ZHOGHOVURD: REPUBLICAN PARTY OF ARMENIA TO RUN FOR PARLIAMENT WITH ‘OLD FRIENDS’
Tert.am
25.11.11
Reliable sources informed the newspaper that the Republican Party of
Armenia (RPA) has decided not to dismiss any of Armenia’s governors,
even Syunik Governor Surik Khachatryan, before the parliamentary
elections.
The RPA intends to run for Parliament with its “old friends.”
FIDE INVITES ARMENIA’S TEAM TO TURKEY
Panorama
Nov 23 2011
Armenia
On FIDE’s invitation, Armenian National Team will take part in the
Women’s World Team Championship, that will be held in Mardin, Turkey,
from 17 to 28 December 2011, “armchess.am” informs.
YEREVAN HOSTS 2ND ARMENIAN-TURKISH BUSINESS FORUM
Vestnik Kavkaza
Nov 22 2011
Russia
Yerevan is hosting an Armenian-Turkish business forum. It will see
some 100 officials from enterprises and public organizations, and 50
of them come from Turkey, NEWS.am reports.
The forum was organized by the Armenian Union of Manufacturers and
Businessmen within the framework of the USAID program that started
in October 2010.
Turkey will hold a similar forum. The Turkish Armenian Business
Development Council (TABDC) is a partner in organizing the event.
Participants of the forum noted prospects for joint work.
Armenia and Turkey had a trade turnover of $212.1 million in 2010,
an increase by 4.4% in comparison with 2009. Armenia exported products
worth about $1.3 million and imports worth $210.4 million.
EARTHQUAKE HITS CITY OF ASHTARAK: TREMORS FELT IN YEREVAN
Panorama
Nov 21 2011
Armenia
Magnitude 3.1 earthquake has struck Armenia at 15:52 Yerevan time.
The epicenter of the quake has been recorded 12km far from the city
of Ashtarak.
Armenian national seismic service says magnitude 4 earthquake hit
the epicenter. Weak tremors have occurred in the capital – Yerevan.
————-
New quake jolts Turkish city of Kayseri
An earthquake measuring 4.4 on the Richter scale has today jolted
the Turkish city of Kayseri, “Cumhuriyet” reported.
According to preliminary data, no casualties are reported as a result
of the earthquake.
A strong earthquake with magnitude of 7.2 jolted the Van Province on
Oct.23 killing more than 600 people.
TURKISH BUSINESSMAN: HOPE FOR ARMENIAN STORES IN TURKEY
Panorama
Nov 22 2011
Armenia
Armenian-Turkish two-day business summit kicked off in Yerevan,
which hosts more than 50 businessmen from different provinces of
Turkey. The participants of the summit have paid tribute to the
victims of earthquake that jolted Van.
Noyan Soyak, the founder of Turkish TAPDC Company, said although
the Armenian-Turkish border is closed, the trade volume reached
$300 million.
The businessman noted when in 1997 the Armenian and Turkish businessmen
were trying to resume communication, Georgian businessmen were helping
them. The Turkish businessman said once they couldn’t even imagine
in there would be Turkish shops in Yerevan, and expressed hope that
one day there would be Armenian shops in Turkey either.
KAREN KARAPETYAN TO HOLD A HIGH POST IN THE RUSSIAN GAS AND ENERGY SYSTEM IN THE NEAREST FUTURE
Mediamax
Nov 22 2011
Armenia
Yerevan/Mediamax/. Former Yerevan Mayor Karen Karapetyan will hold a
high post in the gas and energy system of the Russian Federation in
the nearest future.
“ArmRosGazprom” CJSC press service told Mediamax about it commenting
on the following statement made by former Yerevan Mayor Vahagn
Khachatryan:
“We have certain information which is being clarified according to
which former Mayor Karen Karapetyan was relieved of his position
as he assumed considerable amounts while working in “ArmRosGazprom”
and the Russians didn’t forgive him for it. And it is not ruled out
that a criminal case may be instituted against Karen Karapetyan”.
“ArmRosGazprom” press service stressed that financial and economic
activity of the company undergoes audit by one of the companies from
“Big Four” on a yearly basis which is elected by the company’s founder.
“V. Khachatryan’s irresponsible statement is a complete slander. As for
the statement as though “Russians didn’t forgive” we will underline
especially for V. Khachatryan that the Russian side suggested Karen
Karapetyan hold a high post in the gas and energy system of Russian
Federation in the nearest future”, “ArmRosGazprom” CJSC press service
told Mediamax.
CZECHIA UNDERLINES THE NECESSITY OF PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF NK CONFLICT
ARMENPRESS
NOVEMBER 23, 2011
YEREVAN
Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian, who is in Prague for
an official visit, met November 22 Vice Prime Minister of Czechia,
Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg. MFA press office reported that
welcoming the Armenian minister Karel Schwarzenberg congratulated him
on the opening of Armenian embassy in Prague, pointing out that the
decision of Armenian authorities to establish diplomatic representation
in Prague will give new impetus to the Armenian-Czech cooperation.
Expressing gratitude to the Czech counterpart for warm reception
Minister Nalbandian said that during his latest visit about three years
ago it was stressed that additional efforts must be exerted for the
development of bilateral relations. “We may state that our relations
have been put on new qualitative level,” the minister stressed.
The Armenian minister said the opening of Armenian embassy in Prague
testifies the intention of the Armenian side to deepen and expand
friendly partnership with Czechia.
Minister Nalbandian said during these years a real progress has been
registered in respect of intensification of the political dialogue,
organization of high-level visits, reinforcement of legal-contractual
field. “During the past three years RA President, Prime Minister and
Foreign Minister visited Prague. In 2008 chairman of Czech’s Senate,
Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Defense Minister were hosted in
Armenia. The inter-parliamentary ties have also been intensified,”
the minister stressed.
The two ministers noted that during the past three years eight
bilateral agreements have been signed.
The interlocutors also touched upon international and regional issues.
They referred to the usage of potential of trade-economic cooperation,
undertaking of steps for encouraging investments.
Foreign Minister of Czechia rated high the reforms ongoing in Armenia.
The ministers discussed the Armenia-EU cooperation, programs carried
out within the framework of Eastern Partnership.
Edward Nalbandian presented to his Czech counterpart the developments
over the process of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The
parties stressed the necessity of peaceful resolution of the issue.
GUL SAYS ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS ARE NOT COMPLETELY “DEAD”
ARMENPRESS
NOVEMBER 23, 2011
LONDON
President of Turkey Abdullah Gul who is in Great Britain for an
official visit, referring to the Armenian-Turkish relations, told the
reporters that “difficult issues are not being solved with one step”.
“The Armenian-Turkish relations are so frozen that they do not melt
from blowing. The protocols have been signed but as to me there were
a number of issues that were not agreed. In this issue all had their
interests in the region. Nevertheless the Armenian-Turkish protocols
are not completely dead,” President of Turkey said.
OLIGARCHS WILL EXPLOIT MORE RUTHLESSLY
JAMES HAKOBYAN
Story from Lragir.am News:
Published: 11:32:08 – 23/11/2011
Assessing Armenia’s foreign debt service prospects negatively,
Moody’s reported the risks to which the Armenian economy will be
exposed during the second wave of the international economic crisis.
The minister of finance of Armenia Vache Gabrielyan announced on
the Public Television that the Armenian government has taken account
of the possible risks of the second wave of the crisis in the draft
budget for 2012.
In this case, isn’t it a risk to boost revenues by an unprecedented
101 billion drams under the draft budget for 2012?
Of course, even the World Bank experts claim that the shadow economy
of Armenia is able to pay much more than 101 billion drams, namely
240 billion drams but is the year of crisis risks the right year to
set to harvest the tax potential of the tax potential.
In addition, it does not matter whether this potential will be
harvested from major companies or SMEs. The point is that with
structural imperfections and high corruption risks in public
administration, a high level of cancerogenic coalescence, the fight
against shadow profits of major businesses finally crushes on the
head of ordinary citizens.
The problem is that major businesses either boost prices or the work
load of the labor, ruthlessly exploiting it.
Hence, the most rational way of taking into account the risks in
the crisis year would be to deepen or at least to launch structural
reforms, reduce corruption risks and protectionism promoted by the
coalescence of business and government in view of hitting social
targets rather than boost tax revenues.
In fact, change in quality may lead to increase in quality but
the declaration to increase quantity usually affects the quality
of performance.
COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: ZURICH PROTOCOLS SIGNED BETWEEN TURKEY AND ARMENIA NOT TO BE RATIFIED
Trend
Nov 21 2011
Azerbaijan
The Zurich protocols signed between Turkey and Armenia on the
normalization of relations between the two countries will not be
ratified,Turkish Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman
Volkan Bozkir told journalists in Baku.
“I am one of those responsible for the ratification of these documents,
and I can say that they will not be ratified,” Bozkir said.
A Turkish parliamentary delegation arrived in Baku on Nov. 21 to hold
official meetings.
The delegation, headed by Bozkir, began its visit program on Monday by
visiting national leader Heydar Aliyev’s grave, the Alley of Martyrs
and the Turkish Martyrs memorial.
The delegation will meet with Azerbaijani Parliamentary Chairman Ogtay
Asadov to discuss Azerbaijani-Turkish inter-parliamentary relations
and ways of their further development.
The Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers Ahmet Davutoglu and Edward
Nalbandian signed the Ankara-Yerevan protocols in Zurich Oct. 10. But
the protocols were not ratified at the parliaments.
The Turkish government said Armenian-Turkish ties will be restored
after Armenia frees the occupied Azerbaijani territories.
Diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey were broken due
to Armenian claims of an alleged genocide and its occupation of
Azerbaijani lands. Their border closed in 1993.