Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

ORINATS YERKIR STANDS FOR NORMALIZATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
18.09.2009 15:05 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Orinats Yerkir party (OY) stands for normalization
of Armenian-Turkish relations.

"We welcome the President’s initiative to meet with leaders of
political forces to discuss the Armenian-Turkish protocols," OY
parliamentary group member Hovhannes Margaryan told a briefing in
Yerevan on Friday.

"There are problems which should be discussed," he said. "The party
will participate in parliamentary discussions. As to ratification of
protocols, these documents should still undergo a serious expertise."

THE ARMENIAN MILITANTS ARE READY FOR THE MILITARY EXERCISES IN KAZAKHSTAN

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1 6.09.09

In the centre for military exercises after Marshal Baghramyan
ended the trainings and studies of the Armenian company, which was
preparing for the military exercises in Kazakhstan. And now, after a
one-and-half-month preparation phase, the company shows satisfactory
results. A proof of this is the maneuver of tactics held on the 16th
of September.

On that day, in order to get to know the readiness of the members
of the company on spot and to observe the maneuver, the minister
of defence Seyran Ohanyan, Chief of the GS of the RA Armed Forces
Colonel-General Yuri Khachaturov, other high rank militants and company
commanders of different military units of the RA Armed Forces visited
the centre for military exercises after Marshal Baghramyan.

In order to get the target, the riflemen, the staff of the military
machine of the infantry, bombers use a battle fire. In the time given
the task was done and all the targets were destroyed. During this
kind of military exercises, indeed, the martial harmony and field
preparedness of the sub-units is improved. The practical capacities
of commanders are strengthened; physical readiness and determination
of the staff is developed. Watching the perfect operations of our
group we are convinced that they will show their martial and tactical
capacities in the international review, as well. After the maneuver
the minister of defence Seyran Ohanyan met the members of the company
and had a conversation with them. Expressing his satisfaction with
their readiness, the minister stated that whenever there is a clear
goal, whenever one works zealously and with devotion, the result is
always obvious. Wishing them success and hoping that they will show
high records, Seyran Ohanyan also emphasized that while abroad, they
ought to demonstrate lofty qualities characteristic to the Armenian
soldier, they ought to keep elevated the honor and the good reputation
of both our country and our army.

So, a couple of more days, and our group will leave for the Republic of
Kazakhstan. And during the maneuver there the martial activities of the
armed forces of ours and the CSTO member states will be assessed. And
we hope that our militants will represent Armenia at its true worth.

ARMENIA MAY RECEIVE $60 MILLION FROM IMF LATER THIS YEAR

ARKA
Sep 16, 2009

YEREVAN, September 16. /ARKA/. International Monetary Fund may lend $60
million to Armenia later this year, Mark Lewis, head of International
Monetary Fund’s mission in Armenia, said on Wednesday.

The IMF mission was in Armenia from September 3 to 16 for discussing
the second study of the 28-month stand-by agreement.

Lewis said that the mission and the government reach an accord on the
policy package aimed at summarizing the results of the second study.

He said that the IMF’s executive board is expected to gather in late
October to discuss the summarization of the results of the study,
and the board’s positive conclusion will enable Armenia to attract
SDR 37.72 (about $60 million).

Answering ARKA News Agency’s question, Lewis said that the IMF
extends this credit to the Central Bank of Armenia for replenishing
international reserves.

It means these funds are not intended for financing particular
programs.

The executive board of the International Monetary Fund decided in
June to enlarge the bailout credit to Armenia from $540 million to
$820 million, of which $400 million have already transferred.

ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS COULD BECOME KARS AGREEMENT EXTENSION

PanARMENIAN.Net
17.09.2009 17:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "We can’t go back to the same relations we had
before protocols’ publication, and I believe there’s no need to do
so," ex NKR Foreign Minister Arman Melikyan told a news conference
in Yerevan. According to him, if signed, Armenian-Turkish protocols
could become an extension of Kars agreement.

"Kars agreement stipulates for acknowledgement of borders between
Turkey and 3 Caucasian states: Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. At
present, only the point stipulating for RA-Turkish borders is being
observed by default. First, Yerevan should annul Kars agreement, and
later continue negotiating RA -Turkish rapprochement." Arman Melikyan
stated, adding that neither Azerbaijan or Georgia acknowledged borders
with Turkey, thus automatically annulling the agreement. Refusing to
observe Kars agreement, Azerbaijan refused Nakhichevan, as, legally,
it does not belong to Azerbaijan territory.

"Only Armenia keeps following the Agreement, which even Turkey does
not acknowledge. Everything both courtiers are trying to achieve
through Protocols, including normalization and development of ties,
is already specified by Kars agreement," Arman Melikayn noted.

According to him, by refusing to acknowledge Kars agreement and sign
the Protocols, Armenia will find itself under Turkey’s influence. "I
don’t want such fate to befall our country. We have to clarify our
relations with Turkey and finally free ourselves from "ghosts of
past"," Arman Melikyan said.

NKR LEADERSHIP DISCUSSED CONTACT-LINE ISSUES

Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am
Sept 16 2009
Armenia

10:45 / 09/16/2009NKR President Bako Sahakyan and NKR Defense Army
supreme commands headed by NKR Defense Minister Movses Hakobyan at the
meeting discussed situation at the Karabakh-Azerbaijan contact-line.

In the course of the meeting, also the issues on army build-up
and improvement of servicemen social conditions, Nagorno-Karabakh
Presidential press service told NEWS.am.

On Sept. 14-15 cease-fire violations on various segments of
NKR-Azerbaijan contact-line were reported. Azerbaijani side fired
(with subcaliber arms and sniping rifles) at NKR Army positions in
South-Eastern, Eastern and North-Eastern directions.

JUDO PLAYER FROM AZERBAIJAN COMMENTS ON ARMENIA EXPERIENCE

HULIQ
Tert.am
Sept 15 2009
SC

The European Judo Championship in Armenia is not only a big sports
event, but also a small contribution to reconciliation between
Armenia and Azerbaijan. For the first time the national judo team
of Azerbaijan visited Armenia to participate in the European Judo
Championship. One of the Azeri team members won gold. The national
hymn of Azerbaijan was played and the flag raised. Armenia had no
problem with that. The two countries are negotiating for Nagorno
Karabakh independence through referendum.

The Armenian Judo Federation interviewed a member of the Azerbaijani
judo youth team, Elmar Gasimov, who won the title of world champion
in the 100kg weight category, about his visit to Armenia.

Responding to the interviewer’s question, Gasimov said he didn’t have
any interactions with Armenian athletes.

"But I would like to say that Armenians are a hospitable
people… though we didn’t come out of the hotel, we were concentrating
on our training, in order to achieve high results. But the trainers
went out and walked around town," Gasimov said.

He found it difficult to answer the question whether he would visit
Armenia if there was no championship.

"If the Karabakh issue is settled, of course, I could come. I don’t
know, there were many visits and an agreement was signed, and so on,
before we were able to come," said Gasimov.

He also said he thinks if there wasn’t any agreement, in any case,
there wouldn’t be any problems.

US AMBASSADOR DISCUSSED THE ARMENIA-TURKEY RELATIONS WITH TURKISH PARLIAMENT SPEAKER

armradio.am
15.09.2009 16:55

Turkish Parliament Speaker Mehmet Ali Sahin received U.S. Ambassador
in Ankara James Jeffrey on Tuesday.

Jeffrey told reporters that he had been in Washington D.C. last week
to exchange views about Turkey-U.S. relations, adding that Washington
was very interested in cooperation with Turkey.

Upon questions of reporters about Turkey-Armenia relations, Jeffrey
said that the U.S. was supporting the process, and he expressed hope
that the process would continue.

When asked whether the U.S. might extend a concrete support to the
process, Jeffrey said that his country was extending political support,
and wanted peace and stability in the whole Caucasus, the Journal of
Turkish Daily reported.

GREAT PART OF ARMENIANS APPROVE IMPROVEMENT OF RELATIONS WITH TURKEY, POLLS

Focus News
Sept 14 2009
Bulgaria

Yerevan/Ankara. Great part of Armenian citizens back the establishment
of relations with Turkey and expect for the border between the two
countries to be opened soon, a public opinion survey executed among
Armenian citizens in Yerevan shows, CNNTurk reports.

In reference to the protocols signed between Turkey and Armenia,
Armenia’s ruling Republican Party spokesman Eduard Sharmazanov said
the party counts on its parliamentary majority to ratify the papers
and remarked that Armenian government expects the same positive
political will on behalf of Turkish Justice and Development Party. In
interview to CNNTurk, Sharmazanov said that speaking in details the
protocols have certain paragraphs that each of the countries could
interpret according to its own potions. He added that in contrast
to the general expectations of the Armenian and Turkish society, the
commission on history that is to be established will not examine the
Armenian genocide. In his words, the Armenian genocide is a reality
which cannot be denied.

The Armenian politician added that the Turkish-Armenian relations
cannot be bound to a third country and Armenia accepts the position
of the Minsk Group about Nagorno-Karabakh.

While the ruling power backs the protocols, the opposition in Armenia
is restless in its criticism, saying such a move undermines Armenia’s
authority.

ArmenTel launched service improvement program
12.09.2009 14:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ ArmenTel has launched a service improvement program
for its employees, the company’s PR officer said.

`Monitoring groups consisting of representatives of public
organizations, journalists and company members will be formed to hold
express surveys in the streets and near Beeline offices. The results
will be available through media reports and service centers. The
program will last 3 months,’ Anush Begloyan told reporters today.

It’s the second round of service improvement program. The first round
included monitoring of sales offices.

Armenia expects to get $16.5 million from MCC before the end of the year

YEREVAN, September 12, /ARKA/. Armenia will ask the next meeting of the
Board of Directors of the U.S. Millennium Challenges Corporation (MCC)
to release about $16,5 million in Q4 from the main segment of the aid
package, approved by MCC for Armenia in 2006, Ara Hovsepian, head of
MCC Armenia said today.

In response to a question from ARKA, he said the allocation is due to
be spent on rebuilding and expanding Armenia’s irrigation networks, to
launch in Q4. According to him, the MCC has so far released a total of
$39 million to Armenia.

In a reference to the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation’s decision
not to release the $67 million component for reconstruction and repair
of about 1,000 kilometers of Armenian rural roads, Ara Hovsepian said
following that decision the Armenian government in July 2008 decided to
allocate about $17 million of its own funds to rural road construction
envisaged by Armenia’s MCA compact.

He said unfinished projects are being now, in accordance with a
government decision, handed to the ministry of transport.

The United States effectively cut nearly one third of a $235.6 million
air package for rural road rehabilitation, citing Armenian government’s
deteriorated human rights record and calling into question its
commitment to democracy and good governance.

The Millennium Challenge Account (MCA), a multimillion-dollar scheme
designed to reward economic and political reforms in the developing
world, was started in 2006.

Armenia was to receive $236.65 million in 2006-2011. Most of the MCA
funds were to be spent on rebuilding and expanding the country’s
battered irrigation networks and refurbishing about 1,000 kilometers of
rural roads. -0-