Author: Torgomian Varazdat

ARMENIA CAN BE CIVILIZING MEDIATOR BETWEEN EAST AND WEST

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.09.2007 15:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Strengthening and enlargement of Armenia is in the
interests of Russia, the European Union and the U.S. Armenia can also
play an important role in the Middle East," diplomat and historian
Ara Papian said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net.

"Being a Christian state, it enjoys respect of Muslim states, of Saidu
Arabia for example. We can be civilizing mediators between East and
West," he underscored.

PRESS RELEASE

13-09-07

Vladimir Karapetian, Spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responds
to a question by "Arminfo" agency on the statement by Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister Mammadyarov on Nagorno Karabakh talks

Question: According to Azerbaijani sources today Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister Mammadyarov has stated that the agreement by Armenia to the
document on the table in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict negotiation process,
can be a serious breakthrough in that process. What is your reaction to that
statement?

Answer: We are truly surprised at that announcement, since in the recent
period Azerbaijan has began to stand back and resist provisions already
agreed to regarding Nagorno Karabakh’s status, which are in and continue to
remain in the document, proposed by Co-chairs.

If the reports in fact correspond to the truth and Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister has agreed to the provisions on Nagorno Karabakh status, we welcome
that.

Press and Information Department
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of the Republic of Armenia
Tel. + 37410 544041. ext. 202
Fax. + 37410 565601
e-mail: [email protected]
web:

"KARABAKH’S SECURITY FACING NO SERIOUS THREATS"

Panorama.am
20:28 12/09/2007

Today during a question and answer session in the National Assembly,
Mher Shageldyan, of "Legal State," tried to find out if there was
anything new in the negotiation process concerning Karabakh.

Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan, answering the question, said there
was nothing progress in the negotiations, and said that the Minsk
group presidents would be visiting the region on September 15, in
other words, would be visiting Stepanakert.

"I trust that there is nothing threatening the security of Karabakh,
even counting the general economic progress Azerbaijan is gaining
due to oil. If we look into things, we see that the goals of the
Azerbaijani government often do not see reality," Sargsyan said,
remembered the 2007 statement by the Azerbaijani government that
their military budget would be the size of Armenia’s entire budget.

"Our state budget, as it turns out, is over twice their military
budget. Their military budget is only that of our 1998 state
budget. Their 2008 military budget is only a small part of their
national budget," he noted.

Sargsyan then added that the Armenian government has offered measures
for the military balance in the region to maintain an even balance.

SERGE SARGSYAN: "I HAVE NEVER BEEN AN ADVENTURER"

Panorama.am
20:10 12/09/2007

Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan is taking in stride the news that the
two main candidates for president in the coming elections will be
himself and Levon Ter Petrosyan.

"I take these predictions in stride, that I am putting forth my
candidacy for president. I think it is early to talk about this. Our
strategy has nothing to do with how many or how few candidates there
will be. Our most important goal is to have positive evaluations by
international organizations and the Armenian people concerning the
results of the elections," Sargsyan said while meeting with journalists
in the National Assembly.

Sargsyan noted that the state budget would be much larger than the
previous one.

The prime minister said that taxes and custom fees would cover the
new budget, partly by way of cutting into the shadow economy. To
the question of whether this was merely a pre-election promise,
Sargsyan answered, "I haven’t said such a thing; only adventurists
make pre-election promises, which could put the country’s interests
at risk. I have never been an adventurist."

CIGARETTE PACKS TO HAVE LARGER WARNING NOTICES FROM 2008

ARMENPRESS
Sep 12, 2007

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS: Under a new law on restricting the
sale, consumption and use of tobacco products in Armenia, enforced
on March 2, 2005, warning labels on cigarette packs will become
mandatory in 2008. They will have to cover some 30 percent of the
pack’s space. Cigarette advertising will be outlawed by 2010.

This is a requirement of the European Union’s Framework Convention
on Tobacco control (FCTC), ratified by the Armenian parliament and
signed into law by the president of the country.

The law prohibits smoking in any public transport system, and in all
cultural, educational and health institutions.

Alexander Bazarjian, coordinator of an anti-smoking program of the
health ministry, told Armenpress the government released 200 million
Drams for 2006 and 2007 to fight against smoking. He said some 30-40
non-governmental organizations were selected through competitions to
carry out anti-smoking campaigns.

According to recent statistics, about 65 percent of Armenian men are
smokers, a higher percentage than any country in Europe. The number
of women and especially teenage smokers has registered an increase
in recent years, as has the production and import of cigarettes.

ARMENIA DENIES RUSSIAN WEAPONS FROM GEORGIA DEPLOYED ON AZERI BORDER

EurasiaNet, NY
Text of report by Armenian news agency Arminfo
Wednesday, September 12, 2007

10 September: The Armenian Defence Ministry has categorically denied
Azerbaijan’s statements that Russian weapons from [Russia’s] bases
in Georgia have been delivered to [Armenia’s] regions bordering
Azerbaijan.

The Armenian defence minister’s press secretary Col Seyran Shahsuvaryan
told Arminfo that the statement about the delivery of weapons was
nothing but the latest piece of misinformation that had political
goals.

The Azerbaijani media quoted today Azerbaijani Defence Minister
Safar Abiyev as saying that Baku was checking reports that Russian
military equipment had been delivered from bases in Georgia to Armenian
territories bordering Azerbaijan.

"The equipment that comes to Armenia from the Russian bases in Georgia
goes to the 102nd Russian base in Gyumri. The equipment is delivered
to the base in order to replace missing equipment and it is at the
Russian side’s disposal. The Armenian side has nothing to do with
these weapons," Seyran Shahsuvaryan said.

DJIVAN KASPARYAN READY TO HELP ORPHANS

Panorama.am
19:05 07/09/2007

I plan on opening a music school quite soon, in which only orphans
will study, free of charge," stated dudukist Djivan Kasparyan,
People’s Artist and winner of many competitions and awards.

"I myself was an orphan, and therefore understand the psychology of
these children, and want to help pass my art on to them, to the best
of my ability," he said.

He added that he has plans to leave for Los Angeles on September
14, where he will have a solo concert. From there he will travel to
Germany, where an event is scheduled in his honor.

ANC-PAC TO HOST SEPTEMBER 29TH EVENT TO THANK US SENATOR BOB MENENDEZ

armradio.am
07.09.2007 10:24

Leaders of a grateful and energized Armenian American community will
gather in Santa Monica on September 29th to personally thank Senator
Bob Menendez for his courage in successfully standing up to the
White House’s attempt to send a confirmed Armenian Genocide denier,
Dick Hoagland, to represent the United States in Armenia.

"Senator Menendez earned his remarkable standing in our community’s
long struggle to end the denial of the Armenian Genocide by
single-handedly blocking Richard Hoagland’s nomination to be the
next U.S. Ambassador to Armenia," said Armenian National Committee –
Political Action Committee (ANC-PAC) spokesperson Ara Papazian. "In
the face of intense pressure from the Administration, State Department,
Turkey’s high-priced lobbyists, and many others, Senator Menendez stood
up for the truth, ultimately forcing the White House, in a rare move,
to back down and withdraw the nomination of this unapologetic genocide
denier," added Papazian.

The event, organized by the ANC-PAC, will be held in the home of
longtime ANC-PAC supporter Ashkhen Pilavjian from 5 PM to 7 PM on
the evening of September 29th.

The purpose of the gathering, beyond extending a traditionally
warm Armenian welcome and expressing the community leadership’s
appreciation, is to ensure that the Armenian American community
does its part to ensure that Senator Menendez has the resources to
win reelection to the Senate. Sources in Washington already report
that the Senator is set to face intense opposition from the Turkish
government’s allies over the Hoagland issue and others angered by
his rock-solid support for issues of importance to Armenian Americans
including U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

Senator Menendez’s hold on the Hoagland nomination made national
news, earning headlines in Los Angeles Times and Washington Post –
and was, for months, the subject of daily news reports in both Armenia
and Turkey. His stand against the nomination came in the wake of the
State Department’s firing of Ambassador John Evans for acknowledging
and speaking truthfully about the Armenian Genocide.

Senator Menendez has a long track record of advancing issues of
special concern to Armenian Americans. He is a leading co-sponsor
of S.Res. 106, which calls on the President to properly commemorate
the Armenian Genocide, and has backed similar legislation dating back
to his years of service in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was
among the authors of S. 2461, the South Caucasus Integration and Open
Railroads Act, to prohibit U.S. assistance to develop any Caucasus
rail projects that go around Armenia, and led the effort to see this
language adopted as part of the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization
bill last year.

Like many in the Armenian American community, Senator Menendez grew
up the son of immigrants. He was raised in a tenement building in
Union City, New Jersey, and is the product of New Jersey’s public
schools and a graduate of the state’s universities. He has served as
a school board member, a mayor and a state legislator. Since 1992,
he has been fighting for New Jersey families in Washington, where
he rose to become the third-highest ranking Democrat in the House of
Representatives before taking office in the Senate in 2006. Senator
Menendez received his B.A. from St. Peter’s College in Jersey City
and his law degree from Rutgers University. He currently lives in
Hoboken and has two children, Alicia and Robert.

"PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE NOMINATED BY ARF DASHNAKTSUTIUN WILL BE MAIN RIVAL FOR CANDIDATE OF POWER COALITION," ARTASHES SHAHBAZIAN FORESEES

Noyan Tapan
Sep 6, 2007

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. ARF Dashnaktsutiun enjoys all the
possibilities to achieve success in the 2008 presidential elections
in terms of organizational potential and ideological programs. This
conviction was expressed by Artashes Shahbazian, the Secretary
of the ARF Dashnaktsutiun parliamentarian faction, at the press
conference held on September 6. In his prevision, the candidate of
the ARF Dashnaktsutiun to be nominated will be the main rival of the
candidate of the power coalition. In response to the question "What
chances do you have for winning Prime Minister Serge Sargsian?",
he gave a positive answer.

At the same time , he declared that irrespective of the results of the
elections, the ARF Dashnaktsutiun will continue to maintain normal,
"correct" relations with the Republican and Bargavatch Hajastan
(Prosperous Armenia) parties, which make part of the coalition. "I do
not exclude that we will continue to cooperate with those forces. If
parties are rivals, it does not mean that they should trample each
other," Artashes Shahbazian said.

He also added that the ARF Dashnaktsutiun regional institutions have
been conducting active discussions on the participation issue of
the party in the presidential elections throughout the summer and
at present as well. Those discussions, as A. Shahbazian mentioned,
once again prove that the ARF Dashnaktsutiun should have its own
candidate, and the latter, at the same time, should be a member of the
ARF Dashnaktsutiun faction, as well as have political experiance and
capacities for team work. A. Shahbazian refused to give names "in order
not to disorientate the ordinary members of the ARF Dashnaktsutiun."

GOVERNMENT GENEROSITY: ALLOCATIONS TO MARZES

Panorama.am
17:35 06/09/2007

The executive has taken a decision today to allocate money to
ten marzes of the republic costing 9.8 billion drams to the state
budget. Vache Terteryan, deputy minister of territorial administration,
told a briefing in government house that the money will be spent
on challenges of the regions. He said some regions have housing
problems. The government will also renovate schools and cultural
clubs as well as reconstruct roads.