Author: Dabaghian Diana

ONE COMMON CURRENCY?

A1+
[08:19 pm] 10 February, 2009

"The RA Prime Minister’s announcements made on "Mir" interstate
television introducing the common currency in the CIS refer to
trading in rubles with CIS countries and not the ruble zone. They
are different concepts and must not be misinterpreted," told "A1+"
RA Prime Minister’s press speaker Diana Mnatsakanyan touching upon
the issue of whether the Prime Minister’s statements are not directly
tied to the rumors that Armenia is moving to the ruble zone.

The Armenian PM also mentioned that "Armenia has a package of proposals
and the Central Bank made proposals for the common currency three
years ago" and added: "If the central banks of all CIS countries start
relying on that currency and consider it their reserve currency,
this will be the first step towards trading in rubles in those
countries. This means that the Central Bank of Armenia must consider
the ruble as its reserve currency and we must do everything we can
to make that happen."

The PM’s statements come after the preliminary agreement made by
Armenian and Russian governments to grant Armenia a 500 million dollar
loan to mitigate the negative effects of the global financial downturn
on Armenia’s economy.

Although the RA Ministry of Finances reports that the "preliminary
deal does not presuppose any financial obligations on the part of
Armenia", there are rumors in the presses that the loan to be granted
is in exchange for entering the ruble zone.

AMENDMENTS TO THE CRIMINAL CODE CAN HELP ESTABLISH DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE AUTHORITIES AND THE OPPOSITION
Gita Elibekyan

"Radiolur"
10.02.2009 17:58

Amendments to Articles 225 and 300 of the Criminal Code of Armenia can
serve as a ground for establishment of dialogue between the authorities
and the opposition, member of the Republican Party faction of the
National Assembly Gagik Melikyan told a press conference, noting that
the dialogue will lead to the improvement of the situation.

Speaking about the economic crisis, Gagik Melikyan noted that the
authorities take measures to exclude the crisis and the social
outburst: this year’s budget is socially targeted, since social
allocations total 47%. "The authorities take steps to create jobs,
attract foreign investments, and raise the pensions and other social
payments. I don’t think this is enough, but I do hope it will reduce
the possibility of social outburst," the MP noted.

Turning to the 45th Security Conference in Munich, Gagik Melikyan
attached importance to the fact that for the first time the Armenian
President gave clear evaluations to the processes underway in the
region from such a high platform and voiced a call to the political
forces interested in the region.

He specially emphasized the words that any careless word, each
uncalculated step is pregnant with unpredictable consequences.

Converse Bank increases the number of plastic cards by 40%

2009-02-06 20:49:00

ArmInfo. In 2008 Converse Bank increased the number of issued cards by
40% to 27166.

According to the data given to ArmInfo by Converse Bank, as of January
1, 2009, the share of local ArCa cards was 3,8% of the total number of
plastic cards issued by Converse Bank, the rest 96,2% were
international Visa cards. As compared with the same period of the
previous year, the number of local cards issued by the bank grew by
49,1% to 1042, and Visa – by 39,2% to 26124. As of 1 January 2009,
Converse Bank had 68 bancomats (as against 27 in 2008). Furthermore, as
of January 1, 2009, the bank had 419 POS-terminals, while as of January
1, 2008, there were 97 bancomats.

The shareholders of Converse Bank, which has been operating since 1993,
are Advanced Global Investments controlled by Argentine businessman
Eduardo Eurnekian (95%) and the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin (5%).

CSTO’s rapid-reaction force to equal NATO’s – Medvedev

20:49 | 04/ 02/ 2009

MOSCOW, February 4 (RIA Novosti) – The collective rapid-reaction force
to be created by a post-Soviet regional security bloc will be just as
good as comparable NATO forces, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said
on Wednesday.

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) agreed on Wednesday
at a summit in Moscow to set up the new force, to be based in Russia.

Medvedev said the force, to be comprised of a "sufficient" number of
units, would be "well trained and well equipped."

"Russia is ready to contribute a division and a brigade," he said.
"This gives you an idea of the scale."

The Russian president also said the CSTO was open for cooperation with
the United States in the fight against terrorism in Central Asia.

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is a security
grouping comprising the former Soviet republics of Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

The rapid-reaction force agreement was signed by the leaders of all
CSTO member states in the Kremlin, although Uzbekistan recorded "a
special opinion."

"Uzbekistan cannot accept the provision whereby all special services,
including emergency services, are to be part of the collective force,"
CSTO press secretary Vitaly Strugovets said.

The force will be used to repulse military aggression, conduct
anti-terrorist operations, fight transnational crime and drug
trafficking, and neutralize the effects of natural disasters.

The force will be permanently based in Russia and placed under a single
command, with CSTO member countries contributing special military
units.

A source in the Russian delegation said Uzbekistan would not
participate in the collective force on a permanent basis but would
"delegate" its detachments to take part in operations on an ad hoc
basis.

EURASEC AGREES ON ANTI-CRISIS FUND ESTABLISHMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.02.2009 18:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Upon completion of the CSTO council summit,
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan participated in a meeting of EurAsEC
intergovernmental council, the RA leader’s press office reports.

The heads of state agreed on establishment of an anti-crisis fund
and a high technology international center.

Armenia has the status of observer in the Organization.

HERITAGE HOUSE TO SHOWCASE EMPIRE BUILDER

Times of India
eritage_house_to_showcase_empire_builder/articlesh ow/4077783.cms
Feb 5 2009
India

CHENNAI: A once ill-maintained corner in a colonial structure in
Charles Street inside Fort St George will open its windows on Thursday
to showcase to the public the fascinating life of Robert Clive, who,
it can be said with some justification, laid the foundations of the
British empire in India.

Called Clive’s House, for it was where Rober Clive lived for a
while (the only other place where Clive lived in the south was
the Collector’s House in Old Cuddalore), the 300-year-old imposing
brick-and-mortar structure, complete with wooden floors and staircases,
high ceilings, and a roof supported by British steel girders, was
originally called Admiralty House because the courts of Admiralty
established in 1687 as a court of appeal sat in this building.

Clive is said to have rented this house from an Armenian merchant. It
even served as the governor’s town house for some time. Today, of
course, it is the southern regional headquarters of the Archaeological
Survey of India (ASI).

"We have created a Clive’s Corner, chronicling his life, his battles,
correspondence and excerpts from his speeches," says Sathyabama
Badrinath, superintending archaeologist, ASI, Chennai Circle.

Son of a Shropshire squire, Clive arrived in Madras in 1743. Aged 18,
he was a writer or clerk for the East India Company. Clive is, of
course, well known for having successfully captured Arcot, capital
of the Carnatic then, to provide the momentum for the British to
expand, at the expense of the French, as well as for his defeat of
Siraj-ud-Daulah with the help of Mir Jafar in the famous Battle of
Plassey. In both instances, Clive showed supreme resilience, battling
with far fewer troops than his adverseries.

The first marriage register of the St Mary’s Church in the Fort records
the marriage of Robert Clive with Margaret Maskelyne. Their marriage
was registered and solemnised at the church, which, consecrated in
1680, is the oldest Protestant church this side of the Suez.

The opening of Clive’s Corner, a permanent exhibition, is a welcome
effort by ASI to highlight the life and times of a man, an empire
builder, who also learnt his craft in Madras that is Chennai.

ARF DASHNAKTSUTYUN NOT PLANNING TO BRING ROBERT KOCHARIAN BACK TO BIG-TIME POLITICS

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.02.2009 16:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ ARF Dashnaktsutyun doesn’t make plans to return
ex-President Robert Kocharian to big-time politics.

"Robert Kocharian is a free man and he can do everything he wants. But
in my opinion, former President should not give up politics because
their experience and knowledge can be very helpful for the country,"
Armen Rustamian, MP and member of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Supreme Body
told a news conference today.

Rumors fly that former President Robert Kocharian is planning to
return to big-time politics.

Mr. Kocharian himself doesn’t rule out such possibility.

MCC TO TRANSFER THE RECURRENT TRANCHE TO ARMENIA
Gita Elibekyan

"Radiolur"
04.02.2009 17:14

The Millennium Challenge Corporation complied with the 10th application
of Armenia, which totals $6.8 million. During its sitting of December
11 the Board of Directors of the Millennium Challenge Corporation
had expressed concern over democratic governance in Armenia and
decided not to provide the 10th tranche. However, MCA-Armenia CEO
Ara Hovsepyan told "Radiolur" that the works have already started.

The Directorate of the Millennium Challenge Corporation had warned
Armenia several times about the recurrent tranche and expressed
dissatisfaction on different occasions.

When Armenia signed the agreement in 2005, it undertook to
implement certain reforms in the fields of politics, democracy,
freedom of speech, human rights defense, environmental protection,
education, healthcare, social issues, etc. the agreement also
states that the financing will stop if the country fails to meet
the commitments. This time they did not suspend the financing but
cautioned Armenia. MCA-Armenia CEO Ara Hovsepyan noted that "our
application for the tranche for January-March has bee complied with
and we continue working."

Despite that, the Millennium Challenge Corporation is still worried
about the last elections in Armenia and the post-election situation
in the country.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SARGSIAN’S MEETING WITH TURKISH PRIME MINISTER ERDOGAN DIDN’T ROUSE A KEEN RESPONSE
By Hakob Chaqrian

AZG Armenian Daily
03/02/2009

Armenia-Turkey

Before that, Edogan upbraided Israeli President Peres

In our previous issue we mentioned that Turkish Foreign Minister
Ali Babacan and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan made obscure
announcements of the possible meeting with Armenian President Serzh
Sargsian in Davos, in order to keep the arranged meeting from the
counteraction of the opposition.

In spite of their watchfulness, on the threshold of the meeting Deputy
Chairman of the Republican People’s Party Onur Oymen delivered a speech
in the Turkish Grand National Assembly and blamed Erdogan’s government,
"The Armenian government hasn’t yet freed even a village in Nagorno
Karabakh. It hasn’t renounced its Karabakh strategy. The relations
with Armenia develop with unilateral concessions of Turkey".

Perhaps Oymen’s speech might be considered as an attempt to cast
aspersions on Sargsian-Erdogan meeting, if not Edogan’s participation
in the session of the World Economic Forum under heading "Gaza – a
model for the Middle East", when the Turkish Prime Minister upbraided
Israeli President Shimon Peres (live broadcast) and abandoned the
conference-hall demonstratively.

To all appearance, this sensational incident has cast aspersions
on Sargsian-Erdogan meeting that according to the Turkish Public
TV remained in the shadow of the incident. The meeting was hardly
touched on by the Turkish newspapers as well.

Moreover, PM Edogan met with Serzh Sargsian after abandoning the
conference-hall of the above-mentioned session, when he had already
decided to return to Ankara.

Perhaps it was the reason why the meeting between the Armenian
President and Turkish Prime Minister lasted for about 30 minutes,
according to Turkish sources. The sides spoke with each other with
the help of interpreters that actually shortens the duration of the
meeting in half.

Erdogan didn’t make any announcement at the end of the meeting,
that is why Turkish Public TV represented only RA President Serzh
Sargsian’s announcement mentioning briefly, "The first meeting of the
two leaders is an important step in Turkish-Armenian relations. While
assessing the meeting Sargsian said, ‘It was our first meeting. I am
sure that it was useful. It was a step forward on the way to solution
of available issues. Time will show the impact of the meeting on
Turkish -Armenian relations".

By the way, the same source informs that the previous day of
Sargsian-Erdogan meeting a conference wad held in the framework of a
forum under heading "Big game again". According to the Turkish TV,
a meeting was arranged between the leaders of Turkey, Armenia and
Azerbaijan in the framework of the conference, but in vain. Instead
of the Armenian President Serzh Sargsian RA Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian participated in the conference together with Turkish PM
Erdogan, Azerbaijani President Aliyev and Iranian Foreign Minister
Mottakki. The participants mainly concentrated on Armenia-Turkey and
Armenia-Azerbaijan relations.

According to the Turkish Public TV, in his speech Turkish PM Erdogan
said, "The aim is to contribute to the peace in the region. The sides
should take bold steps. It will be sad if those steps fall victim to
the activities of Diaspora".

In response to Erdogan, Armenian Foreign Minister Nalbandian first
demanded not to concentrate on those activities (Diaspora) in Davos
and then he reminded about the favorable atmosphere created after
Turkish President Gul’s visit to Yerevan underlining the necessity
of opening of the border and establishment of diplomatic relations
between Armenia and Turkey without preconditions.

What about RA President Serzh Sargsian, with not participating in the
above-mentioned conference he evidently failed Ankara’s plan to hold
a trilateral meeting of Armenian, Azerbaijani and Turkish Presidents
in Davos under the patronage of Turkish PM Erdogan; President Sargsian
had already met with his Azerbaijani counterpart in Zurich.

RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER AGAIN REFUTES ARMS TRANSFER TO ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
31.01.2009 21:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov met in
Moscow with his Azeri counterpart Safar Abiyev. During the meeting,
Mr. Serdyukov assured Mr. Abiyev that Russia did not transfer arms
to Armenia.

Baku’s accusation campaign started after publication of some media
reports about delivery of Russian armament to the amount of $800
million to Armenia. Some two weeks ago, Azeri ANS TV quoted Russian
Defense Ministry’s spokesman Alexander Petrunin as saying that
"Russia delivered military hardware to Armenia in the framework of
a transnational agreement."

The Russian Foreign Ministry refuted the information. "Such untrue
anti-Russian publications undermine friendly relations between the
Russian Federation and Azerbaijan," it said in a note sent to the
Azeri MFA.