Author: Nanijanian Alex

THE ARMAVIA COMPANY AND THE VTB LEASING UNIVERSAL LEASING COMPANY NEGOTIATE FOR COOPERATION

arminfo
2007-08-15 21:58:00

The Armenian national air carrier Armavia and the universal leasing
company VTB-Leasing (Moscow) presently negotiate for delivery of
airplanes Sukhoi Superjet 100, Armavia’s press secretary Zhasmen
Vilyan told ArmInfo correspondent.

According to her, it’s untimely to name dates of completion of the
negotiations, to speak about the terms of the deal and about the
quantity of airplanes to be purchased.

At the same time, as the Chairman of VTB Bank-Moscow Andrey Kostin
told the Commersant newspaper, VTB-Leasing negotiates for supplying
5 regional airplanes Sukhoi Superjet 100 to Armavia air company. The
airplanes are produced by Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (SCA) CJSC. As A.Kostin
noted, VTB can organize financing of the airplanes’ delivery. The
Commersant notes that the signing of the contract with Armavia will
become the first stage of the implementation of the agreement on
cooperation between VTB and SCA CJSC, which was reached in May. It
will also become VTB-Leasing’s first program in the sphere of selling
aerotechnics.

The Commersant newspaper notes that the SCA refused to name the
amount and the possible profitability of the transaction. Taking into
consideration the SSJ price ($28,9 mln), the contract with Armavia
may cost about $144,5 mln.

According to the VTB Bank’s plans, its leasing portfolio may total
130 bln RUR by the end of 2010, but aircrafts are only a small part
of it. To note, as of January 1, 2007, VTB-Leasing’s capital made
up $61,6 mln. 100% of the company’s shares belong to the VTB Bank
(Moscow). VTB-Leasing started its activity in 2003.

Earlier, A.Kostin, Chairman of the VTB Board, said in Yerevan that
the VTB Bank is planning to invest $0.5 bln in Armenia’s economy,
including the spheres of gasification and gas- saving, modernization of
the Armenian electric networks, metal mining industry and organization
of delivery of Russian aerotechnics to Armenia.

To note, Armavia CJSC was established in 1996. The MIKA Armenia Trading
company has been the owner of Armavia’s 100% block of shares since
2005. The President of MIKA Armenia Trading, Mikhail Baghdasarov, has
recently said that the annual growth of the air company’s passengers
currently makes up 26%.

8 WINNERS OF INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIADS APPLY TO REC WITH REQUEST TO ENTER CHOSEN UNIVERSITY WITHOUT TAKING ENTRANCE EXAMS

Noyan Tapan
Aug 09 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, NOYAN TAPAN. This year 8 winners of international
olympiads applied to the Republican Entrance Commission (REC). NT
correspondent was informed by the REC secretary Sasun Melikian that in
accordance with the existing order, winners of international olympiads
may enter the higher education institution they have chosen without
taking entrance examinations.

According to him, 2 entrants are winners of international olympiads
in mathematics and chemistry, who intend to study at Yerevan Medical
University and Applied Mathematics Department of Yerevan State
University. The other entrants are sportsmen, world and European
champions, two of them want to enter Gyumri Pedagogical Institute,
the four other entrants – to study at Yerevan Institute of Physical
Culture.

S. Melikian said that the commission has discussed this issue and
made a positive decision.

HEAD OF AZERBAIJANI COMMUNITY OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH BELIEVES STATEMENT OF U.S. DIPLOMAT WAS MISINTERPRETED

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Aug 8 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / Òrend corr I. Alizadeh / If it tunes proof that
the statements published in the Vrema Novostey (News Time) newspaper
were made by the OSCE Minsk Group’s US co-chairman, the US Deputy
Assistant Secretary of State on Europe and Asia, Mathew Bryza, the
Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno-Karabakh will express its protest in
this connection, the head of the public association, Nizami Bahmanov,
reported.

Bahmanov believes the matter should be seriously investigated. "I do
not believe the US representative could make such a statement, for all
international organizations and all countries in the world, including
the United States, recognize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. If
that was said by the US co-chairman, he will come under fire of the
Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno-Karabakh," Bahmanov noted.

According to him, if the co-chairman really made such a statement,
so he went beyond his commissions. If an investigation proves that,
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry and the public should express a protest,"
Bahmanov urged. "At present the matter is investigated at the state
level," he added.

In his interview with the Russian Vrema Novostey Mathew Bryza compared
the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh with the situation in the United
States in the 18th century. Moreover, he noted the possibility of
independence for Nagorno-Karabakh.

The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus began in 1988
due to territorial claims by Armenia against Azerbaijan. Armenia has
occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani land including the Nagorno-Karabakh
region and its seven surrounding Districts. Since 1992, these
territories have been under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. 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 USA) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.

–Boundary_(ID_TXSVNHjTkY8vmojhHP2t 9g)–

PRESS RELEASE
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF ARMENIA
Email: [email protected]
Web:

Junior Achievement of Armenia Holds its 14th Annual Summer Camp

Junior Achievement of Armenia held its 14th annual summer camp on the
slopes of Dzghakatzor from July 23 to July 30th. Over 100 high
achieving students enjoyed the many activities designed to reinforce
what the students had learned in their applied economics and civics
education courses.

The activities at camp included elections for student government,
stock market simulation, mock trial, commercial skits, competition for
products using nature, discussion on business ethics, sports, talent
show and many other educational and fun activities. .

The students also received guests representing the public, private and
diplomatic sectors of our society. Mr. Armen Harutyunian, the
Republic’s Ombusdman encouraged the children to take active part in
their communities. Jim Carlson, Program officer at USAID, and Mark
Urban, Sr. Commercial Law Advisor presented the work of USAID in
Armenia. Harutyun Mgrian, a diasporan investor explained the
challenges facing Armenian businessmen today. The guests patiently
and with pleasure answered the many questions that the students had.

`I thought the camp was very educational. The activities were
designed so that we practiced what we had read in applied economics
and civics education courses. I especially liked the stock market
game. And of course, my favorite activity was the picnic, where we
were judged as to how we spent our budget in preparing our daily meal’
stated Khatchik Sahakyan a student at Yerevan school number 107.

Another student Shushan Hovannisyan of Etchmiatzin school #1 thought
that the camp gave her the opportunity to become more self confidant
`I think that I will be able to stand by my rights more assertively.
The most valuable activity for me was the elections at camp, for the
first time I understood what it meant to form a `legitimate
government’.

Armine K. Hovannisian, Executive Director of Junior Achievement of
Armenia since 1993 concluded, `We are grateful for the continued
support of USAID, and the Donchyan and Manoogian family foundations
for the financial support they gave to realize our mission of arming
today’s youth with knowledge of free market economics and civics
education. The camp is designed to encourage students to do better in
their studies and is a wonderful place for them to meet each other and
to form lasting friendships’ .

Established in 1992, Junior Achievement of Armenia is dedicated to
promoting free market economics, democratic governance, social
responsibility and ethical business practices in the Republic of
Armenia through economic and civic education. With courses in every
high school in the country, JAA-trained educators now reach 170,000
students in Armenia each year. More than 20% of the total population
of Armenia has taken a JAA course. For additional information visit

ARMENIAN HERITAGE CELEBRATED
By Robert Cristo, The Record

Troy Record, NY
Aug 6 2007

TROY – For Sunday gatherers at the Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic
Church’s annual picnic, it was all about the shish kebab, ethnic music,
faith in God and taking pride in the positive political steps forward
Armenia has taken in recent years.

Nearly 350 people spent a sunny afternoon at the small church on Spring
Avenue, enjoying memories of the past and hopes for the future mixed
in with a little dolma (stuffed peppers), baklava (a sweet dessert),
music and blessings.

"This is our biggest event and fund-raiser. … It’s a religious
event, but people also like to come for the Armenian foods, pastries
and music," said Greg Karian, the church’s chair of the trustees.

Every year, the picnic raises about $7,000 for a church that currently
has a congregation of about 100 families of mostly Armenian backgrounds
that look to keep not only their religious faith alive but also their
connection to the culture and customs of their homeland.

There are currently three Armenian churches in the Capital District,
two in Troy and one in Watervliet, and a small population of a little
less than 2,000 Armenians living in the region, according to Karian.

"We get together to continue our traditions, speak Armenian, eat
traditional foods, have dances… It’s very important to keep that
alive," said Karian. "If we didn’t have the three churches, we would
lose a lot of the customs of our culture and church.

After a morning service, most of the afternoon was spent eating,
chatting and dancing, but things got serious around 3 p.m. when
parishioners assembled for The Blessing of the Grapes.

It is a more than 2,000-year-old sacramental ceremony in which
parishioners ask the Holy Spirit to make the grapes holy, and for
those who eat them in faith to receive physical healing and spiritual
nourishment.

"It’s the blood of Jesus," said John Sarkissia, a longtime parishioner
from Guilderland. "It gives up spiritual enlightenment.

… It makes us more a part of God."

Besides the religious overtones, many who gather also come to discuss
what currently is happening in Armenia.

"People are very poor and life is difficult, but I went there for the
first time last year and was pleasantly surprised to see Armenians
getting by pretty well with so little," said Karian. "They are a very
proud people, but they still need a lot of assistance getting back
on their feet.

Armenians have a long painful history of oppression that includes the
Armenian genocide perpetrated by the Turkish that ended in the early
20th century with the massacre of more than 1.5 million Armenians
and years of tyrannical rule under the Soviet Union.

"We were massacred and oppressed for a long time, but out of all
the Russian satellite states Armenians are dong the best today,"
said Karian. "Armenia was accepted into the United Nations and the
first Democratic nation of the Baltic states."

Karian and others say just knowing their Amenian brothers and sisters
overseas were doing them proud makes them want to celebrate their
rich history even more.

"It’s very significant for me and my family to be involved," said
Lusine Karageozian. "To get together with all Armenian people is
wonderful, and that’s what it’s all about."

US Fed News
August 3, 2007 Friday 2:10 AM EST

ADMINISTRATION WITHDRAWS ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR NOMINEE, SEN. MENENDEZ
WELCOMES NEWS

WASHINGTON

The office of Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., issued the following
statement:

The Bush Administration announced today that it has withdrawn the
nomination of Richard Hoagland for the position of Ambassador to
Armenia. U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), a member of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee who had placed a hold on the nomination,
released the following statement:

"This is certainly welcome news," said Menendez. "The Bush
Administration did a terrible disservice to the Armenian people and
Armenian Americans when they removed our previous Ambassador to
Armenia simply because he recognized the Armenian genocide. It was
clear that their nominee to fill his place was controversial. I hope
that our next nominee will bring a different understanding to this
issue and foster a productive relationship with our friends in
Armenia."

SEEKING A BETTER FUTURE FOR IRAQ
By Juan Michel

Ekklesia, UK

Aug 3 2007

In an interview with Juan Michel of the World Council of Churches,
a prominent Iraqi Christian shares his views on the situation in the
violence-plagued country. He assesses the situation with realism,
but also with hope for peace with justice.

"I come from a wounded Iraq and a severely wounded Baghdad," said
the man in black habit standing in front of some 130 silent church
representatives from six continents gathered for a recent peace
conference on the Middle East.

He continued: "The situation in my country is tragic," the man
continued. "We were promised freedom, but what we need today is freedom
to have electricity, clean water, to satisfy the basic needs of life,
to live without fear of being abducted."

The man addressing the World Council of Churches (WCC) international
conference ‘Churches together for peace and justice in the Middle East’
in Amman, Jordan, was Baghdad’s Armenian Archbishop Avak Asadourian,
primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church (See of Etchmiadzin) in Iraq.

Asadourian was in Amman back in June 2007 representing the Council of
Christian Church Leaders in Baghdad. Created in June last year, it is
a body made up of 17 church leaders, including two patriarchs, from
four Christian families: Catholic, Oriental and Eastern Orthodox and
mainline Protestants. The Armenian primate is its general secretary.

Why did Baghdad’s church leaders establish this council?

To take care of our faithful in these difficult times and to keep in
touch with other Christian bodies. The Council presents the needs of
our people to humanitarian organizations and channels their help.

What is the situation of Iraqi Christians today?

The situation is the same for all Iraqis, Christians or Muslims,
and it is a tragic one. Bullets do not discriminate between religions.

Every day terrorist attacks are targeting people who could be the
cornerstone of a new Iraq: professionals, physicians, and engineers.

And this is resulting in an across-the-board brain drain, which is
a shame since it takes decades to train qualified people.

Are Christians being targeted because of their religion?

Not as such, except lately when Christians living in a certain area
of Baghdad have been ordered to leave or be killed. The violence is
targeting everyone in the same way. Of course, in a context of complete
lawlessness, some thugs do whatever they want. They can threaten you,
kidnap or kill you.

Not so long ago, two Christian priests, one Orthodox and the other
Chaldean, were killed. In my church, 27 members have died because
of the violence since 2003. Although not personally targeted, they
were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Another 23 members
have been kidnapped. Since many Christians are relatively well off,
they become targets for possible ransom, just like well-off Muslims do.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,
over 1.2 million people have fled Iraq since the start of last year
(2006). What about the Iraqi Christians?

Before the war, Christians made up some 7-8 per cent of the
population. Today, they are 3-4 per cent. Christians are also moving
north within the country, to relatively safer areas. The churches are
emptying. In my own church, we used to have some 600-700 faithful
worshipping every Sunday. Today, they are 100-150. The reasons are
several: they might be afraid of going out, but they also might simply
not have petrol in their cars – queues at gas stations are three to
five kilometres long – or they might have moved out of Baghdad.

What were Muslim-Christian relations like before the war and what
are they like today?

We Christians were in the country before Islam arrived, especially in
the northern part. But faith-based distinctions were never an issue:
Sunni, Shia, Christian. Our relationships were very amicable. These
differences only became an issue after the war started.

However, we work to maintain bridges. We have twice visited the
country’s most prominent Shia cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani,
as well as the Sunni leadership. And I want to give credit where
credit is due. High-ranking Muslim clerics deserve credit for their
efforts in trying to prevent the present conflict from evolving into
a full-blown civil war.

Are you experiencing the impact of clashing civilizations?

I don’t see a clash of civilizations but a bungled war with tragic
results for both sides. It seems to me that the occupying powers did
not do their homework well. It is one thing to take over a country,
and another thing to run it properly in order to allow people to be
able to exercise freedom. Security is needed to make democracy viable.

Democracy is not only a concept, but also a way of life. Today in
Iraq, we need basic freedoms, like freedom from fear, freedom to work,
to travel in order to satisfy basic needs. One of the tragic features
of the current situation is the fact that they have stolen the nights
of Baghdad from us.

What do you think would be a possible way out?

The occupying powers have to enforce the Geneva conventions and
guarantee the security of the country. If they were able to bring
about security, a lot of problems would be solved. Ours is a rich
country. We have land, water, brainpower, and the second largest oil
reserves in the world – which ultimately instead of being a blessing
has become a curse.

My message to my flock is: do not be afraid, but be careful. Confront
this dire situation with optimism, and pray and work for a better
future.

How could churches outside Iraq help you?

I wonder whether churches outside Iraq are speaking about this issue
boldly enough to be heard. If they were able to advocate effectively
with their governments, they should tell the occupying powers to
fulfill their promises of a better life for Iraq. Promises of a bright
future should now be substantiated. One key point in the story of
the Good Samaritan is that he not only extended help, but his help
was complete and effective.

Some churches have been asking for a timetable for the withdrawal of
US troops from Iraq. What do you think about this?

At this point in time, I don’t know… It’s a two-edged sword. Is it
going to bring about peace or play into the hands of terrorists? But
an occupation is never acceptable and is always something temporary
that should eventually come to an end.

My message to churches outside Iraq, especially to those in the
occupying countries, is: Help us to make life better for the Iraqi
people, to alleviate its suffering, to keep their governments’ promises
for a better future in all walks of life, and ask for God’s help in
this humanitarian endeavour.

—–

Juan Michel is the World Council of Churches’ media relations
officer. He is a member of the Evangelical Church of the River Plate
in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

WCC, 2007. Reproduced with grateful acknowledgment.

FORMER AMBASSADOR URGES US TO MULL AIR STRIKES ON PKK

Umit ENGÝNSOY
WASHINGTON – Turkish Daily News
July 26 2007

Armenian genocide bill, Iraq, Iran top troubles risking US-Turkish
ties, Abramowitz says Morton Abramowitz, a former U.S. ambassador
to Ankara, urged the United States to consider air strikes against
the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) targets in northern
Iraq as a last resort to put an end to the group’s presence inside
Iraqi territory.

In an interview with the Turkish Daily News, Abramowitz qualified the
PKK threat emanating from northern Iraq as one top problem facing the
U.S.-Turkish relationship in the wake of Turkey’s general elections
last weekend, which gave another five-year mandate to Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdoðan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP).

More than 100 people have been killed in Turkey in PKK attacks since
the spring. Ankara’s repeated calls on the United States and Iraq
to act decisively against the PKK have so far produced no visible
results, prompting warnings that the Turkish military might resort
to unilateral military action inside Iraqi territory.

Turkey’s military and diplomats also accuse Iraqi Kurds of providing
the PKK with safe haven, arms and logistics.

Abramowitz, presently a senior fellow at the think tank Century
Foundation, called on Washington to tell Iraqi Kurds to limit the
PKK’s activities or capture some of its leaders and cooperate with
Ankara to prevent the terrorists’ infiltration into Turkey.

"If this doesn’t happen, the United States should consider using its
air power to help destroy the PKK and its infrastructure in Iraq,"
he said.

But he said the U.S. government was not acting with a single voice
and that there might be major differences within the U.S. military.

Iraqi Kurds should act:

In any case Abramowitz, who was the United States ambassador to
Ankara during the 1991 Persian Gulf war, became the first former
senior U.S. official to urge Washington to mull military action
against the PKK.

But his motive is differs from nationalist groups in Turkey who also
advocate military measures to fight the PKK.

Abramowitz believes the Kurdish region in northern Iraq is a success
story, which should continue to live. He urges Iraqi Kurdish leaders,
and particularly Massoud Barzani, president of the Kurdish regional
government, to engage in much-needed good relations with Turkey.

"The U.S. government must convince Barzani that even though his people
sympathize with the PKK’s cause, cracking down on the PKK is in Iraqi
Kurdish interests," Abramowitz also said in an article on the Web site
of Foreign Policy magazine. " ‘Iraqi Kurdistan’ may be booming now,
but its economic and political success is at risk if Turkey takes
military action."

He told the TDN that he does not "absolve" Turkey’s Kurdish policies,
which he believes are not bright.

Abramowitz says Turkey should decide how to deal with Iraqi Kurds
other than to ignore their political existence, and more importantly,
review its policies about its own Kurdish problem.

More troubles ahead:

Mark Parris and Marc Grossman, two other former U.S. ambassadors to
Ankara, also told the TDN this week that the United States should
take decisive action against the PKK without further delay.

Matt Bryza, deputy assistant secretary of state for European and
Eurasian affairs, said here Monday that there was "a shift of mood
in Washington" on the PKK matter, implying that the U.S. would soon
take new measures. But he did not elaborate.

Abramowitz said the most urgent issue threatening U.S.-Turkish ties was
a resolution pending in the House of Representatives, which calls for
the recognition of World War I-era Armenian killings in the Ottoman
Empire as genocide. He said the bill was very likely to pass in the
House floor after Congress August recess.

He said the relationship could also suffer more damage because of
differences on Iran, which the United States accuses of seeking to
obtain nuclear weapons.

Abramowitz warned that a recent preliminary agreement signed by Turkey
and Iran on natural gas cooperation, if it went forward, might prompt
U.S. sanctions on Ankara.

–Boundary_(ID_ZVDiF5BML4IDz5al7cnJew)–

WEB-SITE TO BE CREATED SOON FOR PROMOTING REPATRIATION

Noyan Tapan
Jul 25, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 25, NOYAN TAPAN. 67 thousand refugees have reveived
RA citizenship from 2000 up to now. Gagik Yeganian, the Head of
the Migration Agency of the staff of the RA Ministry of Territorial
Administration stated about this at the July 25 press conference.

He also said that since 2004, 2.9 bln drams (nearly 8.7 million
dollars) was allocated to nearly 800 refugee families by the RA
government through apartment purchase certificates. In the future
another 220 families will get apartment purchase certificates. In the
words of G. Yeganian, during the last five years 4853 apartments and
private residences were built or bought for the refugees with the
resources given by the donor organizations.

The web-site will soon operate for promoting
repatriation. It, in the words of G. Yeganian, will give an opportunity
to the potential repatriates to apply to corresponding departments
over the problems of coming back to Armenia. It was also mentioned
that the number of those who arrived in Armenia in 2006 exceeded the
number of those leaving Armenia by 21.5 thousand.

Touching upon the problems of the labor migration, G. Yeganian
mentioned that the RA Law On "Labor activity of foreign citizens"
will come into force in autumn. According to law, in particular, it is
expected to give preference to RA citizens in the issue of occupying
the vacancies. "Foreign citizens will be invited only in case they do
not occupy it," said the Head of the agency. The latters, according
to Gagik Yeganian, are mainly involved in the spheres of tourism,
construction, jewelry, as well as in service.

M.MAILYAN CONSIDERS THE ELECTION RESULTS IMPARTIAL

arminfo
2007-07-20 13:32:00

"I respect my people’s will and think that Bako Sahakyan is the
legally elected president of Nagornyy Karabakh Republic", – candidate
for president Masis Mailyan said at the briefing in Stepanakert.

He also added that he is going to congratulate his rival after official
declaring of the election results by the CEC. He also said that he
is going to have a rest, revise the created situation and then make
decision about his future. He also promised to stay with the people
that supported him and protect their rights if necessary. Mailyan
said that there were violations over the election campaign and at
the day of voting but they did not affect the election results. "We
suggested an alternative to the people. I nominated not for the post
but for trying to change the situation in the country", – Mailyan said.

To recall, according to the preliminary data of the NKR CEC, Mailyan
gathered 8,240 votes over the election, and his rival Bako Sahakyan –
57 828.