Month: April 2007

SOCIOLOGIST SAYS WEALTH IS A SIGN OF WIT

Panorama.am
18:12 10/04/2007

Aharon Adibekyan, renowned sociologist in Armenia, has high hopes
with the parliamentary elections in Armenia. He expects a "quality
parliament" in Armenia.

"The National Assembly will play a big role in the formation of
the executive," Adibekyan told a news conference today. Asked if he
has seen the majority list candidates and if he is of high opinion
about their intellect, Adibekyan said, "The Americans say if you
are so clever why are you so poor. The wealth is a sign of wit." He
believes the National Assembly must compose of professional lawyers,
political figures who come from different political parties, on one
hand, and from people who represent public interest, on the other hand.

PP GAVE UP PHILANTHROPY

A1+
[05:54 pm] 10 April, 2007

Today leader of People’s party Tigran Karapetyan started the
press conference with the following slogan, ‘ People are our
counterparts.’ He has announced, ‘once they step into the National
Assembly this is for good’. ‘They will see: the more they organize
various entertainments, concerts, we’ll do something different in
respond. We have got many projects and programs that we keep in
secret,’ he stated in ‘ Pastark’ club.

‘ Our party as a political unity has been neglected for 4
years. Charity was not deemed as political category then. But
today they do the same. They distribute glasses to people, shame on
them. They’d better change the items, let’s take washing machine,
for instance.’ As to Tigran Karapetyan, people are unable to resist
this type of temptation.

There are businessmen in the party’s proportional ticket, as
Tigran Karapetyan does not want to astound some deputies when in
the Parliament.

People’s Party gave up philanthropy at this time of impetuous
campaign. The chairman believes that only the votes for his party
will be fair.

Modest privatizations, working opportunities in the sphere of industry
as well as village prosperity are the main goals of their election
programs.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PUBLIC COMMISSION SENDS A LETTER ALARMING RUDE VIOLATIONS TO INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Panorama.am
18:40 10/04/2007

Public commission, monitoring elections, has sent a letter to several
international organizations today, among them OSCE/ODIHR, Council
of Europe Venice Commission, Freedom House, Human Rights Watch and
Transparency International.

Ex-ombudsman, Larisa Alaverdyan, member of Republic Party political
board, Artak Zeinalyan and chairman of "Supreme Council" Parliamentary
Club NGO, Ruben Torosyan signed under the letter. Copies are sent
to the Armenian president, embassies of Council of European member
states and USA, OSCE/ODIHR observation mission, Council of European
Monitoring Commission.

The letter alarms "rude violations of international standards" in
terms of 2007 elections. The letter says these violations will have
"significant affect on voting results." The letter further details
violations by political parties.

The authors say two political parties, which aspire for majority, are
engaged "in massive illegal propaganda, creating unequal competition
conditions, which never took place in the past elections." The letter
says all TV channels aired programs in favor of the ruling political
parties and their supporters "before the launch of the pre-election
campaign." They also refer to "application of administrative resources,
violation of free will, depriving some organizations from the right to
engage in observation mission, refusal of courts to accept applications
on election disputes, legislative shortcomings" and so on as examples
of violations.

The authors of the letter ask "to send experts" to Armenia in order
to discuss and evaluate the situation before the elections.

ARTSAKH REVIVAL PROJECT UNDER WAY

Panorama.am
18:10 10/04/2007

Massive reconstruction has been made in Martakert region of
Karabakh. Vaghuhas village of Martakert region has 9 km long water
pipeline already. It also has 4 water receivers and 50 m3 water
reservoir. The facilities were built with the help of an Argentinean
unit and fund released from the donations made at TV marathon 2005,
All Armenia Fund public relations department reports. The project,
called Artsakh Revival, was launched in 2006. Several other facilities
were built and reconstructed in Arajazor village, Mets Shen, Maghavuz
and Vartkatagh as well as town of Martakert.

FIRST MEETING OF NEWLY-CREATED "SHANGHAI CLUB OF ARMENIA" TAKES PLACE

Noyan Tapan
Apr 10 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN. "The creation of the Shanghai Club
of Armenia (SCA) is aimed at destroying the monopoly of 2-3 persons
in Armenia on national security, foreign policy and organization
of alternative approaches to national security." Tigran Khzmalian,
representative of the club, film-maker, stated this at the first
meeting of SCA on April 10.

In the words of another representative of the club, academician of
the RA National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Rafael Ghazarian, at the
current stage the major goal of the SCA is to inform the Armenian
society about the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and its
attraction for Armenia.

It was mentioned at the meeting that SCO can become an alternative
version for Armenia’s integration into the international community,
and the participation of Armenia in this organization does not pose
a threat to its national originality. In the opinion of club members,
from the civilization point of view, Armenia has much in common with
member states of the SCO such as China, Russia, Iran and others.

Director of the Institute of Literature of the RA NAS A. Eghiazarian
noted that the creation of the Shanghai Club of Armenia will promote
the formation of the eastern vector of the Armenian policy and is
not directed against European integration of Armenia.

Former minister-coordinator of production infrastructures of the
RA Vahan Shirkhanian, heads of the "Homeland and Honor" Party, the
Democratic Party of Armenia and the Social-Democratic Party "Hnchak"
– Garnik Margarian, Aram. G. Sargsian and Lyudmila Sargsian, as well
as representatives of the Iranian embassy in Armenia took part in
the meeting of the SCA.

ACCORDING TO SERGE SARGSIAN, AREMENIA GIVES PRIORITY TO POVERTY REDUCTION AND ONLY THEN – TO HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION

Noyan Tapan
Apr 10 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The Financial Times newspaper
(Great Britain) on April 9 published an interview with the Armenian
prime minister Serge Sargsian (the interview took place in Brussels,
apparently on April 4). The newly appointed prime minister stated that
the Armenian government considers as its priority the economic growth
and improvement of people’s social conditions, and only after that –
to human rights improvement. According to him, the Armenian government
is resolute to hold the parliamentary elections on May 12 in line
with democratic requirements, as "this corresponds to our interests."

Serge Sargsian added that Armenia prefers to work with superpowers
rather than to exploit contradictions between them. For this reason,
Armenia maintains friendly relations with Russia, it is against
creation of an American military base in the Caucasus and at the same
time cooperates closely with NATO.

Below is the translation of the article "Armenia to Give Growth in
Economy Priority over Rights".

"Armenia will put economic development ahead of human rights
improvements, its new prime minister said in an interview with the
Financial Times.

Serge Sargysan, the defence minister who was promoted on Wednesday
after the death of Andranik Margaryan from a heart attack last month,
said jobs were more important than rights. Despite double-digit
economic growth in the past few years, a third of the 3m-strong
population of the landlocked Caucasian republic lives below the
poverty line.

"It is hard to talk about democratic and human rights when you need
to solve the social and economic needs of the population," the prime
minister said during a trip to Brussels. "We would not like to be a
state stuck in our transition."

He said the huge Armenian diaspora – estimated at up to three times
the native population – should get more involved in the country. Only
1 per cent of investment came from them, he said, and he was looking
at ways they could be encouraged.

However, Mr Sargysan said the government in Yerevan would keep pledges
made to international bodies after criticism of its rights record and
he was hopeful that the May 12 parlia-mentary elections would be the
first to be pronounced free and fair by the Organisation for Security
and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the European security watchdog.

"We have made commitments to different programmes and we think
compliance is in our interest. We want to become part of the European
family."

Mr Sargysan, who helped organise militias that seized the enclave
of Nagorno-Karabakh from Azerbaijan in a three-year war following
independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, said his top priority
was to conclude a peace treaty with its Muslim neighbour.

The oil-rich state has been rearming recently but Mr Sargysan said
that was sabre-rattling. Turkey closed its border with Armenia during
the war and the premier said he would strive to restore relations
and sign a peace deal.

Armenia could grow far faster if rapprochement was reached with its
bigger neighbours, he said.

Yet Armenia remains in control of Nagorno-Karabakh and hundreds
of thousands of people are still displaced. Turkey – which has
been offered talks without conditions – has shown no willingness
to compromise.

Mr Sargysan said that, despite ties to influential exiles in the US,
Yerevan would remain friendly to Moscow and would not support a US
base in the volatile Caucusus. In a swipe at neighbouring Georgia,
whose "rose revolution" against Russian domination has endeared it
to the west, he said he did not see it as a model to emulate.

"One can either exploit their differences between superpowers or work
with them. We prefer to work with them. There are many conflicts in
our region."

Mr Sargysan said Armenia would one day like to join the European Union
but had no desire to join the Nato defence alliance, although it was
working closely with it."

4th CONFERENCE ON PROBLEMS OF ARMENIAN TOURISM’S COMPETITIVENESS TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN ON APRIL 11-12

Noyan Tapan
Apr 10 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The 4th conference on problems of
Armenian tourism’s competitiveness will be held in Yerevan on April
11-12. It is organized on the initiative of the RA Ministry of Trade
and Economic Development, the Armenian Tourism Development Agency,
and the USAID Competitive Armenian Private Sector (CAPS) Program.

NT correspondent was informed from the USAID/CAPS Office that over
250 representatives of state and private structures of the Armenian
tourism sector will participate in the event. They will discuss the
strategical program on tourism development in Armenia, as well as key
factors of the sector’s competitiveness. Business unions of tourism
will present their services at the conference, as well as the annual
list of events envisaged in the sector will be made public.

MICROSOFT TO IMPLEMENT SERIOUS PROGRAMS IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Apr 10 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN. Microsoft company wishes that in 2010,
15-20 thouasand people would be engaged in Armenia’s IT sector and they
would bring annual revenues of 150 million dollars. Paul Muckleston,
Director of Microsoft’s Business Management and Strategy Center,
stated this at the April 10 conference "Microsoft Innovation Day" in
Yerevan. Presenting the goals of the company’s 2007-2011 activities in
Armenia, he said that one of these goals is to reduce, in cooperation
with partners, the level of software piracy from 95% to 60%.

In his words, on April 9 the Armenian prime minister Serge Sargsian
approved the composition of the interdepartmental working group
which jointly with Microsoft will implement the provisions of the
cooperation agreement signed with the Armenian government in February
2007. Prticularly, within the next 1.5 years Microsoft will take joint
steps with the Armenian government in order to establish a Microsoft
Innovation Center in Armenia.

According to Microsoft’s official, the company has the opportunity to
promote the activities of up to 50 enterprises engaged in development
of software packages in Armenia, and these enterprises will be able to
export their software developed with Microsoft technologies. According
to his estimates, it is possible to certify about 250 companies
by Microsoft procedures, which will allow to create about 2,000
jobs. It was noted that 95% of Microsoft’s revenues form through
partner-enterprises engaged in software development. P.

Muckleston underlined that studies conducted in 40 countries show
that each dollar invested by the company brings Microsoft’s partners
revenues of 15 dollars. He expressed a hope that the company’s Armenian
branch – Microsoft RA company "will be a respected enterprise in 2010".

According to Paul Muckleston, in 2006, production of about 90 million
dollars was made in the Armenian IT sector, which was three times
as much as three years ago. In 2006, 4,000 people worked and 150
companies operated in the sector. 80% of production made this year has
been exported. 65% of companies were set up with foreign investments,
and this index has the tendency to grow.

About 150 representatives of the Armenian government, as well as of
business and scientific circles attended the event.

MICROSOFT TO COOPERATE WITH ARMENIAN UNIVERSITIES

Noyan Tapan
Apr 10 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN. Microsoft company is conducting
negotiations with several Armenian higher educational institutions
on the issue of granting Microsoft certificates to graduates of the
information and telecomunication sector. It is envisaged that the
number of specialists with such certificates will reach a thousand
by 2010. Director of Microsoft Corporation’s Business Management and
Strategy Center Paul Muckleston stated this during the conference
"Microsoft Innovation Day" held in Yerevan’s Marriott Hotel on
April 10.

According to his forecasts, the current number of computers in Armenia
(about 130 thousand) will increase by another 20 thousand. It was
mentioned that 5% of Armenian households have computers, which is
a low index. P. Muckleston said that in the coming years the import
of computers into Armenia will make 25 thousand a year, while 30-35%
of households will have computers, which is important for development
of knowledge-based economy.

Microsoft’s official considered the "very high educational level" of
the Armenian population as a "powerful basis", noting that universities
turn out qualified architects, physicists and mathematicians, who
form a good basis for further entrance of foreign companies into
the Armenian IT sector. In this connection P. Muckleston attached
importance to political stability of Armenia and to sustainable
economic growth registetred in the country in recent years.

It was noted that Microsoft plans to invest 7 billion dollars in
research.

The company registers about a thousand patents annually. It has
subsidiaries in 110 countries.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BOOK DEDICATED TO PROBLEMS OF ETHNIC MINORITIES OF GEORGIA PUBLISHED IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
Apr 10 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN. "This book is not only necessary,
but maybe is even late. The book makes a successful attempt to unite
discourses about Armenians of Georgia held in Armenia, Georgia,
Russia, in the West and in Javakhk." Alexander Iskandarian, Director
of Caucasian Media Institute, stated this at the April 10 presentation
of the book of Head of Scientific Studies Department of the Institute
Sergei Minasian entitled "Ethnic Minorities of Georgia. Potential of
Integration by the Example of Armenian Population of the Country."

Paata Zakareishvili, member of Republican Party of Georgia, mentioned
that his country’s being multi-ethnic is wealth, but unfortunately,
not everybody realizes this. In his opinion, S. Minasian’s book has
"fresh ideas that make readers fall to thinking." P. Zakareishvili
highly estimated the analysis of a number of legal acts of Georgia,
as well as bills regarding ethnic minorities of the country presented
in the work. He considers that the main advantages of the book are
its being of encyclopaedic character, as well as its unique invitation
for a discussion.

Revaz Gachechiladze, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
Georgia to Armenia, was also present at the presentation. He made a
number of remarks and expressed his good wishes.

To recap, besides the Caucasian Media Institute, the initiator and
the general sponsor of the project is the Yerkir union of NGOs on
repatriation and familiarization. The book’s complete version has
been published in Russian and Armenian and the abridged version in
English and Georgian. Book’s translation into French is being prepared
for publication.