ASBAREZ Online [06-27-2006]

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06/27/2006
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM 1) Georgian Officials Claim Javakhk Autonomy 'Not going to be created' 2) Too Early to Speak of Armenian, Azeri Presidents' Meeting in St. Petersburg 3) Political Tensions Hurting Turkey 4) Turkish Foreign Ministry Responds to Karekin II 5) Preparations for Millennium Challenges Foundation Program Coming to An End 1) Georgian Officials Claim Javakhk Autonomy 'Not going to be created' Georgian Prime Minister Zorab Nogaideli, in response to the Armenian Javakhk non-governmental statement claiming autonomy for Javakhk and promoting the Armenian language at the state-level said, "We already have autonomous republics and a new autonomy is not going to be created." Georgian Speaker of Parliament Nino Burjanadze has also stated that these crude and absurd demands are creating tension in the region. According to Burjanadze, such statements are not in favor of Armenia's or Georgia's interests. Meanwhile, the Javakhk Organization announced that they intend to protest and put more effort towards autonomy for Javakhk. 2) Too Early to Speak of Armenian, Azeri Presidents' Meeting in St. Petersburg YEREVAN (YERKIR)Spokesman for Armenian President Victor Soghomonyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter that a meeting between Armenian President Robert Kocharian and Azeri leader Ilham Aliyev within the G8 summit in Saint Petersburg will be too early. During his latest interview with leading Armenian TV channels Spokesman Soghomonyan reminded that Kocharian agreed to the opportunity of meeting President Aliyev within the G8 summit. "It is a rather important factor, and the co-chairs believe, that if it is possible to agree over basic principles of the Nagorno Karabakh settlement before the G8 summit, the international community will do their best to boost implementation of those agreements. The time frames are made to speed up the process," Kocharian said. Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov spoke about the expected meeting of the two presidents in St. Petersburg. In his words, before the G8 summit OSCE MG American Co-Chair Matthew Bryza is scheduled to visit the region. "Only after that visit will the matter of holding a new meeting with the two presidents will become clear," Mammadyarov noted. 3) Political Tensions Hurting Turkey (Zaman)In a 16-page special supplement on Turkey, The Guardian, one of the most prestigious daily newspapers in England, gave an appraisal of Turkey in terms of its economy, history, culture, and tourism industry. The supplement, intended to ease Europe's concerns about the latest political tension in the country dwelled, inter alia, on the state of the economy. To quote the Guardian, "How come a country that only yesterday had run out of hope after crises can become one of the rising stars of today? A certain answer to this question is confidence and stability?" Quoting an anonymous young businessman, "How can he [Erdogan] say it's a stable course? Inflation is out of control and the current account deficit is heading for $50 billion." The Guardian, then, in the article titled "Turkey is Fastest Growing Market in Europe," summarized the accomplishment of the Erdogan government, quoting Erdogan, "We are not the old Turkey that would have been swept away by any wind blowing." The paper also added: "Under Erdogan, Turkey has had four years of stellar growth since the 2001 crisis eroded national wealth by 9 percent and blew the currency to the bottom of the Bosphorusand won premiership status among emerging markets. Growth averaged 7.3 percent a year, inflation was tamed to 8 percent (and still falling), foreign investment rose to $9 billion in 2005, income per head is up to $5,000, privatization receipts topped $9 billion last year, tourism income nudged $18 billion, listed businesses' values are up five times to $150 billionand the government budget deficit has been slashed to 2 percent." Despite the encouraging numbers on the economy, however, the paper touched upon the negative indicators, such as unemployment, income discrepancy between the rich and the working class, current account deficit, and the underground economy, and added: "But, along with this rising-star status, came darkening contradictions. Unemployment, officially 11 percent, stood closer to 18 percent; income discrepancy widened with 10 percent owning 30 percent of national wealth; the current account deficit grew to 6 percent; the black economy bulged to around 40 percent of output." The guardian further quoted Omer Sabanci, chairman of TUSIAD, the main business lobby in Turkey, saying "Market confidence in [Turkey's] political stability and the sustainability of its economy has been shaken." The Guardian also added the words of Mustafa Koc, head of the eponymous holding, "...Older business leaders are politically hostile to the suspected plans of Erdogan's ruling AKP party to cement its Islamist control by calling elections in November, a year ahead of schedule, and electing him president. Their views are out of kilter with a younger generation of executives who see Turkey inexorably committed to Europe and, increasingly, as the financial hub and power-broker in a region stretching from central Europe via the Caucasus to the Middle East." In the supplement, the Guardian also commented on the financial sector in Turkey, mentioning that, "Foreign investors are rushing to purchase stocks of Turkish businesses. Only recently the National Bank of Greece dished out $2.44 billion to purchase 46 percent of Turkish Finance bank. This points to how distant the crisis is." Touching upon the reforms of the Turkish Government to facilitate the procedures for foreign investors, the Guardian wrote: "Government's efforts helped bring the banking standards in Turkey closer to those of the EU." 4) Turkish Foreign Ministry Responds to Karekin II Turkish "Hurriyet" newspaper reports that the Turkish Foreign Ministry has sternly responded to Catholicos Karekin II's remarks this week at a press conference that the Armenian genocide is fact and not up to debate. According to "Hurriyet", a representative from the foreign ministry, who declined to state his name, said, "We expect that the Armenians, in their turn, look at their history instead of politically manipulating their status as victims and instead of brainwashing their own people with falsified history, should listen to our advice and have the courage to sit on table to see what has happened and what has not." The same official used the word "unfortunate" regarding the Catholicos' statement, "since the statement came from a spiritual leader, who talks about the improvement of relations between the two countries." 5) Preparations for Millennium Challenges Foundation Program Coming to An End YEREVAN (Armenpress)The preparation round of the Armenian program of the Millennium Challenges Foundation is coming to an end. Deputy Minister of finance and economy David Avetisian announced that US representative of the corporation Alex Rassin has arrived in Armenia and will be the permanent resident representative of the foundation. Meanwhile, the administrative council of the program has formed a short list of candidates for the directorial position and has presented it to the Millennium Challenges Corporation. Avetisian said that according to the initial assessments the first disbursement of the promised funds will be coming in August. Until then, a state non-profit organization should be established that will deal with the administration of the program. He also informed that the foundation had some objections connected with the legislation on forming state and non-profit organizations in Armenia. After the sides agree to the changed option the final legislature will be approved by the Armenian president. It is expected that until August the office of the organization is created and the first funds will be directed towards its projecting and furnishing. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2006 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.