Author: Andres-Papazian

HIGH-LEVEL STRUGGLE: CLASH OF EX’S AND INCUMBENTS POSSIBLE IN ARMENIA AS IN RUSSIA
Naira Hayrumyan

ArmeniaNow
Analysis | 30.09.10 | 16:01

Moscow mayor Yuri Luzhkov was released of his duties after almost
two decades of service.

The way of solving personnel issues in Russia, as well as in
post-Soviet Armenia, still remains far from democratic. The condition
was illustrated this week in Moscow with the sacking of Mayor Yuri
Luzhkov and has been demonstrated in Armenia recently in less dramatic
but nonetheless effective pressures.

This week, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev fired the veteran mayor
because, said the president, Luzhkov had “lost my trust”. Luzhkov
stayed in his office for 18 years and hardly anyone in Russia would
protest against his departure but for the method of this dismissal.

Russia’s influential Prime Minister Vladimir Putin himself said that
Luzhkov “did not find a common language” with Medvedev, and that’s
why he was fired. As many as 250 city officials in Moscow have also
been dismissed and they are now facing criminal cases.

Politically motivated “personnel pogroms” are typical also for
Armenia. And because political leaders in Armenia, like in Russia, are
closely related to business circles — in other words, are oligarchs —
authorities “influence” them by putting pressure on their businesses.

In recent months, tax audits have been conducted at enterprises of
Parliament Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan, and leader of the pro-government
Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) Gagik Tsarukyan, both of whom are
perceived to have stronger ties to former president Robert Kocharyan
than to President Serzh Sargsyan.

A campaign against the coalition member party (PAP) has begun
nearly two years before the scheduled parliamentary election. The
vice-chairman of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), Razmik
Zohrabyan, said that his party could weaken PAP at any time, but was
not yet willing to do that. In addition to economic instruments,
RPA is using other methods as well. The press writes about likely
arrests of a number of criminal elements, who are PAP members. Some
media reported that people have been leaving the PAP ranks en masse
and joining RPA – hoping to secure protection in the party of Sargsyan.

Attacks against PAP are explained by the fact that the party tacitly
supports ex-president Robert Kocharyan. Like in Russia, in Armenia,
too, there is a hidden competition between the former and incumbent
presidents. In contrast to Russia, where Medvedev and Putin do not yet
say who of their tandem will run for president at the next elections,
the participation of Serge Sargsyan in the next presidential elections
in Armenia appears to be a foregone conclusion. As to Kocharyan,
after leaving his office in 2008 he would say that he hated to become
Armenia’s “youngest pensioner”.

The existing trends suggest that the main forces that are going to
participate in the 2012 parliamentary elections in Armenia will be
taking their positions in the next few months and joining them will
be “intermediate” parties, while the main battle, like in Russia,
will take place between the current and former presidents.

From: A. Papazian

PRES. OBAMA CAN NOW REPLACE BRYZA WITH A NEW NOMINEE AS ENVOY TO BAKU
Harut Sassounian

Noyan Tapan
30.09.2010 | 13:33

A funny thing happened to Matthew Bryza on the way to Baku! He had
rented out his Washington home and packed up his suitcase, after being
assured by top White House and State Department officials that he was
going to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan. He could already
smell the oil and gas in the air!

In his excitement, Bryza seemed to have forgotten that his
irresponsible statements and actions, during his stunt as U.S.
negotiator on the Karabagh (Artsakh) conflict, had antagonized some
of his Washington colleagues and others in the Caucasus.

More than a year ago, when the U.S. Ambassador’s post in Baku became
vacant, Bryza brashly told everyone in Washington that he wanted to
be, nay, he was going to be, the next Ambassador to Azerbaijan! He
immediately hit a snag, when Pres. Aliyev informed the White House
that he was neither pleased with Obama administration’s policies in
the Caucuses nor with its self-proclaimed Wunderkind (boy wonder)!

Azerbaijan was unhappy because: 1) the United States and Bryza were
pushing Turkey to open its border with Armenia, in the absence of
any progress on the Artsakh conflict; 2) Congress had allocated
another million to Artsakh, despite strong objections from Baku;
and 3) Armenia’s President was, while Pres. Aliyev was not, invited
to the 47-nation Nuclear Security Summit in Washington.

Bryza also had opponents within the Obama administration. After
months of internal bickering among Washington officials over Bryza’s
nomination, Pres. Obama finally submitted his name in May to the
Senate as the next envoy to Azerbaijan. Shortly thereafter, Pres.

Obama dispatched two high-ranking cabinet officials, Defense Secretary
Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Baku in order
to appease Pres. Aliyev and give him the necessary assurances on Bryza.

During Bryza’s Foreign Relations Committee hearing in July, several
Senators asked him pointed questions regarding his statements and
activities while serving as Artsakh negotiator. They also raised
serious concerns about possible conflicts of interest involving his
wife and gifts the couple may have received for their wedding from
Azeri government officials. Senators Barbara Boxer, Robert Menendez,
Russ Feingold, Committee chair John Kerry, and Majority Leader Harry
Reid were not satisfied with Bryza’s incomplete and evasive answers,
despite repeated follow-up written questions. This did not bode well
for his ambassadorial ambitions, as all five Senators are Democrats
who would normally back a Democratic President’s nominee.

In early August, frustrated by Bryza’s unresponsiveness, Sen. Boxer
asked the Foreign Relations Committee to postpone the vote on his
nomination. After a delay of six weeks, when the majority of Committee
members voted on Sept. 21 to confirm Bryza, Senators Boxer and Menendez
had no choice but to place a “hold,” in order to block the ratification
of his nomination by the full Senate. Indicating serious concerns with
the qualifications of this controversial nominee, the two Senators
resorted to the rare practice of placing a double “hold,” freezing any
further Senate consideration on his nomination until next January at
the latest, when the new Senate starts its session. Pres. Obama has
to decide then whether to resubmit his name or propose a new nominee.

Until January, the President has the unlikely option of making a
“recess appointment.” He could appoint Bryza as Ambassador to
Azerbaijan without Senate confirmation, while the Senate is in recess.

The disadvantages of such a rare move are twofold: 1) Bryza would be
handicapped in carrying out his diplomatic duties, as he would not
enjoy the confidence of the U.S. Senate; and 2) the President would
antagonize the Senators by depriving them of their constitutional
mandate of “advise and consent.”

The ideal option for Pres. Obama would be to abandon Bryza’s flawed
candidacy and name another less controversial nominee who could be
confirmed by the Senate. Such a move would dispatch quickly the next
U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan, after a 15-month absence. In contrast,
renominating Bryza in January would delay the posting of such an
Ambassador for several more months!

Seeing its Wunderkind in serious trouble, the Wall Street Journal
(WSJ), bastion of the neo-cons and oil and gas lobbies, published
a vicious editorial against Sen. Boxer and the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA) the day before the Committee vote,
attempting to intimidate Bryza’s opponents. After the “hold,” a nastier
editorial was published by the Washington Post against Senators Boxer
and Menendez, and ANCA.

These vicious attacks had the exact opposite effect — they
inadvertently helped promote the political clout of ANCA and the
Armenian-American community in Washington!

From: A. Papazian

ENVIRONMENTALISTS ALARMING: DOLPHINARIUM IN YEREVAN WILL BE CONSTRUCTED AT THE EXPENSE OF DRINKING WATER OF YEREVAN RESIDENTS

ArmInfo
2010-09-29 15:05:00

ArmInfo. Construction of a dolphinarium next to Komitas Garden
worried environmentalists to a great extent. “Center for Bird Lovers”
NGO President Silva Adamyan is going to send a letter to Yerevan
Municipality and Nature Protection Ministry and demand the documents
permitting the transportation of dolphins to Armenia, EcoLur reported.

No public hearings were held on the construction of a dolphinarium.

“They didn’t conduct any hearings and have no idea about all this
matter. The Institute for Zoology shouldn’t have known about this. Our
climate conditions don’t permit to construct a dolphinarium, we need
expert assessment for this and expert opinion,” Silva Adamyan said
and added, “This is a case of animal exploitation.”

UN Expert Qnarik Hovhannisyan noted approximately 1500 cubic meters
of drinking water will be necessary to maintain dolphins and water
must be refreshed and circulated. Qnarik Hovhannisyan said Agency for
Water Resources Management of Nature Protection Ministry of RA didn’t
receive any notification about the construction of a dolphinarium
that sets the opinion water will be supplied by “Yerevanjur”. That
is the dolphinarium will be constructed at the expense of drinking
water of Yerevan residents. Environmentalists have been informed
that ex-Mayor Yervand Zakharyan constructs the dolphinarium, and a
Ukrainian company will transport dolphins from Odessa to Armenia.

From: A. Papazian

GLOBAL WARMING DIRECTLY ENDANGERS ARMENIAN FORESTS

ArmInfo
2010-09-29 18:18:00

ArmInfo. Global warming directly endangers Armenia’s forests, Aram
Ter- Zakaryan, Task Leader of “Adaptation to CC Impacts in Mountain
Forest Ecosystems of Armenia” UNDP/GEF MSP at UNDP Armenia CO, told
ArmInfo correspondent

“We are first and foremost concerned with the forests of Syunik
region. Surveys show that as compared with the average index of
1961-1990, elements in the region have dropped by 9%”,- he said.

According to him, over the period from 1935 to 2007 the average annual
temperature in Syunik region rose by 0.7%. The number of summer
days with a temperature at over 25 degrees also grew: in Meghri –
by 10 days, in Kapan and Goris – by 21 days. Experts point out that
the rise of the temperature alongside with reduction of elements
has led to deceleration of forest reproduction processes. Project
Consultant Armen Nalbandyan says that the temperature rise also
increases the number of depredators. For instance, in early 2000s
2 thsd hectares of forestry in Meghri suffered from the brown-tail
moth. Nalbandyan thinks that besides taking environmental measures,
opening of the forest guard station, which was liquidated in 1998,
may play an important role in saving forests from depredators.

According to specialists, in 2100 temperature in Armenia will rise
by 5.7 degree. If no work aimed at reduction of greenhouse gases
waste is done, the elements in the republic will drop by 27%; on the
contrary, such phenomena as strong winds, hails, floods and droughts
will considerably grow. To note, 2- degree rise in temperature in
Armenia may increase the scales of desertisation by 33%, and decrease
the elements by 10%, the number of the mammals by 28-33%, harvests –
by 8-14%. Moreover, Alpine zones will decline by 22%, and the landscape
zone borders will move higher by 100-150 meters.

From: A. Papazian

55 HA OF WOOD TERRITORIES TO BE RESTORED IN ARMENIA

ArmInfo
2010-09-30 13:33:00

ArmInfo. The total of 55 ha of wood territories will be restored in
Syunik region of Armenia within the frames of the new UNDP programme.

As consultant of the programme Vladik Martirosyan told ArmInfo
correspondent, the territories of the National Park as well as Syunik
and Kapan forestry enterprises have been involved in the programme.

The tree planting has been already started in Syunik and Kapan forestry
enterprises and it will start in ‘Arevik’ in 2011.

Martirosyan also said that in 2009 and 2010 70 thsd young plants of
apple tree, oak tree and ash tree were planted at 15 ha territory
of Syunik forestry enterprise. According to the monitoring, their
establishment was 53.8% which is a good result for this territory,
he said and added that tree planting will continue next year.

As for the Kapan forestry enterprise, 7thd young plants of cedar were
planted here.

From: A. Papazian

GREEN ACTIVISTS ARE GOING TO PROTECT KHOSROV RESERVE THROUGH THE AGENCY OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

ArmInfo
2010-09-30 18:31:00

ArmInfo. The Khosrov reserve is again in the center of the attention
of the green movement.

A group of environmentalists report cases of illegal hunting and
destruction of cultural monuments in the reserve.

“When visiting the reserve in Sept we were shocked to see a real
barbecue place near one of the churches of the Vanuts Tar Monastery.

We saw coals, empty bottles and dirty dishes scattered all over the
place,” one of the environmentalist Vahagn Piliposyan said during a
press-conference today.

He said that they also heard gun shots near the Kakavaberd fortress.

Later the Environment Protection Ministry said that the shots were
made not in the reserve but in the hunting area near the village
of Gulasar. Piliposyan does not agree: “Gulasar is too far from the
place and the shots would have not been heard.”

Piliposyan said that the violations taking place in the preserve are
a real shame. “Most of the local monuments are in a deplorable state.

The stone symphony of Garni has been turned into a real dump. For many
people it is kind of a titbit: they take whole stone blocks from the
place for their private construction projects,” Piliposyan said.

The well-known activist of the green movement Mariam Sukhudyan said
that they are going to complain to international organizations. “Our
main concern is the strange construction in the very heart of the
reserve. We are afraid that they may be building one more restaurant
there,” Sukhudyan said.

From: A. Papazian

ACTIVE SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH’S LIBERATED TERRITORIES BY REFUGEES FROM AZERBAIJAN WOULD STRENGTHEN ARMENIAN PARTIES’ ARGUMENTS AT THE PEACE TALKS
David Stepanyan

ArmInfo
2010-09-29 18:24:00

Interview with Chairman of the Public Council on Foreign Policy and
Security of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Masis Mailyan

Oct 4-5 the Armenian Parliament is to discuss whether to recognize
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic or not. Is this good for the Armenian
side’s interests?

I think this is a positive step and within the interests of the
Armenian party in the Karabakh peace process at least because the
initiators of the discussion hereby support urgency of the given issue.

Armenia must demonstrate to the world that independence of the NKR as
execution of the Nagorno-Karabakh people’s right to self-determination
cannot be a subject of negotiations especially with participation of
Azerbaijan. I think that the potential of Armenians must be used fully
to achieve international recognition of the NKR. Over the last years,
it was necessary to create relevant conditions for other countries to
follow Armenia’s example when it recognized the NKR. It is necessary
to finally start this work and make up for the lost time.

The liberated but not populated territories of Nagorno-Karabakh remain
a separate subject of the peace talks. Wouldn’t their settlement help
to solve this problem – the way Israel is doing on the West Bank –
and is this possible at all?

In general, the settlement policy held up to this day has demonstrated
its low efficiency. When the matter concerns settlement, officials
speak about our administerial territories of Kashatag and Karvachar
bordering with Armenia. At the same time, it is more than obvious that
from the viewpoint of strategic settlement, the eastern territories
fixed in the Nagorno-Karabakh Constitution are of great significance,
particularly, the territories from Martakert at the north up to the
river Arax at the south.

Though much money is needed to implement this project, one could at
least create the relevant infrastructure and lay communications by the
routes, along which new populated areas may be built. For example,
the gas pipeline leading to Martakert should have been laid in the
area of former Aghdam region. There is a number of other useful ideas
about territories and borders that have not been implemented yet.

Active settlement of the NKR territories first of all by the refugees
from Azerbaijan would strengthen the Armenian parties’ arguments at
the talks.

A group of international experts are to visit the liberated territories
in the next few days. Isn’t this a kind of concession on the part
of the OSCE MG co-chairs in response to Azerbaijan’s refusal to push
its resolution at the UN General Assembly?

Having a similar status with Azerbaijan within international
structures, Armenia should be able to block Azerbaijan’s initiatives
on Karabakh. One should make everybody realize that Azerbaijan lost
all rights to Artsakh long ago, and all its actions in this direction
will be suppressed. The purposeful work on international recognition
of the NKR is capable to neutralize Azerbaijan’s provocations in
international organizations.

The Armenian lobby has done its best to prevent the appointment of
Matthew Bryza as US Ambassador to Azerbaijan. What is the danger of
Bryza’s presence in Baku for Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia?

Appointment of Matthew Bryza as US ambassador to Azerbaijan does not
seriously endangers Armenian interests.

Like any other diplomat, Matthew Bryza is first of all the conductor
of his country’s policy. Consequently, I don’t think his appointment
may seriously threaten the Armenian interests. Moreover, when this
man was directly tackling the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh as the US
Co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, there was absolutely no such
active criticism against him. I do not understand why the criticism
has appeared now all of a sudden.

Having certain influence in the US Congress, the Armenian lobbyists
could have encouraged Bryza to solve the priority national problems
on recognition of Artsakh and the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey.

Will the agreement prolonging the stay of Russian troops in Armenia
enhance the security of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic?

The Russian military infrastructure in Armenia has directly nothing
to do with the NKR security.

Theoretically, one can suppose of course that in case of resumption
of Azerbaijan’s aggression, Russia will implement its obligations of
ensuring Armenia’s security. In this case the Armenian armed forces
would be able to deploy more forces and equipment in the eastern,
Karabakh direction. At the same time, he thinks that if Azerbaijan
receives the Russian S-300 air defense system, this will reduce
the vulnerability of Azeri strategic objects. Thereby the balance
of forces in the region will be broken, as at present the lack of
reliable air defense is one of the elements preventing Azerbaijan
from a military adventure

Why is the number of soldiers killed in clashes inside the
Nagorno-Karabakh army growing?

Such incidents have always been present but have not been made public.

Today, our people are better informed and demand that such things no
longer happen. The main thing here is not to go too far in criticism:
we must criticize bad officers but we must not stop respecting
our army.

From: A. Papazian

AS OF TODAY YEREVAN BRANDY COMPANY HAS PROCURED 16,377 TONS OF GRAPE

ArmInfo
2010-09-29 18:19:00

ArmInfo. As of today Yerevan Brandy Company has procured 16,377 tons
of grape.

The press service of YBC reports that the Armavir, Aygavan
and Berd branches have procured 8,349 tons, 7,242 tons and 786
tons, respectively. The procurements are being carried out in a
well-organized manner according to a specific schedule. The money
paid for the grape procured during the first ten days has already
been transferred to the farmers’ bank accounts.

This year YBC is planning to procure 29,000 tons. At Armavir (Armavir
region) the procurements started Sept 15, at Aygavan (Ararat region)
– Sept 16, at Berd (Tavush region) – Sept 22. At Armavir and Aygavan
1 kg costs 130 AMD and at Berd – 120 AMD.

Yerevan Brandy Company is part of Pernod Ricard Group and is the
biggest brandy producer and grape procurer in Armenia.

From: A. Papazian

YEREVAN BRANDY COMPANY PURCHASES FEEDSTOCK AT THE HIGHEST PRICE

ArmInfo
2010-09-29 20:01:00

ArmInfo. Yerevan Brandy Company OJSC (YBC) purchases grapes from
farmers at the highest price in Armenia, the data on purchase prices
for grapes, provided by main alcohol producers of Armavir region to
vice Prime Minister, Minister for Territorial Administration Armen
Gevorkyan during his working visit to the region, say.

According to the data provided, YBC purchases grapes from farm
enterprises at 130 drams ($0.36) per kg. Yerevan Brandy-Wine-Vodka
integrated plant OJSC purchase grapes at the same price. A.Z.K. LLC,
Proshyan Brandy Company LLC, MAP OJSC, Sar Kop LLC, Samkon LLC, Alvan
LLC and Arpeni LLC purchase gapes at a bit less price – 120 AMD/ kg.

Two procurers, Ararat Wine and Brandy Plant LLC and Shahumyan Wine
Plant LLC, purchase grapes at 120 AMD/kg. To recall, 120 AMD/kg is
a minimum price for purchase of grapes, according to the agreement
between the Agriculture Ministry and procurers. In view of this, the
companies, which purchase grapes at 120 AMD/kg, will have to provide
substantiations of their price policy. The issue will be discussed
in the government, if necessary.

The Ministry for Territorial Administration calls on the farm
enterprises, engaged in grapes cultivation, to report the Agriculture
Ministry and regional administrations on the companies which purchase
grapes to 120 AMD/kg, for the pursuance of research. To recall, the
vintage in the republic in 2010 is expected to be 215,000 tons. The
estimated volume of procurement makes up 133,000 tons, as compared
to 127,7 thsd in 2009.

As of September 28, YBC purchased 16 377 t of grapes from Armenian
farmers, the Company message says. YBC is in Pernod Ricard group and
is the biggest brandy producer in Armenia.

From: A. Papazian

IMF RECOMMENDS ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT TO PAY SERIOUS ATTENTION TO EXPORT DEVELOPMENT

ArmInfo
2010-09-30 13:19:00

ArmInfo. International Monetary Fund recommends the government
of Armenia to pay serious attention to the development of export,
IMF Resident Representative in Armenia Guillermo Tolosa said at a
press-conference.

As he said, export is a key to development of Armenia’s economy. The
country with 30 mln of population cannot develop its economy due to
the internal market. According to her, they recommend the Armenian
government to stimulate export and pay more attention to this issue”,
IMF representative said.

According to him, the situation with return of VAT to exporters is
very sorrowful, and the state has owned large amounts to entrepreneurs
on this tax.

G. Tolosa added that there is some progress in this issue, however,
the problem is slowly resolved.

From: A. Papazian