Author: Harutyunian Christine

MIGRATION AGENCY IMPLEMENTS PROGRAMS OF REINTEGRATION OF RA CITIZENS WHO HAVE RETURNED FROM OTHER COUNTRIES

Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Currently the Migration Agency of
RA Territorial Government Ministry carries on negotiations with the
respective structures of ten countries in the direction of signing
agreements on organizing return of RA citizens irregularly residing in
these countries. Agency Head Gagik Yeganian said this at the October
30 seminar on the subject Problems of Dual Citizenship and Migration
in the Light of Integration Processes. The seminar was organized by
the European Integration NGO. G.Yeganian said that such agreements
have been already signed with Denmark, Lithuania and Switzerland.

Besides, the agency implements programs with France, Holland and
Switzerland aimed at reintegration of RA citizens who have returned
from these countries.

G.Yeganian also said that growth of passenger flows was registered in
2001-2006 in Armenia. In his words, in 2001-2003 the migration negative
balance gradually decreased and in 2004 and 2005 a positive balance
was registered, which made 2000 and 12500 people, respectively. Narine
Solomonian, chief specialist of RA Constitutional Court’s Staff, said
that approach towards dual citizenship has changed in some states
in the recent years. Armenia is also among these countries. Dual
citizenship was stipulated by the amendments introduced to RA
Constitution. However, in N.Solomonian’s words, "the provision on dual
citizenship does not clarify who should be granted dual citizenship,
will only dual citizenship or multi-citizenship operate in RA, how
will dual citizenship be granted, etc," she mentioned.

NKR MFA: PREMATURE TO ASSESS OSKANIAN-MAMMADYAROV MEETING

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.10.2006 17:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "It is premature to evaluate the October 24 meeting
of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan and Armenia Elmar
Mammadyarov and Vartan Oskanian. Basing on the outcome of this meeting,
the ministers arranged to meet November 14 in Brussels. At the same
time, I think, it should be noted that it is necessary to create
a basis for success regarding all the core issues: atmosphere of
confidence, denial of force and coercion, strengthening the mode of
not resuming military actions, full-format negotiations," said NKR
FM Georgy Petrosian.

"The mechanism of bilateral consultations successfully operates between
Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh Republic on both the presidential level
and foreign ministerial level. After Vartan Oskanian’s return there
was a telephone talk and the details and outcome of his meeting with
Elmar Mammadyarov were discussed. It has been stated for a number
of times that the meetings of the foreign ministers of Armenia and
Azerbaijan are confidential, and a premature revelation of the details
of their recent meeting would be incorrect," he said.

OSCE STARTS COMMUNITY POLICING PROJECT IN ARMENIA

Panorama.am
20:02 30/10/06

As part of its Police Assistance Programme for Armenia, the OSCE
today kicked off a community policing project in Yerevan, which aims
at improving the co-operation between the country’s police forces
and the public.

"Strengthening the understanding for democratic policing is an
important aspect of Armenia’s development and goes hand in hand with
promoting the respect for human rights", said Ambassador Vladimir
Pryakhin, Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, at the opening of a
seminar that introduced the community policing concept to Armenian
police officers.

The OSCE’s Senior Police Adviser, Kevin Carty, said: "Partnership
between the police and citizens is a fundamental basis of democratic
policing, which is why the OSCE pays particular attention to this
element".

Colonel-General Haik Harutunyan, Head of the Armenian Police, welcomed
the participants and the OSCE’s close co-operation with the police and
noted that this co-operation is not only strengthening and increasing
day by day, but also gives tangible, effective and useful results,
the evidence of which is elaboration and introduction of community
policing.

The project is one of four components of the OSCE’s Police Assistance
Programme for Armenia, which also includes refurbishing and improving
the standards of the country’s Centre for Induction Training, where
non-commissioned officers of the Armenian police receive their
initial training.

A key goal of the initiative is to increase public confidence in the
police and to improve the exchange of information between the police
and the community.

The project will involve the community in the prevention and solving
of crimes, increasing the knowledge among Armenian police officers of
European policing ethics and human rights standards, and providing
practical on-the-job advice for officers working in the Arabkir
police district.

For the coming year, two international police experts – Charles Riordan
from the United Kingdom and Rita Korotenko from Ukraine – will conduct
training seminars and workshops in Arabkir district. They will also
give advice on a daily basis to the police officers working there.

The project is implemented by the OSCE Office in Yerevan together
with the Armenian Police.

PUTIN SAYS LEVEL OF RUSSIA’S INVESTMENT IN ARMENIA "SHAMEFUL"

RIA Novosti, Russia
October 30, 2006

MOSCOW, October 30 (RIA Novosti) – President Vladimir Putin said
Monday the volume of Russian investment in Armenia is too low for a
strategic partner.

"We are in a humiliating third place – it is humiliating because it
is strange that Russia is not the largest investor in the economy
of its strategic partner," Putin said at a meeting with Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan in the Kremlin.

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Oct 26 2006

FORMER FRENCH AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA AWARDED "MKHITAR GOSH" MEDAL

YEREVAN, October 26. /ARKA/. By the decree of the Armenian president,
former French Ambassador to Armenia Henry Cuny was awarded a Mkhitar
Gosh medal for the strengthening and development of the
Armenian-French relations, the press service of the Armenian
president reported.
Giving the award to the former ambassador at the meeting on Thursday,
Kocharian expressed gratitude for the effective cooperation. He
pointed out that tangible progress in the Armenian-French relations
was recorded during his activity in Armenia.
In his turn, Cuny thanked him for such honor and said that the award
was very valuable to him. He highly appreciated the warm attitude of
Armenia toward France and characterized the awarded medal as a pledge
of the Armenian-French friendship.
Cuny wished Armenia prosperity, the people – well-being, and the
president – success in his activity. R.O. -0–

Prime-Tass English-language Business Newswire
October 27, 2006 Friday

Russian VTB expects to bring stake in VTB Armenia to 100% in 2-3 mos

Russia’s state-owned Vneshtorgbank, or VTB, expects to close a deal
to increase its stake in VTB Armenia Bank to 100% from its current
70% plus one share over the next two or three months, VTB’s Senior
Vice President Vasily Titov told reporters Friday.

The remaining 30% minus one share stake currently belongs to Mikhail
Bagdasarov, the owner of Mika Armenia Trading Company.

The shareholders’ equity of VTB Armenia Bank currently amounts to the
equivalent of U.S. $24 million, VTB Armenia Bank CEO Alexander
Vartanov said.

The bank ranks second in Armenia in terms of the individual account
balances, Vartanov said. The bank accounts for 10% of total
individual account balances in Armenian banks, he added.

VTB Armenia Bank has 100 branches in the country.

At the present time VTB Group consists of three Russian banks,
including VTB, Vneshtorgbank Retail Services and Industrial and
Construction Bank, or Promstroibank; seven banks in Western Europe,
namely in the U.K., France, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Cyprus and
Luxemburg; four banks in the CIS, namely, two in Ukraine, one each in
Armenia and Georgia; as well as two joint ventures in Angola and
Namibia.

The under 19 year national football team of Armenia to play with Azerbaijan

ArmRadio.am
27.10.2006 11:00

The under 19 year national football team of Armenia headed by coach
Armen Gyulbudaghian, is in Cyprus to participate in the qualifications
of the under 19 European Championships scheduled to take place place
from October 27 to November 2.

The national team of Armenia playing in the seventh Group will be up
against Hungary, Cyprus and political archrival Azerbaijan. The
Armenia vs. Azerbaijan match is scheduled to take place on Friday
October 27, at Antonis Papadopoulos stadium in Larnaca.

Ian Porterfield, the coach of the national team of Armenia, and Samvel
Petrosian, the coach of the under 21 national team are also
accompanying the young squad.

Armenian representative in the Cyprus Parliament Vartkes Mahdessian `
has been assisting the representatives of the national team, so that
their stay in Cyprus is problem-free. MP Mahdessian called upon the
Armenian community of Cyprus to support the Armenian team by showing
up to the fixtures in big numbers.

Belmont Citizen-Herald, MA
Oct 26 2006

The joy of cooking

By Linda Pinkow/ Staff Writer
Thursday, October 26, 2006 – Updated: 02:01 PM EST

They’ve been cooking for months.

In teams of 10 to 15, the women of the First Armenian Church of
Belmont have been preparing and freezing ingredients for traditional
Armenian pastries, breads and other delicacies.

Their work culminated in the church’s annual Fall Harvest Bazaar
last Saturday, where hundreds of area residents sat down to a
collectively prepared feast for lunch or dinner – or both – and went
home with home-made snacks as well as Armenian books, CDs and crafts.

Proceeds from the bazaar help support orphans and students in
Armenia and Lebanon, and other charities and church programs.

"Each food item is made by a different team," said Carol Nahigian
of Arlington, as she helped sell take-home packages of cheoreg (small
strips of sweet dough), manti (rolls filled with meat), string
cheese, and yalanchi (grape leaves stuffed with rice and pine nuts).

"The real old-timers, they grow their own [grape leaves]," said
Nahigian. They pick the leaves in June, boil them and then freeze
them.

"That’s like a big party when they all get their leaves in June,"
she said.

Nahigian said it takes cooperation to cook together: "One is team
captain, and you have to do what she says."

But cooperation in the kitchen is a tradition, she added:
"Armenians never worked alone."

Helping to dish out the luncheon buffet, Seta Norian of Lexington
said last week was the busiest.

"I’ve been here almost every day this week," she said.

Norian pointed out that the women of First Armenian Church cook
together "year round." They prepare traditional meals for holidays
and fundraisers.

Cooking together, she said, "You get ideas off each other, and
you enjoy each other’s company."

The men of the church had their own culinary camaraderie. Some of
them were in the church’s large kitchen, preparing the kebabs for the
meals.

The buffet also included rice pilaf, salad and fresh pita bread,
and there was cappuccino, popcorn and cotton candy between the meals.
But attention really focused on the three tables of sweets.

There was cheese beoreg in puff pastry or filo dough, paklava
(known in other countries as baklava), shaabiat (triangles of filo
dough with sweet cream filling and ground pistachios), kadayif with
nuts or with cream, and assorted cookies.

There were also Halloween-theme cookies and brownies created by
the Sunday School parents and children.

"I could eat this always," said the Rev. Gregory Haroutunian,
wiping the remains of a cheese beoreg from his fingers.

Haroutunian, who has been pastor of First Armenian Church for
almost three years, explained that his congregation, "from the
youngest to the oldest," prepares for the annual Fall Harvest Bazaar
with "enthusiasm."

The women, in particular, "are so gratified seeing the people’s
joy," he said.

"They’re happy that people are happy, and that’s what we were
praying for," said Haroutunian. "You want this to be a blessing to
the community."

ARMENIAN DEFENSE MINISTER SAYS, THAT HIS AZERBAIJANI COUNTERPART ADVOCATES KEEPING CEASE FIRE REGIME TOO

TREND, Azerbaijan
Oct 26 2006

Armenian Defense Minister, Serg Sarkisyan considers that his
Azerbaijani counterpart also advocates keeping the cease fire regime.

"He doesn’t want to break the cease fire regime", Mr. Sarkisyan told
journalists on Wednesday, commenting the recent meeting between the
Azerbaijani and Armenian Defence Ministers.

"Simply, we should realize that thousands of armed people stay on
each side, and sometimes shots are fired. It is important that these
shots would not become deliberate and not to take the form of large
incidents", pointed out the Armenian Defence Minister.

The meeting between Armenian Defence Minister Serg Sarkisyan and his
Azerbaijani counterpart was held on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border
on October 20. The two Ministers discussed issues that are of a great
interest for both parties, particularly an issue on keeping the cease
fire regime, Trend reports referring to News-Armenia.

AZERBAIJAN BEST, FRANCE WORST FOR TURKS

Angus Reid Global Scan, Canada
Oct 25 2006

– Few adults in Turkey express positive feelings on two European
nations, according to a poll by A&G published in Milliyet. Only 2.8
per cent of respondents trust France, and 3.2 per cent feel the same
way about Britain.

The United States was next on the list with 3.6 per cent, followed
by Greece with 4.2 per cent and Russia with 17.7 per cent. The three
most trusted countries are Azerbaijan with 71.4 per cent, Pakistan
with 47.3 per cent, and Iran with 29 per cent.

On Oct. 12, France’s National Assembly approved a bill that makes
it a crime to deny that the state-sponsored deportation campaign
undertaken by the Turkish government from 1915 to 1917-which targeted
the Armenian population-actually constituted a genocide.

Some Turkish consumer organizations have called for a ban on French
products. On Oct. 22, Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
pleaded for calm, saying, "What do we have to win or lose by
boycotting? We should consider that with a great deal of caution."

Polling Data

Do you trust the following countries?

Yes No Not sure

France 2.8% 76.1% 21.1%

Britain 3.2% 73.2% 23.5%

United States 3.6% 78.5% 17.9%

Greece 4.2% 78.1% 17.7%

Russia 8.7% 64.8% 26.5%

Germany 17.7% 56.9% 25.3%

Iran 29.0% 43.1% 28.0%

Pakistan 47.3% 24.3% 28.4%

Azerbaijan 71.4% 11.1% 17.5%

Source: A&G / Milliyet Methodology: Interviews with 2,408 Turk adults,
conducted in late September 2006. No margin of error was provided.