Author: Hovhannisian John

CRIME RATE DOWN IN ARMENIA – PROSECUTOR-GENERAL’S OFFICE

Armenian Second TV Channel, Yerevan
25 Jul 07

[Presenter] A sitting of the board of the Prosecutor-General’s
Office was held today. The results of the first half of 2007
were summed up. The crime rate in the country is down; however,
the Prosecutor-General’s Office is unhappy about the rate of the
solved crimes. They are also unhappy with the courts of first
instance and the Court of Appeals. High-profile murders were also
discussed. It has emerged that it was Hayk Israyelyan who had killed
[high-ranking tax official] Shahen Hovasapyan and Goga Arakelyan,
known in the criminal circles. [Former Yerevan district mayor’s son]
Sedrak Zatikyan’s murder is also among those solved.

[Correspondent] According to the figures of this year’s first half,
the crime rate has dropped in the republic. However, the rate of the
solved crimes has also decreased.

[Mnatsakan Sargsyan, deputy prosecutor general, speaking at the
meeting] The rate of the solved crimes has decreased by 6.7 per cent
in the first half of this year. While 83.8 per cent of the crimes
were solved last year, this year’s rate is 77 per cent.

[Correspondent] The prosecutor general is concerned: the rate of crimes
committed by juveniles has increased. Such cases should be examined
thoroughly to find out those who have pushed them to commit crimes;
their parents too should be examined.

[Mnatsakan Sargsyan] We have a permanently operating joint commission
with the Education and Science Ministry under the board’s instruction,
and once a year, the commission summarizes its work paying attention to
the regions and communities where [juvenile crime rate] has increased.

[Passage omitted: more instructions given to the commission to find
out reasons for the growth in juvenile crime]

[Correspondent] While the rate of serious crimes is down, the rate of
other crimes is up. The number of women sentenced for serious crimes
is also down.

The Prosecutor General’s Office says some high-profile murders have
been solved. Special investigators have established that the same
person, Hayk Israyelyan, had killed both Shahen Hovasapyan and Goga
Arakelyan, while another person, Suren Harutyunyan, was sentenced
for killing Goga Arakelyan.

[Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan] Hayk Israyelyan is the immediate
perpetrator of that murder. The accomplice, who was sentenced, had
just assumed the responsibility.

[Passage omitted: investigation details]

[Correspondent] Only half of the persons announced missing has
been found.

[Passage omitted: Prosecutor General’s Office says courts are slow;
some prosecutors hide real crime rate numbers to show a better picture]

14 SPECIALISTS OF ARMENIAN MILITARY-MEDICAL SERVICE TO TAKE PART IN Medceur-2007 EXERCISES TO BE HELD IN MOLDOVA

Noyan Tapan
Jul 26, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. Medceur-2007 (Doctor-2007)
multi-national medical exercises will be held from July 28 to August
10 at Moldova’s Bulboaca military educational center. The main goal
of the exercises is cooperation of military-medical services during
possible armed conflicts.

60 specialists of military-medical services of 13 NATO member-states
and those cooperating within the framework of the Partnership for Peace
Program, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrghyzstan, Macedonia, Serbia, the Ukraine, Croatia, Moldova, and
the U.S. will take part in the exercises.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Defence Ministry, the Armenian
Armed Forces in Moldova will be represented by 14 specialists of the
Military-Medical Department of the RA Defence Ministry and of Yerevan
M. Heratsi State Medical University’s Military Medical Department:
officers, lecturers, and students.

MATTHEW BRYZA TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA JULY 30

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.07.2007 17:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European
and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Bryza arrives in Armenia on July 30 in
the framework of his regional tour, the PanARMENIAN.Net journalist
was told in the Press Office of US Embassy in Yerevan. The agenda of
his visit is under specification.

IRAN IS READY TO ASSIST IN SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT

arminfo
2007-07-25 12:57:00

The Islamic Republic of Iran advocates peaceful settlement of the
Karabakh conflict via negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

As APA reports, official representative of the Iranian FM Mohammad-Ali
Hosseini said that Iran advocates continuation of negotiations between
the conflicting parties. " Iran thinks that settlement of the Karabakh
conflict will contribute to assurance of the regional stability
and steady development of the region countries", he said. "Based
on the afore-stated and recognizing the sovereignty of Azerbaijan,
Iran welcomes the process of constructive negotiations, especially the
meeting of the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan and, if necessary,
it is ready to assist in negotiations on the conflict settlement in
Nagorno Karabakh", Hosseini said.

ARMENIA’S DEFENCE EXPENDITURES GROW BY 19.5% IN JANUARY-MAY, 2007, COMPARED WITH SAME PERIOD OF 2006

Noyan Tapan
Jul 24, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. Expenditures of 32bn 170.8m drams out of
budget expenditures of 182bn 993.4m drams (more than 509.6m USD) done
in January-May, 2007, were done in the defence sphere, which exceeds
the index of the same period of the previous year by 19.5%. The ratio
of defence expenditures to RA GDP made 4.7% in January-April, 2007,
as compared with the same months of 2006.

According to the data of the RA National Statistical Service, budget
expenditures done in the spheres of observance of public order,
national security, and justice made 14bn 553.3m USD, which exceeds
the index of the same period of the previous year by 7.9%, and their
ratio to GDP made 2.1% in the first five months of 2007 against 2.2%
of the previous year.

Expenditures done in the sphere of education and science made 31bn
605.8m drams (the growth made 21.9%, as compared with the same
period of the previous year) and their ratio to GDP reached 4.6%
from 4.3%. 24bn 674.6m drams was spent in social insurance and social
security spheres (growth 23.6%), the ratio of which to GDP reached
from 3.3% to 3.6% and in the health sphere 14bn 23.9m drams (growth
16.2%), the ratio of which to GDP has remained unchanged, 2%.

Funds of 9bn 418m drams were spent in transport, road maintenance and
communication sphere in January-May, 2007. They decreased by 1.3%. The
ratio of these expenditures to GDP decreased from 1.6% to 1.4%.

UNOFFICIAL GAME OF ARMENIAN AND IRANIAN JUDO NATIONAL TEAMS FINISHES WITH ARMENIAN TEAM’S VICTORY

Noyan Tapan
Jul 23, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian Judo Championship
finished on July 22 at the Kilikia training ground. Artur Srapian
(60 kg, Gyumri), Mesrop Barbarian (66 kg, Hrazdan), Robert Vardanian
(73 kg, Yerevan), Armen Ispirian (81 kg, Yerevan), Hakob Arakelian
(90 kg, Yerevan), Haroutiun Gharibian (heavyweight, Yerevan), Zhanna
Vardanian (48 kg, Yerevan), Zarine Karakhanova (52 kg, Yerevan),
and Anush Hakobian (57 kg, Nor Hachn) gained the title of the champion.

After the end of the championship the unofficial game of Armenian and
Iranian national teams finished with the score of 13 to 6 in favor
of Armenia.

WINDSURFING CLUB BUILT ON SEVAN LAKESIDE OPENS

Noyan Tapan
Jul 23, 2007

SEVAN, JULY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. RA President Robert Kocharian, on July
21, took part in the opening of the Windsurfing (water sports)
Club built on Sevan lakeside with the funds of the Hayastan All
Armenian Fund. "To have such a wonderful lake and not to develop
this kind of sport is just a crime," the President said adding:
"Besides windsurfing, we will try to purchase sports sailing vessels,
and the club will be a center for development of sailing vessels kinds
of sports in general." R. Kocharian gave assurance that the club no
doubt can be attractive for tourists. According to the President,
one or two centers of that kind of sport will be opened on Sevan
lakeside in one year or two.

According to Vahe Aghabekian, the Executive Director of Hayastan
All Armenian Fund, the structure, including the furniture and sports
equipment, required investments of 250-260m drams and work of nearly
seven months. It was mentioned that the construction measures are not
over yet: basket-ball and tennis playing grounds, a number of other
constructions will be also built, thanks to which the structure will
become a full-value sports complex.

Armen Grigorian, the RA Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, said that
the newly built base completely corresponds to international standards:
international competitions can be held there, including Europe and
world championships. And Mher Tovmasian, the club Director, said that
not only sportsmen, but also any one who wants can train at the club.

RA PRESIDENT CONGRATULATED PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE REPUBLIC OF NAGORNO KARABAGH BAKO SAHAKIAN

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
July 23 2007

RA President Robert Kocharian congratulated President-elect of the
Republic of Nagorno Karabagh Bako Sahakian.

According to the information DE FACTO received at RA President’s Press
Office, the congratulatory message runs, in part: "Dear Mr. Sahakian,
I congratulate you on the occasion of your election as President
of the Republic of Nagorno Karabagh. I am confident that under your
leadership and in strong cooperation with other branches of power and
through the efforts of the people of Artsakh the economic and political
development of NKR will continue. I believe that you will adopt new
approaches to solve the problems faced by the Republic and its people.

The elections that have taken place testify to the accomplished
state building, anchored on the principles of democracy. They also
testify to the irreversibility of the Nagorno Karabagh’s existence,
which has become historical reality.

I wish you successful work for the benefit for Artsakh and its people."

ARMENTEL STARTS RENDERING GPRS SERVICE TO EASY CARD HOLDERS

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
July 23 2007

YEREVAN, July 23. /ARKA/. The ArmenTel Company has started rendering
GPRS-service to Easy Card holders.

The ArmenTel CJSC reports that the new service includes GPRS-Internet
and GPRS-WAP services, which provides the subscribers with Internet
access at any point of covering by ArmenTel.

The monthly payment for the GPRS-service is AMD 360 (about $1). The
traffic prices are AMD 90 for 1MB of data transmitted by GPRS-Internet
and AMD 30 for 10MB by GPRS-WAP.

To activate this service a subscriber has to call 0674 and following
the instructions, or send an SMS to this number or call 0674-09181.

By the end of 2006, ArmenTel had had 608,500 users of stationary
telephone communication, and 452,000 users of cellular telephone
communication.

GEORGIA TO LAUNCH LANGUAGE TRAINING COURSE FOR NATIONAL MINORITIES

ARMENPRESS
Jul 18, 2007

TBILISI, JULY 18, ARMENPRESS: Bad command of the Georgian language
should not become "an insuperable barrier" for ethnic minorities
to enroll in Georgia’s universities, Georgian president Saakashvili
said today.

According to Georgian news agencies, while speaking at a government
session Saakashvili said a special state program envisages bringing
hundred ethnic Armenians and hundred ethnic Azerbaijanis from
Samtskhe-Javakheti and Kvemo Kartli regions, respectively, at
preparatory courses, which will help them to then enroll in the
universities.

He said it was not a fault of ethnic minorities that they do not
speak Georgian well.

"This is because of the fact that we [the authorities] were not
well-organized… I want to emphasize that the minorities urge us to
teach them the Georgian language," Saakashvili said.

Alluding to the fact that most of ethnic minority youth prefer to
enroll in universities in Armenia, Azerbaijan, or Russia, Saakashvili
said it was very important to create conditions wherein "our citizens
acquire knowledge not abroad, but in the capital and other cities
of Georgia.

In its report last year, the Brussels-based think-tank International
Crisis Group outlined the inability to speak the state language as
"the minorities’ biggest problem.