Author: Torgomian Varazdat

PUTIN TO VISIT TURKEY NEXT MONTH

Today’s Zaman
May 20 2009
Turkey

Turkey’s ambassador in Moscow has announced that the prime ministers
of Turkey and Russia, who have held bilateral talks eight times in
the last five years, will meet once more next month when the latter
pays a visit to Turkey.

The Turkish ambassador in Moscow, Halil Akıncı, was delivering a
presentation at a round-table meeting held in Moscow on Monday when
he spoke of rising momentum in the bilateral relations between Russia
and Turkey.

"[Vladmir] Putin will visit Turkey next month. Not to even mention
the other visits," Akıncı said, after noting that Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Putin, who took over as prime
minister after eight years as president, held bilateral talks eight
times in five years.

The two leaders most recently met over the weekend in Sochi, Russia,
where they discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh problem between Azerbaijan
and Armenia, as Ankara seeks to normalize its ties with Yerevan
without alienating Azerbaijan.

ARMENIA’S SOFTWARE PIRACY RATES SECOND HIGHEST IN THE WORLD

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
20.05.2009 18:54 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ According to research conducted by International
Data Corporation (IDC) International Company in 110 countries, this
year’s leaders for use of pirate software are Georgia (95%), Armenia
(92%), Bangladesh (92%), Zimbabwe (92%), Moldavia (90%), Azerbaijan
(90%) and Sri Lanka (90%).

According to Softline International Armenia General Manager, Armen
Karapetyan software piracy rate in Armenia is 85-90%. He also added
that within the last 2 years use of unlicensed software decreased 2-5%
in Armenia through the efforts of Microsoft Armenia and RA Government.

According to 2008 results, average level of software piracy in the
world comprised 41%, exceeding 2007 results by 3%. The lowest piracy
rate is registered in US -20%, Japan and Luxemburg – 21%. Losses from
the use of unlicensed production are estimated at USD 35 billion,
IDC reported.

PETER SEMNEBY: WE WELCOME THE ACTIONS DIRECTED TO NORMALIZATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS AND HOPE THIS PROCESS WILL POSITIVELY AFFECT NAGORNYY KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

ArmInfo
2009-05-16 11:46:00

ArmInfo. Today opportunities appeared in the South Caucasus region
which were absent earlier. We welcome the actions directed to
normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey and hope this
process will positively affect Nagornyy Karabakh settlement, special
representative of European Union to South Caucasus Peter Semneby said
in Yerevan today.

He also added European Union is ready to support further positive
actions in the normalization process of the Armenian-Turkish relations
as well as the Karabakh conflict settlement.

‘After reaching the roadmap there are very good opportunities between
Armenia and Turkey for further progress. This is a vitally important
issue.

And it is necessary to continue the talks on the basis of the
arrangements made", – Peter Semneby concluded.

ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES ARE TO BLAME FOR ACCIDENT AT NAIRIT PLANT: ANC COORDINATOR

ArmInfo
2009-05-15 19:19:00

ArmInfo. The Armenian authorities are to blame for the accident at
Nairit Plant, the coordinator of the Armenian National Congress Levon
Zurabyan said during an opposition rally today.

In the late 1980s Nairit was shut down to be restarted in 1993 because
of hard economic situation in Armenia. Then it was already clear that
the plant would be able to work for no more than 10 years.

10 years have passed but nothing has been done to modernize the
facility.

To remind, the May 14 explosion and fire at Nairit claimed 4 lives. 8
people were wounded.

ARMENIAN FM AND OSCE MINSK GROUP FRENCH CO-CHAIR DISCUSS KARABAKH CONFLICT REGULATION ISSUE

ARMENPRESS
May 14, 2009

YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandyan received today OSCE Minsk group French co-chair Bernard
Fassier. Foreign Ministry press service told Armenpress that during
the meeting the sides referred to the issue of regulation of Nagorno
Karabakh conflict.

The interlocutors also exchanged thoughts over regional issues.

TURKISH PREMIER VOWS TO PROTECT AZERI INTERESTS OVER CONTESTED KARABAKH REGION

Anadolu Agency
May 13 2009
Turkey

BAKU (A.A) – 13.05.2009 – Turkish premier sought to ease on Wednesday
Azeri concerns over what is seen as a Turkish-Armenian raprochement
as Azerbaijan fears that would weaken its leverage on the disputed
region of Upper Karabakh.

"We have not taken any step which would hurt Azerbaijan’s national
interests and we will not. We have never ignored the well-being
and interests of the Azeri people and we will not," Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Azeri lawmakers at the National Assembly
in capital Baku.

Armenia and Azerbaijan waged a six-year war over Upper Karabakh in
Azerbaijan. The region has been occupied by Armenia since a 1994
cease-fire, but is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.

Turkey cut all diplomatic ties with Armenia after the occupation, and
a border gate between the two countries has remained closed since then.

"All countries in the region know very well that it is impossible to
maintain normal relations unless the occupation of Azeri territories
is over. Peace and stability cannot be restored in the South Caucasus
unless progress is made with regard to the Upper Karabakh," Erdogan
said.

"Our only goal is to create proper circumstances where the Upper
Karabakh problem is resolved on the basis of Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity as we make progress in the normalization of relations
between Turkey and Armenia," Erdogan said.

PREMIER INTRODUCED NEW MINISTERS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
13.05.2009 21:33 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ PM Tigran Sarsgyan has today visited Ministries
of Education and Science, Labor and Social Issues and Agriculture
to introduce the newly appointed ministers (Armen Ashotyan, Gevorg
Petrosyan and Gerasim Alaverdyan) to relevant staffs.

Introducing Education Minister Armen Ashotyan, the premier said,
"I’m sure he’ll cope with his tasks thanks to his past experience
and assistance of ministry staff members."

Congratulating the new Minister of Labor and Social Affairs,
Mr. Sargsyan said, "Gevorg Petrosyan now has the opportunity to aplly
his knowledege in social sphere."

The premier finds Agriculture Minister Gerasim Alaverdyan to be
the best candidate for the post, considering his rich experience in
the sphere.

Newsly appointed ministers expressed their gratitude to RA President
and Prime Minister, promising to perform their tasks conscientiously.

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT RATIFIES NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
13.05.2009 11:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev has
ratified the National Security Strategy to operate till 2020. The
document was amended in the light of recent developments in the
Russian-U.S. relations. It prioritizes economic growth, healthcare,
education and security.

The strategy adopted in 1997 functioned in the Russian Federation
before.

IRAN STARTS GAS EXPORTS TO ARMENIA

Fars News Agency
May 12 2009
Iran

TEHRAN (FNA)- Managing Director of the National Iranian Gas Export
Company (NIGEC) Seyed Reza Kassaeizadeh traveled to Armenia on Monday
to take part in a ceremony on the inauguration of Iran’s gas export
to the country.

Noting that the volume of gas exports could reach 4 million cubic
meters (141.3 million cu-ft) per day in 2011 and rise to 6.3 million
cubic meters (222.5 million cu-ft) per day afterwards, Kassaeizadeh
reiterated that the gas is being transported via a 762-mm (30-inch)
diameter pipeline that runs for 113 km (71 miles) from Tabriz in East
Azarbaijan Province to the Iran-Armenia border.

He also told Tehran times in an interview that the gas was due to
be exported to Armenia in 2007 but the distribution problems on the
Armenian side caused the delay.

Iran and Armenia signed a contract according to which the latter is
to pay for the gas by electricity from Armenian power plants.

The announcement comes a month after a two-day visit to Iran by
Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian.

During his stay in Tehran, eight agreements were inked between
the two sides that underlined Iran and Armenia’s commitments to
further developing their relations through additional significant
infrastructure, transport, and energy projects.

WOMEN FOR PEACE PROPOSES THAT MAY 12 BE DECLARED AS PEACE DAY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
12.05.2009 16:57 GMT+04:00

"Ceasefire has now acquired a new sense. Azerbaijan, Karabakh and
international community agreed have changed their positions on the
issue, and Armenia has found itself in a deadlock," Gayane Vardanyan,
representative of Women for Peace NGO, told a news conference today,
adding that the organization has submitted a claim to RA National
Assembly with a proposal to recognize May 12 as Peace Day. However,
no response has been received so far. "We asked them to make any
reply by the time we held the conference," Mrs. Martirosyan stressed.

"Despite the ceasefire agreement and our leaders’ appeal for peaceful
settlement of conflict, Azerbaijan still threatens us with war, leading
us to a deadlock," Gayane Martirosyan said, adding that Armenian
leadership cannot solve the country’s problems, either internal or
external. "World does not recognize Karabakh, ignoring its citizens’
demand for living in normal conditions," Ms. Martirosyan said. She also
noted that Armenia’s not recognizing May 12 as peace day testifies to
the fact that official Yerevan was unable to keep up its achievements,
missing the chance of stabilizing situation in some way.

"Armenia will anyway suffer defeat, no matter what agreements it may
sign," Ms. Martirosyan said, pointing out Armenia’s failure to take
any measures against the so-called "information warfare". "Azerbaijani
press carries out certain work, but what do we do? Open any Armenian
Web site on the Internet, and you’ll see that none of them makes any
attempt to resist Azeri media," she said. Such inaction, according to
Ms. Martirosyan, testifies to the fact that Armenian media either agree
or are indifferent to everything or else, they are in a helpless state.