Author: Kanayan Tamar

Meriden Record-Journal, CT
May 10 2013

Conn. Democrats mourn death of Tashjian

Posted: Friday, May 10, 2013 1:38 pm | Updated: 5:05 pm, Fri May 10, 2013.
Associated Press

Top Connecticut Democrats are mourning the death of former Secretary
of the State Julia Tashjian (TASH’-ee-yan).

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy credited Tashjian with making “great strides to
modernize the office.” He said he’ll remember her cheerful demeanor
and pride in her Armenian American heritage. Tashjian was the daughter
of Armenian refugees.

Secretary of the State Denise Merrill confirmed Friday that Tashjian
died suddenly on Thursday from a heart attack. She was 75 years old.

A resident of Windsor, Tashjian served two terms as Secretary of the
State, from 1983 to 1991.

Merrill called Tashjian “a self-made woman of the modern political
era,” in the mold of former Gov. Ella Grasso and “a fierce defender of
democracy.”

Tashjian had previously served as president of the National
Association of Secretaries of State.

Assyria Times
May 10 2013

Labor Condemns Assyrian Genocide in NSW Parliament

AssyriaTimes
5/9/2013 9:19:11 PM

The NSW Labor Opposition has officially recognised and condemned the
genocide of the Assyrian people by the Ottoman Government between 1914
and 1922.

Opposition Leader John Robertson spoke in support of the motion which
was moved in State Parliament on Wednesday.

The motion, in part, reads:
`This House reaffirms its condemnation of the genocide of the
Assyrians, Armenians and Greeks and all other acts of genocide as the
ultimate act of intolerance … [and] recognises the importance of
remembering and learning from such dark chapters in human history to
ensure that such crimes against humanity are not allowed to be
repeated.’

Shadow Minister for Citizenship and Communities Guy Zangari said: `The
genocide of the Assyrian people in the early 20th century is a matter
of historical record. It must be recognised and condemned. Labor has
long acknowledged the tragic suffering of the Armenian, Assyrian and
Greek people during World War 1 and its aftermath. Our resolve to
support this motion was unyielding. It is our duty as parliamentarians
to speak the truth and place these events on the record for all time.’

Mr Zangari expressed regret that Premier Barry O’Farrell brought the
motion before the Parliament with only three hours’ notice.

`I do not doubt the Government’s sincerity – but it would have been
more respectful to give the public more notice,’ he said.

`This would have allowed greater input from the Assyrian community –
and many more to attend such a momentous event.’

Assyrian International News Agency AINA
May 10 2013

Turkey Condemns Recognition of the Assyrian, Armenian and Greek Genocides

Posted GMT 5-10-2013 5:10:24
The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a statement
condemning the motion of the Legislative Council of the Parliament of
the State of New South Wales in Australia, recognizing the Assyrian,
Armenian and Greek Genocides.

“We strongly condemn and reject this motion which is in no way
compatible with historic facts. The fact that this motion has been
passed through a fait accompli by a local politician, whose antagonism
to Turkey in his attitude and behavior is well-known, shows how
lightly and unsoundly such a sensitive issue is dealt with” the
statement reads.

“Although the solid friendly relations existing between the peoples of
Turkey and Australia will not deteriorate because of this unilateral
decision which is the fait accompli of a small group, its negative
repercussions are nonetheless inevitable. In this context, the
proponents of such initiatives aimed at dealing a blow to the very
special relations that exist between our peoples will doubtlessly be
deprived of the hospitality and friendship that we will never withhold
from the people of Australia,” Ministry said.

“Necessary representations with Australian authorities have been made,
stressing that our primary expectation from the Australian authorities
for the sake of our relations that have developed so far on the basis
of friendship, is that they be more attentive to unacceptable claims
directed towards Turkey and the Turkish identity and that they take
timely action against initiatives carrying anti-Turkish content and
hate-speech,” the statement concludes.

89.3 KPCC, CA
May 9 2013

LA City Council Race: Choi accuses O’Farrell of xenophobic attacks

Frank Stoltze | May 9th, 2013, 5:28pm

In a heated exchange at a debate in Hollywood Wednesday night, 13th
District city council candidate John Choi accused rival Mitch
O’Farrell of attempting to stir xenophobia among voters.

`My opponent has continued to attack me from day one, using language
like `new arrival,’ `outsider,’ and `not one of us,” Choi told an
audience inside Karapetian Hall at St. Garabed Armenian Church. `That
type of language has been used for decades to raise xenophobic fears
of outsiders and immigrants.’

Choi, 32, who is Korean American, pointed to a red campaign mailer
that features a grainy picture of him above the words `not from our
community.’

O’Farrell, 52, disavowed the mailer, which was sent by an independent
committee. `I didn’t like it anymore than you did, John. I thought it
was a terrible picture,’ O’Farrell said. `Any sort of hint of
discrimination has no place in a campaign.’

Choi, a former member of the Board of Public Works and labor activist,
has widely redistributed the mailer to garner support for his
campaign. Choi would become only the second-ever Asian-American member
of the L.A. city council and the first Korean-American. He has
garnered support from Asian-Americans across the country.

While he denounced the mailer, O’Farrell, a longtime aide to outgoing
Councilman Eric Garcetti, said Choi moved into the district just last
year. `The fact is my opponent is new to the district,’ he said. `I am
the local candidate.’

Choi said he previously lived within a mile of the district, which
includes Hollywood, Silver Lake, Echo Park, Atwater Village and
Glassell Park.

The two also clashed over the role of city labor unions in the
campaign. Unions have spent more than $500,000 backing Choi. `It’s
time for leadership to put what is now some out of control power in
check,’ O’Farrell said of what he called `union bosses’ at City Hall.
He noted his father was a Teamster and that he supports unions, but
added, `You need to stand up to them at times.’

Choi said unions are `nothing more than average people fighting for a
decent lifestyle,’ and chided O’Farrell for `demonizing’ them. He
compared O’Farrell to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who sought to
drastically diminish the power of labor unions.

Choi argued that his work as a labor activist leaves him best situated
to negotiate with unions, which are seeking pay raises for their
workers amid a city budget deficit. `I’m going to be able to sit
across the table and be an honest broker.’

The two differed little on issues of public safety, transportation and
housing. Both said they’d like to see a downsizing of the $664 million
Millennium Towers project in Hollywood.

TURQUIE-ENVIRONNEMENT
Selon la NASA une grande partie de la Turquie pourrait se transformer
en désert d’ici 2040

Représentant de la Fondation turque TEMA, le spécialiste Merih Yucel
affirme que selon les données fournies par les scientifiques de la
NASA, la Turquie risque de connaître une désertification en 2040 si
elle continue d’utiliser ses terres et ses ressources d’eau de façon
non rationnelle. M. Yucel tire le signal d’alarme. Si les
développements technologiques ne tient pas compte du rythme de la
nature, cette dernière sera fortement dégradée d’ici 2040. Les
spécialistes de la NASA seraient clairs : a ce rythme d’exploitation
des terres et de la mauvaise gestion du rythme de la nature et de
l’épuisement des eaux, de nombreuses régions de Turquie ressembleront
jusqu’en 2040 à des déserts. La désertification débutera depuis les
côtes de la mer Egée et de la Méditerranée. Afin de protéger la
nature, il est préconisé d’utiliser les énergies renouvelables, telles
que l’énergie solaire ou l’éolienne. Les agriculteurs Turcs n’auraient
pas de connaissances suffisantes pour une utilisation harmonieuse et
rationnelle des terres. « Nous devons les informer pour qu’ils
changent ou adaptent de nouvelles méthodes d’irrigation et
d’utilisation des terres » affirme M. Yucel.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 11 mai 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

LIVRES-TEMOIGNAGE
« Volontaires Arméniens 1914-1916 » récemment paru est un
livre-témoignage majeur – PHOTOS

Le livre « Volontaires Arméniens 1914-1916 » paru aux Editions La
Bouquinerie est un véritable document sur la tragédie arménienne du
début du 20e siècle. Voici enfin réédité un livre fort rare dont nous
n’avons retrouvé aucune trace dans toutes les bibliothèques du monde.
Cette édition de La Bouquinerie apporte ainsi sa modeste pierre à
l’édifice de l’Histoire de l’Arménie. Tiré à très petit nombre, cet
album « Volontaires Arméniens » édité à Petrograd -aujourd’hui
Saint-Petersbourg en Russie- en 1916 en français, russe et arménien,
retrace cette épopée de sang et de larmes. Avec parfois quelques
larmes de joie après les victoires arméniennes sur les troupes
ennemies.

Des dizaines de volontaires Arméniens, généraux, commandants ou
simples soldats se sont illustrés lors des heures les plus tragiques
du peuple arménien à la fin du XIXe et au début du XXe siècle. De ces
pages d’Histoire, écrites par ces fédaïs ou volontaires Arméniens,
quelques images nous sont parvenues comme autant de témoignages figés
d’une époque terrible où le destin entier d’un peuple bascula entre
survie et néant. Ainsi cet ouvrage met à la disposition d’un plus
grand nombre de lecteurs, ces documents photographiques et
commentaires d’époque qui sont autant de témoignages pour les
générations présentes et futures. Nombre de ces clichés sont très
rares, voir inconnus. Que les lecteurs prennent autant de plaisir que
nous à parcourir les pages de cet album-témoignage qui nous replonge
dans les instants où la tragédie côtoie le pathétique, où l’angoisse
de la mort et de la joie de la victoire s’expriment dans les regards
de ces hommes au courage exceptionnel. Que cet ouvrage aide ces héros
célèbres ou anonymes qui ont la plupart payé de leur vie « les chemins
de la liberté », à revivre l’espace d’un regard ou d’une lecture dans
votre c`ur et dans vos esprits. Pour des instants d’éternité. Pour
l’Arménien d’hier et d’aujourd’hui.

L’ordre d’extermination des Arméniens de l’Empire ottoman était donné
dès le 24 avril 1915 avec l’arrestation et la disparition pour les
autorités turques de près de 600 intellectuels Arméniens par les
Turcs. Malgré le génocide qui frappait le peuple, les Arméniens ont
résisté et brillamment. Certains ont pris les armes pour ne pas se
laisser égorger comme des moutons. C’est cette épopée héroïque que
nous vous invitons à revivre dans cet album tiré de l’oubli…J’espère
que vos yeux brilleront quelques instants sur ces images qui sont
autant de témoignages sur l’Histoire d’un peuple vivant une tragédie :
celle du génocide qui était en cours en Arménie. C’est peut-être aussi
grce à ces hommes que le peuple arménien ne fut pas totalement
anéanti et donna naissance quelques années plus tard à la République
d’Arménie. Tel le mythique phoenix, l’Arménie renaissait de ses
cendres par la magie de ces hommes qui n’avaient qu’une devise « la
liberté ou la mort ». « Une page glorieuse de l’Histoire
arménienne…Vivre libres ou mourir ! » René Adjémian.

-« Volontaires Arméniens », à 19 grand format à l’italienne : 29 x
21 cm. Environ 100 pages. tirage sur papier bouffant ivoire.
Couverture en couleurs pelliculée. Éditions de la Bouquinerie, 77
Avenue des Baumes, 26000 Valence. www. labouquinerie.com,
[email protected], tél. 06 88 08 35 96
Egalement disponible auprès de la Fnac-Valence, et d’« Arménia », 130
rue Marcel Paul 26500 Bourg-Lès-Valence. Tél. 04 75 83 80 58

Direction Van !

Jeunes fédayis

Nigol Touman et ses fédayis

Les Arméniennes transmettent le drapeau arménien aux troupes de Tro à Erévan

Les troupes de Tro jurant fidélité jusqu’à la mort

Les troupes de Hamazasp défilent à Etchmiadzine
images tirées du livre-album `Volontaires Arméniens 1914-1916`

samedi 11 mai 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

KURDISTAN
Les Kurdes, un peuple divisé entre quatre pays

(AFP) – Les Kurdes, en majorité des musulmans sunnites, sont établis
sur près d’un demi-million de kilomètres carrés aux confins de la
Turquie, de l’Iran, de l’Irak et de la Syrie.

Peuple d’origine indo-européenne, les Kurdes descendent des Mèdes de
l’ancienne Perse, qui fondèrent un empire au VIIe siècle avant J.C.

Leur nombre total varie, selon les sources officielles ou kurdes, de
25 à 35 millions de personnes. Le plus grand nombre vit en Turquie (12
à 15 millions), suivie de l’Iran (environ 5 millions), de l’Irak (près
de 4,5 millions) et de la Syrie (quelque 2 millions).

D’importantes communautés kurdes vivent également en Azerbaïdjan, en
Arménie et au Liban ainsi qu’en Europe, notamment en Allemagne.

Situés dans des zones à l’intérieur des terres, les Kurdes ont su
préserver leurs dialectes, leurs traditions et un mode d’organisation
largement clanique.

L’effondrement de l’Empire ottoman à l’issue de la première guerre
mondiale ouvrit la voie à la création d’un Etat kurde, prévue par le
traité de Sèvres en 1920, situé dans l’est de l’Anatolie et dans la
province de Mossoul. Mais après la victoire de Mustafa Kemal,
`Atatürk`, en Turquie, les Alliés revinrent sur leur décision et, en
1923, le traité de Lausanne consacra la domination de la Turquie, de
l’Iran, de la Grande-Bretagne (pour l’Irak) et de la France (pour la
Syrie) sur les populations kurdes.

Revendiquant la création d’un Kurdistan unifié, les Kurdes sont
considérés comme une constante menace à l’intégrité territoriale des
pays où ils sont installés.

En Turquie, une rébellion armée, menée par le Parti des travailleurs
du Kurdistan (PKK) contre le pouvoir central, a fait 45.000 morts
depuis 1984. Après avoir pris les armes pour la création d’un Etat
kurde indépendant, le PKK ne revendique plus désormais qu’une
autonomie des régions de peuplement kurde et des droits collectifs
accrus.

Au terme d’une année 2012 particulièrement meurtrière, les autorités
d’Ankara ont repris le dialogue avec le chef du PKK Abdullah Öcalan,
qui purge depuis 1999 une peine de réclusion à perpétuité. Dans le
cadre de ces négociations de paix, le chef rebelle a appelé le 21 mars
ses troupes à un cessez-le-feu et au retrait de Turquie. Le numéro
deux du PKK, Murat Karayilan, a ensuite annoncé le retrait, à partir
du 8 mai, des rebelles du sol turc vers leurs bases arrières dans le
nord de l’Irak.

autonomie

La communauté kurde irakienne a longtemps été persécutée, en
particulier sous le régime de Saddam Hussein qui la déplaça de force
au début des années 1970, puis bombarda à l’arme chimique la ville de
Halabja, en 1988, faisant près de 5.000 morts.

En 1991, après la fin de la guerre du Golfe, plus de deux millions de
Kurdes irakiens fuirent la répression irakienne, poussant les alliés
occidentaux à instaurer une zone d’exclusion aérienne au nord du 36e
parallèle.

Aujourd’hui, les Kurdes d’Irak ont obtenu une forme d’autonomie :
formée de trois provinces, la région autonome du Kurdistan irakien
dispose de son propre gouvernement, de ses forces de sécurité, ses
postes-frontières et son drapeau, mais reçoit toujours une partie du
budget fédéral. Les relations entre Erbil et Bagdad se sont
considérablement dégradées ces derniers mois en raison de
revendications territoriales kurdes, concernant notamment la province
pétrolifère de Kirkourk, et de différends sur des contrats pétroliers.

En Syrie, les Kurdes, qui représentent environ 15% de la population,
surtout dans le Nord, se sont engagés très prudemment dans la
contestation qui secoue le pays depuis deux ans. Ils ont essayé
d’empêcher les rebelles de pénétrer dans leurs régions pour éviter des
représailles du régime.

En Iran, au lendemain de la révolution islamique de 1979, un
soulèvement kurde a été sévèrement réprimé par les autorités et les
partis représentant cette minorité, en particulier le Parti
démocratique du Kurdistan iranien (PDKI), ont été interdits. En
juillet 2011, les Gardiens de la révolution ont lancé une vaste
offensive contre les groupes rebelles kurdes au nord-ouest de l’Iran,
tuant le numéro deux du Parti pour une vie libre au Kurdistan (PJAK),
principal mouvement kurde de lutte contre le régime de Téhéran, proche
du PKK.

samedi 11 mai 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

BREAKING NEWS: Obama Asks Supreme Court Not To Hear Insurance Claims Case

Friday, May 10th, 2013

President Obama

WASHINGTON – The Obama Administration urged the Supreme Court not to
hear the appeal of the Ninth Circuit’s 2012 decision striking down a
California law extending the statute of limitations on Armenian
Genocide-era life insurance claims, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America.

`President Obama, rather than filing a brief based on the merits of
this case, chose instead – on the eve of Prime Minister Erdogan’s
visit to Washington, DC – to send Ankara a political gift by both
deepening his Administration’s complicity in the denial of the
Armenian Genocide and also obstructing justice for American citizens
seeking redress through the U.S. courts,’ said ANCA Executive Director
Aram Hamparian. `We will, despite the President’s retreat from
principle, persevere in pursuit of the justice owed the Armenian
nation.’

In a 27-page brief submitted to the Supreme Court earlier today, the
U.S. Solicitor General argues that the California law improperly
allows courts `to issue judgments based on politically contentious
events that occurred in the Ottoman Empire nearly a century ago, with
no substantial basis to claim that it is regulating in an area of its
traditional authority.’

It also makes reference to selective Executive branch opposition to
Armenian Genocide legislation, but not the U.S. record of recognition
of the Armenian Genocide as a crime of genocide, including:
1. the U.S. Government’s May 28, 1951 written statement to the
International Court of Justice regarding the Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, in which the
`Turkish massacres of Armenians’ is cited among other `outstanding
examples of the crime of genocide’
2. President Ronald Reagan’s April 22, 1981 Proclamation number 4838;
in which he stated, in part, `like the genocide of the Armenians
before it, and the genocide of the Cambodians, which followed it – and
like too many other persecutions of too many other people – the
lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten.’

Read the U.S. Government’s brief.

The Supreme Court, which had requested the Administration’s brief in
October of 2012, will consider the Solicitor General’s position, along
with several `friend of the court’ briefs defending the California
Armenian Genocide-era life insurance law, including one filed by
California Attorney General Kamala Harris, Nevada Attorney General
Catherine Cortez Masto, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, and
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Kilmartin.

The case has traveled a long and complex legal path, which has
included three separate and conflicting opinions from the Ninth
Circuit Court of Appeals, the most recent on February 23, 2012. That
decision struck down the California law extending the statute of
limitations for certain life insurance claims based on an
unprecedented expansion of the rarely invoked doctrine of foreign
affairs field preemption. In its ruling, the Ninth Circuit invalidated
the California law, which was unanimously passed by the legislature,
because of Turkish government threats aimed at silencing discussion of
the Armenian Genocide in the United States.

Plaintiffs’ petition to the Supreme Court to hear the case was filed
by Igor Timofeyev of Paul Hastings, LLP. Claims for unpaid life
insurance policies dating back to the Armenian Genocide were first
brought by plaintiffs’ attorney Vartkes Yeghiayan. Attorneys who have
been representing plaintiffs include Lee Crawford Boyd, Rajika Shah,
Mark Geragos, and Brian Kabateck.

A series of amicus briefs were filed in support of the plaintiffs’
petition including a filing by U.S. Federal and State legislators,
filed by attorneys Mary-Christine Sungaila and Seepan Parseghian at
the firm of Snell and Willmer, LLP.

Human rights and public policy groups including the Armenian Bar
Association, Armenian National Committee of America, Zoryan Institute
for Contemporary Armenian Research and Documentation, Inc., Genocide
Education Project, Jewish Alliance for Law and Social Action, Center
for the Study of Law & Genocide, and the International Human Rights
Clinic of the University of Southern California Gould School of Law
also filed an amicus brief and were represented by Bingham McCutchen,
LLP, led by partner David Balabanian.

Read the complete set of filings.

UEFA.com
8 mai 2013

Pyunik remporte sa sixième Coupe d’Arménie

Battu en championnat le week-end dernier par le FC Shirak, le FC
Pyunik a pris sa revanche en remportant la finale de la Coupe
d’Arménie.

par Khachik Chakhoyan

Le FC Pyunik a remporté la Coupe d’Arménie pour la sixième fois de son
histoire, autant que le FC Mika, grce à un court succès 1-0 sur le FC
Shirak, champion et tenant du titre.

Cette victoire, assurée par Taron Voskanyan à la 40e minute, s’est
produite quatre jours après une défaite sur le même score contre
Shirak, qui avait alors pu être couronné champion à deux journées de
la fin.

“C’est le premier trophée gagné par cette génération de joueurs”,
expliquait l’entraîneur de Pyunik, Rafael Nazaryan, dont l’équipe
présente une moyenne d’ge inférieure à 20 ans. “Cette victoire est
importante pour leur confiance. Nous avons battu un adversaire très
fort qui avait plus d’expérience et d’agressivité.”

Independent European Daily Express
May 9 2013

New Rule for State-Paid Childbirth Stirs Discontent in Armenia

Thursday, May 9, 2013 – 22:06Inter Press Service

YEREVAN, May 09 (IPS) – A government decree in Armenia that bars
pregnant women who are not residents of Yerevan from receiving free
childbirth services in the capital is causing discontent in outlying
regions.

In a bid to boost population numbers, the state covers the costs for
childbirth services in Armenia. Seeking better facilities and medical
personnel, pregnant women from the regions often travel to Yerevan to
give birth. In 2012, 64 percent of the 70,648 women registered for
state-provided childbirth assistance gave birth in Yerevan, according
to the National Statistical Service.

The May 1 decree issued by the Ministry of Health was designed to
encourage improvements at hospitals in the country’s 10 regions. Under
the measure, women will only be able to obtain state-paid birthing
services at hospitals in regions where they have an official address.

Health Minister Derenik Dumanian, the author of the decree, maintains
that budgetary funds to improve care at public hospitals in regions
will be forthcoming. The government currently pays 135,000 drams (329
dollars) per delivery in Yerevan hospitals, and 97,000 drams (236
dollars) at facilities in rural locations.

`One-third of the pregnant women from the regions come to Yerevan to
give birth; hence, the money designated for rural hospitals is
transferred to hospitals in Yerevan, leading to reduced financial
resources in the regions, as well as an outflow of professionals from
rural communities to Yerevan,’ Dumanian told EurasiaNet.org.

Despite government assurances, some pregnant women from rural areas
remain wary about the decree. Thirty-three-year-old Gohar Minasian, an
expectant mother living in Abovian, 16 kilometers outside of Yerevan,
fears the consequences of giving birth in her local hospital.

In 2011, she noted, an Abovian anesthesiologist’s mistake led to the
death of a pregnant woman from heart failure. `If this had been in the
capital, under the supervision of skilled professionals, both the
mother and the child would have survived,’ Minasian claimed, without
providing supporting details.

Under the decree, pregnant women from the regions will still be able
to receive free medical care in Yerevan in emergency situations. The
health ministry’s chief obstetrician-gynecologist, Razmik Abrahamian,
insists that pregnant women in most of Armenia’s regions already have
access to adequate care.

`If a few years ago we did not have rural maternity hospitals with
modern facilities and it was understandable why they had to come to
Yerevan, now six out of the 10 regions have fully equipped hospitals,
but people keep coming to the capital out of habit,’ Abrahamian said.

`The new decree will make them at least familiarise themselves with
the facilities and conditions available at their new local hospitals,
and only then make a decision.’

Independent MP Edmon Marukian, who strongly opposes the decree, argues
that it could end up fueling corruption.

`If there are exceptions [made to the decree] for high-risk births and
[women] will be sent to deliver in Yerevan, it is quite possible that
women with a normal or no-risk pregnancy might bribe someone into
getting permission to give birth in Yerevan,’ reasoned Marukian, who
represents the northern region of Lori.

`Or a pregnant woman from a rural community might be in Yerevan and
need to give birth, but a hospital might check her in only in exchange
for money.’

Abrahamian dismissed corruption concerns, promising close supervision
of the decree’s implementation. All hospitals have a ministry hotline
number by which they can report attempted bribery, he added. `Let them
call and everyone will be punished.’

Based on infant mortality statistics alone, the regions might appear a
better choice to give birth than a hospital in Yerevan. In 2011, the
latest year for which data is available, the capital recorded 118
infant deaths, the highest level in the country. But Abrahamian
maintained that 70 percent of those deaths were of children born to
women from the regions, where, he claimed, public knowledge of
prenatal care is spotty.

Nationwide over the past decade, the number of infant deaths has
declined steadily. From 2006-2012, the number of infant deaths per
1,000 live births dropped by half to 12. The maternal mortality rate
also has fallen to a just a handful, compared with as many as 35 per
year a decade ago.

Senior regional hospital staffers say public perceptions of medical
care in the regions still lag behind the statistical evidence. For
example, in Artashat, a town 29 kilometres southeast from Yerevan, the
birthrate at the local hospital has fallen by 50 percent since 2008,
when the state began paying for childbirth services.

`Our conditions are good, too, the medical personnel are highly
professional, but we cannot compete with the hospitals in the capital
equipped with the newest facilities,’ said Dr. Zemfira Navasardian,
head of the Artashat hospital’s obstetrics and gynecology department.

Obstetricians who earlier moved to Yerevan for work may now be tempted
to return home, hospital executives said, but that process requires
time. In the meantime, some Armenian women are not willing to wait.
Barred from state-funded childbirth in Yerevan, Minasian, a
kindergarten teacher, is saving to pay for the services herself.

*Editor’s note: Gayane Abrahamyan is a reporter for ArmeniaNow.com in Yerevan.

This story originally appeared on EurasiaNet.org.