Month: October 2006

37% OF RESPONDENTS: ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES SHOULD CREATE JOBS TO WIN PUBLIC CONFIDENCE

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 30 2006

YEREVAN, October 30. /ARKA/. Survey conducted by Gallup institute
in association with Armenian Sociologic Association shows that 37%
of Armenian citizens are convinced that Armenian authorities have to
create new jobs to win public confidence.

According to the survey’s results, 18% of respondents think the
authorities should increase pensions and salaries, 14% of surveyed
citizens pointed out economy development as the way to win public
support, 15% singled out transparent elections, 7% fulfillment of
promises given to people and 8% crackdown on corruption.

Besides, 4% of surveyed citizens think the authorities should pursue
a correct policy to enjoy public support, 3% said the members of
parliament should be replaced by others, 3% are convinces that the
authorities should render help to homeless and old people and 2%
to make Nagorno-Karabakh a part of Armenia, 3% to cut taxes, 17%
gave other answers and 9% refused to answer.

It is remarkable that 39% of respondents had absolutely no interest
in political developments, 30% expressed mid-scale interest in them
and 31% high interest.

As many as 1200 older-than-18 Armenian citizens were surveyed at
the order of International Republican Institute (IRI) with financial
support of USAID.

VLADIMIR PUTIN FINDS "SHAMEFUL" INACTIVENESS OF RUSSIAN INVESTORS IN ARMENIA

Regnum, Russia
Oct 30 2006

On October 30Russia’s President Vladimir Putin received Armenia’s
President Robert Kocharyan, who is on a work visit in Moscow. As a
REGNUM correspondent reports, before the talks with Robert Kocharyan,
the Russian president said he found it "shameful" that "Russia is
only third in investments to the economy of its strategic partner."

At the same time, the Russian president noted that for the last
year goods turnover between Russia and Armenia increased by 60%,
which indicates development of the economic relations.

In his turn, Robert Kocharyan informed that all Yerevan’s agreements
with Gazprom are being implemented. "All the contracts on energy
projects with Gazprom are entering the stage of implementation,"
the Armenian president said, expressing hope for intensification of
Russia’s investment policy. "Next year, the situation will change
significantly, I cast no doubts on it," Robert Kocharyan is quoted
as saying. He also says that several days ago the process of complex
modernization of the Russian-Armenian Armenal aluminum plant was
completed.

Gazprom and the Armenian government signed the contract for 25 years.

It outlines strategic principles of cooperation in gas and energy
projects in the Armenian territory. The document envisages that
ArmRosgazprom acquires the fifth energy reactor of the Hrazdan Nuclear
Power Plant and gas facilities from the Armenian government.

Final passing of property for the facilities is to be completed by
January 1, 2007. On October 27, Gazprom Executive Board approved
acquiring additional issue of ArmRosgazprom, as a result share of
the Russian company in ArmRosgazprom authorized capital stock will
increase from 45% to 58%.

AZERBAIJANI DEFENSE MINISTER SAFAR ABIYEV CONSIDERS VIOLATION OF CEASEFIRE NORMAL

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 30 2006

Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Abiyev discussed the violation of
ceasefire with his Armenian colleague Serge Sarkisian at the meeting
in Gazakh.

It was decided to ensure the maximum maintenance of ceasefire, Abiyev
told journalists, APA reports. He noted that the violation of ceasefire
is normal as there are thousands of servicemen in Azerbaijan-Armenia
contact line. Expressing his position on the Armenian military training
the minister said that Azerbaijan also holds military training in
the contact line and there is no need to worry.

TURKS STILL RULE EUROPE

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Oct 30 2006

If you are reading me for the first time, please read to the end before
sending me hate mail. Yes, it is provocative to claim such a thing. You
may be asking yourself, "How come this poor nation which has no major
contribution to Europe other than Turkish coffee, doner(shwarma)
and kebap can rule Europe?" But, at the end of this article you will
probably have some sympathy for me, of which I need a lot. Love me!

We, Turks, with our tiny GDP and large population, are ruling Europe
without doing anything. Absolutely anything…We watch our Ibo Shows on
Sunday nights, we curse to referees and football players on Saturdays,
invade Cyprus and kill Armenians for the rest of the week, and that
is enough for Turks to rule Europe…

You may be thinking that I am becoming sarcastic again, and yes,
you are right!

But honestly, weren’t the Turks a determining factor in the EU
constitution referendums in Holland and France? How about the German
elections? Let’s think about the coming French elections, too.

Meanwhile, what is happening in Austria?

So, what are Turks doing to humbly enjoy this much importance?

Nothing, a million zeros without any significant digits…

Think about the referendums across Europe: What if Turkey had asserted
its position as "If there is a ‘Yes’ for this constitution, we will
not be joining Europe and we will skip out on our plans to be in
the union.". This move alone may result with 5 or 6 percent shift
between confronting opinions, which will be more than enough to get
the constitution approved.

In France, being anti-Turkish may earn you those crucial points to be
a president. Turkey saying that "We will increase our trade and aspire
to join EU if Sarkozy is elected. Oh meanwhile, Sarkozy privately
promised us to join Schengen by 2008" will probably neutralize
the Armenian game. Worse than that, it may cost Sarkozy the French
presidency… A dirty game to rule Europe!

How about Austria? The election billboards based on Turkey- EU
relations are helping the some political parties to increase their
share and hence power in the parliament. If someone can spice up
another "Armenian game" for Austria, Turkey can be one of the crucial
elements in determining the government in Austria.

But once again, what is the role of the Turks in this? Absolutely
nothing! The whole "European Turkey" discussion is going on with
little or no interference from the Turks. The European leaders promise
"carrots", show their "Armenian", "Cyprus", and "Kurdish" sticks, but
at the end of the day, they become locked inside these carrot-stick
policies…

Actually, I have a much more radical, sarcastic theory. Turks determine
the governments in major parts of Europe. They are enjoying this power,
which the Ottoman Empire could only dream of.

There is also that paradox, I suspect, which may be quite real. The
road to the power is made up of several parameters. Generally, there
are not too many differences between political parties regarding
economic, military, and social policies. But the main differences
appear as Turks enter into any one of these parameters.

So being against a "European Turkey" becomes a key determinant for
power. But after grabbing power, a new picture emerges in which
there is the necessity to integrate Turkey into Europe somehow
(full/privileged membership), as we have seen with elected leaders
changing position like Merkel and possibly, in the future, Sarkozy.

This is not an indication of the changing ideas but real politik.

Think otherwise, when Turkey rejects being part of the EU, the EU
presses Turkey more for completing reforms and being part of a larger
EU. When Turkey completes the reforms and expects end results, the EU
will start discussing whether Turkey is part of Europe or not. This
discussion will annoy Turks and Turkey will once again suspend being
part of Europe, and again Europe presses and so on….

Why is Turkey hard to reject or accept? This has many answers, which
I do not have time to discuss…

During the power play, this real politik ebbs from the popularity
of these elected leaders, because of their way of manipulating the
public opinion to grab the power. And once again, Turks cost these
leaders their thrones.

Also, in this political game, Turks owe most to the Armenian
Diasporas, Greek Cyprus, and other anti-Turkish lobby groups. It
is a pleasure to sit in our homes, watching TV, and being able to
determine the governments in Europe by just being fantastic "Conan
the Barbarian"-like characters in the poor European voters’ mind.

It is a pleasure dear guys, especially Armenians, Cypriots, and
Christian Europeanists! Work more. If you do so, and if I like it,
I will buy you candy.

A flashback to the original question… In a Europe, where the
differences between political parties and their leaders become less
and less visible, what are the main parameters to determine those
crucial 4-5 points for the power? You cannot deny that Turks or Turkey
joining Europe is among one of them.

Do you still think I am provocative? I may be…but whether Turkey
is European or not, Turks still and probably will rule Europe and
European politics. Now, you can kiss my hand!

[email protected]

PUTIN SAYS LEVEL OF RUSSIA’S INVESTMENT IN ARMENIA "SHAMEFUL"

RIA Novosti, Russia
October 30, 2006

MOSCOW, October 30 (RIA Novosti) – President Vladimir Putin said
Monday the volume of Russian investment in Armenia is too low for a
strategic partner.

"We are in a humiliating third place – it is humiliating because it
is strange that Russia is not the largest investor in the economy
of its strategic partner," Putin said at a meeting with Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan in the Kremlin.

AZERBAIJAN, PAKISTAN TIES STRENGTHEN

The Pakistan Newswire
October 28, 2006 Saturday

"Friendly Pakistan occupies a special place" in Azerbaijan’s foreign
policy, Novruz Mammadov, Head of Presidential AdministrationIs Foreign
Relations Department said."Pakistan was one of the first to recognize
independence of our republic, and it did not establish diplomatic
relations with Armenia occupying Azerbaijani territories," he noted.

Novruzov said visit by national leader Heydar Aliyev to Pakistan,
and that by Pakistani President Pervez Masharraf to Azerbaijan,
fostered strengthening ties, and created legal and contractual basis
for bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev’s successful visit to Pakistan has created new
opportunities to enhance in all fields and cooperation between two
countries demonstrating common stance on regional and global issues,
he said.

ITB ARMENIA OFFERS NEW "MULTICURRENCY" DEPOSIT

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 30 2006

YEREVAN, October 30. /ARKA/. The International Trade Bank (ITB)
offers its clients new "Multicurrency" deposit from October 1, 2006,
the bank’s press service reported that this type of deposits will allow
clients to make deposits in one or three currencies at the same time:
AMD, USD and EUR.

"The advantage of the multicurrency deposit consists in the fact
that over the entire period of validity of the contract, a client
has an opportunity to convert the funds on the deposit account from
one currency into another, and this decreases the risk connected
with exchange rate fluctuation," Executive Director of the bank
Ara Kitbalyan.

At the same time, there are other, very essential advantages besides
this one. Firstly, this is the opportunity of saving deposit funds,
secondly, the opportunity of partial withdrawal, and thirdly, even
the opportunity to fully withdraw the funds by canceling the contract,
without losing added interest.

"The bank provides three types of multicurrency deposits – ordinary,
accumulation and accumulation deposits with the right of partial
return.

In all the three cases, 90 days later, after placing money on the
deposit account, a client can withdraw all the money with added
interests and cancel the contract.

The minimal amount of deposit totals AMD 200,000 or USD/EUR 500 for
the ordinary and accumulation deposit, and AMD 400 AMD or USD/EUR
1000 for the accumulation deposit with the right of partial return.

International Trade Bank – ITB(Armenia) was founded on the basis of
"Bank-Menatep-Armenia" in 1992 as the Yerevan branch of the Russian
bank Menatep. In April 2000, the bank’s share were purchased by
foreign companies, later joined in the Makarios (MG) Holdings GMBH,
and bank itself was renamed to ITB – International Trade Bank. In 2005,
the bank’s 99.91% shares were purchased by Makarios (MG) Holdings GMBH.

ITB’s total assets made up AMD 5.1bln as of 30 June, 2006, the credit
portfolio totaled AMD 2.98bln. The bank currently operates four
branches The Makarious Group Holdings GMBH joins about 60 companies
that are registered in Austria, Great Britain, Ireland, Switzerland,
Cyprus, and in a number of CIS countries. The group consists of banks,
leasing, investment and consulting organizations, the activity of
which is aim at implementing large-scale investment programs in the
spheres of construction, metal mining, timber, woodworking and textile
industries, and also trade and high technologies.

The economic interests of the Makarios group are not limited in Armenia
only by the banking sphere. The group has made large investments for
$22.5mln in the program of construction of the Northern Avenue of
Yerevan.

L’ARMENIE, PAYS MILLENAIRE, MARTYR ET FIER

Le Figaro, France
30 octobre 2006

"Armenie, mon amie" n’est pas une simple formule diplomatique. Elle
reflète une realite. Aucun nuage n’a jamais terni le ciel de nos
relations avec cette petite Republique (la plus petite de l’ex-URSS),
vieille comme le monde et reduite aujourd’hui au dixième de sa
superficie historique : 29 000 km 2 contre 300 000 aux temps du roi
des rois, Tigrane II, au I er siècle avant J.-C., lorsque le royaume
s’etendait de la mer Noire a la mer Caspienne, englobant le Kurdistan,
une partie de l’Iran et de la Mesopotamie, le nord-est de la Turquie et
la Cilicie jusqu’a Antioche. Huit siècles de destins entremeles, depuis
les Croisades, ont forge des liens indestructibles entre la France
et ce pays, fier d’etre le plus ancien Etat christianise au monde,
en l’an 301. Et le dernier roi chretien a perdre son royaume face aux
Arabes, en 1375, n’etait autre que le roi de Cilicie, un Franc du nom
de Leon V de Lusignan, mort a Paris, a la cour de France, en 1393. Ces
liens, l’histoire les a renforces. Le XX e siècle les a confirmes avec
l’accueil, sur notre sol, de 500 000 refugies du genocide perpetre par
les Turcs en 1915. Le XXI e siècle vient enfin de les consacrer : la
France est, aujourd’hui, le seul pays a avoir officiellement reconnu
et condamne le genocide, par la loi du 21 janvier 2001. L’annee qui
va leur etre consacree, ouverte symboliquement le jour de leur fete
nationale, le 21 septembre, et qui s’achèvera le 14 juillet 2007,
va nous permettre de prendre contact avec une culture d’une profonde
richesse, emanant d’une nation de moins de 3 millions d’habitants,
et de 8 millions d’exiles, membres d’une des diasporas les plus
solidaires du monde.

–Boundary_(ID_OYlBaazktoaTQTewlCYlSw)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KOMMERSANT SAYS MOSCOW WILL USE ARMENIA FOR PUTTING PRESSURE ON GEORGIA

Daily Georgian Times, Georgia
Oct 30 2006

According to the Russian business daily Kommersant Moscow will use
Armenia for putting pressure on Georgia.

The Newspaper issue of Monday morning views the forthcoming visit
of Robert Kocharyan, president of Armenia, to Moscow scheduled for
October 30-31. Robert Kocharyan is scheduled to meet Vladimir Putin,
Russian president, on Monday evening. The sides will presumably speak
about Georgia.

"Kremlin searches for methods to put pressure on self-confident
Mikheil Saakashvili, president of Georgia," the newspaper reads.

The Kommersant does not exclude that Moscow will ask Armenia to
arrange ‘disorder’ in Samtskhe-Javakheti region, where about 200
ethnic Armenians live.

Georgian experts reckon that ‘disorders’ are not excluded in the
region as Armenia depends on Russia politically and economically. On
the other hand it is not profitable for Armenia to tense relations
with Georgia as the only way it is connected with Europe and Russia
goes through Georgia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NAGORNO KARABAKH PRESIDENT: "POSITION OF KARABAKH SIDE HAS NOT AND WILL NOT CHANGE"

Regnum, Russia
Oct 30 2006

"I believe that our servicemen fulfill their duties very well;
outcomes of the exercises evidently prove it once again. Our army
has risen to the occasion," Nagorno Karabakh President, Supreme
Commander-in-Chief of the NKR armed forces Arkady Gukasyan is quoted
by a REGNUM correspondent as stating after planned military exercises
were over in Nagorno Karabakh.

Commenting on Baku reaction to the maneuvers and in particular on
statements "about Armenian forces’ concentration in Agdam section,"
Arkady Gukasyan said: "It is not worth seriously to relate
to Azerbaijani mass media’s statements because they constantly
spread propaganda. Our army should always be strong, ready for any
developments. The maneuvers have been aimed exactly at achieving the
goals". Responding to question on meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani
foreign ministers in Paris, Arkady Gukasyan stressed: "We should be
optimists because if we loose belief in talks, war will be alternative
of talks that is undesirable for both us and Azerbaijan.

Surely, we all are interested in talks’ continuation. As for outcomes,
there is no sense to speak about them because our agreement may be
approved only after its all items will be coordinated. There is no
such result yet. The more often Armenian and Azerbaijani FMs will meet
the better it will be because every such meeting is a new chance to
coordinate items on which no consensus has been achieved yet." At
that the Karabakh state head expressed hope that Nagorno Karabakh
participation in talks will be real soon: "We repeatedly stressed
that it is impossible to settle problem without NKR because there
are many questions which immediately concern Nagorno Karabakh."

Arkady Gukasyan stressed; position of the Karabakh side "has not
change and it will not change." "We know very well what we want. We
will not reject our independence and any obstacle in the problem is
unacceptable for us," the NKR president said.