Author: Nalchajian Markos

ARMENIAN AND RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTERS APPROVED COOPERATION PLAN FOR 2008

DeFacto Agency
Oct 31 2007
Armenia

October 30 Armenian Defense Minister Mikael Harutyunian met with
Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, who had arrived in Armenia
on an official visit.

According to the information DE FACTO received at the RA MOD Press
Office, in the course of the meeting the parties had discussed a number
of issues referring to Armenian-Russian military and military-technical
cooperation.

On the outcomes of the meeting Armenian and Russian defense ministers
approved cooperation plan between Armenian and Russian defense
ministries for 2008 and preparation plan for Line-2008 joint training.

RAMIL SAFAROV EXTRADITION TO AZERBAIJAN INADMISSIBLE FOR ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
31.10.2007 14:31 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Extradition of Ramil Safarov, the murderer of
Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan, is inadmissible for Armenia,"
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said at a meeting with his Hungarian
counterpart Kinga Goncz.

Mr Oskanian thanked the Hungarian justice for a fair verdict to the
murderer, the RA MFA press office reported.

February 19, 2004 lieutenant of the Armenian Armed Forces Gurgen
Margaryan, sent to Budapest for an English course within the NATO
Partnership for Peace Program, was brutally hacked by Azeri officer
Ramil Safaroiv taking the same course.

April 13, 2006, the Budapest Court of First Instance sentenced Safarov
to life imprisonment without right for pardon during initial 30 years.

ARMENIAN CIVIL SERVANTS’ BASIC SALARY TO REACH AMD 40,000 BY JANUARY 1, 2008

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 30 2007

YEREVAN, October 30. /ARKA/. Armenian civil servants’ basic salary
is to reach AMD 40,000 by January 1, 2008, Armenian Deputy Finance
and Economy Minister Pavel Safaryan said at the National Assembly’s
session held Tuesday.

"In 2008, civil servants will have their salaries risen from present
AMD 38.500 to AMD 40,000. Besides, basic salaries of government bodies’
employees, who are not civil servants, excluding administrative
officials, will be raised 12.7%", Safaryan said adding that extra
AMD 1.2 billion is needed for the mentioned purpose.

He said that expenses for paying salaries are equal to a half of
total amount spent for keeping Armenia’s governmental staff.

The deputy minister said that AMD 24.5 billion of 44.3 billion targeted
for keeping government staff will be spent in 2008 for paying salaries
to civil servants.

He said that civil servants’ salary will average AMD 123,000 in 2008
against 106,000 in 2007, Interior Ministry employees’ salaries AMD
200,000 against 167,000 in 2007 and Prosecutor Office employees’
AMD 245,000 against 119,000.

Under the 2008 draft state budget put on National Assembly’s floor
this week, its revenue is AMD 744.7 billion and expenditure AMD
820.8bln. Deficit is planned to be AMD 76 billion in 2008 and GDP
growth 10%. In 2007, GDP was planned at 11%. ($1 – AMD 324.78).

JUSTICE BLOC COMPRISED ABSOLUTELY DIFFERENT FORCES FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, LEADER OF ARMENIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY SAYS

arminfo
2007-10-30 16:16:00

ArmInfo. ‘In 2003 Justice bloc united absolutely different forces that
is why they proved in different camps now,’ Leader of the opposition
Democratic Party of Armenia Aram Sargsyan says in an interview with
ArmInfo explaining the antipodal attitude of his former colleagues
in the bloc to the political activation of first president Levon
Ter-Petrosyan.

He said in 2003 the political parties united in the bloc in order to
get rid of the regime. They just proposed definite principles on the
new state in case if the single-whole candidate Stepan Demirchyan
won. bloc’s existence.

Now, the different assessment of the ex-president’s activation is
not connected with ideological parameters. For instance, the People’s
Party of Armenia believes Levon Ter-Petrosyan an alternative to the
incumbent authorities, we not. DPA stresses the importance of what will
replace the ruling regime when it is changed. We cannot agree to an
alternative unacceptable to us as we have been in the strong opposition
since the first days when APNM was in power. > Aram Sargsyan said.

He is sure that the people must be informed of the programs of all
the opposition parties to make their choice. Irrespective of how mass
are street rallies and the participation of candidates in them, the
country will have a foregone result if the developments are within
the frames of the existing system, Aram Sargsyan said.

DISPUTE OVER STEPWISE OR PACKAGE SETTLEMENT LOST INITIAL IMPORTANCE, KAZIMIROV SAYS

PanARMENIAN.Net
29.10.2007 16:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "The formula ‘territories in exchange for status’
is unbalanced. It looks like despotism of the winner and test of last
ounce of strength," the Russian diplomat said.

"The formula ‘territories in exchange for status’ is unbalanced. It
looks like despotism of the winner and test of last ounce of
strength. However, it can’t be equaled to Azeri calls to revenge,"
said Vladimir Kazimirov, the Russian mediator on Nagorno Karabakh
in 1992-1996.

This formula, unlike bellicose statements, refers to the past but not
future war. The victims can’t be brought back to life while revenge
would inflict heavy casualty, according to him.

"A humble "territories for security" formula would maintain the balance
of vital NK interests and adjacent Azeri regions. It would be more
just and all parties to conflict would benefit. Its core is universal
security and adherence to commitments," the Russian diplomat said.

Amb. Kazimirov emphasized that the dispute over stepwise or package
settlement has lost its initial importance. "The mediators have
chosen a mixed variant. However, the package doesn’t provide for
a final status of Nagorno Karabakh but sets the order of status
determination via expression of will. Armenia presumes it can leave
5 regions until final determination of NK status. The tension can be
relieved by an agreement on a temporary status. But official Baku –
unlike Azeri political scientists – says it makes no sense. Meanwhile,
a temporary status is inevitable. To say more, it already exists de
facto," Vladimir Kazimirov wrote in an article "Is there a wayout of
Karabakh deadlock?" published by Russia in Global Politics magazine.

WORLD BANK TO PROVIDE 10 MILLION DOLLARS FOR INSTALLATION OF NEW SYSTEM ON AUTOMATED CONTROL OF YEREVAN TRANSPORT NETWORK

Noyan Tapan
Oct 29 2007

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The World Bank will provide about
10 million dollars for installation of the new system on automated
control of traffic lights and transport network in Yerevan, the
director of Yerevantrans CJSC Karen Yedigarian stated at the October
29 press coneference.

According to him, taking international experience into account, WB
experts are conducting studies, which will be completed in February
2008. A new program on development of the city transport will be
developed based on the results of these studies.

WILL SARKOZY HELP?

A1+
[02:47 pm] 26 October, 2007

Today, residents of "the zone of alienation" held a protest action
opposite the French Embassy in Armenia.

They handed a letter asking Nikolas Sarkozy for support.

"We beg the French President to remind the RA Prime Minister of his
promise during today’s meeting. Can a person unable to solve a few
families’ concern become a country’s head?" said Sedrak Baghdasarian,
the Chairman of the "Victims of State Needs" NGO.

Reminder: Serzh Sarkisian had promised to meet the residents before
the parliamentary election. The residents demand compensation.

According to Vachagan Hakobian, the Chairman of the "Protection of
the Right to Property" NGO, the RA Government misinforms embassies
about the current scene in the country.

The residents intend to hold protest actions near other embassies
and European structures as well.

To note, Sedrak Baghdasarian has applied to Nikolas Sarkozy for
political asylum.

OSKANYAN: "NO NEED FOR ANOTHER FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO INSTABILITY"

Panorama.am
16:58 25/10/2007

There is no essential change in the foreign policy of Turkey towards
our country, Vardan Oskanyan, minister of foreign affairs, made this
statement today. He came up to this conclusion after the meeting
with the newly appointed foreign minister of Turkey, Ali Babajan,
in New York. In his words, the meetings on the level of ministers and
deputy ministers will continue but they cannot make "a part of process"
since there is no such process between Armenia and Turkey. "They will
be one-time meetings upon needs," the minister noted.

He also did not exclude that deputy foreign minister, Arman Kirakosyan,
who is in Ankara to participate in Black Sea Economic Cooperation
meeting on the level of ministers, may meet with Turkey Foreign
Minister Ali Babajan.

Answering to Panorama.am reporter during the press conference, Oskanyan
said Turkey’s invasion to North Iraq will have no direct influence
on our country. "It is simply concerning that one country may feel
free to violate the territorial integrity of another country, invade
and leave, as it did in case of other countries. The situation in the
region is very complex, tense and there is no need for an additional
factor contributing to instability," Oskanyan said.

RA FM MET WITH OSCE MG CO-CHAIRS

DeFacto Agency
Oct 25 2007
Armenia

October 24 RA FM Vardan Oskanian met with OSCE Minsk group Co-Chairs
Bernard Fassier (France), Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia) and Matthew Bryza
(U. S.).

According to the information DE FACTO received at the RA MFA Press
Office, in the course of the meeting the parties had again discussed
the possibilities of surmounting differences in the issues of Karabakh
conflict settlement and rapprochement of the conflicting parties’
positions.

IRAN: PIPELINE TO ARMENIA MAY BE EXTENDED

United Press International
Oct 25 2007

YEREVAN, Armenia, Oct. 25 (UPI) — Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad
has said he thinks the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline might be extended
to Europe.

"The Europe option is a very good idea and we welcome it," he said.

"We need to carry out a feasibility study, and if the results are
positive, I see no problem."

The comments, which were made Wednesday, were reported by Public
Television of Armenia.

Ahmadinejad also said talks between Armenia and Iran on the
construction of an oil refinery in Armenia were ongoing.

"I assess the negotiations very positively," he said. "Let us wait
for their result, and afterwards an agreement could be signed. This
is a successful field for trilateral Armenia-Iran-Russia cooperation."