Author: Vanyan Gary

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
Oct 25 2007

Turkish minister views Iraq, militant Kurds, Armenian bill, economy

New York, 25 October: Turkish State Minister for Treasury Mehmet
Simsek said Turkey did not want north of Iraq to be used as safe
haven by the PKK [Kurdistan Workers’ Party] terrorists.

Speaking at a meeting organized by American-Turkish Society in New
York, the United States, Simsek said Turkey wanted Iraq and the
United States to take action. "Ideally, Turkey does not want to
launch a cross-border operation. However, if things reach that point,
Turkey has the power to launch the operation as it is a matter that
concerns its national interest," he added.

Relations with USA

Simsek said Turkish-US relations were passing through a difficult
period. "I believe that relations between the two countries are
strong enough to cope with this period. Turkey wishes that common
sense would prevail in this period."

Iraq and PKK problem

Simsek said Turkey supported the United States in Iraq and
Afghanistan, and actively joined its efforts to deal with global
terrorism.

"A more democratic, prosperous and stable Iraq is in the best
interests of Turkey. Turkey wants to support Iraq. However, it is
very difficult to comprehend Iraq’s becoming a safe haven for the
terrorists. PKK is in the ‘list of terrorist organizations’ of the
United States and the EU member countries," he said.

Simsek recalled that Israel launched an operation against Lebanon
last year, when two Israeli soldiers were abducted by the terrorists
and the United States supported it.

"We have eight missing soldiers. It is not possible to understand the
view of ‘everybody has the right to do this but Turkey does not’ and
such a view does not suit friendship."

"Turkey desires to see a united, strong, integrated and peaceful
Iraq. Turkey does not have any problem with any segment in Iraq.
However, it is not possible for us to accept the current situation
there. Regional administration in north of Iraq provides safe haven
to terrorists. Turkish parliament approved a motion empowering the
government to order the army to launch a cross border operation," he
said.

Resolution on Armenian allegations

A resolution on Armenian allegations regarding the incidents of 1915
was approved by the US House of Representatives foreign affairs
committee, Simsek said.

"Turkey offered to open its archives and establish a joint committee
on history. However, we have not received any response yet. This is
not fair. The truth must be revealed scientifically," he said.

The US resolution is unacceptable for Turkey, and support to the
resolutions began to wane in the United States.

Constitutional amendments

Simsek also said the Turkish government is eager to amend the
Constitution.

"Constitutional amendment is important and necessary because we need
a more modern constitution. We want to strengthen Turkey’s democratic
and secular qualities," Simsek said.

Simsek added that parliamentary approval of the Constitutional
amendments would not be enough. "We want to receive the approval of
Turkish people in a referendum," he said.

Economic indicators

Simsek also gave information about economic developments in Turkey
during his speech.

"Turkey has recorded a growth rate of 7.4 per cent and become the
17th biggest economy in the world and sixth in Europe. We are
determined to maintain our economic development in the years ahead of
us and we are aware e of the fact that we need to consolidate the
production and raise the quality of production to do that," he said.

"Our government attaches great importance to financial discipline.
Price stability, low inflation rate and floating foreign currency
rate policy are the basic elements of our programme," he added.

Turkish Central Bank Governor Durmus Yilmaz, Treasury Undersecretary
Ibrahim Canakci and the Turkish consul-general in New York, Mehmet
Samsar, were also in attendance at the meeting.

Following the meeting, Simsek paid a visit of courtesy to United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Kemal Dervis.

Later, Simsek and the accompanying delegation left the United States
for Turkey.

Victims of October 27, 1999, terrorist act in RA Parliament are
remembered today in Armenia

arminfo
2007-10-27 09:45:00

ArmInfo. Victims of October 27, 1999, terrorist act in RA parliament
are remembered today in Armenia.

Ceremony of laying of wreath to the monument of victims of October 27,
1999, terrorist act in the parliament, as a result of which prime
minister Vazgen Sargsyan, Chairman of the Parliament Karen Demirchyan,
vice speakers Yuri Bakhshyan and Ruben Miroyan, Minister on Social
Affairs Leonard Petrosyan, a deputy Armen Armenakyan and academician of
the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, deputy Mikael Kotanyan
were killed, will be held today in the Armenian Parliament. Today, RA
Defense Minister Mikael Harutyunyan will lay a wreath to the grave of
Vazgen Sargsyan in the Memorial Complex Yerablur.

To recall, 8 years ago, on October 27, 1999, a group of terrorists,
which rushed in the Armenian Parliament’s session hall, shot up the
Heads and members of the parliament and government. The terrorists were
former journalist Nairi Hunanyan, his brother Karen Hunanyan, their
uncle Vram Hunanyan. The judicial process over them started on February
15, 2001. On December 2, 2003, the court of first instance of the
Center and Nork Marash Yerevan communities pronounced the judgment on
the case of the terrorist act in the Armenian parliament. Six prisoners
on trial: the brothers Nairi and Karen Hunanyans, Edik Grigoryan, Vram
Galstyan, Derenik Bejanyan and Ashot Knyazyan were give a life
sentence. One prisoner on trial Hamlet Stepanayan was sentenced to 14
years of imprisonment. Late, Vram Galstyan committed suicide in the
jail ward.

RA PRESIDENT ATTENDS MEGHRI-KAPAN HIGHWAY OPENING CEREMONY

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.10.2007 14:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Opening ceremony of the Meghri-Kapan highway built
with assistance of the Iranian side took place October 26.

As RA President’s Spokesman Victor Soghomonyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter, President Robert Kocharian, Iranian Ambassador Ali Reza
Haghighian, Minister of transport and Communications Andranik Manukyan
and other officials participated in the ceremony.

The highway will enable perennial motor communication between Armenia
and Iran. It extends for some 80 km, its slope doesn’t exceed 8
degrees, maximal height above sea level makes 1980 meters.

The only motor road connecting Armenia and Iran goes through the
Meghri pass (2563 above sea level). The traffic there is partially
blocked by snowfalls in winter. The highway is very old and its slope
reaches 12 degrees at some segments.

ARMENIAN BOXER LEAVES HIS TEAM IN CHICAGO

armradio.am
26.10.2007 15:20

Two Ugandan boxers and an Armenian fighter who left for the United
States to participate in the World Amateur Boxing Championships left
their teams.

It appeared the missing athletes left voluntarily and have been
in contact with family and friends, Chicago police spokesman John
Mirabelli said, the Associated Press reports. Currently the Chicago
Police is searching the sportsmen. Their names weren’t immediately
available.

MICROSOFT TO CARRY OUT A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS IN ARMENIA IN 2008

ARMENPRESS
Oct 24, 2007

BUDAPEST, OCTOBER 24, ARMENPRESS: World leading company Microsoft is
going to carry out a number of programs in Armenia. Vahe Torossian,
vice president of Microsoft for Central and Eastern Europe, told
Armenpress that since its functioning in Armenia from May 2006 the
company was aimed at engaging the local government with which Microsoft
has signed a partnership agreement.

"Now it is more than one year our representation is functioning in
Armenia and I am very happy for the rise we have made in terms of
education, we are also committed by this partnership agreement that
our key major products like Windows and Office be translated into
Armenian," V. Torossian said.

According to him, Microsoft has also created good innovation
opportunities and they will think about creating innovation centers
in the next few months which will create more close relationship with
universities and Microsoft.

"In terms of growth we have to state that Microsoft Armenia has
1,000 percent growth during the year so it is the fastest growing
business. I see that they are very complete top companies in the
country which started to understand the importance of positioning
Armenia as a national competitive country in this global market and
we are very happy for it and are investing our sources in Armenia,"
V. Torossian noted.

Referring to the programs Microsoft is going to carry out in Armenia in
2008, Vahe Torossian said that they are mainly focusing on education,
intellectual property sectors, development of partnerical system,
localization of their products into Armenian.

"These are the four directions on which we are working together
with the Armenian government. There is an effective law in Armenia
on protection of intellectual property rights but it is not
functioning. We need to behave as an example. There is no reason
why the key big companies functioning in Armenia, who are employing
people, who are making money there are not going to pay for the
software they are using and we are going to address first to these
big companies and we are already doing it," Torossian said. Within
the framework of activity carried out in the direction of protection
of intellectual property, the company will continue carrying out its
programs in universities. As to free partnerical system, Microsoft
is cooperating with its local partners to develop local language in
Windows XP first and, according to the partnership agreement with
the government, has commitment to do it with Windows Vista.

The vice president of Microsoft CEE also said that Microsoft is trying
to help the local partnerical system to understand that they need to be
part of the solution and if they also violate the intellectual property
right the work carried out it that direction will become senseless.

"We have appointed one key distributor who is doing that and we started
to develop solution selling in Armenia which means that instead of
selling software we want them to sell solutions more and more. That
is what we are going to work on and I can say that so far everything
is going on successfully," the vice president of Microsoft CEE said.

"Our goal is to create jobs in Armenia and one way to do it is to make
sure that we are creating enough opportunities within the partnerical
system and for that we need to stop piracy rights," Torossian said.

Microsoft has around 25 partners in Armenia and if, according to
V. Torossian each of these partners is able to recruit free people
in the next six months it will already have a big impact. "We are
trying to bring opportunities of development from the outside, we
are looking for partnership with great talents. One opportunity is
to start to engage with Armenia will be to try to see that there are
people in some places outside of Armenia who are looking for great
developers and to create this type of network between external and
internal sectors," V. Torossian added.

As to the cooperation with the government he said that in May 2006
they started discussion with the former Armenian Prime Minister
Andranik Margarian and he would like to continue it: that is – what
is the dream for Armenia? "It is me as an Armenian living outside
but I feel that my heart is there and I would like to contribute to
some degree. Everything should start with the vision: what is Armenia
in 2040 or 2050? I would love to be part of the strategic thinking
for the country and one of the key differentiator that Armenia can
benefit from in the global economy. And I think that the country is
doing a lot probably there is not enough ambition for the future to
attract the talents back or to develop talents in the country and
that’s the thing next time I will come I will love to discuss it with
the government," the vice president of Microsoft CEE concluded.

20th SITTING OF CIS MEMBER-COUNTRIES’ COUNCIL OF COOPERATION IN EDUCATIONAL SPHERE STARTS IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
Oct 25, 2007

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. The 20th sitting of CIS
member-countries’ Cooperation Council in Educational Sphere, which
was held on October 25 in Yerevan, was dedicated to discussion
of issues of educational quality, standardization of secondary
education, mutual recognition of higher professional education
documents, development of grown-ups’ education, cooperation between
universities and secondary schools, creation of joint universities,
and extension of their network. Delegations of 8 CIS countries took
part in the 20th jubilee sitting. Representatives of Azerbaijan,
Georgia, Uzbekistan did not take part in the sitting.

Levon Mkrtchian, the RA Minister of Education and Science, said in
his greeting speech that meetings and consultations periodically
organized within the framework of the Council contribute not only
to development of CIS inter-state cooperation, but also progress of
national educational system in individual countries. "The Club of
CIS Ministers of Education formed in 1998 tried to keep the former
Soviet educational space.

Cooperation between Council member-countries continues in
correspondence with the requirements of time," the Minister mentioned.

L. Mkrtchian emphasized that parallel with that cooperation, Armenia
also entered European educational space and has been in the system of
European monitoring for nearly one year. "This conference also helps
us to understand the level of each country. And the holding of this
conference in Armenia once more witnesses that the country remains
a scientific-educational center in the region," he said.

"I think the educational systems of CIS member-countries have
a great prospect, especially as they have been established in a
common educational space in the past. We should cooperate reaching
agreement over reforms implemented in that sphere," Alexander Radkov,
the Minister of Education of Belarus, stated.

"Armenia is in a period of ongoing reforms and developments, which
is also reflected in the educational sphere. Many-sided reforms and
developments implemented in the sphere are noticeable. All problems,
which unequivocally regard CIS member-countries’ educational systems,
will be discussed in these days," Kanibek Osmonaliyev, the Minister
of Education of Kyrghyzstan, mentioned.

The 13th conference of CIS member-countries’ Ministers of Education
will take place on October 26.

CONTEST OF BEST 1O SCHOOL PROGRAMS STARTS IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Oct 24, 2007

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 24, NOYAN TAPAN. A contest of the best 10 school
programs implemented jointly with the Rusal Armenal company and UNDP
Global Compact Armenia started on October 24. Within the framework of
the program, pupils of 7-11th forms are to offer inventive solutions
for developing their school, improving school life and will compete
for financing of those programs’ implementation. The applications
are to be submitted until November 20 and the activities will be done
within 2008.

As Arman Valesian, the Coordinator of the Global Compact program,
said, the best programs will receive grants amounting to 1m drams
(nearly 3 thousand USD). 10 schools and 2 special proposals will be
financed. And the Rusal Armenal company will give 50 thousand USD
for implementation of the initiative of the best 10 school programs.

According to Consuelo Vidal, the UN Resident Coordinator in Armenia,
the circumstance that schoolchildren themselves take part in solution
of their problems will reveal their creative potential and will
generate confidence in themselves.

According to Georgy Avetikian, the Director of the Rusal Armenal
company, Rusal has a rich and successful experience of implementing
social programs and those related to communities. The company provides
educational grants, implements programs aimed at assistance to local
communities and other programs.

ARMENIAN FOOTBALL PLAYERS AGED 19 DEFEAT TEAM OF SAN MARINO WITH SCORE OF 1:0

Noyan Tapan
Oct 23, 2007

KAUNAS, OCTOBER 23, NOYAN TAPAN. On October 22 the Armenian
representative team defeated that of San Marino with a score of 1:0 in
the second match of the group tournament of the qualification stage
of the European Championship of football players aged 19, which is
being held in the city of Kaunas in Lithuania. The only goal was
scored by Hayk Chilingarian.

On October 25 the football players of the representative team of
Armenia will compete with the national team of Poland.

THE WRONG TIME TO RILE TURKEY
by Mortimer B. Zuckerman

U.S. News & World Report
October 29, 2007 Monday

As if we don’t have enough problems dealing with the present, we now
are in serious difficulties dealing with the past–about what happened
nearly a century ago in the dying days of the Ottoman Empire.

When "the sick man of Europe" finally expired, Turkish generals and
political leaders created a new nation, a new culture, and a new
self-image as a civilized, decent country. Modern Turkey has become a
crucial ally of the United States. Now the Turks are enraged because
the Democratic leadership in Congress has chosen this time to brand
Turkey with the terrible crime of genocide.

The Turks acknowledge that Armenians were massacred, but so, too,
they say, were many innocent Turks. The key question is whether
there was a systematic attempt to eliminate every Armenian because
of ethnicity or religion. Large numbers survived–which is more than
can be said of the Jews under the Nazis.

The weight of opinion among historians outside Turkey is to mark
the deaths as genocide. This is the judgment of some 22 countries,
including many in the European Union, which Turkey wishes to join. It
is an argument about history, but it has moral reverberations today
when ethnic cleansing is a plague. In Iraq, the Shiites wage ethnic war
against Sunni Muslims and Iraqi Christians, driving out at least half
of Iraq’s entire Christian minority of 2 million people. In Lebanon,
Hezbollah and Syria have combined to eliminate Maronite Christians
and their western allies. In Bethlehem, the home of the Church of the
Nativity, the former Christian majority has been reduced by Muslim
extremists to less than 2 percent. In Nazareth, the radical Muslim
mayor sought to build a mosque in the parking lot of the Church of
the Annunciation (an effort halted by the Israeli government).

Taboo topic. The Turks have not handled their history very well. They
closed state archives; they have punished people for raising the
subject. This has cost them credibility. But how wise is it for
Congress, at a particularly sensitive time, to get into the business
of rewriting history with respect to crimes committed nearly a century
ago by an empire that no longer exists? Few Americans would place the
Armenian disaster on a list of pressing issues. Similar legislation
has been defeated in the past, including in 2000 when Bill Clinton was
president. Eight former secretaries of state, three former secretaries
of defense, and Clinton have all come out against the congressional
exercise in branding.

We need good relations with Turkey. We need the Incirlik Air Force
Base in southeastern Turkey and passage through the Habur Gate on the
Iraq border to supply our forces in Afghanistan and Iraq and, maybe
one day, to withdraw those forces. Some 70 percent of our supplies,
one third of our fuel, and all of our armored personnel carriers come
through Turkey. And we already have one nasty little crisis brewing:
The Turks are threatening to move into northern Iraq to deal with
the Kurdistan Workers Party, a terrorist organization that recently
crossed the border to murder nearly 30 soldiers, police officers,
and civilians.

There is a lot at stake. Support for America by the Turkish public
is down to only 11 percent, and right-wing nationalism and radical
Islam within Turkey are reviving, inflamed by xenophobic comments
from Europe’s leaders unwilling to admit Turkey to the European Union.

Turkey, let us not forget, is the only Muslim nation that has
long been grounded in the West, has membership in NATO, and has
bilateral ties to the United States. Now Turkey may seek alternative
affiliations, either with its Islamic neighbors or with Russia, so we
are on the verge of provoking an irreparable breach with this Muslim
country and with the Muslim world, reinforcing those who believe that
coexistence of western and Muslim countries is hopeless even for this
western-oriented, secular Muslim democracy. Turkey is remarkable
because it is secular even as it is Muslim; because it is western
oriented yet attached to the Islamic world; because it is committed
to democracy and economic reform under the leadership of an openly
religious Muslim party. It is a bridge to cross the growing schism
between the West and the Islamic world.

Modern Turkey must deal with the Armenian tragedy. A joint
international commission with access to archives would be a
good starting point–better at this time than an ill-considered
resolution. We must find the restraint and wisdom to find a more
appropriate time to address the issue of atrocities perpetrated by
long-dead rulers of a long-defunct empire instead of beating up on
modern Turkey, which did not exist at the time of the massacre. It’s
only a little more relevant than Muslims beating up on England for
bad things done in the Crusades–or Europeans on the United States
for its crimes against the American Indians.

America surely can expect more understanding of our national security
interest from the Democratic leadership of Congress.

ARMENIAN AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS ORGANIZE RECEPTION IN HONOR OF RA PRIME MINISTER IN LOS ANGELES

Noyan Tapan
Oct 22, 2007

WASHINGTON, OCTOBER 22, NOYAN TAPAN. Serge Sargsian, the Prime Minister
of the Republic of Armenia, who is in the United States of America on
a visit, had a meeting with the members of the editorial staff of the
Daily "Los Angeles Times" on October 19 morning. During the meeting,
which lasted more than an hour, he gave a comprehensive interview
to that authoritative newpaper answering the numerous and various
questions received from readers.

The statements of questions addressed to the Prime Minister covered
various spheres, beginning from the goal of the visit of the Head of
the RA government to the United States of America up to the subjects
concerning the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide and
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement process. Serge Sargsian also
spoke about the activities of the RA government, forthcoming plans,
as well as about the existing challenges in details. The forthcoming
presidential elections, as well as the parliamentary ones, which
received a high mark by different observatory organizations, were
also touched upon. Serge Sargsian stressed that everything should
be done so as any further election, based on the experience of the
parliamentary elections held in May and as a result of the correction
of certain recorded flaws, receives only a positive mark.

The RA Prime Minister also met with the leadership of the Linsy
Foundation in Los Angeles on October 19. Kirk Kerkorian informed the RA
Prime Minister about his intention to visit Armenia in the near future.

In the evening of the same day Serge Sargsian took part in the
reception organized in his honor the by American-Armenian organizations
operating in Los Angeles, as well as by active community figures. More
than 200 people were present at the above-mentioned reception. During
the reception the RA Prime Minister made a speech in front of the
representatives of the Armenian community, touching upon the steps
being taken in the direction of building a powerful and prosperous
state, existing difficulties, ways for overcoming those difficulties,
increase in the productivity of the Armenia-Diaspora cooperation,
the process of the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide,
as well as a number of other subjects.

Serge Sargsian arrived in Washington from Los Angeles on October 20
evening, where the Washington meetings continued on the following day.

On October 21 the working day of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the
newly-appointed managing director of the International Monetary
Fund, started with the meeting with Serge Sargsian, the RA Prime
Minister. The Head of the Armenian government introduced the up-to-date
development tendencies of the RA economy, as well as the cooperation
prospects of Armenia with the International Monetary Fund. Serge
Sargsian mentioned, in particular, that since 1992 Armenia managed
to achieve macro-economic stability, to restore the economy damaged
as a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union by providing indices
of high economic growth due to the programs being implemented jointly
with the International Monetary Fund.

In connection with the further cooperation between Armenia and the
International Monetary Fund, Serge Sargsian expressed an opinion,
according to which the RA-IMF program, which finishes in May 2008,
should have a continuation. He mentioned that the Armenian government
will bring forward pretentious programs with regard to further reforms
and that it expects an adequate technical assistance and consultation
on politics. That framework of reforms will include the modernization
of tax and customs administrations, as well as the problems concerning
the increase in the competitiveness of economy and financial sector.

According to the information provided to Noyan Tapan by the Information
and Public Relations Department of the RA Government, Serge Sargsian
received Matthew Bryza, the co-Chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group,
in the RA Embassy in the second half of the day. Issues of mutual
interest were discussed during the private conversation.

On October 21 the RA Prime Minister also had meetings with the Heads
of the World Bank. The first meeting was with Shigeo Katsu, the Deputy
Chairman of the World Bank. The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction
with the current level of the cooperation with the bank and introduced
those supremacies adopted by the RA government, which may become the
most important directions of the further cooperation with the World
Bank. The Deputy Chairman of the World Bank mentioned that Armenia was
recognized a country, which has achieved higher results by its economic
indices and the tempos of reforms by the International Development
Association and that it is very often introduced in different countries
as "a successful example" of a productive implementation of reforms
by the World Bank. The two parties agreed that passing from the status
of a poor country to that of a country of average incomes, Armenia, in
reality, should continue its adopted policy in a much more active way.

The development prospects of the RA economy were the main subject
of the meeting of Serge Sargsian with Grim Willer, the managing
director of the World Bank. Serge Sargsian mentioned, in particular,
that the primary issue of the Armenian government will still be
the provision of a high economic growth, however, according to him,
it is too important that this growth is visible and essential for
each inhabitant of Armenia. The parties mentioned the problems of
the development of the private sector, economic competitiveness,
increase in the competitiveness of economy, as well as the necessity
to implement further conversions in the spheres of education and health
as the main directions for the further cooperation with the World Bank.