Author: Chavushian

GROWTH IN PRICES OF SOME GOODS REGISTERED IN ARMENIA IN RECENT DAYS

Noyan Tapan
Feb 27, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 27, NOYAN TAPAN. The monitoring unit of the RA
State Commission on Protection of Economic Competition responded to
the growth in prices of some goods in recent days. For that reason,
at the February 27 sitting the commission warned economic entities to
refrain from raising prices unreasonably by concluding anticompetitive
agreements or abusing their dominating position. Besides, the
commission decided the make monitoring most intensive by expanding
the list of essential goods subject to monitoring to 20 and increasing
the monitoring frequency to a monitoring every other day.

The commission discussed the application of Jermuk Mother Plant
company, according to which the mineral water producing Rosal and Manuk
companies violate the law by using bottles, which are trade marks
registered under the name of diokontuk at the intellectual property
agency, for the sale of their production. A fine of 500 thousand drams
(about 1,600 USD) was imposed on these companies.

Yerevan Water company had applied to the commission, saying that by
a notice of January 1, 2008 Nairit plant informed the company that
it fixed the sale price of 1 ton of liquid chlorine at 684 thousand
drams instead of the previous 350 thousand drams without presenting
any economic substantiation.

Yerevan Water indicated that Nairit is the only liquid chlorine
producer in Armenia, has a monopoly position so the plant’s action
can be considered as abuse of its dominating position. During the
proceedings initiated by the commission, Nairit informed the commission
that it complied with the request of Yerevan Water and left the sale
price of 1 ton of liquid chlorine unchanged.

ROUND-THE-CLOCK RALLIES AGAINST ARMENIAN ELECTION RESULT

The Australian
February 23, 2008 Saturday
Australia

ARMENIAN opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian has called on tens of
thousands of supporters to keep up mass protests against presidential
election results.

Crowds of up to 25,000 demonstrated on Freedom Square in the capital,
Yerevan, against results from Tuesday’s polls that gave Prime Minister
Serzh Sarkisian victory.

As night fell on Thursday, the crowd thinned but some 10,000 remained
and demonstrators set up a handful of tents for a round-the-clock
protest.

In sub-zero temperatures, demonstrators danced in circles accompanied
by traditional Armenian music, while others distributed hot pies.

"Starting from this moment, our protests will not end," opposition
activist Nikol Pashenian told the crowd. "Freedom Square will be the
centre of our protests until the authorities leave."

Mr Ter-Petrosian told the protesters that two deputy defence ministers
were in talks with senior military officials to ensure the safety of
the crowd.

"They will not let the army be used against the people," Mr
Ter-Petrosian said. "All of the leaders of the military are united
with the people."

He called on university students to boycott classes and join protests.

But Mr Sarkisian pointed to an international appraisal of the vote
as "mostly" in line with international standards and described the
protests as "blackmail" and a "provocation".

"I’m sure they will fail … If they are not capable of winning an
election we are not to blame for that," he said.

Asked whether the authorities would use force against the protesters,
he said: "It’s difficult to say immediately … The law enforcement
agencies will decide on the proper course."

"We are obliged to respect the rights of the people. If they don’t
disturb anyone they are free to do so … But if they disturb others,
the law enforcement agencies will take action according to the law."

Mr Ter-Petrosian said the demonstrations would avoid violence. "It’s
a peaceful, cheerful meeting," he said. "There will be no disorder
and we will not break the law".

Official results gave 52.9per cent of the vote to Mr Sarkisian, the
choice of President Robert Kocharian, who is obliged to step down
after his second term. Mr Ter-Petrosian trailed with 21.5per cent.

Mr Ter-Petrosian has described the conduct of the election as
"shameful," alleging that dozens of his activists were beaten on
election day and that ballot stuffing, multiple voting and voter
intimidation were widespread.

Observers from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in
Europe described the election as "mostly" in line with international
standards. The US State Department said it was "concerned" at reports
of problems in the count.

Mr Kocharian handpicked the Prime Minister to succeed him after Mr
Sarkisian’s Republican Party of Armenia swept parliamentary polls
last May.

Together they have been credited with ensuring relative stability
and strong growth. But critics accuse the Government of tolerating
widespread corruption and cracking down on opponents.

RUSSIA EXTENDS HUMANITARIAN AID OF $2MLN TO ARMENIA

ARKA
Feb 26, 2008

YEREVAN, February 26. /ARKA/. Russia extended humanitarian aid of
$2mln to Armenia. Liana Kharatyan, the head of the Project Department
of the UN World Food Program (WFP) Yerevan Office told reporters on
Tuesday that 2,360 tons of wheat flour and 330 tons of vegetable oil
were sent to be distributed among 50,000 socially vulnerable residents
living in five Armenian regions during the future three months.

"Thus, the total volume of Russian aid extended to Armenia reached
$4mln," she said. The new consignment will arrive in Armenia in
April 2008.

However, the UN Food Aid Agency still faces a problem of 25%
lack of the necessary food aid volume to be rendered to Armenia,
Kharatyan said. The UN WFP is looking for new donors now, Kharatyan
said and expressed optimism that the Agency will manage to make up
the deficiency soon.

SERZH SARKISIAN: "WE ARE NOT AFRAID OF STRONG OPPOSITION"

Mediamax
February 26, 2008

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Elected Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian stated
in Yerevan today that "I will defend the right for freedom of speech,
which, however, does not mean freedom of slander and offends".

Mediamax reports that Serzh Sarkisian said this during the rally of
his supporters at the Republic Square in Yerevan today.

"I will defend the right for freedom on holding rallies. But freedom
on holding rallies does not mean that they should paralyze the life
of the capital city. I defend the right for protests, but this right
does not mean that other constitutional rights of our citizens should
be violated and that the right of the majority to form the authority
should be violated", Serzh Sarkisian stated.

"These presidential elections became a turning point in the history
of our new independent state. As a result of the elections the
unprecedented opportunity for consolidating real democracy revealed. I
believe that this situation assists the realization of our aim –
have strong authority and strong constructive opposition. We are not
afraid of strong opposition. On the contrary, we are sure that only
with the presence of constructive opposition, we will be able to secure
the progressive development of our country", Serzh Sarkisian stated.

He urged all the political forces and the public unions of the country
to cooperate.

"I repeat again and again: the authority is ready to cooperate with
all the oppositional forces in the name of Armenia’s development
and the prosperity of our people. At the same time I state with
all responsibility that the most resolute steps will be taken up
to consolidate the political stability existing in the country,
to protect the public law and order and secure normal social vital
activity", Serzh Sarkisian noted.

AS A RESULT OF RECOUNTING OF VOTING RESULTS, MOSTLY VOTES COUNTED IN FAVOR OF SERGE SARGSIAN REDUCED

Noyan Tapan
Feb 25, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 25, NOYAN TAPAN. The deadline of recounting in
district electoral commissions on the basis of complaints concerning
the voting results of the February 19 elections expired on February 24,
at 14:00. As Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by Tatev Ohanian,
the Spokesperson of CEC, in the established term voting results of
135 district electoral commissions were recounted, 62 out of which
were recounted on the basis of the applications of supporters of RA
presidential candidate, first President Levon Ter-Petrosian, 24 of
supporters of OYP Chairman Artur Baghdasarian, and the rest of 49
supporters of Serge Sargsian, Vahan Hovhannisian, Artashes Geghamian,
Arman Melikian, Aram Haroutiunian. The only candidate, who had not
submitted an application on recounting is Vazgen Manukian.

24 application-complaints have not been sustained due to lack of time
and a number of applications submitted in advance have been withdrawn
by the applicants.

Thus, 272 256 votes for Artur Baghdasarian registered in advance have
been reduced by 24, Artashes Geghamian’s 7473 votes have been increased
by 14, Tigran Karapetian’s 9754 votes have been increased by 13,
Aram Haroutiunian’s 3092 have been reduced by 1, Vahan Hovhannisian’s
100 876 votes have been reduced by 61, Vazgen Manukian’s 20 939 have
been increased by 55, Arman Melikian’s 4359 votes have been reduced
by 2, Serge Sargsian’s 863 544 votes have been reduced by 429, Levon
Ter-Petrosian’s 351 306 votes have been reduced by 202.

According to T. Ohanian, the recounting data of results of 134 polling
stations have been included in the above mentioned changes: only the
recounting data of Yerevan Kentron community’s polling station N 9/31
have not been included in it, as a criminal case has been instituted
to that polling station commission on the accusation of obvious wrong
counting of votes or rigging the voting results.

The Armenian Weekly On-Line
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http://www.a rmenianweekly.com

The Armenian Weekly; Volume 74, No. 7; Feb. 23, 2008

Arts and Literature:

1. Book Review: ‘Homosexuality and Same-Sex Union’
By Andy Turpin

2. Two Poems by Armand
Translated by Tatul Sonentz

***

1. ‘Homosexuality and Same-Sex Union’: What the Armenian Church Believes
By Andy Turpin

WATERTOWN, Mass. (A.W.)-New to readers is the Armenian Apostolic Church of
America’s (Eastern Prelacy) first volume in an ongoing series on
"Contemporary Ethical Issues: An Armenian Orthodox Perspective." The first
volume released covers "Homosexuality and Same-Sex Union."

Future volumes will address the issues of marriage and divorce, procreation
and reproductive technology, abortion, genetic screening and genetic
technology, suicide and euthanasia, organ donation and cremation.

Twenty-seven pages long, the volume on homosexuality is brief, if not
cursory, in its analysis, and could not be called a treatise. But in the
parlance of many an English teacher comparing a written essay to an adequate
skirt, "it’s long enough to cover the subject." Loyola College professor of
theology and volume author Vigen Guroian does recommend a suggested reading
list, though, at the end of the volume for more in-depth works on the topics
presented.

The Prelacy’s position on GLBTQ (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and
Queer) issues has not changed or moved in theory or practice. However, the
release of such a volume is indicative that the Prelacy wants its position
clear and known to a wider demographic to catalyze discussion and thought.

This represents a new step for the Church into the public sphere, emerging
>From an epoch not long past in which many clergymen would not regard GBLTQ
issues at all as topics of conversation within Armenian communities.

Guroian does in fact come at the issues at hand from varying angles within
the essay, perhaps in the spirit of being thorough and attempting to tread
lightly regarding a highly charged subject for most citizens around the
world.

In his soft shoes, though, he may end up swapping off one topical booby-trap
for another with quasi-condemnatory passages: "The Bible and the Church
Fathers condemn the commission of homosexual acts, whether the persons who
behave that way are individuals whom we today would describe as having a
homosexual orientation and practice a homosexual lifestyle, or heterosexual
persons who, for reasons of location or situation (e.g. imprisonment) or
fanciful experimentation (e.g. sex with young boys), choose to have genital
relations with the same sex."

Most Armenians are already aware of the Church’s stance on homosexuality and
same-sex unions. But to define the rape or molestation of children as
"fanciful experimentation" opens a clerical Pandora’s Box that the Vatican
can attest of late is hard to close.

The volume also notes paradoxically that while the Church is against "gay
marriage" (because it cannot define it as a legitimate marriage in the
Biblical sense), it is not against heterosexual same-sex unions.

It states: "There is no overwhelming legal reason that civil same-sex unions
may not be between two persons who are heterosexual and wish to take
advantage of tax and other benefits that accrue from such a legal
arrangement. As laws are passed that sanction same-sex unions, some will
surely raise this option."

The comic nature of such a decision is that the Church has given benevolent
approval to a demographic that not only is uncontroversial, but may not even
exist, outside perhaps the theoretical cases of "Holmes and Watson," "Burt
and Ernie" and "Jeeves and Wooster."

Gender studies, sexology, genetics and reproductive science professionals
might also take note that the Prelacy’s position states: "Today we are aware
that some people have an underlying condition of erotic attraction (a
predisposition) towards persons of their own sex. And while this is by no
means an exact science, we know that the sources and causes of this
condition are complex and multifactorial."

While it does not condone homosexual behavior or acting out, the Prelacy
makes it known that it overwhelmingly welcomes those struggling with
homosexuality into its folds for support and guidance.

For more information about the Prelacy’s "Contemporary Ethical Issues"
series or to purchase a copy of its "Homosexuality & Same-Sex Union" volume,
visit
————————- ————————————————– ———

2. Two Poems by Armand

Oh, but It Sings

The voices died,
far and near –
All now sleep in peace.
I stare at the flames
dancing in the fireplace
And hear the anguish in her murmur.
Today there’s nothing I can say to her
that could stay ablaze.
Haven’t written in days,
Though in my heart
I feel a gap and a flame.
I’m envious of that fire
Bleeding with aroused passion
as it dies slowly down…
Oh, but it sings!

ARMAND
Translated by Tatul Sonentz

***

To the New Year

Tell me, how many times is it
that you’ve come to visit,
Barefoot as a beggar, peddling the "New",
smelling of decay
>From the top of your head to the tip of your toe?
Once more, you stand in my soul’s doorway.
What have you brought – or promised to bring –
that’s new? Anyway,
I no longer believe in the miracle of you!
Look, earlier visits robbed our souls
of love, of the glimmer of hope
and the twinkle of joy,
leaving behind a chest full of sighs…
It isn’t only the sadness that you add
to our already sad lives –
You bring us the blues, mournful, misty,
the color of God’s silent words,
moody as the skies.
I know, you come as a crook. No matter.
Look, I’ve shut my eyes, take all you want
that’s pulsing and warm, but I can’t
let you steal and take that
which cannot be robbed –
Inviolate beauty and purity of love that glow
on the altar of my soul –
they’ll always be there,
Settling ever deeper, in my heart’s nest.
Your previous visit should remind you best –
how on that gray evening, I hacked off
the grasping hand that dared try
to reach the unreachable skies
of my soul, trying to grab the cluster of its stars,
and disturb the azure murmur of its reverie…
– Do you recall?
There was a nineteen-fifteen –
My heart still bleeds and aches for the blood that even
"Neptune’s ocean wide" cannot wash away clean!
Neither can "All the sweet perfumes of Araby"
dissolve or disguise that smell…

If you, the "New", can’t sweeten the bitter salt
of the orphan’s tear,
and justice will stay lame
and never reach its aim,
If the tears of the meek shall forever flow,
and the vomit of the over-sated,
untimely death, mourning and sorrow
shall forever reign – then,
Turn around and leave! Our hearts are full,
and there is no reprieve…

ARMAND
Translated by Tatul Sonentz

International Herald Tribune, France –
Feb 20 2008

Turkey’s parliament approves return of confiscated property to
minorities
The Associated PressPublished: February 20, 2008

ANKARA, Turkey: Turkey’s parliament approved a law Wednesday to
return properties confiscated by the state to Christian and Jewish
minority foundations – a key reform demanded by the European Union.

The EU has long been pressing Turkey to pass the measure that would
allow the foundations belonging to minority groups to reclaim seized
assets – including churches, school buildings and orphanages – that
were registered in the names of saints.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn hailed Turkey for adopting the
law.

"The adoption of the new law on foundations is a welcome step
forward," he said. "This is an important issue for Turkey, and one
that all EU institutions have regularly highlighted as important to
ensure fundamental rights and freedoms for all Turkish citizens."

However, Rehn said: "It is implementation that will be the test of
Turkey’s progress in ensuring rights and freedoms."

The law would also allow Muslim foundations to receive financial aid
>From foreign countries.

The reform appears designed to meet conditions set by the EU for
Turkey’s membership in the bloc.

Parliament passed the measure 242-72. President Abdullah Gul, a close
associate of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is expected to sign
the measure.

Turkey seized some properties owned by minority foundations in 1974
around the time of an invasion of Cyprus that followed a coup attempt
by supporters of union with Greece.

The country’s population of 70 million, mostly Muslim, includes
65,000 Armenian Orthodox Christians, 23,000 Jews and fewer than 2,500
Greek Orthodox Christians.

Parliament first approved the measure in November 2006. But the
president at the time, Ahmet Necdet Sezer, was a secularist who was
often at odds with Erdogan’s Islamic-rooted government, and he vetoed
it.

Critics have said, however, that the measure makes no clear provision
for assets that have since been sold on to other people.

Religious minorities have often complained of discrimination in
Turkey, which has a history of conflict with Greece, which is
predominantly Christian, and with Armenians, another mostly Christian
group.

Many Armenians accuse Turkey of genocide early in the last century,
but Turkey says mass killings at that time were the result of the
chaos of war, rather than a systematic campaign of genocide.

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Feb 21 2008

FAMILIES OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH?S KILLED WARRIORS TO RECEIVE LUMP SUM
ASSISTANCE

YEREVAN, 21.02.08. DE FACTO. Lump sum assistance in the amount of
50,000 drams will be paid to the servicemen-invalids and the families
of the NKR?s killed warriors.
The order of rendering assistance was adopted at the recent sitting
of the NKR government. The monetary assistance will be rendered to
the citizens by the NKR Ministry of Social Security, regional
administrations and Stepanakert city hall. The statements on
rendering assistance will be considered by the corresponding
commission, KarabakhOpen reports.

Sargsyan wins Armenian presidential election

24.02.2008, 19.31

YEREVAN, February 24 (Itar-Tass) — Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan has
been elected as the Armenian president, the Central Elections
Commission said on Sunday.

According to the commission, the premier gained 52.82% of votes in the
February 19 election.

The opposition said it did not recognize the official results of the
presidential election and would challenge them. In the opinion of the
opposition, the election was won by Armenia’s first president Levon
Ter-Petrossian. The opposition started round-the-clock protests and
rallies on the square in front of the Armenian parliament.

International election observers said that the ballot generally met
democratic norms. They noted certain shortcomings but said they did not
have an effect on the election outcome.

The president-elect will be inaugurated on April 9, the day when the
office of incumbent President Robert Kocharian ends.

President Vladimir Putin and chiefs of some other states have
congratulated Sargsyan on victory.

THERE IS NO ISSUE OF DASHNAK MINISTERS’ RESIGNATION ON AGENDA OF ARF
SUMPREME BODY AT MOMENT, SPARTAK SEYRANIAN SAYS

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. By some information, the ARF Supreme
Body is dissatisfied with the fact that some of the government members
representing the ARF supported the election campaign of the RA prime
minister Serge Sargsian, whereas the party had nominated its own
candidate. To recap, the presidential candidate from the ARF Vahan
Hovhannisian resigned from the post of vice speaker of the RA National
Assemly on February 22. According to NT’s sources, one of the reasons
for his resignation was that his empowered persons also supported the
candidacy of Serge Sargsian – with his knowledge. Our sources indicate
that for the above mentioned reasons the ARF’s ministers are also going
to resign from their posts in the coming days.

However, in response to the question of NT correspondent, the spokesman
for the ARF Armenia Supreme Body Spartak Seyranian said in late
February 22 that the issue of resignation of Dashnak ministers is not
on the agenda of the ARF Supreme Body at the moment. In his words, the
Supreme Body will express its opinion and issue a statement (as was
said in Vahan Hovhannisian’s statement on the same day) after detailed
examination of the reports from all marzes and polling stations.
According to S. Seyranian, the issue of these ministers’ resignation is
of secondary, even much less importance.