Month: December 2008

ARMENIA’S PARLIAMENT SPEAKER IN CHINA FOR AN OFFICIAL VISIT

armradio.am
15.12.2008 10:44

President of Parliament of the National Assembly of Armenia, Hovik
Abrahamyan started his official visit to Beijing at the invitation of
U Bango, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the All-China Assembly
of People’s Representatives of the People’s Republic of China.

The delegation comprises Gagik Minasyan, Samvel Nikoyan, Gagik
Abrahamyan, Alexan Petrosyan, Martis Sargsyan and Tachat Vardapetyan
from the Republican Party of Armenia, Naira Zohrabyan and Murad
Galoyan from the Prosperous Armenia Party, Araik Grigoryan and Ara
Nranyan from ARF Dashnaktsutyun, Khachik Harutyunyan from Orinats
Yerkir Party and Vardan Khachatryan from the Heritage Party.

Within the framework of the visit the Armenian delegation is expected
to meet with the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the All-China
Assembly of People’s Representatives U Bango, Vice-President of China
Li Xinhua and Deputy Prime Minister Li Keqiang.

The delegation will return to Yerevan on December 19.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA EXTENDS CONDOLENCES ON PAPADOPULOS DEATH

armradio.am
15.12.2008 11:15

President Serzh Sargsyan sent a message of condolences to the President
of Cyprus, President’s Press Office reported. The message states:

"Dear Mr. President, With great sorrow I learnt about the death of
the ex-President of the Republic of Cyprus, Tasos Papadopulos.

Invaluable is Tasos Papadopulos’ input in the contemporary history of
Cyprus as a wise leader of the friendly Cypriot people and a devoted
son of his Motherland. Great was his contribution to the deepening
and reinforcement of the brotherly Armenian-Cypriot ties.

On behalf of the Armenian people and myself, I extend my deepest
condolences to the family of the late and the friendly people of
Cyprus."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FREEDOM OF SPEECH AS A MEANS FOR FIGHTING CORRUPTION
Hasmik Dilanyan

"Radiolur"
15.12.2008 13:20

"Armenia is not the only country where corruption exists," US
Ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch said during today’s conference
on "The role of Media, NGOs and state governance bodies in the fight
against corruption. She suggested her method of fighting the evil,
not forgetting to stress the role of freedom of press.

According to the Ambassador, the task of the government is to ensure
the freedom of speech with the help of the legislative field.

How to fight corruption? According o the Ambassador, any of us
should find solutions. One should avoid searching for easy ways and
refrain from paying for his/her child to be accepted to university or
school. The society should demand from officials to carry out their
duties within the scope of their autghority.

ARMENIA TO HAVE THE HIGHEST NEW YEAR TREE IN THE CIS
Lilit Muradyan

"Radiolur"
15.12.2008 14:37

The New Year Tree erected at the Republic Square is the highest in
the CIS.

On December 22 the New Year Tree with the height of 27 meters will
rejoice the citizens of Yerevan with its beauty and lights.

Speaking about the New Year arrangements, Head of the Department
on Culture, Sport and Youth Affairs of the Yerevan City Hall Kamo
Movsisyan said there will be no new arrangements this year. According
to him, only the decoration of the New Year Tree and the illumination
of the Republic Square have changed. Fifty million drams have been
allocated from state budget for this purpose and the concert programs.

OSCE SECRETARY GENERAL, ARMENIA FM WELCOME THE DOCUMENTS ON KARABAKH SIGNED IN HELSINKI
Anna Nazaryan

"Radiolur"
15.12.2008 15:16

The two documents on the Karabakh issue adopted by the OSCE Foreign
Ministers in Helsinki are targeted at the peaceful resolution of
the conflict, the Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian,
and the OSCE Secretary General, Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, said
during a joint press conference today. The question refers to the
documents signed in Helsinki by the OSCE Foreign Ministers and the
Foreign Ministers of the Minsk Group co-chair countries.

"As a security forum, the OSCE has tried to ensure security on the
matter. The documents adopted in Helsinki by the Foreign Ministers of
the 52 OSCE member states and the Foreign Ministers of the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chair countries reiterate the position to solve the issue in
a peaceful manner and through maintenance of the cease-fire regime,"
The OSCE Secretary General said.

"The documents show that it’s necessary to continue the talks on the
basis of the Madrid Proposals and try to bring the positions of the
parties closer," RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian added.

EDWARD NALBANDYAN: THERE IS NO CHANGE IN THE MADRID PRINCIPLES

ArmInfo
2008-12-15 15:36:00

ArmInfo. ‘The rumours about making amendments to the Madrid principles
are not true’, – Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan said
at today’s press-conference when commenting on Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov’s statement that the Madrid principles
were changed.

‘Over the negotiating process technical suggestion may be made
regarding the points and issues fixed in the Madrid principles. But
the negotiating process continues on the basis of these principles
and there are no new alterations or amendments’, – Nalbandyan said.

When commenting on the statement of the OSCE MG French co-chair
Bernard Fassier, that in Helsinki the parties to the Karabakh
conflict were given "the technical" document which will promote
the Karabakh conflict settlement, Nalbandyan said "it was not a
document". ‘Numerous technical papers regarding these or those points
of the Madrid principles were taken over the negotiating process’,
– Armenian foreign minister said.

RETAIL PRICES FOR PETROL AND DIESEL FUEL IN ARMENIA REDUCED BY 50 AND 60 DRAMS DURING MONTH

ArmInfo
2008-12-15 11:09:00

ArmInfo. Retail prices for petrol and diesel fuel in Armenia have
reduced by 50 and 60 drams, respectively, during a month.

As of December 15, 2008, petrol of "Super AI 98" grade cheapened to
330 drams per liter against 380 drams as of November 14. The price
for "Premium AI 95" petrol reduced to 300 drams over the reporting
period against 350 drams, for "Regular AI 91" – to 280 drams against
330 drams. The price for diesel fuel dropped to 270 drams against
the previous 330 drams.

MALTA’S LABOR PARTY REPRESENTATIVE CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.12.2008 13:03 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The government of Malta intends to institute a day of
remembrance in which parliament will rise to commemorate the victims
of genocide and crimes against humanity. But the government has no
intention of tabling a motion to condemn the Armenian Genocide, as
proposed by Labor Party spokesperson Noel Farrugia during parliamentary
hearing last week, Malta Today reports.

Foreign Minister Tonio Borg insists that Malta is under no obligation
to condemn the Armenian genocide, but would be abiding by a 21-year-old
resolution approved by the European Parliament calling on all EU
member states "to dedicate a day to the memory of the genocide and
crimes against humanity perpetrated in the 20th century, specifically
against the Armenians and Jews."

Farrugia asked Tonio Borg whether the government intends to present
a motion to condemn the Armenian genocide, committed by the Ottoman
Empire between 1915 and 1917, when up to 1.5 million of Armenians
were massacred.

A substantial part of the Armenian population was forcibly removed
from Armenia and Anatolia to Syria, where the vast majority was sent
into the desert to die of thirst and hunger. The entire wealth of
the Armenian people was expropriated.

Turkey strongly denies that the Armenians were the victim of genocide
and has reacted harshly when resolutions condemning the Armenian
Genocide were passed by parliaments in 21 different countries.

BUSH DUCKED A PAIR OF SHOES IN BAGHDAD

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.12.2008 12:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ U.S. President George W. Bush ducked a pair of
shoes hurled at his head – one shoe after the other – in the middle
of a news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Both
shoes narrowly missed their target and thumped loudly against the
wall behind the leaders, the AP reports.

"Don’t worry about it," the president said as the room erupted
into chaos.

Iraqi reporters started shouting what Bush later explained were
apologies for the incident.

"So what if the guy threw a shoe at me?" Bush said, comparing the
action to political protests in the United States. "If you want the
facts, it was a size 10," he joked.

The shoe attack came as Bush and al-Maliki were about to shake
hands. The assailant – later identified as television correspondent
Muntadar al-Zeidi – leapt from his chair and hurled his footwear at
the president, who was about 20 feet away.

"This is a farewell kiss, you dog," he yelled in Arabic. "This is
from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq."

When Bush met with reporters later aboard Air Force One, he had
a joke prepared: "I didn’t know what the guy said but I saw his
‘sole.’" Later, he said: "I’m going to be thinking of shoe jokes for
a long time. I haven’t heard any good ones yet."

RA FM: NO CHANGES INTRODUCED IN MADRID PRINCIPLES

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.12.2008 14:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The statement adopted during the OSCE ministerial
council highlights peaceful resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. A similar document
was adopted by Foreign Ministers of the OSCE MG co-chair countries,
the Armenian Foreign Minister said.

"Rumors about changes allegedly introduced into Madrid principles do
not correspond to the truth," Edward Nalbandian said during a joint
news conference with OSCE Secretary-General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut.

"The sides in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict were submitted numerous
technical proposals regarding the provisions of the Madrid document,"
he said.

Earlier, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said that
"the Foreign Ministers of the OSCE MG co-chair countries introduced
some changes into Madrid principles." "Analysis of these changes will
be apparently followed by ministerial or presidential talks," he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress