Month: July 2007

AZG Armenian Daily #123, 30/06/2007

Crisis in Turkey

"REPUBLIC OF TURKEY GO TO HELL!!!!"

"Republic of Turkey Go to Hell!!!" this slogan was sounded during the
funeral of PKK members in Hakkyari region of Turkey that borders with
Iran and Iraq on June 27. On June 28 the slogan appeared on some of
the sites, while the governor’s office of Hakkyari denied the
information by a special official press release. "Milliet" informed
about this on its site, yesterday. According to "Milliet," the
Hakkyari governor stated in the press release "on June 28, some of the
sites spread information about "Republic of Turkey Go to Hell!!!"
slogan was sounded in our region during the funeral of a member of a
terrorist separatist union. The aforementioned funeral took place on
June 27 at 11 o’clock. The relevant law enforcement bodies followed
the funeral with great attention. After viewing the video record of
the funeral, we found out that none sounded such a slogan during the
funeral."

It’s worth mentioning that the majority of Hakkyari residents are
Kurds and there are also many Alavians living there. On March 4, Hasan
Kyoni, Professor of Political Sciences at the Ankara University,
stated in the article entitled "The Armenian Cause and the
International Position of Turkey" that the Alavians are Muslim
Armenians.

By Hakob Chakrian

AZG Armenian Daily #123, 30/06/2007

Foreign Relations

"FRENCH PEOPLE’S SUPPORT TO ARMENIA WILL NEVER CEASE"

Interview With Ambassador of France to Armenia

– Mr. Ambassador, what do you think about the development of
diplomatic, political, economical and cultural relations between
Armenia and France after the parliamentary and presidential elections
in Armenia and France?

– I think it is obvious that the presidential elections both in
Armenia and France will bring noi essential change into the bilateral
relations between our states. The present state of our relations is
satisfactory for Armenia and France, but both the sides are willing to
enhance the cooperation. No doubt, the cooperation shall go on not
only on highest governmental level, but the contacts between
associations, cities and regions shall also enrich our dialogue.

– Shall France have an essential role in the peace process on
Nagorno-Karabakh, as the state presiding in the EU?

– In the frameworks of the OSCE Minsk Group France, together with
Russia and the USA, is striving to find a solution to the conflict in
Nagorno-Karabakh. Of course, France could have beeen satisfied just by
the EU assistance to the process of Karabakh conflict’s
settlement. Nevertheless, the Minsk Group is the most convenient
format of finding solution to the Karabakh conflict.

– What do you think, how can the vast Armenian community of France and
the eight-million Diaspora help establishing true democracy in
Armenia, when the Government has begrudged them dual citizenship even
after it was approved by Constitutional referendum?

– Naturally, France encourages the progress of democracy in Armenia,
but interfering its relations with the Diaspora is beyond its
authority.

– Taking into consideration the political crisis in Turkey and the
position of official Ankara about the Armenian genocide, what will be
the position of the new government of France on Turkey’s admittance to
the EU?

– Those issues are attended in France with great interest. The newly
formed Government has not come to any certain opinion on that
question. At this moment I would rather avoid any comment.

– What would you like to say to our readers in Armenia and the
Diaspora?

– I would not only send message of confirming firmness and longitude
of our relations, which is proved by continual contacts on all the
levels, but also assure that the support of the French people to
Armenia shall never cease.

Questions suggested by Hamo Moskofian

AZG Armenian Daily #123, 30/06/2007

Humanitarian

WORLD ARMENIAN DOCTORS IN YEREVAN TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF
NATIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

More than 1500 specialists of health service from different countries:
96 from USA, 35 from Canada, 25 from Iran and Mozambique are taking
part in Second International Medical Conference in Yerevan. The first
June 28 sitting of the conference started with a press conference,
which was followed by the welcome speeches of the First Lady of
Armenia Bella Kocharian and Healthcare Minister Harutyun Kushkian.

This conference may be considered as the longest and the most
traditional conference, as its first sitting was held in 1970, in
Lebanon. According to the Head of the National Healthcare Institute
Derenik Dumanian each meeting is a guarantee of exchange of experience
and information, further meetings and cooperation. "For example,
after the previous conference an American dental clinic was opened. It
was the gift of the Armenian Doctors’ Assosiation and "Lima"
institute.

As a result of this conference, though it is the first day of it, an
apparatus of osteoporosis was given to "Mother and child’s health
protection research center", said Dumanian.

26 scientific directions are included in this conference. 500 works of
more than 1000 doctors and scientists were published in a scientific
collection. The publication of these articles will provide a progress
in the approaches of local medical sphere, as the approaches change in
the world as well, i.e. in the sphere of cardiology it’s a question
which method is more efficient surgical or conservative.

Within the frameworks of this conference each sphere of a scientific
group has an opportunity to examine the issues of that sphere
separately. This conference is very interesting for the guests, too,
as they are given an opportunity to get acquainted with the scientific
works of local scientists.

By Susanna Margarian

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Center for National and International Studies
75 Yerznkian Street
Yerevan 0033, Armenia
Tel: (+374 – 10) 52.87.80 or 27.48.18
Fax: (+374 – 10) 52.48.46
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Website:

June 30, 2007

ACNIS Examines Regional Security, US-Iran Relations

Yerevan–The Armenian Center for National and International Studies
(ACNIS) today initiated a foreign policy discussion entitled "The
Challenges of Regional Security: Iran, the United States, and
Armenia." With an eye on the continued downturn in relations between
the United States and Iran, this gathering of state and political
figures, leading analysts, policy specialists, media representatives,
and officials from the US and Iranian embassies analyzed the potential
conflicts of interest, far-reaching miscalculations, and structural
pitfalls this standoff presents. The conference considered threats to
both macro- and micro-regional forces, including Armenia. Various
scenarios, possible solutions, and plans of action were presented
throughout the day.

The day’s agenda opened with remarks by Raffi K. Hovannisian, ACNIS
founder and newly-elected Member of Parliament. "It is our
professional as well as civic duty to examine and elucidate, against
the background of likely developments, the issues that directly affect
Armenia’s security," Hovannisian said, adding that the Republic needs
to reveal past and putative omissions within its foreign and domestic
policy framework with the aim of defending its national interest and
finding ways and means for surmounting current geopolitical
challenges. "A strategic mutual reassessment is in order for two very
important nations–the United States and Iran–whose ultimate meeting
of minds is crucial for regional security and world peace in the new
era. Armenia, from whose vital interests this flows, must be prepared
in every way to facilitate such a strategic imperative," Hovannisian
suggested.

The roundtable’s morning session focused on the dangers and risks not
only for Armenia but for the entire region if differences between the
United States and Iran are resolved militarily. The first speaker was
analyst Richard Giragosian of Jane’s Information Group. Giragosian
addressed the key factors of discord and possible cooperation in
Iranian-American relations, primarily interpreting Washington’s
policies toward Tehran. Giragosian asserted that "since Armenia is
partners with strategically important countries such as Iran and
Russia, it can play a pivotal role and become a unique platform in the
region." Giragosian, however, expressed disappointment that the
Armenian government did not take full advantage of certain
opportunities. Here, Giragosian specifically referred to Armenia’s
structural dependency on Russia–with respect to the "Property for
Debt" deal whereby the management of several Armenian enterprises were
transferred over to Russia–as well as the lacking significance of the
Iran-Armenia gasline in the region and in terms of transit.

Political scientist and new Heritage MP Stepan Safarian then presented
the main scenarios of "programmed war" as designed by certain American
experts. He noted that a volatile situation could ensue in the region,
including missile attacks and partial military strikes against Iran
and this, in Safarian’s view, mainly pursues the objective of
spreading fear to compel Iran to carry out the requirements of the UN
Security Council and the European Union troika. "Armenia enjoys normal
relations with Iran, and this allows Armenian diplomacy the unique
chance to be the initiator and become the mediator in reducing the
tension," Safarian argued. He added that the conduct of incorrect
methodology–the mongering of fear–toward Iran can marginalize the
latter and make it become unpredictable. According to Safarian, any
country at war attempts to take the military platform outside its
borders and when that happens the military, political, and economic
consequences are inevitable.

Former Minister of Environment Karine Danielian intervened next. She
spoke about the adverse environmental consequences that might result
from potential military conflict. According to Danielian, the intense
breakdown in the Earth’s crust as a result of rapid usage of the
petroleum and gas mines cause man-made catastrophes and deteriorate
the regional environmental conditions. "There is, at present, a
greater artificial threat to the ecosystem of our region, and this
could bring unforeseeable consequences. I refer to international
reaction to Iran’s nuclear agenda, and if this reaction were to enter
the military phase it would cause volatile results," Danielian said.
She also noted that Armenia would be the first to bear the brunt of
the dangers threatening Iran, and called on the roundtable
participants to join her in declaring this region a nuclear-free zone.

The first session concluded with a talk by Mane Hakobian of the
Association for Sustainable Human Development, who concentrated on the
ramifications of any military operations and the potential ripple
effects on the region as a whole. She pointed to the variety of
factors that might endanger Armenia’s stability. "The real disaster
could start when the US Armed Forces decide to bomb and destroy the
uranium enrichment complexes within Iranian territory. The sole avenue
for annihilating underground bunkers is to use powerful bombs, and
this would result in high-magnitude artificial earthquakes with a
circumference of one thousand kilometers," Hakobian said. She also
expressed concern that should this happen the Armenia entire would be
at the epicenter of a seismic disaster. "If this matter is not
peacefully resolved the reality could be even worse," Hakobian
concluded.

The afternoon session was keynoted by Iran specialist Emma Begijanian,
who presented an overview of probable retaliatory measures by Iran.
"An attack on Iran can cause the opposite result, and this would
encourage Iran to start a large-scale production of nuclear weapons,"
she said. According to Begijanian, Iran has sufficient levers to
counter the US and one such lever is to close the Hovmuz Strait, which
is considered the airway in the Persian Gulf for the international
energy conduits. Begijanian also expressed a conviction that producing
nuclear weapons is not Iran’s objective and that it is prepared to
enrich uranium under international watch.

The foreign policy roundtable concluded with an exchange of views and
policy recommendations among Giro Manoyan of the Dashnaktsutiun Party;
Vardan Khachatrian from Heritage’s parliamentary group; political
analyst Davit Petrosian; former MP Arshak Sadoyan; director Simon
Kamsarakan of the Armenian Center for Fundamental Sciences; Armen
Dovlatian from the Social- Ecological Party; director Stepan Grigorian
of the Analytical Center on Globalization and Regional Cooperation;
chairman Boris Navasardian of the Yerevan Press Club; Edward Antinian,
deputy chairman of the Liberal Progressive Party; and several others.
Roundtable participants also came to the conclusion that everything
must be done so that the developments concerning Iran follow a pacific
path.

Founded in 1994 by Armenia’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs Raffi
K. Hovannisian and supported by a global network of contributors,
ACNIS serves as a link between innovative scholarship and the public
policy challenges facing Armenia and the Armenian people in the
post-Soviet world. It also aspires to be a catalyst for creative,
strategic thinking and a wider understanding of the new global
environment. In 2007, the Center focuses primarily on civic education,
democratic development, conflict resolution, and applied research on
critical domestic and foreign policy issues for the state and the
nation.

For further information on the Center call (37410) 52-87-80 or
27-48-18; fax (37410) 52-48-46; email [email protected] or [email protected];
or visit

Armenia, Russia discuss joint project on developing Armenian uranium
deposits

RIA Novosti, Moscow
29 Jun 07

Yerevan, 29 June: Armenia’s Environmental Protection Minister Aram
Harutyunyan, Tekhsnabeksport deputy director-general Vladimir Servetnik
and the deputy director-general of Russia’s chemical technology
institute, Harutyun Poghosyan, discussed projects on the development of
Armenia’s uranium deposits in Yerevan on Friday [29 June], the public
relations department of the Environmental Protection Ministry has told
Novosti Armenia.

The Russian representatives informed the minister of the work done
under a protocol on cooperation in geological survey, extraction and
processing of uranium ore. The protocol was signed in Yerevan in April
2007 between [Russia’s] Rosatom and the Armenian Ministry of
Environmental Protection.

[Passage omitted: background]

The sides expressed satisfaction with the work completed so far and the
coordinated cooperation. They said that the action plan was being
implemented timely.

[Passage omitted: background]

07

Derry face daunting trip to Armenia
Emmet Malone, Irish Times
Published: Jun 30, 2007

SOCCER/Champions League draw: A year ago a run in the Uefa Cup gave
them a taste for European football in the likes of Gothenburg, Glasgow
and, even as they went out, Paris. The downside of Derry City’s
elevation to the Champions League this year, however, was highlighted
yesterday when the draw for the first round of the competition was made.

The club’s first, and perhaps last, port of call this summer will be
the Armenian capital, Yerevan. If things go well, a trip to Ukraine’s
Donetsk awaits a couple of weeks later.

City will play FC Pyunik twice in successive weeks during the middle of
July. "I don’t really know what to make of it, to be honest," said the
captain and caretaker manager Peter Hutton. "We have to organise the
trip and familiarise ourselves with the team in a very short space of
time and neither will be easy.

"It’s disappointing for the fans, though. We brought a lot of
supporters with us everywhere we went last year but not too many of
them are likely to make it along on this trip. Having said that,
though, if it means that we have a better chance of making it through
to the next round then so be it, that’s the main focus."

The club’s chief executive, Jim Roddy, admitted the draw has left the
club with a lot of work to do. "Getting drawn at home first is
disappointing from a sporting point of view but there is some
consolation here because it gives us an extra week to get everything
organised."

Having talked to people in the know at yesterday’s draw in Nyon, Roddy
said that the general view is that the standard is broadly similar to
that here. Beyond that, however, he conceded it was early days in terms
of gathering information about a team that has won its championship for
the last six years running.

The Pyunik captain, Sargis Hovsepyan’s observation, however, that
"Derry City are not the strongest opponents we could have got in but
Irishmen are very good in the air" at least suggests that current
levels of mutual ignorance are roughly equal.

In the Uefa Cup, Drogheda United and St Patrick’s Athletic enjoyed
starkly contrasting fortunes with the former landing a first-round tie
with SP Libertas, the second best side in San Marino last year, while
John McDonnell and his men have the rather more daunting task of taking
on Denmark’s Odense.

"They are the most difficult team in the seeded pool, they have a good
pedigree," said the club’s director of football, Brian Kerr, who was in
Nyon for the draw. "They have beaten Shels in Europe, they have gotten
to the group stages of the Uefa Cup – and, last season, they beat
Copenhagen in the Danish Cup final. So they’re strong."

Both Irish clubs have been drawn at home although it is understood the
order of United’s games will be reversed over the coming days.

First Round (to be played July 17/18th and 24/25th): Khazar Lenkoran v
D Zagreb; Apoel FC v Bate Borisov; FC Sheriff v FC Ranger’s;
Hafnarfjodur v HB Torshavn; New Saints FC v FK Ventspils; FK Pobeda v
Levadia Tallinn; Olimpi Rustavi v FC Astana; FK Zeta v FBK Kaunas;
Tampere United v SS Murata; F91 Dudelange v MSK Zilina; Linfield v IF
Elfsborg; Derry City v FC Pyunik; Marsaxlokk FC v FC Sarajevo; NK
Domzale v KF Tirana.

Second round (to be played July 31st/ August 1st and August 7/8th):
Derry City/FC Pyunik v Shakhtar Donetsk; Crvena Zvezda v FK
Pobeda/Levadia Tallinn; Rangers v FK Zeta/FBK Kaunas; Debreceni VSC v
Linfield/IF Elfsborg; Zaglebie Lubin v Steaua Bucuresti; KRC Genk v
Marsaxlokk FC/FK Sarajevo; New Saints FC/FK Ventspils v FC Salzburg;
Olimpi Rustavi/FC Astana v Rosenborg; BK Hafnarfjodur/HB Torshavn v
Apoel FC/Bate Borisov; FC Coepenhagen v Beitar Jerusalem; F91
Dudelange/MSK Zilina v Slavia Prague; Tampere Utd/SS Murata v Levski
Sofia; NK Domzale/KF Tirana v Khazar Lenkoran/D Zagreb; Besiktas JK v
FC Sheriff/FC Rangers

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Masis Mayilyan: It is necessary to enhance society’s control on the government

30-06-2007 16:48:09 – KarabakhOpen

Masis Mayilyan, presidential candidate, visited the citizens who live
at the dormitory of Artsakh State University. He first saw all the
rooms and said it is impossible to live in such conditions. `People
cannot live in such conditions in the 21st century,’ said the
presidential candidate in a meeting with the residents. The residents
who are mainly refugees raised different questions. They said the
government built houses for them on an outskirt of Stepanakert but they
are reluctant to move into their new houses: `It is far from the city
and the conditions are not satisfactory.’ Masis Mayilyan said it is
possible to solve this problem taking into account the opinion of the
citizens. The residents of the dormitory are worried about the price of
bread, as well as the absence of Russian schools in Karabakh, which is
one of the reasons why many people leave the country. Masis Mayilyan
underlined his election program and said if he is elected he will take
into account the interests and rights of the Russian-speaking citizens.
`It is necessary to open Russian schools because it is one of the
reasons why Armenian refugees living outside Karabakh do not return to
their homeland. If we solve this problem, we will be able to improve
the demographic state as well,’ Masis Mayilyan said.

One of the young people was interested in the foreign policy of the
country. Questions related to it were asked during the meeting of the
presidential candidate with the students and professors of Artsakh
State University on Thursday. In answer to the question if the war may
start again Masis Mayilyan said it is always possible. `But if we
create a strong army, a country with developed and powerful economy,
the resumption of war will be less likely,’ Masis Mayilyan said.

The professors also raised the issue of their salaries. Masis Mayilyan
said the main wealth and resource of Karabakh is the intellectual
potential, which is built by the professors and teachers, who must get
a high salary.
With regard to agriculture and industry, he said besides providing soft
loans without collateral to farmers it is also necessary the create
agricultural machine pools and food processing units in the regions.
There is demand for such products in Russia and other countries. `In
market economy everything must be taken into account, including
consumption to start to produce a product,’ the presidential candidate
said.

One of the professors asked Masis Mayilyan to explain how the rule of
law will be established. According to him, the law must be applied to
everyone, and everyone must be equal before the law. Therefore, it is
necessary to conduct the right human resource policy. Honest and
patriotic professionals must work. It is necessary to enhance society’s
control on the government.

In a meeting with the presidential candidate on Thursday the residents
of Knunyants and Stepanyan streets of the capital complained of the
relation between the government and people. The residents complained of
the state of roofs and water supply. They said they had written a lot
of letters, tried to meet with people in charge but in vain. Masis
Mayilyan assured that if he is elected, he is not going to meet people
but people will meet him and tell about the problems they face.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TATUL MANASERIAN: REGIONAL ADAPTATION OF TAXATION SHOULD BE DONE FOR
PROPORTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITIES

YEREVAN, JUNE 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Regional adaptation of taxation should
be done for proportional development of Armenian communities. Economist
Tatul Manaserian expressed this opinion at the June 29 press
conference. According to him, businessmen of Yerevan and marzes
(provinces) operate in different conditions so it is wrong to impose
the same taxes on them. Welcoming the government’s steps aimed at
decentralizing the economy, he said the country has resources for this
and it is just necessary to display a proffesional approach.

The speaker noted that the hypercentralization of business leads to
internal migration from provinces to the capital city. In T.
Manaserian’s words, about 300 Armenian settlements have already become
desolate. But they can be made attractive to businessmen and thus be
developed by creation of free or special economic zones in these areas.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN STATE BUDGET FULFILLED BY 5.3 BILLION DRAM SURPLUS IN
JANUARY-MAY 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 30, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-May 2007, the crediting from
the RA state budget made 7.88 bln drams (about 22 mln USD), 7.82 bln
drams of which was provided to the NKR, 55.2 mln drams was provided to
repressed citizens on concessional terms for improvement of their
houses.

According to the RA Ministry of Finance and Economy, 178.8 mln drams of
previously provided credits was repaid to the state budget. As a
result, the net crediting made about 7.7 bln drams. The net crediting
increased by 25.2% on the same period of 2006 at the expense of the
interstate credit given to the NKR in 2007.

In the first five months of 2007, the state budget of the RA was
fulfilled with a surplus of 15.3 bln drams (without the inflow of funds
under credit programs from external sources). The budget was negatively
financed by 22.2 bln drams from the domestic sources of financing and
was positively financed by about 7 bln drams from the external sources.

The state budget was negatively financed by 573.4 mln drams at the
expense of treasury bonds (their issue made 15.8 bln drams, redeption –
16.4 bln drams). 472.7 mln drams was allocated from the domestic
sources of deficit financing for payment of promissory notes. Available
budgetary resouces grew by 21.2 bln drams.

In Janaury-May 2007, the World Bank provided a credit of 10.2 bln drams
under the Poverty Reduction Assistance Program. 3.2 bln drams was
allocated for payment of foreign liabilities.

3.2 bln drams was allocated for state debt’s servicing in the indicated
period, which ensured 61% fulfilement of the respective program for the
first half of 2007: particularly, over 2 billion drams was allocated
for servicing the domestic debt and 1.1 bln drams – for servicing the
foreign debt. Expenditures on state debt servicing declined by 7.2% as
compared with January-May 2006, mainly due to a decline in expenditures
on foreign debt servicing.

TAX REVENUES OF RA STATE BUDGET GROW BY 24% IN JANUARY-MAY 2007 ON
SAME PERIOD OF LAST YEAR

YEREVAN, JUNE 30, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-May 2007, tax revenues made
up 81.7% of the state budgetary revenues. State duties made up 3.8%,
non-tax revenues -10.8%, revenues from capital operations – 3.4%,
official transfers – 0.3% of the budgetary revenues.

According to the RA Ministry of Finance and Economy, in the first five
months of 2007, tax revenues of the state budget amounted to 162 bln
drams (over 451 mln USD) and ensured the fulfilment of the program for
the first half of 2007 by 82.3%. Tax revenues grew by 24% on the same
period of 2006. High growth rates were regsitered with respect to all
taxes.

VAT amounted to 76 bln drams and made up 46.9% of tax revenues in the
period under review. More than 46.2 bln drams of this sum was received
from taxation on the Armenian borders, 29.8 bln drams – from domestic
turnover of goods and services. VAT revenues of the state budget grew
by 34.3% or over 19.4 bln drams as compared with the same period of
2006.

Excise tax revenues amounted to 14.6 bln drams and made up 9% of the
total tax revenues. Particularly, 10.3 bln drams was received from
taxation of imported goods, including 4.6 bln drams from taxation of
imported gasoline and diesel fuel and 4.4 bln drams from taxation of
imported cigarettes.

Excise tax revenues from taxation of goods produced in Armenia made 4.3
ln drams, including 1.7 ln drams from sale of cigarettes made in
Armenia. Excise tax revenues of the RA state budget grew by 4.3% or
604.1 mln drams on the same period of 2006, which was mainly due to a
growth of revenues from imported cigarettes, gasoline and diesel fuel.

A growth was also registered with respect to revenues from imported
alcoholic drinks, while excise tax revenues from sale of cigarettes
made in Armenia declined.