MosJan

Baits derr, voroshumem: mi or yes kkhosem Hayerene. do you need any more words??? Aghchik jan ???

edward demian - I'm not a Azeri - I'm an Armenian and a proud one to !!!!! do not ever compeer me to an azeri or a turk !!! I teak that us a insult. the post in above that you see is not written by me, it is part of www.karabagh.org - owned by azeris... i just post it hear to show you whets going on, and how azeris are doing different -= SCHEMES FOR RESOLVING KARABAGH CONFLICT =- MOvses MOvsisyan

edward - are you building it in Palm Springs??? - i did not know we hed so many Armenian in Palm Springs. us for the TUF ther is a place in Hollywood, the name is Holywood Marbul and granit, i remember years a go somone was tealing me that this place has Tuf or somthing like it. find this place it might help you... Movses

Sip Weclome to HyeForum and thank you for your help ) MOvses

quote:Originally posted by Hmayk: Someone from forum banned my home PC. I know who did. I will never forgive him. This is why he is going to face big trouble in coming days. AMOT KEZI. Amsterdamn al chi prger kezi. ha ??? hmayq inch es xosum ??? oav qez BAnn arel ???

Solitary Life: Monastery mystery man follows God to Geghard By Nara Markossian http://www.armeniaweek.com/dec282001/photos/monk_1.jpg ArmeniaWeek reporter Vahan Nahapetian finds it difficult to answer a visitor's question: "Why?" Why would a man give up possessions and family and forsake 21st Century living for life as a hermit? "I found the Lord.when I realized that everything is futile in this world," Nahapetian says. "Years ago I couldn't even think that one day I would find myself in this monastery." In May, 2000, Nahapetian gave everything he possessed to Geghard monestary and went to live there. These days he tends bees at the 11th Century monastery, one of Armenia's most popular tourist stops an hour away from Yerevan. Nahapetian lives a monk's life, though he has no connection to the church. At first sight it's hard to guess his situation. Dressed in worn jeans and coat, dusty boots with long, neglected hair falling to his shoulders, he doesn't have the appearance of a typical Geghard guest. He speaks little, and the words coming from under his graying beard don't tell everything about the 41 year-old man. But his tired and spiritless eyes can hardly hide a troubled past. Nahapetian tells only bits of his history and he won't allow himself to be photographed. His father, Nahapetian says, was very rich and he, himself, was trying to attain more money than his father had. Nahapetian, who has a university education, kept bees for several years. And as he says after "returning to the faith" he had sold some of his beehives and gave money to the church. "Vahan gave $600 for the construction of St. Grigor the Illuminator Cathedral (in Yerevan) and the rest of his beehives he presented to the monastery and he himself is taking care of them now," said Ghukas Zakarian, the Abbott of Geghard. But he gave more than beehives. Nahapetian also gave Geghard $3,800, his apartment, all his property and small house trailer as well. Today he has nothing. "I realized that people must serve one master," Nahapetian says. "If I decided to live this way then I must completely devote myself to the Lord. This is my home. If I kept my property maybe one day I would like to return to my previous life. I don't know." It is difficult to guess from Vahan's words whether he devoted himself to God motivated only by love to the Lord or if the path to a monastic-like life was an escape. When he was 33, Nahapetian was engaged to be married. But: "The girl I loved started to cry at the very day of our engagement," he says. "And that moment I realized that everything had finished without even being started yet. I was engaged for only four days." Later, Nahapetian's mother became ill and they went to the United States for her to have heart surgery. They stayed four years, during which time Nahapetian says he bought two gas stations. "I was living luxuriously. I liked to spend a lot, but I was working a lot as well," he says. "I liked a privileged life since childhood and I enjoyed it. I wish I could have understood then that that way of living is not the meaning of life." Then he left everything suddenly, and returned to Armenia. Again, "why" is not only a difficult but changing answer . . . "I was considering myself to be all-powerful, I was proud of myself," Nahapetian says. "I always wanted more. I was never satisfied with what I had." Nahapetian hints of a criminal past, claiming that he used to steal stereos from cars and bread from bakeries. He talks about his sins with regret and tells of the means by which he found salvation that led to isolation. "There are many temptations in life. And it doesn't matter if you are poor or rich," he says. "I didn't kill anybody. Not because I didn't want to, but because I couldn't. Later I realized that it was worse to kill in one's mind. It's bad when a man can't control himself." From a lack of self-control, Nahapetian's lifestyle flipped to almost complete self-denial, starting in 1993. Once weighing about 250 pounds, Nahapetian fasted. He lost about 100 pounds, stopped shaving and let his hair grow long. He isolated himself and attended only church. Then he gave up everything and went to Geghard. Today Nahapetian lives in the monastery, in a room assigned for him. He eats only raw vegetables and occupies himself with prayer and beekeeping. Friends and relatives don't visit him anymore. Sometimes he visits his birthplace, Echmiadsin, but he immediately returns. "Sometimes I think I want to leave the monastery," Nahapetian says. "but as soon as I go outside I want to go back again. "I hate changes." Photo by Armenpress ©Copyright ArmeniaWeek Dec. 28, 2001. all rights reserved. WWW.ARMENIAWEEK.COM is published by the FOURTH MILLENNIUM SOCIETY, publishers of ARMENIAN INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE. Articles may not be published without prior consent.

Holidaze: New Year and Old New Year and two weeks of party in between http://www.armeniaweek.com/dec282001/photos/newyear_1.jpg By Marianna Grigorian ArmeniaWeek reporter The New Year tree placed annually in central Yerevan's Republic Square has become a barometer of political change in the capital. The Mayor and heads of municipal departments are changed frequently, leaving their urban development plans only partially complete. As if to signify the change of leadership, however, the New Year tree seems to grow in height each season. This year, it is claimed the tree will be five to six meters taller than it was last year. Mayor Robert Nazarian and the head of the municipality's Culture Department, Arman Sahakian, were appointed to their posts earlier this year. They appear determined to make the New Year festivities the most lavish yet. Approximately 10 million Drams ($18,000) have been allocated for the celebrations, which are doubly long in Armenia because of the tradition of marking New Year according to the new and old calendars - January 1 and 13. Children at the Zatik orphanage will become the first to feel the breath of New Year. The mayor and municipality's staff members will visit the children with New Year presents and gifts. Beginning at 11 p.m. New Year's eve until 2 a.m. the city's main celebration will take place in Republic Square, led by Santas and their lovely assistants, the snow maidens, and probably to include a fireworks display. As 2002 is the Year of the Horse, officials planning this year's holiday celebrations have arranged for Santa to be carried to various events throughout Yerevan in a horse-drawn coach. And, taking into consideration the importance of celebrating New Year in Armenia by the old calendar, organizers have arranged a special event -- "Bread of the Year" -- to take place at midnight January 12. Legend has it that the ancient Armenians baked a special bread at New Year which looked similar to Armenian gata, prepared from round pieces of dough and stuffed with sweet filling. The bread symbolized the hoped-for sweetness of the coming year. Housewives usually filled that bread with beads and coins and the one who found the surprise was considered lucky for the coming year. On January 13, the tradition will be enacted in public, with a big "bread of the year" baked and divided among guests in Republic Square. Also on that day will be a fireworks display and performances by popular Armenian artists, many of whom are performing for free as a concession to the economic hard times at City Hall. "We decided to organize more splendid celebrations than it was last year and to spend less money for that," Sahakian says,. "because besides money allotted for the celebrations our friends are going to help us. And this year we are going to surprise citizens of our city and the celebrations will considerably differ from the ones conducted last year." Photo by Mkhitar Khachatrian ©Copyright ArmeniaWeek Dec. 28, 2001. all rights reserved. WWW.ARMENIAWEEK.COM is published by the FOURTH MILLENNIUM SOCIETY, publishers of ARMENIAN INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE. Articles may not be published without prior consent.

http://www.armeniaweek.com/dec282001/photos/beerman_2.jpg Hops Hobby: Yerevan man has penchant for paraphernalia http://www.armeniaweek.com/dec282001/photos/beerman_1.jpg By Ashot Gareginian ArmeniaWeek reporter Every evening after work Robert Akopian drops in at a museum in Yerevan. Even on weekends. And he always chooses the same museum. It is not located far away, because the museum is in his flat. Akopian's beer paraphernalia can, indeed, be compared to a small museum. For more than 20 years, the self-proclaimed "beerophile" has actively pursued his extreme interest. It isn't bottles or cans of beer that are found in Akopian's home/museum, but rather the assorted accoutrements of the beer industry: labels, coasters, mugs, goblets, openers . . . Akopian says his hobby has made him an expert of sorts in the history of hops. "Ancient Babylonians knew how to brew beer," Akopian says. "Beer is known to mankind for about seven or eight millenniums. And all that long period of time it is popular in whole world, winning new admirers. "Technologies of brewing are being constantly improved. But in spite of that, old traditions continue to exist." Akopian says that, in 1516, Wilhem IV, Duke of Bavaria, issued an edict ordering that a standard recipe for beer be applied to all brewing. And for his contribution, the Duke's face is on a goblet among Akopian's collection. According to a Moscow publication, "Cork Tree" magazine, Akopian's collection of 600 different beer bottle caps makes his collection the 19th largest in the world. (The editor of "Cork Tree" leads all enthusiasts in that illustrious category, claiming 36,077 caps from 166 countries.) Among his most-treasured items, is a special knife used for cutting hops, passed along to Akopian after it was found in a sack of hops shipped to Yerevan. Akopian is a pioneer of beerophilia in Armenia. There are actively functioning clubs in Russia, Germany, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Estonia, Poland. But in Armenia he is still working alone in that field. He presented a portion of his collection at the Third Congress of Beer Paraphernalia Collectors in Moscow, November, 2000. Photos by Vahram Mkhitarian ©Copyright ArmeniaWeek Dec. 28, 2001. all rights reserved. WWW.ARMENIAWEEK.COM is published by the FOURTH MILLENNIUM SOCIETY, publishers of ARMENIAN INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE. Articles may not be published without prior consent.

GEORGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER DOWNPLAYS ARMENIA'S CONCERNS The charges leveled at Georgia by certain Armenian political figures, who allege that Marneuli airport is preparing to receive Turkish air force planes, are absurd, Georgian foreign minister Irakli Menagharishvili was quoted by Moscow-based Interfax news agency December, 26. There are only evil intentions behind such rumors, he said. Georgia will never be involved in activities against its neighbors, in particular Armenia, or be a source of danger to them, Menagharishvili said. The tense situation in the Caucasus may indeed evoke suspicions, but Georgia will always abide by neighborly principles, he said. The issue of military cooperation between Georgia and Turkey was raised when Armenian Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian visited Tbilisi last autumn. Georgian officials told Sarkisian that Georgia would never act against Armenia, he said. Turkish engineers have shared in the overhaul of the airstrip, Levan Mamaladze, governor of the Kvemo Kartli region where it is located, told Interfax. The airstrip can receive Turkish and other planes that will share in antiterrorist activities "not only in Afghanistan", he said.

NEW PAGE IN ARMENIAN-IRANIAN RELATIONS OPENS, PRESIDENT KOCHARIAN SAYS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Armenian president Robert Kocharian praised Iranian top officials or their "desire to conduct negotiations with the visiting Armenian delegation as efficient as possible." Speaking to reporters today upon his return from a three-day official visit to Iran, Kocharian said the Armenian delegation received a very warm welcome. Kocharian said the biggest portion of talks was devoted to economic issues, which referred to construction of Kajaran tunnel, which would provide the shortest route between Iran and Armenia and Iran-Armenia gas pipeline. Kocharian also stressed an agreement on reciprocal recognition of diplomas, which will allow Armenian universities to admit hundreds of Iranian students. Kocharian said that the construction of the gas pipeline would require a huge amount of preparatory work, concerning the technical characteristics of the project. Kocharian said Armenia is pursuing its energy security by pressing for construction of the pipeline. Kocharian also said that a fundamental agreement was reached on softening trade regime between Iran and Armenia, which would be reflected in a document, setting precise quotas for Armenian exports to Iran. He said that Iran was attempting to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), which means that similar trade regimes will be operating in Iran and Armenia. "This will make Armenian-Iranian trade relations mutually beneficial," Kocharian said. "I believe that the visit has opened a new page in our relations with Iran, in the first place, with regard to attracting more Iranian investments in Armenia," he said. Kocharian also praised the Armenian community in Iran, saying it enjoys high respect among both the authorities and population. Meantime Iran's President Seyed Mohammad Khatami was quoted by Iranian IRNA news agency as saying that Iran-Armenia cooperation is not harmful to anyone and that it may as well be realized if it would be aimed at the benefits of both countries as well as regional peace and stability. Speaking to a joint news conference President Khatami told reporters, "We believe that the regional countries may establish security, peace and stability through cooperation among one another without the interference of foreigners." He added that the existing historical and cultural commonalties between Iran and Armenia and their location at a strategic region calls for the expansion mutual cooperation. He stressed, "Iran and Armenia are both faced with two issues, namely democracy and people's participation in their fate as well as making up for their backwardness and attempts directed towards progress in various economic, scientific, technical and humane fields. "For his part Robert Kocharian said "The signed documents cover various aspects of mutual ties between the two countries including political, economic, scientific and cultural issues." Referring to the fact that the Caucasus region has constantly been of special significance to the world superpowers and that currently each of the ex-Soviet Union's independent states attempt to defend their independence and sovereignty, he hoped that the expansion of regional states' inter-relations will further strengthen their independence. Kocharian underlined, "We believe that the regional issues should e solved by the states of the region." He added, "We attempt to secure our regional interests by extending fruitful relations rather than resorting to conflicts." © Copyright AZG

NO WAY URANIUM IS STOLEN FROM ANPP The energy ministry of Armenia rejected those suppositions that radioactive substances can be stolen from the republic’s nuclear power plant. The cause for such announcement was the detention of an Armenian citizen in Georgia who possessed smuggled uranium. As the head of atomic energy department of Armenian energy ministry Aram Gevorgian said in the interview given to Deutsche Welle, the possibility of stealing uranium from the Armenian nuclear power plant (ANPP) is absolutely impossible. He announced that the supervision over nuclear wastes is permanently conducted both by Armenian experts and by representatives of international organizations. © Copyright AZG

http://www.azg.am/IMAGE/200124001.jpg ALL PROMISING REASONS IN PLACE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No serious man can deny that Armenia is saying farewell to the outgoing year, having achieved definite progress. No one, even most wicked, could insist, that Armenia was isolated from the external world in 2002. Not a previous year saw such live foreign relations, reciprocal visits. No one dared, especially after the September 11 attacks on the USA, to mock Armenia’s “complementary foreign policy. We need this very kind of foreign policy under the current global developments, marked with bitter stand off between various forces. No one could insist, except several madmen, that they could pursue a more wise policy in the issue of regulation of the Karabagh conflict. International mediation efforts once again faced Azerbaijani president’s unyielding stance and Yerevan’s position today is more advantageous. Official recognition of the Armenian genocide by France, Italy and Vatican came to disperse those allegations that inclusion of the genocide issue on the foreign policy agenda was wrong. Even the official Washington was shocked by the successive recognition of the Armenian genocide, and its efforts to prevent it by creation of the Turkish-Armenian Reconciliation Commission (TARC) also failed. No wonders occurred in the economy and we could not avoid painful setbacks, but there are several brilliant examples of resumption of leading enterprises, a noticeable advancement was also reported in the areas of tourism development and creation of new jobs. And though the volumes are not as big as to have resulted in tangible improvement of living conditions of the majority of the people, but one can say for sure that a new layer of the society has entered into prosperity and the number of rich people has grown. The earthquake zone received much more investments in the last two years than in previous nine. However, these positive trends in the economy are still far from being satisfactory, we are still far from giving solutions to many social-economic problems and stopping mass out-emigration. But we believe that Armenia would be able to get out of poverty provided that the political stability is maintained, that state management becomes more flexible and especially the court begin acting fairly to stop corruption. The outgoing year, along with its gains and positive promises becomes more exigent in our expectations for the coming year. And each mistake of the government or the political forces will make us more uncompromising. We are going to see the New Year in realizing these key demands. We have no other alternative. © Copyright AZG

it;s not on Hotmail it's my main e mail..

i get over 500 Emails a day - and most liek 90% of it are JUNK or free this or that, haw do i stop this ???

FINANCIAL AID TO TEKEYAN SCHOOLS The Tekeyan school of Stepanavan town of Lori marz has 220 students. The school is situated in the comparably poor district of the town, and consequently children of insecure families study here. According to the school’s English teacher Emma Badalian the school lacks schoolbooks, and the pupils of third and fourth grade do not have English book at all. We found out about this when visiting Stepanavan’s school #6 named after Vahan Tekeyan with ADL Republican Board deputy chairman Haroutiun Arakelian and Republican Board member Mekhak Gevorgian December 24. The aim of the visit was to render financial aid allotted by the Tekeyan Cultural Union (TCU) of America and Canada to the teachers and technical staff of the Tekeyan school. Together with all the problems the teachers of the school talked about the coming happy event- the old building of the school will be replaced by a newly built one. The teachers’ staff of the school thanked the Armenian Ramkavars and expressed a hope that one day the government of the country will set a worthy salary for teachers. The rendered aid is the part of the program the TCU of America and Canada implements. As our readers already know the TCU renders financial support to all the teachers of Armenia’s Tekeyan schools- numbering 4, and having 300 teachers and 100 technical service staff. The goal of the program is to aid those people who educate and bring up the future generations of Armenia, but receive a very low salary for it. Daily Azg informed earlier that the TCU’s Central Board chairmen Vardgues Palian and his wife Rita Palian visited Armenia and rendered financial aid to Yerevan’s Tekeyan school. The financial aid was rendered to Karpi village’s Tekeyan school earlier in autumn. And a week ago TCU representatives visited Gyumri and delivered money to the teachers’ staff of the city’s Tekeyan school. ADL Republican Board representatives also delivered stationery to 250 most needy children of the Tekeyan schools. Overall 35,000 USD were raised in USA by the initiative of TCU, and was allotted to the four Tekeyan schools of Armenia. Gyumri’s Tekeyan college, as a school of earthquake zone, received 800 USD for heating expanses this year. It is noteworthy that American-Armenian children also raised money for helping their brothers and sisters. The students of TCU’s Arshak Tigranian college of Los Angeles raised 2,000 USD for their friends of Gyumri’s Tekeyan college. The pupils of Gyumri’s Tekeyan school will receive the financial aid after the New Year holidays.

SYRIAN-ARMENIAN ARTISTS’ WORKS EXHIBITED IN ALEPPO Syrian daily ‘Syria Times’ informs that ‘Autumn-2001’ picture exhibition opened at the ‘Zamaria’ hotel of Aleppo on December 23, where the works of Syria’s Arab and Armenian notable painters are exhibited. Among the notable artists are Arabs Ibrahim Hasan, Basam Baydun, Yagup Ibrahim, Nimat Badavi, and Syrian-Armenians Arto Hambar Tsomian, Zaven Bradikian and Hagop Jamkochian. The exhibition will last till December 30. © Copyright AZG

Diaspora VENETIAN OF THE YEAR PRIZE GOES TO ARMENIAN COMMUNITY The Venetian of the Year prize, established in 1978 by a local company, which is called Seven Seas is awarded for outstanding achievements in the areas of culture, literature, theater and architecture. The jury’s decision this year was unprecedented as it awarded the prize to the Armenian community of Venice, more exactly to the Mkhetarist Congregation of Armenian Catholics. The official ceremony was held December 16, and it was attended by top officials of the city and representatives of the Armenian community. The mayor Paolo Gostan, who handed the prize, said that the Congregation was an establishment that contained the cultural, scientific and spiritual potential of the Armenian community. He also praised the Armenians, who being surrounded by non-Christian neighbors, have been able to remain faithful to their forefathers’ religion and spiritual values. The city hall has decided to name one of the streets Mkhitar Sebastatsi, after the founder of the Congregation 300 years ago. © Copyright AZG [ December 27, 2001: Message edited by: MosJan ]

KARABAGH NEVER BEEN PART OF AZERBAIJAN Yesterday evening at the meeting with Iranian Armenian community in Tehran’s ARARAT hall president R Kacharian made two statements . “Nagorno Karabagh has never been part of independent Azerbaijan and will never be,” said Kocharian. Praising Iran-Armenia relationship Kocharian declared that Armenia and Iran have common border, which is untouchable. In the meeting were present many Armenians, guests, the Iranian envoy in Armenia M. Koleini. © Copyright AZG

SUMMING UP THE YEAR Top political quartet unchanged Starting March 2001 Russian ‘Panorama’ information-experimental center together with daily Azg holds polls aiming to find out the most influential political figures of Armenia. In December the ‘Panorama’ center summed up the results for the whole year. The first quartet of the political figures remained unchanged- Armenian president Robert Kocharian, defense minister Serzh Sargsian, prime minister Andranik Margarian and foreign minister Vardan Oskanian. The fifth in the top-ten list comes Armenian parliament deputy Artashes Geghamian- the most influential opposition figure. For his zeal in the constitutional changes deputy Shavarsh Kocharian entered the top-twenty list of influential politicians of Armenia. Also interesting is that according to experts the most influential businessmen of Armenia is considered Michael Baghdasarov- the head of Mika Limited petroleum company. Summing up the year 2001, we asked our experts to assess the tendencies of Armenia’s political field, as well as the expectations of the coming year. Aghasi Tadevosian, Center for National and Strategic Research: The tendency that shadow levers and illegitimate competition remain the factors conditioning the influence of Armenian political figures and powers continues to prevail in the inner-political field of Armenia. That is, the popularity of political figures among people is not based on the ideology they pursue. Unfortunately this tendency is going to continue, for powers functioning by non-political methods still prevail in the political field, and regretfully those powers who are guided by clear ideology and political methods are not fully formed yet. David Petrosian, ‘Noyan Tapan’ news agency: In coming 3-4 months the ‘ruling party’ will not have problems in the inner-political field. They may also succeed in passing the changes in the Constitution. But such unexpected steps like the dissolution of parliament may be made – as a way of overcoming inner-political crisis. I do not agree to the viewpoint that the opposition is weak and helpless. Interesting processes are possible to start in this camp- including the growth of popularity of its leaders. Groundless are the rumors about the possible return of HHSh (Pan-Armenian National Movement) to power. Ara Sahakian, ‘Armat’ Democracy and Civil Society Development Center: ‘Influential’ are those figures, who maintain the authority and economic levers. That’s why I think that Kocharian, Serzh Sargsian, Oskanian ands Margarian will preserve their influence. The influence of oppositionists is incomparably little, and it changes due to very tiny shifts. Consequently the influence of oppositionists is very short in time, and this characterizes the authoritarian governing system existing in Armenia and the absence of political institutions. Rafik Hovhannisian, ‘Armenia’ TV channel: I think that the most notable change in the inner-political life is that the prime minister strengthens his positions. The influence of other political figures is conditioned by the real authority levers but not political popularity. Aharon Adibekian, ‘Sociometer Center’: The year is notable for the stabilization of political relations between political powers after the shock of 1999 parliament attack. It became clear that the presidential camp is the deciding axis of all political processes, and the place of opposition is still vacant. The reason of failure of Armenian opposition is that they pursue personal interests and authority, but not certain ideology or policy. Finishing the last poll of this year, we want to thank all the contributors and experts who helped us in implementing the project. Author of project- Suren Manukian, Center for Political and Regional Research © Copyright AZG

AZERBAIJANI OPPOSITION SCHEMES NEW PLAN FOR RESOLVING KARABAGH CONFLICT The Azerbaijani opposition has schemed a new plan of how to resolve the decade-long Nagorno Artsax conflict. It issued a regulation plan which says that the OSCE Minsk group, the only international mediating team, authorized to help the sides to end the conflict, has exhausted all its possibilities. The opposition scheme proposes a new geo-political model for Azerbaijan- an alliance of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran, which also can be joined by Georgia, which will create powerful levers to pressure Armenia to agree to an option stemming from Azerbaijan's national interests. The opposition scheme also suggests that Armenia's economic blockade should be toughened. It also calls for convening an All-Azerbaijani conference to specify the united position and plan of actions. © Copyright AZG

AZERBAIJANI OPPOSITION SCHEMES NEW PLAN FOR RESOLVING KARABAGH CONFLICT The Azerbaijani opposition has schemed a new plan of how to resolve the decade-long Nagorno Artsax conflict. It issued a regulation plan which says that the OSCE Minsk group, the only international mediating team, authorized to help the sides to end the conflict, has exhausted all its possibilities. The opposition scheme proposes a new geo-political model for Azerbaijan- an alliance of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran, which also can be joined by Georgia, which will create powerful levers to pressure Armenia to agree to an option stemming from Azerbaijan's national interests. The opposition scheme also suggests that Armenia's economic blockade should be toughened. It also calls for convening an All-Azerbaijani conference to specify the united position and plan of actions. © Copyright AZG

JAPAN TO HELP DEVELOPMENT OF ARMENIAN METALLURGY -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Armenian trade and industry minister Karen Chshmaritian singled out an Armenian-Japanese agreement on development of metallurgy, signed during Armenian president Robert Kocharian last week's official visit to Japan. Speaking today to reporters, Chshmaritian said the agreement's duration is up to 2013. He said it would be funded by the Japanese government the Japanese government will choose a company that will arrive in Armenia to prepare in the form of a loan. In a reference to other documents, signed in Tokyo, the minister also pointed out the one that seeks establishment in 2002 of a Support to Small and Medium Businesses Center. He also said that six Armenian jewelry companies would be displaying their products at an international r in Japan in 2002 August. © Copyright AZG

FAILURES OF THE OUTGOING YEAR Despite promising economic growth tendencies, concerns do not subside The outgoing year can be described as “successful,” in terms of economic progress. A nine percent growth was reported, the prices are practically stable, the foreign trade balance has improved by 10 percent and the overall number of jobs has increased my some 44.000. Despite the fact that the reliability of these statistical figures is sometimes questioned, the tendency, doubtless, is positive and some new positive changes are likely to emerge as a result of president Kocharian’s official visit to Iran. But I would like to focus on a range of failures and mistakes the Armenian authorities have experienced in 2001. Energy distributing networks Failure of the government to privatize the energy distributing networks was the worst loss. Its consequences are evident. 1. Strategic investors that were about to bring their investments to Armenia, did not come and this, in turn, scared off other potential investors. 2. The country did not get huge money revenues, which could significantly ease the issue of paying Armenia’s debts (for example, there would not be a haste to allow Russians to take hold of controlling stakes in several Armenian enterprises in return for debt). 3. We have lost a brilliant opportunity to put end to losses in the energy sector, to crack down on corruption and help financial rehabilitation 4. The budget crisis has aggravated as energy sector is not able to pay its debts Future analysts will provide a more thorough analyses of what a blow the country got because of the people, who helped the failure to sell the networks. Those who were scaring the people by “lost of strategic partner (Russia), now we can witness how it has ignored us), or those who were voting in parliament against the networks privatization, because the “people are against it,” or those who were shouting that the lesson of Armentel was enough. But however, the biggest blame is on the authorities. Not because that it is the authorities who are responsible for domestic developments, but also because of their full capability of taking this deal to a successful conclusion. During his latest news conference president Kocharian noted that the acting constitution gives him enough authorities to act in critical situations. It was only to realize that the privatization of the networks was such a critical situation and that the authorities should have used all the levers to successfully conclude that deal. But they did practically nothing. What is worse is that the power grid system, which should be one of the most reliable and profit-making economy branch is not able to pay its workers’ wages, despite the fact that Armenia is the most politically stable country in the region in addition to the strong positions of the authorities. In short, let us hope that the failure in this area would be president Kocharian’s biggest failure and that he would not experience a new such one. Armentel epic I once said that I could not agree with those assessments that describe the Armentel deal as a “bitter experience.” The only fact that the government has sided with the population in this case against Armentel, but in the case of energy networks it could not do it, gives us reasons to say that the experience was “sweet.” But the authorities seem to have been doing everything to make it “bitter.” No one forced the government to conclude the deal with the Greek OTE, the owner of Armentel, as a result of which $300 million have already been invested in the country. Will we ever have a second such investor? Now it wants to introduce per minute charges for domestic conversations, as stipulated by the takeover contract, to bring back the invested money. Did it violate an article of the contract and is the government against it? O.K. But both sides should have acted in civil way to overcome the stand off (but how could they, given three changes of communication and transport ministers within one year?) The worst thing is that the government is intent to continue its wrong policy and is against introduction of per minute charges next year as well. The scheme is very simple, each one of the five Drams, paid for telephone conversation, will go to the state budget to pay old age pensions, social allowances and public sector worker . Foreign ambassadors in Armenia repeat that potential investors are scared to bring their money to Armenia, as the two big investors-Armentel and Pernod Ricard, the owner of the Yerevan Brandy Company, have problems with the government. Investment environment We should admit that the government has failed to succeed in attracting foreign investments. This failure should also be placed next to others, not only because of the crucial importance of investments for moving the economy ahead, but also because this policy was declared as the government’s priority. The main reason is the domestic atmosphere- the practice of extracting advanced tax payments from businessmen and in general, the unfair tax field. It appears that petrol importing, which are truly believed as number 1 profit-bringing business, is working with losses. The impression is that the state propaganda is directed to only those, who view the Public TV or read the semi-official daily Hayastani Hanrapetutyun. Look at Russia, which has significantly lowered taxes, even foreign leaders sent a wave of congratulatory messages to Putin for this move. But did foreign investors learn that Armenia’s economic legislation is rated as the freest among other CIS and is described as free as that of France, that crime rate is the lowest in Armenia. As a result, six years after the victory in the war over Karabagh, Armenians continue leaving their homeland. It is painful to fix that the reasons of all this is in the first place the weakness of the authorities. The government is not a united team, furthermore it is not able to see any prospect for development. The Public TV is more important to it than the science. The relations between the president and the government are difficult to comprehend. The president either displays Olympic indifference or plunges into such details that even ministers can envy his knowledge. If the situation continues like this, next year, when the stability will fall down, when constitutional referendum start of pre-election campaigns are expected , the developments would not get more organized. By Harutyun Khachatrian © Copyright AZG

GEORGIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER REFUTED INFORMATION ABOUT SECRET AGREEMENT BETWEEN TBILISI AND ANKARA 27.12.2001 /PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgia's foreign minister Irakli Menagarishvili has refuted the information that Turkish war-planes will be located in the Marneuli airport. As "Mediamax" agency informs, Menagarishvili has noted, official Tbilisi will not make any steps against neighboring countries including Armenia. The minister has stated that Georgia will always follow the principles of good-neighbor relations. Reproduction in full or in part is prohibited without reference to "PanARMENIAN.Net"

"ARMENIAN AIRLINES" COMPANY TO ACQUIRE ONE MORE AIRPLANE A-310 27.12.2001 /PanARMENIAN.Net/ The chief Civil Aviation Authority of Armenia has concluded a contract with "Airbus Industry" concern on the acquirement of another airplane A-310 on lease terms. This became possible due to the Intergovernmental Bank's $1720000 credit. Monthly payment for leasing is $125000. In six years the airplane will become property of "Armenian Airlines". The running of the liner will start 2002 March. Meanwhile as "Arminfo" correspondent managed to know, the agreement on leasing has not been signed yet and is being considered. A number of issues have to be settled, particularly the issue of deposit guaranteeing. For the leasing the Intergovernmental bank is ready to give a credit as a $1.72 mln. deposit. The head of the State Aviation Administration O. Yeritsyan thinks the acquirement of the second airbus A-310 on leasing terms is quite an advantageous bargain for Armenia. According to him, the leadership of the administration managed to take advantage of the aviation system crisis and get an airplane on more then acceptable terms. Reproduction in full or in part is prohibited without reference to "PanARMENIAN.Net"