Author: Jagharian Tania

RFE/RL ARMENIA BROADCASTS AGAIN IN LIMBO
By Ruzanna Khachatrian

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
July 25 2007

The future of RFE/RL’s unfettered activities in Armenia again hung
in the balance on Wednesday just three weeks after the Armenian
parliament rejected a government bill that would have effectively
banned the crucial retransmission of its programs by state radio.

In a statement issued late Tuesday, RFE/RL’s management and
its Washington-based oversight board said the state-controlled
Armenian Public Television and Radio (HHHR) has refused to sign a
new retransmission agreement and could stop airing RFE/RL Armenian
service programs on August 9.

HHHR declined to immediately confirm or deny this. The chairman of its
governing board, Aleksan Harutiunian, said only that "Radio Liberty
broadcasts in Armenia will not be stopped." Harutiunian said the
board will issue a statement later on Wednesday specifying whether
or not RFE/RL will be pulled off the Armenian Public Radio air.

The Public Radio has retransmitted RFE/RL’s Armenian-language programs
in accordance with a 1998 commercial agreement that lapsed last
February. HHHR was offered to sign a new retransmission deal early
this year.

The National Assembly unexpectedly failed to pass the government bill,
widely criticized in and outside Armenia, on July 3 after several days
of heated debates. The RFE/RL statement said that one week later HHHR
"indicated that it planned to stop RFE/RL broadcasts on August 9,
citing contractual and payment issues." According to it, all these
issues were resolved during ensued negotiations in Yerevan between
HHHR officials and RFE/RL representatives.

"Our delegation was told there are no deadlines, and no threat was made
to take RFE/RL programs off Public Radio," James Glassman, chairman
of the U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) overseeing RFE/RL
operations, was quoted as saying in the statement.

"Yet the contract remains unsigned, and our offers to make payment
were refused," Glassman said. "It seems clear that whatever is
holding up an agreement has nothing to do with legal, contractual,
or technical issues."

"I think the issue is not closed and there are possibilities [of
reaching agreement,]" parliament speaker Tigran Torosian, who is also
a leading member of Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian’s Republican Party
(HHK), told RFE/RL, commenting on the statement. Torosian said he
thinks there is still "some hope" for a mutually acceptable settlement
between the parties.

But the HHK’s junior partners in the governing coalition, the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), reiterated its opposition
to RFE/RL’s continued use of Public Radio frequencies. "I believe
that any radio or TV station must be able to operate in Armenia, but
that must be done on a commercial basis," said Vahan Hovannisian,
a Dashnaktsutyun leader. "And giving the state’s [broadcasting]
capacities to somebody else is beyond logic."

"For Dashnaktsutyun, the top priority is Armenia’s interests,"
added Hovannisian. "Radio Liberty is not acting against Armenia’s
interests. But it is not acting for Armenia’s interests either."

Opposition leaders, for their part, stood by their view that RFE/RL
is the only Armenian-language broadcaster not controlled by the
authorities in Yerevan and that the latter have made a political
decision to severely restrict Armenians’ access to its news programs
ahead of next year’s presidential election.

"They failed to do that through the National Assembly and are now
trying to do that by other means," said Victor Dallakian, a veteran
opposition lawmaker who helped to block the controversial government
bill. "This is a condemnable policy directed against freedom of
speech."

"The purpose of not renewing the [retransmission] contract is to
keep our people misinformed and to propagate what they want," charged
Vazgen Manukian, another prominent opposition politician. "The values
our people now need most now is freedom, integrity and the ability
to receive and analyze information. In this sense, the authorities
could not have made a more anti-national decision."

REPRESENTATIVES OF AMERICAN-ARMENIAN PRINTED PRESS MEET WITH RA CONSUL GENERAL TO LOS ANGELES ARMEN LILOYAN
By Melania Badalian

AZG Armenian Daily #139
25/07/2007

Armenia-Diaspora

RA Consul general to Los Angeles Armen liloyan met with the
representatives of the Armenian printed press. The ediotors of "Masis,"
"New Armenia," "Hay Kyank," "The Armenian Observer," "The California
Courier," and "New Day," newspapers, employees of RA Consulate and
the correspondent of RA Public TV were present at the meeting.

The participants of the meeting discussed current situation of the
Armenian printed press in Armenia and Diaspora, as well as the concerns
of the Armenian Diaspora. RA Consul wished that the cooperation and
the activities of the Armenian printed press in Los Angeles and in
Armenia were more active.

Foundation for Economic Development

104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200

Glendale, CA 91206

Tel: 323.888.0049

Fax: 323.888.0043

PRESS RELEASE
July 24, 2007

Contact: Tina Avanessian

Tel: 818.522.2482

Successful Evening of Networking among California Businesses at Marani Vodka
and Cigar Night EAST Hosted by FED

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Foundation for Economic Development of California
(FED), a contractor for the California Trade Office (CATO), hosted its
second social event, the Marani Vodka and Cigar Night East, on Tuesday, June
12 at Pasadena’s famous Esquire Bar & Lounge. In attendance of the
social-business mixer were representatives from various industries in
addition to members of the Armenian Assembly, Armenian National Committee
(ANC) and representatives from The Republic of Armenia Consulate Generals
Office.

This mixer was organized by the FED in order to enhance networking among
various industries in Southern California. "This is a great chance for
business people to socialize and get to know each other. Social business
mixers such as this one allow people to get to know what CATO and the FED
are all about and what we’re trying to accomplish on a social basis, which
is to strengthen economic ties between the great state of California and the
Caucus region of the world," said FED Executive Director and CATO
International Trade Specialist Johnny Nalbandian.

Those who attended the event enjoyed a gourmet California style buffet with
several original dishes including fresh salmon wrapped in grape leaves. The
night was also enhanced by a strolling guitarist who played flamenco music
throughout the evening.

Guests also enjoyed a martini bar stocked with Marani vodka, one of the FED’s
corporate sponsors. Marani is a spirits producer whose vodka is made in
Armenia and is enriched with organic Armenian honey. Their products can be
purchased in over 1,000 stores nation-wide such as Safeway’s Vons/Pavilions
supermarket chain and will soon be available at establishments such as Ralph’s
Markets and California Pizza Kitchen Restaurants.

Similar to the Marani Vodka and Cigar Night West, another co-sponsor of the
event was Forbidden Johnny, a new XX-Calvados apple brandy with a uniquely
designed bottle that holds a cigar inside. A glassful of this brandy and
fresh rolled handmade cigars were made available to the guests throughout
the evening by Old Oaks Cigar & Liquor of Thousand Oaks, who carries this
famous brandy among others on its shelves.

Nic Nak Clothing, another California based company, sponsored the remaining
portion of the FED’s budget for the event in honor of their first shipment
of their new children’s line of high end trendy knitwear, produced and
hand-knitted in Armenia. The company was, in fact, so pleased with its
relationship with CATO, that Jamie Nakkashian, the designer of this new
apparel said, "The California Trade Office has done an awesome job helping
our company with this transaction and production."

FED board members also held a raffle at the event that included sponsored
prizes and gifts from various members of the California business community.
Raffle gift sponsors included Marani Spirits, Forbidden Johnny, Sun
Plastics, Esquire Bar & Lounge, Nic Nak Clothing, Alunna Optical, Old Oaks
Cigar & Liquor and J III & Company Personal Training.

A great success as over eighty different businesspeople of both Armenian
descent and other ethnic backgrounds attended. Several business owners,
corporate executives, professionals and investors were able to socialize
with one another and exchanged business cards. "We will be organizing more
events from time to time to try to bring business people together, both from
the Armenian-American community and others as well," said Nalbandian. "It
is one of our goals to get other ethnic communities beyond
Armenian-Americans interested in the FED’s work with CATO."

Although the FED does not have any future social-business mixers planned at
this time, they are eager to host a business town hall meeting in the fall
with the Armenian Consulate Generals Office, Armenian American Chamber of
Commerce and California Trade Office. The focal point of this town hall
meeting will be trade and the importing and exporting of several different
products. This same group of agencies is also planning a three-day trade
expo and conference that will take place in the spring. The dates for these
events will be announced at a further date.

For further information on the work of CATO, please visit their web site at

STATEMENT OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF ARMENIA ON PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH

Lragir, Armenia
July 23 2007

We welcome the presidential elections held in Nagorno-Karabakh on
July 19. Nearly 80% of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh participated in
these elections. These elections are the most recent in some dozen
presidential, parliamentary, and local election polls, as well as a
constitutional referendum, held since 1991.

This is just one expression of the commitment the people of
Nagorno-Karabakh have made to democracy and rule of law. Legitimately
elected authorities have succeeded in securing the safety and stability
of that region even in the absence of a permanent settlement.

Various OSCE and other international documents clearly indicate that
not only should Nagorno-Karabakh be a party to settlement negotiations,
but that their elected authorities should represent them.

To dismiss these or any elections is disingenuous and simply contrary
to modern political values. Further, rejection cannot be understood
given the fact that in other areas of the world, in places where final
political status and settlement are also absent, such elections are
indeed supported, promoted, observed and encouraged.

The people of Nagorno-Karabakh remain committed to resolving the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through negotiations to reach a peaceful,
lasting settlement.

Unlike in other conflicts, in Karabakh, the population has always
had to ensure its own security without the help of the international
community. In the same way, they have also succeeded in securing
their own democratic processes and domestic stability.

Iranian FM invited Serzh Sargsyan and Tigran Torosyan to visit Tehran

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.07.2007 14:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Yesterday Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan
hosted Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, currently
in Yerevan with a delegation to attend the 7th session of the
Intergovernmental Commission on coordinating Armenian-Iranian ties,
the RA Government Press Office reports. At the meeting M. Mottaki
underlined his country~Rs priorities to import Armenian goods,
stressing the great potential, which exists in foreign trade
sphere. The Iranian FM underscored the importance to increase the
commodity circulation volume between the two countries.

Manouchehr Mottaki said Armenia can become a re-exporting country
for Iran. He stressed the significance to sign an agreement on
establishing a trade regime between Armenia and Iran, which was also
discussed during the Commission~Rs session on Friday. The Iranian
FM said realization of infrastructural programs also contributes to
the development of Armenian-Iranian relations, and in this respect
cooperation in energy sphere can be considered as exemplary. Speaking
about mutually beneficial programs in transportation field he
underscored Iran pays great importance to Armenia in building the
North-South corridor.

Manouchehr Mottaki also passed Serzh Sargsyan the invitation of Iranian
First Vice-Premier to visit his country. RA Prime Minister accepted
it with gratitude. The Iranian Foreign Minister also expressed hope
that RA NA Speaker Tigran Torosyan will visit Tehran till the end of
this year

Le Figaro, France
21 juillet 2007

Le dilemme des minorités non musulmanes;

Le patriarche arménien a appelé à voter pour le parti d’Erdogan.

Istanbul LAURE MARCHAND

LES MINORITÉS de Turquie se rendent aux urnes sans entrain. Au cours
de la campagne électorale, les non-musulmans ont souvent été accusés
par les partis nationalistes d’être à la solde des « ennemis de
l’extérieur » . Depuis le début de l’année, l’assassinat du
journaliste d’origine arménienne Hrant Dink et la tuerie de Malatya,
où trois protestants évangéliques ont été égorgés, ont renforcé
l’inquiétude. Les mésaventures du chanteur grec Giorgios Dalaras sont
moins dramatiques mais symptomatiques : son concert à Istanbul,
programmé dans le cadre du congrès mondial de la jeunesse orthodoxe,
a été annulé samedi.

L’administration a dit n’avoir pas reçu les documents nécessaires. En
fait, la presse s’était livrée à une campagne venimeuse contre lui,
l’accusant de xénophobie antiturque. « L’AKP est plus modéré » Dans
ce climat délétère, les communautés arménienne, orthodoxe et juive
(reconnues par le traité de Lausanne en 1923) voteront le plus
souvent par défaut. « L’AKP est plus modéré et le moins nationaliste
dans ses relations avec les minorités , a déclaré le patriarche
arménien Mesrob II dans une interview à Der Spiegel . Le gouvernement
d’Erdogan nous écoute – nous voterons pour l’AKP aux prochaines
élections. » La consigne de vote a été diversement appréciée. Mais
les Arméniens savent gré au parti d’Erdogan d’avoir soutenu
l’organisation d’une conférence sur le génocide arménien à Istanbul
et d’avoir fait voter une loi sur les fondations religieuses afin de
permettre la restitution des biens immobiliers confisqués par l’État.
Le Parti républicain du peuple (CHP), la gauche kémaliste, s’y est
opposée et le président de la République, Ahmet Necdet Sezer, a
opposé son veto. « Les progrès sont boiteux mais ils existent » ,
compare Arev, 26 ans, qui reproche à l’AKP d’avoir réduit la voilure
des réformes demandées par Bruxelles. « Une partie de la communauté
juive, notamment les intellectuels, souhaite que l’AKP l’emporte,
sans voter pour eux » , décrypte Izel Rozental, caricaturiste de
presse qui relève « le paradoxe de ces enfants gâtés de la République
turque, contrairement aux Arméniens et aux Grecs » . Les habitants de
la deuxième circonscription d’Istanbul, sur la rive européenne, sont
les seuls à avoir résolu le dilemme : le candidat indépendant Baskin
Oran, universitaire de gauche en croisade contre les dérives
nationalistes, se présente. La majorité des minoritaires voteront
pour cet ami de Hrant Dink.

–Boundary_(ID_ZNenAU8ByD4wqPlMGfqnRg)–

ARMENIAN PM: IRAN ENTITLED TO PEACEFUL NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY

IRNA website, Tehran
20 Jul 07

Yerevan, 20 July: Armenian prime minister Serzh Sargsyan on Friday
[20 July] admitted that access to peaceful nuclear technology as
Iran’s right.

Sargsyan in a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki
stressed his country’s support for Iran’s right to acquire nuclear
technology.

Armenian prime minister, referring to Iran’s outstanding role in
regional developments, said, "Tehran should have an active role in
regional developments."

He added Armenia attaches importance to promotion of bilateral
relations and believes bilateral economic relations should expand in
pace with the political ones.

Referring to Iran’s ample economic and commercial capacities,
Sargsyan said that there are many capacities that the two sides can
use to raise their mutual commercial transactions, including venture
projects and transportation advantages, particularly those in the
railway transportation sector.

He reminded that conclusion of trade agreements by the two sides
could push up volume of mutual economic and trade transactions.

Mottaki who arrived in Armenian capital, Yerevan, Friday morning,
is due to visit Armenian President Robert Kocharyan later Friday.

EU NOT TO RECOGNIZE INDEPENDENCE OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH

People’s Daily Online, China
July 21 2007

The European Union (EU) stressed on Friday that it does not recognize
the independence of Nagorno- Karabakh or the legitimacy of Thursday’s
"presidential elections" in the conflict zone.

In a statement issued by the European Commission, the EU reiterated
its firm support to the OSCE Minsk Group and its efforts toward a
peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

It also urged the concerned parties to intensify their efforts to
find a negotiated solution to the conflict.

Meanwhile, the EU expressed the hope that refugees and
internally-displaced persons should be given the right to a safe,
secure and dignified return of their homes in the region.

Nagorno-Karabakh is a region in Azerbaijan populated mostly by ethnic
Armenians. Armed conflict broke out in the early 1990s between
Azerbaijan and Armenia over the region’s status after it declared
independence, which was not recognized by the international community
except Armenia.

A ceasefire deal was reached in 1994 after mediation by the Minsk
Group, set up by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE). However, disputes still remain between Armenia and
Azerbaijan on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh.

GLENDALE MAN PLEADS NOT GUILTY IN FATAL HIT-AND-RUN

MSNBC
KNBC-TV~WLos Angeles, CA
July 20 2007

GLENDALE, Calif. – A Glendale man accused in a hit-and-run accident
that killed a 24-year-old woman pleaded not guilty Friday to a
second-degree murder charge. Ara Grigoryan, 21, is charged in the
July 10 death of Elizabeth Sandoval, who was fatally injured as she
walked across Glendale Avenue near Windsor Road with another woman,
who was unhurt. Grigoryan remains jailed without bail. If convicted,
he faces a sentence of 15 years to life in prison, according to the
District Attorney’s Office. Grigoryan was arrested earlier this
week at the Mexico City airport after arriving on an Aeromexico
flight from Tijuana, said Glendale police Officer John Balian. He
allegedly had planned to continue on to Madrid, Spain, but didn’t
have the proper documents, Balian said. His ultimate destination
was his native Armenia, according to broadcast reports. Federal
marshals helped return him to Los Angeles on Wednesday. Broken parts
from Grigoryan’s 2003 four-door Mercedes-Benz S430 were found at the
scene of the fatality, and police tracked down the car with the help
of GPS technology incorporated in the car, Balian said. Police said
they were investigating who may have helped Grigoryan flee.

AFFAIRE DINK: POURSUITES CONTRE UN INFORMATEUR PRESUME DE LA GENDARMERIE

Agence France Presse
19 juillet 2007 jeudi 11:54 AM GMT

Le tribunal stambouliote charge de juger les meurtriers presumes
du journaliste turc d’origine armenienne Hrant Dink, assassine en
janvier, a decide de poursuivre un 19ème suspect, selon des documents
judiciaires obtenus jeudi par l’AFP.

Oncle par alliance d’un des deux instigateurs presumes du crime, Coskun
Igci, originaire de la region de Trabzon (nord-est) comme la plupart
des prevenus, a ete inculpe pour appartenance a une organisation
illegale et complicite d’assassinat, indiquent ces documents.

L’individu a affirme lors d’auditions par la police etre un informateur
de la gendarmerie de Trabzon et avoir dûment informe ses contacts
des projets criminels de son neveu, Yasin Hayal, qui serait venu lui
reclamer, sans succès, une arme pour abattre Dink.

Igci encourt de 22,5 a 35 ans de prison, a rapporte l’agence de
presse Anatolie.

Haï des milieux nationalistes pour ses positions sur le "genocide
armenien", Hrant Dink a ete abattu le 19 janvier a Istanbul devant les
locaux de l’hebdomadaire bilingue turc-armenien Agos, qu’il dirigeait.

Le procès de ses assassins presumes, membres d’un groupe informel
d’extreme-droite, s’est ouvert debut juillet a Istanbul.

Ogun Samast, un chômeur de 17 ans, a avoue avoir commis le meurtre
du journaliste car il etait "un ennemi des Turcs", selon l’acte
d’accusation.

Yasin Hayal et Erhan Tuncel, qui s’est pour sa part defini lors de
l’audience comme un informateur de la police, sont accuses d’avoir
constitue une organisation terroriste, d’avoir planifie le meurtre
et recrute Samast pour l’executer.

La partie civile reclame sans succès depuis plusieurs mois
l’inculpation de membres des forces de securite, coupables selon elle
de collusions avec les accuses.

La cour a cependant accepte en juillet d’etendre le champs de
l’enquete et de faire proceder a la collecte de preuves demandees
par les avocats de la famille du defunt.

Le meurtre de Hrant Dink a choque la societe turque. Plus de 100.000
personnes lui ont rendu hommage en janvier lors d’une marche ponctuee
par le slogan "Nous sommes tous Hrant Dink. Nous sommes tous des
Armeniens".

–Boundary_(ID_ILazM1d4f0amc WNYK4jDMw)–