Author: Chalian Meline

TWO COMPANIES BID FOR ARMENIAN RAILROAD

Lragir.am
14-09-2007 14:06:24

The minister of communication and transport Andranik Manukyan told
reporters today the Russian Railways and the Indian Railways companies
bid for the concession on the Armenian railroad company. Andranik
Manukyan said the deadline for submitting documents is September
21, the documents will be studied until October 15. According to
the minister, the terms of the concession are: 10 million dollars
in advance, transfer of 2 percent of income from shipment to the
government, investment of 170 million dollars within 10 years.

An Evening with Orhan Pamuk
Friday, October 19, 2007 @ 8:00 PM, Campbell Hall

2006 Nobel Prize Laureate in Literature

`The great and almost irresistibly beguiling Turkish novelist.’ The New York
Times Book Review

Author Orhan Pamuk has gained international recognition for his compelling
works of fiction. His landmark novel The Black Book (Kara Kitap) signified a
definite break from the social realism of Turkish literature and provoked
worldwide debate for its Sufism references. Pamuk’s most recent work, Snow
(Kar), is a tale of love and poetry that illustrates the political and
religious conflicts that characterize modern Turkey. A Nobel Laureate, Pamuk
has been honored with more than a dozen literary awards and has had his work
translated into more than 40 languages.

Books will be available for purchase and signing.

SHANEE BOWS TO THE ‘KILLER QUEEN’

Barking & Dagenham Recorder, UK
12 September 2007

SHANEE MARTIN’S hopes of lifting the WBA female world flyweight
championship were crushed when she suffered a three-round defeat at
the hands of Armenian title-holder Susi Kentikian at the Burg-Wachter
Castello Arena in Dusseldorf, Germany on Friday night, writes LEN
WHALEY.

The east London-trained fighter travelled to Germany knowing she
faced the toughest test of her career against her undefeated rival,
the East European champion, backed by the German show promoters and
a partisan 3,500 crowd in Dusseldorf.

Nineteen-year-old Kentikian, currently based in Hamburg where she
is billed as the ‘Killer Queen’, made it 18 straight victories with
her 14th inside-the-distance victory as she proved too strong for
her challenger.

Martin, trained by Jason Rowland, former world WBU light-welterweight
champion, was cruelly robbed of the WIBF flyweight championship when
she travelled to Hungary and was the victim of a home-town decision
against Viktoria Milo in May.

The clash in Dusseldorf gave her the chance to bounce back with the
best win of her career but the big-punching Kentikian just had too
much power on the night.

With a height and reach advantage, Martin had planned to rely on her
boxing skills to stay out of trouble and score with long-range shots.

However, once the stocky Armenian moved inside to land her powerful
hooks, she was clearly shaking her challenger.

Martin, under fire in the second round, gamely tried to turn the
fight her way but was pressurised again in the third.

She was dropped to the canvas by more heavy hooks before the referee
signalled the end with the German fans celebrating another success
for the ‘Killer Queen’.

NATO’S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO VISIT SOUTH CAUCASUS COUNTRIES

Trend News Agency
11.09.2007 19:16:48

Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr.A.Ismaylova, E.Huseynov / The special
representative of Secretary General of NATO in the South Caucasus,
Robert Simons, will visit Azerbaijan on 27-29 September.

>From 24 to 26 September Simons will visit Armenia, where he will meet
with the high ranking officials of Armenia. From 26 to 27 September
Simons will visit Georgia, and then Azerbaijan.

The issues concerning the Program on individual partnership between
Azerbaijan and NATO, as well as the current bilateral relations and
the regional issues are planning to discuss at the meeting.

FIGHT OVER THE EVENT CALLED PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IS POSSIBLE ONLY IN CASE OF LEVON TER-PETROSYAN’S PARTICIPATION, DAVID SHAKNAZARYAN IS SURE

ArmInfo
2007-09-10 12:35:00

‘Taking into consideration significant weakness of the political
system of the country and sickness of the society, one can say for
sure that the fight over the event called "presidential election
in Armenia" is possible only in case of the former president Levon
Ter-Petrosyan’s participation, a member of the Armenian Pan-National
Movement, the former national security minister, David Shaknazaryan,
told journalists in Azdak club, Saturday.

He also added that this fact is obvious for the supporter as well as
rivals of the ex-president, since there nas never been a politician of
such a level and scale over the whole history of the Armenian people.

Asked by Arminfo correspondent who guides the talks about
Ter-Petrosyan’s running for president when the latter is silent,
Shakhnazaryan replied that in the created conditions the tendency
is natural, incidentally the pro-power mass media are more active in
the process than more or less independent ones.

Touching on the prospect of holding democratic reforms in the country,
he said that one cannot mix up fair voting with fair election. ‘In
many countries of Latin America people vote without any violation,
but this does not make possible to call the election as fair. And
if today’s situation does not change, it can change only in case of
Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s running for president, in that case I don’t
rule out that the power candidate may gain a victory over the fair
voting but not election’, – David Shaknazaryan thinks.

AMBARSUM ASHATURYAN CAPTURED IN AZERBAIJAN WRITES TO HIS MOTHER SAYING HE DOES NOT WANT TO RETURN TO ARMENIA

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan

Sept 7 2007

Armenian Army soldier Ashaturyan Ambarsum Mnakovich, who has given
himself up to Azerbaijani side recently, wrote to his mother living
in Lipetsk city of Russia. APA has got the letter written in Armenian.

The following is the full text of the letter: "Dear mother, I think
you are informed about my state. I had no one to take care about
me in Armenia. I was sent to serve in Mardakert region of Nagorno
Karabakh. And my hard days started by that. The commanders treated me
badly from the very day. I must say in Armenia, Karabagh-Armenians
treat local residents the same bad way they do in Karabkh, even
worse than that. I was often beaten and hear bad language. Illness
and death cases occur more among soldiers. When you want ordinary
medicine, they say "wait, you will be given as soon as it is brought
from abroad." Therefore, I could not stand any more and broke out of
the military unit. I lost the way when I was trying to pass Armenia,
and Azeri soldiers captured me. I have been living a capture life for
many days. I cannot return to Armenia any more, I fear they would kill
me. So, I want to get to you. Please, talk to officials in Russia
to help me. Try to often contact the Committee of the Red Cross,
they can probably repatriate me to a third country.

Good bye, mum. Tell my sister not to miss me. I am in good condition
here. I am supplied with food and water in time. Yours, Ashaturyan
Ambarsum Mnakovich."

Ashaturyan was born in 1984 in Armavik region of Armenia. He
was conscripted on May 17, this year. He trespassed on Azerbaijan
attributing the case to mass bullying, use of torture and ill-treatment
in Armenian Army.

The ICRC office in Azerbaijan told APA on 3 September, this year that
the Committee representatives visited the Armenian solder for the
second time and condition was provided for him to exchange letter
with his family members.

"MALATIA IS ARMENIAN TOWN" SLOGANS CAUSED COLLISION IN TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.09.2007 16:48 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A collision took place before a football match
between Elyazig-Spor and Diarbekir teams in the Turkish town of
Malatia September 5.

Young people from Elyazig cried out slogans "Malatia is Armenian
town". As result of mass disorders the police arrested 3 brawlers. 2
were taken to hospital.

Later the guests repeated their slogans during the match. Malatia’s
security department chief Osman Kakhyan is Armenian, they said. The
policemen pushed the disturbers to the stadium’s toilet and beat them,
the Armenian Public Television reports.

ROCK FESTIVAL IN SHUSHI

KarabakhOpen
06-09-2007 13:38:33

We have learned from the Rebirth of Shushi Foudnation that on
September 16 a rock festival will be held in Shushi, in the place
called Jeder Duz.

EmpyRay, Bambir, Reincarnation, Roxidge, and other popular Armenian
rock bands will participate in the rock festival.

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

SEPTEMBER 1-6, 2007

HIGHLIGHTS:

PROGRAMS OF RADIO LIBERTY ARMENIAN SERVICE NOW AIRED ON
"ARRADIOINTERCONTINENTAL"

ARMAN BABAJANIAN REFUSED AN EARLY RELEASE

ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN RELATIONS DISCUSSED IN GUDAURI

PRESS-SECRETARY OF THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE CHANGED

PROGRAMS OF RADIO LIBERTY ARMENIAN SERVICE NOW AIRED ON
"ARRADIOINTERCONTINENTAL"

Since September 1 the broadcasts of the Armenian Service of Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty on the Public Radio of Armenia were stopped. Currently
the broadcasts of the Radio Liberty Armenian Service will be made only on
the frequencies of "ArRadioIntercontinental", in accordance with an
agreement signed with this private radio company and in force till September
16, 2008. The daily two-hour programs of Radio Liberty started to go on air
of "ArRadioIntercontinental" since August 15 with a simultaneous
transmission on Public Radio – till August 31. The change of the
broadcasting company, in opinion of the Director of the Armenian Service of
RFE/RL Atom Margarian, will result in a significant reduction of the
audience: "ArRadioIntercontinental" holds 23 transmitters, while PRA has 80
of them. Besides, Atom Margarian noted, the listeners complain of clutter on
the air.

As it has been reported, the issue of broadcasting the programs of the
RFE/RL Armenian Service on the Public Radio came into limelight in June 2007
– in the context of broadcasting amendments, submitted to the consideration
of the RA National Assembly. The drafts, developed by the Armenian
Government, proposed to prohibit the activities of other broadcasters on the
frequencies of the Public TV and Radio company, and a state duty was
stipulated, equal to 70,000 AMD (over $ 200) for "each issuance of a program
cycle of the national editorial office or a service of a foreign media by
the TV and Radio companies of the Republic of Armenia". These amendments
caused an outcry from a number of public, also journalistic, organizations
and political parties, who qualified them as an attempt to stop the
broadcasts of the Radio Liberty and restrict the freedom of expression. The
drafts failed at the parliament through only one vote unscored (see details
in YPC Weekly Newsletter, June 30 – July 5, 2007 and June 22-29, 2007).

Meanwhile, as it became known in the course of discussion of the drafts
above, the term of agreement between PRA and RFE/RL had expired in February
2007, and the negotiations about its prolongation yielded no result.

On July 6 the Council of Public TV and Radio Company resolved to stop airing
the programs of local and foreign broadcasters on the Public TV and Radio
from August 9. As noted in the explanation of the PTRC Council, the decision
was made "considering international experience of the activities of public
TV and radio companies" (quoted by "Hayastani Hanrapetutiun" daily, July 26,
2007). This decision affected not only Radio Liberty: in August the
broadcasts of "Tsayg" TV company of Gyumri on the 6th VHF that the TV
company had been using jointly with "Shirak" public television was stopped.
The same is true for the program of "Mir" Interstate TV and Radio Company on
the Public Radio of Armenia.

ARMAN BABAJANIAN REFUSED AN EARLY RELEASE

On July 19 the commission on early release and release on parole refused the
petition about the early release of the Chief Editor of "Zhamanak-Yerevan"
newspaper Arman Babajanian. As it has been reported, on September 8, 2006
the court of primary jurisdiction of Center and Nork-Marash communities of
Yerevan sentenced Arman Babajanian to 4 years’ imprisonment for document
fraud to evade military service. On January 12, 2007 the RA Court of Appeals
reduced the punishment to 3.5 years’ imprisonment, and the cassation
challenge of the journalist’s attorneys was later refused (see YPC Weekly
Newsletter, March 9-15, 2007).

ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN RELATIONS DISCUSSED IN GUDAURI

On July 20-23 in Gudauri (Georgia) a seminar "Political Developments in the
South Caucasus and Armenian-Georgian Relations: Reflection in Media" was
held. The event was organized by Yerevan Press Club and Friedrich Ebert
Foundation. It brought together representatives of media, public, also
journalistic, organizations of Armenia and Georgia.

The presentations and speeches of the seminar participants reflected "the
views from Yerevan and Tbilisi" on the main problems of the region,
relations between Armenia and Georgia and the possibilities for regional
cooperation. In particular, such issues were discussed as the role of media
in the European integration context for South Caucasus, the GUAM summit in
Baku and its coverage in the media of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia, new
schemes for cooperation in the region, their impact on the relations between
the countries of South Caucasus and their reflection in media and public
opinion, the cooperation of journalists in South Caucasus, Armenian-Georgian
relations in pre-election platforms and public activities of political
parties, coverage of problems of national minorities in the regions of
interethnic tension by media of Armenia and Georgia.

PRESS-SECRETARY OF THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE CHANGED

Since July 23 the press-secretary of the new RA Minister of Justice Gevorg
Danielian is Lana Mshetsian, previously the correspondent of "Golos Armenii"
newspaper. The former press-secretary of the former Minister of Justice
David Harutiunian Anahit Voskanian had quit the position.

When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.

You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
[email protected]

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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
_____________________________________ _______
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
0002, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 10) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 10) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site:

BAKU HOSTS THE MEETING OF THE CIS COUNCIL OF INTERIOR MINISTERS

armradio.am
06.09.2007 12:42

The meeting of the CIS Council of Interior Ministers started today
in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku. There are 11 issues on the agenda.

The meeting features CIS Executive Secretary Vladimir Rushaylo, the
Interior Ministers of Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Moldova,
the First Deputy Interior Minister of Ukraine, Armenia’s Chief of
Police Hayk Harutyunyan and others.

The agenda of the Council’s sitting was discussed and approved at
the sitting of the expert groups of the Interior Ministries of the
CIS participating states held in Baku August 9-10.

The discussions will focus on raising the efficiency of the Council’s
activity in the direction of resisting the contemporary challenges
and threats, the draft agreement on exchange of information in the
sphere of fighting crimes, raising the efficiency of fighting crimes
in the field of Information Technologies, cooperation in the sphere
of personnel training at Interior bodies, confirmation of action plan
on the establishment of single automated information bank, location
of the Council’s next meeting and other issues.