Author: Nahapetian Zhanna

CONSTRUCTION IN ARMENIA GROWS BY 19.2% IN JANUARY-JULY 2007 ON SAME MONTHS OF 2006

Noyan Tapan
Sep 3, 2007

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Construction of 253 bln 976.5 mln
drams (about 725 mln USD) was done in Armenia in January-July 2007,
including construction of production facilities of 89 bln 292.1 mln
drams. Out of this amount, building and assembly work made 226 bln
941.6 mln drams.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, the volume of
construction grew by 19.2% in January-July 2007 on the same period
of last year, including 21.7% growth in building and assembly work.

In January-June 2007, 58% of construction work was done at the expense
of the population, while the rest – with funds of organizations.

PACE’S RAPPORTEUR’S VISIT TO REGION POSTPONED AFTER PROTEST BY AZERBAIJAN: PARLIAMENT

TREND Information
Aug 31 2007
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr. S.Ilhamgizi / The visit of Edward
O’Hara, PACE (Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe)
Rapporteur on the Cultural Heritage in the South Caucasus has been
postponed after Azerbaijan protested it, Azerbaijani Parliament
reported.

The head of the Azerbaijani delegation to PACE, MP Samad Seidov,
explained the official position of Azerbaijan to Mateo Sorinas,
the General Secretary of the organization.

All international organizations recognize the territorial sovereignty
of Azerbaijan, Seidov noted. An international mission can visit the
Azerbaijani occupied territories only on the basis of admission by
official Baku.

The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in
1988 as a result of territorial claims by Armenia against Azerbaijan.

Since 1992, Armenia Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan’s
land including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding
districts. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire
agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently
holding peaceful negotiations.

ARMENIA JOINS THE LIST OF FIVE COUNTRIES WITH THE LOWEST DEATH RATE AMONG THE REPUBLICS OF FORMER USSR

arminfo
2007-08-31 16:48:00

ArmInfo. Armenia joined the list of top five countries with the lowest
death rate among the Republics of the former USSR. Thus, according
to CIA, in 2006 Armenia’s index of death rate in the world was 8.23,
and the country held the 109th position.

Washington Profile reports that the list of the countries with the
lowest death rate among the Republics of the former Soviet Union
comprises Turkmenistan – 8.60 (98th position), Tajikistan – 8.25
(108), Uzbekistan – 7.84 (116), and Kyrgyzstan – 7.08 (135). In the
former USSR Russia demonstrated the highest index of death rate –
14.65 deaths per 1 thsd residents. Russia held the 29th position
after Ethiopia and Cot d’Ivoire.

The Ukraine’s index was 14.39 and the country held the 30th position.

Belarus – 14.02 (32nd position), Latvia – 13.66 (34), Estonia – 13.25
(38), Moldova – 12,64 (43), Lithuania – 10.98 (55), Azerbaijan –
9.75 (74), Kazakhstan – 9.42 (79), and Georgia – 9.23 (85) rank
next. According to CIA, in 2006 the highest death rate was registered
in Swaziland – 29.74 deaths per 1 thsd residents.

According to the source, the World Health Organization says that
the main reasons of human death are cardiovascular, oncological,
respiratory diseases, as well as lung disease, HIV/AIDS,
gastrointestinal disturbance, tuberculosis, malaria, and road
accidents.

WORKING SESSION IN NKR NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Azat Artsakh Tert
Aug 31 2007
Nagorno Karabakh Republic NKR

On August 28th, the Speaker of National Assembly Ashot Ghoulian
convened a working session with participation of the chairmen of
permanent commissions and executives of services of the device. The
main theme of the discussion was the process of formation of the
program of legislative activity of NA 5th session and also preparation
of the agenda of the 1st plenary session. As a result of an exchange
of opinions the list of bills exposed to an including in the program
of the session’s legislative activity and also agenda questions of
plenary session were outlined, forthcoming tasks of the permanent
commissions and services of the device were confirmed. The questions
concerned the intraparliamentary life were also discussed at the
session, corresponding assignements were given( press service of NKR
National Assembly reported).

FRENCH COURT EXTENDS TERM OF FILLING APPLICATIONS FOR INSURANCE COMPENSATIONS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS

ARKA News Agency
Aug 31 2007
Armenia

YEREVAN, August 31. /ARKA/. The French court has extended the term of
filling applications for paying insurance compensations to descendants
of policyholders who perished during the Armenian Genocide from
October 1, 2006 to January 7, 2008.

According to Arman Baghdoyan, Director of the firm of attorneys
"Vardges Yeghyayan".

He pointed out that lists of 7,000 Armenians in the Ottoman Turkey
who were policyholders of the French companies L’Union Vie, Caisse
Paternelle è La Confiance, the legal successor of which if the AXA
Insurance Company.

"The lion’s share of Armenians’ insurance policies belonged to L’Union
Vie, which had been operating in the Ottoman Empire since the 1870s,"
Baghdoyan said.

According to Baghdoyan, the French court has agreed upon forming
a commission, the members of which are three citizens of France of
Armenian origin.

The total sum of insurance compensations to descendants of the Armenian
Genocide victims makes $11.5mln. Another $3mln will go to Armenian
benevolent organizations.

Committed by the Young Turkish Government, the Armenian Genocide is
the first genocide of the 20th century. The massacres took lives of
about half million Armenians in Western Armenia which was under the
rule of the Ottoman Turkey.

Uruguay, Lithuania, Russia, France, as well as the Lower chamber
of Italy, 40 States in the USA, the parliaments of Greece, Cyprus,
Argentina, Belgium, Wales, the National Assembly of Switzerland, the
House of Commons of Canada and the Polish Seim have all recognized
the Armenian Genocide.

–Boundary_(ID_lCy649Gea1Ngrf0Nyw8rrw)- –

PARUYR HAYRIKIAN DOES NOT EXCLUDE THAT CERTAIN DEMOCRATIC FORCES WILL SUPPORT SERGE SARGSIAN AS CANDIDATE FOR POST OF PRESIDENT

Noyan Tapan
Aug 30 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, NOYAN TAPAN. "All the sensible political figures
understand that it is impossible to achieve success in the forthcoming
presidential elections without a common candidate. However, we envisage
to discuss that question in a period closer to the elections." This
statement was made by Paruyr Hayrikian, the Chairman of the "National
Self-Determination" union, at the press conference held on August 30,
commenting on the position of those political forces, which take part
in the meeting organized by him.

According to him, these meetings aim at establishing direct contact
between the leaders of democratic political forces, during which
it will be possible to make their positions distinct before the
presidential elections. "The aim is that the situation created on the
threshold of the elections of the National Assembly is not repeated,
when everybody talked about the necessity to unite, however, nothing
of that kind happened," Paruyr Hayrikian said.

At the same time he stressed that the question of the common candidate
is not included on the agenda of the meetings as yet. Paruyr Hayrikian
did not exclude that even Serge Sargsian can be the common candidate
of the forces taking part in the meetings. "We are not interested in
candidates, we are interested in programs."

In response to the question of whether the leader of the National
Self-Determination Union is going to put forward his own candidature
in the presidential elections, Paruyr Hayrikian said: "I have played
a great role at a certain historical period. However, at present I
will nominate my candidature only in case I am sure of my victory:
this is not the battle of Avarayr for you to lose and then say in
what beautiful way you lost."

MYSTICAL MIDDLE – EAST REVEALED IN: SPECIAL SHOW

Brisbane City News (Australia)
August 30, 2007 Thursday

EVOCATIVE music and dance from the mystical Middle East will be
the main attraction at the Brisbane Multicultural Arts Centre on
September 7.

Darabouka Desert Nights will feature the subtle and passionate moves
of belly dancer Tamara Williams, pictured, who is part of a group of
musicians known as Muziz.

They will play songs from Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Morocco and Afghanistan.

The support act, The Armenians, perform music and dance from their
homeland. The Armenians are the only Queensland artists who perform
a stately style Armenian dance, which is similar to ballet.

Darabouka starts at 8pm. Tickets are $14-$16. Phone BEMAC on 3391 4433.

CSTO AND EURASEC INTEND TO WORK IN CLOSER CONTACT

arminfo
2007-08-29 11:31:00

The Collective Treaty Security organization and the Eurasian Economic
Community intend to work in a closer contact, such a decision was
made at yesterday’s joint session of the two structures’ authorized
representatives in Moscow, CSTO’s press-service told "24.kg"
NA. According to its data, the both organizations will coordinate
their actions in realization of the border and customs policy,
in the fight against international terrorism and drugs traffic,
in counteracting the legalization of incomes, received illegally,
and illegal migration. This list includes assurance of energy,
transport security and preservation of hydrotechnical constructions,
prevention and elimination of consequences of emergency situations
of natural and technogenic nature. The issues of interaction in the
sphere of information policy and security, coordination of actions
in relations with other international organizations and third states,
inter-parliamentary cooperation of the countries of CSTO and EurAsEC
were separately denoted.

BRIDES SPEAKING FRENCH AND RUSSIAN NEEDED
Hakob Badalyan

Lragir, Armenia
Aug 27 2007

Matthew Bryza certainly did not do the right thing but we have to
admit that his marriage with the Turkish lady is the consequence of
the shortcoming of the Armenian diplomacy. Instead of taking the
80-year-old Greek president to cafes in Yerevan they should have
taken young and then single Matt to the cafes around the Opera when
he came to Armenia on the occasion of the settlement of the Karabakh
issue. One of the Armenian ladies spending their leisure there would
certainly have fascinated the American co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group
with all the stemming pro-Armenian political results. The Armenian
diplomacy failed to do this, it means they have no right to voice
concern and disappointment regarding the consequences of the marriage
of Bryza and Zeyno Baran, even if the concerns are righteous. In fact,
it is possible that Bryza’s wife will influence him who will start
displaying a pro-Turkish, which is the same as a pro-Azerbaijani
stance. In that case, nobody will have the right to blame him for
fulfilling the wish of his wife and not the Armenian side. After all,
if Bryza refuses to fulfill his wife’s wish to fulfill our wish,
the wife but will not fulfill her husbands wishes.

So, the unbiased mediation may threaten Matthew Bryza’s happiness.

So, for the sake of peace in the family of Bryza and Baran the
U.S. government should replace its co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group
Matthew Bryza by another diplomat.

However, the Armenian side cannot rely on the good sense of the
U.S. government only. After all, the Americans may replace Bryza
but then bring him back to the OSCE Minsk Group. For there is a
precedent when the Armenian side had the U.S. Department of State
delete the part of the report on the occupation of Karabakh but then
returned it to its place. Therefore, we need to take steps in order
to preserve the favorable mode of the talks. Never mind that we did
not think in time of marrying the single American diplomat. All the
countries make mistakes. It is only necessary to learn from mistakes,
at least not to repeat them and not to make other mistakes. So we must
do the right thing now. The OSCE Minsk Group has two other co-chairs,
Bernard Fassier, Frenchman, and Yuri Merzlyakov from Russia. They
are married, of course. But it would be inappropriate to consider
their divorcing. We must now have Sarcosi and Putin replace their
co-chairs with young and why not elderly single diplomats. Since
France and Russia are Armenia’s friends, they must acknowledge
the subtlety of the situation. If they do what they are expected
to do, we will guarantee real Armenian brides for the new French
and Russian co-chairs. It is also possible to encourage Putin and
Sarcosi by promising them the right of the first night. But this is
too much because the problem is not personal, the problem is to have
an unbiased international community in the settlement of the Karabakh
issue, in case the Americans decide not to replace Matthew Bryza.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church in Canada
Contact: Deacon Hagop Arslanian, Assistant to the Primate
615 Stuart Ave., Outremont-Montreal H2V 3H2
Tel: (514) 276-9479
Fax: (514) 276-9960
E- mail: [email protected]
Web: _www.armenianchurch.ca_ ()
August 24, 2007
* * * * *
CANADA: Primate Galstanian Concluded a Successful Calgary Visit
During his pastoral visit to Calgary, from August 16 through 19, the Primate
of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Canada held important ecumenical and
community meetings and celebrated Holy Divine Liturgy on the Feast of the
Assumption of the Holy Mother of God.
His Eminence met with the Anglican Bishop of the Diocese of Calgary, Rt.
Rev. Derek Hoskin, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Calgary Rt. Rev. Frederick
Henry, Mr. Wayne Cao, Member of Alberta Legislature Chair of Calgary Fort
Constituency, Cabinet Representative of Government Calgary Caucus.
Discussions focused on the Calgary Armenian Community and future
developments. The Ecumenical Relations of our Diocese with the two respective Dioceses
in Calgary. Bishops Hoskin and Henry thanked Primate Galstanian for this
initiative and agreed to work together on issues of mutual concern. In his
meeting with Mr. Wayne Cao, member of Alberta Legislature, Bishop Galstanian
discussed the issue of the Armenian Genocide and the possibility of the official
recognition by Alberta’s Legislature. Mr. Cao promised to considerBishop
Galstanian’s request in due time. Accompanying the Primate in these meetings were
Mr. Daniel Takvorian, Ms. Maida Beileryan and Ms. Anoush Newman, members of
the Calgary Armenian Community.
On Sunday, August 19, 2007 His Eminence celebrated Holy Divine Liturgy and
performed the Blessing of the Grape ceremony. Around 200 faithful Canadian
Armenians were present at the celebration of Holy Badarak that took place at St. Steven’s Anglican Church.