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POWER OF LEVON TER-PETROSIAN RUINED BECAUSE OF WRONG PERSONNEL POLICY

Noyan Tapan
Feb 1, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, NOYAN TAPAN. Many of the candidates for presidency
avoid speaking about composition of the government to be formed in
case of their election not because they lack the respective staff,
but taking into account the current atmosphere of intolerance and fear
in the country, the spokeswoman for People’s Party of Armenia Ruzan
Khachatrian stated at the February 1 discussion, adding that these
presidential candidates have concerns that by announcing the names
of members of the future cabinet, they may "endanger" these persons.

According to deputy of the former Supreme Council Aram Mailian, there
is no party today which has about 30 people to be appointed to most
important positions in case of its coming to power. In his words,
the parties cannot grow cadres. He said that power of the first
president Levon Ter-Petrosian ruined because of the wrong personnel
policy. The president Robert Kocharian, according to the former deputy,
has continued personnel policy-related mistakes.

The representative of the Liberal Progressive Party of Armenia, expert
Eduard Antinian expressed an opinion that the amended Constitution will
not allow any political force (besides, the Republican Party of Armenia
that forms the parliamentary majority) to become a real counterbalance
to the other power branches. In the words of E. Antinian, any president
not enjoying the sympathy of the National Assembly’s majority will
be a formal head.

CONSTRUCTION GROWS BY 19.7% IN ARMENIA IN 2007 AS COMPARED WITH 2006

Noyan Tapan
Feb 1, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, NOYAN TAPAN. Construction of 667 bln 334.7 mln
drams (over 1 bln 950.8 mln USD), including construction of production
facilities of 224 bln 789 mln drams, was done in Armenia in 2007.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, in the indicated
construction work, building and assembly work amounted to 604 bln
927.7 mln drams, including building and assembly work of production
facilities of 181 bln 967.6 mln drams. Construction grew by 19.7%,
building and assembly – by 18.4% in comparable prices in 2007 on 2006.

8.4% of construction was done at the expense of the state budget, 0.5%
– the reserve fund of the RA government, 0.1% – community resources,
0.6% – resources of the World Bank, 2.6% – humanitarian aid, 25.8%
– private organizations’ resources, and 62% – resources of the
population.

ARMENIA FREES AZERI CAPTIVE

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.02.2008 18:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia set free Azeri captive Samir Nazim ogly
Mammadov. "Late January 2008 with mediation of some international
organizations was set free and sent to a European country," said
press office of the RA National Service.

"Mammadov has numerously refused to return to Azerbaijan. Finally,
with assistance of some international organizations, including the
ICRC, he chose a European country as asylum," it was reported.

Samir Nazim ogly Mammadov departed Armenia in good health, Novosti
Armenia reports.

Mammadov was born in Kirovabad (Azerbaijan) in 1987.

He grew up in orphanage.

December 24, 2006 he left the military unit and crossed the
Armenian-Azeri border without documents and weapon

ARMENIAN-CAPTURED AZERBAIJANI SOLDIER SAMIR MAMMADOV HANDED OVER TO THIRD COUNTRY

Azeri Press Agency
Feb 1 2008
Azerbaijan

Armenian-captured Azerbaijani soldier Samir Mammadov was handed over
to third country, captive’s family told the APA

Representation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
in Azerbaijan reported that the captive was handed over to the third
country yesterday.The captive’s mother Tarana Mammadova told the APA
that they do not know which country Samir was handed over to. "We
are anxious about Samir," she said.

ICRC Representation in Azerbaijan confirmed the fact. It was stated
that, Samir was handed over to third country on January 31.They
declined to give information about which country he was handed over
to. It was noted that it is kept confidential.

"The committee representatives did not participate in handover
process. ICRC representatives in Armenia visited captive on January
29.Captive stated that he wants to go to third country during the
visit of representatives," committee said.

International Committee of the Red Cross said that the representatives
of the committee visited Samir Mammadov 26 times, and the captive
and his family exchanged 20 letters.

Secretary of State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and
Missing Persons Shahin Sayilov told APA that the commission has not
received official report that Samir Mammadov was handed over to the
third country. The secretary said it is not released what country
the captive has been handed over to.

"The name of the country can be kept confidential by his request.

According to the international rules, in this case it is only reported
that the captive has been handed over to the third country.

But the captive will possibly contact his family and tell them where
he is," he said.

Sayilov also said that there are rare cases of handover of Azerbaijani
and Armenian captives to the third countries.

"For example, we do not release what country Armenian captives were
handed over by their request," He said.

According to the secretary, Samir Mammadov can be delivered to his
country at his will.

"He has not given up citizenship and can return to motherland,"
he said.

Samir Mammadov was captured by Armenian armed forces in Gazakh region
of Azerbaijan on December 24, 2006.

AZERBAIJAN PARLIAMENT TO ESTABLISH COMMISSION TO STUDY HISTORICAL REASONS OF GIVING IREVAN TO ARMENIA

Trend News Agency
Feb 1 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 1 February /corr. Trend I.Alizade / The Parliament
of Azerbaijan will establish a commission to study the historical
reasons of giving Irevan (currently Yerevan) to Armenia.

"By 31 March – Genocide Day of the Azerbaijanis – Parliament will
adopt a document disclosing the reasons of giving Azerbaijani land
to Armenia, and against claims by Armenia," said the Speaker of the
Azerbaijani Parliament, Oktay Asadov, on 31 January.

The Deputy Executive Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan
Party, Siyavush Novruzov, said that Armenia made an appeal to the
international organizations, demanding that the map of Azerbaijan’s
Nakchivan Autonomous Republic be changed including the territorial
claims. "If we do not answer their claims in time, Armenia will be
continuing to expand its territories at the expense of Azerbaijan,"
he said.

Novruzov also suggested establishing a commission to study the
reasons of giving Irevan, which was the territory of Azerbaijan at the
beginning of the 20th century, to Armenia. The commission which will
be established in Parliament will study the historical documents and
the results obtained will be sent to the international organizations,
Novruzov said.

The Chairman of the Parliament supported Novruzov’s proposal. The
speaker said that the Armenians not only make territorial claims with
regards to Azerbaijan, but also try to appropriate world history. "A
large part of the current territory of Armenia is the Azerbaijani
territories. However, serious scientific works are not written in this
regard and the historical facts are not presented for the attention
of the international community," he said.

U.S. PAYS KYRGYZSTAN MORE THAN $17 MLN ANNUALLY FOR AIRBASE

RIA Novosti
15:19 | 01/ 02/ 2008

BISHKEK, February 1 (RIA Novosti) – Kyrgyz Finance Minister Tazhikan
Kalimbetova disclosed on Friday that Washington pays $17.5 million
each year in rent for an airbase at an international airport near
the Kyrgyz capital.

The U.S. Ganci airbase at Manas airport, located 30 kilometers (17
miles) east of Bishkek, accommodates 1,000 U.S. troops along with
nine refueling and cargo planes supporting antiterrorism operations
in Afghanistan.

The sum applies strictly to the use of facilities at the base, and
is part of the overall payments the U.S. has agreed to make for the
hosting of U.S. troops in the Central Asian republic since 2001. Some
sources claim payments may total as much as $70 million, including
sums allocated for health care and the fight against drug-trafficking.

Although Russia has encouraged Bishkek to demand the withdrawal
of American troops, the impoverished nation of five million needs
U.S. support and the military base, which has generated jobs and is
a strong contributor to the Kyrgyz economy.

Russia established in October 2003 its own airbase in Kant, about 20
miles west of the Kyrgyz capital, which currently deploys about 400
troops, including 250 officers and NCOs and 150 conscripts, as well
as 20 combat and transport planes, helicopters, and L-39 trainers.

Kalimbetova said at a government meeting on the state budget that
Kyrgyzstan has not charged Russia, and has no plans to impose
charges for the use of the Kant airbase, because the Russian troops
are stationed at Kant under an agreement in the framework of the
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) – a regional security
bloc in Central Asia, which also includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan,
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

"In addition, [Kyrgyzstan’s] debt to Russia totals $184 million,
and in these circumstances, to demand rent [for the airbase] would
be rather inappropriate," the Kyrgyz finance minister said.

US ARMENIANS SUPPORT BARACK OBAMA AMONG CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENCY

Azeri Press Agency
Jan 31 2008
Azerbaijan

US Armenian National Committee decided to support Barack Obama in
the preliminary elections held inside democrats, APA US Bureau reports.

The committee chiefs stated it in the press conference they held in
the office in California state.

The strongest organization of Armenian Diaspora explained their
supporting senator elected from Illinois state with several reasons.

They said that they support firstly Obama’s resolution 106 envisaging
recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide. The second is that
senator has sent official letter of protest to President George
Bush on sacking US ambassador to Armenia John Evans who recognized
"Armenian genocide". Moreover, Obama officially stated that if he
is elected President he will recognize 1915 events as genocide. The
black-skin candidate said that he will try to eliminate "blockade
which Azerbaijan and Turkey applied against Armenia" and solve
Nagorno Karabakh conflict on the principles of democracy and
defining self-determination. Armenian National Committee sounded
several accusations against Bush government. They accused President
of impeding adoption of the recognition of the so-called genocide
in Congress, freezing amendment 907, supporting Baku-Ceyhan project
which bypasses Armenia, trying to include official Armenia to the
row of countries supporting terror and reducing military-humanitarian
assistance rendered to Armenia from year to year.

XENOPHOBIC CRIMES INCREASE POSSIBLE IN 2008 IN RUSSIA – HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS

Russia & CIS General Newswire
January 30, 2008 Wednesday 10:58 AM MSK

Fourteen people have been killed in xenophobia-driven crimes in Russia
since the beginning of the year, Alexander Brod, director of the Moscow
Human Rights Bureau and a member of the Public Chamber, told Interfax.

"No fewer than 25 xenophobic attacks and fights, in which 14 people
were killed and no fewer than 20 were wounded, have occurred in
January," Brod said referring to results of an assessment by his
human rights organization.

The Moscow region, St. Petersburg and Togliatti are the "leaders"
in terms of the number of crimes, he said.

Four resident of Uzbekistan, two of Tajikistan, two of Kyrgyzstan,
two of Turkey, one of Dagestan, and one of Armenia were killed in
such attacks in 2008, Brod said.

"The number of crimes proves that the activity of radical nationalists
will remain high in 2008 and will probably exceed the sad record from
last year as to the number of killed and injured in xenophobic crimes,"
Brod said.

The Sova analytical center, another human rights organization,
highlighted its concerns about the growing number of xenophobic crimes
a day earlier.

Activists of the center presented the 2007 report, according to which
69 were killed and some 600 were injured in 39 Russian regions.

LEVON TER-PETROSIAN CANNOT DECIDE ARMENIAN PEOPLE’S FUTURE, FREEDOM-FIGHTER SARGIS KARAPETIAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Jan 31, 2008

YEREVAN, JANUARY 31, NOYAN TAPAN. Sargis Karapetian, a freedom-fighter,
the former commander of Talin volunteer detachment, who was beaten
during the January 27 meeting with RA presidential candidate Levon
Ter-Petrosian in Talin, got indignant that day that some persons
having made a name of "freedom-fighters" met the candidate with
the motto "Talin residents are with you." S. Karapetian said at the
January 31 press conference that coming up to L. Ter-Petrosian during
the rally he was hardly able to say the truth: "Mr Ter-Petrosian,
they have deceived you. Neither Talin region nor the whole Armenian
people is with you." In his words, these words became the reason for
L. Ter-Petrosian’s supporters to attack him and beat him cruelly.

According to S. Karapetian, henceforth he will try to ask everybody
and to make everybody understand not to vote for L. Ter-Petrosian,
as "he cannot decide the Armenian people’s future."

S. Karapetian also said that though a criminal case has been instituted
in connection with the incident and a preliminary examination is being
carried out, he has no forensic expertise document yet. According
to him, unless the case is examined and those guilty are punished he
will leave Armenia.

KARABAKH’S EX-DEFENCE MINISTER SAYS NO ELECTION DEAL WITH ARMENIAN PREMIER

Aravot
Jan 26 2008
Armenia

The former defence minister of the unrecognized republic of
Nagornyy Karabakh and leader of Armenia’s Alliance (Dashink) Party,
Samvel Babayan, has told an Armenian newspaper that he would not
support Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan in the 19 February
presidential election and denied reports that he will become the
Armenian defence minister if Sargsyan is elected. Babayan, however,
said that he "will be ready for any role to protect my fatherland"
if war starts. The following is excerpt from report by Ruzan Minasyan
in Armenian newspaper Aravot on 26 January headlined "What I have
promised will be made public" and "Interview with Samvel Babayan,
former defence minister of Nagornyy Karabakh".

[Correspondent] Mr Babayan, congresses of the Alliance (Dashink)
Party and the National Rebirth Party followed one another at the end
of 2007, debating merging with the Liberal Democratic Party [LDP]
(Ramkavar Azatakan). What is the state of this process?

[Babayan] In political aspect, a staple of the issues has been
solved. At the moment, the intensive work on merging the three parties’
structures is under way in regions. [Passage omitted: details of
merging process]

Liberal Democrats’ stance

[Correspondent] You have promised to make public the details of
what you define as crimes committed by the former authorities during
war years.

[Babayan] Everything that I promised will be made public.

Unfortunately, my statement has been interpreted in different ways.

There have even been reports claiming I have allegedly supported
[Armenian Prime Minister and presidential candidate] Serzh Sargsyan
with my statement. Meanwhile I merely stated the truth. It was
even mentioned that this statement is a result of mine and [Armenian
ex-President and presidential candidate] Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s personal
disagreements. I don’t have any personal conflict with the first
Armenian president. [Passage omitted: more details on disagreements
with Ter-Petrosyan]

[Correspondent] Your political opponents maintain that you will
endorse Serzh Sargsyan’s candidacy, therefore, the statement about
the LDP’s neutral position is unexpected.

[Babayan] First of all, the LDP’s draft decision [presumably on
election] was discussed with both me and Albert Bazeyan, after which
it was approved by the LDP’s current leadership. [Passage omitted:
Babayan expands on the issue of merging with LDP]

On the eve of the presidential election, various forces have started
speculating that this all [presumably merging of small parties] has
been allegedly done for endorsing the authorities’ candidate in the
presidential election. I couldn’t allow this unprecedented process be
a subject for this kind of speculations. On the other hand, none of
the officially endorsed presidential candidates and their presented
programmes fully suits our stance, therefore we do not intend to
support anyone’s candidacy and become his opponent one year later.

Supporting someone is also responsibility. This is responsibility for
the contender’s presented programme and his further activity. But
how can I take this responsibility if in many cases I do not agree
with the contender’s viewpoints?

[Correspondent] Nevertheless, does the LDP see itself in the opposition
or authorities’ camp after the merging of the three parties?

[Babayan] In my opinion, the LDP should be an ideological opposition.

[Passage omitted: more on the issue]

Speculations on Karabakh issue

[Correspondent] These days, presidential hopefuls among other issues
are also discussing the Karabakh issue. First of all, how truthful
are their arguments?

[Babayan] Speculating on the Artsakh [Nagornyy Karabakh] issue
for political purposes seems unclear to me. If by speculations we
understand the parties’ accusations of betrayal against each other,
in this case no-one has grounds for this at present for one simple
reason: the public is unaware precisely what document is on the
negotiating table. But, on the other hand, politicians are obliged
to present their personal visions on the settlement. I consider it
dangerous to avoid this issue and do not trust such politicians.

Fortunately or unfortunately I know presidential contenders quite well
and my vision of ways of the Artsakh issue settlement significantly
differs from their positions. I do not believe it is appropriate
now to discuss my point of view regarding the Artsakh issue
settlement. Presidential hopefuls’ positions on this issue are now
much more important. I must only admonish our citizens not to trust
the candidates, who speak about the settlement using such words as
"beneficial for Armenia", "for national interests" etc. The electorate
has the right to know the maximum limit of mutual concessions that
our highly respected candidates are ready to make.

[Passage omitted on Babayan’s business activities]

Ready to protect "fatherland"

[Correspondent] How plausible is the fact [reports] you will soon be
appointed the Armenian defence minister?

[Babayan] First, these sources also said that I will support Serzh
Sargsyan’s candidacy. As you are now convinced, this is not the case.

I have dedicated the best ten years of my life to the fatherland,
depriving myself from regular communication opportunity with my family,
children and friends. And what have I received as a result? A show on
"murder attempt" and five years of illegal imprisonment. This was an
evaluation of my contribution for taking the responsibility in 1992
and organizing the liberation and protection of our fatherland’s
significant part [means Nagornyy Karabakh] jointly with the people.

This was an evaluation I was given during five post-war years for
creating the most powerful army in the region, according to foreigners’
calculation. This was an evaluation I was given for organizing the
first most magnificent [military] parade in our newest history. Then
why should I again assume this role?

[Correspondent] And if war starts?

[Babayan] Heavens forbid, in case of imminent war danger, I will
take all the responsibility and will be ready for any role to protect
my fatherland.