moscow.

As `Armenpress’ was informed from the Department of Public Relations
and Mass Media of the President’s Office, Serzh Sargsyan noted that
“nevertheless, we are extremely concerned about the growing violence
in Ukraine, including the events in Odessa, Slaviansk, Kramatorsk and
other regions. We are much troubled with the created situation,
including the fact that there are more than half a million Armenians
living there.

No US, Russian Peacekeepers in Karabakh: Opinions from Baku and Yerevan

05.08.2014 19:38 epress.am

Interim status for Nagorno-Karabakh does not mean that it will become
an independent entity, Azerbaijani political analyst Zardusht Alizadeh
(pictured, below) in conversation with Haqqin.az, commenting on OSCE
Minsk Group US Co-ChairJames Warlick’s speech yesterday on the
official policy of the US Government on settlement of the Karabakh
conflict.

According to Alizadeh, the US, Russia, and the EU will be closely
monitoring the formation of Karabakh: how it complies with
international laws, adheres to democratic standards and human rights,
ensures the cohabitation of Azerbaijani and Armenian communities, and
so on. “Only then will these countries decide whether this formation
can survive independently or not,” he said.

“Maybe Karabakh will never be endowed with separate status. All these
issues have been developed over a long time, and there is nothing new.
We, in fact, lose nothing. We return all the occupied territories, and
our people [to] Shushi and the other cities of Karabakh, where they
lived before the conflict,” he added.

Regarding the deployment of peacekeepers in Karabakh, the analyst said
neither Russian nor American peacekeepers benefits Azerbaijan. “I
think, the main difficult negotiations will be on this issue,” he
said.

Armenian public figure Ara Nedolyan (pictured, above) believes that
the six principles proposed by American diplomacy are still “raw” and
don’t provide a clear prospect for conflict resolution and the
establishment of peace. On his Facebook page, Nedolyan wrote
[AM]:”First, Armenia and Azerbaijan agree on the final status of
Nagorno-Karabakh. Question: how to agree when their positions are
diametrically opposed? Azerbaijan insists that Nagorno-Karabakh must
remain within Azerbaijan, which is unacceptable for us.

“The remaining points in the face of this contradiction are
meaningless but also have internal contradictions: in particular, if
the Lachin and Kelbajar regions do not remain under the control of the
Armenian side, the point about ensuring a land corridor between the
Republic of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh becomes meaningless.

“Also meaningless is the point about the return of displaced persons.
Because of the reasons I mentioned, Azerbaijanis cannot return to
Lachin and Kelbajar, cannot return also to Shushi (it has already been
resettled) or Khojaly, which simply doesn’t exist. And where should
the Armenian residents of Shahumyan and Getashen return, if they are
not to be included in the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh?

“Also meaningless is the point about introducing peacekeeping troops
because if the parties overcome the aforementioned contradictions and
clearly take the path to reconciliation, then peacekeeping forces are
simply not needed; they have no problem to resolve. And the
introduction of foreign troops on the territory of independent states
is itself a destabilizing fact.

“My conclusion: unrealistic principles, which cannot serve as a basis
for reconciliation, no matter how much [Armenian President] Serzh
[Sargsyan] has not secretly given his approval. It absolutely doesn’t
oblige us to anything.”

According to Azerbaijani political analyst Vafa Guluzade (pictured,
above), Baku must agree on the principles articulated by Warlick,
since “no one will no longer offer us anything.” “All these issues are
reflected in the Madrid Principles, and there is nothing new. If they
didn’t prevent it at the time, [former President of Armenia] Levon
Ter-Petrossian had agreed to this option. If the US is principled on
this matter, perhaps something will work out with them.”

At the same, Guluzade is against deploying Russian and American
peacekeepers. “After the events in Ukraine, believing in Russian
peacekeepers is the same as not having respect for yourself, and the
Americans didn’t behave themselves in Kosovo. I think, in this matter
we have to defend our own interests,” he said.

Armenia’s industrial output drops by 2.8 percent to 274.3 billion drams

YEREVAN, May 8. / ARKA /. Armenia’s industrial production in January-
March 2014 amounted to 274.3 billion drams, a 2.8 percent decline when
compared with the same period in 2013, according to the National
Statistical Service (NSS).

NSS said the manufacturing sector accounted for 59.3% of the total
output. Its share decreased by 4.1% from the year before to 162.9
billion drams.

The mining sector decreased by 1.1% to 44.5 billion drams. Supplies of
electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning dropped by 0.5 percent to
62.6 billion drams. Water supply and water treatment and recycling
output grew by 6 percent to more than 4.2 billion drams. ($ 1 –
413.29 drams). -0-

– See more at:

Arif Yunusov: One should be pragmatist but not theorist when settling conflicts

Yunusov’s interview with ArmInfo correspondent was ready to
publication when the information about detaining Yunusov and his wife
Leyla Yunus made us delay it, so that not to give another reason to
the official Baku `to prove’ its accusation in the so called
`cooperation’ with Armenia. Now, when the situation has been more or
less clarified, the editor’s office has decided to publish the
interview.

by David Stepanyan

Thursday, May 8, 13:36

The name of the known human rights defender, conflictologist,
analyst, the head of the Department of Conflictology and Migration
Studies at the Baku-based Institute of Peace and Democracy, Arif
Yunusov, has been circulating in mass media of Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Among other our Baku counterparts, Yunusov is accused in espionage
activity in favor of Armenian intelligence services, allegedly, as a
result of his participation in the international conferences organized
in Armenia. Yunusov’s interview with ArmInfo correspondent was ready
to publication when the information about detaining Yunusov and his
wife Leyla Yunus made us delay it, so that not to give another reason
to the official Baku `to prove’ its accusation in the so called
`cooperation’ with Armenia. Now, when the situation has been more or
less clarified, the editor’s office has decided to publish the
interview.

Certain circles in Armenia and Russia point at the Crimea like a
precedent for Nagornyy Karabakh. What is the most possible motivation
of that?

By pointing at Crimea as a precedent for Karabakh, Moscow tries to
exert pressure on Yerevan. This is just a message to Yerevan. In
other words, it is just an element of a political game, which does not
at all demonstrate that Russians are concerned over the fate of
Karabakh people. The question is who is making such statements.
Officials are responsible for their statements, especially given that
their words may be misinterpreted by another party. For instance, some
proposals have repeatedly been made in Armenia to recognize the
independence of Karabakh and unite it with Armenia. It is noteworthy
that the ruling party keeps making efforts to prevent it. It is clear
that they do that not because they like or dislike the people of
Karabakh, but because they realize that such steps will immediately
affect the peace process and that Baku’s response will create a new
situation that will change the whole format of the peace process.

I think that freer experts and journalists can afford more but the
people bearing direct responsibility for the peace process cannot. In
Azerbaijan the opposition experts’ statements on Crimea are much freer
than the careful response of the authorities who realize that the
relations with Moscow may inevitably become tense. This is why
whenever I hear that a particular conflict is a precedent for another
conflict, I know that it first of all demonstrates that the conflict
will not be resolved soon. To search for precedents means to lack the
aspiration to resolve the conflict by the direct efforts of the
conflicting parties, I believe that the parties to any conflict
resolve the conflict by themselves if they want. If they have no
desire to resolve it, they look for “elder brothers” and precedents.
Besides the Crimea, both Kosovo and Eritrea could have been precedents
for Karabakh. History has a plenty of examples. When resolving
conflicts, one should be a pragmatist rather than a theorist .

Armenia supported the right of the people of the Crimea for
self-determination. Is such a stance of our leadership stemming only
from the interest of the expected recognition of Nagornyy Karabakh?

Intrinsically, none of the states, including the USA, which speaks
of democracy so much, displays an approach meeting some international
principles. The right to self-determination is a two-edged sword.
Azerbaijan considers itself a victim of separatism and raises this
issue in Iran, where Azeris live in the northern provinces. Turkey
does the same in Cyprus. Europeans speak so much of democratic values
but we perfectly see that they give high priority to the energy
values. Europe blames Russia for using gas as a tool of blackmail and
at the same time turns a blind eye to the similar actions of
Azerbaijan. In the relations with Azerbaijan, Europe puts the
democratic principles aside. In this light, I perceive such talks as
diplomatic rhetoric. As regards pragmatism, it is restricted to
Realpolitik which is far from all these principles.

This is big geopolitical game, in which strong pressure is being
exerted on Armenia and other countries. So, Russia badly needs its
actions in Ukraine to be supported not only by its strategic allies,
especially given Lukashenko’s silence and the fact that initially
Nazarbayev was totally against recognition of Crimea. Therefore, now
Russia gives high priority to the response of Armenia, which kept
silence in 2008. As for the West, it needs an absolutely different
response from Yerevan. I think that the steps of small Armenia, which
is swimming between the waves of pressure, should meet its own
national interests. One should understand that the unresolved
Karabakh problem dictates deliberation. A statement in Yerevan will
inevitably be followed by a response in Baku. And it is still a big
question who will benefit from the following developments.

Ankara links its refusal to open the border to Armenia with
Azerbaijan’s pressure. Is it really so?

Certainly, Azerbaijan uses all its possibilities to exert pressure on
Ankara in order to prevent it from unblocking the Turkish-Armenian
border. Nevertheless, if we take a pragmatic view of this issue, it
becomes clear that small Azerbaijan is unable to dictate Turkey’s
foreign political agenda. And of Turkey decides to open
Turkish-Armenian border, it will not even take Azerbaijan’s stance
into account. So, if Turkey takes such a decision tomorrow, it will
not even take into account Azerbaijan’s stance. Neither does Turkey
give much importance to the Armenian Cause, which is so important to
Armenia. Most Turks do not even know what happened in 1915. Turkey
gives high priority to the relations with the West, with the European
Union. Turks are imperial people and in this context they can be
compared with Russians. Armenians, Azeris, Georgians are small
nations, which are constantly looking for “elder brothers’.

In the meantime, Russians and Turks have an absolutely different
psychology. In fact, Russians do not care for Georgia or Armenia.
Russians demand respect from the United States and Europe. The same
can be said about Turks, who are eager to join the European Union.
But when they throw sand in the wheels of Turks and demand normalizing
relations with Armenia, Turks understand that after normalizing
relations with Armenia they will be forced to improve relations with
Kurds and so on and so forth. Therefore, Turkey perceives the Armenian
Cause as an element of big geopolitics in relations with Europe, which
does not want to admit Turkey to its Christian club – European Union.
So, if Turkey understands that it really has the prospects to join the
EU, it will immediately open the Turkish-Armenian border even without
taking into account the stance of Azerbaijan.

What is the key motivation of the USA demanding from Turkey to unblock
the border to Armenia?

The USA remembers about the shut down border from time to time
especially before the elections, taking into consideration the role,
authority and the votes of the Armenian Diaspora. But in general, not
so much Armenians as Russia is important for the USA. That is to say,
everything is again returning to the course of the big geo-political
game, the part of which is confrontation between the USA and Russia
for controlling the South Caucasus, the Azerbaijani political expert.

The improvement of relations between Turkey and Armenia will cast
doubt upon Russia’s influence in Armenia and the necessity of its
military base deployment in Armenia. That is to say. much will
change. This is the reason, why I have never believed that Moscow is
really striving to settle the Karabakh conflict. If the conflict is
settled suddenly and normal relations are established between Armenia
and Azerbaijan, the problems between Armenia and Turkey will be
automatically removed. In that case a question will arise – who will
the Russian base protect Armenia from? Iran?

Meanwhile, though it is paradoxical. but today the pro-Western moods
are stronger in Armenia than in Azerbaijan. Who knows, what will
happen tomorrow after settlement of the Karabakh conflict. I think
that the Karabakh conflict is like a punching ball for Russia, which
the latter uses from time to time for imposing pressure either upon
Armenia or Azerbaijan. From time to time, Russia promises to help
either Baku or Yerevan to settle the Karabakh conflict, according to
the principle “if you behave well”. Actually, they will never help
either Azerbaijan or Armenia. Karabakh should hang thick in the air
and Armenia and Azerbaijan remain tied to Karabakh. Just for this
reason, Americans are so much hurry to settle the Karabakh conflict
and to open the border between Armenia and Turkey. This will make it
possible to withdraw Russia from the region. Not the American altruism
is the reason of that, but the struggle for the influence in the
region.

The Iranian counterparts have been traditionally blaming the USA and
Israel for the tense relationas between Iran and Azerbaijan. What is
your point of view on thematter?

When my Iranian counterparts traditionally blame the USA and Israel
for the tense Iran-Azerbaijan relations, I want to ask them. Why does
Iran hinder restoration and enhancing of the Azerbaijan-Israel
relations? We have Israel’s Embassy in Baku, but despite availability
of a big Azerbaijani community in Israel, we do not have Azerbaijan’s
Embassy in Tel-Aviv. The reason of it is that Iran is absolutely
against normalization of relations between our countries. For this
reason, Iran is the third party in the relations between Azerbaijan
and Israel. Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani society remembers very well
Iran’s stance in the Karabakh conflict and thinks it is not impartial,
although Iran does not think so. Certainly, there is misunderstanding,
weak contacts and the role of the third countries in the relations
between Baku and Teheran. The point is, in what assembly to revise all
this. I think that undoubtedly the problem of Islam is the main
thunder for Azerbaijan from the Iranian party as well as the policy of
Iran regarding the national minorities of Azerbaijan: the Talish and
Tat nations. So, if in its relations with Azerbaijan Russia uses the
problem of the Lezgins and naturally the Karabakh conflict, just the
same way, Iran uses the national minorities in its own interests. The
“Seher-2” TV channel is an anti-Azerbaijani one, which broadcasts
anti-Azerbaijani propaganda in Azerbaijani language every day.
Naturally, the small Azerbaijan does not like it, as it has its own
phobias regarding Iran. Incidentally, for its part, Iran scares an
independent Azerbaijan which promotes separatist moods in its northern
provinces.

LA JUSTICE TURQUE INCULPE 13 MILITAIRES QUI AVAIENT INTERCEPTE UN CONVOI VERS LA SYRIE

Turquie-Syrie

AFP РLa justice turque a inculp̩ 13 militaires qui avaient
intercepté en janvier des camions des services secrets turcs en
route pour la Syrie, réclamant pour chacun d’eux la prison a vie,
rapportent jeudi les médias turcs.

Les 13 hommes seront prochainement jugés a Adana (sud) où
se sont produits les faits, a une date encore indéterminée, et
l’acte d’accusation qui les vise requiert la prison a perpétuité,
précise l’agence de presse Dogan. Les suspects sont notamment accusés
d’avoir “divulgué des informations d’Etat a des fins politiques ou
d’espionnage”, selon l’agence.

Des équipes de la gendarmerie, corps d’armée en Turquie, avaient
arrêté et fouillé a Adana, ville proche de la frontière syrienne,
sept camions sur la foi d’un renseignement recu selon lequel ils
transportaient des armes et des munitions. Les autorités avaient
affirmé que le personnel a bord était constitué de membres de
l’agence nationale des renseignements (MIT), en mission officielle.

Les camions sont repartis après leur fouille et le gouvernement,
très irrité, a annoncé qu’ils transportaient de l’aide a la
minorité turkmène du nord de la Syrie et démenti toute livraison
d’armes. Les militaires qui avaient intercepté les camions ont par
la suite été relevés de leurs fonctions.

L’incident intervenait en plein scandale de corruption qui a entaché
le gouvernement islamo-conservateur du Premier ministre Recep Tayyip
Erdogan après des révélations faites a la mi-décembre et pour
lesquelles le chef du gouvernement a accusé la confrérie du
prédicateur Fethullah Gulen d’avoir fabriqué les preuves.

M. Erdogan a procédé a une vaste purge depuis dans la magistrature
et la police, instrumentalisées, selon lui, par le mouvement Gulen
pour le renverser. Le pouvoir a en outre fait adopter au Parlement en
mars une loi controversée qui confère des pouvoirs accrus au MIT. La
nouvelle législation accorde notamment une impunité judiciaire pour
les membres du MIT dans l’exercice de leurs fonctions.

Le gouvernement d’Ankara est un farouche opposant au régime du
président syrien Bachar el-Assad et héberge l’opposition en exil,
mais a démenti a plusieurs reprises avoir fourni des armes aux
insurgés.

Cependant en décembre, les médias turcs, citant des documents de
l’ONU et du gouvernement, ont affirmé que le pays avait envoyé 47
tonnes d’armes aux rebelles depuis juin 2013.

jeudi 8 mai 2014, Jean Eckian ©armenews.com

LE CONCERT DE CHARLES AZNAVOUR A EREVAN LE 12 MAI AFFICHE DEJA COMPLET

AZNAVOUR

Le concert de Charles Aznavour a Erévan le 12 mai affiche déja
complet. Tous les billets de ce concert qui se déroulera au centre
” Hamalir ” Karen Démirdjian d’Erévan sont vendus. Des billets
dont les prix variaient entre 10 000 et 60 000 drams (environ
120 euros). Ces derniers avaient déja été intégralement vendus
trois jours après leur mise en vente. La salle 2200 places sera donc
archicomble pour ce concert unique d’Aznavour en Arménie a l’occasion
de la visite du président Francais Francois Hollande.

Krikor Amirzayan

jeudi 8 mai 2014, Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

GRAVES DOMMAGES APRES LA TEMPETE DE NEIGE DE FIN MARS

AGRICULTURE

Le ministère de l’Agriculture a évalué mercredi les graves
conséquences pour des milliers de producteurs de fruits et de légumes
de la tempête de neige sans précédent qui s’était abbatue dans
le sud de l’Arménie a la fin mars.

Garnik Petrosian,Vice- ministre de l’Agriculture a estimé a plus
de 11 milliards de drams (26 millions de dollars) les dommages
consécutifs a ce cataclysme. On se souvient que cette forte chute de
neige accompagnée de températures glaciales avait bloqué fin mars
certaines routes arméniennes et forcé le gouvernement a annuler
les cours dans les écoles et les universités. Mais, plus important
encore, elle avait ravagé dans le sud et a l’ouest la vallée d’Ararat
de nombreux arbres fruitiers qui étaient une source de revenus pour
les agriculteurs locaux.

Citant une évaluation détaillée réalisée par son ministère,
Petrossian a déclaré que la catastrophe a endommagé plus de 9000
hectares de terres agricoles cultivées par des habitants de quelque
290 villages.

Petrossian a estimé qu’en conséquence, la production d’abricot
d’Arménie totalisera seulement 8.000 tonnes cette année, soit une
baisse colossale par rapport aux 90 000 tonnes déclarées en 2013. Les
dommages a d’autres cultures comme les pêches, les raisins et les
pommes sont moins graves, a t-il déclaré lors d’une conférence
de presse.

Petrossian a dévoilé une série de mesures gouvernementales visant a
aider les 3700 ménages ruraux durement touchés par cette tempête de
neige. Elles seront exemptées de l’impôt foncier et bénéficieront
d’une réduction de 50 pour cent sur les frais d’irrigation. La Banque
centrale d’Arménie est également en négociation avec les banques
commerciales pour geler le remboursement des prêts accordés a ces
agriculteurs.

De son côté, le Premier ministre Hovik Abrahamian a promis l’aide
du gouvernement aux agriculteurs a l’occasion d’une visite dans
certaines des zones touchées la semaine dernière. Mais ni lui,
ni le ministère de l’Agriculture n’a signalé de plans pour fournir
des compensations financières.

Les villageois arméniens, qui tirent pour la plupart leur subsistance
de l’agriculture, perdent régulièrement une grande partie de
leur chiffre d’affaires prévisionnel en raison de la grêle, des
gelées, des sécheresses et autres conditions météorologiques
défavorables. Petrossian a déclaré qu’une assurance agricole
obligatoire est la seule solution réaliste a ce problème. Mais il
n’a donné aucune indication sur un projet gouvernemental de ce type.

jeudi 8 mai 2014, Ara ©armenews.com

DINING PROFILE: VASKEN’S DELI

Springfield News-Leader
May 7 2014

Ed Peaco, for the News-Leader

Building on 17 years of success in Branson, Vasken and Staci
Haroutounian recently opened another Vasken’s Deli in Battlefield
Marketplace, specializing in Mediterranean fare and providing hearty
flavors with great variety and value.

The food includes Vasken Haroutounian’s dishes based on his
Lebanese-Armenian heritage, as well as Greek entrees and salads and
standard sandwiches, most of which are priced to compete with typical
lunch menus across town. Vasken Haroutounian said his restaurant
stands apart with his focus on flavor.

“Once people come and eat our food — that’s all it takes, just one
time — they will say, ‘My goodness, where have we been all this time?’
” The Haroutounians, who have 27 years of experience in the restaurant
business, said the food is made from scratch using healthy ingredients
and cooking methods.

Vasken Haroutounian brought out dishes that mostly emphasized the
Lebanese aspect of the menu. For example, the deli offers a Greek gyro,
but he suggested the Lebanese version, known as shawerma.

Shawerma ($6.99): Seasoned beef brisket (or chicken) served on pita
bread with tahini, green leaf lettuce, tomatoes, onions and pickles.

Touches of cinnamon and cloves in the brisket seasonings created a
levitating effect of flavor and aroma. The pasta salad that came with
the sandwich was seasoned with garlic, parsley, Italian seasonings
and basil, as well as a touch of Aleppo pepper with medium heat,
from Syria.

Combo platter ($9.99): Hummus, babaganoush, stuffed grape leaves and
falafel, with tahini, tzatziki, feta, olives, tomatoes and toasted
pita. Listed on the menu as an appetizer, this plentiful platter could
be a pass-around starter or an entree for someone with a big appetite.

It was a great way to sample a range of tastes. It included:

* Falafel: Robustly seasoned with onion, parsley, garlic and cumin.

With tahini for dipping.

* Grape leaves: Mildly seasoned with parsley and onion, with creamy
rice inside, accompanied by tzaziki, a sauce of cucumber and yogurt.

* Hummus: Smooth and creamy, with a garlic presence that was less than
ferocious. Easing off the garlic was intentional, Vasken Haroutounian
said. “For a lot of Americans, I have to be careful. They do like
garlic, but not like the Middle Easterners.”

* Babaganoush: Boldly smoky. Vasken said he achieves this result by
burning the skin of the eggplant to a black ash and blending a little
of it into the mix.

* Feta: This domestic Greek cheese from cows’ milk made a mellower
feta.

* Kalamata olives: These full-flavored olives were imported from
Greece.

Greek salad (small $4.99, large $6.99): This salad had all the Greek
elements that cry out for individual attention: cucumber, bell pepper,
red onion and peppercini. Feta cheese and Kalamata olives provided
body. The olive oil dressing came with seasonings settled at the
bottom of the sauce cup. Be sure to stir or shake so you won’t miss
out on those flavors.

Coffee ($1.99): Vasken brought out his coffee service and made Armenian
coffee from a powdered dark roast. While cardamom imparted an exotic
effect, the great strength of the coffee brought me firmly back to
earth. Sugar softened the overall effect. “You can’t beat this coffee,
my friend,” Vasken said.

Desserts: The baklava ($1.99) was more flaky than syrupy, and the
cashew fingers (99 cents) were light and not too sweet. These desserts
go great with the strong coffee.

Vasken’s Deli Where: 900 E. Battlefield Road Hours: 11 a.m.-8
p.m. Monday-Saturday; closed Sunday Call: 417-888-0083 Web:
vaskensdeli.com Email: [email protected]