Author: Tumanian Talar

ROBERT KOCHARYAN NOT TO HOLD POSITION OF PRIME MINISTER AFTER RESIGNATION

arminfo
2008-03-13 19:58:00

ArmInfo. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan will not hold the post of
the Armenian prime minister after he resigns as president, Armenian
Prime Minister, newly-elected President Serzh Sargsyan said in his
TV interview, replying to RA citizens’ questions.

"Robert Kocharyan and I are so honest that if such a scenario had
been possible, we would have told this before the election the way
Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev did", Sargsyan said.

THE DELEGATION OF RA DEFENSE MINISTRY LEFT FOR BRUSSELS

mp;p=0&id=380&y=2008&m=03&d=14
10. 03.08

On March 10th, 2008 the delegation of RA Defense Ministry left for
Brussels to participate in the sitting of the Strategic-Political
Committee in Armenia-NATO format at NATO’s headquarters. The
delegation comprises RA Deputy Defense Minister Ara Nazaryan, Head
of the Department on International Military Cooperation and Defense
Programs, Colonel David Tonoyan and acting Head of the Division on
Cooperation with NTO Ara Mesropyan.

During the sitting members of the Armenian delegation and
representatives of NATO member states will discuss the concise
Planning and Review Report worked out during the visit of the NATO
Assessment Mission to Armenia on February 4-8 and the amended purposes
of partnership, the progress in the fulfillment of the aims included in
the second part of the Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Action Plan.

VARDAN OSKANYAN: "SITUATION ON THE CONTACT FRONT LINE OF AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN ARMED FORCES IS STILL TENSE"

Today
cs/43712.html
March 14 2008
Azerbaijan

Situation on the contact front line of the Nagorno Karabakh and
Azerbaijani armed forces is still tense, yet fire exchange is not
reported.

The due announcement was made by Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanyan at a press conference.

"Tenseness is still observed", Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanyan said "I hope the situation will not repeat again". He said
"Azerbaijani side has previously fired at Armenia’s positions, but
this attempt has been prevented".

He said Azerbaijan still spreads information that the ceasefire
violation has not been stopped on the contact front line and there
are casualties among Azerbaijani soldiers.

"I don’t know who are these victims, perhaps, these are victims of
March 4. I can assure that there is no fire exchange on the front
line and no casualties", the Minister said and noted that Armenia will
"regularly rebut such disinformation".

REFORM SYSTEM OF MIGRATION SYSTEM AND PASSPORTS WITH BIOMETRIC DATA DISCUSSED IN CONSULTATION INVITED BY RA PRESIDENT

Noyan Tapan
March 13, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The concept paper of the reforms of
the migration system and passports with biometric data was discussed
during the working consultation of President Robert Kocharian held
on March 12. The consultation was attended by Hovik Abrahamian, the
Deputy Prime Minister, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finances and
Economics, as well as Justice, the Heads of the Police and National
Security Services, and representatives of other interested departments.

Robert Kocharian said that the process starting in the migration
system is one of the regular steps of reforms of the state system
and is directed at the formation of a united migration service.

Gevorg Mherian, the assistant of the RA President, introduced
the suggestions of the task group concerning the investment of a
system of electronic passports containing biometric determinants
and identification cards in the Republic of Armenia. In his words,
passports with biometric determinants are envisaged to be used for
entering foreign countries and identification cards will be used inside
the country. The study of the international experience shows that the
investment of such a system will give an opportunity to strengthen
the degree of conformity between a person bearing concrete biometric
data and the document data concerning him, to diminish the opportunity
for forging documents, will allow to make clearer and automatic the
identification process of a person, as well as can contribute to
the process of receiving visa of European Union member states by the
clarified or facilitated procedure of the RA citizen.

For the purpose of conducting a united migration state policy the
creation of a separate subdivision envolved in migration problems
was attached importance to. The above-mentioned subdivision will
implement its activities by the principle of the special civil service.

According to the information provided to Noyan Tapan by the RA
President’s Press Office, attaching importance to the start of
the work, Robert Kocharian said that a schedule of concrete tasks
following the concept paper has been developed and assigned to
interested departments to operate within that framework.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT TO MITIGATE RESTRICTIONS ON MASS MEDIA ACTIVITIES

Noyan Tapan
March 12, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian president Robert
Kocharian on March 12 went to see 3 sections of Heratsi-Saralanj
transport node to be constructed in Yerevan. Familiarizing himself
with the construction work on the spot, he told reporters that
what he saw "gives a hope that the node will be put into operation
on time". According to him, the construction of the transport node
is one of the largest projects in Yerevan, it costs over 10 million
dollars. The aim is to ease traffic in several streets of the city. The
project envisages 3 nodes with 6 bridges and two tunnels.

At the request of reporters, R. Kocharian spoke about the internal
political situation. He considered as provocative the first Armenian
president Levon Ter-Petrosian’s statements about an intention to hold
a rally immediately after the end of the state of emergency. "How do
you imagine the contacts of policemen and demonstrators – the same
people in the same plane?," R. Kocharian asked, adding that "no one
can guarantee security of such a rally".

R. Kocharian said that the post-election developments, especially the
March 1-2 disorders have first of all affected the tourism sector. "The
number of tourists to Armenia has significantly declined today, and
tourist agencies express an alarm that in fact people refuse the tour
packages formed for the next few months," the president said. In his
words, the newly elected president and the government to be formed
after April 9 "should take active measures to restore the prestige
of the country".

According to R. Kocharian, all this may also have an impact on the
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. "We should realize
that the weaker Armenia and the president’s positions, the greater
the temptation to pressure this president and country will be,"
he said, adding that in his opinion, the current situation is not
irreversible and it will be rectified in one or two months. "But
in order to rectify it, all those guilty should be held accountable
for what they have done, all those who instigated and created this
situation should appear in court. Unless we do so, the provocative
actions will continue," R. Kocharian said.

He also urged reporters to perceive with understanding the restrictions
on their activities, informing them that in the coming hours he will
sign a decree to mitigate the restrictions on mass media activities:
"the approach will change" by this decree. In his words, the current
decree determines the mass media actions on the internal political
situation, whereas the new decree will envisage "very narrow"
restrictions and will state what may not be done. The president said
that the new restrictions will only be related to provocative actions,
dissemination of obviously false information, and reporters will be
much freer to express their opinions and approaches and to disseminate
information, they just should be careful and publish information only
after checking it.

ZIYAFET ASKEROV: "WITHDRAWAL OF AZERBAIJANI PEACEKEEPING FORCES FROM KOSOVO WILL NOT DAMAGE OUR RELATIONS WITH NATO"

Today
s/43626.html
March 11 2008
Azerbaijan

"The relations between NATO and Azerbaijan are on a good
level. This fact is admitted by the leadership and representatives
of the organization. We have met in the parliament with special
representatives of NATO Secretary General in Central Asia and South
Caucasus Robert Simmons more than once. It is constantly mentioned
that Azerbaijan is loyal to execution of commitments undertaken in
the framework of bilateral cooperation".

The due announcement was made by Ziyafet Askerov, first deputy chairman
of Milli Medjlis, chairman of parliamentary commission for defense
and security, commenting on the relations between NATO and Azerbaijan.

He said Azerbaijan’s decision to withdraw peacekeeping forces from
Kosovo will not affect these relations, as in this case, independent
policy of a sovereign country is implied.

"In conditions of changes in political situation in Kosovo, we
considered this decision to be expedient and this does not require
wide discussions".

He reminded that last year Azerbaijan doubled its peacekeeping
contingent, serving in Afghanistan under auspices of NATO.

He also commented on the situation on the front line rebutting
information of Russian mass medias, according to which Azerbaijan is
to be blamed for the fire exchange between Azerbaijani and Armenian
forces.

"The events are directly connected with the unrest in Armenia,
which killed 8 and wounded hundreds of people. In this respect,
the leadership of Armenia have initiated these provocations on the
front line to distract attention of Armenians and world community
from internal tenseness", Askerov noted.

He said such incidents will not lead to resumption of military
actions, as Kocharyan’s regime seeks way out of the established
internal situation.

"In this case Armenians used only one of the variants they have to
distract attention of the community from Armenia’s problems.

Askerov noted that during the recent visit of the president of NATO’s
parliamentary assembly to Baku, the sides discussed the issue and
Azerbaijani representatives provided broad information about how
Armenians initiate different provocations and about the events
in Armenia.

COUNCIL OF EUROPE COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA ON MARCH 12

Noyan Tapan
March 11, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 11, NOYAN TAPAN. Thomas Hammarberg, the Council of
Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, will be in Armenia on March
12-15. During the visit T. Hammarberg will meet with RA President
Robert Kocharian, NA Speaker Tigran Torosian, Prime Minister Serge
Sargsian, Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian, Justice Minister Gevorg
Danielian, Police Chief Hayk Haroutiunian, RA Prosecutor General Aghvan
Hovsepian, RA Ombudsperson Armen Haroutiunian, and representatives
of the opposition.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry Press
and Information Department, the meeting of the Council of Europe
Commissioner for Human Rights with Vardan Osakanian will take place
on March 12.

THOSE WHO HAVE RUINED THEY MUST PAY

Hayots Ashkhar
Published on March 11, 2008

"Those shops, those buses, trolleybuses, from France, Ukraine,
etc. were our national values. They have already started to repair
the Moscow House, Municipality. But why? I will never forgive the
authorities if they repair all this ravage on the account of the
country’s budget. Why should Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s ravage be restored
on my account?

Isn’t he our citizen? Can’t they freeze his bank account in
Switzerland? The same thing they can do with his notorious team
members.

They can pawn his house. Anyway he likes to live in tents. He can go
to Gyumry and live in a cottage. Krkoryan should be offended when he
sees what they have done with the streets constructed by his financial
means. What I want to say is that those who have ruined all this must
pay." Samvel Karapetyan believes.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

A DELEGATION FROM THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA TRAVELS
TO HOLY ETCHMIYADZINE

In light of the unfortunate events Yerevan witnessed on March 1, a
delegation representing His Holiness Aram I and the Catholicosate of Cilicia
has traveled to Holy Etchmiyadzine in Armenia to express the support of the
Holy See of Cilicia to His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians,
as well as to the families of the victims and those injured. The delegation
is formed of Archbishop Sebouh Sarkissian and Bishop Nareg Alemezian.

As he had emphasized in his statements in the immediate aftermath of the
events, His Holiness Aram I once more stressed that today more than ever,
when our homeland faces critical challenges, it is essential that the
children of our nation put aside all sorts of secondary issues and gather
around our pan-national values and interests.

##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

ARMENIA MAKES ITS SONG SELECTION FOR BELGRADE 2008

Manchester Evening News Blog
vision/2008/03/armenia_makes_its_song_selecti.html
March 10 2008
UK

SIRUSHO the singer to represent Armenia was chosen last year but the
song Qele Qele was chosen at weekend.

The singer was selected last November and the song she will sing in
Belgrade was chosen by a jury and members of the public.

The songs came from an open competition involving Armenian songwriters,
which the jury narrowed down to just four.

Sirusho sang each of the songs Strong, I Can’t Control It, I Still
Breathe plus the winning song on TV on Saturday evening. After the
songs had been presented, TV viewers were then asked for their verdict
by text voting, as well as that of an expert jury.

According to eurovision.tv the winning song is a mixture of ethnic
sounds and contemporary pop music. It starts like a ballad with a
verse in Armenian language, building up to an up-tempo pop song with
lyrics which are mostly in English. Armenia will compete in the first
semi-final of the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, taking place on May
20 in Belgrade.

Watch the winning entry below and see what you think: