Author: Taslakhchian Andranik

PREMIER SEES BIG POTENTIAL IN OUR RELATIONS WITH KOREA

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16:59:25 – 12/02/2010

Today, the Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan met with the Korean
ambassador to Armenia Li Kiu-Hen. Tigran Sargsyan said sure that
there is great potential in different spheres of relations between
Armenia and Korea.

The premier considered necessary the setup of a legal field, direct
communication between enterprisers, creation of joint enterprises and
promotion of investments by Korean companies in Armenia, etc. Tigran
Sargsyan underlined that considering the rich experience of Korea in
projecting and constructing railways, the Armenia-Iran railway could
represent some interest for Korean companies. The prime minister highly
assessed a series of assistance programs of the Korean government
to Armenia.

TURKISH ENTERPRISERS IN ARMENIA

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13:44:01 – 12/02/2010

The American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia (AmCham) and The Economic
Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV), with the support of the
U.S. Embassy Yerevan, hosted a panel discussion on "Turkish-Armenian
Relations and Cross-Border Regionalism" on Friday, February 12.

Panelists for this event included Armenian Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan, U.S. Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch and TEPAV’s President,
Professor Guven Sak (TEPAV).

The roundtable discussion brought together representatives of the
corporate sector on both sides of the border to better understand
the role of business in developing relations between the neighboring
countries, as well as economic and business opportunities that may
arise with an open border between Turkey and Armenia.

Professor Sak delivered the keynote presentation: "Turkey’s
Experience of Economic Liberalization and Cross-Border Regionalism
and the Role of the Private Sector in the Development of Relations
with its Neighbors." The event was attended by representatives of
major business associations, international organizations, diplomatic
missions, and the Government of Armenia.

About TEPAV

The Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV –
), based in Ankara, is a private, nonpartisan,
nonprofit think tank devoted to independent research in the areas
of economic policy, governance and foreign policy and is financially
supported by the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchange of Turkey
(TOBB). TEPAV, as a major Turkish policy oriented research institute,
has been enriching content of the public policy debates and has
contributed to the establishment of platforms and dialogue mechanisms.

Representatives of TEPAV are visiting Yerevan February 10-12 for
meetings with business and government officials, non-government
organizations and others involved in the promotion of cross-border
cooperation.

ARMENIA’S CHESS PLAYERS AT AEROFLOT OPEN 2010 CHAMPS

Aysor
Feb 12 2010
Armenia

After round three, Vietnam’s Kang Lim at 3 points leads the
International Chess Festival Aeroflot Open 2010, which is held in
Russian capital from February 8 to February 19 2010.

Armenia’s Arman Pashikian, Hrant Melkumian, and Sergei Grigoriants are
at 2 points each; Gabriel Sarkisian is at 1,5 points; Zaven Andriasian
earned a point.

Artur Gabrielian at 2,5 points is one of the leaders in Tournament
A2, half a point ahead of Tigran Kotanjian, David G. Petrosian,
and Melikset Khachiyan.

Tigran Simonian in Tournament B earned 3 points and is a half-point
behind the leader.

David Shaginian and Levon Karamian lead in Tournament C after winning
in all four rounds, a spokesperson for Armenia’s Chess Federations
said.

EUROPEAN EXPERT: EVEN IF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT RATIFIES ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS, ONE CAN HARDLY EXPECT EQUIVALENT RESPONSE FROM TURKISH PARLIAMENT

Trend
Feb 10 2010
Azerbaijan

Even if the Armenian parliament ratifies the Armenian-Turkish
protocols, we can hardly expect an equivalent response from the
Turkish parliament, Central Asia-Caucasus Institute at Johns Hopkins
University Director Svante Cornell said.

"Even if the Armenian parliament ratified the Armenian-Turkish
protocols, we can hardly expect an equivalent response from the Turkish
Parliament, as the ratification of the protocol by Turkey is directly
linked to advances in resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,"
he told Trend News over the telephone.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has today tasked its administration
to send the Armenian-Turkish protocol to the parliament for
ratification in the coming days.

The Armenian President informed about this in his speech at the
Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, the Mediamax
special correspondent reported from London.

According to Cornell, one must take into account the fact that if
the Armenian parliament ratified the protocols, it will be another
step to increase pressure on Turkey, which seeks Yerevan.

"Pressure on Turkey will grow, but despite this, Ankara is unlikely to
continue the process of normalization of the Turkey-Armenia relations
without solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," he said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the
occupied territories.

AZERBAIJANI POLITICAL SCIENTISTS: ARMENIA TRIES TO MANEUVER ON RATIFICATION OF PROTOCOLS

Trend
Feb 10 2010
Azerbaijan

>>From the beginning, Yerevan has been maneuvering, playing a
sophisticated game in connection with the normalization of relations
with Ankara, Fikret Sadikhov, independent political analyst, told
Trend News, commenting on the statement by Armenian president Serj
Sargsyan in London.

The Armenian parliament will ratify the protocols on the normalization
of relations with Turkey only after Turkish lawmakers ratify,
the president of Armenia said today, making a speech at the Royal
Institute of International Relations. At the same time, today he
ordered to send the Armenian-Turkish protocol for ratification by
the national assembly of the country in the coming days.

"Armenia is interested in opening borders, but at the same time
it tries to retain the advantages in order not to face with the
indignation of the Armenian community, diaspora after opening of the
borders," said Sadikhov.

He believes that eventually Sargsyan’s maneuvers will not lead to
anything. "The Armenians take a waiting position, but they do not
expect the ratification of protocols from Ankara. The reason for
this is that Armenia plays a dirty game, which is that after signing,
Armenia amended the protocol at the Constitutional Court," said the
political analyst.

According to him, this says that the ratification of the protocols
will not take place because, even if Armenia unilaterally ratify with
the amendments, the document will not have any effect.

According to another Azerbaijani political scientist Oktay Sadihzade,
the dialogue between Ankara and Yerevan was implemented and continues
under pressure from the superpowers. According to him, from the first
day it was evident that there is no will of their peoples, and up to
now, they are not ready for dialogue.

"Under the laws of Armenia, the Constitutional Court’s decision
prevails, it has higher status than protocols. And it gives powers to
the president of Armenia to withdraw his signature. All these are done
in order not to undertake any commitments," said the political analyst.

The analyst views the situation as complex and under the pressure of
Washington and the EU.

The Turkish side also miscalculated, said Sadihzade. According to
him, Turkey was convinced that Armenia has no good will to resolve
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

VARDAN ISRAELYAN: DASHYAN, ONE OF MOST TALENTED FOOTBALLERS OF ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.02.2010 13:10 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Midfielder of Yerevan FC Banants Artak Dashyan has
signed a three-year-contract with Donetsk Metalurg.

"He is one of the most talented footballers of Armenia, " or two years
", FC sports director Vardan Israelyan said, the official site of
Metallurg wrote.

Artak Dashyan (Born on November 20, 1989 in Yerevan, Armenia) is an
Armenian football midfielder, currently with Ukrainian Premier League
club Metalurg Donetsk. He is also a member of Armenia and Armenia
U-21 national teams. Dashyan is the silver medalist of Armenia in
2007, Armenian Cup 2007 holder and the Armenian Cup finalist in 2008
and 2009.

US PLAYING DIRTY AGAINST TURKEY

news.az
Feb 8 2010
Azerbaijan

Vafa Guluzade Political scientist Vafa Guluzade commented on the US
policy in the region.

"It was clear from the beginning that the United States are playing
dirty against Turkey, Ahmed Davutoglu is right when saying that it
is impossible to blackmail Turkey. Unfortunately, Washington has
chosen this tone in the relations with Turkey. But this may affect
the US itself", said political scientist Vafa Guluzade, commenting
on statements by Turkish Foreign Ministry Ahmed Davutoglu who said
the discussion of the "Armenian Genocide" in the US Congress is an
element of pressure on Ankara.

"The United States behave as a Christian extremist in the relations
with Turkey and Azerbaijan. They close eyes on the criminal regime in
Armenia that has occupied the Azerbaijani land. They spoil relations
with Turkey and Azerbaijan on purpose. If this continues, that is the
US recognizes ‘genocide’, Turkey will spoil all ally relations with the
United States, drive them away from Injirlik, strengthen cooperation
with Russia and Iran and I do not rule out possible accession to
CSTO and establishment of the military alliance with Moscow. As for
Azerbaijan, it will always be near its strategic partner, Turkey
Therefore, the Americans will get such a geopolitical configuration
in the region, which will not be useful for them", he said.

As for whether the United States do not understand the gloomy
picture that may establish in the region in terms of their policy,
the political scientist noted that they do it either on purpose or
for their foolishness.

"They seem to be willing to deal with Turkey after ending with Iran.

But they do not understand that they will have a single front while
holding such a policy which does not promise them anything good",
the political scientist noted.

He said the United States also deceived Ankara "first promising Turkey
to turn it into a regional leader and settle the Karabakh conflict
in exchange for opening borders. But in the result Ankara received
unilateral pressure of the US side in the issue of border opening.

Armenia does not recognize the territorial integrity of Turkey or
discussion of genocide. Today Armenia is an aggressor not only against
Azerbaijan but also against Turkey.

The US intention aimed at opening borders with Armenia is aimed to
cause split within Turkey, worsen the Kurdish issue and destabilize
the internal political situation in the country. This is what the
United States are going to do", Guluzade said.

ARFD OBJECTS TO NEW TAX BILL

news.am
Feb 8 2010
Armenia

The bill introducing new local taxes the RA Government submitted
to Parliament gave rise to considerable debate by not only the
Opposition, but also some coalition forces, namely, the Prosperous
Armenia Party (PAP) and Country of Law Party factions, Artsvik
Minasyan of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun)
(ARFD) told reporters.

He presented a number of reasons for the ARFD’s objections to the
bill introducing ten new local taxes. "We object to the principles of
setting the taxes. Is this proposal in harmony with the Government’s
policy of equal regional development, and whether there is no political
implication," Minasyan said. He stressed that the four basic reasons
for the ARFD’s disagreement are: economic basis, social reasons,
prospects of equal regional development and political implications.

Minasyan expressed the confidence that the Government has once more
proved that "it is submitting a poorly drafted bill to Parliament."

"Although at Parliament Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan’s request the
Government postponed the discussion of the bill, but this period is
not sufficient, and this package needs rearranging," Minasyan said. He
added that a number of taxes provided for by the bill are currently
in effect in Azerbaijan.

At its last four-day session, the Armenian Parliament discussed a
new tax package submitted by the Government.

22 ARMENIAN CHESS PLAYERS TO TAKE PART IN AEROFLOT-OPEN

Panorama.am
17:50 05/02/2010

22 Armenian chess players will take part in the Aeroflot-Open chess
festival due in Moscow, Russia February 9-17, Armenian Chess Federation
reported.

GMs Gabriel Sargissian, Arman Pashikian, Zaven Andriasian, Hrant
Melkumyan (Armenia), Sergey Grigoriants (Russia), Yuriy Hayrapetian
(Ukraine) are taking part in the main, the A1 tournament.

GMs Tigran Kotanjian, Davit G. Petrosian (Armenia), Melikset Khachiyan
(USA), Artur Gabrielian and FM Poghos Nahapetian (Russia) are among
the participants of the A2 tournament.

REPORTS OUTLINE MODERN PHYSICS RESEARCH FROM V.H. BABAYAN AND COLLEAGUES

News of Science
January 24, 2010

"The elastic and viscous properties of vortex lattice in ceramic YBaCuO
are studied by the measurements of ac response U in the cavity of
the hollow cylinder placed in the magnetic field H aligned along the
cylinder’s axis. It is observed that the U(H) dependence is reaching
saturation with increase of magnetic field," scientists writing in
the International Journal of Modern Physics B report.

"We interpret this effect by nonlocality of the vortex lattice
elastic constants. Based on the analysis of the response dependence
on excitation frequency, we conclude that vortex lattice deformation
vector decreases at higher frequencies. The amplitude-frequency
characteristics of the response indicate that vortices perform over
damped oscillations," wrote V.H. Babayan and colleagues.

The researchers concluded: "The estimated damping coefficient value
exceeds the evaluation by Bardeen-Stephen theory."

Babayan and colleagues published their study in International Journal
of Modern Physics B (DYNAMIC DEFORMATION OF VORTEX LATTICE IN THE
HOLLOW SUPERCONDUCTING YBaCuO CYLINDER. International Journal of
Modern Physics B, 2009;23(27):5261-5273).

Additional information can be obtained by contacting V.H. Babayan,
Armenian National Academy Science, Institute Radiophys & Electrical,
Solid State Laboratory, Ashtarak 2, Yerevan 0203, Armenia.

The publisher of the International Journal of Modern Physics B can
be contacted at: World Scientific Publ Co. Pte Ltd., 5 Toh Tuck Link,
Singapore 596224, Singapore.