Author: Jalatian Sonya

MOST RESPONDENTS VOTED FOR SERZH SARKISIAN

A1+
[08:00 pm] 21 December, 2007

Over 1000 people participated in the polls conducted by the "Armenian
Youth Union" NGO in Yerevan December 13-14.

The respondents were asked four questions referring to the presidential
elections.

1. Will you participate at the upcoming elections?

2. Which candidate would you ballot for if elections were held
this Sunday?

3. Which candidate would you ballot for if the candidate you preferred
didn’t run in the elections?

Which candidate would you vote against?

Most respondents (239) voiced support for Prime Minister Serzh
Sarkissian. Vahan Hovhannissian is the second with 133 votes, followed
by Levon Ter-Petrossian with 127 votes.

84 respondents voted for Orinats Yerkir Party Leader Arthur
Baghdasarian, 58 for National Democratic Union Leader Vazgen Manukian,
39 for National Unity Party Leader Artashes Geghamian, 32 for People’s
Party Leader Tigran Karapetian, 3 for National Concord Party Leader
Aram Harutiunian and 3 for Arman Melikian.

155 people voted against all candidates.

116 people will vote for Arthur Baghdasarian, 92 for Vazgen Manukian,
80 for Vahan Hovhannissian, 56 for Serzh Sarkissian, 57 for Artashes
Geghamian, 28 for Tigran Karapetian, 9 for Levon Ter-Petrossian and
7 for Aram Harutiunian in case the candidate they prefer doesn’t run
in the elections.

The NGO will hold polls till the presidential elections.

MEDICAL SERVICE OF PREGNANT WOMEN IN ARMENIA TO BECOME FREE OF CHARGE

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Dec 20 2007

YEREVAN, December 20. /ARKA/. The medical service of pregnant women
in Armenia will become free of charge, said Minister of Healthcare
Haroutiun Kushkyan during the government briefing.

"The Government made a decision to make free of charge the medical
service of women during the pregnancy, delivery and post-birth period
on all diseases not connected with pregnancy," he said.

He said that this decision is made taking into account the priority
of health protection of a mother and child, women of reproductive
age. However, he specified that the analyses for pregnant women will
still remain chargeable.

"As earlier, the analyses for future mothers will be free of charge
only on the 12th and 36th weeks of pregnancy," he said.

Kushkyan informed that according to the Government’s decision, dental
service for children up to 12 will become free of charge instead of
previous 8 years old.

"By the governmental decision, the order of paying compensation
to doctors sent to the country’s regions for the intensification
of medical services of population in mountainous, distant and
hard-to-reach areas is approved," he said.

OLD GUARDS ADVANCE THE ATTACK
Gagik Lazarian

Hayots Ashkharh
Dec 20 2007
Armenia

As we know, there are creatures among the amphibious and reptiles
that are gifted with "self-restoration" ability. The reptiles, for
example, once attacked by the predators, get rid of their tail and
later grow it within 3-4 months. Salamanders can grow their damaged
limbs, part of organs, even brains.

But the phenomenon of the regeneration of organs is more typical
of Armenian Pan National Movement. Till the recent times, it seemed
this political power doesn’t exist any more. Poor Paruyr Hayrikyan
was yelling that we deal with a dead body. But it turned out that
the sick is far not dead.

These days the headquarters of the presidential candidates, including
Levon Ter-Petrosyan are in the process of formation. As we managed
to clarify the following coordinators are attached to the latter’s
provincial headquarters from the central one.

Aragatsotny Province: Masis Ayvazyan, Raffi Melkonyan, Hayk Atanesyan,
and Margar Hambardsumyan.

Ararat Province: Hovhannes Igityan, Razmik Mnatsakanyan, Tariel
Yeghiazaryan, and Vasil Khanadyan.

Armavir Province: Hovhannes Ghazaryan.

Gegharkunik: Samvel Gevorgyan, Koryun Mheryan.

Lory Province: Sargis Tamazyan, Ruben Voskanyan, and Karen Sargsyan.

Kotayk Province: Yerjanik Abgaryan, Aram Bareghamyan, Abraham
Matevosyan, and Husik Melkonyan.

Shirak Province: Andranik Hovakimyan, Razmik Meloyan, and Harutyun
Urutyan.

Syunik Province: Kochar Davtyan.

Vayots Dsor Province: Aram Manukyan.

Tavush Province: Khachatur Kokobelyan, Arthur Atabekyan, and Hamlet
Badalyan.

These are the people, who skillfully snap their whips like shepherds,
whose mission is to drive the electorate of the provinces by the
right direction. So that, God forbid, they go astray, so that they
themselves will go and vote for the ex-President.

As they say, all are well known figures. We know many of the before
mentioned activists of Armenian Pan National Movement as falsifiers
of 1995 parliamentary and 1996 presidential elections.

It is a bygone story and we wouldn’t dig this ash, but for
our astonishment on Levon Ter-Petrsoyan’s behavior. Why does he
persistently try to distinguish himself from Armenian Pan National
Movement, he even self-nominated his candidacy for presidency. He
shouldn’t be ashamed of his surrounding, the before mentioned "human
resource bank" is a vivid fact.

ARTASHES GEGHAMIAN MAY BE IDEOLOGICAL AND POLITICAL RIVAL AT UPCOMING ELECTIONS, SERGE SARGSIAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Dec 20, 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. "Although I do not agree with many
ideas of the chairman of the National Unity" Artashes Geghamian,
I think that he may be an ideological and political rival at the
presidential elections," the RA prime minister Serge Sargsian stated
during a talk with reporters on December 20. Not denying the fact of
having a meeting with A. Geghamian, he said that he is ready to meet
with all political figures who have a constructive position.

According to S. Sargsian, he has participated in many pre-election
processes, but having mixed with people this time, he has noticed some
posistive changes in the public’s attitude to the authorities. "I am
afraid of violating ever the people’s trust," he said.

Speaking about his interview to "The Financial Times", during which
he said that Turkey’s joining the European Union will contribute to
improvement of the Armenian-Turkish relations, the prime minister
stated that he did not say anything new but he just took the
opportunity to express once more Armenia’s position which has been
voiced repeatedly.

LEVON TER-PETROSIAN MEETS WITH EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE

Noyan Tapan
Dec 19 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The first Armenian president Levon
Ter-Petrosian on December 19 met with the EU Special Representtaive
for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby. During one-hour meeting,
they discussed the home political situation in Armenia, the upcoming
presidential elections and numerous issues related to setllement of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

NT was informed by the office of political initiatives on nomination
of L. Ter-Petrsosian that the executive official of Peter Semneby’s
Yerevan office Andrey Didenko also participated in the meeting.

HAYK DEMOYAN: TODAY’S TURKEY IS NOT ABLE TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Noyan Tapan
Dec 19, 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. Turkey can become a European Union
member and express loyalty to European values only if it founds a
Museum of Armenian Genocide in Ankara and thus, gives the Turkish
youth a possibility to get acquainted with one of the darkest pages of
their history by visiting the museum. Hayk Demoyan, the Director of
the Museum-Institute of Armenian Genocide, expressed such an opinion
at the hearings on the subject "Armenian-Turkish relations: problems
and prospects" organized on December 19 at the RA National Assembly.

According to him, today’s Turkey is not able to recognize the Armenian
Genocide, as a history and artificial ideas have been created for
it, which are the basis of the whole Turkish nationalism. In case of
their reconsideration, according to H. Demoyan, the whole system of
Turkish state identity will be destroyed.

JOSEPH PENNINGTON HOPES THAT STORY OF HOAGLAND WILL NOT BE REPEATED IN ISSUE OF APPROVING CANDIDATURE OF NEW U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Dec 17 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, NOYAN TAPAN. Joseph Pennington, Charge d’Affaires
of the United States, supposes that soon the White House will mention
the name of the new candidate to the post of the U.S. Ambassador to
Armenia. He stated this at the December 17 press conference. "The
U.S. is absolutely convinced that the Armenian government will realize
the necessity to have an ambassador and the story of the previous
year will not be repeated."

It should be mentioned that in 2006 the White House stated about
nomination of Richard Hoagland to the post of the U.S. Ambassador
to Armenia. However, the procedure of approval of his candidature in
Senate dragged out for a year. And in summer of the current year the
White House made a decision to withdraw R. Hoagland’s candidature.

CATHOLIC PRIEST ASSAULTED IN TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
17.12.2007 14:31 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A Catholic priest of de Saint Antuan church was
stabbed in Turkey on Sunday, police said.

Father Adriano Francini was stabbed in the stomach in the attack in
the Saint Antoine Church in the western city of Izmir, but his life
is not in danger, a police official, requesting anonymity, said.

The 19-year-old assailant, identified only by his initials R.B.,
was caught shortly afterwards with the knife he used in the attack.

Last year, Turkish ultranationalists killed Catholic priest Andrea
Santoro in Trabzon.

In April 2007, in Malatia, ultra-right organization members raided
into a Christian publishing house, killing 3 people, including a
German citizen. The prosecutor’s office demands life sentence to
three culprits accused of the crime, NTV reports.

CAUCASUS RAILWAY COULD SPUR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Associated Content, CO
Dec 15 2007

The Power and Interest News Report (PINR), an independent
organization that provides conflict analysis services in the context
of international relations, has published a new report titled "The
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway: The First Step in a Long Process." The
report, authored by Stefan Bocioaca and published December 13, is
available on the PINR web site.

Construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars, or BTK, railway got under way
in Marabda, South Georgia late last month, marking the beginning of
a rail linkage between Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia. The project,
which consists of 18 miles of track in Georgia and 47 miles of rail
in Turkey, is projected to be finished in the next 1-2 years. PINR
notes that both Europe and China are interested in the railway because
Chinese goods could be transported to Europe more quickly than is
currently possible with along the trans-Siberian route. China is
also pursuing an effort to connect with Europe through a new network
utilizing multiple modes of transportation, including road, rail,
air, and sea. The report also notes that the railway could be expanded
to include Europe after the completion of a tunnel project under the
Istanbul strait.

Armenia, PINR notes, wanted to be included in any rail project in
order to prevent further isolation and dependence on Georgia.

However, two of the major players, Azerbaijan and Turkey, wanted
Armenia to remove its military forces from Azerbaijan in order to
participate in the railway endeavor. And as the report says, there
is not much likelihood of that happening any time soon.

According to the report, Azerbaijan hopes that the new railway project
will help further regional integration, along with trade and foreign
direct investment. Additionally, the report says, the new project will
allow the nations of Central Asia and the Caucasus to bypass Russia
while still connecting themselves with Europe. Regional integration is
becoming more evident, as the report notes, with Azerbaijan’s State
Oil Company opening a port terminal in Georgia and investing in a
petrochemical company in Turkey. Additionally, the report notes,
Turkey is increasing its level of investment in Azerbaijan and is
Georgia’s largest trading partner.

The report closes by noting that the new railway project is an
essential element in a developing transcontinental passageway that
could serve as an example for other states. Regional problems still
exist, however, and disputes over the Caspian Sea, along with ethnic
and religious conflicts, will present serious challenges, PINR notes.

Source: The Power and Interest News Report web site

633/caucasus_railway_could_spur_regional.html

MUNICIPALITY AGAINST GALA TV COMPANY FOUNDER "CHAP" COMPANY CASE STARTS IN GYUMRI

Noyan Tapan
Dec 13, 2007

GYUMRI, DECEMBER 13, NOYAN TAPAN. It is already the second day in the
Gyumri residence of the Economic Court of the Republic of Armenia the
hearing of the case filed against the "ChAP" Limited Liability Company,
the founder of the "GALA" TV Company of Gyumri, according to the claim
of the municipality of Gyumri, with which the latter demands to free
the TV tower belonging to the city from the broadcasting equipments
of the "GALA" TV Company, has been continuing.

Before the case was filed to court the Mayor of Gyumri, in response
to the call of Levon Barseghian, the Chairman of the Board of the
"Asparez" Journalists’ Club of Gyumri, for settling the problem
through negotiations instead of turning to court, said that the
municipality is ready to conduct lease negotiations with the given
LLC on condition that the TV company will pay for using the tower
for the past 2.5 years as well. Vahan Khachatrian, the Head of the
TV company, regarded this suggestion as inadmissible, claming that if
the municipality registered the property right of the TV tower in the
land-survey only on November 5, 2007 and did not manage the TV tower
during the period predecing it, if it did not have a lease contract
with the TV company and had not informed it in any way about the fact
the TV tower belongs to the municipality with the property right,
the claim of the municipality, according to which the TV company is
to make a payment for the past 2.5 years, is groundless.

On the very first day of the lawsuit lawyer Karen Tumanian, a
member of the RA Chamber of Advocates and the representative of
the respondent side, introduced a draft conciliation agreement to
the court and offered to allow to conduct negotiations around the
conciliation conditions. According to the draft conciliation agreement,
the respondent side proposed to give on lease the TV tower to the
"ChAP" LLC for the forthcoming six months on condition that they will
continue the contract in future. The representative of the plaitiff
refused the conciliation suggestion. The court made a decision to
also refute the counterclaim of the respondent side.

Karen Tumanian, the representative of the respondent side, came
up with a new petition and objected to the candidature of the
judge. The rejection was introduced to the judge in the written
form. The court closed the court session until the next day after
receiving the rejection. On December 11 judge Ed. Nahapetian declared
that the rejection has been dismissed in the higher instance and the
court will continue to hear the case with the same staff. Respondent
side representative Karen Tumanian made a petition, with which he
introduced the fact that he has protested against the decision of
judge Ed. Nahapetian on not taking the counterclaim presented by him
on the previous day into examination in the Court of Appeal, asking
to eliminate the decision of the judge on not taking the counterclaim
of the respondent side into examination. The respondent side made
a petition to break off the lawsuit until he receives the answer of
his appeal. The judge declared that his petition is dismissed.

Respondent side representative Karen Tumanian made a new petition
and made a rejection to the judge for the second time. The rejection,
in particular, runs as follows: "This argument is not so much of legal
character as it has been made political and personal. The founders and
the management of the "ChAP" Limited Liability Company does not have
confidence towards the impartiality of Ed. Nahapetian, the judge of
the Gyumri residence. In the given case the close relations between
Vardan Ghukasian, the Mayor of Gyumri, and the presiding judge give
rise to doubt with regard to the impartiality of the judge."

The court closed the court session until December 13 after the second
rejection made to itself.