Author: Ekmekjian Janet

A1+

`I have never been treated in such a way’
[07:06 pm] 13 March, 2009

`No one has ever treated me so brutally. Even the skinheads of our
oligarchs have been kinder to me,’ photojournalist Gagik Shamshyan
told A1+ in the resuscitation department of the Nairi Medical Centre.

Gagik Shamshyan was beaten up in Yerevan State Linguistic University
earlier today.

During his activity, Gagik Shamshyan has been subjected to numerous
harassments and violence but it is the first time the photojournalist
of `Aravot’ and `Chorrord Ishkhanutyun’ newspapers has been severely
beaten up.

Gagik Shamshyan tells that after today’s protest action organised by
the University students he went to the University with some other
reporters seeking the opinion of the University administration. At the
entrance they came into collision with the security officers who
banned the reporters’ access to the building. The quarrel later came
to blows.

The photojournalist says he has substantial evidence which will help
identify the assailants. `They were the security men and one of the
pro-rectors who didn’t like the way I was carrying out my professional
duties – photographing the interior from a suitable position. The
moment they attacked me I managed to take a few photos. I have been
told that some TV Companies working in the building also shot the
incident.’

Gagik Shamshyan got hits below the belt. Assistant director of the
medical centre, Siranush Martirosyan says Shamshyan has been
thoroughly examined. He is diagnosed with a fractional damage of
urethra. `The patient’s state is stabilising gradually,’ she adds.

Gagik Shamshyan confirmed the assistant director’s words and said he
is getting better. He has already been visited by police
representatives. The press service of the Armenian Police informed us
that an inquiry into the incident is already in progress.

President of Armenia’s Freedom of Speech Protection Committee, Ashot
Melikyan, went to the University today to inquire about the
incident. He says the safety officers immediately hid their
certifications and refrained from making comments.

A1+ was unable to get any information from the University. At first we
were told that Rector Suren Zolyan was out. Then the guard answering
the telephone call said that the working day was over and Suren Zolyan
was no longer in the building.

Azerbaijan left International Tourism Exhibition held in Berlin

ANS
14.03.2009 00:58

After the exhibition was opened Azerbaijani Embassy discovered the
society’s activity against Azerbaijan and stand `Mountainous Karabakh’.

Embassy of Azerbaijan in Germany made statement that Azerbaijan stopped
its participation in ITB international tourism exhibition held Berlin.
The statement says: `Azerbaijani Embassy in Germany determined that
`Friends of Artsakh (Karabakh)’ society holding activity in Berlin had
applied for participation in the exhibition and was registered.
Azerbaijani Embassy taking into account that participation of the
society in the exhibition may be directed to propagandation of the
false Daqliq Qarabaq Republic as well as against territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan, held negotiations and correspondences with the
leadership of ITB exhibition’. As a result of the negotiations the
latter gave a written promise to Azerbaijani side that appropriate
steps would be taken if the society violates the regulations of the
exhibition.

The statement said that after the exhibition was opened Azerbaijani
Embassy discovered the society’s activity against Azerbaijan and stand
`Mountainous Karabakh’. The embassy demanded ITB leadership to close
the stand. Azerbaijani Diaspora organizations in Germany and
Germany-Azerbaijan Forum also protested against the illegal activity
and appealed to ITB leadership.=0
D

Despite the society was prevented from spreading some propagating
materials, the exhibition leadership did not completely fulfill the
embassy’s demand, the stand was not canceled. Taking this into account,
the embassy contacted relevant government agencies of Azerbaijan and as
a result of it Azerbaijani delegation left the exhibition. The embassy
said Azerbaijani ambassador to Germany Parviz Shahbazov issued a press
release saying that ITB leadership did not take necessary measures to
prevent illegal activity of `Friends of Artsakh (Karabakh)’ society
against Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity in the exhibition. The
embassy also appealed to German Foreign Ministry and related government
agencies about it.

Vardan Aramyan: Rumors about resignation false
11.03.2009 13:41

Hasmik Dilanyan
`Radiolour’

Electronic media reported yesterday that Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
and Ministers of the economic block had resigned. In the evening
President’s Spokesman Samvel Farmanyan refuted the information.

`We are working in the normal regime, the rumors about the resignation
are false,’ Deputy Minister of Finance Vardan Aramyan told `Radiolur.’

`As for me, I have not sent in my resignation. Neither has the
Minister. It would be too bad for our economy. Our team is working
normally. We have a supreme objective ` to overcome the financial
crisis. If we worked 11 hours a day before, now we work 13 hours,’
Vardan Aramyan said.

According to him, as usual the Minister of Finance, Tigran Davtyan,
camw to work at 9 sharp, they held a usual flier in the morning.

Internet resources disseminate information that the Prime Minister and
the Ministers of the economic block will be changed after the elections
of the Mayor of Yerevan on May 31. Deputy Minister of Finance Vardan
Aramyan said it’s not true. `We have no time to think about it. I don’t
understand how it could be linked to the Mayor and politics. What does
this election have to do with other issues?’

PanARMENIAN.Net

Sahakashvilli assures: Armenia ended in fiasco because of its
dependence upon Russia
09.03.2009 16:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The main priority of Georgia’s authorities is the
prevention of its economy crash which can be avoided only under stable
political conditions, said Mikhael Sahakashvilli, President of
Georgia. You know that within a few weeks Armenia’s economy underwent
a fiasco. Armenia ended in a fiasco because it was fully dependent
upon Russia’s market, and when the Russian market collapsed, Armenia’s
economy collapsed accordingly. We are now in a region where the
neighbouring countries face difficulties in the field of economy. As
to Georgia, it will survive even under hardest conditions, if we reach
a political stability,’ he said.

`Russia excluded Georgia `from its market’ three years ago but Georgia
managed to carry out its reforms on time. We know that people are in
need, we must not allow the worst to happen, and that is the economy
crash, and it shall not happen since the situation will develop the
way we have planned to,’ he added.

He made the above statement in Ckneti (a Tbilisi suburb) at the
opening ceremony of a new hotel and entertainment centre, `Kopala’
belonging to a businessman, Tamaz Kopealeshvilli. The latter is also
the owner of a restaurant chain in Moscow. Sahakashvilli calls him `a
real patriot’ who despite the global economic crisis and the August
war, invested in Georgia.

`Any person working like him can hope that the president will become
his ally, and the Government-his major supporter,’ Sahakashvilli
said. `If the situation develops the way we have planned to, we shall
be able to regulate all other problems,’ Civil Georgia reports.

IMF welcomes Armenian authorities’ policy

YEREVAN, March 9. /ARKA/. Murillo Portugal, Deputy Managing Director
and Acting Chair, speaking Monday at a press conference where he
commented International Monetary Fund’s approval of $540 million credit
for Armenia, welcomed the policy the country’s authorities pursue.

`Sound policies are essential to maintain macroeconomic stability. The
recent return to a flexible exchange rate will help cushion the impact
of the global downturn and eventual further regional deterioration. An
appropriately tight monetary policy is necessary to contain the
inflationary pressures stemming from the depreciation and support
demand for dram-denominated assets’, he said.

Portugal said that since the approval of a low-access PRGF arrangement
in November 2008, Armenia has been confronted by a variety of major
external shocks.

`Reflecting the sharp deterioration in global economic conditions,
private transfers and capital inflows slowed considerably and
international commodity prices have dropped severely, affecting mining
exports and production’.

Portugal said that in light of a rapid decline in international
reserves and growing financing needs, the authorities have requested
additional financial assistance from the Fund.

`Falling international prices, lower growth, and exchange rate
depreciation will help reduce the external current account deficit.
Medium-term prospects remain good.

Along with that, Portugal said that Armenia is still vulnerable before
possible regional economic decline and political tension.

He said that reasonable policy will help maintain macroeconomic
stability and mitigate impacts of the global crisis.

`While a potential negative impact of the depreciation on the financial
sector seems unlikely, contingency plans are available to help address
any such effects. In light of the expected revenue shortfall, fiscal
policy will remain prudent, protecting social outlays and public
investment by reducing non-priority spending’, Murillo Portugal said.

IMF has approved 28-month Stand-By Arrangement for Armenia amounted to
SDR 368 million ($540 million).

The IMF lends this money to support programs aimed at adapting the
country to deteriorating global prospect and restoration of public
confidence in monetary and financial system and protection of the poor.

SDR 161.5 million (about $237 million) of this money will be
transferred immediately and the remaining amount will be sent in nine
tranches, after considering quarterly reviews.

The arrangement gives opens access to IMF funds that makes 400% of
Armenia’s share.

The loan is extended under 1.54% annual interests for a five-year
term.-0—

CONGRATULATORY ADDRESS OF NKR PRESIDENT BAKO SAHAKYAN…

Azat Artsakh Daily
06 March 09
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

CONGRATULATORY ADDRESS OF NKR PRESIDENT BAKO SAHAKYAN…

in connection with on the March 8 international woman’s day
(Stepanakert, March 7, 2009) Dear women, I congratulate you on
the March 8 international woman’s day and wish all the best. No
matter what kind of warm words we say you today, it is impossible to
express the heartstrings of respect and gratitude. Together with
men you have tasted the hardship of life and the thrill of victory. You
keep the family hearth and defend the homeland, bring up and educate
generations, take an active parte in developing out independent
statehood, invigorate, inspire and direct us towards new achievements.
Dear mothers, sisters and daughters, hero women of Artsakh! I
congratulate all of you once again and wish you be always healthy and
beautiful, live in affluence and plenty, always being surrounded by
love and care. Peace to you and your families.

YEREVAN TO HOST JANSEM’S WORKS EXHIBITION AND SALE

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.03.2009 14:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ From Mar. 20 to Apr. 5 Arame Art Gallery will host
an exhibition and sale for works of Jansem, (Hovhannes Semerdgyan),
one of the most prominent artists of Armenian Diaspora. Arame Art
gallery, jointly with Flora Jansem Paris Art Gallery, owned by the
artist’s daughter, will feature 45 works including oil paintings,
graphics and lithography.

Jean Jansem is one of the great artists of Armenian heritage. He
was born in 1920 in Seuleuze, (Turkey) and spent his childhood in
Salonika, Greece. He arrived in France at the age of 11 where he
started painting. He took evening courses in the Montparnasse Quarter
in Paris, and graduated from the School of Arts Dératifs in 1938.

Since 1951, Jansem has held exhibitions of his work in all round
the world.

MARCH 3 DECISION OF CBA CREATED CHAOTIC SITUATION IN ECONOMY, ANC STATES

Noyan Tapan

M arch 5, 2009

YEREVAN, MARCH 5, NOYAN TAPAN. On March 3 the Central Bank of Armenia
(CBA) made a decision, by which it gave up the fixed exchange rate
policy it has conducted in recent years. According to a statement
that the Armenian National Congress (ANC) issued on the same day,
the CBA did not give any clear explanation about the expected policy
with respect to the Armenian dram.

The ANC believes that this decision has created a chaotic situation in
Armenia’s economic system. The decision is a result of the authorities’
short-sighted and criminal policy of ignoring the intensity of the
global crisis and preserving the vicious economic system aimed at
serving the interests of the importing oligarchs.

According to the statement of the ANC, all this is leading to a social
disaster, bankruptcy of small and medium businessmen, deterioration of
the financial state of commercial banks, and the continuous enrichment
of the importing oligarchs and high-ranking officials. As a result,
the distrust of society and economic entities in the economic policy
of the government is increasing, creating panic moods.

The Armenian National Congress believes that in the current situation,
the following measures should be taken:

– ensuring transparency of the formation of living essentials’
prices with the aim of excluding the possibility of superprofits;
urgent implementation of antimonopoly measures,

– a reduction in the prices of public services (in particular, gas
and power),

– temporary suspension of tax administration reforms until the crisis
is overcome.

TURKEY, ISRAEL HOLDING SECRET TALKS

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.03.2009 11:17 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Israel and Turkey have been involved in quiet
but intensive talks to end the "crisis" between the two countries,
Haaretz daily reported on Thursday. Officials from both countries
have exchanged messages regarding "the need to restore relations to
an even keel and hope to do so in the coming days," a senior Jerusalem
source told the daily.

Ankara’s harsh criticism against Israel’s military operations and
the angry exchange of words between Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan
and Israeli President Shimon Peres have strained ties between the
two traditional and historic regional allies.

In the latest incident, Ground Forces Commander Avi Mizrahi said in
February that Erdogan "should first look in the mirror", and accused
Turkey of "committing a massacre of Armenians, as well as suppression
of the Kurds."

The senior government official said that the positive messages have
intensified after Israel wrote to the Turkish prime minister’s office
and the Turkish military telling that Mizrahi had been reprimanded
for criticizing Erdogan during a lecture.

The exchanged messages followed a letter sent by Turkish President
Abdullah Gul to his Israeli counterpart Peres a few weeks ago, in
which he expressed the desire to visit Israel in the coming months.

Gul, who postponed a planned regional visit in January that included
Israel because of an ear complaint, is expected to be in the Jewish
state during the second half of the year.

EDWARD NALBANDIAN: ARMENIA-ITALY RELATIONS HAVE GOD PERSPECTIVES OF DEVELOPMENT

armradio.am
06.03.2009 14:42

On March 6 the Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian,
received the delegation headed by Alfredo Mantica, Secretary of State
for Foreign Affairs of Italy.

Greeting the guest, Edward Nalbandian ranked high the current level of
Armenian-Italian relations and noted that those relations have good
perspectives of development and a serious potential. In this context
Minister Nalbandian attached importance to high-level reciprocal visits
from the perspective of promoting the bilateral political dialogue.

Alfredo Mantica underlined that Italy is interested in the development
of friendly relations with Armenia.

Minister Nalbandian and State Secretary Mantica discussed the ways
of expanding the cooperation in the political, trade-economic and
cultural fields.

The interlocutors discussed the Eastern Partnership proposal and stated
that the cooperation in that format provides new opportunities for
expanding cooperation with European structures and EU member states.

During the meeting reference was made to the negotiations on the
settlement of the Artsakh issue. The interlocutors exchanged views
on the perspectives of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations,
as well as the establishment of peace and stability in the region.