Author: nina hovnanian

AN OUTPOST OF ARAMAIC SPEAKERS: THE BATTLE FOR MOR GABRIEL

23:33, November 1, 2012

When the Young Turks enlisted Kurdish tribesmen to take part in the
mass slaughter of the Armenians in 1915, Muslim clerics spurred on
their flocks: those who slew Christians would be blessed with wealth
and beautiful girls and their places in heaven assured. Although the
deaths of around 1m Ottoman Armenians are well documented, little is
known about the tens of thousands of Syriacs, one the world’s oldest
Christian communities, who fell with them.

>From Stockholm to Sydney, an increasingly vocal Syriac diaspora is
lobbying for international recognition of the killings as genocide.

Home to a large population of Syriacs, Sweden already has. As
the centenary of the 1915 tragedy looms Turkey is waging a counter
campaign and an ancient monastery in Turkey’s mainly Kurdish south-east
is feeling the heat. Perched on a barren hilltop near the town of
Midyat, the monastery called Mor Gabriel, is at the centre of a land
dispute pitting Kurdish villagers backed by Turkey’s mildly Islamist
government against Timotheos Samuel Aktas, the combative crimson-robed
bishop. His ever-shrinking flock speak Aramaic, the language of Jesus
Christ. Monks at the monastery are struggling to pass it down.

The Syriacs’ latest troubles started when Kurds from surrounding
villages began claiming land in and around Mor Gabriel just as a
steady trickle of Syriacs began returning from Europe. Many were
encouraged by the ruling Justice and Development party’s embrace of
minorities after it shot to single rule in 2002. But as the Syriacs
began rebuilding their homes, the Kurds grew hostile. And in a stream
of complaints to the local prosecutor they claimed that “strangers”
gathered “secretly” for “illegal activities” at the monastery which
itself had been erected on top of a mosque. “Never mind that Mor
Gabriel existed 174 years before the birth of the prophet Mohammed,”
huffed the bishop on a recent afternoon.

Until recently the bishop and his entourage viewed their travails as
greed robed in Islamic piety. That was until the Treasury intervened
in 2009 and began claiming the monastery’s land as well. At a recent
hearing, a local court ruled in favour of the Treasury even though
the monastery had presented documents proving its ownership of the
contested properties and that it had been paying their taxes for
decades. The prosecution claimed it had no record of these. As news
of these legal tangles has spread, the Syriacs have stopped returning.

Separate audiences with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the prime minister,
and Abdullah Gul, the president, held last year failed to make a
difference And both leaders appeared to allude to the Syriacs’ campaign
for recognition of the 1915 massacres as a genocide. “Your community
abroad is talking,” they complained to Mr Aktas. The monastery has
appealed to a higher court. True justice, says the bishop, will be
delivered by God.

The Economist; November 1, 2012

HAMAZKAYIN ‘SARDARABAD’ DANCE ENSEMBLE EVOLVES TO EMINENCE
By Helaneh Nighoghosian

November 1, 2012

GLENVIEW, Ill.-It feels like just yesterday that the Hamazkayin
“Sardarabad” Dance Ensemble of Chicago had its first practice in the
Shahnazarian Hall at the All Saints Community Center in Glenview, Ill.

On the evening of Oct. 13, the talented group put on an unforgettable
first performance that warmed the hearts of the audience in a show
dubbed “Dreams of My Land.” Each dancer embodied the mighty strength,
pride, and unity of the Armenian nation, as friends and family members
sat enthralled.

‘Each dancer embodied the mighty strength, pride, and unity of the
Armenian nation.’ (Photo by Maral Sosi Abrahamian) The traditional
“Pert Bar” warmed up the crowd for the different styles of Armenian
dance ahead that night. As the curtain slowly opened, a two-tier pert
(fort, in Armenian) was turned by both female and male dancers. Other
traditional dances included the gracefully constructed all-female dance
“Lori,” and the strength-defining “Kochari,” performed by the male
dancers, which included members from the Detroit Hamazkayin “Arax”
Dance Ensemble.

In addition to the historic dances performed, a unique touch of
Chicago style was portrayed throughout the more contemporary pieces.

The second part of the show opened with an illuminating display of
flashing lights, accompanied by the striking and dramatic melodies
of Ara Gevorgyan’s “Dzovitz Dvoz.” A violet horizon of light casted
the background as the dancers’ silhouettes set the stage for one of
the group’s favorite and original choreography.

The Detroit Hamazkayin “Arax” Dance Ensemble paid a special tribute
to the show. In addition to the powerful and mighty “Kochari,”
the dancers showcased their strong will and character through the
celebratory dance “Donagan,” along with the traditional dance of Van,
titled “Varaka Lerni Bar.”

Exemplifying the virtue and power of the homeland, crimson dresses
flooded the stage with the crowd-pleasing end performance of “Hzor
Hayasdan.” With each move, the dancers represented the strong pride
and vitality of the Armenian nation.

The traditional “Pert Bar” warmed up the crowd for the different
styles of Armenian dance ahead that night. (Photo by Maral Sosi
Abrahamian) The Chicago “Sardarabad” has already performed at a
wide range of events throughout the community. Just a week before
this big performance, the older dancers performed two numbers at an
Armenian-Assyrian wedding, promoting the tradition and culture of
Armenian folk dance to a different group of people. A little over a
year ago, the group also participated in aid for the Armenian Relief
Mission in an effort to raise money for orphaned children in Armenia.

The dancers performed an original dance choreographed by Dance
instructors Houri Papazian and Sona Birazian for an audience comprised
of mostly non-Armenians. Founder Steve Kashian and his wife, Rozik,
were more than pleased with the groups’ accomplishment for carrying
out such a significant cause.

A great deal of cooperation and preparation was required for the
performance to be a success. The Chicago “Sardarabad” chapter extends
a special thank you to Hermine Kholamian (better known as “Mama K”)
for her hard work and beautiful seamstress skills. She has poured
her heart and soul into this organization, and without her, the show
simply could not go on. Audience members that night were able to see
the stage overpowered with elegance and dignity. The members of the
Chicago Hamazkayin group extend a special thanks to those who have
made the show possible.

“KARABAKH TELECOM” LAUNCHES NEW SERVICE CALLED “MERONTSOV”

hetq
11:30, November 1, 2012

On November 1st, 2012 “Karabakh Telecom” CJSC launched new service
“Merontsov”, for its Prepaid Subscribers. Conditions:

~UCalls to KT numbers with 50% discount ~UCalls to Armenian numbers
with 25% discount Adding numbers is free of charge. Each number
modification costs 150 AMD (including VAT).

Karabakh Telecom subscribers can dial *777*subscriber number# and
choose a maximum 3 numbers. All 3 numbers of “Merontsov” service can
be Karabakh Telecom numbers, or two of them can be Karabakh Telecom
numbers and one number can be from any of Armenia’s 3 operators.

Karabakh Telecom has been in operation since February 2002. During
these past 10 years, the company has built new GSM stations, with
provides mobile coverage to about 95% of the Republic’s territory.

Karabakh Telecom provides GSM, PSTN and WLL services, ADSL and FO
internet services.

INDIAN FILM MAKER CONSIDERS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE A PART OF WORLD HISTORY THOUGH A VERY SHAMEFUL ONE

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: The man who gave us the sensitive
“Masoom”, the hilariously thrilling Mr. India the gripping Bandit
Queen and the grand period drama Elizabeth has not lost any of his
creative zeal. The latest topic to catch Shekhar Kapur`s fancy is
the Armenian genocide, and he knows it`s going to be challenging. As
Armenpress reports, Indian NewstrackIndia and ZeenewsIndia had wrote
the prefaces of articles on Indian film maker initiative to shot a
film on Armenian Genocide by similar way.

The film deals with the systematic extermination of minority Armenians
in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) by the Ottoman Empire during and after
the Great War (1915-1923). The event, termed genocide by Armenians the
world over, caused the deaths of 1 to 1.5 million ethnic Armenians in
Anatolia. Kapur had recently tweeted that he was going to Yerevan,
Armenia`s capital, to collect material on the event. The idea, he
said, came to him from a script sent by the man who wrote “Motorcyle
Diaries”. “It is a part of world history though a very shameful one,”
Kapur told reporters during a candid conversation here.”The idea came
to me based on a script sent to me by the screenwriter of `Motorcycle
Diaries` (Puerto Rican Jose Rivera). I fell in love with the script.

It is a challenging project though. It will require lots of money,
lots of passion and organisation. But there are a lot of passionate
people behind this project. So it will hopefully see the light of day,”
he said. However, filming of the movie will not start before another
year, says Kapur, who is yet to begin work on his long-pending movie
on water wars, Paani. The Armenian genocide is a particularly touchy
topic in the political state that succeeded the Ottoman Sultanate in
1923, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk`s Republic of Turkey. So taboo is the
topic for both – the Turkish government and ordinary Turks, that a
Nobel laureate like Orhan Pamuk was prosecuted and found himself on
the hit list of a far-right Turkish group for openly stating that
Turkey had committed genocide against the Armenians. Does Kapur fear
inviting similar censure? “I invited the wrath of upper castes, the
government and the censor board with `Bandit Queen`. But I did not
back down. I believe in fighting for what I believe in,” he said with
a wry smile.”Moreover,” he added, “there has been a shift in Turkish
society. Nobody from that period is alive today. The new generation
believes that their nation is great and has to move on.

They say, `Why can`t we accept what happened`?” Controversy is not
new to Kapur. He had drawn flak from British tabloids in 2002, when
he directed his own version of AEW Mason`s novel ‘The Four Feathers’,
starring the late Heath Ledger. The novel is centred on the Mahdist
War in Sudan, sparked by the death of Charles Gordon (Gordon Pasha).

Kapur was accused of being `anti-British` when the film released.”I
was not anti-British. I was anti-colonisation. That is why I made the
film. I made my own version because the novel and the previous film
versions were heavily pro-colonial. It was colonial arrogance that led
the British to intervene in Sudan. It was this that I wanted to show,”
clarified Kapur. The 66-year-old is the only Indian to have made a
successful Hollywood film. “Elizabeth” (1998) won Cate Blanchett the
Bafta and the Golden Globe for best actress though she lost out on
the Oscar. The film, however, received an Oscar for best makeup. The
sequel “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” (2007) was also well received.With
the two period dramas behind him, is there anything special about
history that attracts him? “A society that does not learn from its
past is condemned to repeat its mistakes. As a filmmaker, history for
me is like sci-fi. I can create an entire world of my own,” said Kapur.

PM SARGSYAN: GOVERNMENT WILL USE “SURGICAL METHODS” TO ROOT OUT CORRUPTION

hetq
13:38, November 1, 2012

At today’s cabinet session, Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
said the government would employ surgical procedures in its
anti-corruption campaign.

PM Sargsyan said he had conferred with President Serzh Sargsyan and
the two agreed that the present campaign to root out the country’s
endemic corruption was failing and had to be ratcheted-up.

The Prime Minister said that he would be convening a session of the
anti-corruption council tomorrow

Sargsyan emphasized that the government had to get the public more
actively involved in order for the anti-corruption campaign to register
real success.

EXPERT: FOR AZERBAIJAN, PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT IS NOT THE ONLY OPTION

Panorama.am
01/11/2012

Azerbaijani Defense Ministry’s spokesman Eldar Sabiroglu has been
making harsh statements two days in a row. He announced on Tuesday that
Azerbaijan’s air defense system is able to detect and neutralize any
missile fired by the Armenian side. Moreover, the Azerbaijani army,
he noted, can strike any target on the territory of Armenia. The
Azerbaijani army will take corresponding action should Stepanakert
airport open, Sabiroglu said on Wednesday.

Also, Azerbaijani Military Unit Commander, Major General Nizam Osmanov
stated on Wednesday that the Azerbaijani army is ready to fulfill
all tasks set before it.

Panorama.am held an interview on the matter with expert Tigran
Abrahamyan.

The expert points out two reasons for such statements by Azerbaijani
top military officials.

“Firstly, these statements came in response to the impressive military
exercise held in the Aghdam district in eastern Karabakh recently. It
is no secret that any such exercise causes stir among Azerbaijani
leadership, accompanied by harsh statements from Baku. The extent
of harshness of Azerbaijan’s threats and of its response is directly
proportional to the quality of the military exercise held in Artsakh.

Secondly, given the fact that the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group
met jointly on October 27 with the Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward
Nalbandian and the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov
in Paris and the FMs voiced their commitment to peaceful settlement
during the meeting, this statement of the Azerbaijani military leaders
could be interpreted in two ways: either the country’s military and
political leaders have no consensus on the matter or Azerbaijan was
not honest in its remarks and as a rule does everything possible to
preserve status quo,” Tigran Abrahamyan said.

Despite the fact that during the Paris meeting, the Foreign Ministers
of Armenia and Azerbaijan “reiterated their determination to continue
working with the Co-Chairs to reach a peaceful settlement,” several
days after that meeting Azerbaijan made understand that it not only
departs from the agreements reached but also thinks that peaceful
settlement is not the only option, the expert concluded.

AMANDA PAUL MAKES TOTAL U-TURN: VARUJAN KARAPETYAN AND RAMIL SAFAROV CASES ARE INCOMPARABLE

ARMENPRESS
1 November, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: “I was badly informed and then
I checked it with the French ministry of Interior. I can fully
admit that I was mistaken. These cases are totally incomparable. The
Safarov case is completely different.” says the expert of the European
Policy Center (EPC) and columnist for “Today’s Zaman” Amanda Paul
in an interview provided to Armenpress. Generally known for her
pro-Azeri and pro-Turkish views, she now made a strong turn-around:
“The Safarov case definitely made it harder to solve the conflict,
as it increased the animosity mainly from Armenian side towards
Azerbaijan for pretty natural reasons. And I think we have undermined
all the confidence building measures from civil society and NGOs that
were going on in the region.” On the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Paul
now suggests the inclusion of Nagorno-Karabakh in the negotiations,
while advertising that the population of Karabakh must be represented
including the Azeri minority: “if the end result is that they have
to be resettled in Nagorno-Karabakh then they also need to be a part
of the process, part of the talks too.” Paul drew a comparison with
Cyprus where she praises the constructiveness of the much larger Greek
Cypriot community, as it accepts the Turkish Cypriot community as a
negotiating partner. Paul used to go under the name of Amanda Akcakoca,
when she was married to a Turk. Asked about any potential bias to her
work she strongly claims that there is none: “I don’t think Turkey has
a role to play in Nagorno-Karabakh; it only had a counterproductive
role. Turkey needs to stay out of that, it only makes things go
backwards. So, it’s very easy for people to say that she is married
to a Turk and that makes her biased, but that’s not true.” Paul chose
not to mention that she is also ethnically half-Turkish and has been
strongly socialized into political circles in Baku and Ankara.

Asked to comment on Paul’s surprisingly Turkey-critical views, Mr.
Bedo Kurkjian – Demirdjian, communications officer of European
Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) in Brussels
explained to Armenpress: “I think the EPC here in Brussels has put
her under pressure after she published too many openly pro-Turkish and
pro-Azeri articles. That’s probably also why she suddenly travelled to
Yerevan. We’ve seen that before, for some weeks she will be critical
towards Turkey and then things will go back to normal. Paul is here
mostly considered to be the ‘mouthpiece’ of Azerbaijan in regard
to new strategies and positions criticising Armenia, which we often
first hear from her in public events, and later see them written as
proposals of certain MEPs, pushed by the Azerbaijani lobby. I will
believe in a real change if she criticises also Azerbaijan and if
she will still do it in a year or two.”

Please find the full transcript below

Mrs. Paul, you are analyzing the situation in the South Caucasus and
particularly around Nagorno-Karabakh for a long time. After Safarov
extradition and pardon what do you think in what path the peace
process will go and how we can overcome these tensions?

Safarov case definitely made it harder to solve the conflict, as it
increased the animosity mainly from Armenian side towards Azerbaijan
for pretty natural reasons. That’s the first point. And I think we have
undermined all the confidence building measures from civil society
and NGOs that were going on in the region. It would also undermine
all the steps taken in Azerbaijan in a more positive manner.

And certainly when you have presidential elections in both countries
it’s very difficult to see how it is going to put some momentum
into it. Of course, you know about the two foreign ministers holding
separate meetings with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs in Paris and
this is the first time that the foreign ministers are meeting after
Safarov case which was not ina positive atmosphere.

In one of your interviews you had made a comparison between Varujan
Karapetyan and Ramil Safarov, stating that Karapetyan was pardoned in
Armenia. This information turned to be wrong. How would you comment
on that?

Yes, you are right. I was badly informed and then I checked it
with the French ministry of Interior. I can fully admit that I was
mistaken. These cases are totally incomparable. Safarov case is
completely different.

You were always pointing out that the Azerbaijani community of
Nagorno-Karabakh needs to be involved in the negotiations. After
Safarov case and the latest developments do you still think so?

There are several cases in the world where the communities were not
comparable, but they managed somehow to work together or come up with
some sort of solution. You know, the first thing that comes to my mind
is Cyprus where Greek Cypriot community is far-far bigger than Turkish
Cypriot community, but yet in the peace deal that is being negotiated,
it is foreseen that Turkish Cypriots would have equal rights, which was
the case since the independence of Cyprus.. . Greek Cypriots accept to
negotiate a settlement in which Turkish Cypriots are equal partners and
would havehigh level jobs. I know the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh
is not the same as in Cyprus and no conflicts are the same. I agree
that Nagorno-Karabakh population should be part of the negotiations
with the eventual solution being accepted by them. But we need to
remember that there is an Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh
that is also needed to be involved. And if the end result is that
they have to be resettled in Nagorno-Karabakh then they also need to
be a part of the process, part of the talks too.

You were married to a Turk. Does your personal background anyhow
influence your research?

No, it doesn’t and it’s apparent why. I have always been clear
about Turkish policies. Both in this conflict (Nagorno-Karabakh)
and in Cyprus conflict. I don’t think Turkey has a role to play in
Nagorno-Karabak; it only had a counter productive role. Turkey needs
to stay out of that, it only makes things go backwards. So, it’s very
easy for people to say that she is married to a Turk and that makes
her biased, but that’s not true.

Photo from

LES MEDICAMENTS POUR TRAITER LES CANCERS SONT DE FAIBLE QUALITE
Stephane

armenews.com
jeudi 1er novembre 2012

Le marche des medicaments pour traiter les cancers est de faible
qualite selon Varta Babalyan, directrice du bureau armenien de la
compagnie pharmaceutique Hoffmann-La Roche.

Selon elle, l’emergence de la faible qualite des medicaments est de
la responsabilite du gouvernement qui a modifie les règles quant
a l’importation des medicaments ce qui permet a tout distributeur
d’importer des medicaments en Armenie.

Elle a indique que malgre des contrôles stricts on assiste a un afflux
de medicaments de mauvaises qualites et de medicaments douteux.

Elle a dit que les medicaments de mauvaise qualite peuvent etre
moins chers de dizaines de milliers de drams. Elle a souligne que
le coût des medicaments ne peut pas etre bon marche car les prix des
medicaments contre le cancer sont eleves partout.

Elle a aussi dit que le prix de ces medicaments est fortement influence
par la taxe sur la valeur ajoutee, qui est de 20%.

Le directeur adjoint du Centre national du cancer Gagik Bazikyan a
dit que certains de leurs patients apportent des medicaments importes
par eux-memes.

” Dans de tels cas, nous signerons un accord avec le patient indiquant
que l’hôpital ne porte aucune responsabilite pour leur efficacite ”
a-t-il dit.

jeudi 1er novembre 2012, Stephane ©armenews.com

CONTINUED REFORMS OR CHAOS?

Today’s Zaman
Oct 31 2012
Turkey

It seems Turkey has come to the end of an era. We have reached a
point beyond which we can no longer continue to carry our old burdens.

This is not only because the country is exhausted from these problems,
but also because its people have paid a great price, and people have
reached a new level of awareness on achieving their rights. Moreover,
the world is also at a crossroad that is inclusive of Turkey and thus
Turkey and can no longer go on like this. These three factors signify
the quality of change in Turkey. Ten or 20 years from now, Turkey
will be a very different country than it is today. But the decisions
we make today will determine the very direction of this change.

We have serious problems, but we have serious advantages as well. We
are a young and dynamic society. We have a big appetite for living a
good, dignified and prosperous life. The very region where our country
is located places great burdens on our shoulders, but at the same time,
it offers us great advantages. Turkey is located at the crossroads
between Europe and Asia. It has inherited many cultural assets from
an empire, and it has a multicultural texture. As such Turkey does
not have the luxury of severing its ties with the world or isolating
itself from other countries. Turkey has to think and “play big”
and in doing so act cautiously as regards the rules of this game.

This is both a major risk and a big change.

The 20th century’s entrenched order was disrupted with the
disintegration of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)
and the collapse of the Berlin Wall. And this was the very global
reason why the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) emerged as
a reformist movement in the wake of the post-modern coup of Feb. 28,
1997 in Turkey. In the 1990s, Turkey was positively affected by the
circumstances that paved the way for the Cold War concept to become
unpopular around the globe. Foreign forces that once placed pressure on
Turkish society had changed their attitudes, giving way to the winds
of liberalization. The era of deep states and Gladio-like networks
was coming to an end. The totalitarian mentality that would keep
society under duress was losing its power and clout.

Today, we are on the cusp of a new era as symbolized by the Arab
Spring. We know that the borders that form straight lines between
countries in the Middle as if they were drawn with a ruler as well as
the totalitarian regimes of the Middle East and Africa will change
in the coming 10 or 20 years. Just as it is directly affected by
developments in Syria, Turkey will be sitting at the very center
of this change. Consequently, Turkey does not have the luxury of
maladministration. In particular, it will be increasingly impossible
to maintain the status quo as regards the Kurdistan Workers’ Party
(PKK), Kurdish, Alevi, Armenian and Cyprus issues.

One of our advantages is that we have a powerful ruling party that has
managed to attract one out of every two voters in Turkey. Given the
fact that in the past, it was capable of acting swiftly and wisely in
implementing reformist policies, the government may make very valuable
contributions to the country’s progress. In particular, it may be
able to take swift and correct action to tackle the above-mentioned
issues with the support of the general public.

In a sense, it is compelled to do so as there is no powerful opposition
party to which it can hand over the government mandate, and what’s
worse is that it appears that this won’t change for several terms to
come. Except for a serious crisis and instability — God forbid — this
government does not have any challenging rival. As the opposition is
feeble, it is unable to give the government any positive competitive
environment or encouragement. The AK Party does not have the luxury
of withdrawing into its shell or relinquishing the government mandate
to rest or recover its strength as an opposition party even for a
single term.

And the coming several years are very critical. If Turkey is unable to
settle its Kurdish and PKK issues by 2015, these problems will evolve
into global issues under the influence of the Syrian crisis, which has
the potential of growing into a problem like the one in Somalia. For
the time being, the Kurdish and PKK issues are Turkey’s internal
problems. But they will become global issues in the coming three
or four years, and the international community will start to impose
solutions on Turkey. Like any other imposed solutions, these will not
be true solutions, and the ensuing chaos will affect us more severely.

In this context, it is of crucial importance that we should take
the process of drafting a new constitution more seriously and make
it a top agenda item. One year has passed since the establishment
of the parliamentary Constitutional Reconciliation Commission, but
it has been able to come to an agreement only on 10 articles of the
new constitution. Moreover, this has turned into a cold, official
process being conducted behind closed doors and driving away social
participation. Yet, it was supposed to be the top priority for
the country as the drafting of the new constitution will imply the
announcement of a democratic Turkey and a pronounced divorce from
the old Turkey.

Instead, meaningless bans are imposed on Republic Day festivities to
boost polarization and create tension in an unreasonable manner. I
cannot understand the childish logic behind such a move. Actually,
we should be discussing our new constitution with involvement from
all walks of life. Instead, we are wasting our time and energy in
unneeded disputes and divisions.

Don’t forget that in the future, we may regret having done so.

BIRTH RATE IN ARMENIA FELL BY 3% OVER A YEAR

Mediamax
Oct 31 2012
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. In January-September 2012, 30 906 children were
born in Armenia, 3% less against the same period of last year.

The head of the National Statistical Service of Armenia, Karine
Kuyumjyan, said this today, noting that the death rate also fell by
0.8%, making 20 815 people, Mediamax reports.

“Thus, the natural increase of Armenia’s population made 10 091 people,
7.1% less against last year’s index,” she said.

Karine Kuyumjyan also said that according to data of electronic
border control management system, the number of arrivals in Armenia in
January-September 2012 made 1 594 988 people, the number o departures
totaled – 1 692 147.

747 240 foreigners arrived in Armenia during the accounting period
and 734 994 foreigners left the country.