Author: Kalantarian Kevo

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION RALLY HAILS OSCE REPORT ON PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION

Arminfo
25 May 07

Yerevan, 25 May: The Armenian opposition is holding yet another rally
in the vicinity of Matenadaran [an institute and museum of manuscripts]
in central Yerevan.

About 1,500-2,000 people are participating.

The rally is organized by the New Times party, the Republic party
and the Impeachment bloc, as well as the Social Democratic Hunchak
Party. Unlike the previous rallies, the leaders of the People’s Party
of Armenia are not present.

[Passage omitted: rally organizers criticize the authorities for not
sanctioning a rally in Liberty Square]

Addressing the rally, Impeachment bloc leader and Haykakan Zhamanak
newspaper editor-in-chief Nikol Pashinyan said the opposition’s
fight against the "sergeant dictatorship" [play on Prime Minister
Serzh Sargsyan’s name] will go on until the current leadership of
the republic is brought to justice.

He described as the opposition’s victory the new interim report of
the OSCE observation mission on the [12 May] parliamentary election
in Armenia since the observers have begun to notice violations and
fraud they did not see two weeks ago.

[Passage omitted: other details of the rally]

NEXT SITTING OF COUNCIL OF CIS PRIME MINISTERS TO BE HELD IN ASHKHABAD IN NOVEMBER

Noyan Tapan
May 25 2007

YALTA, MAY 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Due to the strained home political
situation in Ukraine, the prime minister Victor Yanukovich hastily
left Yalta for the capital city of Kiev on May 24. For this reason the
first deputy prime minister of Ukraine Nikolay Azarov participated in
the May 25 sitting of the Council of Prime Minister of CIS Countries.

The sitting was conducted by the council chairman, prime minsiter of
Tajikistan Akil Akilov, who, before passing to the agenda issues,
congratulated the Armenian prime minister Serge Sargsian on his
appointment and wished him success.

Then the CIS executive secretary, chairman of the executive committee
Vladimir Rushaylo presented his considerations about agenda issues.

Passing to the agenda issues, the prime ministers discussed issues
related to cooperation of CIS countries in various spheres. In
particular, the prime ministers made decisions on the folowing
agreements: on formation of the common electricity and energy market of
CIS countries, on training and qualification improving of experts, on
cooperation in the sphere of physical culture and sports, on social and
legal guarantees of CIS peace-keeping forces’ personnel, on financial,
technical and rear supply for the activities and personnel of the
collective forces, on training of personnel for police and police
troops, as well as on draft interstate program on complex measures
for prevention of bird flu in the territory of CIS countries, draft
interstate program on joint fight against crime and drug trafficking.

The Council of CIS Prime Ministers also made decisions on creation of
the council of heads of state and public television and radio companies
of CIS countries and on holding the 7th international sports games
of CIS countries in Kishinev in 2008.

A number of financial problems were also discussed at the sitting.

It was decided to hold the next sitting of the Council of CIS Prime
Ministers in Ashkhabad on November 22.

At the conclusion of the siiting, the ceremony of signing the summary
documents took place, as well as a joint press conference of the CIS
prime minister was held.

According to the RA Government Information and PR Department, the
delegation headed by the Armenian prime minister will return to
Yerevan late May 25.

YEREVAN’S PYUNIK LEADER ON TOURNAMENT TABLE IN ARMENIAN FOOTBALL HIGHEST LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP

Noyan Tapan
May 25 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Games of 7th tour were held in the
Championship of Armenian Football Highest League. The following results
were registered: Pyunik – Shirak 1 to 2, Mika – Gandzasar 3 to 2,
Banants – Kilikia 3 to 0, Ararat – Ulis 2 to 0.

After the 7th tour the teams were arranged on the tournament table in
the following succession: Pyunik 16, Banants 14, Ararat 13, Mika 13,
Shirak 8, Gandzasar 8, Kilikia 4, Ulis 3 points.

RA PRESIDENT APPOINTS JUDGES OF COURTS OF FIRST INSTANCE

Noyan Tapan
May 25 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 25, NOYAN TAPAN. RA President Robert Kocharian signed
a decree on May 23 about appointing judges of the RA Courts of First
Isntance.

According to the decree, Vazgen Lalayan was appointed the judge of
the Court of First Instance of the communities of Avan and Nor Nork,
the city of Yerevan, and his commission of the judge of the Court
of First Instance of the communities of Kentron and Nork Marash,
the city of Yerevan, was stopped.

Khachatur Baghdasarian was appointed the judge of the Court of First
Instance of the communities of Kentron and Nork Marash, the city
of Yerevan, and his commission of the judge of the Court of First
Instance of the communities of Avan and Nor Nork, the city of Yerevan,
was stopped.

Haroutiun Yenokian was appointed the judge of the Court of First
Instance of the marz of Ararat, and his commission of the judge of
the Court of First Instance of the marz of Shirak was stopped.

Armen Khachatrian was appointed the judge of the Court of First
Instance of the marz of Shirak, and his commission of the judge of
the Court of First Instance of marz of Ararat was stopped.

DELEGATION HEADED BY SERZH SARGSIAN ARRIVES IN YALTA

Armenpress
May 24 2007

YALTA, MAY 24, ARMENPRESS: Delegation headed by the Armenian Prime
Minister Serzh Sargsian arrived today in Yalta on a two-day meeting
to participate in the regular session of the prime ministers of
CIS countries.

Armenpress correspondent reports that the agenda of the session
which will take place on May 25 includes a wide range of issues on
cooperation among the CIS member-countries. The participants of the
session will also sign a number of documents.

On his way to Yalta, in the airport of Simferopol Armenian prime
minister had a short conversation with the head of the Senior Rada of
Crimea Anatoli Gritsenko and head of the Council of Ministers Victor
Plankida who came to meet him.

The delegation headed by Serzh Sargsian comprises Chief of Staff of
Government, Minister Manuk Topuzyan, Deputy Foreign Minister Gegham
Gharibjanyan, Permanent Representative of the Republic Armenia in
the CIS Statutory and other bodies Oleg Yesayan, Armenian Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Ukraine Armen Khachatrian,
Authorized Representative of the Republic of Armenia in the CIS
Commission on Economic Affairs of CIS Economic Council Artak Vardanian,
heads of departments from the Office of Government and the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, other officials.

CONNECTICUT BECOMES THE FIFTH STATE IN UNANIMOUS CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT FOR H.RES. 106 AND S. RES. 106

ArmRadio.am
25.05.2007 10:33

Connecticut has joined Colorado, Massachusetts, Maine and Rhode Island
to become the fifth state with a complete Congressional delegation
in support of both H. Res. 106 and S. Res. 106. Grassroots activists
played a key role in gaining Congressional cosponsorship of the
resolution, reports the Armenian National Committee of America –
Eastern Region (ANCA-ER).

With the recent additions of Congressmen John Larson (D-CT-1), Joseph
Courtney (D-CT-2), and Christopher Murphy (D-CT-5), the Connecticut
delegation now unanimously supports the Armenian Genocide resolutions
in the Senate and House of Representatives. Senator Christopher Dodd
(D-CT), Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro
(D-CT-3), and Congressman Christopher Shay (R-CT-4), were all original
cosponsors of S. Res 106 and H. Res. 106.

In recent months, the ANCA-ER coordinated efforts with several
grassroots activists, including two sibling, Harout and Sona, who felt
that it was necessary to take action and get their Representatives to
sign on. "As an Armenian, I felt like I had to do something. Calling
my Representative was the least I could do in order to help get this
recognized. We must continue to take an active role in Armenian
communities throughout the Diaspora to fight for our cause,"
commented Sona.

Arppie Charkoudian, a dedicated activist and Chairwoman of the ANC
of Connecticut, has been working to expand the grassroots activity
throughout the state. "The Connecticut Armenian community is smaller
than other communities in the Eastern Region, but our persistence and
continued follow up with our Representatives truly made a difference
in their support of the legislation," commented Charkoudian. "By
continuing the grassroots initiatives that the ANCA has to offer we
can ensure that the interests of the Armenian American community are
represented properly."

Currently, the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont have 20 of 22 Representatives
signed on to H. Res 106, and nine of twelve Senators signed on to
S. Res 106.

HEAD OF OSCE/ODIHR OBSERVER MISSION PRESENTS INTERIM REPORT TO ARMENIAN FM

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
May 25 2007

YEREVAN, May 25. /ARKA/. Head of the OSCE/ODIHR observer mission
Boris Frlec presented the first post-election interim report on the
parliamentary elections in Armenia to RA Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanyan.

The Information Department, RA Foreign Office, reports that the report
contains summed up results and information on the complaints taken
for consideration.

Frlec pointed out that the facts contained in the report are based
on the results of observations, and the OSCE/ODIHR mission will
continue monitoring the process of lodging the cases with the RA
Constitutional Court.

Ambassador Frlec presented the mission’s monitoring of elections and
post-election processes. He stressed that the processes are evidence
of progress in the organization of elections in Armenia. Frlec also
added that the observer mission has worked out introductions to
eliminate the shortcomings.

In his turn, Minister Oskanyan stressed the importance of an
unbiased assessment of the parliamentary elections on the part
of international observers. He expressed the conviction that the
coming presidential election will be an important step to Armenia’s
democratization.

"CONVERSE BANK" SINGED NEW AGREEMENTS WITH IMPORTERS OF CARS ON CREDIT SALE

Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
May 25 2007

Yerevan, May 25 /Mediamax/. "Converse Bank" singed a number of new
agreements with importers of cars on credit sale.

As Mediamax was told in the press service of "Converse Bank",
agreements are signed with "Armenia-Lada", "Carcomauto", "Muran",
"Megna", "Fora", "Galloper", "Maverick", "Vecar" "Toyota", "Valti
Motors" companies.

"Converse Bank" noted that the interest rate of the car credits will
make 14% per year, the prepay – 20% from the established cost of the
car and the repayment term – 5 years.

SERGE SARGSYAN MET WITH CO-CHAIRS

A1+
[07:52 pm] 23 May, 2007

Today RoA Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan hosted the OSCE Minsk group
Co-Chairs Yuri Merzlyakov and Bernard Fassier who are in Yerevan on
a regional visit.

The parties dwelt on recent developments in the talks over
Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenia agrees to the conflict resolution through peaceful negotiations
taking into consideration NKR residents’ right to self-determination,
the prime minister said.

OYP REPRESENTATIVES APPLY TO CC TO APPEAL AGAINST RESULTS OF NA ELECTIONS BY MAJORITARIAN SYSTEM AT ELECTORAL DISTRICTS N 11 AND 33

Noyan Tapan
May 22 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. Former candidates for deputy mandate
of the National Assembly of fourth convocation, Vice-Chairwoman of
Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) Party Heghine Bisharian and member
of party Board Hovhannes Margarian have applied to RA Constitutional
Court demanding to invalidate the results of May 12 parliamentary
elections by majoritarian system at electoral districts N 11 and 33,
respectively. Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed a bout it by
H. Bisharian.

To recap, H. Bisharian and H. Margarian are deputies of NA of third
convocation completing its powers. They have been elected as deputies
of NA of fourth convocation by OYP’s proportional list.