Author: Babken Chilingarian

TIGRAN BALAYAN SAYS THERE ARE NO PRECONDITIONS ON ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS

ARMENPRESS
OCTOBER 22, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 22, ARMENPRESS: "Armenian-Turkish agreements are
reflected in the protocols signed October 10 in Zurich and there
are no preconditions and we will go in accordance with the points
of protocols," head of the Media and Information Department of the
Armenian Foreign Ministry Tigran Balayan said commenting on the claims
that Turkish Foreign Minister voiced in his speech preconditions on
establishing relations with Armenia.

VAHAN HOVHANNISIAN SLAMS ARMENIAN DELEGATION’S BEHAVIOR AT ZURICH

Yerkir
14.10.2009 17:59

The leader of the Republican Party faction in parliament has said
that they would wait until Turkey ratifies the protocols, and only
then Armenia would ratify them.

When asked to comment on this statement, ARF Bureau member Vahan
Hovhannisyan told a news conference today: "If Turkey wanted to make
a statement in Zurich, the Armenian delegation had to let them do so
and make their own statement and not go for an option that neither
side should make a statement."

He said that the Armenian delegation chose to keep silent because
they were afraid that the entire process would stall, which would
mean Turkey had hostile goals.

"The same is right for the Armenian parliament. If we have our own
position, it is not important what Turkey would decide. In terms of
tactics, I understand my Republican colleagues: they wish to somehow
offset the mistake that was made in Zurich," Hovhannisyan said.

Speaking of the municipality’s decision not to allow the ARF’s rally
scheduled for October 16, Hovhannisyan said that the decision is
not well-grounded.

He also commented on the Heritage party’s decision to demand President
Sargsyan’s resignation, saying that the two parties have united efforts
only in one area – the Armenian-Turkish relations. Other than that,
each party has its own agenda, Hovhannisyan said.

EQUITY CAPITAL OF 11 INSURANCE COMPANIES IN ARMENIA UP 18% FOR THE
FIRST HALF OF 2009 TO $24.5 MILLION

ArmInfo 2009-08-12 17:16:00

ArmInfo. Summary equity capital of 11 insurance companies in Armenia
totaled
8.9 billion drams ($24.5 million) as of July 1 2009, which was 234% higher
than a year ago. The indicator grew 18% over the first half of 2009. The
share of authorized capital was 83% or 7.3 billion drams ($20.4 million).

Ranking of Armenian Insurance Companies prepared by the Agency of Rating
Marketing Information (ArmInfo) says the equity capital of Rosgosstrakh
-Armenia and INGO-Armenia exceeded 1 billion drams. ASG Company ensured the
lowest equity capital of 0.5 billion drams. Summary current liabilities of
11 insurance companies totaled 4.6 billion drams as of July 1 2009 growing
2% per year and 17% over the first half of 2009. The share of current
payables in the current liabilities totaled 45.4% or 2.1 billion drams
falling 5% per year and growing 13% over the first half. The share of
insurance reserves in current liabilities totaled 51% or 2.3 billion drams
($6.5 million) growing 10% per year and 7% over the first half. Leaders by
insurance reserves are Nairi Insurance (0.5 billion drams or $1/3 million)
and INGO Armenia (0.4 billion drams or $1.2 million).

ARMENIA LAUNCHES CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY TO IRAN

/ARKA/
August 6, 2009
Yerevan

The Armenian government has decided at its regular meeting today
(August 6) to set up a special body to handle the construction of
North-South railway that will connect Armenia with Iran.

Transport and Communication Minister Gurgen Sargsyan said the new body
(Directorate) will be handling all organizational and preliminary work
related to construction of the railroad towards the Iranian border.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said the decision means that the
start to the construction of the railroad is given. He added that the
Directorate will be dealing also with attraction of funds to back up
the project.

The new railroad will provide Armenia with an alternative way to
import energy resources and other commodities and an outlet to the
rest of the world. Currently Armenian railways are linked only with
railroads in neighboring Georgia.

According to preliminary estimates, the cost of this project is
$2 billion.

The World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, as well as Russia and
Ukraine have shown interest in this project.

RA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN RECEIVED INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CORPORATION (IFC) VICE-PRESIDENT JURKI KOSKELO

Gov.am
Aug 2 2009
Armenia

Welcoming the Corporation’s upcoming involvement in Armenia, the
head of government expressed confidence that the projected programs
of cooperation will be a success. The OFC is going to invest into
Armenia’s mortgage market and intends to cooperate with the Government
in the real sector, inclusive of hydropower engineering and renewable
energy, as well as in the financial sector. The IFC was said to have
a successful record of involvement in mining industry, information
technologies and health care.

Tigran Sargsyan assured of our country’s interest in having IFC
experts’ know-how in Armenia and expressed hope that the GoA-IFC
cooperation will be continued on the basis of mutual advantage.

SARKIS MURADYAN’S WORKS ALBUM PRESENTED

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
24.07.2009 19:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Representation of album of artist Sarkis Muradyan’s
works took place in the Armenian National Gallery in July 24. The
album including 94 photos of the artist’s paintings was issued by
Antares publishing house.

"Sarkis Muradyan’s creative work represents development of soviet
painting," art critic Lilit Sargsyan said.

Sarkis Muradyan was born in Yerevan in 1927. In 1945 he graduated
from Terlemezian Art College, Yerevan. In 1951 he graduated from
Yerevan Fine Art Institute. In 1961 he was conferred the title of
honored Artist of Armenia. His works were exhibited in Poland, Italy,
Germany and other European states. The artist died in 2007.

ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES NOT TO ALLOW UNILATERAL CONCESSIONS WITH REGARD TO KARABAKH

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
24.06.2009 15:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian authorities will not make unilateral
concession with regard to Karabakh, in particular, RA President
will never allow NKR to be considered an Azeri-controlled territory,
RPA spokesman Edward Sharmazanov told journalists in Yerevan.

NKR’s land border with Armenia is very important for Armenian
authorities. It is necessary to guarantee the country’s security,
the speaker said. "NKR people have a right to self-determination,
and Azeri colleagues should realize and admit NKR people’s right
to self-determination and recognize the country’s independence,"
he stated.

Armenia favors peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict within
OSCE MG format. "Turkey cannot be a mediator in talks," Sharmazanov
stressed, adding that NKR is a more accomplished, democratic and
developed state in comparison with Azerbaijan and Armenia

PAKRADOUNI: WE ARE CITIZENS AND FREE TO DECIDE FOR WHO AND HOW TO VOTE

iLoubnan
ls-ont-dis-article/id/35597
June 16 2009
Lebanon

BEIRUT – MP Hagop Pakradounian answered on Tuesday to MP Michel
Murr’s today’s conference and said, "We are citizens and we are free
to decide who to vote for and how to vote."

Following a meeting with Change and Reform MPs from the Tashnag
headquarters, Pakradounian said, "When someone wins, they thank us,
and when someone loses they throw insults at us."

He added that, "The Armenians voted in massive numbers during the 2009
elections, when compared to the elections in the Metn region in 2007,
and Murr has full right to challenge that."

TURKISH CONSULATE OFFICIAL INTERVENES AT IFEX PANEL IN OSLO

BIA Magazine
expression/115018-turkish-consulate-official-inter venes-at-ifex-panel-in-oslo
June 5 2009

At a panel discussing the denial of an Armenian "genocide", a Turkish
consulate official reiterated the argument that Armenians were deported
for treason.

Erol ONDEROÄ~^LU [email protected] Oslo – BÄ°A News Center 05 June
2009, Friday

At the general meeting of the International Freedom of Expression
eXchange (IFEX) in Oslo, a panel was discussing "Laws on Holocaust
Denial and Politics: Legal Limits".

Publisher Ragip Zarakolu from Turkey also spoke at the panel.

Official denial continues Following the presentations, a person
describing themselves as an offical at the Turkish consulate in Norway,
objected to the use of "genocide" that had been used by speakers
to describe both what happened to Jews in the Third Reich and what
happened to Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in 1915.

He added, "They were not deported because they were Armenians or
because of their race, but because they collaborated with the enemy."

Criticism of Turkish legislation Zarakolu, owner of Belge Publications,
had joined the panel instead of historian Taner Akcam, who was unable
to attend. Akcam’s book, entitled " A Shameful Act: The Armenian
Genocide and The Question of Turkish Responsibility", has caused
controversy in Turkey, and he is one of the first Turkish academics
to name what happened a genocide.

Zarakolu criticised Articles 301 and 305 of the Turkish Penal Code,
saying that they prevented people from discussing the Armenian
genocide. He himself has been convicted under Article 301 for
"denigrating the Turkish state or state organs", but was acquitted of
"inciting hatred and hostility." Zarakolu said, "The laws encourage
denial."

The consulate official said that, following international formulations,
what happened could not be called a "genocide". As for Article 301
and other laws, he said, "All countries make such laws to protect
the unity of their territory and security."

The audience was surprised at the interference of the consulate
official.

"Memories are erased" Yael Danieli, manager for the US-based
Group Project for Holocaust Survivors and their Children, said,
"If the judiciary and the media do not do their duty, they do not
only deprive genocide victims and avoid telling the truth, but they
also erase memories."

Anton Weiss-Wendt of Oslo’s Holocaust and Religious Minorities
Studies Centre, said, "I don’t believe that denial can be solved in
courts. Expectations are so high that expecting a court to define
and prove a genocide would cause disappointment."

New members Two organisations from Turkey are members of IFEX: bianet
and the Initiative against Crimes of Thought. The following are new
members, increasing the number of IFEX members to 88 worldwide:

* The Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) helps to cover an
underrepresented area in IFEX, with 200 members in over 20 countries
in the Caribbean.

* Since 2003, the Committee for Free Expression (C-Libre) in Honduras
has circulated around 150 free expression alerts across various
networks.

* The Latin American Observatory for the Freedom of Expression (OLA)
based in Peru brings together free expression news from members in 10
countries, and covers some of the more untraditional communicators,
such as artists, cartoonists and TV and radio production staff.

* The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) in Malaysia is one of
the founding partners of the Southeast Asian Press Alliance, focusing
on training, media defence and advocacy for journalists in Malaysia.

* Pacific Freedom Forum (PFF) is a new network of mainly independent
media that covers 21 countries in the Pacific.

* The Exiled Journalists Network (EJN), based in the U.K., is run by
and for exiled journalists. It has recently announced plans to create
Press Freedom House, a safe house in London modelled after the Maison
des Journalistes in Paris, that will give new arrivals temporary
accommodation and training – and a chance to adapt to life in the U.K.

* London-based Privacy International has been around since 1990,
campaigning worldwide to protect people from surveillance and privacy
invasions by governments and corporations.

* Public Association of Journalists (PAJ) is IFEX’s first member in
Kyrgyzstan, and the second in the region.

* The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms
(MADA) is the first IFEX member located in the volatile Palestinian
Territories and the only group exclusively dedicated to free expression
there. (EO/AG)

IS TURKEY A FRIEND OR AN ENEMY OF ARMENIA?
Anna Nazaryan

"Radiolur"
14.04.2009 16:06

Is Turkey a friend or an enemy?

>From April 10 to 12 "Ararat" center of strategic research conducted a
survey among scientists, professors, public figures and journalists
to find out their attitude towards the establishment of the
Armenian-Turkish relations and opening of the border. It turned out
that there are many concerns.

Director of the "Ararat" Center Armen Ayvazyan said: "The interstate
developments between Armenia and Turkey today counter Armenia’s
interests. When the football diplomacy was just starting, I warned
many times that Turkey could in no way contribute to the settlement
of the Karabakh issue, because Turkey often guides Azerbaijan in its
different anti-Armenian activities. Therefore, the trilateral meetings
are simply absurd."