Author: Tadevosian Garnik

TAB Editorial: No place for politics
——————————
GateHouse News Service Wed Aug 22, 2007, 12:00 AM EDT

Newton –
When Newton resident David Boyajian wrote a letter to our sister
publication, The Watertown TAB and Press, he probably had no idea that he
was sparking a national news story with international repercussions.
Objecting to the Anti-Defamation League’s opposition of the recognition of
the Armenian genocide of the early 20th century, he pointed out that the
ADL’s dishonest representation of history conflicts with the very principles
that the organization’s "No Place for Hate" espouses.

Since that letter was published on July 5, Watertown has pulled out of the
No Place for Hate program, and ADL regional director Andrew Tarsy took a
position in direct conflict to the national organization’s stance. Tarsy was
subsequently fired; two ADL board members resigned; and ADL National
Director Abraham Foxman "revisited" his organization’s view of the tragedy.

Here in Newton, Mayor David Cohen released a letter he sent to Foxman
appropriately calling upon the ADL to rehire Tarsy and to recognize the
genocide, correctly stating that failure to do so does a disservice to
people all over the world who have suffered from discrimination and
injustice.

As of the TAB’s deadline, the Newton Human Rights Commission had yet to meet
to discuss what stance the group would take regarding the No Place for Hate
Program, but they were scheduled to do so Tuesday night.

Also on Tuesday, media outlets were claiming that Foxman had reversed his
position, but, in fact, his statement merely said that the massacre was
"tantamount to genocide." And, he maintained that the ADL could not support
the congressional legislation recognizing the genocide because of fear it
would risk the safety of Turkish Jews, along with the relationship between
Turkey, Israel and the U.S.

In fact, what Foxman did not say is as telling as what he did say. The
deliberate killing of 1.5 million people either is genocide or it isn’t.
Calling the massacre "tantamount to genocide" is wishy-washy and weak.
Foxman is playing political games that are tarnishing all the good work the
ADL has done over the years. He has not gone far enough.

Unless or until Foxman dramatically revises his position and reinstates
Tarsy, we urge the Newton Human Rights Commission to follow Watertown’s lead
and withdraw from the ADL-sponsored No Place for Hate Program. As a
community, we can continue to endorse the values the program sets forth
without ladening ourselves with hypocrisy.

Source: 32

GAS SUPPLY OF ARMENIA AND GEORGIA TO BE CUT OFF FOR SIX DAYS DUE TO REPAIR WORK

Noyan Tapan
Aug 20, 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The gas supply of Armenia and Georgia
will be cut off for 6 days due to repairs of the Caucasus-Transcaucasia
gas pipeline, spokeswoman for ArmRusgazprom company Shushan Sardarian
announced.

In her words, it will not affect Armenian consumers because continuous
gas supply will be ensured from the Abovian underground gas depot.

It was also reported that the gas supply of most part of Yerevan and
of Kotayk region will be cut off on August 20-23 due to interconnection
work on operating gas pipelines.

Los Angeles Times
August 19, 2007 Sunday
Home Edition

CONSUMER WATCH;
Can a bunny energize Wi-Fi at home?

A talking rabbit and a photo frame are fanciful ways to use the Web
without a computer.

David Colker, Times Staff Writer

The white plastic bunny from France looks kind of Hello Kitty sweet
as it sits all by itself on a kitchen counter or living room
bookshelf.

It’s a minimalist rabbit — bell-shaped with simple black dots for
eyes and a mouth, and pointed ears that stick up straight. Quiet,
nice bunny.

Then it gets an e-mail.

Suddenly, the ears start twisting weirdly in different directions,
lights flash in its belly and the bunny that seemed dormant a second
ago begins speaking.

Think of it as a cross between a pet rock and Bride of Chucky.

What brings about this transformation? Wi-Fi.

The rabbit, whose commercial name is Nabaztag (Armenian for rabbit),
is one of the latest attempts to give consumers another use for
wireless Internet besides getting home computers online.

And why not? According to Forrester Research, 27% of U.S. homes are
equipped for Wi-Fi, a technology that only a few years ago seemed
exotic.

In addition to the bunny, another recent product is a digital screen,
framed in wood for hanging on the wall, that can receive pictures via
Wi-Fi from Internet photo services.

Both are sophisticated devices. Nabaztag, especially, can offer
numerous audio services. The bunny can pass along stock prices,
weather forecasts and news headlines, all periodically updated from
Internet sources.

The bunny can pipe up as "Ryan deep voice," "Heather speaking
quickly" and other choices. The device can play an Internet radio
station or a short MP3 file sent by a friend.

The digital picture frame, from PhotoVu in Boulder, Colo., can show
high-quality images nonstop from collections stored online.

But are these products ready for prime time?

They are far from the first attempts at finding alternative home uses
for the Internet, untethered from computers.

In 2000, the online, stand-alone radio Kerbango made a big splash at
trade shows. But it needed to be plugged into a modem.

After the Internet bubble burst, the venture collapsed.

With the subsequent rise of Wi-Fi came radios, cameras and portable
Internet phones with wireless capability. But they never caught fire
with the public.

The latest rage, Apple Inc.’s iPhone, has Wi-Fi for Web browsing and
e-mail, although not, curiously, for making online calls.

Nabaztag is all about Wi-Fi. Although it didn’t hit the U.S. until
this year, it has been on sale in Europe since 2005, where it has
gained at least a cult following.

On YouTube, there are scores of videos featuring Nabaztags dressed in
a variety of outfits. Most elaborate of all are videos of a Wi-Fi
bunny opera featuring 100 of the critters that was staged last year
at the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

Is Nabaztag just a gimmick?

Josh Martin, an analyst at Yankee Group, thinks so.

"It’s an interesting, quirky device," Martin said. "But it doesn’t do
anything all that startling. Most people already have their computers
on, and it doesn’t take much to stick your head in a room to see if
there is e-mail, check stock prices."

And if it is a gimmick, it’s a fairly expensive one at about $190.

A spokesman for Violet, the company behind Nabaztag, says it takes
time to fully appreciate all the features of the device.

"It takes many days to live with it, people have found," said
Jean-Francois Kitten, speaking from France.

But Martin doesn’t think the features of Nabaztag will warrant long
trial periods.

"It’s the kind of thing," Martin said, "that might be cool for a
day."

David Hauser disagrees, although he acknowledges being a tech head.
He co-founded GotVMail Communications, a Weston, Mass., firm that
operates an Internet-based call answering system for small
businesses.

He and others at the company configured their Nabaztag to vocalize
status and trouble messages that arose on their system.

"We could have done that without the bunny," Hauser said. "But we
need something to laugh at when we are working at 3 in the morning."

This being Wi-Fi, setup isn’t always smooth. Even Hauser had to call
Paris a couple of times to get his Wi-Fi bunny hopping.

Executives at Violet say they have improved the setup for consumers.

But analyst Van Baker of Gartner Inc. said technical barriers were a
fact of life for Wi-Fi, making the bunny and other gadgets less
appealing.

"Issues around configuration and the changing Wi-Fi standards make
them too complicated for most consumers," Baker said.

The PhotoVu picture frame has just one basic function — to show off
digital photos.

The Wi-Fi aspect of that is nifty, but not necessary. The photos can
be delivered to the frame via a hidden USB memory key.

In fact, setting up the frame for Wi-Fi use on a test model at The
Times was arduous enough to make USB delivery all the more appealing.

Also, the company’s frames with Wi-Fi capability are pricey, starting
at about $1,000 for a 19-inch screen. PhotoVu said it eventually
would put less expensive, Internet-capable models on the market.

Still, Martin believes that the future of Wi-Fi devices lies
elsewhere.

"I think that down the road, you could have a portable music player
that would put a piece of music you purchased on the home Wi-Fi
network the minute you walk in the door," he said.

"That’s the kind of thing that has more of a chance of succeeding."

He didn’t predict a bright future for Nabaztag.

"I don’t know if I should say that," Martin said. "Maybe the Wi-Fi
bunnies will come after me."

TENDENCIES IN REAL ESTATE MARKET IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 2007
By Ara Martirosian

AZG Armenian Daily
16/08/2007

What tendencies have been recorded in the first six months of 2007,
what is the situation compared with the first and second six months
of last year, what prices have been recorded in June and what may we
expect in the coming months in this market?

All these questions can get their answers from the analyses of Cadastre
State Committee of Real Estate.

According to it, transactions increased in the first six months of
2007 as compared with the first and second six months of 2006.

Alienations gain a large part in transactions – 40 percent, from
which sales and purchases – 87 percent.

The rest are donations and interchanges.

The biggest parts of sales and purchases have the apartments of
residential buildings – 2/3 of a total.

The recorded 7029 transactions are a little more as compared with
the same period of last year. Here a decrease of transactions by 18,5
percent is recorded as compared with the second six months of 2006.

Anyway, the prices of the apartments have been increased in Yerevan
as compared with the first (by 30,6 %) and the second (by 16,1 %)
six months of 2006.

The same situation is in the provinces (marzes) of Armenia – the
prices of the apartments increased here by 48,3 percent as compared
with the same period of the last year, and by 19,8 percent compared
with the second half year of 2006.

The average market price of one square meter of residential
buildings’ apartments in Yerevan made 258 thousand drams in June of
2007: in Center – 454 thousand drams, Arabkir – 372 thousand drams,
Kanaker-Zeytun – 273 thousand drams, Davitashen – 246 thousand drams,
Shengavit – 244 thousand drams, Agapnyak – 237 thousand drams, Nor
Nork – 228 thousand drams, Malatia-Sebastia – 226 thousand drams,
Erebuni – 221 thousand drams, Avan – 217 thousand drams and Nubarashen
– 124 thousand drams.

Out of Yerevan the highest prices have been recorded in Abovian: one
square meter – 145 thousand drams, in Vagharshapat – 126 thousand
drams, Ashtarak – 107 thousand drams, Jermuk – 102 thousand drams
(the prices here increased twice).

2964 transactions on sales and purchases of detached houses were
recorded in the first six months of 2007: 560 in Yerevan. The
transactions decreased by 16,5 percent as compared with the second
six months of 2006, and increased by 15,4 percent compared with the
first six months of 2006.

The average market price of one square meter of 250 square meter
construction and 400 square meter house of a personal plot is the
following in different parts of Yerevan: in Center – 469 thousand
drams (about $1350), Arabkir- 376 thousand drams, Kanaker-Zeytun –
275 thousand drams, Davitashen – 250 thousand drams, Shengavit –
245 thousand drams, Agapnyak – 241 thousand drams, Nork-Marash –
233 thousand drams, Malatia-Sebastia – 229 thousand drams, Erebuni –
225 thousand drams, Avan – 219 thousand drams and Nubarashen – 127
thousand drams.

The most expensive houses are again in Abovian. Here the average
market price of one square meter of 200 square meter construction
and 1000 square meter personal plot is 149 thousand drams. Then comes
Vagharshapat – 130 thousand drams, Tsaghkadzor – 127 thousand drams,
Ashtarak – 109 thousand drams and Nor Hachn – 104 thousand drams.

PRESS RELEASE
AIPRG contact

[email protected]
Tel: +374 10 528 723
Address: 50 Nalbandyan Str., Suite 16, Yerevan 0010, Armenia

Armenian International Policy Research Group is happy to invite you to
participate in AIPRG On-line Forum on THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES
OF OPENING THE BORDER BETWEEN ARMENIA AND TURKEY:
< >

As you might know AIPRG organized a conference on the above mentioned topic
in January 2007 and hosted more than 400 people from Armenia, Turkey, USA,
Russia and the rest of the world. For more information, please, visit
<; .

Currently AIPRG is organizing round tables on this topic in Georgia, Turkey
and the regions of Armenia. The forum will accordingly reflect all the
results and ideas of these meetings.

Here is the last post: "Hello Everyone, I would like to hear any views
whether closed borders between Armenia and Turkey are having a positive
impact on the Georgian economy. And if you think it is having such a
positive impact in the short-term, wouldn’t you think that in the long-term,
all sides, including Georgia, is losing because of this situation?
Restrained economic competition eventually is to the detriment of all
interested parties, in this case Georgia, Armenia and Turkey."

You are more than welcome to express your opinions and suggestions!

URL: http://FORUM.AIPRG.NET <;

Language: English

The initiative is financed by Eurasia Foundation Armenia (
<; ).

Armenia Fund USA, Inc.
80 Maiden Lane, S-301,
New York, NY 10038, U.S.A.
T/1-212-689-5307
F/1-212-689-5317
http://ww w.armeniafundusa.org
E-mail: [email protected]

Armenia Fund 1997-1998
1992-2007: Celebrating 15 years of nation-building in Armenia and Karabakh

NEW YORK, New York – The year 2007 marks the 15th Anniversary of Armenia
Fund, a pillar organization created after Armenia’s independence and
mandated with the vital task of uniting all Armenians around the world to
direct efforts toward development and revival of the nation. For 15 years,
the Fund, with its international affiliates across the globe, has touched
countless lives in Armenia and Karabakh. Combining aid, development and
direct investment, Armenia Fund has engaged Armenia’s leaders, its people
and the worldwide Diaspora to promote education, create jobs, improve public
health and develop infrastructure, among other critical humanitarian needs.
Today, Armenia Fund’s contributions to social and economic prosperity of
Armenia and Karabakh are unprecedented.
The 15th Anniversary of Armenia Fund is a celebration of the past, present
and future of the Armenian people. It is a celebration of overcoming
challenges by working together. Above all, it is a celebration of humanity,
courage and hope.

Armenia Fund 1997 -1998

Along with the several large-scale initiatives already underway in Armenia
and Karabakh, from 1997-1998 there was an upsurge in Armenia Fund’s projects
focusing on social infrastructure, particularly schools, kindergartens,
residential buildings, hospitals and healthcare clinics.

In Gyumri, where the 1988 earthquake had shattered not only infrastructure
but also the lifestyle and hope of the people, Armenia Fund put together an
ambitious reconstruction plan. This involved the completion of the "Sayat
Nova", "Mush" and "Ani" residential districts where Robert Boghossian & Sons
also sponsored an educational center. To this date, orphaned children live
and study at the Boghossian Educational Center. Among other projects were
the Mush School, the Children Art Center, the Shahan Shahnour Secondary
School, as well as the Arshak Chopanian School in Gyumri. The Fund also
reconstructed the Physics and Mathematics Boarding School in Yerevan.

The devastating consequences of the Karabakh conflict took an immense toll
on the everyday life of the local people depriving them of even basic social
services. Here as well, the lack of functioning schools posed the serious
problem of failing to educate an entire generation of children. Given the
urgency of the situation, Armenia Fund initiated the construction and
restoration of over a dozen schools in Stepanakert and in the villages of
Karabakh. The Stepanakert Boarding School was the first among such
initiatives.

Revitalizing the healthcare system in Armenia and Karabakh has always been a
priority for Armenia Fund, but the need for intervention became particularly
urgent from 1997-1998. This was due to the collapsing healthcare
infrastructure across the country on the one hand, and the increasingly
deteriorating health of the population on the other. A major undertaking in
this direction was the complete restoration and modernization of the Yerevan
Clinic for Pediatric Care, the Pediatric Surgery Center of which today has
become an important hub of pediatric research and study.

What made Armenia Fund a unique institution in these years was not only the
pace at which the Fund completed critically needed large-scale
infrastructure projects, but also its ability to affect change in the most
underserved and vulnerable communities in Armenia and Karabakh.

Over the past 15 years, Armenia Fund has invested more than $170 million in
sustainable development in Armenia and Karabakh. This makes the Fund the
largest contributor to critical infrastructure projects in all aspects of
social and economic activity. Securing long-term development solutions, the
Fund has had an outstanding impact on the lives of countless citizens of
Armenia and Karabakh. Armenia Fund has evolved over the years into an
organization that has an unprecedented track record of affecting change. In
recognition to its development work, Armenia Fund was accredited to the
United Nations in spring of 2006, as one of the most credible international
organizations working in Armenia and Karabakh.

To recognize and thank the Diaspora for its 15 years of continuous support
to Armenia and Karabakh, Armenia Fund will hold a 15th Anniversary Gala
Banquet at the United Nations on October 6, 2007. Join Armenia Fund as it
celebrates the tenacity of the Armenian people and strength of the Armenian
Diaspora!

ARMENIANS REVISIT BAKU

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Aug 9 2007

Experts of Armenia’s Interior Ministry are visiting Baku, APA reports
quoting well-informed sources.

The Armenian experts are attending the meeting of experts from
Interior Ministries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
member countries in the Azerbaijani capital. The meeting with presence
of Armenians will last tomorrow.

The meeting of experts of Interior Ministries of the CIS countries
is taking place in Baku from August 9 till 10. The meeting aims
preparation for the meeting of the CIS Interior Ministers scheduled
for 5-6 September in Baku.

Zentralschweiz Online
17.07.2007 17:40

Fall Perinçek – Völkermord "erwiesen"

on/top_main_nav/NEWS/National/detail.htm?client_re quest_contentOID=239616

LAUSANNE – Für das Waadtländer Kantonsgericht ist der Völkermord an den
Armeniern eine erwiesene Tatsache. Dies schreibt das Gericht in der
schriftlichen Begründung des Strafurteils gegen den türkischen Nationalisten
Dogu Perinçek.
Wegen Leugnung des Völkermords an den Armeniern war dieser in erster Instanz
wegen Verletzung der Rassismus-Strafnorm verurteilt worden. Dieses Urteil
wurde vom Kantonsgericht im Juni bestätigt. Die Beschwerde des türkischen
Politikers sei unfundiert, heisst es in der heute veröffentlichten
schriftlichen Begründung.

Für das Gericht ist der Genozid von 1915 bis 1917 "eine erwiesene Tatsache".
Auch habe das Parlament bei der Einführung der Rassismus-Strafnorm nicht nur
die Verbrechen der Nationalsozialisten im Sinn gehabt, sondern alle
Völkermorde.

Die erste Instanz war denn auch nicht gehalten, aufwendige historische
Recherchen zu betrieben, um den Genozid an den Armeniern festzustellen,
befand das Kantonsgericht. Auch sieht es die Meinungsäusserungsfreiheit
nicht in Gefahr.

Die Rassismus-Strafnorm verbiete weder die historisch Forschung noch eine
seriöse politische Debatte. Perinçek habe aber aus rassistischen und
nationalistischen Motiven gehandelt, als er den Völkermord an den Armeniern
in der Schweiz als "internationale Lüge" bezeichnet habe.

Der Verteidiger des türkischen Politikers hatte bereits Rekurs gegen das
Urteil angekündigt. Perinçek war zu einer Geldstrafe von 90 Tagessätzen à
100 Franken sowie zu einer Busse von 3000 Franken verurteilt worden. Zudem
wurde er dazu verknurrt, der Gesellschaft Schweiz-Armenien einen
Schadenersatz von 1000 Franken zu zahlen und 5800 Franken der Gerichtskosten
zu übernehmen.

sda

MAYOR’S OFFICE ANTICIPATES GOVERNMENT’S ASSISTANCE FOR TAKING ANTILANDSLIDE MEASURES IN DILIJAN

Noyan Tapan
Aug 06 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 6, NOYAN TAPAN. 512 mln drams (1.5 mln USD) has been
allocated from the RA state budget for solution of road construction,
educational and health care problems of the city of Dilijan in
2007. The deputy mayor of Dilijan Armen Makarian said at the August
6 press conference that the mayor’s office has allocated 1.2 bln
drams from its own revenues with the aim of overcoming the problems
in these and other sectors.

According to him, the whole city is being developed with these funds:
streets are being laid with asphalt and provided with breats-walls. It
was mentioned that the construction sector of the city has great
demand for specialists with higher and high special education.

He noted the landslides in the city’s central part in recent years
as the number one problem, against which the city authorities cannot
fight efficiently because of lack of the needed money. "The water
sewerage system which was built in the 1970s has become unuseful,"
the deputy mayor said, expressing a hope that in case of allocation
of the necessary sum from the 2008 state budget, it will be possible
to complete the antilandslide measures in a short period.

Lebanese vote in key election to replace assassinated lawmakers
ZEINA KARAM, AP Worldstream
Published: Aug 05, 2007

Tens of thousands of Lebanese voted Sunday to replace two assassinated
lawmakers in a tense election that has become a major showdown between
the U.S.-backed government and its opponents.

The election’s results could determine the political future of this
deeply divided country, weeks ahead of a scheduled vote by parliament
to elect a new president.

Sunday’s vote closed at 6 p.m. (1500GMT) and was largely peaceful. It
took place amid tight security in two electoral districts, one in
Beirut and the other in Lebanon’s Metn region, a Christian stronghold
where the community is deeply divided.

The vote in Metn pitted Amin Gemayel, running on behalf of the
government coalition, against Kamil Khoury, who is supported by
Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun, a former army commander and
interim prime minister allied with the Hezbollah-led opposition.

The Lebanese constitution provides that the country’s president must be
a Christian. Parliament should vote in September to replace current
President Emile Lahoud, due to step down no later than Nov. 23.

The elections in the Christian heartland was deemed a key popularity
test for Gemayel, the head of one of Lebanon’s most powerful Christian
families, and Aoun, who has already announced he would run for
president.

A local TV station called the Metn election "the mother of all
battles." Aoun’s party dominated the district in the 2005 legislative
elections.

Voting took place in a "calm and democratic atmosphere" and there was a
large turnout, said a statement from the Interior Ministry. Official
results will be announced late Sunday or early Monday, whenever vote
counting is over, the statement said.

Both sides declared they had won a few hours after the polls closed.

"We have been informed of our victory," Aoun said through his OTV
station. He accused authorities, however, of seeking to cancel one of
the ballot boxes east of Beirut and asked his supporters to head there.
"We hope that everything goes quietly tonight," he also told reporters.

Gemayel refused to concede defeat.

"Congratulations for your victory," he told a crowd of supporters
outside his house, to the backdrop of fireworks. The candidate, who was
president of Lebanon for much of the 1980s, said voters on Sunday had
given him "overwhelming support."

Gemayel also claimed there was fraud and contested the results in one
voting station in the Bourj Hammoud district with heavily ethnic
Armenian voters, calling for a re-vote in that area.

Both sides were seen celebrating in convoys on the streets in Beirut
and Metn region. Gemayel called for calm on the streets. "We don’t want
anyone to drag us into a confrontation that we don’t need," he said.

Voters were replacing Gemayel’s son, legislator and cabinet minister
Pierre Gemayel, who was shot dead in November, and lawmaker Walid Eido,
a Sunni Muslim who was killed in a Beirut car bomb in June. Both were
allies of the U.S.-backed Lebanese government and vocal opponents of
neighboring Syria, which controlled Lebanon for 29 years until it was
forced out in 2005.

In Beirut, the vote for Eido’s seat appeared to have been easily won by
Mohammed al-Amin Itani, a candidate of parliament majority leader Saad
Hariri’s Future Movement, particularly since the Hezbollah-led
opposition did not officially sponsor a candidate.

At the entrance of Gemayel’s hometown of Bikfaya, pictures of the
candidate and his slain son were displayed on balconies, cars and
electricity poles.

"Vote for freedom and independence by voting for Gemayel in Metn and
Itani in Beirut," read a banner. Gemayel supporters also distributed
white roses to voters before they cast their ballots in memory of the
late minister.

Gemayel and his wife, Joyce, began the day by visiting their son’s
grave before heading to the polling station. As he later entered a
school to vote, supporters of his Phalange Party chanted "Pierre lives
on!"

"We visited Pierre to … promise him that his blood will not be in
vain," Gemayel told reporters.

While pro-government politicians accuse the opposition of being agents
for Iran and Syria, Hezbollah leaders and Aoun accuse the ruling
majority of subservience to the United States.

Aoun has said the Metn elections are "to liberate the country from
political feudalism, sectarian intolerance and political bribery," a
reference to the Gemayel family’s role in Lebanese politics since the
1930s.

The rivalry between Aoun and Gemayel could further divide the Christian
community and is generally seen as a battle of wills between the ruling
coalition and the opposition, weeks before parliament is to elect a new
president.

The elections could also escalate the country’s deepening political
crisis because Prime Minister Fuad Saniora’s Western-backed government
called them without the required approval of President Emile Lahoud,
who has blocked attempts to replace the lawmakers. Lahoud considers
Saniora’s government to be illegitimate.

Lahoud is allied with the Hezbollah-led, pro-Syrian opposition, as is
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who has said he will not recognize the
results of the contests.

Gemayel and the government have accused Damascus of being behind the
assassination of his son and a number of other anti-Syrian politicians
and public figures over the last two years, part of what they deem is
Syria’s plan to end the majority’s rule through attrition. Syria has
denied the allegations.

With Eido’s death, Saniora’s margin in parliament has been whittled
down to only four seats.