Author: Madatian Greg

ARF DASHNAKTSUTIUN DOES NOT AGREE TO POLICY OF AUTHORITIES ENCOURAGING EXISTENCE OF MONOPOLIES," HAVAN HOVHANNISIAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Dec 13, 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The decision of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation on not supporting the candidate of the
authorities and taking part in the presidential elections with their
own candidate speaks about the fact that the representatives of that
party do not agree to the internal policy conducted by the authorities
with regard to many issues.

This statement was made by Vahan Hovhannisian, the Vice Speaker
of the National Assembly and a member of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation, at the press conference held on December 13. In his words,
that divergence of opinions concerns, in particular, the policy being
implemented in the economic sphere, which is giving preference to
monopolies, which, in the conviction of Vahan Hovhannisian, should
be prevented. In case of not being prevented, in his prevision,
monopoly will "move" to the poplitical field from economy.

"Being for changes, we do not think that they should be implemented
through agitations or through creating instability in the country,"
the Vice Speaker of the National Assembly said. According to him, it
is a sorrowful fact that there is still a conviction among society,
according to which shouting political forces with "I will smash to
smithereens" slogan are good opposition.

THERE SHOULD NOT BE LEGITIMACY SUSPICION AFTER ELECTION

Yerkir
13.12.2007 15:48

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – ARF Bureau member and presidential hopeful Vahan
Hovhannisian says the upcoming presidential election should be
conducted in such high-level moral conditions that no legitimacy
suspicion is raised.

He said we need a president that the opponents could congratulate
him with an open heart. Explaining the decision to stand in the
presidential election, Hovhannisian said his party has certain
disagreements with the domestic policies of the authorities.

"The nomination indicates that we see a need for certain changes. We
have argued over some economic issues since 2003 when we were part of
the ruling coalition. Mostly, it is the policy of granting privileges
to monopolies. In addition, the political picture that was the result
of the 2007 parliamentary election should be ruled out," Hovhannisian
said. He added that he did not wish to speak about details because
the election campaigns have not started yet.

Hovhannisian brushed aside commentaries by politicians and commentators
denying the existence of a third political pole; he said that pole
already exists. The party has calculated its nominee’s chances and
has concluded that his chances are more than real. Hovhannisian also
refused to unveil the party’s election tactics and promised the party
will bring surprises during the campaign.

He also said that regardless the election results, the ARF will
continue to cooperate with the Republican Party.

ARMENIAN EMBASSY TO OPEN A NEW BUILDING IN ABU DHABI TODAY

Panorama.am
14:43 12/12/2007

Today President Robert Kocharyan will meet with President of United
Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Khalifa ben Zaieed Al Nahian in Abu
Dhabi. Earlier president press services reported that following the
meeting President Kocharyan will meet with Prime Minister, Dubai
Governor Sheikh Muhammad Ben Rashid Al-Maqtum.

During the day President Kocharyan will meet with Ahmad Al Mazru,
general director of Abu Dhabi Development Foundation. He will also take
part in the opening ceremony of the Armenian embassy building in UAE.

The delegation spearheaded by the president left for UAE on December
11. Several top level agreements are going to be signed in agriculture,
tourism, air communication. Tomorrow the delegation will leave for
Ras Al Kkaima where it will meet with Prince and Vice Governor Sheikh
Saud ben Sakr Al Kasim.

On December 13, the delegation spearheaded by the president will
return back to Yerevan. The Armenian president was in UAE last time
on April 20-22, 2002.

ARMENIA BACKS TURKEY IN EU
By Tony Barber in Brussels

FT
December 12 2007 02:00

Armenia favours Turkey’s bid to join the European Union because it
might improve the prospects for overcoming the strained relations
between Ankara and Yerevan, according to Serzh Sargsyan, Armenia’s
prime minister.

"I think it would be good for us if Turkey’s desire to become a
member of the European Union were satisfied," Mr Sargsyan told the
Financial Times.

"Maybe the problems between us could find a solution within an EU
framework."

Turkey has no diplomatic relations with Armenia and closed its
borders with its smaller, poorer neighbour in 1993 in solidarity with
Azerbaijan, its regional partner. Armenia complains the closure has
severely disrupted its foreign trade.

Turkey made its move in response to the capture by Armenian forces
of Azerbaijani territory during a war over the predominantly ethnic
Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, which lies inside Azerbaijan.

Turkey and Armenia are also at odds over the mass killings of Armenians
in 1915 in the Ottoman Empire, an event that Armenia regards as
genocide, but which the modern Turkish state refuses to recognise
as such.

Mr Sargsyan, 53, who is the early favourite to win Armenia’s
presidential elections on February 19, said he hoped Turkey would
produce proposals for improving ties with Armenia after the vote.

Referring to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s prime minister, he said:
"I don’t think it’s correct to say he’s not committed to establishing
relations with Armenia. We’ll see what happens in the future."

Mr Sargsyan, describing himself as optimistic that Armenia and Turkey
would make progress, asked: "After all, what do we gain, what do the
Turks gain, from the present situation? Even in the time of the cold
war, when Armenia was part of the Soviet Union and Turkey was in Nato,
we used to have a certain relationship with Turkey.

"A railway line was built through Armenia to Turkey. A high-voltage
electricity line was built between the two countries. Why should my
wish for relations not be logical now?"

SIGNS OF RIFT BETWEEN TURKEY AND ISRAEL?

The New Anatolian, Turkey
Dec 10 2007

Turkey has irked Israel by disqualifying its state company IAI from
a major spy satellite tender while the Jewish state has turned down
Ankara’s request to open a Turkish Cypriot representative office in
Tel Aviv creating speculation that relations between the two countries
may not be so warm after all.

According to Israeli daily Haaretz Israel told a visiting Greek
Cypriot minister that it has decided to reject Turkey’s request to
open a Turkish Cypriot trade representation office in Tel Aviv.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul had asked President Shimon Peres for
approval for such an office during Peres’ visit to Ankara last month.

Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan also asked Peres to examine
the possibility of operating air and sea traffic between Israel and
Famagusta in North Cyprus.

Syria has facilitated a similar Turkish request allowing ferry services
between Famagusta and Latakia. The Greek Cypriots have opposed the
move and have made numerous attempts to halt the services. However,
the Syrians refused the Greek Cypriot requests.

Greek Cypriot Foreign Minister Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis, who visited
Israel last week, told Haaretz that Peres and Foreign Minister Tzipi
Livni told her Israel would reject Turkey’s requests.

Haaretz said Israeli officials confirmed this. "We are aware of the
sensitivities and have no intention of deviating from the accepted
UN position," the paper quoted an Israeli official as saying.

Kozakou-Marcoullis officially visited Israel to be briefed on
developments in the peace process and to explore bilateral relations.

Unofficially, according to sources involved in her visit, she also
wanted to ensure Greek Cyprus was not harmed by the expanding relations
between Israel and Turkey.

Meanwhile, Turkey said it will to continue negotiations for Gokturk
spy satellite project with German, Italian and British companies
while Israeli IAI was disqualified.

Sources close to the Defense Industry Executive Committee said the
reluctance of the Israeli side to provide images through the Israeli
system played a role in this decision.

There were reports that Israeli officials including President Peres
had lobbied on behalf of the IAI.

Turkish-Israeli relations have had its ups and downs recently.

Turks were angered when the powerful Jewish organization
Anti-Defamation League (ADL) supported claims of an Armenian
genocide. Then came the news that Israeli jets had raided Syrian
targets while dropping fuel tanks in Turkish territory.

Israel apologized for the incident while the ADL said it did not
support a resolution at the U.S. House of Representatives supporting
claims that Ottoman Turks had committed genocide against Armenians.

Things seemed to return to normal when President Peres visited
Ankara. However, the latest incidents seem to suggest the ups and
downs in Turkish-Israeli relations continue.

"ADVOCACY WEEK 106" HELD IN WASHINGTON

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.12.2007 13:20 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Human rights advocates from all over the western
United States traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in "Advocacy
Week 106" from Monday, December 3 through Friday, December 7, reported
the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR).

"We have seen scores of constituents expressing deep concerns over the
inaccurate, misrepresented and distorted nature of media coverage on
the resolution in October," stated ANCA-WR Executive Director Andrew
Kzirian. "These human rights activists traveled to Washington, DC to
help set the record straight and remind Members what the resolution
is really all about – ending the cycle of genocide and not succumbing
to Turkey’s denial," he added.

Convening at the ANCA’s Washington headquarters, constituents from
Idaho, Arizona, Texas and California conducted over 150 meetings
on Capitol Hill with Members of the House and Senate. Although
not usually in session at this time of year, Congress will likely
convene well into December to address various pieces of appropriation
legislation. Constituents viewed this extra time in session as an
opportunity to help raise awareness of recent developments regarding
the resolution and the Turkish government’s denialist activities.

Introduced by Representative Adam Schiff, the Armenian Genocide
resolution (H. Res. 106) passed through the House Committee on Foreign
Affairs on October 10, 2007 by a vote of 27-21 despite unprecedented
opposition by President Bush and other facets of the administration,
including current and former high-ranking cabinet officials from the
Departments of State and Defense.

Panorama.am

16:35 05/12/2007

ARMENIAN AND SYRIAN BUSINESSMEN TO GATHER IN ALEPPO

In 2008, an Armenian-Syrian business forum will be organized in
Aleppo. Armenian goods will also be exhibited. Special arrangements
are taken during November trip of Armenian trade and industry chamber
delegation, headed by Martin Sargsyan, in Aleppo. Armenian trade and
industry chamber press services told Panorama.am that Aleppo governor
Tamir Al-Haji suggested to provide a free space for exhibition of the
Armenian products. According to the source, trade houses of both
countries will be established in Armenia and Syria. These structures
will study the markets in the country and offer goods.

The trade turnover between Armenia and Syria is $2 million according
to the Armenian National Statistics Service.

Source: Panorama.am

ICG: MILITARY ACTIONS MAY RESTART IN 2012

armradio.am
05.12.2007 15:40

Representative of the International Crisis Group Claire Delessard
declared during the discussions on the ICG report on Nagorno Karabakh
that up until now Armenia and Azerbaijan have not managed to come to
an agreement on the suggestions of the OSCE Minsk Group. "We regret
that the parties do not demonstrate a strong political will and the
two Governments do not prepare their societies for peace," Delessard
noted. According to her, military preparations are currently underway
in both countries.

"The military actions may resume in 2012, when the oil revenues of
Azerbaijan fall," Delessard said, adding that the international
community must pay special attention to the resolution of this
conflict and reach the agreement of the parties by 2012 with the
mediating efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group.

"After the oil revenues decrease, the situation may turn critical,
and only the civil society may play an important role in the settlement
process," the ICG expert noted.

PRESIDNET KOCHARYAN INSTRUCTS TO MOBILIZE THE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FIELD OF WATER INDUSTRY

armradio.am
05.12.2007 16:01

During today’s working meeting with the Chairman of the State Committee
on Water Management of Armenia Andranik Andreasyan RA Presidnet Robert
Kocharyan instructed to mobilize all the investment opportunities in
the sphere of water industry.

Robert Kocharyan said that to improve the services in the sphere
of water supply and irrigation it is necessary to accomplish the
preparation works of the new investment programs as soon as possible.

Mr. Andreasyan presented to the President the results of the
Committee’s annual activity, according to which the general situation
in the system was assessed as satisfactory.

KARABAKH IS INDIFFERENT TOWARD INTERNET

KarabakhOpen
06-12-2007 11:36:20

In Karabakh we often hear "reports" on the development of information
technology. However, very little is done about it. For instance, if
we search Google for Karabakh, the first ten results are Azerbaijani
sites. It would not be bad to see the site of the NKR parliament
on this list. Unfortunately, there is no such a site on the web,
although it has been said necessary for ten years now.

In the 21 century when every confectioner has its web site, the
National Assembly is still thinking or not thinking. Many may say it
is expensive.

Not, of course, because the money spent on the dome of the parliament
building would be enough to develop three web sites, while the dome
does not even protect from rain. Meanwhile, if someone wants to learn
about the structure of the NKR National Assembly or the laws it has
passed, they will have to call on the speaker of parliament.

In August the 15th anniversary of the Internet was celebrated, but
Karabakh remains indifferent to it. Many do not even know they can
easily send a photo to their relative abroad. If a benefactor gave
ten computers to a secondary school in Martakert, it does not mean
IT is developing in Karabakh. Computers often lie in classrooms like
museum exhibits.

Lack of learning technology is felt in Karabakh. There is no school
where one can learn modern IT management. In computer classes all
students learn is to switch on and off the computer and open the
mailbox. Meanwhile, our children know how to do these things without
attending any classes.