Author: Basmajian Ani

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT PARTICIPATES IN NON-OFFICIAL SUMMIT OF HEADS OF CSTO COUNTRIES

ARMENPRESS
Dec 19, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 19, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
left today for Kazakhstan at the invitation of his Turkmen counterpart
Nursultan Nazarbayev to participate in the non-official summit of
the heads of CSTO countries.

Presidential press service told Armenpress that before the start of
the summit Armenian president had a short meeting with Nursultan
Nazarbayev. During the meeting the two sides highly assessed the
current level of Armenian-Kazakh relations and noted that there are
pleased with the level of political dialogue between the two states.

The presidents also pointed out the role of the Armenian community
towards consolidation of Armenian-Kazakh friendly ties.

Serzh Sargsyan and Nursultan Nazarbayev underscored the further
development of economic partnership, noting that new ways of transport
communication will promote and give impetus to the increase of the
volume of trade turnover.

Afterwards the non-official summit of heads of states kicked off
the agenda of which included the prospects of regulation of CSTO
and partnership within the frameworks of the organization, world
financial-economic crisis as well as integration processes in the
CIS region.

President of Armenia, chairman of the council of heads of the CSTO
states Serzh Sargsyan greeted the conduction of non-official summit
noting that the discussed issues have great importance for the Republic
of Armenia. The participants of the summit agreed that the contacts
in such format give good opportunity for viewing the issues of the
agenda from different viewpoints and discuss a wide range of issues.

ARMENTEL AND BRITISH COUNCIL NAME WINNERS OF CONTEST OF STUDENTS’ BUSINESS PROJECTS

ArmInfo
2008-12-17 21:17:00

ArmenTel and British Council have named the winners of the contest of
students’ business projects. The winner is a group of students from
Gyumri, who have designed a micro-scheme for monitoring the health
condition of a person and measuring his temperature, blood pressure
and glucose level.

The winners have won the right to take part in the international
contest of business projects to take place in Bulgaria in Mar 2009.

To recall, two qualifying national contests were held in Yerevan and
Gyumri on November 11 and 27. A total of 180 students of secondary
special educational establishments divided into 36 teams took part
in the contests.

The best 4 teams selected by the jury, participated in the national
final.

The jury included Director General of ArmenTel Neicho Velichkov,
Armenian MP Lilit Galstyan, Head of the Secondary Special Education
Department of the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science Artak
Aghbalyan, Director of the British Council Office in Armenia Arevik
Saribekyan.

RUSSIAN GAS EXPORT TO ARMENIA INCREASED 11%

PanARMENIAN.Net
17.12.2008 17:33 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The natural gas supply to Armenia increased by 11%
against the last year’s index and totaled 2 billion 4 million 938
thousand cubic meters from January to November 2008.

According to ArmRosgazprom’s website, the republic consumed 1 billion
846 million 774 thousand cubic meters of gas. At that, the population
consumed some 488 million cu m, the industrial consumption made 345
million cu m, energy consumption totaled 564 cu m.

"ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS" MAY HOLD ITS CONFERENCE IN GEORGIA

Hayots Ashkharh Daily
16 Dec 2008
Armenia

Yesterday, the Government rejected "Republic" party’s request for
holding the conference of the Armenian National Congress in the
session hall of the Government (situated in Melik Adamyan street)
on the 21st, 22nd or the 23rd of December.

Earlier, the Government had rejected the appeal for providing
the session hall to the Armenian National Congress on the 19th of
December. Last Friday morning, David Sargsyan, Head of the Government
staff, had a telephone conversation with Avetis Avagyan, manager
of L. Ter-Petrosyan’s office, and informed him that he couldn’t
provide the session hall of the Government on the date specified in
the request.

The Armenian National Congress continues its discussions over the
option of conducting the conference in Georgia.

OSCE SECRETARY GENERAL WELCOMES HELSINKI STATEMENT ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Trend News Agency
Dec 15 2008
Azerbaijan

The OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut welcomes
statement of the OSCE foreign ministers on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict made in Helsinki, Novosti-Armenia reported.

"The Helsinki statement by the 56 foreign ministers is very important
document and peak in this issue. We should assist sides in the
resolution of the conflict and continuing talks," Brichambaut told
press conference in Yerevan on Dec. 15.

Secretary General said statement by the OSCE foreign ministers
and foreign ministers of the OSCE co-chair countries issued on the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in early Dec are compatible and do not
contradict each-other. He stated that he can not say concrete date of
resolution of the conflict adding that the Helsinki documents gives
hopes that the sides will continue talks on high level.

"The sides need to demonstrate more flexible position and create an
atmosphere of respect and trust," Brichambaut said.

In his part, Armenian FM Edward Nalbandyan noted that document adopted
by the OSCE foreign ministers in Helsinki deals with the resolution of
the conflict by peaceful political means and strengthening ceasefire,
bringing position of the sides together with the help of the OSCE
Minsk Group co-chairmen.

"The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen have made a statement in the same
spirit in attempt to hold talks and move closer position of the sides
on the resolution of the conflict by peaceful political means under
international norms and principles through cooperation with the OSCE
MG co-chairmen in line with Madrid principles," Nalbandyan said.

The statement of the OSCE co-chairmen issued on Dec. 4, says
that Moscow Declaration signed by the sides marks a new and
promising stage in the common strive to establish peace in the
South Caucasus. Presidents confirmed their commitment to peaceful
resolution of the conflict within the mediation efforts of the Minsk
Group co-chairmen and Basic Principles developed by the co-chairmen
through cooperation with Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents on basis
of their proposals made in Madrid in 2007.

ANTI-CORRUPTION CONFERENCE TO TAKE PLACE IN YEREVAN DECEMBER 15

armradio.am
11.12.2008 13:35

A conference dedicated to the results and lessons learned during
Eurasia Partnership Foundation’s two-year Anticorruption Program will
take place in Yerevan on December 15. The Program, entitled The Role
of Government, Non-Governmental Organizations and Media in the Fight
against Corruption, was implemented by Eurasia Partnership Foundation
in Armenia and funded by the United Nations Democracy Endowment Fund
and the United States Agency for International Development.

The one-day Conference will bring together representatives of civil
society organizations active in fighting corruption, government
authorities, top-ranking delegates of international organizations,
and media. US Ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch, Ombudsman
Armen Harutyunyan and other high-ranking officials are expected
to participate.

EPF’s two year program, an investment of over $400,000 in all,
was implemented in eight Marzes. The program has strengthened the
capacities of journalists and media organizations in anti-corruption
reporting, civil society organizations in monitoring government
programs and spending, and public offices at the local, regional
and national levels to promote accountability and transparency. The
program has also sought to establish cooperation and information
exchange between media, civil society and government.

As a result of the program, 10 Communities in two r egions are
now implementing anticorruption strategies, four Media outlets and
four NGOs implemented anticorruption projects, 10 cases were won
in administrative court, 40 TV debates and talk-shows broadcast,
and 300 articles published in print and online.

Armenian Assembly of America
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Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
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PRESS RELEASE

December 9, 2008
Contact: Michael A Zachariades
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 393-3434

HUMAN RIGHTS CO-CHAIR REPRESENTATIVE MCGOVERN TO ADDRESS NATIONAL
ADVOCACY CONFERENCE

Washington, DC- The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) is pleased
to announce that Representatives James McGovern (D-MA) will address the
2009 National Advocacy Conference in Washington, DC, March 1-3.

Rep. McGovern, an active member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian
Issues, has been a staunch supporter of Armenian issues since being
elected to Congress in 1996. Since 1997, McGovern has repeatedly
commemorated the Armenian Genocide with statements before Congress.

"As we reflect on the 60th Anniversary of the U.N. Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and its critical
importance, I look forward to working with my colleagues in the 111th
Congress to address the current genocidal campaign in Darfur and
preventing future genocides by combating denial and reaffirming the
Armenian Genocide," said McGovern.

In addition to co-sponsoring H.Res. 106, the Armenian Genocide
Resolution and H.Res. 102, the Hrant Dink Resolution, Rep. McGovern has
supported Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, signed letters to
President George W. Bush urging him to recognize the Armenian Genocide,
as well as asking him to call on Turkey to lift its blockade of Armenia.
McGovern has also spoken forcefully for the rights of the people of
Nagorno Karabakh.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) selected McGovern to replace
the late Congressman Tom Lantos, the Co-Founder of the Congressional
Human Rights Caucus, as the new Co-Chair. McGovern also serves as
Vice-Chairman of the House Rules Committee and is a member of the House
Budget Committee.

Assembly President Carolyn Mugar stated "Congressman McGovern is a
forceful advocate for the cause of human rights around the world. I have
every confidence that he will take the Congressional Caucus on Human
Rights to new heights and am delighted that he will address the 2009
Advocacy Conference participants."

"With a new Administration and a new Congress, the March 2009 Advocacy
Conference is ideally timed to ensure that our issues remain front and
center," said Bryan Ardouny, Assembly Executive Director. "Congressman
McGovern understands the important role Congress plays in addressing
human rights abuses," and "we are delighted to have Representative
McGovern as the Featured Speaker at our Conference."

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
membership organization.

###

NR#2008-0

Editor’s Note – Photo Caption: Assembly Congressional Relations
Associate Bianka Dodov, and Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny
congratulate Representative Jim McGovern on his appointment as co-chair
of the Human Rights Caucus and discuss Armenian-American issues

ges/PR_-_2008/Bianka_Dodov__Re
p_McGovern__Bryan_A rdony.jpg

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‘BJNI’ PLANT TO GO UNDER THE HAMMER AT $16 MILLION

ArmInfo
2008-12-09 12:45:00

ArmInfo. The property and the property right of "Bjni" Mineral Waters
Plant will be put up for the electron auction on December 19, 2008,
the Judicial Acts Compulsory Execution Service of Armenia Justice
Ministry told ArmInfo.

The brands "Bjni" and "Noy" are to be sold at an auction. According
to the available information, the initial price at the auction will
make up 4,9 bln drams ($16 mln). To recall, financial violations were
revealed as a result of tax audits at "Bjni" plant. According to the
judicial decision, the amount of fines to be paid to the state budget
made up 4.1 bln drams.

ARMENIA’S CSTO MEMBERSHIP HAS NO FUTURE

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.12.2008 16:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Tactically, Armenia needs CSTO membership but
strategically it has no future, a military expert said.

"Armenia doesn’t border with any of the member states. Besides, we
have no allies among the member states, except for Russia," Ruben
Meghrabyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Russia’s presence and its leading role keep Yerevan within the
organization, according to him.

"The balance of forces will change in the region sooner or
later. Georgia and even Azerbaijan may join NATO. Furthermore, given,
the improving relations with Turkey, Armenia’s membership in the
North Atlantic Alliance is quite possible in future," Meghrabyan said.

Hürriyet, Turkey
Dec 4 2008

Turkey not to open Armenia border until Azerbaijan’s integrity restored

The Turkish-Armenian border could be opened only after Armenia gives
up distorting history and restores Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity,
Turkish Trade Minister Kursad Tuzmen said. (UPDATED)

"We are open to developing relations with Armenia, to open borders,
and to develop trade," Tuzmen was quoted by Interfax as telling an
Azeri-Turkish business forum in Baku on Thursday.

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic ties and their border has been
closed for more than a decade over Armenia’s aggression over
Azerbaijan.

"We do not oppose developing trade relations, which will have a
positive influence on the development of the whole region; however,
prior to this historians should solve some issues and Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity should be restored," Tuzmen added.

The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia began in 1988 on Armenian
territorial claims over Azerbaijan. Since 1992 Armenian Armed Forces
have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan including the Nagorno-Karabakh
region and its seven surrounding districts.

Some 10 percent of the Azeri population was displaced due to a series
of bloody clashes both between and within the two neighboring
countries.

In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which
time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group are currently holding peaceful negotiations.

TURKISH FM MEETS ARMENIAN, AZERI FMS
Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan met separately with Armenian
Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammadyarov to discuss the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict in Helsinki where the Organization for the Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) ministerial meeting is being held.

Foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan met on Wednesday with
Russian, French and U.S. executives, the co-chairmen of OSCE Minsk
group.

Babacan’s talks with the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers
assessed the results of this meeting, Anatolian Agency reported.

The Turkish foreign minister was also scheduled to meet with the
Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group dealing with the issue in Helsinki on
Thursday.