Author: nina hovnanian

AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN MEDIA CHIEFS PLAN TO MEET IN MOSCOW

APA
Oct 24 2012
Azerbaijan

Armen Smbatyan: “We will try to hold this meeting by the end of
this year”

Moscow. Farid Akberov – APA. Azerbaijani and Armenian media chiefs
plan to meet in Russia’s capital within the framework of humanitarian
initiative to bring closer the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities
with the view of supporting the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, former Armenian ambassador to Russia, Director of the
Intergovernmental Fund of Humanitarian Cooperation of CIS Armen
Smbatyan told APA’s Moscow bureau.

According to him, such meetings help to bring closer the communities
of the two countries: “We will try to hold this meeting by the end of
this year. We organize the meeting of media chiefs, as they have more
information. They are closer to the society. We must help to establish
atmosphere of confidence in the societies of the two countries.”

The recent meeting was held at the editorial office of “Rossiyskaya
qazeta” on June 4. The meetings are being held on the initiative
of Russian President’s Special Envoy for International Cultural
Cooperation Mikhail Shvydkoy.

OSCE CHIEF DISAPPOINTED WITH LACK OF PROGRESS IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH PEACE PROCESS

Vestnik Kavkaza
Oct 24 2012
Russia

OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier has expressed concerns with
lack of progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, Interfax
reports.

He reminded that 28 people have been killed at the region this year.

Zannier added that efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group (Russia, France
and US) will continue.

The OSCE chief believes that the sides of conflict lack political
will needed to resolve the problem. He emphasized that the sides had
been reminded in New York about the need to start negotiations to
prevent escalations.

HENRIKH MKHITARYAN: SHAKHTAR IS ON THE RISE, WE MUST KEEP IT UP

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 24, 2012 – 21:55 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenia and Shakhtar Donetsk FC midfielder Henrikh
Mkhitaryan commented on Shakhtar’s victory against Chelsea FC.

“Chelsea has a good squad, but we succeeded in scoring a goal,” the
player said, stressing the need to move faster and display attacking
football in the Champions League.

“There are no weak rivals. All the teams are equally strong. However,
the players must master attacking techniques. We did our best to win.

Our team is currently on the rise, and we must keep it up. We still
have a lot to accomplish,” Mkhitaryan said.

ARF-D REP SAYS GOVERNMENT NOT ABLE TO RAISE MINIMAL SALARY SHOULD BE WAVED GOODBYE

tert.am
24.10.12

If the government is not able to create 17 billion drams which
will give opportunity to bring to life Armenian Revolutionary
Federation-Dashnaktsutyun’s initiative to raise the minimal salary,
this government should be waived goodbye, ARF-D MP Artsvik Minasyan
said at the discussion of the bill on making changes in Minimal
monthly salary law.

Commenting on the statement, ruling Republican party’s faction head
Galust Sahakyan said one of the speakers wished goodbye to the
government “which gives us hope that he wants to see them again,
as this word means see you. It is a word expressing longing, love.”

ARMENIAN OMBUDSMAN~RS RAPID RESPONSE GROUP VISITS PROTESTING PRISONERS

Panorama.am
25/10/2012

Armenian Ombudsman’s Rapid Response group visited prisoners in
Nubarashen prison, who expressed protest against their convictions
through media, according to the Facebook page of Armenian Ombudsman’s
Administration.

Members of the Rapid Response Group say that all 4 prisoners have
announced hunger strike. Two of them have sewed their mouth and one
has cut his finger. They failed to see the fourth prisoner as he was
attending trial on his case, said the report.

The prisoner who cut his finger said that he received no medical aid
after the injury.

The prisoners presented separate applications to the Ombudsman.

OPPOSITIONIST: ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES NEED MUCH MONEY TO KEEP POWER

arminfo
Thursday, October 25, 17:34

The structural reforms which the government of Armenia is going to
make in the obligatory accumulative pension system, pass the stages of
wide public discussions and political consultations in the civilized
countries, as such a step changes much in the life of people, a deputy
of the parliament from the opposition Armenian National Congress,
Nikol Pashinyan, said in the parliament today.

But in Armenia the government has been taking efforts to give
citizens as less information as possible what it has been preparing
to its citizens, he said and added that the authorities are trying
to pock citizens’ pocket once again, this time through application
of the obligatory system of accumulative pension. At present we have
an income tax and social payments which are separately directed to
payment of pensions to the current pensioners. But this system will
change for 90%. Starting 1 January 2013 social payments and income
tax will become a single tax. According to the draft budget 2013, as a
result of application of a single tax, the budget revenues will grow
by 21 bln drams ($51 mln). The draft budget 2013 foresees decrease
of expenses for social sphere, he said and added that these $51 mln
will go the unknown direction. These $51 mln are only for 2013, and
staring 1 January 2014, the people which were born after 1 January
1974 will pay not only a single income tax but also a new tax which
is called a payment on the obligatory accumulative pension.

Pashinyan said that these people will pay 5% from their salary to
the obligatory accumulative pension. But where these sums will be
kept till the pension age of these citizens?- he asked. They will be
transferred to the investment pension funds, which before reaching of
the pension age by a citizen, will direct the funds to circulation with
a purpose to increase them, he said and added that these investment
pension funds have not been created yet and will be created in 2013 and
citizens will be forced to trust their money to the unknown companies
which have no experience in this sphere. Moreover, these funds may
bankrupt. In that case, the state budget will guarantee returning of
the lost money, he said and reminded that citizens themselves form
a state budget. In other words, if the money is lost, we ourselves
will pay for that, the oppositionist said and added that such funds
will belong to individual persons which will get a status of legal
persons. He also predicted that our money will be de-facto managed by
the persons with a family name Sargsyan (president of Armenia -edt)
and Minasyan (the president’s son-in-law).

“It is already for a long period of time that the economy of Armenia
is in stagnation and the power is unable to reanimate it. And the
authorities need money, much money so that to preserve their power,
as this power is based only on money. For this reason, they have taken
an attempt to pick the people’s pocket. Starting 2014, the power will
transfer 40 bln drams to its relatives every year. A part of these
funds will be created at the expense of the population and another
part – at the expense of budget”, – Pashinyan said.

EXPERT: OSCE MINSK GROUP OFFICE SHOULD BE OPENED IN NAGORNO KARABAKH

arminfo
Thursday, October 25, 16:05

Armenian authorities should give a proper, weighted and adequate
response to Azerbaijan’s actions, Karen Bekaryan, Head of the European
Integration public organization, told media in Yerevan, Thursday. He
said that Armenia can make a tough open statement or toughen its
diplomatic stance or combine the both approaches.

As for the upcoming meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign
ministers with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs in Paris on October
27, the expert said that the Armenian party should raise the issue
of strict guarantees of security for NKR and Armenia. Bekaryan said
that at the upcoming meeting the two parties should analyze where they
have stopped and in what direction should move. Bekaryan thinks that
the two ministers may agree to organize a meeting of the Armenian
and Azerbaijani presidents. He said that Armenia should spotlight
the situation after extradition of Ramil Safarov, and raise the
issue of immediate withdrawal of snipers from the line of contact,
setting up a group to investigate into the incidents on the line of
contact and insist on opening of an OSCE MG office in the territory
of NKR to keep the situation in the region under control.

THE REBELS KILLED A PRIEST NEAR DAMASCUS

ARMENPRESS
OCTOBER 25, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 25, ARMENPRESS. The terrorists have assassinated
Pastor of Mar Elias Church of Greek Orthodox Church Fadi Haddad
in Qatana town in Damascus after days of abduction. As reports
“Armenpress”, citing Syrian SANA agency, the rebels kidnapped him
in New Artouz village on October 18. Greek Orthodox Patriarchy of
Damascus announced that the body of Father Fadi Haddad was found near
Drousha area on Damascus-Quneitra highway, sustaining a gunshot wound
to the head. Another source is telling that before killing him the
rebels held him to a huge ransom.

Syrian armed forces opened fire on the rebels, that were trying to
enter the Syrian region of Telkallakh through the Lebanese border. The
Armed Forces discovered a large amount of explosives and weaponry in
the region of Homs hidden inside the big tyres.

Facebook profiles of the Armenians from Aleppo say that a huge
explosion took place in Jdide district of Syria near the French-Syrian
hospital. There are many victims and injured people, but there is
no information about them. There have been clashes in Arakub, Kustul
Harami, New Village, Bab al Hadid regions. Also there is information
that the Free army left districts of Ashrafie and Jalaa.

The Spokesman of the Armenian National Primacy Jirair Reisyan said that
explosions and shooting can easily be heard in the Armenian districts
of Aleppo from the early morning of October 25. The Christian districts
of Aleppo have been under attack in the evening of October 24.

ARMENIAN INDEX IS THE BEST AMONG CIS COUNTRIES IN DOING BUSINESS 2013

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 25, ARMENPRESS: In World Bank Doing Business 2013
Armenia is ranked among Western European countries, following
Netherlands, Belgium and bypassing France. ” In the course of
the recent years intensive work is being carried out aimed at
improving business and investment climate, reportedly current rate
of improvement shows that progress. These indexes are being improved
two years incessant and this is already a qualitative change. Whether
Armenia still has much room to develop in the spheres it has recovered
visible progress ” Tigran Davtyan, Minister of Economy of the Republic
of Armenia stated, Armenpress reports.

Armenia is the best among CIS countries in the frame of improving
its positions. Kazakhstan having improved its position by 7 points is
followed by Armenia, 49 th position, Moldova 83 position, Russia 112
position, Ukraine 138 position, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan reportedly
141-145 positions.

Armenia is ranked as the second in the region after Georgia. In
comparison with the previous year Azerbaijan has retreated by one
position. Turkey and Iran have also jointly retreated their positions.

Armenian progress is due to investment, small business advocacy and
serious reforms recorded in other areas.

We must not be satisfied with 32 position Tigran Sargsyan , Prime
Minister of the Republic of Armenia came forth in the course of
Government session. By the instruction of Armenian PM the list of the
actions aimed at improving investment and business climate should be
enhanced and reached the target point thus to be ranked in the 20nd
position in World Bank’s International Financial Corpporation report.

According to International Financial Corporation of the World Bank
Armenia has improved its position by 18 points.

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NA VICE-SPEAKER HAILS CZECH RESOLUTION OVER AZERI AXE-KILLER RELEASE

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 25, 2012 – 15:25 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian National Assembly deputy speaker Eduard
Sharmazanov held a telephone conversation with the vice-chairman of
the Senate of Czech Republic, PÅ~Yemysl Sobotka.

Sharmazanov highly assessed the resolution over Azerbaijani axe-killer
Ramil Safarov’s release issued by the Czech Committee on Foreign
Affairs, Defense and Security.

He further voiced hope for effective cooperation between the
parliaments of the two countries.

Sobotka, in turn, said that Czech parliament attaches great importance
to human rights protection and promotion of democratic values, voicing
readiness to further deepen bilateral inter-parliamentary relations.