ARMENIAN DEFENSE MINISTER RECEIVES NEW-APPOINTED SWEDISH AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 30 2006
YEREVAN, October 30. /ARKA/. Armenian Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan
received Friday newly appointed Swedish Ambassador to Armenia Hans
Gunnar Aden, Armenian Defense Ministry’s press office reports.
The minister and the ambassador discussed Armenia’s role in
geopolitical processes and the republic’s cooperation with NATO as part
of Individual Partnership Program and Partnership in the Name of Peace.
Sargsyan and Aden also considered the current stage of Karabakh
conflict settlement stressing the importance of OSCE Minsk Group’s
mediation in this process.

NKR PRESIDENT SIGNS LAWS
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 30 2006
YEREVAN, October 30. /ARKA/. President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
(NKR) Arkady Ghukasyan signed a number of laws on October 28, 2006.
The NKR President signed the Forest Code and the Law on Primary,
specialized and specialized secondary education.”
President Ghukasyan also signed amendments to the NKR Law “On
protection of selection achievements” to the NKR Land Code.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES HEADS OF EU DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN ARMENIA
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 30 2006
YEREVAN, October 30. /ARKA/. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan
received Friday heads of EU diplomatic missions in Armenia,
presidential press office reports.
At this meeting, Kocharyan welcomed the completion of consultations
over the European Union’s New Neighborhood program and expressed
hope that it will get final approval in November. He said that this
program would make Armenia-EU ties closer.
The head of state spoke about the process of Karabakh conflict
settlement as well as Russian-Georgian tension and its impact on
Armenia’s economy.
The diplomats discussed issues related to coming national elections
with the president and stressed the necessity of ensuring transparency.
Kocharyan said observers would be invited for watching the process
of the elections.
Parliamentary elections are to be held in 2007 and presidential in
2008.

37% OF RESPONDENTS: ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES SHOULD CREATE JOBS TO WIN PUBLIC CONFIDENCE
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 30 2006
YEREVAN, October 30. /ARKA/. Survey conducted by Gallup institute
in association with Armenian Sociologic Association shows that 37%
of Armenian citizens are convinced that Armenian authorities have to
create new jobs to win public confidence.
According to the survey’s results, 18% of respondents think the
authorities should increase pensions and salaries, 14% of surveyed
citizens pointed out economy development as the way to win public
support, 15% singled out transparent elections, 7% fulfillment of
promises given to people and 8% crackdown on corruption.
Besides, 4% of surveyed citizens think the authorities should pursue
a correct policy to enjoy public support, 3% said the members of
parliament should be replaced by others, 3% are convinces that the
authorities should render help to homeless and old people and 2%
to make Nagorno-Karabakh a part of Armenia, 3% to cut taxes, 17%
gave other answers and 9% refused to answer.
It is remarkable that 39% of respondents had absolutely no interest
in political developments, 30% expressed mid-scale interest in them
and 31% high interest.
As many as 1200 older-than-18 Armenian citizens were surveyed at
the order of International Republican Institute (IRI) with financial
support of USAID.

VLADIMIR PUTIN FINDS “SHAMEFUL” INACTIVENESS OF RUSSIAN INVESTORS IN ARMENIA
Regnum, Russia
Oct 30 2006
On October 30Russia’s President Vladimir Putin received Armenia’s
President Robert Kocharyan, who is on a work visit in Moscow. As a
REGNUM correspondent reports, before the talks with Robert Kocharyan,
the Russian president said he found it “shameful” that “Russia is
only third in investments to the economy of its strategic partner.”
At the same time, the Russian president noted that for the last
year goods turnover between Russia and Armenia increased by 60%,
which indicates development of the economic relations.
In his turn, Robert Kocharyan informed that all Yerevan’s agreements
with Gazprom are being implemented. “All the contracts on energy
projects with Gazprom are entering the stage of implementation,”
the Armenian president said, expressing hope for intensification of
Russia’s investment policy. “Next year, the situation will change
significantly, I cast no doubts on it,” Robert Kocharyan is quoted
as saying. He also says that several days ago the process of complex
modernization of the Russian-Armenian Armenal aluminum plant was
completed.
Gazprom and the Armenian government signed the contract for 25 years.
It outlines strategic principles of cooperation in gas and energy
projects in the Armenian territory. The document envisages that
ArmRosgazprom acquires the fifth energy reactor of the Hrazdan Nuclear
Power Plant and gas facilities from the Armenian government.
Final passing of property for the facilities is to be completed by
January 1, 2007. On October 27, Gazprom Executive Board approved
acquiring additional issue of ArmRosgazprom, as a result share of
the Russian company in ArmRosgazprom authorized capital stock will
increase from 45% to 58%.

AZERBAIJANI DEFENSE MINISTER SAFAR ABIYEV CONSIDERS VIOLATION OF CEASEFIRE NORMAL
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 30 2006
Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Abiyev discussed the violation of
ceasefire with his Armenian colleague Serge Sarkisian at the meeting
in Gazakh.
It was decided to ensure the maximum maintenance of ceasefire, Abiyev
told journalists, APA reports. He noted that the violation of ceasefire
is normal as there are thousands of servicemen in Azerbaijan-Armenia
contact line. Expressing his position on the Armenian military training
the minister said that Azerbaijan also holds military training in
the contact line and there is no need to worry.

TURKS STILL RULE EUROPE
Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Oct 30 2006
If you are reading me for the first time, please read to the end before
sending me hate mail. Yes, it is provocative to claim such a thing. You
may be asking yourself, “How come this poor nation which has no major
contribution to Europe other than Turkish coffee, doner(shwarma)
and kebap can rule Europe?” But, at the end of this article you will
probably have some sympathy for me, of which I need a lot. Love me!
We, Turks, with our tiny GDP and large population, are ruling Europe
without doing anything. Absolutely anything…We watch our Ibo Shows on
Sunday nights, we curse to referees and football players on Saturdays,
invade Cyprus and kill Armenians for the rest of the week, and that
is enough for Turks to rule Europe…
You may be thinking that I am becoming sarcastic again, and yes,
you are right!
But honestly, weren’t the Turks a determining factor in the EU
constitution referendums in Holland and France? How about the German
elections? Let’s think about the coming French elections, too.
Meanwhile, what is happening in Austria?
So, what are Turks doing to humbly enjoy this much importance?
Nothing, a million zeros without any significant digits…
Think about the referendums across Europe: What if Turkey had asserted
its position as “If there is a ‘Yes’ for this constitution, we will
not be joining Europe and we will skip out on our plans to be in
the union.”. This move alone may result with 5 or 6 percent shift
between confronting opinions, which will be more than enough to get
the constitution approved.
In France, being anti-Turkish may earn you those crucial points to be
a president. Turkey saying that “We will increase our trade and aspire
to join EU if Sarkozy is elected. Oh meanwhile, Sarkozy privately
promised us to join Schengen by 2008” will probably neutralize
the Armenian game. Worse than that, it may cost Sarkozy the French
presidency… A dirty game to rule Europe!
How about Austria? The election billboards based on Turkey- EU
relations are helping the some political parties to increase their
share and hence power in the parliament. If someone can spice up
another “Armenian game” for Austria, Turkey can be one of the crucial
elements in determining the government in Austria.
But once again, what is the role of the Turks in this? Absolutely
nothing! The whole “European Turkey” discussion is going on with
little or no interference from the Turks. The European leaders promise
“carrots”, show their “Armenian”, “Cyprus”, and “Kurdish” sticks, but
at the end of the day, they become locked inside these carrot-stick
policies…
Actually, I have a much more radical, sarcastic theory. Turks determine
the governments in major parts of Europe. They are enjoying this power,
which the Ottoman Empire could only dream of.
There is also that paradox, I suspect, which may be quite real. The
road to the power is made up of several parameters. Generally, there
are not too many differences between political parties regarding
economic, military, and social policies. But the main differences
appear as Turks enter into any one of these parameters.
So being against a “European Turkey” becomes a key determinant for
power. But after grabbing power, a new picture emerges in which
there is the necessity to integrate Turkey into Europe somehow
(full/privileged membership), as we have seen with elected leaders
changing position like Merkel and possibly, in the future, Sarkozy.
This is not an indication of the changing ideas but real politik.
Think otherwise, when Turkey rejects being part of the EU, the EU
presses Turkey more for completing reforms and being part of a larger
EU. When Turkey completes the reforms and expects end results, the EU
will start discussing whether Turkey is part of Europe or not. This
discussion will annoy Turks and Turkey will once again suspend being
part of Europe, and again Europe presses and so on….
Why is Turkey hard to reject or accept? This has many answers, which
I do not have time to discuss…
During the power play, this real politik ebbs from the popularity
of these elected leaders, because of their way of manipulating the
public opinion to grab the power. And once again, Turks cost these
leaders their thrones.
Also, in this political game, Turks owe most to the Armenian
Diasporas, Greek Cyprus, and other anti-Turkish lobby groups. It
is a pleasure to sit in our homes, watching TV, and being able to
determine the governments in Europe by just being fantastic “Conan
the Barbarian”-like characters in the poor European voters’ mind.
It is a pleasure dear guys, especially Armenians, Cypriots, and
Christian Europeanists! Work more. If you do so, and if I like it,
I will buy you candy.
A flashback to the original question… In a Europe, where the
differences between political parties and their leaders become less
and less visible, what are the main parameters to determine those
crucial 4-5 points for the power? You cannot deny that Turks or Turkey
joining Europe is among one of them.
Do you still think I am provocative? I may be…but whether Turkey
is European or not, Turks still and probably will rule Europe and
European politics. Now, you can kiss my hand!
[email protected]

PUTIN SAYS LEVEL OF RUSSIA’S INVESTMENT IN ARMENIA “SHAMEFUL”
RIA Novosti, Russia
October 30, 2006
MOSCOW, October 30 (RIA Novosti) – President Vladimir Putin said
Monday the volume of Russian investment in Armenia is too low for a
strategic partner.
“We are in a humiliating third place – it is humiliating because it
is strange that Russia is not the largest investor in the economy
of its strategic partner,” Putin said at a meeting with Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan in the Kremlin.

AZERBAIJAN, PAKISTAN TIES STRENGTHEN
The Pakistan Newswire
October 28, 2006 Saturday
“Friendly Pakistan occupies a special place” in Azerbaijan’s foreign
policy, Novruz Mammadov, Head of Presidential AdministrationIs Foreign
Relations Department said.”Pakistan was one of the first to recognize
independence of our republic, and it did not establish diplomatic
relations with Armenia occupying Azerbaijani territories,” he noted.
Novruzov said visit by national leader Heydar Aliyev to Pakistan,
and that by Pakistani President Pervez Masharraf to Azerbaijan,
fostered strengthening ties, and created legal and contractual basis
for bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev’s successful visit to Pakistan has created new
opportunities to enhance in all fields and cooperation between two
countries demonstrating common stance on regional and global issues,
he said.

ITB ARMENIA OFFERS NEW “MULTICURRENCY” DEPOSIT
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 30 2006
YEREVAN, October 30. /ARKA/. The International Trade Bank (ITB)
offers its clients new “Multicurrency” deposit from October 1, 2006,
the bank’s press service reported that this type of deposits will allow
clients to make deposits in one or three currencies at the same time:
AMD, USD and EUR.
“The advantage of the multicurrency deposit consists in the fact
that over the entire period of validity of the contract, a client
has an opportunity to convert the funds on the deposit account from
one currency into another, and this decreases the risk connected
with exchange rate fluctuation,” Executive Director of the bank
Ara Kitbalyan.
At the same time, there are other, very essential advantages besides
this one. Firstly, this is the opportunity of saving deposit funds,
secondly, the opportunity of partial withdrawal, and thirdly, even
the opportunity to fully withdraw the funds by canceling the contract,
without losing added interest.
“The bank provides three types of multicurrency deposits – ordinary,
accumulation and accumulation deposits with the right of partial
return.
In all the three cases, 90 days later, after placing money on the
deposit account, a client can withdraw all the money with added
interests and cancel the contract.
The minimal amount of deposit totals AMD 200,000 or USD/EUR 500 for
the ordinary and accumulation deposit, and AMD 400 AMD or USD/EUR
1000 for the accumulation deposit with the right of partial return.
International Trade Bank – ITB(Armenia) was founded on the basis of
“Bank-Menatep-Armenia” in 1992 as the Yerevan branch of the Russian
bank Menatep. In April 2000, the bank’s share were purchased by
foreign companies, later joined in the Makarios (MG) Holdings GMBH,
and bank itself was renamed to ITB – International Trade Bank. In 2005,
the bank’s 99.91% shares were purchased by Makarios (MG) Holdings GMBH.
ITB’s total assets made up AMD 5.1bln as of 30 June, 2006, the credit
portfolio totaled AMD 2.98bln. The bank currently operates four
branches The Makarious Group Holdings GMBH joins about 60 companies
that are registered in Austria, Great Britain, Ireland, Switzerland,
Cyprus, and in a number of CIS countries. The group consists of banks,
leasing, investment and consulting organizations, the activity of
which is aim at implementing large-scale investment programs in the
spheres of construction, metal mining, timber, woodworking and textile
industries, and also trade and high technologies.
The economic interests of the Makarios group are not limited in Armenia
only by the banking sphere. The group has made large investments for
$22.5mln in the program of construction of the Northern Avenue of
Yerevan.