Author: Jagharian Tania

PanARMENIAN.Net

RA Defense Minister to depart for Moscow June 16
14.06.2008 14:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ According to an agreement on
cooperation singed between the Defense Ministries of
Armenia and Russia, RA Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan
will be in Moscow from June 16 to June 18, the
Minister’s spokesman, col. Seyran Shahsuvaryan told
PanARMENIAN.Net.

Minister Ohanyan is scheduled to meet with the Russian
Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, General Staff
Chief Nikolay Makarov and CSTO Secretary General
Nikolay Bordyuzha to discuss the military and
technical cooperation as well as a number of CSTO
issues.

He will also meet with representatives of the Armenian
community and Armenian students studying in the
Russian military institutes.

RUSSIAN COMMUNITY OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH GAVE PRESENTS TO PENSIONERS ON THE DAY OF RUSSIA

Regnum
KarabakhOpen
13-06-2008 11:52:40

On the day of Russia the Russian community of Nagorno-Karabakh gave
presents – a basket of food – to the members of the community who
are retired. The head of the Russian community of NKR Galina Somova
told the reporter of Regnum that the presents were prepared on the
money which the government provided to the community and on sponsor
money. Pensioners from both the regions and the capital got presents.

The Russian community of NKR has 300 members in all the regions of
the country, not only Russians but also representatives of other
Slavic people.

The goal of the organization is to preserve ethnic traditions and
identity of the Russians who live in NKR, sustain the Russian schools
and spread the Russian language. The Day of Russia is traditionally
celebrated in Karabakh.

DR. LUSINE SAHAKYAN "TO PRESENT THE EPIC NOVEL ABOUT GENERAL ANDRANIK"

KarabakhOpen
12-06-2008 16:13:57

The general public is cordially invited to a lecture and discussion
on " The Epic Novel about General Andranik " by Lusine Sahakyan,
Associate Professor of Turkish Studies and Director of the Center
for Ottoman studies at the Yerevan State University .

Lusine Sahakyan’s editorial efforts culminate in presenting the reader
with a work that was originally recorded and revised in 1960s-1980s
by a survivor of Western Armenia dialectologist-ethnographer Suren
Sahakyan as the " Story about Andranik " epic novel. This folk story
is a unique example of an epic created in 19’th-20’th centuries,
a wonderful product of Armenian collective thought, manifesting an
attitude towards a heroic and a national liberation struggle. The epic
novel is comprehensive equivalent of national hero’s life achievements.

This very special event will take place on Thursday, June 12, 2008 at
7:00 p.m. at Glendale Central Library, 222 E. Harvard St., Glendale,
CA. The event is open to the public and admission is free.

ZHIRAYR SEFILIAN: OUR TASK IS TO GET RID OF THIS REGIME RATHER THAN TO MAKE LEVON PRESIDENT
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NO YAN TAPAN
June 12, 2008

According to the commander of the Shoushi special battalion Zhirayr
Sefilian, all those guilty of keeping him in prison illegally for 18
months must be held accountable by law. He stated this at the June
12 meeting with reporters. Z. Sefilian pointed out that he demands
it not out of revenge but in the interests of establishing statehood
in the country.

In his words, although it is true that "the fish begins to stink at the
head", the heads of the country also have a lot of "employees". In
particular, many "robotized guys" work in the national security
system who are ready to imprison illegally even their own mothers, and
"to serve any president of the country, even if it were Ilham Aliyev".

Z. Sefilian said that he was the only person convicted of keeping
illegal arms who has been kept in prison until the end of his term. He
underlined that he has no personal problems with the former and current
presidents, and the reason for "special" attitude to him lies in
"his type". According to Z.

Sefilian, over the past 10 years the authorities have governed the
country by using three principles: to bribe, intimidate, remove,
which is impossible to do with men of his kind.

Z. Sefilian called the program on his deportation a serious
one. However, at the moment the authorities have given up their
intention, and if such a decision is made, then Z. Sefilian, in his
words, will not be absent from Armenia for a long time, and he will
spend his time abroad to inform the Diaspora about the situation
in Armenia and use the Diaspora’s potential in the interests of the
national movement.

Z. Sefilian declared he will participate in the rally on June 20. He
noted that the rally will be one of the next in turn decisive steps
of the opposition. He said that the opposition will not use the way
of coup, and this is correct. In his opinion, the February events
proved that it is possible to achieve a power shift as a result of long
rallies with the participation of many people. Although the indicated
way is complex and long, it will allow to avoid loss of human life.

Z. Sefilian said that he has differences with the leader of the
national movement Levon Ter-Petrosian, particularly in the issue of
Karabakh problem’s settlement but these differences are not a reason
for not being on his side. He considered it wrong that a group of
people from L.

Ter-Petrosian’s entourage "has made him an idol". The majoity of
people worship not his person but as a man with greater capabilities
than those of the other leaders of the opposition. "Our task is to
get rid of this regime rather than to make Levon president. Levon has
said repeatedly that he is only an instrument to be used, and we use,"
Z. Sefilian stated.

IRAN READY TO RESUME MEDIATING MISSION

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
June 11 2008

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Alireza Sheikh-Attar has said
Tehran was ready to resume its mediation in the settlement to the
Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict.

"Iran used to act as a mediator in the Garabagh
settlement. Unfortunately, our country was estranged from mediation
as a result of outside forces’ influence. But if a relevant proposal
is made by both sides, we are ready to undertake the mediating mission
again," Sheikh-Attar told a news conference in Baku last week.

The deputy minister said that although Iran did not deem the activity
of the mediating OSCE Minsk Group as satisfactory, it supported peace
talks under way within this framework. He reaffirmed that Tehran
backs Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

Sheikh-Attar regarded as a provocation the reports circulating that
Iranian companies are cooperating with the separatist regime in
Upper Garabagh. He rebuffed the allegations that a telecommunications
company from Iran was collaborating with the self-proclaimed republic.

Commenting on the new Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian’s
recent visit to Iran, Sheikh-Attar said Iran has 15 neighbors, and
such visits paid within good neighborhood relations are normal. He
added that no issues against Azerbaijan were discussed in Ohanian’s
meetings with Iranian officials.

Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in conflict for over a
decade. Peace talks brokered by the OSCE Minsk Group kicked off after
a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in 1994,
but have brought little tangible result so far. Armenia continues
to occupy Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh and seven adjacent Azerbaijani
districts in defiance of international law.

ORGANIZATION OF "RUBEZH 2008" MILITARY EXERCISES DISCUSSED AT THE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE

armradio.am
10.06.2008 17:06

Today the Secretary of the National Security Council at RA President’s
Office Arthur Baghdasaryan chaired the sitting of the task force
engaged in preparing the "Rubezh 2008" joint military exercises on the
territory of Armenia within the framework of the Collective Security
Treaty Organization. Issues related to the conduct and organization
of the military exercises were discussed during the sitting.

The Secretary of the National Security Council informed about the staff
changes in the task force. Artjur Baghdasaryan gave instructions on
the preparation and conduct of the "Rubezh 2008" military exercises.

PATRICK WILSON GORE: STALIN’S ANNEXATION OF KARABAKH TO AZERBAIJAN WAS DUE TO HIS "PARANOIA" OF ARMENIANS

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.06.2008 20:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ There is no evidence that the Armenians of Nagorno
Karabakh committed "genocide" against Meskhetian Turks of Khojaly,
Canadian military historian Patrick Wilson Gore said during the launch
of his latest book "Tis Some Poor Fellow’s Skull: Post-Soviet Warfare
in the Southern Caucasus" at the embassy of the Republic of Armenia in
Ottawa, independent French journalist Jean Eckian told PanARMENIAN.Net.

Gore stated that Stalin’s annexation of Nagorno Karabakh to Azerbaijan
was due to his "paranoia" of Armenians and a secret deal between him
and Ataturk, the Turkish dictator.

The Canadian expert stated that for 70 years Armenians of Nagorno
Karabakh were treated as second-class citizens under Azeri rule. The
treatment of Armenians by Azeris was a classic case of ethnic
cleansing.

After the Sumgait and Baku massacres of Armenians in the early 1990s,
the Armenians were forced to fight to defend their families and
their lives.

In regard to the Khojaly incident, Gore said "Azeri troops ran
faster than the Meskhetian Turk civilians they had been using as
human shields". Upon their retreat to Agdam, civilians of Khojaly
were fired upon by the Azeri OMON garrison of Agdam, mistaking them
for Armenian forces. He said that a day before the start of Khojaly
battle, the Azeri forces executed 32 Armenian prisoners of war.

Regarding the ongoing Azeri government threats of resumption of war
to take Nagorno Karabakh, Gore said that "peace is for the benefit
of both sides". It is true that the Azeri government is getting
emboldened with its new-found oil wealth, but the Aliyev government
has to "consider that their oil and gas pipelines run 30 km north
of Nagorno Karabakh, and Azeris have invested heavily in their Baku
facilities." Gore questioned whether Azeris want to jeopardize their
vital pipelines and "risk their money sources."

The author of the 139-page book is a Canadian specialist in military
history and theory. He studied at Oxford, and subsequently graduated
from the National Defense College at Kingston, one of NATO’s senior
command colleges. Much of his career has focused on strategic
intelligence. This is his eleventh book. He used to be paratrooper
and marine commando.

HOSTAGES WILL BE RETURNED
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Panorama.am
19:18 09/06/2008

"Our compatriots can calm down as they will be taken back to the
country," announced the Minister of Defense of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan,
in a press conference. The representatives of Armenian Armed Forces
find it not accurate the announcements made by the Azeri side that
four Armenian hostages are diversnats.

S. Ohanyan said that in a meeting with Red Cross Committee supervisor
James Rainolds he has expressed his concerns about Armenian
hostages. The representative of Red Cross Committee said that he was
also concerned with their lives.

Note that in that meeting the minister notified about those Armenian
hostages who are caught in Azeri side.

–Boundary_(ID_E+BxmPr7uFLsM7wm9NXRug)
Cont ent-type: message/rfc822; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-description:

From: Sebouh Z Tashjian <[email protected]>
Subject: Hostages will be returned
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Panorama.am

19:18 09/06/2008

HOSTAGES WILL BE RETURNED

?Our compatriots can calm down as they will be taken
back to the country,? announced the Minister of
Defense of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan, in a press
conference. The representatives of Armenian Armed
Forces find it not accurate the announcements made by
the Azeri side that four Armenian hostages are
diversnats.

S. Ohanyan said that in a meeting with Red Cross
Committee supervisor James Rainolds he has expressed
his concerns about Armenian hostages. The
representative of Red Cross Committee said that he was
also concerned with their lives.
Note that in that meeting the minister notified about
those Armenian hostages who are caught in Azeri side.

Source: Panorama.am

Get the name you always wanted with the new y7mail email address.

–Boundary_(ID_E+ BxmPr7uFLsM7wm9NXRug)–

ARMECONOMBANK’S NET PROFIT INCREASES 20% IN 2007 AND TOTALS 1.893MLN AMD

ARKA
June 9, 2008

YEREVAN, June 9. /ARKA/. Net profit of Armenian Armeconombank in 2007
increased by 20% to total 1.893mln AMD against 1.571bln drams in 2006,
Board Chairman of Armeconombank David Sukiasyan stated at the annual
meeting of the bank’s shareholders.

Sukiasyan said 300mln drams of the profit will be paid to the
shareholders at 12% annual rate per share.

The assets of Armeconombank totalled 50.419bln AMD at the end of 2007
against 42,818bln drams estimated at the beginning of the year.

The credit portfolio grew by 38% to 27.967bln AMD from 20.189bln
drams recorded at the beginning of the year.

The securities showing increased by approximately 40% – from 6.5bln
AMD of 2006 to 8.9bln AMD in 2007. Liabilities increased 25% and
reached 41.925bln AMD against 35.937bln AMD in 2006.

The total capital increased by approximately 20% – 8.494bln AMD against
6.888bln AMD in 2006. The number of the bank’s customers grew by 45%
to reach 62,788.

In 2007, Moody’s Investors Service conferred on the bank D rank (for
financial stability) and Ba3 rank (for long-term deposits in national
and foreign currencies).

The bank signed a $2mln-worth loan agreement with the International
Financial Corporation to extend mortgage loans, as well as small and
medium-sized business loans. Under another agreement with KfW, the
bank received 103.5mln drams to extend mortgage loans. Under another
loan agreement signed with EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction
and Development) in 2007, the bank received $3mlm to provide loans
to micro and small businesses.

Among the bank’s special achievements in 2007, Sukiasyan also singled
out the agreement, under which the bank received a $15mln-worth
syndicated credit from seven international banks to extend loans to
small and medium-sized businesses.

The Armeconombank open joint-stock company was registered on August
26, 1991.

Over 75% of the bank’s shares belong to the main shareholders – EBRD
(25% + 1 share) and the Sukiasyan family – the founder of the SIL
concern (50.6%).

The capital of Armeconombank, according to the January 1, 2008 data,
totalled 8.6bln drams, with the assets estimated at 50.4bln AMD and the
net profit of 2007 estimated at 1.8bln AMD. The bank has 45 branches
in the territory of Armenia.

U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT’S REPORT ON ARMENIA CONTAINS SUBJECTIVE AND ONE-SIDED OPINIONS, DEPUTY ARMEN ASHOTIAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan

Ju ne 6, 2008

YEREVAN, JUNE 6, NOYAN TAPAN. In the words of member of the NA
"Republican Party of Armenia" (RPA) faction Armen Ashotian, the
U.S. State Department’s latest report on human rights and democracy
in Armenia contains either one-sided or subjective opinions about the
presidential election and postelection developments in the country. At
the June 6 press conference he expressed his amazement at the fact that
the State Department’s opinion condradicts that of the OSCE observer
mission’s report, according to which the presidential election was
mostly in line with democratic standards.

He said that the State Department’s report consists of two parts. The
first one, according to him, has some subjective approaches to the
electoral process in Armenia, while the second part includes a summary
text about their own work aimed at democratization in Armenia. The
deputy added that the report authors seem to have addressed this text
to U.S. tax payers, telling them "look how we have spent your money".

A. Ashotian reminded about the opinions given once by Freedom House’s
about the state of democracy in the U.S. In particular, Freedom House
indicated that several journalists who opposed the war in Iraq were
dismissed from their jobs, censorship was imposed and people were
sent to prison for political dissidence. According to A. Ashotian, in
the U.S. policemen often exceed their authority and commit violence,
while 3% of the population – about 7 million people are in prison
and the death penalty has not been abolished. Whereas, he said, the
U.S. states that "at least ten people died" during the March 1 events.