Public interest group "Independent Citizen of Armenia" is picketing the Armenian Parliament, where the Armenian-Russian Agreement on transfer of 20% shares in ArmRusgasprom to Gazprom, Russia, is to be ratified within the coming hours.

 It is difficult to speak about Turkey as a country that loses something. By the 100th anniversary of creation of the Turkish Republic, this state is intended to enter the ten of the most developed countries of the world in the economic and geo-political sense, Russia political expert, Artur Atayev, told Arminfo correspondent in an on:line interview. 

Armenia has been the key military-political and geopolitical Eurasian border since the times of the Russian Empire. Therefore, Russia's strength is a logical result of its military and political power. The special thing about this is that Armenia is Russia's strategic ally and strengthening of one of the allies makes the other stronger as well. The statement came from Artur Atayev, senior research fellow at the Russian Institute of Strategic Studies, in an online interview in response to ArmInfo's question about Russia's growing military presence in Armenia. 

Regional cooperation rather than individual support of one or another great power can guarantee development to Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, Director of Abdel-Halim Fadlallah, Director of Beirut's Center for Strategic Studies, said at the Security and Cooperation in the South Caucasus international conference in Yerevan on Wednesday.

 The situation when Russia ensures Armenia's security and Yerevan develops close economic and political cooperation with Europe cannot go on today.

 Preparation of roadmap for Armenia's accession to the Eurasian integration organizations will be discussed on December 24 during the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council.

 Since settlement of global issues, Iran is going to become active in the South Caucasus through development of cooperation with all its countries, Iranian political expert, Seid Ali Tabatabai, said at the international conference "Security and cooperation in the South Caucasus" that kicked off in Yerevan today.   

 Government control over migration processes in Armenia can bring colossal funds to the state budget, says Tatevik Bejanyan, People in Need Public Organization Director for Migration Programs.  

Representative Adam Schiff released the following statement on Tuesday after the Armenian government disclosed that Azerbaijani troops had killed an Armenian soldier, Hrant Poghosyan, along the border of Nagorno-Karabakh, Asbarez reported.
'

 Hay Dat Office of France condemns the December 17 verdict by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) saying that denial of the Armenian Genocide by Turkish Workers Party Leader Dogu Perincek is not a crime, bur freedom of expression.  The December 17 decision by the European Court of Human Rights is dangerous and openly prompts a wave of denial in Europe and opens new opportunities for Ankara and Baku. Under veil of 'freedom of expression,' following the example of the French Constitutional Court, ECHR with its notorious verdict damages the rights and human dignity of the Armenian Genocide victims and their successors, the Hay Dat Office of France and Hay Dat Committee for Europe said in a statement.

Tbilisi. On December 21 the former ruling party of Georgia United National Movement (UNM) intends to hold a rally to support Ukraine's European integration in the central Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi.

Tbilisi. Member of the parliamentary minority, representative of the former ruling party United National Movement (UNM) Nugzar Tsiklauri accused the governing coalition Georgian Dream of purchase of expensive cars for officials on the background of a complicated economic situation.

Tbilisi. Deputy Foreign Minister of RF Grigori Karasin and Ambassador of Switzerland to Georgia Gunther Bechler discussed in Moscow prospects of Russian- Georgian relations, the Russian Foreign Ministry reports.

Tbilisi. On Monday, December 16, Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Gharibashvili arrived in Baku on the first working visit abroad. He met with President of Azerbaijan Ilkham Aliyev, the press-service of the head of the government reports.

 The Armenian-Russian mass media conference "Cooperation development in the context of integration processes at Eurasian area" will be held at the Moscow Culture and Business Centre "Dom Moskvy", on 20-21 December in Yerevan. 

 Government of France is expected to put into circulations another bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial in compliance with the French President Francois Hollande's commitments, which he assumed during the presidential campaign, Le monde writes.

 Nagorno Karabakh should return to the negotiating table at a certain stage, OSCE MG Co-Chair of Russia Igor Popov said following his meeting with President of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan and Foreign Minister Karen Mirzoyan in Stepanakert, RFE/RL Armenian Service said. 

A group of activists attempted to approach Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony in the Republic Square in Yerevan on 17 December blaming him for siphon off government funds. The activists recalled destruction of the old building of the Indoor Market and other unlawful activities in the city.

 Government of France is expected to put into circulations another bill criminalizing the Armenian Genocide denial in compliance with the French President Francois Hollande's commitments, which he assumed during the presidential campaign, Le monde writes.

European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) adopted a decision saying that the Swiss authorities had breached Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights covering freedom of expression when the Lausanne Police Court found Turkish Workers Party Leader Dogu Perincek guilty of racial discrimination on March 9, 2007, based on the Swiss Criminal Code. 

"The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled Dec. 17 that denial of the 1915 mass killings of Armenians as genocide falls under freedom of expression, following an appeal from a Turkish politician to his conviction in Switzerland," Asbarez reported.