Author: Kalashian Nyrie

"CARD" FOUNDATION SUPPORTS PRESERVATION OF ARMENIAN NATIONAL TRADITIONS

Noyan Tapan

Au g 26, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, NOYAN TAPAN. "Traditional Delicacies" event was
organized at Yerevan’s Marriott Hotel on August 26 by the clubs of the
Youth Program of the Center for Agribusiness and Rural Development
(CARD) Foundation. The best youth clubs of ten Armenian marzes
(provinces) presented the traditional delicacies of their regions. The
event was accompanied by songs and dancing.

Anna Karapetian, an expert of the Foundation’s youth and gender
programs, said that the purpose of the event is to promote
the restoration and preservation of Armenian cuisine and
traditions. According to her, there are 110 youth clubs in our
country. Their membership numbers 2,000: children aged 11-16. The
Foundation implements many other programs for the youth: programs of
language teaching, agribusiness, professional orientation.

The U.S. Charge D’Affaires in Armenia Joseph Pennington said that
the members of youth clubs have made a great contribution to the
preservation of Armenian traditions and culture. In his words,
the program allows young people from rural settlements to mix and
establish links with each other.

The presentation of the book "Armenian National Cuisine" took place
during the event.

AMERICAN DIPLOMAT: USA TO CONTINUE WORK IN OSCE MINSK GROUP

ARKA
Aug 26, 2008

YEREVAN, August 26. /ARKA/. The USA will continue taking part in OSCE
Minsk Group on settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, U.S. Charge
d’Affaires in Armenia Joseph Pennington told journalists in Yerevan.

In commenting the opinion of the Head of Eurasian Policy Center of
Hudson University that participation of the USA and Russia in OSCE
Minsk Group is senseless bearing in mind the current relationship
between the USA and Russia after the events in South Ossetia,
American diplomat said that the one making this statement is not a
U.S. official. An American official could not make such a comment,
Pennington said.

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict started in 1988 when Nagorno-Karabakh
with prevailingly Armenian population declared its withdrawal from
Azerbaijan.

On December 10 1991, just a couple of days before the collapse of
the Soviet Union, a referendum was held in Nagorno-Karabakh in the
presence of international observers where 99.89% of the population
voted for full independence from Azerbaijan.

In response, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale war against
Nagorno-Karabakh.

The cease-fire agreement signed on May 12 1994 has been maintained
since then.

Since 1992 negotiations have been held on peaceful settlement of the
conflict under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by
the USA, Russia and France.

RECOGNITION OF INDEPENDENCE OF ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA BY RUSSIA HAS BECOME ONE MORE WARNING FOR THE UNITED STATES: ARMENIAN POLITICAL EXPERT

arminfo
2008-08-26 16:50:00

ArmInfo. The recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia by Russia has become one more warning for the United States,
says Armenian political expert Sergey Shakaryants.

It was the second step of Russia. The first step was Medvedev’s
statement that Russia was ready to halt its relations with NATO.

Russia has made it clear to the US that it would not admit any
encroachment on its interests in the South Caucasus and the whole
world.

"Presently, NATO sea forces are moving towards Russia’s best military
ships in the Black Sea and I hope that both sides will show enough
good sense to prevent new deplorable consequences of the unwise policy
of the Georgian authorities," says Shakaryants.

To note, President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev has signed decrees on
the recognition of the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

ARMENIAN POLITICAL EXPERT: IT IS VERY MUCH POSSIBLE THAT RUSSIAN PRESIDENT WILL KEEP THE PROBLEM OF RECOGNITION OF ABKHAZIA’S AND SOUTH OSSETIA’S INDEPENDENCE HOVER

arminfo
2008-08-25 16:21:00

ArmInfo. It is very much possible that Russian president will keep the
problem of recognition of Abkhazia’s and South Ossetia’s independence
hover, Armenian political expert, director of "Kavkaz" institute
Aleksandr Iskandaryan told ArmInfo correspondent when commenting
on today’s statement of Russian Federal Council. ‘The issue will
be taken by the president to observe but will be delayed because of
some reasons. Several factors are evidence of this, as recognition of
these two republics’ independence first of all depends on development
of relations between the USA and Russia’, – he said.

He also added that in case of worsening of the relations with the USA
Russia may immediately recognize independence of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia. In that case almost all the states, which are unfriendly to
the USA, will follow Russia’s example.

Today morning Federation Council of Russia applied to President
Dmitriy Medvedev with an application to recognize independence of
South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Diaspora – Armenia relations are being developed

armradio.am
23.08.2008 17:11

Discussions about developing the Diaspora `Armenia connections took
place in the RA Foreign Affairs Ministry. In the discussions the
Armenian representatives of Panarmenian organizations took part. During
the meeting the most important problems, partially keeping Armenian
language and the participation of the Diaspora in solving the problems
of RA and NKR were discussed. During the discussions the participants
noted that the developing vision of Armenia ` Diaspora cooperation is
included in the political project of RA President.

MCCF SIGNS FIRST PROJECT IN ARMENIA

RIA Oreanda
Aug 20 2008
Russia

Yerevan. OREANDA-NEWS . August 19, 2008. The Multilateral Carbon
Credit Fund (MCCF) is expanding its activities to Armenia: Ani Hydro
Corporation OJSC and Stichting Carbon Purchase Intermediary (CPI)
have signed an emission reduction purchase agreement (ERPA) for the
sale and purchase of certified emission reductions to be generated
by the Jradzor Small Hydroelectric Project in Akhuryan in western
Armenia. Stichting CPI is the special purpose vehicle created to
acquire carbon credits for the participants in the MCCF, reported
the press-centre of EBRD.

This ERPA is the first of its kind to be executed under the MCCF and
was negotiated by ICF Consulting Ltd., acting as Carbon Manager for
MCCF in the Western-Balkan, Caucasus and Central Asia regions.

The Jradzor project involves the installation and, from autumn 2008,
operation of a 6MW grid-connected hydroelectric power station and
associated facilities, including an existing irrigation canal. The
clean, renewable electricity generated will be sold to the Armenian
Electricity Network, enhancing the energy independence of the country
as well as contributing to efforts to combat climate change.

The MCCF, launched in December 2006 and sponsored by the European Bank
for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment
Bank (EIB), is one of the few carbon funds dedicated specifically to
countries from Central Europe to Central Asia.

It employs three independent, private-sector companies, also known as
Carbon Managers, to originate, negotiate, and monitor transactions
for the acquisition of carbon credits from projects financed by the
EBRD or EIB.

The acquisition of the carbon credits is contracted through the CPI,
under back-to-back contracting arrangements between the project
company in question, the CPI and the six private and six sovereign
participants of the MCCF, with the intermediation of EBRD for the
sovereign participants (see also ).

The EIB is the European Unions long-term lending bank, promoting
European objectives.

Established in 1958, it operates within the 27 EU Member States and
in more than 130 countries outside the EU. One of the EIBs priority
objectives is the protection and improvement of the environment,
which accounted for 38 percent of EIB loans within the EU-27 in
2007. For further information visit:

ICF Consulting Ltd., a subsidiary of ICF International (NASDAQ:ICFI)
is a global professional services firm that partners with government
and commercial clients to deliver consulting services and technology
solutions in the fields of climate change, energy and power markets,
and the environment. ICF Consulting Ltd. is Carbon Manager in
MCCFs South-East Zone, which covers Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Bosnia Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia, Georgia, Kyrgyz Republic,
Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,
and Uzbekistan. Visit ICF at .

10 THOUSAND FOREIGNERS ENTERED ARMENIA

AZG Armenian Daily #150
21/08/2008

Regional

Because of the recent tragic events in Georgia a considerable migration
started from Georgia to Armenia. The Migration Department of the
Ministry for Territorial Administration of the Republic of Armenia
and the UN High Commissioner on Refugees organized a joint visit to
the three block posts on the Armenian-Georgian border in order to
study the situation.

The UN Refugees Commission informs that 10.000.730 foreigners from
Georgia found refuge in Armenia through August 8-18. Some percentage of
those people used Armenia as a transit point on the way back to their
homeland. As to be compared, before the armed conflict burst out, only
400 foreigners crossed the Armenia-Georgia border during August 5-7.

HUMAN MISTAKE CAUSES THE FALLING OF THE SCAFFOLDING: HUFU COMPANY

Focus News
Aug 19 2008
Bulgaria

Sofia. A human mistake was the reason for the falling of the
scaffolding at the building of the "National Armenian Complex,"
the owner of the Hufu company Dimitar Atanasov told FOCUS News
Agency. According to him the incident had happen during the dismantling
of the scaffolding. One of company’s workers had been injured. Hufu is
a big company, specialized in the work with scaffoldings. The worker
hadn’t been injured seriously and probably the company will pay for
him treatment.

Qatar News Agency
August 14, 2008 Thursday 2:24 PM EST

Armed clashes between Turkish Army, Kurdish rebels

Istanbul, August 14 (qna) — Bloody confrontations broke out between
the Turkish Army and Kurdish rebels in the north of the country,
Turkish security sources said Thursday.

According to NTV news channel, the clashes broke out when the Turkish
Army began hunting down elements of the separatist Kurdistan Workers
Party (PKK) in Gursun governorate, northern Turkey.

PKK elements managed to escape through the country boarders to
Armenia, it said.

Meanwhile, NTV said reconnaissance aircrafts were monitoring the
Kurds’ movement on the borders with Armenia, confirming that vicious
confrontations took place over the past few hours. (Qna)

Irish passport-holders play waiting game in Armenia

The Irish Times
Saturday, August 16, 2008

EIGHT Irish passport-holders are nervously waiting in a hotel in the
Armenian capital of Yerevan before deciding whether to return to
Georgia.

The group, mainly Georgians with Irish passports and some Irish
nationals, were among 50 people evacuated via the Armenian border at
Gugeti when fighting broke out in South Ossetia.

Kerryman Dr Mike McCarthy, who runs the International Medical Support
Services (IMSS) clinic from Tbilisi, assisted in evacuating the Irish
and Georgian passport-holders by helping with transport and logistics
through the eastern side of Georgia to Armenia.

"The people evacuated were going to come back, but the reports about
renegade Ossetian militia looting near the capital have spooked them.

"Most of the other Irish and passport-holders have made their way back
to Ireland or gone on holiday," said Dr McCarthy.

His wife’s Georgian family mostly live in the bombed port of Poti and
have been affected.

"Her cousin was killed and another cousin was badly injured when the
Russian attack helicopters bombed Poti. She hasn’t been able to reach
her father since the first bombs fell a week ago."

Telephone and mobile communication in Georgia has been difficult. Dr
McCarthy’s wife Nina, who is seven months pregnant, was supposed to go
to Ireland for the birth but will not move until she
hears news of her
father.

Dr McCarthy’s IMSS clinic, which employs expatriate and
internationally-trained Georgian doctors to service foreign embassies
and the oil and gas industries, has been providing help to the
capital’s overwhelmed hospitals.

"We have appealed directly to the Americans here and Micheál Martin to
provide aid and basic medicine," said Dr McCarthy, who first came to
Georgia 11 years ago to work on a major oil project.

"Poti is bombed back to the last decade, Gori is flattened and life in
Tbilisi remains okay. All just as the economy was outperforming India;
it has now been blown to bits," said the doctor, who has had to cut his
20 medical staff to a skeleton crew of eight.

Fellow Irishman Jeffrey Kent runs a contracting firm in Georgia which
drills for gold and copper on behalf of a Russian company, and had to
evacuate his Romanian drillers via Armenia.

He said: "I had to get the Romanian guys evacuated last Friday by
crossing the border into Armenia. As they were passing a military
airfield at Marneuli near the border some Russian Mig planes just
dropped in and bombed the runway. They were only 300m from the
explosions and did not get injured, but they were very traumatised.
They are in Romania now and do not want to come back." Originally from
Terryglass, Co Tipperary, Mr Kent is a contractor for a Russian miner
in the town of Kazreti, about a 90-minute drive20from Tbilisi.

"I will stay here and work from here until things settle down. My only
concern is if the locals take it out on the Russian company."