Author: Boshkezenian Garik

SARKISIAN TO MEET ARMENIAN PARTY LEADERS ON TURKEY
Emil Danielyan

Armenialiberty.org
Sept 14 2009

President Serzh Sarkisian will meet leaders of dozens of Armenian
political parties on Thursday to discuss his controversial
fence-mending agreements with Turkey, a spokesman said on Monday.

The meeting will be part of "internal political consultations"
which Ankara and Yerevan have agreed to undertake before signing two
protocols on the normalization of bilateral relations next month.

According to Samvel Farmanian, the presidential press secretary,
formal invitations to discuss "the current stage of the normalization
of Turkey-Armenia relations" with the head of state have been extended
to the heads of all political parties active in the country. "This
will be the third thematic consultation convened by President Sarkisian
in this format," he said in a statement.

The previous two meetings, held in November and March, focused on the
Nagorno-Karabakh peace process and the Armenian government’s efforts to
cope with the effects of the global financial crisis respectively. They
were attended by nearly 50 party leaders mostly loyal to Sarkisian.

Both meetings were boycotted by the main opposition Armenian
National Congress (HAK). Farmanian told RFE/RL that the presidential
administration has again sent out invitations only to the leaders
of the parties making up the alliance. The HAK’s top leader, Levon
Ter-Petrosian does not formally head any of those parties.

Some of Ter-Petrosian’s close associates have harshly criticized key
provisions of the Turkish-Armenian protocols publicized on August
31. The HAK’s official reaction to the documents, contained in a
September 1 statement, was more positive though. Ter-Petrosian is
expected to comment on the matter in detail during an HAK rally in
Yerevan scheduled for this Friday.

Another major opposition force, the Zharangutyun (Heritage) party,
has unequivocally condemned the Turkish-Armenian deal. Its spokesman,
Hovsep Khurshudian, told RFE/RL that Zharangutyun has yet to discuss
and decide whether to attend Thursday’s meeting. Its top leader,
Raffi Hovannisian, was presented at Sarkisian’s first meeting with
party leaders but boycotted the second one.

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), another vocal
opponent of Sarkisian’s Turkish policy, will likely send its leaders
to the upcoming meeting. Dashnaktsutyun is expected to circulate on
Tuesday specific amendments which it believes must be made in the
draft protocols.

RUBIK HARUTIUNIAN APPOINTED RA DEPUTY MINISTER OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

Noyan Tapan
Sep 12, 2009

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. Under the decision of Armenian
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian Rubik Harutiunian was appointed
RA Deputy Minister of Emergency Situations, the Press and Public
Relations Department of RA government reported.

50 THOUSAND CITIZENS RECEIVE BONUSES FOR CASH REGISTER RECEIPTS

NOYAN TAPAN
SEPTEMBER 11, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. At the September 10 sitting, the
RA government made a decision to transfer the amount of 543 million
500 thousand drams (about 1 million 468 thousand USD) envisaged for
bonuses to be paid in the 4th quarter of 2009 under the Program on
Holding Lotteries and Provision of Bonuses for Assistance to Tax
Adminstartion to the 3rd quarter as the amount planned for 9 months
is not enough to pay bonuses to citizens.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said that 50 thousand citizens received
and will receive bonuses. Besides, thanks to this measure the RA State
Revenue Committee (SRC) collected additional 5 billion drams. In other
words, the measure contributes to reduction of the shadow economy,
and thanks to citizens’ assistance, SRC increases the number of
spheres taxable.

T. Sargsyan noted that the government expects this flow of money
to grow in the 4th quarter, therefore more bonuses will be paid to
citizens. He underlined the necessity of taking serious measures
in the first quarter of 2010 as every year trade tends to increase
in the 4th quarter. It means that more than 50 people will receive
bonuses in the first quarter of next year.

ARMENIA FM TO VISIT CHINA

armradio.am
10.09.2009 10:47

The Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, is leaving for
Beijing today at the invitation of the Foreign Minister of China,
Yang Jiechi.

Within the framework of the visit Minister Nalbandian is expected to
have meetings with the top leadership of the republic.

The Armenian Foreign Minister will make a speech at the International
Research Institute of China and will give an interview to the Xinhua
agency and the CCTV State Television.

Edward Nalbandian will visit Shanghai, where he will meet with the
municipal authorities and the organizers of the "Shanghai Expo 2010"
to discuss issues of Armenia’s participation in the exhibition.

Minister Nalbandian will return to Yerevan on September 14.

A CONFERENCE TO STRUGGLE AGAINST GENOCIDE DENAILS TO BE HELD IN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

ArmInfo
2009-09-09 12:46:00

ArmInfo. A conference to struggle against genocide denails will be
held in European Parliament in October, European Armenian Federation
reported.

The European Armenian Federation, the Jewish Laic Community Centre
and IBUKA-France have organised the conference.

This conference comes in the scope of the future Pan-European
penalisation of denial: a decision[1] of the European Union which
enforces criminal prosecutions against deniers must be transposed
in the 27 Member States legislations before the end of 2010. The
conference entitled "Denial and Democracy in Europe" must be transposed
in the 27 Member States legislations before the end of 2010. The
conference entitled "Denial and Democracy in Europe" is placed under
the patronage of the European deputy Elmar Brok (German Conservative).

Political officials, lawyers, historians and scholars in social
sciences – great figures in the fight against denial – will present
the common points between denials of the various genocides. They will
aim to convince the European leaders of the need for extending the
penal provisions against all cases of proven denials as allowed by
the European decision.

TURKEY TO OPEN LOBBYING MINISTRY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
09.09.2009 19:54 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Faruk Celik, Turkish Minister of Work and Social
Security, has elaborated a new project to be submitted to Milli Majilis
for approval. Project envisages creation of a new ministry protecting
the rights of Turks living beyond the country’s borders. The ministry
will have a special department which will deal with lobbying issues
and represent Turkey in international structures.

New Ministry staff will consist of a Minister, 7 department heads
and 15 specialists, Turkish Sabah newspaper reports.

OPENING THE BOARDERS "EXCEPTED" BUT "HAVING SERIOUS DANGERS"

Aysor
Sept 8 2009
Armenia

"The opening of the boarders is an excepted event, even more it should
be result of normal relations between any countries", – said Tatul
Manaseryan the RA NA Head’s Councilor during the meeting with the
journalists and added that this serious achievement is at the same
time a process having serious dangerous."

According to T. Manaseryan in the opening of the boarders Turkey is
more interested than we, as "it longs for the membership in European
Union and aims to prove the external world that it is not only civil
but also a country having open boarders."

While speaking about the positive consequences of the opening of the
boarders, T. Manaseryan mentioned the alternative of the consumers
and the exportation and sale of the energy in Turkey. In the same
time he mentioned that the opening of the boarders can also have
negative reflections.

"Is the Armenian Republic ready for the open door policy? Do the
Armenian markets have enough level for competing with the Turkish
companies?", – on the answer of these questions depends the price
that the Armenians will pay as a result of the opening of the boarders.

The price paid by Armenia according to T. Manaseryan will be "the
loss of the local production."

"If Armenia will economically be ready for such a serious economic
competition, then I do not exclude that we will have the chance
economically and not by war get back the biggest part of our lands,
of the West Armenia", – stressed the economist and explained that
"reoccupation can be by free economic areas, by the inflow of Armenian
capital into Turkey, and joint companies."

"I think that all these should be realized with dignity, without
harrying", – concluding his speech said T. Manaseryan.

CROATIA WELCOMES MOVE BY ARMENIA, TURKEY

Today’s Zaman
Sept 9 2009
Turkey

Croatian President Stjepan Mesic has welcomed an announcement made
on Aug. 31 by Armenia and Turkey that they are launching final talks
aimed at establishing diplomatic ties.

The two countries, which currently have no diplomatic relations and a
history of animosity stemming from the killing of Anatolian Armenians
by Ottoman Turks during World War I, announced last week that they
plan to sign two protocols within six weeks under a plan to end a
century of hostility.

"Like war makes peace, each conflict should end with a treaty," Mesic
was quoted as saying by Armenian media on Monday on the occasion of
an official visit to his country by Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan.

"We are pleased with the start of negotiations and ready to declare
any decision acceptable for the friendly Armenian and Turkish peoples,"
Mesic also said.

Several international organizations including the European Union as
well as global leaders have so far delivered congratulatory messages
over the joint statement by Armenia and Turkey.

Under the agreement, both sides would hold domestic meetings before
signing two protocols on the establishment of diplomatic ties and
the development of bilateral relations. The protocols would have to
be ratified by the parliaments of the two countries.

LABOR FAIR TO BE HELD IN SHIRAK SEPTEMBER 11

ARMENPRESS
SEPTEMBER 8, 2009
YEREVAN

Labor fair will be conducted in Gyumri September 11 by the "State
Employment Service" agency of the Armenian Labor and Social Affairs
Ministry.

Head of the job consulting and information department Tsoghik Bezhanyan
said that 35 employers of different spheres will participate in the
event. This year the agency has adopted flexible policy and it must
be purposeful. Initially the suggestions of the employees have been
studied, the province where there is need for work and vacancies
has been selected. The selection of Shirak province is agreed with
the investments of the Armenian government made there and extended
construction works. By the end of the year six labor fairs will be
organized. Bezhanyan said the previous ones gave good results and
active participation has been noted and many people found jobs.

IT LEADERS TO MEET IN AGHVERAN SEPT. 12-13

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.09.2009 17:48 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The regular meeting of IT companies’ leaders will
be held in Aghveran resort on September 12 and 13, UITE executive
director Karen Vardanyan said.

"Discussions will focus on education issues," he said.

Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan, Minister of Economy
Nerses Yeritsyan and some 100 representatives of state and private
agencies are expected to attend the event.

Meetings are organized with the purpose to discuss urgent issues,
launch joint projects and submit proposals to the RA government.