Author: Nahapetian Lilit

TURKISH COMPANY NEGOTIATES WITH THE GOVERNMENT TO DELIVER ARMENIAN ELECTRIC POWER TO LOCAL MARKET

ArmInfo
2008-12-22 14:25:00

Armenia has made a contract with Belgian company ‘Unit International’
a contract on delivery of 3 bln kWt/h electric power in 2009, director
general of CJSC ‘Highvoltage electric power lines’ Sahak Abrahamyan
said to ArmInfo correspondent.

He also added at present the company is settling problems with the
government of Turkey. At the beginning of 2009 additional talks
on electric power volumes and regimes will be held with ‘Unit
International’, which has Belgian roots. As for the Armenian party,
he said there is no problem connected with the situation in energy
system, and it is ready to electric power delivery. As for the Turkish
party, certain work should be held there to make mutual electric
power regimes in line with each other.

EUROPEAN COUNCIL GIVES ULTIMATE WARNING TO ANKARA

_and_World_News/13187
December 18, 2008

The General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAEC) of the
European Union adopted its annual conclusions on December 9 regarding
the Enlargement Policy. In these conclusions which insist on the
"fair and rigorous conditionality" and on the "reference criteria"
taking into consideration the "essential issues relating to the Rule
of law and good governance", a whole chapter is dedicated to Turkey.

This chapter is more critical than ever before, and it appears as an
ultimate warning sent to Ankara because of its lack of progress. Thus,
while greeting "the active and constructive role played by Turkey
through its diplomatic initiatives in the South Caucasus and in the
Middle East" and while being satisfied "that a serious political
crisis was able to be averted in the summer 2008", the Council "is
disappointed to note that over the year just passed Turkey has made
only limited progress, particularly as regards political reforms".

According to the Council, "Turkey still have to make substantial
efforts continued judicial reform, establishing an anti-corruption
strategy, effective protection of citizens’ rights, full implementation
of the policy of zero tolerance of torture and ill-treatment, ensuring
freedom of expression and of religion in law and in practice for
all religious communities, respect for property rights, respect for
and protection of minorities and strengthening of cultural rights,
women’s rights, children’s rights and trade union rights, and the
civilian authorities’ control of the military".

"This list of breaches is too long for a State which is in
the negotiating process and which is supposed to have already
fulfilled all of the political criteria" declared Hilda Tchoboian,
the chairperson of the European Armenian Federation. "It betrays
the Council’s opinion, expressed diplomatically, that the Turkish
application is not credible", she continued.

Regarding the Cypriot question and the implicit recognition of Cyprus
through implementation of the Additional Protocol, the Council "regrets
Turkey has not yet fulfilled its obligation of full non-discriminatory
implementation of the Additional Protocol to the Association Agreement
and has not made progress towards normalisation of its relations
with the Republic of Cyprus" and informs Ankara that "progress is
now urgently awaited."

"It is normal that the European Union can no longer tolerate that a
candidate country occupies militarily a Member State and refuses to
recognize it, even implicitly", added Tchoboian.

In addition, regarding the relations with Erevan, the Council
"encourages the incipient rapprochement with Armenia".

"A sincere rapprochement impli es the end of the Turkish blockade of
Armenia and the recognition of the Armenian genocide as demanded by
the Turkish, Armenian and European civil societies" declared Hilda
Tchoboian.

TURKISH MP FROM OPPOSITION CLAIMS THAT ABDULLAH GUL’S MOTHER IS ARMENIAN

Azeri Press Agency
Dec 18 2008
Azerbaijan

Ankara – APA. Armenian apology campaign launched by a group of
scientists, writers, artists, journalists and representatives of
nongovernmental organizations was discussed at the meeting of Foreign
Relations Commission of Turkish parliament on December 17.

APA reports quoting Turkish media that parliamentarians from opposition
parties Republican People’s Party (CHP) and National Movement Party
(MHP) offered to make a statement condemning the persons supporting the
campaign. Pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) objected to it.

Following the discussions, decision was made on the parliamentarians’
condemning the apology campaign by collecting signatures
individually. Member of MHP, parliamentarian Janan Aritman called
the organizers of the campaign betrayers.

"The false scientists signing it should apology to Turkey," he said.

Aritman also criticized President Abdullah Gul’s attitude towards
the campaign. Saying that Abdullah Gul was encouraged by his visit
to Armenia, Aritman dropped a hint that the president’s mother was
Armenian.

"We see that the president supports this campaign. Abdullah Gul should
be the president of the whole Turkish nation, not of his ethnic
origin. Investigate the ethnic origin of the president’s mother,
and you will see," he said.

Some claim in Turkey that Abdullah Gul’s mother was born to an
Armenian-origin family from Kayseri and father was an Arab moved
to Kayseri.

TURKISH REPUBLIC RATHER THAN TURKISH INTELLIGENTSIA OUGHT TO APOLOGIZE TO ARMENIANS
Karine Ter-Sahakyan

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.12.2008 GMT+04:00

Besides the quests of national identity there is also an internal
struggle going on in Turkey for future of the country that has fallen
into the clutches of Kemalism and can in no way get out of them.

The quests of national identity led Turkish intellectuals to an,
at first glance, highly unexpected action. For the last few days
the entire world press has been exclusively writing about confessing
"butchers", remorse, duty before your offspring – in a word, about
anything with reference to Turkey. Such burst of interest towards the
Turkish nation could also be observed 2 years ago, when Hrant Dink
was assassinated in Istanbul. People then carried placards saying
"We are all Hrant Dink", "We are all Armenians". And now Turkish
intellectuals call for apology to Armenians for the killings in the
Ottoman Empire in the years of the World War I.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ However, as always, the word "genocide" is not
uttered. On the one hand, the movement "Armenians, forgive us"
is, logically, aimed at touching the most sensitive cords of the
Armenian nation, who might unexpectedly accept the apology as if
nothing had happened. On the other hand, the appeal to apologize to
Armenians is highly criticized by not only nationalists, which was
quite predictable, but also by a part of the society who consider
such kind of statements to be halved. "It is a good starting
point, but not enough. Firstly, what do they mean by saying ‘Great
Catastrophe’? Let’s name it. It is genocide. Secondly, the state has
to apologize," said Aytekin Yildiz, Coordinator of the Confrontation
Association. However, in its confession the Turkish nation cannot
be considered to have reached the point of calling a spade a spade
until Article 301 of the Criminal Code of Turkey is revoked. Under
the present circumstances any of those more than 5000 signatories
can be taken to court ant moment. By the way, it is exactly what the
retired diplomats suggest now.

Ex-ambassadors severely criticized the internet campaign of public
apology to Armenians for the events of 1915 and consider that Turkish
intelligentsia should not apologize to the Armenian nation for the
Genocide. The diplomats issued Monday a statement in which they
characterized the campaign as "unfair, wrong and unfavorable for
national interests." According to the Hurriyet Daily News about 60
retired ambassadors and diplomats signed under the statement. "Such an
incorrect and one-sided attempt would mean disrespecting our history
and betraying our people who lost their lives in the violent attacks
of the terror organizations in the final days of the Ottoman Empire,
as well as during the formation of the Republic," says the statement
signed by Sukru Elekdag and Onur Oymen. Authors of the statement also
remind that Armenia has rejected Turkey’s suggestion on forming a
commission of historians to investigate the events of 1915.

The diplomats’ letter, as well as the nationalists’ threats to punish
the intelligentsia representatives, in our opinion, suggest that the
Government does not intend apologize. Besides the quests of national
identity there is also an internal struggle going on in Turkey for
future of the country that has fallen into the clutches of Kemalism
and can in no way get out of them. Even the Islamist party of Gul and
Erdogan is still unable to outweigh the influence of the Joint Staff
on the country’s policy. Prime-Minister Erdogan is a pragmatic and he
perfectly realizes where the military will finally lead Turkey to,
but he is still unable to stand against them. Thereupon, the online
petition of the intellectuals may play a great role. According to
Antonio Ferrari, Journalist of the Corriere della Sera and author of
an article about the online petition of the Turkish intellectuals,
Prime-Minister Erdogan and President Gul’s silence on the apology
campaign can be regarded as their interest in the initiative, directed
to intimacy between Turkey and Armenia.

The only "oddity" in all this story is that the petition has not
been signed by Orhan Pamuk, Taner Akcam, Elif Safak, Ragip Zarakolu –
those who for publicly mentioning the Armenian Genocide were brought
to trial under Article 301 and were forced to leave Turkey.

CASES DISMISSED

A1+
[06:03 pm] 17 December, 2008

The head of the special investigation group looking into the March
1-2 events, Vahagn Harutiunyan, stated December 17 that the criminal
proceedings against the Leader of the Republic Party, Aram Sargsyan,
Leader of the All-Armenian Movement Ararat Zurabyan, ex deputy
Speaker of the National Assembly Karapet Rubinyan and ex deputy
head of the National Security Service Gurgen Yeghiazaryan has been
suspended. Vahagn Harutiunyan added the reason for the dismissal is
the lack of evidence.

MEMBER OF COALITION CRITICIZES OFFICE CARS AT THE EXPENSE OF TAXPAYERS

Lragir.am
17:57:00 – 16/12/2008

Is it expedient to buy a new car worth over one hundred thousand
dollars for the Central Bank’s president considering the global
economic crisis and its impact on Armenia? The reporters asked this
question to Member of Parliament Vardan Bostanjyan, Bargavach Hayastan,
economist, who was hosted at the Hayeli press club on December 16.

Bostanjyan condemns the officials of the small country with
great social problems who ride in cars bought at the expense of
taxpayers. Bostanjyan said it is necessary to avoid luxury when there
are so many problems in the country. The reporters asked Bostanjyan why
in that case he does not come up with a legislative initiative. Vardan
Bostanjyan said he is not that ingenuous and he is the author of some
"magistrate laws". Perhaps the member of parliament means that making
laws about office cars is not his caliber.

ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN ECONOMIC FORUM TO BE CONDUCTED

Panorama.am
18:07 11/12/2008

In the beginning of 2009 an economic forum will be conducted in Armenia
which is organized by Chambers of Commerce of Armenia and Russia,
said Alexander Zaitsev, the representative of Chamber of Commerce of
Russia. According to him it is the first time such forum is organized
where Armenian and Russian businessmen are included.

The format of the forum is not yet defined, hence active negotiations
are being conducted in this regard.

NKR PRESIDENT RECEIVED ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA

Azat Artsakh Daily
12 Dec 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR

On 9 December NKR President Bako Sahakyan received attorney general
of the Republic of Armenia Aghvan Hovsepyan. A wide range of issue
related to cooperation between the two Armenian states in legal sphere
as well as to the reforms being carried out in the appropriate sphere
of the republic.

The Head of the State considered important signing of a cooperation
agreement between the offices of public prosecutor of the Republic
of Armenia and the Nagorno Karabagh Republic calling it a solid basis
for further development of interrelations between the two structures.
Head of the Office of the NKR President, secretary of the Security
Council Marat Mousayelyan, NKR attorney general Arshavir Gharamyan
and other partook at the meeting.

FIRST AGRICULTURAL MARKET INFORMATION SYSTEM DEVELOPS IN ARMENIA

armradio.am
12.12.2008 17:49

The first market information system in Armenia, funded by Water
to Market (WtM) Activity of the Millennium Challenge Account –
Armenia, will be launched on December 17, 2008. The international
best practices of the system, its need for Armenia and the use of the
system will be presented during the launch. States officials, farmers,
representatives of agricultural associations, banks, producers and
processing companies, local and international organizations will be
present at the launch event.

Mr. Ara Hovsepyan, the Executive Director of the Millennium Challenge
Account – Armenia and Mr. Richard Hurelbrink, Country Director of
ACDI/VOCA and Team Leader of WtM Activity will make welcoming speeches.

"The objective of the market information system is to provide market
prices of fruit and vegetables to farmers, representatives of all
segments of production and marketing chain. Well-analyzed market
information enables farmers to make planting decisions, including
those related to new crops," says Mr. Hurelbrink. The system will be
disseminating information through its web site and SMS (short message
service). It will enable farmers to negotiate with traders from a
position of greater strength. The system will be useful not only for
the farmers but also for representatives of various industry sectors
such as processors, wholesalers, retailers, ho tels and restaurants,
and all others who are interested in receiving accurate information and
market dynamics. The system may also provide information on quality,
postharvest technologies and industry innovations through its website.

ARMENIAN, RUSSIAN SECURITY COUNCILS SIGN COOPERATION PLAN

Interfax
Dec 9 2008
Russia

Armenian National Security Council Secretary Artur Bagdasarian
and Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev signed a
cooperation plan for 2009 in Yerevan on Tuesday.

"This is the first time the Armenian and Russian Security Councils
have signed such a plan. In doing so, we are declaring our intention
to develop close cooperation," Bagdasarian told journalists.

"This plan will provide a legal basis for our cooperation, which
would add a new impetus to our relations in moving toward the goals
mentioned in this document," Bagdasarian said.

Patrushev said in response that Russia and Armenia are strategic
partners.

"The agreement will put strategic cooperation between our countries
on a planned basis. This includes the development of common positions
and consultations on a number of issues. In addition, the experts’
work will make it possible to analyze information and make forecasts
in the future," Patrushev said.