Author: Topchian Jane

SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF OSCE PA PRESIDENT GORAN LENNMARKER TO VISIT AZERBAIJAN, SEPTEMBER 1

Azeri Press Agency
Aug 28 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Lachin Sultanova – APA. Goran Lennmarker, special rapporteur
of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on the situation in Georgia and South
Ossetia will visit Azerbaijan on September 1. APA reports quoting
Regnum that the visit will take place within the framework of his
travel to the South Caucasus. Following his visit to Azerbaijan,
Goran Lennmarker will visit Armenia and Georgia.

Goran Lennmarker will make report on the situation in Georgia at the
meeting of OSCE PA in Toronto on September 18-21.

Goran Lennmarker was appointed special rapporteur on the situation
in Georgia and South Ossetia on August 16. He is also the special
representative of OSCE PA President for Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

Before Goran Lennmarker had been special rapporteur of OSCE PA for
Nagorno Karabakh and President of the Parliamentary Assembly for
two years.

LASER PHYSICS: FINDINGS FROM A. ISHKHANYAN ET AL IN LASER PHYSICS REPORTED

Science Letter
August 26, 2008

According to a study from Armenia, "The weak nonlinearity limit of the
second-harmonic generation in a medium with variable second-order
susceptibility, changing along the direction of propagation of
interacting waves according to the hyperbolic secant law, is
considered."

"It is shown that the variation of the second harmonic’s normalized
intensity with the spatial coordinate is given in terms of the solution
to an auxiliary linear problem, which is known as the Rosen-Zener
quantum two-level model. The final intensity of the second harmonic
at the exit from the medium is calculated and analyzed," wrote
A. Ishkhanyan and colleagues (see also Laser Physics).

The researchers concluded: "It is shown that, for the particular
Rosen-Zener profile under consideration, because of its inherent
properties, the variation range of the peak susceptibility of the
layer for which the medium can be strictly considered as weakly
nonlinear is narrower than the corresponding parameter range for a
homogeneous medium."

Ishkhanyan and colleagues published their study in Laser
Physics (Second-harmonic generation in a layer with variable
susceptibility. Laser Physics, 2008;18(7):886-893).

For more information, contact A. Ishkhanyan, Armenian National Academy
Science, Institute Physics Research, Ashtarak 0203 2, Armenia.

Publisher contact information for the journal Laser Physics is:
Maik Nauka, Interperiodica, Springer, 233 Spring St., New York,
NY 10013-1578, USA.

EU ENVOY MEETS ARMENIAN LEADERS, OPPOSITION

168 Zham
Aug 26 2008
Armenia

Peter Semneby, the EU special representative for the South Caucasus,
arrived in Yerevan from Tbilisi on a brief informal visit yesterday
[25 August] and met Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, National
Security Council secretary Artur Baghdasaryan, Armenia’s first
President Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the secretary of the Heritage party
faction in parliament, Stepan Safaryan, and the heads of several
non-governmental organizations.

The EU office in Yerevan said that domestic political issues and
regional issues were discussed at the meetings. Semneby asked the
opposition members to brief him on the pace of the [implementation]
of the Council of Europe resolution 1620, and in particular, how
the government was responding to their calls for freeing political
prisoners.

Sanctioning of rallies was also discussed. They were very concerned
about the recent violence against journalists and the fact that the
perpetrators go unpunished.

FAMILY FOOTSTEPS

The Age, Australia
/family-footsteps/2008/08/27/1219516547702.html
Au g 28 2008

Joanna Kambourian travels to Armenia, the country her
great-great-grandfather fled.

Memo to the recently unemployed Big Brother workforce: it may have been
called reality television but endless footage of vacuous bimbos sharing
spas with knockabout blokes has sod-all to do with reality. Family
Footsteps brings a refreshing dose of real life to prime time.

Tonight, graphic artist Joanna Kambourian travels from northern
NSW to Armenia, the country her great-great-grandfather fled under
a cloud of shame after World War I. It’s a journey of discovery as
she learns about life in a tiny village and the family history her
own father never knew.

Some aspects could have been better explained. How did she come to
be on the show? How was the host family selected? Who decided their
schedule? All up, though, this is an excellent story, sensitively
told – unless you have a weak stomach. Pig’s trotter soup, anyone?

310 TRUCKS FROM GEORGIA TO MOVE TO ARMENIA

Panorama.am
13:53 26/08/2008

29 wagons of wheat which had moved out of Georgia the day before are
already in Gyumri now, the press secretary of Ministry of Transport
and Communication Susanna Tonoyan told panorama.am.

The loads were sent to Armenia tonight by a railway passing up
the exploded bridge in Gori. Now 21 more lorries are in Sadakhlo
customs-point situated at Armenia-Georgia state border.

S. Tonoyan also said 310 wagons are now on their way to Armenia; 117
of them carry wheat, 123 wagons import different types of commodities
and 10 wagons, which have already reached Khashuri station, are to
bring oil. In addition, 2800 tonnes of petrol and 3000 tonnes of
wheat have been imported into the port of Poti.

FORECAST: POLITICAL SCIENTIST DELYAGIN: GEORGIA ACCOMPLISHED ITS ENDS; POST-WAR ANALYSIS: THINGS LOOK DEFINITELY BLEAK FOR RUSSIA
by Mikhail Delyagin

WPS Agency
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
August 25, 2008 Monday
Russia

The operation was apparently charted by American analysts aiming to
draw Russia into the conflict, compromise it as an aggressor, and have
the international community take over in the matter of South Ossetia
and Abkhazia. The international community in its turn would have made
an emphasis on territorial integrity of Georgia and been thoroughly
anti-Russian because the West needed the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline.

Russia in its turn will be threatened with international sanctions. It
is already drawn into conflicts with Ukraine (where it is so bad
that the Russian naval base might be left without electric power)
and with the West, the latter as united as it was in the episode with
Milosevic not long ago.

Georgia and Ukraine will be granted Membership Action Plan this
December. Moreover, the Alliance will protect them as though its
own members. Ukraine will become a full NATO member in 2011-2012,
Georgia in 2009-2010.

South Stream is history, Nord Stream suspended. Advanced European
countries have enough gas to last them 3-4 month, sufficient for
them to suspend gas import from Russia and foment a technological
and financial breakdown of the latter.

Russia’s position will be further weakened by new provocations in Gori:
servicemen of the Georgian army wearing Russian battle fatigues will
loot the township in front of TV cameras. Russia will send its army
back to restore order but the West will see it as another aggression
against Georgia following a provocation. Gori residents had better
be ready for pogroms.

Unbelievably inefficient as it is, Russian bureaucracy will be
compelled to abandon South Ossetia and Abkhazia. This act will only
facilitate the process of driving Russian-speakers out of the Caucasus
and disappearance of Moscow’s clout with the region.

Absence of the attempts to bomb the Rok Tunnel out of existence
reveals Saakashvili’s true intents. The Georgians pulled it off
and accomplished their ends including physical extermination of
the population of Tskhinvali where the death toll varies between
1,500 and 1,690. It cost the Georgians of course (almost 400 KIAs,
and 1,000 to 1,500 wounded), but it was worth it all the same.

It seems that Saakashvili got guarantees of two sorts. Representatives
of the US Administration promised him political and information
support (and kept the promise particularly in the first hours and
days when Georgia as the aggressor was particularly vulnerable). US
medium-level officials close to neo-Conservatives on the other hand
gave him guarantees of military aid. These latter had no rights to
promise anything like that as Saakashvili eventually discovered to
his dismay (hence his hysterics and use of the tie for munchies).

All the same, Saakashvili became a national hero at home and secured
unconditional support in the West. He will be given up to $2.5 billion
for revival of the national economy before long. The Georgian army
will be modernized and, 2-3 years later, become the strongest in the
region – even stronger than the Russian army. (It will happen more
or less by the moment Russia has been bullied into abandonment of
South Ossetia and Abkhazia.)

And yes, count on an attempt by the Azerbaijani regular army to settle
the score with the Armenians and conquer Nagorno-Karabakh this autumn.

NO RA CITIZENS IN CRASHED PLANE

armradio.am
25.08.2008 15:56

A passenger jet carrying 90 people crashed shortly after takeoff
Sunday near the Kyrgyz capital, killing 65.

The Boeing 737-200 was headed to Iran when it crashed near Bishkek’s
Manas International Airport. Twenty-two people, including two crew
members, survived.

Among the survivors were seven out of 17 members of a basketball
team from a school in the capital Bishkek. However, it was said later
that the athletes were volleyball, not basketball players. Eighteen
survivors were in hospital and four others were sent home with no
serious injuries.

Kyrgyzstan’s Prime Minister Igor Zudinova informed that 51 of the
passengers were foreigners, including citizens of Iran, Turkey
and Canada.

Head of Media Relations Division of RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Tigran Balayan informed that according to official information there
were no citizens of the Republic of Armenia in the Boeing 737-200
that crashed in Bishkek.

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH COMPETING FOR FOREIGN COUNTRIES?
By Geoff Calkins

Scripps News
Aug 22 2008
DC

She stood during the national anthem, stood with her hands clasped
behind her back, listening respectfully, just like the other Americans.

Except she was not like the other Americans.

They wore the red, white and blue of the United States women’s
basketball team.

She wore the red and white of Russia.

She grew up in South Dakota, but was playing for Russia.

She was raised in the shadow of Mount Rushmore, but would spend the
next 40 minutes trying to defeat the United States.

How could that have possibly felt? Surely, she had some mixed feelings.

"Absolutely not," said Becky Hammon. "This was a big game because it
was a semifinal game in the Olympics, not necessarily because of me
and the whole United States thing."

The United States thing.

Meaning, it’s her country. Hammon is by every real definition an
American.

She grew up here, she lives here, she considers it home.

"I know where my heart lies," she said, and she didn’t mean
Vladivostok.

So why did Hammon try her darndest to lead Russia to victory over
the United States Thursday?

Because, well, it paid better.

CSKA Moscow signed Hammon to a four-year contract worth $2 million. One
of the conditions of the deal is that she plays for Russia in the
Olympics.

"She made a great business decision," said Anne Donovan, the United
States coach, and Hammon is not the only one. Everywhere you look at
these Olympics, athletes who grew up in one country are suiting up
for another one.

All five members of the American table tennis team are from China. The
Swedish wrestler who was stripped of his bronze medal the other day
is from Armenia.

The Georgian beach volleyball team is from Brazil. Benjamin Boukpeti
grew up in France but won a medal for Togo.

"Unfortunately," said Boukpeti, "I’ve been to Togo only once when I
was very young."

Once?

That’s practically a lifetime these days. Haley Nemra is a runner
for the Marshall Islands who has never been to the Marshall Islands.

Rashid Ramzi won a gold medal in the 1,500 for Bahrain. Bahranians
everywhere were bursting with pride, at least until Ramzi declared that
"I am Moroccan."

Why get hung up on nationality, anyway? Why get hung up on math?

Irving Saladino grew up in Brazil, won a gold medal in the long jump
for Panama, and was asked what exactly he considers himself.

"Fifty percent Brazil, fifty percent Panama, but more Panama," he said.

At these Olympics, maybe even that makes sense. All you need is a
passport to compete for the team of your choice.

What do you want to be today? Romanian? Costa Rican? What colors go
best with your eyes? Finnish blue? Swedish yellow?

So here came Hammon, into this world of global free agency, deciding
to play for Russia. It might have worked out OK except Donovan,
the United States women’s coach, called her a traitor.

Which is preposterous, of course. Hammon is just a basketball
player. She doesn’t have the designs to our newest nuclear submarine.

And yet it just feels wrong, you know?

If nationalities don’t matter at all at the Olympics, why do they
play anthems? Why do they raise flags? Why do they keep medal counts?

Athletes are supposed to compete for themselves at world
championships. They’re supposed to compete for their countries at
the Olympics.

When we’re cheering Michael Phelps, we’re not just cheering Michael
Phelps. We’re cheering the land that produced him.

That’s why people stop and pay attention every four years. That’s
why the United States women’s team spent the better part of their
pre-game meal Thursday talking about Hammon.

"We had a debate," said Lisa Leslie.

And?

"It’s complicated," she said.

Why hold Hammon to a standard that doesn’t apply to anyone else? The
American women’s volleyball team is coached by one of the best players
in Chinese history. Herb Brooks coached the French hockey team after
he coached the United States to a gold. If Mr. Miracle on Ice can
try to defeat the Unites States, why can’t Hammon?

She can, of course. That’s one of her rights as an American. Just as
it was the right of the women on the United States team to make it
clear they wouldn’t have made the same decision.

"I couldn’t do what she did," said Kara Lawson.

Why not?

"I just couldn’t."

But what if – like Hammon – there was no guarantee you’d make the
United States team?

"I had no idea if I’d make it," said Lawson. "I was on the bubble. But
if I didn’t make it, I’d know I tried my best and I’d cheer for
my country."

She shrugged. To each their own, and all that. But it was clear
the American women had resolved they weren’t going to let Hammon
beat them. They trapped her whenever she got the ball. They didn’t
exchange pleasantries.

"She said something to me at one point but I just kept right on going,"
said Leslie. "I tell you, Becky was a Russian today."

For the longest time, the Russians hung in there, too. The game was
tied well into the third quarter.

Then the Americans did what the Americans tend to do and won easily,
67-52.

So all’s well that ends well, right?

No harm, no foul. The Americans won. The Russians lost. Hammon wished
the Americans the best in Saturday’s gold medal game.

"She told us to bring it home," said Fowles.

Wherever that is.

FALL ARTS PREVIEWS: OCTOBER

San Francisco Chronicle
i?f=/c/a/2008/08/22/PKCQ12BVLG.DTL
Aug 22 2008
CA

Isabel Bayrakdarian: The superb Armenian Canadian soprano returns with
the Armenian Orchestra and conductor Eduard Topchjan for a program
highlighting the Armenian composer Komitas Vardapet. Oct. 4. Herbst
Theatre, 401 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. (415) 392-2545,
www.performances. org.

WHAT WILL THE UNIFICATION OF TAX AND CUSTOMS SERVICE GIVE
Vasak Tarposhyan

Hayots Ashkharh Daily
21 Aug 2008
Armenia

As we know by President Serge Sargsyan’s decree the Customs State
Committee and Tax State Committee merge into one State Income
Committee.

During the recent years the issue of the reunification of tax and
customs service has always been discussed. But for different reasons
no practical steps were taken in that regard. For the last 7 years
tax and customs services have been working separately. If in terms
of the collection of tax entries it did show some good results,
the same can’t be said about the improvement of the economic field.

There were lots of failings in tax and customs system, which required
a review. The role of these two structures is especially important
in terms of the provision of economic rivalry and the formation
of an equal field, whereas the situation in Armenia in that regard
is far not a secret. And one of the main reasons is that these two
structures used to function separately, sometimes giving chance for the
formation of shadow economy and the intensification of disproportionate
competitive relations.

Undeniably, by separated structure, during the previous years the tax
officers ensured significant growth of entry: the average yearly growth
of income fluctuates within 25-30%. But nevertheless the percentage
of tax collection in gross domestic product i s significantly small
in Armenia. Actually during the recent one-two years this index is
being improved, but it still remains very small as compared with not
only the developing but also regional countries.

If in Georgia tax-GDP ratio reaches 24-25%, in Armenia, as of the
last year’s results it made up 16,1%. Of course a serious growth
is predicted for this year. But it will never solve the issue of
overcoming the obstacles created in economy and tax system.

The issue of the low level of tax-GDP ratio in Armenia was permanently
raised by international financial organizations. Of course there are
certain objective reasons for that. But it is a fact that the growth
of shadow economy is the main one.

No matter how the previewed indexes of the tax income were permanently
completed during the recent years, the separate functioning of
the tax officers created favorable conditions for the formation of
shadow economy.

And the existence of unequal competitive field is the bases of the
before mentioned.

The issue first of all exists in the tax field, in the sphere of the
realization of imported goods. As a consequence of not coordinated
actions, which was conditioned by the separate functioning of
tax-customs system lots of goods imported to Armenia get lost in
the tax field. By realizing these goods in hidden ways the importers
evade taxes.

As a consequence of all the before mentioned not only does the state
budget, but also the whole economy that loses its competitive
advantages suffer. It serves as a reason for the so-called
"undocumented" commodity circulation, which becomes one of the bases
of the formation of shadow.

The second important factor of the unification of tax-collecting
bodies is the transformation of the goods from the tax field by customs
border. That is to say the export. As we know the export from Armenia
is not only free of taxes but the principle of VAT compensation also
functions. Whereas certain phenomena take place in this process due
to which only the income of the state suffers.

We must also underscore that in Armenia tax and customs services used
to function jointly, as one ministry. But in that status the system
worked for only 2 years, which is naturally a very short term for
the assessment of the productiveness of similar structure.