Notes From Hairenik: A Blog About Life in Armenia

June 29, 2006

Where to eat in Armenia

Since eating is such an important daily event for me, and now that the tourist season is in full swing, I’d thought I’d mention some random places to dine in and outside Yerevan, based on my own experiences.

For fast food: Go to Tumanyan Shawerma + (http://shaurma.armshops.com/) located at 19 Tumanyan Street, not far from the corner of Abovyan Street intersection going in the direction towards Opera Square. This place offers the best, freshest version of the Middle Eastern shawerma sandwich in the city, which includes finely sliced slow roasted chicken, beef, or pork, parsley, sliced hot peppers, onions, mayonnaise and ketchup wrapped in a round thin pita bread, although you can choose your condiments. Other offerings include dzhvzhik, which is basically a sandwich with sautéed beef liver and onions, and beef, lamb, or chicken kebab sandwiches—kebab is a long, thin barbequed slab of finely ground meat mixed with pureed onions. Nothing in the city tops their selection of sandwiches. Hundreds of people visit this place every day, so the meat is always fresh since there is a noticeably high turnover. I do not recommend going anywhere else for shawerma in particular, since you don’t know what you’ll get or how long it’s been sitting around.

There are lamejo (aka lahmejune) joints throughout Yerevan. The best I have tried is found at Our Neighborhood (Mer Tagh) near the Deryan and Tumanyan intersection. Usually these meat pizzas are salty and fatty no matter where you go, but they’re fairly cheap, costing 100 dram each (or $0.25).

For classic Armenian cuisine: The first place that comes to mind, and a very popular restaurant for tourists, is called Our Village (Mer Kiugh) located on Sayat Nova Street near the Deryan Street intersection and next to the florist, Brambion. This place has an excellent assortment of classic dishes found both in Western and Eastern Armenian cuisines, including the standard dolmas and kuftas. They also offer homemade cheeses, cold cuts, and wines that are delivered from various villages. Go as early as possible since things run out towards closing time. Another place to visit is called Kilikia, on the corner of Tumanyan and Alaverdian (Hanrapedutian) Streets. This place has unique dishes that you cannot find anywhere else, including an extensive selection of cold salads and even Harissa, which is a slowly simmered mash of shredded lamb or chicken and barley, topped with a pond of melted butter.

There are restaurants offering national dishes in nearly all towns and small cities throughout Armenia, especially those having some sort of tourist attraction. Usually you will not be disappointed anywhere you go. If you happen to be going towards Garni for example, on the right hand side of the road about 15 kilometers or so outside Yerevan’s city limits there’s a great place to visit, which has a huge, outdoor patio with an excellent view of some sweeping hillsides found throughout the Kotayk region. I don’t think the restaurant has a name—a common phenomenon in the regions—but it can be instantly recognized by its white, stucco exterior.

For regional cuisine: Caucasus restaurant at the beginning of Alaverdian (Hanrapedutian) Street near the Sayat Nova intersection has an excellent assortment of Georgian dishes as well as Armenian. Some of the authentic Georgian dishes offered, particularly the soups and stews, I have not seen anywhere else. They also offer a selection of different kinds of khachabouri, perhaps the most authentic you will find in Yerevan without visiting Tbilisi. Additionally, their fish is very good, as they offer fresh farm-raised ishkhan and sig, both variations of trout, as well as salmon. Service can be inconsistent here, but the food is worth tasting. Prices are very reasonable, with the majority of the dishes costing anywhere between 800-2500 dram ($2-6). The “kino bar” or fresh, homemade dry or sweet red wine, delivered several times a week from the regions or even Georgia, is fabulous.

For Middle Eastern cuisine: Many of the restaurants offering dishes like hummus, taboule, shish taouk, and even falafel are run or managed by Armenians from Lebanon or Syria. There are quite a few doing business now, but my favorite is Nury, located near the Deryan and Moscovyan intersection. This place also has an excellent selection of Western Armenian dishes, like mante and sini kufta, both favorites from my childhood. They also have an excellent Lebanese fish dish made with tahini, tomato, and lemon. During the evening supper is usually accompanied by live piano music. Honorable mentions include Lagonid, at the top of Tumanyan Street, as well as Amazon, located in the Sayat Nova Complex, which has a great Incan-influenced, colorful atmosphere. There is also the restaurant Beirut on Vazken Sargsyan Street not far from Republic Square, but I have not been to it for four years.

For International cuisine: Cuisine from other societies, including Chinese, Thai, and Italian, is appearing everywhere in Yerevan now, which is an exciting welcome. There are two Chinese restaurants that I have frequented: Beijing on Tumanyan Street and Lotus on Sayat Nova. The latter is very pricey, but the food is average. For authentic Mexican (Tex-Mex) cuisine as well as margaritas, visit Cactus, on Mashdots close to the Tumanyan intersection. I say authentic because the head chef is Mexican, and the food is very tasty. For authentic pizza accompanied by cold, draft Kilikia beer, visit Tifosi on Deryan Street—they offer about 30 varieties. It also doubles as a sports bar and museum, located on the lower floor.

A great French restaurant featuring authentic Cog au Vin and Beef Bourguignon can be found on the corner of Arami and Abovyan Streets, called Chez Christophe. Excellent Filet Mignon steak can be had at Studio Café near the Cascade, probably the only place in the country you can find grilled beef that is not charred dry resembling rawhide.

And for authentic Indian food, go to New Delhi on Tumanyan, across from the Opera. Sanjiv just two weeks ago united forces with owner of Tandoori, who shut down his place and brought his clientele with him to New Delhi. They also offer Chinese cuisine as well as a few Thai dishes.

For those visiting from the US who need a quick burger fix for whatever reason, check out Square One on Abovyan Street, near Republic Square.

For barbeque: Since Armenians worship barbequed meat, particularly pork, it is difficult to be disappointed with this offering. While in Yerevan, go to any one of the now few, tiny family-operated restaurants along Proshian Street, especially the ones facing the Hrazdan Gorge so that you can observe a great view while you eat. These places always aim to please since they have a harder time attracting customers than do the monstrous, opulent dining centers not far away. There is access to Hrazdan Gorge from Proshian Street, at the base of which are dozens of gigantic compounds offering live music (usually Russian) performed by two or three-piece bands whose members play synthesizers and sing badly. All of them undoubtedly offer barbeque, which can be enjoyed amidst a pleasant, tree-lined open air environment alongside the Hrazdan River.

Once again, I should mention that most dining experiences in the regions will be pleasant, even better than those in Yerevan in terms of quality and especially service. Along the Meghri highway, in the lower section of Vayats Dzor after you pass through Yeghegnadzor, there are several riverside restaurants offering barbeque cooked either in the in-ground clay roasting oven tonir or on charcoal. I have not really had a meal that was inedible anywhere outside the capital. Stick to the barbeque pork or lamb chops and kebabs as well as fresh roasted tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers, and you’ll do just fine.

Why are there so many cafés, and which one should I go to? This is a very good question. There is a political answer: in summary wealthy government officials as well as parliamentarians open them for money laundering purposes, and few are actually profitable. I cannot say this for every single café, as I know there are also private ones operating. The other answer is that they are major tourist attractions, but at the expense of vanishing green spaces throughout Central Yerevan. Most of the trees and grass in these parks are cleared away, only to be replaced by tons of poured cement. It’s a travesty, something that troubles me unquestionably, and it’s continuing while Yerevan’s populace is hypnotized by “vochinch.”

The only one that I frequent in the Opera vicinity is called Vernisage, located in the weekend arts marketplace of the same name in the park where the Saryan statue is located. This place is far from pretentious, prices are reasonable, and the wait staff is relatively attentive as well as friendly compared to other places within Opera Park. An added plus is that there are actually trees there surrounding some of the tables. I also like the café near the fountains in the vestibule of the National Museum of History and Art on Republic Square. The prices there are dirt cheap as well.

But my father loves Jazzve, located directly behind the Opera House. We were there nearly every night during my parents’ 20 day stay last September. They have an extensive menu of desserts, coffee and tea drinks, not to mention ice cream sundaes. This place seems to have adequate service, but be warned that at most cafés the wait staff is pitifully inefficient. My patience runs thin at most of these places, which is why I try to avoid them, unless I need to meet people.

Well, there you have it. Bon appetite!

Labels: Food and Drink

Posted by Christian Garbis at 2:57 PM.

2 comments Links to this post

June 26, 2006

Strange dreams

Last night I had a bizarre dream during which, while on a company excursion to Mountainous Karabagh, Azeri forces began bombing Stepanakert, the republic’s capital. We happened to be sitting outside someplace when we became surprised by the fireworks in the evening sky. The bomb blasts seemed muted to an extent, but nevertheless, Stepanakert was under attack. This was confirmed by an English-language radio broadcast along with a front page article appearing in the New York Times, which was instantly made available to me in hard copy. It reported, along with detained graphics, that Armenia was waiting for clearance by the US to wage an air strike with 18 fighter planes on Baku, although this action was not expected to bring about some positive outcome in Karabagh’s favor, since Azerbaijan’s authorities were still dead set against giving up claim on its formerly controlled territory under any circumstances. We took cover somehow and someplace avoiding other explosions, then began our gradual return to Yerevan partly on foot, afterwards by sport utility vehicle—I remember seeing my co-worker’s UAZ “Vilis,” which is the Russian military equivalent to the original Willys Jeep, but larger and with four doors. At one point some of us floated through space in what was supposed to be my Niva, although it did not exist physically, nor did I seem to be driving it, as it ran on autopilot. While on foot we were forced to cross the rocky terrain, which seemed much more cavernous than in reality, nevertheless the trek upwards towards Shushi, then on to Lachin was arduous. At one point myself and my mother-in-law, while climbing around after dusk on some stunted rocky cliffs laden with moss and lichen, we were invited down to a military depot made of red brink appearing from nowhere by a young soldier who seemed to speak Western Armenian laced with some English. He gave me a beat-up Kalashnikov rifle, held together with black electrical tape. He did not teach me how to fire it, however, and I could not seem to get it to work, nor could my mother-in-law, who by them was in partial military uniform. We were almost ambushed by Azeris, who actually turned out to be Armenian soldiers in disguise climbing along the top of the cliffs, and who threw down another rifle for us to use, just in case. As I heard a vague buzz in my head about things going on business as usual in Stepanakert, I found myself floating about the streets of the city again, noticing that there was no sign of any UN or OSCE presence, finding that odd, but nevertheless things seemed to have been in some sort of order. I remember being in a panic to document everything going on around me in my blog, being unable to reach Yerevan anytime soon or having accessibility to the Internet. The events gradually transformed, metamorphosing into other, partially unrelated adventures, as my dreams have the habit of doing.

I suppose I have legitimate concerns in my subconscious about Azerbaijan’s motives regarding the final determination of Karabagh’s recognized status by the world as well as its own people. Diplomatic talks between the foreign ministers of both Armenia and Azerbaijan held a few weeks ago effectively lead to nowhere, with no evident crack in Azerbaijan’s hard line position. I still predict that eventually war will resume, but now I cannot say when or at what price. One thing seems to be certain—the boundaries of the South Caucasus will never remain static for more than a century at a time. They will continue to expand or contract in favor of one side or the other, and eventually the peoples of the region will intermingle, evolving into a new ethnic group if you will, hopefully agreeing to exist within a secular nation-state tolerant of diversity in subculture. The next few hundred years will be an interesting period in the world’s geopolitical transformation. Too bad we can’t stick around that long to observe what transpires.

Labels: Thoughts and Musings

Posted by Christian Garbis at 12:05 PM.

1 comments Links to this post

June 21, 2006

Random photos of Yerevan

Having just received my new digital camera over the weekend, I thought I would start walking around and take some photos. I’ve begun by shooting scenes in or near my neighborhood and in the courtyard behind the corner of Abovyan and Tumanyan Streets. Mainly I’ve taken these shots as well as dozens of others to send a few for publication on the Web site of a radio show called “Open Source,” where some of them will appear alongside segments of a letter I wrote to one of the producers. Last week they read part of my entry regarding the latest failed peace talks over Karabagh on their Blogsday 2006 program. Incidentally, most if not all the photos below containing old buildings will be destroyed very soon.

In any case, I am still trying to get the hang of operating this camera, thus some of the photos could have been composed better. But for the most part it takes great shots. None of them have been touched up using a photo editing software program, at least not yet. Expect to see more original photos on my site in the near future.

Labels: Personal Experiences, Photography

Posted by Christian Garbis at 2:20 PM.

1 comments Links to this post

June 19, 2006

To be or not to be a dual citizen

Revised 6/26/06: Last Saturday I attended a panel discussion as part of a conference focusing on dual citizenship for Armenians in the diaspora. It was sponsored by the Armenian International Policy Research Group (AIPRG) and held at the American University of Armenia Business Center. The panel discussion focusing on the international experience with dual citizenship was the only one that I heard, although six main topics were covered altogether, including the legal aspects of dual citizenship, individual country experiences with regularizing diaspora-homeland relations, socioeconomic aspects, sociopolitical aspects and reparation, and a discussion and feedback for the existing proposals for dual citizenship.

Mostly case examples were given regarding how countries deal with the notion of dual citizenship while coping with large numbers of their individual peoples choosing to live beyond their home nation’s boundaries. Many examples were given regarding Israel, where all people of Jewish ancestry have a right to citizenship as well as gentiles after meeting certain requirements, Mexico from which thousands of citizens flee in order to find work and the chance of a better life to the north, and various European countries offering dual citizenship, such as Sweden. Other honorable mentions went to Lebanon, which does not allow its citizens to renounce their citizenship, although they can become citizens of other countries—my father as one example. The case scenario of people being born of Turkish ancestry in Germany was noted, where they apparently have no right to become citizens of Turkey according to Turkish law.

When discussion was opened to focus on Armenia, things took a different turn. One of the presenters, Richard Antaramian of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, made some controversial comments during his presentation that did not sit well with a few people in the audience, one of them being that clear distinctions should be recognized where Armenian diasporan groups are basically distinct from one another culturally, to the degree where interaction is difficult. For example, Armenians who left Lebanon to resettle in the US had difficulty relating to American-born Armenians, and also vice versa, mostly due to language as well as some cultural barriers. Similarly, immigrants to the US from Armenia had trouble mingling with both groups, having no affinity with either Middle Eastern or Armenian-American cultures. Although I agree with the fact that there tends to be a three-way polarization, as for instance I virtually knew no one in my age group who was from Armenia in Boston, although having transcended the boundary between Armenian Americans and Armenians from the Middle East, I cannot agree that the cultures are so dissimilar that a link cannot be formed. Perhaps the greatest obstacle to overcome between Armenians is the language barrier. There is a high level of stubbornness regarding who speaks the definitive Armenian language—whether Eastern or Western. Although both naturally share the same base there are notable differences in syntax as well as grammar. As one example, the fundamental verb that is at the essential core of communication in arguably all languages, “to be,” are completely different words, the Eastern Armenian being transliterated as “linel” and the Western, “elal.” That discrepancy in itself can give credence to hair-pulling debates, with no tangible outcome. The next level of persona reconciliation is trying to determine who the “real Armenian” is, taking into context cultural, educational, and especially, sociopolitical factors. Ancestral roots also play a factor in trying to establish who has a more legitimate claim to the “homeland” amongst Armenians.

At the end of the day, it makes no difference where you were born or what dialect of Armenian you speak, if you even know the language (which can be learned at anytime and should not be a precursor to whether you have a sense of “Armenianess.”) If you are able to formulate a link between yourself and the “homeland,” in this case let us say the Republic of Armenia since no two Armenians can necessarily agree as to what defines the “homeland” or “Armenia”—the physical nation versus the “transnational” nation, not to mention the dream “united Armenia” nation—then you have a legitimate calling to repopulate the area where you generally came from. Mr. Antaramian made some good points during his discussion in particular, with clear, concise explanations, but I found fault in his notion that Western Armenians, rather Armenians who have ancestral roots in Western Armenia, now under the occupation of Turkey, have no connection to present-day Armenia. Geographically, he is correct; however, the base of Armenian culture is fundamentally the same, despite what side of Mount Ararat your ancestors were from. The inability for an Armenian American, for instance, to form a cultural bond with his or her ethnic counterparts living in or originally from the Republic of Armenia is a psychological one. Bonds between people are based on emotions and arguably, instincts. If those two factors are suppressed by an individual, only then can a connection fail to be developed with another. It is a question of overcoming personal complexes to transcend the cultural divide, which itself is not necessarily wide.

The entitlement of dual citizenship has been made out to be an extremely complex issue. In Armenia’s case the first hurdle that must be overcome is actually obtaining the permission from the government to simultaneously be a citizen of Armenia while being a national of another country. Then the individual’s country of primary citizenship would then need to grant its own permission in kind.

But the debate does not end there. The discussion over citizenship for foreign nationals naturally becomes subdivided into separate categories, since Armenians love to complicate matters by nature, always stretching the rubber band beyond the limit of its elasticity. It is necessary to determine what kind of citizenship to grant for each individual. Potential citizens fall into three categories: people born outside of Armenia, such as Armenian Genocide survivors or the ancestors of Genocide survivors living in the Armenian Diaspora, not to mention the ancestors of emigrants from Soviet Armenia; people born in Soviet or post-Soviet Armenia who emigrated and claimed citizenship in their host country; and people who are not classifiable under the first two categories.

One of the amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, passed in November 2005, vaguely mentions the possibility of receiving dual citizenship. Article 31.1 states that “The rights and responsibilities of the persons having dual citizenship shall be defined by the law.” Two of three dual citizenship options have been proposed by the AIPRG--which is chiefly represented by officials from the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, or Central Bank of Armenia for some reason--as possible solutions, with the third already in practice.

Special Residency Status (SRS) has been offered since 1994, “citizenship lite” if you will, which entitles the possessor to the basic entitlements a citizen of Armenia holds, such as the rights “to freedom of movement” (under Article 25 of the Armenian constitution), to do business, to reside, to participate in active socio-cultural life as well as civil society, and to own property. However, with this status residents are not allowed to vote nor hold public office, two points that may upset the politically ambitious at-large. A foreign national may not legally be the founder of an NGO or similar organization and cannot be a member of a political party in Armenia. Also, SRS holders cannot serve in the military. The visa, which I possess, looks exactly like an Armenian passport, but has a Special Residency Status mark stamped in blue ink on the first page and is valid for 10 years. Up until 2002, purportedly 5,000 such visas were issued since the option was made available several years ago. And according to the Consular Department at Armenia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, an estimated 11,500 SRS visas have been issued to date, with some holders being non-Armenians doing business in the republic.

Affiliate Citizenship (AC), or “citizenship premium,” would allow an individual the right to vote after three years of living in the republic and hold public office (forget becoming president), without the obligation to serve in the military. This would apply, for example, to middle-aged or elderly Armenians living in the diaspora wishing to reside in the homeland, either permanently or semi-permanently, and who thus cannot serve in the military. The premium option can be granted “upon the applicant’s visit to Armenia,” which may mean immediately. The individual would be obliged to visit Armenia for a minimum of two weeks once every two years and pay a citizenship tax once a year. Additionally, the AC citizen would be required to pay taxes, if applicable. Children who are born of at least one AC parent may be entitled to receive the same type of citizenship. I should mention that the AC applicant would need to pass the “Armenian Ancestry Test” as well.

Finally, Full-Fledged Citizenship, or “citizenship deluxe,” immediately grants all privileges and responsibilities, including the immediate right to become a public servant, the opportunity to hold presidential office but only after 10 years of residency, and the obligation to serve in the military. The intricacies of the premium and deluxe variants are yet to be laid out for consideration and determination by Armenian law.

The one question I wanted to ask—I could not as others were too busy making personal statements or putting forward their own personal agendas rather than asking a legitimate question pertaining to the discussion—which no one else managed to think of was: What are the expectations of and for dual citizenship? In other words, what do non-dual citizenship holders seek to attain that they cannot otherwise, and what does the Armenian nation—in the context the Armenian republic—expect from those that elect Armenian citizenship as a second, but equal privilege of statehood? As one of the panel speakers and dear friend Asbed Kochikian explained to me privately, no one seems to want to address that question. Let us understand that, again, the SRS visa currently offered allows an individual to conduct business, own property, and live legally in Armenia, along with meeting respective obligations, such as paying taxes where applicable. These privileges have not really made a huge impact on the amount of commerce being conducted by Armenian diasporans in the homeland, as SRS visa holders are far and few between when considering that between 5-6 million Armenians reside outside Armenia. But what is the excuse for this?

As a SRS visa holder, I personally do not care about being refused the right to vote, as it should not hamper my intentions to make a life in the Armenian republic. And that should be said of anyone who is serious about participating actively in professional and social life, with the intention of playing a role in an ever-developing, democratic society. Residing in Armenia with special status can be a stepping stone towards reaching the ultimate desired goal of citizenship, should that option be made available in the near future. Thus, if one were serious enough about residing in Armenia as a citizen, he or she would not hesitate to subscribe to the rights of privilege being offered with residency status, but that clearly is not happening to the extent that it should. So what are we expecting from dual citizenship, what are Armenians seeking to attain that they already cannot, aside from voting rights and opportunities to hold a position in public office?

The reason why this question is not being posed may have to do with the simple fact that no one really knows the answer. A common consensus in the global Armenian community has yet to determine what defines the “Armenian nation,” who is entitled to be a representative of that nation, whether the nation is multifaceted or monolithic, and what distinguishes “homeland” from “nation.” There is too much to discuss for obtaining tangible answers, and the more the questions asked, the further away an Armenian is from finding reconciliation regarding his or her identity in the 21st century as well as seeking a rightful place in the ancestral homeland.

But the whole topic regarding dual citizenship is becoming more and more redundant. Despite the fact that people in Armenia are Armenian, and Armenians from the diaspora more or less know the same language (which in fact is not true, seeing that spoken Western and Eastern dialects have significantly obvious differences and thus pose serious communication problems), Armenia is a foreign country that is difficult to immediately understand for most if not all diasporans. The republic is a far cry from most Western nations in terms of socioeconomic development and an environment which most diasporans come to expect as being conducive. Arguably, Armenian citizens are psychologically distinct from Armenians born in the diaspora who are living in Western nations, with differing mentalities and even a system of logic. So basically, it does not make sense why someone would automatically become an Armenian citizen simply because he or she is of Armenian descent. If you do not understand the people, social culture, business practices, socio-political situation, and other factors of a country, why would you want to become a citizen of it?

The solution to socioeconomic disparity in Armenia and polarization of the populace is not for Armenian diasporans to become instantaneous citizens. The first answer is to simply live in Armenia and make a connection with its people. The next step, if possible, is for foreign nationals to make active strides in developing civil society. There are opportunities abound to implement revolutionary concepts (by Armenian standards) in all spheres, including education, proper representation by government officials, education, social welfare, environmental protection, and human rights. These extremely important issues need to be addressed, and the expertise of diasporans can be utilized to bring about real, progressive change in Armenia. Armenians cannot wait around for a democratic society to be built around them, whether they are from Armenia or the diaspora. All Armenians are responsible for rebuilding the Armenian state to the extent individually possible, regardless of citizenship status. Until an Armenian has begun living in Armenia and has started to take part in society, whether socially, culturally, or economically, he or she should not immediately consider dual citizenship, whenever the details regarding which have become law. One must first practically understand what becoming a citizen of Armenia means along with the respective obligations. It’s very simple.

Labels: Personal Experiences, Thoughts and Musings

Posted by Christian Garbis at 8:39 PM.

1 comments Links to this post

June 16, 2006

Armenian businesses threatening to close shop

Due to the strengthening of the dram as the dollar continues to depreciate, Armenian companies are having a hard time lately doing business. While exporters and manufacturers are losing money since they rely on the dollar to sell their products and have less and less dram to show for their profits by the day, importers are making countless amounts of money, according to a recent article published by ArmeniaLiberty.org. The owner of two huge tobacco companies, Hrant Vartanian, has just yesterday announced that he would move his production facilities to Georgia and Russia if further appreciation of the dram continues.

Indeed the strengthening of the dram has become ridiculous. As I explained in a previous post, only six weeks ago one dollar would buy 445 dram. But a few nights ago I noticed that an exchange booth near the corner of Tumanian and Mashdots Streets was offering 407 dram for a buck. It doesn’t make sense that the rate has increased so much in such a short amount of time, which is why people have been criticizing the Central Bank of Armenia. Both oppositionists to the government and others who have brains suspect that the Central Bank has been purposely playing with the exchange rate in order to benefit big businessmen with close ties to the government. Recently an opposition leader claimed that Armenia has lost more than $460 million, although that number doesn’t seem to be substantiated.

The other day James McHugh, the representative of the International Monetary Fund in Armenia--which incidentally along with the World Bank backs the Central Bank--belittled allegations that the abnormal strengthening of the dram was artificial, stating that “You can tell someone that there is no aliens and that there is an absence of evidence of it, but people will still go on believing in it.” I don’t know who this guy thinks he is discounting the fact that people are losing money paranormally, but we’ll look past this absurd remark.

Many Armenian families rely on relatives working abroad, such as in the United States or Russia, to get by. Millions of dollars (or rather $1 billion according to the Central Bank, although there apparently doesn’t seem to be any proof to back that claim) have been transferred to Armenia during the last year. For certain the economy has been boosted, judging from the plethora of cars on the road and mushrooming construction projects throughout Yerevan’s center, not to mention the wall-to-wall carpeting of cafés. Things are definitely bustling, there is no mistaking that fact. But how does the dollar-dram exchange rate appreciate 35 dram during a six week period? During tourist season the dram’s value usually appreciates, nevertheless something smells funny. At the same time, prices for goods are inflating when the opposite should be true—a visit to the local grocery store will show that. It isn’t possible to be non-skeptical about this paradox. Nothing is adding up.

The increasing value of the dram should be embraced. Technically it’s beneficial for Armenia’s economy. Realistically, it’s detrimental. Strangely enough, on Thursday, the day after the IMF representative made his statement about aliens, the dollar-dram exchange rate was 418 dram. On Wednesday it was 410. And today, it is as high as 420. Go figure.

Labels: Politics

Posted by Christian Garbis at 2:13 PM.

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June 6, 2006

Armenia’s chess players are world champions

Armenia won the Gold Medal in the men’s section of the 37th Chess Olympiad held this year in Turin, Italy from May 20 to June 4, blowing away the Russians who eventually took sixth place. Armenia’s South Caucasian neighbors, Georgia and Azerbaijan, landed in 14th and 24th places, respectfully. In second and third places were China and the USA. You can read the final rankings here.

The chess team is sponsored if I am not mistaken by Armenia’s Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan, who is a chess maniac himself. Last night, starting at around 11:30 pm for some reason, only understandable according to the laws of Armenian logic it seems, Yerevan decided to hold a celebration party for the chess boys at Opera Square. I could hear everything from my apartment, since there is an empty void along part of Deryan Street, aka the Northern Boulevard, stretching from Tumanian to Arami Streets. The few concrete buildings that stand partially completed across from the Opera are great for reflecting sound it turns out. Now all of Republic Square can hear what’s going on up there without much difficulty. The festivities ended around 2:30 am with fireworks lighting the Yerevan sky. But by the time I ran out to the rear balcony half asleep to see if someone was being shot, the fireworks had already ended, in their place billows of smoke floating across the city skyline. Oh well….

In any case, congratulations are in order to Armenia’s chess team. As a casual, amateur player of computer chess I know how difficult this game is—it is extremely challenging and takes an unmeasurable amount skill. And the fact that Armenia yields the greatest players in the world definitely says something. It is unmistakably a great honor.

In the photo above, from left to right: Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, captain Arshak Petrosian, Smbat Lputian, Artashes Minasian, Vladimir Akopian, Karen Asrian, Levon Aronian, and, according to one source claiming that without whom it would have been impossible for Armenia to win the gold, Gabriel “Gabbi the Terminator” Sargissian.

Labels: Social and Cultural

Posted by Christian Garbis at 2:21 PM.

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As expected, no peace deal for Karabagh

Unsurprisingly, I just learned in an article appearing on ArmeniaLiberty.org that Armenia and Azerbaijan failed to reach an agreement to officially end the dispute over Nagorno Karabagh. Azerbaijan will not give in on Karabagh being part of its territory, even though it effectively lost control over the enclave when it declared itself free and independent in 1991. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated that “Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity is recognized by everyone and can not be a subject of negotiations.”

So again, why did the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents bother meeting for a second time in five months? Nothing changed since the previous meeting held in Paris last February. Azerbaijan is still taking the hard-line approach, demanding to reclaim a region for which it fundamentally no longer holds control. All the pressure from the US and Europe, including Aliyev’s meeting with President George W. Bush, did nothing to convince Azerbaijan to give in once and for all. When the US oil companies start shutting down their facilities in Azerbaijan because the country is no longer considered a player in achieving peace in the region, we’ll see what happens. It could happen, it should not be considered a stretch. Oil companies would be stupid to continue operating in a country that is waging war with its neighbor. I would imagine that oil companies would risk a short-term loss rather than a long-term one when it comes to doing business in Baku.

So it looks like war may be resumed, since there seems to be no other way out. Azerbaijan will most likely attack either by the end of this year or the beginning of 2007. But I have heard people say that just because Azerbaijan is beefing up military spending considerably, that does not mean they would necessarily win anyway, with the argument that “Azeris cannot and do not want to fight.” I have heard this from several people, and it seems to be the general consensus. But I do not recall speaking to anyone who believes that war will resume.

Well, whatever. The economic boom in Armenia will not wain until the Azeris start bombing. I doubt that much of the construction going on, which has been moving along at a snail’s pace, will be completed by the end of this year, which means that if war does break out again, part of Central Yerevan will resemble a war zone for quite some time. It already looks as if Yerevan has been bombed and is slowly reconstructing in some places. Investors will pull out funding from their projects overnight. The dram will lose its value again considerably, and the history of the early 1990s may repeat itself—you never know. Then you may see at least another decade for rebuilding trust in the region for commerce. Armenia has a lot going for it now, with a booming IT industry, construction market, and commerce. It is clearly obvious that Armenian importers are doing very well, as European as well as Turkish products are everywhere, with consumers snapping them up. All of that will come to a complete hault if Azerbaijan tries to reclaim Karabagh by military force. Armenians could be winners again in war, but economically they will suffer for years and years. And it won’t necessarily be their fault if they do.

But who knows, perhaps by some miracle, another offer for peace will be laid on the table before the end of the year, with both countries being absolutely forced to agree to. For now, I am staying put, and I hope their will not be a reason why I should desire to leave in the near future.

Labels: Nagorno-Karabagh, Politics

Posted by Christian Garbis at 12:55 PM.

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June 2, 2006

Time to start chatting again

The head honchos of Armenia and Azerbaijan, President Robert Kocharian and President Ilham Aliyev, respectively, are gearing up to resume talks regarding how to peacefully resolve the Karabagh conflict. Apparently Russia, the US, and France want this problem resolved so that things can start normalizing, if that’s even possible, in the Caucasus region. The talks are supposedly going to be held in Bucharest from June 4-6, “on the sidelines of a high-level forum of Black Sea states that is scheduled to take place,” according to a recent article published by The Jamestown Foundation.

Basically both countries are again going to discuss the same peace deal proposed when talks were held in Paris last February. The deal on the table at the time and purportedly still remains there is for Armenia to withdraw troops from five of seven currently occupied regions immediately, the gradual withdrawal of troops from the region of Kelbajar, allowing Azeri refugees to return to their native homes in and around Karabagh, and holding a referendum in Karabagh 10-15 years from now whereby the people there will determine whether they want to be unified with Armenia. Lachin would remain under Armenian control.

But Aliyev already walked away from that proposed deal. He has since, and even before those talks, repeatedly made public statements that Karabagh will never be relinquished by Azerbaijan (even though they effectively lost control of it in 1991 when Karabagh self-declared itself as an independent republic) and that they will use any means necessary to win back control. But many view this stance as being a lot of blown hot air. For one thing, if Azerbaijan was so keen on getting back Karabagh it would have resumed war a long time ago. The argument is that the country is stalling until it rebuilds its military forces to have some muscle against Armenia—this year Azerbaijan is supposedly going to spend $650 million towards this effort.

If anything, Azerbaijan should no longer be shown the proposal for Karabagh citizens having the right to hold a referendum to determine their future in 10-15 years—it should be held immediately after a deal is signed. Armenia was already and still is willing to make significant compromises to secure peace, including the willingness to give up control of Kelbajar, which I have argued in previous posts is a key strategic region located to the north of Lachin that is presently joining Armenia to Karabagh. That alone is a major sacrifice for peace. To wait around for another 10 years or more to hold a status-deciding referendum is ludicrous, as it should be pretty obvious to the world community by now how the people of Karabagh feel. Karabagh is already effectively under Armenia’s control—this is quite obvious. Its leaders have been repeatedly turned down the right to act as players in the peace negotiations. Another dead giveaway is the fact that all motor vehicles driven in Karabagh are registered with Armenian plates. The country for the most part is also I would argue wholly dependent socio-economically on its big brother. So why wait? Let the people hold a referendum as soon as the deal is signed.

However, the argument against holding an immediate referendum is that the two peoples in conflict need to start building mutual trust. This will take a very long time to happen anyway for obvious reasons, a lot longer than 10 years, so postponing the referendum is meaningless. The other argument is that economic integration needs to develop first to build such trust. When it comes to Armenians having the chance to make money, and fast at that, let’s not worry about who trusts who. Armenians and Azeris are already trading along the Georgian-Azerbaijani border, and produce from Armenia’s foe is being sold in domestic markets—I was offered pomegranates grown in Azerbaijan by a vendor last year when visiting the open market of Vanadzor. The trust is already there if trade is being conducted. Do I need to mention Armenia’s lucrative trade dealings with Turkey, although both countries have zero diplomatic ties? When money is being exchanged, opponents become buddies rather quickly.

Even hardliners on this issue, notably the ARF-Dashnaktsutiun, an Armenian political organization with a huge base of supporters outside of Armenia that had a significant role to play in the Karabagh war, is already facing the music. Whereas the ARF was unwilling for Armenia to return nearly all the occupied territories, never mind accepting the proposed trade route between Nakhichevan and Azerbaijan through the Armenian border town of Meghri (an idea that didn’t seem too bad in retrospect, although at the time I was opposed to it, thinking it was “suicide” for Armenia) in the negotiated peace deal in 1991, now the organization is ready to go along with holding the future referendum, which means it is most likely agreeing with the rest of the proposals. The ARF holds several seats of power, with control of several ministries and its membership part of a pro-Kocharian coalition. If the ARF wants to hold on to its power, it has to do virtually anything the Kocharian administration decides upon; thus the organization is relinquishing its hold of its fundamental ideals regarding Karabagh, let alone Armenia, since its policies ideologically contradict those of Kocharian. The Jamestown Foundation article written by Emil Danielyan states that “The Yerevan daily Aravot quoted on May 27 Armen Rustamian, an [ARF] leader who heads the Armenian parliament’s foreign relations committe[e], as saying that the referendum option is “not unfavorable for Armenia and Karabakh.” So there you go.

The peoples of both sides do not want war to resume, this should be fairly clear to everyone. Nationalists on both sides of the border talk a lot of trash—Azeris in my experience being a little too aggressive—nevertheless I would argue that the overwhelming majority of citizens in both countries want this conflict resolved immediately. Azerbaijan can start making even more money in trade than is currently flowing in with the sale of oil. Economic integration in the region will strengthen virtually overnight I would guess.

People want to make money—time to sign a deal. It’s very simple. But let there be at least an immediate referendum regarding the status of Karabagh. It makes no sense to postpone it, as none of the arguments I have heard are really convincing. Let’s see what happens. But judging from the past, I don’t believe any headway will be made regarding this issue next week.

Labels: Nagorno-Karabagh, Politics

Posted by Christian Garbis at 12:32 PM.

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