Armenian News
NAGORNO-KARABAKH: WAR NOT OVER, SAYS ALIYEV
Tert
Oct 19 2009
Armenia
Azerbaijani fundamental position is simple. The conflict must be
settled within Azerbaijani territorial integrity. Armenian armed forces
"must be withdrawn from the occupied territories. Our compatriots must
return to native lands," said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev,
AzerTaj state news agency quotes as reported by Azerbaijani news
agency Trend News.
No other point of view is considered beyond this position. Azerbaijan
has repeatedly voiced its position on this issue, Aliyev said.
He said that presently, the conflict has not been solved yet.
Azerbaijani President said that at present, Azerbaijani economy can
not be compared with Armenian one. "We excel it in all spheres. We
have very broad political opportunities. Our international positions
are strong. But economic potential is several times higher.
"Regarding with military strength, I would like to stress again that
Azerbaijani Army is the strongest one in the region. We intensify
our military strength. To tell the truth, it needs huge funds. But
we must do it as we live in war terms.
"The war has not finished yet. Its first stage has been completed. We
must be ready for releasing our native lands from occupiers any
moment," Azerbaijani President said.
NEW DETAILS IN HRANT DINK'S CASE
Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am
Oct 19 2009
New details emerged in the case of the murdered Hrant Dink,
Editor-in-Chief of the bilingual Turkish-Armenian newspaper Agos. A
legal act on a charge of the criminal omission for the imminent crime
was initiated against Ramazan Akyurek, Head of the Police Intelligence
Department, -- who finally left the office Oct. 16.
The investigation shows that the police was informed about the schemed
crime a year in advance. Lawyers of Dink's family accuse Turkish
Police Intelligence in information concealment. The Attorney Fethiye
Cetin welcoming Akyurek's dismissal still called it "too belated".
Hrant Dink, 52, was murdered by Turkish nationalists January, 2007 near
the Agos editorial office in Istanbul. Hearings of the cause-celebre
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
are still in progress.
LESS PEOPLE IN ARMENIA OPPOSE THE PROTOCOLS SIGNED WITH TURKEY
Anna Nazaryan
"Radiolur"
19.10.2009 17:33
The results of public opinion polls conducted in Armenia and Turkey
reveal that the number of respondents opposing the Armenian-Turkish
protocols decreased by the end of September.
Head of the Center of Sociological Research in Armenian, Gevorg
Poghosyan told a press conference today that 70% of the respondents
said to be against the signing of the protocols in early September.
However, the number decreased to 54% by the end of September.
More citizens opposed the signing of protocols in Armenia than
in Turkey.
Gevorg Poghosyan said that the survey was conducted among 1 000
citizens of Yerevan.
According to the Head of the Center of Sociological Research, Armenians
stand against the implementation of the provisions of the protocols
in their current wording rather than opening of the border.
The sociologist considers that the change in public opinion was
connected with the clarifications of the authorities, which were a
little belated.
Anna Nazaryan
"Radiolur"
19.10.2009 17:33
The results of public opinion polls conducted in Armenia and Turkey
reveal that the number of respondents opposing the Armenian-Turkish
protocols decreased by the end of September.
Head of the Center of Sociological Research in Armenian, Gevorg
Poghosyan told a press conference today that 70% of the respondents
said to be against the signing of the protocols in early September.
However, the number decreased to 54% by the end of September.
More citizens opposed the signing of protocols in Armenia than
in Turkey.
Gevorg Poghosyan said that the survey was conducted among 1 000
citizens of Yerevan.
According to the Head of the Center of Sociological Research, Armenians
stand against the implementation of the provisions of the protocols
in their current wording rather than opening of the border.
The sociologist considers that the change in public opinion was
connected with the clarifications of the authorities, which were a
little belated.
Armenia Warned To End `Oligopoly'
Armenia -- Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian (L) and World Bank Managing
Director Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala inaugurate the bank's new Yerevan office
on October 17, 2009.
19.10.2009
Emil Danielyan
Armenia will not reach a higher level of development unless its
leadership changes the `oligopolistic' structure of the national
economy, bolsters the rule of law and shows `zero tolerance' of
corruption, the World Bank's managing director warned over the weekend.
`I think you can only go so far with this economic model,' Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala told a news conference in Yerevan. `Armenia is a lower
middle-income country. If it wants to become a high-income or upper
middle-income country, it can not do so with this kind of economic
structure. That is clear.'
The unusually blunt message came on the second day of Okonjo-Iweala's
visit to Armenia during which she met with Prime Minister Tigran
Sarkisian and local business and civil society representatives and
toured several rural communities to inspect the implementation of
infrastructure projects financed by the World Bank. She also had a
lunch meeting with President Serzh Sarkisian on Sunday.
The Armenian authorities' efforts to mitigate the effects of the
global financial crisis on the country was the main focus of the
talks. Okonjo-Iweala reaffirmed the World Bank's strong support for
their anti-crisis measures which has translated into the disbursement
of over $200 million in various low-interest loans so far this year.
But she also stressed that the recession has exposed `some
vulnerabilities' of the Armenian economy that need to be urgently
addressed.
`Looking to the future, it is very clear that if Armenia is to come
out of the crisis well and grow in the future, it has to confront some
central challenges,' said Okonjo-Iweala. `It has to confront a
challenge of competition. The economy needs to open up to more
competition.'
`You strongly have to work to make sure that the economy is not
captured by oligopolistic structures,' she added, apparently alluding
to a widely held belief that many forms of large-scale and lucrative
economic activity in Armenia have been effectively monopolized by a
small number of wealthy individuals and their government patrons.
Okonjo-Iweala also called for a sweeping reform of tax and customs
administration, the creation of a `strong and independent judicial
system' as well as a tough fight against government corruption. `You
have to fight corruption very strongly if this economy is to have a
chance to grow in the future,' she stated.
The Armenian authorities claim to have stepped up their anti-
corruption efforts in recent years, adopting various anti-graft
programs and forming special bodies tasked with their implementation.
However, anti-draft watchdogs and other civic group see no significant
decrease in the scale of corrupt practices among various state
officials.
In particular, the Armenian affiliate of the Berlin-based Transparency
International believes that the country's rulers are inherently
disinterested in combating graft because they themselves have
extensive business interests and are heavily reliant on the political
backing of `oligarchs' enjoying privileged government treatment.
Indeed, many government, law-enforcement and other officials in
Armenia own lucrative businesses, both directly and through their
cronies, and/or share in the profits of other firms sponsored by them.
When asked to comment on the perception that the Armenian leadership
has a vested interest in preserving the existing economic system,
Okonjo-Iweala said, `I think this is a question that the Armenian
people will also have to work on and decide for themselves. But
obviously ... it will be in the self-interests of everyone in the
country, both policy-makers and citizens, if more competition is
introduced.'
The number two figure in the World Bank leadership suggested that
Prime Minister Sarkisian is `strongly wishing to move on reforms.' `I
think he fully realizes that these challenges are there and that if
they are not tackled it will be an impediment for the economy,' she
said.
Sarkisian's commitment to reform is also acknowledged by local
commentators. However, few of them think that the former governor of
the Armenian Central Bank has the political clout and power to effect
the kind of changes that are sought by the World Bank.
A statement issued by the Armenian government after Sarkisian's
meeting with Okonjo-Iweala on Saturday said the premier briefed her on
`the course of ongoing reforms that are primarily aimed at improving
tax and customs administration. He said she success of those reforms
would significantly improve country's business environment and
expressed readiness to engage foreign experts in their implementation,
the statement said.
`You can deal with the technical issues but what you need is a
political will to say, `Look, we are going to have zero tolerance of
corruption in these areas,'' Okonjo-Iweala told journalists the next
day. `So we hope the prime minister will get support -- and I hope to
meet with the president -- and that there will be support for this
zero tolerance.'
Tigran Sarkisian declared tax reform a top priority shortly after
being appointed prime minister in April 2008. He swiftly managed to
reduce, with President Sarkisian's assistance, bribery and favoritism
within Armenia's notoriously corrupt customs service.
However, some local entrepreneurs now say that corruption among
customs officials, which is greatly facilitated by their discretionary
power to determine the market value of imported goods, has been on the
rise this year. `The customs may now be even more corrupt than it was
under [former President Robert] Kocharian,' one importer alleged
recently.
The businessman, who did not want to be identified, told RFE/RL that
local firms importing goods can easily contact intermediary firms that
can help them pay less import duties in return for a cash payment.
Those firms have close ties with the leadership of the State Revenue
Committee (SRC), he claimed.
Only one Armenian businessman has made such allegations publicly to
date. Gagik Hakobian, one of the owners of the Royal Armenia coffee
packaging company, claimed in 2004 to have been offered to engage in a
fraud scam with senior customs officials, including Gagik Khachatrian,
the current SRC chief. Hakobian was subsequently arrested and
sentenced to six years in prison on controversial fraud charges.
leadership changes the `oligopolistic' structure of the national
economy, bolsters the rule of law and shows `zero tolerance' of
corruption, the World Bank's managing director warned over the weekend.
`I think you can only go so far with this economic model,' Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala told a news conference in Yerevan. `Armenia is a lower
middle-income country. If it wants to become a high-income or upper
middle-income country, it can not do so with this kind of economic
structure. That is clear.'
The unusually blunt message came on the second day of Okonjo-Iweala's
visit to Armenia during which she met with Prime Minister Tigran
Sarkisian and local business and civil society representatives and
toured several rural communities to inspect the implementation of
infrastructure projects financed by the World Bank. She also had a
lunch meeting with President Serzh Sarkisian on Sunday.
The Armenian authorities' efforts to mitigate the effects of the
global financial crisis on the country was the main focus of the
talks. Okonjo-Iweala reaffirmed the World Bank's strong support for
their anti-crisis measures which has translated into the disbursement
of over $200 million in various low-interest loans so far this year.
But she also stressed that the recession has exposed `some
vulnerabilities' of the Armenian economy that need to be urgently
addressed.
`Looking to the future, it is very clear that if Armenia is to come
out of the crisis well and grow in the future, it has to confront some
central challenges,' said Okonjo-Iweala. `It has to confront a
challenge of competition. The economy needs to open up to more
competition.'
`You strongly have to work to make sure that the economy is not
captured by oligopolistic structures,' she added, apparently alluding
to a widely held belief that many forms of large-scale and lucrative
economic activity in Armenia have been effectively monopolized by a
small number of wealthy individuals and their government patrons.
Okonjo-Iweala also called for a sweeping reform of tax and customs
administration, the creation of a `strong and independent judicial
system' as well as a tough fight against government corruption. `You
have to fight corruption very strongly if this economy is to have a
chance to grow in the future,' she stated.
The Armenian authorities claim to have stepped up their anti-
corruption efforts in recent years, adopting various anti-graft
programs and forming special bodies tasked with their implementation.
However, anti-draft watchdogs and other civic group see no significant
decrease in the scale of corrupt practices among various state
officials.
In particular, the Armenian affiliate of the Berlin-based Transparency
International believes that the country's rulers are inherently
disinterested in combating graft because they themselves have
extensive business interests and are heavily reliant on the political
backing of `oligarchs' enjoying privileged government treatment.
Indeed, many government, law-enforcement and other officials in
Armenia own lucrative businesses, both directly and through their
cronies, and/or share in the profits of other firms sponsored by them.
When asked to comment on the perception that the Armenian leadership
has a vested interest in preserving the existing economic system,
Okonjo-Iweala said, `I think this is a question that the Armenian
people will also have to work on and decide for themselves. But
obviously ... it will be in the self-interests of everyone in the
country, both policy-makers and citizens, if more competition is
introduced.'
The number two figure in the World Bank leadership suggested that
Prime Minister Sarkisian is `strongly wishing to move on reforms.' `I
think he fully realizes that these challenges are there and that if
they are not tackled it will be an impediment for the economy,' she
said.
Sarkisian's commitment to reform is also acknowledged by local
commentators. However, few of them think that the former governor of
the Armenian Central Bank has the political clout and power to effect
the kind of changes that are sought by the World Bank.
A statement issued by the Armenian government after Sarkisian's
meeting with Okonjo-Iweala on Saturday said the premier briefed her on
`the course of ongoing reforms that are primarily aimed at improving
tax and customs administration. He said she success of those reforms
would significantly improve country's business environment and
expressed readiness to engage foreign experts in their implementation,
the statement said.
`You can deal with the technical issues but what you need is a
political will to say, `Look, we are going to have zero tolerance of
corruption in these areas,'' Okonjo-Iweala told journalists the next
day. `So we hope the prime minister will get support -- and I hope to
meet with the president -- and that there will be support for this
zero tolerance.'
Tigran Sarkisian declared tax reform a top priority shortly after
being appointed prime minister in April 2008. He swiftly managed to
reduce, with President Sarkisian's assistance, bribery and favoritism
within Armenia's notoriously corrupt customs service.
However, some local entrepreneurs now say that corruption among
customs officials, which is greatly facilitated by their discretionary
power to determine the market value of imported goods, has been on the
rise this year. `The customs may now be even more corrupt than it was
under [former President Robert] Kocharian,' one importer alleged
recently.
The businessman, who did not want to be identified, told RFE/RL that
local firms importing goods can easily contact intermediary firms that
can help them pay less import duties in return for a cash payment.
Those firms have close ties with the leadership of the State Revenue
Committee (SRC), he claimed.
Only one Armenian businessman has made such allegations publicly to
date. Gagik Hakobian, one of the owners of the Royal Armenia coffee
packaging company, claimed in 2004 to have been offered to engage in a
fraud scam with senior customs officials, including Gagik Khachatrian,
the current SRC chief. Hakobian was subsequently arrested and
sentenced to six years in prison on controversial fraud charges.
ARMENIA AND TURKEY TO SIGN ELECTRICITY SUPPLY CONTRACT
ARKA
Oct 19, 2009
YEREVAN, October 19, /ARKA/. Armenian Energy and Natural Resource
Minister Armen Movsisyan said last Friday the agreement on supply of
electrical power to Turkey may be signed later this month.
The preliminary agreement on supply of Armenian power to Turkey was
made in 2008 September by Armenian High Voltage Electrical Networks
Company and an Istanbul-based Unity Group dealing with import and
distribution of power in Turkey. Bu the supply, originally planned to
kick off in 2009 April, was not started because of political problems.
The Minister said the signing of Armenian-Turkish protocols have
given a new push to the plans and a group of senior executives from
the Turkish energy company will arrive in Yerevan later this month
for fresh talks on planned exports of Armenian electricity to Turkey.
He said only power generated in Armenia will be sold to Turkey and
stressed that the volume of sales will be defined after talks with
the Turkish company are finalized.
"We are ready to work with all those companies which will meet our
requirements. In general we are ready to cooperate with Turkish,
Iranian Georgian or Azerbaijani companies,' the minister said,
adding that Turkey wants to import Armenia-generated electricity to
its eastern regions which lack capacities to produce enough power.
Movsisyan had earlier estimated the initial volume of planned
electricity exports to Turkey at 1.5 billion kilowatt/hours a year.
Armenia's electricity output totaled roughly 6 billion kilowatt/hours
in 2008.
Bristol Evening Post
Oct 20 2009
UK
An Armenian family seized from their Bristol home and taken to a
detention centre to be deported have been released by the UK Border
Agency.
Anna Vardanyan, 33, and her three children - Mariam, 16; Norik, 12;
and Gayana, eight - have spent the past two weeks at the Yarl's Wood
immigration removal centre in Bedfordshire.
But last night they arrived back at Temple Meads railway station,
their ordeal over after they were given leave to stay at home in St
George while an appeal to keep them in the country is heard.
Paulette North, a teacher at the City Academy and a member of Bristol
Defend The Asylum Seekers Campaign, has long championed the family's
case.
She said: "We were so overjoyed to hear the news because it has been
a harrowing time for them.
"I spoke to them several times before they got back and they were
ecstatic they were out, but at the same time they were very distressed.
"They are not in good physical or mental health and have suffered
immensely from this ordeal.
"Mariam contracted salmonella food poisoning and was in hospital for
a day and a half, and she is still very weak.
"Anna is very distressed. When they seized them two weeks ago they
threw their belongings in the back of a people carrier.
"When they released them yesterday they put everything in tiny bags
and just thrust a ticket into Anna's hand, with no help to get back.
They didn't even know if they were on a coach or a train."
The Vardanyans have lived in St George for seven years.
Mariam and Norik attend City Academy in Lawrence Hill, while Gayana
goes to Summerhill Junior School in St George.
They were removed on October 5 when 10 police officers and immigration
officials raided their home and were due to be deported on October 9.
But at 5.55pm that evening their solicitor rang supporters who were
demonstrating outside Trinity Road police station to say an injunction
had been granted.
Ms North said that their release yesterday was down to pressure put
on the government and the detention centre by the family's friends,
unions and pupils at the City Academy, who gathered a petition to
take to the Prime Minister and wrote to the children's commission
calling for them to be freed.
She said: "It was also because there is a judicial review. The family
are now in the legal loop, and we are waiting for the results of the
review, which could take a few months.
"It will prove that the Government has not examined the new evidence
enough, showing that if Anna went back to Armenia she would face
further abuse.
"When the news was relayed to the staff and pupils at the City Academy
all Mariam's friends went wild and cheered, with Anna on the other
end of the phone thanking them.
"It is barbaric and draconian of this country to lock children up,
and we will be having a big open meeting in the middle of November
to highlight the issue."
The UK Border Agency said that the Vardanyans were living in the
country illegally after their claim for asylum was turned down and
appeals failed.
The family's solicitor has applied for a judicial review of the case,
which will be heard in the High Court.
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