Author: Tavakalian Edgar

CBA CHAIRMAN APPOINTED ARMENIA’S PRIME MINISTER

ARKA
April 9, 2008

YEREVAN, April 9. /ARKA/. Armenia’s newly elected President Serge
Sargsian signed a decree on April 9 to appoint Chairman of the Central
Bank of Armenia (CBA) Tigran Sargsian new Prime Minister.

Serge Sargsian took lead in the February 19 presidential election in
Armenia and was inaugurated today at the Freedom Square.

According to Article 55 of Armenia’s Constitution the President of
the Republic "shall, on the basis of the distribution of the seats in
the National Assembly and consultations held with the parliamentary
factions, appoint as Prime Minister the person enjoying confidence of
the majority of the Deputies and if this is impossible the President of
the Republic shall appoint as the Prime Minister the person enjoying
confidence of the maximum number of the Deputies. The President of
the Republic shall appoint the Prime Minister within ten days after
acceptance of the resignation of the Government. The Government shall
be formed within 20 days after the appointment of the Prime Minister."

RA NA (National Assembly) Speaker Tigran Torosian formerly stated
that the new Government will be formed next week.

Tigran Sargsyan, was born in Kirovakan (present Vanadzor) on January
29, 1960. From 1980 to 1983 Tigran Sargsyan attended Leningrad’s
(currently St. Petersburg) Financial and Economic Institute
after Voznesenski. From 1983-1987 – postgraduate education ended
in obtaining PhD degree. From 1987 to 1990, he was Chief of the
Department for Foreign Economic Relations of Scientific Researches
Institute of Economic Planning in Armenia. From 1988-1993, he worked
at the post of Chairman of Republican Council of Young Specialists
and Scientists. From 1990 to 1995 Sargsian was a member of the RA
Supreme Council and Chair of the Standing Commission for Financial,
Credit and Budget Affairs. From 1995 to 1998 he was Director of the
Scientific Researches Institute of Social Reforms. From 1995 to 1998,
he was Chairman of the Armenian Banks Association.

Sargsian has held the position of CBA Chairman since early 1998
(re-elected for a second seven-year term by the National Assembly in
2005).

EXHIBITION OF GARO ANTREASIAN RUNS IN GERALD PETERS GALLERY

Noyan Tapan
April 8, 2008

ALBUQUERQUE, APRIL 8, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. The "Garo
Antreasian: Works on Paper – 50 Years" exhibition at the Gerald
Peters Gallery of New Mexico is a stunning display of graphic design,
impeccable draftsmanship and userfriendly abstraction.

As the Albuquerque Journal writes, Antreasian was long associated with
the Tamarind Institute of Lithography and the University of New Mexico
art department. Though retired from teaching for many years, Antreasian
is remembered by countless students, who benefited from his demand
for professionalism and sweat equity skills development. Antreasian
and the late Clinton Adams co-founded the New Mexico version of the
Tamarind Institute of Lithography and turned it into an international
learning center.

MANY KNESSET MEMBERS RATE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION TO MORAL DUTY

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.04.2008 14:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Discussion of the Armenian Genocide in Israel’s
Knesset is an extraordinary phenomenon and we are hopeful for a
logical development, Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office Director
Kiro Manoyan told a news conference in Yerevan.

"All parties represented in the Knesset voted for introduction of
the issue into the agenda. Discussions will start in May, after the
vacation. The issue will be possibly transferred from the committee on
education to the committee on security. Knesset member Haim Oron and
Hay Dat Jerusalem Office are working for the same purpose," he said,
adding, "Many Knesset members rate the Armenian Genocide recognition
to their moral duty."

On March 26, Merets party proposed to put the Armenian Genocide issue
on the Knesset’s agenda.

TURKISH PARLIAMENT SET TO EASE RESTRICTIONS ON FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Monsters and Critics.com
April 7 2008

Ankara – The Turkish parliament is to vote on changing infamous
Article 301 of the criminal code that makes it an offence to ‘insult
Turkishness’ and which has been widely criticized by human rights
groups and the European Union which Turkey aspires to join, Turkish
media reported on Monday.

The main change to the article is that the president’s permission
would be needed for cases of insulting Turkishness – as well as
denigrating the state, the military and other official institutions –
to proceed. At present individual lawyers can make a complaint and
it is up to lower level courts to decide on whether to lay charges.

The amendment bill was handed to the parliament on Monday evening,
NTV television reported.

The Turkish government has come under intense pressure to amend or
scrap Article 301 which has been used by nationalist lawyers to bring
charges against more than a thousand journalists and writers in the
past few years.

European Union politicians have been at the forefront of criticism
of the article and have called on the government to amend or scrap
the article if Turkey is serious in its bid to join the union.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has a clear majority
in parliament and would not have to rely on opposition parties to
pass the bill. The far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has
promised to oppose any changes related to Article 301.

Article 301 has been used to try a number of prominent authors and
writers including Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk, who was acquitted on
a technicality, and ethnic Armenian Turkish journalist Hrant Dink,
who was murdered last year by a nationalist teenager who confessed
to police that Dink’s conviction was a motivation.

Earlier on Monday, the Turkish government department charged with
co-ordinating the country’s efforts to become a member of the European
Union gave a list of laws to the Prime Ministry that it said need
to be changed immediately, with laws that limit freedom of speech at
the top of the list, CNN Turk television reported.

The EU General Secretariat recommended that not just Article 301 but
that a number of other articles in the criminal code be amended.

The list of laws that also need amending include laws regarding the
justice system and workers rights. The secretariat also said a broad
strategy to combat corruption was also needed.

FAREWELL MEETING AT PRESIDENT’S OFFICE

armradio.am
07.04.2008 17:45

RA President Robert Kocharyan today had a farewell meeting with
the senior staffs of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense and
Justice, the Police and the National Security Service.

Assessing the past ten years as years of formation for these
structures, the President noted that without full-fledged services
it is impossible to speak about a full-fledged state.

Robert Kocharyan thanked for productive joint work and their
exceptional personal contribution to the formation of the state.

Addressing the present, the President said: "You lead structures,
which are responsible for the security of teh people and the country,
law and order, the international image of the state, and we can
say with confidence that from this point of view the tasks posed to
you have been mainly fulfilled, although there are never limits for
improvement, and we all understand that there is still much to do."

According to Robert Kocharyan, Armenia has a brilliant future, and
the President-Elect has all opportunities for effective management.

NUMBER OF COMMERCIAL LEGAL ENTITIES INCREASES BY 5.2%, THAT OF PRIVATE BUSINESSMEN DECLINES BY 40.41% IN ARMENIA IN ONE YEAR

Noyan Tapan
April 7, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 7, NOYAN TAPAN. According to data of the State Register
of Legal Entities and Private Businessmen of the RA Ministry of
Justice, 563 commercial legal entities and 1,086 private businessmen
were registered in January-February 2008, with their total number
making 56,997 and 43,164 respectively as of March 1, 2008. According
to data of the RA National Statistical Service, there were 54,205
legal entities and 53,316 private businessmen as of March 1, 2007. The
number of legal entities grew by 5.2%, while the number of private
businessmen declined by 40.41% in one year.

70 legal entities and 187 private businessmen were wound up in
January-February 2008.

563 legal entities, which were registered in January-February
2008, made investments of 7 bln 612.86 mln drams (about 24.73
mln USD). Investments of 6 bln 897.17 mln drams were made in 59
enterprises founded with foreign capital, including investments of
95.52 mln drams made in 26 enterprises founded only by foreign legal
entities and citizens, and investments of 6 bln 801.65 mln drams in
33 joint ventures.

YEREVAN MAYOR APOLOGISES FOR INCONVENIENCE

A1+
07 April, 2008

Today the Mayor of Yerevan City Erwand Zakharian apologized to Yerevan
citizens for the inconvenience caused by the road construction. He
pledged that the construction would finish in due time.

The city authorities are now focusing on the construction of new
roads, overpasses and tunnels to relieve the heavy traffic and to
avert accidents in the capital centre. Yervand Zakharian says that
the construction in the center will finish by August and September.

The Mayor says that work of 93 billion drams is foreseen but they want
to boost the volume of work up to 98 billion drams. It will mean that
in 2008 the value of work will exceed that of 2007 by 20 percent.

The value of work done in the first quarter was 35.5 billion drams
against the estimated 35.3 billion.

The Mayor says 2.4 billion drams will be provided for repairing
and illuminating 24 streets. By the turn of the year the city will
be completely lit. This year blocks of flats will be built for the
residents of demolished blocks.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Lithuania welcomes EC determination to strengthen relations with ENP countries
05.04.2008 13:43 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On 2 April European Commission issued a
Communication to the Parliament and the Council `Implementation of the
European Neighborhood Policy in 2007′ and published progress reports
concerning the reforms implemented by the states participating in the
European Union’s Neighborhood Policy – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Egypt,
Georgia, Jordan, Lebanon, Moldova, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and
Ukraine.

Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes European Commission’s
determination to continue cooperation based on close mutual relations
with the countries which had expressed their willingness and have
necessary capabilities.

This European Commission’s Communication perfectly reflects Lithuanian
intention to support further strengthening of relations between
Ukraine, Moldova, states of the Southern Caucasus and the European
Union, the Ministry said in a publication posted on its website.

`It is very important to evaluate properly the progress of the eastern
EU neighbors in implementation of the Neighborhood Action Plan in the
future also. In their turn these countries should continue to
implement internal reforms and strengthen bilateral relations with the
EU,’ Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Petras Vaitiekunas said.

In the document adopted by the European Commission the progress of the
partner states in such spheres as political cooperation, economy,
migration, energy, transport, scientific research, mobility of
students and young people is reviewed. The Commission drew attention
to existing problems especially in the areas of corruption, protection
of human rights and independence of the judiciary.

It is marked in the Commission’s report that four countries, Ukraine
and Moldova among them, made remarkable progress in implementation of
reforms provided in the action plans. Moldova actively carries out its
commitments and shows strong political will to continue the work
started. It is marked in the Communication that taking into
consideration the conclusions of the Council of February 2008 the EU
is ready to start negotiations on the new Enhanced Agreement with
Moldova. In development of relations between the EU and Ukraine the
Commission plans to continue the launched negotiations on the new
Enhanced Agreement which includes closer free trade cooperation.

"PRIME MINISTER SHOULD BE SKILLFUL MANAGER"

A1+
04 April, 2008

Today the "Hayeli" Club hosted Republican Armen Ashotian who dwelt
on Armenia’s latest events. "The recent events are characteristic of
transitional countries," Armen Ashotian said. In the main, he divided
the history of the newly independent state into three phases. In
1988-1998 Armenia entered an "embryonic" sage. In 1998-2008 the
country began maturing and finally after 2008 it became conscious.

Today Ashotian spoke of Armenia’s next prime minister as well.

"I want to focus on his qualities. A prime minister should represent
a political team, but he mustn’t be a "politicized" figure. He should
be a skillful manager," Ashotian said with regard to Armenia’s next
prime minister without giving any names.

"Do you mean Hovik Abrahamian?" a journalist interrupted him.

"Where did you know?" Ashotian asked in his turn.

"As you didn’t say anything about his/her intellect," she said.

"A prime minister should necessarily have a high level of intellect,"
Ashotian said.

Today Ashotian drew parallels between Kosovo and the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic. "Since the proclamation of Kosovo’s independence, Armenia and
NKR have failed to derive highest dividends from the Kosovo precedent
as our attention is focused in another direction."

The events of March 1 undoubtedly affected Armenia’s rating on
an international level. I am speaking of outer forces. The rallies
pursued one objective – to weaken the country from inside and to make
it vulnerable for outside forces," Ashotian said.

"It is necessary to uproot the social basis of Levon Ter-Petrossian’s
electorate, change their moods, for the statements of Ter-Petrossian
and people around him not to shape a public opinion. It is necessary
to understand why those 350 thousand people have passed to that camp,
and to find a policy solution to their problems. In this format Levon
Ter-Petrossian will not be needed," said the Republican.

Today while replying journalists’ questions, Ashotian blamed the
latest events exceptionally on the opposition. "You see, one cannot
speak to or negotiate with a wall. If you speak and the other keeps
silent, if you try your best to foster a dialogue but get no response,
your attempts turn into a monologue."

Reminder: Levon Ter-Petrossian welcomed the initiatives and
propositions of the European Union and the Ago group and expressed
readiness to negotiate over the propositions.

ARMENIAN CHURCHES TO HOLD SERVICE FOR THE DEAD IN MARCH 1-2 YEREVAN RIOTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.04.2008 13:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On April 6, all Armenian Churches will hold a
service for those dead in riots that shocked Yerevan on March 1 and 2,
reported the press office of Holy Echmiadzin.

7 civilians and 1 policeman died in Yerevan disorders on March 1
and 2. The prosecutor general~Rs office said the number of injured
persons reached 265.