Author: Nalchajian Markos

RECOVERY WORK AT TSITSERNAKABERD PARK TO CONTINUE IN 2008

2007-11-27 16:40:00

ArmInfo. The recovery work at Tsitsernakaberd Park dedicated to the
Armenian Genocide victims will continue in 2008.

As Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Hayk Demoyan told
journalists, Tuesday, a total of 4500 trees and bushes have already
been planted in the park. In 2007 large-scale clean-up activity was
also carried out in the park: construction and sanitary waste was
carried away from the park by several lorries. According to H.Demoyan,
a new 20 ha irrigation system is also nearing completion. "The
energy crisis in 90s resulted in deforestation of the park. In this
connection, we are going to continue the recovery work in 2008,
too. In addition, we also intend to involve landscape designers in
the future", he said. H.Demoyan emphasized that the recovery of the
Tsitsernakaberd Park is especially significant as the park is the
largest green zone in Yerevan. "The recovery of green massifs will
have a positive effect on the ecology of Yerevan", he said.

MAUI AT $4.20 A GALLON, THANKS IN PART TO CONGRESSMEMBERS HIRONO AND ABERCROMBIE
By Andrew Walden

Hawaii Reporter, HI
Nov 27 2007

Hawaii fuel prices have increased sharply since early November. On
Maui, diesel is selling for as much as $4.20 per gallon and premium
unleaded is $4.05. The increases come after Congressional Democrats,
with the co-sponsorship of Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Neil Abercrombie
(D-HI) in late October spooked the crude oil market by provoking
Turkey to threaten Iraq by advancing their Armenian Genocide Resolution
in Congress.

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Having staked everything of an American defeat in Iraq, Congressional
Democrats are in deep trouble. General Petraeus’ surge put al-Qaeda
on the ropes in Iraq. Petraeus’ long-awaited report delivered to
Congress Sept. 10 and 11 showed strong progress. U.S. casualties
dropped sharply and Move-On.org called Petraeus "General Betray-us."

After Petraeus betrayed Democrats by pushing al-Qaeda back,
Congressional leaders had a problem: How could Democrats snatch defeat
from the jaws of victory in Iraq? If al-Qaeda, Syria and Iran wouldn’t
make Iraq into a mess, who would?

As Turkey complained in September and October of cross-border raids
by Kurdish guerillas, Democrats spotted an opening. They suddenly
advanced debate the "Armenian Genocide Resolution" (HR106) co-sponsored
by Neil Abercrombie and Mazie Hirono.

Ninety years after the 1917 slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians by the
Ottoman Empire, Turkey’s predecessor state, on Oct. 11, 2007, House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) suddenly decided, "…so as long as there
is genocide there is need to speak out against it …" and pledged
to bring the resolution to a vote. Turkey is a NATO ally instrumental
in routing 70 percent of all airborne supplies to U.S. forces in Iraq.

After the Democrats acted, Turkey withdrew its ambassador and cancelled
diplomatic visits to Washington, DC. Worse yet, Turkish troops massed
on the Iraq border threatening an invasion.

Oil markets reacted sharply to the possibility of Middle-East unrest
from a new and unexpected direction. Oil prices shot up from early
October’s already high $79-per-barrel level.

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The Oct. 20 Wall Street Journal wrote "How Turkey could undermine
Iraq." The Democrats last ditch attempt to enlist Turkish troops in
defeating the surge was such an obvious attack on U.S. soldiers in
the field of combat that by Oct. 14 even ex-President Jimmy Carter
and his former national security advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski argued
against consideration of HR106.

0/14/le.01.html

On Oct. 15 and 16 eleven HR 106 co-sponsors withdrew their support-but
not Hirono or Abercrombie.

rld/politics/la-na-genocidebox17oct17,1,2794296.st ory?coll=la-news-politics-national&ctrack=4&am p;cset=true

By October 26 four key sponsors of the Resolution wrote to Pelosi
asking her to postpone consideration. The resolution was dead.

Turkish troops never invaded Iraq, settling instead for a few
cross-border helicopter attacks on empty Kurdish villages thought to
be guerilla hideouts. Once again Hirono and Abercrombie had failed
to defeat the U.S. military.

0,21985,22651554-5005961,00.html

But in the oil markets, the damage was done. By Oct. 25 "U.S. light
crude" trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange closed at a new
record high of $90.20 per barrel. By Nov. 20 it was $99.29 — an
increase of more than 25 percent from the early October levels.

icles.asp?artsec=30&issue=20071121

Hirono and Abercrombie haven’t given up on trying to defeat America.

On Nov. 14, they both supported House Bill 4156 predicating Iraq war
spending on a U.S. surrender date of Dec. 15, 2008. This slap in the
face to U.S. troops and their Iraqi allies is mostly a show for the
Democrat base. Previous Democrat attempts to surrender proved helpful
in inspiring al-Qaeda to fight on in Iraq, but now that the surge
has wrecked their operations that motivation is less important.

As expected, the Senate rejected the bill in a series of votes Nov.

16. President Bush has promised a veto of any bill setting an
artificial date for an American surrender in Iraq. If this year’s
40 failed Democrat attempts to force America out of Iraq are any
indication, House Democrats will again vote for Iraq war funding
without strings after they return from their vacation.

07/6845.html
xpd?bill=h110-4156

Aimed at Iraq, Hirono and Abercrombie’s Turkey has come home to
roost in Hawaii. After months of relative price stability, gasoline
and diesel fuel prices soared in November. On Maui prices now reach
$4.20 for diesel and $4.05 for premium unleaded gasoline. On Molokai
regular unleaded is $4.04 — the highest price in the USA according
to autos.MSN.com. On Maui, regular ranges from $3.65 to $3.85. On
Kauai regular ranges from $3.49 to $3.65. On the Big Island prices
for regular range from $3.35 in Hilo to $3.64 in Kailua-Kona. And on
Oahu prices for regular unleaded range from $3.28 to $3.36.

Hirono and Abercrombie failed to defeat our troops in Iraq, but they
did manage to stab consumers in the back in Hawaii. That’s something
to think about during the next $100 fill-up.

Molokai: =96748

Andrew Walden is the publisher and editor of Hawaii Free Press,
a Big Island-based newspaper. He can be reached via email at
mailto:[email protected]

ireporter.com/story.aspx?3c135847-6525-4610-9c09-1 16bc2f7fa48

ARMENIAN MPS TO OBSERVE RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

armradio.am
28.11.2007 17:10

Deputies of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia will
observe the elections to the Russian State Duma of fifth convocation
elections on December 2.

Public Relations Department of the National Assembly informed
Armenpress that MPs Seryozha Abrahamyan and Edward Sharmazanov
will observe the elections within the delegation of the CIS
Interparliamentary Assembly, Armen Ashotyan will be included in the
delegation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Raffi Hovhannisyan –
in the delegation of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly.

The National Citizens’ Initiative
75 Yerznkian Street
Yerevan 0033, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 27.16.00, 27.00.03
Fax: (+374 – 10) 52.48.46
Email: [email protected]
Website:

November 29, 2007

NCI Focuses on Armenia’s Mining Sector

Yerevan–The National Citizens’ Initiative (NCI) today convened a
public hearing to examine the advantages–in terms of economic
growth–and the drawbacks–with respect to environmental
catastrophe–of a project toward the operation of a copper-molybdenum
mine in the area surrounding the Teghut village in northern Armenia.
The meeting brought together social and political activists, NGO
officials, analysts, and media representatives.

NCI associate Davit Sanasarian welcomed the audience with opening
remarks. "The exploitation of the Teghut mine is an actual matter and
it calls for serious discussions and proper suggestions prior to the
undertaking of this project," he said.

In his intervention, Hovhannes Nikoghosian from the Armenian Institute
of Mountain Metallurgy spoke in detail about the Teghut mining
project. He informed that a comprehensive study was conducted before
the decision to operate the mine and the results of this study were
summarized in a 12-volume work plan. "The issue that relates to the
neighboring communities is the socioeconomic development, which
creates jobs and reduces work migration, against the ecological
damage, which is a normal phenomenon in any mining industry,"
Nikoghosian maintained. In his view, all other ensuing matters,
including the environmental issues, usually are resolved only after
registering economic growth.

In his turn, Hakob Sanasarian of the Greens’ Union of Armenia explored
the ecological consequences of activating the Teghut mine. He brought
attention to the inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the aforesaid
work plan and expressed a deep conviction that this proposal lacked
legal and scientific evidence. What is more, in Sanasarian’s firm
belief, this plan has not been actually tested and therefore needs a
reevaluation. "If carried out, this project will cause a huge
environmental damage to the wildlife, rivers, and roads, the nearby
communities will become desolate, and a vast forest-covered area will
be destroyed as 357 hectares, or approximately 127 thousand trees,
will be cut down," he argued.

The remainder of the session was dedicated to an exchange of views and
recommendations among the public figures and policy specialists in
attendance. Noteworthy were interventions by Sahak Karapetian and
Taguhi Karapetian from the Vallex Group; chairwoman Karine Danielian
of the "Sustainable Human Development" NGO; economist Dr. Tatoul
Manasserian; chairwoman Srbuhi Harutiunian of the Social-Ecological
Association; and several others.

What is the correlation between the benefits and shortcomings of the
Teghut project? Is the Armenian government, which has declared the
mining industry as paramount, prepared to shoulder the responsibility
for the adverse outcome of such projects? These were the main civic
concerns expressed by the discussants during the exchange of opinions
and recommendations.

The National Citizens’ Initiative is a public non-profit association
founded in December 2001 by Armenia’s first Minister of Foreign
Affairs Raffi K. Hovannisian, his colleagues, and fellow citizens with
the purpose of realizing the rule of law and overall improvements in
the state of the state, society, and public institutions. The National
Citizens’ Initiative is guided by a Coordinating Council, which
includes individual citizens and representatives of various public,
scientific, and educational establishments. Five commissions on Law
and State Administration, Socioeconomic Issues, Foreign Policy,
Spiritual and Cultural Challenges, and the Youth constitute the
vehicles for the Initiative’s work and outreach.

For further information, please call (37410) 27-16-00 or 27-00-03; fax
(37410) 52-48-46; email [email protected]; or visit

AIM IS BALANCE OF INTERESTS OF CONSUMERS AND PRODUCERS

KarabakhOpen
29-11-2007 10:53:29

The Regulatory Commission for Public Services and Fair Competition
held its first open meeting. A number of regulations were affirmed,
including on providing and consuming gas, electricity, electronic
communications. The regulations of competition for frequencies, as
well as licensing of production and transmission of TV programs were
affirmed as well.

Another decision of the Regulatory Commission referred to the
unjustified increase of reduction of prices. The chair of the
commission Vacheh Adamyan said these regulations are highly important
because they will help coordinate economic cooperation. Sanctions
will be used against persons who will raise or cut prices by more
than 5 percent from the level of profit.

The decision to set up a regulatory commission was made a long time
ago. The NKR ex-president Arkady Ghukasyan appointed the staff of the
commission almost on the last day of his office, but the commission
has just started to work. Vacheh Adamyan says the aim of the commission
is to balance the interests of consumers and producers.

DIRECT INVESTMENTS IN ARMENIAN ECONOMY GROW 2.1FOLD IN JANUARY-SEPTEMBER 2007 ON SAME PERIOD OF LAST YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Dec 1, 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 1, NOYAN TAPAN. The total amount of foreign
investments (without investments received through the state governance
system and the banking system) in the real sector of the Armenian
economy made 469 mln 947.1 thousand USD in January-September 2007,
exceeding by 58% the index of the same period of last year. Out of
this amount, direct investments made 311 mln 605.7 thousand USD,
exceeding 2.1fold the index of January-September 2006.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, funds received by
organizations – nonresidents of Armenia from the privatization of
Armenian resident organizations made up 13.1% or 40 mln 703.6 thousand
USD of direct investments in Janaury-September 2007. The total amount
of foreign investments in the real sector (without privatization
resources) increased by 44.3%, the amount of direct investments –
by 81.8% as compared with January-September 2006.

38% of foreign investments and 40.9% of direct investments in the real
sector in January-September 2007 was allocated to the communication
sector.

17.6% of direct investments was made in the production and distribution
of electricity, gas, hoot water and steam, while 8.3% – in mining
industry and other sectors.

MORE REMAINS OF PLANE CRASH VICTIMS FLOWN TO ARMENIA
By Ruben Meloyan

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Nov 15 2007

More than 18 months after the deadly crash of an Armenian airliner
in southern Russia Armenia received on Thursday the remains of ten
more victims of the worst air disaster in its history.

The disfigured corpses of three people, among them a former head of
Soviet Armenia’s secret police, and body fragments of seven others
were flown to Yerevan after lengthy DNA tests conducted by Russian
forensic experts. Officials said all of them have been identified
and will be handed over to family members.

The Airbus A-320 of the Armavia national airline plunged into the
Black Sea as it tried to land in the Russian resort city of Sochi
in May 2006, killing all 113 people on board. Only the bodies of
46 of them have been fully or partially recovered from the sea and
identified by forensic experts.

Russian aviation authorities that led an official investigation into
the crash concluded in July 2006 that it was essentially caused by
pilot error. They said the A-320 crew lost control of the plane as
they made a second attempt to land at the Black Sea city’s airport.

The Armenian government’s Civil Aviation Department questioned some
of the conclusions drawn by Russian investigators, though. It said in
particular that they failed to take note of Sochi airport’s alleged
failure to "detect dangerous weather conditions" that are thought to
have prevented the plane belonging to the national airline Armavia
from landing safely on first attempt.

Armavia’s owner Mikhail Baghdasarian insists that the A-320 would
have avoided the crash had it not received a last-minute order to
veer away from the airport’s runway and make a second approach.

CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW REPUBLICAN HOSPITAL STARTS NEXT YEAR

KarabakhOpen
15-11-2007 20:14:43

The medical establishments of the country are going to be reconstructed
in the upcoming 3 years after which they will be equipped. The
country will have a normal health system by 2012, Prime Minister Ara
Harutiunyan said during the meeting with health workers.

The conditions in most medical institutions are terrible, and the
necessity of building a new building for the Republican Hospital
has been raised for many years. The prime minister said during the
meeting that the budget and the program of reconstruction is under
consideration now, and construction starts in 2008.

The repair of the Children’s Republican Hospital is underway. The new
building of the hospital of Martakert will be built, and part of the
regional hospital of Martuni will be reconstructed. Reconstruction
of the hospital of Hadrut will finish next year.

Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
3325 North Glenoaks Blvd.
Burbank, Ca 91504
Tel: 818-558-7474
Fax: 818-558-6333
Web:

Primate Welcomes Metropolitan Gerasimos

On Wednesday, November 14, 2007, His Eminence Abp. Hovnan Derderian
received His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of the Greek Orthodox
Metropolis of San Francisco during his visit to the Headquarters of
the Western Diocese. In their meeting, which was held in a warm and
brotherly atmosphere, Abp. Derderian informed the Metropolitan of the
Diocese’s various programs, especially the 80th Anniversary of the
Western Diocese and the training of the candidates to the priesthood.
The Metropolitan also informed the Primate of the state of his
Diocese, including that currently they have over 60 clergymen, with
several young candidates to the priesthood. Joining the Bishops were
Very Rev. Fr. Dajad Dz. V. Yardemian, Fr. Zaven Arzoumanian, and
Fr. Sipan Mekhsian, as well as Fr. John Bakas, Dean of the St. Sophia
Seminary and Fr. Gary Kyriacou. Following their meeting Abp. Derderian
presented the Metropolitan with gifts of Diocesan publications and
gave him a tour of the Western Diocese’s facilities and informed him
of the plans for the construction of the Mother Cathedral.

ANKARA MOVES TO AMEND INFAMOUS ARTICLE 301

European Report
November 8, 2007

In response to the European Commission’s decision to suspend opening
negotiations with Turkey on one of the most important policy areas
covering the judiciary and human rights, the government in Ankara has
decided to change the controversial article 301 of the Penal Code,
which restricts freedom of expression. Turkey’s Justice Minister
Mehmet Ali Sahin said on 6 November that a new bill would be put
before the parliament "soon".

"Several drafts have been prepared in line with proposals by civic
groups. The cabinet will discuss them at the first opportunity,
select one and submit it to parliament," said Sahin to the Anatolia
news agency. His statement came just hours after the EU’s Enlargement
Commissioner Olli Rehn said that restrictions on freedom of expression
stemming from Article 301, which makes it a crime to insult Turkish
national identity, were blocking Turkey’s progress towards EU
membership. Presenting Turkey’s annual report on progress towards EU
membership, Rehn warned that chapter 23 covering the judiciary and
human rights would onlybe opened for negotiations if Turkey repeals
or changes the much-criticised article of its penal code. The article
made it possible for prosecutors to put the Nobel Prize-winning author
Orhan Pamuk and the Turkish-Armenian writer Hrant Dink on trial for
referring to the 1915 mass killings of Armenians. "It is not acceptable
that writers, journalists, academics and other intellectuals … are
prosecuted for simply expressing a critical but completely non-violent
opinion," said Rehn. The Commission is demanding that the provisions
of Article 301 be brought into line with the European Convention
on Human Rights and case law of the European Court of Human Rights,
the benchmarks for the protection of human rights in Europe.