Author: Hakobian Adrine

DIFFERENT POLITICAL PARTIES MANIFEST SATISFACTION AFTER CONSULTATIONS

Naharnet
28 Sep 09, 11:36
Beirut

Parliamentary consultations resumed at 6:00pm followed in the line
of positive vibrations palpated so far between premier-designate
and the country’s political forces. The Armenian MP’s bloc labeled
their meeting with Hariri as extraordinary. "We are vastly content
with Hariri’s stance over forming a national unity government which
ensures the participation of all the vital political forces in the
country", said MP Hagop Bakradonian.

"We have unanimously agreed on strengthening security and military
forces in Lebanon in an effort to fight corruption and enhance
stability in the country", he added.

So far, feedback on the ongoing consultations has been labeled as
productive and alleged to be very different than those taken place
almost two weeks ago.

"We have named Hariri as premier-designate over again because we
believe that he is the most appropriate person for this task as he
represents the public majority of Sunnis," MP Bakradonian announced.

Speaker of the Armenian MP’s bloc did not find necessary a figure
playing the mediator’s role between PM-designate and leader of the
FPM Michel Aoun for he believes that the meeting between the two is
bound to happen anytime soon.

On this front, Free Patriotic Movement sources said Saad Hariri will
hold a second round of talks with the FPM bloc on Thursday.

MP Ibrahim Kenaan said Thursday’s talks will focus on financial
policies, the authorities of some funds, councils, ministries and
plans to set up a planning ministry.

He said the FPM bloc is open for dialogue over the formulas that
agreement should be reached on for cabinet formation on condition
that they are implemented equally on everyone.

Kenaan said the bloc’s secretariat-general will hold a meeting
headed by Aoun on Tuesday and another larger meeting the next day in
preparation for the consultations with Hariri.

Meanwhile, Jamaa Islamiya MP Imad al-Hout declared that the second
round consultations wi e around proposing names and the respective
portfolios for the Lebanese president to consent.

>From his part, Minister Tamam Salam after meeting with
premier-designate assured that "the government shall not be formed
unless all political forces work together and collaborate with Hariri".

Next in the round of consultations came MP Boutros Harb who warned
that the "system in Lebanon cannot go on as it is lacking both the
legislative and executive powers". He, henceforth, called to facilitate
PM-designate Hariri’s task.

GAGIK BEGLARYAN TO PARTICIPATE IN 30TH ASSEMBLY OF INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FRANCOPHONE MAYORS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
29.09.2009 15:17 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Mayor of Yerevan Gagik Beglaryan will participate
in 30th assembly of International Association of Francophone Mayors
which kicks off in Paris on October 2.

The Mayors will focus on the agenda of Armenian-French consultations
scheduled for September 2010. A project of decentralize cooperation
between the two countries will also be developed.

Mr. Beglaryan is also expected to meet with Mayor of Paris Bertrand
Delanoe.

ARMENIA MUST MAKE EFFORTS
Igor Muradyan

ahos15313.html
12:56:35 – 28/09/2009

Mr. Muradyan, what is your impression from the Armenian and Turkish
protocols? How do you assess the intention of Armenia to sign the
very protocols with Turkey?

This situation is so impermanent that the interested parties clarify
their positions in the process of discussions. There are enough signs
that in Washington they started reviewing the events. The Americans
are obviously worried with possible prospects and started to understand
less the significance of the consequences of the Armenian and Turkish
protocols fearing that their double scenarios cannot work the way they
imagine. Now Barack Obama has to negotiate over Nagorno-Karabakh issue
not with Russia but with Turkey, in other words, the new reality did
not come out to be pleasant. Earlier, Russia, which involved Turkey in
the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, repented enough for it and now the U.S. who
involved Turkey in the Southern Caucasus found out that it is not a
process observed by it and it will soon lose control on it. First of
all, they do not have necessary arguments and grounds. Second, this
process excites Russia strongly, and it is not bad in the present
conditions in connection with the Russian and American dialogue on
Iran, anti-racket defense etc.

Turkey longs for singing the protocols with Armenia and the
anti-arguments of the Turkish opposition and government are false,
a badly organized spectacle. Turkey needs to present the process of
settlement as if it is the initiator and Armenia is not constructive
and depends on external factors. Of course, it is not simple because
Armenia easily agrees with every possible condition of Turkey.

No doubt, Turkey gets use of these protocols to fail completely
the process of the recognition of the Armenian 1915 genocide, to
enhance it influence in the Southern Caucasus and to present its
new image in the theater of Europe. Turkey gives a huge harm to
the interests of the Armenian Diaspora and to their moral-political
situation. Realizing that it failed in gaining new positions in the
region, neither settled its relations with the European Union, as well
as the U.S. continues its attempts of repressive policy in connection
with Turkey, Ankara tries to bring back the lost through Armenia and
to make its relations with Armenia a hostage in its relations with
the West. Turkey carries out this policy ignoring the Karabakh issue
and the Azerbaijani interests but this is the problem. Having the
right to strengthen its positions in the Southern Caucasus, Turkey
will newly get engaged in the Karabakh issue. This or that way, the
normalization of the Armenian and Turkish relations will bring about
the enhancement of Turkish involvement in the Karabakh issue which
will influence on the Armenian positions. There is no doubt that the
Armenian interests in the Karabakh conflict will be harmed.

In addition, the situation put Armenia in such a tragic situation
that there is no way to withdraw. Armenia has to try to open the
border with Turkey. This is the only possibility to get involved
in the world dynamics. But the border opening has to be linked with
economic issues. This will be very trivial and ignorant. Open borders
are really inconvenient for all the interested sides: U.S., EU, Russia
and countries of Southern Caucasus. Russia is now exhausted and the
whole hope is on the Americans which will work out new rules in the
Armenian and Turkish relations. The current rules are not convenient
for the Americans. They are not expedient for anyone, except Turkey,

Once, the U.S. insisted on the removal of the blockade the Meghri
corridor. Now the U.S. does not even think about it, moreover, it
became dangerous. Armenia will not manage to seize the opportunity
and Turkey must not be given this chance.

Will Turkey manage to fail the process of the international recognition
of the genocide and harm our interests in the Karabakh issue and the
rights of the Armenian people no the Western Armenia? This depends
on us rather than on Turkey. Unfortunately, the Armenian society
did not manage to present a more or less full discussion on this
topic. Possible scenarios of the events were not presented. Now we have
to try to open the border. It we did not succeed, worse for Turkey.

No one may dispute the fact that the jazz was invented by
Afro-Americans but not in Africa but in New Orleans. At least, the
official version is this.

CRISIS PROMOTED `EXPIRED FOOD’

Panorama.am 16:11 25/09/2009
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In these days Panorama.am reporter happened to see selling of expired
food and applied to the Chairman of Consumers’ Union. But our reporter
has also applied to the department of food protection of Ministry of
Agriculture to get any comments.

Arthur Varjapetyan, of the ministry told that since 1 June, 2009, the
checking activities in 22 small and middle size enterprises, as the
checking activities are conducted only when the enterprise has 70mln
AMD circulated.

`In other cases, if consumer’s health or life is threatened we request
the Prime Minister to get authorities to pass control,’ official said.

To the question how long it takes to get the correspondent response
from the PM, Varjapetyan answered 2-3 days, sometimes a week.

There is a hot line also, and the consumers could call and tell about
their concerns. The telephone number is 45 74 21.

The official says only conditioned by the crisis, the government made
a decision to ease checking activities. But the official encourages
shop owners to be honest and not to sell expire dated food.

Samvel Nikoyan is not in the know

el-nikoyan
01:49 pm | September 25, 2009 | Politics

Deputy Speaker of the Armenian Parliament (National Assembly) Samvel
Nikoyan is uncertain as to when the National Assembly will start
discussions on the pre-signed Armenian-Turkish Protocols.

"I don’t know if any decision has been made in this respect. I know
that the National Assembly is going to hold hearings on the
Protocols," Samvel Nikoyan said to A1+.

Under the NA time-limit, all international documents including the
aforesaid Protocols must be presented to the National Assembly by
Serzh Sargsyan, the NA Deputy Speaker says.

Remind that during a recent press conference in New York’s Princeton
University, Recep Tayyip Erdoðan announced that the Armenian-Turkish
Protocols would be presented in the Turkish Parliament on October
10-11 [on the eve of Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan’s visit to
Turkey].

In reply to A1+ whether the date is somehow connected with Serzh
Sargsyan’s visit, Mr. Nikoyan said: "I cannot say anything in this
context as I am not acquainted with the legislations of the Turkish
Parliament.

I think the Armenian Parliament will discuss the Protocols either in a
special sitting or during a four-day sitting."

Note that in his speech Erdoðan said that the both parliaments will
hold discussions on the Protocols in October.

Aysor.am

24.09.2009, 16:29

`It’s the same if we get red tomato juice from green tomato

`The storage of grape will be done on time, not a single kilogram of
grape will be left unsorted’, – told Gerasim Alaverdyan, the Minister
of Agriculture of Armenia to the journalists and touched upon the
statements which said that people have thrown the harvest of the grape
and that the organizations do not storage them any more.

`My dear people that’s not true, it is a disinformation’, – assured
G. Alaverdyan.

The Minister explained that the storing organization according to the
signed agreement can store a bit more grape than it had previewed,
which is possible according the same agreement, it is possible but not
with big amounts.

`If the agreement is for 10 tones and the countryman will take 10.200
kilos there will be no problem’, – the Minister assured. The speaker
also touched upon the prices of purchases and mentioned that it is the
market that puts the prices according to the supply and demand.

`The price of today’s grape will correspond to the prices of the last
year, last year it was 140 drams and 120 and 80 drams too’, – informed
G. Alaverdyan.

The price of the grape, according to the Minister, depends on the type
of the grape as the different technological processes take place in
the grapes. That means if the sugar in the grape is less than 17% that
grape is not useful for the purchase.

`It is the same if we try to get a red tomato juice from green
tomato’, – the Minister said.

G. Alaverdyan touched upon several technological processes that take
place during the cultivation of the grape, processes such as not
watering the grape one month before gathering it.

`But people water them few days before gathering and add water in
their composition and the corresponding laboratory answers that the
amount of the sugar is low in the grape’, – mentioned the Minister of
Agriculture.

ARMENIA INTERESTED IN FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE BILATERAL RELATIONS
WITH POLAND

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS:Head of the NA permanent commission
for Euro integration issues Naira Zohrabian met today the assistant to
the head of the Polish Council of Ministers, state secretary of Euro
Integration issues Mikolay Dovgilevic and the delegation headed by
him.
Public relations department of Armenian Parliament told Armenpress
that with gratification stressing that the Armenian-Polish ties are
developing quite dynamically Zohrabian noted that Armenia intends to
further develop the relations with Poland, enhancing cooperation in
different spheres and intensify the parliamentary cooperation.
She assured that the process of euro integration of Armenia is one
of the priorities of our state’s foreign policy stressing that Armenia
greatly signifies the development and enhancement of multilateral
relations with European Union.
N. Zohrabian expressed hope that as a EU member state and initiator
of "Eastern partnership" project Poland can have a great role in
launching cooperation between member states of Eastern partnership
project which will create an opportunity for the sustainable
development of the region.
Mikolay Dovgilevic said that he is in Armenia to activate the
Armenia-EU ties, frame the priorities and design joint projects.
He informed that the delegation has already met the Armenian
President and discussed the free trade agreement which was approved by
the President of the state. He noted that necessity will rise for
harmonization of Armenian and EU laws and the role of Armenian
parliament, particularly the euro integration commission in this issue
will be extremely important.
The sides stressed the importance of establishment of the
parliamentary assembly of the member states of Euronest association
which will enable through the application of important resource of
parliamentary diplomacy settle numerous issues connected with euro
integration aspects.
Issues connected with liberalizat
logue, Turkish accession to EU, activation of parliamentary diplomacy
and regional issues have also been discussed.

Armenia not to avoid dialogue with Turkey
25.09.2009 15:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian-Turkish relations are like a chess game
where every piece is obliged to think, leader of National Consent
party Aram Harutyunyan told a press conference in Yerevan. Armenian
side, he said, has made its first move, pending the next step by
Turkey. `Armenian-Turkish Protocols cannot respond to both parties’
interests,» politician said, adding that the party which first
renounces the process will find itself in an unfavorable
situation. «We don’t have to avoid open talks over Armenian
Genocide issue. Armenian side has nothing to lose in this
situation,» Harutyunyan noted.

«`It doesn’t actually matter how many countries have recognized
Genocide; Armenia should enter into a dialogue with Turkey,’ he
said. Regardless what the situation will be like and who will be
United States President, America will not recognize Armenian Genocide
unless it is advantageous to it, said the politician.

Despite possible slowdowns in Genocide recognition process Armenian
lobby should continue its work; victim’s role is of no benefit, Armen
Harutyunyan finds.

ARF LAUNCHES PROTEST IN YEREVAN

-22-arf-launches-protest-in-yerevan
Tuesday September 22, 2009

Yerevan – The Supreme Council of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
launched a month-long protest on September 15 against the concessions
agreed to by the Armenian government in the protocols on the
development of relations between Armenia and Turkey.

The ARF’s protest involves a rotating 48-hour hunger strike in
front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a sit-in in front of
the government building, both in Republic Square. The party is also
collecting signatures for a petition against the protocols and has
stated that it will continue with its protest until amendments are
made to the protocols. A list of proposed amendments has been published
by the party and is being circulated.

The party is criticizing two key points in the agreement. The first
is the point "Confirming the mutual recognition of the existing
border between the two countries as defined by the relevant treaties
of international law." The party contends that the provision is
unnecessary and forecloses the possibility of raising legitimate
claims in the future.

The second is the establishment of an intergovernmental commission
whose task will be to "implement a dialogue on the historical dimension
with the aim to restore mutual confidence between the two nations,
including an impartial scientific examination of the historical
records and archives to define existing problems and formulate
recommendations." The party argues that the establishment of such
a commission would cast doubt on the veracity of the Genocide and
postpone acknowledgement of the Genocide by various countries.

ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS TO BE DISCUSSED IN TURKISH PARLIAMENT SOON

Panorama.am
12:18 24/09/2009

The Armenian-Turkish protocols signed between the sides on 31 August
will be on discussion table in Turkey’s Parliament from 10 to 11
October, Turkish Prime Minister Rejep Tayip Erdogan declared in his
speech addressed to the 64th UN general Assembly which is being held
in New York.

"A responsible circle resumed in the Armenian-Turkish relations. The
protocols will be discussed in Turkish Parliament on 10-11 October,"
Turkish PM said.

"We want to have good relations with Armenians," Mr. Erdogan said.