Author: Kalantarian Kevo

LEVON ARONIAN REMAINS ONLY CHESS PLAYER WHO IS AT TOP OF AMBER TOURNAMENT TABLE

Noyan Tapan
March 26, 2008

NICE, MARCH 26, NOYAN TAPAN. Two tours have remained until the end
of the Amber International Chess Tournament being held in the city
of Nice, France.

In the 9th tour Levon Aronian in blind and speed chess beat Alexander
Morozevich (Russia) and gaining 12.5 points, remains the only chess
player who is at the top of the tournament table.

He is followed by Vladimir Kramnik (Russia), Peter Leko (Hungary),
Magnus Carlsen (Norway) with 10 points each. Veselin Topalov
(Bulgaria) and Vasily Ivanchuk (the Ukraine) have gained 9.5 points
each, Viswanathan Anand (India) has 9 points, Alexander Morozevich
(Russia) 8.5 points, Sergei Karyakin (the Ukraine) 8 points, Luk
van Velli (Holland) 7.5 points, Boris Gelfand (Israel) 7 points,
Shahriyar Mamediarov (Azerbaijan) 6.5 points.

The games of the 10th tour are fixed for March 26 and of last, 11th
tour for March 27.

USA NOT TO TAKE "NEGATIVE STEPS" AGAINST ARMENIA – US OFFICIAL

Mediamax
March 25 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 25 March: The US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Matthew
Bryza, believes that since Armenia has taken up positive steps on
lifting the state of emergency, "there is no need for us to take
negative steps on our side".

Mediamax reports that the US diplomat said this in an interview to
"Armenian Reporter" newspaper, published in the USA, commenting on the
statements, according to which because of the recent events in Armenia,
the US government may freeze the programs of financial assistance.

"I hope very much that lifting of the state of emergency moves tensions
in Armenia to a new phase, in which freedoms and democratic momentum
in Armenia are restored and we get back on track with all of the
items on our important agenda," the US diplomat stated.

At that, Matthew Bryza stated, the final decision of the USA will
depend on how fully the freedoms are restored.

U.S. ASKS ARMENIA TO GIVE ITS CONSENT FOR NOMINATION OF NEW AMBASSADOR

ARMENPRESS
March 25, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS: Tigran Balayan, head of the foreign
ministry’s press division, confirmed today that the Armenian
authorities were asked by the U.S. counterparts to give their consent
to Washington’s nomination of a new ambassador to Yerevan.

But he declined to reveal the name of the new ambassador. He said
the U.S. Senate will be asked to endorse the nomination only after
the official Yerevan gives its accord.

Meantime, Harut Sassounian, the publisher of the Los-Angeles-based
The California Courier, said that according to several Armenian and
American reliable sources the Bush Administration has submitted to
the Armenian government the name of Marie L. Yovanovitch as the
next Ambassador to Armenia. He said she is currently serving as
U.S. Ambassador to the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan.

After previous ambassador, John Evans was recalled for using the term
Armenian Genocide the Bush administration nominated Richard Hoagland to
replace Evans, but his nomination was blocked by Sen. Robert Menendez
in protest against the dismissal of Amb.

Evans and objection to Amb. Headland’s poor choice of words in
responding to Senators’ questions on the validity of the Armenian
Genocide.

VETERAN TURKISH JOURNALIST FREED AFTER CRITICISM

Gulf Times
March 24 2008
Qatar

ISTANBUL: A veteran Turkish journalist, rounded up as part of a probe
into a shadowy anti-government network, was released yesterday after
a storm of criticism over his detention, the Anatolia news agency said.

Ilhan Selcuk, 83, chief columnist of the secularist Cumhuriyet
daily and a fierce critic of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s
Islamist-rooted government, was however banned from leaving Turkey
until the probe is over, Anatolia quoted his lawyer Akin Atalay
as saying.

Selcuk was arrested in a pre-dawn operation on Friday along with 11
other people. Four others were also released yesterday, Anatolia said.

They were questioned as part of an investigation into a group
of suspected ultra-nationalists who reportedly plotted unrest and
political assassinations in Turkey in a bid to discredit and eventually
topple the government.

Selcuk’s arrest unleashed accusations from civic groups and opposition
parties that the government is using the probe to intimidate critics
at a time of simmering political tensions.

Some accused the government of seeking vengeance against secularist
forces after a prosecutor asked the Constitutional Court last week
to outlaw the ruling Justice and Development Party for undermining
Turkey’s secular system.

The probe was launched in June after the discovery of explosives in
an Istanbul house.

Retired soldiers, journalists, lawyers and underworld figures are
among 39 people who have so far been jailed, awaiting trial.

Officials have made no statement on the investigation and prosecutors
are yet to draw up an indictment to detail the charges and start
a trial.

The Turkish media, citing unnamed sources, say police are investigating
whether the suspects were involved in acts of political violence
aiming to discredit the government.

This would include the murders of ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant
Dink, Italian Catholic priest Andrea Santoro and a senior judge,
they say.

Reports claim some of the jailed suspects also planned to assassinate
2006 Nobel literature laureate Orhan Pamuk, a pro-government journalist
and several Kurdish politicians.

The media largely considers the probe as an onslaught against the
"deep state" – a term used to describe members of the security forces
acting outside the law to preserve what they consider Turkey’s best
interests.

ARMENIA SHOULD TAKE THE LEAD IN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.03.2008 18:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian authorities should not close eyes
to the Azerbaijani resolution adopted by the UN, NKR former Deputy
Foreign Minister Arman Melikyan said.

"This is an international document and its adoption is a failure of
Armenian diplomacy," he said.

"Passage of the resolution is not a calamity for Armenia. Our problem
is that we focus on prevention of hostilities, failing to understand
the international interests correctly," he said. "Armenia should
take the lead in Karabakh settlement. Armenia needs new approaches
and new negotiators," he added, Novosti Armenia reports.

On March 14, the UN General Assembly with 39 votes ‘in favor’, 7
‘against’ and 100 abstentions adopted the resolution "On the situation
in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan."

The OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair states – Russia, U.S. and France –
voted against the measure.

HUNDREDS GATHER IN ARMENIA TO PROTEST ELECTION RESULTS AFTER STATE OF EMERGENCY LIFTED

The Associated Press
March 21, 2008

YEREVAN, Armenia: Hundreds of people are taking to the streets of
Armenia’s capital to protest election results after the government
lifted a state of emergency.

The opposition supporters are gathering in small groups Friday,
apparently to avoid provoking a police crackdown after authorities
denied them permission to hold a rally.

Public gatherings were banned during the 20-day state of emergency that
ended at midnight Thursday. It was imposed by the government following
clashes between police and protesters that left eight people dead.

The opposition claims the government rigged Armenia’s Feb. 19
presidential election in favor of Prime Minister Serge Sarkisian,
who is to be inaugurated next month.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT UPHOLDS RULES FOR PAYING STATE BENEFITS TO DEAD HEROES’ FAMILIES

ARKA
March 20, 2008

YEREVAN, March 20. /ARKA/. Armenian government approved rules for
paying state benefits to killed national heroes’ families.

Governmental press office told ARKA News Agency on Thursday that the
benefit amounts to AMD 200,000 (about $650).

The government gave instruction to the social minister to settle
necessary formal matters with benefit payments.

GENERAL STAFF HEAD OF ARMENIAN FORCES, CSTO REPRESENTATIVES DISCUSS RUBEZH 2008 MANEUVERS

ARKA
March 20, 2008

YEREVAN, March 20. /ARKA/. Head of the General Staff of Armenian
Forces Seiran Ohanian, CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization)
representatives, as well as Russia’s and Tajikistan’s defense ministers
discussed on March 19 Rubezh (Border) 2008 upcoming maneuvers in
Armenia.

The participants to the meeting touched upon organizational issues of
the military exercises, RA Defense Ministers’ Press Secretary Seiran
Shakhsuvarian reported.

Rubezh 2008 four-stage joint military exercises will be held in Russia
and Armenia in summer-fall 2008. About 4,000 servicemen from Armenia,
Russia and Tajikistan will participate in the maneuvers.

Armored troops, conventional artillery, army artillery groups, ground
attack aircrafts and engineer troops will participate in the exercises.

Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and
Tajikistan are CSTO members.

JOINT STATEMENT OF LEADING ARMENIAN-AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS ON RECENT EVENTS IN ARMENIA

armradio.am
19.03.2008 18:03

The Armenian Assembly of America, the Armenian General Benevolent
Union, the Armenian National Committee of America, the Diocese of
the Armenian Church of America (Eastern/Western) and the Prelacy of
the Armenian Apostolic Church of America (Eastern/ Western) issued
a joint statement on the recent events in Armenia.

"As leading Armenian-American organizations, we stand in solidarity
with the state and the people of Armenia as the nation confronts the
current political crisis.

We are deeply saddened by the violence, divisiveness, and deaths
during the post-electoral street unrest in the capital and extend our
heartfelt sympathies to all the families of the victims. We condemn
all violent acts, including assaults, vandalism, and looting, and
expect, consistent with due process of law, that the organizers and
perpetrators will be brought to justice.

We urge all parties to work peacefully within Armenia’s civic and
legal structures to address their outstanding differences and restore
Armenia’s political environment to a state of normalcy in as timely
and responsible a manner as possible. We join with all Armenians
in reaffirming our people’s common commitment to the security of
Armenia and Artsakh in a challenging and often dangerous region,
and to cooperate toward our shared aim of strengthening an open and
democratic Armenian homeland, based upon the rule of law, social
and economic justice, freedom of expression and the media, and equal
opportunity for all.

As Armenian-Americans, proud and vital partners in the future of the
Armenian nation, we are ready to cooperate with the newly-elected
president and the government. We remain committed to doing our
part to serve our homeland and the Armenian Nation as we have done
throughout our long history. Armenia will continue to inspire and
sustain generations of Armenians who have lived, as we do today,
beyond her borders."

AUTHORITIES PROVED TOO SOFT WHEN PROTECTING NATIONAL VALUES: VICE CHAIRMAN OF PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS

arminfo
2008-03-19 13:41:00

ArmInfo. ‘Frankly speaking, it is not so important for me how the
world community will perceive the incidents of March 1 in Yerevan’
, Vice Chairman of Armenian Parliamentary Commission for Foreign
Affairs Vazgen Karakhanyan told ArmInfo. Nevertheless, he stressed
that one should not rule out the significance of the assessment of
domestic political processes in Armenia by the world community since
the Millennium Challenge Account Compact and the future activity of
Lincy Foundation are threatened. Various envoys arrive in Armenia
and demand discussing human rights and democracy protection in the
country at the negotiating table. ‘Indeed, they would like Armenia to
be a weak country headed by a weak president. However, I think that
the authorities of Armenia acted too softly when protecting national
values’, the parliamentarian said.