Author: Chaltikian Arsine

ARMENIA HAS NOTHING TO LEARN FROM GEORGIA, AN ARMENIAN SOCIOLOGIST SAYS

arminfo
2007-11-09 16:21:00

ArmInfo. Armenia has nothing to learn from Georgia, Armenian
sociologist Aharon Adibekyan says.

At the Nov 9 press-conference at Tesaket club, he noted that the
take-over path chosen by Georgia is unacceptable for Armenia
for several reasons. In particular, he pointed out Armenians’
mentality and inefficiency of force measures for the settlement of
political issues. A.Adibekyan stressed that according to a public
opinion poll, 60% of the Armenian population are satisfied with the
present situation and want no revolution, 40% are dissatisfied with
the present situation, and only 20% of the citizens are potential
revolutionaries. This proves that Armenia is not the country where
cardinal changes are gained by force. In addition, the sociologist
said that there have never been any conflicts between generations in
Armenia, which is so characteristic of the West. A.Adibekyan noted that
Armenia has chosen the right path of development, when the necessary
reforms are held in due course and they are the result of evolution.

NKR REACTS TO COE SECRETARY GENERALS’ STATEMENTS IN YEREVAN

armradio.am
07.11.2007 17:05

NKR Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Relations reacted to
the statements the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Terry
Davis made in Yerevan.

The Commission is surprised that although usually brief, this time the
European official afforded accentuations that suit neither him, nor the
respected organization he represents. "In particular, speaking about
the lack of a statement denouncing the recent local self-governmental
elections in NKR, Mr. Davis probably confused not only the geographical
but also the traditional parameters. It’s at least worrisome that an
official of this rank could put on the same layer phenomena having
nothing in common, and we hope that Mr. Davis will keep the European
community informed in which context he dew the improper parallel. As
for the expressions concerning the NKR authorities, we have to make
Mr. Davis notice that all people aspiring for independence have
been forced to pass along the way of "separatism" at some point
in history. It’s not the fault of the NKR people that at the time
of collapse of the Soviet Union due to understandable reasons the
United National Organization or the Council of Europe did not manage
to establish "foreign control" in Nagorno Karabakh, which would make
the current independence legitimate," the Committee’s comment says.

The Committee reminds that what the UN did in Europe by preventing
ethnic cleansing and threats of genocide, the NKR people has
achieved exceptionally by own strength, using its right for
self-determination. "If Mr. Davis does no master the facts, we have
to remind him that the autonomous status of Nagorno Karabakh was
dissolved upon the decision of the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan on
24 November, 1991, and the Ministries of Defence and Interior Affairs
were instructed to "undertake measures to ensure the security of
Azeris of Nagorno Karabakh." If this is a decision not adopted for
the purpose of displacing or annihilating the Armenian population of
Karabakh, then we ask the Secretary General of the Council of Europe
to comment why there is no mention about the civil and human rights
of the Armenian population of Karabakh in the decision of the supreme
body of Azerbaijan," the statement says.

It is noted that having successfully overcome the military attack
of Azerbaijan, having passed a certain way of state governance
and aspiring for democratic development today, the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic has more legal bases for being recognized by the international
community "than the formation to which Mr. Davis refers."

RE-OPENING OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER PROFITABLE ONLY FOR COMPANIES IMPORTING GOODS FROM TURKEY

ARKA
Nov 7, 2007

YEREVAN, November 7. /ARKA/. The re-opening of the Armenian-Turkish
border is profitable today only for companies importing
third-rate goods from Turkey, political scientist and expert Levon
Melik-Shakhnazarian told journalists. Along with political and
strategic risks, it will pose a threat also to Armenia’s growing
industry, he said.

"The rest of Armenia’s population hardly dreams of the opportunity
to freely travel to Turkey – their historic homeland – as tourists,"
the political scientist said.

No diplomatic relations are established between Armenia and Turkey
due to the pre-conditions set by Turkey. Particularly, Turkey
demands Armenia to give up seeking for international recognition
of the Genocide of Armenians in Ottoman Empire in the World War
I years. Turkey also has an openly pro-Azerbaijani stance on the
settlement of Karabakh conflict.

According to international experts, Armenia’s economy suffers $500mln
loss every year due to Turkey’s blockade around Armenia.

ERDOGAN ADVISES TO THINK "BROADLY" OF TURKEY’S ACCESSION TO EU

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.11.2007 18:49 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Turkey and EU can face serious obstacles. We intend
to achieve our goals and become full members of the EU. We have been
working hard during these five years and have made greater success
than during previous fifty years," said Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan.

"Not all are confident in advantages of Turkey’s accession. I say
to those most restrained: think broadly. Bravery and efforts are
essential for getting rid of prejudices. Both Turkey and Europe will
benefit in this case. Turkey’s accession is a part European Union’s
global vision," he said.

He said Turkey and EU should go on cooperating. "We have a long way to
pass. Turkey is facing serious challenges. But European leaders should
keep in mind that support of the Turkish public is the fundamental
factor. They should send encouraging signals to maintain the public
support. Certainly, it doesn’t mean that we don’t care about the
terms," Erdogan said.

AGRICULTURE’S BUDGET TO GROW 24 PERCENT IN 2008

ARMENPRESS
Nov 5, 2007

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS: Armenia’s agricultural ministry’s next
year’s budget will rise almost 24 percent to make 5.8 billion Drams.

Presenting these figures to lawmakers last Friday agricultural minister
David Lokyan said they do not include the money earmarked for maintains
of the ministry’s staff and several credit programs.

The minister singled out a seed cultivation project that will be
supported by a 105 million Drams release.

This money will be given to private sector as co-financing for
cultivation of high quality pedigree seeds. The anticipated outcome
is to become by 2011 a self-sufficient country in terms of pedigree
seed production.

The second largest project is to achieve 1 million liter milk
production by 2015. To this end the ministry began importing pedigree
cattle from European countries, particularly, 200 cattle will be
brought from Austria soon. They will be distributed to farmers. The
latter will repay their cost in four years without paying any
interest rate.

The third largest program is agriculture subsidizing. This will require
some 1.6 billion Drams, according to the minister. This project
will encompass some 100,000 rural families in 260 villages. This
year’s budget has earmarked only 230 million Drams for agriculture
subsidizing.

ASSISTANCE OF RUSSIAN SECTOR OF DIASPORA TO BECOME MORE ACTIVE

Noyan Tapan
Nov 5, 2007

MOSCOW, NOVEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. Bako Sahakian, the President of
the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, introduced the social-economic and
interpolitical situation, as well as the army building and negotiation
processes of Artsakh during the meeting held in Moscow on November 3
with more than 60 Armenian businessmen, public and cultural figures
living in Russia. One of the pivotal subjects of the meeting was the
deepening and expansion of the relations with the Russian sector of the
Diaspora. The President of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh stressed
the necessity for giving a new quality to the bilateral relations. In
this context he attached importance to the idea of becoming united,
especially in solving problems of national significance, which received
positive response from those present.

According to the information provided to Noyan Tapan by the NKR
President’s Main Information Department, Ara Abrahamian, the Chairman
of the Union of Armenians of Russia, has come up with a suggestion:
to create corresponding groups for conducting necessary researches in
Artsakh and presenting distinct suggestions for the purpose of making
the further cooperation more productive. Bako Sahakian welcomed that
initiative and made assertions that the NKR authorities will, in all
probability, support that process.

PARTY OF SPORTS

Lragir.am
05-11-2007 17:02:53

EDSON ARRANGES DO NASIMENTO

If a judo tournament is going to be held at the National Opera,
there is nothing strange about the decision of the Republican Party
to hold their conference at the Dinamo Gym. Considering that the
headquarters of the Republican candidate is going to be at the office
of the football federation, it becomes clear that the Republican
Party is consciously shifting the electoral process to the track of
sports. Judging by the first steps, we may assume quite righteously
that in case the Republican candidate is elected, the inauguration
will be held at the Republic Stadium.

Then they will have to think about the new residence of the president.

Perhaps the sports and concert center would fit for this purpose
best which is now under repair. It could be an excellent residence:
it is large, airy, is located in one of the best visible parts of
the city. Another advantage is that it is several meters from the
monument to the victims of the Genocide, and no president of other
countries could avoid laying a wreath to it with any excuse. If say the
president of a country comes to meet with our president, what would
his excuse be to refuse making a few more steps and laying flowers
to the monument, especially that the president were told there is a
cozy restaurant on the way where they could have a nice meal.

However, since Armenia is developing at two-digit rates, no doubt
the president of a country with such dynamics of growth cannot
have only one residence. Hence, it is time they thought about the
second residence of the president. The water park could be good,
especially with its new winter entertainments. Apart from all it
would help to economize money wasted on taking the presidents and
other high-ranking officials visiting Armenia to see Lake Sevan. In
fact, the tigerwhelming economic growth of Armenia allows taking
guest presidents not only to Sevan but also to the Black Sea but
what is the point of it? After all, it is advisable to economize,
since the tiger may die one day. Perhaps this is the reason why the
Republicans have decided to locate their election headquarters at the
office of the football federation. The president of the federation
is Ruben Hairapetyan, member of the Republican Party’s board, and no
doubt he will readily let office more cheaply or even free of charge
for the sake of the victory of the ethno-religious ideology.

Although it is interesting why the federation of chess had not been
chosen for this purpose. After all, for the Republican candidate it
would feel like his own place because most probably the Republicans
will nominate Serge Sargsyan, who is the president of the federation
of chess. But perhaps not only meanness but also superstition mattered
in choosing the headquarters.

The point is that recently our footballers have been more successful
than our chess players. Since the Olympiad of chess, the Armenian chess
players have won no international authoritative tournaments. Besides,
as people put it, "if it were a sport, the players would play in
shorts and T-shirts."

Nevertheless, it is not clear why the Republicans have decided to
take the sports track. We may assume that the Republican Party is a
sports organization but in view of the physiology of the Republican
majority it becomes clear that of all the sports this majority
loves the Armenian double event – barbeque for lunch and barbeque
for dinner. Therefore, it is clear that the decision to position at
the sports establishments has a political reason. Perhaps in reply
to efforts to shift the election campaign to the ideological track
launched by the ARF Dashnaktsutyun, the All-Armenian Movement and some
more opposition parties the Republican Party is shifting the struggle
to the sports track. There the Republican Party will certainly keep
up with them.

BUSH FACES DELICATE TALKS WITH ANGRY TURKISH LEADER

AFP
November 5, 2007

WASHINGTON — President George W. Bush Monday faces crisis talks with
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as he vies to dissuade
his war on terror ally from an incursion into Iraq to hunt down
Kurdish rebels.

Ahead of the meeting at the White House, Erdogan warned that Turkey’s
patience over cross-border attacks by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’
Party (PKK) was running out.

But the Bush administration, while promising US support against the
PKK, is keeping up the pressure for Turkish restraint for fear of
destabilizing one of the few calm zones of Iraq.

And as Pakistan sinks deeper into political crisis, Bush will be loath
to see any escalation in tensions between Turkey, another crucial
antiterror partner, and US allies in northern Iraq’s autonomous
Kurdish region.

In Ankara Friday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice pledged to
"redouble" US efforts to combat the Kurdish rebels attacking Turkey
from northern Iraq, while warning against unilateral military action.

Rice acknowledged that the United States had an "obligation" to
help Ankara – a close North Atlantic Treaty Organization ally –
but stressed it would take time and effort to flush out the rebels.

"It is a difficult problem, rooting out terrorists. This is going to
take persistence, commitment," she said.

But for Erdogan, facing public outrage over a spate of deadly attacks
by PKK guerrillas, time is running out.

"Our visit comes at a time when [Turkish-US] relations are undergoing
a serious test," Erdogan told reporters before flying out of Istanbul
Saturday.

"We have run out of patience with the terrorist attacks being staged
from northern Iraq," he said, adding that he hoped his meeting with
Bush would produce "concrete measures."

Erdogan was being accompanied by Turkish foreign minister Ali Babacana
and defense minister Vecdi Gonul on his brief visit to Washington,
before he heads on to Rome for talks with Italian Prime Minister
Romano Prodi Tuesday.

Despite Iraq’s announcement of new steps to curb the PKK separatists,
Babacan said military options "remain on the table."

Some observers fear that US influence with Turkey has been undermined
by a push in Congress to label the Ottoman Empire’s World War I
massacre of ethnic Armenians as "genocide."

Turkey has warned that it could restrict US access to the Incirlik
airbase, a crucial staging post for US supplies bound for Iraq and
Afghanistan, if the genocide resolution passes the full House of
Representatives.

Fierce pressure from both Turkey and the White House appears to have
paid off for now, with its Democratic authors agreeing late last
month to delay a House debate on the measure.

For his talks with Erdogan, Bush has promised to lay out areas of US
cooperation against the PKK, including sharing intelligence.

"We will have a good, substantive discussion, as you would expect
allies to do. And I’m looking forward to seeing him here in the Oval
Office," Bush told reporters last week.

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said it did not make sense for
the Turks to send its forces across the border or dropping bombs
"without good intelligence."

Bush will be able to point to one breakthrough executed with Iraqi
help, after Baghdad helped secure the release Sunday of eight Turkish
soldiers who had been seized by the PKK in a deadly ambush and held
in northern Iraq.

"We applaud the efforts of the government of Iraq to secure the release
of the hostages," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in
a statement while accompanying Rice on a visit to Jerusalem Sunday.

McCormack urged cooperation between Iraq and Turkey in fighting the
Kurdish guerrilla movement, calling it "a common enemy of Turkey,
Iraq, and the United States."

ACCORDING TO NERSES YERITSIAN, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY TO BE
AIMED AT TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, NOYAN TAPAN. By the 2008 draft state budget, 1 bln
104.3 mln drams (about 3.4 mln USD) will be allocated for trade and
economic development – against 922.5 mln drams in 2007, the RA deputy
minister of finance and economy Pavel Safarian stated at the November 2
joint sitting of the National Assembly standing committees. 450 mln
drams will be allocated to the program on state assistance to small and
medium business, 250 mln drams – to the tourism development program,
170 mln drams – to the program on making Tsakhkadzor a tourism center
in line with international standards. 100 mln drams will be allocated
to the program on state assistance for development of the IT sector.

According to the RA minister of trade and economic development Nerses
Yeritsian, the indicated programs are aimed at developing private
entrepreneurship with state assistance. The minister pointed out that
state assiastance sums for small and medium business are increasing
year by year: their increase will make 50 mln drams in 2008 as compared
with 2007.

According to the speaker, the main direction now is territorial
development. In his words, henceforth tourism should also become a tool
of territorial development, which will allow to reduce the difference
between the revenues of Yerevan and marzes.

N. Yeritsian said that the program on development of information
technologies will have two directions: establishment of the information
society, which means Internet access for using banking and state
services, and increasing Armenia’s competitiveness in the IT sector.

PRIME MINISTER CALMS DOWN BUS DRIVERS

ARMENPRESS
Nov 02 2007

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS: Prime minister Serzh Sarkisian
went out of the government building today to calm down drivers of
passenger buses who were protesting outside it against an alleged
government decision to privatize the buses, run currently by a
municipality-affiliated company.

Drivers cited a government decision of last August to ground their
fears. They said when this happens they will lose their jobs and
those who will remain will have worse labor conditions.

But the prime minister corrected them by saying that under that
decision in question the buses owned by Avtobus company of the
municipality will be leased to private companies and not privatized.

The prime minister said the buses remain the property of the
municipality and the private companies will have to observe its
terms. He told the drivers they should ask those who claim that the
buses will be privatized, to prove their claims by a document.