Belgovision.com
July 12 2009
Luara Hayrapetyan with Barcelona for Armenia
Luara Hayrapetyan will represent Armenia in the Junior Eurovision Song
Contest 2009 in Kyiv with the song Barcelona. The final of the
Champions League football played between Barcelona and Manchester
United earlier this year inspired Luara to write her Junior Eurovision
song.
Watch video at
Prime-Tass English-language Business Newswire, Russia
July 9, 2009 Thursday 5:43 PM EET
Gazprom unit to invest over $200 mln in Armenian pwr plant
YEREVAN Jul 9
Russian-Armenian company ArmRosgazprom plans invest over U.S. $200
million in the construction of a fifth unit at the Razdan thermal
power plant in Armenia, the company said Thursday.
The company cited its CEO Karen Karapetyan, who announced the
investment plans during a visit to the construction site. No timeframe
for the completion of the unit was provided.
Russian natural gas monopoly Gazprom holds 80% in ArmRosgazprom, while
the Armenian government holds the remaining 20%.
The Armenian government and Gazprom agreed in 2006 that ArmRosgazprom
would buy the assets of the fifth unit and would complete its
construction.
CYPRIOT, ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS PLEDGE TO BOOST RELATIONS
Cyprus News Agency
July 7 2009
[Report by Maria Fili: "Cyprus -Armenia Issue Joint Communique"]
Yerevan, 7 Jul: The following Joint Communique was released after the
meeting on Monday in Yerevan between the President of the Republic
of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and the President of the Republic of Cyprus
Demetris Christofias [Dhimitrios Khristofias]:
"On July 6 and 7, 2009, the President of the Republic of Cyprus
Demetris Christofias paid a state visit to the Republic of Armenia
upon the invitation of the President of the Republic of Armenia
Serzh Sargsyan.
Armenian-Cypriot friendship, anchored on strong historical connections
between the peoples and the shared cultural heritage, offers a
solid foundation for the development of multifaceted cooperation for
the benefit of two friendly countries and the peace and prosperity
in Europe.
In an atmosphere of mutual understanding and constructiveness the two
Heads of State discussed the current situation and the prospects of the
Armenian-Cypriot relations, and exchanged views on the international
and regional issues of mutual interest.
The parties stressed the importance of further developing the
political and economic relations between Armenia and Cyprus, promoting
mutually beneficial initiatives in various areas and finding new
avenues for such cooperation. They expressed readiness to foster
ties between entrepreneurs, to encourage mutual visits and business
forums. Exchange of experience in the field of tourism, services,
banking and development of small and medium enterprises was also
emphasized. They also agreed to promote relations in the fields of
culture, education, science and communications.
The Presidents underlined the need to further broaden the legal
framework of cooperation between the Republic of Armenia and the
Republic of Cyprus.
The Presidents expressed their support to the efforts to resolve the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group process and
stressed that the conflict should be resolved without use of force
and only by peaceful means and through negotiations based on the
principles and norms of International Law.
The Republic of Armenia welcomes the ongoing negotiations aiming
to achieve a comprehensive, just, viable and agreed solution of the
Cyprus problem, based on International Law, the Charter of the United
Nations and the principles upon which the European Union is founded.
The sides underlined the necessity to establish and develop normal
relations between neighbouring states without any preconditions,
on the basis of mutual respect and understanding.
The parties expressed their readiness to strengthen and broaden
cooperation within the framework of the European Union initiatives,
including the Eastern Partnership. Stressing the significance of
the freedom of movement in the present world the parties agreed to
promote visa facilitation -one of the key components of the Eastern
Partnership.
The Republic of Cyprus will contribute to the further strengthening
of the dialogue between the Republic of Armenia and the European
Union in the interest of all parties.
The parties also agreed to intensify the cooperation in international
organizations and to take into due consideration each other’s position.
The parties also emphasized the significance of bilateral and
multilateral cooperation aimed at maintaining common security and
stability in Europe and considering new and efficient mechanisms of
common and indivisible security in the framework of international
and regional organizations.
Noting with satisfaction the outcome of constructive negotiations, the
Presidents will undertake practical steps for effective implementation
of all agreements reached".
ARMENIAN, AZERBAIJANI LEADERS BID TO SETTLE CONFLICT
France 24
July 10 2009
The presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to meet next
week in a bid to resolve their conflict over the separatist enclave
of Nagorny Karabakh, a Russian mediator said Friday.
"The coming meeting is very important and we hope to take the final
steps toward resolving the conflict," said Yuri Merzlyakov. "Both
(presidents) aim to attain results at this meeting."
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his Armenian counterpart Serzh
Sarkisian will meet July 17 in Moscow, the Russian diplomat said.
Merzlyakov co-heads the Minsk Group, which includes France, Russia
and the United States and is charged with settling the dispute.
Bernard Fassier, the French co-president of the group, also expressed
optimism over the talks on Azerbaijan’s separatist enclave.
"We are expecting a breakthrough in the negotiation process, and I
hope that the presidents are going to agree on the basic principles
of a future accord," he said.
US President Barack Obama and his French and Russian counterparts,
Nicolas Sarkozy and Dmitry Medvedev, on Friday called on Armenia
and Azerbaijan to settle the conflict in a statement released on the
sidelines of a G8 summit in Italy.
Nagorny Karabakh, inhabited mostly by ethnic Armenians and effectively
controlled by Armenia, declared independence from Azerbaijan in 1991,
sparking conflict.
According to differing estimates, the conflict claimed between 25,000
and 30,000 lives and displaced up to a million people.
TURKEY HOPES OSCE MG TO ASSIST IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT RESOLUTION: FM
Trend
July 2 2009
Azerbaijan
Turkey hopes the OSCE Minsk Group will soon help to solve the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict which will lead to stability and security
in the region, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davudoglu said at a
joint news conference with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov,
Vesti TV channel reported.
"We are closely following the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chaired by Russia, and hope that it will help to solve the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict," Davudoglu said.
He added that Turkey together with Russia will seek to establish
peace and stability in the Caucasus, which is a region of the
Russian-Turkish interests, so the parties are considering the
possibility of implementing the Caucasus Peace & Stability Platform,
initiated by Turkey.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed
forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of
the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are currently
holding the peace negotiations.
"Today we have more opportunities to consider the issues in the
Caucasus and Middle East," Davudoglu said.
Russia and Turkey in mid-September 2008, launched a plan to create a
"Platform of security and stability in the Caucasus", which is the
most rapid resolution of territorial conflicts in the region.
In mid-September 2008, Russia and Turkey launched a plan to create the
"Caucasus Security & Stability Platform" which aims to quickly solve
the territorial conflicts in the region.
ARMENIAN TABLE TENNIS PLAYERS DEFEATED BY SERBS AT 25TH SUMMER UNIVERSIADE
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
09.07.2009 14:43 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian table tennis team showed poor game at the
25th Summer Universiade.
The Armenian team consisting of Murad Asatryan, Mesrop Ghukasyan and
Garik Lazarian won Macao in 1/32 final, then Spain in 1/16 final
but sustained a defeat from Serbs in the 1/8 final and dropped out.
SOCIAL PROGRAMS NOT TO BE REDUCED AND ANTICRISIS EXPENSES TO INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY, NERSES YERITSIAN SAYS
NOYAN TAPAN
JULY 9, 2009
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, JULY 9, NOYAN TAPAN. The state should use the opportunities
created by the global crisis and encourage economic development,
RA Minister of Economy Nerses Yeritsian declared at a briefing with
reporters following the July 8 sitting of the international conference
"The Impact of the Global Crisis on Armenia: The Short-Term and
Long-Term Outlooks".
According to him, under conditions of the crisis, steps should be
taken in 3 main directions: in particular, it is necessary to conduct
a prudent macroeconomic policy to ensure a diversified growth in the
economy. N. Yeritsian attached importance to the implementation of a
correct and efficient social policy. "We must be sure that after the
crisis the social srructure of our country is not impaired and our
efforts to reduce poverty and create jobs over the past 10-15 years
are not futile, which will be essential in the postcrisis period,"
he noted.
He underlined the necessity of some changes in this respect: instead
of involving people in some social package or other and allocating
benefits to them, it would be correct to promote the idea of public
work and identify people with a business mentality.
The minister said that the government invests a lot of resources in
the economy, and the economic slump is expected to stop in late 2009,
which will open an opportunity for a growth in 2010. "The attracted
resources are sufficient to cover the current budgetary deficit. How
these resources will be redistributed depends on what scenario we
will have," he noted.
The minister assured the reporters that the social programs will not
be reduced, while anticrisis expenses will significantly increase.
RUSSIA TO INVEST $10 BLN IN IMF BONDS
Oleg Shchedrov
Reuters
marketsNews/idUSL813635020090708
L’AQUILA, Italy, July 8 (Reuters) – Russia expects to strike a deal
with the International Monetary Fund in August or September to invest
up to $10 billion in IMF bonds, a Russian official said on Wednesday.
"Last week the IMF board agreed in principle to the scheme for
such bonds," financial deputy sherpa Andrei Bokarev told reporters,
speaking on the sidelines of a summit of the Group of Eight major
industrial nations in Italy.
"We expect this kind of agreement to be reached in August or
September."
Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said in May that Moscow was
ready to invest up to $10 billion in IMF bonds as part of a plan to
help poorer allies struggling with the global financial crisis.
President Dmitry Medvedev has said he wants the money invested
by Russia to go through IMF channels mainly to its Central Asian
allies. He has not specified how this could be achieved.
The IMF has said it is considering issuing bonds on top of the funds
it is receiving from some members, as well as through a Special Drawing
Rights issue. The bond issue would be a first for the Washington-based
institution.
Bokarev said the volume of new bonds, in which China, India and some
other countries have also shown interest, will not exceed $100 billion
in the first stages.
They will have an initial maturity of 2 years with a possible extension
to 5 years.
Russia had said it would not contribute money to the IMF directly
but was interested in investing some of its gold and foreign exchange
reserves, the world’s third largest, in the IMF bonds, provided that
they are liquid.
China, the world’s top reserve holder, said on May 10 it would invest
in a bond denominated in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) as part of
efforts to increase the IMF’s resources.
Moscow has agreed to contribute $7.5 billion to a rescue fund
created for former Soviet allies, forming the bulk of it. It also
issued credits to Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan totalling over $5
billion. (Reporting by Oleg Shchedrov; editing by Elizabeth Piper)
EDWARD NALBANDIAN TO VISIT BUDAPEST AND BUCHAREST
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
08.07.2009 20:35 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On July 9, RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian will
pay a working visit to Hungary and Romania. Within visit framework,
the RA FM will meet his colleagues, Hungarian and Romanian Foreign
Ministers, Peter Balazs and Cristian Diaconescu.
ARKADY GHUKASYAN: ALIYEV PRETENDS NOT TO SEE AND NOT TO REMEMBER MUCH
armradio.am
08.07.2009 16:38
Armenia’s Ambassador-at-Large, ex-President of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic Arkady Ghukasyan commented on the recurrent harsh statement
of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who declared that he does not
see any opportunity for the existence of Nagorno Karabakh outside
its borders and the question of Karabakh’s status is not on the
agenda today.
"Having inherited Azerbaijan, Aliyev jr. pretends not to see and not
to remember much," Arkady Ghukasyan said RIA Novosti.
"He does not see the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. Moreover, from the
height of his potentially unchangeable dictatorial power he does not
see the democratic development of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic,
does not see the NKR territories occupied by Azerbaijan, does not
see the hundreds of thousands of Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan
and some regions of Karabakh, where his predecessors carried out
ethnic cleansings.
Aliyev does not remember that the Nagorno Karabakh Republic established
itself as a full-fledged state in line with all norms of international
law.
He does not remember the massacre of Armenians all over Azerbaijani
territory (Sumgayit, Kirovabad, Shamkhor, Baku…). He does not
remember that it launched a large-scale aggression against the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic, as a result of which both parties suffered human
and=2 0material losses. He does not remember how inglorious that
adventurism ended for Azerbaijan and does not remember with whom it
had to conclude a cease-fire agreement in 1994.
Aliyev does not listen to the calls of the international community to
stop the militant rhetoric, to take the snipers away from the line of
contact, to stop the hostile propaganda. He listens only to himself,
but tries to speak from the viewpoint of interests of the mediators,
Armenia, and even the people of Nagorno Karabakh.
Even speaking about peace, Aliyev threatens with war. Azerbaijan
has already launched war once. It would be logical for Aliyev to
ask himself where he was hiding when his peers were being sent to
the front.
The statements of Azeri leaders confirm that the are not ready for
mutual concessions. Living in the world of illusions, Aliyev actually
distorts the negotiation process."