Author: Jalatian Sonya

GUAM IS A PROPAGANDISTIC INITIATIVE

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.07.2008 15:21 GMT+04:00

GUAM was formed as an artificial organization pointed at Russia,
a Russian expert said.

"Presently, Moldova tends to Russia; Ukraine is experiencing
serious processes which can introduce changes into its foreign
policy. Azerbaijan and Georgia have nothing in common. I do
not eye GUAM as a threat to Russia. It’s merely a propagandistic
initiative. The states serving on it are not interested in resolution
of conflicting," Mikhail Alexandrov, head of the Caucasus department
at Moscow’s Institute for Commonwealth of Independent States, said
when responding to a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter’s question during a
news conference in Yerevan.

GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova) was formed in 1997
on initiative of Heydar Aliyev and Eduard Shevarnadze. Moldova’s
President Vladimir Voronin did not attend the past three summits of
the organization, his country being represented by Prime Minister or
Foreign Minister.

SUKHOI TRAINS ADDITIONAL CREWS FOR SUKHOI SUPERJET-100 TESTS

Itar-Tass
16.07.2008, 20.45

The Sukhoi Civil Aircraft company has started training additional
crews for certification tests of the Sukhoi SuperJet-100 regional
plane, the company press service said.

"Since four planes will gradually be brought into the programme of
certification tests, the company’s flight service puts additional
crews into operation. Nikolai Pushenko made the first flight on the
plane on June 29," the press service said, adding that the flight
lasted over 30 hours.

The installation of systems on the second plane has been completed. The
third and the fourth planes are being assembled.

The plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur has launched serial production of
the new plane in parallel to its test flying.

SuperJet-100 will in the future provide the basis for a whole family
of planes, including transport and special purpose planes. However now
the main goal is the certification of the plane and serial production
of 60-70 planes annually.

The Sukhoi SuperJet-100 plane went on its maiden flight in May 2008.

Sukhoi considers the production of Sukhoi SuperJet to be priority and
its specialists are working hard to make sure that the plane takes
off the ground for flight-testing.

"The whole testing cycle will take less than a year," First Deputy
Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov sa id earlier.

The aircraft plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur had already started serial
production of the plane for Aeroflot.

The delivery of the first Sukhoi SuperJet-100 planes initially
scheduled for the end of 2008 will be delayed due to changes in the
schedule of test flights.

According to the initial plan, the first plane was to be supplied to
Aeroflot at the end of this year.

The project is implemented by Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company created
in 2000.

Experts say that the SuperJet-100 project will secure Russia’s
leadership on the market of regional planes. Sukhoi Civil Aircraft is
a subsidiary of the famous Sukhoi combat aircraft manufacturer. It
was created to implement the latter’s civilian projects. The chief
task of the company is to develop a regional Superjet-100 plane that
will replace Tu-134 liners that are now in use.

The Sukhoi Superjet-100 family consists of two types of aircraft of
basic and increased flying ranges with the carrying capacity of 75
and 95 passengers respectively.

The company is trying to make the tow types of plane as universal as
possible in order to increase the number of potential buyers.

The design of the plane meets the requirements applicable in Russia,
the Commonwealth of Independent States and the West.

As of the beginning of 2008, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft had confirmed
contracts for 73 SuperJet-100 planes and 31 options, including first
contracts with Aeroflot (3 0 planes), the Financial Leasing Company
(10 planes), AirUnion (15 planes), DalAvia (6 planes), Italian airline
ItAli (10planes), and the Armenian company Armavia (2 planes).

REGULAR LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN COMMUNITIES ON SEPTEMBER 7 AND 28

NOYAN TAPAN

JU LY 15

Regular self-government elections are scheduled in Yerevan communities
in September. According to the official website of the Central
Electoral Commission, prefect and council of elders members elections
will be held on September 7 in the Erebuni, Kanaker-Zeytun, Arabkir,
Nubarashen communities of Yerevan and regular council of elders
elections will be held in the Malatia-Sebastia, Achapniak communities.

Prefect and council of elders elections will be held on September
28 in the Kentron and Nor Nork communities and council of elders
regular elections will be held in the Nork-Marash, Avan, Davitashen,
Shengavit communities.

PRESS RELEASES: U.S.-ARMENIAN JOINT ACTION PLAN ON COMBATING NUCLEAR SMUGGLING

State Department Documents and Publications
July 14, 2008
USA

Sun, 13 Jul 2008
Fact Sheet
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
July 14, 2008

U.S.-Armenian Joint Action Plan on Combating Nuclear Smuggling

Secretary of State Condoleezza Enhanced Coverage LinkingSecretary
of State Condoleezza -Search using: Biographies Plus News News, Most
Recent 60 Days Rice and Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
signed on July 14, 2008, the "Joint Action Plan between the Government
of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of
Armenia on Combating Smuggling of Nuclear and Radioactive Materials."

This political agreement expresses the intention of the two governments
to cooperate to increase the capabilities of the Republic of Armenia
to prevent, detect, and respond effectively to attempts to smuggle
nuclear or radioactive materials. It specifies twenty-eight agreed
steps that the two governments intend to be taken for this purpose.

The governments agree that they will proceed along parallel paths
in implementing this action plan. The Republic of Armenia intends
to implement those steps that it is capable of carrying out on
its own. For those steps where assistance is needed, the United
States intends to seek to identify sources, from within either
the U.S. government or the international community, to provide
such assistance. This assistance would complement and be carefully
coordinated with the aid the Republic of Armenia is already receiving
from various U.S. and international assistance programs.

With this agreement, the U.S. and Armenian governments are
significantly enhancing their collaborative efforts to combat the
threat that nuclear or highly radioactive materials could be acquired
by terrorists or others who would use them to harm us.

This is the fifth agreement of this nature that has been concluded by
the U.S. government’s Nuclear Smuggling Outreach Initiative. Previous
agreements were completed with Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Georgia, and the
Kyrgyz Republic, and the U.S. government intends to conclude similar
agreements with approximately twenty additional countries where the
risk of nuclear smuggling is of particular concern. To date, eight
countries and three international organizations have partnered with
the U.S. government to provide assistance to support implementation
of these agreements.

Secretary of Heritage faction: Armenian authorities will have to reckon
with Public Council as the latter’s creation is conditioned with
restoration of public confidence in authorities

2008-07-13 17:38:00

ArmInfo. The Armenian authorities will have to reckon with the Public
Council as the latter’s creation is conditioned by restoration of
public confidence in the authorities, Stepan Safaryan, the secretary of
the parliamentary faction of the oppositional Heritage Party, told
ArmInfo correspondent, Saturday.

"I am convinced that the republic’s authorities simply have no other
way out as they think that in conditions of social and political
tension the creation of the Public Council is the shock-absorber which
should dampen the tension", he stressed. At the same time, he stressed
that public organizations may play a great role in formation of the
forthcoming dialogue between the society and the authorities, and the
public organizations are the only interlayer between people and the
authorities. He expressed confidence that a number of Armenian NGOs
enjoy public confidence, this is not a small achievement which should
become an additional factor in the process of establishment of
atmosphere of mutual understanding between the authorities and society
of Armenia, Safaryan said in conclusion.

The Public Council is being set up as an advisory body on the basis of
RA president’s decree dated June 13. A commission has been set up to
coordinate the Public Council’s formation. The commission includes
politicians and public figures, artists, scientists and sportsmen. The
Council will finally be formed before September 2008, it will consider
issues of state importance, analyze laws and acts, as well as the
president’s decrees.

PRESS RELEASE
The Armenian Genocide Museum and Institute
Memorial Complex of Tsitsernakabert, Yerevan 0028
Tel: 374 10 39 09 81
Fax: 374 10 39 10 41

Contact: Arevik Avetisyan
[email protected]

Presentation of Sirak Sarhatian’s `My Memoirs"

On July 15th of 2008, the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute will host
the congratulatory event dedicated to Sirak Sarhatian’s `My Memoirs’
book. This event will take place at 2pm in the Komitas Hall of the
Institute. The first publication of the `My Memoirs’ had been
conducted by the author himself and had taken place in Tehran, of
1942. This recent publication has materialized due to the extensive
efforts of the Research on Armenian Architecture (RAA) center.

Born in the Aikesdan region of Van, Sirak Sarhatian’s `My Memoirs’
provides us with a unique, extensive and explicate perspective on the
heroic resistance of the Armenians of Van and the human struggle for
survival during the genocidal periods of 1915-1918. Furthermore, the
book provides us with, a broad overlook on the struggles of the
survivors and a microscopic view of the specific fortunes of certain
individuals who lived through the genocide.

The second edition is dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the
independence of the First Vaspouragan Armenian Republic (January 6th,
1918).

ARMENIA’S FOREIGN MINISTER TO PAY 4-DAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO USA

ARKA
July 11

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan will leave for the USA
on July 13 for a four-day official visit, the RA Foregin Ministry’s
press service reports.

Nalbandyan’s meeting is scheduled with U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice, senators, the leadership of the Millennium Challenge
Corporation and representatives of Armenian organizations in the USA.

The Foreign Minister will make a speech in the Carnegie Foundation
about Armenia’s foreign policy.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Yusuf Halacoglu: I receive proposals to find out what really happened
10.07.2008 14:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey-Armenia relations have changed, according to
Professor Yusuf Halacoglu, head of Turkish Historical Society.

"I receive proposals from Dahsnaks to find out what really
happened. If Armenians are sincere, it will be known soon. I will not
believe in Serzh Sargsyan’s sincerity unless Armenians recognize
territorial integrity of Turkey and stop occupation of Nagorno
Karabakh", he said.

`Proposals come not from Armenia but from the West. You know that
Armenia’s main Diasporas reside in France and the U.S. We will see how
sincere they are. We approach Sargsyan’s proposal in this context", he
said, the Azeri Press Agency reports.

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
July 11 2008

Illegitimate solidarity

by ETYEN MAHÃ?UPYAN

The most recent arrests made as part of the preparation of the
indictment for the Ergenekon file was actually a delayed step because
the possibility of associating the concerned actors — retired
generals, businessmen and journalists — with a probable coup attempt
has already been publicized owing to their actions and statements.
In other words, they have never concealed their ideological stance and
political intentions. Of course, this alone may not be a criminal
element, and this is the probable reason for the delay in taking
action to proceed with arrests. This latest "move" of Prosecutor
Zekeriya Ã-z was made with reference to the Ã`mraniye case. That
is, it is asserted that the people who will likely be arrested have a
connection to weaponry found in Ã`mraniye and assassination plans.
This is a very important development because it is not that easy to
find evidence that their plans were actually put into effect, while it
appears that the so-called Ergenekon network has made its mind up on
the necessity of staging a coup and decisions on how to stage it. In
such a broad ideological network, individual actions of many may be
consistent with the general stance and tendencies while they may not
imply the existence of a chain of command and order. However, if a
connection is established between this network, with access to heavy
weaponry, and incidents like the murder of Hrant Dink (a
Turkish-Armenian journalist assassinated in January 2007), it will be
possible to prove that attempts were made to implement the coup
plans. The arrest of a retired military officer like Å?ener
Eruygur, who has so far enjoyed immunity, will change the quality and
characteristic of the Ergenekon case. It should be noted that Eruygur
is an influential figure
who made at least two coup plans to topple the Justice and
Development Party (AK Party) administration during his term in office
as Gendarmerie commander and sought social legitimacy for a probable
coup by mobilizing the media.

Therefore, it is possible to say that the circle surrounding the
coup-lovers is closing in. In response to this, it has been observed
that the coup supporters resort to two methods. First, they seek to
ensure that the closure process is completed without any compromises;
in other words, they seek to make sure that the AK Party is closed
down. The (Supreme Court of Appeals) chief prosecutor’s oral statement
— which excludes not only law but also logic and reason — may
express a state of panic because in his recent presentation, the chief
prosecutor not only presented constitutional amendments made to lift a
ban on wearing headscarves at universities as evidence for
backwardness but also relied on an argument implying that those who
wear a headscarf should be denied normal citizenship rights. In short,
the AK Party closure case is disconnected from not only the law but
also basic human values. The justification for the closure of this
party is sought in ideological discrimination, and Kemalism is openly
presented as "just" discrimination.

The closure case not being influential enough to offset the Ergenekon
file has apparently increased the panic. The impossibility of the
statist media to extend open support for those seeking to stage a coup
reinforces this deadlock. For this reason, a phony "symmetry" argument
that compares the closure case and Ergenekon is created. Arguments are
raised to prove that both sides politicized the judiciary in an
attempt to become "neutral" and the readers are invited to become
apolitical. The actual argument is the allegation that the AK Party
paid attention to Ergenekon in response to the closure case. However,
the Ergenekon file was opened before the filing of the closure
case. If a countermove should be sought, we have to argue that this
closure case was submitted to render the Ergenekon investigation
ineffective and therefore it was actually part of the coup process. In
addition, we are dealing here with those who are trying to close a
party that did not commit any crime and a network which for years
sponsored murders to accomplish a coup. Perhaps we have to talk about
"illegitimate solidarity" — and not symmetry.

There are currently particular attempts to make Turkey enter a chaotic
atmosphere. Those who fail to generate the chaos needed by the coups
now seek to make the people ambivalent and create chaos in their
minds, with effective assistance by the media. If they succeed, the
coup will achieve its goals and Turkey will be subjected to becoming
an underdeveloped and embarrassing country. At that time, we will no
longer be bothered to go back, analyze and ask why we are like this
because at that point, immorality will stand right before us in vivid
detail.

PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN ATTENDS LAUNCH OF CONSTRUCTION OF A BLOCK OF APARTMENTS FOR YOUNG PROFESSORS

ARMENPRESS
July 9,2008

President Serzh Sargsyan, Yerevan mayor Yervand Zakharian, Yerevan
State University rector Aram Simonyan and pro-rector Arsen Karamyan
attended today the launch of construction of a block of apartments
for young professors and assistant professors of the University.

The high-rise apartment block designed for 261 families will be built
in Yerevan’s Avan district. It will be ten-storey high with 2,3 and 4
room apartments. The ground floor will be for shops, offices and public
services. It will have also all facilities, including safety one,
and modern heating and air conditioning systems, also an underground
parking lot for 181 cars, a green zone and a playing ground.

Pro-rector Arsen Karamyan, who is also chairman of Support to Apartment
Building for Young University Professors non-governmental organization,
said the project became possible thanks to effective support of the
country’s president, who is also chairman of the State University’s
Council.

He said the original idea was to build 64 apartments, but President
Sargsyan suggested that 261 apartments be built. The price of one
square meter is 170,000 drams, although according to experts, the
market price is 350,000 Drams.

Apart from the main group of beneficiaries also extra ones were
selected through casting a lot and if there are vacant apartments they
will be sold to those in the list. This block will be accomplished
in two years and a new one may be launched in 12-18 months.