Armenia says Turkey not ready to normalize relations.

YEREVAN, April 23 (Itar-Tass) -- Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
said on Thursday the "current stage in normalization of relations with
Turkey has been exhausted" and decreed to revoke ratification protocols on
the establishment of diplomatic relations with Ankara following Turkish
claims to condition normalization on the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict with Azerbaijan.
"Turkey is not ready to continue the launched process and go ahead
without preliminary conditions and in compliance with the spirit and
letter of the protocol," the president said adding reasonable time for
ratification has passed.
Sargsyan said a year had passed since the joint statement of Armenia,
Turkey and Switzerland that called for normalization of relations between
Yerevan and Ankara.
The president said Armenia adhered to the normalization process and
occupied constructive positions. "We have stated that in case Turkey
ratifies the protocols without preconditions and in reasonable time it
would be impossible for Armenian parliament to deny ratification," he said.
"Now it is time to assess what we mean by 'reasonable time' and
'without preconditions'. "During the year there was no lack of public
statements from high-level Turkish officials made in the language of
preliminary conditions. During the year Turkey did everything to drag
time. Therefore, our conclusions and positions are unambiguous," Sargsyan
said.
The presidential decree followed the demand of the ruling coalition to
remove the ratification issue. "The political majority in the National
Assembly of Armenia regards as unacceptable the statements of the Turkish
side over the past few days, including those by Prime Minister Tayyip
Erdogan, that link the ratification of Armenian-Turkish protocols by
Turkish parliament with the settlement of the conflict between
Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan," it said in a statement.

.Yanukovich says Ukraine "fell head down" under Timoshenko.

KIEV, April 23 (Itar-Tass) -- Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich
said his country "fell head down" under former Prime Minister Yulia
Timoshenko and the economic situation was horrifying.
"We received the country in a horrifying state," he told reporters on
Thursday commenting on his first 50 days in office.
The previous government "serviced political ambitions of Yulia
Timoshenko" and brought the country "to a breakdown, ruined the economy
and considerably deteriorated the life of the people," he said.
Last year the GDP fell 15 percent and production - 22 percent.
Compared to neighboring countries "we fell head down," the president said.
Construction volumes halved and average wages fell to 240 dollars,
which is three times less than in Russia.
The holding of Euro-2012 football cup was jeopardized. The financial
situation is catastrophic as "budget deficit comprises close to 100
billion hrivnas, while the state debt upped unprecedented three-fold",
according to the president.
"State coffers are empty, gold and currency reserves decreased three
times, and the money earned by Ukraine from Kyoto protocol has been
plundered," Yanukovich said.
The agricultural fund lacks 33 tons of grain. The Naftogaz Ukraine Oil
and Gas Company is close to bankruptcy. "We shall save the company and
will balance it 100 percent by the end of the year," Yanukovich said
adding budget plundering was the principal activity of the previous
government.
Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov said on Thursday the draft 2010 budget
will be submitted to parliament next week. The main budget provisions will
be agreed with the International Monetary Fund and Ukraine plans a
five-percent deficit plus one percent to cover Naftogaz debts. The
government will cut state expenses and will introduce a tax on luxury.
"It is absolutely clear for us which reforms to carry out. Their main
aim will be to modernize economy and raise the living standards in
Ukraine. People cannot live in conditions of European prices with monthly
wages of 100 euros," Azarov said.

.NATO grants membership plan to Bosnia.

TALLINN, April 23 (Itar-Tass) -- NATO foreign ministers on Thursday
granted a Membership Action Plan (MAP) for Bosnia that could see it join
the alliance in coming years, but attached preconditions.
"MAP has been granted to Bosnia-Herzegovina today, but with clear
conditions attached on implementation," NATO spokesman James Appathurai
told a news briefing.
Appathurai said NATO would accept Bosnia's first annual reform plan
under the program only when defense property, such as bases, was
registered as belonging to the state and for use of the defense ministry.
Bosnia applied for NATO membership plan in October. Appathurai said
the country made "significant" progress on reform and ministers welcomed
its decision to destroy surplus ammunition and arms and to contribute
troops to the NATO mission in Afghanistan.
"They remain concerned, however, that the defense property issue is
not yet resolved," he said.
-0-nec


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