Author: Hovhannisian John

ARMENIA, LEBANON ENJOY EXEMPLARY RELATIONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.02.2009 13:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met
in Beirut with his Lebanese counterpart Fawzi Salloukh to discuss
bilateral relations and development of cooperation between the two
countries.

Minister Nalbandian voiced hope that his visit will give renewed
impetus to the Armenian-Lebanese relations.

"Armenia and Lebanon enjoy exemplary relationship," he said.

In discussing regional problems, the Ministers stressed inadmissibility
of resolution of conflicts by use of force.

In the framework of the visit, Minister Nalbandian also met with
Catholicos of Cilicia, His Holiness Aram I and representatives of
the Armenian community of Lebanon, the RA MFA press office reported.

BJNI NEW OWNER RUBEN HAYRAPETYAN WARNS AGAINST "PLAYING GAMES" WITH GOVERNMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.02.2009 14:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The new owner of Bjni Mineral Water Factory, Armenian
Football Federation President, member of parliament Ruben Hayrapetyan
warned the public against "playing games" with the government.

"I purchased Bjni Factory from the government at quite a decent sum,"
he commented on the stir raised around his purchase.

Hayrapetyan said he considers Bjni Mineral Water Factory to be a
lucrative business. He informed that upon receiving the acceptance
report on Monday, he’ll start a real work on factory launch. The
first production output is expected in the beginning of next month.

Hayrapetyan informed that he’s planning no serious changes in
personnel. "People wishing to work with me are welcome to stay, the
factory will only benefit from professionals with many years of work
experience," he said.

"Staff reduction became an everyday occurrence under the financial
crisis. I purchased the factory to prevent the further job loss,"
he added.

Bjni Mineral Water Factory, had been the property of Sil Concern, owned
by the Family of Sukiassyans. Bjni was closed down for tax evasion,
with a total debt of over AMD 4 billion to the state budget. Bjni had
been repeatedly put up for auction, yet got no bids were received. The
last auction was held on Feb 5-16, 2009 with a single bid made. Lot
price: AMD 4 441 500.

"SCIENCE IS NOT USED IN ECONOMY ANYMORE"

Panorama.am
16:42 20/02/2009

"Armenia concedes other countries in its abilities to use the results
of the science in different aspects of economy. What is invented by
our scientists is not invested into economy, but once we used to,"
said in a press conference the President of the National Academy of
Sciences, Academician Radik Martirosyan.

The Academician says that separate institutes should develop the
usage of those products into the economy. According to him Armenia
concedes other countries in using science in the economy, because
those institutes have been closed down.

But still, Radik Martirosyan mentions that Armenia does not concede
in science; he says that within 2000 and 2008 Armenia occupies the
third horizontal in physics after Russia and Ukraine.

PETER SEMNEBY: EUROPEAN UNION WILL ASSIST NORMALIZATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

Noyan Tapan
Feb 19, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, NOYAN TAPAN. On February 19, RA Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsian met with EU Special Representative for the South
Caucasus Peter Semneby. During the meeting they touched upon the
consequences of the world financial and economic crisis, its impact
on the RA economy and government’s coming programs, as well as
on country’s home political situation in consideration that social
tension usually considerably increases as a result of the crisis. The
interlocutors also spoke about the process aimed at normalization
of relations between Turkey and RA, about relations with the other
regional neighbors.

T. Sargsian presented RA government’s anticrisis strategy under the
formed situation, the results of the negotiations with international
financial organizations, including WB and IMF. He expressed the hope
that cooperation with European structures will help to overcome the
negative impacts of the world financial-economic crisis.

P. Semneby emphasized that RA like other countries involved in the
European Neighborhood Policy remains in the focus of EU attention. As
to the home political situation in RA, he said that EU is interested
in Armenia’s having a stable situation, in overcoming of the March
1 events’ consequences, in the steps taken in that direction being
open and transparent. In connection with the relations with Turkey
P. Semneby said that for EU both Turkey and Armenia are important
partners, and today and in the future EU will assist normalization
of those relations.

According to the RA government Information and Public Relations
Department, Raul de Luzenberger, the head of the European Commission
delegation in Armenia, Tomasz Knothe, the Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of Poland to RA, Serge Smessow, the Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to RA, advisors of the EU
Special Representative for the South Caucasus took part in the meeting.

RA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN RECEIVED EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE IN SOUTH CAUCASUS PETER SZEMNEBY

Thu rsday, 19 February 2009

RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan received EU Special Representative
in South Caucasus Peter Szemneby. In attendance were Head of EU
Delegation in Armenia, Ambassador Raul Lutzenberger, Polish Ambassador
to Armenia Tomas Knothe, French Ambassador to Armenia Serge Smessoff,
as well as advisers to EU Special Representative in South Caucasus.

The meeting agenda comprised a broad range of issues, including
the influence exercised by the global financial and economic crisis
on Armenia’s economics and government programs, as well as on the
internal political situation considering that social tensions usually
prove exacerbated as a result of emergencies. The parties have also
referred to the process of settling Armenia-Turkey ties and the status
of bilateral relations with other neighboring countries. At the request
of Mr. Szemneby, the Prime Minister stated the government’s readiness
to cooperate with all parliamentary and extra-parliamentary political
forces in Armenia and communicated their response to the authorities’
invitation for joint endeavors under a number of programs. Tigran
Sargsyan noted that similar invitations have been sent off on several
occasions, including from the floor the National Assembly.

Then, the Prime Minister briefed the guests on his government s
anti-crisis strategy by stressing that successful talks have been
held with various international financial institutions, inclusive of
the World Bank and the IMF: "We are getting ready to withstand a new
tide of challenges and, of course, we will need the support of our
partners from the European Union throughout the difficult period of
2009-2010. Our programs have to be reconsidered with a special focus
placed on social and investment-related projects," Tigran Sargsyan
said. He expressed hope that through collaboration with the European
structures Armenia will manage to overcome the adverse effect of
the global crisis. The head of the Armenian government advised that
a prime minister-headed commission and a national council have been
established with the view of coordinating the implementation of the
2009-2010 priority action plan.

The EU Special Representative underscored that like other European
Neighborhood Policy-involved countries, Armenia remains a focus for
the European Union and that the EU High Commissioner for Foreign
Policy and Security Javier Solana follows closely the developments in
both Armenia and the region, as a whole. Mr. Szemneby further noted
that the recent visit to our country of EU External Relations and
European Neighborhood Policy Commissioner, Dr Benita Ferrero-Waldner
evidenced the willingness of the European Union to raise to a new
qualitative level its relationship with Armenia. Concerning Armenia
‘s internal situation, Mr. Szemneby conveyed the Union’s keen interest
in our country’s political stability, as well as in Armenia’s taking
open and transparent steps to overcome the aftermath of the March
1 events. Regarding the settlement of Armenia-Turkey relations, the
Special Representative indicated that both of these States are key
partners for the European Union and, therefore, the EU will continue
backing this process.

PUBLIC PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE TO BLAME POLICE

Panorama.am
Feb 18, 2009

More people are being attacked in public places in Yerevan, is
written in the report of the Office of the Public Prosecutor of
Armenia. According to the survey results, people are more attacked
in the Center and Nork Marash communities of Yerevan.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, police officers do not make
practical measures to protect public places and to prevent the
crimes. "Serious shortcomings are notified in the activities of police
station, and the evidence to it is the insufficient efforts to prevent
the crimes and failing to use all the measures to reveal those crimes."

Note that in 2008 the rate of crimes rose by 10%.

AMBASSADOR OF BELARUS TO ARMENIA VISITED RA MINISTRY OF ECONOMY

RIA OREANDA
Feb 17 2009
Russia

Yerevan. OREANDA-NEWS . On 17 February 2009 was announced, that the
meeting of Nerses Yeritsyan, RoA Minister of Economy and Stepan
Sukhorenko, the Ambassador of Belarus took place on February 9,
at the Ministry of Economy.

Mr. Ambassador thanked Mr. Minister for reception and informed,
that the main purpose of the visit is the final arrangement of date
and agenda of the Armenian-Belarusian intergovernmental commissions
alternate session on the economic cooperation issues (N. Yeritsyan
is the co-chairman of the session). The parties agreed to hold the
alternate session of the commission from March 2 to 4, 2009 in Minsk.

Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:03:58 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Obama Offers Support For Turkey-Iraq Relationship

OBAMA OFFERS SUPPORT FOR TURKEY-IRAQ RELATIONSHIP

Reuters
Feb 17 2009
UK

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama has told Turkish
President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan he hoped to
strengthen ties with their country and expressed support for Turkey’s
growing relationship with Iraq, the White House said on Monday.

Obama spoke to the two men by phone earlier in the day.

"In both calls, the leaders discussed a number of current issues,
including U.S. support for the growing Turkish-Iraqi relationship,
the importance of cooperation in Middle East peace efforts, and the
U.S. review on Afghanistan and Pakistan policy," the White House said
in a statement.

Turkey has repeatedly attacked hideouts of Kurdish separatists in
the northern mountainous region of Iraq.

The White House said Obama emphasized the importance of the U.S.-Turkey
alliance and expressed his desire to work on a "broad agenda" of
mutual strategic interest.

"The President emphasized his desire to strengthen U.S.-Turkish
relations and to work together effectively in NATO," the statement
said.

Erdogan’s office said the prime minister emphasized the strategic
cooperation between the two countries.

"Prime Minister Erdogan especially expressed Turkey’s sensitivities
on Armenia and the Middle East policies, and he said it was important
that the U.S. follows a fair and impartial policy for not hurting
relations between the two countries," the statement said.

U.S. objections to Turkish operations against Kurdistan Workers Party
(PKK) guerrillas based in northern Iraq have created tensions between
Ankara and Washington in the past. The guerrillas have frequently
carried out attacks inside Turkey.

U.S.-Armenia ties are another potential source of tension. Turkey
firmly rejects allegations of Armenian genocide and has said
U.S. recognition of genocide would "poison" U.S.-Turkey relations.

DRAFT RESOLUTION ON "ARMENIAN GENOCIDE" INTRODUCED TO SIGNATURE OF CONGRESSMEN

APA
Feb 13 2009
Azerbaijan

Washington -APA. A letter seeking support for a draft resolution
considering recognition of 1915 events in Ottoman Empire as
the "Armenian genocide" was sent to the members of House of
Representatives.

APA quotes Haberturk as saying that the draft resolution was prepared
by Democrat congressmen Frank Pallone, Adam Schiff and Republicans
George Radanovich and Mark Kirk, who invited their House colleagues to
join them. Executive Director of Armenian National Committee of America
Aram Hamparian said they were set to overcome the final barriers to
full and formal U.S. recognition of the false "Armenian Genocide". "We
join today with millions of Armenians throughout the United States, in
Armenia, and around the world in welcoming the launch of this new drive
toward U.S. recognition of the Armenian genocide," said Hamparian.

US President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton promised to recognize the "Armenian genocide".

RA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN RECEIVED NEWLY APPOINTED AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL TO THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA SHEMI TZOUR

Thursd ay, 12 February 2009

Complimenting the Ambassador on the start-up of his diplomatic mission
in our country, the Prime Minister expressed hope that Mr. Tzour will
contribute to the furtherance of the Armenian-Israeli relations during
his term of office.

Tigran Sargsyan and Shemi Tzour concurred in that the bilateral
relations usher in a new stage of development with adequately grounded
new political and economic relations being shaped in both countries.

Speaking about the prospects for the strengthening of Armenian-Israeli
trade and economic ties, Tigran Sargsyan stressed the need for
boosting the cooperation in the areas of diamond processing, farming,
health care by encouraging new initiatives and making use of Israel’s
know-how. Shemi Tzour noted that the Israeli government has so far
managed to offset the impact of the global financial and economic
crisis thanks to a set of anti-crisis measures which they are prepared
to share with their Armenian counterparts.

In turn, Tigran Sargsyan asked the Ambassador about the outcome of
Israel’s latest parliamentary elections and the outlook for political
developments under the new leadership. Then parties referred to
the Knesset discussions on the issue of the Armenian20Genocide and
assessed the possibility for adopting a corresponding resolution. At
the request of the guest, Tigran Sargsyan briefed him on Armenia’s
official approaches as to the building up of its relationships with
all the countries in the region and with the neighboring countries,
in particular.

Shemi Tzour thanked the Prime Minister for his government’s
thoughtfulness of the problems facing the Jewish community of Armenia,
for active cooperation in the matters relating to the development of
Armenia-Israel relationship as this is supposed to boost the friendly
ties between the two States and peoples.

In conclusion, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan wished the Ambassador
every success all the way through his term in office in Armenia.