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06/27/2006
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1) Georgian Officials Claim Javakhk Autonomy ‘Not going to be created’
2) Too Early to Speak of Armenian, Azeri Presidents’ Meeting in St. Petersburg
3) Political Tensions Hurting Turkey
4) Turkish Foreign Ministry Responds to Karekin II
5) Preparations for Millennium Challenges Foundation Program Coming to An End

1) Georgian Officials Claim Javakhk Autonomy ‘Not going to be created’

Georgian Prime Minister Zorab Nogaideli, in response to the Armenian Javakhk
non-governmental statement claiming autonomy for Javakhk and promoting the
Armenian language at the state-level said, "We already have autonomous
republics and a new autonomy is not going to be created."
Georgian Speaker of Parliament Nino Burjanadze has also stated that these
crude and absurd demands are creating tension in the region. According to
Burjanadze, such statements are not in favor of Armenia’s or Georgia’s
interests.
Meanwhile, the Javakhk Organization announced that they intend to protest and
put more effort towards autonomy for Javakhk.

2) Too Early to Speak of Armenian, Azeri Presidents’ Meeting in St. Petersburg

YEREVAN (YERKIR)Spokesman for Armenian President Victor Soghomonyan told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter that a meeting between Armenian President Robert
Kocharian and Azeri leader Ilham Aliyev within the G8 summit in Saint
Petersburg will be too early.
During his latest interview with leading Armenian TV channels Spokesman
Soghomonyan reminded that Kocharian agreed to the opportunity of meeting
President Aliyev within the G8 summit.
"It is a rather important factor, and the co-chairs believe, that if it is
possible to agree over basic principles of the Nagorno Karabakh settlement
before the G8 summit, the international community will do their best to boost
implementation of those agreements. The time frames are made to speed up the
process," Kocharian said.
Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov spoke about the expected meeting of
the two presidents in St. Petersburg. In his words, before the G8 summit OSCE
MG American Co-Chair Matthew Bryza is scheduled to visit the region. "Only
after that visit will the matter of holding a new meeting with the two
presidents will become clear," Mammadyarov noted.

3) Political Tensions Hurting Turkey

(Zaman)In a 16-page special supplement on Turkey, The Guardian, one of the
most
prestigious daily newspapers in England, gave an appraisal of Turkey in terms
of its economy, history, culture, and tourism industry.
The supplement, intended to ease Europe’s concerns about the latest political
tension in the country dwelled, inter alia, on the state of the economy.
To quote the Guardian, "How come a country that only yesterday had run out of
hope after crises can become one of the rising stars of today? A certain
answer
to this question is confidence and stability?"
Quoting an anonymous young businessman, "How can he [Erdogan] say it’s a
stable course? Inflation is out of control and the current account deficit is
heading for $50 billion." The Guardian, then, in the article titled "Turkey is
Fastest Growing Market in Europe," summarized the accomplishment of the
Erdogan
government, quoting Erdogan, "We are not the old Turkey that would have been
swept away by any wind blowing."
The paper also added: "Under Erdogan, Turkey has had four years of stellar
growth since the 2001 crisis eroded national wealth by 9 percent and blew the
currency to the bottom of the Bosphorusand won premiership status among
emerging markets. Growth averaged 7.3 percent a year, inflation was tamed to 8
percent (and still falling), foreign investment rose to $9 billion in 2005,
income per head is up to $5,000, privatization receipts topped $9 billion last
year, tourism income nudged $18 billion, listed businesses’ values are up five
times to $150 billionand the government budget deficit has been slashed to 2
percent."
Despite the encouraging numbers on the economy, however, the paper touched
upon the negative indicators, such as unemployment, income discrepancy between
the rich and the working class, current account deficit, and the underground
economy, and added: "But, along with this rising-star status, came darkening
contradictions. Unemployment, officially 11 percent, stood closer to 18
percent; income discrepancy widened with 10 percent owning 30 percent of
national wealth; the current account deficit grew to 6 percent; the black
economy bulged to around 40 percent of output."
The guardian further quoted Omer Sabanci, chairman of TUSIAD, the main
business lobby in Turkey, saying "Market confidence in [Turkey’s] political
stability and the sustainability of its economy has been shaken."
The Guardian also added the words of Mustafa Koc, head of the eponymous
holding, "…Older business leaders are politically hostile to the suspected
plans of Erdogan’s ruling AKP party to cement its Islamist control by calling
elections in November, a year ahead of schedule, and electing him president.
Their views are out of kilter with a younger generation of executives who see
Turkey inexorably committed to Europe and, increasingly, as the financial hub
and power-broker in a region stretching from central Europe via the
Caucasus to
the Middle East."
In the supplement, the Guardian also commented on the financial sector in
Turkey, mentioning that, "Foreign investors are rushing to purchase stocks of
Turkish businesses. Only recently the National Bank of Greece dished out $2.44
billion to purchase 46 percent of Turkish Finance bank. This points to how
distant the crisis is."
Touching upon the reforms of the Turkish Government to facilitate the
procedures for foreign investors, the Guardian wrote: "Government’s efforts
helped bring the banking standards in Turkey closer to those of the EU."

4) Turkish Foreign Ministry Responds to Karekin II

Turkish "Hurriyet" newspaper reports that the Turkish Foreign Ministry has
sternly responded to Catholicos Karekin II’s remarks this week at a press
conference that the Armenian genocide is fact and not up to debate.
According to "Hurriyet", a representative from the foreign ministry, who
declined to state his name, said, "We expect that the Armenians, in their
turn,
look at their history instead of politically manipulating their status as
victims and instead of brainwashing their own people with falsified history,
should listen to our advice and have the courage to sit on table to see what
has happened and what has not."
The same official used the word "unfortunate" regarding the Catholicos’
statement, "since the statement came from a spiritual leader, who talks about
the improvement of relations between the two countries."

5) Preparations for Millennium Challenges Foundation Program Coming to An End

YEREVAN (Armenpress)The preparation round of the Armenian program of the
Millennium Challenges Foundation is coming to an end.
Deputy Minister of finance and economy David Avetisian announced that US
representative of the corporation Alex Rassin has arrived in Armenia and will
be the permanent resident representative of the foundation.
Meanwhile, the administrative council of the program has formed a short list
of candidates for the directorial position and has presented it to the
Millennium Challenges Corporation.
Avetisian said that according to the initial assessments the first
disbursement of the promised funds will be coming in August. Until then, a
state non-profit organization should be established that will deal with the
administration of the program.
He also informed that the foundation had some objections connected with the
legislation on forming state and non-profit organizations in Armenia. After
the
sides agree to the changed option the final legislature will be approved by
the
Armenian president. It is expected that until August the office of the
organization is created and the first funds will be directed towards its
projecting and furnishing.

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