Author: Kanayan Tamar

MP SAYS TURKEY BACKS ARMENIA’S INVOLVEMENT IN NATO EVENTS

Mediamax Agency
Dec 20 2007
Armenia

Yerevan, 20 December: Turkey is closely monitoring the development of
Armenia-NATO relations, the chairman of the defence, national security
and internal affairs parliamentary commission, Artur Aghabekyan,
said today.

While speaking at the "Armenia-Turkey relations: problems and
perspectives" parliamentary session today, Aghabekyan said that Turkey
has never used its rights of veto against Armenia’s involvement in
the events held under NATO auspices, Mediamax news agency reported.

Armenia always received invitations for participation in NATO events
held in Turkey, but limited its participation in these forums,
Aghabekyan said, who before getting elected into the parliament was
the Armenian deputy defence minister. He said that the head of the
general headquarters of armed forces of Armenia attended one of these
events in Turkey several years ago.

Aghabekyan said that in the process of Armenia’s joining the process of
planning and analysis of the Partnership for Peace (PARP) programme and
approval of the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP), Armenia had
to edit the provisions regarding Turkey and Nagornyy Karabakh problem,
taking into consideration Turkey’s veto right.

Aghabekyan said that the Turkish colonel was co-commander of NATO
Cooperative Best Effort manoeuvres, which took place in Armenia in
summer of 2003.

BH TO SUPPORT SERGE SARGSIAN’S CANDIDATURE IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

Noyan Tapan
Dec 20, 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The Bargavach Hayastan (Prosperous
Armenia) party will support RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsian’s
candidature in the 2008 presidential elections. Gagik Tsarukian, the
Chairman of the Bargavach Hayastan party, stated at the December 20
enlarged sitting of party’s Political Board. In his words, S. Sargsian
is the candidate, who is able to solve the problems faced by Armenia,
to preserve home political stability and contribute to country’s
economic development.

The statement adopted by the BH Political Board the same day mentioned
that "only a president elected in free, independent elections meeting
international standards will be able to lead Armenia to development and
to contribute to rise of country’s international rating and authority
in the coming five years."

Expressing gratitude to the party for supporting his candidature in
the forthcoming elections, S. Sargsian said that any candidate would
consider it an honor to have support of such a political force like BH.

COURT TAKES COUNTERCLAIM OF GALA AGAINST TAX STATE SERVICE INTO EXAMINATION

Noyan Tapan
Dec 19 2007

GYUMRI, DECEMBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The Economic Court of the Republic
of Armenia continued the trial of the case on the lawsuit of the Tax
Inspectorate of Gyumri under the Tax State Service of the RA Government
filed against the ChAP LLC, the owner of the GALA TV Company, in the
residence of Gyumri on December 18 under the chairmanship of judge
Eduard Nahapetian. According to the information provided to Noyan
Tapan by the Headquarters on Protection of Speech Freedom and GALA
TV Company, the court declared that it has made a decision on taking
the counterclaim of the ChAP LLC against the Tax Inspectorate of
Grumri under the Tax State Service into examination, about which the
representative of the ChAP LLC had made a petition in the December
17 court sitting. The court will hear the counterclaim together with
the preliminary lawsuit.

The court declared that the sitting is closed and the two sides will
decently be informed of the next sitting. The eight representatives of
the plaintiff Tax State Service did not come to the sitting appointed
on December 18 at 10:00. They appeared in court at 10-12 only after
a break was announced in the sitting and the Court had left.

It should be mentioned that the Tax State Service claims to exact more
than 25 million drams (82 thousand U.S. dollars) from the ChAP LLC with
its lawsuit, as well as to recover the court expenses paid beforehand,
and as a provision means of the lawsuit it claims to put seizure on the
property and financial means of the ChAP LLC. As regards the ChAP LLC,
it has claimed in its counterclaim to invalidate the above-mentioned
act of the Tax State Service.

PRESS RELEASE
Date: December 19, 2007
Armenian National Committee of America
Eastern Region
122 W. 27th St. Flr 12, New York, NY 10001
Contact: Karine Birazian
Tel: 917-428-1918

ANCA-ER DIRECTOR TO EXPAND HAI TAHD PARTICIPATION ON UPCOMING
ARMENIAN HERITAGE CRUISE
–Attendees expected to gain further insight on Eastern, Western,
and National perspectives of the ANCA

New York, NY- In less than a month, Armenians from around the
world will board the Costa Fortuna for the 11th annual Armenian
Heritage Cruise (AHC). With close to 2000 registered guests, those
attending will have a variety of activities to choose from,
including various cultural, educational, and social events planned
throughout the week, including a presentation by the Armenian
National Committee of America, Eastern Region Executive Director
(ANCA-ER).

The first morning at sea, ANCA ER Director Karine Birazian will be
presenting a lecture entitled A Year of Firsts: Reflecting on 2007
and Future Hai Tahd Activities, on Monday, January 14th at 10:30am.
The lecture will focus on the many successes and activities the
ANCA is actively engaged in, including the withdrawal of Ambassador
nomination Dick Hoagland, encouraging local communities No Place
for Hate Chapters to sever ties with the National Anti Defamation
League (ADL), the significant progress of genocide recognition and
H. Res 106, and much more.

"2007 has been such an exciting and overwhelming year for the ANCA.
This will be a wonderful opportunity to reflect on our
accomplishments and future goals and projects for 2008," commented
Birazian. Those that attend the lecture will be entered in a
chance to win a free one-year subscription of the Armenian Weekly
or Hairenik Newspaper as well as meet and hear from ANCA
Legislative Affairs Director Raffi Karakashian, Esq. & ANC WR
Executive Director Antranig Kzirian Esq.

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest
and most influential Armenian American grassroots political
organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices,
chapters and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated
organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the
concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of
issues.
####
Photo Caption:
Photo 1: ANCA ER director Karine Birazian presenting on the Armenian
Heritage Cruise in 2007

Photo 2: Lecture attendees engaging in conversation during the question &
answer

PanARMENIAN.Net

Washington to contribute to Karabakh settlement
15.12.2007 15:53 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Defense Minister Mikael Harutyunyan met
with U.S. Charge d’Affairs in Armenia, Amb. Joseph Pennington.

Defense Minister’s Spokesman, col. Seyran Shahsuvaryan told
PanARMENIAN.Net that the U.S. diplomat said the U.S. is determined to
keep on contributing to processes within the Armenia-NATO IPAP.

Touching upon the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement,
Amb. Pennington said that Washington as represented by OSCE MG
Co-chair Matthew Bryza will further contribute to the conflict
resolution. Military solution to the problem is ruled out, he said.

The parties also referred to the Armenia-U.S. relations and their
development.

TIES WITH ADL PROGRAM SUSPENDED

Boston Globe, MA
Dec 13 2007

The Board of Selectmen has voted to suspend ties with the
Anti-Defamation League’s No Place for Hate program. The town’s
Human Rights Committee recommended the move because the ADL has not
satisfactorily recognized as genocide the killing of 1.5 million
Armenians by the Ottoman Turks during and just after World War I.

Four selectmen voted to suspend the link to the ADL program, which
backs local efforts to fight racism and encourage diversity, while
Selectman James Healy, abstained, saying he did not feel the board
should take up the issue. – Laura M. Colarusso more stories like this

PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN HAD A FAREWELL MEETING WITH THE AMBASSADOR OF BULGARIA

armradio.am
11.12.2007 13:12

Today President Robert Kocharyan had a farewell meeting with the
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of
Bulgaria to Armenia Stefan Dimitroff, President’s Press Office reports.

Robert Kocharyan said the Ambassador’s tenure in office was very
effective for the development of Armenian-Bulgarian relations; the
economic and cultural ties have considerably expanded.

The Ambassador noted that without the willingness of the Armenian
side and support, it would not be possible to reach such results.

As an evidenced of development of Armenian-Bulgarian relations, the
Ambassador pointed to the fact that the number of people studying
Bulgarian has increased in Armenia, and the Bulgarian-Armenian
dictionary has already been published.

The parties also turned to the opportunities of enlargement of
Armenian-Bulgarian relations in the framework of the European
Neighborhood Policy.

GEORGIAN TBC BANK TO ENTER AZERBAIJAN

The Financial
Dec 11 2007
Georgia

The FINANCIAL — Mamuka Khazaradze and Vakhtang Butskhrikidze,
TBC Bank will make official statement regarding bank expansion in
Azerbaijan on 11 December, TBC Bank reported 1 hour ago.

Earlier Khazaradze said that TBC Bank will use additional investments
to expand in the South Caucasus region.

He noted that investments in Armenia are also considered, but he added
"Armenian market is less interesting than that of Azerbaijan."

"And now TBC Bank will become a grip through which it will be
possible to expand in the region… We also eye Ukrainian market,"
Khazaradze said.

On September 30, 2007, TBC Bank’s total assets exceeded 1 Billion USD.

By the end of last year, the bank’s total assets amounted to 560
million USD, meaning that during the last nine months of the current
year there was an 80% increase.

According to the most current information, TBC Bank’s total capital
accounts for 264 million GEL, total credit portfolio is 1,077 million
GEL, and the volume of deposits portfolio totals 772 million GEL.

GYUMRI CITY HALL VS. CHAP LLC: ATTORNEY OF CITY HALL WHISPERED TO THE JUDGE

Lragir
Dec 11 2007
Armenia

On November 23 the City Hall of Gyumri filed a suit against Chap LLC,
owner of Gala TV of Gyumri, at the Economic court of Armenia, for
removing the transmission equipment of Gala TV from the transmission
tower which belongs to the City Hall.

The hearing started December 10 at the Gyumri residence of the Economic
Court. In the beginning of the hearing Justice Edward Nahapetyan
asked the sides if they have a plan of reconciliation. The council for
defense Karen Tumanyan offered to let the transmission tower to Chap
LLC for 6 months, but the prosecution declined. Then Karen Tumanyan
made a counter-claim for involuntary servitude on the transmission
tower and 26.04 sq m of land. The judge declined the counter-claim
and the appeal against the judge.

During the adjournment the reporters asked why the City Hall does
not demand the rent of the tower for the past 2,5 years, the head of
the legal department of the City Hall Ara Sargsyan, the attorney of
the City Hall, said: "It is our fault." Meanwhile, V. Khachatryan,
founder of Chap LLC says it was not done because of the lack of legal
grounds, and the City Hall believes that the claim would be declined
because the City Hall did not set any condition or fee for rental
because the tower was not the property of the City Hall.

The next hearing started at midday on December 11. The Judge said
the appeal against him had been declined and the same justice would
hear the case. After the second appeal of Karen Tumanyan Justice
Nahapetyan adjourned the hearing for an hour and on returning to the
courtroom stated that the solicitation was declined. The advocate
asked if the judge made a decision and the judge answered no. Nobody
understood why the judge had adjourned the hearing if he did not make
a decision. After the second appeal the justice closed the hearing
and after consulting the attorney of the City Hall of Gyumri in a
whisper stated that the next hearing would be on December 13.

After the hearing the judge tried to have a talk with Karen Tumanyan
about the appeal regarding "his close relations with Mayor Vardan
Ghukasyan". The reporter of Gala TV noticed this and switched on the
camera. The attorney of the City Hall Ara Sargsyan prompted to the
judge in a whisper that the camera was on. Justice Nahapetyan concluded
his conversation with the words "I am happy that the attorney thinks
the mayor and I are friends."

NEGOTIATION ON KOCHARYAN’S FUTURE

Lragir, Armenia
Dec 10 2007

We have learned that Robert Kocharyan is negotiating his political
future with official Moscow. According to our source, two options
are being considered: prime minister of Armenia or head of a holding
including the Russian companies operating in Armenia. In return for
supporting Kocharyan’s plans the Russian side demands the companies of
value, namely the cement factories of Hrazdan and Ararat and Armavia
Airlines. In fact, two days ago an agreement was signed in Yerevan
according to which VTB will finance the operation of the mine of
Teghut, which actually means Russian control on the mine.