Thursday, 

Armenia Set To Sign Landmark Deal With EU


 . Harry Tamrazian


Armenia -- RFE/RL Armenian Service Director Harry Tamrazian reporting
from Brussel, 23Nov, 2017

The European Union and Armenia are expected to sign an agreement aimed
at significantly deepening their relations at a ceremony which is due
to be held in Brussels on Friday on the sidelines of the Eastern
Partnership summit.

Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian is attending the summit that brings
together the leaders of six Eastern Partnership countries.

The signing of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement
(CEPA) between Yerevan and Brussels is likely to become the main event
of the summit. The accord, however, omits free trade and is less
ambitious than the association agreements secured by Georgia, Moldova
and Ukraine.

The EU launched the Eastern Partnership in 2009 to promote economic
integration and European values in six eastern European and South
Caucasus countries.

Like Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, Armenia previously negotiated an
association agreement with the EU, but it walked away from the deal in
2013 and later joined the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).

The text of the new agreement contains quite a few provisions seen as
favorable for Armenia. In particular, the CEPA commits Armenia to
reform its institutions, political system and to further strengthen
human rights. And if Armenia fulfills all its commitments, it can
receive substantial economic support from the European Union under the
so-called "more-for-more" principle. In other words, if Armenia lives
up to its commitments under the CEPA, the EU is committed to
supporting and promoting investments in Armenia.

The CEPA also contains some good news for small and medium-sized
enterprises with its so-called "access to local currency
lending". Observers say this can also become a stimulus for Armenia's
economic development.

Boris Navasardian, who formerly coordinated the Eastern Partnership
Civil Forum's Armenian National Platform, believes that the agreement
expected to be signed on November 24 is also important for Armenia in
terms of economic development.

"There are opinions that the economic field is not covered by the
agreement, but we see that there are quite serious wordings
specifically for economic cooperation," said Navasardian, stressing
that it is also important how Armenia benefits from the opportunities
offered under the CEPA.

This year's summit in Brussels could also see clashes over its final
declaration. One paragraph concerning conflicts in the region has been
left open after both Armenia and Azerbaijan wanted specific, but
conflicting, statements on Nagorno-Karabakh, according to a draft text
seen by RFE/RL.

The current text of the declaration reads: "The summit participants
call for renewed efforts to promote the peaceful settlement of
conflicts in the region on the basis of the principles and norms of
international law." It adds that "the resolution of the conflicts,
building trust and good neighborly relations are essential to economic
and social development and cooperation."

Negotiations over the matter appear to be still ongoing behind closed
doors.

If everything goes well, the EU will start a dialogue with Armenia on
visa liberalization.

The agreement envisages cooperation not only in economic and political
issues, but also in security matters. In fact, Armenia has no
security-related commitments within the framework of the EEU and in
this sense Armenia can enter into such agreements with the European
Union. The EU's commitments to help Armenia in the security issue are
also seen as beneficial for Yerevan.

While in Brussels Armenian President Sarkisian today met with King
Philippe of Belgium and members of the Board of European Friends of
Armenia international non-governmental organization.

Later on Tuesday, the Armenian leader attended the summit of the
European People's Party.



EU Eyes Closer Ties With Armenia Amid Tensions Over Brussels Summit
Declaration


 . Rikard Jozwiak


The EU's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, greets Armenian
President Serzh Sarkisian (EU leaders prepare to meet Eastern
Neighbors

(RFE/RL) BRUSSELS -- The leaders of the European Union and the six
Eastern Partnership countries will meet in Brussels on November 24 in
an effort to deepen ties between the EU and the former Soviet
republics.

The summit's main event will likely be the signing of an enhanced EU
partnership deal with Armenia. That pact, however, omits free trade
and is less ambitious than the association agreements secured by
Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine.

Like those three countries, Armenia previously negotiated an EU
Association Agreement. But Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian walked
away from the deal in 2013 under pressure from Russia.

Armenia later joined the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).

The EU launched the Eastern Partnership in 2009 to promote economic
integration and European values in six eastern European and South
Caucasus countries.

The run-up to this year's summit has otherwise been dominated by
speculation about whether authoritarian Belarusian President
Alyaksandr Lukashenka would show up. Minsk said on November 21 that
Foreign Minister Uladzimer Makei would lead its delegation.

In October, EU sources told RFE/RL that Lukashenka had received an
invitation "without restrictions," just like the leaders of the other
five Eastern Partnership states: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia,
Moldova, and Ukraine.

This was a U-turn compared to the previous four summits, when he was
blocked after being hit with EU sanctions following a violent
crackdown on protesters after the Belarusian presidential elections in
2010.

Most of the sanctions, including those on Lukashenka, were lifted in
February 2016.

Conflicting Statements

This year's summit in Brussels could also see clashes over the
gathering's final declaration, according to EU diplomats familiar with
the talks.

One paragraph concerning conflicts in the region has been left open
after both Armenia and Azerbaijan wanted specific, but conflicting,
statements on the breakaway Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh,
according to a draft text seen by RFE/RL.

The current text also fails to mention the war between Kyiv and
Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, a conflict that has
killed more than 10,000 people since April 2014.

"The summit participants call for renewed efforts to promote the
peaceful settlement of conflicts in the region on the basis of the
principles and norms of international law," it reads.

It adds that "the resolution of the conflicts, building trust and good
neighborly relations are essential to economic and social development
and cooperation."

EU diplomats told RFE/RL that they wanted neutral wording in the
statement and to omit any mention of specific conflicts in the Eastern
Partnership countries, citing squabbles between Baku and Yerevan over
the 2015 declaration that delayed the summit by several hours.

Ukraine is also likely to make a final push to secure more positive
wording concerning its prospects of eventually joining the EU.

The current draft language on that topic is identical to that of the
previous summit, stating that "the summit participants acknowledge the
European aspirations and European choice of the partners concerned, as
stated in the association agreements."

The text references a December 2016 decision by EU heads of state that
included a legally binding supplement to its association agreement
underscoring that Brussels will not give Kyiv the right to automatic
EU membership or guarantee any EU military aid for Ukraine.

The addendum allowed the Netherlands to finally ratify the Ukraine
Association Agreement earlier this year despite the fact that 61
percent of Dutch voters disapproved of the deal in a citizen-driven,
nonbinding referendum held in April 2016.

The draft declaration also outlines some future EU strategies in the
Eastern Partnership countries.

These include "facilitating access to local currency lending" for
local small and medium-sized enterprises, supporting "increased access
to high-speed broadband," and "progressing towards reduced roaming
tariffs among the partner countries."

Rikard Jozwiak covers the European Union and NATO for RFE/RL from his
base in Brussels



NATO Urges Armenia, Azerbaijan To Continue Talks On Karabakh


 . Heghine Buniatian


BELGIUM -- Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (L) and NATO
Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg give a press conference at the end
of a meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels, 

NATO has called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to continue negotiations on
the long-standing Nagorno-Karabakh problem and "avoid any new
escalation" of the conflict.

After a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Brussels on
Thursday, NATO's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict a "matter of concern" for the Western
military alliance.

At the same time, he emphasized that this conflict cannot be resolved
militarily.

Stoltenberg said that NATO has no direct role in the matter, but
supports the co-chairs of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe's Minsk Group, an international format jointly
headed by the United States, Russia and France that brokers a peaceful
solution to the conflict.

The NATO chief added that he was encouraged by "renewed dialogue"
between Aliyev and Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian, who held talks
in Geneva last month that the two sides called "constructive."

Aliyev said the situation surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh was "not
changing, unfortunately," and accused Armenia of seeking "to keep the
status quo."

"The unsettled conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan is the greatest
danger to regional security," the Azerbaijani leader said.

Both Aliyev and Sarkisian are slated to meet EU leaders at the Eastern
Partnership summit in the Belgian capital on November 24.



Armenia To Issue New Banknotes In 2018


 . Tatevik Lazarian


Armenia -- A presentation of the new composite banknotes of the third
generation

The Central Bank of Armenia plans to introduce new, composite
banknotes in 2018, gradually removing the current ones from
circulation.

New 1,000-, 5,000-, 10,000-, 20,000- and 50,000-dram bills said to be
more durable and protected are due to be put into circulation next
autumn when the 25th anniversary of the introduction of the Armenian
national currency will be marked.

A new 2,000-dram bill is expected to be introduced earlier as,
according to a Central Bank official, there is a demand for the bill
of this face value on the market. No new issue of the 100,000-dram
bill (over $200) is planned.

Like the current banknotes, Armenia's third-generation bills will also
bear the images of noted Armenians: poet Paruyr Sevak, former world
chess champion Tigran Petrosian, writer William Saroyan, composer
Komitas, painter Hovhannes (Ivan) Aivazovsky and St. Gregory the
Illuminator, the first official head of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Both the choice of the figures and the design of the new banknote
presented by the Central Bank on Wednesday have sparked a debate in
Armenian social media.

Secretary General of the Central Bank David Nahapetian dismissed
criticism, saying that the design for the new banknotes was chosen
after a contest to which as many as 17 applications had been
submitted. He said he could not accept the criticism because "we are
dealing with banknotes and not with pieces of art." He added that the
final design of the banknotes will be conditioned by the requirements
of protective features such as watermarks, etc.

Economist Artak Manukian, meanwhile, claimed that with Armenia
expected to have a tense economic year ahead, the issue of the new
banknotes could be fraught with certain inflation risks. "It is clear
that such emissions are usually accompanied with a certain devaluation
of the currency. This's what experience shows," he said.

The Central Bank's representative dismissed such concerns, saying that
he did not see any inflation risks connected with the introduction of
new banknotes. "We do not change the currency. We simply introduce a
new series of banknotes. The nominal values do not change, and no
changes occur in terms of money supply or money base. It cannot create
any inflation pressure," Nahapetian explained.



Acclaimed Armenian-American Jazz Producer George Avakian Dies At 98


Acclaimed record producer George Avakian in 2008.

(RFE/RL) - George Avakian, an acclaimed Russia-born music producer who
collaborated with U.S. jazz icons like Louis Armstrong and Miles
Davis, has died at the age of 98.

Avakian, who was born to Armenian parents in southern Russia and moved
to the United States shortly after his birth, died at his home in New
York City on November 23, his daughter confirmed.

He served as an executive at major U.S. music labels, including
Columbia Records and Warner Bros., and played a prominent role in
popularizing industry innovations such as live and long-playing
albums.

A graduate of Yale University who served in the Philippines during
World War II, Avakian became a full-time member of the production
staff at Columbia Records in 1946.

He brought Davis and Dave Brubeck to the label, helping to turn them
into worldwide stars.

Armstrong also joined Columbia in the mid-1950s, and it was Avakian
who introduced him to the German theater song Mack The Knife, which
became one of the trumpeter's most famous hits.

Avakian was born on March 15, 1919, to wealthy Armenian parents in the
southern Russian city of Armavir. His family left the country shortly
thereafter amid the civil war that broke out following the 1917
revolution, eventually settling in New York.

Avakian was among the founders of the National Academy of Recording
Arts and Sciences, which presents the Grammy Awards, and received
numerous achievement awards in the United States and abroad.

The recording academy honored Avakian with a Trustees Award for
lifetime achievement in 2009. He was also honored with France's
Commandeur des Arts et Lettres and received the Soviet Union's highest
state award, the Order of Lenin, in 1990.

Based on reporting by the New York Times and AP



Armenia Offers Repatriation Of Dead Azerbaijani Serviceman


Armenia - Soldiers on an Armenian army post on the border with
Azerbaijan

Military authorities in Yerevan are ready to repatriate the body of an
Azerbaijani serviceman that they say has been found by Armenian armed
forces near the border with Azerbaijan's exclave of Nakhijevan.

Armenia's Ministry of Defense said on Thursday that such repatriation
can be organized through the mediation of the International Committee
of the Red Cross.

In a report released by its press office the Ministry explained that
the body was found in no man's land in front of Armenia's combat
positions at the southwestern border with Azerbaijan.

"According to operative-intelligence data, the mentioned serviceman
was a captain of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, a company commander,
who escaped after a crime at his military unit," the report said.

No other details were reported immediately.

The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense confirmed later on Thursday that
the dead serviceman was 19-year-old Bakhruz Jalilbeyli who left the
military unit without permission after committing a crime.

Armenia and Azerbaijan are locked in a simmering armed conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh, a mostly Armenian-populated region that declared its
independence from Baku amid a 1988-94 war that claimed an estimated
30,000 lives and displaced hundreds of thousands of people.



Diplomat: Azerbaijan Will Have To End Blockade Of Armenia Before
Joining EEU


 . Sargis Harutyunyan


Armenia - Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharian, 10August, 2017

Official Yerevan will welcome Azerbaijan's membership or observer
status in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) if Baku lifts the current
blockade of Armenia and ceases hostile actions against its neighbor,
Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharian said at a news
briefing in Yerevan on Thursday.

During his latest trip to Baku, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
was asked about Azerbaijan's possible membership in the Moscow-led
trade bloc that besides Armenia also includes Belarus, Kazakhstan and
Kyrgyzstan.

In his answer to an auditorium at Baku's Diplomatic Academy on
November 20 Lavrov, in particular, said: "The Eurasian Economic Union
is an open integration union. We do not force anyone to become a
member of this organization. At present, Tajikistan's membership in
the organization is being considered. We receive applications also
from non-CIS [non-post-Soviet] countries. We will be very happy to see
Azerbaijan in that structure as well."

"Azerbaijan's accession to the EEU would mean its commitment to the
provision of the Treaty that not only a member country but even a
country with an observer status must not take action to the detriment
of another member state or the Eurasian Economic Union in
general. This means that if Azerbaijan wishes to approach the Eurasian
Economic Union in one way or another it must not take such steps,"
Armenia's deputy foreign minister said when asked about the prospect
of Baku's membership in the Union.

"If we are talking about the economy, it is enough to remember that
Azerbaijan is blockading Armenia, and it is clear that these actions
are aimed against the interests of the member state."

According to Kocharian, Azerbaijan's joining the EEU could be welcomed
if the country complied with the trade bloc's commitments. "And this
means that it must end the blockade of Armenia and stop committing
hostile actions against Armenia," the senior Armenian diplomat said.

Armenia joined the EEU formed by Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan in
2015. Kyrgyzstan joined the trade bloc later that year. Observers in
Armenia have speculated about Russia's desire to see Azerbaijan within
the Union as well. For nearly three decades Armenia and Azerbaijan
have been locked in a bitter dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh. The two
South Caucasus neighbors have no diplomatic, political or trade
relations.



Press Review



"Zhamanak" reports on the recent reportedly non-combat deaths in the
Armenian army, claiming that the armed forces gradually become related
in Armenian public perception to losses. "On the one hand, there is
the attrition warfare waged by Azerbaijan that claims the lives of
young people, on the other hand problems existing in our army cause
regrettable deaths," the paper contends, noting the Armenian
government's "irresponsible and complacent behavior" against the
background of these losses.

The editor of "Hraparak" suggests that "the efforts of the authorities
to man the armed forces would be commendable if officials' sons were
also drafted to serve in the army." "Answers of officials that their
sons also serve are not convincing, since if we had such cases, the
state propaganda machine would be advertising such facts from morning
till night." According to the paper, the policies of the government
aimed at enlisting more and more young men to the military has
resulted in the considerable drop in the number of students pursuing
scientific careers.

"Zhoghovurd" reports on another closure of the Upper Lars checkpoint
at the Russian-Georgian border, which is a vital route for Armenia's
trade. The shutdown of the border is due to bad weather
conditions. "Armenia again will be deprived of the only land link with
Russia and other Eurasian Economic Union member countries and will
simply not be able to export goods to its trade bloc partners or
import goods from them," writes the paper, suggesting that it is
likely to deliver a blow to Armenia's economy.

"168 Zham" reports that the final declaration at the EU Eastern
Partnership Summit may contain some "unpleasant surprises" for Armenia
in terms of its references to regional conflicts, in particular, the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, "since Azerbaijan has actively worked in
this direction." "In order to neutralize these surprises European
diplomats advise that the Armenian side should also show activeness."
In an interview with the daily Armen Ashotian, the head of the
Armenian National Assembly's standing foreign relations committee,
gives assurances that "Armenia has fully done its work."

(Anush Mkrtchian)

Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL
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