Author: Vardapetian Ophelia

DRAWING PARALLELS BETWEEN NKR AND SOUTH OSSETIA INCORRECT

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.11.2006 15:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The U.S. puts difference between the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict and the South Ossetian problem. Non-recognition of
the referendum in Tskhinvali doesn’t foretell a similar decision on
referendum in NKR, ARF Bureau’s Hay Dat and Political Office Director
Kiro Manoian told a news conference in Yerevan today. He reminded
that unlike the other self-declared republics of the former
USSR Nagorno Karabakh receives annual assistance from the
U.S. government. "The problem of South Ossetia is the issue of the
Russian-Georgian relations and it would be incorrect to draw parallels
between these two conflicts," he said.

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 10 2006

PEOPLE ARE PREPARED FOR FAIR ELECTION, GOVERNMENT LACKS POLITICAL WILL

`Armenia suffers the complex of illegitimate elections and,
unfortunately, one of the underlying principles of democracy –
forming and changing government through an election – did not take
place in Armenia. In Armenia, change of power never took place
through elections,’ stated Member of Parliament Victor Dallakyan
November 10 at the Pastark Club. Victor Dallakyan thinks 2006 is a
pre-election year and political activity of the population thereof,
controversies inside the government, the possibility of the
opposition to form different poles, the issue of Nagorno Karabakh,
the end of the office of Robert Kocharyan, etc., may affect the
political situation in Armenia.

There are peculiarities. In 2003 the presidential election was held
first, then the parliamentary election, now we will elect parliament
in 2007 and president in 2008. `In 2003, the so-called coalition
joined their efforts to falsify the outcome of the presidential
election and got their share at the National Assembly and the
government. This time it will be more difficult because there are a
number of candidates both in the government and the opposition, and
they will hardly ally for the parliamentary election.’ The second
peculiarity is the situation after the conference of the Republican
Party. `The neutral and non-pro-government opposition may target at
the Republican Party because the Republican Party can be used in an
effort of reproduction of power.’ `There is an opportunity for a
peaceful change of power,’ states Victor Dallakyan. He is for a 100
percent proportional system of elections and fair elections. But if
the 100 percent proportional system was rejected, he will be
nominated in the electoral district of Vanadzor from where he was
elected three times, and if there are irregularities, Victor
Dallakyan will not keep silent.

And if the government has political will, they had better follow the
example of Georgia, where the representatives of the opposition were
the electoral commissions. Of course, the government needs vivid
fantasy for such moves. And according to Victor Dallakyan, even a
vivid fantasy cannot help imagine that in Armenia the ministry of
home affairs can hold elections like in France, or the tax and
customs agencies like in Sweden. In these countries nobody doubts
that the outcome of the election is fair.

Besides, Victor Dallakyan reminds the statements of the European and
American observers that in Armenia the public is ready for a fair
election, whereas the government lacks political will.

AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT CAN SAY ANYTHING

Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
Nov 9 2006

The only obstacle in continuing the talks and reaching settlement is
the lack of confidence. Everyone points to this, the EU, the OSCE,
the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. And there is nothing the world can
do here. The reason is not the reluctance of the Armenian side for
a dialogue, like Azerbaijan is fond of to present, but the idea
of complete isolation of Armenia put forward by Ilham Aliyev. The
Azerbaijani president often appears to have lost the sense of
reality, and he thinks that if Azerbaijan is a medieval feudal state,
others also think like him: destroy Armenia, which dares to disturb
Azerbaijan. And while the Azerbaijani media are delighted to hear
the confessions of their president, the other countries keep silent.

Ostensibly, this silence indicates reluctance to comment on nonsense
rather than agreement. The US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group
Matthew Bryza gave the best evaluation. He said the Azerbaijani
president may say anything, but they are not going to comment on his
statements. Ilham Aliyev will fail to drag Armenia to a deadlock and
become a "nation’s leader" like his father for several reasons. Most
importantly, he makes statement which would be appropriate for an
ambitious tribal chieftain rather, whereas Heydar Aliyev would never
make such statements. He had a more serious approach to the issues.

He did not simply make allegations but paid the mass media to concoct
pro-Azerbaijani reports. However, soon Moscow and not only Moscow
realized this and started to report the reality. By exaggerating the
influence of the Armenian lobby, Azerbaijan, roughly speaking, doubts
the reason of the entire world. In Baku too they realize that Ilham
Aliyev’s policy on Armenia leads nowhere. They also know that not only
the patience of the Azerbaijani people may start wearing thin, which
does not care, in the long run, but also the international community
may run out of patience. Ilham Aliyevs hopes based on the political
dividends of the oil pipeline cannot become the truncheon to "keep
down" the Armenians of Karabakh. And these dividends are like soap
bubbles, for according to the American expert Richard Kirakosyan,
the value of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan depends on Kazakhstan. In other
words, if the president of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev suddenly
decides that he need not support Azerbaijan, he will turn off the
spigot, and the flow of Aliyev’s oil dollars will stop. And if we
consider the decline of price of oil, Azerbaijan will be having serious
trouble. The Caspian oil is only 3 percent of the world resources,
meanwhile 63 percent is in the Near East. Azerbaijan cannot be taken
seriously by the United States and Europe as a major supplier of
oil. Consequently, the political importance of this country directly
depends on this 3 percent.

GEORGIA REJECTS GAZPROM’S COMPROMISE GAS PRICE OFFER, READY FOR ROW

MosNews, Russia
Nov 9 2006

On Wednesday, Nov. 8, Georgia rejected a compromise deal with the
Russian state-controlled gas monopoly Gazprom. The deal offered
by Gazprom would see Georgia hand over control of its domestic gas
distribution network to Russia. Now Georgia is left with the prospect
of either paying twice the current price or having supplies cut off.

Georgia is currently paying $110 per 1,000 cubic meters of Russian
gas and Gazprom already announced that in 2007 it wants Georgia
to pay $230, which is the average price that the Russian monopoly
charges its European customers. Gazprom has already warned that if
no contract is signed, supplies will be cut on Jan. 1, 2007.

Gazprom offered to soften the increase if Tbilisi handed over control
of its domestic gas distribution network to Russia. The same scheme was
used with Russia-friendly Armenia that will continue to pay $110 price
until the end of 2008 in exchange for its energy distribution assets.

Unlike his Armenian colleague, the Georgian Prime Minister Zurab
Nogaideli rejected that offer. "I want to repeat once again — we are
not going to bow to blackmail," he was quoting by Reuters as telling
a cabinet meeting.

Energy Minister Nika Gilauri, asked by reporters if Georgia might
cede energy infrastructure to Gazprom, replied: "Never."

Russia supplies almost all of Georgia’s gas needs. The Georgian
government is seeking alternative suppliers in Azerbaijan and Iran,
but they are not ready to replace Russian gas in full.

Tbilisi says Moscow is using gas as a political tool to punish it
for its pro-Western policies. Gazprom says the increase is purely
commercial.

If the price stays at $230, Georgia — where the average monthly
income is just over $100 a month — would pay the same for its gas
as rich countries such as Germany and Italy.

Alarmed at the prospect of a gas cutoff, a leading Georgian opposition
figure urged Nogaideli to seek a compromise.

"The prime minister should explain if his statement means Georgia
will be left without gas this winter because for now there is no real
alternative to Russian gas," Interfax news agency quoted lawmaker
David Berdzenishvili as saying.

ON NOVEMBER 7, A BUSINESSMAN MIKHAIL BAGDASAROV CONFIRMED HIS INTENTION TO SELL 30% OF SHARES OF VTB-ARMENIA,
A SUBSIDIARY BANK OF VNESHTORGBANK

Agency WPS
Banking and Stock Exchange, Finance, Economics (Russia)
November 9, 2006 Thursday

Reference: RIA RBC, "VBT-Armenia Is About to Lose a Shareholder",
RBC daily, November 8, 2006, p.9.

The businessman disagrees with the policy being followed by the bank’s
management. For example, he is discontented that the bank intends to
wind up 40 branches by reason of their unprofitability.

Mikhail Bagdasarov is sure that these branches may start to yield a
profit under a good management. Russian Vneshtorgbank controls 70%
of VTB-Armenia’s shares.

VAHAN HOVHANNISYAN MET WITH THE DEPUTY SPEAKER OF THE GREEK PARLIAMENT

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 8 2006

Yetsreday in the Greek Parliament Deputy Speaker of RA National
Assembly Vahan Hovhannisyan met with the Deputy Chairman of the Greek
Parliament Georgios Surlas.

Vahan Hovhannisyan briefly presented the current situatuion in
Armenia. He expressed gratitude to the Parliament of Greece for
recognizing the Armenian Genocide in 1996.

For his part, Georgios Surlas referred to the policy of annihilation
of Armenians and Greeks in the Ottoman Empire.

The parties discussed also the activity of the Armenian-Greek
Parliamentary Friendship Group.

Vahan Hovhannisyan and NKR Foreign Minister Georgy Petrosyan are in
Greece to participate in the events dedicated to the 10th anniversary
of recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Greek Parliament.

TURKEY STATES READINESS TO MAKE CHANGES IN CRIMINAL CODE

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.11.2006 15:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Government of Turkey has stated its readiness
to change article 301 of the Criminal Code. Turkish PM Recep
Erdogan stated the Government is ready to introduce changes in
article 301, which provides for criminal penalty for "insulting
Turkishness." "Lately the article on criminal penalty for insulting
Turkishness rouses much censure by the EU. We should reconsider it and
make more specific for it to comply with international legal norms,"
the Turkish PM said. The article 301 of the Criminal Code of Turkey
provides for criminal penalty for mentioning the Armenian Genocide,
reports Mediamax.

ORINATS YERKIR PARTY APPLIES TO GENERAL PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE

Panorama.am
14:13 07/11/06

Orinats Yerkir (OY) party applied to general prosecutor’s office
with a demand to find out who stands behind the black PR against
OY, Mher Shahgeldyan, vice chairman of the party, told a press
conference today. In his words, the black PR continues and most
probably authorities in power back it. "Only they have such layers
of influence," he said. In her turn, Heghine Bashiryan, secretary
of parliament faction OY, said she has information from a number
of TV companies broadcasting black recordings against the party
and its leader Arthur Baghdasaryan which says that the customers
of the recordings are Defense Minister Serzh Sargsyan and Prime
Minister Andranik Margaryan. She said the TV company management has
expressed readiness to appear at the general prosecutor’s office upon
need.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT DEPARTING FOR KAZAKHSTAN TODAY

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.11.2006 12:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Robert Kocharian is departing
on a formal call to Kazakhstan today on the invitation of Kazakh
President Nursultan Nazarbayev. The Presidents will hold a tete-a-tete
meeting to be followed by talks in expanded composition. A number of
bilateral documents will be signed. In the Kazakh capital city Robert
Kocharian will also meet with entrepreneurs and representatives of
the Armenian community.

RF CB CHAIRMAN: CENTRAL BANK OF ARMENIA ACHIEVES GREAT SUCCESS IN INFLATION CONTROL

Noyan Tapan
Nov 04 2006

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Issues related to inflation control
in Armenia and Russia, the appreciation of the Armenian dram and the
Russian ruble, response of the real sector, particularly exporters to
this appreciation, etc. were discussed during the meeting of Chairman
of the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) Tigran Sargsian and Chairman
of the RF Central Bank Sergei Ignatyev in Yerevan on November 3. The
chairmen of the central banks of the two countries stated this at a
joint press conference on the same day. In S. Ignatyev’s opinion,
the CBA "has achieved great success" in controlling inflation,
as Armenia’s "microeconomic indices are very high, while the
inflation is quite low – much lower than in Russia." In his words,
under conditions when the nominal and real values of the national
currency strengthen, non-tradable sectors (e.g. construction) grow
at a higher rate and difficulties arise with the development of
the processing industry. "This problem is inevitable: the indicated
processes should be watched closely, with some corrections being made
in the macroeconomic policy. Nevertheless, the real sectors of the
economies of Armenia and Russia adapt to this process quite rapidly and
effectivel," S. Ignatyev said. In his words, in a few years Russia will
be ready to transfer to inflation targeting and a floating exchange
rate of the ruble, which Armenia did in 2006. S. Ignatyev noted that
Russia cannot now use the inflation targeting policy because of the
considerable impact of oil prices on the inflation.