RAFAEL VAHANYAN SUCCESSFULLY PLAYING IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP OF CHESS CLUBS OF GERMANY
ArmRadio.am
13.12.2006 16:55
Armenian Grand Master Rafael Vahanyan successfully plays in the
championship of chess clubs of Germany, representing the club of Ports
city not far from Köln. In the 7th round of the tournament he beat
Zoltan Gimeshi of Hungary.
After seven rounds the leaders are "Ports" and "Baden-Baden."
–Boundary_(ID_skHkfR4ek njY9qXA2fqLDg)–
NUMBER OF LEGAL ENTITIES GROWS 2.4%, THAT OF PRIVATE BUSINESSMEN DECLINES 22.5% IN ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Dec 13 2006
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 13, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the data of the Legal
Entities and Private Businessmen State Register Agency, since early
2006, 2,541 legal entities and 6,377 private businessmen (including
family enterprises) got registered, with their total number making
53,616 and 55,104 as of November 1, 2006. According to the data of
the RA National Statistical Service, 52,344 legal entities and 71,076
private businessmen were registered as of November 1, 2005. Over the
past year, the number of legal entities grew by 2.4%, while that of
private businessmen declined by 22.5%. In 2006, 1,364 legal entities
and 23,010 private businessmen were liquidated. The legal entities
registered in 2006 made investments of 15 bln 882.6 mln drams (about
37.4 mln USD).
705.79 mln drams was invested in 137 enterprises founded by foreign
legal entities and citizens, 343.25 mln drams was invested in 128
joint ventures.
MM SPEAKER MEETS WITH GERMANY’S AMBASSADOR
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Dec 8 2006
Milli Majlis speaker Ogtay Asadov met December 7 with Peer Christopher
Stanchina, Germany’s ambassador to Azerbaijan.
O. Asadov congratulated ambassador on starting his diplomatic
activities in Azerbaijan and wished every success in his work. MM
chairman touched upon the history of Azerbaijan-Germany relations,
saying that following President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Germany in
2004, bilateral relations entered a new era of development. According
to him, the friendship group between the Milli Majlis and Bundestag
plays a key role in strengthening bilateral relations. He pointed
out that in many cases parliamentarians of both countries take the
common positions at the international events.
On the economic ties, O. Asadov said that trade turnover had reached
$288 million over the ten months, exceeding by 43% that of the same
period last year. According to him, there is favorable investment
climate in Azerbaijan, which allows German businessmen easily do
business in the country.
Then, MM speaker briefed German diplomat on the Armenia-Azerbaijan,
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, saying that the conflict initiated by
Armenia poses a threat for not only the region but also for Europe.
O. Asadov expressed gratitude to Germany for supporting Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity.
Ambassador Peer Christopher Stanchina said that rapid development of
Azerbaijan and its European integration is in focus of attention.
Germany is keen on developing ties with Azerbaijan.
The meeting also focused on other issues of mutual concern.
Dutch Turks told how to vote, says Nova
DutchNews.nl
Friday 08 December 2006
The Dutch foreign ministry has asked the Turkish authorities to investigate
allegations that some 200,000 Dutch Turks were sent an email the day before
last month’s general election urging them to vote for D66 candidate Fatma
Koser Kaya.
TV current affairs programme Nova claimed last night that the emails were
sent via a computer belonging to a Turkish minister’s adviser. Koser Kaya,
who was 6th on the Liberal Democratic list, won a seat in parliament on
preference votes.
Kaya had refused to comment in public on the controversial Armenian
question. Three other prospective MPs (two Christian Democrats and one
Labour) were scrapped from their partys’ candidate lists for refusing to
accept there was genocide.
The Turkish government has said it does not interfere in elections in other
countries and is not involved in the case.
HEAD OF EUROPEAN COMMISSION DELEGATION IN ARMENIA ARRIVES IN YEREVAN
Noyan Tapan
Dec 04 2006
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The Head of the European Commission
delegation in Armenia Ambassador Per Eklund handed on Decemeber
4 a copy of his credentials to the RA Deputy Foreign Minister
A. Bayburtian. A. Bayburtian welcomed the newly appointed ambassador,
wishing him success in implementing his high mission. Ambassador Eklund
in his turn expressed a willingness to promote the development of
the EU-Armenian relations as much as possible. During the meeting,
the sides spoke about the EU-Armenia Action Plan approved on
November 14 and discussed issues related to its implementation. It
was noted that the Action Plan will form a basis for deepening the
EU-Armenia relations, which have entered a new stage, in the next
five years. Reference: Per Eklind was born in 1945 in Sweden. In
1971 he graduated from the Department of Political Science, History,
Literature History and Scandinavian Languages of Umea University
(Sweden). In 1973-1992, he worked at Umea University first as the
executive director of the extra-mural studies council, then as the
administrative director of the territorail higher education council
and the head of educational technologiies unit. In 1992-1995, he was
the chief advisor to Scandinavian countries’ minister in Demark. In
1997-1998, he was the chief administrator of the European Commission
TACIS Program. In 1998-2000, he worked as the head of SCR A3 Group
in Russia. In 2000-2003, he was the acting head, then the head of of
AIDCO unit. In 2003-2006, he was the head of the European Commission
delegation in Caribbean countries. He is fluent in English, German,
French, Danish and Russian.
SERIOUS PROBLEMS CONNECTED WITH MENTAL HEALTH ARE NOTICED AMONG 7-15% OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Dec 04 2006
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Serious problems connected with
mental health are at present noticed among 7-15% of children and
youth in Armenia.
Maruk Yeghian, the Chairman of the Children’s Psychiatrists and
Psychologists, Doctor of Medical Sciences informed the Noyan Tapan
correspondent about it.
About 3000 children and youth at the age of 3-21 years old are at
present registered. But, in M.Yeghian’s words, according to rated
data, that number made in the republic about 30 thousand. Both
separate types of mental diseases and feeling of fear, fall of mood,
intention to commit suicide, different disorders of behaviour are found
among children. According to M.Yeghian’s observation, if attempts of
suicide and narcotism were not spread among Armenian youth before,
growth of similar cases has been noticed recently. Diseases connected
with mental health are in general curable: there are different types
of treatment: psychotheraphy, treatment with medicine, etc. But, in
M.Yeghian’s words, the Armenian society does not relate very seriously
to the problem of mental health. Particularly, in many cases parents
did not accept that their child has mental problems and connect his
strange behaviour simply with prank.
Panorama.am
18:18 30/11/06
PARTIES DOUBT ABOUT MEMBERSHIP TO EU
Khosrov Harutunyan, leader of Christian Democratic
Party (CDP), believes that up to today the membership
of Armenia to EU was perceives as an alternative of
Russia.
Grigor Ghonjeyan, member of United Working Party
(MAK), thinks we have less and less enthusiasm in
joining EU. The resolutions adopted during the last
2-3 years indicate that Armenia has no chances to join
EU in the coming several dozens years. However, he
said his party is still enthusiastic about joining the
institution. /Panorama.am/
AZERBAIJANI-RUSSIAN RELATIONS ENTER TURBULENT PHASE
By Fariz Ismailzade
Eurasia Daily Monitor, DC
Nov 30 2006
Azerbaijani-Russian relations, increasingly warm in the past five
years, are about to enter a difficult phase that could turn both
countries into regional rivals. There are three reasons for the shift:
Azerbaijan’s increasing gas production, Russia’s fight against illegal
migration, and the recent visit by President Ilham Aliyev to Brussels
to sign an EU Neighborhood Policy with Azerbaijan. The fall-out,
however, will only affect a single, key issue: resolution of the
Karabakh conflict.
Many analysts expected President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Moscow, and
his meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin a few weeks ago,
to launch a new stage in bilateral ties. Both leaders have enjoyed
friendly relations in the past several years, and the relations
between two countries have been deepening at a gradual but steady
pace. Yet Putin gave Aliyev the cold shoulder. Analysts speculate
that Putin is wary of Azerbaijan’s growing capacity to produce and
even export natural gas, thus becoming a natural economic rival to
Russia in the region.
In fact, President Aliyev traveled to Moscow straight from Brussels,
where he had signed not only a new EU Neighborhood Policy with
Azerbaijan, which envisions more concrete steps towards integration
of the south Caucasus country into EU institutions and structures,
but also an agreement on energy transit to Europe. EU members, hungry
for alternative sources of energy, have welcomed such moves. Putin,
however, warned Aliyev that Moscow had carefully watched Azerbaijan
authorities negotiate in Brussels and that all energy projects in
the regions must be coordinated. This hint was a message to President
Aliyev not to try to bypass Russia in an attempt to secure European
energy markets. Some regional analysts have even indicated that Putin
has suggested creating an OPEC-style gas-export organization.
Following the tough negotiations over Azerbaijan’s gas exports,
the Russian gas monopoly Gazprom decided to triple the price of gas
deliveries to Azerbaijan. This decision follows the same pattern
observed toward Georgia and Ukraine last year. In fact Georgia,
facing the same problem this year, is already looking for alternative
energy sources.
Azerbaijani authorities have responded to the Gazprom decision by
planning to reduce gas imports from Russia and instead delay its own
gas exports from the Shah Deniz field for one year. Considering the
fact that Azerbaijan will also deliver gas to Georgia, as part of
the agreement reached between Aliyev and Georgian President Mikheil
Saakashvili in Minsk this week, it is unlikely that Baku will be able
to export much gas to the EU and Turkish markets in 2007 using the
recently built Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline. The agreement between
Saakashvili and Aliyev in itself is another reason for frustration
and anger in Kremlin circles, as Moscow has been trying to squeeze
Georgia economically for its pro-Western stance.
As if energy problems were not enough, the Russian government has
also decided to pass a new law on retail market operations and limit
the number of emigrants working in Russian bazaars. It is estimated
that close to 2 million Azerbaijani citizens are currently working
in Russian markets, earning meager incomes and sending payments home.
The expulsion of Azerbaijan emigrants would put a major strain on
Azerbaijan’s economy and increase socio-economic tensions in the
country. Although Azerbaijan’s economy is growing at one of the fastest
paces in the world, it will not be able to accommodate a large inflow
of unemployed persons from Russia.
Thus, President Aliyev has issued an urgent decree to establish a
state commission, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Eyyub Yagubov, to
deal with this issue and to plan activities to ease the transition
of these labor migrants from Russia to Azerbaijan. Local experts,
meanwhile, consider this move by Russia as another strike at Georgia
and Azerbaijan for their close ties with the EU and NATO.
Following the November 28 Minsk summit of the Commonwealth
of Independent States, President Aliyev said that Azerbaijan has
carried and will continue to carry out a balanced foreign policy. This
means that he will continue to form friendly and mutually respectful
relations with Russia. Yet, the recent trends show that both countries
are about to enter a turbulent phase, which will require significant
work from both sides to sort out economic and energy conflicts of
interests. If this does not happen, Russia is unlikely to help with
the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, which, in the words of President
Aliyev, has "entered the final stage."
(President Aliyev’s interview to AZTV on November 29, Xalq Qazeti,
Echo, Zerkalo, Turan News Agency)
KARS-AKHALKALAKI RAILWAY WILL ‘FORCE ARMENIA INTO NATO’
By M. Alkhazashvili
Translated by Tiko Giorgadze
The Messenger, Georgia
Nov 28 2006
At a press conference in Yerevan, opposition Armenian MP Amaiak
Ovanesian said that Armenia will have to leave the Russia-dominated
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) established under the
aegis of Russia, and enter NATO.
Ovanesian thinks that the construction of the
Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railway (which links Turkey to Azerbaijan
via Georgia, bypassing Armenia) "will become a cordon sanitare that
will separate Armenia not only from Georgia but from its ally Russia,"
Ovanesian said, reports the newspaper Rezonansi.
"The existence of the current axis of Iran, Armenia and Russia will
become impossible. For this reason, Armenia’s membership in the
CSTO that guarantees the country’s security will become pointless,"
said Ovanesian, adding that Armenia will have to think of integration
into NATO.
In April this year, former parliament speaker of Armenia, Artur
Baghdasarian said that "the future of Armenia is in the EU and NATO".
Two days later Armenian President Robert Kocharian contradicted
him, saying Armenia has no plans to join the alliance, leading to
Baghdasarian’s resignation, and move into opposition.
SAINT JOHN’S PRESENTS PAX CHRISTI AWARD TO HIS HOLINESS ARAM I
CSB/SJU, MN
College of Saint Benedict | Saint John’s University
hristi06.htm
Nov 27 2006
Saint John’s Abbey and University presents its highest honor, the Pax
Christi Award, to His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House
of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church, on Wednesday, Dec. 6.
The event begins with Evening Prayer at 5 p.m. at the Abbey Church,
which is open to the public. That is followed by an invitation-only
reception and dinner. The award ceremony and public address,
"Challenges Facing Christianity in the Middle East," begins at 8 p.m.
at the Stephen B. Humphrey Theater and is also open to all.
His Holiness’ relationship with Saint John’s came about because of "his
leadership in opening the manuscript collection of the Catholicosate
to the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library," said the Rev.
Columba Stewart, executive director of the HM&ML. "He was our first
Armenian partner in the Middle East."
His Holiness is also being recognized for his leadership in ecumenism
as the founding member of the Middle East Council of Churches and
moderator of the World Council of Churches since 1991.
His Holiness was ordained a celibate priest in 1968 and obtained the
title of Vartabed (Doctor of the Armenian Church) in 1970. In 1979,
after serving one year as Locum Tenens, he was elected Primate of
the Armenian Orthodox community in Lebanon. His tenure coincided with
the Lebanese Civil War.
His Holiness has been active in inter-church dialogue, relations and
collaboration since 1972, when he was appointed as the Catholicosate’s
representative for ecumenical relations. He served in this position
until 1995, and represented the Armenian Church at major theological
and ecumenical conferences, assemblies and consultations in different
parts of the world.
In June 1995, His Holiness was elected Catholicos (the head of the
church) by the Electoral Assembly of the Armenian Catholicosate of
Cilicia (35 clergy and 115 lay representatives). He was consecrated
and installed on July 1, 1995.
HM&ML was founded 40 years ago in response to the devastating loss
of manuscripts and books during two World Wars. It is the only
institution in the world exclusively dedicated to the photographic
preservation and study of manuscripts, particularly in locations where
war, theft or physical conditions pose a threat. Since its inception,
HM&ML has built the world’s largest collection of manuscript images,
having photographed almost 100,000 manuscripts totaling more than 30
million pages.
As the highest honor awarded by Saint John’s, the Pax Christi Award
recognizes those who have devoted themselves to God by working in ways
akin to the tradition of Benedictine monasticism to serve others and
to build a heritage of faith in the world.
The award has been presented to 53 individuals, including Cardinal
Leo Jozef Suenens of Belgium; Archbishop Jean Jadot, the former
representative of the Holy See in the United States; Eugene McCarthy,
the former senator, presidential candidate and SJU graduate; Cardinal
Joseph Bernardin of the Chicago Archdiocese; and His Beatitude Ignatius
IV Hazim, Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch.
Michael Hemmesch Director of Media Relations College of Saint
Benedict/Saint John’s University Phone 320-363-2595 Fax 320-363-2016
[email protected]