Author: Topchian Jane

17.5% ECONOMIC DECLINE IN ARMENIA IN JAN-OCT, 2009

news.am
Nov 20 2009
Armenia

15:17 / 11/20/2009A 17.5% economic decline (2,466,298bn AMD) was
registered in Armenia this January-October, the RA Statistical
Service told NEWS.am. The biggest decline, 18.5%, was registered
this January-July, 18.4% this January-August and 18.3% this
January-September. The present figure is 17.5%.

It is noteworthy that a generally smaller annual decline in GDP was
registered in Armenia. On the other hand, a 5% decline in GDP was
registered on a month-to-month basis.

GDP growth of nearly 5% was registered this September as compared
with this August.

A 51.6% decline was registered in the construction sector this
January-October, an 11.4% decline in the industrial sector, a 1.5%
decline in the services sector and a 0.8% decline in the agricultural
sector.

A 19.1% decline in the construction sector was registered this October
as compared with this September despite an increase of more than 25%
on construction this September. Armenia’s foreign trade turnover
registered a 31% decrease – down to 3,220m USD. Imports exceeded
exports 4.7 times, with an unfavorable trade balance exceeding U.S.

$2bn.

Many economists accounts for the lower economic decline by the fact
that the crisis was palpable as far back as last October (which is the
reason for a relatively favorable picture), rather than by positive
tendencies in the Armenian economy.

AGO GROUP WELCOMES NORMALIZATION OF ARMENIA-TURKEY RELATIONS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
20.11.2009 19:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
met with members of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers Ago
Monitoring Group, headed by the Permanent Representative of Romania
to the Council of Europe, Ambassador Stelian Stoian in Yerevan.

Welcoming the guests, the Armenian Foreign Minister stressed the
significance of the visit in terms of familiarizing with reforms
implemented in Armenia.

During the meeting Minister Nalbandian stressed the importance of
Armenia’s membership in the Council of Europe, implementation of
reforms in various fields, promotion CoE agenda and country’s full
participation in the activities of different CoE structures.

The two sides exchanged views over Armenia-Turkey relations. Ago group
welcomed the process of normalizing relations between Armenia and
Turkey and the Council of Europe expressed its readiness to facilitate
this process. At the request of the guests, the RA Foreign Minister
dwelled on the latest developments in the negotiation process on
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, press service of RA Foreign Ministry
reports.

HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN: "I AM GLAD THAT THE EU ADVISER WILL WORK IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA"

National Assembly of RA
Nov 17 2009
Armenia

On November 16 President of the National Assembly Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan
received Head of the delegation of the European Commission to Armenia
Ambassador Mr. Raul de Luzenberger, Head of the Advisory Group of
the European Union (EU) to Armenia Mr. Rolf Boehnke and the member of
the same team Advisor to the RA NA President Mr. Eduardo Lorenzo Ochoa.

Greeting the interlocutors RA NA President welcomed the initiative
of the President of the Republic of Armenia in setting up an Advisory
Group. Highlighting the development of cooperation with EU, Mr.

Abrahamyan expressed hope that the EU Adviser’s work will promote
Armenia’s European Integration, and their rich working experience in
the European Parliament will be useful for deepening the relations
of the RA National Assembly with that body.

Afterwards the interlocutors discussed the EU Adviser’s activity
in the RA National Assembly and organizational issues. Mr. Lorenzo
Ochoa conveyed the warm greetings of the President of the European
Parliament Mr. Jerzy Buzek to RA NA President. The interlocutors
indicated the spheres, where the EU Advisor could be useful to RA NA
and agreed to boost the joint work.

IGOR MURADIAN: NAGORNO KARABAKH PROBLEM IS JUST AN OCCASION FOR TURKEY TO DELAY RATIFICATION OF PROTOCOLS

Noyan Tapan
Nov 16, 2009

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The Nagorno Karabakh problem
is just an occasion for Turkey to delay the ratification of the
protocols. Political scientist Igor Muradian expressed such an opinion
at a November 16 press conference. In his words, Turkey has understood
that the protocols is a plot against it, planned by the U.S. and
coordinated with Europe. According to the political scientist, its
goal it to suppress Turkey.

"To all appearances, Turkey is not interested in the Nagorno Karabakh
problem. Now Turkey needs to stop the process with Armenia," I.

Muradian said. According to him, neither Armenia nor Turkey are ready
for the continuation of that process on their own. One of the most
important issues is whether the U.S. will be able to be a guarantor in
the process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations till the
end. However, in his opinion, the U.S. is no longer able to support
that process, thanks to which Russia gains dividends.

I. Muradian also said that in all probability, a long pause is expected
in the normalization process of Armenian-Turkish relations.

news.am, Armenia
Nov 14 2009

4 more suspected of swine flu in Armenia

14:54 / 11/14/2009New swine flu cases are not registered in Armenia
yet. The number of AH1N1 virus cases is 11, Armenia’s chief
infectiologist Ara Asoyan told NEWS.am.

Meanwhile, presently four people suspected of swine flu are under
medical examination in Nork infectious diseases hospital, Asoyan
outlined.

As NEWS.am reported previously, out of 11 infected, three patients are
already discharged from the hospital. The health state of others is
stable. Among 11 swine flu infected there are 2 Iranian, 1 Turkish and
8 RA citizens. There is no vaccine available for adults and children
in Armenia yet. There is only certain amount of Tamiflu in the
country.

AsiaNews, Italy
Nov 14 2009

Mosul armed group kills 16 year old Christian on doorstep of home

Rami Katchik belongs to the Armenian community. The murder occurred in
the neighbourhood of Tahrir. The police say motive is not yet clear.
Fr. Hazem Girgis, a local priest: It is one of the many crimes
committed to eradicate Christians from the area and force them to
leave.

Mosul (AsiaNews) – A 16 year old Christian was killed on the doorstep
of his home in Mosul, in the neighborhood of Tahrir. The boy, Rami
Katchik, belongs to the Armenian community.

Police said that on 13 November, at about 17.30, "Unidentified gunmen
opened fire from a black car that arrived at speed". Local sources
report that the boy was washing the front door with his father when he
was shot.

Girgis Paulos, neighbour of the Katchik family says that at the moment
of the attack "the father had just entered the house to get a shovel.
When he heard the gun shots he ran out and saw three men in the car".

Police agents say it is not yet clear whether there are religious
reasons behind the assassination, but Fr. Hazem Girgis, a local
priest, sees the murder as "one of the many crimes committed to
eradicate Christians from the area and force them to leave".

For some time members of the Christian community of Mosul are victims
of attacks from 2008 to now these violent episodes have caused 40
deaths. Thousands fled the city in northern Iraq last year. A report
published November 10 by Human Rights Watch says that Christians and
minorities who inhabit the northern regions of Iraq are victims of a
conflict between Arabs and Kurds for control of the province.

Since the fall of Saddam to today the numbers of Christians in Mosul
have been decimated. During the dictatorship the largest parish in the
city had a greater number of believers than there are today throughout
the entire diocese.

Yesterday the new archbishop of the city was announced, over a year
after the murder of Mgr. Rahho (see AsiaNews, 13/11/2009, "Mosul is
celebrating the appointment of the new archbishop, after the death of
Msgr. Rahho). The news has brought hope to the local community, but
the murder of the young Katchik falls on the celebrations reawakening
fear.

GERMANY’S AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA: THE PROBLEM OF SIMPLIFICATION OF THE VISA REGIME FOR THE COUNTRIES OF ‘EASTERN PARTNERSHIP’ PROGRAMME OF EUROPEAN UNION WILL BE RESOLVED BY EU COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE POLITICAL LEVERS

ArmInfo
2009-11-13 13:25:00

Arminfo. The problem of the prospect of the visa regime simplification
for the countries of ‘Eastern partnership’ programme of European
Union will be resolved by EU countries which have political levers,
Germany’s Ambassador to Armenia Hans Johan Schmidt said at today’s
press-conference in Yerevan.

He also added that the visa problem is a controversial problem and
it will not be resolved by a separate country of the EU, it should
be resolved by all countries of Shengen zone. Before adoption of
the political decision the problems connected with migration control
should be resolved. The ambassador said that at present cooperation
with EU in the sphere of free trade extension is the prior task.

ARAX POULTRY FACTORY COMPANY ALLOWED TO DEFER VAT PAYMENT FOR THREE YEARS

NOYAN TAPAN
NOVEMBER 12, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. At the November 12 sitting, the
Armenian government made a decision to defer for up to 3 years the
payment of value added tax (VAT) calculated by tax bodies on goods,
which exceed 300 million drams and are imported by Arax Poultry
Factory company under an investment project. RA Minister of Economy
Nerses Yeritsian said at the siting that the decision will allow the
factory to import modern equipment for expanding the production of
poultry and eggs and for corn processing.

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said that based on the RA
Law on Value Added Tax, in case of goods’ import, the government has
allowed 5 companies to defer payments of VAT calculated by tax bodies
for a period of up to 3 years.

AZERI MINISTER QUESTIONS ARMENIA’S DESIRE FOR KARABAKH PROGRESS

news.az
Nov 11 2009
Azerbaijan

Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sargsyan The next meeting of the Azerbaijani and
Armenian presidents will take place in a European capital, Azerbaijani
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told reporters on Wednesday.

He said that the date and venue will be specified soon.

The minister said, however, that there are no new proposals on the
Karabakh conflict settlement.

"We have been discussing the main principles for the past five years.

Of course, individual nuances arise – unfortunately, the Armenian
side raises issues again that we have already discussed and on which
we thought we had reached agreement," Mammadyarov said.

"It is difficult to hold negotiations in these conditions. Therefore,
we should seriously assess whether we are ready for a breakthrough,
i.e. does the Armenian side want progress or are these just talks,"
the minister said.

ARMENIAN AND HUNGARIAN PRESIDENTS HIGHLIGHTED FURTHER BOOSTING OF PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES

AZG DAILY
10-11-2009

International

State visit of the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to Hungary kicked
off yesterday. This is the first state visit to this Central European
country on the level of the President of Armenia since the country’s
independence, Armenpress reported.

Presidential press service told the agency that Armenian President
met with his Hungarian counterpart Laszlo Solyom after which extended
negotiations took place.

Welcoming the Armenian President, Laszlo Solyom said that his country
views Armenia as an important partner with who it is ready to expand
bilateral, multilateral cooperation.

The two presidents expressed assurance that the state visit of the
Armenian president is a notable impetus to activate relations between
the two countries and noted that the documents signed within the
framework of the visit create enough legal bases for moving forward
Armenian-Hungarian friendly relations.

The presidents pointed out that in spite of the dynamics registered
in the political dialogue the trade-economic cooperation tempo do
not reflect the existing potential. They expressed assurance that the
signed documents and the business forum which will open in Budapest
will give new impetus to the activation of business contacts and in
parallel with the overcoming the global financial-economic crisis
will promote the increase of the volume of trade turnover between
Armenia and Hungary.

Serzh Sargsyan and his Hungarian counterpart also highlighted the
further boosting of partnership between the two countries both in
the formats of international organizations, particularly within the
framework of Eastern Partnership policy.

During the conversation the Armenian President informed his
Hungarian counterpart about the current round of normalization of
Armenian-Turkish relations and Karabakh conflict regulation process.

"We wish to solve the existing issues without preconditions, in a
peaceful way and establish relations with our neighbors directing the
existing resources toward the stable and peaceful development of our
region. I consider that only with cooperation it is possible to ensure
development, long-lasting peace, and stability," Serzh Sargsyan noted.

On his part, Laszlo Solyom welcomed the progress registered in the
process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, and noted that
Hungary supports the process of normalization of relations between
the two neighbor countries.

President Serzh Sargsyan expressed gratitude to his Hungarian
counterpart for the unbiased and just attitude of the Hungarian
justice toward the severe murder of Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan
in Budapest.

Armenian president invited Laszlo Solyom to pay a response visit to
Armenia which will give an opportunity to continue the political
dialogue, point out the further priorities of cooperation. The
Hungarian president accepted the invitation to visit Armenia.

After the high level negotiations a number of documents have been
signed after which the two presidents made summarizing statements.