Author: Toneyan Mark

PanARMENIAN.Net

RA MFA: unless issue of Nagorno Karabakh status is clarified we are
not ready to talk about tertiary issues
01.06.2007 18:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `Regardless of who says what, we can only repeat
what we have frequently explained: that unless the issue of the status
of Nagorno Karabakh is clarified, and the right of self-determination
is fully assured, and unless an irrevocable geographic link between
Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia is secured, we are not ready to talk
about tertiary issues,’ RA Foreign Ministry Acting Spokesperson
Vladimir Karapetian told a PanARMENIAN.Net when commenting on the
latest statement by OSCE MG U.S. Co-chair Matthew Bryza.

In an interview with The Associated Press Matthew Bryza said that `the
two sides have agreed on the return of districts surrounding Nagorno
Karabakh that are also under ethnic Armenian control.’

HOPES DASHED

A1+
[02:28 pm] 30 May, 2007

Over 100 Armenian pupils were to leave for France within the framework
of the programme "Armenian days in France." But the fortune smiled
at 539 pupils.

"The French do not want to host foreigners at their homes," says
Hranush Hakobyan, the Chairwoman of the NA Standing Committee on
Science, Education and Youth.

Silva Hakobyan, the Principal of N162 School, said, "Ten pupils of
our school were to leave for France. We had already made arrangements
with their parents. Now we don’t know what to say to the parents."

"They promised us that our children would be sent to France. They
cheated us and broke their promise," says Shoghik Hakobyan, one of
the parents.

Hranush Hakobyan told A1+ that she was the most interested person
and was eager for the Armenian pupils to leave for France.

NEWLY ORDAINED PRIESTS TO START THEIR SERVICE IN MOTHER SEE OF HOLY ETCHMIADZIN AND VARIOUS DIOCESES OF ARMENIAN CHURCH

Noyan Tapan
May 29 2007

ETCHMIADZIN, MAY 29, NOYAN TAPAN. After completing their 40-day
fast in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin on May 27, twelve newly
ordanied clergymen celebrated their first liturgies in various
Armenian churches. They were ordained by the Head of the US Western
Diocese Archbishop Hovnan Terterian on May 15 in the Mother See of
Holy Etchmiadzin.

After the liturgy, the newly ordained priests were received by
Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II who passed his patriarchial
persuasion and commandment to the clergymen, urging them to serve
the pious people and the Armenian church with a strong belief and
great devotion.

According to the press service of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin,
under the aegis of His Holiness Karekin II the 12 clergymen will
start their service in various bodies of the Mother See and different
dioceses of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Monk Harutyun Kirakosian,
priest Aram Mirzoyan and priest Sipan Grigorian have been appointed to
serve in various bodies of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Priest
Hovel Ohanian will serve in the US Western Diocese of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, priest Arakel Amirian – in the Armenian diocese
of Nor Nakhijevan and Russia, priest Manuk Zeylanian and priest
Armash Poghosian – in the Armenian diocese of Georgia, priest Yeprem
Harutyunian – in the Ararat Patriarchal Diocese, priest Soghomon
Minasian – in the Shirak diocese, priest Zhirayr Khachatrian – in
the Kotayk diocese, and priest Vigen Manukian – in the Aragatsotn
diocese. Under the aegis of His Holiness Karekin II, monk Maghakia
Amirian will go to Greece in order to continue his studies there.

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
May 26, 2007 Saturday 10:09 AM EST

Saakashavili urges Georgians to unite

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashavili urged the population “to
unite” for consolidation and strengthening of the country’s
independence.

Speaking at a military parade on the occasion of Independence Day on
Saturday, Saakashavili said, “Georgia has a well trained and well
equipped multiethnic army. But Georgia’s main strength is in the
unity of its multinational people and society.”

“If the people are united, no one can defeat Georgia and put it on
its knees,” the president said.

“Now that we are facing the task of peaceful consolidation of the
country and economic revival, it is very important to preserve and
strengthen the unity of society. I am confident that we will be able
to do it,” he said.

Saakashavili noted that “the leadership of Georgia has a precise
vision for the future of the country and how to achieve revival and
prosperity. We give a big role in this process to citizens of the
country, Georgians, Abkhazians, Armenians, Azeris, Russians,
Ossetians and people of other ethnic background.”

The parade involved 11,000 troops (almost half of Georgia’s army) and
3,500 reservists, 245 pieces of hardware and 40 aircraft.

Military parades marking Independent Day have been held in Georgia
since 1994. The biggest of them took place on May 26, 2006 and
involved 13,000 servicemen and 5,000 reservists, 215 pieces of
military hardware and 52 aircraft.

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
May 26 2007

European Court Negotiates with Armenia regarding Appeal by Displaced
Persons

Azerbaijan, Baku / Òrend corr K. Zarbaliyeva / The European Court has
undertaken the execution of the appeals by the persons displaced from
Azerbaijani occupied territories, Azerbaijani Representative at the
European Court, Chingiz Askarov, has reported.

According to Askarov, the persons displaced from Lachin region and
another five people has lodged complaints against Armenia. ` Armenia
has informed the European Court of its position and Azerbaijani
Government has voiced its willingness to participate as a third
interested side. We have get familiar with the documents submitted to
us and will voice our decision,’ Askarov noted.

He reported that 600 analogue appeals were submitted by Azerbaijani
displaced citizens within 2006-2007. `The Court will view these
appeals at first and follow the decision as a pilot one. Other
appeals will be considered in the analogue order,’ he cleared up.

According to Askarov, Azerbaijani Government is aware of the numerous
appeals lodged by Azerbaijani citizens against foreign countries. The
government will display its position on each of the cases separately.
`The point is that the rights of Azerbaijani citizens are infringed.
The Government will not let it pass. The European Court has been
informed and I believe the breakings of law will be proved and
Armenia will be made answerable.’ Askarov said.

The Representative is not aware of the appeals lodged by Azerbaijanis
that escaped from Armenia and believes they have to appeal to the
European Court as well due to infringement of rights.

ARMENIAN PUNDIT SAYS NATO PRESENCE IN SOUTH CAUCASUS MAY HAVE ADVERSE EFFECT

Mediamax news agency
25 May 07

Yerevan, 25 May: "NATO’s presence in the South Caucasus can aggravate
the already acute problems between the countries of the region,"
the professor of Michigan University and former chief adviser to the
first Armenian president, Zhirayr Liparityan, said in Yerevan today.

Speaking at the workshop entitled "Opportunities and Challenges of
the Euro-Atlantic Integration of the South Caucasus Countries", he
said that "there will be more side effects of the NATO involvement
in the regional processes than benefit".

Zhirayr Liparityan recalled that there were unresolved problems
between the countries of the South Caucasus. He said he doubted that
NATO is capable of assisting the settlement of the conflict between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, noting the "weakness of the alliance" in
the settlement of the confrontation between the members of the bloc,
Turkey and Greece, in the Cyprus war in the early 1970s.

Zhirayr Liparityan said that in the "impetuously changing world,
there are increasingly more manifestations of uncertainties, related
to the non-adequate steps of the US administration". According to him,
NATO de facto is the tool of the USA and "in the present conditions the
expansion of cooperation with the alliance may bring about dangerous
consequences both for Armenia and the whole region".

US political expert Richard Giragosyan stated that "NATO actively
participated in the geopolitical processes in the South Caucasus
region and has an increasing influence here".

According to him, in the South Caucasus the bloc is to a greater
extent busy with the issues of provision of trans-national security,
at that assisting the countries of the region in improving the military
and military-political systems, as well as their participation in
international peacekeeping operations.

The head of the Armenian Concord Research Centre, Ambassador David
Shahnazaryan, said that "the provision of regional stability and
security in the South Caucasus is possible in case there is a single
system of security, just as it was in times of the USSR or the
Russian Empire".

"The North-Atlantic Alliance remains the most effective institution
for security provision," he said. David Shahnazaryan welcomed the
expansion of cooperation between Armenia and NATO, at the same
time expressing concern over the intensification of the political
polarization in the South Caucasus.

FELIX KHACHATRIAN: IT IS DESIRABLE THAT ONE APPLICATION BE PRESENTED TO CC IN CONNECTION WITH LITIGATION OF NA ELECTIONS RESULTS

Noyan Tapan
May 23 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. From point of view of efficient
examination of the case connected with litigation of results
of NA elections by proportional system it is desirable that one
application be presented to the Constitutional Court. Member of RA
Central Electoral Commission, representative of Ardarutiun (Justice)
bloc Felix Khachatrian reported at the May 23 press conference. He
said that he has talked about this with the Impeachment bloc, Nor
Zhamanakner and Hanrapetutiun parties expressing readiness to provide
to the possible applicant necessary documents motivating facts of
falsifications and violations during the elections.

To recap, according to the term established by the law On
Constitutional Court, applications connected with litigation of
results of elections by proportional system can be presented to
the court on the 7th day following summing up of results and their
official publication, that is, on May 26.

F. Khachatrian expressed discontent with CEC leadership in connection
with not giving him brief protocols of all of 1923 polling station
electoral commissions on various pretexts so far, though he had applied
to it with such request before summing up of results by CEC. He also
expressed this discontent at the CEC’s May 19 sitting refusing to
sign the brief protocol of results.

ArmInfo
21.05.2007

Global Gold Corporation grants its Armenian employees 53,250 ordinary
nominal shares

Yerevan. As a bonus for good work in 2006, Global Gold Corporation
(GGC) granted its 72 employees in Armenia 53,250 ordinary nominal
shares. This is the first case in Armenia when a private company
grants shares to its employees. Most of the shares were granted to 48
employees working at the Tukhmanuk gold deposit in Aragatsotn region
in northern Armenia.

A few days ago Regional Director of GGC Ashot Pogossyan officially
presented the shares to the employees – each received from 250 to 500
shares depending on length of service and position.

The administrative workers of the Armenian office of GGC received up
to 2,000 and more shares. "The company values the loyalty and
diligence of its employees and honors its social and ecological
commitments. But the key point is that we want our employees and their
families to become the owners of their work and to have a share in
their achievements," Pogossyan said. He said that the company conducts
such actions not only in Armenia but also in Canada and Chile, where
it has mining projects. "We want out employees to feel themselves part
of one big family, the owners of their own company. Our key goal is
to cultivate the corporate spirit among them," Pogossyan said. He
noted that GGC is an open public company and its shares are circulated
on OTC (US).

The villagers of Tukhmanuk were glad to know that they had become the
owners of GGC and could now earn on the appreciation of its shares.
Most of them are going to keep their shares as their price is
growing. Pogossyan told them that their children would be able to
follow the quotations of their shares by means of a special computer
laboratory that would be built in the village or through internet.
Ashot Khlkhasyan, the head of the Melik village community located at
the foot of the Tukhmanuk deposit, said that GGC’s action was very
interesting. He confessed that he had never before heard any company
in Armenia share its property with its employees.

He highly appreciated the community’s cooperation with GGC. A total of
50 new well-paid jobs have been created in the village. GGC implements
a number of social projects: the company has financed the construction
of a water conduit and the gas supply of the village. "The company
helps us to solve whatever problems we face," Khlkhasyan said.

A total of 50 people work at the Tukhmanuk deposit. They receive an
average of 100,000 AMD ($283) a month.

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
May 22, 2007
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]

RE: Rep. Pallone Commends Armenia on Free and Fair Elections

Washington, DC – Speaking on the floor of the House of Representatives
yesterday, Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Co-Chair of the
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, commended Armenia for holding
free and fair Parliamentary elections on May 12.

"This is the first positive assessment of an election in the former
Soviet Republic since it gained independence in 1991," Pallone said.
"This encouraging outcome will most certainly enhance and deepen
U.S.-Armenia relations, while also elevating Armenia’s reputation
regionally and internationally."

Pallone noted that Armenia’s achievements address concerns raised by
the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and urged the MCC to fully fund
its five-year $235 million Compact with Armenia.

He also renewed his call for $75 million in economic assistance to
Armenia in Fiscal Year 2008. "This assistance demonstrates our
commitment to Armenia, which is a friend and a supporter of
U.S. policies for peace and security in that part of the world," he
said.

Pallone also entered into the congressional record a letter he sent
with Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) to President Robert
Kocharian and Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan, marking Armenia’s
achievement.

The full text of Rep. Pallone’s statement on Armenia’s elections is
attached below.

ARMENIA PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS
(House of Representatives – May 21, 2007)

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the people of Armenia on the May
12 Parliamentary elections. This is the first positive assessment of
an election in the former Soviet Republic since it gained independence
in 1991. This encouraging outcome will most certainly enhance and
deepen U.S./Armenia relations, while also elevating Armenia’s
reputation regionally and internationally.

Over the past few months, U.S. administration officials in Washington
and Yerevan have stressed the importance of these elections and
explained that substantial improvement must be made. Based on public
preliminary reports, Armenia has fulfilled the test set forth by the
administration and received a free and fair stamp of approval.

The International Election Observation Mission issued a statement
which read, in part, and I quote, “The election is assessed in line
with OSCE and Council of Europe commitments, other international
standards for democratic elections and national legislation.”

I’m especially pleased that the U.S. Embassy in Armenia joined the
chorus of praise with its own assessment which reads, and again I
quote, “We share the satisfaction of international observers that the
election infrastructure, both legal and technical, has been greatly
improved.”

Mr. Speaker, I join in sharing the pride of our embassy and the
contributions we have helped make in advancing the course of democracy
and the rule of law in Armenia . These results are the best evidence
to date that our assistance to this fledgling Republic is indeed
serving its intended purpose. Our shared values and the strong bonds
between the United States and Armenia will no doubt continue to
expand. In doing so, we will continue to foster democracy in Armenia
and work towards stability in the South Caucus region.

Earlier this year, dozens of my colleagues joined me in sending a
letter to the chairman of the House State, Foreign Operations
Appropriations Subcommittee calling for $75 million in assistance for
Armenia in fiscal year 2008. As the appropriation process continues,
I’d like to remind my colleagues of this request and renew it again
today. This assistance demonstrates our commitment to Armenia , which
is a friend and a supporter of U.S. policies for peace and security in
that part of the world.

Armenia’s achievement also addresses concerns expressed by the
Millennium Challenge Corporation with respect to these
elections. Armenia has met the necessary threshold, and I’m confident
that the people and the Government of Armenia will only continue to
improve upon their accomplishments in achieving the standards and
norms of a democratic society. And accordingly, I urge the MCC to
fully fund its compact with Armenia in an expeditious manner.

These elections are an historic step towards a fully democratic
Armenia, a goal to which the nation has demonstrated its commitment
and leadership in the region through democratic reform. I congratulate
the people of Armenia for this remarkable accomplishment.

####

The Armenian Assembly is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

NR#2007-063

GAMES OF 5th TOUR OF ARMENIAN FOOTBALL HIGHEST LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP TAKE PLACE

Noyan Tapan
May 21 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 21, NOYAN TAPAN. Games of 5th tour of Armenian Football
Highest League Championship took place on May 19-20. The following
results were registered: Kilikia – Pyunik 0 to 5, Gandzasar – Banants
0 to 1, Ararat – Mika 2 to 0, Ulis – Shirak 0 to 2.

The games of 6th tour are fixed for May 23.