Author: Nahapetian Zhanna

FM DAVUTOGLU MEETS ARMENIAN COUNTERPART NALBANDIAN

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Thursday, 28 January 2010

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu met Thursday his Armenian
counterpart Eduard Nalbandian in London where he is attending a
conference on Afghanistan.

Davutoglu’s meeting with Nalbandian lasted around 15 minutes. The
two ministers exchanged viewpoints on the new situation that arose
after a recent decision made by the Armenian Constitutional Court on
the protocols signed between Turkey and Armenia in 2009.

Nalbandian told Davutoglu that there was no change in the character
of the process (after the Armenian court’s decision).

Today’s meeting provided an opportunity for the two ministers to
express their views face to face.

While there was no change in the pos ition of the parties, the meeting
was beneficial, sources said.

Turkey wants Armenia to declare that a recent decision by the Armenian
Constitutional Court has not brought any changes to the protocols
signed on October 11, 2009.

WISSOL INVESTED 8 MILLION GEL IN SPORTS INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
by Tako Khelaia

The FINANCIAL
Monday, January 25, 2010

The FINANCIAL — Wissol, one of the leading oil importing and
distribution companies in Georgia spent around GEL 8 million on
implementation of sports infrastructure development project, the
company announced last week.

"CSR is one of our top priorities," Samson Pkhakadze, Chairman of the
Wissol Board of Directors said during the presentation of the sport
complex in Didi Dighomi district, Tbilisi .

Development of sports infrastructure is a unique project initiated
by the municipality of Georgia. "Commercial interests were also
included in that project, that is why we became involved in it",
Pkhakadze says..

In the frames of the sports infrastructure development project,
Wissol has constructed a large sports complex, specialized on cycle
sport and rugby. The complex sits on 23303 square metres. Rugby field,
training halls, showers and doctor rooms are amongst the facilities
of the centre.

"This is the 4th sports complex of multifunctional means to be built.

Construction lasted for 18 months. We have built two open Rugby
stadiums and a 200 metre modern cycle track. They were designed by
the famous Dutch architect Sander Douma," Pkhakadze explains.

"Georgia has already submitted an application for hosting the 2015
Olympic Games. Therefore we consider the development of sports
infrastructure in Georgia to be of crucial importance," Tbilisi
Mayor Giorgi Ugulava said while attending the presentation of the
sports complex.

Wissol was general sponsor of the Caucasus Cup in bicycle racing in
Tbilii where two Georgian teams, Turkish, Azeri and Armenian teams
were racing for victory.

"In Georgia there used to be 2 big cycle tracks but neither of them
are functioning. Now you can see that our sportsmen are being given
adequate infrastructure. And we look forward to seeing their success,"
Pkhakadze said.

Wissol Group owns football club Wissol Avaza. Wissol was awarded with
a special prize during the Best Soccer Player of the Season ceremony,
for the reconstruction of the Avaza School according to UEFA standards.

In the frame of Wissol’s healthy lifestyle promotional campaign,
in June, 2008, Wissol acquired Rugby Club Kochebi (braves) which
is already participating in championships under the name "Wissol –
Kochebi".

"For any sportsmen and for me as a footballer, the main point is to
have good playing and training conditions. Correct training encourages
correct development of a sportsman’s skill, therefore good playing
conditions help a player to present himself in a good way. That’s why
the construction of such bases are very welcome, and to play in a club
with such high quality training conditions is always a pleasure for
any footballer," says Gigi Ioseliani, footballer of FC Wissol Avaza.

"If a sportsman has the ability to train under good conditions it
will affect his future achievements. In Georgia I haven’t seen such
a high quality sports centre until now. This is the first centre
of such high quality and I sincerely hope that many others will be
built in order to develop football and many other sports in Georgia,"
Tornike Nemsadze, another soccer player says.

As Pkhakadze says, the company has assumed an obligation to support
Georgian football for several reasons. The company supports sporty
lifestyle principles and on that basis Wissol has also organized 18
football teams and 2 rugby teams of its employees.

"Wissol Petroleum Georgia believes that young people in Georgia
should be engaged in studies. A healthy lifestyle is very important
to succeed in both one’s private life and career," Pkhakadze says.

Wissol was named Petrol Station of November by Modern Petrol
Station Magazine. The award was taken for its superior design, newest
technological and technical solutions and for offering a wide variety
of services.

"In 2010 Wissol is planning to expand its chain, adding up to 15
petrol stations throughout Georgia, making a total investment of
10 million GEL, more concentration will be made out of Tbilisi ,"
says Samson Pkhakadze.

RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH TO OPEN OFFICE IN YEREVAN SOON – PATRIARCH KIRILL

Interfax
Jan 22 2010
Russia

Moscow, January 22, Interfax – Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All
Russia has said he hopes a representation office of the Russian
Orthodox Church would open soon in Armenian capital, Yerevan.

"I hope the Russian Orthodox Church will have a representation office
in Yerevan in the near future," Patriarch Kirill said at an awards
ceremony arranged by the Foundation for Unity of Orthodox Nations at
the Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow on Thursday.

Catholicos Karekin II of All Armenians was among those who were
honored with the 2009 award at the Thursday ceremony.

Russians and Armenians have been feeling like brothers for centuries,
"despite a difference in their languages and theological differences,"
Patriarch Kirill.

The opening of a Russian Orthodox Church office in Yerevan "would
provide another opportunity for dialogue between our Churches,"
he said.

Catholicos Karekin II expressed his gratitude for being honored
with the award and said he would donate its monetary component to
the construction of a new Russian church in Yerevan, which started
only recently.

MINISTERS SHOULD FOCUS ON MAJOR PROBLEMS AND SHORTCOMINGS OF 2009, PRIME MINISTER SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Jan 21, 2010

YEREVAN, JANUARY 21, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA ministers of education
and science, finance, economy, environmental protection, Diaspora,
agriculture, labor and social affairs, sport and youth affairs,
urban development, and transport and communication presented the 2009
reports on their activities at the Armenian government on January 20.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan reminded that the reports will
be published and posted on websites of the ministries. Prior to
discussing the reports, the prime minister said that he had instructed
all the ministers to focus on the following issues. First, the major
shortcomings and problems of 2009 that hindered the process of reforms
and affected negatively the index of economic growth. Second, the
lessons of the year 2009: "in 2010 we should point out the priority
problems to be under direct control of ministers, and the ministers
will present reports at the end of this year to show what positive
changes have been made in relation to these problems," T. Sargsyan
noted.

He once again underlined the significance of the programs implemented
and three major programs to be implemented in 2010 under immediate
control of the ministers. He reminded that the public must be informed
about the programs ensuring economic growth this year.

OPEN INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURE COMPETITION TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA FIRST TIME.

PanARMENIAN.Net
19.01.2010 17:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ International open architecture competition for
the first time will be held in Armenia. International Association
of Architects’ Unions announces an open competition for the
multifunctional complex project in Yerevan at the place of the former
Youth Palace . The total land area is 4 hectares.

Avangard Motors, Municipality of Yerevan, Union of Architects of
Belarus, Ministries of Urban Development and Diaspora and Union of
Architects of Armenia organize the open competition.

Competition was approved by the International Union of Architects,
the official website of the International Association of Architects’
Unions wrote. The international jury consists of President of Avangard
Motors LLC Eduard Avetisyan (Russia), Yerevan Mayor Gagik Beglaryan,
President of the Union of Architects of Armenia Mkrtich Minasyan,
Michael Rotondi (U.S.), Makoto Watanabe (Japan), Enrique Sobejano
(Spain), Chairman of the Belarusian Union of Architects Alexander
Korbut.

The prize fund of the competition is USD 115 thousand.

As the Union of Architects of Armenia told PanARMENIAN.NET, 1150
applications were submitted from 70 countries and 300 projects for
open architecture competition. The program will be supervised by the
architect Levon Vardanyan.

ARMENIA SHOULD PRIMARILY BLAME ITSELF FOR ALL ITS TROUBLES

news.az
Jan 20 2010
Azerbaijan

Rasim Musabeyov "Armenia is creating all obstacles as it is a source
of these obstacles.

Therefore, it should first blame itself rather than Turkey and
Azerbaijan for all its troubles.

Even former prime minister of this country Grant Bagratyan has recently
said that Armenia will be near default in the next two years when it
will have to pay the debts accumulated last year after which it will
be vulnerable in the face of external pressure.

Let them set prerequisites, they will have nothing of it. By the way,
their behavior is rational in a sense, since after this the world
community will not view Turkey and Azerbaijan as responsible for the
failure of the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement", political scientist
Rasim Musabeyov said.

As for the attitude of the United States, Russia and Europe to this
process, Musabeyov said these countries can further support Armenia
if they want:

"By doing so these countries will lose a good partner in the face
of Turkey. Obama has already recognized everything in the Armenian
language and I do not think he will go further in his statements".

VICTIMS OF BAKU POGROMS OF 1990 COMMEMORATED IN TSITSERNAKABERD

Panorama.am
17:10 19/01/2010

A number of officials conducted a procession to Tsitsernakaberd
Memorial today to commemorate the memories of the victims of Baku
pogroms of 1990.

The participants, thus, expressed their protest against the offence
committed by the Azerbaijani government and condemned the Baku
massacres of January 19 committed 20 years ago.

PM Tigran Sargsyan, who was among the participants, said the Armenians
were killed just for being Armenians.

"When commemorating the victims, we should highlight this: the only
thing they are to blame for is being Armenians," PM said.

According to T. Sargsyan, Armenians should unite since serious hazards
and serious challenges are yet to come.

"The evidence to this come to be not only Baku pogroms conducted 20
years ago but also today’s reality – Azerbaijan’s official policy,
propaganda of hatred towards the Armenians," PM highlighted.

AZERBAIJANI HOSTAGE ON ARMENIAN TELEVISION

APA
Jan 19 2010
Azerbaijan

Baku. Ayaz Abdulla – APA. Azerbaijani hostage Eldar Taghiyev, taken by
Armenian servicemen, has been enforced to appear on Public Television
of Armenia. APA reports quoting "Novosti Armenia". The Azerbaijani
hostage said that he doesn’t have any intentions to come back to
Azerbaijan. If the Armenian authorities forbid him to stay at Armenia
then he’ll leave for third country" – he added. He messaged that he
would be back to his family.

E. Taghiyev also talked about his unemployment, poor life in the
village, and absence of the water sources for organizing a farm.

Eldar Taghiyev also noted that the main water sources of his native
Alibeyli village, Tovuz district, exceeded from Armenia, however,
with the beginning of the war water flow stopped.

We note that on December 28, 2009, at 18:00, as a result of ceasefire
violation by Armenian armed forces, the local resident Eldar Taghiyev
was fired near the contact line in the direction of the Alibeyli
village of Tovuz. Later, he was taken captive.

DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF ARMENIA: DECISION OF CONSTITUTIONAL COURT OF ARMENIA IS A CAMPAIGN AGAINST ILLITERACY FOR THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS OF ARMENIA

ArmInfo
2010-01-19 15:02:00

Arminfo. At today’s press-conference the leader of the Democratic
Party of Armenia Aram G. Sargsyan slagged off the activity of the
diplomatic corps of Armenia in the matter of the Armenian-Turkish
talks and bilateral protocols.

By its decision Constitutional Court has corrected the shortcomings
of the Armenian-Turkish Protocols, which different political forces
of Armenia, including Democratic Party of Armenia, paid attention at
for many times. This decision of Constitutional Court of Armenia is
a peculiar campaign against illiteracy for the diplomatic corps of
Armenia’, – Sargsyan said.

He added with regret that the level of the Armenian diplomacy is very
low and it is dangerous that the problem of protection of the state
interests is entrusted to the people with low professional level. He
thinks it is necessary to replace the diplomats which are negotiating
on the Karabakh conflict settlement and especially on normalization
of relations with Turkey. At the same time he said that Democratic
Party of Armenia is not going to demand somebody’s resignation. ‘We
just fix facts’, – he concluded.

SUPPORT OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS DROPS DRASTICALLY IN TURKEY: PUBLIC POLL

Tert.am
11:16 ~U 18.01.10

The number of supporters of Armenian-Turkish relations is gradually
decreasing in Turkey. As reported by Anakara Agency, upon Turkey’s
Democratic Left Party’s request, A&G research firm conducted a poll
among the Turkish public which indicated that 63.5% were against,
while 20% were for the establishment of Armenian-Turkish relations.

According to the poll results, the number of supporters of initiatives
to establish relations with Armenia and address the Kurdish issue
have sharply declined: in December 2009, as compared with June of the
same year, the number of supporters of both issues dropped from 69.3%
to 27.1% over the six-month period.

Interestingly enough, only 45.7% of the ruling Justice and Development
Party have spoken out against the "democratic initiative," while 47.5%
have expressed support for establishing relations with Armenia.