Author: Mamian George

HULIQ (press release), NC
July 13 2008

Homeless Girl Wins Armenian Eurovision

Posted July 12th, 2008 by admin_huliq
A twelve years old talented homeless girl from the northern Armenian
city of Gyumri last night became the winner of the Armenian Junior
Eurovision song contest and will represent Armenia in Junior
Eurovision in Limassol in 2008.

Monica Manucharova has an exceptionally beautiful and mature voice
which is rarely seen in a twelve year old girl. The Armenian contest
to determine the best junior voice that will represent the country in
Junior Eurovision 2008 in Cyprus was held in several stages. The final
round was yesterday and Monical Manucharova became the winner.

She came with her mother Gyumri and spend the first couple of nights
in the train station because of not having relatives in the capital
Yerevan and not being able to afford a hotel room in Yerevan. Few days
later, as Manucharova’s talent made her to stand out from the other
contestants she was noticed and one of the workers of the Armenian TV
Radio took Monica and her mother to her house until she could complete
the contest. Otherwise they were going to spend the rest of the nights
in the train station, reports the Armenian Radio.

In Gyumri too Monica Manucharova’s family does not have an apartment
and they live with her uncle in his house. However, as I watched the
video she held such a wonderful pride in representing her city Gyumri
in the national contest to determine the representative that will
present Armenia in Junior Eurovision.

We have heard the United States being a country of opportunity where a
homeless talented person can become a movie start or an overnight
celebrity. Now it’s cool to see another, a rather small country
Armenia where a homeless girl can come from a province, spend the
night in the train station, but win the national contest and become an
overnight celebrity, earnings even the foreign media’s attention.

Truly inspiring.

Our congradulations to Monica Manucharova who not only won the
national contest of the Armenian Junior Eurovision 2008, but also
became a source of inspiration to millions of young and disadvantages
people around the world.

COMMITTEE’S QUESTIONS REFERRED TO POLICE AND TER-PETROSYAN

Panorama.am
18:42 08/07/2008

The National Assembly ad hoc committee studying March 1-2 events has
referred a letter to the RA police and the former president of Armenia
Levon Ter-Petrosyan asking several questions closely connected with
some events they have dealt with, said Samvel Nikoyan the chairman
of the committee in a session.

Nikoyan said that the questions are drafted himself after he has
discussed with an expert. No member of the committee and the defender
of human rights have not recommended any question. Note that the
defender of human rights has not been present at the session.

The Committee asked the Police the following question: "what was
done by the police in the morning of March 1? What are the basics of
it? What was the staff number? What subdivisions were in touch with
it? What was used? What was description? What legal documents have
been drafted? What technical and special items have been used? Who
leaded the actions? Was violence conducted?"

The Committee expects to receive answers to the following requests sent
to Levon Ter-Petrosyan. "Were the organizers and participants to the
meetings been warned by the police officers about the legal activities
conducted for 10 days? Approximately how many people have taken part
in the meetings? Approximately how many police officers have come to
the square? What actions were made by the police officers? And what
was the behavior of the participants? What was the attitude of the
police officers to You?"

MOBILIZING THE EFFORTS
Nayira Khachatryan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on July 09, 2008
Armenia

Yesterday ARMAN MOUSINYAN, L. Ter-Petrosyan’s Press Secretary, was
the guest-speaker of "Hayeli" (mirror) club.

The radical opposition is going to devote the current month to the
preparations for the republican-wide demonstration which is going
to be held on August 1. As announced by the activist, "We are now
doing all our best to prepare for the demonstration, and are going
to organize a sit-in protest in this intermediate period. There are
a lot of people desiring to participate in the event, and some people
are already doing so. Thus, the political life will be in full swing,
and we will do our utmost to liven up and mobilize society and arrange
the August 1 demonstration in a proper manner. "

The activists of the Armenian pan-National Movement are convinced that
they are the only pro-opposition force on the political arena. They do
not obviously like the idea of the third pro-opposition pole which
is being sketched on the arena and has already entered the stage
of development.

"There is one opposition in Armenia. Some people are making attempts to
find another opposition. But Armenia has one opposition which is headed
by L. Ter-Petrosyan." And the final goal of the Ter-Petrosyan-led
opposition, as seen from the words of A. Mousinyan, is to hold
extraordinary elections, regardless all the circumstances.

The revolutionaries won’t accept the election results. By the
way, according to the Spokesman of Mr. Ter-Petrosyan, compliance
with the clauses of Resolutions 1609 and 1620 is a constraint
similar to inquisition, "The Council of Europe is resorting to
inquisition. No one in the world can force either you or me to take
any decision. The decision of the Constitutional Court is binding
upon the state-government bodies only."

Two senior officials of the Council of Europe are visiting Armenia next
week, and the leaders of the movement are not going to conceal their
dissatisfaction with the activities of the European structures. "We
are going to represent the country’s current situation, as well
as our approaches and perhaps, our criticism of the conduct of the
European structures."

The speaker didn’t rule out the possibility of L. Ter-Petrosyan’s
assistance in the activities of the interim committee investigating
the March 1 events, "If L. Ter-Petrosyan can somehow assist in the
detection of all the circumstances of the case, I don’t think there
will be any problem. The detection of the March 1attrocities is
one of our principal demands. All those who are culpable within the
frameworks of this case should be strictly punished, and if we can
somehow make our contribution to the process, why shouldn’t we?"

However, the ideas of the neo-Bolsheviks on the formation of
such committee remained unclear. "We have expressed the main
principle for setting up such committee: there should either be
an equal representation by the authorities and the opposition or
1/3 representation by the representatives of L. Ter-Petrosyan, the
authorities and the international community. As to any other mutual
agreements, they will simply be a pretext for not solving problems,
making detections and conducting investigations."

Touching upon the plans for future, the speaker promised that the
struggle would become tougher in future. "We will thirice inctrease
the rhetoric of our political struggle and make it tougher."

With regard to the participation in the upcoming elections to the
local self-government bodies, A. Mousinyan said, "If ‘Heritage’ party
makes a political decision and nominates candidates for the local-self
government bodies, the pan-national movement will assist them. Being
a unit of consolidated political forces, it should not only receive
but also provide assistance. That’s to say, the political cooperation
should be mutual."

TURKISH AMBASSADORS TO CONVENE FOR BRAINSTORMING

Today’s Zaman
July 8 2008
Turkey

Turkey will bring home all of its ambassadors serving in foreign
countries to participate in brainstorming sessions on foreign policy
in Ankara, officials have said.

The future of Turkish foreign policy will be discussed at the
meetings, expected to take place with the participation of over
100 ambassadors. Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and Foreign Ministry
Undersecretary Ertugrul Apakan are both expected to attend the talks,
which will begin July 14.

The brainstorming sessions come as Turkey mediates between Syria
and Israel, restarting peace efforts that collapsed in 2000. Ankara
is also busy with its troubled bid to join the European Union
and regional issues such as relations with Armenia and the Cyprus
problem. Diplomatic sources say the increasing diversification in
foreign policy issues requires a multifaceted approach to foreign
policy. The Foreign Ministry has hosted ambassadorial meetings with a
regional scope in the past. The gathering of all Turkey’s ambassadors
serving abroad will be the first of its kind.

BAKU’S AGITATION FAKED DOCUMENT DISCLOSED

DeFacto Agency
July 7 2008
Armenia

Regular anti-Armenian campaign concerning the events in the settlement
of Khojalu becomes more frequent in Baku. At that, the official
Azerbaijani propaganda does not disdain to use any methods and means
to display the Armenian side as a party responsible for the tragedy.

The NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ press service has recently
disclosed one more agitation faked document of Baku, which, via a
forged photograph exposed in a number of the Azerbaijani websites,
tried to inject in the world public consciousness and the consciousness
of its own people another portion of poison of Armenian phobia. It
is interesting that some sites, for instance, the official site
of Azerbaijan on events in Khojalu () removed this
forged document from their site. However, in other sites including
the site of "Heydar Aliev’s Fund" (), which is very
respectable in Azerbaijan, the photograph shamelessly continues to
stand conspicuously.

According to the Azerbaijani side’s intention, the propaganda value
of this photograph obviously lies in the fact that besides a great
number of corpses of civilians in the foreground the outskirts of
a populated area is seen in the background, which, in principle,
should add verisimilitude to Baku’s version on mass killings of
Azerbaijanis in Khojalu. Meanwhile, color version of the abovementioned
photograph absolutely refutes it namely the faces of the deceased,
their garments, etc.

In fact, this photograph is directly connected with the events in
Kosovo. Namely as that the photograph along with a great number of
the others was exhibited in one Serbian, one Albanian, and in one
specialized German forum, in internet-page of reputable edition
"New York Times" etc.

The NKR MFA press service reminds that on February 25-26, 1992,
the Karabakhi side launched a military operation to release
the only airport in the republic which was under control of the
Azerbaijani-populated area (Khojalu) and to neutralize the weapon
emplacements of the enemy in Khojalu, from where since summer of
1991 the populated areas of Nagorno Karabakh have been regularly
exposed to attacks of the Azerbaijani special police squads, artillery
bombardments from "Alazan", "Crystall" and rocket facility of volley
fire "Grad". The release of the airport and neutralization of weapon
emplacements of enemy in Khojaly was of vital importance for the
NKR people.

The subunits of the NKR Defense Army granted a corridor to the peaceful
population for safe and timely leaving the battle zone and few days
before the operation the Azerbaijani side was informed of it. It
is well-known that the NKR authorities informed the Azerbaijani
side of preparation for the neutralization of the Khojalu weapon
emplacements two months prior to the operation and that was repeatedly
confirmed by the officials of Azerbaijan, in particular, that time
president Ayaz Mutalibov. However, the leadership of Azerbaijan did
not undertake anything to help the peaceful population to leave the
battle zone. Moreover, a column of peaceful population was shot near
the border of Aghdam region, which was later on confirmed by Mutalibov,
who linked the crime with the opposition’s efforts to remove him from
the office by making him responsible for everything.

The territory where subsequently many corpses were filmed is 3 km far
from Aghdam and 11 km from Khojalu. Up to the fall of Aghdam (summer
1993) this area was under permanent control of the Azerbaijani units,
which excluded the access of the Karabakh self -defense units there.

Some details of this military operation are so far shrouded in
mystery and namely using this circumstance official Baku tries to
profit from it to gain its political goals. It is noteworthy, that
all the propaganda is being carried out with pronounced anti-Armenian
insinuations and is used for forcing ethnic intolerance and hatred
towards Armenians among Azerbaijanis.

Unfortunately, the topic of "Khojaly" remains to be one of the
cornerstones of the Azerbaijni domestic and foreign information
or rather misinformation policy within the context of the Karabakh
problem in general.

ARMENIAN CURRENT-ACCOUNT DEFICIT DEEPENS FURTHER IN Q1
Venla Sipila

World Markets Research Centre
Global Insight
July 7, 2008

According to the newest data from the Armenian National Statistical
Service, the country’s current-account deficit amounted to $296US.2
million in the first quarter of 2008, ARKA News reports. This level
indicates widening of nearly 55% compared with the current-account
gap posted in the same period a year ago. As a percentage of GDP,
the deficit measured 18.9%, against 16.4% of GDP in the first quarter
of 2007. As expected, the overall deficit was mainly brought about
by a deep imbalance especially in goods trade.

Indeed, the trade deficit in balance-of-payments terms measured some
$478US.2 million in January-March, compared with $312US.1 million
in the same period a year ago. In particular, exports only edged
up by 1.5% year-on-year (y/y), totalling $236US.2 million, while
imports soared by 31.3% y/y reaching $714US.4 million. The deficit
on the service balance widened to $52US.1 million after totalling
some $35US.0 million a year ago. Meanwhile, the current transfers
account posted a surplus of $189US.3 million in the first quarter, the
positive balance growing by around one-quarter in annual comparison,
and the surplus on the income balance grew to $41US.8 million from
$6US.4 million a year ago. Further, it was reported that the financial
account registered a surplus of $274US.1 million, marking an increase
of $102US.6 million in annual terms. In particular, the FDI balance
registered a surplus of just under $117US million.

Significance:The wide deficit on the current account leaves
Armenia vulnerable to external shocks, especially taken into
account the country’s reliance on private transfers and workers’
remittances. Investment to Armenia remains restricted by, for
example, geopolitical risks. On the other hand, despite only forming
a relatively modest part of total foreign investment, FDI inflows
finance a large part of the deep external deficit, reducing the
need to increase foreign borrowing. Armenia’s relatively good reform
progress also gives it unproblematic access to soft loans. Thus, debt
servicing is not likely to pose any difficulties for the sovereign in
the medium term. However, in order to achieve continued improvement
in its sovereign creditworthiness in the medium-to-long term, Armenia
needs to progress further in economic restructuring to diversify its
economy in order to strengthen its export earnings capacity.

ARMENIA INVITES TURKISH PRESIDENT TO FOOTBALL MATCH

Turkish Daily News
Monday, July 7, 2008
Turkey

ANKARA – TDN with wire dispatches

Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan has invited his Turkish counterpart
to visit Yerevan for a football match in September, marking a shift
in relations between the two states which have no diplomatic ties.

Armenia and Turkey are slated to play each other in the Armenian
capital Yerevan Sept. 6 in a qualifying match for the 2010 FIFA World
Cup in South Africa.

"Sarksyan has sent a formal invitation to the president of Turkey,
Abdullah Gul," said Samvel Farmanyan, the Armenian president’s
spokesman.

Turkey broke diplomatic relations with Armenia in protest to Yerevan’s
occupation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region over which Armenia fought
Turkey’s ally Azerbaijan in a war in the 1990s. Turkey was among the
first countries to recognize Armenia’s independence after the 1991
fall of the Soviet Union.

Armenia also accuses Turkey of genocide during violence at the end
of World War I. Turkey denies the accusations and says that both
Christian Armenians and Muslim Turks died in the fighting.

Gul holds talks with Russia’s Medvedev

On the sidelines of a ceremony on the occasion of the 10th anniversary
of Astana being declared the capital of Kazakhstan, Gul held a meeting
with the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents over the weekend. Speaking
to reporters before his return to Turkey yesterday, Gul said he would
evaluate the offer extended by Armenia’s Sarksyan to watch the match
in Yerevan.

In Kazakhstan, Gul also held talks with the new Russian president,
marking the first high-level dialogue since the election of Dmitry
Medvedev in March.

The two leaders discussed Turkish-Russian relations, trade and
huge infrastructure projects, said a written statement released
by the Russian Embassy in Ankara. Gul said representatives of the
Turkish construction sector were seriously interested in promising
infrastructure projects in Russia and stressed that the Turkish side
was ready to contribute to the participation of Turkish companies in
projects for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, read the statement.

The two leaders also discussed the Caucasus and cooperation in the
Black Sea and vowed to increase visits, it added.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION EXPRESSES ITS INTENTION TO TAKE MORE RESOLUTE STEPS

ArmInfo
2008-07-03 18:11:00

"As the authorities failed to accept our proposals to release all the
political prisoners and start a political dialogue, we have no other
choice but taking more resolute steps in the fight for restoration of
the violated democratic rights and freedoms in the country", Levon
Zurabyan, a representative of the oppositional Nationwide Movement
Center, said to journalists at Urbat club, Thursday.

He recalled that at the June 20 rally the first president of Armenia,
leader of opposition Levon Ter- Petrosyan offered the authorities
to release all the political prisoners before July 4, afterwards
the leadership of the Nationwide Movement will sit at a negotiation
table to consider the ways out of the domestic political crisis. "To
our good will the regime responded with the Yerevan City Hall’s
illegal decision to ban the new rally, to beat young activist of
opposition Narek Hovakimyan, as well as with yesterday’s provocation
of hooligans during the daily political strolling in the Northern
Avenue. The authorities made another shameful action – they presented
Ter-Petrosyan’s initiative as a retreat in the political fight.

The present authorities of Armenia resemble classic examples of
dictator regimes in the countries of Latin America in the 60s-90s of
the 20th century. Under these conditions, people have no other way
out except taking more active steps", he said.

Levon Zurabyan stressed that the fight will continue within the
limits of law and refused to specify the more active steps of the
Nationwide Movement.

"Everything will be said at tomorrow’s rally near Matenadaran at 7 pm",
he said.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT TO DEAL WITH TRANSPORT SITUATION IN YEREVAN

ARKA
July 3

The RA Government plans to deal with the public transport situation
in Yerevan.

RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan pointed out that a meeting held
last week discussed the situation and determined a strategy.

"We plan serious discussions next week, and the owners of about 40
taxi routes will be invited. We will discuss the current situation
and our plans," Sargsyan said.

The RA Premier pointed out the growing concern over the price
policy. Some transport organizations are operating in the red and
the stress the need for raising fares.

T.Sargsyan said that experts challenge this fact and the calculations.

"We ordered specialized institutes to verify the calculations, and
at a public conference next week we will try to identify all the
problems and find solutions," the Premier said.

TO WORK BY CONSENSUS

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on July 02, 2008
Armenia

"The most important thing is that we came to an agreement to take the
decisions by consensus. Every Friday each member of the committee
must represent the list of the high-ranking official or the state
body whom the committee must appeal. Thus we will come to a decision
regarding the agenda of the next session.

I attach great importance to the fact that the leader of the United
Labor Party and the Human Rights Defender expressed readiness to
participate in the works of the committee. We would be very glad if in
future the social and law organizations and why not extra-parliamentary
parties also join us.

We can’t wait for their expert support forever. Most probably very
soon we will invite experts." Samvel Nikoyan said during the session
of NA temporary committee investigating March 1-2 developments and
the reasons.