Author: Hambardsumian Paul

SERVICE TARIFFS FALL BY 0.2% IN ARMENIA IN OCTOBER 2008

Noyan Tapan

Nov 3, 2008

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 3, NOYAN TAPAN. 0.2% fall in tariffs of services was
recorded in Armenia in October on September 2008, mainly due to a 2.2%
fall in the tariffs of transport services in connection with a 7%
decline in the tariffs of air transport services.

According to the RA National Statsitical Service, 0.1% growth in
tariffs of personal services was mainly conditioned by a 7.6% growth
in tariffs of laundry and dry cleaning services. Tariffs of public
catering, recreational, educational and cultural services grew by
0.1-1% in the indicated period, while tariffs of housing, municipal,
medical, communication, legal and banking services remained at the
level of the previous month.

NAGORNO KARABAKH DESCRIBES MOSCOW DECLARATION AS SYMBOLIC

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.11.2008 17:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Declaration on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
adopted in Moscow is symbolic, David Babayan, a Karabakhi political
scientist told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

"With adherence to dialog and peace as the key aspect of the
Declaration, it recognizes that the settlement process will take a
long period of time.

"I would like to remind that Gultekin Gajiyeva, a member of the
Azerbaijani delegation to PACE, said that the only compromise on
the Azerbaijani part will be agreement to further habitation of
Armenians in Karabakh. While well-known political scientist Zardush
Alizade dreams that Armenia shifts to the U.S. and NATO, after what
"Azerbaijan together with Russia will clear Karabakh from Armenians,
seize Meghri and join Nakhijevan and Turkey, razing Armenia to the
ground." These are statements made by the Azeri political elite and
it’s obvious that the Karabakh conflict will last dozens of years if
such logic prevails," Babayan said.

TRIPLE DECLARATION

Panorama.am
16:13 03/11/2008

The Presidents of the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Azerbaijan
and the Russian Federation, meeting on November 2, 2008, in Moscow,
at the invitation of the President of the Russian Federation,

Having held substantive discussions in a constructive spirit on the
state and prospects for political settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict through a continuation of direct dialogue between Armenia
and Azerbaijan through the mediation of Russia, the USA and France
as co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group,

1. Declare that they will facilitate improvement of the situation
in the South Caucasus and establish stability and security in the
region through political settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
based on the principles of international law and the decisions and
documents approved within this framework, thus creating favourable
conditions for economic growth and all-round cooperation in the region.

2. Affirm the importance of having the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group continue their mediation efforts, including based on the outcome
of the meeting between the parties in Madrid on November 29, 2007,
and subsequent discussions on further steps to agree on the basic
principles for political settlement.

3. Agree that peace settlement should be accompanied by legally binding
guarantees for every aspect and stage of the settlement process.

4. Note that the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed
to continue work, including through further contacts at the highest
level, on reaching a political settlement to the conflict and have
instructed the heads of their respective foreign ministries to work
together with the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group to activate
the negotiation process.

5. Consider it important to encourage the establishment of conditions
for carrying out confidence-building measures in the context of work
on a peace settlement.

RUSSIA ACCELERATES THE PROCESS OF DRIVING THE USA OFF NOT ONLY THE KARABAKH PEACE PROCESS BUT FROM THE REGION IN GENERAL, AN ARMENIAN POLITICAL EXPERT THINKS

ArmInfo
2008-11-03 15:39:00

ArmInfo. From geopolitical and strategic viewpoints Russia
demonstrated a "sole" approach, having actually ignored Washington
and its interests in this issue. Moreover, henceforth Moscow will
in every possible way accelerate the process of driving the USA off
not only the Karabakh peace process, but from the region in general,
Director of the Institute for Civil Society and Regional Development
Aghavni Karakhanyan told ArmInfo correspondent.

"The formal-political component of the signed Declaration is that
maintaining and using the frames of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia
has factually assumed a mission to unilaterally address the issue
of the Karabakh conflict settlement", she noted. OSCE MG co-chairs’
participation is quite formal", she added.

Touching upon the political settlement of the problem, Karakhanyan
pointed out that it entirely belongs to Moscow. It is also obvious
that having activated its steps in the Karabakh peace process, Russia
unequivocally showed that it is going "to share" its initiative,
moreover, the initiative’s political results and dividends with
nobody. First and foremost, the matter certainly concerns the USA.

"The pre-election situation in the USA and the financial crisis turned
out to be accelerators of Russia’s activation in the South Caucasus,
particularly, in settlement of conflicts. It would be political short-
sightedness not to take advantage of this situation", Karakhanyan
said in conclusion.

On November 2 the presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia signed
a Declaration on the Karabakh conflict settlement. According to the
Declaration, Azeri and Armenian presidents have agreed to continue
the work at coordination of political settlement of the Karabakh
conflict, including further high-level contacts, and instructed the
foreign ministers to activate further steps in the peace process
jointly with OSCE MG co-chairs.

DARCHINYAN UNDISPUTED CHAMPION
Peter Kogoy

The Australian
Nov 3 2008
Australia

VIC Darchinyan was at his devastating brutal best, scoring a stunning
knockout win in a historic super flyweight world title unification bout
against Mexican champion Cristian Mijares in Los Angeles yesterday.

Armenian-born Darchinyan, who held the IBF version, knocked Mijares
down with a vicious uppercut in the first round and finished him off
in the ninth with a stunning pile-driving left.

Darchinyan destroyed the much-hyped Mexican opponent to record his
25th win by knockout in a 31-fight professional career.

In the end referee Lou Moret had little choice but to end the fight
with the badly beaten Mijares, 28, lying flat on his back.

"Nobody gave me a chance, but I believe I’m a much smarter fighter
today than I was a few years ago," a jubilant Darchinyan said in a
phone hook-up yesterday.

"There was little point in rushing him after I got him good in the
first round.

"I was just as happy to pick him off one punch at a time until I got
him with a good punch in the ninth.

"As I found out later all three judges had me well in front on their
scorecards before I delivered the knockout punch."

Mijares, boxing’s new pin-up boy and a Mexican television personality
when not fighting, was the short-priced favourite, with bookmakers
from Alice Springs to Las Vegas not giving the hard-hitting Darchinyan,
a southpaw, much of a chance.

The only time Mijares seemed to trouble Darchinyan during the bout came
in the fourth round when he had the Sydney-based fighter doubled over
from a low blow that prompted a warning on the run from referee Moret.

Going into the unification fight, Mijares was rated by the respected
journal Ring Magazine as the seventh-best boxer in the world
pound-for-pound.

The US media had also written off Darchinyan. The lack of respect
leading up to the bout was like waving a red flag in front of the
fighter dubbed Raging Bull.

Darchinyan had vowed to prove the doubters wrong and from the opening
round Mijares could not match Darchinyan’s power.

The upper-cut that flattened Mijares came with 20 seconds left in round
one, allowing Mijares to stumble to his feet and be saved by the bell.

The bout-ending left came late in the ninth, with just eight seconds
left, but Mijares was unable to get up.

The fight was historic because it was the first time the super
flyweight division has been unified, almost seven years to the
day since Kostya Tszyu unified the lightweight division by beating
Zab Judah.

Darchinyan went into the bout as the International Boxing Federation
champion while Mijares was the reigning World Boxing Council and
World Boxing Association title-holder.

Earlier at the Los Angeles venue Darchinyan’s Sydney stable-mate
Victor Oganov was controversially beaten in his super middleweight
world title elimination fight against American Andre Direll.

Russian-born Oganov protested angrily when referee Ray Corona stopped
the fight 30 seconds into the sixth round.

Oganov was hit with an upper-cut before the stoppage and had taken
a barrage of blows in the earlier rounds, but was still on his feet
and ready to continue when the fight was halted.

"The main thing is the safety of the fighter," Corona said. "He took
some heavy blows."

Oganov was also not given much of a chance of victory, with
unbeaten Direll, a bronze medallist at the 2004 Athens Olympics,
the overwhelming favourite and promoted as one of the division’s
top prospects.

The win gives Direll a shot at the World Boxing Organisation’s super
middleweight title.

DECREASE OF PRICES OF PRODUCTS OF FIRST IMPORTNACE REGISTERED IN MARKETS

ARMENPRESS
Oct 29, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 29, ARMENPRESS: The every day monitoring of the
Armenian Economic Competitiveness State Commission has registered
decrease of prices of some products in Armenian market. Press secretary
of the commission told Armenpress that they are mainly the products
of first importance and the markets where the Armenian state income
committee carried out certain events on the basis of a documents
presented by the commission.

Particularly, in the international market in case of 20 percent of
decrease of prices for fuel in Armenia as well corresponding decrease
of prices occurred by 20 percent. New economic companies entered to the
rice market and as a result, as well as agreed with the international
prices, in a number of trade points, which are under the monitoring,
the price for rice decreased up to 80 drams (from 450).

After the case opened by the commission the price for flour decreased
by 10-15 drams. The prices for building materials also decreased by
20 percent, in the international market as well.

The monitoring of the commission continues in the market of the
products of first necessity.

KAREN DEMIRCHIAN SPORTS AND CONCERT COMPLEX PUT INTO OPERATION AFTER MAJOR REPAIRS: 42 MILLION DOLLARS INVESTED INSTEAD OF ENVISAGED 15 MILLIONS

Noyan Tapan
Oct 31, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 31, NOYAN TAPAN. Karen Demirchian Sports and Concert
Complex was put into operation on October 31. It had been sold to
the BAMO Russian company in October 2005, by the decision of the
RA government.

According to company Director Murad Muradian, the company has fulfilled
its commitments on investing 4.5bn drams (nearly 15m USD) within
three years, on keeping the name and the functional significance. The
general figure of investment made nearly 42m USD, that is, more than
three-fold more investments than envisaged were made, the company
bought the landplot under the building, fundamentally repaired the
building, all engineer systems, hot, cold water, heating, sewerage
systems were renovated, the roof was renovated, development work was
done, it is planned to build new parking lots, equipment with modern
sound and light technologies were placed in all halls. The big hall
intended for nearly 8 thousand people and the small hall of the complex
intended for 2200 people were rapaired, a big conference hall will
function in the complex building, which can be also a place to hold
summits. The complex also has halls intended for football, volleyball,
fitness club, a skating-rink will function, hockey and figure-skating
schools will be opened in the building to develop these kinds of
sports in Armenia. The company created 427 jobs with employee lists,
which will be filled by the end of the year. According to M. Muradian,
one day rent of the big hall with all its proper infrastructures costs
80-10m drams (30-33 thousand USD), which, in his words, is 3-4-fold
cheaper than the world tariffs.

The Sports and Concert Complex was operated in 1983 under Karen
Demirchian as Armenia’s head, the complex was named after Karen
Demirchian in his memory.

RA President Serzh Sargsyan, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II,
Yerevan Mayor Yervand Zakharian were present at the event. The latter
emphasized that the BAMO company has repeatedly managed to exceed the
investment commitments envisaged by the contract signed with the state,
he also said that the work done is of high quality and high-level. "I
am sure that the complex will be turned into a sports and cultural
center in the whole region. Homeland’s doors are open before all
businessmen, including those from near and far Diaspora, they have all
possibilities to perfect, to miltiply our national wealth," he said.

Members of Karen Demirchian’s family were also invited to the
event. As K. Demirchian’s son, Stepan Demirchian, evaluated it, the
work done in the sports and concert complex in general is praiseworthy:
"positive work has been done."

ECONOMIST: FINANCIAL CRISIS UNLIKELY TO HIT ARMENIA IN NEAREST FUTURE

ARKA
Oct 28, 2008

YEREVAN, October 28. /ARKA/. Financial crisis is unlikely to hit
Armenia in the nearest future, Russian-Armenian Slavonic University
(Slavonic) University Deputy Rector Edward Sandoyan said in Novosti
International Press Centre on Tuesday.

He said that this certitude is grounded on underdevelopment of
Armenian financial institutions, particularly insurance, pension
security systems and capital market.

"Today Armenia has no financial institutions. Only banking system is
developing successfully", Sandoyan said.

He said that inter-banking credits make only 4% of the resources
attracted by Armenian banks. That is why even if all these means flow
away, it will have no major impact on banks.

Besides, banks’ investments on capital market can’t trigger crisis,
because of their scantiness.

"Banks have far greater money at their disposal than necessary for
ensuring normal activity", the economist said adding that solvency
of domestic banks is enough to cover banking risks.

"Our banks are capitalized at least twice more than necessary, and
well-secured credit assets make 65% of bank assets", he said.

The economist said that supervision system in banking sector is quite
reliable as well.

22 banks with their 367 branches function in Armenia now. Their assets
totaled AMD 954.1 billion, capital AMD 214.9 billion and liabilities
AMD 739.2 billion by late September.

OCTOBER 27 WAS GREATEST DISGRACE OF AUTHORITIES OF THAT TIME, ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS STATES

Noyan Tapan
Oct 27, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 27, NOYAN TAPAN. On the occasion of the 9th
anniversary of the terrorist act committed on October 27, 1999 at
the RA National Assembly, the Central Office of the Armenian National
Congress made a statement, which read:

"The Republic of Armenia National Assembly and Government were executed
on October 27, 1999. National Assembly Speaker Karen Demirchian, Prime
Minister Vazgen Sargsian, deputies, government members were killed.

Five scoundrels raised their hand against the Armenian statehood, but
it was the greatest disgrace and shame of the authorities of that time,
in particular, of President Robert Kocharian and National Security head
Serzh Sargsyan, after which, if both of them had minimum political
and human dignity, both of them should have resigned. They not only
did not do it, but in particular, R. Kocharian, with their further
conduct deepened the doubt widely spread from the very first moment,
the doubt of their complicity in that crime. After the very October 27
crime, in a few months coming out of the grave situation formed for
them, this duet founded and led to perfection in the course of time
the criminal system, which today continues destroying the Armenian
state and its people.

October 27 will remain a stigma on the forehead of the Armenian
statehood, with its destructive consequences will continue acting until
the judicial farce done formerly is disclosed, until its organizers
and other accomplices are revealed and punished."

KURDS IN PRO-OCALAN PROTEST OUTSIDE UN BEIRUT HQ

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October 28, 2008

BEIRUT (AFP) — Hundreds of Kurds demonstrated outside United Nations
headquarters in Beirut on Sunday to protest against the alleged bad
treatment in prison of rebel Kurd leader Abdullah Ocalan.

The protesters, who began their march at Borj Hammoud, a mostly
Armenian district in the northeast of the city, waved Kurdish flags
and photos of Ocalan.

Many carried placards and chanted: ""By our soul, by our blood,
we sacrifice ourselves for you, oh chief.""

They stamped on the Turkish flag in front of the central Beirut
building of the UN’s Economic and Social Commission for Western
Asia and issued a press release denouncing the ""inhuman treatment""
inflicted on their leader.

Lawyers for Ocalan, who heads the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party
(PKK), said this month that their client has been mistreated by
warders on the northwest Turkish prison island of Imrali, where he
is the sole inmate.

Turkish authorities have denied the allegations, but they prompted
pro-Ocalan rallies, often generating violent clashes, in several
Turkish towns where Kurdish communities live.

The PKK took up arms for self-rule in east and southeast Turkey in
1984, sparking a conflict that has claimed about 44,000 lives.