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The daily Haykakan Zhamanak writes that Armenian Energy and Natural Resources Minister Armen Movsisyan rejected the information published yesterday in the daily that the tariff for gas supplied from Russia to Armenia has increased. The paper writes that the response is natural as the fact of increase of the gas tariff, according to the sources of the daily, was to be kept secret for as long as possible. The sources of the daily claim that the gas tariff has been raised and it will become clear after the RA and RF customs services publicize the official information about the foreign trade. The paper says the information is kept secret because if the price for gas tariff increases and the tariff for consumers does not change it will become obvious that the last year's tariff was high without any grounds which on its part will mean that the incomes of "ArmRusGasProm" were ungrounded too.
Haykakan Zhamanak also writes that the OSCE Minsk group co-chairs are leaving today for Baku to discuss the further steps in the Karabakh conflict settlement process. The paper says July 18 they will be in Yerevan. Visit to NK is also expected. On the eve of the visit the paper says Mammadyarov gave an interview to Russian Interfax saying that at the referendum over the future status of NK the Armenians will vote for becoming part of Azerbaijan. "We must work in that direction. It is not clear when the referendum will take place but we must present necessary facts, arguments and results to make it understand that living inside Azerbaijan is better taking into consideration the economic development of the country", the paper cited him as saying.
The daily Azg writes that President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev stated to the members of the government at the cabinet sitting about the "decisive phase in negotiations" over the NK conflict settlement. The paper says he calmed down the ministers saying that the latest statement of the Minsk group was in favor of Azerbaijan as far as it makes a reference on the Helsinki Final Act. The paper says another pleasant thing for Aliyev in the statement is that it speaks about unacceptability of status quo as the junior Aliyev hopes that the change of the status quo will result in the liberation of the "occupied territories" of Azerbaijan. The paper says as the third favorable point Aliev noted the intensification of contacts of the co-chairs with the leaders and foreign ministers. The paper says the Azeri leader believes it is connected with the powerful army and statehood of Azerbaijan.
The daily Hayots Ashkhar writes on the eve the Georgian authorities made a step back from the already adopted decision on granting legal status to five religious groups. The paper says it once again proves that on behalf of Georgia Armenia is dealing with unreliable state the rules of which may temporally be considered with restriction. The paper describes the behavior of the Georgian side as prostitution.
The semi-weekly 168 Zham claims it has learnt that deputy foreign minister Arman Kirakosyan will be appointed RA permanent representative in the OSCE. The paper claims he will be replaced by the former ambassador Ashot Hovakimyan.