Author: Nalbandian Eduard

PanARMENIAN.Net

Armenian opposition planning continuous sit-down strike
04.07.2008 21:41 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian opposition is planning a continuous
sit-down strike, which "will result in a new presidential election,"
leader of the National Movement David Shahnazaryan told an opposition
rally on July 4.

Another speaker, Levon Zurabyan, informed that the sit-down strike
will last 4 weeks, till the next rally due on August 1.

Armenia’s first President Levon Ter-Petrosyan, chairman of People’s
Party Stepan Demirchyan, chairman of Republic party Aram Sargsyan,
head of Hnchakyan Social Democratic party Lyudmila Sargsyan, member of
ANM board and representatives of other opposition forces have gathered
to lead the rally held in front of Matenadaran, the Depositary of
Ancient Manuscripts, IA Regnum reports.

Meanwhile, Yerevan Mayor’s Office did not authorize at Matenadaran and
offered Hrazdan stadium or republican stadium after Vazgen Sargsyan as
an alternative.

MARMARIK RESERVOIR RESTORATION LEFT INCOMPLETE DUE TO DOLLAR DEPRECIATION

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YEREVAN, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. On July 2, RA Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsian visited Marmarik reservoir in the RA Kotayk region, which has
not been used from the moment of its construction, after 1974, as its
stronghold slided down a few days before filling the water into the
reservoir. The stronghold top that had 350 meters length slided down to
13.5 meters. And approximately 500 thousand cubic meters earth mass
moved. Stronghold repairs started from 2006.

Andranik Andreasian, the Chairman of the Water Economy State Committee
of the RA Ministry of Territorial Administration, told the Prime
Miniser that at present Marmarik reservoir poses certain danger for
people living below it. According to A. Andreasian, it was one of the
main reasons, the reservoir restoration was involved in the World Bank
(WB) Stronghold Security Program, within the framework of which
reservoir’s stronghold was to be restored. The projecting finished in
2005. The construction contract was signed on August 31, 2006 and
according to the program, the construction is envisaged to be finished
within 24 months, in 2008, but it has been left incomplete due to the
lack of funds as a result of dollar depreciation.

According to Andreasian, at that time the construction contract cost
was 4bn 568m 779 thousand drams, that is, 11.521.609 dollars. The
allocated funds have been spent, but a new calculation is needed to
finish the rest work.

PRESS RELEASE
United Nations Development Programme / Armenia
14 Petros Adamyan St., Yerevan 0010
Contact: Mr. Hovhannes Sarajyan, Communications Associate
Tel: +37410 566 073
E-mail: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
Web site: <;
<;

Head of the United Nations in Armenia Inspects Projects Implemented in
Various Communities of Armenia

United Nations, Yerevan – On July 2, 2008 Ms. Consuelo Vidal, the
United Nations Resident Coordinator / UN Development Programme (UNDP)
Resident Representative in Armenia made a working visit to several urban
and rural communities of Armenia to observe the development projects
implemented by UNDP and its partners. The agenda included visits to
Ararat, Kotayk, and Shirak regions where UNDP works to promote
community-based initiatives aimed at improving the social and economic
conditions of the local population.

Since 2006 UNDP has been cooperating with the municipality of Masis town
of Ararat marz under its Performance Budgeting Project. Through targeted
counseling and technical assistance, Masis municipality has switched to
the new, results-based budgeting model which, in addition to improved
work efficiency of the local governance, allows an increased public
participation in planning, execution and monitoring of the community’s
budget. As part of the budget implementation, UNDP carried out a project
on the renovation of 41 entrances of 9 residential buildings located in
different districts of town of Masis, which needed most pending repairs.

Nor Geghi Agricultural College in Kotayk region is one of the five
vocational education and training institutions included in the framework
of UNDP `Support to the Modernization of Vocational Education and
Training System’ (VET) Project, which benefited from the activities
undertaken by the VET project during the two years of its
implementation. The VET project has initiated an unprecedented
initiative targeted at creation of an educational demonstrative orchard
adjacent to the College building, which will amass a whole range of
sample indigenous sorts of drupaceous fruits allowing more than 400
students from the College, as well as the students from nearby
Agricultural Institute, to practically get acquainted with morphological
characteristics of domestic drupaceous fruits, modern irrigation
technologies, cultivation techniques, agricultural protections, etc. As
a result, the students could combine the theory with the practice
conducting new laboratory experiments and practical assignments.
Moreover, the orchard will have a strong potential to become an
excellent scientific base for research works to be undertaken by the
scientists across the country. The project has also initiated the
procurement of agro-mechanization laboratory for the College to allow
practical application of the newly acquired knowledge.

Over the recent two years UNDP has been working with the local
self-government bodies of Artik town of Shirak region to set up the
results-based budgeting methodology. In line with the priorities
identified by the community in 2007, the project on full reconstruction
of the town’s Extracurricular Education Center was undertaken jointly by
UNDP and USAID, with participation of Artik community. As a result, the
renovated Center has provided 7 new jobs for professional teachers of
the town. Today, more comfortable and suitable conditions are offered to
over 150 students attending around 20 activity groups of the Center.

In the framework of the UNDP/GEF `Armenia-Improving the Energy
Efficiency of Municipal Heating and Hot Water Supply’ project, the
centralized heat supply systems of four residential buildings in Gyumri
city of Shirak region were connected to two boiler houses, which
required preliminary technical assessment and capital investments. As
part of the cooperation agreement signed between UNDP and Gyumri
municipality, 238 households, out of which 27 % are socially vulnerable
families, of these residential buildings will receive centralized
heating in 2008-09 heating season, under the supervision of `Gyumri
Kentron’ condominium.

In Ashotsk, the very northern sub-district of Shirak region, UNDP has
partnered with the Government of Norway to implement a set of
agricultural development projects supporting the cluster of four border
villages – Bavra, Sizavet, Tavshut and Saragyugh. In 2007, UNDP
supported the renovation of the agricultural machinery pool and
purchased a fleet of new machinery units to serve around 1,500 residents
of the cluster communities. An inter-community institution, LEJAME Fund,
was established with UNDP assistance in an effort to set up a basis for
institutional management. To mobilize the population and especially the
youth of the cluster villages, UNDP has supported publishing of a local
newspaper.

In March 2008, the UN agencies – UNDP, Food and Agricultural
Organization and World Food Program -initiated the project on potato
seed revolving fund creation for the cluster villages. Around 9.5 tons
of Dutch potato seeding material was planted on 3 hectares of irrigated
land and cultivated by local workforce paid with food rations, under the
food-for-work initiative of WFP. The direct beneficiaries of this
project are 500 socially vulnerable residents of the cluster who will be
provided with the crop as food relief. Another part will be distributed
among multi-children families for further planting and the remaining
households will have an opportunity to buy potato seeding at a below
market price. The sales proceeds will be turned into new purchase of
potato seeding to be planted and distributed the same way. Governed by
LEJAME Fund, the potato seeding fund will operate by the similar scheme
increasing its volume from year to year.

——————-
UNDP is on ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own
solutions to global and national development challenges. UNDP in Armenia
was established in 1993 and supports the Government of Armenia to reach
its own development priorities and the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

UNCLE VAHAN RELEASED

A1+
03 July, 2008

Vahan Aroyan (known as uncle Vano) has been released from the
"Nubarashen" Penitentiary Institution quite unexpectedly. Arsen
Babayan, press secretary of the Criminal-Investigative Department
of the RoA Justice Ministry confirmed the information. According to
press-service of the Armenian National Security Service, "as result
of a search conducted on December 29 in the house of Vahan Aroyan,
resident of the village Lusarat, Ararat region, a cache with a lot
of weapons and ammunition has been discovered. The search has been
conducted as part of the criminal investigation initiated with regard
to Zhirair Sefilian and Vardan Malkhassian, leaders of the organization
"Unity of Armenian Volunteers". Aroyan has been arrested."

It is due to mention that Aroyan has never been affiliated with the
organization.

The Committee supporting Zhirair Sefilian and Vardan Malkhassian issued
a statement today which runs, "Aroyan was arrested in late 2006 in
order to ascribe his collection of weapons famous among law-enforcers
to the organisation led by Zhirair Sefilian. The latter, according
to a well-planned scenario, was going to be accused of plotting a
coup d’etat.

The National Security Service held a special operation in order to
somehow involve Vahan Aroyan in Zhirair Sefilian’s case. The NSS put
up an information leakage about an imminent arrest of Zhirair Sefilian,
the addressee of which was Vahan Aroyan. They were sure that Zhirair’s
companion-in-arms would tell him the news, which would enable them
to arrest Vahan Aroyan and "discover an arsenal in his house within
the realms of Sefilian’s case."

However, the hopes of the tchekists dashed away. They were unable to
make Vahan Aroyan testify against Zhirair Sefilian, that is why the
soldier who got innumerable injuries and awards during the war, the
voluntary border-guard, got a disproportionate sentence, and served
over 1.5 years in prison.

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
July 02, 2008
Contact: Michael A Zachariades
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 393-3434

SPEAKER PELOSI NAMES ARMENIAN CAUCUS MEMBER CONGRESSMAN MCGOVERN
CO-CHAIR OF CONGRESSIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS CAUCUS

Armenian Assembly Welcomes McGovern’s Appointment

Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) welcomes
Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) recent selection of Congressman Jim
McGovern (D-MA) to replace the late Congressman Tom Lantos, the
Co-Founder of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, as the new
Co-Chair.

Chairman Lantos was an ardent defender of human rights throughout his
distinguished career in Congress. During the 110th Congress, Lantos
strongly supported efforts to end the genocide in Darfur, as well as
voted for House Resolution 106, which combats ongoing attempts to deny
the historical truth of the Armenian Genocide.

In fact, last October, Lantos, in his role as Chairman of the House
Foreign Affairs Committee voted in support of this critical human
rights bill and stated, "This is one of those events which has to be
settled once and for all: 1.5 million utterly innocent Armenian men,
women and children were slaughtered. And the Turkish government, until
now, has intimidated the Congress of the United States from taking
this measure. I think it’s important, at a time when genocides are
going on in Darfur and elsewhere, not to be an accomplice in sweeping
an important genocide under the rug."

"I am honored by Speaker Pelosi’s decision and look forward to working
with my colleagues to address critical issues facing us today," said
Congressman McGovern. "From ending the current genocidal campaign in
Darfur and preventing future genocides by reaffirming the historical
truth of the Armenian Genocide, I want to ensure that this important
body carries forward the legacy of the great Tom Lantos," McGovern
continued.

McGovern, like Lantos, strongly supports a wide range of human rights
legislation, including H.Res.106. In addition, he is an active member
of the Armenian Caucus, serves as Vice-Chairman of the House Rules
Committee and is a member of the House Budget Committee.

"Congressman McGovern understands the important role Congress can play
in not only bringing attention to human rights abuses, but also in
shaping solutions to address them. The Armenian Assembly is committed
to working with the Caucus on issues of mutual concern," said Assembly
Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.

The Human Rights Caucus was founded in 1983 by Co-Chairman Tom Lantos
(D-CA) and former Co-Chairman John Edward Porter (R-IL). In 2001, the
Caucus welcomed Congressman Frank R. Wolf (R-VA) as Co-Chair when
Porter retired from Congress. The Caucus has united the efforts of
legislators to fight religious persecution, defend fundamental human
rights and has demonstrated the importance of human rights to
Congress.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public
understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. It is a 501(c)(3)
tax-exempt membership organization.

###

NR#2008-054

Photo Caption: Assembly Congressional Relations Associate Bianka
Dodov, Rep. Jim McGovern and Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny

ages/PR_-_2008/June-July/Bianka_Dodov__Rep_McGover n__Bryan_Ardony.JPG

MARKET REPORT: NOE VALLEY FARMERS MARKET IN SAN FRANCISCO
Jane Tunks

San Francisco Chronicle
USA
Wednesday, July 2, 2008

As seen at the Noe Valley Farmers’ Market on Saturday:

After pining for local tomatoes and stone fruit all year, summer
produce is finally here – in a big way. Field-grown heirloom tomatoes
in shades of yellow, green and red brimmed over bins at Capay Fruits &
Vegetables and Happy Boy Farms for $3 per pound.

Peaches and nectarines have their devotees – who had plenty to choose
from last weekend – but it’s the pluot we dream about all year
long. At $3.50 per pound, early-ripening Flavor Supremes beckoned
from the stalls at Hidden Star Orchards and Twin Girls Farms.

At the midpoint of their long spring and summer season, Central
Coast strawberries from Swanton Berry Farm went for $3 per basket;
$10 for three baskets.

And just in case you had doubts about summer’s arrival, Sunny Farm
had both corn (75 cents an ear) and Japanese and Armenian cucumbers
($2 per pound).

Last chance: Hope you got to freeze the last of the blueberries,
for $12 per pound, from Hidden Star Orchards.

Year-round on Saturdays, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.; 24th Street between Vicksburg
and Sanchez. Visit

ARMENIAN KHACHKAR-MONUMENT OPENED IN BRAZIL

Panorama.am
0:37 01/07/2008

In these days Armenian khachkar-monument establishment ceremony took
place in Ozasko City, Brazile. The khachkar is gifted to the city by
the Municipality of Gyumri commemorating the relationship established
between the two cities in 2006.

According to the press department of the Foreign Minister of RA the
opening ceremony was made by the Mayor of the city, the Armenian
Council in Brazil and the representative of Armenian-Brazil church
branch. The Council of Armenia made a speech and said that Armenians
who managed to escape the Genocide came to Ozasko and built their
homes there.

DMITRIY MEDVEDEV CONGRATULATES GURBANGULY BERDIMUHAMEDOV ON BIRTHDAY

Turkmenistan.ru, Turkmenistan
28.06.08 14:29

On June 28, Turkmen print media outlets published a message of
congratulations conveyed by Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev to
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

Having sincerely congratulated the Turkmen president on his birthday,
the Russian leader noted that "important socio-economic reforms are
being successfully carried out in Turkmenistan, wellbeing of the
country’s population is rising and Turkmenistan’s position in the
world is strengthening."

"Thanks to your personal efforts, the traditional friendly relations
between Russia and Turkmenistan have entered into a new phase of
development, and new joint projects in the major areas of cooperation
are making these relations even richer," the message says.

"I am confident that our relations based on accords and agreements made
between our countries, will be boosted further during our forthcoming
meeting in Turkmenistan and will serve the interests of our nations
as well as the interests of peace and stability in Central Asia,"
Dmitriy Medvedev said.

The president of Turkmenistan also received congratulations from
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Uzbek President Islam Karimov,
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev, Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Turkish prime minister
Rejep Tayyp Erdogan.

In a telephone conversation on June 27, Armenia’s president Serzh
Sargsyan congratulated Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov
on birthday. The sides spoke in favor of establishing comprehensive
interstate cooperation and exchanged invitations to pay official
visits to Yerevan and Ashgabat.

It should be recalled that the president of Turkmenistan marks his
birthday on June 29.

Armenia School Foundation, Inc.
3628 San Fernando Road, #1
Glendale, CA 91204

URL:

PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Annette Kiureghian
[email protected]

The Armenia School Foundation (ASF) Raises over $100,000 at the 5th
Anniversary Gala Celebration

Glendale, California, June 23, 2008 – The Armenia School Foundation (ASF
USA), a non-profit organization dedicated to refurnishing schools in
Armenia and Karabagh, hosted a gala banquet on May 31 to celebrate its 5th
Anniversary, at Homenetmen Ararat Center.

The evening marked the second annual banquet for ASF since its inception
in May 2003. `ASF’s 2008 goal is to furnish 12 new schools in regions of
Armavir, Aragatsotn, and Karabagh’said Armen Abrahamian, chairman of the
Board. `Tonight, with the support and generous donations from friends and
community members, we were able to raise more than $100,000 in donations
and raffle sales, which will be allocated for the refurnishing of the new
schools.’

The gala was attended by 250 friends, supporters, representatives of
media and community organizations as well as public figures such as Armen
Liloyan, Council General of the Republic of Armenia in LA, California
Assemblyman Paul Krekorian, Former Glendale Mayors Ara Najarian, Steve
Artinian, Chairman of the Homenetmen Western US Region, and Dr. Alina
Dorian who delivered the welcoming remarks.

During the evening, ASF was recognized for its achievements by all key
speakers, Armen Liloyan, Paul Krekorian and Ara Najarian, praising the
foundation’s commitment, unique role in the future of Armenia’s children,
as well as its impressive record during five short years. A 5th
Anniversary booklet was provided to all guests present. The booklet
features commendation and congratulatory letters from Arnold
Schwarzenegger, Governor of California, Glendale Mayor’s office, and
community organizations.

A special video presentation made in Armenia, captured the essence of
ASF’s mission while demonstrating the effects of change brought to the
classrooms. `ASF has a single yet important goal and one can witness the
results of their work almost instantaneously.’ said Vahe Aghabegians,
Executive Director of Armenia Fund during a taped interview. Levon
Lazarian, the Education Minister of Armenia, also send his congratulatory
message commending ASF’s work. `The joy and excitement of our efforts
could be seen on the faces of the young schoolchildren once presented with
their new class furniture. This successful event encourages us to expand
our promotional efforts to include more Armenian communities in California
and other states in the US so we can address the needs of the schools in
Armenia promptly.’ said Abrahamian.

Other highlights of the evening were the dance performances by Nairi
Hamazkain- Valley Chapter’s Dance Group and the raffle drawing which
declared Mrs. Karineh Carapetian to be 2008’s grand prize winner. ASF
wishes Mrs. Carapetian and her spouse a very joyous and safe trip to
Armenia.

The Armenia School Foundation (ASF USA) is a non profit organization,
founded in May 2003. ASF USA strives to provide new furniture for remote
schools in various regions of Armenia and Karabagh to enhance the learning
environment. ASF has provided over 8,000 sets of furnishings to-date to
over 180 schools with funds collected worldwide. For more information
about ASF’s completed and current projects, please visit

KREMLIN: PRESS STATEMENTS BY PRESIDENT DMITRY MEDVEDEV FOLLOWING RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN TALKS

Official Web Portal of the President of Russia
June 24 2008

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: Ladies and gentlemen, colleagues, Serzh Azatovich,

These talks with the Armenian President continue our traditionally
full and rich top-level bilateral contacts. We saw each other just
recently, and you could say that we practically never even parted,
meeting not long ago in Moscow and in St Petersburg. But the main
thing is that we have reaffirmed our mutual commitment to developing
our strategic partnership and allied cooperation.

We discussed in detail the outlook for our bilateral business and
humanitarian ties today and exchanged views on key regional and
international issues.

The historically close cooperation between Russia and Armenia is
picking up in pace and substance today. The figures we heard today
reflect the real dynamic of our relations: trade turnover has increased
by two thirds and is now close to $1 billion. Russia is the biggest
investor in the Armenian economy with total capital investment now
more than $1.2 billion.

It is in our common interest to consolidate these positive trends
and continue to encourage investment and production and technological
cooperation. This is all the more so as big Russian businesses such as
Gazprom, Russian Aluminium, Vympelcom and Vneshtorgbank are working
successfully in Armenia. Serzh Azatovich and I agreed on a number
of additional steps to advance major projects being carried out,
including projects involving these companies.

Of course, we also need to encourage more active direct contacts
between our business communities, between big business and also
between small and medium businesses. This also contributes to shaping
the level of cooperation between our countries.

Humanitarian ties, including multilateral ties, were also one of
the main items on our agenda today. We held National Year events
in both countries – the Year of Armenia in Russia and the Year of
Russia in Armenia. These events created numerous opportunities for
interpersonal cooperation through festivals, arts exhibitions and
educational projects. Now we must work to preserve and nurture all
that we achieved.

Armenia is one of the most active participants in multilateral
humanitarian cooperation in the CIS, and this a very good thing.

I know that the first CIS humanitarian festival of Russian-language
broadcasting has just taken place in Yerevan, and this autumn our
countries will both be active participants at the third Forum of the
CIS Intelligentsia. These are positive things. Such initiatives will
continue to receive support at the highest state level.

Discussion of key international and regional issues was an important
part of our talks. We reaffirmed our readiness to increase our
cooperation within the Commonwealth of Independent States and the
Collective Security Treaty Organisation, in which Armenia will soon
hold the presidency. I am certain that close cooperation between Russia
and Armenia is a guarantee for the entire region’s stable and worthy
development. Russia’s priorities in this respect remain unchanged.

Our position is that crises in the Trans-Caucasus should be settled
exclusively through peaceful means, working through existing formats
and maintaining strict respect for international law. Our country is
ready to help find solutions that are in the fundamental interests
of all the region’s peoples.

This applies in full to the situation in Nagorny Karabakh too. We
underscored the mediator role played by the Minsk Group in the
negotiation process and spoke too of new possibilities for stepping
up the negotiations. We sense that there is interest on both sides.

Once again, I would like to thank Serzh Azatovich for the interested
and constructive dialogue that has taken place. I am sure that our
strategic cooperation and our work together as allies will continue
their confident development for the good of our countries and
peoples. This is very important for our countries’ future.

SERZH SARGSYAN: Dmitry Anatolyevich, ladies and gentlemen,

First of all, I would like to say thank you for the invitation, the
warm reception and the constructive talks that are taking place as
part of my first official visit to Russia as President of Armenia.

This shows that we want to continue building and expanding the
strategic relations between Armenia and Russia. We have just signed a
Joint Declaration that gives an assessment of the current state of our
relations, reaffirms our mutual desire to intensify our cooperation,
and outlines directions for its future development.

I want to highlight the main result achieved by today’s meeting. The
substance and trusting spirit of our talks reflected in full measure
the strategic level of our partnership.

We discussed a whole range of bilateral issues with the Russian
President and also examined international and regional issues. We
reaffirmed our readiness to continue work to improve the Commonwealth
of Independent States in order to make our integration efforts as
effective as possible.

We noted the importance of the Collective Security Treaty
Organisation. We examined the organisation’s current objectives,
especially in the context of Armenia’s upcoming presidency of the
organisation and our plans to hold the first large-scale military
command exercises – Rubezh-2008 – in Armenia in September.

I am certain that cooperation in the fuel and energy sector, science,
nuclear energy, high technology and the creation of advanced technology
are the most promising areas for our cooperation, and one of the
most important instruments we have in this respect is the dynamic
development of direct cooperation at the regional level between
our countries.

We agreed to look for new ways to build up our bilateral cooperation
and are ready to pay our utmost attention to developing concrete
mutually beneficial projects.

Cultural and scientific exchanges and closer civil society contacts
all help to bring our peoples closer together, spiritually enrich
them and strengthen our countries’ strategic partnership. I am sure
that the results of today’s substantial talks will give a positive
boost to our intergovernmental ties and have benefits for the lives
of all citizens of our two fraternal countries.

I have invited Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev to make an official visit
to Armenia this year to continue our dialogue.

Once again, I would like to thank the Russian Federation’s leadership
for the warm reception, the very productive talks, and for the desire
for continued cooperation that we will build for the good of our
two peoples.

Thank you very much.