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OPENING OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH BOUNDARY WILL MAKE PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT IMPOSSIBLE YEREVAN, MARCH 25. ARMINFO. "If Turkey opens its boundary with Armenia, resolution of the Karabakh conflict will become impossible at all," Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev told journalists yesterday, ITAR-TASS reports. Ilham Aliyev said that the EU and several influential states exert a serious pressure on Turkey in order that the latter opens its boundary with Armenia. However, the president is of the opinion that in case if the boundary is opened, Azerbaijan will lose a very important lever and then the negotiations within the framework of the peaceful process will be impossible. He said that such a step will result in stoppage of the negotiation process with all its negative consequences. "That is why, if the interested parties really want the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict, they must refuse from exerting pressure on Turkey," Aliyev said. At the same time, he expressed confidence that Turkey will endure the pressure it subjected to. The Turkish-Azerbaijani friendship is above everything for us and the Turkish people, the president said. BANKING ASSETS OF RUSSIA AND ARMENIA NEED CONSOLIDATION: HEAD OF VNESHTORBANK ANDREY KOSTIN YEREVAN, MARCH 25. ARMINFO. The banking assets of Russia and Armenia need consolidation, President-Chairman of the Board of Vbeshtorbank (Foreign Trade Bank - FTB) Andrey Kostin told ARMINFO. Andrey Kostin arrived in Yerevan yesterday to purchase 70% of the package of shares of Armsavingsbank belonging to Head of MIKA Armenia Trading LTD Mikael Baghdasarov. He said that the trends towards consolidation of banking assets is currently observed world wide and the largest western banks amalgamate. In particular, it is explained by the necessity of big investments in development of new technologies, banking infrastructure. He said that the banks of Russia and Armenia will follow this way as well. FTB's step towards purchase of the controlling package of Armsavingsbank's shares aims a consolidation of the banking sectors of the two countries to upgrade their competitiveness. Otherwise, he said, both Russia and Armenia may lose their national banking sector in the succession of time. "As regards my assessment of the Armenian banking system, I consider the banking sectors of Russia and Armenia approximately from the one standpoint," he said. Kostin noted that FTB's relations with the banking sector of Armenia are developed enough, and the correspondent relations with 8 leading Armenian banks are an evidence of it i.e. mutual limits on operations on monetary and currency market are established. At present Foreign Trade Bank has a broad correspondent network in more than 100 countries. "I have no doubts that in conditions of a growth of the commodity turnover between Russia and Armenia, there are real preconditions for financial rapprochement of the two banking systems, and the active interaction of relevant regulating bodies contributes to this," said FTB head. With the purchase of Armsavingsbank, necessary conditions will be created to strengthen FTB's positions in the sphere of service of foreign trade relations between Russia and Armenia. When entering the market of banking services of Armenia, FTB will not limit itself by serving a definite circle of clients and carrying out a definite type of operations. Undoubtedly, the Armenian enterprises transferred to Russia in return for the country's debt will become Armsavingsbank's clients after the banks is purchased by FTB. "Undoubtedly, FTB's services in the given direction will attract the attention of other companies interested in more effective service of their own foreign trade calculations," Andrey Kostin said. He said that with the entry of FTB into the capital of Armsavingsbank, the latter will not lose its status of a universal commercial bank providing a full spectrum of services to its clients. At the same time, Kostin said that FTB is ready to consider the possibilities of other investors' participation in Armsavingsbank's capital if it contributes to development of the latter's business. He did not rule out a possibility of implementation of joint projects with one of the largest insurance companies in Russia, Ingosstrakh OIJSC, which has announced recently its "entry" to Armenia through purchase of the controlling package of "Efes" company. He said that directions of investments into the banking market of Armenia will be determined taking into account the necessary security of the maximum return of the invested funds observing the economic interests of FTB's clients. ARMENIAN-TURKISH HISTORICAL PROBLEMS MUST BE FROZEN: TURKISH MP YEREVAN, MARCH 25. ARMINFO. The Turkish people has no prejudice against the Armenians. The historical problems between the two nations must be frozen in order to pave the way for bilateral relations development, says Salih Kapusuz Turkish MP representing the ruling Justice party. It is a mistake for Armenia to keep a Russian base in its territory to protect itself against Turkey. Turkey is an amicable country and respects its own and others' territorial integrity. One should not build neighborly relations on fear or efforts to overcome it especially today when nothing can be attained by military force. Turkey does not want anybody's territory. This is the country's key principle and commitment under many international agreements. Various Turkish top officials are actively working to normalize relations with Armenia especially as recently the country embarked on the path of reforms. Turkey's foreign poilicy is based on sincerity. "Our top officials have visited over 60 countries after the elections. I think they will go to Armenia too. We must do our best to make them do it." RA FOREIGN OFFICE HAS NO INFORMATION ON POSTPONEMENT OF PRAGUE MEETING YEREVAN, MARCH 25. ARMINFO. The RA Foreign Office not yet any information on the postponement of a meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers in Prague, Press Secretary of the Ra Foreign Office Hamlet Gasparyan reported. A meeting between Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign Ministers, Vardan Oskanyan and Vilayat Ghuliyev and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs was to be held in Prague on March 29. However, according to information available, the Azerbaijani side demands postponement of the meeting. AZERBAIJAN INSISTS ON POSTPONEMENT OF PRAGUE MEETING YEREVAN, MARCH 25. ARMINFO. Azerbaijan has proposed the postponement of for an uncertain period of the meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen, which was to be held in Prague, on March 29, Yuri Merzlyakov, Russian Co-Chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group for Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, told ARMINFO. He pointed out that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are trying to organize such a meeting. On the other hand, he pointed out that too little time is left for the fixed terms to be preserved. As regards President Ilkham Aliyev's discontent with the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group and his statement on the necessity of involving other international organizations in the settlement process, Merzlyakov pointed out that such statement is not a new one. Similar statements are made regularly and one of them was made at the Bratislava conference, Merzlyakov pointed out that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the EU, particularly, the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus, address the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process. "So many [others] are dealing with this problem and trying to contribute. Another matter is that they have not such mandates as the OSCE Minsk Group," Merzlyakov said. YEREVAN, MARCH 25. ARMINFO. Opening of Armenian-Turkish border will not only promote the development of regional cooperation, but also will have positive influence on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict. Spokesman of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia Hamlet Gasparian declared, commenting on the statement of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev who had said "if Turkey opens the border with Armenia, the settlement of the Karabakh conflict will become impossible at all" and that Turkey is assessed by the President Aliyev as an important key factor. According to Hamlet Gasparian, the world community also adheres to the opinion on favorable consequences of opening of the Armenian-Turkish border and this opinion has been expressed more than once. The spokesman also expressed opinion that Turkey will really become an important factor of political and economic processes in the region if it gives up unilateral - pro-Azerbaijani approach in Armenian-Azeri relations. UZBEK PRESIDENT ILL-INFORMED OF NEGOTIATIONS OVER NAGORNY KARABAKH: RA FOREIGN OFFICE YEREVAN, MARCH 25. ARMINFO. "The President of Uzbekistan is ill-informed of the content of the negotiations for the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement within the OSCE Minsk Group, otherwise he would have restrained from making contestable statements," Press Secretary of the RA Foreign Office Hamlet Gasparyan stated, commenting on the Uzbek President's statement on Nagorny-Karabakh made yesterday. Yesterday, during his meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev, Uzbek President Islam Karimov laid the responsibility for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on the USSR ex-president Mikhail Gorbachyev, stating not only his support of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, but also the necessity of "Armenia's leaving the occupied territories" and unviability of a phased settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. HEADLINES OF FEBRUARY 25 MARCH
HALF-STARVED LIFE COULD NOT BUT AFFECT HEALTH OF ARMENIAN CITIZENS,
LEADER OF NATIONAL UNITY (NU) PARTY
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