Month: August 2008

COOPERATIVE LANCER/LONGBOW – 2008 EXERCISES OF NATO BE HELD IN ARMENIA IN AUTUMN

Noyan Tapan

Au g 5, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The NATO stated recently that
"Cooperative Lancer/Longbow – 2008" Exercises within the framework
of the Partnership for Peace (PfP) program will be held in Armenia
on September 29 – October 21.

The aim of the exercises is to improve cooperation of NATO and
other forces.

About 1,100 militaries from 21 countries, including 7 NATO members,
12 from PfP program, as well as partner states and the Istanbul
Cooperation Initiative (ICI) – United Arab Emirates will participate
in the exercises.

NT was inforned by the RA ministry of defence that the scenario will
be based on Rapid Crisis Response Operations elements. "Cooperative
Lancer/Longbow – 2008" will ensure a demonstration of the abilities
to conduct complex and dynamic operations by NATO, which is aimed
at cooperation of the armed forces of NATO and partner states. The
purpose of the exercises is also to establish a balance between NATO’s
training requirements and the training needs of PfP/ICI countries and
to help the participants gain experience of real military operations.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT GOES ON TWO-WEEK VACATION

Noyan Tapan

Au g 5, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan
went on a two-week vacation. NT was informed by the RA president’s
press service that S. Sargsian will spend two days in Europe, then he
will leave for China. In Beijing he will attend the opening ceremony
of the 29th Olympic Games and watch members of the Armenian Olympic
team participating in competitions. Then S. Sargsian will continue
his vacation in Armenia.

SHVARSH KOCHARIAN APPOINTED DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Noyan Tapan

Au g 5, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 5, NOYAN TAPAN. Shavarsh Kocharian, chairman of
National Democratic Party, former member of the Armenian delegation
in the PACE, has been appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
by the president Serzh Sargsyan’s decree, the President’s press
service reported.

Shavarsh Kocharian was member of the National Democratic Union
(NDU). He was deputy of the RA National Assembly of the previous four
convocations, first as a member of the National Democratic Union’s
parliamentary faction, then as a member of the parliamentary faction of
"Ardarutiun" (Justice) Alliance.

(Shavarsh Kocharian left "Justice" Alliance in 2005.)

PRICES OF NON-FOOD COMMODITIES GROW BY 0.7% IN ARMENIA IN JULY

Noyan Tapan

Au g 5, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The 0.7% inflation in Armenia’s
non-food commodity market in July on June 2008 was somewhat affected
by the growth of prices of gasoline (3.1%) and diesel fuel (1.2%).

According to the RA National Statistical Service, prices of fuel,
furniture, textiles, cosmetics, footwear, domestic electric appliances,
stationery, horticultural items, building materials, kitchen utensils
and jewelry increased by 0.2-3.3% in Armenia in July on June 2008.

Prices of cultural goods, detergents, clothing, fabrics and medicines
fell by 0.1-2.2% in the indicated period.

GASOLINE PRICE GROWS BY 20.5%, PRICE OF DIESEL FUEL BY 49.7% IN ONE YEAR

Noyan Tapan

Au g 5, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 5, NOYAN TAPAN. Gasoline price grew by 3.1%, price
of diesel fuel – by 1.2% in Armenia in July on June 2008.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, prices of gasoline
and diesel fuel grew by 19.6% and 31.5% in the country in July 2008
on December 2007, and by 20.5% and 49.7% respectively in July 2008
on July 2007.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KARABAKH SUB-UNITS DID NOT TAKE PART IN MARCH 1 EVENTS, SASHA AFYAN CLAIMS

Noyan Tapan

Au g 5, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The police operations in Liberty Square
on the morning of March 1 were aimed at conducting an on-the-spot
search for arms and ammuntion, there was no purpose to disperse the
demonstrators and remove the tents, Deputy Head of the RA Police,
Major General Sasha Afyan stated at a sitting of the the Committee on
Inquiry into the March 1-2 Events. In his words, during the operation,
based on the operative situation, a decision was made to take other
actions. The police representative said that 100-130-strong operative
police forces carried out this operative action – search. S. Afyan
denied the rumors that a sub-unit was brought from Karabakh to carry
out this operation. Responding to the question of a member of the
Committee who said that police refer to some video materials showing
that the clashes were started by demonstrators and then the Committee
member asked if there is video material to show that it was police
that started clashes, S. Afyan said: "If such a video exists, let
them present it".

In response to Committee members’ question about whether there were
witnesses to the on-the-spot search, S. Afyan said that "all the
demonstrators were witnesses by themselves". When responding to a
number of other questions: why the search began 50-60 minutes after
the hour scheduled for that operation, why, according to the video
material, the policemen touched the arms and ammunition found in the
square with their bare hands, S. Afyan found it difficult to give
answers, saying that he is responsible for keeping the public order,
and it is the heads of the services that carried out that police
operation and on-the-spot search who can answer questions related
to the operative actions. It was decided to invite the executives of
these services to the next sitting of the Committee.

CENTRAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION REGISTERS "OYP" MEMBER STEPAN ASLANIAN AS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEPUTY BY PROPORTIONAL ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Noyan Tapan

Au g 5, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 5, NOYAN TAPAN. At the August 5 sitting, the RA Central
Electoral Commission (CEC) registered Stepan Aslanian – member of
"Orinats Yerkir" Party (OYP), chairman of "Armenian Union of Persons
Engaged in Small Business" NGO – as National Assembly deputy from
the electoral list of OYP by the proportional electoral system. The
grounds for making this decision was the July 29 protocol of the
NA on terminating the deputy powers of Artashes Avoyan who had been
appointed the Head of the Staff of the RA National Security Council. It
is noteworthy that this is the fourth change in the composition of
the 8-member "OY" parliamentary faction in the past three months,
which was conditioned by the fact that some members of the faction
were given jobs in other state structures.

The CEC also approved the schedule of major measures on preparation
and holding of elections to local self-government bodies in Armenian
marzes (regions) in October.

STARTING POINT OF ACTIONS OF OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS IS TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF AZERBAIJAN

Noyan Tapan

Au g 5, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 5, NOYAN TAPAN. In his interview with APA agency,
the U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza said that in
order to get a political solution to the Karabakh problem, Armenia and
Azerbaijan need to reach a compromise on status of Nagorno Karabakh.

We cannot predict what kind of compromise it will be, or when it
will be reached. However, the co-chairs propose that the residents of
Nagorno Karabakh play a key role in the issue of specifying status of
the region – through a reverendum in the future, M. Bryza said, adding
that the peculiarities of such a vote should be decided by the sides.

In his words, this process can only take place after the return of
displaced persons and refugees, which will take some time.

Expressing a positive opinion about the August 1 meeting of the
Armenian foreign minister Edward Nalbandian and the Azeri foreign
minister Elmar Mamedyarov in Moscow, the U.S. co-chair said that the
foreign ministers agreed to continue negotiations under the aegis
of the OSCE Minsk Group – in order to come to an agreement about
the sides’ positions on the issues noted in the Madrid proposals of
the co-chairs.

It is important to remember that no separate element has been agreed
on; the only way to agree on any of the elements is to agree on all
the elements at the same time, M. Bryza underlined.

According to Radio Liberty, he also said that the co-chairs start
all their actions from the position of recognition of Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity.

AZERI SIDE HANDS BODY OF KILLED ARMENIAN SERVICEMAN OVER TO ARMENIAN SIDE

Noyan Tapan

Au g 5, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 5, NOYAN TAPAN. On August 5 the Azeri side handed
the body of killed Armenian serviceman Gor Manasian over to the
Armenian side. The serviceman was killed on June 19 in the territory
of Azerbaijan where he found himself after leaving his military unit
without permission.

The body of the young servieman was returned to the Armenian side as
a result of long negotiations.

INVESTIGATION BODY PERMITS MEDICAL EXAMINATION OF MYASNIK MALKHASIAN IN CASE OF NECESSITY

Noyan Tapan

Au g 5, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Special Investigation Service
has instructed "Yerevan-Kentron" penitentiary to ensure, in case of
necessity, medical examination of National Assembly deputy Myasnik
Malkhasian at a specialized medical institution, NT was informed by
spokeswoman for the RA Prosecutor General Sona Truzian.