Ankara Et Moscou S’Entendent Pour Construire Une Centrale Nucleaire

ANKARA ET MOSCOU S’ENTENDENT POUR CONSTRUIRE UNE CENTRALE NUCLEAIRE
Stephane

armenews
14 mai 2010
TURQUIE

La Russie a signe mercredi a Ankara un accord avec la Turquie pour
la construction de la première centrale nucleaire turque, un projet
salue par le president russe Dmitri Medvedev comme le symbole des liens
"strategiques" qui unissent les deux pays.

"Cet accord ouvre une nouvelle page dans notre cooperation", a declare
après la signature de l’accord M. Medvedev, lors d’une conference de
presse conjointe avec le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"Nos discussions aujourd’hui ont montre que la Turquie et la Russie
sont des partenaires pas seulement dans les mots, mais serieusement",
a-t-il poursuivi.

Le memorandum sur la construction et l’exploitation d’une centrale
nucleaire a Akkuyu, sur la côte mediterraneenne turque, etait l’un
des quelque 20 accords signes mercredi par les deux pays, pour un
montant total d’investissements estime par M. Medvedev a 25 milliards
de dollars (19,7 milliards d’euros).

"Ca a l’air vraiment impressionnant", a-t-il commente.

M. Erdogan a indique que la construction debuterait après la
ratification de l’accord par les Parlements des deux pays et
prendrait sept ans. Un consortium mene par la societe d’Etat
russe Atomstroyexport avait deja remporte un appel d’offre pour la
construction d’une centrale de 4.800 megawatts a Akkuyu, mais la
procedure a ete annulee l’an dernier a la suite d’une decision du
Conseil d’Etat turc.

L’accord signe mercredi "est un très gros contrat", a declare a des
journalistes Sergueï Kirienko, le directeur general du geant russe du
nucleaire Rosatom. "Le prix approximatif d’un tel projet est d’environ
18 a 20 milliards de dollars".

M. Kirienko a indique que la Russie serait proprietaire de la centrale,
en ne detenant "pas moins qu’une part assurant le contrôle".

"Il s’agit d’une situation nouvelle", a-t-il estime. "La Russie n’avait
jamais auparavant possede de centrale nucleaire hors de son territoire
(…) Pour nous, il s’agit d’un contrat extremement important".

M. Erdogan a souligne qu’il avait discute avec M. Medvedev
de la cooperation dans le domaine energetique, et notamment de
l’approvisionnement en gaz et en petrole des marches europeens via
la Turquie.

Il a cite le projet russe de gazoduc South Stream, qui ambitionne
d’alimenter l’Europe en contournant l’Ukraine, et la proposition
turque de construire un oleoduc entre les ports turcs de Samsun,
sur la mer Noire, et Ceyhan, en Mediterranee, pour desengorger le
detroit du Bosphore.

"Nous sommes determines a faire ce pas", a dit M. Erdogan au sujet
du Samsun-Ceyhan, ajoutant que le projet serait complete par la
construction d’une raffinerie a Ceyhan. Le coût du projet a ete evalue
a trois milliards de dollars par des responsables russes.

L’an dernier, la Turquie avait obtenu des assurances de la Russie
concernant l’approvisionnement de cet oleoduc, en echange de
l’autorisation pour les Russes d’effectuer des recherches dans les
eaux territoriales turques en mer Noire, par lesquelles Moscou souhaite
faire passer son gazoduc South Stream.

M. Erdogan a annonce que la Turquie et la Russie se fixaient pour
objectif un volume d’echanges annuels de 100 milliards de dollars
d’ici cinq ans.

Un autre accord important, concernant la levee des visas entre les
deux pays pour les sejours inferieurs a 30 jours a egalement ete
signe mercredi.

Les echanges russo-turcs ont explose depuis la chute du communisme,
pour atteindre 22,9 milliards de dollars en 2009. La Turquie achète
60% de son gaz a la Russie et accueille chaque annee plus d’un million
de vacanciers russes sur ses plages.

Manuk Vardanyan Briefed Donor Organizations On Priority Programs In

MANUK VARDANYAN BRIEFED DONOR ORGANIZATIONS ON PRIORITY PROGRAMS IN RA TRANSPORT SPHERE

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 14, 2010 – 19:28 AMT 14:28 GMT

On May 11-13, Tbilisi hosted conference entitled Transportation
Perspectives in South Caucasus.

At the conference, Armenian Minister of Transport and Communication
Manuk Vardanyan briefed international donor organizations on priority
programs in RA transport sphere.

Conference participants were familiarized with a number of projects,
including North South highway and railway construction, Yerevan
-Fioletovo railway road and Yerevan -Tbilisi railway bridges
reconstruction.

Representatives of donor organizations involved in transport sphere, in
turn, presented priority investment directions for the next few years.

Russian President’s Visit To Turkey Not To Affect Armenian-Turkish P

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT’S VISIT TO TURKEY NOT TO AFFECT ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROCESS

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 13, 2010 – 14:37 AMT 09:37 GMT

Russian President’s visit to Turkey will not affect Armenian-Turkish
process, according to expert Yervand Bozoyan.

"Turkey hopes Moscow will compel Yerevan to make concessions on
Karabakh. It doesn’t give up the intention to join talks either.

Nevertheless, Russian-Turkish relations are economy-oriented and
will not represent a menace unless Yerevan goes wrong in regional
processes," he said during a joint news conference with political
analyst Alexander Markarov.

For his part, Mr. Markarov said that despite Turkey’s aspiration to
penetrate into the Karabakh process, it’s premature to speak of any
changes in the OSCE Minsk Group format.

At the same time he warned that Russian-Turkish economic ties may
transform into strategic partnership. "The two countries are rapidly
developing economic relations, which can pave the way for resolution
of political issues," Markarov said.

RA Defence And Foreign Ministers Take Part In North Atlantic Council

RA DEFENCE AND FOREIGN MINISTERS TAKE PART IN NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL MEETING BY NATO-ARMENIA FORMAT IN BRUSSELS

NOYAN TAPAN
May 12, 2010
BRUSSELS

RA Defence Minister Seyran Ohanian and Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian take part in the North Atlantic Council meeting by
NATO-Armenia format on May 12 in Brussels. The annual report on
estimation of the Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Actions Plan
will be discussed, RA Defence Ministry press service told Noyan Tapan.

BAKU: "Washington Can Put Pressure On Armenia To Free Azerbaijani Te

"WASHINGTON CAN PUT PRESSURE ON ARMENIA TO FREE AZERBAIJANI TERRITORIES, BUT DOES NOT DO IT"

Today
67737.html
May 12 2010
Azerbaijan

Day.Az interview with Azerbaijani political expert Fikrat Sadigov.

A couple of days ago OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs tried to organize a
meeting between Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers. But the
Azerbaijani side made clear it did not intend to hold a meeting for
the sake of meeting and Baku expects Yerevan to voice its attitude
towards the updated Madrid principles. What are your comments on
current situation?

I am very encouraged by Azerbaijan’s refusal to meet with the Armenian
side on day of anniversary of Shusha’s occupation. Thus, Azerbaijan
makes everybody to reckon with it. The Azerbaijani side has accepted
the updated Madrid principles and now expects Yerevan to reveal its
reaction to them. I think it is worthwhile to take a pause in talks
until Armenia does so.

Accepting the updated Madrid document, Azerbaijan has demonstrated
to the world community willingness to compromise. It should be noted
that these principles do not fully meet Azerbaijan’s interests.

Nevertheless, we have approved them in a hope that in the future we
will be able to solve some of the details that need clarification. In
turn, Armenia behaves rude and stupid. Dragging out the settlement
process, Yerevan behaves like a dog in the manger, thus risking the
loss of it last trump card in the negotiations.

How do you assess the action of the OSCE Minsk Group in respect to
Yerevan which delays a response to the updated Madrid principles,
foundation document for a peaceful solution?

I think precisely the OSCE should take the blame for Yerevan’s current
position. They should be interested in adoption of this document by
the two sides of the conflict. But the mediators do not demonstrate
this interest in the Karabakh negotiations undermining credibility
of the OSCE Minsk Group. The paradox is, small country like Armenia
undermines the authority of the great powers that mediate in peaceful
settlement of the Karabakh conflict. Of course, if the talks see no
progress, Azerbaijan will be forced to resort to military force. We
have a time limit and do not intend to tolerate more than that.

How do you assess the importance of Turkish-Russian relations in our
region as a whole and Azerbaijan in particular?

Turkey is a strategic ally of Azerbaijan, and Russia is our partner,
with whom relations are growing stronger day by day. Therefore,
Azerbaijan is very interested in development of Moscow-Ankara ties.

Lately, the U.S. has acted extremely inconsistent with respect to
Azerbaijan for some reason. It’s quite strange, considering the fact
that Baku, for example, has supported Washington in Afghanistan.

Afghan and Iraqi examples show that Washington can achieve its goals
when it really wants it. So, with regard to Armenia, the White House
has a resource to put pressure on Armenia to return the occupied
territories. But the United States does not want to do it. Given all
this, Moscow is closer to us both geographically and politically. I
believe that the development of Russian-Turkish relations can
positively affect the fair resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

http://www.today.az/news/politics/

BBD Licensing Tender To Be Held In Armenia July 20

BBD LICENSING TENDER TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA JULY 20

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 12, 2010 – 14:10 AMT 09:10 GMT

The Armenian government will debate introduction of amendments to
the RA Law On TV and Radio.

"The amendments concern transfer to digital data broadcast (BBD), what
will allow to secure efficient usage of coverage area, unification
of information networks and compatibility of technical tools," RA
Deputy Economy Minister Ara Stepanyan told a news conference on May 12.

For her part, legal expert Rosa Stepanyan said that the experience
of various countries was taken into account while developing the
draft bill. "Digital data broadcast network is a integral system of
multiplexers and relevant infrastructures which enable TV and radio
broadcasting. The system will be state-owned," she said.

Licenses will be issued though tenders. "The first tender will be
held on July 20, 2010. 18 TV channels will be selected, with licenses
taking effect January 20, 2011. The transition period will last till
July 20, 2013. The next tender will be held in 10 years," Stepanyan
said, adding that 4 radio stations will also be digitized.

Armenia’s GM Successfully Starts At Champs In Kirishi

ARMENIA’S GM SUCCESSFULLY STARTS AT CHAMPS IN KIRISHI

Aysor
May 10 2010
Armenia

Armenia’s Grand Master Samvel Ter-Sahakian has a successful start at
the Chess Championship, entitled "World’s Young Stars", taking place
in Russian town of Kirishi.

A spokesperson for the Armenian Chess Federation told journalists
that 12 strong chess players are among contestants at the champs,
among them 5 grand masters. The tournament is a round robin event.

Pilgrimage To Sourp Magaravank

PILGRIMAGE TO SOURP MAGARAVANK

Gibrahayer

Sunday 9 May 2010 – The Office of the Representative of the Armenian
Community, Mr Vartkes Mahdessian, in co-operation with the Armenian
Prelature of Cyprus, organised last Sunday 9 May 2010 the third
visit-pilgrimage to the Sourp Magar Monastery (Magaravank). The first
time was on 6 May 2007, when Armenian Cypriots visited the occupied
Armenian Monastery as a community after 33 years. According to the
Representative’s Office, around 200 Armenian Cypriots visited the
monastery on Sunday, some of whom came especially from abroad.

The monastery was founded by Copts around the year 1000 AD and in 1425
it was inherited by the Armenians. It is dedicated to Saint Makarios
the Hermit of Alexandria and it is located in the eastern part of the
Turkish-occupied Pendadhaktylos at an altitude of 550 metres and a
small distance from Halevga, within the Plataniotissa forest. The vast
land of the monastery, which is over 8.000 donums, includes 30.000
olive and carob trees, extends up to the sea and is known to be
picturesque and idyllic. From the monastery one can see the Taurus
mountain range in Cilicia, which is right opposite.

The Armenian Monastery had been for centuries a popular pilgrimage for
Armenians and non-Armenians and a place of recuperation for Catholicoi
(Patriarchs) and other clerics from Cilicia, Jerusalem and Armenia, as
well as a popular centre for local and foreign travellers and for
pilgrims en route to the Holy Land. Furthermore, the monastery was
used as a summer resort, where Armenian scouts and students would
camp, including students of the Melkonian Educational Institute, many
of whom were orphans of the Armenian Genocide. A large number of
exquisite and priceless manuscripts, dating back to 1202, as well as
other valuable ecclesiastical relics were housed there. Fortunately,
in 1947 some of them were saved when they were transferred to the
`Cilicia’ museum of the Catholicosate of Cilicia.

The Magaravank is the only Armenian monastery in Cyprus and together
with the church of the Virgin Mary in occupied Nicosia, it is the most
important Armenian church monument on the island. It was occupied in
1974 during the Turkish invasion and ever since it remains at the
mercy of nature, silent, ruined, desecrated and deserted, awaiting for
its rightful owners to return.
Vartkes Mahdessian

– Prayers in Saint Magar Monastery here

– RIK 1 report here –

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyyi9xbiWTc
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR-Ke0G99OI

Armenie : Il Y A De Graves Problemes Au Niveau Des Droits Des Travai

ARMENIE : IL Y A DE GRAVES PROBLEMES AU NIVEAU DES DROITS DES TRAVAILLEURS, SELON LA CONFEDERATION SYNDICALE INTERNATIONALE
par Stephane

armenews
vendredi7 mai 2010
ARMENIE

Un nouveau rapport de la Confederation syndicale internationale
(CSI), sur les normes fondamentales du travail en Armenie, publie
pour coïncider avec l’examen, par l’Organisation mondiale du commerce
(OMC), des politiques commerciales du pays, revèle que des mesures
supplementaires sont necessaires pour que l’Armenie satisfasse aux
engagements qu’elle a pris lorsqu’elle a rejoint l’OMC, notamment a
Doha, au travers de la Declaration ministerielle de l’OMC de 2001,
de la Declaration de l’Organisation internationale du Travail (OIT)
relative aux principes et droits fondamentaux au travail de 1998 et
de sa Declaration sur la justice sociale de 2008.

L’Armenie a ratifie les huit conventions fondamentales du travail
de l’OIT. La main-d’oeuvre a le droit de rejoindre et de creer des
syndicats independants de leur choix a l’exception des travailleurs
des forces armees et des organismes charges de l’execution des lois.

Du reste, les fonctionnaires n’ont pas le droit de participer aux
negociations collectives, ni au dialogue social. Pourtant, dans la
pratique, la plupart des travailleuses et des travailleurs ne peuvent
exercer leurs droits de se syndiquer et de negocier collectivement
en raison d’un assouplissement du code du travail et de la tolerance
gouvernementale envers la proportion très elevee d’emplois informels.

Le rapport etablit en outre que le droit de grève est prevu sauf
pour les fonctionnaires, mais il est en fait très limite. Il n’y a
pratiquement plus eu de negociations collectives ni de conventions
tripartites au niveau national depuis 2009, date a laquelle une
première convention a finalement ete signee entre les partenaires
sociaux.

La legislation du travail armenienne prevoit l’egalite entre femmes et
hommes en matière de remuneration et d’emploi. Pourtant, malgre cette
egalite au regard de la loi, les femmes et les hommes ne beneficient
pas des memes droits dans la realite et les cas de discrimination
sont courants. Selon le rapport, il existe un important ecart salarial
entre les hommes et les femmes en Armenie.

Le travail des enfants est interdit pas la loi et l’âge minimum
pour travailler est 16 ans. Pourtant, les enfants sont autorises a
travailler dès 14 ans avec l’autorisation d’un parent ou d’un tuteur.

Le travail des enfants est present en Armenie et bon nombre
travailleraient dans des activites informelles dans l’agriculture ou
en tant que marchands ambulants.

La legislation interdit le travail force et obligatoire, y compris
pour les enfants, ainsi que toutes les formes de traite des etres
humains. Neanmoins, des femmes et de filles seraient victimes de la
traite a des fins d’exploitation sexuelle ; des hommes en seraient
aussi victimes et forces de travailler, surtout dans le secteur de
la construction. Le gouvernement a progresse au niveau des poursuites
des trafiquants et de l’aide apportee aux victimes. La Confederation
syndicale d’Armenie a concu un projet pour fournir des conseils
juridiques et d’autres informations aux Armeniens qui ont l’intention
d’aller travailler a l’etranger et pour organiser les travailleurs
qui projettent de migrer dans le but de renforcer la protection des
travailleurs armeniens migrants a l’etranger.

Stepan Safaryan: Turkey Can Instigate Azerbaijan To Launch Hostiliti

STEPAN SAFARYAN: TURKEY CAN INSTIGATE AZERBAIJAN TO LAUNCH HOSTILITIES

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 6, 2010 – 15:50 AMT 10:50 GMT

The Protocols on normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations are not
frozen but thrown into a wastebasket, according to Stepan Safaryan,
head of the Heritage parliamentary group.

"Initially, the Protocols were aimed to weaken the Azeri-Turkish
tandem," he told a news conference in Yerevan on May 6. "With
suspension of the ratification process in the Armenian parliament,
Armenian-Turkish rapprochement can finally fail."

Safaryan also said that under the circumstances, tensions in the
Karabakh process will grow.

"Turkey uses the Karabakh problem as a tool to gain political
dividends in regional issues but it can instigate Azerbaijan to launch
hostilities," he said.

As to Armenia’s domestic problems, he did not rule out conduction of
early elections.