Author: Tambiyan Samvel

HEAD OF ARMENIAN DELEGATION TO PACE: PACE MONITORING COMMITTEE WORKS WITH BOTH AUTHORITIES AND OPPOSITION AND DOES ITS BEST TO HELP THE COUNTRY MONITORED TO DEVELOP IN THE RIGHT, DEMOCRATIC DIRECTION

ArmInfo
2009-05-12 18:33:00

ArmInfo. The PACE Monitoring Committee works with both the authorities
and the opposition and does its best to help the country monitored to
develop in the right, democratic direction, Chairman of the Standing
Parliamentary Commission for State and Legal Affairs, Head of the
Armenian Delegation to PACE David Harutyunyan said, Tuesday.

He pointed out that monitoring is a dynamic process, which may
aggravate or dampen, and this depends not on the change of the
Commission’s position, but on the work done by the country. Armenia is
constantly taking steps, some of them are assessed positively, some are
criticized, and this is normal. From the viewpoint of amendments to the
Criminal Code legislation in Armenia, we carried out our obligations,
and the changes in accusations against the defendants were estimated
positively",- David Harutyunyan said.

Commenting upon the statement of Zaruhi Postanjyan, member of the
heritage parliamentary faction and Armenian Delegation to PACE, that
they will try to raise the issue of replacement of Co-Rapporteurs
Prescott and Colombier, David Harutyunyan pointed out that any MP
may raise this issue and added that Postanjyan is not a member
of the Monitoring Commission. "This is an important issue, and
the Monitoring Committee has considered possible introduction of
the rotation principle, i.e. the variant according to which PACE
Co-Rapporteurs implement their mission over a certain period of time,
afterwards they are replaced by others",- he said.

If one of the members of the Delegation disagrees with the nominees of
co-rapporteurs, it is quite an ordinary phenomenon, but the decision
on this is taken by the Monitoring Commission, he said. Harutyunyan
added that the co-rapporteurs on Armenia are reasonable and experienced
politicians. The fact that John Prescott held the post of Vice Premier
longer than anybody in the history of Great Britain comments itself.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SUMS UP PRESIDENT’S TALKS WITH AZERI, TURKISH LEADERS

Second TV Channel
May 8 2009
Armenia

[Presenter] The Armenian foreign minister [Edvard Nalbandyan] has
summed up the most notable events of [Armenian President] Serzh
Sargsyan’s visit to Prague. The minister spoke about the latest
meeting in the process of settlement of Nagornyy Karabakh conflict
and explained what are the fundamental principles. The top diplomat
also spoke about the results of the meeting between Sargsyan and
[Turkish President Abdullah] Gul and, counter to false reports of
the Turkish media, assured that there is no arrangement of having a
quadripartite Turkey-Azerbaijan-Armenia-Russia meeting.

[Nalbandyan speaking in Armenian to journalists] First of all I
would like to say that the meeting between the two presidents – the
presidents of Armenia and Turkey – took place in a quite practical
atmosphere and the two presidents agreed to respect the previously
achieved agreements to settle relations without pre-conditions in
reasonable periods [of time]. In connection with this the presidents
have assigned the foreign ministers to continue contacts regarding
steps to be carried out in the future. As for you question – on the
quadripartite meeting – there is no such an issue on the agenda and
this does not in any way correspond to reality.

The word is about the Madrid principles contained in the document
proposed in Madrid – the negotiations are being held around those. The
meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents, I would say,
was useful, in the sense that the sides got more acquainted with the
positions of the other side and I can add that an opportunity emerged
to bring closer positions on separate points. Meetings will continue,
the [OSCE Minsk Group] co-chairs will conduct visits to the region;
if necessary, a meeting at the level of foreign ministers will be held
in order to prepare for a future meeting at the level of presidents,
which may possibly take place in June in St Petersburg.

SARGSYAN AND ALIEV DISCUSS KARABAKH STATUS DURING PRAGUE SUMMIT

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.05.2009 19:34 GMT+04:0

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During the May 7 meeting in Prague, Armenian and
Azeri Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliev did not touch upon
the issue of withdrawing forces from NKR-controlled territories, RA
MFA Spokesman Tigran Balayan said. "During the meeting, the parties
naturally discussed the NKR status, which is a key issue in conflict
settlement agenda," Tigran Balayan said.

In the frameworks of the Eastern Partnership Summit held in Prague
on May 7, the Armenian and Turkish Presidents had a meeting.

EASTERN PARTNERSHIP IS IN A CERTAIN WAY DIRECTED AGAINST RUSSIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.05.2009 14:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Eastern Partnership is in a certain way directed
against Russia, Ruben Safrastyan, director of the NAS RA Institute
of Oriental Studies, told PanARMENIAN.Net.

"EU aims to remove Eastern Partnership member states – Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine and Byelorussia out of the
sphere of Russia’s influence," he noted.

He also emphasized Eastern Partnership Initiative created favorable
eurointegration conditions for Armenia. "The project is an opportunity
to establish closer relations with Europe. So, within years to come
Armenia has to take best efforts to gain maximum benefit from the
project.

Eastern Partnership summit was held on May 7 in Prague. Summit
participants signed a declaration for cooperation in accordance with
suggestion of Euro Parliament and Euro Committee on creation of EU-
Eastern Neighbors Parliamentary Assembly. The document was signed
by 27 EU Member states and 6 partner states – Azerbaijan, Georgia,
Armenia, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova.

APA, Azerbaijan
May 9 2009

Relations of Ferda Gadirov, who committed tragedy at the Azerbaijan
State Oil Academy, with Armenian intelligence agencies identified `
EXCLUSIVE

[ 09 May 2009 13:57 ]

Armenians trained him in the territory of Georgia, gave him gun and
money to commit the act of sabotage

Tbilisi. Nizami Mammadzadeh `APA. Ferda Gadirov, who committed bloody
tragedy at the Azerbaijan State Oil Academy, had relations with the
Armenian intelligence agencies, local trustworthy sources told APA
Georgian bureau.

The sources said representatives of the Armenian intelligence agencies
established relationship with Gadirov and enrolled him.

It was identified that the Armenians trained him here and provided him
with the gun.

Ferda Gadirov got some money to commit the act of sabotage, according
to the agreement, he would get the rest of the money after committing
the tragic incident.

According to the source, Georgian law-enforcement and intelligence
bodies have already identified the Armenian, who participated in
involving Ferda Gadirov in the secret activity for committing the act
of sabotage. Measures are being taken for his arrest.

Special group of Azerbaijani Interior Ministry is operating in Georgia
in connection with the incident.

An unidentified man burst into the second building of Azerbaijan State
Oil Academy in Dilara Aliyeva street, 227, at 9.30 on April 30. He
killed 12 people and wounded 13 by Makarov pistol. Later he shot
himself. It was determined that he was Georgian citizen Gadirov Ferda
Asad, 29.

Mediamax, Armenia
May 6 2009

Armenian official says road map with Turkey only "guideline", not accord

Yerevan, 6 May: A "road map" on normalizing Armenian-Turkish relations
"is a guideline, not a signed agreement", Armenian Deputy Foreign
Minister Karine Ghazinyan said this in Yerevan today, Mediamax
reports.

According to her, the "road map" may be published only after signing a
document following the results of the Armenian-Turkish talks and in
case there is the corresponding decision by the Armenian president.

Ghazinyan stressed that the publications of a number of media,
according to which Armenia has accepted preconditions set forth by
Turkey, do not correspond to real facts. She stressed that
Armenian-Turkish talks are held without any preconditions.

NO SHORT-RANGE POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS POSSIBLE IN ARMENIAN ECONOMY: ECONOMIST

ARKA
May 7, 2009

YEREVAN, May 7. /ARKA/. It will be practically impossible to ensure
positive developments in Armenia’s economy this year, said Chairman
of Economy and Values Research Centre Manuk Yergnyan.

"The most optimistic scenario is a fragile a small economic decline,"
he said Wednesday at Novosti International Press Centre in Yerevan.

The economist pointed out three possible scenarios of economic
development in Armenia by end-2009.

According to the first scenario, quick economic recovery is possible
by end-2009, the expert said, adding the basic scenario says the
economic crisis will last four years.

"If we take into account that the global economy has been in a crisis
for a year with latent periods, economic recovery is possible in two
or three years," Yergnyan said.

According to the third scenario, the future of the global economy
looms, for, according to the economist, it is rather difficult to
make economic forecasts of the global crisis.

"Even the Great Depression in the 1930s was not that global,"
he concluded.

Armenia posted 6.1% year-on-year economic downturn in Q1
2009. According to the RA National Statistical Service, the country’s
GDP totaled 465,508.4mln drams ($1.2bln), with quarterly GDP deflator
index being 101.9%.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

THE MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE ARMENIAN DEMOCRATIC LIBERAL
PARTY (RAMGAVAR) IN LEBANON VISIT HIS HOLINESS ARAM I

On Thursday 7 May 2009, the members of the Executive Committee of the
Ramgavar Party, accompanied by two officials, Member of Parliament Mr. Hagop
Kassardjian and Minister Jean Oghasapian met with His Holiness Aram I. They
had come to inform the Catholicos that Mr. Jean Oghasapian was their party’s
candidate for the legislative elections in June. On this occasion they also
discussed the internal situation in Lebanon and issues related to the
forthcoming elections.

In the end, His Holiness Aram I repeated to his guests what he has been
telling Armenian Organizations involved in the electoral campaign and
visiting him: "Armenian candidates should work together, strengthen
cooperation in order to advocate effectively for the interests of the
Armenian community during elections, and after elections in the legislative
processes of the country."

##
View photo here:
tos/Photos382.htm#8
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

INTENSIFIED EFFORTS BY RUSSIA, TURKEY, U.S. TO HAVE POSITIVE IMPACT ON RESOLUTION OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT: FORMER MINISTER

Trend
May 5 2009
Azerbaijan

Turkey’s Former Foreign Minister says the recently intensified
efforts by Russia, Turkey and U.S. will have a positive impact on
the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"I have noticed interest in the resolution of the problem recently. The
problem will be solved with the mediation of the U.S., Russia and
Turkey and international organizations," former Turkish Foreign
Minister Hikmet Chetin told reporters.

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.

Chetin said the Minsk Group has not made an important step towards
the resolution of the conflict yet. "I think this problem can be
solved via Armenia-Azerbaijan dialogue."

"Azerbaijani President will meet with the Armenian President in
Prague. Foreign ministers will meet in Washington. I believe these
meetings will impact resolution of the conflict," he added.

He said non-resolution of the conflict has affected Armenia most of
all thus far.

"Armenia is left aside of some economic projects in the
region. Resolution of this problem is very important for entire region
and specifically Armenia. Armenian officials must realize it," he said.

Chetin said Russia’s mediation is also needed to solve the problem. "I
see positive changes in Russia’s foreign policy regarding resolution
of the conflict. I think Russia will take a positive step to resolve
the conflict," former foreign minister added.

Chetin said Turkey will never adopt a decision contradicting
Azerbaijan’s interests. "There was some misunderstanding on this
issue. We assure our Azerbaijan brothers that Turkey will never take
a step to detriment of Azerbaijan’s interests."

RF FSB: RUSSIA ESTABLISHED STRICTER CONTROL ON GEORGIAN BORDER

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.05.2009 19:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russian frontier guards have established stricter
control on Georgian border, RF FSB South Caucasus Department Spokesman
Sergey Livantsov said.

"A week ago our frontier subdivisions established stricter control
on the " Russian-Georgian section of state border. We don’t have
enough means to cope with all tasks, safeguarding the area against
any incident," he said.

In the meantime, Livantsov noted that decision to establish stricter
control was made with security considerations "not determined by us,"
RIA-Novosti reports.

Georgian Interior Ministry declared of having uncovered a plot for
an "armed uprising", perpetrated by former Defense Ministry senior
officials who allegedly had direct contact with Russian special
services.

Later, Georgian Defense Minister David Sikharulidze reported that
troops of a tank battalion at the Mukhrovani base had launched a
"rebellion".

Moscow characterized Tbilisi’s accusations as "raving and agony of
ruling regime". "It is done prior to NATO exercises on purpose in
order to distract international community’s attention," RF Foreign
Ministry reported.