Author: Maghakian Mike

GOVERNMENT OF ARMENIA TO MAKE OUT LIST OF OFFSHORE ZONES

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Oct 2 2007

ArmInfo. Armenian parliamentarians passed a bill of amendments to
the Law On Profit Tax in the first reading, Tuesday.

Deputy Head of Armenian State Revenues Service Armen Alaverdyan
presented the bill on behalf of the Armenian Government. He said
the 10% profit tax imposed on the Armenian offshore companies
is in question, except those which Armenia has agreements on
free economic zones and treaties on avoidance of double taxation
with. A. Alaverdyan said the bill proposes the Government to make
out the list of offshore zones on the basis of relevant requests to
the countries having offshore zones. Earlier, the Central Bank was
engaged in these issues. The bill defines the concept ‘offshore zone’,
‘business activity in offshore zones’ and other issues.

OSMAN ELMACI DEPRIVED OF SEAT IN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT OVER ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIAL

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.10.2007 15:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Christian-Democrat party in the Netherlands,
the CDA (Christian Democrat Appel), has announced that Mr. Osman Elmaci
has been turned down from having a seat in the European Parliament due
to his attitude toward and his remarks denying the Armenian Genocide.

The European Armenian Federation reported that Mr. Elmaci, who had
already been ousted from the last legislative elections for the same
reasons, was the number three person behind the current MEP Joop Post,
who has resigned. He was to become a Member of the European Parliament
after the withdrawal of Mr. Bartho Pronk’s candidacy. CDA leaders,
already having a past record of principled stance against genocide
denial, vetoed this possibility. Mr. Post will finally be replaced
by Mr. Cornelis Visseur.

"We congratulate the CDA party for this courageous and visionary
political decision. Denial – under the pretext of ‘freedom of
expression’ – can only serve to perpetuate the racial hatred from
which it derives," declared Laurent Leylekian, Executive Director of
the European Armenian Federation.

ARMENIA OF INTEREST TO INVESTORS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 1 2007

YEREVAN, October 1. /ARKA/. Armenia is of interest to investors
in information technologies, Technical Director of "Arminco"
Internet-provider company Grigory Saghian said at the seminar "Modern
technologies in solving the problem of "last mile" on Monday.

According to Saghian, Armenia has the most advantageous conditions
in the region in terms of recoupment of investments.

"We have low crime rate; we are the 39th in simplicity of establishing
and doing a business so that Armenia is an attractive country for
investors," Saghian said.

He pointed out that the country has a great intellectual and financial
potential for the development of IT sector.

Among disadvantages in Internet development of Armenia, Saghian pointed
out the lack of the required recourses in the Armenian language.

"Our users not always know the languages in which the main stuff is
presented in the web, and there is no that much stuff in Armenian,"
he said.

According to him, another problem is the low level of development
of the telecommunication infrastructures and the high tariffs as
a consequence.

"For development of infrastructures, investments and competition
are required. As of October 1 "ArmenTel" telecommunication company
is deprived of all its monopolies in the field, which will lead to
development of competition and reduction in prices and will encourage
investors to invest means in the development of infrastructures,"
Saghian said.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH US EMBASSY THE KAPAN AMERICAN CORNER OPENED IN ARMENIA

ArmRadio – Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 1 2007

On October 1, in partnership with the US Embassy in Armenia, Kapan
American Corner was officially opened.

In his opening remarks Ambassador Rudolf Perina, US Charge d´Affairs
a.i. said, "This American Corner will make accessible to the residents
of Kapan and Syunik Marz the diverse resources available at the
Corner and will facilitate the dialogue and mutual understanding
between Armenia and the United States."

American Corners are small American-style libraries located throughout
the world that help increase mutual understanding between the
United States and the host country. A network of over 370 American
Corners is operating globally through partnerships between the US
Department of State and local host organizations. American Corners
provide information about America in a variety of formats, including
reference books, works of fiction, journals, and videos.

These resources focus on such topics as studying in the United States,
American society, US history, conducting business in the United States,
and English as a Second Language. The Corners also provide computers
with Internet access, and offer a variety of public programs including
speakers and workshops. The American Corners are open to the general
public and access is free of charge.

Currently American Corners are in operation in Yerevan, Gyumri,
Vanadzor and Kapan.

American Corner program officially started in Armenia in 2005. The
Corners hold a variety of public events, including "Americans at the
American Corner" public lecture series in English by US diplomats and
"Armenians at the American Corner" Armenian presentations by USG
education and exchanges program alumni, American movie showings,
and English conversation club meetings initiated by US Peace Corps
volunteers.

–Boundary_(ID_cND9eYCF/KClt6qr XpTnhQ)–

AZG Armenian Daily #177, 29/09/2007

Culture

MAESTRO LORIS CHGNAVORIAN IN ARMENIA

After a long absence the former General Conductor and Instructor of
the Symphonic Band of Armenia Maestro Loris Chgnavorian is in
motherland. He spoke about his 16-years Armenian memories at a meeting
in National Press Club on September 27.

Loris Chgnavorian, born in Iran, is happy to see a new progress, a new
building, street or a beautiful smile, but at the same time expresses
his regret about the disappearing Tamanian’s style and old Yerevan.

Maestro informed that on October 13 he will be 70 and he is going to
celebrate it in Armenia, with his family.

He spoke of his musical programs and informed that he has more than 70
works today: 4 operas, 6 symphonies and various works recorded and
published in Germany and Austria.

Chgnavorian spoke about his last work titled "Book of Revelations"
devoted to the Armenian Genocide.

What about the Anthem of Armenia, there is no need to change it,
according to him. "The Anthem is about the poor life and history of
our people. We must remove all the defects and then speak of
anthem. Armenians are spread all over the world. We must unite and be
one nation. Our culture is in churches, it is a spiritual music, but
today we hear more Arabic and Rabis (low quality music). The initiator
of culture’s return must be the Ministry of Education and Science.
The whole world admires the Armenian Church psalms, but instead of it
our people prefer Persian and Arabic music."

By Nairi Muradian, translated by L.H.

VARTAN OSKANIAN: IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT EXPERIENCED DIPLOMATS WOULD BUY INTO TURKISH MANIPULATION

ArmRadio – Public Radio, Armenia
Sept 28 2007

Vartan Oskanian, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of
Armenia issued a statement on the Letter by Former Secretaries of
State to the Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi
on House Resolution 106.

The Minister’s statement says: "It is with dismay that I read the
content of the letter signed by former US Secretaries of State urging
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to derail H. Res. 106.

It is quite unfortunate that eight experienced diplomats would buy
into Turkish manipulation. There is much to disagree with in that
letter, especially about the purported dangers of such a resolution.

I will only address the insincere claim that such a resolution would
"damage efforts to promote reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey."

I regret to say that there is no process in place to promote
normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey. Expressing
concern about damaging a process that doesn’t exist is disingenuous.

Armenia has always been ready to have normal relations with its
neighbor. Yet, every initiative that would lead toward normalization
has been rejected by Turkey. Instead, it continues to place
pre-conditions. Turkey makes offers that are simply invitations for
open-ended talk, without serious commitment to arriving at minimal,
ordinary relations between neighbors. Even their call for a historical
commission to discuss painful, historic events is not serious, given
their prohibitive penal consequences for open speech and discussion
and the adversarial environment Turkey has created by maintaining
closed borders with Armenia.

I have already written to Speaker Pelosi to express our deep concerns
and to dismiss as unfounded any implication that a resolution that
addresses matters of human rights and genocide could damage anyone’s
bilateral relations."

ARMENIAN FM RESENTS ATTEMPTS TO FAIL RESOLUTION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AT US CONGRESS

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 28 2007

YEREVAN, September 28. /ARKA/. RA foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan
is indignant at the appeal made by former US Secretaries of State to
the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi "to derail H. Res. 106."

"It is with dismay that I read the content of the letter signed by
former US Secretaries of State urging Speaker of the House Nancy
Pelosi to derail H. Res. 106," says Minister Oskanyan’s statement.

"It is quite unfortunate that eight experienced diplomats would buy
into Turkish manipulation. There is much to disagree with in that
letter, especially about the purported dangers of such a resolution.

I will only address the insincere claim that such a resolution would
"damage efforts to promote reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey,"
stated the Minister.

I regret to say that there is no process in place to promote
normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey. Expressing
concern about damaging a process that doesn’t exist is disingenuous.

"Armenia has always been ready to have normal relations with its
neighbor. Yet, every initiative that would lead toward normalization
has been rejected by Turkey. Instead, it continues to place
pre-conditions. Turkey makes offers that are simply invitations for
open-ended talk, without serious commitment to arriving at minimal,
ordinary relations between neighbors.

Even their call for a historical commission to discuss painful,
historic events is not serious, given their prohibitive penal
consequences for open speech and discussion and the adversarial
environment Turkey has created by maintaining closed borders with
Armenia," says the statement.

"I have already written to Speaker Pelosi to express our deep concerns
and to dismiss as unfounded any implication that a resolution that
addresses matters of human rights and genocide could damage anyone’s
bilateral relations," Oskanyan said.

Eight former US Secretaries of State – Madelen Albright, James Baker,
Warren Christopher, Lorence Eagleburger, Alexander Haigue, Henry
Kissinger, Colin Powel and George Schultz urged Speaker of the House
Nancy Pelosi to derail Resolution 106 on the Armenian Genocide.

According to them, the discussion of this issue will make
Armenian-Turkish reconciliation impossible, affect the USA’s relations
with official Ankara and the USA’s national and foreign interests,
create a threat to the military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Resolution was submitted to the House on January 30. It is called
a House Resolution, and its adoption does not require the US Senate’s
approval and the US President’s signature.

ARMENIA ASKS EU TO RECONSIDER TURKISH ENTRY

Malaysia Sun, Malaysia
Sept 27 2007

Armenia has asked the European Union to carefully consider any decision
to admit Turkey before the two countries settle their disputes.

Turkey closed its borders with its tiny neighbour in 1993 in protest
at Armenia’s capture of territory inside Azerbaijan, an historic ally
of Turkey’s.

The two countries are also at odds over Ankara’s refusal to acknowledge
as genocide the massacre of large numbers of Armenians in Ottoman
Turkey at the start of the last century.

The Armenians believe the application by Turkey to join the EU
should be conditional on Ankara changing its stance on the border
with Armenia and on diplomatic relations.

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ARMENIA: IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING

United Press International
Sept 27 2007

Slight delay for Iran-Armenia pipeline

YEREVAN, Armenia, Sept. 27 (UPI) — The deadline for the construction
of the second phase of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline has been delayed
from late 2008 to January 2009.

Arminfo reported Thursday the Armenian Cabinet announced that work
on the section from the town of Kajaran to the town of Ararat will
be completed next January.

The government instructed gas firm Hayrusgazard to conduct construction
and project work simultaneously taking into account environmental
concerns, a government statement said.

The Kajaran-Ararat section is 122.65 miles long. Once it’s complete,
Iranian supplies to Armenia will rise from 450 million cubic meters
a year to 2.3 billion cu m a year, Arminfo reported.

HEAD OF INTERPOL YEREVAN OFFICE: WE ARE CLOSELY COOPERATING WITH TURKISH COLLEAGUES

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Sept 26 2007

ArmInfo. Turkey is one of our closest partners, the chief of National
Central Bureau of Interpol in Armenia Colonel Vardan Egiazaryan said
at the press-conference, Wednesday.

Recalling that the Turkish office of Interpol is one of the oldest ones
and Turkey is Interpol member since 1992, Egiazaryan emphasized that
in general Interpol regulations forbids discrimination on political,
military, ethnic and religious reasons.

To recall, there are not diplomatic relations between Armenia and
Turkey, and the Armenian-Turkish border has been closed since 1992.