Author: Dabaghian Diana

A MEMORIAL CEREMONY IN HONOR OF THE NORWEGIAN MISSIONARY AND ARMENIA ADVOCATE BODIL BIøRN

armradio.am
21.07.2008 11:36

On July 22nd, the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute is sponsoring a
memorial plaque dedication ceremony in honor of the famous Norwegian
missionary Bodil Biørn.

The ceremony will begin at the AGMI’s Gomidas Hall with the
presentation of the film "They call me mother"; a featured movie at
the 2008 "Golden Apricot" Film Festival. Attending the ceremony are
the members of Bodil Biørn’s family traveling from Norway to Armenia.

The ceremony will also feature the presentation of a photo album of
Eastern Armenia captured by Bodil Biørn. This greatly preserved album
includes photos of the Armenian Genocide and images of life after the
genocide. The presentation will also introduce letters, journals and
other testimonial documents that authenticate the genocide of 1915.

The ceremony will be concluded with the placement of a piece of
soil bringing from the tomb of Biørn in the "Memorial Wall" of the
Tsisernakaberd Memorial Complex.

Bodil Biørn was born in 1987 in the Norwegian city of Kragerø. In
1905, while working for the "Women Missionary Workers" organization,
she was sent to the Ottoman Empire, first at the city of Mezereh,
and later in Mush, where her primary interaction was with widows and
orphans. Biørn beca me an eyewitness of the Armenian Genocide and
documented the developments of massacres through her photography.

In 1917, she returned to Norway for a short amount of time,
before she left to the newly formed Armenian Republic where she
established an orphanage and took care of Armenian refugees from the
genocide. Furthermore, after establishing an orphanage in Armenia she
moved to Syria and engaged in a successful effort of establishing
an orphanage for the survivors. Up until 1934, she continued her
services to the Armenian people and her engagement in the life of
the orphan survivors.

Bodil Biørn past away in 1960, but her memory and her work remains
alive in the heart of Armenians today.

–Boundary_(ID_FsAGo60vFs9Hk2u6mfkZcw)–

DRUGS REVEAL

Panorama.am
17:04 18/07/2008

The State Customs Committee of Armenia announced that in the result of
examination of "Skania" passengers’ bus of "Yerevan-Tehran" direction
three types of drugs have been revealed. According to the press and
public relations department of the committee the drugs were kept
in telephone.

A part of the drugs were received from US via DHL post service, in
a parcel. The experts found out that the drugs were carefully kept
in skin cosmetics. Totally 7 grams marihuana have been revealed from
that parcel.

EX-SENATOR CHAKHMAKHCHYAN GETS NINE YEARS IN JAIL

Interfax News Agency
July 17 2008
Russia

The Moscow City Court has sentenced the former senator for Kalmykia
Levon Chakhmakhchyan to nine years in jail..

The court found Chakhmakhchyan guilty of fraud, an Interfax
correspondent reported.

The two other defendants – Armen Oganesyan and Igor Arushanov –
received, eight and seven years in jail respectively. All three will
serve their terms in general prisons.

"We have been convicted as hardened terrorists, not as citizens of
the Russian Federation," Chakhmakhchyan said before the verdict was
read out.

All evidence was faked, he said. "This is a vicious trial of persons
of Armenian ethnicity. The case has been utterly falsified," he said.

Chakhmakhchyan pleaded not guilty in a final statement and asked
the court for acquittal. The defense again asked the court to acquit
their clients.

The trial had proceeded behind closed doors at Lefortovo detention
facility.

The Prosecutor Generals Office earlier reported that former Senator
Chakhmakhchyan, Audit Chamber inspector Oganesyan (Chakhmakhchyan’s
son- in-law) and chief accountant of the Chakhmakhchyan-headed Russian-
Armenian Business Cooperation Association Arushanov, were suspected of
misappropriating $1.5 million from major airlines through fraudulent
deals.

Chakhmakhchyan, in an act abusing his official powers, allegedly
offered to solve an airline’s problems for a charge of $1.5 million.

Most of this sum was to be transferred to dummy firms’ bank accounts
under fraudulent contracts, and $300,000 was to be provided in cash,
according to the Prosecutor General’s Office.

The airline’s management reported the offer to the Audit Chamber and
law enforcement agencies. Chakhmakhchyan, Oganesyan, Arushanov and
other suspects were detained by the Federal Security Service as they
were receiving the cash.

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
July 16, 2008
Contact: Michael A Zachariades
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 393-3434

KEY HOUSE PANEL REVERSES ADMINISTRATION’S CUT TO ARMENIA AND MAINTAINS
MILITARY PARITY

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY APPLAUDS KNOLLENBERG’S INITIATIVE

Washington, DC – The House Foreign Operations Subcommittee approved
$52 million in assistance to Armenia and $8 million for Nagorno
Karabakh, as well as $3 million in Foreign Military Financing for
Armenia and Azerbaijan, reported the Armenian Assembly of America
(Assembly).

The Bush Administration initially proposed to cut funding to Armenia
by nearly 60 percent from $58.5 million in FY 2008, to a proposed
level of $24 million in FY 2009. In addition, the Administration had
requested that $5 million of the funds to Armenia allocated in FY
2007, be directed out of Armenia, which triggered a response by
Congressmen Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI). In a letter
sent to House Foreign Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Nita
Lowey (D-NY) and Ranking Member Frank Wolf (R-VA), they urged that
funding be re-programmed to support democracy efforts in Armenia: "As
friends of Armenia, and more importantly, as advocates of democracy,
we urge you to support the transfer of funds to help nurture Armenia’s
democracy as opposed to stifling it. Armenia would benefit greatly
from more democracy and good governance programming."

The Assembly commends the efforts of Congressman Knollenberg (R-MI)
for sending a strong message regarding Azerbaijan’s continued war
rhetoric during today’s consideration of the House Foreign Operations
Appropriations Bill. The Knollenberg amendment sought to zero out
military funding for Azerbaijan. The amendment was not approved by a
vote of 7 in favor and 8 against.

In its testimony before the Subcommittee earlier this year, the
Assembly also raised strong concerns stating that "given the recent
rapid militarization of Azerbaijan combined with unabated war and hate
rhetoric against Armenia, we strongly recommend the Subcommittee to
withhold any military funding to Azerbaijan."

"We appreciate the hard work of the Subcommittee members and
especially appreciate Congressman Knollenberg’s leadership on this
important initiative," said Assembly Executive Director Bryan
Ardouny. "We are confident that Members will be looking at additional
steps to address Azerbaijan’s war mongering."

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public
understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. It is a 501 (c) (3)
tax-exempt membership organization.

###

NR#2008-059

SERZH SARGSIAN MEETS WITH PARTICIPANTS OF "BAZE" YOUTH GATHERING

ARMENPRESS
JULY 15

ASERZH SARGSIAN MEETS WITH PARTICIPANTS OF "BAZE" YOUTH GATHERING
YEREVAN, JULY 15, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President Serzh Sargsian met
yesterday in Jermuk with the participants of "Baze" ("Hawk") annual
gathering. Greeting the young people, the president noted that this
annual gathering unites Armenians from different parts of the world
over common Armenian wishes. He said that this gathering symbolizes
the unity and the wish to act for the sake of Armenia.

The president also called on the young people to pay more attention
to the "soil and water" of their homeland, "this is our home and the
home of our generations and will continue being so."

Serzh Sargsian said that all we are doing one work – building
tomorrow’s Armenia. "We must leave other Armenia to our generations –
developed, democratic and peaceful Armenia. I am more than sure that
tomorrow’s Armenia must be rooted in each of us. This is the straight
way which will move each citizen of the Republic of Armenia to the
self-confession," he pointed out.

According to the president, Armenia is the homeland of its citizens
and Diaspora Armenians. "This more than obvious truth demands from
us to make our homeland flourish with the joint efforts," Serzh
Sargsian said.

Speaking with the young people Serzh Sargsian got acquainted with
their issues. The young people also thanked the authorities for the
opportunity of gathering and uniting in one place. Two young people
from Moscow State University applied to the president, saying that
after graduating they would like to be back to Armenia and use their
knowledge for serving for the homeland, but they fear that they will
not find job here. Serzh Sargsian called on them to apply to the
Armenian government and assured that their wish will become true.

"Young people with good education will be assessed and their knowledge
will be very useful for the homeland," the president pointed out.

S. Sargsian, together with the Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Armen
Grigorian, director of the gathering Arthur Soghomonian and Vayots
Dzor mayor Vardges Matevosian got acquainted with the displayed works
of the participants.

COMSTAR DEPLOYS ARMENIAN WIMAX NETWORK

TeleGeography
July 15 2008
DC

Comstar United TeleSystems, a fixed line telco with operations across
Russia and the CIS, has announced the completion of its mobile WiMAX
network in the Republic of Armenia. The new 802.16e wireless broadband
network is composed of 24 base stations interconnected via terrestrial
links or radio relays. The network equipment was provided by Airspan
Networks of the US. Comstar’s local subsidiary Cornet-Am has submitted
an application for 60,000 telephone numbers as part of Comstar’s plan
to expand its presence in Armenia. The Armenia Ministry of Transport
and Communications (MTC) has licensed the 3.6GHz-3.8GHz band for

COMMUNICATION STAGE OF AZERBAIJAN’S 500 APPEALS AGAINST ARMENIA TO EUROPEAN COURT COMPLETED

Trend News Agency
July 14 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 14 July /Trend News corr K.Zarbaliyeva/ Communication
stage on 500 appeals against Armenia sent by Azerbaijani IDPs to the
European Court has been completed.

"Both countries received questions in this connection and the answers
have been already provided," Azerbaijani judge at the European Court
on Human Rights Khanlar Hajiyev said in Baku on 14 July.

So far, Azerbaijan has sent over 1,600 appeals to the European Court.

European Court passed 13 verdicts for Azerbaijan, which regard the
right for just court proceedings, fulfilment of court verdicts,
ban on tortures and bad treatment.

Hajiyev said the Armenians being Azerbaijani citizens sent 500 appeals
against Azerbaijan. According to him, the quality of appeals which
Azerbaijan has sent to the European Court has improved in recent
years. Previously, the appeals did not conform to the requirements
of the European Convention on Human Rights and Freedom.

According to Hajiyev, about 1,000 letters are on agenda. Most of
the appeals are based on property disputes. About 40 appeals were
sent after recent parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan. Judge said
40 appeals have passed the first stage, i.e. communication stage,
but he did not specify when they would be considered.

U.S. HOPES TURKEY’S GUL TO ACCEPT ARMENIAN PRESIDENT’S INVITATION

Hurriyet
July 14 2008
Turkey

The Washington administration hopes Turkish President Abdullah Gul to
accept the invitation of his Armenian counterpart to watch a football
game in Yerevan in September, officials told Hurriyet daily.

Officials said if Gul accepts the invitation and visits Yerevan to
watch the football game between the Turkish and Armenian national
teams, then this would a "great opening," Hurriyet reported on Monday.

"We want those two neighboring countries to speak to each other, to
get closer, and to normalize relations between Ankara and Yerevan. We
hope President Abdullah Gul accepts the invitation and visits Yerevan
to watch the game," an official was quoted as saying.

Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian invited in early July Turkish
President Abdullah Gul to watch the football match in Yerevan between
the two countries on Sept. 6 for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers to
mark "a new start in relations". Gul is yet to declare his official
decision on the invitation as the evaluation of the Turkish foreign
ministry continues.

Turkey is among the first countries that recognized Armenia when it
declared its independency. However there is no diplomatic relations
between two countries, as Armenia presses the international community
to admit the so-called "genocide" claims instead of accepting Turkey’s
call to investigate the allegations, and its invasion of 20 percent
of Azerbaijani territory despite the U.N. Security Council resolutions
on the issue.

However, a warm exchange of letters between Sarksyan and Gul in late
April raised optimism for a fresh initiative to normalize relations,
while Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan then expressed his
hope that Sarksyan’s election victory will "lead to a new period
in relations".

ARMENIA MAINTAINED STABLE MACROECONOMIC GROWTH IN 2007, EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPORT MENTIONS

NOYAN TAPAN

JU LY 11

In 2007 Armenia maintained stable macroeconomic growth: the two-digit
index of the economic growth is mainly due to the growth in the sphere
of construction done in the country and in the sphere of services,
as well as transfers of Armenians working abroad.

This was mentioned in the European Commission’s report on Armenia
in 2007 presented by Lusine Movsisian, the First Secretary of the
RA Foreign Ministry EU Department, at a discussion on the subject
Monitoring of European Neighborhood Policy Actions Plan organized on
July 11 in Yerevan.

In her words, as compared with the previous years, Armenia improved
its business environment in 2007, but some work still need to be done
in the direction of improving the investment sphere.

According to the report, progress was also recorded in Armenia’s
tax sphere, which is encouraged by EU. According to L. Movsisian,
EU calls RA authorities for continuing reforms in the tax sphere and
administration, at the same time, proposes creating a tax collection
advisory body for the business environment.

L. Movsisian said that reforms implemented in the sphere of energy are
also encouraged by EU. In particular, a document and actions plan on
a new energy strategy was adopted in 2007. Besides, the security of
Metsamor nuclear power plant was raised and the authorities of the
body regulating the sphere of nuclear power plant’s operation were
expanded last year. According to L.

Movsisian, Armenia plans to build a new nuclear power plant and it
is possible that EU provide a credit for the construction of the
power plant.

"Nuclear power plant’s construction is also important for Europe, as
due to growth in prices for gas and oil, the role of secure nuclear
energy has increased in the world," L. Movsisian said.

FIRST PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA IS SURE THAT HERITAGE PARTY WILL BECOME ONE OF BEARING WALLS IN ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS BEING CREATED BY OPPOSITION

ArmInfo
2008-07-11 17:16:00

During the July 11 fifth congress of the oppositional Heritage Party,
Levon Ter-Petrosyan, expressed confidence that Heritage will become
one of the bearing walls of the Armenian National Congress being
created by the opposition.

According to him, the pre-electoral bloc created during the
presidential election campaign has already become anachronism and
now active work is being done to transform the Nationwide Movement
into Armenian National Congress which is to become not a situational
structure but a steady factor in the country’s political life. "All
of us face the task to relieve the country and people of the evil
ruling regime. Everybody understands perfectly that not a single
party can attain this goal separately", Ter-Petrosyan said.

He highly estimated Heritage’s role in the election campaign,
as well as its support to the Nationwide Movement, great work in
protection of rights of political prisoners and persecuted activists
of opposition. At the same time, Ter-Petrosyan expressed pity over
the fact that Heritage’s parliamentary faction "has to work in the
National Assembly, which mostly consists of criminal elements".

In his speech Levon Ter-Petrosyan also appealed to Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan, who was also present in the hall, to realize the
necessity to clear the "Augean stables" in the government.