Author: Babajanian Karo

L’ARMENIE REMBOURSE UN PRET RUSSE GRECE A SON PREMIER EMPRUNT SUR LES MARCHES

economie-dette-marches-gouvernement-obligations

Le gouvernement armenien a annonce jeudi qu’il allait rembourser
en avance un credit de plus de 400 millions de dollars accorde par
la Russie grâce a son premier emprunt sur les marches financiers
internationaux.

Cette ex-republique sovietique du Caucase a leve 700 millions de
dollars le mois dernier grâce a cette operation qui a rencontre
une forte demande et très symbolique dans sa volonte de gagner la
confiance des investisseurs etrangers.

Le ministre des Finances David Sargsian a annonce jeudi lors d’un
conseil des ministres que la plupart des fonds serviraient a rembourser
un pret de 440 millions de dollars accorde par la Russie en juin 2009
pour aider Erevan a traverser la crise de l’economie mondiale.

Ce pret etait prevu sur 15 ans mais l’Armenie a decide de regler sa
dette en avance, a precise le ministre.

L’Armenie a recemment annonce son intention de rejoindre l’Union
douanière menee par Moscou, mettant en peril des annees de negociations
avec Bruxelles pour aboutir a un accord de libre echange avec l’UE.

AFP

samedi 5 octobre 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

WHERE WILL KARDASHYAN $700 MILLION BE SPENT?

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Oct 4 2013

4 October 2013 – 2:37pm

David Stepanyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

The Armenian government has adopted the state budget for 2014.

“According to our forecasts, 2014 can be a very tense year due
to various independent reasons. First of all, it is confirmed by
predictions of a reduction of the GDP in Russia, which will definitely
influence our economy. Certain risks are connected with Armenia’s
joining the Customs Union; and the shift should be made softly.

However, the government shouldn’t artificially increase taxes so as
not to cause a negative influence on the business environment.

Considering all these risks, we correct the indices of tax revenues
by 11 billion drams and maintain the index of taxes-GDP the same,”
Premier Tigran Sarkisyan said. The expenditures of the state budget
will grow, after the increase of pensions by 15% and salaries by 40%
on January 1st and July 4th.

It is interesting that in the context of constantly growing external
debt, 87.2% of financing the state budget deficit accrue to internal
sources of financing. The state budget of 2013 requires that only 46.1%
of deficit financing accrue to internal sources. However, recently
Armenia published first Eurobonds ($700 million) for a seven-year
period with 6% rate. Considering the fact that foreign sources will
cover only 12.8% of deficit required by the state budget in 2014,
it is unclear where money attracted from placing Eurobonds called
“Kardashyan” will be spent.

The question is especially acute in the context of forecasts, according
to which the Armenian budget will come to the end of 2013 with the
deficit of no less than 2%, instead of expected 2.6%.

According to expectations of the head of the IMF Armenian mission,
Mark Horton, targets connected with revenues of the budget will be
completely fulfilled, while expenditures will be less than it has been
planned. In May the prime minister stated that by placing the bonds
Armenia intends to pay the Russian half-million credit; however,
when Eurobonds were successfully places, the Ministry of Finances
and Premier personally forgotten the idea. It is notable that the
international rating agency Moody’s lowered Armenia’s rating after
placing the bonds.

Thus, if the Armenian state debt to Russia is not paid, the citizens of
the republic will face new debt burden in $700 million which they will
have to pay during 7 years. Additional $700 million of debt is a great
level of debt for problem economy of Armenia. The foreign state debt
has been growing since 2006; and in 2012 the share of the foreign debt
in comparison with GDP reached 37.6% or $4 billion. It is reaching 40%.

According to the Strategic Program of the State Debt Management,
in 2014 Armenia’s debt will be $4.2 billion, in 2015 – $4.5 billion,
or almost equal to 50% of GDP.

At the same time, the state debt’s growth or the growth of GDP do
not influence incomes of the population. The government announces
increase of salaries which will take place in 10 months, while prices
are changing everyday. The gap between the growth of salaries and
the growth of prices is extending quickly.

It seems the authorities today are concerned not about living standards
of their citizens, but about the question how to send Kardashayn
$700 million. Life shows that this problem the government will solve
effectively and in short terms.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT’S SALARY TO GROW

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Oct 4 2013

4 October 2013 – 11:23am

Akop Akopyan, head of the commission for social affairs of the
Armenian parliament, said that the wages of President Serzh Sargsyan
will be increased from $987 a month today to $2220 on July 1, 2014,
Trend reports.

Wages of ministers and MPs will increase to $1480.

SCANDAL OCCURS DURING TV DEBATE IN AZERBAIJAN: 1500 RULING PARTY MEMBERS SIGNED UP FOR OPPOSITION

20:39 04/10/2013 ” ANALYSIS

On October 3 Public Television of Azerbaijan has once again turned
into arena of insults and attacks at Jamil Hasanli the presidential
candidate of the National Council of Democratic Forces, writes the
Azerbaijani information agency “Turan.”

Thus, during the TV debates of presidential candidates the head of
the “Present Musavat” party Hafiz Hajiyev called Hasanli a dishonest
person. “You swore on your honor. How can you swear on something
that you do not have,” Hajiyev said. He went on insulting the other
oppositionists, calling them by one of the words that define sexual
minorities.

In response Jamil Hasanli the single oppositionist candidate said
that Hajiyev offended the entire nation by such words as women and
children are watching the TV.

Hasanli blamed on President Ilham Aliyev, noting that it was him who
“had imported this immorality to the Azerbaijani policy.”

“Therefore, Ilham Aliyev has no moral right to rule Azerbaijan,”
Hasanli said. He added that in the world there are still two dynasties
ruling for more than 40 years, one of them is Kim Il Sung in North
Korea and Aliyev in Azerbaijan.

“The world is changed. Aliyev dynasty, Ilham Aliyev must leave
the power,” Hasanli said. Then he showed a piece of paper, which,
according to him, was Ilham Aliyev’s bank account of the Virgin
Islands, registered while he was a deputy.

In response, Aliyev’s representative Siyavush Novruzov, Zahid Oruj
and others accused Hasanli of using information from Armenian sources
and of slandering Aliyev.

According to the Azerbaijani news “Haqqin.az” portal Hafiz Hajiyev
accused Jamil Hasanly in having relationship with the Armenians,
saying that his daughter had married a foreigner of Armenian origin.

During the TV debate Hasanli complained for the fact that he is
personified with PPFA-Musavat tandem, while his candidacy is supported
by a broad coalition of forces.

According to him, about 1,500 members of the ruling party “Yeni
Azerbaijan” have signed in support of his candidacy.

As “Turan” notes, during the debates Mais Gyulalyev, the representative
of presidential candidate Ilyas Ismailov, accused the West of the
economic colonization of Azerbaijan and called for saving the country
from the dictatorship of the Western banks and the IMF.

The leader of the National Renaissance Party Faraj Guliyev, stated in
his turn, about the necessity of deepening relations with the U.S.,
Israel and Turkey, and made a disguising accusation to the leaders of
the National Council for flirting with Russia and for actions carried
out against the independence of Azerbaijan.

Source: Panorama.am

ARMENIAN MPS SHARE OPINIONS ON APPOINTMENT OF PROSECUTOR GENERAL

20:08 ~U 04.10.13

Head of the Heritage parliamentary group Rubik Hakobyan is unwilling to
speak of the situation following the appointment of Gevorg Kostanyan
as Armenia’s Prosecutor General given the fact that both Heritage
group members and the Armenian National Congress (ANC) group members
stated their intention to vote against the president-backed candidate,
but the ballot results showed only three “cons.”

With respect to ANC group member Nikol Pashinyan, who video recorded
his ballot paper during the secret ballot, Hakobyan said that the
ANC group member “did what he considered right.”

“I would not do it. People seem to be proving they are not fools. I
do not blame anyone,” Hakobyan told journalists on Friday.

Secretary of the ANC group Aram Manukyan believed the ballot was
rigged.

“Our group voted against and we believe all those who say they voted
against,” he said.

“The authorities’ contradictory statements are the ground for us.

Violations are difficult to prove, and I do not think we should look
for those responsible or try to prove that some MPs voted against
Gevorg Kostanyan. We should view it as a provocation, without
swallowing the bait,” Manukyan said.

Head of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) parliamentary group
Galust Sahakyan does not object to a vote recount.

He accounts for his stance for the opposition political figures’
attitude to the newly appointed Prosecutor General of Armenia Gevorg
Kostanyan.

“Just each of them voted for him and thought the others would vote
against. It was a thoughtless step on their part,” Sahakyan said.

According to the latest amendments to Armenia’s Election Code Nikol
Pashinyan’s act is a penal one, he added.

Armenian News – Tert.am

KARABAKH PRESIDENT: NO WAY BACK FOR US

October 04, 2013 | 16:26

STEPANAKERT. – Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), or Artsakh, President
Bako Sahakyan on Friday attended and international conference titled
“Artsakh’s National Liberation Struggle: From Gyulistan till our Days.”

The event convened in NKR capital city Stepanakert.

In his address, President Sahakyan underscored such international
scientific events in terms of an in-depth understanding of the
Artsakh issue, comprehensive monitoring of the regional processes,
and making more accurate projections of possible developments, informs
the Central Information Department of the Office of the NKR President.

According Sahakyan, the Armenian nation’s aspiration for a free and
sovereign existence and the restoration of national statehood is
amidst the longest national liberation struggles in world history,
with restoring free, sovereign and powerful national statehood,
ensuring its continuous development, and its strengthening being the
inalterable supreme strategic objective.

Speaking on the current phase of Artsakh’s state building process,
President Sahakyan highlighted that the country has no way back,
and added that the independence and security of Artsakh are unique
values that are not subject to any speculation.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

PACE WRONG PLACE FOR SUCH STATEMENTS – ARF-D MP

15:54 04.10.13

Aghvan Vardanyan, an Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun
(ARF-D) parliamentary group member, responded to journalists’ question
about the ARF-D’s stance on Zaruhi Postanjyan’s conduct at PACE.

“I do not think it is a matter or a person the party should condemn.

We have expressed our opinion. We all know Mrs Postanjyan. She is
an Armenian woman, a mother of four, a woman of features. But it was
wrong to make such a state in such a place. We would not let us do it,
but it is her right,” Vardanyan said.

The Heritage group is supposed to deal with the matter. It would be
interesting to know the group’s stance to understand whether it was
identical to Mrs Postanjyan’s.

The country’s problems can be raised at international organizations,
but they should be most serious ones, the MP said.

“When our guys were in jails in 1990s, international organizations
made use of the situation, inquired about the situation and we told
them that we ourselves had to resolve our problems. We should not
take steps that may threaten our country,” Vardanyan said.

Armenian News – Tert.am

CSTO VS. ARMENIA

The XI CSTO Interstate Committee on Military-Economic Cooperation
was held in Yerevan. The agenda included the issue on assistance in
defense of borders of Tajikistan which the CSTO presidents had agreed
earlier in Sochi.

Recently CSTO has been said to be taking a peacekeeping test after
which it will be able to participate in peacekeeping missions under
the UN mandate. It is not known yet which country will be honored to
accept the CSTO peacekeepers.

It is not known either whether Armenia will agree to send its troops
to the border of Tajikistan and Afghanistan. In any case, there have
been no official statements.

Instead, recently the RPA deputy leader Edward Sharmazanov made
a vociferous statement. He said that Serzh Sargsyan sent some
messages during the CSTO session in Sochi. First, Armenia treats
further development of CSTO from the point of view of sovereignty
and security. Second, the key priority for Armenia is the security
and international recognition of Karabakh. Third, a biased position
on the process of settlement of the Karabakh conflict by CSTO member
states is unacceptable.

This means that the CSTO does not have an agreed approach towards a
lot of important problems, including the Karabakh issue. More exactly,
there is an agreed position on Karabakh but it is not in line with
Armenia’s perceptions.

Armenia still remains in the CSTO and is even obliged to host the
sessions of the Council. However, it is obvious that the very first
“combat test” of the bloc which will be ten years this year will
reveal its acute lack of agreement and controversies. This might be
the reason why CSTO has avoided participation in military political
actions. Obviously, the very first action will result in the collapse
of the bloc the members of which have no common foes and goals. While
Russia considers NATO a foe or at least a competitor, Armenia is
quite friendly to NATO.

In this context, the CSTO has an intimidating and preventive role
for the members of the block rather than its “foes”. Russia holds
its members with the help of such phantom unions as the Eurasian Union.

These unions pursue the sole purpose of drawing a line between the
pro-Russian block and the rest of the world.

Naira Hayrumyan 21:06 03/10/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

TURQUIE : L’AGENCE DE RENSEIGNEMENT UN PARTENAIRE CLE POUR LE PREMIER MINISTRE ERDOGAN

TURQUIE

La mysterieuse Organisation nationale du renseignement de Turquie
est devenue un element important dans les politiques de securite du
Premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Mais certains observateurs sont
inquiets de constater que l’influence croissante de l’organisation
constitue une menace potentielle pour le système democratique du pays.

Connu sous son acronyme turc, le MIT, l’Organisation nationale du
renseignement se dresse aujourd’hui comme agence de renseignement par
excellence de la Turquie. Place par la loi sous le premier ministre,
elle gère a la fois les operations de collecte de renseignements
etrangers et nationaux, jouissant d’un large mandat.

Parmi ses objectifs devolues, par exemple, sont percues toutes
les menaces contre ” tous les elements ” qui constituent ” l’ordre
constitutionnel et la puissance nationale “. Cette vague formulation
donne une autorite potentielle au MIT pour enqueter et effectuer la
surveillance des opposants, reels ou percus.

Il ne semble pas y avoir de solides contrôles gouvernementaux sur
les activites du MIT. Le Parti Justice et Developpement d’Erdogan
(AKP), qui jouit d’une solide majorite au parlement, a adopte des
modifications legislatives en 2012 permettant de proteger efficacement
le personnel du MIT de l’examen par le pouvoir judiciaire, le bureau
du procureur et d’autres organismes d’enquete. Les individus, en
particulier les journalistes, qui tentent de se pencher sur les
activites de la MIT font face a la perspective de represailles. Des
peines d’emprisonnement pour ce qui est defini seulement comme de la
” divulgation ” de ” renseignements concernant la mission et les
activites du [MIT] ” sont dures, allant d’au moins deux a huit ans
et la peine augmente de 50 pour cent pour les ” organes de presse “.

Par consequent, la plupart des commentateurs de Turquie contactes par
EurasiaNet.org ont refuse d’etre interviewe pour cette histoire. La
presse turque musele a une position aussi claire face a ces questions
delicates concernant les operations de l’agence.

Un analyste turc, cependant, qui a requis l’anonymat, estime que
cette reticence a discuter publiquement du MIT est le reflet d’une
tendance autoritaire dans le style du leadership de M. Erdogan.

Mis a part les responsabilites essentielles, telles que la negociation
d’un accord de paix avec le chef emprisonne Abdullah Ocalan du Parti
des travailleurs du Kurdistan et contribuer a des relations directes
avec les concurrents regionaux de la Turquie, l’Iran et Israël,
certains observateurs ont affirme que l’agence fournit une aide aux
rebelles en Syrie qui se battent pour renverser le regime du president
Bachar al-Assad. Des representants de l’AKP rejettent vigoureusement
que l’organisation est impliquee dans de telles activites.

Hakan Fidan, 45 ans, directeur du MIT, au pouvoir depuis 2010, est
devenu un allie particulièrement precieux d’Erdogan, a commente
Emrullah Uslu, un expert en securite a l’Universite d’Yeditepe
d’Istanbul. Une fois nomme par le Premier ministre comme ” mon
secret-gardien ” Fidan, un ancien officier de l’armee qui occupait
auparavant un poste au service civil dans le bureau de M. Erdogan,
n’est pas connu pour etre fidèle a aucune source de puissance en
dehors du premier ministre lui-meme.

Le prestige du MIT, et celle de son chef, a correspondu avec la baisse
du pouvoir d’autres agences de renseignement de la Turquie, qui ont
des liens avec les forces armees, la police et la gendarmerie. Ce
declin est parallèle a la repression d’Erdogan contre l’influence
politique de l’armee turque.

Les limites aux pouvoirs du MIT ne sont pas clairement definis. En
vertu d’un projet de loi en cours d’examen au debut de cette annee,
par exemple, l’agence serait en mesure de mener des operations
clandestines et demander des informations non seulement des organismes
gouvernementaux, mais aussi des ” etablissements fournissant des
services publics “.

Certains observateurs craignent que, compte tenu de son statut et de
ses pouvoirs, l’agence pourrait devenir l’outil que le premier ministre
pourrait utiliser pour ecraser la dissidence interne legitime, allant
des manifestants du parc Gezi aux adeptes de l’influent dignitaire
sunnite Fethullah Gulen, un allie de jadis qui est maintenant vu
comme une critique de la gestion centralisee du Premier ministre.

Pour sa part, le MIT affirme sur son site Internet qu’il est ”
fermement consacree aux principes de la democratie pluraliste, la
primaute du droit, de l’impartialite et des droits de l’homme “.

Malgre le changement de statut entre les entites de renseignement
turcs, les rivalites inter-agences continuent. ” Cela peut devenir
très complique au niveau national “, a declare Gareth Jenkins, un
chercheur associe principal au Central Asia-Caucasus Institute & Silk
Road Studies Program Joint Center a Washington, DC. Dans le passe,
a-t-il ajoute, ” deux ou trois organisations ” ont meme fait des
operations de surveillance sur le ” meme sujet “.

Les Gulenistes etaient consideres comme ayant un rôle ” dominant
” dans le renseignement de la police, selon Jenkins, et restent de
premier plan dans la fonction publique et le système judiciaire, qui,
en Turquie, englobe egalement les procureurs et les fonctionnaires
en charge des elections.

Certains analystes, qui n’ont pas souhaite etre identifie, croient
que le mouvement Gulen ne percoit pas le MIT – où il n’exerce aucune
influence – parce que l’agence est percue comme renforcant l’autorite
de M. Erdogan. L’agence a deja fait face a un defi. En Fevrier 2012,
les procureurs on convoque cinq fonctionnaires du MIT, y compris
Fidan, pour un interrogatoire après que des enregistrements de ses
negociations avec le Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan ont ete
mises en ligne.

Au lieu d’exposer l’organisme a l’examen public potentiellement
dommageable, Erdogan a accelere un amendement par le Parlement qui
a empeche la remise en cause des employes du MIT sans l’autorisation
ecrite du Premier ministre. La loi a mis en evidence l’importance du
MIT pour le Premier ministre.

Plus tôt cette annee, la Cour constitutionnelle a rejete un appel de
l’opposition d’annuler la mesure. Pour l’instant, les maîtres espions
garderont leurs secrets.

Note de la redaction :

Justin Vela est un journaliste independant base a Istanbul.

Eurasianet.org

vendredi 4 octobre 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

ARMTECH AROUSES GREAT INTEREST AMONG WORLD’S LEADING IT COMPANIES

October 03, 2013 | 17:21

YEREVAN. – ArmTech Congress ’13, the sixth annual high-tech industry
business forum and conference, has aroused great interest among
prestigious international organizations.

Armenia’s Economy Minister Vahram Avanesyan stated the aforesaid
during a press conference on Thursday.

Close to 200 participants are expected to attend this event, and
these participants include the representatives of Rostelecom, IBM,
Cisco, D-Link, Mentor Graphics, National Instruments, UNIDO, Intel,
and Oracle.

In the minister’s words, new business ties are expected to be
established and two memoranda are planned to be signed within the
framework of ArmTech Congress ’13.

Avanesyan also informed that in 2012, a 20-percent growth was
registered in Armenia’s IT sector, but this year’s growth is already
22 percent.

To note, ArmTech Congress ’13 will take place on Friday at capital
city Yerevan Computer R&D Institute, and simultaneously with DigiTec
Expo 2013.

ArmTech traditionally takes place under the patronage of the Prime
Minister of Armenia.