Great, so when it finally opens, Yerevan will have a McDonalds something like 8-9 years after Baku and Tbilisi. Strangely, I'm not sure what is progress in this respect. The fact that Yerevan might have a McDonalds in a few year's time or the fact that it's taken so long for it to open.

The word on the streets in 1999 - 2000 when multiple McDonalds were opening in Baku and Tbilisi (the latter has two) was that too high a bribe was required by officials and that no reliable local business partner could be found here. Unless something has changed with McDonald's franchising requirements, it will be interesting to discover who is the local partner in Yerevan.

Still, interesting idea to look at McDonalds in the context of globalization and the introduction of western management practices (much needed in Yerevan's restaurants and cafes where generally the service is appalling). A black mark in terms of what it means for cuisine. In 1999 I didn't eat at the McDonalds in Tbilisi but in 2003 I did and I remembered why I never ate McDonalds in the UK.

Still, on the bright side, clean washrooms in the center of Yerevan. I certainly won't eat there -- even as an experiment. I'm sure Armenians will. The McDonalds in Tbilisi was surprisingly full with local Georgians and the prices were not cheap in local terms.

Cheers,

I thought the US did bomb Belgrade over Kosovo. Didn't we kill over a thousand civilians in Serbia? I clearly remember us bombing a bus full of people, and TV stations, and the Chinese embassy.

My earlier comment is about the theory that no country that has MickeyDees ever has war with another country that has McDonalds.

Hrair,

The common explaination for that is that NATO bombed Belgrade, not a country.

I'm not sure having a McDonald's is progress... Or at least progress in a good direction. I vote for having kebab and tarna shops like Zankou Chicken. McDonald's is processed, cruddy, blah, overly calorically intoxified icky food. Who wants that? Fast food is one of the main reasons that obesity is an epidemic in the U.S... Definitely don't want that in Yerevan or here in the U.S. for that matter!

I'm not sure having a McDonald's is progress... Or at least progress in a good direction. I vote for having kebab and tarna shops like Zankou Chicken. McDonald's is processed, cruddy, blah, overly calorically intoxified icky food. Who wants that? Fast food is one of the main reasons that obesity is an epidemic in the U.S... Definitely don't want that in Yerevan or here in the U.S. for that matter!

ՄակԴոնալդը շատ վատ է ձեր առողջության համար։

McDonalds is McYuck!

Hakop, McD's sure isn't good for one's health, but as Onnik mentioned (as well as what Friedman has said), I do look forward to the level of service being elevated at Yerevan eating establishments as well as the training opportunities that it will provide.

Speaking of Smak, does anyone else remember the late '90s "I Love (Heart) Smak" bumper stickers? Ah...

PS: here's an interesting article on the history of processed food in Russia in the '90s:

http://www.kommersant.com/page.asp?id=283991

Katy and Onnik,

Do you know Armenian language or are you a citizen of Armenia? The purpose of this question is to know whether or not you know Armenian language, because I prefere to write in Armenian. However I will try to say this in English:

How can you compare a 'service' with 'food'? If we are going to have such dangerous institutions such as McDonalds; (dangerous because of McDonalds [food] people may gain many health problems, such as hearth attack, cancer, etc.) Then are we, people in Armenia, ready to pay for medication and doctors for treatment?

Please do understand me right, I know what is going on in [corporate] world. In USA I see that corporations do not care about civilians. So what they do is they use civilians money. This is why people live separately at age of 21+. Because this way they will have to pay for a separate rent, food (mom wont cook for them anymore), car, etc. Again, understand me right, I know that there are corporations in Armenia and there may be more corporations in the future. I just want to make my point here, that, sure, Armenia is getting there. But please don't use McDonalds issue to compare azerbaijan or Georgia with Armenia. Armenia is 100 points over azerbaijan and Georgia; Your eyes just need look positive. It's like when you see a good photography, you compliment the photographer with "You have a good eye". I guess in [your] case I have to say "You have a bad eye".

Yes, Hakob, I know Armenian but I am not a citizen of Armenia. I could read your last post just fine. (That's why I replied with "Hakop, McD's sure isn't good for one's health...") Your English is much better than my Armenian though! I am out of practice.

One of the reasons that I see McD's as good for Armenia is because I know that when McD's opens, they hold its staff to a higher standard than what I've seen in Yerevan's food establishments (of all ranges and styles.)

McD's treats its staff fairly and pays them well. No one can argue with more well paying jobs, can they?

I do have to say that I feel that your stereotypes about the relationship between the corporations in the U.S. and people living outside of their parents' home misguided. I think that most young Americans live apart from their parents because of the sense of a "self-made man" in American culture. Americans want to do for themselves. While young Americans attending college/university move out because that is generally the accepted way to attend higher education, even those who do not attend higher education end up moving out of their parents homes. They want to provide for themselves and their families. I don't think that corporations drive them to do this. Culture and individuality does.

Thanks!

I think this is important for 3 reasons:

Already stated:
1. The Friedman postulate implies that having a McDonalds indicates a country is growing in affluence and is thus less willing to engage in hostilities with another.
2. McDonalds, despite Americans' opinions, will bring a higher level of service and cleanliness which will help all diners in Armenia as other restaurants will be forced to complete.

One other issue:
3. Do you think that Armenians have no self control and will not be able to eat anywhere else after McDonalds opens? Freedom means being able to make your own choices and not having others who think they know better make them for you.

Good point Khoren. Armenia is fortunate to have a McD's arrive after the world is well-aware of the ill-effects of over-eating its food.

Honestly, while I am not a fan of McD's, anything is fine in moderation. If Armenians can't regulate their eating at McDonald's, who can?

Khoren,

Some excellent points although I tend to disagree with point number one in that if it is a sign of growing affluence, how come Azerbaijan and Georgia opened up multiple McDonalds six years ago? Perhaps growing affluence among PART of the population (and not necessarily a large part) or alternatively, the reason I heard which was that McD's couldn't find a reliable partner here.

However, Khoren also has it right in that it is up to people to choose and Hakob, while food in McDs is bad, many of the restaurants and especially street food in Yerevan do not conform to safety and hygiene standards. Likewise, if someone wants to eat a McD's I don't see any difference really in that or say eating a burger at Queen Burger or some other local burger outlet already opened in Yerevan.

Hakob, Armenia is not 100 points ahead of Azerbaijan and Georgia. In some areas, it is way ahead. In others, it is not. For example, on a very real level, Armenia has a better social work system than Georgia whereas Georgia has more experience with fostering. Or Armenia has Medzamor and so is self-sufficient with electricity but on the other hand, sometimes has problems with other fuels that need to be imported and are reliant on the situation in the transit country etc.

Actually, instead I consider that the wrong benchmarks are being used to determine "progress" anyway. For example, I remember when one senior Diasporan visited Armenia 2 years ago and said that Armenia was progressing perfectly and "everyone had mobile phones," for example.

Yet, at that time (and it hasn't changed much since), Armenia only had a subscription base of 120,000 while Georgia had nearly 500,000 and Azerbaijan nearly 1 billion. In fact, the point is that mobile telephone use in the three republic says more about privatization of that particular service and competition rather than who is prosperous and who is not. The same with McDonalds.

Some Diasporans already are saying the fact that McD's is coming to Armenia is a sign of economic progress yet this argument doesn't hold up given that it will be 8 or more years after McD's emerged in Baku and Tbilisi. Therefore, I don't consider McD's a sign of "progress" because it's hard to understand what this actually means.

Yes, you can (needlessly) point to a bomb on the Georgian-Ossetian order and I can (just as needlessly) point to the wave of assasinations that occured after the 2003 Parliamentary Elections in Armenia (including one on my doorstop). Or the shootout that happened in Yerevan a few days ago that left one man dead or the fact that the head of Armenian Lada has just been killed in Russia. Yes, it happens in Georgia and Azerbaijan too and that's the point.

Really, on a local level there is some grounds to examine the three republics under a microscope but on a more international level, all three republics are part of the southern caucasus and there's not much difference between them. Perhaps the main difference is simply that Armenia is virtually monoethnic whereas Az and Georgia have problems with their larger minorities. Or that Georgia has a stronger democratic tradition and Azerbaijan is under a dictatorship and Armenia is somewhere inbetween. Or whatever. Point is that in this game of transition, things change and it is up to society to ensure that they don't change for the worse. Who would have guessed that when Georgia entered the CE and WTO years before Armenia that just two years later, stagnation would have set in. Who would have guessed that several years later, the 200 Parliamentary Elections would have given birth to the Rose Revolution that might result in the EU considering the three S. Caucasian Republics for eventual membership. Of course, as usual, it will probably be Georgia that enters first decades into the future.

Not that this has anything to do with McD's apart from the fact that it's very easy for you to look through your rose-tinted glasses from thousands of miles away whereas I have to look at a local level every day and wonder if my son will be brought up here or not.

In all three S. Caucasus Republics there is probably one main criteria to determine "progress" and it might be as simple as whether a citizen of each country considers themselves to be a citizen and the government acknowledges them as such and appreciates the importance of the rule of law and the sanctity of the constitution. In this case, all three republics have a long, long way to go...

I remember a lot of controvercy with the Lada importers. There were two guys 'competing' with each other. One was weaker. Ii wonder which one has been killed.

Hakob,

I'm going to speak quite openly now about what I consider at your attempts to propagandize from afar regardless of the situation here. Firstly, I work mainly on issues relating to social vulnerability and so, that is my speciality and also, my personal interest. When I was in the UK, I was predominently writing and photographing human rights issues as they related to the Kurds in Turkey although I did do some stuff in Karabagh in 1994.

Anyway, the point is that every day, the Diaspora is force fed "good news" from Public TV and Channel Armenia via satellite. Thanfully, AIM is no longer with us so we don't have to tolerate that organ of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs although it did get noticeably better under the editorship of John Hughes and TOny Halpin which is probably why they had no choice but to resign when Salpi Ghazarian wanted to regain editorial control.

Okay, and no back to real issues. We've heard a lot about economic growth but let's get some things straight. None of the three S. Caucasus Republics are in recession and Azerbaijan's economic growth is as strong in percentage terms as Armenia's. In the late 1990s, Georgia's was the same but then corruption, rot and stagnation set in. This is the point and this is also why it is imperative that people question, especially the media. It's how things work. NO Government, including the Armenian Government past, present and future, actually pushes for change unless the media and society is on its case. This is the reality in every democratic nation worldwide. I don't suppose that the Armenian Prime Minister wakes up every morning and wants to serve his people just as I don't suppose that Tony Blair does either.

Now, looking for positive things. Last week, my son had to go into hospital for an operation and the doctors wanted $200 to perform the operation despite the fact that by law, they have to do it for free (all children under 7 are entitled to free medical care). One hospital even said it would reduce the price to $150 if my wife was socially vulnerable ie. living on less than $25 a month which is even more appaling. When confronted with the law, the hospital told us to go to another who, when confronted with the law, agreed to do it for free as the law stipulated. However, I daresay this was only because I am a foreigner, a journalist and I had also contacted the Deputy Minister of Health on this issue.

So, what's good about this? Well, I suppose that one doctor at least agreed to work within the law but I suspect only because of who I was. Every other family paid in excess of $200 for the same operation for their child. What's bad about this? Well, according to official statistics, only ONE in three people who need hospitalization seek it because of this system of informal payments. What's the story here? What should be reported? That the hospital had been refurbished by Diasporan donors even though few people seek its services because you have to slip money to the doctor to get it?

Yes, now you can raise the United States health service but again, you would be propagandizing just because. The point is that is the system in the US, that is the law, that is why you have medial insurance and that is why a social safety net exists for socially vulnerable families in the US. Nothing exists here in Armenia. People die instead. In the space of one year, three people I have reported on have died because of this system of informal payments and disregard for the law of Armenia.

Should the media report this fact? Of course. Is this more relevent than this stupid mentality some Armenians have in considering that all news be good? Does the media work like this anywhere in the world apart from under the most extreme of dictators?

Nothing to do with McDonald's of course, but it does in a way in that the news the Diaspora would prefer to read has very little to do with the main concerns of society in Armenia. Instead, people are concerned with the fact that a huge amount of money exists here that circulates among officials and oligarchs and which remains untaxed and unaccounted for. They are mroe concerned with some very serious problems in the education and health
sectors. They are concerned with earning a decent salary. In short, they are concerned with the same issues that most societies are concerned with and which most media outlets report on constantly.

As for today's news, as reported by Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, although it is also in other local media but better reported on by RFE/RL here we go. It's a more real reflection on life in Armenia and the issues that need to be resolved, just as similar issues need to be resolved in Azerbaijan and Georgia and other issues that might be considered "negative" need to be resolved in the US, UK and elsewhere in the developed world which is why, of course, the media reports them.

Access http://www.armenialiberty.org for full text

Armenians Denied Free Healthcare As Corruption Remains Norm

Prominent Armenian Businessman Slain In Russia

Three Men Arrested After Deadly Shootout In Yerevan

Onnik,

I am not spreading false information. Every thing I have said so far was based on facts. Majority of the stuff you have told was sarcastic and we see such incidents in every country. Now I wish your kid to get well soon. But since you speak of the Armenian Laws, you need to be a citizen of the Armenia in order to benefit from those laws, correct?

May I know how long have you been living in Armenia. And maye I know if you know Armenian language? I know, from past you told us that you wife is Armenian citizen. But I am not sure if your kid is or are you a citizen of Armenia?

Also, since you speak of the surgery. May I/we know what surgery was it?

Hakob, if everything that you've said was based on fact, can you please cite something that proves that "Armenia is 100 points over Azerbaijan and Georgia"? Points in what? Is development a video game?

Hakob, I don't ask you about your personal life and I don't particular want anyone intruding into mine. However, I will say that my son's operation was a 15-minute hernia operation (apparently this is common in 1 year olds although he is 3.5 so we wonder if he's not had this for 2 years and only just noticed -- one doctor suggested it could have been because he's lost weight as he's grown older). About a dozen of the same operations were performed on other kids from the age of 1 to 3 that same day and everybody paid even though the law says they shouldn't have to. Work out the math and see that half a day of operations was quite lucrative. It's interesting from two points of view. Firstly, where does this money go? Secondly, the first question every parent asked the other after the operations was not "how did the operation go with your child?" as you might expect but rather, "how much money did you give the doctor?"

Payments varied between $200-250 each.

Hope this satisfies your curiosity. As for being a citizen, I am not as you well know. However -- and this is the most important point with regards to the law -- I am a legal resident of the Republic of Armenia on a 10-year special residency visa which affords me all the rights of a citizen of the Republic of Armenia except the obligation to serve in the military, to hold public office or head a local NGO etc. Aside from any nationalist arguments about this or that, the most important thing in any country is the notion of citizenship and it is hard for me to consider ever being a citizen when most people born here don't consider themselves as such. Secondary issues but still crucial to the development of the nation are the rule of law and the constitution. On the latter, I hope we have a proper referendum for the constitutional changes this year but I fear that we will not.

Not that this has much to do with anything. The point is that my son was born in the Republic of Armenia and I have to be honest, I'd like this country to be fit for any child born here who wishes to live, study and work in the country. It's a long process, of course, and nobody is saying that positive change occurs quickly -- there will also be ups and downs -- but there is the need for the same mechanisms that function in the west to function here also. The media is one of those but unfortunately, apart from the low circulation print media, the main source of news in the country -- the television -- is firmly under the control of businessmen, officials and others close to the President. I suppose, I'd add an exception in the past year with regards to Yerkir Media which while loyal to the ARF-D, is at least proving itself able to function like a media outlet. It's news is particularly refreshing and it's general scheduling is good.

BTW: Hakob, re. seeing the same stuff in other countries I have never come across any corruption while living in England. For sure, however, if you are refering to shoot-outs between members of parliament and businessmen close to the authorities or the assasination of those that are not, yes, they do happen in other undemocratic, oligarchal former soviet republics and the developing world.

But does that matter? Does that mean that we should not report them or speak out about the need for the strengthening of the rule of law and democracy? Or does that mean that we criticize such incidents when they happen in Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey but ignore or rationalize them when they happen in Armenia (or any other country for that matter)?

From today's RFE/RL Press Review (and for the record, these reviews are of the pro-opposition AND pro-government press. Hayots Ashkhar is pro-government, for example, while the other two papers are pro-opposition or perhaps anti-government is nearer the truth).

RFE / RL Press Review
8 February 2005

The only revolution which is taking place in Armenia is a criminal one, “Iravunk” writes in a separate editorial, referring to increased instances of high-profile gunfights in Yerevan. “What happens now is nothing but a process which took place in the entire CIS territory in the early 1990s. Namely, a savage and criminalized re-distribution of property.” The paper claims that the Armenian authorities are no longer able to hold loyal criminal “clans” in check. In fact, it adds, they have become hostages of that “criminal conglomerate.”

“Hayots Ashkhar” reports on rumors that individuals close to some high-level officials were involved in Friday’s gang shootout in Yerevan. Whispers mention the names of tycoon Gagik Tsarukian, the prefect of Yerevan’s Kentron district, Gagik Beglarian, General Seyran Saroyan and “some old and new deputies.” “In reality, the number of participants and wounded persons is higher and it remains to be seen whether this case will be solved or our law-enforcement officials will simply cover it up.”

“Haykakan Zhamanak” comments that Rafael Shahmuradian, the owner of the Armenia-Lada car dealership who was assassinated in Russia, was among few wealthy businessmen in Armenia who operated without a government “tutelage” and “did not even hide his discontent with the current authorities.” “Nonetheless, he did not meddle in politics at all and was trying to stay solely in the business field.”

Katy,

Are you saying Armenia is not ahead of Azerbaijan? We have Culture, Azeris don't have one. We have Theatres, We can play shakespeare better than Azeris. Are't these points? There are way too many good ones I can add to this list. By saying 100 points I meant the Armenian saying "Հարյուր գլուխ բարձր է". Sorry, I forgot that this place is [controled] by non-Armenians :)

Kary, I still think Armenia is ahead of Georgia and Azerbaijan.

And comparing Armenia with UK or USA is just funny. It's like comparing a Lion with a baby antelope.

And the Azeris don't have theatres, right?

> We have Culture... We can play shakespeare better than Azeris.

Since when was Shakespeare Armenian?

But you're right, there is a rich legacy of culture here, but that's not to say that the Azeris and Georgians don't also have a culture. Which is older, that's a different issue...

And btw: apart from a few exceptions, culture in Armenia is at a low level (another discussion, I know) because of the socio-economic situation. Could also mention the Minister of Culture who most people here consider a buffoon but that's also another issue.

Օննիգ,

Շեկսպիրի «Համլետ»ը հայերեն ունի ուրույն թարգմանություն։ Եթե դու մի փոքր լավատես լինես, եւ քիչ վատաբանես Հայաստանը, ապա դու նույնպես կմիանաս ինձ եւ կգիտակցես, որ քո կատարած հակահայկական գաղափարախոսությունը վնասից բացի օգուտ չի բերի հայ ազգի դիմանկարին։

Հայերին՝ Հայաստանաբնակ Հայերին հարցրու Շեկսպիրի «Համլետի» հայերեն թարգմանության մասին։

Onnik, (english partial* translation)

There is a unique Armenian translation of Shakespeares Hamlet.

If you ask Armenians who live in Armenia, that how is the translation of Hamlet. Then they will sure give "2 thumbs up" to it.

So, your personal opinion that Armenian theatre is better than Azeri theatre (which I am sure you have seen much of), leads to your assessment that Armenia is better off than Georgia and Azerbaijan?

Give me a break.

Hagop,

Yes, I know, many Armenians say that Shakespeare reads better in Armenian but I don't really see what the point of this exchange is. Yes, I consider that Armenian dance, for example, when performed well, is more interesting than Georgian and Azeri dance (folk that is) although I think Georgian dance is more difficult to perform which might be why Armenian dance groups perform it from time to time. Georgian choirs are interesting, however, and i've always prefered the "Bulgarian type" of sound to unaccompanied choirs than Armenian.

Still, I don't know how culture compares between the three republics because I haven't visited them all -- just as you haven't. However, I have heard that Georgian contemporary culture is more evolved than post-indepence contemporary Armenian culture (which still largely borrows from Turkey, Greece and other places) although I will say that stronger Armenia-Diasporan links could greatly improve support for contemporary culture albeit eventually.

Still, I always find it interesting to note that some of Armenia's greatest talents in this area where from outside Yerevan or like Sayat Nova and Paradjanov, from outside Armenia. Interestingly, as we all know, Sayat Nova sang in Azeri, Georgian and Armenian among other languages and is considered representative of the strength of Caucasian culture in general.

As for Azeri culture, however, I have to admit that I know very little although I have seen Aziza Mustafa Zadeh perform live in London. She sold out the Queen Elizabeth Hall and was picked as the top concert to see in London for that entire week by Time Out magazine. Her father, Vagif Mustafa Zadeh, was also known as the inventor of Soviet jazz and highly regarded in Armenia.

Other than that, about the only internationally known Azeri that I do know of, and again a Zadeh but not related I think, is Lotfi Zadeh, the inventor of "fuzzy logic."

Ultimately, and rather thankfully, every nation has something cultural to offer the world (as can be seen by how all three S. Caucasian republics have absorbed and adapted other cultural influences into their own). If this wasn't the case, the world would be a dull, dull place.

Cheers,