Author: Hovhannisian John

ARF SAYS NEXT YEAR BUDGET NOT IMMUNE FORM RISKS

ARKA
Dec 11, 2009

YEREVAN, December 11, /ARKA/. A senior member of the opposition
Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) party said today next
year’s budget is not immune from risks. Vahan Hovhanesian, head of
ARF parliamentary faction, which voted against the budget together
with another opposition Zharangutyun (Heritage) party, said the 2010
budget is not based on a constitutional requirement that Armenia is
a social-oriented country.

According to Vahan Hovhanesian, the 2010 budget may broaden the gap
between the rich and the poor and does not propose solutions to
help the population raise their living standards. He also chided
the government for failing to develop effective mechanisms to
protect Armenian exporters and importers, who are not given any
privileges, especially in the context of the anticipated opening of
the Turkish-Armenian border.

With a vote of 82 to 16 the Armenian parliament adopted Thursday the
revised and final version of 2010 budget eyeing a modest 1.2 percent
growth. The budget calls for spending of 935.5 billion drams ($2.44
billion) and revenues of 742.0 billion drams. The budget deficit is
projected at 6.0 percent of GDP, lower than the 7.5 percent expected
in 2009. The deficit is planned to be financed by external resources,
mainly by international financial organizations and donors. The
biggest spending item in 2010 is earmarked for social needs as well as
defense and support of the Nagorno-Karabakh republic. The 2010 budget
forecasts annual inflation next year in the range of 4.0 percent,
with deviation of 1.5 percentage points, unchanged from 2009 level,
which is expected to be up to 5.0 percent. International Monetary Fund
(IMF) projects Armenia’s economy to contract by 15 percent in 2009. The
country’s GDP contracted 17.5 percent in January-October 2009.

SWEDEN INTERESTED IN EASTERN PARTNERSHIP IMPLEMENTATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.12.2009 14:19 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ As a country holding the EU presidency, Sweden
stands for complete implementation of the Eastern Partnership,
Ambassador of Sweden for the South Caucasus, Mr. Hans Gunnar Aden said.

"The Eastern Partnership initiative is congenial for us and we want
to develop relations with all participant countries," he said.

Sweden assumed the EU presidency in July 2009.

Armenia – one of few countries signed all documents regulating human rights
10.12.2009 14:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "The driving force of the modern society is
knowledge that help people competently defend their rights. Our goal
is to create an environment where everyone can freely exercise their
rights and freedoms without prejudice and discrimination," the
Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan told a round table on December
10 timed to the International Human Rights Day. Roundtable
participants stressed that Armenia is one of few countries which
signed all documents regulating the human rights.

"We cannot say that we have achieved great results in human rights
protection, though we try, but positive developments are also
observed. In respect of human rights protection, Armenia is ahead of
Azerbaijan, Georgia and many CIS countries. Certainly, we still have
much to do," Armenia’s Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan told reporters.

CONGRATULATORY ADDRESS BY NKR PRESIDENT BAKO SAHAKYAN

Aysor.am
10/12/09

President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan sent a
congratulatory message on the occasion of the Commemorative Day of
the Republic’s Constitution and State Independence Referendum.

"Dear compatriots,

In the modern history of Artsakh December 10 twice proved to be
pivotal. In 1991 on this day the Artsakh Armenians expressed their
unified will and confirmed the dedication of creating an independent
statehood. On the same day of 2006 again through the nation-wide
referendum the basic law of our state, the Constitution, was adopted
registering another great victory of our state, which succeeded in
defending its independence and freedom and was firmly staying on the
path of democracy.

December 10 is also celebrated as International Human Rights Day. This
fact is symbolic for itself as the Artsakh movement; the birth and
the very existence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic are the integral
parts of human rights, the reflection of the basic universal rights
of equality and self-determination of nations.

The people and authorities of Artsakh are adherent to the principles
that the December 10 twin holiday has entrusted with us. For us the
powerful, independent, sovereign, democratic and legal state is an
exclusive value that has no alternative.

I congratulate our entire people on this crucial holiday and wish
peace, robust health and all the best."

ARMENIAN SCHOOLS AND KINDERGARTENS CLOSED DECEMBER 8-19 FOR FLU PREVENTION

Tert.am
12:45 ~U 08.12.09

Yesterday evening, Armenia’s prime minister had an advisory meeting
with RA Healthcare Minister Harutyun Kushkyan and RA Education and
Science Minister Armen Ashotyan.

Having as its basis the RA Healthcare Minister’s proposal, RA Education
and Science Minister signed a decree to close down preschools and
public education institutions in Armenia from December 8 to 19.

"The observations and studies of the last 10 days revealed that
there’s a rise in contagious illnesses in the Republic, particularly
in schools and kindergartens," said Harutyun Kushkyan in his address
on public television.

Kushkyan once again reiterated that there’s no reason for panic and
that these measures are simply accepted method of prevention.

Armen Ashotyan, in turn, explained that the decision was approved
taking into consideration the fact that it’s children of that
particular age that are at risk.

"Stemming from physiological, anatonomical specifics, children of
this age are more at risk," said Ashotyan.

As for a decision on continuing classes at higher educational
institutions, in the minister’s words, currently there’s a process of
certification at colleges, universities and institutes: students are
preparing for exams, reviews, and group meetings, and the likelihood
of being infected is low.

A YEAR OF INTERESTING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN POLICIES
Hasmik Dilanyan

"Radiolur"
08.12.2009 18:05

The year 2009 is coming to an end, and as usual, the political forces
and government bodies are summing up the passing year. Member of the
Republican faction, member of the Council of the Republican Party
of Armenia, Artak Zakaryan today spoke about the achievements and
omissions of the domestic and foreign policies in the past year.

Artak Zakaryan pointed to several outstanding events, which are
important for the political and public life of our country. First
of all, he emphasized the initiative of the President of our country
targeted at the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations.

According to the MP, another remarkable event in the life of our
country was President Sargsyan’s pan-Armenian trip, "which brought
the issues discussed to a pan-Armenian level and resulted in the
signing of the Armenian-Turkish protocols in Zurich on October 10."

According to Artak Zakaryan, the protocols are just the start of
the process reinforced by steps in the direction of establishment of
diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Speaking about the "reasonable framework" for the ratification of
the protocols, the MP said "the sooner they are ratified, the better."

The MP assessed the passing year as successful as regard the settlement
of the Karabakh issue. "An important achievement was the statement
of the Council of Ministers of the OSCE member states, which once
again stressed the importance of peaceful resolution of the issue
on the basis of the principles of non-use of force and the right of
peoples to self-determination," he said.

In the field of foreign policy it was important that Armenia was
included in the Eastern Partnership Program of the European Union.

Among the interesting domestic developments the MP pointed to the
withdrawal of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun from the political coalition.

However, the coalition government continues functioning.

NUMBER OF GAS CONSUMERS IN ARMENIA INCREASED BY 18776 IN JANUARY-NOVEMBER 2009

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.12.2009 12:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The number of gas consumers in Armenia reached
592731, increasing by 18776 during the period of January-November 2009,
ArmRosgazprom press office said.

2629 gas consumers installed security systems in their apartments as
of December 1, 2009.

New York Times
Dec 6 2009

Three Favorites, One Surprise, in Final Four at World Cup

By DYLAN LOEB MCCLAIN

Though upsets continued at the World Cup in Khanty Mansiysk, Russia,
three of the four semifinalists ‘ Boris Gelfand of Israel, Ruslan
Ponomariov of Ukraine and Sergey Karjakin of Ukraine ‘ have enough of
a pedigree to not count as surprises. But probably no one could have
predicted the fourth, Vladimir Malakhov of Russia, who was the No. 22
seed before the tournament began. He beat Peter Svidler of Russia, the
No. 3 seed, in the quarterfinals.

Gelfand is the No. 1 seed, so clearly his presence in the semifinals
is not unexpected. He is, however, the oldest remaining player (he is
41) and was one of the oldest players at the beginning of the rigorous
event, so he has performed well, particularly in light of how many
other top contenders fell by the wayside early on. In the
quarterfinals, he outlasted Dmitry Jakovenko of Russia, No. 9, beating
him in the second and third tie-breaker games after the two games of
regulation ended in draws.

Ponomariov, No. 7, has a great deal of experience in the format used
by the World Cup. He won the World Chess Federation championship in
2002, which was also a knockout event, and he was runner-up to Levon
Aronian of Armenia in the 2005 World Cup. Like Gelfand, he won his
quarterfinal match against Vugar Gashimov of Azerbaijan, No. 2, in the
tie-breaker games, winning the first and second and then drawing the
third. Ponomariov was a bit fortunate as he unsoundly sacrificed a
piece in the first tie-break game, but Gashimov misplayed the
position, allowing Ponomariov to advance a pawn far down the board,
which ultimately decided the game.

Karjakin, No. 12, is, at 19, the youngest semifinalist. He holds the
record as the youngest grandmaster in history (12 years 7 months) and
he was a semifinalist in the 2007 World Cup, so he has been here
before. Oddly, while his compatriot, Ponomariov, was beating Gashimov,
one of the two remaining players from Azerbaijan, Karjakin was beating
the other, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, No. 13. Unlike Gelfand and
Ponomariov, Karjakin took care of his opponent in the regulation part
of the match by winning the first game. Mamedyarov lost by blundering
in a rook-and-pawn endgame in which he could have probably held a
draw, but instead walked into a mating net.

Malakhov also won in regulation after Svidler, who was playing White,
launched a wild attack in Game 1. Svidler went all out for checkmate,
but overlooked something rather simple that allowed Malakhov to turn
the tables and ensnare Svidler’s king in a mating net. In Game 2,
Malakhov had White and easily held a draw to send Svidler home.

Though Malakhov is among the world’s super grandmasters (those rated
over 2,700), he is not all that well known, so much so that a search
for him on Google first turns up the ballet dancer and the ice hockey
player. Of course, few chess players share a name with people famous
in other disciplines, but Malakhov is ranked No. 24 in the world,
according to an unofficial, but reliable ranking list. Malakhov might
have to win the World Cup to get a higher profile than the hockey
player; the ballet dancer is probably out of reach.

The semifinals begin Sunday.

5/three-favorites-one-surprise-in-final-four-at-wo rld-cup/

Azerbaijan.az
Dec 6 2009

Armenian National Congress: Armenia has given an official consent to
solve Nagorno Karabakh conflict basing on Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity

`With the statements of the co-chairing countries’ foreign ministers
and OSCE Ministerial Council Armenia has undertaken a commitment on
the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict basing on the
principles of the territorial integrity, non-use of force and
self-determination,’ says the statement issued by the Armenian
National Congress led by Levon Ter-Petrosyan. The statement says that
for the first time Armenia has given an official consent to solve the
conflict basing on Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

`The inclusion of the right of people’s self-determination does not
compensate Armenia’s compromise. Joint application of the territorial
integrity and right of self-determination means that even if Nagorno
Karabakh is given the highest right of self-government, this right
will be realized within the framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity,’ he said.

via

US STATE DEPARTMENT: "NAGORNO-KARABAKH WILL BE ONE OF THE MAIN DISCUSSION ISSUES DURING TURKISH PRIME MINISTER’S UPCOMING NEGOTIATIONS WITH US OFFICIALS"

APA
Dec 4 2009
Azerbaijan

Washington. Isabel Levine – APA. Nagorno-Karabakh will be one of the
main discussion issues during Turkish Prime Minister Redjep Tayib
Erdogan’s upcoming negotiations with US officials, APA’s Washington
DC correspondent was told at the US State Department.

Prime-Minister Erdogan will visit Washington DC next week. He will
meet with US president Barak Obama and a number of other high-level
US officials on December 7th.

"The Obama Administration will make sure that Nagorno-Karabakh issue
is addressed during the negotiations with Mr. Erdogan" – told in an
interview with APA one of the famous American analysts on Turkey,
Ian Lesser, Expert at Washington DC based German Marshall Fund. He
mentioned that US’s position on Nagorno-Karabakh is clear – Washington
supports the ongoing peaceful process and is participating in it.

According to the expert, US also will be very clear that, Washington
would like to see the other aspects of the rapprochement between
Armenia and Turkey implemented.

"We would probably commit ourselves to put everything we can do to
the international efforts to solve the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh"
– said American analyst.

Mr. Lesser was a member of the US Secretary’s Policy Planning Staff
at the US Department of State, where his portfolio included southern
Europe, Turkey, and the multilateral track of the Middle East peace
process in 1994-1995.

According to analyst, Iran and its nuclear program, Afghanistan and
Turkish-Armenian rapprochement also will be discussed during the
Turkish Prime Minister’s visit to US. Some other issues like PKK,
Cyprus or Missile Defense will be on agenda as well.

"With Iran there is no any certain agreement with on the nuclear
question. Many initiatives were proposed but there are no conclusions
about what Iran’s policy is. There were also some initiatives that
Turkey proposed so clearly Washington would want Turkey to have tough
messages on Iran’s nuclear program".