ARMENPRESS NEWS AGENCY

PRESS REVIEW, FEBRUARY 18, 2009

The daily Azg writes that in Armenia many times statements have been voiced that the country considers Information Technology sphere as the prior branch of its economy. The daily says in this century of computers especially for the country with poor natural resources like Armenia is, the IT sphere may be a big opportunity for the general development. The daily says in the contemporary world there is no branch of economy which can operate without the interference of computer, and it is not accidental that during the recent years the specialization of software developer has become “equal” to “always best” specializations of lawyers and economists. Azg says besides, the government is trying to carry out “Computer for All” program, which gives an opportunity to citizens to acquire computers. Azg continues that, though, the reality is that the only country in the region, which has declared IT sector a priority, is the last among the Caucasian countries with the degree of spread of the internet. The daily says according to the Internetworldstates information, only 6,4% of the 3 million population of Armenia get use of internet, in neighbor Georgia the 22% of the 4 million population uses internet and in Azerbaijan 18% among the 8 million. The daily though says this information cannot picture reality with the simple reason – first of all no one knows for sure how many people live in each of the Caucasian countries, thus the number of “internet-lovers” cannot be objective.

The daily also writes that the negotiations have an interesting role in the process of the regulation of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict: before them and after them the two parties make self-contradicting statements and an impression is left as if negotiations are fully imitation and not more. The daily says a regular diplomatic-half diplomatic “skirmish” is taking place during these days too. Azg says, particularly, spokesman for the Azerbaijani foreign minister Elkhan Polukhov referred to the small response-explanation of the Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan to “Haylur” connected with Elmar Mammadyarov’s return of the “occupied territories” eternal demand. The daily says the fact that the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry responds on the level of its press secretary in this case is not offensive, and, more probably, was not done in purpose to humiliate the Armenian side with the response of the lower degree diplomat, just recently, paying attention to Azerbaijani responses, we may say that in the neighboring country press secretaries have assumed a more important role than the heads of ministries as they more often come forth with self-contradicting statements and it becomes easier and not problematic to step back from the statement made by a press secretary than of the one made on a higher level.

The daily Kapital writes that within the framework of the International Monetary Fund’s standby program the good implementation of Armenia gives an opportunity to get from the Fund another 48,49 SDR (about $70 million) loan means. The daily says in general by June 2011 Armenia must get from IMF up to $823 million loan means. The daily says last year IMF, within the framework of the program, provided to Armenia about the $400 million.