Author: Dabaghian Diana

Lragir, Armenia
Jan 18 2008

WHOSE GAME IS FORECAST ON RUN-OFF ELECTION?

Why the question whom to support in the second round of the election
never occurred in the presidential elections of 1996, 1998 and 2003,
whereas now it is one of the most frequently asked questions? This
question was raised by the presidential candidate Vazgen Manukyan in
a news conference on January 18 at the Tesaket Club. He tried to
answer the question of reporters if the National Democratic Union
will support Levon Ter-Petrosyan if he runs in the election,
especially that Aram Manukyan from Ter-Petrosyan’s team has stated
recently that if Vazgen Manukyan runs in the second round, they will
support Vazgen Manukyan.

`Every time this question was solved in different ways. In 1996 no
second round was held, in 1998 there was a second round, most parties
supported Robert Kocharyan only the NDU and the Communist Party
decided not to support anyone. In 2003 Artashes Geghamyan did not
join anyone and found himself in a difficult situation. However, it
has never been discussed beforehand. I think it is a put-up job,’
Vazgen Manukyan says. He says he does not discuss this especially
that he thinks he will be in the second round.

ISNA (Iranian Students News Agency), Iran
Jan 14 2008

Iran approves opening of Armenian consulate in Tabriz – agency

ISNA, Tehran, 14 January: The cabinet of ministers has approved
opening of the Armenian consulate general in Tabriz [the capital city
of the Iranian East Azarbayjan Province].

According to a report filed by ISNA, the cabinet has agree with the
proposal put forward by the Foreign Ministry to authorize opening of
the Armenian general consulate in Tabriz in case if the other party
will approve the same [for Iran].

The first deputy of the president has sent the mentioned approval for
realization.

[translated]

Today, Azerbaijan
Jan 18 2008

Yuri Merzlyakov: "Azerbaijan and Armenia interpret issues, which they
consider important in the basic principles of the conflict
settlement, as they wish"

18 January 2008 [18:39] – Today.Az

It is obvious that Azerbaijan and Armenia have thoroughly studied the
document, presented to them in Madrid, and the co-chairmen of the
OSCE Minsk Group will work out the next working version of the basic
principles of settlement on basis of ideas received from both sides.

The due statement was made by Russian co-chairman Yuri Merzlyakov,
during a press conference on results of the visit of the co-chairmen
to the region, held in Baku.

He voiced hope that the year of 2008 will be marked with a
breakthrough in the settlement of Nagorno-Garabagh conflict.

"The visit aimed to learn the reaction of both sides on the document
on basic principles of the conflict settlement, proposed in Madrid.
And we have received this reaction. The final agreement has not been
reached, but we can feel the mutual understanding of the sides on the
remaining unsettled issues and we can not fix it in the document", he
said.

At the same time, Merzlyakov noted that each side interprets the
issues, which they consider important in the basic principles, as
they wish and this causes discrepancies in the announcements of the
two sides.

"Such discrepancies in interpretations must not exist when the basic
principles are coordinated", Merzlyakov announced.

/Day.Az/
URL:

MINISTER RECEIVED BRYZA

A1+
[05:43 pm] 17 January, 2008

The RA Defense Minister Michael Harutyunyan received the OSCE Minsk
Group Co-Chairman Matthew Bryza.

During the meeting the parties reflected on the document on the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement presented by the OSCE Minsk
Group Co-Chairmen in Madrid.

Matthew Bryza mentioned that 2008 would be decisive for everyone. Thus,
in case of good will of the concerned parties, they might reach final
consensus and settle the problem.

The parties also reflected on the present state of the
Armenian-American military cooperation and expressed hope that
Armenian-American relations would develop during the current year.

The parties also discussed number of issues related to reforms carried
out in the armed forces of our county.

ELECTION PROGRAMME OF ARMENIA’S PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDER ARTASHES GEGHAMYAN CONSISTS OF 83 POINTS

arminfo
2008-01-16 16:21:00

ArmInfo. The election campaign of Armenia’s presidential contender,
the "National Unity" party leader Artashes Geghamyan consists of
83 points, deputy Chairman of the "National Unity" party, Head
of A. Geghamyan’s campaign headquarters Alexan Karapetyan said at
today’s press-conference in "Mirror" club. He said that 53 campaign
headquarters of A. Geghamyan have already been formed and function,
41 of them function in the regions and 12 in Yerevan. A. Karapetyan
added that during preparation of their leader’s election programme,
representatives of A. Geghamyan’s campaign headquarters thoroughly
studied the experience of similar campaigns in the USA, Europe and
Russia. Artashes Geghamyan somewhat changed the election tactics as
compared with the presidential campaign, 2003. If great funds were
spent that time to manufacture and place election agitation posters,
now, the main emphasis will be put on the meetings with the population
in closed apartments taking into account the frosty weather.

Asked whom Artashes Geghamyan will call to support in the second round,
if it takes place and A. Geghamyan does not pass, A. Karapetyan replied
that all depends on a candidate who passes to the 2nd round. "We
believe that A. Geghamyan’s chances are very high and we have not
yet considered this issue", A. Karapetyan said.

PRSP ENVISAGES NO EXTREME POVERTY IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, ARMENPRESS; Under the revised
Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) of the
Armenian government, the level of poverty in Armenia
is supposed to drop to 12 percent by 2012.
The next target will be 9 percent, which the
government expects to achieve by 2015. In 20021 only 6
percent of Armenians would be rated a spoor.
For comparison in 2006 the level of poverty was
26.5 percent.
The revised strategy was presented today by Melik
Gasparian, head of a team of experts hired to develop
the strategy.
He said today by 2012 the share of extreme poverty
is expected to fall to below 2 percent from the
current 4.1 percent and by 2021 this problem would be
resolved.
By 2015 the share of government subsidies to health
will make 3.1 percent of the national GDP. Education
subsidies will grow to 4 percent of the GDP.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Third Armenian cellular operator to be known no sooner
that summer 2008
14.01.2008 13:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The third Armenian cellular operator
in Armenia will be known no sooner than summer 2008,
said Gevorg Gevorgyan, head of the telecommunication
department of the public services regulatory committee
of Armenia. He said the RA government has determined
the composition of the tender commission and the order
of its work.

`The international tender will be completed in
August-September 2008, however the terms can be
prolonged depending on the commission’s proposals. The
public services regulatory committee of Armenia
doesn’t possess official data on applications from
companies concerned,’ Gevorgyan said, Novosti Armenia
reports.

As PSRC head Robert Nazaryan stated earlier,
applications will be received from May 1, 2008 during
90 days. However, according to Minister of Transport
and Communications Andranik Manukyan, who heads of the
tender commission, the name of the third operator will
be announced till June 30, 2008.

Russia & CIS General Newswire
January 11, 2008 Friday 11:23 AM MSK

Planned CSTO exercises in Armenia will not aggravate situation in
Caucasus – Bordyuzha

MOSCOW Jan 11

The exercises due to be held the Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO) member states in Armenia in spring 2008 will not
aggravate the situation in Caucasus, CSTO Secretary General Nikolai
Bordyuzha said.

"When proposing the exercise, we were taking into account all the
difficulties of the situation in the Caucasus," he told the media in
Moscow on Friday.

It will be a command post exercise without any major redeployment of
forces in the region, he said. "Moreover, it will be an antiterrorist
exercise," he added.

"These exercises are not aimed at increasing tensions between
Azerbaijan and Armenia," Bordyuzha said, adding that he hoped Baku
officials understand this.

International observers have been invited for the exercise, he added.

ARMENIAN CEC POSTS FINAL VOTER LISTS

ARMENPRESS
Jan 10, 2008

YEREVAN, JANUARY 10, ARMENPRESS: An Armenian police department in
charge of passports and visas, which is also vested with the authority
to compile voter lists, handed the complete lists to the country’s
Central Election Commission (CEC).

The latter has placed them on its official website and now every
eligible voter with an access to Internet can check his or her name.

A spokeswoman for the CEC, Tatevik Ohanian, said to Armenpress the
voter lists contain 2,311,917 names of eligible voters.

She said the deadline for citizens with no registration who can ask
their district leaders to include their names on the lists is January
29. By the way, before 2006 May 12 parliamentary elections the voter
lists had overall 2,316,038 names.

Under the law voter lists will be fixed outside all polling stations
on January 10. Overall there are 1,923 polling stations across the
country, of which 442 are in Yerevan. Local election commissions
should be formed between January 24-27.

FACTBOX: FIVE FACTS ABOUT THE CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY
Jeffrey Heller

Reuters
Jan 10 2008
UK

Thu Jan 10, 2008 7:56am EST (Reuters) – President George W. Bush
visited the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem’s Manger Square in the
occupied West Bank on Thursday after talks with Palestinian leaders
in Ramallah.

Here are five facts about the church, built over the grotto where
Christians believe the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ.

* The fortress-like stone church is one of the oldest in the world
still in continuous use.

* The church has been fought over by a succession of armies over
the centuries. Its compound includes a basilica and Franciscan,
Greek Orthodox and Armenian convents.

* The Roman emperor, Constantine, completed the basilica in 333. The
church was destroyed in a Samaritan revolt in 529 and rebuilt in 565.

* A small Door of Humility stands at the entrance to the basilica,
forcing pilgrims to bend over while passing through.

* Dozens of Palestinian gunmen took shelter in the church during a
month-long siege in 2002 by Israeli troops. Thirteen of the militants
were exiled to European countries and another 26 were sent to the
Gaza Strip as part of a deal to end the standoff.