Author: Dabaghian Diana

WHILE DEBT LEVELS OF ARMENIA ARE MANAGEABLE UNDER THE CURRENT POLICY SCENARIO, THE OUTLOOK IS SUBJECT TO RISKS

ArmInfo
2010-04-23 11:25:00

ArmInfo. While debt levels of Armenia are manageable under the
current policy scenario, the outlook is subject to risks, says
the International Monetary Fund’s Third Review under the Stand-By
Arrangement. Since the onset of the global crisis, Armenia’s debt
dynamics-driven by external debt, which accounts for 95 percent
of public debt-have evolved, and its rapid accumulation calls for
initiating fiscal consolidation over the medium term.

The external debt stock, which was only 13 percent of GDP at end-2008,
had almost tripled by end-2009, reaching 34 percent of GDP and is
expected to peak at about 45 percent of GDP in 2011, before gradually
declining over the medium term. The projected debt-to-GDP levels do
not appear excessive, and standard stress tests show that Armenia’s
debt remains sustainable. However, rollover risk is high, mainly due
to the short maturity of Fund financing with repurchase obligations
during 2012-14.

The standard bound tests show that the combined shocks lead to an
increase in the debt-to-GDP ratio by several percentage points,
to almost 50 percent of GDP. However, the effect of a real exchange
rate shock is particularly pronounced, reflecting the rising weight
of external debt in total public debt.

To recall, as of the end of December 2009 the gross external debt of
Armenia amounted to 5023,8 mln USD, net external debt – 2499 mln USD.

BURAK OZUGERGIN WITHHELD COMMENTING ON ARMENIAN RULING COALITION STATEMENT

news.am
April 22 2010
Armenia

Turkish Foreign Ministry press secretary Burak Ozugergin renounced
to answer NEWS.am reporter’s question on Armenian ruling coalition
today’s statement. It offered to suspend Armenia-Turkey reconciliation
process and remove Protocols’ ratification issue from the National
Assembly agenda.

Ozugergin just hung up, hearing that the caller is an Armenian
journalist. Our further attempts to contact with Turkish Foreign
Ministry press secretary were doomed to failure.

Thereafter, Turkish press announced that Ozugergin said the following
on the matter: "We have not received the message yet. As soon as
information is clarified, we will make a relevant statement. To date,
Turkey’s stance on Armenia-Turkey Protocols is unchanged."

ILHAM ALIYEV RECEIVES US KARABAKH MEDIATOR

news.az
April 21 2010
Azerbaijan

Ilham Aliyev Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has received the
American co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group mediators, Ambassador
Robert Bradtke.

The meeting yesterday focused on the current state of and prospects
for the talks to resolve the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh, state-run news agency AzerTaj reported.

Azerbaijani MPs yesterday criticized the US role as a mediator on
Karabakh and accused it of supporting Armenia.

AZERBAIJANIS TO APPEAL TO GEORGIAN PARLIAMENT FOR GENOCIDE DENIAL

news.am
April 21 2010
Armenia

On April 22, the Azerbaijani Congress of Georgia is holding a protest
action in support of the Turkish people in front of the Turkish
Embassy in Tbilisi.

The Congress appealed to the Georgian Parliament for not considering
the issue of the Armenian Genocide.

On April 19, the Armenian Assembly of Tbilisi made an appeal to the
Georgian authorities for recognizing the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman
Turkey in 1915.

The Assembly addressed official letters to Georgian President Mikhail
Saakashvili, President of the Georgian Parliament David Bakradze,
as well as to each Georgian parliamentarian and leaders of a number
of political parties. The Assembly gathered 1,915 signatures.

The Armenian Genocide has been recognized and denounced by many
states and influential international agencies. In France, Belgium and
Switzerland the law provides for criminal responsibility for denying
Armenian Genocide.

Russia adopted two resolutions denouncing the Armenian Genocide —
on April 14, 1995 and April 22, 2005.

DRINKING FOUNTAIN BOWLS STOLEN FROM REPUBLIC SQUARE

A1Plus.am
21/04/10

Three of the seven bowls of a drinking fountain in Yerevan’s Republic
Square have been stolen. The bowls designed by jeweler Nur were added
to the fountain in 2008.

An ice-cream seller told A1+ that the theft was committed on the
night of April 17.

According to the night watch, the thief drove to the drinking fountain
late at night in a red dustcart owned by the City Hall. The watchman
noticed the fellow breaking the nearby dustbin, hence he was the one
who stole the bowls.

The police turned out to be unaware of the theft.

10-POINT DOCUMENT TO TEACH TURKISH OFFICIALS TO REACT TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE QUESTIONS

armradio.am
21.04.2010 16:16

Turkey has prepared a 10-point document, which says how Turkish
officials and embassy workers should react to the Armenian genocide
related questions, BBC’s Russian service reports.

The document prepared by the Foreign Ministry of Turkey has ten points,
which list the rules and recommendations that the Turkish embassy
workers can use to address questions about the Armenian Genocide.

According to BBC report, Turkish officials should emphasize the
importance of Turkish-Armenian relations, as well as focus on Turkey’s
proposal to establish the historical commission to discuss the mutual
history between Armenia and Turkey.

These guidelines are also meant for the Turkish officials that will
make foreign trips while on a government assignment.

According to Hurriyet, the directive consists of 10 points:

1) Contact and maintain ties with representatives of the Armenian
lobby in your country of residence. Invite them to your events

2) Visit their events and try to explain Turkey’s position

3) Representatives of the Armenian diaspora abroad are divided into
three groups. The first has made business on the issue of genocide
and the second group includes people who arrived from Turkey and
still have ties with our country and the third group is a category
of people who are hostile against Turkey. Contact the representatives
of all these groups and invite them to visit Turkey.

4) In the country of residence also contact Armenian diplomats and
invite them to your events

5) Do not avoid contacts with the Armenian and pro-Armenian press
and try to explain them Turkey’s position in your statements

6) Also contact the community of your country of residence to explain
the 1915 events,

7) Be in a constant contact with the diplomats of the Balkan, Middle
Asian, Middle Eastern and other countries close to Turkey and try to
resist Armenian propaganda through joint efforts.

8) Concentrate on the protocols signed with Armenia and remind the
point of creation of the historical commission to study genocide.

9) Also explain the essence of the Turkish policy in the Caucasus
which wants to establish peace in this region.

10) Speak of the need to settle the Karabakh conflict to establish
peace in the region in your country of residence.

VAHAN HOVHANNISYAN: "THE TURKS HAVE MADE A SPLIT AMONG THE ARMENIANS."

AllVoice.com
April 19 2010

The leader of the parliamentary faction of the opposition party ARF
Vahan Hovhannisyan stated in Yerevan today that "the Turks have
a policy to split the unity of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, the
homeland and the Diaspora, as well as within the diaspora."

According to him, the Armenian-Turkish protocols aimed at easing
the Armenian position, and the only way out of this situation is the
tip of Armenia under the signature of these documents. "Minutes can
have terrible consequences for us, especially in the context of the
arrogant behavior of the Turkish authorities, continues to lay down
preconditions for opening the border with Armenia," Hovhannisyan said.

In this context, he said, unilateral ratification of the Protocol,
Armenia does not lead to any results.

ARF representative expressed regret that the Armenian authorities
did not take adequate action in response to the steps of Turkey. "I
did not understand when sober end dates for the ratification of the
protocols," he admitted. According to Hovhannisyan, the actions of
the Armenian authorities often do not agree with their words, and
should give certainty and clarity.

Vahan Hovhannisyan said that no positive expectations from
the scheduled tomorrow working visit to Moscow by President of
Armenia Serzh Sargsyan. He expressed confidence that Russia in the
Armenian-Turkish relations is not acting on the side of Armenia.

RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS ENTERING A NEW STAGE

Aysor
April 19 2010
Armenia

The process of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide
is entering a new stage of discussions, related to the issue of
responsibility and compensations, told journalists deputy director
of the Museum-Institute of Armenian Genocide Suren Manukyan.

"Today’s situation is radically different from previous stages. Its
main difference is that during the last years we were stimulating the
processes of recognition of the genocide; these processes were some
kind of preparatory stages, aimed at informing the world communities
and organisations about the 1915 Genocide against Armenians," he said
adding that today the issue of the 1915 Genocide is a undisputed fact
in the world.

"The world recognizes the 1915 Genocide and is ready to acknowledge
that the committed crimes must have its consequences. Today both in
Armenia and beyond it everything possible has already been done.

Documents and surveys are enough to provide a basis for neither
single doubt on the issue of Genocide. And the nations which haven’t
yet recognized the Genocide are taking this step due to political
considerations," he said.

"We are on the stage when we haven’t got problems with recognition,
and we are moving towards the second stage – we are solving issues
of responsibility and compensations," he said adding that relations
between Germany and Israel can be accepted as a model in this sense.

CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RA CONSTITUTION TAKEN PLACE IN THE NKR

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
2010-04-19 14:54

On April 17, a scientific-practical conference – "Vital Problems of
Constitutionalism Development" – took place at the National Assembly
of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

Opening the conference, NKR NA Chairman Ashot Ghulian noted: "Holding
a similar scientific-practical conference in Artsakh testifies to
the availability of constitutional administration in the country and
confirms its multi-year efficiency".

NKR President Bako Sahakian made a greeting speech, in particular,
noting: "Development of constitutionalism is considered both in
Artsakh and Armenia as one of the key directions of consolidation of
independent statehood and integration with the civilized community.

Development of constitutionalism and the Armenian legal idea,
investigation of the leading states’ experience, and improvement of
the domestic legislative basis should be continued. This is one of the
principles of a democratic and legal state, which is an exceptional
value for us. For Artsakh, it is also one of the important directions
of international recognition of independence".

In their speeches, Chairman of the RA Constitutional Court Gagik
Harutyunian, Chairman of the NKR Supreme Court Ararat Daniyelian, RA
Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepian, RA Minister of Justice Gevorg
Daniyelian, RA Ombudsman Armen Harutyunian, NKR Ombudsman Yuri
Hairapetian, and others dwelt on various aspects of the process of
constitutionalism development in Armenia and Artsakh.

The conference was organized by the RA Constitutional Court, NKR
National Assembly, and the NKR Supreme Court, with the participation
of the International Association of Armenian Lawyers.

GUEST COLUMN: THE ‘G’ WORD
Andrew Garinther

Diamondback Online
est-column-the-g-word-1.1348291
April 19 2010

The term "genocide" was coined in 1944 by a Jewish lawyer named Raphael
Lemkin. Lemkin lived during the Holocaust, but for much of his life,
he studied the death of what some scholars believe to be 75 percent of
the Armenian population in the early 20th century. He specifically had
those events in mind when he created the word. Nearly 70 years later,
the United States and Turkey do not recognize these events as genocide,
even though 20 countries and 42 states do.

Much of the U.S. population has never heard of the Armenian genocide.

During World War I and its aftermath, the Turkish Ottoman Empire
attempted a systematic extermination of its ethnic minority, which
was mainly Armenians but also included Greeks and Bulgarians. Turkish
soldiers brutally murdered, raped and displaced as many Armenian
citizens as they could. Oftentimes, men were simply murdered while
women and children were sent on "death marches" through the desert
without food or water. An estimated total of 1.5 million Armenians
were murdered, leaving, by some accounts, fewer than 500,000 alive.

Today, there are 3 million Armenians living in Armenia, about 1.4
million in the United States and millions more living throughout
the world. While much controversy surrounds labeling these events
as genocide, any Armenian you ask could provide you with an account
of a gross human rights violation suffered by one of his or her
family members at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. Although the United
States recognizes these events as tragic, presidents have always been
reluctant to hurt relations with Turkey by referring to the actions
as genocide. The United States uses Turkey as a strategic location
for military bases, most recently during the Iraq war. In addition,
Turkey has a history of diplomatic retaliation against countries
that recognize the Armenian genocide, such as when it recalled its
ambassador to Sweden, which officially recognized the events as
genocide earlier this year. Unwilling to jeopardize relations with
this valuable ally in the Middle East, the United States has held
its tongue.

Countries have recognized the Armenian genocide because they realized
the effect ignoring genocide could have on humanity. The Armenian
genocide is known as the first genocide of the 20th century, but it
was certainly not the last. At least 7 million died under Joseph
Stalin in Soviet Russia; about 6 million Jews were killed by the
Nazis in World War II; Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge killed more than
2 million in Cambodia; about 800,000 Tutsis were killed in Rwanda;
an estimated 300,000 have died in Darfur and about 200,000 have
died in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The first and most important step in
stopping future genocides is having knowledge of past events, and it
is impossible to know about past genocides when they are incorrectly
labeled as civil wars, irrelevant footnotes or are even denied.

Denying genocide has long been a tactic of those who perpetrate
genocide, as exemplified by Adolf Hitler when he said to the Nazis:
"Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?"

Everyone has heard of the Holocaust, but how many people know why
2 million Cambodian citizens were murdered by their own government,
or why a European country attempted an ethnic cleansing? A Holocaust
denier is deemed bigoted or crazy, yet the greatest democracy in the
world remains silent on the Armenian genocide. If the United States
recognizes the Armenian genocide, as proposed in a resolution passed
by the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, critics
fear relations with Turkey will be harmed unnecessarily. However,
history has shown that relationships between countries are mended
over time, and if we continue to deny the events of the past, we are
doomed to repeat them.

If anyone wishes to learn more about the Armenian genocide, the
Armenian Student Union will be sponsoring a commemoration of and
seminar on the genocide tonight at 6 p.m. in Terrapin Rooms B and C
in Stamp Student Union’s Student Involvement Suite.

Andrew Garinther is the vice president of the Armenian Student Union.

He can be reached at agarinther at gmail dot com.