Author: Nalchajian Markos

PanARMENIAN.Net

Election is serious exam for Armenia
13.04.2007 18:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `In the course of three days the PACE observation
mission met with all political parties and blocs, Constitutional Court
members, representatives of NGOs and media as well as with President
Robert Kocharian and Acting Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian,’ Leo
Platvoet, head of the PACE observation mission, told a news conference
in Yerevan today. The election will be a serious examination for
Armenia on the way towards integration into European structures. `We
are hopeful the parliamentary election will be free and democratic and
meet international standards. The responsibility lies not only on the
Armenian leadership but also on the public. Those interested in
democracy development should hold the election in accord with
international standards. Unfortunately, the public’s interest towards
the election has not been shaped yet; political programs of the
parties do not differ much from one another,’ Mr Platvoet said adding
that indifference and non-participation in elections hamper
development of democracy.

The Dutch parliamentarian reminded that the previous parliamentary
election was marred and voiced assurance that the reviewed Electoral
Code will help to hold the forthcoming election in a proper way,
especially since conduction of fair elections is one of the
commitments Armenia has undertaken to the Council of Europe.

APPRECIATION OF US DOLLAR IN ARMENIA IS CONDITIONED BY UPCOMING ARMENIAN ELECTIONS, INDEPENDENT ECONOMIST CLAIMS
Author: Tonoyan Susanna Editor: Eghian Robert

Noyan Tapan
Apr 13 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The appreciation of the US dollar
recently in Armenia is conditioned by the upcoming parliamentary
elections. Independent economist Eduard Aghajanov expressed this
opinion at the April 13 press conference. "Those candidates for
deputacy who intend to become deputies by giving electoral bribes,
have purchased dollars for 350 drams and now are selling dollars at
a high price so that the electoral campaign will be cheap or even
free of charge for them," he said. In response to the question about
how much the dollar’s exchange rate will grow, E. Aghajanov replied:
"It depends on appetite of candidates." According to his forecasts,
the highest exchange rate of the US dollar will be in late April and
early May, after which it will decline.

E. Aghajanov considered it strange that the increase of the dollar’s
exchange rate does not cause panic at the Central Bank of Armenia
(CBA), which at the time explained the Armenian dram’s appreciation
by an increase in remittances and the number of tourists. "Now that
the dram is depreciating, it is clear that the opposite process must
take place. That is, tourists should disappear and our compatriots
go bankrupt. This is nonsense," E. Aghajanov said.

Besides, according to him, the CBA explained the dollar’s depreciation
by its depreciation in the world. However, in the last two months the
dollar has depreciated by 6-7% against other currencies, whereas the
opposite process is taking place in Armenia.

E. Aghajanov reminded that previously the CBA chairman claimed that the
dollar’s rate is a floating one in Armenia and the CBA has no relation
to its exchange rate, while later in an interview to a newspaper he
confessed that the dram’s rate is a regulated and floating one and
it is regulated by the CBA.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO BE COMMEMORATED AT WISCONSIN STATE CAPITOL

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.04.2007 13:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On Tuesday, April 24, 2007, the Armenian National
Committee of Wisconsin, State Representatives Mark Honadel, Jeff
Stone and Robin Vos, and State Senators Mary Lazich, John Lehman,
and Jeff Plale are hosting a reception and program to commemorate the
92nd Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. This event will be held
from 9:45 – 10:45 am in the Assembly Parlor at the Wisconsin State
Capitol, 2 E. Main St, Madison, WI 53702. The program will feature
remarks from Representative Robin Vos, Senator John Lehman and Zohrab
Khaligian representing the Armenian National Committee of Wisconsin,
the ANCA reports.

The event hosted annually by the ANC of WI gives the Armenian American
community an opportunity to thank the members of the Wisconsin State
Assembly and State Senate for adopting Armenian Genocide Resolution,
which designates April 24 of each year as "Wisconsin Day of Remembrance
for the Armenian Genocide of 1915 to 1923" and to continue to educate
and promote awareness of Armenia and Armenian issues, particularly the
Armenian Genocide. The State Assembly adopted Assembly Resolution 42
(AR 42) on May 2, 2000 while the State Senate adopted Senate Resolution
14 on March 7, 2002, thereby reaffirming the Armenian Genocide as a
fact of history.

GEORGIA SHOWS INTEREST IN IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPELINE
Marianna Grigoryan

EurasiaNet, NY
April 12 2007

The Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, officially opened on March 19 by
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Armenian President Robert
Kocharian, has quickly emerged as a source of speculation about
regional energy alliances. A trip to Armenia by Georgian President
Mikheil Saakashvili two days after the pipeline’s opening provided
plenty of fuel for conjecture.

According to Armenian presidential spokesperson Viktor Soghomonian,
Saakashvili’s March 21-24 "private" trip was "only for skiing." The
Georgian president stayed in the ski resort town of Tsaghkadzor,
about 55 kilometers from Yerevan, where he met with Armenian President
Robert Kocharian. Later, the Georgian and Armenian foreign ministers,
Gela Bezhuashvili and Vardan Oskanian, joined the discussions.

Neither Georgian nor Armenian officials issued a statement on
the nature of the talks. Even so, Armenian political analysts and
opposition members reject the notion that the trip was for relaxation
only. Rather, they link Saakashvili’s visit – at least indirectly —
to the opening of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline.

"True, the presidential office did not explain why Saakashvili came
to Armenia. However, it is clear that there was a serious topic for
discussion, and the most urgent of such topics in the region is the
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline," said parliamentarian Shavarsh Kocharian,
head of the National Democratic Party. "If the two countries’ leaders
met, it is impossible that such a serious issue as the gas pipeline
should not have been touched upon."

The 140-kilometer-long pipeline is projected to supply Armenia with
up to 1.1 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas per year until 2019,
when that supply target is expected to rise to 2.3 bcm annually.

Economist Eduard Aghajanov notes that Georgia’s desire to reduce its
dependence on Russia for gas supplies could have prompted Saakashvili
to explore import possibilities with Armenian officials, as he has
done already with the leadership of Armenia’s neighbor, Azerbaijan.

[For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

The $235 per 1,000 cubic meters of gas price that Georgia pays to
Russian energy giant Gazprom is the highest rate among members of
the Commonwealth of Independent States. [For details, see the Eurasia
Insight archive.]

"[I]f there is a possibility to receive gas from a third source, then
a reasonable politician would not miss that opportunity by any means,
not to remain hanging on Russian gas," Aghajanov said.

Currently, Georgia receives some 2.3 million cubic meters per day
come from Azerbaijan, including some 1 million cubic meters from the
recently opened Shah-Deniz gas pipeline, Energy Minister Nika Gilauri
told reporters in March. Russia supplies roughly 3.3 million cubic
meters per day, whether via purchases from Gazprom or as transit fees
for the export of Russian gas to Armenia via Georgia.

Some doubt persists in Tbilisi about whether tapping into the
Iran-Armenia pipeline would reduce the country’s energy dependency on
Russia. In June 2006, Gazprom signaled its clear intention to acquire
Armenia’s stake in the pipeline, and posted a press release on its
website stating that it had already made the purchase. Armenian
authorities neither denied nor confirmed report of the sale, saying
that such discussions were premature. [For additional information
see the Eurasia Insight archive].

Beyond geopolitical considerations, technical obstacles appear to
diminish the chances that the Iran-Armenia pipeline could immediately
benefit Georgia. The pipeline’s current capacity stands at only about
300-400 million cubic meters of gas, the Russian news agency Regnum
reported. Its diameter of 770 millimeters – half of its original
size – is not seen as sufficient for exporting gas to Georgia or
other markets.

"No doubt, the Georgian government knows that at the present
moment Armenia has no possibility to export Iranian gas," commented
independent political analyst Sevak Sarukhanian. But that capacity
could change, he added. "[I]f Armenia cannot perform the function of
a transit country at the moment exporting Iranian gas to Georgia,
then in the future it is quite possible. And Georgia would like to
use that opportunity in every possible way."

The notion of Georgia importing Iranian gas via the Iran-Armenia
pipeline is not a new one. Former foreign minister Salome Zourabichvili
raised the issue during an official visit to Yerevan in 2004; talks
on the topic have also reportedly been held between Georgian and
Armenian government officials, including the late Prime Minister
Andranik Markarian.

Georgian officials have previously stated that Georgia will not need
to import Iranian gas if supplies from the Baku-based Shah-Deniz
pipeline, which crosses into Turkey via Georgia, remain adequate. The
Islamic Republic provided emergency supplies during Georgia’s January
2006 gas crisis. At the time, the United States reacted warily to the
prospect of having its closest Caucasus ally, Georgia, forge any kind
of enduring energy relationship with Iran.

Editor’s Note: Marianna Grigoryan is a reporter for the ArmeniaNow
Online weekly in Yerevan

ARMENIAN-CAPTURED AZERBAIJANI SOLDIER’S MOTHER SENDS ONE MORE LETTER TO HER SON

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 11 2007

The parents of Samir Mammadov, Azerbaijan soldier captured by Armenian
Armed Forces met the representatives of International Committee of
the Red Cross office in Azerbaijan today. Samir Mammadov’s uncle
Vidadi Mammadov told APA that they expressed their anxiety to the
ICRC representative on the fact that his nephew had not written a
letter to his family last month.

"We expressed our complaints on the activity of the ICRC mission in
Armenia. Huan Carlos said Committee’s representatives will soon meet
Samir and ask him to write a letter to his family".

According to soldier’s uncle, Huan Carlos said the captured soldier
did not complain on his health. Samir Mammadov’s mother asked ICRC
representatives to deliver her letter to his son.

Azerbaijani soldier Samir Mammadov has been captured by Armenian
forces on December 24, 2006

ARMENIAN RULING PARTY PROMISES WIDE RANGE OF SOCIAL BENEFITS

Arminfo
9 Apr 07

Yerevan, 9 April: The Armenian Revolutionary Federation –
Dashnaktsutyun [ARFD] plans to bring the population of Armenia to 4m
by 2012.

According to the booklets distributed by the party at its rally on 9
April, this is possible by natural growth as well as with the help
of migration policies. The ARFD proposes to implement a number of
measures to encourage birth rates. The party proposes to provide
200,000 drams (about 550 dollars) to families for the birth of a
second child. The third child should be encouraged with 2m drams
(about 5,550 dollars), the fourth child with 2.5m drams (about 7,000
dollars). If a child born is the fifth one in the family, it should
get an apartment. The ARFD did not forget about the elderly either;
it proposes to set minimum pension at 30,000 drams (about 83 dollars)
with an average pension to stand at 50,000 drams (about 140 dollars).

The minimum wages should be set at the same amount.

Other topics of the ARFD are fair economic competition and fighting
shadow economy, fair taxes, creation of new jobs, provision of minimum
life standard, financial aid for disabled, implementation on a wide
basis of an institute of social partnership for protection of workers’
rights and salary growth.

NATIONAL UNITY PRETENDS ON RECEIVING AT LEAST 25-30% VOTES IN ELECTIONS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 09 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 9, NOYAN TAPAN. The forthcoming parliamentary elections
will be much more legal and fair than the previous ones. Chairman of
National Unity Party Artashes Geghamian gave assurance at the April
9 press conference. In his words, "there will be no repetition of
events of 2003 and 2005," as the people will not tolerate electoral
falsifications any longer. "We will not be able to hold back the
people any longer and if there are electoral falsifications, the
National Unity itself will call people for rising," he stated. In
A. Geghamian’s words, these elections will be decisive and the fortune
will smile upon the people.

He said that the party continues negotiating with the opposition
political forces over creating a coordinating committee controlling
legality of elections. The National Unity proposes appointing
Paruyr Hayrikian as head of the coordinating committee, as he
does not take a direct part in the electoral struggle and will be
unbiassed. A. Geghamian considers that even with confronting forces
of 2-3 parties it will be possible to quickly respond to any electoral
falsifications. In his words, some foreign forces "are looking forward"
for the elections to be falsified to use strict sanctions to Armenia
as a result of them, in particular, pressures in the issue of Nagorno
Karabakh.

Answering the question about National Unity’s pretensions in the
future parliament, A. Geghamian gave assurance that the party will
receive at least 25-30% electors’ votes. He said that by the results
of the surveys conducted in 2006 by Armenian Sociological Association,
population’s 54-57% wishes to see A. Geghamian on the post of country’s
President. In his words, he has set his team the task to provide at
least the half of this index at the parliamentary elections.

TERM OF ARREST OF VARDAN MALKHASIAN ACCUSED OF MAKING APPEALS FOR SEIZING STATE POWER BY FORCE PROLONGED BY TWO MONTHS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 05 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 5, NOYAN TAPAN. Yerevan Kentron and Nork-Marash
communities’ first instance court presided over by judge Edik Avetisian
by its April 5 decision prolonged by another two months the term of
arrest of Vardan Malkhasian accused of making appeals for seizing state
power by force. V. Malkhasian and Coordinator of Defence of Liberated
Territories public initiative Zhirayr Sefilian are accused by the
criminal case instituted by RA National Security Service. The day
before the same court prolonged the term of Z. Sefilian’s arrest, too.

As Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by V. Malkhasian’s defender
Mushegh Shushanian, the court did not take into consideration his
petition to replace arrest by pledge. He also said that V. Malkhasian
was registered as candidate for deputacy by majoritarian system by
district electoral commission N 14 and candidates for deputacy should
enjoy equal rights.

M. Shushanian also said that he will appeal against the decision of
first instance court at the Appeal Court for Criminal Cases.

PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN RECEIVED RUSSIAN FM SERGEY LAVROV

ArmRadio.am
04.04.2007 13:06

President Robert Kocharyan today received the Foreign Minister of
Russia Sergey Lavrov. The parties highly appreciated the current
level of cooperation in all directions and noted that it provides
new opportunities for expansion of partnership.

Issues related to the development of Armenian-Russian relations were
discussed. In particular, reference was made to the perspectives of
implementation of joint economic programs, which can have not only
bilateral and regional scope.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT APPOINTS SERZH SARKISYAN PRIME MINISTER

RIA Novosti, Russia
April 4 2007

YEREVAN, April 4 (RIA Novosti) – Armenian President Robert Kocharyan
has appointed Serzh Sarkisyan to the post of the country’s prime
minister after relieving him from the post of defense minister,
the presidential press service said Wednesday.

Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan, who held the post since May 2000,
died March 25 of a heart attack at the age of 55.

On March 26, President Robert Kocharyan accepted the Cabinet’s
resignation due to Markaryan’s death. The Armenian leader charged
the Cabinet with continuing its duties until a new one could be formed.

>>From 1996 to 1999, Sarkisyan was the interior and national security
minister, and in 2000 he resumed the powers of Armenia’s defense
minister, the position he held in 1996.

Parliamentary elections in Armenia are scheduled for May 12, and
following the first session of a new parliament the Cabinet will
resign once again.