Author: Vanyan Gary

NEW WORK METHODOLOGY MEANT TO BOOST PERFORMANCE AT THE ARMENIAN DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

gov.am
March 4 2010
Armenia

The Board of "Armenian Development Agency" CJSC met at the office
of Government, presided by Board Chairman, RA Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan.

Among other agenda items, the meeting has discussed the concept of
ADA reform.

ADA Director General Robert Harutunyan reported on his agency’s
activities for 2009. In the period under review, the agency was said
to have designed a number of programs, sought potential investors
and conducted talks with them, extended informational and technical
assistance, as well as serviced investors.

The meeting endorsed a program of action for 2010 under which a set
of important projects will be carried out to boost exports and attract
investors into target spheres.

Concerning ADA’s overall performance, the Prime Minister noted that
despite progress, the Agency has to be more active and goal-oriented
in its endeavors, guided by clear-cut objectives and criteria aimed at
having measurable work outcome. According to the head of government,
new methodology needs to be developed in order to achieve enhanced
efficiency of activities. The role of the institute of representatives
was emphasized from the perspective of information outreach and
sharing, market study and search of investors. In this respect, Tigran
Sargsyan suggested cooperating more closely with Armenian embassies and
diplomatic missions abroad through the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

The meeting approved the estimated budget of the 2010 ADA program
of effective economic activities and support for implementation of
actions of assistance.

AZERBAIJAN AGAIN FIRES AT POSITIONS OF KARABAKH DEFENSE ARMY

ArmInfo
2010-03-04 17:29:00

ArmInfo. The Nagorny Karabakh Republic Defense Ministry reported
that Azerbaijan broke ceasefire on March 3 at night and on March 4 in
daytime on the line of contact of the NKR and Azerbaijani armed forces.

The source reported that Azerbaijan fired at the positions of
the NKR Defense Army from small caliber and sniper weapons in the
area of Horadiz, Qurdla, Chakhrla, Ashaghi Seidakhmedli, Korgana,
Ashaghi Veysali, Shkhlara, Bash Kervend, Sarijanlu, Seysulan, Yarimji,
Levonarkh, Jraberd and Talish. "After response by the NKR Defense Army,
the enemy stopped fire," the source reported.

SOLDIER DIES ON KARABAKH BORDER

on-karabakh-border/

YEREVAN (Combined Sources)-An Armenian soldier was fatally shot Tuesday
during a skirmish with Azeri soldiers on the Karabakh-Azerbaijan
border near the Chinari village, Armenia’s Defense Ministry reported.

"On Monday the enemy committed another ceasefire violation. One
serviceman was killed as a result," the ministry said in a statement,
naming him as 29-year-old junior sergeant Sarkis Voskanyan.

Reportedly, Voskanyan was shot in the head.

There was no immediate comment from Azerbaijani officials

PALLONE COMMEMORATES SUMGAIT MASSACRES

12:20:01 – 27/02/2010
ahos16988.html

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., Co-Chairman of the
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, issued the following
statement Friday to commemorate the 18th Anniversary of the Sumgait
Massacres.

`Mr. Speaker, this Sunday will mark the tragic anniversary of the
massacres that took place against Azerbaijani citizens of Armenian
heritage in February of 1988, in the town of Sumgait, Azerbaijan. This
3-day rampage, carried out by Azerbaijani nationals left dozens of
Armenians dead, a majority of whom were set on fire alive after being
beaten and tortured. Hundreds of innocent people received injuries of
different severity and became physically impaired. Women, among them
minors, were abused. More than 200 apartments were robbed, dozens of
cars were destroyed and burned, dozens of art and crafts studios,
shops and kiosks were demolished, and thousands of people became
refugees.

`Mr. Speaker, these crimes were never adequately prosecuted by the
Government of Azerbaijan, and most of its organizers and executors
were simply set free, many of whom are presently members of the Azeri
Parliament. Despite the attempt by the Government of Azerbaijan to
cover up these crimes, enough brave witnesses came forward to give an
accurate account of the offenses.

`The Sumgait massacres are just another in a long line of Azerbaijan’s
aggressions against the Armenian people. The events in Sumgait were
preceded by a wave of anti-Armenian rallies that shook the city in
February 1988. Almost the entire territory of the city, with a
population of 250,000, became an arena for mass violence against its
Armenian population.

`The attacks also marked the beginning of a larger campaign of ethnic
cleansing targeting the Armenian people, culminating in the war
launched against the people of Nagorno Karabakh. The war claimed
nearly 30,000 lives and left over one million refugees in both Armenia
and Azerbaijan. The continued hostilities in Azerbaijan and the
military aggression against the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh in 1992
through 1994 led to the disappearance of a 450,000-strong Armenian
community in Azerbaijan within a span of just a few years. As this
April marks the 95th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, we also
pause to remember the crimes committed in Sumgait and the pogroms
conducted against the Armenian people in Azerbaijan.

`Mr. Speaker, this anniversary reminds us yet again of the historical
injustice the Armenian people have faced, unfortunately, throughout
their history. As we join with the Armenian people and all people of
goodwill in remembering these atrocities, I strongly urge Azerbaijan
and Turkey to cease their blockade and aggressive posture against the
Armenian people and work to achieve a lasting peace. It is time for
the United States to do all that it can and to use its geopolitical
influence to send a message that ethnically charged genocides, illegal
blockades of sovereign nations and the constant harassment of the
Armenian people will not be tolerated.’

GAS TARIFFS FOR ARMENIAN POPULATION TO INCREASE BY 37,5% AND FOR INDUSTRY – BY 13% BEGINNING FROM 1 APRIL 2010

ArmInfo
2010-02-26 13:53:00

ArmInfo. The natural gas tariffs for Armenian population will grow
by 37,5% – from the present 96 thsd drams per 1000 sq.m of gas up to
132 thsd, and for the industrial gas consumers which use more than
10 thsd sq/m of gas per month – by 13% – from the present $215 for
1000 sq/m up to $243.13 including VAT beginning from 1 April 2010,
such a decision was adopted at today’s sitting of Public Services
Regulatory Commission, which has partly satisfied application of
CJSC ArmRusgasprom which had suggested to increase gas tariffs for
population up to 136 thsd drams and for industry – up to $256.

Chairman of CJSC ‘ArmRusgasprom’ board, Karen Karapetyan, said at the
briefing after the sitting that they needed revising of tariffs as it
is expected that the tariffs of the Russian gas imported to Armenia
may grow beginning from 1 April 2010, from the present $154 for 1000
sq/m up to $180. The other reasons are fluctuation of the national
currency and reduction of the volumes of gas consumption over the
past year. He also said that PSRC insisted on reduction of the number
of the company employees from the present 5500 people to 4500 and
reduction of their salary from the present 130 thsd drams per month
to 100 thsd drams. But the company decided to cover these expenses
thanks to investments of the shareholders and reduction of profit.

Chairman of the Commission for Protection Economic Competition,
Robert Nazaryan, said that raising of the gas tariff may cause certain
tension among the poor layers of population, but they are acceptable
for industry. He said that natural gas tariffs in Georgia, Turkey,
Moldova, Ukraine and other countries are higher than in Armenia.

RUSSIAN POLITICAL SCIENTIST: "WAR BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA IS POSSIBLE AT ANY MOMENT"

APA
Feb 26 2010
Azerbaijan

Moscow. Roman Agayev – APA. "The war between Azerbaijan and Armenia
can begin at any moment", Vice-president of the Russian Strategic
Development Modeling Centre Grigori Trofimchuk told APA’s Moscow
correspondent.

Russia will hold neutral position in case of possible war between
Azerbaijan and Armenia, since territory of Nagorno Karabakh isn’t
bordered with Russia, said political scientist.

According to political scientist, in order to solve Nagorno Karabakh
conflict we need "new brains producing new ideas." "This conflict can
not be settled within the office, by clerks. If Russia, Azerbaijan
and Armenia don’t offer practical settlement of this conflict, then
obviously, geopolitically further countries will involve in the
conflict", added Trofimchuk.

As to him, Azerbaijan doesn’t back the military solution of the
Karabakh conflict. "Calls on peaceful settlement of the issue are
another demonstration of it."

"By its statements Azerbaijan is striving to solve the problem in
a short period of time. Azerbaijan understands that it hasn’t to
wait 15 years more. If Belarus today has opportunity of talking both
to Moscow and West, Azerbaijan has no such alternative", political
scientist stressed.

Trofimchuk thinks that, West can capitalize from the conflict in two
ways. It can recognize the independence of Nagorno Karabakh Republic
or can turn this issue to a long lasting conflict as Arabic-Israil one.

THE REFUGEES HAVE APARTMENT PROBLEMS TODAY

Aysor
Feb 26 2010
Armenia

Gagik Yeganyan, the head of the department of refugees and migration of
the Ministry of Territorial Governance, presented the actual problems
of the Armenian refugees that have been displaced form Azerbaijan.

>From the many problems that the refugees had G. Yeganyan separated
the problem of apartment which is very serious problem.

The speaker mentioned that regardless the fact that Armenia has
such problem also for its own citizens the government took the
responsibility to support the refugees with a shelter. By a program
affirmed in 2004 around 3470 families were to receive apartments
and since 2005 corresponding measures were undertaken for the
implementation of the project since 2005.

"This year because of the financial – economic crises there are no
finances in the budget for the project. Last year they had provided
with 815 million AMD, in 2008 was the same situation", – informed
the head of the department of refugees and migration.

He also informed that last year around 1000 families received
certificates 700 of them have managed to realize those certificates and
receive an apartment or a house. 300 families has had no opportunity
to realize them because of different reasons.

BAKU CLOSES IN ON NABUCCO GAS DEAL

Asbarez
bucco-gas-deal/
Feb 25th, 2010

BAKU (Upstream Online)-Azeri state energy company Socar said today
long-running negotiations with Turkey on gas supplies, key for Europe’s
planned Nabucco pipeline, were near completion.

"Negotiations with Turkey on gas are continuing. There are some issues,
but we are approaching the end," Reuters quoted Socar president Rovnag
Abdullayev as telling reporters.

A senior Socar official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told
Reuters: "I think we’ll reach agreement with Turkey on price and
other issues within one or two months."

He said the launch of phase two production at the Shah Deniz deposit
would not be delayed. Socar currently estimates production will begin
in 2016.

The giant Shah Deniz gas deposit, co-led by BP and StatoilHydro,
has total estimated reserves of around 1.2 trillion cubic metres,
and should produce 7.6 Bcm this year, compared with 6.2 Bcm in 2009.

Europe and the US are looking to Azerbaijan as a key potential supplier
of gas for the Nabucco pipeline to transport Caspian and Central Asian
gas via Turkey and the Balkans to central Europe, reducing Europe’s
energy dependence on Russia.

But talks between Azerbaijan and traditionally close Muslim ally
Turkey have been complicated in part by a dispute over Turkey’s
decision last year to mend ties with Armenia. Azerbaijan went to war
with Armenia in the early 90s to annex the newly independent Republic
of Nagorno-Karabakh sandwiched between the two countries.

Azerbaijan has in recent months begun selling small volumes of gas
to Russia and Iran, and warned terms being offered by Turkey for its
gas were unacceptable.

Turkey has since stepped back from opening its border with Armenia,
closed since 1993, in a bid to sooth relations with oil and gas
exporter Azerbaijan.

Russia, pursuing the South Stream pipeline project as a rival to
Nabucco, plans to purchase 1 Bcm of Azeri gas in 2010 and 2 Bcm in
2011, intensifying competition with the West.

Independent Azeri news agency Turan quoted Turkey’s ambassador to
Azerbaijan, Hulusi Kilic, as saying the gas price had been agreed.

INAUGURATION OF VIKTOR YANUKOVICH HELD IN KIEV

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.02.2010 16:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan took part in
inauguration of Ukraine’ President Viktor Yanukovich. According to
RIA Novosti, Viktor Yanukovych became the fourth president of Ukraine.

President assured that the debts in salaries will be paid and steps
to improve the economy will be made. Yanukovych intends to pursue a
balanced foreign policy to enable Ukraine to benefit from cooperation
with Russia, the European Union and other countries.

The inauguration ceremony was also attended by the presidents of
Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Hungary, Montenegro, acting
president of Moldova. Chairman of Russian State Duma of Federal
Assembly Boris Gryzlov, the United States National Security Adviser,
General James Jones attended the ceremony.

The ceremony was attended by Baroness Catherine Margaret Ashton,
the High Representative of the EU and the First-Vice-President of
the European Commission, European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek,
president of PACE Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Also present at the inauguration of the Prime Ministers of Azerbaijan,
Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, high representatives of other countries.

BAGRATYAN IS READY TO GIVE A LESSON

16946.html
16:05:09 – 24/02/2010

TO NERSES YERITSYAN

The Armenian former Prime Minister Hrant Bagratyan, commenting on
the growth of 2 percent predicted by the government, says that it is
a very small number in comparison to the decrease of 22 percent.

"Azerbaijan registered 9, 5 percent of GDP increase, Ukraine and
Moldova registered an increase too. The Minister of Economy had
better come to this press conference, I would explain him several
things for him to learn something", says Bagratyan.

The government argues that retail sales rose by 1%, services – by
1, 3%. What we used in 2009, compared to 2008 is more by 1%. What
is included in the mass consumption of goods and services? It is
produced GDP, imports minus exports. 70% of the whole of GDP, 25% –
import, 5% – exported. GDP declined by 14%, imports – by 25, export –
by 34%. In these figures one cannot get 1% growth", said Bagratyan.

According to him, the statement of Nerses Yeritsyan that Armenia was
in the same situation in the early 90’s is absolute nonsense. "That
was not a global but a local crisis. Despite the war and blockade,
our results were higher than in 6 countries of the CIS. Armenia now
occupies the last horizontal line in the list of CIS. Macroeconomic
indicators in Armenia are two times lower than in Azerbaijan.

Government is trying to stop inflation, but he cannot keep the
stagflation. I think by May, the dollar will reach 450 drams. Although
the government is borrowing to keep the dram, but AMD has devalued",
said Bagratyan.