Armenian News... A Topalian 6 editorials

Armenpress.am

6 September, 2019

Export grows in Armenia by 3% January-July 2019

In January-July 2019, compared to January-July 2018, Armenia’s external trade turnover grew by 2.3%. The export increased by 3% and the import by 1.9%, according to the report released by the Statistical Committee.

In July, compared to June, the export from Armenia grew by 6.8%, and the import by 6.5%.

The export growth rates have also accelerated. In particular, if in June 2019, compared to June 2018, the export grew by 1.2%, in July 2019, compared to July 2018, the export increased by 19.5%.

The biggest share in Armenia’s external trade turnover as of January-July 2019 belonged to the CIS states – 30.9%, of which 27.5% belongs to Russia. The trade turnover with the EU states comprises 21.8% of the entire external trade turnover. China and Switzerland have a big share – 11.9% and 6.4% respectively.

The volumes of goods exported to the CIS states in January-July 2019 increased by 10%, and that to the EU states decreased by 22.7%. The volumes of goods exported to other countries increased by 17.9%. The volume of goods exported to Russia grew by 9.4%.

As for the EU states, in January-July the volumes of goods exported to Italy and the Netherlands increased by 23.2% and 40.3% respectively, however, the export to Belgium, Bulgaria and Germany has declined.

The export to China, as well as to Switzerland and Iraq has drastically increased – 72.6%, 25.3% and 25.5% respectively. The export volumes have declined to the USA, UAE and Iran.

In the aforementioned period the export volumes of precious and semi-precious stones, metals have increased by 38.8%.  10.3% increase has been registered in the export volumes of ready-made food products.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan

News.am, Armenia

Sept 7 2019

Official: Karabakh has become electricity exporting country 

In 2018, a higher electricity generation than consumption was recorded in Artsakh for the first time, and as a result, electricity has been exported. Grigori Martirosyan Minister of State of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic), noted this at a press conference on Saturday.

“Over 17 million kWh of electricity has been exported to Armenia,” Martirosyan said. “We can record that we are an electricity exporting country. This year we plan to considerably increase that indicator; we intend to export 100 million kWh [electricity]. This is a positive step from the viewpoint of energy independence.”

In Martirosyan’s words, Artsakh generates electricity solely by hydroelectric power plants, and this is positive in terms of environmental safety, as it is considered renewable energy.

“We are carrying out activities [also] toward the generation of solar power,” he added. “The relevant legislative and legal packages have already been passed. We already have proposals to invest in that domain.”

The Minister of State noted that these investors are both from Artsakh and abroad.

Daily Sabah, Turkey

Sept 9 2019

A historic meeting at iconic church for Turkey's Armenian community

The Armenian faithful convened at an ancient island church in eastern Turkey's Van province yesterday for an annual religious service that drew visitors from all over

An annual religious service yesterday at the Holy Cross Church in Akdamar, an island in eastern Turkey's Lake Van, brought together the faithful from the Armenian community.

Boarding small boats, a large number of visitors arrived on the island in the province of Van in the early hours for the service held annually every second week of September. Among those attending the service were members of the Armenian community concentrated in Istanbul as well as the Armenian faithful who came from abroad for an opportunity to attend the once-a-year event.

Archbishop Sahak Maşalyan, head of the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey's Spiritual Council, presided over the religious service which was also watched by Turkish officials, lawmakers and citizens.

The Holy Cross Church hosts an annual religious service every second week of September.

Akdamar is a largely barren island except for the towering church with its lush new green spaces thanks to renovation in recent years. The religious service attracts a large number of visitors every year, and local businesses reported all hotels in Gevaş, the nearest town with access to the island, were already fully booked. This is the seventh such religious service on the island. Although Turkey opened the church for religious services in 2010 for an annual mass that is traditionally held in September, the service has been held only seven times since then. After a four-year break, the religious service resumed last year. The break was a result of threats posed by the PKK terrorist organization, which has been active in eastern and southeastern Turkey for years.

The church, which was originally known as the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, Aghtamar and Surp Haç, was built between 915 A.D. and 921 A.D. by architect Bishop Manuel under the sponsorship of Gagik I Artsruni of the Kingdom of Vaspurakan. After the 1915 incidents during World War I, when the province's Armenian community in the area was subject to relocation, the church was abandoned. Building restoration began in 2005, and it opened as a museum two years later. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism approved a TL 4 billion budget for the project, which lasted two years and included several architects, engineers and archaeologists. Believed to have been constructed to house a piece of the True Cross, which was used in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the church was restored in 2005 and opened in 2007.

Speaking at the event, Sahak Maşalyan said that the Armenian community was pleased to see renovations on the island, especially the new water pipeline that brings regular water to the island for the first time. Maşalyan said they were happy that the authorities attached importance to the island. "Akdamar Island is the apple of the eye here. It is our common responsibility to preserve and promote this humanitarian legacy. The Holy Cross Church, built with the labor of Armenian people, now serves as a bridge between peoples of the world, particularly Armenians and Turkey. It is our duty to encourage more people to visit here, to embrace each other," Maşalyan said, adding that they "sadly" witnessed conflicts over sacred sites across the world, conflicts over their possession and sectarian strife echoing political and ideological differences. "If only this island and the church could speak and if only we could ask it who it belongs to, it would tell us, with its years of wisdom and tired smile that it belonged to nobody and everybody. It belonged to everyone who is aware that they are passengers in this world," Maşalyan said.

The church is open to visitors as a museum but crowded events were barred due to terror threats. Van is one of the provinces in the region where the PKK often launched attacks, particularly in rural, isolated parts of the province. The terrorist group, active in the region since the 1980s, resumed its attacks in 2015 after a brief lull. Counterterrorism operations since then have reinstated safety in the region, which is dotted with prominent sites for Christianity and Islam. The ministry allows the church to serve as a house of worship one day a year, while it remains open as a museum.

Akdamar stands apart from other Armenian Orthodox churches in Turkey with its rich frescoes depicting the Story of Creation, and scenes from the life of Christ that decorate the interior. Most of the frescoes are still distinguishable, and some are well preserved; however, in some parts they are severely damaged. On top of its architectural features, Akdamar Church's cultural attributions led it to be added to UNESCO's Tentative List of World Heritage in 2015.

Speaking to reporters after the religious service, Van Gov. Mehmet Emin Bilmez, who was one of the guests at the service, said the Holy Cross Church has been of historic importance for the Armenian people. "We live in common history and culture for years with our Armenian brothers and sisters in Anatolia. We will continue respecting their religious freedoms and cultural values," Bilmez said. He said Akdamar was also an important cultural asset for Van's tourism, noting that the city was again a center of attraction thanks to its restored peaceful atmosphere after terrorism was eradicated in the region.

PanArmenian, Armenia

Sept 9 2019

Hong Kong archaeologists unearth ancient jars, fortress walls in Armenia 

A team of researchers and students from the University of Hong Kong unearthed huge storage jars, animal bones and fortress walls from 3,000 years ago in Armenia as they initiated the Ararat Plain Southeast Archaeological Project (APSAP) during the summer of 2019, Mirage News reports.

APSAP is a collaborative research project between HKU and the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Republic of Armenia’s National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Peter J. Cobb, assistant professor in the Faculties of Education and Arts, directs the project in collaboration with Artur Petrosyan and Boris Gasparyan of the Armenian Institute. The Institute’s Hayk Azizbekyan helped coordinate all aspects of the project.

The project, expected to last for at least five years, aims at understanding human life and mobility in the ancient landscapes of the Near East. It investigates the area around Vedi, Armenia, at the southeast edge of the wide and fertile Ararat Plain.

This area has been a contact point between Turkey, Iran (Persia) and Russia over the past few centuries. It has always been an important transportation node, including on the famous Silk Road. Today, Armenia is one of the countries on the Belt and Road initiative.

Panorama, Armenia

Sept 7 2019

The problems with maternal deaths in Armenia

Lala Ter-Ghazaryan

On September 2, a woman who was 36 weeks pregnant with her child, died in childbirth at Yerevan Margaryan medical center. Doctors were unable to save the life of the woman following the  caesarean section. Relatives of the 24-year-old woman accused doctors for failing to perform their duties demand them be prosecuted. The matter now is investigated at the Investigation Committee.

“The Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case according to Part 3 of Article 130 of the Armenian Criminal Code which is failure to implement or improper implementation of professional duties by medical and support personnel,” Panorama.am was told at the Committee.

This has been the  second death of a young woman in childbirth within a month with the latest case registered in Vedi medical centre where a 29-year-old woman died.

Press secretary at the ministry of healthcare Alina Nikoghosyan told Panorama.am that 10 cases of maternal mortality had been recorded this year in Armenia.  “8 cases of maternal mortality connected with pregnancy complication were recorded in 2018.  

The index of maternal deaths was 4 in 2017 and 12 – in 2016,” Nikoghosyan said, adding a detailed examinations were launched to look into the reasons of the recent maternal deaths.

The head of the mother and child health protection department of the healthcare ministry Gayane Avagyan expressed concern over the recent death cases and assured the ministry’s efforts  to clarify the circumstances of each case with forensic medical examinations underway.  Avagyan, however, pointed to the fact that most of the cases were sudden deaths occurred such as heart problems, asphyxia developed out of epilepsy, thromboembolism.

The ministry official recalled the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO) that the maternal mortality rates for countries with less than 5 million population is calculated in three year teams not annual.

“If we take a three-year term for analyzing the statistics, the number of maternal deaths in Armenia do not exceed 20 per 100 000 live births. We do not think this is the best index, yet among CIS countries the average ratio is 29.4 and Armenia has an average ratio. To compare with European countries, however, the number is high,” Avagyan stressed.

According to the figures published by Armenia’s Statistical Service, The maternal mortality ratio in Armenia is 21.9  per 100 000 live births as of January-December 2018. A rapid response service has been launched to prevent maternal deaths which operate at Erebuni and republican medical centers.

“Since most of the deaths are related to health condition of women, we are working on programs for thorough examination, diagnosis and treatment of girls below 15. Women below 18 can now apply for medical assistance on state means, as our efforts are about caring for the health of potential mothers,” said Avagyan.

To note, WHO defines maternal as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes. To facilitate the identification of maternal deaths in circumstances in which cause of death attribution is inadequate, a new category has been introduced: Pregnancy-related death is defined as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the cause of death.

BBC Sports, UK

Sept 8 2019

Armenia 4 - 2 Bosnia Herzegovina

 

Mkhitaryan (3'minutes, 66'minutes), Hambardzumyan (77'minutes), Loncar (90'+5minutes og)

 

Dzeko (13'minutes), Gojak (70'minutes)

 

Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored twice and had a hand in the other two goals as Armenia beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 4-2 in Euro 2020 qualifying.

The Arsenal midfielder, on loan at Roma, rounded keeper Ibrahim Sehic to score a third-minute opener.

He blasted a second into the roof of the net after Edin Dzeko had equalised.

Amer Gojak put Bosnia level again but Hovhannes Hambardzumyan scored from Mkhitaryan's cross and Stjepan Loncar turned a ball into his own net.

The result boosts Armenia's European Championship qualification hopes, but leaves Bosnia's in real jeopardy.

Armenia are three points behind second-placed Finland, who host Group J leaders Italy at 19:45 BST, with Bosnia another two points behind.