PROMINENT JAZZMAN GEORGY GARANYAN PASSED AWAY
armradio.am
11.01.2010 18:11
Prominent jazzman, People’s Artist of Russia Georgy Garanyan died in
Krasnodar at the age of 76 on Monday morning.
The virtuoso veteran saxophonist was the leader of the Moscow Big Band
and writer of musical scores to many films. He hosted his program
on television and on the radio and performed extensively in Russia
and overseas.
Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Jan 6 2010
Document exhibit marks 90th year of Parliament
An exhibition titled `90 Documents in 90 Years,’ showcasing pieces
from the Turkish Parliament’s archives, had its opening yesterday as
part of ongoing celebrations to mark the assembly’s 90th birthday.
The opening ceremony was held at Parliament’s Å?eref Hall with the
participation of Parliament Speaker Mehmet Ali Å?ahin, Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an and former Parliament Speakers Bülent Arınç,
Köksal Toptan, Cahit KarakaÅ? and Ä°smet Sezgin. In his speech Å?ahin
said that celebrations on April 23, 2010 would not be sufficient on
the 90th birthday of Parliament to mark the honorable and important
role that the body has played in Turkish history. He also thanked
previous Parliament Speakers Arınç and Toptan for their work in
Parliament before he took office.
Expounding upon the exhibition Å?ahin explained that from amongst 12
million documents in the Parliament Document and Archive General
Directorate, 90 were chosen in particular that were from Parliament’s
earliest days. Noting that an exceedingly difficult task faced
Turkey’s first deputies, he said when Parliament first convened the
only light the deputies had to meet by was two gas lamps rounded up at
neighborhood coffeehouses.
The documents on display as part of the exhibition include the minutes
from a secret session held on Parliament’s second day, the first
verbal and written question motions submitted in Parliament, the
original text of Gazi Mustafa Kemal PaÅ?a’s (Atatürk) opening speech in
Parliament from 1924, documents related to customs agreements between
Parliament and Armenia, the law that entered the principle of
secularism into the Constitution and the constitutional change that
eliminated the death penalty.
Prime Minister ErdoÄ?an toured the exhibition alongside Å?ahin and
signed the exhibition guestbook, writing: `Beginning with Gazi Mustafa
Kemal, I commemorate all of the [past] members of Parliament who made
important contributions to the establishment of our republic. May
their souls be happy.’
06 January 2010, Wednesday
TODAY’S ZAMAN ANKARA
The Messenger, Georgia
Jan 5 2010
Turkey wants stability and peace in the Caucasus
By Messenger Staff Tuesday, January 5
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu, evaluating 2009, highlighted
that the country most often discussed Caucasus issues. He also
stressed that Turkey’s friendship with Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia
creates trust in the Caucasus.
The Minister highlighted that signing the protocol with Armenia is not
the sole Turkish goal. Ankara wants to create a situation which would
make it possible to sign some other protocols on frozen conflicts as
well. "We shall continue working on our platform so that stable peace
is established in the Caucasus", Davutoglu said. He added that
friendship with Azerbaijan will continue to develop on the principle
of 1 people, 2 states.
Turkish FM added through its press spokesman that without resolving
the Karabakh situation there will be no possibility of establishing
stability in the Caucasus and the improvement of relations between
Armenia and Turkey is not in itself enough to achieve that. Stability
can be achieved in the region only if Armenia resolves the problems
which have emerged as a result of the Karabakh conflict, the Ministry
said.
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Jan 3 2010
Time has come for AKP to deliver
Sunday, January 3, 2010
JOOST LAGENDÄ°JK
2009 was a year that strongly underlined one of Turkey’s most obvious
qualities: there is never a dull moment! One moment of inattention and
the unthinkable has happened: one of the military’s top-secret
document archives is being searched by a civilian judge and
prosecutor. The next moment, the most influential Turkish chief editor
steps down, followed by the head of the biggest media group.
My guess is that 2010 will not be fundamentally different. The biggest
change might be that this year we will see less soul searching and
more solutions.
Having been a politician myself for many years, I am still puzzled by
the way sensitive issues are being tackled by Turkish ministers.
Cabinet members announce that the government is going to solve a
particular problem and then, after months of trial and error, have to
admit that they are not able to deliver. Why is there such a big gap
in Turkish politics between promises and results? One explanation
could be that governments are simply not good in making proper
assessments. The problems in implementing a desirable solution or the
opposition against the government’s proposals are underestimated. Or
the timing is wrong. Whatever the reasons behind this failure to stick
to promises made, the result in 2009 has been the creation of a
mountain of expectations that have to be met, in one way or the other,
in 2010. I know there is a long Turkish political tradition of broken
promises without electoral consequences. But there is a limit to what
modern, self-confident citizens are willing to accept from their
elected representatives. Once promised repeatedly, politicians have to
deliver these days. They will be forgiven if they miss out on one or
two of their pledges. But to fail on all, is a recipe for electoral
disaster and strained international relations.
Let’s go through the list of 2009 promises. First and foremost, there
is the laudable democratic initiative. After all, the statements of
the ongoing commitment at the end of last year, there is no way back
in 2010. Either the prime minister successfully puts all his energy
into overcoming the many obstacles in the way of a peaceful solution
to the Kurdish problem, or the ruling party will lose its credibility
among Kurdish and Turkish democrats. The same applies to the basic
Alevi demands. After all these workshops that seemed to bring a
solution closer, the AKP has to come up, this Spring, with a
comprehensive plan that will convince most Alevis. If not, forget
about those votes. But the ruling party will not only lose at home
when they fail to deliver. The protocols with Armenia were considered
by many in Europe and the US as a great achievement. But, those
positive feelings will disappear quickly when and if these promising
plans are not put in practice because the AKP majority in the Turkish
parliament fails to ratify the agreements. Again, no way back. The
same goes for the announced opening of the Greek-Orthodox Halki
seminar. If it does not happen, Greece will be extremely disappointed
and Turkish opponents inside the EU will have an extra argument when
they claim that Turkish authorities talk a lot about reforms, but are
not able to put their money where their mouth is.
I am convinced the Turkish president fully understands the negative
logic of broken promises. I think the prime minister does as well.
Therefore, 2010 will again bring, without any doubt, many surprises.
Including, I hope, some final remedies to the problems that popped out
of the many boxes of Pandora that were opened in 2009. I wish you all
a happy and exciting New Year!
ARMENIA APPROVES NEW NUCLEAR PLANT OVER GREEN OBJECTIONS
Gayane Lazarian
Environment News Service
Dec 28 2009
YEREVAN, Armenia, December 28, 2009 (ENS) – Armenia has cleared the
way for a new nuclear power plant, despite green groups’ objections
that its location could put the country’s capital at risk.
Earlier this month, the government approved the creation of
Atomstroyexport, a joint Russian-Armenian company that will own
the station.
"Today we are taking a political decision, we are giving our agreement
to the creation of a joint venture with our Russian partners," said
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan on December 3.
Armenia plans to finish the new generating unit by 2016, and it will
replace the Metsamor plant, which produces 40 percent of the country’s
power but is nearing the end of its life. Without the nuclear plant,
Armenia would be largely dependent on gas imported from Russia or Iran.
"The new nuclear power station will become a security zone for Armenia
in the energy system. A nuclear reactor is necessary as an energy
resource that can ensure the self-sufficiency of the country," said
Sevak Sarukhanyan, an economist and deputy director of the Noravank
think tank.
Sargsyan said the new station is crucial to efforts to revive Armenia’s
economy, which has suffered both from the post-Soviet collapse and
the blockade imposed by Azerbaijan and Turkey.
"If we do not build the nuclear power station then, of course, our
competitive position will significantly worsen," he said.
Construction of the plant will take five or six years, and it should
have a working life of 60 years, which will guarantee Armenia’s
electricity supply far into the future.
Ecological groups, however, remain strongly opposed to the plans.
Hakob Manasaryan, head of the Union of Greens, said the government
did not explore other energy options in its rush to approve a new
nuclear plant. He worries that Armenia, which is prone to earthquakes,
could see a disaster such as the one that struck Ukraine’s Chernobyl
reactor 23 years ago.
"I have the impression that the officials are thinking only of
the next 15 or 20 years. A new structure, with a capacity of 1,200
megawatts should be at least 100 to 150 kilometers (60 to 90 miles)
from big cities. The existing Metsamor station, which is just 20 km in
a straight line from the capital, does not even meet this condition,"
he said.
"There is not one safe working reactor. Of course it is good if it
is super-modern, which means, it is less dangerous, but who can vouch
for that? And with a capacity of 1,200 megawatts, the consequences of
the risk could be more significant. The construction of a new reactor
in the same place [as the Metsamor plant] is even more dangerous,"
said Manasaryan.
But Areg Galstyan, deputy energy and natural resources minister,
said new reactors are built to far higher safety standards than
Chernobyl-type nuclear power stations, and that the ecologists have
nothing to worry about.
Armenia’s Metsamor nuclear power station (Photo courtesy Nuclear Threat
Initiative) The Metsamor power station sits in the Ararat Valley, in
the very heart of Armenia, and is surrounded by the towns of Armavir,
Echmiadzin and Metsamor. Its first unit started producing power in
1976, and the second in 1980.
According to Armenia’s Department of State Atomic Control, the
structure was strengthened after the devastating earthquake of 1988.
The waste is not stored permanently on site, but is sent to Russia
for disposal.
Sarukhanyan said an atomic plant is probably the cleanest possible
option for Armenia – compared to a fossil fuel or hydro station –
and would allow the country to become a major exporter to neighboring
countries. That could even include selling power to Turkey, if a
peace deal agreed this year is ratified.
"What would happen to Armenia, if there is another war in Georgia? You
can say the same thing about Iran. If, because of the tense political
situation, our gas supplies are cut, then we would face an energy
collapse," he said.
At the moment, Armenia’s electricity network has the capacity to export
200 megawatts to Turkey. After the two countries normalize their ties,
Yerevan could upgrade the power lines and become a major source of
energy for eastern Turkey, which is growing quickly.
Stepan Safaryan, a parliament deputy from the Heritage party, said
this could prove a major source of revenue for Armenia.
"All predictions about global energy resources, and particularly for
electric energy, in the next decade show a tendency towards growth.
There are developing countries in the region, therefore in the long
term we have not only a market but also chances of creating our own
electricity," he said.
Sargsyan in spring even announced that Turkish companies would be
welcome to participate in the tender for the plant’s construction,
which was organized by Australia’s Worley Parsons. Nationalists were
shocked by his comments at the time but Sarukhanyan said they need
not have worried, since the only serious bidder for the project was
the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation.
Sarukhanyan said top western companies would not be prepared to invest
such large amounts of money in exchange for a non-guaranteed return.
"For Russia it is a realistic decision, however, since it will have a
leading position in Armenia’s energy sector. For a French or American
company, it would be a doubtful deal, since the Armenian economy
remains closed," he said.
But Safaryan worries that Armenia is becoming over-dependent on Russia,
which already dominates much of the Armenian economy, including the
telecom and electricity sectors.
"This will lead to a deeper dependence by our country with all
the political consequences inherent in that," he said. "In this,
like in any other sector, the existence of an alternative and of
diversification is a question of independence and sovereignty."
{Gayane Lazarian is a journalist with Armenianow.com. This article
originally appeared December 24, 2009 in Caucasus Reporting Service,
produced by the Institute for War and Peace Reporting}
USA NOT TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE EVEN IN CASE OF FURTHER DELAY OF THE PROTOCOLS RATIFICATION BY TURKEY, REPRESENTATIVE OF ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS THINKS
ArmInfo
2009-12-24 17:35:00
ArmInfo. The USA will not recognize the Armenian genocide even
in case of further delay of the protocols ratification by Turkey,
representative of Armenian National Congress David Shakhnazaryan told
journalists when commenting on expectations of the Armenian authorities
regarding possible recognition of the Armenian genocide by the USA.
‘The hopes of the Armenian authorities that the USA will recognize the
genocide if Turkey does not want to ratify the arrangements made with
Armenia, are more the acknowledgment of guilt, which is evidence of the
deal of the authorities with the USA regarding the Armenian genocide’,
– he said and added that the USA will hardly recognize the genocide,
as it does not want to have one more unfriendly state in the region
except Iran.
HRANT DINK – SYMBOL OF FIGHT FOR PEACE AND HISTORICAL JUSTICE
ArmInfo
2009-12-23 16:17:00
Arminfo. The solemn presentation of Hrant Dink’s book ‘Two close
peoples – two far neighbors’ took place in Yerevan today.
Director of Oriental Studies institute under Armenian National Academy
of Science, Ruben Safrastyan, said that Hrant Dink is a bright symbol
of fight for historical justice, the man who was fighting and was
killed for his ideals.
Armenian Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakopyan said that Dink was wishing
of peace and stability in the region and recognition of the Armenian
genocide.
The director of the ‘Caucasus’ Institute, Aleksandr Iskandaryan,
said that there is the danger that Hrant Dink may become a unique
‘memorial’. ‘His book should be read and understood’, – Iskandaryan
said.
As the head of the Heritage party parliamentary faction Stepan Safaryan
said, Hrant Dink was a man which could really become a unique bridge
between the past and present of Turkey. ‘Dink was a peace fighter,
and his phenomenon was above-national’, – Safaryan said.
To recall, editor-in-chief of the Armenian-Turkish ‘Agos’ newspaper,
Hrant Dink, was killed on 19 January 2007 in front of his office by
the radical Turkish nationalist.
ARMENIAN BIGGEST TAXPAYERS IMPORT 64.7 BILLION DRAMS WORTH GOODS AND SERVICES IN OCTOBER, BY 6.5% LESS THAN IN 2008 OCTOBER
/ARKA/
December 21, 2009
YEREVAN
Armenian biggest 325 taxpayers imported 64.7 billion Drams worth
goods and services in 2009 October, by 6.5% less than in 2008 October,
the State Revenue Committee said in its monthly bulletin of indices
reported by major taxpayers of the country.
It said the aggregate import of Mancho Group, Manana Grain, K-Telecom,
ArmenTel and Toyota Yerevan fell by 8.7 billion Drams in 2009 October
to 2 billion Drams.
Customs payments, a opposed to 20008 October, dropped by 2 billion
Drams to 12.4 billion Drams.
The State Revenue Committee said also export of goods by 325 biggest
companies dropped by 9% to 19.3 billion Drams.
Pure Metal Plant, Armenian Molybdenum Production, Agarak Copper and
Molybdenum Combine, Dino Gold Mining and Ararat Cement exported by
4.4 billion Drams less products. Their overall export totaled 5.8
billion Drams. ($1 – 375.14 Drams).
N. ZOHRABYAN SAYS AZERBAIJAN RESOLUTE IN IMPEDING ANY COOPERATION FORMAT
Panorama.am
17:53 21/12/2009
The European institutions don’t see the South Caucasus as a unity
any longer, but as separate countries and their steps are seen
individually, the Chairman to the Armenian NA Permanent committee
for European integration Naira Zurabyan told at a briefing today.
"The European institutions are well aware that Azerbaijan is resolute
in impeding any format of cooperation," she said.
According to her, Azerbaijan particularly creates obstacles in the
frames of "Euronest" – the "Eastern Partnership" parliamentary program.
Panorama.am recalls that the institution includes 120 deputies, 60
from the EU member states, and 60 others from the "Eastern Partnership"
6 states – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Belarus and Ukraine.
Successive murder committed in Yerevan
19.12.2009 15:04 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On the night of December 19, citizen Radik Ghukasyan
(born 1968) was found dead in his own Mercedes vehicle. The incident
occurred in Nor Nor Nork district community, Yerevan.
Policemen arriving in the scene of action discovered 23 cartridge
cases with 7.62 mm caliber. At a distance of 100 m., they also found a
Kalashnikov rifle without a charger.
A criminal case has been launched to investigate the circumstances of
incident. The rifle and cartridge cases have been sent for expert
examination, RA Police Web site reports.