Author: Kajoyan Gevork

OROGEN GOLD READY TO BEGIN DIAMOND DRILLING IN ARMENIA

July 10, 2014 | 11:08

Orogen Gold has announced the mobilization of a drill rig to commence
its 2014 diamond drilling program at its Mutsk gold project in Armenia.

The UK public company is targeting extensions of previous gold
intercepts and several large newly discovered geophysical anomalies
in a plan involving a minimum of 3,000 meters of drilling, Mining
Global reported.

Ed Slowey, Chief Executive of Orogen, commented: “Following on from our
encouraging diamond drilling campaign in 2013 and recent geophysics
program which has generated several strong new targets within the
permit area, we are pleased to announce the mobilization of a rig to
commence the 2014 follow-on drilling program at Mutsk.”

The Mutsk Project is located in southern Armenia at about 2,000m
elevation and is three hours’ drive from the capital city Yerevan.

The project was optioned by the exploration experts early in 2013 to
follow-up reports of a new epithermal discovery within an established
gold district.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

PANIC IN VARDENIS: AN AZERBAIJANI HELD CAPTIVE AND MILITARY HELICOPTERS

07.10.2014 09:57 epress.am

The panic that prevailed in the town of Vardenis yesterday was tied
to the military helicopters flying overhead, as well as news about
water poisoning. Vardenis inhabitants told Epress.am that news had
circulated the evening before that Azerbaijanis had approached the
border, one of whom was captured in Kelbajar.

Kelbajar residents, in conversation with the Epress.am correspondent,
confirmed that at around 2 pm on Tuesday, locals noticed two
Azerbaijanis in their territory, one of whom they were able to
capture and deliver to law enforcement bodies, while the other was
able to get away. A resident recounted that the townsfolk saw the
Azerbaijanis while they were looking for a 14-year-old lost child. They
were unable to explain how the Azerbaijanis appeared in their town,
past the border guards. Locals also didn’t say whether the captured
Azerbaijani was a soldier or civilian.

The three-day panic in Vardenis was great: the Armenian Armed Forces’
helicopters were flying over their town, while rumours circulated
among residents that the Azerbaijanis had poisoned the water and so
they shouldn’t drink from it.

“Today military helicopters flew overhead; it’s a very unfamiliar
situation; we don’t know what’s happening. Everyone is saying
something, but nothing is explained clearly,” one of the residents
told Epress.am yesterday.

EXPERT: ARMENIA FACES THE THREAT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MIGRATION DUE TO MINING DEVELOPMENT RATES

by Karina Manukyan

ARMINFO
Thursday, July 10, 11:21

Armenia faces the threat of environmental migration due to mining
development rates, Karine Danielyan, Head of the Association for
Sustainable Human Development, has told ArmInfo.

She stresses that the residents of the communities adjacent to
the sites of development of deposits soberly estimate the risks of
mining industry. Danielyan points out that the agricultural lands
are bought up at a very cheap price and the promises to create new
jobs are broken.

“People see that the jobs are not so many in fact and that the local
residents receive low wages. The areas adjacent to the deposits are
contaminated with heavy metals and it is already impossible to develop
tourism or agriculture here”, she says.

In addition, the local residents suffer from diseases caused by the
mining activities. “Families see that they can have no children and
have no opportunity to take up farming. Naturally, they are forced
to leave their homes for better life”, she says.

Danielyan points out that during Tigran Sargsyan’s premiership the
post-Rio+20 project was launched. The project also covers mining. The
new concept suggests suspending the extensive development of mining,
monitoring the tailing dumps and mines, stopping the open-pit mining.

“The new government also seems to be ready to work in this direction.

Let’s see what it will come to”, she says.

HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK: SAMVEL ALEXANYAN’S COMPANY TO GET TAX REMISSIONS

11:35 10/07/2014 >> DAILY PRESS

At today’s meeting, the Armenian government is expected to discuss the
issue of giving $1 million tax remissions to A & G company. According
to Haykakan Zhamanak, the interesting thing about this company is that
it produces low quality vodka similar to production of famous brands.

Studies show this company is linked with the name of MP Samvel
Alexanyan.

Source: Panorama.am

HIGH-SCALE AZERBAIJANI MILITARY DRILLS CONTINUE FOR THIRD DAY

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
July 9 2014

9 July 2014 – 2:15pm

10,000 soldiers, 80 tanks, 300 armored vehicles, over 100 artillery
systems, 20 combat jets, up to 20 combat and transport helicopters
are taking part in the military drills in the Agdam and the Barda
districts for the third day. Defense Minister Colonel-General Zakir
Gasanov is in charge of the training process.

Uzeir Jafarov, a military expert, called the drills regular annual
training. The only peculiarity of the drills this year, he said,
was involvement of 3,000 reservists. Jafarov reminded that there had
been mass drills of over 20,000 soldiers in Nakhchivan this year. The
analyst ruled out speculations about preparations of Azerbaijan
for war.

Vladimir Yevseyev, head of the Caucasus section at the Institute of
CIS Countries, supposes that the drills were provoked by escalation
of tensions on the border of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous
Republic. The expert speculates that Azerbaijan was training for a
scenario of 10,000 soldiers taking back Nagorno-Karabakh. Yevseyev
considers such a scenario justified. He predicts that Armenia will
organize drills to stabilize the situation.

EDB ANNOUNCES PROVISION OF $150 MILLION LOAN TO ARMENIA BY ACF

CISTran Finance
July 9 2014

July 9, 2014 8:00 AM
By Lisa Barron

The Eurasian Development Bank announced last week that the Council of
the EurAsEC Anti-Crisis Fund (ACF) has decided to prove a $150 million
loan to Armenia for construction of phase four of the North-South
Road Transport highway.

The ACF Council approved the EDB’s proposal to use the World Bank
Procurement Policies in the project and involve specialists from
the bank in its monitoring. The council also approved ideas for two
investment projects submitted by Kyrgyzstan and asked the EDB to
choose consultants to evaluate the plans.

The projects include reconstruction of the Toktugul HPP, including
the replacement or repair of units two and four, and the commissioning
of unit two at Kambarata HPP 2.

In addition, the council approved the ACF Resources Manager’s Annual
Report for 2013 and discussed the funds work for this year.

The EDB was founded by Russia and Kazakhstan in January 2006 to
assist with the development of market economies, sustainable growth
and mutual trade and economic ties between member states.

The ACF, which totals $8.5 billion, was formed on June 9, 2009 by
Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan to
help member countries overcome the impact of the global financial
crisis and ensure their economic stability.

ARMENIAN MIGRANTS ENTER RUSSIA EASILY

The Messenger, Georgia
July 9 2014

Wednesday, July 9
Armenians can enter Russia without extra labor permission and the
presence of a family member enables Armenians to live legally in
Russia. It is an important innovation for Armenian citizens, as
according to official data, by the end of 2014 more than half a
million Armenian citizens will have been living and working in Russia.

Money transfers from Russia to Armenia came to $1.2 billion. This
figure was $1.4 billion in 2012 and $1.8 billion USD in 2013.

COGNAC SALES FALL IN ARMENIA

The Conway Bulletin
July 9 2014

Jul 9, 2014 by the editor

LONDON, July 2 (The Conway Bulletin) — The impact of sanctions on
Russia is hitting all the economies of the South Caucasus and Central
Asia but none more so than Armenia.

Armenia is particularly reliant on Russia for both financial support
and as a market for its export. Last month, the Armenian Central Bank
said it would cut interest rates for the third time this year to a
four year low to try and curb falling inflation.

The latest inflation numbers show just how much work the Central Bank
needs to do to prop up the economy. Armenia’s statistics agency said
that inflation for the first half of the year was 4%, at the bottom
end of its range.

But even this figure hides the really worrying data. Average prices
in June fell 1.8% against May.

For more evidence of Russia’s faltering economy hitting the more
outlying regions of the former Soviet Union, cognac is as good a
place to look as any other. Armenian cognac is famous around the
former Soviet Union and Russia is its biggest export market.

The latest data showed that cognac production fell for the first five
months of May by 11.1% to just over 5.5m litres compared to the same
period in 2013 (June 30).

Although no official explanation has been given, the message is still
fairly clear.

“In the first quarter of 2014 Armenia exported to Russia half the
amount of cognac compared with the the same reporting period in 2013,”
an Armenian business website reported.

“They [Russian cognac importers] are in an unstable financial
situation and do not know what will the political conflict between
Russia and Ukraine.”

AZERI LEADER CALLS FOR STRONGER ISLAMIC SOLIDARITY

Interfax, Russia
July 9 2014

Baku, July 9, Interfax – Azerbaijan will always defend the interests
of Islamic countries at all international organizations, said the
country’s president, Ilham Aliyev.

“For our part we do and will protect the interests of the Muslim
countries at all international organizations of which we are a member,”
Aliyev said at a meeting with accredited ambassadors and heads of
diplomatic missions of Islamic states on Wednesday.

Azerbaijan and Islamic countries are already successfully supporting
one another on the international arena, especially at the United
Nations, he said.

“Mutual support at the UN strenghtens our position, as justice
demands. Especially, the support by Muslim countries at the UN on
the issue of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh problem is particularly
satisfying,” said the head of state.

The Karabakh conflict is one of few on which the UN Security Council
has passed four resolutions demanding a withdrawal of Armenian troops
from the occupied Azeri lands, Aliyev said. “So of course the backing
of the Azeri position is both a manifestation of respect for the
international law and an example of brotherhood and friendship,”
the president said.

He recalled that at a meeting with the country’s ambassadors earlier
this week he called the relations with the countries of the Muslim
world one of Baku’s foreign-policy priorities.

“We must all try and strengthen the Islamic solidarity and strengthen
the unity of the Muslim countries even further,” Aliyev said.

Azerbaijan is increasing its role in the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation and making its practical contribution into raising the
international prestige of this organization, the president said.

He said Azerbaijan will try to use its current presidency in
the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers to strengthen the
inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue.

“There is a great need for it. Regrettably, some European countries
lack adequate approach towards Islamophobia. Anti-Muslim trends
in certain countries are on the rise, with governments not taking
adequate measures. For our part we are trying to broadly inform
the European public about the Islamic culture, religion, history,
and show that Islam is a religion of peace and mercy,” Aliyev said.

He praised the current level of humanitarian relations with Muslim
countries and said he would like economic ones to be at the similarly
high level.

NAGORNO-KARABAKH: THREAT TO U.S. INTERESTS

Jewish News of Greater Phoenix
July 9 2014

Nasimi Aghayev jewishaz.com

As the world’s attention remains fixed on events unfolding in Iraq,
Syria and Ukraine, another long-standing conflict threatens to
undermine stability in an important region.

Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Armenia has illegally occupied
Azerbaijan’s region of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding
districts – 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized
territory. Occupying Armenian forces have driven out hundreds of
thousands of Azerbaijani civilians and destroyed priceless cultural
heritage – a heartbreaking case of ethnic cleansing and injustice
that is still intact.

In fact, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the cease-fire that
ended the war between Azerbaijan and Armenia. But there is no cause
for celebration, for there has been no progress toward a lasting
and equitable peace. Multiple U.N. resolutions calling on Armenian
forces to withdraw have been ignored: Armenia remains as the occupier
of Azerbaijan’s territory and has not allowed refugees to return to
their homes.

The cease-fire in place is fragile. Every year, fighting regularly
breaks out along the frontline, killing scores – including many
civilians. The conflict could easily spiral out of control, leading
to another full-blown war.

This area is vital to the security of the U.S. and to the security
of the region. Therefore, a new war would be devastating both for
the region and U.S. The Caucasus is criss-crossed by oil and gas
pipelines bringing energy from Azerbaijan to the West; Azerbaijan is a
critical forward post in the fight against global terrorism and a vital
transport link for the U.S. troops based in Afghanistan. Stability in
the Caucasus is important for America’s regional and global interests.

The crises in Ukraine and the Middle East show that conflicts, if
not handled properly, pose a threat to the interests of the U.S. and
its allies.

Washington has played a role as a mediator since the 1990s. It has
refused to recognize the Armenia-installed regime in Nagorno-Karabakh,
and has recently restated the importance of the full withdrawal
of Armenian troops from Azerbaijan’s occupied districts. These are
commendable steps, but they fall short of what must be done to make
Armenia fulfill its legal and moral obligations. As a global leader,
with enormous interests in the region, the U.S. cannot allow Armenia
to continue defying the will of the international community and
threatening peace in the Caucasus.

To this end, the U.S. must be more active and forthright in leading the
global community to condemn Armenia for the occupation, and demand
that it abide by international law. If Armenia does not comply,
the U.S. should impose sanctions on Armenia to compel it to behave
lawfully and responsibly. Without this clear stance and without
pressure on the Armenian government, no resolution will be possible,
and instability and the threat of a new war will remain.

Further complicating the situation, recent political developments in
the U.S. have created new tensions. In May, in an unusual foray into
foreign policy, the California State Assembly passed a resolution AJR
32 calling for recognition of the illegal Nagorno-Karabakh regime –
which neither the U.S. nor any other country has recognized as an
independent entity.

These developments are driven by ethnic special interest groups, which
actively work to damage the U.S.-Azerbaijan strategic partnership and –
by extension – U.S. interests in the region, and defend at all costs
the military occupation of Azerbaijan’s lands. The Azerbaijani people
are watching these events and cannot understand why such hostile
actions are being taken in the U.S. against a trusted friend.

It only makes sense that the U.S. government should work to prevent the
adoption of such biased and flawed resolutions by state legislatures,
which justify ethnic cleansing, violate international law and
contradict American foreign policy and American interests.

Doing so would demonstrate America’s values to the people of the
region, and strengthen its global leadership in restoring justice and
stability in the Caucasus. The region has waited 20 years for peace:
It is now long overdue to undertake real actions to bring it about.

Nasimi Aghayev is consul general of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles. His
consular district includes Arizona. This commentary was originally
posted July 2 on thehill.com and is reprinted by permission of
the author.