Author: Hakobian Adrine

NO ALTERNATIVE TO PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT: CSTO SECRETARY GENERAL

Today.az
s/54443.html
Aug 6 2009
Azerbaijan

Last year’s events in the Caucasus demonstrated that there is no
alternative to a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Secretary General
Nikolai Bordyuzha said at a news conference.

CSTO comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia,
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

"There is no alternative to a peaceful settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and what happened a year ago in the Caucasus
once again confirms that the use of force does not lead to resolution
of any conflict between nations. Only a peaceful and mutually
acceptable solutions can help ensure peace in the Caucasus," he said.

Replying to a question what reaction CSTO will have if Azerbaijan tries
to return Karabakh by force and there is a war between Armenia and
Azerbaijan, Bordyuzha recalled that the CSTO is "based on the Treaty
on Collective Security fourth article of which says that aggression
against one of CSTO member-states is seen as aggression against all."

"On this basis, all the rest are words in such a difficult situation as
the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that are only harmful,
not beneficial.. I very much hope that the OSCE Minsk Group and the
meeting between presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan will lead to a
peaceful settlement."

"Today all points to this. Especially the last meetings of Russian,
Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents which took place in Moscow and
St. Petersburg confirmed only that the process is underway and each
side is ready to seek a peaceful resolution of the problem that exists
in Nagorno-Karabakh," he said.

Recently, representatives of the OSCE Minsk Group which includes
Russia, the United States and France, who mediated in settlement of
the Karabakh conflict, said that the process has reached a progress
and that they hoped to reach an agreement to settle the conflict in
early 2010.

On July 10, at G8 summit in Italy, the presidents of Russia, the United
States and France issued a joint statement on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.

According to the document, these three countries will present an update
of the latest proposals on Nagorno-Karabakh in Baku and Yerevan. These
principles include determining status of Karabakh by free will, the
land link between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, providing security
guarantees and withdrawal of troops from the territories controlled.

THIRD STAGE OF CONTEST ON SMALL GRANT PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH EVENT CENTERS LAUNCHED

Noyan Tapan
Aug 5, 2009

YEREVAN, AUGUST 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The program "Strengthening the
Democratic Governance System of Regional Youth Centers" is being
implemented under a one-year agreement signed this year between
the OSCE Yerevan Office and the Youth Event Organization Center
(YEOC) state nonprofit organization of the RA Ministry of Sport and
Youth Affairs. The program envisages discussions and an exchange
of experience among youth event organization centers, and promotion
of skills and abilities of the personnel of these centers and young
people in marzes (provinces). The program aims to assist with solution
of youth problems in marzes, raise the activity of young people and
make them more competitive in the labor market.

The Center reported that within the framework of the indicated program,
a contest of small grant programs for centers organizing events for the
youth in marzes has been announced and held in three stages. During
two stages, 25 programs were presented from 10 regional centers,
17 of which have been selected, financed and implemented by the OSCE
Yerevan Office and the YEOC.

During the selection, a number of criteria, including the involvement
of young people in the program’s implementation, their innovation and
creative approaches, etc, are taken into account. The third stage of
the contest has begun. The deadline for submitting bids for grants
is August 15. The programs will be implemented until November 15.

PREMIER: ECONOMIC DECLINE TO BE 12% IN ARMENIA BY END OF YEAR

ARKA
Aug 5, 2009

YEREVAN, August 5. /ARKA/. Economic decline is to reach 12% in Armenia
by the end of this year, Armenian Premier Tigran Sargsyan said.

"According to our preliminary projections, economic recession rates
will be gradually slowing down and will come from the current 17-18%
down to 12% by the end of the year," Sargsyan said during his visit
to Yeghegnadzor of Vayots Dzor region of Armenia Wednesday.

According to the preliminary information of Armenia’s National
Statistical Service, 16.3% economic decline was recorded in the
country in January-June as compared with the same period of 2008. Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) was 1,119.4 billion drams ($3,216.3 million)
in the period.

Economy shrank by 15.7% over the five months 2009.

According to the Premier, rehabilitation trends will be seen in the
country close to the end of this year.

ARMENIAN MINISTER OF ECONOMY DISCUSSES EXPANSION OF IFC ACTIVITIES WITH IFC REGIONAL HEAD FOR CAUCASUS

ARKA
Aug 5, 2009

YEREVAN, August 5. /ARKA/. Armenian Minister of Economy Nerses
Yeritsyan and IFC Regional Head for the Caucasus Thomas Lubeck
discussed possible expansion of IFC activities in Armenia.

The priority directions are long-term and short-term infrastructure
projects in financial sector and in government – private sector
cooperation in banking, energy and pharmaceutical sectors, capital
market and etc.

The Minister briefed Lubeck on the formation of the venture capital
fund, national center of innovations and the all-Armenian bank.

Lubeck assured the Armenian Minister that the IFC is always ready
to assist and cooperate closely, especially when there are programs
developed.

In 2009-2012, the WB is to transfer 545 million dollars to Armenia
for implementation of anti-crisis measures.

MISS SEVEN CONTINENTS-2009 COMPETITION AIMED AT SHOWING ARMENIA TO WORLD

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
03.08.2009 19:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Beauty contests like Miss seven continents-2009
brought glory to countries, organizing them. I want Armenia be among
those countries," Ashot Khachatryan, Founder and President of Miss
Seven Continents 2009 told in an interview with a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter.

"Over time competitions we organize will surpass in quality and level
Miss World ," Arthur Azaryan, the chief producer of the Miss seven
continents-2009 competition said.

Miss Seven Continents 2009 contest is an impetus to develop tourism
in Armenia, since the number of people wishing to take part increases
and the interest towards the country grows.

On July 29, the first beauty contest "Miss Seven continents-2009"
was organized by a charitable "Miss and Mister" foundation in Armenia.

The competition was attended by representatives of Armenia, Russia,
Georgia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Nigeria, Latvia, Slovenia, Great
Britain, Lithuania, Slovakia, Moldova, Brazil, Belarus and Ukraine.

RAU, SOUTH CAUCASUS RAILWAYS ESTABLISH CORPORATE MANAGEMENT SCHOOL

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
04.08.2009 15:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University rector
Armen Darbinyan and South Caucasus Railways general manager Shevket
Shaydullin signed a memorandum on establishment of a corporate
management school.

Titled the Leadership School, it will train specialists for South
Caucasus Railways, including top-managers.

The curriculum is developed by leading experts and includes management
economics, financial management, applied strategic management, tax
planning, investment projection and management accounts.

The school aims to create a correct approach to routine of business
in Armenia.

ADJUTANT GENERAL TALKS ABOUT PARTNERSHIP WITH ARMENIA

WIBW.com
adlines/52214347.html
July 31 2009

Topeka (WIBW) – The state’s Adjutant General talked Friday morning
about his recent trip to Armenia.

Major General Tod Bunting visited the former Soviet Republic to discuss
how Kansas can enhance its six-year partnership with the country,
which shares a border with Iran.

He and Armenian officials discussed bio security, agricultural
development opportunities and education and law enforcement
initiatives.

While Bunting says it’s always reassuring to have allies halfway around
the world, the trip also proves educational in other respects. He
says it teaches a person to appreciate other cultures and other ways
of doing things.

The trip was part of the State Partnership Program established by
the National Guard Bureau that links a state to a country to enhance
cooperation and interaction.

WILL CALL TO COMMITTEE IF HE DOESN’T SUE

A1+
07:48 pm | July 30, 2009

Politics

The ad hoc committee leading the investigation into the events of
March 1 received the third document sent by members of the Fact-Finding
Group Seda Safaryan and Andranik Kocharyan regarding the circumstances
of the death of one of the victims of March 1-soldier from military
unit N1033 of the police forces Tigran Abgaryan, as reported by head
of the ad hoc committee Samvel Nikoyan to "A1+".

The committee will study the document. Presses released information
and according to one of the versions, it was the commander of the
police forces who opened fire against the soldiers and killed Tigran
to prevent the strike of the soldiers who refused to fire at their
own people.

"A1+" asked Nikoyan if the committee found it appropriate to invite
former commander of the police forces Grigor Grigoryan to study this
version, to which Nikoyan said:

"We will wait for Grigoryan’s response. If he doesn’t sue that
newspaper, then we will be interested in that information."

ARMENIAN TV MEN CAN WIN ZOLOTOY BUBEN FESTIVAL

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
28.07.2009 17:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Among 148 TV companies from 14 countries, TV men from
Russia, Finland, Armenia, Bulgaria and Belarus stand a good chance
to win Zolotoy Buben (Golden Tambourine) International Festival of
Television Programs and Films, which will held in Khanty-Mansiysk
in September.

The council of experts has selected 50 works out of 300

MATTHEW BRYZA SAYS NAGORNY KARABAKH WILL PARTICIPATE IN NEGOTIATIONS ‘SOONER RATHER THAN LATER’

ArmInfo
2009-07-27 14:26:00

ArmInfo. A senior United States representative mediating the ongoing
peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh
dispute has said that "the Karabakhi Armenian representatives were at
the [negotiating] table until a few years ago when the Armenian side,
Yerevan, decided to represent them."

Matthew Bryza, who jointly with representatives from Russia and France
chairs the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s
(OSCE) Minsk Group, told RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service, however, that
the Karabakhi authorities still "need to participate directly in the
negotiations" at some point and expressed a hope that this will happen
"sooner rather than later".

But the diplomat stressed there is a discussion that "has to ensue
among the parties and they have to come to a mutual agreement." "To
bring them [Karabakhi authorities] back in, there needs to be a mutual
agreement, and we hope that will be forthcoming," said Bryza. "They do
participate indirectly now. We listen what their opinions are. We, of
course, have to incorporate those views into the negotiations because
if you don’t, it’s impossible to get people who will be affected by
the solution to accept it.

So, they have to accept it in the end." At the same time, Bryza called
it "not constructive or accurate" to talk about one side or the other
taking ‘the first step’ after an agreement is finalized.

"The basic principles call for both sides to take steps simultaneously
and there is a sequence of steps that both sides will take at
different times.

So, everything has to be done together, with both sides," he said.

Bryza recalled Ilham Aliev’s statement made in Moscow in early July
in which the Azerbaijani leader foresaw that once the final peace
agreement was signed, five territories would be returned to Azerbaijan
immediately and two would be returned later. "So, what he [Aliev]
is laying out there is that there would be this immediate return
of territories, but some would come back later. At the same time,
Azerbaijan will be taking steps also, which includes this commentary
about the corridor, and he’s made some allusions or suggestions about
status, and we, the co- chair countries, talked about an interim
status for Karabakh. So, all that has to happen at the same time.

Even though elements of the overall process will be implemented in
a staged way."