Author: Badalian Vardan

ARMENIE-DEMOGRAPHIE
La population de l’Arménie sera déclarée vieillissante en 2017 ou 2018

Selon le journal arménien « Haygagan Jamanag » la population d’Arménie
vieillit. « en 2017 ou 2018 l’Arménie atteindra le seuil des pays
disposant d’une population vieillissante. Cette tendance ne pourra
malheureusement pas être évité » dit Gaguik Haïrabédian le
représentant du bureau de l’ONU à Erévan. Gaguik Haïrabédian a
explique que le seuil de vieillissement retenu pour déclarer un pays
entrant dans cette phase, était le constat que sur la population des
plus de 14 ans représentaient plus de 65 % de la population totale.
Selon les démographes, en Arménie la population majeure formera 33%
des habitants.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 8 décembre 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

Trend, Azerbaijan
Dec 7 2013

Foreign Ministry: Normalization of relations with Turkey and Armenia
depends on peace in South Caucasus

Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.7
By Rufiz Hafizoglu – Trend:

The normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia depends on
the establishment of peace in South Caucasus, Turkish Foreign Minister
Ahmet Davutoglu said, Habertürk TV channel reported on Dec.7.

“Even if Turkey and Armenia restore normal diplomatic relations, they
can be severed at any time without the peace in South Caucasus,”
Davutoglu stressed.

Today solid relations have been created in the region between
Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia, Turkish foreign minister added.

If not to consider the relations between Yerevan and Moscow, we can
say that Armenia is in isolation, according to the foreign minister.

“Ankara is not a supporter of such a situation, but if Armenia intends
to get out of its isolation, it must withdraw from the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan, Davutoglu said.

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.

ITAR-TASS, Russia
December 6, 2013 Friday 09:41 PM GMT+4

Putin’s visit to Armenia proved strategic nature of bilateral
relations – Armenian president

YEREVAN December 6

– Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to Armenia has proved
that the two countries have strategic relations, Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan said on Friday.

“Indeed, the visit, agreements that were reached create big
possibilities for cooperation in the economic sphere and big
possibilities for cooperation in the sphere of security,” the Armenian
president said.

According to Sargsyan, economic cooperation between the two countries
embraces energy and industrial sector, in particular such industries
are jewelry making, diamond cutting, chemicals. “Big possibilities are
opening in the agrariansector,” he noted.

“In 2013 alone, we increased our exports to Russia by a fourth, and it
is a very big figure,” he added.

Apart from that, the Armenian president said he saw “positive changes
and good prospects” in the Armenian-Russian relations in the context
of the Customs Union [of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan]. As concerns
Armenia’s possible Customs Union membership, Sargsyan said he would
speak about after relevant negotiations. “Let us first end the
negotiations and then we shall speak about the possibilities it opens
in detail,” he noted. “We shall present the results of our talks at
the National Assembly, and the parliament is to ratify or approved by
the parliament, which represents various strata of our society.”

Armenian President visits Ministry of Nature Protection

15:45, 6 December, 2013

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS: The President of the Republic of
Armenia Serzh Sargsyan visited on December 6 the
Ministry of Nature Protection of Armenia to get acquainted with the
peculiarities of the work organization at the subdivisions. The
Department for Public Relations of the Ministry of Nature Protection
informed Armenpress that during the consultation held after the
visit, the Ministry of Nature Protection of Armenia Aram Harutyunyan
presented the President the results of the works
carried out at the Ministry.

The First Deputy of the Minister of Nature Protection Simon Papyan
reported on the prospects of the development of the field in
Armenia. The Deputy of the Ministry of Nature Protection Khachik
Hakobyan reported on the peculiarities and the statistics of the
works carried out with the media and the public. The Head of Staff
Edgar Pirumyan reported on the structure and financial progress of
the Ministry of Nature Protection of Armenia.

Mkhitaryan: With love and remembrance

December 7, 2013

Armenian national football squad and Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan commemorated the devastating earthquake
that struck Armenia on December 7, 1988, and whose epicenter was the
City of Spitak.

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the deadly quake, the
24-year-old player posted on his Facebookaccount the song `Pour toi
Arménie…’ (`For you, Armenia’) by world-renowned French-Armenian
singer Charles Aznavour.

`With love and remembrance, 7 December 1988. For you Armenia,’
Mkhitaryan also wrote on his account.

NEWS.am Sport

There are about 950 Armenian missing and captives since 1990s – first
ombudswoman

December 07, 2013 | 11:22

YEREVAN. – According to the `Against Legal Arbitrariness’ NGO data,
there are approximately 950 Armenian missing and captives since the
1990s.

Armenia’s first Human Rights Defender, `Against Legal Arbitrariness’
NGO Executive Director, and public activist Larisa Alaverdyan told the
abovementioned to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Alaverdyan noted that these data comprise civilians and the missing
from the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) and Armenia.

Armenia’s first ombudswoman clarified that more than 500 of these
people went missing during the military operations that took place in
1992 in NKR’s Martakert Region, where the Azerbaijanis had attacked on
the civilian population and captured the elderly, the sick, and the
small children.

`Nineteen of them returned in 1993, whereas the others remained
missing in our list,’ Alaverdyan added.

As for what efforts are being made to have the rest likewise returned,
she stated: `These works are primarily carried out by the [Armenian]
army, the National Security Service, and other agencies.’

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

ARMENIAN DEBTS AND GAS PRICES ARE TOP SECRET

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Dec 6 2013

6 December 2013 – 9:04am

Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

The deal made during Vladimir Putin’s visit to Armenia on giving
the remaining 20% of securities of ArmRosgazprom to the Russian side
is still being discussed. As the result of the stock sale, the gas
monopolist of Armenia ARG now completely belongs to Russia.

Now the Minister of Energy Armen Movsisyan makes sensational statements
everyday. On December 2nd he stated that 20% of securities were
given to Gazprom in discharge of Armenia’s gas debt ($155 million)
without explaining where the debt came from.

The intrigue was enhanced by the fact that even MPs form the ruling
Republican Party didn’t know about the huge debt. MPs only stated
that the political importance of this standard commercial deal is
much greater than the question on debts.

On December 4th the opposition inundated Movsisyan with questions,
and he spoke about $300 million. According to him, debts began to
accumulate in April of 2011 when gas prices grew, while Armenia
continued to pay $180 for thousand cubic meters on the border. “As
the result of long talks it was decided that a half of the debt
($150 million) Armenia will repay by giving 20% of ARG to the Russian
side, while the rest of debt Russia will repay.” At the same time the
minister didn’t explain why consumers who pay regularly for gas knew
nothing about the accumulated debts. “We have never hid information
on debts. Talks went on; $300 million was detected during the talks;
it could be worse,” Movsisyan stated, giving no comments on why it
could be worse.

Other questions remained unanswered as well. If the Russian share in
ARG was 80%, why did the countries decide to share the debt equally?

Moreover, why did Moscow agreed to repay a half of Armenia’s debt? Why
did Gazprom decide to deal with charity? Today the talks remain secret;
and Movsisyan said he couldn’t comment on the details.

Meanwhile, the information which was discovered causes mistrust and
indignation of the Armenian political and expert circles.

The former prime minister, Grant Bagratyan, is surprised by the
way a price of 20% of securities has been defined, as ARG hasn’t
been put up for sale. He believes that in such cases to find out
a company’s cost, the whole volume of sold gas should be tripled:
“Thus, ARG’s cost is no less than $1.2 billion. And 20% of it – not
$150 million, but $240 million. I urge the authorities to explain
selling the public property!”

However, the main question is why the authorities hid the real gas
prices from the population for 2.5 years and didn’t declare that
negotiations on increasing gas prices were being conducted with Russia.

It seems the reason lies in the political sphere. “The authorities
only declared an increase in gas prices on May 12, after the elections
to the Council of the Elders in Yerevan,” a member of the opposition
Armenian National Congress, Vaagn Khachatryan, says. It was true
that the election cycle lasted from 2011 to May 2013. It seems the
government did its best to hide the real situation from the population
to protect its political positions.

ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN AGREE ON TEXT OF STATEMENT ON KARABAKH – U.S. INTERMEDIARY

Interfax, Russia
Dec 5 2013

YEREVAN. Dec 5

Yerevan and Baku have agreed on the text of a statement concerning
the Karabakh peace process, according to OSCE Minsk Group Cochairman
James Warlick.

“For the first time in many years, we have an agreed on an OSCE
statement on Nagorno-Karabakh between the Azerbaijan and Armenia
Foreign Ministers,” he wrote on Twitter.

The U.S. intermediary did not say which document he wrote about.

A source in the Armenian Foreign Ministry told Interfax that a
statement following a meeting of the Armenian and Azeri foreign
ministers had been posted on the OSCE website.

Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian and Azeri Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammadyarov met with the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group
cochairmen in Kyiv on December 4.

A statement of the intermediaries published on the OSCE website
upon the end of the meeting between the Armenian and Azeri foreign
ministers said that Nalbandian and Mammadyarov would meet in early
2014 to prepare further negotiations on a high level.

The sides “agreed to continue working together on a just and peaceful
resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on the basis what has
been already achieved,” the statement said.

“The Co-Chair Heads of Delegation welcomed the recent resumption of
high-level dialogue between the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia,
and expressed their hope that upcoming meetings will advance the
peace process. They encouraged the sides to consider measures that
would reduce tensions in the region,” it said.

Te mk

(Our editorial staff can be reached at [email protected])

KARABAKH CONFLICT SIDES, MEDIATORS AGREE TO CONTINUE SETTLEMENT EFFORTS

ITAR-TASS, Russia
December 5, 2013 Thursday 04:55 PM GMT+4

: KIEV December 5

– The countries mediators and sides of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
have agreed to continue joint efforts aimed at the problem resolution,
according to a joint statement adopted here on Thursday by the heads
of the delegations of the OSCE Minsk Group member states and the
foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia.

“On the occasion of the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Kiev the
heads of the delegations of the countries – co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group (Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, French Minister Delegate
for European Affairs Thierry Repentin, U.S. Assistant Secretary of
State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland) and the
Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mamedyarov and Foreign Minister
of Armenia Edward Nalbandian agreed to continue working together on
a just and peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on
the basis what has been already achieved,” the document says.

The co-chair heads of delegation welcomed the recent resumption of
high-level dialogue between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia,
and expressed their hope that upcoming meetings would advance the
peace process. They encouraged the sides to consider measures that
would reduce tension in the region.

The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed to meet again
in early 2014 under the auspices of the Minsk Group co-chairs, in
order to facilitate further talks at the highest level. The ministers
noted that the people of the region expect and deserve progress in
settlement of the conflict that has endured far too long, and expressed
their appreciation for the mediation role of the co-chair countries,
the statement says.

UK CALLS FOR PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Dec 5 2013

5 December 2013, 13:12 (GMT+04:00)
By Sara Rajabova

A member of the UK-Azerbaijani inter-parliamentary group said the
United Kingdom continues to call for a peaceful settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“The UK government rightly continues to urge both sides and all
players to use diplomatic means to achieve a peaceful settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and calls on them to refrain from
behavior and rhetoric that could lead to an increase in tension,”
Christopher Pincher said in an interview published in The Independent
and German Die Welt.

Pincher said the UK strongly supports the OSCE Minsk Group efforts
to mediate in talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan for finding a
peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

He said the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry recently made some
positive comments on the progress in the conflict, although these
observations are difficult to interpret.

Pincher urged the two sides to be more open in the Minsk process,
which is known for its secrecy.

Pincher said he understands that diplomacy requires great
punctiliousness, but he believes that perhaps a little more
transparency could be helpful for the negation process.

He said thousands of Azerbaijanis, a whole generation, forced to
live in camps designated to internally displaced people throughout
Azerbaijan, as they cannot return to their homes because of the
conflict with Armenia.

Armenia occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally
recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent
regions, after laying territorial claims against its South Caucasus
neighbor that caused a brutal war in the early 1990s. Long-standing
efforts by US, Russian and French mediators have been largely fruitless
so far.

As a result of the military aggression of Armenia, over 20,000
Azerbaijanis were killed, 4,866 are reported missing and almost
100,000 were injured, and 50,000 were disabled.

Four UN Security Council resolutions, and similar statements from the
EU, NATO and Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which have called
for the withdrawal of Armenian forces have so far gone unanswered.

Peace talks mediated by Russia, France and the US have also produced
no results so far.