Author: Andres-Papazian

GUL, MEDVEDEV DISCUSS NK SETTLEMENT IN ASTANA

Aysor.am
Friday,December 03, 2010

Turkey and Russia combine efforts on the settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, Turkish President Abdullah Gul told Reuters.

Noting that Turkey makes a contribution to resolution of territorial
disputes Gul said that “quiet, yet resolute diplomacy is carried out”
on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, as reported by Rosbalt.

Gul stated he sees some progress in the settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, and he had discussed the Nagorno Karabakh issue
with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Astana.

From: A. Papazian

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ADOPTS DOCUMENT ON ARMENIA

Aysor.am
Friday,December 03, 2010

The European Parliament Thursday adopted a document on the current
situation in Armenia and current state of relations between European
Union and Armenia. The draft document had rough formulations, which,
however, were not included in the adopted document.

Deputy Foreign Minister Karine Kazinian and Chairperson of NA
Standing Committee on European Integration Naira Zohrabyan attended
the discussions at the European Parliament.

~SOn the whole, the document is positive, with mention of Armenia~Rs
progress in human rights, economy. However, situation in the
information field or justice field was assessed toughly,~T Radio
Liberty says quoting its Brussels correspondent Dan Alex.

The document calls on Armenia ~Sto take practical measures to separate
business from politics,~T Radio Liberty reports.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN BUSINESS FORUM DUE DECEMBER 6-7 IN YEREVAN

Aysor.am
Friday,December 03, 2010

Yerevan will be hosting Armenian-Russian business forum between
December 6 and 7. The forum is organized by the Chambers of Commerce
and Industry of Armenia and Russia.

The forum will be held as part of the session of the Armenian-Russian
intergovernmental commission, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce
and Industry of Armenia, Martin Sargsyan told Aysor.am.

The forum will host over 40 businessmen from Russia.

During the forum, the participants will touch upon the issue of
Armenian companies transferred to Russian management, particularly,
the Mars plant.

The business forum will also address food industry, mining,
agriculture, health, pharmaceutics, industry, mechanical engineering,
construction, service issues.

From: A. Papazian

OSCE ASTANA SUMMIT ADOPTS FINAL DECLARATION

Aysor.am
Friday,December 03, 2010

OSCE Astana summit adopted a final declaration, President of Kazakhstan
Nursultan Nazarbayev said.

“I believe Astana declaration will be a start for building
Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian security,” profinance.kz quoted Nazarbayev
as saying.

OSCE Chairman-in-Office Kanat Saudabayev, in return, said the
declaration “once again reconfirms the norms, principles and
commitments which are basis of OSCE.”

According to Saudabayev, Astana declaration once again reconfirms the
following principles – equality and sovereignty, non-use of force or
the threat to use force, integrity of borders, territorial integrity
of states, peaceful resolution of conflicts, non-intervention in the
internal affairs of states, respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms, right of peoples to master their own fate, cooperation
between the states, conscientious fulfillment of commitments.

Russia disapproved final declaration’s formulation regarding the
Georgian conflict, as reported by RBK.ru.

“Besides, the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict remained unsolved,”
the source said.

From: A. Papazian

MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE ACCOUNT ARMENIA EMPHASIZES CONSTRUCTION QUALITY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND PRACTICES

armradio.am
03.12.2010 18:10

The focus of the U.S. Government funded Millennium Challenge Account
Armenia Program (MCA-Armenia) is rehabilitation of Armenia’s vital
irrigation infrastructure complemented with extensive technical and
financial assistance to rural farmers and to the government irrigation
entities that support them. In addition to these programmatic
activities MCA-Armenia emphasizes such aspects of the Program as
quality of construction and environmentally sound practices.

On December 3-4 a Workshop on Quality Control, Health and Safety,
Environmental and Social Aspects of MCA-Armenia’s Irrigated Agriculture
Project is held in Yerevan under the MCA-Armenia Program.

During Day 1 the Construction Supervisor/Project Manager Consultant
presented its activities targeted at quality control, and health
and safety aspects of construction works, sharing lessons learnt and
combining the presentations with practical demonstrations. Some topics
of interest during this part of the workshop included factory tests of
imported pumps, use of geomembranes in rehabilitation of main canals or
use of rubbers gaskets in gravity and tertiary systems. During Day 2
of the Workshop the Environmental and Social Assessment and Oversight
Consultant presented a summary report of its annual activities, which
included results of environmental/social oversight and monitoring.

Separate presentations focused on such important issues as guidelines
for handling asbestos containing materials or water quality monitoring
under Ararat Valley Drainage Program. and highlighted such important
issues as guidelines for handling asbestos containing materials or
water quality monitoring under Ararat Valley Drainage Program.

MCA-Armenia emphasizes the importance of the issues discussed during
the workshop not only throughout the Program implementation, but also
as a way of introducing best international experience of construction
quality and environmentally sound practices to Armenia.

From: A. Papazian

RAZMIK ZOHRABYAN: REFERENCE TO THE UN CHARTER WAS IMPORTANT
Anna Nazaryan

“Radiolur”
03.12.2010 16:51

The statement adopted in Astana by the Heads of Delegation of
the OSCE co-chairing countries and the Presidents of Armenia and
Azerbaijan made reference to the UN Charter, where preference is
given to the principle of the right of people to self-determination,
Vice-President of the Republican Party of Armenia Razmik Zohrabyan
told a press conference today.

“Reference to the UN Statute was important, this was the first case.

It’s even enough for us to recognize the intendance of Nagorno
Karabakh and require the same from the international community,
because this principle has worked many times, Tens of states have
gained independence on the basis of that principle.

From: A. Papazian

MINISTER NALBANDIAN MEETS THE AMBASSADOR OF SWITZERLAND

armradio.am
03.12.2010 15:22

The newly appointed Ambassador of Switzerland to Armenia, Gunther
Baechler (seat in Tbilisi) handed the copies of his credentials to
the Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian.

Congratulating the Ambassador on appointment, Minister Nalbandian
expressed confidence that he would contribute to the further deepening
of friendly relations between Armenia and Switzerland.

Ambassador Baechler assured he would do his best for the deepening
of bilateral Armenian Swiss relations.

During the meeting reference was made to the cooperation between
Armenia and Switzerland within the framework of international
organizations.

The interlocutors exchanged views on a number of international issues.

From: A. Papazian

ARMEN YEDIGARYAN APPOINTED ARMENIA’S AMBASSADOR TO NATO

armradio.am
03.12.2010 14:51

President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree on relieving Samvel Lazarian
f the position of the Head of Mission of the Republic of Armenia to the
North-Atlantic Treaty Organization, President’s Press Office reported.

According to another presidential decree, Armen Yedigaryan was
appointed the Head of Mission of the Republic of Armenia to the
North-Atlantic Treaty Organization.

From: A. Papazian

UN DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION IN ARMENIA MARKS INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

armradio.am
03.12.2010 14:20

The UN Department of Public Information in Armenia together
with “Pyunic” Armenian Association for the Disabled marked the
International Day of Persons with Disabilities today and opened an
exhibition of handicrafts, art works produced by children and adults
with disabilities.

The annual observance of the International Day of Persons with
Disabilities aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and
mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons
with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to
be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every
aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

The theme of this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities
is “Keeping the promise: mainstreaming disability in the Millennium
Development Goals”. Among the promises made by world leaders at the
MDG Summit in September was a commitment to improve the lives of
persons with disabilities.

Maria Dotsenko, Representative of UN Department of Public Information
said: “The UNDPI in Armenia supports the efforts of the Government and
civil society aimed to improve the life of persons with disabilities
and their integration in society. Very important is that Armenia is
among the UN member States who ratified the Convention of the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities, which sets out the legal obligations of the
states to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities.”

“We are dedicated to assist persons with disabilities to overcome
negative community stereotypes and develop skills necessary to be
more active members of society and UN’s assistance is important for
us,” said Hakob Abrahamyan, the President of the “Pyunic” Armenian
Association for the Disabled”.

The UN has recognized that the dignity and the equal rights of all
members of the human family are the foundations of freedom, justice
and peace in the world. These principles have guided the work of
the UN and are enshrined in various instruments such as the UN
Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as
in documents such as the International Covenants on Human Rights,
and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

From: A. Papazian

IMF EXECUTIVE BOARD APPROVES US$57.6 MILLION DISBURSEMENT FOR ARMENIA

armradio.am
03.12.2010 11:55

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has
completed its first review of Armenia’s economic performance under a
program supported by the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the Extended
Credit Facility arrangement (ECF).

The decision enables the authorities to draw an additional SDR 39.0
million (US$57.6 million), bringing total disbursements under the
arrangement to an amount equivalent to SDR 78.1 million (US$115.2
million).

The three-year SDR 266.8 million (about US$393.9 million) EFF and ECF
arrangement with Armenia was approved by the IMF’s Executive Board
on June 28, 2010.

From: A. Papazian