Author: Kalantarian Kevo

REPUBLICAN TOUR OF 2007-08 SCHOOLYEAR’S SCHOOL OLYMPIAD TO BE HELD BETWEEN MARCH 28 TO APRIL 21

Noyan Tapan
Feb 25, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 25, NOYAN TAPAN. By the order of the RA Minister
of Education and Science, the staffs of the organizing committee
and subject commissions of 2007-2008 schoolyear’s pupils’ subject
olympiads, the schedule of the regional, republican tours, the number
of participants of the republican tour was established.

As Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by the RA Ministry of
Education and Science, after the olympiad’s school and regional tours,
the republican tours will be held in Yerevan between March 28 to
April 21 on 14 subjects.

The olympiad in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry subjects will
be organized at Yerevan’s Physics and Mathematics School N 1, and in
Armenian Literature, History, Geography, and Russian Language subjects
in the Olympus educational complex.

The republican olympiad in Informatics will be held at Yerevan State
University, and in Biology at Anania Shirakatsi college. Pupils
studying English, French, and German languages will compete at
V. Brusov State Linguistic University.

The olympiad in Astronomy will be organized at Byurakan observatory and
Armenian Language olympiad at the Theological Seminary of Etchmiadzin.

The republican organizing committee of 2007-2008 schoolyear’s subject
olympiads will be headed by Bagrat Yesayan, the RA Deputy Minister
of Education and Science.

DEFENCE MINISTER MIKAEL HARUTYUNIAMN LAYS WREATH AT GRAVE OF UNKNOWN
SOLDIER

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA defence minister Mikael
Harutyunian accompanied by high-ranking officers of the armed forces of
Armenia and Russia and the Russian frontier troops went to "Victory"
Park in Yerevan on February 23 and laid a wreath at the Grave of
Unknown Soldier on the occasion of Day of Defender of Fatherland
celerated in Russia. Armenian and Russian veterans of the Great
Patriotic War attended the ceremony.

According to the RA Defence Ministry Information and Propaganda
Department, in his speech the minister congratulated everyody on the
Great Victory, underlining the importance of that victory in the
developments that took place in the world in the second half of the
20th century. The minister said that most of the Armenian officers
served in the Soviet army, exhibiting good behavior during their
military service.

PROBE INTO THE CASE OF ALSIFICATION OF ELECTION RESULTS AT POLLING STATION #9/31 LAUNCHED

armradio.am
22.02.2008 15:55

Staff of Armenian presidential candidate Serge Sargsyan provided data
on recount of votes in 34 polling stations.

According to the given data, in the overwhelming majority of cases,
the results of recount remained unchanged, or there were only minor
changes, Mediamax reports.

An exception was the polling station #9/31 in Yerevan "Kentron"
community, where the recount revealed falsifications. According to
the results of recount, it turned out that 396 electors voted for
Serge Sargsyan, and not 709, as it was stated in the protocol.

A criminal case has been launched on the fact of falsification of
election results against the members of the electoral commission
of the polling station # 9/31. Chairman of the commission Edward
Aghajanyan is arrested.

The investigation on the case is carried out by the Special
Investigatory Service of Armenia.

OYP DEPUTY CHAIRWOMAN HEGHINE BISHARIAN TO MAKE STATEMENT IN RALLY TO BE HELD IN FREEDOM SQUARE

Noyan Tapan
Feb 21, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, NOYAN TAPAN. Heghine Bisharian, the Head of the
Central Pre-electoral Headquarters of Arthur Baghdasarian, the Leader
of the Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) Party, and a candidate running
for presidency, will make a statement at the rally to be held in the
Freedom Square on February 21. This information was provided to a
Noyan Tapan correspondent by the office of the Orinats Yerkir Party.

In the evening of the same day, as Vazgen Manukian, the Chairman of
the National Democratic Union and a candidate running for the post
of the RA President, informed Noyan Tapan, the sitting of the party
administration will be held, after which the National Democratic
Union will make a statement concerning the presidential elections.

REPRESENTATIVES OF AZERBAIJANI CIVIL SOCIETY TO VISIT NAGORNO KARABAKH AGAIN

Today.Az
21 February 2008

The next visit of representatives of Azerbaijan’s civil society
to Nagorno Karabakh in the framework of "popular diplomacy" of
participation in talks on Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno
-Karabakh is expected in spring.

The due announcement was made by Arzu Abdullayeva, chairman of the
Azerbaijani National Committee of the Helsinki Civil Assembly, at a
regular session of the Public Council for Nagorno Karabakh conflict
resolution.

She said the visit of a delegation of 10 people will last for a week,
Novosti-Azerbaijan reports.

She also informed about the problems of passing the front line.

"Following the vsit of the first mission of popular diplomatslead by
the Culture Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia to Baku, Yerevan and
Khankendi, the officials of the state announced that such practice
will ensure rapprochement of the sides, which will have a positive
impact on the process of the conflict resolution. We have informed
country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs about our plans. But the answer
was negative and we were not allowed to pay a visit to Nagorno Karabakh
via the front line", Abdullayeva said noting that in this case they
will have to go to Khankendi via Armenia.

According to the human rights activist, the talks on the peaceful
resolution of Nagorno Karabakh conflict are held both on the official
and unofficial levels.

"We have been working in this direction since 1993. Initially,
our activity aimed to find missing people and those Armenians and
Azerbaijanis, who were captured in the result of the Karabakh war. We
have collected due information and ensured their return home.

Moreover, we are striving for creation of conditions for the
representatives of the Azerbaijani and Armenian community, scientists,
people, engaged in the Karabakh problems, to discuss the possible
resolution of the conflict.

Certainly, this is a long-term process, whose resolution does not
envision a single prescription", the chairman said.

Abdullayeva noted that the position of the Azerbaijani people in this
issue remains changeless: the occupied lands must be released.

"The Prague negotiation process on the peaceful resolution of the
conflict is at a dead end right now. This is caused by the fact that
the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen have their own interests in the
issue. The resolution of the problem is complicated by the fact that
Russia and the United States can not come to a single decision in
the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. The powers of Azerbaijan and
Armenia should undertake necessary steps for the conflict settlement
and there is a need to promote the development of the civil society",
the human rights activity noted and said that there is a need to
prepare the population of the two countries for peaceful coexistence.

She said she considers it to be a purpose of the visit to Nagorno
Karabakh.

"We will take part in a conference in Armenia and will then visit
Nagorno Karabakh, as we are obliged to choose this very route",
she said.

FRENCH PRESIDENT CONGRATULATED SARGSYAN ON VICTORY

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.02.2008 18:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ French President Nicolas Sarkozy congratulated Serzh
Sargsyan on election President of Armenia. Mr Sarkozy’s letter says,
in part, "On behalf of the French nation I congratulate you on victory
in the presidential election… I congratulate the Armenian people
on the choice which proved confidence in the government you head, the
government which follows the path of political reforms an approaches
Europe. Be firmly convinced of France’s support to stability and
peace in the South Caucasus. As a Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group,
France will work for a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict," the RA government’s pres office reported.

ARMENIAN PM SARKISIAN WINS PRESIDENCY
By Maria Danilova

Associated Press
Wednesday February 20 2008

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) – Thousands of opposition supporters marched
through Armenia’s capital Wednesday after an election official
said complete results showed that the prime minister had won the
presidential election.

Allegations of fraud and threats of mass protests have raised concerns
about the stability of the volatile, strategic country, located at
the juncture of the energy-rich Caspian Sea region and southern Europe
and bordering Iran.

An initial count of the ballots showed Prime Minister Serge Sarkisian
had nearly 53 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s election, Central
Election Commission chief Garegin Azarian said – enough to win outright
and avoid a runoff. Top opposition candidate Levon Ter-Petrosian had
21.5 percent, Azarian said.

Ter-Petrosian’s backers have alleged widespread fraud, and a crowd
gathered in central Yerevan to protest the results, swelling to some
20,000 as riot police with truncheons guarded the election commission
building a five-minute walk away.

The protesters then marched to the government headquarters in a broad
central square, many shouting "Levon!" and raising a clenched fist –
Ter-Petrosian’s campaign symbol. Helmeted police blocked the building,
and the protesters moved on, marching toward the election commission
building.

"I have no doubt that the authorities have falsified the election and
I will protest with all those who also feel cheated," Simon Grigorian,
a 38-year-old engineer, said at the protest.

Sarkisian was groomed by outgoing President Robert Kocharian and was
widely expected to win, in part because of favorable media coverage
and support from the state bureaucracy. He also has benefited from
economic improvements in recent years.

Ter-Petrosian accused the authorities of resorting to ballot-stuffing,
vote-buying and beating his activists who monitored the election. He
asserted that he was actually the winner.

"These figures have nothing to do with reality, we are overwhelmingly
ahead of them," his spokesman, Arman Museian, said of the results
announced by the election commission.

An influential international observer mission said there were concerns
about the vote count, but issued a generally positive assessment of
the election.

The election was "mostly in line with the country’s international
commitments, although further improvements are necessary," the mission
from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said in
a preliminary statement.

"The problems we observed, particularly during the counting, must be
addressed to increase overall confidence in the electoral process,"
Anne-Marie Lizin, one of the mission’s coordinators, said in the
statement.

The observers declined to comment on whether the problems could have
significantly affected the outcome of the vote.

A candidate needed to garner more than 50 percent of the vote to
avoid a runoff.

Sarkisian and Ter-Petrosian – Armenia’s first president after the
1991 Soviet collapse – were the two top contenders vying to lead the
South Caucasus nation, where more than a quarter of its 3.2 million
people live in poverty despite some economic progress in recent years.

The election campaign was dominated by the country’s economic revival
and efforts to resolve the status of Nagorno-Karabakh – a mountainous
region in neighboring Azerbaijan that has been under ethnic Armenian
control since a cease-fire ended six years of fighting in 1994.

Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia on Sunday added an
element of uncertainty for Armenians, many of whom see clear analogies
between Kosovo and Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Armenian government says the region should be recognized as
a sovereign state, while Azerbaijan says it will never cede its
territory.

Armenia experienced an economic collapse after the Soviet breakup
and in the face of blockades by Azerbaijan and its key ally Turkey,
which is outraged by efforts to win international recognition of the
killing of 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turks in the World War
I-era as genocide.

The blockades have hamstrung Armenia’s economy and cut it out of
lucrative regional energy and transport projects.

The U.S., whose large Armenian diaspora has a strong lobby in Congress,
has poured some $1.7 billion in aid into the country since 1991,
encouraging economic and political liberalization.

Armenia is eligible for millions more in U.S. aid, but a questionable
election could jeopardize Washington’s support.

Defexpo India-2008 arms exhibition opens in New Delhi

13:17 | 16/ 02/ 2008

NEW DELHI, February 16 (RIA Novosti) – The International Defexpo
India-2008 arms exhibition and conference opened on Saturday in the
capital of India, New Delhi.

The exhibition, running through February 19, comprises 475 military and
technical companies from 30 countries, with Russia being one of the
largest representatives among them.

Russian Ambassador to India Vyacheslav Trubnikov, who attended the
opening ceremony, said that the exhibition is a unique possibility for
Russia to broaden its military and technical cooperation with India.

"It is important that the exhibition opened in the wake of Russian
Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov’s official visit to India," Trubnikov
said.

The Russian prime minister was on an official visit to India this week
from February 11 to 13.

Russia’s state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport showcases at the
exhibition advanced Kalashnikov AK-101, AK-102 (5.56 mm), AK-103 and
AK-104 (7.62 mm) assault rifles, the AN-94 Abakan machine-gun, the
Bizon-20-1 (9 mm) pistol, the OSV-96 sniper rifle, and night vision
devices.

Russia also intends to demonstrate its maintenance and upgrading
capabilities for small and light weapons, presenting its specialist
training programs and reliability as a supplier of weapons and
components, as well as its after sales service.

The Defexpo India exhibition was conceptualized in 1998 to promote
defense exports from India and exhibit the capabilities of Indian
defense R&D and production. The exhibition, which began in 1999 with
197 exhibitors, has now grown into one of the most recognized
international defense exhibitions in the world.

International seminars, especially the India Defense Industry Summit,
held as part of the exhibition have evolved into the biannual
International Defense Industry Forum.

FIRST AUCTION OF BONDS WITH 20-YEAR MATURITY HELD

Noyan Tapan
Feb 14, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The primary placement of RA state
long-term milestone coupon (AMGB20072283 issue) bonds with 20-year
maturity took place on February 14. Four agenst participated in
the auction. NT was informed by the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA)
press service that the total amount of offers at the auction made 3
bln 571 mln 490 thousand drams (about 11.5 mln USD), the amount of
non-competitive offers made 440 mln drams, the total amount of offers
satisfied made 3 bln 571 mln 490 thousand drams, the maximum yield
of placed bonds made 11% and the weighted average yield made 10.9755%.

It is noteworthy that it is for the first time that the RA ministry
of finance and economy issues bonds of this maturity of the total
amount of 80 bln drams. NT correspondent was informed by the head of
the ministry’s state debt servicing department Arshaluys Margarian
that the bonds of the indicated amount will be placed within three
years. Bonds of 25 bln drams will be placed in 2008.

In his words, bonds whose interest rates are a milestone for formation
of interest rates of other state bonds are considered as milestone
bonds. It is envisaged that bonds of other maturity will be gradually
replaced by long-term bonds through several large issues.

According to the CBA press service, 20-year maturity bonds issued
on Febraury 7 will be sold at a discount on the nominal value and
will be redeemed by the nomunal value. The annual yield of bond
coupons will make 11% and will be calculated with respect to bonds
in circulation. Coupon payments will be made every six months. The
day of bonds’ redemption is February 7, 2028.

Transitions on Line, Czech Republic
Feb 14 2008

Watching Armenia, Quietly

by Rovshan Ismayilov
14 February 2008

Analysts in Baku wonder who is the better candidate in the Armenian
presidential race. From EurasiaNet.

BAKU | In Azerbaijan, official or public interest in Armenia’s
upcoming presidential election is minimal. Few in Baku see the
impending political transition in Yerevan as having much of an impact
on efforts to break the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations stalemate.

Despite a recent push to revive peace talks, analysts contend that a
lack of popular hope in Baku for the normalization of Azeri-Armenian
relations, or for the resolution of the Karabakh conflict, is behind
the lack of interest in the Armenian election.

The Azeri government’s indifferent stance reinforces this impression.
The identity of Armenia’s new president, foreign ministry
spokesperson Khazar Ibrahim succinctly commented, `will be the choice
of the Armenian voters and society.’

The Armenian vote is viewed generally by Azeri onlookers as a choice
between just two candidates, even though nine are officially in the
race. The winner of the 19 February election will replace Robert
Kocharian, who must leave office after serving two terms.

Serzh Sarkisian
Most believe that the two candidates with any chance of winning are
Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian, who is seen as the favorite, and
former president Levon Ter-Petrosian, who was in office during
Armenia’s 1988-1994 war with Azerbaijan over control of Karabakh.

>From Baku’s perspective, the other seven candidates in Yerevan simply
do not exist. There is virtually no mention of them in the Azeri
media, and their movements and statements generally are not followed
by Baku political analysts or government officials. Between Sarkisian
and Ter-Petrosian, the latter is seen as a political leader more open
to compromise with Azerbaijan.

READY FOR COMPROMISE?

`Ter-Petrosian is an experienced politician who is ready for
courageous solutions,’ commented Rasim Musabekov, an
opposition-friendly political analyst in Baku. `And his speeches show
he is readier to stop the hostilities with Azerbaijan. But the issue
is whether Ter-Petrosian will be able to control the hawks in the
Armenian administration.’

`He said several times that it is necessary for Armenia to have
better relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey,’ agreed Rauf Mirkadirov,
a political columnist for the Russian-language daily Zerkalo (Mirror)
who recently returned from a trip to Armenia. `Of course, better
relations are not possible without compromises on the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue.’

Former presidential foreign policy aide Vafa Guluzade, who took part
in the Karabakh peace talks during the 1990s, also sees Ter-Petrosian
as capable of `real’ compromises – a pullout from the seven occupied
Azeri territories surrounding Karabakh and the start of some form of
cooperation with Azerbaijan. Guluzade blames Russia’s supposed
dislike of such compromises for the former president’s resignation in
1998.

With the pro-Russian Sarkisian in power, Guluzade forecasted, `the
[peace] process will remain stuck. `

The deputy chairman of the Azeri Parliament’s Security and Defense
Committee disagreed. `I do not see a big difference between them,’
Aydin Mirzazade said, referring to the Sarkisian and Ter-Petrosian
positions on Karabakh. `It was Ter-Petrosian who appointed Karabakh
war hawks Serzh Sarkisian and Robert Kocharian [as] Armenian defense
minister and prime minister, respectively.’

Speeches made by Ter-Petrosian, though, Mirzazade continued, indicate
that he grasps `Azerbaijan’s growing strength’ – a phrase commonly
used to refer to the country’s energy-fueled economic boom and recent
military buildup.

Mirzazade said regardless of who wins, `the new president will have
to consider the new realities of our region and Azerbaijan’s growing
military and economic potential.’

Analyst Musabekov sees Sarkisian as out of sync with those `new
realities.’

`This group does not really understand the situation in the region …
and does not see the risks that Azerbaijan is getting stronger.
Sarkisian is more confrontational,’ he said.

The Foreign Ministry’s Ibrahim noted only that the government hopes
Armenia’s next president will take a `more constructive position on
the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.’

The expected victory by Sarkisian could bring some benefits for the
Karabakh peace process, Musabekov suggested. `Sarkisian is from the
incumbent administration that conducts talks with Azerbaijan. If he
wins, there will not be need for delays in the negotiation process.
He will not need time to get a grasp of the situation.’

The fact that Sarkisian is originally from Karabakh is another
advantage, Musabekov continued. `Because once he decides to accept
compromises, he will face fewer problems to persuade the elite of
Nagorno-Karabakh to agree with that.’

Another independent political expert, Ilgar Mammadov, believes that
the election means Yerevan is currently under greater outside
pressure than Baku to compromise on Karabakh.

INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE

In early January, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe’s Minsk Group, which is overseeing negotiations between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, traveled to Baku, Yerevan, and Karabakh. `The
reason for these renewed efforts [by both governments] lies in the
understanding that there is a high correlation between election
cycles and the negotiation process,’ Mammadov noted. `Previously, the
presidents of both Armenia and Azerbaijan, when up for election, have
always promised a compromise in order to ensure the West’s support
amidst election fraud and failed to deliver such a compromise
afterwards under various pretexts.’

Eventually, though, international pressure will focus on Azerbaijan,
he said. `Apparently, Yerevan is pressed harder now, but the pressure
will shift to Baku after April, heading towards the October 2008
presidential elections in Azerbaijan,’ he noted.

If Ter-Petrosian somehow wins the vote, Mammadov believes, Western
pressure on Azerbaijan will stay strong, even after its upcoming
presidential poll. `He already says he is ready for compromises.
Therefore, if he wins, the West will demand more compromises from
Baku as well,’ the expert said.

Rovshan Ismayilov is freelance journalist based in Baku. A partner
post from EurasiaNet.