Author: Kanayan Tamar

“MANUSCRIPT OF TRAGEDY” IS REPUBLISHED

08.06.12, 17:12

With blessing of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II publishing
house of Holy See Mother Etchmiadzin republished modern translation of
“Manuscript of tragedy” by Gregory Narkatsi. Press service of Mother
See Holy Etchmiadzin informs about this.

“Manuscript of tragedy” has had some modern translations. One of the
best translations was done by poet Mkrtich Kheranyan. The translation
was published in 1960. But some parts of Narekatsi’s masterpiece were
taken out as the ideology of that time claimed.

The republication includes those parts as well and they are translated
by Arshak Madoyan.

“Manuscript of tragedy” is a great work by a clergyman, where
the author speaks with God. It has its important role in Armenian
spiritual literature.

WHAT PEOPLE SAW IN SKY CANNOT BE CLEARLY DETERMINED – ARMENIAN EXPERT (VIDEO)

June 08, 2012 | 14:39

YEREVAN. – What people saw in the sky on Thursday night cannot be
clearly determined, but it was very similar to a ballistic missile,
military analyst Artsrun Hovhannisyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

To note, people living in quite a large area-encompassing between
Turkey and Israel-saw a bizarre celestial phenomenon on Thursday at
around 9:50pm Armenia time. At first, a cone-like thing appeared in
the sky, afterwards there was a flash and a twist, and, subsequently,
the light-emanating and ball-shaped object separated into two twisting
points and then disappeared.

As per the analyst, we cannot unequivocally assert this was a Russian
or an Iranian missile, especially since no official statement has
been released to that effect.

“It could have been a meteor, or a UFO,” Hovhannisyan maintained.

According to him, and despite the absence of official information,
what was seen is characteristic of a ballistic missile.

To note, the Russian Defense Ministry on Thursday successfully
launched a ballistic missile from the Astrakhan Oblast (Region)
at 9:39 Armenia time.

And if it turns out that the celestial phenomenon had a terrestrial
origin, a question rises: Was this a demonstration of military
strength?

CASUALTIES DON’T END IN AZERBAIJANI ARMY

14:53 . 08/06

Casualties follow one another in the Azerbaijani army. Azerbaijan’s
defense ministry reports another death of a mine explosion near the
contact line of Armenian and Azerbaijani troops, near Tovuz.

A number of casualties have taken place since the subversive attack
by Azerbaijan. This is the third case of mine explosion over one
week with severe consequences. Two more Azerbaijani soldiers died
of a blow of a concrete tile, one committed a suicide and a soldier
called up in April drowned in Kur River “during holiday”.

AZERBAIJANI ACTIONS TESTIFY THEY ARE NOT ADJUSTED TO THE LOSS OF NK

ARMENPRESS
8 June, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 8, ARMENPRESS: Azerbaijan is well aware Nagorno Karabakh
is no longer part of it. Azeri guess Nagorno Karabakh can be returned
through the application of military force.

Artak Davtyan, Republican Party board member had a briefing with the
journalists on June 8, Armenpress reports. “It is not the first time
that Aliyev initiating the attacks; thus expressing his disagreement
on status quo and the loss of Nagorno Karabakh” the interlocutor
underscored. In this context Davtyan quoted Kuran’s some rows” Those
who sow the wind, get storm”. If Azerbaijan continues its diversion
actions in the line of contact, they will get the wished “storm”.

Pan Armenian National Movement member Hovhannes Igityan states if
Azerbaijan initiates a war, Armenia will start from the north of
Armenia and not from Karabakh. ” I do not think there will be a war.

By periodically breaking the ceasefire regime Azerbaijan wants to
show the conflict is not frozen and United States must constantly
deal with the issue” Igityan stated.

ARZUMANYAN: FREE DEMOCRATS WOULD SUPPORT HOVANNISIAN IN 2013
By Gohar Abrahamyan

ArmeniaNow
News | 08.06.12 | 14:51

A member of the Free Democrats Party stated at a press conference
on Friday that at the upcoming presidential elections in February
2013 leader of the Heritage Party Raffi Hovannisian will announce
his candidacy and they (Free Democrats) will support him.

The Free Democrats Party, founded last year by a group of former
members of the radical opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC),
participated in May 6 parliamentary elections by a joint proportional
list with Heritage, and now it has two representatives at the National
Assembly of the fifth convocation.

“Raffi Hovannisian has spoken about announcing his candidacy [for
president] several times, and I do not think that another member would
be nominated [instead of him]. But if such a thing happens anyway,
we will discuss whom to support then,” said Alexander Arzumanyan,
opposition Free Democrats Party Vice-Chairman and former foreign
minister of Armenia, not excluding that nomination of a common
opposition candidate is a possibility.

Speaking about the newly-elected parliament, Arzumanyan said that it is
necessary to try to cooperate with everybody at the National Assembly.

“We cooperate with an idea and not with a person. However, of course
we will first of all collaborate with the ANC and the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation [ARF, Dashnaktsutyun], because they are also
opposition,” Arzumanyan said.

Arzumanyan, speaking about the recent attacks by the Azeri side on
the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and the foreign policy in general,
said that the Azeri provocations are directed at the Republic of
Armenia and not the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh. Therefore, the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia must present concrete demands
related to the border skirmishes.

“We have a professional army; however, the professional actions of the
armed forces of Armenia must be supported by equivalent diplomatic
approaches,” Arzumanyan said, adding that “The Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict cannot be resolved without the participation of
Nagorno-Karabakh representatives in the negotiation process.”

WHY THE WEST CHOSE SERZH SARGSYAN
Naira Hayrumyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 14:30:53 – 08/06/2012

It is already openly stated that the West is strengthening its
positions in Armenia. At the same time, both the positive and negative
factors of this process are mentioned.

As a positive factor, the integration in the West is mentioned for
which the management system will be necessary to change and a more
democratic order will be established. Economic reforms are mentioned
which should match the Armenian and European markets. Naturally,
the dependence on the “Russian mess” will decrease, as the editor of
Aravot Daily Aram Abrahamyan said.

As negative factors, the painful reaction by Russia is mentioned.

Many say that the Russian rocket Topol which caused confusion in
Armenia and other countries, was a sign to the painful reaction.

However, the oppositional Armenian National Congress notes one more,
even more important minus. ANC representative Gurgen Yeghiazaryan
thinks that the price for the westernization of Armenia may be the
surrender of two regions of Karabakh.

The fact that such a thing is possible may be concluded from the
leakages of the negotiation process but also proceeding from the
logic of the West’s support to Serzh Sargsyan.

In Armenia, the situation is paradoxical. In other post soviet
countries, the West “raised” the opposition and tried to make it
get the power, to “westernize” the country. So happened in Georgia,
Ukraine, Kirgizia. In Armenia, apparently, a different scenario is
applied – the West bets on the ruling party, rather on Serzh Sargsyan.

How is such a paradox explained? Is it reasoned by the fact that
in the opposition, the West didn’t find any good partners? Or
perhaps, Ter-Petrosyan didn’t want to play someone else’s game? Or,
maybe only Serzh Sargsyan accepted the West’s conditions. What the
conditions there were- were they really related to the surrender of
the constitutional territory of Karabakh?

Evidently Armenia’s westernization is so important for the West that
it could also not to ask such excessive steps by Serzh Sargsyan.

Serzh Sargsyan himself, as well as his Western partners know that any
agreement to territorial concessions will automatically bring about
Serzh Sargsyan’s overthrow and not only.

Armenia is no longer the one it was five years ago when the majority
of the social-political class though the only way of settlement of
the conflict is the compromise and territorial concessions. A large
military-political and civil category has been formed which won’t
allow even speak about territorial concessions.

The Armenian opposition thinks that the West has legitimized the
elections in Armenia for the sake of territorial concessions.

Perhaps, that’s the way it is, but it is necessary to find out why
the West needs territorial concessions by Armenia sure if it can
achieve the same through other means.

VIVACELL-MTS SUPPORTS THE YOUTH DISTANCE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS UNIVERSITIES OF THE WORLD

Panorama.am
08/06/2012

VivaCell-MTS, a subsidiary of “Mobile TeleSystems” OJSC, gladly
announces providing students willing to obtain new skills and
qualifications with modern tools of learning. The videoconference hall
and the smart board provided by the Company to the International Center
for Research and Education in Agribusiness will serve the purpose.

The Internet is a perfect means to secure a virtual learning
environment. Distance learning model is one of the tools for that. It
allows students learn in a foreign university while staying at home.

Owing to the support by Armenia’s leading telecommunications operator,
the online education project generated in partnership with the Texas
University that was once only a plan envisioned by the center is now
a reality. VivaCell-MTS has invested more than AMD 8 million into
equipping a videoconference hall and obtaining of other equipment.

Professional equipment to provide HD audio and video quality,
monitors and a video camera distantly controlled by the instructor
provide imaging that allows making the virtual auditorium look as
realistic as possible. The HD quality guarantees naturalness of
the voice, which lets minimize the feeling of distance, organize a
face-to-face discussion and get maximum information. The first live
video conference was organized with the Texas University. The center
now also has a smart board and a projector.

“The Internet widens the learning opportunities. I believe the live
distance learning tool will change students’ set of mind and behavior.

It will let the young people be more independent, more result oriented
and responsible, while the instructors by the monitors on the two
ends will provide the required advice. The virtual cooperation
between the universities of various countries will help form wider
worldview. It is equally helpful in terms of comparing and correlating
the mentalities and cultures of various nations. We strive to make all
the information resources available to the students,” said VivaCell-MTS
General Manager Ralph Yirikian.

Armenia’s leading telecommunications operator believes the
technological solutions and the online learning opportunities are
well on demand to provide quality education.

ANCA CIRCULATES SEVEN POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TO CHECK AZERBAIJANI AGGRESSION

tert.am
08.06.12

Amid escalating Azerbaijani attacks this week against both Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
circulated a set of seven specific policy recommendations for the
Obama Administration and the U.S. Congress to check Baku’s aggression
and support the peaceful and democratic resolution of Azerbaijan’s
conflicts with Armenia and the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh).

In an ANCA memo sent this week to Congressional offices, ANCA
Government Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian stressed that: “It’s
time for America and the rest of the international community to take
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at his word when he openly threatens
to restart his war against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. The cost
of appeasement – and the dangers of a renewed war – are far too high
for us to either dismiss Aliyev’s threats or to ignore the hazard he
represents to the region and beyond.”

Among the policy recommendations being advanced by the ANCA is the
immediate suspension by the Obama Administration of all military
aid to Azerbaijan, and a ban on the sale or transfer to Baku of any
military equipment or potentially dual-use items.

– The Obama Administration should publicly, forcefully, and
unequivocally condemn Azerbaijan’s acts of aggression and threats of
renewed war.

– The Obama Administration should suspend all military aid to
Azerbaijan, and stop the sale or transfer to Baku of any military
equipment or dual-use items (including the proposed sale of advanced
helicopter-based surveillance equipment – DDTC 12-002).

– The Obama Administration should fully enforce Section 907 of the
FREEDOM Support Act until Baku has stopped its threats of war, ceased
all acts of aggression, demonstrated a commitment to a lasting peace
with Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh through solely non-violent means,
and has accepted the OSCE Minsk Group’s call to pull back all snipers
(a proposal already accepted by both Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh).

– The U.S. House-Senate conference committee charged with reconciling
the FY13 foreign aid bill should accept the House version’s allocation
of at least $5 million in aid to Nagorno Karabakh.

– The Obama Administration should support the reinstatement of the
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh as a full participant in all peace talks,
including the negotiations hosted by the OSCE Minsk Group.

– The Obama Administration should remove out-dated, counter-productive
barriers to broad-based U.S.-Nagorno Karabakh governmental and civil
society communication, exchanges, contacts, cooperation, and travel.

– The Obama Administration should insist that the Azerbaijani
government end restrictions on U.S. Embassy officials and third-party
experts visiting and investigating the medieval Armenian cemetery,
in Djulfa, Azerbaijan, which was destroyed in December of 2005 in a
videotaped act of systematic desecration by the Azerbaijani military.

GORDIAN KNOT OF KARABAKH PROBLEM

Trend
June 8 2012
Azerbaijan

On the eve of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to
the region, the situation on the contact line between Armenian and
Azerbaijani troops became strained. As a result of a sabotage attack
committed by the Armenian army on June 5 at the Azerbaijani post
in the north-west of the country, Azerbaijani armed forces suffered
losses with the killing under gunfire of five Azerbaijani soldiers.

The enemy also suffered when the assailants were killed and wounded.

Recent developments on the front-line once again prove that the
conflict has not come to an end, but gradually increases to become
large scaled turning the whole situation into a bigger problem which
becomes harder and harder to be solved. And the longer the current
situation remains, the more both sides suffer losses of young soldiers
resulting in their families facing misfortune.

What is the solution? Seek ways to liberate lands, use the existing
situation, or, as the last way out, choose a military solution to
the conflict? To do this, international organisations should exert
pressure on Armenia.

It is necessary to return the occupied territories of Azerbaijan
and withdraw the Armenian army from there. But how? In the present
situation one can conclude that the United States, Russia and the EU,
which should exert pressure on Armenia, should want it.

The fact that this conflict began 25 years ago and is not still
resolved first led to the fact that Europeans forgot about it. One
can say that all the local conflicts that occurred in Europe have
been partially, or completely resolved.

Secondly, it is difficult to imagine that a strong Armenian diaspora
will agree to such a solution to the conflict. On the other hand
recognition of the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh or loss of these
territories is a condition unacceptable for the Azerbaijani side.

No one will exert pressure on Azerbaijan and even in the case
of exerting it, no one can explain it. The OSCE mission meets and
recommends that the problem should be solved peacefully. The special
role of Russia and other members of the Minsk Group – France and the
United States in resolving this conflict means turning into a major
participant in a strategically important region.

So, Azerbaijan is the only country that tries to change the status quo
and resolve the conflict, the country that is interested in it. It is
impossible to imagine otherwise. Although Russia wants to benefit from
both sides, it chose Armenia as a historical and constant ally. One
can say that without the Russians the Armenians would not have been
able to establish their own state. On the other hand, the Russians do
not think of interrupting their relations with Azerbaijan because of
Nagorno-Karabakh, as Azerbaijan may supply its gas and oil to Europe
and bypass Russia by alternative routes. The country has turned into
a giant power in the Caspian region. It is a state that pursues its
independent energy policy and at the same time has a joint transport
corridor with Turkey, which is a NATO member and with which Azerbaijan
has a comprehensive relationship.

Thus one can conclude that it is impossible to put pressure on
Azerbaijan by force and sooner or later compromise should be found and
this ‘knot’ should be untied taking into account national interests,
thanks to mutual concessions and achieving the peace. Otherwise,
the daily press and television news will continue to report on human
losses from both sides.

DOLLAR SEEMS “INVINCIBLE” IN ARMENIA

news.am
June 06, 2012 | 16:47

YEREVAN. – The US dollar’s exchange rate is continuing its “triumphant
campaign” in Armenia’s financial market.

The dollar’s average exchange rate against the Armenian dram (AMD)
hit a new record, at NASDAQ OMX Armenia stock exchange on Wednesday,
with AMD 414.73/$1. The last time when the US currency was this high
in the country was on July 27, 2006.

The dollar gained value by AMD 3.70, or 0.9 percent, from Tuesday’s
trading session.

The US currency’s exchange rate rose all the way to AMD 415/$1, but
it subsequently began to drop due to the Central Bank’s intervention,
and the session closed at AMD 413.75/$1.

The total sales were $22.66 million.

And Armenia’s exchange offices buy the dollar at the AMD 410-413/$1
range and sell it at the AMD 415-417/$1 range.