Author: Tamamian Anna

GEORGIAN, ARMENIAN ECONOMY MINISTERS DISCUSS TIES

Rustavi-2 TV
July 19 2009
Tbilisi, Georgia

[Presenter] The Georgian economy minister met his Armenian counterpart
today. The meeting between Lasha Zhvania and Nerses Yeritsyan was held
at the Tbilisi Marriott Hotel. Economic relations between the two
countries were discussed at the meeting. The Armenian minister will
later visit Akhalkalaki [ethnic Armenian-populated region of Georgia],
where the construction of a new road connecting Georgia with Armenia is
under way within the millennium programme. The official delegation from
Armenia led by the economy minister arrived in Georgia today. Yeritsyan
will also meet the Georgian regional development and infrastructure
minister [Davit Tqeshelashvili].

[Economy Minister Nerses Yeritsyan, speaking in English with Georgian
translation superimposed] This is an important project, which is
supported by international organizations, and they are ready to finance
it. We have started to repair the Armenian section of the road. Today,
we will discuss the ongoing work. The project is capable of attracting
large investments to the two countries and the entire region.

Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency, Almaty
July 17 2009

Kazakh leader sends condolences to Iranian, Armenian counterparts over
air crash

Astana, 17 July: Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has sent a
telegrams of condolence to the presidents of Armenia and Iran, Serzh
Sargsyan and Mahmud Ahmadinezhad respectively, over the crash of the
Caspian Airlines company’s aircraft, the [Kazakh] presidential press
service has said.

"I was with great regret I learned of the tragic news about the death
of Armenian citizens and countrymen. On behalf of the Kazakh people
and myself personally, I express deep condolences to the relatives and
close ones of those untimely deceased, as well as to the friendly
people of Armenia," Nazarbayev’s telegram to Sargsyan said.

At the same time, in his letter to Ahmadinezhad, Nazarbayev expressed
his "deep condolences to the people of Iran, relatives and close ones
of those who died", the Kazakh president’s press service said today.

RECOGNITION OF NKR INDEPENDENCE IS ARMENIA’S ULTIMATE GOAL

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
17.07.2009 18:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Prosperous Armenia party has its own position on the
issue, according to which the NKR cannot be a part of Azerbaijan,
a land link between Armenia and Karabakh must be ensured, and
international guarantees of Nagorno karabakh people security must
be given Â", Aram Safaryan , secretary of the Prosperous Armenia
parliamentary fraction told today’s press conference in Yerevan.

Talking about declassified Madrid principles, he stressed that the
party positively estimates activities of the OSCE Minsk Group, and
noted that only the principles agreed between the parties are only
disclosed only, but there are other, yet inconsistent principles,
which are important for the Armenian diplomacy.

According to Aram Safaryan, the declassified document contains an
important principle of self-determination of Karabakh’s people,
which allows Armenia to negotiate further. The MP noted that the
ultimate aim of Armenia is the recognition of independence of Nagorno
Karabakh in exchange for "something", and in this case, Armenia can
make some concessions.

He also mentioned that Armenia will not sign any document at the
expense of the independence of Karabakh.

On the question of journalists on the inclusion of Karabakh in the
negotiation process, he replied that NKR will participate in talks
at the stage where, without their participation negotiations would
be impossible to carry out.

HEAD OF THE PRESIDENT’S ADMINISTRATION K. KARAPETIAN CONDUCTS A WORKING CONSULTATION ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ANTI-HAIL SYSTEM IN THE REPUBLIC

ARMENPRESS
July 17, 2009

YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS: Head of the President’s Administration
K. Karapetyan conducted a working consultation on designing a program
of establishment of an anti-hail system in the republic.

Presidential press office told Armenpress that Armenian Emergency
Situations Minister Mher Shahgeldyan conditioned the necessity for such
a project by the circumstance that Armenian geographic and climate
conditions are favorable for harmful precipitations, and agriculture
endures great harms because of the absence of the integral system of
confrontation to those phenomena.

The head of the President’s Administration underscored the public,
social great resonance of the issue noting that it is in center of
the President’s direct attention.

In the result of proposals, comments and remarks on the program the
participants of the consultation came to a conclusion that first of
all the works ought to be arranged in experimental version; to conduct
pilot programs by making an efficient use of the current oportunities,
estimate their advantages and disadvantages, and only after it to
speak about the complex program

NOTHING CAN ALIENATE DIASPORA FROM ARMENIA

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
18.07.2009 11:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Nothing can alienate Diaspora from Armenia, actress
Arsine Khanjian said.

"As a representative of Diaspora, I think that Armenians across
the globe should coordinate activities for resolution of numerous
problems," she told reporters in Stepanakert.

"The danger does not come from Turkey or Azerbaijan. It originates
in ourselves. We have failed to develop a common position yet but
Armenia is the center of gravity for Diaspora," she said.

LARISA ALAVERDYAN: NO DOCUMENT WILL BE SIGNED A S A RESULT OF THE SARGSYAN-ALIYEV MEETING
Lena Badeyan

"Radiolur"
16.07.2009 17:22

Commenting on the Madrid Principles, Secretary of the Heritage faction,
MP Larisa Alaverdyan told a press conference today that the very
first principle – the return of territories – evidences that the
negotiation process has deviated from the true path.

Larisa Alaverdyan considers that Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham
Aliyev will not sign any document in Moscow. According to her, any
document will not have force unless the opinion of the publics of
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh is taken into consideration.

"The Madrid Proposals are not a step back. It’s lost game for all
Armenian authorities ever since independence," Larisa Alaverdyan said,
adding that the core of the talks has not changed ever since 1992,
although the faces and some clauses have been altered.

ARMENIA MAY ESTABLISH DIAMOND EXCHANGE AT ZVARTNOTS AIRPORT

July 15 2009

The Armenian government has voiced its intention to establish a
diamond and jewellery exchange to serve its local market, due to the
substantial growth of this sector over the past decade both locally
and internationally.

The necessity of creating a diamond exchange in the country was
first raised in 2003 by representatives of the jewellery sector,
who felt that the lack of a viable bourse impeded the activities of
jewellery companies.

The World Federation of Diamond Bourses says it welcomes the initiative
and looks forward to opening communication channels with the Armenian
authorities. The country has also been invited to participate in the
2009 Presidents’ Meeting that will take place November 15 in Antwerp.

Gagik Kocharyan, head of the trade and market efficiency department
of the Armenian Ministry of Economy, says the creation of a diamond
and jewellery exchange in the Armenian capital Yerevan would give
the country an opportunity to play a more serious role in the
region. Initially, it is envisioned that the exchange will operate
within a free trade zone at Zvartnots airport.

MEMORANDUM WILL GIVE NEW IMPETUS TO COOPERATION

NKR Government Information and Public Relations Department
July 07, 2009 Print

Today, in the NKR Government hall of session, a memorandum on
cooperation between the NKR and the RA State Committees of Immovable
Property Cadastre was signed by responsible officials of the two
structures. According to Andranik Khachatryan the Chairman of the NKR
State Committee of Cadastre, the cooperation will cover all spheres
of the system. The structures have been cooperating on some provisions
of the signed memorandum long since.

There are already some achievements with regard to specialists’
retraining and technique. By the memorandum, the RA State Committee
of Cadastre has assumed an obligation, every year to improve
building conditions and to equip corresponding subdivisions of the
structure. At the same time fresh impetus will be put to relations
between subdivisions. It is anticipated to involve representatives
of Artsakh structure into international cadastre activities, and
periodically organized trainings, as well.

"The memorandum is a voluminous programme document for the forthcoming
4-5 years", Ervand Zakaryan, the Chairman of the RA Cadastre State
Committee noted, adding that for its realization serious approach
and great responsibility is needed. Due to reforms conducted during
the last 10 years this structure in Armenia turns into a valid body
and functions in accord with international standards. Ervand Zakaryan
expressed hope that in the result of experience exchange Artsakh will
also have a developed cadastre system during some forthcoming years.

After signing the memorandum, persons accompanying the NKR and the
RA Chairmen of Cadastre State Committees were received by the NKR
Prime Minister Ara Haroutyunyan. Considering relations between the
two structures exemplary, the Prime Minister expressed hope that
by signing memorandum the cooperation in the cadastre sphere of the
two Armenian republics will increase by some extent. "Contacts and
experience exchange are always efficient and give new impetus to
employees of the sphere", A.Haroutyunyan noted.

APA news agency, Baku
July 9 2009

Azeri official upbeat about forthcoming Karabakh talks in Moscow

A senior official from the ruling New Azerbaijan Party has said that
results are expected from the forthcoming meeting between the
Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents in Moscow on 18 July that will
discuss a solution to the long-standing dispute over the Nagornyy
Karabakh region, APA news agency reported on 9 July.

"Meetings are held at the level of presidents in order to achieve
results," APA quoted the party’s Executive Secretary Ali Ahmadov as
saying. "We understand results as the liberation of our occupied
territories and the return of displaced persons. If the negotiations
have intensified, and it is possible to hold meetings at the level of
the presidents, this means that some results are expected from these
meetings."

Ahmadov also described as optimistic Russia’s involvement in the
Nagornyy Karabakh settlement process, APA said.

"We hope that these meetings produce positive results," APA quoted
Ahmadov as saying. "Everyone realizes that time has come to resolve
the conflict. Stability in the South Caucasus depends on a fair
settlement to this conflict. By a fair settlement we mean ensuring
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. The settlement of the conflict in
any other manner is impossible."

In the meantime, the US co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, which
mediates a solution to the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, has said that
no framework agreement will be signed during the Moscow meeting of the
Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents, APA reported. Matthew Bryza said
that signing a framework agreement was a process that required some
time, APA said.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT WELCOMES BALANCED POLICY OF ITALY REGARDING SENSITIVE REGIONAL PROBLEMS

ArmInfo
2009-07-09 14:26:00

New Ambassador of Italy to Armenia Bruno Scapini has presented his
credential to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

As press-service of the president reported, the president congratulated
the ambassador on his appointment and expressed hope that his
activity will be effective from the point of view of development
and deepening of the Armenian-Italian relations. He said Armenia is
interested in deepening of relations with Italy. He also added that
the Armenian-Italian cooperation has good prospects of development
in the multilateral format as well.

Ambassador Scapini emphasized importance of mutual sympathy between
the two nations and the tradition of kind relations. He said he
will do everything possible to enhance partnership and to create new
opportunities. Stimulation of the trade and economic relations and
activation of top level visits will be the priority directions of
his activity, the ambassador said.

They also touched on regional problems. Armenian president welcomed
balanced policy of Italy regarding sensitive regional problems. He
again emphasized resoluteness of Armenia to resolve the existing
conflicts peacefully, as there are all the opportunities for that.

The ambassador said Italy has always supported peace processes.

Wishing luck to the ambassador President Sargsyan said he is starting
acting in the country which does not own rich natural resources but
owns rich historical and cultural heritage, and is striving to live
according to European standards, and wants to normalize relations
with its neighbours.