Author: Tvankchian Parkev

Published: Wednesday March 18, 2009
Source; Asbarez.com

As Bipartisan Support for Genocide Bill Grows, Turkey Renews Warnings
to Obama

ANKARA (Combined Sources)–Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ali Babacan has
again warned that the introduction of a resolution by U.S. lawmakers
recognizing the Armenian Genocide could harm efforts to improve ties
with Armenia, reported the Turkish Hurriyet Daily.

Babacan’s latest warning came as US lawmakers on Tuesday introduced a
new resolution to recognize the Genocide into the House of
Representatives. H.Res. 252, introduced by Reps. Adam Schiff
(D.-Calif.), George Radanovich (R.-Calif.), Frank Pallone,
Jr. (D.-N.J.), and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill.), currently has bipartisan
support from 77 original co-sponsors in the House.

The resolution, Babacan asserted could undermine efforts by President
Barack Obama’s administration to win help from Turkey on key foreign
policy goals in the Middle East, Iraq and Afghanistan. President Obama
is due to visit Turkey early April.

He said Turkey and Armenia are already discussing what he called `the
1915 killings’ and "steps that could be taken by third countries on
the issue would not bring any good but harm this process." "We hope
parliamentarians, parliaments become aware of this process and act
responsibly," he was quoted by AP as saying at a joint press
conference with his Philippine counterpart Alberto Romulo.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF ARMENIA ADOPTED AMENDMENTS TO CRIMINAL CODE

Panorama.am
13:21 18/03/2009

The National Assembly of Armenia adopted today the draft of law on
making amendments to the Articles 225 and 300 of the Criminal Code
of Armenia. With 98 pros and 6 cons the deputies voted and the draft
of law was adopted. Note that yesterday the discussion of the draft
of law lasted only 5 minutes with half empty NA hall.

RIGHT FOR FAIR TRIAL ENDANGERED, LAWYERS SAY
Lusine Vasilyan

"Radiolur"
17.03.2009 16:03

Before today’s hearing on the "case of 7" the lawyers of the defendants
met with reporters. They declared that their further participation
in the trial is improper. Proceeding from the decision made during
the previous court hearing and the judicial process, in general,
the lawyers consider that the right for fair trial is endangered,
and the rights of defendants and lawyers are violated.

"Under such conditions our participation in the process, our presence
in the courtroom becomes formal. In reality, the court ignores all our
petitions and suggestions. We will not attend the hearings until all
conditions of fair trial are ensured," lawyer Varduhi Elbakyan said.

Today’s hearing on the "case of seven" was held without the accused
and the lawyers. Judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan took the decision to apply
to the Chamber of Advocates with a petition to inflict a disciplinary
penalty upon every lawyer. The court hearing was postponed until
March 23.

OPTICAL RESEARCH: STUDY DATA FROM YEREVAN STATE UNIVERSITY UPDATE KNOWLEDGE OF OPTICAL RESEARCH

Science Letter
March 17, 2009

"The specific features of defect modes of chiral photonic crystals
with an anisotropic defect have been investigated. Peculiarities of the
spectra of polarization observables of the system under consideration
are analyzed at different thicknesses of the defect layer," scientists
in Yerevan, Armenia report (see also Optical Research).

"It is shown that single refraction occurs in a defect mode,
even though the system is anisotropic and inhomogeneous. We also
investigated the specific features of the spectra of the photon density
of states, light intensity at the defect center, and the Q factor of
defect modes at different thicknesses of the defect layer and chiral
photonic crystals. It is shown that the lasing wavelength of chiral
photonic crystals with an anisotropic defect enriched in laser dyes
(resonant atoms) can be controlled in a different way: by varying
the defect layer thickness," wrote A. Gevorgyan and colleagues,
Yerevan State University.

The researchers concluded: "It is shown that this system can operate
as a narrow-band filter (mirror) with a controlled frequency width
and location of the total transmission (reflection) range on the
frequency scale."

Gevorgyan and colleagues published their study in Optics and
Spectroscopy (Specific features of the emission of chiral photonic
crystals with an anisotropic defect: I. Thickness effects. Optics
and Spectroscopy, 2009;106(1):43-49).

For additional information, contact A. Gevorgyan, Yerevan State
University, Yerevan 375025, Armenia.

The publisher’s contact information for the journal Optics and
Spectroscopy is: Maik Nauka, Interperiodica, Springer, 233 Spring St.,
New York, NY 10013-1578, USA.

ARMROSGASPROM (ARMENIA) TO INVEST $10MLN IN HOLIDAY CENTER

ARKA
March 17, 2009

YEREVAN, March 17. /ARKA/. Under a renovation program for the Adigas
holiday center in Tsakhkadzor, the ArmRosgasprom CJSC plans to
invest $10mln.

The ArmRosgasprom press service reports that the renovation work will
last from this April to the end of next year.

The program is based on a decision made by the ArmRosgasprom Board
of Directors. The decision provides for the renovation of the Adigas
holiday center and construction of a health care center for the
company staff.

The funds will be invested in the construction of a sports and fitness
hotel complex in conformity with international standards.

"The investments will contribute to the development of the Armenian
tourist industry," the report says.

The ArmRosgasprom holds a monopoly of the distribution of Russian
natural gas in Armenia. The gas is supplied to Armenia through Georgia.

The comp[any was founded in 1997. Gasprom’s share in its authorized
capital is 75.55%, the RA Government’s share 20% and that of the
Itera Company 4.44%.

DIRECTOR GENERAL OF ‘ARMAVIA’: WE SHALL PROBABLY CHARGE REPAIR OF OUR AIRCRAFTS TO LUFTHANZA TECHNIK OR AIR FRANCE

ArmInfo
2009-03-16 10:02:00

ArmInfo. ‘Armavia’ will probably charge the repair of its aircrafts
to Lufthanza Technik AG Ð~AÂ"Ð~A or Air France, Director General of
‘Armavia’ Airlines Norayr Belluyan told journalists today.

He said the Company is currently considering the opportunity of
refusing the services of Sabina Technics Belgian Company. ‘It does
not mean we shall necessarily refuse the services of our present
partner. Currently, we are considering the proposals by all the
three companies’, N. Belluyan said. The summer park of the Airline
includes two aircrafts – Airbus A-320, two A-319 and Ty-134, as well
as one IL-86.

Digital Media Asia
March 13, 2009 Friday

‘Orange adds Armenia 1 TV, Orange Armenia launch by year-end’

DMASIA-13 March 2009-‘Orange adds Armenia 1 TV, Orange Armenia launch
by year-end’

Ltd. All rights reserved.

Orange France has added Armenia’s public channel Armenia 1 to the
Orange TV service, accessible free of charge at channel 305. The move
was celebrated on 12 March by Armenian foreign minister Edward
Nalbandian and France Telecom-Orange CEO Didier Lombard, who used the
opportunity to recall the relationship between the group and the
Armenian republic. France Telecom sent a mobile satellite antenna to
Armenia following the 1988 earthquake and the company supports the
annual Phonethon to collect funds by phone for structural projects in
the country. Orange also said it would launch its mobile phone service
in Armenia by the end of the year. Orange Armenia won the country’s
third mobile licence (GSM/3G) in October 2008.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Azeri FM invited to Yerevan for BSEC Foreign Ministers Council meeting
12.03.2009 14:48 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has
received an invitation from the Armenian MFA to attend the BSEC
Foreign Ministers Council meeting due in Yerevan on April 16, Azeri
media reports say.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan has already confirmed his
participation.

A1+

Videoconferencing hall opened
[08:25 pm] 11 March, 2009

Today the official opening of the videoconferencing hall of the
American University of Armenia was held. The videoconferencing hall
was sponsored by VivaCell-MTS, a subsidiary of Mobile TeleSystems OJSC
(NYSE: MBT).

VivaCell-MTS has provided AMD 60.6 mln of support for the
videoconferencing facility, which will be named for VivaCell-MTS.

The videoconferencing room comprises a set of interactive
telecommunication technologies which allow students and professors in
different locations to interact via two-way video and audio
transmissions simultaneously. Thanks to this innovative technology,
students and faculty of AUA can benefit from guest lecturers
â?`brought’ into a class from another university though
videoconference. The official launch of the room was marked by the
first videoconferencing lecture in the new Paramaz Avedisian Building
by Dr. Michael Thompson from the University of North Carolina at
Charlotte, for students of the College of Health Sciences.

Through videoconferencing students can visit another part of the world
to speak with others which brings opportunities to students and
faculty from diverse communities and backgrounds to come
together. Scientists can collaborate with colleagues at other
universities on a regular basis without loss of time due to travel.

`Bringing Armenia to the world and the world to Armenia is our aim. We
are responsible for developing highly skilled and flexible human
capital in Armenia. Application of up-to-date technologies in
education today is necessary if we want to compete effectively in
global markets. Nowadays we should be able to think globally. And
videoconferencing allows students from Armenia and their peers in
other countries to explore, communicate, analyze and share information
and ideas with one another’, – VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph
Yirikian mentioned during the official opening.

`The support of VivaCell-MTS for the videoconferencing hall in the
University’s brand new state of the art campus building is appreciated
by the whole University community. The VivaCell-MTS commitment to
education in Armenia is exemplary and demonstrates its direct
continued support of the community," said AUA President Haroutune
Armenian.

Support for the videoconferencing equipment was provided by USAID in
an earlier grant to the University.

Armenia to adopt a national program of human rights defense

armradio.am
11.03.2009 11:38

On March 11 the Secretary of the National Security Council of Armenia,
Arthur Baghdasaryan, received the Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Armenia, Onno
Elderenbosch. Discussed were issues related to regional security and
stability, Armenian-Turkish relations, the Karabakh conflict
settlement, Armenia-EU cooperation.

Reference was made to the priorities of the 2009-2011 Armenia-EU Action
Plan of the European Neighborhood Policy. Arthur Baghdasaryan informed
that an interdepartmental working group has been established to adopt a
national program of human rights defense.

The interlocutors dwelt on the international conference on the
`Security in Caucasus’ to be held in Yerevan in May.