Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

"OPPOSITIONAL AUDIENCE IS DISTORTED"

A1+
[05:49 pm] 07 September, 2007

REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS ITS OWN GALLUP

"Presently there is no alternative to Serge Sargsyan.

We will have a clear-cut victory," announced the leader of the
Republican faction Karen Karapetyan.

Everybody realizes the Republicans’ victory, therefore, the candidates
for presidency find Serge Sargsyan their main rival at the 2008
presidential elections.

A1+ asked Karen Karapetyan to enumerate Serge Sargsyan’s virtues as
a presidential candidate.

Karapetyan pointed out Serge Sargsyan’s viability in the main.

Karen Karapetyan stated that Serge Sargsyan worked both in times of
war and peace in our country and proved that he is viable. "Everything
should be viewed in the normal course of events judging by the person’s
behavior. People sometimes refer to themselves as leaders. In my
opinion, a leader is the one who enjoys the real support of people,"
Karen Karapetyan said.

In answer to the question if Serge Sargsyan’s image will not be stained
by the fact that he was the Minister of National Security during
the October 27 parliamentary carnage but was unable to prevent the
terrorist attack, Karen Karapetyan said, "Even the security services
of such a rich country as the United States were unable to prevent
the September 11 terrorist act."

According to Karen Karapetyan he possesses data from the Gallup center
which give a high popular rating to Serge Sargsyan. He said this when
the reporters asked if the Republican Party worries about the results
of a Gallup poll released in the media recently that their candidate
ranks four among likely candidates.

"I can provide the results to you one of these days.

According to the Gallup Institute, Serge Sargsyan is given a 23
percent popular rating. He also has a secondary 7 percent. In other
words, if the candidates were these, people would vote for Serge
Sargsyan. If we have the electorate who mention other candidates
first and Serge Sargsyan as their second candidate, the facts are
weighty in my opinion."

Then Karapetyan reminded that in the parliamentary election the
Republican Party set out with a low rating but they moved ahead due
to their effective work.

The Republican faction leader is concerned over the opposition’s
dissolution. "I wish there were two or even three poles joined on the
basis of the same ideology, not against but for the sake of something.

And I wished they appeared to the public with their programs
and approaches so that the society could make a choice," Karen
Karapetyan says. He underlines that judging by the statements of all
the political figures no poles will emerge. "I think four or maybe
five opposition candidates will be put up. It means oppositional
audience is distorted, and at the same time it means it is not clear
whether these oppositional voters will vote for them or not," Karen
Karapetyan concluded.

MORTGAGE CREDITING TO DOUBLE IN ARMENIA IN 2007 ON LAST YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Sep 6, 2007

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. It has been forecast that the amount
of mortgage crediting will at least double in Armenia by results
of 2007 as compared with last year, the head of the Central Bank of
Armenia (CBA) Financial System Policy and Analyses Department David
Sargsian said at the September 6 press conference.

According to him, mortgage crediting by Armenian banks made 23 bln
770 mln 50 thousand drams (over 57 mln 134 thousand USD) in 2006,
which is more by 114% than in the previous year.

D. Sargsian said that a growth has been registered this year in
crediting of consumer sector, trade, industry and agriculture. In
particular, crediting of industry and agriculture has grown by
27-35%. According to the CBA representative, the crediting growth
rates in these sectors will contunue by late 2007.

To recap, the sum of 39 bln 263 mln 980 thousand drams provided to
industry as of December 31, 2007, has increased by 0.4% in a year,
while 14 bln 196 mln 429 thousand drams to agriculture has increased
by 25.6% in a year.

In the words of D. Sargsian, the average decline in credit interest
rates made 0.5% in January-June 2007. Business crediting was done
at the average interest rate of 15% in 2006, whereas now it makes
14-14.5%, while interest rates of consumer crediting have fallen from
21-21.5% to 19%.

PHOTO EXHIBITION "ARMENIANS IN ITALY" AT KARABAKH PARLIAMENT

KarabakhOpen
05-09-2007 11:36:52

The display of works by the Canadian photo reporter Hrair Baze (Hawk)
Khacherian in the home of the National Assembly continues. Hawk’s
eye seized the smallest traces of the Armenian culture on the walls
of Italian churches and monuments. The photos tell about the life of
Armenians in Italy.

AZERI OFFICIAL SAYS ARMENIAN MINISTER’S VISIT TO BAKU "INEVITABLE"

ITV
4 Sep 07
Baku

[Presenter] A representative of Armenia is expected to attend a
meeting of the council of interior ministers of CIS countries which
will be held in Baku [on 5-6 September].

The director of the foreign relations department at the presidential
administration, Novruz Mammadov, has assessed the [expected] arrival
of the Armenian minister [chief of Armenian Police Hayk Harutyunyan]
in Baku as Azerbaijan’s respect for international law.

[Novruz Mammadov] Reactions can differ. But such participation is
inevitable in meetings held within the framework of international and
regional organizations, whether we like it or not. It is impossible
[changes tack] – we can refuse to accept them but there has to be an
end to it. Therefore, even if we do not agree and we do not like it,
I think we have to obey international law and international procedures
because our ultimate goal is to achieve our objectives and secure
our national and state interests.

Therefore, such steps are sometimes inevitable.

NEW TURKISH CONSTITUTION PAVES WAY FOR ANNULMENT OF ARTICLE 301

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.09.2007 14:52 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The notorious Article 301 of the Turkish Penal
Code (TCK) may soon be no more; one of the articles in the new draft
constitution requires the Constitutional Court to annul laws that
contradict international agreements to which Turkey is a signatory.

Article 301 has been used to prosecute writers and journalists for
"insulting Turkishness", even if they express their opinion in a
nonviolent fashion, and stands in opposition to the European Human
Rights Agreement.

In an effort to produce a civilian constitution, the Turkish government
has appointed an academic team to draft a new constitution for the
country. The Turkish Constitutional Court’s structure and duties are
to be reformed according to the new constitutional draft prepared
by a top Turkish constitutional professor, Ergun Ozbudun, and his
academic team. Ozbudun said Article 90 of the existing Constitution
will remain, but be revised in the new draft to provide superiority
to international agreements that Turkey has signed, Zaman reports.

Armenian Turkish editor Hrant Dink, who was gunned down January 19,
2007 in Istanbul, Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk, novelist Elif Shafak
and writer Ragip Zakaroglu stood trial under the article.

SHALL WE HAVE ARMENIAN SHOES AND CLOTHES IN 7-8 MONTHS?

A1+
[04:28 pm] 05 September, 2007

"Van" shoe factory is "at a loss" because of the recent misfortunes
and the vague promises. "I cannot say anything definitely. We are
trying to resume work.

I wouldn’t like to speak of definite suggestions and prospects
beforehand," the director gave A1+ the following evasive answer. He
asked us politely to phone in two months to arrange a meeting.

We came across the same scene in ten other factories.

The directors avoided to introduce themselves and to present their
problems as "they are disappointed and upset to speak of their
problems."

We phoned the Kanaker shoe factory as well to inquire about their
activity. We were immediately told that they had admission and we were
free to apply whenever we wanted. On learning our aim, the director
said she was busy as "we have been out of work for many years.

Now we hope to resume work and can answer your questions in 7-8
months," she said. She told us they had partly preserved their
productivity.

An employee of "Taron" clothing factory told A1+ that he couldn’t
remember where he had last seen his superiors. The factory has been
out of work since 1990s. "I can hardly speak of any prospects as I
am an ordinary employee and nobody informs me of their plans," he said.

Only the director of "Garun" factory agreed to answer our questions
in a week after they have got raw material and specified their
further plans.

Over the recent seven months 3.8 milliard dollars have been spent
on clothes production in comparison with the 4.1 milliard dollars of
the previous year, the RA National Statistics Service reports.

As for footwear, the figures do not correspond to the
reality. According to the NSS the fabrication is determined by the
shady economy as very often Armenian shoes are presented as foreign
production at markets.

BRITISH AIR COMPANY BMI ENTERS ARMENIAN MARKET

ARMENPRESS
Sep 4, 2007

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS: BMI, the second largest airline
operating at London’s Heathrow airport, has announced its takeover
of Heathrow-based BA franchise airline British Mediterranean (BMED).

BMI’s already impressive flight network will include 17 new
destinations throughout Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia as
from October 28, 2007.

With this purchase, BMI is now the sole British carrier operating
flights between Armenia and the UK.

The airline currently operates around 170 flights a day to and from
its main Heathrow hub. BMI is also a member of Star Alliance, the
world’s biggest airline alliance, providing passengers with global
connections and a smooth travel experience.

British Midland plc, the UK-based group holding company of BMI, has
subscribed to approximately £30 million of new shares in BMED. BMED,
which was established as a limited company in 1994 and operated as an
independent franchise partner of British Airways from 1997, currently
has a fleet of three Airbus A320 and five Airbus A321 aircraft.

Speaking about the takeover, chief executive officer of the BMI
group Nigel Turner said: "Bringing BMED into the BMI group creates
a business with a turnover in excess of £1 billion with substantial
growth opportunities. The acquisition enables the BMI group to
accelerate its strategy of expansion into medium-haul markets because
BMED operates to 17 destinations in 16 countries and has no overlap
with any current BMI route. BMED has a first class workforce and we
welcome them into the BMI group."

BMI country sales manager for Armenia, Simon Avagyan, looks positively
at the arrangement. "BMI has a good reputation throughout the industry
and we anticipate positive developments in the future. The entrance of
BMI into Armenian air industry market can provide for new developments
in this field."

Synergies between BMI and BMED include BMED’s Heathrow base and the
fact that it operates IAE engined Airbus A320 and 321 aircraft in
a two class configuration. Tickets for travel on the extended BMI
network are on sale from September 4th 2007.

–Boundary_(ID_FKPWZG6gNFD/t6hqyAOhKA)–

RAFFI HOVHANNISIAN IN A HURRY

Panorama.am
19:56 01/09/2007

Last week, Heritage party’s president, Raffi Hovhannisian, came up
with another of his regular surprises. At a recent session of the
National Assembly, he put forth a bill recognizing the independence
of the Republic of Mountainous Karabakh.

This was something new for the Armenian political field, as no
political force here has attempted to such qualify their relations
with independent states and to change the accepted course concerning
Karabakh.

Explaining their proposal, "Heritage" member Larissa Alaverdyan said,
"I don’t see this as a sharp change from Armenia’s foreign policy
concerning Karabakh. It actually makes our course clearer." In her
words, there is a demand for the entrance of something new and fresh,
in this case the new clarification of Armenia’s position, during the
negotiation period, and the pronouncement merely satisfies this demand.

"I think this pronouncement will become a subject of negotiations of
the two presidents. It is finally time we take this step, and for them
to respond. Until now, Armenia has been the one to agree, respond,
and to react. Now it is time for Armenia to be more active, and for
the Minsk group to be the ones to respond," the parliamentarian stated.

The members of the other opposition party, Legal State, do not share
this approach. In the words of their vice-president, Mher Shahgeldyan,
the Karabakh issue is by all means a very important one for Armenia,
but if it were possible to solve the problem with this kind of
announcement, similar problems around the world would have already
been solved. "The thing is, at present negotiations are taking
place, and they include international organizations. In this case,
the negotiations must continue, and the question must be settled in
this way," he said.

Official reaction to Hovhannisian’s proposal has been negative. Foreign
Ministry press secretary Vladimir Karapetyan’s reaction is precise:
"The recognition of Karabakh has always been, and continues to be,
part of our foreign policy. But this has to be at the appropriate time,
when it will be most beneficial to us. This time has yet to arrive."

INVESTMENTS IN JANUARY-JULY RISE TO $245 MILLION

ARMENPRESS
Aug 31, 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS: Investments in Armenia’s real sector
economy in January-July of 2008 rose 37 percent from a year ago to
almost $245 million, Armenia’s statistical service said today.

It said the figure does not include investments in the state-run
agencies and banking sectors. The amount of direct investments in
economy was said to rise 77 percent to $153 million.

According to the statistical service, 27 percent of all investments
or almost $41 million were proceeds generated from the sale of
enterprises.

Lebanon with $84 million was number 1 investor, followed by Russia
with $74 million. Investments from Argentina rose to $24 million.

Almost 48 percent of foreign investments and 57 percent of direct
investments into the real sector of economy went to communications
sector, 9 percent of direct investments went to air transport sector
and 8 percent to construction sector.

TODAY WILLIAM SAROYAN WOULD CELEBRATE HIS 99TH ANNIVERSARY

AZG Armenian Daily
31/08/2007

William Saroyan was born in a family of Armenian immigrants on August
31, in 1908. The future writer’s family immigrated to the USA from
the town of Bitlis.

This gigant of the World’s Literature became the greatest and
most famous American writer of Armenian origin. In particular,
the readers can remember such works by this author, as "My heart
Is in the Highlands," "Hey, over There," "Human Comedy," "The
Adventures of Wesley Jackson," "Tracy’s Tiger," "The Cave Dwellers"
and others. He used to say that his pieces are written in English,
while the spirit of his works is solely Armenian. William Saroyan
died in 1981. According to the will of the writer, his heart was
buried in Yerevan writers. Today, the writer would celebrate his
99th anniversary.