Author: Hambardsumian Paul

DRINKING WATER TARIFF TO REMAIN UNCHANGED UNTIL JULY 1 2009

Noyan Tapan
May 16 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. Under the lease agreement signed with
Yerevan Water company, the current drinking water tariff of 172.8
drams in Yerevan will remain unchanged until July 1, 2009. Starting
from July 1, 2009, it will make 132.6 drams. The RA Public Services
Regulatory Commission made this decision on May 16 after examining
the company’s bid. To recap, under the agreement, starting from 2009,
Yerevan Water shall reduce the water tariff to 129 drams.

The bid submitted by the company proposes that in 2007, the tariff
of drinking water be raised by about 9 drams, due to a decline in
water consumption.

However, the monitoring conducted by the commission has revealed that
in 2006, Yerevan Water supplied 59.3 mln cubic meters of water, and
not 55.1 mln cubic meters as indicated in the bid. For this reason the
commission decided to increase the water tariff by 3 drams (without
VAT) and use this tariff from 2009. In the words of the commission
chairman Robert Nazarian, this will mitigate the problems of consumers.

Director of Yerevan Water company Serge Popoff said that their primary
problem is to ensure continuous water supply rather than to reduce
water losses.

At the same time he noted that water losses (currently making up 80%)
should be reduced to 55% by 2016, thanks to which 95% of the population
will have a 24-hour water supply.

MONEY, MUSCLE AND A MENAGERIE WIN POWERTONY HALPIN IN YEREVAN

The Times, UK
May 14 2007

He is a millionaire former world arm-wrestling champion with a
fondness for lions. Today Gagik Tsarukyan is poised for political
power after the party he formed a year ago came second in Armenia’s
parliamentary elections.

The burly oligarch’s Prosperous Armenia party is expected to enter a
coalition government led by the Prime Minister, Serge Sargsyan, the
quietly spoken strongman backed by the military in this impoverished
Caucasus republic.

Mr Sargsyan’s Republican Party won 33.8 per cent of votes followed by
Prosperous Armenia with 15.1 per cent and two other pro-Government
parties. Only two opposition parties cleared the 5 per cent hurdle
for representation in the 131-seat parliament.

International observers called the elections an improvement on previous
campaigns marred by extensive fraud and ballot-stuffing.

The preliminary verdict will safeguard hundreds of millions of
pounds in aid from the US and the European Union that had been made
conditional on a clean vote.

But the observers refused to describe Saturday’s election as free
and fair, raising concerns about efforts to prevent fraud and "the
intertwining at all levels of political and business interests"
in Armenia.

Mr Tsarukyan, 50, personifies many of those concerns, but did
not appear overly troubled by them as he gave The Times a tour of
his private zoo next to his palatial mansion outside the capital,
Yerevan. His four lions hold pride of place alongside ostriches,
mountain goats, deer and 30 pedigree horses.

"I love strong animals and strong people," he smiled. The lion
is also the symbol of Mr Tsarukyan’s business empire, Multi Group,
which controls more than 40 companies that include a brewery, a dairy,
a cement factory and a network of petrol stations.

He is widely regarded as Armenia’s richest man and was among several
oligarchs who entered parliament at the previous elections in 2003
in what was seen as a move to protect their business interests.

Mr Tsarukyan has close ties to President Kocharyan, who encouraged
him to set up Prosperous Armenia to drain support from opposition
parties among voters disillusioned by widespread official corruption.

He remains a physically powerful man a decade after winning world and
European arm-wrestling championships. His muscle-bound image led many
Armenians to call him "Dodi Gago", a nickname he despises because it
means roughly "stupid Gagik". Few would dare say it to his face.

However, Mr Tsarukyan’s powerful physique and business success
also symbolised his appeal to voters to "build a prosperous Armenia
together". His party ran in opposition to the Republicans but both
support President Kocharyan.

THOSE ELECTIONS ARE NOT ELECTIONS OF VICTORY OF AUTHORITIES, BUT ARE
ELECTIONS OF LOSS OF OPPOSITION, NDP STATES

YEREVAN, MAY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The authorities organized the May 12
parliamentary elections with a normal from outside, but beforehand
directed result. This is said in the statement of the National
Democratic Party (NDP).

According to the NDP, the physical pressures put during the previous
elections were changed by psychological pressures. "At the same time,
with the help of organized movable groups, using the cycle mechanism,
the real participation of voters was exaggerated 1.5 times and those,
not existing in reality votes, were fixed for the ruling parties."

In the statement authors’ words, all these considerably influenced on
the elections in the quantitative sense. But, in the qualitative
sense, the victory of the opposition is doubtful even in the case of
absence of the electoral falsifications.

According to the estimation of the National Democratic Party, "these
elections were not elections of the authorities’ victory, but were
elections of the opposition’s loss." And the main reason of the
opposition’s loss, according to the statement authors’ words, is that
the opposing forces were not able to present themselves as a real
opposition towards the acting authorities and unite round alternative
ideas and programs. "It was displayed especially with the denying
position fostered towards the 2005 constitutional amendments what is
the reason of complete loss of the parliamentary opposition as well as
before the 2007 parliamentary elections what is the reason of failure
of the whole opposition."

Emphasizing that the approach to function only against exhausted
itself, and, in essence, assist that no qualitative changes take place
in Armenia, the statement authors mention that the NDP did not manage
to present itself to the people as a real alternative to the acting
authorities, including for the reason to stay alone in the real
oppositng field and absence of necessary financial resources.

The main reason for the created situation, according to the NDP,
continues remaining absence of an organized opposition led by
conception programs of qualitative amendments in the country.

JAVIER SOLANA COMMENTS ON ARMENIAN ELECTIONS

YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS: Javier Solana, EU High
Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy
(CFSP), today made the following comments concerning
the parliamentary elections in Armenia:
"I congratulate the people of Armenia on the
improvements in the conduct of the parliamentary
elections yesterday, which were conducted largely in
accordance with OSCE and Council of Europe
commitments, and I encourage the Armenian Government
to rapidly address the shortcomings identified by the
international observers.
This is good news for EU-Armenia relations, in
particular as they were the first elections after
Armenia and the EU agreed last year on a wide-reaching
Action Plan.
The Armenian people have demonstrated greater
political maturity through these elections. I am
confident that Armenia and the EU will continue to
develop relations in a spirit of partnership. This
will also be a positive signal to other countries in
the region.
I also congratulate the election observers – in
particular the many EU nationals among them – on
successfully completing their important work."

Agence France Presse — English
May 13, 2007 Sunday 1:06 AM GMT

Eurovision song contest final standings

HELSINKI, May 13 2007

Here are the final standings in the 2007 Eurovision song contest, won
on Saturday in Helsinki by Serbian singer Marija Serifovic with her
ballad "Molitva".

The top 10 countries automatically qualify for next year’s final. The
others have to qualify in a semi-final round.

1. Serbia: Marija Serifovic (Molitva) – 268 points

2. Ukraine: Verka Serduchka (Dancing Lasha Tumbai) – 235

3. Russia: Serebro (Song#1) – 207

4. Turkey: Kenan Dogulu (Shake It Up Shekerim) – 163

5. Bulgaria: Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankoulov (Water) – 157

6. Belarus: Koldun (Work Your Magic) – 145

7. Greece: Sarbel (Yassou Maria) – 139

8. Armenia: Hayko (Anytime You Need) – 138

9. Hungary: Magdi Ruzsa (Unsubstantial Blues) – 128

10. Moldova: Natalia Barbu (Fight) – 109

——————————————— ——-

11. Bosnie-Hercegovina: Maria Sestic (Rijeka Bez Imena)

12. Georgia: Sopho (Visionary Dream)

13. Romania: Todomondo (Liubi, Liubi, I Love You)

14. Macedonia: Karolina (Mojot Svet)

15. Slovenia: Alenka Gotar (Cvet Z Juga)

16. Latvia: Bonaparti.lv (Questa Notte)

17. Finland: Hanna Pakarinen (Leave Me Alone)

18. Sweden: The Ark (The Worrying Kind)

19. Germany: Roger Cicero (Frauen Regier’n Die Welt)

20. Spain: D’Nash (I Love You Mi Vida)

21. Lithuania: 4FUN (Love Or Leave)

22. France: Les Fatals Picards (L’amour à La Francaise)

23. Britain: Scooch (Flying The Flag (For You))

24. Ireland: Dervish (They Can’t Stop The Spring)

PanARMENIAN.Net

CIS observation mission positive about election process in Armenia
12.05.2007 13:43 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `The CIS observation mission gives a positive
estimation to the parliamentary election process in Armenia,’ mission
head, CIS Executive Secretary Vladimir Rushaylo told reporters
today. `The mission has a positive impression of the voting but it’s
difficult to say anything for certain,’ he said.

A meeting of the mission coordination will be held in the evening. The
resulting statement of the CIS mission will be announced on May 13
morning.

Arka News Agency, Armenia
May 11 2007

ARMENIA’S PRESIDENT EXPECTS OBJECTIVE ESTIMATION OF PARLIAMENTARY
ELECTIONS FROM OBSERVERS’ MISSIONS

YEREVAN, May 11. /ARKA/. Armenia’s President Robert Kocharyan expects
objective estimation of parliamentary elections from the observers’
missions. The RA President’s press service reported that the
President declared about this during his meeting with the EU Election
Observation Mission headed by Marie Anne Isler Begen.
President expressed gratitude for their presence and observation in
such responsible moment for Armenia.
Kocharyan pointed out the double importance of the elections and said
that these are first elections after the constitutional reforms as a
result of which a new parliament with new authorities will be formed.
Second, presidential elections will follow parliamentary ones.
According to Kocharyan’s estimations, the pre-election stage and
propaganda passed calmly and in a civilized atmosphere, and the
political forces had good chances to present their viewpoints.
The sides also discussed the election process and issues connected
with main principles of observation. Kocharyan explained the issues
that the observers were interested in.
He once again pointed out the Government’s decisiveness to conduct
elections according to international standards.
The parliamentary elections in Armenia are scheduled for May 12. 22
parties and one bloc will run for elections. 53 local organizations
with the staff consisting of 13,808 people and 6 international
organizations including 767 people will observe the elections. L.M.
-0–

Press & Sun-Bulletin, NY
May 12 2007

Cardiac surgeon to receive high honor

By John Hill
Press & Sun-Bulletin

VESTAL — Dr. Ernest M. Barsamian has a theory about how he was
chosen to receive an Ellis Island Medal of Honor, an award that has
been given to Supreme Court Justices, Nobel Prize winners,
world-class athletes and six United States presidents.

"Probably they make mistakes sometimes, that’s all I can tell you,"
said Barsamian, who lives with his close friend Sonig Kradjian in
Vestal half of the year and in Boston the rest of the year.

Barsamian and 94 others will be given the award at a ceremony on
Ellis Island today, Barsamian’s 81st birthday. The Ellis Island
Medals of Honor are handed out each year by the National Ethnic
Coalition of Organizations to "remarkable Americans who exemplify
outstanding qualities in both their personal and professional lives,
while continuing to preserve the richness of their particular
heritage," according to the group’s Web site.

Past recipients of the award include former U.S. Secretary of State
Henry Kissinger, boxer Muhammad Ali and entertainers Siegfried and
Roy.

A cardiac surgeon and emeritus professor of surgery at Harvard
University, Barsamian was working at MIT when he built one of the
first heart-lung machines, which are used during cardiac bypass
surgery. Much of his career was spent working with Veteran’s Affairs
hospitals in New England, and during the 1960s he began the VA’s
first open-heart surgery program.

Barsamian moved to the United States from Beirut, Lebanon, in 1956.
He is of Armenian descent and was born in Syria.

Since traveling to the United States on a boat at the age of 30,
Barsamian has appreciated the fact that a person can work his way up
in this country, he said.

"You have to prove yourself," said Barsamian. "Once you do, you’re
accepted like anybody else."

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IF NOT THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE…

ArmRadio.am
08.05.2007 17:07

The world-famous French singer of Armenian descent Charles Aznavour
said that if his ancestors had not died during the genocide, he
would have been the most famous Turkish singer now. According to
Haberler.com, Aznavour stated this during a program "Vivement Dimanche"
broadcast by TV channel "France-2."

Speaking about the life and activities of Charles Aznavour, the
program presenter Michel Ducker pointed out the fact of the Armenian
Genocide’s recognition by the French parliament and added that while
commenting on Eurovision Song Contest last year, he expressed a hope
that one day Turkey will recognize the Armenian Genocide, and Turks
objected to these words by sending numerous messages.

In response to M. Ducker’s question about whether he is not a Turkish
Armenian, Aznavour replied: "I am a Turkish Armenian. My family was
from Izmir.

When Turkey awarded Armenia 10 points at last year’s Eurovision,
I welcomed this step in a sincere way and said that I give Turkey
12 points, and nobody thanked me for it. But if my ancestors had not
died during the genocide, now I’d have been the most famous Turkish
rather than French singer."

ARMENIAN DEFENSE MINISTER AWARDED WITH FRIDTJOF NANSEN GOLD MEDAL

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.05.2007 16:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ RA Defense Minister Michael Haroutounyan is
awarded with a memorable Fridtjof Nansen Gold Medal. The head of RA
Defense Ministry was awarded with the medal of the greatest Norwegian
humanist for following social-political, humanitarian principles and
his activity aimed at recognizing the Armenian Genocide. Assistant of
the Prime Minister of Armenia, academician of the RA National Academy
of Sciences Fadey Sargsyan and Chairman of the Board of Trustee of
"Fridtjof Nansen" fund Felix Bakhchinyan presented the medal May 7,
the Press Office of the RA Defense Ministry reports.