ARMENIAN TV BROADCASTING INAUGURATION OF LEADER OF NAGORNYY KARABAKH REPUBLIC
Public Television of Armenia
7 Sep 07
Yerevan
Armenian Public TV started broadcasting live the inauguration of
the newly-elected president of Nagornyy Karabakh at 1700 local time
(1200 gmt) today.
The Karabakh leader is delivering a speech at the moment. Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan and other top officials of Armenia and
the Nagornyy Karabakh republic are also attending the ceremony.
"ARMMONO" FIFHT INTERNATIONAL SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL OF MONOPERFORMANCES TO REPRESENT SEVERAL "HAMLETS"
By Rouzan Poghosian, Translated by K.A.
AZG Armenian Daily #163
08/09/2007
Culture
"Armmono" Fifth International Shakespeare Festival on Monoperformances
will open in Yerevan on September 12-18. This year is a jubellee
festival and it will be agreat celebration. There will be participants
from Austria, Poland, Germany, Ukraine, Georgia, and from other
countries of the world. Among the honored guests of the festival
there are renowned representatives of the international theatrical
life, such as the Executive Director of the International theatre
Institute/UNESCO/ Jennifer Wallpole, world famous director Robert
Sturua, and many others. Armmono Festival is one of the leading events
of the theatrical life in Armenia. It represents the celebrated masters
of the foreign stage to the Armenian audience, as well as gives the
Armenian actors the unique opportunity to enter international area.
ARMENIA’S FOREIGN DEBT RISES 9.3%, TO $1.2 BILLION Y-O-Y
RIA Novosti
14:31 | 06/ 09/ 2007
YEREVAN, September 6 (RIA Novosti) – Armenia’s foreign debt has risen
to $1.265 billion as of July 1, up 9.3%, year-on-year, the National
Statistics Service said Thursday.
The Armenian government’s foreign liabilities totaled $1.103 billion,
while the country’s central bank owes $158 million to states and
international organizations.
The country’s debt to international financial structures amounts to
$1.124 billion, including a $909 million debt to the World Bank and
a $156 million debt to the International Monetary Fund.
Armenia should pay $141 million to bilateral creditors, including $93
million to Germany, $39 million to the U.S. and $4 million to France.
PRESS RELEASE
September 6, 2007
Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
2225 R Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20008
Tel: 202-319-1976, x. 348; Fax: 202-319-2982
Email: [email protected]
Embassy of Armenia Holds Art Exhibition, Concert at the World Bank
On September 5, 2007, an exhibition of Armenian paintings and sculptures,
dedicated to the sixteenth anniversary of Armenia’s independence, was
unveiled at the World Bank Main Building in Washington, D.C. The exhibition,
organized by the Embassy of Armenia in conjunction with the World Bank Art
Program, showcases more than 40 contemporary Armenian paintings and
sculptures. The one-month-long exhibition will provide an opportunity to the
multinational staff of the World Bank, members of the DC professional
network and diplomatic corps, and the general public to view wonderful
specimens of the Armenian culture. A concert of the Armenian medieval music
was held on the opening day.
In his remarks during the ceremony, Ambassador Markarian noted that even
though sixteen years passed since restoration of Armenia’s independent
statehood, the Armenian history, culture and arts go back several millennia.
He noted that the Armenian people, despite the many challenges they have
faced throughout history, managed to preserve and develop the best
traditions of their art and culture. The Ambassador of Armenia noted the
successful cooperation between Armenia and the World Bank and commended the
commitment of the World Bank to the economic and social development of its
member states that, in his words, extends to the culture and arts as well.
Director of the World Bank Art Program Marina Galvani welcomed the guests on
behalf of the leadership of the World Bank.
The concert and the reception marking the opening of the exhibit drew more
than 200 participants, including high-ranking officials from the U.S. State
Department and the World Bank, and staff members of the World Bank and IMF,
Armenian clergy, and representatives of the Armenian-American community were
present at the opening of the exhibit.
ESTONIA SUGGESTS VISA-FREE REGIME TO ARMENIA
armradio.am
05.09.2007 17:05
Estonia suggests a visa-free regime to Armenia. Narod.ru reports that
the suggestion was made during the meeting of the Foreign Ministers
of Armenia and Estonia Vartan Oskanian and Urmas Paet in Brussels.
"The cancellation of the visa regime will endorse the intensification
of economic relations and tourism," the Foreign Minister of Estonia
stated.
The Foreign Ministers of the two countries discussed Armenian-Estonian
relations, the cooperation in the framework of the European
Neighborhood Policy and the situation in Nagorno Karabakh.
Mr. Paet invited his Armenian counterpart to visit Estonia in the
near future. The Armenian Foreign Minister came forth with a response
invitation.
ARMENIA-EU ACTION PLAN HAS BECOME A GUIDING LINE FOR RA REFORMS
PanARMENIAN.Net
04.09.2007 13:15 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On 3 September, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner
for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy, will host in
Brussels the first ever meeting of Ministers and other representatives
from all of the countries covered by the European Neighborhood Policy
(ENP) with their counterparts from the European Union.
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian represented our republic at
the conference titled "Working Together – Strengthening the European
Neighborhood Policy".
His statement read, "Madame Chair, You’ll forgive me if I look at
our mission here from a distance – both a geographic distance from
Brussels, and the space provided by time, by the decades from the
beginning of this integration process until today.
The Schumann-Monet dream was for peace and prosperity – at a time
when both seemed to be out of reach.
Today, both can be taken for granted by Europeans who have begun to
create a bond between human beings that transcends older boundaries
and makes out of this new institutional form something that really
is a community.
The first community was formed around coal and steel.
Energy was the means to economic integration, and economic integration
would be the safeguard, the guarantor, the catalyst for peaceful
coexistence in a common search for prosperity.
That community flourished, proving that the formula of economic and
political interdependence and sharing does work. Indeed, stability
and prosperity were achieved. So, the success of the vision was
sufficiently attractive and convincing that the community turned into
a union.
Peace and prosperity remain the most critical items on the union’s
and the world’s agenda. Solving energy-related and environment-related
problems again provide the means again to address this bigger agenda.
Neither these problems nor their solutions recognize borders. At
the same time, with distances shrinking, with national and domestic
actions having international influence and impact, the Union for
its own sake and for ours, made the historic decision to welcome its
neighbors to share its values, duplicate its economic successes and
meet its democratic standards.
We in the neighborhood and in Armenia embraced this invitation. We
appreciated deeply the farsightedness and the generosity of
spirit. From where we sit, the results, even in the first year of
this policy have been extremely gratifying.
First, there is the actual value of the development process itself. In
preparing our Action Plans, we acquired the discipline to understand
each other’s expectations and limitations as we analyzed, assessed,
summed up our accomplishments and our needs.
Most interesting and gratifying for me has been joining the CFSP. Not
only does this make our political dialogue with the EU more immediate,
it brings us into the loop more frequently and give us a reference
point by which to regularly review our policies in light of
international and European developments.
The onus remains on us to continue actively with needed political,
economic and institutional reforms.
This is more than a moral obligation. There is much that we have each
done – in our case in the spheres of judicial and administrative
reform specifically. Our Action Plan has been transformed into a
clear blueprint of what needs to be done
Those of us with conflicts in our areas each have a paragraph in
our Action Plans providing a general vision for a resolution that we
dearly need and want.
What’s most important is that this provides a context, integrational
context, within which to view this conflict anew.
The guided and accelerated approximation of our legislation, norms
and standards to those of the EU is an invaluable benefit that opens
the doors for many kinds and levels of economic integration. We will
begin to have a stake in Europe’s markets, Europe will have a stake
in ours. We are committed to this process and we’ve formalized our
commitment not just through the Action Plan, but also by formally
adopting our list of priorities and measures to be taken by a
government resolution.
This is the difference between the European Neighborhood Policy and
everything else that we have done with the EU over this last decade
of transition.
Within the Neighborhood Policy, the integrational elements are greater
and therefore the relationship is now qualitatively different. In
addition, if as President Barroso and you Madame Chairman stated,
with new financial resources, stronger economic integration, education
opportunities and visa facilitation, I believe we will have smoother
sailing.
Madame Chair, again thank you for this invitation.
Looking around the table, one can’t but be impressed by the geographic
breadth of this gathering. It is testimony that the EU is an axis
around which to rally our energies, rather than an exclusionary
fortress.
In Europe’s capital and in each of our capitals today, the echoes of
this meeting will raise awareness that we are all working together,
deliberately, seriously and productively.
Although the European Neighborhood Policy is individualistic in its
implementation, the spirit and the vision is collective. It takes us
all in the same direction. So the success of the program shall be
measured not just by the extent and number of individual projects,
but also by the audacity of our intent to work regionally together
for a common goal and a common future."
AZERI MP, OFFICIAL CONDEMN DAGESTANI SCHOLAR’S STATEMENT AT YEREVAN CONFERENCE
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Sept 3 2007
An Azerbaijani MP and a Foreign Ministry official have condemned a
statement made by a historian from the Russian republic of Dagestan
in Armenia that the Avars, an ethnic group, living in northern
Azerbaijan are striving for autonomy. They described the statement as
"provocative" and said that the Avars support Azerbaijan’s statehood.
The following is the text of report by Azerbaijani news agency APA:
"Occasionally, there are various provocations against Azerbaijan,
and this is one of them. The Avars living in Azerbaijan have never
had any plans on that score," a member of parliament from Balakan
[northern Azerbaijan], a master of sciences in philosophy and chief
lecturer, Rabiyyat Aslanova, has told APA.
Expressing her attitude to the statement made by the professor
of Dagestan State University, Timur Aytberov, at the symposium
"Caucasian Albania: Statehood and Ethno-Cultural Legacy" held in
Armenia that the Avars living in Azerbaijan intend to attain autonomy,
Aslanova described it as an attempt to disrupt peace and stability
in Azerbaijan.
"The national minorities living in Azerbaijan have accepted the
greatest idea of Azerbaijani statehood as their conviction. The Avars
living in Azerbaijan have never had such an intention.
Representatives of national minorities have always expressed their
attitude to such words and provocative steps. I don’t know who
this person is, because as a scientist, his name is not known to the
scientific community. Nor do we know him as a public figure. He has no
right to speak on behalf of the Avar people, especially the national
minorities living in Azerbaijan. As a member of parliament from that
region, I state that all talk about ‘national minorities or national
majorities’ is totally alien to Balakan. We are against raising this
issue. Representatives of every people, nation and ethnic group living
in Azerbaijan are guided by the great idea of Azerbaijani statehood
and take special pride in being citizens of this country," [she said].
The head of the press office of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry,
Xazar Ibrahim, who expressed his view on the issue, described the
statement made on behalf of the Avars as a provocation: "Armenia is
using various people who call themselves scientists and is trying
to stake more territorial claims to Azerbaijan. The international
community and regional countries must take this into account. I hope
that Armenia will study the history of Caucasian Albania [an ancient
kingdom that existed on the territory of present-day Azerbaijan]
and realize that all its claims are totally groundless," [he said].
ARAM KARAPETIAN DOES NOT AGREE TO OPINION THAT SERGE SARGSIAN ENJOYS KREMLIN’S SUPPORT
Noyan Tapan
Sep 3, 2007
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 3, NOYAN TAPAN. "I am going to continue providing
information within the framework of the anti-criminal movement in the
nearest future," Aram Karapetian, the Chairman of the Nor Zhamanakner
(New Times) Party, stated at the September 3 press conference. In his
words, he is going to provide society many facts about violation of law
since 1992. He also said that many sensational statements will be made,
including exposures on the terrorist act at the parliament committed
on October 27, 1999. "There were organizers in this case, some people
knew about that and did not inform any one," A. Karapetian stated.
Issues connected with further deepening of Armenian-Russian cooperation
were paid a special attention at the press conference. In the opinion
of the Nor Zhamanakner Party Chairman, there is no competition between
Russia and the U.S. in the region because of Armenia.
A. Karapetian did not agree to the opinion that Prime Minister Serge
Sargsian is a candidate for presidency enjoying Kremlin’s support. "All
these programs of Armenia’s cooperation with NATO are the evidence
of the fact that S. Sargsian is offended with Russia. To have ties in
Russia does not mean to have possibilities yet. No one wants his name
to be connected with an odious person," the NZ party Chairman said.
KAZAKH INVESTMENTS IN ARMENIA AMOUNT TO ABOUT $35 MILLION
By Ara Martirosian
AZG Armenian Daily
30/08/2007
"Kazakh investments in Armenia amount to about $35 million,"
Yerlan Koubashev, representative of Kazakhstan in Armenia, said
this in the course of the press conference, yesterday. He stated
that only one big Kazakh investor operates in Armenia, namely, "BTA
Investbank. It’s worth mentioning that the grater part of its shares
belongs to the Kazakhstan based "Bank Turan Alem" company. According
to the ambassador, there are several construction companies from
Kazakhstan working in Armenia. He also emphasized that there are
serious prospects of economic cooperation and various bilateral
relations between Armenia and Kazakhstan.
ORINATS YERKIR PARTICIPATES IN CONSULTATIONS OVER SINGLE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
ARMENPRESS
Aug 29 2007
YEREVAN, AUGUST 29, ARMENPRESS: Mher Shahgeldian, a senior member of
the opposition Orinats Yerkir party of ex parliament chairman Arthur
Baghdasarian, said today leaders of the country’s major opposition
parties continue their talks on the possibility of fielding a single
candidate in next year’s presidential election.
He added that political developments are expected to step up in mid-
September when the new parliament is back from summer recess.
Shahgeldian predicted that the pro-government and opposition parties
will have two major contenders for the presidential post each. He
said there may be a run-off in next year’s presidential ballot and
if this happens opposition groups are very likely to rally around a
single candidate.
He lauded Orinats Yerkir chairman, Arthur Baghdasarian, saying he
has all merits to become the opposition’s single candidate.
Shahgeldian also said his party does not endorse a bill introduced
in the Armenian parliament by Raffi Hovhanesian, head of another
opposition Heritage party, demanding that Armenia change a
long-standing policy and formally recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an
independent state.
Shahgeldian said the solution to this long-running dispute should be
found within the frameworks of the OSCE Minsk Group.
"If this sort of questions could be solved that easy, it would have
been used by many countries,’ he said, adding that the Orinats Yerkir
is for a solution that will certainly favor the Armenian side, but
the dispute must be settled within the frameworks of international
organizations that would suit Armenia’s interest best.
The bill was already disapproved by all major Armenian parties.