Author: Kajoyan Gevork

ARMENIAN SCIENTIFIC UNION OF MOSCOW ADOPTED A STATEMENT CONCERNING RA-TURKISH PROTOCOLS

ArmInfo
2009-10-10 14:14:00

ArmInfo. Armenian Scientific Union of Moscow adopted a statement
concerning RA-Turkish Protocols. Document particularly says that
issues on raising Turkish blockade and establishing diplomatic
relations matured long ago.

‘Under international law, diplomatic ties are established through
exchange of notes not requiring preconditions. Turkish-Armenian
Protocols are already a precondition reflecting Armenia’s compromise
and good will. Authors of document believe that Armenia’s consent to
establish diplomatic ties without condemnation of Armenian Genocide
in Turkey and Western Armenia is the greatest compromise ever seen
in history. It should be born in mind that Genocide denial is the
final stage of the heinous crime.

"Although establishment of diplomatic ties between Armenia and Turkey
is not in any way linked to Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict settlement,
Turkey might have recognized NKR’s independence and established with
it diplomatic ties as sign of trust and good will. That might lead to
progress in conflict settlement. Protocol clauses obliging parties to
respect principles of equality, sovereignty, territorial integrity
and border immunity demand adherence to the principle of peoples’
right to self-determination. Absence of such principle in Protocol
texts seriously contradicts international law.

Regardless the fact that Armenia’s dismemberment in 1921 was
the biggest geo-political catastrophe in world’s civilization,
Armenian authorities demonstrated an act of good will to entire
world, particularly Turkey and its people. Protocol signing does
not negate the international-legal claims of Armenian Republic,
Western Armenians and civilized mankind for achieving condemnation
of Armenian Genocide by Turkey and international community. The
fact of Armenian Genocide in Turkey is not subject to discussion or
acknowledgement. It is necessary to initiate a separate negotiation
process between authorized representatives from occupied and annexed
Western Armenia. The only acting agreement determining the borders
of Western Armenia and several other independent states in region is
the 1920 Treaty of Sevres elaborated by Wilson’s arbitration. Of high
importance is the clause condemning any form of terrorism, violence
and radicalism aiming to intensify fight with Turkish terrorist
organizations and posing threat to Armenia, Turkey and international
community. Protocol signing will be positively assessed in future
in case Armenia’s national-state interests are protected and clearly
articulated, ensuring the interests of western Armenians and western
Armenian representative bodies in exile,’ says the statement.

MIKA CELEBRATES FOUR VICTORIES IN A ROW

Aysor.am
Thursday, October 08

In round four of Euro Cup’2009 in Macedonia’s Ohrid Armenia’s Mika
won 3.5-2.5 over Baden-Baden celebrating four victories in a row.

Draw games are played by Aronyan, Movsisyan, Sarkisyan, and Petrosyan;
Vladimir Akopyan won over Bacrot, Arman Pashikyan defeated Naidich.

Even though Andriasyan lost to Adams, this set ended in favor of
Armenian team.

Thus, summarizing results of round 4 one can see only 3 winners with
final victory: Mika, Economist, and Alkaloid.

Mika’s women’s team didn’t participate in this tour; hope, they do
conduct a situational analysis of previous rounds.

ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER RECEIVES HEAD OF THE COORDINATING COUNCIL DEALING WITH THE AFFAIRS OF CIS VETERANS OF THE AFGHANISTAN WAR RUSLAN AUSHEV

ARMENPRESS
Oct 7, 2009

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 7, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
received head of the coordinating council dealing with the affairs
of CIS veterans of the Afghanistan war Ruslan Aushev and members of
his entourage.

Governmental press service told Armenpress that greeting the guest the
prime minister noted that thousands of sons of Armenia participated in
the Afghan war and that Union of Veterans of Afghan War in operating
in Armenia.

The members of the council presented to the prime minister their
programs and initiatives and thanked for the support of the Armenian
government and its readiness of cooperation.

Armenian prime minister on behalf of the Armenian president and
himself said that Armenia is assisting the public initiatives of the
Union of Veterans of Afghan War.

SHARMAZANOV: POLITICAL DECISION IS UP TO REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA

Panorama.am
16:10 07/10/2009

"We take into account the view of the Diaspora but we should see one
thing very clearly: the political decision is up to the Republic of
Armenia," the press secretary of the Armenian Republican Party, deputy
Eduard Sharmazanov told journalists today referring to the Diaspora
concerns over the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations.

He attached importance to the Pan-Armenian tour of President Sargsyan
and evaluated the concerns and appraisals sounded by the Diaspora
as normal.

SECURITY AT HIGH LEVEL BEFORE TURKEY-ARMENIA SOCCER MATCH

ArmInfo
2009-10-06 14:47:00

ArmInfo. Security at high level will be provided in the town of Bursa,
where a football match will be held between the national teams of
Turkey and Armenia on October 14, to avoid possible incidents.

As the Turkish Today’s Zaman reports, almost all preparations are in
their final phase. The necessary security measures have been taken to
prevent incidents that could possibly erupt during the match. Unfurling
anything other than national flags or banners won’t be allowed in
the stadium. Any incidents of hooliganism will not be tolerated and
offenders will be removed from the stadium.

Bursa Governor Sahabettin Harput said this match is important for
the prestige of the city. "We will be the center of attention, a
big number of journalists and media representatives will be closely
following the match. I assess the match as a turning point in terms
of relations between the two countries," Harput noted.

Governor Harput also stated that they have made a tremendous effort to
prevent provocative slogans during the match. Harput said they have
talked to various civil society organizations and fans’ associations
to avoid any possible problems during play. In his turn, leader of the
famous Bursaspor fan group "Texas" Selim Kurtulan also confirmed that
they are ready to host both the Armenian national team and Armenian
fans in the best way they can.

"We are not racist or fascist. Come to Bursa and experience our
hospitality", Kurtulan said.

Zaman also recalls the during the Turkish Super League soccer match
between Diyarbak?rspor and Bursaspor on September 29, when some
Bursaspor fans were hostile towards Diyarbak?rspor players and fans,
accusing them of being "separatists." Ten people, including children,
were injured after supporters from both teams hurled stones and other
projectiles at each other. Five people were detained in connection with
the clashes. Some Bursaspor fans waved banners that read "Happy is he
who says I am a Turk," accusing Diyarbak?rspor supporters of being
pro-PKK and telling them to leave the country. Amid this crisis in
the soccer match, concerns were again raised about the Turkey-Armenia
soccer match.

BEFORE THE BALL
Igor Muradyan

hos15414.html
16:17:54 – 05/10/2009

Despite all the scandal around the Armenian-Turkish protocols, the
impression is created that many people in Armenia are waiting for a
solution, like in a ball, but in this case it is not a festival during
plague but just celebrations and festival caused by the fact that the
country appeared in the centre of the world attention. About this,
both pro-government and pro-oppositional idiots tell me with pleasure
which imagine themselves the creators of the history. The mass media
writes that the 55 percent is against the arrangements, and the resting
45 percent is rather low for a kind-hearted nation which endlessly
changes it mind. The example of Georgia is worth remembering which
has been not only been transformed into a coin but also put on the
sacrificial altar as a lamb and it is constantly blooding. Who is not
lazy complains. And those who have been propagating for already 20
years to refuse everything once irrefutable in the national ideology
now became super patriots and they are offended that someone named
Serge does what they aspired to do. Those who have cooperated with the
marginal political regime being a part of the shameful coalition now
remembered what is written in their order. Protest the outspoken agents
of foreign influence, representing themselves innocent and helpless
in the garbage pit, which is called Armenian politics. This debate
in Parliament, which has become a byword for outside observers, has
demonstrated everything the Armenian political class is capable. All
this looks like a thieves’ dismantling.

So, about the focus of world attention.

As it became clear, the Americans kicked Russia out of the arena
of these negotiations and are now able to manipulate them, as they
like. Russia will long continue to keep quiet and pretend that relates
to this comedy positively. Similarly, Europeans are also pretending,
for whom (in particular, for France and Germany) the solution to
the Turkish-Armenian relations brings about a very, very unpleasant
situation. Without exception, all the "interested" parties understand
that a new geopolitical situation has to be expected in the region,
which will undoubtedly lead to tension and hostility increase. And each
side is now trying to figure out to what extent these new circumstances
will affect their interests.

In this situation, when Barack Obama puts forward various proposals
to Turkey, including the deployment of missile defense and some
understanding of the role of Turkey as well as its repression by the
EU, the impression that the U.S. is helping this collapsing country
making it a geo-strategic stake may be created. Nothing like this
actually happens. Any U.S. initiative to promote relations with Turkey
is aimed at strengthening control over it and limiting its foreign
policy capabilities.

Regarding the Turkish-Armenian talks, new circumstances connected
with the administration policy of Barack Obama came out. Various
Armenian circles in the U.S. quite different from the administration,
get conflicting signals on the process of Armenian-Turkish talks. In
this regard, it should be noted that the U.S. Foreign Office – the
State Department and, to some extent, the National Security Council, in
greater or lesser extent, are fragmented into three groups, benchmarks,
respectively, to Barack Obama, John Biden and H. Clinton. Barack
Obama appointed his people in the administration and, above all,
for the posts of advisers on different regions and functional areas
of foreign policy, monopolizing the "Islamic trend", including Turkey.

Apparently, the president’s people took under control also the European
and the Chinese directions. The Eastern Europe, including Russia and
Caucasus are in the field of influence of the Vice-president and
Secretary of State. And it is the president’s people who transmit
signals to the Armenian organizations in the United States, as
well as certain political groups in Armenia, to strengthen protest
actions. Such a swift and smooth resolution of Armenian-Turkish
relations does not satisfy the U.S., which began to doubt that
this perspective will facilitate the implementation of their main
goals with regard to Turkey, that is, to deter its ambitions. Two
smartest men largely assimilated, but not finally parted with their
Armenian ethnic image – one in Moscow, another in Houston, somehow
managed to explain to the abstruse political designers in Washington
that another incredible stupidity is being committed, and that it
would be much wiser to quickly recognize the genocide. In short,
Americans stopped halfway through, realizing that they confronted
an incomprehensible situation. In the end, they cannot completely
ignore the strategic interests of their major external partners –
the leading European states. After some mutual understanding between
Europeans and U.S. about a coherent policy with regard to containment
of Turkey, built on the enthusiasm of the Europeans, in connection with
the coming to power of Barack Obama, Americans have very deeply held
forth in its separate game which is not expedient for the Europeans.

What is Armenia seeking in this more than uncertain situation
where neither the U.S. nor the EU, and in general no one bears any
responsibility for the future. Armenian political class on a whim,
felt the lack of capacity and information resources for analyzing
and understanding the situation, and if there is something that can
hold it back from committing stupidity and meanness, maybe only the
fear from the unknown.

In this situation of insanity, only one thing remains – to achieve
the border opening with Turkey, but not in accelerated mode, but as
they say in Odessa – "gradually". In the end, even the Americans were
surprised at the total hegemony of enthusiasm of the Armenians on the
early opening of the border, with any method at any price. Then begin
a series of concessions, until the disaster. Yes, open the border
let Armenians be content with cheap gruel. I am for the opening of
this border if it makes sense.

SHUSHI: TWENTY-ONE YEAR AGO THAT DAY

06-1 0-2009

Exactly 21 years ago, in September, in Shushi events occurred that left
an indelible trace on the memory of each citizen of Shushi-that day
the entire population of the ancient Armenian town was deported. Today
the civilized world continues to manifest to this event criminal
indifference, thus not excepting the repetition of similar crimes. On
September 21 in the library of Shushi Research Center "Kachar" with
aim of rethinking the events of September historian Mher Harutyunyan,
convened a press, during which he presented to journalists prehistory
and consequences of ethnic cleansings of the Armenian population of
Shushi carried out by Azerbaijan. Talking about the events of more
than 20-year-old Mher Harutyunyan, who was an eyewitness and was
among the victims, the cause of the events of September 1988, he
called provocation that took place 18 in Khojalu, local population
of which once again threw stones at cars of the Armenians, causing
bodity injuries to the passengers. "From the daily provocation
and psychological pressure the nerves of the people being in the
extremely stressed state did not maintain: retaliatory action began
in Stepanakert, where the undertaken attack by Azerbaijan to the city
from Krkzhana was stopped. Because of the undertaken measures by the
internal troops of the USSR on September 19-21, the last Armenian
inhabitants of the town Shushi were escaped from the cruel crowd of
Azeris: they were brought to Stepanakert on armored cars and military
trucks. The absence of political estimation of the Sumgait genocide,
the atmosphere of impunity, the attempts to place on a criminal and
a victim on a board, reaching to the fanaticism of inherent desire
of Azeris to the glorification of criminal offender, all these and
other such factors made possible the use of brute force and forcible
deportation of the Armenian population of Shushi. History remembers
the bloody pogroms of Shushi of 1905-1906, 1918-1920, which became the
result of the religious fanaticism of criminal Turkish policy. The r!

uins of t ourishing city daily and hourly reminded of the crimes
of ungrateful neighbors against the Armenians of Shushi", said
M. Marutyan.

In the act of violence and pogroms, organized in May-September 1988,
the so-called Azerbaijani refugees from Armenia participated. The goal
was one-to change demographic situation in NK in any way. After the
expulsion from their homeland of the Armenian population of Shushi,
the town was converted into the powerful base, from where Stepanakert
and Armenian villages of the regions of Shoushi and Askeran were
undergone cruel bombardment. Orator noted with the disturbance that
after 21 years the world community continues to keep silent. Because
of the activity of the enemy’s propaganda machine today in the world
they speak about the ethnic Azeri refugees and almost nothing-about
500 thousands of Armenians deported from Soviet Azerbaijan.

Moreover, some politicians talk about the possibility of coexistence of
both parts, while the Azeri who committed aggression against Armenians,
deportation, massacres and ethnic cleansing have remained faithful
to its policy of state terror, thus leaving no possibility for the
normalization of relations. Once again focusing those attentions, who
are interested in the Azeri-Karabakh conflict on the facts mentioned
above, the organizers of the event emphasized that as anti-Armenian
policy, and all attempts to impose unacceptable solutions to our
nation were under condemnation, resorting to means of intimidation
and the threats of the renewal of war. These are serious calls
and to resist them we can only by the consolidated efforts of all
Armenians. Harutyunyan said that the international community and the
states, which were interested in the stability and security of the
region, should finally give a political assessment of Azerbaijan’s
aggression and, recognizing the independence of Nagorno Karabakh to
ensure the security of Artsakh Armenians. It is already the second
year, that the workers of the Research Center "Kachar, collect
evidence and documentation of refugees. According to M. Harutyunyan,
soon they will be published in a collection of documentary materials,
while in Russian, and in the future, when funds are available, and
in other languages. Answering journalists’ questions, he assured that
such meetings would be held regularly.

Nalbandian Faces Barage of Criticism At Columbia University

2/nalbandian-faces-barage-of-criticism-at-columbia -university/
Posted on 02 October 2009.

NEW YORK, NY ` Confronted with a barrage of questions from a skeptical
audience, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian on Tuesday
attempted to salvage the prospects of a controversial accord between
Turkey and Armenia. The accord, outlined in a series of protocols, has
set off considerable opposition among Diasporan Armenians.

Nalbandian’s appearance was organized by Columbia University’s School
of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) and co-hosted by the
Columbia University Armenian Center. The program began with a clearly
uncomfortable Nalbandian delivering remarks entitled `Armenian Foreign
Policy: Challenges in the Region of the Caucasus’ then responded to
repeated questions about the secretly negotiated protocols, unveiled on
August 31st and set to be signed ` with no opportunity for amendment `
on October 10th.

In the face of considerable opposition, Nalbandian is joining Armenian
President Serge Sargisian in a whirlwind tour of Armenian communities
around the world, starting with meetings in New York and Los Angeles
scheduled later this week. Attendees asked a broad array of questions
focusing on the language, implications, and concessions the proposed
protocols would set forth, as well as Armenia’s decision to exclude
Diasporan organizations and civil society from input in the preparation
of the documents.

Inquiries were met with a series of heavily scripted and oftentimes
incredulous responses, leaving participants frustrated and distrustful.
In response to concerns that the establishment of a commission `on the
historical dimension,’ to `define existing problems’ between Turkey and
Armenia would cast doubt on the historical truth of the Armenian
Genocide, Nalbandian repeated. `In the protocols there is nothing
saying we’re putting under question the Armenian Genocide reality or
recognition.’

Nalbandian deflected follow-up questions about the specific focus of
the historical commission citing a laundry list of sub-commissions and
the timetable of negotiations `¦two months after opening the border we
are going to create sub-commissions in the framework of the
intergovernmental Commission dealing with different questions ` energy,
transport, communication, I don’t know, cultural, education, different
things, but also a subcommission to restore mutual confidence not
between two countries but two nations¦’

Confronted with questions about the secrecy of the Turkey-Armenia
negotiations, Nalbandian first claimed that Diasporan groups had been
consulted ` with no specifics of organizations approached ` then cited
the upcoming Armenian Presidential visits with the community as an
oppo
rtunity for dialogue. `But we couldn’t ignore also the opinion of
our Diaspora and that is why the Foreign Minister met in many countries
over the world with Diaspora communities and our president, yes, it was
announced that he will be in countries where we have major Armenian
communities to hear and to know their opinion,’ said Nalbandian.

Asked about the timing of the April 22nd announcement of a so-called
`roadmap’ for dialogue between the two countries, Nalbandian stunned
audience members, responding that `it was just a joint statement¦just
two days before April 24, commemoration of the Armenian genocide, or
one month before, this is the same.’ That move, of course, has been
widely seen as an attempt by Turkey to derail U.S. affirmation of the
Armenian Genocide on April 24th.

NEW TURKISH MAPS MARKED CYPRUS, NORTHERN IRAQ, NAKHICHEVAN, ARMENIA AND ARTSAKH AS PART OF TURKEY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
30.09.2009 20:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A new series of school textbooks were published
in Turkey. The textbooks contained a number of misprints, distorted
historical facts and mistaken dates.

Yet, the biggest scandal was caused by the map, marking Cyprus,
Northern Iraq, Nakhichevan, Armenia and Artsakh as a part of Turkey.

According to Milliyet, Education Ministry representative rejected
the textbook in connection with mistakes allowed.

Still, the Milliyet itself, enumerating cities and regions belonging
to Turkey, does not mention Armenia as a separate state, included in
the "scandalous map".

Milliyet published the article under the title of "Scandalous map".

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

U.S. Expects Quick Results From Turkish-Armenian Talks

Armenia — Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian meets U.S. Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton in New York.

29.09.2009
Emil Danielyan
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pressed Armenia and Turkey to
complete the normalization of bilateral relations within a
`reasonable’ period of time as she met with the two countries’ foreign
ministers late on Monday.

The Turkish-Armenian dialogue was a key focus of her separate talks
with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Armenia’s Eduard
Nalbandian held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Clinton praised both governments for their `strong commitment’ to
pushing forward the process hailed by the international community and
United States in particular. `I want to reiterate our very strong
support for the normalization process that is going on between Armenia
and Turkey, which we have long said should take place without
preconditions and within a reasonable timeframe,’ she said after
meeting Nalbandian.

U.S. — Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (L) meets with Turkish
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (R) during a bilateral meeting in New
York, 28Sep2009
Clinton later delivered a similar message to Davutoglu, according to
U.S. officials cited by Western news agencies. `When we say reasonable
‘time frame,’ we mean just that, that it’s not just the process that
we want to see,’ U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon was
reported to tell journalists. `We welcome the process, but we also
want to see a conclusion to the process and that’s what we’re
underscoring when we say that.’

The U.S. officials’ message should have been heartening for official
Yerevan which has long complained about Turkish linkage between the
normalization of Turkish-Armenian ties and a resolution of the Nagorno-
Karabakh conflict acceptable to Azerbaijan. Armenian leaders fear that
Ankara could still avoid implementing two fence-mending agreements
with Yerevan if international efforts to settle the dispute yield no
breakthrough in the coming months.

The agreements, which envisage the establishment of diplomatic
relations and the reopening of the Turkish-Armenian border, are due to
be signed by October 14. The documents need to be ratified by the
parliaments of both countries before they can take effect.

According to the Armenian Foreign Ministry, Nalbandian thanked Clinton
for Washington’s strong support for the ongoing Turkish-Armenian
rapprochement that began shortly after President Serzh Sarkisian took
office in April 2008. Clinton underscored that support when she
telephoned Sarkisian to discuss the process on September 19. It was
their second phone conversation in a month.

In Gordon’s words, Washington hopes that Sarkisian will accept Turkish
President Abdullah Gul’s invitation to watch with him the return match
of the two countries’ national football teams that will be played in
the Turkish city of Bursa on October 14. "We think it would be a good
thing if he attended it, reciprocating the attendance of the Turkish
president of the match when it was in Armenia," the diplomat said.

`This is a difficult process that faces some political opposition in
both places and it’s hard for both governments,’ added Gordon. `It
shouldn’t wait for other things to get done, or be linked to other
things. It should go ahead.’

Nalbandian sounded cautiously optimistic on that score in his speech
at the General Assembly earlier on Friday. `The process of the
normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations … promises to bear
fruit despite all difficulties,’ he said.

Opposition Youth Risks 10 Years In Jail

Armenia — Jailed opposition activist Tigran Arakelian is taken to a
Yerevan court, 08Jul2009

29.09.2009
Tatevik Lazarian
The Armenian police have leveled a new and graver accusation against a
young opposition activist who was controversially arrested after
distributing opposition leaflets in Yerevan three months ago.

Tigran Arakelian was initially accused of `hooliganism,’ a crime
punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment. He was charged on Monday
also under another article of the Armenian Criminal Code that deals
with assaults on `representatives of the state authority.’ The charge
carries up to 10 years in prison.

Arakelian was one of several young members of the opposition Armenian
National Congress (HAK) who clashed with plainclothes police on July 1
as they publicized an HAK rally held in Yerevan the next day. He and
two other youths were injured in the incident and required
hospitalization. They said they were punched, kicked and pistol-
whipped for informing city residents about the rally.

The police insist, however, that law-enforcement officers themselves
came under attack when they tried to stop a brawl involving 60 young
people. Three policemen sustained injuries as a result, according to
the police. Testimony given by one of them, Erik Poghosian, forms the
basis of the criminal case against Arakelian.

According to Arakelian’s lawyer, Vartuhi Elbakian, the police
attributed their decision to toughen the charges against her client to
police doctors’ conclusion that Poghosian suffered `light bodily
injuries’ in the July 1 incident. `Poghosian is a distinguished
victim,’ Elbakian noted with sarcasm, referring to the fact that the
policeman had also given incriminating testimony against several
prominent opposition figures arrested following last years’ post-
election unrest in the capital.

The police decided to seek a longer prison sentence for Arakelian
despite his poor health. The oppositionist was taken to a prison
hospital shortly after his July 5 and has been kept there since then,
complaining of persistent headaches, dizziness and vision problems.
Doctors found last week serious damage caused to his optical nerve.

`I saw Tigran yesterday,’ said Elbakian. `His condition wasn’t good …
He was unable to walk without help and was shaking terribly.’

The lawyer spoke to RFE/RL after hearings in Armenia’s Court of
Appeals on her demands for Arakelian’s release from pre-trial
detention that have been repeatedly rejected by the police and state
prosecutors. The court is due to rule on the petition on Wednesday. `I
have no hopes,’ said Elbakian.

Ruling Party Members `Concerned’ About Turkey Diplomacy

Armenia — The ruling Republican Party holds a conference in Yerevan.

29.09.2009
Anush Martirosian, Ruzanna Stepanian
Senior members of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK)
expressed concern about the ongoing Turkish-Armenian rapprochement at
a meeting with President Serzh Sarkisian on Monday night, top party
representatives said on Tuesday.

Sarkisian, who is the HHK’s chairman, met with members of the party’s
board to discuss his conciliatory policy on Turkey that has earned him
praise in the West but is criticized by many in Armenia and its
worldwide Diaspora.

According Samvel Nikoyan, a senior HHK member and deputy speaker of
the Armenian parliament, board members asked Sarkisian numerous
questions about various aspects of that policy. `All kinds of
questions were asked,’ he told RFE/RL. `Including ones expressing
concerns, asking for clarifications and making some points.’

`I don’t think that everyone in the Republican Party of Armenia, which
has 150,000 members, can be fully informed about those protocols and
fully support them,’ said Nikoyan. `Of course, there are people who
have concerns. Everyone, including myself has concerns.’

Sarkisian himself acknowledged that his fence-mending talks with
Turkey are fraught with pitfalls for the Armenian side when he met
with leaders of 52 Armenian parties on September 17. But he said
Armenia should continue them and demonstrate to the outside world that
it is genuinely committed to making peace with his historical foe.

Sarkisian will start on October 1 a tour of the United States, France,
Russia and Lebanon aimed at explaining his policy to sizable Armenian
communities existing in those countries. Many community leaders have
strongly criticized the agreements and, in particular, the planned
formation of a Turkish-Armenian `sub-commission’ charged with studying
the 1915 massacres of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. Thousands of
Armenians took to the streets of Los Angeles on Sunday to condemn the
deal.

Razmik Zohrabian, the HHK’s deputy chairman, downplayed the Diaspora
outcry. `I would be surprised if the Diaspora Armenians were silent or
fully supported this policy,’ he told RFE/RL.

Neither Zohrabian, nor Nikoyan elaborated on the concerns which fellow
Republicans conveyed to Sarkisian the previous night. Their unease
contrasted with unconditional support for the draft Turkish-Armenian
agreements expressed by HHK leaders earlier. The party, which holds
the majority of seats in the National Assembly, is still expected to
ensure the documents’ ratification by the Armenian parliament.

The two opposition parties represented in parliament, Dashnaktsutyun
and Zharangutyun, said on Monday they are joining forces to try to
block the ratification. They control only 23 of the 131 parliament
seats.

A leader of the Armenian National Congress (HAK), a larger and more
radical opposition force, dismissed on Tuesday the potential alliance
between Dashnaktsutyun and Zharangutyun, saying that none of them has
demanded Sarkisian’s resignation yet. Levon Zurabian said that the two
parties should take `more serious steps’ if they are to force a policy
change on Turkey.

`If Dashnaktsutyun and Zharangutyun decide today to give up their
parliament mandates in protest against the ongoing process, they will
… generate an extremely serious political crisis,’ Zurabian told
journalists. `There would no longer be any opposition in the
parliament.’ That would send a strong message to the international
community, he said.

Zharangutyun’s chairman, Armen Martirosian, and a senior
Dashnaktsutyun member, Spartak Seyranian, rejected the call.

Government Moves To Cut Spending In 2010

Armenia — A cabinet meeting in Yerevan.

28.09.2009
Anush Martirosian
The Armenian government announced on Monday plans to slash its
budgetary expenditures by 9 percent next year, citing the ongoing
economic recession and the resulting serious shortfall in its tax
revenues.

The government’s draft budget for 2010 approved by ministers envisages
an even sharper reduction in state revenues which would dramatically
widen Armenia’s public deficit.

Finance Minister Tigran Davtian said the austerity measures reflect
the economic situation in the country that has progressively worsened
this year amid a deepening fallout from the global financial crisis.
`We drew up the budget in a conservative regime,’ he told journalists
after an extraordinary session of Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian’s
cabinet.

Armenia’s state budgets have steadily and rapidly grown over the past
decade on the back of robust economic growth that came to an end last
year. The proposed 2010 budget, if adopted by parliament, will mark
the first cut in Armenian government spending since the economic
turmoil of the early 1990s.

A relevant bill drafted by the Finance Ministry calls for 859.6
billion drams ($2.23 billion) in budgetary expenditures, down from
945.4 billion drams budgeted for this year. The government has been
struggling to meet the 2009 target due to a significant fall in its
tax revenues resulting from the recession. The Armenian economy
contracted by as much as 18.4 percent in the first eight months of 2009.

The revenue shortfall will be mostly offset by anti-crisis loans
allocated to Armenia by Russia, the International Monetary Fund, the
World Bank and other international institutions. One of Davtian’s
deputies, Vahan Aramian, told RFE/RL in late July that the government
will still have to cut its projected 2009 spending by about 4 percent.

The government has already failed to keep the 2009 budget deficit from
rising above the projected level of 40 billion drams. The deficit
totaled 67.5 billion drams in January-July 2009, according to the
Finance Ministry.

It is projected to surge to 183 billion drams as a consequence of a
25.2 percent drop in state revenues envisaged by the draft 2010
budget. According to Davtian, the government plans to use external
loans for financing half of the fiscal gap.

`Unfortunately, spending on debt servicing will rise next year,’ said
the finance minister. `That is one of the reasons why we will be as
cautious as possible in attracting new credit resources.’ That is why,
he added, the government will abandon earlier plans for further rises
in pensions, poverty benefits and other social spending.

Labor and Social Security Minister Gevorg Petrosian openly criticized
the measure. In particular, he demanded more government funding for
boarding schools, orphanages and seniors houses, offering to
personally show fellow cabinet members the dire conditions of those
institutions.

The complaint prompted a stern rebuke from Prime Minister Sarkisian,
who recalled a recent corruption scandal over the alleged misuse of
government funds by Petrosian’s ministry. `When it comes to the
allocation of financial resources, we all recall the difficult plight
of our compatriots,’ he said. `But once we start spending money
somehow we forget that those people live in dire conditions.’