Month: December 2008

VLADIMIR PUTIN: SPITAK EARTHQUAKE WAS A DREADFUL TRAGEDY FOR ALL NATIONS OF THE SOVIET UNION

Arminfo
2008-12-05 19:50:00

ArmInfo. The earthquake in Spitak in 1988 was a dreadful tragedy for
all the nations of the Soviet Union, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir
Putin said.

"On December 7, Armenia will mark a mournful date – the 20th
anniversary of the destructive earthquake in 1988. This dreadful
disaster became a tragedy for all the nations of the USSR", –
Vladimir Putin said at a joint briefing with Armenian Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan in Moscow. The Russian governmental press- service
quotes Putin as saying: "We bewail the death of dozens of thousands
of victims, and remember the heroic deeds and dedicated service of
volunteers from all the regions of the Soviet Union".

On 7 December 1988, the earthquake in Armenia almost ruined two towns
in the north of Armenia – Spitak and Leninakan (currently Gyumri) and
over 100 villages. Several towns were destroyed partly. According to
official data, that day 25 thsd people died, 140 thsd became disabled,
and 0.5 mln people lost homes.

WEST TRIES TO SEIZE INITIATIVE
Vardan Grigoryan

Azat Artsakh Daily
05 Dec 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

Having begun in Helsinki yesterday, the Council Session of the Foreign
Ministers of the OSCE member states turned into the successive
discussion devoted to the implementation of the strategy program
aimed at speeding up the efforts towards achieving the settlement of
the Karabakh peace talks.

Following the Russian-Georgian war and the presidential elections
in Azerbaijan, the OSCE has sharply increased its activeness, with
the aim of making 2009 a year dedicated to the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict.

The optimistic statements made by Finnish Foreign Minister and OSCE
Chairman-in-Office Alexander Stroub testify to the fact the OSCE is
preparing to undertake the initiative of speeding up the settlement
process by filling the obscure clauses of the Moscow Declaration with
concrete and clear contents.

Whereas the Moscow Declaration reflects Russia’s political concerns
over extending its influence in the region.

Judging by all, in the global maneuvers around the South Caucasus, the
West has already chosen the tactics of gradually extorting concessions
from Moscow by way of using economic pressures against it and resuming
the Russia-NATO dialogue. And this is first of all evidenced by the
undisguised attempts of keeping Moldova off the mutual concessions
elaborated by Russia, speeding up the process of signing a framework
agreement on the Madrid Principles and at the same time delaying
the solution of the issue of deploying peace-keeping forces on the
borders of Karabakh.

In the meantime, on December 3, the European Union officially
introduced to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and
Ukraine the European Committee’s proposal on "Eastern Partnership". The
document envisages economic cooperation, without considering the
issue of the EU membership.

Thus, on the eve of the session of the Ministers of the OSCE member
states, the activeness of the West and the obvious cautiousness of
Russia again became apparent. This time, however, the "peculiarity
of the moment" was that unlike the proposals submitted in 2000-2001
(during the Key West discussions, the previous stage of the Karabakh
settlement process), the Madrid Principles had been discussed so
much that the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group will not have any
difficulty inventing some resolution envisaging mutual concessions.

A question arises as to whether this means that the conflict
is really close to its settlement and whether such settlement
is really inevitable. We believe not, because the existing
international-political consensus over the principles discussed does
not mean consensus over the possibility of conflict settlement. It
is at this point that the mutual cooperation tactics of the
mediators comes to be replaced by the cl ear-cut and undisguised
strategic confrontation. One of its manifestations is the process of
strengthening the CIS Collective Security Treaty and changing it into
a peace-keeping structure

This means that Russia is not going entrust anyone with the task
of carrying out a peace-keeping mission on the borders of Karabakh,
and upon necessity, it is ready to give clear-cut security guarantees
to Armenia, one of the state parties to the CIS Collective Security
Treaty. This also means that Azerbaijan relies on delays and the
prospect of getting rid of Moscow with the help of the Western
pressures and Turkish interventions.

In such conditions, it is becoming clear why the European human rights
defenders have again recalled the issue of the investigation of the
March 1-2 incidents. And it is also becoming clear why the Russian
experts express pessimism over the prospect of settling the Karabakh
conflict in the nearest future.

And after all, it is becoming clear why A. Stoub’s prediction on
the probability of signing a declaration on the Karabakh issue in
Helsinki was replaced by the ready-made and uncertain statements of
the Russian and French foreign Ministers and the US Deputy Secretary
of State. The only important clause of the document is the appeal to
the parties for ruling out the possibility of the military settlement
of the Karabakh conflict and "reiterating their willingness to achieve
the settlement o f the conflict through peaceful methods".

As seen from the Foreign Ministers’ successive appeal addressed to
the conflicting parties on December the 4th, the Co-Chairs have no
intention to take joint responsibility for the implementation of the
Madrid Principles.

MINISTERS CALL ON PARTIES TO COMPLETE THE COORDINATION OF BASIC PRINCIPLES

Azat Artsakh Daily
05 Dec 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

The Foreign Ministers of Russia, France and the United States, the
three co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, have called
on Armenia and Azerbaijan to make efforts towards completing the
coordination of the basic principles aimed at the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict.

During the Helsinki discussions, Sergey Lavrov and Bernard Koushner,
Foreign Ministers of the MG co-chairing states, as well as US Deputy
Secretary of State Daniel Fried made a joint statement concerning
the Karabakh conflict.

The statement runs as follows, "We call on the parties to unite their
efforts with the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group for accomplishing
the activities towards the coordination of the basic principles of
conflict settlement and assume them as a basis for the elaboration
of a comprehensive peace agreement".

The Ministers called on the conflicting parties to use the constructive
and positive impulse of the Armenian and Russian Presidents’ meeting
held on November 2 in Moscow.

In the Moscow Declaration signed by the Presidents of the three
countries they reiterate their willingness to settle the conflict
peacefully, on the basis of the Madrid Principles adopted within the
frameworks of the Minsk Group.

"We re-assert our opinion that there is no military solution to
the Karabakh conflict and call on the parties to reiterate their
willingness of settling the conflict through peaceful methods,"
runs the statement.

THE IMPACT OF THE CRISIS GROWS
Vasak Tarposhyan

Azat Artsakh Daily
05 Dec 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

Export Suffers In The First Place

It is evident that this year Armenia’s economic growth will stop
being two-digit. According to the data of the previous 10 months
it was 9.2%, as compared to the 13,3% of the same period of a year
before. The economic growth became slower in the conditions of the
world financial crisis.

Though at this stage the crisis passed round Armenia’s banking system,
anyhow it is having a greater impact on our economy. In the first place
it is expressed on the foreign-oriented branches. In parallel with
the decrease of demand in the foreign market, non-payments are also
noticed, which will simply lead to the emergence of new difficulties
in the organization of the reproduction sphere.

To mitigate the fall created as a consequence of the economic crisis,
in December the Central Bank reviewed its re-funding interest rates. It
was reduced by 0,5%.

>From the beginning of the year it is the first attempt of reducing the
re-funding interest rates. Before that, to mitigate the impact of the
unprecedented increase of prices in the world goods-markets on the
internal market and not to allow a greater level of price increase,
almost every month the Central Bank raises the re-funding interest
rates: from 4,5% it reached 7,75%.

We should a lso underscore that this way the quantity of money
regulates in the internal market. The decrease of interest rates
assumes devaluation of money, which, being conditioned by the
mitigation of the pressure of foreign price-increase, meanwhile has
positive impact on the economy, as cheaper financial resources are
being involved.

While the government and the Central Bank are taking actions to
mitigate the influence of the world crisis it gradually swallows new
branches of economy.

After mining-industry export-orientated companies are also starting
to face the same problem, for example Vanadsor chemical factory, the
production of which was successfully realized in the foreign markets.

The majority of corundum and carbide, around 95%, was realized
in foreign countries. During the recent times, because of almost
double collapse the company has decided to quit the production of
these stuffs, because in the condition of the existing prices it is
not beneficial. Though by now they have managed to avoid job cuts,
the company has sent 350 employees to an obliged leave.

Because of the fall of prices in the international market more than 300
employees were sent to an obliged leave in Alaverdy copper-reprocessing
factory.

The companies engaged in the export sphere have already collided with
the problem of non–payment, which will also lead to the reduction
of volumes. The entrepreneurs can’t get their money on time for the
exported goods, which makes difficult the organization of re-production
and creates lack of financial means.

Gradually the production of drinks is appearing in the same
situation. This product is mainly exported to Russia, where as we
know financial crisis is profound and has already had a very strong
influence.

New companies are emerging in the sphere of information technologies
that have direct connection with the foreign markets, which due to
the absence of order either don’t work or have appeared in obliged
leave. This sphere, which is striking for the high salaries, has
started job cuts.

These tendencies have serious grounds to become more profound in
the different spheres of economy, which can lead to social tension,
if they don’t take actions to create new working places. Especially
because the crisis firstly has a bearing on macro entrepreneurs,
with lots of employees.

Around 8 thousand people work only in four factories of the sphere
of mining industry, which due to more than dual fall of the prices
of copper and molybdenum have appeared in a critical situation.

The existing economic situation has direct influence on export. Only
in October the export has reduced by 15%.

There is a reduction of demand in the internal market as well. If
in the beginning of the year, even in the conditions of the abrupt
price-rise the import in Armenia increased by 20-30%, at the moment the
grow th has stopped. In October the import almost didn’t increase. And
this is in case when every year beginning from that month the importers
are getting prepared for New Year trade and they import big amount
of goods.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BRIZE REFUTES

Azat Artsakh Daily
05 Dec 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

OSCE Minsk Group American Co-Chairman Mathew Brize refuted the
announcement ascribed to him by the Azerbaijani press, saying that
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity is the main principle of the
settlement of Karabakh issue.

He gave clarifications to the Armenian journalists in Helsinki, saying
that it is not his viewpoint but Ilham Aliev’s. According to Mathew
Brize it is the task of the Co-Chairmen to place the most important
principles in the final act of Helsinki, which are: not using force,
nations’ self-determination and territorial integrity.

PATRIARCHATE CONDEMNS

Azat Artsakh Daily
05 Dec 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

The Georgian Patriarchate condemns the actions of the Clergymen
Father Tariel Sikinchelashvili, who is serving the Georgian Orthodox
Church towards St. Norashen Church in Tbilisy, considering it an
illegal action against the Armenian Church of historic-architectural
significance.

During the discussion with the participation of the Primate of the
Georgian Armenian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Vazgen
Bishop Mirzakhanyan, Primate-Vicar of Samtskhe-Javakhk Diocese
Babken Monk Salbiyan, President of the Georgian Armenian Union,
Adviser to the Georgian President Van Bayburdyan, Chief of the Center
of Inter-Religious Relations under the Georgian Patriarchate Leila
Jojelava underscored that the Church is Armenian and the clergymen of
the neighboring church doesn’t have the right to annihilate historical-
cultural values.

TWENTY YEARS LATER

Azat Artsakh Daily
05 Dec 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

After twenty years’ interval, "The Virtuosos of Moscow" (conductor:
V. Spivakov) yesterday gave a concert in the Gyumri State Drama
Theatre Named after V. Atchemyan.

The concert which lasted around two hours was dedicated to the
memory of the victims of the 1988 earthquake. "We, ‘The Virtuosos
of Moscow’, always remember those days. I will not say what we have
done because that won’t be right; however, the fact that you remember
us and appreciate our deeds is shown by the warm attitude of your
fellow-townsmen living in different parts of the world," A. Spivakov
said to the spectators of Gyumri.

$50,000 FROM U.S. TO ARMENIAN SANATORIUM IN AZOUNIEH

NAHARNET
06 Dec 08, 06:46
Beirut

USAID/Lebanon Mission Director Denise Herbol presented $50,000 to the
Armenian Sanatorium in the village of Azounieh in the Aley district,
the U.S. embassy said in a statement on Friday.

"USAID’s assistance will allow the center to procure furniture for
the elderly section," it said.

The Armenian Sanatorium, which was established in 1937, provides high
quality and low cost geriatrics and pulmonary disease treatment for
135 elderly persons per year.

Patients come from economically disadvantaged families mainly from
the Armenian community and from villages near Azounieh. The non-profit
center currently employs 60 persons.

COLLECTION OF SIGNATURES

Azat Artsakh Daily
05 Dec 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

>From the beginning of the coming year, a group of Turkish journalists
and specialists working in the sphere of education is going launch a
campaign of collecting signatures "for apologizing for the deportation
of the Armenians organized in the Ottoman Empire in 1915".

The campaign is to be led by Turkish Academicians Ahmed Insel,
Baskyn Oran, Jengiz Aktar and journalist Ali Byramoghlu. The document
on launching the campaign runs as follows, "The indifference to and
denial of the great tragedy suffered by the Armenians in the Ottoman
Empire in 1915 is mercilessness. We deny injustice and share the
feelings and sorrow of our Armenian brothers and apologize to them."

As reported by the Turkish television, the Turkish intellectuals’
Internet campaign of collecting signatures will last a year.

VERY MEANINGFUL PRESS CONFERENCE

Azat Artsakh Daily
05 Dec 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

His first press conference in the new position of Deputy Foreign
Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan finished in three minutes.

He invited the journalists to announce that: "In the multi-vectored,
balanced foreign policy of the Republic of Armenia, the
relations with our strategic ally Russian Federation, is of great
significance. Especially during the recent times these relations
develop dynamically. The meetings between the high-ranking officials
of the two countries have become very frequent.

On December 5 Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan is paying a one-day
working visit to Moscow. The leader of our country’s executive power
will have meeting with the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation
Vladimir Putin.

The main topic of the discussion will be the world recession and the
joint efforts to mitigate the possible negative impact of the crisis
on the two countries."