Author: Dabaghian Diana

HERITAGE FOUNDATION: ARMENIA WORLD’S 32ND FREEST ECONOMY

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Jan 16 2007

YEREVAN, January 16. /ARKA/. According to the 2007 assessment of the
Heritage Foundation, Armenia’s economy is 69.4% free, which makes it
the world’s 32nd freest economy.

Armenia has left behind such countries as Georgia (35th), Kirghizstan
(79th), Moldova (81st), Russia (120th), and Ukraine (125th). Armenia
is 19th among the 41 European countries.

Armenia’s business freedom is 84.5%, trade freedom 75.6%, fiscal
freedom 93.3%, freedom from government 91.5%, monetary freedom 79.7%,
investment freedom 60%, financial freedom 70%, property rights 30%,
freedom from corruption 29% and labor freedom 80.9%.

According to the assessment, low inflation is recorded in Armenia, and
the country’s banking sector is completely privatized and well managed.

According to the assessment, Hong Kong is the world’s freest economy
(89.3%) followed by Singapore (85.7%) and Australia (82.7%).

The further ten countries are: the USA (82), New Zealand (81.6),
Great Britain (81.3), Ireland (79.3), Luxembourg (79.3), Switzerland
(79.6) and Canada (78.7).

Cuba and North Korea rank last.

The Heritage Foundation could not make assessments of the Congo,
Iraq, Serbia and Sudan.

TURKEY’S EU TALKS SHOULD CONTINUE, SAYS HEAD OF EUROPEAN COMMISSION

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.01.2007 15:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ European Union membership negotiations with Turkey
should continue despite last month’s partial freeze in talks on
December of 2006, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso
and Italian Premier Romano Prodi said on Monday. In Barroso’s words,
in order to gain full membership Ankara must comply with all conditions
and criteria imposed by the European Union. Romano Prodi also said
Italy’s position on the issue is "identical" to the commission’s,
The Associated Press reports.

It’s worth reminding that talks between Turkey and Ankara were frozen
on 8 of 35 subjects because of Ankara’s refusal to open its ports
and airports for Cyprus. Turkey disputes the Greek Cypriot claim to
represent the whole island under the name of the "Republic of Cyprus"
and officially only recognizes the Turkish Cypriot State.

ODIHR AMBASSADOR DIRECTOR ARRIVING IN ARMENIA

ArmRadio.am
15.01.2007 10:30

Director of the OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human
Rights, Ambassador Christian Strohal will arrive in Armenia tonight
on a two-day visit.

During the meeting meetings with RA President Robert Kocharyan, NA
Chairman Tigran Torosyan, Foreign Minister Varan Oskanian, President
of the Constitutional Court Gagik Harutyunyan, Justice Minister David
Harutyunyan, as well as President of the Central Electoral Commission
Garegin Azaryan are expected.

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Jan 12 2007

GERMAN COMMUNIST PARTY MEMBER DENOUNCES DENIAL OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

YEREVAN, January 12. /ARKA/. Hakki Keskin, one of the members of the
German communist party Die Linke denounces denial of the Armenian
Genocide in 1915, European Armenian Federation (EAF) reported.
According to the EAF, the comments of Keskin, who previously was the
chairman of the Turkish central council of Germany, aroused
indignation of the German Conservative, Socialist and Green parties’
representatives.
In order to release Keskin from his post and to restore the image of
Die Linke as a human rights protection organization, the party
leaders Oskar Lafontaine and Grygor Gysi published a declaration on
the issue of the Armenia Genocide in Ottoman Turkey.
"The fact of extermination of the Armenian people by Ottoman Turkey’s
government is beyond doubt, and the resolution on this issue, adopted
by Bundestag in 2005, underlies the position of Die Linke," the
declaration says.
On June 16, 2005, German Bundestag unanimously adopted the resolution
"Day of Commemoration of Armenians On The Occasion of the 90th
Anniversary of 1915, April 24 massacre: Germany Should Contribute to
Reconciliation Between Armenians and Turks". It was put forward by
the faction of the Christian-Democratic Union and the
Christian-Social Union bloc. (CDU currently is the ruling party in
Germany).
The events at the beginning of the last century are not characterized
by the term "genocide" in the resolution. However, it has a paragraph
mentioning that international historian call this "The Armenian
Genocide".
The Armenian Genocide of 1915 is considered the first genocide of the
20th century, organized and systematically implemented by the Young
Turkish government, resulting in a massacre of over 1.5mln Armenians
in Western Armenia, part of Ottoman Turkey..
Armenian Genocide is considered the first genocide of the 20th
century, organized and systematically executed by the Ottoman Empire,
the successor of which is the present Turkey. More than a million and
half Armenians were slaughtered in different regions of Western
Armenia, being part of Ottoman Empire at that time.
Today the Genocide in Ottoman Turkey is recognized by many countries,
among them Uruguay (the first state that officially recognized the
Genocide in 1965), Lithuania, Russia, France, the Lower Chamber of
Italian parliament and the most of US states, parliament of Greece,
Cyprus, Argentina, Belgium, Wales, National Council of Switzerland,
Chamber of Commons of Canadian parliament and Seym of Poland. R.O.
-0-

REPORT ON FIRES IN KARABAKH READY

ArmRadio.am
11.01.2007 16:47

The report of the fact-finding mission on fires in Nagorno Karabakh and
adjacent territories is ready and has been conveyed to representatives
of OSCE member states, said Bernard Snoy, Coordinator of OSCE Economic
and Environmental Activities.

He noted that at the end of the last year the report was conveyed to
the former OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Belgian Foreign Minister Karel
de Gucht. On December 19 the latter presented the document to US
Secretary General Koffi Anan, requesting to present hand it to member
so of the UN General Assembly.

According APA agency was told at the OSCE Central Office that the
report refers to main indices of the situation on territories that
suffered from fire.

TURKISH OPPONENTS OF "FALSE GENOCIDE CLAIMS" SEND INFORMATION TO US LEADERS

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
Jan 10 2007

Erzurum, 10 January: Association to fight against false genocide claims
(ASIMED) sent a multimedia CD to American President George W. Bush and
the US Congress members, featuring an account of services committed
by Turks to humanity throughout the history.

The ASIMED chairman, Assistant Prof Savas Egilmez, speaking to Anatolia
correspondent underscored Turks have made sacrifices all throughout
history that set example to humanity.

"We are not a nation that committed genocides but one that saved the
victims of genocides. History is full of such examples and the whole
world knows this," said Egilmez.

Underlining the excitement of the Armenian lobby in the USA after
the Democrats’ victory in the elections and election of their
supporter Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi as the new Speaker of the House
of Representatives, Egilmez said, "The Armenians started lobbying
right after the elections to make it possible for the ‘genocide lie’
to be acknowledged by the American Congress. They aim to demand amends
and claim land from Turkey after making the strongest country in the
world recognize the so-called genocide."

Reminding the remarks of one of the most important supporters of
the Armenian lobby, California Congressman Adam Schiff, saying "our
chances of getting the Armenian genocide draft accepted at the congress
is the highest in 10 years", Egilmez said they started a campaign to
inform members of the Congress and asked Turkish citizens to support
the campaign and send e-mails to congressmen.

MATTHEW BRYZA ON KARABAKH: "WE FINISHED THE YEAR WITH POSITIVE NOTES"

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.01.2007 17:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "2006 in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement
was a year of rise, then of decline and then of a new rise. Right as
if a double-humped camel," stated the American Co-Chair.

"But we finished the year on the humps, not between them," said
American Co-Chair Matthew Bryza. The February meeting of president in
France, which was full of hopes and then the June meeting in Bucharest.

That’s why my colleagues and I expressed our regret.

We called upon the two presidents to perform strong leadership
and develop the offered main principles. I am very happy, that the
presidents did it. That’s why overcoming the decline of June 22 we
finished the year with productive meeting between Aliev and Kocharian
in Minsk, underscored Bryza. In his words the foreign ministers of
both countries take firm positions during the negotiations. They
protect their national interests. "At the same time Mamedyarov and
Oskanian perform respect towards each other. We hope that during the
negotiation process the respectful attitude between them will come
from the Armenian and Azeri communities." added the American Co-Chair.

"We finished the year with positive notes. As an addition became
OSCE’s mission in the territories along the front line, which have
suffered from fires.

The mission showed that thanks to the efforts of Azeri and Armenian
Ministries of Foreign Affairs, as well as the previous UN Ambassador
and current Ambassador in Washington the potentially disputed issue
can lead to positive and significant cooperation. We hope that such
a beginning, opening a way not only for confidence building measures
in future, but also for real trust between the communities, will
give an impulse to the process of settlement." said Matthew Bryza,
Bakililar.az reports.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT REMINDED THE HEADS OF TAX AND CUSTOMS BODIES THAT THEY "SHOULD NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO" WITH THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS

Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
Jan 10 2006

Yerevan, January 10 /Mediamax/. Armenian President Robert Kocharian
reminded today the Heads of the Tax and Customs bodies that they
"should not have anything to do" with the upcoming parliamentary
elections of 2007.

As Mediamax was told in the presidential press service today, speaking
at the working meeting, where the main tasks of the State Tax Service
and the State Customs Committee of Armenia for the year of 2007 were
being considered, Robert Kocharian stated:

"Your main task is to secure the income part of the budget. During
this period you should work even better, as we will be more exacting
towards you".

According to the President, the pre-election processes should not
influence the quality of work of Tax and Customs Services.

VARTAN OSKANIAN: TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN CONTINUE ISOLATING ARMENIA
Tatul Hakobyan

"Radiolur"
09.01.2007 17:12

Summing up Armenia’s policy in 2006, RA Foreign Minister recalled
several international events, which somehow influenced the foreign
policy of our country. Minister Oskanian stressed the tension
of Russian-Georgian relations, closing of land ways to Russia,
the stance of the international community on nuclear programs of
Iran, non-existent Armenian-Turkish relations and the closed border,
political and military instability of the geographically neighboring
regions – Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, issues of energy security,
as well as the talks on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict and
the developments in the negotiation process.

The Foreign Minister described the development of the negotiation
process as positive: it secured certain progress. The year
2006 reconfirmed that concessions lay at the basis of conflict
resolution. The right for self-determination of Artsakhi people
remains in the core of peace talks, which found its expression in
documents on the principles of settlement.

The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs paid seven visits to the region in
one year.

The Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan held talks in Ramboulliet
(France) in February and Bucharest (Romania) in June. In June the
Foreign Ministers of the two countries met in Paris, and this can be
conceived as the firs attempt to bring positions closer, Oskanian said.

In November the two Presidents met in the framework of the CIS summit
in Minsk. The parties assessed the talks as generally positive.

When will the talks resume? Oskanian said that "a very preliminary
agreement has been reached on the meeting of his Azeri counterpart
in Moscow on January 23."

In the Minister’s words, the stance of Yerevan on the Karabakh
issue has not changed: "We keep our cautious optimism that in case
of demonstration of necessary political will and recognition of the
right of Artsakhi people for self-determination an agreement might
be reached on fundamental principles."

Turning to Armenian-Turkish relations, Mr. Oskanian said no essential
progress has been achieved, which can be ascribed to the policy of
Turkey towards Armenia. What steps does Armenia undertake to secure
some progress in these relations? "Turkey continues to associate
the improvement of Armenian-Turkish relations with a number of
preconditions, while Armenia stands for establishment of relation
without any preconditions. Armenia has been repeatedly expressing
willingness to hold talks to settle the problems and disputes existing
between the two countries."

Besides, Minister Oskanian underlined that with their non-constructive
policy Turkey and Azerbaijan continue isolating Armenia from regional
projects.

The Foreign Minister said that in 2007 the international recognition
of the Armenian Genocide and the issue of destruction of Armenian
khachkars in Old Jugh will be essential in Armenia’s foreign policy
agenda.

"In 2007 we anticipate important developments in a number of countries,
particularly France and US, connected with the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide. The activation of the process of international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide has caused serious anxiety among
political circles of Turkey, making the latter arrange protest actions
in and outside the country," Oskanian said.

The Foreign Minister did not agree that the existence of the issue
of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide in Armenia’s
foreign policy agenda prevents the improvement of relations with
Turkey. He said the main obstacle is the Karabakh issue.

ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN TO RESUME TALKS ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH THIS MONTH

Associated Press Worldstream
January 9, 2007 Tuesday

Armenia and Azerbaijan are to resume long-running talks on the disputed
territory of Nagorno-Karabakh later this month, the Armenian foreign
minister said Tuesday.

Vardan Oksanian said he would hold his next meeting with his
Azerbaijani counterpart on Jan. 23 in Moscow.

The foreign minister said Armenia continued to insist on the
right to self-determination for the ethnic Armenian majority in
Nagorno-Karabakh.

The two countries are at loggerheads over the mountainous region
in Azerbaijan that has been under the control of Armenian and
ethnic-Armenian forces since a 1994 cease-fire.

The six-year separatist conflict killed about 30,000 people and drove
about 1 million from their homes, including many of the region’s
ethnic Azeris. The region’s final status remains unresolved and years
of talks under the auspices of international mediators have brought
few visible results.