Month: June 2009

NEW YORK’S CITIZEN TELLS ABOUT HIS INTENTION TO KILL U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
June 5, 2009

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ New York-based Daniel James Murrey allegedly told
about his intention to kill the U.S. president Barack Obama. As
representatives of the Prosecutors office of Utah reported, Federal
prosecutors have charged a man with making threats against President
Barack Obama after he allegedly told a bank employee in Utah he was
on a mission to kill the president.

Daniel James Murray allegedly made the remark to a teller at a bank
in St. George on May 27 as he withdrew $13,000 from an account.

Murray’s whereabouts are unknown. A court affidavit says Murray is
from New York and has recently been in California, Utah, Georgia,
Oklahoma and possibly Texas.

The U.S. Secret Service says Murray has at least eight registered
firearms, Tribune reports.

US CONGRESS MIGHT REMOVE SANCTIONS AGAINST AZERBAIJAN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
05.06.2009 12:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe, a senior
member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Congressman Robert
Wexler and Co-Chair of the Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus, member
of the House of Representatives Bill Shuster introduced legislation
that would repeal Jackson-Vanik trade restrictions on Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijani embassy in Washington told APA’s US bureau about it. The
congressmen believe that Azerbaijan, which is a strategic security
and energy partner of the United States, has long met its obligations
to comply with freedom of emigration requirements and that Congress
should remove Jackson-Vanik requirements for Azerbaijan.

According to the 1974 Trade Act of the United States, the Jackson-Vanik
amendment denied most favored nation to certain countries with
non-market economies that restricted emigration rights.

"I strongly support repealing Jackson-Vanik for Azerbaijan, one of
America’s most important strategic allies in the Caucasus region,
which has met all obligations to comply with freedom of emigration
requirements and continues to ensure that these commitments are
fulfilled," Congressman Wexler said. "Passage of this legislation
would send a strong signal to Azerbaijan about American intention to
enhance relations and cooperation in a number of key areas, including
energy security, counter-terrorism cooperation and trade," APA cited
Wexler as saying.

A TRIAL FOR POLICEMEN CHARGED WITH RA CITIZEN’S MURDER HAS STARTED

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
05.06.2009 13:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Saratov regional court has started a trial for 3
Saratov police agents: Korchagin, Ogoltsev, Churikov, charged with
a murder and burning the victim alive, court Press Secretary, Irina
Belyakova reported.

Jury trial was determined at the first sitting. Prosecutor voiced
the bill of particulars and the victim’s wife was interrogated.

On the night of October 28/29, 2008, the 3 policemen arrested RA
citizen Armen Gasparyan and forced him to confess to having robbed
gold decorations. As a matter of fact, the person arrested had not
even witnessed the crime. Unable to extort confessions, they beat
him to death and then moved his body to a forest plantation to burn
it with petrol.

VLADIMIR DOROKHIN: RUSSIA’S POSITION OVER NAGORNO-KARABAKH IS NEITHER PRO-ARMENIAN NOR PRO-AZERBAIJANI

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
05.06.2009 13:37 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia’s role in the process of settling the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is so efficient, as it demanded, Russian
Ambassador to Azerbaijan Vladimir Dorokhin said.

"Russia stands for peaceful settlement of the conflict. There
was a period when Moscow wanted to send its peacemakers to
Nagorno-Karabakh. The composition of international mediators on the
conflict has been formed and Russia has to reckon with it," Dorokhin
said at a meeting in the Azerbaijani President administration Strategic
Studies Centre on Friday.

Russia cannot take the settlement of the conflict in its hands and
command," Dorokhin added.

According to him, Russia’s position is neither pro-Armenian
nor pro-Azerbaijani. "We want to reach fair settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," the ambassador said, Azerbaijani Trend
News reports.

ANOTHER CRIMINAL CASE WAS INSTIGATED FOR VIOLATIONS AT COUNCIL OF ELDERS’ ELECTIONS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
05.06.2009 13:41 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On June 4, RA NA MP, Heritage Faction representative,
Anahit Bakhshyan filed an application on falsifications at Yerevan
Council of Elders’ elections.

According to application, violations, including falsification of
voting results, voting for other people, interfering with the work
of observers and authorized persons, were registered at 9/28, 5/25,
8/06, 9/21, 10/20 polling stations and N5 election committee.

Based on facts submitted, RA Special Investigative Service instigated
another criminal case, in accordance with part 1, article 149,
articles 150 and 153 of RA Criminal Code.

RUSSIAN FEDERAL ANTIMONOPOLY SERVICE IS AT LAW WITH MICROSOFT

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
05.06.2009 13:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On 4th June 2009, the Federal Antimonopoly Service
(FAS Russia) initiated a case against Microsoft for violating
Clauses 4 and 6 Par 1 Article 10 of the Federal Law "On Protection
of Competition".

FAS Russia suspects that Microsoft violated the antimonopoly law by
economically and technologically unjustified termination of production
and supplies of "Microsoft Windows" operational systems (OS) for
PC, box versions – distributives of "Windows XP" OS, to the Russian
Federation, and reducing supplies of the pre-set OS for new computers,
as well as fixing different prices for "Windows XP" operational system.

To prevent and suppress antimonopoly violations of the Russian
Federation in information technology, FAS Russia investigated the
situation on the software market, Federal Antimonopoly Service press
office reports.

Having analyzed the market of proprietary operational systems for PC
(bound software products when the rights holder reserves the monopoly
for their use, copying and modification, and the source code of
software products is protected by copyright), FAS Russia established
that Microsoft has dominant position on the market in question.

Being the only rights holder for the "box" and ÎÅÌ-version of "Windows
XP" OS, Microsoft confirmed in an official letter its decision to
stop retail sales of those products from 30th June 2008.

Analysis of availability of various OS shows that transition to a new
OS – Windows Vista occurs under continuing demand for the previous OS –
Windows XP.

Demand for the "box" and pre-set versions of Windows XP is also
confirmed by retail sellers and the number of orders in state
procurement.

"There is no license version of XP in sale, but if expensive Windows
Vista – Ultimate or Business is purchased, then it is possible to use
"pass to previous version" service", Vladimir Kudryavtsev, head of
IT department of FAS told to "Kommersant".

Microsoft also informed that this version of OS was offered to the
users by providing downgrade rights; another letter of Microsoft
indirectly confirmed the conclusion about the existing demand
for Windows XP: "Downgrade rights will be provided to all buyers
purchasing PC with pre-set Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista
Ultimate operational systems".

According to the information given by "Microsoft Rus" Ltd., operation
systems of the same version have different prices (OS distributed
through PC manufacturers (OEM)). This contains elements of antimonopoly
violations, in terms of economically, technologically and otherwise
unjustified fixing of different prices (rates) for the same goods.

Head of Microsoft in Russia Nicolay Pryanishnikov "is surprised by
such developments". "We stop selling old products as soon as the new
versions appear. This is normal. Simultaneousely we continue providing
technical support to users of older versions", Pryanishnikov said. If
FAS regards this as violation of law, then Microsoft is ready to
considers their opinion, he said.

Lawyers think, this time Microsoft will not be able to escape a
fine, which can reach up to 2 per cent of the total proceeds of the
corporation in Russia. Players in the market estimate the amount of
fine as approximately USD 1 billion. The case against Microsoft will
be heard on 24th July 2009.

ISRAEL SEEKING REGIONAL ALLY IN ITS STRUGGLE AGAINST IRAN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
05.06.2009 14:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Israel is currently seeking a regional ally in a
struggle against Iran, and Azerbaijan can fulfill this role. This
is what accounts for the announced visit of Shimon Peres to Baku, an
expert at St. Petersburg Center for Middle East studies, historical
science candidate Alexander Sotnichenko told a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter.

"Azerbaijan hasn’t yet decided on its position towards Iran and
Israel. This is what accounts for the visit of Peres and nervous
reaction of Iran. Oncoming Presidential elections in Iran will
determine further destiny of the country. It’s understandable that
international society’s attention is riveted on elections in Iran,"
Sotnichenko said.

He also emphasized that Iran remains the only independent state in
the Middle East, surrounded by USA’s allies, excluiding Armenia and
Azerbaijan. "Azerbaijan is considered a key regional state because
of its energy recourses. So everybody is trying to have Baku as their
ally," Russian expert stated.

STAR PUBLICIZED THE RESULTS OF CHARITY ACT "LET’S HELP CHILDREN TOGETHER"

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
05.06.2009 14:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Supermarkets chain Star concluded the results of
an act of charity entitled "Let’s help children together". The event
was timed to the Child Protection Day and was aimed to collect money
and pass the amount to the "Charitable fund for children suffering
leukemia", established at the Child Division of the Blood Center
named after professor Eloyan.

Started on May 20 money raising action continued by the end of the
month and the amount of AMD 984 030 was collected. The staff of the
Star company donated AMD 210 000 for children, while its management
promised to double the amount collected by staff and customers. It
means the company will pass to child’s fund AMD 1 200 000.

After Star’s staff suggested to join the charitable act its suppliers
and partners, another AMD 505 000 was collected.

BARACK OBAMA: IRAN HAS RIGHT TO DEVELOP PEACEFUL NUCLEAR ENERGY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
04.06.2009 22:29 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Iran has a right to develop peaceful nuclear
energy, said the U.S. president Barack Obama in his speech at the
Cairo university. However, according to him Tehran must join The
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Long years Iran has been an adversary of the U.S. Instead of remaining
in the past it is necessary to look in the future," the U.S. president
said. "Certainly, when we speak about nuclear weapons, there mustn’t be
another decision. This topic relates not only to American interests,
but directly to prevention of nuclear arm race in the Near East,"
Barack Obama said.

HERITAGE PARTY REPRESENTATIVE TO FILE A COMPLAINT TO PACE AGAINST OFFICIAL YEREVAN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
05.06.2009 15:33 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Heritage Parliamentary Faction representative, CE
Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) RA Delegation member Zaruhi Postangyan
addressed a letter to PACE Monitoring Committee Head Serhi Kholovati,
expressing her dissatisfaction with fulfillment manner of PACE
recommendations, worked out for Armenia on the basis of resolution
on last year’s March events.

"Prosecutor General’s Office and RA judicial authority failed to
organize a fair judicial procedure on March disorders, resulting in
10 people’s death and 200 being injured. Moreover, the authorities
are reluctant to start serious investigation on these tragic events,"
the letter says.

In her letter Zaruhi Postangyan reminded that court verdicts were given
based on police officers evidence. She also reminded that until now,
RA President hasn’t used his constitutional right to grant amnesty
to those involved in March events, like PACE recommendations advised.

In conclusion, Zaruhi Postangyan noted that "imperfections in RA
Election Code, pressure towards Media representatives, lack of free
speech and restrictions in meetings and rallies’ organization, set
a foundation for unfair, unequal and non-transparent elections into
Yerevan Council of Elders."