ARMENIAN, KUWAITI GOV- ERNMENTS SIGN AGREE- ARMENIA RECORDED MENT ON ENCOURAGEMENT ECONOMIC GROWTH IN AND MUTUAL PROTECTION JANUARY-MaY 2010 OF INVESTS PAGE 2 PAGE 3 ARMENIA HIGHLIGHTS Weekly Digest of the Government of Armenia June 22 - 28, 2010 THEMA “Quote of the week” “IF PREVIOUSLY THERE WAS INTENTION THAT THE DYNAMICS OF GROWTH WILL BE OF IRREGU- LAR NATURE TODAY WE WITNESS AN OP- POSITE PHENOMENA. SPEAKING IN FORMAL RESPECT THE 8,8% IS REAL GROWTH, THE NOMINAL GROWTH IS HIGHER. ” ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN MEETS WITH GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL TiGRAN DAVTYAN FiNANCE MiNISTER OF RA rmenian President Serzh Sargsyan President Serzh Sargsyan, on June 21, met in Awho is in Germany on an official the evening of the same day with representa- visit met on June 22 with the German tives of the Armenian community. RA Pres- Chancellor Angela Merkel. Presidential ident Serzh Sargsyan, who is on an official press office told Armenpress that issues visit to Berlin, on June 22 met with Chan- on development of bilateral relations cellor of Germany Angela Merkel, as well as Upcoming Events as well as using of the opportunities of with President of the Bundesrat and acting the multi-sided format cooperation have Head of State of Germany Jens Buhrnsen June 26 - July 6: International been discussed at the meeting. Armenian 22 June, 2010, www.armenpress.am Open Chess Tournament in Jermuk SERZH SaRGSYAN: BakU JEOPARDIZES NOT ONLY ARMENIAN-AZ- erbaijani talks, but also region’s stability July 11-18: The seventh annual uring his visit to Germany, Armenian Pres- that the efforts of Armenia and international com- Golden Apricot Yerevan Dident Serzh Sargsyan met with Germany’s munity aimed at normalization of the two countries’ Chancellor Angela Merkel on June 21. Referring relations have not yielded results. According to Mr. to the Karabakh conflict settlement, the Arme- Sargsyan, Turkey wanted to exploit this process for USEFUL LINKS nian President voiced concern over the fact that other purposes and was rejecting the agreed princi- • www.president.am Azerbaijan does not contribute to the process set- ples of negotiations. The parties attached importance • www.gov.am tlement, raising the issue of the conflict military to continuation of the Armenian-Turkish normaliza- • www.parliament.am resolution. According to Mr. Sargsyan, Baku tion without preconditions.Meanwhile, they noted • www.mfa.am jeopardizes not only the Armenian-Azerbaijani that the Karabakh conflict should be solved peace- • www.armenpress.am talks, but also the region’s stability. Referring fully within the framework of the OSCE Minsk • www.panarmenian.net to the Armenian-Turkish normalization, the Group, the RA President’s press service reported. • www.matenadaran.am Armenian President voiced regret over the fact 22 June, 2010, www.panarmenian.net ARMENIA HIGHLIGHTS CHRONICA serzh sargsyan: azerbaijan’s knows that Azerbaijanis attacked, while the HEADLINES OF ACTIONS ARE CHALLENGE OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, EU Special THE WEEK ADDRESSED TO MINSK GROUP Representative for the South Caucasus give a AND RUSSIA • JUNE 21: Arman Kirako- general estimation to the incident and call on syan, Peter Semneby discuss the sides not to make provocations. Who are Armenian-Turkish relations these sides? Who is responsible for the certain AH incident? We (Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh • JUNE 21: Monthly salary in Ar- and Azerbaijan) signed a trilateral ceasefire menia comprises AMD 103 agreement in 1994 and we did it as per Baku’s 549 in January-May 2010 offer, through Russia’s mediation. Thus, we AH have a legal obligation to follow the ceasefire • JUNE 22: Armenian government regime. The incident, which took place im- hosts meeting of commission regu- mediately after my meeting with Azerbaijani lating Armenia-EU cooperation Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said President Ilham Aliyev, is unacceptable and AH that the resolution of the Karabakh conflict is a challenge addressed to the Minsk Group, • JUNE 22: Armenia hosts confer- is hampered by unclear approach of many Russia and, of course, Armenia.” ence on Scenarios for Prevention of structures, including European ones. An Azeri recon element attempted to penetrate Illegal Storage and Circulation of These structures have concerns that they may into Arstakh territory in the environs of Chaylu Nuclear and Radioactive Substances hamper the conflict settlement, if they point settlement, Mardakert region, on June 18, at AH to certain perpetrators of certain incidents, 11.30 pm. As a result of retaliatory measures, • JUNE 23: Albanian For- Sargsyan said at Konrad AdenauerFounda- the armed group was neutralized, leaving one eign Minister to visit Armenia tion, Germany.Referring to the recent inci- dead and armament on the spot. The Armenian AH dent in the environs of Chaylu settlement, the side lost 4 killed. 4 were injured. • JUNE 23: Armenia-Argenti- Armenian President said: “The entire world June 23, 2010 www.panarmenian.net na collaboration to be intensified AH ARMENIAN, KUWAITI GOVERNMENTS SIGN AGREEMENT • JUNE 23: NATO follows with great at- ON ENCOURAGEMENT AND MUTUAL PROTECTION OF IN- tention the development of the situation VESTMENTS on Karabakh-Azerbaijan contact line AH delegation’s visit will contribute to it, the • JUNE 23: Italy welcomes Ar- RA government’s press service reported. menia’s consistent policy in Outlooks of implementation of mutually Karabakh conflict settlement beneficial investment programs, as well AH as creation of favorable conditions in the • JUNE 27: Holy Echmiadzin mining, tourism and air communication hosts service for commemora- fields were in the focus of the meeting. tion of Azeri diversion victims Besides, the parties emphasized the neces- AH sity of establishment of an intergovern- ARMENIA BRIEFED CSTO MEETING mental commission to develop economic ON CHAYLU INCIDENT Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sarg- ties. syan received a Kuwaiti delegation led by In completion, Armenian Minister of Fi- On June 24, Secretariat of the Collective Minister of Finance Mustafa Jassem Al- nance and his Kuwaiti counterpart signed Security Treaty Organization hosted a Shamali. Armenian Minister of Finance an agreement on encouragement and mu- meeting of the CSTO Permanent Coun- Tigran Davtyan was also attending the tual protection of investments between the cil with participation of Secretary Gen- meeting. The Armenian PM attached im- Armenian and Kuwaiti governments. eral Nikolay Bordyuzha, his deputies and portance to the development of relations June 25, 2010 www.panarmenian.net permanent representatives of the CSTO with Kuwait and expressed hope that the member countries. During the meeting, Mr. Bordyuzha pro- EADB ADOPTS PROGRAM TO SUPPORT SMES vided information on the visit CSTO he Eurasian Development Bank capacities, creating job opportunities, in- Temporary Task Group will pay to Kyr- T(EADB) adopted the Program on creasing tax payments to budgets, contrib- gyzstan on June 25 and 26. Support and Development of Small and uting to growth in internal trade and mutu- A draft statement of the CSTO member Medium Enterprises through Provision al investments, as well as at increasing the countries on Afghanistan drug threat was of Targeted Credit Lines to Financial In- mutual trade turnovers among the bank’s also considered. stitutions. The program aims to create fa- member countries. Armenia’s Representative to the CSTO vorable conditions for the development of If all requirements are met, the EADB will delivered a report on Azerbaijan’s sub- small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of open a credit line for each financial institu- versive attack on June 18, 2010, in the bank’s member countries and increase tion with a maturity period from three to Mardakert region of Nagorno Karabakh, their competitiveness in internal and ex- five years for targeted financing of SME the press office of CSTO office in Yer- ternal markets, the EADB press service projects. evan reported. reported. The program addresses problems June 24, 2010, June 24, 2010 www.panarmenian.net of the development of SME production full story www.panarmenian.net 2 AH ARMENIA HIGHLIGHTS RES PUBLICA european people’s party opens doors for armenian ARMENIA, AUSTRIA TO BOOST COALITION FORCES ECONOMIC COOPERATION tunity to Armenian coalition forces to join the European People’s Party. Accession talks will soon start be- tween the European People’s Party and the Republican Party of Ar- menia, the Prosperous Party of Ar- menia and Orinats Yerkir Party. A high-level mission of the European he European People’s Party is People’s Party will arrive in Arme- Topening its doors for he coali- nia by the end of 2010 to see to what rmenian Prime Minister Tigran tion parties of Armenia. The sitting extent the Armenian coalition parties ASargsyan met with Austrian For- of the task fore on issues membership correspond to European standards. eign Minister Michael Spindelegger, the too place in Brussels on June 24. The 25 June, 2010, RA government’s press service reported. task force decided to give an oppor- full story www.armradio.am The Prime Minister hailed the cur- rent level of the Armenian-Austrian po- ARMENIA RECORDED ECONOMIC GROWTH IN JANUARY- litical relations, attaching importance MaY 2010 to boosting of bilateral economic ties. For his part, Mr. Spindelegger noted that ccording to updated statistical data, uary-May 2010. However, 7.9% drop Austria is interested in developing coop- Armenia’s industrial production in- was recorded in the produced electric- A eration