Author: Zaminian Bedik

GENOCIDE RECOGNITION INTERNATIONALLY NOT SUSPENDED: NALBANDYAN

News.am
Oct 30 2009
Armenia

Armenia had always welcomed the recognition of Armenian Genocide
by other countries, RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan stated at
Oct. 30 press conference with his Belarus counterpart Sergei Martynov.

Commenting on the presentation of Genocide resolution in the U.S.

Senate, RA FM informed over 20 countries recognized the historic fact
worldwide to date, that refers not only to Armenian nation, but the
mankind at large. According to him, the Genocide recognition will
enable prevention of further atrocities against humanity. Presently,
there is an enormous information flow and publications on the Armenian
Genocide, and only a few discredit the fact. "These exceptions
cannot be considered a suspension trend of the Genocide recognition
internationally," Nalbandyan assured.

CONFLICTS IN SOUTH CAUCASUS AFFECT FORMATION OF ATMOSPHERE OF TRUST BETWEEN REGION COUNTRIES

Trend
Oct 30 2009
Azerbaijan

Conflicts in the South Caucasus affect the formation of an atmosphere
of trust between the countries of the region, said EU Special
Representative for South Caucasus Peter Semneby in an interview with
Liberty Radio.

Answering the question on interconnection between the normalization of
Turkish-Armenian relations and the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, taking into account Turkish leadership’s statement that
ratification of the protocols and the opening of the border is
impossible without serious progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
Semneby replied that officially there is no connection, but nobody
can ignore the fact that each of the conflict, depending on the
direction of its solution, affects the confidence building amongst
regional countries.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan
lost all of Nagorno-Karabakh except for Shusha and Khojali in December
1991. In 1992-93, Armenian armed forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and 7
districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed
a ceasefire in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia,
France, and the U.S. – are currently holding the peace negotiations.

According to Semneby, the EU welcomes the progress made in the
Armenian-Turkish relations, and looks forward to further deepening
of this process. "I think that the sides have reached more than many
could imagine. For us it is important that our partners and the EU’s
immediate neighbors – Turkey and Armenia – have normal relations,"
he said.

He said that signing protocols on the normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations is an internal process, and it should be discussed by the
parliaments of two countries.

Semneby also said that he would not like to speculate about how would
the settlement of Armenian-Turkish relations affect on the process
of Turkey’s accession to the EU. "Turkey still needs to do in the
way of entrance to the EU, but the normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations can have a uniquely positive impact," he said.

According to him, if in the next two months the sides reach the
ratification of the protocols, it will make very important and
constructive elements in the relations of Armenia and Turkey with
the EU.

LEADERS OF ARMENIAN TRADITIONAL PARTIES MET

news.am
Oct 29 2009
Armenia

A meeting of Leaders of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party (SDHP) —
Setrag Ajemyan, Ramkavar Azatakan Party — Mike Kharapyan and Armenian
Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun Party Hrant Markarian was
held in Yerevan, the party’s joint statement says.

"Armenia-Turkey relations and other Armenian issues were discussed
in the course of the meeting," the statement reads.

Social Democrat Hunchakian Party (SDHP) forms a part of the
oppositional Armenian National Congress (ANC). Armenian Revolutionary
Federation Dashnaktsutyun tries to formulate a national pole in the
political framework, NEWS.am reports.

NKR NA DELEGATION PAYS WORKING VISIT TO FRANCE

PanARMENIAN.Net
29.10.2009 17:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Nagorno Karabakh Republic delegation headed by NKR
National Assembly Speaker Ashot Gulyan is carrying out a visit to
France. Delegation consists of Head of NKR NA Standing Committee on
Social Issues Arpat Avanesyan, Stepanakert Mayor Vazgen Mikaelyan,
NKR Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs Narine Aghabalyan and Head
of NKR MFA Political Department Irina Beglaryan.

Delegation members attended "Artsakh Voice" ensemble’s concert
organized upon the initiative "Support to Karabakh" organization which
represents NKR in Paris. Delegation also conducted meetings devoted
cooperation between Armenian-French organizations and Karabakh,
as well as recent developments in Karabakh settlement process.

On October 28, NKR delegation visited French National Assembly
to meet with French Parliamentarian Francois Rochebloine, Head of
French-Armenian Friendship Group. Parties had discussion over Karabakh
issue, stressing the importance of peaceful conflict settlement,
NKR Parliament’s press service reports.

OSCE MG TO ARRIVE IN REGION NEXT WEEK

PanARMENIAN.Net
29.10.2009 19:13 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Co-Chairs of OSCE Minsk Group Bernard Fassier
(France), Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia) and Robert Bradtke (US) are arriving
in region next week, diplomatic sources reported to PanARMENIAN.Net.

Mediators will meet with Armenian and Azeri leaders to discuss
possibilities of Karabakh conflict settlement based on Madrid
Principles. For the time being, there’s no precise information on
mediators’ intention to visit Nagorno Karabakh.

OLYMPIC CHAMPION, THREE TIMES EUROPEAN CHAMPION VLADIMIR YENGIBARIAN AWARDED VACHAGAN BAREPASHT MEDAL

Noyan Tapan
Oct 29, 2009

STEPANAKERT, OCTOBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. By the NKR President Bako
Sahakian’s decree of October 29, Olympic champion, three times
European champion Vladimir Yengibarian has been awarded a Vachagan
Barepasht medal for his significant contribution to the foundation
and development of the Armenian boxing school, the Central Information
Department of the Office of the NKR President reported.

TIES BETWEEN NAGORNO KARABAKH REPUBLIC AND MOLDOVIAN REPUBLIC OF PRIDNESTROVYE WILL STRENGTHEN

NKR Government Information and
Public Relations Department
October 26, 2009

A delegation from the Moldovian Republic of Pridnestrovye, with the
Republic’s Foreign Minister Vladimir Yastrebchuk at the head, is on
a cognitive visit in Artsakh. Today, the guests were received by the
NKR Prime Minister Ara Haroutyunyan. A concerned conversation upon
the issues of mutual interest has taken place.

The Head of the NKR Government has presented the socio-economic state
prevailing in our republic and noted at the programmess implemented
in energetic, irrigation, demographic and other spheres.

A.Haroutyunyan has emphasized that there is great unused potential for
affirmation and consolidation of economic relations between the two
republics, and suggested to set an intergovernmental commission, or
a working group to undertake purposeful steps for mutual cooperation.

The guests responded to the Premier’s suggestion positively, and
noted that efficient cooperation may be conducted in the spheres
of commerce, economy and tourism. Vladimir Yastrebchuk, the Foreign
Minister of the Moldovian Republic of Pridnestrovye, in his turn has
also presented information on socio-economic state of his republic,
and noted at the difficulties that the unrecognized republic is
overcoming in conditions of the world-wide economic crisis. Speaking
on their impressions of Artsakh, he said that they had seen a country
confident and believing in its future.

The interlocutors were concordant in an opinion that conflicts must
be settled in peaceful way and the numbers of arousing problems have
to be resolved by bilateral relations as well.

The Minister of the NKR Economic Development Benik Babayan, and
the NKR Deputy Foreign Minister Vardan Barseghyan were present at
the meeting. They expressed their considerations on strengthening
contacts between the two republics.

The Foreign Minister of the Moldovian Republic of Pridnestrovye was
accompanied by his deputy Sergey Simonenko and his adviser.

ARMENIA TO INTRODUCE TAX POLICY IMPACT MODEL

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.10.2009 16:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ By the recommendation of Economy Ministry, Ameria
company is conducting a survey among Armenia’s big taxpayers. "The
survey aims at collecting data for creating a general economic
equilibrium model," Head of Ameria consulting told a PanARMENIAN.Net
correspondent.

General balance calculation model will be used for analyzing the
impact of tax policy changes upon the country’s economic growth. The
new model, according to company Head, will help predict economy’s
situation in case of changing data entry system, particularly in tax
sphere. "For instance, if we reduce GDP from 20% to 18% or increase
or decrease income tax, how it will impact the country’s economy,"
Sahakyan said.

The survey is conducted within the frames of a WB Institutional
Development Fund’s grant program with the purpose of supporting RA
Economy Ministry’s analytical capacities through providing reliable
information for the General Balance Equilibrium Model based on
survey results.

Ameria is a leading consulting company on Armenian market actively
working in spheres of corporate restructuring, merging and absorption,
legal consulting, direct and portfolio investments, business planning,
strategic and tax planning, financial consulting, state administration
and reforms.

FOREIGN MINISTER OF BELARUS SERGEY MARTINOV TO PAY AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
Oct 29, 2009

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 29, ARMENPRESS: With the invitation of Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan Foreign Minister of Belarus Sergey
Martinov will pay an official visit to Armenia October 29-31.

Foreign Ministry’s Media and Information Department told Armenpress
that during the visit he is expected to meet with Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandyan.

The delegation headed by Sergey Martinov will visit Genocide memorial
and put a wreath on the monument to the victims of the Armenian
genocide. The minister of Belarus will also plant a tree in the
Memory Alley.

Within the framework of the visit meeting with professor staff and
students of Yerevan State University as well as visit of the delegation
to Shirak province is expected.

YOUNG PASHINYAN SUPPORTERS DETAINED, THEN RELEASED

Tert
Oct 27 2009
Armenia

Yesterday, Armenian National Congress (ANC) young activists Sargis
Gevorgyan and Sargis Khachatryan were taken to the police station
from outside Court of First Instance of Shengavit Community of Yerevan.

Gevorgyan and Khachatryan were the two young activists playing hand
drums while Nikol Pashinyan’s trial was taking place. Their drums
were seized, they were taken to the police station, and they were
kept in the custody of police for three hours and then released.

Speaking to Tert.am, Gevorgyan said they were standing for a long time
at the police station’s waiting room since the police officers who
took them there refused to draw up a protocol of apprehension, which
the Shengavit community police officers insisted should be drawn up.

The argument between the two sides got so heated that they started
to swear at each other.

According to Gevorgyan, the police officers said their chief told them
not to draw up a protocol, while Shengavit community officers insisted
that their chief told them a protocol must be issued. In any case, as
far as Gevorgyan understood, no protocol of apprehension was drawn up.

The young activists were released after they wrote a letter of
explanation.

"I wrote that I was presented an obviously illegal demand; I refused
to carry out the demand and I am going to continue my act of protest.

Then they asked me, why are you fighting? I wrote, [I am fighting] for
the reinstatement of constitutional order, for the speedy resignation
of the criminal governing leadership," Gevorgyan said.

According to the official explanation, the youth were taken to the
police station for disturbing the public order and for disturbing
the court’s normal work.

While the youth were being detained at the police station, ANC
representatives were waiting for them outside. One more incident took
place during that time. One of the police officers from the Shengavit
department began to threaten and push a journalist from local paper
Hayk who was standing at the pavement.

Speaking with Tert.am, the Hayk journalist, Ani Gevorgyan, said
she told the police officer she could leave and there was no need
to push her. The officer threatened her by saying, "You shall see,
remember my face, remember this day well and you shall see."