Armenian government Armenians in Jerusalem: hosts anti-corruption The Politics of Survival in the Holy Land PAGE 5 council session Page 2 HIGHLIGHTS

Weekly Digest of the Government of Armenia

October 7-13 2010 THEMA

“Quote of the week”

“We in Armenia were guided by a vision of a future in which genera- tions would live in peace and safety. This Arme- nian initiative met a positive response by the Turkish President...”

Serzh Sargsyan: lack of trade turnover EDWARD NALBANDYAN with Slovenia is omission of Armenian RA FOREIGN MINISTER authorities rmenian President Serzh Sargsyan with almost zero export from Armenia. Asaid that intensification of eco- Slovenia exported pharmaceutical goods, nomic relations between Armenia and ethyl alcohol, perfume, cosmetics, etc. Upcoming Events Slovenia will create prerequisites for Mr. Sargsyan said that Armenia wel- the bilateral relations development also comes Slovenian investments. He noted in other fields. “We discussed economic that four documents, which create a leg- cooperation and international relations. islative basis for boosting the bilateral October 16: Armenia Celebrates the The intensification of economic ties is cooperation, were signed as part of the Day of Alphabet and Translation an important chain, which will approxi- Slovenian President’s official visit to Ar- mate our people and serve as an impe- menia. The Convention for Avoidance October 16: Official opening cer- tus for the relations development also in of Double Taxation and agreement on emony of Tatev Ropeway other fields,” Mr. Sargsyan told a joint economic cooperation are among them. press conference with his Slovenian “We will work on expanding the legisla- October 22-23: PM Tigran Sarg- counterpart Danilo Turk on October 11 in tive field,” the Armenian President said. syan leaves for Yekterinburg , summarizing the results of the Referring to international cooperation, Armenian-Slovenian business forum. Mr. Sargsyan noted that it has changed The business forum brought together qualitatively and become more arranged. around 40 Slovenian companies from Specifically, Armenia already negoti- various fields, including, trade, tour- ates on signing of the association agree- USEFUL LINKS ism, construction, power industry, ment, as well as works are carried out • www.president.am high and information technologies. on the project for joining the deep and • www.gov.am The Armenian President noted that the comprehensive free trade agreement. • www.parliament.am lack of trade turnover between the two Serzh Sargsyan said that Slove- • www.mfa.am countries is an omission of the authorities. nia, which has passed this way, can • www.armenpress.am In 2009, the trade turnover between the share its experience with Armenia. • www.panarmenian.net two countries amounted to $9.5mln, October 11, 2010 www.panarmenian.net • www.matenadaran.am ARMENIA HIGHLIGHTS

CHRONICA Headlines of Armenian Prime Minister’s visit to Iran scheduled for end the week of October • OCTOBER 7: Armenian Presi- dent offers participants of Arme- an parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani. nian-French decentralized co- The parties discussed perspectives of eco- operation forum to visit NKR nomic cooperation development, empha- • AH sizing the importance of joint programs • OCTOBER 7: Lebanese Prime in transportation and energy sectors. Minister shelves visit to Armenia The Prime Minister spoke of his visit to • AH Iran scheduled for the end of October. • OCTOBER 8: Hrant Dink was target- A visit to Iranian Chamber of Commerce, In- ed by Turkish mob before his murder dustries and Mines to brief Iranian business- • AH men on perspectives of economic develop- • OCTOBER 8: Armenian par- ment in Armenia is on the Prime Minister’s liament members demand in- n October 9, Armenian Prime agenda, governmental press service reported. volvement of Armenia’s rep- OMinister Tigran Sargsyan met October 9 2010, www.panarmenian.net resentatives in investigation of with a delegation led by the Irani- Manvel Saribekyan’s murder in Baku • AH • OCTOBER 10: Title of Honored Arthur Ghukasyan: High 240 Armenian schools to Science Worker awarded to Yer- Fest 2010 was a success be provided with Hi-Tech evan Medical University pro-rector rmenian audience needs to be ac- equipment • AH • OCTOBER 11: Emir Kusturica re- Aquainted with experimental theat- n October 8, Zoravar Andranik minds Turkish director Semih Kapla- er art, High Fest President said. ON5 School in Armenian region noglu about the Armenian Genocide “This year’s festival was a success,” of Armavir hosted opening of a com- • AH Arthur Ghukasyan told a press confer- puter class. The equipment provision • October 12: Serzh Sargsy- ence on October 8. was sponsored by South Caucasus an gives high assessment to Ar- “It’s gratifying that Armenian per- Railway, GeoProMining Company, menian Relief Society activities formances attracted greater audience GNC- ALFA network services opera- • AH than foreign ones,” he said. tor in Armenia and Rossotrudnichestvo • october 13: Pan-Armeni- an information field can help October 8, 2010 www.panarmenian.net Armenia with the assistance of Rus- neutralize false propaganda sian Embassy in Armenia. The mod- Grigor Mkhitaryan wins ernization of the computer class was Minimum salary in Armenia champion’s title at World implemented within the framework of raised by AMD 2500 Youth and Junior Sambo a program aimed at provision of 240 he Armenian government ap- ChampionshipsI’m fighting Armenian schools with Hi-Tech equip- Tproved amendments to the in Mexico ment. RA law on minimum salary. October 8, 2010 www.panarmenian.net “The amendments envisage raise of salary by AMD 2500, to total AMD Armenian government 32 500 instead of previous AMD hosts anti-corruption 30 000,” Minister of Labor and So- council session cial Affairs Arthur Gevorgyan said. October 7, 2010 www.panarmenian.net n October 12, Armenian government Ohosted the anti-corruption council ses- Armenia 3rd in Euro 2012 Group B sion led by the head of the council, Armenian rmenia secured a powerful 4-0 win Prime Minister Tigran Sargysan. Amend- Aover in their 2012 Euro- ments to the regulations on Creation of Anti- pean Championship qualifier on Octo- corruption Council were presented, envisag- ber 12, scoring three goals in the first half and adding one more after the break. ing changes in the structure of the monitoring Gevorg Ghazaryan’s fourth-minute lead n October 8, Armenia’s Grig- committee in charge of anti-corruption strat- was Armenia’s 100th goal since the coun- Oor Mkhitaryan (weight class egy. Monitoring results in the framework of try gained independence. Henrik Mkhi- 48kg) won champion’s title among 2009-2012 activity program in the frame- taryan made it 2-0 in the 16th minute, juniors, while Mher Karapetyan work of anti-corruption strategy were dis- Yura Movsisyan then volleyed in Sargis (weight class 75kg) won bronze. cussed. Meeting participants also focused on Hovsepyan’s cross from the right in the Youth representatives will en- the report of the head of Armenian delega- 33rd and was replaced in the 53rd minute, tion to GRECO (Council of Europe's Group right after Marcos Pizzelli made it 4-0. ter competition on October 9 Thus, Armenia climbed 3rd in Group B, and 10, Armenia’s Sambo Fed- of States against Corruption), governmental press service reported. gaining 7 points. Russians top the standings eration told PanARMENIAN.Net with 9 points, followed by Ireland (7 points). October 9, 2010 www.panarmenian.net October 12, 2010 www.panarmenian.net October 2, 2010 www.panarmenian.net

2 AH ARMENIA HIGHLIGHTS RES PUBLICA Armenian President participates in celebratory events Nalbandian: Ankara timed to 2792nd anniversary of Yerevan needs to prove its good intentions rmenian President Serzh Sargsyan Aparticipated in celebratory events timed to 2792nd anniversary of Yerevan. A program of Yerevan Day celebration was opened with a theater performance in Erebuni Museum, presidential press service told PanARMENIAN.Net Armenian President participat- ed in celebratory events timed to 2792nd anniversary of Yerevan October 10, 2010www.panarmenian.net he Wall Street Journal has published Ar- Tmenian Foreign Minister Edward Nal- The Wall Street Journal denial of Armenian Genocide is bandian’s article titled offensive “Turkey Has Gone Back on its hairman of the Armenian National His refusal to call out Azerbaijan’s ag- Word.” CCommittee of America Kenneth gression, his silence in the face of Az- V. Hachikian sent a letter to The Wall erbaijan’s demolition of a 1,300-year- The article reads: “Last year on Oct. 10 in Street Journal on Matthew Bryza’s nom- old Armenian cemetery, and his ardent Zurich, after intensive negotiations, Arme- ination as ambassador to Azerbaijan. defense of Stalin-imposed borders at nia and Turkey reached agreement and the The letter was published by the the expense of democracy, have all con- foreign ministers of the two countries signed newspaper, the ANCA reported. tributed to the instability of this pivotal the protocols on the establishment of diplo- “You are off the mark in your editorials region. Add conflict of interest issues to matic relations, opening of the border and attacking Sen. Barbara Boxer and the the mix and he is clearly the wrong dip- development of bilateral relations. The Ar- Armenian-American community for lomat, at the wrong time, for this post. menian-Turkish relations were in a deadlock opposing President Obama’s flawed America needs a fresh start in the when President Serzh Sargsyan initiated the nomination of Matt Bryza as ambassa- Caucasus, with a new ambassador normalization process with Turkey. We in dor to Azerbaijan (“Barbara Boxer (D., who will stand strong against Az- Armenia were guided by a vision of a future Armenia),” Sept. 20, and “Undiplomat- erbaijani aggression. Sen. Boxer and in which generations would live in peace and ic Hold-Ups,” Oct. 6). The stakes for Sen. Robert Menendez have provided safety. This Armenian initiative met a posi- U.S. interests, regional stability and in- the president an opportunity to put tive response by the Turkish President and ternational energy security are too high U.S. policy back on the right track. allowed us to make a confident investment in for this type of political finger-pointing. Finally, your dismissal of the AN- a durable rapprochement. Our position was In the last three months, at least eight CA’s support for the commemora- reflected in the well-known approach of nor- soldiers have died on the Azerbaijan- tion of the Armenian Genocide as a malization of relations without any precon- Karabakh border. The U.S. govern- “tribal Caucasian obsession” is offen- ditions. It was the bottom-line principle for ment, in a failed exercise in artificial sive. The International Association of starting the negotiations with Turkey. With even-handedness, has consistently re- Genocide Scholars has unanimously this common understanding restarted, con- fused to stand up to Baku’s threats of concluded that what happened to the ducted this process and came to the agree- war and attacks. Mr. Bryza is the poster Armenians at the hands of the Turks ments. From the beginning of the process up child for this strategy of appeasement. was a genocide,” reads the letter. until now this approach has been shared by October 11, 2010 www.panarmenian.net the whole international community-starting from the Swiss mediators to the secretary- Kamil Kopunek: Armenian team deserved victory general of the U.N., the OSCE, the EU, the ted that Armenian footballers were U.S., Russia, France and many other coun- much stronger. According to Mucha, tries. Unfortunately Turkey has backtracked they showed the worst football in the from the agreements. Not only has it refrained match with Armenia, the Slovak Foot- from ratifying the protocols, but Ankara has ball Association said on its website. returned to the language of preconditions that According to forward Vladimir Weiss, it had used before the beginning of the proc- who scored the only goal of , ess. It seems we speak in different languages. Armenian footballers were very fast. On the one hand, the Turkish leaders pretend “It’s a pity that my goal has not secured that they always respect the principle of pacta our victory,” he said. Kamil Kopunek sunt servanda (agreements must be kept), but said they new that the match will not be on the other hand, they refrain from ratifying fter Armenia’s victory over the an easy one. He added that the Arme- and implementing the agreements signed by ASlovakian football team in an nian team deserved the victory, show- themselves in Zurich. UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier 3:1, goal- ing a nice and fast football. October 12, 2010 keeper of Slovakia Jan Mucha admit- October 9, 2010 www.panarmenian.net full article www.panarmenian.net

3 AH ARMENIA HIGHLIGHTS PRO PATRIA Iran, Armenia urge regional Government to boost spend- Flydubai launches new convergence ran and Armenia stress the impor- ing in 2011 routes to Iraq, Armenia Itance of increasing convergence among neighboring countries in or- he emirate’s first low cost air- der to establish peace in the region. Tline, flydubai, has announced “Political relations between Iran and Arme- new routes to Sulaimaniyah in Iraq nia are rooted in historical bonds. Experi- and Yerevan in Armenia starting next ence of the past 30 years show that the two month, taking its network to 26 des- countries have good political and economic tinations, according to Gulf News. relations,” Fars news agency quoted Iranian flydubai chief executive Ghaith Al Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani as speaking Ghaith said, “Our two new desti- in a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister nations are both to incredibly im- Tigran Sarkisian in Yerevan on Saturday. portant markets for flydubai. Su- He added that the two countries should laimaniyah is our second route in make use of their potential to expand eco- Iraqi Kurdistan, following on from nomic relations and said Iran and Ar- tate budget 2011 which was recently the start of flights to Erbil in August.” menia would take an effective step in Sunveiled by the Armenian govern- “The service to the Armenian capital line with common interests through the ment envisaged a 7% increase in ex- Yerevan is a totally new market for us, implementation of their ongoing talks. penditures. but similarly, a very important one. Larijani called for building a railway be- The draft of the state budget plans a As a city Yerevan has a long history, tween Iran and Armenia, saying the project spending of 998.4 billion drams, up being inhabited from the 8th century would serve the interests of both sides. from up from 935.5 billion drams pro- BC, meaning there is thousands of The Armenian premier, for his part, said jected for this year, news agencies re- years of history to be explored and his country insists on promoting econom- ported. discovered, while the modern city ic cooperation with the Islamic Repub- Speaking at a cabinet meeting held in has much to offer too,” he added. lic and added no obstacle can prevent the the northern Armenian town of Ijevan, “The service to Sulaimaniyah under- Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian said lines flydubai’s commitment and con- that the government will work hard next year adding, A lot will depend on how we will end 2010. Prior the global financial crisis which gravely affected Armenian economy last year, the public spending of the country had grown at a faster pace. A resulting fall in tax revenues forced two countries from bolstering cooperation. the government to cut it in 2009. Sarkisian added that he would pay a Government expenditures rose by 7% two-day visit to Iran on October 25 to in the first eight months of this year prepare ground for increasing the lev- amid renewed economic growth. el of bilateral economic cooperation. The recovery from the crisis led to a Meanwhile, Larijani, in a meeting with 21% year-on-year surge in tax rev- fidence in the country of Iraq, which Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan, enues. has attracted a lot of investment from said Iran and Armenia play a leading In 2011, the government plans to boost the UAE, helping grow trade links and role in establishing peace in the region. its overall budgetary revenues by cement ties between the two nations.” He stressed the importance of undertaking 14.6%, to 850 billion drams. Sulaimaniyah is a major city in the strategic projects between the two countries Finance Minister Tigran Davtian ex- northern Kurdistan region of Iraq. and said enhanced cooperation in areas, in- pect this year deficit-to-GDP ratio to A much younger city than some of cluding construction of railways, energy stand at 4.8%. its neighbours, with history stretch- transfer lines and power plants would play It was reported that the budgetary tar- ing back to the 18th century, Su- an effective role in boosting mutual relations. gets was based on the assumption that laimaniyah has grown to be a large The Iranian Majlis speaker arrived in the Armenian economy will grow by city, with a population of 800,000. the Armenian capital of Yerevan on Fri- 4.6% in 2011. Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, is day at the head of a delegation on a two- Similar forecast was also made by the an ancient city that is considered one day visit and is scheduled to travel to International Monetary Fund. of the world’s oldest inhabited cities. the Kazakh capital, Astana, on Sunday. In related news, a slump in Armenia’s Situated in the Ararat Valley, the Speaking to reporters in the Iranian capital agricultural output resulting from bad city is picturesque with Mount Ara- of Tehran before his departure, Larijani said weather urged the International Mone- rat providing a stunning backdrop. the Islamic Republic is seeking to expand tary fund to revise downwards its most The city is divided by the Hrazdan friendly ties with its neighbors and wants recent growth projection for Armenia, River, with the river gorge offering to work together with them to enhance se- Armenia Liberty.org reported. a spectacular feature to the capital. curity and establish peace in the region. October 10, 2010 www.neurope.eu October 11, 2010, October 10, 2010 www.presstv.ir www.finchannel.com

4 AH ARMENIA HIGHLIGHTS DIASPORA Armenians in Jerusalem: The Karabakh To Reopen Airport Politics of Survival in the evan could be launched already in mid- Holy Land October. However, Bako Sahakian, the president of Nagorno-Karabakh Re- public (NKR), made clear that this will not happen before the end of this year as he inspected the under-construction facility on Tuesday. According to NKR Urban Develop- ment Minister Karen Shahramanian, work on the terminal building will be completed in November. He told RFE/ he authorities in Nagorno-Karaba- RL’s Armenian service that air naviga- he Armenians of Jerusalem form one of Tkh are pressing ahead with plans tion equipment is now being installed Tthe oldest Armenian communities out- to reopen the territory’s sole civilian at the airport. side of Armenia. The Armenian Quarter of airport that was shut down nearly two It is expected that Karabakh will have the Old City of Jerusalem may be one of the decades ago. a regular flight service only with Ar- most Armenian places in the world, too. Flights to and from the airport, located menia, at least in the near future. It is But this community is more than just old and 8 kilometers east of Stepanakert, had not yet clear whether the Stepanakert- Armenian. The community also controls, been discontinued in 1991 amid inten- Yerevan flights will be carried out by through the Armenian Church, at least a part sifying armed clashes in and around Armenia’s national airline Armavia. of every major Christian Holy Site in the re- Karabakh that degenerated into a Officials have said only that a one-way gion, including the birthplace and crucifixion full-scale Armenian-Azerbaijani war. air ticket to the Armenian capital will of Jesus, and the Tomb of the Virgin Mary. Transport communication between cost 16,000 drams ($45). With such a rich cultural legacy, one might the territory and the outside world has By comparison, the current fare for a guess that the Armenians of Jerusalem are since been carried out only by land, minibus trip from Stepanakert to Yer- strong and thriving. They are not. If the Old via Armenia. The Karabakh govern- evan, which takes between six and sev- City were divided up today, the Armenians ment decided last year to reopen the en hours, is 5,000 drams per person. might barely command one street. They cer- airport, severely damaged during the 14 A random street poll of Stepanakert tainly would not lay claim to an entire Quar- 1991- 1992 war, and raised about 1 bil- residents conducted by RFE/RL sug- ter, as they have for centuries. The survival of lion drams ($2.8 million) for its recon- gested that many locals will be willing the community is today in peril. The popula- struction from unspecified “charitable to pay a higher price for much shorter tion is dwindling. Armenian property rights sources.” It began building a new air- and more convenient travel. “We won’t are under attack. Even Armenian pilgrims port terminal and repairing the runway be tired of long trips,” said one man. “It are fewer in number. Matthew Karanian— shortly afterwards Government offi- should be interesting,” noted another. a Pasadena lawyer and the author of several cials said earlier this year that a flight October 9, 2010 Lousabats N 855 books about Armenia—traveled to Jeru- service between Stepanakert and Yer- salem earlier this year as part of a research and photography project. Karanian is the Dolma…and Some Music: The Turkish Foreign co-author, with Robert Kurkjian, of the best- Ministry’s Newfound Pastime selling travel guide Armenia and Karabagh: ver since the Turkish government failed ess was halted. With little (if any) prospect The Stone Garden Guide. This article is one Eto secure the ratification of the Turkey- of securing the ratification of the protocols in a series about the Jerusalem Armenians Armenia protocols and essentially froze in the Turkish Grand National Assembly that Karanian has written and photographed the so-called “normalization process,” it (TGNA) before the general and presidential for Asbarez. has been desperately looking for alterna- elections in the next two years, Ankara is POLITICS OF SURVIVAL IN tive ways to give the semblance of progress now, more vigorously than before, looking JERUSALEM where there is none. The protocols aimed at for PR victories elsewhere. The Akhtamar Armenians have 17 centuries of history in the creating a schism between Armenia and the Mass in September was supposed to serve Holy Land, and they share or own most of “bad Armenians” of the Armenian Diaspora, such a purpose, but again, domestic politics the major Christian sites, including the sites thus stalling the process of genocide recog- interfered and, with the heads of Armenian where Jesus was born, crucified, and buried. nition worldwide. But after Ankara tried to churches and major organizations boycott- There’s also a distinct geographical area in impose further preconditions, even official ing the Mass, little was accomplished. Now, the historic walled city of Jerusalem known Yerevan—which seemed very keen to ratify across the Atlantic, here in New York, the as the Armenian Quarter. This should be the protocols—was defiant and stated that Turkish Consulate General is holding a con- enough to make any Armenian feel proud. the Armenian Parliament was ready to vote cert at Carnegie Hall on Oct. 7 to celebrate But after I had spent several days living on the protocols, but only when its Turkish what is being touted as the “re-opening” of among the Armenians of this sacred Armeni- counterpart did so. With the ball in its court, the Holy Cross Church in Akhtamar. an place, those 17 centuries of history instead official Ankara failed to deliver and the proc- October 07, 2010 www.armenianweekly.com felt like they were crushing down on me. October 13, 2010 full story www.asbarez.com "Armenia Highlights" is compiled in association with & DISCLAIMER: Views expressed in "Armenia Highlights" do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of Armenia.

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