Author: Jidarian Alex

Press and Information Department
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of the Republic of Armenia
Tel. + 37410 544041. ext. 202
Fax. + 37410 565601
e-mail: [email protected]
web:

Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian meets with Foreign
Minister of Cyprus Markos Kyprianou

On July 7, Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian met with
Foreign Minister of Cyprus Markos Kyprianou who is Yerevan as a member
of the delegation accompanying the President of the Republic of Cyprus
visiting Armenia on a state visit.

In the course of the meeting Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Cyprus
had a detailed discussion on a wide range of issues concerning the
further expansion of Armenian-Cypriot relations, particularly the
steps to be taken for the cooperation within the international
organizations, consultations between the Foreign Ministers of the two
countries, economic partnership and the intensification of cultural
exchanges.

Minister Kyprianou stressed that the state visit of the President of
Cyprus to Armenia by Armenian President’s invitation opens a new page
in bilateral relations, and the visit itself proves that the Republic
of Cyprus is interested in more strengthening and deepening of
comprehensive cooperation with Armenia.

Edward Nalbandian and Markos Kyprianou touched upon Armenia-European
Union relations, discussed the possibilities of bilateral cooperation
within the frameworks of the European Neighbourhood Policy and the
Eastern Partnership program.

After the meeting, at the presence of Edward Nalbandian and Markos
Kyprianou President of the Civil Service Council, Manvel Badalyan and
the Ambassador of Cyprus to Armenia Petros Kestoras signed Memorandum
of Understanding for the cooperation between the Civil Service Council
of the Republic of Armenia and the Ministry of Finance of the Republic
of Cyprus.

SMS MESSAGING SERVICES BLOCKED IN TEHRAN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
07.07.2009 14:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ SMS services are blocked in Tehran. Initially,
SMS text messaging was cut off in Iranian capital on July 11, a day
before presidential elections, and today, on July the 7th, inhabitants
of Tehran are again facing the problem. Teleccomunication Ministry
told journalists about the reasons.

After the unrest which started on June 13, the SMS system was cut off
and mobile phone transmissions interrupted during demonstration hours.

On July 6-8, opposition wanted to declare a national strike as a
sign of protest against President Ahmadinejad. However, authorities
declared July 7 and 8 as rest days, accounting for such decision for
environmental reasons, The Earth Times reports.

MAJOR INTERNET OPERATOR TO BE LAUNCHED IN ARMENIA UNDER GOVERNMENT’S SUPPORT

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
06.07.2009 16:41 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On July 4-5, the resort town of Dilijan hosted
an informal meeting with the participation of representatives of IT
enterprises. Forum organizers were Union of IT Enterprises (UITE) and
RA Economy Ministry. Touching upon the issue, Economy Minister Nerses
Yeritsyan said that Armenia plans to declare a bid for launching
a new Internet operator, and all Armenian Internet providers are
eligible for participating in the project. Economy Minister stressed
the importance of the new operators’ providing access to a broadband
Internet network in all regions. As a result, the Government and all
state agencies will benefit from the new operator’s services.

IF YOU CHEAT, CHEAT BIG
Carlos Lozada

The Wenatchee World Online
For The Washington Post
Posted July 04, 2009

Imagine you’re an aspiring dictator looking to steal a national
election by stuffing ballot boxes or making sure that a batch of votes
– say, even in your opponent’s hometown – simply disappears. Do you
engineer a victory by a razor-thin margin, 51 to 49 percent or so,
to make things look legit? Nope. If you’re going to cheat, cheat big.

That’s the lesson of a 2008 study by University of Chicago political
scientist Alberto Simpser, who examined dubious elections from 1990 to
2007. From Armenia and Belarus to Nigeria and Zimbabwe, Simpser found
that incumbents often aren’t content to simply defeat their opponents
and hold on to power for one more term – they want to trounce them.

In "Cheating Big: On the Logic of Electoral Corruption in Developing
Countries," Simpser, a native of Mexico who grew up watching the
ruling PRI rack up big electoral victories, argues that large-scale
vote-rigging can yield big benefits beyond simple re-election. Massive
victories "can discourage opponents from joining or supporting
rival parties, from voting, or from participating in other ways,"
he writes. "It can motivate supporters as well."

The idea is to win not just the current election, but future ones
too. Even in elections in which incumbents held commanding pre-vote
leads, the compulsion to win overwhelmingly is common – especially
in "semi-democratic, semi-authoritarian" regimes, Simpser contends,
"where multiple parties contest elections regularly … but where
the incumbent holds great advantages."

Which, come to think of it, sounds a little like Iran. So what does
Simpser make of the June 12 election in that country, where the
official announcement that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had defeated
Mir Hossein Mousavi by 63 to 33 percent sparked widespread protests
and a government crackdown? Without passing judgment on whether fraud
took place, Simpser thinks his logic holds up. "For a regime like
Iran’s with internal divisions, a weak economy and foreign enemies,
a convincing victory would be very useful," he said.

Even Iran’s supreme leader seemed to make that argument when he
spoke out in defense of the official results: "If the difference was
100,000 or 500,000 or 1 million, well, one may say fraud could have
happened. But how can one rig 11 million votes?"

OSCE IS OPTIMISTIC THAT THE POSSIBLE MEETING OF ARMENIAN AND
AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENTS IN MOSCOW WILL REGISTER PROGRESS IN NAGORNO
KARABAKH CONFLICT REGULATION

YEREVAN, JULY 3, ARMENPRESS: "We stand up for the efforts by Minsk
group and the progress which has been registered. We are optimistic
that the possible meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents in
Moscow will register a progress in Karabakh conflict regulation", –
during the joint press conference with the Armenian Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian said Greek Foreign Affairs Minister, OSCE
Chairperson-in-Office Dora Bakoyannis, who is in Armenia on a regional
visit.
According to her it has many times been mentioned that the June 4
meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and
Ilham Aliev in Saint Petersburg was very constructive and it is
necessary to maintain the established good opportunity.
In response to the question of Armenpress about the frequent cases
of violating the ceasefire regime, as well as of the rejection by the
Azerbaijani side to withdraw snipers, D. Bakoyannis noted that the
position of OSCE in that issue is distinct – the lose of lives by
violating the established ceasefire mustn’t be allowed.
"OSCE does its best to save lives in the region and will continue
exert efforts. Every life is special, even one death case is great and
shouldn’t be allowed", – the CiO said.
She underscored that Armenia and Azerbaijan are constructively
involved in negotiations on presidents’ level to regulate Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. The negotiations inspire optimism.
"I am encouraged by the political will displayed by all sides and
proposals presented by Minsk group, which may bring to a positive
result", – D. Bakoyannis said underscoring that Armenia is an
important state for preserving stability in the South Caucasus.

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN MEETS OSCE CHAIRPERSON-IN-OFFICE

armradio.am
03.07.2009 16:16

President Serzh Sargsyan today received the OSCE Chairwoman-in-Office,
Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis.

Greeting the high guest, President Sargsyan said her visit was a
good opportunity to familiarize with regional problems, discuss the
issues on the Armenia-EU agenda, as well as exchange views on issues
of bilateral interest.

"We attach great importance to cooperation with the OSCE, which
remains a factor ensuring stability and peace in the region, and an
active player in the process of development of democracy and human
rights defense," the President stated, expressing confidence that
the visit of the OSCE Chair-in-Office will serve as an additional
impetus for the development of cooperation.

Noting that Armenia and Greece have had common history, Dora Bakoyannis
said the two countries enjoy mutual understanding and good political
cooperation.

As OSCE Chair-in-Office she highly appreciated the cooperation between
the Armenian authorities and the OSCE Yerevan Office and the results
that have been achieved. According to Dora Bakoyannis, the agreement
signed with her Armenian counterpart today creates new opportunities
for cooperation and effective work.

President Sargsyan ranked high the assistance of the OSCE and the
OSCE Office in Yerevan to the reforms implemented in our country in
different spheres.

The parties exchanged vie ws on the Karabakh issue and the
normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations. President
Sargsyan said Armenia is resolute to solve the Karabakh issue
in a peaceful way. The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office hailed the
Armenian President’s initiative towards normalization of the
relations with Turkey. President Sargsyan once again emphasized our
country’s willingness to normalize relations with Turkey without
preconditions. She welcomed the amnesty declared upon the initiate
of President Sargsyan.

ARMENIA NEEDS OPENING OF UPPER LARS CHECK-POINT NO MORE THAN GEORGIA DOES

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
01.07.2009 20:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Armenia needs opening of Upper Lars check-point no
more than Georgia does," Eurointegration Social Organization Chairman,
Karen Bekaryan told at Erevan-Tbilisi TV spacebridge. "Both countries
equally need opening of Upper Lars check-point. Both Armenian and
Georgian citizens must be able to pass through it," the Armenian
expert said, emphasizing that the issue shouldn’t be manipulated.

According to Caucus Institute Deputy Director, Sergey Minasyan,
Upper Lars is a chance for Armenia to improve its communication
opportunities. "To Georgia, it’s a chance to settle relations with
Russia through the intermediary of Armenia. But to achieve it,
Tbilisi has to show political will," the expert noted.

MINAS AVETISIAN’S PICTURES TO BE EXHIBITED IN ITALY

Noyan Tapan
June 29, 2009

YEREVAN, JUNE 29, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The pictures of
Armenian artist Minas Avetisian will be presented to the Italian
society in 2010. Professor of the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples
Francesco Gallo told at the press conference on June 26 that About 100
Works exhibition of Minas Avetisian’s pictures will enter Italy through
Roman gates and will continue into Naples, Venice, Florence. According
to him, there is no concrete date of the opening the exhibition, as
the exhibition of Minas’ works is now being prepared in Moscow. "The
Italian society should touch the Armenian art with its hand. That is
why we chose Minas to present this country’s art with the help of him",
noted Mr. Gallo.

F. Gallo, as a reporter, will do scientific work besides presenting the
cultural values, as a result of which different pages of M. Avetisian’s
life, some materials describing the tragic end of his life and some
parts of his writings will be recruited. The idea of the exhibition was
suggested to F. Gallo by the representative of the Minas Avetisian
Fund in Florence Vighen Avetis. The program is sponsored by the
Ministry of Culture of Armenia.

Francesco Gallo is concerned with the fact that very few canvases of
Minas are shown at museums, the exposition and order of the pictures
is very poor, that’s why the pictures lose their power and a visitor
cannot have a clear view of the painter. F. Gallo noticed that
living in a difficult period M. Avetisian does not raise political
problems and hard social conditions in his canvases, there is only
art. "M. Avetisian in his pictures gives priority to independence,
there is free spirit and views. That is why the value of his art
continued to grow after him." According to him, the greatest value
of Minas is that he presents historic culture with today’s eyes
and spirit.

ARMENIAN RELIEF SOCIETY TO AWARD FIVE JAVAKHK ARMENIAN STUDENTS

Noyan Tapan
June 25, 2009

AKHALKALAK, JUNE 25, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. It is already
four years that the Javakhk Chapter of the Armenian Relief Society
has been organizing The Best Student award, giving monetary prizes
to the best five Javakhk Armenian students of the academic year who
are parentless or are from needy families. The program within the
framework of which each of the best 5 students gets 100 US dollars
each, is sponsored by the ARS Central Office.

The 2009 Best Student prize winners are Andranik Poghosian (3rd year
student of Yerevan State Medical University, resident of the region
of Ninotsminda), Astghik Melkonian (3rd year student of Yerevan
State Pedagogical University, resident of the region of Akhalkalak),
Ara Minasian (1st year student of a higher educational institution of
Akhalkalak, resident of Akhalkalak), Nune Omposian (2nd year student
of Yerevan State Pedagogical University, resident of Akhalkalak) and
Vladimir Kirakosian (2nd year student of Tbilisi State University,
resident of Akhaltskha).

MATTHEW BRYZA: MEETING BETWEEN FOREIGN MINISTERS OF ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN WAS CONSTRUCTIVE

armradio.am
27.06.2009 14:53

The working meeting between Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Minister
was constructive and was aimed to discuss next meeting of Presidents,
U.S. Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza told Trend News.

"We have coordinated our approaches for peaceful resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and continued to prepare the next meeting
between Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sargsyan," he said.

The Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers met in Paris on June 26.