Author: Mamian George

RA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN RECEIVED ANDREA VOCTORINI, OUTGOING GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA

Wedn esday, 1 July 2009

The Head of Government thanked the Ambassador for her 2-year-long
active efforts toward the strengthening of Armenian-German relations.

Tigran Sargsyan appreciated the current level of economic interaction,
highlighted the German government’s diversified assistance to Armenia
and expressed hope that even against a crisis-dominated background,
the two countries will manage to provide for the continuity of those
joint programs aimed at developing cooperation in such important
spheres as power engineering, environmental protection, education,
public governance etc. The Prime Minister emphasized the anti-crisis
bias of the Armenian-German foundations as an encouraging example of
international cooperation.

Madame Victorini said to be confident that a solid framework is already
up between the two countries enabling new spheres of cooperation.

In conclusion, Tigran Sargsyan wished the Ambassador every success
in her future activity.

ANC CALLS ON EVERYONE TO DEMONSTRATE VIGILANCE UNTIL MID-JULY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
03.07.2009 20:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Touching upon Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s yesterday’s
speech about a serious progress in Karabakh peace talks, ANC press
secretary Arman Mousinyan called on everybody to be vigilant until
mid-July, and closely follow the authorities’ actions.

"The process has very serious grounds," Mousinyan announced, adding
that ANC will closely follow the settlement process, immediately
responding to any change.

Over the past years, Karabakh settlement talks followed the right
course, he said. According to Mousinyan, ANC never concealed that its
members hold different views over the issue, but never gave rise to
conflicts among political forces.

The speaker also noted that that Armenian and Azeri leaders had 3
meetings over the past 3 months, which is an unprecedented phenomenon.

RE-EDUCATION: MINISTER MAKES HISTORY ERASING PALESTINIAN NAKBA
by Hanna Kawas

Pacific Free Press
re-education-minister-makes-history-erasing-palest inian-nakba.html
Thursday, 02 July 2009 18:13

Open Letter to Margaret MacDiarmid, B.C. Minister of Education

Dear Minister: I am a survivor of the Nakba (the Palestinian
Catastrophe). My parents were forced out of Jaffa, Palestine in 1948
by Zionist terrorist gangs while my mother was still pregnant with me.

Margaret MacDiarmid: Should we dare request a meeting with you to
clarify the facts or is that only reserved for the pro-Israel lobby?

My parents and many others were part of the one third of the
Palestinian people who became refugees before the establishment of
the state of Israel. This happened under the watch of the British
mandate and its troops who were in Palestine to "civilize" the
Palestinian people.

I was shocked, hurt and outraged by your action of removing an exam
question relating to the dispossession of my people. It is clear
that your action came as a result of pressure from the "Canadian
Jewish Congress" that claimed, "all three sentences are misleading
and historically inaccurate" without specifying or attempting to
clarify why.

Let us look at the exam question: "They have been fighting to regain
a homeland since they were driven out in 1948. Some have lived their
entire lives in refugee camps. Forty years later, Israel still refuses
to recognize their right to exist as a nation."

The following letter was sent to the B.C. Minister of Education
Margaret MacDiarmid.

If you also find her position outrageous, please email her at
[email protected]

In Solidarity, Hanna June 28, 2009

Now, the first sentence: "They have been fighting to regain a homeland
since they were driven out in 1948." Is Romy Ritter, the director of
the Congress’s Pacific region saying that the Palestinians have not
been fighting for the past sixty one years to regain their homeland or
is she disputing the fact that "they were driven out in 1948"? If she
is disputing that they were driven out, please consult with Israel
historians like Benny Morris ("The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee
problem, 1947-1949" & "Righteous Victims"), Simha Flapan (The Birth
of Israel) and Ilan Pappe (The Making of the Arab-Israeli Conflict
1947-1951).

The facts speak for themselves. In 1948, Zionist forces wiped out
over four hundred Palestinian towns and villages from the map of the
world (see: "All That Remains: The Palestinian Villages Occupied
and Depopulated by Israel in 1948" by Palestinian historian Walid
Khalidi. And two-thirds of the Palestinian people were ethnically
cleansed from their homeland and have never been allowed to return
to their homes (see: The ethnic cleansing of Palestine By Ilan Pappe).

The second sentence states: "Some have lived their entire lives
in refugee camps". What is misleading and inaccurate about this
sentence? If anything, it minimizes the numbers of refugees by saying
"some". There are around seven million Palestinian refugees world
wide and according to the UNRWA, there are 1,350,000 Palestinians
still living in refugee camps throughout the Arab countries. There
are many Palestinian Canadians here in BC who have families living in
refugee camps and you have traumatized the students of our community
with your arbitrary action.

Let us look at the third sentence: "Forty years later, Israel still
refuses to recognize their right to exist as a nation." It seems
this question was written 21 years ago because it is now 61 years
and counting. The statement that Israel refuses to recognize the
Palestinians as a nation is, to say the least, mildly put. Israel
was built not only on the denial of Palestinian nationhood, but
also on the denial of the very existence of the Palestinians as
a people. Many early Zionists (Jewish and Christian) adopted the
slogan "A land without a people for a people without a land". Also,
the late Israeli Prime Minister, Golda Meir stated: "There is no such
thing as a Palestinian people… It is not as if we came and threw
them out and took their country. They didn’t exist." Golda Meir,
statement to The Sunday Times, 15 June, 1969.

As you can see from the above details (and there are many more), the
exam question does jive with historic facts. For you to interfere
and remove it from the test is an outrageous act that amounts to
censorship. It also shows that you are susceptible to bullying and
dictates from the pro-Israel lobby. You don’t want to be remembered
as such and you do not want to be remembered as complicit in crimes
against humanity, so please reinstate the question and apologize to
the Palestinian people. You do not want to be known as the Minister
who not only distressed and alienated students of Palestinian, Arab
and Moslem descent in our province, but also rewrote history and
undermined all those working so hard for genuine peace in the region.

And finally, if you believe you are the sole "decider" on what should
appear on provincial and practice exams for BC students, we insist
that you add the question below:

What do you call the acts of denial of all of the following: the Jewish
Holocaust, the Ethnic Cleansing of Palestinians, the reparations for
black slavery, the Aboriginal and the Armenian genocides?

A. Acts of cowardice.

B. Acts of distorting facts and history (Revisionism).

C. Acts of complicity in crimes against humanity.

D. All of the above.

Should we dare request a meeting with you to clarify the facts or is
that only reserved for the pro-Israel lobby? Or would you be interested
to debate the issue publicly on Voice of Palestine, Vancouver?

Yours Truly, Hanna Kawas Chairperson, Canada Palestine Association,
Vancouver Co-host, Voice of Palestine, Vancouver
Cc: Canadian Arab Federation/Local and
National; Independent Jewish Voices/Local and National; Jews for a
Just Peace, Vancouver; Canada Palestine Support Network, Vancouver;
Canadian Jewish Outlook Magazine; BCTF committees and organizations;
Adala, Vancouver – Canadian Arab Justice Committee; Masjid Alsalaam,
Burnaby Mosque and Education Centre; Social Justice Committee of the
Unitarian Church of Vancouver; Solidarity with Palestinian Human
Rights-UBC; Vancouver Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of
Friends (Quakers); B.C. Moslem Association; Arab Canadian Lawyers
Association

VULGARITY VERSUS POLITICAL DEBATE

The Civilitas Foundation
Thursday, 02 July 2009 10:02

The political debate that should have taken place over whether and how
Armenia’s delegation to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly
can and should interact with the delegations of Azerbaijan and Turkey
has not taken place. Instead, we have been witness to inappropriate –
that’s a polite way of saying vulgar and insulting – assessments of
the Armenian parliamentarian involved.

One wonders if a male parliamentarian had sought the support of
Turkish and Azerbaijani parliamentarians on a resolution regarding
Armenia’s domestic issues, how would the political elite have reacted?

Parliamentarian Zaruhi Postanjian is a woman, a member of the
Zharangutyun (Heritage) party and a vocal, committed human rights
advocate. Her political steps can be debated. Her personal life,
patriotism and gender ought not.

It is at our peril that Armenia avoids political debate, sidesteps
real discussion about the ever-tightening political situation in our
region, especially vis-a-vis Armenia’s neighbors. Offending those
whose domestic policies are different, drawing fezzes on the heads
of those whose policies towards our neighbors is perceived as too
tolerant — all this means foregoing political consensus in favor of
imposed policy. There are social implications, too. Striking at the
dignity of half of=2 0Armenia’s population means women and girls will
be even less willing and prepared to help build a country.

All because we refuse to get involved in the hard work of debating
policy and articulating our vision of our future.

CENTRAL ASIA: GREAT GAME OR GRAVEYARD?

ISN
1 Jul 2009

Could it be that the Great Game Rudyard Kipling described a century
ago in Central Asia is back? Jon Haron-Feiertag asks for Diplomatic
Courier. By Jon Haron-Feiertag for Diplomatic Courier

Awash in oil and gas. Congested by the traffic of diplomats. The scene
of endless intrigue. Great powers rival for influence. No this is not
an essay on the Middle East but rather Central Asia. Draw a circle
around the Caucasus states, the seven Stans, Turkey, and Iran and you
capture much of the action in international affairs today. Could it be
that the Great Game Rudyard Kipling described a century ago in Central
Asia is back? It is not hard to think why. The diplomacy of gas is
itself a game of its own. Swings in allegiance, pipeline explosions,
invitations to outsider powers-these are all the hallmarks of classic
real politik. The contest for control and transit of gas out of Central
Asia, particularly around the Caspian Sea, has come to rule regional
politics. Putin made it a first priority to lock-in neighboring
states, and create a Caspian gas monopoly. The targets of his policy
were principally Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan. Gazprom,
at the behest of Russia, paid high prices to secure Turkmenistan and
Kazakhstan’s gas supplies. Azerbaijan held out. Now with the world
economy sinking, and Russia reeling from the financial crisis, the
Central Asian states are nervous Russia can’t pay the high price it
offered for their gas. Kazakhstan has turned toward China. Turkmenistan
is in a furor, and has quickly sent negotiators to Iran and Europe to
look for alternate buyers. It looks as though Putin’s gas monopoly
is coming undone, and a window is opening for U.S., European, and
Chinese infiltration. The gas diplomacy is exhilarating, but focus on
that would only tell part of the story. The raging war in Afghanistan
and Pakistan has become a feature of its own. No one knows where this
war is going, or what will be the consequences in the aftermath. But
it is already having major effects in the region. Pakistan’s star
is perceived to be receding. Other states that had been checked
by Pakistan, like India and Iran, may now have an opportunity to
exercise new influence. It could be that the old Pashtu policy of
Pakistan will give way to the new designs of the Hindus and Persians
in Asia’s heartland. Be that as it may, in the near term the U.S. has
been compelled to create a Central Asian policy-it never had one
before. The U.S. first relied on bases in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan
to support the Afghan War. First the Uzbeks forced the U.S. out,
then followed the Kyrgyz-in exchange for Russian money. Since then
the U.S. has labored hard to reacquire bases. Base agreements imply
political agreements. And negotiations with Uzbekistan, Tajikistan,
Azerbaijan, and perhaps others, all suggest possible future allies
of the US in Central Asia. Gas and the Afghan War explain most of
Central Asia’s politics today. But it would be remiss to omit the
Russia-Georgia War from the summer of last year. The War was swift,
the military outcome decisive, but the political consequences are
still uncertain. President Mikheil Saakashvili has survived in power
in Georgia, despite all the efforts and intrigues of the Russians to
undermine him. As a price for his defeat, two important regions in
Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, were allowed to secede under
Russian protection. The result was a humiliation for Georgia. The
violent partition has caused Europe to recoil in horror at the thought
of enlarging NATO to the Caucuses. But the consequences may be greater
than just Georgian integrity. Europe’s modern economy is dependent on
foreign oil. States like Italy, Germany, Hungary, and Slovakia, et al,
are all very reliant on gas imports. Pipelines that traverse their
way through Georgia, from Azerbaijan, into Turkey, now appear a risky
venture. The stakes do not only include Europe’s energy independence,
they also implicate the orientation of the Caucasus states and the
direction of Turkey. Azerbaijan is vulnerable to Russian coercion just
like Georgia. It has a mutinous district, similar to South Ossetia,
under the protection of Armenian influence, a state in close alliance
with Russia. Turkey has tried to negotiate a resolution to the impasse,
but so far without avail. The Georgian War may have reversed the
drift of these small Caucasus statelets toward the West.

Central Asia therefore is alive with politics and diplomacy. That said,
does it really resemble the Great Game of yester year? The answer is,
not quite. Consider a few reasons. Then, the locus of conflict was
centered in Afghanistan. The slow creep of empires had slowly brought
the outer borders of the British and Russian empires into contact. The
North Western Frontier, as the British named it was the main place
for confrontation. The British had conquered the Sindh in 1847 and
the Punjab in 1849. But the Tsar’s armies were coming closer. They
captured Samarkand, then Bokhara, and then Merv. The old Khanates,
which had been the buffer between the two were nearly gone, only
the Afghan emirate remained. India, the crown jewel of the empire,
was in jeopardy. A policy of "masterly inactivity" would no longer
suffice. The British took action. They first captured Quetta, then
Kabul. This was the Great Game at its zenith. The British strategy
then was essentially one of denial: protect the mountain passes that
lead into India; keep the Russians at bay. But the conflicts today
seem to be the opposite. They are not characterized by denial so
much as control-control of pipelines, control of the gas supply,
control of territory against insurgents. And the conflicts are no
longer centered in the Afghan emirate, they have diffused. Georgia has
become a war ground. So has Pakistan. The geopolitics are different
too. The Great Game, like the Scramble for Africa, and the Far Eastern
Question, were all the unintended consequence of a static peace in
Europe. Bismarck had orchestrated one of the great bargains in the
history of diplomacy. The Russo-Ottoman War, which ended decisively
for Russia and had threatened to upset the delicate balance of
power, was parlayed masterfully into a comprehensive peace. Nearly
every major state of Europe received a slice of territory from the
moribund Ottoman Empire-all but for France. At the Berlin Conference
of 1878, Bismarck essentially fixed the map of Europe until the First
World War. The ambitions of the European states were cast outward,
in Africa, China, and Central Asia. That was then. Now things
are different. Central Asia has not two great powers jousting for
influence, but three-Russia, the US, and China. Central Asia has not
had united rule since the age of Tamerlane and his Timurid Empire. The
fractured politics of the region draw gas-hungry outside powers into
the divide. Central Asia is not the only such place in the world,
but it does possess a lot of gas. It is interesting then to ask why
some states are lured in, while others remain out. The U.S., Russia,
and China clearly are large and growing players for influence in the
region. But that doesn’t explain why other states, like India, Iran,
Turkey, and Ukraine are not. These are large and influential states
within their own regions, each with history of dominance across the
vast Steppes. Why not them? The reasons can only be speculative.

Indian identity has been scarred by her colonial experience. The
leadership of Gandhi and Nehru both espoused that India not indulge in
the vulgar imperial ambitions like those of the British. India rather
should mark out a different way. She would keep herself unaligned
and distant from vain-glories of empire. In any case, India has found
another route to the Caspian: Iran. She has maintained the policy of
content customer for Persian oil, and so far shown no desire to rule
the routes herself. Why pay more when you can pay less? Besides, the
conflict with Pakistan effectively checks India’s influence into the
region. And in the past, Pakistan has out-played India in Afghanistan.

Of course that was then, this is now. And nothing is changing today
so much as the circumstances in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But even
supposing the rosiest scenario, it’s hard to imagine how India could
leapfrog Pakistan into Central Asia. Iran more than India is the truly
odd case. Iran would seem the country most suited to rule the inner
Asian oases. Why doesn’t it? The Safavids and the Sassanids commanded
wide swathes of Central Asia-both the Caucasus and the watersheds
of the Oxus. Conquerors into Central Asia, like Alexander the Great,
passed first through Persia. Conquerors out of Central Asia, like the
Turks and the Mongols, made Iran their point of debut. She, before
anyone seems the prime contestant for influence. Perhaps once. But
Russia has affected a change of mind. Led by Peter the Great, Persia
was driven from the Caucasus. Later she would lose control of Ashgabat,
the last outpost before the abyss of the Karakum desert. As Russian
power multiplied she was forced from the Caspian, and her northern
reaches were occupied by Russian troops. Concessions, capitulations,
occupations. Some Azeri districts were nearly severed from Iran
at the end of the Second World War. Iranian foreign policy has been
disfigured ever since. Her attention now focuses on the Gulf and Middle
East. Russia it appears has permanently bent Iran away from the center
of Asia. What does it all mean? Some say the Great Game in Central
Asia is a fools errand. The region has been the graveyard of empires,
not the secret source of riches. It is a really a poisoned chalice,
they say. These arguments have merit to them, but they are also half
wrong. Britain and Russia were surely distracted by their voyage into
inner Asia, but they were not ruined by it. It is doubtful states will
be again. But that does not mean the intrigues and combative diplomacy
are prudent, or the Great Game in Central Asia is really a game that
can be won. Nevertheless the regions located at the intersection
of empires eventually draw into them all the force that powerful
states can deploy. The situation was similar with the Balkans at the
turn of the 19th century, or the Middle East at the latter of the
20th. The stress applied by great powers is tremendous. The outcome
of their efforts is often the splintering of states. Because Central
Asia sits atop an ocean of oil and gas, the stakes are too high for
outside ambitions to relax. Expect the diplomacy to intensify. Already
Georgia may have had to two districts carved away. Azerbaijan seems
to have lost a province. Afghanistan and Pakistan look suspiciously
fragile. Watch for splits in the other Stans.

EUROPEAN BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT AND "ELITE GROUP" COMPANY SIGN A MEDIUM-TERM LOAN AGREEMENT

ARMENPRESS
July 1, 2009

YEREVAN, JULY 1, ARMENPRESS: European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD) and "Elite Group" company signed today an agreement
on medium-term loan in the Fresco hall of the Armenian National
Gallery. The document has been signed by the head of "Elite Group"
company Armen Mkoian and head of the Armenian office of EBRD Valeriu
Razlog. Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, EBRD regional director
Paul Henry Forstier, Armenian Finance Minister Tigran Davtian, head of
the Armenian Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen Arsen Ghazarian,
members of the Government and businessmen were present at the ceremony
of signing. With the agreement 5.5 million USD credit is provided
to the leader of the construction sphere in Armenia "Elite Group"
company as well as 130 000 euro of grant for the encouragement of
the innovations implemented in the energy saving sphere.

According to the Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, the signing of this
agreement has an important role it will assist to smoothen the results
of the financial-economic crisis.

The Prime Minister congratulated the present on the signing of the
agreement and expressed gratitude to P. Henry Forstier stressing
that in spite of the negative impact of the crisis and serious risks
discovered in different spheres including the construction he is sure
the credit means will assist the Armenian economy.

"I am glad to be in Armenia; this is the second time we are
implementing a credit project in Armenia and I hope it will become
a tradition. We are providing credit to the Armenian economy through
"Elite Group". It is pleasant for us to mention that the EBRD has spent
nearly 1 million Euro in the Armenian energy efficiency sphere. I hope
there will be other occasions for us to assist the Armenian economy,"
P Henry Forstier said.

TRANSPARENCY KEY TO BE RELIABLE ENERGY PARTNER

Hurriyet
Jul 1, 2009

ANKARA – Viewing Russia as an unpredictable energy supplier, the
European Union needs a reliable energy corridor. Europeans need to
know more about Turkey’s energy strategy and its plans on energy
efficiency to be convinced that Turkey can provide this, says Jean
Lamy, a top French energy official.

A more transparent and predictable framework of regulation is required
before Turkey can become a reliable East-West energy corridor and
convince international companies to invest in projects such as Nabucco,
a key pipeline to supply gas to Europe.

"We need to know more about Turkey’s energy strategy and its plans
to increase its energy efficiency. If we know this, this will surely
increase the transparency and predictability of the project. The ball
is on your side," Jean Lamy, head of the French Foreign Ministry’s
Department of Energy-Climate, told the Hurriyet Daily News & Economic
Review in an interview in Paris.

Since completing the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, Turkey has
increased its efforts to become an energy hub by securing multiple
projects for pipelines that would pass through its territory. Nabucco,
an international pipeline project that will bring Azerbaijan’s natural
gas to Europe via Turkey with intent to reduce the continent’s
dependency on Russia while meeting growing demands, is seen as a
major potential development that would fulfil expectations of Turkey
anchoring itself to the EU.

With its 600 billion-cubic-meter gas consumption annually, the EU
is one of the world’s largest markets. But it is estimated that the
27-country union will need another 200 bcm by 2030, which makes the
issue a priority for Brussels. Turkey, as a transit country that could
carry non-Russian gas to Europe, has a unique opportunity to provide
an alternative for the European continent as it seeks to reduce its
dependence on Moscow, which has begun to use its gas reserves for
foreign policy leverage.

However, the problem between Turkey and the EU seems to derive from
a lack of confidence and communication. In addition, Turkey’s way
of negotiating its position has unsettled many European countries
and companies that are considering investing billions of euros in
the projects.

Hurdles not yet overcome An intergovernmental agreement for Nabucco
has to be concluded within days but there are still very important
hurdles, according to sources. Turkey is still negotiating with the
EU and companies within the Nabucco consortium about an option to buy
15 percent of the gas at a low price and become a re-exporter of the
Azerbaijani gas to Europe.

"Fifteen percent of the Nabucco gas makes 4.5 bcm of gas. That’s
a large amount of gas," Lamy said, adding that what was important
for the companies and countries that are politically supporting or
planning to invest is to know the facts and the limits in regard to
the amount of the natural gas to be carried. "The energy security
of transit countries such as Turkey is important for us in order to
be able to secure future supplies for consumers in Europe and that’s
why we have close dialogue with Turkey," he said.

"Nabucco is a priority for the EU and it’s been announced. But
the business plan of building pipelines for companies is different
than those of the governments," Lamy said. The Nabucco consortium
is composed of Austria’s OMV, Hungary’s MOL, Romania’s Transgaz,
Bulgaria’s Bulgargaz, Turkey’s Botaº and Germany’s RWE. France’s Gaz de
France was also interested in participating but was rejected by Turkey
due to Paris’ recognition of the alleged Armenian genocide. Lamy,
who did not want to comment on the issue, just said, "Nabucco is a
European project, not merely France’s."

"The investment should come from private companies. But they can only
do it if they are guaranteed that the pipeline will be full of gas,"
said Lamy. "They need to know from where the gas will come, to whom
it would be sold, its price and the framework. And the public sector,
the governments should take steps to reduce their risk and guarantee
them a return on their investment. Therefore, what we see as a main
problem is the predictability."

He advised all related countries to issue long-term contracts with
companies, increase energy efficiency, adopt a framework of regulation
often referred to as a transit country regime and make business plans
with the source countries.

Divided Europe "Turkey needs to set more transparent rules for
its transit regime. Once it’s done, the gas would flow," William
Ramsay, director of the European governance and geopolitics of energy
department at the French Institute of International Relations, told the
Daily News. Ramsay drew attention to the fact that the EU was far from
establishing a coherent energy policy to secure its future demands.

"Many European countries are considering the energy security problem
as a national concern," he said’ adding that the most powerful EU
countries, France and Germany, have no such problems with their
gas supplies.

RA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN’S CONGRATULATIONS TO ARMENIA’S STATE DANCE COMPANY

Tues day, 30 June 2009

RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan’s Congratulations to Armenia’s
State Dance Company The concerts of Armenia’s State Dance Company
have always been something like a holiday to us. They served as a
landmark for domestic staging and performing art. The 50-year-long
path covered by the Company is full of all kinds of such achievements
as might bring credit to any top-ranking troupes.

Your successful record is the anthology of Armenia’s highly reputed
school of dancing. It is remarkable that you have been going hand
in hand with other top-ranking troupes, instead of trying to keep
abreast with them.

The Company’s goodwill has been built up over several decades by our
best dancers. Thanks to them, the State Dance Company grew into a
national asset to glorify our dancing art all over the world. The
incumbent staff is largely bound by the contribution of those
Armenian masters who headed the troupe at different times. Having so
many outstanding artists, our people should be blessed with as much
outstanding dancing troupes to match their name.

GREECE TO GET ACQUAINTED WITH ARMENIAN JEWELRY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
30.06.2009 16:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The main purpose of the visit of Dagazian&Sons’s
CEO Akis Dagazian to Armenia is to establish relations with local
jewelry manufacturers, Akis Dagazyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

According to him, Dagazian&Sons is a family company founded in 1957
and engaged in jewels trade. Initially the company was engaged in
production, but now it is mainly focused on trade. According to Akis
Dagazyan, the company annually participates in 4 major exhibitions
in Germany and Turkey and in two events in Greece. "At the moment we
export jewelry in 12 countries, mostly in Central and Northern Europe,
we wish to establish cooperation with Armenia," he said. Dagazyan
informed, that Armenian watches are already sold by Dagazian&Sons
stores and are in demand in Greece. According to Dagazian, the
main purpose of his visit to Armenia is to establish relationships
with local manufacturers of jewelry who have gained popularity at
international level. This is the 3rd visit of Dagazian to Armenia, and
he likes the country more and more with every visit. "I notice every
time that the country is developing," Dagazian said. The delegation
of Greece, including representatives of Greece Chamber of Commerce,
will stay Armenia between June 29 and July 9 on a business visit.

FIREFOX 3.5 NEW VERSION EXPECTED TO APPEAR ON JUNE 30

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
29.06.2009 17:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ It looks like Mozilla will just meet its prediction
of a June release for Firefox 3.5. The new version of the open-source
browser is expected to appear on June 30.

Three release candidates for Firefox 3.5 have already appeared in
rapid succession, the most recent in the middle of last week.

Features include a new version of the Gecko rendering engine; a new
JavaScript engine (TraceMonkey) promising better performance and
stability; support for new features of HTML 5, CSS, JavaScript and
other technologies; private browsing (aka ‘porn mode’); local storage
for web applications; and provision for location-aware browsing.

These developments mean, for instance, that Firefox 3.5 can handle
embedded Ogg and WAV content without requiring any plugins, and that
web sites are (with the user’s permission) able to deliver information
customized to the user’s location with the aid of Google Location
Service or a similar service.

Versions will be available for Windows (2000, XP, Server 2003, and
Vista), Mac OS X (10.4 and later), and Linux.

According to Net Applications’ Market Share figures for May 2009,
Firefox accounts for approximately 23 percent of web use, behind
Internet Explorer on 66 percent.

Safari follows on 8 percent, with Chrome on 2 percent. No other
browser’s share exceeds 1 percent.

It remains to be seen whether the arrival of Firefox 3.5 will result in
a shift from earlier versions (the bulk of Firefox users are already
on version 3.0), or whether it will attract more people from Internet
Explorer and other browsers, iTWire reported.

More than 70 languages are supported by Firefox 3.5. Armenian version
is not envisaged.