Month: October 2006

VIC DARCHINYAN RETAINS IBF TITLE

Armenpress
Oct 09 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 9, ARMENPRESS: Australia’s Armenia-born Vic Darchinyan
retained his International Boxing Federation flyweight title with
a technical decision over Glenn Donaire from the Philippines on
October 8.

Darchinyan knocked Donaire down in the fourth round with a short
right on the way to recording his fifth successful IBF title defense
and fourth International Boxing Organization title defense.

The bout was stopped at 1min. 27sec of the sixth round when Donaire
sustained a jaw injury from what referee Tony Weeks determined was
an accidental head clash. The ringside doctor recommended the bout
be stopped.

The fight went to the scorecards with the hard-punching Darchinyan
leading 60-53 on all three.

He improved his overall professional record to 27 wins and no losses
with 21 KOs. Darchinyan was disappointed the result was recorded as
a technical decision rather than a KO, as he was adamant that any
injury Donaire suffered was caused by a punch not a head clash.

"I nearly knocked him out and they stopped the fight for nothing,"
Darchinyan said. "There was no real reason to stop it.

"It was one of my best, but not my best performance, because I was
very sharp and I did what I wanted."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN WOMAN WEIGHTLIFTER WINS RIGHT TO COMPETE AT BEIJING OLYMPICS

Armenpress
Oct 11 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11, ARMENPRESS: Meline Daluzian, a woman weightlifter
from Armenia’s second largest town of Gyumri is so far the only
Armenian athlete that has actually won the right to represent her
country at 2008 Beijing Olympic Games after winning the bronze medal
at the World Championship last week in Santo-Domingo, the Dominican
Republic.

Pashik Alaverdian, secretary general of the Armenian Weightlifting
Federation, said Meline will have to win a place between the first
and fifth lines at a rating event next year to officially qualify
for the Games which he said is out of question.

2007 DRAFT BUDGET PROJECTS SIZEABLE GROWTH OF SUBSIDIES TO HEALTH SECTOR

Armenpress
Oct 11 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11, ARMENPRESS: The draft government budget for 2007
unveiled late last month would substantially raise subsidies to health
sector from 39.5 billion drams this year to almost 47.6 billion drams.

Some 844 million drams of this sum are projected for management of
state-run health institutions and establishments and around 3 billion
would be released to hygienic and anti-epidemic services. Hospitals
and clinics will get next year 2 billion drams more, 16.8 billion
and 16.7 billion drams respectively.

The budget, if approved by parliament, will also lead to a sizable
rise in the monthly salaries of doctors and hospital personnel in
general. Thus a clinic doctor ‘s salary is projected to grow from
current 58,499 drams to 83,400 drams, a clinic nurse will get 53,400
drams instead of current 38,000.

By the way, the draft budget also plans to raise salaries of civil
servants by 20 percent to 105,000 drams ($276) in 2007. Fulltime
schoolteachers would earn the average of 74,000 drams, or 27 percent
more than they do now.

REPUBLICAN MP RULES OUT PROGRESS IN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT UNTIL 2009

Armenpress
Oct 11 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11, ARMENPRESS: A parliament member from the ruling
Republican Party predicted today that a real window of opportunity
to settle the long-running Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will likely to
start outlining in 2009 or at best in 2010.

Armen Ashotian, who is the youngest lawmaker in the 131-member
legislative, said all optimistic forecasts made earlier this year
that a major breakthrough is possible this year will remain as
forecasts only.

"The year is moving swiftly towards the end but there are no
indications, even slightest signs of a possible breakthrough in
the solution efforts ," he argued, citing also the decision of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to transfer
hearing of a report on the Karabakh conflict to 2007 and the delay
of a PACE monitoring commission’s visit to the region to ground
his deduction.

"European structures, at least on the level of the Council of Europe
are realizing well that the problem cannot be settled before the end
of this year and this is why they have postponed all related meetings
until next year," he argued.

He said no progress could be expected in 2007 or 2008 either as these
are the years for holding parliamentary and presidential elections
in Armenia respectively.

He then moved to underscore a constitution that Nagorno-Karabakh
is going to adopt in December saying it would first reconfirm that
Nagorno-Karabakh is a sovereign state and it would also prove that
Karabakh has chosen the democratic path of development.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKEY SAYS FRENCH BILL ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE "GREAT INJUSTICE"

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.10.2006 16:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The adoption of the bill penalizing the Armenian
Genocide denial in France is a "great injustice" toward Turkey,
Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Turan Morali told reporters October
11. He remarked that France’s move aroused anxiety in Turkey.

"The step taken by the French government is very primitive. The
adoption of the bill by a country like France arouses regret," Morali
said. The diplomat considers that the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide by France will hamper Turkey’s accession to the EU.

Morali also remarked that the Turkish government welcomes the Azeri
parliament’s stand on the issue.

"Yesterday we spoke to the chairman of the state committee on the
affairs of Azeris living abroad," he said and thanked the Azerbaijani
government for support, reports Trend news agency.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UK ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO DIALOGUE WITH SOUTH CAUCASIAN STATES

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.10.2006 16:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
met with UK Minister for Europe Jeff Hoon, reported the RA MFA
press office. The RA FM assessed highly the bilateral relations
and pointed out to Yerevan’s aspirations to deepen these relations,
especially within the European Neighborhood Policy. When touching
upon the Armenia-EU Action Plan Vartan Oskanian underscored Armenia’s
intention to secure efficiency of the program implementation. At
that he remarked that Yerevan expects practical assistance of the
European Union member states in the issue. For his part, Mr Jeff Hoon
presented the goals of his visit and noted the importance of dialogue
between the UK and South Caucasian states and realization of joint
programs. The interlocutors also referred to regional problems, the
Armenia-Turkey relations and the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ICG: TWO QUESTIONS HAMPER KARABAKH TALKS

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.10.2006 17:05 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ International Crisis Group (ICG) Caucasus Project
Director Sabine Freizer stated that during the recent two months
the sides fail to reach an agreement because of two questions –
the status of Nagorno Karabakh and the issue of Lachin and Kelbajar.

According to her, the sides should make extra steps to reach a
compromise over the above-mentioned questions, reports RFE/RL.

VAFA GULUZADE: LEGALLY NOTHING CAN PREVENT AZERBAIJAN FROM STARTING WAR

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.10.2006 17:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Azerbaijani government has not undertaken any
obligation forbidding it to start war," former presidential advisor
Vafa Guluzade stated.

According to him, the document on ceasefire of May 1994 records of
"ceasefire before achieving peace."

"There are no other obligations except this one and the state leader
has many times said that if the peaceful talks fail the liberation of
lands is Azerbaijan’s indefeasible right. However it does not mean that
Azerbaijan will launch war. All including Europe know that Azerbaijan
will not do this," Heydar Aliyev’s former advisor said. In his opinion,
Azerbaijan can take the move only being sure of capability to defeat
Armenia and Russia. "Only in this case the European Union mat ask
Azerbaijan to undertake not to defeat them,’ he said.

He also remarked that legally nothing can prevent Azerbaijan from
liberating the territories by force.

However, the political scientist remarked, war is a very complicated
variant, since "the occupant is Russia and Azerbaijan will have to
fight against Russia," reports Media Forum.

UAE PRESIDENT VOICED READINESS TO DEVELOP COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.10.2006 17:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ October 9 Armenian Ambassador to the United Arab
Emirates Vahagn Melikian among other 11 Ambassadors handed credentials
to UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, reported the RA
MFA press office. Vahagn Melikian conveyed Robert Kocharian’s best
wishes and voiced hope for strengthening bilateral relations in the
name of prosperity of the two peoples. For his part Sheikh Khalifa bin
Zayed Al Nahyan expressed readiness to deepen multilateral relations
with friendly states, including Armenia.

OTE DENIES ARMENTEL SELLING TO ARAB CONSORTIUM

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.10.2006 18:11 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ OTE Greek company made a statement refuting that the
outcomes of the tender on ArmenTel’s 90% of stocks have been summed
up. OTE said it will announce the winner and purchaser of ArmenTel via
press releases, Mediamax reported. To note, the other day some media
with a reference to informal sources spread information that Emirates
Telecommunications Corporation (ETISALAT)/Istithmar PJSC/Emergent
Telecom Ventures (ETV) assumed possession of ArmenTel.