Author: Vasilian Manouk

Interfax, Russia
March 13 2009

Trial of seven Armenian opposition activists to proceed in their
absence

YEREVAN March 13

Judge Mnatsakan Martirosian ordered the last defendant out of the
courtroom at the so-called ‘trial of the seven’, at which opposition
activists are being tried for instigation of mass disorder in Yerevan,
Armenia.

Grigor Voskerchian was ordered out of the courtroom "for contempt of
court" for ten days, an Interfax correspondent reported.

The judge had ordered five defendants in the case out of the courtroom
for the same reason at a March 9 court session.

The last defendant, Shant Arutyunian, has to undergo a psychiatric
examination, and his criminal prosecution has been suspended.

The defense team filed several motions on Friday to challenge the
secretary and a number of counsels for the prosecution. The motion was
turned down.

The ‘trial of the seven’ was started in December 2008. Former Armenian
Foreign Minister Alexander Arzumanian, parliamentarians Myasnik
Malkhasian, Sasun Mikaelian, and Akop Akopian, and also three
opposition activists have been charged with instigating mass disorder
in Yerevan on March 1, 2008, an attempt to seize power, violence
against government officials, and acquisition, storage, and carrying
of weapons, munitions, and explosives.

The Armenian opposition led by former President Levon Ter-Petrosian
refused to recognize the official results of the February 19
presidential elections and organized mass protests, which grew into
clashes with police on March 1, in which ten people were killed and
over 250 injured.

va nb

National Assembly of RA, Armenia
March 12 2009

Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Meets with Coalition
Factions

On March 11 RA NA Speaker Mr Hovik Abrahamyan and RA Prime Minister Mr
Tigran Sargsyan in the National met with the coalition factions
Prosperous Armenia, ARF and Country of Law factions. We’ll note that
the Prime Minister met with the RPA faction members on March 9 at the
central office of the party.

RA NA Speaker Mr Hovik Abrahamyan noted that the goal of the meeting
was to discuss the mechanisms envisaged by the Government for
overcoming the created situation under the conditions of financial and
economic crisis,

RA Prime Minister Mr Tigran Sargsyan noted that on November 12, 2008
the Government submitted the anti-crisis programme to the parliament,
after which the executive body approved the timetable stemming from
the programme. It was stressed that the Government had distinct
assessments over the created situation: the private direct investments
have been reduced, temporary freezing has taken place in the sphere of
mining industry, some investment programmes have been delayed, private
transfers have been reduced. In the Prime Minister’s words, as a
result, reduction of the consumption volumes, deterioration of the
payment balance and formation of the creditors’ negative expectations
appear.

Presenting the priority steps of the Government for overcoming the
financial-economic influence and their consequences in Armenia the
Prime Minister noted that the executive body would focus its attention
providing the regular activity of the substructures, protection of
small and medium entrepreneurship and social expenditures. An
operative headquarters was set up, which discusses concrete problems
and solves them. The redistribution of the expenditures will be done
according to quarters; in fact, in the first and second quarters they
will work with strict saving regime, giving preference to social
expenditures, salaries, pensions, payment of the allowances. The Prime
Minister answered many questions concerning the MPs. The
representatives of the coalition factions submitted their proposals to
the Prime Minister on overcoming the crisis with joint efforts. Mr
Tigran Sargsyan also touched upon the necessity of fluent passing to
floating exchange rate.

The Prime Minister answered many questions concerning the MPs. The
representatives of the coalition factions submitted their proposals to
the Prime Minister on overcoming the crisis with joint efforts.

Ekho, Baku, Azerbaijan
March 4 2009

New multilingual international Azeri TV channel to hit airwaves –
regulator

Azerbaijan will soon have a multilingual international TV channel, the
head of the national TV and radio regulator has said. The channel,
Maharramli said, will broadcast in English, Russian, Persian, Turkish
and Armenian languages. However, there remain a lot of unanswered
questions, according to the piece. The author wonders whether or not
there are opportunities to recruit personnel able to make programmes
in five different languages at once, moreover, in Persian and Armenian
languages. Asked to comment on the channel, TV specialist Hacili said
it was important to have reliable sources of funding as a private
channel cannot cope with making so many programmes in foreign
languages. Moreover, he seems pessimistic about the prospect of the
channel and therefore advises the NTRC to urge regional TV channels to
make programmes in languages of ethnic minorities across
Azerbaijan. The following is the text of R. Orucov report by
independent Azerbaijani newspaper Ekho on 4 March headlined "Will a
new TV channel broadcast in Armenian language?, and subheaded "It is
unknown, to which audience will it be calculated and how will it be
brought into line with laws?; subheadings have been inserted
editorially:

A new international TV channel will soon hit airwaves in Azerbaijan,
the chairman of the National Television and Radio Council [NTRC] of
the RA [the Republic of Azerbaijan], Nusiravan Maharramli, has said.

Multilingual TV channel soon to hit airwaves

He said that the channel will broadcast in English, Russian, Persian,
Turkish and Armenian languages.. A sitting of the NTRC will soon be
held to discuss issues related to the opening of the channel. "It is
possible to adopt a decision to put the issue of opening of the new TV
channel out to tender this month. We have already started discussions
to this end."

The NTRC chairman said that the council had received proposals to this
effect from private companies and discussions are strictly underway
around those proposals. It has not been yet determined on what
frequencies the new TV channel will transmit. Maharramli said that the
NTRC has reserve frequencies and therefore, no problems will arise in
this connection.

He added that the channel would be private. The NTRC chairman also
explained the reason why there emerged the need for the opening of the
new channel. "Azerbaijan has adopted a decision to take broadcasts of
foreign TV channels and radio stations off the air in
Azerbaijan. However, there are people in the country who disagree with
this decision. Some people want a channel in Russian language be on
the air; some others want channels in another languages. We have
studied international practice and came to a conclusion that the most
optimum option is the opening in the country of an international TV
channel. Not a single language but several of them will be used in
this channel. A company winner of the tender – will decide how much
time to allocate to each of those languages. We shall also discuss
it."

Unanswered questions

Regrettably, Ekho did not manage to contact Nusiravan Maharramli
himself yesterday, nevertheless, there is no doubt that the news
broken by him raises lots of questions. For example, what is the point
for making programmes in Persian language if this language is not used
by any ethnic communities in Azerbaijan?

However, if to proceed from what has been said, it is assumed that the
new TV channel is to broadcast on national frequencies. Another issue
is where will they manage to recruit the staff to make programmes in
Armenian language? And, what overall direction should this private TV
channel adhere to a news, cultural and educative, public and political
or any others?

Prominent TV expert and director of the Institute for the Media Rights
Rasid Hacili shared his views to this effect with Ekho. "I cannot
imagine any private local TV and radio company get down to making a
daily programme in five foreign languages at once. If programmes are
meant for viewers in Azerbaijan, then it is not quite clear what is
the need for programmes in English or Persian languages. That is to
say, if the channel is designed for domestic usage, then that list of
languages mentioned by Maharramli loses its sense.. I wonder, which
private company would be interested in wasting so much energy and
funds for this?"

There are worldwide samples with only remote resemblance to the plans
of the NTRC. "That is to say, there are major countries with TV
channels broadcasting in foreign languages. Let us take Britain
relaying via satellite in various languages through the BBC. Or,
Euronews channel broadcasting in many languages and this is obvious
since this is a TV channel of the European Union.."

That is to say, I understand that in principle, a certain
international channel can be set up in Azerbaijan, nevertheless, it
can only be state owned but not private. Because it will be clear that
for example, using Armenian language is conditional upon the strategic
interests of the government to relay programmes for Armenians in
Nagornyy Karabakh. Or, if we approach to this issue in a wider aspect,
the aim may be to make signals of the TV channel also available in
Armenia and in Iran. This is possible. But where shall we find
professional staff members able to make programmes in Armenian and
Persian languages?

Ownership means a lot

Even if, one is successful to realize all these, the channel will be
an instrument of pure propaganda of Azerbaijan, that is to say, on the
air would be clips extolling the realities of our country before
Armenians and Iranians, or it will be something similar to the Iranian
Azerbaijani-language Sahar TV channel which is doing interactive
programmes, using intensively clips from Azerbaijan with comments from
Azerbaijani respondents, sending out its signal to considerably large
part of our country by using our domestic air space.

However, Sahar is not a private company; otherwise it would not be
able to operate. Nevertheless, the head of the NTRC says that our
international channel will be private. Given this, it should also have
income from advertisement. We wonder, how can it be formed? Who will
be interested in placing advertisements in a TV channel, of which a
good half of the air time will be in incomprehensible Persian, English
and Armenian languages inside Azerbaijan? It is also obvious that
Armenians of Nagornyy Karabakh will also not place their ads in
Armenian propaganda blocks of the international TV channel. Well then,
it emerges that this channel cannot do without state funding. There
are many unimaginable vague nuances.

"On the other hand, if the idea came from private companies, as
Maharramli claims, so, what is the point for a tender then? Rasid
Hacili inquired. It turns out that the author of this idea will
realize it. Because there will be no other aspirants to it. Because
such an international TV channel in Azerbaijan cannot replace the
closure of the Russian and the Turkish TV channels. There are many
contradictions. It would be very good if the head of the NTRC soon
publicly and in detail explain to everyone what he had in mind. That
is to say, what kind of channel is this, what is the main point behind
it, why is it necessary for the public to discuss those conditions?
Even if it is absolutely a news channel, who will listen to it in
Persian or in English in Azerbaijan? Russian and Turkish languages [TV
channels] are still understandable as the majority of our population
understand those languages. However, it would be good for the NTRC to
oblige our regional TV channels to make the lion’s share of programmes
in languages of local ethnic minorities. For instance, in Georgian
language in Qax [District], in Lezgin language in Qusar
[District]. Otherwise, it turns out that the international TV channel
cannot simply be commercial, private."

"There emerges another strange moment, the director of the media
institute noted. "The NTRC took the Russian and Turkish TV channels
off the air with reference to the law `On TV broadcasting’ which says
that broadcasting in the country cannot be in foreign languages. But
given this, in order to open a new international TV channel, at first,
it is necessary to change the valid law. Here is the main
contradiction of the situation."

[translated from Russian]

PanARMENIAN.Net

Turkish Central Bank lets lira float
10.03.2009 11:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Turkish lira rose back to 1.81 levels after
hitting all-time low against the dollar as the central bank stepped in
to curb the depreciation of the currency.

The Turkish lira currency fell more than 1 percent to hit historic
lows over 1.82 levels against the dollar on Monday. The lira
strengthened back to 1.81 levels after the central bank said it will
re-launch daily dollar selling auctions from Tuesday.

The Turkish lira also plunged last week by the most in almost five
months as risk aversion sparked by concerns in global markets
continued to lead investors to seek safer ports.

The Turkish Economy Minister said on Monday that the weakening lira
was due to the impact of the global crisis. "There is general shift
away from risk which is strengthening the dollar in every corner of
the globe," Mehmet Simsek was quoted as saying by Dogan News Agency.

The lira, having lost some 25 percent against dollar in 2008, has
further weakened more 15 percent since the beginning of 2009.

Analysts say the Turkish Central Bank’s reactions are going to be
important during this period to calm the rising money markets. "The
bank can lower required reserve ratio for foreign currency
accounts. It did this before," Murat Salar, an economist at
Istanbul-based A Brokerage, told hurriyet.com.tr.

The bank is unlikely to employ any other methods to intervene, Salar
said adding that the current foreign currency level makes the
long-awaited loan deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) more
important.

The currency’s weakening position is likely to deepen concerns about
Turkey’s economy as the government continues to hold out against
finalizing a new loan arrangement with IMF, saying some conditions
attached to the loan are unacceptable. Talks for a possible new loan
were suspended in February.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on March 2 that Turkey does not
need loans from the IMF and may not conclude talks on a possible
economic agreement until after the local elections on March 29. The
country, which is seeking to avert a recession, has external financing
needs of about $30 billion this year, according to the central bank’s
estimation.

Turkey’s gross domestic product expanded 0.5 percent in the third
quarter of the year, its slowest pace in six years, after growing 2.3
percent in the second three months.

Problems which have occurred in international credit markets caused
liquidity problems in several countries as of the second half of
September 2008 and the bank has taken some measures to diminish
negative impacts on the credit mechanism in the country, the bank said
in the statement.

The auctions will start on Tuesday and the daily volume to be sold
will be $50 million. The amount could rise depending on market
conditions, the statement also said.

The statement came after lira hit a record low of 1.82 against the
dollar, in addition to the rapid slide experienced last week.

"Moreover, if the dollar selling auctions will not be able to meet the
liquidity need in the foreign exchange markets and if high volatility
is observed as a result of speculative moves that may result from the
reduction in liquidity despite the auctions, then the Central Bank
could intervene by introducing direct dollar selling," the bank added
in the statement.

The Turkish Central Bank earlier took a series of measures when the
liquidity squeeze experienced in the markets was felt more intensely
in the last quarter of 2008. At that time, the bank resumed the
foreign exchange depot market, in which it is the financial
intermediary and regulator, and doubled the borrowing limit in this
market.

The central bank also said that the decision to provide liquidity
loans to banks, up to double their total equity, was considered as
plan B.

Earlier, on March 3, 2009, the Central Bank of Armenia announced
return to floating rate policy. According to experts, the
dram-to-dollar rate is expected to be AMD360-380/$1.

UNION OF MANUFACTURES OF ARMENIA OFFERS ANTI-CRISIS PROGRAM

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.03.2009 17:13 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Around a year ago we forecasted that Armenia was
under the risk of dram devaluation that would have a negative impact
on manufacturers and bring to production volume decrease," the Head of
Armenian Manufacturers Union Vazgen Safaryan told a news conference on
Friday. "According to 2008 data, import volume in Armenia amounted
to AMD 4,4 billion and export volume – less than AMD 1 billion,
i.e. the imports exceeded exports by 35%. Still, the weakening of
dram is an insufficient condition for local output improvement. The
Armenian government policy has to be changed to improve the country’s
economic status."

The Head of Armenian Manufacturers Union offered his own crisis
solution. "The new governmental policy should aim at creation of new
job opportunities. The international financial structures investments
should be employed for construction works at: Armenia-Iran railway,
Armenia -Batumi highway and the new NPS. Our short-term plans should
include strengthening of rural sector," Vazgen Safaryan stated.

EXPORT AND IMPORT RATE REDUCED

Panorama.am
16:33 05/03/2009

During the current year 1 tone of sausage has been exported to Georgia,
told Alexander Alexanyan of the Ministry of Agriculture to Panorama.am.

According to him the export and import rates have been significantly
reduced in the aftermaths of the world crisis. "Currently little food
is imported into Armenia, we have not imported anything from Brazil,
European countries and the USA," said A. Alexanyan.

It is important to remind that meat products are imported into Armenia
from Brazil, Canada and USA, and milk powder is imported from Ukraine
and Belarus which is used in ice-cream production. Besides, citric,
tropical fruits are imported from Ecuador, Greece, Georgia and Iran.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext. 202
Fax: +37410. 565601
Email: [email protected]

Amba ssador of Afghanistan to Armenia presents the copies of his
credentials to Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian

On March 4, Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian received
Zalmai Aziz, the newly appointed Ambassador of Afghanistan to Armenia
(residence in Moscow) on the occasion of presenting of the copies of
his credentials.

In his welcoming remarks Minister Nalbandian mentioned that the
development of Armenian-Afghan relations is in the interest of the two
countries and expressed hope that Ambassador Aziz will make his
important contribution in the expansion of bilateral cooperation.

The two discussed the situation in Afghanistan. In that context Edward
Nalbandian stressed that Armenia attaches importance to the
establishment of stability and security in Afghanistan.

TIGRAN SARGSYAN: CB NEW POLICY JUSTIFIED

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.03.2009 22:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ New CBA policy is justified and creates favorable
conditions both for importers and exporters, RA Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan stated in his TV announcement. According to him, there are
many who insist on the necessity of phased introduction of floating
exchange rate policy, i.e. gradual reduction of national currency
exchange rate, yet this might bring many negative consequences,
specifically market participants’ negative expectations, that would
result in speculation and significant exchange rate fluctuations. CBA
established national currency fluctuations limit, which clears up the
situation for all market participants and allows to avoid unnecessary
disturbance, RA Prime Minister concluded.

A LOOK AT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS AROUND THE GLOBE

Forbes
March 1 2009

A look at economic developments and stock market activity around the
world Tuesday:

LONDON – The Bank of England could start buying assets from banks
with newly created money as early as this week to boost lending in the
economy, Treasury chief Alistair Darling said in an interview with a
British newspaper. He strongly hinted that the bank’s monetary policy
committee could begin so-called quantitative easing later this week
when it meets for its monthly meeting to decide the level of interest
rates. Meanwhile, the British government pledged funds to rescue 13
billion pounds ($18.4 billion) worth of key public infrastructure
projects being built by private companies that are at risk of collapse
because of the economic downturn. The deal could cost the government
up to 2 billion pounds ($2.8 billion). In markets, the FTSE 100 index
closed down 113.74 points, or 3.1 percent, at 3,512.09, its lowest
close since March 2003.

TOKYO – Toyota’s financing unit is in talks with a Japanese
government-backed bank on possible lending, the automaker
said, underlining the serious woes facing the car industry amid
plunging global sales. Toyota Motor Corp. said no details had been
decided. Japan’s Nikkei flirted with 26-year lows, ending 50.43 points,
or 0.7 percent, lower at 7,229.72, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index
closed down 283.58 points, or 2.3 percent, at 12,033.88. Markets in
India, Singapore, and Malaysia also lost ground.

BRUSSELS – The European Union’s top economy official, Joaquin Almunia,
said that the 16 euro nations have a solution to rescue any member that
risks economic collapse, but it would not be clever to give out details
in public. Investors see a risk that euro-zone nations like Ireland,
Spain, Portugal, Greece and Italy could default on debt payments and
are charging them more to borrow on government bonds. Almunia said
this solution would kick in before a member nation needed to approach
the International Monetary Fund for a bailout.

TORONTO – Canada’s central bank cut its interest rate by one-half
point to 0.5 percent – the lowest in history. The Bank of Canada
urged other countries to implement timely and ambitious plans to
address toxic assets and recapitalize financial institutions. The
central bank said those plans are a precondition for stabilization
and recovery. It added that potential delays could mean no recovery
until early 2010. The bank previously predicted growth in the second
half of 2009. The latest interest rate cut means the bank has cut 4
percentage points off the overnight rate since it began the current
easing policy in December 2007.

PARIS – The French prime minister warned of a "long, hard crisis" in
the economy, which he predicted will shrink as much as 1.5 percent
this year as the number of unemployed swells. Francois Fillon also
cautioned that the government’s budget deficit as a percentage of
economic output will soar to slightly more than 5 percent. France
is likely to see unemployment rolls jump by 300,000 people this
year, while the national deficit grows by 50 billion euros ($63
billion), he said. The CAC-40 ended 26.91 points, or 1 percent,
lower at 2,554.55, while Germany’s DAX closed down 19.35 points,
or 0.5 percent, at 3,690.72.

GUANGZHOU, China – A major U.S. business group said an annual survey of
its members shows that companies plan to invest 40 percent less this
year in southern China – a once-booming export region already reeling
from a plunge in orders amid the global financial crisis. Although
thousands of Chinese factories have collapsed in the region in the past
year, the 551 companies polled by the American Chamber of Commerce in
South China had no plans to shut down, the group’s president, Harley
Seyedin, told reporters. Meanwhile, Chinese shares were mixed while
investors waited to see whether this week’s meeting of the national
legislature produces new industrial stimulus plans. The benchmark
Shanghai Composite Index dropped 22.02 points, or 1.1 percent, to
close at 2071.43.

SYDNEY – Australia’s central bank left its key interest rate
unchanged at 3.25 percent after deep cuts in the past few months to
help stimulate the rapidly slowing economy. The board of the Reserve
Bank of Australia decided to end the run of cuts – for now – that have
slashed the key rate from 7.25 percent at the beginning of September
to its lowest level in more than 40 years. Analysts said the bank
was leaving itself room to resume slashing rates if the economy did
not respond well enough to the earlier cuts and to two big government
stimulus packages since October. The S&P/ASX 200 index slid 1 percent
to 3,219.20.

YEREVAN, Armenia – The financial crisis has forced Armenia to let
its currency fall and seek a bailout from the IMF, the Central Bank
acknowledged, with an announcement that it will give up its defense of
the dram currency and return to a free float policy. The devaluation
of the national currency is likely to hurt ordinary Armenians, with
prices for imported goods expected to rise sharply. Several hours
after the bank announced the move, IMF Managing Director Dominique
Strauss-Kahn recommended its executive board to approve the country’s
request for a $540 million loan.

SEOUL, South Korea – South Korea’s beleaguered currency reversed
course, rising against the dollar amid apparent intervention by foreign
exchange authorities and a rebound in stocks. The won came off 11-year
lows against the greenback after earlier approaching the 1,600-level
for a second day. Currency authorities at the Bank of Korea and the
Ministry of Strategy and Finance as a policy neither confirm nor deny
intervention. They do, however, acknowledge occasional "smoothing
operations" – a euphemism for stepping into the market to prevent sharp
one-way moves. Finance Minister Yoon Jeung-hyun told reporters that the
exchange rate "will not always flow in the same direction," according
to the ministry, though he refrained from commenting on possible
intervention. South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.7 percent to 1,025.57.

MADRID – The number of people filing claims for jobless benefits
in Spain jumped 154,058 in February to a total of 3.48 million, as
companies continued to lay off workers in droves amid the recession,
the Labor Ministry said. The figure is a 4.6 percent rise from the
previous month.

ARF HOLDS AN EVENT MARKING SUMGAYIT TRAGEDY ANNIVERSARY

Yerkir
26.02.2009 19:38

Yerevan (Yerkir) – The ARF Supreme Body of Armenia has issued a
statement in connection with the 21st anniversary of the Sumgayit
tragedy.

The statement says: "The Azerbaijani authorities organized a massacre
of the local Armenian population in Azerbaijani town of Sumgayit on
February 26-28, 1988. The brutal killings and violence against peaceful
people, seizure of their properties was the reaction to the rightful
demands of Karabakh Armenians. Twenty-one years after those events we
have to state that: a) the 1988 Sumgayit crimes have not been given
an adequate assessment and the perpetrators have not been punishes;
b) the steps that Azerbaijan is taking in the recent years come to
prove that this country will never guarantee the physical safety as
well as protection of the Armenian cultural values."