PRESENTATION OF ALMANAC “ARMENIA IN A TRANSFORMING WORLD” TOOK PLACE IN ACNIS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 12 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The presentation of the almanac
entitled “Armenia in a Transforming World” took place on April
12 at the Armenian Center for National and International Studies
(ACNIS). Presenting the almanac prepared according to 2005 results,
Stepan Safarian, head of ACNIS researches, called the attention
of those present to the works included in it: the work by Martin
Malek, research officer of the Austrian National Academy of Defence,
entitled “State Collapse as a Phenomenon of International Relations”,
research dedicated to the chronology and ways of settlement of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict with 11 maps (authors S.Safarian
and A.Barkhudarian); results of sociological surveys conducted by
the Center among the population and experts in 2005; the work by a
member of the Constitutional Court, professor Felix Tokhian entitled
“Reform of the Electoral Code and Constitution in Armenia”; “Some
Aspects of Armenian-Russian Economic Ties in the Light of the Format
“Property for Debt” by Hovsep Khurshudian, etc. Speaking at the
presentation, Center expert H.Khurshudian mentioned the topicality
of studies of Armenian-Russian economic contacts in the light of
the last bargain with “Gasprom”, as a result of which the 5th block
of Hrazdan TPP was transferred to the management of the Russian gas
monopolist. He especially drew the attention of those present to the
circumstance that at first it was supposed to transfer the right of
finishing the construction of the 5th block of Hrazdan TPP to one of
Iranian companies on terms very beneficial for the Armenian side, but
subsequently the government made quite another decision. Khurshudian
made a brief economic and political analysis of the last agreement,
as well as implementation of the agreement “Property for Debt” and
made a supposition that these agreements could have a “shady side”
and could be the consequence of the Russian political influence.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress