Author: Varosian Antranik

REVENUES FROM COMMUNICATION SERVICES GROW BY 24.9% IN ARMENIA IN JANUARY-JUNE 2007 ON SAME PERIOD OF LAST YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Aug 3, 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, NOYAN TAPAN. The revenues from communication
services (without VAT, in current prices) made 67 bln 840.5 mln drams
(about 190.2 mln USD) in Armenia in January-June 2007, which is more
by 24.9% (in comparable prices) than in January-June 2006.

Revenues from postal and courier services amounted to 1 bln 350.1 mln
drams in the first half of 2007, growing by 22.9% on the same period
of 2006.

Revenues from telecommunication services made 66 bln 490.4 mln drams
(24.9% growth).

26.9 million phone calls were made in Armenia in January-June 2007,
which is by 17.8% less than in the same period of 2006, including
23.1 million intercity phone calls (19.3% decline), and 3.8 million
international calls (7.5% decline).

ALBANIA TELLS AZERBAIJAN IT WILL STOP ARMS SALES

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Aug 2 2007

Albania assured Azerbaijan on Wednesday that it will take every measure
to stop the sale of weapons to countries in a state of conflict, after
Turkey sent back a shipment of Albanian weapons bound for Armenia.

"The Albanian government will use its authority with the utmost
seriousness to take all necessary measures to prevent the sales
of weaponry to countries in a state of conflict," Albanian Foreign
Minister Lulezim Basha said. Basha made the pledge in a telephone
conversation with his Azeri counterpart Elmar Mamedyarov, a foreign
ministry statement said.

Last week Turkey stopped and sent back to Albania’s Durres port
60 containers with weapons destined for Armenia, which denied it
had bought weapons from Albania. Armenia and Azerbaijan are in a
state of conflict over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh,
a mountainous region located within Azerbaijan’s internationally
recognized borders. It broke away from Azerbaijani control during a
war in the 1990s and has declared independence, though this has not
been accepted internationally.

The head of Albania’s state-owned weapons firm said he had sent the
shipment because there was no embargo on arms sales to Armenia, press
reports said. Albania has been selling off its stock of Soviet-era
weapons that were either imported from China or produced domestically,
including an aging fleet of MiG airplanes.

Azerbaijan told Albania it considered the sale an act against
Azerbaijan and asked the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
to intervene on its behalf with fellow member Albania.

AZERBAIJANI SOLDIER KILLED IN AZERBAIJANI-ARMENIAN BORDER

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Aug 1 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend E.Huseynli / the Azerbaijani Defense
Ministry announced on 1 August that a soldier of the Azerbaijan
National Army was killed as a result of uninterrupted violation of
a ceasefire at the Armenian -Azerbaijani border line on 31 July and
1 August.

Aslan Aliyev, 19, got heavy injuries during a fire in the direction of
Ahmadagali village of Agdam District. He was called up to the military
service in 2007 by the Jalilabad District Military Commissariat.

The violation of ceasefire is frequently observed the village of
Ahmadagali, Bashgarvend, Javahirli, Shirvanli, Goytepe of Agdam
District and Chayli village of Terter District.

The Azerbaijani National Armed Forces retaliated and no casualties
were reported

Agdam District is located in 375km and Terter in 350km of southwest
of Baku.

HARVESTING WORKS ARE GOING ON IN THE REPUBLIC .

Azat Artsakh Tert
July 31 2007
Nagorno Karabakh Republic

By July 30 condition, it was cropped 39883.1 hectare, which compiles
84.4 per cent of sowing area exposed to harvesting, 43.06 thousand
ton of grain was thrashed. Average crop yield of a hectare compiles
10.8 centner , moreover in Askeran region- 8464.6 hectare, 7.63
thousand ton, 9.0 centner, in Hadrut- 6480.0 hectare, 8.04 thousand
ton, 12.4 centner, in Mardakert- 5007.0 hectare, 5.19 thousand ton,
10.4 centner, in Martouni- 14564.5 hectare, 14.35 thousand ton, 9.9
centner, in Shahumian – 62.0 hectare, 0.1 thousand ton, 17.4 centner,
in Shushi – 255.0 hectare, 0.18 thousand ton, 15.0 centner and in
Kashatakh regoin-5050.0 hectare, 7.57 thousand ton, 15.0 centner.

Crop yield of grain cultured plants in 2006, in comparison with July
31 index (11.8 centner), was decreased by 8.2 percent or 1.0 centner.

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email [email protected]
Internet

PRESS RELEASE
July 31, 2007
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA WELCOMES HOUSE ADOPTION OF SUDAN DIVESTMENT MEASURE

Washington, DC — In yet another blow to Khartoum’s genocidal
regime, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed
legislation this week which would protect the rights of states to
divest from Sudan and prohibit U.S. government contracts with
companies that disproportionately benefit the Sudanese government,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). The
legislation, H.R.180, which was sponsored by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-
CA) and shepherded through the House Financial Services Committee
by Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA), would also require the US
Department of the Treasury to publish and maintain a list of
companies or entities whose business dealings directly benefit the
regime.

"I am proud of our bipartisan efforts to increase the financial
pressure on Khartoum to end the genocide in Darfur, and I want the
President to explain why he believes that Americans should not take
steps to make sure that our tax dollars and our pension funds are
not supporting genocide," said Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), the lead
sponsor of H.R. 180, which was adopted by a vote of 417 to 1.

"It is time to stop funding the war machine in Sudan," said Rep.
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ranking Republican on the House Foreign
Affairs Committee. "Evidence of mass slaughter, aerial
bombardments, and forced displacements targeted against the African
tribes in Darfur require us to take this action. We need to send a
clear message to Khartoum that we are not fooled by their half
measures and delay tactics and that we are serious about ending
this conflict, to do so, we must speak in a language that they will
surely understand – the language of economic interests."

In the days leading up to the House vote, the ANCA teamed with the
Genocide Intervention Network, Save Darfur, STAND, and a coalition
of some 40 anti-genocide organizations in urging Congress to pass
the key human rights legislation.

"We join with all our genocide-prevention coalition partners in
welcoming House passage of the Sudan Divestment bill," stated ANCA
Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We look forward to swift
Senate action on the measure and the adoption of a U.S. policy
which would ensure that American tax dollars and pension funds do
not support Al-Bashir’s genocidal regime in Khartoum."

Vocal opposition to the Darfur divestment measure came from the
National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC), a coalition of 300 U.S.
companies engaged in international trade and investment. In a July
26th letter to House Members, NFTC President William A. Reinsch
argued that H.R.180 would "threaten to create a complex web of
restrictions and regulations that interfere with the Constitutional
right given to the President to conduct foreign policy. They will
also inevitably cause numerous problems for businesses trying to
comply in good faith with inconsistent and in some cases
contradictory requirements from different jurisdictions."

The efforts of the NFTC, which includes such well-known companies
as Citigroup and Pfizer, are similar to efforts by the American
Turkish Council (ATC) and the American Business Forum of Turkey
(ABFT) to campaign against Armenian Genocide legislation. In fact,
in a March 28th "Roll Call" article, Citigroup and Pfizer were
mentioned among a handful of major businesses cited by ATC
president Jim Holmes as "working through the Council to stop the
[Armenian Genocide] resolution." Other companies, associated with
the ABFT, including Phillip Morris, Cargill, and Xerox, have
disavowed any connection to that group’s anti-genocide recognition
activities, according to research conducted by the ANCA.

In March, the ANCA teamed up with the Genocide Intervention Network
in hosting a two-day Capitol Hill advocacy campaign to stop the
genocide in Darfur and pass resolutions on the Armenian Genocide
(H.Res.106 / S.Res.106). Over 100 activists from 25 states
participated in the advocacy days, titled "End the Cycle of
Genocide: Grassroots Capitol Campaign."

Information regarding Sudan Divestment activities across the U.S.
is provided below, based on research by the Sudan Divestment
Taskforce, a project of the Genocide Intervention Network.

#####

Sudan Divestment Statistics
Source: The Sudan Divestment Taskforce, a project of the Genocide
Intervention Network
asp

19 States have adopted divestment policies from Sudan. Twelve
of these states have passed the Sudan Divestment Task Force model
of targeted Sudan divestment: California, Colorado, Florida,
Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island,
Texas, and Vermont. Seven of these states have developed state
specific methods of Sudan divestment: Arkansas, Connecticut,
Illinois, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey and Oregon.

18 States have initiated Sudan divestment campaigns. Seven of
these states have targeted Sudan divestment legislation currently
introduced: Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. Eleven of these
states have campaigns awaiting introduction of legislation or are
pursuing Sudan divestment by other means: Arizona, Delaware,
Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New
Mexico, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

54 Universities have adopted divestment policies from Sudan.
From the first University, Harvard, to the most recent, including
The University of Minnesota, Wheaton College, Nazareth College, the
University of Illinois, Connecticut College, and Lee University in
a display of grassroots power, students, faculty and administrators
have united to ensure that their schools make conscionable,
genocide-free investments.

47 Universities have initiated campaigns to pursue Sudan
divestment policies.

9 Cities have adopted divestment policies from Sudan: Denver,
CO; Los Angeles, CA; Miami Beach, FL; New Haven, CT; Newton, MA;
Philadelphia, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; Providence, RI; and San
Francisco, CA.

8 International and Religious Organizations have adopted
divestment policies from Sudan: American Jewish World Service,
Boston Foundation, National Council of Jewish Women, National
Ministries, Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers, Union
for Reform Judaism, Unitarian Universalist Association and United
Jewish Communities.

8 Countries have initiated targeted Sudan divestment campaigns.
International divestment campaigns currently include Australia,
Canada, Ireland, Italy, South Africa, Germany, the US, and the UK.

5 Companies CHC Helicopter, ABB, Siemens, Rolls Royce, and
Schlumberger – have ceased operations in Sudan (or
formalized and publicized a plan to do so), or
significantly changed their behavior in the country since
the proliferation of the Sudan divestment movement.
Several of the companies have directly and/or publicly
cited the Sudan divestment movement as a cause of their
actions, while others have mentioned "humanitarian,"
"political," and even "moral" concerns related to Sudan.

"DANGER OF APOLICY IS HANGING OVER ARMENIA," OPPOSITION FIGURES BELIEVE

Noyan Tapan
Jul 27, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 27, NOYAN TAPAN. On July 26 a number of Armenian
opposition figures discussed the situations of the country which
cause anxiety, and came to the conclusion that there is a danger of
apolicy hanging over Armenia. According to the information provided
to a Noyan Tapan correspondent by Paruyr Hayrikian, the Chairman of
the National Self-Determination Union, some of the opposition leaders
proposed to create a united pole. He also declared that the meeting
was organized on his own initiative and was held "in an exclusive
atmosphere of mutual understanding." It was also mentioned that such
a meeting will be organized in the near future as well.

Artashes Geghamian, the Chairman of the "National Unity" party, Ararat
Zurabian, the Chaiman of the Administration of the "Armenian National
Movement", Arthur Baghdasarian, the Chairman of the "Orinats Yerkir"
("Country of Law") party, Stepan Demirtchian, the Chairman of the
"Armenian People’s Party", the representative of the "Zharangutiun"
("Heritage") haction, as well as Ashot Manucharian took part in
the meeting.

HEAD OF ARTIK PENITENTIARY OFFICE RELIEVED OF HIS POST

Noyan Tapan
Jul 26, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. Hovhannes Tamrazian, the Colonel of
Justice and the Head of the Artik penitentiary office, has been
released from his post on the July 25 order of Gevorg Danielian,
the RA Minister of Justice.

Another 10 collaborators of the above-mentioned office have been
submitted to disciplinary punishments of different degrees. According
to the information provided to Noyan Tapan correspondent by Lana
Mshetsian, the Spokeswoman of the Ministry, a number of violations
revealed as a result of the official examination appointed on the
grounds of the information of the collaborators and prisoners of
the office on July 13, served as bases for relieving the Head of the
Artik penitentiary office.

"THERE ARE NO LEGAL, CONTRACTUAL OR TECHNICAL GROUNDS FOR DEPRIVING RADIO LIBERTY FROM AIR OF PUBLIC RADIO," CHAIRMAN OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF AMERICAN BROADCAST DECLARES

Noyan Tapan
Jul 26, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The Public Radio of Armenia has refused
to prolong the contract concerning the broadcast of the programs
of the Armenian service of the Radio Liberty/Free Europe, which has
been rebroadcast on its frequencies since 1998. This was written in
the message of the radio station and the agency supervising over it:
the Board of Directors of the American Broadcast. All the technical
problems were solved during the visit of the competent officials of
the Board of Directors of the American Broadcast to Yerevan last week,
whereas the delegation was made assertions that there was no danger
for the programs of the Radio Liberty to be left out of the ether of
the Public Radio.

"It is evident that what hinders the signing of the contract has
nothing to do with legal, contractual, and technical issues," James
Glassman, the Chairman of the Board, mentioned.

It should also be mentioned that the RA National Assembly did not
adopt the legislative package presented by the government on July 3,
with which they offered to prohibit the broadcast of the programs of
other Mass Media on the frequencies of the Public Radio-Television
company. A week later the management of the Public Radio declared that
they are going to put an end to the transmission of the broadcasts of
the Radio Liberty, citing issues connected with payments and contracts.

CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)
T +995 32 75 19 03/04
F +995 32 75 19 05
[email protected]

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of the Caucasus Protected Areas Foundation

The Caucasus Protected Areas Foundation was legally established in 2007 to
conserve the unique biodiversity of the Caucasus Ecoregion by making grants
to support national parks and nature reserves primarily in Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia. The Foundation was created as part of a joint
initiative by the German Development Bank (KfW), Conservation International
(CI), and WWF-Germany.

The Foundation seeks the services of an Executive Director to manage its
operations from its headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. A significant amount
of the Executive Director’s time will be devoted to fundraising and building
up the Foundation’s capital endowment. The Executive Director will prepare a
fundraising strategy, identify and meet with potential donors, negotiate the
terms of grant agreements with donors, and travel within and outside the
Caucasus countries in connection with fundraising efforts.

In addition, the Executive Director will be responsible for the overall
management of the Foundation, subject to the supervision of its Board of
Directors, which currently consists of representatives of BMZ, CI and WWF.
The Executive Director will represent and promote the Foundation’s interests
in dealings with the Governments of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan; local
and international conservation NGOs; local and international businesses;
multilateral and bilateral international donor agencies; and local and
international media. The Executive Director will be responsible for the
development and implementation of long-term strategic plans, annual
operating plans, internal operations manuals and policies, and annual
budgets for consideration and approval by the Foundation’s Board.

The Executive Director will be hired by the Foundation for an initial
three-year appointment, subject to renewal on the basis of job performance.
The Executive Director will initially be assisted by a Technical Director or
Technical consultant who will be based in the Caucasus region and oversees
implementation of the Foundation’s grants for protected areas.

For detail information please download – Job Description.

Application:

Interested applicants are requested to send a cover letter and CV in English
and in electronic form until August 15, 2007 to the Board’s Recruitment
Consultant, Barry Spergel, at: [email protected] . Please include information
concerning your availability and desired salary.

THE END -PRODUCTS WERE SUMMERIZED

Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic
July 25 2007

In connection with the results of the NKR presidential elections
taken place on July 19th, applications about the results of the vote
in districts have not been entered into the territorial, electoral
commissions. The chairman of NKR CEC S. Nassibian announced about
it in the next session of CEC taken place on July 21st. According
to hm, as order, if a member of electoral, local commissions
expressed a special opinion or a proxy of the district hands in any
application about the results of reaccounting till july 20th,14:00,
so the reaccounting is accomplished.As there were not applications,
NKR CEC has a right to summerize the end-products during 3 days,
which did on July 21st during the session. Own information .