Author: Nadirian Emma

Germany calls on Turkish illegal emigrants to go to their country
13.06.2009 19:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Germany has called on Turkish refugees living in
Germany to return to Turkey because they say the country has become
more democratic compared to the past. `If the situation in the
countries where the refugees come from has changed in a positive way
permanently, then the refugees can be asked to go back to their
countries. This is what the 1951 Geneva Convention says. So Germany
officially recognizes that conditions in Turkey have changed
positively and permanently,’ Mehmet Kilic, a lawyer who heads the
Foreigners Assembly in Germany, said. There is also more demand from
the Turkish refugees themselves to return to Turkey as the economic
crisis has hit Germany badly, and Germans have become more hostile
toward foreigners living there,’ Today’s Zaman newspaper quotes Kilic
as saying.

ESTONIA INTENDS TO TAKE ACTIVE STEPS TO DEVELOP ALL-ROUND COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA IN VARIOUS SPHERES

Noyan Tapan
June 11, 2009

YEREVAN, JUNE 11, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
receiving Foreign Minister of Estonia Urmas Paet, who is in Yerevan
on an official visit, expressed satisfaction with dynamic development
of bilateral relations and emphasized that Armenia is interested
in deepening and strengthening of mutually beneficial relations
with Estonia.

U. Paet also highly assessed friendly relations formed between the
two countries and said that Estonia intends to take active steps to
develop all-round cooperation with Armenia in various spheres.

During the negotiations the sides attached importance to efficient
cooperation between the two countries’ Foreign Ministries, as well as
agreed to hold the next political consultations this autumn in Yerevan.

Speaking about the steps to be undertaken to promote economic
relations, E. Nalbandian and U. Paet expressed satisfaction with the
fact that the Armenian-Estonian Economic Forum to be launched today
in Yerevan will create new opportunities for cooperation of Armenian
and Estonian businessmen.

The possibility of mutual facilitation of the entrance visa reception
process, issues related to perfection of the legal-contractual
sphere, cooperation between Armenia and the European Union and steps
to be taken in that sphere, as well as issues regarding EU Eastern
Partnership program were discussed at the meeting.

According to the report of the RA Foreign Ministry Press and
Information Department, a number of regional and international issues
were touched upon at the meeting. At Estonian Foreign Minister’s
request E. Nalbandian presented the latest developments in the Nagorno
Karabakh settlement negotiations and the normalization process of
Armenian-Turkish relations.

The joint press conference of E. Nalbandian and U. Paet took place
after the meeting.

MCDONALDS WILL NOT SET UP FAST-FOOD CHAIN IN ARMENIA

APA
June 11 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku. Elnur Huseynguluyev – APA-ECONOMICS. McDonald’s Corporation,
the world’s largest chain of fast food restaurants, has no plan
to expand its network to Armenia, said Magsud Mirzayev, CEO of
McDonalds-Azerbaijan.

"McDonald’s doesn’t have a chain in Armenia and will not have
in the coming years. The main reason is the lack of political and
socio-economic stability in this country. This indicates the lack of
business environment there. With regard to Azerbaijan, the situation
is quite different here. Here we see political and economic stability
and business enabling environment," he added.

McDonalds has had presence in Azerbaijan since 1999.

McDonald’s primarily sells hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken
products, french fries, breakfast items, soft drinks, milkshakes, and
desserts. More recently, it has begun to offer salads, wraps and fruit.

McDonald’s restaurants are found in 119 countries and territories
around the world and serve nearly 47 million customers each
day. McDonald’s operates over 31,000 restaurants worldwide, employing
more than 1.5 million people

U.S. CUTS MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE AID TO ARMENIA OVER WORSENING DEMOCRATIC PRACTICES

uts-millenium-challenge-aid-to-armenia/
Jun 11, 2009

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)-The United States has effectively axed nearly
one third of a $235.6 million aid program for Armenia, citing its
government’s deteriorated human rights record and democratic practices.

The U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) indicated late on
Wednesday that the $67 million project to reconstruct and repair
about 1,000 kilometers of Armenian rural roads will not be implemented
anytime soon.

The agency, which administers the U.S. Millennium Challenge Account
(MCA) program, froze the project following a harsh government crackdown
on the Armenian opposition sparked by the disputed presidential
election of February 2008. The MCC board of directors has extended
the freeze during quarterly meetings held over the past year.

In a statement issued after its latest meeting in Washington chaired by
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the board said MCC "will not resume
funding for any further road construction and rehabilitation." "The
responsibility for this outcome remains with the government of Armenia,
whose actions have been inconsistent with the eligibility criteria that
are at the heart of the MCC program," Rodney Bent, the corporation’s
acting executive director, was quoted as saying.

"I do not anticipate that the Board will revisit this issue in the
future," added Bent.

The move came one day after the U.S. State Department reiterated its
discontent with Yerevan’s human rights record in an annual report on
U.S. efforts to promote freedom and democracy around the world. It
again described the February 2008 ballot as "significantly flawed"
and criticized the ensuing government crackdown on the opposition.

"Authorities used harassment and intrusive application of bureaucratic
measures to intimidate and retaliate against government opponents,"
said the report. "Police beat pretrial detainees and failed to provide
due process in some cases … Courts remained subject to political
pressure from the executive branch, with the selective prosecution
of political opponents and absence of due process reflecting the
judiciary’s lack of independence."

"U.S. officials repeatedly have warned the government that MCC funding
is contingent upon its progress in democratic practices and in meeting
the MCC indicators," added the report.

U.S. assessment of the May 31 municipal elections in Yerevan promises
to be just as negative. U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch
said on Tuesday that U.S. Embassy officials who observed the vote
witnessed irregularities "throughout the city." Yovanovitch said a
report based on their findings will be released shortly.

The U.S. aid suspension led the Armenian government in July 2008 to
allocate about $17 million of its own funds to rural road construction
envisaged by Armenia’s MCA compact. The current economic recession and
a resulting major shortfall in tax revenues preclude more such funding
this year. Instead, the government secured in February a $25 million
loan from the World Bank for rural infrastructure rehabilitation.

The aid cut will not affect the main $160 million segment of the aid
package approved by MCC in 2006. It is due to be spent on rebuilding
and expanding the Armenia’s irrigation networks.

PROSECUTOR DEMANDS 5 1/2 YEARS FOR SUSPECT IN EDIK BAGHDASARYAN ASSAULT CASE
Ararat Davtyan

20 09/06/10 | 20:50

Court Media

Garen Harutyunyan, the only suspect arrested and charged in the assault
of Edik Baghdasaryan, Hetq’s Chief Editor, on November 17, 2008,
again claimed in court today that he had nothing to do with the crime.

Mr. Harutyunyan, had refused to testify during the preliminary
investigation, but in today’s trial session at the Kentron and
Nork-Marash District Court, he answered all the questions asked of him.

"I was at home at the time and I can prove it. At the police station
they told me that I had done it and asked me how. I told them I hadn’t
and had nothing to say," the suspect declared in court.

During the interrogation of the suspect, Edik Baghdasaryan brought
up the fact that he received three phone call registered to Garen
Harutyunyan’s brother (the son of Garen’s mother’s second husband).

"There are phone calls that the investigators must examine; calls made
hours before and after the incident. I am convinced that one of the
calls was made by Garen Harutyunyan himself. But the investigators
aren’t doing anything. It’s too complicated for we journalists to do;
it could take months," stated Mr. Baghdasaryan.

When asked by the Hetq editor to respond, the suspect said, "I lost
my cell phone card and went without one for about one month."

Before that the court interrogated Norayr Avetisyan, director of
the police training academy, who was walking by when the assault
took place. He said that he went to the Vernisage to play some pool
at a club nearby when he saw Garen Harutyunyan, whom he recognized
as a former resident of his courtyard, and two other unfamiliar men
walking towards the fountains.

"I stopped the car to take a better look at them About 50 meters away
I saw that a fight was ensuing. I ran towards the spot, shouting that
I was a police officer and to stop fighting. They didn’t listen to my
call so I fired my gas pistol into the air. With that, they took off,"
stated Mr. Avetisyan in court.

Mr. Avetisyan said that he started to chase after them but stopped
because he was more concerned with the victim. He recognized Garen
Harutyunyan when he spotted the assailants later on.

The witness said that two of the assailants were beating Edik
Baghdasaryan with their fists and feet from in front while the third
was striking the victim with what appeared to be a heavy object from
behind. He said that Mr. Baghdasaryan tried to get up but the blows
were coming from all sides and he couldn’t.

"It’s a lie. That man (Norayr Avetisyan) is an enemy of mine. That’s
why he’s saying all these things," blurted out Mr. Harutyunyan. The
suspect went on to say that Avetisyan had been in love with his sister
(the daughter of Garen’s mother’s second husband – Hetq) and that
later on the girl had a boyfriend who told Avetisyan to forget about
the girl.

The suspect said that between 3 and 4 pm on the day of the assault he
was busy taking his mother home from the Erebuni Medical Center where
she had been operated on. He said that his mother’s doctor, Lusineh
Tovmasyan, and nurse, Nayira Muradyan, could vouch for him. Nurse
Muradyan is a close friend of the suspect’s mother, Marineh Markosyan.

Defense attorney Vahagn Manoukyan motioned the court to interrogate
these three individuals but Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan denied the
request arguing that Marineh Markosyan and Nayira Muradyan had a stake
in the outcome of the trial and that they were present throughout
the trial in any case.

Judge Martirosyan stated, "Lusineh Tovmasyan gave testimony during
the preliminary examination that Garen Harutyunyan was at home on
the day of the incident until around 7:00 p.m. This neither refutes
nor substantiates whether he committed or didn’t commit the act he
is charges with that took place at approximately 7:50 pm."

Prosecutor Hayk Balyan stated that the charges of "hooliganism"
brought against the defendant were fully founded and called for a
sentence of 5 1/2 years.

The defense requested a recess to prepare their counter-argument. The
trial will resume on June 19.

12TH CENTURY ARMENIAN KHACHKAR DISPLAYED AT NEW YORK METROPOLITAN MUSEUM

NOYAN TAPAN
JUNE 10, 2009
NEW YORK

NEW YORK, JUNE 10, NOYAN TAPAN. On June 8, New York Metropolitan Museum
displayed the Armenian 12th century khachkar (cross-stone), which
Armenian government provided to the museum for a five-year period.

According to RA Foreign Ministry Press and Information Department,
the khachkar is Armenia’s present to the UN and was moved from Geghard
to New York in 1994. It was moved to another place for long-term
preservation because of UN central headquarters major repair.

COOPERATION BETWEEN ARMENIAN HABITAT AND HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL TERMINATED

LRAGIR.AM
13:19:27 – 08/06/2009

On June 2 2009, Armenian Habitat and Habitat for Humanity International
signed an agreement in the result of which cooperation between the
two organizations was terminated.

After 9 years of activities, Armenian Habitat is changing its name to
"Katsaran". The Charitable NGO "Katsaran" will remain dedicated to the
mission of Armenian Habitat NGO, will continue to work with its 408
beneficiary families and will also implement new programs with Fuller
Center for Housing Armenia Charitable NGO which aims to eliminate
housing poverty in Armenia as well by providing long-term interest-free
loans to low-income families to improve their housing conditions.

Since 2008, thanks to its generous donors, Fuller Center for Housing
Armenia, in cooperation with the international organization Fuller
Center for Housing, has supported 50 low-income families in Armenia. 28
families have completed their half-built houses, 16 have built
new houses in the result of cooperation with ARDA (Armenian Relief
Development Association) and Vanadzor Municipality, and 6 families
have renovated their apartments. Fuller Center for Housing Armenia
has hosted 4 "Global Builders" teams of international volunteers.

HAK’S HASN’T SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS YET

A1+
06:15 pm | June 08, 2009 | Politics

The Armenian National Congress (HAK) hasn’t submitted applications
to the Central Election Commission on the refusal of its 13 mandates.

HAK’s senior representative Avetis Avagyan says the Congress will
submit the required documents after the end of legal proceedings.

The Congress is going to challenge a CEC decision according to which
the CEC ignored a 370-page complaint on the vote violations submitted
by the HAK.

The Congress is going to appeal to the Administrative Court.

"We don’t think the electoral process has ended," says HAK’s
representative.

He also complained that the territorial election commissions don’t give
them the necessary documents and say they have already archived them.

"The law says that all documents must be available at the territorial
election commission within seven days. But most territorial election
commissions archived the documents still on June 2, says Mr. Avagyan.

"If the election was found valid, the recount is needless," adds
HAK’s representative.

PUBLIC INTERNAL FINANCIAL CONTROL IN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND ARMENIA

armradio.am
09.06.2009 10:40

Today Mr. Davtyan, Minister of Finance of Armenia, and Mr. de
Luzenberger, Ambassador, Head of the EC Delegation to Armenia, hosteed
the seminar "Public Internal Financial Control (PIFC) in the European
Union and Armenia".

This seminar was attended by central government top managers, and
focuses on PIFC as a new state of the art internal control approach
for Armenia.

During the seminar-consultation the European Commission officials and
invited experts presented EU MS expertise in state internal financial
control and suggestions were made for further improvement of state
internal financial control system.

PIFC is an integrated and operational model developed by the European
Commission for re-engineering internal control systems in the public
sector in line with international standards. Many European countries
use PIFC as a benchmark for modernising their public sector control
environment.

Commenting on the event, Mr Robert Gielisse, Head of PIFC Department
in the European Commission in Brussels, stated, "This is an important
awareness-raising event. We support and encourage the planned reforms
in Armenia. Sound financial management should be at the heart of all
that deal with taxpayers’ money."

DREAMLAND ON TABLES

A1+
12:05 pm | June 05, 2009

Society

Thousands of children will gather at Yerevan’s English Park on June
7 to draw the nature of their dreams.

The pan-Armenian event organised by the Foundation for the Preservation
of Wildlife and Cultural Assets and VivaCell MTS is dedicated to the
World Environment Day.

Children will draw on tables and buses and will remind about
environmental threats throughout Armenia. The colourful tables will
later be taken back to nursery schools.