Author: Chavushian

INNOVATIONS, KARABAKH NEEDS INNOVATIONS

KarabakhOpen
16-04-2008 10:48:29

The government is likely to adopt the concept of assistance to
innovative activities and an action plan. According to the minister
of development of economy Benik Babayan, with the current industry
where almost only manual work is used we cannot sustain the two-digit
economic growth which is set in the program of the government. "The
annual GDP per capita is 1492 dollars which is a very low index,
even compared with Armenia. We have committed to raise the GDP per
capita up to 4000 dollars within 5 years.

Therefore, we need innovative ways of development," said the minister
of development of economy.

According to the minister, he is often asked whether we need
innovations.

"If we raise the yield of wheat from 1000 kg per hectare to 2500 kg
per hectare, it is innovation. If we cut electricity loss through new
equipment, it is innovation. So we need it," Benik Babayan explained.

He noted that economic growth could be sustained through raising
productivity, as well as through reinforcing ties between business and
government. "Recently the president has met with businessmen, and they
decided to set up a body which would coordinate the relations between
the government and businesses, define and eliminate the factors which
hinder the development of businesses," the minister said.

The Business Support Council will include the members of government
and 7 famous businessmen. The Council will have a permanent staff.

CHAIRMAN OF CE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS JAN KUBISH: "I WILL BE ON A VISIT TO AZERBAIJAN NEXT WEEK"

Azeri Press Agency
April 15 2008
Azerbaijan

Strasbourg. Fuad Gulubayli – APA. Member of Azerbaijani delegation
to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Ganira
Pashayeva presented questionnaire to Chairman of CE Committee of
Ministers Jan Kubish.

APA’s Europe bureau reports that Azerbaijani MP mentions in her
questionnaire that during the presidential elections in Armenia,
polling stations were established in the occupied Azerbaijani
territories – Nagorno Karabakh, Lachin and Kalbajar regions and says
that official Yerevan violated international legal norms again and once
more showed its disobedience to the commitment on peaceful settlement
of the conflict undertaken vis-a-vis the Council of Europe. She says
that seeing severe reaction of the international organizations and
the public to the state of emergency announced in the country soon
after the elections Armenian leadership violated ceasefire in order
to divert the attention.

Ganira Pashayeva said that after the inauguration of Armenian
president, discussions were held in the country’s parliament, where it
was noted that official Yerevan would only agree to the independence
of Nagorno Karabakh, or its unification to Armenia. It shows once more
that Armenia ignores international legal principles, such as countries’
territorial integrity, resolutions of UN, PACE and other international
organizations and commitment undertaken to the Council of Europe.

"Are you, as Chairman of the Committee of Ministers, concerned over
Armenia’s actions taken to tense the situation, instead of solving
Nagorno Karabakh conflict? What steps are you going to take in this
direction?" she asks.

Chairman of CE Committee of Ministers Jan Kubish in response to the
questionnaire said that on admission to the Council of Europe both
Armenia and Azerbaijan had undertaken commitment on the peaceful
settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

"That’s why I consider that both countries should avoid the statements
that may damage peace negotiations conducted within the framework of
OSCE Minsk Group. I hope that Azerbaijan and Armenia will soon reach
an agreement owing to the process of negotiations.

Dialogue, mutual understanding and confidence between Azerbaijani and
Armenian peoples are very important in order to reach this goal. Of
course, this is the duty of the two countries’ leaderships to help
this. As regards our assistance, I can mention the conference
was organized by the Swiss Government with the participation of
the representatives of Azerbaijani and Armenian civil societies
last year. I will be on a visit to Azerbaijan next week and have
discussions on this issue. If necessary, I can contribute to this,
using the experience I gained while working in OSCE", he said.

ARAZ AZIMOV: "IF ARMENIAN PRESIDENT PURSUES PREVIOUS POLICY, THERE WILL NOT BE ANY RESULT"

Azeri Press Agency
April 15 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Tamara Grigoryeva -APA. "The meeting in Vienna is of business
character. MG Co-Chairs will discuss the ongoing developments and
make a report to OSCE Chairman.

They should propose any steps. Bucharest Summit demanded to clarify
various issues", Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov said
whilst commenting on Vienna Assembly of OSCE MG, APA reports.

He stated that the meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents
depended on their decision.

"If Matthew Bryza says that the meeting will be held, he knows it
or he wants it. We do not refuse if there will be any chance for
negotiations. If Armenian President pursues previous policy, there
will not be any result", he said. Azimov touched upon the resolution
on conflicts in GUAM countries presented to UN and mentioned that
Azerbaijan had taken the first step in this issue.

"It will be additional base to raise and vote resolution of GUAM",
he added.

He emphasized that OSCE had not replied to Azerbaijan’s survey on
change of co-chairs.

DINK LAWYERS REQUEST MERGER OF CASES FROM TRABZON AND ISTANBUL COURTS

Today’s Zaman
April 15 2008
Turkey

The lawyers of slain Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink have
asked that the trials of gendarme officials who are suspected of
having prior knowledge of the journalist’s assassination continue in
an Istanbul court instead of Trabzon.

Dink was shot dead in broad daylight outside the office of his
newspaper, Agos, in Istanbul on Jan. 19, 2007 by a nationalist
teenager. The ensuing investigation revealed that a group of
ultra-nationalist young men were behind the murder. Strong evidence
has suggested that some members of the group had ties to the police
department in Trabzon, the hometown of the plotters. Security officials
later confirmed that they had been tipped off about the plot to kill
Dink before the murder was committed.

In the most recent development, two noncommissioned gendarmerie
officers testified in court that they had been informed about the
plot, adding that they had in turn informed their superiors, who
ordered them to keep silent.

Lawyers for the Dink family, Fethiye Cetin, Bahri Bayram Belen
and Ergin Cinmen, submitted an 18-page petition to the Istanbul
Prosecutor’s Office in Istanbul’s Beþiktaþ district yesterday in
which they demanded a merger of the cases related to the assassination
currently in progress in Trabzon and Istanbul.

Speaking to reporters after submitting the petition, Cinmen said that
it was necessary for the case at the Trabzon Court of Peace to be
merged with the case that is in progress at the Istanbul 14th High
Criminal Court, where the masterminds of the Dink murder are being
tried. "We think that if the Dink trial is not conducted with the
inclusion of the trial of gendarmes at a Trabzon court into this case,
no matter what ruling is made, it will be far from fulfilling the law
and satisfying our conscience. Turkey will live with this murder. This
will last for years. It will remain a question mark on the conscience
of the people. We conveyed our request [for the merger of the cases]
both here and at the Trabzon Prosecutor’s Office," Cinmen said.

In the petition, the lawyers claimed that the suspects had prior
knowledge about a plot to kill Dink since July 2006 and failed to take
the necessary measures, suggesting that they had personal relations
with the suspects of Dink’s murder whose trial continue at Istanbul’s
14th High Criminal Court.

"If the suspects had fulfilled their duty as required, Dink would be
alive today," they said in the petition, asking that the suspects
be tried for causing a death through negligence. The lawyers also
argued that the suspects prepared falsified documents to help the
organization that planned Dink’s assassination and that they should
therefore be tried under Article 314 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK),
which deals with armed crime organizations.

–Boundary_(ID_QzW1J+5m1WAoEbtdiHP Azw)–

BSEC PA COMMITTEE SITTING DUE AT RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

armradio.am
15.04.2008 16:25

On April 16 the 31st sitting of the State-Political Committee of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC)
Organizations will start at RA National Assembly. Chairman of the
Commission Borislav Ralchev and NA Vice-Speaker Arevik Petrosyan will
offer opening speeches.

After adopting the agenda, the participants will discuss the issue
of "The role of parliaments of BSEC member states in fighting
international terrorism."

Issues related to BSEC – BSEC PA and BSEC – PACE cooperation will be
discussed during the 31st sitting of the State-Political Committee
of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation
Organizations

3925 RA CITIZENS APPLY FOR RECEIVING REFUGE ABROAD IN 2007, WHICH DECREASES BY 6% COMPARED WITH 2006

Noyan Tapan
April 15, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 15, NOYAN TAPAN. 338.3 thousand applications on granting
a refuge were received in 51 countries of the world in 2007. This
index has increased by about 10% compared with 2006, mainly due to the
situation in Iraq. Gagik Yeganian, the Head of the Migration Agency of
the RA Ministry of Territorial Administration, said at the April 15
press conference adding that 8% growth falls to citizens of Iraq. He
said that 3925 RA citizens applied for receiving a refuge abroad in
2007. This index has decreased by 6% compared with 2006. According
to G. Yeganian, over the past three years RA citizens apply mainly
to France to receive a refuge. The number of these citizens made 1924
in 2007, 400 RA citizens applied to Austria and 400 to Belgium.

According to the observation of the head of the agency, in the previous
years RA citizens preferred Poland, Germany, Benelux countries, Czech
Republic for a refuge. G. Yeganian also said that the prevaling part of
RA citizens’ applications of receiving a right of refuge is rejected.

GRAND MASTER GABRIEL SARGSIAN SHARES 3-4th PLACES IN INTERNATIONAL CHESS FESTIVAL OF SPAIN

Noyan Tapan
April 14, 2008

MERIDA, APRIL 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The great International Chess Festival
finished on April 12 in the city of Merida, Spain. In the main
tournament, Gabriel Sargsian in the last, 7th tour drew the game
with Michael Adams (England), gained 4.5 points and shared the 3-4th
places with Hampi Koneru (India). And M. Adams became the winner of
the tournament with 5.5 points.

BISHOP ANOUSHAVAN’S BOOK TO BE PRESENTED IN NEW YORK

Noyan Tapan
April 14, 2008

NEW YORK, APRIL 14, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. Archbishop
Oshagan is hosting a book presentation and celebration of the recently
published book, "Archbishop Nerses Labronaci: Commentary on the
Wisdom of Solomon," by Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian, on May 2, at 7
at St. Sarkis Church in Douglaston, New York.

It is also mentioned that Bishop Anoushavan will travel to Armenia
next week where he will participate in the Committee for Canonizing
the Armenian Saints, which will take place at Holy Etchmiadzin on
April 15 to 18.

CHANGES TO CONTROVERSIAL TURKISH LAW ON SPEECH FREEDOM SENT TO PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE

NTV MSNBC
April 14 2008
Turkey

Toptan said he personally believed it would be better if the country’s
Justice Minister, rather than the head of state, be responsible for
authorizing prosecutions under article 301.

– The speaker of Turkey’s parliament has forwarded a draft bill
amending a controversial article of the Turkish penal code critics
claim restricts freedom of expression to the parliamentary committee
on justice for discussion.

The proposals to amend article 301 of the penal code were in compliance
with legal procedures and, following the committee’s deliberations
on the proposed changes to the law, the legislation would be sent to
the general assemble for debate, parliamentary speaker Koksal Toptan
said Monday.

Article 301 covers the crime of insulting "Turkishness" or Turkish
identity and has been used by both state prosecutors and in cases
opened by private citizens to put on trial those accused of belittling
the national character.

Among those taken to court for alleged breaches of article 301 have
been Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk and Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant
Dink, who was gunned down in Istanbul in January 2007.

Under the proposed changes to article 301, the term insulting
Turkishness will be replaced with insulting the Turkish nation.

The draft legislation also proposes that the president be granted
with the sole authority to approve the launching of a prosecution
under the article.

However, that have been signs that the government may back down from
this position, suggesting that the Justice Minister be given the
authority to allow prosecutions under article 301 to go ahead.

RAK FIRM ACQUIRES ARMENIAN COMPANY

Gulf News, United Arab Emirates
April 10, 2008 Thursday

Dubai: RAK Minerals and Metals Investments (RMMI) yesterday said it
has acquired Armenian mining firm TSCCArmenia.

The 100 per cent acquisition covers three mining complexes spread
across two regions, North and South Armenia, andincludes copper and
other polymetallic minerals.

RMMI has earmarked $200 million over the next two years to fund the
acquisition and set up a concentrate plant in thecountry.

Dr. Khater Massad, chief executive of RAK Investment Authority (Rakia)
and chairman of RMMI, said: "Armenia isrich in natural resources and
well located between the markets of Asia and Europe.

RMMI’s investment is the firstof many opportunities for Rakia and
Ras Al Khaimah, and we hope to extend this to include real estate,
construction and similar ventures that support economic growth."

Details

As part of the deal, TSCC’s mines in Armenia will now be operated
under RMMI. These include two complexes inNorth Armenia in Karnut
(135 square km) and Prevolnoye (37 square km), and in South Armenia
in Larneshan (167 squarekm.).

All three semi-brownfield complexes are in close proximity to existing
plants, and in geological analogy tooperational mines in the area. The
base metal profile is largely copper, with other polymetals associated
with copperdeposits including lead, zinc, molybdenum.

Within the complexes, some deposits have also been identified as
auriferous. In the next two years, RMMI plans tobuild a concentrate
plant in South Armenia’s Larneshan region to process both copper and
polymetallic ores intoconcentrates.