Loussapatz - The Dawn 15-06-2013

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NEW MEETING BETWEEN ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENTS PLANNED

BAKU - The Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia are to meet later in June to discuss preparations for the meeting of the presidents of the two countries, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told reporters, Trend agency reports.

Mammadyarov made the announcement one week after he and Nalbandian held separate talks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Washington. The Azerbaijani minister went on to meet with U.S., Russian and French diplomats co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group in London.

"The purpose of the presidential meeting is the discussion of the serious issues of the Nagorno-Karabakh con- flict. I look forward to meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian to comprehensively discuss the preparation for the presidents' meeting," the Minister added.

The three mediators visited Baku and Yerevan late last month. They said they are now "working intensively" with the conflicting parties to organize a face-to-face meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents.

"The mediators are continuing to prepare for a meeting of the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan," Regnum quoted Mammadyarov as telling journalists in Baku. "But we want it to be substantive and not for the sake of a meet- ing."

Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sarkisian most recently met in the Russian city of Sochi in January 2012. The talks were hosted by then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. In a joint written statement issued there, Aliyev and Sarkisian pledged to intensify their efforts to agree on the Basic Principles of a Karabakh settlement put forward by the mediators.

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However, the conflicting parties have since made no progress towards bridging their differences on the pro- posed peace accord. "It is critical that all the parties ... try to find a way to help break the impasse," Kerry told Nalbandian last week.

US SUPREME COURT DENIES REVIEW OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE INSURANCE CLAIMS REP. SCHIFF: SUPREME COURT DECISION "DEEPLY DISAPPOINTING"

WASHINGTON, DC - The US Supreme Court today denied lead plaintiff Harry Arzoumanian's petition for review of a 9th Circuit Court ruling, in the case of Arzoumanian vs. Munich-Re.

Arzoumanian and other plaintiffs including Garo Ayaltin, Miran Khagerian and Ara Khajerian brought claims against Munich-Re for unpaid insurance claims arising out of the Armenian Genocide of 1915.

The lawsuit was first filed by attorney Vartkes Yeghiayan in 2003 and moved through various levels of the appeals process reaching the highest court of law, the US Supreme Court.

The lower court interpreted the California law that allows heirs of genocide survivors to file suit against insurance companies and other entities as an intrusion upon the federal government's right to conduct foreign rela- tions. The 9th Circuit Court questioned the motives of the California legislature and issued its ruling on the basis of it being preempted by the rights conferred upon the federal government. Petitioners Igor Timofeyev, Lee Boyd, Michael Bazyler, Rajika Shah and Vartkes Yeghiayan were arguing that the issue at hand was one of State powers and that this decision was a clear over-reach of the Federal government upon the State legislature.

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) called the court's decision "Deeply Disappointing" in a statement issued on Tuesday.

"The Supreme Court's decision to decline to hear arguments in Movsesian v. Versicherung AG is deeply dis- appointing, both because of the urgent need to secure justice for the victims of the Armenian Genocide and their sur- vivors, and the important constitutional issues at stake. As a State Senator, I was a principal cosponsor of the bill which extended the statute of limitations on such claims, and I feel a compelling personal interest in maintaining access to justice for victims of genocide.

"Prior to the court's recent decision, I drafted legislation to make it clear that it is the policy of the United States to assist the victims of genocide, whether the Armenian genocide or any other atrocity, in pursuing claims for redress. The federal government should be encouraging states to provide a venue for the victims of genocide, not impeding legal claims. With today's decision, such legislation is all the more essential and I will be working with the community to put the final touches on the bill prior to its introduction."

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY STUDYING SHALE GAS RESOURCES IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN --The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began a study of Armenia's shale gas resources in 2011. The survey is on-going and is expected to be finalized late this year, or early next year.

"The US Geological Survey was here and did some work last year, and they are working on an analysis now in Washington. When we get that analysis this year we will share it with the Armenian government and the public," U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John A. Heffern stated.

On June 2 2011 a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Ministry of Energy and National resources of the Republic of Armenia and U.S. State Department on cooperation in spheres of estimation and description of traditional and nontraditional energy resources of Armenia.

United States has great experience in the sphere of developing traditional and nontraditional energy. Physicochemical and geological surveys have been carried out in many countries with the help of United States in order to find out the shale reserves and their physicochemical attributes.

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U.S. FIRM KEEN TO BUY MAJOR ARMENIAN POWER PLANTS

NEW YORK -- A U.S. energy company announced on Wednesday that it is close to buying three big hydroelectric stations generating a con- siderable part of Armenia's electricity.

The New York-based ContourGlobal said it is engaged in "advanced negotiations" with the Armenian government over the takeover of the plants built along the fast-flowing Vorotan river in the south- eastern Syunik province.

"While commercial terms are still being finalized the purchase price will be very significant and all of the funds will be sourced from outside of Armenia using a combination of ContourGlobal's own resources and those of prestigious international financial institutions," it said in a statement. They include the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and the International Finance Corporation, a World Bank Group division, according to the statement.

"In addition to the full purchase price, ContourGlobal will be committing to invest further in a major over- haul of the main generating equipment at the power plants," added the company. "This investment is urgently need- ed given the age of the plants and the under investment in recent years."

Constructed in the 1970s and 1980s, the Vorotan Complex cascade is the largest power-generating facility still owned by the Armenian state. With an operational capacity of over 400 megawatts, it is nearly as powerful as the Metsamor nuclear plant that accounts for roughly 40 percent of Armenian electricity production.

The Soviet-era hydroelectric plants were supposed to be refurbished with 51 million euros ($66 million) in loans that were provided by a German development bank to Armenia in 2010. Officials said at the time that the mod- ernization will be complete by 2015.

The Armenian Ministry of Energy declined to comment on their possible takeover by ContourGlobal. The Vorotan Complex management also declined a comment when contacted by RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am).

Energy Minister Armen Movsisian did not deny the plants' impending privatization when he was confronted by opposition lawmakers in the Armenian parliament on Wednesday.

ContourGlobal operates 33 power plants in 17 countries around the world. Its operational revenues exceeded $1 billion in 2011.

In recent weeks the Vorotan cascade has been at the center of media speculation resulting from ongoing Russian-Armenian negotiations over the price of Russian natural delivered to Armenia. There have been suggestions that Yerevan is ready to grant Russia's Gazprom giant control over the facility in return for a 30 percent price dis- count. Energy Minister Movsisian has dismissed this speculation.

ARMENIA OPENS MILITARY ACADEMIES TO WOMEN

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) - Armenian women have been allowed to apply to the country's two main military academies for the first time as part of ongoing reforms of the Armenian armed forces.

The Defense Ministry in Yerevan announced late last week that "physically strong" women aged 18 and older will now be eligible to study in the Vazgen Sarkisian Military Institute, which prepares officers for ground forces,

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and Marshal Khanperiants Aviation Institute. It said female applicants have to submit rele- vant documents by July 1.

A Defense Ministry state- ment also said that strong health and good high school marks in physics and mathematics will be the key requirements in the selection process.

Artsrun Hovannisian, the ministry spokesman, told RFE/RL's Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) on Monday that the landmark measure is aimed at promoting gender equality in Armenia and stems from ongo- ing reforms designed to bring the Armenian army into greater

conformity with NATO standards. He said a larger number of female officers will "make the atmosphere in the armed forces more civilized."

Hovannisian clarified at the same time that some military specialties will remain off limits for Armenian women. In particular, he said, they are not yet allowed to study at academy departments that train officers for tank and artillery units. But women can now become air force pilots or officers serving in air-defense or reconnaissance units, the official said.

According to the Defense Ministry, the total number of female soldiers and officers in the Armenian army stood at over 1,400 as of last November. The vast majority of them are believed to hold clerical positions in the min- istry, army detachments and other military structures.

Still, the number of women performing combat roles appears to have risen in recent years. They mainly serve as snipers in special army detachments. The Defense Ministry's "Hay Zinvor" newspaper interviewed several of them for an extensive article published earlier this year.

Armenian women also participated in the 1991-1994 war with Azerbaijan. Eighteen of them died in action in Karabakh and along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. The military reported late last year 115 women currently have the official status of war veterans.

SOCCER: ARMENIA ROUT DENMARK 4-0 IN WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

COPENHAGEN -- In the Group B World Cup qualifying game of the European zone, the Armenian nation- al football team defeated the national team of Denmark in Copenhagen. The game started with a goal within the first minute from the Armenian side scored by the best striker of Russian championship league of this season Yura Movisiyan. 18 minutes later another footballer playing in Russia Aras Ozbilis scored the second goal for Armenia.

In the second half Yura Movsisyan scored his second goal, and the last goal was scored by the best striker of Ukrainian championship league Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

This is the second victory gained by Armenia in the current qualifying campaign, allowing Vardan Minasyan's side to catch up with the Danes in fourth place of the six-nation group.

Next, Armenia will play the Czech Republic in Prague on September 6. Italy currently tops group B with 14 points, Armenia and Denmark have 6 points sharing 4-5 positions respec-

tivley.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARAM KHACHATURIAN!!

YEREVAN -- June 6, 2013, marked world-renowned Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian's 110th birthday. Throughout the year, the beloved composer will be celebrated with various events throughout the world. Armenia is no exception. Among the many tra- ditional concerts and performances that will take place, a unique performance -Saber Dance on the Street - was unveiled in the streets of Yerevan.

The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), in partnership with the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra (APO) and Emporium, presented a modern take on Khachaturian's Saber Dance, from the ballet Gayane.

Passers-by, tourists and on-lookers were surprised by the Saber Dance on the Street, which took place at the Cascade Complex and Cafesjian Sculpture Garden. At first glance, they thought a real fight, over a girl, had broken out. But, as APO Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Maestro Eduard Topchjan appeared, joined by the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra and The Armenia State Dance Ensemble Barekamutyun, spectators relaxed and began to enjoy the show.

To celebrate his 110th anniversary, UNESCO declared 2013 as the Year of Khachaturian. His vast repertoire includes numerous works for piano, violin, cello, orchestras, ballets and much more. Khachaturian passed away on May 1, 1978, leaving a rich musical legacy for the world to enjoy.

MONTSERRAT CABALLE VISITS GARNI TEMPLE AND GEGHARD MONASTERY

YEREVAN -- World-renowned Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballe visited the Garni Temple and Geghard Monastery within the frame- work of the visit to Armenia.

Earlier His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, hosted her at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

Also, Montserrat Caballe visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial to pay tribute to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims.

Her concert in Yerevan took place at the Opera and Ballet Theater after Alexander Spendiaryan on June 9.

Earlier the world-famous Spanish soprano visited Nagorno Karabakh, where she met with NKR President Bako Sahakyan and visited places of interest.

Azerbaijan has declared Montserrat Caballé "persona non grata" and has sent a note of protest to Spain over her visit to Artsakh.

On June 8 the famous opera star received an Order of Honor from Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian.

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ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT'S ECONOMIC RECORD COMES UNDER OPPOSITION ATTACK

YEREVAN -- The opposition minority in the Armenian parliament lashed out at the country's government on Wednesday, saying that its economic policies have been a gross failure.

Opposition lawmakers brushed aside faster economic growth indicated by official statistics as the National Assembly debated a government report on the execution of last year's state budget.

"They say that the economy grew by 7.2 percent while real incomes rose by only 2.5 percent and gross invest- ments decreased," said Hrant Bagratian, a former prime minister nominally representing the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK). "There can be only one, fantastic explanation for that. Armenians make money and do business abroad, while foreigners do business in Armenia and take money abroad."

"This government is killing the people's faith in the state," charged Artsvik Minasian of the opposition Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun).

Deputies from the opposition-leaning Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) added their voice to the harsh criti- cism. One of them, Tigran Urikhanian, accused the government of jeopardizing national security with its economic policies. He claimed that real per-capita income in the country is continuing to fall.

The government's macroeconomic data indicates the opposite trend, however. In particular, it shows that poverty in the country has fallen slightly after a sharp rise that followed a recession in 2009.

A five-year policy program of President Serzh Sarkisian's recently reshuffled cabinet, which was approved by the parliament last month, envisages that the Armenian economy will continue expanding by at least 5 percent per annum. This is supposed to translate into more than 100,000 new jobs and significantly reduce the official poverty rate.

GLOBAL PEACE INDEX 2013: ARMENIA MOST PEACEFUL COUNTRY IN THE REGION

Armenia is placed 98th in Global Peace Index 2013 (up from 115th last year) among 162 countries.

In the annual report the Institute for Economics and Peace ranks 162 countries by measuring security in soci- ety, the extent of conflict and the degree of militarization.

Countries are given scores on 22 indicators that measure internal peace (e.g. levels of perceived criminality, number of police per 100,000 people and level of organised crime) as well as external peace indicators (these include military expenditure as a % of GDP and nuclear weapons capabilities).

The report also counts the cost of violence to the global economy - and the sums are far from trivial. They estimate that the economic impact of containing violence cost $9.46 trillion in 2012, equivalent to 11% of global GDP.

Iceland, Denmark and New Zealadn top the list with Sudan, Afghanistan and Somalia at the bottom.

The Global Peace Index 2013 places Azerbaijan in 126th position. Turkey and Iran are ranked 134th and 137th respectively. Georgia is 139th, Russia is 155th.

UCLA RECEIVES $2 MILLION DONATION TO ESTABLISH PROGRAM IN ARMENIAN ARCHAEOLOGY AND ETHNOGRAPHY

By Margaret Macdonald

UCLA -- The UCLA Cotsen Institute of Archaeology has received a $2 million gift from UCLA alumna Zaruhy Sara Chitjian to establish the first permanent research program in Armenian archaeology and ethnography at a major American university.

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Chitjian also donated a significant collection of artifacts, documents and books related to the history and material culture of Armenia and to the Armenian diaspora after the Armenian genocide of 1915-23.

The Hampartzoum and Ovsanna Chitjian Collection and Archive of Armenian Ethnographic Artifacts and Documents, named in honor of Chitjian's parents, will be housed at the Cotsen Institute and digitized, giving schol- ars around the world access to this important resource.

Gregory E. Areshian, assistant director of the Cotsen Institute, has been appointed director of the new Chitjian Collection and Research Program.

The gift will enable an expansion of research projects in Armenian archaeology and ethnography, the estab- lishment of a public lecture series, and the publication of scholarly works on the Web and in print. It will also fund seminars and graduate-student conferences devoted to topics in Armenian archaeology, anthropology, ethnography and history and to the preservation of the cultural heritage of historic Armenia and the Armenian diaspora.

"The collection represents a set of objects and letters that will provide an invaluable insight into the Armenian diaspora," said Charles Stanish, director of the Cotsen Institute. "Each acquisition not only provides insight into a small portion of this tragic but heroic drama but also provides a window into dozens of new questions and areas of inquiry. We hope that the Hampartzoum and Ovsanna Chitjian Collection will be a model for others to emulate."

A retired schoolteacher, Chitjian earned her bachelor's degree in child psychology and her teaching credential from UCLA. She has received numerous awards and honors for her work and for her dedication to Armenian issues, past and present.

She continues to fund research and student scholarships throughout the world. In 2003, she published a mem- oir of her father's experiences as an Armenian genocide survivor and his journey to safety on foot through eastern Turkey.

Chitjian also funded the establishment of Aramazd, The Armenian Journal of Near Eastern Studies, the first Armenia-based, English-language, peer-reviewed international journal on the archaeology, ancient and medieval history, and linguistics of Armenia, the Caucasus, Iran, Turkey and the broader Near East.

"With the work at the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, the Armenian identity and Armenian people - past and present - can be respected and appreciated for the contributions of their 3,000 year history," Chitjian said. "Studying the ethnographic artifacts of recent age is an important means of understanding the past of this still thriving culture."

ERDOGAN AND HIS ARMENIAN PROBLEM By Gerard J. Libaridian

When the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Recep Tayyip Erdogan came to power in Turkey in 2002, there were reasons to think that they would correct the state policies for dealing with history, particularly regarding the treatment of Armenians by the Ottoman government during the First World War.

Since their political philosophy is derived mainly from religious concepts rather than secular statism and nationalism, Erdogan and the AKP could have denounced those policies outright. In fact they could have pointed out that it was extreme statist and nationalist ideology, rather than Islam, that was responsible. He could have saved that

dimension of Ottoman legacy that was tolerant by rejecting the extremist policies of the wartime Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) government as inimical to Islamic values; and if CUP policies can best be characterized as genocide, so be it.

When Erdogan came to power, he was much more open in his treatment of the Armenian issue; he wanted to leave history to historians. This was an opening, since the Turkish state had always dictated historical narratives down to every schoolbook.

The two protocols signed by Turkey and Armenia in October 2009 that aimed at the normalization of rela- tions between the two countries had an indirect but clear reference to a joint study of the genocide issue. It appeared that Erdogan, with support from Gül, wished to move forward.

Even more significantly, in 2011, Erdogan apologized for the massacre of civilian Kurdish subjects in 1938

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and 1939 in Dersim/Tunceli. The idea and gesture of an apology itself are more important than the details. No Turkish leader had ever apologized for an atrocious policy or crime that the Ottoman or Turkish state had ever com- mitted against its own subjects. Additionally, Erdogan or Davutoglu have used the term genocide for situations that are far less sinister than what happened to Armenians in 1915.

Hence, instead of denying genocide, Erdogan could have opted for another method: The genocide of the Armenian people was committed by the CUP in power. And in committing that crime, the CUP was not acting as a Muslim government but rather as primarily a power-hungry clique that had taken over the government illegally in the name of a particular vision and used religion only to help make their policies work and "seem" sanctioned by the dominant religion, Islam. This is a perfectly legitimate political argument as well as a historically valid one.

Prime Minister Erdogan could have made that argument and resolved an extremely thorny issue; he would have gained international respect both from governments and from civil societies in a large number of countries it relates to. But that is not what has happened, not yet anyway.

By declaring that Muslims, by definition, could not commit genocide - as was the case regarding Sudan and Darfur - Erdogan might have thought he was saving Islam. In fact, by exempting authors of genocide who happen to be Muslims from that charge, Erdogan is making critical discussion, and historical analysis, irrelevant; and in doing so, he is creating more problems for the religion he is trying to save.

However, this is not first time that blinders have covered the eyes of a Turkish leader - no matter how liberal or reformist. The Armenian issue is, indeed, the blind spot of Turkish leaders' vision.

When CUP came to power in 1908, it had two options. The first was dealing with the social and economic issues raised by Armenians. The second option was to see the Armenian Question as a foreign plot, therefore, sub- ject to justifiable repression. The Young Turks started with the first and ended up opting for the second. The result was what happened in 1915.

When Erdogan came to power, he too had options: he could have seen the Armenian issue as a matter inte- gral to Ottoman and Turkish history, a revision of which history being necessary to better pursue the democratiza- tion of the country; or, to continue the state policies on this issue as if it is a foreign-inspired conspiracy fueled by imperialists' designs to break up Turkey.

Erdogan gave signals opting for the first; the question is, has he, too, ended up with the second option?

Gerard J. Libaridian is a historian who served as senior adviser to the first president of independent Armenia, between 1991 and 1997. This article is an abbreviated version of the original article published in Turkish Policy Quarterly (TPQ).

OFFERS FROM IRAN:

ISLAMIC REPUBLIC'S AMBASSADOR IN YEREVAN

UNVEILS PROPOSALS ON GAS, RAILROAD, PASTURES,

GENOCIDE-RELATED ARCHIVES

By Naira Hayrumyan

ArmeniaNow.com

Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Mohammad Reisi held a meeting with reporters in Yerevan on Tuesday dur- ing which he made a number of proposals to Armenia. The proposals were made almost directly, even though in a style typical of Persian diplomacy.

The first proposal concerned natural gas supplies - the ambassador, in fact, suggested that Iran increase the volume of natural gas supplied to Armenia, dropping hints that the price could be negotiated. At present Iran sup- plies only a small portion of the natural gas imported by Armenia, while the main supplier and gas distribution

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monopolist is Russia. But Moscow recently raised the price of natural gas, and Iran, in fact, offers its services as an alternative supplier.

According to Reisi, given the friendly relations with Armenia, Iran continues its partnership in the gas sphere, and Armenia itself has to decide how far the Iranian gas could be an alternative to the Russian one.

Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Armenia Areg Galstyan acknowledged the possibility of considering the issue of increasing the delivery of Iranian gas to Armenia. The official said that under a contract, if needed, Armenia may increase the volume of gas supplies from Iran. "The more sources, directions and types of fuel a country has, the safer and more assured it feels," he added.

The Iranian ambassador also addressed the issue of the lease of Armenian pastures in Syunik, which is a southern province bordering on the Islamic Republic, to Iranian sheep-breeders. A related memorandum caused a wave of discontent in Armenia earlier this year, but the ambassador said that the matter had been blown out of pro- portion, while in reality it did not harm Armenia. In fact, the ambassador suggested that the sides get down to real- izing the project.

Approximately 30,000 sheep were exported from Armenia to Iran as of June 2013, according to Armenian Ministry of Agriculture Animal Health Management Department chief Ashot Hovhannisyan. "Hopefully, this year the exports of sheep to Iran will increase over the last year to reach the level of 2009-2011 when on average 150,000 heads of sheep were exported annually," he said.

At the same time, the Ministry of Agriculture is categorically against leasing pastures in Syunik to foreign farmers. "The Ministry of Agriculture considers it more appropriate to organize sheep-breeding there by local farm- ers and annually sell up to 50,000 heads of sheep to Iranian entrepreneurs," said Hovhannisyan.

Another proposal by Reisi concerned plans for the railway between the two countries that haven't got off the drawing board yet. Iran expects Armenia's steps in the construction of the railroad, said Reisi. "We have repeatedly stated that as soon as Armenia starts building its part of the railroad, we will start building ours. I think that the Armenian side is interested in creating a high-speed rail link from Meghri to Georgia," he said.

And the proposal to open Iran's archives to explore facts related to the Armenian Genocide sounded quite sen- sational. "I think you should instruct historians to study the Iranian archives. They can request any materials relat- ed to the Armenian Genocide," said the diplomat.

Reisi also said that every year in April he personally goes to the Tsitsernakaberd memorial complex commem- orating the victims of the Armenian Genocide. "Genocide is a crime committed against humanity, which is unac- ceptable to us. Unfortunately, such crimes occur even in our own days, for example, in Syria, where thousands of civilians get killed," said the Iranian ambassador.

The diplomat also found it necessary to stress that no one has the right to interfere in the relations between other sovereign nations. "The United States is seeking to propagate Iranophobia. But in the region the nations know well the friendliness of Iran," he said.

Armenian-Iranian economic cooperation to some extent is limited by the sanctions imposed on Iran by the international community over the Islamic Republic's nuclear program.

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