Author: Tavakalian Edgar

PACE CO-RAPPORTEURS FOR ARMENIA OFFER TO DISPOSE THIS COUNTRY’S VOTING RIGHTS

Azeri Press Agency
Dec 18 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Lachin Sultanova-APA. Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE) Monitoring Committee co-rapporteurs for Armenia
offer to dispose this country’s voting rights, PACE Monitoring
Committee co-rapporteur for Azerbaijan Andres Herkel, who attended
the Committee’s Paris meeting, told APA.

He said report on fulfilling of PACE resolutions 1609/1620 about
the situation of democratic institutions in Armenia was heard at the
meeting and it was concluded that the issue of political prisoners is
still topical in the country. The Committee urged its co-rapporteurs
to visit Armenia again until the January session and to learn the
situation.

Russia-Georgia relations were also on the focus of the Paris
meeting. PACE members expressed their concern over this issue. They
stated that Russia didn’t fulfill its duties to withdraw troops from
the territories not related to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, to create
opportunities for the internally displaced persons to return home,
particularly to fulfill PACE summon to eliminate its decision to
recognize Abkhazian and South Ossetian independence. Herkel said both
issues would be widely discussed at the PACE January session.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT TO IMPROVE GARNI-GEGHARD TOURIST ROUTE

ARKA
Dec 18, 2008

OSHAKAN, December 18. /ARKA/. Armenian Government approved the list
of measures for improvement of Garni-Geghard tourism route.

The Government assigned the country’s Ministry of Finance Tigran
Davtyan to provide suggestions in relation to appropriation of 29mln
Drams to Kotayk regional administration for disposal of garbage from
the route area.

Armenian Deputy Minister of Economy Mushegh Tumanyan reported
that under the government decision 11 measures are to be taken in
this respect, particularly annual repair of rockslide sections of
Yerevan-Garni-Geghard motor road, regular garbage disposal from the
road and improvement of areas adjoining the historical monuments of
Garni and Geghard.

Implementation of this program is to bring the tourist route into line
with the international standards, Armenian Premier Tigran Sargsyan
said. He also added that similar programs will be implemented in
other regions of Armenia, particularly in Siunik.

Number of tourists who visited Armenia in January-September this year
grew by 8.5% to 402,200 people against 370,700 in the same period
of 2007. ($1=308.34Drams).

SAAKASHVILI LOST WEST’S UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT

PanARMENIAN.Net
19.12.2008 15:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Georgian opposition seems to be consolidating,
an Armenian expert said.

"The incumbent leadership is experiencing serious problems. This
is certainly the result of the August hostilities and the waning
popularity of Saakashvili’s government. Moreover, Saakashvili lost the
West’s unconditional support," Sergei Minasyan, head of scientific
research department at Caucasus institute, told a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter.

"Political leaders, specifically Nino Burjanadze and Irakly Alasaniya
will take the opportunity. I suppose, much will depend on the
situation in the region. At that, the Armenian-Georgian relations
will not change," he said.

MOSCOW DECLARATION STIPULATES THAT FOR PRESENT SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH PROBLEM IS NOT POSSIBLE

NOYAN TAPAN

Dec 18, 2008
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 18, NOYAN TAPAN. In the opinion of the director
of the Caucasus Media Institute Alexander Iskandarian, the defeat
inflicted by Russian troops on the Georgian army caused a panic in
Azerbaijan, nullifying the opportunity of a military solution of the
Karabakh problem. The Armenian-Turkish contacts which, regardless
of further development of the relations of the two countries, have
already changed the situation in the region, have also contributed
to the weakening of Azerbaijan’s positions.

As A. Iskandarian said during the discussion on the subject "The
Perception of the Karabakh Conflict by Society and the Results of
the Negotiation Process in 2008", at the same time some panic moods
were recorded in Armenia as well as some political forces and mass
media outlets spoke about the inevitability of surrendering Karabakh
to Azerbaijan in the near future.

However, according to A. Iskandarian, such statements were made
not based on an analysis of the situation but from political
considerations.

The political scientist expressed an opinion that the Karabakh problem
cannot be solved thanks to volitional abilities of some persons or
forces or thanks to newly proposed solutions. It is a derivative of
the balance among numerous players and factors in the region, and only
in case of violation of that balance, a sharp change can be recorded.

In the words of the former deputy foreign minister of Nagorno Karabakh
Masis Mayilian, the Russian-Turkish rapprochement after the August
events creates a possibility of such a violation of the balance,
which is fraught with danger of a not pro-Armenian solution of the
Karabakh conflict.

As regards Georgia, in the words of A. Iskandarian, as a result of
the Russian-Georgian war, Georgia has become much weaker, and not
only from the economic and military point of view: its positions as
a stronghold of democracy in the South Caucasus have weakened, while
Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili lost his reputation for being
the most democratic president in the region.

DAVID SHAHNAZARIAN: PEOPLE IS ON THE ONE SIDE OF BARRICADES AND CRIMINAL AUTHORITIES ON THE OTHER

Noyan Tapan

Dec 17, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, NOYAN TAPAN. 2008 was turning in Armenia’s modern
history, as society being close to the civil one was formed in the
country then. David Shahnazarian, a representative of the Armenian
National Congress (ANC), expressed such an opinion at the December
17 meeting with journalists. In his words, the assertions that the
Armenian society is divided into two parts does not correspond to
reality: according to D. Shahnazarian’s formulation, the fighting
people is on the one side of the "barricades" and the criminal
authorities are on the other side.

The second achievement of the year, as the ANC representative stated,
was that the political sphere was cleaned from false opposition forces
"appointed" by the authorities. "Now it is clear who are with people
and who support the robber regime," D. Shahnazarian said. According
to him, the above mentioned achievements will inevitably lead to the
national movement’s victory.

Touching upon the foreign policy, D. Shahnazarian said that today
the authorities have serious problems at international structures,
which have emerged in consequence of their March 1 criminal actions.

PanARMENIAN.Net

RA FM: Armenia hails simplification of visa system with EU
13.12.2008 15:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met
Friday with members of the EU commission for migration headed by
Jean-Christophe Peaucelle and Francisco Bataller.

The Armenian Minister welcomed the diplomats saying that their visit
will facilitate the cooperation between Armenia and the EU. He also
hailed simplification of the visa system envisaged by the European
Partnership.

For their part, European officials said that their first visit to the
region has the purpose to strengthen cooperation and form a new basis
for cooperation via exchange of experience.

ARMENIA ABLE TO CREATE MORE FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR BULGARIAN BUSINESS – PRESIDENT

Trend News Agency
Dec 11 2008
Azerbaijan

Armenia is able to create more favorable conditions for Bulgarian
business, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said at the opening
ceremony of the Armenian-Bulgarian Business Forum in Sophia, reported
ArmInfo.

‘I think that our proposals will be interesting to Bulgarian
businessmen since the Armenian legislation is one of the most
liberal in the world. Government of Armenia does its best to promote
investments in the country. We are ready to support any programme
that involves foreign investors. I’d like to emphasize that Armenia
is rather an attractive country’, Serzh Sargsyan said.

The president highlighted that natural gas and electricity tariffs in
Armenia are among the lowest ones in the world and the construction
of a new power unit for the Armenian nuclear power plant greatly
contributes to this.

Fifteen Armenian companies participate in the business forum: Union
of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Armenia, Armenian Development
Agency, Apaven Company, Europrofile, Metex, Elit-Group, Shen-

Concern, Great Valley, Jermuk May Gortsaran, Artsakh Fruit, as well
as ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank.

TIGRANAKERT TURNS INTO AN ENCLOSURE

Hayots Ashkharh Daily
11 Dec 2008
Armenia

The town Tigranakert located on the left side of Aghdam-Mardakert
highway got the status of an enclosure.

This decision was made during the discussion of NKR budget. 35 million
drams is envisaged for the continuation of the excavations in this
town by NKR’s budget of 2009.

GEORGIA CAN RECEIVE CHURCHES IN LORI AND JAVAKHETI IN EXCHANGE FOR NORASHEN?

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.12.2008 15:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgia pursues a specific ethno-religious policy
as regards the Armenian cultural heritage, an Armenian expert said.

"In response to demands to return the Armenian churches in Georgia to
the AAC, the Georgian side sets unreasonable conditions. The latest
statement by Giorgi Andriadze, the head of the Christian Democratic
Movement of Georgia, that the Armenian churches in Lori belong to the
Georgian Orthodox Church, looks as preparation for a bargain," Vahe
Sargsyan, expert at Mitq analytical center, told a news conference
today.

The Christian Democratic Movement of Georgia held a rally in front of
the Armenian on December 11 to demand ‘return’ of Georgian churches
in Armenia.

"A dozen of Georgian monasteries are situated in the territory of
Armenia, in Lore-Tashir. Unfortunately, they have been robbed, what
proves that they belong to the Georgian Orthodox Church," said Giorgi
Andriadze. "The Georgian Patriarchate did not deliberately raise
the issue to avoid tensions and maintain the status quo. However,
the Armenian side aggravates contradictions. So, we can nothing but
demand return of our churches."

"Rumors circulate that Norashen and a number of other churches in
the Georgian territory will be returned to the AAC. In exchange,
Georgia can receive some churches in Lori and Javakheti. Georgia lays
claims to churches in Lori because of Georgian murals on their walls,"
Sargsyan said.

He also informed that representatives of the GOC and ACC met
recently in the Georgian Patriarchate and requested the Georgian
Ministry of Culture to study the situation with Norashen and take
action to determine its status. "Participation of the Armenian side
in this process is shameful since it casts doubts to belonging of
our churches," he said, adding that the initiative was nevertheless
welcomed by the Armenian Prime Minister.

"MICROSOFT" SUPPORTS "HAYPOST" IN THE IMPROVEMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURES OF ELECTRONIC SYSTEM

ARMENPRESS
Dec 12, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS: "Microsoft" company supports
"Haypost" in the improvement of infrastructures of electronic system.

Director of the Armenian office of "Microsoft" Grigor Barseghian
told Armenpress, that within the frameworks of the agreement signed
with "Haypost", "Microsoft" supports "Haypost" in using "Microsoft"
leading technologies and increasing the productivity of own resources.

"Haypost" has already got the necessary licenses for using program
packages of "Microsoft". Specialists of "Microsoft" arrived in Armenia
from Germany and Holland and got acquainted with the operation of
the new technologies in "Haypost".

The "CRM" electronic system of communication management of visitors
is planned to be implemented in the nearest future. The works are
conducted by "DOM-DENIEL" company.

Training of "Haypost" employees will also be organized. According to
G. Barseghian, the mutual visits of specialists will continue.