Author: Chakhmakhchian Vatche

RA DEFENCE MINISTER ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN COOPERATION IN DEFENCE AND SECURITY SPHERES

Noyan Tapan
May 25 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 25, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Defence Minister Mikayel Haroutiunian
met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to
Armenia Revaz Gachechiladze on May 25. At the meeting they exchanged
opinions about issues related to regional security and mentioned
policy of two countries aimed at regional stability.

As Noyan Tapan was informed from RA Defence Ministry, M. Haroutiunian
attached importance to bilateral cooperation in defence and security
spheres. The Minister assured that the Armenian authorities have the
goal to develop Armenian-Georgian friendly relations for even more.

ARMAN MELIKYAN: FAIR RESOLUTION IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT KARABAKH PARTICIPATION IN THE TALKS

ArmRadio.am
24.05.2007 16:18

Adviser to NKR President Arman Melikyan said in Yerevan today that
the new Armenian Parliament and Government must present their clear
stances on the settlement of the Karabakh issue.

Arman Melikyan declared that "without the full resumption of the
Minsk process and Stepanakert’s return to the bargaining table, it is
impossible to anticipate fair resolution of the Karabakh issue." He
noted that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs have their share of guilt
in Karabakh’s non-participation in the current format of negotiations.

In his words, "the Armenian President can take into consideration
the interests of the Karabakhi side, but cannot represent the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic.

"The Nagorno Karabakh Republic can be represented only by its
President," Arman Melkyan declared.

The Adviser to NKR President considers that the issue of Armenian
refugees form Azerbaijan can become a serious factor in the negotiation
process. In Melikyan’s words, if Armenian refugees do not wish to
return to their former settlements, a similar decision should be taken
in regard to the Azerbaijani refugees from Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh
and adjacent territories.

SECOND ARMS SHIPMENT TO ARMENIA

B92, Serbia
May 23 2007

BELGRADE — Zastava Arms renewed their request to state institutions
for the second permit to export arms and military equipment to Armenia.

According to some reports, the Serbian Ministry of Defense has
contacted the Kragujevac-based weapons manufacturer producer with
information that they had secured all the necessary permits for
the shipment and will send the export permit by the end of May or
early June.

The second contingent of arms and military equipment bound for Armenia
is worth around US$ 900,000.

OBSERVERS AND PRIME-MINISTER SATISFIED WITH ELECTIONS

Panorama.am
22:21 22/05/2007

The Prime-minister of Armenia Serge Sargsyan received the delegation of
International election observation mission headed by Ambassador Boris
Frlec. The head of delegation noted that the observation mission has
already published the preliminary statement on the May 12 parliamentary
elections and now works at the concluding document.

According to Frlec, the document will include detailed observation
results including shortcomings marked and suggestions on their
elimination. "With this elections Armenia set a new standard for the
forthcoming elections. That was a firm step to progress. Step by step
it makes the progress irreversible", – Boris Frlec said in course of
the meeting with Armenian Prime-minister.

In Ambassador’s opinion, the Republican party holding the parliamentary
majority can play an important role and support some amendments of
Electoral code, if necessary. Prime-minister Sargsyan in his turn
expressed gratitude "for the unbiased and impartial judgment". He also
noticed that Armenian authorities and parliamentary major Republican
party, though being essentially satisfied with electoral process and
results, still think there are things to be done to hold elections
entirely complying with the international standards.

"We always say we wish the parliamentary elections in Armenia to be
the best elections, but it’s risky to claim they will be in absolute
accordance with international standards as we understand that
it’s a process and it’s not that easy to overcome all the existing
difficulties at once. I think we got an important goal with this
elections, setting a new standard for the upcoming presidential
elections", – Serge Sargsyan said.

Answering Mr. Frlec’s question concerning the Republican’s plans of
cooperation with other political forces the Prime-minister once again
confirmed the repeatedly stated position of the party to maximally
involve the parliamentary and non-parliamentary forces both in
National Assembly and Governmental processes in order to form a more
trustworthy government.

KARABAKH DIFFERS FROM KOSOVO: FM OF RUSSIA

arminfo
2007-05-23 14:30:00

Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov advised official Baku not
to mill the history.

Coming forwards in the Baku State University, S. Lavrov touched on
the Karabakh conflict and drew a parallel between the events of the
midst of XX Century. "In any conflict, any crisis, one can follow
the way of permanent milling of the history and make it a tool of
the modern policy.

Unfortunately, this sometimes happens with the results of the World
War II, while there is another way acting, that is, aiming at the
present or the future and achieving for every conflict to get a
generally-accepted settlement".

Asked about the parallel between Nagorno Karabakh and Kosovo, the
"Vremya Novostey" reports, S. Lavrov said granting of independence to
the Serbian Territory in one-sided sequence will create a dangerous
precedent for the Caucasian region. In his opinion, the situation
in Karabakh conflict differs from the Kosovo sample. "There are no
any attempts of imposing one’s decision, which are available in the
Kosovo settlement, and no attempts by any party to avoid negotiations",
RF FM said.

OSKANIAN MET WITH MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS

A1+
[01:53 pm] 23 May, 2007

May 23, 2007- RoA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian hosted Yuri
Merzlyakov and Bernard Fassier, the OSCE Minsk group Co-Chairs who
are in Yerevan on a regional visit. The parties dwelt on disputable
issues of the Karabakh conflict negotiation process and the schedule
of upcoming meetings, the press service of the RoA Foreign Ministry
reports.

"I DO NOT CONSIDER ARTHUR BAGHDASARYAN AN OPPOSITION"

A1+
[06:15 pm] 17 May, 2007

"Legally the parliamentary elections are over and we cannot do
anything. We are going to dispute the results of the elections at the
Constitutional Court only to show the international community that
we do not accept the results",- announced leader of the "New Times
Party" Aram Karapetyan today. The "New Times Party" will not join the
"Country of Law Party" in applying to the Constitutional Court or
will not provide it with the proves of fraud cases which he has got.

However, he is ready to present the Constitutional Court the registered
fraud cases of the powers which joined "Impeachment". "I apologize,
but I have never considered the "Country of Law Party" an opposition",
– said Aram Karapetyan. From his point of view, Arthur Baghdasaryan
should have replied Robert Kocharyan announcing that the latter was
the betrayer.

Without missing the chance, the journalists tried to find out
whether the "Heritage Party" was an opposition or not. "It is still an
opposition",- said Aram Karapetyan and added that the political powers
should unite about an idea. "For example, we are people with various
ideologies, united under the idea of "Impeachment". Mr. Karapetyan
assured that the rallies of "Impeachment" would continue and the
opposition would do its best to broaden the circle of participants.

The "New Times Party" also managed to find out why the RA citizens
absent from the Republic were not allowed to take part in the
elections. "They were going to rig. It is clear why they did not allow
using ink for thumbs, since if a person was to vote several times that
would easily come out. Unfortunately, we could never think that about
470 thousand illegal passports would be prepared. They are easy to
differentiate, the false passports do not have holograms and the seal
of registration on them is not black but blue". Aram Karapetyan stated
that technologies for rigging elections in the RA are improving. "I am
convinced that the presidential elections will be more difficult". He
did not share the opinion that the nation was massively sold.

"Judging from the information published by the Central Electoral
Commission only 15-20 percent of voters sold their votes. The
authorities introduced the idea of selling votes, because Serge
Sargsyan can become President only by buying votes". Aram Karapetyan
also reminded about the results the "Prosperous Armenia Party" was
talking about before the end of elections and those they finally
got. "By spending millions the "Prosperous Armenia Party" has got
as many votes as the opposition". According to Aram Karapetyan a
generation change is taking place in the opposition.

The leader of the "New Times Party" is going to be nominated during the
2008 presidential elections and he is sure that he or the leader of the
"Country of Law Party" Arthur Baghdasaryan will be a real competitor
of Serge Sargsyan. As to Raffi Hovannisian, Aram Karapetyan thinks
that the authorities will create real obstacles for him. The Leader
of the "New Times Party" does not exclude that the presidential
elections might take place earlier than they are expected, if the
"Impeachment" manages to raise a wave. Aram Karapetyan is convinced
that the "Impeachment" and the "New Times Party" will cooperate
during the presidential elections as well, since it will become an
"Impeachment to Serge Sargsyan".

CYBER CRIME TRAINING FOR ARMENIAN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS

armradio.am
18.05.2007 13:03

During the week of May 14 through the 18th, three US Federal Bureau
of Investigation Special Agents will conduct a Computer (Cyber) Crime
Training Course at the Police Academy of the Republic of Armenia
in Yerevan. The attendees include eight officials from the National
Security Service, five from the RA Police and four from the National
Bureau of Expertises.

The Computer (Cyber) Crime Training Course is designed by computer
experts to familiarize law enforcement officers with examples of
common computer crimes and investigative methods. The course will
give the participants instruction on how criminals can use computers
to commit crimes, the risk of "hackers" to computer networks, and
how to trace the computer evidence that criminals leave behind.

The course is funded by the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement
Affairs Office of the US Embassy in Yerevan. US Charge d’Affaires
Anthony Godfrey presented graduation certificates to the participants
upon completion of the course.

This project is only part of the US Government’s comprehensive law
enforcement assistance program in the Republic of Armenia. The US
Embassy in Yerevan, through its International Narcotics and Law
Enforcement Section, has funded the renovation of such facilities
as the National Bureau of Expertises, the Police Induction Center in
Kanaker, the Border Guards Training Facility in Yerevan and the Customs
House in Vanadzor. The Embassy has donated computer equipment in all
these facilities, as well as the computer equipment in the Police
Academy classroom where the cyber crime training will take place.

The Embassy is also working with the Government of Armenia to establish
a nationwide, computerized border management information system and
a nationwide computer network for the RA Police. The US Government
provides about $3 million a year in law enforcement assistance to
Armenia to all these facilities.

PARTICIPATION IN COMING PRESIDENT’S ELECTIONS IS IGNORANCE, PARUYR HAYRIKIAN FINDS

Noyan Tapan
May 18 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. "Neither on May 12, nor before it nor
after it anything happened that was a surprise for us, and these
can not be called elections," Paruyr Hayrikian, the Chairman of the
National Self-Determination (Azgayin Inknoroshum) union stated at the
May 18 press conference. In his words, the opposition did not unite
as "the boys played lottery." And as a result of the elections, in
P. Hayrikian’s words, not only the opposition but also non-partisan
Robert Kocharian lost.

In the National Self-Determination leader’s words, in conditions of
the acting Constitution, participation in the president’s elections
is ignorance as, according to the Constitution, the Prime Minister
having support of the parliamentary majority, is the most influential
state official. That’s why, in P. Hayrikian’s words, the president’s
elections will change nothing in the country.

According to P. Hayrikian’s characterization, those striving today for
becoming a president have either complex of political imperfection or
are regular adventurists. "So, it is necessary to inform the happy
ones who were not able to form a joint front at the parliamentary
elections and did not hinder them, and now dream to become a united
candidate, that the train already left," he said.

The National Self-Determination leader mentioned that with the help of
his experience and passed way, he is not only able but also obliged to
be the President of Armenia. But, P. Hayrikian will participate in the
president’s elections only in the case of presence of some conditions.

PENSION EXPLANATORY DICTIONARY FOR FIRST TIME PUBLISHED IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
May 18 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA State Insurance Fund formed and
published the pension explanatory dictionary to fill ommission of the
methodological literature existing in the sphere. The publishing house
involves more than 280 conceptions relating to numerous issues relating
to the pension sphere which are presented in the alphabetical order,
in the Armenian and English languages.

As fund Chairman Vazgen Khachikian mentioned during the May 18
presentation of the book, it is the first time that such a dictionary
is published in Armenia. In his words, pension reforms proceed in
the republic at present, the goal of which is to form a financially
stable, socially fair and viable pension system. In that sense, in
V. Khachikian’s words, the dictionary will be useful not only for
specialists but also for wide circles of the society.