Month: July 2007

Michael Harutyunyan received AAA Regional Director Arpi Vartanian

armradio.am
04.07.2007 17:17

RA Defense Minister Michael Harutyunyan received the Regional Director
of the Armenian Assembly of America in Armenia Arpi Vartanian.

At the beginning of the meeting she congratulated Michael Harutyunyan
on assuming the Defense Minister’s office.

The parties turned to Armenia-US relations, particularly in the sphere
of military cooperation, US assistance to Armenia, the process of
peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

Arpi Vartanian presented to the Minister the developments in the US
concerning Armenia and NKR.

Universal Credit Company ‘Norvik’ is going to reorganize itself in a
bank and become the Armenian

arminfo
2007-07-04 16:15:00

Universal Credit Company is going to reorganize itself in a bank and
become the Armenian "subsidiary" of the Islandian-Latvian "Norvik" bank.

As ArmInfo was informed from UCC "Norvik", over the first six months of
the current year assets of the company amounted to $26 mln, 98% of
which were credit investments. In January-June 2007 UCC "Norvik" gave
services to 11 thsd people.

According to the press-release, over the next days "Norvik" is going to
replenish its nominal capital by 700 mln drams instead of today’s 614
mln drams.

To recall, the Islandian-Latvian "Norvik" Bank founded its subsidiary
company "Norvik" in Armenia, in February 2006. On July 4, 2006 the
latter received license of a universal credit company from the Armenian
Central Bank and started giving credits beginning from September, 2006.

As earlier director of UCC "Norvik", Tigran Bostanjan, told Arminfo
correspondent, the company plans to have $1 mln income by the end of
the current year. He also added that Norvik gives 40% mortgage credits
from the general portfolio, 39,2% business-credits, 17,9% – consumer
credits, 5,4% credits to buy a motor vehicle and 4% credits – to buy
real estate. The size of the credit portfolio of Norvik was
3,2 bln drams and it will be increased up to 18 bln drams over the
current year.

A1+

`THE BILL FAILURE WAS RESULTED BY A FEW FACTORS’
[03:08 pm] 04 July, 2007

`The closure of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was
well-planned by the RA authorities. The authorities
made a political decision to ban RFE/RL’s transmission
throughout Armenia,’ freelance deputy Victor Dallakyan
said on July 4.

According to the deputy the failure of the bills is
determined by a few factors. It got a backlash, there
is an obvious competition inside the government and
lack of organization of the parliamentarian majority.

Victor Dallakyan ruled out further endeavors to close
down RFE/RL by September.

They will do their utmost to silence RFE/RL before the
presidential election. The Council of the Public
Television and Radio wants to silence the radio
station through the National Assembly as they fear the
consequences, said Victor Dallakyan.

In answer to the question what the NA deputies
concerned over the freedom of expression intend to do
in connection with A1+, Victor Dallakyan said, ` I
always raise the issue in the National Assembly. I am
afraid that most of our newly-appointed deputies take
A1+ for Pashinayan’s 1+1. I think the opposition
should raise the question on the international level.
The authorities attempt to subject RFE/RL to A1+’s
fate.’

The deputy voiced hope that A1+ will be back on the
air one day. `Never say never,’ the deputy said.

A1+

KOCHARIAN WILL NAME HIS CANDIDATE
[04:05 pm] 04 July, 2007

`The RA Parliament’s professionalism has considerably
decreased since 1990,’ Victor Dallakyan said on July
4.

Today the deputy reflected on a number of issues.
According to him, the Government programme feels short
of Armenia’s priorities; formation of the state model,
competitive country and combat against the pressure on
Armenians.

Victor Dallakyan thinks the government will nominate
two presidential candidates. One is Serge Sargsyan and
the other will be named by Robert Kocharyan.

The prime minister aspires to absolute power. This
reminds the precedent of 1995 when the monolithic
government transformed in a short period, Dallakyan
said. He is convinced that there is a competition
inside the governing parties.

Serge Sargsyan won’t like Kocharian to take the prime
minister’s post even if he becomes the president. The
parliamentary elections taught the opposition a good
lesson and they should name a joint candidate, Victor
Dallakyan concluded.

International tennis tournament due in Yerevan

armradio.am
04.07.2007 17:41

64 tennis players from Armenia, Russia, Belarus and other countries
have applied for participation in an international tennis tournament in
Yerevan to be held on July 16 held under the aegis of the International
Tennis Federation, Armenpress was informed from RA Tennis Federation.

VIKTOR DALLAKIAN IS CONVINCED THAT ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE MADE A
POLITICAL DECISION TO STOP BROADCASTING OF RADIO LIBERTY

YEREVAN, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. RA MP Viktor Dallakian, at the July 4
press conference, said that the Armenian authorities have made a
political decision to stop the broadcasting of the Radio Liberty.

In his words, the events connected with the Radio Liberty that happened
at the NA special sitting were conditioned by the circumstance of
competition inside the power. The MP said that almost all issues placed
on the session agenda regarded the government program, while the
legislative package had nothing in common with the government’s
activity.

As V. Dallakian evaluated, the bill submitted by the government was
voted down on July 3 at the parliament as a result of combination of a
number of factors, people’s negative attitude, external factors,
parliamentary opposition’s being organized, the circumstance of
competition inside the power, and parliamentary majority’s being not
organized.

The MP said that before the 2008 presidential elections the authorities
will try to do everything for silencing the voice of the Radio Liberty,
and it is not excluded that a new bill will be submitted to the NA in
September.

In V. Dallakian’s words, though the Board of the Public Television can
solve the issue of depriving the Liberty of air on its own, it will be
afraid of much stir.

GOVERNMENT’S PROGRAM DOES NOT CORRESPOND TO PRIORITIES OF ARMENIA’S
DEVELOPMENT, VIKTOR DALLAKIAN CONSIDERS

YEREVAN, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA government’s program does not
correspond to the priorities of country’s development. Stating this at
the July 4 press conference, RA MP Viktor Dallakian said that these
priorities are creation of state’s democratic model, ensuring of
state’s competitiveness and overcoming of Armenians’ ontological
crisis. Rendering the term "ontological crisis" more concrete, he said
that he means migration and problems of Armenians’ accumulation in the
Diaspora.

In V. Dallakian’s words, in the respect of state’s model today in
Armenia they give preference to the paternalistic variant, which is
close to the authoritarian regime and has nothing in common with civil
society.

As regards country’s competitiveness, V. Dallakian said that in 1998
Azerbaijan’s budget’s revenues surpassed the Armenian one 1.5 times,
while currently already 5 times, and the economic growth in 2006 made
34.5%.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PROBABILITY OF ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION N 106 BY CONGRESS IS GREAT THIS
YEAR, ARPI VARDANIAN CONSIDERS

YEREVAN, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Arpi Vardanian, the Regional Director of
the Armenian Assembly of America in Armenia and in Nagorno Karabakh,
stated in her interview to Noyan Tapan correspondent that they will do
everything possible for reaching a convincing victory in the issue of
U.S. Congress’ adopting Resolution N 106 on recognition of the Armenian
Genocide.

In her words, the Armenian lobbying organizations of the U.S. have
firmly decided to continue their efforts aimed at increasing the number
of Resolution’s supporters.

A. Vardanian said that the adoption of Resolution N 106 is a long
process, in which not only lobbying organizations, but also the whole
Armenian community takes part. "The position of our community’s members
also playes a great role. They respond very actively to Resolution’s
support by this or that Congressman. Such actions of the community
strengthen the results of the lobbyists’ work," A. Vardanian said.

In her words, the Armenian community’s active position becomes of
special importance also in consideration of the activity of the Turkish
lobbyists, who in spite of their small number, try to counteract to the
efforts of the Armenian lobbyists and to undertake steps for reducing
the number of Resolution’s supporters.

Arpi Vardanian did not exclude the possibility of home and foreign
political factors’ influencing the process of adoption of Resolution N
106, for instance, the position of Turkey itself in relation to Iraq,
and the home political situation in Turkey itself.

Meanwhile, she said that the probability of adoption of Resolution N
106 by Congress this year is great. Among the factors, which can
contribute to its adoption, the Regional Director of the Armenian
Assembly of America in Armenia and in Nagorno Karabakh mentioned the
position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi,
who had been a member of the Congress’ Armenian Caucus for many years,
as well as the circumstance that today democrats make majority in
Congress, and they usually take a pro-Armenian position. Besides, the
fact that the subject of the Genocide receives a special resonance in
the world, including the U.S., has much influence.

It should be mentioned that according to the latest data, 217
Congressmen spoke for Resolution. Resolution N 106 was submitted on
January 30, 2007 for the discussion of the House of Representatives by
the members of the Republican Party, Adam Schiff, George Radanovich and
the Co-chairmen on Armenian Caucus, Frank Pallone and Joe Knollenberg.
The project is called a "House Resolution," as only the approval of the
House of Representatives is needed for its adoption.

EQUAL CONDITIONS ARE CREATED FOR ALL CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENCY IN NKR,
NKR PRESIDENT’S ADVISER ASSURES

YEREVAN, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Arman Melikian, the NKR President’s
Adviser, at the July 4 press conference, said that equal conditions
have been created for all candidates in the campaign of NKR
presidential elections, and the opinion that allegedly the campaign’s
coverage is one-sided does not correspond to reality.

In his opinion, it will be right to prevent any influence on the
upcoming presidential elections, for instance, the results of the
survey conducted by sociologist Aharon Adibekian. "The Nagorno Karabakh
people is able to make a choice on its own, but surprisingly the
passions are more inflamed over that issue in Armenia than in Nagorno
Karabakh," he said.

A. Melikian said that Karabakh’s issues are not solved in Yerevan.
Meanwhile he said that inevitably Armenia influences Karabakh and vice
versa. "We cannot do without each other, we have been merged, and our
existence in the future is also conditioned by the efficiency of our
cooperation," the NKR President’s Adviser said. In his words, it is
natural that Karabakh cannot be left out of Armenian society’s
attention. However, he said, it is not acceptable that this interest
receives some form. "We should find the way of choosing right forms,"
A. Melikian said.

BY ARMENIAN AND AZERI INTELLECTUALS’ JOINT TRIP OSCE TRIED TO SOFTEN
UNSUCCESSFUL OUTCOME OF PRESIDENTS’ PETERSBURG MEETING, NKR PRESIDENT’S
ADVISER CONSIDERS

YEREVAN, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Arman Melikian, the NKR President’s
Adviser, at the July 4 press conference, stated that the last trip of
Armenian and Azeri intellectuals to Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh and
Azerbaijan was OSCE’s attempt to somehow soften the unsuccessful
outcome of the Armenian and Azeri Presidents’ Petersburg meeting.

In his words, each of the initiative’s organizers pursued his own
interests, which coincided in some things. According to A. Melikian’s
observation, for NKR, the initiative was important, as the Ambassador
of Azerbaijan to Russia met with the NKR President. "In this respect,
we can say that Azerbaijan admits the circumstance of Nagorno
Karabakh’s having legal authorities," the NKR President’s Adviser said
adding that the Azeri side understood that without negotiating with
Karabakh and receiving its consent they cannot expect any progress in
the negotiations process.

A. Melikian said that nevertheless, that initiative will not be
decisive for the future, as, judging by Azerbaijan’s position, there
are no real preconditions for that. "Maybe, there will be no need to
negotiate with Azerbaijan: we can just solve the problem through NKR’s
international recognition," he said. A. Melikian expressed confidence
that Karabakh’s independence will be recognized at last.