Author: Topchian Jane

Regional Energy Security Fears Over Armenia-Turkey Talks
2009/05/09 | 15:39

hetq.am/en/politics/9246/
region politics

A May 8 news item in UPI.com focuses on the possible negative fallout
that a normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations can have on the
Nabucco pipeline. Fearing regional isolation, Azerbaijan, a friend of
the West, could seek a new champion in Russia, which has traditionally
been Armenia’s protector.

`That could be bad news if Azerbaijan chooses to sell its considerable
gas supplies to Russia instead of the European Union, a condition
Moscow would demand in return for its patronage, ‘ the UPI article
states.
The Czech presidency of the European Union on Friday hosted a major
summit in Prague to hammer out energy security in the region, calling
for implementation of measures on the long-awaited Nabucco pipeline
`as soon as possible.’

The Prague summit brought together energy giants from the Middle East
and Caspian region to work in harmony in the regional oil and gas
sector, but with Azerbaijan deeply offended by Turkish moves toward
Armenia, efforts toward unity could unravel, Britain’s The Daily
Telegraph noted.

Azerbaijan sits on some of the richest resource fields in the world,
notably the Shah Deniz gas field and the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli oil
complex. The EU puts considerable weight on those resources,
particularly as Prague urges swift action on Nabucco.

ARMENIAN BANKS’ AGGREGATE ASSETS GROW 10.2% TO AMD 1127.9 BILLION

ARKA
May 7, 2009

YEREVAN, May 7. /ARKA/. Aggregate assets of Armenian banks amounted
to AMD 1127.9 billion by late March after growing 10.2% or by AMD
104.2 billion over the first quarter of 2009.

Central Bank of Armenia says in its quarterly review of Armenian
banks’ activities that the aggregate cash of the banks grew 26.2%
or by AMD 10.9 billion to 52.5 billion.

Claims toward banks and other financial organizations grew 103.8%
or by AMD 28.5 billion to AMD 55.9 billion.

Claims to the Central Bank, including correspondent accounts, have
grown 52.1% or by AMD 54.2 billion over the mentioned period reaching
AMD 158.2 billion.

Correspondent accounts in banks reduced 10.6% or by AMD 8.1 billion
to AMD 67.9 billion.

Reserves intended for recovering possible losses grew 22.9% or by AMD
2.7 billion in the first quarter and reached AMD 14.7 by late March.

Credits extended to legal entities have grown 9.5% or by AMD 27.6
billion over the quarter to AMD 317.3 billion by late March, while
loans given to individuals have reduced 0.8% or by AMD 2.5 billion
to AMD 305.9 billion.

The loans provided to bank-related individuals and employees reduced 6%
to AMD 17.6 billion.

According to the Central Bank’s review, the share of investment in
state securities in banks’ total assets has shrunk 6.7% or by AMD
5.4 billion over t he quarter to AMD 75.7 billion by late March.

Leasing and factoring operations totaled AMD 7.5 billion after
reducing 23.7%.

Investments in other securities grew 16% to 3.9 billion.

Banks’ broad funds amounted to AMD 51797.9 million by March 31,
2009 against 51773.3 million by the same date a year earlier.

Received interests totaled AMD 6993.7 million and other assets AMD
21363.3 million by the end of the first quarter of 2009 against AMD
17707 million earlier that quarter.

ARKA News Agency’s analysis shows that ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank, with
its AMD 140.9 billion, is the largest asset owner among Armenian Banks.

HSBC Bank Armenia ranked second for its AMD 128.2 billion and
Ardshininvestbank third (AMD 121.1 billion).

These banks are followed by VTB Bank (Armenia) (AMD 105.8 billion)
and Ameriabank (AMD 105.8 billion).

Armenia has 22 banks and 391 branches. ($1 = AMD 372.56).

ALI HUSEYNOV: I AM RATHER INCLINED TO THINK THAT SHOOTING AT THE AZERBAIJANI UNIVERSITY IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE ARMENIAN SIDE

Today.Az
086.html
May 6 2009
Azerbaijan

Our press associates the shooting at the Azerbaijani Oil Academy with
the special forces but I do not think so, because our relations with
Russia are on a normal political level, said former investigator from
the grave crimes Investigation Department of the Ministry of Internal
Affairs of Azerbaijan, Ali Huseynov.

According to him, Farda Gadirov could be blackmailed for, perhaps
he could be reached both in terms of training and recruitment in the
territory of Russia.

"Armenians also could have an access to him and Armenian handwriting
is more apparent here", noted Huseynov.

"Definitely I can say that the shooting in the university was not
arranged by any maniac or lunatic. It was done by a well-trained and
armed men. A man could not do this alone, perhaps, there is someone
behind him. I am rather inclined to think that it is directly related
to the Armenian side", considers the Huseynov.

I believe that this Armenian handwriting. They have repeatedly staged
bloody attacks, and I am not inclined to what is implicated, as the
press writes, Russian spetsoorgany. Last word tells consequence.

TURKISH PRESIDENT IS LIKELY TO MEET WITH HIS ARMENIAN AND AZERI COUNTERPARTS IN PRAGUE

NOYAN TAPAN
MAY 5, 2009
ANKARA

Two summits, Summit of Eastern Partnership and Southern Energy
Corridor are scheduled on May 7-8 in Prague. The Armenian and Azeri
Presidents will participate in those summits, within the framework
of which their regular meeting will take place.

According to CnnTurk, Turkish President Abdullah Gul is expected to
represent Turkey at the summits. According to Turkish media, there
is no official statement about it yet, but if Gul leaves for Prague,
he is likely to meet with RA President Serzh Sargsyan and Azeri
President Ilham Aliyev.

PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN TO LEAVE FOR PRAGUE

ARMENPRESS
MAY 5, 2009
YEREVAN

President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan is leaving May 7 for Prague,
capital of Czech Republic, on a two-day working visit where he will
participate in the "Eastern Partnership" Summit. The president is
expected to deliver a speech at the event.

Presidential press service told Armenpress that within the frameworks
of Karabakh conflict regulation process Armenian president is expected
to meet with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev.

In Prague Serzh Sargsyan will meet with the Ukrainian President
Viktor Yushchenko and Turkish President Abdullah Gul, on the latter’s
initiative.

SLOGAN OF THE OPPOSITIONAL OYP NOW WORKS AGAINST IT
SIRANUSH PAPYAN

LRAGIR.AM
17:31:39 – 04/05/2009

This time, OYP operates such a mechanism for the elections which did
not occur to the other parties and in case the Republican Party goes
on carrying out the old mechanism in connection with the head masters
and the BHK – the financial mechanism etc., the OYP thought that the
regions are a secure place and they may start from there.

A month ago, Marine had a telephone call from her relatives from the
region of Lori who wanted a list of 10 Yerevan residents who would
say that they will vote for the OYP. Marine said that it is very
difficult to do such things in Yerevan because there could hardly be
found such people but her relatives noted that in case those people are
called they only have to say that they will vote for the OYP, nothing
else. Marine, of course, collected 10-12 people on this principle and
as she says she only wanted tot help her relatives to earn some 15,
000 drams.

Those 10-12 people have probably remembered the oppositional times of
the OYP when Artur Baghdasaryan continuously advised the public to
take money if they are offered but to go and vote for the candidate
they like, but Baghdasaryan did not think that one day this will
contradict his interests.

Though the OYP candidate for Mayor Heghine Bisharyan is sure a lot
of teachers will vote for her, nevertheless, we found some teachers
from the OYP who stated that they will not only not vote for her,
but stated that the party forgot about them.

The press secretary of the OYP Susanna Abrahamyan rules out any
possibility that people are working for them in the regions. She
stated to hear it for the first time and excluded such a thing,
adding that the one of the principles of the OYP is not to give bribes.

Interfax, Russia
April 30 2009

Armenian news agency coordinator in intensive care after assault

YEREVAN April 30

Argishti Kivirian, a coordinator of the ArmeniaToday news agency, is
at the intensive care unit at the Erebuni medical center following an
assault at about 4:00 a.m. in Yerevan on Thursday.

"Kivirian was brutally beaten near his home early in the morning.

He is in intensive care with various injuries now. Doctors view his
condition as serious," Lusine Saakian, Kivirian’s wife, told Interfax.

Saakian said the attackers even shot at Kivirian, but he did not
sustain gunshot wounds.

Kivirian’s colleagues believe the attack was related to his work.

Kivirian coordinates the activities of the ArmeniaToday and Bagin news
agencies specializing on covering problems of the Georgian region of
Samtskhe-Javakheti populated mostly by ethnic Armenians.

AssA-Irada, Azerbaijan
April 30, 2009 Thursday

JORDAN PRINCE TO VISIT AZERBAIJAN

A delegation of Jordan led by Prince Mired Bin Raad Al-Hussein,
Chairman of the National Committee for Demining and Rehabilitation,
will visit Azerbaijan on May 3-6, according to the Azerbaijan National
Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA).

The delegation will tour Fuzuli District located on the contact line
with Armenian troops where ANAMA is carrying out demining operations.
The visitors will be briefed on the fields of operation, manual
demining operations, mine searching dogs and mechanical mine clearing
machines. Issues related to cooperation will be discussed in a meeting
to be held at the headquarters of ANAMA.

The Jordan delegation will also hold meetings at the cabinet of
Ministers and other government bodies.

HAYK DEMOYAN INVITES WHOLE STAFF OF TURKISH NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL TO VISIT MUSEUM OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Noyan Tapan
Apr 30, 2009

YEREVAN, APRIL 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Hayk Demoyan, the Director of
the Museum-Institute of Armenian Genocide, considers Turkish
Sabah daily’s publication on the Armenian-Turkish April 22 joint
statement, "road-map," a manifestation of dull agitation. As he
reported at the April 30 press conference, that publication’s goal
is to direct information flows and to create dividing lines in
Armenian society. H. Demoyan advised Armenian media to refrain from
multiplying Turkish misinformation deliberately put in circulation
or dull agitation.

According to the Turkish newspaper, one of "road-map’s" points
mentioned that "Armenia recognizes the Treaty of Kars signed between
Armenia, USSR, and Turkey." According to H. Demoyan, the treaty
signed in 1921 October, which is vulnerable and incomplete from
legal point of view, was first of all grossly violated by Turkey: by
the Treaty of Kars the latter recognized Nakhichevan as a territory
within Azerbaijan’s jurisdiction. Moreover, Turkey signed the treaty
recognizing Nakhichevan as part of Azerbaijan.

H. Demoyan considers that an agreement on Armenian-Turkish relations
should not mention the Treaty of Kars, but should mention the
necessity of forming different commissions for making clear
the borders. According to him, the issue of liquidation of some
consequences of Armenian Genocide, in particular, the issue of saving
Armenian cultural heritage from destruction and the issue of its
registration should be a subject of discussion in the agreement of
at least in the negotiations preceding it.

In connection with "road-map’s" point on establishment of a commission
of historians H. Demoyan expressed an opinion that no commission can
discuss the issue of Genocide. According to him, the idea of commission
of historians is a serious threat to Turkey’s national security,
as the discussion of Armenian Genocide can be a real "Pandora’s box"
for Turkey, where many historic episodes were slurred over, and if
that box full of secrets is opened, many and many undesirable details
will be revealed for Turkish audience.

Speaking about U.S. President Barack Obama’s April 24 address,
H. Demoyan said that he sees a serious danger in exploitation
of the term "genocide," as it creates a precedent for further
manipulations. It should be mentioned that B. Obama used the term "Mets
Yeghern" in his address breaking his preelection promise of naming the
events of 1915-1922 as "genocide." "We deal with term’s depreciation,
which is dangerous. One cannot imagine a crime graver than genocide,
therefore manipulations are very dangerous at a more global scale," he
said. At the same time H. Demoyan considers positive that talks over
the statement of the leader having rather much popularity themselves
will contribute to raising international awareness about the problem
of genocide.

According to the Director of Armenian Genocide Museum, a huge
increase of international recognition and awareness of Armenian
Genocide is observed in the past 20 years. "That unequivocally gives
us a possibility to feel secure and to launch any process with the
Turkish side," he said.

H. Demoyan considers "interesting" the statement made by Turkish
National Security Council two days ago. The historian agrees to at
least one thought: "Armenian Genocide’s history is part of Turkish
and Armenian peoples’ history." And as to the thought mentioned in the
statement that "unbiassed statements and studies deprived of certain
partiality should be made," H. Demoyan said: "I kindly invite the whole
staff of Turkish National Security Council to the Museum-Institute
of Armenian Genocide. We will help them with pleasure, will provide
any kind of materal for presenting it in an unbiassed way."

YEREVAN IS PREPARING FOR OPPOSITION RALLY

ArmInfo
2009-05-01 14:26:00

ArmInfo. The opposition and the police are preparing for today’s
rally. The opposition is planning to rally near Matenadaran and then
to move to Myasnikyan Monument.

The police are controlling all government facilities. Several buses
with special purpose men are deployed near the building of the Central
Electoral Commission. Lots of policemen can be seen at Square of
France and at all nearby crossroads. Several water canons have been
placed near Matenadaran.

The entry into Yerevan is limited, the police are checking up all
vehicles entering the city.