Author: Jagharian Tania

SIX MAJOR POWERS CONSIDERING NEW SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
17.01.2010 18:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Six major powers began considering new sanctions
against Iran at talks in New York Saturday although no decision was
reached, a senior European Union official said.

"Consideration of appropriate further measures has begun," Robert
Cooper told reporters after the meeting which brought together senior
officials of Britain, France, Germany, Russia and the United States
and a lower-level diplomat from China.

Cooper spoke in his capacity as host and chair of the closed-door
meeting, a working luncheon, which was held at the EU mission in New
York and lasted a little over two hours.

"The group remains united, remains committed to the two-track approach
(sanctions while pursuing negotiations). That implies that we will
continue to seek a negotiation solution," the EU official said.

"But consideration of appropriate further measures (sanctions) has
also begun," he pointedly noted.

Earlier, Russian deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov emerged from
the meeting, saying it was "inconclusive in the sense that we did
not make any decisions right away."

"We have started the next chapter of this saga, the next part of the
process. As I said Russia has always been fully committed to the dual
track approach," he added. "We have talked today about the second
track, but it does not mean that we should abandon the first one,
the engagement policy."

US Under Secretary of State William Burns would only say that the
six had a "useful discussion."

And his French counterpart Jacques Audibert stressed that "it was
not a meeting to make decisions," AFP reported.

Number of births grows in Armenia

YEREVAN, JANUARY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. By data of the Civil Status Act
Registration Agency of the RA Ministry of Justice, the number of
births made 44,999 in Armenia in 2009. 18,765 marriages, 3,013
divorces, 14,165 cases of paternity aknowledgement, and 131 adoption
cases were recorded. The number of deaths made 27,268.

In 2008, 41,406 births, 18,236 marriages, 3,192 divorces, 13,257 cases
of paternity acknowledgement, 180 adoption cases, and 27,281 deaths
were recorded. In 2007, 40,844 births, 18,144 marriages, 3,083
divorces, 13,158 cases of paternity acknowledgement, 187 cases of
child adoption, and 26,827 deaths were recorded in the country.

President Sargsyan received US Co-Char Robert Bradtke

armradio.am
16.01.2010 18:45

President Serzh Sargsyan received US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group
Robert Bradtke, President’s Press Office reported.

The interlocutors exchanged views on the current stage of settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

HUNGRY RATS FROM OCCUPIED LANDS DESTROY CROPS IN FIZULI, AZERBAIJAN

news.az
Jan 15 2010
Azerbaijan

Residents of the Garakhanbeyli village of Fizuli have faced mass
irruption of hungry rats migrating from the occupied lands of Nagorno
Karabakh.

The wheat crops in the Yergi area are destroyed by Iranian and
Asian rats.

More than 1000 local residents that used medication on 5 hectares of
lands have been involved to blotting out the rats.

There is a plan to clean another 10 hectares of wheat crops.

Local residents fear that the rats may destroy wheat grown on 50
hectares of lands. One of the reasons of such an irruption was also
hot weather under which multiplication among rats goes faster.

The situation in Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh has reached a disastrous
level when people are running away from Armenia and rats from the
deserted occupied lands.

1news.az

EDITORIAL: INSOLVENCY & RESTRUCTURING IN THE CIS

Who’s Who Legal
Jan 15 2010

Following the global economic downturn, insolvency and restructuring
work has become an increasingly prominent part of many lawyers’
practice and there is no exception for those working in the CIS.

Twenty individuals are included.

Seven Moscow-based lawyers are listed in this chapter, making the
Russian contingent the strongest in terms of numbers. Irina Mashlenko
is included from Allen & Overy LLP and she is "very experienced"
in the restructuring of domestic banks and corporate entities and
also advises creditors. "Eminent lawyer" Philipp Windemuth of White &
Case LLP is included and Chadbourne & Parke LLP’s Mikhail Rozenberg is
considered by peers to be "a superlative practitioner", whose recent
work has included advising international financial institutions
on debt restructuring procedures. The "very distinguished" Sergey
Komolov from Hogan & Hartson LLP is another high-profile nominee. At
PricewaterhouseCoopers Andrei Narutsky leads the Moscow practice
group for corporate restructuring and fiduciary services. Squire
Sanders & Dempsey LLP’s Patrick Brooks "has substantial experience"
in restructuring, particularly in the steel, energy, automotive and
chemical sectors and Monastyrsky, Zyuba, Semenov & Partners provides
Alexander Zyuba, who is "a first-class lawyer" for our list.

In Belarus, Kiryl Apanasevich from Baltic law firm Sorainen is "a
prominent figure". Konstantin Mikhel is managing partner of Vlasova
Mikhel & Partners and peers consider him to be "outstanding".

Stepanovski Papakul & Partners’ Maksim Kosachev is "a skilled
specialist" in this area and Sergei Makarchuk, the managing partner
of Austrian powerhouse Cerha Hempel Spiegelfeld Hlawati FLLC’s Minsk
office, is "a leader in the field."

Ukraine has three nominees, one of which is Olga Khoroshylova of
Magisters. She is "excellent for distressed assets work" and is based
in the firm’s Kiev office. The "top notch" Michael Shkabry is the chair
of Jurvneshservice’s bankruptcy and insolvency practice and Stanislaw
Skrypnyck of Lavrynovych & Partners is "a well-known practitioner."

Two Moldovan lawyers are included in this chapter, both of them from
Gladei & Partners. Roger Gladei and Vitalie Ciofu are reputed to be
"skilled, hardworking and a pleasure to deal with."

In Armenia, Vahagn Mikayelyan is the partner in charge of Grant
Thornton Amyot’s legal and tax advisory assignments and is considered
"a proficient insolvency expert".

Kazakhstan is home to three highly rated experts. The "very fine" Maxim
Telemtayev supervises Macleod Dixon ELP’s practice in the Republic of
Kazakhstan and in other Central Asian countries and directly manages
the Almaty office. Vladimir Furman from McGuireWoods Kazakhstan LLP is
"first class" with particular experience of restructuring of holding
companies and the forced and voluntary liquidation of companies. At
Bracewell & Giuliani LLP, Zhanar Kassymbekova is regarded as a "top
notch corporate restructuring lawyer".

alysis/article/19724/editorial-insolvency-restruct uring-cis/

UN FAMILY IN ARMENIA RESPECTS MEMORY OF THE VICTIMS OF HAITI EARTHQUAKE

armradio.am
14.01.2010 18:07

Today, the UN Armenia Office staff led by the newly appointed Resident
Coordinator Mrs. Dafina Gercheva gathered for a solemn ceremony,
with a minute of silence, respecting the memory of the victims of
the devastating earthquake in Haiti on 12 January.

Information on the full extent of the damage remains scant. Initial
reconnaissance and aerial assessments have been undertaken. It is
clear, however that the earthquake had a devastating impact on the
capital Port-au-Prince, and the western part of the country.

The UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-moon said: "My heart goes out to
the people of Haiti after this devastating earthquake. At this time
of tragedy, I am very concerned for the people of Haiti and also for
the many United Nations staff who serve there. I am receiving initial
reports and following developments closely".

The UN family has immediately mobilized its resources to help the
stricken nation. This is also a tragedy for the UN, and especially
for the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MIHUSTAH).

According to available information the main UN compound in
Port-au-Prince has collapsed as well. Around 100 -150 people were
still working inside the building when the disaster happened. Many
continue to be trapped inside, including UN Secretary General Special
Representative Hedi Annabi and his deputy Luiz Carlos da Costa.

Mrs. Gercheva informed the gathered about the UN casualties there
with a total of 16 UN staff as of recent news confirmed as dead:
three Jordanian police officers, one Argentinean and one Chadian
police officer, and eleven Brazilian peacekeepers.

Peacekeepers and civilian staff from many Member States remain
unaccounted for. Secretary General said that 48 people of UNDP and
UNIFEM, WFP and all other have not been accounted for. "Who but
you, Armenians, understand this tragedy better than many others,
since your wounds from Spitak 1988 earthquake are still fresh…",
Mrs Gercheva said.

The magnitude of this massive earthquake that hit the Caribbean nation
of Haiti on Tuesday, January 12, at 4:53 pm at the epicenter had a
7.0-magnitude with a depth of 13 km.

TURKISH PM: LIBERATION OF AZERBAIJANI TERRITORIES FROM OCCUPATION VITALLY IMPORTANT TO US

Today
html
Jan 14 2010
Azerbaijan

The liberation of the Azerbaijani territories from occupation is of
vital importance to us, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
said, while addressing students of the Moscow State Institute of
International Relations.

Erdogan said Ankara attaches significant importance to establishing
durable peace in the South Caucasus region.

The Turkish Prime Minister pointed out the OSCE Minsk Group has great
responsibility in settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and
as a co-chair of the Group, Russia has significant role in the process.

"The talks have been continuing for 20 years, but the problem has
not been resolved," underlined Erdogan.

On normalization of the Turkish-Armenian relationship, the Premier
noted his country has taken steps towards it, adding signing protocols
with Yerevan is an indicator of it.

Erdogan pointed out if there is a just decision on the Nagorno-Karabakh
dispute, the process of normalization between Turkey and Armenia
will continue.

2002 TRAFFIC ACCIDENCES REGISTERED IN ARMENIA IN 2009
Sona Hakobyan

"Radiolur"
15.01.2010 16:18

2002 traffic accidents occurred in Armenia in 2009, Head of Planning,
Recording and Analysis Department of Road Traffic Police of Armenia
Hayk Sargsyan told a press conference today.

According to him, 325 people died and another 2 753 were injured as
a result of road accidents.

The numbers have considerably decreased as compared to 2008, Hayk
Sargsyan said.

Experience has shown that most traffic accidents happen because of
overrunning, he noted.

FINANCING ARMENIA’S WATER SECTOR DEVELOPMENT

TendersInfo
January 12, 2010 Tuesday

Armenia is an economy in transition that faces considerable challenges
characteristic of countries that have shifted from a centrally-planned
to a free-market economy. In recent years, economic growth has been
considerable; however the country has a legacy of poor infrastructure
in the form of dilapidated and deteriorated water and sanitation
facilities, outmoded design and inability to effectively finance
running and maintenance costs. Even with the best predictions for
economic growth, Armenia will need significant time and levels of
investment to develop its water sector.

Most rural communities today in the Republic of Armenia have
little or no sustainable access to drinking water and sanitation
networks. Up to 40% of the rural population still collects its water
in containers from community taps or have no central source at all
requiring villagers to use wells, springs, or other sources. Those
that are supplied directly regularly suffer outages lasting up to
40 days. As expected, the public health impacts are considerable. In
2006, water-related health conditions such as dysentery affected 10%
of rural communities in Armenia. Agriculture, which accounts for 21%
of Armenia s economy, is also affected. Excess water leakage from
irrigation systems causes soil and soil nutrient loss, negatively
impacting the groundwater and river system.

The economic costs of continuously struggling with poor infrastructure
are also high for water utilities and for the country as a whole. Pipe
degradation causes 55-60% of water loss compared to 10-40% in most
developed economies. The World Health Organization estimates that
annually, 9983 million hours are lost to performing water duties
such as collection and 14.8 million days of school are missed due to
diarrhoeal illnesses in a number of East European countries including
Armenia.

Armenia is now addressing these issues. Water sector improvements
have been written into Armenia s laws in order to meet one of the key
Millennium Development Goals, set in 2000, to halve the proportion of
people without reliable access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

With the help of international financial institutions (IFIs), such
as The World Bank, the German Development Bank (GTZ), the European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and USAID, Armenia
has invested in a number of development projects with a commitment
of over EUR130 million.

Estimating the cost of development of the water and wastewater sector
in Armenia is difficult but it is clear that massive further increases
in funding are required. Most experts agree that an increase from
the current level of 0.7% to 1.8%-2.7% of GDP (based on 2008 figures)
is required.

LINK BETWEEN KARABAKH, TURKISH-ARMENIAN RELATIONS WILL HAMPER RESOLUTION – PUTIN

Interfax
Jan 13 2010
Russia

Linking the problem of improving Turkish-Armenian relations and the
resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem is wrong, said Russian
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

"I do not think it is right to tie up everything in one package.

Each of these problems alone is very hard to resolve, and if we
throw them all into one pile, the prospect of their resolution will
be automatically postponed until a very distant [time]," Putin told
a press conference held jointly with Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan.

Russia "like no one else" is interested in stabilizing the Caucasus
region, Putin said.

"Of course, we are interested in swift resolution of all problems,
including Karabakh," he said.

Russia is also interested in the stabilization of Turkish-Armenian
relations, the Russian prime minister added.

"We are very hopeful that any elements of extreme approaches, of the
extreme position based on the problems of the past will be removed
from the negotiating process, and today the Armenian leadership is
also on this positive path, and we welcome this," Putin said.

It would be inappropriate to link the resolution of one problem with
the other, and Russia will assist the resolution of these issues in
every possible way, the prime minister restated.

"At the same time, whereas in the first case (the Karabakh issue)

the solution of the problem will depend on Armenia and Azerbaijan,
in the second it will depend on Turkey and Armenia. We respect and
will respect the positions of all our partners, and Russia’s role
here consists in maintaining anything that is positive," Putin said.