Author: Ekmekjian Janet

ARMENIA, UNITED STATES INTEND TO COMBAT NUCLEAR SMUGGLING WITH JOINT EFFORTS

ARKA News Agency
Dec 11 2007
Armenia

YEREVAN, December 11. /ARKA/. Armenia and the United States intend
to combat nuclear smuggling with joint efforts.

On Monday, the United States and Armenian governments held initial
discussions at the U.S. Embassy to consider the Nuclear Smuggling
Outreach Initiative (NSOI). The talks were aimed at negotiating a
bilateral action plan to combat nuclear smuggling, the embassy’s
press office reports.

"Representatives of the U.S. Departments of State, Energy, and Homeland
Security, as well as experts from the European Union and International
Atomic Energy Agency were joined by 19 representatives from 11 Armenian
government agencies, including the National Security Service, the
Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, the Border Guard Service, the Armenian
Nuclear Regulatory Agency, the Justice Ministry, Foreign Ministry,
Prosecutor General’s Office, State Customs Committee, Ministry of
Nature Protection, Armenian Rescue Service, and Ministry of Defense",
the press release says.

According to the press release, American and Armenian officials
discussed modes of potential cooperation in preventing, detecting, and
responding to illicit trafficking of nuclear and highly radioactive
materials. Both sides affirmed the need for a coordinated response
to combat nuclear smuggling.

Through NSOI, the United States has already entered into joint
action plans to combat nuclear trafficking with Ukraine, Georgia,
the Kyrgyz Republic, and Kazakhstan, and has a tentative agreement
with Tajikistan.

"The United States and Armenia hope that the NSOI will promote greater
U.S.-Armenian cooperation on international security issues.

American officials plan to return to Armenia in spring, 2008 to
continue discussion of the NSOI", the U.S. Embassy’s pres office
says.

"WHY DO THEY SUPPRESS?"

A1+
[03:01 pm] 11 December, 2007

The amendments to the tax law, particularity, amendments to the
simplified tax, already bother small and middle entrepreneurs. They
come into force on 1 January. According to the amendments, each
merchant of a fair should be an accountant.

Reflecting on this economist Edward Aghajanov said to "A1+":
"Privileged conditions are set up in regard with small business all
over the world, since it solves many social issues".

"The world experience proves that only small and middle business
creates new employment places, while big business swallows and
reduces employment places. I wonder that they do not promote small
business, change the taxes, while small business is unable to hire
accountants. Why do they suppress it?"

We should remind that according to the supplements to the law on
simplified tax, all privileges of small and middle businesses are
abolished.

WHITE TO SARKISIAN AND BLACK TO PETROSIAN

A1+
[05:44 pm] 10 December, 2007

Yerevan Press Club, Team Research Centre and the Open Society Institute
Assistance Foundation have monitored the Armenian television and
radio on the eve of the election campaign. Today they presented the
results of the November monitoring.

Mass Media turn out to have taken a profound interest in two
presidential candidates, Armenia’s Premier Serzh Sarkissian and former
President Levon Ter-Petrossian.

YPS Chairman Boris Navasardian states that Serzh Sarkissian is
mostly mentioned in positive contexts while Levon Ter-Petrossian in
negative ones.

Out of 944 reports about Serzh Sarkissian 14 were negative, 162
positive and 768 neutral. Only 10 reports about Levon Ter-Petrossian
were positive. 293 reports were negative, and 196 neutral.

CENTRAL BANK FINDS IT INEXPEDIENT TO MAKE COMMENTS DURING PRE-ELECTORAL PERIOD

Panorama.am
21:24 08/12/2007

"Central Bank finds it inexpedient to comment the fluctuations of
foreign currency cost, and spreading of too much false currency in
the market, as the appropriate structures started the investigation,"
answered Tigran Sargsyan, the CB president to Panorama.am journalist’s
question about how much foreign currency was brought into Armenia
and how much of it was false.

According to him as soon as they got the alarm they started to carry
out operative activities. "We are more interested in stability in the
financial market, and we are especially alarmed by the instability
in weekends," said T. Sargsyan.

According to him CB carries out an investigation in the currency market
and supervision is held in commercial banks. Who is the chief gambler,
and which are the tools used, how do they get into Armenia? "These
are very fragile questions, and it is early to answer them," said
T. Sargsyan. At the same time he said that after the presidential
elections CB will present the detailed information about this gambling.

AZERBAIJANI MP OFFERS HOLDING DEBATES ON NAGORNO KARABAKH IN PARLIAMENT

arminfo
2007-12-08 13:10:00

ArmInfo. Parliamentarian Gudrat Hasanguliyev offered in today’s
sitting of the parliament to hold discussions on Nagorno Karabakh, APA
reports. As APA reports, he mentioned that such a discussion was held
in the parliament during Heydar Aliyev’s presidency. Mr. Hasanguliyev
noted that the document on Nagorno Karabakh presented to the sides
in Madrid does not meet Azerbaijan’s interests. The parliamentarian
offered to invite Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov to
parliament and hold discussions.

"People should know what issues the 10-item document covers," he
said. Gudrat Hasanguliyev also said that Armenia will not compromise,
unless Azerbaijan refuses commitment on peaceful solution to the
conflict.

PUBLISHER ZARAKOLU TRIAL POSTPONED TO JANUARY 31, 2008

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.12.2007 13:37 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Publisher Ragip Zarakolu was on trial on Wednesday,
facing a jail sentence of up to three years for insulting national
identity under article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), which makes
it a crime to "insult Turkishness," has been used in the prosecution
of writers and intellectuals.

Prosecutors accuse Zarakolu of "insulting Turkishness" for publishing
a Turkish-language translation of a book by British author of Armenian
origin George Jerjian titled "The Truth Will Set Us Free."

The book urges reconciliation between Turks and Armenians and covers
the Armenian Genocide at the hands of Ottoman Turks during World War I.

"Ragip Zarakolu did not write the book. I did. In fact the information
inside my book that the prosecution finds objectionable is not even
mine. The information belongs to eminent scholars and writers,
such as Dr. Vahakn Dadrian, Dr. Taner Akcam and Stephen Kinzer, a
Turcophile American journalist. I used their information to promote
a ‘fresh’ understanding of history between Turks and Armenians, an
understanding that would help both peoples move forward in this new
and fast-changing century," Jerjian said in a letter sent to the 2nd
Court of First Instance in Istanbul, where Zarakolu is being tried.

"These writers are not liars, who fabricate stories to undermine and
destabilize Turkish society: they are writers who want to the truth
to emerge, for the benefit of society and their fellow men. They are
not criminals, who inflict pain and suffering on their fellow men;
they are heroes who should be celebrated for liberating and enriching
their society," Jerjian said in the letter.

"In fact, Honorable Judges, I would state to you Ragip Zarakolu did
not insult and ridicule the Turkish nation and republic. … Honorable
Judges, I urge you to acquit Ragip Zarakolu, for he is an innocent
man," he concluded.

The trial was previously adjourned until Jan. 31, 2008, in order for
the defense to prepare, as Zarakolu’s lawyer, Ozcan Kilic, was unable
to attend the hearing on Wednesday, Zaman reports.

Ragip Zarakolu, the founder of Belge Publishing House, has long faced
legal harassment for publishing books on controversial subjects in
Turkey, especially on minority and human rights in Turkey. In 1990-ies,
his Turkish translation of Franz Werfel’s The Forty Days of Musa Dagh
resulted in imprisonment for him and his wife.

In 2005 Ragip Zarakolu was given the Freedom of Expression Award by
the Norwegian Authors’ Union. In 2007, he was honored with Freedom
of Press award of the Turkish Union of Journalists.

UNLESS THERE IS ONE BEGGAR, ALL OF US ARE BEGGARS

Panorama.am
20:41 07/12/2007

"Pain and lost belief" was what an imprisoned woman from "Abovyan"
jail wanted to draw. "It is what I feel now," said one of the
participants in today’s exhibition. The meeting was organized by
"TRTU" cultural NGO; it is already several years this NGO organizes
"Pyunik" cultural program in the "Abovyan" jail. The mission of this
NGO is to stimulate those, who are imprisoned, to take part in the
cultural and social life of the country.

According to Temik Khalapyan, the head of the organization, the
creative works of the imprisoned are already presented in the foreign
countries. Today the sixth exhibition took place with the support of
OSCE-Yerevan. Totally 150 works were presented in the exhibition: 100
wooden works, 40 pictorials, and potteries. 350 minors and 50-60 adult
women took part in those six exhibitions carried out in this jail.

"The date of the exhibition (December 7) is not chosen by chance," said
Saro Sarukhanyan, the director of People’s Art Museum. According to
him, the Armenians must continue the culture common to them: Armenians.

The director continued saying that everything must be done in order
children continue creating both those who are imprisoned and those
who are set free. "If there is a single beggar in our country, then
all of us are beggars," said the director and expressed his wish to
see all the jails empty.

One of the participants, a minor imprisoned who is already 2 years
there said that when working and creating days become shorter and
besides they get profession. He said that he promises when he gets
out of jail he will continue the work.

Gevorg Danielyan, the minister of justice was also present in the
exhibition; he said that these kinds of events are of much importance
as they can cause the change of mentality our public feels upon
the imprisoned.

PanARMENIAN.Net

EU not planning New Neighborhood Policy geography expansion
07.12.2007 15:05 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The European Union doesn’t intend to expand
geography of the New Neighborhood Policy.

`The key task is to consolidate the relations with partner countries
and seriously work at the Action Plans. The Armenia-EU Action Plan has
already come into force,’ said Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the European
Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy.

`It does not mean that the EU does not put any effort to come closer
with the `neighbors of neighbors’. The EU cannot stand aside of such
problems such as illegal migration and energy issues,’ she
said. `Moreover, the Strategy of Central Asia and Energy Proposal in
the Black Sea have been developed and both documents are directed at
establishment of closer regional cooperation. The achievements gained
over the past period of the ENP implementation testify for positive
results of the reforms carried out in these countries,’ she added,
Trend reports.

A1+

QUESTION IS LINGERING
[02:57 pm] 07 December, 2007

It is already three months since the death of the chief coach of the
Armenian national football team Yan Porterfield. Tom Johnse, England,
took up the post after Porterfield’s death. Recently, he left Armenia
as he had concluded no contract with the team. His departure is quite
logical as Tom Johnse is an expert of physical training. Vardan
Minassian, a fellow coach of the team, has assumed office ever since.

According to our data, the Armenian Football Federation is presently
negotiating with different foreign specialists. The AFF declined to
reveal details as they haven’t come to an agreement with any of them.

It is still unknown whether the team will hold the upcoming friendly
meetings as the question of the chief coach is still unsettled.

To remind: the team has been headed by foreign coaches over the past
five years.

INCOMES OF ARMENIAN POPULATION INCREASE BY 25.2%, EXPENSES – BY 23.6% IN JANUARY-OCTOBER 2007

Noyan Tapan
Dec 03 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Monetary incomes of the Armenian
population made 1 trillion 591 billion 113 million drams (about 4
bln 567 mln USD) in January-October 2007, while monetary expenses
-1 trillion 525 billion 823.8 million drams, with their growth rates
making 125.2% and 123.6% as compared with January-October 2006.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, real monetary
incomes of the population (their incomes less compulsory payments,
taking into account the changes in the indices of consumer prices)
grew by 19.3% in January-October 2007 on the same period of 2006.

The average monthly nominal salary exceeded 3.9fold the minimum salary
in September 2007 as compared with 4.4fold in 2006.