Author: Jagharian Tania

IMF: ARMENIA’S GDP UNLIKELY TO EXCEED 10% IN 2009

ARKA
June 24, 2009

YEREVAN, June 24. /ARKA/. Armenia’s GDP is unlikely to exceed 10%,
IMF Resident Representative in Armenia Nienke Oomes said on Wednesday.

She said that economic decline in Armenia would be 9.5% at the best.

Oomes said that there is some uncertainty in forecasts for 2009.

GDP can rise or decline, but will never decline twice.

The IMF resident representative said 15.7% decline in recent five
months prompts International Monetary Fund’s concern.

She thinks this decline is mainly caused by Armenian economy’s small
scale that makes the economy heavily dependent on construction sector,
which has borne the brunt of the crisis.

Oomes said that the precipitous GDP decline, compared with the same
period of 2008 was due to 56% reduction in construction for first
five months of 2009.

Reduction in private transfers from Russia drove GDP down as well.

At the same time, the IMF resident representative pointed out the
recent increase in copper and oil prices as a positive factor able
to have favorable impact on Russia and then Armenia and intensify
the inflow of transfers and investments in construction sector.

Taking into account this factor, International Monetary Fund is quite
optimistic about 2009, Oomes said.

RA MINISTER OF DIASPORA CONVINCED THAT ALL ARMENIAN CONFERENCES TO GIVE POSITIVE RESULTS FAVORABLE FOR NATION

Noyan Tapan
June 23, 2009

YEREVAN, JUNE 23, NOYAN TAPAN. An All Armenian Association of
Architects and Builders was created as a result of the All Armenian
Conference of Architects held on April 21-24 in Yerevan. RA Minister of
Diaspora Hranush Hakobian reported at the June 23 press conference. In
her words, at present Armenian architects work at the elaboration
of the creative project City of the World proposed by the RA Prime
Minister.

H. Hakobian added that another two conferences will be held this year:
a conference of lawyers will be held in September and of bankers,
financiers and businessmen in November. The Minister expressed the
hope that those conferences will also give as much positive results
favorable for the nation. She said that an attempt is made to create
professional networks, through which all international tendencies
and processes will be moved to the homeland and will contribute to
Armenia’s development and strengthening.

Passports of well-known organizations of Armenian communities of
Diaspora, America, Europe, CIS, Near East and Middle East are made and
periodically updated at Ministry’s respective departments. There are
nearly 30 thousand Armenian organizations worldwide, and collection
of complete information about them and making up their passports is
one of Ministry’s primary tasks.

H. Hakobian said that in the first half of 2009 the Ministry introduced
a number of legislative initiatives. In particular, RA bill On Making
Amendments and Addenda to the RA Law On Foreigners was submitted
to the RA National Assembly. Besides, RA bill On Making Amendments
and Addenda to the RA Law On Citizens not Doing Compulsory Military
Service with Violation of Established Order was worked out jointly with
the RA Defence Ministry, which has been already passed and come into
force. Another draft decision passed on Ministry’s initiative gave a
possibility to 21 young people currently studying at the Mechitarist
Educational Complex of Mechitarist Congregation to receive a deferment
from compulsory military service.

NKR PRESIDENT MEETS ARMENIA PM

armradio.am
20.06.2009 19:06

On 20 June President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan
met the government delegation of the Republic of Armenia led by Prime
Minister Tigran Sargsyan. The delegation arrived in Artsakh on the
same day to partake at "Bridge Artsakh" economic forum.

The interlocutors stressed the importance of holding such an events
in Artsakh and enlarging cooperation within these framework.

Issues related to the socioeconomic situation in NKR and prospects
of its development were discussed.

NKR Prime Minister Ara Haroutyunyan and Finance Minister Spartak
Tevosyan participated at the meeting.

IRANIAN AIR FORCE TO START EXERCISES IN GULF ON MONDAY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
22.06.2009 11:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Iran’s air force will start exercises on Monday in
the Gulf and the Sea of Oman in order to raise "its operational and
support capability", the official news agency IRNA said on Sunday.

"In this manoeuvre there will be long-distance flights of around
3,600 km (2,237 miles) along with aerial refueling from tanker to
fighter jet and from fighter jet to fighter jet.

"There will also be low altitude flights over the waters of the Gulf
and the Sea of Oman by Iranian fighter jets over distances of 700 km,"
it said.

The plans for the military exercises were already announced some
time ago. The IRNA report made no mention of protests in Iran over
its disputed election.

Sayyed Nasrallah Receives Delegation from Tashnag Party
Hussein Assi

ls.aspx?id=90952&language=en
21/06/2009

In the framework of continuous meetings between the various national
opposition parties, Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah
received a delegation from the Tashnag Armenian party.

The delegation included the Tashnag Secretary General Hovig Mekhitarian
and the Change and Reform MP Hagope Paqradounian. The meeting was also
attended by the member of Hezbollah political bureau Ghaleb Abu Zeinab.

According to a statement issued by Hezbollah media relations, the
meeting discussed the internal political situation in detail,
especially concerning the upcoming major challenges.

Both parties emphasized the importance of the positive atmosphere that
the opposition has fostered through its openness toward other parties
and its insistence on national partnership that safeguards the country.

The statement, meanwhile, stressed the two parties have agreed to keep
all communication panels open in order to continue consultations in the
upcoming stage.

RA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN TRAVELED TO THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE OF RECEPTIONS TO ATTEND A LARGE CREDIT AGREEMENT SIGNING CEREMONY

Wed nesday, 17 June 2009

A number of electrical grid modernization and refurbishment-related
instruments have been signed by INTER RAO EES, Armenian Electric
Networks CJSC, EBRD and Foreign Trade and Development Bank SC
representatives.

Due to Armenian Electric Networks CJSC, the new credit resource which
makes euro 64.5 million, will be used to refurbish the company and
modernize infrastructures, increase efficiency in the use of electric
energy, reduce losses, promote integration with CIS States power supply
systems. It is noteworthy that this largest-ever deal is carried out
without a State guarantee.

Highly appreciative of the loan agreement, Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan said: "I wish to compliment all those present on the signing
of the agreement. This credit agreement is of twofold relevance to
us. Firstly, because it is one of the biggest deals in Armenian
banking system’s history with a total budget of about euro 64m:
over a period of two years, the proceeds of the loan will be spent
on electric grid rehabilitation purposes throughout the country. And
secondly, the money is being invested at a complicated for Armenia’s
economy moment, amidst the global crisis, and is supposed to have a
positive impact on both the economy20and the social sector. Therefore,
we welcome this crucial undertaking. I am hopeful that all those tasks
set before the home power distribution networks will be met as early
as possible. Another important factor to note is that the credit will
have no impact on prices, and interest will be paid from profit,"
the head of government said.

PETER SEMNEBY: TURKEY HAS TAKEN A ‘TACTICAL STEP BACKWARDS’ ON NORMALISING RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA

ArmInfo
2009-06-18 11:50:00

ArmInfo. Turkey has taken a "tactical step backwards" on normalising
relations with Armenia because of hostile domestic reaction to the
move, EU South Caucasus envoy to the region Peter Semneby said in an
interview with Reuters.

"A step back was taken by the Turkish side … but this is not a
U-turn," Semneby said. "We expect the conversations will continue."

He also emphasized that it is important the "pause" in the peace
process between Turkey and Armenia did not last too long because of
the risk that impetus would be lost. He thinks that normalisation
(with Armenia) became the subject of quite widespread and heated
discussion in Turkey. "It seems to me, this discussion became more
heated than was expected". P. Semneby said.

"I see this as a Turkish tactical step backwards, but fundamentally,
the new foreign policy that has been pursued by the Erdogan
government, I don’t see that this policy is changing", Semneby
said. When touching on Nagorno Karabakh settlement, EU envoy said
real progress is being made.

"It is clear that if you look at the negotiating process, it is
intensifying," he told Reuters. "We had in a month two meetings and
there will be another relatively soon between the presidents."

Asked about the risk of conflict, Semneby said it would be foolish
to neglect it but he felt both sides understood the enormous costs
which would be involved in any large-scale military engagement.

"If anything, the Georgia war (last year with Russia), demonstrated
the risks of military engagement … it was also a wake-up call to
both countries how vulnerable they are".

ACCORDING TO SYRIAN PRESS, SYRIA CAN BE MEDIATOR BETWEEN ARMENIA AND TURKEY

Noyan Tapan
June 16, 2009

YEREVAN, JUNE 16, NOYAN TAPAN. "Active development dynamics is recorded
in Armenian-Syrian relations lately," orientalist Suren Manukian
said at the June 16 press conference. In his words, mutual visits
show that Armenia and Syria realize the necessity of non-declarative
and concrete contacts. The orientalist stressed that Armenian-Syrian
warm relations have an old history: suffice it to remember that the
Armenians escaping from the 1915 Armenian Genocide found a refuge in
Syria settling mostly in Aleppo and Damascus. As S. Manukian added,
the two countries’ friendship also continued under the USSR: in those
years President of Syria Hafez al-Assad, the father of country’s
current President, visited Armenia and received a warm welcome.

As to Turkish-Syrian relations, according to S. Manukian’s observation,
they became warmer only after 2005 and are now at a sufficient level.

The orientalist reminded that two weeks ago the Syrian Foreign Minister
stated that his country welcomes the Armenian-Turkish dialogue. And
the Syrian press, according to S. Manukian, lately constantly writes
that Syria can be a mediator between Armenia and Turkey.

MURR THROWS METN ELECTION RESULTS INTO DOUBT

NaharNet
June 16 2009
Lebanon

MP Michel Murr on Tuesday was skeptical over the Metn election results,
wondering where all those additional 4,000 Armenian votes came from.

"I wonder where the increase in number of voters came from and whether
Armenians voted with the fake IDs uncovered by the interior ministry,"
Murr asked during a press conference.

Murr revealed that the number of Armenians who voted in Metn
for Camille Khoury and Amin Gemayel in 2007 was 9,200 with full
mobilization of voters.

Murr said that according to MP Hagop Pakradounian the number of
Armenian voters in 2009 reached 13,700 in Metn while only 9,300 voters
were supposed to have cast their ballots.

"This raised suspicion given the increase in the number of Armenian
voters by more than 4,000," Murr argued.

He said the "suspicious Armenian votes" affected outcome of the Metn
poll, adding that contacts with Tashnag cease to exist for now.

Murr criticized Tashnag for pledging to vote for him during polls,
"but a day ahead of elections it succumbed to pressure form MP Michel
Aoun and others."

He demanded that the interior ministry, the general prosecution and
the constitutional council cancel the fake votes "which exceeded the
normal Armenian voting rate."

The Metn MP said his "Salvation" electoral list will contest the
elections once documents required for the appeal are completed.

Murr pointed that in the event controversy over the election fraud
story was settled, the result would be six winners from his list and
one from Aoun’s.

Turning to father Elias Akari of the Syriac Orthodox church without
naming him, Murr said: "Let the judiciary take its course. I don’t
want to go into stories fabricated by this small broker."

An audio tape broadcast on Aoun’s OTV said to be from Murr in which
he threatened Syriac Akari by making use of his son’s position as
defense minister has sparked tension.

Murr had filed a lawsuit with the Prosecutor’s General Office against
OTV, accusing it of forgery, usage of forged documentation as well
as instigating hatred.

The Archbishopric of Mount Lebanon for the Syriac Orthodox Church has
also filed a lawsuit against father Akari, accusing him of embezzlement
and stealing of money as well as of fabrication, forgery and bribery.

On the new government, Murr said he supports the nomination of MP
Saad Hariri for the premiership and Speaker Nabih Berri for the
speaker’s post.

8 PEOPLE DIE IN IRAN’S OPPOSITION RALLIES

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
17.06.2009 14:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi are planning a new
demonstration in Tehran in protest at what they see as a fraudulent
presidential poll in Iran.

The planned rally comes after overnight raids on university dormitories
in several Iranian cities and as two pro-reform figures were arrested.

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has sought to calm
tensions and called for an end to rioting.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected last week with almost two-thirds
of votes.

Protests have grown since his re-election was confirmed on Saturday,
with huge demonstrations in Tehran and clashes between protesters
and security forces. Eight people have been killed.

The latest opposition demonstration is expected to wind its way
though central Tehran in mid-afternoon local time. A similar march
on Tuesday is thought to have passed off peacefully, although few
details have emerged.

Iran has imposed tough new restrictions on foreign media, requiring
journalists to obtain explicit permission before covering any
story. Journalists have also been banned from attending or reporting
on any unauthorized demonstration, BBC reported.