Month: August 2008

THE REAL WINNER AT THE OLYMPICS IS … ARMENIA

Reuters
Thursday August 14 2008

BEIJING, Aug 14 (Reuters) – With a population of 1.3 billion some
might argue that China should be leading the medal tally at the
Olympics but the real winner is … Armenia.

The Los Angeles Times has compiled a tongue-in-cheek list of winning
nations based on medals per capita and six days into the Aug. 8-24
Games the former Soviet republic of Armenia, with population of nearly
3 million, leads with three bronze medals.

Georgia, with 4.6 million people, is in second place with two gold
medals — in men’s judo and Greco-Roman wrestling — and one bronze,
while at home the nation is at loggerheads with Russia over the
breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia.

Australia, with a population of 20.5 million, is standing firmly in
third place with 16 medals, including five gold medals, three of them
won by rising star of the pool Stephanie Rice.

Switzerland, with 7.6 million people, won a cluster of cycling medals
to ride into fourth place, with Roger Federer still in the hunt for
the men’s tennis title.

The alternative medal table by the Los Angeles Times had the Bahamas,
with a population of 300,000, winning the medal count at both the
Sydney Olympics in 2000 and the Athens Games in 2004.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TWO "RPA" CANDIDATES NOMINATED FOR SEPTEMBER 7 ELECTIONS OF EREBUNI DISTRICT HEAD

Noyan Tapan

Au g 13, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 13, NOYAN TAPAN. By the established deadline: 6
pm. August 13th, 2 candidates were nominated for elections of the head
of Yerevan’s Erebuni community to be held on September 7. 20 candidates
were nominated for elections of a 15-seat council of aldermen. NT was
informed by spokesperson for the RA Central Electoral Commission Tatev
Ohanian that the current head of the community Mher Sedrakian and Armen
Harutyunian (both are members of the Republican Party of Armenia –
RPA) submitted bids by the self-nomination order for running in the
elections of the community head.

The deadline for registering the candidates is 6 pm, August 18th.

TWO CANDIDATES NOMINATED FOR SEPTEMBER 7 ELECTIONS OF NUBARASHEN DISTRICT HEAD

Noyan Tapan

Au g 13, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 13, NOYAN TAPAN. By the established deadline:
6 pm August 13th, two candidates were nominated for elections of
the head of Yerevan’s Nubarashen community to be held on September
7. 14 candidates were nominated for elections of a 11-seat council
of aldermen in this community. NT was informed by spokesperson for
the RA Central Electoral Commission Tatev Ohanian that the current
head of the district, member of "Prosperous Armenia" party Mher
Hovhannisian and member of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA)
Garik Hovsepian submitted bids by the self-nomination order for
running in the elections of the district head.

The deadline for registering the candidates is August 18th, 6 pm.

LPA LEADER CALLS FOR EARLY PARLIAMENTARY AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan

Au g 13, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The only way out of the current
internal political crisis in Armenia is to hold early parliamentary
and presidential elections, leader of the newly-created Liberal
Party of Armenia (LPA) Hovhannes Hovhannisian stated at the August
13 press conference.

He expressed confidence that the country’s authorities headed by
Serzh Sargsyan will manifest a political will in solution of internal
political problems and will eventually agree to hold early elections:
"Otherwise, it will turn out that they think more about extension of
the period of their power rather than about the people and the future
of the country."

In the opinion of H. Hovhannisian, September will be quite an active
month from the political point of view. By his forecasts, it is
expected that the opposition forces will become even more active and
the outside pressure on the Armenian authorities will grow.

H. Hovhannisian said that the LPA, which has already joined the
Armenian National Congress, will – after its registration – become
a full and equal member of this big political union.

The LPA leader levelled heavy criticism at the Armenian authorities for
the absence of any position on the issue of strained Russian-Georgian
relations.

In his words, in the current strained situation, Armenia should have
offered its sevices of a mediator in the normalization of relations
between its strategic partner Russia and the neighboring Georgia.

SPECIAL SESSION OF RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO BE CONVENED ON AUGUST 19

Noyan Tapan

Au g 13, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The speaker of the RA National
Assembly Tigran Torosian signed a decision, by which a special
session of the parliament will be convened at 12 am on August 19 on
the initiative of the government – by the agenda envisaged by the
initiator, NT was informed by the RA National Assembly PR Department.

The agenda of the special session of the RA National Assembly is
as follows:

1) a RA bill on making amendments and additions to the RA Law on
Trade and Services,

a RA bill on making amendments and additions to the RA Law on the
Use of Cash Registers,

a RA bill on making an addition to the RA Law on Licensing,

a RA bill on making an addition and amendments to the RA Law on
State Duty,

a RA bill on making additions and an amendment to the RA Code on
Administrative Infractions,

a RA bill on making additions and amendments to the RA Law on Taxes,

a RA bill on making additions to the RA Law on the Organization and
Conduct of Checks in the Republic of Armenia,

a RA bill on making amendments and an addition to the RA Law on
Environmental and Nature Protection Payments,

a RA bill on making additions and amendments to the RA Law on Value
Added Rax,

a RA bill on making amendments and additions to the RA Law on
Profit Tax,

a RA bill on making additions and amendments to the RA Law on
Income Tax,

a RA bill on recognizing the RA Law on Simplified Tax as invalid,

a RA bill on making an amendment and an addition to the RA Law on
Compulsory Social Security Payments,

a RA bill on the use of the privileges stipulated by the RA Law on
Establishment of Privileges for Private Entrepreneurs on Income Tax
and Compulsory Social Insurance Payments,

a RA bill on making an addition to the RA Law on Accounting;

2) a RA bill on making amendments and additions to the RA Customs Code;

3) a RA bill on making amendments to the RA Law on Approval of the
Annual and Complex Programs of Measures on Restoration, Preservation,
Reproduction and Use of the Ecosystem of Lake Sevan;

4) a RA bill on making amendments and additions to the RA Law on
Trade and Services (second reading),

a RA bill on making amendments and additions to the RA Law on the
Use of Cash Registers (second reading),

a RA bill on making an addition to the RA Law on Licensing (second
reading),

a RA bill on making an addition and amendments to the RA Law on State
Duty (second reading),

a RA bill on making additions and an amendment to the RA Code on
Administrative Infractions (second reading),

a RA bill on making additions and amendments to the RA Law on Taxes
(second reading),

a RA bill on making additions to the RA Law on the Organization and
Conduct of Checks in the Republic of Armenia (second reading),

a RA bill on making amendments and an addition to the RA Law on
Environmental and Nature Protection Payments (second reading),

a RA bill on making additions and amendments to the RA Law on Value
Added Rax (second reading),

a RA bill on making amendments and additions to the RA Law on Profit
Tax (second reading),

a RA bill on making additions and amendments to the RA Law on Income
Tax (second reading),

a RA bill on recognizing the RA Law on Simplified Tax as invalid
(second reading),

a RA bill on making an amendment and an addition to the RA Law on
Compulsory Social Security Payments (second reading),

a RA bill on the use of the privileges stipulated by the RA Law on
Establishment of Privileges for Private Entrepreneurs on Income Tax
and Compulsory Social Insurance Payments (second reading),

a RA bill on making an addition to the RA Law on Accounting (second
reading);

5) a RA bill on making amendments and additions to the RA Customs Code
(second reading);

6) a RA bill on making amendments to the RA Law on Aproval of the
Annual and Complex Programs of Measures on Restoration, Preservation,
Reproduction and Use of the Ecosystem of Lake Sevan (second reading);

7) a RA bill on making amendments and additions to the RA Law on
Trade and Services (third reading),

a RA bill on making amendments and additions to the RA Law on the
Use of Cash Registers (third reading),

a RA bill on making an addition to the RA Law on Licensing (third
reading),

a RA bill on making an addition and amendments to the RA Law on State
Duty (third reading),

a RA bill on making additions and an amendment to the RA Code on
Administrative Infractions (third reading),

a RA bill on making additions and amendments to the RA Law on Taxes
(third reading),

a RA bill on making additions to the RA Law on the Organization and
Conduct of Checks in the Republic of Armenia (third reading),

a RA bill on making amendments and an addition to the RA Law on
Environmental and Nature Protection Payments (third reading),

a RA bill on making additions and amendments to the RA Law on Value
Added Rax (third reading),

a RA bill on making amendments and additions to the RA Law on Profit
Tax (third reading),

a RA bill on making additions and amendments to the RA Law on Income
Tax (third reading),

a RA bill on recognizing the RA Law on Simplified Tax as invalid
(third reading),

a RA bill on making an amendment and an addition to the RA Law on
Compulsory Social Security Payments (third reading),

a RA bill on the use of the privileges stipulated by the RA Law on
Establishment of Privileges for Private Entrepreneurs on Income Tax
and Compulsory Social Insurance Payments (third reading),

a RA bill on making an addition to the RA Law on Accounting (third
reading).

CBA PUTS INTO CIRCULATION GOLD COMMEMORATIVE COIN DEDICATED TO 10th ANNIVERSARY OF RA CASSATION COURT

Noyan Tapan

Au g 13, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA)
has put into circulation a gold commemorative coin dedicated to the
10th anniversary of the Cassation Court of the Republic of Armenia.

According to the CBA PR Service, the coat of arms of the Republic of
Armenia is depicted on the obverse of the coin. Below the coat of arms,
the nominal value is inscribed in two lines: "10000" and "DRAMS". All
this is surrounded by a striped circle. There is an inscription
"REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA 2008" between the circle and the coin’s edge.

A statue of the goddess of justice is depicted in the middle of the
reverse, below which there is an insription in two lines: "10th" and
"ANNIVERSARY.

The picture and the insription are separated on their outer sides by
perpendicular lines from the two other sections of the reverse. In
the right section, "CASSATION" is inscribed in a semicircle, while
in the left side, "COURT" is inscribed in a semicircle.

The designer of the commemorative coin is Edward Kurghinian. The coin
was minted at the Mint of the Czech Republic. Its nominal vaue is
10,000 drams, it is made of gold (900 hallmark), its weight is 8.6
grams, diameter – 22 mm, the number of minted coins is 500.

WATER SUPPLY OF YEREVAN’S SHENGAVIT COMMUNITY TO BE CUT OFF ON AUGUST 15

Noyan Tapan

Au g 13, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The water supply of the following
streets in Yerevan’s Shengavit community: Garegin Nzhde, Bagratunyats,
Arshakunyats, Mantashian, Arin-Berd, Teyshebayini, May 9th, as well
as of the 4th lane of Artsakh Street and the adjacent areas will be
cut off from 10 am to 8 pm on August 15 due to construction work,
NT was informed by Yerevan Water company.

ACCORDING TO ALARM CALLS RECEIVED BY "ACHILLES", EXTRA MONEY EXTORTED AT TRANSPORT CHECKUP POINTS

Noyan Tapan

Au g 13, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 13, NOYAN TAPAN. "Achilles" NGO for Protection of
Drivers’ Rights has received complaints by its hot line about illegal
actions committed at transport checkup points. The NGO chairman Edward
Hovhannisian said at the August 13 press conference that the drivers
mainly complain that the employees of checkup points extort extra
money from them.

In his words, in accordance with the new order of checkups, the
checkup points shall have modern equipment of 17 types to check about
60 parameters of vehicles. However, according to E. Hovhannisian,
in some cases drivers were given checkup tickets without their cars
having been examined.

Hrayr Hovhannisian, chief expert of the Technical and Road Unit of the
Trasport Inspection of the RA Ministry of Transport and Communication,
said that E. Hovhannisian’s statement is not true. In his words, today
it is impossible to undergo a checkup without a vehicle because the
checkup is made by a computer and all data on the technical state of
the given car is entered into the computer. Hrayr Hovhannsian added
that the intervention of an inspector in this process is actually
ruled out. He announced that there are currently 31 checkup stations
in Armenia, including 10 in Yerevan.

It was stated that the deadline for the checkup of vehicles is
December 31.

LITURGY TO BE CELEBRATED ON OCCASION OF THE ASSUMPTION IN SURB SARGIS CHURCH OF DAMASCUS ON AUGUST 17

Noyan Tapan

Au g 13, 2008

DAMASCUS, AUGUST 13, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. A Holy Liturgy
will be celebrated and the head of the Armenian diocese of Damascus
Bishop Armash Nalbandian will preach a sermon in Surb Sargis Church
of Damascus on August 17 on the occasion of the Assumption. At the
conclusion of the liturgy, a ritual Blessing of the Grapes ceremony
will be held.

According to the rules of the Armenian Church, no requiem service
is conducted on the day of the Assumption. A service for the repose
of the dead will be conducted at the National cemetery with the
participation of priests on August 18.

4/russia.georgia

This is a tale of US expansion not Russian aggression

War in the Caucasus is as much the product of an American imperial
drive as local conflicts. It’s likely to be a taste of things to come

Seumas Milne
The Guardian
August 14, 2008

The outcome of six grim days of bloodshed in the Caucasus has
triggered an outpouring of the most nauseating hypocrisy from western
politicians and their captive media. As talking heads thundered
against Russian imperialism and brutal disproportionality, US
vice-president Dick Cheney, faithfully echoed by Gordon Brown and
David Miliband, declared that "Russian aggression must not go
unanswered". George Bush denounced Russia for having "invaded a
sovereign neighbouring state" and threatening "a democratic
government". Such an action, he insisted, "is unacceptable in the 21st
century".

Could these by any chance be the leaders of the same governments that
in 2003 invaded and occupied – along with Georgia, as luck would have
it – the sovereign state of Iraq on a false pretext at the cost of
hundreds of thousands of lives? Or even the two governments that
blocked a ceasefire in the summer of 2006 as Israel pulverised
Lebanon’s infrastructure and killed more than a thousand civilians in
retaliation for the capture or killing of five soldiers?

You’d be hard put to recall after all the fury over Russian aggression
that it was actually Georgia that began the war last Thursday with an
all-out attack on South Ossetia to "restore constitutional order" – in
other words, rule over an area it has never controlled since the
collapse of the Soviet Union. Nor, amid the outrage at Russian
bombardments, have there been much more than the briefest references
to the atrocities committed by Georgian forces against citizens it
claims as its own in South Ossetia’s capital Tskhinvali. Several
hundred civilians were killed there by Georgian troops last week,
along with Russian soldiers operating under a 1990s peace agreement:
"I saw a Georgian soldier throw a grenade into a basement full of
women and children," one Tskhinvali resident, Saramat Tskhovredov,
told reporters on Tuesday.

Might it be because Georgia is what Jim Murphy, Britain’s minister for
Europe, called a "small beautiful democracy". Well it’s certainly
small and beautiful, but both the current president, Mikheil
Saakashvili, and his predecessor came to power in western-backed
coups, the most recent prettified as a "Rose revolution". Saakashvili
was then initially rubber-stamped into office with 96% of the vote
before establishing what the International Crisis Group recently
described as an "increasingly authoritarian" government, violently
cracking down on opposition dissent and independent media last
November. "Democratic" simply seems to mean "pro-western" in these
cases.

The long-running dispute over South Ossetia – as well as Abkhazia, the
other contested region of Georgia – is the inevitable consequence of
the breakup of the Soviet Union. As in the case of Yugoslavia,
minorities who were happy enough to live on either side of an internal
boundary that made little difference to their lives feel quite
differently when they find themselves on the wrong side of an
international state border.

Such problems would be hard enough to settle through negotiation in
any circumstances. But add in the tireless US promotion of Georgia as
a pro-western, anti-Russian forward base in the region, its efforts to
bring Georgia into Nato, the routing of a key Caspian oil pipeline
through its territory aimed at weakening Russia’s control of energy
supplies, and the US-sponsored recognition of the independence of
Kosovo – whose status Russia had explicitly linked to that of South
Ossetia and Abkhazia – and conflict was only a matter of time.

The CIA has in fact been closely involved in Georgia since the Soviet
collapse. But under the Bush administration, Georgia has become a
fully fledged US satellite. Georgia’s forces are armed and trained by
the US and Israel. It has the third-largest military contingent in
Iraq – hence the US need to airlift 800 of them back to fight the
Russians at the weekend. Saakashvili’s links with the neoconservatives
in Washington are particularly close: the lobbying firm headed by US
Republican candidate John McCain’s top foreign policy adviser, Randy
Scheunemann, has been paid nearly $900,000 by the Georgian government
since 2004.

But underlying the conflict of the past week has also been the Bush
administration’s wider, explicit determination to enforce US global
hegemony and prevent any regional challenge, particularly from a
resurgent Russia. That aim was first spelled out when Cheney was
defence secretary under Bush’s father, but its full impact has only
been felt as Russia has begun to recover from the disintegration of
the 1990s.

Over the past decade, Nato’s relentless eastward expansion has brought
the western military alliance hard up against Russia’s borders and
deep into former Soviet territory. American military bases have spread
across eastern Europe and central Asia, as the US has helped install
one anti-Russian client government after another through a series of
colour-coded revolutions. Now the Bush administration is preparing to
site a missile defence system in eastern Europe transparently targeted
at Russia.

By any sensible reckoning, this is not a story of Russian aggression,
but of US imperial expansion and ever tighter encirclement of Russia
by a potentially hostile power. That a stronger Russia has now used
the South Ossetian imbroglio to put a check on that expansion should
hardly come as a surprise. What is harder to work out is why
Saakashvili launched last week’s attack and whether he was given any
encouragement by his friends in Washington.

If so, it has spectacularly backfired, at savage human cost. And
despite Bush’s attempts to talk tough yesterday, the war has also
exposed the limits of US power in the region. As long as Georgia
proper’s independence is respected – best protected by opting for
neutrality – that should be no bad thing. Unipolar domination of the
world has squeezed the space for genuine self-determination and the
return of some counterweight has to be welcome. But the process of
adjustment also brings huge dangers. If Georgia had been a member of
Nato, this week’s conflict would have risked a far sharper escalation.
That would be even more obvious in the case of Ukraine – which
yesterday gave a warning of the potential for future confrontation
when its pro-western president threatened to restrict the movement of
Russian ships in and out of their Crimean base in Sevastopol. As great
power conflict returns, South Ossetia is likely to be only a taste of
things to come.

[email protected]
Seumas Milne: This is a tale of US expansion not Russian aggression
This article appeared in the Guardian on Thursday August 14 2008 on
p35 of the Comment & debate section. It was last updated at 00:09 on
August 14 2008.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress