Month: March 2007

MCC CEO JOHN DANILOVICH CONDOLES WITH PRESIDNET KOCHARYAN

ArmRadio.am
28.03.2007 12:07

Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation,
Ambassador John Danilovich sent a condolence letter to RA President
Robert Kocharyan on the death of the Armenian Prime Minister Andranik
Margaryan. The message says:

"Dear Mr. President: On behalf of myself and the entire Millennium
Challenge Corporation (MCC), I wish to extend my sincere condolences to
the people of Armenia for the untimely loss of Prime Minister Andranik
Margaryan. I had the occasion to meet the Prime Minister in his role
as the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Millennium Challenge
Account – Armenia, and was deeply impressed by his commitment to
improve the lives of all Armenians, especially rural farmers, with
the help of the MCC. Indeed, the Prime Minister successfully guided
the development of the MCC-Armenia Compact while instilling a spirit
of cooperation between his ministries and civil society. His energy,
compassion and commitment to Armenia and its people will certainlybe
missed."

LAST FAREWELL TO PRIME MINISTER ANDRANIK MARGARYAN

ArmRadio.am
28.03.2007 13:08

At the National Opera and Ballet Theatre after Alexander Spendiaryan
senior officials of the Republic of Armenia, members of foreign
delegations and RA citizens bid last farewell to RA Prime Minister
Andranik Margaryan.

Before that the funeral procession, featuring RA Defense Minister Serge
Sargsyan, Minister of Territorial Administration Hovik Abrahamyan,
Head of Staff of the Office to RA President Armen Gevorgyan and other
senior officials, visited the Office of the Republican Party and RA
Government building. This part of the Republic Sqare was crowded:
everyone had come to bid farewell to RA Prime Minister or just a
kind ma.

Andranik Margaryan’s body will be buried at the Pantheon after Komitas.

CONDOLENCE LETTERS TO PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN

ArmRadio.am
28.03.2007 14:00

On March 28 condolence letters connected with the death of RA Prime
Minister Andranik Margaryan continue to arrive.

Condolence messages were sent to RA Presidnet Robert Kocharyan
by the Presidnet of France Jacques Chirac, NATO Secretary General
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium Guy
Verhofstadt, the Presidnet of Tajikistan Emmomali Rahmonov, President
of the American Armenian Culture Union Rita Balian, Chairman of the
Tekeyan Cultural Union Harutyun Arzumanyan.

Condolences have been exerted also by the Foreign Minister of Belgium
Karel de Gucht, the Defense Minister of Estonia Yurgen Lig, member
of the Lebanese Parliament Eghik Jerejyan, the Minister of Trade and
Economy of Romania Varuzhan Voskanyan, Presidnet of the Armenian
Union of Africa, Head of the Armenian General Benevolent Union in
Africa Jacques Adanalyan, the Evangelistic Church of Yerevan.

BRITISH JOURNALIST IS READY TO UPHOLD HIS STATEMENTS ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN TURKISH COURTS

Arminfo
2007-03-28 11:21:00

The British journalist Robert Fisk is ready to uphold his statements
on the Armenian Genocide in the Turkish court, the Turkish Daily News
reports, indicating the anxieties of Turkish publishers which are
hesitating to publish the latest book penned by R. Fisk "The Great
War for Civilization: The Conquest of the Middle East", one of the
chapters of which is about the alleged genocide of Armenians at the
hands of the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

Turkish publishers are hesitating to publish the book because of
concerns over the possibility of legal charges under infamous Article
301 of the penal code that makes it a crime to denigrate Turkish
identity or Turkishness.

Fisk’s book is invaluable in terms of investigative journalism. Of
course, I want to publish it but I have hesitations because a court
case might be filed against the book under Article 301 due to its
reference to the Armenian question in one of the chapters, Osman
Akynhay, editor of Agora Publishing House.

The book "The Great War for Civilization: The Conquest of the Middle
East" is made up of 24 chapters and is published in 15 different
languages. "The fact that Fisk’s book, which is easily published
and sold in Europe, cannot be published in a country that aspires
to join the EU is not a problem of mine individually but a problem
of Turkey. The Turkish government and Parliament are responsible for
safeguarding the freedom of expression," Akynhay said.

The Agora Publishing House bid for Fisk’s book and won the contract
but the publication of the book has been postponed several times. The
first postponement came in the summer due to reasons nothing to do
with the book or the alleged genocide. He said the publishers later
wanted a guarantee that he would defend them in court if they were
arrested and charged under Article 301 due to publishing the book. "I
told them I’ll be in Istanbul and stand in court and go to prison
with them if they are in trouble".

But instead of publicity and media hype, the Turkish publishers wanted
to publish the book quietly, said Fisk, as if it were some kind of
pornography. He said that this is a serious book and you publish
it properly".

AAA LEADERS ATTEND USC GALA BANQUET IN HONOR OF AMBASSADOR JOHN M. EVANS

Arminfo
2007-03-27 14:53:00

Armenian Assembly Board of Trustees Members Lisa Kalustian and
Richard Mushegain, along with Executive Director Bryan Ardouny and
Community Relations Director Narine Zardarian, attended the University
of Southern California (USC), Institute of Armenian Studies Second
Anniversary Gala Banquet in honor of former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia
John M. Evans on March 4.

The Armenian Assembly of America reports that, in his remarks,
Ambassador Evans said he found it unusual that anyone – even a former
government official – should be honored for simply speaking the
truth. In 2005, Evans publicly declared that "the Armenian Genocide
was the first genocide of the Twentieth Century."

"I knew what I was doing and knew it might have consequences for my
career," he explained. "The decision was wholly mine. No one put me
up to it. I stand by it. I have taken responsibility for it, paid a
price for it."

"One country’s official policy of denying the Armenian Genocide
interferes with the process of seeking the truth; other countries’
policies of going along with denial do not serve the truth. Instead
what we have seen is the horrific murder of Hrant Dink forty days ago,"
he continued.

"The Armenian Genocide should be recognized as such by this Congress,"
Evans added.

Assembly Board of Trustees Chairman Hirair Hovnanian, in a letter to
Evans, thanked the former Ambassador for his dedication and support
on issues of importance to the Armenian- American community during
his distinguished career in the American Foreign Service.

MONTHLY DEMAND FOR STANDARD BANK GOLD BARS IN ARMENIA IS 0.5 TONS

Arminfo
2007-03-28 10:22:00

The monthly demand for standard bank gold bars in Armenia is 0.5 tons,
says the director of the Dealing Center of Ararat David Haroutyunyan.

Over 50% of the demand is satisfied by Ararat Bank, who supplies 12.5
kg gold bars from Europe (Austria and Switzerland) every week. There
is also demand for smaller bars but it is constrained by VAT taxation
and consequent high price.

Haroutyunyan says that the price of gold at Ararat Bank complies with
London Gold Exchange quotations. For example, today the price is $664
per ounce, while in Nov 2006, when the bank first started operations
with gold bars, it was $620. In the last three years the world gold
price has almost redoubled and the factor of speculations has become
decisive. Haroutyunyan says that the price will continue to grow.

Before the advent of Ararat Bank, only two banks sold gold bars in
Armenia – VTB and Unibank. According to the Ranking of the Commercial
Banks of Armenia by the Agency of Rating Marketing Information
(ArmInfo), the volume of the gold bar operations carried out by the
above two banks in 2006 totalled 307.8mln AMD ($847,000), which is
almost 8 times as much as in 2005.

VIVACELL COMPANY DENIED INFORMATION ON STOCKS SALE

Arminfo
2007-03-28 10:59:00

The mobile phone operator of Armenia VivaCell company does not
negotiate about sale of its OJSC VimpelCom stocks – as some Armenian
media reported, Spokesman of VivaCell Vahe Isahakyan told ArmInfo
correspondent today.

He pointed out that VivaCell excludes any possibility to sell its
stocks to any other company. On the contrary, "we declared about
extension of our mobile network to 1.5 mln subscribers. It means that
new investments into development of Armenia’s telecommunication market
and new services are expected," V. Isahakyan said. He added that the
company will enter a new code "094" as the amount of numbers available
is exhausted.

CJSC ArmenTel also denied the information on negotiations for sale of
the stocks. CJSC ArmenTel is a daughter enterprise of OJSC VimpelCom.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TAJIK PRESIDENT SENDS CONDOLENCES OVER DEATH OF ARMENIAN PREMIER

Asia-Plus news agency website, Dushanbe
28 Mar 07

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon yesterday sent a telegram of condolences
to his Armenian counterpart, Robert Kocharyan, over the untimely
death of Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan.

The press service of the head of state has told Asia-Plus that the
telegram specifically says: "Esteemed Robert Sedrakovich, I feel
deep grief about the untimely death of Andranik Markaryan. With his
untiring activities directed at strengthening accord in society and
economic development in his country and the growth of his prestige on
the international scene, he, as an outstanding statesman and public
figure, earned respect not only within his homeland, but also far
outside friendly Armenia.

"At this hour of grief, I ask you, esteemed Robert Sedrakovich, to
pass my sincere condolences to the Armenian people and to the kith
and kin of the deceased," the telegram says.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN TV CHANNELS BROADCAST LIVE LATE PREMIER’S FUNERAL

BBC Monitoring research in English
28 Mar 07

Armenian Public TV started a live broadcast from the funeral ceremony
of deceased Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan at 0657 gmt.

A presenter said over classical music that 28 March had been declared
the day of mourning in Armenia and read out the schedule of the
funeral. The burial will take place at 1500 local time (1000 gmt)
at the Komitas Pantheon where prominent Armenians are buried, the
presenter said.

A short video showed Margaryan’s coffin being taken from his home
and carried to the catafalque. It was followed by a live broadcast
from Yerevan’s Opera and Ballet Theatre where Margaryan’s body lies
in state. The presenter read excerpts from condolences offered by
world leaders.

Video showed people filing past the coffin; people crowded outside
the building; Cabinet members, other high-ranking officials standing
near the coffin.

The presenter said that delegations from over 10 countries, including
Canada, the USA, Lithuania, Georgia and Turkey, have arrived in
Armenia to attend the funeral. Turkey is represented by that country’s
ambassador to Georgia, the presenter said.

All other major Armenian TV channels are currently broadcasting live
from the Opera and Ballet Theatre.

Margaryan’s funeral was the first item on 0730 gmt news bulletin on
private Yerkir Media TV. Video showed the late prime minister’s coffin
being taken to the headquarters of the Republican Party of Armenia
of which Margaryan was the chairman. The presenter then read out the
schedule of the funeral and said that delegations from many countries
have arrived to attend the funeral. At 0734 gmt Yerkir Media TV started
a live broadcast from the Opera and Ballet Theatre without comments.

Andranik Margaryan died of heart attack on 25 March in Yerevan.

TODAY ARMENIA AND KARABAKH BIDS ITS FAREWELL TO RA PRIME MINISTER ANDRANIK MARGARIAN

KarabakhOpen
28-03-2007 14:29:34

Today is a national mourning day in Armenia and Karabakh – the
countries bids farewell to RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian,
who died from heart attack on March 25 in his flat.

The state flags of Armenia are lowered today on the buildings of all
the Republic’s Ministries, Departments, the regional administrations,
the Yerevan City Hall and the foreign diplomatic representations
in Armenia. A civil funeral for the deceased Prime Minister was
held the day before in Andranik Margarian’s flat. The President of
Armenia Robert Kocharyan, RA Parliament Chairman Tigran Torosian,
the Secretary of the National Security Council under RA President,
Armenia’s DM Serzh Sarkisian were present at the funeral.

The burial of Andranik Margarian will be held today at 3:00 PM in
the capital Pantheon after Komitas.