HEIs Connected To Europe Via Turkey

Starting March 2009, over 45 institutions of higher education (HEIs) and 150,000 scholars from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia will be connected to the rest of Europe via Turkey. The new electronic connection will enable introduction of new services in the South Caucasus countries and will be an important step towards the integration of the region’s scientific potential with the rest of Europe.

According to World Bulletin Turkish news agency, the fiber optic cable connection is implemented by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK).

Titled "Black Sea Interconnection" (BSI) and dubbed "electronic silk road", the project will connect over 45 HEIs and 150,000 scholars from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia with the rest of Europe via Turkey. The project intends to bridge the digital divide that exists between the South Caucasus countries and the rest of Europe. The project was launched in March 2008 with a budget of 2 million euros.

The BSI involves the development of strategies for interconnecting the existing – but not so developed – infrastructures in the region, realization of the connections, and supplying operational support for the established network.

The existence of interconnections between the South Caucasus countries and connection to the rest of Europe with reasonable capacities will enable introduction of new services in the region and will be an important step towards the integration of the region’s scientific potential with the rest of Europe.

Last December, the Armenian Minister of Economy Mr. Nerses Yeritsian confirmed that Armenia was holding negotiations with Turkey on the subject and that the President had discussed it at meetings held with various European counterparts.

Mr. Yeritsian also announced that his Ministry was aware that companies, ICT companies in particular, needed similar linkages but the problem could be solved only at a later date.
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Science Reduced to Myth & Folklore

Did you know that in Neolithic times the Armenians were much more advanced than most other nations?

Did you know that ancient Armenians knew the world was round?

Did you know that ancient Armenians were already skilled in Astronomy, Archaeology and Engineering? (Yes, Engineering!)

Did you know that the earliest population of Britain came from Armenia?

Did you know that these early British – sorry, Armenians - brought their advanced construction skills to Europe and played “some part” in the creation of Stonehenge and other European sites? (Yes, many other European sites!)

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All these breathtaking revelations were recently made by a “Spanish historian of Armenian descent” called Vardan Levoni Tadevosian. According to the Salisbury Journal, via Asbarez a U.S.-based community paper, Mr. Tadevosian has suggested a link between the Stonehenge and an ancient circle of standing stones known as Carahunge (Karahunge/Karahunj) in Armenia. Apparently, according to a certain Professor Paris Herouni of the Armenian National Academy of Sciences, Carahunge predates the historic site in England.

The Salisbury Journal reports that the Spanish historian visited Salisbury to raise the profile of Carahunge, dubbed the Armenian Stonehenge as "it's a very important monument, not just for Armenia, but for the whole world … I have a passion about it because the world has a not nice attention on Armenia [?!]. I want to publicize Armenian monuments and culture.”

Changing Magnitudes

We should thank Mr. Tadevosian for these invaluable affirmations that can surely strengthen and publicize the “Armenian culture”. They can also allow us to:

> confidently declare that the circle of stones known as Carahunge has served as model for not only Stonehenge but many other monuments elsewhere in the world including Manhattan skyscrapers, the Tower of Pisa and the Eiffel Tower. This will surely redefine the scope of Armenian architectural heritage. We of course must ignore that many standing stones with similar smooth angled holes exist in Armenia, Artsakh and elsewhere in the region and that they have been used to tie-up and manage sheep and goats.

> assertively announce that Astronomy, Archaeology and Engineering were developed by Armenians. We absolutely do not need to know why in Neolithic times Armenians would develop Archeology.

> proudly state that Armenians are not 3 million or 7 – as they used to be – and even 10 suddenly since last year, but hundreds of millions. Yes, literally several hundreds of millions! Clearly, the early English and Scotts were Armenians which makes their descendents who live all over the world, from Australia to the U.K. and to the U.S., distant diaspora Armenians. These communities will need to be added to other European nations such as Basques that, according to previous theories circulating in Yerevan, are of Armenian descent. Surely, many of us are relieved that no Armenian tribe ever migrated eastward or southward, and that there are consequently no kinship relations with the undesirable nations that currently populate those areas.
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The 1st picture from top, via the Salisbury Journal: Mr. Vardan Tadevosian, "the historian".
The 2nd picture: Stonehenge and the 3rd picture: Its Armenian “equivalent” Carahunge.
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A New Center of Nuclear Medicine

The Armenian government has approved a proposal to establish a new nuclear medicine center. Part of the proposal was developed by Yerevan Physics Institute. The new center will help fight cancer and contribute to the government’s plan to turn the country into a regional healthcare services hub.

Arka new agency reports that Armenia’s Economy Minister Mr. Nerses Yeritsian has declared that the project will cost around 30 million USD, of which 19 million will be spent on the installation of a cyclotron radionuclide accelerator.

The part of the proposal dealing with the cyclotron nuclear center was prepared by Yerevan Physics Institute, Armenia, and Joint Institute of Nuclear Research based in Dubna, Russia.

According to Mr. Yeritsian, the Belgian Government has pledged 17 million Euros as preferential credit with zero percent interest and the remaining amount will come from private sources. Negotiations with international organizations and potential private investors are under way.

“New progress is expected in nuclear medicine soon, and the cyclotron will give us new opportunities in Physics and other fundamental sciences”, as well as the development of other areas such as pharmaceutics, nature preservation and agriculture.

Moreover, to avoid additional risks in drawing the business plan and dealing with investors, the government will be advised by Grant Thornton Amyot, an international audit and consulting firm.

The Healthcare Services Hub

According to Armenian Prime Minister Mr. Tigran Sargsian, the establishment of a nuclear medicine center in Armenia will be a step towards the country’s plan to become a regional healthcare services hub.

The PM believes that production of isotopes using the cyclotron will change the whole healthcare sector and will make it possible to establish a world-standard center of nuclear medicine in Armenia.

Health Minister Mr. Haroutun Koushkian thinks that the radionuclide is effective for its ability to identify malignant tumors at initial stage, and that the radionuclide has a short-term effect which reduces its negative impact on human organism.

According to the Armenian Health Ministry, approximately 30,000 people suffer from cancer and 7,500 are treated at the national oncology center every year.
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