Author: Andres-Papazian

SON OF ARMENIAN OLIGARCH IN RUSSIA ATTACKED AND ROBBED

Panorama
Aug 3 2010
Armenia

Russian “Moscow Komsomolets” daily paper writes the son of an Armenian
Russian oligarch was attacked and robbed. According to the paper
when driving back from a late party, some unknown men attacked him,
the bodyguard while entering the house, where the son of the oligarch
was keeping money given by his father.

The thieves robbed sum of half million and a gun that the oligarch
got as a present from Armenian high ranking bodies.

Later police unveiled that the bodyguard was directly connected
with the robbery and the attack. The thieves are arrested, a part
of the money is returned but the gun, thieves say, is thrown into
Moscow River.

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJAN ADDRESSES MILITARY THREATS, ARMENIA UNDERTAKES POSITIVE STEPS: ARANNEWS.IR

Panorama
Aug 3 2010
Armenia

By the time Azerbaijani military-political leadership addresses
war threats to Armenia and makes bellicose statements, Armenia’s
authorities undertake positive steps for the welfare of Armenian
people, arannews.ir reports.

“The amendment to be made to Armenian-Russian military deal is also
connected with Azerbaijan’s threats and militant statements addressed
to Armenia. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Defense Minister
Safar Abiyev have been threatening Armenia for the past year to
solve the Karabakh issue in a military way, though, the Armenian
authorities have been responding they will gain victory again once
the war resumes,” the source says.

From: A. Papazian

“BREAKING THE BALANCE OF REGIONAL FORCES IS SILLY DONE”

Panorama
Aug 3 2010
Armenia

It’s not excluded that Russia may purchase military armaments to
Azerbaijan, but the opposite isn’t excluded as well, political expert
Alexander Iskandaryan told reporters. Iskandaryan stated we still
don’t know surely if Russia provides Azerbaijan with C-300 missile.

It’s worth reminding Russian “Vedomosti” published a story recently
making reference to its sources that Russia delivers certain type of
military armaments to Azerbaijan. But later “Rosoboronexpo” rejected
the information, saying no agreement on this respect is signed with
Azerbaijani authorities. But still some media publications say such
deal definitely exists between Russia and Azerbaijan.

“There can’t be any cooperation with Azerbaijan even when leaving
Armenian factor. Breaking the balance of regional forces is silly
done. Armenia cooperates with Russia to get military armaments isn’t,
in fact, a secret,” expert said.

From: A. Papazian

IDENTITY OF JET CRASH VICTIM STILL VEILED

Panorama
Aug 3 2010
Armenia

Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Armenian Embassy to Russia
still negotiate to unveil if 1985 born Denis Aghjoyan, one of the
victims of crashed An-24 passenger jet in Russia’s Krasnoyarsk
territory, was of Armenian nationality, Armenian MFA PR department
reported.

Panorama.am tried to get information from Gevorg Minasyan, the
responsible of the Armenian Embassy press service to Russia, if the
man was Armenian.

“It may be he was a Moldavian, and the surname is like an Armenian
name,” Minasyan told Panorama.am stating any definite information
wasn’t available.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN RELATIONS ON HIGH LEVEL: AMBASSADOR

Panorama
Aug 3 2010
Armenia

Armenian Ambassador to Russia Oleg Yesayan met with the representatives
of the Armenian community in Sochi. Political and business
representatives discussed variety of issues, the spotlight being
further intensification of Armenia-Russia ties, Yerkramas reported.

Oleg Yesayan said the cooperation between the two countries is
developing successfully in all the directions, first of all, in the
political, economic, military-political and cultural ones.

“Armenian-Russian relations are on high level at the moment, thus,
similar visits occur not once but periodically,” the Ambassador said.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA’S INDUSTRIAL GROWTH INDEX SECOND IN CIS: STATISTICAL SERVICE

Panorama
Aug 3 2010
Armenia

Armenian economy is developing quite rapidly, as compared with the
other CIS countries. Thus, Armenia registered 6,7% GDP growth for
January-May period, Azerbaijan – 3,7%, Russia – 2,9%, according to the
CIS Statistical Service. No information has been published on Georgia.

GDP growth in Uzbekistan has made 8%, in Kazakhstan – 8,3%, Tajikistan
– 7,4%, Belarus – 6,6%, Turkmenistan – 6,15%, Kyrgyzstan – 5%,
Ukraine – 4,9%, Moldova – 4,7%.

The industrial growth in Armenia has made 12,3%, three times as much
as in Azerbaijan (3,5%). With this index Armenia is second in the CIS,
yielding only to Kyrgyzstan with 41,8% (resulted by the opening of
Kumator gold company).

Ukraine and Tajikistan come third with 12%, the index in Kazakhstan
hit 11%, in Russia – 10,2%, Belarus – 8,8%, Uzbekistan – 8%, Moldova
– 6,6%.

Totally, CIS industrial growth has made 10%.

From: A. Papazian

OSCE MONITORS CONTACT LINE OF AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN TROOPS

Today

Aug 3 2010
Azerbaijan

Monitoring on the contact line of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops
took place without incidents. Monitoring was held on the contact
line between Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces outside the
Borsunlu village in the Goranboy region of Azerbaijan Aug.3., the
Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported. The monitoring was held on the
Azerbaijani side by OSCE Chairman-in-Office Personal Representative
field assistants Antal Herdich and William Pryor.

The monitoring was held on the opposite side, which the
international community recognizes as Azerbaijani territory, by OSCE
Chairman-in-Office Personal Representative Andrzej Kasprzyk’s field
assistants Imre Palatinus and Christo Christov.

From: A. Papazian

HEAD OF EU MISSION IN ARMENIA: ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT DOES NOT AIM TO SOLVE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Today

Aug 3 2010
Azerbaijan

Although bilateral agreements in the sphere of economy contribute to
establishing peace and stability, the Association Agreement between
EU and South Caucasus countries does not envisage intervention in
the conflict settlement processes, said the head of EU mission to
Armenia Raul de Lyutsenberger.

“We certainly want to play a more active role in resolving the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, because we want this issue to be resolved
peacefully. Nevertheless, the association agreement makes no attempt
to interfere in the process,” de Lyutsenberger said in an interview
with ArmInfo.

The first round of negotiations on the EU Association Agreement with
the three South Caucasus countries – Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia –
took place in mid July. Agreement is based on joint commitments to
develop common values and covers a wide range of spheres including
political dialogue, justice, freedom and security, as well as issues
of trade and cooperation.

The EU is not directly involved in the peace talks on Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict settlement. The EU supports the efforts of OSCE Minsk Group –
officially recognized international format for negotiations. Within
the Minsk Group, the peace talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia have
been continuing since May 1994 – the moment when the parties reached
a cease-fire agreement.

The Association Agreement was signed with all three South
Caucasus countries simultaneously, and this is important, says de
Lyutsenberger. The EU aims to complete the process simultaneously
with all three countries, he said.

“But, ultimately, this will depend on the countries, he said. –
Practically the speed of the negotiation process and their scope
depend on the preparedness of the partner countries to implement the
provisions stipulated in the agreement.”

The Association Agreement does not envisage accession of Armenia [or
any other South Caucasus countries] to the EU, said de Lyutsenberger.

The task of the agreement is to intensify relations and open the
domestic market of Armenia.

“Further integration with Armenia is work that could theoretically
contribute to the process of accession to the EU. At the same time,
this is not a task of the agreement, the ambassador said. – In
accordance with article 42 of the EC Agreement, Armenia joined many
international conventions, and as a member of the Council of Europe,
it can apply for membership to the EU. Association Agreement does not
put obstacles on this path, but it is not implied for this purpose.”

An important part of the Association Agreement is to facilitate the
visa regime between the EU and South Caucasus countries.

“We aspire to such a policy of visa regime, which will cover a broad
category of citizens of Armenia. The difficulty may arise in some
details of the legislative and administrative provisions that exist
in Armenia, and we need to consider them during negotiations with
the authorities,” said de Lyutsenberger.

Both sides will decide for which particular categories of citizens
the facilitated visa regime will act. It could be ordinary citizens
as well. The question is open for dialogue, he said.

From: A. Papazian

ISRAEL’S ATTACK ON LEBANON PIECE OF MOSAIC, ARMENIAN EXPERT SAYS

news.am
Aug 3 2010
Armenia

The Israeli-Lebanese border incident will not have any serious
consequences, the Arabist, Doctor of History Samvel Karabekyan told
NEWS.am.

According to him, it is the result of Israel’s policy of many moves
in the region. It is piece of mosaic that is rather difficult to form
into a single whole. “At present I have not enough information, but
I can say that the domestic situation is rather complicated in Lebanon.

There are serious interfaith problems there. Hezbollah and others
– that could have been an internal provocation of an external
aggression,” Karabekyan said. He stressed that Israel is not “clean”
either. “Sometimes the Palestinian problem forces Israel into steps
that, at first sight, have nothing to do with it,” the expert said.

“Time will show,” Karabekyan added.

From: A. Papazian

LEBANON DOES NOT RULE OUT NEW ISRAELI ATTACK

news.am
Aug 3 2010
Armenia

Presently the situation on the Israeli-Lebanese border is calm,
hostilities ceased, Lebanese Parliament MP, representative of the
“March 14” Union Sebouh Kalpakian told NEWS.am.

The MP failed to answer whether Israel is likely to reopen fire on
Lebanon. Kalpakian noted that presently the Lebanese authorities are
contacting UN for it not to allow Israel to resume attacks.

According to him, 3 soldiers of the Lebanese army were killed and
several servicemen injured in the incident. There are also injured
among civilians, the number is being clarified.

Today the Israeli and Lebanese troops exchanged fire on the border. A
journalist from Lebanon’s Al-Akhbar newspaper was killed, Kol Israel
reported referring to the source in Lebanese security services.

From: A. Papazian