Author: Karapetian Hovik

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT HELD THE ANNUAL MEETING WITH THE HEADS OF COMMERCIAL BANKS

Mediamax Agency, Armenia
March 21 2007

Yerevan, March 21 /Mediamax/. Armenian President Robert Kocharian
discussed the development prospects of the banking sector during the
annual meeting with the heads of commercial banks.

As Mediamax was told in the presidential press service today, Robert
Kocharian stated that despite the quick development speeds of the
Armenian banking sector, there is the necessity to enlarge the
banking sector of the country and to provide large-scale financial
services. In this context, the President highlighted the need to
implement new approaches and technologies.

During the meeting, the issues of mortgage crediting, implementation
of insurance system and pension reforms were discussed.

The bankers noted that the primary task for the increase of the level
of economy bankization is to attract inner financial resources into
the banking sector, for which it is necessary to increase the level
of confidence for the banks.

The heads of the banks also touched upon some shortcomings in the
legislation concerning the taxation of financial transactions.

During the meeting the activities of the Union of Banks of Armenia
was considered. The Chairman of the Union Stepan Gishian informed
the President that 19 banks are members of the structure. Recently
the Union became an associate member of the European Union of Banks,
which assists the enlargement of cooperation with the banking system
of Europe and implementation of new methods in the banking sector
of Armenia.

Robert Kocharian noted that he expects the banks to preserve the speeds
of development of the banking system and to implement new technologies.

"MOSCOW HOUSE" TO OPEN IN YEREVAN ON MARCH 23

Noyan Tapan
Mar 21 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 21, NOYAN TAPAN. The delegation headed by Mayor
of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov will arrive in Yerevan on March 23. NT
correspondent was informed at the Information and PR Department of
Yerevan Mayor’s Office that during the meeting to be held at Yerevan
Mayor’s Office, the sides will discuss problems related to the process
of work envisaged by the 2005-2007 program of cooperation between
Yerevan and Moscow.

The official ceremony of opening "Moscow House" in Yerevan will take
place with the participation of the mayors of Yerevan and Moscow on
the same day.

IN JANUARY-FEBRUARY OF 2007 ARMENIA’S GDP GREW BY 9,4%

Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
March 20 2007

Yerevan, March 20 /Mediamax/. The growth of Armenia’s GDP in
January-February of 2007 totaled 9,4%, as compared to the same period
of 2006.

As the press service of the National Statistical Service of Armenia
told Mediamax today, the GDP volume in January-February of 2007
totaled 93635.1mln drams.

The volume of industrial production in the republic in January-February
of 2007 stood at 93635.1mln drams, having decreased by 4%, as compared
to the same period of 2006.

The average monthly salary in Armenia in January-February of 2007
increased by 25,2%, as compared to the same period of 2006, thus
making 68295 drams.

The salary of budget organizations has increased by 26,5%, making
51944 drams during the accounting period, and the salary of non-budget
organizations stood at 83692 drams (growth – 24,7%).

NORAYR BAKHTAMIAN COMPLETES 1st TEN AT EUROPE SHOOTING CHAMPIONSHIP

DEAUVILLE, MARCH 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The Europe shooting championship finished
on March 17 in the city of Deauville, France. Norayr Bakhtamian took the 10th
place (578 points, pistol) in the struggle of 79 participants, and Robert
Voskanian took in the 30th place.

Controversial Armenian magazine out after break

Arminfo
15 Mar 07

Yerevan, 15 March: Cartoon lion Banifatsi next to former commander of
the NKR [Nagornyy Karabakh republic] Defence Army Samvel
Babayan. Saddam Hussein, executed on the eve of 2007, and Hrant Dink,
the editor of the [Istanbul-based bilingual Armenian-Turkish] Agos
weekly, killed by a Turkish nationalist. This "salad" appears on the
issue of the Armenian magazine Forbes, which was published after a
three-month break and under a new title of Demker (Faces).

Elizabet Petrosyan, CEO of the Demker, LLC, (formerly Forbes-Armenia),
told a news conference today [15 March] that the reason for changing
the title was "too direct" associations with the well-known American
magazine Forbes. In addition, the artificial politicization of the
magazine’s first issue which made it scandalously famous was the
reason why the editor-in-chief, Petros Gazaryan, was sacked. Elizabet
Petrosyan will be fulfilling the duties of the magazine’s editor for
the time being. In addition, after the "noisy" debut in December
[2006], the editorial staff decided to review its policy. Petrosyan
said that the focus would be on economic topics but not politics.

"Unfortunately, business and politics are closely interlinked in
Armenia. For now, we cannot completely drop political topics,
especially in the run-up to the [12 May] parliamentary
election. However, unlike the first issue of the magazine, the focus
will be on the analysis of the political situation in the country as
well as on opinion polls about the forthcoming election," Petrosyan
said. Articles written by local politicians in their own manner will
also be published in the magazine.

Petrosyan was positive about the future of the magazine in the
Armenian market. The latest issue was published in 2,000 copies, and
the circulation will only increase in the future.

Petrosyan also said that Demker would continue to cooperate with its
counterparts from the US-based Forbes. She said, however, the
partnership with the Russian analogue of the publication has been
terminated for good.

Apparently, the recent statements by the Forbes-Russia
editor-in-chief, Maksim Kashulinskiy, were the reason for the
unequivocal conflict between the two publications. Kashulinskiy has
said that the Armenian Forbes had nothing to do with either the
Forbes-Russia or the Forbes-USA. Petrosyan, however, once again
refused to comment on that statement, saying only that Kashuliskiy "is
not authorized to make this kind of statements."

The first issue of the Armenian Forbes, published on 15 December 2006,
was a real New Year scandal, because it published the list of the 10
wealthiest individuals in Armenia, and representatives of the top
political and business circles were among them.

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 16 2007

ARMENIAN, NKR LABOR INSPECTIONS ESTABLISH PARTNERSHIP

YEREVAN, March 15. /ARKA/. State Labor Inspections of Armenia and
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) have established partnership. The
Public Relations Department, RA Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs,
reports that the two countries’ Labor Inspections have elaborated a
working program.
Head of the RA Labor Inspection Harutyun Harutyunyan reported that
"the support will be both material and moral." Specifically,
personnel training is in progress, and modern equipment will soon be
provided.
On his turn, the newly appointed Head of the NKR Labor Inspection
Karen Tovmasyan said that the problems in the state-employer-employee
relations have been inherited from the past years, when no
centralized control of employers existed. Among the problems are
secret employment, illegal nonpayment or delay of wages, violations
of work contracts. To reveal the problems the Labor Inspection
conducts regular inspections. Tomvasyan pointed out that the NKR
Labor Inspection expects help from Armenia.
The sides expressed hope for further cooperation, which will
contribute to the consolidation of the NKR Labor Inspection.
A delegation of the NKR Labor Inspection arrived in Armenia on March
13 to establish cooperation with Armenian specialists.
The NKR Labor Inspection was established in 2005 at the NKR Ministry
of Labor and Social Affairs. P.T. -0–

Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918
Fax: 818.246.7353
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
March 14, 2007

Contact: Haig Hovsepian

Tel: (818) 500-1918

ANCA-WR extends outreach TO WESTERN STATES to BUILD support for armenian
genocide resolution

LOS ANGELES, CA – In efforts to build and increase support for H. Res.
106, the Armenian Genocide Resolution, the Armenian National Committee
of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) recently stepped up efforts to
reach out to Armenian American communities in Oregon, Washington,
Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Montana and the Greater San Diego
area. Dubbed "Project Outreach Western Region – POWER", the ANCA-WR
office is mobilizing ANC chapters and Armenian American communities
throughout the western United States.

"The Armenian Genocide Resolution currently enjoys the broad bipartisan
support of 183 cosponsors and we have now expanded our focus to key
areas of the western United States by engaging Armenian American
communities and grassroots activists in those key battleground states,"
commented Andrew Kzirian, Executive Director of the ANCA-WR. "The POWER
campaign is an unprecedented grassroots mobilization effort that will
help pass the Armenian Genocide resolution by defeating the hired guns
of the Turkish government lobby."

The initial weeks of the POWER campaign organized district office
meetings in cities and towns across the western states. POWER also is
leading widespread letter writing and phone call campaigns to contact
Congressional offices. The ANCA-WR office has maintained constant
contact with local activists to ensure that Armenian Americans exercise
their right to be heard as citizens against the efforts of a foreign
government like Turkey.

Rafael Saakyan, Chairman of the ANC of Oregon, helped regional efforts
in reaching out to the local communities throughout Oregon and southern
Washington state. "We need to make sure our U.S. Representatives are
aware of the importance of the Armenian Genocide Resolution and how it
relates to genocide today in Darfur," stated Saakyan. Edik Ismaelyan of
the San Diego ANC was instrumental in coordinating meetings with
Congressmen Bilbray and Hunter. Thusfar, Congressman Baird [WA-3-D] and
Congressman Bilbray [CA-50-R] have already agreed to cosponsor H. Res.
106 after their offices met with constituents.

In Texas, ANC of Texas Chairman Vatche Hovsepian, Austin area activist
Khachik (Chris) Papanyan, and Dallas-area activist Jeannie Markarian
have taken on an active role in visiting and contacting Congressional
district offices. They began establishing relationships with
congressional members last year during the Congressional summer recess
by meeting with them and discussing Texas-Armenian issues in Congress.
Their work has contributed to the highest total of co-sponsorship
support from the state of Texas in recent history and for the first
time, Republican representatives from Texas are on-board as co-sponsors.
"We are pleased to convey the concerns of Armenian-Americans in Texas to
their elected representatives – and although eight Texas Representatives
have already joined on as co-sponsors of H. Res. 106, we are redoubling
our efforts to make sure the entire state delegation supports this
important human rights resolution," stated Hovsepian. "Another
achievement we are proud of, thanks to all active "Texahyes", is getting
the support of Congressman McCaul and Congressman Marchant, two Texas
Republicans, making this issue truly bi-partisan in Texas." added
Papanyan. Markarian added, "We have taken on – at a very strong
grassroots level – the obligation to make sure members of Congress
understand that Armenian-Americans care deeply about their government
acknowledging the historical reality of the Armenian Genocide,
especially with the current genocide that is on-going in Darfur."

The ANCA-WR plans to continue updates on the POWER initiative and
related activities in other states in the coming weeks.

The Armenian National Committee of America is the largest and most
influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working
in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters
throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the
world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American
community on a broad range of issues.

###

PHOTO CAPTION: Map of the Western United States.

MUTUAL CONFIDENCE IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PRECONDITIONS FOR KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.03.2007 14:49 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Prudence of Armenian nation has a history of
centuries. People understand that there is no eternal enemies,"
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian stated in the interview to
the PanARMENIAN.Net journalist. He expressed hope for prudence of Azeri
nation. V. Oskanian stressed that mutual confidence is one the most
important preconditions for the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement,
it is impossible to move forward without it. The Minsk Group gives
great importance to that issue and tries to make corresponding steps
in this direction on various levels. "I think, the anti-Armenian
propaganda that Baku carries out is unpromising, and raises doubts in
sincerity of their statements concerning normalization of relations,"
RA FM underlined. At the same time he expressed confidence that the
dominant tendencies in the world will make Azerbaijani authorities
reconsider their non-constructive approaches and finally refuse from
the possibility to solve the Karabakh conflict forcefully.

FRENCH CO-CHAIR OF OSCE MG DESCRIBED NEGOTIATIONS IN YEREVAN AND BAKU AS "VERY CONSTRUCTIVE"

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
March 12 2007

The French Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Bernard Fassier, described
his negotiations with the Heads of Azerbaijan and Armenia over the
recent several days in Baku and Yerevan as "very constructive".

Presenting a speech at the briefing in Yerevan on 12 March, Bernard
Fassier stated that co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group will hold
a meeting in Geneva on 13 March to finally form the agenda of
negotiations of the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia
scheduled for 14 March, Mediamax reports.

"If the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia
in Geneva is successful to formalize the key principles of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, one or two more meetings
of the Foreign Ministers will take place, the results of which
will be presented to the Presidents of the two countries for their
consideration," Fassier said, adding that in any case, the meeting
of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia will not take place until
parliamentary elections in Armenia on 12 May.

SOCIAL-DEMOCRAT HNCHAKIAN PARTY TO SUPPORT CANDIDATURES OF TATUL MANASERIAN, MANUK GASPARIAN AND VIKTOR DALLAKIAN NOMINATED BY MAJORITARIAN SYSTEM FOR PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 12 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 12, NOYAN TAPAN. At the upcoming parliamentary
elections, the Social-Democrat Hnchakian Party will support the
candidature of Tatul Manaserian nominated by majoritarian system
at electoral district N 5, candidature of Manuk Gasparian nominated
at electoral district N 3, Viktor Dallakian nominated at electoral
district N 30. Noyan Tapan was informed about it from the Press
Service of Party’s Central Board.