Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

Independent economist: Armenia spent at least US$700,000 million to
maintain national currency over first 2 months of 2009

2009-03-09 16:30:00

ArmInfo. Armenia spent at least US$700,000 million to maintain national
currency over the first 2 months of 2009, Armenian economist, the
former parliamentarian Tatul Manaseryan told media Monday.

‘It is more than every of the 3 big credits Armenia is expecting from
Russia, IMF or WB. I think it inadmissible especially when the country
failed to achieve the desirable stability’, he said. Big
foreign credits should not be the only hope either, since as soon as
they are received it will be necessary to think over their repayment,
he said.

World Bank has approved a US$525 million credit to Armenia for 4 years.
By some US$500 million credits are expected also from Russia and IMF
shortly.
From: Baghdasarian

MAYORAL CANDIDATE BIRDAL: "KURDISH AND DEMOCRATIC VOTERS WILL CHANGE THE COURSE OF ELECTIONS"
Bawer Cakir

BIA Magazine
March 6 2009
Turkey

Akın Birdal, candidate for mayor’s office in Greater Istanbul, has
predicted that many people will be surprised at the local election
results, as the media is misleading the public.

"The media are profit partners of the government and their allies
in some way or other, so it is normal that they are ignoring us. But
the fact that they ignore us doesn’t mean that we are not here."

Akın Birdal, former head of the Human Rights Association (IHD)
and then MP for the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) in
Diyarbakır, is the candidate of the "We exist, too" Platform for
Greater Istanbul mayor.

He says that the mainstream media is giving the impression that the
elections are only being fought between the Justice and Development
Party (AKP) of the national government and the People’s Republican
Party (CHP), the main opposition party in parliament.

Kurds and democrats

>From impressions gathered at neighbourhood visits and meetings with
professional associations and trade union representatives, Birdal
believes that he can trust in the votes of the 1.7 million Kurds in
Istanbul who have been voting for the AKP in the hope for a solution
to the Kurdish question, as well as in the votes of the democrats
who have reluctantly voted for the CHP in the past.

Birdal said, "Our election campaign is in full stride. We have been
meeting with trade unions linked to the DISK and KESK federations,
as well as the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) and the Union of
Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMoB), in order to
see what kind of city we can create."

He criticised the fact that trade unions and professional associations
were excluded from local government, saying that he found it vital
to include the representatives of the people.

People are excluded from city

Birdal said that he has been listening to "the people who are
not asked" during events, election office openings and solidarity
meetings. He is also in contact with shopkeepers.

"The small traders are very worried. They have all said that they
have come to the point where they will have to close down. They
are worried that the AKP has slowed down the economy because of the
elections and that they will suffer the consequences."

"Existing neoliberal policies have pushed the small traders and all
workers outside of the financial city", he said, adding:

"There are 4.5 million workers in this city, and they are aware of
the situation. But the current local government does not consider
them or what kind of city they would like tol ive in. We will create
a new Istanbul by including this group in local administration."

"We also exist" Birdal emphasised the importance of the sense of
solidarity created by the "We also exist" Platform. He expressed his
belief that many voters disappointed in the AKP and the CHP would
vote for him.

"Women, Kurds, Armenians, homosexuals, workers, in short all the
oppressed and workers in Istanbul will stand up and lead us to an
impressive result. This will not be a surprise for the media or the
other parties."

He ended by saying,

"Even if the media is the voice of government and is ‘burying’ us,
there are independent and oppositional newspapers, Internet websites,
TV channels and radio stations."

Today (Friday), Birdal is meeting with people in the areas of Nurtepe
and Okmeydan, before giving an interview on YaÅ~_am Radio at 5 pm. At
7 pm, there is an election rally in Maltepe.

Tomorrow, Birdal will take part in the Saturday Mothers/People protest,
which is a regular protest demanding justice for the many people who
have disappeared in Turkey in the last decades.
From: Baghdasarian

ITALY CLOSELY WATCHES KARABAKH PROCESS

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.03.2009 21:07 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On March 6, the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan
received Alfredo Montik, the Secretary General of Italian Foreign
Affairs Ministry. During the meeting the head of Armenian State
mentioned that Armenian-Italian relationships have good perspectives
for development, and attached great importance to furthering the
political dialogue. As the Foreign Affairs Secretary General said,
the official Rome is interested in promoting friendly relationship
with Yerevan and there are all the prerequisites for it, said Alfredo
Montika.

Serzh Sargsyan mentioned that the development of Armenian-Italian
relations plays an essential role for Armenia’s euro integration
process. During the meeting the parties discussed the initiative on
"Eastern Partnership" and stressed that it will open new perspectives
for collaboration. The Armenian president particularly stressed
the importance of the presence of the regional component for this
initiative.

The Secretary General thanked Armenian authorities for the help offered
to Italian citizens during Georgian -Ossetian crisis. According to
him, the past events proved political conflict settlement to be the
most effective solution. "Rome is interested in the establishment
of stability in South Caucasus," Alfredo Montika noted, adding that
Italy, being a MG OSCT Member, is well aware of the progress of
Nagormo-Karabakh conflict settlement negotiations. Serzh Sargsyan, in
his turn, highly assessed the balanced policy that Italy implements in
resolution of regional issues, the Presidential press office reported.
From: Baghdasarian

COMMERZBANK AG AND UBS AG ADVISE RUSSIA, UKRAINE AND KAZAKHSTAN TO MOVE TOWARD A FREE FLOAT LIKE ARMENIA DID

ArmInfo
2009-03-05 23:18:00

ArmInfo. Commerzbank AG and UBS AG advise Russia, Ukraine and
Kazakhstan to abandon their currency management regimes and move
toward a free float like nearby Armenia to protect their economies
against the global credit crisis, reports Bloomberg.

Armenia devalued the dram 22 percent against the dollar during the
past two days as part of a $540 million credit- line agreement with
the International Monetary Fund. The move will help reignite the
"struggling" economy, central bank chief Artus Javadyan said.

Russia undertook what the central bank described as a "gradual
devaluation" of the ruble, spending 36 percent of its foreign-currency
reserves to curtail a 35 percent depreciation versus the dollar since
August. In Ukraine, policy makers have drained 24 percent of reserves
since August to stem a 41 percent drop in the hryvnia with "daily"
interventions, according to the central bank.

"Armenia has done better than all the others by moving straight to a
free float," said Michael Ganske, head of emerging-markets research in
London at Commerzbank, which ranks itself among the 10 biggest traders
of the ruble worldwide. "It gives them the flexibility to adjust to
new economic scenarios. In the current global environment it’s very,
very hard to maintain an overvalued currency."

The artificially strong Armenian dram was hurting economic growth and
boosting unemployment, Nienke Oomes, the IMF’s representative to the
country, said yesterday, according to a central bank statement. "The
best option is for the currency to float freely and for the market
to determine the rate itself."
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA TO OFFER TURKEY PARTICIPATION IN NUCLEAR PLANT PROJECT

news_id=11067
04-03-2009 04:11:18

The Armenian government intends to offer Turkey the opportunity
to participate in the construction of its nuclear power plant,
a multi-billion-dollar project that Yerevan plans to launch soon,
Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian has said.

Sarkisian claimed that construction of a new nuclear plant was not
only of economic but also of political significance.

"This project could play an important stabilizing role in the
region. We want neighboring Turkey to take part in building the power
station, along with our strategic partner Russia."

Sarkisian said tests required to start the project, which is valued
at $4-6 billion, had already begun. The power plant is set to be
built by 2016.

Turkey has yet to respond to the Armenian premier`s statement, but
the Russian media have maintained that Ankara thinks positively of
the proposal.

"The government of Turkey is anticipating an official appeal on
participation in the atomic power plant from Armenian official
circles," Nezavisimaya Gazeta (Independent Newspaper) quoted an
undisclosed Turkish government source as saying. "Only after that
the Turkish side may consider the prospect of participating in the
project and announce its decision. If all the issues involved are
complied with, Yerevan`s proposal may be accepted."

The issue of constructing a nuclear power plant in Armenia has
been under discussion for several years. As is known, the existing
Metsamor facility, located outside the capital, is dilapidated
and the International Atomic Energy Agency, the European Union and
other international groups are insisting it be shutdown. The power
station, which consists of two blocks and has a capacity of 815 MWt,
was commissioned in 1976 and was a key source of electricity for
Armenia in the Soviet times. Along with meeting domestic demand,
power generated at the facility was exported to Turkey as well as to
Georgia and Azerbaijan.

After sustaining considerable damage in the aftermath of a devastating
earthquake in 1988, the operation of the power station was suspended.

However, after lengthy talks with international representatives,
Armenia managed to put one of the blocks, with 407MWt capacity,
back into operation in 1995. Today, the facility meets half of the
country`s demand for electricity. Since 2003, it has been managed
and virtually owned by Russian giants Inter RAO ES and Rosatom.

The EU has called for the close-down of the Metsamor power station by
2010-2011, while Yerevan hopes for assistance from the organization
of $1 billion in exchange for its closure.

Meanwhile, the U.S. decided to help Armenia with the construction
of a new power plant. According to a document signed, Washington
will allocate $2m for the preparation of a feasibility study under
the project.

Joseph Pennington, the U.S. charge d`affaires in Yerevan, said
Washington, which has long been pressing for the closure of Metsamor`s
sole reactor, supports the ambitious idea and will help Yerevan put
it into practice.

"The U.S. government supports the building of a new plant not only
to improve Armenia`s energy security but also because of continuing
concerns regarding the safety of the existing nuclear plant,"
Pennington said. "We look forward to the rapid replacement of the
Metsamor facility with a more modern and safer plant."

The diplomat said it would be premature to speak of the financing
issue but added that Washington could help Yerevan find a source.
From: Baghdasarian

US GOV’T CRITICIZES AZERI, ARMENIAN RIGHTS RECORDS

AzerNews Weekly
March 4 2009
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan`s human rights record was poor in 2008 and even worsened
in some areas, the US State Department claimed in its annual report
on human rights throughout the world.

The right of citizens to a peaceful transfer of power in the ex-Soviet
state was restricted during the October presidential elections,
according to the 2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.

It maintained further that freedom of assembly and religious freedoms
were violated, while the media faced pressure in the South Caucasus
republic last year. Moreover, there were instances of beatings and
torture while in police custody, with three such cases resulting
in deaths, while the conditions of detention were challenging, and
politically motivated arrests continued, according to the report.

It also said corruption is widespread in Azerbaijani courts and law
enforcement agencies.

The State Department said violence against women, human trafficking,
sexual exploitation and forced labor remained problems in the country,
as well.

However, the State Department said the worst situation with human
rights among the South Caucasus republics was observed in Armenia
last year. The March 2008 post-election developments in the country
were the worst outburst of violence in the region in recent years.

Thus, the report cited a considerable decline in Armenia`s record on
democratic development. It indicated that the disputed presidential
election in February was followed by weeks of mostly peaceful
protests. However, authorities used force on March 1-2 to break up
demonstrators in a tide of clashes that left 10 people dead.

The 20-day state of emergency announced after the protests was
marred by outbursts of violence, pressure on independent media and
violations of civil liberties by Armenian authorities. Throughout
the year, authorities imposed restrictions on citizens` rights to
assemble peacefully and to freely express their political views,
said the report.

It further said that by the end of 2008, 59 opposition activists
remained jailed, but government officials who could have been
implicated in election-related crimes did not face any scrutiny.

Also, the US government said China blatantly trampled on human rights
last year. The report accused the country of harassing dissidents
and increasing its repression of ethnic minorities.

Among the other countries criticized were Russia and North Korea.
From: Baghdasarian

SERGEY GROUP TO SUSPEND PETROL IMPORT IN ARMENIA FOR INDEFINITE PERIOD

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.03.2009 14:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The upsurge of dram-to-dollar exchange rate will
inevitably affect Armenian consumers, an entrepreneur said.

"We will suspend import for an indefinite period. If the rate remains
fixed at AMD380-400/$1 the price for fuel will rise. However, we will
work to come to an agreement with our clients," Sergey Bagratyan,
President of Sergey Group engaged in import of petrol and diesel fuel
in the republic, told a PanARMENIAN.Net.

"The company is watching market developments. We do show flexibility in
relations with clients but all depends on the exchange rate," he said.

The dram-to-dollar exchange rate has gone up to AMD 360/$1 in few
hours today against yesterday’s 305 -310 index for sale and purchase
respectively.

Dram/euro exchange rate reached AMD 440 (against 387).

The upsurge followed CB President Arthur Javadian’s statement on
cessation of control over the foreign currency market and return to
floating rate policy.

According to the Central Bank, the dollar exchange rate will fluctuate
from AMD 360 to 380 in 2009.
From: Baghdasarian

AZERBAIJANI DEFENSE MINISTRY: "THE ARMENIAN SOLDIERS SAID THE SITUATION IN THE ARMENIAN ARMY IS INTOLERABLE"

Today.Az

Marc h 2 2009
Azerbaijan

Armenian soldiers who knowingly crossed the Azerbaijani border said
while being questioned that soldiers are tortured in the Armenian army,
Azerbaijani Defense Ministry spokesman Eldar Sabiroglu told Trend News.

Armenian soldiers crossed the border into Azerbaijan in Evciduzu in
Agdam at noon on Feb. 28. They asked Khojali IDP Zumrud Aliyeva to
give them food in Russian.

Aliyeva heard them speaking Armenian and informed a nearby military
unit.

The Armenian soldiers were later detained – Grant Markosyan, Artur
Varteryan and Alik Tevosyan.

The Armenian soldiers said the situation in the Armenian army
is intolerable. The soldiers are not provided with clothing. The
army lacks heating, and soldiers catch diseases due to the cold,
Sabiroglu said.

"Soldiers said they are not provided with food. There have
pneumonia and other serious diseases. The army also has a shortage
of medicine. The infectious diseases left many dead. The officers
even misappropriate the money sent by parents to buy medicine,"
Sabiroglu said.

Sabiroglu said the intolerable situation in the Armenian army forces
soldiers to either desert the army or become volunteer hostages.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan
lost all of Nagorno-Karabakh except for Shusha and Khojali in December
1991. In 1992-93, Armenian armed forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and 7
districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed
a ceasefire in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia,
France, and the U.S. – are currently holding the peace negotiations.
From: Baghdasarian

OSCE MG: CONSENT AND PARTICIPATION OF KARABAKH PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.03.2009 11:56 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ NKR President Bako Sahakyan met Saturday with
Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassador Matthew Bryza (U.S.),
Ambassador Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia) and Ambassador Bernard Fassier
(France) and the officials accompanying them to discuss the
Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict settlement process.

President Sahakyan emphasized that without comprehensive resolution
of the conflict is impossible unless Nagorno Karabakh Republic is
recognized as a full-fledged party in negotiations.

The Co-chairs shared the conviction that consent and participation
of Nagorno Karabakh people is essential for a final deal.

President Sahakyan also pointed out to Azerbaijan’s continuous
anti-Armenian and militaristic rhetoric, which is one of the main
obstacles to the peace process.
From: Baghdasarian

Yeni Musavat, Azerbaijan
Feb 25 2009

Azeri opposition comments on Turkish-Armenian ties

Occupied Azerbaijani lands are not just our but also Turkey’s
concern. We would like to believe that there is some logic in Turkish
foreign policy and its relations with Armenia and that this logic will
become clear in the near future, chairman of opposition Musavat Party
Isa Qambar said in a comment on the alleged changes in Turkey’s
foreign policy shift towards Armenia.

Hope Party leader Iqbal Agazada proposes to address a query to Turkish
authorities and see if these reports correspond to reality.

Chairman of the opposition Democratic Party of Azerbaijan Sardar
Calaloglu believes that Azerbaijani authorities have okayed the
initiative to boost Turkish-Armenian relations. "…contradicting the
Azerbaijani interests, our government has agreed that Turkey and
Armenia build relations. Otherwise, the Azerbaijani government should
demand clarification about [Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip]
Erdogan’s statement.’ Calaloglu said.
From: Baghdasarian