Author: Tumanian Talar

SOCIETY FOR ARMENIAN STUDIES ELECTS NEW OFFICERS

Armenian Weekly
December 22, 2009

The Society for Armenian Studies (SAS) recently announced its new
Executive Council for 2010, following its annual meeting on Dec. 10
in Boston. The officers are: Prof. Kevork B. Bardakjian, president;
Marc Mamigonian, vice president; Dr. Bedross Der Matossian, secretary;
Hovann Simonian, treasurer; Prof. Richard Hovannisian, councilor;
Sylva Manoogian, councilor; and Prof. Christina Maranci, councilor.

The SAS is grateful to outgoing President Prof. Richard Hovannisian
and to departing Executive Council members Prof. Ara Sanjian and Dr.

Anahid Keshishian for their dedicated service.

During the past year, SAS marked its 35th anniversary with a major
conference at UCLA entitled "Armenian Studies at a Threshold" and a
banquet that highlighted the Society’s record of accomplishments. It
now looks forward to continuing its mission with renewed zeal and
effort, and to expanding its support from the Armenian public.

The SAS was founded in 1974 by a group of scholars from the
universities of California, Columbia, and Harvard on the initiative of
Richard Hovannisian, Dickran Kouymjian, Nina Garsoian, Avedis Sanjian,
and Robert Thomson. It is dedicated to the development of Armenian
studies as an academic discipline.

Its aims are to promote the study of Armenian culture and society,
including history, language, literature, and social, political,
and economic questions; to facilitate the exchange of scholarly
information pertaining to Armenian studies around the world; and to
sponsor panels and conferences on Armenian studies.

The programs of the Society include publication of a newsletter on
its activities and on current research on Armenia; publication of the
Journal of the Society for Armenian Studies; and the encouragement,
sponsorship, and publication of research on all facets of Armenian
culture and society.

The SAS Secretariat is located at the Armenian Studies Program
of California State University, Fresno. For more information,
visit , email
[email protected], or write to Armenian Studies Program,
California State University, Fresno, 5245 N Backer Ave. PB4, Fresno,
CA 93740-8001.

PURCHASE AND SALE TRANSACTIONS OF 19.1 MILLION DOLLARS CONDUCTED AT NASDAQ OMX ARMENIA OJSC ON DECEMBER 22

Noyan Tapan
Dec 22, 2009

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, NOYAN TAPAN. Purchase and sale transactions of
19.1 million dollars at the weighted average exchange rate of 374.93
drams per dollar were conducted at Nasdaq OMX Armenia OJSC on December
22. According to the press service of the Central Bank of Armenia,
the closing price made 374.95 drams.

HAYASTAN ALL-ARMENIAN FUND TO GIFT FURNITURE TO 85 ARTSAKH SCHOOLS

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.12.2009 15:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Hayastan All Armenian Fund’s second major
school-furniture project, launched in August of this year, is nearing
completion. The beneficiaries of the initiative are 85 schools across
Artsakh – including those in the cities of Stepanakert and Shushi as
well as the regions of Askeran, Martakert, Martuni, Hadrut, Shahumyan,
and Kashatagh, the Fund said in a press release.

The campuses will receive various furniture items essential to teachers
and students. The project is sponsored by the Armenia Fund U.S. Western
Region. The donated furniture, which includes more than 1,000 teacher
chairs and 1,300 cabinets, is being manufactured by the HATM company
of Gyumri, Armenia. To date a large proportion of the order has been
fulfilled and shipped to Artsakh. The furniture will be distributed
by the Artsakh Ministry of Education, with priority given to schools
that need immediate assistance.

"High-quality school amenities are of course a prerequisite to
a productive learning environment," said Ara Vardanyan, executive
director of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund. "The new furniture donated
to schools in Artsakh will help ensure creature comforts and ultimately
play its role in contributing to scholastic achievement."

Earlier this year, the Hayastan All Armenian Fund’s French affiliate
sponsored the provision of new furniture to more than 100 schools in
Artsakh. The initiative has resulted in comfortable and well-appointed
classrooms as well as science and computer labs for over 10,000
students.

MINISTER OF EDUCATION HONORS RENOWNED SCHOLARS WITH GOLD COMMEMORATIVE MEDAL

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.12.2009 21:48 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On Tuesday, December 22, Armenia’s Minister of
Education and Science Armen Ashotyan awarded Gold Commemorative Medal
to Professor, Doctor of Biology Armen Galoyan, chair of scientific
council at RA NAS National Biochemistry Academy.

Renowned scholar received the award on the occasion of his 80th
jubilee, as well as for his great contribution to the sphere of
education and science.

Merited scholar, Doctor of History Ruben Mirzakhanyan, Dean of
Faculty of Culture at Armenian State Teachers’ Training University,
also received the same award on the occasion of his 50th jubilee.

"It’s a great honor for me to bestow gold medal on outstanding scholars
enjoying an international reputation," Minister Ashotyan said during
the ceremony.

PETER BALAKIAN PRESENTED "ARMENIAN GOLGOTHA" AT MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE IN NEW YORK CITY

AZG DAILY
22-12-2009

Armenian Genocide

Peter Balakian presented his recently-published English-language
edition of Armenian Golgotha: A Memoir of the Armenian Genocide at the
Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City on December 2. Originally
written in Armenian, the memoir is an eye-witness account of the
Genocide by Armenian Bishop Grigoris Balakian (Peter’s great uncle).

The Museum of Jewish Heritage also has on display an exhibition
titled "The Morgenthaus: A Legacy of Service," which highlights the
contributions of the Morgenthau family to American politics and world
history, in general. As the U.S. ambassador to the Ottoman Empire,
Henry Morgenthau penned one of the most influential accounts of the
Genocide. A tour of the exhibition preceded Peter Balakian’s talk.

CERTAIN SUCCESS IN STRUGGLE AGAINST TRAFFICKING REGISTERED IN ARMENIA PAST OVER 1,5 YEARS

PanARMENIAN.Net
18.12.2009 16:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Over the part 1,5 years, Armenia has reached
certain success in struggle against trafficking due to consistent
governmental policy, head of Migration Service at RA Ministry of
Territorial Administration Gagik Yeghanyan said.

"According to annual U.S. State Department Trafficking in Persons
Report 2009, a certain progress was registered in Armenia," he told
a news conference in Yerevan.

Mr. Yeganyan reminded that on December 5, RA Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian and UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs,
Anwar Gargash signed a memorandum of understanding "On cooperation
against human exploitation".

"The memorandum will allow Armenian and UAE state structures in
charge of the issue to establish direct collaboration to implement
coordinated steps and provide operational information exchange,"
Yeghanyan concluded.

ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI BORDER IS SHUT DOWN BUT NOT FOR THE CATTLE THIEVES

ArmInfo
2009-12-18 11:37:00

Arminfo. Another case of an attempt of the cattle theft has happened
at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. Its footsteps are directly leading
to Azerbaijan.

As press-service of Armenian Police reported, on 16 December about
4:00 AM at Kayanavan village of Tavush region of Armenia the policemen
on duty saw three armed persons, which were stealing cattle towards
the Azerbaijani border. The policemen tried to stop them, but the
thieves started firing at the policemen. The latter replied and the
thieves left the cattle and ran away. The blood footsteps are leading
towards the Azerbaijani border. In the morning the owner of the cattle
applied to the police and told policemen that unknown persons thieved
his horse, 11 cows and 4 sheep. To note, this is not the first case
of theft by the ‘newcomers’ from the neighboring republic.

ARTHUR ABRAHAM WINS GERMAN BOXER OF THE YEAR AWARD

AZG DAILY
18-12-2009

Sport

King Arthur Abraham has crowned another sensational year by winning
the prestigious German Boxer of the Year Award for a record fourth
straight time, FightFan reported December 16.

The 29-year-old Arthur Abrham, who is leading the Super Six World
Boxing Classic tournament following his spectacular KO victory over
Jermain Taylor, received the most votes from the readers of Germany´s
BoxSport Magazine, edging out both Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko yet
again for Germany’s "Boxer of the Year" award.

"I am very grateful. This is a big honor and really means a lot to
me," Abraham said. "I want to thank the fans for their confidence
and support. And I want to thank my coach Ulli Wegner and everyone
at Team Sauerland for helping me to become the boxer I am."

GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA INSTRUCTS ARMENIAN PEACEMAKERS LEAVING FOR AFGHANISTAN

ArmInfo.
2009-12-17 14:07:00

ArmInfo. German Ambassador to Armenia Hans Schmidt visited the Armenian
peacemaking contingent leaving to Afghanistan within the frames of
the international security assistance force in Afghanistan.

German Embassy in Armenia told ArmInfo that before leaving for
Afghanistan, the Armenian peacemakers will undergo a 3-week training
in Germany. In January 2010 the Armenian military group will leave
for Afghanistan as part of the German peacemaking subdivision.

Armenian peacemakers are currently on a mission to Kosovo.

IRANIAN "THINK TANKS"
Sevak Sarukhanyan

"Noravank" Foundation
17 December 2009

The general number of the "think tanks" functioning in Iran is about
200. Most of them work in the form of non-governmental organizations
or institutions affiliated to the universities. Their number is
about 100; their activity is boosted by the state which is concerned
with the development of the analytical or, as the Iranians call it,
"philosophical" thought.

But there are not too many serious and influential "think tanks"
which directly work for the needs of the state bodies. They
either function under the state structures or have a status of
non-governmental organizations but, as a rule, they are managed by
the former high-ranking state officials and directly or indirectly
are financed by the state. At the same time many of the experts of
those "think tanks", as a rule, after some period get a job in the
state governing system which provides the creation of the successful
"think tank – state system" connection and has a positive effect on
the efficiency of the decision making by the state.

One of the peculiarities of Iran is that the "think tanks" functioning
on its territory are not financed from abroad; meanwhile the research
and scientific institutions in the sphere of the natural sciences
carry out many international programmes including those supported
from abroad.

The institutions presented below are the most influential "think
tanks" which serve different segments of the state governing system,
carry out many functions deriving from national security and among
them functions of the information character.

"Centre for Strategic Research" It was established in 1989 and was
affiliated to the office of the president of the Islamic Republic of
Iran. In 1997 when A.A.

Hashemi-Rafsanjani left the post of the president the centre was
separated from the President Office and was annexed to the Expediency
Council which has been directed since 1997 by the former president
A.A. Hashemi-Rafsanjani.

The stuff of the centre (including technical stuff) is 25 persons. All
the 10 experts working there are former Ministry of Foreign Affairs
or intelligence employees. In 1997-2009 the centre had been headed
by the former deputy minister of Foreign Affairs Mahmud Vaezi who
in 1989-1997 while working in the Foreign Ministry was responsible
for the policy carried out in Central Asia and South Caucasus, and in
1992-1993 he was a negotiator during the negotiations between Armenia
and Azerbaijan on armistice. Since January 2009 the Centre has been
headed by the former secretary of National Security Supreme Council
of Iran Hassan Ruhani.

The centre is financed within the framework of the Expediency Council
activity which, in its turn, under special clause is financed from
the Iranian budget.

The centre is situated in the north of Tehran, in the neigbourhood
of Niavaran Park – one of the most expensive districts – and it
occupies rather big and well-equipped territory. The Internet address
is

The centre arranges workshops and conferences and most of them are
not international. They are mainly devoted to the developments in the
Persian Gulf and the invited experts are mainly from Arab countries.

Most of the conferences arranged by the centre in recent years have
been devoted to the Iranian issues. Among the participants there are
Shiite political and religious figures.

Most of the publications of the centre are also devoted to the issues
of the Persian Gulf but they, mostly, are of propagandistic character.

Institute for Political and International Studies Unlike Centre for
Strategic Research, the Institute for Political and International
Studies is a more open structure but its impact on political decision
making is incomparably smaller.

As an independent department the institute was established in 1990
under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran and in 1992 it acquired
the status of the Institute which activity is directly managed by the
deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran on Research and Educational
Programmes. The institute and its stuff work on the needs of Diplomatic
Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran.

The number of the employees of the institute is 50 persons and only
half of them are occupied with the research activities. The rest are
the translators, editors, employees dealing with the organizational
and publishing issues. Most of the researchers are lecturers at the
Iranian universities or they work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The institute is fully financed by the government from the means
assigned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The average salary of
the researchers there is $3000.

The institute is situated in the northern part of Tehran, in Tadjrish
district, approximately 1km from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The
Internet address is

One of the main directions of the activity of the institute is the
arrangement of the international conferences. The most well-known
among them are "The Persian Gulf" and "South Caucasus and Central Asia"
conferences arranged in March and October annually and devoted to the
regional developments. The experts dealing with the regional issues
from different parts of the world, including Armenia, are invited to
those conferences.

Most of the materials published are about the results and the
presentations at the conferences and part of them are the academic
books for the students and doctoral candidates of the Diplomatic
Academy.

Let us mention that activity of the institute is mainly of
propagandistic character. Most of the conferences arranged there
become a tribune for the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran to make
statements regarding foreign policy; connections which, according
to reliable sources, very often have a financial component, are
established with the foreign specialists.

"National Studies Institute" The "National Studies Institute" (NSI) was
established in Iran in 1997 in order to implement researches connected
with the national identity, religious and national minorities. The NSI
is a non-governmental and non-beneficial institution but, according
to reliable information, it is financed by the Ministry of Internal
Affairs of Iran, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Information
(National Security Ministry).

15 employees work in NSI and most of them are involved in the works
of technical character. The activity of the institute is provided
by the researchers and specialists from other institutions who carry
out researches concerning the national identity and minorities.

The NSI is actively involved in drafting educational programmes for
the educational institution in the places of residence of national
minorities. The main purpose of those educational programmes is the
discussion and the presentation of the issues of national identity in
the form which provides the reduction of separatism and nationalist
manifestations and cultivates general Iranian self-identity. Those
works are carried out rather competently because from formal point
of view they are directed to raising the self-identity and not to
its decrease.

The director of the institute is the Professor of the University of
Tehran Ali Karimi.

The institute has its web-site:

The NSI actively cooperates with the foreign specialist on Iranian
studies, arranges their visits to Iran and finances their studies
regarding issues of national identity. The most active contacts are
established with German and Dutch specialists on Iranian studies and
it is partially conditioned by the big Iranian communities in Germany
and the Netherlands.

"International Institute for Caspian studies" "International
Institute for Caspian Studies" (IICS) is one of the biggest and most
influential "think tanks" in Iran. From structural point of view it is
non-governmental and consulting organization which carries out studies
regarding political, legal and energy issues of the Caspian Sea. But
the activity of the IICS is not simply confined to that because the
general energy policy and strategy principles are elaborated there;
the functions which proceed from the foreign policy line of Iran
are implemented.

The institute was established in 1998. Most of the experts either
work or used to work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or they are
specialists who simultaneously work for the Expediency council.

The institute is directed by the Academic Council 12 members of which
are highly qualified specialists and diplomats. The total number of
the people working there is 20.

IICS is financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of
Oil of Iran. There are also non-governmental sources of financing.

According to some information the IICS defends the interests of
Iranian companies which make investments in Central Asia and Russia and
provides them consulting. The efficiency of the institute’s activity
is also provided by the fact that it works out the postulates and
directions of the foreign policy of Iran in Central Asia. Some of
the employees and the experts of the institute received rather good
western education. Among them are the founder and the director of
the institute Abbas Maleki who studied at the Harvard University and
works in absentia at the Harvard J. Kennedy School of Government.

One of the peculiarities of the IICS is that the institute collaborates
with the leading American analytical centers and experts and the
specialists of the IICS, and, first of all, its director A.Maleki,
very often publish their papers in American analytical journals and
newspapers. The IICS is entrusted with the very important functions of
"public diplomacy". On the assumption of that the experts of the IICS
often express the views which contradict at some extent to the state
policy of Iran and due to that reason the wrong impression that the
institute is of semi-oppositional character may arise.

The official site of the IICS is

All the aforementioned centers play active part in the sphere
of Iranian political elaborations. At the same time they have
some scientific and research significance because they carry out
elaborations in the applied sphere.

Other issues of author NEW STATUS OF THE IRANIAN NUCLEAR PROGRAMME
[02.11.2009] DEVELOPMENTS ROUND THE NUCLEAR PROGRAMME OF IRAN
[12.10.2009] "NABUCCO" GAS PIPELINE AND ARMENIA [21.07.2009]
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN IRAN [09.07.2009] ON REGIONAL ENERGY
DEVELOPMENTS [18.06.2009] REGIONAL ENERGY DEVELOPMENTS [11.05.2009]
DEVELOPMENTS IN AND ROUND IRAN [20.04.2009]