Author: Kanayan Tamar

Bagrat Asatryan: Armenian government not adequately reacted to crisis
10.12.2009 14:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian government has long denied the impact
of the crisis on country’s economy, Bagrat Asatryan , ex-chairman of
the Central Bank, lecturer at the Department of Economics of the
Yerevan State University told a news conference on Dec. 10 in Yerevan.
"The crisis has become tangible since the middle of 2008,’ he said.
However, the government of Armenia, according to him, in 2008 adopted
a "wasteful budget’ with a 9 per cent economic growth for 2009.

According to Bagrat Asatryan, since early 2009 the government, guided
by emotions, adopted anti-crisis policy without any specific means and
methods for its implementation, which also lacked long-term projects.
The Government of Armenia should first turn to domestic sources (banks
and citizens) and try to implement anti-crisis projects at the expense
of domestic debt, he said. Only after that, the government should try
to attract them from outside. "If in late 2008, we were a country with
a light debt burden, by late 2009 we become a country with a heavy
burden as the country’s national debt is approaching 50 per cent of
GDP," he said.

GUILLERMO TOLORSA – NEW RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE OF IMF IN ARMENIA

ArmInfo
2009-12-09 20:42:00

ArmInfo. Guillermo Tolorsa has been appointed a new resident
representative of IMF in Armenia. He will replace Ninke Omes, whose
mission at the post ended.

Today Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sarkisyan received Guillermo
Tolorsa and Ninke Omes. They discussed the problems connected with
affect of the global economical crisis. Tigran Sarkisyan expressed
hope that cooperation with the new resident representative of IMF
will as effective as with the former one.

ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER PRESENTS GOVERNMENT’S ANTI-CORRUPTION STRATEGY

ARMENPRESS
Dec 9, 2009

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan participated today in the conference dedicated to
the International Anti-Corruption Day organized by the USAID
Anti-Corruption Activity Mobilization Program in joint collaboration
with the OSCE Yerevan Office and Armenian Chief Prosecutor’s Office.

Governmental press service told Armenpress that the strategy of Armenia
in fighting against corruption is divided into three important parts
– first part is the prime minister and his partners. "If we are not
strict with the high-ranked officials it is obvious that fighting
against corruption will be very difficult or impossible". The second
important element, according to the prime minister, is the structural
reforms that refer to state governance bodies. The third direction
of the strategy is the public moods. "We need serious changes as
we register that the society is not aggressively fighting against
corruption phenomena. Our public is tolerant toward corruption,"
the prime minister said.

The participants of the event were presented the "Anti-Corruption
Strategy and Program of Events" adopted by the Armenian government and
"Prosecutor’s Office against Corruption" newly issued book.

AZERBAIJANI ARMY ABLE TO LIBERATE OCCUPIED LANDS, MINISTRY OF DEFENSE

Thu 10 December 2009 | 11:14 GMT

Eldar Sabiroglu Statement by President Ilham Aliyev that Azerbaijan
will not reconcile with the occupation of its lands created concerns
in Armenia.

"Several members of the National Assembly of Armenia have even appealed
to the government demanding to urge international organizations to
influence Azerbaijan. Armenia realizes that today’s Azerbaijan is
not the same it was in the early 1990s. Today the Armed Forces of
Azerbaijan are the most battle worthy in the region", spokesman of
the Defense Ministry Eldar Sabiroglu told a news conference Thursday.

The spokesman is confident that in case military actions on liberation
of lands are initiated today, the Azerbaijani army will complete them
successfully in the shortest terms.

"I declare with responsibility that the Azerbaijani army is able to
liberate the occupied lands. And Armenians understand it. The Armenian
side merely does not have the power to engage in hostilities with
the Azerbaijani army. By results of the last conscription in Armenia
two military units were not equipped fully due to the lack of human
resources ", said Sabiroglu.

According to him, the Armenian side is aware that time is working
against it and the international community begins to understand the
occupational essence of the Armenian policy

"That is why the Armenians are trying to protract the negotiation
process. However, Azerbaijan’s patience is not unlimited", the
spokesman concluded.

UAE INTERESTED IN EXPANDING COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA IN POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SPHERES

Noyan Tapan
Dec 7, 2009

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN. At the December 7 meeting of Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
of the United Arab Emirates Dr. Anwar Gargash, the sides exchanged
ideas about bilateral cooperation in various spheres, the work of
the joint intergovernmental commission, and other issues.

S. Sargsyan expressed confidence that the high-level visits which
have become more frequent in recent period will play a positive role
in promotion of relations between Armenia and the UAE. Stressing
with satisfaction the dynamically developing cooperation of the two
countries, he said that Armenia is interested in strengthening its
links with the Gulf countries. The Armenian president expressed a
high opinion about the UAE’s discreet and balanced attitude to the
problems in the South Caucasus.

Underlining the UAE’s interest in expanding its cooperation with
the friendly Armenia in the political and economic spheres, Anwar
Gargash considered his visit to Armenia and the discussions held as
successful. Speaking about the 1988 earthquake, the state minister
said that they will never forget that tragic day and that they express
sympathy for the Armenian people.

EU COUNCIL DEVELOPS "NEW EXTENDED AGREEMENT" WITH ARMENIA, GEORGIA AND AZERBAIJAN

ArmInfo
2009-12-08 14:53:00

ArmInfo. Discussions are held in EU Council on provision of mandates
for the "New extended agreement" with Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan,
a source in the European Union told ArmInfo on anonymous terms.

According to the source, as soon as the agreement on mandates is
reached, EU Commission will start negotiations on these "New extended
agreements" which will replace and improve the existing agreements on
partnership and cooperation with the South Caucasus countries. The
source in EU also said the new agreement has nothing in common with
EU associated membership like those provided to the Ukraine and Turkey.

""The new extended agreement" has nothing in common with a preliminary
status for joining EU or something along those lines. This issue is
not in the agenda", the source said.

Moreover, the source said, the Eastern Partnership and New European
Neighborhood Policy programmes are preserved as projects for work
with the South Caucasus countries. "For example, within the frames of
the Eastern Partnership, we shall develop a new extended agreement
which includes, in particular, a component on free trade with EU",
the source said and added that discussions in EU Council are expected
not earlier than in spring of 2010.

TURKEY URGES OSCE TO BACK AZERBAIJAN IN KARABAKH DISPUTE

RIA Novosti
December 7, 2009
BAKU

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe should take
note of the UN stance on the Azerbaijani-Armenian territorial dispute
and support Baku, Turkey’s prime minister has said.

"The OSCE Minsk Group should be more decisive on this issue," Recep
Tayyip Erdogan was quoted as saying on Azerbaijan’s ANS TV channel.

"Steps must be taken. The UN declared that Nagorny Karabakh belongs to
Azerbaijan… Who should take the necessary step in this case? Armenia
should," the prime minister said.

"When we talk about settling the conflict, we mean an agreement on
the seven districts" belonging to Azerbaijan and occupied by Armenia,
he said.

If an agreement is not reached, "Turkey will take no positive steps
towards Armenia."

Four resolutions condemning the Armenian invasion and occupation
of Azerbaijan’s territories were passed by the UN Security Council
in 1993, at the height of the Azerbaijani-Armenian war in Nagorny
Karabakh.

Later that year, Turkey closed its border with Armenia in a show of
support for Azerbaijan, a predominantly Muslim, Turkic-speaking ally
of Ankara.

In October 2009, Turkey and Armenia signed historic accords on
diplomatic relations and on development of bilateral ties. The
documents have yet to be ratified by the country’s parliaments,
and face opposition from nationalist parties in both countries.

Last week, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said at a meeting
with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov in Athens that
Turkish-Armenian deals can only be ratified after the Nagorny Karabakh
issue is resolved.

Ankara has also demanded that Yerevan drop its campaign to have the
mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in 1915 internationally
recognized as genocide.

The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorny Karabakh
first erupted in 1988, when the region claimed independence from
Azerbaijan to join Armenia.

Over 30,000 people were reported dead on both sides between 1988
and 1994, and over 100 others died after a ceasefire was concluded
in 1994, leaving Nagorny Karabakh in Armenian hands, but tensions
between Azerbaijan and Armenia have persisted.

The OSCE Minsk Group, comprising the United States, Russia and France,
is a mediator in the conflict.

Turkish Press
Dec 6 2009

Prime Minister leaves for the US as Turkish-American relations gain momentum

Published: 12/6/2009

A key White House meeting with US President Barack Obama and Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set for Monday as Turkey-US
relations have gained impetus amid common interests and diverging
priorities.

The agenda of the meeting comprises several issues of vital importance
such as Afghanistan, Iraq, the Middle East peace process, the
Caucasus, the Balkans, fight against terror and energy supply
security.

US President’s proposal calling NATO members for deploying additional
troops in Afghanistan appears at the top of Obama-Erdogan meeting. The
Prime Minister is expected to reiterate Turkey’s decision not to send
combatant troops to Afghanistan.

Monday’s meeting will also comprise possible sanctions on Iran’s
nuclear programme and Turkey’s objective to eliminate terror,
specifically in the north of Iraq, before the US fully withdraws from
Iraqi soil.

Accordingly, Prime Minister Erdogan may raise the question of
extradition of terrorist leaders who have been named in the US list of
drug smugglers.

Two leaders are also expected to consider Cyprus peace talks,
amelioration of Turkish-Armenian relations with regards to
long-standing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the Caucasus and energy
supply security in Turkey’s region.

Azerbaijanis to conduct protest rally in front of Euronews office in Lion
06.12.2009 16:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijani students plan to conduct protest rally
next week in front of Euronews head office in Lion.

Azeri students’ discontent was caused by Euronews reportage titled
`Nagorno Karabakh – wind of changes’ where Karabakh was called an
Armenian land.

In this connection, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry expressed a protest,
threatening channel authorities with the possibility of Euronews
broadcasting-related problems in Azerbaijan, APA reported.

David Nalbandian returns to court
05.12.2009 14:54 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Argentinean Armenian tennis player David Nalbandian
for the first time after a long treatment in December will take part
in an international tournament in Buenos Aires. The main contenders of
Nalbandian in the tournament will be an Argentinean tennis player Juan
Monaco and Spaniard Carlos Moya.

Buenos Aires is the first major test after long treatment for
Nalbandian. Recall that Nalbandian took a course of rehabilitation
after surgery on his hip in May 2009.