Author: Karabekian Emil

METHODOLOGY OF ASSESSMENT OF WORK OF GOVERNORS TO BE IMPROVED

1614/lang/en
2010-02-24

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan conducted today a consultation on the assessment of the
2009 activity of the work of the governors with the participation of
members of government and governors.

Governmental press service told Armenpress that referring to the
importance of the discussion the prime minister noted that this is
first such like assessment of the activity of the governors and it must
be done in a complex way. The prime minister expressed wish to refer
to all the concrete indices and hear the comments and assessments of
the governors on them.

The ministers and governors presented explanations to the prime
minister on the low assessments of the implemented work.

Armenian province of Tavush gathered the majority of the points.

Tigran Sargsyan pointed out that the governors, by analyzing the
indices, must understand their weak sides and undertake necessary
steps for eliminating the flaws in 2010.

Vice prime minister, territorial administration minister reported that
though assessment standards have been worked out in cooperation with
ministries, it is difficult to assess real work of a governor with
some standards. That is why there is a necessity of improvement of
methodology of assessment. In general, the vice prime minister noted
that as of the moment, there is no any official disputes between
governors and ministries.

At the end of the consultation, the prime minister, summing up the
results of the discussion, pointed out that the methodology must be
improved and during a month this works must be finished so that the
standards be known from the beginning.

RA PARLIAMENT RATIFIES AGREEMENT ON CSTO RRF FEB. 23

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.02.2010 15:07 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian parliament ratified Tuesday the
agreement on formation of CSTO rapid reaction force.

The parliament also adopted the RA Law On Income Tax (second reading)
and approved the amendments in the RA law on Gambling and Casinos
(first reading).

ARF Dashnaktsutyun parliamentary group disputed against the amendments
in the RA Law On Gambling and Casinos. MP Ara Nranyan believes that
the Armenian government should withdraw the draft law for further
developments. "Like it’s done in Las Vegas, US, separate areas should
be allocated for the construction of casinos in Armenia," he said.

As a PanARMENIAN.Net correspondent reported from the parliament,
Armen Martirosyan from Heritage parliamentary group mentioned, "It
will be unjustified and improper, should the government take the step
for further development of tourism in Armenia. Casinos should be built
outside tourist areas. If the government aims to develop the regions,
then the casinos should be built in the border areas," he said.

According to Victor Dallakyan, non-partisan member of RA National
Assembly, the casinos should be banned in Armenia, as "it’s an evil
for Armenians".

"Increasing casinos’ taxes to AMD 1 billion per annum is reasonable
from the viewpoint of tourism development and approximate calculations
of the tourism income, which, in its turn, will cover casinos’ losses,"
said Vardan Aramyan, RA Deputy Minister of Finance.

The draft law envisages AMD 1 billion annual fixed payments for casino
activities in Armenia. Besides, all the casinos should be located in 3
resort centers: Jermuk, Tsaghkadzor, Sevan as well as Zvartnots airport
area, known as a free trade zone. Should the first amendment come into
force right after its approval, the last one will be in effect in 2013.

VANADZOR CITIZEN MAKES A SUICIDE ATTEMPT

/suicide
11:45 am | February 22, 2010

Social

Vanadzor citizen G. Khachatryan, 39, made a suicide attempt on
February 21.

At 05.35 a.m. the rescue service received an alarm that a young woman
was trying to commit suicide in the Tandzut River.

In less than an hour rescuers took G. Khachatryan out of the river.

DEFENDER OF THE FATHERLAND DAY CELEBRATED IN ARMENIA

armradio.am
23.02.2010 14:02

February 23 is celebrated in the Russian Federation as Defender of
the Fatherland Day. Every year a number of events are organized in
different countries, including Armenia, dedicated to the Day.

This morning Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, Russian
Ambassador to Armenia Vyacheslav Kovalenko, officers and soldiers of
the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation,
representatives of the diplomatic missions accredited in Armenia
visited the "Victory" Park to lay wreaths at the memorial to the
Unknown Soldier.

The event ended with a parade of Russian soldiers.

WE ARE IN A DEEP MARSH

s16907.html
12:15:16 – 22/02/2010

Hranush Kharatyan: ethnographer, candidate of historical science,
Chair of the department of cultural anthropology of Yerevan Linguistic
University after V. Brusov

Mrs. Kharatyan, what are your assessments in connection with the
situation in Armenia?

Regardless the developing life, I have the impression that Armenia
appeared in a marsh. In addition everyone seems to be calm and serene
in this marsh. Many even like the governmental regime which I call
Komsomol. To be sincere, sometimes I think that the marsh is a very
convenient place for many groups. This is a marsh where everyone is
adapted to the non-expression of their professional abilities, to the
monotony of life, violence, poor material and spiritual life. After
the lasting rebels of the greater part of our society, we are living
the last circle of the marsh.

In addition, it is panic but it can be understood. It can cause panic
from the point that rapid events are happening with us but we do not
understand whether we debate with the Turks, the threats of Azerbaijan
become higher but we treat all this with indifference. While, today’s
life is our life of tomorrow, we are responsible but there is no
relevant response. If nothing else happens, and the Armenian and
Turkish protocols are not ratified, Turks will have two important
achievements the same: Armenia recognized the international borders
by signing that document and second Turkey, in the sphere of the
Armenian and Turkish relations, from a political object turned into
a political subject.

Are new ideas, new models of governance needed for going out of
the marsh?

To tell the truth, I cannot say what can be done. Perhaps, people
who are a part of the political development will do that. I think,
unless a shocking event takes place in our region no systemic change
will happen in Armenia. More, I am equally afraid of both. I am afraid
that military developments initiated by Russia in connection with the
Karabakh issue may happen which will have dangerous consequences. I
think such situation may move somehow our home problems. Nevertheless,
I do not predict any scandalous change in the nearest future.

Do you think the Congress may be reinforced after March 1 when Levon
Ter-Petrosyan holds a policy speech?

No, I do not. I do not even imagine any possibility of a constructive
speech. This is not connected with Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s personality.

Levon Ter-Petrosyan is a person with creative thought and massive
world vision. I see come lack of sources feeding ideas or policy
actions. In such a situation, no shocking event can even take place.

Returning to the events in ’88, we will see that they had some
inertia. They were gathered for a long time. Now this situation lacks.

Are internal or external issues the most actual ones?

It is difficult to say because our ethnographic process is so sad
and panic that I would call it the most actual issue. But is it an
internal or external issue? Both threats influence this issue. Now,
a situation of making people poorer started which was said, announced
and warned long ago. The further inflation adds. In practice, I
am sure there will be no social rebel. Maybe only some newspapers,
gathering their last forces will response.

What kind of a model of country would you propose?

I have rather socialistic views. I continue to believe that in times
of socialism people were more spiritual than material essences. This
is a problem throughout the world, while in Armenia it is not a matter
of debate. Existing models do not exhaust themselves, they will be
allowed to use power as a means of violence still for long.

Authority is not a means of violence, but a philosophical search: what
threats man’s existence on earth. Tests show that human existence is
under serious threat and between human beings there cannot be problems
at the level of resource use and distribution. We have heard ideas,
conferences or imitations are held. Real ideas gather somewhere and I
am convinced that it will break somewhere. But we are not participants
in these processes.

Interview by SIRANUYSH PAPYAN

VTB BANK (ARMENIA) GET STATUS OF AGENT AT THE MARKET MID-TERM AND LONG-TERM COUPON STATE BONDS OF ARMENIA

ArmInfo
2010-02-22 13:30:00

ArmInfo. On 19 February 2010 VTB Bank (Armenia) has got a status
of Agent at the market mid-term and long-term coupon state bonds of
Armenia, press-service of the bank reported.

The bank is going to activate the bargains with capital assets at
the initial as well as secondary markets and make giving of the
investment services to clients more active, including at the expense
of the competitive tariff policy.

According to the Ranking of commercial banks prepared by Arminfo,
the volume of investments of the VTB Bank (Armenia) in the state
capital assets amounted to 7.1 bln drams (the 5th position) or 5,87%
out of the assets of the bank as of 1 January 2010.

The Gulf Times, Qatar
Feb 21 2010

Armenians: master craftsmen
By Ramesh Mathew

Photo: Ludwig (right) with John, Virna and Zarmig at the Yeprem outlet
at the Alfardan pavilion at the Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition

Armenians have a colourful track record in the art of jewellery
making. And nowhere is it as discernible as at the outlet of the
Yeprem Jewellery at the imposing Alfardan Pavilion of the Doha
Jewellery and Watches Exhibition at the Doha Exhibition Centre.
The Beirut-based jeweller is displaying a rich array of well-chiselled
diamond pieces, which no visitor is likely to miss even though the
outlet is located at one end of the huge pavilion.

`It is doubtful if the craftsmanship of any other country has
influenced the customers of this region as much as those from
Armenia,’ said manager Ludvig Chakardemian. The jewellery was started
46 years ago by Yeprem Chakardemian Sr.
`Wherever you travel in search of diamond-studded ornaments in this
region, you will find Armenian craftsmen at jewelleries and metal
workshops, providing a range of services from cutting and polishing of
the stones and metals to putting vital ingredients to make an
exquisite piece of jewllery,’ he said.

Chakardemian feels the craftsmen from Armenia have earned a good
reputation because of the uniqueness, grandeur and elegance of their
creations over the last three centuries.

He said the region’s customers have a special love for ornaments and
stones from Armenia. `The customers know that not everyone can make
the kind of ornaments that our craftsmen manufacture for our clients,’
Chakardemian said.

Chakardemian says the diamond stones that his craftsmen use in the
ornaments date back to the 16th century or even earlier. `The more
ancient a stone is, the more valuable it is,’ he said.

The diamond pieces that the outlet is displaying at the exhibition are
those in great demand in the region, according to Chakardemian. The
local people, he said, are true connoisseurs and have rich
collections.

`The pieces that we offer are those that were created with great care
over a period of time,’ he said

Chakardemian said a number of young Armenian migrants in Lebanon are
already dealing in jewellery business, inheriting the rich and
colourful tradition and experience of their predecessors.

Chakardemian’s elder sister Virna has designed a number of pieces on
display at the exhibition. Virna, brother Johny and their mother
Zarmig are also actively involved in the exhibition which ends today.

Alfardan Jewellery is the distributor of Yeprem Jewellery’s ornaments in Qatar.

cle.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=344263&version=1&a mp;template_id=36&parent_id=16

EU Envoy Says Armenia May Be Route For Future Pipeline

ys-armenia-may-be-route-for-future-pipeline/
By Asbarez Staff on Feb 19th, 2010

ANKARA (Hurriyet) – The European Union’s special representative to
Central Asia on Friday said he expected to see Armenia becoming a
route for a future energy pipeline if Yerevan and Ankara quickly move
to normalize relations and open their sealed border.

`There have been different options. Things have not been fixed up to
now. The greatest idea to say is well, in the future, why not use
Armenia as a way for other pipelines,’ Pierre Morel told the Turkish
Hurriyet Daily in an interview.

Morel said he saw many options for new Caspian-Turkish energy
pipelines due to the `mobile energy landscape’ and predicted that
Armenia could be the site of a future network.

`There have been different ideas about the energy routes. The southern
corridor is not just Nabucco, but a wider concept,’ he said. `It is
also about transportation. We have to move transportation to the
Caucasus.’

The Nabucco pipeline is an EU-led and US-backed project aimed at
transporting Middle Eastern and Caspian gas through Turkey to Europe
in an effort to break the Russian monopoly over regional energy
supplies.

`But once again look at what the other corridors are,’ Morel said. `A
corridor is not one pipeline. A corridor is a system of pipelines. For
sure, when the southern corridor takes shape, you’ll have a system of
pipelines.’

Morel said, `Nabucco is going through a good phase and has been moving
through important steps’ following the signing of an
inter-governmental agreement in Ankara last summer.

`Many said Nabucco was a dream … [But] this was done and Turkey played
an important role. We’re coming step-by-step toward concretization,’
he said.

One of the major obstacles for Nabucco is a lack of gas earmarked for
transit. Morel said northern Iraq could be a potential source while
emphasizing hesitations over Iranian gas.

`We have had more discussions today about northern Iraq as a potential
source of gas for Nabucco. [Meanwhile,] there are question marks
connected with Iran, not only political questions, but the context of
the Iranian energy policy, which has been rather specific,’ he said.

Morel held discussions at parliament as well as the foreign and prime
ministries regarding Caspian energy, the southern corridor, Central
Asian developments and the Turkish-Russian relationship.

Commenting on Azerbaijan’s energy policy, Morel said it had become
clear the country was trying to keep its options open.

Baku signed a deal with Russian energy giant Gazprom last year to
transfer 500 million cubic meters of gas to Europe in the first phase
of the Shah Deniz gas field. The agreement, which followed the
normalization process between Turkey and Armenia, was regarded as an
ultimatum to Ankara and a blow to the Nabucco plan.

`[Azerbaijan] is sending signals to their different partners,’ Morel
said, adding that the country is also trying to send signals to
Turkey, the EU and Russia. `The 500-cubic-meter agreement they signed
with Russia is specific, not long-term. It is for one time, but it is
also a signal.’

He said all the major European energy companies presently operating in
Azerbaijan were following the developments `very closely.’

IMF PROGNOSES GROWTH OF ECONOMY IN 2010 FOR ABOUT 2% IN ARMENIA

ARKA
Feb 18, 2010

YEREVAN. February 18. /ARKA/. Economic growth in 2010 will be about 2%
in Armenia", said Mark Lewis, Head of IMF Mission in Armenia.

"We expect moderate growth in mining industry, agriculture and
services", he said.

Lewis said that after hard challenges in 2009 "indicator of economic
result seemed to be stabilized" and in 2010 growth of real GDP is
expected.

Accordion to the approved state budget of Armenia, economic growth
in 2010 is planned in the amount of 1.2%.

WHO WILL RULE ARMENIA? THE ARMY WILL HAVE THE FINAL SAY
H. Hamidov

Today
61981.html
Feb 18 2010
Azerbaijan

The recipe for Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to keep his
presidential post is to withdraw troops from the occupied territories
…

Once chief said to his subordinate: "You, of course, are a good guy,
but there is no place for good guys at our company!"

This funny story reminds me of the relationship between ex-Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan and incumbent president Sargsyan. It is
up to you to decide who is "the boss" and who is ‘the subordinate"
in this case.

Nominally, Sargsyan seems to be the boss. But in reality Kocharyan
may still remains the chief. The latter is no longer president and he
seems not to want to become president again (two presidential terms
harmed his health, which he is now vigorously treating at Moscow’s
fashionable bars and restaurants), but he is not in a hurry to leave
politics either.

We have already wrote about his frequent meetings with members of the
Iranian and Georgian governments. At these meetings, he has acted
on behalf of his government and made statements as his country’s
ex-president. Only opposition deputies who are extremely dissatisfied
with this the state of affairs outwardly react to this in Armenia.

Sargsyan’s team keeps silent or they seem to be silent. In fact,
they are edgy. They monitor, review and analyze any information
related to Kocharyan.

In fact, under such circumstances, one feels very sorry for Sargsyan.

On one hand, he faces pressure from the diaspora which adamantly
opposes the normalization of relations with Turkey. In order to
survive, he is forced to flirt with them. The Constitutional Court
decision on the Armenia-Turkey protocols can well be considered one
of the elements of this flirting.

The opposition led by Armenia’s first President Levon Ter-Petrosyan,
which enjoys significant support among voters, is also applying
pressure. It is pertinent to recall the radicals who occasionally
threaten the country’s president.

One would sympathize with Sargsyan if you add regular pressure by
Turkey and Azerbaijan, Russia and the West.

On top of it all, now he has one more headache – Kocharyan. The latter
is in no hurry to take action to regain the presidential chair, waiting
for the right moment. He has met with senior officials of other states,
irritating Sargsyan, and forcing him to stumble and make bad decisions.

Currently, Sargsyan is facing a difficult task. He must finally decide
on the ratification of the Armenian-Turkish protocols and make a
decision on Karabakh. The ratification and return of the occupied lands
will be the most sensible step, although Sargsyan will face pressure
in this case. It is possible that Kocharyan awaits exactly this.

On backdrop of this wave of discontent, he can break into the
Sargsyan’s office and overthrow him. Such a court coup does not
require people to take to streets and destroy the already miserable
window shops in supermarkets. In fact, Kocharyan will never be able to
lead the Armenian people again. He knows this very well. The Armenian
army, the higher ranks of which are held by people from Karabakh like
Sargsyan and Kocharyan, will have the final say.

Whether Sargsyan will allow to do the above-said with him is another
story. He is well aware that this scenario is quite possible and now
is trying to take countermeasures. Eight or nine ministers of the
current government are reported to be changed soon. Surely Sargsyan
will replace them with people more close to him. In parallel, he is
actively moving closer to current Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan,
another Karabakh resident, resulting in frequent joint public actions.

However, the most important aspect to preserve Sargsyan’s presidential
post is to explain his subordinates and citizens that withdrawal
from occupied Azerbaijani territories and establishing relations
with Turkey is inevitable. He risks not to be understood and even
overthrown, but chances to keep the post is great.

Sargsyan may also pursue a policy of delaying time. Believing that in
this case he will keep his presidential chair as long as possible,
he will probably be removed in a short time because nobody likes
half-hearted mumblers. In this case, Kocharyan has more chances
to return to power after which we can bid farewell to progress
in resolving Karabakh problem and normalization of relations with
Turkey…

As a result, as paradoxical as it may sound for Sargsyan, it becomes
apparent that the only way for him to retain his post is to leave
the occupied territories and to establish normal relations with
neighboring Turkey. In doing this, he would certainly encounter
tremendous pressure, but he can stand it if he properly explains the
benefits of these steps to the Armenian people.

But I do not think that ordinary citizens need any explanation. They
certainly suffer from Armenia’s current state more than anyone else
and understand the prospects of establishing relations with neighboring
countries …