Author: Nalbandian Eduard

Iran announces new gas field in Gulf

02/02/2008 15:22 TEHRAN, Feb 2 (AFP)

A gas field with an estimated 11 trillion cubic feet in reserves has
been discovered in the Gulf off the coast of Iran, Oil Minister Gholam
Hossein Nozari said on Saturday.

"A gas field with an estimated reserve of 11 trillion cubic feet (311
billion cubic metres) was found by an Indian company in the Persian
Gulf," Nozari told a news conference.

Nozari declined to reveal the name of the company but said "there will
be talks with the discovering company for (the field’s) development if
they are interested."

Iran has the world’s second-largest proven gas reserves after Russia
and has ambitions to export gas to a host of countries including
Armenia, Pakistan, Syria.

Despite vast gas reserves, the country has not grown to be a major
international exporter due to slow progress in exploiting its fields
combined with a lack of foreign investment.

Despite its export plans, Iran has recently been forced to import gas
from neighbouring Turkmenistan to cover high domestic consumption.

The imports were stopped at the end of December due to what
Turkmenistan called technical hitches. They have yet to be resumed.

Iran noramlly imports 20 to 23 million cubic metres (700 million to 810
million cubic feet) of gas daily from Turkmenistan — amounting to
around five percent of its total consumption.

Iran’s only gas exports are to Turkey which usually receives around 20
million cubic metres (700 million cubic feet) each day.

Iran had to cut the exports to Turkey for three weeks earlier this year
due to the combination of the lack of Turkmenistan gas and severe cold
weather.

Panorama.am

13:36 02/02/2008

OPPORTUNITIES ARE EQUAL BUT ADVANTAGES ARE ON OUR SIDE

Today Armenian national football team will start its
meetings in Malta within the framework of
international traditional tournament. Our national
team will compete with the national teams of Malta,
Byelorussia and Iceland. Today the Armenian team will
stage a game with the football players of Malta. Our
national team has had two games with Malta national
team and both ended with out victory: 1:0.

Prestigious BVIN bookmaker office has rated the
opportunities of both parties equally – with 2.50
rating score. It has rated a draw play with 3.20
score.

This meeting will be the first test for the newly
appointed coach of the Armenian national team, Yan
Poulsner. After the game, the coach will share his
impressions on the preparedness of our football
players.

Malta international traditional tournament started
today and will last until February 6.

Source: Panorama.am

CHARITY PROGRAMS WILL BE COORDINATED

KarabakhOpen
31-01-2008 11:54:57

The bulk of post-war reconstruction of Karabakh has been financed by
benefactors. There were both one-time donations and long-term programs.

Benefactors helped repair roads, houses, schools, nursery schools,
hospitals, water pipelines.

Charity programs have not been coordinated so far. Considering its
necessity, the NKR government has set up a commission for coordination
of charities, which is led by the minister of social security Narine
Azatyan.

Rosanna Khodjoyan, the head of the department of coordination of
charity programs of the Ministry of Social Security, member of the
commission, says in a meeting in late December 2007 the commission
affirmed 19 charity programs which will be implemented by charity
organizations and private persons. The programs involve repair of
roads, water supply in villages, furniture for nursery schools,
and so on.

The programs involve the repair of the 8.3 km Sos-Amaras road sponsored
by Vahe Karapetyan, programs of Armenia Fund and the Armenian Relief
Fund.

"During the meeting the commission made a decision on the distribution
of in-kind assistance. For instance, textbooks which arrived from
Moscow on September 30 were provided to the Ministry of Education and
Science, medicine from the U.S. United Armenian Fund were provided
to the Ministry of Health," Rosanna Khodjoyan said.

DREAMS OF GANANCH
By Lori Suvajian

Arlington Advocate
entertainment/arts/x142939556
Jan 31 2008
MA

Arlington, Mass. – I had never fantasized about the color green until I
went to Armenia. During all of my seventeen years living in Arlington,
I never really appreciated the 18,000 public trees that beautify this
town. So, when I visited my father’s homeland – Armenia – during the
summer of 2007, I had no idea how different the environment would
be. Getting off the plane was literally the first step of my wake-up
call: the desolate landscape was completely lacking in "gananch"-
green. I soon felt an obligation to help bring it back. Hence came
my involvement with the Armenia Tree Project (ATP).

The ATP is a non-profit organization with bases in Watertown,
Mass., as well as Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. It plants trees
and shrubs throughout the country to revive Armenia’s devastated
environment. The fall of the Soviet Union, the 1988 earthquake,
and the war with Azerbaijan caused fuel shortages in the country,
leading to major deforestation. And Armenia’s poor condition is only
a tiny example of the global environmental crisis.

ATP’s goals are simple yet challenging to achieve. Its top priority
is improving Armenia’s environment. Basically, the more trees, the
better. Trees attract moisture, so as forests disappear, it rains
less frequently, making the country increasingly hot and dry.

Pollution is a major issue in Armenia, and without trees, there is
less fresh air to keep people healthy. Finally, the trees help support
the ecosystems of local flora and fauna.

In Yerevan, I met with Anahit Gharibyan, the project’s community tree
planting manager, who guided me through some of ATP’s local planting
sites. We visited the Karin Nursery, where seeds grow into saplings
that are later replanted throughout the area. Once relocated, it takes
continuous care from ATP and local staff to keep the seedlings alive –
and this, of course, takes money.

As you enjoy our tree-lined streets and small forests at Menotomy
Rocks Park, consider sharing this gift with Armenia. A donation of
$15 will buy a seed and ensure that it receives enough care to become
a healthy tree. Donation options are available on ATP’s Web site,
, or by calling its main number, (617) 926-8733,
for more information.

Visit Suvajian’s photography exhibit "Dreams of Gananch" at the Fox
Branch Library on from February 13-27. Purchase digital reproductions
of this art, on canvas, to help benefit the Armenian Tree Project.

Suvajian is a high school senior who spent the past summer working
for the Armenian Tree Project, I’m a high school senior who lives in
Arlington. A different version of this article originally appeared in
"The Armenian Weekly."

Russian comedy breaks records

‘Very Best Film’ takes $19.5 million

Variety.com
Wed., Jan. 30, 2008

By NICK HOLDSWORTH

MOSCOW – A Russian comedy that spoofs the country’s recent string of hit
domestic movies broke all box office records to take $19.5 million in
its first week on release, distrib Caroprokat said Wednesday.

`Very Best Film’ (Sammi Luchi Film), which was produced by entertainment
TV channel TNT, was released across Russia and surrounding former Soviet
territories Jan. 24 on 702 copies and took $16.5 million it is first
weekend alone.

The record-breaking average of more than $23,000 a copy marks a new
high-tide mark for box office takings in Russia.

Caroprokat said latest figures Wednesday were $19.5 million and rising
for takings across Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and other parts of the
region where the film is on release.

The spoof, which pokes fun at such local hits as fantasy thriller `Day
Watch’ and Afghan war drama `The 9th Company’ and was produced in
association with popular TNT show `Comedy Club,’ has been seen by more
than 3.5 million viewers so far.

The film was made on a budget of $5 million and promoted through a $5
million advertising campaign that has put posters on billboards, bus
stops, metro stations throughout Russia, in addition to television plugs.

Artak Gasparyan, general producer, said: `We are very happy with the
results. We worked with the most talented actors, scriptwriters and
directors who trusted in the idea and had much know-how about the
domestic market.’

Artur Dzhanibekyan, general producer for Comedy Club Production, paid
tribute to Konstantin Ernst, head of Russia’s First Channel and the key
figure behind such box office hits as `Irony of Fate – Continuation,’
the sequel to a Soviet classic that has done more than $50 million of
business since it opened Dec. 21.

`This was one of the best cinema promotion campaigns and we had great
expert help from Konstantin Ernst.’

Observers say that the film’s phenomenal success may be attributed to
its popularity with the key 14-25 demographic – the same as the bulk of
the viewers of TNT, which airs a mix of domestic and dubbed imports of
comedy, drama and reality shows.

Alexander Semenov, publisher of Russian Film Business Today, told
Variety: `This is the best box office opening ever in Russia. It is just
the sort of film the youngsters that watch TNT like.’

Read the full article at:
ml

LEVON TER-PETROSYAN’S ELECTION OFFICE EXPLAINS, INFORMS AND WARNS

Lragir
Jan 29 2008
Armenia

On January 29 the election office of the presidential candidate
Levon Ter-Petrosyan released a statement on the incidents of the past
few days of Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s election campaign, as well as the
efforts to hinder Ter-Petrosyan’s election campaign. According to
the election office of the first president, "The bandit government
of Armenia, scared by the mounting power of the election campaign
of the first president of Armenia, has started making provocative,
unlawful efforts."

"A provocation was put up by the government during Levon
Ter-Petrosyan’s rally in Talin on January 27. S. Karapetyan,
notorious for his provocative actions, provoked a fight, and the law
enforcement agencies used this opportunity to invite the activists
of Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s office in Talin to the police station,
thereby paralyzing the work of the election office.

On January 28 the police of Kapan used force to close down
Ter-Petrosyan’s election office in Kapan, paralyzing the activities
of the election office.

In the night of January 27 some people ripped off the sign of Levon
Ter-Petrosyan’s election office in Vanadzor and the poster pinned
up near the office. In the night of January 28 the sign of Levon
Ter-Petrosyan’s sub-office in Arabkir, Yerevan, was ripped off.

Yesterday the road police arrested the cars which participated in
Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s spontaneous car marches.

Besides, the Public Television of Armenia led by Alexander
Harutiunyan, who had been accused of October 27, spreads distorted,
false information about the pre-election visits of the first president
of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan."

According to the authors of the statement, these actions are meant to
prevent Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s victory in the presidential election,
and get the situation out of control. "We warn the bandit government
of Armenia that they will be responsible for the unpredictable
consequences of these actions. Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s election office
is committed to the battle against the bandit government, and is
resolved to go all the way," runs the statement.

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Jan 26 2008

Clinton follows Obama, pledges recognition of Armenian `genocide’

Days after her rival Barack Obama, US presidential candidate Hillary
Clinton has also pledged to officially recognize the controversial
World War I-era killings of Anatolian Armenians as genocide if she
becomes president.

A written statement penned by Clinton and sent to an influential
Armenian diaspora organization on Thursday was made public by the
group yesterday. Last week, Obama sent a written statement to
organization, the Washington based-Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA), announcing his support of a resolution pending at the
US Congress for recognition of the allegations on the controversial
issue.
"I believe the horrible events perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire
against Armenians constitute a clear case of genocide. I have twice
written to President [George W.] Bush calling on him to refer to the
Armenian Genocide in his annual commemorative statement and, as
President, I will recognize the Armenian Genocide. Our common
morality and our nation’s credibility as a voice for human rights
challenge us to ensure that the Armenian Genocide be recognized and
remembered by the Congress and the President of the United States,"
Clinton said in her statement published on ANCA’s Web site.

Armenians claim up to 1.5 million of their kin were slaughtered in
orchestrated killings during the last years of the Ottoman Empire.
Turkey categorically rejects these claims, saying that 300,000
Armenians, along with at least as many Turks, died in civil strife
that emerged when the Armenians took up arms for independence in
eastern Anatolia and sided with the Russian troops who were invading
Ottoman territory. In 1993 Turkey also shut its border with Armenia
in a show of solidarity with its close ally Azerbaijan, which was at
war with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, dealing a heavy
economic blow to the impoverished nation.

Last year, despite pleas from the Bush administration, the US House
of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs passed a nonbinding
resolution that described the events of 1915 as genocide. Nancy
Pelosi, speaker of the House of Representatives and an ardent
supporter of the Armenian claims, has so far not brought the
resolution to the House floor, after a strong appeal from the Bush
administration that passage of the resolution would deeply harm
relations with NATO ally Turkey.

As a senator, Clinton has since 2002 cosponsored successive Armenian
genocide resolutions. She joined Senate colleagues in cosigning
letters to Bush in 2005 and 2006 urging him to recognize the events
as genocide.

In October 2000, weeks before a presidential election, Armenian
groups came very close to a victory in the United States, with a
genocide resolution reaching the House floor. Yet, only hours before
a final vote, then President Bill Clinton, a Democrat and Hillary
Clinton’s spouse, personally intervened and urged Republican House
Speaker Dennis Hastert to withdraw the resolution on grounds of
national security. Hastert agreed, prompting major disappointment
among Armenians.

26.01.2008

Today’s Zaman Ankara

PanARMENIAN.Net

Independence of Kosovo can’t be taken hostage to Cyprus problem
26.01.2008 15:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ New Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim
Thaci said the independence of Kosovo will come within
days, while refusing to give an exact date. The former
political leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army
expressed hope that Turkey would be one of the first
countries to recognize his country’s independence and
stressed that he was "very pleased" with Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s stance on Kosovo. `I
am very proud of the Turkish minority in Kosovo and
they are part of our government. We are very closely
cooperating with them and believe that this will
continue.’

Thaci ducked all the questions regarding a possible
date for the declaration of independence noting,
however, that nothing will stop the process. The
Kosovo leader said he expected the U.S., strong
members of the EU and the Islamic world to recognize
Kosovo quite soon.

`We understand the concerns of Cyprus regarding the
independence of Kosovo. We can wait a bit longer for
them to recognize our independence but we will make
our decision soon. Our independence cannot be taken
hostage by the problems of Cyprus or any other
country,’ Thaci said in an interview with Today’s
Zaman.

2.2-MILLION ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN ARMENIA

Arka News Agency
Jan 25 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, January 25. /ARKA/. Presentation of a [email protected] program
of Armenian Javakhk region protection was held on Friday in Yerevan.

Aram Harutyunyan, environment minister, speaking at the
program-launching ceremony, said this project supported by German
government and World Wildlife Fund (WWF-Armenia) and intended for three
years will promote social and economic development of Shirak province.

He said the program’s key components are to create national park near
Lake Arpi and to preserve bio variety in Shirak.

Harutyunyan said that the program targets territories surrounding
Lake Arpi and bordering Georgia and Turkey.

He said the countries have common interests in this area. German
Ambassador to Armenia Andrea Victorin stressed the importance of
cooperation with Armenia saying this program is not only consonant with
Caucasian Initiative, but also secures future generations’ interests.

Karapet Gevorgyan, representative of German KfW Bank, through which
the financing will be carried out, said that rare species that are
now on the brink of extinction will be saved thanks to this program.

An office will be established in Gyumri for this program
implementation.

A regional consulting board will open as part of the program.

OUTGOING BRITISH AMBASSADOR VISITS THE MOTHER SEE OF HOLY ETCHMIADZIN

armradio.am
24.01.2008 17:55

On January 24 at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin the Catholicos of
All Armenians Garegin II received the Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland to Armenia, Mr. Anthony Cantor, who is completing his mission
in our country.

"We are glad to have had the opportunity to be familiar with you. We
had chances of cooperation, which further reinforced our ties and
relations," His Holiness noted.

For his part, the Ambassador noted that he will miss Armenia and the
Holy Etchmiadzin.

During the meeting reference was made to the ties and cooperation
existing between the Apostolic Church of Armenia and the Anglican
Church.