Author: Vanyan Gary

CONGRESSMAN TOM LANTOS PASSED AWAY AT THE AGE OF 80

armradio.am
12.02.2008 10:26

The Armenian Assembly of America mourns the loss of Congressman Tom
Lantos (D-CA), a champion of human rights and the only Holocaust
survivor to ever serve in the U.S. Congress. Lantos passed away early
this morning at the age of 80.

First elected in 1980, Lantos served as Chairman of the House
Committee on Foreign Affairs and sat on the Committee on Oversight
and Government Reform.

In addition to Chairing the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Lantos
co-founded and co-chaired the Congressional Human Rights Caucus,
which helped raise awareness of critical issues around the world and
became a catalyst for bringing Members of Congress together. After
announcing that he had been diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus,
Lantos said that he would not seek reelection after concluding his
14th term in Congress.

As Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Lantos supported
adoption of H. Res. 106, which affirms the historical truth of the
Armenian Genocide.

This resolution passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee by a vote
of 27 to 21. Lantos also supported an identical measure during the
109th Congress having reversed his previous opposition to a similar
resolution in 2000.

In addition to his support of H.Res. 106, Lantos also spoke out
against the genocide taking place in Darfur. In April of 2006, Lantos
was arrested at the Sudanese Embassy while protesting against the
genocide in Darfur along with Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA),
John Olver (D-MA), Jim Moran (D-VA), and Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX).

"Throughout his career, Congressman Lantos demonstrated great courage
and conviction as he worked tirelessly to address countless human
rights issues," said Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. "We join with
Armenian Americans from across the country in morning his passing and
hope that his important work in defense of human rights will continue
to inspire future generations."

A1+

IT HAS BECOME A TRADITION
[05:09 pm] 07 February, 2008

`Such incidents more often took place in 1995 in
Artashat, but they did not rouse a keen response,-
said Leader of the `National Democratic Party’
Shavarsh Kocharyan, reflecting on the incident in
Artashat during the gathering of the presidential
candidate Levon Ter-Petrosyan,- Similar incidents took
place in 1996, 1998, 1999. It has become a tradition,
which continues until the present day and is not
acceptable’.

`If the authorities are combined with the economy,
where certain interests are pursued, it is natural
that certain groups of people are ready to protect
those interest by all means,- he explained,- It refers
not only to the campaign process, but to the
conduction of elections as well. Such people are the
active shady participants of the campaign by
threatening and defaming others. Only through system
reformation we may change the situation. By raising
the pension you cannot get rid of such occurrences’.

ONLY WITH MANUKYAN IN THE SECOND ROUND

`If the presidential candidate Vazgen Manukyan’s
ranking raises during this period, then a second round
will definitely take place’, said Shavarsh Kocharyan,
expressing his confirmation.

`If the majority still considers that the main fight
is between the present and past authorities, then all
problems will be solved in the first round of
elections. The representative of the present
authorities will win’, he said.

Leader of the `National Democratic Party’ noted that
they hoped the fight between the candidates would be
of ideological character. `We are against populism.
The political power should always raise problems that
bother people and should give concrete promises for
their solutions’, said Shavarsh Kocharyan. `If you
promise to raise the pension or salaries, following
obstacles always emerge – the budget, what
opportunities you have, and the construction of your
economy’. Shavarsh Kocharyan ensures that the economic
reforms depend on the productive solution of the
mentioned problems.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
February 7, 2008 Thursday
Main Edition

SOUND CHECK: Tankian rocking outside system

by JON WATERHOUSE; For the Journal-Constitution

WHEN HARD ROCK outfit System of a Down began its indefinite hiatus in
August 2006, frontman Serj Tankian set his sights on a solo project
he’d reportedly longed for underneath that trademark top hat.

Tankian is currently hitting concert halls promoting "Elect the
Dead," a multi-genre influenced rock record that, with the exception
of a small guest list, features Tankian handling most of the
instrumentation. But don’t expect a one-man-band arrangement when
Tankian hits the Roxy on Feb. 11. His backup band FCC and opener Fair
to Midland join the show.

While waiting in line for the restroom at the show, impress fellow
fans with the following bits of Tankian trivia.

Music business: Tankian wasn’t always rocking the stage. After
graduating with a degree in marketing and business from California
State University, he was once a 9-to-5 entrepreneur and accounting
software developer.

Active activist: Don’t call him Bono, but Tankian has a political
mission, too. He and Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello
formed Axis of Justice, a nonprofit group that, according to its Web
site, hopes to "build a bridge between fans of music around the world
and local political organizations to effectively organize around
issues of peace, human rights, and economic justice."

What’s with the voice? The Lebanese born Armenian-American cites
hearing his dad croon classic Armenian tunes as a big influence on
his unconventional singing style.

He’s a poet … and he knows it: Although he resembles the love child
of Perry Farrell and Les Claypool, Tankian has something in common
with the late Jim Morrison of the Doors. In 2002, Tankian released
his own book of poetry, "Cool Gardens." Contemporary wordsmith Saul
Williams cites himself as a fan of Tankian’s work.

Serj on film: In addition to turning it up to 11, Tankian dabbles in
film work including composing music for the 2006 flick "Bug" and
narrating the 2005 documentary "Armenia: A Country Under Blockade."

* THE 411: Serj Tankian. $25.50. 8 p.m. Feb. 11. Coca-Cola Roxy
Theatre, 3110 Roswell Road, Atlanta. 404-249-6400,

PanARMENIAN.Net

Armenia stands for international security system formation
07.02.2008 15:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Globalization originates mutual
dependence. Each state highlights not only its own
security and development but also stability and
development of neighbors, Armenian Deputy Foreign
Minister Gegham Gharibjanian said at Caucasus and
Middle East: Possible Partners in Formation of
Regional Security System international conference in
Yerevan.

`Middle East is rich in crises affecting the neighbor
states. Armenia has always stood for formation of for
international security system which would ensure
stability in the South Caucasus,’ he said.

Panorama.am

20:09 07/02/2008

NEW TRAFFIC LIGHTS AT 27 CROSSROADS

New traffic lights are planned to be installed at 27
crossroads in downtown Yerevan. Some 300 million
Armenian drams are allocated from the state budget for
their installation, Light Sign state non-commercial
organization director, Edward Safaryan, told
Panorama.am. In his words, in each crossroads 8 new
traffic lights will be installed.

In the words of the director, this year 2500 traffic
signs are also planned to be installed in Kentron
community of Yerevan and 70 million Armenian drams are
allocated to that purpose.

Source: Panorama.am

Local media objectively cover presidential campaign, Head of British
ECHO NGO says

2008-02-08 13:22:00

ArmInfo. Local media are making objective and impartial coverage of the
current presidential campaign in Armenia, in general, Karen Prichard,
the head of the ECHO British NGO Office, said at Armenia-Marriott
Hotel, Friday. She presented the report on activity of Armenian Mass
Media in the pre-election period prepared at the request of European
Democracy Fund.

Karen Prichard said experts of the organization studied 743 items
telling about the campaign in the local newspapers (both in Russian and
Armenian), TV companies and Public Radio for the period from January 21
to 27. About 90% of media report on all the candidates for president.
She said that 53% of the studied items were taken from newspapers, 34%
from television and 23% from radio. Local media most of all report on
the presidential candidate, ex-president of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan
– 23% of total. Then goes Serzh Sargysan, prime minister, and leader of
RPA by 21%. 11% of the items tell about Leader of Orinats Yerkir party
Artur Baghdasaryan, 10% about a member of ARFD Bureau Vahan
Hovhannissyan, by 8% about Vazgen Manukyan and Artashes Geghamyan etc.
Karen Prichard called about 77% of the information objective and
impartial; including 87% of the objective information was on Leader of
National Accord party Aram Haroutunyan. Hence, one can call the media
coverage of the presidential campaign in Armenia rather democratic,
Karen Prichard said.

SKINHEADS SUSPECTED OF 20 MURDERS HELD IN MOSCOW

Interfax
Russia & CIS General Newswire
February 5, 2008 Tuesday 12:17 PM MSK
Moscow

Four teenagers, who are suspected of no fewer that 20 ethnic murders,
have been apprehended in Moscow.

"They were detained as part of a criminal case against a group of
skinheads led by Artur Ryno, a 17 year old student from Yekaterinburg.

The group is accused of committing several dozen murders of non-Slavs,"
Mikhail Ionkin, the spokesman for the Moscow Investigative Committee,
told Interfax.

"The court sanctioned the arrest of all four teenagers. They were
charged with premeditated murder. Nine people were arrested as part
of the case," Ionkin said.

The group of skinheads is charged with at least 20 homicides, the
spokesman said. "It is possible that this number could grow in the
future," he said.

Two students of Moscow universities – Ryno and Pavel Skachevsky,
18 -were arrested last April in Moscow. They were detained on April
16 in Kedrov street, Moscow, on suspicion of killing a 45-year old
businessman from Armenia. Blood was found on the clothes of the
young men.

Ryno confessed to 37 ethnic murders. The majority of his evidence was
proven true. Later, other members of the group were detained as well.

SERZH SARGSYAN: I HAVE NOT BETRAYED MY CONDITIONS ABOUT KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT FOR 13 YEARS

2008-02-07 10:03:00

ArmInfo. "I haven’t betrayed my conditions about the Karabakh conflict
settlement for 13 years", Armenian Prime Minister, Leader of the
Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Serzh Sargsyan said in parliament,
Wednesday, replying to the question of Manvel Badeyan, an MP from
the RPA faction.

The prime minister said that the conditions are as follows: Azerbaijan
should accept Karabakh people’s right to self-determination, the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic should have a land border with the Republic
of Armenia and present distinct guarantees that there will be no
new war.

FRUIT AND BERRY PROCESSING PLANT TO BE CREATED IN NAGORNIY KARABAKH

Agricultural Marketing Project, Ukraine
Feb 7 2008

Fruit and berry processing plant will be launched in Nagorniy Karabakh
this spring. The correspondent of IA REGNUM in Stepanakert informs,
this was the topic of the meeting of Ar Arutyunyan, Prime Minister of
the Republic of Nagorniy Karabakh with Garik Sarukhanyan, the Chief
of the newly created Closed JSC "Artsakhfruit".

According to the data of the Department of Information and PR of the
Republic, the businessman informed the head of Karabakh Government
about the buildup of the enterprise. There is a plan to invest around
AMD 1.5 billion for the installation of modern production lines.

The Prime Minister of the Republic expressed readiness to fully
support the development of a new enterprise. He said that this plant
will stimulate the development of agriculture and will provide the
demanded products – canned fruits, jams and other products – both
the local Armenian and to the foreign markets.

Armo Tsaturyan, the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Nagorniy
Karabakh, also attended the meeting.

ARMENIAN MINISTER OF FINANCE AND DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF KfW BANK DISCUSS OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPING COOPERATION

Noyan Tapan
Feb 6, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The results of KfW bank-financed
programs implemented in Armenia and the opportunities for developing
the cooperation were discussed at the February 4 meeting of the RA
minister of finance and economy Vardan Khachatrian and the KfW bank’s
first vice president for Europe and Caucasus Roland Siller.

NT was informed by the ministry’s press service that V. Khachatrian
expressed satisfaction at the KfW bank’s avtivities in Armenia. Since
1995, KfW bank (Germany) has been a reliable partner for promotion
of stable economic cooperation between the governments of Armenia
and Germany. Thanks to efficient assistance of KfW, a number of
projects on increasing Armenia’s energy security and on modernization
of infrastructures have been successfully implemented. Until 2007,
the German government provided concessional credits and grants of
about 150 million euros through KfW to Armenia for implementation
of various development programs. Cooperation with this German bank
focuses on three main spheres: assistance to energy, water supply
and sewerage, and the financial and private sectors, as well as on
two auxiliary spheres: helth care and environmental protection.

During the meeting, R. Siller said that KfW with its resources
participates in the creation of a global network of ProCredit banks
(Germany).