Author: Antonian Lara

Trend, Azerbaijan
Jan 5 2010

Azerbaijani national chess team defeats Armenia (UPDATE-2)
05.01.2010 21:37
Updated in 6th paragraph

Azerbaijan, Baku, January 5 / Trend News, M.Aliyev /

A meeting of teams of Azerbaijan and Armenia took place within the
first round of the world teams chess championship in the Turkish city
of Bursa on Jan. 5.

Couples were distributed as follows: 1. Vugar Hashimov (2759) – Levon
Aronian (2781); 2. Teymur Rajabov (2733) – Vladimir Akopian (2678); 3.
Shahryar Mammadyarov (2741) – Arman Pashikyan (2647); Rauf Mammadov
(2640) – Tigran Petrosian (2627).

In the last two matches, the national team of Azerbaijan lost to the
Armenian team.

In the first board, Vugar Hashimov with white pieces played in a draw
with Levon Aronian.

Shahryar Mammadyarov defeated Armen Pashikyan with a score – 1:0.
Teymur Rajabov and Vladimir Akopian matched in a draw – 0.5:0.5.

Rauf Mammadov and Tigran Petrosian also matched in a draw. Thus,
Azerbaijan defeated Armenia with a score 2,5:1,5.

In the first round of the World championship, matches are also held
between Turkey – United States, India – Greece, Russia – Brazil, Egypt
– Israel.

ARTUR GHUKASYAN: 2009 A DIFFICULT YEAR FOR BANKS

news.am
Dec 29 2009
Armenia

This year the Armenian banks have fulfilled their financial commitments
using their own funds, which enabled our financial system to retain
stability and liquidity, Artur Ghukasyan, Chairman of the Union of
Armenian Banks, told reporters on December 29.

Caution was shown in the beginning, but an aggressive credit policy
was launched in the third quarter. "The year 2009 has been a difficult
one for banks, but seven of them have replenished their authorized
capital," Ghukasyan said.

As to why only few of the banks issue loans in the Armenian regions,
he pointed out that 12 branches, with six of them in the regions,
have been opened this year. "The Armenian regions are the center
of the banks’ attention, and loans will be issued in the future,"
Ghukasyan said.

IN 2012, ARMENIAN ECONOMY WILL RETURN TO 2008’S LEVEL

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
28.12.2009 19:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In 2012, Armenian economy will return to 2008’s
level, former RA Finance Minister Levon Barkhudaryan said.

As he noted at open discussions on annual presentation of Civilitas
foundation report, entitled "Armenia 2009: promises and realities",
in 2012, Armenia’s state budget will total around AMD 2 trillion,
with 68% of the sum to be allocated to social expenditures.

Turkish-American TV launched in U.S.
27.12.2009 16:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A new Turkish-American TV (TATV) channel was
recently launched in Washington DC.

The channel will focus on various issues, including the Armenian
Genocide, Cypriot problem and Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Debates on
historical, social, cultural matters will also be organized. TATV will
broadcast in Turkish and English, APA reported.

Iranian oppositionists clash with police in Tehran
26.12.2009 14:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Iranian security forces clashed with opposition
supporters in southern Tehran on Saturday, as the Islamic Republic
marked an emotive Shi’ite religious ritual.

"A large group of people and security forces clashed in the Pol-e
Choubi area while people were marching," Jaras website said.

The report could not be independently confirmed, as foreign media have
been banned from reporting directly on protests. The same website
earlier reported that hundreds of riot police were deployed in central
Tehran.

The reported incident occurred as people around Iran marked the day of
Tasoua with religious ceremonies which peak on Sunday, when Shi’ite
Muslims commemorate the 7th century death of Imam Hossein in a battle
that sealed the schism between Shi’ite and Sunni Muslims. Hossein was
a grandson of the Prophet Mohammad.

Tension has been mounting in Iran after last Saturday night’s death of
leading dissident cleric Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, a
fierce critic of the clerical establishment who called the disputed
June election fraudulent, Reuters reported.

ARMENIA’S NONCONSTRUCTIVE POSITION DID NOT PROMOTE THE PROGRESS, ILHAM ALIYEV

news.az
Dec 25 2009
Azerbaijan

Ilham Aliyev Karabakh conflict to be settled with restoration of
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, President Aliyev.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev is confident that the Karabakh
conflict can be settled only within the framework of international
law and with restoration of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,
state AzTV channel reports.

"We work much to settle the Karabakh conflict and spare no effort
for it to find its solution. But the conflict can be settled only
within the framework of international norms, Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity must be restored, Armenian occupants must withdraw from
the occupied lands and our citizens must return to their homelands",
Aliyev said in Khirdalan on Thursday.

But we do not want war, we want to go without victims, we want to
settle everything peacefully. At the same time, the Azerbaijani army
and Azerbaijani community must be ready to release the occupied lands
other than peacefully

Ilham AliyevHe said that "these are the main principles for the
conflict settlement and we are not going to disavow our position".

"Unfortunately, 2009 has not become decisive in settling the
conflict though there were great expectations about it. But Armenia’s
nonconstructive position did not promote the progress. Meanwhile,
all sides involved into the resolution of this conflict, support the
conflict settlement within the framework of territorial integrity.

Armenia also signed a political document envisioning the settlement
within the framework of the territorial integrity (of Azerbaijan)",
the head of state said.

The president added that the Azerbaijani society must be strong to
settle the conflict. "We must build a strong state and we are doing it,
we must build a strong army and today Azerbaijan is leading in all
directions in the South Caucasus. We know it and all international
organizations are aware of it", he noted.

I.Aliyev said the gap between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the sphere
of economy and in other directions is growing. "At the time when
the regional countries suffer from recession, Azerbaijan’s economy
is developed, issues on infrastructure, social issues and issues of
army building are being settled. Azerbaijan outstrips Armenia several
times in all these directions. Today the distance between Azerbaijan
and Armenia in the sphere of economy and in other spheres is growing",
the president said.

He added that the current economic and military potential of the
country help settle the conflict by way of war. "But we do not want
war, we want to go without victims, we want to settle everything
peacefully. At the same time, the Azerbaijani army and Azerbaijani
community must be ready to release the occupied lands other than
peacefully", I.Aliyev.

UAE INTENDS TO EXPAND COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA

NOYAN TAPAN
December 25, 2009
Yerevan

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. On December 25, RA Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian received a delegation led by UAE’s First Deputy
Foreign Minister Tariq Al-Haidan that had arrived in Armenia to hold
the first political consultations between the RA and United Arab
Emirates Foreign Ministries.

E. Nalbandian expressed satisfaction that cooperation between Armenia
and UAE develops dynamically, and the high-level mutual visits,
UAE’s businessmen’s growing interest in Armenia are evidence of
it. Tariq Al-Haidan, in his turn, stated that UAE intends to expand
cooperation with Armenia and is already undertaking concrete steps
in that direction.

The interlocutors expressed satisfaction with the process of political
consultations held between December 24 to 25 emphasizing their
importance in the issue of deepening and expansion of cooperation
between the two countries.

According to the RA Foreign Ministry Press and Information Department,
Caucasian and Near Eastern regional problems and efforts made for
their settlement were also touched upon at the meeting.

YEREVAN CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS DISAGREE ON QUORUM

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
25.12.2009 17:37 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Head of Prosperous Armenia parliamentary group
Arman Vardanyan said Friday that most of the party’s initiatives were
approved by Yerevan city council in 2009 .

"The issue of trade decentralization in Yerevan was settled; 20
kindergartens were included in the heating project. Prosperous Armenia
parliamentary group received 147 letters from Yerevan residents,
all letters were replied," he said.

As to the work of the city council, Mr. Vardanyan said that the members
disagree on the issue of quorum. "Prosperous Armenia will initiate an
amendment, to raise the quorum from one quarter of council’s members
to one third," he said.

ALEXANDER ISKANDARYAN: WE CANNOT LIVE TINNED FOREVER

news.am
Dec 24 2009
Armenia

The Turkish Parliament is neither sure nor unlikely to ratify the
Armenian-Turkish protocols next spring, the Armenian political
scientist Alexander Iskandaryan told reporters.

The only factor that might prevent Ankara from ratifying the protocols
is the possibility of the 2011 parliamentary elections being brought
forward to 2010. As regards the Turkish leaders’ statements containing
preconditions or ultimatums, as well as the Armenian side’s statements
on the possibility of its invalidating the protocols, Iskandaryan
considers them means of political pressure. "The Armenian side tried to
show that time limits do exist, and a timeframe is of high importance
here," he said.

According to him, a reopened border means both ample opportunities
and serious challenges for Armenia. Among them is, particularly,
the country’s capability to cope with a possible inflow of migrant
workers and compete with a large market. However, Iskandaryan said,
Armenia must be ready for that, as "we cannot live tinned forever."

AS ALWAYS THE AZERBAIJANIS ARE FALSIFYING

25.12. 09

Recently the recurrent Azerbaijani "movie" about Khojaly appeared
in the Internet. Here the "hospitable and peaceful" Azerbaijanis are
telling about the "tragedy" of Khojaly. In this recurrent Azerbaijani
"movie", which is based on obvious falsehood, there are several
distorted facts and untrue information. The quotations from Zori
Balayan’s book are obscene lies. Some months ago Zori Balayan himself
made an announcement about this, stating that he has never written
a book like that.

It is stated in the "movie" that the residents, who had fled from
Khojaly, were shot near the Armenian Nakhijevanik village. This
fact also does not meet the reality, because in February, 1992 the
village of Nakhijevanik, which is situated around Aghdam, was not
under the Armenian Armed Forces. The "movie" ends with a touching,
heart-breaking music and with the photos of these so called victims and
witnesses of the occurrence. It takes only 1-2 minutes to learn that
one is a photo of a wounded Armenian child, which has been published
in the 5th of December, 1991 issue of the "Ð~ZомÑ~A&#xD 0;¾Ð¼Ð¾Ð"Ð µÑ~F
Ð~ZÑ~CзÐ& #xB1;аÑ~Aа" ("Komsomolets Kuzbasa") newspaper. And the article
was titled "Ð"оÐ"Ð&# xB3;аÑ~O доÑ~@оР³Ð° в ЭÑ~@ÐºÐµÑ ~G" ("The long
way to Erkech"). The electronic version of the abovementioned article
can be found on the following website:

It only remains to advise the staff of the Azerbaijani agitprop to be
more attentive and make such falsifications, which are not so obvious
and so easy-to-uncover.

RA MoD Department of Information and Public Affairs