Month: November 2006

ARMENIA’S IT MONTH OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 29 2006

The USAID-funded Competitive Armenian Private Sector Project (CAPS)
co-sponsored Armenia’s first ever Armenian information technology
(IT) Month in September and October. The IT cluster, the Government
of Armenia and a group of sponsors united to organize a series of
events with thousands of participants from Armenia and more than 30
other countries. The purpose was to present the Armenian IT cluster’s
increasing international competitiveness, and to encourage continued
foreign investment into Armenia while also seeking opportunities for
local companies to enter the global marketplace.

Republic of Armenia Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan had proclaimed
IT Month as a logical "next step" toward continued development of
Armenia’s flag-bearing industry at home and abroad.

IT Month was a precedent-setting achievement both nationally and
regionally. The sheer scope of the huge undertaking was extremely
impressive. Thousands of people participated in events ranging from a
national microelectronics Olympiad, E-content contest, to international
conferences, exhibitions, and a global summit. The month of activities
clearly demonstrated the depth, breadth, dynamism and cooperation
of Armenia’s IT cluster. IT Month participants were comprised of
a wide spectrum of IT and IT-related companies and organizations,
universities, government, donors, NGOs and individuals representing
many countries. Participating Armenian companies were of all sizes,
and events were held in all regions of the country.

The Enterprise Incubation Foundation organized the Armenian Open
Programming Contest, which attracted 355 programmers from Yerevan
and the regions. More than 15,000 visitors attended the Digitec 2006
exhibition, which also included Internet search contests, DigiLife
seminars and the "Technologies of the Future Today" international
conference.

Eighty people from 30 countries, plus about 300 more from within
Armenia attended the Global E-Content Summit in Yerevan. Thanks to
impressive victories won last year by Armenian specialists at the
World Summit Award Contest, it became possible for Armenia to host
this large-scale 2006 gathering.

The quality and number of participants was exceptional for the second
All-Armenia E-Content Award Contest. Winners were given cash prizes,
along with the opportunity to participate in the World Summit
Award 2007 Contest and perhaps further enhance Armenia’s winning
IT tradition.

ANDRANIK’S SWORD AND ORDERS HANDED TO THE HISTORY MUSEUM OF ARMENIA

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 29 2006

RA Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan handed the sword and orders of
Andranik Ozanyan to the History Museum of Armenia.

After the ceremony Serge Sargsyan told the journalists that for some
period of time these were kept in the Armenian Embassy in France
and were later conveyed to Armenia through diplomatic ways. In the
Minister’s words, the sword was bought at the expense of non-budgetary
funds of the Defense Ministry. Serge Sargsyan refused to mention the
cost of the sword, refuting the rumors about any oligarch’s assistance.

In response to the question whether today’s ceremony can be assessed
as a pre-election step, the Minister noted he does not have such
fears. "We must do our work, the biter tongues should do theirs. If
someone thinks that I have been specially searching for Andranik’s
sword all over the world to hold an election campaign, I leave it on
their conscience," Serge Sargsyan declared.

VARTAN OSKANIAN: PRESIDENTS OF ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN POSITIVELY ASSESSED THE MINSK TALKS

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 29 2006

The Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan positively assessed the
process of negotiations held in Minsk, RA Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian told the journalists at "Zvartnots" airport.

In his words, following the meeting Robert Kocharyan and Ilham
Aliev emphasized the constructive nature of the talks. The Foreign
Minister informs that during the meeting in Minsk the attention of
the Presidents was mainly focused on those points of the document
on which no agreement has been reached. "I cannot definitely assert
whether any progress has been registered or not, but both Presidents
positively assessed the meeting in regard to both the atmosphere and
the constructive approaches. I think that during the coming days
the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan will thoroughly analyze
everything and will give exact instructions to the Foreign Minister,"
noted Vartan Oskanian.

Turning to the negotiation process on the settlement of the Karabakh
conflict in 2006, the Foreign Minister mentioned that the trends are
positive. In Vartan Oskanian’s opinion, despite the fact that there has
been no serious breakthrough, backward steps have not been registered,
either. "I do believe that in this period the negotiation process has
not suffered, and we only have to wait for the next steps in 2007. At
this point I will not speak about the content of yesterday’s talks. I
can say only that the agenda included questions not agreed upon,"
Vartan Oskanian underlined. "I think that the annual consolations
of the OSCE Foreign Ministers scheduled December 3-4 we provide the
opportunity to sum up the negotiation process in the course of the
whole year. In 2007 and 2008 nationwide elections are expected in
both Armenia and Azerbaijan. It may have an impact on the negotiation
process in regard to time, but not content and I’m sure we’ll continue
our meetings," the Foreign Minister concluded.

ARMENIAN ICE DANCERS WILL PARTICIPATE IN EUROPEAN AND WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 29 2006

January 18-28, 2007 in Warsaw Anastasiya Grebyonkina and Vazgen Azroyan
ice dancers of Armenia will participate in the European Figure Skating
Championship. The event will feature about 30 dance pairs.

According to the President of the Figure Skating Federation of Armenia
Samvel Khachatryan, our ice dancers will participate also in the World
Championship to be held in March 2007 in Tokyo, the capital of Japan.

NATO DOES NOT INTEND TO GET INVOLVED IN THE SETTLEMENT OF THE KARABAKH ISSUE

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 29 2006

NATO Spokesman James Appathurai has declared that the alliance does
not participate in the process of settlement of the Karabakh conflict
and does not intend to engage in the process in the future," Mediamax
agency reports.

The Spokesman said NATO’s position is as follows: "The OSCE plays
a very important role in the negotiations on the Karabakh conflict
resolution."

In response to the question about the perspectives of launching an
intensive dialogue with Azerbaijan, James Appathurai said Azerbaijan
has not applied to the alliance with such suggestion."

NATO will not interfere with the debate over Armenian-Turkish relations
29.11.2006 11:33

"NATO will not get involved in the debate over Armenian-Turkish
relations," NATO Spokesman James Appathurai said in response to the
following question of Mediamax agency: "NATO’s border with Armenia
remains closed, since Turkey has been keeping it closed for 14 years.

It does not only hinder the perception of NATO among the Armenian
society, but also prevents the integration processes. What can NATO
do to improve the current situation?"

"Armenia is not working in the direction of integrating into NATO, but
our cooperation in the framework of the Individual Partnership Action
Plan is wonderful. As for the bilateral issues and questions connected
with the border, the countries should resolve these themselves, and
NATO will not interfere with the debate," declared James Appathurai.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MONUMENT UNVEILED IN ROME

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 29 2006

A memorial to the victims of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey
has been unveiled in Rome in the yard of St. Nicholas Church.

During the ceremony representatives of the Armenian community of Italy
expressed their commitment to consistently fight for the international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide so that no such crimes recur in
the future.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AVAILABILITY OF FINANCES AND ABSENCE OF IDEOLOGIES ALARMS ARMENIAN DEPUTIES

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 29 2006

The coming Parliamentary elections in the Republic will be marked by
a struggle of financial interests of the Republican party of Armenia
and the "Prosperous Armenia" party, RA Parliamentarian, the leader
of the National-Democratic party, Shavarsh Kocharyan, said at today’s
press-conference in "Mirror" discussion club.

Ho noted a complete absence of ideological struggle of "two competitive
groups" depresses him. "The society still cannot understand what is
the difference between the two party programs.

Whether it may indicate an absence of both the programs and an
ideology in whole? I think yes", S. Kocharyan said. He also noted a
premature start of pre-election race by the "ruling camp". "I could
hope the situation will cardinally change with time. However, it seems
unlikely, taking into account that all the changes must happen inside
the political parties", S. Kocharyan said. He expressed hope that the
Armenian community will be able to properly orient itself before the
elections. "Unfortunately, we continuously become witnesses of the
struggle of illiteracy with injustice. That is the tragedy of our
people", NDP leader said.

The deputy from the Republican party of Armenia, Heghine Naghdalyan,
who participated in the discussion, also agreed that the election
campaign is carried out by "wild methods". She also noted that the
absence of ideology is typical to nearly all the parties of the
country. "Only when our parties have a firm ideological basement, we
shall stop to talk about the "fight of interests of separate groups",
she said.

NO PRINCIPAL AGREEMENT REACHED DURING YESTERDAY’S ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI HIGH-LEVEL NEGOTIATIONS

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 29 2006

No final agreement is reached around principal issues during
yesterday’s Minsk negotiations of the Presidents of Armenia and
Azerbaijan. As ArmInfo was told in the informed circles, despite this,
there is no categorical aversion of positions that could lead to the
negotiation process failure, and finding out of contact points in
the outlook is not ruled out. According to ArmInfo data, the OSCE
MG Cochairmen had expressed their expectations in the beginning of
the meeting of the Armenian and Azeri delegations in an enlarged
format. In their opinion, a progress in the evening-out of the sides’
disagreements with regard to the text of the document in circulation
is to be the primary task. They also wished to hear the position
of R. Kocharyan and I. Aliyev concerning their further steps in the
Karabakh conflict settlement.

As it became known, the sides expect a concretization of positions
during the next annual meeting of OSCE Foreign Ministers in Brussels
December 4-5, especially as there will be formulations in the political
statement of the meeting for the Karabakh issue as well. At the same
time, the Armenian side keeps on hoping that Azerbaijan will finally
recognize a lack of prospects and harmfulness of the attempts to
lead the negotiation process out of OSCE MG frames, particularly,
to make the conflict a subject of UN consideration. In view of this,
the Armenian officials have multiply talked of the huge differences
in the reasons of appearance of the so-called frozen conflicts.

The informed Armenian circles of the country are sure that, despite
the 2007-2008 election campaigns in both countries, the negotiation
process will continue, though there are no great expectations yet
about its results. It has also became known that the OSCE MG American
Cochairman, Mathew Bryza, had informed the negotiation participants,
at yesterday’s meeting in an enlarged format, of his recent meeting
with the President of NKR, Arkady Ghukassyan. M. Bryza has positively
assessed this meeting and noted he does not see any obstacles for
continuation of the negotiation process.

ILHAM ALIYEV: WE ARE ALREADY ACHIEVING THE FINAL STAGE OF NEGOTIATIONS

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 29 2006

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev takes a normal view of the results
of his meeting with Armenian President Robert Kocharyan in Minsk,
Tuesday. President Aliyev made this statement to AzTV, APA reports.

"The negotiations for settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani, Nagorny
Karabakh conflict, have been held under ‘Prague Process’ for already
three years. A considerable number of meetings of the presidents and
foreign ministers have been held during this period of time. These
meetings, naturally, discussed the ways of the problem’s settlement.

We have overcome definite stages and are approaching the final
stage of the negotiations," Ilham Aliyev said. In the course of
the 3-year-long negotiations, all the issues were discussed and the
positions of the parties were determined. "At present, we are at a
stage when the future of the negotiation process depends on us. From
this point of view, I take a normal view of the results of the last
meeting, on the whole. We had very serious negotiations during our
last meeting and discussed the disputable issues. We have managed
to settle a number of issues recently. We have managed to agree on
some uncoordinated issues. However, there are some principal issues
we have different opinions on and we have discussed them as well.

Azerbaijan’s position was left unchanged. We are for the conflict’s
settlement with observation of the principle of Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity. UN Resolutions must be fulfilled. The
Azerbaijani lands must be liberated from the occupants and over 1
million of our citizens must return to their lands. The recently
activity of international organizations suits us. They expressed
their position on the conflict with observation of the principle of
territorial integrity of our country. Of course, this strengthens
our position," Ilham Aliyev stated.

ARMENIAN MPs ADOPTED THE LAW ON NATIONAL ANTHEM IN THE FIRST READING

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 29 2006

Armenian MPs adopted the law on national anthem in the first reading
today. Hasmik Poghosyan, Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs, said
that the draft law has gone a long way of discussions. Transitional
processes in the Constitution made it necessary to workout the draft
law. According to them, the new national anthem should be ratified
by a separate law till 6 December 2006.

First of all, the document presents the term ‘national anthem’,
the order and occasions when it should be plaid. It is said that
symphonic, chamber, military and other orchestra can perform the
anthem. It can be plaid for visits of high delegates, sport, culture
and festivities. The Public TV and Radio of Armenia is obliged to start
and finish their broadcasting playing the national anthem. It should
be plaid every Monday and before every lesson in secondary schools,
everyone must stand up, all males take off their hats.

A. Poghosyan said the state committee did not decide upon the
draft anthem yet and so, it was proposed to prolong performance
of the current national anthem ‘My Motherland’ for a year. This
raised indignation of many MPs, especially of those from the ARF
‘Dashnaktsutyun’ that didn’t take part in the voting. Members of
‘Dashnaktsutyun’ party presented their version of the draft for the
music and lyrics of the new national anthem. Many MPs, including
opposition ones, disagreed with the presented document. After the
long debates it was finally agreed to prolong terms for the current
anthem and to take off the deadline on ratification of the new
national anthem.