Akhtamar News

NEW TURKISH-ENGLISH BOOK TO SHED LIGHT ON HISTORY
OF AKHTAMAR
Tert.am
08:44 11.10.10

Despite being an object of dispute between Turks and Armenians,
the historic Surb Khach Church (Holly Cross) on Akhtamar Island has
also recently paved the way for dialogue between Armenian and Turkish
scholars, writes Turkish Daily News.

Ara Sarafyan, director of the London-based Komitas Institute, and
Osman Koker, owner of Birzamanlar Publications, have published a
book about Akhtamar Island. The book is titled "Aghtamar: A Jewel of
Medieval Armenian Architecture / Akhtamar: Ortacag Ermeni Mimarlgi'nin
Mucevheri" and is available in both English and Turkish.

Armenian General Benevolent Union, or AGBU, one of the most important
organizations in the Diaspora, gave its support to the book, which
Koker and Sarafyan wrote from research conducted by Armenian Stepan
Mnatsakanian in 1980.

Perhaps the most interesting feature of the book is its drawings of
the Surb Khach Church. Speaking to the Hurriyet Daily News, Sarafyan
said, "I realized that Turkish people are interested in the history
of this land."

Koker shared the reasons he and Sarafyan published the book. "By
publishing this type of book, we are trying to raise public awareness,"
he said. "The traditional historical ideology should be broken in
Turkey, and I think this book will help do that."

Noting that many Armenian cultural sites in Anatolia have been damaged,
and kept away from their rightful owners, Sarafyan said, "There is a
big paradox here, because the ownership of Armenian cultural sites is
not written in the Van Archaeology Museum, but the Surb Khach Church
is now open to worship." He admitted that Turkey has made important
steps toward democracy, but not enough has been done.

"I noticed the dialogue between the Turks and Armenians improving
during the worship," he said. "The Diaspora may react negatively
to what I am saying, but I think this shows progress. No positive
development should be ignored."

Sarafyan said he and Koker deliberately published the book
simultaneously with the opening of the church. "Everyone was talking
about the church, but no one was aware of its historical significance,"
he said.

"I totally agree with him, and believe that our work was very
successful," said Koker. "Since 2007, everyone has been debating which
cross should be displayed on the dome of the church, but nobody knows
the building's historical significance. I have been conducting research
on the history of Armenians for years, and even I was not aware of
the historical significance of the island until preparing this book.

"The island was the capital of the Armenian kingdom of Artsruni,"
said Koker. "A palace, a tower and some houses were built on the
island. It was not a place where priests lived in seclusion."

Asked about the architectural drawings on the back of the book, Koker
said, "These drawings and figures will enable people to understand the
island in a more general sense. We did not want the book to be thick.

We wanted it to be an easy read."

Noting that Anatolia has been home to various civilizations throughout
history, Koker said, "We always choose to forget the history of this
land. We are all under the impression that everything began and has
continued with Turks. This is mainly because the new generation is
comprised of many nationalist and discriminatory individuals. This
is why differences are not tolerated. It is time to break away from
this way of thinking."

Koker also said he was very excited about the interest the book has
garnered. "I know that this interest will increase in the future. As
historical awareness increases, people will be more willing to
protect it."


ArmInfo
New ecologic threat hangs over Armenian town of Alaverdi
2010-10-15 15:04:00

ArmInfo. A new threat hanged over the Armenian town of Alaverdi, the
ecology of which is in a deplorable state.

According to Head of OSCE grant programme Larisa Paremuzyan, Alaverdi
copper plant intends to transfer the pipeline to Koshaberd, as a
result of which new regions within a radius of 2,5 km will be affected
by emissions. These regions include Lalvar forest, as well as Odzun
and Haghpat settlements.

"I think that transfer of the pipeline just imitates the plant's
management concern over the ecology issues", L. Paremuzyan told
ArmInfo.

According to the report "Geo Alaverdi - environment and town
development", Alaverdi plant annually discharges 25,000 tons of
sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere. The soil within the radius of 3
km from the enterprise is contaminated with heavy metals, the
concentration of which exceeds the maximum allowable rates from 20 to
40 times. For example, copper concentration exceeds the maximum
permissible concentration 32,3 times, and concentration of lead - 16,0
times. Moreover, the soil is contaminated with such elements as
mercury, arsenic, molybdenum and nickel.

According to the town residents, the plant's emissions in cloudy and
windy weather fall on the town. Moreover, this fog has its specific
smell of hydrogen sulfide, sulphur dioxide and natural gas, which is
used in production. According to specialists' estimates, just the
industrial and photochemical smog is the most aggressive for people's
breathing passages. Increase of NO2 gas (nitrogen dioxide) and SO2
(sulphur dioxide) in the atmosphere affects morbidity with bronchial
asthma.

news.am, Armenia
Oct 9 2010
On inflation in Armenia
By Albert Khachatryan

According to a report released by the Statistical Service of Armenia,
the consumer price index was 107% this January-September as compared
with last January-September.

If considered month by month, the consumer price index shows
inconsistent trends. Specifically, it showed an upward trend this
January-April (107% up to 108%). However, lower inflation rates - down
to 107.3% - were registered from January to June.

If we compare the periods from January to July and from January to
September, higher inflation rates were registered - from 107.4% up to
107.8%. This is evidence that prices do not show any downward trend.

Many experts think that the rise in prices for agricultural produce,
particularly crop production, was the main cause of inflation. This
year's unfavorable weather destroyed a considerable part of fruit and
vegetables, which caused a jump in market prices. Specifically, the
fruit prices showed a 10% rise, prices for vegetables and potatoes
rose by 22.6%. The general rise in food prices was 7.6%, being only
0.2% lower than the consumer price index.

That is, the rise in food prices, which maintained general inflation
trends, was not the only `generator' of the inflation level. We get a
clearer picture if we consider the rise in prices in commodity groups
and for paid services. Among the groups showing a higher-than-general
inflation are footwear and clothing, which show an 11.6% rise, rent
and utilities (an 11.8% rise), transport and communication (an 8%
rise) and other goods and services (a 9.1% rise).

As regards other groups, drugs showed an 11.3% price rise, personal
cars a 21.4% rise, personal services a 14.2% rise, recreation services
a 10.5% rise and utilities a 12.3% rise.

Thus, a higher price rise was mostly registered among essential goods
and services, which had a negative impact on consumption. This year
retail trade turnover has hardly made any progress compared with the
corresponding period last year.


Focus Information Agency, Bulgaria
Oct 10 2010
World Bank predicts below 4 pc growth for Armenia this year
10 October 2010 | 02:22 | FOCUS News Agency

Yerevan. The World Bank has predicted a growth rate of less than 4
percent this year for Armenia, Xinhua informed.

While updating growth predictions for Europe and Central Asia, the
World Bank maintained its prediction for the South Caucasus region at
3.9 percent.

World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia Philippe le
Houerou said that the recovery in the region would be not only
moderate but jobless as well.

Main drivers behind recovery, however, will be exports and capital
inflows, the official added.

Philippe le Houerou explained that the World Bank's policy in the
region would be placed on managing three key challenges -- competitive
strategies, salvation of a strong social protection and energy
efficiency.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), also modified downward its 2010
growth prediction for Armenia from 4.8 percent to 4 percent in late
September.

But the IMF predicted a 4.5-percent growth for Armenia next year.

Al Jazeera
Armenian American Medicare Fraud

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqQX35P2VyU