Author: Jagharian Tania

GRAND TOBACCO DOMINATES IN ARMENIA’S TOBACCO MARKET

/ARKA/
April 21, 2009
YEREVAN

Grand Tobacco LLC joint venture dominated last year in Armenia’s
tobacco market, the RA State Commission for the Protection of Economic
Competition (SCPEC) says in its report for 2008.

According to the commission, the company absorbs over one third
(50.8%) of the filtered cigarettes market and has no serious rivals
in the non-filtered cigarettes market (92.3%).

SCPEC did not make any particular market survey last year, the last
report on the local market participants being that of 2003. According
to the document, two manufacturing companies and eight importers
were doing business in the Armenian tobacco market, with an economic
entity falling out of the market in 2002. Solely local manufacturers
(five enterprises) ensured the entire output of non-filtered cigarettes
in Armenia.

These indicators had obviously changed by 2008, SCPEC says.

The two largest tobacco manufacturers of Armenia – Grand Tobacco
and Masis Tobacco – are members of the Grand Holding group alongside
with Grand Candy confectionary plant, Grand Sun electric lamps plant,
the Hayrenik (Motherland) TV channel and a number of joint ventures
in Iran and Georgia.

HRANT DINK’S HIT MAN WAS NOT SAMAST, NEW WITNESSES CLAIM

armradio.am
21.04.2009 15:39

Five individuals convicted of unrelated crimes testified as witnesses
yesterday in the murder trial of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant
Dink, who was shot dead in broad daylight by an ultra-nationalist
teenager outside the office of his newspaper, Agos, in Istanbul on
Jan. 19, 2007.

Witness Volkan Eryol, who testified in the Istanbul 14th High Criminal
Court yesterday, said he had heard a cellmate named Ertugrul Balci
state that it was not Ogun Samast, the teenager who is currently
standing trial as the suspected hit man, but another person who shot
Dink on that day, Today’s Zaman reported.

Another witness, Å~^inasi Å~^enturk, said he had heard details
from Balci.

The two witnesses said they had petitioned the court to testify when
they heard the information Balci gave them in prison. In his testimony,
Å~^enturk said: "Balci told us that the individuals that are currently
suspects in the Dink incident actually did not have anything to do
with the murder. Normally, we wouldn’t have paid attention, but Balci
corresponded with important people. He also said he knew who the real
murderer was."

The Dink family lawyers had previously stated their suspicions that
a second person accompanied Samast on the day of the murder. Veli
Halis Celik, another inmate at the Silivri Prison Complex where the
other witnesses are also serving jail time for unrelated crimes,
gave the same testimony.

A group of people identifying themselves as "Friends of Hrant" held
a demonstration yesterday on Barbaros Boulevard in BeÅ~_iktaÅ~_. The
group complained that authorities were unable to uncover who had issued
the order to kill Dink although more than two years have passed since
the murder. The group later sang songs in memory of Dink and dispersed
without major incident.

Celik said Balci, who gave the information to the witnesses, was the
son of Å~^ukru Balci, a former police chief at the Istanbul Police
Department.

Samast, the prime suspect in the Dink murder trial, was questioned by
the Dink family lawyers yesterday. Samast refused to respond to the
lawyers’ question on whether he had testified at the Prime Ministry
Inspection Board.

In response to a question on how he was able to find the location
of the Agos daily in Istanbul, he said he had asked around. Samast
appeared reluctant to reply to the lawyers’ questions in court
yesterday.

A delegation of five lawyers from France also followed yesterday’s
trial.

The French lawyers said they came to show solidarity with the Dink
family.

The Istanbul Bar Association released a press statement on the
delegation’s visit, saying the Paris Bar Association had requested
to join the trial as observers; a req uest which was denied by the
Istanbul Bar Association on the grounds that if delegation was granted
observant status, it could harm the independence of the judiciary. The
Istanbul Bar Association said they had invited the delegation from
Paris to monitor the trial not as an institution, but as individuals.

ON APRIL 22, UCLA STUDENTS TO MARK GENOCIDE WITH LOOK INTO ITS CULTURAL RESPONSE

Asbarez
rticle=41669_4/20/2009_1
April 20, 2009

Community Invited to Campus to Explore Genocide’s Impact on Armenian
Art and Literature

LOS ANGELES–Students and community members from across the greater
Los Angeles area will have a unique opportunity this Wednesday,
April 22 to explore the impact of the Armenian Genocide on art and
culture in the Armenian reality.

The issue is seldom given attention during annual genocide
commemorations in the community and promises to be a welcomed break
with established norms, according to its organizers.

The event, dubbed Rebirth: A Cultural Response to the Armenian
Genocide, will begin at 6pm at UCLA’s Ackerman Grand Ballroom (308
Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA). It is being organized by the Armenian
Students’ Association at UCLA in association with the Armenian Youth
Federation, the Unified Young Armenians and the All-ASA confederation
308 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA.

"We have commemorated the Armenian Genocide for almost a century. But
do we all know and understand the horrific extent of the consequences
wrought by that crime?" asked Mariam Tsaturyan, one of the event’s
organizers. "The Genocide affected more than just the population
figures and geographic area of the Armenian nation. It also drastically
transformed our culture, literature and art."

"Our goal is to use art and culture to show how the Armenian
Genocide changed not just our demographics but also our way of life,"
Tsaturyan said.

Wednesday’s program will showcase a combination of visual displays
and presentations to illustrate the transformation of literature and
art that followed the Armenian Genocide. Speakers will include Vahe
Berberian and Lilly Thomassian, who will also be performing her play
"Let the Rocks Speak."

The event will also include an art show and a rare collection from
the Armenian Philatelic Society featuring stamps from the First
Republic of Armenia, as well as Genocide commemorative stamps from
across the world.

ELNUR ASLANOV: GOOD NEIGHBOR BETTER THAN DISTANT RELATIVE
S.Agayeva

Trend News Agency
April 20 2009
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Political Analyses and
Dataware Department Head Elnur Aslanov spoke with Trend News in a
quick interview.

Trend News: During Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s Moscow visit,
Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev expressed his country’s readiness
to fulfill own mandate on settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
and noted necessity to rely on international law and resolutions of
the UN and OSCE. As to you, which role can Russia play in settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

Elnur Aslanov: Russia is one of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and
plays one of key roles in the conflict settlement process. Moreover,
Russia is a considerable regional figure in the South Caucasus and
direct participant of political, economic and even socio-cultural
processes. The Russian president’s position which was expressed at
the meeting with President Ilham Aliyev testifies that the Russian
foreign policy conception bases on understanding of reality and
strategic partnership spirit. As international law and principle
of territorial integrity is a key factor in solving the conflict,
Russia’s position is natural.

As to Russia’s role in the conflict settlement, I can say that this
or other OSCE Minsk Group co-chair’s involvement in the settlement
process is specified by the participant-country. The time and coherence
of steps to liberate the territories occupied by Armenia will show
efficiency of this role. But we believe the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs
understand that Azerbaijani territories’ occupation cannot last for
a long time and it is necessary to take active and effective measures.

Q: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly declared that
Azerbaijan sees Russia a friend and strategic partner. What fruits
of political and economic cooperation will bring to Azerbaijan the
strategic relationship with Russia?

A: Azerbaijani-Russian relations have a solid base and are
characterized by balanced and mutually beneficial growth. The trade
turnover between the states is growing, border delimitation problem
are being resolved, new views of already existing relationships and
communication emerge and there are additional areas of cooperation. The
heads of states have established a dense political dialogue. This
relationship is called a strategic partnership. These processes are
the result of a natural historical process, but not imposed by force.

The strategic relations with Russia provide an opportunity for
Azerbaijan to diversify the transportation of hydrocarbons ensuring
its energy security. On the other hand, Russia is a huge market where,
in terms of global economic crisis, Azerbaijan can find customers for
its products. At the political level, the strategic nature of relations
with Russia for Azerbaijan’s foreign policy line provides a mutually
beneficial relationship with the neighboring countries. After all,
a good neighbor is better than distant relative.

On the other hand, since the global economic crisis, the world order is
changing, and the architecture of international relations is in a state
of transformation. It is obvious that in the near future the world
will be multipolar, more regional than global. Azerbaijan should take
into account the realities and to shape its geopolitical priorities
of the potential world centers on the basis of national interests.

Q: What are your expectations from the newly created Azerbaijani Youth
Organization of Russia and how success may be its work in advancing
the interests of the Azerbaijani youth in Russia and in the world?

A: The establishment of AYOR was another milestone in the
revitalization of young Azerbaijanis throughout the world. The
initiative to create a youth organization in Russia, where a
large number of Azerbaijanis live and hundreds of students receive
education, was launched a year and a half ago. During this period
huge work has been done, which has led to an inaugural conference
of AYOR with attendance of over 300 delegates. The potential of
young Azerbaijanis in Russia is very great, and I’m confident that
we will witness successful projects of youth organizations under the
chairmanship of Leila Aliyeva.

Haykakan Zhamanak , Armenia
April 18 2009

Unplanned: US diplomat in Armenia discusses Karabakh, Turkish ties

The US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Matthew Bryza, went to
Tbilisi from Baku yesterday [17 April], and without having any
meetings there [in Tbilisi] urgently arrived in Yerevan. However,
Bryza’s visit to Yerevan was not planned.

In Yerevan, Bryza met Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan and
also representatives of the [opposition] Armenian National Congress
[ANC], including leaders of the People’s Party of Armenia, Armenian
Pan-National Movement and the Republic Party. Issues connected with
the process of negotiations towards Karabakh settlement and
opportunities for normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations were
discussed during the meeting with the Armenian foreign minister, which
was also attended by US ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch. Apart
from the above-mentioned issues, Bryza discussed with the ANC
representatives issues connected with overcoming the political crisis
in Armenia and release of political prisoners.

SOUTH CHARLESTON COUPLE GRANTED POLITICAL ASYLUM
Veronica Nett

Charleston Gazette
April 16, 2009, Thursday
West Virginia

A South Charleston couple facing deportation has been granted a
request for political asylum.

Ivan and Violetta Petrosyan appeared Wednesday before an immigration
judge in Washington for their final hearing.

"They were told they did not have a chance," said Jenny Miller,
executive assistant of the First Church of Nazarene in South
Charleston.

But around 5 p.m., after a four-hour hearing, the judge granted their
request allowing Ivan, 59, and Violetta, 50, to apply for a green
card and eventually citizenship.

"They are just so humble and overcome with emotion," Miller said from
Washington. "They’re so very thankful … [it’s] so overwhelming they
will need a while for it to sink in."

About 70 members of the South Charleston church accompanied the couple
to Washington on Wednesday.

"They were astonished at the number of people," Miller said. "The
judge even commented on the tremendous amount of support. Our presence
truly was significant."

The victims of war and targets of ethnic cleansing, the Petrosyans
fled their native country of Azerbaijan in the 1980s.

For nearly two decades, ethnic prejudice and violence continued to
follow the family as they tried to make a home in Armenia, Ukraine
and Russia, until a mission group from the South Charleston church
led them to settle in West Virginia in 2006.

Only about one in 100 requests for political asylum are granted,
Miller said.

"Their attorney was able to convince the judge that, in fact, their
return to Russia would result in future persecution for them,"
she said.

Miller described the judge’s reading of his verdict as "an eruption
of joy."

"There was no holding back," she said. " Sixty-six people cheering
and shouting and crying and just rejoicing."

Ivan and Violetta are of Armenian decent. The couple and their two
daughters were born in Azerbaijan, the country bordering Armenia. Ivan
worked as an engineer and Violetta as a teacher.

They were born the "wrong race" in the "wrong country," Miller said
Tuesday.

Even in Azerbaijan, where they made their home, they endured
discrimination because of their ethnicity. They remained in the country
until racial tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan escalated in
1988 and the Nagorno-Karabakh War broke out.

Thousands of people were murdered because of their race and about
300,000 Armenians fled the country.

The couple and their daughters, ages 4 and 7, lived in hiding for 13
months before fleeing the country in 1989 with just the clothes on
their backs and what little they could fit in backpacks.

The family fled to Russia, then Ukraine, and even to their homeland
of Armenia, but were not welcomed and continued to face discrimination
and racial prejudice.

Eventually, the family settled in Volgograd, Russia, and remained
there for 16 years, despite continued racial prejudice.

While living in Volgograd, the family met a group of missionaries from
the First Church of the Nazarene in South Charleston in 1999. The group
helped to build the family’s home and established a relationship that
would span nearly a decade.

The family remained in Russia until 2006 when they again became the
subject of racial oppression.

They had the opportunity to travel, legally, to the U.S. in December
2006 to visit their daughter, who was living in South Charleston on
a student visa. Soon after arriving in the state they applied for
political asylum.

Kent Estep, pastor of the South Charleston church, testified on
behalf of the church about the couple’s character. Another member
of the church who met the family in Russia on the 1999 mission trip
testified about the racial prejudices he witnessed.

The Petrosyans were also questioned and cross-examined for several
hours, Miller said.

"We know that people in the community have taken a great interest in
this story and we appreciate everyone – it’s made all the difference,"
Miller said.

The government does have 30 days to appeal the decision.

"Personally, this is the most incredible thing I’ve been a part of,"
Miller said. "I’ve never been a part of something so significant and
so much bigger than myself."

RA MFA: TURKEY’S INVOLVEMENT IN NKR CONFLICT SETTLEMENT IS IMPOSSIBLE

PanArmenian
April 16 2009
Armenia

NKR conflict settlement talks are conducted within the framework of
MG OSCE only. And Turkey is not among MG OSCE Co-Chairs, RA Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian told during the meeting with Azerbaijan
Deputy Foreign Minister. "There can’t be any negotiations outside
OSCE circle."

Mahmud Mamedkuliev noted that Azerbaijan appreciates efforts of
any state aimed at NKR conflict settlement. "The conflict must be
resolved based on international legislation principles. Turkey is one
of the most influential states in the region and if Turkey has any
suggestions, Baku would be glad to take them under consideration,"
Mamedkuliev noted.

THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT HOSTED A GALA EVENT DURING WHICH AWARDS WERE HANDED OUT TO THOSE COMPANIES WHICH HAVE EXCELLED FOR HIGH PRODUCT AND SERVICE QUALITY

Tues day, 14 April 2009

The Office of Government hosted a gala event during which awards were
handed out to those companies which have excelled for high product
and service quality as stipulated in the government decree of this
March 19.

Congratulating the prize-winners, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
underscored that the Commission had been very strict in setting quality
standards. He appreciated the transparency and openness of the contest
and went on to mention that all winning companies have thereby supplied
an overwhelming proof of their excellence in the given field. "This
nice tradition has the objective of generating incentives for those
companies providing high-quality services and products. This in turn
will foster a spirit of competition countrywide. I am confident that
next year we will have more participants and keener competition
to the advantage of all Republic of Armenia nationals," the Prime
Minister said.

Congratulating once again the prize-winners, the head of government
wished them all fruitful activity to the benefit of our people.

PEOPLE AT THE BOTTOM
Siranush Papyan

LRAGIR.AM
14:13:56 – 13/04/2009

It is not so difficult to reach the Artsakh lane from the Yerevan
railway station, but in order to enter there one should be psychically
ready. For a second you feel of not being in Yerevan but in a far
village, however, it is worse here than in any other village.

The one-time Academy of Art and Tyre factory dormitories are situated
here.

Totally 365 residents live here, or struggle for surviving.

In the former academy of Art where people live, there is no sewerage
system; they satisfy their requirements by throwing them from above,
or under the trees. A lot of people do not have electricity, the only
source for water is the recently constructed fountain in the yard of
the building.

The 41-year old invalid Antaram Arakelyan gave one of her 2 sons
to the orphanage, and the other 6-year old boy collects bottles and
aluminium and maintains him and his mother who seems much elder to
her age. Sure, Mrs. Antaram denies her son going begging, she says
that he goes to school, but, all this is so far from the reality,
you feel that she is just ashamed.

She does not trust the mayoral election at all, but she knows that
very soon, like very time, they will be given 5000 drams, because they
remember about their presence only from one election to the other,
and they will also be given a lot of promises, which will vanish
right after the election.

"We have thousands of debt to many shops, they come and disturb us,
and don’t let us buy anything without money, today I asked 20 eggs
for the Easter for my boy to be happy tomorrow, they did not give
them to me", tells Antaram Arakelyan. Mrs. Antaram wants only one
thing-a job. She visits her child in the orphanage only once a year,
on her child’s birthday.

Karapet is one of the oldest residents of the dormitory. It has been
already 18 years he has been living here after the close of the Tyre
factory; he is invalid, he gets pension and benefit and is worried
not with his own future but that of the children living there, but
he does not see any future for them, because they cannot even write
their names and surnames, but, instead, one of them is a professional
tree cutter and dump digger.

"I don’t know if the children are engaged in robbery or not, but I know
one thing for sure – no one does a good thing", says Sos, one of the
residents, which is sure that their children do not have any future.

There are even "poor but proud" people among those living in such
misery, who do not want to reveal their problems. "You think the
people of this area are miserable?" one of the residents started to
quarrel with the neighbours asking why they reveal their problems.

The residents consider themselves the "13th district" of
Yerevan". "This is the 13th district where neither the police nor a
polite person enters here, everybody is scared of entering our street,
this is a zoo, an island out of the globe, they, the government,
think no one lives here", say the residents.

TURKEY’S RULING PARTY REJECTED AZERI MPS’ INVITATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.04.2009 13:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey’s ruling AK Party members will not take
part in an international conference on Azerbaijani-Turkish relations
in Baku.

"We regret that AKP members will not attend the conference," said
Fazil Aghamaly, chairman of Ana Veten party.

The Turkish delegation will include representatives of Republican
People’s Party (CHP) and National Movement Party (MHP), Azeri Press
Agency reports.