Author: Kalashian Nyrie

ARMENIA-EU ACTION PLAN TO BE IMPLEMENTED WITHIN EUROPEAN PARTNERSHIP

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.11.2008 17:00 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenia-EU new action plan will be implemented in
the framework of the European Partnership, the Armenian President said.

"The action plan will have two trends. First, it will focus on regional
cooperation. Second, each partner state will have separate cooperation
program depending on maturity of the country," Serzh Sargsyan said
during a meeting with members of the government, National Security
Council and other state bodies, the RA leader’s press office reported.

For his part, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian informed that Armenia
will report the work carried out in 2008 to the EU Council of Ministers
in Brussels on December 9.

ROMANIA’S FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT ARMENIA

armradio.am
14.11.2008 17:24

November 15-16 the Foreign Minister of Romania, Mr. Lazar Comanescu,
will pay a working visit to Armenia.

During the visit the Foreign Minister of Romania will be received
by President of the National Assembly of Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan,
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and Chairman of the Parliamentary
Standing Committee on European Integration Avet Adonts.

Lazar Comanescu wll visit the French University of Armenia, where he
will meet the faculty and students.

The Foreign Minister of Romania is scheduled to visit Matenadaran
and Etchmiadzin.

AZERI, ARMENIAN, TURKISH LEADERS TO HAVE KARABAKH TALKS

ANS TV
Nov 11 2008
Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijani, Armenian and Turkish presidents are going to meet in
Turkey by the end of this year for talks to end the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict, Turkey’s ambassador to Azerbaijan has said.

Hulusi Kilic was shown by Azerbaijan’s ANS TV saying: "Both Russia
and Turkey want this conflict to be resolved. Therefore, we share
the same view with Russia on this issue. We are in favour of the
resolution of the problem. This conflict should be resolved as
soon as possible. It is not important who resolves it. We will act
promptly on this issue. We will not wait any longer. God willing,
this trilateral meeting will be held this year."

VTB BANK TO RENDER ASSISTANCE TO ITS BRANCHES

ARKA
Nov 12, 2008

YEREVAN, November 12. /ARKA/. The VTB Bank will render all possible
assistance to its branches in the context of the international
financial crisis, Board Chairman Andrey Kostin stated during a
space bridge between the VTB Bank and its three branches in Armenia,
Ukraine and Belarus.

He pointed out that the unprecedented economic crisis resulted in a
recession in the world economy and affected many countries in America,
Europe and Asia.

However, he said, Russia has sufficient resources to assist banks
and companies, stir up demand and crediting of Russian economy.

"In Ukraine the crisis created a rather difficult situation, whereas
in Armenia and Belarus the impact of the international crisis is far
less serious due to the fact that the countries’ financial systems
are not greatly integrated into the world economy," Kostin said.

According to him, Armenia and Belarus are less subject to the crisis,
through it certainly affects economic growth.

Kostin reported that the VTB Group has modified its plans in the
context of the crisis – some programs will be scaled down.

"However VTB (Moscow) will not allow our branch banks to sustain
losses and is ready to provide all the necessary resources to them and
render all possible assistance to them for their normal operation,"
Kostin said.

He stressed the need for branch banks to be=2 0self-sufficient and
intensify their activities on the local markets by attracting deposits
and cooperating with enterprises.

Kostin pointed out that the bank expects problems in closing this year.

The VTB Bank (Armenia) CJSC (before June 20, 2006, Armsavingsbank)
joined the VTB Bank in April 2004. The bank is currently fully owned
by the VTB Bank.

The authorized capital of VTB Bank (Armenia) is 13.9bln AMD. On October
1, 2008, the bank’s equity capital totaled 23.2bln AMD, assets 98bln
AMD, credit portfolio 74bln AMD, liabilities to clients 38bln AMD,
net profit 2.4bln AMD (the fourth largest profit in January-September
2008).

According to the information at ARKA’s disposal, in the 3rd quarter of
2008, the bank registered the fourth largest assets and liabilities,
and the second largest total capital and credit investments.

INTERNATIONAL FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION PRICES NOT MUCH CHANGED

Panorama.am
19:27 11/11/2008

"South-Caucasus Railways" LLC has not been yet informed by the
Georgian side whether they are going to leave Railway Board of the
CIS member countries, says Anatoli Danchenko, vice director of freight
transportation service of "South-Caucasus Railways" company. According
to him the partners plan to discuss the issue with their Georgian
colleagues during Railways Transport Committee session of CIS countries
on November 20-21, in Kiev.

It is planned that Georgia will leave CIS on 18 August, 2009. Official
Tbilisi made current decision after Russian military activities in
South Ossetia.

Regarding the point of freight transportation, Mr. Danchenko said
that no radical changes will be fixed in the prices.

ARMENIAN DEFENCE MINISTER TO VISIT TBILISI

Trend News Agency
Nov 11 2008
Azerbaijan

Georgia, Tbilisi, 11 November / Trend News, corr. N.Kirtskhalia
/Armenian Defense Ministry’s delegation headed by Minister Seiran
Oganyan will arrive in Tbilisi on 12 November.

According to the Defense Ministry of Georgia, the meeting of Georgian
and Armenian ministers will take place at 10:00a.m. The meeting will
focus on bilateral relations.

After the meeting a briefing is scheduled between Oganyan and his
Georgian colleague, David Kezerashvili.

During the visit, the Armenian minister will meet with Georgian
prime Minister.

ARMPRODEXPO-2008 INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION LAUNCHES IN ARMENIA

ARKA
Nov 11, 2008

YEREVAN, November 11. /ARKA/. The 8th Armprodexpo-2008 international
food exhibition launched in Armenia today.

"The exhibition is very impressive, sectors with big prospects for
export are of great interest," the RA Premier told reporters after
examining all exhibition halls.

The exhibition is organized by the RA Ministry of Agriculture, Foreign
Ministry, Yerevan Municipality, Armenia’s Chamber of Commerce and
Industry and Agrobusiness Development Centre CJSC.

According to Sargsyan a field of agreement must be created with
developed countries to facilitate exports of the goods of small and
medium businesses.

"The Government must assist and create a corresponding organization
to specialize in exports," he stressed and noted the Government must
also contribute to speeding up the process of certification.

The Premier stated he talked with representatives of all companies
and organizations introduced at the exhibition to get the picture of
the year of 2008 and plans for 2009.

"All producers said they registered 15-25% increase and very optimistic
about next year. I was amazed to learn the producers intend to
increase their indicators by 60-80% next year and it makes me glad,"
stressed Sargsyan.

The RA Minister of Agriculture Aramayis Grigoryan said the exhibition
introduces the leading domestic producers and small and medium
businesses in the food sector and enables them to introduce the range
of their products.

"Armenian producers may take the opportunity to conclude mutually
beneficial agreements with foreign companies as some producers
introduced at the expo are from the CIS countries, specifically
from Belarus, and developed capitalist countries, namely Germany and
Austria, offering technologies to produce juices which are very needed
in Armenia," said minister Grigoryan.

Minister also noted the exhibition differs from other similar events
as it will be followed by tasting the introduced products.

The exhibition which will last until November 14, introduces some 60
processing industries, local and foreign commercial organizations,
advertising agencies and mass media.

NINTH ANNUAL "COUNTRY OF TALKING STONES" INTERNATIONAL TOURISM EXHIBITION TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA ON NOV 6-7 2009

ARKA
Nov 10, 2008

YEREVAN, November 10. /ARKA/. The ninth annual international tourism
exhibition – Country of Talking Stones (CTS) -2009 – is to be held in
Armenia on November 6-7 next year, co-organizer of the exhibition,
Head of Armenian Office of U.S. Travel Agencies Union Yeghishe
Tanashyan reported.

The full information on the exhibition will be posted on the official
site, Tanashyan told journalists Saturday.

Tanashyan made appraisal of the outcome of CTS-2008 held on November
7-8.

In 2009, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Egypt and Bulgaria are expected to
participate in the exhibition, he said.

"Our main aim for the next year is to intensify Russian tourist
market toward Armenia," he said. He also added that the Armenian
side intends to develop joint programs with Russia to develop winter
tourism in Armenia.

Tanashyan expressed belief that the exhibition will give an impetus
to development of winter tourism in Armenia.

Country of Talking Stones exhibitions have been held in Armenia
since 2000.

The exhibitions are held by the Armenian Office of the American
Travel Agencies Union with assistance of Competitive Armenian Private
Sector (CAPS) of USAID and under patronage of Armenian Ministry of
Economy.

EU OFFICIAL: TURKEY TOO SLOW IN REFORMS LAST YEAR

Nov 6 2008
Turkey

The Chairman of the Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Committee Joost
Lagendijk and European Parliament’s Rapporteur on Turkey Ria
Oomen-Ruijten said Wednesday that Turkey has been too slow in its
reforms last year.

"Turkey has been too slow in its reforms and I regret that the European
Commission has not made this lack of progress clear enough in its
report. The European Commission should have given Turkey a clear
warning. Turkey’s lack of reform could jeopardize their chances of
EU membership," Lagendijk said.

"The European Commission report focuses on Turkey’s strategic
importance to the region. The EU welcomes the progress recently made by
Turkey with its neighbor Armenia. This is a positive development. But
the European Commission and the Turkish government risk placing too
much emphasis on Turkey’s strategic importance. The EU must make clear
that progress made in foreign policy is no excuse for Turkey to drag
its feet on internal reforms, especially where freedom of expression
and human rights are concerned," Lagendijk said.

"One of the inadequate internal reforms is this year’s modification
of Article 301 regarding "insulting the Turkish nation". The EU
anticipated that this would lead to fewer charges, but this was
unfortunately not the case," Lagendijk said.

Ria Oomen-Ruijten is uncertain if the Turkish Government still intends
to continue with its reform process.

"As the Commission concludes in its report, progress in the last
year has been very limited. Very few of the issues highlighted in
the European Parliament’s Resolutions have been addressed. Looking
back at the developments in Turkey in the last year, I wonder whether
the Turkish Government is still willing to continue with the reform
process. There has been no update of the national reform plan which
was adopted several years ago," Oomen-Ruijten said.

"I am concerned by the ongoing polarization of the Turkish society. I
urge the leaders of the political parties to seriously seek dialog
and to agree, in the spirit of compromise, on a reform agenda for
the modernization of Turkey," Oomen-Ruijten said.

"Impatience in the European Parliament is growing. We need a clear
signal from Turkey that it wishes to continue with the integration
process to which it committed itself in 2005," Oomen-Ruijten also said.

ARMENIAN EXPERT: "MADRID AGREEMENTS ARE DANGEROUS FOR ARMENIAN STATEHOOD"

Today.Az
/politics/48782.html
Nov 5 2008
Azerbaijan

"The uncertainty of the Moscow declaration protracts the conflict
resolution which may become a cause for Azerbaijan to undertake
military revenge", said expert of Mitk analytical center Edward
Abramyan.

He said the declaration has not a legal power.

"The Moscow declaration can not be considered a positive event at
least because its paragraphs do not fix Nagorno Karabakh as a conflict
party. We should not forget that only Nagorno Karabakh, under the
agreement in Dushanbe, has a right to hold talks with Azerbaijan
on the conflict settlement. Signing of any document by Armenia is,
in fact, illegitimate from the legal point of view", said the expert.

Abramyan also considers that the "uncertainty" of the document creates
an impression of the secret agreement between the parties.

"Paragraph 3 according to which the parties are bound to settle the
Karabakh problem on the basis of international principles is too
dangerous for the Armenian side in this declaration, though it is
not a legally binding document.

This paragraph is, in fact, not only unclear but also incorrect,
as it does not fix the international principle to be used in the
conflict settlement.

The document is inaccurate, therefore, creates an opinion that there is
another agreement regarding the future of the self-declared Armenian
state. Perhaps, the sides have already agreed about any concessions,
which is not declared to the public, in order not to frustrate the
plan", said the expert.

Abramyan warned the Armenian government of concessions in the issue of
"the liberated lands".

"As the current leadership of Armenia does not realize the importance
and the factor of the liberated lands, which were not a part of NKAO
in the Soviet period, there appears an event according to which there
is a certain oral agreement between the parties.

Moreover, the 2007 Madrid proposals, which are spoken of in the
declaration, are dangerous not only for the permanency of rights and
liberties of the Armenian population of Karabakh but also for the
Armenian statehood, as the Madrid agreements base on plans of return
of the occupied lands with the delay of the moment of the definition
of their status. Possible ceding of some territories by Armenia will
be perceived as an extreme incompetence of the Armenian leadership",
considers he.

"Obviously, after a part of the lands is ceded, the enemy will demand
the second part and in the end he will attack us in order to prove
his military superiority and settle the historical injustice for
normal idealogical and psychological development of our nation",
noted the expert.