Author: Chatinian Lara

TIGRAN BALAYAN: WE’RE ASTONISHED AT BRYZA’S STATEMENT

Azat Artsakh Daily
13-03-2008
NKR Republic

"We’re astonished that even after his visit to Yerevan, after meeting
with and hearing from various official and unofficial sources,
U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matt Bryza could make such
arbitrary statements," said Tigran Balayan, Head of the Armenian
Foreign Ministry Press Division.

"Assigning such one-sided blame is unfounded and not helpful. The
number of wounded law enforcement officers (108) – 43 of them wounded
by firearms and hand-grenades – clearly demonstrates that rioters
were in possession of firearms and explosives. That coincides with the
operative information of law enforcement agencies which had informed
the public about all this, days before the events of March 1. In
that case, labeling the reaction of the government as "a crackdown
on opposition protests", or qualifying it as "harsh and brutal" is
incorrect. This was not at all an attack by policemen on civilians,"
he said.

"The violence of March 1 is indeed of great concern to all of us in
Armenia, including and foremost, the government, which believes it
is responsible for the maintenance of public order and safety. It
attempted to do so, exercising restraint, but as law enforcement
bodies had earlier cautioned, turned into a clash between officers
and demonstrators. With eight people dead (including one policeman)
and dozens injured (many from law enforcement), there is no doubt that
this was serious violence, and indeed deplorable, as Mr. Bryza says,"
Mr Balayan noted.

Armenia’s challenge, now, 10 days after that disastrous day, is to
fully explore and understand what happened and find ways to move
forward together, according to him.

"The international community’s focus should be to encourage all
involved to take responsibility for the damage to the fabric of our
society and to look for inclusive ways to move forward. Ill-informed
statements can and do contribute to an escalation of political
tension," he resumed.

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza said that
"United States is frustrated by the arrests of opponents since his
meetings in Armenia." "It is not only frustrating that the government
has imposed restrictions on independent media and left in place
a state of emergency, but also that it has stepped up arrests of
opposition leaders," he said. "It is crucial that the arrest of
opposition figures stops."

Bryza also called on the government to investigate and prosecute all
those from the opposition or the government, who violated election
laws and unlawfully used violence.

RESERVES OF SHAHUMYAN MINE ENOUGH TO CREATE HUGE PIT

ARKA
March 13, 2008

YEREVAN, March 12. /ARKA/.The reserves of the Shahumyan-based
gold polymetallic mine are enough to build a huge open pit, the
Deno Gold Mining Company told ARKA referring to the results of
exploratory drilling conducted in Armenia by the Dundee Precious
Metals Corporation.

The Deno Gold Mining Company represents the Dundee Precious Metals
Corporation in Armenia operating the Shahumyan polymetallic mine as
well as the copper-pyritic mine of the Kapan-based ore-mining and
processing enterprise.

The Kapan-based mine has two parts – the copper mine known as the
Central Deposits and the poly-metallic mine of copper, gold, silver,
zinc and lead known as the Shahumyan mine. The Shahumyan deposits are
currently being mined, Jonathan Goodman, the owner and president of
Dundee Precious Metals, said.

The volume of the Deno Gold Mining Company output reduced 4% in 2007
and totaled AMD 6.25bln. Deno Gold Mining focuses on the operation of
the Shahumyan gold polymetallic mine since the Central mine is quite
old and has exhausted its resources making it difficult to assess
its capacities.

The Shahumyan mine was launched in 1996, however, the real operation
started in 2002-2003 only.

Dundee Precious Metals is an ore mining company with the head office
based in Canada. The company is engaged in mining, purchasing,
exploring and processing precious metals. The company bought 95%
shares of the Kapan-based mine in 2006.

NAGORNO-KARABAKH PRESIDENT SIGNED DECREE ON REWARDING

DeFacto Agency
March 12 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, 12.03.08. DE FACTO. March 12 the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
President Bako Sahakian signed a decree on rewarding.

According to the Central Department of Information under the NKR
President, the following persons are awarded the medal "For Courage"
for courage and bravery displayed while protecting the borders of
the Motherland: Karen Arstamian, Nairi Beglarian, Eric Grigorian,
Khachik Tavadian, Hayk Musaelian, and Arthur Petrosian.

Rafik Harutyunian as awarded a medal "Fighting Service" for skillfully
fulfilling fighting tasks and courage displayed while protecting the
state’s borders.

KARABAKH ISSUE NEEDS CONSISTENT AND PATIENT MEDIATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.03.2008 17:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The problem of Nagorno Karabakh is aggravated by
Armenia’s control over the territories adjacent to NK, said Zbigniew
Brzezinski, currently a professor of American foreign policy at Johns
Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies and
United States National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter
from 1977 to 1981.

"The issue needs consistent and patient mediation, which, with the
lapse of time, might allow decreasing the amount of hatred and anger
both sides in conflict experience now," he said, BBC reports.

CE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSIONER ARRIVING TO ARMENIA

Regnum
March 11 2008
Russia

Commissioner for Human Rights of the Coucil of Europe Thomas Hammarberg
is to visit Armenia March 12 on a three-day visit. The goal of the
visit is to to cooperate with the Armenian authorities in effective
protection of the fundamental human rights in the aftermath of the
turmoil in Yerevan. During the visit, the commissioner is going
to meet with the president of Armenia Robert Kochyaryan, prime
minister Serzh Sarkisyan, parliament speaker Tigran Torosyan,
ex-president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, constitutional court chairman
Gagik Harutyunyan, ombudsman Armen Arutyunyan, representatives of
international organizations, diplomats, and activists of civil society,
REGNUM correspondent was informed at the CE Yerevan press service.

Hammarberg is also going to visit prisons, police stations, and
hospitals to meet participants of the recent events in Armenia. The
commissioner said he was concerned with the human rights situation
in Armenia and the outcomes of the announced state of emergency. He
has stressed the need to urgently "restore the situation with no
hindrances for the work of media, political parties, and non-government
organizations.

IMPROVEMENT WORKS TO BE CARRIED OUT IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH IN APRIL

DeFacto Agency
March 3 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, 11.03.08. DE FACTO. April 1-30 the works on planting
trees, sanitary cleaning and improvement will be carried out in the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. A corresponding decree was adopted by the
NKR PM Ara Harutyunian. According to "Azat Artsakh", the heads of
the NKR ministries, state government bodies under the NKR government,
departments, the Stepanakert city hall, administrations and regional
communities have been charged to elaborate and realize specific
measures on determination of spheres of the works to be carried out,
solution of technical, material and organization issues.

According to the results of a month’s campaign the state government
bodies under the NKR government, departments, territorial organs
and self-government organs will present a report to the NKR National
Statistic Service until May 15, 2008.

Republic mass media are delegated to widely cover the course and
results of the month’s campaign.

NAGORNO-KARABAKH PROBLEM IS COMPLICATED BECAUSE OF IT BEING UNDER ARMENIA’S CONTROL: FORMER US ADVISER

Trend News Agency
March 3 2008
Azerbaijan

The Nagorno-Karabakh problem is complicated because this territory
[of Azerbaijan] is under Armenia’s occupation, Zbignev Bzhezinskiy,
the former adviser to national security at the US Presidents’
Administration, stated in an interview for BBC Russian Service on
11 March.

"This issue needs continuous and patient mediation, which will enable
a decrease in the level of hostility and hatred, which both sides in
the conflict guide," he said.

With respect to independence of Kosovo and Chechnya, Bzhezinskiy
said that both Kosovo and Chechnya deserve independence, whereas it
is impossible for Chechnya due to political realities.

SOME 4,000 TROOPS TO PARTICIPATE IN RUSSIA-LED INTERNATIONAL DRILL

Interfax News Agency
March 11 2008
Russia

Moscow, 11 March: Around 4,000 servicemen are to participate in the
Frontier 2008 command-post drill of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO), to be held in Armenia and Russia in the summer
and autumn.

"Armoured vehicles, cannon and rocket artillery, missile systems,
army, attack and fighter aircraft, air defence weapons and engineering
and liaison units will be involved," Maj-Gen Vitaliy Kormiltsev,
head of tactical and combat training at the CSTO Joint Staff, told
Interfax-AVN.

"The drill is ranked as a brigade-level exercise," the general said.

The troops to be involved in the drill will only act as "conditional
forces" [Russ: voyska oboznacheniya], he said.

The Rubezh (Frontier) 2008 is a command-post exercise, not
force-on-force manoeuvres, Kormiltsev said.

IN ARMENIA CHARGES WERE BROUGHT AGAINST 59 FOR PARTICIPATING IN DISORDERS

KarabakhOpen
11-03-2008 10:47:16

As of March 8 charges were brought against 59 as the Special
Investigation Service of Armenia is investigating the case of
mass disorders aimed at usurpation of power and violation of the
constitutional order. The Regnum news agency reports referring to the
Office of Prosecutor General of Armenia the people have been revealed
who provoked and organized mass disorders, a number of organizations
have been revealed through which the actions were organized and
coordinated, aimed to destabilize the home political situation in
the country. According to the Office of Prosecutor General, the
participants of the disorders were encouraged materially. People who
spent the night on the Square of Freedom got 5-10 thousand drams (USD
17-33), food and drinks. According to the information of the Office,
they were given metal sticks, petrol in 20 l canisters, as well as
blue flammable liquid in bottles.

The Office claims that there were people in charge of people from each
region of Armenia. The wanted Member of Parliament Sasun Mikayelyan
financed the inhabitants of Hrazdan and the adjacent villages for
staying on the Square of Freedom, his companion, a certain Gor,
was in charge of recruitment, runs the release of the Office of
Prosecutor General. Armen Alexanyan, a participant of the meetings
of the opposition, inhabitant of Tsaghkadzor, told that "Sasun
Mikayelyan supported and fed the people from the town of Hrazdan
and the villages," gave them 5 thousand drams for each night through
Bareghamyan and Gor. "Besides, Mikayelyan gave clear instructions to
seize power at any price," runs the source.

Bareghamyan and Gor have been detained. Besides, one of the
participants of the disorders of March 1 has been revealed who
had beaten severely Colonel Lieutenant Marat Manukyan, head of the
department of crime investigation of Gugark. According to the results
of the investigation, it is a former policeman Christopher Elazyan,
who was taken under custody. The others who beat Colonel Lieutenant
Manukyan have not been revealed yet. As of March 8, 180 policemen
and servicemen, as well as 48 civilians were injured. The number of
casualties is being corrected.

ARMENIAN PUBLIC SERVICES REGULATORY COMMISSION PERMITS THREE COMPANIES TO OPERATE TEL. NUMBERS

ARKA
March 10, 2008

YEREVAN, March 10. /ARKA/. RA Public Services Regulatory Commission
granted three Armenian companies a permit to operate some telephone
numbers they had requested for.

Hamlet Tsaturyan, deputy head of the Commission’s Telecommunications
Department, stated that licenses on outgoing international calls
(IP telephony) were issued to "Cornet-AM", "VA&TA" and "Bridgenet"
companies. A similar license was issued to individual businessman
Vahan Gharibyan.

The licenses were issued for a ten-year term and cannot be transmitted
to other physical or juridical bodies without a relevant decision of
the Regulatory Commission.

Besides, all those bodies that were granted a license must ensure
the reliability and safety of the devices used in their professional
activity, as well as submit audit documents to the commission within
ten days after checking is over, Tsaturyan said.

In case the companies or the individual businessman use less than 60%
of the telephone numbers they are licensed to operate, their activity
is considered ineffective and the RA Public Services Regulatory
Commission is entitled to deprive them of the numbers they have not
been using.