Author: Frangulian Shushan

SOUTH CAUCASUS – EU COOPERATION DEPENDS ON PRESS FREEDOM
By Anahit Hovsepian, Germany

Azg Daily
May 7 2010
Armenia

Markus Lioning, the newly-appointed Human Rights Commissioner
of Germany (Liberal Democratic Party) on his May 4 interview to
"Der Tagesspiegel" detailed fight against death penalty and press
freedom issues.

"Press and opinion freedom is the mother of all freedoms. Dictators
cannot stay long in a place, where people have the right of freely
expressing their opinion, and where the journalists are free in their
publications", said the Commissioner giving the example of the South
Caucasus countries – Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. According to
him, these three states have press freedom problems, but at the same
time they want to cooperate closely with the European Union, and that
cooperation should be conditioned by press freedom guarantees.

OFFICIAL REGISTERED ARMENIAN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE RISES IN Q1
Venla Sipila

World Markets Research Centre Global Insight
May 4 2010

The official registered unemployment rate in Armenia for the first
quarter of 2010 stood at 7.3%, according to the country’s National
Statistical Service. This jobless rate compares with an average of 6.9%
registered for 2009 as a whole, and a rate of 6.3% in 2008. There
was at total of 84,300 people registered as unemployed jobseekers
in January-March, in an annual increase of 10.8%. In addition, the
Statistical Service also reports that the average monthly nominal
wage in January-March amounted to 101,274 dram, rising by 5.6% in
annual terms.

Significance:The falling trend seen in reported unemployment in
Armenia over the economic boom years reversed during the recession from
which the country is now struggling to find its way out. The recent
data confirm the gradual but steady increase in the official jobless
rate. However, although the indicated trends fit IHS Global Insight’s
projections, official unemployment data are likely to underestimate
true unemployment. This is because only a low proportion of the
unemployed register as job seekers, due to still poor incentives for
doing so. Consequently, the true jobless rate is likely to exceed
the reported one.

POLICE EMPLOYED ‘TERROR’ IN CHARENTSAVAN: ARTHUR SAKUNTS

Tert.am
13:16 06.05.10

Special Investigation Group is not carrying a multi-dimensional
examination of the criminal case filed over a recent incident in
Charentsavan, Head of Vanadzor office of Helsinki Civil Assembly
Arthur Sakunts said at a press conference today.

According to Sakunts the police are focused now only on Vahan Khalafyan
killing while those five others brought to the Charentsavan Police
Station were also subjected to violence.

In his words the family of David Gyulumyan, currently under arrest,
is subjected to what he called "police terror" carried out by the
Deputy Chief of the Charentsavan Police Station Tonoyan.

Referring to Khalafyan’s case Sakunts said that Khalafyan was
definitely killed.

Law enforcement bodies say that Khalafyan was beaten to death. Further
the police officers have allegedly stabbed him twice in an effort to
push forward the version of suicide.

"No one would be able to stab himself twice. How could the police
make such a statement?" said Sakunts.

Speaking about the fact that two individuals involved in the case have
left the country, Sakunts said they were also subjected to violation
while kept in the police station. Sakunts is sure that they were
forced to leave Armenia as they were serious witnesses for that case.

At the same time he recalled that those two young men confessed to
him during a talk that they could hear how Khalafyan was being beaten
in a next door room in the police station.

DAVUTOGLU TO DISCUSS NORMALIZATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH TIES IN BRUSSELS

Panorama.am
13:20 06/05/2010

Region

Turkey-EU ministerial summit is scheduled as soon as the parliament
discussions of constitutional reforms are done in Turkey. The summit
is due to take place in Brussels on May 10. Turkish FM Ahmet Davutolgu
and chief envoy of EU Egemen Bagysh will attend the summit.

A few other issues related to Turkey’s foreign policy, particularly,
Cyprus issue will be discussed. Turkish Cumhurriyet reported that
Armenian-Turkish normalization issue is also scheduled in the agenda.

MEETING AT THE YEREVAN STATE UNIVERSITY

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05.05.10

Meetings of the higher officer staff of the RA MoD and the RA AF with
students of secondary schools and higher educational institutions
continue. On 5 May at Yerevan State University Minister of Defence
Seyran Ohanyan met students, professors and veterans of the Great
Patriotic War.

In his speech the RA MoD mentioned that the aim of this meeting prior
to the holidays is also to introduce the students to the examples
of valor and heroism. Seyran Ohanyan presented the reforms in the
Armed Forces, the further programs and currents issues. According to
him, the reforms in the AF are the continuation of Armenia’s foreign
policy and the processes aimed at protecting the national security. The
Minister assured that the RA AF operate for the sake of the principle
of establishing allied and cooperative international relations,
peaceful settlement of relations, and keeping the military balance.

Seyran Ohanyan answered the questions of the students, which were
mainly concerning the amendments in the "Law on Conscription", cuts in
places for Masters Degree, as well as on issues of military-patriotic
education of the youth. The Minister approved of students’ proposal
to organize battle readiness classes together with the RA MoD. At
the end of the event, in regard to the 65th anniversary of the Great
Victory, the RA MoD awarded a group of Great Patriotic War veterans
and university staff with jubilee medals and certificates.

ARMENIA-TURKEY NORMALIZATION PROCESS WILL CONTINUE, MP SAYS

Panorama.am
05/05/2010

Orinats Yerkir faction member Artsrun Aghajanyan thinks Armenian
President’s decision on suspending the Armenian-Turkish process was
appropriate. "This was a step to caution Turkish leaders to take the
issue more seriously; in this case the process will be continued,
I think," he told reporters Wednesday.

According to him, the Turkish side adopted a wrong policy in
Armenia-Turkey normalization process by "neither pledging to, nor
submitting the protocols for discussion."

A. Aghajanyan is convinced that the process will continue. "Anyway,
there is pressure on both sides and want or not, they should take some
steps, that is, they should ratify the protocols eventually," he said.

YOUNG TURKS RECEIVED ASSISTANCE FROM GERMANY
Hovik Afyan

Azg Daily
May 4 2010
Armenia

Similar statement was made by well-known Kurdish figure, historian
Recep Marashln at a conference on the Armenian Genocide organized on
May 2 in Belgium by the Union of Democrat Armenians.

The historian’s speech lasted 4 hours, in which he mainly noted, "The
Young Turks committed the Armenian Genocide in 1915. At that time,
Germany was in close cooperation with the Young Turks, and Germany
supported the Young Turks in committing the Genocide". According to
the historian, Germany couldn’t be ignorant about the planned genocide.

Marashln is the author of the book "Armenian National Democratic
Movement and the Armenian Genocide of 1915".

"What was committed by the Turkish state against the Armenians is
Genocide. The Turkish state is guilty of it. It is the truth and
is not a subject of discussion" – these sentence is cited from the
mentioned book.

TRADE FINANCING ACADEMY TO OPEN IN ARMENIA IN JUNE

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 4, 2010 – 15:38 AMT 10:38 GMT

HSBC Bank Armenia CEO Astrid Clifford and Director of the National
Center for Small and Medium Business Development Ishkhan Karapetyan
said Tuesday that Trade Financing Academy will be established in
Armenia.

The Academy is expected to start its activity in mid-June, with
lectures on trade financing and international trade transactions.

According to Stuart Nivison, Head of HSBC Trade and Supply Chain
Europe, in contrast to many Asian countries, in which the international
trade is active and technologies are developed, in Armenia, as a former
soviet republic, mechanisms in the field are complete yet. "Armenian
businessmen lack relevant knowledge and experience in international
trade transactions. Given 140 years of activity, HSBC Bank can be
useful in providing financial education to Armenian exporters and
importers," he stressed.

Lectures at the Academy will be given by experts of the HSBC Bank
Armenia trade financing department.

LOANS GRANTED BY ARMENIAN BANKS AMOUNTED TO AMD 790.9 BILLION IN MARCH 2010

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 4, 2010 – 17:17 AMT 12:17 GMT

As of March 31, 2010, loans granted by Armenian banks totaled AMD 790.9
billion that is 4.8% or 35.9 billion higher as compared with February.

The RA National Statistical Service reported that the credit
investments by the Armenian banking system amounted to 751.8 billion
in March that is 4.1% higher as compared with February. Meanwhile,
the amount of prolonged loans totaled 34.5 billion by the end of
March 2010 that is 6.6 billion higher as compared with February. At
the same time, overdue loans amounted to 4.6 billion that is 9%
higher as compared with February 2010.

THE EXHIBITION OF PHOTOS OF R. BAGHDISHYAN OPENED IN THE YSU

Aysor
May 3 2010
Armenia

Tomorrow on May 4 in the Cultural Center (6th floor) of Yerevan State
University will kick off Ruben Baghdishyan’s photo exhibition titled
"What is left from our ancestors".

There will be presented the best photos of the authors where are
depicted the sights and the historical and cultural places of Armenia,
informed Ashot Poghosyan who is a member of the initiation group.

Ruben Baghdishyan is born in 1987. He has taken up photographing from
early age; he has managed to partake in series of international photo
competitions like World Press Photo, International Image Circuit. And
in 2009 he has taken the first place in a photo competition in Ukraine
titled "УкÑ~@а ина гÐ"аз&# xD0;°Ð¼Ð¸ иноÑ~AÑ ~BÑ~@анÑ~FÐ&# xB5;в"
"Ukraine by the eyes of the foreigners".