Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

ARMENIANS ASK BUSH TO SHUT TURKISH PEACEKEEPERS OUT OF LEBANON

AssA-Irada, Azerbaijan
August 17, 2006 Thursday

The Armenian lobby in the United States has called on President
George Bush to block the involvement of Turkish servicemen in the
international peacekeeping mission to be deployed in the southern
part of Lebanon. A letter signed by the chairman of the Armenian
National Committee of America, Ken Khachikian, says the deployment of
Turkish peacekeepers in Lebanon allegedly contradicts US interests
and will impede promoting peace in the region. The UN ceasefire to
end the fighting came into force a few days ago and an estimated
15,000 international peacekeepers are expected to enter the conflict
zone. Despite Armenians efforts, US Assistant Secretary of State for
Near Eastern Affairs David Welch underscored the Turkish armys high
combat readiness. He said the decision to station Turkish peacekeeping
forces in the Middle East was Turkeys own choice. Welch told a news
conference in Washington on Wednesday that the United States and
Turkey have extensive experience on cooperation in such issues and
his country relies on the Turkish peacekeeping force.
From: Baghdasarian

NOVRUZ MAMMADOV: "ANDRZEJ KASPRZYK DOES NOT TAKE A FAIR STANCE ON ARMENIAN ARSONS IN NK"

Today, Azerbaijan
Aug. 16, 2006

"Personal representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej
Kasprzyk does not take a fair stance regarding the Armenian-committed
arsons in the occupied Azerbaijani lands."

"You can never see such a stance related to such kind of issues in
any other country," APA reports quoting Azerbaijani President’s Office
international relations department chief Novruz Mammadov.

The official said the fires in the occupied Azerbaijani territories
should be investigated adding that Andrzej Kasprzyk takes a biased
position with regard to Armenian arsons in Azerbaijani lands.

Vice-president of parliament, chief of parliamentary permanent
commission for security and defense affairs Ziyafet Asgarov said he
could not understand what Kasprzyk meant when saying "a cooperation
of the parties related to the arsons".

"What cooperation does he mean? Since Kasprzyk wants to give advice,
why he does not prevent Armenians’ barbarian actions," he underlined.

URL:
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA, IRAN TO BUILD THIRD POWER LINE IN 2006-08

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS Business and Financial Newswire
August 16, 2006 Wednesday 4:28 PM MSK

Armenia and Iran plan to implement a project in 2006-2008 to build a
third power line between the two countries at a cost of $90 million,
Saak Abramian, general director of ZAO High-voltage Power Line,
told Interfax.

It is expected that construction work will begin in 2006. At the
moment experts are working on a project for a new two-circuit power
line, which will stretch 300 km on Armenian territory and 100 km
on Iranian territory. The capacity of the power cable will be 400
megawatts, with voltage in Armenia of 220 kilovolts, and in Iran –
230 kilovolts. The Armenian side will finance 15% of the project.

Armenia will pay back the Iranian investment with supplies of
electricity.

Armenia and Iran signed a financing agreement in Teheran in May
2006 for $90 million to build the third power line between the two
countries.

Iran and Armenia are currently connected by two power lines with a
capacity of 200 megawatts each.
From: Baghdasarian

IT IS POSSIBLE THAT POLITICAL POLES WILL BECOME MORE

Lragir.am
9 Aug 06

Nothing will change in the political sphere after the conference of the
Republican, think 50 percent of readers who voted in the poll of the
Lragir.am. Within two weeks that followed the extraordinary conference
of the Republican Party we asked our readers what the conference
would change in the political life of Armenia. 50 percent think that
nothing will change, 31 percent think that the home political tension
will increase, and 19 percent think that the "political poles will
become more".
From: Baghdasarian

HEAD OF ORGANIZATION FOR CHILDREN’S RIGHTS PROTECTION KILLED IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.08.2006 13:31 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Well-known entrepreneur, head of the Organization
for Children’s Rights Protection Alexander Givoyev was killed
on Ashtarak-Gyumri highway in Armenia. Upon receiving an alarm on
shooting the policemen found Givoyev’s body with wounds. It was found
out that the entrepreneur with his family was heading for Gyumri in
his own car. When he stopped at a shop and got off the car an unknown
fired on him out of a red VAZ-2199 car. Givoyev died immediately. Shop
assistant Gyulnara Karapetyan also died from wounds. A criminal case
was initiated and an investigation started, reported Newsarmenia.ru.
From: Baghdasarian

Institute for War & Peace Reporting
Caucasus Reporting Service
Caucasus home

Armenian Government Takes On Gold Company

An American mining group accuses the Armenian government of trying to
expropriate its assets.

By Susanna Petrosian in Yerevan (CRS No. 350, 27-July-06)

Armenia’s environment ministry is trying to revoke the license of an
American gold company in a dispute that puts investors’ rights under the
spotlight.

Connecticut-based Global Gold Corporation, GGC,is contracted along with
the Australian company Iberian Resources to mine gold, silver and zinc
in the Marjan district of southern Armenia until the end of 2007.

Now the ministry is claiming it has lost its right to do so ` though GGC
continues its exploratory work, saying it has the law on its side.

Some say Armenia wants to take back the mine in order to then sell it
off to a Russian group. Russia is by far the biggest investor in Armenia
with investments worth 400 million US dollars.

The government, however, insists GGC has lost its license because it has
failed to meet its obligations.

`The ministry gave the license and it can take it away,’ said Grant
Avetisian, who heads the department for protecting underground resources
at the environment ministry. He declined to say whether the ministry was
planning to go to court to enforce its claim against GGC.

`GGC carried out only five per cent of the work,’ added environment
minister Vardan Aivazian. `They did not fulfil their duties as
investors. As they cannot work legally, they should go and someone else
should replace them.’

But GGC’s regional director Ashot Boghosian told IWPR that the company
had only just begun work in the mines and there was no legal basis for
stopping them continuing.

Boghosian says that by law his company’s right to do exploratory work
can be suspended only by a court, and that the company must be informed
of the allegations levelled against it 90 days before the court hearing.

Gagik Adibekian, head of the department that deals with agreements and
contracts at Armenia’s trade ministry, confirmed that a court order was
needed for a company to lose its license.

`We did not receive any warning, and we don’t know what infringement we
have committed,’ said Boghosian.

`If the ministry tries to deprive us of our licenses and to give them to
another organisation, the best definition of this action will be
expropriation,’ said Boghosian. `I don’t think this is the situation,
and I hope that GGC’s investments will not be expropriated, as that is a
serious responsibility.’

Van Krikorian, president and chief adviser to the company, told IWPR,
`The decision to strip us of our license is illegal.’

GGC has a number of projects throughout Armenia and says it will invest
almost 10 million dollars in the country by the end of this year. It
says it is spending 1.2 million dollars on its exploratory work in the
Marjan mine, which contains an estimated 17.8 tonnes of precious metals.

Around 400 people are employed on the project. Ashot Saakian, head of
administration of the nearby village of Arevis, told IWPR that locals
are pinning their hopes on the mining project and on GGC restoring
outdated infrastructure.

The company has won the support of economist and opposition
parliamentary deputy Tatul Manaserian, who said revoking the company’s
license without proper justification could hurt Armenian-American
relations.

`Statements like this made against GGC will make the investment climate
unpredictable in the future, and this lack of clarity is the most
serious threat for business in terms of instability,’ said Manaserian.

However, the ministry is not backing down. It says not only has GGC has
lost its license, but that it may soon announce the name of the new
company contracted to work in the mines.

A source in government told IWPR on condition of anonymity that a
Russian investor was interested in acquiring the Marjan mine.

Under a `debt-for-assets’ deal, Russian companies now control almost the
entire energy network of Armenia and have expressed an interest in
acquiring the telephone network.

Some experts see this is an economic takeover that undermines Armenia’s
sovereignty, although trade minister Karen Chshmaritian says there is
nothing to be worried about.

`All of these processes, including the energy sector, are under our full
control,’ said the minister.

Critics are not convinced, seeing the travails of GGC as a symptom of a
wider phenomenon.

`Today Armenia’s attitude to investors is defined by its foreign policy,
which is basically focused on Russia,’ said Stepan Grigorian, head of
the Analytical Centre on Globalisation and Regional Cooperation in
Yerevan.

`Russia thinks it is not enough to keep its influence over Armenia
through the military sector alone, and is now using economics as well.’

Susanna Petrosian is a journalist with the Noyan Tapan news agency in
Yerevan.
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA IS CUT OFF INTERNET AGAIN: CABLE BREAKAGES IN GEORGIA BECOME PERMANENT

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Aug. 7, 2006

Author: Mammadov

(REGNUM) – For the last 48 hours, the population of Armenia has twice
been cut off the internet, REGNUM correspondent reported from Yerevan
on the telephone. On August 4 and 5, the reason of the breakdowns in
the work of Armenian internet providers became cable failures on the
territory of Georgia.

According to the national ArmenTel Company information holding
exclusive rights on maintaining international telecommunications
in Armenia, the current situation is caused by cable failure in the
Kutaisi region, which resulted in the absence of internet connection
in Armenia for 6 hours. Today, on August 5, cable was also broken
on the Black Sea seabed. No information on when the damage would be
fixed is available so far, reports Trend.

The government of Armenia regards information technologies development
the main priority of the country’s national economy. Meanwhile, the
republic remains in an utterly vulnerable position since the internet
connection is established through the only cable connecting Armenia via
Georgia on the Black Sea seabed to Ukraine. In the south of Armenia
the cable is connected to Iranian communication network. The current
internet connection breakdown is the third large-scale cable failure
that happened lately in Georgia.
From: Baghdasarian

Azerbaijan ready for another meeting with Armenians – official

ANS TV, Baku
4 Aug 06

[Presenter] Baku has not received an official proposal on a new
meeting between the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers after
the meeting in France of the OSCE Minsk Group, which is mediating
a solution to the Karabakh conflict. If the co-chairs have such a
proposal, we can consider it, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has
said. A joint statement, issued at the end of the Paris meeting of the
co-chairs, called on the foreign ministers to meet in Prague in autumn
[2006]. Mammadyarov also commented on the plan to hold a referendum on
the status of Karabakh simultaneously with the withdrawal of Armenian
troops from the occupied Azerbaijani lands. The minister believes
that it is impossible.

[Mammadyarov, speaking to journalists] If the process continues within
the framework of any opinion poll or democratic process, Azerbaijanis
must return to Nagornyy Karabakh first. You yourselves heard that
the US co-chair also confirmed that if we wanted to see some progress
within the democratic framework, Azerbaijanis must return to Nagornyy
Karabakh first. Sometimes they talk about some Nagornyy Karabakh
people. What people is it? They are the same Armenians. Azerbaijanis
also lived there and they must return there first and live in normal
conditions, because you cannot send someone to a polling station at
gunpoint. The potential of negotiations has not run out. We are ready
for this. If the co-chairs propose a new meeting, Azerbaijan is ready
for it.
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN STUDENT CREATES LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES

BYU Newsnet, UT
Aug 3, 2006

By Elizabeth Watts – 3 Aug 2006

Vahe Babayan loves gettin into his work. In his second semester in
the BYU Bookstore framing department he mostly enjoys working with
the customers and his fun boss.Hearing students grumble about the
walk to campus from home or distant parking lots is not uncommon, but
Vahe Babayan was grateful to be able to walk from University Avenue
to Utah Valley State College without fear of being arrested.

"For three days I walked to UVSC, where I was going to school at that
time, and then I would walk home after class," said Babayan, an
Armenian BYU student who spent years in Russia. "All I knew was that
I lived by the mountains, so I walked toward them to find the house I
was staying at until I got used to the area."

After growing up in a country where he was not always free to go
where he wanted to go; this long walk was refreshing to
Babayanbecause it meant he had more freedom.

Over the past 25 years of his life, times have not always been easy,
but Babayan learned from his experiences and is grateful for what he
has been given. His gratitude toward the U.S. continues to grow from
experiences and the life perspective he has developed from them.

"Life is a beautiful thing. You don’t have to be beautiful to live
life," Babayan said, "What eyes you see life with depends on you."

After receiving his I-20 visa to allow him to attend school in the
U.S., Babayan moved here on Jan. 3, 2004 – a date he will always
remember because it was a major day in his life when many
opportunities were opened to him.

He said the U.S is a great country and he would like to work with the
government after finishing school in order to allow others to have
the freedoms he has experienced. He is very passionate about the U.S.
and the freedoms he has been given while being here.

"Great people came to the U.S. and created what it is now," Babayan
said. "I am appreciative that people like me can come here to create
my own life and I will do what ever I can to defend it.

Babayan is originally from Yerevan, Armenia. However, at age 15 he
moved to Moscow to attend school and play soccer.

Moscow gave Babayan a greater opportunity to gain an education and
provided better living standards, but it also had its difficulties.
In Moscow there is a lot of prejudice resulting from conflicts
between Russia and other countries. Babayan said the police in Moscow
would think he was a terrorist because of his darker skin. The legal
system has some corruption there and he was arrested at least twice a
week for suspicions the police had.

"To avoid being arrested, I would try to be home before dark and knew
the areas the police would always be at," Babayan said.

Babayan was first introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints after his father met missionaries for the church on
the street in Moscow and invited them to his house. Babayan was
baptized into the church along with his mother and brother when he
was 17.

Babayan later served in the Romania Moldova Mission for the church.
While he was on his mission, he formed relationships with many of his
close friends now at BYU who influenced him to come to the U.S.

BYU student Ryan Divine met Babayan in Moldova where they served
together. Divine said Babayan did not speak English and had just
started serving his mission, so he did not speak Romanian well
either. They did not have a common language to speak to each other,
but they bonded from the start.

In order to communicate they would use hand gestures and show each
other pictures of what they were talking about.

An experience Divine remembers from the mission was on a preparation
day during lunch when they were playing soccer. Divine watched as
Babayan walked away from the soccer game to talk with two young boys
and give them the three oranges they had for their lunch.

Babayan said when he saw the boys he remembered being young and not
having much. He felt that he could relate with the boys.

Finding oranges in Moldova was hard and they were expensive. He knew
the boys had not had an orange before, so he wanted them to be able
to have the oranges.

Divine said he was able to learn from Babayan’s actions and told
other missionaries playing soccer with him, "We will learn more from
him than we will ever be able to teach him."

Coming from a different culture helps Babayan to stick out in Provo.
Everyone around where he lives knows him. Divine said the reason for
his popularity is that Babayan is a fun person to be with, but he is
also refreshing to be around, since he has a different view point of
the world.

A friend and past roommate of Babayan has known him for two years,
and said he feels it a pleasure to know him.

"He leaves an impression and is infectious," said BYU student Shane
Mount. "Vahe would do anything for someone who needs help, but will
not ask anything of you."

When moving into the apartment, there were not enough beds for
everyone. Babayan put his bed in Mount’s room before he moved in and
made himself a bed on the floor that he slept on for the rest of the
year. Mount said Babayan refused to take the bed back.

"Vahe has such a good example of integrity and everyone should get to
know him, everyone," Mount said. "He is that good of a guy."

From: Baghdasarian

OVER 13 YEARS UN’S WFP PROVIDES ASSISTANCE OF 75 MLN USD TO ARMENIA

YEREVAN, AUGUST 2, NOYAN TAPAN. Since 1993 when the United Nations’
World Food Program (WFP) started operating in Armenia, it has made
a significant contribution to the community development through
investments aimed at improving the food provision to socially
vulnerable groups in Armenia, including refugees, and developing the
country’s infrastructures and human potential. The Armenian Prime
Minister Andranik Margarian stated this when receiving on August 2
the delegation headed by the WFP’s Executive Director James Morris.

According to the RA Government Information and PR Department,
the delegation is in Armenia within the framework of its regional
visit. A. Margarian said that the assistance provided by the WFP
before the first quarter of 2006 amounted to 75 mln USD in the form
of 134 thousand tons of humanitarian food, which was supplied to
200 thousand needy persons annually on average. The prime minister
considered it important that since mid 1999, the special assistance
programs were replaced with long-term assistance and restoration
programs. In case of some programs such as the food-for-work
project, the problem of temporary employment is solved, which is
also psychologically important for vulnerable groups. During the
meeting, the sides also spoke about the consequences of the drought
in some regions of Armenia. A. Margarian asked that if possible, some
assistance be provided to mitigate the drought’s consequences. James
Morris expressed his satisfaction over the process of WFP programs’
implementation in Armenia, noting that during the visit he went to Lori
and Tavush marzes to see the work being done there. Speaking about the
cooperation with the Armenian government, particularly with the WFP’s
partner – the RA Ministry of Labor and Social Issues, he considered
it as quite successful. J. Morris pointed out that he is impressed by
the Armenian government’s efforts aimed at economic growth and poverty
reduction and expressed a willingness to continue the cooperation to
make it more comprehensive and efficient in the coming years.
From: Baghdasarian