Month: November 2009

Swine Flu Kept under Control, Says Armenia’s Chief Infection Specialist
15:11 ¢ 14.11.09

People can continue to eat pork, journalists should get their
information from specialists only, and the general public shouldn’t
resort to panic, said Republic of Armenia Chief Infection Specialist
Ara Asoyan at today’s press conference on the A/H1N1 flu virus. In
Asoyan’s words, the swine flu, like any other epidemic, is accompanied
by a state of panic.

`The situation is nearing a state of psychosis. People search for
Tamiflu and masks. I want to state once again, that in the case of
this flu, Tamiflu is prescribed only to the seriously ill,’ the
infection specialist emphasized. As for deaths resulting from swine
flu, which have been recorded abroad, Asoyan stated, in those cases,
the illness was primarily `accompanied by pneumonia.’
It is not necessary to wear medical masks, according to the
specialist, but `if they want to, let them wear it.’

Continuing, Asoyan stated that, in other countries, people wear masks
also in case of an ordinary flu. At the same time, he asked the
population to be attentive to all symptoms of the flu: `If there is
even a slight temperature, a runny nose, don’t go to work, don’t send
children to school and to kindergarten, go to your doctor.’ But that
doesn’t mean that there is an epidemic in Armenia, the specialist
emphasized.

He also stated that the prices for medications and masks are kept
under control. In case of a rise in the cost of medication, the
ministry will invite heads of import companies and will take the
appropriate measures. Besides, if necessary, citizens who have turned
to hospitals may receive all the necessary medication.

According to Asoyan, there are currently 5 suspected A/H1N1 cases. As
announced by the chief infection specialist, `there will be tests,
results, [and] we will announce them.’

`There is an enviornment of work in the infection hospital. If
journalists don’t bother us too much, we can do our work,’ concluded
Asoyan.

Tert, Armenia
Nov 14 2009

Sardarapat Initiative Aims to Save the Armenian Nation
17:59 ¢ 13.11.09

The daily increasing risk and threat that the Armenian nation will
disappear can be overcome only with the most profound social changes,
according to the Sardarapat Initiative Movement, which has begun
periodic meetings and roundtable discussions during which political,
economic, strategic and other issues will be covered.

`This is a discussion of saving the nation, for which we will invite
both specialists and corresponding representatives from sections of
the public,’ the initiative activist and filmmaker Tigran Khzmalyan
stated. According to Khzmalyan, the movement will seek to shape `the
real idea and image of civil society, parliament and government.’

`Sardarapat movement will act on the principle of reconstruction,
considering that there are currently numerous parties in our country
that have become instruments in splitting and dividing the nation,’
Khzmalyan said.

The movement, however, `doesn’t avoid cooperating with representatives
from editorial offices, political organizations, and NGOs.’

Sardarapat’s first meeting was devoted to the country’s and public’s
social situation. Khzmalyan shared details of `meeting with frightened
workers.’

Sardarapat members had received a letter from (and later met with)
employees from ARMENAL factory, who informed members of the initiative
about violation of their rights, on condition that they keep it a
secret. The service, according to Khzmalyan, `proved its effectiveness
and occupies itself with the same activity as the state police.’

Khzmalyan drew journalists’ attention to the tragic situation, since
it might have serious political and social consequences.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Pernod Ricard Armenia opens its first alcohol beverage store in Yerevan

2009-11-14 19:35:00

ArmInfo. Pernod Ricard Armenia has opened its first alcohol beverage
store in Yerevan.

During the opening ceremony Director of Yerevan Brandy Company Ara
Grigoryan said that it was not a commercial project. The store is
supposed to popularize Pernod Ricard’s brands in Armenia. "We want to
make all of our brands recognizable and accessible in Armenia,"
Grigoryan said.

Director of Pernod Ricard Armenia Alexander Kazaryan said that the
company was set up a year ago for popularizing Pernod Ricard’s brands
in Armenia. The company is developing quite dynamically. The most
popular drink is still legendary Ararat brandy produced by Yerevan
Brandy Company but Chivas Scotch whisky, Jameson Irish whisky, Olmeca
Tequila, Absolute Vodka are also getting popular among Armenian
customers.

In the post-Soviet area Pernod Ricard has offices in Russia, Ukraine,
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Armenia and the Baltic states. In
Armenia the company has been present since 1988, when it bought

EU has gained a foothold in Georgia and will now try to do the same in
Armenia and Azerbaijan

2009-11-14 20:12:00

ArmInfo. In the coming half a year the EU will be very busy with its
own affairs. It will introduce the post of EU Foreign Minister, who
will be provided with very broad competences, particularly, in
resolving territorial conflicts like the one in Nagorno-Karabakh,
Program Director for Russia-Eurasia of the German Council on Foreign
Relations Alexander Rahr said in an interview to ArmInfo.

The EU FM will have its office. Some special representatives will most
probably be changed. Rahr does not expect quick or drastic changes but
is sure that the European foreign policy will be very active in the
South Caucasus. As a result of the Russian-georgian conflict, the EU
has gained a foothold in Georgia and now will try to do the same in
Armenia and Azerbaijan.

It seems that the EU is not sure what to do with the upper hand it has
gained in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process but it knows that
something must be done. It may so happen that Armenia will be
pressured into giving back the territories surrounding
Nagorno-Karabakh, Nagorno-Karabakh will be granted some more specific
status and some troops, probably, European, will be send to keep peace
in the area.

Artashat Cannery is enlarging its share on the domestic market by
reducing the export

2009-11-14 20:08:00

ArmInfo. Artashat Cannery, the owner of the ArtFood trade mark, is
enlarging its share on the domestic market by reducing the export,
says Vachagan Karapetyan, the company’s commercial director.

Before the crisis 90% of juice semi-products were exported to Russia
and Ukraine but now the export has been halved.

At the same time, encouraged by USD appreciation, the company is
actively increasing the export of finished products. The assortment of
canned food is being constantly enlarged. Today, the company produces
36-37 items.

Next year the procurement prices will not be changed. The raw
materials for canned food are bought from all over Armenia.

Artashat Cannery was established in 1961, In 1999, due to cooperation
with Lincy Foundation, the World Bank and the US Department of
Agriculture, the company substantially improved its positions on the
market. The National Statistical Service of Armenia reports that in
Jan-Sept 2009 the company produced 6,649 tons of canned food – 24.2%
less than in Jan-Sept 2008.

Tert, Armenia
Nov 14 2009

Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Resolution Depends Not Only on Conflict
Parties, Says U.S. Analyst
14:18 ¢ 14.11.09

Former Special Assistant to U.S. president Mark Medish believes the
adjustment of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict doesn’t depend only on the
conflicting parties.

"As somebody who worked on the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations during
the Clinton Administration, I have long believed that a mutually
acceptable settlement is within reach, but unfortunately opportunistic
political calculations in various capitals have blocked it," former
Senior Director for Eurasian Affairs on the US National Security
Council 2000-2001, who is currently a senior advisor at the Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace said in an interview with
Azerbaijani news agency Trend News.

Speaking about the conditions for stability in the South Caucasus,
Medish stressed that "Basically all conflicts sides have understood
that the path of confrontation is extremely dangerous and not in
anyone’s interest."

He also noticed that "the scars are deep and anxiety remains high. The
consequences of recklessly unfreezing a frozen conflict, as Georgia
and Russia did last year, could be like Pandora’s Box. Therefore
efforts must be re-doubled for negotiated, peaceful resolution of all
regional disputes, with the help of international mediators as much as
needed".

Mr. Medish also commented on U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Philip
Gordon’s doubts that without progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
solution, the Armenia-Turkey Protocols will be ratified by the Turkish
Parliament.

"I find it difficult to predict the behavior of the US Congress and
therefore I would be careful to make statements about other countries’
parliaments. In any case, the Turkish-Armenian rapprochement is to be
welcomed as a step toward regional stabilization and integration,"
mentioned the analyst.

Tert, Armenia
Nov 14 2009

Levon Ter-Petrossian Discussed Issue of Armenian Political Prisoners
with Great Britain’s Ambassador
11:46 ¢ 14.11.09

First president of the Republic of Armenia, Levon Ter-Petrossian,
welcome the U.K.’s Ambassador to Armenia Charles Lonsdale yesterday.

As announced by the Armenian National Congress press service, the two
parties discussed the current phase of relations between Armenia and
Turkey, the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and the issue
of democracy and political prisoners in Armenia.

Also participating in the meeting was Levon Zurabyan and Avetis Avagyan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Tert, Armenia
Nov 13 2009

Levon Zurabyan Responds to Minasyan Who Responds to Ter-Petrossian’s
Last Speech

16:21 ¢ 13.11.09

`The thief is the one who first says `Catch him, he’s a thief!’,’ was
Levon Zurabyan’s response to Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF-D,
or Dashnaktsutyun) member Artsvik Minasyan’s reference today to Levon
Ter-Petrossian’s last speech.

Referring to the first president’s speech at a press conference today,
Minasyan characterized it as a bargain offer to the governing
authorities.

With this statement, Minasyan had responded to the speech the first
president made recently, where, among other questions, Ter-Petrossian
referred to the ARF-D’s anti-Turkish policy.

The first president had particularly said: `It’s completely
incomprehensible, for example, what right does Dashnaktsutyun have to
complain against the current Armenia-Turkey borders, when it was that
party who defined those borders by the Treaty of Alexandropol? How can
they demand Turkey to recognize the Armenian people’s historic rights,
when by that very pact it resigned from the Treaty of Sevres?’

Tert, Armenia
Nov 13 2009

Armenian TV Station Now Possible in Turkey: Turkey Lifts Limitations
on Broadcasts in Languages Other Than Turkish
15:43 ¢ 13.11.09

A new bylaw in Turkey that lifts time limitations on broadcasts in
languages and dialects other than Turkish entered into force as of
Friday, reports Turkish news agency Anadolu Ajansi.

Provisions of the previous version of the bylaw limited radio
broadcasts in languages and dialects other than Turkish to an hour
each day and a total of five hours per week for radio and up to 45
minutes a day and a total of four hours per week for television.

The previous bylaw required also the translations and subtitles of the
programs on radio and television respectively.

Now private TV stations may broadcast in other languages and dialects
without a special permit, something which was necessary until now,
from Turkey’s Television and Radio Organization (RTUK).

Though officially announced in Turkey’s parliament today, RTUK made
this revolutionary decision a week ago.

Tert, Armenia
Nov 13 2009

Ter-Petrossian’s Last Speech Bargain Offer to Governing Leadership:
Minasyan
15:31 ¢ 13.11.09

Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF-D) member, MP Artsvik Minasyan,
at a press conference today, referred to first president Levon
Ter-Petrossian’s latest rally, where Ter-Petrossian spoke about the
ARF-D. Minasyan first said that there will probably be a more serious
and more inclusive response to Ter-Petrossian’s rally, after which she
provided her perspective.

`The first president’s last expressed thought is merely a suggestion
for a simple bargain with the governing authorities. I was able to
commend [this] in this way, and it pains me that policy moves toward
weakening, and not strengthening, the opposition. Put in another way,
this is a blow to the opposition, and the opposition is going to
suffer from that blow, and the leadership’s hands are going to be
freer to continue this issue of the Armenian-Turkish process,’ said
the MP.

In Minasyan’s opinion, with his rally, Ter-Petrossian, as always,
declared the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and supporters of the
Armenian Cause (`Hay Dat’), in general, a fundamental target. `That’s
his problem and the problem of those individuals who have welcomed
this denationalized policy. Evident here is one thing: Hay Dat’s
ideology doesn’t have another option,’ noted the ARF-D member.

Referring to Armenia-Turkey relations, Minasyan noticed that these
relations aren’t taking a break, they’re just simply experiencing a
certain sluggish period. The MP stated that they’re `not passive,’ and
that, during this time, they are activating the provinces’ (marzer)
population, who receive exclusive one-sided news from official
`preachers.’