Author: Felekian Ara

TURKISH FM: YEREVAN DOES NOT SHOW FAVORABLE INTENDS TOWARDS TURKEY-ARMENIA PROTOCOL

Trend
Feb 9 2010
Azerbaijan

Turkish Foreign Minister said that Armenia does not show favorable
intends towards realization of the Ankara-Yerevan protocols.

"Armenia does not show positive position towards the Turkey-Armenia
protocols," he told Trend News.

Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers Ahmet Davutoglu and Edward
Nalbandian signed the Ankara-Yerevan protocols in Zurich Oct. 10.

Turkey and Armenia in the talks mediated by Switzerland reached an
agreement to launch "internal political consultations" on Aug. 31
to sign the "Protocol on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations
and Protocol on the Development of Bilateral Relations," the Turkish
Foreign Ministry reported.

Jan.12, 2009, the Armenian Constitutional Court approved the
compliance of the Ankara-Yerevan protocols with the Armenian
Constitution. However, after the approval the court reported that
creation of a joint commission to study the 1915 events is unnecessary
and Armenian will never refuse from the demand to recognize the
genocide.

Davutoglu said he expressed his concern over the Armenian
Constitutional Court’s amendments to the protocols during his meeting
with his Armenian Counterpart in London.

"The Armenian Constitutional Court’s decision is not constructive
and following these changes the relations between the two countries
again back to the past level," he added.

He said if Armenia does not refuse its non-constructive position and
if Ankara considers that the normalization process develops not in
right way, then the process can not continue.

Regarding upcoming submission of the so-called ‘Armenian genocide’
for consideration by the U.S Congress’s International Relations
Commission Chairman Howard Berman March 4, Davutoglu said that raising
this issue Armenia obstacles the normalization process.

4.5% OF ARMENIA’S TRADE TURNOVER FALLS TO TURKEY

news.am
Feb 9 2010
Armenia

Last year Armenia’s foreign trade turnover reduced by 27% as compared
with the same period in 2008, making $4.2bn.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, foreign trade
turnover with CIS countries fell by 21.7% totaling $1.183,6bn,
whereas sales volume with EU states reduced by 37.3% reaching $1.211bn.

As of year 2009 end, overall 29.6% of commercial exchange falls to CIS
countries (of which 22.5%-Russia), 30.3%-to EU states, 7.6%-China,
6.5%-U.S. and 4.5%-Turkey. Armenia’s leading exporters are Germany,
Russia and U.S., Business 24 news daily informs.

All in all Armenia sold Germany goods to the amount of $114.933m
or 16.5% of the country’s exported goods turnover. At that, to
Russia-15.4% of commodity circulation, U.S.-9.6%, Bulgaria-8.6%,
Georgia-7.6%, Netherlands-7.5% and Belgium-6.7%.

PRESS RELEASE
The Civilitas Foundation

One Northern Avenue, suit 30
Yerevan, Armenia
tel: +37410500119
email: [email protected]

What the Government Spends: A visual Guide to Armenia’s Budget.

Armenia’s residents know how the government collects taxes, but few
know how those revenues are spent. For that reason, the Civilitas
annual report ARMENIA IN 2009: PROMISE AND REALITY, prepared a
well-researched and detailed poster providing a visual explanation of
Armenia’s 2010 budget.

The budget is divided into 11 fundamental categories:

Social security – 649 mln USD

General Public Services – 371 mln USD

Defense – 360 mln USD

Support to Different Economic Spheres – 300 mln USD

Education- 265 mln USD

Public Order, Security and Justice- 150 mln USD

Health – 147 mln USD

Housing and Utilities -123 mln USD

Reserve Funds – 58 mln USD

Sport and Culture – 43 mln USD

Environmental Protection 16 mln USD

Those eleven categories (with the exception of the Reserve Funds) are
divided into the relevant sub-categories. A careful study of the
budget shows for example that the reserved funds are equal to the
total funds the government intends to spend on sports, culture and the
environment.

Approximately one-fourth of the budget is directed to the social
security sector, which shouldn’t come as a surprise, because Armenia
is an aging country with over half a million people receiving old-age
pensions. In addition, due to deep poverty, thousands of families
continue to receive family benefits.

Also, the huge amount spent on defense shouldn’t seem unusual,
because Armenians are in fact at war with Azerbaijan, and must also
compete in the arms race.

At first glance, there are also numbers that don’t seem so
reasonable. For example, Armenia spends twice as much on police as on
national security even as our country is surrounded by at least two
hostile countries — Turkey and Azerbaijan – and with whom we share
85% of our total borders.

The poster also demonstrates that according to official forecasts,
Armenia’s external debt has already reached $3,659,000,000, which is
about half again as much as the budget itself.

A country’s budget reflects both its priorities and its
limitations. This poster, which is available in English and Armenian at
ories/budget_2010.pdf,
highlights both Armenia’s choices and its existing capacity.

Turkey To Pay 150 Percent More, $300 For Azerbaijani Natural Gas

Today’s Zaman
Feb 8 2010
Turkey

If efforts by Ankara and Yerevan to restore relations fail due to
Turkey’s uneasiness over a recent ruling by an Armenian court that
Ankara says threatens agreements between the two, it will be Turkey
that will lose credibility, Armenian analysts have warned.

After months of Swiss mediation and US encouragement, Turkey and
Armenia signed two protocols in October 2009 to establish diplomatic
ties and reopen their shared border. However, the process hit rocky
ground after Armenia’s constitutional court upheld the legality of the
protocols last month but underlined that they could not contradict
Yerevan’s official position that the alleged Armenian genocide must
be internationally recognized.

Turkey accused Yerevan of trying to rewrite and set conditions on the
deals. Armenia’s president and foreign minister have warned that the
rapprochement is under threat of collapse.

Richard Giragosian, head of the Armenian Center for National and
International Studies (ACNIS), argues that Turkey’s objection to the
Constitutional court’s ruling is "weak."

Underlining that even Moscow and Washington, who are usually at odds
on a number of issues, agreed that the normalization process between
Armenia and Turkey should move ahead, Girogosian also recalled that
both Moscow and Washington have warned Turkey that it should not link
it to the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute, a territorial
dispute between Armenia and Turkey’s neighbor Azerbaijan.

The reconciliation process is complicated by Ankara’s insistence
that normalizing Turkish-Armenian ties depends on a resolution on
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict favoring Azerbaijan.

"In case of a failure, the [Armenian hard-line] opposition will be
justified. Even moderates will no longer trust Turkey," Giragosian
told Today’s Zaman.

Tevan Poghosyan, executive director of the Armenia-based International
Center for Human Development (ICHD), accused Turkey of running away
from the normalization process.

What matters is the fact that Armenia’s constitutional court upheld
the legality of the protocols, Poghosyan told Today’s Zaman, while
describing Turkey’s objections as "artificial."

Suggesting that Russia, the US and the European Union also believe
that Turkey’s objections are not righteous, Poghosyan added: "This
situation shows that Turkey has been playing. Didn’t Turkey at the
time recognize Armenia according to the Declaration of Independence?"

Poghosyan was referring to the fact that the heart of the matter
for Ankara is the court’s reference to Armenia’s Declaration of
Independence, which states, "The Republic of Armenia stands in support
of the task of achieving international recognition of the 1915 Genocide
in Ottoman Turkey and Western Armenia."

The fifth paragraph of the Armenian court’s ruling says that the
protocols "cannot be interpreted or applied" in a way that would
contradict the provisions of the preamble to Armenia’s constitution and
the requirements of paragraph 11 of its declaration of independence.

Last week, James Holmes, a retired US ambassador and the president and
chief executive officer of the American-Turkish Council (ATC), also
suggested that Turkey would be the party that circles in Washington
will hold responsible if efforts by Ankara and Yerevan to normalize
their relations fail.

SERZH SARGSYAN TO GO ON THREE-DAY WORKING VISIT TO THE UK ON FEBRUARY 9

Noyan Tapan
Feb 8, 2010

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
will go on a three-day working visit to the UK on February 9. The
Armenian delegation is also composed of Catholicos of All Armenians
Karekin II, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, and Yerevan
Mayor Gagik Beglarian.

The RA presidential press service reports that during the visit
S. Sargsyan will meet with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham
Palace. The Armenian president will receive British Foreign Minister
David Miliband at his residence. He will also meet with Prince Charles.

S. Sargsyan will attend the reception to be held at Windsor Castle
to mark the start of "Yerevan My Love" revitalization program,
which was intitiated by Prince Charles and former Prime Minister of
Armenia Armen Sargsyan and envisages reconstruction of 4 structures
of historic and architectural value in downtown Yerevan. A concert
will be given after the reception. The Armenian president will meet
with Diaspora representatives who have arrived in London from various
countries in connection with the program’s start.

S. Sargsyan will make a speech at the Royal Institute of International
Affairs in London on the second day of the visit – February 10. In
his speech, he will discuss regional security problems, the current
stage of Armenia-Turkey normalization, and the negotiations over the
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

S. Sargsyan will also attend the opening ceremony of an exhibition
dedicated to the life and rich heritage of the world-famous
Armenian-American painter Arshile Gorky at Tate Gallery Art Museum.

, Turkey
Feb 7 2010

Turkey’s FM talks to reporters on high-level contacts in Munich

Davutoglu said the normalization process of Turkey-Armenia relations
was one on which we have made extensive thoughts and a vision.

Sunday, 07 February 2010 14:41

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Saturday the
normalization process of Turkey-Armenia relations was one on which we
have made extensive thoughts and a vision.

Speaking to Turkish journalists as part of the 46th Munich Conference
on Security, Davutoglu said that the normalization process of
relations between Turkey and Armenia was one on which "we made
detailed thoughts and one that includes a vision".

This vision involves not merely the normalization of relations between
Turkey and Armenia but also improvement of Turkish-Armenian commercial
relations and turning the Caucasus into a field of peace and welfare,
Davutoglu underlined.

Surely there will be ups and downs during the process and certain
difficulties may be experienced, Davutoglu emphasized.

We knew that the process may have developed in this direction since
the beginning. Our thoughts, concerns and uneasiness on this matter
are clear. We discuss the status quo that arose after a recent
decision made by the Armenian Constitutional Court (on protocols
signed by Turkey and Armenia in 2008) with all relevant sides in an
extremely open way. Within this framework, we hope that the process
continues in accordance with the vision we have determined and that,
at the end, we establish new peace and stability in the region that
could benefit the Turkish and Armenian peoples, Turkey and Armenia, as
well as the Azerbaijanis. We will never stop efforts on this matter
and we are committed to move the process according to principles
established at the beginning, Davutoglu underlined.

In reference to Turkey’s mediatory role between Syria and Israel,
Minister Davutoglu said that, whenever Syria and Israel were ready and
whenever they felt a need for Turkey’s contributions, Turkey would not
take a step back from making all contributions and efforts possible.

Within this framework, we will follow the developments closely and
take the necessary steps, Davutoglu underlined.

The Munich Conference on Security facilitated a crucial platform of
dialogue thanks to the participation of high level dignitaries,
Davutoglu said.

The issues discussed and meetings we held as part of the Munich
Conference were highly important and timely. Turkey is a country that
has excellent viewpoints on the Middle East. We bring up these
viewpoints at every platform. We will talk about these viewpoints here
and publicize them and share them with the public opinion, Davutoglu
said.

Touching on his bilateral talks in Munich, Minister Davutoglu said
that he held an extremely comprehensive meeting with the President of
Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

We have discussed with President Aliyev the results of a trilateral
summit held by Russian President Dmitriy Anatolyevich Medvedev,
Armenian President Serzh Sargsian and Aliyev, the recent developments
in the region, the latest point reached in the matter of Upper
Karabakh, and Turkish-Armenian relations in Sochi, Davutoglu said.

Davutoglu said that he and Swiss Chief of Federal Department of
Foreign Affairs, Micheline Calmy-Rey, "a dignitary who played a
crucial role in normalizing relations between Turkey and Armenia",
discussed the normalization process and that he conveyed Turkey’s
thoughts on this issue.

Within this context, I had talks with the Deputy Secretary of U.S.
State Department, James B. Steinberg. Mr. Steinberg was in Yerevan. He
has informed me about his impressions in Armenia. We have conveyed our
views in exchange. We also talked about the latest developments at the
U.S. House of Representatives and an "Armenian resolution" there. We
discussed the situation in the Caucasus and Balkans, Davutoglu noted.

I had talks with the Foreign Minister of Slovenia, someone with whom
Bosnia-Herzegovina has close relations for their European Union (EU)
process. In addition, I had talks with the Foreign Minister of Sweden,
Carl Bildt, and U.S. President Barack Obama’s National Security
Council Adviser James B. Jones on bilateral relations and certain
international topics, Davutoglu said.

We discussed, with Mr. Jones, joint security topics, Iran’s nuclear
program and the Middle East problem, Davutoglu said.

Pointing out that he met with the Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr
Motaki in Turkish capital of Ankara and that he had a chance to
continue talks with Motaki in Munich, Davutoglu said that the issue of
Iran’s nuclear file was handled and that bilateral relations as well
as the Middle East problem were discussed in a comprehensive fashion.

I had talks with the Foreign Minister of Serbia. We will hold a
trilateral meeting with the Serbian Foreign Minister and the Foreign
Minister of Bosnia-Herzegovina in Ankara on Tuesday. This meeting will
be the fifth one between the three sides and we plan to hold a
trilateral meeting every month. We will evaluate the steps to be taken
in order to facilitate stability in the Balkans, Davutoglu underlined.

Minister Davutoglu had separate meetings with the Chairperson of the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano, Secretary
General of NATO Ander Fogh Rasmussen and European Union (EU) rotating
president Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Miguel
Angel Moratinos Cuyaube.

Foreign Minister Davutoglu will deliver a speech on "Security and
Stability in the Middle East" in a panel discussion in Munich on
Sunday. Davutoglu will later meet with the U.S. Special Envoy to
Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke.

We will talk about Turkey’s would be contributions to Afghanistan with
Mr. Holbrooke. I will later hold a tete-a-tete meeting with the French
Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs Bernard Kouchner,
Davutoglu said.

AA

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Feb 6 2010

Turkish minister, US official discuss Armenian issues

Munich, 6 February: Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu,
currently attending 46th Munich Security Conference, continues his
busy diplomacy traffic.

Davutoglu met with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) new
Director-General Yukiya Amano and gave him information about Iran’s
nuclear file as he took over the office newly.

Davutoglu also briefed Amano about his talks in Tabriz and expressed
readiness to extend support to him.

Turkish delegation took some technical information about Iran’s
nuclear file and Amano appreciated Turkey’s efforts in this respect.

Referring to Iran’s intransigent stance in the past, the Turkish
delegation said Iran’s signals for negotiation was a very important
development.

Davutoglu also met US President Barack Obama’s National Security
Adviser James Jones for a second time.

Davutoglu later met with the deputy secretary of state, James B.
Steinberg. The US executive gave Davutoglu information about his
meeting with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

Referring to the Armenian resolution expected to be discussed at the
US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, Davutoglu said
this would have a negative impact on the efforts carried out by Turkey
on the Middle East and would harm this process.

It was reported that Davutoglu may have a meeting with Foreign
Minister Miguel Moratinos of EU rotating president Spain.

Davutoglu and Moratinos are expected to discuss the summit that would
take place between Turkey and Spain in Madrid this month. Also, three
or four chapter headings within the scope of EU membership talks may
be discussed.

Davutoglu is also expected to meet NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh
Rasmussen, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and Richard
Holbrooke, US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan,
later in the day.

Davutoglu will also take the floor at a panel discussion titled
"Security and stability in the Middle East" which will be organized
within the scope of the conference.

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Feb 6 2010

Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu Meets Obama’s National Security Advisor

Saturday, 6 February 2010

Turkish Defense Minister Ahmet Davutoglu who is attending the 46th
Security Conference in Munich met Friday with U.S. President Barack
Obama’s National Security advisor James Jones.

Davutoglu is also expected to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister
Manuchehr Motaki and Swedish Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey.
Davutoglu who met earlier with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Aliyev informed Davutoglu about his recent meeting between Armenian
President Serzh Sargsian on the solution of the Upper Karabakh issue.

The two also exchanged views about the reasoned verdict of Armenian
constitutional court on the recent protocols with Turkey for
normalisation of relations.

Saturday, 6 February 2010

A.A

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT MEETS WITH U.S. RESIDENT REP

news.am
Feb 5 2010
Armenia

RA President Serzh Sargsyan held a meeting on February 5 with Dafina
Gercheva, the newly appointed U.N. Resident Representative in Armenia
and Regional Coordinator of the U.N. Development Program.

The RA presidential press office told NEWS.am Ms. Gercheva handed the
U.S. Secretary General’s letter on her appointment to the Armenian
President.

Serzh Sargsyan made a high appraisal of the effective cooperation
the Armenian Government formed with U.S. agencies, as well as the
programs that have been implemented for years.

Gercheva expressed her satisfaction with excellent cooperation.

Evidence thereof is the U.N. development assistance program for
2010-2015. She said that the first stage of the program proved
successful last year, and the second stage has been launched. Gercheva
said that one of the U.N.’s major aims is assisting stable
development. She pointed out that the projects to be implemented
under the program are in harmony with Armenia’s priorities: poverty
reduction, social security, availability of education and medical
services, disaster management, etc…

The Armenian leader stated that Armenia shares the U.N. values and,
therefore has common interests with it.

DIPLOMATIC MISSION OF AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF PRC TO RA HUN TSZYU COMPLETED

Noyan Tapan
Feb 3, 2010

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian at
a February 3 meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of PRC to RA Hun Tszyu expressed satisfaction that the relations
between the governments of Armenia and China are at the stage
of dynamic development. He emphasized that Armenia attaches much
importance to further deepening of friendly relations and cooperation
with China. T. Sargsian on behalf of the RA government thanked the
Ambassador for his efficient activity during his tenure.

According to the RA government Information and Public Relations
Department, at the meeting the interlocutors highly assessed the
growth of bilateral trade circulation, current level of mutual
confidence in the international sphere, expressed confidence that
mutually beneficial cooperation in social, political, economic and
cultural spheres will contribute to deepening of mutual understanding
between the two countries.