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SAMVEL BABAYAN: AZERBAIJAN IS PREPARING FOR WAR
Sona Hakobyan

"Radiolur"
22.07.2009 18:03

Azerbaijan is trying to solve its problems with the outer world and
is preparing for a war, ex-Minister of Defense of Nagorno Karabakh
Samvel Babayan told a press conference today. All that is taking
place today is of formal and temporary. Moreover, it’s Azerbaijan,
not Armenia, dictating the situation.

No document has been signed; therefore, the discussions should
continue, Samvel Babayan considers. According to him, concessions are
acceptable only in one case, i.e. in case they are reciprocal. However,
Azerbaijan does not speak about any concessions today, Samvel Babayan
notes.

This is a conflict between Karabakh and Azerbaijan, not Azerbaijan
and Armenia. Therefore, Armenia has no right to negotiate without
Nagorno Karabakh. "Armenia has to make Karabakh a participant or
refuse to negotiate without Karabakh," Babayan said.

As for the policy of Azerbaijan, it’s more than clear to Samvel
Babayan: Azerbaijan is preparing for war. "The only thing we can do
is to be ready for that war," he added. Samvel Babayn added, however,
that Azerbaijan will lose in that war.

BY END OF 2009 AMERIABANK INTENDS TO INCREASE ITS CREDIT PORTFOLIO TO 55-60 BLN AMD

ArmInfo
2009-07-22 17:49:00

ArmInfo. By end of 2009 Ameriabank intends will increase its credit
portfolio to 55-60 bln AMD, ensuring 77% annual growth, Development
Director of Ameriabank Tigran Jrbashyan said, Wednesday, when replying
to ArmInfo correspondent’s question.

He pointed out that by the end of July the credit porfolio of the
bank will be increased to 39-40 bln AMD, by the end of June it made
up 31.6 bln AMD.

"Today it is difficult to make forecasts, however, we consider
achievement of these indices quite realistic",- Jrbashyan
stressed. Focusing on corporate financing, Ameriabank also provides
loans to small enterprises. If today the share of these loans in the
total credit portfolio of the banks is 5-10%, by the end of 2009 it
will be increased to 20-25%, he said.

To note, Ameriabank CJSC focuses on investment banking and also
provides the whole spectrum of universal banking services. The
strategic partner of Ameriabank CJSC is Troika Dialog Group, one of
the largest investment banking companies in Russia. The majority
shareholder of Ameriabank is TDA Holdings Limited affiliated with
the Russian investment company Troika Dialog with 99.7% share of
participation in the capital.

RESULTS OF GOVERNMENT’S ANTICRISIS MEASURES ALREADY NOTICEABLE IN ARMENIAN ECONOMY

Noyan Tapan
July 22, 2009

YEREVAN, JULY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The results of the anticrisis measures
taken by the government are already noticeable in the Armenian economy,
RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan stated during the July 21 visit to
Aspar Wild Tour company. In his words, these results are first of all
evident thanks to the programs implemented in construction sector:
construction volumes grew by 230% in a month, due to which there has
been an improvement in the economic indices.

The commodity turnover has increased to some extent. The decline is
the agricultural sector is still continuing, which is also conditioned
by the season. T. Sargsyan expressed a hope that there will be higher
growth rates in agriculture in August. According to him, the extent
of the decline was smaller than expected.

T. Sargsyan said that the economic slump trends are expected to end
in late 2009. Some deceleration in the slump can be expected from
this month. "Our anticrisis program is quite simple, and we should
be consistent in its implementation," the prime minister stated.

NEWLY APPOINTED AMBASSADOR OF VENEZUELA TO RA HANDS HIS CREDENTIALS TO RA PRESIDENT

Noyan Tapan
July 22, 2009

YEREVAN, JULY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. Ugo Jose Garsia Ernandes, the newly
appointed Ambassador of Venezuela to RA (residence Moscow) handed his
credentials to RA President Serzh Sargsyan on July 21. Congratulating
the Ambassador on the occasion of assuming his post, S. Sargsyan
expressed the hope that during his tenure the Ambassador will make
his important contribution to the development of the two countries’
relations.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA President’s Press Office,
issues regarding possibilities of cooperation between Armenia and
Venezuela in different spheres, expansion of the legal-contractual
sphere were discussed during the talk following the ceremony of
handing the credentials.

Activation of cooperation within the framework of international
structures was also considered important.

S. Sargsyan greeted recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the
parliament of Venezuela four years ago.

The day before Ambassador Ugo Jose Garsia Ernandes handed the copy
of his credentials to RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian. Wishing
success to the Ambassador in his diplomatic mission, E. Nalbandian
expressed the hope that the Ambassador will make an important
contribution to the development of relations between Armenia and
Venezuela.

According to a report by the RA Foreign Ministry Press and Information
Department, E. Nalbandian and Ambassador Ugo Jose Garsia Ernandes
discussed issues regarding the two countries’ cooperation in the
political and economic spheres, expansion of the legal-contractual
sphere. Both sides attached importance to deepening of cooperation
at international organizations and development of interparliamentary
contacts.

Ugo Jose Garsia Ernandes was born in 1941 in the city of Bokono,
Venezuela.

He got education at Venezuela Military Academy and Venezuela Army
Higher School. In 2009 he was appointed Ambassador of Venezuela
to Russia. He is a reserve general, has been awarded national and
international orders.

UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE CONSIDERS REPORT OF AZERBAIJAN

APA
July 22 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku. Victoria Dementyeva – APA. The Human Rights Committee concluded
its consideration of the third report of Azerbaijan on measures
undertaken to implement the provisions of the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights at the Committee’s 96th session
in Geneva. Khalaf Khalafov, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs
of Azerbaijan, introduced Azerbaijan’s report. The delegation of
Azerbaijan also included Members of the Ministry of Internal Affairs;
the Ministry of Justice; the General Prosecutor’s Office; the Executive
Office; the Ministry for Youth and Sport; the Ministry of Labour and
Social Protection of the Population; the State Committee for Family,
Women’s and Children’s Affairs; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and
the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan to the United Nations at Geneva.

The Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remained the
hardest problem for Azerbaijan, Khalafov said. The Nagorno-Karabakh
region and seven regions around it, which constituted 20 per cent of
Azerbaijani territory, were occupied by Armenia. More than 1 million
Azerbaijanis had become refugees and internally displaced persons
as a result of ethnic cleansing carried out by Armenia. However,
Azerbaijan remained loyal to a peaceful resolution to the conflict
granting the highest level of autonomy to Nagorno-Karabakh within
the territory of Azerbaijan. Khalafov, introducing the report, said
that in March 2009 there had been constitutional reforms that were
very significant for the promotion and protection of human rights
and freedoms. The constitutional reforms were directed towards
strengthening the social focus of the State, the enhancement of
the effectiveness of human rights and freedoms’ protection, the
improvement of the work of supreme State authorities, as well as
courts and municipalities. With a view to eliminate all forms of
violence against women, the Government continued to take relevant
measures of a social and economic character. In addition, a draft
law currently under review contained provisions for the establishment
of rehabilitation centers for women and children who were victims of
violence. Azerbaijan had also taken relevant legislation measures in
the fight against human trafficking. In 2008, 76 crimes related to
human trafficking had been uncovered, 96 persons had been brought to
trial and the accused had been brought to criminal responsibility. It
was the last report heard at the UN Human Rights Committee, which
will make its remarks on July 31.

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRMEN COME OUT WITH A STATEMENT ON MEETING OF ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENTS IN MOSCOW

ArmInfo
2009-07-22 00:24:00

ArmInfo. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen have come out with
a statement on 17- 18 July meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani
presidents in Moscow.

The statement is as follows: "Armenian President Serzh Sargsian and
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev met in Moscow on July 17-18 to
discuss issues related to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.

During the meeting on July 17, the sixth since June 2008, the
Presidents held a tete-a-tete discussion and extensive talks with
the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs: Ambassador Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia),
Ambassador Bernard Fassier (France), and Deputy Assistant State
Secretary of State Matthew Bryza (United States), in the presence of
the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chair-in-Office Ambassador
Andrzej Kasprzyk.

On July 18, the Presidents were received by Russian President Dmitri
Medvedev.

The discussions were held in a frank and constructive atmosphere
that allowed the sides to discuss at length and in detail proposed
formulations to overcome their remaining differences on the few
elements of the Basic Principles that have yet to be conceptually
agreed.

The Minsk Group Co-Chairs informed the two Presidents they will hold
a working session at the end of July in Krakow, Poland, to prepare
an updated version of the Madrid Document in accordance with the
‘L’Aquila Declaration’ of Presidents Barack Obama, Dmitri Medvedev
and Nicholas Sarkozy.

The Co-Chairs intend to visit the region in September to assess
the possibilities for a subsequent meeting between the Armenian and
Azerbaijani Presidents either at the end of September or the beginning
of October."

THE RA MINISTER OF DEFENCE RECEIVES THE COMMANDER OF THE US KANSAS NATIONAL GUARD

; p=0&id=921&y=2009&m=07&d=22
21.07. 09

On the 21st of July, 2009 the RA Minister of Defence Seyran Ohanyan
received the commander of the Kansas National Guard, Major-General
Tod M. Bunting, who was accompanied by the US ambassador in Armenia
Marie Yovanovitch.

Greeting the guest S. Ohanyan stated that the RA MoD admits the
importance of about six months cooperation with the state of Kansas,
and the proof of which are the regular visits of the commander of
the Kansas National Guard to Armenia. It was also underlined that
the cooperation of the two countries continues to develop in the
spheres of peacekeeping activities, military education and military
medicine. During the meeting the two sides also discussed the present
state of the bilateral relations in the military sphere and matters
regarding the perspectives of enforcing and broadening them.

YEREVAN FINDS ARMENIAN, AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENTS’ TUNE AT RECENT NEGOTIATIONS IN MOSCOW CONSTRUCTIVE

/ARKA/
July 17, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, July 20. /ARKA/. Yerevan finds Armenian and Azerbaijani
presidents’ tune at the recent negotiations in Moscow constructive.

Armenian presidential press office told ARKA News Agency that both
presidents – Serzh Sargsyan and Ilkham Aliev – displayed willingness
to continue negotiating over Karabakh.

They instructed the two country’s foreign ministers to carry out
necessary preparations along with OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs for the
next presidential meeting likely to be held in this fall.

Karabakh conflict broke out in 1988 when Artsakh, mainly populated
by Armenians, declared its independence from Azerbaijan.

On December 10, 1991, a few days after the collapse of the Soviet
Union, a referendum took place in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the majority
of the population (99.89%) voted for secession from Azerbaijan.

Afterwards, large-scale military operations began. As a result,
Azerbaijan lost control over Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven regions
adjacent to it.

On May 12, 1994 Bishkek cease-fire agreement, put an end to the
military operations.

Since 1992, negotiations over the peaceful settlement of the conflict
have been carried out under the OSCE Minsk Group’s mediation. The
group is co-chaired by USA, Russia and France.

EU IS READY TO ASSIST IN IMPLEMENTING THE AGREEMENT TO BE SIGNED BETWEEN THE PARTIES TO THE KARABAKH CONFLICT – FOREIGN MINISTER OF SWEDEN

Trend News Agency
July 20 2009
Azerbaijan

EU is ready to assist in implementing the agreement to be signed
between the parties to the Karabakh conflict, said on Monday at a
briefing in Yerevan the head of the delegation of the EU Troika,
Foreign Minister of Sweden Carl Bildt, Novosti-Armenia reported.

"The EU is ready to assist in the implementation of the agreement,
which we hope can be signed as soon as possible on the issue of
Karabakh settlement, for which we support the OSCE Minsk Group",
said Bildt.

He noted that the EU looks forward to the continuation of negotiations
held in Moscow on 18th July between the Presidents of Azerbaijan and
Armenia, Ilham Aliyev and Serj Sargsyan.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed
forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of
the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are currently
holding the peace negotiations.

EU Troika delegation due in Armenia on July 20

armradio.am
18.07.2009 14:05

European Union’s Troika delegation headed by Carl Bildt, the Minister
of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Sweden, will arrive in Armenia on
July 20.

Within the framework of the visit members of the delegation are
expected to meet Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian.

The meeting Minister Nalbandian will be followed by a joint press
conference.

Accompanying Mr. Bildt on the Troika will be European Commission
representatives Karel Kovanda (Deputy Director-General and Political
Director) and John Kjaer (Head of Unit), Peter Semneby (EU Special
Representative) and Paolo Barroso Simoes (Council Secretariat). Spain’s
Ambassador on Special Mission to Central Asia, Santiago Chamorro, will
represent the next country to hold the EU Presidency.