Author: Kanayan Tamar

LE MINISTRE DES FINANCES MET EN GARDE CONTRE LES RETOMBEES DE LA CRISE DANS LA ZONE EURO
Stephane

armenews.com
mardi 29 novembre 2011

La recession en Europe pourrait ralentir le retablissement economique
de l’Armenie et compliquer considerablement la volonte du gouvernement
armenien d’augmenter les recettes fiscales a declare le Ministre des
Finances Vache Gabrielian.

Après la lente croissance enregistree en 2010 le PIB armenien devrait
augmenter de 4,6 pour cent cette annee. Le gouvernement a prevu un
taux de croissance de 4,2 pour cent en 2012.

Une croissance continue est essentielle pour le succès de ses plans
d’obtenir une hausse des recettes fiscales de 13 pour cent en 2012.

Le deficit budgeaire de l’Etat devrait etre de 3 pour cent du Produit
Interieur Brut.

” S’il y a des cataclysmes venant des pays europeens, si l’agriculture
subit des changements catastrophiques suite a de mauvaises conditions
meteorologiques, naturellement il y pourrait avoir quelques problèmes
[pour atteindre ces cibles,] ” a dit Vache Gabrielian lors d’une
conference de presse.

Il a dit ” de grands problèmes ” resultant de la crise des dettes
souveraines dans l’Union europeenne affecteraient le monde entier.

L’Armenie a ete deja frappee durement fin 2008. Son PIB a chute de
14 pour cent en 2009.

Vache Gabrielian a pointe en meme temps pour que le projet du
gouvernement de budget pour 2012 soumis au Parlement la semaine
dernière etait ” realiste “. Il a minimise les inquietudes publiques
exprimees par Gagik Khachatrian, le president de la commission d’Etat
des recettes.

” Dans votre vie quotidienne vous avez toujours des inquietudes ” a
dit Vache Gabrielian. ” Mais cela ne signifie pas que vous ne prenez
pas soit une ou plusieurs actions “.

MEMBER OF EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: “ARMENIA OCCUPIED AZERBAIJANI LANDS WITH THE HELP OF RUSSIA”

APA
Nov 28 2011
Azerbaijan

Aghdam. Teymur Zahidoglu – APA. Member of Foreign Relations Committee
at the European Parliament Ivo Vajgl visited Aghdam region within
his visit to Azerbaijan.

APA’s Karabakh bureau reports that the guest visited IDP school #18
and was interested in the school’s condition and education level.

Vajgl told journalists that entire world knew that Armenia occupied
Azerbaijan’s lands: “The people who settled to this settlement as
well as are living here as IDPs, must return to their homes. It is
not a problem of IDPs, it is a problem of all of us and humanity”.

The guest said that he didn’t consider the activity of OSCE Minsk
Group satisfactory: “All OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs all professional.

The issue must be discussed in wide framework. Ä° think that the
European Union must closely participate in the solution of this
problem. All of us know that the settlement of this conflict is a
very complex issue”.

He considers that the US and Russia should more actively engage in
this issue: Because Armenia occupied Azerbaijani lands with the help
of Russia and don’t want to liberate those territories”.

NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT HAS NO RELIGIOUS CHARACTER

Trend
Nov 28 2011
Azerbaijan

28 November 2011, 14:25 (GMT+04:00) The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
has no religious character and religion between the two countries
should not be allowed to oppose each other, said President of Armenia
Serzh Sargsyan.

He was addressing a meeting of the CIS Presidium of the Interreligious
Council in Yerevan on Monday, RIA Novosti reported.

Sargsyan noted that it is impermissible to destroy cultural, historical
and religious monuments under the guise of the conflict.

In his remarks Catholicos of All Armenians Karegin II noted the
importance of the meeting in terms of finding solutions to existing
problems. “The meetings of religious leaders will contribute further
strengthening and development of relations between nations,” Karegin
II said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

THEATRICAL PRODUCTION DEVOTED TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE PREMIERS IN US

news.am
Nov 28 2011
Armenia

The “Andund” (Abyss) theatrical production, which is staged along
the lines of the “Toward 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide”
Program of the “Apaga” (Future) NGO, was premiered in the US, on
November 26.

The play is written by well-known writer, and author of the
controversial novel Neretsek (Forgive), Edgar Kostandyan, and it is
staged by director Nune Sarukhanyan, who resides in US.

The performance, which presents the story of an emigrant family,
primarily portrays the Armenian Genocide.

The theatrical production will be staged for around six months and,
with the “Apaga” NGO’s efforts, it will subsequently be presented in
Armenia and in several countries that have recognized the Genocide.

ALLAHSHUKUR PASHAZADE: WE SHOULD REACH PEACEFUL AND JUSTIFIED RESOLUTION

Panorama
Nov 28 2011
Armenia

The conflict of Karabakh is a burden on Armenian and Azerbaijani
peoples’ shoulders, thus peaceful negotiations must continue both
in regional and international aspects, the head of Caucasus Muslims
Allahshukur Pashazade said in Yerevan.

“The clergymen must take efforts to reach a peaceful resolution. We
must reach peaceful and justified resolution based on the international
norms,” he said.

“We support the OSCE Minsk Group and the efforts of leaders of the
co-chair states,” said the head of Caucasus Muslims.

ARMENIAN FM AND EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR SOUTH CAUCASUS DISCUSS KARABAKH CONFLICT

news.am
Nov 28 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Armenia FM Edward Nalbandian received on Monday EU Special
Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia
Philippe Lefort.

The sides discussed wide range of issues on Armenia-EU cooperation,
Ministry’s press service informs Armenian News-NEWS.am. In particular,
they touched upon EU High Representative Catherine Ashton’s last week
visit to Armenia and the outcome of Armenia-EU cooperation session
held last week in Brussels.

Minister Nalbandian and Philippe Lefort had in-depth discussion
about the Karabakh peace process. The discussion agenda included
also issues on strengthening confidence-building measures between
the conflicting parties. Nalbandian asked Lefort to pay attention to
racial discrimination and anti-Armenian propaganda used by Azerbaijan
on state level.

AZERBAIJANI SOLDIER KILLED NEAR KARABAKH: BAKU

Times of Oman

Nov 28 2011

Mon Nov 28 2011 12:02:16 GMT+0400 (Arabian Standard Time) Oman Time

Azerbaijan: Armenian forces have killed an Azerbaijani soldier on the
frontline near the disputed region of Nagorny Karabakh, the defence
ministry in Baku said Monday, amid a recent upsurge in clashes.

“As a result of violations of the ceasefire from the Armenian side…

19-year-old Azerbaijani soldier Elmar Samad Habibzade was killed,”
defence ministry spokesman Teymur Abdullayev told AFP, saying the
incident happened on Saturday.

Tensions have risen along the volatile Karabakh ceasefire line after
the killings of two Armenian conscripts the previous weekend, which
caused the defence ministry in Yerevan to promise retribution.

“The response of the Armenian side to the death of each Armenian
soldier will be disproportionate,” the ministry warned last week.

But the defence ministry in Baku denied reports in the Armenian media
that up to seven Azerbaijani troops were killed last week during what
the Karabakh separatist authorities described as “punitive operations”.

The latest confirmed death brings the reported total number of soldiers
killed around Karabakh to 22 this year.

Armenian separatists backed by Yerevan seized the disputed region
from Azerbaijan in a war in the 1990s that left some 30,000 people
dead, and despite years of negotiations since the 1994 ceasefire,
the two sides have not signed a final peace deal.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly threatened to use force to win back Karabakh
if internationally mediated peace talks fail to yield satisfactory
results, but Yerevan has warned of large-scale retaliation if Baku
launches any military action.

news.am, Armenia
Nov 26 2011

Rapprochement with Armenia can become counterbalance to `Arab spring’
factor in Turkish foreign policy – expert

November 26, 2011 | 19:46

PARIS. – Though Turkey has not ratified the Protocols on establishing
diplomatic relations with Armenia, it would like to find a way for it,
researcher on Turkish politics, expert at French Institute of
International Relations (IFRI) Dorothy Schmidt told Armenian
News-NEWS.am commenting on the recent statement of the Turkish
President Abdullah Gul regarding the Protocols.

Gul has stated on Wednesday in London that the Protocols are not dead.
However, relations between the two states cannot be normalized in
short term. Armenian-Turkish relations are frozen as much as they
cannot melt by one blow, Turkish President has said.

In response to the question whether the main prerequisite for the
normalization of the relations is still the Karabakh conflict, Schmidt
said that it is quite possible. However, it is necessary to remember
that Turkish authorities would have liked to find means to adopt the
Protocols. Normalization of the relations will improve the image of
the Turkish diplomacy. There is a will for it, however it is not
possible at the moment, Schmidt added.

According to her, currently “Arab spring” creates a difficult
situation for the Turkish diplomacy in the context of “zero problems
with neighbors’ official policy. Difficulties mainly rise with Syria
and Iran, which show dissatisfaction for the installment of the U.S.
elements of anti-missile defense in the territory of Turkey. For the
pristine image of the politics of “soft power” by Turkey, it should
seek new equilibrium points. Thus, the revival of the issue of
rapprochement with Armenia is quite natural, the expert concluded.

news.am, Armenia
Nov 26 2011

Azerbaijan makes provocative statements in order to divert attention –
Armenian MP

November 26, 2011 | 17:44

YEREVAN.- Azerbaijan makes provocative statements in order to divert
public attention, head of Republican parliamentary group Galust
Sahakyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

On Friday Azerbaijan’s deputy FM Araz Azimov said Armenia does not
have the right to make any changes in the occupied regions hinting at
the road construction project in Karvachar.

In early November the construction of a road from Karvachar to
Vardenis was announced. It will shorten the distance between Armenia
and Karvachar by 150 kilometers.

`I do not see any need to comment on such statements. Libel is used
for provocation in order to distract public attention,’ said Galust
Sahakyan.

Global Insight
November 25, 2011

Inter-RAO UES Reportedly Seeking to Get Out of Contract for Armenia’s
Metsamor NPP

Russia’s Inter-RAO UES is reportedly unhappy with the terms of its
management contract for Armenia’s Metsamor nuclear power plant (NPP)
and is looking for an early termination of the contract, according to
Russian business dailyKommersant. The report, citing sources close to
the majority state-owned Russian power company, said that Inter-RAO
UES was not specialised in running nuclear energy facilities with
“increasing risks” and that the company wanted to potentially transfer
the current management contract for the Armenian NPP to Rosatom, the
Russian state nuclear concern that operates Russia’s own NPPs.
Rosatom, however, is more interested in building a new 1-GW NPP in
Armenia rather than taking over management of the ageing Metsamor NPP,
which has just one 400-MW operational reactor. Inter-RAO UES took over
financial management of the Metsamor NPP in an agreement with the
Armenian government in 2003. The management contract is set to expire
in 2013.

Significance:The international community has lobbied Armenia for an
early shutdown to the Soviet-era Metsamor NPP, citing the safety risks
of continuing to operate the plant in an active seismic zone. Indeed,
the plant was powered down following a devastating earthquake in
December 1988 in Armenia, but under an energy blockade against Armenia
by both Azerbaijan and Turkey, the Armenian government restarted one
reactor at the NPP in 1995. Metsamor continues to provide around 40%
of Armenia’s total power supplies, and the government has said it will
not decommission the NPP until a new one is built, allowing the
country to replace lost power generation capacity. Inter-RAO UES is
perhaps wary that it lacks the necessary expertise to handle a crisis
at Metsamor, particularly as there is increased focus on the seismic
risks to the Armenian NPP following recent earthquakes in nearby
eastern Turkey and the Fukushima nuclear disaster earlier this year in
Japan (seeCIS: 18 March 2011:). Metsamorenergoatom, a joint venture
between Rosatom’s Atomstroiexport and Armenia’s Ministry of Energy and
Natural Resources, is planning to build a new NPP in Armenia, but the
first unit at the new plant is not expected to be operational until at
least 2017.