Author: Andres-Papazian

“COMPLEX ADMINISTRATION OF BORDERS IN SOUTH CAUCASUS” PROJECT BEING IMPLEMENTED EFFICIENTLY

armradio.am
25.08.2010 13:46

On August 25, the Secretary of the National Security of Armenia Arthur
Baghdasrayan received the delegation headed by Filip Pirs, the regional
coordinator of the project “Complex Administration of Borders in South
Caucasus” implemented by the Yerevan office of UN development Program.

The interlocutors were pleased with the process of the project
implementation, the aim of which is to strengthen interdepartmental,
bilateral and regional cooperation among the South Caucasian countries,
the member states of the European Union and among other international
beneficiaries, as well as to make easier people displacing and good
transportation beyond the state border, simultaneously, providing
the guaranteed security of the state boundary.

Questions related to financial problems needed for the modernization
of the boundary substructures have been discussed, Press Office of
the Secretary of the National Security of Armenia reported.

Arthur Baghdasaryan has informed, the created interdepartmental
committee will soon submit to the National Security Council’s approval
the strategy of the Armenia’s boundary security, based on which a
project of activities will be worked out and presented.

From: A. Papazian

GALUST SAHAKYAN:THE PROLONGATION AGREEMENT IS ONE OF THE WAYS TO STRENGTHEN OUR COUNTRY
Siranuysh Muradyan

“Radiolur”
25.08.2010 13:28

Today, the head of the Republican fraction Galust Sahakyan told a
press conference about the Armenian -Russian cooperation and Dmitry
Medvedev’s official visit to Armenia.

“The prolongation of the Russian military base presence in Armenia
is the guarantee of the security of Armenia,” he stressed and added:
“I share all the concerns connecting with this question.”

“It is not good to sign an agreement about a military base, but in
this case it is one of the ways to strengthen our country,” Galust
Sahakyan said.

“What will Russia do, if Azerbaijan attacks Karabakh?” Galust Sahakyan
raised a question and answered to it:”Russians are aware that Karabakh
is the focus of our problems and is in the axis of our political and
diplomatic processes. Russia has taken into consideration that fact
when changing the agreement.”

Summing up, the Republican says that we must lay on the table of
other sates the question of recognizing Nagorno Karabakh.

From: A. Papazian

KAREN BEKARYAN:THE SITUATION CAN BE CHANGED, IF TURKEY CHANGES ITS PERCEPTIONS
Anna Nazaryan

“Radiolur”
25.08.2010 11:19

The existence of Azerbaijani- Turkish and Russian- Armenian agreements
make us to think about them. What happens and why? It is difficult to
clearly answer the questions, but as a result of certain comparisons
and conclusions, some images are being outlined, which give an
opportunity to understand which kind of developments can be in each
situation.

Drawing parallels between these two agreements, political analyst
Karen Bekaryan, first of all, fixed that it is advantageous for both
Russia and Turkey to keep the region away from the influence of USA,
European Union and China.

In Armenian- Russian agreement, especially, the guarantee of providing
the security of Armenia is interesting. Will Russia interfere if
Armenia faces the danger of beginning military activities?

“Nobody has guaranteed that Russia will interfere but if there wasn’t
the agreement, the guarantee of the security would loose and wouldn’t
gain,” political analyst said.

It is interesting also why Russia prolonged the presence of Russian
military base in Armenia by 49 years, when the date of the previous
agreement was not still exceeded. Karen Bekaryan gave an advice
to find the answer of the question in the agreements of land and
property. According to him, this question is more substantial one,
expresses behavior.

The journalists did one more consideration: “In parallel with the
prolongation of the date, the number of the Russian army does not
increase.”

The political analyst provided an interesting clarification for it:
“If there is a need, Russia won’t have a problem to help its own army.”

“If the Armenian- Russian agreements were signed without having the
Turkish- Azerbaijani already signed agreement, the international
community would not perceive it,” Karen Bekaryan clarified and added:
“In the presence of the agreements signed in opposite sequence,
everything is understandable and it won’t have any influence on the
European integration of Armenia.”

“There is one more reason that the international community will not
take an offense. It is the Armenian- Turkish process failure. Armenia
can say: “You didn’t manage to realize Armenian- Turkish process
pressing the Turkey,” he said.

Though the dividing lines in the region were made thicker by the
agreements and the Armenian- Turkish process failed, the analyst thinks
that the situation can be changed, if Turkey changes its perceptions.

From: A. Papazian

RESTORATION OF MIC IN ARMENIA STIMULATES ECONOMY – LEADER OF PARTY

/ARKA/
August 24, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, August 25. ARKA /.Restoration of the military-industrial
complex in Armenia is one of the best ways to restore not only the
industry of the republic, but also the development of social and
other spheres, the chairman of the party “Union” Constitutional Law”
Haik Babukhanyan said.

The Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation of Russia and
Armenia’s Ministry of Defense on August 20th signed a memorandum
of understanding on cooperation in the establishment of Armenian
territory certified service centers and joint ventures in repair and
maintenance of military equipment in Yerevan.

“Formation of Armenia as an industrial country is a dream for the
future,” said Babukhanyan on Tuesday at the International Press Center
“Novosti”.

From: A. Papazian

PROLONGATION OF EXPIRATION DATE OF ACTIVITY OF RUSSIAN MILITARY BASE IN ARMENIA APPROVED PARTNERSHIP LIABILITIES OF BOTH COUNTRIES

/ARKA/
August 24, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, August 24. /ARKA/. Signing of the agreement on prolongation
of the activities of Russian military base in the territory of
Armenia approved that Armenia and Russia are ready to continue their
partnership liabilities, said Head of Political Party “Constitutional
Right” Hayk Babukhanyan.

On August 20, 2010 Armenia and Russia signed a protocol on making
changes and amendments in mutual agreement on Russian military base
in Gyumri as of 1995 regarding prolongation of expiration date of the
document. Expiration date was 25 years. Now the document will be valid
49 years (till 2046 starting from the moment of ratification in 1997).

“Russian military base strengthened its positions in Armenia and any
shooting towards the Armenian side from Turkey and Azerbaijan will be
punished by CSTO and Russian military base. Moreover, any shooting will
mean shooting towards Russia and CSTO. Our party welcomes diplomatic
victory of leadership of the country by signing such an agreement”,
said Babukhanyan.

Besides implementation of functions on the protection of interests of
Russia, the document also provides the security of the country jointly
with Military Forces of Armenia. Russian side is obliged to provide
the Armenian side with modern and adequate armament and military
(special) equipment.

From: A. Papazian

BAGRAT ASATRYAN: ARMENIA SHOULD ENLARGE ITS FOOD RESERVES

/ARKA/
August 24, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, August 24. /ARKA/. Armenia should enlarge its food reserves,
Bagrat Asatryan, director general of Garni Invest Universal Credit
Organization and former chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia,
said Monday at a news conference.

In his opinion, the recent developments connected with fluctuation
in world prices for grain will add troubles to Armenia.

“Armenia is not competitive in the region – insufficient domestic
output, cuts in areas under crops and limited alternative deliveries
are driving domestic market prices up,” Asatryan said.

He finds the present food reserves in Armenia scant and thinks that
the unsolved Karabakh problem and the blocked transportation links
aggravate the matter.

The expert is convinced that Armenia can resist challenges by enlarging
food reserves.

As another step should be taken to avoid volatility at domestic grain
market, Asatryan pointed out the necessity to liberalize the grain
import market in Armenia and put an end to the monopoly that gives
room for unjustified price hike.

“It’s not imports that triggered the recent rise in grain and flour
prices in Armenia, since after certain fluctuation in the beginning
of this year and 15-to-20-percent price hike in July things in world
grain markets were put right, and grain prices went about 10 percent
down in the recent two weeks” he said.

Despite this, flour prices in Armenia have leapt 20 to 25% to AMD
11,000 per bag over the period between August 1 and 7.

More than that – the double fall recorded over the period between
2008 and Jan 2010 at the world market produced absolutely no effect
in Armenia, Asatryan said.

Vardan Ayvazyan, chairman of Armenian National Assembly’s economic
committee, doesn’t share Asatryan’s opinion and sees no need to
replenish food reserves.

He told journalists that the country’s reserves are sufficient to
cater for essential strategic needs.

Explaining the precipitous surge in grain and flour prices in Armenia,
the lawmaker said economic entities, pending imminent price hikes in
world markets, acted this way to secure their interests.

He said that the antitrust agency has already embarked on an
appropriate study.

Armenia imports grain mainly from Russia. These imports cover only 30%
of domestic demand.

Some 315,600 tons of Russian grain have been brought to Armenia
over the period between July 2009 and June 2010 against 327,900 tons
imported from July 2008 to June 2009.

Armenia consumes 650,000 to 720,000 tons of grain, of which 4305,000
to 450,000 tons as food.

Armenia produces 168,000 to 175,000 tons, and the deficit is filled
by imports (380,000 to 420,000 tons every year in the last five years).

The mounting prices for imported grain that drive also flour and bread
prices up prompted the State Commission for Protection of Economic
Competition to launch own monitoring.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, concerned over the drought
that raged this year in Russia, issued a decree imposing temporary
restrictions on wheat, corn and flour exporters.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA’S RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA CAN’T AFFECT ITS TIES WITH OTHER COUNTRIES

/ARKA/
August 24, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, August 24. /ARKA/. Armenia’s western partners know very
well that Yerevan’s relations with Russia in one alliance will be
strengthening, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan
said in an interview with Armenian Public Television.

However, it doesn’t mean that Armenia will stop developing its
western ties.

The deputy minister doesn’t think that military cooperation with Russia
can hobble development of Yerevan’s relations with European countries
and the United States and sees no necessity to comment the matter.

“Comments are needed only when a player is not honest, but our words
and deeds are never at variance,” he said adding that Armenia has never
said it could appease one of its partners at the expense of another.

Kocharyan said that Armenia has always been open.

He stressed that not a single country can exist out of security
systems.

“Even superpowers, such as the United States, are members of certain
security systems though playing the leading part in them. The same
applies to Russia. Collective Security Treaty Organization is a
security system where everybody understands Russia’s role.”

Kocharyan thinks smaller countries should clearly decide their
orientation.

“Today our guarantee is Armenian-Russian strategic and allied
relations,” he said in his interview.

From: A. Papazian

MORE THAN 21 THOUSAND INFANTS BORN IN ARMENIA AS OF JULY 1 – STATISTICS

/ARKA/
August 24, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, August 24./ ARKA /.As of July 1, 2010 in Armenia were born
more than 21 thousand babies, which is 7,1% more than the same period
in 2009, according to the National Statistics Service.

According to official figures, the total fertility rate per one
thousand inhabitants increased by 0.8 ppm points and was at 13 ppm.

According to the NSS of Armenia in January-June 2010, there were 422
cases of stillbirth against 420 such cases in the same period in 2009.

According to statistics, the leader on the number of births in
January-June 2010 is Yerevan, where there were more than 7300 kids
born, the second place was awarded to the Armavir region of Armenia,
where the number of children born was 1856.

From: A. Papazian

RUSSIAN POLITICAL SCIENTIST: RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN COOPERATION SHOULD GO BEYOND STRICTLY BILATERAL

/ARKA/
August 24, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, August 24./ ARKA /.ã~@~@Russian-Armenian cooperation should
go beyond the purely bilateral and should gradually involve third
countries, said the Deputy Director General of Strategic Culture
Foundation Andrei Areshev.

“It seems to me that this is possible only in exceptional circumstances
with the slightest risk of a resumption of hostilities (in the
conflict zone),” said Areshev on Monday at the International Press
Center “Novosti” during the Moscow-Yerevan video-bridge “Results of
the visit of Dmitry Medvedev to Armenia”.

This expert added that the resumption of hostilities could lead
“to really unpredictable consequences.”

The beginning of the Karabakh conflict was settled in 1988, following
a statement to withdraw from Azerbaijan by the predominantly
Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh. On December 10, 1991 there was
held a referendum in Nagorno-Karabakh, in which 99.89% voted for full
independence from Azerbaijan.

Following that Azerbaijan initiated large-scale war fares that led
to a loss of control not only over Nagorno-Karabakh but also seven
adjacent districts.

>From 12th of May of 1994, after the entry of the tripartite agreement
on truce in the conflict zone hostilities, in which around 25-30
thousand people were killed from both sides and nearly 1 million were
forced to flee their homes, were ceased.

The agreement on the establishment of the ceasefire has been followed
until now. From 1992 to date, negotiations are being held for a
peaceful settlement of the conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France.

From: A. Papazian

YEREVAN HAILS RUSSIA’S PARTICIPATION IN NPP CONSTRUCTION IN ARMENIA

/ARKA/
August 24, 2010
YEREVAN

Yerevan will be glad if Russia’s financial participation in the
construction of a new nuclear power plant in Armenia exceeds 20%,
Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan said.

He told journalists that the construction is estimated to cost
$5 billion.

“About 20% ($1 billion) of the expenses will be borne by Russia,
another 20% by Armenia, and the remaining amount are planned to be
attracted from investors,” he said. “Some analysts say that everything
is allegedly given to Russia, though its participation stands at 20%.

But if participation was greater, we would only welcome it.”

The deputy minister advised those criticizing the project to remember
the energy problems Armenia faced in the beginning of 1990s.

“Few could imagine then that Armenia would develop into an
energy-exporting country,” he said. “However, we have not only reached
this goal, but are also strengthening our positions without possessing
natural energy resources.”

Sergey Kiriyenko, head of Russian Rosatom, told journalists last week
that Russia can finance more than 20% of the construction.

Armenian government is searching for investors now.

Armenian Nuclear Power Plant sits near Metsamor (20 or 30 kilometers
south of Yerevan).

The plant started functioning in 1976, and now only the second,
407.5-megawatt unit operates.

INTER RAO UES belonging to Russian state-owned Rosatom runs the
plant’s funds from 2003 and will run them until 2013. Specialists
say the plant can operate until 2016.

Armenia plans to build a new 1000-megawatt unit. The construction is
estimated to cost $5 billion.

In 2006, Armenian National Assembly abolished the government’s right
for sole ownership of new nuclear units in an effort to attract
foreign capital for the project implementation..

From: A. Papazian