Author: Chilingarian Babken

ARMENIA SPEAKER BACKS IRAN NUCLEAR RIGHT

IRNA
Feb 14
Moscow

Iran-Armenia-Nuclear

Armenian Speaker Tigran Torossian said on Thursday that Iran is
entitled to produce nuclear energy for civilian purposes.

Torossian made the remark in a meeting with Iranian Ambassador to
Armenia Ali Saqayian, adding that all countries are entitled to
develop nuclear program within the framework of the International
Atomic Energy Agency.

According to the Iranian embassy in Armenia, the two sides condemned
political approach of certain monopolist powers to the of nuclear
programs of other countries.

Iranian envoy conveyed the greeting of Majlis Speaker Gholam-Ali
Haddad-Adel and extended an invitation to his Armenian counterpart
to pay an official visit to Tehran.

Saqayian expressed hope that continued political consultations between
Iranian and Armenian senior officials and boost of communications
among speakers, the parliamentary friendship groups and various
commissions will help the two nations enhance relations.

"HERITAGE" DISCUSSES WITH LEVON TER-PETROSIAN APPOACHES TO FOREIGN POLICY

Noyan Tapan
Feb 15, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 15, NOYAN TAPAN. Depsite its statement to back
the candidature of Levon Ter-Petrosian, the "Heritage" party and
L. Ter-Petrosian have not yet agreed on the approaches to Armenian
foreign policy.

The political secretary of the party Vardan Khachatrian announced on
February 15 that issues related to solution of the Artsakh problem
and to establishment of relations with Turkey will be discussed at
a meeting with L. Ter-Petrosian and his supporters to be held on the
same day.

V. Khacahtrain expressed his amazement at the fact that immediately
after the statement to support L. Ter-Petrosian, the press published
Raffi Hovannisian’s congratulatory letter sent to Abdullah Gul several
months ago on the occasion of Gul’s election as the president of
Turkey. The word "dispossession" was used instead of "genocide"
in that letter. According to V. Khachatrain, it does not mean that
R. Hovannisian is in favor of the word "genocide" going out of
use. In his words, by using the expression "great Armenian homeland
dispossession", R. Hovhanniasian wanted to show that Armenians were
destroyed in their homeland and the destruction of the Armenian
cultural layer still continues.

V. Khachatrain underlined that one of the pivotal problems for
improvement of relations with Turkey is "elimination of corrupted
officialdom or reduction of its number to a minimum in Armenia"
because this is necessary for creation of secure realtions. According
to V. Khachatrian, "Heritage" supports improvement of relations with
Turkey but it takes the view that "harmonization of these relations
requires gradual development".

PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address: Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel: +374-10-517163
Fax: +374-10-517301
E-Mail: [email protected]
Website:
February 16, 2008

Appeal of Supreme Spiritual Council on RA Presidential Elections

On February 14, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of
All Armenians, presided during a meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council in
the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Following the meeting, the Council made
the following exhortation to the people on the occasion of the upcoming
presidential elections in the Republic of Armenia:

"The upcoming presidential election in the Republic of Armenia on February
19 is a significant event in the life our country and people.

"Seventeen years ago, our people elected to live in liberty and
independence. The reestablishment of Armenian statehood became the
commencement of a new process aimed at the building of a country that is
just and noteworthy for its societal unity. It is the righteous expectation
of our people, that the election of a new president should become the
guarantor of stability in our country and the progress and reinforcement of
solidarity.

"In view of this consequential event, it is our exhortation to our people to
display a high understanding of patriotism and be guided by the highest
awareness of the country’s reputation. Let no action or expression cast a
shadow on our election or divide the unity of our people. We are patriotic
to the extent we know how to respect, tolerate and love one another. We are
patriotic to the extent we know how to place the national interest before
our personal aspirations and emotions.

"We pray that our Lord guide our country to new successes in peace,
solidarity, and unity of love.

"Honor all men, love your brother and fear God" (1 Peter 2:17)

Lragir, Armenia
Feb 14 2008

NOTHING IS WRONG ABOUT FIVE THOUSAND MORE

On February 14 at the Pastark Club, Heghine Bisharyan who is the head
of Arthur Baghdasaryan’s election office was asked about her attitude
that even the police confessed that more people attended Levon
Ter-Petrosyan’s rally on February 9 than the rally of the Orinats
Yerkir Party on February 3.

Heghine Bisharyan said she is happy that so many people attended the
rally of Levon Ter-Petrosyan. She said about twenty parties have
endorsed Levon Ter-Petrosyan, and Arthur Baghdasaryan held the rally
alone, and if five thousand more people attended the rally, she
thinks there is nothing wrong about it.

Besides, Heghine Bisharyan says anyway the number of people who came
to Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s rally was not more than the one hundred
thousand votes that the Orinats Yerkir Party got in the parliamentary
election of May 12 the results of which had been changed by election
fraud.

Belorusskie Novosti, Belarus
Feb 15 2008

In pictures: Belarusian plane crashes in Armenia

A Belarusian passenger plane crashed on takeoff in the Armenian
capital of Yerevan at 2:19 a.m. Thursday.

The 18 passengers and three crew members survived the crash, but
eight people were taken to hospital with burns and fractures.

The Canadian-built CRJ-100 owned by Belarusian national airline
Belavia and bound for Minsk flipped over on the runway at Zvartnots
Airport and burst into flames, according to local reports.

According to the Armenian civil aviation department, the pilot
complained that the plain was veering to the left seconds ahead of
the takeoff. `The crew tried to independently put it straight and
decided to continue the takeoff. As far as we know, the plane’s wing
touched the runway whet it was four or five meters up in the air and
the aircraft flipped over,’ Artyom Movsisyan said.

There were at least four Belarusian nationals aboard the plane –
three crew members and one passenger.

A delegation of Belarusian experts flew to Armenia on Thursday to
investigate the crash.

ic_media_259_1626/

FOREIGN INVESTMENTS POSSIBLE BY PRESIDENT’S AND PRIME MINISTER’S EFFORTS

Panorama.am
15:32 13/02/2008

"Deno Gold Mining" CJSC announced in its press release that Robert
Falletta was assigned as the general manager of Kapan Mining. Falletta
is responsible for the managing and the administrative part of the
company’s work. Below is presented the press release:

"Deno Gold Mining Company CJSC is pleased to announce the appointment
of Mr. Robert Falletta as General Manager of Kapan Mine as of 28
January 2008. He will be responsible for managing the work on the
mine as well as the administrative part.

Robert Faletta brings over 35 years of mining experience to his new
role. He is a professional mining engineer and has held increasingly
senior roles in both underground and open pit operations in a variety
of countries including the United States, Indonesia and Russia. Since
1997, Mr. Falletta has been based in Russia. Originally working with
Kinross Gold Corporation, he thereafter held a variety of positions
culminating with his appointment as General Director of Omolon Gold in
2005. Before assuming his position with the Deno Gold Mining Robert
Faletta held a position of General Director of Ozerniy GOK – a joint
venture between Lundin Mining and MBC/Metropol/Russian Partners.

Appointment of Mr. Faletta to this responsible position at Deno Gold
Mining Company once again proves serious intention its owners to
continue implementation of sustainable investment programs in Armenia.

At the same time we inform that as a result of direct meetings with the
President and the Prime-Minister of Armenia we have become assured it
was due to their personal efforts that favorable climate for foreign
investment has been established in Armenia. We are convinced that
the authorities of the country will continue the process of securing
stability in Armenia, which, in turn, will positively affect the
foreign investors to implement long-term and financially stable
activities. This, in its turn, will aid in development of a number
of communities – the desire and aspiration of the authorities of the
country for this has been clearly noted by us.

Deno Gold Mining CJSC is 95 % owned by Dundee Precious Metals (Canada).

Dundee Precious Metals is an international mining company,
headquartered in Canada. The company mines precious metals, acquires,
researches and processes them. The company’s shares (Symbol: DPM;
DPM.WT) are traded at the Toronto stock exchange. Currently, Dundee
Precious Metals is implementing gold and copper concentrate production
Chelopech Mine and Krumovgrad Gold mining projects in Bulgaria, as
well as exploits 95 per cent of Kapan gold, copper and zinc mine on
the South of Armenia to produce concentrates. In addition to this,
DPM has research and exploitation agreements in the largest gold,
copper and silver production areas in Serbia. The company owns Back
River gold research project, located at Nunavut (Canada)".

ARMENIAN REPORTER
February 13, 2008

All 18 passengers and 5 crewmembers have apparently survived a
harrowing incident at Yerevan’s Zvartnots Airport around 4 o’clock
this morning. A CRJ-100-M Belavia airplane headed for Minsk skidded,
lost its balance, and caught fire at the end of the runway.

###

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Fax: 1-201-226-1660

3191 Casitas Ave Ste 216
Los Angeles CA 90039
Tel: 1-323-671-1030
Fax: 1-323-671-1033

1 Yeghvard Hwy Fl 5
Yerevan 0054 Armenia
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Fax: 374-10-367-195 fax

Web:
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THIRD HEARING IN DINK MURDER TRIAL TO BE HELD TODAY

Today’s Zaman
Feb 11 2008
Turkey

The third hearing in the trial of defendants accused of assassinating
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, killed in January of last
year by an ultranationalist youth for allegedly insulting Turkishness,
will take place today.

A total of 18 suspects, including Dink’s suspected killer, 17-year-old
O.S., and an ultranationalist youth charged with planning the crime,
will go on trial for organizing the horrendous murder, at the 14th
High Criminal Court in Ýstanbul.

Dink was gunned down in broad daylight on Jan. 19 in front of
the headquarters of bilingual Armenian weekly Agos, where he was
editor-in-chief. Following Dink’s murder, many reports suggested that
the police were tipped off about the planned assassination more than
once prior to his execution yet failed to prevent it. In addition,
links have emerged among members of the security forces in Trabzon,
where the killing was planned, in Ýstanbul where it was executed and
in Ankara, where the intelligence was gathered, and the masterminds
of the murder.

Sources say the session will be recorded by cameras set up in the
courtroom that will record video as well as the conversations between
defendants and lawyers during the trial.

Dink family lawyers applied to the Ýstanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office
after the second hearing of the trial resumed in early October 2007
and accused security officers of covering up intelligence and evidence
on the slaying. The Ýstanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office then ordered
cameras to be set up in the courtroom to record the hearing.

The second hearing of suspects accused of murdering Dink was held on
Oct. 1, 2007 at the Ýstanbul 14th Criminal Court in Beþiktaþ. O.S.

expressed "regret" for the killing in his testimony.

"I was forced to do this job. I shot Dink out of fear without even
understanding how it happened. I was at my uncle’s place when I came
back to my senses. I could not sleep the entire night. I regret it;
I didn’t know he had a family. I wouldn’t have done it if I had known,"
he said in his testimony.

The Ýstanbul Public Prosecutor is expected to ask the court to sentence
Yasin Hayal, an ultranationalist youth charged with planning the
murder, to life imprisonment under hard conditions, O.S. to 42 years
in jail and the other 16 suspects to prison terms varying between 15
and 35 years.

Fethiye Cetin, an attorney representing the Dink family, has said on
the other hand that the murder has not been properly investigated,
expressing fear about the court’s independence. "No significant
distance has been covered in the investigation launched into Dink’s
assassination. It is not possible to dissipate the shroud of mist
behind his death unless a deeper probe is launched into his murder,"
she said in a report submitted to the Interior Ministry.

–Boundary_(ID_alxJkVGXPwk/UeW1fJgHgw)- –

ALLIANCE "IN THE NAME OF DEMOCRACY" TO HOLD EXIT-POLL DURING THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA

Mediamax
February 12, 2008

Yerevan /Mediamax/. "In the name of democracy" youth alliance will
hold an exit-poll during the presidential elections in Armenia on
February 19.

As the Deputy Chairman of the alliance Gevorg Melikian stated at a
news conference in Yerevan today, the exit-poll will be realized in
100 polling stations of the country by 150 members of the organization.

According to him, the alliance plans to poll 2300 people or 0.1%
of the whole number of electors. Gevorg Melikian stated that the
small number of participants of the poll is conditioned by the
absence of financial resource, since the alliance is not funded by
any international organization or a political party.

The results of the exit-poll will be publicized in 1.5-2 hours after
the conclusion of the elections.

STOP IMAGINING JUST LOOK AT TURKEY!

ommunique00010200.html
Sent to The Economist : Saturday, February 09, 2008

Imagine Nazi Rule in Turkey, surviving for decades, with the chauvinist
Young Turk regime and ideology defeated but quickly revived after WWI
with western headgear replacing the Young Turk Fez! Imagine then a
"reform/Islamist Nationalist Turk" (call him M-abdulah Gul-bach or
Ragib Erdogab) coming to power in the late 1990s and …

Then STOP IMAGINING and just look at Turkey! Having committed massacres
in the 19th century and Genocide in the 20th century against its
Armenian, Assyrian and Greek (Christian) populations wiping them and
their entire civilisations out almost completely (from 25% of Ottoman
population in 1900 to less than 0.25% now after a 100 years when it
should have stayed at least static even without any growth but without
mass slaughter either!), having been defeated in WWI but, unlike the
Nazi state and criminals, not dismantled, punished or prosecuted, all
its governments since 1918 have denied and distorted the fact of their
genocidal past and continue to do so with impunity up to the present,
even enjoying full support from the likes of the Economist, the UK and
the US, with occasional mild criticism. It maintains an authoritarian,
virulently nationalist and now Islamist government which prosecutes
its own journalists, publishers and Nobel Prize winning authors for
"insulting Turkishness", that is the very few who dare or are brave
enough to speak the truth about Turkey’s criminal past in general or
refer to the Armenian Genocide!

Furthermore, this unpunished and unreformed staunchly chauvinist
nationalist Turkey, heavily militarised and armed to its teeth,
is invading at will (Cyprus, 1973, Iraq, the Kurds repeatedly…) or
threatening to invade and bullying its other large and small neighbours
(Greece in the Aegean and Armenia ever since its independence in
1991)… . It is blockading Armenia and keeping the border with it
closed (the only closed border in Europe) and refusing to establish
diplomatic relations with it until it meets Turkey’s various bullying
preconditions, such as accepting that it – Armenia – committed Genocide
against Turkey and apologises to it!

The Economist has never exposed Turkey’s heinous criminal past
properly, the murder of 1.5 million Armenians and their civilisation,
or its present unacceptable authoritarian regime and its internal
repression or external bullying, especially towards Armenia.

In fact the Economist is one of the main advocates of its membership
of European Union and other democratic organisations.

Yet the very same Economist is devoting hypocritical and false
editorials and comments about the apparent dangers emanating from
Putin’s Russia, of all things over the Katyn massacres, when the
Russian government is on record for accepting the Stalinist era crime;
just because some cranky old Soviet era General has written an article
or a book denying the involvement of the Stalinist era NKVD!

What rank hypocrisy and warped Disraelian anti-Russian propaganda. The
Economists agenda is a new cold war against Russia so any petty and
disgusting lie will do to paint Russia in cold war distorted shades.

Equally, the same warped ideology still needs the real
authoritarian/unreformed even barbarian Turkey as a buffer against
Russia so will go to any length to protect it.

The Economist, like the British government, has no credibility or
any constructive European ideas but peddling the same old, warped
and now bankrupt cold war rhetoric.