Author: Chmshkian Vicken

GOVERNMENT TO SPEND $600,000 ON ADVERTISING ARMENIA ON CNN AND EURONEWS

ARMENPRESS
Jan 9, 2008

YEREVAN, JANUARY 9, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian government plans to
spend thousands of US Dollars this year to advertise the country as
an attractive tourist destination and especially its winter resort
town Tsakhkadzor, on CNN and Euronews.

Mekhak Apresian, head of a department at the trade and economic
development ministry, dealing with tourism, told Armenpress that the
government will release to this end 180 million Drams (some $600,000),
as much as it did for 2007.

Also a resort town of Jermuk in the Vayots Dzor province, where
the eponymous mineral water is produced, has now a cable road. Its
construction was launched in late April of 2007.

The government released 1.3 billion Drams from its reserve funds to
that end. The cable road is 1000 meter long.

The cable road is to give a push to tourism development and make the
town more attractive for holiday-makers not only in summer, but also
in winter.

Mekhak Apresian told Armenpress that the cable road will be officially
opened in mid-January.

Armenian National Committee of Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada 89135
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
January 10, 2008

Contact: Ara Shirinian
E-mail: [email protected]

*Nevada Armenian Americans Will Make Difference in Presidential Primary Set
for January 19th *

*Las Vegas, NV* – The strong growth of the Armenian American community in
Nevada will be a factor in the upcoming Presidential primary slated for
January 19, 2008. In a new development this Presidential election cycle,
both the Republican and Democratic Party primaries have been moved up the
date of the Nevada primary, bringing more attention and importance to the
Silver State’s upcoming primary.

A recent article in the Las Vegas Review Journal summed up the increased
relevance of Nevada in picking the next president. "The eyes of the nation
will be on the Silver State’s voters as never before in 2008, and those
seeking the presidency of the United States will surely be spending ample
time in Nevada getting out their message and securing support," remarked Las
Vegas area Congresswoman Shelly Berkley (D-NV).

Since 1990, Nevada’s population and economy has grown at a remarkable pace,
as the state is the second fast growing in the country behind only Arizona.
The 2006 census estimate puts the state’s population at approximately
2.5million, a figure that has grown by more than 20% since 2000.
The state’s largest Armenian American advocacy group, the Armenian National
Committee of Nevada (Nevada ANC), estimates that the Armenian community has
increased five-fold over the last decade, with over 10,000 Armenian
Americans now residing in the state.

"Our community has continued to grow at a tremendous pace since the last the
presidential election in 2004," stated Nevada ANC Chairperson Ara Shirinian.
"Armenian Americans will play an important role in the upcoming presidential
primary on January 19th. Clearly, we are all watching the presidential race
closely," he added.

Nevada is home to among the strongest supporters of Armenian American issues
in the U.S. Congress. U.S. Senators John Ensign (R-NV) and Harry Reid (D-NV;
Senate Majority leader) are currently cosponsors of the Armenian Genocide
resolution (S. Res. 106), in addition to U.S. Representatives Shelley
Berkley (D-NV-01) and Jon Porter (R-NV-03) who have cosponsored H. Res. 106.

"Armenian-Americans throughout the United States are prepared to vote in
this pivotal and heated race," remarked ANCA-WR Executive Director, Andrew
Kzirian. "The outcome of the upcoming presidential election will depend on
mobilizing voters who care deeply about specific issues that affect their
communities," he added.

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most
influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working in
coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout
the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA
actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad
range of issues.

###

ARMENIA’S FOREIGN MINISTRY "ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN CONTACTS IN 2007 DID NOT GO BEYOND NEGOTIATIONS ON THE SETTLEMENT OF THE GARABAGH CONFLICT"

Today
itics/42217.html
Jan 9 2008
Azerbaijan

Last year the contacts between Azerbaijan and Armenia did not go
beyond negotiations on the settlement of the Garabagh conflict.

In 2007 the contacts between Armenia and Azerbaijan did not go beyond
negotiations on the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Garabagh
conflict.

The due information is contained in the report of the Department
of Press and Information under the Foreign Ministry of Armenia on
results of the activity of the Ministry in 2007.

"The relations with Azerbaijan mainly developed in the framework of the
negotiation process on the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Garabagh
conflict under control of the OSCE Minsk Group", the document states.

Definite contacts were also observed in the framework of international
organizations, as well as on the level of public organizations and
media representatives.

VARDAN OSKANYAN: "THE SETTLEMENT OF THE NAGORNO GARABAGH CONFLICT WILL BECOME A KEY ISSUE ON THE AGENDA OF THE EXTERNAL POLICY OF ARMENIA IN 2008"

Today
s/42216.html
Jan 9 2008
Azerbaijan

The settlement of the Nagorno-Garabagh problem will become the main
priority of Armenia’s external policy in 2008.

The due statement was made by Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan
at a press conference on Wednesday.

"The settlement of the Nagorno Garabagh conflict will become a key
issue on the agenda of the external policy of Armenia in 2008. The
negotiation process will intensify due to the replacement of the
President of Armenia this year", the Foreign Minister of Armenia said.

The Minister announced that the basis of the negotiation process will
remain the same and the talks will continue considering the old basis.

V.Oskanyan also voiced hope that the talks will end positively in 2008.

Oskanyan noted that Armenia will continue its diplomatic activity to
lay foundation for the independence of the so called self-appointed
"Nagorno Garabagh Republic".

RA FM HOPES FOR RESOLUTION OF CONFLICTS IN 2008

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.01.2008 15:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The year 2007 was productive and proved the
correctness of Armenia’s complementary policy, RA Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian told a news conference in Yerevan.

"Our priorities will be maintained in 2008. The major problems of
2007 have penetrated into 2008: the Kosovo problem, tensed relations
between Georgia and Russia, Iran’s nuclear file, lack of progress
in the Armenia-Turkey relations and the Nagorno Karabakh issue,"
he said. "I hope for resolution of conflicts in 2008," he added.

The Minister also reminded that Armenia will assume presidency in
the CSTO and BSEC in 2008.

VAZGEN MANUKIAN: POWER IS GREAT RESPONSIBILITY

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 27, NOYAN TAPAN. The forthcoming presidential
elections will be held by two tours. Vazgen Manukian, the Chairman of
the National Democratic Union party, a candidate for presidency, made
such a prediction at the December 27 press conference. According to
him, though the authorities strive for solving the problem of their
reproduction at the very first tour, neverthelss each of opposition
candidates will take away some votes from a pro-governmental candidate
by securing holding of the second tour.

V. Manukian said that his striving for making changes in the country
coincides with the wish of the most part of society, on which his
confidence of winning is based. According to him, his political future
will be "cruel" after the elections. According to V. Manukian, striving
for power, many people do not imagine the burden of responsibility
falling on them as a result of it. He said that he has been in power
twice and remembers those years with horror up to present. "That is the
life I will not wish even to my enemy, but I wish it to myself," he
stated.

V. Manukian refuted the apprehension that an opposition President will
have a problem of working with the parliamentary majority. "The
majority is changeable: the personalities remain the same, but their
positions change very quickly," he said. Besides, according to V.
Manukian, a President elected by the people applying to the people will
have a possibility to exert pressure on the government and parliament.

"I do not expect holding of free, fair, clean elections, but I am
convinced that if the people is consolidated around serious ideas, the
electoral violations will not give the result they gave in the past,"
V. Manukian said. He expressed readiness to raise the people to fight
in case of obvious violations in the elections. At the same time, he
said that rally technologies should not be abused, as in most cases
rallies create a false impression about the real rating or possibilites
of their organizers.

FOCUS Information Agency

focus-news.net

USSR was established on this day in 1922
30 December 2007 | 01:15

USSR was established on this day in 1922. In post-revolutionary
Russia, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) is established,
comprising a confederation of Russia, Belorussia, Ukraine, and the
Transcaucasian Federation (divided in 1936 into the Georgian,
Azerbaijan, and Armenian republics). Also known as the Soviet Union,
the new communist state was the successor to the Russian Empire and
the first country in the world to be based on Marxist socialism.

During the Russian Revolution of 1917 and subsequent three-year
Russian Civil War, the Bolshevik Party under Vladimir Lenin dominated
the soviet forces, a coalition of workers’ and soldiers’ committees
that called for the establishment of a socialist state in the former
Russian Empire. In the USSR, all levels of government were controlled
by the Communist Party, and the party’s politburo, with its
increasingly powerful general secretary, effectively ruled the
country. Soviet industry was owned and managed by the state, and
agricultural land was divided into state-run collective farms.

In the decades after it was established, the Russian-dominated Soviet
Union grew into one of the world’s most powerful and influential
states and eventually encompassed 15 republics–Russia, Ukraine,
Georgia, Belorussia, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Latvia, Lithuania, and
Estonia. In 1991, the Soviet Union was dissolved following the
collapse of its communist government.

ARTHUR BAGHDASARIAN: "NO ONE LIKES FADED FOWER"

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law)
Party is proclaming about the beginning of a civil movement in Armenia
since 2008. This statement was made by Arthur Baghdasarian, the
Chairman of the above-mentioned party and a nominated candidate running
for the post of the RA President, at the press conference held on
December 26.

According to him, the elections of the President of the Republic of
Armenia concern every citizen and family. That is why the Orinats
Yerkir Party attaches importance to the manifestation of civil activity
in the forthcoming presidential electoral struggle, as well as to a
fair and free holding of elections. Arthur Baghdasarian promised to
congratulate any candidate, who will win in a fair struggle.

"No one likes faded flowers: we need a new start, new approaches,
innovation, brevity in order to lead society by a road of new
qualitative developments," the Leader of the Orinats Yerkir Party
mentioned, stating that the party will take that road. According to
him, about 10 thousand civil supporting groups, which back up the
Orinats Yerkir Party and in which people are involved irrespective of
their party membership, have already been formed. In addition to this,
there will also be rallies and meetings in Yerevan and in different
regions in the pre-electoral arsenal of the Orinats Yerkir Party.
Arthur Baghdasarian mentioned that the party will start holding rallies
since January.

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Dec 26 2007

IT educational, research centre set up in Yerevan state university in
Armenia

YEREVAN, December 26. /ARKA/. An educational and research centre of
information technologies (IT) has been launched in the Yerevan State
University.

Armenia considers high and information technologies a development
priority, Armenia’s Prime-Minister Serge Sargsian said in the opening
ceremony.

`’Every time I visit the University I would like to see innovations
and this centre is such news, a result of the work done,” the
Prime-Minister said.

The research director of the Centre, member of Armenia’s National
Academy of Sciences Professor Samvel Shukurian reported that the main
objective of IT Educational and Research Centre is implementing
educational programs and trainings, scientific and research works in
the field of information technologies, development and application of
information systems, advancement of the information network of the
Yerevan State University.

The Centre also aims at preparing professionals able to work in IT
sector immediately after graduation and to come up with initiatives
on IT development, Shukurian said.

The scientist pointed out the three main directions of centre’s
activities – training programs, practical developments and research
and development of a strategy to promote internal development,
creation of an ecosystem of information technologies in particular.

Òhe centre will have a chair of information systems, two divisions on
provision of educational process and information system and a
computer laboratory.

During the sitting of the Scientific Council of the University
presided over by Prime-Minister Sargsian the rector of the University
made a report on the activities in 2006-2007 academic year and the
expenditures and income made. The sitting participants approved the
draft expenditures and incomes of the University for 2008 financial
year. -0–

PanARMENIAN.Net

Baku statements always contradicted to contents of
Karabakh talks
28.12.2007 16:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `I would not like to comment on
Azerbaijan’s statements, which have always
contradicted to the contents of Karabakh talks and the
real state of affairs,’ Armenian Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian said when commenting on Ilham Aliyev’s
statement that `Armenia’s dream about Karabakh’s
sovereignty is unachievable.’

`We have always been optimistic about the base
principles under negotiation, including the right of
people of Nagrono Karabakh to self-determination. At
that, we have remarks to some items. I do not see
controversy between the approaches toward the Madrid
package, since it contains `averaged’ wordings. They
should be discussed and assessed. And we will do it at
the earliest convenience,’ the Minister said in an
interview with IA Regnum.