Author: Harutyunian Christine

A MEDIEVAL ARMENIAN CHURCH COLLAPSES IN GEORGIA

armradio.am
19.11.2009 18:08

The press Service of the Georgian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolicism
Church informs that Saint Gevorg of Mughni Church, Tbilisi Saint
Gevorg of Mughni Church ( Tbilisi) built in 1356 collapsed this night.

Until the mid-1980s, the church served as a museum of folk art. By
1990, it was no longer a museum and its interior lay in ruin.

The vestibule attached to the western facade of the church was
destroyed in May, 1991. The large cracks in the church walls served
as an excuse to Georgian authorities to destroy the church instead
of repair it.

"The Georgian Ministry of Culture, Monuments Protection and Sports
should bear the responsibility. All this creates an impression
that by failing to solve the issue of returning the churches to
the Armenian Diocese, the Georgian Patriarchate and authorities do
not pay proper attention to the preservation of Armenian churches,
and intentionally destroy important monuments of Armenian culture,"
the Diocese said in a statement.

BAKU SEES TURKEY AS TOUGH CUSTOMER ON GAS EXPORTS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
19.11.2009 16:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Amid a diplomatic chill, Azerbaijan and Turkey
opened a new round of talks November 16 on an energy export price.

Recent agreements on gas supplies to Bulgaria, Iran and Russia suggest
that Baku is exploring alternative export routes as a means to pressure
Ankara into paying significantly more for Azerbaijani natural gas.

Baku and Ankara have been unable to fix a mutually acceptable gas
price, even though talks have been going on since April 2008.

Azerbaijan claims that the $120 per 1,000 cubic meters (tcm) that
Ankara now pays, a price set in 2001, is 30 percent below international
rate, and does not correspond with the fresh influx of production to
come from Azerbaijan’s Shah Deniz Stage II gas field.

Baku is seeking to more than double the amount that Ankara pays,
to $250/tcm, EurasiaNet reports.

Article further says that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in October
declared that, given the stalemate with Ankara, Baku would consider
alternative export options, including Russia, Iran and Bulgaria.

In an October 29 interview with CNN Turk, Turkish Energy Minister
Taner Yildiz stated that the price Turkey pays for gas from Shah
Deniz is being discussed as part of a package with transit rates for
Azerbaijani gas traveling to Europe via Turkish pipelines. Ankara
proposes that Baku pay a "fairly competitive" price of $2.36 for each
100 kilometers of Turkish territory crossed by 1,000 cubic meters
of Azerbaijani gas – a price 24 cents lower than Russia’s own tariff
for the same distance, Yildiz claimed.

A diplomatic chill between the two longtime allies appears to be
hampering efforts to settle pricing differences. The October 10
signing of protocols for rapprochement with Azerbaijani foe Armenia set
Baku’s nerves on edge; a tussle over Turkey’s removal of Azerbaijani
flags from a World Cup qualifier soccer match attended by Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan, and Azerbaijan’s removal of Turkish flags
from a Baku cemetery further deepened the sour feelings. All flags
have since been restored, but suspicions seem to linger.

EXHIBITION OF ANCIENT ARMENIAN BOOKS TO BE HELD IN MAINTZ, GERMANY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
19.11.2009 16:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In 2010, Armenia will celebrate the 500th anniversary
of Armenian printing art. In that connection it is planned to organize
an Armenian book exhibition in Maintz, Germany, RA Minister of Culture
Hasmik Poghosyan told German Ambassador to Armenia Hans-Jochen Schmidt.

At that she noted that exhibition arrangement issues are at the stage
of discussion.

Minister also informed Ambassador about plans of organizing Armenian
youth orchestra’s concert in Young Euro Classic international festival.

RA NA DISCUSSES FY 2010 DRAFT BUDGET

news.am
Nov 18 2009
Armenia

RA Parliament commenced debates on FY 2010 draft budget. Presenting
the document, RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan stated that the
Government focuses on pension fund and insurance system reforms,
that will enable to increase diversification of Armenian economy.

According to him, state management will also undergo reforms and nine
tools will be used to modify the healthcare field. Sargsyan devoted
special attention to the betterment of financial techniques, adding
that reforms in social and educational fields are underway. As Armenia
will get financial aid from the "Millennium Challenges" fund in 2010,
the volume of budget expenditures will equal to those of 2009.

He deems GDP might register 1.2% economic growth in 2010. "We also
intend to retain social funding at the level of FY 2009," the PM added.

The draft budget provided for 533bnm AMD income instead of the
estimated 500bn AMD. Under favorable economic conditions the indexes
will overrun, otherwise, the expenditures items will be met through
reserve fund.

Compared to 2009, the funding of local government institutions will
increase for 17% making 32.5bn AMD in 2010. A separate article is
foreseen for NKR to receive 31bn AMD earmarked for the people’s
security. According to the PM, Armenian government will keep on
supporting small and medium enterprises. Domestic export will be
promoted, whereas tax and customs reforms to go on.

RA Finance Minister Tigran Davtyan said that in 2010 Armenia will
register economical stability with the 1.2% growth, and deflator of
2%. According to him the budget deficit will hit 5-7% of GDP which
is tangible compared to 2009. Davtyan said that the exchange rate
will be set at 376AMD against 1 USD.

RUSSIAN INTERNSHIP FOR ARMENIAN TV ASSOCIATES

news.am
Nov 17 2009
Armenia

Russian TV channels will offer internship for 20 Armenian TV associates
annually, said Mikhail Shvydkoy, Chairman of Russian State Television
and Radio Broadcasting Company and RF President’s Special Envoy for
international cultural cooperation.

He stated that the agreement on the matter was reached in the course
of the official meetings in Yerevan.

According to him, among the joint projects discussed was that on
the need to make a comprehensive documentary about Sergey Parajanov,
whereas soap operas are still under questionable.

140 ANNIVERSARY OF KOMITAS CELEBRATED IN ATHENS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
16.11.2009 16:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 140th anniversary of the great Komitas was marked in
Athens. The evening dedicated to the Armenian composer, ethnographer,
gathered a large number of admirers of the Armenian culture in the
sports and cultural center "Ararat".

Participants had the opportunity to enjoy the music of Komitas
performed by inmates of "Hayastan" center . The event, organized by
the "Haystan" center was attended by representatives of the Armenian
Embassy in Greece and Armenian clergy.

Komitas graduated from Etchmiadzin Theological Academy in 1893. In
1896-99 he studied history and music theory in Berlin. From 1899
he lived in Echmiadzin, led music classes and choir of Theological
Academy. Because of the conflict with conservative church circles he
moved in Constantinople in 1910. From 1919 he lived in Paris. Komitas
was the classic of Armenian music, master of choral polyphony,
the founder of the Armenian science of ethnography. Collector and
researcher of folk songs, he made collections of typical examples
of centuries-old art of the Armenian people. Komitas introduced a
new methodology in folklore studies. As a singer, choir leader and
lecturer, he promoted the Armenian folk music in the Caucasus and
Western European countries, presented reports at the international
music congresses. . His work contributed to the development of the
national school of composition.

URENI RYGBY CLUB FOUNDED IN ASHTARAK

Noyan Tapan
Nov 16, 2009

ASHTARAK, NOVEMBER 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The presentation of the Ureni
rygby club took place on November 15 in the town sports ground of
Ashtarak. More than 120 young people from the town of Ashtarak and
neighboring villages have already joined the Ureni club. Six teams, in
which young people of different ages are involved, held demonstrative
competitions on the presentation day, and different sport fans were
present at the competitions.

Robert Melkumian, one of rygby founders in Armenia, informed Noyan
Tapan correspondent that it occurred to him to found the club this
January when with his former pupil, currently businessman Gegham
Haroutiunian he watched the World Cup Tournament in Dubai, and
Armenia’s national team was not among the participants.

NAGORNO KARABAKH PURELY ARMENIAN LAND, TURKISH REPORTER SAYS

armradio.am
16.11.2009 18:03

After having visited Nagorno Karabakh, correspondent of the Aksam
newspaper of Turkey Nagehan Alci declared that "these territories
are Armenian lands."

"We, people living in Turkey, made a mistake. Karabakh is one
hundred percent Armenian territory and we have understood that you
are persistent enough in not ceding these lands," she said.

The journalist said she intended to see Nagorno Karabakh with her
own eyes and make a report about the life of Karabakh people.

"I offered the editor-in-chief to send me to Karabakh and received a
positive reply. Turkey is also interested in the territorial dispute
around Nagorno Karabakh. What I saw here dispelled my doubts about
the past and future of Karabakh. Stepanakert made a great impression
on us and we intend to come here again," she said.

Nagehan Alci said she will also visit Shusha and make a report there,
APA reports.

news.am, Armenia
Nov 14 2009

Armenian Premier, German Ambassador discuss cooperation

17:37 / 11/13/2009Germany is interested in developing cooperation with
Armenia in various fields, German Ambassador to Armenia Hans-Jochen
Schmidt stated at his meeting with RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.

The press service of the RA Foreign Office reported that during the
meeting the Armenian Premier underlined the small and medium-sized
business crediting program implemented in Armenia by the German KfW
Bank. T. Sargsyan pointed out the program was recognized the best in
this field in 2004-2005.

Tert, Armenia
Nov 14 2009

Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Resolution Depends Not Only on Conflict
Parties, Says U.S. Analyst
14:18 ¢ 14.11.09

Former Special Assistant to U.S. president Mark Medish believes the
adjustment of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict doesn’t depend only on the
conflicting parties.

"As somebody who worked on the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations during
the Clinton Administration, I have long believed that a mutually
acceptable settlement is within reach, but unfortunately opportunistic
political calculations in various capitals have blocked it," former
Senior Director for Eurasian Affairs on the US National Security
Council 2000-2001, who is currently a senior advisor at the Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace said in an interview with
Azerbaijani news agency Trend News.

Speaking about the conditions for stability in the South Caucasus,
Medish stressed that "Basically all conflicts sides have understood
that the path of confrontation is extremely dangerous and not in
anyone’s interest."

He also noticed that "the scars are deep and anxiety remains high. The
consequences of recklessly unfreezing a frozen conflict, as Georgia
and Russia did last year, could be like Pandora’s Box. Therefore
efforts must be re-doubled for negotiated, peaceful resolution of all
regional disputes, with the help of international mediators as much as
needed".

Mr. Medish also commented on U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Philip
Gordon’s doubts that without progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
solution, the Armenia-Turkey Protocols will be ratified by the Turkish
Parliament.

"I find it difficult to predict the behavior of the US Congress and
therefore I would be careful to make statements about other countries’
parliaments. In any case, the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement is to be
welcomed as a step toward regional stabilization and integration,"
mentioned the analyst.