Author: Khoyetsian Rose

ARMENIAN CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT LEVON TER-PETROSYAN MET VICE-PREMIER OF RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT DMITRIY MEDVEDEV IN MOSCOW

arminfo
2008-02-12 13:37:00

ArmInfo. Armenian first president, candidate for president Levon
Ter-Petrosyan met vice-premier of Russian government, official
successor of Vladimir Putin Dmitriy Medvedev in Moscow, which he
visited yesterday with a two-day visit, a trustworthy source told
ArmInfo correspondent.

Ter-Petrosyan gave an interview to one of the Russian state TV channels
which will be broadcast soon.

RPA’S FORMULA IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IS "IDEOLOGICAL STRUGGLE, PROGRAM STRUGGLE AND NOT STRUGGLE AMONG PERSONALITIES"

Noyan Tapan
Feb 11, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, NOYAN TAPAN. "Beating and hooliganism are not
political and political scientific categories and in any case, no
matter what force instigates it, it should receive a legal response
and be condemned," Mkrtich Minasian, a member of the National Assembly
RPA faction, said at the February 8 press briefing, touching upon the
information published in press, according to which the representatives
of RA presidential candidate Levon Ter-Petrosian’s preelection
headquarters the day before were attacked by the supporters of
presidential candidate from RPA, Serge Sargsian in Yerevan’s Nor
Nork community.

The deputy affirmed that every one should realize that after the
February 19 presidential elections "the Armenian people is obliged to
live a normal life: nothing will be achieved by beating, by showing
force, the force is in reason, the force is in ideas and in the
struggle of ideas." He also said that their team has been warned by
the party and by S. Sargsian personally that they "need only and only
transparent, fair, free elections inspiring confidence." At the same
time, M. Minasian did not exclude that "some people from this or that
side do disservice."

Hermine Naghdalian, a NA deputy from RPA, in her turn, stated that
RPA’s formula in the presidential elections is "ideological struggle,
program struggle and not struggle among personalities." She also
mentioned that when carrying out preelection agitation they do not
proceed from the fact who are their "rivals or opponents."

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
Feb 9 2008

Premier says no such things as genocide in Turkish culture

Munich, 9 February: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said
on Saturday [9 February] there was no such thing like genocide in
Turkish culture and civilization.

Erdogan replied to questions on several matters after his speech at
the 44th Munich Conference on Security Policy in Germany.

In regard to Armenian allegations regarding the incidents of 1915,
Erdogan said, "There is no such thing like genocide in our culture.
We cannot accept it. We are ready to discuss the matter by the means
of documents."

Replying to a question, he said, "We are holding talks with (Iraqi
President Jalal) Talabani because he is president. Our cross-border
operation continues in a tripartite mechanism (USA, Turkey and
Iraq)."

Upon questions on the Article 301 of Turkish Penal Code, Erdogan
said, "We earlier made a legal arrangement on it but it was not liked
by the EU. We are preparing another one now. It will be ready soon."

REPRESENTATIVES OF TROIKA OF EUROPEAN UNION HOPE TO HOLD DEMOCRATIC
ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 7, NOYAN TAPAN. "We hope to hold democratic elections
in Armenia, which will give an opportunity to successively continue the
process of the regulation of the Karabakh conflict," Benita
Ferrero-Waldner, the European Commissioner for External Relations and
European Neighbourhood Policy, stated.

In her words, the development of democratic processes and, first of
all, the holding of free and fair elections, in conformity with
international standards are very important for the European Union.

Dimitrij Rupel, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, which is
currently presiding over the European Union, also expressed hope to
hold democratic elections in Armenia and mentioned: "The latest
elections in Armenia, which were held on May 12 last year, were, in
essence, a step forward in comparison with the other elections, we hope
that the forthcoming presidential elections will as well record
progress in the plan of the development of democracy in Armenia."

ARMENPRESS

WHEAT, BREAD, TOBACCO AND PETROL MOST CONSUMED COMMODITIES

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 7, ARMENPRESS: Wheat, bread,
tobacco products, flour and petrol topped the list of
25 most consumed commodities by Armenians in 2007.
According to the figures of the National
Statistical Service, last year Armenians consumed
almost 296,000 tons of bread. One kilo of high quality
bread cost 327 Drams. The lowest price of bread made
of lower quality flour was almost 280 Drams.
Armenians also consumed last year a total of
676,000 tons of wheat. Less than half, 254,000 tons
were grown in Armenia. The wholesale price of kg of
wheat was 155 Drams.

GAREGIN AZARIAN APPEALS

A1+
[05:43 pm] 06 February, 2008

"Armenian mass media and some presidential candidates circulate
rumours that passport data are being compiled throughout the country,"
Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission Garegin Azarian announced
on February 6.

"The process cannot affect the expression of voters’ free will. And
yet, on behalf of the Central Electoral Commission, I call on Armenian
voters to refuse people interested in passport data, unless they
are members of electoral commissions or proxies of presidential
candidates," he said.

PRIME MINISTERS OF RUSSIA AND ARMENIA DISCUSS PROSPECTS OF COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF USE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY

SKRIN Market & Corporate News
February 6, 2008 Wednesday 4:57 PM GMT

During a meeting in Yerevan today, Prime Minister of Russia Viktor
Zubkov and Prime Minister of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan discussed a wide
range of problems concerning bilateral cooperation in the field of
use of nuclear energy.

The prime ministers confirmed their commitment to further enhance
the safety and efficiency of the 2nd unit of Armenian Nuclear Power
Plant on the basis of the international and Russian experience and
to consider ways to develop nuclear power capacities in Armenia.

"The Government of Armenia is going to announce a tender for the
construction of new nuclear power plant. We are going to take part
in it and we have quite good chances to win," the director general
of Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation Sergey Kiriyenko told
journalists after the meeting.

The sides also exchanged notes confirming Armenia’s joining the
International Uranium Enrichment Center, established by Russia and
Kazakhstan in May 2007.

The Ministry of Ecology of Armenia and Rosatom State Nuclear
Energy Corporation signed a memorandum on the establishment of a
Russian-Armenian joint venture for prospecting uranium and other
mineral resources in Armenia. Russia and Armenia have equal (50/50)
shares in the company’s authorized capital. The company will start
its activities as soon as the project is approved by the state
environmental inspection – in Sept 2008.

Kiriyenko said that the JV would have access to all Russia-based
archives on uranium reserves in Armenia. Russia is ready to finance
additional prospecting and industrial development of uranium in
Armenia.

Thus, Russia and Armenia are starting projects in all segments of
the peaceful use of nuclear energy, Rosatom official Web site reported.

ANC-PAC ENDORSES ARMENIAN AMERICAN WOMAN RUNNING FOR CONGRESS

armradio.am
07.02.2008 18:26

The Political Action Committee (ANC-PAC) has endorsed Jackie Speier in
her campaign to serve as the next U.S. Representative for California’s
12th Congressional District. Speier, who is of Armenian descent, has
served as a County Supervisor, State Assemblymember and State Senator
in a distinguished career that has spanned over three decades. Since
1980, California’s 12th Congressional District has been represented
by Tom Lantos (D-CA), who recently announced that he would not seek
reelection in 2008 due to a diagnosis of cancer.

"We know that Jackie will be an effective fighter in Congress for
her constituents," said ANC-PAC supporter Roxanne Makasdjian. "She’s
dedicated to human rights and democracy, and she knows the challenges
that Armenian Americans face in addressing U.S. policy in the Caucasus
and genocide denial on Capitol Hill."

"The Armenian National Committee of America have made phenomenal
strides in educating Congress on the importance of recognizing the
Armenian Genocide," said Speier. "I value my longstanding friendship
with the ANC, and look forward to promoting in Congress all the
successful measures I have pursued on behalf of Armenian Americans
in the CA State Legislature," she added.

Jackie Speier’s career as a public servant began in the 1980s when
she won a seat on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors. After
serving for six years as a San Mateo County Supervisor, she made a
successful bid for the State Assembly and in 1998 was elected to the
State Senate. In 2006 she attempted to gain the California Democratic
Party’s nomination for Lieutenant Governor, but was narrowly defeated
by John Garamendi.

The San Jose Mercury News has previously reported that "no one
comes close to Speier’s remarkable record of getting substantive
legislation signed into law." In fact, her legislative success
over the years was once rated "Ruthian" by the Los Angeles Times,
a reference to baseball’s prolific homerun king Babe Ruth. According
to state legislative records, as a member of the California State
Assembly and later State Senate, Speier authored over 300 bills that
have been signed into law by Democratic and Republican Governors.

The 12th Congressional District, which is home to an active Armenian
American community, encompasses San Mateo County and a portion of San
Francisco. The district is located just to the south of California’s
8th Congressional District, which is represented by Nancy Pelosi,
the Speaker of the House.

Speier has been a longtime friend to many Armenian American
activists in the San Francisco-Bay Area. She will be honored by
the San Francisco-Bay Area Armenian National Committee chapter on
March 8th at their annual banquet. In 2005, Speier was honored in
Los Angeles by the Armenian National Committee – Western Region as
the organization’s Woman of the Year.

Among her legislative achievements on Armenian issues, Speier
co-authored a bill, that was later signed into law, allowing California
families of victims of the Armenian Genocide to bring claims arising
out of the failure of banks to pay or turn over their deposited or
looted assets.

RUSSIAN PREMIER: RUSSIA TO ACTIVATE ECONOMIC COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA

arminfo
2008-02-06 13:40:00

ArmInfo. Russia preserves status quo of the leading foreign economic
partner of Armenia and is going to activate economic cooperation in
future, Russian Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov which officially visited
Armenia said at today’s press-conference in Yerevan.

He also added that the main attention during today’s talks with
Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisyan was drawn to development of
the economic cooperation. The talks were the logical continuation
of the recent meeting of Armenian and Russian premiers in Moscow,
Zubkov said and added that bilateral commodity circulation between
Russia and Armenia grew by 60% over the last two years. According
to the results of 2006 commodity circulation was more than $700
mln. "We think this is not an end and we shall soon reach $1 bln",-
Russian premier said. Moreover, Russia has become the main foreign
investor of Armenia and the volume of Russian investments in the
Armenian economy is assessed in $1 bln. "This is a serious argument
of our intentions to develop relations in the sphere of investments,
taking into account the fact that joint investment programmes are
successfully implemented and involve new branches", – he said. Zubkov
called prospective the cooperation in the sphere of nuclear energy,
diamonds production and telecommunications. He specially mentioned
cooperation in the sphere of railway transport. "I am sure that
organizing of a regular ferry crossing Kavkaz-Poti will directly
enrich our trade and economic relations", – he said and added that
the first lot of Armenian cement was successfully delivered to Russia
and is a competitive product at the Russian market.

Armenian cement, breakstone and other inert materials will have
good prospects in connection with Olympic facilities construction
in Sochi. He assured that strengthening of the Russian-Armenian
relations will first of all give a social effect for the citizens of
the two states.

He also said that as a result of today’s talks an agreement
was signed on improvement of the bilateral trade regime and on
development of cooperation in the sphere of information technologies
and communication. Moreover, the parties exchanged notes on making
of the inter-governmental agreement about Armenia’s participation in
the activity of international centre on uranium enrichment in Angarsk.

For his part, Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisyan said that
the transport problem still remains the main problem that hinders
development of the trade and economic relations between Armenia and
Russia. He thinks that the fact of passing of the Armenian railway
to the Russian railways for concession management will much promote
this problem resolving. "We are going to deepen our trade and economic
relations more", – he said.

TADIC RE-ELECTED SERBIA PRESIDENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.02.2008 14:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Serbia’s pro-Western President Boris Tadic has
won re-election in a contest with nationalist Tomislav Nikolic,
but his narrow victory may only have set up a fresh struggle over
the country’s future course.

Analysts say it puts the survival of Serbia’s ruling coalition
in question as it braces for the secession of Kosovo, the
Albanian-dominated province, which has Western backing for a
declaration of independence in the next few weeks.

Tadic won Sunday’s presidential election by 50.5 percent to around
47.8 percent, according to a partial count by the state electoral
commission, which reported many spoiled ballots. Tadic enjoys support
of Belgrade and other major cities while his opponent is backed
by provinces.

"Serbia has shown its great democratic potential," Tadic said, in
his victory speech, praising Nikolic for "the number of votes he
has won." "This is Serbia’s victory. I think we have proven both to
Europe and everywhere else in the world what kind of democracy we
have in Serbia."

In a 2004 presidential race, Tadic beat Nikolic easily by some 9
percentage points, in what the West saw as a welcome sign that the
reactionary nationalism which fuelled war in the 1990s over the
breakup of Yugoslavia was steadily weakening, Reuters reports.