Entries for September 2004

Calling local bloggers | September 30, 2004
I'm constantly surprised that nobody makes disparaging comments about an odar writing about Armenia. Now I would like to "grow" Blogrel and find some local Armenian bloggers to contribute posts. The idea is to get a variety of perspectives and...

Border disorders | September 30, 2004
While it's clear that there those on both sides of the Turkish-Armenian border who are both in favour and against its opening, it's far from clear when it will be opened. Hardly a week passes by when there is not...

Oil-driven policy | September 30, 2004
While great-powers' policy vis-a-vis Iraq and oil is well-known, Britain is being blamed for letting oil be the deciding factor in its policy towards Armenia and Azerbaijan. In this article (Via Groong), an aid to Robert Kocharyan complains about the...

Iraqi Armenians Fearful | September 29, 2004
Armenia Liberty reports that ethnic Armenians in Iraq have pleaded with the Armenian government not to send any troops to Iraq, fearing they might become the targets of attacks. "We Iraqi Armenians are against that," said Narek Ishkhanian, a parish...

The Faces of Armenia | September 28, 2004
Photolife magazine has a selection of photos by Robert Kurkjian and Matthew Karanian. Kurkjian and Karanian published a book in 2002 through Stone Garden Productions called Edge of Time: Traveling in Armenia and Karabagh. They have a new book, The...

Complementarity | September 27, 2004
The Power and Interest News Report has a story about ''Armenia: The Dream of Complementarity and the Reality of Dependency''. It talks about the "authoritarian-tending strong presidential regime of Robert Kocharian":...

Tourism in Armenia | September 27, 2004
I am now back from my trip to Tatev and can resume posting. Thanks to those who kept the ball rolling while I was away! It was a very productive visit, and I spent a lot of time talking to...

Tatev | September 17, 2004
Sorry for the lack of posts, I have been in rural France the past few days. For the next week I will be in Yerevan then Tatev so again, posting will be sparse. The Armenian vs. Armenian post has certainly...

Armenian vs. Armenian | September 10, 2004
I'm off to Paris tomorrow so I thought I would try an experiment. As an odar one of the subjects that has intrigued me since I became involved with Armenia and Armenians is the relationship between the Spyurka (Diaspora) and...

Armenian-Iranian relations | September 09, 2004
President Khatami of Iran has arrived in Yerevan for an official state visit, and his trip is being quite widely reported. IRNA, the Iranian state new agency has reported on the usual official pleasantries and also on Khatami's warm remarks...

Poverty on the decrease? | September 08, 2004
I would be very skeptical at anyone telling me that poverty is on the decrease in Armenia. However the government has claimed just this in a report. Armenialiberty.org reports: According to a senior official from the National Statistical Service, preliminary...

Edgar Arakelyan freed | September 07, 2004
Edgar Arakelyan has been freed (Via Groong). His was a cause celebre back in April after the 24 year old was convicted of hitting a policeman with a plastic Jermuk bottle during opposition protests. His sentence was one year and...

How 'Sarge' made good | September 06, 2004
It's a touching story - Sargis Sargsian and his dreams come true story of playing tennis in the US. Brought to the US with help of a former peace worker, and hosted by Armenian-Americans. And he's buddies with Agassi too....

Rediscover Armenia | September 06, 2004
Raffi Kojian's excellent online resource, Cilicia.com, has been home to the online version of the travel guide Rediscovering Armenia, originally written by Brady Kiesling (one brave guy). Now, Raffi has updated the guide so that anyone can update the text....

Honor insulted? | September 06, 2004
Edik Baghdasaryan, editor-in chief of Hetq Online, was called in by the police to answer charges made by Artashes Bisharyan, the ex-head of the Department of Medical and Technological Supply of the Ministry of Health Bisharyan wanted charges brought against...

Green lungs | September 05, 2004
Yerevan's remaining green spaces are coming under increasing pressure from development. The latest to pick up on this theme is ArmeniaNow.com. In 1995, Yerevan had 19.6 square meters of green area per capita. Today the number is 5.8. Now, Yerevan...

Olympic repercussions | September 03, 2004
Armenia's dismal showing at the Olympics in Athens is causing passions to run high. An earlier post on Blogrel referring to Hrach Kalsahakian's Azad-Hye blog sparked a heated discussion between readers. ArmeniaLiberty.org has an article about the outcry from within...

Fighting against denial | September 02, 2004
John Kerry has clarified his position vis-a-vis recognising the Armenian genocide, according to an article from ArmenPress. "John Kerry Edwards administration will launch a fight against denial of Armenian Genocide," the statement says. "As a president, I will fight against...

Political showdown? | September 01, 2004
Emil Danielyan writes on Eurasianet.org: On August 27, the executive board of the opposition Justice alliance, headed by Demirchian, decided to continue the boycott during the next legislative session. The alliance bloc's key ally, the National Unity Party (AMK),...

Journalists make the news | September 01, 2004
Tsakhkadzor was the scene of a protest by Armenian journalists on the 28th, according to the Central Asian and Southern Caucasus Freedom of Expression Network. Advisor of the president of Armenia for fight against corruption Bagrat Yesayan joined the journalists...