Author: Kalantarian Kevo

AGREEMENT SIGNED ON ARMENIA – IRAN RAIL LINK

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Written by Keith Barrow

Armenian trains now run only as far as Yeraskh on the former through
route between Yerevan and Jolfa, Iran. The construction of the
Armenian Southern Railway will restore rail links between the two
countries. Jan Pešula

A tripartite memorandum of understanding was signed in Yerevan on
January 24 concerning the construction of the Southern Armenia Railway,
which will form part of a new north-south corridor linking the Black
Sea and the Persian Gulf.

The agreement was signed by representatives of Dubai-based investment
fund Rasia FZE, Russian Railways (RZD) subsidiary South Caucasus
Railway (SCR), and Armenian minister of transport and communications
Mr Gagik Beglaryan. The ceremony was also attended by government
officials, ambassadors, and fund managers from Armenia, China, Russia,
UAE, and Iran.

The MoU covers the construction of both a 316km railway linking Gavar,
50km east of Yerevan near Lake Sevar, with the Iranian border near
Meghri, and a 110km highway in the southern province of Syunik. The
total cost of the two projects is expected to be around $US 3bn.

In 2012 Rasia FZE signed two concession agreements with the Armenian
government to develop these projects on a PPP basis. The concessions
set deadlines for completing feasibility studies, engineering design,
project financing, and construction, and both have an operating term
of 30 years with an option for a 20 year extension. Feasibility
studies began at the end of December, and Rasia FZE has appointed
China Communications Construction Company as the “lead member of the
development consortium” for the project.

The line will be operated by SCR, which was awarded a 30-year operating
concession for Armenia’s 1520mm-gauge national network in February
2008. During the ceremony, Mr Victor Rebets, general director of SCR
said RZD has invested more than Drams 90bn ($US 225m) in its Armenian
operations since it won the concession.

At present the only rail connection between Armenia and Iran is the
line which passes through the autonomous region of Nakhchivan, an
exclave of Azerbaijan. However, because the border between the two
countries is closed the line from Yerevan is operational only as far
as Yeraskh.

ARMENIA TO ASSUME PRESIDENCY OF COUNCIL OF EUROPE

17:08, 24 January, 2013

YEREVAN, JANUARY 24, ARMENPRESS: Armenian will assume the presidency
of Council of Europe in May, 2013. As reports Armenpress, during
January 24 interview with journalists Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian has highlighted it’s a very honorable, but at the same time
responsible mission. “We are preparing our priorities for that period,
special program is being carried out and will be presented in April,”
Armenian MFA said, adding that in order to get acquainted with the
program Secretary General of Council of Europe would visit Armenia
in April.

In 2013 Armenia will also assume the presidency of Black Sea Regional
Commission. Edward Nalbandian informed that the meeting of Foreign
Ministers of Eastern Partnership and EU representatives was scheduled
for 2013 in Armenia.

Armenia established diplomatic relations with 4 countries during 2012,
which was a year full of mutual visits, agreements and 105 signed
international documents.

IRNA: ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SAYS PROMOTION OF TIES WITH IRAN IMPORTANT

17:02 24/01/2013 ” REGION

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said Thursday that his country
attached great importance to expansion of relations with Iran, Iran’s
state-run news agency IRNA reported.

Addressing people in the city of Meghri where he went for his
presidential election’s campaign, Serzh Sargsyan said Armenia would
continue efforts to promote bilateral cooperation with Iran, IRNA said.

President Sargsyan further appreciated Tehran for its effective
bilateral cooperation with Yerevan during the past years.

Referring to a 316-km railroad project between Iran and Armenia,
President Sargsyan said it was a strategic project for Yerevan.

The project was estimated to be completed with a three-billion-dollar
budget, the Iranian website said.

Source: Panorama.am

BAKU’S DESTRUCTIVE ACTIONS SLAMMED BY INT’L COMMUNITY – FM

January 24, 2013 – 16:42 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The year 2012 has confirmed Armenia’s strategy in
Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement to enjoy international community’s
support, with OSCE Minsk Group statements to prove the fact, Foreign
Minister said.

As Edward Nalbandian told a January 24 news conference, “Azeri
violations of ceasefire and provocative actions along the line
of contact with Artsakh and at the border with Armenia seriously
undermined the Karabakh peace process, also threatening regional
security and stability.”

According to the Foreign Minister, Baku’s destructive actions were
given negative response by the international community, as was the
release and heroization of Azeri axe-murderer Ramil Safatov.

ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN TIES ACTIVELY DEVELOPED IN 2012 – ARMENIAN MFA

news.am
January 24, 2013 | 15:25

YEREVAN. – The Armenian-Georgian relations developed actively and
numerous mutual visits were conducted between the two countries in
2012, the Armenian MFA 2012 Report states.

The Armenian and Georgian presidents met in Armenia’s capital city
Yerevan on November 30. On March 17 and July 10, Armenian Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian paid working visits to Georgia. On July 14,
Georgian FM Grigol Vashadze visited Yerevan. Also, the two FMs held
several talks within the framework of multilateral conferences.

In addition, Armenia’s Education and Science Minister Armen Ashotyan,
Nature Protection Minister Aram Harutyunyan, Energy and Natural
Resources Minister Armen Movsisyan, and Diaspora Minister Hranush
Hakobyan likewise paid visits to Georgia in 2012.

ARMENIAN FARMERS TO GET ABOUT 17MLN LITRES OF DIESEL FUEL AT SUBSIDIZED PRICES IN 2013

YEREVAN, January 24. /ARKA/. Armenian government approved a farmer
support program on provision of 17mln 41,000 litres of diesel fuel
at subsidized prices in 2013 at its sitting Thursday.

Armenian minister of agriculture Sergo Karapetyan said that farmers
will have an opportunity to buy diesel fuel for 350 drams per litre,
as per the lists submitted by the regional administrations. The costs
of transportation will be paid by the government, the minister said.

This program started last year upon president’s instruction: about
22 mln litres of fuel was provided to farmers under the program last
year. -0-

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SAYS PROMOTION OF TIES WITH IRAN IMPORTANT

Moscow, Jan 24, IRNA – Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan said Thursday
that his country attached great importance to expansion of relations
with Iran despite efforts made by the US-led western states to reduce
Tehran-Yerevan ties.

Addressing people in the city of Meghri where he went for his
presidential election’s campaign, President Sarksyan said Armenia
would continue efforts to promote bilateral cooperation with Iran.

The upcoming presidential election will be held in Armenia on February
18, 2013.

President Sarksya further appreciated Tehran for its effective
bilateral cooperation with Yerevan during the past years.

Referring to a 316-km railroad project between Iran and Armenia,
President Sarksyan said it was a strategic project for Yerevan.

The project was estimated to be completed with a three-billion-dollar
budget.

1483**1394

Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 1055524

DEFENSE MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON: HITTING CIVIL AIRCRAFTS INADMISSIBLE

arminfo
Thursday, January 24, 12:20

“Any civilized country that adopts a law to control its airspace
brings it in line with international conventions. And according
to these conventions it is inadmissible hitting civil aircrafts,”
says Armenian Defense Ministry Spokesperson Artsrun Hovhannisyan
in an interview with RFE/RL Armenia Service when commenting on the
Azerbaijan Cabinet’s Jan 18 decision.

To recall, Azerbaijan’s Cabinet on Jan 18 issued document on use of
airspace, which allows official Baku to shoot down civilian aircraft
deemed to violate Azeri airspace. The document, the use of which is
obviously intended to thwart plans to open the airport in Stepanakert,
allow the government of Azerbaijan to declare certain areas “banned
zones and limited zones,” hence allowing the government to randomly
shoot down aircraft it deems in violation of Azeri airspace.”If
the aircraft does not obey orders to land and there is no exact
information about innocent passengers onboard, the legislation permits
the government to shoot down the aircraft,” reported APA. Experts
and Mass Media report that the given decision of the Azerbaijan
Government applies first of all to the Stepanakert Airport. In
addition, Azerbaijani sources received the statement by Arif Mammadov,
Head of the State Department of Civil Aviation of Azerbaijan, saying
that yet during construction of the Stepanakert Airport they tried to
take preventive measures and sent a letter to the ICAO. “We informed
that the airspace of Nagorno Karabakh is closed and in line with the
Law On Civil Aviation we plan to hit the planes entering that space
and trying to land on that territory,” Mammadov said.

Artsrun Hovhannisyan believes that Azerbaijan has no legal grounds
to prevent flights from Stepanakert, which is also technically
impossible, since the Armed Forces of Armenia are authorized to
ensure security of flights, he said. “The anti-aircraft forces are
authorized to hit aircrafts of the enemy and also provide security
of civil aircrafts. As for the flights to Stepanakert, they are made
also today by helicopters,” he said.

Following the Azerbaijani Government’s decision NKR President’s
Spokesperson David Babayan called the given document as a display of
“state terrorism.” He said in a press conference that Stepanakert is
able to provide security of the airspace and the territory. Babayan
is sure that NKR and Armenia must voice this given issue from all
the international tribunes.

WORKING GROUP LOOKS INTO POSSIBLE WIDENING INDUSTRY’S ACCESS TO FINANCIAL SERVICES

YEREVAN, January 24. /ARKA/. A working group set up under premier’s
decree is currently studying the possibility of wider access to
financial services for industry, Armenian prime-minister Tigran
Sargsyan said at his meeting with industry representatives Wednesday.

According to entrepreneurs, bank financing terms are one of the main
problems, the government press service reports.

The working group involves reps of the country’s ministry of finance
and economy, as well as experts from the Central Bank of Armenia. The
group is expected to submit a program of complex measures for
widening businesses’ access to financial services within a month,
the prime-minister said.

“First of all we speak about interest rates, subject of pledge and
bureaucratic delays”, Sargsyan said. The World Bank analysis of
Armenia’s business environment pointed to three critical obstacles –
corruption, bureaucracy problems and accessibility of financing.

“In other words, accessibility of funds became a more serious problem
for business that tax and customs administering,” the prime-minister
concluded.

“We’re trying to study and understand what can be done to solve
the existing problems and lower interest rates”, Sargsyan said. The
government is ready to use all its instruments for the final aim of
promoting production, increasing output and exports, he added.

The prime-minister reminded of 2009 when the government was discussing
certain business projects to help overcome the crisis aftermath. At
that time loans had been provided to businesses. Apart from that,
the government had suggested to a number importers switching over
to exports.

“Quite many importers, in particular those importing alcoholic
drinks and juices, responded to the suggestion and started creating
new production facilities in Armenia and exporting products”, the
prime-minister said.

Sargsyan mentioned that the ministry of economy is instructed to
carry out a detailed analysis of the goods that Armenia is able to
produce on its own.

“Last year direct foreign investments in our economy dropped
significantly, and we provided economic growth at the expense of our
own resources. We will be focusing on this in 2013 as well, and we
will be trying to help you”, Sargsyan said.

Sargsyan stressed that priority will be given to competent managers
able to expand their businesses.

Entrepreneurs, in their turn, should discuss all the existing
opportunities in their teams so that “the state support is useful
and targeted”, he said.

2013 will be a year of intensive work for ensuring a 6.2% economic
growth, he said. -0-

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY CONTINUED WORKING ON INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

news.am
January 24, 2013 | 13:42

YEREVAN.- Armenia’s Foreign Ministry and diplomatic representations
of Armenia initiated a number of steps to enforce president’s decree
on creation of a state committee to organize events on the 100th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

Numerous events, conferences and exhibitions will be held in many
countries on the occasion of 97th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
with the support of Armenia’s diplomatic missions overseas, says the
2012 report of the Armenian MFA.

The fact of the Armenian Genocide is recognized by many states. It was
first recognized in 1965 by Uruguay. In general, the Armenian Genocide
in Ottoman Turkey has already been recognized by 21 countries and 43
out of 50 U.S. states.