Author: Kanayan Tamar

STATE COMMISSION FOR PROTECTION OF ECONOMIC COMPETITION AND OSCE YEREVAN OFFICE TO CONDUCT MONITORING OF COMPETITIVENESS

ARKA
Feb 10, 2010

YEREVAN, February 10, /ARKA/. David Harutunian, chairman of Armenia’s
State Commission for Protection of Economic Competition, said today
the anti-trust agency and the OSCE Yerevan Office will join efforts to
find out how economic competition is protected beyond the capital city.

Speaking to journalists after a meeting with head of the OSCE Yerevan
Office, Sergey Kapinos, he said they discussed a set of cooperation
related issues. He said the anti-trust body and the OSCE Yerevan
Office will sign soon a cooperation memorandum.

The two men singled out decentralization of the market and boosting
small and medium businesses as an effective means to improve the
competitiveness level. Sergey Kapinos said the OSCE Yerevan Office will
help the Commission to assess the competitiveness level in regions.

"CRUSADE CAMPAIGN" AGAINST HERITAGE HAS REACHED ITS PEAK

Tert.am
14:43 ~U 10.02.10

Heritage Party once again reassures the public that it will
consistently continue the political, social, and legal struggle
against the "hypocritical Armenian-Turkish Protocols, the Madrid
Principles, anarchy and corruption governing Armenia, as well as the
establishment of true democracy in the name of our country, protection
of human rights, and of gain to future generations’ Homeland, a free
and strong Armenia," according to a press release issued by the party.

In the release, Heritage Party states, with regret, that the "crusade
campaign" launched by Armenian authorities against Heritage Party MPs
who make up the party’s core, and Zaruhi Postanjyan, in particular,
has reached its peak. The party has even been asked to stop its
political activities.

NEW PARAMETERS FOR TV PROGRAMS: ‘WHAT OUR CHILDREN MUST NOT WATCH’

Tert.am
20:06 ~U 09.02.10

In a press conference today, President of the National Commission on
Television and Radio (NCTR) Grigor Amalyan presented the new parameters
of TV programs to the public. Earlier the commission had proposed a
new bill which stated that films and TV programs that have explicit
sexual content or explicit scenes of violence and horror must be
broadcast only between midnight and 6 am.

Amalyan explained those parameters with a single phrase: "That is
what our children must not watch."

He also recalled that some public hearings had been held over the
issue, adding that representatives from NGOs, the church, the National
Academy of Sciences, the universities, the cultural sector, and the
field of psychology had participated in the hearings. The working
group had also examined the international experience in this issue.

Amalyan said that all programs and films that may harm teenagers’
development or negatively affect their rearing must not be broadcast
on local airwaves.

The President of the National Commission on Television and Radio,
referring to fines, said those TV channels that will not follow the
new parameters, will be warned twice and then, if in case of a third
attempt, be deprived of their broadcast license.

PANIC IN ARMENIAN RULING CIRCLES – AZERBAIJANI MP

news.az
Feb 9 2010
Azerbaijan

Aydin Mirzazade The Armenian president and defence minister are
visiting Europe to show Russia their displeasure at its latest moves
on the Karabakh conflict.

This is what MP Aydin Mirzazade, a member of the board of the ruling
New Azerbaijan Party, said in an interview yesterday with 1news.az.

"Of course, there’s a reason why Sargsyan flew to Great Britain and
Ohanyan to France on the same day. I think the Armenian leadership
wants to show Russia that it is offended, since Russia is taking a
more realistic position on the Karabakh conflict and processes in
the South Caucasus," the MP said.

"It is clear that neither Britain nor France would be able to provide
substantial support to the Armenian regime. The fact that Sargsyan
and Ohanyan are going to Europe is not only a show for Russia’s
benefit, but is designed for the domestic Armenian audience to show
that Armenia has an alternative to Russia’s support. One can sense
a degree of panic in the ruling circles of Armenia that the time has
come to return the occupied lands of Azerbaijan," Mirzazade said.

"Yerevan has realized that none of the world’s leading powers will
sacrifice their national interests for the sake of tiny Armenia. It
is time for real politics, in which the interests of major powers
are a long way from the nationalistic plans of Armenia – an isolated
country which has no economic attraction or prospects," the MP said.

President Serzh Sargsyan makes it clear that Defence Minister Seyran
Ohanyan is the second person in the ruling hierarchy, according
to Mirzazade.

"This fact shows that history is repeating itself and the chain [former
President] Kocharyan-Sargsyan-Ohanyan has been formed. They are all
complicit in the genocide in the Azerbaijani village of Khojaly. The
ruling elite of Armenia is associated with the blood of the innocent
civilians of Khojaly," Mirzazade said.

YEREVAN, BAKU EXPECTED TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS TO OSCE MG CO-CHAIRS

news.am
Feb 8 2010
Armenia

Armenia and Azerbaijan have not yet submitted to the mediators their
proposals concerning the points of the Madrid document they have not
yet reached an agreement on, Yuri Merzlyakov, Russian Co-Chairman of
the OSCE Minsk Group, told the APA News Agency.

As regards the regional visit the mediators spoke of at the
Armenian-Azerbaijani-Russian presidential meeting in Sochi, Merzlyakov
pointed out that the Co-Chairmen will think of visiting the region
after they have received the conflicting parties’ proposals.

NEWS.am reminds readers that at the Sochi meeting on January 25
Merzlyakov stated that the sides are supposed to submit to the
mediators their proposals concerning the points of the Madrid document
they have not yet reached an agreement on within two weeks.

news.az, Azerbaijan
Feb 6 2010

Turkish-Armenian relations had significance for USA
Sat 06 February 2010 | 05:48 GMT Text size:

USA had more interests with Turkey in the fields of foreign affairs,
security and commerce, compared to its interests with Armenia.

The president of a leading Turkish-US business association said on
Friday that Turkey would be the party to be blamed by USA if the
process initiated after the signing of protocols between Turkey and
Armenia failed.

Speaking to AA, retired ambassador James Holmes, President & CEO of
American-Turkish Council (ATC), said that USA had more interests with
Turkey in the fields of foreign affairs, security and commerce,
compared to its interests with Armenia.

Commenting on the recent Turkish-Armenian protocols, Holmes said he
was "hopeful, but also concerned" about the process that started after
the signing of the protocols.

He said concerns would be over once the protocols were ratified by the
parliaments of both countries.

ATC head also said he knew about the US capital’s historical working
method on such issue, and claimed that USA would most probably blame
Turkey if the process between the two countries failed.

Noting that Turkey could not separate the Upper Karabakh issue from
its relations with Armenia and risk its strategic interests with
Azerbaijan, Holmes said new steps were needed in these two issues,
rather than expecting Turkey to assess them separately.

Holmes said Turkish-Armenian relations had significance for USA,
Russia, France and Azerbaijan as well.

Turk Net

US AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY: ARMENIAN COURT RULING POSTIVE STEP IN RATIFICATION PROCESS

armradio.am
05.02.2010 13:58

US Ambassador to Turkey James Jeffrey reconfirmed Washington’s position
on the Armenian Constitutional Court ruling on the Armenia-Turkey
Protocols. In an interview with Sabah, the American diplomat spoke
about the process of normalizing Armenia-Turkey relations, the Armenian
court’s decision, issues relating to the recently banned Kurdistan
Workers’ Party (PKK), and the matter of Cyprus.

Asked whether the Protocols "are dead," Jeffrey said, "No. Nothing’s
dead. With its decision, the Armenian Constitutional Court gave a
green light to ratifying the Protocols."

"We are working with Turkey every day. We are attempting to make
progress in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In truth,
those are two separate processes. However, Turkey doesn’t see it that
way. There are a number of conflicts that must be resolved in the
Caucasus. They can move forward in different speeds, but they’re all
important. They are parallel processes…" said the ambassador, adding
that there are no restrictive clauses in the Armenian court’s ruling.

"Certain statements in the Constitutional Court’s ruling have made
Turkey uncomfortable; however, we consider that decision to be positive
and see no restrictive clauses in that. We believe that both parties
approach their obligations assumed under the Protocols seriously,"
said Jeffrey.

U.S. WILL BE DISAPPOINTED IF ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS RATIFICATION FAILS

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.02.2010 13:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ If Ankara does not step towards ratification
of Armenian-Turkish Protocols by late March, the process will
gradually become more complicated, David Phillips, chairman of the
Turkish-Armenian Reconciliation Commission (TARC) in 2001-2004 said in
Yerevan, when commenting on the possibility of ratifying the Protocols
by April 24 (the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day).

As the expert noted, although no terms were set for ratification
of the protocols, there is actually a deadline, after which the
goodwill disappears. "Everybody understands that the current process of
Armenian-Turkish reconciliation and the ratification of the Protocols
can not last forever," he said.

According to Mr. Phillips, no linkage should be seen between
ratification of the Armenian-Turkish Protocols and recognition of
the Armenian Genocide.

"I think the United States will be disappointed if ratification fails.

The U.S. had a key role in this dialogue and the Obama administration
will urge Ankara to ratify the Protocols. Although Turks like saying
that they never do anything under pressure, but based on my experience
with the Turks, I can state the opposite," he said.

David L. Phillips was the Chairman of TARC in 2001-2004. The commission
failed over Turkey’s refusal to recognize the Armenian Genocide and
avoid meddling with the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement process.

The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of
the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet
Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of diplomatic talks
held through Swiss mediation.

On January 12, 2010, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of
Armenia found the protocols conformable to the country’s Organic Law.

TURKEY: ARMENIAN NUCLEAR POWER STATION THREAT TO TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN

TendersInfo
January 30, 2010 Saturday

Currently there are certain speculations in the eastern and south
eastern regions of Turkey that the proposed Armenian nuclear power
station is a threat to these regions. Turkish Professor Taifun Kindap
suggests that if there is some technical mishap more than a million
people could suffer, so Turkey should seek to close down the Armenian
nuclear power station.

PACE member from Azerbaijan Rafael Huseinov has the same opinion and
wants this issue put on the agenda of its next session. However it
is significant that while criticising Armenian nuclear plans both
Azerbaijan and Turkey are considering constructing such stations on
their territories and want Russia to participate in these projects.

Azerbaijan realises that its reserves of oil and gas are limited and
they will be exhausted by 2020-25. So as President of the Azerbaijan
National Academy Mahmud Kerimov states there is no alternative to
constructing a nuclear power station in Azerbaijan. If this idea is
pursued Azerbaijan will have its own nuclear power station by 2025.

ARMENIAN AND JEWISH COMMUNITIES URGE OBAMA TO RECOGNIZE RESOLUTION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Panorama.am
13:20 04/02/2010

Armenian and Jewish community leaders launched an online petition
urging people to sign a letter to President Obama and the Congress
that calls for the immediate passage of H. Res. 252, the Armenian
Genocide Resolution pending in Congress, announced the Armenian
National Committee of Massachusetts. "This initiative is important
because it demonstrates how on a grassroots level, in both the
Jewish and Armenian communities, there is a demand for justice for
the Armenian Genocide. It is vital that the powerful in Washington,
whether they are in the State Department or in lobbying organizations,
realize that they will be called to task when they sacrifice principle
and historical truth for political expediency," said Laura Boghosian,
ANC of Massachusetts member and co-chair of the petition drive. Sign
the petition: