Author: Jagharian Tania

HEAD OF ARMENIAN CB COMMENTED ON THE PROCESS OF FORMATION OF "POSTBANK"

Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
Nov 13 2007

Yerevan, November 13 /Mediamax/. The process of formation of "PostBank"
is a new phenomenon for the Armenian reality, and certain issues,
which arise on this path, are related to the specific nature of the
given bank.

Mediamax reports that the Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia
Tigran Sarkisian said this today.

According to him, the Armenian legislation covers universal banks,
and it is important to understand – basing on which agreements
"PostBank" will be working with "HayPost" Company, what functions
will be performing the 900 postal offices and to what extent ready
the bank is for controlling the whole volume of financial operations.

Touching upon the process of reformation of "HayPost", Tigran
Sarkisian stressed that serious management is working in the company,
which carries out a certain stage of work, which is invisible for
the consumers.

Tigran Sarkisian expressed confidence that already in the beginning of
2008, the changes in "HayPost" will be noticeable, and the consumers
will see the final results in a year.

SECOND ASIAN MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON DISASTER RISK REDUCTION TAKES PLACE IN INDIA

Noyan Tapan
Nov 12 2007

NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. On November 7-8 the Second
Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction took place
in New Delhi and 50 delegations representing the Asian and Pacific
Ocean region, as well as representatives of international and
non-governmental organizations took part in its proceedings. In
the conference Armenia was represented by Lieutenant-General Edik
Barseghian, the Head of the Rescue Service of the RA Ministry of
Territorial Administration, Colonel Arman Avagian, the Head of the
International Cooperation Administration of the Rescue Service, and
Ashot Kocharian, the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to India.

Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India, United Progressive
Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Shivraj Patil, the Minister
of Home Affairs of India, made speeches in the opening sitting of
the conference.

According to the information provided to Noyan Tapan by the Press
and Information Department of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
the agenda of the conference includes issues concerning early
warning, risk reduction mechanisms, degree of preparedness in states
of emergency, global change in climate, exchange of information,
international cooperation, and implementation of strategic programs
of governments. As a result of the proceedings of the conference,
the declaration of Delhi on disaster reduction in Asia was adopted.

A decision was made on holding the next third conference in Kuala
Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, in the second half of 2008.

WHAT THE "ComRes" SOCIAL POLLS INDICATE

"HAYOTS ASHKHARH" Daily Newspaper
8 Nov 07
Armenia

"ComRes", one of the leading survey companies of Europe, conducted
social polls in Armenia in connection with the upcoming presidential
elections. 2000 individuals participated in it.

As Andrew Hovkins, Head of the company mentioned yesterday, 67 per cent
of the respondents believe that Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan will
win as a result of the presidential elections. Mr. Hovkins says that
in no country had ever seen either such a great number of candidates
or a candidate with such an overwhelming percentage of votes.

Ex-President Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who has received 4 per cent of votes,
ranks as the second candidate after S. Sargsyan. Arthur Baghdasaryan,
leader of "Rule of Law" party is in the 3 position with 3 per cent
of votes, and Raffi Hovhannisyan is the fourth candidate with 2 per
cent of votes.

Artashes Geghamyan, Head of National Unity, Tigran Karapetyan, Head of
the People’s Party, Gagik Tsaroukyan, leader of "Prosperous Armenia"
party, Vazgen Manoukyan, Head of the National Democratic Union and
Vahan Hovhannisyan, member of the ARFD Bureau have each received 1
per cent of votes.

As to Stepan Demirtchyan, Head of the People’s Party of Armenia,
Armen Roustamyan, representative of the ARFD Supreme Body and Aram
Karapetyan, Head of "New Times" party, they have received no votes.

56 per cent of the respondents are sure that they will participate in
the upcoming presidential elections. If the elections were held this
Sunday, 55 per cent would certainly participate in the voting. "Those
with a higher level of education were sure that they would take part
in the elections," E. Hovkins mentioned.

S. Sargsyan is considered as the best candidate capable of solving
the problems faced by the country. In response to the question ‘who
can provide the best solution to the Karabakh issue’, 45 per cent
of the respondents believe that this person is Serge Sargsyan,
11 per cent believe that it is Raffi Hovhannisyan. 9 per cent
have mentioned the name of A. Baghdasaryan and 8 per cent – the
name of A. Gehghamyan. V. Hovhannisyan and V. Manoukyan have each
received 6 per cent. 5 per cent of the respondents gave the name
of L. Ter-Petrosyan, 3 per cent – A. Roustamyan, and 2 per cent
T. Karapetyan.

42 per cent of the respondents are concerned by the danger of war; 40
per cent mention the name of S. Sargsyan with regard to neutralizing
the danger.

R. Hovhannisyan received 11 per cent, A. Baghdasaryan – 9 per cent,
A. Geghamyan – 8 per cent, V. Manoukyan – 7 per cent. V. Hovhannisyan
and L. Ter-Petrosyan have each received 5 per cent. A. Roustamyan
has received 3 per cent and T. Karapetyan – 2 per cent.

Having received 40 per cent, S. Sargsyan is also on top position
in terms of ensuring the security of Armenia. He is followed by
R. Hovhannisyan and A. Baghdasaryan, each having 11 per cent. 9 per
cent of the respondents have mentioned A. Geghamyan, 8 per cent have
mentioned V. Manoukyan. V. Hovhannisyan and L. Ter-Petrosyan have
each received 5 per cent. As to A. Roustamyan and T. Karapetyan,
each of them has received 3 per cent.

With regard to fight against corruption, S. Sargsyan shares the top
position with A. Baghdasaryan, each having 20 per cent. R. Hovhannisyan
is on the third position, with his 17 per cent. 15 per cent of the
respondents have mentioned V. Manoukyan, 7 per cent have mentioned
V. Hovhannisyan, 5 per cent – L. Ter-Petrosyan and T. Karapetyan and
4 per cent – A. Roustamyan.

33 per cent of the respondents consider S. Sargsyan as
the best candidate in terms of strengthening the economy of
Armenia. He is followed by R. Hovhannisyan, who has received 22
per cent. A. Baghdasaryan has received 21 per cent, A. Geghamyan –
20 per cent, V. Manoukyan 12 per cent, V. Hovhannisyan – 9 per cent,
A. Roustamyan – 8 per cent. L. Ter-Petrosyan and T. Karapetyan have
each received 7 per cent.

As regards the solution of the country’s social problems, S. Sargsyan
is again considered the best candidate by the majority of the
respondents, i.e. 31 per cent. 22 per cent mention R. Hovhannisyan,
21 per cent – A. Baghdasaryan, 17 per cent – A. Baghdasaryan, 10 per
cent – V. Manoukyan, 8 per cent – T. Karapetyan. A. Roustamyan and
L. Ter-Petrosyan each have 7 per cent. V. Hovhannisyan has 6 per cent.

According to the social poll, even those who support S. Sargsyan’s
rivals, highly appreciate his abilities in terms of solving many
problems.

36 per cent of the participants of the poll link Armenia’s future
with all the organizations; 29 per cent link it with the European
Union, 24 per cent – with the CIS, 4 per cent – with NATO. 11 per
cent of the respondents do not link the country’s future with any
organization at all. 52 per cent of the respondents attach importance
to the candidates’ attitudes towards the relations with other countries
and the danger of war.

The majority of the candidates believe that no "colored" revolution
is possible in Armenia.

"ComRess" company has a great experience in conducting political polls
with precise results. The average rate of statistical error is +/ –
2.2 per cent.

OFFICIAL STEPANAKERT CONDEMNED STATEMENTS BY COE SECRETARY GENERAL

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.11.2007 14:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The NKR National Assembly Standing Committee
on Foreign Relations commented on the statement of CoE Secretary
General Terry Davis running that "there is a great number of
distinctions between the Nagorno Karabakh and Kosovo conflicts, there
is no separatist regime in Kosovo, the region is governed by the UN,
security is guaranteed by the EU servicemen, which is not peculiar to
Nagorno Karabakh". The statement was made at a joint press conference
with Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian in Yerevan.

"Upon completion of negotiations in Yerevan, the CoE Secretary General
touched upon the issues which did not concern his current mission. We
understand that Mr. Davis stated it while answering the journalists’
questions, but the fact that in other cases this diplomatically laconic
European official ventured to make accents, which, in our opinion,
were worthy neither of him, nor of the authoritative structure he
had honor to represent, provokes surprise", the commentary of the
NKR National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Relations runs.

The committee also noted that "all the nations striving for
independence were forced to go through "separatism" at a certain
historical period. It is not the fault of the NKR people that during
Soviet Union’s decline the United Nations Organization or the Council
of Europe by understandable reasons could not establish "external
government" in Nagorno Karabakh, which could have made the present
independence legitimate".

"Everything the UN did in Europe averting ethnic cleansings and the
threat of genocide, the NKR people realized exclusively by its own
forces using its indefeasible right for self-defense. If Mr. Davis is
not informed about the facts, we have to remind him that on November
24, 1991, by Azerbaijan Supreme Council decision the autonomous status
of Nagorno Karabakh was liquidated and the ministries of defense
and home affairs were instructed "to take measures for providing
security for the NK Azerbaijanis. If this decision was not aimed at
deportation and annihilation of the NK native population, then why
doesn’t the decision of Azerbaijan’s superior authority contain even
a word about civic and human rights of the NK Armenian population?",
the commentary emphasizes.

In sum, The NKR National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign
Relations noted that "the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, which has
successfully repelled Azerbaijan’s armed aggression, passed a
certain stage of state government and is striving for democratic
development today, has more legitimate grounds to be recognized by the
international community, than the formation indicated by Mr. Davis,"
the NKR press office reported.

HOW MUCH MONEY HAS BEEN ALLOCATED FOR NEWLYWEDS?

KarabakhOpen
07-11-2007 16:57:15

The number of marriages registered in the past few months has dropped
considerably compared with the same period of the past year. Although,
the number of weddings has gone up.

In Askeran, for instance, registered marriages were down by 13
compared with the past year, in Hadrut by 21, in Martakert by 19,
in Stepanakert by 100, the heads of the Civilian Registry offices
reported in a recent consultation with the minister of justice.

The point is that after the election pledge of Bako Sahakyan to give
"congratulation" 300 thousand drams most young people decided to
postpone registration until January 2008.

The head of the Civilian Registry of Martuni said over this period
there were 90 weddings but the newlyweds are not hurrying to register
their marriage. The same is in other regions.

The minister of justice is trying to figure out the exact number
of married couples to allocate the necessary sum in the next year’s
budget.

RPA AND BH PROPOSE WITHDRAWING ORDER OF NOMINATING CANDIDATES FOR PRESIDENCY AND DEPUTY BY PARTIES’ BLOCS FROM ELECTORAL CODE

Noyan Tapan
Nov 5, 2007

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. At the November 5 special
sitting, the RA National Assembly started discussing the bill On
Making Amendments and Addenda to the RA Electoral Code in first
reading. According to the bill authored by a group of deputies
of the RPA and Bargavach Hayastan (Prosperous Armenia) factions,
amendments and addenda are envisaged in 47 out of 141 articles of
the Electoral Code.

According to the main reporter Samvel Nikoyan, the Secretary of the
RPA faction, the proposals made by international observers aimed
at improvement of the Electoral Code were taken into account in the
draft law. The international observers took into consideration the
shortcomings noticed in the May 12 parliamentary elections when making
the proposals.

According to the bill, it is proposed restoring the provision withdrawn
during the previous amending of the Electoral Code, according to which
citizens not being in the place of their registration on the day of
voting receive the right to vote in the place of their location. At
the same time the possibility of being included in two electoral rolls
simultaneously should be prevented. It is also stipulated that RA
citizens cannot be registered as international observers and foreign
citizens as local observers.

The amounts of electoral security for candidates of presidency and
deputy by the majoritarian system are also increased. The security
for candidates for presidency is established in the amount of 10m
drams against the current 5m drams and for candidates for deputy by
the majoritarian system 1m drams against the current 100 thousand
drams (nearly 300 USD). The amount of the sum of the RA President’s
preelection fund is also envisaged to be increased. It is planned to
establish it in the amount of 140m drams against the current 70m drams.

The order of nomination on civil initiative and by parties’ blocs of
candidates of deputy by the majoritarian system, as well as candidates
for presidency is withdrawn. This order is replaced by the principle
of candidates’ self-nomination.

DANIEL FRIED: KOSOVO MODEL CANNOT BE A PRECEDENT FOR KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

armradio.am
05.11.2007 15:44

US Deputy Secretary of State Daniel Fried declared in Baku that the
"Kosovo model of settlement is not and cannot be a precedent for
the resolution of the Karabakh or other conflicts." "The US stands
for the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict," M. Fried
said. He refused to comment on the proportion of military forces in
the region, adding that "establishment of peace in the given region
is very important."

The US Deputy Secretary of State said solution of the conflict will
help Azerbaijan become an economically and politically strong country."

CONSIDER EMPIRES IN ASSESSING U.S. SITUATION
Sonny Scott

Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, MS
Nov 4 2007

After the First Gulf War, an acquaintance questioned President
Bush’s decision to let the beaten remnant of Saddam’s army retreat
to Baghdad." There is a reason," I suggested. "This was not merely
a umanitarian decision.’ Someone has a strategic reason for leaving
Saddam in power."

Well, now I guess we know what that reason was. It’s a shame the
current president didn’t ask Poppy.

I don’t know who coined the term, "power vacuum," but it is the
most apt of political metaphors. Just as any gas will rush to fill
a physical vacuum, so are political entities "sucked into" regions
where there is no established political power. Those of us here in the
Bible Belt learned that in Sunday School. Remember how the Egyptians,
Assyrians, Chaldeans, Persians, et al, swept into the Holy Land as
the political stability of the area failed? In politics, the play
never changes – only the actors.

Now we have Turkey preparing to go into Iraq to stabilize the
situation with the Kurds. This must terrify those in the Kurds who
remember Turkey’s way of dealing with the Armenians, which supposedly
inspired Hitler’s "Final Solution." Americans should be circumspect
in discussing this. After all, the deportation and massacre of the
Armenians by Turkey came only a quarter-century after Wounded Knee.

"Those who live in glass housesE", etc. I wouldn’t count on it,
however. New England’s great families plied the slave trade for great
profit for generations, but quickly turned into abolitionists scolds.

Our statesmen fumed about British imperialism, until we got our own
after picking a fight with Spain and taking hers. Yessir, when it
comes to hypocrisy, Americans can play with the best.

Growling in ‘Foggy Bottom’ The administration continues to growl at
Turkey, but surely the Foggy Bottom crowd knows that Turkey cannot sit
on its hands with a chaotic Iraq on its borders, Kurds raiding across
the border, terrorist sheltering Syria to the south, manic Iranians
playing with nuclear matches across the gulf, and chaos threatening
Pakistan. Clearly, we must gain control in Iraq, and quickly, or
prepare to deal with the inevitable partition of the region. The Kurds,
the Sunni, the ShiasEall will want self-determination.

History shows that self-determination for most tribes and nations
leads to incessant warfareEthe Bible again: "In the spring, the time
when kings go out to battle E" Wars were constant, and human progress
was stagnant until the great empires brought order and stability – at
a great cost to national pride. The Jews may have wept for memories
of Zion by the rivers of Babylon, but they found they could prosper
financially while maintaining a distinct cultural and spiritual life
by the Euphrates. They would again after their second great attempt
at sovereignty lead them afoul of the Romans. Only the horror of the
Final Solution could have elevated Zionism from an improbable dream
to historical fact.

After empires carved out their respective spheres of influence, wars
became fewer and less bloody. Most battles were border skirmishes
with the "barbarians" on the frontier. When rival empires clashed,
however, the results could be horrible. It was just such a clash
that the bumbling President Wilson decided to join in 1917. After the
infusion of fresh manpower forced an armistice, Mr. Wilson expected
to dictate peace terms. The most retrograde of his Fourteen Points
was the "right of self-determination." (American chutzpah again: this
was only 43 years since the U.S. had bloodily stamped out Virginia’s
"right to self-determination.") How much discontent in the 20th
century was inspired by this most misbegotten of Wilson’s ideas?

Little patience with limits History shows we have little patience
for protracted and limited war.

We go all out for a short total war, but the sort of war that Britain,
France, and Spain used to maintain and share control of the West for
four hundred years, Americans will not tolerate. We waged total war
with Japan for four years for our Pacific empire, but gave up after
eight years of limited war in Indo-China. Will we hold on in the
Mid-East? Not likely.

Hmm. We were in the Depression when the scrap with Japan began. Crude
oil is a C-note a barrel now. If it keeps going up, we may be in a
depression againE No; I don’t want to think about it.

Sonny Scott is a community columnist

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

HIS HOLINESS UNDERLINED THE IMPORTANCE
OF A PRESIDENTIAL PLATFORM

His Holiness Aram I received the Ambassador of the United States to Lebanon,
Jeffrey Feltman in his office in Antelias on November 2. The Catholicos and
the Ambassador held talks on the current situation in Lebanon with
particular focus on the upcoming presidential elections.

His Holiness made the following statement to the press following the
meeting: "Naturally, the discussions between community, government and
political leaders these days revolve around the means to bring Lebanon out
of its current stalemate. In this context, we consider the presidential
elections to be essential. The individual to be elected is not as important
as his platform. Lebanon needs a presidential platform, the basis of which
lies on the preservation of unity and coexistence in Lebanon, the
strengthening of its independence, integrity and sovereignty, as well as its
role in the international community. All the sides in Lebanon should declare
their agreement on these basic principals, which form the basis of Lebanon’s
existence. Based on this collective decision, they should elect an
individual who has the faith, courage and commitment to pursue this platform
with full cooperation from all sides."

##
View the photo here:
tos/Photos55.htm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

AZG Armenian Daily #202, 03/11/2007

Social, Economy

INTERNATIONAL TOURISM EXHIBITION IN YEREVAN

Yesterday at "Moscow" cinema, Yerevan, took place the opening ceremony
of the CTS 2007 "Land of Speaking Stones" tourism exhibition. The
event is aimed at developing local and regional tourism and informing
various layers of the society (tourists, specialists, state employees,
etc) about the main tendencies of tourism development.

48 organizations are represented on the exhibition. Armavir,
Gegharkunik, Lori, Kotayk, Shirak and Vayots Dzor regions of Armenia
have their own pavilions on the exhibition.

According to a telephone survey in the American Armenian community,
more the half of the American Armenians are interested in visiting
their homeland. The tourist companies of Armenia have to make use of
the diaspora’s desire of visiting the homeland and encourage them
to come to Armenia. So as to provide Armenia’s compatibility on
world tourism market, Armenian tour agencies must clearly realize
their advantages, disadvantages and opportunities.

The international forecasts for tourism development in the nearest
future are rather inspiring for Armenia, on the other hand Armenia has
a number of disadvantages in sense of its compatibility. Russia, USA,
Italy, Great Britain and France are the state which may potentially
become Armenia’s major partners in the sphere of tourism and on
which Armenia’s PR and marketing efforts should be
focused. According to the calculations of major international
organizations, the experience of Hungary, Estonia and Israel may
become a brilliant example of tourism development in Armenia.

By Nairi Muradian, translated by A.M.