Doing Business 2015: Armenia ranks 45th on World Bank index
Tert.am, 29 October 2014, https://www.tert.am/en/news/
Armenia has slightly improved its ranking on the World Bank’s latest Doing Business index, climbing up to the 45th position from the 49th recorded last year.
Decline was observed only in three areas: getting loans, protecting minority investors and resolving insolvency. (…) Russia is the 67th country on the ranking. Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan come in as the 77th, 80th, 102nd and 166th, respectively. Georgia, which places the 15th, is the leader among the post-Soviet countries.
The report covers ten areas, including starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity and registering property.
EU-Armenia Relations
French Lawmaker Introduces New Bill Criminalizing Genocide Denial
Asbarez.com, 28 October 2014, https://asbarez.com/128314/
French Member of Parliament Valerie Boyer has introduced a new bill criminalizing public denial of the Armenian Genocide in France. She said the document has been submitted to all the parliamentary institutions of France and over 40 members of parliament have already signed it.
Boyer recalled that on April 24 French President Francois Hollande promised to sign a resolution criminalizing the public denial of the Armenian Genocide if such a resolution is passed by the French National Assembly. Boyer is convinced that the president will fulfill his promise. She said the massacre of national minorities in the Middle East by ISIS fighters makes such a document extremely urgent. The lawmaker believes that if passed earlier, this document could prevent what is happening now in the Middle East.
Previously, Valerie Boyer introduced a similar bill, which the French National Assembly passed. However, the Constitutional Court deemed the bill unconstitutional and declined it.
German Ambassador hopes Turkey will think about apologizing to Armenians
Mediamax, 29 October 2014, https://www.mediamax.am/en/
German Ambassador to Armenia Rainer Morel expressed the hope today that Turkey will think about apologizing to Armenians within upcoming years.
“What we achieved after the World War II was a result of hard work and great efforts. We understood that we should apologize and adhere to reconciliation. We hope Turkey will think over this issue within upcoming years. Some movements are noticeable in the Turkish society, so there is hope for progress”, said the German Ambassador.
General News on Armenia
Armenia ranks 103rd in Global Gender Gap Report 2014
Public Radio of Armenia, 29 October 2014, https://www.armradio.am/en/
Armenia is ranked 103rd among 142 countries in the Global Gender Gap Report 2014 released by the World Economic Forum today. The Global Gender Gap Report 2014 benchmarks national gender gaps of 142 countries on economic, political, education- and health-based criteria. Armenia is 82nd in terms of economic participation and opportunity and 31st in education attainment. The country ranks 142nd with regard to health and survival and 123rd with the level of women’s political participation.
The other countries in the region are ranked as follows: Georgia – 85th, Azerbaijan – 94th, Turkey – 125th, Iran – 137th and Russia 25th.
Budget Debate: Parliament committees start discussions of Armenia’s main financial document for 2015
Armenia Now, 29 October 2014, https://armenianow.com/economy/
Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan described next year’s state budget drafted by his government as “socially oriented” as discussions of the country’s main financial document began at the National Assembly on Tuesday. But a number of opposition lawmakers said the document fails to address many problems, including in the provinces.
At the beginning of sector by sector discussions at National Assembly committees Abrahamyan first of all described the draft budget as realistic, stressing that even in the worst case scenarios considering the complex developments in the region Armenia will be able to find the necessary means to fulfill this budget.
Armenia’s overall public debt to grow to $4.9 billion in late 2015
Arka.am, 28 October 2014, https://arka.am/en/news/
Armenia’s overall public debt will be standing at $4.953 billion at the end of 2015, the first deputy finance minister Pavel Safaryan said today at a discussion of the budget started by parliamentary standing committees. He said the bulk of the public debt - 83.4% or $4.129 billion are the external debt.
Russia to keep developing military base in Armenia: Defense Minister
Public Radio of Armenia, 28 October 2014, https://www.armradio.am/en/
Russia will actively keep developing its military bases abroad, Russian Defense Minister, Army General Sergey Shoigu said Tuesday, TASS reports.
“We keep developing our bases abroad: in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Armenia. We are developing them rather actively,” Shoigu said at a meeting of the Public Council under the Defense Ministry.
Special Medal granted to Turkish intellectual who researches Armenian Genocide
Armenpress, 28 October 2014, https://armenpress.am/eng/news/
The Western Armenian National Congress awarded Turkish historian, public figure Ismail Beshikchi with Gevorg Surenyants Medal for his two very important works on the studies of the Armenian Genocide.
As Armenpress reports, Gevorg Surenyants Medal was founded in 2014 October 12 for the Turkish intellectuals, who have been against the crime of denying the Armenian Genocide through their activity and works and have put forward significant theories and evidences on reality of the Armenian Genocide.
General News on Nagorno-Karabakh
Armenia Says Nagorno-Karabakh Talks 'Constructive'
Radio free Europe, 29 October 2014, https://www.rferl.org/content/
Yerevan says talks in Paris on October 27 between Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian and Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev were "constructive, useful, and sincere." The statement was issued on October 28 by Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, who said the leaders discussed many issues related to a settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Nalbandian also said the two also discussed confidence-building measures proposed by French President Francois Hollande.
Azerbaijan will not give up its rhetoric – David Babayan
Tert.am, 29 October 2014, https://www.tert.am/en/news/
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is not a local or regional conflict. Rather, it is a global conflict, which is the reason why the superpowers act as mediators in the peace process, David Babayan, Spokesman for the President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), told Tert.am as he commented on the Armenian-Azerbaijani presidential meeting in Paris, France, on the initiative of French President François Hollande and with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ participation.
Protecting Humanitarian Norms, Avoiding Escalation
Armenian Weekly, 28 October 2014, https://armenianweekly.com/
At least 30 soldiers died in one week of border clashes in late July and early August, a total higher than all of the casualties seen in 2013. The United States, Russia, and the European Union all issued statements calling for a diffusion of tensions and respect for the 1994 ceasefire. In the meantime, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev went on Twitter declaring, “The war is not over. Only the first stage of it is.”
What sparked the burst of combat remains unclear. Theories abound—from developments in Ukraine and Russian meddling, to testing the combat readiness of the opposing side.But there is one very important variable that receives little attention: the treatment of civilians and enemy captives.
USA expect successful negotiations from Armenia and Azerbaijan
Armenpress, 29 October 2014, https://armenpress.am/eng/news/
Among other things, U.S. state department Spokesman Jen Psaki stated: “We have continued to convey that it’s important for the sides to take the necessary steps to lays the basis for a peaceful settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We call on all sides to redouble their efforts at the negotiation table to focus on the benefits that peace will bring to people across the region”.
News on Turkey
Mahchupyan’s Appointment: A New Step in Genocide Denial Policy?
Civilnet.am, 28 October 2014, https://civilnet.am/2014/10/28/
Mahcupyan denies the Armenian-Turkish orientation of his appointment, giving a wider role to his activities. Mahcupyan said that it was a compelling proposal which he gladly accepted. In the meantime, Turkish media is emphasizing his Armenian roots, underscoring that the AKP managed to bring even an Armenian to the position of chief advisor to the Prime Minister.
News from Azerbaijani sources
Paris meeting of Azerbaijani, Armenian presidents is positive step – EU
Trend.az, 29 October 2014, https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/
The Paris meeting of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia is a positive step on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, the head of the EU representative office in Azerbaijan Malena Mard said.
“I think these kinds of high level meetings are definitely very important towards changing the status-quo and peaceful resolution,” Mard told Trend Oct. 29.
Mard said that it is important that these kinds of high level meetings will continue in the future.
Political elite in Armenia intimidating teachers
Azernews, 29 October 2014, https://www.azernews.az/
A teacher in Armenia has returned his teaching license saying he wants to have absolutely nothing in common with the ruling authorities.
Chess teacher Narek Varazdatyan said he gave back the teaching license he was given by the National Chess Academy's Director and Education Minister. "If criminals are appointed to vice rector and mayoral posts in this country, I don't have to do something with the government," he noted.
Varazdatyan ireful words hinted to the recent appointment of Sevak Khachatryan to the vice rector post at the State Economic University and Suren Khachatryan's return to Syunik region's mayoral cabinet.
Armenia violates ceasefire with Azerbaijan 30 times within 24 hours
Trend.az, 29 October 2014, https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/
Armenian armed forces have broken ceasefire with Azerbaijan 30 times in different positions in the last 24 hours, Azerbaijan’s defense ministry said on Oct.29.
Armenian armed forces, located near the villages of Yusifjanli, Shikhlar, Bash Gervend, Kengerli of Aghdam district, Kuropatkino of Khojavend district, Ashagi Veyselli, Horadiz, Garakhanbeyli of Fizuli district opened fire at the positions of Azerbaijani armed forces. Azerbaijani positions also took fire from the positions located at the nameless heights of Khojavend, Fizuli and Jabrayil districts.