Author: Navasardian Karapet

EDITORIAL: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY IN THE CIS

Who’s Who Legal
Jan 15 2010

Our research identifies 34 outstanding intellectual property lawyers.

Baker & McKenzie has three lawyers listed. In Azerbaijan Gunduz
Karimov is "brilliant" while in Moscow Denis Khabarov practises in IP
enforcement, arbitration and litigation. Eugene Arievich is "one of
the best" and heads the CIS IP practice group in Russia specialising in
litigation and enforcement in trademark, patent and copyright matters.

Elena Beliaeva, Nina Vasilieva & Partners Ltd is represented in this
chapter by three lawyers in Minsk. Ludmila Sapega is "certainly
a leader" and Nina Vasilieva provides "highly reputable" counsel
with over 30 years of experience in IP. Serj Beliaev is also highly
regarded.

Our research identifies a further seven leading lawyers in Russia. At
Nikiforov Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners, Ilya Nikiforov
"deserves inclusion" on our list. Ekaterina Tilling from Goltsblat
BLP is a dispute resolution expert successfully representing clients
in patent, trademark and copyright protection disputes. She is also
the deputy chairperson of the IP subcommittee of the association of
European businesses in Russia. At Salans, Denis Voevodin is head
of the IP practice in Moscow and has been involved in a number of
trademark and copyright litigation matters including anti-counterfeit
activity. The "fantastic" Vladimir Biriulin at Gorodissky & Partners
litigates and advises clients on a range of matters including Russian
and foreign IP legislation, international IP treaties, technology
transfer and licensing, unfair competition, and copyright. The "very
intelligent" Julianna Tabastajewa from Hogan & Hartson LLP represents
major Russian and international companies in highly complex copyright,
trademark patent, and domain disputes. From Innotec Tatyana Vakhnina
is a "great lawyer", while at Lovells LLP Natalia Gulyaeva heads the
firm’s IP, media and technology practice in Russia.

In Ukraine Pakharenko & Partners has two lawyers listed: Oleksandr
Pakharenko is a "fine lawyer" and Antonina Pakharenko is "fantastic".

Igor Darmogray at Arzinger is highly regarded, while managing partner
Michael Doubinsky at Doubinsky and Osharova provides "outstanding"
counsel. Founding partner and director Dmitri Grischenko of Grischenko
& Partners has extensive experience and Sergei Sozanovsky of Konnov &
Sozanovsky is a "very talented" lawyer. Taras Kyslyy at Magisters is
also recommended.

In Armenia David Sargsyan from Ameria Legal Practice is a "first rate"
lawyer. At R Kalashyan & Partners LLC, the director Ruben Kalashyan
is a "pioneer" and has been involved in the establishment of the
Armenian Patent Office, drafting national legislation on IP rights
and the accession of the country to the World Trade Organization.

Two lawyers based in Kazakhstan are listed. The "very established"
Tolesh Kaudyrov heads the IP department at Grata Law Firm and
previously served as head of the National Patent Office of Kazakhstan.

>>From McGuireWoods LLP Yuri Bolotov has 14 years of experience
advising and litigating for major international corporations on
the prosecution and enforcement of trademarks, patents, inventions,
utility models and industrial designs and copyrights.

>>From Belarus we list four further lawyers. At PAG-EPAG Alexander
Muraviev is "one of the best" while Sergey Vinogradov is a "first rate"
lawyer. At Magisters Dennis Turovets has extensive experience in the
registration and protection of intellectual property rights in Belarus
while Tatiana Emelianova at Vlasova Mikhel & Partners is "superb".

In Azerbaijan, MGB Law Offices has two lawyers listed. Aygun
Janmammadov is a "highly respectable" lawyer while Ismail Askerov
provides "expert counsel" on local matters. At Salans Ophelia
Abdullayeva is an "expert" and she assisted the world’s third-largest
international tobacco company with trademark registration and
protection of IP in Azerbaijan.

Kalikova & Associates has two lawyers listed in Kyrgysztan. Aisulu
Chubarova is a "highly knowledgeable" lawyer while Omurgul Balpanova
is a "star".

In Moldova, Alexei Buruiana of Buruiana & Partners represents
clients from the oil, gas and energy, telecommunications and banking
industries.

ews/analysis/article/19725/editorial-intellectual- property-cis/

CENTRAL BANK OF ARMENIA REGISTERS NEW REGIONAL BRANCH OF ACBA-CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK

ArmInfo
2010-01-13 12:56:00

ArmInfo. A regional branch of ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank, "Maralik",
has been registered by December 30, 2009, decision of the Armenian
Central Bank Chairman, CB press service told ArmInfo.

To note, as of October 1, 2009, ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank had total
of 35 branches, the major part of which is located in the regions –
30 branches, and the rest 5 – in Yerevan. The bank holds the third
place, among the currently operating 22 commercial banks of Armenia,
by the range of branch network. The bank assets as of November 1 made
up 148.8 bln drams (1st position), credit portfolio – 86.2 bln drams
(1st position), total capital – 29.2 bln drams (1st position). The bank
shareholders as of this date are as follows: the biggest European bank
group Credit Agricole – 16%, SJSC Sacam International – 12,44% (member
of Credit Agricole S.A. group), Armavir Farmers Mutual Aid Association
(FMAA) – 14,08%, Ararat FMAA – 12,28%, Aragatsotn FMAA – 7,4%, Shirak
FMAA – 6,6%, Lori FMAA – 6,64%, Kotayk FMAA – 5,6%, Gegharkunik FMAA
– 5,28%, Tavush FMAA – 4,8%, Syunik FMAA – 4,28%, Vayots Dzor FMAA –
4,04% and Chairman of the Bank Board Stepan Gishyan – 1%.

OPPOSITIONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF ARMENIAN DELEGATION TO PACE REPLACED BY PARLIAMENTARIAN FROM ORINATS YERKIR PRO-POWER PARTY FACTION

ArmInfo
2010-01-14 15:06:00

ArmInfo. Chairman of Armenia’s Parliament Hovik Abrahamyan held
a session with participation of representatives of the Armenian
delegation to PACE. As oppositional representative of the Armenian
delegation to PACE, member of Heritage party faction Zaruhi Postanjyan
told ArmInfo, the parliament speaker made a decision to introduce
changes to the delegation staff. In particular, instead of Z.

Postanjyan, the delegation will include member of Orinats Yerkir
pro-power party faction Artsruni Aghajanyan. "H. Abrahamyan does his
best to hinder my participation in PACE work. It is connected with
the fact that Abrahamyan wishes to close the March 1 page, being well
aware of my stance regarding the March events", the MP said and added
that she did not take part in the session and knew about everything
from his colleagues.

To note, PACE winter session will start on January 25 in Strasbourg.

WHEN WILL THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT MAKE A DECISION ON PROTOCOLS?

Aysor
Jan 12 2010
Armenia

Right at the first minutes of the meeting Armenia’s Constitutional
Court made a decision to hold hearings on Armenian-Turkish protocols
in the closed-door regime for an hour, despite it was scheduled to
begin open hearings.

However, even after an hour, the doors are still closed, and there
are neither detailed comments on the happening.

Secretary of the Parliamentary Faction of the Republican Party of
Armenia Edward Sharmazanov said can’t forecast whatever. Â"As the
hearings on protocols are logged I can’t say how long it can take.

Every single argument must be discussed in details, this is a very
serious matter," he said.

The process is a very complicated and it demands a certain time,
according to the member of ARFD, Armen Rustamian. "There were long and
detailed discussions. I believe, court’s members got acquainted with
the case, so it will not take a long time to hold hearings," he said.

Heritage Party’s leader Stepan Safarian, in his turn, said there
would be made neither decision by the Constitutional Court today.

Meanwhile, spokespersons to Armenia’s Constitutional Court will report
news every two hour since 1 p.m.

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Jan 7 2010

EU-Turkey: Edging back from the brink?

by HUGH POPE

Turkey’s friends in Europe have won an important argument. The
governments of France and Germany have stopped advocating a
`privileged partnership’ to replace the long-promised goal of European
Union membership for Turkey.

The concept was always a short-term pandering to Europeans’ fears
about Islam, immigration and jobs. Now aware of the long-term damage
this has done to their own commercial interests, the EU’s stature on
its southeastern flank and Turkey’s own reform program, both countries
are trying to find ways to mend relations.
The result: On his return from an ice-breaking trip to France in
October, Turkish President Abdullah Gül was happy to state that the
French leadership did not mention `privileged partnership.’ In fact,
although President Nicolas Sarkozy may not have changed his own mind,
his politicization of Turkey’s EU membership during his election
victory in 2007 has unexpectedly mobilized Turkey’s supporters in
France. Left-wing newspapers now debate the merits of the country,
whereas a decade ago they mainly picked apart Turkey’s then poor human
rights record.

French businesses, anxious about what politician Pierre Lellouche
early on thought was the loss of 5 billion euros worth of business,
helped finance an ongoing nine months of 400 Turkish cultural events
in 70 French cities. These plays, debates and shows — including
lighting up the Eiffel Tower in the red and white of the Turkish flag
— have probably done more to showcase Turkey than decades of
diplomatic toil.

The change is more subtle in Germany, where the idea of `privileged
partnership’ originated and was a key part of Christian Democrat
leaders’ rhetoric during the last election in 2004. After the 2009
elections, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU)-Christian Social Union
of Bavaria (CSU)-Free Democratic Party (FDP) coalition agreement is
still stiff with suspicion of Turkey, underlining that the negotiating
process should be open-ended, include no date or automatic or
guaranteed right of entry and specify strict obligations to meet EU
criteria.

But it makes no mention of `privileged partnership,’ saying that only
if membership negotiations fail for any future reason, the policy
should be to bind Turkey `as closely as possible to European
structures to develop her privileged relationship with the EU.’ Beyond
the linguistic step back from confrontation, this official
postponement of any decision is an important change that keeps
Turkey’s road open and no longer betrays decades of EU promises of
possible membership.

The efforts of key EU states like Germany and France to achieve a more
respectful relationship with Turkey gives some hope that the bleak
`down’ cycle of EU-Turkey hostility between 2005-2008 is entering a
new `up’ cycle — just as the EU-Turkey near-death experiences of 1987
and 1997 were eventually overcome. With the Lisbon Treaty in place and
fears of economic meltdown receding, the EU is regaining
self-confidence.

For its part, Turkey slowly restarted its EU engines in 2009 —
enacting its national orogram for the adoption of the EU acquis,
appointing a chief EU negotiator, strengthening bureaucratic systems
to support EU convergence, sending leaders more frequently to European
capitals, signing the inter-governmental agreement for the potential
Nabucco natural gas pipeline, starting negotiations to join Europe’s
Energy Community Treaty and saying that it wants to reopen discussion
on a readmission agreement for the tens of thousands of illegal
refugees who reach the EU every year through Turkey. Partly thanks to
the governments’ efforts to solve the long-running Kurdish and
Armenian problems, this all secured a mildly positive EU progress
report for the year.

Still, 2010 remains full of challenges, given that many of the
initiatives that have improved the atmosphere with the EU are like
juggling balls that remain up in the air — there is no clarity, for
instance, about the fate of the government’s promise to normalize
relations with Armenia, its ability to follow through on its
democratic initiative to broaden Kurdish and other ethnic rights in
Turkey and what will happen on Cyprus. The appearance of three Turkish
ministers in Brussels with an entourage of 80 people to open the
environment chapter of the negotiations in December was a signal, but
smacked of showmanship as much as substance.

After all, the environment chapter is only the 12th negotiating
chapter to be opened in four years. The Cyprus issue now blocks most
of the 23 others. If nobody finds a way to settle Cyprus this year,
Turkey’s relationship with the EU will slowly enter an indefinite ice
age. Over the years, expensive judgments are likely to pile up against
Turkey for its occupation of Greek Cypriot properties in northern
Cyprus in the European Court of Human Rights. The ultimate bill could
rise to many billions of euros and, if left unpaid, would compromise
not just the EU talks but cast a shadow over Turkey’s membership in
the Council of Europe.

Both the EU and Turkey would therefore do well to keep finding ways to
build support for EU convergence, however it is defined. The EU takes
half of Turkey’s exports and supplies more than three-quarters of its
foreign direct investment (FDI). Turkey’s recent flirtation with the
Middle East is all very well, but trade with the Mideast has long been
only a quarter of Turkey’s total.

Europeans worried about `absorption capacity’ and `full implementation
of all criteria’ should also remember that whatever happens, any final
decisions on Turkish EU membership are a decade or two away. EU
members may by then be more appreciative of an allied Turkey’s bulk as
their bloc measures up against China, India, Russia or the US.

As President Gül said in a speech to businessmen in Paris in October:
`We want to be together with a big, powerful, large-capacity partner,
and this will bring both sides many benefits. To be honest, our
insistence on the European Union is all about this¦ We’re just saying,
give us the chance to upgrade ourselves. If we complete the
negotiation process, at that point the French people, the Austrian
people can go to a referendum; at that time, if you like or don’t like
the Turkey of that day, you can say `yes’ or `no.’ And maybe at that
time Turkey will say, `No, I’m going to go on as I am¦ Maybe I want to
be like Norway’.’

*Hugh Pope is the director of the International Crisis Group’s
Turkey/Cyprus Project and the author of `Sons of the Conquerors: the
Rise of the Turkic World’ (Overlook Duckworth, 2005). This article was
published by the International Crisis Group on Jan. 5.

07 January 2010, Thursday

Turkish FM: Turkey needs new and more powerful foreign policy
05.01.2010 15:11 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said
his country needed a new and a more powerful foreign policy, adding
that the Turkish foreign policy had a great historical experience
which could be compared only to five or six other countries. "A new
world is emerging and along with it new requirements are being born.
And we need to develop a systematic and a strategic vision which would
meet those requirements," Ahmet Davutoglu told a Turkish ambassadors’
conference which started on Monday in the Turkish capital Ankara.

Davutoglu said Turkey’s diplomacy should get prepared for "a country
which has become a member of the European Union in 2023, which ranked
among the top ten economies in the world, and most importantly, a
country which made its unique national contribution to the global
culture."
The Turkish foreign minister said Turkey had focused on its EU
membership process, adding that the country would give no concessions
in the integration with the EU in every field. Davutoglu said Turkey
would open 26 more missions abroad in 2010 which he said would boost
the country’s active diplomacy in helping settle global crises.

Davutoglu said the world needed a new international body with a new
perspective and philosophy which would meet a requirement of a reform
in international politics.

"And just at the center of that requirement stand Turkey’s important
geography and history," he said.

Brazilian, German and Japanese foreign ministers, as well as Turkish
Cypriot President Mehmet Ali Talat are set to participate in the
week-long conference, reported Anatolian News agency.

STREET IN DIARBEKIR NAMED AFTER ARMENIAN WRITER

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
28.12.2009 20:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ One of the streets in Diarbekir, the biggest town
in the south-east of Turkey, has been named after Turkish writer of
Armenian decent Mkrtich Markosyan. Decision to rename the street was
made by the town’s Mayor Abdullah Demirbas, "Agos" Turkish-Armenian
newspaper reported. The opening ceremony was attended by the writer
himself,

Earlier, a street in Istanbul was named after Hrant Dink, the
assassinated Editor-in-Chief of Agos.

THE DYNASTIC REGIME OF ALIYEVS GETS ONE MORE KICK FROM EUROPE

ArmInfo
2009-12-26 13:50:00

Hardly had the underlings of the Aliyev dynastic regime stopped their
hysteria about Euronews’s program when Ilham Aliyev received an even
stronger kick from Europe – this time from the European Parliament. In
their Dec 17 resolution the European MPs expressed concern for the
worsening freedom of press situation in Azerbaijan.

Particularly, they condemned the practice of detention, prosecution
and conviction of opposition journalists and demanded that all arrested
journalists be set free immediately.

The regime reacted right away according to its best traditions:
"By adopting the latest resolution on Azerbaijan, the European
Parliament has once again confirmed that the West pursues double
standards policy towards our country," Spokesman of Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry Elkhan Polukhov said in an interview to Trend News. This
statement inspired all the regime’s henchmen capable of stringing a
few words together into indignant protests against the "injustice"
of the European parliamentarians. The Milli Mejlis of "democratic"
Azerbaijan was the most eloquent, as always. Starting their appeal to
the European Parliament with dubious and risky "Azerbaijan continues
democratic state-building, respects human rights," the Azerbaijani
deputies continued with "like many countries that have passed the
way of democratic development Azerbaijan also has some problems"
and finished with traditional "the regrettable fact is that the
entire world community knows which country is the occupier and which
is under occupation. Despite this, Azerbaijan, as a state choosing
path of democratic development, has always given preference to the
settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict peacefully. Given all this,
we protest against the European Parliament statement criticizing the
human rights situation in Azerbaijan" and "we hope that taking into
account the interest of Azerbaijan in more strengthening relations
with Europe, the European Union will not allow such kind of statements
with regard to Azerbaijan in future."

However, the logic of the Azerbaijani MPs is just a poor second to
the analytical thinking of their leader, Speaker of Milli Mejlis Oqtay
Asadov, who went as far as saying that his European colleagues tried to
pressure Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh issue and were influenced
by Armenian Diaspora organizations when adopting the resolution.

Chairman of Milli Mejlis International Relations Committee Samed Seidov
urged the Azerbaijani MPs to work with both pro- and anti-Azerbaijani
forces so as to prevent similar resolutions in the future but, by
protesting, to continue developing relations with the Europeans so
the latter realize Azerbaijan’s significance for Europe.

"We should explain to them in their own language what Azerbaijan
means to Europe," Seidov said without specifying how to do this.

It should be noted that, yesterday, the ruler of Azerbaijan deigned
to respond to the resolution. Ilham Aliyev decreed to set free as
many as 89 prisoners but only one of them – by some miracle – was
an opposition journalist, a person imprisoned on charge of taking
a bribe. Among the others were three citizens of Afghanistan, two
Iranians, one citizen of Nigeria, one Russian, one Chinese and one
Macedonian. 1 journalist has been killed, 68 imprisoned and 274 beaten
during the presidency of Ilham Aliyev.

Aysor, Armenia
Dec 26 2009

Aram Gharabekyan still is on his post

The Orchestra’s Artistic Director and Principal Conductor,
American-Armenian conductor Aram Gharabekian still is on his post,
though some days before he has written an application to the RA
Culture Minister for quitting his job.

The RA Minister Hasmik Poghosyan who hasn’t accepted the application
of retiring explains his decision from two aspects. She is sure that
his troop is in a creative crises and it is not allowed to take up
extreme decisions.

Taking into consideration that it is not easy to destroy something and
to restore it again today, the Ministry has appointed an acting
director for the troop, and A. Gharabekyan still remains the
Orchestra’s Artistic Director.

H. Poghosyan for several times has met with the members of the troop,
has hold discussions and heard their opinions and perceptions.
According to the Minister the issue should be discussed with the
Musical Council of the Ministry.

THE PM WILL PASS HIS HOLYDAYS IN YEREVAN

Aysor
Dec 25 2009
Armenia

The RA PM Tigran Sargsyan will meet the New Year day in Yerevan with
his family, informed T. Sargsyan on the meeting with the journalists
today.

"After the New Year day it is not excepted that I leave Armenia for
3-4 days and have a medical research for solving some health problems.

It’s not clear yet. We are negotiating with the doctors and after their
consultations I will make up my decision. Maybe I will not leave even,
as if our doctors say that it would be better in Armenia I will stay
in Armenia", – T. Sargsyan said.

By the way the RA PM hasn’t written a letter to the Santa Claus. To
the question of the journalist he answered that there is time and after
thinking for 4 more days he will decide what kind of present he wants.

T. Sargsyan also remembered the dream of his childhood. "Once in 60s
the big cars in Yerevan were something amazing for the children. When
Ani hotel was being built, in the yard of which we were growing up,
cars were coming, and I wanted to be come one of the drivers of
those tracks."