Author: Chmshkian Vicken

ARISTOMENE VARUDAKIS: 80% OF ARMENIA’S POPULATION EXPOSED TO THE RISK OF CATASTROPHES

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
14.12.2009 18:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 21 years have passed since the devastating
earthquake of Spitak, but we still experience its economic, social and
psychological impact, according to Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan. "The present-day world teaches us to manage disaster
risks based on international experience," he told Monday a World
Bank-organized discussion devoted to "Reducing Disaster Risks and
Managing Emergencies in Armenia".

"80% of Armenia’s population is exposed to the risk of catastrophes.

Natural disasters will require large-scale expenditures by the
Government unless the latter undertakes measures towards reducing
the risks," said Aristomene Varudakis, Head of WB Office in Yerevan.

Discussion was attended by Heads of interested departments, local
and international experts, policy makers and NGO representatives.

Participants proposed measures for reducing the risk of natural
disasters, considering the studies conducted in Armenia. They
also stressed the importance of establishing state-private sector
cooperation.

ARMENIA INTENDS TO ANNOUNCE PUBLIC OFFER OF A NOT-LARGE PACKAGE OF SHARES IN THE PROJECT OF NEW NUCLEAR POWER UNIT

ArmInfo
2009-12-14 13:47:00

ArmInfo. Armenia intends to announce a public offer of a not-large
package of shares in the project of the new nuclear power unit of
the Armenian NPP, Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan told media
on Monday.

He said this issue was discussed with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir
Putin and Head of RosAtom Sergey Kirienko, who welcomed the idea. "We
are going to realize this idea in future," he said. This will allow
the citizens of Armenia to participate in the project and invest in
securities, the prime minister said.

He said that the model of the new power unit for the Armenian NPP
has already been selected. It is an analogue of the project of NPP
in Bulgaria that involved many countries including Russia. Tigran
Sargsyan said that the financial crisis did not hold Russia and other
countries and organizations from participating in the project.

As it was reported earlier the Russian AtomStroyExport jointly with
Armenia will carry out construction and assembly of the new power unit
of the Armenian NPP to install a Russian reactor of 1060 MW with 60
years of exploitation period and European security certificate. The
preliminary estimation of the project is nearly $4 billion.

MADRID PRINCIPLES UNACCEPTABLE TO ARMENIA: ARFD

News from Armenia – NEWS.am
16:09 / 12/14/2009

"Madrid Principles as they go are unacceptable to Armenia, as the
causes of Karabakh war are emasculated from them," ARF Dashnaktsutyun
leader Vahan Hovhannisyan said at the press conference.

According to the oppositionist, Madrid Principles are aimed at
eliminating war consequences but not causes, he stated, adding that in
the document the emphasis is laid on territorial integrity instead of
Karabakhi status. "It says of Karabakhi status as something expected
in a remote future and touches upon a referendum, that in essence
was already held," Hovhannisyan concluded.

RA PARLIAMENT APPROVES 2010 DRAFT BUDGET

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
10.12.2009 18:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian parliament approved Thursday the 2010
draft national budget. The document was adopted with a vote of 82 for,
16 against and 1 abstention, a PanARMENIAN.Net correspondent reports
from the RA National Assembly.

Opposition parties – ARF Dashnaktsutyun and Heritage – voted against
the document.

KARABAKH ISSUE BLOCKS THE REGION

Lragir.am
11/12/09

The Caucasian Journalists net () today held
a regular interview this time with the former NKR Foreign Minister
Arman Melikyan.

In answer to Lragir.am question whether the settlement of the
Karabakh issue came closer or went further in the context of the
latest developments in the Armenian and Turkish relations, Arman
Melikyan said that both the Armenian and Turkish and the Karabakh
processes are to be viewed in the global context of establishment
of new global order. According to him, the Karabakh issue has its
geopolitical concrete function. "Besides the fact that this question
became the reason of fight of neighboring countries, it also became
the tool for the solution of issues between superpowers. The Karabakh
issue blockades the region – this is its geopolitical function. The
appearance of such a factor as the Armenian and Turkish relations may
promote the blockade of the region because considering the specificity
of the Turkish-Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, it may become the
locomotive of the settlement of the Karabakh issue.

Now, the significance of the Armenian and Turkish relations is
sometimes being exaggerated. The Armenian and Turkish dialogue is
possible not to take place. I mean the level of practical steps and
decisions will follow the current propaganda level. To some extent,
the failure of the Armenian and Turkish normalization process may
become a signal that no decision on the Karabakh issue will be in
the nearest future. I think, within the upcoming half year, something
decisive from this point will happen", said Arman Melikyan.

ANC ORGANIZE A MARCH IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.12.2009 21:49 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian National Congress and the committee
on support of political prisoners organized a march dated to the
International Human Rights Day.

The march participants addressed a letter to UN High Commissioner
for Human Rights Navi Pillay and Secretary General of the Council of
Europe Thorbjorn Jagland and called on international structures to
take action to release prisoners sentenced for their political views

GOVERNMENT ALLOCATES AMD 79 MILLION TO MINISTRY OF SPORT

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
10.12.2009 19:11 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Government Thursday adopted decision on
allocating AMD 79 million 935 thousand to the Ministry of Sport and
Youth Affairs.

Allocated sums are intended for winners and prize holders of European
and World Championships and Cups.

NEXT MEETING BETWEEN ARMENIAN AND AZERI PRESIDENTS EXPECTED EARLY IN 2010

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.12.2009 19:00 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The next meeting between Armenian and Azeri
Presidents, Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev, within Karabakh conflict
settlement frameworks, is expected early in 2010, Trend reported
citing OSCE MG Russian Co-Chair Yuri Merzlyakov.

"There’s little left till New Year, so I believe we won’t manage to
prepare presidential meeting before the end of December," Merzlyakov
noted, adding that this week, OSCE MG US, Russian and French Co-Chairs
plan to visit Azerbaijan and Armenia.

"The visit will cover discussions on reviewed Madrid Principles,"
Merzlyakov said.

The last Sargsyan-Aliyev meeting, positively assessed by the parties,
took place on November 22 in Munich.

NOTE TO MASS MEDIA

NKR Government Information and
Public Relations Department
December 07, 2009

With the view of accreditation of journalists the elucidation process
of the NKR Government activity for 2010 is begun.

For accreditation the heads of mass media must send corresponding
application to the Government information and public relations
department with the list of recommended journalists and official data
till December 18 of current year. With new names send photos, too.

For more information please call for: 94-44-53.

The delayed applications will not be taken on action.

TAIEX RESULTS SUMMARIZED IN YEREVAN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
04.12.2009 13:06 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ An event titled "TAIEX 2009 and expectations for
2010" was held in Yerevan on December 3, bringing together government
officials, representatives of non-governmental organizations and
businessmen, reported the press office of RA Ministry of Economy.

Close cooperation with European specialists helps Armenia implement
TAIEX projects and use the experience for development of relevant
sectors.

TAIEX is the Technical Assistance and Information Exchange instrument
managed by the Directorate-General Enlargement of the European
Commission. TAIEX supports partner countries with regard to the
approximation, application and enforcement of EU legislation. It is
largely demand driven and facilitates the delivery of appropriate
tailor-made expertise to address issues at short notice.