Month: June 2009

SECOND HEARING ON VAHAGN CHAKHALYAN’S CASE POSTPONED FOR JUNE 15

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
02.06.2009

/PanARMENIAN.Net / The second hearing on Vahagn Chakhalyan’s case was
held in Tbilisi court on May 29. The court had to consider Georgian
Justice Ministry’s refusal to register Patrick Arapian as Chakhalyan’s
defender, Yerkir Union told PanARMENIAN.Net.

However, the Justice Ministry submitted some documents and then the
judge postponed the session.

On April 6, the Akhaltsikhe district court has found United Javakhk
Democratic Alliance leader Vahagn Chakhalyan guilty and sentenced
him to 10 years in prison and 18,000 lari ($10,650) fine.

After a wave of protests in mid April, Georgian Ambassador to France
Mamuka Kudava pledged to urge Georgian authorities to register Arapian
as Chakhalyan’s defender.

NORTH KURDISTAN WILL BE EXPORTING OIL TO THE TURKISH MEDITERRANEAN PORT OF CEYHAN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
02.06.2009

/PanARMENIAN .Net/ Iraqi Kurds are set to begin crude oil exports via
Turkey today after overcoming a dispute with the Baghdad administration
over the distribution of Iraq’s oil wealth. "We consider the start of
the exports as a historic moment for us," Mehmet Okutan, the Turkish
project manager of the Taq Taq oil field, one of the two northern
Iraqi fields that will officially start pumping crude oil. Oil from
Taq Taq, along with Tawke, will be exported by the Kirkuk-Yumurtalýk
pipeline to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. It will be the
first time the semi-autonomous Kurdish region has exported oil. The
Kurds and the Iraqi central government have long been in dispute over
the management of oil fields. But a deal was worked out to allow the
Kurds to ship oil through the government’s northern pipeline, a major
breakthrough in the dispute. The start of oil exports is also a sign
of the growing trust in Kurds’ ties with Turkey. Ankara, in the past,
viewed Kurdish attempts to control oil reserves in the northern Iraq
as a step in direction of expanding their political influence in the
region, something that could also lead to an independent Kurdish
state. Now, Turkey’s Genel Enerji is jointly developing the Taq
Taq field with oil and gas company Addax Petroleum. Tawke is being
developed by Norway’s DNO International. Okutan told reporters on
Saturday that exports from Taq Taq will begin at about 40,000 barrels
per day (bpd) and increase to 60,000 bpd by October. "Starting Monday,
we will be able to produce 40,000 barrels per day from this facility,
but starting in October, at the latest November, we will be able to
produce 60,000 bpd," he said. Tawke is set to start pumping 60,000
bpd, Kurdish authorities say. Taq Taq’s output will initially travel
by truck and then be pumped into a pipeline to Turkey for export. The
oil will be sold by Iraq’s national State Oil Marketing Organization
(SOMO).

Baghdad has long insisted that the Kurds do not have the right to make
deals with private oil firms without its approval. It also opposes the
production-sharing agreements the Kurdish government has signed with
firms and there remains uncertainty over how the Kurdish administration
will pay Addax, Genel and DNO for the crude they pump. The oil feud
is part of a larger dispute between minority Kurds and majority Arabs
over resources, land and power in Iraq, which has held up the passage
of modern national oil legislation, NYTurkish.com reported.

S. ALI SAGHAIAN SAYS THE CONSTRUCTION OF IRAN-ARMENIA RAILROAD IS A PROJECT OF GREAT STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE NOT ONLY FOR THE TWO STATES BUT ALSO FOR THE WHOLE REGION

ARMENPRESS
JUNE 2, 2009
YEREVAN

Construction of Iran-Armenia railroad is a project of great strategic
importance not only for the two states but also for the whole region.

Ambassador of Iran to Armenia Seyed Ali Saghayan told Armenpress
that the railroad can be considered a very convenient direction for
cargo transportation.

According to him, the Iranian technical-expert group has lately visited
Armenia to study in what direction the railroad must be constructed.

"Besides that we expect the investors to display interest towards
the project and Russia seems to be interested in the participation
of the project implementation," the Ambassador noted.

According to S. Ali Saghayan the political decision of construction of
the railroad has already been reached – during the Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan’s visit to Iran an agreement has been reached and at
present the discussion of technical issues is being conducted.

Different variants of the direction of the railroad are being
discussed. With the initial information investment of 2 billion USD
will be needed for the construction of Iran-Armenia railroad. The
World Bank and Asian Development Bank have expressed interest in the
railroad construction project.

SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS IT IS NECESSARY THROUGH DIRECT DIALOGUE TO FIND A POLITICAL SOLUTION TO THE NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT

ARMENPRESS
JUNE 2, 2009
YEREVAN

"It is necessary through the direct dialogue to find a political
solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict which will be fair and in
favor of both Armenian and Azerbaijani people," after the meeting
with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan the Syrian Foreign
Minister Walid Muallem, who is in Yerevan on a working visit, said
at a joint press conference.

According to him, such a solution must be found which will result in
the regulation of relations between the neighboring states. Any other
solution will harm the both people, will have a negative impact on
the region as well as put off the desired situation.

"Courage and political will is necessary to reach an equitable
solution," the Syrian foreign minister noted. The Karabakh issue
has been discussed during today’s meeting of the two Ministers. The
Syrian minister has also discussed the issue with his Azerbaijani
counterpart. Referring to the resolution on the Karabakh conflict
adopted last week during the Damascus meeting of Foreign Ministers of
Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Armenian Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandyan expressed regret that the efforts exerted by
Azerbaijan to speculate the religious principles of OIC states and
the dangerous attempts of this state to give a religious character
to the Nagorno Karabakh issue resulted in the adoption of such a
document. According to E. Nalbandyan, it can neither facilitate the
Karabakh conflict regulation nor strengthen stability and security
in the region. They also impede the ongoing negotiations as these
documents have been adopted based on the distorted information. Such
documents distort the character and essence of the issue and held
negotiations. "The Armenian people have an aged tradition of living
in peace with the Muslim nations, mutual respect and religious
solidarity. One of such best examples is the relations of Armenia
with Syria," the Armenian Foreign Minister concluded.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DUTCH AMBASSADOR COMPLETING MISSION IN ARMENIA

armradio.am
02.06.2009 13:57

Secretary of the National Security Council of Armenia Arthur
Baghdasaryan received the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Armenia, Otto Elderenbosh,
who is completing the mission in our country.

The interlocutors positively assessed the Armenian-Dutch
relations. Onno Elderenbosh expressed gratitude for the productive
cooperation.

Arthur Baghdasaryan said the coopertaion with the Ambassador was
successful and expressed hope that the cooperation with the new
Ambassador of the Netherlands would be as productive.

UNITED STATE EXAMS START AT SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Sona Hakobyan

"Radiolur"
02.06.2009 14:32

United state exams started in the secondary schools of the republic
at 9:30 a.m. today. The Minister of Education and Science, Armen
Ashotyan, and the Acting Evaluation and Testing Center of Armenia,
Armen Pashayan, came to wish success to the school-leavers.

Newly appointed Minister Armen Ashotyan told reporters that the new
system proves its value, and improves year by year. According to
the Minister, their primary objective is to ensure the fairness and
transparency of the exams.

"We still have much to do. During the consultations with the President
we prioritized the development of advanced procedures on the basis
of conclusions made his year," Ashotyan said.

TIGRAN KARAPETYAN: SPEAKING ABOUT DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS IS OUT OF QUESTION
Lilit Muradyan

"Radiolur"
02.06.2009 14:55

Giving his assessment of the past elections for the Yerevan City
Council, leader of the People’s Party Tigran Karapetyan told a press
conference today that speaking about democratic elections was out
of question. "How can one speak about democracy, when people are
taken to polling stations instead of coming on their own?" Tigran
Karapetyan said

"I condemn such elections and I’m dissatisfied with the process. I
don’t speak about my votes, because they are as clear as the tears
of a saint," Karapetyan said.

As for the international observers’ assessment of the elections, Mr.

Karapetyan said 15 observers could not have drawn objective
conclusions, especially as because they drank Armenian cognac,"
he said.

Applying to President Serzh Sargsyan, the leader of the People’s
Party expressed his stance on the declaring amnesty.

"I officially apply to the President of the Republic, Serzh Sargsyan,
and express the position of our party that it is necessary to announce
general pardon. I say this, because the President has declared
that he will use his constitutional right to announce amnesty
if necessary. Therefore, I voice my opinion and state that it is
necessary. I think, however, that this is envisaged, and a correspond
ing decree may have already been signed," Tigran Karapetyan said.

PRESIDENT OF SYRIA DUE IN ARMENIA IN A FORTNIGHT

armradio.am
02.06.2009 15:48

The Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, received his
Syrian counterpart Walid Al-Moualem.

Ranking high the Armenian-Syrian relations, Minister Nalbandian
underlined that the Armenian and Syrian people are tied by traditional
friendship and reciprocal sympathy checked throughout history. The
forthcoming visit of the President of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, to
Armenia at the invitation of President Serzh Sargsyan will contribute
to the reinforcement and deepening of relations between Armenia and
Syria, the Armenian Foreign Minister said.

Minister Al-Moualem thanked his Armenian counterpart for warm reception
and noted he was glad to visit Armenia. The Syrian Foreign Minister
attached importance to the intensification of the political dialogue
and the development of Armenian-Syrian relations in different spheres,
specially emphasizing the necessity of deepening of trade-economic
and cultural ties.

The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Syria discussed a broad framework
of issues related to the further expansion of bilateral relations. The
interlocutors dwelt on issues of ensuring stability and security in
the South Caucasus. The Minister emphasized the importance of solving
the existing problems in a peaceful way.

Walid Al-Moualem presented the process of settlement of the issues
existing in the Middle East and Syria’s approaches.

The meeting was20followed by a joint press conference.

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN HOSTED ARGENTINEAN ARMENIAN BUSINESSMAN EDUARDO ERNEKIAN

armradio.am
02.06.2009 16:14

President Serzh Sargsyan today received Argentinean Armenian
businessman, President of the American International Airlines Company
Eduardo Ernekian, President’s Press Office reported.

President Sargsyan said to be informed about the process of programs
implemented by Eduardo Ernekian in different spheres.

The interlocutors agreed that it was necessary to move forwards
despite certain difficulties caused by the global financial-economic
crisis. Eduardo Ernekian said all his programs were normally
proceeding.

Presenting the investment programs in the sphere of agriculture, the
businessman noted that new technologies, new methods of cultivation
and irrigation were being applied.

During the meeting reference was made to the banking sphere and the
initiatives of the "HayPost" Company.

WALID AL-MOUALEM: IT’S NECESSARY TO FIND A POLITICAL SOLUTION TO THE KARABAKH CONFLICT
Anna Nazaryan

"Radiolur"
02.06.2009 17:18

"It is necessary to find a political solution to the Nagorno Karabakh
issue through immediate dialogue, a solution that will benefit the
interests of both Armenians and Azerbaijanis," the Foreign Minister
of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, said during a joint press conference with
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian. According to him, it is
necessary to find a solution that will lead to the normalization of
relations between the two neighboring countries. Any other solution
will harm both peoples and will exert a negative influence on the
region, as a whole. "It’s necessary to demonstrate courage and
political will to reach a fair solution," the Syrian Minister said.

Speaking about the resolutions on Nagorno Karabakh adopted during
the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the member states of the
Organization of the Islamic Conference held in Damascus last week,
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian expressed regret that
the attempts of Azerbaijan to speculate the religious principles
of the member states of the Organization of the Islamic Conference
and the dangerous attempts of that country to ascribe a religions
nature to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict resulted in the adoption
of such documents. According to Minister Nalbandian, those cannot
contribute either to20the settlement of the Karabakh issue or the
reinforcement of stability and security in the South Caucasus. The
harm the ongoing negotiations, since the documents were adopted on
the basis of distorted information. Thos resolutions distort the
nature and essence of the conflict and the ongoing talks.

"The Armenian people have centuries-long tradition of living in peace
and friendship with Muslim nations. The relations between Armenia
and Syria are one of the most vivid examples of that," the Armenian
Foreign Minister concluded.