Author: Babajanian Karo

WE’RE NOT GOING TO MAKE CONCESSIONS – TOP OFFICIAL

News.Az
Wed 20 June 2012 12:37 GMT | 13:37 Local Time

“The presidents of the three co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group in their
last year’s joint statement noted the inadmissibility of maintaining
the status quo and the importance of achieving progress in resolving
the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

I believe that the current statement of 18 June is a continuation
of the will of the co-chairs”, head of socio-political affairs
department of the Presidential Administration Ali Hasanov has said
while commenting on the latest statement of the heads of the OSCE
Minsk Group, Media-forum reported.

“Evaluation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as one of the world’s
major problems that requires its solution and the calls for the parties
to the compromise is a positive factor. However, it should be noted
that the Azerbaijani side has already voiced its constructive stance
on this issue.

It’s the Armenian side that demonstrates a non-constructive position
in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and approaches lightly to this
problem. So to solve the conflict, Armenia should take the necessary
steps and should respond to constructive proposals of the Azerbaijani
side.

Azerbaijan goes for maximum concessions allowed by international
legal norms, principles of the OSCE and the joint declaration of the
presidents, based on the Helsinki Final Act. We cannot and will not
go for big concessions,” Hasanov said.

As for the calls of the presidents of the co-chairs on Azerbaijan
and Armenia to refrain from the use of force, the Presidential
Administration official said that the use of force is one of the
fundamental principles of the UN in addressing contentious bilateral
issues.

“This principle implies the solution of disputes and conflicts
peacefully, with the non-admission of war. Therefore, we assess
encompassing this issue in a joint statement of the three presidents
as a reference to this principle.

However, this does not mean that the occupation of the territories
can take a long time, that Azerbaijan will be deprived of the right
to liberate its lands from occupation. Azerbaijan reserves the right
to it.

Nevertheless, we advocate a peaceful, negotiated solution to this
issue. And we assess the call of the three co-chairs as a priority
estimate for peaceful settlement of the conflict,” Hasanov underlined.

ADDRESS BY H.E. MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA MR. EDWARD NALBANDIAN AT THE RIO+20 SUMMIT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

20.06.2012

Mr. President,
Excellences,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I would like to thank the Brazilian Government for the hospitality
and to pay tribute to the work carried out by the Secretariat of the
United Nations, under the leadership of the Secretary General and
the Brazilian authorities in organizing this Summit.

Today we are here to reaffirm our commitments and to ensure that a
growth based on principle of sustainable development and environmental
governance, is as significant now, and even more urgent, than it
was 20 years ago in all aspects: global, regional, national and
local. Sustainable development will require continued and sustained
commitments and efforts from all of us.

Agenda 21, the Millennium Development Goals, the Doha Agenda for
Development and the Monterrey consensus on financing for development,
are today’s building blocks to address in an integrated and balanced
manner the economic, environmental and social pillars of development.

Mr. President,

Armenia was actively involved in the 1992 Summit and during the
next 20 years, under the difficult conditions of transitional period
and the policy of blockade, imposed on Armenia by some neighboring
countries in violation of the principles of international law, put
all its efforts to try to accomplish its commitments towards the
sustainable development of the country.

In 2002 the Government of Armenia established the National Council on
Sustainable Development, and later the Council for the Coordination
of Sustainable Development Program Activities.

Since 1994 Sustainable development theory and practice have been
included in the educational curriculum of our Universities. Armenian
experts were actively involved in the Earth Charter negotiations, which
is successfully used in Sustainable development educational modules.

In 2011 the National Coordination Committee was established for the
purpose of coordinating preparatory work for ensuring the proper
participation of Armenia to this summit. This committee has prepared
National Assessment Report.

The Committee held intensive discussions and public debates on the
Report, the content of which proved the necessity to apply sustainable
development principles has gradually become a priority in Armenia.

Today Armenia acceded to 22 environmental Conventions and Protocols,
and is actively cooperating in this regard with all relevant
international organizations.

Armenia tried to be involved in Rio+20 process to its best extent,
supporting not only major existing proposals over the policies
towards the transfer to green economy and poverty eradication, but
also giving importance to the idea of strengthening institutional
basis for sustainable development on the global and national levels.

During this Summit, Armenia, together with several international
organizations and world leading universities, organized a side
event and tried to share its views and experience on Environmental
sustainability index, indicators and ecological footprint.

We hope that the consensus would be found for maintaining and
developing the calculation methodology of the sustainable development
index.

Mr.President,

Armenia is engaged in a number of regional partnership structures;
however from the perspective of sustainable development our region
remains divided and unstable. The imprudent exploitation of Caspian
energy resources, directing the income towards the arms race creates
dangerous tensions in the region.

Recognizing that security and development are closely intertwined,
the Millennium Declaration has an entire section on peace, security
and disarmament in which, alongside the commitment to overcome poverty
and strive for development, governments pledge to “spare no effort
to free peoples from the scourge of war”.

In that context, the proliferation of arms and weapons continues to
pose a tremendous threat not only to peace and security but also, and
increasingly, to economic and social development. It is unfortunate,
that our region faces that danger.

Today, we are witnessing an unprecedented growth of the military budget
of the neighboring Azerbaijan which has increased dramatically over
the last few years. The militaristic stance, adopted at the highest
level in this country, pose a real threat to the regional security,
stability and development.

As a result of those factors the capacities of regional countries are
not fully realized and the implementation of sustainable development
programs demands extreme efforts, resources and time.

Armenia is fully confident that the global commitment to sustainable
development will be strengthened by this Summit and that more solid
base to fight poverty and environmental degradation will be set
in place.

Armenia confirms its strong will to promote and to support the
initiatives aimed at transforming challenges into opportunities both
at global and regional levels.

Thank you.

IMPLEMENTATION OF MADRID DOCUMENT ON KARABAKH WILL LEAD TO RESUMPTION OF WAR – EXPERT

news.am
June 21, 2012 | 00:09

YEREVAN. – The firm commitment of the U.S., Russian and French
presidents to the solution of the Karacakh conflict with peaceful
negotiations announced in joint statements is a good signal and might
play a calming role, Chairman of the Public Council for Foreign Policy
and Security of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), Masis Mailyan told
Armenian News-NEWS.am.

According to him, the newly adopted document proves that the Mediator
Countries of the OSCE MG are still sporting the main principles of
the NKR conflict’s peaceful settlement.

“Moreover, the presidents called for the Armenian and Azerbaijani
leaders to accelerate the process of agreeing upon the Madrid
Principles. This means that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s
announcement that the conflicting parties will be offered new
approaches did not develop any further and the mediator countries
are continuing to follow the outdated principles. It’s evident that
implementation of the Madrid Document might lead to the resumption
of war,” Mailyan said.

The Presidents of France, the USA and Russia Francois Hollande, Barak
Obama and Vladimir Putin came up with a joint statement calling for
Armenia and Azerbaijan to accelerate the process of settling the
Karabakh conflict.

TURKEY IS THE ONLY CERTAINTY IN A REGION OF UNCERTAINTIES

Today’s Zaman
June 19 2012
Turkey

With the Arab Spring fading under the “Egyptian Twilight,” which
now seems overshadowed by the butchery taking place in Syria, what
the future holds for the entire Middle East region is essentially a
guessing game.

The process of change, which the Arab unrest had promised, has
now swung in favor of a tutelary regime after the deadly U-turn in
Cairo and may soon be very difficult to contain. It may lead to many
unexpected and feared consequences: bloodshed, a new wave of domestic
terror, an increasing al-Qaeda presence, radicalization of the Muslim
Brotherhood movements, an escalation of sympathy for Salafis, collapse
of local administrations and new militarist orders.

A tour d’horizon of the entire zone stretching from Maghreb to
Mashriq these days offers nothing but gloom. This was inevitable in
an off-the-record meeting in Switzerland about the Arab Spring —
a loose-ended and vivid brainstorming of sorts — with high-level
experts in the field. The effects of the multi-polarity or the
so-called “emerging new order” are seen more clearly with the
additional element that the eastern Mediterranean along with Cyprus
are also at the center of seismic moves.

Paradoxically, the most puzzling player in the eyes of the analysts at
the meeting seems to be Turkey, I noted at the meeting. They chuckled
and shrugged, underestimating Turkey’s intentions and global objectives
and somehow ignored its long-term impact on regional policies.

Their criticism of Turkey’s regional foreign policy was loud but
narrow. It often focused on its failure in the deterrence of Syria and
what they saw as the negative impact of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan’s words on the Muslim Brotherhood while he was in Egypt on the
essentiality of secularism in democracy. No, Turks were not regarded
as defining actors, nor were they taken as models in the Arab Spring
process, they argued. But they had no data to offer when challenged,
no surveys, no other base on which to build their arguments on.

Yet, all in all, two critical points made sense. The first was Ankara’s
choice to emerge as the defender of Sunni-based interests much more
than any others, and the second had to do with the weakening effect
of Turkey’s role as the player which carries weight and is at an equal
“distance” to all others in the region.

There were two points that might help to explain the perceptions I
mentioned so that they can be taken seriously. These are the issues for
Ankara as the choreographers of Turkey’s foreign policy, and they will
need to revisit the “Davutoglu doctrine” for necessary adjustments.

There were also some third voices in the two-day meeting that sounded
in agreement with the Davutoglu doctrine. In a broader perspective,
it looks like this: The US, plagued by intervention fatigue in foreign
lands, is not at all interested in a repeat of the Libya situation in
Syria, at least not until after the elections. Depending on whether
Barack Obama or Mitt Romney is elected, this could change as early
as next year. Meanwhile, Russia is keen to reassert its Cold War-like
presence in the region, not only through Syria, but also Cyprus.

Nobody really knows how Romney would deal with Iran, if elected. But
it is known that Benjamin Netanyahu is an old friend, and that will
play a key role in the decision-making process. A strong guess is
that he may choose Eric Edelman, a former US ambassador in Ankara,
in the post that deals with Turkey. Given how much negativity there
is in the Justice and Development Party (AKP) perception of Edelman,
this may prove to be a challenge in relations.

Recent Israel-Greece, Israel-Cyprus and Cyprus-Lebanon moves are also
points of serious concern for the US because it may easily drag Turkey
into a nasty military conflict in the eastern Mediterranean. Although
Washington resents the fact that Israel refuses to apologize for the
Mavi Marmara incident and finds that refusal infantile, it also finds
the escalation in Ankara’s rhetoric regarding the eastern Mediterranean
immature and rather illegitimate.

The worst outcome of Turkey’s aggressive discourse is the fact that
it managed to cement unity between the Armenian, Greek and Jewish
lobbies in Washington. How it will play out into the otherwise fine
Turkish-American relations after November is yet to be seen. Everybody
in the meeting agreed that the “Arab Twilight” and the region had
far too many unknowns. It increases dangers.

But there is one certainty, without which the process of the Arab
Spring cannot be managed in Turkey: Given the circumstances, Erdogan
and the AKP will rule Turkey for another decade, at least. This
will help with the long-term planning of matters related to the Arab
Spring. Therefore it is crucial that Israel take the mature step of
issuing an apology, accept that Turkey’s stability is vital for its
interests, and at the end of the day be helpful in building a region
of stability. It is never too late.

ARMENIAN POLICE PROMISES REWARD FOR REVEALING MOTHER WHO THREW NEWBORN IN CANAL

news.am
June 21, 2012 | 19:42

YEREVAN. – Any citizen who reveal or provide some information about
mother who threw her newborn boy in canal, whose corpse was later
found in Armavir Region’s Mayisyan village, will get financial reward,
local police head Mushegh Ohanyan informed Armenian News-NEWS.am
adding searches are held alongside the channel.

In response to the report that the baby may have been thrown to the
Araks River from Turkey and the canal brought the baby to the village,
Ohanyan said it is hardly possible as there are bans in the river.

While revealing the mother is just a matter of honor.

The agency has earlier informed that the body of a dead newborn was
discovered on Monday in a water canal of Mayisyan village of Armenia’s
Armavir Region. The newborn was a boy and its umbilical cord was not
even cut off.

ARMENIAN MFA ON FOREIGN POLICY PRIORITIES ENVISAGED IN GOVERNMENT PROGRAM – INTERVIEW

June 21, 2012 | 21:35

YEREVAN.- An interview of the Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh
Kocharyan to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Mr. Kocharyan, Armenian Parliament has already approved the government
program for the next five years. Tell about the foreign policy
component outlined in the program.

In coming years, Armenia’s foreign policy will continue to develop in
the direction which pursues the goal to ensure protection of the state
interests, the country’s security, creation of favorable external
conditions for economic development, enhancing the international
image of Armenia, ensuring regional stability and security.

Obviously, one of Armenia’s most important foreign policy objectives
is settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

In this regard, greater efforts will be taken to involve
Nagorno-Karabakh in the negotiation process. Everyone realizes that it
is difficult to speak about effectiveness of talks without Karabakh’s
participation. Naturally, we assume that the basis for resolving the
conflict should be Karabakh people’s right to self-determination.

In addition, the efforts of both Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic (NKR) must be aimed at ruling out the attempts of military
solution to the conflict. Armenia will continue to support all steps
taken by NKR, aimed at its economic development, strengthening of
defense capability, and in general the two Armenian states together
will continue to move towards the development of a democratic society.

In this regard, however, there is an interesting difference: while
Armenia is under current monitoring, we are constantly pointed at
the problems and mistakes, NKR is building a democratic society
without any outside support. Moreover, after regular elections in
Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh], which are characterized as those held in
accordance with international standards, sometimes voices condemning
the vote are heard in favor of Azerbaijan.

Armenia will continue to deepen alliances with its strategic partner
– Russia, to develop friendly relations with the United States,
to enhance cooperation with EU countries and the EU itself. Further
deepening of relations with neighboring Georgia and Iran are also
of great importance. We are historically bound by good neighborly
relations with these nations.

Armenia plans to expand cooperation with China, India, Japan, the Arab
world. More attention will be paid to the development of relations
with other countries in the Asian region, the countries of Africa
and Latin America.

Government’s program also pays attention to ensuring the military
and political security. In this regard, relationship with Russia, and
Armenia’s membership in the Collective Security Treaty Organization
(CSTO) is important. We will continue to deepen cooperation in this
relatively young organization which faces a process of strengthening
and improving efficiency. Armenia is actively involved in this
process, too.

One of the important components of the government program in general,
and the Foreign Ministry in particular, are the efforts aimed at
prevention and condemnation of crimes against humanity, such as
genocide. This work is especially important in the light of the 100th
anniversary of the tragedy the Armenian people survived. The undertaken
moves are important not only for our country and the Diaspora, but for
entire world. The unpunished crimes against humanity and denial of the
fact of crime create fertile ground for recurrence of similar events.

We will also continue efforts to actively participate in various
international agencies, as a full member or observer, depending on
the organization and on our goals.

Are there plans to open new embassies?

The process of increasing the number of Armenian diplomatic missions
abroad continues. Armenia’s embassies opened in several countries
within the past two years. We will make efforts to open new embassies.

Will the Armenian side make efforts to promote its position on the
Nagorno-Karabakh settlement?

The point is that Azerbaijan is the side to be engaged in publicity
stunt using talks as a cover. Our goal is to expose distorted facts
promoted by Azerbaijan and present the true course of events. We are
not distorting the international law, it is on our side.

The truth is that the conflict broke out and turned into war due
to Azerbaijan’s politics of power. It is not mere coincidence that
position voiced by Armenia is coherent with those expressed by the
co-chairing states and representatives of different international
agencies.

Azerbaijan’s actions and statements run counter to the steps offered
by international institutions and mediators in order to create an
atmosphere of confidence between peoples, which is a prerequisite
for achieving a comprehensive peace agreement.

Thus, the mediators are calling for withdrawal of snipers from the
contact line; Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia support the proposal, while
Azerbaijan is against it. The mediators offer creation of mechanisms
to investigate the incidents on frontline – again, Nagorno-Karabakh
and Armenia are for, while Azerbaijan is against the initiative. In
response to calls by the international community to maintain the
ceasefire agreement Azerbaijan holds acts of sabotage. We do have
strong positions but this does not mean that we should not work –
on the contrary, we must work hard to further present the rightness
of our position.

Has foreign office launched preparation for events marking
100thanniversary of the Armenian Genocide?

Although the world will mark tragic anniversary in 2015, preparation
for the events has already started. It must be taken into account
that Turkey is extremely concerned about the upcoming date, and with
a persistency mobilizes its forces, including the communities abroad,
in an attempt to hinder the process of international recognition
of the Armenian Genocide. However, it will not stop the process of
international recognition. By denying the Genocide, leadership of
modern Turkey resembles the Ottoman Turkey government which perpetrated
the Genocide.

Can you present the details on the components of Armenia’s external
security?

The two Armenian states first of all reckon their own strength, and
military parades in Yerevan and Stepanakert have demonstrated that in
case of any events, the response may be asymmetric. In modern world
security of even larger states, definitely, supposes cooperation,
teamwork and membership in a military-political bloc. Armenia is a
CSTO member and at the same time is working effectively with NATO.

In addition to the CSTO obligations, in case of aggression against
Armenia, we have a bilateral treaty with Russia, and during the state
visit of Russian [former] President Dmitry Medvedev to Armenia the
document was amended. According to the document, together with the
Armenian side, Russia is obliged to provide security along the entire
perimeter of the Armenian border, not the length of the former Soviet
border, as previously. Besides, it is important that the negotiation
process on Nagorno-Karabakh involve three states, permanent members
of UN Security Council.

The negotiation process, in fact, has two components – to contribute
to the comprehensive peace agreement and to avoid slipping into a new
armed confrontation. Not coincidentally, the recent sabotage undertaken
by Azerbaijan at the line of contact with Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh,
were rebuffed both by the leaders of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing
states and directly the mediators. OSCE Chairperson-in-Office,
Foreign Minister of Ireland and the future Chairperson-in-Office –
the Foreign Minister of Ukraine – have repeatedly stated that one of
the organization’s priorities is prevention of military solutions of
the conflict.

US DEPARTMENT OF STATE: ARMENIA IS A SOURCE COUNTRY FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS SUBJECTED TO SEX TRAFFICKING, AS WELL AS A SOURCE COUNTRY FOR WOMEN AND MEN SUBJECTEDTO FORCED LABOR

arminfo
Thursday, June 21, 20:08

Armenia is a source country for women and girls subjected to sex
trafficking, as well as a source country for women and men subjected
to forced labor, says US Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons
Report 2012.

The report says that women and girls from Armenia are subjected to
sex trafficking in the United Arab Emirates and Turkey, and within
the country. Armenian men and women are subjected to forced labor in
Russia. Armenian boys have been subjected to forced labor within the
country. An NGO reported a new trend of labor migrants withdrawing
their children from school and taking them abroad as helpers; these
children are vulnerable to conditions of forced labor.

“The Government of Armenia does not fully comply with the minimum
standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making
significant efforts to do so. In 2011, the government convicted more
trafficking offenders than during the previous year, continued to
train hundreds of officials in partnership with NGOs and international
organizations, and strengthened anti-trafficking public awareness
campaigns. The number of victims identified by the government during
the year continued to drop,” says the report.

The source recommends Armenia to increase efforts to identify victims
of forced labor and to investigate and prosecute labor trafficking
offenses; further improve partnerships with NGOs, which would allow
NGOs to regularly assist law enforcement with the victim identification
process; further educate law enforcement and labor inspectors on
distinguishing between labor trafficking and civil labor violations;
continue to provide and expand funding for NGOs that provide victim
assistance and ensure that all funding allocated for anti-trafficking
programs and victim assistance is spent on designated programs;
improve efforts to protect victims who consent to serve as witnesses in
prosecutions, including by establishing a compensation mechanism for
trafficking victims; regulate and educate local employment agencies
so they can help prevent the forced labor of Armenians abroad; ensure
that victims who are unable to assist in prosecutions have access to
services and protection; continue to ensure that victims are provided
with legally mandated assistance; improve efforts to identify child
victims of forced labor among the population of working children;
and expand awareness-raising campaigns to rural and border communities.

At the same time, the report notes that the Armenian government
demonstrated progress in its law enforcement efforts against human
trafficking during the reporting period. Armenia prohibits both
sex trafficking and labor trafficking through articles 132 and
132-2 of its criminal code, which prescribe penalties of five to 15
years’ imprisonment – penalties that are sufficiently stringent and
commensurate with those prescribed for other serious crimes such
as rape.

ARMENIA-RUSSIA FRIENDSHIP MONUMENT TO BE UNVEILED IN RUSSIAN VOLOGDA

tert.am
21.06.12

Monument of friendship between Russian and Armenian peoples will be
unveiled in the Russian town of Vologda.

On June 25 a cross-stone symbolizing ancient-long friendship between
the two peoples will be unveiled in the town, a Russian news source
reported.

The new monument will appear in a square on a crossroad. It will be
a stele from red stone.

The cross-stone has been prepared by Armenian masters with the funds
gathered by Vologda regional organization ~V Union of Armenians
of Vologda.

The organizers say the monument will be a sign of willingness to
reinforce inter-state ties.

Representatives of local authorities, Russian Orthodox Church and
public organizations will attend the event.

FOREIGN MINISTRY: AZERBAIJAN’S POSITION ON KARABAKH CONFLICT COINCIDES WITH INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY’S POSITION

Trend
June 20 2012
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan’s position coincides with the international community’s
position on the fact that the status quo in Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict is unacceptable, Azerbaijani foreign ministry spokesman
Elman Abdullayev told Trend.

“The current situation should be changed for the sake of the region’s
future and its prosperity. We agree with the position indicated in
the statement of the presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair
countries that one should not artificially delay the resolution of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, as it affects the region’s future and
fate of its people,” Abdullayev said.

He said Baku has repeatedly stated its willingness to sign a
comprehensive peace agreement on Nagorno-Karabakh and has always
supported the strengthening of confidence building measures, Abdullayev
underscored.

“Last year we supported the initiative to hold meetings of communities
in the Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh region, but Armenia did not do it,”
Abdullayev said.

He said any incident on the front line starts because of the Armenian
occupation of Azerbaijani lands.

“If Armenia finally withdraws its occupation troops from Azerbaijani
territories, there will be no incidents on the contact line.

Obviously, withdrawal of Armenian forces will be necessary so that
the mechanisms of the resolution can work,” Abdullayev said. “The
biggest obstacle to the development of the region is the occupation
of Azerbaijani lands and the entire region will benefit from the
withdrawal of Armenian armed forces, as indicated in the presidents’
statement,” he added.

The presidents of Russia, the United States and France regret that
Azerbaijan and Armenia have not taken decisive steps to resolve the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and urged the parties to accelerate the
coordination of the basic principles of resolving the problem.

Russia, U.S. and France are co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group on
resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

‘We urge the leaders to follow the principles of the Helsinki Final
Act and in particular, the principles of non-use of force or threat
of force, territorial integrity, equality and the right of peoples
to self-determination and elements of settlement as defined in
the statements of our two countries made in L’Aquila in 2009 and
in Muskoka 2010′, the statement of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair
countries’ presidents says.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the U.S. –
are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT LENDS SALARIES AND PENSIONS, WHILE NEXT GENERATIONS WILL PAY FOR IT – OPPOSITION

news.am
June 21, 2012 | 16:53

YEREVAN. – The government of Armenia lends salaries and pensions,
which the next generations will pay off, opposition Armenian National
Congress group MP Hrant Bagratyan said expressing the group’s viewpoint
on the 2012-2017 government program.

“What steps has the Government taken to overcome consequences of
global crisis? External debt reached $6.5 billion out which $4.5
billion is state debt, while $2 billion is the private sector’s,
which is more dangerous, including the banking system,” Bagratyan said.

According to him, there is no need to state Armenia’s government was
able to pay salaries and pensions during the crisis, as later on next
generations will pay off the entire debts.