Author: Kanayan Tamar

LAST FOUR HEI ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS HELD IN ARMENIA ON AUGUST 10

Noyan Tapan
Aug 10 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, NOYAN TAPAN. 1000 entrants took part in
in the examinations in four subjects on August 10, that is to
say on the last day of Higher Educational Institutional entrance
examinations. According to the information provided by Lilit Galstian,
the Spokeswoman of the Republican Admission Board, about 13 thousand
entrants, in general, should have taken part in entrance examinations
this year.

It was mentioned that examination boards kept to the same standards
and principles throughout the process of examinations, therefore, no
"flights of middle marks" were observed. She mentioned that a decrease
of competitive marks is expected this year.

Lilit Galstian also stated that 3472 entrants received unsatisfactory
marks and 4416 received between 18 to 20 points. No one received 20
points from the examinations in the following subjects: "Biology",
"Physics", "Aremenian History", "General History", "Armenian language"
(oral), "German language" (oral), "Creative Contest", and "Chemistry".

TAJIK PRESIDENT UPBEAT ON FUTURE COOPERATION WITH AZERBAIJAN

Trend news agency, Baku
9 Aug 07

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon has expressed his optimism about the
future of his country’s relations with Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani
news agency Trend reported on 9 August.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the agency in the run-up to
his official visit to Azerbaijan, Rahmon said that Tajikistan will
make every effort to realize the potential of relations between the
two countries in the interests of current and future generations.

The agency quoted Rahmon as saying that since Azerbaijan has a
developed oil infrastructure, it would be expedient to develop
cooperation between the two countries in the oil sphere. Azerbaijani
specialists could be involved in the exploration, extraction and
development of oil and gas reserves in Tajikistan, he said.

He also touched on possible cooperation in other spheres such as
transport, communications and textile and food industries.

"Since Azerbaijan has a high indicator of economic growth, we also hope
for an influx of Azerbaijani investments in the production-industrial
projects being implemented in Tajikistan," Rahmon said.

Touching on Tajikistan’s position on the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict,
Rahmon said that Dushanbe was in favour of a peaceful solution to the
conflict. He expressed his optimism about the latest statements on the
conflict settlement by the OSCE Minsk Group. "We are sure that peace
and stability in the South Caucasus will be ensured in the interests
of all peoples living in this important region of the planet," Rahmon
told Trend.

"HOT LINE" CREATED IN RA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Noyan Tapan
Aug 08 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 8, NOYAN TAPAN. A "hot line" has been created in the
RA Ministry of Environmental Protection with two special telephone
numbers: 51 91 82 and 52 38 35. According to the Public Relations
Department of the RA Ministry of Environmental Protection, citizens
can call the above-mentioned numbers in case they notice violations
of environmental protective character.

ARMENIAN EATERY COURTS WORCESTER LAWYERS, JUDGES
Noah Schaffer

Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, MA
Aug 8 2007

Shiraz
259 Park Ave.
Worcester
(508) 767-1639
Lunch, Monday through Saturday

I ask a Worcester attorney to recommend a restaurant that his downtown
colleagues might patronize at lunchtime. When he directs me toward
Shiraz, an Armenian eatery, I am a bit surprised. After all, the
restaurant is nearly a mile and a half from the old (albeit soon to
be demolished) Worcester courthouse complex and is definitely not
within easy walking distance by car-crazy Worcester standards.

Also, there’s a Middle Eastern restaurant that serves nearly identical
fare right by the courthouse on Highland Street, making Shiraz seem
anything but convenient to courthouse regulars.

But sure enough, the lively luncheon crowd at Shiraz includes an
entire table of Probate & Family Court judges, one of the attorneys
in our party tells us. Nearby are two public safety officials, we
are told. Behind them, says another fellow diner, members of the
history department of Worcester State College are rubbing shoulders
with blue-collar workers.

We suspect that these patrons are at Shiraz more for its food
than for its anything-but-elegant decor. Each of the several dozen
place settings is set with a paper placemat, which is covered with
advertisements from local businesses that inform visitors they are
being served by the Kochian family.

Our waitress quickly takes our orders and promises us the soup that
comes with each luncheon special would be served shortly.

Unfortunately, the wait is seemingly interminable for what should be
the easiest course of the meal to deliver.

When the lentil soup finally arrives, it proves to be worth the wait.

Each bowl is loaded down with hearty lentils and flavored with a
spritz of lemon.

After observing several other patrons enjoying basketfuls of pita
bread along with their soup, we ask for the same and, again, endure
an unnecessarily lengthy wait for a restaurant staple that should
not have been overlooked in the first place.

Still, the tasty soup and bread are helping us forget the service
hiccups. Provided by a nearby bakery, the pita is chewier and much
fresher than one normally finds when that sort of bread is served.

Thankfully, the entrees soon follow. One attorney has ordered a Greek
salad with chicken ($7.25), which he praises as being flavorful and
fresh. Another lawyer has a wrap that combines grape leaves with
hummus ($6.50); he likes the tangy lemon taste that the hummus adds
to the sandwich.

Another member of our party has no complaints about a wrap that mixes
chicken with tabouleh ($6.50), a staple of Middle Eastern cuisine,
and also includes bulgur, parsley, mint, herbs and lemon juice.

A fattoush salad with tuna ($6) containing fresh mint, olive oil,
lemon juice and toasted pita chips can only be described as heavenly;
it is topped with a generous scoop of tuna salad. It was among the
most refreshing salads this writer has sampled.

After we complete our entrees, we determine that dessert is out of
the question. A few in our party have to return to the courthouse
for afternoon sessions, their lunch "hour" having been extended by
the service glitches at Shiraz.

Although not for those in a hurry or for those seeking to dazzle
clients with the trappings of an upscale restaurant, Shiraz proves
itself well worth the trek up the street for those seeking a hearty,
healthy lunch.

POLICE: SUSPECT’S FAILURE TO ‘BUCKLE UP’ HELPS CRACK CRIME RING

KNBC , California
Aug 7 2007

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles police say they have captured the leader
of a major crime ring — and their big break came because of a simple
act of carelessness — not buckling up.

Convicted burglar Artur Sargsyan, 29, is accused of being the leader
of a Russian-Armenian robbery ring that has targeted truck yards from
Oxnard to Chino.

During a year-long investigation, detectives identified Sargsyan as
the ringleader and on July 25 issued a $1 million warrant for his
arrest, according to a report in the Los Angeles Daily News.

The next day, the Daily News reported, Sargsyan was pulled over in
Burbank for not wearing his seat belt, and when the officer checked
for warrants, he realized he had a big fish.

"These aren’t your joyriding car thieves. It is organized crime,"
said Detective Robert Rivera, who works in the Los Angeles Police
Department’s Commercial Crimes Division. "It’s big. There’s a lot of
money involved," Rivera told the Daily News.

Investigators said members of group would use bolt cutters to break
through truck-yard fences, steal big rigs containing valuable goods
and then drive the stolen trucks to a Van Nuys warehouse to unload.

The ring stole nearly $10 million worth of valuables according to
police, including televisions, children’s clothes, new tires and a
huge shipment of Gatorade.

A felony complaint in Los Angeles County Superior Court charges
Sargsyan with multiple counts, including conspiracy, grand theft and
receiving stolen property, according to the published report.

If convicted, he faces more than 10 years in prison.

Sargsyan is being held in the Los Angeles County Jail on $500,000
bail and he is expected to be arraigned next Monday.

Three others – Manuk Muradkhanyan, 32; Aram Sahakyan, 32; and Tigran
Harutyunyan, 34 – were charged with receiving stolen property in
connection with the case, according to the Daily News report.

MANOYAN: WITHDRAW OF HOAGLAND’S NOMINATION IS THE ARMENIAN COMMUNITY’S VICTORY

Yerkir
07.08.2007 13:43

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – This solution of Richard Hoagland’s appointment
is the American Armenian community’s victory, Kiro Manoyan, the
director of the ARF Bureau’s Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office,
told a news conference today.

He said it was a victory because with the help of political figures
the community managed to stop a process that would have resulted in
appointing a diplomat who was questioning the Armenian genocide. Unlike
Hoagland, the official US position is that while the word genocide
is not used, it, however, is not questioned.

"This was a success of Armenians and the Armenian diplomacy although
Armenia did not do anything directly. I think this was important
too because the White House wanted Yerevan to pressure the Armenian
community but Yerevan fortunately did not do that," Manoyan said.

Manoyan said that one of Hoagland’s letters was the main reason: when
he was asked which cases can be characterized by the US as genocide and
why the US did not recognize the 1915 events as genocide, Hoagland,
going a step further from the official position of the US, had said
that the US should clarify whether the events were premeditated.

Manoyan said that the White House dropped Hoagland’s nomination
following Hoagland’s letter asking to be replaced because he would
never be confirmed due to the Senate’s procedure, according to which
any senator can delay the appointment.

As for the position of the next candidate in the Armenian genocide
issue, Manoyan said that the prospective candidate should have the
right stance.

"In this case, the right stance should be the right stance of the US
executive power. I said already that Hoagland was one step further,"
Manoyan said.

Whitehouse.gov (press release), DC
Aug 3 2007

Nominations and Withdrawal Sent to the Senate

White House News

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE ON AUGUST 2, 2007:

A. Paul Anderson, of Florida, to be a Federal Maritime Commissioner
for the term expiring June 30, 2012. (Reappointment)

Dennis W. Carlton, of Illinois, to be a Member of the Council of
Economic Advisers, vice Katherine Baicker, resigned.

Julie Fisher Cummings, of Michigan, to be a Member of the Board of
Directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service for a
term expiring September 14, 2011, vice William A. Schambra, term
expired.

Cynthia Dyer, of Texas, to be Director of the Violence Against Women
Office, Department of Justice, vice Diane M. Stuart, resigned.

John A. Gastright, of South Carolina, for the rank of Ambassador
during his tenure of service as United States Coordinator for
Afghanistan, Department of State.

Mark D. Gearan, of New York, to be a Member of the Board of Directors
of the Corporation for National and Community Service for a term
expiring December 1, 2010. (Reappointment)

Carl B. Kress, of California, to be a Federal Maritime Commissioner
for the term expiring June 30, 2011, vice Steven Robert Blust,
resigned.

Tom Osborne, of Nebraska, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of
the Corporation for National and Community Service for a term
expiring October 6, 2012, vice Cynthia Boich, term expiring.

Jeffrey William Runge, of North Carolina, to be Assistant Secretary
for Health Affairs and Chief Medical Officer, Department of Homeland
Security. (New Position)

Alan D. Solomont, of Massachusetts, to be a Member of the Board of
Directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service for a
term expiring October 6, 2009. (Reappointment)

Margaret Spellings, of Texas, to be designated a Representative of
the United States of America to the Thirty-fourth Session of the
General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and
Cultural Organization.

Donna N. Williams, of Texas, to be a Member of the Board of Directors
of the Corporation for National and Community Service for a term
expiring October 6, 2009, vice Marc Racicot, term expired.

WITHDRAWAL SENT TO THE SENATE ON AUGUST 3, 2007:

Richard E. Hoagland, of the District of Columbia, a Career Member of
the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of
America to the Republic of Armenia, which was sent to the Senate on
January 9, 2007.

20070803-3.html

ARMENIAN SOLDIERS DETAINED AZERI CITIZEN WHO PASSED ON KARABAKH SIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.08.2007 16:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ An Azeri citizen was detained on the contact line
between the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan. Viktor
Kocharian, Chairman of the NKR State Commission on Prisoners of War
and the Missing told the PanARMENIAN.Net that the detained Azeri
citizen did not have documents with him. "He represented himself
as Aliev Anar Marif-oglu born in 1978 in Azeri town of Mir-Bashir,
where he was living the recent years. Currently the competent bodies
of the NKR are clearing up the causes and motivations that made the
Azeri citizen pass on the Karabakh side," Kocharian stated.

He also underlined the OSCE and IRCC offices in Nagorno Karabakh have
been informed about this incident. "Today representatives of IRCC
Office in Stepanakert have already visited A. M. Aliev, who passed
them a letter addressed to his relatives," the Chairman of the NKR
State Commission said.

AZERI CITIZEN ARRESTED WHEN CROSSING THE BORDER

armradio.am
03.08.2007 13:15

On August 2 an Azerbaijani citizen was arrested when passing to the
Karabakhi side in the northeast direction of the contact line between
the Armed Forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan, Mediamax reports.

The NKR State Commission for War Captives and Missing Persons reported
that the Azeri citizen had no identifying documents. He introduced
himself as Aliyev Anar Marif oghli. He was born in 1978 in the
Azerbaijani city of Mir-Bashir.

Corresponding bodies are clarifying the reasons for crossing the
border.

The State Commission for War Captives and Missing Persons has informed
the Nagorno Karabakh Offices of the OSCE and the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) about the incident.

Today ICRC representatives visited the captive and the latter passed
a letter for his relatives.

FOOD PRICES FALL BY 6.2% IN ARMENIA IN JULY 2007

Noyan Tapan
Aug 2, 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 2, NOYAN TAPAN. Food prices fell by 6.2% in Armenia
in July on June 2007, mainly as a result of seasonal fluctuations of
fruit and vegetable prices.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, there was a 7.4%
price fall in the commodity group of fruit and vegetables in July
2007 on July 2006 and a 35.8% price fall in July on June 2007, which
was mainly due to the fall in prices of green beans (69.3%), tomato
(60.5%), eggplant (50%), green pepper (48%), and potato (40.3%). Prices
of cabbage, cucumber, carrot, onion, garlic and mangel-wurzel fell
by 2.1-28.2% in the indicated period.

A 25% inflation was recorded in the commodity group of fruits in
July 2007 on the same month of last year and a 14.1% price fall – in
July on June 2007, mainly due to a fall in prices of apricot (48.4%),
apple (14.3%), watermelon (41.3%) and melon (31.55). Prices of peach,
strawberry, banana, orange, and cherry declined by 0.7-11.6% in the
indicated period.

The downward tendency in egg prices continued in July 2007, with the
overall price fall for 3 months making 7.5%. The average price of eggs
declined by 2.9% in July on June. A 0.7% price fall was registered
in the commodity group of meat products in July on June 2007, mainly
due to 0.7-2.3% fall in prices of beef and poultry. Prices of mutton
and pork declined by 0.5% and 0.3% respectively in the indicated
period. The average republican price of granulated sugar fell by 1.8%
in July on June 2007. Prices of milk products and other foodstuffs
fell by 0.1% in July on June, while prices in the commodity groups
of coffee, tea, cocoa, confectionery, soft drinks, alcoholic drinks
and cigarettes remained at the previous month’s level.

There was 0.9% inflation in the commodity group of fish products in
July on June 2007. 7.8% inflation was recorded in the commodity group
of bread products in June-July 2007, including a 0.4% inflation in
July on June. The price of flour grew by 8.2%, of bread – by 10.6%,
of grain – by 19.3% in June and July.