Author: Badalian Vardan

CABINET TURNS DOWN PROPOSAL TO AMENDMENT LAW ON FOREIGNERS

Tert.am
17.06.11

Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan presented to the Cabinet
meeting today draft amendments proposed by MPs Samvel Balasanyan
and Tachat Vardapetyan to the Law on Foreigners that envisages wider
rights for ethnic Armenians of Georgia when travelling to Armenia.

The amendments called to provide Georgian citizens of Armenian
ethnicity to be entitled to stay in Armenia for an unspecified period
and without further formalities. In addition, proposition called
for exemption of vehicles of Georgian Armenians when crossing the
Georgian-Armenian border.

The Cabinet, however, rejected the proposals and is set to submit
its reasons to the National Assembly.

ARMENIAN MINISTRY EXTENDS DEADLINE FOR CHOOSING OPERATOR FOR NAIRIT SYNTHETIC RUBBER PLANT

/ARKA/
June 17, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, June 17. / ARKA /. Armenian ministry of energy and natural
resources has extended the deadline for foreign companies wishing to
take part in a tender announced by the government to choose a company
to run Nairit synthetic rubber plant until June 30, the plant said
in a statement posted on its official website. The previous deadline
expired June 15.

“The shareholders and creditors of Nairit are ready to consider
offers from companies which have the necessary capacity to handle
such large-scale projects,” the statement says.

Earlier the minister said the cost of modernizing Nairit synthetic
rubber plant in Yerevan and bringing it into line with international
standards may amount to $400-500 million. The plant owes $120-$150
million to foreign banks and $20-$25 million to Armenian banks.

Nairit plant was closed in 1989 for ecological reasons, but resumed
partial operation in 1992-93. In 2006 some 90 % of its shares were
sold to a British-registered Rainoville Property Limited at $40
million. The remaining 10% is held by the Armenian government.

ARMENIA TO IMPORT NEW AMBULANCES FROM CHINA

Tert.am
17.06.11

Armenia is going to import new ambulances from China.

Under a December 27, 2010 agreement with the Chinese government,
the country is to donate 88 ambulances (including resuscitation vans
and additional equipmnment) to Armenia. At its meeting on Thursday,
the cabinet approved the decision.

Addressing the cabinet members, Minister of Health Harutyun Kishkyan
highly praised the initiative.

“This is a major step towards modernizing the service,” he said,
adding that the ambulance depots throughout Armenia had not been
furnished with new vehicles in the past 20 years.

The minister added that the import of new ambulance would enhance
the quality of medical services in the country.

STEREOTYPED STATEMENTS NOT TO SOLVE PROBLEMS IN JAVAKHK – ARMENIAN BUSINESSMAN

Tert.am
17.06.11

Stereotyped statements cannot provide any solution to the existing
problems of Javakhkh, says a Javakhk-born Armenian businessman.

Speaking to Capital daily, Sos Sahakyan, the founder of Sovrano
company, said a pragmatic approach is needed for the preservation
of Armenian identity in the Armenian-populated Georgian region. In
that context, he stressed the importance of making investments and
opening work places in the Javakhk.

“The paces of economic development in Javakhk are slower compared to
the regions of Tbilisi, Batumi and Poti, but the recent years active
road construction and the development of a gas supply network has
increased the opportunities of developing small- and medium-sized
businesses,” he said, adding that the Georgian authorities and the
local self-government encourage any activeness in that direction,
attaching importance to the economic and social welfare of the region.

Asked about the Armenian businessmen’s chances to launch their own
businesses in Javakhk, he referred to Gyumri Beer Malt Factory owner
and parliament vice speaker Samvel Balasanyan’s recent initiative to
open a brewery in the region.

“Another group of businessmen is going to launch confectionary
and ice cream production. As for myself, I am planning to found
hotel-sanatoriums in collaboration with Russian partners. We are
conducting practical discussions with the local authorities in that
direction,” he added.

Sahakyan said that he had discussed the issue with the Georgian
ambassador to Armenia, Tengiz Sharmanashvili.

“By saying Armenian they mean not those who live in Armenia, but also
the ethnic Armenian businessmen residing in Javakhk. A great number
of Javakhk-Armenians who are now successful businessmen in Russia,
Ukraine, Belarus and other countries can contribute to the development
of their native land,” he said, adding that the development of economy
will enhance social conditions, contributing to the preservation of
the Armenian identity in the region.

ALEXANDER LUKASHEVICH: EXPECTATIONS GREAT FROM UPCOMING SUMMIT IN KAZAN

armradio.am
17.06.2011 12:35

Leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia must make a decision on the
basic principles of resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in a
next week’s meeting in Kazan, official representative of the Russia`s
Foreign Ministry Alexander Lukashevich told a weekly briefing.

“Expectations are great, and, in accordance with agreements achieved,
a draft document on so-called basic principles of Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict resolution is scheduled to be discussed at the upcoming
summit,” he said.

Lukashevich underlined wording of the document was agreed by foreign
ministers from the three states in meetings that took place in April
and June.

“The parties managed to agree positions on key issues. Presidents
will discuss these proposals and make a relevant decision,” said
Lukashevich.

A summit of President of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan will take
place in late June in Kazan at the initiative of President of Russia.

It is going to be the ninth trilateral meeting of Presidents Serzh
Sargsyan, Dmitry Medvedev and Ilham Aliyev.

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS ENDS VISIT TO JAVAKHK

PanARMENIAN.Net
June 16, 2011 – 12:26 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – On June 15, the last day of his patriarchal visit to
Georgia, Catholicos of All Armenians His Holiness Karekin II visited
a number of Armenian-populated spots of Samtskhe-Javakhk region.

In Ninotsminda His Holiness Karekin II and the Patriarch of Georgia
Ilia II were met by the leaders of regional administration, including
the Chairman of Assembly Vladimir Stamboltsyan, clergymen and community
representatives.

The two spiritual leaders visited the Armenian Saint Sarkis Church
in Khojabek where a service was offered. The delegation headed by
the Catholicos of All Armenians and the Patriarch of Georgia also
visited Gandza, the home village of Armenian poet Vahan Teryan.

His Holiness Karekin II also met with Armenian residents of Tsalka.

The Catholicos called people to spare no effort for preservation of
Armenian identity.

LEFT-WING POLITICAL FORCES TO UNITE AHEAD OF ARMENIA ELECTIONS

Tert.am
16.06.11

We will try to unite left-wing political forces and join the
parliamentary race in a united front, Aram G. Sargsyan, the leader
of the Democratic Party of Armenia, told a news conference today.

He said a conference will be held in the first week of July to present
the “alternative to the political course,” and that all leftist
political forces, including the Armenian Revolutionary Federation –
Dashnaktsutyun and the Communist Party of Armenia, will be invited
to attend.

“We want people to have an alternative,” Sargsyan said. “The
democratic socialism – working in Europe and in a way in China –
should be established in Armenia too. Our conference agenda will
include the issue of establishing democratic socialism in Armenia.”

He added that in today’s Armenia, both the ruling authorities and the
opposition are right-wing, raising a question what their competition
is going to change.

DEATH ATTEMPT PLOTTED AGAINST DINK’S ASSASSIN – TURKISH INTELLIGENCE

Tert.am
16.06.11

The Turkish intelligence agencies have raised alarms over a reported
death attempt plot against Ogun Samast, a Turkish nationalist jailed
over charges of the assassination of Hrant Dink, the editor-in-chief
of the Armenian-Turkish weekly Agos.

According to the Turkish newspaper Star, the Turkish National
Intelligence Organization’s (MIT) confidential letter on the reported
plot has been sent to the Istanbul juvenile court, the prison
administration, the Istanbul intelligence service, and the Istanbul
provincial gendarmerie.

“It is planned to launch an armed attack on the vehicle that
periodically transports Ogun Samast from jail to court,” says the
MIT statement.

The Turkish intelligence claims that the attack will be launched
by the leftist Turkish Workers and Villagers Organization (TIKKO)
whose armed rebels are reportedly planning to bomb the vehicle.

Samast, who is being kept in the Kojaeli prison, stands trial at the
Istanbul juvenile court.

CHORRORD INKNISHKANUTYUN: ANC SPLIT AND OSTRICH TACTICS

Tert.am
16.06.11

The government propaganda machine has rushed into conclusions that the
Armenian National Congress has split, the paper – which is affiliated
with ANC – writes.

It is not hard for a group of people to register, say, 40 or 50
political parties in a matter of days, and then merge those parties
in one and call it, for example, New Congress. But the question is
would it change anything if you have no supporters?

In other words, the ANC could be considered split if some 100,000 of
its 500,000 supporters turned their backs on it. Does the ANC have
such a problem? Of course, not. Then all these talks are baseless,
the paper comments.

MKRTICH MINASYAN: DEMAND FOR EARLY ELECTIONS IS NOT REALISTIC
Lusine Vasilyan

“Radiolur”
16.06.2011 15:03

The dialogue between the Armenian National Congress (ANC) and the
authorities is under way. Member of the Republican faction Mkrtich
Minasyan told a press conference today. According to him, some steps
have already been taken.

The MP says the ANC proposal to negotiate on the level of delegations
is unacceptable. It reminds him of earlier historic times, when
Armenians were establishing a delegation to leave for Berlin.

“I think it’s not necessary today. The Head of President’s
Administration, the Vice-Presidents of the Republican Party of Armenia
and members of the Board have clearly stated that corresponding
officials and structures will hold talks on ‘sober’ issues,” he said.

According to Mkrtich Minasyan, the authorities stand for dialogue, but
not through delegations and not on the issue of snap elections. “The
demand for early elections is a simple perversity and is not
realistic,” he concluded.