Author: Emil Lazarian

ARMENIAN DELEGATION TO ATTEND THE INAUGURATION OF THE TURKMEN PRESIDENT

ArmRadio.am
12.02.2007 17:05

The delegation headed by the Speaker of RA National Assembly will
participate in the inauguration ceremony of the newly elected President
of Turkmenistan, NA Speaker Tigran Torosyan told ArmInfo correspondent.

In his words, tomorrow the delegation will depart for Ashkhabad,
where the inauguration of the newly elected Turkmen President is
scheduled 14 February.

Let us remind, that according to preliminary data, acting President
Gubanguli Berdimu Khamedov ran first. Representative of the opposition
Republican Party Bayram Shihmuradov has declared there were many
frauds during the elections. According to the data of the Central
Electoral Commission, voter turnout amounted 98.65%. The Central
Electoral Commission promises to announce the final results of the
elections on February 13.

12 OUT OF 36 COMPANIES WITH PLANE OPERATION LICENCE REMAIN

Noyan Tapan
Feb 12 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. Experts of International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO) will visit Armenia in June to conduct an
audit of aviation safety work. Aram Marutian, Head of the RA Civil
Aviation Air Transportation Regulation and Licence Department, told
reporters that such audits were conducted last year, during which
some shortcomings were revealed and eliminated.

A. Marutian said that as of February 2007, 24 (including Express
Line and Armenian International Airways) out of the 36 airlines,
which received a plane operation permission, were deprived of their
licences. In his words, either the licence terms of these airlines
expired or they have no planes, which is a requirement to have
a licence.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEPUTY CONSIDERS CRIMINAL CASE AGAINST ROYAL ARMENIA AS FAKED UP

Noyan Tapan
Feb 12 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The case of Royal Armenia is the
first one when a private company declined to give a bribe to employees
of the RA State Customs Committee adjunct to the RA government, and
the company’s shareholder Gagik Hakobian and deputy director Aram
Ghazarian are in an isolation cell for declining to give a bribe. RA
National Assembly deputy Tatul Manaserian stated this on February 12
during a joint press conference with Royal Armenia’s defence lawyer
Ashot Sargsian and the company’s lawyer Gagik Minasian. T. Manaserian
said that he familiarized himself with the criminal case opened against
Royal Armenia in March 2005 on a charge that the company imported green
coffee, rice and pepper of 579.7 thousand drams (about 3.5 thousand
USD) by forging documents. This 7 thousand-page criminal case was
recently submitted to the prosecution. He said that he had met with
G. Hakobian in the isolation cell and talked with him, as a result of
which his conviction that the criminal case against Royal Armenia is
"faked up and full of falsifications" has strengthened. The court of
first instance of Yerevan’s Kentron and Nork Marash communities will
start examining the criminal case against Royal Armenia on February
14. A. Sargsian and G. Minasian said that according to the October
7, 2006 conclusion about G. Hakobian and A. Ghazarian, the latters
are charged with fraud, forgery of documents and seals, smuggling,
legalization of illegal incomes, tax and duty evasion. In the opinion
of A. Sargsian and G. Minasian, the case against Royal Armenia was
opened with the aim of driving this company out of the country’s
coffee market. Particularly, Royal Armenia is accused of smuggling
goods of 16 million dollars.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA RANKS 8TH IN RATING OF FORMER USSR COUNTRIES’ ECONOMIC STATUS

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Feb 12 2007

YEREVAN. February 12. /ARKA/. Armenia ranks 8th in the rating
of former USSR countries’ economic status. The research of the
Russian Renaissance Capital Company titled "Former USSR Countries:
Profitability of Changes".

The research demonstrates the rating of indicators of political and
economic reforms, carried out in former USSR countries over the last
15 years.

According to the rating, Armenia ranks 3rd after Turkmenistan and
Azerbaijan for the indicator of economic growth in 2000-2006. At the
same time, Armenia shifted to the 10th position for the GDP indicator
based on the parity of purchasing capacity of Armenia. Baltic countries
occupy 1-3 positions.

Armenia ranks 4th for the inflation rate after Lithuania, Estonia,
and Kyrgyzstan. After Azerbaijan and Estonia, Armenia has the
third indicator of investment rate, based on the ratio of foreign
investments and GDP Armenia. The country ranks 13th for unemployment
rate. Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Russia lead the rating.

Armenia occupies the 11th position for the poverty rate. The lowest
indicator of poverty is in Estonia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus.

At the same time, inequality rate is the highest in Armenia.

The lowest inequality rate is observed in Uzbekistan, Belarus,
and Latvia.

The report authors point out that the economic welfare of Russia,
Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan is connected with plenty of oil and gas
resources, that of Belarus – with low prices for these resources.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GEORGIAN SECONDARY SCHOOL TO CLOSE IN THE VILLAGE OF SAMEBA

The Messenger, Georgia
Feb 12 2007

According to the newspaper Akhali Taoba, a Georgian secondary
school located in the village of Sameba, in Ninotsminda district of
Samtskhe-Javakheti, is on the verge of closing. Several days ago the
school’s head teacher was dismissed from his post due to conflicts
with the rest of the staff.

The school’s teachers state that they have not received the salary for
last six months, but nevertheless are not going to cancel lessons. They
add that they are afraid the school may be forced to close, leaving
them without jobs. A lack of heating in the school means they are
obliged to conduct lessons in the freezing rooms.

According to the director of Ninotsminda Educational Resource Centre,
Marina Zalalian, they were not able to provide Sameba school with
wood because of lack of finances. She says only a very small number
of children are studying in that school, and it may merge with an
Armenian school located in the neighbouring village. Sameba residents
object to this strongly.

Sameba is located on the Georgian-Armenian border, in winter it is
virtually cut off from other local towns.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DENIAL OF CURRENT MISLEADING INFORMATION DISSEMINATED BY AZERI MASS MEDIA

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Feb 12 2007

The Nagorno-Karabakh MOD officials have categorically denied the
information disseminated by the Azeri mass media concerning the fact
that the day before the Karabakh party allegedly violated cease-fire
and concentrated military equipment on the sector of the contact line
in the Jebrail region.

"The information pursues purely propaganda goals and does not
correspond to reality", the NKR MOD Spokesman Sub Colonel Senor
Asratian told Novosti-Armenia Agency on Monday.

THE NAME OF THE ROSE (GUL), THE FLAVOR OF THE RELATIONS
By Ali Aslan

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Feb 12 2007

Last Monday Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul spoke with US Vice
President Dick Cheney during their meeting at the White House about
how Turkey has turned into an energy corridor and a hub. An expert
on energy issues, Cheney asked Gul to make his presentation over the
map. (Who knows, perhaps he wanted to test his guest.) Gul proceeded
using the map. His success on discussing technical issues like energy,
without reliance on notes, impressed the Americans. They were pleased
to have not only a competent but also common sense, constructive and
cordial counterpart to talk to.

As dictated by nature of diplomacy, one cannot assert all parts of the
discussion in Turkish-American relations are pleasant. There might not
be agreements on all topics. The content, level and sustainability
of the discussion are what should really matter. Such a dialogue
builds mutual trust and solidifies it. It also prevents occasional
and minor disagreements from overshadowing broad-based strategic
alliances. Dialogue with U.S. is gradually becoming to look like this.

The US is seeking dialogue and business partners in Turkey, a
geo-strategically and value-strategically important country located
at a vast and critical region where the US has keen interest. And it
generally finds what it looks for in the Justice and Development Party
(AK Party) administration (at least relatively).

I did not hear anything to the contrary from any U.S. official or
sources close to the Bush administration that I talked to recently.

In private conversations, they do not hide their sympathy and respect
for the Turkish government. And they express similar sentiments in
public to make sure both enemies and friends know it.

Minister Gul’s visit to Washington took place in such a positive
environment. Perhaps the Turkish side put pressure on the Americans
to prevent the adoption of the Armenian genocide resolution and to
ensure that the PKK in northern Iraq would be wiped out. Likewise,
maybe the Americans urged Turkey not to launch a unilateral military
operation in northern Iraq. But I have no doubts the exchange of the
messages between the two parties was made in a friendly manner.

Skeptics may believe that Gul’s remarks, that Turkey’s cooperation
with the US in Iraq and Afghanistan, might be hurt if the Armenian
genocide resolution is adopted, will be perceived as a threat by the
US. However, those who are very well aware of the efforts exerted
by the Erdoðan-led government — particularly by Minister Gul –
to improve bilateral relations with the US will know for sure that
the minister would not have such an intention and that the Americans
would not take it that way. Those who are most concerned with the
possibility of deterioration of the relationship because of the
adoption of the genocide resolution are the ones who are trying to
fix those relations. And Minister Gul and Secretary of State Rice
are at the top of the list.

A provocative move such as the adoption of the Armenian genocide
resolution will increase public pressure on the government to review
its relations with the US ahead of two critical upcoming elections in
a climate where Turkish image of American foreign policy is at it lows
and diehard protective nationalism is on the rise. Considering this
possibility, Gul made a prediction that is shared by the Washington
administration as well. As a result of this mutual understanding,
both administrations agreed to intensify mutual consultations and
consolidate their political influences to prevent the adoption of
the Armenian genocide resolution.

The American administration asked the Turkish side to make a move
towards opening up with Armenia so that it would gain leverage
with the US Congress to prevent the legislative body’s passing the
resolution recognizing the "Armenian genocide." What is certain by
now is that lobbying traffic from both sides will be busy in the
near future. Turkey will also most likely make a contract with
a new lobbying firm. Now there are increased number of people
in Washington who believe that external and internal efforts to
convince the Democratic majority who will have the last word in
the Congress will be fruitful. A prominent American expert told me:
"If you had asked me three months ago, I would say this resolution
would be definitely adopted. But now I am not so sure." Another well
connected friend of mine said this issue would be resolved with 90
percent possibility before April 24. Let us just hope the best…

One of the issues that needs hopefulness the most is the different
approaches adopted vis-a-vis the Kirkuk and PKK in Northern Iraq. I
still do not see the urgency the Turks feel from the Americans.

American efforts are more focused on convincing Turkey to negotiate
with regional Kurdish leaders, and on avoiding impulsive and unilateral
military moves. Ankara is, on the other hand, still complaining.

Leaving those disagreements aside, the views of the parties about the
broad-based consultative agenda outlined in the shared strategic vision
document for the most part overlap. Last week, Assistant Secretary
for Economic, Energy and Business Affairs Daniel Sullivan was in
Turkey. Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International
Security Bob Joseph and Director of Policy Planning for the State
Department Dr. Stephen Krasner will pay separate visits to Turkey in
the next few weeks.

We hope the chemistry between President Bush and Prime Minister
Erdoðan, the cordial dialogue between Minister Gul and Secretary Rice
and the personal and professional contacts of Chief of General Staff
Gen. Yaþar Buyukanýt in Washington where he will be visiting this week
would all strengthen the immunity system of Turkish-American relations.

–Boundary_(ID_l6VnhbokqHaxqRxI5yyA4w) —

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DINK MURDER PROBE PITS EVERYONE AGANIST EVERYONE ELSE

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Feb 12 2007

Ogun Samast, the suspected killer of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant
Dink, was arrested soon after the murder on Jan. 19, but suspicions
are growing over the motives behind the crime and who else may have
been involved, despite his quick capture and immediate confession to
the crime.

An ongoing investigation into the abhorrent murder is already
plagued by charges of information pollution and now it has come to
be overshadowed by an intense battle raging on among politicians,
within the security apparatus, and between the state institutions and
the media. Bickering between the police and gendarmerie and between
the media and the security organizations erupted in the early days of
the probe, when a scandalous video showing members of the police and
gendarmerie posing for photos with Samast at a police station hit the
headlines.The gendarmerie angrily denied reports that the video had
been shot at one of their stations and said the leakage to the media
of the footage was purposeful. The TGRT television which first aired
the video, and said it had been shot at a gendarmerie station, lost
its press accreditation from the General Staff soon after the episode.

Over the weekend, newspapers which have leveled tough charges against
both institutions for their conduct before and after the murder,
sharpened axes in a battle against the police. They said Yasin Hayal,
one of the main suspects who has earlier confessed to inciting the
murder, had been indirectly instructed by a senior police official
in the Black Sea province of Trabzon to kill Dink by Erhan Tuncel,
another key suspect who reportedly had worked with the police and the
gendarmerie as an informant and gave them tip-offs about the plot to
kill Dink several months before the assassination.

Newspapers cited Hayal’s lawyer and private notes in his notebook from
a meeting he had with Hayal and said Yahya Ozturk, head of the police
anti-terror department in Trabzon, had encouraged Erhan Tuncel. "This
flag has fallen right to the ground. It is your duty to pick it up,"
Ozturk apparently told Tuncel.

The police angrily dismissed the reports as "unfounded, slanderous
and fictitious." In a statement, the Police Department also vowed to
seek legal action against those who "make and publish" the claim.

Separately, Ozturk filed a complaint against newspapers which
published the accusations, which he said were a "part of a smear
campaign against me and my department."

Newspapers have already grilled the police for failing to follow up on
several tip-offs from Tuncel about the plot to kill Dink, and several
columnists have backed calls for the resignation of Ýstanbul Police
Chief Celalettin Cerrah over the conduct of the police both before
and after the murder.

Tuncel reportedly warned the police and the gendarmerie as early
as 11 months before the killing. His connection with the police
was suspiciously terminated a few months before the murder and
his tip-offs were never followed up. Head of the Ýstanbul police
intelligence department has recently been sacked for not heeding the
warnings as part of an ongoing investigation and Cerrah may also face
investigation on the same charges.

Judiciary, MÝT also in the picture As the charges against the police
mount, the media also questioned conduct of the judiciary in Trabzon,
where Samast and Hayal come from. Hayal was arrested for a McDonalds
bombing in 2004, injuring six people, but he was set free after a
surprisingly brief ten-month term in jail. The Turkish daily newspaper,
Milliyet, reported yesterday that members of the panel of judges
that ruled for Hayal’s release were all replaced with new members
shortly before the court session. Two judges in the three-member
panel were judges dealing with commercial disputes and property cases,
Milliyet reported.

Other reports claimed the National Intelligence Agency (MÝT) may also
have played a role in the murder. On Saturday, the daily Hurriyet
published what it said was part of Hayal’s testimony at the police
and said a MÝT member had told him after the McDonalds bombing that
he could offer help to reduce punishment.

Hayal said he had been introduced to the 40-45-year-old man whom he
identified as Ýhsan or Ýsmail Kasap. These reports were followed by a
statement from the MÝT, which criticized leakage of such allegations
to the press and dismissed employing any personnel named Ýhsan or
Ýsmail Kasap.

The murder also deepened divisions among political parties, with
opposition lashing out at the government for allowing and encouraging
"infiltration of religious sectarian elements" into the police and
demanding dismissal of both Ýstanbul Police Chief Cerrah and Interior
Minister Abdulkadir Aksu for handling of the murder probe.

The government appeared to be linking the murder with shadowy "deep
state," a move which opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP)
dismissed as "empty talk."

The fallout from the Dink murder was perhaps greatest on the Grand
Unity Party (BBP). Chairman Muhsin Yazýcýoðlu angrily vowed to seek
court action against the press for accusing his party of links with
the murder after they discovered a photo showing him and other members
of his party with Erhan Tuncel.

–Boundary_(ID_a/Xy/21hePQ5FjYlxEFaGg)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SERBIA: SHIPMENT OF ARMS TO ARMENIA DELAYED

EASTBUSINESS.ORG
February 12, 2007 Monday 4:47 PM (Central European Time)

The first shipment of arms produced by the Kragujevac-based weapons
manufacturer Zastava Oruzje will head for Armenia toward the end of
the week, although it was announced earlier that the first shipment
would take place in mid-January.

The shipment was delayed due to the complicated procedure for issuing
all the permits necessary for the export of arms. Zastava Oruzje got
the permit to export the first of the two arranged shipments, worth
USD 1.7 million, on January 10th, but the procedure for issuing the
transport and other necessary permits is only now being completed.

Therefore,the actual shipment would take place on February 15th.

The realisation of the second export contract, worth USD 900 000, is
still uncertain, as none of the ministries in charge of this matter
approved the export on the basis of this contract.

According to unofficial reports, the problem is, once again, that
of higher national interests in connection with the status of Kosovo
and Metohija, although Russia had approved the export of arms to the
countries in question, with the exception of Georgia.

As the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Internal Affairs
have not given their consent for issuing a second export permit to
Zastava Oruzje, the final decision on this matter will have to be
made by the Serbian Government.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RUSSIA, ARMENIA TO EXPAND OLYMPIC COOPERATION

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
February 12, 2007 Monday 11:57 AM EST

The president of the Russian Olympic Committee, Leonid Tyagachev,
and the president of the Russian Association of Olympic Winter Sports
and presidential property manager, Vladimir Kozhin, visited Armenia
at the invitation of its President Robert Kocharyan.

Tyagachev and Kozhin visited the sport base in Tsakhkadzor, which is
quite popular among Russian athletes. "It is a good place for training
in sports connected with endurance. Russian skiers are training
there now for the world championship in Nagano," the spokesman of
the Russian Olympic Committee, Gennady Shvets, said.

In his words, Russia provides substantial financial support to the
base, and this cooperation will continue to expand in the interests
of both countries.

The parties are preparing a series of agreements on the modernisation
and operation of sport bases and the exchange of specialists and
information, and other forms of cooperation.

Several Armenian ministers and businessmen attended the meeting.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress