Author: Tadevosian Garnik

Targeted News Service
February 26, 2009 Thursday 4:12 AM EST

Armenian Genocide Documentary To Premiere at St. Norbert

DE PERE, Wis.

The St. Norbert College issued the following news release:

"The Morgenthau Story," a documentary by Apo Torosyan covering the
Armenian genocide in Turkey, will premiere on Monday, Mar. 2 at 7
p.m. in St. Norbert College’s Cofrin Hall, room 11.

The premiere is free and open to the public. Torosyan will be on hand
to present his documentary.

Torosyan graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in 1968 and moved to
the United States from Istanbul the same year. His works as an artist
and filmmaker have appeared in collections in Turkey, Greece, Spain,
France, Armenia, Canada and the United States.

For more information about "The Morgenthau Story" and the premiere at
St. Norbert College, contact the college’s Center for International
Education at (920) 403-4075.

LARISA ALAVERDIAN: PRO-GOVERNMENTAL FORCES’ AGGRESSIVE CONDUCT TO OPPOSITION IS RESULT OF SENSE OF FAULT

Noyan Tapan

F eb 27, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 27, NOYAN TAPAN. The Zharangutiun (Heritage) party
conducts negotiations with the extra-parliamentary opposition on
running for Yerevan councillor members elections unitedly. Zharangutiun
faction member Anahit Bakhshian stated at the February 27 parliamentary
press briefing.

According to her, negotiations over opposition’s common candidate
continue and the results will be publicized at the end of them.

Speaking about the events dedicated to the memory of the March
1 victims, faction head Armen Martirosian said that Zharangutiun
deputies, party Board members, and many other party members will take
part in the March 1 rally.

A. Bakhshian added that if the authorities have proper political will,
they will also take part in that rally dedicated to victims’ memory.

Faction member Larisa Alaverdian named slander RPA faction member
Sukias Avetisian’s statement that allegedly considering President
Serzh Sargsyan illegitimate, Zharangutiun deputies "run to him" with
various requests when necessary. According to her, especially during
the last parliamentary four-day session RPA members’ conduct to the
parliamentary opposition was "impolite and non-civilized." According
to the Zharangutiun representative, such an aggressive conduct by
the pro-governmental forces is the result of their sense of fault.

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT PASSES DRAFT LAW ‘ON EXCISE TAX’

ArmInfo
2009-02-26 12:31:00

ArmInfo. Today, the parliament of Armenia passed the second and final
reading of alterations to the Law ‘On Excise Tax’.

According to one of the document authors, MP Armen Ashotyan, only one
proposal was received to the second reading which has been adopted by
the authors of the draft law. The necessity of passing this document
has been stipulated for reduction of the excise tax to some excisable
goods. The problem is that as a result of alterations to the law on
December 26, 2008, which had to take effect started March 1, 2009,
the rates of excise tax to some import alcohol drinks, including beer,
vermouth and wine products considerably grew.

‘By our assessments, such development of events may cause sharp
reduction of import of these kinds of products, restrict the
competitiveness and, finally, lead to reduction of the budget revenue
as regards excise tax>, the reporter said. Moreover, sharp rise of
the excise tax rates will inevitably cause reduction of the import
olumes. In this situation, response measures by the states which
receive the Armenian products are not ruled out.

Moreover, reduction of the alcohol product import volume will not
contribute to enhancement of the local products’ quality because
of formation of unequal competitive environment, that will finally
lead to growth of prices for the local alcohol drinks. To avoid such
kinds of events, the authors of the draft law propose a differential
approach to solution of this problem, that is, support of the local
producer and account of the importers’ interests. According to the
draft law, it is offered to reduce the excise tax on the imported
beer from 120 drams per 1 liter to 105 drams, as well as reduce the
tax rate on other kinds of alcoholic products from 780 drams per 1
liter to 600 drams. Excise tax on the home-made alcoholic products
is fixed at 380 drams per 1 liter.

To recall, according to the new Law ‘On Excise Tax’, passed in
December, 2008, the rates of excise to the import alcoholic products
and ethyl alcohol were raised by 100% and 50% respectively. The
observers ascribed these alterations to the powerful lobbying by
vodka kings of Armenia, some of them are parliamentarians.

To recall, oppositional party voted ‘for’ the excise increase. As
Armenian parliamentarian from the Republican party faction of Armenia
Artak Davtyan told ArmInfo, the government of Armenia should promote
development of domestic production but not to the detriment of the
imported goods. He also said the alterations to the Law ‘On Excise
Tax’ should not create problems with the countries where the home-made
products are exported to. ‘First of all, we have certain liabilities
to the World Trade Organization according to which the maximum size
of the customs duty rate of 15% is fixed.

Moreover, the countries with which Armenia has close trade- economic
relations may apply the same sanctions with respect to the domestic
production, the MP emphasized. To note, ARF "Dashnaktsutyun" party
faction did not take part in the voting on this draft law.

ARMENIAN HAND-MADE CARPETS SOLD BY DIRECT MAKERS TO BE EXEMPT FROM VAT AND PROFIT TAX

Noyan Tapan

F eb 25, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 25, NOYAN TAPAN. The National Assembly on February
25 passed in first reading the legislative package of amendments to
the RA Law on Profit Tax and the RA Law on Value Added Tax. By the
bill, the tax payers engaged in hand-made carpet making in Armenia
will be exempt from profit tax on the incomes received from the sale
of carpets, as well as from VAT.

According to the main speaker, minister of economy Nerses Yeritsian,
relieving the tax burden will contribute to further development of
traditional Armenian art, preservation of the cultural heritage,
international recognition of this branch of Armenian culture, also
to economic growth and the creation of non-agricultural jobs and an
increase in the number of self-employed persons in rural areas.

It was mentioned that about 800 persons are currently engaged in
hand-made carpet making in Armenia. The minister said that the
productivity of the sector’s companies has declined due to current
processes in the domestic and foreign markets, which may result in
the closure of companies and a rise in the level of unemployment.

LINARES 2009: LEVON ARONIAN MADE A DRAW WITH CHINESE WANG YUE

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.02.2009 14:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronian made a draw with
Chinese Wang Yue in the 5th tour of Linares 2009.

The same result was registered for all other matches of the 5th tour,
bringing no changes to 4th tour standings: Aronian and Grischuk are
still leading.

In the 6th tour of Linares 2009 Levon Aronian will be playing against
Russian grandmaster Alexander Grischuk.

5th tour results: Alexander Grischuk (Russia)- Magnus Carlsen
(Netherlands) 0,5-0,5 Wang Yue (China) – Levon Aronian (Armenia)
0,5-0,5 Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine)- Viswanathan Anand (India) 0,5-0,5
Leinier Dominguez (Cuba) – Teimour Radjabov (Azerbaijan) 0,5-0,5

Standings after 5th tour Aronian, Grischuk -3.5 point each; Anand-3
points; Carlsen, Ivanchuk – 2,5 points each; Dominguez – 2 points;
Radjabov, Wang Yue – 1.5 point each.

6th tour participants: Grischuk -Aronian, Carlsen – Anand, Ivanchuk –
Dominguez, Wang Yue – Radjabov.

Hanne Sophie Greve elected first President of GRETA

Strasbourg, 25.02.2009 – The Group of Experts on Action against
Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) today elected its first President,
Hanne Sophie Greve. Nicolas Le Coz and Gulnara Shahinian were elected
Vice-Presidents (see our media advisory MA014e09
< 1410017&Site=3DDC&BackColorInternet=3DF5CA 75&BackColorIntranet=3DF5CA75&BackColorLog ged=3DA9BACE> of 20
February)

GRETA is currently holding its first meeting since its creation as the
body in charge of monitoring implementation of the Convention on Action
against Trafficking in Human Beings
< n/QueVoulezVous.asp?NT=3D197&CM=3D8&DF=3D& amp;CL=3DENG> . The meeting was opened by a speech by Terry Davis
< 224_disc_sg_en.asp> , Secretary
General of the Council of Europe.

Biographies
< hl/monitoring/trafficking/Docs/Monitoring/GRETA_en .asp>

More information on GRETA
< fficking/default_en.asp>

Contact : Can Fisek, Press Division, Tel. +33 3 88 41 30 41 ;
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>

Hanne Sophie Greve élue première présidente du GRETA

Strasbourg, 25.02.2009 – Le groupe d’experts sur la lutte
contre la traite des êtres humains (GRETA) vient d’élire son
premier président en la personne de Hanne Sophie Greve. Nicolas Le Coz
et Gulnara Shahinian ont été élus vice-présidents. (voir notre
annonce aux médias MA014f09
< DMA014(2009)&Language=3DlanFrench&Ver=3Dor iginal&Site=3DDC&BackColorInternet=3DF5CA7 5&BackColorIntranet=3DF5CA75&BackColorLogg ed=3DA9BACE> du 20 février).

Le GRETA tient actuellement sa première réunion depuis sa
création en tant qu’organe chargé de veiller à la mise en
=9Cuvre de la Convention sur la lutte contre la traite des êtres
humains
< treaty/Commun/QueVoulezVous.asp?NT=3D197&CM=3D 8&DF=3D&CL=3DFRE> . La réunion a été ouverte par une intervention
de Terry Davis
< 224_disc_sg_fr.asp> ,
Secrétaire Général du Conseil de l’Europe.

Biographies
< dghl/monitoring/trafficking/docs/monitoring/greta_ FR.asp?>

Plus d´informations sur le GRETA
< fficking/default_FR.asp?>

Contact : Can Fisek, Division de la Presse, Tel. +33 3 88 41 30 41
; [email protected]

Pr Press Release
Directorate of Communication
Ref: 146b09
Tel. +33 3 88 41 25 60
Fax +33 3 88 41 39 11
Internet:
e-mail: [email protected]

To receive our press releases by e-mail, contact:
[email protected]

A political organisation set up in 1949, the Council of Europe works to
promote democracy and human rights continent-wide.

It also develops common responses to social, cultural and legal
challenges in its 47 member states.

ARMENIANS ASSAULTED IN NOVOSIBIRSK

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.02.2009 18:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ For the first time Armenians became victims of a
savage assault in Novosibirsk. Several men were taken to hospital. One
of them died from injuries later.

"The assailants just asked: "Armenians?" and started beating everyone
up. Then took all the money and valuables and left," one of the
victims recounts, Yerkramas newspaper reports.

According to the Novosibirsk Armenian Community representative,
such crimes were never committed before.

The perpetrators were charged with criminal assault, yet after the
death of one of the victims the charge will be altered and passed
on to the investigation committee. Law enforcers say that it is too
early yet to attribute national motives to the crime.

HAYQ WILL RESUME PUBLICATION

A1+
[08:12 pm] 23 February, 2009

Gind printing House has relinquished its action against Hayq daily,
and the newspaper is likely to resume its publication already on
Tuesday," says Hayq’s chief editor Gegham Nazaryan.

Remind that on February 19, employees of the Kentron and Nork Marash
division of the Compulsory Enforcement Service of Judicial Acts froze
the property and cash accounts of Hayq newspaper. The move was resulted
by an action instituted by "Gind" Publishing House against the paper
and its owner, Mr. A. Martirosyan, to recoup some 2.3 million drams
in unpaid expenses.

Over the past ten days Hayq had been issued in a printing house owned
by Martirosyan.

The editor-in-chief says the action has been relinquished as Gind
became convinced that the money will be paid back.

DAVID BAKRADZE: INTERESTS OF STATE AND REGIONAL SECURITY DEMAND FROM GEORGIA AND ARMENIA TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT MUTUAL INTERESTS AND KEEP PARTNER AND FRIENDLY RELATIONS

ArmInfo
2009-02-24 12:51:00

ArmInfo. Cooperation of Armenia and Georgia proceed from the interests
of the two states and the whole region, Speaker of the Georgian
Parliament David Bakradze said today in the Armenian Parliament.

‘Whatever the relations with the neighbouring and non-neighbouring
states are, the interests of the state and regional security
demand from Georgia and Armenia to take into account the mutual
interests and keep partner and friendly relations with each other’,
D. Bakradze said. He also expressed hope that bilateral meetings of
the Armenian and Georgian presidents, as well as representatives of
the two countries’ parliaments and governments, which have lately
become more active, will additionally contribute to tightening of
the Armenian-Georgian relations. In conclusion, the speaker expressed
hope that the historical century-old ties between the two countries
will strengthen more for the good of not only the two peoples but
also the whole region.

GEORGIA’S PARLIAMENT SPEAKER VISITS ARMENIA

armradio.am
24.02.2009 11:11

The delegation headed by the President of Parliament of Georgia,
David Backradze, arrived in Armenia today for an official visit.

Within the framework of the visit members of the Georgian delegation
will meet the President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, President of
the Parliament Hovik Abrahamyan, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan,
the Catholicos of All Armenians, Garegin II.

On February 24 the delegation headed by David Backradze will
participate in the sitting of the National Assembly. The same day
members of the delegation will lay a wreath at the memorial to the
Armenian Genocide victims and will visit the Armenian Genocide Museum
Institute.

On February 25 the delegation headed by the President of Parliament
of Georgia, David Backradze, will leave for Tbilisi.