Author: Chatinian Lara

PanARMENIAN.Net

Moscow called on Belgrade and Pristina to continue talks
15.12.2007 14:19 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Moscow has called on Belgrade and Pristina to
continue negotiations on the status of Kosovo, and hopes that a
compromise is still possible, Russia’s UN envoy Vitaly Churkin said on
Friday.

The Contact Group’s troika of mediators – Russia, the United States
and the European Union – submitted to the UN Security Council and UN
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon a report on December 10 saying that the
parties had failed to reach an agreement after "120 days of intensive
negotiations."

"We believe that the efforts by the troika have shown that a
negotiated solution is possible, that the two sides can reach a
compromise and deliver a solution to strengthen stability in the
Balkans. Serbia would benefit the future of Kosovo, the European
Union, and reinforce rather than weaken international law," Vitaly
Churkin said.

He said the UN Security Council should give a signal to the parties
concerned that the international community is expecting them to
continue their discussions.

The Serb delegation has been able to refine some elements of its
position, which could also be acceptable to Pristina, he said, adding
that Belgrade is prepared to grant Pristina full freedom in the
economic realm, in particular the freedom to establish contacts with
international financial institutions, as well as allow it to have its
their own flag, gendarmerie and police, RIA Novosti reports.

December 19, the UN Security Council will sit to discuss the Kosovo
issue.

ECAMINATION OF CRIMINAL CASE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST JOURNALST RUZAN
MINASIAN ENDS IN RECONCILIATION

ECAMINATION OF CRIMINAL CASE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST JOURNALST RUZAN
MINASIAN ENDS IN RECONCILIATION

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 15, NOYAN TAPAN. The criminal case opened in
connection with the act of violence against the journalist Ruzan
Minasian at the editorial office of the daily "Aravot" on October 11
has been quashed as a result of the reconciliation of the sides, NT was
informed by the RA Police PR and Information Department.

To recap, on October 11, at about 2 p.m. an assault was made on the
editorial office of the daily "Aravot" at 2, Arshakunyats Street in
Yerevan: 6 women entered the editorial office, in particular, the
office of the reporter Ruzan Minasian, expressed their resentment at
the article "The Dead Are Not Charged Money" published in the October
11 issue, insulted her and caused a scuffle. In connection with this
fact, a criminal case was opened by the RA Criminal Code’s Article 164
Part 1: "Hindrance to legal professional activities of a journalist, or
forcing the journalist to disseminate or not to disseminate
information".

HEADQUARTERS ON PROTECTION OF SPEECH FREEDOM AND "GALA" TELEVISION COMPANY FOUNDED IN GYUMRI

Noyan Tapan
Dec 13, 2007

GYUMRI, DECEMBER 13, NOYAN TAPAN. 50 citizens founded the headquarters
on protection of speech freedom and the television company "Gala"
in Gyumri on December 12, NT was informed by Levon Barseghian,
chairman of "Asparez" club of journalists.

Persecutions of "Gala" television company and its owner Chap
LLC started after they covered in detail the rally held by Levon
Ter-Petrosian in late September.

The headquarters developed a brief program on protection of "Gala"
TV company. The program envisages attending the December 13 trial
"Gyumri mayor’s office against Chap LL" at the Gyumri courtroom of the
RA Economic Court and demanding that Judge Edward Nahapetian declare
self-challenge and "not participate in the buffoonery of depriving
"Gala" TV company of the air". It is also envisaged to call on Armenian
mass media outlets to cover intensively these developments.

"The Brief Program" also envisages a collection of signatures with
the aim of proposing the mayor of Gyumri Vardan Ghukasian to reject
the version of solving this problem in court and to rent the old
television tower of the city to "Gala" TV company with reasonable
conditions. A rally "in defence of freedom speech and "Gala" TV
company" will be held on December 19, at 4:00 p.m. at Gyumri’s
Theatrical Square. The headquarters has also made a decision to
apply to the Armenian authorities to "restrain the court activity
of V. Ghuksian," rent the television tower to "Gala" telecompany and
take measures to hold an objective trial.

According to a press release of the headquarters, pressure has been
put on the independent information channel of "Gala" television
company for two months, Gyumri mayor’s office has applied to court
with the request to disconnect the old TV tower of Gymri from the
television aerial, while the Gyumri tax inspection also applied to
court with the request to levy an "invented" fine of about 25 million
drams. According to the same source, in the last 36 days, the Gyumri
city police unit has not yet arrived at a conclusion in the issue
of opening a criminal case against employee of the State Tax Service
H. Hovhannisian for attacking a cameraman of "Gala" TV company.

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS RECEIVES NEW AMBASSADOR OF EGYPT

Noyan Tapan
Dec 13, 2007

ETCHMIADZIN, DECEMBER 13, NOYAN TAPAN. Catholicos of All Armenians
Karekin II receiving Vahid El Din Ismail Galal, the newly appointed
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Egypt to Armenia,
on December 13, wished the Ambassador success in his diplomatic
mission. According to the report provided to Noyan Tapan by the
Information Services of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, His
Holiness the Patriarch touched upon the current close contacts between
Egypt and Armenia at the meeting. On this occasion, the Patriarch
expressed his gratitude for the kind attitude of the Egyptian
authorities to the Armenian community of Egypt.

VTB AND ARMENIAN COPPER PROGRAMME SIGNED AN AGREEMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT OF TEKHUTSY COPPER MOLYBDENUM FIELD AND CONSTRUCTION OF AN ORE MINING AND PROCESSING ENTERPRISE

Banking and Stock Exchange, Finance, Economics (Russia)
December 13, 2007 Thursday

Reference: Maria Cherkassova "VTB to Enrich Armenia", Kommersant,
December 11, 2007, p.17; Daniil Shabashov "VTB to Spend on Armenian
Copper", RBC daily, December 11, 2007, p.6.

On Saturday on December 8, in Yerevan Andrey Kostin, chairman of the
board of VTB meet with Prime Minister of Armenia Serge Sarkisyan.

A source of Kommersant at VTB says that the project is evaluated at
$300 million and the obligations of the second party in respect of
financing are not clear.

The project worth over $300 million implies a construction of a mine,
an ore mining and processing works, and a tailings dump.

According to Andrey Kostin quoted by Prima-TASS, VTB will obtain an
interest in ZAO Tekhut in return for a credit worth $257 million.

According to the source the bank will hold 50% of Tekhut’s shares as
a pledge through an SPV, which will be ACP.

According to Andrey Kostin, the participation of the bank in this
transaction is temporary and is limited by the date when the credit is
to be redeemed (in 12 years). Tekhut is a closed joint-stock company
and after quitting from this business VTB and ACP will have preemption
right on the shares. Valery Medzhlunyam, president of ACP, pointed out
that VTB obtains a preemption right to enter other projects of ACP,
which is exploring gold and copper fields.

A businessman, operating in this country, says that it is not
surprising that the Russian capital will get access to Armenian
deposits. Armenian exports copper and gold and Russia provides oil
products and gas. The production and development of gold and copper
fields in the country were performed by Industrial Investors Group
owned by Sergey Generalov, whose metal assets are to be transferred
to Siman Povarenkin, chairman of the board of directors. A source
close to this group regards political risks of Armenia as moderate.

Experts were not surprised at VTB’s choice. Vladimir Zhukov at Lehman
Brothers said that for the last three years the growth in consumption
in China had driven copper prices 3.7 times higher. At present experts
expect copper prices to be $6,600 per ton in 2008 and $6,060 per
ton in 2009. The expert points out that molybdenum is likely to be
exported to Europe.

VTB used to participate in mining projects in Armenia, for example
it finances the development of Sotsky gold field. However, Andrey
Kostin states that the transaction with ACP is "unexampled".

Experts consider the copper project to be profitable. Despite the
recent decrease in copper prices, which is accounted for by the weak
demand of the U.S.A., the producers of copper take into consideration
China. According to Goldman Sachs, in 2008 the consumption of copper
in China will add 15% to 19.01 million tons while in other countries
it will gain only 4.9%. Dmitry Smolin at UralSib says that by 2012 the
copper price may fall to $4,500 per ton from current $7,000 because
of the large-scale launch of new production capacities.

Armenian National Committee – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918
Fax: 818.246.7353
[email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
December 13, 2007
Contact: Haig Hovsepian
Tel: (818) 500-1918

ANC-WR Welcomes Teresa Petrosyan to Regional Office

Los Angeles, CA – The Armenian National Committee – Western Region
(ANC-WR) this week welcomed community activist Teresa Petrosyan as its new
Programs Coordinator. A native of the Republic of Armenia, Petrosyan lives
in Burbank, California with her husband Artur and young son Gregory.

"We are pleased to welcome Teresa to our team," said ANC-WR Chairman Raffi
Hamparian. "Teresa brings valuable experience and perspective to our
efforts. Her passionate devotion to our grassroots way of working makes her
a natural fit for our organization," he added.

A volunteer activist with the East San Fernando Valley ANC, Petrosyan has
been a longtime champion of community service as a means of advancing the
Armenian Cause. Teresa first learned of the Armenian National Committee
during her days as an undergraduate student at UCLA, where she studied
International Development. While living in Moscow years ago, she studied
at the University of Humanities in the department of International
Journalism.

With a strong international background and professional experience in
Armenia, Ukraine, Russia, Cyprus and the United States, Petrosyan brings a
valuable international perspective to the ANC’s work.

"The ANC is where I learned how to effectively address the Armenian Cause,"
stated Petrosyan. "I look forward to assisting the ANC in its goals of
engaging Armenian Americans in the civic and political life of America," she
added.

The Armenian National Committee – Western Region is the largest and most
influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the
Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices,
chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated
organizations around the country, the ANC-WR advances the concerns of the
Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.

###

EU TO CONTINUE KOSOVO DEBATES DECEMBER 14

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.12.2007 16:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ EU foreign ministers failed to agree on a common
position over Kosovo’s looming declaration of independence and the EU’s
subsequent mission at a meeting on Monday. The issue will be back on
the table when EU leaders meet for a summit on 14 December, said Manuel
Lobo Antunes, Portugal’s Secretary of State for European Affairs.

"We are hopeful that the European Council will outline the way
of maintaining stability and security in the region," he said in
Strassbourg.

Portuguese Foreign Minister Luis Amada, whose country holds the
rotating EU presidency, said: "The EU partners do not have a common
position on Kosovo’s status. We should be patient in this delicate
process.

We are moving towards a common position…Today we came another
step forward."

For his part, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt told reporters
that there is only "one country who cannot accept" a solution for
Kosovar independence without a UN resolution; other foreign ministers
identified that country as Cyprus.

Spanish Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said that "a unilateral
proclamation of independence is not positive for Spain, but it will
wait to see what happens." Madrid fears that the Kosovo precedent
will encourage separatist spirit.

Observers remind that Russia’s veto will block any resolution on
Kosovar independence.

Nevertheless, December 10, the EU Foreign Ministers agreed to send a
mission which would replace NATO forces in the province, RIA Novosti
reports.

ARF MARKS 117TH ANNIVERSARY OF FOUNDATION

Yerkir
12.12.2007 12:57

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – The Armenian Revolutionary Federation marked the
117th anniversary of its foundation on December 11 at the Spendiarian
Theater of Opera and Ballet.

ARF Bureau member and presidential hopeful Vahan Hovhannesian said
it has been celebrated everywhere with Armenian communities worldwide.

ARF Supreme Body of Armenia representative Armen Rustamian said that
"one thing is clear: the ARF is an established political force"
that has made the authorities to reckon with it when in opposition
and not to be considered as the same with the authorities when part
of the government. "There is only secret to this: the ARF is a party
that belongs to the people and not only to its members," he said. He
added that the party stands ready to face all the challenges of the
Armenian people.

Addressing the attendees, Vahan Hovhannesian, spoke about the history
of the ARF, saying that the party, only years after its foundation,
succeeded to found organized political thought, Armenian armed forces
from fidayee groups to a regular army and to reestablish an Armenian
statehood after six centuries. He said those 117 years were not only
the ARF years but also important sections of our people’s history.

"The ARF is the force that together with the others should work for
eliminating the poison and hatred from the Armenian political life,"
Hovhannesian said. "We won’t let for the demolition slogans become
dominating in our society. Similarly, we won’t let the authorities
to feel relaxed, when they think that everything is fine, and that
everybody smiles."

He added that it would be wrong to think that one party can resolve
all the problems. "This requires efforts of all the nation," he said.

The political statements were followed by a concert. In addition,
a film about the ARF’s history was screened.

ARMENIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER: ANKARA PUTS FORWARD CONDITIONS FOR NORMALIZATION OF THE ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

2007-12-12 19:09:00

ArmInfo. Armenia does not put forward preliminary conditions for
normalization of relations with Turkey. On the contrary, just Ankara
puts forward conditions to establish relations with Yerevan, Armenian
Deputy Foreign Minister Gegam Garibjanyan said over the meeting with
students of Yerevan State University.

He also recalled that it is already for several years that Armenian
leaders have been sending messages to the Turkish authorities to
normalize relations without any preliminary conditions. But Turkey
replies putting forward different pre-conditions the purpose of
which is to forget the Armenian genocide. ‘Not only we, but the whole
civilized world as well understands immorality of the attempts "to
forget" the Armenian genocide, especially that many countries have
already officially recognized the genocide’, – Gegam Garibjanyan
emphasized.

"GALA" TV COMPANY DEFENCE STAFF CREATED IN GYUMRI

Noyan Tapan
Dec 12 2007

GYUMRI, DECEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. A defence staff of the "GALA" TV
Company was established in the Journalists’ Club "Asparez" of Gyumri
by a group of citizens on December 12. This defence staff will make
a program for protecting the TV company.

According to the message provided to Noyan Tapan by the initiating
group, it is already two months various pressure upon the "GALA"
TV Company has been continuing. "It is time to rise and support the
"GALA" TV Company, as well as protect the right of all of us for free
speech with an active public struggle, is mentioned in the message.