Author: Andres-Papazian

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ADOPTED RESOLUTION ON ARMENIA-EU RELATIONS

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 18, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 18, ARMENPRESS: The association agreements that the
EU is negotiating with Armenia and Azerbaijan should make the region
safer, both by promoting a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict and by making EU support conditional upon their human rights
performance and democratic reforms. As Armenpress reports this was
mentioned in the resolution adopted by the European Parliament on
Wednesday.

Parliament’s resolutions make recommendations to the Council and the
Commission on lines to take when negotiating association agreements
with Armenia and Azerbaijan. MEPs approved the EU-Azerbaijan resolution
with – 520 votes in favour, 32 against and 24 abstentions and the
EU-Armenia one with 508 in favour, 29 against and 27 abstentions.

MEPs call on both countries to do more to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. The resolutions condemn the region’s militarisation and high
military expenditure and call on EU Member States to stop supplying
weapons and munitions to both countries.

Parliament also calls on the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to
tone down the language of their statements to pave the way for a
genuine dialogue.

Both rapporteurs stressed that although the association agreements
could not resolve the conflict, the EU should strive to contribute to
stability in the region, for example by focusing on the importance of
youth exchange and academic mobility to promote confidence building
during the negotiations on visa facilitation and readmission
agreements.

MEPs praise Armenia’s efforts to pursue ambitious reforms to
incorporate EU practices in justice, freedom, security and especially
migration sectors, but stress the need to ensure that its May
parliamentary elections are free and fair.

“The parliamentary elections of 6 May will be a test of Armenia’s
determination to have good relations with the EU. If they will be
free and fair, and I believe they will, this will demonstrate that
Armenia sticks to its commitments in serious way”, said rapporteur
Tomasz Piotr PorÄ~Yba.

The resolution notes that in Armenia’s previous elections, people were
killed in police attempts to prevent an opposition demonstration and
notes that Armenia has yet to complete a “transparent and impartial
investigation of the events of 1 March 2008”.

From: A. Papazian

REPORT SAYS ARMENIA STILL DEPENDS ON FOREIGN TRANSFERS

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 18, 2012 – 13:37 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The share of private transfers entering Armenia
has remained unchanged in the total household income, head of Economy
and Values Armenian Research Center said.

“We still seriously depend on private transfers,” Manuk Yergnyan said
during presentation of National Competitiveness Report of Armenia
2011-2012.

Presenting a comparative analysis of the country’s ability to receive
private transfers from 20 countries, the expert said that despite
Armenia’s quite weak positions, growth has been recorded in growth
rate of dependence on transfers.

Mr. Yergnyan further noted popularization of incomes as one of the
vulnerable areas of Armenian economy.

National Competitiveness Report of Armenia 2011-2012 has been
prepared by Economy and Values Research Center through support of
CAPS/USAID program, VivaCell-MTS, STAR trade network, German Society
for International Cooperation (GIZ) and Federal Ministry for Economic
Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

From: A. Papazian

MINISTER NALBANDIAN RECEIVED THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE IAEA

18.04.2012

On April 18, Foreign Minister Nalbandian received Yukiya Amano,
the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Welcoming the guest, Minister Nalbandian underlined that Armenia
attaches great importance to the relations and the development of the
cooperation with the IAEA, considering it as an important element of
Armenia’s energy and nuclear security.

Minister Nalbandian recalled the participation of President Serzh
Sargsyan in the works of the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit, which
reaffirmed the IAEA’s key role in the creation of efficient mechanisms
of global nuclear security.

Expressing gratitude for the reception, Yukiya Amano mentioned that
the IAEA stresses the importance of the cooperation with Armenia in the
sphere of nuclear security and described it as quite an effective one.

During the talk, the sides touched upon the cooperation between
Armenia and the IAEA, as well as the issues related to the Metsamor
nuclear power plant, building of a new nuclear power plant in Armenia
and nuclear security.

In this context Edward Nalbandian also noted that Armenia, being
a country which has a nuclear technology, joined a number of legal
documents, as well as joined the EU initiated tests for the risks
assessments of power stations.

Edward Nalbandian and Yukiya Amano exchanged views on the steps
undertaken by the IAEA towards the maintenance of nuclear security
on an international level.

From: A. Papazian

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN ISSUES MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCE ON WORLD-RENOWNED ARMENIAN MICRO SCULPTOR’S PASSING

news.am
April 18, 2012 | 15:05

YEREVAN. – Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on Wednesday released a
message of sympathy on the passing of Armenia’s Honored Art Worker,
great arts and craftsman, unrivaled master of miniature sculpting,
and renowned musician Eduard Ghazaryan, who died on Monday at the
age of 89.

In his message, the Head of State extended his deepest condolences
to the Ghazaryan family, the relatives of, and those close to the
talented arts and craftsman.

From: A. Papazian

GOVERNMENT PURSUES CREATION OF FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IN THE MICRO ATMOSPHERE

armradio.am
18.04.2012 15:09

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan participated in the presentation
of Armenia’s 2011-2012 National Competitiveness report. The Prime
Minister noted that the government attaches great importance to the
issue of raising the level of competitiveness, viewing it as one of
the most important features of the modern world.

“The government has adopted a new policy aimed at passing from
micro-regulation to the creation of favorable conditions for business
in the micro atmosphere. The export-oriented industrial policy is
one of the vivid examples of this,” PM Tigran Sargsyan said.

According to the Prime Minister, the National Competitiveness Report
provides an opportunity to assess the general situation in Armenia
within the regional or global framework, reveal the reasons of the weak
sides of our country’s competitiveness, assess the trends that could
have a considerable influence on the competitiveness of our country.

According to the report, in 2010 Armenia considerably improved its
position in the Global Competitiveness Report. A promising 4.6% growth
was registered in the economy in 2011, which provides for good ground
for future economic growth.

From: A. Papazian

SCR ASSISTS TO BUILD TRAINING POLYGON AT GYUMRI STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE

/ARKA/
APRIL 18, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, April 18. /ARKA/. South-Caucasian Railways (SCR) CJSC has
significantly contributed to the formation of training polygon at
Gyumri State Technical College, SCR press service informs.

SCR is said to assist in paving 10-meter long paths, installing
a bogie, an automatic coupler, compressor, as well as other tools
required for training and educating railwaymen.

The polygon will be used for training the students of Gyumri State
Technical College and SCR staff.

College headmaster Mkhitar Sargsyan said the training ground will be
better arranged thus improving training level for college students
and a turnout will be installed on the ground soon.

Sargsyan also added that currently 13 railway employees from Vanadzor,
Sevan, Yerevan and Gyumri are taking trainings on the polygon.

The training is arranged in accordance with the agreement signed
between Gyumri State Technical College and SCR CJSC, the source
reports. In the framework of the agreement since May 2011 103
railwaymen (12 station masters, 11 locomotive depot mechanics, 40
electricians and electrical engineers) have taken the qualification
courses in this specialized institute. In 2009 91 SCR employees have
passed these trainings.

SCR pays special attention to educating, training and organizing
qualification courses for its staff. The company’s employees are
trained in the leading Armenian Universities, in particular, the
State Engineering University of Armenia (SEUA) and in a number of
Russian universities.

For example, there are 17 employees/students at Rostov State Transport
University, one of which is involved in postgraduate studies; 41
other staff members study at SEUA.

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJAN INCREASED ITS MILITARY BUDGET BY 89 PERCENT IN 2011

news.am
April 18, 2012 | 00:14

Azerbaijan increased its military budget by 89 percent last year,
which is the biggest increase worldwide, the Stockholm International
Peace Research Institute reports.

“Azerbaijan increased its military budget by 89 percent last year, the
biggest increase worldwide. The dramatic growth came in the middle of
increasing warnings of renewed conflict […] over Nagorno-Karabakh,”
the report reads.

Global military spending was basically flat in 2011, growing only 0.3
percent and making $1.738 trillion. At the same time, the U.S. and
some European states cut off their military spending.

Russia increased its spending by 9.3 percent ($71.9 billion), being
the third in the world behind the U.S. ($711 billion) and China
(114 billion).

From: A. Papazian

JAVAKHK PEOPLE DON’T NEED MOSCOW’S PROTECTION
Siranuysh Papyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 13:16:23 – 18/04/2012

Advisor to the Georgian president Van Bayburt noted that the last
10-15 years have shown that the NATO security guarantees are real.

Someone reject this, someone is influenced by other states, and
the NATO values are not accepted as necessary, said Van Bayburt. He
thinks NATO security guarantees are more secure than those of other
security systems.

As to the relations between Armenia and NATO, then they are moving in
the due course. At the same time, he noted that Russia, who also has
relations with NATO, is jealous about the cooperation of Armenia and
Georgia with the Alliance. Van Bayburt says if NATO opened a logistics
center in Georgia or Armenia instead of Ulyanovsk, Moscow would fall
in a rage.

He noted that NATO bears democratic, peaceful values, and in this
sense, it is different from the CSTO. NATO is a military-political
bloc, while the CSTO is a purely military bloc, the leader of which
is a military general. For participation in any operation, NATO
asks the permission of the political leadership of all 28 countries,
while the CSTO decisions can be taken only by one state.

Van Bayburt noted that Moscow has refused fulfilling its obligations
at the expenses of small countries many times.

He also noted that Georgia’s wish to become a NATO member which has
been approved, stands for the intention to strengthen the country and
democratize it. After Georgia becomes a NATO member, it will fortify
its security, noted Van Bayburt.

Eastern European countries, which have recently become NATO members,
note the sharp increase of investments, which are even more than
after they joined the European Union.

Commenting on the statement by the Russia-based Javakhk Diaspora,
that in case Georgia joins NATO, Javakhk may announce separation,
Van Bayburt noted that the Organization is created by the Russian
authorities and Special Forces. “They have never issues a statement
when Javakhk Armenians were killed in Russia. They keep issuing
anti-Georgian statements”, said Van Bayburt. Javakhk people are the
sober part of the Georgian society and they don’t need to be protected
by Moscow. People know that is a provocative organization, he said.

From: A. Papazian

UN MINISTRE TURC OBSERVE UNE EGLISE ARMENIENNE SE METAMORPHOSER EN CENTRE CULTUREL
Stephane

armenews.com
mercredi 18 avril 2012

Le ministre Turc de la Culture et du Tourisme Ertugrul Gunay a visite
une eglise armenienne a Merzifon dans la province d’Amasya.

Le journal Zaman affirme que le ministre a pose des questions sur
les travaux de restauration informant que le ministère allouera une
aide complementaire pour finir la restauration. Après sa restauration
l’eglise armenienne servira de centre culturel.

L’Eglise a ouvert avant le Genocide armenien. Après la formation de la
Republique Turque et jusqu’aux annees 1980 le centre culturel Dogan
Sinemasi se trouvait dans l’eglise puis elle a ete donnee au Bureau
des Affaires Religieuses. Plus tard le Ministère de la Culture et du
Tourisme a pris a sa charge la renovation du bâtiment.

From: A. Papazian

L’ARMENIE SOUHAITE L’IMPORTATION DE PRODUITS PETROLIERS IRANIENS
Stephane

armenews.com
jeudi 19 avril 2012

L’Armenie a exprime son interet quant a l’importation de produits
petroliers en provenance d’Iran, a dit le directeur de la Societe
Nationale Iranienne de Distribution de Produits Petroliers.

Jalil Salari a dit a l’agence de presse Mehr que l’importation de
produits petroliers en provenance de Georgie n’est pas economiquement
justifiee pour l’Armenie et qu’ainsi elle souhaite l’importation de
produits d’Iran.

Le secteur prive iranien transferera des produits petroliers vers
l’Armenie via la route dans la première phase, a-t-il dit, ajoutant
que les exportations de produits petroliers continueront en employant
des pipelines.

En fevrier, les ministres iraniens et armeniens de l’energie ont qigne
un accord selon lequel l’Iran exportera de l’essence et des produits
petroliers vers ses voisins asiatiques.

Selon l’accord, l’Iran fournira a l’Armenie de l’essence, du gas-oil,
du petrole et du kerosène a annonce l’agence de presse Mehr.

Les capacites de production de gas-oil et d’essence de l’Iran sont
actuellement autour de 50 millions de litres et 100 millions de litres
par jour respectivement.

From: A. Papazian