Author: Felekian Ara

RA MINISTRY OF DIASPORA SENDS TO PRESS WORLD OF ARMENIAN TALES WESTERN ARMENIAN COLLECTION

Noyan Tapan
Aug 12, 2009

YEREVAN, AUGUST 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Ministry of Diaspora organizes
works of publishing collections of Armenian tales, as well as of
fables and saws within the framework of Preparation of Childish
Publications for the Diasporan Armenian Children special national
program. Cultural, Sport and Youth Programs Section Director of
the Pan-Armenian Programs Department of the RA Ministry of Diaspora
Nadia Antonian told the correspondent of Noyan Tapan that the works of
binding and translating into Western Armenian of the World of Armenian
Tales collection which includes works of Armenian national, Eastern
and Western Armenian authors are already finished. The collection is
sent to the press and will be published soon.

According to N. Antonian, the material of Armenian fables and saws
which includes fables and saws of folk and classical Armenian writers
is already gathered. This collection has also been translated into
Western Armenian.

The above mentioned section has made the technical testimonial of
the publication according to which the printing competition of the
collection will be held. The director of the department said that the
publication of two collections in Western Armenian is also planned
which depends on the fact that a considerable part of Diasporan
Armenians speaks Western Armenian nowadays.

N. Antonian added the goal of the publication of the mentioned
collections is the implant of moral, aesthetic, psychological national
values among Diasporan Armenian children and presentation of the
Armenian traditions to put on stable basis the preservation of the
Armenian spirit in Diaspora.

TendersInfo
August 7, 2009 Friday

Armenia : Baku-Kars Railway Construction to End in 2012

The legislation prohibiting funding for a railroad linking Turkey,
Azerbaijan and Georgia while bypassing Armenia was signed into law as
part of a comprehensive measure known as the Export-Import Bank
Reauthorization Act of 2006, the Armenian Assembly of America informs.

The legislation included an amendment by Senators Robert Menendez
(D-NJ) and Rick Santorum (R-PA) ensuring that no Export-Import funding
is used for a rail line, which seeks to isolate Armenia from economic,
and regional transportation corridors. The provision mirrors the South
Caucasus Integration and Open Railroads Act, which was introduced in
both Houses with the support of the Armenian Assembly…
August 2009 – /asbarez.am/ BAKU (Combined Sources) Georgian and Azeri
officials Monday said that despite some delays, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars
railway, which was slated to be operational by 2010, will be completed
by 2012.
The railway, a joint project between Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan,
envisions linking the three countries and provide a transport route to
Turkey from Central Asia and Asia. The proposed project was initiated
when US and European countries refused to finance similar projects,
citing the exclusion of Armenia from the route.
Construction of the railway began in November 2007, with Turkey and
Azerbaijan both funding the route in their respective countries and
Azerbaijan providing a $200 million loan to Georgia for the
construction of the 29-kilometer that will stretch through Georgia.
Bidzina Bregadze, Director of Georgia s Marabda-Kartsahi Railway
Company said that recent events in Georgia, including last year s war
with Russia had impeded the transfer of funds and slowed down the
process.
There also appeared to be technical problems forcing the rail link to
be rerouted since an original tunnel site was identified as an
avalanche route and deemed dangerous.
The 76-kilometer railway is estimated to cost $600 million.
The Georgian stretch of the railroad will go through the
predominantly-Armenian region of Akhalkalak in Samtskhe Javakheti.

URGENT SOLUTION IN CYPRUS COMPROMISE IN KARABAKH

Aysor.am
Aug 7 2009
Armenia

The Russian point of view that has been announced by the Russian
Prime Minister in Ankara about the Cyprus and Karabakh issue is
under the attention of the "Sabah" newspaper. The Turkish daily has
explained the position of Kremlin concerning the issues as follows
"Urgent solution for Cyprus and compromise for Karabakh".

"The Russian Prime Minister informed that they are standing for the
urgent solution of the Cyprus issue and for developing the economic
relations with the Turkish and Greek regions of Cyprus", – informed
the "Sabah". According to Putin in the case of NKR issue, Medvedev
will continue his intention of bringing the sides to a compromise.

Turkish "Anadolu" agency also made a reference to that issue. According
to the "Anadolu" Putin has informed about the intentions of the Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev’s to continue his active role in solving
the issue and meeting with the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Putin has also mentioned that Russia wishes the conflict to be
solved. Russia is against conflicts in the Caucasian region. "The
conflicts in this region have a negative influence on our relation
with the countries of that region. The position of Russia has always
been the following; we will not act instead the opposing sides but
we can help them to come to a better solution through compromise",
– said RF Prime Minister.

WATCHING FOOTBALL NOT TO BE A POLICY

Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am
Aug 7 2009
Armenia

"I have stated before that football should not be drawn in
interstate relations. It is mere football," Hovhannes Igityan, ANM
Board Member and Former Head of Foreign Affairs commission at NA,
told NEWS.am. According to him, arrival of Turkish President Gul to
Armenia was a courtesy visit and Serzh Sargsyan should go there just
to watch football.

"It should not be linked with the establishment of relations, in
particular making preconditions on this matter in unacceptable,"
Igityan said. "Eventually, Turkish President arrived in Armenia
without any preconditions. However, Armenian side fell into its
trap, when stated that will go to Turkey only in case if the border
gate is open. I have no clue how hereupon Serge Sargsyan will go
to Turkey. In any case it would be wise of his to find the means of
informing about his visit as just a football fan.Football is a game
to be watched. Mixing it up with interstate relations is a diplomatic
blunder.

RUSSIAN PM ARRIVES IN ANKARA FOR ENERGY, ECONOMIC TALKS

Xinhua

Aug 6 2009
China

ANKARA, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) — Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
arrived in the Turkish capital of Ankara Thursday morning for a one-day
working visit to the country upon Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan’s invitation.

Talks between the two countries are expected to focus on energy and
economic issues and ways to boost cooperation and enhance mutual
relations, Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Burak Ozugergin told
a press briefing Wednesday.

During Putin’s visit, Turkish and Russian authorities would sign two
agreements, one on the peaceful use of nuclear energy and the other
on the exchange of information on nuclear facilities, said Ozugergin.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi will attend the signing
ceremony of one of the agreements to be inked by Turkey and Russia
in Ankara on Thursday.

The main reason for Berlusconi’s involvement in the talks is to
discuss energy issues, above all the planned Russian South Stream
pipeline to transport gas to Europe, Turkish media said.

Putin’s visit came after Turkey and European Union (EU) countries
signed last month an intergovernmental deal to launch the Nabucco
natural gas pipeline project that the EU hopes will reduce its energy
dependence on Russia.

The Nabucco pipeline is expected to transport gas from Caspian,
Central Asian and Middle Eastern suppliers to Europe.

Meanwhile, Russia hopes for Turkey’s support for its own South Stream
pipeline project, which is designed to carry Russian gas across the
Black Sea to Europe.

Russian officials have invited Turkey to join the South Stream project,
an offer Turkey has not openly rejected, said Turkish Today’s Zaman
newspaper on Thursday.

Without Turkey’s support for the South Stream project, the pipeline
would have to go through the territorial waters of Ukraine under the
Black Sea instead of crossing Turkey’s territorial waters.

Russia has seen gas supply rows in the past three years with Ukraine
over price disputes, which led to the freezing of gas transmission
to some European countries.

On Wednesday, Ozugergin underlined the strategic dimension of Nabucco,
saying the project "is not against anyone" and "is part of the assets
that will make Turkey an indispensable part of the EU," according to
Today’s Zaman.

During Putin’s visit, the latest developments in the South Caucasus,
Turkish-Armenian relations and the Nagorno-Karabakh problem are also
expected to be discussed, said the newspaper.

ARMENIAN EXPERT: RUSSIA PERSUADES TURKEY NOT TO LOSE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY AND OPEN THE BORDER WITH ARMENIA IN OCTOBER

ArmInfo
2009-08-07 13:20:00

ArmInfo. Turkish officials show readiness to move forward in opening
the border with Armenia, Director of the Armenian Center for National
and International Studies Richard Giragosian told ArmInfo.

He said such readiness of the Turkish party is connected with the
recent statement of Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan where he called
on Turkey to take ‘real measures’ to change the existing situation
till his planned visit to the country in October. ‘Although it is still
early to draw conclusions, but the fact that Turkey responded to S.

Sargsyan’s statement and is ready at least to contribute to
this "symbolic opening" of the Armenian-Turkish border, is a good
news. This gives a new reason for optimism, i.e. that the process may
move forward’, the expert said. Moreover, R. Giragosian emphasized
that Turkey’s readiness to open the border is directly connected with
President Sargsyan’s address to official Ankara for the latter to show
a ‘good will’ and fulfill the agreements reached between the parties
around the ‘Roadmap’. ‘It is especially curious that Turkey showed
its desire to open the border to guarantee the Armenian president’s
visit to the country just after the recent visit of the Russian Prime
Minister Vladimir Putin to Turkey. I think it indicates that Russia
wishes for Turkey not to lose this opportunity and normalize the
relations with Armenia’, Giragosian resumed.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT POSTPONES VAT PAYMENTS FOR NATFOOD COMPANY BUILDING ADVANCED MEAT-PROCESSING FACTORY IN REGION

ARKA
Aug 7, 2009

YEREVAN, August 7. /ARKA/. Armenian Government postponed VAT payments
for Natfood company building a meat-processing factory in the country
with no analogues in the region for three years.

Earlier, Armenian Parliament decided to provide a three-year
postponement of VAT payments to companies with their investment
projects or equipment imports exceeding 300 million drams, Armenian
Minister of Economy Nerses Yeritsyan said.

It is the first case of the postponement in Armenia, Yeritsyan said.

The company is now building a meat-processing factory in Jrvej,
not far from Yerevan; the construction is to be completed in 2010,
the Minister said.

In 2011-2012 the factory is expected to produce 20 tons of products
every day. Yeritsyan stressed that the investment program envisages
availability of 180 jobs in 2010-2012 instead of the current 44 jobs
with workers’ salary to be brought from the current 69,000 drams
to 96,000 drams. Later the salaries of the factory staff is to be
increased by 5% every year.

The Minister also reported that the postponement was granted after
thorough study of the investments programs in a commission consisting
of representatives from Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economy and
State Revenues Committee of Armenia: Natfood’s investment program
got 33 points out of 50 maximal possib le points.

The cost of the construction is about $18 million; cost of the imported
equipment is 3.5 billion drams.

If the experience with Natfood’s factory is successful, similar
projects will be applied also in other economic fields, Armenian
Premier Tigran Sargsyan said. ($1=369.33drams).

LEVON TER-PETROSYAN MET WITH MATTHEW BRYZA

Aysor.am
August 07, 2009

Today the Armenian first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan met the OSCE
Minsk Group American co-chair Matthew Bryza, reports the press service
of Armenian National Congress.

The release reads that the two have touched the issues concerning
"the NKR conflict settlement as well as the democratic situation in
Armenia and particularly the political prisoners".

They have also discussed the perspectives of implementation of
"Millennium challenges" program.

SARGSYAN, BRYZA MEET TO DISCUSS KARABAKH

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
07.08.2009 13:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan met Friday with
OSCE Minsk Group U.S. Co-chair, Ambassador Matthew Bryza.

The two men discussed the ways of peaceful resolution of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, the RA leader’s press office reported.

KHACHKAR FROM ARMENIA IS PLACED IN YARD OF ARMENIAN CHURCH IN ALEXANDROUPOLIS

NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY
AUGUST 6
ATHENS

A khachkar (commemorative cross-stone) moved from Armenia is placed
in the yard of the Armenian St.

Karapet church in Alexandroupolis and its unveiling ceremony will
take place in October. According to the Greek Free Day newspaper,
it became possible thanks to the contribution held in 2008 by
the Aram Khachatrian branch administration of the Hamazkayin in
Alexandroupolis. A great number of citizens of Alexandroupolis
participated in the contribution.