Author: Toneyan Mark

IF KOCHARYAN IS BACK

Lragir.am
02/02/10

Today, the coordinator of the Armenian National Congress Levon Zurabyan
stated that he does not think there is anyone in Armenia to exclude
that en economic or political crisis is possible in Armenia which
will bring about extraordinary elections.

In answer to the question what is more likely Robert Kocharyan’s
return to politics or Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s becoming president, Levon
Zurabyan said he does not consider possible Robert Kocharyan’s return.

Zurabyan said that there are so many crimes on him, and the hatred
of the Armenian people towards him is so much that his return is
really impossible. Zurabyan stated that Kocharyan’s latest visit to
Iran ordered by Serge Sargsyan proved that he is not going to return
to politics.

As to the competition between Robert Kocharyan and Levon Ter-Petrosyan,
Levon Zurabyan thinks Ter-Petrosyan has bigger chances to win.

Reporter also asked who the second person within the Congress is noting
that Nikol Pashinyan’s influence keeps enhancing. Zurabyan said that
within the HAK, everyone is soldiers, starting from Ter-Petrosyan
ending with the last activist. According to him, we appeared in a
dictatorial regime, and all need to be soldiers to fight against it
and to win it.

Armenian Genocide Descendants to Receive Compensation from AXA
Insurance Company

Tert.am
15:35 – 30.01.10

Over a two-week period beginning on January 31, nearly 1,000
descendants and victims of the Armenian Genocide will receive
compensation for life insurance claims filed before WWI from AXA
insurance company

Well-known Armenian-American attorney Vartkes Yeghian, in speaking
with European magazine `Days,’ said that more than 12,000 court
actions have been denied and all those who filed lawsuits will receive
notice.

In 2007, AXA agreed to pay a lump sum of 17.5 million USD, 11 million
of which were to be split among the descendants, 3 million to
humanitarian organizations (the Armenian General Benevolent Union, the
Blue Cross and the French-Armenian Fund), while the rest went to the
lawyers.

Solemn Ceremony of Golden Eagle Award passed in Moscow
30.01.2010 14:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Solemn Ceremony of Golden Eagle Award passed in
Moscow. The `Fops’ by Valeri Todorovsky was recognized the best
feature film of 2009. The film `Chamber number 6′ by Karen
Shakhnazarov won in the best producer’s work nomination. `Rerberg and
Tarkovsky’ of Igor Mayboroda was recognized as the best non-feature
film. `The true story about three piglets’ was recognized the best
animation of the year. `Millionaire from slums’ was recognized the
best foreign film. Bogdan Stupka received an award for the best male
role, played in the `Taras Bulba’ film and Natalia Negoda was awarded
for the role in the film `Dram, Tambourine’.

People’s artist Oleg Yankovski was posthumousely given Golden Eagle.
Yury Korotkov was recognized as the best script writer, ITAR-TASS
reported.

SAAKASHVILI PROPOSES GEORGIA AS SUPPLY ROUTE FOR US ARMS TO AFGHANISTAN

Tert.am
17:30 ~U 29.01.10

Georgia’s President Mikhail Saakashvili says he has proposed to
the United States that his country become a logistics hub for the
expanding U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, reports The Canadian Press.

That might be a difficult offer for the Obama administration
to accept. In a telephone interview with The Associated Press,
Saakashvili outlined a Georgian proposal to develop a corridor for
armaments across Georgia and Central Asia to Afghanistan. Georgia
is offering its Black Sea ports to Western military supply ships and
its airports as refuelling points for cargo planes.

U.S. Navy Capt. Kevin Aandahl, a spokesperson for the Defence
Department’s Transportation Command, said the department is aware
of Georgia’s willingness, but has not substantially explored the
proposal. The White House would not comment.

Saakashvili has long sought to steer Georgia toward the West and
eventual NATO and EU membership. That course has been in doubt since
Georgia’s war with Russia in 2008 that ended in a cease-fire with
Russian troops just miles (kilometres) from Tbilisi, the Georgian
capital.

Georgia also has been unnerved by U.S. President Barack Obama’s move
to reset relations with Russia and the ambivalence in Washington and
many European capitals about Georgia’s Western integration.

ABRAHAMYAN GETS CLARIFICATION FROM PACE PRESIDENT CAVUSOGLU

Tert.am
17:03 â~@¢ 28.01.10

RA National Assembly Chair Hovik Abrahamyan had a phone conversation
today with Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe’s newly
elected president, Mevlut Cavusoglu, according to a press release
issued by the RA National Assembly public and information affairs
department.

Taking into account the fact that the Turkish politician is the
first person from the South Caucasus region to occupy that post,
Abrahamyan appealed to Cavusoglu, during his two-year term, to display
a sensitive, prudent, and balanced position in issues related to
the region.

Cavusoglu informed Abrahamyan that Azerbaijani news agency APA, in
a January 26 article about the agency’s interview with CavuÅ~_oglu,
attributed a number of statements to him which he did not, in fact,
say. The PACE president believed that those statements were a result
of a misunderstanding on the part of the Azerbaijani journalist or
an issue of translation.

During the phone conversation, the parties also exchanged views on the
process of normalizing Armenia-Turkey relations without preconditions.

The PACE president and the National Assembly Chair also discussed
the possibility of CavuÅ~_oglu visiting Armenia.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT: IRAN PLAYS KEY ROLE IN RESOLVING REGIONAL ISSUES

IRNA
Yerevan
Jan 27, 2010

Visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki conferred on
Wednesday with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on ways to expand
mutual relations along with regional and international cooperation.

The Armenian president highlighted the significant role of Iran to help
resolve regional crisis mainly in Afghanistan and Iraq and underlined
that there is no doubt that Iran plays key role to this effect.

He said that the Islamic Republic of Iran plays key role in regional
developments, Armenia attaches importance to expansion of ties and
relations with the country which will meet the two nations interests.

The Iranian foreign minister said for his part that Iranian and
Armenian leaders are determined to broaden mutual relations.

Mottaki conveyed the warm greetings of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
to the Armenian president.

Referring to historical bonds and affinity between the two nations,
he said, "Iranian companies are currently implementing infrastructural
projects in Armenia which will help deepen ties between the two nations
in various fields such as in energy, transport, pipeline, rail track."

He said that the two countries are honoring agreements on preferential
tariffs, consular facilities and barter trade.

Referring to regional crisis such as Afghanistan and Iraq, he
underlined that regional issues should be resolved through collective
cooperation of countries in the region without interference of
foreigners.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has always played a leading role in
resolving regional conflicts and is determined to pursue the same
policy in the future, he said.

The Armenian president conveyed his warm greetings to President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and underlined that Yerevan attaches importance
to expansion of ties with Iran.

He also expressed satisfaction with continued cooperation between the
two countries and welcomed Iran’s stance in dealing with the issue
of Karabakh.

Armenia has always backed Iran’s legitimate rights in benefiting from
peaceful nuclear energy, said the Armenian president.

Iran’s foreign minister is in Yerevan to attend the 9th Iran-Armenia
joint economic commission.

IN 2009 101.9 PER CENT OF ARMROSGAZPROM SUBSCRIBERS RECEIVE TECHNICAL SUPPORT

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.01.2010 13:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In 2009, technical support of networks of 593 894
subscribers have been carried out the territory of Armenia, against
570 683 – in 2008, press service of ArmRosGazprom reported.

Within this period 1 209 303 visits, 101.9%, instead of projected
187 153 examinations have been carried out.

As a result of violations, company’s specialists have composed 323
027 acts.

As of January 1, 2010 natural gas is delivered to 596 353 subscriber
in the country.

"ArmRosgazprom" Armenian-Russia Closed Joint Stock Company was
established by the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Armenia,
"Gazprom" Open Joint Stock Company, ITERA International Energy, LLC.

To date, the company’s authorized capital reached AMD 316.6 billion.

PURCHASE AND SALE TRANSACTIONS OF .15 MILLION CONDUCTED AT NASDAQ OMX ARMENIA OJSC ON JANUARY 26

Noyan Tapan
Jan 26, 2010

YEREVAN, JANUARY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. Purchase and sale transactions of
million 150 thousand at the weighted average exchange rate of 377.3
drams per dollar were conducted at Nasdaq OMX Armenia OJSC on January
26. According to the press service of the Central Bank of Armenia,
the closing price was 377 drams.

RPA EXCLUDES SIGNING OF AGREEMENT ON KARABAKH IN SOCHI

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
25.01.2010 14:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Deputy chairman of the ruling Republican Party
of Armenia, MP Razmik Zohrabyan said signature of any agreement on
Nagorno Karabakh in Sochi is unlikely.

"Certain progress may be fixed and a declaration like that of Meindorf
may be signed," he told a news conference on Monday. "Madrid principles
will be in focus, to all appearance."

"Any framework agreement will not be signed till the yearend,"
he supposed.

Official Tbilisi consistently destroys traces of Armenian culture in Georgia
22.01.2010 19:11 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "To achieve any significant results in the
preservation of Armenian historical and architectural monuments within
and outside the country the state shoud manifest a consistent and
rigid position. However, neither the state nor the public reveals any
position in this regard, so we ourselves become complicit in the
destruction of our creative heritage, " Samvel Karapetyan, head of
`Study of Armenian Architecture’ ngo told a press conference on
January 22 in Yerevan.

According to him, the adequate position of the Armenian publuc prevent
the humiliating attitude towards Armenian cultural and historical
monuments in Georgia or the heinous actions of Azerbaijan, for
instance, in the Armenian cemetery in Jugha. `Armenian historical and
architectural heritage is a significant part of world cultural
heritage", he said adding that the Georgian authorities pursue the
policy of elimination of the Armenian culture in the territory of
Georgia.