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ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES F BILLS FOR SHIFTING TO UNIFIED TAXATION SYSTEM

ARKA
Dec 24, 2009

YEREVAN, December 24, /ARKA/. The government of Armenia has approved
today a set of bills designed to change gradually taxation of some
goods, which were levied fixed taxes. Under the proposed changes
their taxation will be moved into the general taxation field.

Finance minister Tigran Davtian said these goods are petrol, diesel
fuel and cigarettes which pay fixed taxes, including VAT, excise tax
and customs due.

The minister explained that the taxation policy is aimed, along
with gradual improvement of administration, at shifting to unified
taxation system.

‘By this package of changes we actually propose to make the first
step towards levying VAT by general principles so that to shift in
future to the unified taxation system’ the minister said.

Prime minister Tigran Sarkisian said the approval of the proposed
changes starts debates on this issue because ‘shifting to the unified
taxation system is inevitable and the problem is when that may happen.’

‘We need to discuss with parliament members, International Monetary
Fund and our business partners members when we shall be able to
enforce these changes,’ he said.

TURKEY DISMISSES MISSILE THREAT FROM IRAN

Tert.am
12:45 â~@¢ 23.12.09

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has rejected fears that Iran,
which tested an upgraded version of its most advanced missile last
week, posed any threat to Turkey, saying that Ankara enjoys trust and
good relations with all its neighbors, reports Turkish news agency
Today’s Zaman.

"We see no threat from our neighbors… But we have the capacity to
defeat any threat should it arise," Davutoglu told reporters.

He was responding to a recent report in the Turkish media that US
officials have asked Turkey to agree to the installation of NATO
radar devices in its territory as part of a missile defense system.

PRIME MINISTER’S AWARDS TO POWER ENGINEERS

Tu esday, 22 December 2009

On completion of Iran-Armenia gas pipeline construction and on power
engineers’ professional holiday, a number of Armenian power engineers
have been presented with the premier’s commemorative medals and
letters of appreciation. During a ceremonious event, Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan handed in the awards.

Speaking about the reform and the accomplishments of the energy
sector, the head of government stated in part: "This event has brought
together outstanding personalities with important contribution to the
energy sector. The system faces highly challenging tasks: firstly, the
construction of a new nuclear reactor which has economic and political
dimensions and is supposed to change the situation drastically;
secondly, the thermal power plant project which is nearing completion
and, finally, the other major projects."

Highly appreciative of the efforts made by Armenian power engineers,
the Prime Minister assured of his government’s readiness to back any
energy-related project. He wished them all the best in the New Year
and expressed hope that the year 2010 will be blessed with sustained
development and every success.

HRANT DINK’S "TWO CLOSE PEOPLES, TWO FAR NEIGHBORS" BOOK PRESENTED IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.12.2009 17:03 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian translation of "Two Close People Two
Far Neighbors", the first book by slain editor-in-chief of Agos
Armenian-Turkish newspaper Hrant Dink, was presented Wednesday
in Yerevan.

"The only thing Armenians know about Dink is his tragic death. The
book will disclose to readers not only the author’s personality but
also his ideas about Armenian-Turkish relations as journalist and
publicist," Turkologist Mkrtich Somundjyan, translator of the book,
told journalists during the presentation ceremony.

This is the first part of the book. The second part – in Turkish
language – was published in Turkey a couple of months ago.

Proceeds from book sale will be allocated to Armenia’s orphanages.

HONESTY OF TURKEY’S INTENTIONS TO BECOME EVIDENT IN APRIL

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.12.2009 17:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The honesty of Turkey’s intentions in relation
to Armenia will become evident in March-April 2010, according to
political scientist Alexander Markarov.

During a press conference held Wednesday in Yerevan, the expert
forecasted active developments for January, considering Constitutional
Court’s upcoming decision regarding Protocols and the subsequent
discussions to be held by Armenian Parliament’s Committee on Foreign
Relations.

EGEMEN BAGIS: 60 PERCENT WILL SUPPORT TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.12.2009 21:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish State Minister & Chief Negotiator for EU
talks Egemen BagıÅ~_ said on Wednesday that according to recent
surveys, 60 percent of society would support Turkey’s accession to
the EU.

Holding a meeting with media representatives in Istanbul, BagıÅ~_
said that the importance of Turkey in the EU was increasing each
day. He added that it was necessary to focus on reforms.

BagıÅ~_ said that the new European Parliament, Enlargement Report
as well as Turkey Report which was expected to be adopted in January
2010 would show the support extended to Turkey. He added that EU
membership was a strategic target for Turkey.

Turkey, whether or not joined the EU, needed a new Constitution,
and the issue of a new Constitution should not be a political matter,
said BagıÅ~_.

He said that according to a survey in Europe, 40 percent supported
Turkey’s EU membership, reported Turkish media.

KARSI-AKHALKALAKI RAILWAY WILL BE CONSTRUCTED ON SCHEDULE

The Messenger
Dec 23 2009
Georgia

The JSC Azerbaijani Railways Chief Engineer Kurban Nazirov thinks
that work on the construction of the Karsi-Akhalkalaki segment of
the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway will be undertaken according to the
schedule. The Akhalkalaki railway station will be built between 2010
and 2011 by Azeri company Kontur.

The construction of Karsi-Akhalkalaki railway line was already
underway at the time of the 2008 Russian invasion of Georgia, which
was followed by the attempts to reconcile Turkey and Armenia and open
their mutual borders. These events triggered speculation that the
existing Karsi-Gumri (Armenia) railway might be reopened, undermining
the building of the Karsi-Akhalkalaki track. However developments
have made clear that this construction is still on the agenda.

SAAKASHVILI BETTER MIND HIS OWN BUSINESS: TOROSYAN

news.am
Dec 23 2009
Armenia

Let Saakashvili mind his own country territorial problems and
not meddle in others’ conflicts, RA National Assembly MP and the
chairman of Javakhk Compatriotic Union Shirak Torosyan told NEWS.am
correspondent, commenting on Georgian President’s statement that
Karabakhi conflict should be settled with respect for Azerbaijani
state sovereignty and Armenia-Turkey relations’ to be coordinated
with Azerbaijan.

"It’d be better for Saakashvili to obtain the Georgian national
minority rights respect to evade ethnic conflicts", said Torosyan,
underlining that the Karabakhi conflict was settled long ago — in
1991, when NKR gained independence trough national referendum. "I
should emphasize that Karabakh shed blood for its independence
and no one has the right to usurp upon it. Raising a question of
NKR territorial integrity, the Georgian President shouldn’t try to
create favorable ground for his own territorial conflicts settlement,"
the MP stated.

"As for the statement on Armenia-Turkey normalization process should
consider Baku’s interests, I can state that Tbilisi is interested in
establishment of relations between the two countries and consequently,
Armenia-Turkey border opening, as in that case Georgia will lose
transit control over Armenia," Torosyan said.

KARABAKH ISSUE JUST ONE OF SUBTOPICS OF COMPLEX ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS
Leyla Tagiyeva

news.az
Dec 22 2009
Azerbaijan

Alexander Rusetsky News.Az interviews Alexander Rusetsky, director
of the Tbilisi-based South Caucasus Regional Security Institute.

Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan assured the press that during the
negotiations with President Obama he said Turkey will not normalize
relations with Armenia before the latter withdraws its troops from
the occupied Azerbaijani land. Do you think this is true, and will
the United States accept this position?

The truth is that the Armenians were forced to flee the land on which
they had been dwelling and forming their culture for many centuries.

On one side of the border is Ararat which they consider their national
symbol and the ruins of Ani, one of the first capital cities of
Armenia. This prompts a reaction from the Armenians including the
occupation of part of Azerbaijan and provocative action in Georgia.

The Karabakh issue is just one sub-topics in the complex
Armenian-Turkish relations and unless the issue of their legal and
worthy return to these territories of the present-day Turkey, the
insinuations of improvement of relations will be just a lie- this
international quasi-peacekeeping actions will do not any good.

Will Georgia benefit or lose under such consequence: "resolution
of the Karabakh conflict-opening of the Armenian-Turkish relations"
and in case of changes in this consequence?

Georgia will benefit from the good neighbor relations between
its neighbors not contradicting to its strategic interests. I do
not recommend settling these regional issues without Georgia’s
participation. Neighbor countries should also take a more active
and open part in the settlement of Georgia’s conflict. On the whole,
the countries should reach a permanent regional format which plays
consultative functions.

This will promote creation of a general security system in the South
Caucasus.

How do you assess the overall diplomatic activeness of Turkey on
stabilizing situation in the South Caucasus?

This is the activeness which has a great importance for international
security and this is a constructive policy. This is how I evaluate
the resulting vector. Yet, we should take into account that all
these activities primarily come from all the threats that Turkey
feels especially after summer 2008.

What do you think is the cause of this activeness of Ankara?

This is connected with many aspects including the opportunity to curb
Russia’s aggression and the US access. These are preventive measures.

But they are not sufficient to preserve balance of powers in Turkey’s
favor. Here one can single out the process of strengthening of ties
between Turkey and Iran including on limited presence of off-region
actors.

What is the reason of the current readiness of Armenians to contact
with Turkey which is perceived by Armenia as one of the main enemies
in the region?

The reasons are speculative intrigues of the global concern that
have no real opportunities to bring the case to a positive result. I
do not think that the real interests of Armenia and Turkey or their
ordinary citizens are quite taken into consideration in this game.

Do you think Turkey that also has problems with Armenia will be able
to attain normalization of the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations?

Certainly, it will. Turkey can create an opportunity for Armenians to
return the territories from which they were forcedly driven away. They
should return there not as tourists. We should not forget that not only
ethnic Turks took an active part in the mass termination of Armenians
which is very important. Not Turks should bear responsibility like
victim Armenian mentality considers. This is Turkey and, perhaps,
not only Turkey that must bear responsibility as a state.

In this case Armenians will be obliged to return Karabakh Azerbaijanis
to their homelands and to surrender the occupied lands and the conflict
will finally be oriented to resolution.

This will not weaken Turkey, but on the contrary, it will strengthen
this country in Europe and Asia. The important is that the decision
was reached by not the left-wing but the right wing parties. Then
this decision will be worthy and full of sense.

NO COMMENTS ON PACE REPORT: ARTUR BAGHDASARYAN

news.am
Dec 22 2009
Armenia

RA National Security Council Secretary Artur Baghdasaryan withheld
comments on declassified monitoring report on Armenia by John Prescott
and Georges Colombier, Secretary himself said to NEWS.am correspondent
on Dec. 22.

"I just can make a remark that political structures judge not based
on report, but the clear documents. Whenever the official document is
available, we can arrive at appropriate conclusions," the politician
said adding: "Press often spreads untrue information or fails to
publish the whole."

As NEWS.am reported previously, PACE monitoring commission declassified
the report on Armenia by John Prescott and Georges Colombier, who
however did not show up at the December 17 meeting.

Co-rapporteurs expressed doubt on committee’s assessment, namely
conclusions that March 1 events were adequate and lawful, in particular
considering the fact that three demonstrators died of Cheremukha-7
gas used by police. Prescott and Colombier reckon that cause of 10
people’s death is not elicited and the guilty are not detained.