VOLUNTEER LABOR DAY TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN ON NOVEMBER 8
Noyan Tapan
Nov 4, 2008
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Yerevan municipality has declared
November 8 a volunteer labor day in Yerevan. The municipality expects
city residents to take an active part in the volunteer labor Saturday
to make Yerevan clean and well-maintained.
‘UNIASTRUM BANK’ SELLS 80% ITS SHARE TO BANK OF CYPRUS GROUP
ArmInfo
2008-11-04 16:55:00
ArmInfo. On 31 October 2008 Bank of Cyprus Group has finished the
bargain on buying 80% share of Uniastrum Bank and paid $576 mln. The
authorized capital of Uniastrum Bank grew by $50 mln. Georgiy Piskov
and Gagik Zakaryan – two main shareholders have preserved their posts
– chairman of directors council and president of Uniastrum Bank,
press-service of Unibank told ArmInfo.
As experts of Bank of Cyprus predicted the bargain should pay off
over the first year after its making (2009) and should have 10%
income in two years (2010).
‘Joining of the ‘Uniastrum Bank’ enhances its potential to become
an influential regional banking institute’, – chairman of Directors
Council of Bank of Cyprus Group Teodor Aristodem said after making
the deal. As chairman of Directors council of Uniastrum Bank Georgiy
Piskov added, this deal gives a unique opportunity for the Uniastrum
Bank to continue increasing its influence and to improve the sphere
of client services.
‘The team of Uniastrum Bank is well trained to reach high goals
together with Bank of Cyprus Group. We hope the force of our net
will be replenished with experience, technologies and capital of
Bank of Cyprus Group. All this will make it possible to offer new
beneficial services to our clients’, – president of Uniastrum Bank
Gagik Zakaryan said.
As a result of unification of the financial, organizational and
technological potential of the two financial institutes the volume of
business and the client base of the Uniastrum Bank will be increased
at least threefold over the next two years.
To note, Uniastrum Bank is a strategical partner of the Armenian
Unibank, which belongs to Georgiy Piskov and Gagik Zakharyan with
equal share.
ANS TV, Azerbaijan
Oct 31 2008
Karabakh solution possible only within Azeri territorial integrity –
spokesman
An Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman has said that the Nagornyy
Karabakh settlement is possible only based on the principle of
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.
In remarks to the private TV station ANS on 31 October, Xazar Ibrahim
said: "As we have repeatedly noted, Azerbaijan’s position on the
conflict remains unchanged. Azerbaijan’s position will remain as it is
in the current talks [meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian
presidents in Moscow on 2 November]. The principle of territorial
integrity is on the table. There can be no other solution to the
conflict."
Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani Karabakh Liberation Organization (KLO) has
protested at Russia’s mediation in the meeting of the Azerbaijani and
Armenian presidents to be held in Moscow on 2 November.
The opposition Azadliq newspaper quoted a statement by the pressure
group as saying that "Russia’s aim is to deploy its military units in
Azerbaijan under the guise of peacekeepers at any cost. On the other
hand, the fact that Armenia does not give up its aggressive claims
makes Azerbaijan’s participation in the meeting impossible." The group
said that the holding of military drills in Karabakh by Armenia and
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s participation in the drills were
"a flagrant violation of international legal norms".
"Azerbaijan’s sitting at a negotiating table with Armenia after all
these facts is inconsiderable," the KLO said in its statement. It
criticized international organizations and mediating states for "not
reacting to Armenia’s deeds". The group urged the Azerbaijani
authorities to reject the talks through Russia’s mediation, stop talks
currently held on the Madrid principles and stop the "process posing a
serious threat to the country’s national interests".
The opposition daily Baki Xabar quoted political analyst Qabil
Huseynli as saying that it is not worth expecting serious results from
the Moscow meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents.
"I can say unequivocally that the meeting of the presidents due in the
Russian capital will give no incentive for resolving the conflict. If
the point is about the mediators, we should note in particular that
those states did not took an unequivocal and sincere position on the
conflict resolution. From this standpoint, Russia’s negative approach
should be noted particularly. Maybe, it is unnecessary to mention that
the plan of the Karabakh conflict was worked out in Russia and it is
namely Russia who delays the resolution and prevents the conflict from
being settled. In this case, we cannot expect Russia to help resolve
the conflict fairly and on the basis of international laws, by coming
up with another initiative," Huseynli said.
In an interview with Azerbaijan’s 1news.az website on 28 October,
Russian tycoon Boris Berezovskiy said that "Azerbaijan should not
believe current [Russian Prime Minister Vladimir] Putin’s Russia and
its efforts to resolve the Karabakh conflict. I have been involved in
the settlement for a long time and know exactly that the main brake in
the resolution of the Karabakh conflict is the Kremlin ‘hawks’ who
support maintaining tension in the Caucasus."
Berezovskiy expressed his distrust in Russian President Dmitriy
Medvedev’s initiative to reconcile Azerbaijan and Armenia, adding that
former President Vladimir Putin was behind the plan. "It is fully
possible that he thought out some crafty plan which will not obviously
be in Azerbaijan’s interests," Berezovskiy said.
He accused the tandem of Medvedev and Putin of trying to appropriate
Azerbaijan and its wealth. "By all means they will twist your arms,
threaten with the Karabakh conflict. Therefore, you should make sure
that you do not fall into traps laid by Putin," the tycoon added.
FUTURE EU ENLARGEMENT CONTINUES IN FITS AND STARTS
euronews
Oct 30 2008
France
In an annual report, the European Commission is expected to tell
Croatia it should conclude its accession talks by the end of next year,
if it takes the necessary steps.
Other hopefuls are lagging behind. A draft said Macedonia can not
start entry talks yet. Turkey will be told to put new energy into
reforms. Serbia must do likewise and cooperate over warcrimes, even
to get on the candidate ladder.
The progress report criticised The Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia over its failure to meet the political criteria, notably
frowning on an election it held this year which was widely considered
flawed.
Officials say the Commission will partially praise Turkey for improving
relations with Armenia, for help stabilising the Caucasus and for
some economic reforms.
Serbia’s interior minister has said it hopes to win EU candidate
status even before general Ratko Mladic is captured. He said: ‘Like
America hasn’t arrested Bin Laden yet but is trying, we’re also doing
our best.’
Brussels said Croatia could see a Commission financial package for
its accession mid-way through next year, though the draft could still
be changed before the Commission adopts it.
EU sources said the steps Croatia still needs to take include tougher
anti-corruption action and industrial reform in line with EU aid rules.
Violence linked to organised crime, including the murder of a newspaper
editor last week, has blotted Zagreb’s EU accession efforts.
RUBEN SAFRASTYAN: RUSSIA AND TURKEY ARE STRUGGLING FOR THE SOUTH CAUCASUS
armradio.am
30.10.2008 16:00
"Today Russia and Turkey are struggling for the South Caucasus,
and the Karabakh conflict is one of the most important fields of
this struggle," Director of the Oriental Studies Institute of the
National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, Turkologist Ruben Safrastyan
told a press conference today. According to him, both countries have
undertaken the task of mediating in the Karabakh conflict resolution.
"Turkey will not succeed in doing that until it recognizes the Armenian
Genocide and refuses from its policy of oppressing Armenia," Ruben
Safrastyan said, adding that Turkey should establish normal relations
with Armenia by opening the border and paving the way for condemning
the Armenian Genocide.
Ruben Safrastyan considers that following the Russian-Georgian conflict
the geopolitical situation in the Caucasus has sharply changed in favor
of Russia. "Here Turkey is trying to resist Russia with diplomatic
activeness, e.g. with its proposal of establishing a Cooperation and
Security Platform.
In this situation the two countries are struggling for the South
Caucasus," Safrastyan said.
MEDVEDEV: RUSSIA IS LEADER AMONG ARMENIA’S ECONOMIC PARTNERS
ARKA
Oct 21, 2008
YEREVAN, October 21. /ARKA/. Russia is the leader among Armenia’s
economic partners, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in Yerevan
on Tuesday.
"Trade turnover between the two countries has grown over eight months
of this year, and we hope that the end of this year will be quite
successful", he said at a joint press conference with his Armenian
counterpart, Serzh Sargsyan.
National Statistical Service of Armenia says trade turnover between
Armenia and Russia grew 19.5% in Jan/Aug 2008 reaching $482.4 million.
Armenia’s export to Russia reached $136.4 million (19.6% of total
export) after growing 9% over the mentioned period, compared with
the same period a year earlier.
Medvedev said that energy sector, industry, transport, banking system
and information technologies are considered as top-priority focuses
in Armenian-Russian cooperation.
"We intend to continue developing industrial cooperation, stimulate
mutual investment and widen inter-regional ties", he said. "That is
the aim of the agreements signed today".
The Russian president pointed out effectiveness of Armenian-Russian
intergovernmental committee’s activity. The committee on economic
cooperation held its 10th session in Yerevan on Monday.
"It was a comprehensive and good job and its results were seen in
today’s negotiations and document signing=E 2, he said.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, in his turn, said that the majority
of agreements signed earlier have already been put in reality.
"The agreement on energy supply to Armenia is among them", he said.
"This will enable us to ensure further stable growth of our economy".
The head of state said that both countries are also interested in
development of ties between economy entities and regions.
Russian-Armenian talks have resulted in signing some
cooperation-related documents, such as the plan of consultations
between Armenian and Russian foreign ministries, agreements on trade,
economic, scientific and cultural cooperation between the authorities
of Russian region of Sverdlov and Armenian Government and between
Russian Yaroslav and Armenian Armavir provinces’ authorities.
1.5 MILLION DOLLARS FOR IRAN-ARMENIA RAIL ROAD CONSTRUCTION
Panorama.am
20:17 21/10/2008
"Asian Development Bank" disposed 1.5 million dollars for the
construction of Iran-Armenia rail road, said the Prime Minister of
Armenia Tigran Sargsyan, today.
"Certain projects should be drafted and in the middle of the coming
year specific business calculations, economic efficiency. We do offer
our strategic colleagues to participate in this project, and hopefully
in the future year that there is a serious development in this field,"
said T. Sargsyan.
CHATTING WITH JIMMY COBB, KIND OF BLUE’S LAST SURVIVING PLAYER
by Rob Trucks
The Village Voice
October 8, 2008 Wednesday
New York
Remembering the greatest jazz album of all time, 50 years on
Jimmy Cobb is early. The sole surviving performer on Miles Davis’s
1959 album Kind of Blue is waiting in a sixth-floor conference room
just blocks from Columbia’s old 30th Street Studios, the converted
(Greek, Russian, or Armenian, depending on whom you ask) Orthodox
church where the best-selling, most widely praised jazz album in
history was recorded. The drummer and Harlem resident passes the
time with his new iPhone-right now, unfortunately, it appears that
if Cobb so much as stares at the gadget, it automatically calls his
daughter. Thus far, hers is the only number programmed.
Sony Legacy is also early. In late September, the current keeper of the
Columbia Records vaults unveiled its "super-deluxe" 50th-anniversary
edition of Kind of Blue. But we’re nearly as close to the album’s 49th
birthday, if we’re going by release date. Yes, less than half a century
ago (March 2, 1959, to be exact), Davis, Cobb, pianists Bill Evans
and Wynton Kelly, saxophonists John Coltrane and Julian "Cannonball"
Adderley, and bassist Paul Chambers-truly one of the most stellar
lineups in jazz history-gathered for Blue’s first sessions. "There
wasn’t a whole lot of preparation for me," says Cobb. "He [Davis] would
just say, ‘I want this one to sound like it’s floating,’ or something
like that, you know. I didn’t have any music for none of that stuff."
The group’s second session, also on 30th Street, took place seven weeks
later, and on August 17 of that year (Robert De Niro’s 16th birthday),
the album emerged. More than three million copies later, Kind of
Blue stands not only as a landmark of accomplishment, but also of
accessibility. Riding the coming crest of modal (you don’t want to go
there) musings over warm chordal arrangements, six (seven, technically)
established yet efficient experts performed five superficially simple
yet luxurious tunes. "It grabs all kinds of people," says Cobb. "To see
how good those guys are, what they could do with just a little, that
they could make it sound like that-you know, that’s the thing. That’s
what it is. Just bring it down and it reaches everybody. There’s
something to that. It was just something that came along and clicked
with everybody. It’s just probably a once-in-a-lifetime thing."
Despite its obvious legs, Kind of Blue exists in many ways as a
mysterious, transitory moment in time. By its official release in
August of 1959, Coltrane had recorded his own groundbreaking Giant
Steps (another album with a Jimmy Cobb credit); Chambers and Adderley
had quit the band over monetary disputes (a recurring theme with
Davis); and Bill Evans, already on the outs, would soon be completely
gone as well, upset (with good reason, it appears) over not receiving
songwriting credit on "Blue in Green" and "Flamenco Sketches." Though
Cobb remained in Davis’s employ until just prior to 1963’s Seven
Steps to Heaven, the constant personnel changes may very well have
contributed to Kind of Blue’s seemingly atemporal state, transcending
a mere two days spent within an Eastern European cathedral turned
recording studio. "I don’t know if he ever played all of those tunes
off of that record live like that," Cobb says.
Yet despite having played on the most popular jazz album of all time,
Cobb offers little further insight into the secret of Blue’s success.
"Man, I don’t think Miles even thought that it would have
that longevity," he says. "If he even thought that that day, he
would’ve asked for a pile of money. You know, if he thought that
he had something that was going to really be selling for 50 years,
he would’ve asked for real money."
As for the drummer, "I was probably the soberest one in the band,"
says Cobb, the only member of the Blue sextet other than Adderley
to fully escape a heroin addiction. "And he knew I was going to be
on time. And he knew when I got there, I would give 150 percent. So
like that, you know. That’s the pluses I had."
Asked what it felt like to join the group, he adds: "I was kind
of leery. It’s hard to get in a band behind [former Davis drummer]
Philly Joe Jones, you know, because they’re looking for Philly. It’s
almost like when we went to Philadelphia, and the people in Philly
that were used to seeing [former Davis pianist] Red Garland looked up
and saw Bill Evans, and they were wondering who he was. So I’m sure
that when we went some places and Joe wasn’t there and they saw me,
they kind of felt the same way about it. So I was kind of nervous. I
figured I was probably the weakest link there, because that’s probably
just the way I am, you know."
Raised in Washington, D.C., Cobb first hit the road at 21 with Earl
Bostic and Dinah Washington, alongside future fellow Davis cohort
Wynton Kelly. He soon found himself in New York City, living with
Washington at 2040 Seventh Avenue. "It worked out pretty good,"
he recalls. "We did that for about five years. And during that
time I meet everybody in show business, you know, because she was
a big-time lady and I get introduced to everybody: Duke Ellington,
Count Basie. Everybody you’re supposed to know, I got to know them. In
fact, 2040 was where Dizzy [Gillespie] lived."
Cobb’s first involvement with Davis was helped along by his good friend
Adderley. "At that time," Cobb says, "it was Joe and Red Garland and
Coltrane, Cannonball and Miles. So a lot of times Joe wouldn’t show
up for gigs for one reason or the other. Or he just would be late. So
Cannon was nervous, because he needed the money to pay off his bills,
you know. So he used to tell me, ‘Why don’t you come around and sit
with us, you know, and if Joe don’t show, you can play, man. You’d
be right there.’ So I said, ‘OK, I’m not really doing that much
anyway.’ So I go do that a few times. Then one time Joe didn’t show
up for a record date, you know, and I was there at the record date,
and the record date was Porgy & Bess."
But Cobb’s invitation to officially join the group came later. "I’m
still not in the band," he continues. "But a little later, Miles talked
to me. He says, ‘You know, Joe’s not in the band anymore. I want you
to be in the band.’ I said, ‘OK.’ So he told me all the particulars
and stuff. Now it’s six o’clock in the evening, and I’m in New York. So
he’s calling me and I don’t know where he’s calling me from. So I said,
‘OK. Well, when you working? Where are you working?’ And he said,
‘Actually, we’re working tonight.’ I said, ‘Oh, really? Where?’ And
he said, ‘Boston.’ So he’s probably in Boston already. So I say,
‘Boston?’ He said, ‘Yeah.’ And it’s 6:30, man. I say, ‘Well, what time
do you start?’ He says, ‘Nine o’clock.’ I said, ‘Nine o’clock? How
am I going to get to Boston by nine o’clock, man?’ He said, ‘Man,
you want the gig, don’t you?’ I say, ‘Yeah, man.’ I say, ‘OK, I’ll
get there as fast as I can.’
"So I packed up the stuff, and at that time they had like a shuttle
going from New York to Boston-55 minutes, you know. Takes me
probably 55 minutes to get to the airport to fly 55 minutes, and a
few more minutes to get from the airport in Boston to George Wein’s
club. That’s where they were working, Storyville. So I get up there
after scuffling like, you know, scuffling my heart out to get there,
and they’re playing on the stand, because it’s probably 10 o’clock
by now. So when I get there, they’re playing the ballad ‘Round About
Midnight,’ so I went up quietly and set up the drums. And, you know,
there’s an interlude in there."
Here, in a sixth-floor East Side conference room, Jimmy Cobb hums the
"Round About Midnight" melody.
"I started right there. I played that with them. I was in the band-no
rehearsals, no nothing. So that’s the way it started, man."
The ending, however, has yet to be written. Jimmy Cobb, suitably
enough, is at the forefront of the 50th-anniversary DVD. This month,
the drummer will be recognized as a National Endowment for the Arts
Jazzmaster. November brings appearances at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola,
as well as a number of dates in Germany. In January, Jimmy Cobb will
turn 80 years old; in February, he’ll be leading a new outfit, the
So What Band, as part of Kind of Blue’s continuing golden-anniversary
celebration, still officially 11 months away.
But despite all the attention that comes with this territory-and having
provided percussion on a work of acclaimed and enduring genius-it’s the
people he remembers, not the songs: "I’m proud to be here, man. I’m
proud to be going on 80 years old. I never thought I’d be 80 years
old. I’m here. I’m sorry that all my friends are gone, you know,
but I’ve got them here."
And with that, the drummer pats his chest pocket. His hand lays over
his heart, as well as his new iPhone, which presumably calls his
daughter one more time.
FRANCE TELECOM TO INVEST 200 MLN EUROS IN ARMENIAN OPS
Prime-Tass English-language Business Newswire
October 10, 2008 Friday 6:05 PM EET
Russia
France Telecom, which recently won a tender for a mobile license in
Armenia, plans to invest up to 200 million euros to establish a mobile
network in the country, France Telecom representative Jean-Michel
Serre said Friday.
France Telecom plans to register a local company under the Orange
brand within the coming weeks, Serre said without specifying the
timeline for the network’s commercial launch.
Orange, a key brand of France Telecom, obtained the license for both
GSM and third generation (3G) mobile services in Armenia, having
offered the highest bid of 51.5 million euros at a tender.
WE DO NOT FALL BEHIND AZERBAIJAN
Hayots Ashkhar Daily
18 Oct 2008
Armenia
`The geo-political developments, especially those taking place in our
region, come to show that the use of military force on the path of
settling conflicts is fraught with different consequences,’ Minister of
Defense Seyran Ohanyan announced yesterday.
With regard to the armament of the neighboring state, S. Ohanyan said
that each country arms itself within the limits of its potentials. `We
are not going to be actively involved in the armament race; we have our
plans and are engaged in enlarging and modernizing our armament
reserves. In terms of their fighting capacity and qualitative value,
our troops do not do not fall behind Azerbaijan, which only possesses a
large quantity of armament reserves,’ the Minister added.