Author: Maghakian Mike

NATIONAL SENSE NGO TO SUPPORT SERZH SARKISIAN

ARMENPRESS
Feb 12, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 12, ARMENPRESS: A non-governmental organization of
political scientists, called ‘National Sense’, has announced today
its support to prime minister Serzh Sarkisian’s presidential bid.

In a statement disseminated to media the organization said after
a close look into the ongoing political and public processes,
regional and international developments, challenges which Armenia
and Nagorno-Karabakh are facing they have concluded that political,
social and economic stability is the main guarantee of continued
strengthening and development of the country.

The statement also said that prime minister Sarkisian is the candidate
who is able to guarantee political progress in the next five years.

They also commended Serzh Sarkisian for his political will and resolve
to establish public accord and solidarity.

EDITORS NOT CONTENT FROM MEDIA

Panorama.am
14:25 12/02/2008

"Our media is sick and it is not news for us," Hakob Avetisyan, editor
of Azg daily, shared this opinion at a press conference today. In
his opinion, self healing is possible to some degree but it is not
possible to achieve success alone.

In the words of Spartak Seiranyan, editor of Yerkir weekly, the press
has one advantage. "The audience of the press is that part of the
electorate that does not move according to emotion + information
formula. The readers of the press have willingness to read deep
analyses. It is another issue that some representatives of print
media suggest not topics for consideration but low level emotion,
more that is expected from the TV companies."

Vasak Darbinyan, editor of Haik and Taregir newspapers, is far from
the idea that today’s society has a need for elite publication. In
his words, everybody speaks about low level of the press but they
fail to read what is suggested.

ARAME AND SIRUSHO NAMED BEST SINGERS OF THE YEAR

armradio.am
11.02.2008 14:37

On February 10 the National Music Awards 2007 was held at the National
Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet after Alexander Spendiaryan. Arame
was named the best male singer of the year, Sirusho – the best female
singer. Arsen Grigoryan became the best male folk singer, Anna Mailyan
– the best female folk singer.

"Akunk" was named the winner in the "Best folk ensemble"
nomination. "Armenoids" were recognized the best pop group. The
concert dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Armenian State Jazz
Group was named the best jazz project of the year. The concert of
the Chamber Music Orchestra in Artsakh won in the "Best classical
project" nomination.

The "Best album" award went to Hayko’s album tiled "There are no
words." Anna Mailyan’s "Ethnovocal" CD was named the best folk album.

Sofi Mkheyan received an award in the "Best Hit" category. The "Best
video clip" award went to Director Hrach Keshishyan for Emmy’s and
Zuper Sako’s song "If you go."

The prize after Tigran Naghdalyan was conferred on Hayko for the
sound track of the "Don’t fear" film.

A special prize of the National Music Awards was handed to "Sharm"
Company for the concert dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the
Armenian Army, "Shant" TV for the "People’s Singer" project, the
State Youth Ensemble of Armenia for the concert in Berlin and Armen
Tutunjyan for the "Jazz Time" program on "Nor Alik."

Sedrak Davidyan was posthumously awarded for his contribution to the
field of radio.

Forbes, NY
Feb 8 2008

Ericsson wins fixed network upgrade order from Armenian operator
ArmenTel
02.08.08, 3:59 AM ET

STOCKHOLM (Thomson Financial) – LM Ericsson AB said it has won an
order from Armenian operator ArmenTel to upgrade its fixed line
network to an IP Multimedia Subsystem based, fixed and mobile
convergent network.

No financial details were disclosed.

ArmenTel is owned by VimpelCom.

[email protected]

sjr/sal

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Feb 8 2008

4.4% inflation recorded in Armenia in 2007 with average inflation in
CIS being 10%

YEREVAN, February 8. /ARKA/. A 4.4% average annual inflation was
recorded in Armenia in 2007 against 2006, the Statistical Committee
of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) reports.

According to the report, along with economic growth increase in
inflation has been recorded almost in all CIS countries; in a number
of countries inflation reached the highest level since 2000.

Substantial rise was recorded in prices for first need foodstuffs due
to increase in world prices for foodstuffs and due to reduction in
imports and insufficient volume of local production in certain
countries. The rise in prices for nonfoods continued despite the
market saturation. Prices for paid services for population and for
housing and public utilities in particular, increasingly grew in a
number of countries.

`The rise in prices for goods and services of daily needs affected
the living standards of households with low income at most,’ the
report says.

According to the Statistical Committee, the rise in consumer prices
averaged 10% in CIS countries in the period.

In fact, the lowest inflation level in CIS countries covered by the
report has been recorded in Armenia.

In 2007, maximum increase in consumer prices was recorded in
Tajikistan (21.5%) followed by Azerbaijan (16.7%), Ukraine (12.8%),
Moldova (12.3%), Kazakhstan (10.8%), Kyrgyzstan (10.2%), Georgia
(9.2%), Russia (9%) and Belarus (8.4%).

Other CIS countries are not covered by the report of the CIS
Statistical Committee.-0–

"DASHNAKTSUTIUN HAS SERIOUS OPPORTUNITIES TO WIN," HRAYR KARAPETIAN
SAYS

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, NOYAN TAPAN. People are rather interested in the
elections and the activeness in regions makes a high percent. As Hrayr
Karapetian, a member of the RA NA ARF Dashnaktsutiun faction, stated
during the February 8 discussion held in the Press National Club,
people readily come to the regional meetings of Vahan Hovhannisian, a
candidate running for the post of the RA President.

In his words, V. Hovhannisian will make active propaganda in all the
regions of the republic and if he does not visit certain settlements,
empowered people of the candidate will hold meetings instead of him.
"We hope that everything will pass normally and if there are
infringements we, too, will express our protest," Hrayr Karapetian
said. According to him, they are ready to cooperate with the
representatives of all the candidates for a fair holding of elections.

Hrayr Karapetian mentioned that he is concerned with the false news,
according to which the ARF Dashnaktsutiun candidate, will, allegedly,
not continue the electoral struggle up to the end and will join another
candidate. Denying the news, Hrayr Karapetian said: "We have no problem
to join anybody. On the contrary, if they join us, we will be glad, if
they do not, we will go up to the end. Dashnaktsutiun has serious
chances to win."

CITY’S TOLERANCE COMMISSION MOVES FORWARD WITHOUT ADL
By Gillian Swart/[email protected]

Newburyport Current, MA
Feb 7 2008

The city has now officially withdrawn from "No Place for Hate"
certification by the Anti-Defamation League, but the Commission for
Diversity and Tolerance is continuing on its anti-bias and diversity
mission using other relationships and resources.

"I am proud of the accomplishments of the Anti-Defamation League
and the No Place for Hate program over the past seven years since
Newburyport joined in September 2000," wrote Mayor John Moak to Meg
Rose of the ADL last week. "However, in the wake of last fall’s
national spotlight on the ADL and its failure to acknowledge the
Armenian Genocide between 1915 and 1923 as anything other than
‘tantamount to genocide,’ and in support of the approximate 5,000
Armenian residents in Merrimack Valley, the prudent course of action
is to withdraw our membership."

The Rev. Beth Horne and Jan DeSantis, co-chairwomen of the city
commission, said losing the resources available through No Place for
Hate is substantial but the group is forging ahead.

"The ADL really has wonderful programs that we were able to tap into
at no charge," Horne said.

The commission also took advantage of the anti-bias training offered
through its "A World of Difference" program.

But as both she and DeSantis are trained as anti-bias trainers,
the commission can host the training itself.

"In some ways we’re learning to do things differently," Horne said.

"It was a long relationship and we benefited in many ways from their
anti-bias work."

The city commission will still work with city government, the schools
and the police toward creating a tolerant atmosphere in the city and
supporting victims of discrimination and bias. There will still be
the yearly Peace Month activities, the Peace Prize and the mini-grants.

DeSantis said they are also looking at starting a speaker series and
may host concerts throughout the year.

The Anti-Defamation League was founded in 1913 "to stop the defamation
of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to
all." The ADL has 30 satellite and regional offices in the U.S. and
around the world.

No Place for Hate was created through collaboration between the New
England ADL and the Massachusetts Municipal Association. Newburyport
has been part of the program since 2000 and established the municipal
commission in 2005. Its membership reflects is mission of anti-bias
and includes leaders in education, religion, law enforcement, social
services, industry, commerce and labor.

The commission decided to make its recommendation to the mayor
after the ADL failed to support a Congressional bill condemning the
killing of more than 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman Turks. Andrew
Tarsy, the former regional director of ADL, called for the national
organization to officially recognize the killing as genocide; he was
fired, re-hired and then left the organization.

Horne said the final decision on whether to sever the ties to the ADL
was deferred until the ADL made its position on the genocide clear
at its November conference.

"We didn’t make any recommendations until after the conference,"
DeSantis said.

A copy of Moak’s letter, dated Feb. 1, has been forwarded to the
City Council.

omepage/x1107265820

SIYAVUSH MAMEDOV: "ARMENIANS WANT TO BENEFIT FROM IMPOSING THEIR "GENOCIDE" ON THE WORLD COMMUNITY"

Today, Azerbaijan
Feb 6 2008

The young generation of Armenia is infected with unhealthy ideology,
which leads to the misunderstanding of surrounding reality by the
young people and exaltation of their "ethnic supremacy".

The due statement was made by Siyavush Mamedov, head of the Moscow
Bureau of the R-club International analytical network, commenting on
the activity of R-club.

He said the international analytical network R-club deals with a
great many of issues of new geopolitics, in particular, studying the
problems of Armenian nationalism and its damaging activity.

"It is natural that the young generation becomes aggressive in such
conditions. We are searching the way out of the situation as the
representatives of the country, whose lands were partially occupied
by its neighbor and whose people suffered and continues to suffer of
the ideology of Armenian nationalism.", he said.

S.Mamedov noted that R-club deals with comprehensive reacting on
disinformation and lie, spread of Armenian nationalists, conduction
of counter-propaganda, bringing the truth both about Azerbaijan and
Nagorno-Garabagh to the world community and others.

"We reveal the shortcomings, which may lead to misunderstanding of
these or those issues, important for us", he noted

He said the organization unites people, who see the threat of ideology,
spread by Armenian nationalists, including by Dashnaktsustun party,
which uses various methods to achieve its political goals.

According to him, the organization accounts for 1128 experts from
different countries. He said the club has offices in Baku, Tbilisi,
Budapest, Tel-Aviv, Hague and Moscow. He noted that there is a plan
to expand the geography, considering the interest displayed for the
activity of the organization by experts from Egypt, Jordan and Yemen.

Asked what is the reason of such policy of Armenian nationalists, which
infects their young people with their ideology, he said: "In order to
get it, let us take Armenians’ attempt to attain the international
recognition of their "genocide". I remember, when I was a child,
Armenians stated that 300,000 people fell victims of "genocide". Later
this figure rose up to 1,500,000, while now they speak about 3,000,000
victims. When I asked Armenians what was the reason of it, one of
them answered: "You know, we also take into account each Armenian,
which could have been born to these 300,000 people.

Armenian ideologists state that international recognition of their
"genocide" will calm them down. At the same time, in an unofficial
conversation with them I heard an open demand to Turks to pay a
compensation for "genocide" and to "return original Armenian lands".

By the way, the first, trial claim with a demand of material
compensation, has already occurred in the United States not long
before", he noted.

URL:

PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN MET WITH OUTGOING AMBASSADOR OF LITHUANIA

armradio.am
05.02.2008 13:51

President Robert Kocharyan today had a farewell meeting with the
Ambassador of Lithuania to Armenia Rimantas Sidlauskas, President’s
Press Office reports.

The President expressed gratitude to the diplomat for productive
joint work.

Stressing the dynamically developing Armenian-Lithuanian cooperation
and the active reciprocal visits, Robert Kocharyan said serious
progress has been registered in the relations between the two
countries during the Ambassador’s tenure in office. He emphasized
the productive military cooperation both on the bilateral level and
within the framework of NATO.

President Kocharyan highly appreciated the readiness of the Lithuanian
side to provide advocacy in implementation of reforms in different
spheres.

SERZH SARGSYAN: "OUR VICTORY IN OUR UNITY"

Panorama.am
20:23 04/02/2008

"The most important thesis of our victory is the discovery of
the nation’s power and the usage of it," said Serzh Sargsyan,
in the meeting with the people of Avan. He reminded that for
centuries Armenians tended to regain their power and establish
independent country. "Our great people found its structure; it is our
unity. History proves that when being together Armenians were strong
and had their independency," he said.

According to him, today many try to separate people and to opposite
social ranks. He said that there at least two models of establishing
the country; the first one is democracy, when a candidate comes to
the power and gets acquainted with the preset problems, and the
second one is the ideology of totality, when asking for people’s
voice is to beg. "It is true that I’m asking for your voices. I know
the difficulties and I know how to fight against them," he said.

According to Sargsyan the people should not ask for money from the
authorities but working places and creating prosperous country. "I
want you to get prepared with the forthcoming elections and to hold
democratic elections. I need your vote as I wish to become ideal
president for you," concluded Sargsyan.