Month: April 2007

OSKANIAN TO SPEAK AT OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL

A1+
[06:54 pm] 16 April, 2007

April 16, 2007 – Today RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian left for
Austria on working visit. The RA FM will meet with Barbara Prammer,
Speaker of the Austrian Parliament, and Ursula Plasnik, Minister of
European and International Affairs. Within the framework of the visit
Vartan Oskanian will make a speech in the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna.

On April 17, at 11:30, Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian will
address the OSCE Permanent Council, the Organization’s main regular
decision-making body, tomorrow.

He is expected to focus on the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, the
12 May parliamentary elections in Armenia, and the ongoing democratic
reforms in the country.

60 DOMINANT COMPANIES

A1+
[07:27 pm] 16 April, 2007

The RA State Commission for Fair Economic Competition adopted the
report on 2006. Armine Udumyan, press secretary of the commission,
claims that in 2006 the commission studied 40 markets, adopted
146 decisions, registered 29 new companies in the head register of
businesses with a dominant position. 60 businesses have been registered
this year.

The commission made inquiries from 1314 businesses for market research;
54 were fined 500 thousand drams each for refusing to provide
information. 53 were sued for a fine of a total of 72 200 000 drams.

HAYRIKYAN COMMENTS ON ZOHRABYAN’S ANNOUNCEMENT

A1+
[09:21 pm] 16 April, 2007

Razmik Zohrabyan, member of the Republican Party of Armenia, advisor
to the RA Prime Minister, called Paruyr Hayrikyan, leader of the
Union for Self-Determination, a vicious man and a USA spy.

In reply to this offence, Mr. Hayrikyan said that the story has its
background. "Last year we celebrated the 40th anniversary of the
National United Party, and I had the last tete-a-tete meeting with
Prime Minister Mr. Margaryan. At first Andranik Margaryan agreed to
celebrate the party’s anniversary but later he told Manuk Topuzyan,
one of our friends, there is no need to celebrate the anniversaries
of all parties.

Nevertheless, Andranik Margaryan admitted that the National United
Party is the very Union for Self-Determination. "

The anthems of the two parties under question were also the
same. Margaryan had to admit this fact as Haykaz Khachatryan, founder
of the National United Party noted that National United Party had
turned to the Union for Self-Determination

Alongside with acute criticism, Mr. Hayrikyan thanked the Republicans,
"for their former support and service to him. The same is true about
Razmik Zohrabyan. He obeyed Azat Arshakyan and carried out his orders,
that’s to say, he implemented my indirect orders. "

In respond to Razmik Zohrabyan’s accusations, Mr. Zohrabyan has
written 9-page answer. "Zohrabyan has done nothing since he returned
to Armenian in 1984. He didn’t even attempt to protect his superiors
as he was afraid of the acting regime. "

Over the past years the Republicans tried to eradicate the Union for
Self-Determination. Andranik Margaryan assigned the marzpets not to
secure any votes for the Union for Self-Determination. Their main
objective is to come to power. Let them do it in decent way and not
via defaming others.

FORMER EMPLOYEE OF KHACHATUR SUKIASYAN RUNS IN THE SAME COMMUNITY WITH HIM

Panorama.am
18:01 16/04/2007

Khosrov Harutunyan, candidate in election community 10, said some of
the candidates in the same community are nominated at the request of
Khachatur Sukiasyan and are his former employees.

Today Khosrov Harutunyan and Khachatur Sukiasyan, both running in the
same community, met reporters. Another candidate, Tadevos Havannisyan,
also came to the meeting. In fact, he has been a former employee of
Khachatur Sukiasyan. There was an impression that he came to "make
problems" for Khosrov Harutunyan, rival of Khachatur Sukiasyan. When
Hovannisyan tried to address his next question to Khosrov Harutunyan,
Khachatur Sukiassyan cut him short. "We are going now.

We do not have any more questions," he said.

MUNICIPALITY WANTS TO BUILD A NEW BUSINESS COMMUNITY

Panorama.am
18:02 16/04/2007

Samvel Danielyan, chief architect of Yerevan, says many apply with
a request to build an office, hotel or places of entertainment in
downtown Yerevan. "When we suggest to build in other places, they
get hurt," Danielyan said. Therefore, the municipal authorities have
decided to build a new business center south-west part of Yerevan,
which is somewhere near U.S. embassy, right wing of Hrazdan River
and Noragavit community.

Paskevich Hill is also in the same community where the municipal
authorities plan to build a monument dedicated to Armenian-Russian
friendship. Danielyan said. The chief architect said hotels, places
of entertainment, restaurants and embassies will be built in the area.

ARMENIA IN 9TH PLACE IN TERMS OF INTERNET USERS AMONG FSU COUNTRIES

Panorama.am
21:01 16/04/2007

Armenia is in the 9th place in terms of internet uses among Former
Soviet Union (FSU) countries. According to ,
some 5.5 percent of public uses internet in Armenia. Azerbaijan is
at the 8th place with 8 percent of population using internet.

The indicator in Georgia is 4 percent. The source says Estonia is in
leading position (51.8 %), followed by Latvia (45.2%) and Lithuania
(35.9%). The lowest rate is demonstrated in Uzbekistan (3.3%),
Ghazakhstan (2.7%), Turkmenia (0.5%) and Tajikstan (0.1%).

PUBLIC ANTI-CORRUPTION OFFICE OPENS IN YEREVAN

Panorama.am
21:01 16/04/2007

With the support of OSCE Office, yesterday Public Anti-Corruption
Office opened. Citizens may get legal, procedural and practical
consultations on corruption incidences from the office. Experts
from some 14 public non-profit organizations will work in the
establishment. These organizations played active role in government
Anti-Corruption Strategy Plan implementation and monitoring.

Apart from Vladimir Priakhin, OSCE Yerevan Office Head, Gevorg
Mheryan, chairman of anti-corruption council monitoring commission
and assistant to Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, was present at
the opening ceremony.

"The office is a good example of cooperation among public, authorities
and OSCE," ambassador Priakhin said.

The Armenian citizens may call 53-16-88 hot line and write letters
to [email protected]. OSCE Yerevan Office says similar offices
will open in Lori and Gegharkunik in May.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CANDIDATE SAYS EUROPEAN INTEGRATION PRIORITY FOR ARMENIA

Panorama.am
17:59 16/04/2007

Khosrov Harutunyan, candidate in election community 10, told Urbat
Club that Armenia cannot ensure its long-term and safe development by
developing relations with only one country, no matter how friendly
those relations may be. Harutunyan obviously meant relations with
Russia. The candidate said being a landlocked country, Armenia
may secure its future only within a union where single members
will not have the opportunity to influence the country. Therefore,
integration and even membership to EU is a priority for Armenia,
the candidate said. The speaker did not exclude the importance of
developing bilateral relations, too, including with Russia and USA.

NKR MOD: KARABAGH ARMY’S AIR-DEFENSE CAN DESTROY ANY TRESPASSER OF NKR AIR BOUNDARIES

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
April 16 2007

The Nagorno-Karabagh MOD has categorically refuted the Azeri party’s
statement, according to which "the planes of Azerbaijan’s air forces
have maneuvered over the territories controlled by the Armenians in
the direction of Aghdam".

"In case the NKR aerial domain is violated, the Karabagh army’s
air-defense can destroy any trespasser of air boundaries", head of the
NKR Defense Army Press Office, sub-colonel Senor Asratian told DE FACTO
Agency today. In his words, the NKR Defense Army Air-Defense Forces’
battle readiness is at a high level, like it was during the war,
when about 25 Azeri military planes and helicopters were destroyed.

Senor Asratian noted the Azeri planes were in training flights at
a distance of 30-35 kilometers far from the contact line of the
Nagorno-Karabagh and Azeri armed forces, which is fixed by the NKR
air-defense forces.

The head of the NKR MOD Press Office also said the information,
according to which the Karabagh forces’ subdivisions had allegedly
fired the Azeri positions in the Aghdam direction during air maneuvers,
was just misleading information.

CURRENT ROUND OF OSKANIAN-MAMMADYAROV TALKS TO BE HELD IN BELGRADE APRIL 18

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
April 16 2007

A current meeting of RA and AR FMs Vardan Oskanian and Elmar
Mammadyarov will be held in Belgrade April 18. In the course of the
meeting the parties will go on discussing main principles of the
Karabagh conflict settlement.

According to the information DE FACTO got at the RA MFA Press Office,
the meeting will be held with the participation of OSCE Minsk group
Co-Chairs and OSCE Chair-in-Office’s Personal Representative.

To note, a meeting of FMs of the member countries of Organization of
the Black Sea Economic Cooperation will be held in Belgrade April 19.

RA FM is to deliver a speech in the course of the meeting.