Author: Karagyozian Lena

AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTER: "ARMENIA IMPEDES THE PROCESS"

APA
May 14 2010
Azerbaijan

Baku. Viktoriya Dementyeva-APA. "I appreciate the position of Armenians
negatively. Because they are impeding the negotiations process",
said Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, APA reports.

The minister said that document was prepared by three co-chair
countries and that the sides had already been offered: "Within last
two years there are being conducted very deep, wide negotiations. The
Co-Chairs visit the region every year. There were held 9 meetings of
presidents. Azerbaijan accepts this document principally. We are ready
to prepare wide peace agreement on the basis of this document. But,
up to now, Armenia hasn’t answered exactly. That is why, unfortunately,
the work is impeding. And it is a very negative case".

The minister noted that he would meet with OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chairs within the framework of the event held on the occasion of
20th anniversary of the Venice Commission on June 5: "The Co-Chairs
conducted negotiations with Edward Nalbandyan in Brussels. They will
inform me about Armenian position".

ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROCESS AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SUPERPOWERS TO INFLUENCE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENTS
Anna Nazaryan

"Radiolur"
14.05.2010 14:42

"The Armenian-Turkish process is an opportunity for the superpowers
to influence the regional developments, and those relations cannot
develop more slowly than the superpowers expect," political scientist
Shushan Khatlamajyan told a press conference today, analyzing Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to Turkey.

To what extent will the Russian-Turkish rapprochement subordinate
Armenia’s interests? "When building relations with Turkey, Russia
will try not to create additional difficulties in the region from
the geopolitical point of view. Proceeding from this, I think Russia
will have to pursue a policy, create formats and build relations
that will not bring about tension and pose danger to Armenia,"
Shushan Khatlamajyan

KARABAKH SETTLEMENT INTERMEDIARIES TO MEET WITH AZERI MINISTER IN JUNE

Interfax
May 13 2010
Russia

The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen plan to meet with Azeri Foreign
Minister Elmar Mamedyarov in early June, says a report posted on the
OSCE website.

The meeting will focus on progress of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement
negotiations.

The cochairmen met with Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian
in Brussels on Wednesday.

OVERDUE CREDITS IN ARMENIAN COMMERCIAL BANKS PORTFOLIOS DROP TO 5%

ARKA
May 13, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, May 13, /ARKA/. The share of overdue credits in Armenian
commercial banks’ portfolios in the first quarter of 2010 dropped to
5%, down on 8%-10% late last year, Ararat Ghukasian, chairman of the
Union of Armenian Banks, said to a news conference today.

He said the volume of extended credits in the first three months of
the year rose by 7.42% from the beginning of the year or by 54 billion
Drams to 777 billion Drams. Compared to the first quarter of 2009 their
volume rose by 19.14%. Overall, some 150,000 credits were extended in
the first quarter of the year, the bulk of which were consumer credits.

According to figures, unveiled by Ghukasian, the banks earned a
total of 6. 8 billion Drams in profits in Q1, well up from the first
quarter of last year. Higher earnings were responsible for a total of
4.4 billion Drams of different taxes paid by the banks in the first
quarter, Ararat Ghukasian said.

Overall, the first quarter, was positive, Ghukasian said, citing
also a 5.36% rise in the volume of banks’ assets or 72 billion Drams,
which rose to 1.4 trillion Drams. The figure represents a 14% growth
if compared to the first quarter of 2009. According to him, the banks’
total capital grew by 3% from the beginning of the year.

On March 31 there were 31 commercial banks in Armenia with
389 branches. Their total capital stood at 295.2 billion Drams,
liabilities at 1.122 trillion Drams, and their aggregate credit
investments totaled 783.4 billion Drams. ($1- 389.47 Drams).

‘EU ENCOURAGES TURKEY, ARMENIA TO REMAIN COMMITTED TO NORMALIZATION PROCESS’

news.az
May 13 2010
Azerbaijan

Stefan Fule European Commission said Wednesday EU’s job was not
to judge history over Armenian allegations regarding the incidents
of 1915.

In response to a question asked by extreme right winger members of the
European Parliament whether or not EU recognized Armenian allegations,
EU’s enlargement commissioner Stefan Fule said EU’s job was not to
judge history. He said EU’s job was to maintain peace.

Fule said EU was a project aimed at peace, democracy, stability and
prosperity in the continent.

He said EU encourages Turkey and Armenia to remain committed to
normalization process, recalling that the Union called on the
two countries to ratify protocols in a reasonable time frame and
implement them.

In October 2009, Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols in Switzerland
to restore diplomatic ties and open their border.

Fule added that full normalization of Turkey-Armenia relations would
contribute to security, stability and cooperation in South Caucasus. He
said vision, courage and dialogue was needed to overcome past pains.

MINISTER NALBANDIAN MEETS THE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS IN BRUSSELS

Armradio.am
13.05.2010 11:30

Within the framework of the working visit to Brussels, the Foreign
Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, had a meeting with the
Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Bernard Fassier, Robert Bradtke
and Igor Popov, as well as the Personal Representative of the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office, Andrzej Kasprzyk.

The meeting covered issues related to bringing the positions of the
parties closer on the Madrid Proposals for settlement f the Karabakh
issue.

PRESENTATION OF APRIL ISSUE OF "EUROPE 2001" MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO ARMENIA HELD IN BULGARIA

ARMENPRESS
MAY 12, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 12, ARMENPRESS: The presentation of the April issue of
"Europe 2001" magazine dedicated to Armenia will be held May 10 in
the Culture Ministry of Bulgaria, published on the initiative of
the Armenian Embassy of Bulgaria within the frameworks of a festival
entitled "Cultural Days of Armenia in Bulgaria".

Armenian Foreign Affairs Ministry press service told Armenpress that
Armenian Ambassador to Bulgaria Sergey Manasaryan, Deputy Culture
Minister of Bulgaria Theodore Chobanov and editor-in-chief of "Europe
2001" magazine Mrs. Gencheva delivered speech at the presentation.

Ambassador Manasaryan expressed special gratitude to all the
departments and individuals with the support and direct participation
of which the magazine was published, affording to the reader an
opportunity of getting acquainted with the historical past of the
Armenian people, their cultural heritage, religion, traditions,
as well as with primary approaches and issues of foreign, home and
economic policy.

The Bulgarian Foreign Minister referring to Armenian-Bulgarian
friendship of many centuries added that the ties between Bulgaria and
Armenia are as ancient as the two peoples and a the Bulgarian-Armenian
community.

AZERBAIJANI EMBASSY IN RUSSIA COMMENTS ON STATEMENTS OF ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR

news.az
May 12 2010
Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijani embassy in Russia has released a statement due to
the speech of the Armenian provocateur ambassador.

The absurd statement of O.Yesayan released by Regnum on May 11 with
reference to the news service for the Armenian embassy in Moscow is
extremely surprising, according statement issued by the Azerbaijani
embassy in Russia.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly stated its adherence to the soonest peaceful
resolution of the conflict by way of talks with Armenia on all levels,
beginning from leadership to the wide community. However, it clearly
says that in case the talks are ineffective, it will preserve a
right to liberate its lands. No diplomat will ever doubt that the
protection of homeland is a sovereign right of a state as fixed in the
UN charter. The use of this right, appeals to the soonest deoccupation
of the Azerbaijani lands can never be viewed as bellicose. However,
probably, the said person experiences difficulty in understanding
this copy-book maxim.

The fact that Azerbaijan is taking an active part in the negotiation
process on the conflict settlement and the representatives of its
civil society, primarily intellectuals, in fact demonstrate readiness
for dialogue with the representatives of the Armenian community and
intellectuals demonstrates good will manifested by the Azerbaijani
side.

On May 10 Armenian ambassador in Russia Oleg Yesayan commented on
the statement of the Azerbaijani ambassador in Russia made during
his meeting with Azerbaijani veterans.

Yesayan said the following nonsense: "No diplomat, especially an
ambassador and a leader of the CIS humanitarian structure respecting
himself will ever make appeals to incite national enmity and war in a
friendly country, on the days of Victory gained by the joint efforts
of the veterans of the former USSR, even if he represents Azerbaijan,
the country where anti-Armenian hysteria has been made a state policy

L’ARMENIE AURAIT DONNE SON ACCORD POUR LA REMISE DE 5 REGIONS A L’AZERBAÏDJAN
par Stephane

armenews
mardi11 mai 2010
ARMENIE

La presse armenienne a repris la declaration d’Araz Azimov,
vice-Ministre azerbaïdjanais des AE, selon laquelle l’Armenie aurait
donne son accord pour la remise de 5 regions a l’Azerbaïdjan et avait
demande un delai de 2 semaines pour liberer Latchine et Kelbadjar. "
Le temps que l’Armenie avait demande est depasse " a declare hier
Novrouz Mammedov, conseiller diplomatique du President azerbaïdjanais.

" C’est un message adresse aux dirigeants des pays copresidents :
l’Azerbaïdjan a accepte leurs propositions et pour le règlement du
conflit, il faut exercer une pression sur l’Armenie ". Presentant
la position du MAE armenien sur cette question, Tigran Balayan,
porte-parole de l’AN, a declare que certains fonctionnaires azeris
mentent.

EVENTS DATED TO 65TH ANNIVERSARY OF VICTORY IN GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR AND 18TH ANNIVERSARY OF SHUSHI LIBERATION HELD IN ARGENTINA

NOYAN TAPAN
MAY 11, 2010
BUENOS AIRES

Events dated to the 65th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic
War and 18th anniversary of Shushi liberation were held on May 9 in
Buenos Aires on the initiative of the Embassy of RA in Argentina.

Leader of Armenian Apostolic Church Argentine Diocese, Archbishop
Gisak Muradian served Holy Litury and requiem in Buenos Aires St.

Gregory the Illuminator Mother Cathedral. Ambassador of RA to Argentina
Vladimir Karmirshalian addressed the event at the memorial for Artsakh
liberation struggle heroes.

The Ambassador in his speech drew parallels between Great Patriotic
War and Shushi victories noting that the heroic deed of thousands of
Armenians in the Great Patriotic War was an example in the struggle
for Nagorno Karabakh independence. V. Karmirshalian called on Armenians
of Argentina to be more consolidated around the Homeland for the sake
of Armenia’s and Artsakh’s prosperity and security.

According to the MFA press service, wreaths and flowers were laid
at the memorial for Artsakh heroes on behalf of Armenian Embassy and
communal structures.