Month: August 2008

IRAN, ARMENIA TO HOLD GAS TALKS

press tv
Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:59:16 GMT

Tehran and Yerevan are scheduled to hold talks in a bid to remove
obstacles in the way of natural gas exports from Iran to Armenia.

Head of the gas export operation office of the National Iranian Gas
Company (NIGC), Rasoul Salmani, said on Monday that the talks would
take place in Armenia on August 20, 2008.

Tehran and Yerevan are currently constructing a 140-km pipeline to
carry natural gas from gas-abundant Iran to Armenia.

Once completed, the 220-million-dollar pipeline would provide Armenia
with an alternative to the gas it now imports from Russia. For each
cubic meter of Iranian gas, Armenia will return 3 kilowatt hours of
electricity to Iran.

In June, Armenia’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Armen
Movsisyan, said that Russian energy giant Gazprom would invest more
than 200 million dollars in the construction of the pipeline.

ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME IN PROGRESS

NKR Government Information and Public Relations Department
August 11, 2008

According to an agreement concludied between the NKR Government and
"Karabakh Telecom" CJSC, in 2008 "KT" will render 500 mln drams
assistance for realization of different programmes in the health
sphere of the NKR.

On August 9, the NKR Prime Minister Ara Haroutyunyan accompanied by
the General Manager of the "KT" company Ralph Yierikyan has visited
those medical establishments of Stepanakert, where works at the expence
of means rendered by the company are envesiged to be carried out. At
first they have visited the first aid station, where they have got
acquainted with the recently bought reanimation car the first in
Artsakh, which will afford an opportunity to securely transport
patients to Yerevan in case of urgency.

Then they have visited the sanitary epidemiologic station and
dermatovenerologic dispensary and the republican children’s hospital
("Arevik" medical establishment). Repair and overhaul works are
foreseen in the mentioned establishments for which modern equipment
will be obtained.

US EVACUATES MORE THAN 170 AMERICANS FROM GEORGIA

AP
11 Aug 08

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department says it has evacuated more
than 170 U.S. citizens from Georgia as the conflict over separatist
areas there intensifies between Georgia and Russia.

A spokesman said Monday that two convoys carrying about 170 private
U.S. citizens along with an undetermined number of family members of
American diplomats based in Georgia have left Tbilisi on their way
by road to neighboring Armenia. The spokesman says more convoys are
being prepared in case other Americans choose to leave Georgia.

On Saturday, the State Department said it would pay for the dependents
of U.S. diplomats to leave Georgia if they wanted.

OVER 3,900 CRIMES RECORDED IN ARMENIA IN JANUARY-JUNE 2008

ARKA
Aug 11, 2008

YEREVAN, August 11. /ARKA/. 3,998 crimes were recorded in Armenia
in January-June this year – 8.6% reduction against the same period
of 2007.

The RA National Statistical Service reports that 1,087 minor crime
cases were recorded in the period. Cases of grave and extremely grave
crimes were 2,824 and 87 respectively.

According to the report, in 49 cases arms and ammunition was used in
committing the crime.

RA MFA: ARMENIAN CITIZENS DID NOT SUFFER DURING EVENTS IN GEORGIA

Noyan Tapan
Aug 11, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 11, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian embassy in Georgia and
the Armenian consulate general in Batumi are carrying out continuous
work to ensure the return of Armenian citizens to homeland. As
of 9 am August 10, the return of about 3.5 thousand citizens was
organized. About 850 foreign citizens, including diplomats accredited
to Georgia and their family members, were also moved to Yerevan with
Armenia’s assistance.

Another 45 minibuses went to Ajaria early in the morning of August
11 with the aim of bringing Armenian citizens back to homeland.

According to the RA MFA Press and Information Department, as of 6 pm
August 10, no Armenian citizens suffered during the events in Georgia.

Hundreds of citizens called to the hot lines at the RA Ministry
of Foreign Affairs. They received information about the Georgian
developments and the movement of Armenian citizens.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

"HERITAGE" READY TO COOPERATE WITH ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

Noyan Tapan

Au g 11, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 11, NOYAN TAPAN. In its August 11 statement, "Heritage"
party welcomed the creation of the Armenian National Congress (ANC)
and expressed a willingness to cooperate with the ANC for advancement
of the goals stated by the ANC – within the framework of principles
and goals adopted by "Heritage".

It is stated that prior to or after adoption of ANC documents on its
program and regulations, "Heritage" is ready to discuss all possile
ways of cooperation with the ANC.

"HERITAGE" PARTY TO RUN IN UPCOMING ELECTIONS TO LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT BODIES

Noyan Tapan

Au g 11, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 11, NOYAN TAPAN. "Heritage" party will run in the
upcoming elections to local self-government bodies, is said in the
August 11 statement of the party’s board. The board called on Armenian
citizens to take an active part in these elections and to contribute
to their holding in a fair and transparent way and without rigging.

Appealing to all opposition partners, "Heritage" urged them to run
actively in the elections to local self-government bodies and to
coordinate their actions, including such actions as nomination of
their candidacies and mutual support in the respective communities,
and using all potential for victory of opposition candidates.

"Heritage" called on all the wings and representatives of power
to ensure free, fair and transparent elections without rigging and
electoral bribes, not to allow any case of violating the electoral
rights of voters and to punish severely those guilty of such actions.

SERZH SARGSYAN MEETS WITH ARMENIAN OLYMPIC TEAM MEMBERS

Noyan Tapan

Au g 11, 2008

BEIJING, AUGUST 11, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan
on August 10 went to the Olympic Village and met with the members
of the Armenian Olympic team, NT was informed by the RA president’s
press setvice.

He had a talk with the Armenian sportsmen, asked them questions about
their mood and current preparatory activities.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ACCORDING TO NKR MFA SPOKESMAN, AZERBAIJAN INTENDS TO CREATE NEW "LIVE BARRIER" NOT FAR FROM CONTACT LINE

Noyan Tapan

Au g 11, 2008

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 11, NOYAN TAPAN. Baku’s yet another misinformation
about construction of Nargistepe settlement – allegedly for refugees –
in the occupied territory of Martuni region of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic obvioulsy has some propaganda aims. According to the head
of the NKR MFA Information Department Marsel Petrosian, it is no
accident that this information was immediately refuted by the Azeri
side, however, as is usually done in Azerbaijan, some parts of this
information were revived and presented to the public in a different
light.

A question arises: why is Nargistepe settlement founded in Aram Desert,
2-3 km from the contact line, in an area that, according to reports of
the same Azeri side, is often under fire and is not fit to live in. In
the words of M. Petrosian, Baku has decided to organize a next-in-turn
army political provocation: to found an enclosed settlement for 5-6
thousand compulsory migrants (this is the number of refugees from
Nagorno Karabakh remaining in Azerbaijan) and to create new occasions
for accusing the Karabakh side.

M. Petrosian said that during the Azeri-Karabakh war, there were
frequently cases when the Azeri authorities urgently populated some
place or other and then turned this place into a military fulcrum,
in fact, forming a "live barrier" for Azeri soldiers and endangering
civilians. Being more concerned about the fate of its former Azeri
citizens, the Karabakh side expresses regret that in the past 20
years the Azeri authorities have not taken steps to bring closer the
two peoples estranged from each other.

"We hardly doubt it and want to warn the public that in the near
future Azerbaijan’s propaganda machine will include this settlement
in reports of the foreign ministry as a settlement under constant
fire of the NKR defence army," M. Petrosian stated.

AUTHORITIES DID BECOME SOBER AS A RESULT OF ACTIONS OF OPPOSITION AND DID MAKE CONCESSIONS, AHARON ADIBEKIAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan

Au g 11, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 11, NOYAN TAPAN. After the presidential elections
in Armenia, an attempt was made to carry out an Armenian verion of
colored revolution whose scenario had been developed in the U.S,
sociologist Aharon Adibekian expressed an opinion during a talk with
NT correspondent. However, in his words, first Armenian president Levon
Ter-Petrosian and his supporters were not successful in this attempt as
there is no revolutionary ardor and its carrying force in our country.

At the same time A. Adibekian said that as a result of the opposition’s
actions the authorities have not become sober as they did not make
concessions. The steps taken by the authorities, in particular, the
obligation to implement programs on the fight against corruption,
are, according to A. Adibekian, envisaged by Armenia’s international
agreements.

By forecast of the sociologist, the internal political passions will
weaken in the near future. "The autumn will come, people will start
preparing for winter and their predisposition to rebel will recede into
the background," he said. However, if prices go up and the economic
situation worsens in Armenia, A. Adibekian does not rule out that a
wave of discontent will again rise in the spring.