Author: Karakhanian Suren

ARMENIA’S PRESIDENT-ELECT TO VISIT MOSCOW

RosBusinessConsulting
March 24 2008
Russia

RBC, 24.03.2008, Moscow 09:20:55.The official part of the Armenian
President-elect, incumbent Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian’s working
visit to Moscow begins today. As part of the visit, Sarkisian is
expected to meet with Russia’s incumbent President Vladimir Putin,
as well as President-elect Dmitry Medvedev, and Prime Minister Viktor
Zubkov. A wide array of issues of a bilateral nature are on the agenda.

ARAM SARGSIAN: WE NEED INITIATIVE AND OFFENSIVE DIPLOMACY

DeFacto Agency
March 24 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, 24.03.08. DE FACTO. "Azerbaijan should be reminded that at
the least 107 countries did not support its position, and only 39
states voted for the light consolation of Azerbaijanis’ disturbed
pride. However, one should think why the Armenian MFA was unable to
use all its levers to make more countries vote against the resolution,
why the possibilities of Diaspora and separate people were not used",
the RA Democratic Party leader Aram Sargsian told in an interview with
Novosti-Armenia Agency, commenting on the resolution on the Karabakh
issue, which was presented by the Azerbaijani party and adopted by
the U. N.

According to the politician, "we are in need of initiative and
offensive diplomacy". In his words, it is necessary to more
actively cooperate with Organization of the Islamic Conference,
explain Armenia’s position, in part, to state there are no elements
of religious intolerance or interreligious strife in the Karabakh
issue: "The Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenians did not want to live
within Azerbaijan not due to the fact that they are Christians and
Azerbaijanis are Muslims, but because they wished to reunite with
their Motherland and live independently of Azerbaijan, irrespective
of the fact if the country was Christian or Muslim".

RUSSIAN, ARMENIAN PRESIDENT-ELECTS MEET IN THE KREMLIN

armradio.am
24.03.2008 14:35

President-Elects of Armenia and Russia Serge Sargsyan and Dmitry
Medvedev had a meeting in Kremlin today. This was Serge Sargsyan’s
first foreign visit after his victory in the presidential elections.

The fact that you are paying your first visit to Russia is a
unique symbol of importance of Armenian-Russian ties," Dmitry
Medvedev said. The Russian President-Elect expressed hope that the
Armenian-Russian relations will continue developing in the future.

"We are ready to develop our relations in the future," RA
President-Elect Serge Sargsyan said in response.

The discussions in Moscow mainly focus on world and regional
issues, especially in the view of Armenia’s forthcoming presidency
of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, security in the
South Caucasus, as well as the economic and investment cooperation,
including in the field of energy.

Serge Sargsyan will meet also the President of Russia Vladimir Putin
and Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov.

"The intensiveness and productivity of contacts is obviously confirmed
by the willingness of the Armenian and Russian sides to ensure the
succession of the course of further development of reciprocally
beneficial partnership between Moscow and Yerevan in all spheres,"
a senior official of the Kremlin told ITAR-TASS.

San Francisco Chronicle, CA
March 22 2008

Leo Kolligian dies – led push for UC Merced
Patricia Yollin, Chronicle Staff Writer

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Fresno native Leo Kolligian was a farmer’s son whose San Joaquin
Valley roots only deepened over the decades.

They fueled his quest to lure the University of California to his
part of the world – a seemingly quixotic goal that was realized with
the opening of the UC Merced campus three years ago.

On Thursday, the man known as the father of the 10th campus in the UC
system died of leukemia in his Fresno home.

Mr. Kolligian was 90 years old.

"I think it was the greatest thrill of his life to walk on campus and
see students at that university," said Lee Kolligian of his father.
"He got cancer 10 years ago. Many times, he didn’t think he’d see it
come to fruition."

Mr. Kolligian was born in Fresno in August 1917 to Armenian immigrant
parents. He graduated from Fresno State College and Boalt Hall School
of Law at UC Berkeley.

He practiced law in Fresno for more than 50 years and served on the
UC Board of Regents for 12 years, beginning in 1985. He also became a
real estate developer and was instrumental in the building of the
River Park shopping center in his hometown.

"He always loved Fresno and loved his community and wanted to give
back to it," his son said. "He was a farm boy and it’s kind of hard
at times to take people off the farm."

Asked why his father felt so strongly about gaining a UC campus for
the valley, Lee Kolligian said: "Maybe because of seeing his son go
to UCLA and never come back. Maybe he realized it would be important
for families to have an institution like that."

The campaign that gave birth to UC Merced was difficult and
protracted.

"It was pretty much horse trading," Lee Kolligian said.

His father’s charm and personality didn’t hurt a bit.

"My dad was a very gentle man," Lee Kolligian said. "He was a very
giving man. The one thing that I always noticed when I was with my
dad was that someone was always stopping us and telling us what a
kind man he was."

He was fond of tennis and backgammon, and loved to travel.

Lee Kolligian said his father and his mother, Dottie, made about 50
trips abroad.

One plane they were on crash-landed in India; another caught fire.

The main library on the UC Merced campus is named after Mr. Kolligian
and his wife.

"I am honored, elated and deeply appreciative," he said at the time.

His wife of 57 years died in 2000. Two years later, he married June
Humphers.

Besides his wife, Mr. Kolligian is survived by his son and three
grandchildren, all of Pacific Palisades; and his brother, Robert
Koligian of Fresno, who spells his name differently.

A service will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Paul Armenian
Church, 3767 N. First St., Fresno. Burial will follow at Masis Ararat
Cemetery.

Donations can be made to: St. Agnes Medical Center Foundation, 1111
E. Spruce Ave., Fresno, CA 93720; St. Paul Armenian Church, 3767 N.
First St., Fresno, CA 93726; or UC Merced Foundation, P.O. Box 2039,
Merced, CA 95344.

OSCE MINSK GROUP: UN RESOLUTION WILL INTERFERE WITH KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
by Rafael Gasanov

DEFENSE and SECURITY
March 21, 2008 Friday
Russia

THE OSCE MINSK GROUP OBJECTS TO THE "UNILATERAL" UN RESOLUTION ON
NAGORNO-KARABAKH; The OSCE Minsk Group condemns unilateral diplomatic
actions when fighting is reported.

The OSCE Minsk Group released a statement appraising the resolution
of the UN General Assembly "On the occupied territories of Azerbaijan"
as a danger to the peace processes of conflict settlement.

The OSCE Minsk Group calls the resolution adopted by the 62nd General
Assembly as a document that poses a threat to the process of peaceful
settlement of the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

"Chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group voted against the unilateral
resolution. Reiterating support of the territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan, OSCE Minsk Group chairmen deny Nagorno-Karabakh
recognition," the statement read.

The OSCE Minsk Group is convinced that "unilateral actions" are
unacceptable when clashes are regularly reported along the contact
line.

The UN General Assembly adopted the resolution drawn by Azerbaijan
by 39 votes "aye". One hundred countries abstained.

The UN resolution emphasizes the necessity of "instantaneous,
complete, and unconditional withdrawal of all Armenian forces from all
occupied territories." The document confirms "the integral right of
the population driven from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan to
return to their homes" and stresses the necessity of proper conditions
facilitating this return.

Tension in the Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict area mounted on the night
on March 4 when the cease-fire regime was violated in the vicinity
of the settlement of Levonarkh. Several days of fighting cost the
warring sides many lives.

ROBERT KOCHARIAN: IF AZERBAIJAN CONTINUES ITS LINE OF ACTION, ARMENIA WILL RECOGNIZE INDEPENDENCE OF KARABAKH

Noyan Tapan
March 21, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN. "Azerbaijan made an attempt to test
our toughness. I do doubt that if they are convinced that Armenia and
Karabakh have weakened, they will again make an attempt to achieve
success," the RA president Robert Kocharian stated at the Macrh
20 press conference. He subscribed to the opinion that the March 4
skirmish between Karabakh anf Azerbaijan, the UN’s adoption of the
resolution submitted by Azerbaijan, the demarche against the OSCE
Minsk Group can be viewed as an attempt by Azeraijan to create an
entirely new situation by nullifying the passed negotiation way.

In the opinion of R. Kocharian, there is no better format for
negotiations on the Karabakh conflict settlement than the OSCE Minsk
Group. "However, it does not mean that if Azerbaijan does not accept
this format, we will cling to it. However, we must also consider that
if they do not negotiate, then how they see the future and who will
bear responsibility for possible steps," the Armenian president said.

He stated that if Azerbaijan continues this line of action, then
"our step will be the recognition of Karabakh’s independence and the
signing of the respective agreements with it: the agreements on mutual
assistance, on organization of the joint defence, and so on."

By displaing activity in the issue of adoption of the above mentioned
resolution by the UN, Azerbaijan "attempted to use a resolution as an
counterbalance to the precedent of Kosovo’s independence which means
that it is not related to Karabakh," the Armenian president said,
adding that Azerbaijan saw a danger in Kosovo’s independence because
the two conflicts are quite similar to each other. Nevertheless,
in the words of R. Kocharian, "their calculation was not justified
and much more states did not support them."

R. Kocharian said that Karabakh has greater and more substantiated
reasons for being independent than Kosovo. The independence of Karaakh
was declared in September 1992, the referendum on independence was
held in December.

Karabak has its state structures, and it has defended its independence
and territorial integrity by own strength.

WHO ELSE IF NOT THE MINSK GROUP?

KarabakhOpen
20-03-2008 18:46:23

Azerbaijan is trying to have the OSCE Minsk Group dissolved, said the
Armenian foreign minister Vardan Oskanyan during the question and
answer session at the National Assembly. "Azerbaijan is trying to
launch the process of dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group through
the secretariat of the OSCE. They have officially requested,"
Oskanyan stated.

The OSCE Minsk Group has wasted its resource and is unable to fulfill
the goals which it had set, said the Azerbaijani political scientist
Zardusht Alizadeh to 1news.az. "As a matter of fact, the efforts of the
OSCE Minsk Group are meant to have Azerbaijan agree to the secession
of Nagorno-Karabakh. It is possible to change the format of the OSCE
Minsk Group only in case of agreement of both sides, and Armenia will
not agree to it," said the Azerbaijani political scientist.

Russia is for the OSCE Minsk Group to continue to mediate the
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which is in the interests
of both Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as the international community,
stated the deputy minister of foreign affairs of Russia Grigory
Karasin in a news conference on March 20.

If Baku continues to carry on the current policy, Yerevan will
recognize Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and sign agreements with this
country, including a military agreement, stated the acting president
of Armenia Robert Kocharyan in a news conference on March 20. "If the
Azerbaijani side dislikes this format, it does not mean that we must
let it fail. If they do not want to negotiate, they may not do it,"
said the head of the Armenian state, adding that Baku must think
about its future and who will be responsible for further actions.

In fact, it is evident that the most urgent issue today is not
what has happened but what will happen. Who if not the OSCE Minsk
Group? For it is evident that the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides are
not ready for talks without mediators. It is also evident that the
present co-chairmanship of the Minsk Group is the most optimal for
preventing Baku from sparking a war.

What is awaiting the region in case the Minsk Group is biased for
the military way of resolution of the conflict? Who wants war?

RUSSIA AND U.S. NOT INTERESTED IN RETURN OF TERRITORIES TO AZERBAIJAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.03.2008 16:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Recognition of Nagorno Karabakh’s independence
doesn’t conflict with international interests, NKR former Deputy
Foreign Minister Arman Melikyan said.

"We can initiate the recognition process. I am confident that
recognition of Nagrono Karabakh by Armenia will cause chain reaction,"
he said.

"Russia and U.S. are not interested in return of territories
to Azerbaijan. It’s not in our interests either. We should grant
Karabakhi citizenship to Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan, who can
populate these lands," he said.

"The negotiation process meets the interests of the EU, which a rival
for the United States in the issue.

However, weakening of the U.S. influence in the region will not
affect the situation, since Russia and U.S. coincide on Karabakh,"
Melikyan said, Novosti Armenia reports.

NKR PRESIDENT HAS ACCEPTED KATY MELLOR

Azat Artsakh Daily
Published on March 21, 2008
NKR Republic

On March 20th the President of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Bako
Sahakian accepted the member of /Birth Link/ British humanitarian
organization Katy Mellor. The President estimated highly the role
of Mrs Mellor in the work of development of children’s hospital of
Stepanakert. Bako Sahakian awarded Katy Mallor with "Gratitude"
medal for merits before Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in the work of
development of public health services. The head of the country
emphasized, that henceforth the authorities of the republic would
assist the realization of humanitarian programs in Artsakh. Minister
of Health Armen Khachatrian also participated in the meeting.

NUMBER OF REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS INCREASES BY 24.5% IN ARMENIA IN 2007 AS COMPARED WITH PREVIOUS YEAR

Noyan Tapan
March 20, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, NOYAN TAPAN. 155,040 real estate-related
transactions were conducted in Armenia in 2007, which exceeds by 24.5%
the 2006 index.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, alienation
transactions made up 39.1%, primary registration transactions – 16.5%,
pawning transations – 16.3%, inheritance transactions – 11.9%, lease
transactions – 6.9%, privatization transactions – 0.1% and other
state registration deals – 9.2% of the total number of transactions
on real estate in 2007.

38.4% of all real estate-related transactions was registered in
Yerevan.