Author: Boshkezenian Garik

DEVELOPMENT OF URANIUM DEPOSITS NEW RUSSIAN PROJECT IN ARMENIA THIS YEAR

ARKA
Feb 5, 2009

YEREVAN, February 5. /ARKA/. The development of uranium deposits
will be a new Russian project in Armenia this year, RF Ambassador to
Armenia Nikolay Pavlov told a press conference at the international
press center Novosti.

The Armenian-Russian Mining Company established last September is
developing uranium deposits in Armenia. The issues of financing
the company have been settled, and the field work is under way. The
company plans to invest about $3mln in the Armenian economy.

RF Trade Representative in Armenia Alexander Zaitsev pointed out that,
amid the global economic financial crisis, the major task for Russia
is to support the previously launched projects.

"Among them is the long-term projects of construction of a second
nuclear power plant, modernization of railways, as well as all the
projects Armenia is actively developing with Russia’s assistance,"
Zaitsev said.

Armenia plans the construction of a new nuclear power plant with a
capacity of 1,000 MW. The RA Ministry of Energy estimates the project
at $5bln. In 2006 the Armenian Parliament abolished the government
monopoly of nuclear power plants to facilitate the attraction of
foreign capital.

The South-Caucasian Railway CJSC, fully owned by the Russian Railways
OJSC, is concessionaire of the Armenian Railways. Under a concession
agreement signed on February 13, 2008, the South-Caucasian Railway
CJSC, registered the rolling stock of the Armenian Railways in its
fixed assets on June 1, 2008. The 30-year concession agreement can
be prolonged for another 20 years.

ARMENIAN NA SPEAKER RECEIVES GERMAN AMBASSADOR

ARMENPRESS
Feb 5, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, ARMENPRESS: Armenian National Assembly Speaker
Hovik Abrahamyan received today German ambassador to Armenia Andrea
Wiktorin with the request of the latter.

NA press service told Armenpress that the German ambassador conveyed
to Hovik Abrahamyan the letter of the chairman of German Bundestag
Norbert Lammert on cooperation between the two parliaments over the
"International Parliamentary Scholarship" program. The ambassador
thanked the NA speaker for readiness to support to the Bundestag
program.

It was noted that this year two additional scholarship places will
be provided to Armenia. The program was created 20 years ago by
Bundestag and with its financing and is aimed at introducing the
young specialists of Eastern Europe, Russia, USA to the administration
system of German parliament.

Chairman of the Armenian National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan noted
about the high level of Armenian-German partnership and underscored
the further development of inter-parliamentary ties. He expressed
assurance that Armenia’s participation in "International Parliamentary
Scholarship" program will be a success and have further development.

During the meeting the sides also pointed out the necessity of
development of cooperation between "German Technical Cooperation"
and National Assembly, discussed other issues of mutual interest.

At the end, Hovik Abrahamyan reconfirmed invitation to the chairman
of German Bundestag to visit Armenia.

MATERIAL EVIDENCE GIVEN TO RUSSIAN EXPERTS

A1+
[06:25 pm] 03 February, 2009

The crime expert examination center of the Russian Interior Affairs
Ministry has been assigned to carry out a trigger expert examination
that was added as part of the inquiry of the criminal case under
examination by the RA special investigative service in relation to
the events of March 1.

According to the press speaker of the Prosecutor General’s office,
the questions for experts regard the possible similarity of the
"Cheryomukha-7" type bullets.

Based on that, it is expected that the examination will reveal
whether there is a developed methodology and if it is possible to
draw comparisons between the gas grenade and the gun that was fired
and whether there are useful traces of the plastic heads on the gas
grenades of the "Chermyomukha-7" that was taken out of the dead and
injured bodies of people who were shot on March 1-2.

By the decision of the examiner, experts have been given the gas
grenades and the plastic heads in six packages of the "Chermyomukha-7"
taken out of the bodies of citizens as material evidence.

OPTIMISM OF THE OSCE MINSK GROUP SEEMS GROUNDLESS
By Aghavni Haroutiunian

AZG Armenian Daily
04/02/2009

Karabakh conflict

Whereas Helsinki is followed by Zurich

On January 28, the third meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani
Presidents was held in Zurich (Switzerland). OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs
Matthew Bryza (USA), Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia) and Bernard Fassier
(France), the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office
Andrzej Kasprzyk also participated in the meeting. The meeting
was preceded by the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers’
meeting. In essence, the meeting of the Presidents also took place
in the presence of the FMs of the two countries.

Before the Zurich meeting, it was mentioned, especially at the level
of the OSCE MG Co-chairs, that there is a progress in the settlement
of Karabakh conflict. More concretely, the Co-chairs mentioned that
there is an agreement on some of Madrid principles.

It is noteworthy that after the Zurich meeting Armenian and Azerbaijani
Foreign Ministers answering the questions of the Armenian journalists
cautiously spoke of the comprehension of some of the principles and
not the agreed ones.

Moreover, both the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers
underlined that comprehension of some of the principles did not mean
that they were agreed.

Though the responses to the meeting are not clear yet, the sides
have already made some announcements that are not in the nature of a
compromise. It’s worth to mention that for the present the Azerbaijani
announcements don’t have their warlike notes.

Mainly, the Azerbaijani President a few days after the January 28
meeting in an interview to the Wall Street Journal announced that the
Karabakh conflict should be settled "based on the UN resolution of
withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories
of Azerbaijan".

According to Interfax-Azerbaijan news agency, this attitude of Aliyev
is explained by the fact that the process of Karabakh conflict
settlement should be based on the UN resolution – a normative of
the international law. But they forget of a fact that just a few
days before it the meeting of the Presidents was held in the Minsk
Group format, and in general, the negotiation process is observed and
conducted in the Minsk Group format and not in the framework of the UN.

According to Aliyev, recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia by
Russia cannot be a precedent for Karabakh issue.

Armenian President Serge Sargsian in its turn announced that Armenian
position on Karabakh conflict settlement is clear and unequivocal
– international recognition of Nagorno Karabakh people’s right to
self-determination. According to RA President’s press service, the
above-mentioned announcement was made during Serzh Sargsian’s meeting
with the representatives of the Armenian community in Zurich.

"The stories that some people try to tell that we will make unilateral
concessions to Karabakh issue for this or that purpose or acting
under this or that pressure do not correspond to reality", Armenian
President underlined adding that Armenia cannot sacrifice its national
aim, the general issue in order to solve certain secondary issue.

THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN DJAVAKHQ: CHALLENGES AND RESPONSES

"Noravank" Foundation
03 February 2009

On January 30 in "Noravank" foundation round table meeting "The latest
developments in Djavakhq: challenges and responses" was arranged.

Different experts, analysts and representatives of non-government
organizations took part in that round table meeting.

The director of "Noravank’ foundation Gagik Harutyunyan delivered
the introduction. G. Harutyunyan mentioned the importance of the
problem of the Armenians in Djavakhq and said that the war in the
August 2008 showed that the Republic of Armenia is very important
factor for the security of Georgia. He also pointed out some key
omissions in the approach to the above mentioned problem, i.e. the
absence of conceptualization, overall information and researches on
that issue. "It looks like the authorities show enough political
will concerning those problems, but it is also necessary to boost
overall and deep researches in different scientific institutions",
– said Harutyunyan.

The expert of "Noravank" foundation Tamara Vardanyan presented the view
of Armenians of Tbilisi to the problems of the Armenians of Djavakhq.

The contributor told that the most common perception of the problem
reduces itself to the opinion that Armenians of Tbilisi occurred in
the situation of hostages because of that problem with Djavakhq. The
contributor mentioned that there is also an opinion, which is more
perceptible and realistic and according to it Armenians of Djavakhq
are security assurance for Armenians of Tbilisi.

The report by the expert of "Noravank" foundation Vahram Hovyan was
devoted to one of the main issues, which is periodically arisen
in different social and political quarters, i.e. the probable
return of Meskhetian Turks to Georgia. He presented information
on their population, identity and the possibility of their return
to Georgia. The spokesman said that in accordance with the official
Georgian sources their consulates in different countries had received
about 900 claims from Meskhetian Turks who wanted to return, but
according to Russian and Azerbaijani press that number is bigger.

The report by Robert Tatoyan, the program coordinator of "Erkir" union,
touched on the issue of the problem of Armenians of Djavakhq in the
context of the norms of international law. The claims of Armenians
of Djavakhq are in the field of regulations of international law
on the protection of the rights of ethnic minorities. The spokesman
presented measures carried by "Erkir" union, touched upon the arrests
in Djavakhq, judicial violations and the moral atmosphere caused by it.

The reports were followed by active discussions. A number of
stereotypes, misunderstandings and mistakes, which are peculiar
to different Armenian social and political quarters, were poin ted
out. Some of them were marked out:

1. Allegedly there is no problem of protection of Armenians in Djavakhq

2. The raising of Djavakhq problem will damage Artsakh issue

3. Georgia has powerful leverage on Armenia

4. Georgia’s ally countries allegedly will not give a way to the
demands of Armenians of Djavakhq and e.t.c.

The experts uniquely denied those wrong perceptions.

Summarizing the discussion T. Vardanyan formulated following results:

The moment came when we should publicly accept on the analytical,
research and state levels that there is the factor of Djavakhq problem
in the relations between Armenia and Georgia.

When we accept the existence of that problem we should reconsider
our tactics, which is now situational. It should be preventive.

Non-government organizations has depleted their resources as there
have been many seminars, discussions and press-conferences arranged
but there are no changes for the better. Thus we need state approach
to this problem and state’s support for the public opinion, which
has already been formed, especially if Georgian side’s actions are
rather coordinated, consistent and are implemented on state level.

RESULT OF THE EXPERTISE PRESENTED AT THE AD-HOC COMMITTEE

National Assembly of RA
Feb 2 2009
Armenia

The Ad-hoc Inquiry Committee into the Events Occurred on 1-2 March 2008
in Yerevan and Their Reasons of the National Assembly at its sitting
on January 23 touched upon the results of the technical experise on
the special means Cheryomukha – 7.

Meanwhile Mr Samvel Nikoyan, Ad-hoc committee chairman, passed the
data provided by RA Special Examination Service to those present on
the criminal case of March 1. According to that certificate, a charge
was proposed to 140 persons, 54 of them by Article 225 of the Criminal
Code, 15 of them by Articles 225 and 300, 34 of them by Article 316,
and 27 of them by Articles 176 and 177. As Mr Samvel Nikoyan said,
the detention was changed towards 31 persons, the criminal case
towards 26 persons was quashed or the criminal persecution was
suspended. 90 cases were sent to the court, verdicts were made
for 87 cases. According to these data, by RA President’s decree,
12 defendants were granted pardon, and in 12 cases the charges were
grounded only by the evidence of the police.

The member of the Ad-hoc committee, chairman of the New Times Party
Mr Aram Karapetyan, who left for Moscow with a letter addressed to
the RF Deputy Minister of Interior Affairs Mr Alexander Smirny on
Cheryomukha – 7 technical expertise, gave details about the visit.

The answer of the technical expertise was sent not to Mr Samvel
Nikoyan, but to the prosecutor’s office, who in his turn passed it to
NA Ad-hoc Committee. According to Mr Aram Karapetyan’s information,
after his visit to RA General Prosecutor’s Office, as well as the visit
to the representatives of police to Moscow with the same problem by
which he explained the results of the expertise to the Prosecutor’s
Office, but not the circumstance of providing to the committee.

Mr Samvel Nikoyan read the document of the Prosecutor’s Office
received from Special Technique and Communication research-production
association of the Interior Affairs of the Russian Federation,
where it said in particular that the bullets of Cheryomukha – 7 and
Cheryomukha – 7M were valid for use maximum five years.

It is supposed from the interpellations of the Prosecutor’s Office
that the weapons were of 1986 and 1989 production: after passing the
term the technical description of these means, according to Russian
experts, is changed, military features are reduced and they cannot
harm human’s life and health. Instead it is prohibited to shoot
immediately a man. The NA Ad-hoc Committee also was interested in
possibility of identifying Cheryomukha – 7 gas grenades with the
shot weapons. In response, it was written that the institute does
not do ballistic expertise, and it was proposed to address to another
expertise-criminal center of the Ministry of Interior of the Russian
Federation. At the sitting the committee decided to address the RA
Prosecutor’s Office and Special Examination Service for addressing
the above-mentioned structure to carry out expertise of identification.

The deputies attending the sitting expressed concern for deterioration
of the health state of their colleagues Mr Hakob Hakobyan and
Mr Sasun Mikayelyan and proposed to apply to relevant bodies for
providing medical investigation. The Human Rights Defender Mr Armen
Harutyunyan who was attending the sitting said that he hadn’t received
an official answer to his application addressed to Minister of Justice
on this problem.

The possibility of cooperation with the fact-finding group was also
discussed at the sitting, as well as the issue of participation in the
process of amendment of some articles in the Criminal Code. Mr Samvel
Nikoyan said that he was going to propose to extend the works of the
committee till the end of the activity of the fact-finding group.

APA, Azerbaijan
Jan 30 2009

Tense debates on Nagorno Karabakh take place in University of
Michigan, USA

[ 31 Jan 2009 12:45 ]
Zaur Hasanov. Washington `APA. A one-day workshop `After Kosovo:
Whither Karabakh?’ was organized by the Armenian Studies Program,
University of Michigan, and head of the program Gerard Libaridian on
January 30, APA US bureau reports.

Russian Armenian expert Antranik Migranyan said Russia had no
intentions, at first, to recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia. `The
Mikhail Saakashvili’s keen messages followed by the August events
forced Russia to take radical measures’. He said the US administration
also contributed to the developments. Migranyan said the US foreign
policy over the past 15 years, military operations in Yugoslavia,
Afghanistan and Iraq shook the international law system and
consequently Russia didn’t consider the use of arms as a fault.
Touching upon the Kosovo’s independence, Migranyan said it was not
real that the Western diplomats have not seen Kosovo as a precedent
for other conflicts. `If you compare the Kosovo conflict with the
relations between Tbilisi and Sukhumi, Tbilisi and Tskhinvali, Baku
and Stepanakert (Khankendi), you can not find a difference’, said
Migranyan.

The expert said the borders were delimited artificially in the period
of USSR and were contradictory to the will of peoples and therefore
Nagorno Karabakh had a right of self-determination.

Elin Suleymanov, Consul General of Azerbaijan in Los Angeles said
Migranyan’s opinion was mistaken. `Kosovo is not a precedent for the
conflicts in our region, particularly for the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. First, the decision on the Kosovo’s future was made by the
West on the one hand, but USA, Russia and some of the European leading
countries have no decisive votes in the Armenian-Azerbaijan Nagorno
Karabakh conflict.

Second, in the Kosovo conflict, neighboring Albania did not occupy
Kosovo and Albanian current political leaders are not natives of
Kosovo. However Armenia was involved in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
in all forms and the international community recognizes Armenia as a
part of the conflict.

Third, Kosovo was ruled by the international organizations for a long
time after the NATO operations in the region and it gave legitimacy to
Kosovo.

Fourth, war crimes against the local residents in Kosovo were
committed by Belgrade, but in Nagorno Karabakh the war crimes were
committed by neighboring Armenia. For example, Armenians committed
crime against humanity in Khojali’.

Elin Suleymanov said it was not correct to base on the former Soviet
law about self-determination right giving to the regions, because
Nagorno Karabakh and other separatist regimes didn’t address the
relevant organizations to give them independence according to that
law.

The Consul General said Azerbaijani people wished to live in peace
with Armenians and Azerbaijan’s Armenian citizens could also use the
economic opportunities of the country, but absolute criterion for this
is the solution to the conflict within the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan.

ERDOGAN: "SHAME IF EFFORTS MADE A VICTIM OF ARMENIAN DIASPORA"

Jan 30 2009
Turkey

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Armenian President
Serzh Sargsian on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey and
Armenia should take bold steps to boost stability across the region.

"It would be shame if all these efforts are made a victim of
(Armenian) diaspora’s works," Erdogan told a panel session during
the World Economic Forum meetings in Davos titled "The Great Game
Revisited" which was also attended by Azerbaijan’s President Ilham
Aliyev, Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Motaki and Armenian Foreign
Minister Eduard Nalbandian.

"The biggest challenge here is the diaspora," Erdogan said.

He blamed the Armenian diaspora for undermining steps taken by
Turkey and Armenia and said Turkey wanted to settle the problem in
the shortest time possible.

In September 2008, Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul paid a visit to
Armenia which was described as a "historic visit to build bridges
between the two countries." Gul invited his Armenian counterpart for
the return match to be played in October 2009 in Turkey.

At his visit, Gul said he hoped matches between Turkey and Armenia
would contribute to removing barriers to the rapprochement of two
peoples with a common history, and contribute to regional peace
and stability

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Armenian President
Serzh Sargsian on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The meeting between Erdogan and Sargsian lasted about 20 minutes.

MODERATOR OF PANEL CUTTING ERDOGAN OFF IS OF ARMENIAN ORIGIN

Azeri Press Agency

Jan 30 2009
Azerbaijan

Ankara-APA. Moderator of the panel ended with Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan leaving in protest was of Armenian origin,
APA reports quoting Haberturk.

The moderator of the panel, journalist David Ignatius from the
Washington Post was of Armenian origin. He is a member of family, which
moved from Turkey’s Elazig province to the US. Ignatius supporting
so-called Armenian genocide did not want his nationality was on the
agenda. He bewares of opinions casting shadow upon his objectivity.

Peres had been allowed to speak for 25 minutes, whereas he had only
been allocated 12 minutes during the panel within the framework of
Davos Forum. Following Israeli President Shimon Peres’ turn, Erdogan
wanted to reply. The moderator of the panel, journalist David Ignatius
from the Washington Post, allowed him one minute and then tried to
cut him off.

AGAIN ACTION OF PROTEST TAKES PLACE PARALLEL TO COURT SITTING ON "CASE OF SEVEN"

Noyan Tapan

Jan 30, 2009

YEREVAN, JANUARY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. On January 30, radical opposition
supporters organized a regular action of protest near Yerevan Shengavit
community’s general jurisdiction court, where the court sitting on the
"case of the seven" was being held. The demonstrants spread out the
following placards: "Freedom to the Wonderful Seven," "Freedom Now,"
and defendants’ photographs. During the whole action they voiced
"Free, Independent Armenia!," "Struggle, Struggle Till the End!."

Listening to Armenian National Congress’ January 29 appeal of not
entering the court hall, the demonstrants stayed in the yard until the
court sitting finished. Dozens of policemen and special police forces
in red berets followed the action. After the sitting they blocked the
pavement not allowing people to move to the city center. After the
sitting the action participants saw off the defendants with applause
and made an arrangement to continue the action at 14:00 near RA
Prosecutor General’s Office building.