Author: Virabian Jhanna

ARMENIA MUST WORK OUT A SINGLE CONCEPT ON RA -TURKISH RELATIONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.09.2009 17:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenakan Organisation expressed its protest
against secrecy athmosphere negotiations between Armenia and Turkey
are conducted in, resulting in conclusion of preliminary protocols.

Organisation expressed its agreement with RA Ramkavar Azatakan Party’s
statement, reading, " before the process was started by RA President,
public discussion with participartion of analytical and polictical
organisations shoudld be initiated" and a single Armenian-Turkish
relations’concept worked out based on discussion results.

Armenakan Organisation is a follower of Armenakan Political Movesment
ideology. The movement was founded in 1885.

YEREVAN HOSTS A WORKSHOP TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT CONSUMER PROTECTION IN THE CAPITAL MARKET

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.09.2009 21:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On September 3, 2009, NASDAQ OMX Armenia jointly
with the Office of the Armenian Financial System Mediator organized
a workshop on a range of topics related to the Financial System
Mediator’s activities in respect of the delivery of investment services
in Armenia. The workshop was attended by more than 30 participants
representing exchange member investment companies and banks, the
Central Bank of Armenia, as well as media.

The workshop opened with welcome addresses from Mr. Karen Zakaryan,
Deputy Chief Executive Officer, NASDAQ OMX Armenia, and Ms. Piruz
Sargsyan, Financial System Mediator. Both speakers pointed out the
important role that this independent institution, established by the
Central Bank of Armenia has to play in protecting consumer rights
in the capital market and enhancing the confidence of individual
investors towards the Armenian financial system in general.

"This workshop is a part of workshop series organized in order to raise
awareness about consumer protection in the capital market. Currently
workshops are being conducted in Armenia’s regions, with the first
one held in Lori," Ms. Piruz Sargsyan stated.

Presentations delivered during the workshop comprised a general
overview of the activities of the Armenian financial system mediator’s
Office, including procedures for filing, reviewing, and resolving
claims from individuals, as well as an insight in the international
practices of resolving disputes between investment service providers
and their customers. Case studies pinpointing common problem areas
related to investment and brokerage activities worldwide (such as
investment companies failing to act in the best interests of the
client, violating of fiduciary obligations, failing to exercise duty
of care, etc.) were presented and analyzed. The workshop concluded
with a questions and answers session.

MISHIK RESIGNED

sha
08:42 pm | September 01, 2009

Society

Chief of staff of the RA President, Mikayel Minasyan, Serzh Sargsyan’s
son-in-law Mishik, has resigned, as reported to "A1+" by insiders at
the presidential residence.

According to our source, the resignation is tied to his intentions to
play a more active role in the political developments and rearrangement
that await in the heated fall.

Let us remind that Mikayel Minasyan (Mishik) is still the informal
leader of the MIAK party.

TURKEY’S MEDIATION UNACCEPTABLE FOR ARMENIA, FM STATES

Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am
Sept 2 2009
Armenia

20:08 / 09/02/2009RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan is sure
Armenia is not linking normalization of its relations with Turkey
with the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. The Minister also trusts
the OSCE MG Co-Chairing countries. "I am sure that the entire world
views it this way," Nalbandyan told a news conference today.

If Turkey views the process is a different way, it does not mean
anything. He regards as erroneous the opinion that the Protocols
on establishing Armenian-Turkish diplomatic relations mention the
Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. "The Nagorno-Karabakh peace process
is within the OSCE Minsk Group, and Armenia cannot accept Turkey’s
mediation," the Minister said. Nalbandyan stated that the Protocol
fixes clear terms, and the entire world expects the sides to honor the
agreements. "We will see if Turkey will honor the agreements," he said.

On August 31, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and
Foreign Ministries of Armenia and Turkey issued a press release, which
says: "The Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey have agreed
to start their internal political consultations on two protocols –
the ‘Protocol on the establishment of diplomatic relations’ and the
‘Protocol on the development of bilateral relations’ – which have
been initiated in the course of their efforts under Swiss mediation.

INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.09.2009 19:33 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Third Yerevan International Music Festival will be
held from September 11 to October 23. Opening the festival will begin
with a joint performance of the Concerto for Viola and Orchestra N2
of Tigran Mansuryan and Symphony N5 of Shostakovich by viola player
Kim Kashkashyan (USA) and the State Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia.

In the framework of the festival musicians from Germany, Britain,
Armenia, France, Italy, Russia, Belgium, Austria and Japan will
perform in Yerevan.

Festival’s artistic director is the conductor of the State
Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia Eduard Topchyan and the cellist
Alexander Chaushyan. The Armenia’s ministry of culture, Armenian
General Benevolent Union (AGBU) are organizers of the third Yerevan
International Music Festival.

WORLD BANK PLANS TO ACCELERATE ALLOCATION OF LOANS TO ARMENIA TO HELP BOOST SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES

ARKA
Sep 1, 2009

YEREVAN, September 1, /ARKA/. Head of World Bank (WB) Yerevan Office,
Aristomene Varoudais, told a Monday news conference that the WB plans
to accelerate allocation of loans to Armenia to help it boost small
and medium-sized businesses. He said the global financial and economic
crisis is forcing all of us to seek non-standard solutions.

He reminded that the World Bank Board of Directors had approved in
February the US$25 million Lifeline Roads Improvement Project for
Armenia, aimed to upgrade selected sections of the lifeline road
network and create temporary employment in road construction; then
it approved a $50 million Access to Finance for Small and Medium
Enterprises (AFSME) loan program, designed to help the Armenian
Government to strengthen access to finance for SME borrowers and
improve the resilience of Armenia’s private and financial sectors in
the face of the impacts of the global financial crisis.

In late July the World Bank approved a US$30 million Irrigation
Rehabilitation Emergency Project (IREP) for Armenia aimed to improve
water use efficiency. It was followed by approval of a $25 million
Armenia Second Education Quality and Relevance Project designed to
help enhance and facilitate learning in general education and improve
the readiness of children who are entering primary education.

According to=2 0World Bank Yerevan Office head, the Development Policy
Operation loan for Armenia in the amount of US$60 million was very
important. It was aimed to help the government to mitigate the impact
of the global economic crisis and meet its social spending targets.

On June 12 the World Bank Board of Directors approved a new Country
Partnership Strategy (CPS) with Armenia, which provides the framework
guiding for the World Bank’s assistance to Armenia for 2009-2012.

This Strategy, prepared at a time when Armenia was rocked by the global
economic crisis, is intended to assist it to resume growth and reduce
the impacts of the crisis on the poor. It also aims to help Armenia
lay the foundation for a more competitive economy–a key requirement
for diversified and sustainable growth. Within the frameworks of this
new strategy the World Bank will provide Armenia with $545 million in
loans, twice as much as it extended in 2004-2008. Some $150 million
of the sum will be extended at IDA privileged terms, the rest of
$395 will be provided at the International Bank of Reconstruction
and Development terms for countries with medium GDP.

Besides, the International Financial Corporation, a member of World
Bank Group, will extend an additional loan of $120-160 million to
private Armenian companies.

SCHOOLCHILDREN FROM ARMENIA TOOK PART IN "LET’S LEARN TOLERANCE THROUGH ENGLISH" INTERNATIONAL CAMP

PanARMENIAN.Net
31.08.2009 18:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On July 31, teenagers and teachers who participated
in the international camp "Let’s Learn Tolerance through English"
met with Her Excellency Marie L. Yovanovitch, U.S. Ambassador
to Armenia. The camp, set up in the Turkish town of Chanakkale,
was organized under the aegis of US Embassy in Turkey. It brought
together 15 Armenian students aged 14-17 as well as 19 Turkish and
American students. Its objective is to help students and teachers
to communicate across cultural boundaries and understand each other
better. Camp program included different activities for students,
such as English language courses and intercultural meetings.

SIBEL EDMONDS FINALLY TESTIFIES UNDER OATH

Blather (satire)
/sibel_edmonds_finally_testifie.html
Aug 27 2009

Sibel Edmonds, a key figure in Blather.net’s Black Market Nukes! story
last year, has finally testified under oath in the US. Both the video
of her deposition, and a pdf transcript, are on the Brad Blog:

‘Thanks to a subpoena issued by the campaign of Ohio’s 2nd District
Democratic U.S. Congressional candidate David Krikorian, her remarkable
allegations of blackmail, bribery, espionage, infiltration, and
criminal conspiracy by current and former members of the U.S. Congress,
high-ranking State and Defense Department officials, and agents of
the government of Turkey are seen and heard here, in full, for the
first time, in her under-oath deposition. Both the complete video
tape and transcript of the deposition follow below.’

ARMENIA DENIES AZERBAIJAN WARPLANES FLEW OVER N.-KARABAKH

Interfax
Aug 26 2009
Russia

Armenia’s Defense Ministry on Wednesday denied reports that several
Azeri fighter planes had made incursions into the air space of
Nagorno-Karabakh.

"The air defense forces of the Defense Army control the air space of
Nagorno-Karabakh and are in a position to give a proper response to
any encroachments," the ministry said.

Media in Azerbaijan had said several Azeri fighters had flown over
the line separating Azeri and Armenian armed forces and that some of
the planes had crossed the line into Nagorno-Karabakh air space.

Azeri Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Eldar Sabiroglu said the reported
flights had been part of "routine exercises."

RA MINISTER OF DIASPORA RECEIVES AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY OF RA TO GERMANY

Noyan Tapan
Aug 28, 2009

YEREVAN, AUGUST 28, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On August 27, RA
Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobian received Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of RA to Germany.

According to the RA Ministry of Diaspora Press and Public Relations
Department, issues regarding work done with the Armenian Diaspora in
Germany were discussed during the meeting.

The Minister attached importance to issues of creating professional
structures in Germany, making active the educational issue in the
community and founding one-day schools.

H. Hakobian also touched upon the issue of providing financial
assistance to the Armenological Center functioning in Berlin Open
University envisaged from 2010.

Agreements were reached over creating a group of friends of the RA
Ministry of Diaspora, youth structures attached to Embassies, founding
a correspondence point of the Hayern Aysor electronic newspaper,
as well as over making active cultural, organization issues in the
community.