Author: Jagharian Tania

ARMENIA’S PARLIAMENT DISCUSSES AMENDMENTS TO LAW "ON HOLDINGS RALLIES, MEETINGS, MARCHES, AND DEMONSTRATIONS"

Regnum
March 18 2008
Russia

Armenia’s parliament at an extraordinary session has started discussing
a bill amending the law "On holding meetings, rallies, marches, and
demonstrations." According to parliament speaker Tigran Torosyan, the
bill has been introduced by four parliamentary factions. Speaking as a
lead speaker, member of the ruling Republican Party Rafik Petrosyan
stated that the amendments are necessary in order to "learn the
lessons of the past." In his words, the recent events have shown that
"life is much richer than the legislation field."

The amendments, in particular, provide that a responsible body,
the mayor’s office, in particular, can decline a request to hold a
rally if it has reliable information on the public action’s aiming
to overthrow a constitutional order, inciting racial, national,
or religious hatred, propagating violence and war, or endangering
national security, public order, morality and health of the people, and
infringing on constitutional rights and freedoms of other individuals.

Another amendment provides that official findings of the police
and National Security Service can be sources of such reliable
information. The same agencies are supposed to have a right to decide
on annulment of such grounds. The amendments also provide that, in
cases when mass public actions transform into mass riots, leading to
deaths of people, a responsible agency can temporarily ban holding
mass public events, until all circumstances and persons involved in
the crimes are established.

The amendments also stipulate that a responsible agency examine a
request for holding a public event for 72 hours. Requests are to be
submitted 5 days prior to the date of holding a public event.

ARF Dashnaktsutiun faction member Vahan Hovannisyan has suggested that
part 2 (temporary ban to hold public events) is amended so that it
is applied not to everybody but to those who have already committed
crimes. The lead speaker argued that "this is done to ensure that
everyone has equal rights before the law."

Member of opposition Heritage faction Zaruyi Postanjan remarked that,
if police agencies and NSS do actually possess information on events’
aiming at overthrowing a constitutional order, they should not give
an official conclusion, based on which a responsible agency will
ban a public action, but initiate criminal proceedings, since these
actions fall under criminally prosecuted activity.

If passed, the bill will be enacted five days after its official
publication.

AZERI FOREIGN MINISTRY PRAISES COUNTRIES ABSTAINING IN UN VOTE ON KARABAKH

Day.Az
March 17 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman has said that 100 countries
demonstrated support for Azerbaijan’sterritorial integrity by
abstaining from a vote at the UN General Assembly on 14 March.

In an interview with Day.az website, Xazar Ibrahim said that those
who abstained did not give in to serious pressure by "some forces"
who were opposed to a draft resolution that called for Armenian
withdrawal fromAzerbaijan’s occupied territories.

"As you know, not only Armenia but also some other forces had exerted
serious pressure on those countries [whichabstained] to make them vote
against this resolution. However, those countries demonstrated their
position – theirrecognition of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity –
by not attending the vote at all. In doing so, they createdconditions
for the approval of the resolution," Ibrahim was quoted as saying.

Seven countries, including the USA, Russia and France, voted against
the Azerbaijani-drafted resolution, which theycalled an "unbalanced"
document.

KOCHARIAN DEFENDS CONTINUING MEDIA BLACKOUT

Radio Liberty
March 17 2008
Czech Republic

President Robert Kocharian defended through a spokesman on Monday
his administration’s continuing refusal to allow Armenia’s leading
independent and pro-opposition newspapers and online publications to
resume news reporting.

All of those media outlets suspended or were forced to suspend their
work as a result of a 20-day state of emergency imposed by Kocharian
during the March 1 clashes in Yerevan between riot police and thousands
of opposition supporters. In a decree signed on Thursday, Kocharian
said they can resume their work so long as they do not publish
"obviously false or destabilizing information."

Officers of the National Security Service (NSS) prevented the seven
national newspapers critical of the government from publishing the
next day after examining their content. The NSS also maintained
the blockage of the websites of at least three Armenian online news
services as well as RFE/RL’s Armenian service. Still, the authorities
did allow local radio stations to resume the retransmission of RFE/RL’s
Armenian-language news programs.

Victor Soghomonian, Kocharian’s press secretary, said all of the papers
in question sought to report "obviously false information" in their
Friday editions sent to the printers. Speaking at a news conference,
Soghomonian cited specific newspaper reports that accused the Armenian
authorities of underreporting the number of people killed on March 1,
described the arrested opposition activists as political prisoners and
said that many of them were mistreated in custody. He also faulted
the opposition daily "Haykakan Zhamanak" for trying to publish an
interview with Nikol Pashinian, its fugitive editor who played a major
part in the rallies organized by opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian.

Soghomonian further made clear that the authorities will continue
to block Internet users’ access to local online publications for
the duration of emergency rule. He argued that government monitoring
and censorship of their reports is much more difficult than that of
print media.

In a joint statement issued on Friday, the publications affected by
the severe restrictions brushed aside Kocharian’s Thursday decree
as a "wretched attempt to mislead the international community and
the Armenian public." A separate statement by the Yerevan Press Club
and seven other civic groups condemned the censorship as "illegal"
and demanded its complete abolition.

Boris Navasardian, the YPC chairman, argued on Monday that the
censorship was not formalized by any written presidential decree or
government directive and that NSS officers are enforcing it solely on
the basis of verbal orders from their superiors. He said that runs
counter to an article of the Armenian Criminal Code that makes it
a crime to obstruct journalists’ work.. "If the prosecutor’s office
considers itself a guardian of law, it must open a criminal case in
connection with that," he told RFE/RL.

Navasardian also said Armenia’s leading TV stations and other
pro-government media are only fanning post-election tensions in the
country with their "one-sided" coverage of the March 1 clashes and
the ensued developments. "Everyone must realize that the society
is not unanimous today," he said. "If there is no open debate, no
open exchange of information, those differing interpretations of the
situation will deepen. And that means political polarization will
deepen too."

PRESIDENT’S AND PRIME MINISTER’S OPINIONS NOT ALWAYS COINCIDE

Panorama.am
17:47 14/03/2008

"I will never give my resignation," answered the Prime Minister,
president elect Serzh Sargsyan to one of the citizens’ question in
a TV discussion held with some media representatives.

To another question Serzh Sargsyan answered that his and Robert
Kocharyan’s opinions not always coincide.

"I do know any two who hold the same views. Wherever I worked I had
my own opinion about my own activities.

And I should say that Robert Kocharyan never tried to dictate me his
opinions," said the Prime Minister and added that in many questions
their opinions coincide each other.

As for the possible dialogue with Levon Ter-Petrosyan he answered,
"I am never against to any dialogue, but the dialogue should have an
addressee. If Ter-Petrosyan keeps insisting on that he is a president
voted by 65%, if he does not accept the Constitutional Court decision,
and call me criminal or Tatar Mongol, then what you are talking about,
what dialogue can be held between us."

SERGE SARGSIAN PROMISES TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO INTEND TO DISCLOSE BRIBE-TAKERS

Noyan Tapan
March 14, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, NOYAN TAPAN. "In my opinion, over the past 10 months
the government has worked actively, we have registered a 13.7% economic
growth, succeeded in almost doubling the 2008 budget and solving social
problems, and we will continue this way," the RA prime minister Serge
Sargsian said when answering citizens’ questions on television on
March 13. According to him, as was repeatedly stated, there will be
personnel changes but they may not be an end in itself which would make
"many think that everything and everubody must be changed."

He said that all officials to commit crimes, all those to take bribes
will be punished. He denied that he has a list of 65 officials to
be dismissed from their jobs but he added that more officials may
actually be replaced as "Armenia is a small country, whereas the
number of officials is large."

In response to the question about prospects of restoring justice in the
country with respect to the possibility of "settling issues by means
of money" in courts, S. Sargsian stated that measures should be taken
in order to exclude such possibilities. "We, the authorities should
take measures, deepen the legislation and close all the loop-holes but
on the other hand it is impossible to fight corruption and bribery
without the assistance and active participation of citizens," he
pointed out. In his words, evidence is needed in order to convict a
person, it cannot be done by mere talks. "I promise everybody that if
there are alarm calls and people who intend to disclose bribe-takers,
they will always receive support."

The prime minister does not believe that the personnel policy has been
"shameful" in the past ten years. "In many cases there have been forced
appointments but no one can say whether we would have been now in a
worse or better state if there had not been forced appointments. In
any case, I will do everything so that the newly appointed ones will
not have a bad reputation in the society," he said.

Serge Sargsian has not yet made a final decision about whom he will
appoint prime minister. He promised that an event will be held after
formation of the government and then perhaps they will answer questions
about the government’s composition.

S. Sargsian denied the rumors about an agreement to appoint the son of
the leader of "National Unity" party Artashes Geghamian to the position
of head of the Meghri check-point. "I do not know if Geghamian has
a son whose speciality corresponds to this position. I know that he
has well-educated children which is not an obstacle to involving them
in state service but to speak about an agreement is pure nonsense,"
he said.

PREVENTION OF ANIMAL DISEASES IMPORTANT IN ARMENIA

ARKA
March 13, 2008

YEREVAN, March 13. /ARKA/. The RA Ministry of Agriculture attaches
importance to the prevention of infectious diseases among animals,
RA Minister of Agriculture David Lokyan stated at his meeting with
the representatives of the Armenian office of the US Department
of Agriculture and Food and Agriculture Organization Shon Karmody,
Galina Gringery and David Wardy.

The Minister thanked the American side for its willingness to render
technical assistance in brucellosis control sponsored by the FAO and
the Italian Government.

Lokyan expressed hope that the organizations will combine their
efforts to implement comprehensive measures under the program.

The FAO and USDA representatives expressed their satisfaction with
Armenia’s partners’ effective involvement in the program.

The sides also pointed out the advisability of implementing similar
programs of foot-and-mouth disease, tuberculosis and leucosis control
in the country in the near future.

OIL’S WELL FOR PAINTER
By Joyce Rudolph

Glendale News Press
08/03/13/entertainment/gnp-oilpainter12.txt
March 13 2008
CA

Artist’s vibrant use of color and design in painting lands him Juror
Award in membership show.

For his vibrant use of color and design, Vladimir Atanian earned a
Juror Award for his oil painting "Dance of Metamorphosis," in the
Fine Arts Federation of Burbank’s Membership Show of mixed media works.

The show is taking place at the Creative Arts Center in Burbank
through March 20. Members of the arts federation, a support group of
the center, each enter one piece of artwork.

The Glendale resident’s winning abstract painting shows figures
dancing. And while each figure resembles a person, it is made of body
parts of four characters from the animal kingdom – an eagle, fish,
crocodile or shark.

It’s his impression of what people’s real characters are like inside,
Atanian said.

"I create this in my mind," he said. "The figures look like men or
women, but inside they look like a shark or crocodile. I show their
change of character, which is more menacing."

This mix of figures and animals reminded juror Christina Ramos of
one of the art world’s greatest masters, she said.

"What originally captured my attention was the Picasso-like quality
of the painting," she said. "Upon closer observation, I was drawn to
the figures, which utilized abstract shapes to create recognizable
images. The vibrant use of color and energetic design kept my eye
moving throughout the composition. This painting definitely made an
emotional statement."

The colors and design Atanian used was what caught the eye of Burbank
Creative Arts Center gallery director Frances Santistevan.

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"The painting, with its bright and bold colors, reminds one of
Picasso’s cubism," she said. "It is a great design and beautifully
executed."

In the art movement known as cubism, subjects are broken up and
re-assembled, she said.

Atanian’s works include oils, acrylics and watercolors, and will be
presented in an exhibition in October at the Creative Arts Center,
Santistevan said.

Santistevan met the artist after she saw his artwork at the Burbank
Senior Artist Colony, a senior living facility that offers residents
artistic programs and workshops, Atanian said.

"I made a couple of projects for the building, three mosaic works on
the facade of the building on San Fernando Road and two murals inside
the building," he said.

Atanian has been painting for 50 years. He started when he was 18
and is now 68, he said. The first 45 years of his life he painted in
Russia and Armenia.

He came to the United States in 1993 and founded his art school,
Atanian Art Center – which is celebrating an anniversary in June.

Last year, Atanian received the city of Glendale’s Diamond Lifetime
Achievement Award in art.

It’s taken him 15 years, Atanian said, but he is getting to be
well known.

"When I started in 1992, it was very hard," he said. "But now I’m
very well known. I’m showing in galleries in Las Vegas, Irvine and
Newport Beach."

FOR GEORGIA NATO INTEGRATION IS A TOOL FOR RESOLUTION OF ITS TERRITORIAL ISSUES

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.03.2008 GMT+04:00

The Georgian government intends to take Russia to the European Court
of Human Rights in Strasbourg already in summer and demand compensation
of $20 milliard.

The declaration of independence of Kosovo and the further development
of the situation in Europe became one of the main topics in the
world. No matter how hard the EU and the USA insist on the fact,
that Kosovo is a unique opportunity, since the independence is
granted on the bases of ethnical belonging and their arguments do
not seem very convincing. The declaration of independence immediately
found its response in the post-Soviet area, and first of all in the
unrecognized republics of Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Transnistria and
Nagorno-Karabakh. The case with Nagorno-Karabakh is indeed a unique
case; it doesn’t depend on Russia’s position at all, which can’t be
said about the other above mentioned regions.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The two autonomies of Abkhazia and Suoth Ossetia have
started to actively act towards gaining international recognition of
their sovereignty after the majority of countries of the EU, as well
as the USA approved the separation of Kosovo from Serbia.

Last week Russia disabled the sanctions in the self-proclaimed Republic
of Abkhazia, causing the indignation of the Georgian authorities,
who accused Moscow of encouragement of separatism.

Today the Georgian Parliament started its session with the discussion
of this issue which has caused so much tension in the country. The
main issue on the agenda was the preparation of the declaration
in answer to Russia’s action (disabling the economic sanctions in
Abkhazia). Of course the problem was initiated by the relations between
the opposition and the current authorities. Earlier the deputies
from opposition having boycotted the session of the parliament have
followed Burjanadze’s call and were already in the Parliament by the
beginning of the session. However, in their speeches they tried to
join two key problems: the answer to the Russian initiative regarding
Abkhazia and. the revision of the majority system of elections.

The speaker expressing bewilderment about the way the question was put,
provoked a storm of emotions.

Particularly the opposition announced that the government only
must be accused of the crisis in Abkhazia. Naturally the deputies
from the ruling party didn’t like these announcements and this
led to a huge scandal. Only thanks to Burjanadze the session was
continued. However, whether the sanctions will be disabled in Abkhazia
in such controversial approaches, still remains uncertain.

The Georgian government intends to take Russia to the European Court of
Human Rights in Strasbourg already in summer and demand compensation
of $20 milliard. As the Chairman of the Commission on territorial
integrity Shota Malashkhia informed the "News Time", $5 milliard is
a compensation for the loss of the private property of the refugees
and the other $15 is for the loss of the State of Georgia.

Meanwhile, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the EU Member States
spoke for the territorial integrity of Georgia and confirmed the
readiness to continue the course of developing the relations with
Tbilisi. "We are concerned about the situation in Georgia, because
the Russian Federation and the CIS countries have decided to draw
parallels with Kosovo," announced the Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Slovenia Dimitry Rupel who is in the chair in the EU.

In his turn, the President of Academy of Geopolitical Problems Leonid
Ivashov thinks, that the recognition of the independence of Kosovo is
the beginning of the end of the integration processes in Europe. "This
also concerns Bulgaria, Macedonia, Greece, Serbia, and Bosnia and
Herzegovina. Then the disastrous epidemic of destabilization and
separatism is going to spread all over Europe. In the person of the so
called independent State of Kosovo Europe will have to face a number
of troubles, since a huge unemployment is observed in the region,
besides the Serbian population of Kosovo will suffer a genocide and
discrimination," he said.

According to Sergey Markedonov, the deputy head of the department of
the issues of international relations of the Institute of political
and military study, for Georgia NATO integration is a tool for the
resolution of its territorial issues. Tbilisi definitely hopes that
the Alliance may "prevent" Russia from recognizing Abkhazia or South
Ossetia. "It is necessary to mention, that NATO is quite aware of
Georgia’s intention. The NATO officials have never been very happy
about Georgia becoming one of the members of the Alliance. Their
statements have always been in the mood of "healthy constructivism" and
"careful optimism". Moreover, none of the official representatives of
the Alliance has been very keen on resolving the territorial issues
of Georgia, taking out the Russian troops from the conflict zone,"
said Markedonov. It is quite possible that at the hearings on the
issue of unrecognized states which are to be held on March 13 in RF
State Duma, a decision will be made, which will not be of favor to
Georgia at all. But another outcome is also possible; Tbilisi may
come to an agreement with Moscow, like the President of Moldova did,
practically giving up GUAM and the idea of integration in NATO to
save Transnistria.

"FILMJOURNALISM WITHOUT BORDERS" PROJECT TO BE HELD

Panorama.am
19:06 11/03/2008

This year the project of "Filmjournalism without borders" will be
held in Yerevan. The information is provided by Susanna Harutyunyan,
the director of the project and the director of "Golden Apricot"
international festival.

According to her the mission of the program is not just to signify the
message of films but also to strengthen the journalists professional
abilities covering the current aspect, to cooperate with the colleagues
of other countries, and to get acquainted with their experiences.

The director of the project said that the festival will be held by
three parts. She said that the participants should have knowledge of
English as the courses would be held in English.

1.9 BILLION FOR REPAIR AND CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS

KarabakhOpen
12-03-2008 12:34:15

The government has allocated 1,891,760,000 drams for repair
and construction of community roads, of which 800 million
will be spent to set up organizations for maintenance of
community roads. "This year the construction of the road Karmir
Shuka-Sos-Chartar-Khnushinak-Gishi-Spitakas hen will continue for
which 925 million drams was allocated," stated the minister of urban
planning Alexander Mamunts in an interview with the Azat Artsakh.

According to the minister, Vahe Karapetyan, an Armenian
American benefactor, will finance the repair of the road
Sos-Machkalashen-Amaras. He also finances the maintenance of the
highway Goris-Stepanakert.

Alexander Mamunts said the government has allocated 427,550,000 drams
for municipal building, of which 700 million for repair of streets
in Stepanakert. The reconstruction of the water supply system of
Stepanakert will be funded by benefactors. The project is now being
drafted.

The government has allocated 600 million drams for gasifying. It
is foreseen to supply with gas the entire republic. This year the
region of Askeran will be supplied with gas, gasifying of Martakert
region will continue. 313 million drams has been allocated for the
construction of the gas pipeline Chldran-Martakert which will be
launched in spring.

200 million drams has been allocated for the energy sector. 785,070,000
has been allocated for public institutions, 200 million drams has
been allocated for research.