Author: Tavakalian Edgar

ARMENTEL WRITES OFF PART OF INTERNET USERS’ DEBTS

ArmInfo
2007-05-24 15:08:00

After consulting with the Public Services Regulatory Commission of
Armenia, ArmenTel company has made a decision to write off part of
Internet users’ debts through fixed-line telephony.

Speaking at a press conference in Yerevan, Thursday, ArmenTel Director
General Oleg Blyznuk said the 67 million AMD debt of 520 users is in
question. The dept was accumulated in the period from May 1 2006 to
May 23 2007. The company intends to write off 65% of the debt. The
remaining 35% will be paid over within three years under a relevant
contract with ArmenTel on the debt repayment schedule.

ArmenTel will provide 65% bonus to the bonafide users who pay over the
whole amount. As soon as the contracts are made, the telephones of
the users will be reconnected, the director general said. He called
on the population for using radiophone encoding and safety systems
to avoid outside interference.

Oleg Blyznuk said that the company writes off part of subscribers’
debts for the second time taking into account the social conditions
of the population.

A similar action was announced in May 2006 for the subscribers who
accumulated debts in the period from November 2005 to the beginning
of 2006. Asked by ArmInfo’s correspondent if the action may become
a precedent, O. Blyznuk said that this may be the last action,
especially for the new list of debtors include users who have already
been ‘amnestied’.

In his turn, Samvel Arabajyan, a member of Public Services Regulatory
Commission, said that 401 of 520 subscribers or 57% of their total
number have repaid the whole amount. He said the action announced by
ArmenTel is a display of good will.

ArmenTel is a branch of Russian VimpelCom and provides services in
the sphere of fixed and cellular communication.

IN THE COURSE OF THE MEETING RA FM AND OSCE MG CO-CHAIRS ACCENTUATED ATTENTION ON UNCOORDINATED ISSUES

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
May 23 2007

May 23 RA FM Vardan Oskanian received OSCE Minsk group Co-Chairs Yuri
Merzlyakov (Russia) and Bernard Fassier (France), who had arrived in
Yerevan within the frames of regional visit.

According to the information DE FACTO got at RA MFA Press Office,
in the course of the meeting the parties had accentuated their
attention on issues that have not been coordinated in the process
of negotiations.

RA FM and mediators also discussed the date of the next visit and
forthcoming plans.

THE FORMING OF COMMISSION FOR NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT PROPOSED IN AZERBAIJANI PARLIAMENT

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
May 22 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr. I.Alizadeh / MP Gulhuseyn Ahmadov
suggested forming a permanent commission for the Nagorno-Karabakh
problem in the Parliament of Azerbaijan.

Ahmadov noted that a permanent commission for the Nagorno-Karabakh
problem functions in the Armenian Parliament. The Armenian Government
tries to provide the world with false information about the conflict.

"I know that the chairmen of the commissions of the Parliament get
wages of AZN 300 more than MPs. If there are finance problems in
resolving these problems, Bahar Muradova, the Deputy Speaker of the
Parliament, may head the commission on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,"
Ahmadov added.

MPs Igbal Agazadeh, Panah Huseyn, Arzu Samadbayli and Jamil
Hasanli supported the Parliament in forming a commission for the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem.

MP Siyavush Novruzov, the deputy executive secretary of the New
Azerbaijan Party, and Ziyafat Askarov, the first deputy chairman
of Parliament, stated that there was no need to form a permanent
commission.

ARMENIAN JOURNALISTS NOT ALLOWED TO CROSS THE TURKISH BORDER

ArmRadio.am
21.05.2007 15:48

Turkish border guards did not allow the correspondent of the Public
Radio of Armenia Tatul Hakobyan to cross the Iranian-Turkish border,
Mediamax reports.

Tatul Hakobyan said in a phone interview with Mediamax that after
completing his work in Iran he intended to leave for Lebanon through
the territory of Turkey and Syria.

"I have entry visas to Syria and Lebanon, but as it is known, Turkish
visas are given as soon as you cross the border of the country,"
Tatul Hakobyan mentioned.

In the journalist’s words, when he arrived at Urmia checkpoint, Iranian
policemen reported to their Turkish colleagues that an Armenian citizen
was going to cross the Turkish border. The Turkish side denied without
providing any explanation and suggested to visit the Consulate of
Turkey in Urmia 70 kilometers away from the border.

"Since I was not sure I would be given a visa in the Turkish Consulate,
I preferred to return to Armenia," Tatul Hakobyan told Mediamax.

Representative of Armenian diaspora to be Head of ruling party in France

ArmInfo
2007-05-19 10:21:00

Representative of the Armenian Diaspora Patrick Devejyan will be the
new Secretary General of the ruling party in France, the Union for
Popular Movement (UMP). Earlier, Devejyan was occupying the post of
the Industry Minister. On the post of UPM leader, P. Devejyan will
replace Nicolas Sarkozy who held the President’s post yesterday, the
Public TV of Armenia reports. The French Government’s staff was
announced the day before. It includes 15 ministers. Seven women
received minister portfolios. It is for the first time in the history
that a representative of the Moslem community Rashida Dati has become
Justice Minister.

Patrick Devejyan is one of the most famous politicians and managers
who was a minister in the French Government’s staff several times, as
well as a parliamentarian and adviser.

DEUTSCHE BANK AND DRESDNER BANK REPRESENTATIVES REFUSED TO MEET ARMENIAN GENOCIDE HEIRS’ ATTORNEYS

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.05.2007 19:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Three Armenian-American attorneys, Brian S. Kabateck,
Mark J. Geragos and Vartkes Yeghiayan, are in Berlin, Germany seeking
to meet with officials from Deutsche Bank and Dresdner Bank over
lawsuits stemming from the 1915 Armenian Genocide in what is now
Turkey. The banks have refused to meet so far. The attorneys filed
a lawsuit last year against Deutsche and Dresdner Banks charging
the two banks held Armenian families’ money and assets that had been
deposited in their banks before 1915 and retained assets looted by the
Turkish government. (Varoujan Deirmenjian, et. al. v. Deutsche Bank,
A.G., Dresdner Bank, A.G., et. al., January 13, 2006, Los Angeles
Superior Court).

The attorneys met with German officials while in Berlin last week. The
attorneys believe the meeting was productive. The content of the
meeting is confidential. At a news conference after the meeting,
Kabateck, Geragos and Yeghiayan discussed the present status of the
suit against Deutsche Bank and Dresdner Bank and asked that the banks
be good corporate citizens and sit down to discuss resolution of the
claims against them.

"The German government has been very admirable in acknowledging the
Armenian Genocide," says Kabateck, partner with the Los Angeles,
California-based Kabateck Brown Kellner. "Turkey says it didn’t happen.

It is shameful that Deutsche Bank and Dresdner Bank are acting more in
line with Turkey and do not feel obligated to return assets rightfully
belonging to Armenians. It just adds to the disregard and degradation
of a group of people that have suffered horribly."

Deutsche Bank’s attorneys in the United States state that the banks
will not meet with the plaintiff’s attorneys until pending motions
seeking its attorneys’ disqualification for tampering with plaintiff’s
expert consultant are withdrawn. "Deutsche Bank’s precondition to
meet with us appears to be a tacit recognition of the strength of our
expert tampering charges," says Mark Geragos, partner with Geragos &
Geragos. "At this point, just about all the Armenians who lived through
the genocide have passed away. The German banks probably think if
they wait long enough, no one will be left to seek the assets that
were theirs. Armenians are a very determined people. We do not give
up. Now, it’s up to Armenian descendants to make sure their ancestors
are not forgotten," PR WEB reports.

15 ARMENIAN SPORTSMEN TO PARTICIPATE IN EUROPEAN JUVENILE AND YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS OF UNARMED SELF-DEFENCE

Noyan Tapan
May 16 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The European juvenile and youth
championships of unarmed self-defence will take place in Riga on May
17-20. 15 sportsmen (9 juveniles and 6 young men) from the cities
of Abovian, Gyumri, Vanadzor and Yerevan will represent Armenia at
these championships.

OSCE OFFICE HELPS OPEN PUBLIC ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION CENTERS IN ARMENIAN MARZES

ArmRadio.am
16.05.2007 17:23

Aarhus public environmental information Centers will be opened in
Kotayk, Shirak and Gegharkunik marzes of Armenia.

A corresponding memorandum of understanding was signed today between
the OSCE Office in Yerevan, the Ministry of Nature Protection and
Marzpets.

The three new Centers in the cities of Gyumri, Hrazdan and Gavar, will
bring the total number of Aarhus Centers in Armenia to nine. Centers
already exist in Yerevan, Vanadzor, Goris, Kapan, Dilijan, and Idjevan.

The Centers are an example of a unique partnership between the state,
civil society and international community, and will help promote the
principles of Aarhus Convention, which include access to information,
access to justice and public participation on environmental matters.

The Centers serve as a venue for the public and civil society to
organize environmental hearings. They also have environmental libraries
and advise and educate the public and civil society on their rights,
duties and relevant legislative processes.

"This month, Armenia celebrates the 5th anniversary of the first public
environmental information Center. It was the first of its kind in
the OSCE region. We welcome the efforts of the Armenian authorities,
which have put Armenia at the forefront of the "Aarhus movement,"
said Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, the Head of the OSCE Office.

"Promoting public’s environmental rights is important for ensuring
sustainable development in the country. I believe that the three new
centers will contribute to promoting implementation of the Aarhus
Convention in Armenia and enhance public’s participation in addressing
environmental matters," Vardan Ayvazyan, Armenian Minister of Nature
Protection added.

ARMENIAN PROSECUTOR GENERAL OFFICE LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO NINE ELECTION INCIDENTS

Arka News Agency, Armenia
May 14 2007

YEREVAN, May 14. /ARKA/. Armenian Prosecutor General Office has
launched investigation into nine incidents, which happened in the
course of parliamentary elections.

The Prosecutor General Office’s press service says one of these
incidents is described in National Unity opposition party’s complaints
received on May 12. The party says that on May 11 its representative,
a member of the election commission of one of polling stations,
was denied participation in ballot papers reception and sealing,
in clear breach of Electoral Code.

Another complaints received from the same party says that Abramyan,
the chairman of 24/27 polling station commission, was absent from
the process of ballot papers sealing and empowered his deputy to seal
papers. Later Ghazaryan, the head of the community, addressed threats
to the chairman and the quarrel escalated into fight.

The Prosecutor General Office says the lawyer of one of the candidates
running in 21st constituency complained about election bribes given
by two men in the street. The police took 14 passports and a list of
45 names from them. However these two men denied any wrongdoing.

Other incidents mentioned in complaints were not confirmed.

According to Central Election Commission’s latest report, Republican
Party of Armenia scored 32.8%, i.e. 457thnd 32 of 1mln 351thnd 669
votes cast on Sunday. Prosperous Armenia won 14.7% (200thnd 443)
and Dashknaktsutyun 12.7% (177thnd 192).

Only two opposition parties – Orinats Yerkir with its 6.8% or 95thnd
256 votes and Heritage with 5.8% or 80thnd 890 votes – got seats
in parliament.

The remaining 16 candidate parties and one bloc failed to cross
a five-percent benchmark (5% for parties and 7% for bloc) though
pro-governmental United Labor Party and opposition National Unity
and New Times came close to it.

Central Election Commission says 1 million 351 thousand 669 or 59.9%
have voted on polling day.

According to Armenian Police Department’s figures 2 million 285
thousand 830 people are eligible to vote in the country.

22 parties and one bloc competed for seats in National Assembly.

13 thousand 808 representatives of 53 local organization and 767
members of six international missions observed the elections.

Opposition members of Central Electoral Commission refuse to sign
protocol on results of parliamentary elections

ArmInfo.
2007-05-13 18:54:00

The members of the Central Electoral Commission from the opposition
parties National Unity, Orinats Yerkir and Justice bloc Zaven Pluzyan,
Sona Sargsyan and Felix Khachatryan have refused to sign the protocol
on the results of the past parliamentary elections.

To remind, according to the preliminary results, five political
parties have got into the parliament. RPA has got 32.9% of votes
(against 23.66% in the previous parliament), Prospering Armenia –
14.7%, ARFD – 12.75% (against 11.45%), Orinats Yerkir – 6.9% (against
12.60%) and Heritage party – 5.82%.

The main sensation was that National Unity, People’s Party and United
Labor Party have failed to poll necessary 5% but only 3.59%, 2.76% and
4.27% respectively. In the previous parliament ULP and NU had 5% and
8.91% respectively. New Times got only 3.38%, Dashink 2.38%, People’s
Party of Armenia 1.7%. The turnout was 59.99%.