Author: Babajanian Karo

Oskanian shares concerns of Armenia’s foreign investment records

tert.am
12:50 – 15.10.12

Ex-Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, who is now lawmaker of the
Prosperous Armenia party, has shared his concerns over Armenia’s
foreign investment statistics in a new Facebook post.

The politician particularly notes that the foreign investments in the
first six months of 2012 decreased by 40% compared to the same period
of last year, and suffered a 60% drop in the second trimester.

`Any investor, whether foreign or local, considers the country’s
macro-economic records – economic growth, inflation, foreign trade
balance, state debt etc. – while making a decision.

Also, inevitably, account is taken of the implementation of and
respect for the basic principles of free market relations, i.e. free
competition, equal conditions and immunity of property.

But there are also factors beyond economics, which essentially impact
investors’ decisions. I was recently talking to successful and serious
people from Syria, who had material resources and knowledge in the
manufacturing sector. Despite their potentials and desire to make an
investment in Armenia, they have serious concerns and reservations
which can be summed up in the following four points.

1. Hope and belief in the country’s future: The hope and trust in the
country’s future is necessary not only for making investments but also
halting migration form Armenia. The inspiration of such hope should
emanate first of all from those in power, from their words and
actions. It also has to come from the political system which has to
ensure the necessary mechanism of balances and the free and healthy
debate over the prospects and alternative ways of the country’s
development.

2. Uncertainties: Certainty and the investor and consumer’s
expectations are the most important factor for boosting economy. Both
the legal platform and expectations are strictly gloomy in that
respect, with the tax legislation changing all the time in the last
couple of years and rumors about future changes continuing endlessly.

3. Justice: Any investor has a serious concern that in case of having
a problem, especially with someone holding a political leverage, he
cannot trust justice. There is also a serious concern here in terms of
discriminatory justice. with government bodies being used for solving
certain problems without any legal justification.

4. Peace and stability: This issue is naturally on everybody’s mind.
Today, more than ever before, this is a serious obstacle to
investments. Azerbaijan is unconditionally supplying itself with arms,
adopting a stricter military rhetoric and committing more frequent
violations of the ceasefire across the Line of Contact, with the
negotiation process again having reached a stalemate,’ Says Oskanyan.

NKR President meets AGBU representatives

armradio.am
12:31 15.10.2012

On October 15 President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan
received President of the Armenian General Benevolent Union Perch
Sedrakyan, as well as director of the AGBU Armenian Representation
Ashot Ghazarian. The parties discussed issues related to the
implementation of various programs in the NKR.

The meeting subsequently continued in an enlarged format with the
participation of nearly a hundred AGBU representatives.

Bako Sahakyan introduced the current stage and prospects of Artsakh’s
socioeconomic development and touched upon some foreign policy issues.

According to President Sahakyan, the Armenian General Benevolent Union
is among the oldest Armenian organizations, which plays an invaluable
role in maintaining Armenian national identity in the Diaspora,
international recognition and condemnation of the Genocide, objective
presentation of the Artsakh issue. The organization also has a
tangible input in strengthening the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora trinity
and boosting socioeconomic development of the Motherland.

The President noted that Artsakh was interested in deepening ties and
expanding cooperation with the organization and everything possible
would be done in this direction, Central Information Department of the
NKR President reported.

Armenia’s EPP delegates speak on Azerbaijan’s militaristic policy

news.am
October 15, 2012 | 10:50

Session of the European People’s Party (EPP) Faction at the Euronest
Parliamentary Assembly (PA) of the Eastern Partnership was convened in
the Moldovan capital city ChiÈ’inÄ?u on October 13.

At the event Armenia was represented by the Euronest PA Armenian
delegation members, namely, National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee
on Foreign Relations Chairman Artak Zakaryan, and NA MPs Karine
Achemyan and Zaruhi Postanjyan.

The session discussants examined the political state of affairs and
the European integration process in the Partnership-member countries
(Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, Azerbaijan, and Belarus), and the
declaration adopted by the leaders of these countries.

Artak Zakaryan delivered addresses on behalf of the Armenian
delegation. During the talks, the participants pointed to the progress
which Armenia recorded in the 2012 parliamentary elections, and they
expressed a conviction that next year’s presidential elections
likewise will be conducted at a high level.

Also, Zakaryan presented details on the priority programs included in
Armenia’s European integration process.

Subsequently, Zaruhi Postanjyan posed several questions with respect
to some theses made during the Azerbaijani representative’s remarks.
She expressed astonishment that, following the infamous Ramil
Safarov’the Azerbaijani army officer who axed to death Armenian
soldier Gurgen Margaryan in Budapest’case, Azerbaijan’s representative
is cynically noting that the country is a modern and a tolerant state
which allegedly encourages and supports cultural dialogue. Postanjyan
noted that human rights are trenched upon in Azerbaijan where there
are political prisoners to this day, and murderer Safarov’s
glorification in the country bespeaks Azerbaijan’s militaristic and
anti-Armenian policy, and she proposed that the EPP likewise give its
political assessment on this incident.

In his closing remarks, Artak Zakaryan noted that all prestigious
international organizations have criticized what transpired in
connection with Safarov, and underscored that, during its next
session, the Euronest PA, too, reflect on this deplorable and
unacceptable incident.

Richard Morningstar: “USA is for regulation of Nagorno Karabakh impact
on basis of Helsinki Final Act”

10:48, 15 October, 2012

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 15, ARMENPRESS. Position of USA in regulation of
Nagorno Karabakh impact is already clear; the United States support
the peaceful regulation of the conflict. As “Armenpress” reports, this
was announced in by extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of
USA in Azerbaijan Richard Morningstar in an interview to Azerbaijani
ANS television. The ambassador said that the US supports the
regulation of the Nagorno Karabakh impact on the basis of Helsinki
final act. Morningstar said: “These are self-determination of nations,
non-use of force and territorial integrity”. The ambassador mentioned
that for peaceful regulation of the conflict he will closely cooperate
with co-chairmen of OSCE Group of Minsk.

Present stage of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict started in 1988, when
Azerbaijani authorities organized massacre of the Armenian population
in response of claim of self-determination of Nagorno Karabakh and
started ethnic cleansing all over Azerbaijan, particularly in Sumgait,
Baku and Kirovabad.

Armenian NSC Secretary to visit Moscow

ARMRADIO.AM
11:26 15.10.2012

Secretary of the National Security Council of Armenia Arthur
Baghdasaryan will visit the Russian Federation October 15-17 at the
invitation of Nikolay Patrushev, Secretary General of the Russian
Security Council.

Within the framework of the visit Arthur Baghdasaryan will have
meetings with the Head of Staff of the Russian President Sergey
Ivanov, Secretary of the Russian National Security Council Nikolay
Patrushev, CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bordyuzha, Minister of
Emergency Situations Vladimir Puchkov, Head of the `Rosgranitsa’
Federal Agency Dmitry Bezdelov, and the Head of the Federal Agency for
Military-Technical Cooperation Alexander Fomin.

The Secretary of the Armenian National Security Council is expected to
participate in the `Activity of the Republic of Armenia within the
CSTO’ roundtable discussion at the CSTO Secretariat.

ARMENIE
Le vice-président du parlement demande à l’ambassadeur américain de
s’abstenir de politiser une enquête de police

Le vice-président de l’Assemblée nationale d’Arménie Eduard
Sharmazanov a demandé à l’ambassadeur américain en Arménie de
s’abstenir de politiser des questions judiciaires en Arménie.

L’ambassadeur américain en Arménie, John Heffern, a dit dans une
déclaration que les charges contre l’ancien ministre des Affaires
Etrangères Vartan Oskanian semblaient représenter une application
sélective de la loi arménienne.

« Bien sûr, je ne partage pas le point de vue de M. l’ambassadeur,
disséminé dans sa déclaration, que le cas (Oskanian) représente une
application sélective de la loi arménienne, car c’est une question
exclusivement légale et sa politisation est inacceptable » a dit M.
Sharmazanov dans une interview avec la Radio `Svoboda’ (la Liberté).

M.Sharmazanov a affirmé qu’il est inopportun et faux de connecter le
moindre processus légal avec les prochaines élections présidentielles
en février 2013.

lundi 15 octobre 2012,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun: Why someone wants to kill former MP?

11:15 13/10/2012 » Daily press

Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun daily dwelt on the disarmament of the
security guards of former MP, owner of Great Valley Company Tigran
Arzakantsyan and his statement that his life is in danger as someone
wants to kill him.

Police spokesperson Ashot Aharonyan commented on it saying: `We don’t
think his legislative activities should have led him to such a
situation.’ The spokesperson added that Arzakantsyan had not paid
salary to his security guards for months.

Source: Panorama.am

InfosPlus Gabon
14 oct 2012

L’Arménie a rejoint samedi la grande famille de la Francophonie

Date de parution : samedi 13 octobre 2012.

LIBREVILLE, 13 octobre (Infosplusgabon) – La Francophonie s’est
élargie, samedi à Kinshasa, en accordant à l’Arménie le statut de
membre à part entière de l’organisation, celui d’observateur à
l’Uruguay et en faisant entrer le Qatar directement comme membre
associé.

L’OIF compte désormais 57 membres – dont 3 associés – et 20 observateurs.

Ces décisions, prises lors du 14e sommet de l’organisation qui se
tient samedi et dimanche à Kinshasa, n’ont pas fait l’objet d’annonces
publiques.

“L’Arménie est passée du statut de membre associé à membre à part
entière”, a indiqué à l’AFP une source au sein de l’Organisation
internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), selon laquelle “l’Uruguay qui
avait demandé à devenir observateur l’est devenu”.

Quant au Qatar, il est entré directement dans l’organisation en tant
qu'”Etat associé” sans passer par la “case observateur”, comme c’est
habituellement la règle, a expliqué cette source. Cette entrée du
Qatar a fait grincer des dents, selon une source proche du ministère
français de la Francophonie.

La polémique portait principalement sur la légitimité du Qatar, qui
n’est pas francophone, à entrer dans l’OIF. Certains participants se
sont aussi inquiétés de l’ambition de ce pays de développer davantage
son influence en Afrique de l’Ouest musulmane et notamment de sa
propension à financer des écoles religieuses prenant parfois la place
d’écoles en langue française.

Ouest-France
jeudi 11 octobre 2012
lemans Edition

Pierre-Guédou: un artiste arménien croque les visages

Mercredi, Grégor, artiste arménien, a installé son chevalet à la
Maison de quartier Pierre-Guédou. Bénévolement, il a croqué les
visages des mamans et des enfants qui fréquentent la bibliothèque.

Maryse, une petite fille, est subjuguée par le visage de sa maman qui
apparaît sous le fusain de l’artiste. « Ça lui ressemble bien »,
dit-elle.

Grégor est peintre et sculpteur, mais il affectionne l’art du portrait
depuis l’enfance. « Dans la rue, les gens qu’on croise, c’est d’abord
leur visage qu’on découvre. » Il a fait les Beaux-Arts en Arménie et
les Arts appliqués de Kiev (Ukraine) et se réjouit d’avoir réalisé un
tableau de 2 m sur 2, Le marché aux fleurs, peint devant la cathédrale
et qui est à la maison de retraite La Reposance, aux Sablons.

Et Grégor veut qu’on dise qu’il « aime l’Arménie et la France. »

UEFA.com
Oct 14 2012

Team-mates praise ‘eternal leader’ Hovsepyan

Published: Sunday 14 October 2012, 14.50CET

Armenia duo Henrik Mkhitaryan and Roman Berezovski spoke to UEFA.com
to express their admiration for Sargis Hovsepyan after the defender
recently won the last of his 131 caps.

This is a brave new era for Armenia as the national team grapples with
life after Sargis Hovsepyan, the side’s captain and ever-present
figurehead who called time on his professional career aged 39 last
month.

Modest and unassuming, Armenia’s most-capped player made 131
appearances for his country. His final outing came in September’s 1-0
loss to Bulgaria in FIFA World Cup qualifying, and he was typically
understated about his career as he stepped away from the limelight. “I
don’t think I’m a legend,” he said. “I simply did my job.”

After making his debut in Armenia’s first international against
Moldova in 1992, and establishing himself among the favourites at FC
Pyunik and FC Zenit St Petersburg, the central defender was a key
figure in some of the national team’s proudest moments.

“There were periods when no one believed in our national team,”
goalkeeper Roman Berezovski told UEFA.com, having first played
alongside Hovsepyan for Armenia in 1996. “People believe in us now and
have great expectations. Everyone has high expectations.”

Those raised expectations are a testament to Hovsepyan’s career,
influence and legacy, and Henrik Mkhitaryan holds his retired skipper
in similarly high regard. For the exciting young FC Shakhtar Donetsk
schemer, Hovsepyan remains nothing short of Armenia’s “eternal
leader”.

Watch the full interviews in the video box above.