Author: Basmajian Ani

LEADERS OF RUSSIAN "UNION OF RIGHT FORCES" EXPRESSED "RESPECT AND ADMIRATION BY LEVON TER-PETROSIAN’S COURAGE"

Mediamax
February 22, 2008

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Leaders of the Russian "Union of Right Forces"
(URF) addressed the presidential candidate of Armenia and expressed
"unchanged respect and admiration by your courage", Mediamax reports.

"The votes, given to you and the many-thousand rallies of your
supporters once again confirmed your highest authority. Your struggle
for democracy and freedom in Armenia is extremely important also
for us, the citizens of the Russian Federation. Speaking against
corruption and lie, hypocrisy and fear, you defend not only Armenia,
but Russia as well, not only what you and your companions-in-arms did,
but also everything that was done by Russian reformers during the
same years. Your achievements give hope to all of us", the statement,
signed by the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Political
Council of URF Nikita Belikh and Leonid Gozman, reads.

ROBERT KOCHARYAN: THE KARABAKH MOVEMENT WAS THE PEACEFUL AND LEGITIMATE EXPRESSION OF A FAIR DEMAND

armradio.am
20.02.2008 13:48

President Robert Kocharyan issued an address to the people of Armenia
and Nagorno Karabakh on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the
Karabakh Movement.

"Dear compatriots, Today is a memorable day, the 20th anniversary
of the Karabakh Movement. This Movement is the newest stage of the
struggle for the self-determination of the Artsakhi people, which
marked the start of national revival.

The Karabakh Movement was the peaceful and legitimate expression
of a fair demand. It was countered by massacres, displacements and
large-scale military actions. It grew into a national-liberation
self-defense war.

The Artsakhi war bore many heroes and demanded victims. However, it
also hardened the will of our people and deepened the conviction that
there is no alternative to independence. The independence of Nagorno
Karabakh is no more a sole means for maintaining national identity,
but also the only real guarantee of peacefully developing on own land.

The generation of contemporaries of the Movement is not familiar
a status other than independence. The Nagorno Karabakh Republic
registered serious achievements in state-building. This includes
the establishment of state structures, reinforcement of democracy,
economic development and productivity.

Once again congratulating you on the occasion of the 20th anniversary
of the Karabakh Movement, I express my sincere gratitude to all
those who have been doing and are doing everything for the progress
of Artsakh. I wish peace, prosperity and new achievements in the
state-building of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic."

Catholicos of All Armenians: I would like presidential election to pass
calmly and peacefully

2008-02-19 17:47:00

ArmInfo. "I would like the presidential election to pass calmly
and peacefully", Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II said after
voting at the polling station opened in the area of the Mother See
of Holy Echmiadzin.

He also noted that he would also like each Armenian citizen to take
part in the Feb 19 election with awareness of high responsibility
before his/her people, and the presidential election itself to be
a new achievement for people. "There are no losers in achievements
and victories, here everybody wins and let everybody take part in
the election with this awareness. Let the people’s life be blessed
with progress and love", the Supreme Patriarch said.

As of 14:00, 36,48% of the electors participated in the presidential elections of Armenia

February 19, 2008

Yerevan /Mediamax/. As of 14:00, 36.48 % of the people, having the
right of vote, participated in the presidential elections in Armenia.

Mediamax reports that the Secretary of the Central Electoral Commission
(CEC) of Armenia Hamlet Abramian said this.

Today, at 08:00, 1923 polling stations opened in the whole territory
of Armenia.

2.328.320 citizens of the republic have the right of vote in the
elections.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

THE ARMENIAN CHURCH PARTICIPATES IN THE MEETING OF
THE WCC CENTRAL COMMITTEE

The meeting of the World Council’s of Churches’ (WCC) Central Committee
kicked off in Geneva on February 13.

The two Holy Sees of the Armenian Apostolic Church participated in the
meeting. The Catholicosate of All Armenian delegated Archbishop Viken
Aykazian and Mrs. Pola Devedjian, while the Catholicosate of Cilicia was
represented by Bishop Nareg Alemezian (Ecumenical Officer) and Dr. Nora
Bairakdarian-Kabakian (Lecturer of Political Science at the Lebanese
University).

Following two days of sessions, the meeting started its committee work on
February 15. Bishop Nareg is the chairman of the Committee on Membership and
External Relations and Dr. Nora Bairakdarian is an active member of the
International Affairs Committee.

The Central Committee’s meeting will last till February 20 and will discuss
the activities of WCC from September 2006 until the present. Participants
will also plan the organization’s future projects.

##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

Lragir, Armenia
Feb 18 2008

CEC IS READY

The deputy chair of the Central Election Commission Abram
Bakhchagulyan stated February 18, the day before the voting, in a
news conference at the Friday Club that the CEC is ready for the
presidential election, has fulfilled the functions vested in it by
the law and has no problems.

Abram Bakhchagulyan stated that all the ballots have been taken to
the polling stations by the cars of Armincassatia. The number of
printed ballots is the number of voters plus three percent, as
required by the law. Abram Bakhchagulyan says the number of voters is
about 2, 328, 500. There are about 18-19 thousand voters on the
so-called additional registers of voters who asked to vote in a
polling station other than their place of residence. The number of
people who are getting in-patient treatment and want to vote is 2500.

Abram Bakhchagulyan also said the turnout information, as well as the
information on count of votes will be released once in three hours,
in accordance with the law. The first release of information on the
count of votes will be at 9 pm, an hour after the start of count of
votes. In 24 hours after the end of voting, that is at 8 pm, the CEC
must release the preliminary results. The final result will be
released seven days after the election because over those seven days
the candidates can dispute the outcome and demand a recount of votes.

The records and seals of the local election commissions should be
submitted to the CEC within 24 hours by the cars of Armincassatia,
and all the documents should be taken to the CEC under police
surveillance. The outcome of the election loses legal validity if
obstacles affect the outcome.

Local and 6 international monitoring mission to observe presidential
election in Armenia

2008-02-16 13:48:00 39

ArmInfo. A total of 14 584 local and 620 international observers will
observe the forthcoming presidential election in Armenia, on 19
February, press-secretary of Armenian Central Electoral Commission
Tatev Ohanyan told ArmInfo correspondent.

She also added that 39 local and 6 international organizations applied
to implement the monitoring mission. "Your Choice" organization will
direct the biggest number of observers – 4010 people. The world
community will be presented by ODIHR OSCE (316 observers), the CIS
(166), Parliamentary Assembly of OSCE (53), CIS Inter-parliamentary
Assembly (39), PACE (40) and European Parliament – 6 observers.

Robert Kocharyan will vote for Serzh Sargsyan

2008-02-16 20:44:00

ArmInfo. Today, security is the biggest challenge for Armenia,
especially as we have an unsettled conflict and live in a very
complicated region, President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan said in an
interview to local TV channels today.

"We must see who of the candidates can face this challenge. In my
opinion, the man who has been our defense minister for 8.5 years can do
it. He has gone a long way and has acquired sufficient experience for
becoming president," Kocharyan said.

"Serzh Sargsyan has been prime minister for just 10 months but he has
already managed to solve lots of social problems. Serzh Sargsyan is
able to respond to the coming challenges – the economic reforms. Levon
Ter-Petrossyan cannot do it: in his time he inherited a well-off
country but gave me nothing but ruins. He was a bad president and by
resigning he admitted that. Armenia needs a president who has
experience of construction rather than destruction. Serzh Sargsyan is a
person who can ensure the economic prosperity of Armenia and I am going
to vote for Serzh Sargsyan." "Besides, if Sargsyan wins, there will be
no confrontation among the branches of the government," Kocharyan said.

MINISTER OSKANIAN PARTICIPATES IN EU – BSEC MINISTERS’ JOINT MEETING

Lragir
Feb 14 2008
Armenia

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian is in Kiev to participate
in a Special Session of the EU and Black Sea Economic Cooperation
Foreign Ministers Meeting.

During the meeting, where Ukraine’s President Viktor Yuschenko made the
opening remarks, the ministers discussed deeper cooperation between
the countries of the two regions in the areas of energy, ecology and
transport. Minister Oskanian’s statement at that meeting focused on
the challenges and opportunities of such collaboration.

The Ministers passed a joint declaration at the conclusion of the
session. During the conference, Minister Oskanian signed a Memorandum
of Understanding on the development of waterways in the Black Sea
region.

Within the margins of the conference, Minister Oskanian held several
bilateral meetings. He met with Georgia’s newly-appointed Foreign
Minister David Bakradze and discussed issues of concern to the two
countries, noting the two sides’ commitment to deepen relations and
to support mutually beneficial projects in all areas. Acknowledging
the two countries’ differing approaches to conflict settlement,
they reaffirmed that they would continue to be circumspect in their
policies, intending to buttress as much as possible Armenia-Georgia
relations which is at the basis of South Caucasus stability. Minister
Oskanian highlighted that it is important for both countries to
be engaged in regional transport programs. The two colleagues also
spoke about current international issues including Kosovo’s expected
declaration of independence and its consequences. Also, the Georgian
Minister presented prospects for Georgian-Russian relations.

Minister Oskanian also met with Serbia’s Foreign Minister Vuk
Jeremic. The two highlighted the friendly relations between the two
peoples. They discussed the Kosovo issue and related developments,
the approaches of interested parties on the settlement of existing
conflicts. Minister Oskanian spoke about domestic Armenian issues,
including the upcoming presidential elections.

Minister Oskanian’s meeting with Ukraine’s new Foreign Minister,
Vladimir Ogrizko is expected on February 15.

AS OF FEBRUARY 11, CENTRAL ELECTORAL COMMISION RECEIVES 23 APPLICATION-PROTESTS

Noyan Tapan
Feb 14, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. As of February 13, 1.5
million ballot-papers and envelopes have been printed, which
will be distributed to electoral constituency commisions by
the "Armincassation" organization since February 14. As Abram
Bakhchagulian, the Secretary of the RA Central Electoral Commission,
mentioned at the press conference held on February 13, on the coming
two days they will be distributed to the electoral constituency
commissions of regions and of Yerevan on February 16.

Abram Bakhchagulian stated that as of February 11, the Central
Electoral Commission has received 23 application-protests, 19 out of
which have been discussed and those, who have submitted applications,
have been answered. In the words of the Secretary of the Central
Electoral Commission, a number of problems and suggestions aroused
in the applications do not correspond to the demands of the Electoral
Code. For example, according to the application of Heghine Bisharian,
the Deputy Chairwoman of the Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) Party,
the Central Electoral Commission is offered to also include the codes
of passports when making the electoral lists, which is not envisaged
by the Electoral Code.

It was also mentioned that by the assistance of the OSCE Yerevan Office
and the IFES international organization two-week teaching courses,
in particular, on the sorting of ballot-papers and making of records
have been held for the members of the electoral commissions.