Author: Antonian Lara

UNION OF BANKS OF ARMENIA HOLDS VISITING SESSION IN NAGORNY KARABAKH REPUBLIC

ArmInfo
2008-07-07 10:47:00

President of Nagorny Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan received the
delegation of the Union of Banks of Armenia (UBA) headed by Chairman
of Armenian Central Bank Artur Javadyan. The delegation arrived in
Stepanakert on July 4 with the Armenian governmental delegation headed
by Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan.

NKR Presidential Administration Chief Information Department told
ArmInfo A.

Javadyan presented NKR President the results of the visiting session
of UBA in the town of Shushi. The parties discussed development of
NKR banking system, prospects of cooperation of the banks of the two
Armenians states.

The parties agreed to expand banking services of Armenia in Nagorny
Karabakh. Crediting of small and medium-size enterprises, organization
of training programs for the specialists of the banking system.

Bako Sahakyan welcomed the initiative of the Union of Banks of Armenia
to study the economic field in NKR and implement new programs. At
the same time he expressed readiness to contribute to fostering the
cooperation of NKR and Armenian banks.

Head of NKR Presidential Administration Marat Musaelyan and Chairman
of Artsakhbank Board Kamo Nersisyan attended the meeting as well.

To recall, the Armenian governmental delegation headed by Prime
Minister Tigran Sargsyan met with NKR leadership and public.

NKR President Bako Shakyan received the delegation after having
vis-a-vis meeting with the Armenian premier.

NKR President expressed confidence that the visit of the Armenian
premier to NKR and the fact that Armenian high-ranking officials
start their working visits with Artsakh by tradition will foster the
relations and the cooperation of the two Armenian states.

For his part, Tigrn Sargsyan stressed that the Armenian authorities
represented by the government will do their best to support Artsakh.

NKR Prime Minister Ara Haroutiunyan also received the Armenian
governmental delegation comprising the minister of agriculture and
natural resources, minister of labor and for social affairs, minister
of education and science, and minister of culture. The ministers
discussed issues of mutual interest with their Karabakh colleagues.

The governmental delegation visited Stepanakert Memorial Complex for
Heroes of Karabakh War, town of Shushi where Shushi Revival Foundation
presented its work at the Center of Arts, Crafts and Tourism. The
governmental delegation participated in the opening of water pipelines
in the village of Khramor, Askeran region and village of Kolkhozashen,
Martuni region, NKR.

ARIF YUNUSOV: "SERZH SARGSYAN OBVIOUSLY FEELS NOT AT EASE IN AN ATTEMPT TO BECOME CLOSER TO RUSSIA AND THE WEST AND PLEASE ALL OF THEM"

Today.Az
04 July 2008
Azerbaijan

Day.Az interview with famous conflict expert Arif Yunusov.

– How do you assess the current sociopolitical situation in Armenia?

– It is difficult to specify situation in Armenia in brief,
because the events there develop by a script differing from ours or
Georgia’s. Parallels can be formally drawn with the 2003 events and
I can say that the same occurred in Armenia in spring.

At the same time, the situation is even more complicated. Thus, on
the other hand, the society demonstrated strong resentment with the
ruling regime. The fact that regime is not local but originates from
Karabakh even added negative. In the result, people were waiting for
a charismatic and wise opposition leader to reverse the situation
in Armenia.

Levon Ter-Petrosyan has become such a leader, through his second
appearance on the political stage astonished most people greatly,
for Armenia thought he will never return as a politician again. The
statements that the Armenian people will not forgive the terror,
suffered by the people, especially Yerevan residents in the ealy 1990s,
have been repeatedly made before. But it all sank into oblivion. The
most important thing were the organizational and declamatory skills
of the first President.

But it is not enough to have a leader and intention of the society. For
such small countries, as ours, reaction of the leading geopolitical
players is crucial. But here everything is different. In West’s
opinion Armenian opposition was untimely in raising the combat, as
now Russia’s position is more important for the West and today it is
not profitable for the West to argue with Russia for Armenia. This
is not Georgia, where the majority of population is anti-Russian. It
is unclear how can it affect the West in Armenia. Russia’s positions
are strong enough here.

In the result, opposition failed to complete its duty. Russia did not
believe to Ter-Petrosyan urgently arriving in Moscow, while the West
has taken the wait-and see stance, while Armenian society was striken
with pessimistic spirits. Today, these very feelings-disappointment
and pessimism are defining for understanding the situation in Armenia.

At the same time, it can not be said that Serzh Sargsyan has managed to
consolidate his positions. He still feels not at ease while attempting
to get closer to the strongest countries – Russia and the West and
wants to please all of them.

On the other hand, Levon Ter-Petrosyan and his supporters have a
rich political experience, they were caught in such situations and
managed to find a way our. Thus, there has been a certain pause in
the political situation in Armenia, which will probably last until
spring of the next year, when situation in Armenia may deteriorate
again under the influence of talks on Karabakh and PACE resolution,
and perhaps on other reasons. But there can hardly be anything serious
in Armenia before it.

– How would you comment on the statement of first Armenian president
Levon Ter-Petrosyan who said that adoption of resolution 1620 at
PACE summer session regarding Armenia is illogical and "evidences the
unscrupulousness of this organization and that the West has created
virtual Armenia for itself and now tries to prove us that the country
where we live is wonderful"?

– Levon Ter-Petrosyan statement proves strong disappointment with the
West’s position. We have sustained this repeatedly in Azerbaijan, while
Armenians have faced this for the first time, as opposition hoped for
the principal position of the West in the face of the OSCE and PACE.

But it did not occur, which has become a kind of a cold shower
for Armenian opposition. But belief in West has been preserved,
otherwise what should they do? Russia’s position in the elections
in any country in the post-Soviet area is primordially known, there
is nothing unclear there. There is no Islam factor in Armenia as
well. Therefore, Armenian opposition’s choise is too restricted. It is
too discontented with the position of the West, if exactly, western
organizations, it will periodically criticize them, but at the same
time not lose hope for their assistance.

– What is a difference between Azerbaijani and Armenian opposition?

– The differences are great and they are caused by many factors,
including actions of the authorities, position of the society
and reaction of geopolitical actors. There is a great difference
everywhere.

For example, energy factor plays important role for the West in
Azerbaijan. Therefore, the West shows passive reaction to the
actions of the authorities, formally in order not to spoil their
image completely. As is said, even PACE resolutions smell of oil
in Azerbaijan, which will last until the time when oil reserve are
exhausted. Our authorities are aware of it, and act fearlessly as
they understand that nothing threatens to them in real. Therefore
they can use force and money is enough to buy opposition when
necessary. Besides, our society is also pessimistic.

The situation is quite different in Armenia and the society is not so
pessimistic there and the West thinks not about the reserves in the
country, therefore, at some stage it will impose pressure on Armenian
authorities and assist to opposition. The latter just hurried, as
our compatriots in South Azerbaijan did in May of 2006.

At the same time, our opposition has to learn from Armenian’s. First
of all, Armenian opposition has a definite strategy, which it executes
consistently enough or at least tries to implement. And tactically it
is more creative. Let’s recall the story with the spread of DVD and
cassettes from Ter-Petrosyan’s meeting among the population. Know-How
is on the high level. It also invests something and tries to act
unexpectedly.

– Nevertheless, despite expectations of most experts, June 20 meeting
of the Armenian opposition involves masses. How did Armenian opposition
manage to attain such a success, as conduction of mass protest action
in the center of Yerevan in conditions of strong pressure by Armenian
authorities?

– Everything is relative. The pressure of Armenian authorities
on opposition is in fact not so strong, especially in comparison
with us. On March 1 the authorities managed to take control of
the situation only with use of force and deploying army in the
streets. Now, when the pressure of the authorities has weakened,
the opposition has a chance to conduct its activity. The question is
how to atract masses? Ter-Petrosyan managed to relieve a part of the
society from apathy and distrust in their powers. But only a part
of the society. Another part, especially beyond the capital city,
is still sleepy and fearing its authorities. Thus, the meetings in
Yerevan are only attended by those who joined them in February-March.

– In this case, what can we expect from the meeting of Armenian
opposition, scheduled for July 4?

– This meeting will not be so decisive for Armenia. The past script
will repeat. Another moment is important here: Armenian opposition,
led by Ter-Petrosyan always invents and undertakes something,
permanently holding the authorities under tension, which is important.

This means that the working Armenian regime will always be under
pressure, Even summer vocations are not for them, through traditionally
political activity is declining in this period, while in Armenia we
see different developments, which is a result of opposition’s actions.

TURKISH THESIS REGARDING 1915 EVENTS ADOPTED BY OSCE

9337483.asp?scr=1
Thursday, July 03, 2008

Turkey’s thesis against Armenian allegations about the events of 1915
has been adopted for the first time by the general assembly of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

"The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s annual session was held in
Kazakhstan’s capital Astana with the main theme of ‘Transparency
in the OSCE’. During the session, a motion submitted by the Turkish
delegation was adopted. The motion underlines that past events like
genocide should be recognized only after historians carried out a
detailed research in all kinds of archives," Alaattin Buyukkaya,
who leads the Turkish group at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly,
told a statement on Wednesday.

In 2005, Turkey officially proposed to the Armenian government the
establishment of a joint historical commission composed of historians
and other experts from both sides to study together the events of
1915 and to open the archives of Turkey and Armenia, as well as
the archives of all relevant third-party countries and share their
findings publicly.

Unfortunately, Armenia has not yet responded positively to this
initiative and Turkey’s proposal remains on the table.

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic links since Ankara
intensified its protests against Armenian invasion and violence in
the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which Armenia invaded in a war with
Azerbaijan in the early 1990s.

The border between Turkey and Armenia has been closed.

Armenia, with the backing of the Diaspora, claims up to 1.5 million
of their kin were slaughtered in orchestrated killings in 1915. Turkey
rejects the claims, saying that 300,000 Armenians along with at least
as many Turks died in civil strife that emerged when the Armenians
took up arms for independence in eastern Anatolia.

"The OSCE is the biggest international organization behind the United
Nations. Adoption of the Turkish thesis by the OSCE is a significant
achievement against the Armenian allegations. Also, the Turkish thesis
regarding the events of 1915 was adopted for the first time on an
international platform. The OSCE has 56 member states. Only Armenia
voted against the motion. A majority of the other member states voted
in favor of it," he said.

"The motion says that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly encourages the
formation of joint history commissions by historians and experts from
the third countries in case of a research into political and military
archives to scientifically and unbiasedly enlighten a disputed period
in history in an effort to serve transparency and common understanding
among the member states," Buyukkaya added.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE is the parliamentary
dimension of the organization, whose 56 participating States span the
geographical area from Vancouver to Vladivostok. The primary task of
the 320 member Assembly is to facilitate inter-parliamentary dialogue,
an important aspect of the overall effort to meet the challenges of
democracy throughout the OSCE area.

LEVON ZURABIAN: AUTHORITIES ARE CAPABLE OF ANY MEANNESS

NOYAN TAPAN

Ju ly 3

At the rally to be held on July 4, leader of the National Movement
Levon Ter-Petrosian was going to make proposals of overcoming
the political crisis and moving the struggle to the constructive
field. However, as Levon Zurabian, a representative of the National
Movement, stated at the July 3 press conference, the authorities
presented manifestation of opposition’s good will as a retreat
"for the purpose of encouraging the criminal elements supporting
them and stirring them to act against the people." The evidence of
it is the act of violence committed against one of Hima’s activists,
Narek Hovakimian, not authorizing rallies, the attack upon peaceful
citizens in Northern Avenue the previous day.

"Therefore, the regime showed its being unable to settle the crisis
through a peaceful, political, civil, constructive dialogue," the
National Movement representative said.

According to L. Zurabian, "under the formed situation the people
has nothing else to do but to rise to show the might of the national
movement," for release of people arrested for their political views,
restoring violated people’s freedoms. "The July 4 meaning changed,
but it was the choice of the administration," he stated adding that
the Movement will continue fighting with legal, national methods,
but henceforth the struggle will be much more decisive.

Touching upon the previous day’s incident, the Movement representative
said that it was committed before the eyes of the Police and more than
300 eye-witnesses, there are many video recordings and photographs. He
said that those attacking had arrived to the scene by cars with
14 SO 265, 286 SO 64, 638 LL 64, 297 LL 64, 436 LL 64 registration
numbers. According to L.

Zurabian, the movement representatives made an attempt to cooperate
with the policemen, gave them many video recordings, a written
complaint was sent to the Central Department of Yerevan Police.

"The incident shows that the authorities are capable of any meannnes
and the nerves of the authorities are weakened," he said. In response
to the question of whether it is possible that a third force acts,
which tries to hinder a possible dialogue between the authorities
and the opposition, L.

Zurabian said that "theoretically it is not excluded." According
to him, the answer to that question will depend on whether the
Police will disclose the instigators and organizers of the July 2
disorders. According to him, if the Police has proper will, the case
will be disclosed easily and quickly.

Otherwise it will be proved that all this was organized by the
authorities and only for that reason those committing it will remain
unpunished.

ABKHAZIA VIOLENCE AND REGIONAL REDEFINITION

Kuwait Times
July 02, 2008
Kuwait

There has been a recent uptick in violence in the Georgian secessionist
region of Abkhazia, with six people suffering injuries June 30 when two
small bombs went off in trash bins in a parking lot across the street
from a market in the Abkhaz capital of Sukhumi. On the previous day,
another six people were injured when two small bombs exploded in the
Abkhaz Black Sea resort city of Gagra. Abkhaz authorities immediately
blamed Georgians for the attacks, and they quickly announced that the
border between Geor gia and Abkhazia would close July 1 in response.

Violence and random attacks occur frequently inside Abkhazia and
across the border in Georgia proper. This sudden spike in violence
is most likely not random, but an attempt by the Abkhaz to sabotage
a new opening of Georgia-Russia negotiations. Georgia has two
separatist enclaves, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, that achieved de
facto independence in 1993 and have benefited from Russian protection –
including the presence of Russian peacekeepers – ever since. Abkhazia
is the more militant of the two.

Tensions have been high in the region for many years, with Russia using
its presence in Abkhazia and South Ossetia to push back on Georgia,
which has been pro-Western since its Rose Revolution in 2005 – much
to Russia’s ire. Since then, the West (mainly the United States)
has seen Georgia as its closest ally in the region. Over the past
few years, a series of militant and military squabbles has escalated
the situation. In addition, Russia has increased its troop presence
in Abkhazia, and Georgia has sough t NATO membership as part of the
West’s overall protection. But Tbilisi has learned in the past year
that the West has much more significant issues on its plate. The
European Union is in internal chaos over the Lisbon Treaty, and the
United States is bogged down with Iran and Iraq.

Moreover, Georgia has felt increasingly isolated by the West’s
abandonment in the face of Russia’s growing aggression. In the past
month, it has also seen a symbolic consolidation of relations between
Armenia and Azerbaijan with Russia. New Russian President Dmitri
Medvedev has met with the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders at least
twice in the past month, and another trip to Baku is slated for the
week of June 30. Unless it wants to commit geopolitical suicide by
taking on Russia by itself, Georgia now ha s only one real option: It
must strike a deal with Moscow. One is already on the table, according
to leaks in the media. It includes the Georgians partitioning Abkhazia
and allowing refugee Georgians, who fled in the early 1990s during
the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict, to return. But Russia has nixed this
deal outright.

According to Stratfor sources, however, there is another deal in the
works. It would allow Georgian refugees to return to a small section in
Abkhazia just north of Gali in exchange for the Kodori Gorge region,
the only part of Abkhazia that is under Georgian control. This deal
could actually work for both the Abkhaz and the Georgians in that both
get back a small sliver of what they claim as their territory. Georgia
might be comfortable giving up Kodori because it includes a small
ethnic group called the S vans-fierce fighters who are pro-Georgian
– who would be capable of keeping watch on Abkhaz and Russians
in the region for Tbilisi. But the deal has to go through Russia,
which has its own hook: It wants Tbilisi to renounce its bid for
NATO membership. The Georgians could go along with such a demand,
since they know the West currently has little interest in their
country. Georgia also knows that a deal with Moscow could be broken
in the future, just as others have been broken in the past.

But in this case, the details do not really matter. Whether Tbilisi
accepts this deal or another also matters less than what this situation
says about the overall power play that is unfolding. Russia has
resumed its authority. The fact that Georgia might be scrambling for
a deal before a crisis erupts marks the return of Russian authority,
and a redefinition of the balance of power in the region. Currently,
the West does not have the wherewithal to confront Russia. If it did,
a defining confrontation woul d have unfolded. The West has passed
on that opportunity, leaving Georgia to fly solo and at the mercy
of Russian will. But this inaction signals a greater understanding
by the West – that Russia’s power will not remain in Georgia, but
expand to other regions and beyond.- Stratfor

TRADE CIRCULATION GROWS BY 3.7%, SERVICES VOLUME BY 10.6% IN ARMENIA IN JANUARY-MAY 2008 COMPARED WITH SAME PERIOD OF PREVIOUS YEAR

NOYAN TAPAN

Ju ne 3

Trade circulation, in current prices, amounted to 519bn 577.1m drams
(more than 1bn 686.3m USD) in Armenia in January-May 2008. It grew
by 3.7% in comparable prices compared with the same period of 2007.

According to the data of the RA National Statistical Service,
wholesale trade circulation made 331bn 918m drams in current prices
in January-May 2008, growing by 4.3 in comparable prices compared
with the same period of 2007.

Services volume amounted to 221bn 843m drams in current prices in
January-May 2008, which increased by 10.6% in comparable prices
compared with the same period of 2007.

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, EDVARD NALBANDYAN, LEFT FOR BERLIN

Panorama.am
17:40 01/07/2008

On the eve Edvard Nalbandyan, the minister of Foreign Affairs, RA,
had an official visit to Germany. As press and informational office of
the ministry of Foreign Affairs informs on the first day of the visit
the minister had a meeting with the vice-prime-minister of Germany,
minister of Foreign Affairs, Frank-Walter Steinmayer.

During the meeting both noticed that Armenian-German relations
are warm, friendly and in high level and an efficient cooperation
between 2 countries develops in bilateral and multilateral modes,
a large law-contractual sphere is created which includes business
connections. Nalbandyan added that for Armenia further development
and strengthening of cooperation with one of the leading countires is
of great importance. Besides he assures that Armenia will do all the
necessity. At the minister`s of FA of Germany request E. Nalbandyan
introduced the last developments of negotiations concerning Karabakh
problem, as well as chances of regulations of Armenian-Turkish
relations and the steps in this direction done by Armenia.

The ministers of FA turned to the problem of security of safety and
stability. They discussed the co-operations in the sphere of culture
and education and the realization of the projects. Edvard Nalbandyan
noticed that In Armenia German is of great importance and expressed
Armenian expectations of opening the representation of Goethe institute
in Yerevan.

At the same dayNalbandyan had meetings with the prime-minister, Angela
Merkel, foreign policy adviser, Christoph Heusgen, secretary of FA,
Raynald Zilberberg and the head of evangelic church, Bishop Wolfgang
Heuber and discussed problems concerning both sides.

PM TIGRAN SARGSYAN RECEIVED REPRESENTATIVES OF PROSECUTOR’S OFFICES OF DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

armradio.am
01.07.2008 12:52

RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan received the delegation of
representatives of the Prosecutor’s Offices of Russia, Ukraine,
Belarus, Hungary, Georgia and Lithuania and the Executive Secretary
of the Coordinating Council of Prosecutors Generals of the CIS Member
Nations, who arrived in Armenia on the occasion of the 90th anniversary
of establishment of the Prosecutor’s Office of Armenia.

The Prime Minister said the 90-year way passed by the Prosecutor’s
Office is a good occasion for summing up the work done and determining
the future deeds, taking into consideration the new problems
and demands that lay in the basis of reforms of the prosecution
system. Welcoming the meeting of the colleagues from different
countries, Tigran Sargsyan attached importance to the exchange
of experience, joint discussion of existing problems and finding
effective ways of their solution.

Members of the delegation thanked for the invitation and warm
reception, underlining that for many years they have been successfully
cooperating in the fight against corruption, a number of agreements
on bilateral cooperation have been signed. At the Prime Minister’s
request, they presented the reforms implemented in the prosecution
systems in their countries, spoke about achievements and the existing
problems, which can solved more easily with joint effort.

CZECH FOREIGN MINISTER DENIES TALKS WITH PUTIN ON RUSSIAN RADAR IN AZERBAIJAN

Pravo, Prague
June 27 2008
Czech Rep.

[Interview with Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg by Jitka Goetzova; place and date not given: "Foreign Minister Schwarzenberg: With Putin in Baku About Radar? Nonsense"]

[Goetzova] What do you have to say about KSCM [Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia] Chairman Vojtech Filip’s statement in the Chamber of Deputies that you are going to talk with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
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in Baku on 3 July about the use of the Russian radar in Azerbaijan?

[Schwarzenberg] It amused me. I wish to know on whose behalf I am supposed to conduct these talks. Chairman Filip should cast some light on this.

[Goetzova] Will you talk about the radar with anyone else there?

[Schwarzenberg] I will not talk about the radar there at all.

[Goetzova] So what is the objective of your tour of Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia next week?

[Schwarzenberg] There will be V4 [Visegrad Four, regional grouping of Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia] in Georgia [sentence as published]. I have the honour of representing the Visegrad Four and I will have talks with my counterparts in these countries.

[Goetzova] You said that the financial audit of Deputy Prime Minister Jiri Cunek’s finances [concerning Cunek’s alleged corruption] would be ready at the turn of June and July. Have you received the results?

[Schwarzenberg] It is nearing the end, but I have nothing in my hands yet. I let the auditors do their work and I am waiting for what they will give me.

[Goetzova] How will you announce the conclusions of the verdict?

[Schwarzenberg] When I have the results of the audit in my hands, I will first show them to those people with whom I had agreed on this procedure, that is, the prime minister, the Green Party chairman, and of course Mr Cunek.

[Goetzova] Could President Klaus’s pardon for drug smuggler Emil Novotny disrupt our relations with Thailand, where he was originally sentenced to 50 years in prison?

[Schwarzenberg] This is a surprise for me. I do not know about it. I returned late last night from a foreign visit.

[Goetzova] The president argues that Novotny committed the crime at a very young age and that he had suffered enough in the Thai prison.

[Schwarzenberg] This is the president’s right and I do not want to interfere in this.

BYELORUSSIAN DELEGATION VISITS ARMENIA

ARKA
June 25

A delegation of the Minsk region, Belarus, has been on a visit to
Armenia. The delegation discussed prospects of cooperation between
Zhodino (Belarus) and Kajaran (Armenia).

The Press and Information Department, RA Foreign Office, reports
that, on June 22, RA Ambassador to Belarus Oleg Yesayan, Mayor of
Zhodino Vasili Grischenko and Director General of the BelAz Production
Association Pyetr Parkhomchik discussed the details of the visit.

Ambassador Yesayan visisted the BelAz plant and received information on
the production process and range of products, including road-building
machinery.

The sides emphasized the importance of initiative to expand cooperation
between the large plants in Zhodino and Kajaran, as this cooperation
account for a major part of Armenian-Byelorussian trade.

In October 2006, Zhodino, Minsk region, Belarus, and Kajaran, Syunik
region, Armenia, signed a cooperation agreement.

The Byelorussian delegation came to Armenia to resolve the problems
with operation of over 100 BelAz heavy trucks at the Kajaran copper and
molybdenum plant. The delegation also discussed the issue of supplying
new heavy trucks to Armenia with a weight-carrying capacity of 90 to
130 tons.