Author: Boshkezenian Garik

VARTAN OSKANIAN: EVERY CONFLICT IS UNIQUE IN ITS NATURE

armradio.am
04.12.2007 16:16

Can Kosovo become a precedent for the settlement of the Karabakh
conflict?

In response to the question of the Russian Kommersant, RA Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian said:

"Precedents have certain influence in international relations
irrespective of our will. Their reoccurrence becomes the basis of
international law as time passes. But irrespective of that we do not
follow the precedents in case of Nagorno Karabakh.

Our approach has been and remains as follows: all conflicts are unique
in their nature, and the resolution of each of them can be individual,
especially considering that the talks on Nagorno Karabakh are held
in the framework of the principle of self-determination. It is the
right of people of Karabakh, and it is impossible to turn back the
clock of history irrespective of the solutions to other conflicts.

If the result of the Kosovo issue is not a precedent, then the opposite
logic is not understandable to us, either. To put it otherwise, if the
international community wants to make the people of Nagorno Karabakh
understand that the independence of Kosovo does not envisage automatic
independence of Karabakh, it must simultaneously explain to Azerbaijan
the opportunity of realization of the right for self-determination
of nations by Nagorno Karabakh. That is to say, every conflict must
have its individual solution deriving from its peculiarities and the
logic of negotiations."

IMF EXECUTIVE BOARD COMPLETES FIFTH REVIEW UNDER ARMENIA’S PRGF ARRANGEMENT AND APPROVES US$5.2 MILLION DISBURSEMENT

ARMENPRESS
Nov 27, 2007

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS: The Executive Board of the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) has completed the fifth review of
Armenia’s economic performance under the three-year Poverty Reduction
and Growth Facility (PRGF) arrangement, IMF said in a press release.

The Executive Board also approved a request for modifying the
end-December 2007 structural performance criterion on the tax filing
process. The completion of the review enables the release of an
amount equivalent to SDR 3.28 million (about US$5.2 million) under
the arrangement, bringing the total amount drawn under the arrangement
to an amount equivalent to SDR 19.68 million (about US$31.4 million).

The PRGF is the IMF’s concessional facility for low-income
countries. PRGF-supported programs are based on country-owned poverty
reduction strategies adopted in a participatory process involving
civil society and development partners and articulated in the country’s
Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper.

This is intended to ensure that PRGF-supported programs are consistent
with a comprehensive framework for macroeconomic, structural, and
social policies to foster growth and reduce poverty. PRGF loans
carry an annual interest rate of 0.5 percent and are repayable over
10 years with a 5½ -year grace period on principal payments.

Following the Executive Board’s discussion on Armenia, Mr. Takatoshi
Kato, Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair, stated: "Armenia
continues to benefit from a double-digit rate of growth, moderate
inflation, a low fiscal deficit, and a comfortable reserves position.

Moreover, good progress has been made in reducing poverty. Strong
remittance inflows have dampened the impact of rapidly rising imports
on the current account deficit. The medium-term outlook is positive,
with a favorable outlook for investment.

"Sound fiscal and monetary policies will remain key to macroeconomic
stability and external competitiveness, against the background of
large-scale foreign exchange inflows and rising inflationary risks. The
Central Bank of Armenia is committed to tightening monetary policy to
keep inflation low, while maintaining a flexible exchange rate regime.

"Emerging expenditure pressures associated with pension reform and
a potential hike in gas import prices create medium-term fiscal
risks, calling for improved revenue mobilization and expenditure
prioritization. Increasing the tax-to-GDP ratio in a transparent and
nondiscretionary manner will be particularly important, to provide
resources for the country’s infrastructure needs and efforts to reduce
poverty further.

"The authorities intend to press ahead with their structural
reform agenda to remove remaining bottlenecks to broad-based
growth. Policies aimed at boosting domestic competition and
productivity are essential to improve external competitiveness. The
tax administration modernization program will contribute to reducing
tax evasion and strengthening the business environment," Mr. Kato said.

–Boundary_(ID_+J11rszElEzfciHFnSp3Jg)–

KNOWN ARMENIAN SPORTSMAN TO SUGGEST RUSSIAN PRESIDENT TO BUY HIS MEDALS WON EARLIER

2007-11-29 17:33:00

ArmInfo. The known Armenian sportsman, three times champion of Europe
and six times champion of the USSR, champion of Kind Will Games Israel
Hakopkokhnyan is going to run for president of Armenia.

He recalled at today’s press conference that according to the
legislation of the republic he has to pay 8 mln drams election
pawn. If he does not manage to gather this sum, he is going to
sell his medals and to resolve the problem in such a way. ‘There
is quest for the medals’, – the sportsman said and did not rule out
that they will be offered to the Russian President Vladimir Putin to
buy. Nevertheless he applied to the Armenian President Robert Kocharyan
with a request to lend 8 mln drams to him and give him his medals as
a pawn. He also added that he was given an inquiry of his permanent
living in Armenia for 10 years. This gave him an opportunity to run
for president. Hakopkokhyan said that he does not have an electoral
team and the "United Motherland" will become the programme of his
electoral campaign which supposes unification of Karabakh with Armenia
and introduction of free medical service and education.

12 OF THE BEST FROM SERJ TANKIAN

Ulster Herald, UK
Nov 29 2007

For just over a decade, Serj Tankian has solely been seen as front
man and political mouthpiece of US/Armenian cult metallers System
Of A Down. However with SOAD on an indefinite hiatus, the skilled
lyricist has taken advantage of his newfound spare time to release
his solo effort, Elect The Dead. With a catalogue of 500 unreleased
songs, Serj has only used 12 for his first release but has he chosen
the right dozen to grant a few more solo releases or can he put his
other 488 into storage?

While the last two SOAD albums seemed to come with two massive question
marks over their digipak cases, an aspect of that was believed to
have been due to the added contribution of Daron Malkian as well as a
collective belief of the need for progression among the band. Here,
quite obviously wring a record for himself, Serj offers the most
credible form of System’s sound since the idealistic days of Toxicity
with the album’s first two songs; Empty Walls and The Unthinking
Majority. However the tone is not one of consistency as he fluctuates
to the acoustic mantra of Money albeit with the trademark quirky vocals
erratically proclaiming seven ways to use the tracks title. Feed Us,
the albums second longest track, which deals with political corruption
in the Third World, has an instantly grabbing guitar to open with
neck flexing heavy chugging. However the song does has a well-suited
cultural and ethnic rhythm to parallel the government’s heavy hand
with the poverty stricken sound of the deprived countries.

Sadly though the album somewhat enters a stagnant period half way in.

Saving Us and The Sky Is Over, although a sound Tankian, is likely
much more comfortable with, lacks the virility of the openers but
he seems to go through feelings in the album that is reflected in
every two song block. Baby, tailing the melancholic block of the
previous two songs, starts very similar to Soldier Side but chins
up immediately with an optimistic burst of Tankian’s ‘hope is all we
have’ voice. Honking Antelope is reminiscent of Toxicity’s Jet Pilot
in the whole lyrical concept but musically they are poles apart.

Irrespective of that it does impress with the 40-year-old’s piano
input and profound musical structures giving the song another level of
creativity. The album’s final third is greeted with its third single,
Lie, Lie, Lie, an almost camp cabaret number that wouldn’t be out of
place at a bar mitzvah but it welcomes a familiar happy, comical tone
to Tankian’s music that was once prominent in SOAD and this is followed
up by the equally humorous Praise The Lord and Pass The Ammunition. A
patriotic song written in reaction to the Pearl Harbour attacks and
although quoted countless times in songs, never has it had such a
spin as the Serj treatment. Expect a lot of psychedelics, undeniable
funk and a stupid smile on your face for four and a half minutes.

Beethoven, the albums penultimate track, deals with the end of
civilization. The arms of time are breaking off, Civilization is
on trial, The Clocks eliminating time, Do you believe in Nothing? A
fantastic final number that still keeps you enthralled 40 minutes in.

To close, the album’s self titled track drags its heals to a
melancholic plea from Tankian, only assisted by a piano solo.

Overall it might not be for the SOAD fan but there’s classics sparks
in the album that rekindle a much brighter day when the band was
around and although it may become a slow affair at times, patience
and concentration brings rewards where you least expect them. 7.5/10

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ARMENIAN PROMISES TO CLOSE SOVIET-ERA NUCLEAR PLANT

The Associated Press
November 29, 2007 Thursday 7:08 PM GMT

Armenia approved a plan Thursday to shut down its lone nuclear power
plant, following years of pressure from foreign nations concerned
about its Soviet-era design and safety.

The government gave no date for closing the Medzamor reactor,
located about 30 kilometers (20 miles) west of the capital,
Yerevan. The 27-year-old plant, which supplies nearly half the
country’s electricity, ceased operations after a 1988 earthquake,
but was restarted during an energy shortage in 1995.

Since then, Armenia has been under constant pressure to close the
plant ahead of its 2016 operational end-life due to safety concerns
and possible design flaws. The European Union has pledged $295 million
in loans and other assistance to help close it.

The shutdown could cost up to $280 million, Energy Minister Armen
Movsisian said.

Armenian officials have long refused to shut it without another source
of electricity.

Last week, the United States said it would fund a preliminary
feasibility study on building a new nuclear plant.

President Robert Kocharian has said that building a new, 1,000-megawatt
plant double that of Medzamor would cost more than $3 billion.

In 2004, Russia’s state-run electricity grid operator, RAO Unified
Energy Systems, assumed financial control of Medzamor in a deal struck
to relieve Armenia’s massive debts to Russian energy suppliers. UES
and Armenia now share management of the plant.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER COMING TO ESTONIA

Baltic News Service
November 29, 2007 Thursday 3:07 PM EET

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian is to arrive in Estonia
on Sunday on a visit.

Oskanian is scheduled to meet with his opposite number, Urmas Paet,
and members of parliament. The ministers will hold a joint press
conference on Monday.

Paet invited his colleague to come to Estonia at a meeting on the
fringes of the European neighborhood policy conference in Brussels
at the beginning of September. The invitation was reciprocated.

Paet said in the meeting Estonia would like Armenia to lift the visa
requirement to Estonian citizens.

Dropping the visa requirement would definitely benefit economic
contacts between the two countries as well as tourism, Paet then said.

Oskanian visited Estonia in March 2000 and Estonia’s then Foreign
Minister Toomas Hendrik Ilves was on a return visit to the Caucasus
country in April 2001.

The Armenian head of state, Robert Kocharian, paid an official visit
to this Baltic state in June 2004 and the former president of Estonia,
Arnold Ruutel, visited Armenia in November of the same year.

EQUAL MINSK GROUP ATTITUDE TO CONFLICT PARTIES IS WRONG – BAKU

Russia & CIS Presidential Bulletin
November 28, 2007

The equal attitude of the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group to
Azerbaijan and Armenia for the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement is wrong,
Novruz Mamedov, head of the international affairs department at the
Azeri presidential administration told the Lider TV channel.

Azerbaijan is a party to the conflict, its territories are occupied,
and it has about one million refugees. Armenia is the other party;
it is the occupant, and it is the reason behind Azeri refugees.

In this case, a single position to both parties to the conflict is
unfair, Mamedov said.

They [Armenia] occupied the territories in a war and now they want
peaceful settlement. Such statements on behalf of the Armenian side
are based on the position of the international community, the world’s
leading powers and international organizations. Regretfully, today
international organizations and the states influencing world order
cannot show a certain and just position, which is explained in terms
of double standards. They, however, should understand that sooner
or later the Azeri territories will be liberated from Armenia’s
occupation, Mamedov said.

Mamedov also said that Baku worries about the deployment of Russian
troops withdrawn from Georgia in Armenia. Such actions of one of the
co- chairmen of the Minsk Group, which can play a decisive role in
settlement, do not promote the resolution of the conflict, he said.

OSCE MINSK GROUP TO VISIT KARABAKH CONFLICT REGION NEXT JANUARY

DeFacto Agency
Nov 30 2007
Armenia

To study Nagorno-Karabakh conflict parties’ reaction OSCE Minsk group
Co-Chairs will visit the region next January, French mediator Bernard
Fassier stated.

"Today we advise that the parties round off the process of the
principal base’s formation and proceed to the settlement details. We
have successfully overcome a long way". Fassier underscored the
necessity to rapidly settle the conflict. "Let us not wait 50 more
years", PanARMENIAN.Net reports quoting Azerbaijani mass media.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Kazimirov: Madrid talks focused on previous proposals with renewed wording
01.12.2007 13:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `In view of comparative confidentiality of contacts
between the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs and both parties to the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict one can suppose that Madrid talks focused on
previous proposals with renewed wordings of the issues Yerevan and
Baku have failed to coordinate so far,’ former OSCE MG Russian
Co-chair, Ambassador Vladimir Kazimirov told a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter.

`I suppose that the mediators consider these wordings admissible for
both sides. Besides, the opinion of the third party should be also
taken into account. However, it’s merely a supposition of mine,’ the
Russian diplomat said.

In Madrid, the Co-chairs presented a package of base principles of the
conflict settlement for further consideration of the Presidents.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Putin, Gul satisfied with Russia-Turkey relations
01.12.2007 14:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ November 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a
telephone conversation with President of Turkey Abdullah Gul.

The two leaders exchanged views on the current state of
Russian-Turkish cooperation and the development prospects for
relations. The two Presidents said they were happy with the rapid
development of bilateral ties, which in many areas can already be
characterized as an advanced and multi-faceted partnership.

The leadership in both countries sees continued all-round development
of cooperation between Russia and Turkey as an important factor in
ensuring security and stability across the Eurasian region.

Mr Putin, who sent Mr Gul a telegram earlier in the day following the
plane crash in Turkey, repeated his condolences during the telephone
conversation.

The telephone conversation took place on Turkey’s initiative, the
Kremlin’s press office said.