Author: Khondkarian Raffi

ARMENPRESS

ARTHUR BAGHDASARIAN CHAIRS MEETING OF WORKING GROUP SET UP TO
COORDINATE PREPARATIONS FOR JOINT RUBEZH-2008 MILITARY GAMES

YEREVAN, JULY 4, ARMENPRESS: Secretary of the National Security
Council Arthur Baghdasarian chaired today the meeting of the working
group set up to coordinate preparations for joint Rubezh-2008 military
games of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which
will take place in Armenia later this year.
The presidential press office told Armenpress that the participants
of the meeting discussed a set of issues, approved by the president of
Armenia, for organization and conduction of the first stage of the
games slated for July 22 in Yerevan.
The working group presented what it has done so far to that end and
other relating issues. Representatives of seven countries are expected
to take part in the military games.
During the meeting instructions were given for proper organization
of the event.

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH IN DEFENSE OF ARMAN BABAJANIAN

A1+
04 July, 2008

"Dear Prime Minister Sargsyan and Minister Danielyan,

We are writing to encourage you to ensure the release of the well-known
journalist and editor Arman Babajanian from prison based on his
pending request for parole.

Arman Babajanian is the founder and editor-in-chief of Zhamanak
Daily, an independent daily newspaper published in Yerevan and Los
Angeles, California. He was arrested on June 26, 2006 on charges of
evading military service and falsification of documents related to
his military service. He admitted to the charges, paid the required
fines, and was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison. Babajanian has now
served two years in prison. The criminal code does not specifically
envision imprisonment for evading military service, although when
sentences are issued, they are typically for 2-3 years.

Babajanian, given his good conduct, is now eligible for parole. His
request last year for parole based on good conduct was denied. We
consider the additional 1.5 years that he has yet to serve is
disproportionate to the offense, and call on you to review his case
and grant him early release.

Babajanian’s case has been recognized by Human Rights Watch in its
2007 and 2008 World Reports, by other major international human rights
groups, and by the U.S. State Department, as reflected in its Human
Rights Report for Armenia for 2007.

We therefore ask for your intervention in urging the responsible
authorities to support the request that would afford him his earned
opportunity for early release on good conduct. Babajanian’s release
would send a positive signal to both Armenia’s international partners
and to the Armenian public that you and other senior officials are
concerned about the present critical state of human rights in Armenia
and taking concrete steps to address particular concerns.

We thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

Holly Cartner

Executive Director

Europe and Central Asia Division

PRESS RELEASE
Armenia Solidarity
Tel: 07718 982 732
Nor Serount Cultural Association

Centre of Halabja against the Anfalization of Kurdish People (C.H.A.K.)
Seyfo Centre

A warm invitation to two imprtant meetings next week: We stress the
importance of your attendance at these meetings. Evidence will be revealed
of how the government has been caught misleading parliament on the genocide

1.-

"Evidence from Kurdish sources on the 1915 Genocide"
in Room P of Portcullis House, (Westminster) Bridge St
(which houses the offices of Members of Parliament)
at 2.00 pm on Tuesday, 8th July

The speakers: eminent Kurdish historian Prof Kamal Mazhar Ahmad
Kurdish writer Rebwar Fatah
The meeting is sponsored and chaired by David Drew MP

Portcullis House is on Victoria Embankment/Bridge Street corner, next to
Westminster tube station (facing parliament)

If you are planning to attend, RSVP if possible to [email protected]
asap

_____

2.-

The Lausanne Treaty of 1923
Were the Armenians, Assyrians and Kurds betrayed?

On Wednesday, 9th July at 6.15pm
in Room 3A of the House of Lords

Speakers:
Dr Kemal Miredali (Kurdish writer)
Ms Soma Mallzada (Researcher for C.H.A.K.)
& a presentation by Tony Kahve

There will be the opportunity for questions and a discussion to consider the
Treaty’s validity in relation to these three nations which were not involved
in its signing.

The meeting is sponsored and chaired by Lord Rea

RSVP if possible to [email protected]
Tel: 07718 982 732

TravelVideo.tv (press release)

6th Annual Greater Portland Festival of Nations, Jul 26, 2008
Diversity Festival
Jul 03, 08 | 10:54 am

Description of this Portland Event: 6th Annual Greater Portland
Festival of Nations Heating up your summer! On July 26, 2008 at the
Deering Oak Park, A feast for your eyes and ears will be displayed
throughout the Fifth Annual Greater Portland Festival of Nations. The
Fifth Annual Greater Portland Festival of Nations promotes
understanding and appreciation for all of the diverse groups in the
state of Maine.

FON proudly celebrate and highlight Maine’s ethnic diversity,
perpetuate traditions, encourage ethnic understanding, and promote
unity and healthy Maine. There will two stages of non-stop music and
dance performances that will thrill a projected audience of
15,000. The beautiful park setting of Deering Oak Park is the perfect
venue for this family-friendly event, which offers a wide variety of
entertainment for adults and children.

The festival is FREE to the public and family oriented. We invite you
to come and enjoy the great outdoors, an international bazaar, health
fair, an international soccer competition and Awesome Smile- an oral
health campaign to promote better oral health practices for Maine’s
children. The best part of the festival will be enjoying the beautiful
Deering Oaks Park while sampling the exotic delicious food from
diverse vendors – featuring foods from all around the globe, dancing
into the night to drumming and music from diverse musicians on stage.

Some of these ethnic and diverse vendors from different nations
participating in 2008 include African American, Armenian, Bosnian,
Cambodian, Caribbean, Congolese, French, Finnish, Greek, Hispanic
Nations, Irish, East Indian, Italian, Native American, Nigerian,
Polish, Romanian, Somalia, Sudanese, Thai, Uganda and Vietnamese. The
festival offers our guests great opportunity to get an early ` and
unique start on holiday shopping.
Day and Time: July 26th 2008, 2-8:30 PM
Place: Deering Oaks Park

BISHOP ALEXANDER: "ARMED FORCED SHOULD BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE OCCUPIED LANDS"

Azeri Press Agency
02 Jul 2008 16:28
Azerbaijan

Lachin Sultanova-APA. Eparchy of Russian Orthodox Church’s last
assembly positively valued the activity of Azerbaijani Orthodox Church
in Moscow, Caspian and Baku Bishop Alexander said at press conference,
APA reports.

He noted that Moscow assembly discussed main subject on union of
church. The assembly restored the activity of Church Court and passed
a decision on deprivation of priests, who called for separation, from
religious ranks. The assembly also covered events on 1020th anniversary
of adoption of Christianity in Russia. Asked about roles of religious
men in the solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict Alexander noted
that several forces tried to keep the conflict under religion as the
conflict begun. Meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian religious heads on
the initiative of Russian Orthodox Church proved that it was not real.

Bishop mentioned that political heads conducted negotiations on the
settlement of the conflict and stressed that political heads had
meetings by the help of religious men.

"Russian Orthodox Church is interested in restoration of stability in
the region. We want peaceful solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict,
implementation of adoptions by UN Security Council and General
Assembly, withdrawal of Armed Forces from the occupied lands, returning
of IDPs to their lands", he said.

Bishop touched upon the activity of untraditional religions in
Azerbaijan and added that he was anxious about it.

"People are involved in false sects by promising money", he said.

12-MONTH INFLATION MAKES 9.6% IN ARMENIA

NOYAN TAPAN

Ju ne 29

The consumer price index made 109.6% in Armenia in June 2008 on May
2007, including the index of food commodity prices (including alcoholic
drinks and cigarettes) – 110.1%, of nonfood commodity prices – 106%,
of service tariffs – 110.5%. The same indices in January-June 2008
on January-June 2007 made 109%, 111.1%, 104.8% and 107.1% respectively.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, the consumer price
index made 106.8% in June 2008 on December 2007, including the index
of food commodity prices (including alcoholic drinks and cigarettes)
– 106.7%, of nonfood commodity prices – 104.2%, of service tariffs
– 108.5%. The average monthly growth of consumer prices made 1.1%
in January-June 2008, exceeding by 0.5% the respective index of the
same period of 2007.

A 0.5% fall in prices was registered in the country’s consumer market
in June on May 2008, including a 1.3% fall in food commodity prices
(including alcoholic drinks and cigarettes), a 1.3% growth in nonfood
commodity prices, and a 0.1% growth in service tariffs.

S.OHANYAN HOSTED AMBASSADOR OF CHINA TO ARMENIA HONG JIUYIN

;p=0&id=551&y=2008&m=06&d=27
24.06 .08

On June 24 RA Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan received the Ambassador
Extraordinary and Pleinotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to
Armenia Hong Jiuyin and Military Attaché Ma Yunbao. At the beginning
of the meeting Seyran Ohanyan extended condolences to the people
of China connected with the thousands of victims as a result of the
recent earthquake in China and the crash of the passenger train.

Thanking the Minister, Hong Jiuyin noted that the Government and the
Armed Forces of China pay great attention to the friendship between
our two countries and bilateral cooperation both in military and
other fields. He specially underlined the centuries-old history of the
Armenian and Chinese peoples, expressing hope that this friendship will
be permanent and beneficial. On behalf of the Minister of Defense of
China, the Ambassador conveyed an official invitation to RA Defense
Minister to visit China later this year.

During the meeting Seyran Ohanyan expressed gratitude to the Government
of China and the leadership of the banks for the assistance rendered
up until now and expressed willingness to be useful to China within
the frames of our country’s capacities.

The parties discussed the current state of bilateral relations in
the military sphere and issues related to the further deepening of
those, once again underlining that Armenia and China are friendly
states and China attaches special importance to the cooperation with
our country. It was noted also that this cooperation is put on good
bases and it is deepening day by day.

At the end of the meeting the parties wished success to the sportsmen
of the two countries in the 29th Olympic Games to be held in China
this summer.

–Boundary_(ID_E2QdLYGWunryY0Su32c8Xg)–

ARMENIA SHOULD FIRST RECOGNIZE KARABAKH’S INDEPENDENCE, RUSSIAN EXPERT SAYS

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.06.2008 18:38 GMT+04:00

Armenia’s position is tat Karabakh should be independent, a Russian
expert said.

"It’s another matter whether NK will join Armenia as a confederation
or function as an independent state," said Mikhail Alexandrov, head
of the Caucasus department at the Institute of CIS studies.

As a matter of fact, we have a similar situation as in case in Abkhazia
and South Ossetia, according to him.

"The Karabakh problem, against the West’s wishes, will not be resolved,
since Serzh Sargsyan will stand firmly in defense of national interests
of the Armenian people. Watching Russia’s position on Abkhazia and
South Ossetia, Armenia will urge Russia to smooth its position on
Karabakh. However, Russia expects Armenia to be the first to recognize
independence of Nagorno Karabakh," Alexandrov said.

HIGH-LEVEL RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN TALKS HELD IN THE KREMLIN

RIA Oreanda
June 24 2008
Russia

President Dmitry Medvedev and President Serzh Sarkisian discussed a
wide range of issues of Russian-Armenian cooperation, in particular
prospects for expanding production and technological cooperation,
further cooperation among small and medium businesses and opportunities
for promoting mutual investments. The two sides also agreed on steps
to assist a number of major projects being carried out by Russian
companies in Armenia.

There was an exchange of views on important regional and international
issues. Dmitry Medvedev and Serzh Sarkisian reaffirmed their readiness
to coordinate foreign policy activities on a bilateral and multilateral
basis, including through interaction in the CIS and the Collective
Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in view of Armenia’s forthcoming
presidency of the CSTO. There was also a discussion of the prospects
of resolving the Nagorny Karabakh conflict.

Following the meeting, Dmitry Medvedev and Serzh Sarkisian issued a
joint statement.

It said, in part, that the views of Russia and Armenia on current
international problems are either identical or very close.

The two sides plan to cooperate closely in creating foreign policy
on a bilateral basis and within the framework of international
organisations in order to strengthen peace, stability and security
on both a regional and global scale.

At the end of the Russian-Armenian talks, Dmitry Medvedev and Serzh
Sarkisian made statements to the press.

This is the third meeting between the Presidents of Russia and Armenia
in 2008. Serzh Sarkisian came to Moscow in March and to St Petersburg
for the informal CIS summit in June of this year.

At that time, the head of the Russian state invited the President of
Armenia to come to Russia on an official visit.

STATE PROGRAM ON PROVISION OF APARTMENTS TO REFUGEES TO BE IMPLEMENTED
IN YEREVAN THIS YEAR

Y EREVAN, JUNE 21, NOYAN TAPAN. The state program on provision of
apartments to persons deported from Azeraijan has been implemented in
Armenia for 4 years. By the program, refugees are given certificates
for apartment purchase. 3.1 bln drams (about 9.45 mln USD) has been
allocated from the state budget for the program’s implementation in the
past 3 years. The head of the Migration Agency of the RA Ministry of
Territorial Administration Gagik Yeganian announced at the June 20
press conference that 1,041 out of the 3,370 most vulnerable refugee
families – program beneficiaries have received certificates. 774 of
these families purchased apartments. The rest have not yet purchased
apartments for various reasons. One reason was that the value of the
certificate did not correspond to the prices of property sold in the
given area.

G. Yeganian said that this year the program will be implemented in
Yerevan, for which 815 mln drams was allocated from the state budget.
There are about 1,100 families in need of an apartment in Yerevan.

Since 1994, more than 5,200 cottages and detached houses have been
built in Armenia for refugees with funds of the UN High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR), the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and other
international donor organizations.

June 20 is World Refugee Day.