Author: Jilavian Emma

RA DEPUTY FM MET WITH THE HEAD OF THE OSCE OFFICE IN YEREVAN

armradio.am
15.02.2008 17:26

On February 15 RA Deputy Foreign Minister Gegham Gharibjanyan received
the Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan Sergey Kapinos.

During the meeting the parties discussed a number of issues related to
the forthcoming presidential elections. The interlocutors stressed the
high level of interest of the society in the elections, the awareness
and activeness of the electorate.

The Deputy Foreign Minister once again reconfirmed the wish and
intension of the Armenian authorities to hold free, fair and
transparent elections.

Mr. Kapinos expressed hope that the forthcoming elections will be
held in free competition and balance and fairness will be registered.

AZERBAIJAN EXPECTS NEW ARMENIAN LEADERSHIP "TO REALIZE" BENEFITS OF RESOLVED CONFLICT

ARMENPRESS
Feb 14, 2008

BAKU, FEBRUARY 14, ARMENPRESS: Novruz Mamedov, chief of foreign
relations directorate at Azerbaijani presidential administration,
said in an interview with ATV that ‘Baku expects the new leadership
of Armenia to realize that the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict will benefit Armenia in the first place."

"We hope that regardless of who is elected Armenia’s next president
its leadership will realize that a just settlement of the conflict
will benefit Armenia," he said.

He also said the only just solution lies through restoration of
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

EU INTERESTED IN CONTINUING THE STABLE PARTNERSHIP WITH ARMENIA

armradio.am
14.02.2008 17:01

On February 14 the Head of the European Commission Delegation to
Armenia Raul de Luzenberger presented the copies of his credentials
to RA Deputy Foreign Minister Armen Baibourtian.

Greeting the guest, Deputy Foreign Minister Baibourtian wished him
success in carrying out his mission in our country. During the meeting
the parties discussed a number of questions, particularly the current
stage and perspectives of implementation of the Action Plan of the
European Neighborhood Policy. Reference was made to the forthcoming
presidential elections in Armenia.

Ambassador Raul de Luzenberger noted that the EU is interested in
continuing the stable partnership with Armenia, which is evidenced by
the opening of the EU Delegation in Armenia. He expressed hope that
the country will continue moving towards universal democratic values.

Lragir, Armenia
Feb 15 2008

OPPOSITION AND GOVERNMENT EXCHANGED ONE SEAT EACH

On February 20 the opposition and the government will exchange their
seats, stated Vahagn Khachatryan, the spokesman for the presidential
candidate Levon Ter-Petrosyan, on February 15 who had taken the seat
of Republican Samvel Nikoyan while the latter addressed the
discussion held by the National Press Club and the U.S. National
Democratic Institute, and Nikoyan had taken Vahagn Khachatryan’s
vacant seat.

Vahagn Khachatryan noted that the campaign revealed the panic and
alarm in the government because despite forecasts Levon Ter-Petrosyan
was able to bring together a major social and political potential and
the public. Among the signs of panic in government Vahagn Khachatryan
mentioned the actions of the businessman, Republican Member of
Parliament Samvel Alexanyan in Malatia-Sebastia community. Vahagn
Khachatryan who is in charge of Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s election office
in this community says Samvel Alexanyan is intimidating or bribing
the members of the election commissions appointed by the Heritage
Party, or Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s team members appointed by the
Heritage Party. Besides, Vahagn Khachatryan says Samvel Alexanyan
gives bribes to voters, and instructions to the tax service to check
and pressure on people who support Levon Ter-Petrosyan.

`However, we do not have a problem, it is going to end,’ Vahagn
Khachatryan says. However, according to Vahagn Khachatryan, he does
not believe that the presidential election will be compliant, as the
representatives of the government say. As to Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s
offensive statements against the government, Vahagn Khachatryan says
it is a fact that the level of corruption in the country is extremely
high, and even international evaluations state that the most corrupt
link in Armenia is the president administration.

Vahagn Khachatryan urged the election commissions to be mindful
before they commit or help others to commit election fraud that it is
a crime. `And I do not know whether it is amnestied,’ Vahagn
Khachatryan says.

CSUF GETS A TASTE OF ARMENIAN CULTURE
Joshua Burton

The Daily Titan
Feb 13 2008
CA

Traditional songs as well as choreographed dances are the focus of
the show

PrintEmail Article Tools Page 1 of 2 next > A night of traditional
Armenian dance and music performances marked the first installment
of a series of annual world music concerts at the Meng Concert Hall
at Cal State Fullerton.

The evening featured the Chookasian Armenian Concert Ensemble,
a world-traveling group that plays classic Armenian songs with
traditional instruments.

Also on stage were the Glendale-based Zvartnos Armenian Folk Dancers.

Lavishly costumed, they opened the evening with five choreographed
Armenian dances.

The turnout for the evening was surprising, even to Laura Lohman, an
assistant professor of ethnomusicology and musicology at CSUF. She
has spearheaded the event since last fall and couldn’t have been
happier with its success.

The concert last Friday marked the first time they had combined the
traditional folk music with contemporary compositions by Armenian
artists.

Some of the songs performed had been in the Armenian culture for
around 2,000 years.

"The music is of an accessible style for everyone," Lohman said.

"Even for those who don’t have experience with traditional Armenian
music."

News of the concert spread with the support of Armenian churches and
organizations in the area.

What was originally supposed to be a concert held in front of under 200
at the CSUF Recital Hall sold out four weeks before the show, prompting
a change of plans that put the performance in the Meng Concert Hall,
which seated 485 people the night of the event, Lohman said.

"There’s a large, close-knit society of Armenians in the area,"
said Phyllis Pivar, an Anaheim resident. She showed up to enjoy the
Armenian dance styles on display.

John Chookasian, the director and clarinetist of the music ensemble,
darted through the crowd any chance he could to greet the people
in attendance.

Chookasian’s band has played before heads of state and numerous
colleges and toured the world several times.

They are a staple in the effort to preserve traditional Armenian
music and have even received the National Gold Medal Award after a
performance before Armenian President Robert Kocharian.

Chookasian, however, said he is always excited to play his music in
front of those who appreciated it.

"We’ve played in theaters with not a single Armenian in the seats,"
Chookasian said.

The evening was a celebration of the rich culture and music of Armenia.

The subjects of the songs varied. Some represented love and longing
while others were prayers.

Some had messages as simple as a mother insisting that her children
eat well so they grow up tall.

Many of the songs were written by Armenian immigrants in America
paying homage to their place of birth.

The need to preserve the Armenian culture was a strong sentiment
throughout the show.

Chookasian spoke between different songs and described the origin
of each one. He finished the night by urging the audience to rally
support for the Armenian traditions.

"Three hundred thousand of our people died in the Armenian genocide,
but we’re still here," Chookasian said at the end of the concert.

The performance and events like it are strongly supported by the
Armenian community, a support which could be felt in the words of
the audience afterward.

"It brings diversity," said Alex Der Alexanian, an Orange County
Armenian activist. "It teaches the community new cultures they might
not know from their usual experiences."

Lohman said she hopes the strong attendance and support of big names
like Chookasian will attest to the potential of CSUF’s music department
to be a leading destination for world music performances.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION CANDIDATE COMPLAINS OF CASES OF VIOLENCE TO EUROPEAN ENVOY

Mediamax
Feb 13 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 13 February: Armenian presidential candidate Levon
Ter-Petrosyan met the head of the OSCE (ODIHR [Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights]) long-term observation mission,
Geert-Hinrich Ahrens.

During the meeting, which took place on 12 February, "Levon
Ter-Petrosyan presented to Ambassador Ahrens his approaches and
concerns, attracting his special attention to the continually growing
cases of violence against the members of his team, realized by the
authorities", Mediamax was told at the [campaign] headquarters of
the candidate.

The headquarters noted that "the sides agreed to continue cooperation
and the exchange of information".

UKRAINE PREPARED TO JOIN INVESTIGATION OF CRASHED FIGHTER MIG-29 IN AZERBAIJAN

Trend News Agency
Feb 12 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 11 February / Trend News corr. K.Rmazanova / The
Ukrainian Defense Ministry has expressed its willingness to join the
investigation being carried out to reveal the cause of the crashed
fighter jet MIG-29 in Azerbaijan. Neither the fighter jet nor the
bodies of the pilots have been found as yet.

" Azerbaijan did not appeal for aid," Ukrainian Defence Ministry
reported to Trend on 11 February.

The fighter jet MIG-29 of the Air Forces of Azerbaijan crashed
during training on 29 January. Both pilots on board the fighter jet,
Fakhraddin Asgarov and Afgan Aslanov died. A case has been filed by
the Military Prosecutor of Azerbaijan.

"What needs to be investigated is what state the fighter jet was in,
and who updated and repaired it," Elena Lvova, the head of the Public
Affairs Office of the Russian MIG Construction Cooperation, said. The
Air Forces of Azerbaijan obtained the MIG- 29 jet in March 2007,
modernized by Ukraine.

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry does not see any need to involve
specialists from other countries. "We will invite them if it becomes
necessary," Eldar Sabiroglu, head of the press-service reported.

The MIG-29 jets which Azerbaijan uses as air space protection has
previously crashed during training flights in Russia, Malaysia, Peru,
Slovakia and Armenia.

The MiG-29 "Fulcrum" ("Tochka Opori" in Russian) was designed and
built to be a single-seater, supersonic, all-weather, air superiority
fighter, with the MiG-31 "Foxhound", the latest and perhaps the last
fighter production items from the Mikoyan Design Bureau. The primary
role of the MiG-29 is to destroy air targets at a distances from 60
to 200 km (30 to 110 NM), at all altitudes, on all profiles, in any
weather, and under all ECM conditions. In addition, the basic MiG-29
jet is capable of limited air-to-ground operations and its advanced
versions have been optimized to attack both stationary and moving
targets with precision guided ammunition.

ARMENIAN JUSTICE MINISTRY GUTTED BY FIRE
By Hovannes Shoghikian

Radio Liberty, Czech Republic
Feb 11 2008

Firefighters needed more seven than hours to put out a fire that
gutted on Saturday the building housing the Armenian Ministry of
Justice and destroyed many documents kept there.

Officials said the blaze completely destroyed the two upper floors
of the four-story building in downtown Yerevan and seriously damaged
its second floor, effectively paralyzing the ministry’s work.

"As you can see, the offices of the minister and the deputy minister
have been completely destroyed," Deputy Justice Minister Gevorg
Kostanian told reporters. He said most of the ministry archive was
also burned down.

According to the deputy head of the Armenian Rescue Service, Artur
Voskanian, as many as 20 firefighter crews were rushed to scene to
localize the blaze and prevent it from reaching the adjacent buildings
of the Office of the Prosecutor-General and the Court of Appeals. He
would not speculate on possible causes of the fire sparked early in
the morning.

"We can’t comment on causes of the fire? The investigation will
establish them," said Voskanian.

The investigation was ordered by President Robert Kocharian at an
emergency meeting with senior law-enforcement and Rescue Service
officials later in the day. He also instructed them to help restore
"the normal work" of the ministry.

ARMENIA STANDS TO GAIN MORE FROM OPEN BORDERS THAN TURKEY, TURKISH REPRESENTATIVE SAYS
By M. Alkhazashvili

The Messenger
Feb 11 2008
Georgia

Reopening the Turkish-Armenian border, closed since 1993, would do
more economically for Armenia than Turkey, Turkish secretary-general
of the Intercultural Dialogue Platform Cemal Usak said in Yerevan on
February 7.

According to the news agency Regnum, Usak said Turkish goods are
more costly for Armenian consumers because they must be routed
through Georgia. He stated that while Armenians stand to gain much
from a direct connection with Turkey, a major regional manufacturer,
Turkey will gain only a boost to its international image by opening
the border.

Opening the border depends entirely on Armenia’s leaders, Usak
reportedly added.

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Feb 8 2008

Presidential Elections in Armenia and Its Uniqueness

by Rovshan Ibrahimov
Friday , 08 February 2008

February 19, 2008 in Armenia will be held presidential elections.
While presidential candidates registered 9 persons, the main battle
will take place between the leader of the Republican Party, the
current Prime Minister of Armenia Serzh Sarkisian and the first
Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrosian advanced by the opposition.
It is noteworthy, that it will be held unusual elections in Armenia
in comparison with presidential elections in other countries of the
former Soviet Union.

Without any doubt, these elections have nothing similar to the change
of ruling power in Georgia and Ukraine, because of "velvet
revolutions". However, a plan for continuity of power from the
current President Kocharian to Sarkisian, so successfully implemented
in several countries, such as Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and possibly
soon in Russia, faced with unforeseen complexity in the person of
Ter-Petrosian.
The first president of Armenia was forced to resign in 1999 because
of the unstable domestic situation in Armenia. At the time,
Ter-Petrosian was accused that he intended to "pass" Nagorno-Karabakh
to Azerbaijan, agreeing on the signing of the treaty with that
country.

Opposition groups, trying to get into power in Armenia, using the
"card" of Karabakh, were able then forcing Ter-Petrosian to resign.

Immediately came to power "representatives" of Karabakh clan, which
has been characteristic of being immediately assigned key posts in
Armenia. For Armenia, whose citizens flocked from all over the world,
the regional division, provided by new elite is alien element. And if
in the times of Ter-Petrosian in his team attended by representatives
of foreign bright Armenian Diaspora, with the advent of "Karabakhian"
Kocharian, Armenia has been under mortgage priorities and interests’
of ruling group coming from this region of Azerbaijan.

It looks like a typical division for Azerbaijan on regional
principle, twisted joke played with Karabakh Armenians who have
created their clan management of Armenia.

Perhaps under normal circumstances, would be worth 19 February to
expect a smooth transition of power from one representative within
clan to another, however, candidacy of Ter-Petrosian, who is after 10
years remote from politics, could seriously confused cards present
regime in Armenia.

First of all, this is due to the fact that in other Post soviet
countries where the transfer of power was carried out by the
appointment of a successor, and the opposition was not available
pronounced leader, would be able to combine the resources of protest.
The same can not be said about Armenia, where opposition is may
consolidate own power beside a very popular Ter-Petrosian, which has
experience of running the state, as well as widespread support in the
west.

In spite of Armenia is not likely to expect the "velvet revolution"
and appropriate support from the West, and thus erroneously compared
with Saakashvili and Yushchenko, the possible return of Ter-Petrosian
may be compared with returning to the power Aliyev and Shevardnadze
in neighboring Azerbaijan and Georgia in 1993.

The reason that Ter-Petrosian has already led country only
strengthens his position. This is also the fact that Ter-Petrosian in
the event of victory in the elections will be able to create own
team, as opposed to the current regime. Moreover, given the
peculiarity of the Armenian nation, Ter-Petrosian if necessary will
be able to use the resource of the Armenian Diaspora.

It’s maybe interesting to remember the words of the ex-president when
he resigned in 1999. Ter-Petrosian then uttered the phrase, that:
"Today, the party of war had won and the peace party lost, the time
will come when the party of peace will return to power again."
Perhaps, the current elections are the implemented time for
Ter-Petrosian, when he emphasized "peace party" must return to power.

Ter-Petrosian is known as a pragmatic leader. Indeed, Ter-Petrosian
has repeatedly warned that the future of Armenia is directly linked
with the establishment of good relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey.
In this case, there is hope that with the election of the President
Ter-Petrossian, the Karabakh conflict and resolving historical
disputes with Turkey could be have some development. In any case, it
should not build too optimistic forecasts: even full determination in
tackling these problems Ter-Petrosian may face multiple resistances
of internal and external factors.

Furthermore, it should not be forgotten about Russia influences in
Armenia, which declared its "outpost" in the South Caucasus and
Armenia considers its only ally in the region. Notable is the signing
of an agreement on cooperation between the Russian ruling party
"United Russia" and the Armenian Republican Party during the visit,
the Russian party leader Boris Grizlov in Yerevan. The signing of
such kind of agreement in anticipation of the presidential elections
in Armenia, show that Russia’s support for the current regime.

Despite this fact, one should not forget that Russia has been unable
to influence in election processes in some countries of the
post-Soviet space. So, Armenia could also become the exception. And
so, the current regime may lose to Ter-Petrosian.

Evaluating these factors we can summarize that the presidential
elections in Armenia have little similarities with those which
usually held in other countries of the Former Soviet Union.

07 February 2008
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