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RA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN RECEIVED A DELEGATION LED BY UAE RAS AL-KHAIMA EMIRATE’S CROWN PRINCE, VICE-GOVERNOR SHEIKH SAUD BIN SAKR AL KASSIMI

The Official Website of the Government of the Republic of Armenia
ntre_8/official_news_en.php?&date=1217876400
A ug 7 2008

Greeting the high-ranking guest, the Prime Minister expressed
confidence that his visit will give a new impetus to the development
of friendship and cooperation between Armenia and the United Arab
Emirates inclusive of Ras Al-Khaima Emirate, in particular. Crown
Prince Sheikh Saud Bin Sakr Al Kassimi extended his appreciation for
the warm welcome and the assistance provided to UAE representatives
in Armenia. The Crown Prince emphasized his country’s authorities’
willingness to strengthen bilateral ties as witnessed by those
initiatives and projects aimed at making investments in Armenia.

Both sides said to be pleased with the promising framework and the
practicalities in place between Armenia and Ras Al-Khaima Emirate
which provide a good outlook for further strengthening and expansion.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan assured in turn that the government
of Armenia is prepared to continue supporting the ongoing investment
programs launched by UAE-based companies in Armenia. The head of
government expressed readiness to look at the opportunities available
in the fields of mining and tourism, as well as to consider the
possibility of creating a free economic zone in our country. In
conclusion, Tigran Sargsyan expressed confidence that the successful
record of Armenia’s cooperation with Ras Al-Khaima Emirate will infect
other countries and investors as well.

COMMISSION ON REGULATION OF PUBLIC SERVICES ALLOWS ARMROSGAZPROM TO INCREASE GAZPROM’S STAKE IN ITS AUTHORIZED CAPITAL BY $413.8MLN

arminfo
2008-08-06 16:51:00

ArmInfo. The Commission on Regulation of Public Services of Armenia
has allowed ArmRosgazprom CJSC to increase its authorized capital
by 124.154bln AMD ($413.8) to 402.195bln AMD ($1.341bln) by issuing
additional shares.

Gazprom has been allowed to buy 24,700,000 ordinary nominal shares
at 5,026 AMD each. The money received from the sale of the shares
will be spent on ArmRosgazprom’s energy projects in Armenia.

For the moment, the authorized capital of ArmRosgazprom totals
278,040,807,288 AMD ($927mln). Gazprom has 72.16% stake in the
authorized capital of ArmRosgazprom, the government holds – 22.78%,
ITERA Group – 5.06%. ArmRosgazprom was set up in Dec 1997 and is the
exclusive importer of natural gas into Armenia.

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.

U.S NEWLY-APPOINTED AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA TO VISIT YEREVAN IN SEPTEMBER

Azeri Press Agency
Aug 5 2008
Azerbaijan

Yerevan- APA. On August 1, 2008, Marie L. Yovanovitch was confirmed by
the U.S. Senate as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the
Republic of Armenia. She is expected to arrive in Armenia in September,
U.S. Embassy Spokesperson Taguhi Jahukian told PanARMENIAN.Net.

Former Ambassador John Evans has been recalled, because of
irresponsible statements made by him on so-called Armenian genocide.

Prior to her appointment to Armenia, Ms. Yovanovitch was Ambassador of
the United States of America to the Kyrgyz Republic from 2005 to 2008.

ARMENIAN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE DEPARTMENT TO OPEN IN NEVSHEHIR UNIVERSITY, TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.08.2008 14:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Turkish High Certifying Commission granted
permission to the university of Nevshehir city to open the Armenian
Language and Literature Department after coordinating it with the
Turkish Foreign Ministry. The permission was granted at the appeal
by professor Metin Hulagu, the dean of the Literature faculty of
this university.

According to the professor, the establishment of this department
will enable to improve bilateral relations and to cover the country’s
demand in relevant specialists. Taking into consideration the lack of
teachers, the Nevshehir University has appealed for assistance to II
Mesrob, the ecclesiastical head of the Armenian community in Turkey. He
did not exclude the possibility to invite teachers form Armenia.

Earlier, professor Metin Hulagu, visited Armenia, where he established
relations with teachers of the Yerevan University. Admittance of
students to the Armenian Language and Literature Department of the
Nevshehir University will begin in 2009 school-year. At present the
Armenian language is taught in the Bogazichi Istanbul University.

Nevshehir city is located in the central Turkey, where the world-known
Kappadokiya tourist centre is situated. The university in Nevhshehir
city was established on 17 May 2007, Trend Azeri news agency reports.

RA LAW MACHINERY HELD SECOND SESSION ON CORRUPTION-FIGHT

arminfo
2008-08-04 09:57:00

ArmInfo. RA law machinery held the second session on corruption-
fight. The session, held in Yeghegnadzor yesterday, has been initiated
by RA Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan.

Representatives of the law machinery of the country’s south regions
took part in the session. The first session was held in June, 2008,
in Vanadzor with participation of the north regions. The results of
such session will be summed up at the forthcoming session in Yerevan.

According to today’s data, corruption-fight is carried out most
successfully in Lori region, where criminal cases on corruption facts
have been instituted in respect of 17 persons and 11 criminal cases
have been instituted in Armavir region. Four criminal cases have been
instituted in Tavush and Shirak regions each, and 1 criminal case –
in Ararat region.

Talking of the quality of the corruption facts being revealed,
A. Hovsepyan emphasized that it is important to pay attention to
revelation of the cases being significant from the viewpoint of
prevention of corruption phenomena in general.

HUNDREDS FOLLOW THEIR NOSES TO ARMENIAN PICNIC
Tom Caprood

Troy Record
Aug 4 2008
NY

TROY – More than 400 hungry community members turned out at the
Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church Sunday for an annual picnic and
blessing of the grapes ceremony.

Families from the community, of both Armenian and non-Armenian descent,
lined up through out the afternoon inside the Spring Avenue church
to get a plate full of the parish’s famous shish kebab dinners, which
people enjoyed out behind the church among friends and parish members,
or picked up in takeout orders to feed their families waiting at home.

Rev. Bedros Shetilian, pastor of the church, who is also the conductor
of the recently formed Troy Orchestra, explained that the picnic was
an annual event the parish held to help bring the local community
together to relax with good food and good music while celebrating an
age old tradition of the Armenian people.

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"It is traditional to bless the grapes as a kind of thanksgiving
for the harvest," said Shetilian. "In old times, when the grape
was seasonal, people waited for this ritual to eat them in order to
promote a successful upcoming harvest in September."

The church’s staff was kept busy throughout the early afternoon,
both inside the kitchen and out on the barbecue grills, as dozens of
community members flocked to event, which was so packed with people
that the church was close to running out of property for visitors to
park on just over one hour into the celebration.

"A lot of people come every year because they like our food and we
enjoy having them," said Shetilian.

The church is also actively preparing for its upcoming 50th
anniversary, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of the church’s
national congregation establishing itself in the United States.

Founded in 1958, the Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church started out
by renting a Lutheran church in North Troy before purchasing a former
Presbyterian church on Pawling Avenue, which was later damaged by a
fire in 1975.

The current church, which is located at 101 Spring Ave., was built
in 1976.

According to Shetilian, Armenians were some of the first people to
adopt Christianity as an organized religion in approximately 301
AD, with cultural traditions, such as the blessing of the grapes,
and some minor theological difference separating them from other
Christian orders.

Shetilian is expected to conduct the next public performance of the
Troy Orchestra on Aug. 16 at Joe Bruno Stadium during a Tri-City
Valleycats baseball game.

NALBANDIAN-MAMMADYAROV MEETING IN MOSCOW

armradio.am
01.08.2008 22:34

The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan Edward Nalbandian
and Elmar Mammadyarov met in Moscow today.

Press and Information Department of RA MFA informs that before that
Edward Nalbandian had a meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs
Bernard Fassier (France), Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia), Matthew Bryza
(USA) and the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office
Andrzej Kasprzyk.

During the meeting of the Foreign Ministers the discussions focused
on continuing the talks the basis of the proposals presented to the
sides in Madrid, trying to bring the positions of the parties closer
on non-coordinated issues.

Following the meeting the two Foreign Ministers assessed the talks
as constructive and expressed willingness to continue the talks.

NATIONAL BANK OF AZERBAIJAN CALLS ON BANKS TO STOP OPERATIONS WITH WESTERN UNION AND MONEYGRAM

Interfax News Agency
Aug 1 2008
Russia

The National Bank of Azerbaijan has called on commercial banks
operating in the country to cease money transfer operations with
Western Union and MoneyGram, the National Bank told Interfax.

According to reports, banks in Azerbaijan, as of July 30, should stop
implementing operations with the aforementioned money transfer systems.

The National Bank said that the decision to stop operations with
Western Union and MoneyGram was the result of continuing illegal
money transfers to Nagorno-Karabakh.

"The National Bank also earlier warned these money transfer systems
and their controlling bodies about the necessity of stopping transfers
to the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Failing to do so, banks
in Azerbaijan would be forbidden to work in partnership with these
systems," a National Bank representative said.

KESKIN: TURKEY NOT YET RIPE FOR EU MEMBERSHIP

German news agency DDP
Aug 1 2008

Osnabrueck – In the view of Turkish human rights activist and
Aachen Peace Award Winner Eren Keskin, Turkey is "not nearly ripe for
accession to the European Union," even though the ban of the governing
Justice and Development Party (AKP) had not materialized. "There is no
freedom of opinion and no culture to express ideas freely. There are
still incidents of torture," she told [the daily] Neue Osnabruecker
Zeitung in its Wednesday [30 July] edition. Those daring to address
sensitive political issues such as the problem of Cyprus "run the
risk of ending up in jail." The same applied to how the massacres
perpetrated against the Armenians are dealt with.

The lawyer, who is of Kurdish descent, regarded "the power of the
military" as a crucial obstacle in the way of her country’s speedy EU
membership. "We are still ruled by a constitution that was drafted
by the military." The armed forces are largely in control of the
economy, the judiciary, and the media, she said. The influence of
the military is so huge "that even ordinary people in our country
have an unbelievable confidence in the military." According to her,
that even applies to the leftwing opposition Kemalists. "Even they
are under the mistaken belief that the military guaranteed the future
of Turkey," she pointed out.