Armenian News

Armenia Remembers Devastating 1988 Earthquake
By Satenik Vantsian in Gyumri and Karine Simonian in Vanadzor

Armenia marked on Sunday the 20th anniversary of a catastrophic
earthquake that killed about 25,000 people and devastated much of its
two northern regions that have still not been completely rebuilt.

President Serzh Sarkisian reiterated his administration's pledge to
finish the protracted reconstruction by 2013 as he led official
commercial ceremonies in Gyumri, the country's second largest city
hit hard by the disaster. This and other ceremonies were attended by
former government officials and construction and rescue workers from
the across the former Soviet Union who had helped the small South
Caucasus republic cope with its devastating consequences.

Armenians also received messages of sympathy from the presidents of
Russia and the United States on the occasion. `On this solemn
anniversary we are reminded of the strong bonds between America and
Armenia and the resilience of the Armenian people,' President George
W. Bush said in his written address. `They rose from this tragedy and
have reclaimed a bright future of hope and opportunity.'

Sarkisian opened a new memorial to the earthquake's victims in
Gyumri's central square after attending a special church service
presided over by Catholicos Garegin II, head of the Armenian
Apostolic Church. The mass, broadcast live by national television,
involved a minute of silence observed at 11:41 a.m -- the exact time
the quake struck on December 7, 1988.

Unveiling the monument, Sarkisian thanked the international community
for its large-scale assistance that began pouring into then Soviet
Armenia just hours after the calamity. "Twenty years ago, all peoples
rallied to our side, despite the Cold War, ideological differences
and different political views," Sarkisian said. "From the first days,
our people felt like the whole world was with us."

Nikolay Ryzhkov, a former Soviet prime minister who personally
coordinated the rescue and reconstruction efforts, also delivered a
speech, reading out a message from Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
"We bow our heads before the memory of the thousands of victims of
this natural disaster,' Medvedev said. `We remember with deep respect
and gratitude today the courage of the rescuers who answered the call
for help."

That help was badly needed by as many as 500,000 people whose homes,
built in apparent violation of seismic safety standards, were
destroyed by two powerful tremors that rocked much of Armenia's
territory 20 years ago. The Ryzhkov-led Soviet government pledged to
rebuild them in two years. Dozens of construction companies from
across the Soviet Union were assigned to the earthquake zone in the
following months.

However, the massive reconstruction effort fizzled out with the
subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union. Independent Armenia's
successive governments were too cash-strapped to complete it. The
reconstruction gained fresh momentum in the early 2000s when
thousands of new houses and apartments were built in the economically
depressed area with the financial assistance of U.S.-Armenian
billionaire Kirk Kerkorian. Nonetheless, as many as 7,000 families in
the quake-hit Shirak and Lori regions still lack permanent housing,
huddling in metal and wooden shacks devoid of basic amenities.

`We still live in a shack, and there are no jobs here,' one elderly
woman told RFE/RL as she stood outside the Gyumri cathedral along
with several dozen other local residents hoping to hand letters to
Sarkisian. `They [government officials] visit nice streets here and
think that Gyumri is 100 percent rebuilt,' she complained. `Let them
go into the nearby neighborhoods, talk to people.'

`We feel neglected, humiliated,' said another woman. `My son works in
Russia and doesn't want to return home. Why? Because he hates our
shack.'

`Within a few years we will manage to overcome all consequences of
the disaster,' Sarkisian said in his speech. `When I say completely I
mean that there will be no families left homeless as a result of the
earthquake and the improving life will return to normal.' `We have
promised this and we will deliver,' he added.

Parliament speaker Hovik Abrahamian reaffirmed this pledge as he led
commemoration ceremonies in Lori's capital Vanadzor attended by
Georgia's last Communist-era leader, Jumber Patiashvili, and builders
and rescuers from Russia and Ukraine who had worked in the earthquake
zone in 1988-1990. `The government's three-year program envisages 71
billion drams ($230 million) worth of construction [in the earthquake
zone,]' Abrahamian said.

According to Urban Development Minister Vartan Vartanian, large-scale
construction in the area will start next year and end by 2013. `All
the preparatory work has already been done,' he told RFE/RL in
Vanadzor. `Most of the [construction] tenders have already been held,
and construction work will get underway in 2009.'

Former President Robert Kocharian similarly pledged to rebuild the
disaster zone during his ten-year tenure. Incidentally, Kocharian
also attended the Gyumri ceremonies with Sarkisian and Garegin.
Unlike the current president, he stopped to talk to local residents
and hear their grievances. Some of them complained that they are
still homeless 20 years after the tragedy.

`I am not in office anymore but will do all can, as second president,
to help [Gyumri,]' Kocharian told journalists afterward. `There is a
new president, a new government that are also determined to continue
the job.'

Sarkozy appoints new minister for economic recovery
Agence France Presse
Friday, December 5, 2008

PARIS (AFP) - President Nicolas Sarkozy on Friday appointed a new
minister for economic recovery charged with overseeing a massive
stimulus plan to help France fight the global slowdown.

Patrick Devedjian, a close Sarkozy ally and the current head of the
governing right-wing UMP party, will implement the 26-billion-euro
(33-billion-dollar) plan unveiled on Thursday.

Sarkozy said the new minister would ensure all funds unlocked under the
plan, which includes massive state investment and aid for the car
industry, are used for that purpose, and not simply folded into existing
ministry budgets.

"This plan will be implemented in full and it will be implemented
quickly," the president said.

Devedjian will be attached to the office of Prime Minister Francois
Fillon, and not to the economy ministry.

He immediately announced his resignation as UMP chief. His successor
will be appointed in late January with Sarkozy's long-time ally Brice
Hortefeux, the current immigration minister, seen as a strong contender.

A deputy in the National Assembly, Devedjian took over from Sarkozy last
year as head of the district council for the Hauts de Seine, west of
Paris -- the president's political fief.

Tehran Times, Iran
Dec 3 2008
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline inaugurated

Armenia officially completed on Monday the construction of a natural
gas pipeline from neighboring Iran which could reduce its heavy
dependence on Russian energy resources and significantly boost its
electricity exports.

It remained unclear, however, when Iranian gas could start flowing
into the country.

The pipeline's second and final Armenian section was inaugurated in
the presence of President Serzh Sarkisian and Alexei Miller, chairman
of Russia's Gazprom giant. The two men, joined by other Armenian,
Russian and Iranian officials, watched as workers welded together its
last pipes.

Miller's presence at the high-profile ceremony underscored the fact
that the pipeline will be controlled by the ArmRosGazprom (ARG)
national gas distribution company in which Gazprom holds a controlling
stake. ARG has financed and carried out work on the 197-kilometer
stretch running through the country's mountainous Syunik region.

In a speech during the ceremony, Miller welcomed the completion of the
`very important project.' He said its implementation testifies to a
`high level of political cooperation between Russia and Armenia.'

Former President Robert Kocharian was also in attendance. Kocharian
had inaugurated the pipeline's first, 41-kilometer section together
with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in March 2007.

Speaking to the journalists, Energy Minister Armen Movsisian said the
pipeline will undergo technical testing and be ready to pump Iranian
gas within weeks. But he again avoided setting any dates for the start
of Iranian gas supplies.

The new pipeline's operational capacity of approximately 2.3 billion
cubic meters of gas per annum essentially matches the annual volume of
Armenian gas imports from Russia that are carried out via
Georgia. With Russian supplies meeting Armenia's needs, the bulk of
Iranian gas is expected to be converted into electricity that will
then be exported to the Islamic Republic.

As Movsisian pointed out, the pipeline would be vital for Armenia's
energy security in case of `force majeure situations.' The minister
clearly referred to a possible disruption or termination of Russian
gas deliveries to Georgia that would almost certainly affect Armenia
as well.

The prospect of a cut-off in Russian supplies has become even more
real since the August war between Georgia and Russia. A senior
Georgian official predicted last month that the Russians will at least
cut back on those supplies this winter.

CONSTRUCTION RATES DECLINE IN YEREVAN
Noyan Tapan
Dec 8, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN. The global financial crisis will
have its impact on Armenian economy without fail, but today our
country is in a relatively good state, the deputy mayor of Yerevan
Karen Davtian said at the December 8 press conference. At the same
time he announced that the construction rates have declined in the
capital city, while the implementation of new construction projects
will depend on the overall situation. The urban development work, which
has already begun, will be completed in accordance with the schedule.

According to the deputy mayor, 7 big urban development programs
were implemented in Yerevan this year. These programs include
the transport node (100,150 meter long and 14 meter wide) of the
intersection of Heratsi, Koryun, Nalbandian and Charents Streets,
and the 280-meter tunnel from Abovian Street to Myasnikian Avenue,
which were put into operation.

K. Davtian announced that Myasnikian Avenue - Armenakian Street
and Sari Tagh - Khorenatsi Street transport node will be put into
operation by late 2008. Besides, according to him, in late December
two newly-constructed 10-story apartment buildings in Kanaker-Zeytun
community will be provided to residents of 4th degree accident-prone
buildings.
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