Author: Emil Lazarian

GERMAN FM DISCUSSING KARABAKH SETTLEMENT IN BAKU, YEREVAN

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
February 20, 2007 Tuesday 12:08 PM EST

Karabakh settlement principles suggested by the OSCE Minsk Group are
a good foundation for further negotiations, German Foreign Minister
Frank-Walter Steinmeier quoted from Baku and Yerevan negotiations.

"A solution, which will promote lasting settlement of the Karabakh
conflict, can be found on the basis of these terms," he said after
Tuesday negotiations with Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian.

Confidentiality of the negotiations is one of the principles, which
also include the Armenian pullout from occupied Azerbaijani lands,
the deployment of peacekeepers, the international economic assistance
to Karabakh, and, finally, a referendum on the Karabakh future status.

"We would like the region, which borders on the European Union, to have
sustainable political and economic development," Steinmeier said. "We
want to cooperate with the three South Caucasian nations no matter what
organization they wish to join and what energy resources they have."

"The New Neighborhood Policy is a key item of the Yerevan
negotiations," he said, adding that this policy and Black Sea
cooperation will bring the South Caucasus closer to Europe.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EU IS INTERESTED IN STABLE ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT IN ALL THREE CAUCASIAN COUNTRIES, GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER DECLARES

Noyan Tapan
Feb 20 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, NOYAN TAPAN. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter
Steinmeier’s visit to Armenia is important in the respect of not
only bilateral but also Armenia-EU relations. Armenian Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian said this at the February 20 press
conference. Reminding that currently Germany has assumed EU
chairmanship he stated that he discussed Armenia’s Actions Plan
within the framework of European New Neighborhood Policy with his
German counterpart. In V. Oskanian’s words, he informed Frank-Walter
Steinmeier about the current stage of Nagorno Karabakh settlement
and Armenian side’s position on prospects of settlement.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in his turn, said that Germany has close
relations with Armenia, which are becoming traditional. In his words,
Germany attaches importance to EU New Neighborhood program, in which
Armenia has been also involved. He said that after Bulgaria’s and
Romania’s membership the South Caucasian countries have become EU’s
immediate neighbors and European countries are interested in making
more investments in this region.

Answering the question, what interests Germany in Armenia, Frank-Walter
Steinmeier said that his country is interested in stable economic and
political development in the region bordering upon EU. "This regards
the three countries, irrespective of the fact what raw materials each
of them has or for what military alliance it strives," he emphasized.

Steinmeier also said that EU’s relations with these three countries
bear the influence of the conflicts existing in the region. He
expressed the hope that thanks to the efforts of OSCE Minsk Group
Co-chairs, the negotiations on Nagorno Karabakh settlement will yield
positive results and it will be possible to achieve final settlement
of conflict on the basis of the document created. It was mentioned
that according to the estimations of both Armenian and Azerbaijani
sides, some progress has been registered in this direction and the
proposed document is a good basis for continuing the negotiations.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA CB PREPARES "GREEN" CORRIDOR TO ATTRACT INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS TO INSURANCE MARKET

Arminfo
2007-02-20 10:20:00

The task of attracting the institutional investors to the Armenian
insurance market is one of the most important ones for the development
of the country’s market of insurance services, Chairman of RA Central
Bank Tigran Sargsyan said at a Round Table in Tsakhkadzor. According
to him, "we need investors who will strike the keynote of the market
and implement a definite business culture". T. Sargsyan estimated
the potential volumes of Armenia’s insurance market of $250 mln and
considered them enough for the attraction of even two big foreign
companies to the country.

The Head of RA CB told of the consultations with potential investors,
which have already started. "We have prepared business-cases for
them, organize meetings at the international forums and discuss
the conditions of entry in our market. The problem of non-hurry
of foreign insurers to our country is in the scantiness of human
resources. Armenia is a small country with little opportunities,
while the western insurers are targeted today at seizing the markets
of the Eastern Europe, Russia and Ukraine. Therefore, we are ready to
provide them with a maximum preferred treatment from the viewpoint of
both a taxation and a regulative-normative base". Talking of the market
development logic, T. Sargsyan underlined that the Armenian insurance
companies will have to undergo a urification stage first, since the
"today’s insurance market of Armenia resembles a banking sample of
1995". The next stage, according to T. Sargsyan, is the necessity
to implement the common work standards in the market and create a
single infrastructure for registration of insurance cases (heath,
police, fire prevention). A difficult work of creating an Institute
of actuaries lies ahead, after which one may start implementing a
compulsory insurance in some spheres.

As T. Sargsyan said, the problem is how to run a demarcation line
between the banking and insurance services. Package services are
rendered in the developed countries. For example, the hypothec includes
the whole package of risk control, including the insurance. "We are now
on the way of forming such a method and we shall prepare a legislation
about financial holdings", T. Sargsyan said. He especially noted that
the essence of strategy is in the creation a clear-cut distinction
between the services of the banks and insurance companies as to assure
a distinct responsibility for the risks of each one.

Fourteen insurance companies are functioning today in the Armenian
market.

However, as T. Sargsyan said, "no one of them stands up to criticism".

However, there is an understanding and this understanding should
be mutual".

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

"ARMENIA SACRA" OPENED IN LOUVRE

ArmRadio.am
20.02.2007 10:49

Monday, French presidents Jacques Chirac and Armenian Robert Kocharyan
inaugurated exposition "Armenia sacra", completely devoted to the
Armenian Christian art , presented for the first time to the museum
of the Louvre at Paris.

The two presidents visited for an hour this exposition that, through
200 works of art, gives an idea of specificity and brightness of the
Christian art of Armenians.

Mr. Chirac, accompanied by Minister of the Culture Renaud Donnedieu
de Vabres notably delayed in front of the "reliquary of the Noah’s
Arch", containing a wood mineral piece discovered in the XVII.

He was able to admire 30 Khachkars, of which the oldest one dates
back to the IX century and exposed in the ditches of the medieval
Louvre, evoking a near disposal of their environment in Armenia,
and in front of gospels of which a with a binding in ivory in dates
back to the X century.

"Armenia sacra" is presented to the public from February 21 to May
21 2007, in the framework Year of Armenia in France.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN FILMS TO BE SCREENED AT THE FILM FESTIVALS OF ROTTERDAM AND PUSAN

ArmRadio.am
20.02.2007 15:26

Armenian films will be screened at the film festivals of Rotterdam
(Holland) and Pusan (South Korea). The memorandum on cooperation
signed between these and the international "Golden Apricot" film
festival envisages exchange of programs.

"If every year we manage to present our films, art, success and
pains at large festivals like the Rotterdam and Pusan, we shall
receive initiations and great success," founder-director of the
"Golden Apricot" festival Harutyun Khachatryan said at a press
conference today.

According to Harutyun Khachatryan, the Rotterdam festival has a
department on financing Armenian films. 150-200 thousand Euros aid has
been given to Armenian films during the past two years. These festivals
are targeted at the development of art rather than commercial films.

Let us remind that agreement on cooperation was signed on January
30. The ceremony of signing was attended by RA Foreign Minister,
honorary president of the "Golden Apricot" festival Vartan Oskanian,
Armenian Ambassador to Benelux countries Vigen Chitechyan, Director
of the National Film Center of Armenia Gevorg Gevorgyan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

LEVON ARONIAN PLAYS DRAWN GAMES

Noyan Tapan
Feb 19 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, NOYAN TAPAN. Two stages were performed in
the 20th category chess super tournament in the city of Morelia,
Mexico. Grand master Levon Aronian finished drawn games with rivals
and shares 3rd-6th places having 1 point. Aronian’s rival is Alexander
Morozevich (Russia) at the 3rd stage of February 19.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN CHESS-PLAYERS ARE IN LEADERS’ GROUPS AT AEROFLOT OPEN

Noyan Tapan
Feb 19 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, NOYAN TAPAN. Games of regular tour of big
international chess tournament Aeroflot Open were held on February
18 in Moscow.

Representatives of Armenia Vladimir Hakobian, Artashes Minasian
and Gabriel Sargsian are in 5-19th places with a great number of
chess-players having 3.5 points each. In group A2, David Petrosian,
Arman Pashikian and Avetik Grigorian are in 11-27th places with 5-3.5
points each. Six tours have been played in group B. David Kalashian
shares 3-6th places with 4 chess-players having 5 points each. Six
tours have been played in group C where Suren Poghosian shares 4-8th
places with 5 chess-players having 5 points each.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DELEGATES OF ALL ARMENIAN REGIONS TAKE PART IN YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP

Noyan Tapan
Feb 19 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, NOYAN TAPAN. Free-style wrestling Armenian
youth championship started on February 19 at Yerevan’s Ashkhatank
training ground. 102 wrestlers from all Armenian regions will take
part in the championsip. The tournament will finish on February 21.

THOUGH RPA’S PROPORTIONAL LIST IS NOT FORMED YET, NEVERTHELESS, THERE ARE SOME NEW FIGURES THERE

Noyan Tapan
Feb 19 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The list of the Republican Party
of Armenia (RPA) has not been finally formed yet for running for the
forthcoming parliamentary elections by proportional system, though
there are some "new figures," even non-partisan ones, there. Galust
Sahakian, Head of NA RPA faction, informed journalists about it on
February 19. In his words, this parliament will be better than the
previous one and the Supreme Council (first convocation parliament
of newly independent Armenia) "was consequence of romance." G.
Sahakian wished the opposition forces to show consolidation: in his
words, if the opposition was strong, the authorities would also run for
the elections in a consolidated way. At the same time, G. Sahakian
said that equal field should be created for the opposition. In
G. Sahakian’s opinion, there will be no post-electoral developments
after the elections and the elections will be fair and legal. In any
case, everything is being done to exclude violations or cases of any
other bargain even if in RPA’s wing. In response to the question, how
G. Sahakian treats transoceanic tours of some politicians, he said
that to travel in foreign countries is a historical phenomenon for
Armenians, and this have always brought negative experience. He does
not consider that these tours will have any impact on these electoral
processes. It was also mentioned that if RPA makes absolute majority in
NA, no alliance can be even spoken about. In response to the question,
why RPA took part in Bargavach Hayastan’s (Prosperous Armenia)
congress in such representative staff, while Bargavach Hayastan’s
Chairman Gagik Tsarukian did not take part in RPA’s congress, G.
Sahakian said: "The strong should always meet the strong." G. Sahakian
also expressed an opinion that RPA will not make an alliance with
Bargavach Hayastan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HANRAPETUTIUN PARTY NEGOTIATES ON NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES FOR DEPUTY COORDINATED BY OPPOSITION FORCES

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Feb 19 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Currently the
Hanrapetutiun (Republic) Party conducts intensive consultations
with almost all opposition forces on nomination of candidates by
majoritarian system and on running for the parliamentary elections
by a united proportional list. Suren Sureniants, member of Party’s
Political Board, said this to Noyan Tapan correspondent. "If the
opposition political forces come to an agreement on nomination of
candidates by majoritarian system and on running for the parliamentary
elections by a united proportional list, the "center of gravity" will
be created, the consolidation around which will inevitably result in
qualitative changes in the country," he said. In his words, there
can be even more than one such "centers of gravity" (if opposition
forces fail to create one united front, there can be several such
fronts). Sureniants said that Hanrapetutiun attaches importance
to reaching an agreement over the idea of nominating opposition’s
common candidates at all of 41 electoral districts. "At that, by
saying common candidates we mean first of all parties’ first figures,
the nomination of which we consider as very important," he said. He
stated that the results of consultations will be summarized within
the coming week for each party to be able to specify the way of its
participation in the elections. Sureniants said that if Hanrapetutiun
does not reach an agreement with their opposition colleagues, it
will run for the elections independently. Sureniants also stated
that the Armenian National Movement (ANM) Party and Hanrapetutiun
have many ideological and political communities. "We can state that
we cooperate with ANM, but whether an alliance will be made or not –
time will show this," Sureniants mentioned. In his words, Hanrapetutiun
is going to take part in the rally to be organized on February 20
in Yerevan’s Liberty Square on the initiative of the Alternative
public-political movement. Sureniants said that Hanrapetutiun Party
Chairman Aram Sargsian who has been in U.S. for already a week will
return to Yerevan on February 20. In Washington A. Sargsian had
meetings at U.S. Department of State, visited the Armenian Assembly
and the Millennium Challenges Corporation, made a speech during the
seminar organized by the Carnegie Fund.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress