Author: Karabekian Emil

IMF EXCITED ABOUT PRECONDITIONS OF TAX REFORMS IN ARMENIA

ARKA
June 17

International Monetary Fund (IMF) is excited about
the preconditions of tax reforms set in the program of Armenian Government.

The preconditions are in harmony with the IMF-suggested principles,
said the Head of IMF mission in Armenia Marta Castello-Branco at her
meeting with Armenian Premier Tigran Sargsian. Among participants
at the meeting were Resident Representative of IMF in Armenia Nienke
Oomes and representatives of IMF office in Yerevan.

The sides discussed macroeconomic policy of Armenia and the structural
reforms in the country, the Press Service of Armenian Government
reported.

The IMF report on tax reforms in the country was presented at the
meeting.

According to the representatives of the IMF mission, the program on tax
reforms is quite complete and aims at reducing poverty, maintaining
economic growth rates and reducing corruption. According to them,
now it is the time to implement all the above in an interconnected
manner taking into account the comments and recommendations mentioned
in the report.

The participants stressed the importance of informing the public on
the logics of the reforms on time and in an accessible manner. Armenian
Premier thanked the IMF representatives for the report and appreciated
the comments that provide a basis for further Armenia-IMF cooperation.

Among participants at the meeting were Advisor to President on economic
issues Vahram Nersisiants, Ministers of Economy and Finance Nerses
Yeritsian and Tigran Davtian, the Chief of the State Taxation Service
Vahram Barseghian, the Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia Artur
Javadian and the Head of Standing Parliament Commission on Economic
Issues Vardan Ayvazian.

ARMENIA TO CONTINUE DEMOCRATIC REFORMS

PanARMENIAN.Net
17.06.2008 12:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan met Monday with
rapporteurs of the monitoring committee of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe, Mr John Prescott and Mr Georges Colombier,
the RA leader’s press office reported.

"Implementation of provisions of PACE resolution 1609 is in line
with his pre-election platform and concurs with the priorities set
by the political coalition," President Sargsyan said. "Democratic
reforms are not limited to implementation of provisions of the OSCE
resolution and will be continuous."

The parties also referred to the measures undertaken by the working
group exchanged views on implementation of the recommendations
presented in the resolution.

"Although PACE understands that the terms set are not sufficient for
registering comprehensive progress in all directions, the organization
appreciates the apparent political will to do so," Mr Prescott said.

MINISTER NALBANDIAN MEETS RUSSIAN AND DUTCH AMBASSADORS

armradio.am
17.06.2008 17:59

RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian had meetings with the Russian
Ambassador in Armenia Nikolay Pavlov and the Ambassador of eth
Netherlands in Armenia Onno Elderenbosch (seat in Tbilisi).

During the meeting with Russian Ambassador Nikolay Pavlov Minister
Nalbandian discussed issues related to the deepening and reinforcement
of multifaceted Armenian-Russian relations. Reference was made to the
preparation of the official visit of RA President Serzh Sargsyan to
the Russian Federation.

During the meeting with the Ambassador of the Netherlands Onno
Elderenbosch Edward Nalbandian discussed issues related to the
perspectives of development of relations. Minister Nalbandian attached
importance to the reciprocal visits and activation of the political
dialogue, the necessity of implementing investment programs. He
noted with appreciation the support of the Netherlands to the programs
implemented in Armenia by the World Bank and the International Monetary
Fund. For his part, Ambassador Elderenbosch noted that the Netherlands
aspires to reinforce and deepen its relations with Armenia.

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT APPROVES NEW STRUCTURE OF ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT

ARKA
June 17, 2008

YEREVAN, June 17. /ARKA/. Armenian Parliament passed the amendments
to the law about the structure of Armenian Government.

Armenian Minister of Justice Gevorg Danielian reported that the
government is to include 18 ministries – territorial administration,
foreign affairs, defense, economy, finance, justice, energy and natural
resources, environmental protection, healthcare, urban planning,
sports and youth issues, transport and communication, emergencies,
agriculture, education and science, labor and social issues, culture,
diaspora.

The law is to come into force on July 1 with the Ministry of Diaspora
to be included in the government on October 1.

According to the head of the ARF Dashnaktsutiun fraction Vahan
Hovhannisian, the new ministry will help establish ties with Armenian
communities abroad and involve them in investment, educational and
other project.

NEW SYSTEM FOR ASSESSING MIGRANTS STARTS FUNCTIONING IN GREAT BRITAIN

arminfo
2008-06-16 17:31:00

ArmInfo. The UK government today announced the introduction of a new
system for assessing highly skilled migrants wanting to come to the
UK to work.

Tier 1 of the new points based system (PBS) will come into effect on
30 June. The points system means only those migrants Britain needs
can come to the UK.

The new system is far easier for applicants to use. They will earn
points for their qualifications, previous earnings, competence
in English language and ability to support themselves and their
dependents. They can calculate, before they make their application,
whether their points add up to entry as a highly skilled worker. The
system is also more straightforward, what was a two-stage application
process now has only one stage – and the initial visa will be granted
for three years not two.

As Border and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said, "a points
system has worked well in Australia and I think it will work well
for Britain. This is a key part of the huge shake- up to our border
security this year."

The introduction of PBS follows a tightening of British border
security arrangements. All visa applicants now have to submit their
fingerprints for checking against government databases before visas
are approved, severe penalties have been introduced for employers of
illegal workers in the UK and a new unified Border force has been
established. In addition, since 1 April, applicants who use false
documents or deception when making a visa application will face a
ban from the UK of up to ten years.

SAMVEL NIKOYAN – PRESIDENT OF INTERIM COMMITTEE

Panorama.am
19:38 16/06/2008

The National Assembly of Armenia has affirmed the project of NA
decision to "form an interim working group to study the events of the
March 1-2 took place in Yerevan". According to the current project
the committee should have 2 members from the parliamentarian groups
and one independent deputy. The Parliament has selected Deputy Lyova
Khachatryan, member of "Nig Aparan" NGO as the independent member
in the group. Remind that the president of the NGO is the Prosecutor
General Aghvan Hovsepyan.

Another members of the working group are Samvel Nikoyan and Hermine
Naghdalyan from the Republican Party, Hovhannes Margaryan and
Artashes Avoyan from the Country of Laws, Artusha Shahbazyan and
Arcvik Minasyan from the ARF, and Naira Zohrabyan and Aram Safaryan
from Prosperous Armenia.

"Heritage" party has made a decision to protest as their
recommendations directed to the interim working group activities
have not been accepted. The thing is that Heritage offered to form
the group by 50/50 principle – a part of the group should have been
from coalition and another part from the opposition.

Another recommendation has not been accepted to invite experts from
opposition and give an opportunity to analyze the proposal.

After forming the interim committee Samvel Nikoyan has been elected
as the president of the committee and the position of his deputy is
still vacant as an oppositional representative should get it.

Panorama.am

20:45 13/06/2008

ELECTED MAYOR WILL GIVE SOLUTIONS

Today David Harutyunyan the chairman of permanent
committee of state-legal affairs of NA and the leader
of Armenian delegation in PACE had a press conference
with the journalists and talked about the meeting of
June 20 which was not authorized by the municipality.
He said that he was not well informed about the basis
of the denial.

To the question whether the denial does not create
artificial strains in the inner political life, he
said that the denials are included in the legislation
and that it is quite different whether they are in
line with it. -Everything depends on the basis of the
denial if there are serious basis for it, then there
are no reasons to create artificial points,- he said.

-The solution to it is a mayor who is elected, who
presents the will of his voters and makes accurate
decisions and will keep the balance,- he said and
added that today the mayor does not have any
responsibilities toward the people living in Yerevan,
he is responsible towards the Government, which, by
the way, is formed by the NA. D. Harutyunyan said that
every problem should be given basic solution not
situational one.

Source: Panorama.am

Ukrainians irked over genocide snub
1932 Holodomor left off T.O. board’s list of atrocities

By BRETT CLARKSON, SUN MEDIA
June 13, 2008

Leaders of an "insulted" Ukrainian community last night blasted the
Toronto District School Board for approving a genocide class that
doesn’t include the 1932-33 Holodomor in its list of three atrocities
to be studied in-depth.

The TDSB last night unanimously approved the course design for the
Grade 11 genocide class, which will focus mainly on three mass murders
— the 1915 Armenian genocide, the Holocaust, and the 1994 Rwandan
genocide.

But a board superintendent, Nadine Segal, said other genocides,
including the current Darfur crisis as well as the Soviet-engineered
Ukrainian Holodomor famine, will be touched upon in a broader, survey
context. Students will have the opportunity to choose other genocides
for independent study, Segal said.

The three atrocities studied in-depth will introduce the students to
the concept of genocides and crimes against humanity to give them the
tools to look critically at the world and its atrocities, she said.

"There’s certainly no attempt to undermine anybody’s tragedy or to
suggest that anyone’s suffering is less important than anyone else’s,
by focusing on the three that we did," Segal said.

The Ukrainians at the packed meeting last night were angered by the
decision because they want the Holodomor to be a core area of study in
the course, while members of the Turkish-Canadian community were upset
over the inclusion of the Armenian genocide.

"We’re insulted as a worldwide Ukrainian community, and we’re insulted
as a local community," said Markian Shwec, president of the Ukrainian
Canadian Congress Toronto branch. "We have 100,000 people in Toronto,
over 1.2 million Canadians are of Ukrainian descent, and we’re being
refused the opportunity to teach one of the worst tragedies of mankind
(as a core component), so we are insulted." The 50 or so
Turkish-Canadians, who carried placards that read "Stop Armenian Hate
Propaganda!", said Turks dispute the genocide claim, and that the 1.5
million Armenian deaths were a result of war and two million Muslims
in the Ottoman Empire also died.

"I don’t want our kids to be subjected to this kind of hate
propaganda," said Ali Bukey, 52, a Turkish-Canadian.

But Aris Babikian, executive director of the Armenian National
Committee of Canada, disagreed.

"These people are ultra-nationalists who are propagating the Turkish
government’s policy of denial," Babikian said. "These people don’t
represent the Turkish-Canadian community. They are extremists."

The class, which will be offered in 12 high school across the city in
September, is the first of its kind for the school board.

GTA/2008/06/13/5864731-sun.html

TWO-DAY CONFERENCE ENTITLED "BORIS PIOTROVSKI AND ARMENIA" OPENS IN YEREVAN STATE UNIVERSITY
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NOYAN TAPAN

Ju ne 12, 2008

The two-day conference entitled "Boris Piotrovski and Armenia", which
was held on the initiative of the RA Ministry of Education and Science,
the RA National Academy of Sciences and the Yerevan State University,
was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of academician Boris Piotrovski
and the 90th anniversary of archeologist Hripsime Janpoladian.

Welcoming the participants of the conference, Aram Simonian, the
Rector of the Yerevan State University, mentioned that these two
jubilees should be celebrated with great lustre as a matrimonial
couple is meant in this case, which has played a too great role in
the spiritual life of the Armenian people. "It is well worth that the
Armenian people shows its gratitude not only by organizing a conference
but by republishing the values they have created. They have laid down
the foundation of a science, which continues to develop even under
difficult conditions. Our archeologists self-devotedly continue the
unfinished work, this couple has left," said the Rector of the Yerevan
State University.

Vladimir Barkhudarian, an academician of the RA National Academy
of Sciences, expressed his gratitude to the organizers of the
conference, mentioning that Hripsime Janpoladian has made a rather
great contribution to the sphere of the history of Armenology of the
Middle Ages. And the contribution of Boris Piotrovski is also great
in the training of the archeologist-staff.

Vahan Hovhannisian, the Head of the ARF Dashnaktsutiun faction of the
National Assembly, attached importance to the selfless work of the two
scientists and mentioned that many people have wanted to introduce
the work of Piotrovski as anti-Armenian, but real scientists know
that the scientific heritage he has left is invaluable not only at
an inter-Armenian, but also world scientific level.

Russian archeologist, orientalist and historian Boris Piotrovski
was the Head of the Leningrad Department of the SSSR Academy of
Sciences, then the Head of Hermitage. Since 1930 he studied Cyclopian
castles and Urartu monuments in Armenia, conducted excavations in
the Teyshebaini fortress-town (Red Hill), Tsovinar, Vanadzor and
Aygevan. The archeologist also studied the cultures of the earlier
period of Transcaucasus, the Northern Caucasus and the Middle Asia. The
works of Boris Piotrovski are dedicated to the history, culture and
art of the Caucasus, the Old East, Urartu, in particular, the issues
of the oldest history of Armenia and the origin of the Armenian people.

MINISTER BABACAN MEETS WITH OBAMA AIDES IN WASHINGTON

TODAY’S ZAMAN, TURKEY
JUNE 11 2008

Foreign Minister Ali Babacan met advisors of the Republican and
Democratic candidates for the US presidency before wrapping up his
lengthy visit to the United States on Monday.

Babacan met with the campaign advisors to Senator Barack Obama,
who recently secured the Democratic candidacy after a close race
with rival Hillary Clinton, and Senator John McCain, the Republican
candidate. Babacan also met with Clinton advisors; the New York
senator withdrew her bid for the nomination over the weekend.

During the term of outgoing President George W. Bush, Turkey-US ties
suffered a huge blow in 2003 when the Turkish Parliament rejected
a US request for military cooperation in the Iraq War. Since then,
the relationship has seen several disagreements over the Iraq War
and US inaction toward the presence of terrorist operatives of the
outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in northern Iraq. Relations
were put back on track after Bush declared the PKK a "common enemy"
and the US military began to cooperate with Turkey in the fight
against the PKK in northern Iraq.

The Turkish military has been conducting aerial strikes against PKK
targets in northern Iraq since December and in February the army
sent troops into the Kurdish-run region to hunt down PKK terrorists
there. The US shares intelligence about the PKK to support the
operations and Babacan said after talks with US Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice that Turkish-US cooperation was under way against
the PKK.

Babacan’s talks with Obama and McCain aides are the first high-level
Turkish contact with would-be presidents. Ankara believes Turkey-US
ties will remain strong no matter which candidate is elected, but
observers say there are some concerns over the fate of ties if Obama is
elected, because the Democratic candidate, unlike Clinton or McCain,
may not be fully aware of the importance of good ties with Turkey at
the beginning.

Iran’s nuclear program, Syria, Turkish-American relations and the
situation in Iraq were discussed during Babacan’s talks with Clinton
and Obama aides, the Anatolia news agency reported. The foreign
minister also responded to questions on a closure case against his
Justice and Development Party (AK Party). He reiterated that it was
not clear when the court would hand down its verdict and that in
either case, the verdict would be final. He also expressed his views
regarding his party’s stance on secularism.

Energy issues and the Turkish economy were among other topics
discussed. Babacan also touched on efforts in the US Congress to
recognize Armenian claims of genocide at the hands of the late Ottoman
Empire and said the issue should not cast a shadow over Turkey-US
ties. Babacan left Washington for Paris, where he will attend an
international conference on Afghanistan.