Author: Tashjian Arbi

Transitions Online, Czech Republic
Jan 5 2010

Making Tracks

by Andy Markowitz; photos by Abbas Atilay, Molly Corso, and Gulnar Novruzova
5 January 2010

A massive railroad project raises cautious hopes for economic
improvement in the South Caucasus. A TOL/EurasiaNet multimedia
presentation.

To politicians, business interests, train-spotters, and international
observers, the planned Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is many things: a new
and improved route for moving cargo through the South Caucasus; a
potential magnet for foreign investment; an example of tightening ties
among Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey; a sharp stick in Armenia’s eye.

But at track-side, the project’s potential impact can be boiled down
to one mantra: jobs, jobs, jobs.

An idea first floated in 1993 after Turkey closed its border with
Armenia, shutting off the existing rail link between Kars, Turkey, and
Gyumri, Armenia, the `BTK’ project was formally launched in 2007. The
$600 million effort aims to establish the South Caucasus as a major
link in the Eurasian transit corridor by building 105 kilometers of
new track from Kars to Akhalkalaki, Georgia, and modernizing the
existing line through Tbilisi to Baku.

Work has proceeded in fits and starts. Both the United States and the
European Union, which previously supported pipeline projects following
similar routes, refused to provide financing for the railway because
it bypassed Armenia. (Azerbaijani oil revenue is instead providing the
lion’s share of the money, including a virtually interest-free $220
million loan to Georgia for its section.) Construction in Georgia was
suspended for a time in 2008 due to environmental issues and the
Ossetia war.

Originally set to go into operation in 2010, the line is now on track
to open in 2011, according to Azerbaijani transport officials. (A
project overview at the rail-industry website railway-technology.com
puts the opening date at late 2012.) Turkey and Armenia’s agreement
last fall to reopen their border does not seem to have put a damper on
the project, which experts predict will triple passenger traffic and
cargo volume on the regional rail network over the next two decades.

On the ground along the route, such financial and political concerns
take a back seat, as residents in towns where the railroad was once a
powerful economic engine look to the BTK to bring badly needed jobs
and boost wages ` or dismiss it is a political ploy to enrich outside
interests. TOL and EurasiaNet sent photographers to three stops on the
line ` Agstafa, Azerbaijan; Tsalka, Georgia; and Kars, the western
terminus ` to take a look at the old railway and ask locals how they
thought the new one might change their lives and communities.

Abbas Atilay and Gulnar Novruzova are freelance photographers in Baku.
Molly Corso is a freelance photographer and reporter based in Tbilisi.
Andy Markowitz is TOL’s multimedia editor.

See map at 1&IdPublication=4&NrIssue=355&NrSectio n=3&NrArticle=21062

ARFD rally scheduled for Jan. 11 on Shahumyan Square
05.01.2010 14:25 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ By the proposal of Yerevan Municipality, ARF
Dashnaktsutyun will hold its January 11 rally near Shahumyan square
vs, cinema Moscow.

Demonstrators will march from the square to Armenia’s Constitutional
Court (CC) to show their protest against RA-Turkish Protocols which
are to be reviewed by the court on January 12.

Gathering near the CC building, the protesters will address their
statements to Chairman of Constitutional Court Gagik Harutyunyan. As
reported by ARFD, the meeting and the march will bring together
representatives from 14 parties which are against the ratification of
the Protocols.

President Serzh Sargsyan’s New Year Address
31.12.2009 23:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ «Dear Fellow Citizens,
I congratulate you on the occasion of New Year and Christmas!
Year 2009 becomes history – with its achievements and losses, with
happy occasions as well as disappointments.
We enter 2010 with new hopes and new plans. They will become reality
through our joint efforts, and I have no doubt that we will succeed.
The passing year, I believe, was momentous with a new stance in
conducting foreign policy, which is defined by coming up with new
initiatives rather than acting in the wake of others’ steps –
initiatives, which are aimed at propelling our country to a new
international height, and opening new horizons.
Today, peace and stability in our region are more steady than one year
ago. Components of that stability are numerous and in each of them
Armenia has its significant and indispensable part. For us the most
important among those components is the maturing Armenian Army which
is safeguarding the Motherland day and night, including this festive
moment, the Army which was built by our immortal martyrs, who brought
our people a victorious peace.
The passing year was also a very important period of engaged
discussions on the issues that concern the entire Armenian nation,
issues regarding the country and the nation. As a result, the world
realized that the Armenian nation is unified around its objectives and
is strong with its sons and daughters.
We should also admit that year 2009 was a real trial for our economy.
We were not able to avoid the dire repercussions of the global
economic and financial crisis, as was not almost any country which is
a part of the world economy. However, we were able to mitigate
possible social upshots of the crisis. The state has fulfilled and
will fulfill next year as well all its social obligations. Armenia’s
image as a reliable partner, who pays her dues on time, allowed us to
receive loans from different international sources. However, we all
understand and we must be the first to build our country, we must
solve our own problems. Be assured that 2010 will become a year of
overcoming the crisis and a new start for economic advancement.
In 2009, in Armenia marriages and births were on the rise. This is
very precious for me and it projects into the future. It testifies to
the fact that our young people have trust in our country, that they
see theirs and their children’s lives here, in Armenia. It speaks
about confidence toward future. States and peoples grow stronger by
this confidence.
Dear Compatriots,
I join in all good wishes and toasts that are being spoken now and
will be spoken in the coming days around our festive tables. Let year
2010 become a year of success for you and your families.
Let our elderly be healthy, happy with the achievements of their
children and grandchildren, enjoy love and respect and well-earned
rest.
Let children and young people make their parents proud with their
successful studies and good behavior and also by their healthy
lifestyle.
Let year 2010 be a year of scientific, artistic and work inspiration,
a year of prosperity.
Let there be peace and security in Armenia and around us.
Let our military men, who proudly and unshakably guard our borders,
serve our Motherland with honor and come home unharmed.
Let year 2010 become a year of triumphant implementation of the
All-Armenian projects for our countrymen and our compatriots abroad
and a year of significant steps forward toward the implementation of
our national agenda.
Happy New Year and Christmas!», said the President of Armenia.

RA FINANCE MINISTER WISHES STABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT TO ARMENIAN PEOPLE IN 2010

PanARMENIAN.Net
29.12.2009 14:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ RA Finance Minister Tigran Davtyan wished stability
and development to the entire Armenian nation in 2010. "Stability
is a key to development and in the coming years Armenia will enjoy
sustainable development," he said.

He also wished a plenty of financial resources to the citizens. "Money
is not the most essential thing in the life, but it’s required to
better address problems," he said.

300 YOUNG PEOPLE RETURNED TO ARMENIA THANKS TO DIASPORA MINISTRY

PanARMENIAN.Net
29.12.2009 15:05 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In 2009, the Ministry of Diaspora had 1300 visitors,
with 1089 being Diaspora representatives, according to Diaspora
Minister Hanush Hakobyan.

Hundreds of people have moved to Armenia over the past year, she told
Tuesday a news conference.

"Initially there were 1100 Iranian-Armenians who established permanent
residence in Armenia. Now their number has decreased to 734, as
many of them preferred to reside in European counties and United
States. In 2010, the Ministry will elaborate a concept on integrating
Iranian-Armenians to RA society," Minister said.

According to her, 300 Armenians returned to their homeland in the
frameworks of "Ari Tun" ("Return Home") project launched by the
Ministry.

"2009 was also productive in terms of opening one day Armenian schools
in Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, France,
Belgium, Macedonia, Estonia, United States Argentina and Ireland.

Activities in that direction continue," Ms. Hakobyan said.

TIGRAN DAVTYAN: OUR COUNTRY HAS OVERCOME THE FINANCIAL-ECONOMIC CRISIS
Hasmik Dilanyan

"Radiolur"
29.12.2009 13:57

The Minister of Finance of Armenia, Tigran Davtyan, summed up the
results of the passing year today.

Our country has overcome the finical-economic crisis, Tigran Davtyan
told a press conference today. According to him, the state has no
social debts and will not have any.

The Minister of Finance promises that the pensions and allowances
will not be late. Those will start being paid from January 5th.

DANGER TO LOSE INDEPENDENCE

Lragir.am
28/12/09

Interview with the doctor of history of art, publicist, Haji Nazeni
Gharibyan

We are summing up the year 2009. How it was in your opinion?

The year 2009 was the year of active return of Russia. Exactly 15
years ago, in 1994, the politician and thinker Tigran Hayrapetyan said
that Russia was returning. At that time, only he was feeling Russia’s
return because he had thoroughly studied what was happening in Russia
and understood the reforms happening there. In fact, beginning from
1994 until today, Russia is slowly returning. During the whole 2009,
I felt Russia’s breath in the region and in Armenia. I think it was
expressed in the home and foreign policies of Armenia.

I determine Russia’s fast return by changed happening in the world
and the deviation of the U.S. policy in Europe, Further and Middle
East, Middle Asia as well as the global economic crisis…all this
is directly connected with the happenings in our region. The latest
events crate grounds to think that Russia is trying to push Azerbaijan
to it. We saw that Azerbaijan started making some minor anti-American
statements when Aliyev met with Medvedev.

In the beginning of the last century, the Russian army made first
Azerbaijan, and then Armenia and Georgia become Soviet members. Now, I
thought that Georgia was to be the first, but now I see that everything
is going in accordance with the same scenario. Now in order to enter
Armenia, Russia has to pass through either Georgia or Azerbaijan. I
would like to stress that by saying our region I mean the Nearest
East which includes South Caucuses, minor Asia and Iran.

During the last twenty years, Turkey is trying to assume a hegemonic
role in this region, though it cannot be a pacifier in the region,
I see that both Russia and U.S. let it become a leading player in
the region. In 2009, the Russians and the Turks again came to an
agreement, and we know from history that their political agreements
come out bad for Armenians.

What do you mean by saying "it will be bad for Armenians"? Do you
mean the return of territories or loss of statehood?

Both can happen. Even genocide is possible: there can be a war,
opening of a new front say in Javakhk.

Factually we are approaching the loss of statehood.

Of course, because independence is not a border, an army, a flag…it
is psychology, conscience, behavior which is expressed in daily
minor things.

And now Russians are coming and we do not even resist, because there
is a vast sphere which says that it was good during the Soviet period.

The second important fact is that Russia is working in connection
with its return through financial aids to Armenia. There have been
numerous events in relation with the Russian-Armenian brotherhood.

What is expected for us without Russians?

The problem is not the friendship. Here we have to make a clear
difference between friendship, alliance and subordination, slavery.

Independence is the best guarantee for any nation to develop and
prosper. This is different from having a strategic partner. We have
witnessed this year what kind of a strategic partner Russia is which
negotiated with Turks in Yerevan with its back turned to us.

What is the reason why they do not see us as equals and our word does
not have a value?

The reason is that our third republic is not formed up to the end.

What do you wish for New Year?

I wish wisdom, return to God, and return to those values which we have
lost. I wish consciousness because the year 2010 is going to be an
Armenian-Turkish, Armenian-Azerbaijani as well as an Armenian-Georgian
year. We do not have the right to have a second Karabakh otherwise
our end will come.

Interview by SIRANUYSH PAPYAN

Aysor, Armenia
Dec 26 2009

Igor Zaitsev wins Moscow Championship

Armenia’s Grand Master Igor Zaitsev won the Veteran Rapid Chess
Championship, and at 7.5 points became a champion, a spokesperson for
the Armenian Chess Federation said.

The championship was held in Russian capital of Moscow and involved 84
participants.

RA Defense Ministry gives the lie to Azeri agitprop
26.12.2009 13:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijan has set online another `documentary’
about Khojaly, where `hospitable and peace-loving Azeris tell about
the tragedy which took place.’

The so-called documentary is full of lies and falsifications, the
Armenian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

`The `documentary’ shows that the residents who fled Khojaly were
shelled at the Armenian village of Nakhijevank. But the fact is that
Nakhijevank which is situated not far from Aghdam was not under
control of Armenian forces in February 1992,’ the Ministry said. `The
`documentary’ ends with a stirring tune and slide of photographs of
alleged victims and witnesses. Actually, one of the photographs
features an injured Armenian child. This photograph was published in
Komsomolets Kuzbassa newspaper of December 5, 1991 relating to an
article titled `Long way to Erkej.’

`We can nothing but advise the Azeri propaganda machine to be more
careful and fake up facts more professionally,’ the Ministry said.

ADC DENIED ARMENTEL’S ACCUSATIONS

news.am
Dec 25 2009
Armenia

ArmenTel company director recently accused ADC of reducing Internet
speed. NEWS.am posts ADC feedback on ArmenTel management’s statement.

"Taking into the account the public interest, as well as journalists’
inquiries with regard to the statement of the General Director of
ArmenTel CJSC (trademark Beeline), Mr. Klimko, publicized recently by
some mass media outlets, we consider it necessary to inform that the
mentioned statement has nothing to do with realty. In the best case
it can be justified only with the fact that the General Director of
ArmenTel is misinformed by his employees.

Simultaneously we inform that ADC internet provider has no agreement
obligations regarding provision of international resources mirroring
services, and based on its customers’ interests, from December 16
ADC implements re-equipment of the network and as a result, the
international resources mirroring services were suspended for all
internet providers in Armenia.

Let us mention that the temporary suspension of the mirror resources
for acting providers was an opportunity to use the same resources
through their own international network channels, that guarantees
uninterrupted access for their customers to the mentioned resources,
which, by the way incidentally, was successfully implemented by such
leading operators as Orange, Viva Cell, Arminco and others. If other
Armenian operators, operating on the territory of the Republic of
Armenia has no resources, then ADC is not and can not be responsible
for that.

To avoid from further misunderstanding, we also inform that last Monday
(2 days before the press conference of Mr. Klimko) ADC has sent a
business offer regarding the opportunities of usage of international
resources mirroring services to number of market subjects, including
ArmenTel.

Being a socially responsible company, ADC calls on the ArmenTel
management to refrain from, to say the least, unfounded allegations,
which theoretically could harm the good name and reputation of our
company."