Author: Torgomian Varazdat

ARTHUR ABRAHAM TO DEFEND HIS IBF TITLE AGAINST KHOREN GEVOR

ARMENPRESS
Jul 26, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 26, ARMENPRESS: IBF middleweight champion Arthur Abraham
will make his second mandatory title defense against Khoren Gevor (both
are Armenia-born living now in Germany) at the Max Schmeling-Halle
in Berlin, Germany on August 18.

Abraham, 23-0 (18), last stopped Sebastien Demers inside three
rounds. He is currently shaping up in Zinnowitz, a tiny village near
the Baltic Sea.

"After my long break I have to give 100 percent in each and every
session to be perfectly prepared for this important fight. I am happy
that I can make the mandatory defense in Berlin, which is where I
live. I hope the fans will support me," Abraham was quoted by news
agencies as saying.

The IBF made fifth-ranked Gevor the mandatory challenger after Edison
Miranda´s recent loss to Kelly Pavlik and Amin Asikainen´s European
title defeat against Sebastian Sylvester.

"Of course Arthur is the favorite," said coach Ulli Wegner. "But you
must not underestimate Gevor – even though his name might only ring
a bell with a few experts. Arthur must not take him lightly."

"Our country fellows are not happy since one of us will have to lose,
but this is life,’ Arthur Abraham told journalists.

–Boundary_(ID_LSJa87a/NfI9wfYb6z0vx A)–

VTB GROUP BECOMES 100% SHAREHOLDER OF VTB BANK (ARMENIA)

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
July 25 2007

YEREVAN, July 25. /ARKA/. The VTB Group became 100% sole shareholder
of the "VTB Bank (Armenia)" CJSC.

The Bank’s General Director, Chairman of the Board of Directors Valery
Ovsyannikov said that on July 25, 2007, the VTB Group obtained the
remaining 30% minus one share from "Mika Armenia Trading" Ltd, thus
becoming the sole shareholder of its affiliate company in Armenia –
VTB Bank (Armenia).

According to Ovsyannikov, this deal should be treated as a positive
factor, which first of all gives an opportunity to VTB Bank to have
100% for managing the bank, and, second, it will allow making the
next step towards increase of bank’s capital.

The VTB Bank (Armenia) CJSC (former Armsavingsbank) was established
in 1923. Before 1993, it was a part of the USSR State Savings Bank,
then it started operating as a specialized Savings Bank of Armenia.

In September 2001, ARCH Limited Consortium [the Bahamas] and ÌIKA
Armenia Trading privatized the "Armsavingsbank" by direct sale. In
April2004, the Russian "Vneshtorgbank" purchased 70%+1 shares of the
"Armsavingsbank".

According to the official balance data, as of June 30, 2007,
the total capital of the VTB Bank (Armenia) made AMD 9.4bln, the
authorizes capital – AMD 7.5bln, total assets – AMD 38.2bln, balance
sheet profit – AMD 1.5bln, and profit of the 1st half-year of 2007 –
AMD 67.4mln. At present the bank has 94 functioning branches.

By the main financial indices, the Bank has leading positions in the
RA banking sphere. In particular, according to the preliminary data,
by the amount of assets it ranks the 7th in the 2nd quarter of 2007,
by crediting to legal entities and individuals it ranks the 5th and 3d
respectively, by the volume of attracted time deposit from individuals
– the 4th, by means of individuals poste restante – the 3d, by the
volume of total capital – the 4th, and by the authorized capital –
the 3d. ($1 – AMD 337.93).

–Boundary_(ID_w2RnkkbFN+Vx+vlQN6BlHg)–

NORWAY DOES NOT CONSIDER ‘PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS’ IN NAGORNO KARABAKH LEGITIMATE

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
July 19 2007

The Kingdom of Norway will not recognize the result of the
"presidential elections" held in Nagorno Karabakh by the separatist
regime. Norwegian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Jon Ramberg told the APA
that his country does not consider these elections legitimate.

The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE), GUAM-International
Organization for Democracy and Economic Development, European
Commission Special Envoy to Azerbaijan, the US, Turkey and other
countries have already stated that they will not recognize the
results of the so-called elections held in the occupied Azerbaijani
territories.

ARMENIA’S PREMIER INTRODUCES NEWLY APPOINTED CHIEF OF TAXATION SERVICE

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
July 17 2007

YEREVAN, July 17. /ARKA/. RA Premier Serge Sargsyan has introduced the
newly appointed Chief of the RA Taxation Service Vahram Barseghyan
to the Taxation Service staff. The Premier thanked the ex-chief of
the Taxation Service Felix Tsolakyan for the work carried out during
the last four years.

He stressed that during this period considerable progress was made –
from AMD 120bln to AMD 280bln collected as taxes.

On the other hand, Sargsyan pointed out that much work has to be done
to increase the GDP/taxes ratio.

Premier Sargsyan appreciated Tsolakyan’s approach to the tasks set
to the RA Taxation Service.

Sargsyan expressed hope that as RA Presidential Advisor Felix Tsolakyan
will continue working efficiently.

Introducing the newly appointed Chief of the RA Taxation Service,
Premier Sargsyan expressed the confidence that, upholding the
good traditions of the RA Taxation Service, Vahram Barseghyan will
introduce new approaches and mechanisms, as the tax collection level
is impossible to raise without them.

"It is clear that any shadow is against the state, and we must take
serious measures to ensure the planned expenses," Sargsyan said.

In his turn, the ex-chief of the RA Taxation Service Felix Tsolakyan
expressed his gratitude to the RA President, RA Premier and the
personnel for their confidence and support. He expressed hope that the
RA Taxation Services will continue accomplishing the tasks set to it.

The newly appointed Chief of the Taxation Service Vahram Barseghyan
gave assurances that the new methods will enhance the taxation bodies’
efficiency.

On July 16, 2007, RA President Robert Kocharyan signed a decree
relieving Felix Tsolakyan of the post of Chief of the RA Taxation
Service and appointing him to the post of RA Presidential Advisor.

The RA President also signed a decree appointing Vahram Barseghyan
Chief of the RA Taxation Service.

PATRIARCHATE FACES THREAT OVER ‘ECUMENICAL’ TITLE
Andrew Finkel Ýstanbul

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
July 18 2007

An ancient grudge over baptism certificates, a far-right wing lawyer
with a mind to make trouble and a popular Greek crooner with a
reputation for speaking his mind have all conspired to create legal
misery for Ýstanbul’s 2000-year-old "Ecumenical Patriarchate."

The result is that Metropolitans of the Phanar-based church are now
under police protection.

The troubles stem from a high appeal court (Yargýtay) decision that
questions the right of the Greek Orthodox in Turkey to refer to itself
as "Ecumenical" — a title which confers the Istanbul-based church
to be the first among equals of the over 250 million adherents of
Orthodox Christianity — a position enjoyed by the patriarch since
the split with Rome in 1054.

The decision comes as part of a ruling that allowed the patriarch
to defrock a Bulgarian priest who rebelled over the patriarchate’s
insistence on issuing baptismal documents in Greek rather than
Bulgarian. This has now led Bujidar Cipof, a member of the Bulgarian
Orthodox Church council, to petition the Beyoðlu, Istanbul state
prosecutor to pursue the patriarch on charges of "malfeasance of
religious services."

A spokesman for the Fener Patriarchate said it was bound by court
decision, but that ecumenical was not a legal title but one sanctioned
by historical usage and religious custom. "The whole world knows us
as the ‘Ecumenical Patriarchate.’ In modern Turkey the state would
not interfere in religious practice."

This is not a view shared by Mr. Cipof. "Patriarch Bartolomeos is not
some remnant from the Middle Ages. He should not forget that his title
deed is given by the Turkish Republic under the Lausanne Treaty." Nor
is Mr. Cipof the only one on the legal warpath. Kemal Kerincsýz, an
ultra-nationalist lawyer, has also applied to the public prosecutor
to stop the patriarch from convening a synod with metropolitans from
other autocephalous (foreign national) Orthodox Churches.

Mr. Kerincsiz is better known for the cases he helped instigate
against Nobel-winning author Orhan Pamuk and assassinated Armenian
newspaper editor Hrant Dink for insulting Turkishness. The result of
the current action is that metropolitans of the Orthodox Church have
now been assigned police guard by the Ýstanbul Governor’s Office,
according to the lawyer for the Patriarchate, Kezban Hatemi.

Ms. Hatemi said so far the prosecutors’ office had not requested
statements and she denied the Patriarchate had any case to answer.

"This is not legal code but religious law and is not something the
state authorities in a secular country should be concerned with,"
she said.

Even so, that same Governor’s Office banned at the very last minute
a pop concert that the Patriarchate had arranged last Sunday to
celebrate a youth conference. The performance at Ýstanbul’s Rumeli
Hisarý castle amphitheater featured the popular Greek singer George
Dalaras. In a column in Hurriyet newspaper, right-wing columnist Emin
Colaþan accused the Ministry of Culture of being at the beck and call
of the Patriarchate for allowing one of their premises to be used by a
man who had been an outspoken critic of Turkey over Cyprus and the PKK.

"The cancellation was a big disappointment, but they do things like
this. We are used to it," said Paul Gigas, a lay volunteer at the
Patriarchate.

–Boundary_(ID_8D41bKdLqI002hJr XKAauA)–

RWANDA: INSIGHT INTO TUTSI GENOCIDE
Rwembeho Stephen

AllAfrica.com, Washington
New Times (Kigali)
July 16 2007

OPINION
15 July 2007
Posted to the web 16 July 2007

The Genocide week in Rwanda is characterized by a complexity of
issues like elsewhere in the world. This is the time when survivors of
Genocide are filled with fear and desire of both moral and physical
revenge. The perpetrators of Genocide on the other hand, are filled
with shame or desire to do more killings. It is a tense week as we
watch the films and listen to testimonies of all gruesome activities
that were committed against the Tutsis.Scholars on, the other hand,
battle it out asking themselves if it is worth having the memorial week
or not. And the debate goes on the controversy over the naming of the
1994 Genocide in Rwanda. Should it be called "The Rwandan genocide"
or "The genocide that killed many Tutsis and moderate Hutus" or
"The Tutsi Genocide?"

What do all these titles have to do with reconciling people and
vice versa? What actually happened in Rwanda was Tutsi Genocide and
the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda should be therefore, called the "Tutsi
Genocide." Shying away from this fact and the truth is tantamount
to denying the Genocide itself. If we have the Jewish Genocide,
the Herero Genocide, the Armenian Genocide, etc. why do we find it
difficult to have the Tutsi Genocide? Some radicals correctly put
it that it sounds more comfortable to most people to accompany the
Genocide in Rwanda with the killing of moderate Hutus.

Genocide is remembered in all countries where it happened for obvious
reasons. If you bury your father and forget him, you will never have
to tell his grandchildren, and this will ridicule you. We are told
stories by typical events and whether we want or not we shall keep
on experiencing the ills left by the genocide both the survivors
and perpetrators. There are therefore commemorations all over in the
worlds where genocide occurred.

Every year on April 24, people of Armenian descent organize blood
drives, picket Turkish embassies, and celebrate special church services
to commemorate the anniversary of the 1915 arrest of several hundred
prominent Armenians in Constantinople. The arrests were the beginning
of the genocide in which an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were
slaughtered by Ottoman Turks between 1915 and 1923.

However, they find themselves in similar circumstances that Rwanda
faces – of people who do not want to remember. Reasons for fear to
remember remain the same in both cases. This is one utterance reacting
to the yearly commemoration of the Armenian genocide."Genocide is
the most abhorrent and outrageous crime against humanity and we
are not going to prevent it by selectively remembering only some of
its victims."

The Holocaust and Genocide Memorial Day of 27 January is the
anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration and
extermination camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau – seen as a powerful symbol
of the horrors of the Holocaust. Holocaust Memorial Day is about
commemorating all of the communities who suffered as a result of the
Holocaust and Nazi persecution, and demonstrating that the Holocaust
is relevant to everyone in the UK today.

The day provides a focus – through the national and local events and
activities – for people to think about the continuing repercussions
of the Holocaust and more recent genocides on our society.

However, critics claim that the holocaust is too old to be remembered
now as other crimes have overtaken it. "If someone wants to honour the
victims of holocaust, war etc., then they should do so in there own
private way. Similar negative criticism does not spare the holocaust
either. "National memorial" days just drag up the past and do not
necessarily look to the future."

And what do Rwandan critics on the commemoration of the 1994 Tutsi
Genocide say?

Rwandans have mixed reactions with some against, others for and those
who do not care about the Genocide at all.

Whatever the line one takes, the fact is that we cannot afford to live
with hate. People have to be reminded about this. Holocaust Memorial
Day should influence behaviour changes today. We need to put it in
context of all suffering. Everyone should remember in their own way.

Lectures given in the days of commemoration must be able to
contextualize the issue of hatred and genocide in Rwanda.

The Holocaust Memorial Days for example aim to: remember all victims
of the Holocaust and Nazi persecution; reflect upon those affected
by more recent atrocities, in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Kosovo.

Educate about the dangers of anti-Semitism, racism and all forms
of discrimination.

Ultimately, the day aims to restate the continuing need for vigilance
and to motivate people, individually and collectively, to ensure that
the horrendous crimes, racism and victimization committed during the
Holocaust are neither forgotten nor repeated, whether in Europe or
elsewhere in the world.

While teaching about the Tutsi Genocide of 1994 in Rwanda, similar
enlightenments must be brought to surface in all discussions.

Comparative studies and explanations are essential and ignorance
about other world genocides does not provide a clear cut explanation
of the Rwanda.

For example, the massacre of the Armenians in Turkey in 1915-23, the
Holocaust of the Jews in Hitler’s Germany, the mass killing of Tutsis
in Rwanda in 1994, and the ongoing slaughter in the Darfur provinces
of western Sudan today. You don’t just finish people (the Janjaweed)
the way you want when the whole world is watching.

The unfortunate part of it is that very few people have the concern,
the will and ability to take the comparisons down to earth and use them
in the context of Rwanda. Those few, therefore, should come in to help.

Any genocide has it own uniqueness and it is wrong to portray any
genocide as the same as others. This kind of understanding will allow
you to understand why the Holocaust is regarded classically as the
only unique genocide to have happened. But the uniqueness in the
Tutsi Genocide is evident; the speed with which it was carried out
and the relationship between the victims and the killers make it an
extremely unique genocide. So the problem should not be in the degree
of uniqueness but the context.

Remembering is very important in as far as the concept of evil
deterrence is concerned.

It gives us the bench mark of our morality as a society and the
ability to say no to evil. It is one of the steps in the long chain
of procedures to de-poison the Rwandan psyche and psychologically
rehabilitate the dehumanized psyche of the survivors.

The writer is a researcher at K.I.E

U.S. HOUSE MAJORITY PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL
By Aram Vanetsian in Los Angeles

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
July 12 2007

The Armenian community in the United States has secured the backing
of most members of the U.S. House of Representatives for a resolution
that refers to the 1915 mass killings and deportations of Armenians
in Ottoman Turkey as genocide.

In what the two leading Armenian-American lobbying groups consider an
important "milestone," the number of U.S. lawmaker co-sponsoring the
draft legislation reached 219 on Wednesday, significantly boosting
chances for its passage by the 435-member House.

That number includes a member of the U.S. Congress who died recently
and another congressman who has resigned from its lower house. They
are still technically listed as co-sponsors of the resolution.

"We are getting exceedingly closer to our goal of passing the Armenian
Genocide resolution and properly recognizing this historic tragedy,"
Congressman George Radanovich of California, one of the main proponents
of the bill, said in a statement.

"This is a positive development," Bryan Ardouny, executive director
of the Armenian Assembly of America, told RFE/RL from Washington.

"It’s another threshold, another milestone that we’ve reached, and
we’ll keep pushing forward."

Both the Assembly and the Armenian National Committee of America,
which have for decades been campaigning for U.S. recognition of the
genocide, say the mounting congressional support will make it easier
for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to put the resolution to the vote.

A longtime supporter of Armenian issues, Pelosi has reportedly
assured Armenian-American leaders of her continuing support for
genocide recognition. However, she is facing strong pressure from the
White House to prevent the bill from reaching the House floor. The
administration of President George W. Bush has warned that its passage
would deal a serious blow to Washington’s relations with Turkey,
a key U.S. ally.

The proposed resolution, which was introduced last January, calls
on Bush to "ensure that the foreign policy of the United States
reflects appropriate understanding" of the Armenian genocide and to
"accurately characterize the systematic and deliberate annihilation
of 1,500,000 Armenians as genocide."

In his annual April 24 messages to the Armenian-American community,
Bush has described the bloody events of 1915 as one of the greatest
tragedies of the 20th century but stopped short of calling them a
genocide. He has also repeatedly cited a 2002 international study
which concluded that the Armenian massacres meet the internationally
accepted definition of genocide.

Ardouny could not say when the resolution might be brought before
the full House, saying that depends on Pelosi and other leaders of
the chamber’s Democratic majority. "We will continue to encourage
the House leadership to put the resolution to a concluding vote
reaffirming the Armenian genocide," he said.

FROM NOW ON, INFORMATION ABOUT DYNAMICS OF CURRENCY AND SECURITIES ON ARMENIAN STOCK EXCHANGE TO BE ACCESSIBLE FOR MOBILE COMMUNICATION SUBSCRIBERS

Noyan Tapan
Jul 12 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian Stock Exchange and the
Mobbis company of telecommunications sphere have indroduced a service,
which gives the possibility to the mobile communication subscribers of
ArmenTel and VivaCell to receive in the online regime, through SMSs,
information about dynamics, worth of currency and securities on the
Armenian Stock Exchange.

This was reported at the joint press conference of the Armenian Stock
Exchange and the Mobbis company.

It was mentioned that the service operates through the short number
"1500" ( and ).

TOROSIAN EXPLAINS DELAY OF REPUBLICAN PARTY CONGRESS BY TECHNICAL REASONS

ARMENPRESS
Jul 13 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 13, ARMENPRESS: Parliament chairman Tigran Torosian from
the ruling Republican party shrugged off today media speculations
claiming that the party cancelled its extraordinary congress,
originally slated for July 14, because of serious reasons.

Speaking to journalists Torosian said they should not seek something’
mysterious’ behind the party’s decision to postpone the congress
until autumn.

Torosian even cited an old Chinese proverb that says that ‘it’s
difficult to find a black cat in a dark room – especially when the
cat isn’t there!."

The extraordinary congress was supposed to elect party chairman. The
position has been vacant since the surprise death of former prime
minister Andranik Margarian, who was also Republican party chairman
and to nominate its presidential candidate.

Torosian explained the delay by technical reasons.

"THE ISSUE IS BEYOND AMALYAN’S COMPETENCE"

A1+
[08:44 pm] 13 July, 2007

"The Public Commission on Television and Radio (PCTR) regulates the
transmission field and makes it compliant with laws. The PCTR is not
a political body.

It is upon the National Assembly to terminate licensing process,"
"Intenews"NGO Legal Service head David Sadukhchyan told A1+.

"The commission isn’t entitled to set norms, it must apply the existing
norms," said David Sadukhchyan in regard to the PCTR Chairman Grigor
Amalyan’s statement.

To remind, Amalyan had announced that the issue of granting licences to
analogical TV Companies might be reconsidered in view of digitization.

Sandukhchyan said that the programme of digitization is still
under consideration. A number of organisations have come up with
proposals. One of them proposed transmission of two and more TV
stations via one channel, i.e. both anological and digital TV Companies
should be broadcast simultaneously.

"Termination of anological licencing implies great changes to the
laws. Under the law licencing tenders must be announced at least once
a year," he said.

It is due to mention that the commission hasn’t held tenders since 2004
because of the absence of free frequencies. Neither did it announce
tenders for radio frequencies though according to the commission
there are six free radio frequencies

"If I were Amalyan I would tell people that the question is beyond
my competence and send them to relevant bodies."