Author: Tatoyan Vazgen

ARMENIA POSTS SLIGHT DECLINE IN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JULY 24, ARMENPRESS: The unemployment rate in Armenia fell
slightly in the second quarter of the year to 7.5 percent from 7.7
percent at the start of the year. The highest rate-17.2 percent-
was in the northeastern province of Lori, followed by Syunik in the
south with 16.6 percent and Shirak in the northwest with 15.8 percent.
According to official figures, released by the National Statistical
Committee (Armstat), some 113,000 people were looking for jobs in
the first half of the year. Some 90,000, or almost 80 percent,. were
granted the unemployed status, which means that they were receiving
unemployment benefits and money allowances. Women continue to make
the bulk of all unemployed-71.4 percent- or nearly 65,000. Manual
workers constitute 64 percent of all unemployed. They are followed by
engineers, accountants, hospital nurses and teachers. The highest
demand in the labor market is for skilled programmers, doctors
for regions, translators, insurance agents, brokers, jewelers and
shop-assistants.

Journalist Presents Readable Summary Of Great War
By David Walton
Sunday, July 23, 2006
FOR THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW
“A World Undone: The Story of the Great War, 1914 to 1918,” by G.J.
Meyer. Delacorte Press, $28.
G.J. Meyer, whose byline covers a long list of subjects and
publications, is more journalist than historian, and his “A World
Undone: The Story of the Great War, 1914 to 1918” is a comprehensive
history aimed at the general reader. Its virtues are readability,
objectivity and command of narrative. It is one of probably an unending
series of books attempting to tell the whole story of World War I in
one book.
But Meyer doesn’t try to have the last word. I read his book recovering
from shoulder cuff surgery, and while I wouldn’t recommend the synergy
of the experience for every reader, it more than held my interest
throughout. You finish this book feeling you’ve learned everything
anyone reasonably needs to know about The Great War.
Every decade, we learn anew the profound effects of that war’s
unfinished conflicts and problematic settlements — today in Iraq
and the Middle East. An understanding of the war, and especially of
the nationalistic and ethnic rivalries that fueled it, is essential
to understanding the modern world.
Meyer organizes his book chronologically, and accompanies each chapter
with a short background essay — on Europe’s ruling families and
military commanders, on the war’s principal weaponry, on corollary
topics such as the Turks’ murder of their Armenian minority, on
Lawrence of Arabia, on the war and poetry. The battle of Verdun
is accompanied by a capsule history of the military importance of
the site.
In theory, you could skip these background sections, but you won’t.
This is one of those books where you read every page.
Meyer’s book has the very best qualities for this kind of comprehensive
approach: a gift for compression and an eye for the telling detail. His
theme is what this most terrible of wars, stripped to its essentials,
offers as its lessons — blunders and endless bad luck and misjudgment
on all sides, “blindness and loss of perspective,” and what Meyer calls
“the strange dark poetry of The Great War.” (154)
Only a comprehensive account of “the killing machine” that claimed
so many million lives can convey the scale of tragedy the war became
for a whole society, in nation after nation.
Describing one fruitless action by the British Gen. Douglas Haig in
1914, one of the war’s few breakthroughs and one of its many missed
opportunities, Meyer writes:
“His gains included little beyond the ghost town of Neuve Chapelle.
He had lost 11,600 men, the Germans 8,600 — the numbers being mere
abstractions that, as always, veil thousands of stories of lives lost
and ruined.” (240-41)
Why did the war go on for so many months and years of stalemate,
with no gains and millions dead and mutilated in its endless failed
offensives? The answer is succinct, and requires only two sentences:
“None of the warring governments thought they could possibly
accept a settlement in which they did not win something that would
justify all the deaths. The war had become self-perpetuating and
self-justifying.” (192)
David Walton, who teaches at the University of Pittsburgh in Oakland,
is the author of “Ride” and winner of the Flannery O’Connor Award
for his short-story collection “Evening Out.”

Christian town opens arms to Moslem refugees
Scoop.co.nz (press release), New Zealand
July 22, 2006
By Henri Bou-Saab correspondent in The Republic of
Lebanon
It is now the middle of summer in my village in Mount Lebanon,
Dhour el-Choueir.
It is beautiful here, high up above the Sea, the heavy heat of Beirut
on the coast cannot reach us
It is Friday afternoon.
Normally I would be down in that heat at my business, trying to find
some customers to buy the beautiful Brazilian bathroom accessories
that I sell.
But not today.
Not yesterday, either.
Not since the Israel air force decided to destroy Beirut’s brand new
world-class international airport runways. There have been bombings
in the very ancient Christian fishing village north called Byblos,
bombs in the mainly Maronite Catholic Beirut suburbs of Hadaath and
Ashrafi’eh and in the mixed Christian and Muslim village of Zahle
as well.
Factories are being destroyed. Businesses blown up from the safety
of the super jets.
Lebanese are keeping away from trucks after a truck carrying medical
supplies was blown up .
Rita, my wife, works for pharmaceutical and medicine distribution
company GlaxoSmithKline. The company is still distributing medicines,
but Rita also has not been going into her office and she and our
children, Christopher and Bryan, are here with us at my parents home
in the Mountain.
So here I am stuck at home and not going into the office because
trucks go past my office. The office is also close to the port and
the air force bombed our world-class international seaport which is
very close to my office in the Antellias suburb.
The history of Antellias is very interesting.
The Armenian Christians set up their church headquarters here after the
destruction of the Armenian people by the Turkish Army in the 1920s.
In the 1920s, the communities of this Mountain – Greek Catholic, Greek
Orthodox but mostly Marounite Catholic – we accepted the Armenian
Orthodox and Armenian Catholic refugees escaping from their suffering
in Turkey. And in 1948, Lebanon accepted the Palestine refugees that
even to this day are still not allowed to return to their homeland,
which is Israel and Israel should be responsible for them, but instead
refuses to take responsibility for their needs.
ADVERTISEMENT
But as much my family’s life has been turned upside down I know
that what has happened to us is nothing, nothing compared to what’s
happening in the South of my country.
The majority of people in South are Shii’aa. They are Muslim.
So far, most of the 300 Lebanese civilians that lost their lives in
this total destruction of my country have been Shii’a and tens of
thousands of these civilians are escaping to find refuge in other
parts of the country.
My village has opened its arms to the refugees from the South. We
are not just doing this because our church leaders told us to, but
because we want to.
We want to help with shelter and with food. People are doing what
they must do.
We open our churches to our Muslim brothers and sisters.
I am afraid that if the Israeli Airforce continues this war for a very
long time then many more Lebanese Christians especially will join
the other Lebanese Christians that have already left the country to
go to America and Brazil and Canada and Argentina.
Not because we don’t love our country but because we get pushed into
making a choice between what to do for our children, what is really
best for them.
I don’t want to go. We don’t want to.
But whatever happens I will never fight against the Muslims just
because that is what the Israeli Government wants me to do.
Israel wants a war between Muslims and Christians.
They can murder our civilians by the hundreds as they have already,
but they can’t force us to kill each other on their behalf.
Never.
I promise you that.

EU Special Envoy Peter Semneby to visit Armenia 23-25 July
ArmRadio.am
21.07.2006 15:25
EU Special Envoy for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby will be paying
a visit to Armenia July 23-25.
During the visit Mr. Semneby will have meetings with RA President
Robert Kocharyan, NA Speaker Tigran Torosyan, Defense Minister Serge
Sargsyan, Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan, Human Rights Defender
Armen Harutyunyan and President of the Central Bank Tigran Sargsyan.
The meeting with Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan will be followed
by a joint press conference.

OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to assemble in Paris in Aug
TREND, Azerbaijan
July 21, 2006
Source: Trend
Author: E.Husyenov
21.07.2006
The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs on the resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh intend to carry out next round of consultations in
Paris early August, Russian Ambassador Yuriy Merzlyakov, the OSCE
Minsk Group co-chair told Trend in an exclusive interview.
The objective of the meeting is to hold consultations on the results
of a tour of the region of the U.S. Ambassador Matthew Bryza the OSCE
Minsk Group co-chair. Merzlyakov said for the time being it is unknown
what resolution can be taken and whether there will be discussed on the
organization of the next round of meetings between the conflict sides.
“We will resolve this issue as soon as we meet. I don’t know the
estimation that the U.S. Ambassador is going to make. By that time
he will have last contacts, he will talks to the Presidents and will
more probably make estimation,” the Russian diplomat underlined.
Armenian news agency ARKA has recently reported that Bryza will pay
a two-day visit to Khankandi on 29 July. Then he is to leave for Baku
for talks from 31 July to 1 August.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance
22 Concord Lane
Cambridge, MA 02138
Contact: Bianca Bagatourian
Tel: 617-871-6764
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
“THE ARMENIAN DRAMATIC ARTS ALLIANCE LAUNCHES $10,000 SCREENWRITING & PLAYWRITING AWARD”
The Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance (ADAA) is thrilled to announce
the inauguration of its annual contest for a play or screenplay based
on Armenian themes: The deadline for submission for The Frances Paul
Lyons/ Almas Paul Annual Screenwriting & Playwriting Award. is May 15,
2007, and the winning writer will be honored with a $10,000 award in
the Fall of 2007.  The contest will be administered by the Armenian
Dramatic Arts Alliance (ADAA), which will establish a panel of noted
theatre and film professionals to select the winning script.  The
contest rules have just been posted online at .  Scripts must have an
Armenian theme, but writers are not required to be of Armenian descent.
The Paul Family generously established The Frances Paul Lyons/Almas
Paul Annual Screenwriting & Playwriting Award via their fund at the
Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of North America,
under the auspices  of Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, ensuring the
continuance of this award for years to come.  Actress and ADAA Board
Member Karen Kondazian, a member of the Paul Family, was honored
to facilitate the creation of this award, particularly to recognize
her dear father and mother, Varnum Paul and Lillian M.Paul. The ADAA
appreciates the generosity of such donors and welcomes the benevolence
of future donors.
  The Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance’s mission is to make the Armenian
voice heard on the world stage through the dramatic arts of theatre
and film.  The organization accomplishes this mission by supporting
playwrights and screenwriters and provides production opportunities,
commissions, scholarships, research tools, networking resources and
writing awards.    The Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance is currently
working on creating relationships with leading theaters in the United
States to establish reading series so that the winning scripts –
and other scripts by ADAA-affiliated playwrights — will be seen
and heard.  ADAA’s headquarters are in Cambridge, MA with worldwide
affiliates in Paris, Yerevan, Los Angeles, Boston, New York and other
major cities.
For more information about Armenian Dramatic Arts Alliance and how
to contribute to it’s important mission please visit our website at
or call us at 617-871-6764.
–Boundary_(ID_fuCYQdHoFOy2YX+m/eP3 zQ)–

ARMENIAN BOXERS GAIN VICTORIES AT EUROPE CHAMPIONSHIP
PLOVDIV, JULY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian sportsmen continue to
successfully perform at the Europe Boxing Championship being held
in the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv. Vachagan Avagian (51 kg weight
category), Edgar Manukian (57 kg), Hrachya Javakhian (60 kg) and
Artak Malumian (81 kg) won on July 17.
So, all of 7 representatives of Armenia won in their first
competitions.
Gabriel Tolmajian (54 kg), Gevorg Tamazian (64 kg) and Andranik
Hakobian (75 kg) will perform on July 18. The latter holds his second
fight in the tournament.

Nagorno Karabakh: Reason of arsons – deliberate actions of Azerbaijani side
Regnum, Russia
July 18 2006
On July 18, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nagorno Karabakh
Republic issued a statement on the wildfires on the Nagorno Karabakh
territory bordering to Azerbaijan. REGNUM introduces the text of
the statement:
“The fires on the Nagorno Karabakh territory bordering with Azerbaijan
have been taking place since early June 2006. The situation is a
subject of serious concern for the Karabakh leadership, since it
poses a threat for the security of the NKR and its population.
A special commission formed by the representatives of the ministries
and departments responsible for security issues has been established
in the NKR to study the circumstances and reveal the reasons of the
fires. The subunits of fire-prevention service, the NKR Department
for Emergency Situations and the leadership of local administrations
and population have been mobilized for the localization of the centers
of the fires and non-admission of fire spreading. A twenty-four-hour
duty has been organized in all the communities to prevent emergency
situations.
However, the situation in the regions that is deteriorating due to
the fires is pregnant with unfavorable long-term consequences for the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic agriculture and food security. The number
and area of the fires at wheat fields on the territories bordering
with Azerbaijan have sharply risen.
As a result of the work of the NKR special commission, the
incontestable data have been received that indicate that the reasons
for the fires were the Azerbaijani party’s intentional hostile
activities. By these actions the official Baku pursues a goal to erode
the Nagorno Karabakh Republic economy and deprive it of the possibility
of progressive development. In order to conceal its intentions, the
Azerbaijani leadership from the very outset has launched a wide-ranging
propaganda both in the local and foreign mass media, trying to lay the
blame on the Karabakh side, which is a continuation of a propaganda
and psychological war against the Nagorno Karabakh Republic people
and is an awkward attempt to screen the act of aggression.
We would like to remind that as early as in 2001, the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic authorities suggested via the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen
on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement a package of measures on
establishing confidence between the conflict parties. In particular,
we offered cooperation in fire prevention on pastures and agricultural
territories in the bordering regions. To our regret, the official
Stepanakert’s initiative was not then supported in Baku and was not
honored with due attention by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen.
Moreover, as early as June 15, 2006, the NKR Ministry of Foreign
Affairs addressed a request to the Office of the OSCE Chairman-in
Office’s Personal Representative to hold a crisis monitoring on
territory bordering with Azerbaijan to estimate the real situation
on the spot and refute the Azerbaijani party’s vain accusations.
We draw the attention of the whole international community and
especially the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen to the Stepanakert’s
right, in case Azerbaijan’s hostile activities are not addressed to,
to undertake adequate response measures to ensure the Republic’s
security”.

A number of arrangements scheduled in the framework of the Year of Armenia in France
ArmRadio.am
17.07.2006 13:05
A number of arrangements are envisaged in the framework of the Year
of Armenia in France, particularly in large cities. Head of the
European Armenian Federation Hilda Tchoboyan informed that a number
of exhibitions, concerts and performances are scheduled. “Every
community and every City Hall of France will arrange an event in the
framework of the Year of Armenia,” she said, adding that the Armenian
community and Armenian organizations will do their best to assist the
arrangement of the events, but will demonstrate little of their own
initiative. In her opinion, the French themselves should initiate and
hold these events to get to know about the Armenian culture. “We can
say that Armenian spirit and soul will be felt in France in the fall,”
Hilda Tchoboyan noted.

PETROLEUM PRICE RISE EXPECTED IN ARMENIA
Panorama.am
12:17 17/07/06
Mushegh Elchyan, expert of “Flash”, one of the leading oil traders
in Armenia told Panorama.am that the rise on oil in the international
market will undoubtedly affect the internal market in Armenia.
In his words, prices per 1 tone of petroleum have gone up by $300
amounting to $800 against the beginning of the year. The expert could
not tell how much the prices will rise. He said several factors
affected rise in oil prices, among them Iranian nuclear problem,
devaluation of American dollar, fuel deficit, stable rise in prices
in the international market and the recent incidents in Lebanon. In
his words, volume of import is not affected yet.
Note: At the moment 1 liter of Regular type petroleum costs AMD 380,
Premium – AMD 400 and Super -AMD 420./Panorama.am/