Author: Kanayan Tamar

The ghost of Soviet-era brands in Armenia

21:18 * 06.02.14

The president of the Union of Local Manufacturers highlights the
importance of resuming the Soviet-era industries in Armenia before the
country becomes a member of the Russian-led Customs Union.

Speaking to Tert.am, Vazgan Safaryan said he expects the one-time
Soviet-Armenian footwear, machine-tool and machine building industries
to have a big demand on the Eurasian Customs area.

Shoe fabrics (Masis, Luxe), machine-tool industries

Safaryan said he doesn’t think the scenario is a myth against the
background of the “Armenian molybdenum” and apricot. “I say what
really happened. People from Paris would purchase and bring knitted
fabric manufactured in Spitak [Lori region]. Armenia’s industries
accounted for 66%-67% of our GDP. Today however, they near 20%,” he
noted.

As for the machine-tool engineering, Safaryan said its share in the
GDP used to be 20%. “In what you call a closed country, the plant
Armenmotor, which was formerly called Electric Engine Plant, sent its
engines to 90 countries. Those engines were exported to Japan. People
would form queues in Moscow for our shoes,” he added.

But the economic management model Armenia has today is completely
different, with the Government realizing the importance of cooperation
with the private sector, Khachatryan said.

“That we didn’t have; it’s a new function. [The Government] spent 801
million Drams [approx. $2,000] from the budget last year to boost the
export with 3% subsidies. We now offer loans with an 8% interest rate
to those who export [products],” he said, stressing the importance of
raising the competitiveness of local goods.

Safaryan said the higher interest rates to be imposed on the Customs
Union member states for third country imports are based on the
Soviet-time ideology of encouraging the local manufacturing.

Asked whether it implies a return to the former USSR model, Safaryan
ruled out such a possibility. “We do not speak of the former USSR
model; we speak of new integration ties.”

On local manufacturing and distinctive features of Armenian products

Safaryan stressed the importance of eliminating the negative balance
in foreign trade (which he said is $2.9 million).

“We have set a task not to bring goods that can be produced here. The
promotion of local goods is one of the best factors of our CU
integration. We will not bring the products which we can manufacture
locally; sugar, for instance,” he said.

Turners welders and carpenters will be trained in Armenia

The Customs Union has submitted a bid to the Armenian Government,
expressing its willingness to assist in the training of the
manufacturing workforce (turners, welders and carpenters).

Armenian News – Tert.am

Open skies policy may lead to more favorable schedule of flights –
Armenian aviation official

February 06, 2014 | 19:10

YEREVAN. – The open skies policy and competition in Armenia may lead
to more favorable schedule of flights, head of civil aviation
department Artyom Movsisyan said in parliament.

“Liberalization of the aviation market may lead to competitive
climate. The air companies will not only compete for presence in the
market, but more favorable hours for passenger flights,” Movsisyan
said.

However, the results may become tangible at least in two years after
Armenia declared open skies policy.

“The air companies as a rule are building business two years ahead.
This refers to aircraft leasing and talks with aviation authorities of
different states,” Movsisyan noted.

The head of civil aviation department emphasized that not only CIS
states are interested in Armenia market. Earlier Air France declared
an intention to increase the number of flights to seven per week.
UAE-based Etihad company has recently showed interest in the Armenian
market.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

Karabakh president and OSCE representative discuss situation along
line of contact

February 06, 2014 | 20:04

STEPANAKERT. – President of the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) Republic
Bako Sahakyan on Thursday received personal representative of the OSCE
chairman-in-office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk.

They discussed the issues related to the current stage of talks on the
Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict settlement and its prospects, as well as
situation along the contact line between the NKR and Azerbaijan armed
forces.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

Karabakh president emphasizes importance of industry and IT development

STEPANAKERT, February 6. /ARKA/. The president of Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic (NKR) Bako Sahakyan visited Wednesday a production of
textile, carpets, yarn and fabric in Stepanakert, the presidential
press office reported.

The president has also been to light industry works and the center for
IT development to be commissioned shortly.

Sahakyan stressed the importance of development of various industry
fields and IT for entering the global markets with competitive
products, along with opening new jobs in the capital.

The president instructed the heads of involved agencies to properly
carry out all the arrangements.

Speaker of the parliament Ashot Ghulyan, vice-premier Artur Aghabekyan
and other officials accompanied the president during the visit.
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– See more at:

ARMENIE
Affaire des retraites : Un groupe de pression invite les employeurs à
ne pas respecter la loi jusqu’à ce que la Cour Constitutionnelle
publie sa décision

Un groupe d’initiative civile qui fait campagne contre l’introduction
d’une loi controversée sur les retraites a exhorté les employeurs en
Arménie à ne pas faire partie d’une > en se
conformant aux dispositions légales que la Cour constitutionnelle (CC)
a décidé la semaine dernière.

Compte tenu du fait que quatre factions minoritaires à l’Assemblée
nationale ont contesté la constitutionnalité de la loi, en vertu de
laquelle tous les citoyens de l’Arménie gés de moins de 40 doivent
payer cinq pour cent supplémentaire de leurs salaires à des fonds de
pension privés, la Cour constitutionnelle a décidé le 24 Janvier que
la peine prévue par la disposition obligatoire ne doit pas être
appliquée au moins jusqu’au 28 mars, lorsque le verdict sur la
question sera rendu.

Les rapports des médias ces derniers jours, cependant, ont affirmé que
compte tenu du fait que la loi elle-même reste valable, certains
employeurs, sous des prétextes divers et apparemment sous la pression
des autorités fiscales, ont forcé leurs travailleurs à s’impliquer
dans le processus immédiatement. Certains employeurs ont également
relevé les salaires de leurs travailleurs pour compenser leurs pertes
en raison de l’application de la loi et qui sont maintenant prêts à
s’engager dans le système sans retard.

Dans cette optique le groupe, Dem.am (je suis contre), invite les
employeurs à ne pas se conformer à la loi et de ne pas transférer cinq
pour cent des salaires de leurs travailleurs vers des fonds de
pension.

Extrémismes
Menaces directes et agressions à Nantes à propos de deux livres

Dimanche, 26/1, à midi deux Turcs se réclamant des Loup Gris (extrême
droite) ont agressé les deux permanents bénévoles d’Alevi Kültür
Merkezi (AKM) à Nantes.

PARIS SEEKS BIGGER SLICE OF TURKEY

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
February 4, 2014 Tuesday 12:36 PM EST

by AMANDA PAUL

In 2011, Ankara’s ‘bete noire’, former French President Nicholas
Sarkozy, came to Turkey for a G-8 Summit. He spent just five hours
in the country, only calling on Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
for a very brief and rather frosty exchange of views. Indeed, until
the visit of President Francois Hollande on Jan. 27, it had been more
than two decades since the last state visit.

To say that Sarkozy was skeptical about Turkey’s EU accession process
would be an understatement. From his first day in office Sarkozy made
it abundantly clear that he would never support Turkey’s EU membership
aspirations, frequently declaring Turkey to be too culturally different
and not a part of Europe. He unnecessarily blocked a number of Ankara’s
negotiating chapters, going out of his way to derail the process. And
for what? Ultimately his approach led to a poisoning of bilateral
ties which proved more detrimental to Paris than Ankara given Turkey’s
economic boom and France’s decline. Furthermore his anti-Turkey stance
was of no use at the election box when in 2012 French voters, tired
of Sarkozy’s style and with the country in economic dire straits,
kicked him out.

Hollande is a different kettle of fish. Since coming to power he has
had a more conciliatory approach. He wants to deepen ties with Ankara
rather than undermine them. During his visit he repeated several times
that ‘Turkey is in Europe.’ He was accompanied by a large entourage
of senior ministers and the CEOs of major French companies. He wants
to recover and boost what Sarkozy lost. The market share of France
in Turkey fell 6 percent to 3 percent between 2009 and 2012. Hence
the visit was more about economics than politics; he hardly referred
to the current crisis in the county.

While Turkey is keen to broaden its ties with France, it wants to
be sure that France will support Turkey’s accession to the EU and
secondly that France will not be overly active in the upcoming 100th
anniversary of the Armenian genocide in 2015, given France’s large
Armenian diaspora. Yet while Hollande seems to have a more pragmatic
approach, he was clear that France’s fundamental stance on the Armenian
genocide was unchanged, stating ‘uncovering history is always painful,
but must be done.’ On the EU front Hollande suggested that he could
unblock a further two or three chapters which was welcome news although
he was not explicit which ones. This also does not mean they would
be opened as Ankara may still have to meet the opening benchmarks
and more importantly the EU needs to be assured that democracy in
Turkey is back on track before going ahead. The opening of chapters
can only be done with unanimity, hence if one member state is not in
accord the process is blocked.

Hollande has a rational approach. He wants to have the best of
bilateral ties with Turkey and hence is indicating a willingness to
remove unnecessary obstacles. This does not change the overall French
view that Turkey should not be allowed in. Whether Turkey will ever be
a member remains to be seen — I have a never say never approach — and
other problems remain, including the unresolved Cyprus issue. Clearly,
it would be a long time in the future, and Monsieur Hollande would be
long gone so it would not be his problem. Today he has far more burning
problems to deal with, including the state of the French economy and
his sinking popularity. If greater economic cooperation with Turkey
can boost the French economy, then he will clear the path for that.

Furthermore, as Hollande pointed out, France will have a referendum
on the question of Turkish membership. If such a referendum were
to take place today, the result would not be favorable for Turkey,
with well over 50 percent of the French population being opposed. Can
this figure be reversed? I believe it would be an uphill struggle, yet
nothing is impossible and who knows what may happen in the future. By
that point Turkey itself may decide that EU membership is not for it.

Today the key issue should be keeping the process alive as it has
shown to be crucial in terms of Turkey’s democratization. At a time
when democracy in Turkey is being undermined, all efforts should be
made to genuinely reengage Ankara in the journey.

OTHER VIEWPOINTS: LEAVE TEXTBOOKS TO THE HISTORIANS

Columbus Dispatch
Feb 5 2014

In California, the Armenian lobby is celebrating passage of a
resolution in the state’s House instructing the education department
to emphasize the Armenian genocide in its publications. “We did it!”

the Armenian National Committee of America, Western Region, alerted
its followers in an e-mail.

“Just a few hours ago, despite heavy attacks from the Turkish lobby,
we won a battle for truth and justice that will be passed down to
future generations.”

The letter then goes on to solicit donations so “we can continue to
build on today’s victory.”

In Virginia, as The Post’s Laura Vozzella reported, legislators
are working on a resolution instructing the education department
to buy textbooks that challenge the name of the Sea of Japan, which
many Koreans believe should be called the East Sea. Newly installed
Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe, finds himself in a pickle.

On the campaign trail he promised to support such a change, but he
has now discovered that Japan — whose companies are big investors
in the commonwealth — is pretty unhappy about the idea.

All of this prompts the following suggestion: Maybe state legislatures
aren’t the best place to write high-school history textbooks.

We understand that public education systems ultimately need to be
responsive to the taxpayers who pay for them, and the legislators in
Richmond (and Sacramento) are representing those taxpayers. But the
history they teach should be based on the best judgment of historians,
not on such considerations as, to quote Sen. J. Chapman “Chap”
Petersen, D-Fairfax, the fact that “in Virginia, there are a lot of
Koreans. There are very few Japanese.” Or that Armenian-Americans
outnumber Turkish-Americans in California.

We’re not doubting the importance of teaching about the Armenian
genocide that began in 1915.

We also think Americans can benefit from learning about the history
of Japanese imperialism in Asia. We’d be fine if the General Assembly
instructed the education department to embrace such controversial
subjects and to write curricula that encourage exploration and debate
on historical issues that continue to reverberate in modern times.

We doubt, though, that elected officials should be drawing textbook
maps or writing lesson plans — whether they are about evolution,
climate change, Armenia or that body of water between Japan and Korea.

— The Washington Post

DIAMOND SCAM IN ARMENIA

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Feb 5 2014

5 February 2014 – 12:51pm

David Stepanyan, Yerevan. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza

The diamond scam involving Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and the head
of the Ararat Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Archbishop
Navasard Kchoyan, has taken a new turn. According to official data,
the other day, as a result of cooperation between the Armenian and
Georgian police, the Armenian businessman Ashot Sukiasyan was arrested
in Tbilisi, accused of fraud, causing property damage and legalization
of income on a large scale.

Mr Sukiasyan was indicted based on a complaint from Mr Pailaka
Hayrapetyan, owner of the Yerevan supermarket “Ayastan”. Back in 2010
Mr Sukiasyan (with the active mediation of Tigran Sargsyan, Minister
of Economy Nerses Yeritsyan and Archbishop Navasard Kchoyan) received
a loan of 10.7 million dollars from “Ameriabank” for the project of
importing rough diamonds from Sierra Leone. The loan was given for the
pledge of Pailaka Hayrapetyan’s property, which was worth 33 million
dollars in total. Then Mr Sukiasyan, who had debts in the millions of
dollars, not only in Armenia, but also in Russia and even in Africa,
even before the deal, took his family and set off on the run. Dark gray
diamond and gold operations in Armenia are always carried out under
a powerful corrupt cover. And the speculator Suliasyan was assisted
in this transaction by the founders of the Cyprus offshore company
WLISPERA HOLDINGS LIMITED, the Prime Minister and the Archbishop. As a
result of their multi-move combination, Pailaka Hayrapetyan’s property
ended up in the Cyprus company with VIP-founders.

Both Mr Kchoyan and the Prime Minister repeatedly stated that
neither Cyprus nor any other offshore entity registered any company
or conferred on anyone the authority to register an organization on
their behalf. Apologizing to the parliament, Mr Sarkisian said that
the specifics of offshore entities allows any person to register a
company using any name. In response, Petros Clerides, Attorney General
of Cyprus, said that no one can be registered as a shareholder of an
offshore company in Cyprus without his permission.

In early January, the Administrative Court rejected the claim
submitted by Ayrapetyan against the Central Bank and the Ministry
of Finance and the Economy. The businessman considers them to be the
main culprits of his bankruptcy, particularly ex-Minister of Economy
Nerses Yeritsyan. However, the court reasoned the decision to be
“a baseless claim.” Commenting on the rejection of the claim even
without consideration, Mr Ayrapetyan said that the court could not
consider it, given the ranks of people standing behind this fraud.

Thus, in addition to information burst about the offshore scandal,
there was no substantial reaction from either the Attorney General or
the investigating authorities, or of the police or of the presidential
administration. But today, when the main person involved in direct
criminal action, Sukiasyan, has been found, a reaction should still
follow. The question boils down to whether Sukiasyan will be sent
to court alone or together with the Prime Minister. Given Kchoyan’s
ecclesiastical capacity, the Attorney General’s office is likely to
do anything to get him off the dubious case. As for Sarkisian, it
all depends on the current political situation and clans’ internal
showdowns. The recent public showdown between Sarkisyan and Robert
Kocharyan shows that the latter would like to show the prime minister
his place. Will the current president agree to such a scenario, and
will he make any effort to help the Attorney General’s Office in its
“search for justice”? Otherwise, Sarkisian will “still be needed by
the country” for another series of “reforms” aimed at pumping money
from the pockets of citizens. Then Sukiasyan will have to “confess
to the crime alone,” and do a year or two in jail as a scapegoat.The
authorities will not allow a more serious and just punishment for
“their scoundrel”.

COMMUNITY LIVELIHOOD IMPROVEMENT THOUGH INTRODUCTION OF SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES IN HORS, AGHNDJADZOR AND TARATUMB COMMUNITIES OF VAYOTS DZOR REGION

TendersInfo – Project Notices
February 4, 2014 Tuesday

Project Number: ARM/SGP/OP5/Y3/CORE/BD/13/25
Country: Armenia
Area Of Work: Biodiversity
Operational Phase: Phase 5
Grant Amount: US$ 41,120.00
Co-Financing Cash: US$ 12,200.00
Start Date: 10/2013
End Date: 12/2014
Status: Currently under execution
Project Description: The unique mountain forest and subalpine
landscapes with poorly known and threatened biodiversity are located
in Hors, Akhndjadzor and Taratumb communities of Vayots Dzor region of
Armenia.

The project area of 1700 hectares reflects the diversity of Vayots Dzor
natural resources: mountains, forests, lake, wetlands and grassland
with high value of biodiversity. Moreover, the target zone is adjoining
eastern part of Khosrov Forest State Reserve and may serve as a buffer
area and an ecological corridor for many endangered wild animals, as
Leopards (Panthera pardus), Bezoar Goats (Capra aegagrus), Mouflons
(Ovis orientailis) etc. Unfortunately, such rich biodiversity is
currently threatened: the rapid developing farming and uncontrolled
use of natural resources (poaching, logging and overgrazing, etc.) are
major threats to ecosystems and wildlife here.

The overall objective of the project is to promote nature conservation
by reducing conflict between wildlife and local communities in Vayots
Dzor area through incorporation of sustainable biodiversity-friendly
income-generating practices into local community livelihoods.

The project specific activities include making an inventory and
implementing monitoring of threatened ecosystems, establishing a
community-based tourist infrastructure as well as raising awareness on
biodiversity conservation and enhancing local capacity to implement
bioresources-dependant sustainable livelihood practices. It is
believed that introduction of eco-tourism in the project communities
as a viable biodiversity-friendly livelihood practice in and around
the NGO-managed protected area will generate additional sources of
income and increase understating and awareness of the importance and
value of rich biodiversity locally.

Grantee: “BEZOAR” SAVAGE NATURE AND HUNTING SPESIES PROTECTION NGO

Organisation Mission : For GEF SGP, the community-based approach
is the cornerstone for addressing local and global environmental
and sustainable development challenges. SGP provides grants to
civil society organizations (CSOs), notably national and local
non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations
(CBOs), and indigenous peoples organizations. SGP grantees may also
include other not-for-profit organizations such as professional
associations, unions and other civil society groups.

By enabling a direct connection between sustainable livelihoods
and the generation of local and global livelihoods, SGP empowers
communities to act and participate in their own development and hence
ensures community ownership and impact. Over the course of the last
20 years, SGP has provided grants to over 12,000 grantees with 64
percent of grant

country :Armenia