Author: Tigranian Ani

Les Arméniennes préfèrent les Arméniens de la diaspora

ARMENIE-SOCIAL

samedi22 mai 2010, par Krikor Amirzayan/armenews

Une récente enquête sociologique effectuée durant un mois auprès d’un
millier de célibataires en Arménie, Russie, Ukraine, Belarus et
Moldavie révèle que seules 35% des Arméniennes pourraient envisager un
mariage avec des étrangers. Tandis que ces taux sont fort élevés
auprès des Russes et des Ukrainiennes. Dans la même enquête il ressort
que 40% des Arméniennes désirent se marier avec des Arméniens de la
diaspora. D’après une sociologue d’Erévan la raison de cette
préférence réside dans le fait « qu’à la différence des Arméniens
d’Arménie, les Arméniens de la diaspora disposent d’une mentalité
européenne moderne…cette idée est d’ailleurs combinés au fait de
vivre à l’étranger… ». Une bonne part des Arméniennes rêveraient
ainsi de vivre à l’étranger avec un mari d’origine arménienne. Pour
les hommes, 60% des célibataires Arméniens préfèrent avoir une épouse
« Caucasienne » et plus particulièrement (45%) Arménienne. Leur
principale motivation dans ce désir est que « les Arméniennes sont
proches des valeurs familiales ».

Agriculture: officials are satisfied with sheep breeding, shepherds are not

Social | 21.05.10 | 15:33

Photolure

Aziz Tamoyan (left), head of the Yezidi community, and Ashot
Hovhannisyan from the ministry share their concerns on sheep breeding.

By Gayane Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter

Armenia’s Ministry of Agriculture has reported that prices of mutton
and the stock of sheep should be returned to normal soon, following a
situation since late last year that caused prices to double when sheep
were being exported at higher-than-normal rates.

Nearing holiday season last year, mutton rose from 1,500 drams ($3.8)
to 4,000 drams, ($10) p/kilo which was mainly connected with huge
export of sheep from Armenia to Iran. In 2008, 12,000 sheep were
exported – with the number skyrocketing to 147,000 last year.

Aziz Tamoyan, head of the 60,000-member Yezidi community in Armenia
(an ethnic minority native of the former Kurdistan), traditionally
involved in sheep breeding, says that, in fact, about 300,000 sheep,
including ewes (adult female sheep) have been exported. Ashot
Hovhannisyan, Head of the Department of Animal Husbandry at the
Ministry of Agriculture, however, insists that only rams (adult male
sheep) were exported, and he says that the situation is being resolved
now, as the sheep birthing season has begun.

`If ewes were sold, the number of sheep livestock would not increase,’
Hovhannisyan says, adding that current population is only about 20,000
less than this time last year.

Currently mutton price at Yerevan’s markets is about 3,000 drams, and
in the provinces a whole lamb is sold at about 25,000 drams ($64)
(about 2,500 drams per a kilo) instead of the previous 4,000
($10)drams per a kilo.
Tamoyan says that `everything is settled,’ now sheep export is
stopped, but Yezidis have problems connected with recovery of their
former sheep livestock.

`Yezidis were deceived with high prices and sold about 90 percent of
their sheep livestock, hoping that later they would buy new animals.
But now sheep are very expensive,’ Tamoyan says, adding that he turned
to different banks in Armenia asking for loans for Yezidis, however,
he was refused as currently the crediting in the agricultural sector
is considered to be risky in Armenia.

Aysor, Armenia
May 22 2010

No question of surrendering the territories

`There is no question of surrendering the territories to Azerbaijan,’
Armenia’s Defense Minister Sehran Ohanian told reporters Saturday at
the exhibition of the Armenian Military Industrial Complex production,
taking place at the Defense Ministry in Yerevan.

Minister refused to comment the resolution 2216, passed by the
European Parliament, containing an article on `necessity to withdraw
the Armenian Armed Contingents from the occupied Azerbaijani
territories.’

Sehran Ohanian said that there are not any `occupied Azerbaijani
territories’ and stressed that there is not question of the
surrendering the territories.

EVGENI KIRILOV: EUROPE SHOULD DO MORE TO RESOLVE THE NAGORNO-KARABAKH DISPUTE

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 20, 2010 – 20:18 AMT 15:18 GMT

Europe’s relations with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia were debated
at European Parliament in Strasbourg on Thursday 20 May.

Bulgarian Socialist MEP Evgeni Kirilov who has drafted a report on the
issue and Czech MEP Milan Cabrnoch who heads Parliament’s delegation
for relations with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia expressed their
views on the issue. Mr Kirilov stated that "sometimes we tend to
forget that South Caucasus is in Europe". He went on to say that
"once the security improves the conditions for development of these
three countries will generally be much better, but also conditions
for progress towards a European integration would exist".

He sees this as requisite for the opening of negotiations on an
Association Agreement covering trade between the EU and these
countries.

On whether the three countries could ever be in the European Union
Milan Cabrnoch stated that "it depends on how we look at the European
Union. If we look at the EU as a voluntary and mutually beneficial
union of countries which have a common interest in the free flow of
capital, goods, services and persons… I believe that nothing should
prevent these countries to become one day members of such a community
based on these four freedoms – if they fulfil the criteria". Mr
Kirilov said that the EU "hasn’t been active enough so far" and "it
should contribute to much bigger presence of the EU in the region". He
noted that the eruption of the Russia – Georgia conflict had made it
imperative for the EU to involve itself more actively in the region.

He also believes Europe should do more to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh
dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Apart from conflict resolution, Milan Cabrnoch underlined the
importance of "energy security, support to democracy, the safeguarding
of human rights and freedom of media", official website of European
Parliament reported.

KAZAKHSTAN’S OSCE CHAIRMANSHIP SHADED

Panorama.am
16:08 21/05/2010

Comments

A number of resolutions were passed Wednesday and Thursday at the
37th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization
of the Islamic Conference(OIC), some of them including anti-Armenian
colorings. Particularly, one of the resolutions labels Armenia as
aggressor, according to Azerbaijan.

We find it necessary to state (especially Baku had better understand
this) that ‘aggressor’ is a legal term, a notion in the modern
international law which supposes illegal use of force by one state, in
contravention of the UN Charter, against another state’s territorial
integrity and political independence. Aggression always assumes
initiative.

Can any of the OIC member states mention a date when Armenia
implemented aggression against another state? Of course, they can’t.

Had such a thing occurred, the UN Security Council would have raised
the issue and would have adopted a corresponding resolution to be
followed by corresponding actions. Such a thing has never occurred. UN
Security Council has adopted 4 resolutions on Nagorno-Karabakh and
in all 4 it called on Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh to take certain
actions.

That is to say, any document endorsed by the OIC does not practically
cost a penny. We can understand that Azerbaijani authorities and
official propaganda will use it for solving domestic conflicts (first
of all, in the context of the upcoming parliamentary elections). A
question arises here: why do the OIC member states, including a
number of influential states with internationally serious mission,
give in to Azerbaijan’s blackmailing?

In non-official talks representatives of the Islamic states explain
that their passive stance over Turkey’s and Azerbaijan’s similar
projects is conditioned by the factor of the Islamic solidarity.

Note that this is not the first time and it does not come to be new at
all, as the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem is trying to use "the factor of
the Islamic solidarity" for its own interests. But if previously the
"factor" could not have an impact on Nagorno-Karabakh settlement,
today the situation has changed, namely, by the simple fact that
Kazakhstan is chairing the OSCE currently.

It’s not a secret that the Minsk Group, conducting a mediating mission
over the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, has been established in the frames
of the OSCE and it is this very organization that actually makes
decisions on the conflict.

Since January, 2010, for the first time a post-Soviet state,
Kazakhstan, has been trusted the OSCE chairmanship. Prior to this,
as Kazakhstan’s chairmanship was being considered, official Ankara
assured through diplomatic and non-formal ways that it will adopt
a balanced and neutral position over all the disputed issues,
including Nagorno-Karabakh. The Armenian side took these affirmations
as a responsible stance (otherwise, only with Armenia being against
would be enough for non-approval of Kazakhstan chairmanship). Kazakh
President Nursultan Nazarbayev promised to contribute to the settlement
of the conflicts during Kazakhstan chairmanship, followed by FM Kanat
Saudabayev’s regional visit, contacts with the sides and mediators.

However, after promising impartial, balanced and neutral stance,
Kazakhstan not only neglected the circumstance of being an OSCE chair,
but also its membership to the Collective Security Treaty Organization
(CSTO) and being Armenia’s ally within the CSTO framework, and again
yielded to Azerbaijan’s lie, veiled with "Islamic solidarity."

One could wonder whether Kazakhstan is intent to reaffirm its neutral
disposition and willingness to contribute to the Karabakh settlement.

And if yes, how? We tried to find the answers to these questions
at Kazakhstan’s Embassy in Armenia. Our interlocutor-diplomat first
assured that he has no information on the voting and then expressed
doubt that "Kazakhstan might have remained abstinent." You should
agree that the answers cannot serve as confirmation of neutrality and
the efficiency of Kazakhstan’s OSCE chairmanship could henceforth be
considered shady.

By the way, recently neighbor Iran had also offered mediation over
Nagorno-Karabakh. Iran is also OIC member and it also avoids opposing
the "Islamic solidarity."

It’s beyond discussion that both Kazakhstan and Iran and the other
Islamic states like Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, could oppose, of course.

MEDVEDEV MAKES SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO KARABAKH ISSUE

Aysor
May 21 2010
Armenia

"Russia as a Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group is contributing to the
settlement to the Karabakh conflict. In terms of the constrictive
position it doesn’t matter where and when the certain positions
were expressed," said Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
commenting Russian President Medvedev’s statements made in Turkey.

In particular, at the press conference reporters asked Nalbandian to
pay an attention to what they described as "Russia makes statements
on Nagorno Karabakh while Ankara keeps on linking the normalisation
of relations with Armenia to the settlement to the Karabakh conflict."

"You know that Russian President, Mr Medvedev, who initiated a range
of meetings between Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents, significantly
contributes to the efforts of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs. And it’s
natural for Russian President to express his readiness to continue
making efforts and contribute to the process of settlement to the
conflict," added Nalbandian.

FIRST AND FOREMOST TASK IN EXPANDING ARMENIA-ARGENTINA PARTNERSHIP IS PROMOTION OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

NOYAN TAPAN
MAY 20, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 20, NOYAN TAPAN. Newly appointed Ambassador of Argentina
to RA Miguel Angel Cuneo handed his credentials to RA President Serzh
Sargsyan on May 20.

Congratulating the Ambassador S. Sargsyan said that Armenia rates
as important the relations with Argentina and is interested in their
further development. Mentioning that Armenia founded the first Embassy
in South America in Argentina he stressed that the mutual relations
develop in an atmosphere of confidence. S. Sargsyan expressed hope that
the newly appointed Ambassador will make a considerable contribution
in further strengthening of the partnership and assured that he will
receive support by Armenian state structures during his mission.

Miguel Angel Cuneo said that Argentina rates as important deepening
comprehensive relations with Armenia, the evidence of which is the
foundation of the first embassy in the region in Yerevan, the official
opening of which will take place on May 21 with the participation of
Foreign Minister of Argentina J. Taiana. The Ambassador also said that
he took part in the activities on establishment of Armenia-Argentina
relations in 1992 and in elaboration of the protocol on establishment
of diplomatic relations between Argentina and Armenia and carries
out it at present.

The interlocutors considered promotion of economic activity as
a primary task for expanding Armenia-Argentina partnership. They
mentioned that bilateral legal-contractual field is rather large,
which is a good ground for developing economic partnership.

Argentine Armenian community’s contribution to development of mutual
relations was stressed, RA President’s press office reported. It
was also mentioned that the local Armenians are actively involved
in Argentine public life’s various spheres, and many of them have
achieved much success.

Speaking about partnership by many-sided formats S. Sargsyan highly
assessed Argentina’s balanced approach in the issue of Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement.

HELSINKI COMMITTEE PRESIDENT SLAMS "ELITE SCHOOLS FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE COUNTRY’S ELITE"
Sona Avagyan

2010/05/20

Avetik Ishkhanyan, head of Armenia’s Helsinki Committee, said today
that those supporting the idea of foreign language schools in Armenia
had distorted the views of himself and others who see a danger in the
new educational policy and call for pupils to first get a sufficient
grounding in the Armenian language.

"Back in the 1980’s, when Armenian language schools were being closed
and Russian schools opened, the answer given to those sounding the
warning that the Armenian language was under threat was, ‘So, are you
against learning foreign languages?’", he argued, adding that no one
who opposes the plan has ever said that they are against learning a
foreign language.

"I totally agree that the more languages a pupil learns the better.

But a child’s primary public education should begin with the mother
tongue, to serve as a base to learn other languages and subjects. If
the government cannot guarantee an adequate educational level for all
subjects, including languages, then it should resign," Mr. Ishkhanyan
said.

He argued that there was a desire for independence during the Soviet
era in those peoples who had retained and nurtured their native
languages, Georgia and the Baltic states, for example. The children
of those countries hardly attended Russian-language schools at all,
he claimed.

Commenting on the Armenian government’s plan to allow for foreign
language schools to operate in the country, Mr. Ishkhanyan described
the plan as "a substantial blow to the state body of independent
Armenia.

"It’s a complex. People who suffer these quirks now hold government
posts. They cannot break free. They do not believe in the future of
Armenia, in the Armenian government. Thus they want to build these
elite schools for their kids. I just cannot understand how any
independent nation could ever tolerate such an education minister
like we have here, someone who wants to open these schools. But,
I am convinced that he has the backing of the government in this. We
have no need for such a government," Mr. Ishkhanyan concluded.

NKR VOTES 2010: CANDIDATES FOR PARLIAMENT SEATS UNITED IN UNCOMPROMISING STANCE ON KARABAKH SETTLEMENT
Naira Hayrumyan

ArmeniaNow correspondent
20.05.10

This coming weekend Karabakh will see its fifth parliamentary elections
since gaining de-facto independence from Azerbaijan. Judging by
the opinion polls, nothing will change in Karabakh’s foreign policy
positions after the May 23 vote.

Experts say that in conditions of the unresolved conflict with
Azerbaijan and a ‘besieged fortress’ status Karabakh Armenians have
formed a single uncompromising position on the Karabakh settlement
and decided not to wage tough election campaigns on this aspect. As
a result, the elections are of purely ‘personified’ nature and their
results are of interest to their immediate participants. For ordinary
people in Karabakh nothing will change after the elections as only
a slight realignment of political forces is likely to take place.

The Sociometer center conducted a survey in Nagorno-Karabakh in April
to try to gauge voter preferences ahead of the legislative polls.

According to the survey, the Free Homeland party is likely to get 13
seats in the 33-seat parliament of Karabakh, the Democratic Party of
Artsakh –

11 seats, ARF Dashnaktsutyun – five seats, the remaining four seats
are likely to be won by candidates with no party affiliations.

Since these same parties now already hold parliamentary seats, it can
be concluded that nothing will change in the shape of Karabakh politics
– probably there will be fewer Democrats, a few more supporters of
Free Homeland and Dashnaks. All of them supported the candidature of
the incumbent president Bako Sahakyan during the 2007 presidential
election campaign.

This suggests that the positions of Karabakh after the elections will
not change, especially regarding the Karabakh settlement. As many
as 85 percent of the Sociometer survey respondents said they did not
intend to make concessions to Azerbaijan, and only 2.9 percent said
they would agree to cede some territories in exchange for a status. As
many as 93 percent of the respondents said they categorically opposed
the return of Azerbaijanis. Moreover, more than half of the people of
Karabakh trust a solution to the Karabakh problem to Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan and Karabakh President Bako Sahakyan. (6.8 percent
trust Armenia’s and Karabakh’s former president Robert Kocharyan on
that account.)

A total of 82 candidates on the lists of four parties, including Free
Homeland, the Democratic Party of Artsakh, the Communist Party and
the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, are vying for 17 parliamentary
seats according to the proportional system of representations. Another
44 candidates seek 16 MP positions in single-mandate constituencies.

The Free Homeland party ticket led by Karabakh Prime Minister Ara
Harutyunyan includes 35 candidates. The list of the Democratic Party
of Artsakh led by current Parliament Speaker Ashot Ghulyan includes
32 candidates. The two other parties, ARF Dashnaktsutyun and the
Communist Party have submitted slates consisting of ten and five
candidates, respectively.

A total of 273 district election commissions have been formed, of
which one in Yerevan, at the permanent mission of Nagorno-Karabakh
in Armenia. The list of voters in Karabakh includes 94,900 eligible
voters, or about 66 percent of the official total population of the
republic. The election will be considered valid with a secured 25
percent turnout. The hurdle for political parties to get into the
legislative body has been lowered from 10 to 6 percent.

Meanwhile, international observers are arriving in Karabakh. The former
special envoy of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) to the Caucasus, representative of the Paris office of
the Institute for Democracy and Cooperation Maurice Bonneau arrived
on Wednesday. Chairman of the NKR Central Election Commission of
NKR Sergey Nasibyan reported that between 60 and 70 international
observers are expected to arrive, in particular from Russia, the
United States, Germany, Italy, Greece, Great Britain, France, Ireland,
the Czech Republic, Denmark, Kyrgyzstan, Argentina. Journalists from
17 international and 15 local media have already been accredited,
but it is expected that the number of journalists who will arrive to
cover the Karabakh elections will reach 50-60. A delegation from the
Central Election Commission of Armenia is also due to be in Karabakh.

During his visit to Yerevan last week the Turkish president of the
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) Mevlut Cavusoglu said
that in response to the application by the Speaker of the Karabakh
Parliament, the PACE Bureau decided not to send observers to the
parliamentary elections in Karabakh.

MICROSOFT OFFICE 2010 TO BE SOLD IN ARMENIA STARTING JUNE

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 20, 2010 – 17:25 AMT 12:25 GMT

Director of Microsoft Armenia Grigor Barseghyan said that Armenian
users will have the opportunity to purchase Microsoft Office 2010
software starting June 2010.

He added that corporative clients are already using the new software.

"Trial version of Microsoft Office 2010 has been available on the
company’s site for several months already, and it will be possible to
get acquainted with numerous changes and innovations until October,"
Mr. Barseghyan said.

Common versions of the software will cost around $150, including
licenses for three users, while Microsoft Office 2010 Enterprise will
cost around $500-600.

Mr. Barseghyan also reminded that Windows 7 operating system is sold
at Yerevan shops for AMD 24 500. It comprises software packages,
including antivirus software.