Author: Khoyetsian Rose

THE WEST HAS TEN DAYS

Lragir.am
18:54:01 – 28/02/2008

What is happening in Armenia at the Square of Freedom is a genuine
test for people; however, it is a test not only for people but also
it is a more important test for the West, the European organizations,
the European states. This is the idea of the first president Levon
Ter-Petrosyan who touched upon the attitude of the West toward
the movement he leads during the rally at the Square of Freedom on
February 28.

Levon Ter-Petrosyan says what surprises him is that the West, that
is the United States, the EU, the EU members and the OSCE do not make
statements about the situation in Armenia. According to Ter-Petrosyan,
there are contacts, there are activities, and the fact that their
peaceful rallies last for already 8 days and do not become the
target of the police is thanks to the pressure of the international
organizations on the Armenian government, but the first president is
surprised that no statements are made.

Levon Ter-Petrosyan complained of the international observers who view
the election as a voting rather than a process. Levon Ter-Petrosyan
says it is outrageous to fail to see what was taking place months
before the election and what is taking place now, and to say that
they make a general assessment only.

Meanwhile, Levon Ter-Petrosyan continues, the fate of democracy in
Armenia is in the hands of the United States, the EU, the OSCE and
other international organizations. Within ten days those states
can make moves and have a democratic, modern, developed state,
like Lithuania, or to have an Asian state in Armenia. "It does not
take much from the West, it takes only respect for these people,"
stated Levon Ter-Petrosyan, that otherwise the West will deal with
a new Saddam Hussein in Armenia and will have to establish democracy
in this country with tanks.

"The international organizations are facing a dilemma, either they
are beside people and democracy or beside the Tatar-Mongol regime. It
takes them a step, to do everything to reject the legal validity
of the results of the vote on February 19 and hold a new election,"
Levon Ter-Petrosyan states. However, if the world does not respond,
Levon Ter-Petrosyan, he says, will not accuse them of betraying the
Armenian people, the popular movement of Armenia because if Europe
does not respond, it will not betray the Armenian people but will
betray democracy, liberal values, the European civilization.

PEOPLE IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH CAN APPLY FOR HOME LOANS

ARMENPRESS
Feb 27, 2008

STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 27, ARMENPRESS: Residents of Nagorno-Karabakh
can now apply for home loans after the authorities have approved a
mortgage program.

All residents of Nagorno-Karabakh with a 10- year-long residency may
apply for loans to buy homes, a loan for apartment repair requires
a 3 year-long residency.

There is an age limit as loans should be repaid before the people who
take credits reach retirement age. The credit for home buying is 25
million Drams and 3 million for home repair with 12 and 15 percent
annual interest rates respectively.

Karen Yesayan, chief manager of Nagorno-Karabakh Investments Fund,
said the government will pay half of interest rates of home buying
loans. The loan is given for 20 years.

STATUS OF REFUGEE

KarabakhOpen
27-02-2008 10:33:06

During the Karabakh conflict over one million Armenians and
Azerbaijanis became refugees. However, the Armenian refugees
from Azerbaijan who now live in Nagorno-Karabakh do not have an
international status. Since the country they live in is unrecognized,
the world officially does not consider them as refugees or internally
displaced persons, although they have lost their homes, property,
country, like the Azerbaijani refugees.

According to the Agency for Refugees, Settlers and Migration, 30
thousand refugees and IDPs from the regions of Karabakh which are
occupied by the Azerbaijani army live in Karabakh. Sarasar Saryan,
a refugee from Baku, head of the NGO of refugees, thinks the
international community uses double standard.

"Some refugees are considered as refugees, we are not considered as
refugees. We suffered and we had losses just like the others. What
difference does it make from where we left? The attitude toward people
must be the same, despite ethnicity and nationality, no matter they
are Azerbaijanis, Armenians, Georgians, Ossetians, Abkhazians. We also
lost everything and we also have difficulty living in a new place,"
Sarasar Saryan says.

At the end of 2004 the law on refugees was passed in Karabakh,
according to which the refugees were granted an "internal status". The
people who had been displaced got a small compensation form the
state budget of Karabakh for "transportation of property and moral
and psychological damage", which is certainly too small to cover even
part of what they have lost.

Sarasar Saryan says his NGO is likely to appeal to the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees to display a humanitarian rather than
political attitude toward these people. For the problem of refugees
is that everyone forgets about them, there are a lot of words of
help but no actions. Therefore, they rely on the organization which
is led by refugees who understand and share their problems.

Seiran Karapetyan and Karine Ohanyan from Karabakh From series of
radio programs "South Caucasian Almanac: Old Neighbors, New World"

REPUBLICAN OLYMPIAD TO KICK OFF ON MARCH 21

Panorama.am
20:48 26/02/2008

On March 21 the republican phase of curriculum Olympiad will kick
off for 2007-2008 academic year schoolchildren. Pupils from Artsakh
and Javakhq will also take part in the competition.

Ministry of education and science official web portal informs that
the organizational committee, curriculum commission chairmen staff
and the schedule for the Olympiad have been set up by a directive of
the minister of education and science. Deputy minister of science and
education, Bagrat Yesayan, has been appointed as the chairman of the
organizational committee.

The third regional phase of the Olympiad will start from March 1. The
tests have been formed by the curriculum committees. On March 13,
the names of the participants in the republican phase of the Olympiad
will be announced.

PRESS RELEASE
ZORYAN INSTITUTE OF CANADA, INC.
Suite 310
Toronto, ON, Canada M3B 3H9
Tel: 416-250-9807
Fax: 416-512-1736
E-mail: [email protected]

DATE: February 27, 2008
CONTACT: Aren Sarikyan

STUDENTS COMPETE FOR ENROLLMENT IN HUMAN RIGHTS AND GENOCIDE COURSE

Toronto, Canada – The International Institute for Genocide and Human
Rights Studies has already received ten applications from several
countries for its Genocide and Human Rights University Program. "This is
remarkable," said Executive Director, George Shirinian, "as we have not
yet released the course syllabus or faculty list for 2008."

There is no doubt that attending the program can be a profound
experience, or as one student described it "an immense one." She
continued to say that "discussions beyond the classroom inspired me a
great deal. Emotionally and intellectually, I am leaving this course
with more drive.You cannot learn about genocide and leave it be – I must
continue, I feel a responsibility to use my knowledge." It is this
message, being spread by more than 175 students and scores of professors
over the past seven years that leads students from all over the world to
line up in order to participate in this program and engage in a
systematic study of genocide and the means of its prevention.

The GHRUP is a comprehensive, graduate-level seminar taught by nine
leading experts in their fields. Incorporating genocide theory, history,
sociology, political science and international law, it explores through
a comparative analysis of major case studies and special themes such
issues as:

. The Foundations of Human Rights
. The Causes of Genocide
. The Methodologies of Genocide
. The Consequences of Genocide
. Genocide and International Law
. Genocide Denial
. Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation
. Genocide Prevention

"We always hear that that this pioneering and comparative course, and
working with the top scholars, empowers and prepares students to be able
to teach the subject to others," Torrey Swan, Program Coordinator said.
"Consequently we have seen many continue on in the field as scholars,
educators, activists, and policy-makers."

Applicants must be current or recent university students with a minimum
of three years of undergraduate experience. Details and registration
information are available on the program’s website,
or by emailing [email protected]. There
are a limited number of scholarships available. The course is available
to University of Toronto students for three graduate semester credits
and similar arrangements may be made with other institutions. The GHRUP
will be held in Toronto, July 28-August 8, 2008.

The International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (A
Division of the Zoryan Institute) is dedicated to the study and
dissemination of knowledge regarding the phenomenon of genocide in all
of its aspects. This is achieved through the GHRUP and publication of
Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal, in
partnership with the International Association of Genocide Scholars and
University of Toronto Press.

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Feb. 26, 2008

Armenia tells poll protesters to end demonstrations

The authorities in the Armenian capital on Monday told crowds
protesting against the result of last week’s presidential election
for the sixth successive day to end their rallies.

Up to 25,000 people have gathered in Yerevan’s main square every day
since the Feb. 19 election demanding a re-run of the poll, which they
say was rigged in favor of Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan.
Sarksyan officially won 53 percent of the vote against 21.5 percent
for his nearest rival, former president Levan
Ter-Petrosyan."Organizers have to stop arranging these unsanctioned
demonstrations," Yerevan’s city administration said in a statement.
"The city transport system cannot work and the rallies are infringing
people’s right to travel and move freely." Hundreds of police watched
the crowd, which remained peaceful.

Ex-Soviet Armenia lies on the western fringes of the Caucasus, which
carries a pipeline that pumps oil from the Caspian Sea to Europe.
Western monitors said the election process could be improved but was
broadly in line with Armenia’s international commitments.

Earlier in the day the Foreign Ministry confirmed that it had fired
seven diplomats for siding with the protesters, and said it was
unethical for the diplomats to involve themselves with politics. Last
week the deputy prosecutor-general joined the protests Sunday’s
rally, which lasted for more than five hours, was attended by around
20,000 people — fewer than the 35,000 who turned out on Saturday. "
Levon is president – victory!" was one of the rally cries. Protesters
ignored police requests to disperse.

Security services said that amongst the opposition figures arrested
early on Sunday was Aram Karapetyan, the leader of the New Times
Party, who had backed Ter-Petrosyan’s campaign.

GAGIK JHANGIRIAN, SMBAT AYVAZIAN AND ARAM KARAPETIAN TO BE SET FREE TODAY

Noyan Tapan
Feb 25, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Today Gagik Jhangirian, the former
Deputy Prosecutor General, Smbat Ayvazian, a member of the political
board of the Republic party, and Aram Karapetian, the Leader of the
Nor Zhamanakner (New Times) party, will be set free. This information
was provided to a Noyan Tapan correspondent from the pre-electoral
headquarters of Levon Ter-Petrosian.

IRAN TO SUPPLY 10 PERCENT OF GAS MARKET IN NEXT 20 YEARS

IRNA
Feb 20
Ahvaz

Iran-Gas-Export

Managing director of Iran’s National Gas Company said on Wednesday
that Iran will become supplier of 10 percent of the world gas market
in the next 20 years, compared with the current figure which stands
at one percent.

Talking to reporters, Reza Kasaeizadeh said that Iran currently
exports gas to Armenia and Turkey thanks to the achievements of the
Islamic Revolution.

He said that Iran’s gas export will increase when the South Pars 17,
18 and 19 phases are developed by 2013.

"Iran is producing 85 percent of heavy compressors and 45 percent of
all turbines and is now self-sufficient," he added.

Kasaeizade said that 76 percent of Iranians now enjoy the gas for
household utility adding that no village had an access to tapped gas
before Islamic Revolution.

He said that the US sanction on Iran is an opportunity for the domestic
companies to develop and also use domestic potentials.

In addition, the level of natural gas production is now 447 million
cubic meters compared with 36 million cubic meters in 1979, he added.

Despite having rich gas reserves after Russia in the region, Iranians
must not follow extravagance in gas consumption pattern, asserted
Kasaeizade.

He added that rls 32,000 billion has been spent on refining,
transporting and distributing the gas over the past 10 months of the
current Iranian year.

TER PETROSYAN’S SUPPORTERS MARCH TOWARD RA CEC

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.02.2008 17:03 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Supporters of ex-President Levon Ter Petrosyan
launched a march toward the RA CEC building.

"Today’s march is peaceful. We urge the Central Electoral Committee to
assess what they call elections. We must not yield to provocations. We
should be confident and peaceful," Impeachment bloc leader Nikol
Pashinyan told the protesters

Ter-Petrosyan said his supporters have an exact program. "Let them
not doubt that will struggle till the final victory. We plan a steady
and confident struggle," he said, adding that today his supporters
are celebrating victory like in 1996, 1998 and 2003, Novosti Armenia
reports.

The demonstrators will route down Mashtots Avenue, Amiryan street,
Republic Square, Nalbandyan and Koryun streets toward the CEC premises.

GEORGIAN PRESIDENT AND CHARLES AZNAVOUR CONGRATULATE SERZH SARGSIAN ON HIS VICTORY

ARMENPRESS
Feb 20, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS: Georgian President Mikhail
Saakashvili congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsian on
his victory in the presidential elections wishing him success in his
new office.

Governmental press service told Armenpress that world-famous Charles
Aznavour also congratulated Serzh Sargsian wishing him success.