The United States Accused Turkey Of Limiting Freedom Of Expression

THE UNITED STATES ACCUSED TURKEY OF LIMITING FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.02.2009 00:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ US Department of State has criticized Turkish
government in its annual human rights report. According to the report
"Individuals could not criticize the state or government publicly
without fear of reprisal, and the government continued to restrict
expression by individuals sympathetic to some religious, political,
and Kurdish nationalist or cultural viewpoints. Active debates on
human rights and government policies continued, particularly on
issues relating to the country’s EU membership process, the role
of the military, Islam, political Islam, the question of Turks of
Kurdish and other ethnic or religious origins as "minorities," and the
history of the Turkish-Armenian conflict at the end of the Ottoman
Empire. However, persons who wrote or spoke out on such topics,
particularly on the Armenian issue, risked prosecution. The TPA
reported that serious restrictions on freedom of expression continued
despite legal reforms related to the country’s EU candidacy.

According to the Turkish government, there were no journalists held on
speech violations during the year. However, the TPA reported there were
21 journalists in jail for the content of their reporting, including
Kurdish media members and those accused of being leftist dissidents."

It is mentioned in the report "in October 2008 the Ministry of Justice
approved continuance of the case against publisher and writer Temel
Demirer under Article 301. Demirer had been charged for a statement he
made after Dink’s killing, calling for the recognition of the tragic
events of 1915 as "genocide."

The case against Atilla Tuygan for translating two books dealing with
Turkish-Armenian relations continued at year’s end. The case was
opened in May 2007 after the books’ publisher, Ragip Zarakolu, was
acquitted, and the court ruled that Tuygan should be tried instead. In
a second case, Raqip Zarakolu was convicted on June 19 and sentenced
to five months in prison for publishing The Truth Will Set Us Free,
a book describing the experience of the author’s grandmother during
the tragic events of 1915. The court postponed the imposition of
punishment, and Zarakolu and his lawyer appealed the verdict," the
official website of US Department of State reports.

Iran Is On The Way To Nuclear Powers

IRAN IS ON THE WAY TO NUCLEAR POWERS
Karine Ter-Sahakyan

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.02.2009 GMT+04:00

If we believe the English paper "The Times", Washington is considering
the previously unthinkable variant – to turn to Iran with the request
to use her territory for deliveries.

Iran successfully completed the Bushehr nuclear power plant trial
run, thus taking the first step towards the nuclear powers. However,
Russia has had her role in the realization of this step, and it was
rather predictable. The atomic station "Bushehr" has been built for
30 years. Russia joined the construction process only in 1995, while
before it the construction works were carried out by western companies,
which also supplied the power plant with part of the equipment that
has been kept in the site for more than 20 years.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ It’s quit clear that "Bushehr" is part of Iran’s
nuclear program, because of which, by the hand of 43rd US President
George Bush, this country became a Â"social outcastÂ". However,
the reality is that not so much the "Bushehr" as the centrifuges at
Natanz pose a real threat to the world. As fuel the Iranian power
plant uses lead and not enriched uranium, the latter being necessary
only for full-power operation of the reactor and pretending to become
the nuclei of the atomic industry of Iran. By the way, this is what
the world community fears most. However, for some unknown reasons, the
same world community does not fear of the nuclear weapons of Pakistan,
which is more dangerous than Iran. Possibly the reason is that Israel
stands closer to Iran than to Pakistan. And even if this theory is
not quite true, it is at least tempting – to blame the omnipresent
Jewish lobby for everything. By the way, this is what Tehran has been
engaged in for quite a while.

Times are changing however, and what was impossible yesterday may today
be a necessity. As a matter of principle, there is nothing strange
here – nothing is impossible in politics, especially when it comes
to the interests of power states. After the closure of the air base
"Manas", the United States have been looking for new paths to deliver
goods to Afghanistan, desirably bypassing Russia. ¾ of the goods go
through Pakistan but lately there have been cases of attacking convoys
and acts of sabotage on the roads, especially in the region of Khyber
Pass. Islamabad Government is unable to guarantee security. Thus,
there remains only the southern way, i.e. Iran. If we believe the
English paper "The Times", Washington is considering the previously
unthinkable variant – to turn to Iran with the request to use her
territory for deliveries. By the way, Iran will be more compliant
than the RF that laid down her terms: "Traffic must necessarily be
of non-defense character". What will Iran require against the transit
is still a question. Neither is it known whether Washington will turn
to Iran or not. Most likely, the issue will be settled down after the
Presidential Elections in Iran due in June. There is little time left,
and if we also take into account that the USA is deeply concerned with
the victory of ex-President Mohammad Khatami, we should be expecting
certain changes in the region. In any case, even if current President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stays to power, he will have to reconsider his
policy both towards the USA and Russia. After all, no one can guarantee
that Moscow will not arrange the southern variant of the Â"gas warÂ"…

Even the EU has begun to speak in favour of Iran. "The Nabucco
project can be realized only with participation of Iran and Russia,"
declared EC Energy Spokesman Ferran Tarradellas Espuny. Thus, Europe’s
dependence on the Russian gas will be somewhat neutralized through
Iran. But nothing is certain even in this case. Everything depends
on what Russia and the USA will offer Iran, taking into account that
after all Iran is not Kyrgyzstan and she needs more than USD 2 billion
and not in money terms.

As for Russia and Iran, they are currently in the stage of discussions
for a joint enterprise on operating the Bushehr atomic power plant. In
the words of Sergei Kiriyenko, Head of Russia’s state nuclear power
corporation "Rosatom", "Iran and Russia are due to sign a long-term
contract of minimum ten years on delivering nuclear fuel."

Job Announcement – Position Title: Administrative Assistant, FSN-7

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT – POSITION TITLE: ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, FSN-7

AZG DAILY
28-02-2009

BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITION

The position is located in the Management Office, USAID/Armenia. The
primary purpose is to carry out the Mission’s Records and
Communications program, provide travel coordination, and perform a
full array of administrative duties to ensure the smooth, effective,
and efficient operation of USAID/Armenia. The incumbent is the focal
person on agency requirements concerning records management. The
incumbent is responsible for developing and maintaining a computerized
correspondence control system to ensure timely response to important
Mission correspondence. Keeps the Mission Director and Deputy Mission
Director informed of delinquent actions. Serves as liaison with
the ICASS travel agency on ticket issuance matters, and maintains
travel files. Provides a variety of administrative support services
in support of Mission staff.

QUALIFICATIONS

– Completion of secondary school and some post-secondary school,
business school or college education is required.

– Three to five years experience in office management, travel,
logistics, customer service, and experience in establishing/maintaining
a structured office filing system required.

– Level IV (fluent) in English and Armenian is required.

– Mastery of English grammar, spelling, punctuation, paragraphs and
sentence structure (syntax) is required. Demonstrated proficiency in
preparing various correspondence formats (i.e. memoranda, letters,
reports, faxes, etc.) as well as standardized documents and forms is
required. A thorough understanding of organizational structure specific
to administrative management in a busy office environment is required.

– The ability to work effectively in a team environment and adapt
to the existing work environment is required. The incumbent must be
able to work calmly, tactfully, and effectively under pressure and to
demonstrate flexibility in managing and prioritizing multiple tasks
simultaneously. In addition, strong communication and inter-personal
skills, tact and diplomacy are required. Incumbent must have the
ability to effectively and efficiently guide the flow of documents and
work through and/or to the appropriate USAID offices, staff and team
members. Strong organizational skills are required. The incumbent of
this position is required to have a high degree of computer literacy.

POSITION TITLE: MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT, FSN-9

CLOSURE DATE: March 10, 2009

BASIC FUNCTION OF POSITION

Incumbent assists the USPSC Management/Executive Officer in
planning, directing, and administering the management program of
USAID/Armenia. Under the direction of the USPSC Management/Executive
Officer, the incumbent is responsible for monitoring and oversight
of services provided by ICASS, serving as advocate for USAID in
fulfilling services, and assuring quality service commensurate with
cost and value. The incumbent is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week to provide guidance and assistance to USAID/Armenia staff in
emergency situations. The incumbent is in charge of the Management
Office during the absence of the Management/Executive Officer.

QUALIFICATIONS:

– A University degree in business administration with a concentration
in accounting, finance, human resources, marketing and/or public
administration.

– From three (3) to five (5) years of progressively responsible
experience in two or more areas of administrative management,
particularly Personnel, General Services, Property Management,
Budget planning.

– Level IV (fluent), written and oral proficiency in English and
Armenian is required.

– Incumbent must have knowledge of procedures involving administration,
management and accountability for expendable property and
non-expendable property, transportation/vehicle maintenance, physical
security for building operations, budgeting and other administrative
procedures, and regulations and requirements sufficient to perform the
functions of the position. Incumbent must also have a working knowledge
of the Microsoft Office portfolio, including Word, Outlook, etc.

– The ability to work effectively in a team environment and adapt to
the existing work environment is required. Excellent interpersonal and
communication skills, tact and diplomacy are required to effectively
provide services to a diverse and often times demanding clientele. The
ability to prioritize work schedules based on an evaluation of rapidly
changing Mission support requirements; to recognize the full range
and complexities of the overall Mission General Services (GSO) and
personnel operations and make sound and prudent decisions combined with
good financial management skills are required to forecast budgets and
report on budget expenditures. Attention to detail, strong focus and
commitment to "customer service" and good financial management skills
are essential and required attributes of this position. Demonstrated
proficiency in using the latest computer technology to include but
not limited to: word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, and other
computer programs such as EXCEL, INFO Forms, PowerPoint, etc. is
required.

WHO MAY APPLY : Unlimited

HOW TO APPLY : Interested candidates must submit a complete OF 612,
Optional Application for Federal Employment. In addition applicants
may also attach a resume or CV. Application forms are available in the
Main Entrance, Reception Area of the U.S. Embassy and on USAID/Armenia
official website at Completed application forms must
be deposited in the Application Box located at the U.S. Embassy, 1
American Avenue, Yerevan, not later than close of business March 10,
2009 .

Alternatively, you can e-mail your application to
[email protected] or apply online through

For more details, please visit .

www.usaid.am.
www.usa.am
www.usa.am

Having No Capital Market Equal To Having No Tax Legislation

HAVING NO CAPITAL MARKET EQUAL TO HAVING NO TAX LEGISLATION
Hasmik Dilanyan

"Radiolur"
27.02.2009 13:35

"Government officials and businessmen in Armenia are interested in
the capital market," shareholder of the Grand Thornton Company Gurgen
Hakobyan assured today. He noted that it’s high time to educate the
business environment.

The global financial-economic crisis has exerted almost no influence on
the Armenian capital market, while the assessments of the consequences
of the crisis in the world are different.

"Those who have worked in developed markets are disappointed. The
disappointment is moving to the developing markets, as well," Minister
of Economy Nerses Yeritsyan considers.

According to the Minister, having no capital market is the same as
having no tax legislation. In genera, Nerses Yeritsyan is optimistic.

Online Showing Of First Feature Film On Armenian Genocide Organized

ONLINE SHOWING OF FIRST FEATURE FILM ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE ORGANIZED

Noyan Tapan

F Reb 26, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The 90th anniversary of publication
of the "Ravished Armenia" memoirs and the "Auction of Souls" silent
film shot by its scenario at the Metro Goldwin Mayer studio is marked
this year. On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the "Ravished
Armenia", the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute has issued a memorial
postcard and has created an online exhibition at Armenian Genocide
Museum & Institute’s official website

"Ravished Armenia", one of the first documentary memoirs of an
eyewitness of Armenian Genocide was published in 1918, in New York. In
this book Arshaluys (Aurora) Mardiganian, a girl from Chmshkatsag,
Armenian populated town in the Ottoman Empire, gave a detailed account
of the terrible experiences she endured during the deportations. At
the age of fourteen Arshaluys was beaten and tortured in harems of
Turkish officials and Kurdish tribesmen.

The book "Ravished Armenia" was completed when American Committee
for Armenian and Syrian Relief offered to create a film based on
the scenario of the book and all the profit, which later on reached
million, would be given to 60.000 Armenian orphans in the Near
East for relief purposes. In 1918, at Metro Goldwin Mayer studio,
director Oscar Apfel made "Auction of Souls" silent film, which
actually became not only the first movie on the Armenian genocide,
but also the first genocide movie ever made. More than 10.000 Armenian
residents of Southern California, including 200 deported children,
participated in the scenes.

The premiere of the "Auction of Souls" was held on February 16, 1919,
in Plaza Hotel, New York under the auspices of Oliver Harriman and
George Vanderbilt, members of American Committee for Armenian and
Syrian Relief.

The film was shown in large cities of 23 U.S. states, in several
countries of Latin America, including Mexico and Cuba. It was a
success everywhere and was estimated as "epoch-making film."

The "Auction of Souls" was taken to Great Britain in December, 1919,
and censured. After long lasting negotiations the film was shown in
Royal Albert Hall, by the permission of Scotland Yard and played for
three weeks. At the beginning of 1920s Mardiganian’s "Ravished Armenia"
was censured and taken off the British and American libraries.

For over eighty years film historians have been searching the world for
the nine reels of Ravished Armenia but failed to find any trace. The
remaining reels of the rare nitrate based film were lost. Some say the
reels presumably sunk with a ship on their way to the port of Batoum,
Georgia, or stolen by thieves. The full-length version of the film,
which lasting 85 minutes, unfortunately, hasn’t been saved. With the
efforts of Eduard Gozanlian, an Armenian from Argentina, a 20 minute
segment of the reel was found in 1994. One copy of that segment is kept
in the funds of Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute. The film included
English, French and Armenian subtitles for every scene. The list of
the original subtitles for Ravished Armenia is preserved in The Selig
Collection at the Margaret Herrick Library of the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences. They are also reproduced in Anthony Slide’s
book "Ravished Armenia and the Story of Aurora Mardiganian". This
book was published by Scarecrow Press in 1997. It tells the story of
the making of the film and reveals the young girl’s survival story.

http://www.nt.am/news.php?shownews=1012526
www.genocide-museum.am.

World Bank Approved To Grant Armenia Credit Worth $ 85 Million

WORLD BANK APPROVED TO GRANT ARMENIA CREDIT WORTH $ 85 MILLION

Regnum

Feb 25 2009
Russia

On February, 25, the World Bank approved a package of four operations,
for a total amount of $ 85 million, to help Armenia mitigate the
impacts of the global economic crisis. The credit was granted for 20
years, with 10 years of tax concession period.

Three of the operations — the Lifeline Roads Improvement Project ($
25 million), the Additional Financing for the Social Investment Fund ($
8 million), and the Additional Financing for the Rural Enterprise and
Small Scale Commercial Agriculture Development Project ($2 million)
— were processed under the International Development Association
(IDA) financial crisis response Fast Track Facility, which will help
Armenia mitigate the impacts of global economic crisis on the country’s
economy and the well-being of its population, a REGNUM correspondent
was informed at the press service of the World Bank.

The fourth operation — Access to Finance for Small and Medium
Enterprises Project ($ 50 million) – is provided through the
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) to support
local businesses in the current environment, and is the first IBRD
loan to Armenia.

"These projects will support urgent local works that can be implemented
largely over this year, to provide immediate employment opportunities,"
said Asad Alam, Regional Director for the World Bank’s South Caucasus
Country Department. "They will also help strengthen infrastructure
connectivity particularly in rural areas, meet business needs, and
upgrade social infrastructure that will foster medium-term growth
and improvement in living standards.

www.regnum.ru/english/1129299.html

U.S. May Set Airbase In Turkey

U.S. MAY SET AIRBASE IN TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.02.2009 20:34 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Washington may look at setting up an airbase in the
Black Sea city of Trabzon in Turkey as an alternative to the Kyrgyz
base which is due to close later this year, a Turkish newspaper said.

Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev signed on Friday a decree to
close the U.S. base used for the past eight years to support NATO
operations in nearby Afghanistan. The United States will have 180
days to withdraw some 1,200 personnel, aircraft and other equipment
from the Manas airbase.

Turkey’s pro-government Yeni Safak, citing an unofficial U.S. source,
reported that Washington could turn to Turkey as an alternative
location for the military base should the U.S. get a negative response
from two other Central Asian states, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

"If the Tajik and Uzbek variants do not work, then the next in line
will be Turkey’s Black Sea coast [in] Trabzon," the newspaper reported.

The decision to close the Kyrgyz base comes as U.S. President
Barack Obama announced he will send an additional 17,000 soldiers to
Afghanistan to fight Taliban and al-Qaeda insurgents. The move will
increase the U.S. contingent to more than 50,000 personnel.

Russia, which has an airbase in Kant, a short distance from the
U.S. base at Manas, recently said it was ready to broaden cooperation
with Washington on non-military supplies to Afghanistan via the
"northern corridor," which is likely to cross Russia into Kazakhstan
and Uzbekistan before entering northern Afghanistan.

The Commander of U.S. Central Command Gen. David Petraeus, who is
currently in Central Asia, may visit Turkey in the near future to
discuss the issue, the newspaper said.

The U.S. Air Force has been deployed at an airbase in Turkey’s southern
city of Incirlik since the signing of a joint agreement in 1954. The
NATO base is currently home to the United States’ 39th Air Base Wing
and some 5,000 U.S. service personnel, RIA Novosti reports.

A Permanent Exhibition-Sale Of Armenian Products To Function In Alep

A PERMANENT EXHIBITION-SALE OF ARMENIAN PRODUCTS TO FUNCTION IN ALEPPO

ARMENPRESS
Feb 25, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 25, ARMENPRESS: A permanent exhibition-sale of
Armenian products will function in the town of Aleppo, Syria. Executive
director of Armenian Trade-Industrial Chamber Araik Vardanian told
Armenpress that currently the Armenian side discusses the issue of
providing the exhibition territory with governor of Aleppo.

According to A. Vardanian, it will give the local Armenian community an
opportunity to permanently use Armenian products. After the exhibition
of Armenian products, which was held in December last year in Aleppo
in which nearly 100 Armenian producers took part, an interest is noted
in Aleppo especially towards Armenian food. Therefore a permanent
sale of Armenian sweets, cool drinks, brandy, drained fruit and dairy
product is intended to be organized in Aleppo.

A. Vardanian also informed that last week an agreement was signed with
the executive director of Aleppo Trade Chamber, according to which
an exhibition-sale of Syrian products will be held in June in Yerevan.

70 Syrian companies have already presented applications for
participation in it.

Official Visit Of The Speaker Of The Georgian Parliament David Bakra

OFFICIAL VISIT OF THE SPEAKER OF THE GEORGIAN PARLIAMENT DAVID BAKRADZE TO ARMENIA

National Assembly of RA
Feb 24 2009
Armenia

On February 24-25 the delegation headed by the Speaker of the Georgian
Parliament Mr David Bakradze will be in Armenia on two-day official
visit.

During the visit meetings with the President of the Republic of Armenia
Mr Serzh Sargsyan, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic
of Armenia Mr Hovik Abrahamyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of
Armenia Mr Tigran Sargsyan and the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin
II are scheduled.

On February 24 the delegation headed by the Speaker of the Georgian
Parliament Mr David Bakradze will take part at the sitting of the
National Assembly. On the same day the members of the delegation will
lay a wreath at the memorial complex of the Great Genocide to the
memory of the victims and visit the museum of the Armenian Genocide.

On February 25 the official delegation headed by the Speaker of the
Georgian Parliament Mr David Bakradze will return to Tbilisi.

ANKARA: Samast Offers Violence Creed

SAMAST OFFERS VIOLENCE CREED

Hurriyet
Feb 24 2009
Turkey

ISTANBUL – A person can resort to violence if his or her national
values are insulted, according to Ogun Samast, who is serving a
prison sentence for the assassination of Armenian-Turkish journalist
Hrant Dink.

His comment was in response to a survey of 1,650 sentenced or
arrested youths out of 2,200 in 21 prisons by a parliamentary research
commission for youth and school violence.

Samast was younger than 18 when he fatally shot Dink on Jan. 19,
2007, in Istanbul. The survey revealed that Samast’s profile was
80 percent similar to his criminal peers, daily Milliyet reported
yesterday. Samast responded in the survey that in issues regarding
honor or insulting national values, a person could resort to violence.

Samast said he used to carry a knife when he went out. This was
because of threats in the environment. He watched "Kurtlar Vadisi"
(Valley of Wolves), a television series about the mafia and "deep
state" relations. He used to watch TV for around three hours a day
before he went jail. Samast said he used to go to the Internet cafÂ~Ns
every day. Samast said he got in fights in the year before he went
to prison. He said he believes "the fear of Allah, conscience and
merciful feelings" should be strengthened among young people in order
to decrease violence. He also said that sexual intercourse outside of
marriage and the consumption of alcohol and drugs should be decreased.

Samast said he is hopeful about the future and believes that life is
worth living, but he sometimes thinks that he’d rather die.