Author: Hambardsumian Paul

GASPROMBANK OPENED LONG-TERM CREDIT LINE FOR ARMROSGASPROM

ARKA
Oct 26, 2009

YEREVAN, October 26. /ARKA/. On Monday Russian Open JSC "Gasprombank"
and CJSC "ArmRosgasprom" signed an agreement on opening credit line
in the amount of 40 million US dollars (for seven years).

This credit line will be served by the affiliate of "Gasprombank" –
CJSC Areximbank -the Group of Gasprombank". "Signing of the agreement
is a regular step in the implementation of strategic task for the
development of the efficient cooperation of energy-fuel enterprises of
the country". CJSC "ArmRosgasprom" continues to regularly implement
gas-energy projects which have strategic impact on Russian economy,
particularly expansion of gas-transport system with exploitation of
gas-pipeline "Iran-Armenia" and construction and modernization of
the 5th energy block of Hrazdan Thermo-electric station.

During January-September 2009 about 27.8 billion drams were invested
for these programs. Moreover, during the first 9 months of 2009
about 10.3 billion drams were invested for the implementation of
reconstruction and development program of gas complex. During the
last several years total volume of investments made 700-750 million
US dollars.

Investments programs are implemented on the account of own resources
and borrowings. As for borrowings, CJSC "ArmRosgasprom" cooperates
with a number of local and foreign financial organizations. Open JSC
"Gasprombank" is one of the largest universal financial institutions of
Russia. It is included in the group of three largest banks of Russia
and occupies the third place in the list of banks of Central and
Eastern Europe. It serves the key areas of Russian economy – gas, oil,
nuclear and electro-energy spheres. More than 2 million physical and
43 legal entities are the clients of Gasprombank. It has 44 regional
branches and five affiliates and depending banks in Russia.

The bank also participates in the capital of three foreign banks –
"Belgasprombank" (Belarus), "Areximbank – the group of Gasprombank"
(Armenia) and "Russian Commercial Bank" (Switzerland).

Gasprombank has also representation banks in Beijing (China)
and Ulan-Bator (Mongolia). As of June 30, 2009 total capital of
"Gasprombank" was 156.5 billion drams, total assets – 1 855.3 billion
drams. CJSC Areximbank -the Group of Gasprombank" was established in
1998 for the support of entrepreneurship and service of financial
flows between Russia and Armenia. Since 2007 it is included in the
group of the largest Russian bank "Gasprombank" (Open Joint Stock
Company) as a 100% affiliate of the company. More than 58 000 physical
and 2000 legal entities are the clients of the bank, including such
large companies with the share of Russian capital as

CJSC "ArmRosgasprom", CJSC "Armenian Electrical network", VivaCell –
MTS, Beeline, CJSC "Rusal-Armenal", Russian-Armenian (Slavyanski)
University, etc. As of September 18, 2009 total capital of the bank
was – 9.906.771 thousand drams, total assets – 39.545.809 thousand
drams. Number of branches – 15.

DELEGATION OF AZERBAIJANI PARLIAMENT LEAVE FOR MOSCOW TO MEET WITH ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS

APA
Oct 21 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku. Elbrus Seyfullayev – APA. The delegation of Azerbaijani
parliament has today left for Moscow to meet with Armenian
parliamentarians, the parliament told APA.

The meeting will take place in the Russian parliament on October 22.

Nagorno Karabakh problem will be discussed at the meeting. Along with
Azerbaijani and Armenian parliamentarians, Russian parliamentarians
will also attend the meeting. Azerbaijani delegation includes
chairperson of the parliament’s human rights committee Rabiyyat
Aslanova, chairman of the committee for legal policy and statehood
Ali Huseynov, deputy chairman of the committee Rovshan Rzayev,
parliamentarians Sabir Hajiyev, Guler Ahmadova and Mikhail Zabelin.

Azerbaijani ambassador to Russia Polad Bulbuloglu, special
representative of Russian President for international cultural
co-operation Mikhail Shvydkoi will also attend the meeting.

NAGORNO-KARABAKH, KOSOVO HAVE NOTHING IN COMMON: TINA KAIDANOW

News.Am
Oct 23 2009
Armenia

The Nagorno-Karabakh and Kosovo conflicts have nothing in common,
Tina Kaidanow, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of
European and Eurasian Affairs, stated at her meeting with Arzu
Abdulayeva, Chairwoman of the Azerbaijani national office, Helsinki
Civil Assembly. According to her, the two conflicts are different and,
therefore, the ways of settling them are different as well.

Mrs. Kaidanow held meetings with the heads of various NGOs in Baku,
discussed the Armenia-Turkey normalization and Nagorno-Karabakh
peace processes, freedom of speech and press in Azerbaijan, youth
and refugee problems and other issues.

As part of her regional tour, Tina Kaidanow was on a visit to Armenia
on October 20-21. She held meetings with RA President Serzh Sargsyan,
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and other officials.

GERMAN PILGRIMS VISITED THE ARMENIAN PATRIARCH OF ISTANBUL

Noyan Tapan
23.10.2009

On October 19 a group of 28 German evangelical pilgrims visited the
Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul where they were greeted by chairman
of the Religious Assembly Archbishop Aram Ateshyan.

As reported by the Armenian "Lraber" periodical of Turkey, the
guests are in Istanbul to visit the religious institutions of ethnic
minorities. In the meeting with Aram Ateshyan, the guests were
interested in the role of the Patriarch, the Armenian community,
Christian life in Turkey in the relations between churches.

ARMENIAN COURT TO LOOK INTO TURKISH ACCORD – OFFICIAL

Kavkaz-uzel.ru
Oct 20 2009
Russia

Prior to ratification by Armenian parliament the Armenian-Turkish
protocols will be considered by the Constitutional Court for their
compliance with the country’s main law, the press secretary of the
Armenian president, Samvel Farmanyan, has told journalists.

He said that according to domestic procedure of ratification of the
signed documents, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs carries out an
inter-agency consideration procedure, then the documents are sent to
the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia for consideration
of compliance of obligations envisaged in them (documents) with the
country’s Constitution.

If the Court takes positive decision on compliance of the obligations
contained in the protocols with Armenia’s Constitution, the protocols
must be sent to the president, who, as per procedure, will send those
to parliament for ratification. The documents ratified by parliament
come into force after the president of the country signs a ratification
instrument, prepared in the ministry of foreign affairs.

Commenting on the question about compliance of the Armenian-Turkish
protocols with the country’s Constitution, one of the authors of
Armenia’s main law, lawyer Hrayr Tovmasyan, said that the protocols
comply with the Constitution. He added at the same time that the
issue is to determine to what extent these protocols comply with the
preamble of the main law.

"The matter is that up to the present the Constitutional Court have
not discussed issues on legal power and meaning of the preamble.

Discussing the issue on compliance-non-compliance of the protocols
with the main law, the Constitutional Court, presumably, will make
the legal meaning of the preamble more precise," Tovmasyan said.

He expressed confidence that the Armenian-Turkish protocols signed
on 10 October in Zurich will not become obstacle for Armenia in the
cause of support to the process of international recognition of the
genocide. "If the protocols said that Armenia refrains from steps
aimed at international recognition of the genocide, then in that case
the document would contradict the constitution," Tovmasyan said.

[Passage omitted; background on the protocols.]

The protocols must be ratified within 60 days after their signature.

According to Turkish mass, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek
has said that Turkish parliament will consider the Armenian-Turkish
protocols on 21 October.

Meanwhile, an Armenian deputy foreign minister, Shavarsh Kocharyan,
did not give a specific date for including the issue of ratification
of the protocols in the agenda of parliament. "The Armenian-Turkish
protocols signed by the [Armenian and Turkish] foreign ministers
should be ratified within reasonable deadlines," Kocharyan said.

"Setting ratification deadlines – this is the case when it is
impossible to do this, as the parliaments are sovereign. However there
is a notion of reasonable deadlines. It is not accidental that all the
countries which have made statements on this occasion said that it is
necessary to accomplish the process quickly and to put the protocols
into practice. The entire international community expects reasonable
deadlines. If inappropriate delaying occurs, we have our own response,
about which our president has said directly," Kocharyan said.

[Passage omitted from translation: background on the content of
the protocols.]

FM: PROTOCOLS TO PAVE WAY FOR REGIONAL PEACE, INCLUDING AZERBAIJAN

Today’s Zaman
Oct 22 2009
Turkey

Two protocols signed between Armenia and Turkey for re-establishing
ties and reopening their mutual border will eventually help change
the status quo in the Southern Caucasus, which currently serves
the interests of neither Armenia and Turkey nor Azerbaijan, Foreign
Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Wednesday.

Davutoglu was speaking as the government sent the two protocols to
Parliament for ratification. The governing party holds a majority in
the 550-seat Parliament, and the accords are likely to be ratified.

But it is not clear when voting will take place since there is no
timetable on when the ratification should take place. Armenia and
Turkey signed the protocols in Zurich on Oct. 10. They need to be
ratified by both parliaments to go into force. Underlining that the
mutual recognition of the border protocols and the implementation
of a "dialogue on the historical aspect [of Turkey-Armenia disputes]
with the aim of restoring mutual confidence between the two nations"
were important parts of the protocols, Davutoglu said: "What we aim at
is laying the ground for general normalization in the Caucasus. What
we want to do is create a ‘just memory’."

Normalization can be meaningful when it is comprehensive, but not
when it is only between two countries, the minister added, stressing
that normalization of relations between Ankara and Yerevan would
also accelerate reconciliation and peace between Baku and Yerevan,
provided that Turkey’s firm support for the protection of Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity continues.

"The status quo is not useful for any of these countries. We should
remove the status quo with peaceful means in order to avoid seeing
the emergence of a new risk," Davutoglu said.

Davutoglu’s speech was frequently interrupted by opposition lawmakers,
who accuse the government of making concessions by signing the
documents. "The protocols are against the national interests of our
country," said Oktay Vural, who addressed the session on behalf of
his Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). He claimed that the protocols
were signed under pressure from the US and said, "The MHP will oppose
as strongly as it can when Parliament begins voting on the protocols."

The Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) Å~^ukru Elekdag criticized the
government for pushing for protocols in Parliament although there is
no progress on Armenia’s Nagorno-Karabakh dispute with Azerbaijan.

The pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP), on the other hand,
welcomed the protocols. "We support the resolution of Turkey’s domestic
and foreign issues with dialogue," Selahattin DemirtaÅ~_ of the DTP
told Parliament. He also called for a "more open" debate on Turkey’s
history: "I’m saying it openly, the massacres of the Armenians are
not mentioned in our textbooks," he said.

MET WITH TINA KAIDANOW

nalbandian-tina-kaidanow
05:38 pm | October 20, 2009

Official

On October 20 Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan met with US Deputy
Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Tina
Kaidanow.

Welcoming the guest, Minister Nalbandyan congratulated Kaidanow on
the occasion of her appointment and expressed hope that Kaidanow’s
experience and know-how will be useful for development of bilateral
relations.

The interlocutors discussed perspectives for development of
bilateral relations. Minister Nalbandyan said that Armenia attaches
importance to the deepening of multifaceted relations with the US and
strengthening of partnership. They also exchanged views on the process
of normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations. In that context,
Minister Nalbandyan thanked the US for its support in the establishment
of Turkish-Armenian relations and the efforts in that direction.

The parties also touched upon the latest developments in the talks
on the peaceful resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

RSF PRESS FREEDOM INDEX RANKS ARMENIA THE 111TH

ArmInfo
2009-10-21 15:04:00

ArmInfo. The Press Freedom Index is an annual ranking of countries
compiled and published by Reporters Without Borders based upon the
organization’s assessment of their press freedom records. Small
countries, such as Andorra, are excluded from this report. The 2009
index was published on 20 October 2009. Press Freedom Index ranked
Armenia the 111th. As compared to 2008 Armenia’s index did not change.

The official website of the Reporter Without Borders reports that
Denmark ranks the first in the rating (up from 14th position in 2008).

Then go Finland, Ireland, Norway and Sweden.

As regards the post-Soviet states, only Georgia is ahead of Armenia
-the 81st position. Turkey proved the 122nd , Azerbaijan – 146th,
Russia was 153rd and Iran was 172nd.

"Press freedom must be defended everywhere in the world with the same
energy and the same insistence," Reporters Without Borders secretary-
general Jean-Francois Julliard said Tuesday as his organisation issued
its eighth annual world press freedom index.

"It is disturbing to see European democracies such as France, Italy
and Slovakia fall steadily in the rankings year after year," Julliard
said. "Europe should be setting an example as regards civil liberties.

How can you condemn human rights violations abroad if you do not
behave irreproachably at home? The Obama effect, which has enabled
the United States to recover 20 places in the index, is not enough
to reassure us."

Reporters Without Borders compiles the index every year on the basis of
questionnaires that are completed by hundreds of journalists and media
experts around the world. This year’s index reflects press freedom
violations that took place between 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2009.

STUDENTS OF ARMENIAN COLLEGE OF KOLKATA PLAY EXCEEDINGLY WELL IN ANNUAL WEST BENGAL RUGBY TOURNAMENT

Noyan Tapan
Oct 19, 2009

KOLKATA, OCTOBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Annual
West Bengal Rugby Tournament held at the CC&FC grounds drew to a
close with the distribution of awards and trophies. The Armenian
College Rugby Team had participated in the various categories of
the rugby tournament. According to information received from the
Armenian College of Kolkata, they played exceedingly well and made
the school proud. They remained true to the Armenian legacy and
returned with accolades. The college students Armen Makarian and
Gegarth Markarian won the MOST VALUABLE PLAYER in the "GEORGIA D"
7 A SIDE RUGBY TOURNAMENT" and the "U-19, 7-A SIDE RUGBY SCHOOL
TOURNAMENT", respectively.

37 PEOPLE APPLIED TO THE MIGRATION AGENCY FOR GETTING TEMPORARY ASYLUM IN ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
Oct 21, 2009

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 21, ARMENPRESS: About 37 people applied to the
migration agency of the Armenian Territorial Administration Ministry
during the first nine months of the running year for getting temporary
asylum in Armenia.

Head of the department for applicants of temporary asylum of the
migration agency Ruzanna Petrosyan told Armenpress that all they
are from Iraq and are mainly Armenians. They are given a temporary
certificate for three months after which the application is being
examined and a decision is being made for granting a right of temporary
asylum in Armenia. Those who applied before June have already got
the right and the works of the others are in process.

During the first nine months of the running year 15 applied for
getting status of refugee and only one has got it.