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ARMENIAN BUSINESSMAN SHOT DEAD IN MOSCOW

armradio.am
29.11.2007 14:51

Director of the atelier sewing clothes from fur Oleg Khachaturov
was killed in the southwest region of Moscow, a source in the
law-enforcement bodies of the Russian capital told RIA Novosti.

According to the source, Wednesday evening the businessman drove to
his house on Vinokurov Street. When Khachaturov got out of the car,
an unknown man shot at him and run away.

Khachaturov immediately died of the wound.

A criminal case has been launched in compliance with Article 105
(murder) of the Russian Criminal Code.

IS 10 MILLION ENOUGH TO DEVELOP TOURISM?

KarabakhOpen
29-11-2007 10:53:03

Next year the government is likely to allocate 10 million drams for the
development of tourism. The money will be spend on research, projects,
publishing. This year the subsidy totaled 2 million drams. Experts
say it is too little to foster development of this kind of business
which has good prospects in Karabakh.

The government of Karabakh has affirmed the program of development of
tourism in 2008. During the meeting of government it was mentioned that
there had been no government policy on tourism over the past years, and
now it is time to make tourism in Karabakh attractive and profitable.

So far the so-called ethnic tourism was developing in Karabakh –
Armenians from all over the world arrived in Karabakh to learn about
its history and culture. Over the past few years some ten hotels
have been built, a resort area has emerged near Gandzasar Monastery
(13 c.), the roads to famous monuments were repaired. Tourists point
to the lack of a number of services, such as car rent, guides, travel
agencies offering itinerary tours.

According to the NKR foreign ministry, the number of tourists grows
by 40 percent every year, but profit from tourism is not significant
for the state budget and private investments.

ARMENIAN FM TO MAKE REPORT FOR STUDENTS OF RUSSIA’S DIPLOMACY ACADEMY ON DEC 5

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Nov 29 2007

YEREVAN, November 29. /ARKA/. Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian will make a report for students and teaching staff of
Diplomatic Academy of Russia’s Foreign Ministry on December 5.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Oskanian will report on "Realism
of traditional and new directions of Armenia’s complementary foreign
policy."

RA PRIME MINISTER RECEIVES CANADIAN BUSINESSMEN

Economic News
November 29, 2007 Thursday

Baku. ">OREANDA-NEWS . November 29, 2007. RA Prime Minister Serzh
Sargsyan received Canadian businessmen Jonathan Goodman, James Smoly
and Canadian-Armenian entrepreneur, Prof. Azad Vardanyan. The Goodman
family is the founder of a number of companies in a variety of fields
with over USD 65 billion worth of assets. Jonathan Goodman is the
owner and the president of Dundee Precious Metals Ltd, which is
engaged in the exploration and development of deposits of precious
metals. The company is represented in Armenia by Dino Gold Ltd,
which has embarked upon large-scale mining activities in Syunik marz
and intends to invest USD 20 million in addition to those 30 million
dollars already committed for the exploration of Kapan ore deposit.

The company seriously hopes to find sufficiently large deposits in
justification of both the investments made and eventual outlays.

Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan welcomed the intent of the company
and mentioned that the government of Armenia was interested in the
involvement of well-known, highly experienced and top-ranking companies
in our country as in addition to making a profitable business they
are expected to promote Armenia’s economic development by making
sizeable investments into different branches of economy.

The head of government said that an investment-conducive and
business-friendly environment is currently up and keeps on improving in
Armenia. Considering that mining industry is among the key sectors
of Armenia’s economy, on behalf of the government of Armenia,
Serzh Sargsyan expressed willingness to assist the Company with the
implementation of the proposed programs.

The Prime Minister stressed that possibly efficient use of deposits
should be made in Armenia in line with all environmental standards
as our country is not that rich in natural resources. Serzh Sargsyan
further suggested that the company should inform the public-at-large
of the work done so far and the future plans. In reply, Mr. Jonathan
Goodman advised that a meeting to that effect is due to be held with
mass media representatives later today.

AZERI, RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTERS SIGN 2008 MILITARY COOPERATION PLAN

Russia & CIS Military Newswire
November 28, 2007 Wednesday 12:31 PM MSK

Azeri Defense Minister Safar Abiyev and Russian Defense Minister
Anatoly Serdyukov signed a 2008 Azeri- Russian military cooperation
plan in Baku on Wednesday, the Azeri Defense Ministry told Interfax.

Azerbaijan cooperates successfully with Russia in all areas, Abiyev
said, adding that he hopes that Serdyukov’s visit will boost Azeri-
Russian military and technical cooperation.

Speaking about the military and political situation in the Southern
Caucasus, Abiyev said that Armenia’s occupation policy in the region
creates a complicated and tense situation in the region. "I regret
that CIS members have not yet stated their attitude to Armenia’s
aggressive policy and did not make any practical moves in the area,"
the Azeri defense minister said.

Speaking about the Gabala radar station, Abiyev said that this radar
is Azerbaijan’s property and that is why any decision on its use
cannot be made without Azerbaijan.

Serdyukov said at the meeting that bilateral ties will continue to
grow in the future.

The parties also exchanged opinions on further bilateral military
cooperation, as well as on cooperation in training staff.

ARMENIAN COMMUNIST PARTY NOT TO HAVE ITS OWN CANDIDATE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENCY AND NOT TO SUPPORT ANY OTHER POLITICAL FIGURE

Noyan Tapan
Nov 29, 2007

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian Communist Party will
not nominate its own candidate for the February 19, 2008 presidential
elections and will not support the candidature of any other nominated
political figure. This statement was made by Ruben Tovmasian, the
first Secretary of the Central Committee of the above-mentioned party,
in the press briefing given before the 37th regular congress of the
Armenian Communist Party, mentioning that this decision was made by
the Bureau of the Armenian Communist Party. In his words, communists
have no desire and basis for supporting either Serge Sargsian,
representing the current administration, or Levon Ter-Petrosian, the
first President of the Republic of Armenia, the representative of the
former administration, "which robbed the fortune and the common goods"
of the Soviet Armenia, or "any of the other candidates carrying the
so-called capitalist liberal-democratic values."

In response to the question of "If elections are held in two
stages, and any opposition candidate appears in the second stage,
will the Armenian Communist Party not support the latter again,"
Ruben Tovmasian declared that there is no such opposition party
or figure in the country, the basis of which are the slogans
"equality, internationalism, brotherhood, social justice" at the
same time. Therefore, as Ruben Tovmasian stressed, as a result of
ideological divergences, the Communist Party cannot support the
representatives of the opposition field either.

The decision of the Armenian Communist Party concerning the fact of
not taking part in the elections with their own candidate, According
to Ruben Tovmasian, is conditioned by two factors. The first is that
all the elections and referenda have been simulated in the country
for already 17 years, and the second reason is the scanty financial
situation of the Communist Party and the incapability of paying a
security of 8 million drams for nomination.

VAHAN HOVHANNISYAN NOMINATED FOR PRESIDENT

armradio.am
30.11.2007 15:00

The Supreme Council of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party elected Vahan
Hovhannisyan as candidate for the Presidnet of the Republic of
Armenia. 60 out of 82 participates of the Supreme Council voted for
him, 19 delegates cast their votes for Armen Rustamyan.

Earlier the results of the popular vote were presented. The public poll
was called to help ARF choose the candidate. According to the results,
288 697 people participated in the voting. 53% cast their votes in
favor of the Vice Speaker of RA National Assembly Vahan Hovhannisyan,
47% preferred representative of the ARF Bureau, MP Armen Rustamyan.

Addressing the Supreme Council, Armen Rustamyan withdraw his candidacy
and called on the participants of the meeting to vote for Vahan
Hovhannisyan.

Leaders of pro-authority and opposition parties were present at
the meeting.

AZERBAIJANI INTELLIGENTSIA READY TO NEGOTIATE WITH ARMENIANS

TREND News Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 30 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr. S.Ilhamgizi / Azerbaijani intelligentsia
demonstrated readiness to negotiate with Armenians by visiting Armenia
and the occupied Nagorno Karabakh, Kamal Abdulla, the Rector of the
Baku Slavonic University, said to Trend agency.

The Armenian Prime Minister Serj Sarkisan stated that Armenia apart
the Azerbaijani Government is ready for negotiations between the
countries. According to Sarkisan, only the Azerbaijani Ambassador to
Russia Polad Bulbuloglu has courage in the negotiation process.

Abdulla said that Sarkisan made such statements in order to confuse
world community again.

"Azerbaijani intelligentsia would not visit Armenia if the Azerbaijani
Government escapes peace negotiations. As a representatives of
Azerbaijan, we intelligentsia, visited Khankandi and Yerevan, and
held a range of negotiations with Armenian officials. Sarkisan making
such statements attempts to form negative opinion about Azerbaijan,"
Abdulla said.

Azerbaijani and Armenian intelligentsias should continue negotiations.

The chairman of the Azerbaijani Intelligentsia Movement Eldaniz Guliyev
said to Trend agency that the negotiations between Azerbaijani and
Armenian intelligentsias should be continued.

"If the Azerbaijani and Armenian governments cannot settle the
Nagorno-Karabakh then population should associate," Guliyev said.

AZG Armenian Daily #222, 01/12/2007

Karabakh Conflict

WARLIKE ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE DANGEROUS FOR THE AZERBAIJANI PEOPLE

On November 29, after the meeting of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, also
Foreign Ministers of France and Russia and the representative of OSCE
Executive Chairman with the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and
Azerbaijan, in answer to Azerbaijani FM Elmar Mammadyarov’s
announcements Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian mentioned,
that independent of the fact who does warlike announcements, similar
announcements are not useful and impede the negotiation process, make
different moods among people and the possibility of compromise becomes
less.

"It’s more dangerous for Azerbaijani people, as they give some hopes
to their people", said Mr. Oskanian and added that from the point of
negotiation process the level of November 29 meeting is higher taking
into account the participation of the Co-chair countries’ Foreign
Ministers.

"It testifies that they have hopes connected with the negotiation
process and consider that the document on the table is the only way to
the settlement of the conflict".

There are issues that are not settled yet. "And the aim of today’s
meeting is to present the viewpoints of the Co-chair countries on
not-settled issues for the discussions of the sides.

What about the announcement of Azerbaijani FM Elmar Mammadyarov on the
issue of not discussing NKR status, Oskanian mentioned that the issue
of the status is one of the pivotal issues and there is an agreement
to let the people of NKR for self-determination. "If Mammadyarov means
that the issue is not discussed as everybody agree with the
self-determination of NKR people, in that case the issue is solved. I
can say that there are not-settled issues and the discussions of them
continue. Today they became more concrete. Let’s wait and see what
the answers of the sides are".

"We should do everything to come to the settlement of the issue taking
into account today’s interesting and balanced document. There are not
many not-settled issues, but to say "one or two" is not right. The
principle is one – if there is no agreement of all the issues, we
can’t say that there is an agreement on the issue. It is an OSCE
principle that we apply to our negotiations", mentioned Mr. Oskanian.

By Agavni Haroutiunian, Madrid, translated by L.H.

Karine Minasyan: Searching of the missing is a problem which should be
taken to heart so that to decide to finance it

2007-12-01 00:37:00

ArmInfo. Searching of the missing is a problem which should be taken to
heart so that to decide to finance it, Armenian coordinator of the IWG
on searching of the missing and refugees and release of the war
prisoners at the Karabakh conflict zone Karine Minasyan told ArmInfo
correspondent.

, – the coordinator said. She also added that ICRC is implementing
certain work in this direction. Though it seemsstrange, but the IWG
accumulated such a big experience in this sphere that it can do even
more than the ICRC. ‘The ICRC has got more finance and material
potential. Though our principles coincide, it is first of all
confidentiality, impartiality and neutrality, nevertheless we are more
flexible, mobile and we have more potential in this sense’. Difference
in the approaches of getting the
information may be also added to this. Relatives of the missing should
apply to the ICRC to get information. As for the IWG, it will start
searching only if a man which has got information allied to it.