Author: Badalian Vardan

APA, Azerbaijan
March 7 2009

OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs issue next statement

[ 07 Mar 2009 11:24 ]

Baku. Viktoria Dementieva ` APA. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group
— Ambassador Yury Merzlyakov of Russia, Ambassador Bernard Fassier of
France, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza of the
United States — have today issued the next statement, APA reports
quoting OSCE’s press service.

`The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group traveled to Baku,
Nagorno-Karabakh, Yerevan, and back to Baku between February 27 –
March 3, 2009. In Baku and Yerevan they met with the Presidents of
Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as their Foreign Ministers, and in
Nagorno-Karabakh the Co-Chairs met with the de facto authorities and
representatives of civil society. The Presidents of Armenia and
Azerbaijan expressed their desire to continue meeting regularly. The
Co-Chairs will therefore seek to organize a summit of the two
Presidents in the coming months to discuss the key unresolved issues
within the Basic Principles for the peaceful settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Co-Chairs welcome the frank and open
discussions of these issues with the two Presidents since their last
meeting in Zurich, and hope to continue to make progress in the talks
by clarifying and narrowing the differences between the sides so that
a peaceful settlement can be reached in the soonest possible
timeframe.

While welcoming the continuation of a dialogue between the sides, the
Co-Chairs condemn the ceasefire violation along the Line of Contact on
February 26, 2009, which occurred during a monitoring mission
conducted by the Personal Representative of the Chairman-in-Office,
Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk. The Co-Chairs deplore that in 2008 over
30 people were killed and more than 50 injured, and another six killed
since the beginning of this year, as a result of ceasefire
violations. The Co-Chairs urge the parties to review again their
proposal to consolidate the ceasefire, which was made at the OSCE
Ministerial Council in Helsinki in December 2008,’ the statement says.

Interfax, Russia
March 6 2009

Armenian opposition could demand govt’s resignation if its
requirements not met

YEREVAN March 6

Armenia’s Heritage opposition party could demand the country’s
highest-ranking officials step down if they fail to fulfill a number
of its requirements intended to help steer Armenia out of its present
crisis.

Anait Bakhshian and Armen Martirosian, members of the sole opposition
party represented in parliament, made a statement on Friday, demanding
that the authorities free all political prisoners, find those guilty
of provoking events in March 2008, ensure free mayoral elections in
Yerevan on May 31, amend the state budget and submit it to parliament,
make all major taxpayers honestly pay taxes, and form a favorable
environment for small and medium sized businesses.

The government’s failure to take these steps "will deepen the
political and economic crisis in Armenia, which then could only be
resolved through a change of power," the Heritage representatives
said.

PARTY OVER FOR FIXER TO THE STARS

Daily Mail
97/Party-fixer-stars.html
March 6 2009
UK

Money was no object when multimillionaire Rafi Manoukian marked his
50th birthday and the christening of his daughter Fimi.

His friend Sir Elton John threw open the grounds of his Windsor home
to host the bash – and provided the cabaret – for guests including
Elle Macpherson, Gordon Ramsay, Lulu and the Beckhams.

They sipped Dom Perignon, danced on a mirrored floor and were
entertained in a lavish bash choreographed by party planner to the
stars Matthew James, who once had giraffes and zebras mingling with
guests at one of Elton’s celebrations.

The bill was an eye-watering £827,000, but the hangover had only just
begun. This week James, who once created an airport-themed bash for
Kevin Spacey, was declared bankrupt, bringing the curtain down on a
career that flourished in the excesses before the credit crunch.

The saga began shortly after the party in December 2006. Manoukian,
convinced he had been overcharged by the concealment of commissions,
rebates and discounts received from James’s suppliers, withheld the
£200,000 balance he owed party company DNA.

When talks failed, DNA took the wealthy property developer to
court. But it lost the case after a judge ruled the contract between
DNA and Manoukian had been unclear.

James was ordered to pay the tycoon £400,000 in costs, and with the
burden of his own fees and the original £200,000, his firm went into
liquidation. When James was unable to pay up, Manoukian petitioned
for his bankruptcy.

‘I have to accept the judgment,’ shrugs James. ‘We were right to bring
the claim, it’s just unfortunate it failed. We were a tiny company,
so the strain of our legal costs was just too much.

‘We were hit with the money he owed suppliers on top of his legal
costs and our legal costs. Effectively this meant that DNA and its
suppliers subsidised a millionaire’s party by approximately £200,000.’

Armenian-born Manoukian, who with his brother Bob is 251 on the Rich
List, declined to comment.

Adds James: ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do. I do bespoke parties
and in the current climate there’s not a huge call for that kind
of thing.’

CONTINUITY RETAINED IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT REGULATION: RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY

Trend
March 6 2009
Azerbaijan

The Russian Foreign Ministry says the continuity in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution has been retained.

"The continuity of the negotiation process on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict has been retained, despite the political situation during the
presidential elections in both Armenia and Azerbaijan," the Russian
Foreign Ministry 2008- report, which was placed in Ministry’s Web
site, 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 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 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 the peace negotiations.

For the first time during the e-period international mediators –
OSCE MG co-chairs on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution (Russia,
the U.S. and France), got an opportunity to continue consultations
with the countries in the region and abroad, the report says.

During the meetings international mediators sought to secure continuity
of direct contacts between the sides to agree basic principles of
regulation. Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia have met twice in
St.Petersburg on June 6 and Moscow Nov. 2.

The repeated meetings of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev with the
Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict have provided a leading role to Russia on the resolution of
the conflict.

A trilateral declaration aimed to reach a peaceful regulation to the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through political means has been achieved
as a result of meetings with attendance of Russian president. This is
the first document on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that was signed
by Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia, the reports says.

STAR SUPERMARKETS NETWORK SUPPORTS TRANSITION TO FLOATING RATE

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.03.2009 19:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Star Supermarket Chain Management supports the
floating exchange policy.

According to Star Financial Director Gurgen Narimanyan, the recent
governmental policy resulted in a number of problems, so we need
some time to overcome the consequences. "I’m confident that it was
a necessary and timely step for Armenia. The economy sector will
benefit from it in the medium term perspective."

"Here we have a favorable conjuncture for direct investments," Star
Financial Director noted.

"Still, the government should be consistent in tax reduction, provision
of equal rights in selective market and financial sector support."

ARMENIA’S DRAM DROP: WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN

EurasiaNet
March 4 2009
NY

A decision by Armenia’s Central Bank to let the currency exchange
rate float for the dram against the US dollar has sent the Armenian
currency into a tailspin.

Since the March 3 announcement, the dram has lost more than 20 percent
of its value against the US dollar. A $540 million International
Monetary Fund loan prompted the decision. The IMF green-lighted
the funds after the dram floated free. In a statement, IMF Managing
Director Dominique Strauss-Kan said that the move would mitigate the
"impact of external shocks and safeguard foreign currency reserves."

The Central Bank expects the dram to fall by 24 percent against the
dollar on average "in the near future," a spokesperson said. The dram
stood on March 4 at 372.95 to the dollar.

ARMENIA DEPENDING ON US AND INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.03.2009 17:34 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Gagik Beglaryan’s appointment as the City Mayor
means that the ruling party, namely RPA, is getting ready for the
Elections of Elders’ to be held May 31 in the capital of Armenia,"
said director of Caucasus Institute, political scientist, Alexander
Iskandaryan at a press-conference in Yerevan. According to him,
we will not experience any hustle and bustle during May31 elections.

The Armenian political scientist emphasized that the internal political
situation in Armenia may drastically change for the worse only in
case of another dram downfall."Anyway, I don’t think it possible.All
that could have happened in Armenia under the conditions of world
economic crisis, has already happened. There can’t be thousands of
homeless and hungry people .The power can change in this case only,
said the director of Caucasus Institute.

Alexander Iskandaryan also mentioned that at this stage of the crisis
the authorities can’t do anything. To put it roughly, the way the
situation will develop in Armenia depends on US and International
Financial Institutions. But if the crisis lasts for another three or
four years, then something might really happen, even the change of
the power. But no sooner than that, Iskandaryan emphasized.

PRESS RELEASE
All-Armenian Students’ Association
690 Veteran Ave #316
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Contact: Iren Tatevosyan
Cell: (818) 939-5506
Email: [email protected]

All-ASA Condemns Campaign Attacking Armenian Studies

LOS ANGELES–The All-Armenian Students Association (All-ASA), a
confederation of Armenian American college student organizations, has
condemned a recent smear campaign by an undisclosed group alleging a
concerted effort to falsify Armenian history within Armenian studies
programs across the US.

Adopted with a unanimous vote on February 22, the resolution deplored
the campaign’s efforts to `spread disinformation’ by circulating an
online petition alleging Turkish government and CIA influence over
Armenian Studies and Armenian Studies’ professors in the United
States.

`We, the Armenian Students’ Associations, call upon the public not to
be deceived by this campaign and to reject and repudiate the
reprehensible attempts to discredit professors and scholars,’ the
resolution said, adding that history should be debated `among
recognized historians within an academic setting.’

The campaign `Against the Falsification of Armenian History,=80=9D is
not a student initiative, the All-ASA said, `but rather the work of a
self-appointed and self-immersed group, does not serve a scholastic
purpose.’

Simultaneously with the online petition, the group had also produced
and uploaded a series of videos on YouTube defaming Armenian Studies
professors with arguments `based on inaccurate information, personal
attacks and character assassination,’ the All-ASA said.

`We believe in the benefit of the overall Armenian people and a
campaign as such creates conflict with minimal tangible results,’ the
resolution said, adding that the confederation will `firmly stand
against this attempt at compromising the work’ of Armenian Studies
Chairs in the United States.

The All-ASA confederation provides a forum for participating
independent Armenian American colleges’ student groups through which
these organizations may facilitate cooperative initiatives and
deliberate on issues faced by the Armenian college student community.

In regards to the campaign and the petition being circulated against
the Armenian Studies Chairs in the United States:

Whereas, we believe in the benefit of the overall Armenian people and
a campaign as such creates conflict with minimal tangible results,

Whereas, a campaign based on inaccurate information, personal attacks
and character assassination does not serve a scholastic purpose,

Whereas, we believe this campaign is not a student initiative as
claimed, but rather the work of a self-appointed and self-immersed
group,

Whereas, the campaign spreads disinformation to individuals urged to
sign an on-line petition alleging Turkish government and CIA influence
over Armenian Studies and Armenian Studies professors in the United
States,

Be it resolved that we, the Armenian Students’ Associations;

Firmly
stand against this attempt at compromising the work and positions
of the Armenian Studies and Armenian Studies Chairs.

Deplore
the current campaign of defamation of professors of Armenian Studies.

Encourage
debate among recognized historians within an academic setting.

Call
upon the public not to be deceived by this campaign and to reject
and repudiate the reprehensible attempts to discredit professors
and scholars.

Standing in
solidarity the Armenian Students’ Associations (ASA) of:

Cal Poly Pomona CPP

Cal State University Northridge CSUN

Glendale Community College GCC

Los Angeles Valley College LAVC

Loyola Marymount University LMU

Pasadena Community College PCC

Shant Students’ Association SSA

University of California – Berkeley UCB

University of California – Irvine UCI

University of California – Los Angeles UCLA

& Armenian Graduate Students’ Association UCLA AGSA

University of California – Riverside UCR

University of California – San Diego UCSD

University of California – Santa Barbara UCSB

University of Southern California USC

Woodbury University Woodbury

Armenian Youth Federation – WR AYF

AFGHANISTAN’S AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA PRESENTS COPIES OF HIS CREDENTIALS

armradio.am
04.03.2009 17:59

On March 4 the newly appointed Ambassador of Afghanistan to Armenia
Zalmay Azizi (seat in Moscow) presented the copies of his credentials
to the Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian.

Greeting the guest, Minister Nalbandian noted that the development of
relations between Armenia and Afghanistan derives from the interests
of the two countries and expressed hope that Ambassador Azizi will
contribute to the expansion of bilateral cooperation.

The interlocutors discussed issues related to ensuring security in
Afghanistan. In this context Minister Nalbandian underlined that
Armenia attaches importance to the establishment of stability and
peace in Afghanistan.

TURKEY EXPECTED TO AMEND CONSTITUTION AFTER LOCAL POLLS: BAGIS

March 4 2009
Turkey

Turkis chief negotiatior for EU talks said that necessary changes
would be made by evaluating that 2.5-year period after local elections
were held.

Turkish State Minister & Chief Negotiator for EU talks Egemen Bagis
said on Wednesday that Turkey, with its current Constitution, could
not be a member of the EU.

"I hope we will amend the Constitution with the support of opposition
parties after local elections," added Bagis who addressed a panel
discussion on "Treaty of Lisbon and Turkey’s Accession Process to EU"
at Fatih University in Istanbul.

Reminding that Treaty of Lisbon was signed on December 13, 2007 but
approval process was hitched by the referendum in Ireland, Bagis
said that Turkey needed the approval of 27 EU-member states to open
chapters in membership negotiations with the EU. He added that when
Lisbon Treaty was approved, decision-making process in the EU would
function faster.

Bagis said that Turkey was currently in local election process and
Parliament could not work thus, many legal arrangements could not be
made. He said that they aimed to make legal arrangements especially
Trade Law with the support of opposition parties after the local
elections.

Noting that Europe had a serious energy shortage, Bagis said that
Turkey was the critical country in Nabucco Project which would meet
Europe’s energy demand. Bagis added that energy chapter heading could
not be opened in EU negotiations because Greek Cypriot administration
rejected.

When a participant asked whether Turkey would cooperate with Armenia in
energy issue, Bagis said that Turkey was exerting efforts to make its
relations with Armenia well, but the relations had not yet reached to a
level to cooperate in energy area. He added that Turkey showed goodwill
to Armenia many times, and Armenia should show its goodwill too.

Upon a question whether Turkey could be an EU-member with the current
Constitution, Bagis said, "Turkey, with its current Constitution,
cannot be a member of the EU. I hope we will amend the Constitution
with the support of opposition parties after local elections are held."

Expressing belief that Turkey would have a contemporary Constitution,
Bagis said that there would not be an election for the next 2.5 years
after the local elections were held, and necessary changes would be
made by evaluating that 2.5-year period.