Stealing Armenia's Gold, Again

Ah, gold. What self-respecting Armenian doesn't have at least a few pounds of it stashed somewhere? As of this very moment, the price of Gold stands at $833.20, having made a mad rush to that position in the last few years, no thanks to the present economic uncertainties. So where does Armenia fit in all of this, you ask?

In the town of Ararat - about an hour's drive south of Yerevan, Armenia's capital - investors from Russia have moved in to take control of what is believed to be one of the biggest gold-mining operations in the country.

But there's more to it than that.

Azerbaijan says a considerable amount of the Zod mine is in its territory, at present occupied by the Armenian military.

And let's not forget the previous owners:

In 2002, AGRC was taken over by a company controlled by the family of Indian mining billionaire Aneel Agarwal. But its operations were closed down after the Armenian authorities accused the company of reneging on various licensing agreements. The company was charged with tax fraud and environmental violations and ordered to pay millions of dollars in fines.

Besides the laughable notion of the Armenian government charging anyone with tax fraud, this is yet another nail in the coffin that is Armenia's economic future. We've given away nearly everything in the name of short term profits, but what of the future?

Critics will contend that some of the assets are actually on a long-term lease, but this isn't the case with all of them. Besides, how absurd is it that to revitalize the economy and move it forward means giving control of important assets to foreigners? We only have so much left!

Source: BBC News

Brief History of Armenians and Astronomy

ArmeniaNow has a really interesting article that briefly looks at some of the many accomplishments of Armenians in the field of astronomy and space sciences. Here's an excerpt:

...long before – IV-III millennium BC -- some 30 kilometers east of Yerevan, one of the world’s oldest observatories looked to the sky perhaps for the same reasons the Russians and Americans would later fight to dominate it.

Though sadly deteriorating, patterns of night skies carved into rocks that became celestial maps for early astronomers can still be seen on a Metsamor hill. Fifty years? Hardly a flash compared to the centuries Armenians have been interested in the heavens.

I found this article very informative and interesting, to say the least. Check it out here.

Russia to Finance New Nuclear Plant

In line with Armenia's ridiculous line of thinking, it seems a major crisis has been averted. Or potentially created.

Russia is ready to fully finance construction of a new Nuclear Power Plant in Armenia.

Russia will be a joint owner of the new Armenian NPP....

...Russia is ready to send specialists for the works to be carried out. The Armenian authorities are planning to build a new NPP, since the republic has no other alternative after the closing of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant.

Long term. Why can't they think long term?

Source: PanArmenian

United States Upgrades Armenia's Nuclear Power Plant

Just another act of unconditional generosity from the purveyors of Democracy and great adult films!

...this new system, developed with $3.5 million in technical and financial support from the U.S. Department of Energy, includes upgraded physical access infrastructure, badges and video monitoring.

Strong nuclear security is particularly important given the current threat environment and the risk that terrorists and others will try to use nuclear material against innocents.

Oh, and because the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant is rapidly reaching the end of its operational lifespan, Armenia is planning a second nuclear plant. Of course, there are many alternatives and the country benefits from its size - or lack thereof - to utilize these untapped sources of energy, but it would rather continue on a path of nuclear power generation than to explore the said alternatives. Rather sad, really.

Here's a brief history of the Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant that has been covered before.

Source: PanArmenian

Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant Will Continue to Operate

It seems we may need to dam up a few more rivers.

The nuclear power plant...will not be shut down until the country has alternative energy sources, RA minister of Energy Armen Movsisyan told reporters.

He also added that the conference participants agreed that a new NPP can be an alternative to the currently operating NPP.

The nuclear power plant was planned in the 1960s to meet increasing energy needs, especially by the mining industry; the first reactor became operation in 1976 and the second in 1979. Both were shut down in 1989 following the earthquake in 1998, as the power plant is located in a seismic zone. However, Azerbaijani & Turkish embargos meant that Armenia was at a loss for electricity. As a result, the second reactor was restarted in 1995, but only after many upgrades & international oversight. The nuclear plant has been under Russian financial management since 2003. Even though it produces over 40% of Armenia's electricity, it will need to be replaced in 2016, as it was originally designed to have a forty year life.

The question is, where will Armenia find that 40% to avoid what happened in the early 1990s, namely blackouts, the disappearance of Yerevan's trees for heat, and general misery? Being as small as we are, Armenia is the best place to implement alternative sources of energy, such as solar, wind, geothermal, and so on. Simply building another dangerous reactor on earthquake-prone land or putting up a few hundred hydroelectric plants simply will not do.

Source: Arka, NTI, and The Guardian