Author: Vanyan Gary

NEO-BOLSHEVIK’S LANDING FORCE IN CALIFORNIA
VREJ AHARONYAN

Hayots Ashkharh Daily
13 Dec 2008
Armenia

Money For The Revolution

During the recent times the representatives of the Armenian National
Congress and L. Ter-Petrosyan personally are making efforts to liven up
their movement, which is in evident crisis.

Whereas as a result of the discussions the Neo-Bolsheviks came to a
conclusion that the lack of finance is the main reason for such sad
situation. That is why they decided to solve the issue of finance
before restarting their demonstration stage from February 2009. In
particular they have started to `legalize’ the suspicious sums received
from the USA by means of different strange organizations, to show the
international community and the Armenian society that they carry out
their activity with `clean’ money.

So on December 20-21 a fund-raising TV-marathon will be held in
California (Los Angeles, Glandale), where there are lots of Armenians,
and the whole profit will be sent to Armenia via `ArmEconomBank’, and
used for the political activity of the Armenian National Congress.

In other words, the leadership of the Armenian National Congress has
initiated this not very honorable way of obtaining money to be able to
destabilize the internal political situation in spring 2009. To take to
the streets the socially insecure groups and the youth organizations,

and provoke local clashes in Yerevan streets, as well as allocate money
for black PR, etc.

As regards the organization of the fund raising, the Armenian National
Congress is doing it in a very coordinative and knowledgeable way, as a
result of which they anticipate huge amounts of money. For that purpose

all the levers of `Hnchakyan’ Party have been put into practice. The
activity is coordinated by famous political figure belonging to
`Hnchakyan’ Party one of the heads of L. Ter-Petrosyan’s headquarter in
Los-Angeles, Hambik Safaryan.

Recently Vahan Shirkhanyan who recently became member of `Hnchakyan’
Party and who is famous for his `organizational skills’ was sent to the
USA on a business trip. We should remind you that still before the
Parliamentary elections of 2007, together with Alik Arzumanyan, this
person used to import money for the Union `Impeachment’. Vahan
Shirkhanyan decided to use the same trick during his visit to the USA.

After Vahan Shirkhanyan Manushak Petrosyan was sent to the USA, who is
in Los Angeles these days. By using her experience and contacts, which
she had gained as the President of `Hayastan’ pan Armenian foundation,
Manushak is having different meetings with Diaspora Armenian and not
only Armenian families, organizations and reaches arrangements on the
amount of the money to be allocated for this marathon.

0AAccording to the available information L. Ter-Petrosyan’s team-members
(L. Zurabyan, Avetis Avagyan, Ashot Sargsyan) by e-mail, exhort the
diamonds of the American-Armenian community to participate in this
marathon.

But they are not satisfied with all the before mentioned. By L.
Ter-Petrosyan’s recommendation the PR group of the Armenian National
Congress, together with the journalists of `A1+’ TV company, have
prepared certain video records and DVDs, with the participation of
certain political figures, intellectuals, and public organizations,
where they exhort the American Armenian community to allocate much
money to the fund raising TV marathon.

Our reliable sources in the Armenian National Congress report, member
of the PR group Tigran Paskevichyan was going to take those tapes and
documentary materials to the USA, but he was rejected in the US Embassy
in Armenia.

But Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s team didn’t lose courage. They came to a
decision; they decided to send the Press Secretary of the Armenian
National Congress, member of L. Ter-Petrosyan’s PR group Arman Musinyan
to the USA for the same purpose. The latter has already left for the
USA on December 11, by Yerevan-Paris-Los Angeles flight.

According to the available information A. Musinyan is going to hold
active advocacy by different TV companies in the Armenian populated
cities in California for the promotion of the marathon. He will=2
0meet
with the representatives of Los-Angeles based offices supporting Levon
Ter-Petrosyan, certain individuals and organizations.

A. Musinyan is also recommended to smooth out the confrontation between
the groups belonging to Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s lawyer in Los Angeles
Karen Karapetyan and TV journalist, host of the series of program
`Varaguyr’ Rudik Hovsepyan.

But this is also not enough. To ensure the success of the marathon,
Levon Ter-Petrosyan is going to send his `heavy artillery’ D.
Shahnazaryan to the USA, from December 19 to 28, to supervise the
organizational activity and the flow of money.

Judging from Ter-Petrosyan’s surrounding, and the previous experience,
we can definitely say that only half of the donated money will be
allocated for the revolutionary activity, the families of the detained
and the activists. The other part will be used for their own interests.

What a pity! They could have built schools and set up charity
organizations with this money and really help those who are in need.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY STATE SECRETARY TO MAKE AN INTRODUCTORY VISIT TO ESTONIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Dec 11 2008
Latvia

On 11 December Foreign Ministry State Secretary Andris Teikmanis will
pay an introductory visit to Tallinn.

During the visit, consultations will take place between State Secretary
Teikmanis, his Estonian counterpart Foreign Ministry Secretary General
Matti Maasikas, and Undersecretary Marten Kokk.

The officials are expected to discuss bilateral and regional
co-operation, relations with Russia, the situation in Georgia,
topical EU issues, as well as energy and security policy issues.

MUBARIZ GURBANLY: "RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND ARMENIA MUST DEVELOP"

Today.Az
olitics/49533.html
Dec 12 2008
Azerbaijan

"Turkey is a Minsk Group member, therefore, it is interested in the
resolution of the Karabakh conflict", said deputy executive secretary
of the Yeni Azerbaijan party Mubariz Gurbanly.

He said Turkey is also Azerbaijan’s ally, therefore, it will always
support the interests of our country.

"The relations between Turkey and Armenia must develop, as the Karabakh
issue must be settled. Naturally, Armenia must in turn admit its fault
and reject claims on Azerbaijani lands, as well as the international
recognition of the so-called "Armenian genocide". If it does not do
it, it may hamper the development of relations between the countries.

By its policy Turkey again proves its good intentions to stop enmity
between the countries. I think the development of relations between the
countries will promote security and peace on the West", noted Gurbanly.

ARMENIAN PREMIER SAYS BACKS PRIVATE SECTOR’S PARTICIPATION IN PRIVATIZATION OF GEORGIAN HYDROPOWER PLANTS

ARKA
Dec 10, 2008

YEREVAN, December 10. /ARKA/. Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
said he supports the private sector’s participation in privatization
of Georgia’s hydropower plants. "We welcome any such participation,"
the premier said in Tbilisi on Tuesday.

Georgia’s Deputy Prime Minister Georgy Baramidze previously stated the
Georgian government welcomes Armenia’s participation in privatization
of their hydropower plants.

"I have told the Georgian premier that we stand ready to implement
large-scale projects with out Georgian colleagues," Sargsyan said,
adding the governments of both countries are ready to launch joint
economic programs.

"The first program will be construction of a road with the sponsorship
of the Asian Development Bank," the Armenian premier said, adding
the road will help transit goods and will guarantee an entry to Batumi.

With the Asian Development Bank ready to allocate funds for the
project, the road is likely to be put into operation in two years. The
distance between Yerevan-Batumi will become 30 percent shorter. The
distance between Yerevan and Batumi is about 700km.

WB TO EXTEND $30MLN WORTH LOAN TO ARMENIA FOR EDUCATIONAL REFORMS

ARKA
Dec 10, 2008

YEREVAN, December 10. /ARKA/. The World Bank is to extend a $30mln
worth loan to Armenia for educational reforms to be implemented
in 2009-2014, Head of WB Education Programs on Armenia Juan-Manuel
Moreno said.

Currently the program is in its preliminary evaluation stage and the
final budget of the program may change, he told journalists.

The loan is allocated for 20 years under IDA (International Development
Agency) favorable terms – at 0% interest rate and with a 10-year
grace period.

It is the third WB loan allocated to Armenia for educational
reforms. Under the first program approved for 1997-2002 the country
received $15mln. The second program was on education quality and
relevance for a total of $19mln; it was approved in 2004 and is to
be completed in the beginning of 2009.

Moreno reported that Armenian Government is to provide $6-7mln
co-financing for the educational reform program for 2009-2014. As a
result, the total budget of the program will go up to $37mln.

The program is expected to be discussed in March; in May the WB
Executive Board will consider and approve it after which the document
will be sent for Armenian Parliament’s approval. Most probably,
implementation will commence in November 2009, Moreno said.

The new loan program is to continue educational reforms in schools,
training of teachers with emphas is placed on math and natural
sciences. Further assistance will be provided in computerizing schools
and implementing financial management reforms.

Among other aspects of the program are assistance to the government in
introducing 12-year educational system, ensuring Internet accessibility
in schools, forming pre-schools institutions, implementing the Bologna
process in the country’s higher education system, Moreno said. Yet,
details and various components of the program still remain to be
clarified, he added.

The lending terms are quite favorable to Armenia, and the WB puts no
pre-conditions for the project, apart from the government’s interest,
Moreno said.

Under the draft program, about $4.5mln is to be allocated for
pre-school education reforms, about $9mln for building the 12-year
educational system and approximately $6.6mln for the higher education
reforms. About $4mln will be provided for computerization and IT
development in the field. The remaining funds are to be used to
continue reforms implemented under the second loan program.

3RD ANNUAL "WITHOUT-TIE" MEETING-FORUM OF ICT LEADERS HELD IN DILIJAN

Noyan Tapan

Dec 8, 2008

DILIJAN, DECEMBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN. "The Tax and Customs Legislation and
Administration Reforms", "The Global Financial Crisis: The Strategy
of Behaviour in the Crisis Situation", "The Principles of Electronic
Governance in Armenia" round tables were included in the agenda of
the 3rd annual "withou-tie" meeting-forum of ICT leaders held in
Dilijan on December 6-7.

This time the event was organized by the Union of IT Enterprises of
Armenia (UITE). More than 80 representatives of Armenian ICT companies,
NGOs, this sector’s state governance and regulation bodies, the
Central Bnak of Armenia (CBA) and commercial banks, the State Revenue
Committee adjunct to the RA government, Ericsson company (Sweden),
the IT department of Georgian ministry of finance, and USAID Business
Environment Reforms Program in Georgia took part in the meeting-forum.

During the round table on the subject "The Tax and Customs Legislation
and Administration Reforms", the deputy head of Taxpayer Servicing and
Taxation Procedures Deparment of the State Revenue Committee Armen
Tamazian presented the package of amendments and additions to tax
legislation to take effect starting from January 1, 2009, while the
head of the Committee’s Customs Control Department Albert Harutyunian
presented the amendments to customs legislation. They gave explanations
to the issues raised by businessmen and the proposals made by them. One
proposal of the UITE was related to making an amendment to the Law on
Value Added Tax because ICT companies cannot donate morally outdated
computers in good state without paying a value added tax.

Discussing the issues raised and proposals made at the round table
"The Global Financial Crisis: The Strategy of Behaviour in the Crisis
Situation", the RA minister of economy Nerses Yeritsian explained
that there are no problems with attraction of organizational and
financial resources for development of programs on overcoming the
challenges of the crisis: the business community just has to develop
these programs on confronting the crisis in a rapid and efficient way,
and the state will support the programs in some way or other.

During the round table "The Principles of Electronic Governance
in Armenia" held on the second day of the meeting-forum, the
representatives of Ericsson presented the technological solutions
of e-governance systems, while the Georgian guests spoke about the
experience gained in e-governance sector and the experience of the
e-trade systems in their country. The annual turnover of e-trade
makes about 20 million dollars a year in Georgia.

U.S. DIPLOMAT HAILS AZERI-ARMENIAN MINISTERIAL MEETING IN HELSINKI

Interfax
Dec 4 2008
Russia

U.S. Co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group on Nagorno-Karabakh Matthew
Bryza has hailed a meeting between the Armenian and Azeri foreign
ministers in Helsinki, seeing it as yet another step towards resolving
the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

It’s hard to say whether the meeting was or was not a success
because it is part of the general process and the next step after the
Azeri-Armenian summit in Moscow, the diplomat told a news conference
in Helsinki, the Azeri ANS television reports.

Bryza said he believed a regular top-level meeting was likely to
be held amid signs of growing trust between the Armenian and Azeri
presidents.

He stressed that the future peace agreement on Nagorno-Karabakh should
be based on the principle of territorial integrity.

The United States does not recognize Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence
and hopes Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians will switch to the negotiating
process at a certain stage and in fact are already taking part in it,
Bryza said, adding that he often traveled to Nagorno-Karabakh to meet
with local leaders.

Apart from the principle of territorial integrity, the document should
also reflect the right to self-determination, he said.

Some progress has been made but differences remain and talks are the
only way of settling them, the U.S. diplomat said.

MEDVEDEV SENDS MESSAGE OVER UNVEILED MONUMENT OF ARMENIAN QUAKE VICTIMS

ITAR-TASS
Dec 7 2008
Russia

MOSCOW, December 7 (Itar-Tass) — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
sent a message to participants in the ceremony that unveiled a
monument to the victims of earthquake 1988 in Armenia and rescuers,
the Kremlin said on Sunday.

"On the day of the 20th anniversary of the earthquake in Armenia we
bow to the memory of thousands of victims. We remember with profound
respect and gratitude the courageous rescuers who responded to the
appeal for help and those people who helped clean up the disaster
zone," the message runs.

"No one was indifferent to the big tragedy. The sincere response
of everyone who came to Armenia’s rescue will always remain an
illustrative example of solidarity and efficient inter-ethnic and
international cooperation," the message runs.

"At the time of ordeal, Russia immediately stretched out a helping
hand to Armenia and made a contribution in the rescue operation and
the reconstructions. We are grateful for the American people’s memory
of that," the message runs.

SARKISIAN’S NOTHING IF NOT SURPRISE PICK
By Jim Moore

Seattle Post Intelligencer
390908_moore06.html?source=mypi
Dec 6 2008
WA

IF YOU ASK me, the whole Washington football coaching search ended
with a whimper.

After seeing some big names on their supposed wish list, the Dawgs
hire Steve Sarkisian. Steve Sarkisian? Are you kidding me? When they
said that money was no object, they offer the job to an offensive
coordinator who has no head coaching experience?

But if I think the hiring was suspect, chances are great that Sarkisian
will be Pac-10 coach of the year next season.

As a Coug, it’s not my inclination to support a Husky hiring,
whoever it is, especially when they didn’t even interview the three
men I boxed in my trifecta — former Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer,
Buffalo coach Turner Gill and Florida offensive coordinator Dan Mullen.

Fullmer, who went 152-52 at Tennessee, was at the top of my list. Gill,
46, was best remembered as the Nebraska quarterback who went 28-2 as
a starter in the ’80s. But he’s better known in Buffalo as the coach
who led the Bulls to their first bowl game in 50 years.

Most of my money was on Mullen, the longest shot on the board. He’s
Urban Meyer’s right-hand man, the offensive coordinator who tutored
quarterbacks Alex Smith at Utah and Chris Leak and Tim Tebow at
Florida.

Jeff Golden / Getty Images Steve Sarkisian, with USC quarterback Mark
Sanchez, has Huskies boosters excited.

I also like that Mullen is married to former Golf Channel anchor Megan
West, which has nothing to do with anything, making it significant
to me.

If I had been handicapping this search like a race at Emerald Downs,
Sarkisian would have been the second horse I threw out after Mike
Haywood, the offensive coordinator from Notre Dame.

Yet Sarkisian prevailed, though UW president Mark Emmert would not
admit it when I spoke with him Friday. An official announcement is
not expected until Sunday or Monday, so Emmert didn’t want to violate
his own embargo.

All he said was: "Obviously the world knows we met with Steve
Sarkisian, and we certainly liked our conversations with him. I think
he’s an incredibly promising young coach."

Emmert also said the job was offered to only one person. To another
question about the future of the program, he said, "Husky football
is going to be heading in all of the right directions right away."

Right away is defined as 24 hours from now, after the UW’s benchmark
12th defeat at Cal, a winless season signaling the end of the Tyrone
Willingham era and the start of Sarkisian’s.

To get an idea of what Husky fans think about the hire, I called
Dawgman.com’s Kim Grinolds, who was his predictable wise-guy self.

"Steve Sarkisian is no Paul Wulff," Grinolds said. "Washington goes
to L.A. to get guys, not to Cheney."

Grinolds added that after Jim Mora, the fantasy candidate, anyone
would do, including Sarkisian.

"You could hire me a snowman, and he’d win more games than Tyrone
did this year," he said.

Prominent Husky booster Ron Crockett was more enthusiastic, saying:
"I’m very excited. Obviously I don’t know the fella. I like the age
(34). Some people say he’s too young. I disagree. … He comes from a
great program, he can recruit on the West Coast, and he has a passion
to be here."

As is usually the case in this space, I went on a search for useless
information, specifically wondering if Sarkisian golfs, drinks beer
and owns a dog. I struck out and still don’t know. I tried calling five
Sarkisians in Torrance, Calif., his hometown, and left messages or got
a busy signal. No one called back, and, frankly, I don’t blame them.

So I went scraping for stuff from the USC sports department and
discovered that he’s a family man who married his high school
sweetheart, Stephanie. They have two daughters — Ashley, 5, and
Taylor, 6 months or so; and a son, Brady, 3.

According to the USC media guide, Sarkisian is pronounced sar-KEY-juhn,
and one story said he’s half Armenian and half Irish — the latter
leading me to believe he must be a beer drinker. Then again, he went
to BYU, so it’s hard to say.

I typically go to great lengths to unearth little-known nuggets about
new coaches, but this is not one of those times. He was born March 8,
1974, which makes him a Pisces.

According to psychicguild.com, Pisces frequently become top business
leaders. On the same Web site, it’s said that Pisces "seldom perceive
whatever is going on around them in its true light. They see life
as they want to see it, coloring their view of the world in hues and
tones far removed from its true reflection."

In other words, Sarkisian’s the perfect coach for Washington because
he’s probably delusional, too!

Then again, with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, he might be able to
once and for all explain U-Dub fans’ irrational behavior. This is more
certain — it won’t be long before they’re complaining about him, too.

Food for thought for Coug fans rooting against Sarkisian — sure,
he’s great at USC, but how will he do coaching average players? And
the last time the Huskies hired a thirtysomething, it backfired into
March Madness pools and courtroom drama.

Crockett plans to reserve judgment, saying he doesn’t know Sarkisian
"from a can of paint."

But most signs are good — a USC spokesman said Sarkisian is "real
enthusiastic, real personable and real positive," calling him "a
mini-Pete Carroll."

Which could be a major problem for the rest of the Pac-10.

Today.Az, Azerbaijan
Dec 4 2008

Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan: "Turkey has always been with
Azerbaijan in the resolution of the Karabakh conflict"

04 December 2008 [14:18] – Today.Az

Ankara is interested in the soonest improvement of the situation in
the Caucasus and development of all countries of the region, including
Armenia, said Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilic, according
to Interfax-Azerbaijan.

"Establishment of stability and development in the Caucasus meets
Armenia’s interests. Turkey is interested in good situation in its
neighbor states, including Armenia", noted the ambassador, speaking at
the eighth economic, scientific and cultural forum of the Turkic
states on "The Great Silk Road in the 21st century" in Baku.

Kilic announced that Turkey is always by Azerbaijan’s side in the
resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

In his speech, the diplomat also stressed the importance to continue
integration among the Turkic states.

"The Turkic Union is not targeting anyone, it is natural and has
formed historically", noted he.

The ambassador said that the Turkish companies through the period of
their activity in Azerbaijan have invested a total of $6 bln of
investments in country’s economy.

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