Author: Virabian Jhanna

AZERBAIJANI POLITICAL EXPERT COMMENTS ON ACTIVITIES OF PUBLIC COUNCIL ON KARABAKH

Today.Az
10 August 2009

Three proposals developed by the Public Council on Karabakh were
accepted on an official level over the last three years since the
council was established, council member and member of parliament
Zardusht Alizade said.

"First, some council members were part of the Dortmund conference:
this is US-Russian, Armenian- Azerbaijan public format, which developed
an interim status for Nagorno-Karabakh. After this the development
was included in the list of formal proposals," Alizade said.

"The second proposal was about giving official status to the
Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh to enable it to participate
in the negotiations. The third proposal is to set up a group of public
support for the OSCE Minsk Group activities."

"This will include representatives of Armenian and Azerbaijani NGOs
that support a peaceful solution to be reached within the framework
of OSCE Minsk Group negotiation process," Alizade said.

He said consultative and advisory body called the Public Council
on Karabakh.has operated for about three years upon the initiative
of a number of prominent public figures, politicians, academics,
representatives of non-governmental sector of Azerbaijan, as well as
representatives of the Karabakh Azerbaijanis.

"The initiative to create this organization belongs to Arzu
Abdullayeva. This is not official and unregistered organization with
a greater circle of people. IT includes a number of other people as
well," the political expert said.

Alizadeh said that the experts are developing models of the Karabakh
conflict settlement, keep track of the negotiation process and attempt
to support their decisions at a public level.

ARGENTINEAN LAWYER: ARMENIAN PRESIDENT DRAWS NO LESSONS FROM HISTORY

Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am
Aug 7 2009
Armenia

Armenian President draws no lessons from Armenian history,
Armenian lawyer Pascual Ohanian told the Argentinean Diario Armenia
daily. Ohanian, 77, historian, is the author of "Turkey: A country
of Genocide".

It took him nearly 10 years to collect the necessary documents for
the book, each volume taking 5 years, but Ohanian described the most
tragic pages of Armenian history in great detail.

Ohanian considers Armenians lacked the statehood experience as they
had to struggle, defend themselves and take care of their own security.

"On the one hand Armenians dramatically suffered from Turkey
and West, on the other – they were confused on way to opt for
changing things for better," Ohanian supposes, "Introspection and
self-criticism is a must. For example, Armenian Presidents do not
draw lessons from history. Relying on U.S., France and GB means not
to act circumspectly. I do not mean to trust Russia implicitly, as
it pursues its own interests using Armenia as a tool. GB and France
have simply sold Armenia out. As to Serzh Sargsyan’s visit to Turkey,
it does not matter at all to them. Their position on Genocide negation
was clearly voiced. OSCE MG should not be confided in either."

Ohanian outlined that Armenia’s geographic location is disadvantageous,
but he knows the way out: good relations with Iran will enable to
communicate with the globe through Persian Gulf.

RA GOVERNMENT RECONSIDERS AGREEMENT ON TRANSFER OF ARMENIAN RAILWAYS TO RZD

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
06.08.2009 17:29 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian government has decided to amend the
agreement on transfer of Armenian Railways to Russian Railways (RZD).

Minister of Transport and Communications Gurgen Sargsyan said that
amendments will include a provision regulating determination of
railway tariffs.

For his part, Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said that a
working group will be formed to control the situation.

"This agency will be empowered to examine the issues and present
conclusions to the government," he said. "We learned about the tariffs
rise after the concessioner was announced and will never allow it
happen again."

BARBECUE OF KARS ON ARMENIAN AND TURKISH BORDER
Hayk Aramyan

LRAGIR.AM
12:59:30 – 06/08/2009

The opinion that the opening of the Armenian and Turkish border will
be effective for the Armenian economy is often expressed. Political
figures, economists, businessmen note that Armenia will have a new
market this way, it will have short and cheap communications, which
will leave its positive impact on the Armenian economy. The ground is
said to be the fact that the closure of the border is in the Armenian
oligarchs’ favor, who are monopolists and dictate price policy. In
other words, according to them, the opening of the frontier will
contribute to the weakening of those monopolies. For example, the
former Prime Minister Hrant Bagratyan and the quasi oligarch Gurgen
Arsenyan state in this connection that one should think about the
future of Armenia and several hundreds of small businessmen and not
about 50-60 oligarchs.

Those having opposite stances, warn about the expansion of the Turkish
economy. The Turkish economic abilities are incomparable with those
of Armenia and the import of Turkish goods will destroy the home
production etc.

It is difficult to disagree with these stances if we forget the reality
for a second. However, returning to the reality we have to register
that all the stances stem from the same fundamental reality. The
point is about the Armenian economic structure.

The Armenian economy, in general the political-economic system,
is a strong compact of quotas and "zones" with their clear rights
and duties. The major business growing with the state structures
has monopolized the whole economic field. By serving the government
at the elections, isolating the society from electoral mechanisms
and depriving them from the right to form a government, the major
business has advantages and monopolies, which deprive the society
from its full life.

Under such conditions, if the main problem is not solved, and even
in case the Armenian and Turkish border is open three times a day,
nothing will change. Our oligarchs will monopolize the border with
Turkey trying to preserve the stability of the economic quotas in
the country. And this chain, which starts from the customs service,
will operate in the other circles too. Oligarchs will get richer,
and those representing the small and midsize business maybe will have
a couple of car washing points and places to make barbecue of Kars
near the Armenian and Turkish border.

AMRATING/GLOBALRATING RAISES CREDIT RATING OF ARARATBANK FROM BB- TO BB OUTLOOK STABLE

ArmInfo
2009-08-06 13:53:00

ArmInfo. AmRating/GlobalRating has raised the credit rating of
ARARATBANK from BB- to BB Outlook Stable, the company press-service
reported.

Banking analyst of ArmInfo Karina Melikyan says the rating of the bank
is reasoned by sustainable rates and positive dynamics of development,
as well ad maximum transparency. Possible increase in dependence of
the part of the resource base on on-call resources and deposits of
individuals, deepening of sensitivity to exchange and credit risks
in conditions of the global financial crisis are rating restraining
factors. Nevertheless, these factors are to some-extent neutralized
as the bank is involved in the governmental stabilization program as
part of the credits from the World Bank and access to anti-crisis
resources provided from Russia to Armenia to support the banking
system and effective demand in the country through SME loans. The
rating raised from BB- to BB is a significant growth of the level of
political resources of the key shareholder of the bank, maintenance
of financial activity in the background of the crisis, as well as
beginning of implementation of the program of institutional development
of the bank with the support of the EBRD.

AmRating/GlobalRating Executive Director Emmanuil Lazarian says
ARARATBANK has been ensuring stable growth of key indicators over
the last 2 years and maintaining high quality of assets, sufficient
liquidity and low sensitivity to risks despite the crisis phenomena
in the economy of Armenia.

ARARATBANK OJSC is an average bank by assets. It is a developing bank
controlled by the largest oil trader in Armenia- FLASH Company. The
blocking stake belongs to the EBRD. The bank serves corporate clients,
finances SMEs, and actively develops retail lending. The bank has
rather high level of cooperation with international organizations
and occupies the 7th position in the banking system of Armenia by
the branch network.

GEORGIA AND UKRAINE NOT READY FOR NATO MEMBERSHIP

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
03.08.2009 18:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgia and Ukraine are not ready for NATO membership
at this stage. The statement was made by the new NATO Anders Fogh
Rasmussen secretary general. "They have not fulfilled the conditions
necessary at this stage," Rasmussen told his first press conference
in Brussels.

At the same time Secretary General reiterated the position of the
North Atlantic Alliance, that Georgia and Ukraine in the future will
be taken into NATO and the alliance will continue to provide them
the necessary assistance to do so, RIA Novosti reports.

Rasmussen, formally entered into the post of NATO Secretary General
on 1 August, on Monday he began its work in the Brussels headquarters
of NATO.

CO-CHAIRS TO PRESENT THE UPDATED DOCUMENT TO THE PARTIES IN FALL

ARMENPRESS
Aug 3, 2009

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, ARMENPRESS: OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs informed
that the updated "Madrid" principles will be provided to the parties
during the visit to the region in fall. Spokesman for the Armenian
Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information Department Tigran Balayan told
Armenpress that the Armenian side has not yet received the document
and as the co-chairs noted it will be provided to the parties during
their visit to the region in late September or early October.

OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs Bernard Fassier (France), Yuri Merzlyakov
(Russia) and Matthew Bryza (USA) conducted July 25-26 working
meeting in Krakow, Poland to prepare the updated document of Madrid
principles according to the July 10 statement of the presidents of
their countries.

US co-chairman Matthew Bryza will visit the region in August,
Bernard Fassier in early September and three co-chairs together in
late September.

MEMORANDUM SIGNED BETWEEN MINISTRY OF DIASPORA AND NORAVANK FOUNDATION

Noyan Tapan
Aug 3, 2009

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The RA Ministry of
Diaspora, in the person of Minister Hranush Hakobian and Noravank
scientific-educational fund, in the person of Director Gagik
Harutiunian signed a cooperation memorandum on July 29, to assist
development of the Armenia-Diaspora collaboration.

According to the Press and Public Relations Department of the RA
Ministry of Diaspora, the parties attached importance to the necessity
of development of Armenology in Diaspora, scietific studies on the
Armenian Diaspora, preparation of young specialists in the direction
of Diasporan Studies, training of specialists working in that sphere
as well as scietific analysis of the processes taking place at present
in the Armenian Diaspora.

"We will be able to study numerous and many-pole problems, discuss,
analyze them, present proposals and make decisions on them only
as a result of close cooperation with scientific and educational
institutions," Hranush Hakobian mentioned.

Particularly, to stimulate teaching of the Armenian language in
the Armenian Diaspora, programs and researches will be worked out,
a round table on the theme State of Education of Western Armenians
in Diaspora: Problems, Solutions will be organized, studies on the
Armenian communities and history of the communities will be completed.

In Noravank Scientific-Educational Director Gagik Harutiunian’s words,
the memorandum will also assist creation of analytical centers in
Diaspora which will help revealing of Armenian potential and its usage
in interests of Armenians and Homeland: "In this era of information
when knowledge and ability to orient in difficult situations quickly
and correctly are attached too much importance, similar structures
will greatly assist organization of Armenians and future activity,"
the Director mentioned.

The memorandum also envisaged to assist development of Diasporan
Studies, prepare and train specialists on the Diasporan Studies,
organize events addressed to development of Armenology.

MADRID PRINCIPLES LEAD TO WAR, VAHAN SHIRKHANIAN BELIEVES

NOYAN TAPAN
JULY 31, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JULY 31, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Not only the
Madrid Principles will fail to bring a peace, but they will become
an occasion for a new war. The former RA deputy minister of defence
Vahan Shirkhanian made this prediction at the July 31 discussion. In
his words, the task of serving the interests of the West and Turkey
forms of the basis of these principles.

V. Shirkhanian said that the opinions of neither Armenia nor even
Azerbaijan were taken into consideration. As regards the essence of
the Madrid Document, according to him, in case of implementation
of even one of its points, Nagorno Karabakh will become a part of
Azerbaijan. "This in its turn means Armenia’s ruin," the former deputy
minister said.

He added that one provision of the Madrid Document forbids the Nagorno
Karabakh authorities from doing construction work and resettling
people in the liberated territories. In his words, this provision
alone shows the anti-Armenian nature of the Madrid Principles.

The member of Heritage party’s board Vardan Khachatrian in his turn
said that Armenia must be ready for a war because those excluding
the possibility of a resumption of hostilities are guided by vain
judgements. He explained that these judgements are the following:
Azeraijan will be reluctant to endanger its oil pipelines, Azerbaijan
cannot achieve success by means of war, the world will not leave the
Armenians all alone. He underlined that a generation that demands a
resumption of war has grown up in Azerbaijan.

TEAM TO BE ANNOUNCED ON MONDAY

A1+
11:56 am | July 31, 2009 | Sports

On Monday chief trainer of the Armenian football team Vardan Minasyan
will announce the names of the team to play in the friendly match with
Moldava on August 12, technical director of the team Ashot Manukyan
told "A1+".

According to preliminary data, the trainer plans to include all
legions who always participate in the team’s matches, including
the Karamyan brothers ("Timishoara", Romania), Ararat Arakelyan,
Henrich Mkhitaryan (both from "Metalurg", Donetsk, the Ukraine),
Roman Berezovski ("Khimki", Russia). But the four football players
are currently going through a hard time because they are fighting
to enter the group stage of the European cups and it is not excluded
that the heads of their groups will appeal to the Football Federation
of Armenia to release their players from the friendly match.

The remaining legions, particularly Robert Arzumanyan and Levon
Pachajyan, are currently looking for a new group to play in because
recently they are not playing in the team games and plan to move to
other teams.

For the first time, Vardan Minasyan called Yeghia Yavruyan who plays
for the "McKabi" of Tel Aviv. He had also called him to play for the
Armenian team, but FIFA had not allowed him to play for the Armenian
team because he had already played in the Russian youth team. Based
on current FIFA laws, football players have the chance to change
their country team once.