Author: Taslakhchian Andranik

DATE MAY BE AGREED FOR N.-KARABAKH SUMMIT – MEDIATOR

Interfax
March 3 2009
Russia

The presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan could hold their next meeting
within the next few months, said Bernard Fassier, French co-chairman
of the Minsk Group, an Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) body mediating in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Fassier told a news conference in Yerevan that he and the other co-
chairmen, who represent Russia and the United States, would visit
Baku on Tuesday to negotiate the date for such a meeting.

Fassier hailed a recent meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, between the
Armenian and Azeri presidents but deplored documents on the Nagorno-
Karabakh problems that Azerbaijan has disseminated at the United
Nations.

The Group’s American co-chairman, Matthew Bryza, insisted that a
solution to the problem be based on the principles of non-use of force,
territorial integrity and self-determination.

The co-chairmen rejected the idea of a military solution to the
conflict.

IMF TO APPROVE ARMENIA’S APPLICATION FOR 28-MONTH STAND-BY ARRANGEMENT OF 540 MILLION USD

Noyan Tapan

M arch 4, 2009

YEREVAN, MARCH 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The Managing Director of the IMF
Dominique Strauss-Kahn will recommend that the IMF Executive Board
approve Armenia’s application for a 28-month Stand-By Arrangement
of 540 million USD. In his March 3 announcement, he substantiated
this decision by the fact that in response to the negative impact of
the global financial and economic crisis, the Armenian authorities
developed a viable and reliable economic program for addressing the
problems related to deterioration of Armenia’s external prospects,
restoration of trust in currency and the financial system, and
protection of the poor section of of the population.

According to a press release of the IMF, the Executive Board is
expected to convene a sitting at the end of this week in order to
discuss the program.

After approval, Armenia will be able to receive immediately about
239 million USD.

A comprehensive package of policy was worked out by Armenian
authorities that have consulted with IMF experts. The package envisages
return to a floating exchange rate regime (allowing for the exchange
rate to change in accordance with the fundamental principles of
market in order to protect the economy from external shocks and keep
the foreign currency reserves), a policy supporting the monetary,
tax-budgetary and financial sectors as well as targeted structural
reforms. According to the IMF, Armenian authorities are also taking
measures to neutralize the economic decline and reduce the impact of
the economic crisis on the poor section of the population.

In the words of D. Strauss-Kahn, the resolute measures of Armenian
authorities substantiate the exceptional level (400% of Armenia’s
quota) of accessibility of IFM resources and deserve support of the
international community.

MEASURES TO PROTECT LOCAL PRODUCTION CANNOT BE EFFECTIVE WHEN MOST OF SECTORS OF NATIONAL ECONOMY ARE PERSONIFIED

ArmInfo
2009-03-03 09:38:00

ArmInfo. The measures to protect the local production cannot be
effective when most of the sectors of the national sectors are
personified, the member of the parliamentary group of Heritage part
Vardan Khachatryan said during a press-conference today.

When we grant privileges to a certain sector we grant them to a
certain person and we have no guarantees that the latter will act in
the interests of the state.

To remind, in Dec 2008 the Armenian Parliament adopted an amendment
to the law on excise tax stipulating 100% and 50% raise in excise
tax on imported alcohol. In Mar 2009 the parliament approved a new
amendment suggesting reducing the excise tax on imported beer from
120 AMD to 105 AMD per 1 liter and on other imported alcohol from 780
AMD to 600 AMD. The excise tax on alcohol of local production is 380
AMD per 1 liter.

ARMENIA TO MARK ELECTION UNREST ANNIVERSARY

Press TV
Feb 27 2009
Iran

Armenia’s opposition party prepares to mark the first anniversary of
the deadly clashes which followed last February’s disputed elections.

At least eight protesters and two police officers were killed and
scores of others were injured in the March 1 unrest in the capital,
Yerevan.

The opposition is reportedly planning to hold an unsanctioned rally
on Sunday, demanding the release of opposition supporters jailed
after the clashes.

The clashes were the deadliest since the break-up of the Soviet Union
in 1991 despite the country’s record of frequent civil conflicts.

The opposition believes the reaction to the February 19th elections
last year was a clear sign of pending unrest.

"The current internal political situation is like a volcano waiting
to erupt," AFP quoted, Armen Martirosian, a member of the opposition
Heritage Party.

A recent report by the Human Rights Watch (HRW) criticized the
authorities for conducting only a "one-sided" investigation into the
actions of police in quelling the demonstrations.

"A year after, what happened on March 1 is still unclear. However
it is clear that police used excessive force [against
demonstrators]. Unfortunately the investigation has been only
one-sided," said Giorgi Gogia, the New York-based group’s Caucasus
researcher in Tbilisi.

"Clearly, there were instances where police used legitimate means of
policing, but also some of the force seemed arbitrary and excessive,"
Gogia added.

AZERBAIJAN DISRUPTS OSCE MONITORING

ArmInfo
2009-02-26 12:28:00

ArmInfo. Regular OSCE monitoring was scheduled to be held on 26
February at the line of contact between the armed forces of Nagornyy
Karabakh and Azerbaijan nor far from Horadiz inhabited locality of
Fizuli region.

As press-service of the NKR Foreign Ministry told ArmInfo, from
the very beginning of the monitoring a single shot sounded from the
Azerbaijani party towards the positions of the NKR Defence Army, from
which the OSCE monitoring was being held. Then volley of automatic
gunfire sounded from the Azerbaijani party, which passed to the left
from the monitoring group, then another single shot was made towards
the mission. Personal representative of the OSCE chairman-in-office,
Andrzej Kasprzyk, ordered to stop monitoring.

Moreover, the Azerbaijani party did not let the OSCE Monitoring
Mission to visit the arranged point of its front line once again.

POLITICAL SCIENTIST ARMEN AYVAZIAN: ARMENIAN-TURKISH CONFLICT WILL NOT BE SOLVED BY WATCHING FOOTBALL

Noyan Tapan

F eb 24, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. Since Armenia’s independence
up to the present Turkey has been carrying out aggressive, harmful
actions to the Armenian state, which permit to conclude that Turkey
is in a conflict with Armenia. Political scientist Armen Ayvazian,
the Director of the Ararat strategical center, stated at the
February 24 press conference. According to him, Turkey carries
out the above mentioned actions simultaneously at ten levels –
conceptional-terminological, political, historic-political,
legal-political, information-psychological, economic, cultural,
military, protection of rights of the Armenian minority living in
Turkey, and splits emerging between various parts of Armenians.

According to A. Ayvazian, Armenia’s 15-year blockade, complete
assistance to Azerbaijan, consistent efforts to settle Meskhetian
Turks in Javakhk, and others are among Turkey’s anti-Armenian actions.

"The RA foreign policy disregards many of Turkey’s above mentioned
actions," A. Ayvazian said. According to him, instead of counteracting
to Turkey’s anti-Armenian projects or working out opposite projects
Armenia’s state figures use the expression "our brave colleagues"
when speaking about the Turkish figures. "If we continue like this,
it will result in a national disaster," the political scientist said
adding that the Armenian-Turkish conflict will not be solved through
individual meetings, especially by watching football.

TENDER FOR MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM OF CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW NUCLEAR UNIT IN ARMENIA ANNOUNCED

ARMENPRESS
Feb 23, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, ARMENPRESS: The open tender of management
services has been announced for implementation of the program of
construction of new Nuclear Unit(s) in the Republic of Armenia. The
tender which has been announced by the State Procurement Agency will
be held in one round. The bidder which will be recognized the winner
in the tender will in a fixed order be suggested to sign a contract
of state purchase of "Management services for implementation of the
program of construction of new nuclear energy blocks in Armenia".

The time of implementation of the contract will be from the day it
(the contract) enters into force till the end of implementation of its
commitments. Everyone irrespective of nationality, organization and
citizenship may present applications for participation in the tender.

Applications to the tender must be presented to the State Procurement
Agency (54/b, Komitas avenue, Yerevan) 115 room within 60 days
after the day following to the publication of the announcement
by 14:30 o’clock. They must be formed in Armenian Russian and/or
English. The whole text of the announcement is available in
website.

ARMENIA SHOULD COOPERATE MORE ACTIVELY WITH THOSE MARKETS, WITH WHICH IT HAD TRADITIONAL LINKS

Noyan Tapan

F eb 23, 2009

TSAKHKADZOR, FEBRUARY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. "The time for regional
cooperation has come, and it is necessary to cooperate more actively
with those markets, with which Armenia had traditional links," the
chairman of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia
Arsen Ghazarian stated during the "Kamurj 2009" international economic
forum held in Tsakhkadzor on February 21-23.

Besides, according to him, more active cooperation should be
established with the countries with large and influential Armenian
communities. "The government’s economic assistance program attaches
special importance to support for export-oriented enterprises. These
steps and the financial problems of big "players" in the international
market may enable us to make our export-related potential more flexible
if we organize the export process more correctly and manufacture more
competitive production, if we do not become desperate and manage to
enter foreign markets confidently," he said.

A. Ghazarian pointed out agricultural produce processing, production
of mineral waters, cans, brandy and wines as the traditional exporting
branches. He expressed a hope that after a decline because of the
global economic crisis, the mining industry will recover in a few
months if international prices normalize a bit.

TURKISH FM DOWNPLAYS PENAL CODE CHAPTER ON INSULT OF TURKISH NATION

Baltic News Service
February 23, 2009 Monday 3:06 PM EET

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said in Vilnius on Friday that
the provisions of Turkey’s Penal Code stipulating punishment for
insulting the Turkish nation should not be given prominence. He spoke
at a meeting with students of the Vilnius University in response to
a question about the compatibility of the Penal Code chapter with
declared loyalty to European values.

The minister noted that the article had been amended last year and
now stipulated that charges under the article could only be brought
with prior consent of the justice minister. Asked whether the changes
were not just cosmetic, Babacan said: "We are not perfect." The
minister also said that the Justice and Development Party he is a
member of was against any restriction of liberties, including that
of expression of thoughts. Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code
stipulates imprisonment for insulting Turkey, its state institutions
or the Turkish nation. Earlier version of the article also envisaged
punishment for offending "Turkishism", a concept revised into "Turkish
nation" on April 30 2008. Furthermore, maximum imprisonment term was
curtailed from three to two years, with a necessity to get approval
of the justice minister for bringing charges under the article. Suits
under the article have been filed, among others, against Nobel Prize
winner Orhan Pamuk amd Armenian-origin Turkish journalist Hrant
Dink who was assassinated by radical Turkish nationalists in early
2007. Vilnius newsroom, +370 5 2058511, [email protected]

PanARMENIAN.Net

Aram I: We urge Turkey to recognize Armenian Genocide
21.02.2009 16:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On February 19, 2009, Mrs. Rakel Dink, the widow of
assassinated Agos editor Hrant Dink visited His Holiness Aram I at the
Spiritual Centre of the Armenian Orthodox Church in Antelias, Lebanon.

Mrs. Dink informed His Holiness of the circumstances of the
assassination of her husband on January 19, 2007 in Istanbul, and the
procedures adopted by the criminal court in Turkey to judge
17-year-old assassin Ogun Samast and his accomplices.

At the end of the audience, His Holiness Aram I declared,
â??The Armenian Genocide is a historical fact. We demand that
Turkey takes responsibility for the acts of genocide planned and
executed by their forefathers.â??

Mrs. Dink and the other guests offered their prayers at the Memorial
to the one and a half million victims of the Genocide.