Month: May 2008

MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE FUND CONCERNED ABOUT COMPLIANCE WITH SOME CRITERIA FORMING PROGRAM’S BASIS

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 16, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. During a tete-a-tete talk with the
U.S. State Department’s Coordinator for Assistance to Europe and
Eurasia Tom Adams, the Armenian president Serge Sargsian attached
special importance to the strengthening of Armenia’s relations with
the United States, viewing these relations in the context of economic
success, democratization and regional stability.

The sides spoke about the postelection situation in Armenia and
the resultant problems. They discussed further activities of the
Millennium Challenge Fund. According to the RA president’s press
service, Tom Adams said that they have some concern over compliance
with the criteria forming the basis of the program.

Noting that the Fund-sponsored programs are mostly aimed at poverty
reduction and overcoming the disproportion in development of urban
and rural settlements, Serge Sargsian said that Armenia intends
to continue its cooperation with the Millennium Challenge Fund. As
for the economic and political criteria that form the Fund’s basis,
the president pointed out that there has been no regress from the
economic point of view, to which Tom Adams agreed, saying that
Armenia’s macroeconomic indices were and continue to be good.

The interlocutors exchanged ideas about the political criteria and
processes as well. The president underlined the necessity to give
a correct assessment of the situation. Tom Adams considered it
important to conduct a deep inquiry into the electoral violations
and postelection developments.

THOMAS ADAMS URGES ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES TO TAKE PROMPT ACTION TO HEAL SOCIAL DIVISIONS

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 16, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. U.S. Assistance Coordinator for
Europe and Eurasia Thomas Adams visited Armenia May 14-17. Adams was
accompanied by his deputy, Daniel Rosenblum, who has been designated
to succeed him as Coordinator in the upcoming months.

The delegation has already held fruitful discussions with the
President, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs,
the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Economy, the Minister of
Agriculture, and the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources.

According to the report of the U.S. Embassy in Armenia, Mr. Adams
addressed a wide range of important issues in his conversations with
his hosts from the Armenian government. He learned about the status
of democracy and human rights issues in Armenia, in light of the
post-election political difficulties. He urged Armenian authorities
to take prompt action to heal the social divisions that have arisen
as a result of the political conflict.

Adams also discussed with Armenian officials a number of other
important bilateral issues, including ongoing cooperation programs
in energy and agriculture, Armenia’s economy, measures to improve
Armenia’s attractiveness to foreign investment, and Armenia’s important
efforts to combat illegal trafficking in persons.

During his visit, Mr. Adams met with the Board of the American Chamber
of Commerce in Armenia, as well as key leaders and stakeholders of
the Millennium Challenge program in Armenia. The delegation also
visited a number of project sites implementing U.S. assistance
programs, including the Armenian-American Wellness Center, Arcolate
Chocolate Company, Arzni Medical Ambulatory in Kotayk Marz, and a
school in Nork, which was refurbished with the financial support of
the U.S. Government.

REPRESENTATIVES OF 4 NGOs TO OBSERVE ELECTIONS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT BODIES IN YEREVAN ON MAY 18

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 16, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. Elections of district heads will
be held on May 18 in 4 communities of Yerevan: Avan, Davitashen,
Malatia-Sebastia and Nork-Marash. One cadidate is running in each
of the first three communities, and 3 candidates will be voted on
in Nork-Marash. Out of the current community heads, two are again
running for their posts.

The only candidate proposed in Avan community is the current community
head, member of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Taron Margarian,
the candidate in Malatia-Sebastia is head of the trade and service
unit of the district municipality, RPA member Davit Ohanian, and the
candidate in Davitashen is deputy head of the community, RPA member
Artur Gevorgian.

The candidates in Nork-Marash are the current head of the community,
RPA member Varazdat Mkrtchian, and two non-party men: Garnik
Martirosian and Ashot Margarian.

NT correspondent was informed by spokesperson of the Central Electoral
Commission (CEC) Tatev Ohanian that 4 local NGOs: Will of the Youth,
Free Society Institute, Helsinki Committee of Armenia and Choice is
Yours – were registered at the CEC to implement observer mission at
the elections in the indicated communities.

ARMENIA TO MEET 75% OF ITS DEMAND FOR GRAIN ON ITS OWN IN 2012

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 16, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. In 2007, the overall expenditures of
agriculture made 8 bln drams (about 27 mln USD), 2 bln drams of which
was allocated for salaries of employees in forestry and veterinary
service, the RA minister of agriculture Davit Lokian said at the May
16 discussion on execution of the 2007 state budget at the National
Assembly.

In his words, the ministry implemented three large programs last
year. In particular, under the subsidising program in Aragatsotn and
Chambarak, farmers were allocated 35 thousand drams for cultivating a
hectare of land on certian conditions. Besides, pedigree animals were
brought to Armenia and given to farmers. Commodity credits were given
at 0% interest rate for four years. This process will continue, and,
according to the minister, another 500 pedigree animals were brought
into the country in recent days. As a result of this program, it is
envisaged producing up to a million tons of dairy products in Armenia
in 2012. A program on grain crops’ import and seed production is also
underway. The states compensates for some part of the expenses: about
110 mln drams is allocated to farms. As a result of this program’s
implementation, in 2011 Armenia shall become a self-sufficient country
in terms of wheat and corn production, while in 2012 it will reach
the first degree of self-sufficiency when 75% of demand for grain is
met domestically.

Another big program of the ministry is construction of dams of the
Arax River, for which about 1.4 bln drams was allocated in the autumn
of 2007.

The ministry also provides credits to farms.

IT IS FOURTH TIME ARMENIAN MUSEUMS JOIN MUSEUM NIGHT ACTION

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 16, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. All Armenia’s museums also join the
Museum Night action organized for already the fourth time on the
initiative of the directors of French museums. That country having
the richest European cultural traditions has a goal to consolidate
all museums of the world through this action, by dedicating one night
to exclusively cultural events.

Armenian museums joining the action will be open all night long on May
17: various cultural events, national traditional ritual performances,
concerts, film showings will be organized.

According to the Public Relations Department of the RA Ministry of
Culture, during the event, all participant-museums will free of charge
receive art-loving society until 1:00 am, by making them participants
of the night festive events.

In 2005, more than 1200 museums of Europe, wishing to present their
exclusive collections to the public, united and organized the first
Museum Night action.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ENTRANCE TO ALL ARMENIAN MUSEUMS TO BE FREE ON MAY 18

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 16, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The International Day of Museums will
be marked on May 18 in Armenia. Entrance to all museums of Yerevan
and regions will be free for visitors on that day.

As Anahit Galstian, the head of the Museums and Libraries Department
of the RA Ministry of Culture, said in her interview to Noyan
Tapan correspondent, at present 110 state and non-state museums,
house-museums, and reserve-museums function in Armenia, 60 out of
which are under state care and 30 under care of communities. The
rest museums work under the patronage of individual citizens or
organizations. Though museums have had many obstacles in the recent
years, they continued working. Some museums have been closed, but
new ones have been opened instead.

According to A. Galstian, Armenia has joined three actions on the
occasion of the International Day of Museums, the most interesting
of which is the Museum Night action announced on May 17.

The International Day of Museums has been marked in Armenia since 1978.

ARMENIAN EMBASSY IN LABANON HELPS CITIZENS OF RA TO MOVE FROM LABANON TO ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 16, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian community of Lebanon has
no problems related to the strained situation in that country, the
Armenian foreign minister Edward Nalbandian stated in the RA National
Assembly on May 15. In his words, the large Armenian community of
Lebanon is in the center of attention of the RA embassy there, and
help will be given to the Armenian community in case of necessity.

E. Nalbandian announced that with the assistance of the embassy, a
number of Armenian citizens were moved from Lebanon to the neighboring
country (NT: Syria) from where they can come to homeland.

ONE MORE CONVICT ON MARCH 1 CASE: MKRTICH ABRAHAMIAN SENTENCED TO 3.5 YEARS’ IMPRISONMENT

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 16, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. Under the sentence passed by Yerevan
Criminal Court, Mkrtich Abrahamian was found guilty of committing
a crime envisaged by part 2, Article 225, RA Criminal Court ("mass
disorders"). He was sentenced to imprisonment of three years and
six months.

According to Alina Yengoyan, the Spokesperson of the RA Cassation
Court, Mkrtich Abrahamian was accused of taking an immediate part
in the March 1-2 mass disorders accompanied by large-scale violence,
slaughters, arsons, destruction of state, public, and private property,
obvious robbery, making armed resistance to power representatives.

The Toronto Star
May 17, 2008 Saturday

Board removes book on genocide

by Brett Popplewell, Toronto Star

The Toronto District School Board has removed a recent book about
human atrocities from the curriculum of a new high school course after
a committee was asked to look into public concerns over the book’s
treatment of the Armenian genocide.

Barbara Coloroso’s Extraordinary Evil: A Brief History of Genocide had
been selected as a resource for a new Grade 11 history course about
genocide and crimes against humanity, but the book and the course came
under review after they were challenged by members of the Canadian
Turkish community.

While the board’s review committee decided to remove Coloroso’s book
from the curriculum, deeming it "far from a scrupulous text," the
Armenian genocide will still be taught in the course.

Coloroso, the bestselling author of parenting books, draws
similarities between behaviour exhibited in childhood bullying and
that exhibited in a genocide.

In addition to dealing with the mass murder of more than a million
Armenians, the book also examines the Holocaust that killed six
million Jews during World War II and the Rwanda genocide of almost a
million Tutsis in 1994.

The course’s inclusion of the Armenian genocide has been controversial
since its initial announcement and was met by a petition with more
than 1,200 signatures opposed to the book and the course.

"To pick Armenia as a genocide when it is so controversial –
especially when there are atrocities by other countries that could
have been chosen – is just wrong," Lale Eskicioglu, executive director
of the Council of Turkish Canadians, said prior to delivering the
petition.

Officially, the Turkish government views the slaughter of the
Armenians as wartime casualties of World War I, with both sides guilty
of some provocation.

Board representatives declined to comment on the matter last night
because members of the community can still appeal the decision.

With files from Louise Brown

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
May 16 2008

Turkish association releases report on US bill on Armenia

Istanbul, 16 May: An influential employers’ association in Turkey has
released a report on an Armenian bill regarding the incidents of 1915,
which was adopted last year by the Committee on Foreign Relations of
the US House of Representatives but was turned down by the general
assembly.

The report, drawn up by researcher and specialist in law David
Saltzman for the Turkish Industrialists’ & Businessmen’s Association
(TUSIAD), was presented on Thursday [15 May] at a Washington
conference on Turkish-US relations.

The report, "US House of Representatives Resolution 106: Legal and
Factual Deficiencies," said that there had never been a legal opinion
that can justify the 1915 incidents as "genocide", and those who
contended the allegations had never brought them before an
international court.

"The global public opinion is focused on this one-sided view. And the
rejection to acknowledge facts and the failure to consider the
historical background of the incidents help this view attain a
continuity," the report said.

Turkey has long been facing a systematic campaign of defamation
carried out by Armenian lobby groups. The Armenian diaspora has lately
increased its organized activities throughout the world for the
acknowledgment of their unfounded allegations in regard to the
incidents of 1915 as "genocide" by national and local parliaments.

In 2005, Turkey has officially proposed to the Armenian government the
establishment of a joint commission of historians and other experts
from both sides to study the incidents. Armenia has yet to respond
positively to this initiative. Turkey’s proposal is still on the
table.