The WikiLeaks files - Armenia: (then) Deputy Finance Minister David Avetissian attacks president Sargsyan’s “empty gestures at reform” and “empowering thuggish elements in and out of government”

This is a very interesting extract from the US embassy cables and a clear indication of disillusionment and divisions post- 1 March within the ruling regime.

[By: Charge d'Affaires Joseph Pennington]

Polchief recently met with Deputy Finance Minister David Avetissian, a leading young

reformer in the government, who expressed profound cynicism about the direction in which the government is headed. He predicted a severe political and economic crisis by the end of this year, and is convinced that President Sargsian is making nothing more than empty gestures at reform to satisfy international and domestic audiences. He said that behind the scenes, however, the new president is centralizing control, marginalizing reformist voices, and empowering thuggish elements in and out of government. As a result, Avetissian said he will probably resign from government service this summer, and is headed to Washington in May to look into employment opportunities with the World Bank.

*US embassy cables in full.
**source of picture

Head of Armenia mobile operator VivaCell Ralph Yirikian moves to support HIV education/awareness programmes, calls for tolerance

“Because we care!”

Whenever I go back home Yerevan, I always hear stories about Ralph Yirikian, General Manager of mobile operator company VivaCell, one of the most prominent businessman (and philanthropist) in Armenia. Astonishingly, all stories I hear about him are positive. One would expect to hear lots of ‘dirt’ about the businessman of such a caliber in Armenia. One would be wrong. Yirikian, perhaps, one of those exceptional business personalities in Armenia who managed not only to succeed in his business but earn respect of the population. Well deserved, I must add, as proved by his very latest actions and statements too.

Not only Yirikian moves to support HIV/AIDS related education and awareness programmes but also he calls for tolerance towards HIV-positive people which is essential for any such initiative to have a chance for success. This is important for developing a more tolerant towards vulnerable groups and minorities environment in Armenia too.

As they say, “VivaCell is more than operator”. I have to agree with this statement. They proved it in past, they proved it with this step again.

If only Armenia have more businessmen like Yirikian, we would have healthier (not only in medical terms) and more open society. I hope Yirikian’s attention to vulnerable groups and minorities will not stop here, evolving more groups, including LGBT Armenians. My respects for now, Ralph.

For more details - see Unzipped: Gay Armenia

*In photo (via Lragir.am) - Ralph Yirikian did a blood test for HIV before signing a Memorandum.

Kum Kapi, Istanbul

I found this interesting info re Kum Kapi (or Kumkapi) via the Facebook events page on masterclasses by the artist photographer Georgios Katsengelos and the curator Maria Tsantsanoglou at Utopiana in Yerevan:

"Kum Kapi is one of the historical districts of Istanbul in the centre of the southern part of the city walls and traditionally it used to be the living area of the local Armenians and still houses the Armenian Patriarchate.

This area is now crowded with refugees, most of them coming from the countries of the ex Soviet Union. They are divided into national communities and their common language is Russian.

The old Armenian houses and small apartments of Kum Kapi, designed for one or at least two families, are today transformed into warehouses of people renting beds while looking desperately for job opportunities."

*photo - via Facebook events page by Utopiana

'Credit Crunch Lunch', pub, London

Picture of the Day - ArmeniaNow: "Beauty under Lock"

ArmeniaNow (photo by Nazik Armenakyan): "A beauty parlor in the center of Yerevan has been closed in the latest show of government clampdown on tax dodgers. A yellow ribbon reads “Winning receipts were not provided here” – in reference to cash register receipts which can bring the lucky owner from 5,000 to 5 million drams in the national lottery. A new law (January) stipulates that shop owners must give cash receipts."

Rats become 'Dish of the Day' in South-East Asia

ITN reports:

Soaring meat prices in Asia mean many households are serving up rat as a tasty alternative to pork.

Heavy rainfall in the Mekong Delta has sent the rodents scurrying from their holes into the traps of Cambodian villagers, who are exporting them by the tonne to Vietnam.

More than 35 tonnes of rat meat is now said to be crossing the border every day.

"Just my family alone exports one tonne or around 700 to 800 kilogrammes to Vietnam," said rat meat trader Te Lah.

Rat meat was eaten regularly in Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s and, when the price of other meat soared last year, poorer households reverted back to it.

Live rats, some as large as piglets, are selling for around $1 (66p) per kilo and dead ones - used for feeding crocodiles in Vietnam - for $0.37 (24p) per kilo.

Cambodians eat them sir-fried, grilled or in soups and rat is increasingly becoming a common dish at home for many in the rural areas.

"Rats can be cooked as Tom Yam, various types of soup, fried with lemon grass or just fried like this," said Cambodian farmer Chan Pheakdey Ratha.

"It is delicious and I eat them almost everyday," said Tuy Kimchheng.

Armenia: Time to think of 'pink pound'

... as Thousands of Iranians celebrate Novruz in Armenia due to "liberties"

Picture of the Day

*source of the picture - Queerty

Armenian Dram Memorial

Sharp rise in USD exchange rate in Armenia

*photo - by Artur Papyan

Armenia: Opposition leader outlaws “revolution”

Thousands rally in Yerevan to mark the anniversary of 1 March 08

Reuters: At least 10 000 anti-government protesters in Armenia on Sunday demanded early elections. (photo - Nazik Armenakian / Reuters) Other estimates - 10 000 to 20 000, or more.

One year ago, these days… Brutal force crushed hopes of many in Armenia who wanted changes in their country. It was a movement comprised of people of varying political/social views/backgrounds who were sick of the current state of affairs in Armenia.

Regardless of my critical opinion of some in the movement, I did support it, as I believed this was the only right choice for me considering the circumstances and alternatives. One year on, I have no regrets for my choice. I could not have done otherwise. There were simply no other channels for people to exercise their rights and hopes for democracy and human rights to arrive in Armenia.

For me, the matter of ultimate responsibility for 1 March tragedy is apparent. I do not need court cases or commissions for that. It’s Armenian authorities who bear the ultimate responsibility for all good and bad happenings in the country. It’s them who issued the orders…

Today, remembering events of 1 March 08, I’d like to express my sincere condolences to families and friends of those killed.

Despite unprecedented tragic consequences, restrictions of civil liberties, political prisoners, the movement had resulted in some important positive developments. It was an awakening for the society in hibernation for more than a decade. Number of genuine, albeit small, civil groups and initiatives were developed, particularly among youth, aimed at democratisation of our society.

For me, one of the main positive outcomes of the movement was the fact that Armenian government, authorities, started paying more attention to public opinion. To the various degree, of course, but they can no longer completely ignore it. Like they used to do pre-movement…

Still, one of the ultimate aims of the movement – free elections, key feature of democracy, seems something of a dream than a reality any time soon. Initial signs of the upcoming Yerevan mayoral (municipality) elections do not look particularly promising.

It is not surprising, therefore, that key slogans of thousands protesters who defied the ban by the authorities to mark the 1st anniversary of 1 March 08 in Yerevan were: "Free Political Prisoners", "For Early Elections", “Punish 1 March Perpetrators”, and… “No To Tax Terror”.

Previously announced opposition hiatus was partly ‘justified’ by the Karabakh conflict. The point was that Karabakh deal is imminent, and 'we do not want damaging our country’s interests and make it even more vulnerable to external pressures'. The ‘hope’ was that the authorities would sign up to the unfavourable settlement plan which would stir popular anger and... All ‘hopes’ now on socioeconomic/financial crisis, as was evident from the opposition leader, Armenia’s first president Ter-Petrosyan speech, which was remarkable by a change in rhetoric, a kind of U-turn.

There is nothing wrong with the opposition using current problems to their advantage. It may not seem ethical, but it is within the rules of game. Any opposition party would do so, whether in Armenia or abroad.

However, there is a feeling among some opposition supporters (past or present) that its leaders are lacking a clear vision on ways forward.

One more remark. While (from the opposition side) there was no ‘ours’ and ‘theirs’ divide in relation to those killed, police chief of Armenia was speaking the other day of “we also had 2 dead”, as if you could divide those who were killed on 1 March into ‘ours’ and ‘theirs’.

World’s financial crisis: How to survive Armenia’s economy?

I remember, after the first signs of the crisis, Armenian officials were quick to deny any dramatic impact of it on Armenia. However, with each passing week, the potential impact of the crisis was becoming so apparent, that tone of the government officials changed, and they started mentioning the possibility of economic downturn in Armenia as a result of the world crisis. Knowing local mentality, I can safely predict that from now on whatever bad happens in Armenian financial-economic field would be blamed on the world crisis. Partly, it would be true, but only partly. There are ways to diminish its impact however. But it requires proper crisis management with a scope of preventive actions. Policy Forum Armenia independent think-tank produced report on Implications of the World’s Financial Crisis for Armenia’s Economy.

We all know that in case of health problems, it’s much more efficient to prevent the disease than to treat it. So is with the economy. Report warns that “recent developments in emerging markets suggest that the crisis-related deterioration of the economic outlook is likely to occur abruptly with little (if any) signs of early warning”. Based on the analyses of specifics of Armenia’s economy and global trends, Policy Forum Armenia offers recommendations on essential “pre-emptive policy response and crisis preparedness efforts”.

Some of the main dangers to Armenian economy may come from: “(1) slowdown in remittances flows, (2) reduction in trade and investment, (3) problems originating from the financial sector, and (4) reduction in official assistance.”

While mentioning “capable Prime Minister”, the report is less convinced with the “relevant agencies—the Central Bank and line ministries” which “have limited capacity and experience to address the potential risks” and questionable coordination between each other and the cabinet.

One of the main recommendations by the Policy Forum Armenia is to establish a Crisis Prevention Team (CPT) “as a high-level policy advisory body to the government. Reporting directly to the Prime Minister, the CPT should consist of economists and financial sector professionals with strong reputation and experience in dealing with crisis countries. To be seen as credible it should include Diaspora and also possibly non-Armenian professionals and should be nonpartisan.”

Full report is available here

RIP: Lycos-Armenia

A1plus: "A leading IT Company Lycos-Armenia is closing down. The administration has informed the staff about the company's closure at a special meeting minutes ago. Employees were notified of the menace of closure weeks ago. Lycos-Armenia is a development and operations center for the business units of Lycos Europe. The company employs some 1000 people [Unzipped: other sources put the number at around 700 people], the best specialists of the sphere. Presently, the company neither confirms nor denies the information. Details will be given later in the day."

Here are some relevant world news headlines:

Lycos Europe admits defeat in search for investor

Lycos Europe Cries “Uncle!”

Lycos Europe to close portal, end Web hosting

Congratulations: we are officially a “medium-income country”

Well, apparently, this transition for Armenia from the “low-income country” to the “medium-income country” happened at the beginning of 2006. For this very reason, the UK government announced today suspension of its “assistance programme to Armenia”.

Taking into consideration that at the beginning of 2006 Armenia was included in the list of medium-income countries, and the assistance policy of the UK Department of International Development is mainly targeted at the implementation of programs in low-income countries, the UK Government has decided to suspend the assistance program to Armenia at the end of 2008.

Armenian oligarchs moving to France

Apparently, as Hetq Online reports, many Armenian oligarchs began transferring a significant portion of their capital to France. One of them, Hrair Hakobyan bought a castle in Cognac for 4.8 million euro in October 2007, and is setting up business there. He is the owner of Yerevan Champaign Wine Factory and other enterprises in Armenia.

1939 թվականին հիմնադրված Երեւանի շամպայն-գինիների կոմբինատը 1995թ. նա ձեռք է բերել շատ էժան գնով: Այսօր այդ ձեռնարկությունը Հայաստանի ամենախոշոր ալկոհոլ արտադրողներից է: Գործարանն արտադրում է գինի, օղի, կոնյակի տարբեր տեսակներ, կոկտեյլներ: Գործարանն ունի տարեկան 10 մլն շշալցման հնարավորություն: Իսկ թե այսօր իրականում որքա՞ն է արտադրվում` դժվար է ասել, քանի որ ալկոհոլային արտադրությունները Հայաստանում մեծամասամբ ստվերում են:

Շատընեյ դղյակը համարվում է Կոնյակ քաղաքի գոհարներից մեկը: Շաղանտ գետի ափին գտնվող Շատընեյ դղյակը շրջապատված է քառասուն հեկտար հողատարածքով, որից քսանմեկ հեկտարը՝ խաղողի այգիներ: Դա միակ խաղողի այգին է Կոնյակում: Դղյակի հարեւանությամբ օղեթորման գործարանն է, որը վերամշակում է կալվածքի բերքը:

Another Armenian oligarch - who is reportedly doing successful business in France - is the owner of Great Valley Brandy/Wine/Vodka Company, MP Tigran Arzakantsyan. He was repeatedly attacked in Moscow in 2006/07, with the latest incident in September 2007 when he got stabbed and shot at in a Moscow casino. Thanks to this background, he is under scrutiny of French media and officials.

«Գրեյթ Վելլի» կոնյակի գործարանի սեփականատեր Արզաքանցյանի նկատմամբ անցյալ տարի սեպտեմբերին Մոսկվայի կազինոներից մեկում մահափորձ ատարվեց: Այս դեպքից հետո Ֆրանսիայում սկսել են զգուշանալ հայ գործարարից.«... Տիգրան Արզաքանցյանի ներդրումները կոնյակի արտադրության մեջ մտահոգում եւ անհանգստացնում են կոնյակի պրոֆեսիոնալներին, դրանք նաեւ զգաստացնում են իշխանություններին, որոնք մտադիր են հետեւել նրա գործունեությանը Կոնյակում»,- գրում է «Կոնյակի երկիր» թերթը:

Անցած տարվա սեպտեմբերին Մոսկվայում մահափորձից հետո ԱԺ-ի նիստերին Տ.Արզաքանցյանը չի մասնակցում, սակայն դա նրան չի խանգարում Ֆրանսիայում իր բիզնեսը հզորացնելուն:

*source of photos – Hetq.am

Armenia-Iran: 'If you come to Yerevan for a month, you will stay in Yerevan forever'

Everything is known in comparison, as they say. While for many Armenians the state of democracy and freedom in their country deemed to be unsatisfactory, to say the least, and worth fighting for, for Iranians Armenia is considered as a “beacon of freedom” where they can enjoy and try things they can’t do back home. Today BBC publishes report on that special relations developed over the past years between isolated for different reasons Armenia and Iran.

Below are selected extracts from the report (headings mine). Full report is available here

Drinking
Noy Brandy's wine-tasting sessions are popular with Iranian tourists.

"Ten metres underground, they think Allah is out of range." "They don't want to taste the wine, they want to drink it." (tour guide Anna from Armenia)

Cafe culture/Nightclubs
"In summer I think that 90% of tourists are Iranian. Armenia is so close by and has attractive things - cafes and nightclubs, and beautiful Lake Sevan." (student and businessman from Iran)

Education/freedom
Twenty-year-old Mehdez [student from Iran] explains that Armenia is popular with thousands of young people who cannot get a place in Iran's over-subscribed higher education system. "I chose to study in Yerevan because it's an easier situation. Here we have more freedom," she says. "But of course anything that we do here, we can do in Iran - just not in public."

Liberalised economy and ‘benefits of isolation’
Part of that freedom includes an increasingly liberalised economy, and that makes Armenia attractive to foreign investment. The Armenian capital is hardly an international economic powerhouse, but there are signs that Iranian investors sense an opportunity. (BBC)

Like many of his compatriots, Muhammad [businessman from Iran] benefits from Armenia's geographical isolation. Practically every item he sells - from pots and pans to air-fresheners - has been imported from Iran.

US disapproval
That has not stopped the United States from expressing concern about Armenia's ties with its neighbour. Those ties include the new Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, frequent bilateral talks and state visits, not to mention a sizable Armenian minority in northern Iran. In this year's Country Reports on Terrorism, the US state department said warming relations between the two countries made Armenia "reluctant to criticise publicly objectionable Iranian conduct". The little country courts the Americans, Europeans and Russians. It is a difficult balancing act to follow. But Armenia's unique relationship with the regional power - Iran - is one it cannot afford to abandon. Moreover, the two countries are united by a shared sense of isolation from the rest of the world. (BBC)

‘Yerevan forever’
"I like Armenian people, and it's difficult for me to want to leave my friends. When you come to Yerevan for a month, you will stay in Yerevan forever!" (student and businessman from Iran)

The power and value of Armenian capital

"International experts assess the Armenian capital, the combined Armenian capital of the world to be equal to $100 billion. When I told about this to a group of Armenian businessmen in Moscow, they smiled, these Armenian businessmen in Moscow smiled after hearing this figure, and said this much money they had themselves. (Laughter). I told about this to [...] a prominent businessman in the United States and the United Kingdom, and he said it's not true, it should be at least $300 billion.

Let it be not $300, not $200, let it be $100, OK? If we could attract at least 1% of these resources every year to Armenia, then within a short period of time there will remain no social problems in Armenia."

Armenian PM Serj Sargsyan, speaking to LA Times editorial board

P.S. He needs money, he needs investments. Fair enough.  If we could attract at least 1% of these resources every year to Armenia, conditional to democracy and human rights, then within a short period of time...

Armenia Achieves One Of The Highest GDP Growth In The World With 11.2%

When will we see similar trends in relation to the state of democracy and human rights in Armenia?

Good news received via Huliq.com (source: Banks.am - Mediamax):

The growth of Armenia’s GDP in January-June of 2007 totaled 11,2%, as compared to the same period of 2006.

As the press service of the National Statistical Service of Armenia told Mediamax today, the GDP volume in January-June of 2007 totaled 944845.7 mln drams.

The volume of industrial production in the republic in January-June of 2007 stood at 327954.9 mln drams, having increased by 1.4%, as compared to the same period of 2006.

The average monthly salary in Armenia in January-June of 2007 increased by 20.5%, as compared to the same period of 2006, thus making 71344 drams [around $ 211, based on current Central Bank exchange rate, as of 20 July 2007: 1 $ - 337.57 drams].

The salary of budget organizations has increased by 22.1%, making 52491 drams [around $ 155] during the accounting period, and the salary of non-budget organizations stood at 88961 drams (growth – 20.1%) [around $ 263].