No word being spoken today on return of the territories
13:14 22/05/2010 » Politics
Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan was inquired during the
Military-Industrial exhibition Saturday whether the circulated
information on handing the liberated territories is true. `No word is
being spoken today on return of the territories,’ Seyran Ohanyan said.
Source: Panorama.am
RA GOVERNMENT RECEIVES THE FRENCH MINISTER OF ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN
ARMENPRESS
MAY 20, 2010
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS: RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
received today the delegation, headed by Mr. Patrick Devedjian, French
Minister under the Prime Minister in charge of the Implementation
of the Recovery Plan and President of the general council of the
Hauts-de-Seine department.
The Governmental press service told Armenpress that RA Prime Minister
welcomed the guests and expressed the gratitude of the Government
to Mr. Patrick Devedjian for his great investment in the Armenian
social-economic development. Speaking on the educational cooperation,
RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said he appreciates that the students
of the French University of Armenia have their educational internship
at the enterprises of Hauts-de-Seine department.
Tigran Sargsyan and Patrick Devedjian discussed the current process
and the prospects of the Armenian-French cooperation. They stressed
the importance of the ‘Tavush 2012’ program, which is currently being
implemented by Hauts-de-Seine department in assistance with ‘Armenia’
All-Armenian Fund. The ‘Tavush 2012’ program intends restoration and
construction of irrigation systems and establishment of a base for
modern agricultural equipment. At the request of the French Minister of
Economic Recovery Plan, RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan represented
the RA strategy for agriculture development.
The Prime Minister stressed the importance of the development of
agricultural tourism and represented the road-construction program in
villages, especially the ‘North-South’ complex project. The activities
of All-Armenian establishments were discussed as well.
EDWARD NALBANDIAN: THERE IS AN OBVIOUS CONFUSION IN THE EP RESOLUTION
Anna Nazaryan
"Radiolur"
21.05.2010 13:15
The Foreign Minister of Argentina, Jorge Taiana, has arrived in
Armenia on a working visit. This morning he had a meeting with the
Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, following which the
two came forth with a joint press conference.
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian refuted Turkish media
reports about a new document negotiated by Armenia and Turkey.
"The information is false and is not worth being commented on,"
Minister Nalbandian said at a joint news conference with his
Argentinean counterpart Jorge Taiana.
Asked to comment on the resolution on the South Caucasus adopted by
the European Parliament yesterday, Minister Nalbandian said: "First of
all, I would like to express our respect for the European Parliament.
However, the points on the Karabakh issue do not go in line with the
Madrid Principles, the L’Aquila Statement or the Moscow Declaration
the document refers to."
"There is an obvious confusion here, and one of the reasons is that
the author of the report has never been to Karabakh and has not even
consulted with the MEP representing France, a co-chair country of
the OSCE Minsk Group. That is why some of the points contradict even
the position of the European Union. The European Union expressed its
stance in a statement issued in December 2009, which is fully in line
with the Armenian position," Minister Nalbandian stated.
CHILDREN’S WORLD EXPO 2010 INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION TO BE CONDUCTED IN YEREVAN
ArmInfo
2010-05-21 12:20:00
ArmInfo. Children’s World EXPO 2010 international exhibition will be
conducted in Yerevan on the occasion of the International Children’s
Day on May 29-31 in Sport and Concert Complex Hall after K.
Demirchyan. The exhibition is organized by LOGOS EXPO center.
As Logos Expo Center told ArmInfo, the main purpose of the exhibition
is to develop this sphere, to attract high quality producers and
specialists and to flood the market with new assortment of goods
for children.
The exhibition will be conducted under the sponsorship of Armenian
Labour Ministry and Union of Industrialists and Businessmen.
PARLIAMENT ADOPTS BILL ON AMENDMENTS IN LAW ON TV AND RADIO
Tert.am
20.05.10
The National Assembly of Armenia started its work today by voting on a
bill discussed yesterdey. With 72 "for," 9 "against" and 6 "abstained"
the parliament adopted the Government-proposed bill to introducing
amendements to the "Law about TV and Radio."
Among those voting against this bill were all the MPs from the
Heritage Party, some from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and
two independent MPs.
These amendments envisage the digitalization of the Armenia TV
channels. Only 18 out of 24 TV channels will be aired as soon as
these amendments are implemented.
This licensing process of the Armenian TV channels will start from June
1 and will end by January 31,2011. The Government has allotted about
10-12 million AMD for the whole digitalization process. This includes
also compensation, from the state budget, for the socially vulnerable
class in an attempt to help them install special parts to their TVs
otherwise they will not be able to watch the digitalized TV channels.
The special parts mentioned will cost about $50-60 USD (19,200-23040
AMD per 384 exchange rate).
The digitalization process is planned to last till 2015.
Ironically, the Government proposed the bill to the National Assembly’s
approval as an obligatory one, while the NA Standing Committee on
Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport did not have enough time
to properly discuss the bill before it would be brought to a vote.
YOUTH OF AUSTRIA AND GERMANY TO VISIT ARMENIAN CENTERS AND RELIGIOUS SHRINES
NOYAN TAPAN-HAYERN AYSOR
19 MAY, 2010
BADEN VYURTEMBERG
Youth of Austria and Germany will hold a meeting in Melk city near
Vienna on May 21-24.
As reported by the Armenian community of Baden Vyurtemberg, the youth
will visit all Armenian centers and religious shrines of Austria,
including the Mekhitarist Congregation.
AZERBAIJAN HAS A LOT TO LOSE SHOULD IT UNLEASH A WAR: GUARDIAN
Tert.am
19.05.10
There is a sense that the situation over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
might be changing, writies british newspaper Guardian.
"Would the Azerbaijani president, Ilham Aliyev, go to war for
Karabakh? It is a big question. The defence minister, Safar Abiyev,
spoke in February of the growing likelihood of a "great war" with
Armenia. Azerbaijan has a lot to lose if it does so. It has got rich
quick due to its energy resource development and is the only CIS
country that sustained positive economic growth during the financial
crisis,"reads the article.
The state, according to the author Anna Matveeva, "started to build
roads, rehabilitate schools and resettle its displaced people. The
newly found prosperity conveyed a "feel-good" atmosphere, but it also
brought a new confidence that finally "the game is ours." It cannot
let 15% of its territory be lost for ever without making an earnest
effort to win something back. Any leader with a sense of history
would be mindful that future generations would not forgive him this."
"So Azerbaijan builds up its military capabilities, procures modern
weaponry and trains troops. It also unleashes bellicose rhetoric on
Azerbaijani TV channels, both in the Azeri language and in Russian.
Whether this propaganda is aimed at preparing society for war is
unclear, but it certainly instils trepidation in the Armenian public
of a threat of an imminent attack."
"The military build-up and aggressive rhetoric is a pressure tactic of
presenting a credible threat, if Armenia does not move. It is effective
in projecting a fear that the war, fresh in the memory, can restart,
but ineffective in forcing a will for concessions. The public attitude
is that because so much has been sacrificed to gain these lands,
giving them back would be a betrayal of the memory of heroes who died
for them. Following this line of reasoning, the destiny is to continue
to sacrifice development for the sake of defence, even if the price
could be economic stagnation and social depression," writes the author.
Further Matveeva writes that Azerbaijan’s leadership is risk-averse
and not prone to impulsive moves to suit a nationalist agenda. It does
not need a war to boost its popularity, because it is already popular.
Rationally speaking, the war is unlikely. But military games and
sabre-rattling have a tendency to get out of hand. Armenia’s internal
political problems can give rise to a "now or never" attitude: since
the adversary appears weak, the time for a decisive push has arrived.
"If it comes to it, the crucial issue is what Russia would do. There
is a fashionable belief that Moscow holds the key to a Karabakh
settlement, but a scenario in which Vladimir Putin calls the Armenian
president, Serzh Sargsyan, and orders him to withdraw from Karabakh
seems truly fantastic. In the current stalemate, Russia cannot do
more than the US and France, the other Minsk group co-chairs. However,
if fighting were to start, Moscow would be presented with an awkward
choice as to whether it defends Armenia militarily."
According to her, on the one hand, Armenia is a member of the
Collective Security Treaty Organisation, which, like Nato, operates
on the collective defence principle: an attack against one member is
regarded as an attack on all members.
"On the other hand, Moscow does not have the same problems with
Baku as it has with Tbilisi: the political relationship is good,
trade is rampant, Azerbaijan benefits from Russian investment and
the two states co-operate in combating terrorism. In the case of
deterioration, diplomatic rather than military pressure would be
Moscow’s most likely option.
"Voices of the Azerbaijani intelligentsia standing against the war
are unpopular, as peacebuilding is equated in public wisdom with
surrendering Karabakh to the Armenians. Those who advocate peace
need to see a readiness from the Armenian side to make steps towards
compromise – otherwise "peacebuilding" amounts to an acceptance of
defeat. Such signs of compromise are yet to emerge. The danger is
that it might be getting too late for them to be noticed."
TURKEY TO INTENSIFY EFFORTS ON KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
news.az
May 19 2010
Azerbaijan
Hulusi Kilic Turkish ambassador in Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilic has spoken
of the role of his country in the resolution of the Karabakh conflict.
‘Turkey is the OSCE Minsk Group member and it is certainly involved
in this process. But at the same time it is neighboring Armenia and
Azebaijan, therefore, the events ongoing here, cause our concerns.
Our aim is to establish peace and stability in the region and for
the resolution of the Karabakh conflict Turkey intends to intensify
its efforts in this process’, said Turkish ambassador in Azerbaijan
Hulusi Kilic speaking to reporters on May 19.
As for the establishment of a monument of Nuru pasha in Baku,
the ambassador said the Turkish side wants this very much. ‘But the
decision on this issue is taken by the Azerbaijani powers and if they
take this decision, we will be very happy’, he said.
IN THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF 2010 PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION IN ARMENIA HAS GROWN
ARMENPRESS
MAY 18, 2010
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, MAY 18, ARMENPRESS: In the first four months of 2010 the
passenger transportation in Armenia has grown.
An official from the Civil Aviation Department told Armenpress that
137 thousand 283 passengers have left from the "Zvartnots" airport in
June-April, 2010 and 116 thousand 808 people have arrived. According to
the statistical data, a growth of passenger transportation is noticed
every year in the first three-four months. In the fourth quarter the
number of the arrivals is growing.
The number of the departures in the first semester of 2007 was 133
thousand 639, the number of the arrivals – 204 thousand 179. In the
first three months of 2008, the number of departures was 153 thousand
746, and the number of arrivals in the fourth quarter – 219 thousand
425, and in 2009 129 thousand 651 departures and 201 thousand 925
arrivals were registered.
TURKISH PM’S VISIT TO AZERBAIJAN TO END IN FIRST HALF OF DAY
Azerbaijan Business Center
May 17 2010
Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is
paying visit to Azerbaijan currently.
Turkish sources say that the visit is to complete in the first half
of the day as in the second half the PM is going to leave for Batumi
(Georgia).
Within the Baku visit the sides discuss issues of bilateral ties,
settlement of Garabagh problem, and situation around plans on
Turkish-Armenian border opening. The two countries will sign four
agreements on Azeri gas supplies to Turkey and its transit through
Turkish territory. Erdogan will also participate in the ceremony of
opening of monument to the founder of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk,
in Baku.