Author: Hovhannisian John

ARMEN ASHOTYAN: KOSOVO WILL SHOW WHETHER RUSSIA IS CAPABLE TO RESTORE ITS POWER

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.12.2007 18:11 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia’s role in Balkans as well as in Caucasus
is still great. However, Balkan policy has been dominating for a
long time, member of the Armenian National Assembly’s committee on
European integration, political scientist Armen Ashotyan said in an
interview with PanARMENIAN.Net.

"Actually, we are witnessing the collapse of Russian diplomacy
in Balkans and Kosovo is the last spot where Russia can wield
influence. Russia claims renaissance of the superpower. Kosovo will
show whether this state is capable to rehabilitate. If it fails to
cut the South Caucasian knots with the Kosovo precedent, it will
certainly lose the status of a superpower," he said.

NINETY MORE BOGDAN BUSES TO ARRIVE IN YEREVAN

ARMENPRESS
Dec 12 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS: Private companies will bring 90
more Ukraine-made Bogdan buses before this year ends to take the
brunt off thousands of minibuses which create chaos on Yerevan streets.

Ashot Sahakian, chief of transport department at the Yerevan
municipality, said to Armenpress that overall some 150 buses will
have been brought to Yerevan this year.

He also said some 700 mini-buses, which are still the main commuter
transporting means in Yerevan, will be withdrawn this year.

The authorities plan to have 500 passenger buses in the city and to
reduce the number of mini-buses from 3,100 now to 1,500 by 2010.

REALLY, LET’S DON’T WINK AT….

Azat Artsakh Tert, Nagorno Karabakh Republic
Dec 12 2007

I read with worry the article under the title "Let’s don’t wink at
bitter reality" in one of the december numbers of "Azat Artsakh".

There are people who can not even make both ends meet among luxurious
mansions and cars. The author of the article wrote about the family of
Karakhanyans where 4 helpless orphans are in the village of Mets shen
(Martakert province). Let’s propose our hand. I call on good hearted
people to help, I give any sum of money from my salary A. M.

The collective of "A A" newspaper joins the initiative and gives
50.000 drams to the family. In detail, you can read in one of the
next numbers.

IRAN, ARMENIA TO EXTRADITE CRIMINALS

Fars News Agency
Dec 11 2007
Iran

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
here Tuesday communicated a law with the justice ministry requiring
implementation of an agreement between Iran and Armenia on the
extradition of criminals.

According to the secretariat of the government’s information
dissemination council, the bill of the agreement was introduced to
the parliament and approved by both the parliament and the Expediency
Council in September.

The single article law, comprising a prelude and 19 sub-articles,
allows the Islamic Republic government to extradite criminals with
the republic of Armenia.

Establishment of a methodology for judiciary cooperation between
Iran and Armenia, positive effects of the measure, preparation of
proper legal grounds for the two countries’ citizens and governments
and also preparation of the ground for the further expansion of
Iran-Armenia relations were among the many justifications in support
of the agreement when it was introduced to the parliament.

The agreement was signed by Iranian and Armenian justice ministers
in June 2006.

MONUMENT TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS UNVEILED IN AVIGNON

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.12.2007 18:13 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ December 8, Armenian Ambassador to France Edward
Nalbandian, Mayor of Avignon and French MP Marie-Jose Roig unveiled
a monument to the Armenian Genocide victims set in Avignon, the RA
MFA press office reported.

"With inauguration of such monuments, French people affirm their
adherence to the ideas of humanism and solidarity with the Armenian
nation. It’s symbolic that this monument is dedicated to victims
of all genocides and soldiers who died in the name of France,"
Amb. Nalbandian said.

French parliamentarians, officials of local self-government and heads
of local Armenian unions also attended the solemn ceremony.

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 7 2007

Azerbaijan to Demand Explanations from International Tourist
Organization
07.12.07 17:11

Azerbaijan, Baku / Òrend corr S. Agayeva / Azerbaijan will demands
explanations from the International Tourist Organization, as British
Tour Operator provides tours to the occupied Azerbaijani region of
Nagorno-Karabakh.

Sunvil Discovery ltd, a tour operator in London, offers to British
tourists a 10-day tourist program to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh,
though British authorities recommend refusing from visiting
Nagorno-Karabakh due to unsettled conflict and skirmishes.

`The Azerbaijani Culture and Tourism Ministry will apply to the
International Tourist Organization (ITO) and will urge to settle the
issue through stopping tours to the occupied Azerbaijani territory,’
the head of the Central Tourism Department at the Ministry Aydin
Ismiyev said on 7 December.

Organization of tours to the occupied Azerbaijani territory
contradicts with the recommendations of the ITO and the international
law. Leaning on that, the Ministry intends to urge ITO to make
serious steps with respect to the tour operator.

`So far we have not had any information about Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict,’ the head of the PR Department of the Sunvil Discovery ltd
Sara Belcher said to Trend. She promised to provide the details of
the tours to Nagorno-Karabakh in near future.Sunvil Discovery, a
member of the British Association of Tour Agencies, has been
functioning as a tour operator since 1970. The British Association of
Tour Agencies said that the company should inform its clients of
where they are going to, but the Association cannot make the company
to annihilate the program.’We cannot interfere with that. That is an
individual choice of the tour operator and his clients,’ the
Association said.The conflict between the two countries of the South
Caucasus began in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against
Azerbaijan. Since 1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of
Azerbaijan including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven
surrounding districts. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a
ceasefire agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The
Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are
currently holding peaceful negotiations.

PanARMENIAN.Net

RA MFA: rumors about PKK bases in Karabakh absurd
05.12.2007 16:41 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `Reports in Azerbaijani and Turkish media on the
intention of the PKK to install its bases in Armenia and NK and the
territories controlled by Nagrono Karabakh are absurd,’ RA Foreign
Ministry’s Spokesman Vladimir Karapetian said.

`We have commented on these rumors earlier, but I want to stress one
more time, that those reports have no relation to the reality and are
absurd. It is obvious where this fabricated information is coming
from. Those baseless allegations, are but another attempt of
provocation,’ he said, the RA MFA press office reported.

DEMOCRATIC WAY TO SUPPORT LEVON TER-PETROSIAN IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

Noyan Tapan
Dec 03 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Issues connected with the internal
situation, future developments and the forthcoming presidential
elections of Armenia were discussed during the meeting held between
Manuk Gasparian, the Chairman of the Democratic Way party, and Levon
Ter-Petrosian, the first President of the Republic of Armenia, on
December 1. This information was provided to Noyan Tapan by the Civil
Initiative Office on Nomination of Levon Ter-Petrosian.

Levon Ter-Petrosian expressed thankfulness to the Democratic Way Party
and its Chairman for the decision on supporting his candidature in
the 2008 presidential elections.

Focus News, Bulgaria
Dec 6 2007

Bulgarian Culture Minister opens Colors of Armenia exhibition

6 December 2007 | 20:35 | FOCUS News Agency

Sofia. `I’m deeply convinced that the sincere spirit of friendship
and understanding will be leading in the future as well in the
relations between Bulgaria and Armenia and will contribute to the
development of the culture cooperation between the two states,’
Bulgarian Culture Minister Prof. Stefan Danailov said at the opening
of Colors of Armenia exhibition in the Gallery for Foreign Art, FOCUS
News Agency reports.
Desislava ANTOVA

RA PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES VLADIMIR PUTIN WITH VICTORY OF ‘YEDINAYA ROSSIYA’ PARTY AT ELECTION TO RF STATE DUMA

2007-12-04 09:49:00

ArmInfo. President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan congratulated President
of Russia Vladimir Putin with victory of the "Yedinaya Rossiya" party,
he heads, at December 2 election to the State Duma.

As the presidential press-service told ArmInfo, the message says:
"I sincerely congratulate you with decisive victory of the "Yedinaya
Rossiya" party, you head, at the election to the State Duma. This
victory is an evidence of the high level of trust of the Russians
to the policy of state construction you carry out". Robert Kocharyan
expressed confidence that the State Duma of the new convocation will
keep on developing the policy of strategic partnership between Armenia
and Russia, the message says.