CENSUS IN ARMENIA
Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am
Aug 6 2009
Armenia
The Armenian National Statistical Service will conduct a census in
2009-2013, the head of the service Stepan Mnatsakanyan told NEWS.am.
A total of AMD 2.5 bln (US $7mln) are to be allocated from the
state budget.
Amid the crisis the state budget can cover only 21% of the expenses,
with the rest to be attracted from international organizations.
Last census was conducted in Armenia in 2001.
TATUL MANASERYAN: ARMENIA SHOULD DEVELOP ITS OWN MARSHALL PLAN
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
31.07.2009 14:34 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia should develop its Marshall Plan, jointly
with the other countries of the region, an adviser to RA National
Assembly speaker said.
"It will take time to overcome the consequences of the crisis. At that,
peculiarities of Armenian economy will prevent it from making of use
of all opportunities the crisis may provide," Tatul Manaseryan told
a news conference on Friday.
As to world economy, it tends to stabilization, according to him.
Manaseryan pointed out to the steps the Armenian government takes to
combat the crisis. However, he mentioned that these are not enough
and a common economic model should be developed.
"There are some dominating countries wishing to make the most of the
situation," he said. "So Armenia and neighboring countries should
have their own recovery plan."
MATTHEW BRYZA: ARMENIA-TURKEY RAPPROCHEMENT BLOCKED
Today.Az
s/54266.html
July 30 2009
Azerbaijan
OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Matthew Bryza expressed regret on
slow progress in Armenia-Turkey relations normalization due to
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement.
"Unfortunately, normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations that we
all have recently witnessed is currently blocked,"he stated.
SERZH SARGSYAN TO LEAVE FOR BISHKEK ON WORKING VISIT ON JULY 31
Noyan Tapan
July 30, 2009
YEREVAN, JULY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. RA President Serzh Sargsyan is
leaving for Bishkek on a working visit on July 31 to take part
in the unofficial summit of the heads of the Collective Security
Treaty Orgaization’s member countries. The RA Presiden’s Press Office
reported this.
WB APPROVES $30 MILLION IRRIGATION REHABILITATION PROJECT IN ARMENIA
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
29.07.2009 15:23 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today
approved the Irrigation Rehabilitation Emergency Project (IREP) for
Armenia in the amount of US$30 million, Aristomene Varudakis, head
of the WB-Armenia office, told journalists today. The project will be
financed through a loan from the International Bank of Reconstruction
and Development (IBRD).
The IBRD Flexible Loan has 27 years of maturity with 5 years grace
period. Since joining the World Bank in 1992 and IDA in 1993,
commitments to Armenia total approximately US$1,277 million.
The Project supports two objectives: improving water use efficiency
in two selected irrigation schemes in Armavir and Talin regions;
and fostering rural employment. These are to be achieved by civil
works to rehabilitate irrigation canals which will reduce water
losses, and strengthening the institutions managing the irrigation
infrastructure. The IREP strongly build upon previous projects in
this sector, through World Bank and other donor financed – projects.
The Project will provide funds for the rehabilitation of almost
84 km of the main canals in Armavir and Talin regions, that will
reduce losses by up to 70 thousand cubic meters of water and will
help bring irrigation back to about 7,300 ha of land. By the time the
Project is completed, around 39,000 water users will directly benefit
from the rehabilitation works. The beneficiaries are spread over 73
communities. The Project will contribute to the creation of almost
9,000 person months of employment. While this will be temporary in
nature, it will have a considerable impact on mitigating the effects
of the economic downturn on underemployed farmers and return migrants
in the regions where the construction activities will take place.
RA MINISTER OF DIASPORA RECEIVES VAKHTANG DARCHINIAN AND SUSI KENTIKIAN
Noyan Tapan
July 29, 2009
YEREVAN, JULY 29, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA Minister of
Diaspora Hranush Hakobian received on July 28 famous Armenian boxers,
world boxing champions Vakhtang Darchinian and Susi Kentikian. The
Minister greeted the Armenian champions, expressed interest in
their future programs and coming duels. At the end of the meeting
the Minister invited the champions to Yerevan School 168 after His
Holiness Vazken I where Diasporan Armenian young people arrived in
Armenia within the framework of the Come Home program participate in
courses on Armenian.
School Director Sona Galstian first welcame those present at the
full hall, then the school pupils presented nice dancing and reciting
performances.
The RA Minister of Diaspora warmly greeted the Diasporan Armenian boys
and girls and wished them always to have victories in their life, like
Vakhtang and Susi. She emphasized that the champions of the Armenian
origin reached those successes setting themselves an object, owing to
their everyday hard work. The Minister called on that every Armenian,
like Vakhtang, keep the honour of the Armenian flag high, devotes
himself to the Armenian, Armenians and Armenia. Then Hranush Hakobian
handed diplomas of the Ministry of Diaspora to Vakhtang Darchinian
and Susi Kentikian for keeping high the name of the Armenian sport
and of an Armenian on the international scene.
According to the Press and Public Relations Department of the
RA Ministry of Diaspora, the school pupils and Come Home program
participant Diasporan Armenian pupils received Vakhtang’s speech
of gratitude and persuasions to everyday work hard with great
enthusiasm. The young people from Armenia and Diasporan Armenians
present at the hall addressed the questions they were interested in
to the champions of the Armenian origin.
The champions promised that then they will more often visit Armenia,
especially, that it was the first time Susi returned her birthplace
after 18 years.
TURKEY DETAINS 165 SUSPECTED MEMBERS OF RADICAL ISLAMIST GROUP HIZB UT-TAHRIR
AZG Armenian Daily
29/07/2009
Turkey
Police say they have detained 165 suspected members of the Turkish
branch of a radical Islamic movement in a nationwide crackdown.
A statement from the Istanbul police headquarters says the suspected
members of the Hizb ut-Tahrir group were detained in simultaneous
raids in 21 provinces on Friday.
Monday’s statement says the operation was launched in coordination
with Turkey’s national intelligence agency.
It said police seized arms, hundreds of T-shirts emblazoned with
a slogan calling for the establishment of one large state ruled by
Islamic laws, as well as maps and flags of such a state.
The Hizb ut-Tahrir group is banned in Turkey, the Associated Press
reports.
CASCADE CREDIT UNIVERSAL CREDITING ORGANIZATION DISSOLVED FOR REORGANIZATION REASONS
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
28.07.2009 16:05 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At CBA Board meeting, headed by Chairman Arthur
Javadyan, resolution was taken on announcing Cascade Credit Universal
Crediting Organization’s license void, CBA Press Service reported.
According to report, Cascade Credit Universal Crediting Organization
was dissolved for reorganization reasons.
KARABAKH FOCUS: TALKS SNARLED ON "INTERIM STATUS"
By Tatul Hakobian
Institute for War and Peace Reporting IWPR
July 27 2009
UK
Moscow meeting leaves sides no closer and many questions unanswered.
Agreement on Nagorny Karabakh’s "interim status", a precondition for
an internationally-brokered peace process, is the current obstacle
to progress in talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan, participants said.
Under the six-part Madrid Principles supported by Russia, France and
the United States – co-chairs of the Minsk Group of mediators – the
self-declared state would have some kind of unresolved status until
a referendum could be held to decide its long-term future.
The presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan met in Moscow just over a
week ago but no breakthrough occurred, despite intense international
pressure.
"We are currently discussing the separation of certain principles
from the Madrid Principles, after which we must discuss the remaining
principles. On this basis we must start the preparation of the final
agreement," Armenian president Serzh Sargsian told a European Union
delegation on July 20, following his return from Russia.
"The main element is the question of the status of Nagorny Karabakh,
which must be resolved through a legally binding expression of
will. When we can give this question a precise definition, which
cannot allow dual interpretations, I think the talks will continue
more smoothly."
The Karabakh conflict broke out in 1988 with clashes between Azeris
and Armenians, who made up the majority of the population of Nagorny
Karabakh but who were included within the boundaries of Azerbaijan. The
territory declared independence unilaterally in 1991, triggering a
conflict that ended with a ceasefire in 1994.
Since then the ceasefire has largely held, but there has been almost no
progress on a final resolution of the conflict. Azerbaijan and Armenia
lack diplomatic ties, while around a million Azeris and hundreds of
thousands of Armenians remain displaced. Their return to their former
homes is another one of the Madrid Principles, but no progress was
made on that either.
"The Armenian troops must be removed from the occupied territories, and
after that the question of the return of refugees to their lands can
be raised," said Elmar Mamedyarov, the Azerbaijani foreign minister,
on his return to Baku, sparking an angry response from his counterpart
in Yerevan.
"During the Moscow meeting, these questions (territory and refugees)
were not even discussed," said Edward Nalbandian, the Armenian
foreign minister.
The issue is complicated by Turkey, which is engaged in a separate
talks process with Armenia over opening its own border. Ankara has
said its negotiations are linked to the progress of the talks over
Karabakh, which may be driving Armenia towards a solution.
Meanwhile, the self-declared government of Nagorny Karabakh, whose
independence has not been recognised by any country, objects that its
authorities are not included in the peace negotiations and says that
its status is not negotiable.
Bako Sahakian, the leader of Nagorny Karabakh, laid out his position
on July 10 before the talks even started.
"Our position is clear and remains unchanged. The independence of
the Nagorny Karabakh Republic is an established fact and is not under
discussion," he said.
"Without the agreement of the people of the NagornyKarabakh Republic it
is impossible to come to any resolution. Artsakh (Karabakh in Armenian)
is the major side in the talks, and yet today is not taking part in the
negotiations process, and we have to restore this important principle."
His statement was echoed by many other political figures and social
groups in Karabakh, but the Azerbaijani negotiators said they could
be included only after the other participants had resolved all the
major principles on which the talks would be based.
According to political commentators, the two sides were discussing
some kind of exchange involving giving Azerbaijan the five regions
outside Nagorny Karabakh proper that Armenian forces either partially
or entirely control, in exchange for Azerbaijan recognising the
territory’s interim status, as laid out in the Madrid Principles.
But this was unlikely to meet approval in Karabakh either.
"The territory of Nagorny Karabakh cannot be an item to trade, and if
we depart from our current situation and attempt to assess the exchange
of real territory for the recognition of a virtual and interim status,
then it is clear that such an exchange is far from adequate," said
Masis Mailian, the former foreign minister in the Karabakh government.
Former participants in the talks said the negotiations sound like
they have stalled, since the issues being discussed were similar to
those that have been discussed for the last decade or more.
"Whether they’re closer or not [it’s hard to say], but I can say
it’s more complicated now that it’s ever been," said Vardan Oskanian,
former Armenian foreign minister and a veteran of the talks process.
"There appears to be urgency on the part of the co-chair countries
to resolve this conflict. This can bring added pressure on the
parties. That, together with the fact that in the minds of negotiators
and the parties, there is the issue of the Turkish-Armenian border
opening.
"This may make it difficult to reconcile differences and reach an
agreement. Azerbaijan may convince itself that Armenians now need a
solution more than they do, and they may simply raise the stakes and
make a deal impossible."
Tatul Hakobian is Yerevan correspondent for US newspaper The Armenian
Reporter.
ARMENIA’S AMBASSADOR PRESENTS CREDENTIALS TO EC PRESIDENT
armradio.am
24.07.2009 14:43
Head of the Armenian Representation at the EU, Ambassador Avet Adonts
presented his credentials to Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the
European Commission.
The interlocutors discussed the Armenia-EU relations and the prospects
for their development.
Congratulating Mr. Adonts on appointment, the EC President reconfirmed
the willingness of the European Union to continue the cooperation with
Armenia, for which the Eastern Partnership is a good opportunity. He
welcomed the efforts of the Armenian President targeted at the
peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict and the normalization
of the Armenian-Turkish relations.
Mr. Barroso stressed the willingness of the European Commission to
undertake measures that would supplement the activity of the OSCE
Minsk Group.
Ambassador Adonts presented the latest developments in the process
of settlement of the Karabakh conflict and the current state of
normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations.
The parties dwelt on issues of signing a free trade agreement between
Armenia and the European Union, and simplification of the visa regime,
as well as the positive developments in the domestic political life
of Armenia.