Author: Toneyan Mark

news.az, Azerbaijan
Dec 30 2009

Armenian army has enough problems, expert
Wed 30 December 2009 | 10:10 GMT Text size:

Uzeir Jafarov Armenian army will still have problems in 2010, said
military expert Uzeir Jafarov.

According to Jafarov, Armenia’s economic indicators prove that the
state of its armed forces will worsen in the new year.

"Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan while speaking in the parliament
voiced concern over the state of the Armenian defense ministry. If the
poor state of the armed forces is spoken of from an open tribune, it
means that there are more serious reasons for that", the expert said.

The expert noted that the Armenian armed forces has enough problems.
"This implies shortage of human and economic resources that are much
behind Azerbaijan. One should not be a strong mathematician to
calculate the difference between the potentials of Azerbaijan and
Armenia", he said.

1 news.az

Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Gorgan
Dec 24 2009

Turkmenistan, Armenia agree to launch air flights

Armenia and Turkmenistan have agreed to establish an airline link
between the two countries.

According to a Ukrainian transportation website, Armenia approved an
agreement with Turkmenistan to establish an air link between the two
countries.

The establishment of the air link between Armenia and Turkmenistan
would help boost economic and cultural relations between the two
countries, Arsen Avetisyan, Armenian airways company director-general,
said.

Several years ago, air flights between Asgabat and Yerevan were
operated by Armenia’s Armavia company.

WE FIGHT AGAINST OLIGOPOLIES, NOT OLIGARCHS: RA PM

news.am
Dec 25 2009
Armenia

"We are going to fight against oligopolies, not the oligarchs," RA
Premier Tigran Sargsyan told journalists on Dec. 25, asked whether
his membership to Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) will not impede
fighting against monopolies and oligarchs, considering that almost
all oligarchs are Republicans.

RPA enjoys confidence of various overwhelming majority in the country,
Sargsyan underlined. "Struggling against oligopoly is not Tigran
Sargsyan’s own fight, it’s a political team’s stance headed by RA
President. That is I am a member of that team and joining RPA de
facto team turned into de jure."

Commenting on rumors that his name was harped on in the rupture of
Ramkavar Azatakan and Social Democrat Hunchakian Party (SDHP), he said:
"My abilities are overrated. As if I have nothing else to do except
for rupturing the parties. Nothing of the kind. I met with leaders
of these parties at their request," Sargsyan outlined.

ARMENIA SHOULD BECOME TRANSIT COUNTRY: SHEVKET SHAYDULIN

news.am
Dec 24 2009
Armenia

Armenia has potential and should become a transit country, for which
certain efforts are already carried out, South Caucasus Railways
CJSC General Director Shevket Shaydulin stated at the Dec. 24 press
conference, underlining that currently Georgia also makes such an
attempt, using its geographical position.

"Georgia wishes railway service to Europe towards India and China to
pass via Kars-Akhalkalaki, but we offer Kars-Gyumri railway track,"
Shaydulin said, adding that large investments into the project
were made.

According to him, Akhurik station (border upon Turkey) is fully
repaired and brought to conformity with international standards. All
necessary conditions are ensured for cars unloading and transportation
during the transit at the station.

"Akhurik is now a station with high technologies, fiber-optic cable
laid to provide fast Internet that is essential for up-to-date
logistics," Shaydulin concluded.

WORLD IS CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.12.2009 11:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Catholics, Protestants and a part of Orthodox
faithful across the globe are celebrating Christmas on December 25.

About 2000 years ago God sent an angel to Israel, to a virgin named
Mary. She was engaged to Joseph, a carpenter. The angel told Mary
that by God’s power, she would conceive and bear a son.

When Joseph learned that she was pregnant, an angel instructed him
to marry her. Joseph took her to Bethlehem to register for a census.

While there, Mary gave birth to Jesus. She laid him in a manger because
there was no room at the inn. Shepherds visited Jesus in Bethlehem.

Later, wise men brought gifts to Jesus. They told Herod the Great,
a wicked king, that Jesus would rule Israel. So Herod sent soldiers
to kill the children in Bethlehem. Warned by an angel, Joseph took
his family to Egypt. After Herod died, they returned to Israel and
raised Jesus in a town called Nazareth.

SOME INDICES OF THE NKR MATERIAL PRODUCTION IN JANUARY-NOVEMBER, 2009

NKR Government Information and
Public Relations Department
December 21, 2009

Industry. In January-November, 2009, industrial production at cost of
29752.6 mln drams at factual prices was produced in the Republic. In
comparison with January-November, 2008, the physical volume index of
industrial production formed 115.2 percent.

The structure of industrial production proper to main types of economic
activities is as follows: mining industry-39.2 percent, reprocessing
industry-38.1percent, electric energy, gas, and water industries and
distribution-22.7 percent.

In the accounting period the volumes of consumer goods production
formed 6276.6 mln drams decreasing by 11.3 percent in comparison with
the same period of the previous year.

In January-November, 2009, the realization of ready-made goods at
factual prices formed 29425.3 mln drams, the realization level –
98.9 percent.

An average recorded quantity of personnel occupied in the industrial
production formed 5163 persons, and the labour productivity – 5762.7
thousand drams.

Agriculture. In January-November, 2009, 3648.7 tons (live weight)
of animal and bird meat was realized in the country, 28428.0 tons of
milk, 17763.7 thousand eggs were produced.

Construction. In January-November, 2009, 29334.1 mlndrams construction
works were realized in the Republic against that of 21659.3 mln drams
of January- November, 2008.

PHOTOS OF PAINTER AND CROSS-STONE MAKER VARAZDAT HAMBARDZUMIAN’S WORKS TO BE SHOWN AT MOSCOW WORLD EXHIBITION

Noyan Tapan
Dec 24, 2009

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, NOYAN TAPAN. Photos and drawings of cross-stones
designed by painter and cross-stone (khachkar) maker Varazdat
Hambardzumian will be shown at the World Exhibition to be held
between December 29 to January 12 in Moscow. As the cross-stone
maker mentioned at a December 24 press conference, he will present
cross-stone’s meaning at the exhibition under the title Dialogue of
World Cultures through Art and will try to explain to foreigners that
it is "Armenian people’s prayer expressed by stone’s language."

V. Hambardzumian said that he does not want the cross-stone to be
considered as a commemorative stone. He said that before the 12th
century it was prohibited to place a cross-stone on graves in Armenia.

According to him, the cross-stone is a symbol of eternity and
symbolizes not death but life. According to the master, when
sculpturing cross-stones he uses images of grapes, pomegranate,
various plants as a pattern, which symbolize fruiting, warm human
relations. For instance, he designed the cross-stone symbolizing
Armenian-Russian friendship winded round with plants and thus meant
that the friendship of Armenian and Russian peoples is by the will
of God.

BRITISH- NAGORNO-KARABAKH ALL-PARTY PARLIAMENTARY GROUP SET UP IN UK HOUSE OF LORDS

Panorama.am
18:35 23/12/2009

"British-Armenian All-Party Parliamentary Group" issued a message
December 20 over the establishment of "British-Nagorno-Karabakh
All-Party Parliamentary Group" in the British House of Lords, Greek
Free Day says.

The "British-Nagorno-Karabakh All-Party Parliamentary Group" was
launched in the House of Lords, British Parliament December 3. The
instigator is Viscount John Desmond Waverley, a former member of the
British-Armenian All-Party Parliamentary Group , who is engaged now
in creating a Parliamentary Group for a country to which he cannot
gain entrance but was able to visit in 1996 ONLY when he posed as
a dedicated member of the British-Armenian All-Party Parliamentary
Group and was welcomed by the Karabakh Authorities , upon the Armenian
Group`s recommendation .

By initiating the British-Nagorno-Karabakh All-Party Parliamentary
Group, Lord Waverley and Baroness Symons have acknowledged
the existence of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, obviously
aware of the fact that during a Referendum in 1991 the people of
Nagorno-Karabakh declared their independence and have, since then,
held five presidential and four parliamentary elections confirmed
by International Observers to be in compliance with International
Electoral Standards and with utmost transparency .

It is of grave concern to the Armenian Group that Baroness Symons and
Lord Waverley have contacted neither the Elected Representatives of
Nagorno-Karabakh, nor the Armenian Embassy in UK nor the Committee
Members of the Armenian Parliamentary Group to receive accurate
information about the situation in that country. By not including
the Karabakh Authorities participation, all their future statements
will lack accuracy and will create a unique precedent in the annals
of the British Parliament: initiating a Parliamentary Group without
its subject being involved in the process.

Lord Waverley and Baroness Symons must bear full responsibility
and face the consequences of the great danger that any inadequately
informed statement by their Group might harm, delay or jeopardize the
current process of peaceful settlement advocated by the International
Organizations engaged in the possible resolution of this very complex
conflict.

The Armenian Group would welcome the cooperation of this newly
formed Group with its Members, with the Members of the Parliament of
Nagorno-Karabakh and the Diplomatic Corps of the Armenian Embassy
and would encourage active correspondence, exchange of policy
and information by facilitating a visit to Karabakh of British
Parliamentarians (including Members of the Karabakh Group).

TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY ISSUES OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON FOREIGN MINISTER ELMAR MAMMADYAROV’S VISIT

APA
Dec 22 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku – APA. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov will pay
an official visit to Turkey on December 25-26, APA reports.

Turkish Foreign Ministry issued an official statement on the visit.

According to the statement, Elmar Mammadyarov will have one-on-one
meeting with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu, the meeting will
also be held with participation of the delegations. Following this,
President Abdullah Gul, speaker of the parliament Mehmet Ali Sahin
and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will receive Azerbaijan’s
Foreign Minister.

The statement says that prospects of Turkey-Azerbaijan relations,
regional problems, including Nagorno Karabakh conflict will be
discussed during the meetings.

"Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov’s visit will be a very
good opportunity to demonstrate the political will for strengthening
mutual understanding and solidarity between the two countries."

ANDRANIK HAKOBYAN: MY GOAL IS TO GET LONDON OLYMPIC GAMES

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
21.12.2009 18:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Silver medalist at the World Boxing Championships
2009 Andranik Hakobyan (w/c 75 kg) told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter,
that the year of 2009 was a successful for him.

"This year I won the second prize at the world boxing championships.

Of course, this is a good result, but I entering the final round,
I would like to win. Hand injury prevented me to perform the way I
could, " Andranik Hakobyan said.

At the World Boxing Championships in Milan (Italy), Hakobyan won 5
fights and lost only in the finals to the Uzbek boxer Abbos Atoev. "To
win in 5 battles in a few days is a good result."

As the head coach of Armenia boxing team Rafael Mehrabyan told
PanARMENIAN.Net, Hakobyan’s trauma was so severe that the coaching
staff decided to abandon the final. "But Andranik told me that he
won the right to play in the finals and wanted to take a chance."

In 2010 Andranik Hakobyan will take part in various international
tournaments: "My goal is to get the London Olympic Games," Andranik
Hakobyan said.