Author: Jalatian Sonya

Earthtimes, UK
Feb 14 2008

Four hospitalized after plane crashes on takeoff in Armenia
Posted : Thu, 14 Feb 2008 06:49:06 GMT
Author : DPA

Travel General News | Home

Moscow – A Belarusan passenger plane caught fire Thursday on takeoff
from the Armenian capital of Yerevan, sending four people to
hospital. The Canadian-built CRJ-100 plane belonging to the Belavia
airline overshot the runway, tipped onto one of its wings, broke in
two and caught fire, the Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported.

Belorusan Transport Minister Xenia Perestoronina said the 21 people
on board were lucky to be alive.

Most of the injured were treated on the airport’s field, but four
passengers were taken to hospital.

The cause of the accident involving the Minsk-bound flight was not
immediately known.

TOM LANTOS: 1928-2008

Stockton Record
cle?AID=/20080213/A_OPINION01/802130312/-1/A_OPINI ON06
Feb 13 2008
CA

Tom Lantos, the conscience of Congress, can only echo now.

But what noble reverberations.

The only Holocaust survivor to become a member of the House of
Representatives, the San Mateo Democrat died of cancer at 80 on Monday.

His life was a monument to courage, righteous indignation and defending
the oppressed. His three-decade political career reached its apex
in January 2007, when Lantos became chairman of the House Foreign
Affairs Committee.

The 14-term congressman was a determined protector of human rights
with unwavering principles.

He was a staunch defender of Israel, a vocal critic of totalitarian
regimes, a supporter of the U.S. invasion of Iraq and founder in 1983
of the bipartisan Congressional Human Rights Caucus.

Born in Budapest, Hungary, in 1928, Lantos was 16 when the Nazis
occupied his country and sent him to a labor camp. Twice he escaped,
the second time reaching the protection of Raoul Wallenberg, the
Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Jews in World War II.

After the war, most of his family killed at Auschwitz, Lantos
reunited with childhood friend Annette Tilleman, who had escaped to
Switzerland. They married and moved to the United States, where Lantos
earned a doctorate in economics from the University of California,
Berkeley. He taught for 30 years at San Francisco State University.

Lantos, first elected to the House in 1980, made the most of his one
year as House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman.

Members of the committee demanded Japanese officials apologize
for wartime sex slavery by their military. In a principled but
controversial move, committee members declared Turkey’s mass killing
of Armenians during World War I an act of genocide.

No government was too powerful and no issue too delicate for Lantos,
who frequently criticized Chinese leaders for human rights abuses. He
was arrested in 2006 outside the Sudanese Embassy in Washington,
D.C., protesting the mass killings in Darfur.

Lantos’ legacy emboldens us never to ignore suffering, always to speak
up for the nameless and oppressed and to consistently confront evil
and tyranny.

SASHA AFIAN APPOINTED DEPUTY CHIEF OF RA POLICE

Noyan Tapan
Feb 12, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. Sasha Afian has been appointed
Deputy Chief of the Police under the RA Government by the February
12 decree of Robert Kocharian, the President of the Republic of
Armenia. This information was provided to Noyan Tapan by the RA
President’s Press Office.

ON FEBRUARY 19 AND 20 CELEBRATIONS IN STEPANAKERT WILL BE BROADCAST LIVE ON THE PUBLIC TELEVISION OF ARMENIA

KarabakhOpen
12-02-2008 11:25:43

On February 19 and 20 the celebration of the 20th anniversary of
the movement of Artsakh in Stepanakert will be broadcast live on the
Public Television of Armenia. It will overlap with the presidential
election in Armenia but never mind.

We have learned that till February 19 the activists of the movement
will meet with students at the schools of Karabakh.

In the evening of February 19 a solemn meeting will be held. On
February 20 there will be an immense rally at the central square
of Stepanakert which will be concluded with the speech of the
president. Afterwards the participants of the rally will go to the
Memorial. On the same day the president will meet with the participants
of the historic session of the Soviet of People’s Deputies of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region on February 20, 1988.

Celebration will continue through the year. In May an international
conference will be held. In July and August a gathering of youth will
be organized in Stepanakert. In fall the celebrations will continue
in Yerevan.

ARTUR BAGHDASARIAN STATED THAT "MY VICTORY DURING THE ELECTIONS WILL LEAD TO THE START OF AN ABSOLUTELY NEW DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE AUTHORITIES AND NGOS"

Mediamax
February 11, 2008

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Armenian presidential candidate, Leader of
"Orinats Yerkir" Party Artur Baghdasarian stated in Yerevan today
that "my victory during the elections will lead to the start of an
absolutely new dialogue between the authorities and NGOs".

Mediamax reports that, speaking at a meeting with the representatives
of public organizations today, Artur Baghdasarian noted that at present
the authorities do not pay attention to a number of serious problems,
which are raised by the representatives of the non-governmental sector.

The candidate noted that all the Ministries and Department of Armenia
should closely cooperate with NGOs for exchange of information and
for joint decision-making. Artur Baghdasarian also stated that the
public organizations have the right to count on the financial support
of the state.

UITE PROPOSES HOLDING "DIGITECH 2008" EXHIBITION AND "ARMTECH 2008"
CONGRESS AT SAME TIME

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The Union of Information Technology
Enterprises of Armenia (UITE) has offered Tony Moroyan – the organizer
of Armtech congress, chairman of Viasphere International company
operating in Silicon Valley, founder of Viasphere Technopark in Armenia
– to hold Armtech 2008 congress and Digitech 2008 exhibition in Armenia
at the same time. The UITE executive director Karen Vardanian announced
this at the congress of the UITE held on February 6. It is envisaged to
hold Digitech (organized traditionally by the UITE jointly with other
co-organizers) on October 3-5, while all-Armenian Armtech congress – in
September.

In the words of K. Vardanian, it is planned that UITE will hold
DigiTech E-Executive exhibition-forum on June 13-14. The event will be
dedicated to use of information technologies in business and is
envisaged for corporate users only. Prior to the exhibition, the UITE
will conduct a study on Armenian companies’ demand for IT solutions.
Besides, E-gov conference on problems related to formation of
information society in Armenia will take place in Yerevan on November
28-30.

K. Vardanian said that starting from this year, the union envisages to
give awards to organizations and persons who have achieved success in
various fields of information and communication sphere.

It was mentioned that the UITE will organize the participation of 10
information and communication companies in GeBit exhibition in Hanover
(Germany) on March 4-9. State budgetary resources have been provided
for rental of the Armenian pavilion at the exhibition. Besides, with
the assistance of the union, Armenia will be presented at WCIT in Kuala
Lumpur on May 19-22. An official delegation of Armenian will also take
part in this congress.

According to K. Vardanian, a new portal of the UITE will operate in a
month. It will become "the gate of Armenian IT industry" and open new
opportunities for cooperation.

During the UITE congress, the executive director of Sorsio company
Hovhannes Avoyan was reelected the UITE chairman. The executive
director of UITE will be appointed at the upcoming sitting of the union
board.

Panorama.am

13:01 08/02/2008

MONITORING: FIRST WEEK OF CAMPAIGN

`This year’s pre electoral campaign and its coverage
by the media differs from the last one by its more
neutral and equal side,’ said Roberta Bonacci, the
chairwoman of the `Ecoresearch’ international
organization.

The international organization carried out a
monitoring on Mass media in Armenia in the election
time with the order of democratic European foundation.
Today the organization published its report. According
to them the first week of the campaign was researched.

`We found out that Armenian Mass media is a step
advanced compared with the last years,’ said Karen
Prichard, the head of the organization. Two candidates
were more covered than the others; they are Levon
Ter-Petrosyan and Serzh Sargsyan.

Note that all the Mass media was researched except the
online publications. The above mentioned organization
cooperates with `Mediabrand’ company.

Source: Panorama.am

TWO PUBLIC OPINION POLLS GIVE PRIME MINISTER HUGE LEAD

ARMENPRESS
Feb 06 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS: Head of a local polling and research
center unveiled today the findings of another of public opinion surveys
which found that nearly half of eligible Armenians have made a final
decision on who to vote for in the February 19 presidential election.

Aharon Adibekian, head of Sociometr center, said this figure was
derived from a comparative analysis of six surveys conducted late
last and this year.

Speaking at a news conference Mr. Adibekian, whose surveys have been
criticized by opposition as lacking credibility, ‘because they are
commissioned by the government", said 12 percent of voters are still
swinging and 11 percent did not wish to reveal the name of their
candidate. Therefore, said Adibekian, it appears that some 68 percent
of eligible voters are expected to go to the polls. The voter turnout
in regions beyond Yerevan is expected to be even higher.

Some 25 percent of respondents are not interested in politics at all
and in all likelihood they will boycott the February 19 ballot. Four
percent of Armenians cited their fundamental opposition to national
elections and will ignore the ballot too while three percent are
still undecided about their participation.

According to Aharon Adibekian, 67 percent of those who have made a
final decision, who make 45 percent, will vote for prime minister
Serzh Sarkisian, 13 percent for a former parliament chairman Arthur
Baghdasarian, 11 percent for ex-president Levon Ter-Petrosian,
five percent for a deputy parliament chairman Vahan Hovhanesian,
2 percent for Vazgen Manukian and 1 percent for Artashes Geghamian,
Three other candidates-Arman Melikian, Tigran Karapetian and Aram
Harutunian will get each less than 1 percent.

Aharon Adibekian said based on these figures there is a very little
probability of a run-off because, according to his calculations,
even if the swinging segment who are 16 percent, votes for opposition
candidates that would not affect the final results.

He said even if two or more opposition candidates decide to team up
and contest the election with one joint candidate that would neither
impede prime minister to win the election outright as overall the
opposition would garner less than 30 percent of all votes.

Aharon Adibekian further said the poll showed that ex-president Levon
Ter-Petrosian ‘enjoys’ the highest negative popularity rating of almost
40 percent while prime minister Sarkisian’s negative reputation rating
is 9 percent. That of Arthur Baghdasarian is 3 percent.

The poll also revealed that 73 percent of residents receive related
information from TV channels. The second important source of
information are routine conversations and rumors.

Today were unveiled also findings of another public opinion poll that
was commissioned by the government-controlled Public TV and Radio
Council to a British Populus research center. The field work was
done by the Armenian Sociological Association, also criticized by the
opposition, on Januarys 21-29 among 1,500 respondents and according
to its chief, Andrew Cooper, the Armenian poll has a margin of error
of 2.6 percent.

According to the Populus poll, 50.7 percent of respondents will vote
for Serzh Sarkisian, 13.4 percent for Arthur Baghdasarian and 12.6
percent for Levon Ter-Petrosian. Vahan Hovhanesian will get almost
8 percent of the vote.

The Populus poll also revealed that 56 percent of Armenians will
go to polling stations on the voting day. Also 57 percent think
that Armenia is on the right track. Most optimistic in this sense,
according to Cooper are young people. Fifty-four percent of people
aged 18-34 believe their and their families’ living standards would
improve in the next 12 months.

The survey also revealed Armenians’ treatment of foreign counties
and international organizations.

Thus, 88 percent named Russia as Armenia’s most reliable partner,
which is followed by France (70 percent) and the EU (63 percent).

CHAIRMAN OF NATIONAL-DEMOCRATIC PARTY ADMITS LOW PROBABILITY OF SHRINKAGE OF ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES’ NUMBER

2008-02-07 17:15:00

ArmInfo. "I think the probability of shrinkage of the Armenian
presidential candidates’ number is low, though one shouldn’t rule it
out at all", Chairman of the National-Democratic Party (NDP) Shavarsh
Kocharyan told journalists at Pastark club, Thursday.

He said that there are two days left before the deadline for submission
of applications for withdrawal of nominees to the Central Electoral
Commission, and the list of contenders for the highest state position
is unlikely to undergo any changes. Asked to comment upon probable
consolidation of presidential candidates Arthur Baghdasaryan and
Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Kocharyan said: "If they imagine such kind of
consolidation, let them consolidate".

At the same time, he confirmed that the supporters of presidential
candidate Vazgen Manukyan encouraged by the NDP and those of ARF
Dashnaksutyun Party are still holding political negotiations. We
have much in common, however, our positions are not so much alike
to let us consolidate. Forces with national-democratic ideology
have gathered around Vazgen Manukyan, and ARF Dashnaksutyun is a
socialist party. But one thing is clear: our cooperation with ARFD
will become deeper regardless of the results of the forthcoming
presidential election", Kocharyan said. Thus, the attempt to get
a unambiguous answer to the question whether the negotiations with
ARFD may finish with the withdrawal of Vazgen Manukyan’s candidacy
in Vahan Hovhannisyan’s favor has failed.

HERITAGE PARTY PARLIAMENTARY FACTION LEAVES SESSION HALL AS A SIGN OF PROTEST

arminfo
2008-02-06 13:31:00

ArmInfo. Fifty-five deputies attended the Wednesday sitting of the
Parliament of Armenia, ArmInfo correspondent to the Parliament
reports. To open the sitting, deputies lacked 9 votes. However,
deputies managed to ensure additional votes for the quorum, 71 in
total, voting instead of their colleagues, by tradition. As a result,
members of Heritage party faction left the session hall as a sign
of protest. Only the full staff of the Republican Party of Armenia
faction and their ally Prosperous Armenia party faction attended
the sitting. Nevertheless, the incident did not hold Speaker Tigran
Torosyan from continuing the sitting. It is noteworthy that the
factions of Orinats Yerkir and ARFD parties were absent. In general,
there are 131deputy mandates in the Armenian Parliament.