Author: Babajanian Karo

ARMENIA REJECTED EUROPEAN INTEGRATION FOR AZN 352.5 MILLIONS

Azerbaijan Business Center
Sept 4 2013

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Armenia verbally rejected European integration
for RUB 15 billion to be invested in Armenian railways by “Russian
railways”. In accordance with the official rate of Central Bank of
Azerbaijan for September 3 (AZN 0.0235 to RUB 1) the contract value
makes AZN 352.5 millions.

At this price yesterday Serzh Sargsyan, the President of Armenia,
(jointly with his Russian colleague Vladimir Putin) signed the document
on entering the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia.

“We hold detailed experience sharing discussion on the issues of
Eurasia integration and I confirmed Armenia’s intentions to enter
Customs Union and join the process of Eurasia Economical Union
creation. The decision to enter Customs Union pursues national
interests of Armenia and cannot imply rejection of dialog from European
Structures”, – said Sargsyan in Moscow. Nevertheless, the Government
members have already announced that the European integration is now
closed for Armenia and the country will not initial EU Association
Agreement at the European Partnership summit (EaP) to be held in
Vilnius in November. However, Armenians make no haste to enter the
Customs Union pointing out at the lack of common border with it and
“other problems”.

Such “problems” are well known: the Armenian occupation of 20 % of
Azerbaijan territory. Free-trade zone gained by Armenia as a result of
signing the EU Association Agreement wouldn’t include Nagorno-Karabakh
and 7 Azerbaijani regions occupied by Armenia. However, the Customs
Union contains the same condition, precisely formulated by Kazakhstan.

Today Armenia in fact cannot neither join EU Association, nor enter
the Customs Union, unless it stops the occupation of Azerbaijan
territories. And no one would pay even this not really substantial
for a successful state price of AZN 352.5 million for such choice.

TURKISH WRITER YASAR KEMAL GETS ARMENIA’S KRIKOR NAREGATSI MEDAL

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Sept 4 2013

ISTANBUL – Doðan News Agency

Acclaimed Turkish writer Yaþar Kemal has received the Krikor Naregatsi
Medal, which is awarded by the Armenian Culture Ministry.

Kemal was awarded the medal for his successes and contributions
to literature, in addition to his works which have helped preserve
Armenian cultural heritage.

“We are here to show our appreciation to Kemal on his contribution to
protecting important Armenian architecture such as Akdamar Church [in
Lake Van],” said Culture Ministry representative Seyranuhi Geghamyan
during a visit to Kemal’s home to present him with the award.

“I am from Van. … Today I salute you and thank you, and I really
would like our societies to communicate again,” said Armenian The
Armenian representatives deputy Aragats Akhoyan, adding that they were
determined to build an environment that lends itself to communication.

“On these lands pople have gone through pain. The most sacred effort
is to fight against hostility,” Kemal said, adding that Narekli Krikor
was a poet that he esteemed greatly and that he was honored to receive
the medal.

The Armenian representatives also gave Kemal an Armenian translation
of one of his most famous works, “Memed, My Hawk,” which was first
published in 1975.

Kemal said Anatolia was the land of many civilizations, including
Armenian civilization, which had bequeathed many traces from
architecture to art and music.

September/04/2013

LITHUANIAN POLITICAL REVIEWER SEES ARMENIA’S MOVE AS SIGN OF DESPAIR

Baltic News Service / – BNS
September 3, 2013 Tuesday 6:44 PM EET

VILNIUS, Sep 03, BNS – Armenia’s decision to join the Russian-led
Customs Union was caused by pressure from Moscow, Lithuanian political
reviewer Vytis Jurkonis has said.

Jurkonis, a lecturer at the Vilnius University’s International
Relations and Political Science Institute, says that the statement made
by the Armenian president on the move to accept the Russian proposal,
thus thwarting the option of signing the Free Trade Agreement with
the European Union (EU), can be viewed as a sign of despair.

“The statement should not be a surprise to many those who said that
Armenia is among the most dependent upon Russia. On the other hand, the
benefits and efficiency of the Customs Union with Belarus, Kazakhstan
and Russia, when Armenia has no borders with any of the countries,
is not convincing,” Jurkonis told BNS.

“Without doubt, it is part of a larger game – the Russian Federation
is stepping up pressure upon countries of the Eastern Partnership
program so that they do not sign Association Agreements. Armenia’s
geographical location and its complex relations with neighbors are
unenviable. The statement can be viewed as a certain sign of despair
due to the rather indefinite situation Armenia is in. In any case,
Russia and the Customs Union are hardly a better alternative to the
European perspective,” he said.

Armenia’s president announced intentions to join the Customs Union
after meeting with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin earlier on
Tuesday.

ARMENIA COMMITTED TO INITIALING ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT WITH EU – VIGEN SARGSYAN

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

18:41 04.09.13

[g_image.php?id=348056&tmb=3]

Despite Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union, Chief of the
Armenian Presidential Staff Vigen Sargsyan has re-affirmed Armenia’s
commitment to the initialing of an association agreement with the
European Union at the Eastern Partnership Summit to be held in Vilnius,
Estonia, this November.

  In an interview with RFE/RL, Mr Sargsyan noted that the decision
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan announced following his meeting with
his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin did not at all mean refusal
from an association agreement with the EU. 

“At his joint press conference with the Russian president, the
president [of Armenia] re-stated that the political reforms we were
implementing with our European partners’ support were of paramount
importance for Armenia. We are deeply committed to continuing the
reforms and reaching the political goals envisaged by our cooperation
with the European Union,” Mr Sargsyan said. 

As regards the opinion that membership in the Customs Union may prove
to be an obstacle to the creation of a deep and comprehensive free
trade area, he said:

“Armenia’s position is well known. We have always tried to combine
the commitments and cooperate with both partners. If we are told it is
impossible, we remain committed to the most important component of our
dialogue with European structures. In our opinion, it is a political
dialogue and promotion of reforms in the country to modernize social
and political culture and create stable government institutions. With
this end in view, we will do our best to be prepared to initial the
association agreement at the Vilnius Summit.”

Mr Sargsyan refuted the claims that Armenia’s decision to join the
Customs Union was made under pressure.

“Armenia has no partners that would talk to it by means of pressure,
blackmail or ultimatums,” he said.

Armenia expressed its interest in the Customs Union as soon as the
process got under way. Armenia pointed out the absence of a common
border with the Customs Union. A number of expert meetings were held,
and experts drafted solutions to ensure Armenia’s efficient membership
in the Customs Union, even with common borders lacking.

So the decision was made in Armenia’s interests, with the country’s
economic pattern and economic development prospects considered. The
goal of Armenia’s dialogue with the EU has always been modernizing
the government system and promoting democratic reforms.

“We remain committed to the goals and we want to continue a full-scale
dialogue,” Mr Sargsyan said. 

MINASYAN: RUSSIA UNLIKELY TO INSIST ON RESIGNATION OF ARMENIA’S EUROPE-LEANING PRIME MINISTER

YEREVAN, September 4. /ARKA/.Sergey Minasyan, the head of a division
of the Institute of CIS Countries, commenting today on the rumors
going around that Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, who is
known for its bent for Europe and repeated objections to the idea of
Armenia’s membership in the Customs Union, will be dismissed under
pressure from the Russian side, said he didn’t think so.

“Armenia has responded to Russia’s wishes, and Russia, on its side,
taking this fact into account, has made good proposals to Armenia,”
he said answering ARKA News Agency’s question. “The two presidents
met in compromising, not confrontational atmosphere, and I don’t
think something like that will happen.”

Armenia’s president Sezrh Sargsyan said Tuesday after talks
with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow that Yerevan
had decided to join the Customs Union of Russia, Kazakhstan and
Belarus, as well as the proposed Eurasian Economic Union strongly
promoted by Russian President Vladimir Putin. —0— – See more at:

ARFD ABOUT THE CUSTOMS UNION: ANY INTEGRATION PROJECT SHOULD GIVE STRICT GUARANTEES TO SECURITY OF ARMENIA AND NAGORNYY KARABAKH
by Ashot Safaryan

ARMINFO
Wednesday, September 4, 17:54

The decision of Armenia to join the Customs Union was a turning as well
as responsible solution, the statement by the ARFD says. It also says
that one could suppose that at a certain moment Armenia would join
the integration project initiated by our strategic partner. But the
point is that the Armenian community and political forces were not
informed about the current processes in time. Moreover, for a long
period of time they used to say about the impossibility of joining
the Customs Union because of absence of the common border, and they
were negotiating only for joining DCFTA with the EU.

“We may suppose that the reason of such a sudden decision by president
of Armenia were security problems of Armenia and Nagornyy Karabakh.
Any integration project should give strict guarantees to security
of Armenia and Nagornyy Karabakh and their development. The problem
of joining Customs Union should be also watched in this context”, –
the statement says.

At the same time, ARFD thinks that the decision on joining the
Customs Union should not become an obstacle on the way of the European
integration. Moreover, the decision adopted in Moscow cannot remove
from the agenda the necessity of making system reforms in Armenia.

NAVASARDIAN: ARMENIA DIDN’T ACT ADEQUATELY TO HELP SYRIAN ARMENIANS

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

Wednesday, September 04

A St. Bartholomew Massacre awaits the Armenian community of Syria
if the U.S. takes military actions against that country, the former
Deputy Armenian Foreign Minister Arman Navasardian said at a meeting
with reporters today.

In his words, Armenia didn’t take adequate actions to assist Syrian
Armenians.

“The decision on a military strike against Syria is conditioned by two
circumstances – first, the results of the UN experts’ investigation
into the alleged chemical weapons attack, and secondly, the decision
of the Unites States Congress. I think the Congress will give its
consent on September 9,” Navasardian noted.

The former deputy foreign minister said that unless Obama starts
military action in Syria after making so many statements, he will
lose his authority worldwide.

“Nevertheless I believe that air strikes will be launched.

Otherwise, in case of a land-based invasion, a ‘large fire’may break
out in the Middle East,” Arman Navasardian said.

ARMENIA’S DECISION TO JOIN THE CUSTOMS UNION WAS NOT UNEXPECTED TO BRUSSELS, POLITICAL SCIENTIST SAYS

18:54 04.09.2013

Karen Ghazaryan
“Radiolur”

Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union was not unexpected to
Brussels, political scientist Sergey Minasyan told reporters today.

“Brussels’ negative reaction to Armenia’s decision to join the Customs
Union is understandable, but it was not a surprise to the EU, taking
into consideration its earlier assessment of Russia’s harsh position
towards Ukraine. This shows that is well aware of the situation
Armenia found itself in,” the political scientists declared.

“At the same time it should be clear that the results of yesterday’s
meeting in Moscow do not mean a u-turn in Armenia’s cooperation with
the European Union,” Minasyan said, reminding that Serzh Sargsyan
also made this clear in his speech. He said, in this regard Armenia’s
presence at the Vilnius Summit will be interesting.

According to the Head of the Institute of CIS States Alexander
Markarov, yesterday’s decision of Armenia was to a certain extent an
indication of consistency, as Armenia had never declared that it was
not going to deepen integration over the CIS territory.

Markarov said the relations with the European Union and separate
countries will continue. “The question is about the format of this
cooperation,” he added.

GAGIK MAKARYAN: ARMENIA-EU ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT WILL NEVERTHELESS BE INITIALED IN NOVEMBER

17:17 04/09/2013 ” POLITICS

I believe that Armenia’s possible membership to the Customs Union does
not mean that Armenia cannot initial the Association Agreement with
the European Union, chairman of the Republican Union of Employers of
Armenia Gagik Makaryan told Panorama.am in an interview.

According to him, the Armenia-EU Association Agreement will
nevertheless be initialed in Vilnius in November because Armenia has
done a big work with Europe, and has achieved much success.

“It is not accidental that the Armenian President stated that Armenia
has an improved competitiveness situation, so we should not miss that
chance,” Makaryan said.

As to Armenia’s membership to the Customs Union, according to the
speaker, Armenia took into account the current political situation
and the situation of war in the neighboring countries as well as the
factor of Azerbaijan’s hysteria.

Source: Panorama.am

BAKO SAHAKYAN HOSTS US HEPATOLOGIST

14:24 04.09.13

President of the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) Republic Bako Sahakyan
received on Wednesday the renowned US hepatologist, Robert Gish.

According to a press release by the NKR Presidential Office, potentials
for developing hepatology and preventing liver diseases in the country
were discussed at the meeting. The sides considered plans for ensuring
proper diagnosis and treatment mechanisms.

The president stressed the need for developing the sector, noting
their cooperation with and assistance from leading countries will
be highly important in such efforts. Opportunities for offering
professional trainings to the local doctors were also considered
important in that context.

Armenian News – Tert.am