Month: July 2007

ACCORDING TO PCR NGO’S CHAIRMAN, SHORT WEIGHT GIVING SCALES USED IN
STREET TRADE

YEREVAN, JUNE 30, NOYAN TAPAN. "Electronic scales that weigh up to 300
grams less in a kilogram are used now in street trade," the chairman of
Protection of Consumer Rights (PCR) NGO Abgar Yeghoyan said at the June
29 press conference.

According to him, scales of registered economic entities only are
subject to testing by "Chapaget" Institute, which is the state licensed
body ensuring the uniformity of measurements in Armenia. Scales of
street vendors are not tested at all, while the use of household scales
in trade is forbidden.

A. Yeghoyan informed those present that PCR conducts monitorings of the
food market every month, according to which there are a lot of old,
uncertified foodstuffs in the market. They contain various pollutants
or thier marking does not correspond with requirements of the law.
There are frequent cases of violation of temperature and
sanitary-hygiene conditions of food storage.

PCR chairman said that their NGO proposed that the Armenian government
should set up an interdepartmental working group from members of
organizations on consumer rights’ protection for the purpose of working
out legislative proposals for dealing with the situation in the food
market.

In his opinion, this proposal is of anticorruption character because
law-quality foodstuffs from abroad do not pass customs control and are
not certified, therefore, they are not taxed and are sold without
control of the appropriate bodies. Besides, the same foodstuffs sold at
various points of trade (kiosk, shop, fair) are taxed in various ways,
while food sold in the streets is not taxed at all.

A. Yeghoyan noted that although the whole production of domestic food
producers is certified, they also commit violations of food marking
rules, particularly, those on production and expiry date.

VACHE TERTERIAN: ADMINISTRATIVE-TERRITORIAL REFORMS SHOULD BE
IMPLEMENTED TO AVOID HYPERCENTRALIZATION OF BUSINESS IN YEREVAN

AFGVERAN, JUNE 30, NOYAN TAPAN. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(CCI) of Armenia is prepared to participate in further economic
development of the country in order to develop entrepreneurship and
increase the competitiveness of Armenian companies in the foreign
market. The CCI deputy chairman, direcor general of Viasphere
Technopark company Aram Vardanian stated this at the June 29 business
forum "The Prospects of Armenia’s Economic Development and the Role of
Chambers of Commerce and Industry" in Aghveran.

The event’s purpose was to discuss issues related to participation of
regional CCIs in the country’s social and economic process, their
cooperation with local self-government bodies, and development of
entrepreneurship.

In the words of the RA deputy minister of trade and economic
development Armen Gevorgian, by assuming "the role of a collective
defender of the business community", the chambers should create a
favorable environment for business, in particular, to implement
advisory and training programs and to take part in the development and
adoption of respective laws.

Speaking about the problem of hypercentralization of business in
Yerevan, the RA deputy minister of territorial governance Vache
Terterian noted that a number of administrative and territorial
reforms, including the enlargement of communities and the creation of
intercommunity units, should be implemented in order to avoid the
business environment disproportion by settlements. "The creation of the
Council on Marz Development can be considered as the first step of this
program," V. Terterian said.

IN EDUARD AGHAJANOV’S OPINION, DEPRECIATION OF DOLLAR IN ARMENIA HAS NO
ECONOMIC EXPLANATION

YEREVAN, JUNE 30, NOYAN TAPAN. The decline in the exchange rate of the
US dollar in Armenia has no economic explanation, economist Eduard
Aghajanov said at the June 29 press conference. According to him, these
fluctuations of the exchange rate are not in line with global
tendencies. Thus, the dollar appreciated in Armenia in April 2007,
before the parliamentary elections, although the dollar’s exchange rate
fell in the world at that time. After the elections – in May and June,
the dollar started strengthening in the world, whereas in Armenia it
depreciated. In the economist’s opinion, importers receive superprofits
as a result of these artificial fluctuations.

E. Aghajanov said that in 2003, the dollar’s exchange rate was 580
drams, while now it makes 340 drams: so when exchanging 100 dollars for
drams, an Armenian citizen loses 24 thousand drams. Taking into account
the fact that 1.5 billion dollars flow into Armenia annually, the
population loses 360 billion drams or over a billion dollars as
compared with 2003.

According to the economist, if the decline in the dollar’s exchange
rate or the appreciation of the Armenian dram had been a result of
Armenia’s economic growth, an inflation would have occured. The
government could have made businessmen reduce prices by using
mechanisms of taxing their superprofits but it is not done. E.
Aghajanov said that even prices of public services do not decline,
though they are regulated by the commission created with this aim.

SEWAGE TREATMENT SYSTEMS TO BE BUILT IN SEVAN BASIN

YEREVAN, JUNE 30, NOYAN TAPAN. A 12 million-dollar agreement envisaging
construction of sewage treatment systems in Lake Sevan’s basin – the
cities of Vardenis, Martuni and Gavar has been signed between the
Armenian government and the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD), NT correspondent was informed by Andranik
Andreasian, chairman of the State Water Industry Committee of the RA
Ministry of Territorial Governance. According to him, 5 million dollars
of this sum is a grant, the rest is a credit.

The credit will be provided at LIBOR plus 1% interest rate and must be
repaid over 20 years.

SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF WATER STORED IN RESERVOIRS OF ARMENIA

YEREVAN, JUNE 30, NOYAN TAPAN. A sufficient amount of water has been
stored in Armenia’s reservoirs and there is no lack of irrigation
water. The chairman of the State Water Industry Committee of the RA
Ministry of Territotrial Governanace Andranik Andreasian said at the
June 29 press conference that negotiations on continuing the program of
internal irrigation networks’ repairs were conducted with the World
Bank that has agreed to allocate a credit of 5 million dollars.

According to him, 108 million dollars will be invested for repairs and
restoration of irrigation systems under the Millennium Callenge
Program. Eight reservoirs will also be constructed under this program.

A. Andreasian said that it is envisaged to take a 10 million-dollar
credit from the Abu Dhabi Development Fund (UAE) in order to remove
serious defects in some sections of the Arpa-Sevan tunnel. However, in
his words, a total of 25 million dollars is needed for this work.

Bush, Pelosi and Clinton Support PKK

by Scott Sullivan

cle/26346.html
June 30, 2007 12:12 PM EST

The British Sun newspaper last Tuesday carried a story quoting British
intelligence sources that Iran is moving elite units of the Islamic
Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) into southern Iran facing Iraq and
even into Iraq itself (see Investors Business Daily report on 6/26/07,
`Iran Picks a Fight’). These Iranian deployments pose a direct threat
to British troops who are responsible for stability in southern Iraq.

According to British intelligence, Iran would not undertake such
provocative deployments unless Iran was preparing to confront UK forces
in southern Iraq.

Again, by way of backdrop, Iran in southern Iraq is taking Basra and
one-third of Iraq’s territory and oil reserves, while in northern Iraq
Massoud Barzani is taking Kirkuk and another one-third of Iraq’s
territory and oil reserves.

In other words, Iran and the Kurds are demolishing Iraq. And what is
the response from President Bush and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to such
naked aggression? Blissful silence.

Even worse, Bush is preparing US forces to confront Turkey, not Iran
and the Kurds. Just this week the State Department reissued its warning
to Turkey to refrain from attacking PKK camps in northern Iraq. This
State Department warning means that Bush is in accord with Bill
Clinton’s recommendation that the PKK be taken under US protection in
northern Iraq.

Again, to be sure that the situation is crystal clear, Iran and the
Kurds are demolishing Iraq, while the US is preparing to confront
Turkey, a fellow member of NATO.

Pelosi’s attraction to the PKK comes as no surprise. Pelosi has deep
ties with the Greek Lobby here in the US. The Greek Lobby has long been
pro-Kurdish and anti-Turkey. Pelosi has taken the lead in pushing
through Congress the Armenia Genocide resolution, which will destroy
all prospects of US-Turkish cooperation against Iran.

In short, Iran and the PKK now find in their corner the powerful team
of Bush, Pelosi, and Clinton. Moreover, it is now rumored that Paul
Wolfowitz will join this pro-PKK team when he takes a high position at
the American Enterprise Institute. He has never condemned the PKK.

Finally, Iran and the PKK got an additional boost from Red China this
week. The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a written statement, similar
to that from the US, warning Turkey against intervening against PKK
camps in northern Iraq.

In sum, a powerful united front which is anti-Turkey and pro-PKK is
shaping up, involving President Bush, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and
Bill Clinton. On the international side, the anti-Turkey front
involves, as of today, Iran and Red China. Not to worry. Turkey will
prevail.

US Department of State: Azeri and Armenian intellectuals’ visits will
ensure a lasting peaceful resolution of the conflict

arminfo
2007-06-30 22:54:00

We welcome efforts by the government Azerbaijan and Armenia to engage
constructively on a Nagorno-Karabakh issue, spokeswoman for the US
Department of State Janelle Hironimus told the APA US bureau
exclusively.

"We hope that this week exchange of intellectuals was just a beginning
of broader serious of confidence building measures that will help to
build trust between those countries’ population. Such measures are
necessary to build good will between the sides that will be necessary
to ensure a lasting peaceful resolution of the conflict. The two sides
have made considerable progress over the past several months of
negotiations within the Minsk group process. We continue to help the
leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia will embrace the opportunity to agree
on basic principals for the peaceful resolution of the conflict. In the
meantime, the visit which occurred on June 28 can only help," the
spokeswoman said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

British House of Commons considers facts of genocide denial

arminfo
2007-06-30 22:55:00

On June 27 the British House of Commons considered facts of genocide
denial.

The press service of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia reports that the
British MPs heard a report by the chief executive of Aegis Trust James
Smith who drew parallels between the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and the
tragic events in Darfur. Smith informed the MPs that a recent
exhibition on the Rwandan genocide of 1994 was put off for three weeks
because of indirect references to the Armenian Genocide.

To remind, it was Turkey who insisted on changing the Armenian Genocide
section and the UN did that.

In his turn, Ambassador of Armenia to the UK Vahe Gabriyelyan said that
such meetings are important as they inform the public of the facts of
genodice denial. Armenia has repeatedly said that the Darfur events
were a genocide and Armenian organizations will do their best for
covering this genocide and for preventing similar tragedies in the
future.

The event was organized by the British-Armenian parliamentary group,
Genocide Prevention parliamentary group, Armenian Solidarity, The
Armenian Genocide Trust and Aegis Trust.

Organization for Liberation of Karabakh tries to wreck press-conference
of Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Russia

arminfo
2007-06-30 22:52:00

The Organization for Liberation of Karabakh led by Akif Nagi tried to
wreck the pres-conference on the
visit of Azeri intellectuals to Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia.

Day.az reports that during the press-conference Nagi and Kamal Abdullah
started a squabble. The chief of the Sabaili police department Khanlar
Zeinalov told his men to take Nagi to the police. This caused a stir
but Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Russia Polad Bulbulogly calmed down the
situation. At the end of the press-conference Nagi tried to say
something again but Bulbulogly interrupted him. Nagi flared up again
and was detained. Later he was set free.

To remind, a few dyas ago a group of Armenian and Azeri intellectuals
led by the ambassadors of Armenia and Azerbaijan to Russia visited
Stepanakert, Yerevan and Baku. Nagi was very much annoyed by that.

New Anatolian, Turkey –
June 30 2007

Turkey criticizes Greek president

The New Anatolian / Ankara
29 June 2007

Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Levent Bilman expressed regret
over Greek President Karolos Papouliyas’s statements written on the
‘journal’ of Tsisernakaberd monument and his statements in Yerevan
during his visit to Armenia alleging that Ottoman Turks had massacred
Armenians at the turn of the 20th century.
`The statements in question consist of groundless allegations based
on distortion of the historical facts," Bilman said in a written
statement while responding to a question.
Bilman said, "the biased stance of Greece as regards to 1915
incidents (Armenian massacre allegations) was registered under a
resolution adopted by Greek parliament. Greece, which carried out
atrocities in Anatolia during the Turkish War of Liberation, does not
have the right to advise Turkey to take lessons history."
"Such kinds of approaches do not contribute to the endeavors to
establish a friendship and cooperation atmosphere between the two
countries but have a negative impact on the process of normalizing
relations between Turkey and Armenia."