Author: Kalantarian Kevo

VISIT OF CSTO UNITED HEADQUARTERS’ WORKING GROUP TO ARMENIA ENDS

Noyan Tapan
Jan 25, 2008

YEREVAN, JANUARY 25, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the 2008 program
of joint operative and fighting preparedness of armed forces of
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states’ armed
forces and preparation program of the Rubezh 2008 joint commander
and headquarters’ exercise, the working group of the CSTO united
headquarters was in Armenia on January 22-25, headed by Major-General
Sergei Chuvakin, the Head of the Preparation and Use Department of
Armed Forces.

The schedule of holding Rubezh 2008 exercise was worked out during
the working consultations held in Yerevan, an agreement on creation
of exercise’s information center was reached.

As NT was informed by the RA Defence Ministry, Major-General Seyran
Ohanian, the Head of the RA Armed Forces’ General Headquarters, the
first Deputy Minister of Defence, received the members of the working
group of the CSTO united headquarters. Issues of preparation of holding
of joint commander and headquarters exercises in the territory of
Armenia were discussed during the meeting.

HOLOCAUST PROGRAM REMINDS SOCIETY TO FI GHT MASS MURDER

Oakland Press
8/opi_20080125231.shtml
Jan 25 2008
MI

The Michigan chapter of the Zionist Organization of America is hosting
a special program Sunday to honor the United Nations International
Holocaust Remembrance Day.

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It’s a program that you should attend, if possible. It will be
enlightening, although don’t come to be amused. It will commemorate the
60th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp.

The 2:30 p.m. Zionist program is in the Holocaust Memorial Center
– Zekelman Family Campus, at 28123 Orchard Lake Road, on the west
side of the road just north of 12 Mile Road. For information, call
(248) 282-0088.

Admittance is free, but the information you will receive is priceless,
especially for anyone with an open mind and a heart for humanity.

Two speakers will be featured in the program, titled "Confronting Evil,
Now and Then, Terrorism and Nazism."

One speaker is Henry Gleisner of Oxford, a Holocaust survivor who
successfully escaped the ghetto in Lwow, Poland. He functioned with
false documents and worked as an interpreter in German construction.

In 1944, he joined the Italian Resistance, sabotaging a German
airfield. In 1945, he served with the American military government
in Austria and helped in the liberation and rescue of the Ebenese
concentration camp. He is the author of "Defying the Fates," a
chronicle of his life story.

Also speaking is Gleisner’s grandson, Chief Warrant Officer Eric
T. Howe of California, a highly trained and decorated Marine Corps
officer. He enlisted in 1987 and has served at the American Embassies
in Panama; Belgrade, Yugoslavia; and Santiago, Chile. He also has
participated in several special operations; Operation Just Cause
(Panama), Operation Southern Watch (Iraq), Operation Vigilant Warrior
(Kuwait) and Operation Restore Hope (Somalia).

Through the years, numerous neo-Nazi and hate groups have tried to
deny the Holocaust ever happened. It’s like trying to deny the sun
rises in the east and sets in the west, but it’s frightening that so
many believe the lies.

That’s why programs such as the one at the Holocaust Memorial Center
are critical today. It’s important to remember what happened 60 years
ago and further back so that people don’t forget and can try – and
that’s a key little word – to prevent future occurrences.

Obviously, the controversial Armenian Genocide in Turkey, which began
in 1915, didn’t prevent the Holocaust during World War II. And the
latter has failed to prevent such horrors as the Darfur slaughter in
Africa, where hundreds of thousands of people have been massacred.

That doesn’t mean people and nations of good will and true humanity
should give up. That will only guarantee future butchery.

A holocaust or genocide by any other name is still the mass murder
of innocent men, women and children.

It should never be tolerated, accepted or denied.

As the title of the remembrance day program states, the "evil" needs
to be "confronted" head-on by every human whose heart has not grown
stone cold by prejudice and bigotry.

The day should be a remembrance and a commitment to continue to fight
the senseless annihilation of your fellow man.

‘IMAGINE, REMEMBER AND REFLECT’ AT HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL SERVICE

Hendon & Finchley Times
4381.0.imagine_remember_and_reflect_at_holocaust_m emorial_service.php
Jan 25 2008
UK

Hendon MP Andrew Dismore signs the Book of Commitment

More than 800 people are expected to turn out to a memorial service
on Sunday to remember those who died in the Holocaust.

The seventh annual Holocaust Memorial Service is taking place at the
Rickets Quadrangle, in The Burroughs, Hendon, at 1pm.

This year’s theme is ‘Imagineremember, reflect, react’ and guests
will be encouraged to remember the past, reflect on the present and
react to create a better future.

Guests of honour include Major Richard Williams, who helped liberate
Belsen concentration camp at the end of World War II, and the
Ambassador of Armenia, His Excellency Dr Vahe Gabrielyan.

The free event will see live performances from,The Alyth Youth Singers
and the Cantorial Singers. Attendees will also hear the remarkable
survival story of Rene Braun, the husband of the Mayor of Barnet,
Councillor Maureen Braun.

Mrs Braun said: "It is now nearly 63 years since the end of World War
II but events elsewhere in the world today in 2008 show that sadly we
have not learnt the lessons of the past. I invite residents to attend
the Holocaust Memorial Service to reflect with me on the horrors of
the last century and look forward with hope for the future."

advertisementHendon MP Andrew Dismore this week signed a Book of
Commitment to honour those killed in the Holocaust and individuals
that risked their lives to help those being persecuted.

The Book has been placed in the House of Commons for Members of
Parliament nationwide to sign.

Mr Dismore said: "Holocaust Memorial Day provides a focus for each
of us to learn from the lessons of the Holocaust. We must not only
reflect on the horrors of the Holocaust and remember all the victims
killed and persecuted by the Nazis but also to challenge all types
of prejudice and discrimination which continue in our society today."

Barnet is also holding a two-week exibition at Brent Cross shopping
centre from January 21 to Febuary 1 to allow resdidents to remember
and reflect on the victims of the Holocaust in their own way.

Entitled 6 million+, the exibition comprises six million buttons
which represent the numbers of Jews killed in World War II. Council
officers and survivors from the Holocaust, who will be on hand to
speak to visitors about their experiences.

ARMENIAN DIPLOMATES DON’T TRADE IN CARS
By Ara Martirosian

AZG Armenian Daily
26/01/2008

The response of the head of the press and information department of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Karapetyan to Radio Liberty

Mr. Karapetyan, the German DPA agency informs that the diplomats
representing Armenia to Buenos Aires have appeared among diplomats of
over 30 other countries, who are suspected by the foreign ministry
of Argentina of illegal import of cars. Please confirm or refute
this information.

The part of the information published in the Clarin, an Argentinian
newspaper, and spread by the German agency DPA concerning the Armenian
embassy to Argentina and its staff is not true.

In Argentina no Armenian diplomat has ever bought a personal car and
has never been involved in any profit deal.

The Armenian embassy to Argentina owns a Honda Accord car which was
donated to the embassy in 2006 by the national benefactor Eduardo
Seferyan, and one For Focus which was bought in 2007. The Armenian
embassy does not own any other car.

It should be noted that the authoritative Argentinean newspaper La
Nacion published a story about the same incident but did not mention
the Armenian embassy.

The foreign minister of Argentina Jorge Taiana has initiated an
investigation in illegal import of cars.

Several senior officials of the foreign ministry and customs service
of Argentina have been dismissed. The Armenian embassy urges in a
letter to the editor of the Clarin to refute the wrong information.

Jan B. Poulsen Appointed Coach of Armenian National Football Team

Veteran Danish coach Jan B. Poulsen has been appointed as the man
to lead Armenia through 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying, coming in as
a permanent replacement to Ian Porterfield following the Scotsman’s
death in September.

The 61-year-old Poulsen will couple the role with that of the Football
Federation of Armenia technical director, taking the reins from
Vardan Minasyan who took temporary charge after Porterfield passed
away following a long illness. "I’ve only seen two Armenia matches so
I’ll get to know the players and the team during training sessions,"
said the former Denmark Under-21 coach. "Our goal is to achieve good
results and play attractive football." Poulsen will get a taste of
what is to come at the beginning of February when Armenia compete in
an international tournament in Malta, alongside the hosts, Belarus
and Iceland, uefa.com reports.

RA Trade and Economy Minister: Armenian Industry Experiences "Quite"
Growth without Diamond Proceeding

Nerses Yeritsian, RA Trade and Economy development Minister, dwelt
on the results of the past economic year at yesterday’s annual press
conference. Touching upon the main microeconimic factors, he stated
that the economic growth was quite an impressive one. As for the
industry, he said that even excluding the diamond proceeding sector,
the economic growth made 8,8% last year. He especially pointed out
the growth of machinery industry which made 20%.

Yeritsian said that they have elaborated a number of programs aimed
to improvement of business athmosphere, to economic growth mainly
in the spheres of mining industry, chemical industry, tourism and
information technologies. He added that they expect certain improvement
of the diamond proceeding sector after cooperating with the Russian
"Alrosa" company.

In response to the question of a journalist, Yeritsian said that
in conditions of economic downturn in the US, the prices for gross
products in Armenia may not be changed much. Yeritsian also added
that there are manu serisous investments made in the cphere of mining
industry aimed to the development of this primary sphere of Armenian
economy. Yeritsuan promised to give more detailed information about
the sphere of mining industry in 6-7 months.

As for the pre-electoral programs, he said that such promises as growth
of budget and salaries may acuse high inflation, as awell as certain
expectations that may dissappoint people if they do not come true.

COOPERATION AGREEMENT TO BE SIGNED BETWEEN YEREVAN STATE LINGUISTIC UNIVERSITY AND TALLINN UNIVERSITY

Noyan Tapan
Jan 24, 2008

YEREVAN, JANUARY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. An agreement of cooperation will
be signed on January 25 between Yerevan V. Brusov State Linguistic
University and Tallinn University. Exchange of students and lecturers,
elaboration and exchange of university curricula is envisaged within
the framework of the cooperation. Suren Zolian, the Rector of Yerevan
State Linguistic University, said this at the Januaty 24 meeting at the
University, where Rey Raod, the Rector of Tallinn University, gave a
lecture on the subject "Establishment of Democracy and Civil Society."

According to Suren Zolian, the signing of the agreement will give a
possibility to use Tallinn University’s experience for establishment
of the credit system at the Linguistic University. According to the
Rector, teaching of Estonian at the Linguistic University and vice
versa, teaching of Armenian in Tallinn University is envisaged within
the framework of cooperation between the two Universities.

It should be mentioned that the Rector of Tallinn University has
arrived in Armenia within the framework of the program under thr
title Human Rights and European Integration School being implemented
at Yerevan State Linguistic University.

TURKISH PRIME MINISTER DISAPPOINTS ISRAEL
By H. Chaqrian

AZG Armenian Daily
25/01/2008

International

Yesterday the Turkish mass media, referring to "Haarez" newspaper,
Israel, spread information that the Prime Minister of Turker Recep
Tayyip Erdogan is disappointing the Israeli authorities. According
to the information, the Foreign Ministry of Israel protested against
Erdogan’s statement that the armed forces of Israel kill hundreds of
Palestinians in each military operation in Gaza, while Palestinian
"Kassam" missiles did not cause death to any citizen of Israel.

On January 23 an official of the Israeli Foreign Ministry met with
Ambassador of Turkey Namik Tan and said, "The statement of Erdogan
caused great disappointment to Israel. Israel expected a quite
different position from a Prime Minister of a country having serious
problems with world terrorism".

It is expected that in connection with the statement Foreign Minister
of Isrtael Zipi Livny shall address Foreign Minister of Turkey Ali
Babacan and Prime Ministder of Israel Ehud Olmert shall address
Erdogan.

PROBLEMS DISCUSSED ON SOTK AND MEGHRADZOR MININGS

Panorama.am
20:50 24/01/2008

Today Aram Harutunyan, the minister of Environmental protection met
with the director of "Ararat Gold Production Enterprises" LLC Dimitri
Kalandadze and Vardan Vardanyan, the president of directors’ board.

According to the public relations department of the ministry, the
sides discussed several questions, like the capital investments on
Sotk and Meghradzor mining, improving the equipment, establishing new
technologies to protect the nature, the reevaluation of the mining,
and other environmental issues.

AZERBAIJANIS AND ARMENIANS HAVE FIGHT IN MOSCOW

Azeri Press Agency
Jan 22 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijanis and Armenians living in the capital of Russia had a
fight. Coordinating Council of the Azerbaijani Youth in Moscow told
APA that a correspondence via internet caused the fight.

Armenians posted false reports about ancient Azerbaijani land Nagorno
Karabakh and called the territory Artsakh. They posted flag of the
aggressive regime on websites and spread false, insulting reports about
Azerbaijan. Azerbaijanis answered them via internet. As a result of
it, the young men had a dispute.

The Azerbaijanis and Armenians, who met in Ryazanski street to
continue the dispute, had a fight. 250-300 people from each side
reportedly participated in the fight. The Azeri, who slightly hurt
his head, was offered medical aid. The incident was prevented after
the intervention of law-enforcement bodies. 40 people were taken to
the police departments in Ryazanski and Vikhino regions of Moscow and
were later released. The Coordinating Council said that Azerbaijani
embassy in Russia and some entrepreneurs in Moscow had role in the
release of Azerbaijanis.

"HERITAGE" HAS ORIENTATED

A1+
22 January, 2008

The campaign has already begun, but the "Heritage" party has not
decided which candidate it will support.

"We have decided that we will not support the functioning
authorities. This is our orientation. We are for the model of election
which will not reproduce itself. The election should take place. Our
nation should believe that it can change the authorities, the current
administration by its vote. That is why, we have told all the powers,
that we have negotiated with, that it is difficult to win separately",
mentioned Deputy of the "Heritage" faction Anahit Bakhshyan. .

In fact, the "Heritage" party has met Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Vazgen
Manukyan, Arthur Baghdasaryan, Vahan Hovhannisyan and called them to
unite. "We will see which powers unite and will support that union".

Will the "Heritage" support the ARF candidate? Anahit Bakhshyan
responded: "Maybe, only if he joins another power".

Assessing the present political atmosphere in the Republic, the
NA Deputy noted that unequal conditions were established for all
presidential candidates. "The atmosphere is tensed, you feel distrust,
intolerance, which hinders an ordinary citizen to orientate", she said.

ACCORDING TO VAZGEN MANUKIAN, NEW CONSTITUTION SHOULD BE BASIS FOR DEEP SYSTEM CHANGES

Noyan Tapan
Jan 21, 2008

YEREVAN, JANUARY 21, NOYAN TAPAN. Radical changes are needed to bring
Armenia to a way having prospects and for passing to a new model, the
preelection program of Vazgen Manukian, a candidate for presidency,
the Chairman of the National Democratic Union, mentioned.

In his words, Armenia’s economic system by its structure is a
half-capitalist-half-feudal. All big financial flows are controlled by
a group of people in power. The way leading to big business is closed,
privileged or nomenclature businessmen standing close to the power
pyramid appear there. Vazgen Manukian mentioned that the seeming
competition concerns only the lower layer of business, where there
is really serious competition, but economy gains nothing from that
competition, as power and entrepreneurship have complete agreement
with each other in the main sector of business. According to him,
consequently, if there is no economic democracy, no political democracy
can work, either.

The candidate for presidency also touched upon the issue of real and
nominal growth of economy. According to him, a nominal growth of GDP
is really registered in the recent years. However, parallel with it,
rather high level of population’s poverty is kept in a strange way,
social polarization deepens: "If we try to open the inner structure
of economic growth, it will become clear that it has been mainly
ensured through the sphere of construction and services."

The appreciation of exchange rate of the RA dram against international
currency, especially USD, and its impact on country’s economy is
attached much importance in the program. According to Manukian,
by being appreciated constantly, the dram at first did harm to the
interests of national importers and now has already caused problems
for enterprises working on the local market. According to the
preliminary estimations of 2007, the negative balance of import and
export made nearly 1.6bn dollars. So, import to that amount exceeds
export. "And this is already something like economic disaster,"
V. Manukian considers.

According to Manukian, system changes are needed to change the above
mentioned situation. In his words, a new Constitution adopted on
the basis of inner public consent, accompanied with a harmonious
legislative package, should be the basis of deep system changes. The
model of democratization of power branches and local self-government
bodies, as well as power decentralization should be the basis of
that package.