Author: Jidarian Alex

Pyunik deliver knockout punch
Tuesday 13 November 2007
by Khachik Chakhoyan from Yerevan

Sargis Hovsepyan was proud of Pyunik’s achievement was
proud to see his FC Pyunik side work as "one single
fist" as they claimed the Armenian title for the
seventh season in succession last week.

‘One single fist’
A 4-1 win against FC Ararat Yerevan last Wednesday
finally sealed the championship with a game to spare
after one of the most competitive seasons in recent
memory, and there was time to celebrate after a 2-0
defeat at FC Shirak on Saturday. "My players showed
character and passed some difficult tests," said
Gyulbudaghyants. "We refreshed our squad during the
season and that caused problems, but the players
meshed to form one single fist and we won the title."

Policy change
Before the season, Pyunik’s board elected on a new
tactic, choosing to focus on young, homegrown players
rather than seasoned professionals. That change of
tack was accompanied with friction elsewhere, with
coach Samvel Petrosyan resigning early in the season,
to be replaced by then reserve-team boss
Gyulbudaghyants. For a while it seemed the traditional
giants of Armenian football might fade out of the
title chase but they managed to fight back.

Pyunik philosophy
Pyunik president Karen Harutyunyan said: "There are a
lot of young players in our youth academy making their
first steps in football. We appreciate their efforts
and are proud that some of those youngsters made it to
Pyunik’s starting lineup and helped the club to win
gold medals. It is very encouraging. We will maintain
this policy and keep producing good players – not only
for Pyunik, but for the Armenian national teams."

National duty
That role as the main wellspring of Armenian talent
has kept the pressure up on Pyunik this season. With
the bulk of Armenia’s senior and Under-21 sides being
drawn from the club’s players – and Gyulbudaghyants
himself managing the U19s – the squad has been
stretched. However, the 41-year-old coach feels that
all local clubs have a duty to the nation. "The main
goal for club coaches in Armenia is to prepare players
for our national teams," he said.

Simply the best
In that respect, Pyunik have done their duty well, and
while it has been a tough season, experienced captain
Sargis Hovsepyan knows that they can ultimately look
back with pride. "It doesn’t make any difference how
many rounds were left when we won the title," he said.
"The main thing is that Pyunik won this long, hard
marathon. We earned the most wins, scored the most
goals and conceded fewer goals than any other club.
That’s why we’re the champions."

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TAXING AGENCIES OF ARMENIA FIND OUT A NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS DURING CHECK OF THE ACTIVITY OF GYUMRY’S GALA TV COMPANY

2007-11-12 22:45:00

ArmInfo. A number of major tax violations were found out during
scheduled check of the economic activity of Gyumri’s GALA TV company,
RA Tax Service’s press release says.

In particular, it was found out that the TV company concealed the
real volumes of advertising services and evaded taxes over the period
of September 2005- September 2007. Extra tax liabilities, including
fines and surcharges made up 26mln AMD over the mentioned period. It
was also found out that the TV company also produced Bengal lights
without having a relevant license.

To note, according to the estimations of some mass media GALA TV
company "was subject" to tax inspection because it supports first
Armenian president Levon Ter-Petrosyan.

ARMENIAN-SYRIAN TRADE AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS NEED TO BE DEEPENED AND
THERE ARE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR IT

DAMASCUS, NOVEMBER 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The fourth sitting of the
Armenian-Syrian intergovernmental commission started its work in
Damascus on November 7. The Armenian interdepartmental delegation is
headed by the co-chairman of the Armenian side, RA minister of
agriculture Davit Lokian. The co-chairman of the Syrian side is the
Syrian economy and trade ministr Amer Hosni Lutfi.

Before the opening of the sitting, the co-chairmen had a short meeting
at the Syrian ministry of economy and trade, during which they stressed
the high level of friendly relations between the two countries and
their political will to develop cooperation in various spheres. The
sides stated that the trade and economic relations need to be extended
and deepened and there are great opportunities for it.

After a tete-a-tete conversation, the co-chairmen opened the sitting,
at which a wide range of issues was discussed. Bilateral relations
include such sectors as trade, investments, transport, banking sphere,
customs, agriculture, energy, science, education, and culture.

After the sitting, the deputy ministers of science, education and
culture, and the heads of the national seismic protection services held
separate meetings, during which the development prospects of the
bilateral cooperation were discussed.

During the visit to Syria, the head of the Armenian delegation had a
meeting with the Syrian minister of agriculture Adel Safar, during
which the interlocutors spoke about cooperation in the agricultural
sector. In particular, the sides reached an agreement on mutual
assistance in veterinary services and cattle-breeding and on the
exchange of serums, medicines and planting substances.

On the same day the Armenian agricultural minister met with the
chairman of the Damascus chamber of commerce and industry Imad
Ghriwati. The sides expressed a willingness to organize mutual
industrial exhibitions in Armenia and Syria and to establish business
links.

The Armenian delegation was received by the Syrian prime minister Naji
Ottri on November 8. During the meeting, the co-chairman of the
Armenian side of the intergovernmental commission Davit Lokian
presented the work done by the commission and the agreements reached by
it, noting the sides’ readiness to promote cooperation in trade and
economic sphere, to which the leaders of the two countries attach great
importance.

The prime minister in his turn expressed concern about the volume of
trade, saying that it is inappropriate for the countries with such
friendly political relations. He pointed out the importance of
establishing Armenian-Syrian business links, which is the most
efficient way of reaching the envisaged goals.

The intergovernmental sitting was concluded by signing the documents on
cooperation between the customs, cultural, seismic protection and
information agencies of the two countries.

LOOKING FOR TRIVIAL THINGS INSTEAD OF DOING AN IMPORTANT JOB
Lilit Poghosyan

"Hayots Ashkharh"
9 Nov 07

RPA Deputy-Chair, member of NA "Republican" faction Razmik Zohrabyan
shares his viewpoints about pre-election rumors, the activeness of
the lighthouse of Armenian Pan National Movement Levon Ter-Petrosyan
and particularly his meeting with the young revolutionaries.

"Frankly speaking I consider the hullabaloo around Lavon
Ter-Petrosyan’s meeting with the youth a bit artificial. Can’t the
First President of Armenia gather 600-700 young people and talk with
them. I don’t see anything extraordinary in it.

The only strange thing here is that Levon Ter-Petrosyan called the
activists of Armenian Pan National Movement gangsters. He introduced
it as a joke, but the people took it seriously. In fact the first
president confessed that he couldn’t appoint one of the activists of
Armenian Pan National Movement as the country’s Prime Minister that
is why he had to appoint the President of Karabakh in this post.

Meanwhile he stated that both Serge Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan did
a good job. This means either he couldn’t orient himself at that time
or he is wrong in his evaluations at present.

Levon Ter-Petrosyan had slip-ups in Karabakh issue, in economic
policy, because in few years they scattered the economy that have been
created in 70 years and by the way they sold everything as a metal,
and by the way at pennies, or exported from Armenia. Many countries
in the world have passed through this way, they have transferred
from social system to market relations, but they did it gradually,
not by demolishing economy.

How can a country in war scatter its economy in such a way? And arguing
the economy demolished by himself, saying that Armenia has no future,
that the country cannot progress, he proposed to make unilateral
concessions, cede Karabakh to Azerbaijan. Thanks to God some people,
some political figures managed to recover the economy and meanwhile
to keep Karabakh.

During those 10 years Azerbaijani leaders have adjusted themselves to
the idea that Armenia won’t agree to unilateral concessions. And today
a candidate has appeared, who was once ready for concessions. Naturally
Azerbaijani political figures are hopeful, " Maybe Levon will win,
and we will over again be able to dictate our rules?" I consider it
very dangerous.

"Continuing to "proofread" the history Levon Ter-Petrosyan made a
sensational revelation, announcing that in 1990-92 Serge Sargsyan was
"exiled" from Karabakh and that he brought him to Armenia from Moscow."

"The first President didn’t say the whole truth. Firstly Serge
Sargsyan has never been "exiled from Karabakh". At that time Serge
Sargsyan was really in Moscow, on a very important mission of supplying
armaments. And Levon Ter-Petrosyan is well aware of this fact."

"Some people speculate on Armen Ashotyan’s announcement, saying that
the forthcoming RPA Congress will be historical, because for the first
time on the level of a Congress the Republican Party will nominate
a candidate from among their ranks. In 1991 was Ashot Navasardyan
nominated by the party, or by civil initiative?"

"I was the one who submitted 15 thousand signatures to the Central
Election Commission, as Ahot Navasardyan’s entrusted person. Both
the Republican Party and the Constitutional Right Union nominated
Ashot Navasardyan as a presidential candidate and Hrant Khachatryan
as Vice-President, it is another thing that it was done not by the
Congress but by the Council. At that time according to the existing
legislation 15 thousand signatures were needed.

My young colleague probably meant this, by saying that Ashot
Navasardyan has been nominated by a civil initiative. In essence he is
right, for the first time the Party will nominate a candidacy through
a Congress. Simply the pro-opposition press is trying to create a
hullabaloo from nothing, by speculating on such issues. They don’t
have anything interesting to say."

"Those who are fond of colored revolutions over again are getting
prepared for extraordinary elections. Are the Georgian "lessons"
not enough for the pro-opposition powers to forget about it once and
for all?"

"Really the events in Georgia displayed that all the so-called
"colored revolutions" are temporary phenomena. That is why in some
sense, the citizens are satisfied for some period of time, but some
time later they again have complaints…

Thus some people try to settle their problems, but ordinary people
never benefit from it.

PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN NOT VERY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT RESOLUTION OF THE KARABAKH CONFLICT

armradio.am
07.11.2007 12:26

"I’m not very optimistic about the resolution of the Karabakh
conflict," Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said yesterday after the
speech at the Alexander Institute of the Helsinki University. According
to him, if we consider the project under discussion, an impression
will be created that most of the way has been passed. The principal
disagreements are on 3-4 issues, some of which, according to the
President, are of technical character, and agreement on these is
possible. However, what is happening in reality – arms race, military
rhetoric, constant threats, creates the impression that the question
refers to two completely different projects. "This is a movement in
different directions: the document is brought to some reasonable shape,
but what is happening in reality is quite a different process. That
is why I’m not that optimistic," RA President noted.

In his words, there is a brilliant opportunity to resolve the issue,
but it can be done in the process of implementation. There must be no
preconditions like return of territories before discussing the issue
of status. There must be a fully agreed package, the accomplishment
of which can be hampered by technical and political, objective and
subjective reasons. The issue of territories is also part of the
package. But the question does not refer to all territories: one of
the demands of the Armenian side is that Nagorno Karabakh must have
land communication with Armenia. It’s obvious that Nagorno Karabakh
cannot exist as an enclave.

Asked whether there is any connection between the conflicts existing in
the South Caucasus, the Armenian President noted that the similarity
is that all of these conflicts are the immediate consequence of
the collapse of USSR and the Socialist camp in general. As a rule,
such processes occur in periods of global changes. "I’m confident
that the solution of these conflicts is not interrelated, although
I think that their solution will bring to fewer problems than their
protraction or freezing," Robert Kocharyan noted.

There is the approach that if one of the conflicts, i.e. Kosovo,
is solved, it will lead to a chain reaction. "I’m assured that all
the conflicts that could have emerged for this point, have already
broken out.

It’s simply necessary to think about normal, reasonable
solutions. There is no direct connection between these," the Armenian
President noted.

TURKEY WILL OPEN THE BORDER ONLY IN CASE ARMENIA

armradio.am
06.11.2007 14:52

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told journalists following
the meeting with US President George W Bush that "Turkey will open the
border with Armenia only after it stops the occupation of Azeri lands."

According to Novosti Azerbaijan, Erdogan said that "Armenia’s only wish
is to open the border with Turkey." "But you have occupied Nagorno
Karabakh. The world treats you as an aggressor. It’s necessary to
stop the occupation, which continues up to now. Therefore, we shall
not open the border with Armenia," Erdogan declared.

Turning to the Armenian Genocide issue, the Turkish Prime Minister
noted that "Armenia must open its archives. But they do not do
that. Turkey is ready to face its history, but will Armenia manage
to do the same?" Erdogan declared.

HEARINGS ON FROZEN CONFLICTS OPEN IN BERLIN

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.11.2007 16:06 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ An event on frozen conflicts organized by the
Monitoring Committee of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly
(PACE) and German Institute for International and Security Affairs
opened in Bundestag today.

Armenia is represented by Davit Harutyunian, head of the RA delegation
to PACE, Armen Rustamian, chairman of the permanent parliamentary
committee on foreign affairs and Karine Ghazinian, RA Ambassador
to Germany.

The event is chaired by Eduard Lintner, chief of PACE Monitoring
Committee.

Peter Semneby, European Union Special representative for the South
Caucasus, Thomas Marker, deputy secretary of Council of Europe Venice
Commission, Sergei Markedonov, Russian political scientist and Bruno
Coppieters, Associate Professor at the Vrije Universiteit Brussels
also attended the meeting.

Eduard Lintner making a keynote speech said the Council of Europe
pays attention to the "frozen conflicts" and expressed his anxiety
for the existence of these conflicts in the CE member states.

The other initiator of the event, Dr Uwe Halbach of the German
Institute for International and Security Affairs, also made a
report. He stated that history of several conflicts in former Soviet
countries dates back to the decline of USSR. Dr Halbakh said that
ceasefire is observed on these conflicts at present, but problem was
not solved.

The second part of the event will be dedicated to the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict and will be presided by Lord Russell Johnston, the head of
the PACE Ad Hoc Committee. Jonathan Cohen and Nottingham University
professor Stephan Wolf are expected to give reports.

Speeches of the heads of Azerbaijani and Armenian delegations will
be followed by debates, APA reports.

SECRETARY GENERAL: ARMENIA MEETS ITS COMMITMENTS BEFORE CE

ARKA
Nov 5, 2007

YEREVAN, November 5. /ARKA/. Armenia met its commitments before the
Council of Europe, said Council of Europe Secretary General Terry
Davis during the joint conference with Armenia’s Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian.

"I think that the majority of Armenia’s commitments are fulfilled,"
he said.

At the same time Davis said that by documentation Armenia met all
its commitments, making necessary amendments to a number of laws,
however the CE has some suspicions about the factual process of
fulfilling legislative norms.

"We are not sure that the norms are realized in practice, however,
it should be mentioned that big progress is fixed in Armenia in the
years of reforms," he said.

According to the commitments before the Council of Europe, Armenia
was to make amendments to the Constitution, Election Code and a number
of laws.

On November 4, Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis arrived
in Yerevan on a two-day visit. He met with Armenia’s Prime Minister
Serge Sargsyan and Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian. Within the visit
Davis will also meet with the Speaker of the National Assembly Tigran
Torosyan, make a report in Yerevan State University and meet with
members of PACE delegation in Armenia.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Armenian President to depart for Finland on formal visit
03.11.2007 15:07 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Robert Kocharian will be paying a
formal visit to Finland November 5-7, the RA leader’s press office
reported. The Armenian delegation will include Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian, Minister of Trade and Economic Development Nerses
Yeritsyan, Yerevan Mayor Yervand Zakharyan and other officials.

Robert Kocharian will hold a tête-à-tête meeting Tarja Halonen, then
the talks will continue in expanded composition.

The RA President will address the Finnish parliament, attend the
Helsinki city administration, meet with the Prime Minister and leaders
of business companies, including Nokia corporation.

BUNDESTAG SESSIONS
Translated by L.H.

AZG Armenian Daily #201
02/11/2007

International

On November 5-6, EP Executive Committee with the German Institute on
Security Issues will jointly discuss "frozen conflicts" in Bundestag.

The main themes of the discussions will be Nagorno Karabakh, Abkhazia,
South Ossetia and Transdniester conflicts.

After the discussions the Committee will analyze the results in
closed session.