Author: Jagharian Tania

YEREVAN’S PYUNIK AND ITALY’S ROMA TO COOPERATE

Tert.am
12:50 ~U 12.03.10

FC Pyunik Yerevan’s manager Vardan Minasyan and chair Karen
Harutyunyan, in Italy studying training methods, were invited to
watch Italian football club AS (Associazione Sportiva) Roma train,
reports ArmSport.am.

Roma manager Claudio Ranieri and ex-player and sports director Bruno
Conti had a private meeting with Minasyan and Harutyunyan. Pyunik’s
management also paid a visit to the football school founded by Roma’s
current captain, Francesco Totti.

A preliminary agreement of cooperation was signed by AS Roma, Totti’s
football school and FC Pyunik.

PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN MET WITH THE PRESIDENT OF FRENCH SENATE AND WITH THE SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

president.am
March 10 2010
Armenia

In the framework of his official visit to France, on March 10
President Serzh Sargsyan met with the President of French Senate
Gerard Larcher. The President of Armenia stressed special role of the
parliaments of the two countries in further strengthening friendly
and warm relations between Armenia and France. Serzh Sargsyan highly
praised the activities of the French-Armenian Friendship Group and
the current level of the interparliamentary cooperation, stressed the
importance of regular contacts and reciprocal visits of the Armenian
and French parliamentarians. In his turn, Gerard Larcher reiterated
readiness of the Senate to promote the French-Armenian relations.

At the request of the President of the French Senate, President
Sargsyan presented the approaches of official Yerevan toward the NK
peace talks, regional issues, and prospects of the Armenian-Turkish
normalization process. The parties touched upon other issues of
mutual interest.

In Paris, the President of Armenia met also with the Speaker of the
National Assembly Bernard Accoyer. Serzh Sargsyan highly praised
activities of the France-Armenia Friendship Group in the Parliament’s
lower house, recalling warmly the Group’s former and current Chairs
– Francois Rochbluan’s and Rene Rouquet’s significant contribution
to the deepening of the French-Armenian friendship, highlighted the
Group’s principled and fair position regarding issues that are vital
for the Armenian nation. Serzh Sargsyan and Bernard Accoyer exchanged
views on the regional developments, spoke about the possibilities of
enhancing the Armenian-French cooperation in different areas.

At the conclusion of his official visit to France, Serzh Sarsyan
in Paris had a working dinner with prominent representatives of the
Armenian-French community.

On March 11, the official delegation headed by the President of
Armenia will return to Yerevan.

CBA ASSESSES THE LEVEL OF INFLATION AS NORMAL
Liana Yeghiazaryan

"Radiolur"
11.03.2010 18:25

Head of Monetary-Credit Policy Department of the Central Bank of
Armenia Artur Stepanyan refuted today the suppositions on inevitable
increase of inflation.

Artur Stepanyan told reporters today that "the 9.4% inflation as a
result of 12 months, registered in February, is a peak index."

According to him, following the results of this and following months,
the inflation will be far lower, as compared to the analogous indices
of 2009, even taking into consideration the increase of gas tariffs
due in April.

He noted that according to CBA assessments, the inflation index in May,
following the results of 12 months, will make 7-8%.

He stressed that, just like in 2009, in 2010 the Central Bank will
balance economy growth and inflation, since it realizes that "the
relatively stable index of inflation to significant extent contributes
to stable economic growth."

TIGRAN SARGSYAN: ARMENIA ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO EXPANSION AND DEEPENING OF RELATIONS WITH ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

Noyan Tapan
March 10, 2010

YEREVAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia attaches importance to the
expansion and deepening of its relations with the Asian Development
Bank, Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan stated on March 9,
when receiving the bank’s delegation headed by Werner Liepach, ADB
Deputy Director for the Central and Western region.

The RA Government Information and PR Department reported that during
the meeting the interlocutors discussed a number of issues of mutual
interest, in particular the construction of the North-South Highway.

In the prime minister’s words, this construction is one of the priority
programs of the Armenian government, and Armenia has already begun
establishing the Program Implementation Office to coordinate the
implementation of construction work in Armenia with the participation
of the ADB.

The prime minister spoke about the creation of a free economic zone
at Zvartnots Airport and the establishment of a wholesale network of
agricultural products, underlining the importance of ADB’s assistance
in this work.

The sides also discussed the railway construction and the project of
developing transport services in Yerevan. According to T. Sargsyan,
the RA ministry of economy had been instructed to submit a complex
export-related program to the government this year. He expressed a
hope that the involvement of ADB experts in that program may be of
great use to Armenia.

The sides stressed the importance of projects on proportionate
development of areas and the ADB’s participation in them.

ERDOGAN SHOULD NOT CANCEL HIS UPCOMING VISIT TO US: HUFFINGTON POST

Tert.am
14:27 â~@¢ 10.03.10

Once again, as has been the case every spring for years, the debate
over whether the ethnic clashes against the Armenians in the break
up of the Ottoman Empire amounted to genocide has made it into the
US political arena for Congress to weigh in, writes Alon Ben-Meir in
The Huffington Post, referring to the recent resolution by the House
Committee on Foreign Affairs to officially recognize actions against
the Armenians in 1915 as genocide committed by the Ottoman Turks.

"Not only will this vote undermine the reconciliation process between
Turkey and Armenia, but it threatens the US-Turkish relationship
at a time when Turkey is playing a critical role aiding the US and
the Middle East peace process… If genocide was in fact committed,
it should be left to an international investigative tribunal, not
politicians who need to be reelected every two years," reports the
publication.

According to The Huffington Post, it is more important that the
Turkish government, who acted out fervently against the US government
following the resolution, come to grips with the separation of power
in the United States.

"Both President Obama and Secretary Clinton have come out strongly
against the resolution — albeit last minute — yet they cannot
control the votes or the agenda of Congress. Under no circumstance
should Prime Minister Erdogan cancel his upcoming visit to the US,
as he should use this opportunity to present his case and prove that
Turkey is capable of handling the disputes with Armenia without US
congressional intervention," concludes the Post.

ANC ACCUSES ARMENIAN COURT OF APPEAL IN COOPERATION WITH AUTHORITIES

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.03.2010 11:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In connection with the decision of the Armenian
Court of Appeal to uphold a verdict against the editor-in-chief
of "Haykakan Zhamanak" Nikol Pashinyan, the Armenian National
Congress (ANC) issued a statement accusing the judge in cooperation
with authorities. "Upholding a verdict against Nikol Pashinyan
unchanged, the court has once again executed an order of the Armenian
authorities," the ANC statement said.

The ANC declared that will continue to fight for the freedom of
Nikol Pashinyan and other political prisoners. The editor-in-chief
of the opposition newspaper Nikol Pashinyan was sentenced to seven
years imprisonment. The Yerevan court of first instance, court of
Kentron and Nork-Marash found Nikol Pashinyan guilty (Part 1 Article
225 of the Criminal Code – rioting), and sentenced him to 7 years
imprisonment to be served in the criminal executive institutions of
the ministry of justice.

However, the judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan acquitted Pashinyan on
charges of committing a crime envisaged by part 1, article 316 of
the Criminal Code (violence towards a representative of the authority).

Nikol Pashinyan has been the editor-in-chief of Haykakan Zhamanak
newspaper since 1999. After March 1-2, 2008 events, he was wanted by
the police. On July 1, 2009 he yielded himself to authorities and
was detained. On January 10, he ran for parliament from the 10th
constituency but did not succeed.

POLISH AMBASSADOR HIGHLY ESTIMATES ARMENIA’S PARTICIPATION IN EU EASTERN PARTNERSHIP

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.03.2010 13:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan received the
newly appointed Ambassador of Poland to Armenia ZdzisÅ~Baw Rachinsky ,
press office of the RA government reported.

Welcoming the guest, the prime minister congratulated him on his
appointment and wished fruitful work. Tigran Sargsyan attached
importance to the forthcoming visit of Polish Prime Minister
to Armenia, stressing that he will give a new dimension of the
Armenian-Polish relations and will encourage their further development.

The Polish ambassador highly estimated the participation of Armenia in
the EU Eastern Partnership. The officials touched upon the signing of
the agreement on economic cooperation and bilateral relations between
the governments of Armenia

CONSUMER PRICES BOOST IN ARMENIA

news.am
March 10 2010
Armenia

The RA Statistical Service reported the consumer price index reached
108.2% this January-February as compared with the corresponding period
last year. The prices for almost all goods and services showed an
upward tendency – a 5.1% rise for food, 10% rise for clothing and
footwear, a 10.4% rise for paid services. The price for meat products
showed an 8.8% rise and that for fish products a 60.3% rise.

On the other hand, the prices for eggs and soft drinks fell by 12.3%
and 0.1% respectively. The sugar price rose by 34.8%, with actually
only one importing sugar to Armenia. To the joy of smokers and drinker,
the prices for tobacco and hard drinks rose by only 1.6%.

This price rise is not a specific feature of the period under review.

Rather, it was a logical result of last year’s trends. This February,
a 2% price rise was registered as compared with last December.

The rise in the gas price scheduled for April 1 will inevitably cause a
further rise in the prices for other products. As a result, the social
conditions of the Armenian population, particularly of the 500,000
pensioners and other socially vulnerable groups, will get even worse.

LENNMARKER SPEAKS OF A WAY TO SETTLEMENT OF THE CONFLICT

Azg
March 10 2010
Armenia

"I regard the present situation concerning Nagorno Karabakh conflict
as a stage to pass a decision," OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s special
representative for Nagorno Karabakh and Georgia Goran Lennmarker said
yesterday in Tbilisi.

Lennmarker will pay visits to Yerevan and Baku after he completes
meetings in Georgia.

"We will hold very important meetings; also meet with presidents of
the two countries. I think it is high time to find a solution to the
Karabakh conflict. The activity of the Minsk Group means that there
is a basis to find solution to the problem. But the most important
is to find the solution that will satisfy both presidents", he said.

RUSSIAN ANALYST ALEXEI VLASOV TALKS ABOUT A POSSIBLE MILITARY ACTIONS BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA

Today
March 8 2010
Azerbaijan

Alexei Vlasov, head of expert group at information-analytical center
of the Lomonosov Moscow State University pointed out the key moments
in Armenian President’s visit to France, and also about the possible
military actions between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Vlasov believes that Serzh Sargsyan’s visit to France will have a few
key points, among which will be the discussion of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.

"In the current situation this is due to several trends for the
South Caucasus direction, and this visit can be measured in terms
of strengthening relations with the EU, in terms of problems of
Armenian-Turkish rapprochement, or ratification of the Ankara-Yerevan
protocols, and also from the point position of the European Union,
and France on the Nagorno-Karabakh problem ", – said A. Vlasov

"I think that will once again raised the issue of" genocide ", although
not yet entirely clear in what context. The moments I’ve pointed out,
will be the most important. For Armenia, it is important to assess the
position in Paris. I believe, that this is not only a working visit,
but is also a strategic one" noted the analyst.

Vlasov also does not did not exclude the resumption of hostilities
between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but believes that the conflict will
quickly be erupted.

"I still stick to my opinion that at present time,the possibility of
renewed military action is possible, yet the international mediators
will try to make every effort to stop it from growing. In the first
couple of days, the CSTO and the structures that serve as a European
peacekeeping organizations will make utmost efforts to extinguish
the conflict.

And we are not even talking about the CSTO support, but rather a
change of its role as an organization, that will, above all, try
to minimize the military and political costs of the conflict. There
is some truth to these judgments, but I would give them a somewhat
different interpretation" Vlasov concluded.