Author: Jilavian Emma

ARMEN AYVAZIAN: ARMENIAN AND DIASPORAN FIGURES ARE DISCONTENT WITH POLICY CARRIED ON BY ARMENIA TO TURKEY

AZG Armenian Daily
April 15 2009
Armenia

The surveys conducted in Armenia and Diaspora by the Ararat strategic
center are evidence that considerable part of Armenian scientists,
experts, public figures is too discontent with the policy carried
on by the Armenian authorities to Turkey. Center Director Armen
Ayvazian mentioned at the April 14 press conference, Noyan-Tapan
reports. According to him, the participants of the survey held
between March 12 to April 10 were asked three questions on three
concrete subjects.

96% respondents gave "an extremely negative answer" to the question of
how do you treat the fact of showing the film on the genocide allegedly
organized by the Armenians in Turkey. Asked whether after R. Erdogan’s
statements Armenia should continue the rapprochement policy, 61%
respondents gave a negative answer. And 81% respondents gave a negative
answer to the question of how do you treat the invitation of RA
government to Turkey to take part in the construction of a new nuclear
power plant. A. Ayvazian said that some of the respondents considered
that invitation a manifestation of Armenian officials’ humor.

According to the Ararat head, today Armenia’s authorities make
mistakes endangering country’s future. The first mistake, according to
A. Ayvazian, is that "the authorities do not perceive Turkey as it is,
as an enemy." The second mistake is that Armenia’s leaders name Turkish
officials and Azerbaijan’s leader "a normal person," while it is by
Azeri President’s order that Armenian monuments are destroyed in that
country. And the third mistake, according to the political scientist,
is disregarding the opinions of "non-court" Armenian experts.

IRAN, ARMENIA TO DOUBLE ELECTRICITY EXCHANGE

Moj News Agency
April 13, 2009 Monday
Iran

At a meeting with his Armenian counterpart, Iranian Energy Minister
Parviz Fattah said that electricity exchange between Iran and
Armenia will increase to 700 MW from 300 MW. Announcing that energy
exchange between Iran and Armenia stands at a satisfactory level,
Fattah said that currently Iran exports electricity from Armenia in
summers and exports power to the Central Asian country in autumns and
winters. Fattah also said that Iran`s Sunir Company will establish
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline. "Iran will receive electricity from
Armenia for its gas export to the Central Asian country," Fattah
added. Armenia`s Energy and Natural Resources Minister has arrived
in Tehran to discuss bilateral cooperation in power sector. 2009/04/13

SPEAKING TO BE HEARD

A1+
06:44 pm | April 14, 2009

Society

The "Civilitas" Foundation has released Vardan Oskanyan’s book entitled
"Speaking to be heard: A Decade of Speeches", which features Vardan
Oskanyan’s speeches made during his term as Foreign Minister.

I viewed each appearance as our opportunity to move from being
witnesses or mere subjects of history to a new place on the world stage
where we would participate in the making of history. This collection
of speeches reflects that emergence and documents the evolution of
Armenia’s foreign policy," these are the words of former FM Vardan
Oskanyan in the preface of the book.

"I knew I was addressing people who would influence the opinions and
make the policies that would have a bearing on our development and
our future. I was speaking to be heard."

The speeches included in the book reflect on Armenia’s foreign policy
development in the past decade. They represent the place, role and
policies of Armenia in different periods of the ten-year history, as
well as reflect the geopolitical developments and notable regional
and international events that formed part of Armenia’s foreign
policy agenda.

The book includes a detailed description of international organizations
and Armenia’s relations with different countries during Vardan
Oskanyan’s term as foreign minister, as well as the development of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement. The book also takes a short
glance at significant events in Armenia’s domestic affairs.

THE RICH SUFFERED MORE

A1+
12:53 pm | April 14, 2009

Economy

The UN predicts that 51 million people will be unemployed and the
world will suffer from humanitarian crisis in 2009.

The fact remains that the rich have suffered more from the economic
downturn than the poor. According to the International Monetary Fund,
the reason for that is because the poor mainly consume food products,
while prices for food have gone down worldwide due to the global
crisis. According to IMF Armenia Representative Ninke Omes, the rich
have recourses and rich friends and are able to easily overcome the
crisis. However, the poor don’t have that opportunity.

During today’s conference entitled "Social Impact of the Global
Economic Crisis on Armenia", Omes also brought up a couple of
circumstances that may help the poor overcome the crisis. For example,
the low inflation and stability of the financial sector are important
for, say, the needy to get loans. It is also important for encouraging
exports as a result of the floating exchange rate because that will
lead to creation of jobs. Omes believes that imports are also important
because the needy will be able to purchase products at a low price.

RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan presented the plans and strategy
of the RA Government aimed at povery reduction. According to him,
pensioners are protected and the government has revised the budget
and made changes in expenses by making the transition to an operative
management, that is, quarterly expenses. According to Sargsyan, the
700 milion drams conceded to the RA districts is not used effectively
and the World Bank will also concede means for effective use.

RA Minister of Labor and Social Issues Arsen Hambartsumyan was
optimistic and noted that Armenia has made the transition from the
list of low-income countries to the countries with medium income. He
also noted that compared to 2004, in 2008 extreme poverty reduced by
54%. According to him, the rise of prices, 25% slash of transfers and
the reduction of people leaving for work abroad will have a negative
impact on the situation in the country.

The RA government’s anti-crisis plan is aimed at preventing,
extenuating the effects and stabilizing. The government needs
regulation of the legislation, increase in management effectiveness
and more. There are already 400 social programs in nearly 300 districts
and work is being done to provide 5,000 citizens with jobs.

Head of the World Bank Armenia Office Aristomene Varudakis underscored
that the WB predicts that Armenia will find itself in the risk zone and
may lose all that it has achieved if it does not take concrete steps.

LEADER LAUDS IRAN-ARMENIA TIES

Fars News Agency
April 14 2009
Iran

TEHRAN (FNA)- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed
Ali Khamenei viewed relations between Iran and Armenia as "very good",
and stressed the need for the further bolstering of ties between the
two neighboring states.

In a meeting with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan here in Tehran
on Tuesday, Ayatollah Khamenei urged implementation of the agreements
already signed by the two sides.

The Leader underlined that expansion of ties between neighboring
countries reinvigorates their internal solidity and boosts their
invulnerability, and cautioned, "The big powers seek to block growth
of regional bonds under different pretexts."

The Iranian government and nation have enthusiastically welcomed
expansion of amicable ties with the Armenian nation and government,
said the Supreme Leader and lauded the significant role of Armenian
religious minority in Iran in various fields.

The Supreme Leader also said that the idea of establishing tranquility
between Armenia and its neighbors is an excellent one which should
be materialized.

The Armenian president, for his part, conveyed the warm greetings of
the Armenian people to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution,
and voiced readiness to expand all-out ties with Iran.

"We are quite sure of a bright and promising future for ties between
the two nations," he said during the meeting, where Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was also present.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has adopted a rational and logical
approach to regional developments, he said, describing Iran as a
country with firm determination.

TURKISH PREMIER SAYS NO FINAL ACCORD WITH ARMENIA BEFORE KARABAKH ACCORD

Anadolu Agency
April 10 2009
Turkey

Hatay, 10 April: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he
"will not sign a final agreement between Turkey and Armenia as long as
an accord is not reached between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagornyy
Karabakh. "Prime Minister Erdogan answered questions from reporters
after his visit to Antakya Mayor Lutfu Savas in the mayor’s office.

Erdogan was asked: "The president of Armenia said in a statement
to a Russian television channel that he was hopeful that the
Turkish-Armenian border will open before the soccer match between
the national teams of Turkey and Armenia in Istanbul on 7 October. Do
you agree with that statement? This situation has caused uneasiness
in Azerbaijan. Is there a new situation aimed at relieving the
uneasiness there?"

Erdogan replied: "I always hear what you are saying in news broadcast
by the media. You do not listen to what the prime minister of the
Turkish Republic is saying but pay attention to reports coming from
here and there. We will not sign a final agreement between Turkey
and Armenia as long as an accord is not reached between Azerbaijan
and Armenia over Nagornyy Karabakh. We will complete the groundwork
or preliminary work. However, [a final agreement] will definitely
depend on the resolution of the Nagornyy Karabakh problem between
Azerbaijan and Armenia.

"The United States must carry out the responsibilities it has assumed
on this issue as a member of the Minsk troika. France and the Russian
Federation are also part of that group. They must first solve this
problem. There will be no problems for us once they resolve it. We
can overcome this problem. I have said this many times. The visit the
Armenian president will pay to Turkey to attend a national soccer
game is not a development that resolves the problem. After all,
our president did not go [to Armenia] for that purpose."

When persistent questions were asked about this issue, the prime
minister said: "What did I tell you? Nothing binds me beyond what
I said. Nor does it bind our president. Coming here to attend a
national soccer game is not related in the slightest way to the
opening of borders. Did our president’s attendance of the soccer
game in Armenia mean the opening of borders? How can that be? As the
prime minister of a government that represents the Turkish Republic,
I am saying that there is no such thing. What else can I tell you?"

Erdogan said that he came to Hatay to take some rest after working at
a fast pace recently and to pay a visit of gratitude. He added that he
"had the opportunity to evaluate the situation with the deputies and
the mayor."

‘Let Me Have My Vacation’

One reporter asked: "We understand that you will go somewhere else
from here. Is your destination known? As you know, we do not want to
leave you–we have to follow you." Erdogan replied: "Yes, you do not
leave me, and that is not right. I am also a human. You can go and
have your vacation in comfort. Let me have my vacation also. You know
everything better that we do down to the square footage of the rooms."

When another reporter asked the prime minister whether he is using
the spa waters, Erdogan said: "Yes, I use them."

Erdogan refused to reply to a question on [former Prime Minister]
Necmettin Erbakan’s visit to Iran tomorrow and its impact on political
balances at home. He said that he will answer questions related to
his party and government.

In response to a comment that the proposed amendments to the
Constitution and the lowering of the electoral threshold to below 10
per cent would clear the way for coalition governments, Erdogan said:

"Friends, above all we want a broad-based consensus. However,
irrespective of the question of whether we can get such a consensus,
as I have noted in the past, we conducted earlier work on individual
candidacies, the law on elections, and the law on political parties. We
will send that work to the Assembly. We will find out the interest
it generates in Assembly commissions after we send it there."

Tehran Times
April 12 2009

Tehran-Yerevan ties not affected by economic crisis: Armenian
president

Tehran Times Economic Desk

TEHRAN — Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan stated in Yerevan on
Saturday that the global economic crisis will not affect the
implementation of Tehran-Yerevan joint ventures.

`Yerevan places paramount importance on proposed projects and those
underway, such as the oil pipeline, the joint railway, and the
hydroelectric power plant,’ Sargsyan said at a press conference,
according to IRNA.

`Although the projects will cost billions of dollars, we will secure
the required financial resources due to their strategic importance,’
he added.

Iran and Armenia reached a primary agreement in 2007 on the
construction of a 300-kilometer oil pipeline from the Iranian city of
Tabriz to the Armenian border city of Meghri.

The two countries also reached an agreement in Yerevan on April 4,
2009 to establish a railway that would connect the two countries to
the Black Sea as a strategic transit route.

The 470-kilometer railway would take five years to build and cost up
to $1.2 billion to complete.

The hydroelectric power station will be built on the border Aras River
and will produce 800 million kilowatts of electricity per annum.

The Armenian president is scheduled to arrive in Iran on April 13 for
a two-day visit to review bilateral ties with Iranian officials

AZERBAIJANI-TURKISH BUSINESSMEN ASSOCIATION ISSUES STATEMENT

State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan
April 8, 2009 Wednesday

The Azerbaijani-Turkish Businessmen Association (ATIB) has issued
a statement over recent news spread by local and foreign media on
opening of the Turkish-Armenian borders.

Expressing its deep concern over the issue, ATIB considers that
existing regional conflicts, including that of Armenia`s with
Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh must be solved in compliance with
principles of international law for maintenance of stability, welfare
and sustainable economic progress in the region.

In the statement, ATIB resolutely opposes the opening of the
Turkish-Armenian borders, saying it cannot be possible until Armenia
leaves its territorial and genocide claims against Turkey, allowing
scholars and historians to deal with the issue, until it stops using
this as a tool of political pressure against Turkey and until it
withdraws its troops from Azerbaijans internationally-recognized
territories, allowing refugees and IDPs to return to their home lands.

Otherwise opening of the borders will only meet interests of Armenia
and its patrons, the statement said.

ATIB also called the supporters of the plans to open the borders
between Turkey and Armenia to listen to voice within you and answer
us! Would you accept opening of the Azerbaijani-Armenian borders if
20 percent of Turkey`s territory was under Armenia`s occupation and
one eighth of its population were refugees and IDPs?

In conclusion, ATIB expressed hope that considering a right concern
of the Azerbaijani and Turkish public, the Turkish government will
approach the issue more delicately and carefully and assume the state
interests of Turkey and Azerbaijan as a basis.

RICHARD GIRAGOSIAN: CHANGES WILL BE RECORDED IN ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS BY END OF YEAR

YEREVAN
APRIL 8, 2009
NOYAN TAPAN

Armenia is on the threshold of a historic change: changes will be
recorded in Armenian-Turkish relations by the end of the year. Richard
Giragosian, the head of the Armenian Center for National and
International Studies, expressed such an opinion at the April 8 press
conference. According to him, change of relations between Armenia and
Turkey includes opening the borders, establishment of diplomatic and
intergovernmental bilateral relations.

In R. Giragosian’s opinion, cooperation between Turkey and Azerbaijan
is coming to an end: the slogan "We are one nation and two countries"
is dying. "Every step Turkey takes towards Armenia moves Turkey away
from Azerbaijan," he said. According to R. Giragosian, in general it is
good for Armenia, but is dangerous if being short-term. In his words,
Azerbaijan will use that term to accumulate more military means for
a war and will try to improve its relations with Russia.

On the other hand, according to the political scientist, improval of
Russian-Turkish relations can be dangerous for Armenia, as in that
case Russia can move away from Armenia. In R. Giragosian’s opinion,
now Russia assists improval of Armenian-Turkish relations for the
purpose of blockading Georgia.

ARMENIAN LOCAL PRODUCERS’ UNION SUPPORTS ANTI-CRISIS PROGRAMME OF ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT

ArmInfo
2009-04-08 16:54:00

Armenian Local Producers’ Union is supporting the anti-crisis programme
of the Armenian government, chairman of the union Vazgen Safaryan said
over the consultation at Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisyan’s
office, press-release of the government says.

Safaryan said the union, that has more than thirty members, thinks
that participation of the government in the capital of companies,
raising of the state crediting, improvement of tax administration,
stimulation of agriculture and development of innovation technologies
and tourism are important in the created situation.

Prime Minister called the consultation to discuss the current economic
situation in the country and to specify the ways for overcoming of
the world financial and economic crisis and to establish dialogue
with local producers.