Author: Karabekian Emil

LEVON TER-PETROSIAN’S SUPPORTERS AGREE WITH SERGE SARGSIAN THAT ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD IN ONE TOUR, ARMAN MUSINIAN CONSIDERS

Noyan Tapan
Feb 5, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, NOYAN TAPAN. Levon Ter-Petrosian’s preelection
headquarters submitted an application to the RA CEC with the demand to
invalidate the registration of presidential candidate Serge Sargsian,
who spends extra-fund resources on his election campaign. As Arman
Musinian, the Spokesperson of Ter-Petrosian’s headquarters, reported
at the February 5 press conference, the first President’s preelection
headquarters has already presented facts of many violations, which
are at its disposal, to international monitoring missions.

The Spokesperson expressed satisfaction with the course
of Ter-Petrosian’s election campaign and its results. While,
he added that Ter-Petrosian’s headquarters gives on the whole a
negative estimation to the election campaign. Among the negative
sides of the election campaign he named obstacles constantly put by
the authorities in the way of holding of Ter-Petrosian’s agitation,
as well as the fact that some presidential candidates are engaged in
nothing else but blackening the first President.

"However, all this does not play a special role for us, literally in
a few weeks we will celebrate our victory. In one issue we agree with
Serge Sargsian, in the issue that the elections will pass in one tour,"
Arman Musinian stated.

As regards possible unification of the leaders of Zharangutiun
(Heritage) and Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) Raffi Hovannisian and
Artur Baghdasarian with Ter-Petrosian, Musinian said that there are
serious grounds to suppose that this unification will happen. Political
consultations continue at present, most probably this issue will
be finally clarified at the end of the current week. According to
A. Musinian, there are also grounds to suppose that Aram Karapetian,
the leader of the Nor Zhamanakner (New Times) party, will also support
the first President’s candidature.

As regards the issue how Ter-Petrosian’s supporters and he himself
are going to defend their votes, Arman Musinian said that this issue
consists of three levels and includes first of all responsibility of
voters. Besides, "a large political and public capital" has gathered
around the first President today, and it gives a ground to suppose
that the opposition will be able to defend its votes. "And the third
important moment is that we do not wish anyone to learn about our
intentions," Arman Musinian stated.

RATE OF CONSTRUCTION WILL NOT SLOW DOWN

Lragir
Feb 4 2008
Armenia

In 2008 large-scale construction programs will be launched in Yerevan,
the programs launched in the past years will be completed, stated the
head architect of Yerevan Samvel Danielyan in a briefing on February
4. The construction of the overpass near the Airarat Cinema, renovation
of Khandjian Street, construction on Central Avenue, near the Wine
Factory and Gregory Illuminator Church will be completed. According
to the head architect of Yerevan Samvel Dalielyan, this year the
construction of the architectural environment of Old Yerevan will
be launched near Central Avenue between Abovyan Street and Yeznik
Koghbatsi Street. The projects for Kond, Kozern and 33rd quarters
are being drafted.

New roads are going to be built to improve the road network of Yerevan
and to relieve the heavy traffic at the city center.

Miasnikyan Avenue and Saralanj Street, Abovyan Street and Miasnikyan
Avenue, the bridge of Davitashen and the bridge of Ashtarak will
join through tunnels. "The road bypassing Yerevan in the West will
be completed and relieve the center from transit traffic," Samvel
Danielyan said. The construction of roads connecting the city with
the adjacent areas will continue.

IRAQI KURD ARTICLE DISCUSSES TURK HISTORIAN’S THESIS ON ORIGINS OF ARMENIANS
by Stran Abdallah

Iraqi Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
Jan 28 2008
Aso, Kirkuk, Iraq

"The plight of Turkey"

The plight of Turkey is created by its historians. In the past, the
historians instilled the idea of purifying the Turkish language from
foreign words, particularly Arabic words, into [founder of Turkish
state] Kemal Ataturk.

They were busy with this issue when others [historians] said that the
world originated from the Turkish nation. So, Turkish is the language
of the entire world as long as the world originated from the Turks.

Then, why purify the Turkish language from the words of those other
languages that are themselves Turkish? Hence, a lie protected Turkey
from another more lie!

Now, another historian emerged who says that most of the Kurds
are originally ethnic Armenians and have turned themselves into
Kurds, otherwise, the Kurds numbered very few. This looks like the
Ba’thist propaganda of "nationality rectification", namely those
people were formerly turned into Kurds and they can now rectify their
nationality. In what era were the Kurds in Iraq and Turkey so powerful
[to prompt] other people to enlist themselves as Kurds.

What blessing and prosperity the Armenian enjoyed after they turned
into Kurds! If the Armenians had no choice but to change their
nationality, why did not they become dominant Muslim Turks, instead of
becoming a poor oppressed Kurd? If they are doomed to be mass-killed,
what difference can Kurdish or Armenian nationality make?

This historian wants, as does real historians, to use "facts", but the
"fact" here has to do with cheating [deception]: go and examine the
PKK [Kurdistan Workers’ Party] guerrillas, you will find that they
have not been circumcised, because they are ethnic Armenians and
Christians do not practice circumcision!

Look what a plight do historians try to afflict on Turkey? [Turkish
Premier Recep Tayyip] Erdogan is now working on declaring an amnesty
for the guerrillas so that they leave the mountains. But the thesis
the historian presents is a big problem: for you need to be checked,
as you come down the mountains, whether you have been circumcised or
stayed as an Armenian!

Thus, in Turkey, if men stay in mountains, they may kill or get killed
in an encounter, or they may be captured and their head blown off. And
if they want to come down the mountains and respond to the amnesty,
a historian will stand by at the bottom of the valley to examine them
and may cut off flesh from them!

THE GAME IS JUST STARTING
by Lusine Barseghyan

Haykakan Zhamanak
Jan 26 2008
Armenia

Before the official start of the presidential campaign, a number
of political experts were able to evaluate the political situation
and make their forecasts regarding the presidential election [on
19 February].

However, given that TV channels are obliged to give air to the
chief rival of the authorities’ candidate [Prime Minister Serzh
Sargsyan], the first Armenian president Levon Ter-Petrosyan too,
what has changed or can change? Political expert and director of the
Media Caucasus Institute Aleksandr Iskandaryan believes that although
the electioneering actually started on 21 September [2007], after
the campaigning officially got under way and all the presidential
hopefuls got access to TV air, many things have radically changed.

Thus, the political sphere will change depending on the fact, how
aggressive a candidate’s campaign will be run, how many mistakes will
be made, theoretically candidates’ withdrawals [from the race] are
possible. "The game is not played yet," Iskandaryan notes. Regardless
of this, he considers the struggle will be held between the two
contenders: Levon Ter-Petrosyan and Serzh Sargsyan. All the other
presidential bidders, in the expert’s opinion, play the supplementary
role, as their actual goal is not winning the president’s post. At
present Serzh Sargsyan is presumed to have more chances for victory.

Why? The expert remarks the Armenian electorate is divided into three
parts: people, voting for stability, so that things could go the way
they are today. It is the layer of civil servants, public sector,
people related to business. The expert, however, does not expect that
these people determine the elections outcome.

The second is the protesting electorate, which deliberately votes
against the authorities. Though, in the expert’s opinion, they are
also not sufficient for victory. They do not constitute 70-80 per
cent, at any rate. The major and determinative part is apathetic
and non-politicized electorate, people who have no opinion and are
ready to sell it. Iskandaryan states that Serzh Sargsyan has enormous
administrative resources, is presently believed to be a frontrunner,
which does not mean he will remain such. "Ter-Petrosyan’s goal is to
destroy this machine, turn an apathetic person into a protesting one.

Theoretically it is possible, and there is such an opportunity. Let’s
wait and see what will make out of it", says the political expert.

Iskandaryan gave the following response to the question how many
rounds of voting will have the coming presidential election: "It
depends on how big the rallies will be. If they gather 30 people,
I will answer one thing, if there are 300 people, my answer will
be different, if they last 1 hour, I will give one answer, if they
last three days, I will give another." And the question whether a
rally of the similar scope several days ago does not mean anything,
had an answer: "Of course, it means. It speaks of the seriousness
of Yerevan’s protesting electorate, ready to support Ter-Petrosyan’s
presidential bid. But this is still not enough for regional dwellers
to become a protest electorate. "

In Yerevan, Mr Iskandaryan believes, many things are decided, but
Armenia is not Georgia, and regions’ votes have importance. And
taking into consideration the way first president is received in the
regions, doesn’t this mean the situation in the regions goes out of
the authorities’ control too? "Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s return radically
changed the struggle criteria. If not him, the struggle for running for
the president’s post would be an issue of management. Almost similar
struggle took place during the parliamentary election [in 2007].

"Then Ter-Petrosyan emerged, who is obviously not engaged in this
sphere. In addition to the fact that the forces are different,
the political figures are also different. Ter-Petrosyan is a
public and ideological figure, who can speak. Serzh Sargsyan is
not a public figure. He is rather a manager. But if the struggle is
being transferred into ideological sphere, what the first president
immediately did, Serzh Sargsyan and the authorities have to respond
in the same manner. And the authorities’ camp is not united. This is
the reason, why it responds not that assertive, and there is behaviour
of panic."

HAKOB GHAZANCHIAN: STATE THEATERS ARE IN DANGER

Noyan Tapan
Jan 31, 2008

YEREVAN, JANUARY 31, NOYAN TAPAN. The state theaters are in danger
and God forbid if someone makes a decision to close them, that person
will become culture’s enemy. Hakob Ghazanchian, the Chairman of the
Union of Theatrical Figures of Armenia, responded this way to the
rumors on closure of state repertoire theaters at the January 30
press conference.

The Chairman of the Union of Theatrical Figures of Armenia
said that both in Armenia and in all post-Soviet countries many
non-repertoire theaters, where talented actors and producers work,
work inefficiently. And many repertoire theaters, including Russian
Lenkom, Sovremennik, and others prosper. "Thus, those speaking about
it should ground their statements. All these talks are based on one
thing: show business actors often performing on TV announce that they
have no stage," Hakob Ghazanchian emphasized.

As regards the issue that this year also there was no prize in
cinema and theater nominations among the prizes instituted by the
RA President and the President said that there are problems in this
sphere, H. Ghazanchian does not agree to it. In his words, 90% state
theaters had not submitted bids for taking part in the competition. And
besides, the prevailing majority of the common commission formed for
the spheres of cinema and theater are cinema critics, and speaking
about theater is not so understandable in this case.

"To say that theater has problems is unequivocally wrong under the
circumstances, as there are problems in all spheres," he said.

According to H. Ghazanchian, interesting and praiseworthy performances
were staged at state repertoire theaters last year: "there is a
new generation of talented actors and producers in Armenia today,
and many of them have already confirmed it with their acts."

Hakob Ghazanchian also said that a law On Theater fails to be adopted
for many years, there is no precise cultural policy, "in one word,
everything is incomplete in this sphere, and it is absurd to speak
about closure of state theaters under the circumstances."

HEAD OF ARTUR BAGHDASARIAN’S STAFF STATED THAT THE SUPPORTERS OF THE PRIME MINISTER STARTED A "GENERAL CAMPAIGN ON BRIBING THE ELECTORS"

Mediamax
January 30, 2008

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Head of the pre-election staff of the Armenian
presidential candidate, Leader of "Orinats Yerkir" Party (OYP) Artur
Baghdasarian Heghine Bisharian accused today the Prime Minister Serzh
Sarkisian of using state and administrative resource in the process
of his pre-election campaign.

Mediamax reports that Heghine Bisharian stated that the supporters
of the Leader of the Republican Party of Armenia started a "general
campaign on bribing the electors and collecting data". According
to her, cases of pressure on the electors, falsifications in the
electors’ lists are registered. "We are going to struggle against
all the violations", she stated.

"We are effectively cooperating with the OSCE ODIHR Observation
Mission, handing them over facts of violation of the electoral right",
Bisharian stated.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MONUMENT IN CARDIFF DESECRATED

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.01.2008 15:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Genocide monument in Cardiff was
desecrated on January 27 morning, just before the ceremony in
commemoration of Holocaust victims and slain Agos editor Hrant Dink,
independent French journalist Jean Eckian told PanARMENIAN.Net.

The ornate Armenian Cross on the monument was smashed by unknown
persons with a hammer, which was left at the scene of the crime. The
Armenian community called on the UK government and Turkish Embassy
to condemn the act of vandalism.

"The hammer with fingerprints was taken to police. But I don’t think
that the vandals will be found," John Torosyan, representative of
the Armenian community of Wales, told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. "We
will reconstruct the monument," he added.

CAUCASUS RESEARCH RESOURCE CENTERS PRESENTS RESULTS FROM DATA INITIATIVE (DI) 2007 SURVEY

ARMENPRESS
Jan 30, 2008

YEREVAN, JANUARY 30, ARMENPRESS: The Caucasus Research Resource Centers
(CRRC) presented today the results from the Data Initiative (DI) 2007
survey, which represents the 4th wave of information gathered via
300 questions addressed to adults from over 8000 households randomly
selected in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

The CRRC DI survey provides a unique opportunity to follow the
socioeconomic, demographic and political developments during the last
4 years.

The dataset also allows analysts to make parallels between the three
countries of the South Caucasus and the developments between rural
and urban areas within each country. It also sheds light on migration
patterns in the region by providing comprehensive information on both
returned migrants and migrants residing abroad.

Relevant to the current Armenian political environment, the dataset
provides new insights into Armenian political attitudes. About half of
the respondents in Armenia say they are "not interested" or "hardly
interested" in national politics.

Of those who are interested in politics, 36% stated that "quite
often" or "always" national politics seems too complicated to
understand. Moreover, only 38.6% of those who are interested in
national politics claimed that national politics was going in the
right direction.

According to DI 2007 data, 42% of the respondents in Armenia trust the
President, 19% – the National Assembly and 27% – the Government. In the
meantime, only 17% of the respondents in Yerevan trust the Government
(vs. 12.3% in 2006), while more people in other cities and rural
areas trust the Government (26% and 36% correspondingly).

It is also worth noting that about 36% of the respondents in Armenia
answered that they have little control over their life, while in
Georgia (21%) and Azerbaijan (30%) think so.

The data also gives insights into converging and diverging social
values across the Caucasus. In all three countries hard work and a
feeling of responsibility are among the three most valued qualities
that both male and female children should be brought up with. The
third most wanted characteristic for male children in Georgia and
Azerbaijan is independence (61% and 66%, respectively), while in
Armenia it is tolerance and respect to other people (70%).

The third most important characteristic for female children is modesty
for the respondents in Armenia (75%) and religious faith for those
in Georgia (56%), and thrift – in Azerbaijan (49%).

In terms of labor market development, in Yerevan, 35.3% mentioned
personal networking as the most important factor for obtaining a good
job, while the respondents from other cities and rural areas ranked
education as most important.

Meanwhile, the survey revealed that 54% of Armenian respondents did
not speak any other foreign language but Russian; only 21% have
some computer skills, and only 14% are able to use Internet and
e-mail. Marked differences also appear between Yerevan and the regions.

SELECTEES INTRODUCED TO SELECTION

Panorama.am
19:04 30/01/2008

Today a discussion seminar about the selection took place in "against
terrorism" office organized by the OSCE Yerevan office. The information
is provided by the OSCE Yerevan press service department.

"Soldier’s Mother" NGO was one of the organizers, and they invited the
schoolboys who are going to finish the school this year, and introduced
to them the specifics of the military service, some medical procedures,
and other corruption threats in this field.

The organizers of the seminar-discussion said that they hope such
kind of programs should contribute to the freedom of information and
transparency in this particular sphere.

In sum, the NGO representatives said that they got 75 complaining
letters connected with the selection period, and they decided to have
such a seminar just before the winter selection starts.

AZERBAIJANI ARMY SOLDIER WOUNDED DURING CEASE-FIRE VIOLATION OF ARMENIAN FORCES

Azeri Press Agency
Jan 29 2008
Azerbaijan

One more soldier of Azerbaijani Army was wounded during cease-fire
violation of Armenian Armed Forces, APA Karabakh bureau reports.

Wounded soldier Orujov Serdar was taken to military hospital, his
condition is satisfactory. He was wounded during cease-fire violation
of Armenian Armed Forces in Yusifjanli village of Aghdam. Orujov was
drafted from Dashkesen military registration and enlistment office
in 2007.