Author: Karabekian Emil

IT IS ENVISAGED TO RAISE SQUARE OF GREEN ZONES PER CAPITA TO 7.5 SQ.M. THIS YEAR IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
Jan 29, 2008

YEREVAN, JANUARY 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The 2008 program of widening green
zones has been already worked out within the framework of the Chief
Plan of Yerevan. As Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by Avet
Martirosian, the Head of the Environmental Protection Department
of Yerevan Mayor’s Office, it is envisaged to increase the green
zones in Yerevan by nearly 100 hectares this year, 60 hectares out
of which in territories envisaged by the Plan, in particular, in the
Shengavit community.

In A. Martirosian’s opinion, in total, 110 thousand trees will be
planted this year, and the square of green zones per capita will be
raised from the current 6.2 sq.m. to 7.5 sq.m. It was also mentioned
that by the Chief Plan it is envisaged to raise the square of green
zones per capita to 19.5 sq.m. from 2009 to 2020.

LEVON ARONIAN RECOGNIZED WINNER IN WIJK AAN ZEE INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT FOR SECOND YEAR RUNNING

Noyan Tapan
Jan 28, 2008

WIJK AAN ZEE, JANUARY 28, NOYAN TAPAN. The International Chess
Tournament under the title "Korus" finished on January 27 in Wijk
aan Zee. In the main tournament Levon Aronian gained 8 out of 13
possible points and was recognized the winner for the second year
running. Magnus Karlsen (Norway) having lower coefficients took the
second place with the same points.

Vishvantan Anand (India) took the third place with 7.5 points.

In tournament B Sergei Movsisian (Slovakia) gained 9.5 out of 13
possible points and was recognized the only winner in the group. He
received the right to take part in the main tournament for the first
time next year. In the same group Gabriel Sargsian took the 12th place.

What the Papers Say Part A (Russia)
January 24, 2008 Thursday

TRIO’S TRIP TO CAUCASUS

by Yuri Roks

THE EUROPEAN UNION WILL STUDY THE STATE OF AFFAIRS WITH NEIGHBORLY
RELATIONS AND CONFLICTS IN THE CAUCASUS; Azerbaijan, Armenia, and
Georgia expect a visit from senior EU officials.

Foreign ministries of all three countries EU officials intend to tour
attach a lot of importance to the visits. Vladimir Karapetjan, press
secretary of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia, even assumes that EU
Envoy Peter Semneby might come.

Importance is attached to the forthcoming visits in connection with
the second round of the presidential election in Serbia which may
become a prelude to the process of international recognition of
Kosovo’s sovereignty. Torn by territorial conflicts, countries of the
southern part of the Caucasus hope to have some questions answered in
the course of the visits.

No matter how hard the West is trying to convince everyone that the
Kosovo solution will set no precedents for other regions, Azerbaijan
and Georgia remain understandably upset. Fiercely pro-Western Tbilisi
even supports Russia’s objections to recognition of Kosovo as a
sovereign state. "Sovereignty of Kosovo will become a stimulus for
Abkhazia and South Ossetia. What really counts, however, is that the
West is guarantor of Georgia’s territorial integrity," Paata
Zakareishvili of the Center for Development and Cooperation (Tbilisi)
said.

The situation with Azerbaijan and Armenia is somewhat different.
Georgia lost Abkhazia and South Ossetia due to internal discord, but
the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh has always been international.
Azerbaijani-Armenian negotiations have nothing to show for the
effort, and some experts ascribe it to the absence of
Nagorno-Karabakh itself, a region demanding sovereignty, from the
process. OSCE Minsk Group French Chairman Bernard Fassier supports
this point of view. After almost a week spent in Baku, Yerevan, and
Stepanakert in the middle of January, Fassier suggested that
participation of Nagorno-Karabakh in the talks might help.

"Europe’s interest in Azerbaijan comes down to the problem of energy
security," political scientist Rasim Musabekov said. "As for
Nagorno-Karabakh, the EU is not directly involved in the crisis
resolution effort. Moreover, it is highly unlikely to want the
burden. The European Union does, however, support the OSCE Minsk
Group and would dearly like to see some progress made."

"Trust the West to try and keep the situation here in a suspended
state," Stepan Grigorjan of the Regional Cooperation Center (Yerevan)
said. "The Western community claims that Kosovo is unique and that it
is wrong to view the Kosovo solution as a precedent for other
region." The political scientist suspects that Europe might suggest
some kind of document specifying organization of a referendum on
Nagorno-Karabakh and its status, say, a decade from now.

Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, January 24, 2008, p. 7

MEDIA SCUFFLE MARKS START OF ARMENIA’S PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN
Marianna Grigoryan

EurasiaNet
Jan 25 2008
NY

With the official start of Armenia’s presidential election campaign
this week, candidates are taking to the airwaves to make a broad
array of political promises.

Although the pledge to wipe out corruption could prove the campaign’s
overarching theme, candidates are offering voters everything from a
quadrupling of pensions and the creation of thousands of new jobs to
the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. [For background see
the Eurasia Insight archive]. The election will be held on February 19.

The candidate list, finalized on January 21, combines several seasoned
political veterans with a few relatively unknown figures.

The nine contenders are; Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian, Republican
Party of Armenia leader; former President Levon Ter Petrosian; Deputy
Parliamentary Speaker Vahan Hovhannisian, Armenian Revolutionary
Federation; Rule of Law Party Chairman Artur Baghdasarian; National
Democratic Union leader Vazgen Manukian; National Unity Party
Chairman Artashes Geghamian; People’s Party leader Tigran Karapetian;
Arman Manukian, former foreign policy advisor to the de facto former
president of Nagorno-Karabakh, Arkady Ghukassian; and National Consent
Party leader Aram Harutyunian.

As in Armenia’s May 2007 parliamentary elections, public television
has quickly emerged as the chief vehicle for reaching voters. [For
additional information see EurasiaNet’s Armenia: Vote 2007 special
feature]. Under the election code, candidates during the campaign are
allowed 60 minutes of free airtime and two hours of paid airtime on
public television; two hours of free broadcasts and two and a half
hours of paid broadcasts are allowed on public radio. The cost of
one minute of airtime on public and private television ranges from
80,000 to 130,000 drams (about $264-$429).

By law, though, candidates can spend no more than 70 million drams
(about $230,000) on their campaigns. An additional chance for voter
exposure exists for candidates such as Prime Minister Sarkisian and
Deputy Parliamentary Speaker Hovhannisian, who are able to make use of
televised appearances for events not related to the election campaign.

Despite the controversy surrounding television coverage in the past,
and ongoing opposition criticism of public television’s coverage
decisions, a representative of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia
denies that the existing arrangement favors Sarkisian. "All conditions
have been created for an equal election struggle," said party spokesman
Eduard Sharmazanov. "Television channels provide proportional coverage
of the campaigns and the airtime to use for campaign purposes is the
same for all. The opposition has nothing to complain about."

"If someone fails to do something, he may well be looking for others
to blame," Sharmazanov added.

Armenian Public Television’s administration has repeatedly stated
that it will maintain "equal conditions" for all candidates.

Opposition members charge that the station’s election coverage is
far from balanced. The heaviest criticism of Sarkisian occurs in
newspapers with circulations in the thousands at best – a fraction
of public television’s audience. Meanwhile, public television often
refers to Ter Petrosian, Sarkisian’s lead challenger, as the leader
of the former ruling Pan-Armenian National Movement, rather than as
a presidential candidate. Ter Petrosian, who founded the movement in
1989, has not headed the party since the 1990s.

"In fact, it is totally distorted in a most vulgar way," Nikol
Pashinian, a key Ter Petrosian supporter and editor-in-chief of the
opposition Haykakan Zhamanak daily, said about public television’s
campaign coverage. "We take reporters in half-empty buses to the
regions to provide coverage, like all candidates do. As a result,
public television makes it seem that we’re transporting people on
buses to make [our] rallies look ‘well-attended’."

Suren Sureniants, a member of the political council of the opposition
Hanrapetutiun (Republic) Party and another prominent Ter Petrosian
supporter, took issue with public television footage of the campaign’s
January 22 rally in Yerevan, suggesting that the channel sought to
downplay the notion that Ter Petrosian has a substantial political
following. The report on the rally "showed a completely empty square
where a few people were standing," he alleged.

Sureniants looks to the free airtime allotted to each candidate to
correct such allegedly mistaken impressions.

The campaign for Baghdasarian, leader of the Rule of Law Party, agrees
that free airtime is critical, but believes that public television
has provided "coverage of all candidates’ campaigns," albeit "with
little time" overall given to candidate coverage.

"It is the presidential elections and it is clear that a candidate’s
rating can be spoiled even by one piece of footage," Baghdasarian
spokeswoman Susanna Abrahamian said. She claims a "very warm" meeting
held by Baghdasarian with voters in the northwestern town of Artik was
misrepresented when public television added a shot of the candidate
drinking water after footage of the audience applauding him. "As
a result, it appeared that our candidate was drinking water to the
applause," Abrahamian said. "Is that right?"

Armenian Public Television Deputy Executive Director Gnel Nalbandian
counters that it is up to each media outlet alone to decide how to
cover the elections.

"All candidates want their campaign to be covered the way they want,
but we are not going to campaign for one candidate or another.

Television companies, newspapers have policies of their own, their
own approaches," Nalbandian told EurasiaNet. "We watch closely
that the principle of balance is preserved, and if candidates think
that the facts are distorted, they can go to the courts and demand
a refutation."

Gagik Tadevosian, a supporter of presidential candidate Artashes
Geghamian, believes that there is nothing new in all this. "They cover
candidates’ campaigns on all television channels sometimes neutrally,
sometimes with sarcasm," said Tadevosian, a member of Geghamian’s
National Unity Party. "Depending on its own political framework,
every channel looks at everything from its own perspective."

Media monitoring will be part of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human
Rights observation mission’s first election campaign report, to be
released on January 30. The Yerevan Press Club, which periodically
monitors Armenia’s eight television companies, soon will also present
the results of its observations. A Press Club representative declined
to comment on media coverage to date, saying that the organization
does not "yet possess a complete analysis."

SECOND PARTISAN ADVISER TO PRIME MINISTER

KarabakhOpen
24-01-2008 12:39:34

By a decree of Prime Minister Ara Harutiunyan, Hrant Melkumyan was
appointed adviser to prime minister. Hrant Melkumyan, who is the first
secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, has been
dismissed from the post of head of the Supervisory Department under
Prime Minister.

By the way, the first adviser to prime minister is the leader of the
Movement 88 Party, the ex-mayor of Stepanakert.

"I FELT HURT WHEN I SAW AGHDAM"

ANS
21.01.2008 17:34

OSCE Minsk Group American co-chair Mattew Bryza’s exclusive interview
with "Hesabat Mirshahinle" (Report with Mirshahin).

OSCE Minsk Group American co-chair Mattew Bryza’s exclusive interview
with "Hesabat Mirshahinle" (Repoer with Mirshahin)

– Mr. Bryza, every time when we meet I ask you "What’s news"?. I want
to ask you the question again. What news is there after your visit
to the region?

-First of all 2008 is a new year. I wish you and everybody all the
best. As to the procedures the news is that presidents exchanged
their opinions with regard the proposals the co-chairs handed them
in Madrid and the spirit of the talks is constructive. However this
does not mean that the presidents solved all the problems. There are
some to be settled. But both of them move on the same direction and
this is good of them.

-Where did we stop? Namely what stage did we stop at?

-You mean …

-Yes, within the level that diplomacy permits.

-No. Details of the talks should not be publicized. This concerns
the presidents only. I can only say that both presidents have common
opinion on the right of the refugees to return to their lands,
certain relations between Daqliq Qarabaq and Armenia, withdrawal of
troops. There is common conception on this issue. However nobody will
agree in anything until everything is agreed in total. This means to
predict what will be agreed out or not is difficult.

-That is nothing is agreed out until all the issues are settled?

-Yes, I just wanted to say so.

-Recently I acquainted myself with the Bako Saakyan’s shorthand report
in press conference. He told Daqliq Qarabaq will not yield at the cost
of its security and independence. We have heard Robert Kocharyan’s
position several times on the issue. He also states Daqliq Qarabaq
never can be placed under Azerbaijan. And Azerbaijani President told
very strictly in borderline regions that Azerbaijan will reach its
territorial integrity by any means. I don’t see any compromise neither
from Armenian side, nor official Baku. However you say there will be
compromise. If there is no yield in the aforesaid fundamental problems,
then let me ask: Where is the compromise?

-A very interesting and meaningful question! It concerns the issue on
status of Daqliq Qarabaq. It’s one point. And very important. But there
are other points as well. very point. But there are other problems
as well. And they are also concerned in this conflict. If the point
is the issue on status, then it’s difficult to settle it. But this
is just our work.

This is our mission. Our activities continue, but I cannot predict
any result. I can only say there is certain difference between the
positions of the sides.

-You carry out talks, learn opinions and make proposals. Do you think
they believe you?

-I think you should ask it them…

-And you, do you feel their trust on you? You see you have contacts
with them…

-I feel it. Yes, I do. I say because you ask me. I feel they trust
me and my friends Fassier and Merzlyakov.

-So, is there a mutual confidence between you – the three mediators?

-Yes, there is. And there is a solid cooperation between us with
regard the Daqliq Qarabaq conflict.

-May be the solution of Daqliq Qarabaq conflict takes much time as
you enjoy this cooperation?!

-No, this means that we can effectively hear the opinions of the
presidents and add them into our documents. This is very important.

-What did your statement mean about Turkish-Armenian borders, one
nation- two states? Give some clearance to this issue, please.

-There are cases of this kind. It’s normal.

-We have such opportunity.

-O.K. The question was: Is improvement of Armenian and Turkish
relations possible without regulation of Armenian-Azerbaijani Daqliq
Qarabaq conflict?

I said I hope. I have said and now I add that there is a policy
in Turkey: one nation – two states. This is a fact. It’s simply
a fact. But I did not criticize or support it. I simply noted, and
asked neither Turkey nor Turkish government to change its policy. I
simply publicized our policy.

I said we want Armenian relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan be
improved. I said I would play certain role in this approachment.

-You said the relations between Armenia and Turkey should be improved
irrespective of the regulation of Armenian-Aazerbaijani Daqliq
Qarabaq conflict?

-I said we’d like it. We’d like. But we may want this or not.

Hoewever the decision on this issue concerns governments of Turkey
of Azerbaijan only. As to Daqliq Qarabaq conflict if we solve this
problem, then relations between Armenia andTurkey would be improved.

-You visited contact line of the troops where the monitoring was
held. What did you feel there?

-I realized the situation is serious in frontline as distinct from my
previous visits. I felt affect of the conflict on simple citizens. I
felt ache when I saw Aghdam. I’m not Azerbaijani. But I felt hurt as a
human being. I understand why this conflict so hurts Azerbaijanis. It’s
unjust that people cannot live in their own houses. However it’s
possible to find solution of the conflict. But no compromise is
possible without yields.

-What did Aghdam look like? I haven’t been there since 1993. What
did you notice in Aghdam?

-It looked like the president described. It was just city of ruins. But
I was more affected by what lacked there. There are no citizens, normal
houses in the city now. This reminded me Warsaw city of after-war
period. I’m Poland by my origin. I know history well enough. I’m
long acquainted with this country – it’s 11 years. But you can feel
it better as a human being when you are there.

-Were you warned where to go, where not? This place is mined?

-Yes, of course.

-I ask it from security point of view. Did special persons guard
you there?

-Yes, we had special uniforms there. Monitorings have certain
procedures.

The risk becomes less if there is normal communication between the
sides during the monitoring. But risk is ever risk.However this is
my work.

– What is your opinion, Mr.Bryza, how many visits would be enough to
hear at least good news on the settlement of the conflict?

-This depends on the leaders of both countries. Everybody would
like to know time of leap. But to put foundation for the leap is
necessary. And we are engaged with this. People think rapid leap is
not so far. May be…

-Do you think the new head of state of Armenia may start everything
again?

I cannot say. I think they know they should not lose everytning
obtained up to now.

-What is the next step? You met with the President. Was he satisfied
with the results?

Yes. We listened and heard both presidents. We – the mediators must
analyze, have talks with each other and prepare new version of the
document.Then we’ll present it to the presidents and continue the
procedure.

-What news did you give to Azerbaijani President this time?

-This is no leap news. We gave opinions of both presidents to each
other.

-When will you visit Azerbaijan next time?

-I think this will be in spring.

-Good Luck! We hope the progress will be soon as you said.

-I have no doubt of it.

THE CASPIAN MOMENT BY ELMAR MAMMADYAROV

Wall Street Journal
Jan 21 2008

BAKU, Azerbaijan — The Caspian is back on the international energy
agenda. Our region, rich in oil and gas, is emerging from the Soviet
past with a bang. But we still have unfinished business. Regional
integration is a priority for Azerbaijan. It makes economic sense in
the Caspian and the global context. Integration, however, can only
happen if we can find a lasting solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.

When Armenian forces occupied this south-eastern region of our country
and seven surrounding territories in 1992, close to one million Azeris
were forced to flee. They are now living in temporary settlements. They
should be allowed to return to their homes.

Azerbaijan cannot make any compromises when it comes to its
territorial integrity and the right of return for internally displaced
persons. This is in accordance with the norms and principles of
international law, the relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions and
decisions taken by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in
Europe. Other international organizations, including NATO, the Council
of Europe, and the European Union, have repeatedly stated the same.

It is almost 14 years since the Azerbaijan-Armenia war ended in a
Russian-mediated ceasefire. But to this day we still have Armenian
troops on our territory. The continued occupation of parts of our
nation is something we cannot tolerate. The so-called Minsk process,
an OSCE-led effort to find a peaceful, negotiated settlement to this
conflict, has been helpful in providing the framework for dialogue
between Azerbaijan and Armenia. It also gives an international
dimension to this conflict. But we need to urgently conclude this
process. Maintaining the status quo is just too costly.

The current market price for oil and gas is high and we should be
able to maximize the economic potential of our strategic resources.

The unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, however, threatens the
security of the existing pipeline infrastructure, preventing us from
optimizing the region’s energy trade with Europe. For us in Azerbaijan
this will impede economic growth, which has been averaging around 30%
in the past few years.

Diplomacy is Azerbaijan’s preferred solution. I believe that Armenia
would also benefit from regional integration and development, and
should look beyond the protracted conflict. The resolution of this
issue would not only improve our bilateral relations. It could also
improve Armenia’s relationship with Turkey.

Some critics have accused Azerbaijan of overspending on military
procurement. But we are only responding to the security reality in the
region while at the same time modernizing our military and upgrading
it to NATO standards. Close cooperation with NATO is a centerpiece
of Azerbaijan’s security doctrine.

Transnational threats like organized crime, smuggling and terrorism,
which affect this region as well, can only be effectively countered
if addressed through a collective framework. This is yet another
reason why Armenia should be serious about finding a solution
to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Unresolved border disputes and
quasi-autonomous territories give room to organized crime. To properly
deal with asymmetric threats requires good regional cooperation, which
in turn necessitates that we resolve our differences with Armenia.

Having said this, Armenians should know that we are ready to grant
Nagorno-Karabakh the widest possible autonomy within Azerbaijan. And
we are even ready to substantially increase central funding for the
development of this Azeri province.

Resolving this frozen conflict would also help Azerbaijan assume its
role as a bridge between the EU and Central Asia. As EU expansion
moves further east, Central Asia, with its rich oil and gas resources,
becomes increasingly important. The EU must have a strong interest
in stability and economic development in a region that could play a
central role in helping Europe meet its energy needs. Closer relations
with Azerbaijan can also be seen as part of a European outreach to
Central Asia.

With our partners from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan we are building
a strong and genuine trans-Caspian partnership. We are discussing
connecting the two sides of the Caspian Sea with a network of
pipelines. We are talking about setting up mechanisms for regional
economic and security cooperation. The regional market, if integrated,
will be more competitive, more efficient, and better organized. This
has positive implications for all countries involved.

Surrounded by massive economies like the EU, Turkey, Russia, and China,
the case for rapid and sustained growth across the Caspian region is
more than convincing. This is why we are optimistic that Baku could
be transformed into a European hub in this region.

A European perspective of closer economic integration is as relevant
to the Caspian as is the partnership with Russia and China.

Azerbaijan is committed to pursuing all these links. However, a truly
regional framework hinges on the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, which is why this problem can no longer wait. Baku is
serious about moving on.

Mr. Mammadyarov is foreign affairs minister of Azerbaijan.

ARMENIA KEEPS UP DOUBLE-DIGIT GROWTH
By Emil Danielyan

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Jan 21 2008

Armenia’s economy grew at a double-digit rate in 2007 for the sixth
consecutive year on the back of its booming construction and services
sectors, according to government data made public on Monday.

Macroeconomic figures released by the National Statistical Service
(NSS) show Gross Domestic Product increasing by 13.8 percent to 3.14
trillion drams ($10.2 billion). The resulting inflationary pressures
on the economy pushed up consumer prices by an average of 6.6 percent,
well above a 4 percent target set by the government and the Central
Bank.

As was the case in the previous few years, robust growth was primarily
driven by burgeoning construction and services. The two sectors
expanded by approximately 20 percent and together accounted for over
38 percent of GDP.

Industry, which generated another 23 percent of GDP, remained the most
sluggish sector of the Armenian economy. Its aggregate output was up
by only 2.6 percent not least because of a further sharp decline in
the country’s diamond-cutting industry, the official statistics show.

The NSS also reported more than 20 percent gains in household incomes
and the average wage which now stands at about 77,000 drams ($250)
per month. This will be held up by the government as a further
indication of rising living standards and declining poverty. The
government says the proportion of Armenian living below the poverty
line has fallen from about 50 percent to below 27 percent since the
start of double-digit growth in 2002.

Opposition politicians and other government critics question the
credibility of these figures, saying that the official poverty line is
set too low and does not take into account the increased cost of life
in Armenia. They also say economic growth is slower than is claimed
by the authorities.

The past year also saw Armenia’s trade deficit reach a new high of
just over $2 billion as a result of an almost 50 percent jump in
imports. Armenian exports rose at a far more modest rate of 23.7
percent to $1.22 billion. Large-scale remittances from Armenians
working abroad remain the main source of financing the huge imbalance.

U.S. Newswire
January 17, 2008 Thursday 7:01 PM EST

Amnesty International Calls on Turkish Authorities to Reveal the Full
Circumstances Surrounding Hrant Dink’s Murder

WASHINGTON, Jan. 18

On the eve of the first anniversary of the killing of the
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, Amnesty International calls
on the Turkish authorities to condemn all forms of intolerance and to
bring all those involved in the killing to justice in accordance with
international fair trial standards.

"The scope of the investigation must be widened to examine the full
circumstances of the killing, including the role of law enforcement
officials in failing to act on warnings that he was being targeted
for assassination," said Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International’s
researcher on Turkey.

Hrant Dink had reported threats to his life to the Public Prosecutor
in Sisli. According to the indictment in the murder trial, one of the
defendants also acted as a police informer and told the police of the
plans to assassinate Hrant Dink in the months before the murder took
place. Nevertheless, steps were not taken to ensure his protection.
Subsequently two gendarmerie officers were charged with dereliction
of duty; however, lawyers for the family have called for more law
enforcement officers to be brought to justice.

The initial statement by the Istanbul Police Chief that the killing
was the act of a gunman working alone and the photographs of military
police with the alleged killer as if he was a "hero" illustrate an
official reluctance to examine the full scope of the crime and
contribute to the perception that sections of the law enforcement
agencies may be biased.

Amnesty International considers that Hrant Dink was shot on January
19, 2007 because of his work as a journalist who championed freedom
of expression and promoted the universality of human rights.

"Human rights activists have a right to the protection of the state,
like any other citizen. The failure to prevent the murder of Hrant
Dink and the subsequent flaws in the investigation must not be
repeated," Gardner said.

"Hrant Dink’s case is not an exception. Many in Turkey continue to be
prosecuted for the peaceful expression of their non-violent opinions.
This is due both to the existence of flawed legislation and the
arbitrary implementation of the law by judges and prosecutors."

Hrant Dink was repeatedly prosecuted under Article 301 of the Turkish
Penal Code that criminalizes "denigrating Turkishness." Amnesty
International has continually called for Article 301 to be abolished
on the grounds that it poses a grave threat to freedom of expression,
as it is worded in such broad and vague terms. Amnesty International
is concerned that the number of cases opened under this article
appears to have increased in 2007. The organization notes that in the
past year, violations of human rights increased and measures to
combat them remained insufficient.

"The continuing suppression of freedom of expression in Turkey has
created an atmosphere of deadly intolerance culminating in the
killing of Hrant Dink," said Gardner.

In a memorandum to the government sent earlier this week, the
organization reminded it of its commitment, repeated after elections
last year, to further legislative reform and advance guarantees of
human rights and freedoms. Amnesty International believes that the
current government must take action on a number of issues to achieve
lasting, substantive improvements. These issues include torture and
ill-treatment in detention and impunity for the perpetrators, fair
trial concerns, obstacles being placed to undermine the work of human
rights activists and freedom of expression.

"In addition to implementing current legal reforms, urgent
legislative reform must be adopted. The authorities must seize the
opportunity to advance the protection of fundamental rights and
freedoms for all in the new constitution that is being drafted," said
Gardner.

For more information, please contact the AIUSA media office at
202-544-0200 x302.

SOURCE Amnesty International
Contact: Sharon Singh of Amnesty International, +1-202-544-0200 x302

Economic News
January 18, 2008 Friday

Robert Kocharian Receives Delegation from Russian Railways

Yerevan . OREANDA-NEWS . On January 16, 2007 President Robert
Kocharian received a delegation headed by the President of the
Russian railroads company Vladimir Yakunin. The company won the
concession to run the Armenian railroad system, reported the Official
website .

At the meeting discussed were issues related to the development of
the Armenian railroad system.

Robert Kocharian said that Armenia has great expectations that under
the Russian management the railroad structure would be modernized,
becoming a highly efficient structure. The President of Armenia
wished the representatives of the company success, noting that the
Armenian side is ready to respond speedily and find optimal solutions
to the problems that might arise during the transition period.

Vladimir Yakunin expressed gratitude for the confidence in the
Russian railroads and said that the Russian side guarantees the
fulfillment of the assumed obligations in a timely and appropriate
manner.