Author: Ekmekjian Janet

SARKOZY WELCOMES SERZH SARGSYAN’S DECISION

armradio.am
23.04.2010 12:10

French President’s press service released an address to hail
Armenian President’s decision to suspend the ratification process of
Armenian-Turkish protocols. The message reads:

"The President of the Republic of France was introduced to Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan’s statement to settle diplomatic ties and
open border with Turkey."

Sarkozy welcomed Armenian President’s decision, confirming the
readiness to normalize Armenia-Turkey relations in defiance of
difficulties, the parties encountered in the ratification of accords,
signed in Zurich on October 10, 2009.

Nicolas Sarkozy has at the same time encouraged "to keep dialogue
and to double the efforts to reach the commitment of the protocols,
which is to contribute to peace and security in the region."

THE ARMENIAN BANKING SECTOR HAS PROVED RESILIENT TO THE CRISIS, SAYS THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND’S THIRD REVIEW UNDER THE STAND-BY ARRANGEMENT.

ArmInfo
22.04.2010

ArmInfo. Substantial capital and liquidity buffers, due in part to
low leverage ratios, have enabled the banking sector to absorb shocks.

Despite a significant increase in Non-Performing Loans (NPLs)
and considerable losses from the dram depreciation last March, the
aggregate capital adequacy ratio remained strong at 28.3 percent at
end-2009, more than double the prudential minimum of 12 percent. As
of end-December 2009, only 3 of the sector’s 22 banks had capital
ratios below 20 percent. Liquidity ratios remained well above minimum
prudential requirements throughout the year. On top of an effective
supervision framework, the authorities have implemented measures
to help contain the negative impact of the crisis. For example,
they have strengthened the financial safety nets (lender of last
resort facility and deposit insurance scheme), tightened prudential
regulations (reinstating foreign currency exposure limits), and
encouraged capital injections to provide increased cushion through
its subordinated debt facility.

Banking sector balance sheets have improved since September 2009.

After a marked deterioration during the first 8 months of 2009, NPLs
under both the CBA and the IMF definitions have fallen to 7 percent
in January 2010. Profitability improved, but remains low. Profits
turned positive in September 2009 for the first time since March
2009, although the ROA and ROE at end-2009 were 0.75 and 3.4 percent
respectively, still significantly less than the figures of 3.1 and
13.6 percent at end-2008.

Latest stress test results indicate that banks are able to withstand a
variety of shocks, thanks to the relatively high capitalization. The
large capital cushion allows most banks to absorb losses and remain
adequately capitalized even under extreme credit shock scenarios.

Under all scenarios except for combined shocks, the CAR would decline
by no more than 4 percentage points for the system as a whole. A few
banks, however, appear to be more vulnerable than others to various
risks, due to their relatively low capitalization level. However,
the risks are contained and low, as capital injections appear to
be readily available for these banks. The CBA is closely monitoring
these cases. However, continued vigilance is still needed as risks to
balance sheets from indirect foreign currency exposure remain. Since
March 2009, deposit and loan dollarization have stabilized at around
70 and 50 percent, respectively. Exposure to unhedged borrowers
represents a main source of vulnerability in the banking sector,
especially in light of increased exchange rate flexibility. The CBA is
in the process of strengthening prudential regulations to specifically
address indirect FX risks by increasing provisioning requirements and
risk weights in capital requirements for foreign currency loans. This
will also provide the CBA with adequate information on the extent of
unhedged lending by banks to enhance supervisory monitoring.

The high capital or low leverage in the banking sector is a source of
resilience, but it has led to high interest rate spreads and hampered
financial deepening. By regional standards, financial intermediation in
Armenia is relatively low, with bank loans-to-GDP ratio at 22 percent
in 2009, up from 17 percent in 2008 largely as a result of GDP decline.

VERY EFFECTIVE STEP: RICHARD GIRAGOSIAN

Tert.am
23.04.10

Director of the Armenian Center for National and Strategic Studies,
Richard Giragosian considers Armenia’s decision to withdraw the
Armenia-Turkey Protocols from the National Assembly agenda as positive.

"I consider that decision as positive. It might have been worse but
this was a very effective decision," Giragosian told Tert.am.

According to Giragosian that was a right decision as Armenia proved
it had taken all the necessary steps for the normalization of the
relations between Yerevan and Ankara and that is now Turkey’s turn
to do so.

Suspected gunman in Valley massacre captured

The fugitive wanted in the slaying of four at a Valley Village restaurant is
caught, along with his brother, near Seattle.

April 22, 2010

A man wanted in connection with the slaying of four people at a Valley
Village restaurant has been captured by a federal fugitive task force in the
Seattle area.

Nerses Arthur Galstyan, 28, was taken into custody Tuesday evening along
with his brother Samuel Galstyan in the suburb of Kenmore. The men are
expected to be returned soon to the Los Angeles area.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Al Rios said the brothers were captured about 9 p.m.
without incident by the regional fugitive criminals task force.

Police consider Nerses Galstyan the main suspect in the April 3 shootings at
the Hot Spot Mediterranean Restaurant on Riverside Drive in Valley Village.
Investigators believe he grew angry at six acquaintances. Law enforcement
sources would not say what role, if any, Samuel Galstyan played in the
attack. LAPD investigators believe that Nerses Galstyan was the lone shooter
but said he may have had assistance.

Police said Nerses Galstyan was among a group attending an afternoon
celebration in honor of a friend who had died in an accident a year earlier.
Authorities allege that a quarrel broke out and that Galstyan began
shooting. Hayk Yegnanyan, 25; Sarkis Karadjian, 26; Harut Baburyan, 28; and
Vardan Tofalyan, 31, were killed, and two other men were wounded.

Based in part on information uncovered in the homicide investigation, a
federal grand jury in the Central District of California, which includes Los
Angeles County, indicted Nerses Galstyan on charges of dealing firearms
without a license and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial
number.

Law enforcement sources familiar with the firearms probe said Tofalyan is
believed to have been a co-conspirator with Galstyan in weapons dealing.

The indictment alleges that Galstyan cleaned and prepared firearms for sale
and had bragged to an informant that he could get his hands on 10,000 to
100,000 rounds of ammunition.

The indictment says Galstyan or Tofalyan unwittingly sold weapons to a U.S.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives informant at a water
store in North Hollywood several times in August, September and October.

[email protected]

Copyright © 2010, The Los Angeles Times

LES ARMENIENS DE GEORGIE INVITENT SAAKASHVILI A RECONNAITRE LE GENOCIDE
Stephane

armenews
20 avril 2010
GEORGIE

La minorite armenienne de Georgie a invite au President Mikheil
Saakashvili et le Parlement Georgien a officiellement reconnaître le
genocide armenien.

La demande, qui est partie d’une lettre co-signee par la Communaute
armenienne de Georgie, le Centre de Cooperation armenien de Georgie
et l’Association des Etudiants armeniens de Georgie, demande qu’un
projet de loi reconnaissant le genocide soit redige. La lettre a ete
envoye a Saakashvili, le presidents du Parlement de la Georgie et
les chefs de ses fractions parlementaires. Des lettres semblables
ont ete aussi ecrites aux membres d’origine armenienne du Parlement.

La lettre demande aussi que les membres du Parlement publient une
declaration sur le genocide armenien pendant la session parlementaire
avant le 24 avril et demande que le Parlement commemore le genocide.

AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES TURKISH FM

Trend
April 19 2010
Azerbaijan

On April 19, President Ilham Aliyev received Turkish Foreign Minister
Ahmet Davutoglu, AzerTAj state news agency reported.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu delivered greetings of Turkish
President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Teceb Tayyip Erdogan to
State Head of Azerbaijan.

During the meeting was mentioned the importance to further strengthen
friendship and fraternal relations between the two counties.

Turkish Foreign Minister informed of the Turkish-Armenian relations.

President Ilham Aliyev talked about the situation with the
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Azerbaijani President thanked for greetings and expressed his greetings
to Turkish President and Prime Minister as well.

ARMENTEL NO LONGER CHARGES SUBSCRIBER FEE FOR ‘PACKAGE OF THREE SERVICES’

ArmInfo
2010-04-19 10:32:00

ArmInfo. ArmenTel (Beeline brand) no longer charges subscriber fee
for using the "Package of Three Services."

The company’s press release says that the pre-paid subscribers will be
exempted of the daily and the post- paid subscribers of the monthly
subscriber fee for MMS, GPRS-Internet and GPRS-WAP. "The number
of Beeline subscribers is growing in Armenia day-by-day. In fact,
demand for mobile Internet is growing as well. Considering this
upward trends and to favor our subscribers, we offer them to visit
web-sites, download music and other files, send graphics messages not
thinking of additional payment," says Igor Klimko, Director General
of ArmenTel CJSC.

GPRS-Internet and GPRS-WAP allow connecting the wide-web from
mobile phones, receiving and sending emails and making calls
without stopping Internet connection. MMS-service allows sending and
receiving large-size images, animation, audio files to mobile phones
and e-mails. Earlier the subscriber fee for the "Package of Three
Services" for pre-paid subscribers was 12AMD daily and for post-paid
subscribers – 360AMD monthly. The MMS and Internet traffic is charged
in conformity with the tariff plan of a subscriber. CJSC ArmenTel is
the subsidiary of VimpelCom OJSC.

MOCA To Present Arshile Gorky Program To Community Groups
By Asbarez
Apr 16th, 2010

A photograph of Gorky and his mother.

GLENDALE – Paul Schimmel, Chief Curator of The Museum of Contemporary
Art, Los Angeles (MOCA), will present a special overview of the West
Coast presentation of Arshile Gorky: A Retrospective, to a gathering
of community groups in Glendale, California, on April 30, 2010. The
presentation will feature a slideshow on the exhibition and MOCA’s
plans for related programs. The dinner event is being organized by the
Armenian Professional Society (APS), National Association for Armenian
Studies and Research (NAASR), USC Institute of Armenian Studies,
Armenian Allied Arts Association, Armenian Film Foundation, Armenian
Engineers and Scientists of America, and ARPA Institute. Net proceeds
from the dinner event will be donated to MOCA to support its Friends
of Arshile Gorky campaign.

MOCA will present Arshile Gorky: A Retrospective June 6 through
September 20, at MOCA Grand Avenue. This major traveling retrospective
celebrates the extraordinary life and work of Arshile Gorky, who was
born Vosdanig Adoian c.1902 in the Van region of Historic Armenia.
After surviving the Armenian genocide of 1915-23, Gorky immigrated to
the United States, where he pursued his artistic ambitions and became
a seminal figure in the movement toward abstraction that transformed
American art in the middle of the 20th century. Arshile Gorky: A
Retrospective positions Gorky as a crucial founder of abstract
expressionism, but also as a passionate and dedicated artist whose
tragic life often informed his groundbreaking and deeply personal
paintings. The first full-scale survey of Gorky’s work since 1981, the
exhibition features Gorky’s most significant paintings, sculptures,
and works on paper.

Tracing the career of an important Armenian-American artist, this
historic exhibition will be a powerful vehicle for raising awareness
of the Armenian people and their tremendous contributions to art,
culture, and history. MOCA’s presentation, the third on the
exhibition’s tour, is organized by MOCA Chief Curator Paul Schimmel.

Commented Schimmel, whose mother was Armenian, `As the only West Coast
venue, MOCA is proud to present the work of this historically
important artist who developed a unique and deeply influential visual
language. Gorky courageously reshaped European modernism into the
foundations of abstract expressionism. He inspired a new generation of
artists, demonstrating that the act of painting alone was enough to be
both poetically charged and powerfully tragic.’

Stephan Bagboudarian, APS President, commented, `The Gorky exhibit at
MOCA will appeal to a large audience of Armenians as well as the
general public, and we expect significant attendance figures in Los
Angeles. Our event on April 30 will give our local community a first
look at this important exhibition, which I’m sure will generate
enthusiasm for spreading the word as well as providing some financial
support for MOCA’s ambitious undertaking.’

Representatives of APS and MOCA will discuss this event in a live
interview on Horizon Armenian TV on Monday, April 26 at 8:30 p.m.

The presentation will be held on Friday, April 30, 2010, at 7:00 pm at
the Brandview Collection banquet hall, located at 109 E. Harvard St,
Glendale, CA 91205. Admission to the event is $50 through April 20 and
$60 thereafter, with RSVP required by April 27. Tickets may be
purchased at , or by sending a check payable to APS
to P.O. Box 10306, Glendale, CA 91209. Additional information may be
obtained by contacting APS at , [email protected], or
818-685-9946.

TURKEY’S PM MEETING ARMENIAN PRESIDENT IN US

WorldBulletin.Net
April 12 2010
Turkey

Erdogan met with Armenian President Serzh Sargsian in Washington D.C.
on Monday.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Armenian President
Serzh Sargsian in Washington D.C. on Monday.

The two leaders got together on the sidelines of the nuclear security
summit hosted by U.S. President Barack Obama.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Foreign Ministry
Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu, as well as Armenian Foreign
Minister Eduard Nalbandian and Deputy Chief of Staff to the President
of Armenia Vigen Sargsyan are also in attendance at the meeting,
diplomats said.

Prior to their face-to-face meeting, Erdogan and Sargsian posed for
the cameras, shaking hands.

SERZH SARGSYAN: ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION IS INEVITABLE

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 12, 2010 – 22:28 AMT 17:28 GMT

"US Armenian Community Became One Of The Strongest Links In The Issue
of international recognition of Armenian Genocide. I am sure the
Diaspora will proceed with its mission. Armenian Genocide recognition
is inevitable," RA President Serzh Sarsyan stated in Washington
National Cathedral.

Addressing Diaspora’s concerns over the possibility for Armenia-Turkey
Protocols to impede international recognition of Armenian Genocide,
he stated: "Time came to prove these concerns to be groundless. Over
the last months, we witnessed Turkey’s failed attempts at presenting
Armenia and Diaspora as divided in their opinions. We’re here to
disprove these hollow surmises. There are no separated Armenia and
Diaspora, but only a united Armenian nation," Serzh Sargsyan stressed.

According to the President, Ankara is ready to normalize ties with
neighboring countries, unwilling, yet, to yield to preconditions. "Our
position in Armenia-Turkey rapprochement remains unchanged: we will
not allow Ankara to set preconditions to Armenia and Diaspora."

Armenian President stressed that Armenia will not allow to question
the fact of the Genocide, or allow suppositions on the possibility for
Turkey to play a positive role in Karabakh conflict settlement issue.

As he noted, it is a norm for any newly-adopted direction in foreign
policy to be put to the test. "And I’m confident, we will pass this
test with dignity," Armenian President emphasized.