Author: Antonian Lara

Prime minister: In conditions of global crisis Armenian government
should pass to cruelest economy regime

2009-03-12 14:39:00

ArmInfo. In conditions of the global economic crisis and worsening of
the economic situation in the country, the Armenian government should
pass to the cruelest saving of the public funds, Prime Minister of
Armenia Tigran Sarkisyan said at the government Thursday session in
view of the decision on reallocation of the budget revenue and
expenditure, 2009.

The prime minister said the world economy experiences decay, so, the
government should be ready to implement the worse development scenario.
"In the crisis conditions we have to save and make as much expenses as
we can collect taxes", the PM said. In view of worsening of the
economic situation in Armenia, the country’s government made a protocol
decision on Thursday on reallocation of the most risky budget revenue
and expenditure from early to late, 2009, Finance Minister of Armenia
Tigran Davtyan said at the briefing held after the government session.
According to him, as a result of the analysis over the first-two
months, the Finance Ministry has calculated that the State Treasury may
receive less than one is due – 131 bln drams of revenue ($354 mln at
the current average rate). The government decided to reallocate this
revenue from the 1-3 quarters to the 4th quarter. The minister also
said the tax receipts to the country’s budget over January-February
reduced as compared with the similar period, 2008, and made up less
than the scheduled level. So, the tax receipts over January, 2009,
reduced by 5 bln drams against January, 2008, and the receipts over
February – by 10 bln drams. "Development of the global economic
situation does not give rise to an optimism, so, the government
resolved to reallocate the most risky revenue", the minister said.

The budget expenditure for 2009 at the amount 93 bln drams ($251 mln)
will be also redistributed by the end of the year. He means revisiting
of expenditure for business trips, buying of the movable property and
real estate and holding of some state events. The protected articles of
the budget will not change, mainly for defence and social needs, the
minister said. He assured that salary of the budgetary sphere workers
will not change. Davtyan added that this decision of the government
will not touch fulfillment of the big pan-Armenian projects in 2009, in
which the government takes part. He means construction of the new
nuclear power block, Iran-Armenia railway and creation of Pan-Armenian
Bank.

He declined to predict further development of Armenian economy in the
present conditions, but beginning from March the government is
expecting certain growth of the business activity and tax revenues in
the budget. Davtyan also said that the approved credits of the IMF $540
mln and of the WB $525mln for the next four years, as well as the
expected stabilizing credit of Russia $500 mln will help Armenia
overcome consequences of the world crisis. Armenia has a good potential
to resist the crisis because of the low plan on deficit of the budget
2009 in an amount less than 1% GDP and low external state debt, which
does not exceed 14-15% of the GDP.

Milliyet, Turkey
March 9 2009

The Beautiful American

by Taha Akyol

Hillary Clinton has, I am certain of it, raised the image of America
in Turkey, which has been dragging along the ground.

Hillary is clearly a warm, smiling personality. Well, what is her
background? The answer of Professor Ahmet Davutoglu, who took part in
all of the discussions: "Mrs Clinton has gained great political
experience, first of all as "First Lady" [in English], then as a
Senator, and thereafter as a candidate in the Presidential
election. She has always concerned herself with foreign policy. She is
on top of the issues. Her strength comes not from her surname, but
rather from her personality and her experience. Her being open to
communication is very important."

A warm personality, and an open mind not set in concrete
ideologically, are no doubt harbingers of a better era in
Turkish-American relations.

[Former US President George W.] Bush, with his combative and
exclusionary policies, was the symbol of the concept of the "Ugly
American." But [current US President Barack] Obama and Clinton, with
their peaceful policies of dialogue, reflect the image of the
"Beautiful American."

In fact, the essence and the goals of American politics have not
changed, but in order to dissuade Iran from nuclear weapons, for
instance, Bush brandished threats of war, while Obama speaks of
dialogue, and is working to attract the forces in the region that
appear to be at Iran’s side -including Hamas [Islamic Resistance
Movement]!..

And this in fact has been what Turkey has been considering.

Policies Coincide

On Friday of the preceding week, the Prime Minister’s Foreign Policy
Adviser, Professor Ahmet Davutoglu, and Foreign Ministry Deputy
Undersecretary Unal Cevikoz had met with journalists. I am looking at
the notes I had taken at the meeting in the Konrad Hotel. Davutoglu
had said: "Obama’s foreign policy needs and Turkey’s potential
coincide. Turkish-American relations are going to enter into perhaps
one of their best eras in history!" From this standpoint, Davutoglu
said that "more areas of working in partnership" have come about
between Turkey and America for resolving the problems of the Middle
East, and that the relations would develop yet further. He also said
that, for this reason, he did not consider it very likely that Obama
would speak of [Armenian] "genocide."

At that time, it had not been known that Clinton would come to Turkey,
and, "within a month," Obama as well.

It is clear that the process is going to develop as Davutoglu had
foreseen. Indeed, when we look at Clinton’s statements, the views of
the two countries coincide in large degree on the topics of combating
terrorism, ending the isolation of the KKTC ["Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus"], energy issues, the EU [accession] process, and
resolving the problems of the Middle East.

"Moderate Islam"

And one very positive aspect of Clinton’s visit was its putting an end
to the paranoia over "moderate Islam."

The Bush administration as well had no policy of turning Turkey into a
country that "implements the shari’ah in a moderate way," but their
errors in terminology had given rise to a paranoia of this sort.

It was very good that Clinton put an end to this. She stressed values
like democracy, the secular Constitution, religious freedom, the
market economy, and the sense of responsibility, and said "we do not
categorize any country in accord with its religious identification."

Her conveying a message of "tolerating criticism" to the Prime
Minister was also very good.

Now we should study Turkey’s internal sociological dynamics and
Turkish-American relations as well without falling into the paranoia
of "moderate Islam."

The first steps towards peace in the Muslim Middle East can be taken
by putting paranoias aside and drawing Iran to the table, influencing
Israel towards common sense, and opening radicals to dialogue. It is
certain that, in this, the common efforts of Turkey and America will
play a major role.

[translated from Turkish]

Toronto Star, Canada
March 8 2009

All’s well in the kingdom of Canada

Mar 08, 2009 04:30 AM
Haroon Siddiqui

In the five years since it was established by some students at the
University of Toronto, Israeli Apartheid Week has spread to 40 cities
around the world, according to its organizers.

Dr. David Naylor, U of T president, famously called it "the worst week
of a president’s life." Administrators are bombarded with demands by
pro- and anti-Israeli camps:

Ban the name; abolish the "hate-fest." It creates "a toxic
environment" for Israel advocates, who are "intimidated" by "mobs"
peddling anti-Semitism.

Uphold freedom of speech and assembly. Stand up to "pressure." Don’t
equate criticism of Israeli policies with anti-Semitism or use it as a
club to kill off debate.

This year, Carleton and Ottawa universities banned a pre-event poster
showing an Israeli helicopter firing a missile at a Palestinian child
labelled Gaza.

At York University, a dispute over the student union’s role in the
strike by teaching assistants became a proxy battle over Israel, given
the union’s pro-Palestinian tilt.

Two rallies, Feb. 12 and 17, prompted York to impose penalties on four
student groups for disrupting classes. An ugly Feb. 11 incident led to
an inquiry, still ongoing, into the behaviour of three students.

All this happened before the designated week.

On Monday, the U of T student paper, The Varsity, carried two columns:
"Why Israel is not an apartheid state," by Jeremy Bluvol, and "Why
Israel’s actions constitute apartheid," by Ahmed Mahmoud.

The kickoff event was that night at Ryerson University. I counted 14
people waving Israeli flags. Two guys were having an argument, drawing
no audience.

Inside a packed hall, the atmosphere was collegial, with the feel of a
1960s anti-Vietnam war rally. The audience was a mix of ethnicities
and, more pleasantly, of all ages.

The MC, Golta Shahidi, a U of T student, laid down the rules: No
heckling, no disruptions, no anti-Semitic or other racist remarks.

Author Naomi Klein said she was proud to be there "as a Jewish
Canadian, to stand in firm solidarity" with the Palestinians.

"We are here to speak about a great unspeakable. You can tell by all
the people telling us to shut up.

"Talk. Talk a lot. Debate. Make talking normal. Every transformative
movement goes through this stage: The silence is broken, long
suppressed truths are spoken. There is great rage and denial. And then
change begins."

On the banned poster: "You have heard the argument that the image of
the child under an Israeli missile incites hatred. It is the bombing
of civilians that incites the hatred. That poster makes our stomach
turn because it shows us something that’s true. Seeing those kinds of
images doesn’t incite hatred. It inspires righteous indignation."

Omar Barghouti, the well-known Palestinian activist, spoke next. He
also spoke softly but delivered a tough message about Canadian
complicity in Israeli "war crimes."

Events over the next three days at the U of T and York also went off
smoothly ` flag-waving; a mock wall here and barbed wire there,
depicting the Israeli security barrier; some sloganeering (against
both Hamas and Israel at York Thursday), but no untoward
incident. Police did not lay a single charge.

"All in all, a quiet week," said Robert Steiner, assistant
vice-president at U of T. Robert Tiffin, vice-president at York, and
Heather Lane Vetere, vice-provost at Ryerson, reported the same.

Naylor said campuses are places for passionate debate, within reason,
be it pro-choice and pro-life, or over the Armenian genocide, Sri
Lanka, the Middle East, etc.

He said the term apartheid could not be banned ` "if you Google it,
you’ll find 300,000 entries." Nor could he impose censorship. "We’d
rather focus on maintaining a reasonable climate." Which they did.

I found the officials at all three universities to be reasonable,
even-handed and calm in the face of provocation and pressure.

Contrary to all the claims and counter-claims, at times repeated by
gullible media, all is reasonably well in the kingdom of Canada.

8099

Banks of Armenia interested in certification of quality management
systems

2009-03-10 17:41:00

ArmInfo. The banks of Armenia are interested in certification of the
quality management systems, Chief Auditor of TUV Group representation
in Lebanon and Armenia Krikor Tchifjyan, being in Yerevan, told
ArmInfo. He introduced his assessment of the Armenian banks’ interest
in receiving a certificate of compliance of the bank quality management
system with requirements of ISO 9001 international standard.

According to the auditor’s assessment, the banks’ interest in
development and implementation of the quality management systems is
explained by the bank’s aspiration to render high-quality services to
their clients in conditions of the intensifying competition in the
banking sector of Armenia. He also said the compliance certificate is
required for the banks to confirm the bank’s ability to provide the
services meeting the clients’ requirements, as well as the requirements
of the legislation and the regulatory authorities.

He also said that standard ISO 9001:2008 is a guide which makes it
possible for organizations to optimize all the business processes
directed to satisfaction of the clients’ demands and ensuring
effectiveness of their activity. The idea of control and permanent
improvement of quality is based on such principles as orientation to
consumer, leadership, involvement of workers, the processing
approach, the systemized approach to management, endless improvement,
approach to adoption of decisions on the basis of facts and mutually
beneficial relations with suppliers.

At the same time he said that TUV Group, being one of the leading
international companies, has great experience in many countries of the
world, including Armenia. About 10 companies that got certificates of
TUV Group in Armenia, represent various spheres of economy, including
the financial sector.

Comparing privileges of the ISO 9001 certificate, given by the TUV
Group with certificates of other companies, he mentioned distinct work
peculiar to German companies and their authority in Europe and out of
it.

The goal of the auditor’s visit to Yerevan was to conduct a certified
audit of the quality management of Ameriabank CJSC for conformance to
the standard ISO 9001:2008. In case of a positive result, the bank may
become the first company in Armenia to be certified by the new standard
ISO 9001:2008 announced in November 2008 to replace ISO 9001:2000.

K. Tchifjyan brought the key differences of the new standard ISO
9001:2008 from ISO 9001:2000: extension of the product conception
including any result of the product sales (services); changed
approach to the structure of required documents; additional requirement
to taking measures adequate to the potential and real consequences in
case of revealing nonconforming products after
consumption or provision; as well as toughened requirements to
outsourcing organization and control at companies. TUV Group
(Technischer Uberwachungsverein – "Union of Technical Inspection
Groups) is one of the leading international companies engaged in
certification, consulting, and education. TUV’s annual turnover exceed
1.27 billion euro (1/5 of the company’s turnover is outside Germany).
The company has a strong position of leader among similar companies in
the European Union. TUV Group has over 500 service centers and
representations in Europe, the USA and Asia.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Armenian NGOs to participate in conference on European democracy support
09.03.2009 22:34 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the
European Commission are organizing a conference on 9 and 10 March 2009
in Prague about the European approach to democracy support. The event
was opened today with speeches by Karel Schwarzenberg, Czech Minister
of Foreign Affairs, and Václav Havel, former President of the
Czech Republic, under whose auspices the conference is held. It will
bring over one hundred democracy experts from EU institutions, Member
States and non-governmental organizations to Prague.

The conference is organized in collaboration with the European
Partnership for Democracy (EPD), a European platform of organizations
active in democracy assistance and the Czech Association for Democracy
Assistance and Human Rights (DEMAS).

The conference will also be attended by representatives of European
non-governmental organizations who will present their recommendations
on democracy assistance. The receiver countries will also be
represented in the panels by NGOs from countries like Russia, Armenia,
Zimbabwe and Lebanon. Democracy assistance is among the EU’s and the
Czech Republic’s foreign policy priorities and therefore the Czech
Ministry of Foreign Affairs has invited experts from the EU Member
States and institutions like the European Commission, the General
Secretariat of the Council of the EU and the European Parliament to
discuss how the individual policies and programmes can be made more
effective.

HSBC forecasts zero economic growth in Armenia in late 2009

YEREVAN, March 9. /ARKA/. Analysts and experts at HSBC forecasts zero
economic growth in Armenia by late 2009, Tim Slater, executive director
general of the bank, said while answering the question ARKA News Agency
put to him.

World Bank thinks the same, while International Monetary Fund predicted
1.5% slowdown.

Slater said that his bank found zero growth a quite positive result,
especially amid dwindling inflow of private transfers.

Slater also said referring to HSBC analysts’ forecast that a
three-percent GDP decrease will be recorded in Russia by late 2009.

They said Kazakhstan will face 2.5% and Ukraine 9% decline.

The HSBC executive director general said that Georgia will find itself
in more advantageous situation thanks to the financial injections it
expects from EU donors, as a year earlier.

He also said that HSBC experts forecasted 10- to 12-percent inflation
in Armenia explaining that by two factors ` increase in prices for
imports because of national currency depreciation and rise in consumer
prices for gas and water.

HSBC Bank Armenia, subsidiary of HSBC Bank Plc, was registered on
September 25, 1995.

HSBC Bank Plc holds 70% of HSBC Bank Armenia shares. The remaining 30%
belong to overseas Armenian investors.

Central Bank of Armenia forecasts eight- to nine-percent inflation for
2009.-0—

armradio.am
07.03.2009 13:10

Dear women,

I congratulate you on the March 8, the International Woman’s Day and
wish all the best.
Whatever warm words we say today, it is impossible to express the
heartstrings of respect and gratitude.

Together with men you have tasted the hardship of life and the thrill
of victory. You keep the family hearth and defend the homeland, bring
up and educate generations, take an active part in developing out
independent statehood, invigorate, inspire and direct us towards new
achievements.

Dear mothers, sisters and daughters, hero women of Artsakh!
I congratulate all of you once again and wish you to be always healthy
and beautiful, live in affluence and plenty, always surrounded by love
and care. Peace to you and your families.

ARMENIA INTERESTED IN EXPANSION OF POLITICAL AND TRADE AND ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP WITH UAE

Noyan Tapan

M arch 5, 2009

YEREVAN, MARCH 5, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
on March 5 received Foreign Trade Minister of the United Arab Emirates
Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid al Qasimi.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry Press and
Information Department, E. Nalbandian said that Armenia attaches
importance to further development of all-round cooperation with UAE. He
expressed the hope that the Foreign Trade Minister’s visit to Armenia
will promote further development and deepening of Armenia-UAE trade
and economic relations.

E. Nalbandian expressed Armenia’s interest in expansion of political
and trade and economic cooperation with UAE attaching importance to
presence of proper preconditions for it, in particular, a large-scale
legal-contractual sphere.

The RA Foreign Minister expressing satisfaction with the dynamic
growth of commodity circulation between UAE and Armenia said that
the Armenian side is ready to discuss the possibility of implementing
large-scale investment programs.

IFJ LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE TO PROMOTE ETHICAL JOURNALISM

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.03.2009 12:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The International Federation of Journalists
(IFJ) has launched a new website to promote its Ethical
Journalism Initiative (EJI) Campaign about making core values of
journalism an integral part in today’s media worldwide. The website
(ethicaljournalisminitiative.org) will host information about the
campaign which is framed around key tenets of journalism such as truth
telling, independence and fairness as well as humanity and solidarity.

"The EJI website is an important source of information for journalism
practitioners and researchers," said Aidan White, IFJ General
Secretary. "It provides access to key documents for the profession
and showcases best practices by journalists and their unions across
the globe."

The EJI website will have information about important events to promote
the campaign with facilities to download material from the site. At the
time of the launch, the site contains a book, To Tell you the Truth,
which is an introduction to the background and some of the key themes
to consider in building an ethical environment for journalism.

There is also information about current project activities and
programs, some key texts and links to a network of campaigns and
groups striving to make journalism work for democracy.

"The role of media in helping to build democracy has never been more
important," added White. "Journalism provides the analysis, context
and commentary that keep citizens informed and allows them to play
their part in the life of society."

JUNIOR BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP KICKS OFF IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.03.2009 15:37 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A junior box championship of Armenia started in
Yerevan. One hundred thirty-eight junior boxers from all regions of
Armenia will compete for championship in 13 weight categories.

As the press-service of Armenian Boxing Federation reports, on March
8, upon the end of the country’s championship, on the basis of final
results, a junior national boxing team will be formed to participate
in the world championship among junior boxers which will take place
in Yerevan from May 23 to May 30 of this year.

The newly-formed junior national boxing team of Armenia is to have an
instructional training meeting in the town of Abovyan in mid March,
and by the end of May is to leave for Russia to participate in an
international tournament.