Author: Kanayan Tamar

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION SHOULDN’T COME OUT IN A UNITED FRONT DURING ELECTIONS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
04.08.2009 17:00 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Extra parliamentary elections in Moldova proceeded
without incidents, said Zaruhi Postanjyan, Heritage party member, who
served on the joint observation mission in the post-soviet republic.

"The victory of opposition forces in Moldova was conditioned by their
separate participation in the elections," she said.

Commenting on the possibly efficiency of such system in Armenia,
she said that the situation in Armenia in 2007 was different. "The
opposition lost contact with the masses and could not carry out proper
work with the voters," Postanjyan said.

OSKANIAN SAYS ARMENIA MUST RAISE THE BAR IN KARABAKH TALKS

Asbarez
skanian-says-armenia-must-raise-the-bar-in-karabak h-talks/
Aug 3, 2009

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)-Former Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian urged the
Armenian government to raise the bar in its negotiations around the
Karabakh conflict resolution, saying current policies fundamentally
differ from that of his administration.

Oskanian said that the position of the Kocharian administration,
under which he served as foreign minister, were based on national
interests, arguing that he and his ministry had raised the bar high.

Within the same context, Oskanian said that the opposition should focus
the debate on the level of the bar set by the authorities in the talks.

"Today their task must be to clarify what the bar set by the
authorities is," he said. "Our bar was set high. I have many doubts
about today’s bar," he added.

"Azerbaijan says whatever it wants. [Minsk Group US Co-Chair Matthew]
Bryza talks about the return of six to seven territories. [Azeri
President Ilham] Aliyev rejects Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence and
our leaders are silent. This is the concern," explained Oskanian
saying that the public and the opposition should concern themselves
with this issue.

The most fundamental issue, Oskanian said, is where that bar is
set today.

In discussing the so-called Madrid principles, based on which
the current talks are being guided, Oskanian said that of all the
earlier proposals, those principles were the most favorable for
Armenia, pending the proper course of discussion on the details of
the provisions.

"Whereas in the past we were offered at worst a high degree of
[Karabakh’s] autonomy within Azerbaijan and at best horizontal ties
between Azerbaijan and Karabakh within the framework of a common state,
the Madrid principles … provide for the self-determination of the
Nagorno-Karabakh people, which obviously means Nagorno-Karabakh’s
independence or reunification with Armenia," said Oskanian.

"I am convinced that if we let slip this recognition of the
Nagorno-Karabakh people’s right to self-determination, it will be very
difficult to gain it again in the future and the negotiations could
go in a totally different direction and they could start upholding
[Azerbaijan’s] territorial integrity," he said.

He explained the Madrid points were based on four principles: the
status of Nagorno-Karabakh; the return of territories; resettlement
of refugees; and international security guarantees. Oskanian stressed
that any future processes or documents would also be based on the
aforementioned four points, warning that the abandonment of these
points as a basis to any negotiations would bring back other principles
which envisioned Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan with no land route
to Armenia.

"If the Armenian side wants to exclude the issues of return of
territories, return of [Azeri] refugees from future principles and be
guided by the principle of ‘not a single inch of land to the enemy,’
which would be a wonderful solution, then Armenia or Nagorno-Karabakh
or both of them should pull out of the negotiations," he said. "If
we are to negotiate, these principles will always be on the table."

He emphasized that the key to the success of the talks was the approach
to the finite details of the principles and how well the Armenia side
is able to maneuver the details in the process.

Oskanian also discussed Armenia-Turkey relations and the
so-called "roadmap" agreement, saying "Turkey has gotten from this
Turkish-Armenian process what it wanted. The Armenian side has not
gained anything yet."

Oskanian was unimpressed by President Serzh Sarkisian’s recent
announcement that he will not travel to Turkey this October for
the return match of the two countries’ national soccer match unless
Ankara takes "real steps" to reopen the Turkish-Armenian border. He
said Sarkisian should have made a more explicit linkage between the
visit and an open border.

"He left the window open," said Oskanian. "I think that’s what the
Turks want … I just don’t know when our authorities will finally
realize that the Turkish side is exploiting the process. They should
have realized that a long time ago."

RUBEN HAKHVERDYAN: ARMENIAN OLIGARCHS LED GOVERNMENT TODAY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
03.08.2009 16:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Male MPs in the parliament have something to learn
from women deputies, "the famous bard Ruben Hakhverdyan told today’s
press conference in Yerevan. "Armenian deputies can begin even with
the study of Armenian language, now they are talking with the people in
so-called "modern language", resulting in they do not reach the people,
" Hakhverdyan noticed.

Hakhverdyan also noted that it would be better if Armenia abolished
the presidential government, since the president of the country is
perceived as "king."

"The current situation of the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan is
quite difficult," Hakhverdyan said, reminding one of President’s
statements that "All you need – to start from scratch." "Being to
some extent related to so many oligarchs, it is difficult to start
something from scratch, because this sheet is to some extent already
dirty," Ruben Hakhverdyan said.

According to him, "even if the president and wants to start from
scratch, it would not be the easiest task. To date, the oligarchs led
the government and not the Government led them." A similar situation,
according to Hakhverdyan, evolved during the reign of Robert Kocharyan,
who led the country well only during his first term of presidency,
during the second term oligarchs "sat on his head".

"The reason why I did not take part in rallies during the presidential
election, is that people participating in meetings demanded: "Levon,
Levon!" (The first president of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan – Ed.),
forgetting about the cold winters.

Ruben Hakhverdyan also noted that Yerevan becomes like province,
and Armenia resembles the country with a large head and small body,
since all concentrated in one place – the capital. "

Interfax, Russia
July 31 2009

U.S. congressmen concerned about Turkey’s position on relations with
Armenia

YEREVAN July 31

Eighty-two U.S. congressmen have sent a letter to U.S. President
Barack Obama, in which they accused Turkey of failing to fulfill its
obligations to normalize relations with Armenia without any
preconditions.

"We write to you [Mr. President] with our concerns about Turkish
backpedaling on the agreed upon roadmap to normalize relations between
Turkey and Armenia," the letter says, according to the Armenian
Assembly of America.

"While the Government of Armenia remains committed to this roadmap and
has long offered to establish ties with Turkey without preconditions,
Turkey’s public statements and actions since April 24th stand in sharp
contrast to this agreement and undermine U.S. policy that
normalization take place without preconditions," the letter says.

The letter was signed by 82 U.S. congressmen representing both the
Republican and the Democratic Party.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said this Tuesday that he would
accept an invitation from his Turkish counterpart, Abdullah Gul, to
attend a soccer match in Turkey in October "only on condition of open
borders [between Armenia and Turkey] or if we are on the threshold of
lifting the blockade of Armenia."

"Under the current circumstances, the Armenian side expects
constructive moves to provide an appropriate atmosphere for the
visit," Sargsyan told Tuesday’s news conference.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told a news conference, "We
continue to remain decisive in the process of Turkish-Armenian
relations."

"The speed of this process depends on how clearly the parties are able
to conduct dialogue. Turkey’s only wish is normalization of all
relations in the region, We need to rid the region from
tensions. After that, our communication in this direction will
continue," he said.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul visited Yerevan at the invitation of
the Armenian president in September 2008. The two countries’ national
football teams had a game during that visit. Another such game is
scheduled to take place in October, and Sargsyan has been invited to
it.

SARKISYAN REJECTS TURKISH PRECONDITIONS IN ANKARA-YEREVAN TALKS

TurkishNY
sh-news/12611-sarkisyan-rejects-turkish-preconditi ons-in-ankara-yerevan-talks.html
July 31 2009
Friday, 31 July 2009 07:37

Armenian President Serge Sarkisian criticized Turkey for committing
to a precondition that links normalizing bilateral relations with
the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Azerbaijan.

Turkey and Armenia held talks aimed at normalizing relations for a
year and agreed on two documents, Sarkisian was quoted by Russia’s
ITAR-Tass news agency as telling young representatives of Armenian
diaspora on Thursday.

"But after that certain political forces in Turkey attempted to advance
preconditions and link the establishment of diplomatic relations
with Armenia to the Nagorno-Karabakh problem and Armenian-Azerbaijani
relations," he added.

Sarkisian said Armenia "extended a hand" to Turkey despite historic
problems such as the 1915 incidents.

"Despite the difficult path, we proposed to the Turkish leadership
to establish diplomatic relations without any preconditions, to open
roads and then discuss the issues we consider necessary," he said.

"We realize that Turkey is a big country, we realize its role in
the region and in the world. However, we are an independent state,
and they cannot speak to us in the language of ultimatums. Any such
step causes a back reaction," he added.

His remarks a day after Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
reiterated Ankara’s stance conditioning the normalization of relations
with Yerevan to the resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He said
Turkey was still resolute about normalizing relations with Armenia,
but reiterated that it wanted to see the same determination from
the international community and especially from Yerevan on the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Ankara cut diplomatic links with Yerevan and closed the border,
as Armenia presses the international community with the backing of
the diaspora to admit the so-called "genocide" claims instead of
accepting Turkey’s call to investigate the allegations, and over
Armenia’s invasion of 20 percent territory of Azerbaijan – a frozen
conflict legacy of the Soviet Union known as Nagorno-Karabakh.

Ankara and Yerevan, however, have been engaged in a normalization
process, including the reopening of the border, since President
Abdullah Gul’s landmark visit to Armenia last year as the first
Turkish leader to visit the neighboring country.

The two countries agreed in April on a "road map" deal for normalizing
ties after months of U.S.-backed talks, but there have been few signs
of progress since the announcement.

The Armenian president said earlier this week he wanted significant
diplomatic progress before he agrees to attend a World Cup qualifying
match in Turkey. He said he would not accept the invitation unless
Ankara takes "real steps" to open its border with the neighboring
country. Sarkisian was invited to the return leg of the World Cup
qualifying tie between Turkey and Armenia on Oct. 14 when Gul was in
Yerevan last year to attend the first leg.

Armenian media, however, reported Thursday he would definitely accept
the invitation and visit Turkey. Ayk daily said he would cite that
"the countries were on the brink of removing blockades" to justify
his visit.

IFC "ENTERED" ARMENIA

A1+
07:58 pm | July 30, 2009

Official

RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan received today Vice-chairman of
the International Finance Corporation Yurki Koskelo.

Welcoming the entry of the IFC to Armenia, the head of government
expressed confidence that the organization’s programs for Armenia
will be successful. The organization plans to make investments in
the development of the hypothec market and offers cooperation in the
spheres of hydro-energy, restorative energy and finance.

The IFC Vice-chairman emphasized that the corporation has implemented
successful projects in the mining industry, informational technologies
and healthcare.

The RA Prime Minister attached importance to the use of IFC experts’
experience in Armenia and expressed hope that the partnership would
be ongoing and mutually beneficial.

RA GOVERNMENT DISAPPROVES A NUMBER OF LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES BY DEPUTIES ARMEN MARTIROSIAN AND VIKTOR DALLAKIAN

Noyan Tapan
July 30, 2009

YEREVAN, JULY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA government at the July 30
session disapproved the RA bill On Making Amendments and Addenda to
the RA Electoral Code submitted by RA National Assembly deputy Armen
Martirosian by the order of legislative initiative and substantiated
its conclusion.

The RA government also spoke against the RA bills submitted by RA
National Assembly deputy Viktor Dallakian by the order of legislative
initiative: the package of RA laws On Making an Amendment and Addenda
to the RA Law On Mass Media and to the RA Criminal Code, On Making
an Amendment to the RA law On Operative-Investigation Activity, On
Making Addenda to the RA Law On National Security Bodies, On Making
an Amendment to the RA Law On RA Budget System substantiating its
negative conclusions.

According to a report by the RA government Information and Public
Relations Department, the government did not present an objection of
principle on another legislative initiative by V. Dallakian, RA bill
On Making an Amendment to the RA Law On Civil Service by proposing
editorial changes. The above mentioned bills will be submitted to
the RA National Assembly in the established order.

ACCORDING TO BORIS TADIC, VISIT OF SERBIAN DELEGATION TO ARMENIA REPRESENTS NEW BEGINNING OF FRIENDLY RELATIONS

Noyan Tapan
July 28, 2009

YEREVAN, JULY 28, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
will accept the invitation of Turkish President Abdullah Gul only in
case of the fulfilment of the agreements reached and the visibility
of real steps. "That is, I will leave for Turkey if we have an open
border or we are on the threshold of lifting Armenia’s blockade,"
he stated in the July 28 statement for the mass media during the
two-day visit of Serbian President Boris Tadic to Armenia.

According to S. Sargsyan, he told his Serbian counterpart about
the developments that followed his initiative aimed at normalizing
the Armenian-Turkish relations, as well as about the details of the
current stage. "You know that little time remains till the return
match of the national football teams of Armenia and Turkey, and I
received an invitation to attend this match from Turkish President
Mr. Gul. Under the current conditions, we certainly expect to witness
constructive steps soon, by which our partners will try to ensure a
respective environment for the return visit of the Armenian president,"
S. Sargsyan said.

Speaking about the Armenian-Serbian relations, he noted that his
tete-a-tete talk with the Serbian president passed in a constructive
atmosphere of mutual understanding, during which they discussed the
current state and prospects of relations between the two countries
and exchanged opinions about a number of issues of international and
regional importance and the cooperation in international organizations.

"The promotion of the political dialog, the establishment and
strengthening of interparliamentary links, the development of trade and
economic relations between Armenia and Serbia are essential elements of
our relations based on partnership," S. Sargsyan said. In his words,
he together with the Serbian president came to the same conclusion
that the regional conflicts should be settled without the use of
force, peacefully and through negotiations, based on the principles
and norms of international law. "We are convinced of the absence of
universal forms of conflict resolution. Each conflict has its origin,
motivations and process. Without taking them into consideration,
it is impossible to find a fair and stable solution," he added.

S. Sargsyan said that the Armenian and Serbian peoples have maintained
friendly relations with each other over the centuries. Serbia was a
country to receive open-heartedly numerous Armenians who had survived
the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire, in particular, the Izmir
massacres in 1922.

"Our people also remember with gratitude the material and moral
help of the friendly Serbian people following the 1988 destructive
earthquake. We will always revere the memory of the Serbian pilots
bringing humanitarian aid to Armenia, who died in the name of a high
goal, when lending a helping hand to the friendly people at a fatal
moment," S. Sargsyan said.

Boris Tadic in his turn declared that only a peaceful policy such as
the policy conducted by the Serbs in the Balkans and that conducted
by the Armenians in the Caucasus can bring a lasting peace to the
two peoples. He called the visit of the Serbian delegation to Armenia
"a new beginning of the friendly relations" and invited his Armenian
counterpart to pay a visit to Serbia.

On the first day of his two-day visit, Boris Tadic went to the Memorial
Complex of the Armenian Genocide Victims.

BOOK DEVELOPMENT OF IDEA OF STATEHOOD IN IMPERIAL RUSSIA: PERIODIC PRESS AND FORMATION OF MODERN ARMENIAN IDENTITY BY LIZA KHACHATURIAN PUBLISHED

Noyan Tapan
July 28, 2009

WASHINGTON, JULY 28, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A book by Armenian
historian Liza Khachaturian under the title Development of the Idea
of Statehood in Imperial Russia: Periodic Press and Formation of
Modern Armenian Identity has been published in the U.S. New Jersey
state lately.

Book’s launching took place in Washington the other day, with the
participation of representatives of the local Armenian community and
American specialists interested in the subject. Liza Khachaturian said
that in the 19th century the publicism of Armenian intelligentsia,
in particular, Stepanos Nazarian, Grigor Artsruni, Haroutiun Svachian
called forth new fermentations in Armenian public consciousness.

"Huge materials over Armenian Cause have been accumulated in
the U.S. Congress library. I have worked there, spent 7 months
in Yerevan studying the archives of the National Library and the
National Academy of Sciences. I have also left for Moscow and Saint
Petersburg on business to study the archives documents on the spot,"
Liza Khachaturian mentioned in her interview to a correspondent of
the Public Television of Armenia in Washington. The book presents
the subject of rise of the Eastern Armenian national consciousness,
contains rich documents on national and political developments taking
place in Eastern Armenia in that period.

ISG INSURANCE SERVICES IN DEMAND IN RA BANKING SYSTEM

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
27.07.2009 11:41 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Insurance of credit risks is called-for in Armenian
policy market, said Hovhannes Galstyan, executive director of ISG
Insurance company.

"This year we started cooperation with 10 Armenian banks. It’s not a
secret that our banks pursue cautious credit policy, so ISG services
are in demand," he told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Among main activities, Mr. Galstyan mentioned insurance of tenders
and aviation risks. "Insurance of aviation risks makes 95% of the
company’s inflow," he said.

ISG Insurance LLC is the insurance company, registered and licensed
by Central Bank of Armenia, which was founded on 25.12.2007.

ISG Insurance LLC was established based on "GRAND" Insurance LLC,
which had more than 10 years of experience in insurance market.

Shareholder of the ISG Insurance LLC is Mika Limited Company.

ISG Insurance LLC has collaborated with such companies as "Armavia"
Aircompany LLC, "Mika Limited" Company, "ArmenTel" CJSC, "International
Masis Tabak" LLC, and in financial sector – "HSBC Bank Armenia"
CJSC, "AreximBank" CJSC, "Converse Bank Corp", "Cascade Bank" CJSC,
"InecoBank" CJSC, "VTB Bank Armenia" CJSC, "Ardshininvest Bank" CJSC ,
"Ameriabank" CJSC , "BTA Bank" CJSC , "Prometey Bank" CJSC and others.

The primary purpose to open the ISG Insurance LLC has been and remains
the insurance of aviation risks. In Armenia, the role and purpose of
the aviation is particularly important in relation to the geopolitical
situation. Based on the foregoing, the ISG Insurance LLC with the
greatest responsibility takes insurance of aviation risks, and in
this sphere the main partner is the National Carrier Armavia LLC.

According to the 2008 market data, "ISG Insurance" LLC has
1.460.337.466,00 dram written premium and considers as a one of the
leaders (2nd place) in insurance market of Armenia among 11 companies.

The Company is acting in non-life insurance sphere and offering
following services to individuals and legal entities: – Aircraft
(hull) and Third Party Legal Liability of aircarriers insurance –
Motor insurance and Third Party Legal Liability of motor owners
– Property insurance – Accidents insurance – Cargo insurance –
Travel insurance – General liability insurance – Constractor’s risks
insurance – Insurance of financial looses – Issuing guarantee letters
The company collaborates with such famous reinsurance companies
as New Hampshire per AIG Europe (UK) Ltd, Generali IARD, Aspen
Insurance UK Limited, Catlin Insurance Company (UK) Ltd., Munchener
Ruckversicherungs-Gesellschaff, International Insurance Company of
Hannover Ltd. Tokio, Allianz Global Corporate and Speciality AG and
others, which are Lloyd’s market members and has high ratings, from
international ranking companies S&P, AM Best, Fitch.

During this year the company is planning to model new, available
for the wide range of customers and profitable insurance products,
as well as to attract new clients.