Author: Taslakhchian Andranik

CONGRESS OF UNION OF ARMENIAN IT ENTERPRISES HELD

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 7, NOYAN TAPAN. A new concept of Armenia’s IT sector
is being developed by the RA ministry of trade and economic development
jointly with the Union of IT Enterprises (UITE). The union is the main
initiator of developing this document and will be the ministry’s
partner in implementation of this concept. The RA deputy minister of
trade and economic development Vahe Danielian stated this at the
February 6 congress of the UITE.

The chairman of UITE Hovhannes Avoyan said in his speech that since the
foundation of the union in 2000, the number of its members has
considerably grown, as well as its role and influence have increased.
At present the UITE is a full and associate member of 23 big
organizations of IT and other sectors. H. Avoyan attached importance to
2007 – the year in the union’s history "when during a meeting with the
RA president, our important problems were outlined and prerequisites
for developing a new stratgy were created", as well as discussions and
other events were held.

The executive director of the union Karen Vardanian pointed out in his
summary report that the 2008 state budget for the first time envisaged
allocations for development of the IT sector: for research,
presentation of the Armenian IT sector abroad, specialized contests,
and other programs. According to him, if the Armenian government adopts
the indicated concept in the form of the current draft, the UITE must
develop a new strategy of the union because the problems of the current
strategy will be solved with adoption of this concept. K. Vardanian
said that the appreciation of the Armenian dram against the US dollar,
the imperfect customs legislation, inconsistency between the
educational system and the requirements of the IT sector may be an
obstacle to implementation of the ambitious goals envisaged by the
draft. He considered the absence of a separate state body performing
the function of the sector’s management as an obstacle to development
of the sector too. It was stated that proposals to create such a body
and to discuss the problems hindering the sector’s development have
been submitted to the Armenian prime minister.

The director general of Synopsys Armenia company Hovik Musaelian and
the director of the Enterprise Incubator Foundation Bagrat Yengibarian
also made speeches at the congress. Then the UITE’s financial report
and reports of various sections of the union were presented. After
discussion of the presented programs, speeches and proposals, the
congress delegates took part in elections of chairman and members of
the UITE board.

A1+

WHAT HAPPENED IN VANADZOR, WHEN…
[06:30 pm] 07 February, 2008

The city of Vanadzor was getting ready for the meeting
with the presidential candidate Serge Sargsyan with
particular responsibility. The roads to `Hayki’ Square
were closed since 13:00. Schools were over earlier
than usual. Buses and mini buses to Vanazdor were free
of charge from 13:00 to 18:00.

People were moved from the close villages to Vanadzor
by mini buses. Employees of state institutions in
Vanadzor were compelled to be present in the Square
and participate in the gathering.

The presence of the employees was checked right in the
Square by marking their names. Each institution
occupied a particular space in the Square holding
posters of the candidate. Even the students of
Vanadzor branch of Yerevan State Architectural
University, who were on vacation till 1 March, were
warned beforehand to come and participate in the
meeting. The students of Vanadzor branch of `Mkhitar
Gosh’ Armenian-Russian International University were
also in the Square.

Although the meeting was due at 14:45, the Prime
Minister had not arrived at 16:30. The singers of the
Armenian show business were entertaining the
participants of the meeting, before the candidate.

The information is provided by the Vanadzor Office of
Helsinki Civil Assembly.

TURQUIE: JUSTICE POUR HRANT DINK!
par OrtaqNukte V.

L’Express, France
7 Fevrier 2008

Les assassins du journaliste armenien pourraient faire partie d’un
groupe ultranationaliste recemment decouvert.

De notre correspondante

Une fois n’est pas coutume, c’est avec un sentiment d’espoir que
beaucoup attendent l’ouverture, le 11 fevrier, a Istanbul, de la
troisième audience du procès des assassins presumes du journaliste
armenien Hrant Dink. Le 22 janvier dernier, en effet, un an et trois
jours après le meurtre, une trentaine de suspects ont ete places en
garde a vue. Parmi eux, des avocats, des journalistes et… plusieurs
officiers a la retraite, dont un ex-general.

L’une des personnes arretees, l’avocat Kemal Kerincsiz, avait porte
plainte a plusieurs reprises contre Hrant Dink. Une des autres
personnes mises sous ecrou est un ancien general de gendarmerie,
Veli Kucuk, qui aurait dirige, au sein de ce corps, une organisation
clandestine ultranationaliste.

Selon des informations diffusees dans la presse, la bande prevoyait
une serie d’attentats sanglants, qui auraient culmine, l’an prochain,
lors d’un coup d’Etat. En tete de liste des victimes designees se
trouvaient le Prix Nobel de litterature Orhan Pamuk et un journaliste
repute, proche du courant islamiste, Fehmi Koru.

De nombreux meurtres politiques commis ces dernières annees en Turquie
demandent a etre eclaircis. En attendant, il reste difficile de savoir
jusqu’où cette organisation, dont les racines plongent au coeur de
l’Etat, pourra etre mise a nue.

" La justice demande du courage ", avait lance Rakel Dink, la veuve
du journaliste, le 19 janvier. Elle avait ajoute que le sang de son
mari ne se tairait que lorsque justice serait faite. C’est le signe
annonciateur de ce silence que l’on guettera, la semaine prochaine,
aux abords du tribunal.

–Boundary_(ID_BqyvxaqaLWy73/VmlZtsDA)- –

HOVNANIAN RECEIVES FINANCING WAIVERS

Associated Press
02.04.08, 12:55 PM ET
New York

Homebuilder Hovnanian Enterprises Inc. said Monday lenders have
temporarily waived certain conditions of its credit facilities,
according to a regulatory filing.

The waivers, which cover tangible net worth, fixed charge coverage
ratio and leverage ratio, expire on March 14, according to a filing
with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Hovnanian said it expects to enter into an amended credit facility
prior to the March 14 deadline.

Shares of Hovnanian fell $1.11, or 9.2 percent, to $10.98 in afternoon
trading.

OVER HALF MILLION TOURISTS VISIT ARMENIA IN 2007

ARKA News Agency
Feb 5 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, February 5. /ARKA/. 510,000 tourists visited Armenia in 2007,
which is 33.8% more than in 2006, the Chief of Tourism Department of
Armenia’s Ministry of Trade and Economic Development Mekhak Apresian
reported.

These indicators are achieved owning to correct government policy
pursued in the sphere of tourism, he said adding that average annual
growth in tourism has been 25% since 2001.

Apresian also pointed out that extensive work has been done to provide
compliance of Armenia’s hotels with the international standards.

Against several hotels complying with international standards in 2000,
today we have 70 such hotels in Armenia providing about 10,000 beds,
Apresian said adding that the number of hotels in Yerevan only is 35.

Speaking about the country’s achievements in the recent years,
Apresian stressed the importance of the trailers about Armenia that
are broadcast on international CNN and BBC television channels.

Apresian also said that the government focuses on development of
human resources in 2008 – on training professionals in the tourism
sphere. "Moreover, we intend to adopt a new concept in 2008 as we
understand – tourism is a sphere that is developing dynamically,"
he said.

The Armenian authorities intend to bring the number of tourist visits
up to 1mln yearly. According to some surveys a foreign tourist spends
about $1,300-1,400 in average (without airfare).

Armenian National Committee
47 Nichols Avenue
Watertown MA 02472
[email protected]

For Immediate Release
February 2, 2008

Contact: 617-347-2833 or [email protected]

Newburyport Becomes 11th Massachusetts Municipality to End Ties with
the Anti Defamation League’s No Place for Hate Committee
— Joins Towns from Watertown to Northampton in becoming No Place for Denial

Watertown, Massachusetts–The City of Newburyport, Massachusetts last
week formally withdrew from the Anti Defamation League’s (ADL) No
Place for Hate program, reported the Armenian National Committee.

Newburyport has become Massachusetts’ 11th municipality to end
relations with the No Place for Hate program due to the ADL’s failure
to unambiguously acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and its continued
active opposition to legislation affirming the Armenian Genocide.

`We are pleased that the north shore has joined so many other cities
and towns in Massachusetts in standing firmly opposed to genocide
denial in any of its form,’ stated Pearl Teague, chairperson of the
Armenian National Committee of Merrimack Valley. `We are grateful to
the commitment of Lieutenant Richard Siemasko, Esq. and the members of
the Human Rights Commission as well as Mayor Moak who carefully
listened to Rev. Aram Marashlian and Judy Mouradian and other local
residents and recognized the failure of the ADL to not only live up to
its own mission statement but more importantly to live up to the
standards of our community.’

In late August, Newburyport’s Commission on Diversity and Tolerance
had written an open letter to the ADL and ADL national director
Abraham Foxman stating that `The members of Newburyport’s Commission
for Diversity and Tolerance are distraught and dismayed by
Mr. Foxman’s and the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) stance on the
Armenian Genocide. Not only has the ADL failed to support the Armenian
people by advocating for congressional recognition with HR 106, but
also, in fact, it has lobbied against the legislation’

The letter continued to say that the Commission finds `that the ADL’s
logic that led to the statement that a `Congressional resolution on
such matters is a counterproductive diversion =85 and may put at risk
the Turkish Jewish community and the important multilateral
relationship between Turkey, Israel and the United States’ fatally
flawed, and contrary to the spirit of `Never Again.’ `

In a February 1 letter to the New England ADL, Newburyport mayor John
Moak stated that `in wake of =85 the [ADL’s] failure to acknowledge
the Armenian Genocide between 1915 and 1923 as anything other than
`tantamount to genocide,’ =85 the Commission has decided to end its
relationship with the No Place for Hate program.

Newburyport joins Watertown, Belmont, Newton, Needham, Arlington,
Medford, Lexington, Bedford, Westwood and Northampton in ending ties
with the ADL’s No Place for Hate program due to the ADL’s failure to
unambiguously acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and continued active
opposition to Congressional legislation affirming the Armenian
Genocide.

The fight against the ADL’s genocide denial spread to Western
Massachusetts in the fall when the Human Rights Commission of the City
of Northampton followed by Northampton’s City Council ended their
city’s relationship with No Place for Hate.

In a September 28 letter to the ADL’s Foxman, Northhampton’s Human
Rights Commission made it clear that `while we may sympathize with the
complexities of current international relations, we cannot in
conscience continue a relationship with an organization that claims to
stand for full accountability for genocide, yet stops short of
endorsing a Congressional resolution acknowledging the Armenian
genocide. We cannot endorse selective recognition of hate by an
organization that claims leadership in creating a world where there is
no place for hate.’

The HRC further stated that `acknowledging the truth about the
Armenian genocide not only has an impact on survivors and their
families, it also has an impact on our ability to address other acts
of hate.’

Background

The ADL has for many years refused to acknowledge that the systematic
massacre of 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923 was
genocide. To make matters worse, the ADL has actively engaged in
efforts to oppose Congressional affirmation of the Armenian Genocide.

Only after intense pressure which started in Watertown, Massachusetts
earlier this summer did the national ADL issue a `Statement on the
Armenian Genocide’ on August 21, 2007.

Referring to the events of 1915-1918, the statement declared, `The
consequences of those actions were indeed tantamount to genocide.’
Aside from the fact that the Armenian Genocide began in 1915 and
continued through 1923, the statement was not a full, unequivocal
acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide.

Not only was the qualifier `tantamount’ inappropriate, but the use of
the word `consequences’ was seen by many as an attempt to circumvent
the international legal definition of genocide by avoiding any
language that would imply intent, a crucial aspect of the 1948 UN
Genocide Convention definition.

The ADL convened its national meeting in New York City in early
November at which time the issue of the Armenian Genocide was
discussed.

Upon conclusion, a one sentence press statement was issued that `The
National Commission of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today, at its
annual meeting, decided to take no further action on the issue of the
Armenian genocide.’

F or complete information about the ADL controversy surrounding the
Armenian Genocide visit

The Armenian National Committee is the largest and most influential
Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working in
coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters
throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the
world, the ANC actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American
community on a broad range of issues

] INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION INCREASES BY 2.6% IN ARMENIA IN 2007 AS
COMPARED WITH 2006

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, NOYAN TAPAN. Industrial production of 716 bln 54.5
mln drams (over 2 bln 96.2 mln USD) in current prices was made in
Armenia in 2007. Production of 719 bln 322.4 mln drams was sold,
including sales of 75 bln 883.1 mln drams in CIS countries, sales of
176 bln 269.5 mln drams in other countries.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, the industrial
production index made 102.6% as compared with 2006, the same index
without the production and distribution of electricity, gas and water
made 101.7%.

A N N O U N C E M E N T

KarabakhOpen
31-01-2008 17:08:25

"Karabakh Telecom" CJSC informs that based on the transition the
digital ATS, blocked telephone numbers of Stepanakert will be partially
disconnected till 1-March-2008 due to technical reasons.

After the implementation of the corresponding works the numbers
will be restored on the ordinary basis (without any blocking). The
subscription fee will not be charged within the downtime.

Karabakh Telecom apologizes for the inconveniences caused to
subscribers and asks to inform their nonresident relatives and
colleagues of the impending changes.

Best regards, KARABAKH TELECOM

"MEGAPHONE" THIRD CELL PHONE OPERATOR

Panorama.am
19:13 31/01/2008

"Megaphone" CSJC may become the cell phone third operator in
Armenia. According to Maxim Savatin, the expert of "iKS-Consulting"
company said that it is planned to invest money and to broaden the
sphere of their activities.

According to the expert, probably "Megaphone" should move to CIS
countries, as much more is needed to get foreign countries. "Possibly
"Megaphone" plans to come to Armenia, as it is several years they
the idea is discussed within the company. "Megaphone" would have
good orientation in Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan also. To enter other
countries would be even more difficult, as there markets are also
closed," said the expert.

Yet in December 2007 it was found out that Armenis will have the third
operator. The applications of the third cell phone operator should be
prepared for 1 May 2008. In the basis of international competition
the results will be announced. Shortly the committee will be formed
to set the rules and duties of the competition.

Note: two cell phone operator work in Armenia. The first company is
"ArmenTel" which belongs to Russian "Vimpelcom" by 100% and the second
one is "Vivacell" the head shareholder is Russian MTC.

TATUL MANASERIAN: IN ORDER TO AVOID CONSEQUENCES OF CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATE FLUCTUATION, ARMENIA SHOULD INTEGRATE INTO GLOBAL ECONOMY WITH NATIONAL DRAM

Noyan Tapan
Jan 30, 2008

YEREVAN, JANUARY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. According to Dr. Tatul Manaserian,
the degree and dependence of integration into the world economy is
conditioned by how well-established the given country’s financial
market is. For example, as he stated at the January 30 discussion,
Ukraine is integrated into the global economy and in recent days was
considerably subjected to the impact of the U.S. mortgage crisis. The
Armenian Stock Exchange can respond to this crisis as much as it is
well-established. However, in reality the stock exchange, which is
the "heart" of each country’s economy, does not almost function in
Armenia. The economist explained the negative impact of fluctuations
of exchange rates on the country’s economy by the "nonexistence"
of the Armenian financial market as well.

In order to prevent dram-dollar exchange rate fluctuations, in the
words of T. Manaserian, "we should look ahead" and follow suit of
those countries that integrate into the global economy with their
national currency rather than with dollar or euro. The economist
said that this is a complex process but it is the only way to avoid
consequences of the dollar’s depreciation.