Author: Khoyetsian Rose

ARMENIAN JOURNALISTS PARTICIPATE IN AN INTERNATIONAL MEDIA FESTIVAL IN IRAN
Sona Hakobyan

"Radiolur"
11.12.2008 17:07

Journalism is considered a risky profession in Iran, and the journalist
with a time record of twenty years receives a pension, simultaneously
keeping right to continue the professional activity. Another important
fact is that in Iran the government insures journalists.

Armenian journalists who participated in an international festival
in Tehran attach importance to the above-mentioned facts and consider
that Armenia should follow Iran’s example.

Participants of the festival say the Armenian pavilion was the most
crowded, yielding only to the United States and Indonesia.

Political commentator of "Hayastani Hanrapetutyun" newspaper Emma
Begijanyan considers that this was a good opportunity for Armenia to
present itself to the neighbor states. The representatives of Armenia
had an opportunity to get acquainted with the press of the neighbor
country and communicate with foreign journalists.

According to Armenian delegates, the only shortcoming was that Armenia
was not fully prepared for the festival and the reason was the lack
of government support.

BI LINE FILES LAWSUIT ON PROTECTION OF ITS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY TO EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Noyan Tapan

Dec 10, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, NOYAN TAPAN. Two week ago Bi Line information and
communication technology (ICT) company filed a lawsuit on protection
of the right of property of its firm name and brand to the European
Court of Human Rights, the president of Bi Line Hayk Khanjian stated
at the December 10 press conference.

In his words, they have exhausted the opportunities to protect this
right juridically in Armenia. It was mentioned that Bi Line has
appealed to the RA Cassation Court against the decision of the RA
Economic Court, by which Bi Line has been deprived of the right to
be represented as a third side in the case "ArmenTel company and its
owner, VimpelCom company operating under "Beeline" brand versus the
Intellectual Property Agency of the Republic of Armenia". According
to H. Khanjian, the Cassation Court has ignored Bi Line’s complaints
against the Economic Court, as a result of which the company has
been deprived of its constitutional right to protect property right
juridically in Armenia.

The lawyer of Bi Line Hayk Harutyunian said that the Cassation Court
has unreasonably returned another appeal of Bi Line, which was related
to the decision of the Administrative Court: in the Administrative
Court, Bi Line had disputed the decision of the administrative body –
the RA Intellectual Property Agency on early termination of operation
of "Bi Line" brand. It should be mentioned that the operation of "Bi
Line" brand was stopped based on an application of ArmenTel company
operating under "Beeline" brand on the grounds that unlike ArmenTel,
Bi Line does not operate in the telecommuniaction sector.

H. Harutyunian explained that firm names and brand are property,
and the Administrative Court deprived Bi Line of a property which
contradicts the Constitution.

H. Khanjian reminded that during the negotiations conducted with
Bi Line in the past, ArmenTel had offered the lowest possible
price for nonuse of the brand by Bi Line, and these negotiations
had been initiated by ArmenTel. He said that the company headed by
him will continue its activity in the telecommunication sector. He
also announced that while being informed about the above mentioned
argument, the RA Public Services Regulatory Commission on December
10 made a decision on provision of a 10-year licence for operation
of telecommunication networks to Bi Line.

CLOSED ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER NONSENSE

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.12.2008 15:56 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish top officials understand that closed border
with Armenia is an abnormal phenomenon, said the editor of the Armenian
sector of Agos newspaper.

"Our trip from Istanbul to Yerevan lasted two hours. Direct flights
are exercised 4 times a week. The two countries are engaged on trade
relations. It means that it senseless to keep the border closed,"
Bagrat Estukyan told a news conference in Yerevan today.

"I am hopeful that the dialogue launched by Armenia and Turkey will
result in an open border," he said.

ANNUAL SITTING OF THE ARMENIA-EU COOPERATION COUNCIL IN BRUSSELS

armradio.am
10.12.2008 12:02

The annual sitting of the Armenia-European Union Cooperation Council
took place in Brussels on December 9. A high-level delegation of
Armenian officials headed by Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
participated in the sitting.

>From the European side the delegation was headed by Jean- Pierre
Jouyet, the Minister for European Affairs of France, which presides
over the European Union.

Presenting the steps Armenia takes in the direction of implementing
the Action Plan of the European Neighborhood Policy, Minister
Nalbandian said its implementation is one of the priorities of
Armenia-EU cooperation, which is evidenced by the establishment of
an interdepartmental commission coordinating the cooperation with
European structures. Minister Nalbandian attached importance to the
signing of the agreement on detaching the group of EU advisers to
Armenia for the effective implementation of reforms in different
spheres through cooperation with the European Union.

During the sitting reference was made to the process of accomplishment
of the Action Plan of the European Neighborhood Policy. Both parties
expressed appreciation for the successful implementation of the
Action Plan, noting that the potential of the program has not yet
been exhausted and there are considerable prospects for expansion
of cooperation.

The European side welcomed the declaration on Nagorno Karabakh adopted
in Moscow on November 2, the joint declaration of the Foreign Ministers
of the OSCE Minsk group co-chair countries of December 4 and the
December 5th declaration of the OSCE Ministerial Council and encouraged
to intensify the efforts towards the resolution of the Artsakh issue.

The European Commission presented the proposal of Eastern Partnership,
which envisages deepening of partnership between member states of
the European Union.

At the request of the European side, Minister Nalbandian presented the
process of negotiations on the Karabakh conflict settlement, as well
as the steps targeted at the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations.

"A strong local democracy is the best guarantee for the respect of human
rights"
Statement by Yavuz Mildon, President of the Congress of Local and
Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, on the occasion of the
60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Strasbourg, 09.12.2008 – "Sixty years ago, the United Nations launched
an appeal affirming the universal and primordial value of human rights
for the very existence of humankind, and a vision of a democratic world
that gives practical expression to this value.

"The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted on 10 December 1948,
was a veritable call for action to embed human rights in all levels of
society and to translate this vision into an environment where they can
be realised and enjoyed. This requires specific and systematic work,
work of not only codifying human rights and freedoms in conventions and
treaties but also of implementing them in our daily life, work which
must begin at local and regional level, in our cities and our regions.
Because beyond legal texts, human rights are concrete, and their
implementation goes hand in hand with the growing responsibilities of
local and regional authorities, affecting in a very tangible way
every-day life of our citizens.

"Today, as we celebrate the Declaration’s 60th anniversary, it is our
firm conviction that a strong democracy in our communities is the best
guarantee for an environment where the rights of citizens can be
exercised and protected in the most practical way and their potential
realised to the fullest, an environment where human rights thrive. A
society based on human rights can only be built starting from the
grassroots and involving all actors, be they elected representatives,
government officials, civil society, the world of business as well as
ordinary citizens – and local and regional authorities at the vanguard
for the advancement of human rights."

PRESS RELEASE
Communication Unit of the Congress
of Local and Regional Authorities
Ref:897a08
Tel: : +33 3 90 21 49 36
Fax : +33 3 88 41 27 51
[email protected]

The Congress has two chambers, the Chamber of Local Authorities and the
Chamber of Regions.
It brings together 318 full and 318 substitute members representing
more than 200 000 European territorial communities.

President of the Congress : Yavuz Mildon (Turkey, EPP/CD), President of
the Chamber of Regions: Ludmila Sfirloaga (Romania, SOC),

President of the Chamber of Local Authorities : Ian Micallef (Malta,
EPP/CD).
Political Groups : Socialist Group (SOC), Group of the European People’s
Party – Christian Democrats (EPP/CD),
Independent and Liberal Democrat Group (ILDG).

RA PM TO MEET SAAKASHVILI IN TBILISI, TO ATTEND NORASHEN

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.12.2008 15:59 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian delegation led by Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan is departing for Tbilisi on a working visit on December 9,
the RA government’s press office reported.

The delegation includes the Ministers of Economy, Energy and Diaspora
Affairs, the RA Ambassador to Georgia and other officials.

The Armenian delegation will participate in the 7th meeting of the
Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental committee on economic cooperation.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to meet with Georgian President Mikheil
Saakashvili and PM Grigol Mgaloblishvili. He will also attend Norashen
Church and the Armenian Embassy in Georgia.

YANUKOVICH VISITED EARTHQUAKE ZONE ON THE OCCASION OF THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF SPITAK EARTHQUAKE
By Nairi Muradian

AZG Armenian Daily
09/12/2008

Spitak earthquake

Ukrainian former Prime Minister, head of the Ukrainian opposition
Party of Regions Victor Yanukovich visited Gyumri. Head of "Prosperous
Armenia" Gagik Tsarukian, RA National Assembly Vice-speaker Arevik
Petrosian, Minister of Health Haroutiun Qushkian, Armenian Ambassador
to Ukraine Armen Khachatrian, Ukrainian Ambassador to Armenia Alexander
Bozhko, Regional Governor of Shirak marz, Mayor of Gyumri and other
officials welcomed the guest.

V. Yanukovich, Gagik Tsarukian and other officials laid a wreath
at St. Hakob Mtsbnetsi Church memorial to the victims of the 1988
earthquake.

Then the quests left for Spitak. The square of Spitak named after
V. Yanukovich was very crowded. The people here welcomed V. Yanukovich
with laudation and applause.

The guests paid a tribute of respect to the memory of the earthquake
victims.

AZERBAIJANI, ARMENIAN FMS CONTRIBUTED TO BASIC PRINCIPLES AT HELSINKI MEETING: OSCE MG CO-CHAIR

Trend
Dec 6 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 6 Dec / Trend News corr. E.Tariverdiyeva/ In
Helsinki, Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers dramatically
contributed to improvement of Basic Principles, OSCE Minsk Group’s
U.S. Co-chair Matthew Bryza said to Trend News on 6 Dec.

Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers met in Helsinki on 4
Dec during the annual meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council with
participation of the Foreign Ministers of OSCE MG co-chairing countries
– Russia, United States and France, and MG intermediaries.

"The discussions in Helsinki between the foreign ministers of Armenia
and Azerbaijan made a meaningful contribution toward improving and the
Basic Principles and sustaining the momentum of recent constructive
meetings between the presidents," said Bryza.

Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian Presidents signed a declaration
at the end of their meeting in Moscow on 2 November. The Presidents
confirmed their adherence to peace settlement within the Minsk Group
on the basis of Madrid Proposals.

According to Bryza, the discussers did not make any amendments or
other formal changes to the Basic Principles.

"But instead we continued our work to bring together each side’s
philosophical approach," he said.

The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in
1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan
lost the Nagorno-Karabakh, except of Shusha and Khojali, in December
1991. In 1992-93, Armenian Armed Forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and
Nagorno-Karabakh’s seven surrounding regions. In 1994, Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time the active
hostilities ended. The countries keep on peace negotiating. OSCE
Minsk Group co-chaired by USA, Russia, and France is engaged in peace
settling of the conflict.

ALEXY II PASSED AWAY

A1+
[02:50 pm] 05 December, 2008

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia passed away
in the morning of December 5, reports the press service of the Moscow
Patriarchy.

Alexy II (Alexy Mikhailovich Ridiger) was 80 years old. He was born on
February 23, 1929, in the city of Tallin. Alexy II was the patriarch
of the Russian Orthodox Church from June 7, 1990.

4 PRINCIPLE REASONS – DISASTROUS AFTERMATHS OF EARTHQUAKE

Panorama.am
16:20 05/12/2008

"The aftermaths and the number of victims of Spitak earthquake
should not be so disastrous if there were not four principle reasons
for that," said academician Edward Khachinyan in his report about
"aftermath of Spitak earthquake".

The first reason is underestimating seismic system of the country; it
has been underestimated four times lower than it should to be. Hence,
the whole construction was organized based on those assessments.

Another reason to that was the incompletion of normative documents
of seismic construction. The third reason is shocked people who were
not prepared to the disaster.

And finally the low quality of the construction.