Author: Chakhmakhchian Vatche

"ARMRUSGAZARD" IS A RATHER PERSPECTIVE COMPANY

A1+
[07:05 pm] 05 June, 2007

The RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan met Valeri Golubev, the in-coming
Vice-President of "Gazprom", and the delegation headed by him. The
parties expressed their satisfaction on the cooperation of "Gazprom"
and the RA Government. Among other companies jointly founded in
other countries, Valeri Golubev considered the "ArmRusGazArd"
LLC a perspective company and said that he intended to invite the
representatives of other jointly founded companies to Armenia on the
10-th anniversary of "ArmRusGazArd" and to show them how productive
a company worked and what successes it had accomplished during the
ten years. Mr Golubev presented the Prime Minister their future plans
and discussed issues within the frameworks of their cooperation.

FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER BERNARD KOUCHNER ON NKR
Nikolay Hovanisian

Azat Artsakh Daily, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]
04 June 07

In 1995 the Center for International Development and Conflict
Management at the University of Maryland, U.S. started to work
out a program entitled " Partners in Conflict: Building Bridges to
Peace in the Transcaucasus and Central Asia.". The participants were
from Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, the United States and Israel. I
represented Armenia. In fact, the discussions were in the focus and
framework of interests of the U.S. Department of State, sometimes in
collaboration with the experts of Mason and Hopkins Universities. A
special thing about those discussions was that the American side
provided each participant with valuable documents and materials
in accordance with our profession and responsibility regarding the
program, which otherwise were then unavailable for experts outside
the United States. It was an opportunity to get some highly important
documents on the onset of the Karabakh conflict, the policies and
standpoints of other states on the conflict over Karabakh and its
resolution. One of the documents provided to me, a working document for
the UN Economic and Social Council drafted by human rights defenders
in Geneva in 1994, contained important facts, evidence, opinions on
the Karabakh issue. It holds that Nagorno-Karabakh and the adjacent
territories were part of Armenia for over 2000 years, and Azerbaijan
first claimed to this region in 1918 when it appeared as an independent
state. It is followed by a statement by Bernard Kouchner, the minister
of humanitarian affairs of France then, now the minister of foreign
affairs of France, he made in a news conference on March 8, 1992 in
Paris. He described the 6 km Lachin corridor separating Karabakh and
Armenia as nonsense, a political and geographic blunder. Apparently,
Kouchner knows the history of the Karabakh issue, the deal between
the Russian bolshevists and the Azerbaijani nationalists to divide
the Armenian territories.

Otherwise, he would not describe this deal due to which Karabakh
and Armenia lost direct border as nonsense and a political
blunder. Kouchner said this blunder should be corrected. He goes on
to state it is better to agree to change the borders than to kill
people. He made this statement during the military operation Koltso
by the Soviet and Azerbaijani military units, when thousands of
Armenians were killed and displaced, devastating a number of Armenian
villages. This important statement by the French minister was rare then
and suited with his theses on humanitarian intervention and sometimes
law should be eliminated to change law. He rejects arbitrary drawing of
borders and causing the death of people for the sake of these arbitrary
borders. He maintains that the territorial integrity stops being a
reasonable and fair law as soon as it becomes a law of slaughter of
people. Our findings were included in a collaboration published by the
University of Maryland in 1997 entitled "Ethnic Political Conflicts in
Transcaucasia. Their origins and ways of resolution". In the same year
we published a Russian book in Yerevan entitled "Karabakh Conflict:
Stages, Approaches, Ways of Resolution" and in 2004 we published a
book in English entitled "The Karabakh Problem: Through Hardship to
Freedom and Independence" which include the abovementioned materials
and contain Bernard Kouchner’s statements. 15 years have passes since
these statements, but he remains loyal to his abovementioned theses.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Armenians of Turkey speak against adoption of Armenian Genocide
Resolution by U.S. Congress
02.06.2007 14:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Recently a U.S. Congress delegation had official
meeting with Turkish leadership in Ankara. At the end of the meeting
congressmen departed for Istanbul, where they visited the Armenian
Patriarchy of Constantinople. `Lraber’, the bulletin of the Patriarchy
reports in its May 31 issue that during their meeting with Archbishop
Mesrop Moutafian U.S. Congress delegation members discussed issues
concerning the Armenian Genocide Resolution, assassination of Hrant
Dink, as well as murders of catholic priest Santoro in Trabzon and
three evangelic missioners in Malatia. They also touched upon the bill
on grounds of the community, which President Ahmed Necdet Sezer
interposed his veto on, Turkish-Armenian relations, as well as Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s initiative aimed at establishing a
joint commission of Turkish and Armenian historians.

According to `Lraber’ answering congressmen’s questions the Patriarch
said, `Proceeding from intergovernmental relations between Armenia and
Turkey, as well as relations between local Armenians and the Turkish
nation, we do not treat positively the Armenian Genocide Resolution
introduced in the U.S. Congress. We cannot deny the tragic events of
the historical past.

The history will never forgive actions of Ýttihat ve Teraki party,
aimed at punishing not only armed Armenians who rebelled against the
state, but also all Armenians residing on the Territory of Turkey. One
and a half million Turkish citizens with Armenian descent were
annihilated in Syrian deserts. Today 70 000 Armenians live in our
country. We should not forget and those Armenians who adopted Islam in
order to escape deportation. Since they continue to speak in Armenian,
they remain faithful to the Armenian culture, and irrespective of
religious difference we consider them as our compatriots. And just the
opposite, we do not appreciate actions of the Armenian Diaspora, which
pushes forward the historical events as subject of disputes. We
-Armenians of Turkey, together with our Muslim neighbors support
social and trade relations. We do not want our relations to be spoiled
with neighbor -Muslim Turks because of such resolutions. It is the
time to develop a policy aimed at future. The Republic of Armenia
borders upon Turkey. Since change of borders is out of the question,
consequently Armenians of Turkey are interested in approaching the two
neighbor-states. We are connected politically with the Turkish State
and we have religions and cultural ties with Armenia. We -Armenians of
Turkey, do not want anything except peace. While the unbridled
approach of Diasporan representatives is a disturber of that peace,’
`Azg’ reports.

Representatives of Levon Ghulyan’s legal successors criticize medical
evidence in court

ArmInfo
2007-06-02 13:31:00

Representatives of Levon Ghulyan’s the legal successors have
criticized the statement by the Prosecutor General’s Office on the
results of medical examination. L. Ghulyan died in the Police
building.

The message of Hrayr Ghukassyan and Aram Karakhanyan received by
ArmInfo says that the statement by the Prosecutor General’s Office
contains odd bits of information from the medical examination,
isolated phrases or conclusions. They are sure that only comparison
of the existing medical examination and the alternative examination by
international experts will allow any conclusions on the incident. They
mentioned that under the legislation of Armenia no proof is valid
before the end of investigation.

Levon Gulyan, born in 1976, was invited to the police to give
testimony on the Stepan Vardanyan murder case, committed on 9 May. The
law-enforcement agencies report that Gulyan tried to run away, but
over the fight he fell from the second floor window and died.
Relatives of Ghulayn are sure that he died of bodily harms. They
connect the incident with the name of First Deputy Chief of Criminal
Investigation General Department Hovhanness Tamamyan known for his
methods of working with the detained people. Yerevan Prosecutor’s
Office has initiated a criminal case on Article 110 of RA Criminal
Code ( forcible suicide ). The medical examination of May 13 showed
that L. Ghulyan died of bodily injuries typical of a fall from a
height. Ghulyan’s relatives insisted on an alternative examination
with participation of German and Dutch experts. The alternative
examination was carried out on May 19. However, the result has not
been made public so far.

56.5% of Azeris do not want Armenians to return to Azerbaijan

ArmRadio.am
02.06.2007 14:35

Azerbaijani Day.az agency is implementing a new initiative. The agency
is carrying out an Internet survey, asking: `Do you agree to the
return of Armenians to Azerbaijan after the settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict?’

2,293 people participated in the survey. 1,295 people or 56.5% of the
respondents think it is impossible. 753 (32.8%) said `Yes, we shall
get along together. 245 (10.7%) found it hard to answer.

TAX REVENUES OF STATE BUDGET GROW BY 25.5%

Noyan Tapan
May 31 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 31, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-April 2007, tax revenues
of the RA state budget made 127.2 bln drams (about 457.6 mln USD),
which ensured the fulfilemnt of the program for first half of 2007 by
64.6%. According to data of the RA Ministry of Finance and Economy,
tax revenues grew by 25.5% on the same period of last year. High
growth rates were registeted with respect to all types of taxes,
except for excise tax.

46% of tax revenues was collected at the expense of VAT which amounted
to 5 8.5 bln drams. Out of this sum, over 35.9 bln drams was received
from taxation on the Armenian borders, 22.6 bln drams – from domestic
turnover of goods and services. VAT revenues grew by 35.3% or 15.3
bln drams on January-April 2006.

8.9% of tax revenues was received at the expense of excise tax,
which amounted to 11.3 bln drams. Particularly, 7.9 bln drams was
received from taxation of imported excise taxable goods, including
3.5 bln drams – from taxation of gasoline and diesel fuel, and 3.4
bln drams was received from taxation of imported cigarettes. State
budgetary revenues from taxation of excise taxable goods produced in
Armenia made 3.4 bln drams, including 1.2 bln drams – from the sale
of cigarettes made in the country. Budgetary revenues from excise
tax declined by 1.5% or 175.1 mln drams on the same period of 2006,
due to a decline in revenues from the sale of alcoholic drinks made
in Armenia and cigarettes.

Profit tax revenues made over 26.4 bln drams or 20.8% of tax revenues
in January-April 2007. The high growth tendency with respect to profit
tax revenues continued: they increased by 25.4% or 5.4 bln drams on
the same period of last year. A considerable growth was registered
in payments by non-state enterprises, including organizations with
foreign capital.

Income tax revenues of the RA state budget amounted to 11.6 bln drams,
which made up 9.1% of tax revenues. Most of income tax revenues was
received as revenues from execution of labor and civil agreements,
which made 10.9 bln drams. Income tax revenues grew by 14.8% or 1.5
bln drams on the same period of 2006.

AZERBAIJAN DEMANDS TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY, WHILE AZERI JOURNALISTS URGE POLITICAL SHELTER FROM EUROPEAN STATES
By Aghavni Haroutiunian

AZG Armenian Daily
01/06/2007

OSCE Chairman Miguel Angel Moratinus and Goran Lenmarker, Chairman of
the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, are going to arrive in Baku on July 4.

Moratinus and Lenmarker are expected to arrive in Armenia after
Azerbaijan. They are going to discuss various issues with the
presidents of two countries, as well as with the Armenian and Azeri
foreign ministers. Most likely, the sides will also touch upon
the recent situation with the printed press in Azerbaijan and the
violations against the journalists.

It’s worth mentioning that while the international organizations
express concern about the situation with the printed press in
Azerbaijan, the official Baku do not care that the Azeri journalists
want to leave their homeland. "Journalists without Borders"
organization informed that 14 journalists of closed "Gyundelik
Azerbaijan" and "Realni Azerbaijan" newspapers turned for political
shelter to the foreign states. The editor of "Nota Bene" newspaper also
seeks for political shelter, fearing to risk his safety in Azerbaijan.

The journalists turned to the embassies of USA, Germany, the Great
Britain, Norway, as well as to the OSCE Office with the request to
give them political shelter.

ACA ASKS PRESIDENT BUSH TO RECOGNIZE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

ArmRadio.am
01.06.2007 14:48

In a statement issued to the White House, the Armenian Council of
America expressed its satisfaction towards the President’s actions
regarding the Darfur Genocide, but asked the President to have the
same moral concerns towards the reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide.

While the ACA statement praised President Bush for doing the
right thing Tuesday by increasing sanctions against the military
government in the Sudan, which has to take responsibility for the
Genocide of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians in Darfur,
and displacing millions more, the ACA continued to ask the President
and his Administration to stop advocating against the reaffirmation
of the Armenian Genocide Resolution on the Capital Hill.

"It is the moral responsibility of the leader of the free world
to hinder acts of Genocides throughout the world. We commend the
President’s actions towards the Darfur Genocide and ask him to have
the moral strength to act with the same manor towards the Armenian
Genocide," read the ACA statement.

House Resolution 106 and Senate Resolution 106 call upon the President
to ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects
appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related
to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the
United States record relating to the Armenian Genocide.

Currently the support for H.R. 106 and S.R. 106 has reached 195
members of within the U.S. House, and 30 members within the US. Senate.

OUTCOMES OF MAY 12 ELECTIONS INSPIRE CONFIDENCE IN CONTINUATION OF REFORMS, KOCHARIAN SAYS

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.05.2007 14:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A regular meeting of the security council on atomic
energy started in Yerevan May 30.

When addressing the attendees Armenian President Robert Kocharian
touched upon the development of country’s economy and post-election
political processes.

"The economic growth in Armenia will be preserved during next 3-5
years. A 12,5% growth was observed in the republic during recent
6 years. In 2007 the GDP index is approximately the same," the RA
leader said.

Mr Kocharian drew attention to the reforms, which made the economy
growth possible. "Reforms are being carried out in economic,
educational and social fields. A second stage of reforms was launched
in the juridical system," he said.

"Armenia has completed discussions in the energy field with the
Russian Federation and proceeded to implementation of projects,"
the President said.

An Armenian-Russian bilateral working group was formed and charged with
the task to elaborate a project of construction of a new NPP. Rosatom
head Sergey Kiriyenko stated readiness for technical and financial
participation in the project.

The Armenian President emphasized that the outcomes of May 12
parliamentary elections inspire certitude in continuation of reforms in
the republic. The ruling coalition confirmed its mandate of confidence,
according to him.

Introducing Serge Sargsyan as new Prime Minister, Robert Kocharian
said, "Serge Sargsyan is aware of all economic reforms and I am
convinced that the reforms will be continued," IA Regnum reports.

Amnesty International Report 2007

REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA

Head of state: Robert Kocharian
Head of government: Andranik Markarian
Death penalty: abolitionist for all crimes
International Criminal Court: signed

Conscientious objectors continued to be imprisoned. There were reports
of intimidation of independent journalists. The Ombudsperson was
removed from her post in January by a presidential decree that she
alleged was unconstitutional.

Conscientious objectors

Armenia did not release conscientious objectors to military service,
in defiance of its obligations and commitments undertaken when
acceding to the Council of Europe to respect the right to freedom of
thought, conscience and religion, and despite the introduction of an
alternative civilian service to military service in national
legislation in July 2004. Conscientious objectors continued to
complain that in both its legislative framework and implementation,
Armenia’s alternative service was under the supervision and control of
the military and so did not constitute a real civilian alternative to
military service. As of November there were reportedly 48 Jehovah’s
Witnesses and one Molokan (a member of a Russian religious minority)
in detention for draft evasion. Forty-four of the Jehovah’s Witnesses
had been tried and sentenced to terms ranging from 18 to 48 months’
imprisonment. The remaining four were charged and awaiting trial.

In January an amendment to the criminal code was adopted making
conscripts who refuse to perform alternative service liable to
imprisonment. In May, 19 men, all Jehovah’s Witnesses, filed an appeal
with the European Court of Human Rights to prevent retrospective
prosecution for their abandonment of the alternative service in
2004. Fifteen of the 19 applicants had been arrested in August 2005
and sentenced to between two and three and a half years’ imprisonment
under existing articles of the criminal code dealing with desertion
from military service rather than refusal to perform alternative
service. Although their convictions were later overturned and all
were subsequently released, the courts refused to formally acquit the
men. The case was dropped in November when all 19 were acquitted and
all charges against them dropped.

¢ In October a decision of the Court of Appeal granted a
prosecutor’s request for a stricter sentence to be handed down to
Jehovah’s Witness Hayk Avetisian. His sentence was increased from 24
to 30 months.

Freedom of expression
Human rights activists and the Ombudsperson’s Office expressed concern
over incidents of intimidation and harassment against independent
journalists, including two assaults, death threats and the stoning of
personal property.

¢ On 6 September, Hovannes Galajian of the Iravunk newspaper was
beaten by two unidentified men outside his home. The attack followed
the publication of a number of articles criticizing prominent
officials.

¢ In July the network of independent journalists Hetq Online
received threats of reprisals, including death threats, if its
journalists continued to publish articles concerning the illegal
acquisition of land for redevelopment.

Ombudsperson removed from office
Ombudsperson Larisa Alaverdian was removed from her post in January by
presidential decree and her duties entrusted to an interim
three-member commission. She alleged that her removal and replacement
were unconstitutional because a presidential prerogative either to
dismiss the Ombudsperson or to replace that post by another body was
not provided for in Armenian law. She and other human rights activists
alleged that her removal had been prompted by her criticism of
government policies and practices. A new Ombudsperson was elected by
the National Assembly in February.

Human rights lawyer released on bail
Lawyer Vahe Grigorian, known for his advocacy work for families
resisting forced eviction for government-led redevelopment programmes
in central Yerevan, was released on bail in February. He had been
held since October 2005 on charges of fraud which he alleged were
unfounded and politically motivated. The charges against him were not
dropped and the case was still pending at the end of the year.

AI country reports/visits
Reports
¢ Europe and Central Asia: Summary of Amnesty International’s
concerns in the region, January-June 2006 (AI Index: EUR 01/017/2006)

¢ Commonwealth of Independent States: Positive trend on the
abolition of the death penalty but more needs to be done (AI Index:
EUR 04/003/2006)

Visit
AI delegates visited Armenia in April.