Author: Kharatian Ani

TRANSPORT MINISTRY: NO CONSUMER COMMODITY SHORTAGE SEEN IN ARMENIA

ARKA
Aug 13, 2008

YEREVAN, August 13. /ARKA/. No consumer commodity shortage is seen in
Armenia in connection with war in South Ossetia, Transport Minister
Gurgen Sargsyan said at a press conference on Tuesday.

He said that demand for some products, such as fuel and petrol,
grew thrice this week though there is absolutely no ground for panic.

The minister urged people not to panic. He said the cargoes intended
for Armenia are shipped as usual.

"Today 60 cars with cargoes came to Armenia", Sargsyan said.

In his words, 18 cars with wheat are on their way to Armenian now.

"Ten containers with petrol, 12 with aviation fuel, 11 containers
with diesel, four cars with wheat and 24 cars with other goods have
been received", the minister said.

He also said that all the restrictions on petrol sales are groundless
and artificial.

PREVIEW: CHINESE WEIGHTLIFTER SHI SEEKING SECOND OLYMPIC GOLD

Xinhua

2008-08-11 15:13:58
China

BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) — Chinese weightlifting star Shi Zhiyong
will bid to win his second Olympic gold Tuesday in the men’s 69kg
division, while Russian Svetlana Tsarukaeva and Pak Hyon Suk of DPR
Korea is expected to establish a fierce competition in the women’s
63kg class.

Following his triumph in the men’s 56kg at the Athens Games, Shi
upgraded to the 69kg division in Beijing, where he will compete
alongside compatriot Liao Hui.

Under the Olympic rules that limit each NOC to a maximum of four
lifters each for men’s and women’s event, this is the only event that
powerhouse China send two lifters.

The 21-year-old Liao edged out defending Olympic champion Zhang
Guozheng in the domestic Olympic qualification competition after he
lifted an amazing a total of 355kg.

China has dominated the division since 2004, but Armenian Tigran
Gevorg Martirosyan came from nowhere to claim the title in the European
Championships this year with a total of 346kg. Martirosyan and Athen’s
runner-up Lee Baeyoung will post a strong challenge to the Chinese duo.

In the women’s 63kg, Svetlana Tsarukaeva will go out for Russia’s
first weightlifting gold medal. She won the silver medal of 2007 World
Championship in Chiang Mai, Thailand with 250kg. With the absence of
Chinese world champion Liu Haixia, Tsarukaeva is the hot title favorite
as her 250kg result was well beyond the capability of other lifters.

Tsarukaeva’s main rivals will include Pak Hyon Suk, bronze medalist
of last year’s world championship and a pair of Kazakhanstan’s dark
horses. Irina Nekrassova and Maya Maneza both claimed 241 entry total
weights, which toped all 20 qualifiers.

"All our women lifters have the hope to go for medals," said Baturbek
Ozdoev, coach of Kazakhstan women’s team.

China didn’t enter the women’s 63kg division.

"HERITAGE" PARTY TO RUN IN UPCOMING ELECTIONS TO LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT BODIES

Noyan Tapan

Au g 11, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 11, NOYAN TAPAN. "Heritage" party will run in the
upcoming elections to local self-government bodies, is said in the
August 11 statement of the party’s board. The board called on Armenian
citizens to take an active part in these elections and to contribute
to their holding in a fair and transparent way and without rigging.

Appealing to all opposition partners, "Heritage" urged them to run
actively in the elections to local self-government bodies and to
coordinate their actions, including such actions as nomination of
their candidacies and mutual support in the respective communities,
and using all potential for victory of opposition candidates.

"Heritage" called on all the wings and representatives of power
to ensure free, fair and transparent elections without rigging and
electoral bribes, not to allow any case of violating the electoral
rights of voters and to punish severely those guilty of such actions.

ARMENIA CAN FUND CONSTRUCTION OF IRAN-ARMENIA RAILROAD FROM STATE BUDGET

ARKA
Aug 11, 2008

YEREVAN, August 11. /ARKA/. Armenia can finance the construction of
the railroad connecting the country with Iran out of its state budget
receipts, member of Bureau of ARF Dashnaktsutiun, the Head of ARFD
parliament group Vahan Hovhannisyan said.

"We have to find $1bln Drams for construction of the road," he told
a press conference.

According to him, the new railroad will help avoid Armenia’s transport
dependence on Georgia that is the only way connecting the country
with the outer world now.

Earlier, Armenian Minister of Transport and Communication Gurgen
Sargsyan reported that country’s President instructed to set up a
target commission to study the issue of construction of Armenia-Iran
railroad.

The Commission is to select the best project out of the three
available projects on construction of the railroad. According to the
preliminary estimates, the most advantageous one is Gagarin Station –
Gavar – Martuni – Jermuk route that is the shortest way to get also
to Vanadzor of Armenia and then to Georgia.

Aug 10, 2008 22:36 | Updated Aug 10, 2008 23:46

Jewish Agency evacuates Jews from central Georgia
=1218104259185&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FSh owFull
By STEPHANIE RUBENSTEIN
Two hundred Jews in central Georgia were evacuated to the country’s
capital, after Russian bombing posed a threat to the area’s safety.

The group was taken to Tbilisi which is not expected to become
dangerous, as Russia is focusing on the South Ossetia region, said
Jewish Agency spokesperson Alex Selsky on Sunday. Some of the Jewish
men decided to stay in the city of Gori and its surrounding towns near
South Ossetia where that region’s Jewish community resides, in order
to secure their homes, he added.

As of Friday, there was no risk to the Jewish community in that town,
but as the conflict escalated between the feuding sides, the border
became part of the battleground. The Jewish Agency sensed a threat and
moved people to the capital in buses and cars, Selsky said.

Gregory Brodsky, a Jewish Agency emisarry in Georgia reiterated
Selsky’s assurance that the capital was safe.

"There is no immediate danger [in Tbilisi], and there is no
expectation that a dangerous situation will develop here in the
future. We are going to do everything that we can to help the people
here."

There are currently around 12,000 Jews in Georgia, most of whom live
in the capital. Should the danger increase, the Jewish Agency says it
is prepared to evacuate people to Israel. Information rooms in both
Tbilisi and Israel have been opened in order to help inform the public
about the status of family members and hometowns in the embattled
region.

Selsky said the Jewish Agency is acting in full cooperation with
Foreign Ministry, which is also working to provide updates to Georgian
tourists in Israel.

Those calling the hotline have been mainly requesting information
regarding what they heard on the news, or how they can get in touch
with family members in the area, according to Chen Mor, a hotline
receptionist for the Jewish Agency.

Chief Rabbi of Georgia Ariel Levine who arrived in Israel on Thursday
said there were reports of three or four Jews missing from the city of
Tskhinvali, which borders South Ossetia.

"People are afraid of bombings and artillery fire. The Jewish
community is located only 60 kilometers from Gori, which was already
bombed," Levine said.

The following are the hotline numbers: Israel: 02-620-2202; Georgia:
995-32-98-7091.

Matthew Wagner contributed to this report.

S. SARGSYAN: BLOOD OF OLYMPICS FLOW IN ARMENIANS VEINS

Panorama.am
20:37 07/08/2008

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s interview to Chinese "Xinhua"
information agency.

Mister President, what types of sports do you like the most? What
would you like to wish to the Olympic teams of Armenia and China? What
expectations do you have from Armenian Olympic team?

Armenia is a country of sports. It is due to our famous Armenian
sportsmen and Sport of Armenia, in general, that our tiny country
is famous in the world. Irrespective of the small population of
Armenia, our country managed to mark its own place in the biography
of world sports and Olympics. Yet in the 4th century Armenian King
Varazdat became an Olympic Wrestling Champion, many other Armenian
sportsmen, today, keep high records and victories in the registers
of the winners. So, this is to say that blood of Olympics flow in
Armenians’ veins.

I like sport, as otherwise it is impossible. I am the President of
Armenian Chess Federation; this is a type of sport where Armenians and
Chinese sportsmen have been always fixing perfect results, besides our
national team currently is the Olympic Champion. Like other Presidents
I am happy when Armenian sportsmen have victories and I am unhappy when
something lacks to have a successful performance. Today, everybody in
Armenia keeps under attention Beijing and Olympics Games. Of course,
I agree with the slogan of Olympics, but I also think that every
Armenian sportsman is in Beijing to have successful performances and
to receive golden medals. I am leaving for Beijing with high mood;
I am going to be close to our sportsmen and to encourage them.

Do you think that sport have any connection with politics?

First, sport has close links with relationship, and then with
competition. There are various examples in the world history
when due to sport countries and nations came closer and started
good relationship. For example, let’s remember Chinese American
relationship in the beginnings of 1970 and so called "Ping Pong
Diplomacy". Moreover, in our days Zhuang Zedong is famous both in
sport and politics.

It is already seven years when you visited China as Minister of
Defense of Armenia. How do you feel now leaving for Beijing? How
do you evaluate the work of Chinese Government to get prepared to
the Olympics?

You’re right it was seven years ago I visited China. Then I was the
Minister of Defense of Armenia. That last visit to your huge country
had great impression on me. Now I am following the development of
China, and I am happy with the successes of Chinese people. I am
leaving for China to eyewitness all the changes conducted in your
country. I have no doubts that China and Chinese people have done
everything to guarantee perfect Olympics Games. I know that Chinese
Olympic Team is prepared to the Games seriously.

Armenian and Chinese People have rich common history. In the recent
years the bilateral relationship of these countries is developing
fast. How do you evaluate the perspectives of development? What are
the specific fields of the cooperation?

China is a relative country for us. The present stage of our
relationship has strong legal basis, including more than 40 interstate
and inter-governmental memorandums. The reforms, developments,
modernizations in China are being followed by Armenians.

Certainly there is development in the trade circulation, agriculture,
high technologies and humanitarian fields. We have also collaboration
in sports and culture. Although I can see more huge potential of
collaboration and measures should be taken to improve that. Armenia
received the invitation to take part in "Expo 2010" international
exhibition which is to be conducted in Shan Hang.

NEPHRITE MEDALS DAY

Panorama.am
19:41 07/08/2008

The last delegation of Armenian Olympics left for Beijing. On 8 August
the official ceremony of Olympics Games is to be opened in the capital
city of China. After that the President of Armenia will follow the
performances of Armenian sportsmen. The President of Armenian National
Olympics Gagik Carukyan will lead our delegation in China.

On the official opening ceremony Armenian triple champion Albert
Azaryan will hold Armenian flag. 25 Armenian sportsmen will present
8 sports types.

On the first day of the Olympics competition for the nephrite medals
will start.

MIXED REACTION IN AZERI BREAKAWAY REGION’S MEDIA TO US OFFICIAL’S REMARKS

Kavkazskiy Uzel website
Aug. 5 2008
Russia

The Karabakh media are discussing a statement by the American
co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, Matthew Bryza, that the people
of Nagornyy Karabakh should themselves decide whether they should be
a part of Azerbaijan or to live independently.

The statement caused "raptures of delight" in Armenian political
circles and the pro-government media, writes the Karabakh correspondent
of the Armenian Lragir.am news agency website. In the opinion of a
representative of the bureau of the American Revolutionary Federation
– Dashnaktsutyun, Kiro Manoyan, Bryza said nothing new, and what’s
more, according to him, there is nothing positive for us in what he
had to say".

Kiro Manoyan stresses that the co-chairmen, when speaking
about Karabakh, think about the former NKAO [Nagornyy Karabakh
Autonomous Region], which is definitely not in the interests of the
Armenians. Within the framework of the former NKAO Nagornyy Karabakh
cannot implement its right to self-determination.

"In politics at large no-one goes by state borders. In politics at
large the world is divided into military-strategic and fuel-energy
entities. Each entity is a self-sufficient system with its own
communications, defence system, natural resources and the capability
of influencing other entities. Borders divide this entity into
several weak-willed states, each of which is of no use to anything
in isolation. In this context Karabakh, within the confines of the
NKAO, is not an entity, it is merely a part of it, like a disabled
person without arms and legs. In the big political map Karabakh may
be considered only in its current actual borders. They have, after
all, developed by accident. Somebody once drew a line on which the
fighting in 1994 was supposed to be stopped," the agency site writes.

In the paper’s opinion, to divide Nagornyy Karabakh into the NKAO
and "liberated" or "occupied territories" means pulling apart a
self-sufficient military-political entity. "And one has to think in
whose interests this is being done. And one cannot be pleased by the
statements of the cheerful American who, unlike our politicians, often
looks at the map and does not want to see a strong military-strategic
entity in the region." the paper notes.

The Aparazh newspaper, which is the organ of the Karabakh structure
of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun, writes in its editor’s column, that in the
foreign policy of the Armenian states there should be a "red line",
which should not be crossed. This "red line" in the Karabakh question
is the security of the people of the NKR and the preservation of
statehood within the present borders. The paper urges the Karabakh
Foreign Ministry to carry out more active publicity in the outside
world to present the position of the NKR.

It will be recalled that on 1 August in Moscow, at the initiative of
the OSCE, a meeting was held of the foreign ministers of Armenia and
Azerbaijan, Edvard Nalbandyan and Elmar Mammadyarov.

At the end of the meeting US Assistant Deputy State Secretary Matthew
Bryza said that Karabakh would either achieve independence or transfer
to the jurisdiction of Azerbaijan. "A referendum will be held and
the Karabakhis themselves will decide," Bryza noted on the decision
regarding the status of the unrecognized republic.

PREMIER MINISTER OUTLINES DEMANDS TO ACTIVITY OF CUSTOMS WAREHOUSES

ARKA
Aug 6, 2008

YEREVAN, August 6. /ARKA/. Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
outlined the main demands to activity of customs warehouses.

"Our common goal is to sharply improve the quality of services provided
by customs warehouses. The goal can be achieved through joint efforts
of customs bodies and organizers of warehouses," Sargsyan stressed
at the government’s working session also attended by supervisors
of warehouses.

The premier said all the government actions must be clear and
predictable.

"First we must rule out any wholesale or retail sale from warehouses,"
the premier said. Besides, the territories of warehouses must be
clearly isolated. If supervisors fail to isolate their territories
before the deadline, their licenses will be revoked. The practice
of receiving and removal of goods from warehouses must be ruled out
as well.

Besides, the premier stressed the necessity of regulating issues
connected with maintenance of safety rules. The premier also said
conditions for self-declaration should be created. Warehouses
need technical improvement which requires investments from
supervisors.

STARTING POINT OF ACTIONS OF OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS IS TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF AZERBAIJAN

Noyan Tapan

Au g 5, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 5, NOYAN TAPAN. In his interview with APA agency,
the U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza said that in
order to get a political solution to the Karabakh problem, Armenia and
Azerbaijan need to reach a compromise on status of Nagorno Karabakh.

We cannot predict what kind of compromise it will be, or when it
will be reached. However, the co-chairs propose that the residents of
Nagorno Karabakh play a key role in the issue of specifying status of
the region – through a reverendum in the future, M. Bryza said, adding
that the peculiarities of such a vote should be decided by the sides.

In his words, this process can only take place after the return of
displaced persons and refugees, which will take some time.

Expressing a positive opinion about the August 1 meeting of the
Armenian foreign minister Edward Nalbandian and the Azeri foreign
minister Elmar Mamedyarov in Moscow, the U.S. co-chair said that the
foreign ministers agreed to continue negotiations under the aegis
of the OSCE Minsk Group – in order to come to an agreement about
the sides’ positions on the issues noted in the Madrid proposals of
the co-chairs.

It is important to remember that no separate element has been agreed
on; the only way to agree on any of the elements is to agree on all
the elements at the same time, M. Bryza underlined.

According to Radio Liberty, he also said that the co-chairs start
all their actions from the position of recognition of Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity.