Author: Maghakian Mike

HULIQ (press release), NC
July 30 2008

Why Should Everyone At Least Once Visit Armenia

There are numerous impressive and memorable sites in Armenia. However,
every single visitor will forever remember the most majestic and the
noblest scene in the world, the fabulous view of Holy Mount Ararat.

Every Christian must see the Ararat at least once in his life. The
Bible says about this mountain: `And on the seventeenth day of the
seventh month the ark comes to rest on the mountains of Ararat.’
(Genesis, 8:4). During the great flood, after floating on waters for
150 days, the Noah’s ark stopped on Mount Ararat. And on this very
day, the human race was granted a second birth in Armenia: on Mount
Ararat. And this very fact makes both Ararat and Armenia a holy place.
Many scientists and researchers have tried to find the ark. And for
this purpose Ararat has been photographed from satellites. Many
interested facts have been discovered and they indirectly confirm the
existence of the ark. In any case, many puzzles here will one day get
their answers.

Mount Ararat has been the source of inspiration for many poets and
painters with its matchless beauty.

Although the Ararat Mountain is not in Armenian territorial borders,
but the best views of the Holy Mountain are from Armenia. The big
mount of Ararat Armenians call Masis, and the Small Ararat is called
Sis. All tours in Armenia `include observations of Ararat’ from
Ararat plateau, from Yerevan city and suburbia, as well as from many
hotels, apartments and residences (mainly from Norq district) that
gives wonderful views of the mountain.

One of the best observation posts for the mountain is R. Israelyan’s
memorial `Masis temple’. This arch is located on the way the Garni,
and from this post you have enjoy the unique view of Ararat and Ararat
Plateau. On the arch the words of famous Armenian poet Yeghishe
Chartents are engraved: `Pass over the world, you will not find the
top whiter than Ararat’s, like unreachable praise way, I love my mount
of Ararat’. The monument can be visited during the tour to Garni
temple.

There is a beautiful view to Ararat Mountain from Khor Virap. The Holy
place of Armenia Apostolic Church and pilgrims, Khor Virap is located
close to the border with Turkey, on a hill. For the whole way from
Yerevan to Khor Virap, the mountain is escorting travelers, creating
an impression like it is inviting you to visit.

You can choose any tour that will give you a wonderful impression,
but, however Ararat view will be the most memorable one.

LATEST EVENTS IN JAVAKHK HAVE POLITICAL DIRECTION, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF CAUCASIAN MEDIA INSTITUTE CONSIDERS

Noyan Tapan

Ju ly 30, 2008

YEREVAN, JULY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. The latest events in Javakhk have
a political direction. Sergei Minasian, the Deputy Director of the
Caucasian Media Institute, expressed such an opinion at the July 30
press conference. In his words, "the circumstance that a great number
of special troops have been brought in Javakhk shows that indeed
it is a political crisis." According to A. Minasian, the reasons of
these events are deeper and they are caused by the socio-economic,
political situation in Javakhk in the past 15 years. "I do not think
that serious, armed conflicts will happen between Armenians of Javakhk
and Georgian authorities, but the formed strained situation will be
still kept," he said.

And the Armenian authorities, according to A. Minasian, will have
to carry on more active policy towards Javakhk. "The policy carried
on in that direction currently is not efficient, and unless RA state
bodies carry on more active policy in Javakhk, more serious problems
will emerge. In particular, the opposition forces may fill up that
gap in the political sphere on the Armenian side," A. Minasian said.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION COLLECTS 100,000 SIGNATURES TO SUE EX-PRESIDENT

Assa-Irada Weekly
July 28 2008
Azerbaijan

The Armenian opposition led by former president Levon Ter-Petrosian has
collected over 100,000 signatures to take ex-president Robert Kocharian
to the International Court of Justice at the Hague, Ter-Petrosians
spokesman said. Arman Musinian told journalists that the Armenian
public was very actively involved in the signature campaign. We are
expecting even greater results in the next two months. Signatures
are coming from regions throughout the republic but the capital citys
residents are the most active, he said. Musinian said the opposition
had encountered some challenges during its campaign. At times, citizens
sent by the authorities come to put down their signatures with others
passports to make it possible to prove that the signatures were forged
in the future, in a bid to stage a provocation, the spokesman said. We
recall that the Ter-Petrosian-backed Nationwide Movement announced
July 14 that the Armenian opposition had launched the collection
of required signatures to sue Kocharian. Opposition representatives
believe that the ex-president had personally ordered to ruthlessly
put down mass protests by demonstrators who challenged the results
of the February 19 presidential election on March 1. During 10 says
of post-election protests staged by Ter-Petrosians supporters, 10
people were killed, 265 injured and over 100 arrested.

TABDC WELCOMES IRAN’S PROPOSAL TO MEDIATE BETWEEN ANKARA AND YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
29.07.2008 14:42 GMT+04:00

Kaan Soyak, co-chairman of the Turkey-Armenia business development
council (TABDC), welcomed Iran’s proposal to mediate between Ankara
and Yerevan. Pointing out to the fact that Turkey and Armenia are on
the brink of a breakthrough, Soyak said for the first time regional
countries and the Minsk Group (the United States, Russia and France)
all agreed on the need for peace between the two countries, the
Anatolia News Agency reports.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki offered his country’s
mediation for Armenia-Turkey reconciliation during a phone conversation
with RA FM Edward Nalbandian.

Turkey severed its ties and closed its border with Armenia in 1993
as a token of solidarity with Azerbaijan in the Nagorno Karabakh issue.

Ankara also says the normalization of ties depends on Armenia’s formal
recognition of the current borders with Turkey and changing its policy
of calling for worldwide recognition of the Armenian Genocide at the
hands of the Ottoman Empire.

In a sign of readiness to normalize ties, Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan proposed "a fresh start" in relations with Turkey
in an article published in The Wall Street Journal earlier this
month. Sargsyan also invited Gul to a World Cup qualifying match
between Armenian and Turkish teams on September 6.

MEETING OF ARMENIAN AND UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTS TAKES PLACE

ARMENPRESS
JULY 29

Armenian President Serzh Sargsian, within the frameworks of his
visit to Crimea, Ukraine, met with his Ukrainian counterpart Viktor
Yushchenko.

The face-to-face meeting of the presidents passed in a warm
atmosphere. The Ukrainian president reconfirmed his invitation
addressed to Serzh Sargsian to pay an official visit to Ukraine in the
last quarter of 2008. During the conversation the sides underscored
the necessity of conduction of the session of the Armenian-Ukrainian
inter-governmental commission before the visit and reached agreement
over signing a number of documents which will promote the further
cooperation between the two countries.

Serzh Sargsian and Viktor Yushchenko underscored the further expansion
of Armenian-Ukrainian economic ties which may be promoted by the
conduction of Armenian-Ukrainian business conference. The sides
underscored the increase of trade turnover between the two countries
and promotion of inter-provincial partnership. V. Yushchenko suggested
that within the framework of S. Sargsian’s official visit the latter
visit one of the Ukrainian provinces.

During the meeting the two presidents also discussed issues on
using the full potential in cooperation in humanitarian, cultural,
scientific and educational spheres. President of Ukraine underscored
the special contribution of the Ukrainian-Armenian community in the
development of Armenian-Ukrainian friendship and expressed readiness
to jointly discuss all the issues of the Ukraine’s Armenian community.

The two presidents also discussed a number of regional and
international issues. The Armenian president also expressed gratitude
to his Ukrainian counterpart for the state support in reconstruction
of St. Cross Church.

YEREVAN COGNAC FACTORY SUMS UP YEAR

Panorama.am
21:50 24/07/2008

In 2007-2008 financial year Yerevan Cognac Factory managed to increase
its purchase percent to 24%, reported the executive director of the
factory Sedrik Retaio, in a meeting with the journalists.

The executive director mentioned that the purchase amount in Russia
is very high (29%), then comes Ukraine (26%), Baltic Countries
(55%), Kazakhstan and Armenia (14%). He has also mentioned that a
significant development has been fixed in Germany, Poland, and Czech
Republic. He said that Ararat Cognac will be purchased in Vietnam,
Mongolia, Turkmenistan, Australia and other countries.

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN MET WITH PACE CHAIRMAN

armradio.am
25.07.2008 12:01

President Serzh Sargsyan received Luis Maria de Puig, President of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), President’s
Press Office reported.

The two sides discussed the process of implementation of the
recommendations contained in Resolutions 1609 and 1620.

Noting that the authorities scrupulously studied the two Resolutions,
President Sargsyan reiterated the determination of Armenia to fully
implement them. At the same time he said that the provisions of the
Resolutions are present in his pre-election program, as well as in
the Memorandum signed by the political coalition. "It means that we
are taking those steps not because we are compelled to but because we
are determined to," stressed the President of Armenia. He added that
"I am confident that for Armenia there is no way other than democracy
and we will follow that way steadily."

The President of PACE positively assessed his visit to Armenia and
said that his objective was to encourage and assist in the rapid
implementation of the provisions of the Resolutions. He said that some
progress in that direction was already noticeable which is commendable.

Mr. Luis Maria de Puig spoke with the President of Armenia about
the impartial investigation of the events of March 1-2. He concurred
with the proposal of the CE Commissioner for Human Rights,20Thomas
Hammarberg to establish a fact-finding mission.

The next issue raised by the President of PACE concerned the currently
detained individuals. He noted that it doesn’t concern the individuals
who committed crimes or acts of violence. President Sargsyan rejected
the notion that anyone can be convicted without solid facts and
indictment.

The President of PACE expressed conviction that Armenia would be
able to rapidly overcome difficulties and build a strong democratic
system. He added that the authorities as well as the opposition
have responsibilities and are accountable for the future. Mr. Luis
Maria de Puig said that the Council of Europe respects the choice of
the Armenian people and suggests the opposition to respect it too
and recognize the results of the elections as it is stipulated in
Resolution 1609.

STATEMENT OF THE OPPOSITION ‘NEW TIMES’ PARTY REGARDING THE SITUATION IN SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI REGION OF GEORGIA

ArmInfo
2008-07-24 17:59:00

Opposition New Times party has disseminated a statement regarding
the situation in Samtskhe-Javakheti region of Georgia

The statement says that the situation in the Armenian populated Javahkh
region has again escalated. Georgian authorities are politically
prosecuting Armenian patriotic forces, especially those which openly
speak about the problems of Armenians in Javahkh and try to find the
ways of their resolving.

But as a result of criminal indifference the crisis worsened more and
jeopardized security in the region. For his part Georgian President
Mikheil Sahakashvili should take into consideration, that mutual
compromises are preferable in geo-politics and the force resolving
of the problem may lead to appearance of the third front in Georgia
and this may destroy the country.

‘Taking into account the above mentioned, the New Times party demands
from the Armenian authorities to come forward with a strict position
regarding the situation in Javakhk and to start negotiating with the
Georgian authorities; to support all the Armenians of Javahkh which
will apply to the Armenian authorities for aid. We also call President
of Georgia Mikheil Sahakashvili to assess the situation soberly and
to treat the Armenian factor in the balanced way, which may6 become
pledge of stability and peace in Georgia’, – the statement says.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES PACE PRESIDENT

ARMENPRESS
JULY 24

Armenian President Serzh Sargsian received today President of the
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) Luis Maria de Puig.

Presidential press service told Armenpress that during the meeting the
interlocutors discussed the pace of implementation of the suggestions
registered in PACE resolutions 1609 and 1620.

Noting that the authorities have thoroughly studied the two
resolutions, Armenian president reconfirmed Armenia’s determination
in their implementation. At the same time he said that those points
are reflected in his pre-electoral program and memorandum of the
political coalition.

"Thus, we are carrying out these steps not by demand but by inner
conviction," the leader of the country pointed out, adding that he
is deeply convinced that Armenia does not have any other way but
democratization "and we will go by it."

Assessing his impressions from the visit as positive, PACE president
said that he was aimed at encouraging, supporting the speeding-up
implementation of the PACE suggestions. He noted that there is some
progress in that direction.

Luis Maria de Puig also spoke of the unbiased inquiry into March
1-2 events and said he agrees with the suggestion of the Council of
Europe Human Rights Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg connected with
the creation of a fact-finding mission.

The other issue referred by PACE chairman was connected with the
arrested people. In this respect he noted that it does not refer to
the people who committed crimes. S. Sargsian said it is excluded that
anyone be convicted without grounded proofs and charges.

PACE chairman expressed assurance that Armenia will be able to quickly
overcome the difficulties and build a full democracy. He also said
that just like authorities the opposition also has responsibilities.

RUBEZH 2008 CPX KICKS OFF IN ARMENIA

Interfax News Agency
July 22 2008
Russia

The capabilities of command and control echelons to operate as part
of a regional group of forces will be refined during the Rubezh 2008
(Border) command post exercise to start in Armenia on Tuesday, CSTO
Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha told Interfax-AVN, noting that
four phases are on the CPX schedule for July and August.

"This year Armenia took the relay baton over from other Central Asian
countries and prepared a plan for the Rubezh exercise jointly with
the Russian Defense Ministry, which has started right away," he said,
adding that such kind of events play a key role in the operational
and combat training of commanding personnel of the national forces
as part of the joint CSTO force.

"A vivid example of this is the goal of the exercise, which is to
assess the capability of command and control elements of Armenian,
Russian and other CSTO members to operate as a staff of the of the
regional group of forces," he said.

Yet another important item on the agenda will be the test of a
decision-making patter in the sphere of the single defense policy
in the interests of national and collective security in a hostile
military and political environment.

"In addition, the CPX will also address command and control of a joint
force in a contingency operation on the preparation and repulsion of
an aggression against a CSTO member state," he added.