Author: Jabejian Elizabeth

TURNING TO RUSSIA, EVEN NOW?

Lragir.am
24 Aug 06

The Communist Party of Armenia condemns repression against Armenia,
killings of Armenians in Russia but separate nationalist actions
cannot be attributed to the Russian people, stated Ruben Tovmasyan,
leader of the Communist Party, August 24. He says it is difficult
to think that followers of Fascism would be born in Russia, which
sacrificed 20 million lives to defeat Fascism, and "nationalist
phenomena would gather momentum".

Ruben Tovmasyan said this phenomenon is the consequence of the "lack
of education" but he forgot or "forgot" to specify who in Russia
gives birth to and "un"educates Fascists. However, he departed from
the point and said that innocent Armenians are killed in Armenia as
well. It is at least masochism to accuse Armenians of armenophobia, and
Armenians in Armenia were killed during criminal skirmishes. Whereas
in Russia, with which the Communists have close ties, Armenians are
killed for their ethnic identity. Hence, it is at least strange that
the Communist Party is for joining Russia-Belarus. In answer to the
question what external forces they rely on, Ruben Tovmasyan said,
"We do not rely on the United States and the Council of Europe. They
have always cheated Armenians." But the question was who they rely
on. Maybe with someone they should not rely on, and realizing this,
the Communists decline to give their names.

NIZAMI BAHMANOV: "ARMENIANS ARE MAINLY TRANSFERRED TO KALBAJAR AND LACHIN REGIONS"

Today, Azerbaijan
Aug. 23, 2006

Over 1,000 Armenians are living in the Azerbaijani region of Shusha
besides Armenian militants, and majority of them did not live there
before, Nizami Bahmanov, head of Azerbaijani community of Karabakh
told journalists.

He said Armenians are illegally transferred to Shusha and other
occupied Azerbaijani territories, mainly to Kalbajar and Lachin.

"The Fact-Finding Mission confirmed it too, and raised a question at
the UN. But it gave no result. No international organizations stood
against Armenians’ illegal transference to the occupied lands,"
Bahmanov said.

Commenting on Armenians’ military trainings in Karabakh, the community
head said Armenians demonstrate power and destroy the remained
buildings in the occupied lands.

International organizations do not react to this matter either,
APA reports.

URL:

EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAMS ON STATE SINGLE EXAM TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN YEREVAN IN AUTUMN 2006

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Aug. 17, 2006

YEREVAN, August 17. /ARKA/. In autumn 2006, an experimental program on
state single exam will be held in Yerevan, Vanya Barseghyan, director
of Estimation and Test Center adjunct to the RA Ministry of Science
and Education told journalists after his meeting with directors of
secondary schools of Armenia.

He said that the program would be implemented in several communities
of Yerevan and one region, information about which would be provided
later.

"All projects of preparation work have been already worked out and
soon the process will begin ", he said.

Barseghyan finds that a state single examination is quite expedient,
since future entrants will be able to pass only one exam in their
chosen subject and not two, as it was before (at school and at
university – ARKA). He emphasized that all principles of the single
exam had been worked out and they are assumed to be under accurate
control.

Barseghyan informed that applications for participation in the single
exam would be received at schools and later on handed in to the Center
and the exam itself would be conducted by regional examination centers.

In November-December 2005, an experimental state single exam was
held in Shirak region of Armenia. Exams were in Armenian language
and Literature, Foreign Language, Mathematics and History of Armenia.

4481 pupils of higher classes from all 153 secondary schools of Shirak
region took part in the experiment.

NEO-NAZI ARRESTED FOR VANDALIZING ARMENIAN CHURCH

Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union, DC
Aug. 15, 2006

An arrest has been made in connection with an act of racist vandalism
directed against the Museum of Russian-Armenian Friendship in Rostov,
according to an August 9, 2006 report by the national daily Novye
Izvestiya. A local neo-Nazi has been detained, one of a group of
suspects, the rest of whom are at large. The suspect has a criminal
record, including charges of armed robbery and illegal weapons
possession. On July 31, vandals smashed windows and painted racist
graffiti inside the museum, which is located inside an Armenian church.

L’ARMENIE DEPEND TOUJOURS PLUS DE L’ARGENT DE SA DIASPORA

Schweizerische Depeschenagentur AG (SDA)
SDA – Service de base francais
13 août 2006

Erevan (ats/afp) L’Armenie est toujours plus dependante de l’aide
financière de sa diaspora. Selon des donnees presentees jeudi par
la Banque centrale armenienne, ces fonds representent plus de 15 %
du produit interieur brut (PIB) du pays du Sud du Caucase.

"Ces dernières annees, le volume des transferts financiers en Armenie
a augmente de facon significative", a declare une experte de la Banque
centrale, Karine Karapetian. Entre 2003 et 2005 cet indicateur a en
moyenne bondi de 37 %, jusqu’a representer 15 % du PIB.

De janvier a juin 2006, le volume des transferts financiers en Armenie
a encore augmente de 34 % par rapport a la meme periode de l’annee
precedente", a-t-elle ajoute. L’an passe, ces transferts de fonds
prives ont atteint 940 millions de dollars (1,13 milliard de francs).

La majorite (72 %) etait expediee par des proches vivant en Russie,
14 % des Etats-Unis, devant l’Allemagne, la Grèce et l’Ukraine (5 %
pour chacun de ces trois pays). Les habitants d’Armenie, ex-republique
sovietique du Caucase du Sud, sont nombreux a vivre grâce a ces
transferts d’argent de leurs proches.

–Boundary_(ID_33RpsAPoX9aNIOkTcLF5xg)–

La Tribune
10 août 2006

CAFOUILLAGE SUR LA LICENCE RUSSE DE PERNOD-RICARD

Pernod-Ricard a été victime d’une fcheuse erreur technique. Hier, le
journal russe Kommersant a révélé que Zao PR Rouss, filiale du groupe
français, s’était vue retirer sa licence de distribution en Russie
pour des raisons sanitaires, à la demande du Rospotrebnadzor, le
service de protection des consommateurs russes. Une information jugée
préoccupante pour Pernod-Ricard dont le cognac arménien assure 55 %
des ventes de cognac en Russie.

En fait, il n’en est rien : le Rospotrebnadzor que citait le journal
a fait une erreur de publication. " Tout est en ordre avec leur
licence ", a indiqué un porte-parole de l’organisme.

Ce cafouillage fait suite à une série de polémiques que le
Rospotrebnadzor a suscitées, notamment en imposant un embargo sur des
vins moldaves et géorgiens. Il intervient aussi alors que les Russes
s’inquiètent d’une pénurie de vodka. Destiné à lutter contre l’alcool
frelaté, un nouveau timbre fiscal à apposer sur les bouteilles depuis
le 1er juillet dernier n’a pas été imprimé en quantités suffisantes.

A FRIEND FULL OF GAS
by Alexander Kabakov

Kommersant, Russia
Aug. 9, 2006

The Price Of The Question

The average observer, a thinking consumer of openly accessible
political and economic news, will be mystified by the Russian-Armenian
natural gas problem. In the public consciousness, the word "gas" has
been associated lately with political pressure on Ukraine, and that
pressure is logical, whether it is correct from the point of view
of international relations or not. Some say that the Russians are
acting unconscionably to take revenge with their energy resources on
the Orange Ukrainian democrats who defeated pro-Kremlin forces the
year before last. Others approve of that revenge because the overly
independent should be put in their places by reminding them whose
hand turns the valve. But no one, not even the most naive, fails to
understand the essence of what is going on.

The situation in Armenia is completely different. Unlike loudly
independent Ukraine and arrogant Georgia, Armenia has had an
unswervingly pro-Russian orientation. A faithful friend might expect
an allowance to be made in the form of cheap gas in light of the
friendly feelings and good behavior. But then again… It turns
out that obedient Armenia is being charged as much as willful (even
pro-American!) Georgia. Can’t Russia be cajoled somehow? It could do
Armenia a good deed if it wanted to.

Of all the possible explanations for Russia’s behavior, one cynical
one sticks in the mind. It is that Armenia has been used to lend
credence to the official Russian account of the causes of the gas war
with Ukraine. That account sounds like a quotation from a Hollywood
action film. "Nothing personal. It’s only business." Please. They are
even charging their friends money. It’s the law of the market and
nothing to do with the Ukrainian Orange. Armenia was just the most
convenient demonstration model. They even offered it credit for the
more expensive gas, just as they did Ukraine. And if you don’t want
credit, then pay with property like our real friends the Belarusians…

Leaving aside ethical fine points, the plan makes sense. But, as it
often happens with Russian foreign policy strategies, they failed
to reckon with at least one possible scenario that will completely
foil their plans. What will happen just as soon as that pipe from
Iran stretches onto Armenian soil? Russia had a faithful strategic
ally, whose faithfulness was controlled by Gazprom. Now there will be
one more offended and annoyed state in the Caucasus independent of
Gazprom. It is well known that there are those who are always ready
to soothe the offended and even help them materially. In any case,
Armenia already has a plan for individual partnership with NATO and
money is already on its way from America.

NKR PRESIDENT ARKADY GHUKASSIAN IS THE GUEST OF THE AZAT ARSTAKH

Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
08 Aug 2006

Dear readers of the Azat Artsakh, On the 15th anniversary of
proclamation of NKR, NKR President Arkady Ghukassian will be the
guest of the Azat Artsakh website on August 31. This is an exceptional
chance to ask your questions to the NKR President. E-mail your question
to [email protected].

AA. 08-08-2006

PRESIDENT KOCHARIAN MEET CHAIRMAN OF THE COURT OF CASSATION

ArmRadio.am
07.08.2006 20:15

Armenian President Robert Kocharian conducted today a working meeting
with the chairman of the Court of Cassation Hovhannes Manukian. The
presidential press service informed Armenpress that during the
meeting they discussed issues on judicial reforms as well as on the
legislative package approved by the National Assembly connected with
the judicial system.

After the constitutional reforms a necessity arose to make urgent
legislative changes on making the activity of the Court of Cassation
in accordance with the Constitution. Hovhannes Manukian also informed
the president that in coming week they are going to review all the
cases which are in the Court of Cassation.

145 HOSPITALS, 458 OUTPATIENT CLINICS OPERATED IN ARMENIA IN 2005

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Aug 3, 2006

YEREVAN, August 3. /ARKA/. 145 hospitals and 458 outpatient clinics
operated in Armenia in 2005. The RA Statistical Service reports that
76.6% of hospitals and 86.9% of outpatient clinics were in charge of
the RA Ministry of Health.

38.2 doctors and 57 paramedics were per every 10,000 of Armenia’s
population. In 2005, 44.6 hospital beds were per every 10,000 of
Armenia’s population. P.T. -0–