Author: Tvankchian Parkev

DEMONSTRATORS ARE DISAPPOINTED

A1+
[03:17 pm] 11 December, 2008

The mothers and wives of the detainees of March 1 gathered today on
one side of the Government building today, while the residents of
the alienation zones on the other. RA Premier Tigran Sargsyan had
promised to meet with them and discuss their issues. As to when that
meeting would take place, the demonstrators don’t know because every
time the government says that the prime minister is out of the country.

Among demonstrators were five refugee families living on Aghbyur Serob
street whom the Yerevan city council refuses to grant certificates
of ownership, despite the fact that the residents of the neighboring
homes have already received them. "We are refugees and they refuse
to help us in our homeland. Our neighbors were able to solve their
issue through bribes. How can we?" told "A1+" one of the women who
comes to the government building every Thursday.

Demonstrators were screaming "Shame on the mayor", "Thieves". According
to them, they no longer hope for any meeting with the a government
official because they have realized and are disappointed that no
government official will try to help them. The wives of political
prisoners were calling for "liberty" an ddemanding the release of
their husbands. Among participants was Karine Asaturovna, who is
the mother of March 1 detainee, former police officer and national
movement follower Kristapor Elazyan. Karine told us how her three
sons were arrested for no reason and how two of her children were
sentenced to four years in jail.

"They sentenced him when it is cleary seen in the discs that my son
was not beating a police officer, but rather saving his life. That
same police officer gave a false testimony in court," said Karine.

Then the wives and relatives of the political prisoners made some
turns in the small section that the police had given them and then
left with the plan to return next Thursday.

SERZH SARGSYAN: THERE ARE SEVERAL PERSPECTIVE SPHERES IN PROMOTION OF ECONOMIC COOPERATION BETWEEN ARMENIA AND BULGARIA

ArmInfo
2008-12-11 08:45:00

ArmInfo. "There are several perspective spheres in promotion
of economic cooperation and growth of trade turnover between
Armenia and Bulgaria",- Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said at a
press-conference after the Armenian-Bulgarian high-level negotiations
in Sofia, Wednesday.

Sargsyan said that there used to be well-known Bulgarian commodities in
Armenia and added that it’s time to restore the tradition. Alongside
with the increase in import of Bulgarian commodities to Armenia,
Sargsyan also pointed out big opportunities for activation of
cooperation in the sphere of energy. "Both Armenia and Bulgaria
have one nuclear power plant. Now we want to build a new power
unit. I think that our cooperation in this sphere will be active both
before and after the launch of the new power unit of Armenian NPP",-
Sargsyan said.

According to Sargsyan, during the Armenian-Bulgarian high-level
meetings, the persons responsible for transport were given
instructions to make preparations by the time Armenia and Bulgaria
have an overland communication. In addition, the president said
that after construction of Armenia-Iran railroad, Armenia will have
also railroad communication, and this complex of measures will help
increase the commodity turnover and raise the economic component of
the bilateral cooperation to the level of international relations.

To note, in 2008 the commodity turnover between Armenia and Bulgaria
amounted to 150 mln USD.

KEY TO THE SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH ISSUE – IN OUR HANDS
Gevorg Haroutyunyan

Azat Artsakh Daily
09 Dec 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR

Interview with MP HAMLET HAROUTYUNYAN, Head of "Artsakh" compatriots’
union

"Mr. Haroutyunyan, how do you account for the haste over the settlement
of the Karabakh conflict and the unprecedented activeness of the
international organizations and some internal political forces?"

"The Karabakh settlement talks have really taken a much more intensive
course. The meetings between the Presidents and Foreign Ministers
of Armenia and Artsakh organized by the mediation of the OSCE Minsk
Group and in other formats have become more frequent. In this context,
I consider the increased hue-and-cry quite natural.

It is not proper to any nation to make the solution of a pan-national
problem dependent upon the attitude towards this or that politician.

Moreover, it is illogical when they bring harm to the nation and
torpedo the pro-Armenian settlement of the problem with the purpose
of impeding the activities of he given figure. Unfortunately, we
won’t learn lessons from the sad examples of our history.

Generally, these forces speculating the interests of the nation
and state pursue only one goal: to come to power. The individuals
yearning for power do not even hate the idea of undermining the state
and splitting the nation, since they are c onvinced that even in such
circumstances, there is something for them to plunder.

In our reality, there are also hidden traitors who manage to split
the people, make the country vulnerable and remain unpunished. One
can always strive for power and be dissatisfied with the rulers, but
it is not allowed to trample on the national interests and sacred
values. Expressing their views on the pages of the press, those
people do not even conceal their admiration when, leaning on the
misinformation disseminated by the Turkish-Azerbaijani propaganda,
they allegedly point out to the lapses and defeats of our country’s
leadership and diplomacy. The threat to Artsakh has not, in any way,
increased over the recent period but in this way, they are instilling
defeatist moods among the people. This is the tragedy."

"What solution do you see for the Artsakh issue? What else should be
done apart from undertaking diplomatic-political steps?"

"It is obvious that at some stage of the negotiations held within the
frameworks of the Minsk Group, Nagorno Karabakh will inevitably become
a negotiating party. Even the fate of the smallest nation cannot be
determined without the participation of one of its representatives. As
to the people of Artsakh, they are solving a national problem for
their liberation, and the world is well-aware of that.

On the geo-political plane, the Artsakh issue will find a solution
when the superpowers reach a common agreement over their interests
in the Caucasian region."

YEREVAN AND BAKU RECEIVED "TECHNICAL DOCUMENT" ON KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.12.2008 17:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Foreign Ministers of Russia, France and the
U.S. handed a technical document, which can speed up the settlement
process, to the sides in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the OSCE MG
French Co-chair said.

"First of all, this document should be developed and
studied. Afterwards, it will be either approved or rejected,"
Ambassador Bernard Fassier said, adding that Armenia and Azerbaijan
were offered a schedule of coordination of the basic principles till
the end of the year.

"The latest meeting in Helsinki was useful. Foreign Ministers of
Armenia and Azerbaijan held 5-hour talks on the Karabakh issue,"
Fassier said.

ARMENIA INTERESTED IN TRACECA CORRIDOR

The Messenger
Dec 8 2008
Georgia

Armenia is interested in seeing the TRACECA transport corridor pass
through its country, said its Minister of Transport and Communications
Gurgen Sarkisian at a press conference in Yerevan.

TRACECA is an intergovernmental organization comprising Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Romania, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The
organization seeks to establish a viable transport corridor between
the countries and was established in 1998. Armenia spoke about its
national interests and how TRACECA could fulfill them at its tenth
anniversary celebration in Baku on December 4.

DM SEYRAN OHANYAN MEETS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE RUSSIAN ARMENIAN COMMUNITY

armradio.am
08.12.2008 17:21

On December 8 the Defense Minister of Armenia, Sеyran Ohanyan,
received the delegation of representatives of the Armenian community
of Russia headed by the Consul General of Armenia in Rostov Ararat
Gomtsyan.

Greeting the guests, the Minister attached importance to the
participation of Diaspora Armenians in the programs and initiatives
accomplished in the Motherland.

Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan awarded Marshal Baghramyan medals to
Albert Shamilyants, Andrey Kegeyan, Armen Stepanyan and Levon Adamyan.

"Andranik Ozanyan" medals were awarded to Artyom Arzumanyan, Edward
Vardanyan, Aram Тer-Hunanyan. Jirair Mkhoyan and Harutyun Surmalyan
were decorated with "Drastamat Kanayan" medals for contribution to
the development of cooperation between the Republic of Armenia and
the Russian Federation, as well as the support to the Armed Forces
of Armenia.

For his part, Levon Adamyan expressed gratitude to the Minister and
presented a symbolic ship to Seyran Ohanyan on behalf of the Armenian
community of Russia. Mr. Adamyan noted that he will spare no effort
to contribute to the prosperity and development of the Motherland.

–Boundary_(ID_o3VFzXVj3kfaNMa3GYXSGQ )–

RUSSIA SHOWS INTEREST IN CONSTRUCTION OF NEW NPP IN ARMENIA

ARKA
Dec 8, 2008

MOSCOW, December 8. /ARKA/. Russia shows interest in construction of
a new nuclear power plant (NPP) in Armenia, Armenian Premier Tigran
Sargsyan said.

"We are permanently holding consultations on the issue with our Russian
partners," the Premier told journalists in the Armenian Embassy in
the Russian federation.

The issue was discussed at the last meeting with Russian Premier
Putin on December 5, he said. At the meeting the sides pointed out
their satisfaction with the negotiations, Sargsyan said.

Armenian Premier also pointed out that Russian partners are expected
to participate in the construction project.

Armenian Premier left for Moscow on a day official visit Friday.

The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) situated near Metsamor town
was commissioned in 1976 (the second unit – in 1980).Currently only
the second unit of the plant with output of 407.5 megawatt is operated.

In September 2003, the financial flows of Armenian NPP were placed in
trust management of INTER RAO EES Closed Joint Stock Company owned by
"Rosatom" Russian State Corporation. According to experts, Armenian
NPP can be operated till 2016.

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 4 2008

Berlin to host two roundtables on Azerbaijan

[ 04 Dec 2008 18:07 ]

Baku. Lachin Sultanova`APA. Germany’s Konrad Adenauer Foundation will
organize roundtable on the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict in
Berlin on December 9. Head of the Strategic Researches Center (SRC)
under the President Elkhan Nuriyev will make report on the `Models of
solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict’ at the roundtable, the SRC
officials told APA.

Head of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation Amos Helms, German political
scientist Johannes Rau, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Germany Parviz
Shahbazov, well-known German experts and representatives of the
diplomatic corpse accredited in the country will attend the round
table.

Berlin will host another round table on December 10 at the German
Institute of International Policy and Security dedicated to the
`Azerbaijan’s strategic choice ` modernization way and priorities of
the foreign policy’. Elkhan Nuriyev will deliver speech at this event
too.

"WELCOME TO VIRTUAL SITE OF ALL ARMENIANS:" WORLD ARMENIAN CONGRESS WEBSITE LAUNCHED

Noyan Tapan

Dec 5, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The website of the World Armenian
Congress (WAC) international union has been launched. It will present
the everyday life and problems of Armenians worldwide. According to
the report of the World Armenian Congress, disputes, discussions on
all-Armenian programs, especially preservation of Armenian identity and
those related to various problems of Armenians worldwide will be held
on the website. "Welcome to the virtual family of
all Armenians. We are also opening our hospitable doors before the
Armenian youth, where the Association of Youth Organizations of the
Congress presents its programs and events," the report spread by the
Congress read.

WAC also reported that the website is also the primary information
source on the Congress activity, which facilitates its cooperation
with media in the respect of more unbiassed and efficient coverage
of World Armenian Congress programs.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER’S WORKING VISIT TO HELSINKI STARTS

Noyan Tapan

Dec 4, 2008

HELSINKI, DECEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian, who is in Helsinki on a working visit, on December 3 met
with OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut. The latter
informed him about his intention to visit Armenia soon.

E. Nalbandian said that Armenia attaches importance to OSCE’s role
in providing security and cooperation in Europe and considers that
the organization needs reformation to more efficiently respond to
the current problems.

The current security system in Europe was touched upon at the
meeting. The RA Foreign Minister emphasized that the European security
system needs perfection, and the organization member countries should
exert joint efforts to make it more active and effective.

Issues connected with OSCE Yerevan Office’s activity and raising its
efficiency were also discussed at the meeting.

The same day E. Nalbandian met with Goran Lenmarker, OSCE PA Rapporteur
on Nagorno Karabakh issue. The latest developments in the negotiations
on Artsakh problem settlement were discussed at the meeting. Attaching
importance to the declaration signed by the Presidents of Armenia,
Azerbaijan, and Russia on November 2 in Moscow, E. Nalbandian said
that the misrepresented commentaries upon the declaration voiced by
Azerbaijan and its attempts to disregard the provisions stipulated
by the document undermine the efficiency of the process and recording
of progress.

G. Lenmarker, in his turn, reaffirmed that OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
has always supported Nagorno Karabakh settlement only through peaceful
negotiations.

According to the report provided to Noyan Tapan by the RA Foreign
Ministry Press and Information Department, the same day E. Nalbandian
and Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadiarov met with OSCE Minsk Group
Co-chairs Yuri Merzliakov, Bernard Fassier, Matthew Bryza, and Personal
Representative of OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Casprzyk. Issues
related to Nagorno Karabakh settlement were discussed during the
meeting. They attached importance to the preservation of the positive
spirit formed as a result of Armenian and Azeri Presidents’ meeting
held on June 6, 2008 in Saint Petersburg and on November 2 in Moscow,
continuation of the negotiations on the basis of Madrid principles,
with the assistance of MG Co-chairs for the purpose of bringing close
the approaches of the sides, settling the problem peacefully.