Author: Andres-Papazian

news.am,Armenia
Oct 2 2010

Prayer in Ani is political provocation, Holy Etchmiadzin says

October 02, 2010 | 14:12

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin responded to prayer uttered by Turkish
nationalists in Ani Cathedral on October 1.

`This step is a political provocation and has nothing in common with
spiritual and pious feelings and religious freedom and rights. It is
also an attempt to deny the Armenian origin of Cathedral of Ani that
was deprived of prayers as a result of the Armenian Genocide. Mother
See of Holy Etchmiadzin condemns such actions sowing intolerance and
Armenia-phobia,’ the statement says.

The statement also says it is absolutely unacceptable to allow Muslim
prayer in Christian sacred places when those having rights for
Christian heritage are banned to pray in their churches. Thus, the
Turkish authorities continue their actions aimed at extermination of
Armenian memory and appropriation of historical shrines and cultural
values.

`It is obvious that doing so Turkey once again violates efforts of
Armenia and international community on establishment of the
Armenian-Turkish dialogue and normalization of the relations,’ the
statement concludes.

From: A. Papazian

news.am, Armenia
Oct 2 2010

More VAT, less profit taxes in Armenia

October 02, 2010 | 10:32

By Albert Khachatryan

The Armenian Statistical Service reports that Armenia’s net tax
revenues exceeded 378bn AMD this January-August – a 21.4% increase as
compared with the corresponding period last year.

During the review period, tax revenues constituted 75.1% of the total
budget revenues – hardly any change as compared with the corresponding
period last year (75%). However, the tax revenue structure has
undergone changes which indicates certain tendencies in commercial
activities.

Specifically, due to higher rates of increase during the period under
review, the share of the value-added tax (VAT) revenues in the total
tax revenues showed a 4.6% increase – 48.2% up to 52.8%. On the other
hand, the VAT revenue share showed a 4.1% decrease – 18.2% down to
14.1%.

These structural changes can be considered negative: consumers
formally pay the VAT, while companies pay profit taxes. That is, it is
ordinary consumers, not businessmen that mainly have to bear the tax
burden.

The aggravating factor is that the net profit taxes paid to Armenia’s
state budget this January-August have shown an increase of as much as
5.9% as compared with last January-August. This fact can also be
viewed in the following aspect: other things being equal, the cost of
goods and services has considerably increased, which caused a
reduction in profits.

An appreciable increase in foreign trade turnover (25.3%) this
January-August certainly contributed to the changes in the budget tax
revenues – a considerable share of VAT taxes is deliberately withheld
at the customs border. The RA State Revenue Committee reports that the
taxes withheld at the customs constituted 48.3% of all the taxes paid
by the thousand largest Armenian taxpayers in the first half of 2010.

It should be noted that Armenia’s imports exceed exports several
times, which suggests that it is mostly importers that pay the VAT at
the customs border. So they – as well as exporters – lose working
capital necessary for business operations. It is noteworthy that part
of the VAT amount withheld by the customs is reimbursed to companies
after recalculations – and after a time gap.

Guillermo Tolosa, IMF Resident Representative in Armenia, recently
pointed out a disproportionate share of the VAT paid at the customs,
particularly the share forming the government debt to taxpayers.
According to the RA State Revenue Committee, VAT overpayments had
totaled as much as 52.3bn AMD by this July!

From: A. Papazian

Panorama, Armenia
Oct 2 2010

Absence of Azeris didn’t affect conference activity, its efficiency

A news conference marked today the end of the 2-day conference on
`Security and Information Cooperation Issues in the South Caucasus’
with participation of media representatives and political experts from
Armenia, Russia, Georgia, and initiated by the information and public
relations center of the Armenian President’s Administration and RIA
Novosti Russian news agency.

The head of the information and public relations center of the
Armenian President’s Administration Ara Saghatelyan commented on the
reasons why, though invited by RIA Novosti, Azerbaijani
representatives didn’t participate in the conference, which raised
South Caucasus issues.

The latter commented on the issue from two points of view: how Azeris
explained their absence and what his personal disposition on the issue
is.

`Their participation would make the conference activity more
efficient, though, they explained they didn’t attend it for being busy
with preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections in
Azerbaijan,’ Saghatelyan said.

As to his disposition on what hindered Azerbaijani side to participate
in the works of the already 5th conference held in Yerevan, A.
Saghatelyan highlighted:

`I would find it hard to introduce a country the Foreign Ministry of
which is busy with making some black lists, while hatred to Armenians
is propagated on state level. They didn’t come and now they are
looking for explanations.’

However, the absence of Azeris in no way could affect the conference
activity and, in particular, its efficiency, as both A. Saghatelyan
and Alan Kasayev, the head of RIA Novosti division for the CIS and
Baltic States, expressed satisfaction with the conference activity.

What was achieved? First, a number of documents, as well as mechanisms
for spreading and investing these, directed to ensuring information
security and cooperation in the South Caucasus. In this context
significant was the endorsement of `Yerevan Declaration’ on
information cooperation.

In the declaration Armenian, Russian and Georgian representatives
signify the necessity of the existence of joint information projects
and voice readiness to support in calling these to life.

`This aims at making the region more secure,’ A. Kasayev underscored.

From: A. Papazian

news.am, Armenia
Oct 2 2010

Many signals of Armenia’s indifference to peaceful resolution of
Karabakh conflict, Azeri FM says

October 02, 2010 | 15:53

Azerbaijan is concerned about signals that suggest Armenia’s
disinterest in a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov stated at the meeting
in the format of `January 28″ of the North Atlantic Council, Trend
News reports.

Despite all the efforts of Azerbaijan and the international mediators
to achieve a peaceful resolution, Mammadyarov said, Armenia keeps an
extremely destructive position in the negotiations, daily acting on
the ground, he said.

`Azerbaijan recognizes the importance of a robust cease-fire regime
that should minimize human losses. We have now a very delicate
situation. It is not only about whether Armenia accepts a proposal of
the OSCE Minsk Group or not. It is about whether Armenia is sincerely
willing to change the status-quo in any way under any condition. We
start to have our doubts over Armenia, which is not interested in a
peaceful solution to the conflict,’ Mammadyarov said.

`Armenia supports the growing settlements in the occupied territories;
Azerbaijani cultural and historic heritage in the occupied territories
is systematically destructed; property of the forcibly expelled
Azerbaijani population is being privatized; there are illegal
archaeological excavations that should support their claim that the
occupied territories are actually historically Armenian’. In other
words, Armenia tries to make the situation irreversible. These
provocative actions put additional time pressure on us,’ he noted.

`Armenia often appeals to ban on the use of military force in
resolving the conflict, but says nothing about that it having used
force against the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, militarily
occupied a significant part of Azerbaijan. Armenia represents a
challenge to both Azerbaijan and the entire international community.
The international community should unequivocally state that the status
quo – the continuing use of force is unacceptable,’ he said.

It is noteworthy, over the recent months the Azerbaijani side has been
committing act of sabotage in the line of contact of NKR and
Azerbaijani armed forces along with ceasefire violations.

From: A. Papazian

news.am, Armenia
Oct 2 2010

World players speak and act instead of South Caucasian states, Russian
expert says

October 02, 2010 | 14:50

The South Caucasian region is very complicated with a number of
unresolved conflicts that are difficult to agree on or there is no
wish to, Nikolay Zlobin, director of the Russia and Eurasia Project at
the World Security Institute, said, speaking at a press conference in
Yerevan.

He considers there is no cultural compromise in the South Caucasus,
each side has its motives. According to him, the South Caucasus is a
very important region where the interests of all world players and
international organizations meet. `Situation in the South Caucasus
affects the situation in nearby regions as well,’ the expert said.
Zlobin also stressed that `voices’ of regional states are hardly heard
in the context of deepening interests of world players. `It turns that
external players act and speak instead of them, usually guided by
their own interests, not the regional ones,’ he added. The expert
called on the regional states to be more active and initiative, try to
get closer to their enemies and make neutral countries their friends,
as communication with friends is pleasant but inefficient.

From: A. Papazian

news.am, Armenia
Oct 2 2010

Cross on Surb Khach on Akhtamar Island consecrated

October 02, 2010 | 16:31

Head of the Religious Council of the Armenian Patriarchate of
Constantinople Abbot Tatul Anushyan consecrated the cross on the dome
of Surb Khach Church (Holy Cross) on Akhtamar Island, Turkish Hurriyet
daily reports.

As reported previously, on September 30, the cross was erected on the
dome of the Surb Khach Church (Holy Cross) on Akhtamar Island. The
cross was installed during several hours. October 1, tourists were
prohibited to visit Akhtamar Island.

From: A. Papazian

Aysor, Armenia
Oct 2 2010

No meeting between Armenian and Turkish Presidents scheduled

No meeting between the Armenian and Turkish Presidents is scheduled at
this moment, Armenian President’s spokesman Armen Arzumanyan told
Panorama.am commenting on the information spread by Turkish media
recently that Armenian and Turkish Presidents are expected to meet in
Astana in December.

`Such a meeting has not been scheduled at this moment. However, we
cannot rule out the possibility of such contacts theoretically.
Armenian President has many times mentioned in his statements on
Armenian-Turkish relations that we will consider the issue on moving
forward when we feel convinced that there is an adequate atmosphere in
Turkey and when we see a corresponding leadership in Ankara, again
ready for normalization of the relations,’ the press secretary said.

From: A. Papazian

news.am, Armenia
Oct 2 2010

No Sargsyan-Gul meeting planned at OSCE summit in Astana

October 02, 2010 | 16:26

At the moment, a Sargsyan-Gul meeting is not planned on the sidelines
of the OSCE Summit of Heads of State, to be held in Astana on December
1-2, Armenian Presidential Press Secretary Armen Arzumanyan told
NEWS.am, commenting on Turkish media’s information.

`At the moment no meeting is planned. However, such contacts cannot
theoretically be ruled out. The Armenian President repeatedly stated
in his speeches on Armenia-Turkey relations that the country will
consider moving forward, if a favorable atmosphere is created in
Turkey and Ankara’s leadership is ready for the normalization
process,’ he said.

From: A. Papazian

news.am, Armenia
Oct 2 2010

Armenian-Turkish rapprochement at intensive care unit

October 02, 2010 | 14:06

The Armenia-Turkey rapprochement process is going on, but in an
intensive care unit, Sergey Minasyan, Deputy Director, Institute of
Caucasus told reporters on October 2. `I do not think it will happen
within the Zurich-2 format. In any case, it will not happen before the
2011 parliamentary elections in Turkey,’ he said.

NEWS.am reminds readers that Chairman of the New Times Party Arm
Karapetyan stated on Oct 1 that a Zurich-2 program is being drafted.

On the other hand, the latest developments related to Surb Khach
church in Turkey suggest Turkey will try to preserve the present
format `at the minimum level.’

`However, I can Turkey would benefit more if the cross had been
installed on the dome of the church on the day of the liturgy,’
Minasyan said.

As regards the forthcoming OSCE Minsk Group fact-finding mission in
Nagorno-Karabakh and its work for the following months, Minasyan
pointed out that both the OSCE mission and activities are aimed at
ensuring further negotiations and strengthening the status quo.

`The present format amid the neighboring state’s bellicose statements
is actually an attempt to keep Azerbaijan in the negotiation process.
I think Aliev has come to realize Nagorno-Karabakh’s status quo is
impossible to change,’ the expert said. A self-respecting president
would have declared war long ago after making so many statements.

From: A. Papazian

news.am, Armenia
Oct 2 2010

War in Nagorno-Karabakh may be resumed

October 02, 2010 | 16:06

The Nagorno-Karabakh problem may develop into a situation when war
will be the only means of resolving it, Konstantin Sinomov, Director
General of the Russian National Energy Security Fund (NESF), told
NEWS.am.

War in the region is not in the interests of either the European Union
(EU) or the U.S. However, the superpowers should not be expected to
interfere in case of war. According to the expert, Azerbaijan, which
has enormous energy resources and, therefore, financial profits
directed to re-armament, will not put up with the status quo and will
try to resolve its problems before 2020. `Why before 2020? Azerbaijan
is well aware it will exhaust its energy resources by that time. So it
must resolve the remaining problems within 20 years,’ Simonov said. On
the other hand, Azerbaijan is well aware that, with the funds running
out, it will not be able to manage them as it likes – hydrocarbons are
not only money, but also a means of pressure on other states and
demanding concessions on Nagorno-Karabakh.

It is not strange at all if Azerbaijan plays the Nagorno-Karabakh card
in its relations with Russia. `We supply more gas to you, and you,
Russia, yield Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh to us. However, Azerbaijan
is well aware it is playing a dangerous game by making numerous
promises. But they must be kept. If things happen this way, Russia
will try to offer Azerbaijan more – financially, not politically,’ the
expert said. He pointed out that it is not only Russia’s position that
is in question, but also Azerbaijan’s consent to economic benefits –
Azerbaijan may make it clear it is the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, not
money it is interested in.

As regards Armenian-Turkish rapprochement, it is not a matter of near
future thanks to the same Azerbaijan. The transit of Azerbaijani gas
through Turkey is a serious argument for Ankara’s pro-Azerbaijani
position on the issue.

From: A. Papazian