Author: nina hovnanian

Pianist Arghamanyan focuses on her own links to composers in her appearance
Philadelphia Inquirer
Friday, October 26, 2012

By Peter Dobrin, Inquirer Classical Music Critic

Ghosts of performers past stand guard over standard repertoire, and it
takes a ruthless individualist to wave then off. But Nareh Arghamanyan
never seemed to consciously repudiate her predecessors in an
extraordinarily charismatic Philadelphia Chamber Music Society
appearance Wednesday night at the American Philosophical Society.
Rather, it was as if the 23-year-old Armenian-born pianist had never
encountered them at all, and was interested only in her own personal
communions with Bach, Schumann, and Rachmaninoff.

What this meant in the oft-played Fantasiestücke was the declaration
of Schumann as a composer not completely of his contemporaries, but
apart. That she underlined the two contradictory sides to the man
referred to as the “prince of art” – the imaginary characters
Florestan and Eusebius – was just the start. She had a direct line to
the essence of each of the eight movements, consistently making the
unobvious choice.

Time signature and note values became casual advice in the first
movement, “In the Evening,” whose gauzy left hand against a crystalline
right blended into a half-remembered summer twilight. Phrases ended in
question marks, or at least ellipses. Frantic, sputtering, silent,
thundering, the second movement managed to be volatile without growing
overwrought. The third, “Why?” was an exercise in time suspension.
The sense of grandeur in the last movement wasn’t from the massing of
sound other pianists use, but from regal pacing and the space she put
around certain rhythms. By endowing the material with dignity,
Arghamanyan preserved Schumann’s own ambiguity over whether these are
wedding bells or a death knell.

The entire second half of the program was turned over to Rachmaninoff,
whose Opus 33 Études-Tableaux (Nos. 1-6) was dominated by a stunning
performance of the No. 6 in E Flat Major that highlighted, with
scherzo-like touch, perhaps the composer’s furthest outlier from
traditional tonality. But the Variations on a Theme of Corelli, Opus
42, told us more about Arghamanyan than any other piece on the program
(which also included a wonderfully detailed account of Bach’s Partita
in C Minor, BWV 826). The theme is a short one (not actually written
by Corelli), and manages to invoke a half dozen or so other
Rachmaninoff works (a piano concerto, the Paganini variations), and so
the piece was a window into Arghamanyan’s approach through a wide
swath of material. You could almost hear a cimbalom in the handling of
a variation with Hungarian harmonies.

Her extreme sensitivity to subtle voicings came through in
Rachmaninoff’s “Elégie in E Flat” from Morceaux de fantaisie, where
the melody moved to the bass while the soprano turned pale. The extent
of the player as a determining factor was even more evident in the
“Prelude in C Sharp Minor” from the same piece. With the liberties
taken by Arghamanyan, you might never have known how four-square those
opening chords look on paper. And if the agitated storm in the middle
section startled some, it struck me more as revelation than disregard
for any

Turkey to return Israeli drones due to technical problems, reports say

An Israeli drone (file photo)

press tv
Sun Oct 28, 2012 8:7AM GMT

Reports say Turkey will return to Tel Aviv three drones made by the
Israeli regime due to technical problems.

Turkish military sources said Ankara purchased the drones four years
ago to help the army fight the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) members.

The Israeli regime has rejected repeated requests by Ankara to repair
the aircraft.

Turkey says one of the drones crashed while operating on a mission in
the southeast of the country and the other two have not been used over
the past eight months due to technical problems.

Turkey will still be in possession of 10 Israeli unmanned aerial
vehicles if it returns the three aircraft to Israel.

The drones are stationed in Batman Air Base in southeastern Turkey and
can reach a top speed of 100 km/h at an altitude of 5,400 meters.

The latest development comes amid reports that Turkish and Israeli
officials have been engaged in secret ties since the Tel Aviv regime’s
2010 attack on a Gaza-bound Turkish ship that killed nine Turkish
activists. Ankara-Tel Aviv relations soured following the deadly
incident.

L’Humanité, France
Jeudi 25 Octobre 2012

Pervers manuels dans les écoles turques

Il en circule de belles à la sortie des écoles turques. Des grasses,
des crues, des inconvenantes ou des carrément dégueues, auxquelles
certains syndicats d’enseignants tentent de faire la guerre, non sans
cacher leur impuissance.

«Il y en a tellement qu’il est presque impossible pour nous de les
repérer», déplore ainsi l’organisation Egitim-Sen, laquelle alerte sur
ces «publications étranges» qui tournent dans les écoles primaires. Sa
dernière alarme porte sur un manuel distribué aux enfants d’Istanbul,
qui ne se garde ni d’antisémitisme, ni d’autres joyeusetés du même
tonneau. Scientifiques, chrétiens, athées arméniens ou défenseurs des
idées de gauche en prennent tous pour leur grade. D’Albert Einstein,
il y est dit qu’il mangeait du savon «bien que ces années-là, la
Gestapo faisait brûler les juifs dans des fours pour en faire du
savon». Le livre raconte encore de Darwin qu’il était «un juif
clandestin, qui détestait son grand nez» et qui «a passé vingt ans sur
ses travaux en sachant parfaitement qu’il se mentait à lui-même».
Freud y est décrit comme le «père des pervers» et le père Noël, dont
on se demande, en outre, ce qu’il vient faire là, comme un «type qui
devrait être poursuivi pour violation de domicile». Egitim-Sen a
décidé de porter plainte, mais il a du pain sur la planche d’ici à la
victoire totale. Déjà, l’an dernier, il avait eu à se battre contre un
manuel qui présentait le génocide arménien comme un «foutu mensonge».

M.-N..B.

APA, Azerbaijan
Oct 28 2012

Netanyahu blackmailing West over Iran

[ 28 Oct 2012 01:35 ]

Baku-APA. The US government has intelligence reports that Israel is
planning a pre-emptive strike on Iran in order to throw the US
presidential election to Mitt Romney, APA reports quoting Press TV.

America’s political response is to stage one of the largest naval
exercises in history is taking place near the Straits of Hormuz, the
`choke point’ on the Persian Gulf where Iran is capable of shutting
off 35% of the world’s oil.

The fragile western economy would shatter immediately were Hormuz
blockaded due to military action.

Netanyahu is blackmailing the west, threatening to `crash’ their
currencies and destroy their economies.

In addition, it was reported in The Guardian that Britain has denied
use of her bases in Cyprus, Diego Garcia and the Ascension Islands
along with existing bases in the United Kingdom by the United States
if any plan to enter into a pre-emptive attack on Iran is suggested.

Ministry officials have informed Prime Minister Cameron that an attack
on Iran would represent a `war crime’ and would be inconsistent with
International Law. From today’s Guardian: `Military action not right
course”, Downing Street says.

Britain has rebuffed US pleas to use military bases in the UK to
support the build-up of forces in the Gulf, citing secret legal
advice, which states that any pre-emptive strike on Iran could be in
breach of international law.

The US approaches are part of contingency planning over the nuclear
standoff with Tehran, but British ministers have so far reacted
coolly.

They have pointed US officials to legal advice drafted by the attorney
general’s office, which has been circulated to Downing Street, the
Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defense.

This makes clear that Iran, which has consistently denied it has plans
to develop a nuclear weapon, does not currently represent `a clear and
present threat’. Providing assistance to forces that could be involved
in a pre-emptive strike would be a clear breach of international law,
it states.’

“The UK would be in breach of international law if it facilitated what
amounted to a pre-emptive strike on Iran,’ said a senior Whitehall
source. `It is explicit. The government has been using this to push
back against the Americans.’

Similarly, this week, Russia announced that it has found Iran’s
nuclear program as entirely peaceful and will block any efforts to
authorize the use of force against Iran:

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday that there is
`absolutely no evidence’ that Iran has decided to include a military
component in its nuclear program, RIA Novosti reported.

Speaking during an interview with the Russian daily Rossiyskaya
Gazeta, Lavrov also said that his country will scuttle any UN Security
Council resolution that could be interpreted as authorizing military
action against Iran.

“As the Libyan experience has shown, sadly, a military scenario is
possible,” Lavrov stated when asked whether Israel or the United
States could start military operations in Iran.

Russia will therefore exercise an extremely cautious approach at the
UN Security Council, he added.

`We won’t allow any more such disingenuous interpretations. We will
see to it that no resolution is open to interpretation like the one on
Libya,’ Lavrov stated.

A day later, Lavrov was joined by Swiss Foreign Minister Didier
Burkhalter who indicated that Switzerland opposes sanctions against
Iran and is willing to work closely with Russia to prevent an
escalation in the region.

American politics and plans for Israeli expansionism into Syria and
Iraq are at the heart of conflict with Iran’s capabilities
representing the balance of power in the region. Extremists in Israel
believe Obama, in a second term, is unlikely to support Israel despite
his recent promises.

Romney has been losing ground in Ohio despite attempts to misrepresent
his political strength and without Ohio; Romney stands no chance of
winning.

Only a war, perhaps a world war can save Israel and Prime Minister
Netanyahu believes Israel is doomed if there is another four years of
Obama presidency.

In order to attempt to control Israeli aggression, President Obama has
agreed to meet with Prime Minister Netanyahu. Britain recently sent
Sir John Sawyers, head of MI-6 to try to convince Netanyahu of the
futility of his stated objectives.

The Israeli strike had been planned to be launched from Azerbaijan but
diplomatic efforts from Tehran have `closed that door’ on Israeli
aggression. It is said that two squadrons of American built F-15 and
F-16’s returned to Israel over Georgia and Turkey, then off the Syrian
coast to Israel, being refueled by American air tankers.

A shorter route over Iraq or Armenia, perhaps even Syria may have had
serious consequences.

This leaves Israel the only option of flying directly over Saudi
Arabia. Any other path, Turkey, Iraq, the 4500-mile `open sea’ route
are unlikely.

Turkey had recent talks with Iran, has supported Iran in her efforts
to end the nuclear stalemate and is unwilling to be seen as a NATO
`doormat’ for Israel’s expansionism against Islam.

Similarly, Iraq has had recent talks with Iran, and has added to her
air defense capabilities with a $4 billion order for advanced Russian
weaponry, both air defense and advanced combat aircraft.

Though Iran has claimed to have significantly improved her existing
air defense system, rumors in the defense community support the
supposition that Russia has delivered S400 systems to Iran, though not
in significant numbers, enough to down, with absolute certainty, any
Israeli or other plane, even ballistic or cruise missiles, that
approach Iran though hundreds of miles away.

The critical issue to the current naval exercise which includes three
American carrier battle groups is the attempt to impress upon Iran
that her anti-ship missile defenses can be overwhelmed by massive
airpower.

The issue has nothing to do with Israel, as reports on the attack
profile planned by Israel indicate that they have chosen a `soft
profile.’

This means that Israel has no plans to attack heavily defended
facilities as aircraft and pilot losses are certain. Israel feels its
political objective can be accomplished by attacking rural and even
abandoned areas with no targets of value and little or no air defense
in depth.

This is the same tack that Israel chose in their two attacks on Syria,
in 2003 and 2007, attacking open desert and claiming propaganda
victories. No actual targets were destroyed as Syria, since 1996 has
had a non-export S300 advanced air defense system capable of
destroying any missiles or aircraft currently in Israel’s or even
America’s inventory.

The September 2007 `missile base attack’ is supposed to have taken
place in the middle of Turkish sponsored peace talks between Israel
and Syria, attacks on a base manned entirely by Russian personnel,
and, as such, a totally imaginary attack. This is the nature of `War
by Deception.’

As the 25 nation exercise ends, and the thousands of Marines and
Special Forces return home, happy they are unlikely to face Iran’s
800,000-man army and 13 million ready reserves, Iran, herself, is
planning a naval exercise.

The Iranian exercises will test 3,600 defensive locations in order to
test integration capabilities between air defense and the ability to
respond to acts of aggression.

A British defense source is quoted:

`If it came to war, there would be carnage. The Iranian casualties
would be huge but they would be able to inflict severe blows against
the US and British.

The Iranian Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) is well versed in
asymmetrical warfare and would use swarm attacks to sink or seriously
damage ships. This is a conflict nobody wants, but the rhetoric from
Israel is unrelenting.’

It is not just Iran that is concerned about attacks. Military forces
within the United States have been on high alert for the past several
weeks, though no reasons have been given. A `9/11′ style attack, most
likely on Washington, could be expected if a need to blame `Islamic
extremists’ is seen as the only way to support Israel’s territorial
ambitions in the Sinai, West Bank, Syria and Iraq.

Trend, Azerbaijan
Oct 28 2012

Azerbaijan and Armenia continue seeking peaceful solution to Nagorno
Karabakh conflict

Azerbaijan, Baku, October 28 /Trend/

Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov and his Armenian
counterpart Edward Nalbandyan held a meeting in Paris (France)
dedicated to the peaceful settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno
Karabakh conflict.

The OSCE Minsk Group Robert Bradtke (USA), Jacques Faure (France) and
Igor Popov (Russia), as well as special representative of the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk attended the meeting, said in the
Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan’s press release.

The participants expressed concern over the situation prevailing over
the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, as well as discussed the changing
of status quo and the solutions of the current problems during the
meeting.

The sides expressed their willingness to continue seeking a peaceful
solution to the conflict.

The participants also discussed the co-chairs visit to the region that
planned for the second half of November during the meeting.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the U.S. – are
currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

Basic scientific research funding contains corruption risks: expert

YEREVAN, October 26. / ARKA /. The so-called basic science funding
system applied in Armenia contains huge corruption risks, Harutyun
Karapetyan, the chairman of the National Foundation of Science and
Advanced Technologies, told a news conference today.

Karapetyan explained that at the end of last century funding was
provided to thematic researches, but after the establishment of the
State Committee for Science, the funding shifted to the so-called
basic financing system, which has increased corruption risks
substantially. To ground his words, he cited abuses detected by the
Audit Chamber in the State Committee for Science.

In its annual report for 2011 the Audit Chamber revealed a number of
violations in the field of science financing. In particular, the
report noted that the State Committee of Science in violation of the
law provided financing to private organizations, which actually
duplicated similar researches conducted by government-owned centers.

Karapetyan said under basic financing systems, the funding is provided
to a scientific organization whose leadership decides independently
who to provide funds to, which he said contains corruption risks.

“The only solution is to move to thematic funding, ` he said.

The basic funding of science was introduced in 2005. After its
introduction, 60% of state funds are made available under the basic
funding system and 25% are released for thematic funding. -0-

Armenian historic building turns into hotel in Turkey’s Mardin

12:02 – 28.10.12

A 300-year old Armenian historic mansion in Turkish town of Mardin has
turned into 5-star hotel, Sondakika reports.

The five-storeyed building which previously served as children’s house
was abandoned for many years. The building has 32 rooms and has been
bought by a Mardin businessman Firat Irmak. Together with his Italian
partner he spent over 22 million Turkish lira for the reconstruction.

`This mansion was built in old Armenian district. In the first years
of independence the building served as children’s house. It has turned
into hotel after two years of work,’ he said.

Director of Mardin Hotel Zeinep Temiz is pleased with the interest
tourists are demonstrating toward the hotel. Before the official
opening, 70% of the rooms have already been booked.

REVUE DE PRESSE
Insolent et rebelle

Commencée en prison sous le Second Empire, achevée aux lendemains de
la première guerre mondiale, la carrière politique de Clemenceau fut
longue et passionnée. Elle est celle d’un homme de convictions dont le
seul dessein fut de rendre plus forte et plus vivante la devise
`Liberté, Egalité Fraternité`, comme en témoignent les textes réunis
dans cette anthologie. Dès 1861, opposant à Napoléon III, il s’engage
par la critique littéraire et tourne en dérision l’hypocrisie des
nantis, les romanciers mondains, la prétention du style académique.
Devenu député de Paris en 1876, au côté de Victor Hugo, il fait ses
premières armes à la Chambre en militant pour l’amnistie des
communards.

En 1880, désireux de maintenir son indépendance politique, il fonde
son propre journal, La Justice, pour mieux proposer mais aussi
s’opposer aux républicains modérés qui dirigent alors le pays. Le
quotidien radical dénonce l’affairisme des élites politiques, réclame
l’impôt sur le revenu, fustige le `cléricalisme`.

Chef incontesté de l’opposition de gauche, Georges Clemenceau fait
perpétuellement acte de vigilance et n’a de cesse de refuser toute
décision irrespectueuse des droits de l’homme et du citoyen.
Parallèlement, il travaille pour que la République se dote
d’institutions plus démocratiques.

En 1884, contestant la légitimité du Sénat, il s’engage pour la
réforme constitutionnelle. En juillet 1885, après un discours
mémorable contre la colonisation, il fait tomber le ministère Ferry.
Habité par une très haute idée de l’exercice du pouvoir, il critique
sans détour les hommes politiques peu investis dans leur mandat.

Soucieux de lutter contre les inégalités et la misère, il inscrit la
question sociale au coeur de son action. Son premier ouvrage, La Mêlée
sociale, publié en 1895, est consacré à `ceux d’en bas` qu’il défend
contre `ceux d’en haut`. Favorable au droit de grève, il se bat pour
le recul de la pauvreté, met en cause l’intolérable domination
patronale, réclame des mesures urgentes de solidarité et oeuvre à
l’amélioration des conditions de travail des ouvriers.

En 1904, devenu sénateur, il s’élève contre l’utilisation de la
céruse, pigment qui entre dans la composition des peintures et
empoisonne les travailleurs du btiment.

La clé de voûte de son idéal politique ? L’accès à l’éducation et à la
culture pour tous et pour toutes. En conséquence, malgré sa forte
antipathie pour Jules Ferry, il vote les lois scolaires qu’il souhaite
voir appliquées dans un Etat laïque. Il lutte, au Parlement comme dans
la presse, pour la laïcité, la liberté de conscience, contre
l’intolérance.

Il manifeste son hostilité à tout obscurantisme et à tout fanatisme
religieux, en apportant par exemple son soutien aux Arméniens
persécutés. A partir de 1897, son engagement total dans l’affaire
Dreyfus concrétise de façon exemplaire l’exigence de justice et
d’humanité dont témoigne aussi son combat, ancien, contre la peine de
mort.

La Grande Guerre réveille la fibre patriotique du républicain jacobin
et autoritaire que fut aussi Georges Clemenceau. Dans ses écrits, dans
ses discours, il exhorte la France et ses soldats à dire non à la
défaite. Avec courage et détermination, devenu président du Conseil en
novembre 1917, il remplit sa mission et conduit le pays à la victoire.
Insolent et rebelle, Clemenceau le fut tout au long de sa vie. Par ses
mots et ses actes, il a lutté sans répit pour construire une
république idéale, digne d’être laissée aux générations à venir.

Sylvie Brodziak (Livre du jour)

Georges Clemenceau, la liberté à tout prix, anthologie présentée par
Sylvie Brodziak, 224 p., 5,90

LE MONDE | 23.10.2012 à 15h02

Par Sylvie Brodziak (Livre du jour)

dimanche 28 octobre 2012,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

ARMENIA, COSTA RICA EXPLORE WAYS FOR COOPERATION

Costa Rica Star
Oct 26 2012

Posted by Marcel Evans

While on a visit to San Jose, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian had a meeting with the President of the Legislative Assembly
of Costa Rica, Victor Emilio Granados Calvo.

Greeting the Armenian Foreign Minister, the Chairman of Costa Rica’s
Parliament attached importance to Edward Nalbandian’s visit, which,
according to him, marks a new start in the bilateral relations and
will undoubtedly boost bilateral cooperation.

Minister Nalbandian said, in turn, that his visit is aimed at
establishing new ties with Latin American countries, and in this
context Armenia emphasizes the importance of development of cooperation
with Costa Rica in the political, economic and cultural spheres and
the establishment of ties between the two parliaments could play an
important role in this respect.

The interlocutors exchanged views on a number of regional and
international issues. The Armenian Foreign Minister briefed the
Parliament Speaker on the process of settlement of the Karabakh
conflict, underlining that Armenia’s approaches go in line with the
position of the international community, which has been expressed in
the statements of the heads of OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries.

However, Azerbaijan continues to turn down all proposals, he added.

“The longer Azerbaijan tries to maintain the status quo, the more
resolutions recognizing Nagorno Karabakh will be adopted, paving
the way for the international recognition of Artsakh,” the Armenian
Minister said, recalling that the Legislative Council of the largest
Australian State of New South Wales adopted a decisions yesterday,
recognizing the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh and the right to
self-determination of its Armenian people.

The same day the Armenian Foreign Minister met with his Costa Rican
counterpart Jose Enrique Barantas.

“Our countries have a number of similarities, a rich history and
cultural heritage, and I’m confident that we’ll use this opportunity to
reach agreements on the development of cooperation. Like Armenia, Costa
Rica is willing to develop relations with different countries of the
world, and here also our objectives overlap,” Minister Barantas said.

“Armenia is conducting an active and initiating foreign policy,
one of the most important components of which is the increase of the
number of friends, since we are confident that it is impossible to be
guided by stereotypes and ignore the developments taking elsewhere,”
the Minister said adding that “along with deepening the cooperation
with traditional partners, Armenia is taking steps towards developing
relations with Latin American, Asian and African states.”

The parties agreed to appoint non-resident Ambassadors to Yerevan
and San Jose, appoint honorary consuls, hold political consultations
between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries, deepening of
cooperation within international organizations, work out framework
agreements in the field of economy and develop documents on visa
facilitation.

Wrapping up the visit to Latin American countries, Minister Nalbandian
left for Paris, where he is scheduled to meet with the OSCE Minsk
Group Co-Chairs and the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan.

Suffering To Fill The Demographic Gap: “we Have Children To Be Proud Of Them, Not To Feel Sorry For Having Had Them.”
By Julia Hakobyan

ArmeniaNow
26.10.12 | 11:29

Photo: Srapion Gevorgyan

Margarita Hakobyan (left) and Armenuhi Manukyan (far right) during
the protest action in front of the president’s residence

Armenian mothers having large families have decided to pass from
words to deeds and demand from authorities a review of attitude
toward their families and pay them appropriate allowances. Otherwise,
say some of the mothers, they will leave for countries that offer
better conditions.

A group of women who bring up from five to twelve children gathered
earlier this week in front of the president’ s residence on Baghramyan
avenue, demanding meeting with the president and putting forward a
number of social and economic demands.

Women who say they considered themselves “heroines” say they don’t
want to be considered “beggars” only because they are forced to accept
a scant welfare from the government.

“No session in the Parliament during the 21 years of independence was
ever devoted to such issue, as ‘families with many children’. No MPs
have ever suggested to give us a status of ‘large family’ to let us
enjoy some privileges,” Armenuhi Manukyan, a 40 year old mother of
11 children told ArmeniaNow.

“We often hear ‘Why did you ever bother to give birth to so many
children?’ But I believe this is what we had to do — to give birth to
children and to educate them. We wished to be proud before our nation,
not to be condemned by it,” she says.

The issue of large families (usually considered 3 or more children) is
controversial in Armenia as such families are hardest hit by poverty.

As Emil Sahakyan, a spokesman for UNICEF Armenia says over 70 percent
of large families live in poverty and most of the children, living
in boarding schools, are from such families. Conditions in Armenia
have created a ‘Catch-22’ in that declining population demands an
increase in births, yet social hardship makes it very difficult for
families to support even one child.

Like in Manukyan’s case, parents of large families are often being
criticized for giving birth to many children, given the background
of social insecurity.

In their turn, mothers having many children believe that families
like theirs can improve the demographic situation in the country.

Yet in April, a group of women wrote a letter to the president,
demanding a law on large families, issue certificates to them, which
will guarantee free medical care, free education for children, reduce
or free them from utility fees, plus provide pensions and apartments.

Mothers emphasized in the letter that large families make up a “tiny
percentage” of the population.

The exact number of “tiny percentage” is not in fact known as there
is no official statistic on the number of large families in Armenia.

Roughly, families with more than 3 children make less than 10 percent
of the population. Despite the alarming demographic situation in
the country, plus ongoing migration, the legislation says nothing on
large families and does not provide allowances for them – except a
“bonus” when a child is born. One-time monetary aid of about $125 is
provided for the birth of the first or second child and $1,100 for
the third child, an amount, which will be doubled by 2014.

The government pays about $18 allowances per month for each (under-age)
child, based not on the fact they are from large families, but on
the family’s hard social-economic conditions.

But even with such amount of welfare, families can hardly survive.

Manukyan says seven of her children are under-age and she gets 68,000
dram ($170) allowance, an amount that hardly covers food staples for
her family of 13. Manukyan’s family living wage makes daily less that
$1 per person.

“My husband gets disability pension of 78,000 ($195) as a Karabakh
war veteran. None of us work. How is it possible to raise 11 children
with only $365 per month?,” Manukyan says, adding, that they owe more
than $2,000 in overdue electricity bills.

Meanwhile, “The Support to large families” non- governmental
organization, led by Margarita Hakobyan, (the initiator of the protest
action in front of the president’s office) is going to apply again
to the president, asking, why the letter they send yet last April
remained unanswered.

“If the country’s president does not respond to us, who else can we
turn to?”, says Hakobyan, 45, a mother of five children.

Hakobyan says she decided to set up the non- governmental organization
because she herself realized that no other body would protect their
rights. (The organization now has 200 members.)

“It is ridiculous, but the mothers of many children do not have
a single document, proving it. Information on family and children
must be submitted to some state body, and women every time must go
through many steps, making copies of documents, spending money on
transportation and paying state fees.”

Hakobyan, a businesswoman who is heading a law office, says that apart
from increased allowance, she wants society to change their attitude
to women with large families.

“It’s shameful how authorities and society treat women. After all,
these children will serve the state interests. Two of my sons served
in the army, others will soon. We have children to be proud of them,
not to feel sorry for having had them.”

Meanwhile, officials say that a positive dynamic is observed in
Armenia’s demography. In 2002 there were 32,300 births in the country,
while in 2011 the number reached 43,400.