Author: Tavakalian Edgar

ARMEN ZALINIAN APPOINTED ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT OF NKR

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The president of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakian on December 20 signed a number
of decrees, according to which Major-General Arshavir Gharamian was
releaved of his post as the head of the Police adjunct to the
government of the NKR, while Colonel Vladimir Avagimian was releaved of
his post as the deputy head of the Police.

NT was informed by the Main Information Department of the NKR
President’s Staff that Armen Zalinian was appointed advisor to the
president of the NKR by another decree signed on the same day.

APPLICATION FEES FOR NON-IMMIGRANT VISAS TO INCREASE ON JANUARY 1, 2008

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Dec 20 2007

YEREVAN, December 20. /ARKA/. Effective January 1, 2008, the
application fee for a U.S. nonimmigrant visa will increase from
$100 to $131. This increase allows the U.S. Department of State and
the U.S. Embassy Yerevan to recover the costs of security and other
enhancements to the non-immigrant visa application process.

Applicants who paid the prior $100 application fee before January 1
will be processed only if they are scheduled and appear for a visa
interview before January 31. Applicants who paid the prior $100
application fee and appear for visa interviews after January 31,
2008 must pay the difference — $31 — before they will be interviewed.

They can pay this difference of $31 at the consular section of the
U.S. Embassy on the day of their scheduled interview.

The U.S. Department of State is required by law to recover the cost
of processing non-immigrant visas through the collection of the
Machine-Readable Visa application fee.

Because of new security-related costs, new information technology
systems, and inflation, the $100 Machine-Readable Visa fee is lower
than the actual cost of processing non-immigrant visas. In fact, the
$100 fee was already lower than the cost of processing non-immigrant
visas when the fee was reviewed as a part of the cost of service
study in 2004. The Department of State has been absorbing the
additional cost.

We are now collecting 10 fingerprints from each applicant, and the
cost charged by the FBI to review those fingerprints no longer allow
us to do this. The application fee has increased twice since 9/11,
the last time in 2002.

EUROPEAN UNION SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE SOUTH CAUCASUS OFFERS TO HOLD EVENTS "WEEK OF ARMENIA" IN AZERBAIJAN

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 19 2007

I approve initiative on holding events named "Week of Azerbaijan"
in Armenia, Peter Semneby, European Union (EU) Special Representative
for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby told the APA.

He called establishing such relations between the representatives of
Azerbaijani and Armenian community positive step.

"Azerbaijani and Armenian societies were far from each other for a
long time, therefore they should gather information about each other.

I approve holding events under "Week of Armenia" in Azerbaijan,"
he said.

Peter Semneby who is visiting Armenia at present stated that he will
visit Azerbaijan in early 2008.

GAGIK HAMBARDZUMIAN APPOINTED DEPUTY CHIEF OF RA POLICE

Noyan Tapan
Dec 17 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, NOYAN TAPAN. Gagik Hambardzumian has
been appointed Deputy Chief of the RA Police and Head of the Main
Investigation Department by the December 15 decree of Robert Kocharian,
the President of the Republic of Armenia. This information was provided
to Noyan Tapan by the Press Office of the RA President.

CONTRACT SIGNED BETWEEN MCA-ARMENIA AND "HAYGYUGHSHINNAKHAGITS" LTD.

armradio.am
18.12.2007 14:51

Millennium Challenge Account – Armenia SNCO announced the award of a
consulting contract to "HayGyughShinNakhagits" Ltd. for the design
and construction supervision of six gravity irrigation systems as
part of the MCA-Armenia Irrigated Agriculture Project Infrastructure
activity. The contract was signed by MCA-Armenia CEO Ara Hovsepyan and
"HayGyughShinNakhagits" Ltd. Director Varuzhan Hovasapyan.

According to the contract, Consultant should analyze the current
water distribution system, irrigated lands, water demand, energy
use, other water sources (reservoirs, rivers, tube wells, etc.) and
prepare updated water distribution plan, assess the performance of the
existing irrigation systems in terms of water efficiency and quality
of irrigation service to users, assess rehabilitation needs of the
existing distribution systems, evaluate economic rate of return
(ERR) of construction works, prepare preliminary and final designs
for construction and conduct construction supervision activities.

The contract value in AMD is equivalent to USD 904,900. The duration
of work will be 37 months.

This consulting contract will be used to determine the economic
justification and the feasibility for the construction of six gravity
irrigation systems which would give an opportunity to eliminate
up to 27 pumping stations. These pumping stations were constructed
during the 1970s, and since that time no major capital works have
been done for renovating the pumps and structures. The construction
of six gravity irrigation systems under the MCA-Armenia program,
provided that they all meet the economic justification will provide
safe water supply to as much as 6,500 ha lands.

The six schemes are: Aigezard in Ararat marz, Shenik in Armavir,
Ashtarak and Halavar in Aragatsotn, Geghardalich in Kotayk and Spitak
in Lori marzes.

In total up to 37 rural communities in these marzes – 6 communities of
Ararat region, 4 of Armavir region, 11 – of Aragatsotn, 10 – of Lori
and 6 communities of Kotayk region will benefit from this activity.

Armenian Youth Federation
Western United States
104 N. Belmont St. Suite 206 Glendale, CA 91206
Tel. (818) 507-1933 * Fax. (818) 240-3442 * [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE ~ 2007-12-17
Contact: Vache Thomassian ~ Tel: (818) 507-1933

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE ANSWERS QUESTIONS FROM ARMENIAN YOUTH

AYF Hosts Town Hall Meeting with Vahan Hovannesian

Los Angeles- The Armenian Youth Federation of the Western United States was
pleased to welcome 2008 Armenian Presidential Candidate Vahan Hovannesian to
Ferrahian High School on Sunday to meet with Armenian-American youth and
answer questions they had regarding current issues affecting Armenia as well
as the Diaspora.

In his opening remarks Mr. Hovannesian emphasized that meeting with the
youth was the most valuable meeting he had during his weeklong visit to the
United States, simply because the youth are the future of our nation.
Hovannesian, who is currently the Vice Chairman of the Armenian National
Assembly, as well as an ARF Bureau member, addresses a crowd of over 150
youth in an unprecedented discussion session.

"For the first time, we have an Armenian presidential candidate who has
recognized the importance of the Diaspora, especially the youth, and who has
taken the time to talk to them" noted attendee Talar Boyajian.

During the 2 hour gathering AYF Central Executive member Tro Krikorian posed
questions to Mr. Hovannesian, submitted by AYF members in advance. Audience
members were also given an opportunity to submit additional questions on the
spot. The topics addressed were on a broad range of issues, from the new
laws pertaining to dual citizenship, to corruption in Armenian government,
to the Karabagh peace process.

"Continually engaging our youth and our student community to learn more, ask
more and demand more from our leadership in Armenia is one way we can secure
a brighter future for our homeland" asserted AYF Central Executive Chairman
Caspar Jivalagian. "We appreciate the foresight shown by Mr. Hovannesian in
addressing concerns of the youth. Even though we will not be able to
directly participate in the upcoming presidential elections, we will
certainly continue to concern ourselves with the issues that affect
Armenians and the platforms of all potential leadership candidates"
continued Jivalagian.

Please be sure to visit <; for a
complete podcast of the event.

Founded in 1933, the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) has grown to become the
largest and most influential Armenian American youth organization; with
chapters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around
the world. Inspired by our past and motivated by the needs of the future,
the AYF actively strives to advance the social, political, educational and
cultural awareness of all Armenian youth.

#####

ABOUT 20 REPRESENTATIVES OF TURKEY INVITED TO PARLIAMENTARY HEARINGS
ON ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 15, NOYAN TAPAN. On the initiative of the RA National
Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Relations, the extended
parliamentary hearings "Armenian-Turkish Relations: Problems and
Prospects" will be held on December 19-20. The standing committee’s
chairman, representative of the ARF Armenia Supreme Body Armen
Rustamian told NT correspondent that quite a large number of
participants have been invited to the hearings, including about 20
representatives of Turkey: officials, experts, and reporters.

According to A. Rustamian, the purpose of the hearings is to specify
the opportunities of parliamentary diplomacy in order to examine,
assess and help eliminate the causes of the current crisis in
Armenian-Turksih relations. "It is impossible to speak about the
foreign political doctrine and the development prospects of our country
without considering Armenian-Turkish relations as a whole and
developing a concept based on our opinions," he said.

In reponse to the question about possible speculation on the problem to
be discussed – prior to the presidential elections, A. Rustamian said
that "the presidential elections cannot bypass this problem either
because the number one task of the president is to organize and head
politics". In this respect he considered it to be correct that the
political forces present their clear views, including to the publc. The
views of the ARF have remained the same: there will be no normal
Armenian-Turkish relations without the fulfilment of two preconditions:
recognition of the Armenian Genocide and maintaining neutrality in the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem.

PanARMENIAN.Net

U.S. called on Turkey for political solution to PKK problem
15.12.2007 13:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The United States wants a political solution, and
not a military one, for the problem posed by the outlawed Kurdistan
Workers’ Party (PKK) inside both Turkey and Iraq, a senior
U.S. official said.

Speaking at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a think
tank here, Ambassador Dell Dailey, the State Department’s coordinator
for counter-terrorism, was asked if the PKK problem could be resolved
militarily or if a political solution should be sought. "We have not
looked at a military solution as the solution to the PKK. Our
preference is a political solution," Dailey said.

Asked if his remarks were for the international problem caused by the
PKK’s presence in northern Iraq or for a solution in Turkey, he said:
`Both in Iraq and in Turkey.’

This was the first time a senior U.S. official in on-the-record
remarks urged Turkey to find a political solution to its PKK problem,
although Dailey did not elaborate on the elements of this political
solution, the Turkish Daily News reports.

GUAM EXPECTS UN MEMBER STATES TO CONFIRM THAT KOSOVO CANNOT BECOME PRECEDENT

amradio.am
14.12.2007 14:14

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has declared that GUAM,
which includes Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova, anticipates
confirmations from the UN member states that Kosovo cannot become
a precedent for the resolution of the Karabakh, Georgian-Abkhazian,
South Ossetian and Transnistrian conflicts.

"We have thoroughly discussed the issue during the meeting of the GUAM
Foreign Ministers in Madrid. The draft resolution has been submitted
to the UN in early December, and currently consultations with other
countries are underway," Mammadyarov told journalists.

In the above-mentioned draft the UN member states are suggested to
"confirm the position among the international community that the
conflicts over GUAM territory must be solved within the framework of
the territorial integrity of those countries."

"In the resolution we suggest that all countries confirm that the
conflicts in Moldova, Georgia and Azerbaijan can be solved only
within the framework of territorial integrity of those countries,"
the Azeri Foreign Minister underlined.

MORE THAN 21M DRAMS COLLECTED IN REGULAR AUCTION OF TRANSPORT MEANS’ REGISTRATION NUMBERS

Noyan Tapan
Dec 13, 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The sum total gained from the
sale of the state registration numbers during the regular auction of
transport means’ registration numbers held on December 13 amounted
to 21m 881 thousand drams (nearly 72 thousand dollars). As Noyan
Tapan correspondent was informed by the RA Police, in total, 50
registration numbers were put to auction, 30 were sold. 38 out of 41
auction participants were physical persons, 13 observers were also
present. The next auction will be held on January 17, 2008.