Author: Chakrian Hovsep

ASSIGNMENTS OF 13.1 BILLION WILL GROW DURING THE YEAR

KarabakhOpen
31-01-2008 11:55:22

13.15 billion drams has been assigned for construction by the state
budget 2008. According to the program, 330 million drams will be
allocated for the construction and repair of houses for the families
of killed azatamartiks. About 10.6 billion drams will be allocated
for urban planning, 500 thousand for the repair and maintenance of
roads. 180 million drams will be allocated for settlers and refugees.

During the meeting of government the governors said assignments for
construction have been cut. Prime Minister Ara Harutiunyan said in the
course of the year expenditure on construction will be boosted. He
said this year the entire village of Mets Tagher and the town of
Hadrut will have gas supply.

OFFICE OF PROSECUTOR GENERAL INVESTIGATES DEBTS OF ARTSAKH FOREST

KarabakhOpen
30-01-2008 13:37:45

Last autumn the government reorganized Artsakh Forest into a state
non-commerce organization, which cannot license logging. Artsakh
Forest’s duties are preservation and forest engineering. On January 29
the government decided to entitle the State Committee for Environment
to licensing logging.

The government discussed the debts of Artsakh Forest which owes
109 million drams of tax liabilities, according to the ministry of
agriculture. The deputy prime minister Armo Tsatryan requested the
Office of Prosecutor General for investigation and action. Prosecutor
General Arshavir Gharamyan said during the meeting of government that
currently audit is being conducted in the company to find out who is
to blame for the debts.

ARMENIAN MP: "DECLARATIONS OF AZERBAIJANI SIDE ABOUT A FIERCE FIGHT WITH ARMENIAN REPRESENTATIVES IN PACE ARE POPULIST"

Today
itics/42768.html
Jan 30 2008
Azerbaijan

"Declarations of Azerbaijani side on a fierce fight with Armenian
representatives in PACE are populist, targeting the Azerbaijani
community".

The due announcement was made by David Arutyunan, head of Armenian
delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe,
introducing results of the PACE January session.

"The Azerbaijani delegation spreads information about its fierce fight
with the Armenian delegation in PACE and winning over Armenia in this
fight. Of course, this is a populist step, targeting the Azerbaijani
community", Arutyunan noted,

He said PACE should not be regarded as a ring, on which two delegations
are fighting against each other, while the remaining ones undertook
the role of judges.

"We have common problems, facing the Council of Europe and fixed
by three major principles, including human rights, democracy and
supremacy of law. PACE’s activity aims to settle these three tasks
and we see our participation in the activity of the Assembly in this
very aspect", Arutyunan said.

ARMENIAN PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES SHOULD FIND COMMON ASPECTS OF COOPERATION WITH BIG FOREIGN COMPANIES, ADA OFFICIAL SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Jan 28, 2008

YEREVAN, JANUARY 28, NOYAN TAPAN. The international market of
pharmaceutical production is divided among several powerful companies,
and in order to enter this market, Armenian companies should find
some common aspects of cooperation with these companies, the director
for investment attraction of the Armenian Development Agency (ADA)
Natalia Artsruni said during a talk with NT correspondent.

According to her, the establishment of cooperation may start with
the Armenian pharmaceutical companies’ proposal on a number of
long-term scientific developments. The obtaining of their patents
by foreign companies or the financing of laboratories engaged in
scientific developments will contribute to their integaration into
the international pharmaceutical research market, later – also to the
introduction of some pharmaceutical production cycles in Armenia by
foreign companies.

"Unfortunaltely, big companies make investments in countries with
a large market. The Armenian market is small, which is the greatest
obstacle to attraction of invetsments to the country’s pharmaceutical
sector," the ADA’s official underlined.

It was mentioned that liquid medicines that are easy to synthesize,
as well as ointments and pills are mainly produced in Armenia. All
the four institutes of fine organic chemistry conduct pharmaceutical
studies.

In the words of N. Artsruni, with the aim of bringing the
production quality and conditions into line with European
standards, three Armenian pharmaceutical companies have introduced
certificates of correspondence with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
standards. "However, new standards are used in Europe now. Certificates
of correspondence to Drug Master File standards are required for the
import of new medicines, even food supplements for animals, which in
its turn requires considerable investments," she said.

In her opinion, from the viewpoint of satisfying the requirements
on European standards, Armenian pharmaceutical companies may enter
the market by exporting medicines, whose production patents have
expired in some or other European country. She added that markets of
"third world countries" may be considered as perspective for Armenian
pharmaceutical companies.

Natalia Artsruni links the hopes of using the potential of
Armenia’s pharmaceutical companies and research institutions with the
USIAD-financed Competitive Armenian Private Sector (CAPS) project. In
November 2007, the pharmaceutical sector was included in the list of
sectors receiving the project’s assistance – in addition to information
technologies and tourism sectors.

According to ADA’s information, there are 11 pharmaceutical companies
with a total of 500 employees in Armenia. The production of these
companies is sold in the domestic market and exported to Russia,
Georgia and Turkmenistan.

US Fed News
January 25, 2008 Friday 4:24 AM EST

DELEGATION OF ARMENIA PARTICIPATED TO ‘NATO’S PARTNERSHIPS – THE
OBERAMMERGAU SYMPOSIUM’

OBERAMMERGAU, Germany

The Republic of Armenia’s mission to NATO issued the following mews
release:

Delegation of Armenia headed by Ambassador S. Mkrtchian participated
to "NATO"s Partnerships – The Oberammergau Symposium." At the two
Plenary sessions titled "Partnerships after Riga – Are We Making
Progress" and "The Bucharest Summit and Beyond – Visions for the
Future" and at several working groups intensive discussions helped to
ascertain the positions of Allies and Partners on achievements and
problems of NATO"s different partnerships.

CEREMONY OF ARARAT PROVINCE’S WATER DEPARTMENT OPENING TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA

Arka News Agency
Jan 25 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, January 25. /ARKA/. The ceremony of Ararat (Armenia)
province’s water department opening is to be held on Friday, the
USAID office of the program focused on institutional and legislative
administration of water economy reports.

Armenian Deputy Nature Protection Minister Hakob Matilyan, Chief of
Water Agency Alfred Nersisyan, USAID Economic Development Office
Director Rolf Anderson and USAID Water Program Director Robert
Cardinalli will be present at the ceremony.

"SPORT IS A PLACE FOR EVERYONE"

A1+
24 January, 2008

"The freedom of press, as the freedom of speech and expression are
in the basis of a democratic society.

Defending press we defend democracy, our right for truth. Free press
today is a guarantee for the future of democracy", said member of
the RA NA Delegation to PACE in Strasbourg Vahe Hovhannisyan.

The PACE Committee on Culture, Science and Education discussed cases of
violations against journalists (including in Belarus, Russia, Turkey).

During the discussion the Armenian representative noted that
violence against journalists, physical abuses are acts of violence
against the freedom of thought. They cannot have any justification
or explanation. "Not depreciating the importance of journalistic and
media ethics, still the persecution of journalists and acts of violence
may have no justification and must be considered as unnatural in any
country of the world".

Vahe Hovhannisyan reminded that a year had passed since the famous
journalist, editor of "Agos" Armenian newspaper Hrant Dink was
killed in Istanbul. "We have to state that nationalistic spirits in
any country have a negative influence on the freedom of thought and
expression. This means that authorities in these countries must work
harder to ensure increase of tolerance inside their societies",
he said. The members of Turkish delegation responded to him,
strictly condemning the assassination. In the second part of the
day they discussed the resolution on European Sport Model. The Head
of the Armenian Delegation David Harutyunyan nad the member of the
Delegation Vahe Hovhannisyan protecting adotpiotn of the resolution
in their speeches.

"One of important characteristics of sport is its being away from
politics. Amongst its social, cultural and educational features sport
has to preserve this one, too, and remain above politics. It will
allow strengthening its role of uniting people all over the world
based on their interests and common features, and not – on their
ethnic or political belonging.

I want to mention here the forthcoming match between Armenian and
Turkish National Football Teams during World Cup qualification matches.

This match should become an evidence of the non-politicized nature of
sport. It must also show the real capacities of contemporary sport
to overcome the long-lasting tension between Armenian and Turkish
publics. I want to remind that there are still no diplomatic relations
between our states. It makes everything harder.

Armenian sport officials have already declared their readiness to
ensure security and welcome for Turkish players and fans. Turkish
side has also stated similar willingness. This must be a multi-sided
work, and I hope it will result in a good football, uniting instead
of dividing us", said Vahe Hovhannisyan in his speech.

"Sport is a place for everyone, and the dearest value of the European
Model is its principle of democracy.

It’s something that lets people stay in touch with each other and
be more humane. Everybody truly dedicated to sporting values should
invest his effort to protect its democratic and open future" concluded
Vahe Hovhannisyan.

The Armenian Delegation voted for the adoption of the resolution.

MIGRANTS ARE TRAITORS, REFUGEES POTENTIAL CRIMINALS
Cengiz Aktar

Turkish Daily News, Turkey
Jan 22 2008

An individual shows three likely behaviors in front of institutions
in decline, says Albert O. Hirschman in his "Exit, Voice and Loyalty."

When we apply observations of the American sociologist to eastern
societies we rarely see the second response, Voice. Consent as fate
or Loyalty is most frequently seen in eastern societies. But perhaps
leaving, moving out or Exit is the behavior that hurts the most,
as people do not leave their birthplace for fun. They quit only
under duress; they leave their villages, homes and memories behind,
only in difficult times.

Renowned composer Fazýl Say’s voiced consideration about leaving
Turkey, in contrast to many who are of the same opinion yet are keeping
it silent, caused a public stir recently. We, as usual, found ourselves
in the middle of discussions based on cheap nationalism.

But these lands, for centuries and probably since the beginning of
life, have been lands of migration.

Those who come

To begin with, Turkish tribes top the list of people coming to
Anatolia. Later on, during the Ottoman period, Jews who had to escape
from the Spanish reconquista were welcomed. And in the near past,
during the 19th and early 20th centuries, Anatolia became the scene
of migrations on a massive scale. Muslim peoples of the Caucasus
and Crimea sought shelter in the land of the Ottomans due to Russian
pressure and Muslims in newly established nation-states in the Balkans
moved into Anatolia. They came in haste or in an orderly fashion
within agreed population exchanges. In this sense, Anatolia, at least
as much as France, is a "land of asylum." During Nazism in Europe,
Jewish scientists escaping from Austria and Germany were granted the
right of asylum. It is one of the best practices of modern times.

However immigrants and refugees in post-modern Turkey have an extremely
negative image. Worse, they are seen as potential criminals. They are
tolerated as long as they are invisible and the reaction is sheer
indifference when they are drowned in the Aegean Sea while trying
to cross to Greece. And there are many more to come as the number of
illegal migrants in Turkey is estimated to be around 200,000. As for
four million Iraqis who escaped to save their lives, they are not
very welcome in neighboring Turkey.

Those who leave

Those who leave or had to leave are plenty in number. During the 19th
century Ottoman Arabs, Armenians, Greeks and Turks in sizable numbers
moved to America. In early 20th century Anatolian Rum (Greeks with
Turkish citizenship) were part of a population exchange as Armenians
disappeared as a result of forced migration and mass killings. In
the 1960s remaining non-Muslims left again and millions migrated to
Europe as migrant workers. Many Kurds and Turks sought political asylum
following the military coups of 1971 and 1980. And today some are still
thinking of leaving Turkey. Globalization and tremendous progress in
communication and transportation obviously make migration easier.

Artists indeed top the list of globalists, perfectly in line with
the universal nature of the language of art and culture. When Fazýl
Say talks however, look how the country’s prime minister reacts:
"Artists of a country do not leave their country. People born in
this country live in this country." These poor remarks could have
otherwise applied to poet Nazým Hikmet and composer Gomidas Vartabed
who had to leave these lands and died away from home in times when
leaving the country was not a common practice!

Every human leaving his/her country is a loss for that country and
everyone coming to a country is a plus for that country. Anatolia
is a land in deficit in terms of human resources as it has lost more
than it has received.

–Boundary_(ID_6i1tR1Ve9Iw9ZmVTPcM/Wg)- –

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN ARMENIA TO BE HELD IN 2 ROUNDS, A POLITICAL EXPERT THINKS

arminfo
2008-01-21 19:15:00

ArmInfo. The presidential election in Armenia will most likely be held
in two rounds, Head of the RA Union of Politicians Hmayak Hovhannisyan
said at a press-conference at Friday club, Monday.

This statement is proved not only by the fact that 9 candidates
announced their intention to run for president, but also by the
circumstance that some politicians who state their adherence to
the oppositional field are intending to deliver a blow on not
pro-governmental parties but oppositional ones, and this will also
affect the election returns. "I think you understand whom I mean. One
shouldn’t break head over it as if it is a question of a difficult
crossword", he said. Another factor which may influence the result of
the election is the protest electorate. It would be a mistake not to
take into account this electorate’s existence, Hovhannisyan said. "The
protesting electorate has not changed in the republic since 1995.

As the two round presidential election in 1998 and 2003 showed, this
electorate can make its voice heard", he said. At the same time,
Hovhannisyan admitted that Levon Ter-Petrosyan will have to do his
best to gain the affection of the protest electorate. But one can
say that a certain part of population forgave him conditionally. To
gain complete trust of the population, he should carry out all his
pre-electoral promises at least if he is elected", he said. However,
Hovhannisyan noted that he welcomes the Armenian ex-president’s
participation in the election whatever happens. "The emergence of
his figure in the political field became a kind of accelerator to
tighten the fight between the presidential candidates", he said.

THOUSANDS COMMEMORATE KILLING OF TURKISH-ARMENIAN JOURNALIST

BosNewsLife
Jan 21 2008
Hungary

ISTANBUL, TURKEY (BosNewsLife)– Thousands of grief-stricken
supporters marked the first anniversary of the killing of Hrant Dink,
a Turkish-Armenian journalist gunned down in Istanbul last year after
criticizing mass killings of predominantly Christian Armenians by
Ottoman Turks and Kurds in the 1915-1917 period.

Demonstrators, many holding black-and-white placards reading:
"For Hrant, for justice", in Turkish, Armenian and other languages,
expressed frustration Saturday, January 19, that the trial of those
allegedly involved in the murder is taking place behind closed doors
because the apparent gunman is a minor.

A total of 19 suspects are on trial, however human rights group Amnesty
International has urged Turkey to widen the investigation into his
death amid reports of alleged complicity of security officials.

Dink said before his death he had received a number of death threats
over his writings. His work also brought him a suspended 6-month jail
sentence under Turkey’s article 301, a law that makes it a crime to
insult Turkish identity. The European Union, which Turkey wants to
join, has expressed concerns about the legislation.

JUSTICE MINISTER

In published remarks, Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin said that
work on changes to the infamous Article 301 has been completed and
that a proposed amendment to the legislation will be submitted to
Parliament for debate.

Dink was convicted for an article he penned in the minority newspaper
Agos expressing his views on the mass killings of Armenians at the
hands of the Ottomans since 1915. Up to 1.5 million Armenians,
Assyrians and Hellenic Christians were killed in the 1915-1917
genocide, according to at least a dozen countries. Turkey has both
denied these figures or involvement by Turkish Ottoman in mass murder
and refuses to recognize that "genocide" took place.

Dink, who was the editor of Agos, was shot outside his office on
January 19, 2007, allegedly by a hard-line nationalist teenager
opposing his views. His killing led to international condemnation
and debate within Turkey about free speech. "We are at the pavement
where they tried to clean his blood with soap," Dink’s wife Rakel
said in a speech from the office balcony. "You are here for justice
today. A scream for justice rises from your silence." The crowd held
a minute’s silence at mark the moment when Dink was shot.

RELIGOUS CEREMONY

A religious ceremony was to be held in the Armenian Church of Mother
Mary on Sunday, January 20, to commemorate Dink. His widow, Rakel,
daughters, Sera and Delal, son Ararat, his brother, Orhan Dink,
and other officials and representatives of Istanbul’s tiny Armenian
community were to attend the service. Dinks’ murder added to concerns
about attacks against Christians in Turkey.

At least five Christians were killed and several others injured in
attacks within the last two years.

The European Union has complained that Turkey, an EU applicant, fails
to fully protect the religious freedoms of its tiny Christian minority,
which numbers some 100,000 in a predominantly Muslim population of
nearly 75 million people. (With BosNewsLife’s Stefan J. Bos).