Author: Antonian Lara

"HISTORY OF ARMENIA’S NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES" FOUR-VOLUME BOOK PREPARED TO PUBLICATION

ARMENPRESS
Feb 13, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 13, ARMENPRESS: The "History of Armenia’s neighboring
countries" four-volume book is prepared to be published. It will
particularly present the ancient, middle age, new and newest periods
of history of Turkey, Iran, Georgia and Middle East countries and
how they concern the Armenian people.

Head of the institute of oriental studies of Armenian national
academy of science, scientist on Turkey Ruben Safrastian told
Armenpress the works are already being conducted for two years and the
four-volume book will be ready in 2010. R. Safrastian assessed it as
an unprecedented initiative and a basic scientific work. Head of the
institute expressed hope that the book will contribute to Armenia in
the issue of formation of foreign policy.

The program is being financed by the Armenian government.

U.S. LAWMAKERS CALL ON 111TH CONGRESS TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.02.2009 17:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A letter seeking U.S. House cosponsors for a renewed
drive to secure the adoption of the Armenian Genocide Resolution was
circulated today on Capitol Hill by the legislation’s lead authors,
Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) and George Radanovich (R-CA), and
Armenian Caucus Co-Chairmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ), and Mark Kirk
(R-IL), reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

"We join today with millions of Armenians throughout the United States,
in Armenia, and around the world in welcoming the launch of this new
drive toward U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide," said Aram
Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. "It’s always the right time
to take a stand against genocide. Now – with long-standing advocates
of this noble and necessary cause in the White House, leading the
State Department, serving in the Cabinet, heading up both Houses of
Congress, and chairing key Congressional committees – we are set to
overcome the final barriers to full and formal U.S. recognition of
the Armenian Genocide."

In the letter, the four legislators invited their House colleagues
to join the resolution as original cosponsors, which will mean
that they will be listed as supporters starting from the day of
its introduction. During the recently concluded 110th Congress, an
identical measure secured the support of 212 cosponsors, was adopted
by the Foreign Affairs Committee, but was eventually blocked from a
vote on the House floor by sustained attacks by then-President George
W. Bush and his Administration.

ALLIANCE OF DICTATORSHIPS: MOSCOW IS TRYING TO FRIGHTEN THE WEST WITH A MILITARY ALLIANCE WHERE MEMBERSHIP IS SELF-IMPOSED AND COMPULSORY ALL AT ONCE
by Pavel Felgengauer

WPS Agency
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
February 11, 2009 Wednesday
Russia

MOSCOW SEEMS CONFIDENT THAT THE UNITED STATES CANNOT SUCCEED IN
AFGHANISTAN WITHOUT MANAS AND RUSSIAN SUPPORT; Russia is trying to
tighten its grip on the post-Soviet zone.

Granted that the Americans were admonished for their invasion into
Iraq and Afghanistan, practically all their allies did send their
contingents to at least one of these two countries. When the Russian
army entered Georgia and seized part of its territory in August, not
one of its allies in the CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization
sent contingents to help Russia in the hostilities or recognized
Abkhazia and South Ossetia afterwards. Military-diplomatic circles in
Moscow maintain that it is this embarrassing situation that compelled
the Kremlin to force military integration within the CIS Collective
Security Treaty Organization and try to evolve this amorphous structure
into a military alliance with its own armed forces.

Transformation of the CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization
into an adequate military bloc with a permanent armed forces under the
Russian command is a serious step toward development of the "region of
privileged interests" into an actual sphere of influence. As things
stand, however, other members of the CIS Collective Security Treaty
Organization do not really think that they need it.

The CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization is
essentially an alliance of dictatorships with varying degrees of
authoritarianism. Presidents of the countries comprising it desperately
need elite battalions as guarantees of their own power, always on
alert and handy. That every president will be happy to accept aid
from Russia goes without saying, but that is all. This is the only
value that all dictators share: every man for himself.

Alexander Lukashenko verified documents of the CIS Collective Security
Treaty Organization session in return for Russian credits, but his
signature accounts for nothing at all. The Belarussian Constitution
expressly forbids the deployment of the military abroad, and the
thought of amending it has never even crossed Minsk’s mind.

Sandwiched between Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Georgia, Armenia couldn’t
send its troops anywhere even if it were of the mind to do so.

Central Asian regimes are prepared to fight Islamic radicals in their
own region with Russia’s help, but not one of them will ever send a
single soldier to the Caucasus or elsewhere. Uzbekistan did sign the
documents and, unlike others, plainly stated that it was not going
to participate in the collective forces on the permanent basis.

Promised an economic aid package worth $2 billion, President of
Kyrgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiyev, said before the forum in Moscow that
the American AF base in Manas would be closed. Consolidation of
the post-Soviet zone and its transformation into a zone of Russian
influence is impossible without neutralization of Washington’s
destructive clout, of course. President Barack Obama meanwhile
proclaimed the war on Islamists in Afghanistan number one priority of
his foreign policy and promised to double numerical strength of the
US Army contingent in this country before the year was out. It will
take additional supplies and the support of troops in Afghanistan,
but Talib gunmen regularly attack NATO convoys driving northward
across Pakistan from Karachi.

Manas US AF Base "processes" 15,000 soldiers and 500,000 tons of cargo
every month. American flying tankers operating out of Manas refuel
aviation of the Alliance flying combat missions in Afghanistan. Russia
offers its own territory for non-military transit to Afghanistan,
but not even this transit will recompense for the loss of the AF base
in Kyrgyzstan.

Moscow seems arrogantly confident that Obama cannot succeed in
Afghanistan without Manas and Russian support and that the West
will be forced to cry uncle: leave the regimes in Kiev and Tbilisi
without its support and abandon the missile shield plans for East
Europe. Russia suggested a new European security framework, one that
would take into account Moscow’s legitimate interests and spheres of
control and influence. If Washington disagreed this time, the odds
are it would never agree.

REPORT ON 2008 ACTIVITIES OF ARMENIA RENEWABLE RESOURCES AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY FUND APPROVED

Noyan Tapan

Feb 11, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, NOYAN TAPAN. During the February 11 sitting of
the Board of Trustees of the Armenia Renewable Resources and Energy
Efficiency Fund conducted by the Board’s chairman, Armenian prime
minister Tigran Sargsyan, the report on the 2008 activities of the
Fund was approved.

Presenting the results of last year’s activities, the director of the
Fund Tamara Babayan said that in 2008 the Fund continued implementing a
number of programs launched in 2006, including the World Bank-financed
City Heating credit project, the Global Environmental Protection
Measures trust fund-financed Renewable Energy grant program, as well
as the World Bank and Global Partnership for Output-Based Aid-financed
Heating and Gas project.

These projects will be implemented until the end of this year.

As regards the implementation of the decisions taken at the
previous sitting of the Board of Trustees, T. Babayan said
that all the instructions were carried out completely and in
time. In particular, preparatory work on the necessary measures for
approval of the Geothermal Program and its rapid launching has been
completed. Negotiations took place between the Armenian delegation
and the World Bank on January 29, 2009, as a result of which the WB
will provide 1.5 million dollars as a grant, and 300 thousand drams
(17% of the expenses) will be allocated from the state budget of
Armenia. It is envisaged finishing the program in 2010.

Los Angeles Times, CA
Feb 7 2009

The dislike is real for Vic Darchinyan, Jorge Arce

Their super-flyweight title bout Saturday at the Honda Center is a
grudge match in the true sense of the word.

Bill Dwyre
February 7, 2009

Two boxers who really don’t like each other — as opposed to two who
fake it while trying to promote a fight — make up the main event of a
Showtime card tonight at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

They are Vic Darchinyan and Jorge Arce, who will fight for
Darchinyan’s three titles at the super flyweight designation of 115
pounds.

Darchinyan, from Australia but originally from Armenia, holds the
International Boxing Federation, World Boxing Assn. and World Boxing
Council belts. His record is 31-1-1 with 25 knockouts, and his recent
reputation is built on his virtual destruction of then-champion
Cristian Mijares of Mexico on Nov. 1 at the Home Depot Center. Before
that fight, Mijares had defeated Arce.

Arce (51-4-1, 39 knockouts) has been around long enough to hold
several titles. He is among Mexico’s most popular boxers, especially
since his appearance several years ago on a Mexican reality TV show
called "Big Brothers," in which 14 people shared a house, all the time
on live TV, until the ranks were thinned as people were voted
out. Arce lasted until the final three.

"I may not be the best boxer in Mexico," Arce says, "but I’m the most
popular."

Darchinyan claims to have chased Arce "all over the world" to get him
to agree to a fight. Arce says he didn’t fight Darchinyan because he
had "better handlers and promoters who were smarter on my behalf and
got me better fights."

That, of course, further fanned the flames for Darchinyan and his
promoter, Gary Shaw, and the boxers, during a week of appearances and
promotions, have been yapping at each other and about each other like
a pair of Chihuahuas.

Darchinyan has a huge left hand that he used to destroy Mijares and
says he will use it for the same purpose against Arce.

"I’m going to make him look dumb and stupid," Darchinyan says.

Arce feigns indifference and slight annoyance.

"I will win, for sure," he says. "One hundred percent."

The match will be live on Showtime but delayed until 9 p.m. in the
Pacific time zone.

Grave condition of imprisoned deputies may not become subject of
political speculation, Galust Sahakian says

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The grave condition of the imprisoned
deputies of the National Assembly may not become a subject of political
speculation, the head of "RPA" parliamentary faction Galust Sahakian
said at the February 6 briefing at the RA National Assembly. He
considered as illegal the initiative of "Heritage" faction to convene a
special session for invalidating the NA decision on depriving the
deputies, who are accused under the case on March 1 event, of their
immunity. G. Sahakian said it is impossible to change a precautionary
measure during a trial, and the parliament may not assume powers of a
judicial body. In his opinion, prior to organizing a signature
collection, the parliamentary opposition should have been able to "make
the issue mature" through discussions and consultations with other
political forces.

As for the legislative amendment providing an opportunity to continue
court sittings in the absence of the accused persons, G. Sahakian noted
that such a norm existed in the legislation previously, and the reason
for using it again is conditioned by the necessity to help the court
break the impasse. He said that the trial on "the case of the seven"
must take place so that the guilt of the accused persons will be proven
or refuted. In his words, by standing up, an accused person shows his
respect for the values of the state rather than for the given judge.

To recap, since December of last year, the trial on "the case of the
seven" has been delayed 7 times for the motivation that the accused
persons did not stand up and thus displayed a disrespectful attitute to
court.

ARMENIA: LAYOFFS CARRY PROTEST POTENTIAL

EurasiaNet
Feb 5 2009
NY

Large-scale layoffs in Armenia are heightening social tensions. Some
observers believe the trend could spur political protests as workers
and business owners grow increasingly frustrated with the government’s
economic course.

The mining industry has been hit particularly hard. Copper, gold,
molybdenum, zinc and lead are Armenian exports with the strongest
ties to world markets, where prices have tanked in recent months.

So far during the global financial crisis, the overall number of
Armenians who have lost jobs, or have been laid off, is in the
thousands, according to a government source who spoke on condition
of anonymity. While some officials argue that the scope of the
crisis is relatively small, Sona Harutiunian, head of the State
Employment Agency, conceded that Armenia’s labor market is "so
small that the [loss] of even several hundred jobs creates serious
problems." The country has an "economically active" population of
just under 1.2 million people, according to the National Statistical
Service. Officially, Armenia’s official 2008 unemployment rate was 6.3
percent, but some non-governmental organizations estimate the actual
rate was as high as 27 percent. No matter what the actual figure was
last year, it is destined to grow significantly in 2009.

In Kapan, a town of 40,000 located near Armenia’s southern border
with Azerbaijan, the biggest employer in town, the Dino Gold Mining
Company, has been closed for three months. Sixty percent of the
majority-Canadian-owned gold processing facility’s 1,526 employees
have been laid off in the time since.

The facility’s employees went on strike for a few days in early
November, when the job cuts were first announced. Intervention by
three cabinet ministers — energy and natural resources, labor and
social issues, and economy — ended the strike, with permanent job
cuts postponed until February 18. Until then, laid-off employees are
collecting two-thirds of their salaries, though they no longer work.

"Nobody can predict what will [happen] after February 18. It depends
on the economic situation in the world," said Dino Gold Mining Company
Director Robert Falleta. The company is one of the largest employers
in the southern region of Syunik.

In an effort to keep Dino operating, the government provided
800 million dram, or over $2.6 million, in bailout assistance
in November. Neither the government nor the factory, however, has
provided any additional details about further assistance plans.

Job cuts have also cost 450 people their jobs at the copper and
molybdenum plant in the southern town of Agarak, some 400 kilometers
from Yerevan. "Today, more than the half of the working population in
Agarak is jobless and the government has to be seriously concerned
about this," commented Arkadi Sargsian, trade union boss at the
Agarak plant. Talks are ongoing with the government about financial
assistance, he added.

A wave of job cuts has also hit Armenia’s industrial north; just
under half of the Armenian Copper Program Company’s 1,044 employees
in Alaverdi were laid off in November. The firm provided 70 percent
of the town’s jobs, according to a local employment agency. Nearby,
in Gyumri, the country’s second largest city, two factories have been
closed since December; in Vanadzor, large-scale layoffs have hit one
chemical plant, while a welding factory has shut down entirely.

Without the Armenian Copper Program Company, Alaverdi Mayor Artur
Nalbandian sees dim prospects for the future. "This problem depends
neither on the state, nor on the company’s management. But I can
say one thing: Alaverdi will not survive without the plant. We have
neither the land for agriculture, nor the means," Nalbandian said.

Meanwhile, Yerevan itself is also feeling the economic pinch. In
December, Armenia’s largest chemical plant, Nairit, which produces
rubber, laid off more than half of its 2,744 employees for four months.

The situation has raised red flags about the likelihood of
protests. While the government has not directly addressed that
possibility, some observers and opposition politicians believe that
protests are a given. "Protests are unavoidable," commented Bagrat
Asatrian, a former chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia, who is
sympathetic to ex-President Levon Ter-Petrosian. "People see that the
state doesn’t take any steps, except delivering beautiful speeches,
and making the tax burden heavier every day."

Failure to slash Armenia’s corporate tax rates only worsens the
situation, added economist Andranik Tevanian, head of the Politeconomia
Center for Economic Analysis in Yerevan. Supporters of Ter-Petrosian
agree, saying that the government should use its foreign currency
reserves to keep factories open.

"Countries across the world reduce the tax burden," Tevanian
commented. "But it’s just the opposite with us. . . . Instead of
providing large companies with money not to cut jobs, they have been
giving promises alone for several months."

Companies with revenues over 58.5 million drams (about $191,000)
must pay 30 to 35 percent of their revenues as taxes; those with less
revenue pay 10 to 15 percent.

Despite the recent bevy of gloomy news, Economy Minister Nerses
Yeritsian is remaining upbeat. "We have overcome the first wave of
the crisis," Yeritsian told EurasiaNet. "We analyze world markets
every day. I can’t say anything at the moment, but I am confident
the situation will improve."

The prevailing mood in mining towns, however, underscore that many
Armenians are deeply worried about the near future. In the southern
region of Syunik, the official unemployment rate already stands at 15
percent. In reality, though, the figure is "twice as much and will grow
drastically, if no serious measures are taken," said Ruben Petrosian,
head of Kapan’s regional employment agency.

In Kapan, the manager of one home appliance store, where sales have
fallen by half in the past three months, could only offer a grim
prognosis: "No plant, no customers."

DENNIS PAPAZIAN: I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH "APOLOGY TO TURKS" CAMPAIGN

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.02.2009 14:23 GMT+04:00

U.S. scholar Dennis Papazian said he is neither initiator nor
participant in the "apology to Turks" campaign.

"A while back, I made a personal statement of sorrow for all
bad things that happened in the Ottoman Empire to good people of
all nationalities, sorry for present-day Turks who have unjustly
suffered for anything I have done or claimed to be done in my name,
and I pledged to work for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and
reconciliation between the Armenian and Turkish people. That is all,"
Dr. Papazian said in letter addressed to PanARMENIAN.Net.

"I cannot apologize for anything I have not done, and think a campaign
of this sort begun by Armen Gakavian is counter productive and has
numerous pitfalls.

I did not instigate it, I have not lent my name to it, and I want
to keep out of it. I expressed this position a while back in a reply
to an earlier attempt to involve me and some of my text. I have also
informed Armen.

I speak for myself only and do not want to be involved in any campaign
instituted by others speaking for themselves or attempting to speak
for the Armenians. No one is authorized to speak for all Armenians,"
he said.

Yesterday, Radikal Turkish newspaper said Sydney University
professor Armen Gakavian offered to make apologies to the Turkish
nation. Dr. Dennis Papazian was reported to support the initiative.

TURKEY’S ERDOGAN MEETS US AMBASSADOR IN ANKARA

Jan 3 2009
Turkey

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has received
U.S. Ambassador in Ankara James Jeffrey.

Jeffrey told reporters after the one-hour meeting that they had
exchanged views on some global and regional issues concerning both
countries such as Iran, Iraq, energy safety and the Middle East
peace process.

The ambassador "described Turkey and the United States as two powerful
democratic and allied countries, and expressed his belief that he
would work in cooperation" with the Turkish government during his
tenure in Ankara.

Asked about a possible visit by U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East
George Mitchell to Ankara, Jeffrey told reporters that the special
envoy could visit the region once again, adding that he, but, did
not have any clear information at the time being.

When asked about "concerns" that the Jewish lobby in the United
States could not extend support to Turkey in case of debates at the
Senate on Armenian resolution in April after the reaction of the
Turkish prime minister during a panel discussion in Davos, Jeffrey
said that although problems might emerge from time to time, Turkey
and the United States had "always been working together."

UNICEF: PROBABILITY OF DEATH OF WOMEN DURING PREGNANCY OR IS 9 TIMES HIGHER IN ARMENIA THAN IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES

ArmInfo
2009-02-02 18:12:00

ArmInfo. According to the results of UNICEF’s State of the World’s
Children report for 2009, approximately 22 out of 1000 new-born babies
die before reaching the 1-year age. Furthermore, the report says that
80% of the death cases fall on the first 28 days of a baby’s life.

Representative of UNICEF Office in Yerevan Ms. Laylee Moshiri said
during the report presentation, Monday, the high-rate mortality could
have been avoided if the quality of medical service and care for new-
born babies had been raised. The authors of the report point out that
the mortality rate among women also causes concern. For instance,
in Armenia the probability of death of women during pregnancy or
aborning is 9 times higher than in developed countries. The report
stresses that the reason is the shortage of professional personnel and
up-to-date equipment, low availability of skilled assistance, as well
as women’s low awareness of the necessity of prenatal consultation.

To note, UNICEF provides support to the Armenian Health Ministry in
elaborating the National strategy on care for new-born babies.