Author: Navasardian Karapet

CITIZENS OF ARMENIA WILL HAVE TWO PASSPORTS

Trend News Agency
Dec 23 2008
Azerbaijan

Norayr Muradkhanyan, the head of passports and visa department of the
Police Station of Armenia, announced in a press conference that he is
satisfied with the results of the reforms made in their department. He
said that their communication with the citizens is improved, and they
try to solve the obstacles to help people, reported Panorama.

According to him information boards are pasted in every passport
department on the procedures of each activity.

According to Muradkhanyan, since January 1, 2010 ID cards and metrics
will be in usage. "But those passports we have now will be valid till
their expire date," he said. ID cards will be used in our country
and metrics abroad.

CONGRESSMAN MARK KIRK ANNOUNCED CO-CHAIR OF CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS ON ARMENIAN ISSUES

Noyan Tapan

Dec 19, 2008

WASHINGTON, DECEMBER 19, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian
Assembly of America welcomed the election of Mark Kirk (R-IL) as a
new co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues. In this
post M. Kirk will replace the co-chair Joe Knollenberg who will leave
Congress in January 2009.

In the words of M. Kirk, after working with the Armenian American
community on promotion of U.S.-Armenia issues for 20 years, it was a
great honor and inspiration to him to serve together with Congressman
Pallone as a co-chair of the Caucus on Armenian Issues. He said that
the Caucus on Armenian Issues is famous for its work on development
of U.S.-Armenia relations and recognition of the Armenian Genocide,
and he anticipates to work with Congressman Pallone and all the members
of the Caucus to promote U.S.-Armenia relations in the 111th Congress.

M. Kirk was first elected to Congress in 2000, replacing John Porter
(R-IL) who was the first co-chair of the Caucus from the Republican
Party.

M. Kirk serves in the U.S. House of Representatives’s Appropriations
Committee and is included in the Committee’s Subcommittee on Financial
Services and the Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and
Related Programs, under whose jurisdiction is the issue of financing
of Armenia.

Congressman Kirk has sponsored many resolutions on the Armenian
Genocide.

Besides, he assisted with adoption of resolutions on the use of
a normal constant trade regime between the U.S. and Armenia and
co-sponsored resolution 3361 of the House of Representatives, which
banned the allocation of taxpayers’ money for financing construction
of a railway bypassing Armenia.

ARMENIA, IRAN REACH PRELIMINARY AGREEMENT ON OIL PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION

Mediamax
Dec 19 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 19 December: Armenia and Iran have reached a preliminary
agreement on constructing a pipeline to supply oil products, Minister
of Energy of Armenia Armen Movsisyan stated in an interview to
Mediamax today.

He noted that they plan to start the construction in 2009 and conclude
it in the course of two years.

"After the launch of the oil products pipeline, Armenia will not
renounce other sources of oil product import," Armen Movsisyan stated.

The minister noted that the project on constructing an oil-processing
plant in the territory in Armenia remains in effect, and at present
the works on technical-economic grounding [feasibility study] of the
project are in process.

Communique
Association of Melkonian Alumni and Friends
Los Angeles, California

DIASPORA MINISTER DR. HRANUSH HAGOPIAN MEETS WITH MELKONIAN ALUMNI & FRIENDS

Los Angeles, Cal. USA

On November 25, 2008, Armenia’s Minister of the Diaspora, Dr Hranush
Hakobian, met with the representatives of the Association of Melkonian
Alumni and Friends in the offices of Dr Harout Mesrobian in Glendale.
The meeting lasted approximately one hour. The minister was accompanied
by Mr Armen Liloyan, Consul General of Armenia in Los Angeles.
Representing the Association of Melkonian Alumni and Friends at the
meeting were Chairman Raffi Zinzalian and members of the Administrative
Board Harout Mesrobian, Zohrab Shammasian, Vahakn Gharibian, and Garo
Kasabian. The Melkonian alumni brought to the minister’s attention a
number of issues related to the closure of the Melkonian Educational
Institute (MEI) in Cyprus.

The closure of MEI by a decision of the Central Board of the Armenian
General Benevolent Union (AGBU) in June 2005 is no doubt one of the most
pressing issues of the Diaspora by virtue of its broader adverse
consequences. Consequently, it would be appropriate for Armenia’s
Ministry of the Diaspora to take up this issue with high priority.

Legal and other actions undertaken in Los Angeles and Cyprus in the last
few years with the leadership of the Armenian Patriarchate of Istanbul
and the joint efforts of Melkonian alumni organizations across the world
to halt the closure of MEI have not produced any positive results. All
legal rulings in these actions have favored the AGBU.

In late 2006, the Supreme Court of Cyprus ruled and affirmed that the
AGBU has full ownership rights over the MEI properties and that it can
dispose of them as it wishes. This ruling cleared the way for the
immediate sale of the Melkonian properties, which would have happened
had it not been for the intervention of the alumni in Cyprus.

In response to an appeal by the Cyprus alumni, the National Assembly of
Cyprus declared the original MEI buildings and 60 percent of its campus
of approximately 40 acres as a historic and architectural heritage site
and the adjoining grove of trees a "green zone." Although this
regulation reduces the monetary value of the Melkonian properties, it
makes the sale of the properties more difficult because it imposes tough
restrictions on any modifications on existing structures and
construction of new buildings in green areas.

Although the MEI has served as one of the most important centers of
preservation and advancement for Armenian existence and culture in the
Diaspora and provided high-quality education to thousands of Armenian
men and women over 80 years of its existence, it must not be viewed
solely as an educational institution. Indeed, it is an institution
established, above all, for the purpose of "avengement." The following
remarks by the benefactor Garabed Melkonian are so apropos and
memorable: "I am building this school to take avenge my nation. The Turk
decimated us. He first killed our leaders and then our entire helpless
nation. These young orphans must rebuild their patriarchal homeland, and
we must make leaders out of them. It is my wish that the existence of
these Melkonian educational institutions be perpetuated for centuries to
come and that they serve as hearths of enlightenment that train
productive and honest men and women for the Armenian nation, the
Armenian homeland, and all of humanity." This was the vision of the
founders of MEI. To that end, Krikor and Garabed, the two Melkonian
brothers gifted the vast sum of 600,000 British gold pounds to the
Armenian nation. That endowment is equivalent to hundreds of millions of
dollars in today’s prices. The interest on that gift was sufficient to
perpetuate the MEI "for centuries to come." The MEI opened as an
orphanage in 1924 to serve the needs of more than 300 helpless and
destitute orphans who had survived the genocide of 1915-1923.
Subsequently, hundreds of other orphans found shelter, food, and
education in Melkonian. Stretching in front of the twin MEI buildings is
a grove with hundreds of Roman pines. Those trees were planted by those
same orphans in memory of their lost kin and the uncountable victims of
the genocide. That grove is essentially the first "monument" that
eternalizes the memory of the victims of the Armenian holocaust.
Consequently, the MEI is closely associated with and an integral part of
the history of the genocide perpetrated against the Armenian people at
the beginning of the 20th century. As such, it is unthinkable to sell it
no matter how high the value of its physical assets.

Why was Melkonian closed? This question continues to torment our minds.
We believe that specious excuses to the effect that "the existence of
Melkonian is no longer justified" or that "Melkonian’s mission has come
to an end" are without grounds.

A comprehensive report dated November 23, 2003, and drafted by Mr Sarkis
Bchakjian, then Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the MEI, cited
reliable statistical data to present an optimistic picture of the
situation that existed at the time and the future potential of the
school. At that point, the number of students in the institute had risen
to 251 over the previous eight years and the potential existed to
increase that number to as high as 350. However, the AGBU Central Board
sent instructions that this number should not exceed 250 to avoid any
budgetary strains. At the time of the report, the educational standards
of the school had reached unprecedented heights. Specifically, 90
percent of MEI graduate were easily admitted to European and North
American universities to pursue their higher education. Thanks to the
generosity of the government of Cyprus and rent income from the MEI’s
commercial properties, the school’s revenues and investment returns were
on the rise. The institution was on its way to self-sufficiency.

Armenian schools in the Diaspora play a huge role in the preservation of
the Western Armenian language and culture, which remain in peril and
face extinction if we cannot keep these schools open. In some countries,
the use of local languages has become so prevalent among Armenians that
the few surviving Armenian schools are virtually incapable of teaching
our mother tongue. The MEI is the only Armenian co-educational boarding
school in the Diaspora. As such, it must be reopened so that it can
carry on its mission as a stronghold of Armenian education and culture.
The value of an educational institution lies in its output. Can the
"Melkonian Educational Center," a youth complex the AGBU plans to create
in Armenia, replace the MEI of Cyprus and assume the role it played? In
any event, the piecemeal information that has been provided about
planned Melkonian complex in Armenia does not inspire much confidence or
hope, given that the plan has not yet taken concrete form and appears to
be stumbling. We have been told that the complex will bring together
around 200 Armenian students from various corners of the world and offer
them instruction in the Armenian language, literature, and history. We
are told that such activities will contribute to the preservation of
Armenian existence, culture, and education. We are told that all these
can be achieved over a period of at most six months.

Situated in a hospitable and generous country like Cyprus, a member
state of the EU with a superb geographical location, the MEI can be
gateway to Europe for Armenia. The matriculation of a certain number of
students from Armenia at the MEI would provide these students with
high-quality secondary education and prepare them for admission to
European and North American universities. After specializing in various
professions, these students can return to Armenia and contribute to the
advancement and prosperity of their homeland. Their interaction with
students from other countries would also help the further strengthening
of ties between Armenia and the Diaspora.

Minister Hakobian and Consul General Liloyan carefully listened to the
information presented to them and expressed compassionate understanding
for the work of the Melkonian alumni across the world to have the MEI
reopened.

Dr Hakobian took notes throughout the meeting and assured the
participants that she will present the MEI case to the serious
consideration of Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan and Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan. She said: "As your representative, I am prepared to
present the Melkonian case to the president and prime minister of the
Republic. I will also personally meet with Louise Simone and Berj
Setrakian of the AGBU Central Board to discuss the reopening of
Melkonian. I will also meet with relevant government authorities in
Cyprus to discuss the status of Melkonian. I believe that the
preservation of the Armenian language is an essential prerequisite of
perpetuating the Armenian nation. I am aware of the contributions of the
MEI to the building of the Armenian nation." The Diaspora Minister also
expressed her opposition to the closure of any school in the Diaspora.

We thank Dr Hakobian for making room in her busy schedule for this
meeting and for listening to the concerns and problems of Melkonian
alumni. We are especially gratified by her commitment to work on the
Melkonian case and to find a positive solution to this problem. We also
thank Consul General Liloyan for his interest and patience in listening
to concerns about Melkonian.

[Picture]

ATTACK ON JOURNALISTS: WHY THEIR AUTHORS REMAIN UNPUNISHED?

Panorama.am
16:52 17/12/2008

Mesrop Harutyunyan, the expert of Yerevan press club says that he hates
any violence against homo sapiens, all the more, as it is done against
the journalists. According to him once, when independent Armenia has
been declared, Armenians were not used to it and journalists were not
attacked. In the middle of 90th, when the media became numerous, the
situation was changed. The expert said that he has noticed two types
of violence against journalists – hidden and manifest. "There is no
difference who committed the violence the only responsible body for
that is the authorities, moreover when the crime remains undiscovered
they are also responsible for that," said Mesrop Harutyunyan.

Journalist Armen Hakobyan also condemns both physical and psychological
violence committed against the journalists. "I think that the problem
would not become so critical if from the very beginning when our
independent state has been declared all those crimes were revealed and
the guilties punished. In fact not a single case of violence since
then is revealed. I am afraid; I can’t remember any single case,
except Tigran Naghdalyan’s murder, when the criminals stand beyond
the court. It is for hundred percent obvious that unrevealed crime
leaves as aftermaths another crime," said Armen Hakobyan.

Both Mesrop Harutyunyan and Armen Hakobyan say they are not sure
the recent attack against the editor of "Hetq" online publication
Edik Baghdasaryan will be revealed, though some guy named Karen has
announced that he did the crime. "Attack against the journalist is
an attack against the society," concludes Armen Hakobyan.

Hayk Gevorgyan the editor and publisher of "Armenian Times" daily is a
journalist who has been attacked by a governmental representative. In
April 12, 2004 the Deputy Chief of Police Hovhannes Varyan beat the
journalist and broke his photo camera. "Journalists are attacked in
this country because the authorities are not able to stop them in
the frames of the law. When a journalist reveals their dark pages
publishing an article, they try to "solve the problem" as they are
used to. In civilized countries the authorities are not vulnerable,"
says Hayk Gevorgyan.

"Different governmental links commit violence. And violence is
committed because the journalists reveal their illegal activities. And
this is the main reason why the authors of those crimes are not
discovered," says Aram Abrahamyan, the editor of "Aravot" daily. He
says that, of course, there were cases when the authorities have
nothing to do with certain crimes. Abrahamyan remembers when he was
attacked just near his apartment in October 19, 1994. "That time the
authorities were not standing behind that case," assures Abrahamyan
and adds: "According to ARF the organizers of the attack were the
members of "DRO".

In 1994 the former reporter of "Yerkir" oppositional newspaper Gagik
Lazarian, who is currently the editor of "Hayots Ashkharh" found
recording equipment in his home telephone. Lazarian says that being
an oppositional journalist, he published "unveiled mafia" series
of articles. In 1995 when working at "Golos Armenii" Lazarian was
attacked, next year, in 1996 in the period of presidential elections
he was kept in the cellar of National Security for 15 days.

According to him nothing is changed since then, journalists were
attacked before and they are attacked now. "Currently the cases happen
more often. Then I have always felt the psychological pressure on me,"
says the editor of "Hayots Ashkharh".

Find below some popular cases of violence committed against journalists
in different years.

In December 28, 1994 the officers of National Security entered the
editorial office of "Yerkir" newspaper of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation and smashed everything there and put under arrest the
equipments. The attack was made by the order of the First President of
Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan and it was targeted to stop the activities
of ARF.

In March 7, 1997 some people broke into "Yerevanyan Orer" newspaper’s
editorial office and ordered the editor in chief Michael Hayrapetyan
to stop the publication of the following paper. Hayrapetyan rejected
the demand and was seriously beaten. The case is still unrevealed.

At the night of April 3, 2002 A1+ TV station was dismissed from its
right of broadcast. Since then the TV station does not manage to
recover its license of broadcast.

In October 22, 2002 an attempt was made against the life of the
deputy director of Caucasus Institute of Mass Media publicist Marc
Grigoryan. After that the journalist could not find any certain reason
to explain the case but said that he was going to publish an article
on the court procedure of October 27, 1999 in a London bulletin of
Covering War and Peace. Since then the authors of the crime are free.

2002 was crucial for Armenia. In 2002 36-year-old Tigran Naghdalyan
the journalist of Public TV was murdered. A criminal case was started
by the investigative department of the General Prosecutor’s Office,
250 thousands USD was promised for the assistance to reveal the
case. Later it was discovered that the brother of former Defence
Minister Vazgen Sargsyan, Armen Sargsyan ordered the murder. Armen
Sargsyan was imprisoned for 5 years and then set free by the decree
of the President of the RA in 2008.

In April 29, 2003 Mher Ghalechyan, the reporter of "Fourth Power"
newspaper was beaten. It is known that Gegham Petrosyan and Sevak
Sevoyan committed the attack, but they were set free as the criminal
case started against them was soon shortened.

"Freedom House" international organization published a report on
freedom of speech in 2002. Armenia was announced a country were the
freedom of speech was not free. Before, in 2001 and 2000 the same
organization announced Armenia as partially free. Note that in 2007
Armenia was again listed as a country where the freedom of speech
was not free.

At the night of April 13, 2004 during the oppositional rally in front
of the building of National Assembly journalists of "Armenian Times"
Hayk Gevorgyan and Avetis Babadjanyan, the operator of Russian Public
TV Levon Grigoryan and the journalist of "Fourth Power" newspaper
Mher Ghalechyan were beaten. Hayk Gevorgyan announced that he was
beaten by the Deputy of Chief of Police Hovhannes Varyan.

In August 24, 2004 in Tsaghkadzor the photographer of "Photolur"
agency Mkhitar Khachatryan and the reporter of "Aravot" daily Anna
Israelyan were attacked by four people, while they were trying
to follow the cutting down of trees near an elite cottage. Later
a criminal case was applied and it was found out that a citizen of
Yerevan Gagik Stepanyan who was arrested before was the author of the
attack. Stepanyan was imprisoned for 6 months but soon he was set free.

In March 1, 2008 in the Freedom Square the photographer of "Fourth
Power" and "Aravot" daily Gagik Shamshyan was seriously beaten.

In August 11, 2008 reporter of "Armenian Times" daily Lusine
Barseghyan, in August 18, 2008 coordinator of "Liberty" radio station
Hrach Melqumyan, in November 17, 2008 the editor in chief of "Hetq"
online publication Edik Baghdasaryan were attacked and beaten.

In our reality there have been cases when the "terrorists" tried
to frighten the heads of this or that mass media and damaged their
properties.

In November 22, 2005 "VAZ-2121 Niva" car which belonged to "Armenian
Times" was fired.

In March 31, 2006 in Goris the car of "Syunyats Yerkir" editor in
chief Samvel Alexanyan was fired.

In February 7, 2006 the car of editor of "Photo Plus" weekly Suren
Baghdasaryan was fired.

In February 8, 2007 at 20:15 "Nissan Extra" car which belonged to
the owner of "My Right" and "Panorama.am" Ara Saghatelyan was fired.

It is remarkable that the officials have promised for several times
to do everything to reveal these and all those cases which were not
listed here. But, in fact, they have been just words to be said under
the pressure of certain situations. Those who commit violence are
not punished.

WORLD CUP TO GIVE CONFIDENCE TO ARMENIAN BOXER

Panorama.am
15:42 16/12/2008

Armenian boxer Andranik Hakobyan (75kg.) became a World Cup Winner
in Moscow after defeating his Venezuelan rival Alfonso Blanco.

"The fight too hard. Our boxer has had good and strong rivals," said
the chief secretary of Armenian Boxing Federation Lyova Hovhannisyan
to Panorama.am.

"This victory has great significance for him. He has had many victories
but did not manage to gain any prize. This will give him confidence
for future victories," he said.

The new appointed President of the Boxing Federation of Armenia left
for Russia to meet the champion and accompany him to Armenia.

FIRST LOTTERY OF CASH REGISTER RECEIPTS TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA IN 2009

ARKA
Dec 12, 2008

YEREVAN, December 12. /ARKA/. In 2009, a drawing of cash register
receipts issued to the population is to be held in Armenia for the
first time, Chairman of Armenia’s State revenues Committee Armen
Alaverdyan reported.

The lottery is to be introduced as from January 1 and to make Armenian
population interested in getting cash register receipts.

Alaverdyan reported that a total of about 45,000 cash registers are
installed in trade centers in Armenia, including 7,200 cash registers
in trade fairs.

"We can say that the problem is solved in terms of the quality, but
serious steps remain to be taken in terms of the quality so that cash
register receipts are provided to citizens," Alaverdyan said.

Traders are obliged to provide these receipts under the law, but
it is impossible to carry out an everyday monitoring of some 45,000
economic entities. This lottery is to encourage citizens to ask for
the receipts themselves, Alaverdyan said.

He pointed out that Armenian Government was taking the required
measures in the last two months to provide a proper legal framework
for the lottery (prevent receipt forgery, establish lottery-holding
procedure, and etc).

In his turn, Head of Tax Procedures Department Artur Manukyan said
that the drawing is to be held on the Public TV of Armenia every fifth
working day of each month20with receipts for the previous month to
be ruffled off.

Cash register receipts are to contain combinations of eight arbitrary
unique numbers and two-digit series with Armenian capital letters.

5mln Drams is to be paid off if the eight-digit number matches. If
seven digits match, 9 receipts are to be paid off 500,000 Drams for
each. If six digits match 90 receipts are to be paid off – 50,000
Drams each. If five digits match 900 receipts are to be paid off –
20,000 Drams each. If four digits match 9,000 receipts are to be paid
off – 5,000 Drams each.

Apart from this, bonuses are to be paid – 1% of the winnings for
every 1’000 Drams worth purchase.

Before the lottery is held, information on prize calculation will
be published in "Respublika Armeniyi" newspaper and the official
website of tax authorities at least three days in advance. Winners
should apply to the respective local treasury department of Armenian
Ministry of Finance not later than on the last working day of the
current month after the lottery is held.

US MEDIATOR UPBEAT ON KARABAKH SETTLEMENT TALKS

Mediamax
Dec 4 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 4 December: OSCE Minsk Group’s US co-chairman Matthew Bryza
has said that the meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign
ministers in Helsinki became another step in the negotiating process
after the successful talks of the two countries’ presidents in Moscow
and the visit of the mediators to the region.

Bryza made the comment when speaking on the results of talks between
the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers held on 3 December. He
said that progress can be felt at the talks, although disagreements
between the sides remain. "The only way to settle these disagreements
is to continue talks," he added.

Bryza said that the first clause of a peace agreement [on Nagornyy
Karabakh] should be about the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. "But
there will be no agreement if it does not contain clauses on some
level of self-determination of Nagornyy Karabakh and on non-use of
[military] force. All these principles should be included in the
agreement, and this is the main task of the presidents – to find a
common language," Bryza said.

"The main thing is that the two countries’ presidents feel to some
extent the beginning of mutual trust. Undoubtedly, there is already
respect between them, and trust will be obtained step by step," he
said. Bryza pointed out there is no military solution to the Karabakh
conflict. "I know that no-one wants war, including [Azerbaijani]
President Aliyev," he added.

Bryza said that following the OSCE ministerial meeting in Helsinki,
a statement on the Karabakh conflict settlement would be adopted,
and that the text had been agreed upon. "It cannot be ruled out that
following today’s talks, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair will make a
separate statement," he added.

DENNIS SAMMUT: "THOSE IN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN WHO WANT A BETTER FUTURE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES NEED TO STAND UP AND SUPPORT MOSCOW DECLARATION"

Today.Az
ws/politics/49447.html
Dec 6 2008
Azerbaijan

Interview Day.Az with Executive Director of the British organisation
LINKS Dennis Sammut.

– You were in Helsinki observing the Ministerial Meeting of the
OSCE. Do you think the meeting was a success?

– This is a critical moment for European security. The OSCE has
returned to its birth place, where in 1975 the Helsinki Final Act was
signed. That document is still the basis on which relations between
states in Europe are based. It is now time however for the OSCE to be
refreshed and renewed and this meeting in Helsinki has started this
process. I think that within a year or two the Presidents and leaders
of the OSCE member states will meet to seal this process. Between now
and then a lot of work needs to be done to ensure that Europe and the
Euro-atlantic region have new arrangements in place that will build
on the achievements of the past, but will also address the challenges
of the future.

– The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan met again in
Helsinki, together with the co-Chairmen of the Minsk Group. How do
you assess the results of these meetings?

– After the signing of the Moscow declaration by the two Presidents in
November there are expectations about the peace process. The two sides
need to agree to a timetable for moving the process forward. Russia,
the United States and France in their joint statement mentioned
the need first to finalise the discussions on the so called Madrid
Principles and following that to start negotiations on a peace
agreement. The sides must engage with these two tasks as soon as
possible. I think some steps in this direction took place in Helsinki.

– Different commentators have given different interpretations to the
Moscow declaration. Do you think this will harm the peace process?

– The Moscow declaration is short and is in simple language. Everybody
who reads it can understand it and people who try to give hidden
meanings are not helping the process. The declaration says what it
says, no more and no less. It is a good declaration signed by the
two Presidents. It is the basis on which the next stages of the work
needs to be built.

– The Azerbaijan Delegation in Helsinki also circulated a document
stating its principles on the Karabakh conflict. How do you see
this document?

– The document reflects the principles that guide the Azerbaijani
position. It is a well known position and there is nothing new in the
document issued in Helsinki by the Azerbaijan delegation. Anything that
is agreed by the two sides is however the subject of negotiations. For
this reason the Moscow declaration signed by the two Presidents needs
to be the basis on which future work can be build.

– Are you disappointed that after the Moscow meeting things have not
moved faster in the process of conflict resolution on Karabakh?

– Only four weeks have passed since the Moscow meeting. We are also
awaiting the new president of the United States to take office. So it
is too early to be disappointed. However I feel that it is important
that the momentum created by the Moscow meeting be maintained. This
is not only the responsibility of governments. I expect to hear more
people supporting the Moscow declaration from amongst politicians,
civil society, the media and so on. Part of the problem is that
some people are saying that the Moscow declaration has a hidden
meaning. I don’t see a hidden meaning. The declaration is short and
is clear. Those in Armenia and Azerbaijan who want a better future
for themselves and their families need to stand up and support it.

ACCORDING TO NKR STATE BUDGET, IN 2009 ACTUAL EXPENSES TO INCREASE BY 6, 5 MILLIARD DRAMS

De Facto
Dec 8, 2008

STEPANAKERT, 08.12.08. DE FACTO. Calculated per capita, in
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in 2007 the amount of GNP made $ 1489,
in 2008 it will make $ 2023, and in 2009 – $ 2400.

According to the information DE FACTO received at the NKR government’s
Press Office, in 2007 the amount of NKR state budget’s own revenues
had made 20,6% (14,5 milliard AMD) with respect to the amount of GNP,
in 2008 – 21,1 % (18,1 milliard AMD), and in 2009 it would make 20,5 %
(20,9 milliard AMD).

Tax incomes for less than 1, 8 milliard AMD has been planned for 2009,
and expenses for 2, 3 milliard AMD.

According to the state budget for 2009, physical expenses will
increase by 6, 5 milliard AMD as compared with 2008. The Salary Fund
will increase by 3, 2 milliard drams and make 16, 3 milliard AMD.