Author: Nanijanian Alex

THE CORRIDOR – THE AKP’S AUTUMN PLAN

Hurriyet
Monday, June 29, 2009 13:41

The ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, has left its
mark on so many attempts. I say "attempts" because all remained as
just attempts. Let’s remember them together: The Kurdish, Alevi and
Constitution, as well as the headscarf, minorities, Armenian, European
Union, Cyprus, Halki (Heybeliada) Seminary opening attempts. Endless
numbers of statements were issued, polemics occurred, fierce exchange
of words took place as talks and initiatives were made behind closed
doors. Were any put into action? I may comfortably say "no." But of
course, the Alevi workshop, close ties with Armenia, and constitutional
changes in the headscarf case may be given as examples of actions. But
there is no single attempt that has been materialized.

Attempts that have not been actualized create discomfort not only
among the party grassroots but also among parliamentary deputies. And
that is being felt in the party administration as well. In order to
eliminate the feeling, the administration is preparing for a quite
serious move in autumn. And the concern that the AKP may be closed
by relating the party with the Deniz Feneri corruption case has a
share in it. For this reason, an "Autumn Plan" is being considered
in the AKP. It will be revealed in Parliament, be brought to life
afterwards and a short- and middle-term timeline will be set. The
timeline, in a way, will give body to an AKP road map by the next
general elections. How will it be shaped?

The constitutional change is the most important part of the short-term
plan. And the most critical subtitle is "making political party
closures more difficult." With this, the AKP wants to remove the
risk of a possible closure case and to make amendments in political
parties and elections laws in a small change package. A 100 Turkey
Representative issue may be actualized. The AKP having 338 seats
in Parliament needs at least 360 votes to make necessary changes in
the Constitution. For amendments having 330 to 360 votes a popular
vote is the case. The AKP this time is even discussing going for a
referendum. And the above attempts that were not materialized, they
all are a part of the Autumn Plan.

In the autumn of 2009, the AKP is preparing for a critical
commencement. But one has the urge to ask, "Why is it the autumn of
2009?" For the plans make rumors of an "early election in 2010" more
possible. Is the AKP planning to kill three birds with one stone? To
save itself, to make democratic openings and to corner the opposition
by a rush election. We’ll see.

– The DTP might turn ‘hawkish’

The "hawks" and "doves" fight in the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society
Party, or DTP, has flared up in the Central Executive Committee meeting
this week. The hard-liner Emine Ayna and moderate Ahmet Turk differed
about withdrawing an appointment request from Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdoðan. "Let’s not withdraw it" insisted Turk as Ayna and her
friends drag afoot for canceling the appointment request. The hawkish
wing won and the request was withdrawn. That shows if the government
cannot take any solid stance in the solution of the Kurdish issue, the
DTP may becp,e toughened under the influence of the hawkish wing. And
Turk’s power may not be enough to prevent this hard-liner stance.

– Human Rights Emergency Service!

Turkey’s human rights grade has always been low. In order to make a
change, Parliamentary Human Rights Commission President Zafer Uskul has
reached a decision. The commission will continue to work even after
Parliament is adjourned for summer. "We’ll continue work during the
holiday. Petitions and applications are still coming in. In the human
rights area, situations that may require our immediate interference
may occur. For this reason, we’ll work in summer." The commission
members are joking with Uskul, "Human Rights Emergency Services are
on duty around the clock."

The National, UAE
June 29 2009

Armenia memories burn bright

Daniel Bardsley, Correspondent
Last Updated: June 28. 2009 9:44PM UAE / June 28. 2009 5:44PM GMT

ASHNAK, ARMENIA // Nearly a century after her family fled what was
then Western Armenia, Haykanush Manukyan does not have any good words
to say about Turks.

The 75-year-old great-grandmother, who lives in this village 70km from
the Armenian capital, Yerevan, describes them as `traitors’.

`I think only bad things about Turks,’ she said through an
interpreter. `They killed us, they committed genocide.’

Her comments indicate how charged emotions are in Armenia regarding
Turkey, even though the government has held talks with its neighbour
about establishing diplomatic relations and opening their shared
border.

Armenia, however, said it would establish diplomatic relations with
Turkey even without the latter recognising the Ottoman-era massacre as
`genocide’.

Mrs Manukyan, a widow, said her own grandparents died amid the killing
of Armenians under the Ottomans during the First World War.

`Only my father and uncle [escaped],’ she said. `My father was only
three years old and he managed to end up here. My uncle ended up in
Syria or Lebanon.’

Many of the other residents of Ashnak are also descended from
residents of Sason or Sasun as it used to be known, a district of what
was then Western Armenia. This area, which is now in eastern Turkey,
south-west of Lake Van, contained dozens of Armenian villages.

Every year on April 24, the date on which Armenians remember what they
describe as a genocide, the people of Ashnak light a fire on the top
of a hill near the village.

In another indicator of the attachment villagers have to what they
call their homeland, upstairs in the village church is a museum to
Gevorg Chaush, a celebrated former Sason resident who led the
resistance to the Ottoman authorities and was killed in 1907. There
are countless paintings of the mustachioed fighter, in some of which
he is posing with his rifle.

Among the many in the village who admire the resistance of Chaush is
Ghazaryan Husik, 51, a gardener. He said his grandparents `escaped the
massacres’ and eventually ended up in Ashnak.

`We speak a lot about it,’ he said, referring to the genocide, which
has been recognised as such by more than a dozen countries, although
not by Turkey, much to the disquiet of Armenians.

`Every day we speak about it. Armenians suffered like Jews, but our
case is more difficult because we lost our historical homeland.’
Another villager keen to visit the former Western Armenia is Aharon
Ghukasyan, 32, also the descendant of a former Sason resident. His
feelings about the possible opening of the border are mixed, though.

`Armenia maybe wants this border reopened because of economic
conditions, only for this reason.’

`Also, many people want the border to open so they can see the country
of their grandparents.’

If Turkey and Armenia do strike a deal, Mr Ghukasyan said he would
definitely `go to see the country of my grandparents. But I don’t know
how I would feel if I got there and saw Turks around me.’

In the nearby village of Davtashen, Rafik Sargsyon, 61, said `it will
be good’ if the blockade, which dates to 1993, is lifted. `If they
recognise the genocide and we have the opportunity to go and look
after our lands, it’s something,’ he said, speaking in the front room
of his spartan home. `It will moderate my feelings.’

Living where they are now is harder than it would have been in the
former Western Armenia, Mr Sargsyon said, because the land is less
fertile than he was told it was there.

`We heard from our grandparents the land was very good there. They
missed the land there. They would say: `we wish we could just drink
the water of our country and die’.’ The family, like most of those
around them, are poor and their houses simple.

While some descendants of those who fled what is now eastern Turkey
are keen for the border to open so they can visit the area, others are
angrily opposed to any rapprochement with Turkey.

Among them is Mrs Manukyan in Ashnak. She fears the consequences if
more Turkish people visit Armenia.

`No question, I don’t want the border to open. Whatever bad things
they have will come here.’

[email protected]
ional.ae/article/20090629/FOREIGN/706289886/1002

RUSSIA MUST RESPECT GEORGIA’S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
25.06.2009 18:20 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "To restore Russian-Georgian ties, Moscow should
first of all recognize and respect Georgia’s territorial integrity,"
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili announced in Yerevan. "From
the first day of my presidency, I offered helping hand to Russia for
establishing cooperation. No country in the world has so far recognized
South Ossetia and Abkhazia’s independence. Besides, Russian initiative
towards elaborating new European Security Architecture did not find
any support," Georgian President said. Despite complicated relations
with Russia, Georgian leadership creates no obstacles for contacts
between two countries’ peoples. "As long as I am Georgia’s President,
I won’t allow any hatred campaign between two nations," Saakashvili
said, adding that Georgia enjoyed international community’s support,
with "Eastern Partnership" initiative being a fair example of that.

BTA BANK LAUNCHES MASTERCARD SERVICING IN BTA ATMS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
26.06.2009 13:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ BTA Bank CJSC launches MasterCard international
payment system cards’ servicing in BTA ATMs, the bank’s Press Service
reported.

Thus, BTA ATMs will be servicing ArCa, MasterCard è VISA plastic
cards. VISA cards servicing will be conducted jointly with Converse
Bank CJSC.

Being the full successor of the "International Investment Bank" CJSC,
BTA Bank was established in 1991.

The bank is the strategic partner of "TuranAlem" JSC , "BTA Bank"
(Russia), "BTA Bank" CJSC (Belarus), Òåìiraaíe (Kazakhstan), Kazakhstan
(Georgia), Omsk-Bank (Russia), PC AKB Bank BTA-Kazan (Tatarstan),
PC AgroinkomBank (Russia), CJSC "BTA-Bank" (Kyrgyzstan) As of 31
March 2009: total capital – 5 573 087 thousand dram, the assets –
9 850 961 thousand dram, the liabilities – 4 277 874 thousand dram.

ARMENIA FUND BUILDS SCHOOL FOR ARTSAKH’S VAGHUHAS AND KHNKAVAN COMMUNITIES

armradio.am
25.06.2009 11:08

The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has begun construction of a community
school in Vaghuhas, a village in Nagorno Karabakh’s Martakert
Region. The project is financed by benefactor Samvel Aleksanyan,
the government of Nagorno Karabakh, and a number of donors.

The planned two-story school will serve both Vaghuhas and the
neighboring Village of Khnkavan, accommodating 240 students.

"Since Vaghuhas was devastated during Artsakh’s war of liberation,
we’re very hopeful that this school will both boost local education
and mark a new beginning for the recovering community," said Ara
Vardanyan, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s executive director.

On his part, Vaghuhas mayor Garegin Gharakhanyan described the school
project as a much-welcome and confidence-building initiative for the
some 700 residents of his community. He also expressed hope that the
momentum of infrastructure restoration will continue in Vaghuhas and
the village will soon regain its former vibrancy.

To date, the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund has implemented a slew
of critically urgent community-development projects throughout
Martakert. For instance, with support raised through the 2005 Telethon
and contributions by various donors, the fund has built schools in
the villages of Drmbon, Kochoghut, Verin Horatagh, and Mataghis,
and constructed a water main in Martakert and water pipelines in
Vaghuhas and Vank.

THREE YEARS OF ZHAMANAK DAILY’S EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ARMAN BABAJANIAN’S IMPRISONMENT TO BE MARKED ON JUNE 26

Noyan Tapan
June 25, 2009

YEREVAN, JUNE 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Protectors of freedom of expression
will mark the third year of Zhamanak daily’s editor-in-chief Arman
Babajanian’s imprisonment with an action of protest to be organized
on June 26 at 12:00 before President’s residence.

A number of media heads’ June 25 joint statement mentioned that
over three years various human rights and journalist organizations
have been calling for immediately releasing opposition newspaper’s
editor-in-chief.

In consideration of all illegal and ungrounded rejections to
suspendedly release him ahead of the schedule over three years,
the statement authors record that with acts of violence used by
the authorities to A. Babajanian in 2006 and to various media
representatives since then and going on up to the present are only
the first link of the general policy being ruled from a common center.

"The Armenian authorities failed to understand that repressive methods
and violent actions towards freedom of expression and human rights
deliver a terrible blow to our country’s international rating. The
highest instances forcedly silencing freedom of expression failed to
understand that any step exerting pressure upon freedom of expression
considerably damages Armenia’s international authority, causes
serious doubts on Armenia’s adherence to democratic and universal
values. Our country has assumed fulfillment of these commitments
before authoritative international structures," the statment read. It
was signed by A1+ company director Mesrop Movsesian, Haykakan
Zhamanak newspaper editor Hayk Gevorgian, Aravot newspaper editor
Aram Abrahamian, 168 Hours newspaper editor Satik Seyranian, Hayk
newspaper editor Gegham Nazarian, Taregir newspaper editor-in-chief
Vasak Darbinian, Lragir.am website editor Haykaz Ghahriyan, and
Zhamanak newspaper’s editorial staff.

ERICSSON LAUNCHES INTERACTIVE TELEVISION IN ARMENIA FOR UCOM

Noyan Tapan
June 24, 2009

YEREVAN, JUNE 24, NOYAN TAPAN. Within the framework of the agreement on
cooperation with Universal Communications (UCOM), Ericsson presents a
high-quality interactive television to the Armenian viewer. According
to the press service of Ericsson company, under this agreement Ericsson
will provide its IP television solutions and the GPON fiber-optic
technology to Ucom.

Thanks to IP television, the viewer can use the same interactive
opportunities as when using a computer: chat, web television and
access to social media networks.

IP television subscribers have an access to a specialized
multifunctional portal. This service is based on the Gigabit Passive
Optical Network (GPON) technology, which will also be delivered by
Ericsson. The introduction of the new technology will start in July.

BUSINESS REGISTER IN STATISTIC OBSERVATION RESULTS

NKR Government Information and Public Relations Department
June 22, 2009

In January-March, 2009, the NKR National Statistic Service carried
out an investigation of juridical persons and private entrepreneurs
aimed at modernizing, completing the database of the business register
conducted in accord with the programme of the NKR state statistic
activities of 2009. The aim of the investigation was to get information
on activity types (main and secondary types), quantity of employees,
founders and executive officers, registration and operation addresses
of the organizations and private entrepreneurs functioning in the
Republic, as well as on indices of the revenue formed by the results
of their activity, on funds directed to the payment of wages and on
other indices necessary for conducting the business register of the
NKR National Statistic Service.

The investigation embraced 2892 juridical persons and 3291 private
entrepreneurs. 63.0% of the organizations and 45.0% of private
entrepreneurs registered in the Republic, 69.6% of the operating
organizations and 46.5% of private entrepreneurs , 59.8% of the
non-operative organizations and 45.8% of private entrepreneurs, 59.8%
of the unrevealed organizations and 37.1% of private entrepreneurs
fall to Stepanakert city.

According to the acquired results, in the period of survey, 32.8% of
the organizations were operative, 31.4% of them were non-operative,
35.8% were not revealed. The functioning private entrepreneurs
formed 54.0% of the whole, the non-functioning ones – 32.2% and those
unrevealed – 13.8%.

The investigations found out that ultra-minor organizations
formed 54.7% and minor organizations 32.9% of the whole. Middle and
large-scale organizations formed correspondingly 5.2 % and 7.2%. 99.3%
of the functioning private entrepreneurs were ultra-minor, 0.6% –
minor and 0.1% – middle entrepreneurs.

According to the measures determining the duration of operation
in 2008, the investigations revealed that 81.4% of the operative
organizations functioned more than 9 months, 3.2% of them – 6-9 months,
7.8% – 3-6 months and 7.6 % – within a time-limit of 3 months, 12.5%
of private entrepreneurs functioned up to 3 months, 9.5% – 3-6 months,
6.1%- 6-9 months, and 71.9% of them – within a time- limit of 9 and
more months.

Consent to rendering the information collected on themselves to
other bodies or third persons in case of inquiries was given by 7.7%
of the operative organizations and 29.2% of private entrepreneurs.

According to the results of the investigation, the limited liability
company served as a legal- organizational form for the prevailing part
of the operative organizations and formed 70.6% of the whole. Joint
stock companies (both closed and open) formed 20.8% of the whole
or amounted 197 organizations. Meanwhile, closed joint stock
companies formed 97.5% of all the joint stock companies. Other
legal-organizational forms (industrial co-operatives, private
enterprises or state enterprises) totally formed 8.6% of the whole.

Mainly citizens performed like founders of organizations: the
total quantity of organizations belonging to them like private
property formed 69.3 percent or (658 organizations) of functioning
organizations.

The total number of organizations belonging to juridical persons
with the right of private property formed 24.0 percent, to state 5.9
percent and to communities 0.8 percent.

In the result of observation it became clear that 81.8 percent of the
organizations were occupied with only one type of activity and 18.2
percent with two and more.80.7 percent of the salary payment fund
fell to large-scale, 11.1 percent to small, 4.7 percent to middle and
3.5 percent to ultra small organizations. An index higher than the
level of an average monthly salary was recorded only in large-scale
organizations: 109.0 percent; an average monthly nominal salary formed
62.1 percent of an average republican index, 93.3 percent-small and
90.7 percent in middle organizations.

According to the results of observation, during the accounting
period men formed 57.8 percent of acting private entrepreneurs,
women-42.2 percent.

86.7 percent of acting women-entrepreneurs are occupied in trade,
4.0 percent in rendering communal, private and other services, and
3.9 percent in the sphere of catering organization.

DID ZARUHI POSTANJYAN TURN TO HER AZERI PACE COLLEAGUES FOR HELP?

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
24.06.2009 19:10 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In his conversation with PanARMENIAN.Net reporter,
Armenian PACE Delegation Chairman David Harutyunyan confirmed the
fact that Armenian Delegation representative, Heritage MP Zaruhi
Postanjyan approached Turkish and Azeri MPs with a request to put
their signatures under changes to PACE resolution for Armenia.

"Two of Azeri and Turkish Delegation representatives signed the
document. A proposal on rehabilitation of March 1-2, 2008 events’
Evidence Collection Group with the involvement of international experts
was already voiced at yesterday’s meeting," David Harutyunyan stated.

David Harutyunyan gave a highly negative assessment to Zaryhu
Postangyan’s step. "Zaruhi Postanjyan’s actions in PACE, where the
behavior of Azeri and Turkish delegations is well known, were utterly
inappropriate," he noted.

VTB BANK AWARDS BRAND AWARENESS DIPLOMA TO VTB BANK ARMENIA

ARKA
June 22, 2009

YEREVAN, June 22. /ARKA/. The VTB Bank OJSC has awarded the VTB Bank
Armenia) a diploma "High brand awareness level on the local market"
to the VTB Bank (Armenia).

The bank’s press service reported that the VTB Bank (Armenia) was
awarded the diploma in the POWER BRAND category for its achievements
in brand extension in 2007-2008 (57% spontaneous awareness), as well
as in raising the brand loyalty level.

The diploma was signed by Board Vice-Chairman, VTB Bank (OJSC)
V. Titov.

Vice-President, Head of the Advertising and Marketing Section, Public
Relations and Marketing Department, VTB Bank, E Mamsurova awarded the
diploma and a souvenir to a representative of the VTB Bank (Armenia)
at the summing-up of the 10th sitting of the Brand Management and
Marketing Communications Department, VTB Bank, on June 19.

The VTB Bank (Armenia) (until June 20, 2006, Armsavingsbank CJSC)
joined the VTB Group in April 2004. The bank is currently fully owned
by the VTB Group.

As of March 31, 2009, the bank’s assets totaled 105.8bln AMD,
liabilities 81.9bln AMD, total capital 23.9bln AMD and authorized
capital 13.8bln AMD.