Author: Nargizian David

IMF DISSATISFIED WITH ECONOMIC REFORM IN ARMENIA

ArmInfo
2010-04-09 15:43:00

ArmInfo. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is dissatisfied with
the economic reform rates in Armenia, IMF Resident Representative in
Armenia Guillermo Tolosa told media on Friday.

Unfortunately, he said, the rates of reforms in some sectors of
economy carried out by the government are lower than were expected
given the IMF’s support to the government. He said that tax collection
is still low in Armenia and there is need for better reforms in the
tax administration. G. Tolosa believes that control over big business
should be toughened. He said the IMF shares the concern of the Armenian
Prime Minsiter who has recently said that tax burden is laid on small
and medium-sized enterprises rather than big companies.

YEREVAN ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO COOPERATION WITH ODIHR

NOYAN TAPAN
APRIL 7, 2010
YEREVAN

Issues related to cooperation of Armenia and the OSCE Office for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the process of
democratic reforms in Armenia and the steps taken in this respect
were discussed during the April 6 meeting of Armenian Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian and Director of OSCE/ODIHR Zanez Lenarcic.

E. Nalbandian stated that Armenia attaches importance to cooperation
with OSCE/ODIHR and is ready to continue close cooperation.

The interlocutors discussed the ODIHR’s activities on improving the
electoral process and conducting observer missions, noting that the
discussion of received results and recommendations are useful for
making progress in this sphere.

According to the RA MFA Press and Information Department, E.

Nalbandian called J. Lenarcic’s attention to Azerbaijani propaganda
aimed at arousing hatred towards Armenians – in gross violation of
the OSCE standards.

AZERBAIJAN STATE COMMITTEE AND ICRC SPREAD INFORMATION ON REPATRIATION OF ONE AZERBAIJANI SOLDIER AND BODIES OF TWO CIVILIANS

APA
April 7 2010
Azerbaijan

Baku. Kamala Guliyeva – APA. An Azerbaijani soldier detained in
Yerevan, Armenia was today repatriated to the Nakhchivan Autonomous
Republic of Azerbaijan under the auspices of the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The operation took place on the road between the Armenian town of
Eraskhavan and the Azerbaijani town of Sadarak, APA reports.

"Acting as a neutral intermediary and in accordance with our mandate,
we facilitated the serviceman’s repatriation at the request of both
the Armenian and the Azerbaijani authorities," announced Nadya Kebir
Raoloson, head of the ICRC in Armenia. "Before the operation took
place, the detainee had confirmed to ICRC delegates that he was
returning of his own free will."

ICRC delegates had visited the soldier on several occasions prior to
his repatriation to assess his treatment and conditions of detention.

The organization had also made it possible for him and his relatives
in Azerbaijan to exchange family news throughout his detention.

On 3 April, the ICRC also facilitated the repatriation of the bodies
of two Azerbaijan civilians caught along the international border
separating Armenia and Azerbaijan. The bodies were repatriated from
Armenia to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan.

Working under the Geneva Conventions, the ICRC has been operating
in Armenia and Azerbaijan since 1992 in connection with the
Nagorny-Karabakh conflict.

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN SPEAKS AGAINST COMMISSION OF HISTORIANS

Yerkir
06.04.2010 13:15

Yerevan (Yerkir) – President Sargsyan speaks against commission of
historians in interview with German publication.

Der Spiegel: Referring to the 1915 happenings, Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in his interview with Der Spiegel that
‘the Genocide against Armenians is out of the question.’ Why your
neighboring nation can’t accept its past?

Serzh Sargsyan: Well, recently another statement has been made, that
‘Turks couldn’t commit Genocide, while the Turkish history is clear
and bright like the sun.’ Turks are against branding the 1915 massacres
as Genocide; however, this is not the issue to be solved by Ankara.

Der Spiegel: Erdogan now is even threatening to expel Armenians,
who illegally live in Turkey.

Serzh Sargsyan: Such kind of unacceptable statements remind us of
the Genocide. Unfortunately, I am not actually surprised that Turkish
officials make the statements of that kind.

Der Spiegel: What position should the international community show?

Serzh Sargsyan: It should respond to this; the U.S., Europe, Germany
and other countries, involved in Armenia-Turkey reconciliation should
respond and show their position in open daylight. If all the nations
recognized the 1915 Genocide, then neither statement by Turks would
have been made. However, protests by numerous youth activists against
the statement are encouraging. There is a new generation there,
whose opinion must be looked up to by the political authorities.

Der Spiegel: Turkey accuses you of strong position against the
commission of historians. Why are you against it?

Serzh Sargsyan: How the commission may work neutrally, if it is a
criminal case to use g-word in Turkey, and one can even be brought
to a trial for using Genocide-word. It’s is important to Ankara to
stretch the solution-making process; and when the governments of
certain nations are voting over the Resolution on Genocide, Turkey
may say – don’t be in the way; look, our historians are studying the
issue. The creation of the commission would mean the questioning the
Genocide. It is unacceptable.

Der Spiegel: Why the issue of recognition of the 1915 Genocide is so
important to Armenia now, after 95 years?

Serzh Sargsyan: This is an issue of historical justice and issue of
Armenia’s security; the best way to prevent such kind of crimes is
its clear condemnation.

Der Spiegel: You can see Ararat, symbol of Armenia, through your
cabinet’s window. The Ararat Mountain is now on Turkey’s territory;
Turkey is afraid of territorial claims and compensations. Do you want
to bring Ararat back?

Serzh Sargsyan: Ararat is in our hearts; in any Armenian’s house
anywhere in the world you’ll find a picture of Ararat, no one can take
it away. I believe that time will come when Ararat will be a symbol
of understanding between the two nations, not division. However, I’d
like to point out the following: neither Armenian government has ever
claimed for territories; Turks themselves are ascribing them to us.

Maybe, gilt?

Der Spiegel: Armenia’s borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan are closed;
Iran and Georgia are in some kind of complicated neighbors; isn’t it
a better way to break this isolation?

Serzh Sargsyan: We don’t link the issue of recognition of the Genocide
with borders’ opening. And is not our fault that the reconciliation
isn’t coming true.

Der Spiegel: Turkey wishes for linking the border’s opening with
settlement to the Karabakh conflict. Armenians fought in this inflicted
war on the territory that Azerbaijan claimed after USSR’s collapse.

Serzh Sargsyan: Turks want us to compromise. However, this is
impossible. Right to self-determination of the people of Nagorno
Karabakh is an issue of greatest importance. If Azerbaijan recognizes
independence of Nagorno Karabakh, then the issue can be solved in a few
hours. Unfortunately, up to now Azerbaijan claims Nagorno Karabakh;
while Karabakh’s joining to Azerbaijan means a certain deportation
of Armenians from Nagorno Karabakh, and this all just in a very
short period.

Der Spiegel: Do you have a solution to this?

Serzh Sargsyan: Why former Yugoslavia’s nations could receive the
independence? So why can’t Nagorno Karabakh practice the same right?

Is the reason – gas and oil resources of Azerbaijan and Turkey’s
patronage? We consider this to be unfair.

RECONCILIATION WITH ARMENIA TO ASSIST TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP: FULE

news.am
April 6 2010
Armenia

EU backs Armenia-Turkey Protocols ratification without preconditions
within a reasonable timeframe, said EU Commissioner for Enlargement
and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule at the April 6 joint
press conference with RA FM Edward Nalbandian.

According to him, EU assisted the relations’ normalization between
the two states and is ready to aid in solution to transboundary issues
after Protocols coming into force.

Fule emphasized that prospects of bilateral relations’ settlement will
aid Turkey’s membership to EU, as neighborly relations are critical
for EU joining process.

As reported earlier, Stefan Fule arrived today in Armenian on a
two-day visit to attend "Justice-New Challenges" forum and meet with
RA FM Edward Nalbandian, Justice Minister Gevorg Danielyan, Ombudsman
Armen Harutyunyan and CC Chairman Gagik Harutyunyan.

ARMENIAN ECONOMY ENTERED A STAGE OF RECOVERY, DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 6, 2010

YEREVAN, APRIL 6, NOYAN TAPAN. 3.1% economic growth was recorded
in Armenia in the first two months of 2010, which shows that the
country’s economy has entered a stage of recovery, Deputy Minister
of Finance Vardan Aramian stated during the April 5 press conference.

According to him, 1.3% economic growth was forecast by the end of the
year, it is likely that the growth will even exceed 1.3%. The deputy
minister explained that the state gave tax privileges to companies
importing new technologies and equipment, thanks to which imports
grew by million in the first two months of 2010 as compared with the
same period of last year, with equipment imports making up million
of that growth.

In the words of Deputy Chairman of the RA National Assembly Standing
Committee of Financial, Credit and Budget Affairs Artsvik Minasian
(ARF), there have been some positive tendencies, but one cannot say
that the crisis has been overcome. In the context of inflation control,
he pointed out the government programs on compensation of deposits
and raising social benefits and pensions as positive steps.

Nevertheless, he added, these steps do not fully deal with the problems
of vulnerable groups under conditions of the current inflation,
whereas these problems require complete solution.

A. Minasian said that the population does not see the results of the
work done by the government, the level of unemployment remains high,
people have lost their trust in the financial system, and the standard
of living is low.

The deputy minister of finance disagreed with the opinion that people
have lost trust in the financial system. "If that were the case,
people would see some risks and withdraw their deposits with banks. By
analysing the indices, we see that in 2009 deposits grew by over 30%
compared to 2008, which means that people have not lost their trust
in the financial system," V. Aramian said.

EMBASSY ROW: TURKEY SATISFIED
by By James Morrison

Washington Times
April 6 2010

The Turkish ambassador is returning to Washington this week, a month
after he was recalled to protest a congressional resolution on the
Armenian "genocide," and the prime minister is planning to attend a
White House summit on nuclear security next week.

Both moves are seen as signs of improvement in U.S.-Turkish relations,
as the battle on the domestic front over the House resolution falls
to Turkish- and Armenian-Americans.

"I will be going to the United States," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan told reporters in Ankara on Friday, as he announced his
decision to send Ambassador Namik Tan back to Washington.

Mr. Erdogan recalled the ambassador after the House Foreign Affairs
Committee approved the "Armenian Genocide Resolution" on a 23-22 vote
March 4. The prime minister warned of serious damage to U.S.-Turkish
relations if the full House endorsed the nonbinding resolution. He also
said he would not allow the ambassador to return until he was satisfied
that the measure will not come up for a floor vote in the House.

The resolution recognizes the killing of up to 1.5 million Armenians
during World War I as genocide and blames the old Ottoman Turkish
Empire for trying to wipe out the Armenian people. Turkey argues that
the resolution taints the modern Turkish republic with the actions
of the Ottoman regime and insists that the killings were the result
of civil war, not genocide.

In announcing his decision to send Mr. Tan back to Washington, the
prime minister hinted that he might bring up the Armenian resolution
in private talks with President Obama during the nuclear security
summit on April 12-13.

"The nuclear issue is not the only topic on the agenda," he said.

"There are many other issues to discuss. … We will make use of
this opportunity."

The struggle over the resolution on the domestic front is being waged
among organizations like the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA) and the Assembly of Turkish American Associations.

Mr. Obama angered Armenian-Americans last year when he avoided using
the word and broke a campaign promise to them. Many retaliated by
voting for Republican Scott Brown in the Massachusetts U.S. Senate
race, even though his Democratic opponent had called for U.S.

recognition of the Armenian genocide. Mr. Obama is now openly opposing
the House resolution.

ANCA has started a letter-writing campaign to Mr. Obama, expressing
"moral outrage" over his position.

0/apr/06/embassy-row-81310446/

ANC URGES FIDH TO RECOGNIZE PRESENCE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS IN ARMENIA

news.am
April 6 2010
Armenia

ANC rally participants appealed to delegates of International
Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) congress calling to officially
recognize presence of political prisoners in Armenia.

In its statement, ANC expresses hope that FIDH will adopt principal
stance and make statement demanding immediate release of 14 political
prisoners from RA authorities.

"Otherwise, the regular FIDH congress will assist the hiding of crimes
committed by Armenian authorities," the statement reads.

Former Yerevan Mayor Vahagn Khachatryan took the floor, criticizing
Armenian leadership for increasing utility rates and prices for
foodstuff, NEWS.am correspondent reports. Khachatryan also charged
the authorities with sitting on their hands in easing consequences
of price rise.

A DEFAUT D’UNE REPONSE D’ANKARA, EREVAN ANNULERA LES PROTOCOLES
par Jean Eckian

armenews
jeudi1er avril 2010

PROTOCOLES

Par Mehmet Alý Býrand

Invite par le Kultur Universitesi Siyasi Eðilimler Merkezi, je
suis alle a Erevan le week end passee. Il y avait parmi nous des
journalistes, des universitaires et des experts. Je me suis rendu a
une conference organisee en partenariat pas l’Ambassade Americaine,
ou USAID, et la Fondation Eurasia, ou EPF.

Avec d’importants experts d’Armenie, des ONG et des representants
des partis d’opposition et de gouvernement, nous avons parle des
protocoles pendant deux jours.

Lors d’un dîner restreint a la residence de l’Ambassadeur americain,
nous nous sommes rencontres avec l’adjoint au ministre des affaires
etrangères Arman Kirakossian qui a assiste depuis le debut a la
preparation des protocoles, le vice president de l’Assemblee et des
fonctionnaires de l’etat-major.

La chose la plus frappante a ete un expose presente par Viguen
Sarguissian que nous appellerons adjoint au Secretaire General
du President. Une personne extremement brillante et directe qui
represente les futures generations d’Armeniens et qui sait ce qu’il
veut. Il nous a tout dit de ses opinions.

Ces discussions etaient principalement tenues suivant les règles
Chatam House, ce qui veut dire que seules les vues sont retenues,
les noms ne sont pas donnes. Les series que vous lirez a partir de ce
jour seront le reflet de l’atmosphère a Erevan. Elles decriront les
derniers developpements, les raisons et la facon dont sont interpretees
les choses, dont ils s’y prennent et l’evolution de nos relations.

Vous pourriez vous demander pourquoi je donne priorite aux protocoles
armeniens alors que des questions constitutionnelles occupent l’agenda
en Turquie. La raison est simple. Je donne beaucoup d’importance a ces
protocoles. Je pense qu’il n’y a aucune autre manière intelligente de
sortir de l’impasse du genocide pour les deux pays. En particulier
parce que le 24 avril approche et que nous ne savons pas ce que le
Congrès Us et Barack Obama feront de la question du genocide. En plus
du fait que je pense que les relations a court et a long terme avec
les Americains, les menaces que fait courir le genocide sur l’image de
la Turquie dans le public international, et le futur de ces protocoles
sont de beaucoup plus vitaux que quelques questions internes steriles.

Le processus qui s’est termine par la signature des protocoles
a commence d’abord a Vienne en 1999 et a continue a Genève avec
l’arbitrage des Suisses. Depuis, les gouvernements turcs et armeniens
ont contribue a la finalisation des protocoles. Mais l’AKP a franchi
le dernier pas et pour la première fois en 100 ans les autorites
politiques de ces deux pays ont ete courageux, ont pris des risques
et signe le protocole qui comporte des bonnes solutions pour demeler
le noeud du genocide dans cette relation.

Le genocide sera gele, les relations developpees.

La question du genocide sera litteralement gelee et mis de côte. Cela
veut dire que les Armeniens garderont la meme attitude sur la question
du genocide et les Turcs continueront a nier le genocide.

Et maintenant, voici le moment où la beaute de la formule entre
en scène : tandis que l’opposition sur le genocide continue,
les relations vont se developper. C’est a dire que les relations
diplomatiques vont s’etablir, les frontières ouvertes, le commerce se
developper et a un stade ulterieur, des examens faits et une solution
trouvee sur la question du genocide. Mais cela n’a pas marche. La
rumeur a eclate a Bakou. Les Azerbaïdjanais ont eu des reactions
qu’ils n’avaient jamais eues auparavant. Ankara etait stupefaite de
ces reactions. Quand le premier ministre Erdogan se rendit a Bakou
toutes affaires cessantes et mis le processus a l’arret en expliquant,
sous le regard effrayant d’Aliyev, que les protocoles ne pouvaient
etre approuves que lorsque des progrès seraient faits au Karabagh,
ce qui veut dire la recuperation de une ou deux des regions occupees
par l’armee armenienne. Ce qui signifie que la Turquie a cree un lien
entre la realisation des protocoles et le developpement positif dans
les relations entre Armeniens et Azerbaïdjanais. D’un certain point
de vue, il a reconnu par ce fait un droit de veto aux Azerbaïdjanais
sur les relations turco-armeniennes.

Ce developpement a provoque certains grognements en Armenie. Selon les
Armeniens, il n’y avait pas de conditions sur le Karabagh. La Turquie
a change les règles en cours de jeu après que le jeu ait deja commence
en prenant le camp de l’Azerbaïdjan en ignorant sa propre signature.

Il a beaucoup indigne le President Sarkissian. Pire, le president a mis
en jeu sa carrière politique en montrant une attitude plus flexible que
celle des precedents presidents (acceptant la creation d’une commission
d’historiens, comme l’avait propose la Turquie) sur la question a
ce point vitale de la question du genocide pour les Armeniens. Il a
ete qualifie de traître quand il a signe les protocoles. A present,
accueillir parmi les Armeniens ceux qu’ils percoivent comme ennemis
jures, cela vaut rupture de contrat. Mais la partie turque soutient
que les Armeniens savaient implicitement que la question du Karabagh
a toujours ete opposee meme si elle ne figurait pas par ecrit.

Comme vous voyez, quelqu’un nous ment ou quelqu’un brouille les
cartes.Mais qui ?

Pour le determiner, j’ai d’abord parle au ministère des affaires
etrangères de Turquie, puis je suis venu a Erevan et j’irai finalement
en Azerbaïdjan. J’essaierai de trouver et trouverai celui qui a
brouille les cartes.

"La Turquie nous a decus. Les protocoles ont ete annules…"

Les questions qui m’ont ete posees dans ce pays de 3 millions
d’habitants quand j’y ai pose le pied peuvent se resumer de la facon
suivante :

Quand approuverez-vous les protocoles ?

Pourquoi n’avez-vous pas tenu parole, pourquoi nous avez-vous decus ?

Vous pouvez essayer et expliquer autant que vous le pouvez, il n’y a
aucun moyen qu’ils vous croient. De l’exterieur, il semble vraiment
que la Turquie a fait machine arrière et a essaye de truquer après
avoir signe les protocoles. Le gouvernement armenien a envoye ces
protocoles au Parlement et dit, "la Turquie nous a decus. Vous signez
d’abord et nous signerons après vous." A present, ils hesitent. Ils
disent que cela ne prendra pas longtemps. En particulier, la mention
d’Erdogan de la possibilite de deporter les Armeniens en situation
irregulière a fait l’effet d’une bombe. Le genocide et les deportations
ont ressurgi dans leur memoire.

Un officiel de niveau eleve armenien a prevenu : "l’attitude de votre
premier ministre est très claire. Il est resolu sur la question du
Karabagh. Il semble qu’il nous faudra attendre un referendum et des
elections generales ensuite." Il a continue en disant : "Nous ne
pourrons attendre aussi longtemps. D’un point de vue politique, on
ne peut se le permettre. Et de plus, cette periode d’attente devrait
rendre plus tendus les Azeris sur les negociations sur le Karabagh."

Obama est intervenu, Sarkissian negociera a Washington Alors que
va-t-il se passer ?

Erevan attend une reponse ecrite de la Turquie. Appliquera-t-il
ces protocoles sans prealable ou insistera-t-il sur la condition du
Karabagh ?

Le president Sarkissian sur l’invitation de Washington, rencontrera
le president Obama a la mi-avril. Il se joindra alors au sommet
nucleaire auquel Erdogan n’assistera pas pour montrer sa reprobation
au president Obama. Cette reunion influera sur les protocoles et sur
l’annonce d’Obama du 24 avril.

Un officiel du Parlement armenien a dit : "après cette reunion,
nous deciderons de la suite. Les protocoles ne peuvent attendre trop
longtemps au Parlement. Soit la Turquie fera un pas (approbation au
parlement ou declaration), ou nous demanderons que les protocoles
soient annules."

Ensuite, un officiel de niveau eleve de l’etat-major general a dit :
"si la Turque annonce qu’elle met les protocoles en attente pour des
raisons de politique interieure, nous nous satisferons de cela. Nous ne
les annulerons pas mais les mettrons egalement en attente nous aussi."

Comme vous le voyez, la situation est tout a fait critique. Je vous
dirai demain comment l’image de la Turquie est en train de changer
et la facon dont les reactions vives de notre premier ministre sont
percues ici. Les gens disent ici "il est impossible a vivre, mais
vivre sans lui est impossible."

NATURE PROTECTION MINISTRY IS SURE THAT FIGHTING POACHING IS ‘EFFECTIVE’

ArmInfo
2010-04-01 17:47:00

Arminfo. The cases of poaching at specially guarded territories
decreased over the last 2-3 years in Armenia, representative of
Armenian Nature Protection Ministry Aram Agayan said at today’s
press-conference.

He said, in particular, that no case of illegal hunting has
been registered in Khostov reservation. He also added that today
the relevant territories are guarded rather effectively, as the
conditions of the relevant services have been improved much, and
salary of employees of these services has been increased. He also
said that poaching cases has sharply decreased outside of the guarded
territories as well.

At the same time, as the head of WWF-Armenia Karen Manvelyan reiterated
many times, the poaching problem is still relevant today.

For instance, 1-2 leopards are killed by poachers in Armenia every
year. The WWF has been implementing the programme on protection
these animals since 2002, but they are still hunted outside the
guarded territories. Leopard is not the only ‘IUCN Red List’ victim
of poachers. Every year ecologists fix cases of hunting mouflons
and Persian wild goats. Incidentally, it is not for the first year
that local and international organizations are trying to draw the
attention of Armenian Nature Protection Ministry to the fact that
announcements are placed at various web sites about the hunt tours in
Armenia to hunt the animals involved in IUCN Red List, for instance –
, which openly invites to hunt mouflons
and Persian wild goats, which cost 7900 – 8900 EUR.