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LEVON ARONIAN TO PLAY WHITE V. VUGAR GASHIMOV AT LINARES CHAMPS

Aysor
Feb 24 2010
Armenia

In round 9 of the Linares chess tournament, Armenia’s Grand Master
Levon Aronian again, traditionally, played in draw, this time with
Boris Gelfand, and at 4,5 points seeded the third.

Veselin Topalov unexpectedly lost to Alexander Grischuk; however,
both chess players are tournament’s leaders at 5,5 points each.

Vugar Gashimov – Francisco Vallejo set ended in draw; Boris Gelfand
and Vugar Gashimov at 4 points share the forth position; Francisco
Vallejo at 3,5 points closes the tournament table.

The final tenth round will take place today. Levon Aronian is reported
to play white against Vugar Gashimov. Veselin Topalov will play against
Boris Gelfand, and Francisco Vallejo will play with Alexander Grischuk.

Round nine’s results

Alexander Grischuk – Veselin Topalov 1:0 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3
b6 4. g3 Ba6 5. b3 Bb4 6. Bd2 Be7 7. Nc3 O-O 8. Rc1 Ba3 9. Rc2 Nc6
10. Bg5 h6 11. Bxf6 Qxf6 12. Bg2 d5 13. O-O dxc4 14. bxc4 Rad8 15. Rd2
Bb4 16. Qb3 Bxc3 17. Qxc3 Na5 18. c5 Nc4 19. Rc2 bxc5 20. Qb3 cxd4
21. Rxc4 Rb8 22. Qc2 Bxc4 23. Qxc4 e5 24. Qxc7 Rfe8 25. Qxa7 Rb2
26. Re1 g6 27. a4 Rd8 28. Qa5 e4 29. Nd2 e3 30. fxe3 d3 31. Ne4 Qe7
32. exd3 Rxd3 33. Qa8 Kg7 34. Qc6 f5 35. Nf2 Rdd2 36. Qc3 Kh7 37. Rf1
Rbc2 38. Qb3 Rb2 39. Qc3 Rbc2 40. Qb3 Rb2 41. Qc4 h5 42.

Qf4 Re2 43. Bf3 Rec2 44. Nd3 Ra2 45. Nb4 Rxa4 46. Nxc2 Rxf4 47. gxf4
Kh6 48. Rb1 Qe6 49. Re1 Qa2 50. Nd4 h4 51. Be2 g5 52. fxg5 Kxg5 53.

Rf1 Kg6 54. Rxf5 Qb1 55. Rf1 Qe4 56. Kf2 1:0.

Vugar Gashimov – Francisco Vallejo 0,5:0,5 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5
Bf5 4. Nf3 e6 5. Be2 c5 6. Be3 Qb6 7. Nc3 Nc6 8. Bb5 c4 9. Nh4 Bg6
10. O-O Bb4 11. Bxc4 Bxc3 12. bxc3 dxc4 13. d5 Qc7 14. dxc6 Qxc6
15. Nf3 Ne7 16. Nd4 Qd5 17. Bg5 Nc6 18. Nxc6 bxc6 19. Qxd5 cxd5
20. Rfb1 d4 21. Rb4 dxc3 22. Rxc4 O-O 23. Rxc3 Rfc8 24.

Rxc8 Rxc8 25. Rd1 Bxc2 26. Rd8 Rxd8 27. Bxd8 a6 28. a3 Bb3 29. Be7
Bc2 1 / 2: 1 / 2.

Boris Gelfand – Levon Aronian 0,5:0,5 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6
4. Nc3 a6 5. a4 e6 6. Bg5 Nbd7 7. e3 Qa5 8. cxd5 exd5 9. Nd2 Bd6
10. Bd3 O-O 11. Qc2 Re8 12. Bh4 h6 13. Rc1 Qd8 14. Nf3 Nf8 15. O-O
Bg4 16. Nd2 Bh5 17. Rce1 Bg6 18. Nf3 Bxd3 19. Qxd3 Ng6 20. Bg3 Bxg3
21. hxg3 a5 22. Ne2 Nf8 23. Qc2 N8d7 24. Nf4 Qe7 25.

Rb1 Ne4 26. Nd3 Rec8 27. Nd2 Nxd2 28. Qxd2 Nf6 29. Rfc1 Ne4 30. Qd1
Ra7 31. Nc5 Nxc5 32. Rxc5 Ra6 33. Qd2 Rca8 34. Kf1 h5 35. Rbc1 g6 36.

Ke2 Rb6 37. R5c3 Re8 38. Rc5 Ra8 39. R5c3 Re8 40. Rc5 1 / 2: 1 / 2.

ANC: IT IS UNREASONABLE TO RAISE GAS PRICES

Aysor
Feb 24 2010
Armenia

Growth of the gas prices will cause a great damage to defenceless
classes of Armenia’s society, said member of oppositional Armenian
National Congress Vahagn Khachatrian.

"Number of people, who live below poverty line, will increase.

Firstly, gas prices’ growth will hit pensioners and state
budget-oriented families, as the pensions and salaries haven’t been
raised since 2008," he said adding that considers it unreasonable to
raise gas prices by 40%.

"I can’t see an explanation to all these when we buy Russian gas for
$180 and then sell it to people for $350," said Vahagn Khachatrian.

The issue should be solved through announcement of appropriation-in-aid
by country’s government, according to politician.

"However, this appropriation-in-aid must be different from the one of
2005-2007, when Armenia lost half of its shares at "ArmRosgazprom","
he added.

NO PRECIPITATION EXPECTED IN ARMENIA TOMORROW

2/rain
05:57 pm | February 22, 2010

Social

No rain is expected in Armenia on February 23, Zaruhi Petrosyan,
Director of ArmHidroMed Operative Hydro-Meteorological Center,
told A1+.

The temperature will be -1 °C at night and +7°C in the daytime.

Presently, it is raining in Ashtarak and Meghri

ALMA, NAASR TO SCREEN ‘ARMENIANS OF HOOD RUBBER’ FILM

a-naasr-to-screen-%e2%80%98armenians-of-hood-rubbe r%e2%80%99-film/
February 22, 2010

WATERTOWN, Mass.-On Thurs., March 11, the Armenian Library and Museum
of America (ALMA) and National Association of American Studies and
Research (NAASR) will screen "Destination Watertown: The Armenians
of Hood Rubber," a documentary film by Roger Hagopian at the NAASR
Center. Hagopian will be on hand to discuss the creation of this
unique record of an important slice of Armenian American history.

"Destination Watertown: The Armenians of Hood Rubber" documents
the Hood Rubber Company of Watertown, Mass., which employed many
immigrants, including many Armenians, whose community evolved in the
shadow of the factory’s giant smokestack. Indeed, the plant provided
the impetus for the formation of the Armenian community of Watertown.

The plant opened in 1896, attracting Armenian immigrants newly arrived
from the Ottoman Empire, including refugees from the Hamidian Massacres
of the mid-1890’s.

Hood Rubber became a subsidiary of B. F. Goodrich in 1929, and the
factory survived the great Depression and thrived during World War II.

It closed in 1969.

Hagopian conducted extensive research and carried out numerous
interviews with former factory employees of Armenian descent, as well
as other East Watertown residents and descendants of the Hood family.

The documentary combines interview footage with historic photographs,
maps, documents, artifacts, and images of the remnants of the old
factory, once one of the largest of its kind in the world.

Workers recount life on the conveyor belt and other harsh working
conditions, yet many remember their time at the plant with gratitude,
affection, and humor. Others fondly remember the famous "sneaker"
test whereby the durability of the product was demonstrated through
daily activities of local kids.

Award-winning filmmaker Roger Hagopian’s other videos include "Memory
Fragments of the Armenian Genocide" (2007), "Our Boys: Armenian
American World War II Veterans" (2006), "Journey of an Armenian Family"
(1999) and "Memories of Marash: Legacy of a Lost Armenian Community"
(2002), which received the Comcast Regional Award for Best Documentary
Film.

The event is free and open to the public. It begins at 7:30 p.m. at the
NAASR Center, 395 Concord Ave. in Belmont, Mass. For more information,
visit ALMA’s website or email NAASR at [email protected].

EBRD FORECASTS REDUCTION IN INTEREST RATES IN ARMENIA

ArmInfo
23.02.2010

ArmInfo.The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
forecasts reduction in interest rates in Armenia in 2010, Head of
EBRD Office in Armenia told Valeriu Razlog told ArmInfo.

It is difficult to foretell how the interest rates will be formed in
the commercial banks of Armenia, he said. EBRD expects some restraint
or reduction in market rates due to fiercer competition between the
banks with due regard for high-level liquidity, he added. At the
same time, Razlog thinks that having resources to invest in the real
sector of economy, the Armenian commercial banks are currently trying
attract the best clients, and this rules out raising of interest rates.

At the same time, EBRD forecasts further raise in the rate of
refinancing. This tendency is already being observed in Central
Europe, where countries are gradually transiting from economy support
to enhanced stability efforts. Today, many CBs are showing a more
balanced approach to economy support as this policy creates an
environment fostering inflation.

To remind, Feb 16 the Central Bank of Armenia raised the rate of
refinancing by 0.50 points to 6%.

DRAFT AMENDMENTS TO LAW ON INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS SUBMITTED TO PARLIAMENT

news.am
Feb 23 2010
Armenia

On February 23 the Armenian Parliament discussed draft amendments to
the RA Law on International Agreements.

RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, who presented the draft,
stated that the document allows one of the parties to withdraw from an
international agreement at any stage before the process is completed.

He stressed that the draft amendments provide for the suspension and
termination of signing and ratification processes for international
agreements. Nalbandian stated that Point 18 of the Vienna Convention,
which provides for this procedure, has not been incorporated in
Armenian laws. "The draft amendments are designed to establish this
institute in Armenia," the Minister said.

Nalbandian evaded a question as to whether the draft amendments have
anything in common with the RA President Serzh Sargsyan’s statement
that the procedure of signing international agreements had to be
amended, which would allow Armenia to withdraw from Armenian-Turkish
agreements. As regards the resumption of signing or ratification
processes after they have been suspended, the Minister said that the
"proposal could be considered."

The opposition party Heritage was severely critical of the draft
amendments and stated its intention to vote against it. The ex-speaker
of the RA Parliament Tigran Torosyan stated he wanted to center on
the draft rather than on the Armenian-Turkish protocols. He hopes
the protocols will not at all be discussed in Parliament. "First,
the draft must deal with the termination of the ‘process’, rather
than ‘procedure’, of adopting international agreements. Moreover, I
do not see any sense in adopting such a document, as it is not of any
benefit to the Armenian side. The President could exercise his powers
and put an end to the process at any moment, and the Armenian side
could withdraw by making a relevant statement. If the Armenian side
hopes to influence Turkey by means of this draft, it is a mistake,"
Torosyan said.

PROTOCOLS’ RATIFICATION COMPLEXED WITHOUT KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT: ERDOGAN

news.am
Feb 22 2010
Armenia

Armenia-Turkey Protocols’ ratification process grows complex in
Turkish Parliament without Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement,
Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in Spain, Turkish Zaman
daily reports.

OSCE Minsk Group should find a fair settlement to the dispute and
then the major issue between Armenia and Turkey will be resolved,
he emphasized.

"Of 170.000 Armenians living in Turkey only 100.000 are not Turkish
citizens. They are in a jam, that is why we do not deport them and
permit their stay in our country. This is an exercise of good will
by our side," Erdogan said.

TURKISH PM: TURKEY CALLS ON OSCE MG TO EXPEDITE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Today
62246.html
Feb 22 2010
Azerbaijan

Turkey calls upon the OSCE Minsk Group to accelerate the process of
settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan said during his official visit to Spain today.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the
occupied territories.

ARMENIA ENTERS STAGE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITH 2,4% GDP GROWTH IN JANUARY

ArmInfo
2010-02-22 09:48:00

ArmInfo. January growth of Armenia’s GDP gives solid grounds to
suppose that our country has entered a stage of the economy recovery
and development, Finance Minister of Armenia Tigran Davtyan said
during the opening of the 7th annual International Economic Forum
BRIDGE 2010. He added that the macroeconomic situation in the country
is currently forecasting, stable and controllable.

T. Davtyan listed the most vulnerable sides of the country’s economy,
as well as the programmes, implementation of which is an important
component in building of a healthy and stable economy.

Among such programmes, T. Davtyan indicated the necessity to balance
and diversify the economy sectors and, primarily, to stabilize the
financial system. The minister thinks that Armenia is entering the
stage of economic development with elimination of the disbalances
which appeared as a result of accelerated economic growth of the
global economy in general, and the Armenian one, in particular.

When speaking about diversification of Armenia’s economy, the minister
emphasized that despite its low level against the background of
other countries and with account of the Armenian economic realities,
the economy of Armenia has a sufficient level of diversification,
that allowed to compensate the difficulties in 2009, which appeared
because of essential recession of the most "vital" sphere for the
national economy – the construction. In particular, T. Davtyan said,
the rates of fall in agriculture, industry, services and trade were
comparatively low and posed no serious threats for further development
of the economy, and even growth was fixed in 2009 in some economy
spheres.

According to T. Davtyan, stability of the financial system, in
particular, stability of the banking sector and activation of state
financing is the most important component of development of the
national economy. In this context, the minister shares the opinion
of many representatives of the economic power saying the banking
system of Armenia remained, perhaps, the most resistant to the crisis
phenomena. Moreover, the public trust to this system has increased,
that is indicated by considerable growth of the bank deposits.

To note, Armenia has started receiving WB funds since the midst of
2009 within the frames of credit support, as well as the Russian
stabilization credit, part of which has been envisaged for crediting
of small and medium entrepreneurship through commercial banks.

According to T. Davtyan, quick response by international structures
was mainly conditioned by formation of the country’s good image in
the international markets.

SECRETARY OF ARMENIA’S NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL MEETS US DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE

armradio.am
22.02.2010 17:13

Secretary of the National Security Council of Armenia Arthur
Baghdasaryan received Ann K. Ganzer, US Deputy Assistant Secretary
of State.

Issues related to the modernization of border infrastructures of
Armenia and ensuring border security were discussed.

At the request of the guest, Arthur Baghdasaryan presented the work
done in the direction of modernization of border infrastructures and
ensuring border security.

The parties attached importance to the development and implementation
of the border security strategy in line with international standards.

The issue is included in the Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership
Action Plan.