Author: Kamalian Hagop

RIA Oreanda, Russia
May 27 2008

RA Prime Minister Received Republic of Slovakia Minister of Justice

Yerevan. ">OREANDA-NEWS . May 27, 2008. In stating the positive
dynamics of political relations between the two countries, the Prime
Minister said that economic ties still fell short and expressed hope
Mr. Harabin’s visit would promote progress in this field as
well. Tigran Sargsyan prioritized the creation of an appropriate legal
framework between the two countries by stressing the need for signing
an agreement on avoidance of double taxation as shortly as possible,
as well as on air communications and an arrangement on military
cooperation.

Noting that the furtherance of relations with the European Union kept
on standing high on Armenia’s foreign policy agenda, the head of the
Armenian government prioritized the signing of a memorandum of
understanding with Slovakia on cooperation in the field of
euro-integration, as well as the interaction under the EU-Armenia
Joint Action Plan. Tigran Sargsyan also touched upon the proposal of
the Slovak side on establishment of a nuclear power plant
decommissioning fund.

Slovakia’s Minister of Justice, Vice-Prime Minister Stephan Harabin
briefed the RA Prime Minister on his country’s latest economic
developments and reforms inclusive of the ones underway in the
judiciary. He spoke of Slovakia’s failures and achievements in this
area which in his words might be of service to Armenia. He said to
have agreed with his Armenian counterpart Gevorg Danielyan upon a
responsive visit during which Slovakia’s experience might be presented
in more detail. Stephan Harabin advised that he has drafted a bill on
Armenian Genocide condemnation which will be submitted to Slovakia’s
National Council for consideration.

According to him, the bill is a statement of the historical truth and
may be seen as an important tool for the prevention of similar crimes
in future as, in his opinion, failure in its condemnation in early
20th century resulted in further genocides.

The head of the Armenian government thanked Mr. Harabin for his
interested approach and strong arguments on this issue and, wishing
him every success in his future activities, reiterated the importance
of the present visit as to the development of the Armenian-Slovak
bilateral relations.

U.S. CONGRESSMAN: ARMENIA REACHES SUCCESS IN DEVELOPING DEMOCRACY

ARKA
May 26, 2008

YEREVAN, May 26. /ARKA/. U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff thinks Armenia
has accomplished a great deal in developing democracy.

He said at his meeting with Armenian President Serge Sargsyan in
Yerevan on Saturday that the democracy-developing process should
never stop.

Schiff said that the United States is constantly developing democracy.

Sargsyan said he shares the congressman’s view. He said that recent
election was better than former elections.

"We will make every effort to make every future election better than
previous", the head of state said.

At the congressman’s request, Sargsyan presented his stance on Karabakh
conflict and ways for settlement.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES JAPANESE AMBASSADOR

ARMENPRESS
May 26, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President Serzh Sargsian received
today Japanese ambassador to Armenia Yasuo Saito (seated in Moscow).

Armenian presidential press service told Armenpress that the sides
said they are pleased with the current level of Armenian-Japanese
cooperation and noted that since the establishment of diplomatic
relations the relations between the two countries are developing
dynamically.

President Sargsian informed that next year Armenia is planning to
open representation in Tokyo which will give a serious impetus for
the further expansion of relations.

The interlocutors agreed that being poor in natural resources,
Armenia and Japan have a general privilege – high intellectual level
and high-quality human potential.

Serzh Sargsian highly assessed the technical support programs Japan
is carrying out in Armenia as well as different grant programs
which include very vital spheres. He particularly pointed out energy
sphere. The ambassador said that he is in Armenia to sign an agreement
on providing additional credit means for technical reconstruction of
thermo power plant.

The ambassador also said the Japanese government has made a decision
on providing musical instruments to Yerevan Conservatory, besides
starting from the next year Armenian young people may study in
Japanese universities.

The sides also exchanged thoughts over boosting cooperation within
international organizations

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

THE PRESIDENTS OF MEEC MEET IN ANTELIAS

The Presidents of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) held a meeting
in Antelias on May 23. The General Secretary of the Council, Gerges Saleh
also attended the meeting.

The agenda of the meeting included an evaluation of the MECC conference on
mass migration convened in the Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias the
previous month. The presidents were then briefed by the General Secretary on
the current status of the Council and its future activities. The
participants emphasized the need for the full participation of MECC member
churches in these activities in order to strengthen the Council’s
contribution to the reinvigoration of Christian life in the region.

Issues and projects related to the Council’s administrative structure, its
economic situation and foreign relations were also discussed.

##
View the photos here:
tos/Photos266.htm#2
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

MOD CONTINUES THE WORK IN THE DIRECTION OF RETURNING THE FOUR ARMENIAN CAPTIVES

armradio.am
23.05.2008 17:18

The works continue in the direction of returning the four Armenian
citizens that crossed the border of Nakhijevan in April. RA Defense
Minister Seyran Ohanyan noted during today’s meeting with students
of the State Pedagogical University of Yerevan that corresponding
negotiations have been conducted with the leadership of the Armed
Forces of Azerbaijan.

"At first, they expressed willingness to return the captives, but
later they started delaying. They say corresponding work should be
done before the captives will be returned. It also depends on their
wish to return. For example, we have an Azeri captive here who does
not want to return to Azerbaijan," the Minister said.

To remind, in April RA citizens Vanik Zmboyan (Gavar), Artyom Zohrabyan
(Noratus), Karen Torosyan (Noratus) and Aghasi Yenokyan (Noratus)
went to see their friend serving at the military unit in Khachik
village. After an incident at the military unit they escaped, lost
the way and passed to the Nakhijevani side.

FOUR MINISTERIAL COMMITTES TO BE ESTABLISHED AT RA GOVERNMENT

armradio.am
22.05.2008 13:19

RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan declared in Yerevan today that it
is necessary to work out a more effective method of the government’s
activity.

Speaking at today’s government sitting, Tigran Sargsyan said four
Ministerial Committees will be established on financial-economic,
social, territorial development and environmental protection and
state-legal issues.

According to teh Prime Minister, from now on all the questions to be
presented at the Government sittings should be previously discussed
in those committees.

The Head of the Armenian Government informed that the suggestion
to form Ministerial Committees comes from Great Britain within the
framework of its assistance in implementing an effective governance
system.

Tigran Sargsyan instructed the Ministers to be ready to hold committee
meetings every Friday.

NA PASSED THE ANNUAL REPORT ON 2007 STATE BUDGET EXECUTION

armradio.am
22.05.2008 17:45

With 84 pro and 4 con votes, the National Assembly today passed the
annual report on 2007 state budget execution. Members of the "Heritage"
faction voted against the document.

The Parliament also ratified the protocol on "Implementing amendments
to the Memorandum of Understanding between the Republic of Armenia
and the Republic of Greece dated September 3, 2003 on including the
infantry regiment of RA Armed Forces in the battalion of the Armed
Forces of the Republic of Greece within the framework of actions of
Kosovo forces."

The document envisages to expand the involvement of the Armenian Armed
Forces in Kosovo. Since February, 2004 the Armenian infantry regiment,
comprised of 34 people, has been carrying out peacekeeping mission
in Kosovo within the battalion of the Armed Forces of Greece. The
protocol envisages detaching another regiment, thus increasing the
number of Armenian peacekeepers in Kosovo to 70.

When presenting the document yesterday, RA Defense Minister Seyran
Ohanyan noted that the expansion of Armenia’s participation in
peacekeeping missions will not only contribute to the improvement of
Armenia’s international image, but will also help raise the level of
preparedness of the Armed Forces.

NOT TO START NEGOTIATIONS WITH PRECONDITIONS
S. Haroutyunyan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on May 21, 2008
Armenia

ARFD representative ARMEN ROUSTAMYAN, Head of the NA Foreign Affairs
Committee, presents his considerations on Raffi Hovhannisyan’s
"intermediary mission" of organizing a dialogue between the leaders
of coalition parties and L. Ter-Petrosyan, leader of the radical
opposition.

"Such proposals are not made in an impromptu manner. I learned
about the initiative yesterday, and I don’t think the individuals
R. Hovhannisyan has turned to are the least occupied people in the
republic. There is an agenda and naturally, a certain workload for
everyone, and it is impossible to attend that discussion, setting
aside everything else.

If Mr. Hovhannisyan acts as a party, I believe "Heritage" is a
party rather than a mediator because it supported L. Ter-Petrosyan;
therefore, acting as a mediator is a little bit unconceivable. I
think he could have raised that question there too. Unfortunately,
that didn’t happen.

A dialogue should be started from he right point, and it is necessary
to prepare for that. The working group works on a concrete document
that reflects all the problems specified by Mr. Hovhannisyan and
what’s more, there are clear-cut proposals in 9 different directions;
there are certain steps that have been undertaken and are being
implemented. Therefore, it’s still a question which document is
realistic: the one that was thoroughly discussed or the one that just
occurred to somebody?"

"Is there a big difference between the ‘complex program’ proposed by
R. Hovhannisyan and the option predetermined by the working group?"

"I don’t want present a thorough discussion of the document. I
repeat that the principal issue is that it is necessary to prepare
for a dialogue and not to start everything from naught. The working
croup continues its activities, and it’s really laudable that
Mr. Hovhannisyan was participating in yesterday’s hearing.

By the way, it is not required for the group to meet at the
Presidential Residence by all means; the meeting may take place
wherever Raffi Hovhannisyan likes. But our work should be scheduled
if we really want to achieve something through a dialogue.

As regards the contents, there are a lot of things acceptable to us;
moreover, we voiced those problems long ago. In particular, I don’t
see a big difference between the democratic center mentioned by
Mr. Hovhannisyan and the public council proposed by us. I believe
the important thing is the contents rather than the name.

In terms of raising the role of the opposition, we propose Donk’s
formula which clearly defines what posts should be held by each
political faction in the parliamentary committees. The National
Assembly currently has one pro-opposition faction. Mr. Hovhannisyan,
with his 6 MPs, is the only representative of the opposition,
but he has pretensions for 10 posts; he proposes that 4 members
be Chairs of committees, 5 members be Vice Chairs and in addition,
claims that the post of one the NA Vice Chair be reserved for the
opposition. That’s to say, 6 people should hold 10 posts, and this,
naturally, is not realistic.

PSRC APPROVED NEW RULES OF RENDERING AND USING TELEPHONE SERVICES

arminfo
2008-05-20 14:19:00

ArmInfo. Today, the Public Services Regulatory Commission of Armenia
approved new rules of rendering and using telephone services.

As the Commission Chairman Robert Nazaryan said, the new rules
qualitatively differ from the previous ones adopted 10 years ago. The
life requirements have changed since that then, the market has
been liberalized and "ArmenTel" CJSC is not a monopolist today any
more, he added. The Commission chairman did not comment on which
specific changes have been introduced in the new rules and what
are their advantages. PSRC charged "ArmenTel" CJSC to sign new
contracts with subscribers till July 1, 2009. According to the new
rules, the telephone accounts should be paid till the last day of
the following month. After switching-off the telephone because of
debts, the subscriber has a right to receive calls during 15 days
more. In line with the Law on electron communication, the debtors,
with switched-off telephones, are enabled to carry out free calls by
special numbers (01, 02 and 03). However, this is available only for
subscribers of digital ATS, while the subscribers of analogue ATS
are technically deprived of this opportunity.

Head of the Legal Department of "ArmenTel" CJSC David Saldukhchyan
tried to discharge the Company of the standard to install telephone
lines at the Company’s expense if the cable length does not exceed 50
m. However, the Commission chairman insisted on fixing 200 m in the
rules as it is required by the Russian regulations, "since we are
not worse". D. Saldukhchyan also tried to discharge the Company of
the liability to return the funds to subscribers from not completely
realized prepayment cards. He said that if a subscriber buys a card
for 10,000 drams and used only half of it, and then he demands to
return him the remaining 5,000 drams for any reasons, it may cause
certain technical and organizational difficulties for the Company.

Although, R. Nazaryan said that such difficulties are the Company’s
problem and one should proceed from the consumers’ interests, he
instructed to discuss the opportunity of applying this standard once
more. Meanwhile, representatives of public organizations expressed
protest against this decision of the Commission and said that the
new rules are not better and they are even worse than the previous
ones, and that PSRC did not accept the numerous proposals for their
improvement.

ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF MAY 18 ELECTIONS OF NORK-MARASH PREFECT, VARAZDAT MKRTCHIAN REELECTED

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 19, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 19, NOYAN TAPAN. According to the preliminary results
of the May 18 prefect’s elections of Yerevan’s Nork-Marash community,
current prefect, RPA member Varazdat Mkrtchian has been reelected. 3
072 voters voted for him.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by Tatev Ohanian, the Spokesperson
of the RA Central Electoral Commission, the other two candidates,
non-partisans Garnik Martirosian and Ashot Margarian, received 49
and 212 votes, respectively. 3 393 or 38.3% of the total number of
community’s voters, 8 863, took part in voting. 60 ballot-papers were
recognized invalid. The number of inaccuracies is 1.