Aronyan Shares The 1st To 3rd Places

ARONYAN SHARES THE 1ST TO 3RD PLACES

armradio.am
19.03.2008 12:50

In the 4th round of the Amber International Chess Tournament underway
in Nice Armenian Grand Master Levon Aronyan defeated Magnus Carlsen
of Norway 1.5:0.5.

Aronyan has 5 points after 4 rounds and shares the 1st to 3rd places
with Vesselin Topalov of Bulgaria and Ukrainian Vasily Ivanchuk.

The rapid chess tournament Aronyan is the sole leader with 3 points. He
has an advantage of 0.5 points over four chess players who have gained
2.5 points: Wishvanathan Anandm, Vasily Ivanchuk, Vesselin Topalov
and Peter Leco.

In the blindfold chess tournament Aronyan shares the 5th to 9th places
with 2 points.

BAKU: Kazakhstan Supports Friendly Relations With Azerbaijan And Arm

KAZAKHSTAN SUPPORTS FRIENDLY RELATIONS WITH AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA – AMBASSADOR

Trend News Agency
March 18 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 18 March / TrendNews corr. S.Agayeva / Kazakhstan
supports friendly relations with Azerbaijan and Armenia, Serik
Primbetov, the new Ambassador of Kazakhstan in Azerbaijan, stated
commenting on Kazakhstan’s position. Primbetov took a neutral position
during the voting to the UN General Assembly resolution ‘State in
the Azerbaijani occupied territories’

The UN General Assembly supported the resolution developed by
the Azerbaijani Government which provides immediate, complete and
unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian troops from all occupied
territories of Azerbaijan.

Thirty-nine countries voted in support of the resolution, 7 were
against and 100 abstained from voting. OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs voted
against the resolution. "We support the territorial integrity of the
Azerbaijani Government and supports the peaceful settlement of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh," Ambassador said.

The Armenia Fund Ororots Project Continues Support to Tavush Marz

PRESS RELEASE
The Armenia Fund
Governmental Buiding 3, Yerevan, RA
Contact: Hasmik Grigoryan
Tel: +(3741) 56 01 06 ext. 105
Fax: +(3741) 52 15 05
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

18 March, 2008

The Armenia Fund Ororots Project Continues Support to Tavush Marz

Yerevan, March 18, 2008 – On March 13, within the Armenia Fund Ororots
Project, packages containing first necessity items were distributed to
socially vulnerable families with up to one-year-old children in Ijevan,
Noyemberyan and Berd communities of Tavush marz. The project is carried out
jointly with the Coordinating Board of Women NGOs.
The presenting ceremonies were organized in the administrative center of
Tavush marz and in the municipalities of Noyemberyan and Berd.
Beneficiaries – young parents, grandparents, sisters and brothers of the
newborns arrived at the centers on buses allocated by the community
administration. The included items – clothes and shoes, as well as care
accessories – were welcomed gifts for young parents. Their tired faces
looked very pleased on receiving the packages.
These families live in dire need – many are single mothers, refugees or have
no homes. Saroyan Amalia with her oldest grandson had arrived from the
Aigehovit village to receive the fifth package for her 27 year-old daughter’s
fifth son: "Every child receives something from the packages we are
given," – she said in an emotional tone. Father of three daughters Sevak
Pirumyan from the Achajur village was receiving packages for his twin
daughters. "I have no job, we depend on our land," he said. Ashkhen, mother
of three, lives on monthly benefits. Five-year-old Mariam who had come to
get a package for her sister went through the package and "convinced" that
the content is as bright and nice as the bag itself, gave out an unexpected
"God bless you".
The organizers – Ms. Jemma Hasratyan, Chairperson of the Coordinating Board
of Women NGOs, members of the Board Ms. Anahit Harutyunyan, Ms. Gayane
Armaghyan and Ms. Hasmik Aslanyan who have been committed to the project on
a voluntary basis were present at the event. Ms. Aida Khachikyan represents
the Armenia Fund in the Board.
Ms. Hasratyan said that special attention was paid to disallow inaccuracies
on the list of the beneficiaries, so that the most vulnerable families were
included. "We must do our best to support and encourage young families to
have children. We all need care and attention and so do young parents," she
added.
During these years the project was a great moral and material support for
young families in the bordering villages. People do appreciate the attention
they receive. It is very important for young families to know that they are
not left alone with their problems. To some extent, this project solves
integration of these families into the society," said Armen Ghularyan,
Governor of Tavush Marz, "We should do our best in the future to increase
involvement of communities in this truly helpful project," the Governor
said.
Most of the funding of the project has been thanks to the generous donations
of Diasporans from Brazil, New York, Toronto (Canada) and Cyprus through
their local Armenia Fund affiliates. Benefactors from Armenia also
participated in financing the project.
The project was launched in 2003. Socially vulnerable families from Sisian,
Goris, Kapan and Meghri of Syunik marz became the first beneficiaries.
Starting from 2004, the project has been targeting underprivileged families
in Tavush. In 2006 190 children from Dilijan, Ijevan, Noyemberyan and Berd
received packages. In the years of 2007-2008 another 234 children from these
areas benefited from the Ororots project.
The data on families in need is collected through the Nork
Information-analytical Centre under the Ministry of Labor and Social
Security. The choice of the area of project implementation is based and
priority is given to areas most affected by war, border villages and towns
with low birth rate.
"In these challenging days for Armenia we prioritize the sustainability of
border villages, which greatly depends on the living conditions of local
inhabitants and the belief young families have for the future," said the
Armenia Fund Executive Director Vahe Aghabegians.

http://www.himnadram.org/

ANKARA: Pro-Kurdish Party Reacts To Turkey’s Investment Package For

PRO-KURDISH PARTY REACTS TO TURKEY’S INVESTMENT PACKAGE FOR SOUTHEAST

NTV Turkey
March 12 2008

[Report: "DTP: This Package Will Not Solve the Problem; It is an
Election Investment"]

Assessing the government’s 12-billion-dollar investment package
aimed at the Southeast, DTP [Democratic Society Party] Deputy Faction
Chairman Selahattin Demirtas, declaring this is an election investment,
has said that "in order to resolve the problem, a change in mentality
is required."

DTP Deputy Faction Chairman Selahattin Demirtas held a press conference
together with DTP parliamentary deputies at the Parliament on the
occasion of the 37th anniversary of the 12 March [1971 coup by]
military memorandum, as well as the 13th anniversary of the incidents
that took place in the Gazi Quarter of Istanbul [in which 22 people
were killed by police in unrest by Alevis.] Asserting that democracy
is only weakened by intervention by forces outside of politics and by
violent suppression of social opposition, Demirtas said: "The process
of coups d’etat has, unfortunately, by strengthening militaristic,
chauvinistic, and nationalistic tendencies, brought them to the point
of threatening the social peace."

Demirtas, charging that the trial process related to the Gazi incidents
"has turned into a scandal," said that because events of this type
have not been elucidated, there have been efforts made during various
periods for similar provocations to be staged.

Demirtas claimed that if the Kahramanmaras, Corum, and Sivas incidents
[of massacres of Alevis] had been cleared up, the Gazi incidents would
not have taken place, and that if these [latter] had been cleared up,
then the Semdinli [bombing], the later attack on the Council of State,
and the killing of [Armenian journalist] Hrant Dink would likewise
not have occurred.

Demirtas said: "If Turkey, on its way into the EU, does not want to
experience painful incidents of this sort any longer, it must face
its past, and come to terms with it. We can turn a new page, which
would also entail a solution of the Kurdish issue, only in this way."

Meanwhile, DTP Parliamentarian Gulten Kisanak stated that she is today
going to present to the Speakership of the TBMM [Turkish Grand National
Assembly] motions for the opening of a Parliamentary Investigation in
order to investigate the Gazi incidents and reveal the forces behind
those who initiated the incidents.

Problem Will Be Solved Via Change in Mentality

Responding to questions from journalists, Selahattin Demirtas said
the following in response to a question about the government’s
12-billion-dollar investment package: "Everything positive that is
done will contribute, even if only a little, to solving the problem.

But in order for the problem to be solved, a change in mentality is
needed, and this does not come out of packages. The creation of a
nation based on a single language, a single religion, and a single
ethnicity is the basis of the Kurdish issue. The Kurdish issue
cannot be solved with factories, or with broadcasts in Kurdish on
TRT [Turkish Radio and Television]; it will be seen that, when the
mentality changes, the problem will be resolved without a need for
packages. The things announced in the package are in fact investments
for the local elections."

No Response From Prime Minister

Demirtas stated that his meetings with President Abdullah Gul and
TBMM Speaker Koksal Toptan are occurring coincidentally during the
same period in which the process involving the closure of the DTP
is underway.

Stating that no official response has yet come from Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan to his request for a meeting, Demirtas said that
there is no question of an official meeting with Minister of State and
Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek, and that it is only natural that
Cicek and DTP parliamentary deputies have chatted among the corridors.

Demirtas stated the following regarding his meetings with President
Gul: "There is nothing that has not been revealed. The authority
to reveal what we discussed lies with him. Because he is everyone’s
President, he also met with us. And we explained our intentions. We
did not go with any concrete project or dossier. They were meetings
in which sensitivities regarding the process underway were shared."

RA President Made Alterations To Decree On Announcement Of State Of

RA PRESIDENT MADE ALTERATIONS TO DECREE ON ANNOUNCEMENT OF STATE OF EMERGENCY

arminfo
2008-03-13 14:36:00

ArmInfo. Today, RA President Robert Kocharyan signed a decree on
making alterations to the decree from March 1, 2008.

As the presidential press service reports, according to the decree,
subpoint 4 of point 4 saying that "publications in Mass Media regarding
the state and internal political issues, may be carried out only
within the frames of the state bodies’ official information" is set
forth in the following way: "It is banned to publish or spread, via
Mass Media, an apparently false information or an information aimed at
destabilization of the situation, or calls concerning the state and
internal political issues, calls for participation in unauthorized
(illegal) events, as well as spread of such information and calls in
some other way".

Subpoint 5 of the same point of March 1 decree, that is, ban on
carrying out of a political agitation via leaflets or in other
forms, without permission of the relevant state bodies, has been
cancelled. Then decree takes effect from March 14.

Nkr: Who Lives Well In Our Village

WHO LIVES WELL IN OUR VILLAGE

Azat Artsakh Daily
Published on March 13, 2008
NKR Republic

Our village is Haghorty, in cancavity of bunched mountains, spread
in eastward slope of the knoll.This name comes from "be communicated".

At the foot of an opposite mountain of today’s dwelling there was a
chapel at the ancient alm-trees.People from Mosh spring, where they
lived, came and were communicated with the God here. According to the
tradition, stories of the old, the new settlement was called Haghorty.
The village has a new life. Here there are also people who live
"well, middling and poor". Saying "to live well" I only understand
"to live correctly". But under this qualification I comprehend, that
a man struggles (a life is a struggle, war for a man, with all its
sense from a birthday till death) against circumstances, difficulties
born by epoch, an element and eats his upright bread. "The present
is the continuation of the past": there is such a wisdom. "Reader! I
beg your indulgence and some words about the past: problems of the
village were brave and industrious, each of them was a world, and
leaving this world, took a world with him. And left a world behind
his transition. They built a water-mill and lengthened a stream,
that water flew along their wanted road, built a wall with cyclopean
stones, gave a clay a form. At the moments of dangers they protected
their land, home. Alas! Bolsheviks, communists came. And thay called
these people enemy, kulak.. The bearers of this label Bakhshi Zakarian,
David Adamian, Shamir Shakarian, Aghadzhan Avanesian (villagers also
called Kaghtsr Aghadzhan) were chased and submitted to punishment.

Entired houses of those class enemies till today serve as department
of communication, emergency room and club. But Haghorty people remain
the same industrious. Their children Savand Mezhlumian (vine-grower),
Artash Safarian (mechanisator) were recognized heroes of socialist
work. Aram Safarian (killed in 1943 for liberation of Belgrad) was
entitled posthumous to title of the Soviet Union’s hero. Academician
Jury Ossipian, who lived in Moscow, was also entitled to the same
title. Those who lived in village, bore the heavy harness of the
Lord’s taxes on their shoulders.

That say "Autonomus region of Nagorno-Karabakh prospers in its bosom
and enjoys bitter fruits of fatherly care of Heydar Aliev". That then
in 1969 after the Second Warld War 152 brave people from Haghorty
return….

become a monument and whisper lessons of courage their grandchildren
and relatives stood up for Karabakh struggle. Breath of new days In
Haghorty today people continue traditions of ancestors , are busy by
creative work.

All the year round they have on a table honey and oil, wine and
vodka, grapes and apples. Hrant Safarian: These lines, about my
former pupil who has exchanged already for fifth tens, I write with
great satisfaction.This man, with high education, is the manager
of this veterinary site. He has a car, tens goals of large horned
cattles, sheep and goats, a horse, turkeys, a mulberry garden …and
children-Nver and Shogher, who study at the University. Hrant Safarian
has inherited from father cattle breeder diligence and a habit to
rise before the sun that was and remains the requirement of a life
of the peasant. Rafael Harutyunyan: In collective farm he was the
beekeeper and always provided high parameters. If honey was collected
less than one ton,he considered that year unfavourable. The glory of
his honey has extended far outside village, at his house turns were
always formed. Rafael with his sons Edward and Emil have founded a
vineyard, have mulberry trees and a lot of cattle.

Melsik Martirosian: In the Soviet years he also held posts. But
language of a grapevine has learnt by heart as the native
alphabet. After privatization it has returned to his favourite vines –
to the parts of the soul. In the valley of Khonashen with sons Nver and
Arno have founded a vineyard, which later paid its trustee. Perhaps,
for all life Haghorty people did not eat so much fresh grapes,
how much in 2007. If you need the sparkling vine "Khindogny",
address to Martirosian.If you also need grape, mulberry vodka, again
knock at his door. Let’s add also, that the vegetables grown up by
them, melons and water-melons have a great demand in the village. I
surprise and irritate, when people complain of absence of work in the
village. Someone suggests even to open workplaces. "Kind people,there
is a work, but there aren’t workers!", – Melsik Martirosian argues so.

Magela and Samvel Petrosyans, Alyosha Avetisian, Edik Hayrapetian,
Arpenik Adamian, Martik Baghrian organized their facilities
reasonably.Differently,a persistent struggle proceeds for fairly earned
bread, prosperous life. They rise early and do not forget a national
saying: " If you lie down under shadow in summer, in winter cows
will die". I remember Krilov’s well-known fable and I work like ants,
that in winter like dragonfly not to dance under music of a wind. Yes,
the peasant should work out the ground, hold cattle. This winter was
severe and long, sharp shortage of forages was felt.. It is pleasant,
that the president of the republic watches from a new sight at a
village and a peasant, and the state undertakes concrete steps in
this direction. And if the present is the continuation of the past,
the base of the future is in the present.

Inhabitants of Haghorty wait for arrival of spring with impatience(its
breath is already felt), to throw seeds on the ground, to work till
the seventh sweat, and the people satiated due to others, the lines
of the Master remind: -Hold by our hand! sinking people, We stand
firmly as a strong rock, Throw an anchor at our legs, We stand firmly
as a strong rock.

Listeners In Armenia Find New Ways To Get Uncensored News

LISTENERS IN ARMENIA FIND NEW WAYS TO GET UNCENSORED NEWS

Radio Liberty
March 11 2008
Czech Republic

(Prague, Czech Republic — March 11, 2008) Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty has restored broadcasting on shortwave frequencies to Armenia
to counter the government’s blackout on independent news.

RFE/RL President Jeffrey Gedmin said today, "It is disappointing
that because of restrictions imposed by the Armenian government we
have to take this step backward to an outmoded frequency we stopped
using in Armenia three years ago, but I’m happy to say it is working."

RFE/RL’s Armenian Service reinstated broadcasting on two shortwave
frequencies March 8, a week after its regular broadcasts on FM
frequencies were taken off the air by its two local affiliates. The
affiliates were complying with an emergency decree by President
Kocharian that allows only government-sanctioned news to be aired.

RFE/RL is the only Armenian language foreign radio in the country.

Broadcasts are now one hour daily on shortwave, instead of the previous
three hours on local FM. But all programs can be heard on RFE/RL’S
Armenian language website, armenialiberty.org

RFE/RL has added more news items to the website and is updating its
content every hour of every day, to supplement the loss of local FM
broadcasting. Statistics suggest the strategy is working.

Listenership on RFE/RL’s Internet sites for Armenia tripled in March,
compared to a month ago.

Listeners are also finding other ways to hear uncensored RFE/RL news.

The service is getting reports that Armenian bloggers are posting
RFE/RL news on their sites and that RFE/RL news programs are being
repackaged and posted on YouTube.

Putin Congratulates Armenian President Elect, Invites To Russia

PUTIN CONGRATULATES ARMENIAN PRESIDENT ELECT, INVITES TO RUSSIA

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS
March 10, 2008 Monday
Russia

President Vladimir Putin in a Monday telephone conversation
congratulated Armenian president elect Serzh Sargsyan.

He warmly greeted Sargsyan on the final approval of the election
returns by the Armenian Constitutional Court, the Kremlin press
service told Interfax.

Putin confirmed the invitation to visit Russia made to the president
elect earlier.

The invitation was accepted with gratitude.

Simplified Tax Revenues Of State Budget Grow By 2.1%, Revenues From

SIMPLIFIED TAX REVENUES OF STATE BUDGET GROW BY 2.1%, REVENUES FROM OTHER TAXES BY 24.2% IN JANUARY 2008 ON SAME MONTH OF 2007

Noyan Tapan
March 10, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA state budget revenues from
simplified tax made 859 mln drams (about 2.9 mln USD) in January 2008,
growing by 2.1% or 17.6 mln drams on the same month of 2007.

According to the press service of the RA ministry of finance and
economy, nature use and environmental protection payments amounted
to 829.8 mln drams in January 2008. These payments increased 2.8fold
or by 537.5 mln drams as compared with January 2007 due to a growth
of payments for harmful substances from transport means.

The state budgetary revenues from other taxes made over 1.6 bln
drams in January 2008. In particular, the royalty and concession
payments envisaged by the RA Law on Concession made 1.3 bln drams,
road payments – 164.1 mln drams, compulsory payments for regulation
of public services – 105.9 mln drams, fines for violation of the RA
Law on Taxes – 44 mln drams, revenues of the material encouragement
fund of the State Tax Service adjunct to the government – 35.9 mln
drams. Other taxes grew by 24.4% or 320.9 mln drams, mainly due to
payments envisaged by the RA Law on Concession.

Budgetary revenues from state duties amounted to 1.5 bln drams, as
a result of which the quarterly program was executed by 31.3%. State
duties grew by 30.4% or 340.1 mln drams as compared with January 2007,
which was mainly conditioned by an increase in duties for licensing
of some types of activities, departure of natural persons using air
transport, as well as in duties for lawsuits and complaints filed
to courts.

RA President Reversed Some Items Of Emergency Rule Decree

RA PRESIDENT REVERSED SOME ITEMS OF EMERGENCY RULE DECREE

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.03.2008 12:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On March 10, 2008, Armenian President Robert
Kocharian signed an edict which lifts limitations on activity of
political parties imposed on March 1 in the framework of state of
emergency, RA President’s spokesman Victor Soghomonyan told a briefing
in Yerevan.

"Sub-items 6 and 7 of paragraph 4 lost validity.

Sub-item 6 supposed suspension of activity of political parties and
other social organisms preventing elimination of conditions that
led to emergency rule imposition. Sub-item 7 supposed deportation
of individuals violating the legal regime on their own account or
at the expense of the state budget on condition of compensation,"
Mr Soghomonyan said.

He said that no violation of state of emergency have been fixed
so far. "Presently, the presidential administration considers the
possibility to lift limitations of media activities," he noted.

The edict on imposition of state of emergency was signed by President
Kocharian on March 1, 2008, owing to ongoing protest actions and
following disorders that claimed lives of 8 people.