Author: Karakhanian Suren

Results of 2009 activities of State Commission for Protection of
Economic Competition summarized

YEREVAN, JANUARY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. Summarizing the results of the
activities of the RA State Commission for the Protection of Economic
Competition in 2009, the commission chairman David Harutyunian said on
January 22 that considerable work was done last year. Besides, the
commission put forward a new legislative initiative, by which its
powers have been specified.

D. Harutyunian said the new legislative package envisages the
introduction of an institution of warning so as to warn in advance
economic entities to refrain from violations when the commission
considers such violations as possible.

Speaking about monitoring of food prices, D. Harutyunian said unlike
the previous years when the economic entities used to raise prices
before the New Year, no sharp rise in prices was recorded in late
2009. "This happened thanks to our commission’s efforts and a new
practice of economic entities which started to use a system of
discounts," the commission chairman stated.

As for the growth in prices of some foodstuffs, particularly
granulated sugar and butter, he said studies show that in the last
months of 2009 the prices of these products rose by 37% and 25%
respectively in Armenia as compared with January of the same year due
to a rise in international prices: the prices of granulated sugar and
butter rose by 90% and 58% respectively.

As regards the checks conducted in the drug market in November 2009,
according to D. Harutyunian, the commission is currently summarizing
the monitoring results. "We can say definitely that the prices of
drugs have not fluctuated over the last two months," he noted.

D. Harutyunian said that the RA Ministry of Healthcare has prepared a
legislative package on drugs, by which the prices of important drugs
included in the list shall be controlled by the state, while the
mechanisms will be indicated in a government decision. In his words,
in almost all the countries, prices of important drugs are regulated
by the state. By the way, Russia also started using this experience on
1 January 2010.

IN 2009 ARMENIAN UNEMPLOYMENT LEVEL INCREASES BY 0.8% TO 99.3 THOUSAND PEOPLE

ARKA
Jan 21, 2010

YEREVAN, January 21. /ARKA/. "As of December 31, 2009 Armenian
unemployment level was 7.1% or 99.3 thousand people which are by 0.8%
more than in the same period of 2008", said Sona Harutyunyan, Head of
State Employment Service of the Ministry of Social Welfare of Armenia
on Thursday to the journalists.

In 2009 the number of job seekers in Armenia exceeded 99.3 thousand
people from which more than 84.4 thousand got status of unemployed.

They are mainly women and about 21% – youth. The number of registered
work migrants was 1600. The main tasks of employment sphere are
quick search of vacancies, contact with employers and job search for
uncompetitive groups.

"We proposed to make amendments in the legislation which envisage
implementation of two new programs, including creation of opportunities
of professional education of rural youth, as well as creation of
working conditions for invalids", she said. During 2009 the number
of people who received consultations in regional and territorial
agencies was 33.4%, total number of which was more than 193 thousand
people. Number of people registered for job search increased by 58.6%
instead of envisaged 10% making more than 54.7 thousand.

Cooperation between employers and registered unemployed people through
state employment services was increased. In 2009, 9394 people found job
which is by 9.2% more than the envisaged indicators. 220 people found
jobs in the frames of six job fairs. As for unemployment benefits in
2009, 33.3 thousand people got benefits versus 21 thousand unemployed
in 2008.

"The program of unemployment benefits was implemented very
productively – 33.3 thousand people received benefits instead of 22
thousand. The government allocated additional 1.4 billion drams for
its implementation", said Harutyunyan. During 2009 for the payment of
unemployment benefits which is 18 thousand drams and is paid within 6
months, state budget allocated 4.6 billion drams instead of envisaged
3.5 billion drams.

"Because of crisis, increase of unemployment rates was expected in
Armenia but due to anti-crisis programs of the government and programs
in unemployment sphere the rates of unemployment was only 0.8% (ratio
of unemployed to job finders) and absolute growth of unemployment made
10% or about 10 thousand people compared with 2008", she said.

TURKEY’S STATEMENTS ARE ABSURD, NALBANDIAN SAYS

Aysor
Jan 22 2010
Armenia

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said statements by
Turkey, that Armenia fastens down the process of ratification for
Armenia-Turkey protocols, are absurd.

"Turkey’s statements that Armenian side has changed protocols, and
that Armenian Constitutional Court’s decision takes in preconditions
and is contrary to the basic rules and objectives of the protocols,
are absurd and false," said Edward Nalbandian at the press conference.

"If Turkey wouldn’t be ready to ratify protocols, and if it would
continue setting ultimatums, preconditions and setting back the
process, then I do not exclude the talks can fail. Although I don’t
like to make prognosis, but everything is possible," said minister.

"I hope Turkey will not impose far-fetched causes. I don’t think the
international community will understand Turkey’s attempts to blame
Armenian side for failure.

"Armenia is loyal to rule of the protocols, and is ready to continue
the process. We hope, Turkey will remain loyal to protocols’ rule,
obligations and will ratify the protocols without preconditions,"
said Edward Nalbandian.

Foreign Minister pointed out that the process of ratification for
protocols has been taking its natural way, while in Turkey neither
progress has been registered since October.

RUSSIA’S ONLY LINK IS PARTICIPATION IN PROTOCOLS’ SIGNING CEREMONY: LAVROV

news.am
Jan 22 2010
Armenia

Russia’s participation in the Armenia-Turkey reconciliation was
limited to its joining the signing ceremony in Zurich along with
U.S. and French colleagues at request of the parties, RF Foreign
Minister Sergey Lavrov said at the Jan.22 press conference.

He underlined that the process was launched by the two states "without
any outside interference."

"We stand for Armenia-Turkey rapprochement, opposing any artificial
linkage with other processes. We are drawn to Armenia-Turkey relations’
normalization, as well as early Karabakh conflict settlement in the
interests of Armenian and Azerbaijani people," Lavrov stated.

According to him, both issues are complex, thus all parties involved
should be weighted and rest on arrangements agreed previously.

"Russia will assist in every possible way, however not everything
depends on us. First it depends on the states directly involved
both in Armenia-Turkey reconciliation and Karabakh peace process,"
FM concluded.

AZERBAIJAN CARRIED OUT POLICY ON ARMENIANS’ DEPORTATION: MOVSISYAN

news.am
Jan 19 2010
Armenia

Azerbaijanis perpetrated massacres and deports of Armenians in three
stages in 20th century. The period was put in January 1990, RA Public
Council member Vladimir Movsisyan stated at the Jan. 19 seminar at
the RA National Academy of Sciences (NAS).

According to him, Azerbaijan’s policy was carried out in two strands.

All was done for deportation of Armenians from Azerbaijan with
parallel increase of Azerbaijani ethnic presence in Armenia. Movsisyan
underlined that 368 000 Armenians were deported from Azerbaijan in
1988-1990 years, whereas 168 000 Azerbaijanis left Armenia.

The Director of Institute of History at the RA NAS Ashot Melkonyan
underlined that exhilarated of success Armenian side buried in
oblivion conveying the truth about Armenian Genocide to international
community. Azerbaijan neglected no minute to take advantage of this
fact, misleading into the developments occurred.

THREE NIZHNY NOVGOROD STUDENTS ACCUSED OF MURDERS, ATTACKS ON ARMENIANS, AZERIS

Interfax
Jan 19 2010
Russia

Three young men in Nizhny Novgorod stand accused of committing very
serious extremist crimes.

"The three university students attacked non-Slav looking people, among
them people of Armenian and Azeri ethnicity, and members of the youth
movement Antifa, between March 2008 and April 2009," Andrei Yalin,
the head of the regional investigation department for severe crimes,
said at a press briefing on Monday.

"The charges of four premeditated murders, nine attempted murders, two
attacks, two acts of hooliganism, one robbery and illegal possession
of explosives have been proven," Yalin said.

All three dealt with each other exclusively through the Internet,
visiting National-Socialist websites, he said.

EDWARD NALBANDIAN: ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES WILL NEVER SCHEME ANYTHING BEHIND PEOPLE’S BACK

news.am
Jan 18 2010
Armenia

"The verdict returned by the Constitutional Court is in harmony with
the statements made by the Armenian President both in the country
and during his pan-Armenian tour and in his message on October 10,"
RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian stated in his interview with
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Responding to a question as to whether he is ware of Turkey’s attempts
to delay the ratification of the Armenian-Turkish protocols until
this April or even further, Nalbandian said: "This is a most primitive
approach. I do not think it can be said so – until April or later. I
think that the Turkish side is well aware that the April 2010 is not
the last April in this world."

Commenting on Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s statement that most
active, but secret diplomatic work is being carried out with Armenia,
and Russia, being a pivotal state, is involved in the process as well,
and that something is being prepared behind the scenes, Nalbandian
said: "If, considering these statements, anyone thinks that anything
is being schemed against us, I can state with confidence that the
Armenian authorities will never scheme anything behind the people’s
back. We say the facts – we have been doing it since the process
was launched and will do it in future. With the Turkish leaders we
discussed only the issues of Armenian-Turkish relations. No other
issues are on the agenda."

Speaking of the point on an Armenian-Turkish subcommittee of historians
viewed by many as an attempt to challenge the fact of the Armenian
Genocide, Minister Nalbandian said: "Armenia has never challenged the
Armenians Genocide and the importance of its international recognition
nor will it ever do so. Some persons must have failed to notice those
statements. They must also have failed to notice the statements that
the subcommittee will deal with re-establishing mutual understanding
and confidence between the two nations. They must have failed to
notice my statement about the efforts to get the Armenian Genocide
recognized by the U.S. Congress."

As regards a statement by Speaker of the RA Parliament Hovik
Abrahamyan that Armenia will take steps unless Turkey ratified the
Armenian-Turkish protocols within a reasonable time frame and whether
Armenia may pull out from the negotiations, Minister Nalbandian said:
"If we believe the statements made by the opponents, Turkey should
have ratified the protocols immediately. It is obvious that it was we
that launched, carried out the process and reached agreements and that
the process is without any preconditions. If any preconditions had
existed, we would not have launched the process or reached agreements.

At present the Turkish Premier says the protocols do not contain
any preconditions, and suddenly adds that some preconditions may be
behind the scenes, under the table or behind the back. The Russian
leaders recently gave an excellent response to them. The U.S. leaders
responded as well. France responded too. All the sides’ approaches
are obvious and similar. Remember the statement by the U.N. Secretary
General, EU top officials stated the same. If one of the sides delays,
it means it assumes the full responsibility if the process fails."

Minister also addressed the risks the reopening of the Armenian-Turkish
border may pose, as well as the consequences. "This is all the states
normally practice in their relations with other states by means
of customs, tax, economic, and other means of ensuring security,"
Nalbandian said.

Trend, Azerbaijan
Jan 14 2010

International community is aware of inadmissibility of status quo in
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: Azerbaijani FM

Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 14 / Trend News M.Aliyev /

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry characterized 2009 as a year of
intensive negotiations to settle the Armenian-Azerbaijani
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The fact that the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan held six
meetings with the participation of the OSCE Minsk Group a year, as
well as several meetings of foreign ministers of both countries
testify to this, the ministry’s report on the results of 2009 says.

The Foreign Ministry noted that the international community’s immense
interest toward settling this conflict in 2009. Thus, the G-8 Summit
in the Italian L’Aquila city adopted a joint statement by the
presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs over the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict and the foreign ministers of Russia and France and the U.S
Assistant Secretary of State adopted a joint statement on the
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement Dec.1 as a
result of the Athens meeting of the OSCE Council of Foreign Ministers.
All these are evident to immense attention to solving the conflict,
the report says.

Azerbaijan’s position on its resolution is clear. The conflict must be
resolved only within the framework of the sovereignty, territorial
integrity and internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan. This
position is based on the norms and principles of international law and
U.N. charters, the Helsinki Final Act and numerous international
papers adopted within the framework of the conflict settlement, the
report says.

Negotiations on settlement of the conflict are directed at the
harmonization of details coming from these principles, the ministry
notes.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are
currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. General Assembly’s
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the
occupied territories.

ARMENIA SENDS RESCUERS TO QUAKE-HIT HAITI
Alex DerAlexanian

Asbarez
Jan 14th, 2010

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)-Armenia is sending a 52-strong rescue team to Haiti
to join in the unfolding international relief effort in the Caribbean
nation devastated by a catastrophic earthquake, a government official
said on Thursday.

"The government of the Republic of Armenia has decided to provide
assistance to Haiti, and on the order of the minister of emergency
situations, a rescue team from the Armenian Rescue Service are now
preparing to leave for Haiti," Nikolay Grigorian, a spokesman for
the service, was quoted by RFE/RL as saying.

"Our rescuers will fly to Moscow today and proceed, on a Russian
Emergency Situations Ministry plane, to Haiti where they will take part
in search and rescue operations," Grigorian said. The Armenian rescuers
will have search dogs and special equipment used in such operations, he
said, adding that they will likely stay in Haiti for at least six days.

"The bitter truth is that people are happy even with the discovery
of dead bodies. So it is very important for them to find their loved
ones dead or alive," added the official.

Tens of thousands of people are feared dead and many more believed to
be still trapped alive in the rubble of the 7.0 magnitude quake that
hit Haiti’s capital on Tuesday. News reports from Port-au-Prince
spoke of people crying out from the rubble and others clawing at
chunks of concrete with bare hands and battering at slabs of debris
with sledgehammers to try to free those buried alive.

The first rescue teams from around the world reportedly arrived in
Haiti on Thursday. "Having felt all this on our skin, we could not
have stayed away from the international relief and rescue effort,"
Grigorian said referring to the massive international aid that poured
into Armenia following a similarly devastating earthquake that razed
the country’s northern regions in December 1988.

"AMERICA’S WARDS: ORPHAN SURVIVORS OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AND THE ORIGINS OF AMERICAN HUMANITARIAN EXCEPTIONALISM (1920-1925)"
Keith David Watenpaugh: Associate Professor, Religious Studies University of California, Davis

Eleanor Roosevelt College (ERC)
Room 115, UC San Diego
Thursday, January 14, 2010

To register, email [email protected]

Drawn from his forthcoming work, "Bread from Stones: The Middle
East and the Making of Modern Humanitarianism," this talk traces the
emergence of a self-defined exceptional American role in assisting
the peoples of the post-WWI Middle East by focusing on the work of
Near East Relief on behalf of Armenian Genocide survivor orphans. This
role was built upon the assertion of the non-colonialist and altruistic
nature of the American involvement in the Middle East and a belief in
the unique ability of Americans to transfer Progressive Era reform to
that region. Not only did American Humanitarian Exceptionalism shape
the specific modes and characteristics of relief projects at the
time, but also influenced broader attitudes and ideas about Middle
Eastern peoples and Islam in the United States, and in the Middle
East the multiple perceptions of America, Americans and its programs
for assistance and development. Likewise, the persisting reach of this
exceptionalism affected the future direction of American relief in the
region and continues to influence decisions about aid and intervention.

Keith David Watenpaugh is Associate Professor of Modern Islam,
Human Rights and Peace at the University of California, Davis. He
is author of Being Modern in the Middle East (Princeton, 2006), and
most recently was a Jennings Randolph Senior Fellow in International
Peace at the U.S. Institute for Peace. His work has appeared or will
appear in the American Historical Review, the International Journal
of Middle East Studies, and Social History, and has been translated
into Arabic, Persian, German and French. He currently serves on the
editorial board of the International Journal of Middle East Studies.