Month: May 2008

MAIDEN FLIGHT OF CIVILIAN "SUKHOI SUPERJET-100"

ITAR-TASS
.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=12694066&PageNum=0
May 19 2008
Russia

MOSCOW, May 19 (Itar-Tass) – A civilian "Sukhoi Superjet-100" regional
plane took off from the runway for the first time on Monday. Its
maiden flight took place at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aircraft-building
plant. "The flight lasted for one hour and five minutes," officials
of the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC) told Itar-Tass.

"The Superjet-100 made four sweeps over the runway at different
altitudes — along a specified parameter (box-pattern flight) and
in the landing approach direction," officials of the Sukhoi Press
Service stated.

SCAC Chief Test Pilot Alexander Yablontsev and Test Pilot Leonid
Chikunov had piloted the aircraft. "Monday is the most important day
for us, since we have, literally speaking, acquired two new wings,"
Head of the Sukhoi Holding Mikhail Pogosyan noted. "We have traversed a
long road to this day. The end result is what counts in any work. The
only possible real result for aircraft builders is to see their
plane up in the sky. We have an important and difficult task ahead,
namely, the certification tests. And I am sure that we shall succeed,"
Pogosyan noted.

According to Chief Pilot Yablontsev, "the plane is really
marvellous". "And I can say for sure that it is a match for the
world’s best planes, which I had piloted," he added. The success of
the maiden flight lays the beginning for the certification tests of
the airliner. Six hundred special flights will have to be made to
pass them.

Parallel with the testing procedures, the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft
Company is planning to assemble four such aircraft this year, which
will be handed over to the initial customer – the Russian Aeroflot
Company. These planes will be passed over to it only after they are
fully certified.

In expert opinion, the number of orders for these new airliners is
bound to increase after the Superjet-100 maiden flight. Today, there
are orders for approximately 100 such airliners.

Company experts predict growing numbers of customers both in Russia
and abroad, wishing to obtain such planes. In assessing the prospects
for the marketing of Superjet-100 planes, Sukhoi officials note
"their exceptionally positive dynamics".

This forecast is based on two basic factors. Firstly, the process of
withdrawing Tu-134 planes from service will be completed in Russia
within the next few years. The share of regional carriages will grow
parallel with this. "We believe the regional market of air carriages
is bound to grow in the countries of Southeast Asia and in the Middle
East, where the markets of carriages by this class of planes is only
beginning to take shape and, objectively speaking, their need for new
commercially effective aircraft will definitely grow," specialists
of the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company noted.

Superjet-100 planes are being built by an international cooperative
enterprise, in which Sukhoi is now the main integrator. Approximately
50 per cent of all the necessary jobs are done by Russian enterprises
and the other half – by the western companies taking part in the
project.

The project to create the Sukhoi Superjet-100 has added global
aircraft-designing standards to the Russian aircraft-building
industry. This is the first program in the Russian aircraft-building
industry, enjoying state support. Superjet liners will replace the
Tu-134 and Tu-154 planes now serving the domestic Russian short-range
and middle-range lines, and will be sold on the world market,
too. The annual output of these liners will grow annually after they
are launched into quantity production at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur
plant. Plans are afoot to assemble 30 planes in 2009 and 60 – in
2010. After that, their annual output is to reach the optimal figure
of 70 machines.

At present, the Sukhoi Holding already has 73 orders for such
planes and 31 options. For instance, firm contracts were concluded
with Aeroflot (30 planes), with the Financial Leasing Company (ten
planes), with the AirUnion Alliance (15 planes), with the Dalavia
Company (six planes), with the Italian ItAli Company (ten planes),
and with the Armenian Armavia Company (two planes).

The approximate cost of one plane is 28 million U.S.dollars. This is
15 per cent cheaper than planes of the Embraer firm, which is Sukhoi’s
chief rival on the market of regional planes. The total sum of the
concluded contracts tops 50 billion roubles.

Director-General of the Sukhoi Holding Mikhail Pogosyan had earlier
noted that the Superjet-100 program will be fully recouped when
approximately 300 planes are marketed. All in all, 800 Superjet-100
planes are to be built in the period of up to 2024. Five hundred
such machines will be delivered to the external market and 300 –
to the domestic market.

President Vladimir Putin had stated at one of his meetings early in
2007 that the number of the built planes would reach 700 within the
next few years. Sukhoi officials are indicating even more impressive
figures. According to this most optimist forecast, up to 1,200 planes
will be built by that time. The medium-range forecast indicates from
800 to 900 machines," Mikhail Pogosyan stated a year ago.

The Superjet liner is an international project, taking part in which
are approximately 30 companies of the world, including firms of France,
Italy, and some other countries.

A protocol was signed in June 2007 to expand the participation
of the Boeing Company in the program to build Superjet family
planes. The document envisages cooperation in the organisation of
post-sale services, assistance to the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company
in the efforts to build up its own infrastructure, access to the
Boeing infrastructure and post-sale modern maintenance technologies,
including the training of flying and technical personnel, and also
access to the spare parts distribution system.

Each Superjet-100 liner is propelled by two SaM-146 engines, jointly
designed by the Russian Saturn Science and Production Society and
the French Snecma Company.

These engines fully meet the specific needs of the air companies of
Russia, the CIS, and the West, and are in keeping with the AP-25,
FAR-25 and JAR-25 requirements. There is tough competition within
this niche on the world market. The Brazilian Embraer and the Canadian
Bombardier have strong positions there. "New players are also emerging
on the market, including China with its ARG-21 and Japan with its MRG,
which is being built by the Mitsubishi Company," a Saturn official
told Itar-Tass.

Russia is so far ahead of its rivals. It is planned to offer Sukhoi
Superjet-100 planes on the market already at the end of 2008. The
Chinese machine may appear on the market in 2010 and the Japanese –
in 2012.

The Holding expects to win fifteen per cent of the market of civilian
regional planes, seating from 60 to 120 passengers. The Boeing Company
estimates the total volume of this market segment at six thousand
planes in the period of up to 2022.

In the opinion of Russian Vice-Premier Sergei Ivanov, "the Sukhoi
Superjet is a priority project, which is, in fact, of state importance
because these planes will give us a chance to do away with most of
our transport inequality". This refers primarily to the Far Eastern
Region, he noted. "In other words, this program can be regarded as a
parallel one to those that are now being adopted at state level for
the socio-economic development of the Russian Far East," he noted.

Officials of the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company are noting the unique
performance of these planes, compared to those that now exist abroad,
including their service life of 70,000 hours, compared to the average
world figure of 30,000 hours. This was achieved, in particular, due
to some designing novelties and use of novel high-resistant materials
in separate aircraft assemblies.

"The carrying capacity of Sukhoi Superjet-100 planes ranges from 75 to
95 passengers, since it is based on principles of maximum unification
of glider aggregates and board systems, as well as of completing
parts," officials of the SCAC Press Service stated. "To boost the
number of potential customers, each of the two types of such aircraft
will be made in a basic and long-range modification, allowing the air
companies to boost the economic effectiveness of their employment by
the more rational formation of the pool of their aircraft".

The interior finish of the planes will be equal to their flight
qualities, Sukhoi officials declare. "We are not saving money on the
interior finish because the liner is still not very widely known
and everything in it must be of tip-top quality. For instance, we
are buying the seats for it in the United States, where they are
cheaper and up to the best international standards," Pogosyan told
journalists. As a matter of fact, Sergei Ivanov has already issued an
instruction to "organise the production of such seats in Russia, too."

The assembly of Superjet-100 planes will be of a conveyer type
after they are launched into quantity production. Six workplaces
have been equipped in the final assembly department: a section for
the automated laser assembly of fuselages in accordance with the
pattern of assembly holes; a section for the attachment of wings
to the fuselages; a section for the integration of engines with the
fuselages; a section for the assembly of different plane systems —
the hydraulic systems, the oxygen systems, fire-safety systems, the
water supply systems, etc. There will be simultaneously six aircraft
moving from one section to another within this department.

The assembly of one plane is expected to take 28 days.

The Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company is a daughter company of the
Sukhoi firm. It was founded in 2001 to implement its civilian
projects. According to the long-range forecast, the company is expected
to sell up to 1,800 Superjet family planes within the next 20 years,
including the 120-seat airliner, which is now on the drawing boards.

GAZPROM AND ARMENIA AGREE ON MID-TERM GAS PRICE

RosBusinessConsulting
May 19 2008
Russia

RBC, 19.05.2008, Moscow 19:19:19.At their meeting today, Gazprom’s
Chairman Alexei Miller, and Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan and
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian agreed to sign a mid-term gas supply
contract. Until January 2009, Armenia will be buying Russian gas at
$110 per 1,000 cubic meters. By 2011, the countries expect Armenia
(as well as Russia’s domestic consumers) to pay European-level prices,
Gazprom’s press office reported.

NAGORNY KARABAKH INSPIRED BY KOSOVO PRECEDENT

RIA Novosti
May 19 2008
Russia

What the Russian papers say

The government of Nagorny Karabakh, an area disputed by Armenia and
Azerbaijan, aims to gain independence recognition by moving half a
million ethnic Armenians into the self-proclaimed republic.

The president of Nagorny Karabakh, Bako Saakian, said Nagorny Karabakh
should be an independent party to the peace talks with Azerbaijan. The
Nagorny Karabakh Republic is the key party to the conflict, having
"the same priorities as other foreign states," he said.

For the past 14 years, Armenia has handled the talks for it, while
Karabakh only participated in the 1994 truce.

The decision must have been prompted by rumors that Armenia could cede
part of Karabakh’s territory to Azerbaijan in a bid to accelerate the
peace process, said Gegam Bagdasaryan, the only opposition member of
the Karabakh parliament.

The Nagorny Karabakh Autonomous Republic announced its secession from
Azerbaijan in 1988. The move was followed by a military conflict,
in which 25,000-30,000 people were killed and 1-1.5 million refugees
fled the area. The current peace talks are arranged by the Minsk
Group of the OSCE, co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France.

Even Armenia is still undecided about establishing diplomatic
relations with Nagorny Karabakh. The current "no war, no peace"
situation is vividly evidenced by white skeletons of destroyed
houses in Azeri villages and rusty remains of burnt infantry combat
vehicles. Armenian villages, on the other hand, are being restored,
supported by foreign Armenian diasporas. Some of their members even
build mansions in their native villages, with fountains and zoos.

The army accounts for one-sixth of the republic’s population. However,
the economy is slowly reviving. Agriculture is growing intensively
due to the local fertile lands, and so is the alcohol industry. Also,
the Drmbonsky mining and enrichment plant provides for almost a half
of Karabakh’s GDP.

Stability will enable the self-proclaimed republic’s government to draw
up a doctrine aimed at populating the area as densely as possible,
Karabakh Prime Minister Araik Arutyunyan told Vedomosti. The current
population is less than 150,000, according to official statistics;
its density is around one-tenth of that in the neighboring Armenia.

The government intends to boost the population to 500,000 in the
shortest possible time. The current inflow of migrants is twice as
large as the outflow, and the birth rate is growing, too – the current
rate is 14 children per 1,000 people. Population growth might also
help promote independence, "like in Kosovo," Arutyunyan concludes.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said the republic’s status
should be defined by a national referendum.

Leonid Slutsky, deputy head of the Russian parliament’s foreign
affairs committee, said Moscow supported a compromise assisted by
international mediators.

GAZPROM’S ARMENIAN UNIT STARTS IPO PREPARATIONS

Reuters
May 19 2008
UK

MOSCOW, May 19 (Reuters) – Russia’s gas export monopoly Gazprom
(GAZP.MM: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Monday its Armenian
venture, ArmRosGazprom, was starting preparations for an initial
public offering (IPO) of its shares.

The venture, 68 percent owned by Gazprom, buys natural gas from Gazprom
on a long-term contract at a highly favourable price and distributes
it within Armenia.

Other shareholders in ArmRosGazprom include Armenia’s Energy Ministry
and Russian private gas producer Itera.

"Cooperation in gas sphere is developing very successfully, and
joint venture ArmRosGazprom is expanding and starting preparations
for entering financial markets with an initial public offering of
its shares," Gazprom said in a statement.

The statement, which did not give a timeframe for the planned IPO,
was issued after the meeting between Gazprom’s head Alexei Miller,
Armenia’s President Serzh Sarksyan and Prime Minister Tigran Sarksyan.

Tigran Sarksyan told Reuters in an interview last year ArmRosGazprom
was planning a $1 billion IPO in late 2007 or early 2008. Neither he
nor Gazprom said whose shares would be offered in the IPO.

Gazprom also said it had discussed gas prices with Armenian leaders
and agreed to bring the price for Armenia to the European level by
2011, like for other former-Soviet customers.

But the Russian gas giant, which supplies Europe with a quarter of
its gas needs, said it would make the transition smooth "given the
high level of strategic cooperation" between the two countries.

Gazprom, which charges its European customers an average of $350 per
1,000 cubic metres, sells its gas to Armenia at $110 per 1,000 cubic
metres under the agreement valid until 2009. (Reporting by Tanya
Mosolova; editing by Sue Thomas)

RUSSIAN-AZERBAIJANI RELATIONS: NEW STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT
Alexey Malashenko

Eurasian Home Analytical Resource
xml?lang=en&nic=expert&pid=1561&qmonth =0&qyear=0
May 19 2008
Russia

The year of 2008 is very important for Azerbaijan, since the
presidential election is to take place in the country this
year. Besides, the year of 2008 is important for the entire South
Caucasus. The Russian-Caucasian relations may break new horizons,
and this can concern Georgia, Azerbaijan and even Armenia. I believe
that Russia and the Caucasian states will understand each other better
in spite of the current strained relations between Moscow and Tbilisi.

As for the Russian-Azerbaijani relations, I think that they will
develop within the framework of the diversification of Azerbaijan’s
foreign policy and economic relations. In Russia this new trend is
being adapted to, it is understood that the new independent states
are guided by the national interests rather than by nostalgic feelings.

Moscow and Baku will continue getting used to each other. Something
will be taken painfully. For example, new oil and gas routes through
Azerbaijan will meet with Russia’s rejection.

The parties will pin their great hopes on new Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev. Anyway, he does not make strongly-worded statements that
we used to hear. Of course, this is good.

The important question is how the territorial conflicts will be
settled. This year drastic decisions will not be taken. I do not know
when they will be taken. But I feel that pragmatism tells.

One can say that formerly Russia could use the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict to influence the participants of the conflict – Armenia and
Azerbaijan. But I believe that now these countries are likely to use
the conflict to influence Russia. For example, when it is said that
if Russia does not change its position on the conflict, Azerbaijan
will bring about a rapprochement with the West.

Alexey VLASOV, general director of the Information and Analytical
Center for Study of the Social and Political Processes in the
post-Soviet space, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow The
hopes or apprehensions of the experts who believe that after the
change of power in Russia the Kremlin’s foreign policy will be changed
drastically are unlikely to be realized. In the short term the policy,
which Vladimir Putin conducted during his second presidential term,
will be followed.

How is that connected with the South Caucasus? I think that neither
Russia nor the Western states have produced the new rules of the game
that should be clearly formulated due to the dynamic development of
the situation in the South Caucasus as well as in Central Asia.

The chaotic processes, which will be still more intense after the
Kosovo precedent, result from the unbalanced strategy of the Russian
Federation. It is not clear if we should proceed from the "closed
concepts", namely the South Caucasian problems should be resolved
within the region with Russia acting as a moderator, or we should go
over to "open strategies" and say that the EU and NATO have certain
interests in the South Caucasus and Central Asia. If that is so,
we must sit down at the negotiating table together with the Western
politicians and draw up the rules of the game.

For today Russia’s foreign policy, there are no synchronous actions
in different areas. That’s why the policy pursued towards Abkhazia
and South Ossetia differs from the policy pursued towards the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Rasim MUSABEKOV, political scientist, Baku If the Caucasian conflicts
are not settled, the relations between the regions’ states and with
Russia are unlikely to become stable. Azerbaijan’s foreign policy must
focus on elimination of consequences of Armenia’s aggression against
Azerbaijan that led to the occupation of not only Nagorno-Karabakh
but also the territory where there were six times as many people as
there were the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians.

I believe that this is the major impediment to the development
of the Azerbaijani-Russian relations. When Vladimir Putin was
the Russian President, those relations became much better and
much more pragmatic. The economic relations’ potential is not
exhausted. Azerbaijan is the largest market in the Caucasus. Many
Azerbaijanis speak Russian.

As regards the security issues, Azerbaijan does not try to reduce the
problems to the mass media squabbles. I believe that if Azerbaijan
does not see the change of Moscow’s attitude in the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict settlement, it will be extremely difficult to stop
Azerbaijan’s drift in the Western and NATO direction.

The stage when Russia tried to prevent Azerbaijan from developing
the Caspian Sea energy resources became a thing of the past. This
country implemented the large-scale projects concerning the oil
and gas exploitation and supplies to the world markets sidestepping
Russia. Today Azerbaijan is getting Russia’s competitor as oil and
gas exporter, though not very serious, in the international markets.

There is a different kind of interest in building the relations
with Azerbaijan. Gazprom displays an interest in the purchases
of the Azerbaijani gas. This is reasonable and can be negotiated
pragmatically.

At present there is a clash of positions on the Transcaspian projects
of the energy supplies. If Azerbaijan reaches the agreement with
Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, this will be difficult to stave off. If
there are consumers and suppliers of those energy resources, it will
be almost impossible to prevent those projects from being implemented.

Rashad RZAQULIYEV, head of the Foundation of Social Developments,
Baku We should view the Russian-Azerbaijani relations in the context
of shaping the Eurasian policy. It is Russia that plays a certain
role in the formation of a new fair order in Eurasia. In this respect
Russia’s position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement will
be an important and serious part of the big geopolitical game.

If Russia fails to stop a split of the Eurasian space by the foreign
forces, then at least the Nagorno-Karabakh issue can change the
geopolitical situation in the South Caucasus.

The past experience does not allow us to hope that Russia will
change its position on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. In my opinion,
Azerbaijan itself should be concerned about its territorial integrity
and sovereignty. I’m sure that Azerbaijan is able to resolve those
problems or will be able to do that in the near future.

The problem is different. The global political situation is formed
by a small group of the states. The Russian political elite must
continue to be conscious of their responsibility for their country
as well as for the large area that is historically and culturally
connected with Russia. The maintenance of order in the South Caucasus
should proceed from Russia’s national interests.

The material is based on the experts’ addresses during the video
conference Moscow-Baku "Russian-Azerbaijani relations: New Stage of
Development". The video conference was organized by the Russian News
and Information Agency RIA Novosti on May 13, 2008.

AZERBAIJAN REFUSES TO HOLD TALKS WITH ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH

Trend News Agency
May 19 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 19 May / corr. TrendNews S. Agayeva/ Azerbaijan has
refused to hold talks with the Armenian community of Nagorno-Karabakh.

"Nagorno-Karabakh should independently take part in the talks on
peaceful settlement of the conflict with Azerbaijan," Bako Saakyan,
the president of the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh Republic said to
Vedomosti. "There is a key party in the conflict – an independent
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic- with the same priorities as in the case
of other foreign states," Saakyan said.

"From the very beginning, the talks on settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were held with Armenia as an aggressor
country, but not with those who are inhabited in Nagorno-Karabakh to
serve as a screen," Khazar Ibrahim, spokesman for the Foreign Ministry
of Azerbaijan said to TrendNews on 19 May.

The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began
in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since
1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. In
1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which
time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful
negotiations.

According to Ibrahim, head of the Armenian community of
Nagorno-Karabakh made some mistakes in his statements. "There is not
any "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NGR)" concept; there is only Armenian
community of Nagorno-Karabakh. At the moment, no talks can be held
with the representatives of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic," he said.

According to spokesman of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, "NGR" is
not functioning within the Azerbaijani law, this territory and other
surrounding lands are under the Armenian occupation who directly takes
part in all the illegal moves against Azerbaijan. These illegal moves
by Armenia led to the fact that some people in Nagorno-Karabakh call
themselves official representatives of some judicial institution,
Ibrahim said.

Talks with the Armenian community can be held only in case Armenia
liberates Azerbaijani territory, Azerbaijani community returns to its
lands and all conditions are provided for the peaceful co-existence
of both communities in Nagorno-Karabakh, the official representative
of the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry said.

LEVEL OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH STATE BUDGET’S OWN REVENUES INCREASED

DeFacto Agency
May 19 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, 19.05.08. DE FACTO. In the first quarter of 2008 the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic state budget’s own revenues made over 4
milliard 51, 7 million drams, which is 22, 1 % more than the level
of the same period last year.

According to the information DE FACTO got at the NKR Ministry of
Finance, the principal part of the revenues had been ensured by tax
incomes, which had increased by 4, 2 % as compared with the analogous
period of the last year.

For current January-March the state budget’s expenses made 7 milliards
942, 6 million drams increasing by 22, 9 % as compared with the same
period last year. To note, 82, 1 % of the means were directed for
financing the current expenses, 17, 9% -the capital ones.

Non-tax incomes of the NKR state budget increased by 10, 5% as compared
with the first quarter of the last year and made 207, 2 million drams.

8TH STAGE OF COMPENSATION OF CITIZENS’ DEPRECIATED BANK DEPOSITS STARTED IN KARABAKH

DeFacto Agency
May 19 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, 19.05.08. DE FACTO. The current, 8th stage of preliminary
compensation of citizens’ deposits depreciated in 1993 started in
the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

According to the information DE FACTO received at the Artsakhbank,
compensational payments are being granted to citizens born in
1954-1957. In sum, at the current stage it is planned to pay
compensation to 6400 people.

The process of preliminary compensation of the citizens’ bank savings
started in the NKR in 1998. During this time, according to the state of
current May 1, over 975 million drams were paid to 43, 144 depositors.

The amount of the preliminary compensation makes 25,000 drams for
1,000 Soviet rubles.

NKR PRESIDENT CRITICIZED QUALITY OF CONSTRUCTION OF FLATS IN STEPANAKERT

DeFacto Agency
May 19 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, 19.05.08. DE FACTO. On May 16 the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
President Bako Sahakian visited the districts of Ajapniak and Nor
Aresh to familiarize himself with the situation on the spot.

According to the Central Department of Information under the NKR
President, the state’s head expressed dissatisfaction with the state
of flats built in the district of Ajapniak. Bako Sahakian noted the
houses should be equipped with modern amenities and only after it
be commissioned.

While familiarizing himself with the project of the construction of
a new district in Nor Aresh Bako Sahakian mentioned the necessity of
appropriate infrastructures’ establishment.

The NKR President was accompanied by the NKR PM and other officials.

NKR PRESIDENT: NEW ESSENCE TO BE ATTACHED TO COUNTRY’S POLITICAL LIFE

DeFacto Agency
May 19 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, 19.05.08. DE FACTO. The issues referring to the
Nagorno-Karabakh’s domestic and foreign policy were discussed in the
course of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic President Bako Sahakian’s
meeting with a new composition of the Artsakh’s Democratic Party
Central Committee held on May 17. Touching on internal political
atmosphere in the country the state’s head noted new essence should
be attached to the country’s political life to make it more valuable.

Speaking of the municipal elections Bako Sahakian approved the policy
of non-interference chosen by the Nagorno-Karabakh political parties.

In the course of the meeting the NKR President specially marked
priorities necessary for the country’s development. Bako Sahakian
peculiarly mentioned the issue of NKR’s international recognition.

Marat Musaelian, the Secretary of the NKR Security Council, was
present at the meeting.