Author: Chmshkian Vicken

BANANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CUP OF CIS AND BALTIC STATES

armradio.am
07.12.2007 17:50

Juary 19-27 silver medal holder of the national football championship
of Armenia, "Banants" of Yerevan will participate in the Football
Cup of the CIS and Baltic States.

January 19 Babants will compete with "BATE," the champion of Belarus,
January 20 it will hold a match against "Pakhtakor" of Tashkent,
and on January 22 it will compete with "Dinamo" of Kiev, the Champion
of Ukraine.

The teams that occupy the second and third positions in the group
willl continue the competition.

DELEGATION OF YEREVAN MAYOR’S OFFICE TO LEAVE FOR MOSCOW ON DECEMBER 6

Noyan Tapan
Dec 5, 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. A delegation led by Yerevan Mayor
Yervand Zakharian will leave for Moscow on a three-day official visit
on December 6.

Noyan Tapan was informed about it by the Information and Public
Relations Department of Yerevan Mayor’s Office.

2008-2011 cooperation program between Moscow and Yerevan executive
power bodies will be signed during the visit.

LEVON TER-PETROSIAN: IN ARMENIA RUSSIA WILL NOT DO THINGS IT DID IN GEORGIA AND UKRAINE

Noyan Tapan
Dec 6, 2007

MOSCOW, DECEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. In an interview to the Russian
newspaper "Kommersant", the first Armenian president and a presidential
candidate Levon Ter-Petrosian expressed confidence that in Armenia,
Russia "will not do the things it did in Georgia and Ukraine".

In response to the correspondent’s question: "Aren’t you afraid that
Russia may take the side of the authorities?", L. Ter-Petrosian
replied: "It will not happen in my case when I am the alternative
to Serge Sargsian. The Ukrainian and Georgian schemes will not work
here. There is no division between pro-Russian and pro-American
forces here".

According to Radio Liberty, the first Armenian president reminded that
there was strategic partnership between Armenia and Russia at the
time of his being in power, too. "All the most important agreements
were signed at that time. Armenia was the first to join the CIS. All
agreements: those on collective security, on joint defence of the
borders, on the united system of air defence, on the military base in
Gyumri, and on creation of ArmRusgazprom were signed under me. Finally,
the great Russian-Armenian political agreement. The current authorities
have not added anything new.

Can you remember even one agreement signed by them?"

Being reminded that in accordance with the agreement signed with
Gazprom last year, the gas transportation systems in the territory
of Armenia were transferred to this company, L. Ter-Petrosian said:
"It is another thing.

Many accuse Russia in this issue but it is not to blame. In order
to make their life easier and not to pay interest on the debts to
Russia, the current Armenian authorities solved the problem this way
– by giving it as property. The issue of this debt could have been
solved otherwise. Putin himself said twice that it was the initiative
of Armenia and not Russia".

As for the Russian military base in Gyumri, the first Armenian
president said: "When Russia had problems with the presence of
servicemen in our territory, I proposed that Boris Yelstin should
record that it is a military base. He gave instructions to prepare
a document, and everything was done.

It is natural if it proceeds from interests of both Russia and
Armenia. This interest exists now as it was in the past".

Responding to the question: "You are appealing to the international
community to follow the process of the elections, you met with EU
ambassadors. Did you appeal to Russia?" L. Ter-Petrosian replied: "I
have not appealed to any state. I have appealed to the organizations,
to which we have assumed certain democratic obligations – to the
Council of Europe, the OSCE, the UN. We are asking one thing: Armenia
shall fulfil the obligations assumed."

As for the CIS, in the words of the first president, "Armenia has
not assumed such obligations to the CIS".

In reponse to questions related to the possible rigging in the
February elections, Levon Ter-Petrosian said: "We do everything to
avoid it. However, they may invent something else".

In case of electoral rigging, in the words of the first president,
"there will be no revolution, I will not allow violence and offences
on our part".

"What if people, however, take to the streets?" – in response to
this question, L. Ter-Petrosian said: "Then I will ask the people to
express its opinion only in a peaceful way".

"MICROSOFT RA" COMPANY ENVISAGES TO COOPERATE WITH RA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

Noyan Tapan
Dec 6, 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. A document on a 3-5-year cooperation
will be signed between the RA Ministry of Education and Science and the
"Microsoft RA" company, a branch of the "Microsoft" company, during
the first half of 2008. This information was provided to a Noyan Tapan
correspondent by Grigor Barseghian, the Head of the "Microsoft RA".

In his words, the "Microsoft" plans to declare amnesty for the schools
of Armenia for having used the non-licenced software in approximately
10 thousand computers of those institutions. At the same time, the
RA Ministry of Education and Science will be offered to install
the licenced software packages of that company in the computers
of the schools, to make use of the opportunity for installing new
softwares without restrictions through the website of the "Microsoft"
2-3 dollars annually for one computer. According to G. Barseghian,
the same conditions will work for using the software means of the
"Microsoft" in the internal systems of the educational departments of
the local self-government bodies, and the RA Ministry of Education
and Science. It was mentioned that the systems of internal document
circulation of the RA Ministry of Education and Science and that
of government information are envisaged to be worked out in the
"Microsoft Innovation Center" to open in Yerevan this month.

The Head of the "Microsoft RA" also declared that through the
cooperation with the RA Ministries of Trade and Economic Development,
Education and Science, "Incubator of Enterprises" fund, the "Project
Harmony" organization and a number of private companies, a pilot
program is being implemented in the region of Syunik, which is aimed
at studying the opportunities for using information technologies in
the schools of Armenia. According to G.

Barseghian, the software solutions of the "Microsoft" allow to organize
online and correspondence courses, examinations, to conduct statistics
on schools and pupils through the remotely located computer centers. In
the opinion of G. Barseghian, particularly the schools of remote
villages, where there is a lack of teachers of this or that subject,
are in need of using such technologies.

It was mentioned that the software packages of the "Microsoft"
envisaged for schools are envisaged to be localized (made Armenian)
in the "Innovation Center of Microsoft."

RA ARMED FORCES’ SUBDIVISION TO LEAVE FOR IRAQ ON HUMANITARIAN MISSION IN 2008 AS WELL

Noyan Tapan
Dec 04 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. On December 4, the RA National
Assembly, with 79 votes for, 10 opposed and 11 abstained, prolonged
with one year the term of joining the memorial on mutual understanding
on ruling the multi-national division making part of Iraq’s stabilizing
forces and regulation of another similar issues. The RA President had
proposed this to the NA. The RPA and Bargavach Hayastan factions making
part of the political coalition voted for the decision. Part of the
members of the ARFD and Zharangutiun factions voted against, another
part abstained. The Orinats Yerkir faction was absent from voting.

By the decision of the RA NA, Armenia joined the memorial on
mutual understanding on December 24, 2004, and the term of joining
the memorandum was prolonged at the end of every year following
it. According to the last, 3rd decision on term’s prolongation, RA
Armed Forces’ subdivision consisting of 46 persons, including doctors,
drivers and sappers, will leave for Iraq in 2008, on humanitarian
mission, by rotation order, for six-month terms.

Regnum, Russia
Dec 5 2007

Vladimir Karapetyan: Allegations of PKK bases in Armenia and NK
groundless provocation

Armenian foreign ministry spokesman Vladimir Karapetyan has responded
to a question by REGNUM regarding alleged PKK bases installation in
Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, and territories controlled by NK.

REGNUM: How would you comment on the reports in Azerbaijani and
Turkish media on the intention of the PKK to install its bases in
Armenia and NK and the territories controlled by Nagrono Karabagh?

V. Karapetyan: `We have commented on these rumors earlier, but I want
to stress one more time, that those reports have no relation to the
reality and are absurd. It is obvious where this fabricated
information is coming from.’

`Those baseless allegations are but another attempt of provocation,’
Mr. Karapetian emphasized.

ARMENIAN COURT ADDS TO DISSIDENT TV’S WOES
By Ruben Meloyan

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Dec 4 2007

Armenia’s Economic Court has added to a controversial government
crackdown on a provincial television station that has been facing
uncertain future since providing airtime to former President Levon
Ter-Petrosian about two months ago.

The Gyumri-based GALA TV was accused by the State Tax Service (STS)
last month of underreporting its advertising revenues over the
past two years to avoid paying more than 25 million drams ($82,000)
in taxes. GALA’s parent company, Chap, rejected the accusation as
baseless and politically motivated.

The STS responded by asking the Economic Court to freeze the company’s
bank accounts and other assets worth the alleged tax shortfall. The
court rejected the demand on November 26 only to reverse its stance a
week later. Issuing the injunction late Monday, it cited "additional
documents" submitted by the STS in support of the case against GALA.

"Our bank account is frozen and we are unable to pay employees’
wages," Vahan Khachatrian, the owner of GALA and Chap, told RFE/RL
on Tuesday. "But we intend to continue our work. All the employees
understand that this is a temporary problem. I don’t think we will
face serious difficulties."

Khachatrian suggested at the same time that the court issued the
order under government pressure. "Something probably happened [in
the period between the two verdicts.] I think they put additional
pressure on the court," he said.

GALA is also facing another, more serious STS accusation: that it has
been illegally using a TV tower in Gyumri to broadcast its programs
to Armenia’s second largest city and surrounding areas. Late last
month the Gyumri mayor’s office asked the Economic Court to force
the TV channel to remove its transmitter from the tower. The court
is scheduled to open hearings on the case on December 17.

The accusations were brought as a result of a financial inspection of
Chap’s operations conducted by the STS shortly after the TV station
broadcast on October 14 a landmark speech in which Ter-Petrosian
subjected Armenia’s leadership to harsh criticism. Ter-Petrosian
supporters say GALA and another, even smaller local TV station were
the only broadcasters that agreed to air, as a paid advertisement,
the September 21 speech that marked the former president’s return to
active politics.

Khachatrian claims that the National Commission on Television and
Radio, a government-controlled body issuing and revoking broadcasting
licenses, had warned him against airing Ter-Petrosian’s verbal attacks
on President Robert Kocharian. The commission denies this.

BUSH IS ALSO CONCERNED

A1+
[02:27 pm] 27 November, 2007

The US President George Bush called on the Russian authorities to
release the participants of the opposition action.

On 24 November the leader of the oppositional United Civil Front
Garry Kasparov was detained in Moscow. He was detained for 5 days
for the participation in a prohibited action.

The US Department of State is also disturbed by the arrest of the
opposition leader. kasparov.ru website informs that Garry Kasparov’s
lawyer and co-thinkers are forbidden to visit him. They worry about
their leader. "Assumptions are very gloomy",- says the press release.

KAZAKHSTAN: ARMENIAN MINISTER URGES PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH

Kazakhstan Today, Kazakhstan
Nov 27 2007

Astana, 27 November: Armenia supports a peaceful settlement of the
Karabakh conflict. Armenian Defence Minister Mikayel Harutyunyan
said this in an interview with journalists following a meeting with
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev in Astana today, a correspondent
of the agency says.

"Azerbaijan has announced about the start of combat actions with
100 per cent certainty. Armenia has its own point of view and sees
no alternative to a peaceful solution," the minister said. "I would
like to say that the presidents of the two countries, the foreign
ministers are holding negotiations on a peaceful settlement of the
Karabakh conflict," he noted.

"I think that making in such a way an announcement that combat actions
will be launched with 100 per cent certainty is a wrong approach to
resolving this issue," he said. "But nobody will be able to frighten
Armenia with combat actions," the minister said.

"But we do not want combat actions, we want a peaceful settlement of
the Karabakh conflict," Harutyunyan said.

As was reported earlier, the Azerbaijani defence minister did not
exclude the possibility of an armed conflict with Armenia. "The
possibility of war is almost 100 per cent as long as Azerbaijan’s
lands are under Armenian occupation", he said.

MIGRATION OF ARMENIAN WOMEN LESSENS

Panorama.am
17:45 28/11/2007

During 2005-2007, 14.5 percent of household were enrolled in employment
related migration, which makes up 99-127 thousand families. In 80.6
percent of cases, only one member of the family migrated, this data
was released during the summarization of research findings conducted
on employment migration.

In the words of Anna Minasyan, representative of Advanced Social
Technologies, 3-3.8 percent of population migrates on employment
reasons making up 96-122 thousand persons. The 59.4 percent of
those surveyed were once enrolled in employment migration before
2005. According to the survey results, the employment migration of the
rural population has increased in the course of recent 2 years. The
migration in rural dwellings increased by 3.5 percent and it decreased
in the capital by 2.4 percent. Those who seek employment abroad are
of mid social status.

The main country of destination is Russia, followed by USA and Ukraine.

In the words of Gagik Yeganyan, territorial management ministry
migration service department head, the results of this research will
be used in policy development.