Author: Kalantarian Kevo

4G TO PASS PILOT ROUND IN WORLD

Panorama.am
13:56 28/12/2009

4G wireless service is currently passing its pilot round in the world.

The Netherlands are the first country to invest 4G. Similar to other
new technologies, this innovation is rapidly developing. In October
VivaCell-MTS announced about investing 4G in Armenia. It’s supposed
that in 2010 the innovation will be available in Armenia. Other
Armenian operators – "Armentel" and "Orange Armenia" are still waiting
for the innovation to be well practiced in the world. "The wireless
service launched in Europe is on pilot basis. Our company passes
tests in Kazakhstan. If it has success we’ll think of investing it
in other states," Anush Beghloyan told Panorama.am. "Orange Armenia"
company’s PR department told that the company plans to invest 3G+
in forthcoming year but they don’t own any plans for the 4g.

news.az, Azerbaijan
Dec 26 2009

Ankara can assist in Karabakh conflict settlement, FM
Sat 26 December 2009 | 05:42 GMT Text size:

E.Mammadyarov and A.Davutoglu Turkey’s assistance to Karabakh
settlement is necessary, said Azerbaijani FM Elmar Mammadyarov paying
an official visit to Ankara.

"Refugees and IDPs are suffering. Imagine that 20% of Azerbaijani
lands are under occupation. In this conditions which peace and
security can be implied?", Mammadyarov told a joint briefing with
Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoghlu by results of the meeting.

"Therefore, it is important for us that Turkey, a big regional and
influential state, inform us and take steps for the settlement of this
issue and attainment of progress", the minister noted.

In turn, Davutoghlu said along with Azerbaijan and Armenia the OSCE
Minsk Group co-chairs should do everything possible to settle this
issue. "Therefore, we consider that the way passed in the last 7-8
months is longer than that made within 17 years and peace in the
Caucasus has become closer", Davutoghlu said. He noted that "it is
time to ponder over this question in order not to miss this peace".

"None of the parties should expect benefit from the frozen conflict.
By settling this crisis conjointly, the parties should reach an
agreement that would open opportunities for greater rapprochement of
our peoples. Turkey and Azerbaijan maintain full coordination and
interaction in this issue", the Turkish minister noted.

News.Az

news.am, Armenia
Dec 26 2009

Clash between Turkish and Azerbaijani MPs

16:08 / 12/26/2009Clash between Turkish and local students took place
at the Baku State University. According to Cafesiyaset website, the
skirmish broke out after Turkish students fastened `rose’ pin ‘ a
symbol of Kurdish Democratic Party.

The argument turned into clash. A number of university professors
supported the students backing the closed Kurdish party.

Another incident happened in the Azerbaijani Parliament. MP Jemil
Hasanl called on his counterparts to recognize Kurdish PKK (Kurdistan
Worker’s Party) as a terrorist group.

Azerbaijani MP underlined that PKK actively cooperates with Armenian
`terrorist’ organizations.

However, Azerbaijani Parliament Speaker opposed the initiative.

A.G.

Azerbaijan is not America’s friend, international expert says

Panorama.am

15:33 26/12/2009

Azerbaijan is an epitome of a highly dangerous neo-authoritarianism
that tries to look respectable in international eyes by spending
millions of dollars on lobbying activities in order to counter honest
public reporting, London School of Economics Expert Aslan Alami told
The Washington Times.

As he said, Azerbaijan is not an American friend. `America’s friends
do not kill or jail journalists.’

Note that Azerbaijan’s Media Rights Institute issued a report which
estimates 8 journalists have been detained for the recent three
months, and 24 detention cases have been recorded for the recent 9
months.

PATRIARCHATE CLARIFIES: ‘CRUCIFIXION’ MEANS SORROW, HARDSHIPS

Today’s Zaman
Dec 24 2009
Turkey

A statement from the Istanbul-based Greek Orthodox Patriarchate
said that Patriarch Bartholomew’s words on a CBS television program
broadcast in the United States about feeling "crucified" living in
Turkey was meant to reflect sorrow and hardships because of problems.

The patriarchate’s statement said: "There are similar idioms in all
languages, and they are not evaluated in their narrow meanings but in
their broad sense in that language. While answering questions in that
regard, the patriarch obviously did not intend to imply any pressure
from our government."

The statement also said that there was a need to make a public
announcement about the issue because the patriarch’s words were
interpreted in a way that goes beyond their meaning.

Speaking in an interview held in May with CBS’ "60 Minutes" for a story
broadcast on Sunday night, Patriarch Bartholomew said Turkey’s Greek
Orthodox community feels they are treated as "second-class citizens"
and he feels "crucified" living in Turkey.

"As a spiritual leader who is supposed to express the problems that
the Christian Orthodox community and the Patriarchate have been
facing for years, the patriarch has used his usual realistic and
careful style to articulate these," the statement also said.

Meanwhile, Turkey’s Chief Negotiator for the European Union Egemen
BagıÅ~_ said that the expression is used in English and Greek, adding:
"We would not gain anything by saying that our Turkish brethren who
live in the Western Thrace feel crucified. The important thing is
to alleviate the problems in society. And as we know, there are not
segments in the society without problems. Our Alevi brothers have
problems. Workers have problems. Armenians have problems. Greeks
have problems.

Women have problems. But we have the will to overcome these problems.

Our Turkey is not the old Turkey. Turkey can face its problems. It is
a country which tries to identify its problems and produce solutions."

MEETING WITH THE YOUTH

NKR Government Information and
Public Relations Department
December 21, 2009

On the initiative of the RA Ministry of Sport and Youth Issues,
the delegation of students from Armenia visited Artsakh last week.

National-cultural program the students carried out with the assistance
of the NKR and RA defence armies and the NKR Ministry of Culture and
Youth Issues. The young people visited 5 military units and gave a
concert in the Culture and Youth Palace . On Saturday evening they
had a meeting with Prime Minister Ara Haroutunyan. They talked about
the present and future of Artsakh and events that take place in
panto-armenian territory.

The students are interested in the army-society relation and youth
policy in Artsakh and how they are involved in political life.

They accept the proposal of the NKR Prime Minister of the youth
of Artsakh and the RA regions being involved in the program. The
delegation consisting of 60 persons was satisfied with the initiation
and is ready to carry out the continuation.

MANDATORY INSURANCE INTRODUCTION WILL BOOST THE MARKET

ARKA
Dec 24, 2009

YEREVAN, December 24, /ARKA/. Introduction of mandatory insurance
will spur up this market, Aram Piruzian, executive director of
London-Yerevan insurance company, said in an interview to ARKA.

He said to the best of his knowledge the bill on mandatory issuance
went through the parliament in two readings.

In his words, introduction of such a law is a painful process in
any country, but it is necessary. He said the government has to do
a great deal of hard work in this direction to create and develop
backing infrastructure and institutions. Otherwise, he said, insurance
companies will face very complicated problems.

London-Yerevan insurance company was established in 2000 by British
Londongate group, consisting of companies operating in Great
Britain, East Europe, CIS and Africa. It offers vehicle, health,
travel, property, accidents insurances. Its authorized capital as of
December 1 stood at 575 million Drams, assets at 1.4 billion Drams and
liabilities at 595 million Drams, by 7 million Drams less than in 2008.

There are 12 insurance companies in Armenia with aggregate assets
of 14,2 billion Drams and 4.3 billion Drams liabilities. At the end
of September, 2009 their equity capital totaled 9.9 billion Drams,
the aggregate capital stood at 7.9 billion Drams. They all earned
1.4 billion Drams of net profits in the first nine months of the year.

Insurance companies are supervised by Central Bank of Armenia.

GEORGIAN PRESIDENT IN THE DARK ABOUT THE ESSENCE AZERBAIJANI-KARABAKH CONFLICT

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.12.2009 20:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgian President’s statements on demonstrating
respectful attitude towards Azerbaijan’s state sovereignty testify to
his unawareness of the essence of Karabakh conflict, Neo-Conservative
Movement leader Eduard Abrahamyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

"The thing’s that Armenians have never called the issue into question,
despite having grounds to do so. That first of all applies to the
indigenous ethnic groups who were actually banned from expressing their
will with regard to the country’s sovereignty. The Transcaucasian
Turks, i.e. Azeris, have actually seized power there and are now
conducting assimilation and ethnic cleansing policy," he said.

"As regards Azerbaijan’s position on NKR state sovereignty, I can
characterize it as disdain for NKR Armenians’ right to free will
expression. Before the collapse of Soviet Union, those people made
decision to create their independent statehood, and sought to achieve
that base purely on USSR legislation and international law norms.

Hence, Saakashvili should not have made statements on Azerbaijan’s
disrespectful attitude towards NKR state sovereignty," Neo-Conservative
leader said.

ECONOMIC DECLINE REACHES 16% IN ARMENIA

Tert.am
15:07 ~U 21.12.09

In accordance with a statement by the National Statistical Service,
Armenia’s economy dropped 16% in the period January-November this year.

At first glance, this indicator, compared to previous months, seems
positive, but a closer look suggests that these indicators have
already dropped from the rise in the economy in the last months of
the previous year. In the first 9th and 10th months, the economy fell
18.3% and 17.5%, respectively.

In particular, compared with October, a 6.6% decline was registered in
November. This indicator is unsettling, if we take into consideration
that there is usually more economic growth in November than in
October, due to increased spending in preparation of the holidays
and the coming new year.

A large decline has been recorded in the service sector, at 3.7%;
while other sectors have registered a decline of around 1%. Looking at
annual cut-backs, the largest decline, as in previous months, has been
registered in the construction industry, at 38.4%; while a decline of
9.9% was evident in the industrial sector; 0.2% decline in agriculture;
2.5% in service sector; and an economic rise of 0.5% in retail trade.

A decline of 28.5% has been registered in annual cuts in foreign trade,
comprising $3.57 billion USD, within which imports have registered
a decline of 26.3%, comprising $2.94 billion USD; exports, 37.4%,
comprising $0.62 billion USD.

PREREQUISITES OF HEALTHY COMPETITION AVAILABLE IN ARMENIA’S COMMUNICATION SPHERE

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
21.12.2009 16:29 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Gurgen Sargsyan: All three communication operators:
ArmenTel, VivaCell and Orange-Armenia are among the ten largest
taxpayers of the country.

Prerequisites of healthy competition are available in Armenia’s
communication sphere, RA Transport and Communications Minister Gurgen
Sargsyan told on Dec. 21.

According to him, 2009 was marked with the appearance of the third
telecom operator in the market, which will have a positive impact on
the quality of services and prices.

All three communication operators, ArmenTel, VivaCell and
Orange-Armenia are among the ten largest taxpayers of the country,
Gurgen Sargsyan said.