Author: Varosian Antranik

RA STATE BUDGET REVENUES GROW BY 19.2%, EXPENDITURES BY 57.5% IN JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2008 ON SAME MONTHS OF 2007

Noyan Tapan
April 2, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA state budgetary revenues made
99.1 bln drams (about 321.9 mln USD), expenditures – 93.9 bln drams
in January-February 2008, which ensured the execution of the quarterly
program indices by 66.2% and 53.6% respectively.

According to the RA ministry of finance and economy, the annual
programmed indices of the state budget were executed by 13.5%
(revenues) and 12.4% (expenditures). State budgetary revenues grew by
19.2% or about 16 bln drams, while expenditures grew by 57.5% or 34.3
bln drams as compared with January-February 2007. Taxes and duties
increased by 18.7 bln drams, compulsory social insurance payments –
by 1.2 bln drams, official grants – by 12 mln drams, while other
revenues (previously called nontax revenues) declined by over 3.9
bln drams. As a result, the share of taxes and duties grew by 6.6%
in the total amount of revenues, while the share of compulsory
social insurance payments and other revenues declined by 1.3%
and 5.4% respectively. In particular, 79.6% of the state budgetary
revenues formed at the expense of taxes, 3.1% – state duties, 13.6%
– compulsory social insurance payments and 3.7% – other revenues.

In accordance with Article 9 Point 18 of the RA Law on 2008 State
Budget of the Republic of Armenia, off-budget fonds’ resources of
state institutions, whose revenues made about 2 bln drams in the
period under review (against 1.3 bln drams last year), were also
included in the state budget.

ROBERT KOCHARYAN: ARMENIA MUST EITHER RECOGNIZE THE INDEPENDENCE OF NKR OR SIGN AN AGREEMENT ON MUTUAL ASSISTANCE

armradio.am
01.04.2008 12:46

Yesterday RA President Robert Kocharyan visited Artsakh. At the
airport the President and his spouse were welcomed by NKR President
Bako Sahakyan, Speaker of the NKR National Assembly Ashot Gulyan,
Prime Minister Ara Harutyunyan, members of Government.

Presidents Robert Kocharyan and Bako Sahakyan had a short meeting
at the NKR President’s Office, following which Robert Kocharyan met
with representatives of the legislative and executive authorities of
Nagorno Karabakh.

For exceptional service to Nagorno Karabakh NKR President Bako Sahakyan
awarded Robert Kocharyan with a "Gregory the Illuminator" order.

"Discussions on Nagorno Karabakh must be held in Armenia in the near
future, and I think that a new situation is created. Some things
are changing in the world. There is the Kosovo precedent, there are
the efforts of Azerbaijan to transfer the negotiation process from
the Minsk Group framework to the UN, there are militant statements,
which make Armenia and Karabakh implement certain changes in their
approaches connected with issues of NKR security and the final status
of Nagorno Karabakh," Robert Kocharyan said in Stepanakert, turning
to the negotiation process son the Karabakh conflict settlement.

The President noted that the issue has no solution so far. "There
are still challenges, and we all must undertake the final recognition
of NKR."

Armenia should either recognize the independence of the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic or sign an agreement on mutual assistance in the
field of defense, Robert Kocharyan said. According to the President,
such an agreement will prevent the militant statements of Azerbaijan.

ARMENIA CONCERNED ABOUT LACK OF UNIFORMITY BETWEEN CSTO MEMBERS IN UN VOTING

Kazakhstan General Newswire
March 31, 2008 Monday 9:28 AM MSK

Yerevan is concerned about the fact that the Collective Security
Treaty Organization (CSTO) member-states did not vote uniformly on
a UN General Assembly resolution on the situation in the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan on March 14, Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanian said.

"Armenia is concerned that the Organization failed to display a
uniform position. The countries that voted for the resolution in fact
voted against the negotiating process," the Armenian Foreign Ministry
quoted Oskanian as saying at an informal conference of CSTO foreign
ministers in Moscow.

He said he hoped the CSTO members would display solidarity during
voting in the future.

Oskanian also suggested that the resolution does not have any legal
force.

It was reported earlier that the UN General Assembly passed a
resolution on the situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan,
which was initiated by Baku, on March 14. The resolution was supported
by 39 countries, seven voted against it, and 100 abstained.

As regards the CSTO members (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan), only Russia and Armenia voted
against the resolution, Uzbekistan voted in favor of it, and the rest
of its members abstained.

France and the U.S., which, together with Russia, are co-chairmen
of the OSCE Minsk Group mediating in the negotiations to resolve
the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh,
also voted against the resolution.

ARMENIA MAY REVIEW KARABAKH POLICY – PRESIDENT

Public TV
March 31 2008
Armenia

The presidents of Armenia and Artsakh [Nagornyy Karabakh]
have discussed cooperation in Stepanakert. Robert Kocharyan and
Bako Sahakyan spoke about socio-economic issues and the future
of the Karabakh settlement. President Robert Kocharyan also met
representatives of the legislative and executive branches of power
in Artsakh. [Correspondent] Narine Aghabalyan will have details
from Stepanakert.

[Correspondent] The incumbent Armenian president, Robert Kocharyan,
and [his wife] Mrs Bella Kocharyan were met by NKR [Nagornyy Karabakh
republic] president Bako Sahakyan and his wife, as well as National
Assembly [parliament] speaker Ashot Ghulyan, prime minister Ara
Harutyunyan and other members of the Artsakh government at the
Stepanakert airport. Kocharyan was invited to make his extraordinary
and final visit to Karabakh as Armenian president by the Artsakh
leader. President Bako Sahakyan conveyed the NKR authorities’ and
people’s gratitude to Kocharyan for the long years of joint work as
well as for organizing the defence and security of Artsakh in the
years crucial for the country, and for contributing to the economic
development of Artsakh and Armenia.

[NKR president Bako Sahakyan] We are sure that no matter what you will
be busy with in the future you will contribute to the development of
our two countries.

[Correspondent] Sahakyan bestowed the Grigor Lusavorich order on
Kocharyan for his exceptional services to NKR. Kocharyan described
as symbolic the meeting which was held in the hall where Nagornyy
Karabakh’s independence was declared on 2 September 1991. Issues of
the Artsakh economy and statehood were discussed at the meeting.

Kocharyan said that progress was obvious in Artsakh. He pointed
to the clear formulation and implementation of priorities for the
future development.

[Armenian President Robert Kocharyan] It would be desirable for those
changes to be carried out more actively and that they be more visible
for the people here but we all need to work more actively. It is clear
that the local resources are limited and without serious financial
injection it would be difficult for Karabakh to ensure necessary
development rates alone.

[Correspondent] How will the negotiations on the Karabakh settlement
continue? Kocharyan discussed future actions with the NKR president
and foreign minister.

[Kocharyan] In the future, there will be discussions in Armenia too,
and I think a new situation is emerging. Some things are changing
in the world, there is the Kosovo precedent, there are Azerbaijan’s
efforts to take the negotiations process out of the OSCE framework to
the United Nations, there are bellicose statements, which simply force
the Republic of Armenia and the Nagornyy Karabakh republic to make
certain corrections to their approaches related to both the Karabakh
security and the final status of the Nagornyy Karabakh republic.

[Correspondent] Speaking about the political situation in the Republic
of Armenia, Kocharyan pointed to the main conclusion: there is a need
to reinforce the statehood bases of the Republic of Armenia.

[Kocharyan] There already are legislative proposals in regard to
resolving those issues. It is my belief that attempts to drive a
wedge between the Armenian people should become criminally punishable.

[Correspondent] Kocharyan will not remain indifferent to the issues
the two Armenian states are facing after stepping down from office.

[Kocharyan] The final issue does not have a settlement. There are
still challenges before our people, and we all have to work for the
final recognition of the Nagornyy Karabakh republic.

[Correspondent] After the meeting, Kocharyan and Sahakyan walked
through the streets of Stepanakert.

KASHATAGH REGION OF STRATEGIC SIGNIFICANCE FOR ARMENIAN NATION: PRESIDENT

ARMENPRESS
March 31, 2008

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 31, ARMENPRESS: A three day (March 28-30) conference
took place in the Berdzor district center of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic Kashatagh region, which was devoted to the development of
the region.

"This conference, which is devoted to the development of the Kashatagh
region, is the first sui generis, and I hope that it will become
a basis for holding similar events in the future. It will promote
effective solution to the problems existing in the region, as well
as realization of programs aimed at its further development", NKR
President Bako Sahakian said in his speech made at the opening of
the conference.

Meanwhile, he noted that the "Kashatagh region is a unit of strategic
significance for the Armenian nation".

"It is no coincidence that within nearly 70 years our enemy turned
this territory into a wedge between Armenia and Artsakh. The region’s
role has deeply changed since May of 1992, and the narrow section
liberated in that period became a real "lifeline" for the people
of Artsakh. Realizing both political and economic significance
of Kashatagh and all the responsibility for its future we have to
undertake the region’s development, create stable and competitive
economy, increase the level of the people’s welfare, and improve the
people’s living conditions. It is today’s imperative required by the
interests of our national security", Bako Sahakian said.

The head of the Karabakhi state also mentioned that "the existence of
strong, developed and populated Kashatagh will create stable background
for reinforcement of positions not only in the negotiation process
on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, but also on the front
line making it more protected and secure".

"This year and in the following years the amount of means assigned
for the region’s development will considerably increase. The budget
of the Kashatagh region in 2008 is 3.7 billion drams, which exceeds
the previous year’s index by 40% per cent. 1 billion drams is provided
for capital construction, 400 million drams is provided for the sphere
of capital investment. These tendencies of proportional development
will be maintained in the future as well", Bako Sahakian noted.

Meanwhile, the president informed that together with the economic
development of the region reforms, aimed at improvement of the
population’s social condition, were also provided.

Representatives of 40 organizations of the Armenian Diaspora and
independent entrepreneurs and benefactors participated in the work
of the conference in Berdzor.

Various programs which are to stimulate the complex development of
the region, secure stable economic growth, solve education and health
care problems, improve demographic situation etc. were presented
during the conference.

The attendees visited the region’s villages and familiarized themselves
with the situation in site.

"PERSPECTIVES ON THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE" PUBLIC DIALOGUE TO BE HELD IN ARLINGTON

Noyan Tapan
March 31, 2008

ARLINGTON, MARCH 31, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TAPAN. On April 3, the
Arlington Human Rights Commission will present a public dialogue,
"Perspectives on the Armenian Genocide. The guest speaker will be
Dikran M.

Kaligian, Ph.D. Dr. Kaligian is the Kaloosdian/Mugar Visiting Professor
of Armenian Genocide Studies at Clark University and Associate Editor
of the Armenian Review. He received his doctorate from Boston College,
where his dissertation was entitled, "The Armenian Revolutionary
Federation under Ottoman Constitutional Rule, 1908-1914".

‘THE RESOLUTION STANDOFF’ TO AVOID THE WEST

Azadliq
March 27 2008
Azerbaijan

The relationship between Baku and the OSCE Minsk Group [which
is mediating a solution to the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict] is
turning sour. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ move to vote down the
Azerbaijani-sponsored resolution submitted to the UN General Assembly
regarding its territorial integrity has made relations seriously
cold. Reports are already being circulated that Baku will refuse the
co-chairmanship of the USA, Russia and France and that preparations
are under way for a signature-collecting campaign.

Of course, the Azerbaijani government seems to be right in getting
offended by this treatment. The co-chairs openly opposed the document
it put forward at the UN. In addition, this document contains fair
points based on territorial integrity and the right of sovereignty
over Nagornyy Karabakh. From this standpoint, the government has
the right to ask for the Azerbaijani public support for its protest
against the co-chairing states.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg. One can conclude after
gaining more insight into the problem that the Baku government’s
"resolution standoff" with the co-chairing states serves a general
course to distance itself from the West. It is no coincidence that
mainly the US co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, Matthew Bryza,
responds to criticism of the Minsk Group co-chairs over the UN vote.

His recent interview on Voce of America sheds light on secret issues
behind the "resolution standoff". Bryza said that some forces in Baku
are trying to worsen US-Azerbaijani ties and that their unclear wish
has no good prospects.

Some tension has been indeed observed in US-Azerbaijani ties
recently. This tension was openly reflected in the US State
Department’s annual report about the rights situation in the world.

The Baku government responded to the accusation of the poor rights
situation in Azerbaijan with unprecedented emotion. Serious protests
were voiced against the report by the presidential administration, and
an MP from the ruling NAP [New Azerbaijan Party] went further saying:
"Why does Azerbaijan have to take into account reports drawn up by
any state?"

Moreover, the serious tone used by US ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne
Derse to comment on the stabbing of Azadliq newspaper reporter Aqil
Xalil and subsequent criticism of her by pro-government figures in
the same way as they criticize local opposition leaders added to
this tension. It is not difficult to forecast that Baku’s foreign
policy may be directed mainly towards Moscow if it does not give up
the current line in the near future. The Azerbaijani government’s
extremely serious reaction to Kosovo independence and its decision
to withdraw peacekeepers was in reverence for Russia. Of course,
the government fully took advantage of the existence of the Nagornyy
Karabakh problem and the thesis about the possibility of Kosovo
setting a precedent for this region in order to substantiate its
step. But Azerbaijan should have refrained from displaying such a
sharp and inconsistent position in the face of insistent statements
by the USA, Europe and the Organization of the Islamic Conference
member countries, which recognized Kosovo’s independence, that it
will not set a precedent for Nagornyy Karabakh.

When looking at the subsequent developments, the withdrawal of
peacekeepers from Kosovo is seen as a point revealing Baku’s problems
with Washington. In any case, this step did not serve the strengthening
of ties with NATO and subsequent integration into the Euro-Atlantic
space. NATO’s bid to enlarge eastward and have the South Caucasus as
part of the Euroatlantic space is a policy openly supported by the
USA. Maybe, this is all happening because the Baku government fears
to move towards NATO and Europe. The result of this is that the USA
along with its allies in Europe did not support the resolution on
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity at the UN.

One may also assume that the Baku government wanted to justify
its tactics of distancing itself from the West by submitting this
resolution for discussion knowing beforehand how the USA would vote.

DIALOGUE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Arlington Advocate
March 27 2008
MA

Arlington, Mass. – On Thursday, April 3, the Arlington Human Rights
Commission will present a public dialogue, "Perspectives on the
Armenian Genocide."

This guest speaker will be Dikran M. Kaligian, Ph.D. Dr. Kaligian is
the Kaloosdian/Mugar Visiting Professor of Armenian Genocide Studies
at Clark University and Associate Editor of the Armenian Review. He
received his doctorate from Boston College, where his dissertation
was entitled, "The Armenian Revolutionary Federation under Ottoman
Constitutional Rule, 1908-1914."

This dialogue will be held in the Robbins Library Community Room,
700 Massachusetts Avenue.

Doors open at 7:00 p.m. for refreshments and socializing. The speaking
program will begin at 7:30 p.m.

All dialogues of the Arlington Human Rights Commission are open to
the public and free of charge. For further information, please contact
the Commission’s office at 781-316-3250.

RUSSIAN, ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS-ELECT VOW TO ENHANCE TIES, BOOST CO-OP
Yan Liang

Xinhua

March 24 2008
China

MOSCOW, March 24 (Xinhua) — The Russian and Armenian presidents-elect,
Dmitry Medvedev and Serzh Sargsyan, pledged Monday to enhance bilateral
relations and further cooperation, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

"Armenia is ready to continue developing relations with Russia in
every direction," said Sargsyan, who met with Medvedev Monday in the
Kremlin during his visit to Moscow.

This is Sargsyan’s first foreign visit after winning the presidential
election on Feb. 19. He will also meet Russian President Vladimir
Putin and Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov.

"We hope that after the inauguration, we will be able to continue
the traditional dialogue aimed at the consolidation of our ties,"
said Sargsyan.

"We are ready to build relations on the basis of the existing
arrangements and develop cooperation," said Medvedev, suggesting
that the two sides should discuss now what they will be doing for
the future of Russian-Armenian relations.

The intensity and fruitfulness of contacts confirms the interest
of both sides to ensure the continued development of the mutually
beneficial partnership between Moscow and Yerevan, Itar-Tass reported,
citing a high-ranking Kremlin source.

"The accumulated amount of Russian investment in Armenia’s national
economy has approached the important frontier of 1 billion U.S. dollars
in 2007," the source said.

PRESS RELEASE
Department of Philosophy
Southern Connecticut State University
New Haven, CT 06515
Contact: Dr. Armen Marsoobian
Tel: 203 392-6788
Fax: 203 392-6338
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

PETER BALAKIAN OPENS A SERIES OF EVENTS ENTITLED ³GENOCIDE: WEEKS OF
REMEMBRANCE AND REFLECTION² OBSERVED AT SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE
UNIVERSITY, NEW HAVEN, CT

On April 11 at noon, poet and scholar Peter Balakian will give a lecture,
³The Armenian Genocide and Modernity,² followed at 1:30 by a light lunch and
at 2 p.m. by a poetry reading. These events will take place in Engleman Hall
B121-A & B. Professor Balakian has published two books on the Armenian
genocide, ³Black Dog of Fate,² winner of the PEN/Albrand Prize for memoir
and a New York Times Notable Book, and ³The Burning Tigris: The Armenian
Genocide and America¹s Response,² which received the 2005 Raphael Lemkin
Prize and was a New York Times Notable Book and New York Times and national
best seller. This event is part of a month-long series entitled ³Genocide:
Weeks of Remembrance and Reflection.² Daniel Mendelsohn, Claudia Card, James
Young, Benedict Kiernan, and Armen Marsoobian will be giving talks as part
of this series. Additional information can be found at the following
website: by calling 203
392-6788.