Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

ARTSAKH REVIVAL PROJECT UNDER WAY

Panorama.am
18:10 10/04/2007

Massive reconstruction has been made in Martakert region of
Karabakh. Vaghuhas village of Martakert region has 9 km long water
pipeline already. It also has 4 water receivers and 50 m3 water
reservoir. The facilities were built with the help of an Argentinean
unit and fund released from the donations made at TV marathon 2005,
All Armenia Fund public relations department reports. The project,
called Artsakh Revival, was launched in 2006. Several other facilities
were built and reconstructed in Arajazor village, Mets Shen, Maghavuz
and Vartkatagh as well as town of Martakert.

RUSSIAN PM CONGRATULATES HIS NEW-APPOINTED ARMENIAN COUNTERPART

Arka News Agency, Armenia
April 9 2007

YEREVAN, April 9. /ARKA/. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov
sent Friday a message Serge Sargsyan congratulating the latter on
his appointment to the post of Armenian prime minister.

In his message, Fradkov said that Armenian-Russian relations have
considerably developed for recent years.

He pointed out that political ties are increasingly becoming closer
and economic cooperation is growing.

Fradkov also stressed Sargsyan’s contribution to military and economic
cooperation between the two countries.

He expressed hope that Sargsyan will keep doing the same also at the
prime ministerial post.

Fradkov wished success to the newly appointed Armenian PM.

TURKISH-ARMENIAN CONCERT CANCELED DUE TO THREATS
Debbie Lehmann

The Brown Daily Herald, RI
April 9 2007

A Turkish-Armenian concert scheduled for Friday was canceled on
short notice after the Armenian musicians and the president of the
Armenian Students Association received threats from members of the
Armenian community.

ASA and the Turkish Cultural Society organized the concert, titled
"The Armenian Composers of the Ottoman Period," to promote dialogue
between their communities. The concert was dedicated to Hrant Dink,
a Turkish-Armenian journalist who was assassinated in January outside
his newspaper office by a Turkish nationalist who later confessed
to the killing. Dink had been a target of nationalist anger for his
articles about the mass killings of Armenians by Turks in 1915 that
many have called a genocide.

A member of TCS, who requested anonymity because of the sensitive
nature of the situation, told The Herald the groups started talking
about co-sponsoring the event roughly six months ago after members of
TCS wrote a column in The Herald that touched on historical relations
between Turks and Armenians. The two groups then began discussing
the need for joint events to encourage conversation, according to
the TCS member.

The TCS member wrote in an e-mail to The Herald that the Armenian
musicians and the president of the ASA did their best to resist the
"warning messages" they received. However, he wrote that "the situation
got serious," and the musicians, followed by the ASA, withdrew from
the event. The musicians and the ASA are now "in a very difficult
position against some parts of their community," he wrote.

Ruben Izmailyan ’09, president of the ASA, said he was disappointed
the event was canceled but declined to comment further.

TCS is also "very sorry the event did not happen," the member wrote
in his e-mail.

"For people who had issues, I think that the appropriate response
was not to attend, instead of forcing it to cancel," he wrote. "I
think this was an honest effort on both sides aiming at nothing but
to enjoy common music and food and make friends regardless of views
on the past."

The member went on to write that he finds it "illogical" that people
in both the Turkish and Armenian communities asked the other side to
change its views before considering dialogue.

"I thought dialogue was about talking, negotiating and persuading
each other," he wrote. "There is a clear contradiction."

Still, efforts to plan the event were not entirely useless, the
member wrote. TCS received messages of support from both Armenians
and Turks. One Armenian woman did not hear about the cancellation and
still came from Cape Cod for the concert. In addition, TCS members went
out to dinner and engaged in conversation with an Armenian medical
student at Brown, who also came to the concert without knowing it
had been canceled.

TCS members have a wide range of views about Armenian-Turkish
relations, the member wrote, but they agree that "healthy, constructive
dialogue is needed for a solution." TCS will continue to look into
ways to create this dialogue, the member wrote.

"Now, I am convinced that bringing open-minded, reasonable people of
both sides together is the solution," he wrote. "If not, those people
would not be so afraid of it."

edia/storage/paper472/news/2007/04/09/CampusNews/T urkishArmenian.Concert.Canceled.Due.To.Threats-282 9725.shtml

SHIRAK AIRPORT IN GYUMRI, ARMENIA, TO BE BROUGHT TO 1-CLASS LEVEL

Arminfo
2007-04-06 14:58:00

It is scheduled to start upgrading of the airport "Shirak" in Gyumri
in May, 2007, and complete it at the end of 2007, Head of the Central
Department of RA Civil Aviation Artiom Movsissyan told ArmInfo. After
upgrading, Shirak airport will not be passed under control of a
private company but the state, A. Movsissyan said. A total of 2,2 mln
drams (about $6 mln by the current rate ) were allocated by Armenia’s
budget for its upgrading, 1,7 mln drams of which will be invested to
repair the landing strip, the taxiways and parks, and 500 mln drams –
to install a runway lighting system. After upgrading, "Shirak" will
become the 1-class airport and foreign air companies will be able to
use that as an alternative one for carrying out international flights,
in force majeure connected with worsening of the weather in Zvartnots
airport of Yerevan. They avoided using this airport so far because of
the poor equipment and insufficiently flat landing strip, A. Movsissyan
noted. By unconfirmed data, the Argentine businessman Eduardo Eurnekyan
is concerned about getting airport "Shirak" under concession control.

NEW HEAD OFFICE OF HSBC BANK ARMENIA OPENS IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
Apr 05 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The new head office of HSBC Bank
Armenia opened at 66 Terian Street, Yerevan. A new branch of the bank
is located in the same building. The bank’s former head office was
registered as a branch at 9 Vazgen Sargsian Street, Yerevan.

General Executive Director of HSBC Bank Armenia Anthony Turner said
at the March 5 press conference that another 3 branches of the bank
will open in Yerevan by late 2007, as well as the number of cash
dispensers will be increased from 21 to 44.

According to him, HSBS Bank Armenia will continue providing mortgage
credits at 12% interest rate, attempting to reduce it to 10.5% in the
future. The bank will soon start implementing a program of crediting
small and medium enterprises.

Presenting the 2006 financial report of the bank, A. Turner said that
the total amount of deposits of the bank’s customers made 70 bln drams
(about 193 mln USD) in the indicated period, with a 11% growth in
Armenian drams and a 37% growth in US dollars on the previous year.

"Since 1999, HSBC Bank Armenia has paid a sum equialent to 21
million dollars as dividents, which shows a high level of the
bank’s profitability," Director of the bank’s financial unit Ruzanna
Shahinian stated.

NICOLA SARKOZY IS THREATENED WITH TERROR ACTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.04.2007 17:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Group on Struggle against Terrorism under the
Paris Court has began to study e-mails, the authors of which inform
about a planning terror act against French presidential candidate
Nicola Sarkozy. Authors of suspicious messages assure a terror
act against Sarkozy will be committed on Thursday during his visit
to Lyons.

The investigation was launched after editorial office of TV5 channel,
as well as the administration of Social Party informed about the
received letters in the following form. "Sarkozy – terror act –
Lyons – April 5, 2007".

The close circle of ex-Minister for Interior Affairs and the
presidential candidate, as well as the ruling party of National
Movement are avoiding of making comments. Specialists for the struggle
against terrorism are trying to identify authors of messages.

Sources in police assure still there is nothing that would indicate
that really a terror act is being prepared against Sarkozy.

Sarkozy, who on March 26 left the post of Interior Minister, is going
to visit Lyons on Thursday in the framework of electoral campaign. He
is one of the favorites in presidential campaign of France, RIA
"Novosti" reports.

RUSSIA FM GOES TO ARMENIA FOR OFFICIAL VISIT

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
April 3, 2007 Tuesday

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov left on Tuesday for an official
visit to Armenia, where he will discuss with the Armenian leadership
ways to boost cooperation, in particular in the energy sphere, as
well as will consider regional issues.

"The implementation of agreements on the intensification of
cooperation, in particular in the fuel-and-energy sphere, reached at
talks of the two presidents" will be among the focal points on the
agenda of Lavrov’s visit, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail
Kamynin said.

"Russian-Armenian trade reached almost half-a-billion dollars in 2006,
and the amount of cumulative Russian investment in Armenia makes up
800 million dollars," the high-ranking diplomat said.

Much attention will be paid to regional issues, he added. The sides
will discuss "joint steps to improve the situation in Transcaucasia,"
the spokesman stressed.

"Within the context of discussions on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement,
the Russian side is ready to contribute to the search for a political
solution on the basis of mutually acceptable agreements between
Yerevan and Baku," he emphasized.

"We also expect to hear how the election situation in Armenia is
assessed," Kamynin added. "We expect that a parliamentary election will
be organized at a high level. We shall contribute to it by sending
to Armenia observers working within the framework of CIS and OSCE,"
the diplomat said.

The Russian foreign minister is expected to hold talks with Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan and his Armenian counterpart Vartan
Oskanyan. Lavrov is also planning to meet with Russian diaspora.

NEW ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN ECONOMIC JOINT PROGRAMS CAN ALSO HAVE REGIONAL INVOLVEMENT

Noyan Tapan
Apr 04 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Issues relating to development of
the Armenian-Russian mutual relations were discussed at the April
4 meeting of RA President Robert Kocharian and RF Foreign Minister
Sergey Lavrov. The sides appreciated the present level of cooperation
in all the directions and mentioned that it gives new possibilities of
widening the partnership. It was particularly spoken about prospects
of implementing new economic joint programs which may have not only
bilateral but also regional involvement.

According to the information submitted to Noyan Tapan by the RA
President’s Press Office, R. Kocharian and S. Lavrov also touched
upon regional problems and their possible developments, exchanged
viewpoints concerning positions of the two countries on those problems.

PRESS OFFICE
Department of Communications
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Media Relations Specialist
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 160; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

April 3, 2007
___________________

ARMENIANS GATHER IN NYC’S ST. VARTAN CATHEDRAL FOR REQUIEM SERVICE HONORING
PRIME MINISTER ANDRANIK MARGARYAN

By Florence Avakian

A memorial service was held on Thursday evening, March 29, 2007, in New York
City’s St. Vartan Cathedral to celebrate the life of Armenian Prime Minister
Andranik Margaryan, who passed away on March 25, 2007, at age 55.

The service, presided over by Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the
Diocese of the Armenian Church (Eastern), included a dozen priests and
deacons and the participation of the St. Vartan Cathedral Choir. Joining
the mourners were Armenian Ambassador to the United States Tatoul Markarian
and Armenian Ambassador to the United Nations Armen Martirossian.

"It is right and fitting that we remember him here, in the Eastern Diocese,
for we shared a common hope with the Prime Minister for a strong,
independent Armenian nation," the Primate said in his remarks, which were
delivered in both Armenian and English. "With the passing of Prime Minister
Margaryan, we have lost a thoughtful and reliable partner who had a
passionate vision and goal of improving the lives of all the citizens of
Armenia."

The Primate stressed that Prime Minister Margaryan was one of the "earliest
leaders in Armenia to understand the power of the Diaspora, and
specifically, the transformative energy that we provide through
organizations such as our Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR). He shared our
mission to provide hope, opportunity and empowerment to the individual
citizens of Armenia so that they could build a brighter future themselves.
He saw the future of Armenia coming from educated young people, passionate
individuals empowered with new training, modern tools, and competitive
resources."

During the war in Karabagh, Prime Minister Margaryan sent military equipment
and food, and participated personally in the struggle, Archbishop Barsamian
said. "He was always at the side of his people despite his own personal
pain, in order to strengthen the lives of his people," he said.

The prime minister was also remembered for the work he has done in
strengthening the Armenian Church and the unique bond between the Church and
the nation.

"As a devoted son of the Armenian Church, he understood the powerful bond
that exists between the Armenian nation and her mother church, and acted
accordingly to return to that tradition following the collapse of the Soviet
regime," the Primate said. "He was literate and an intellectual, but he
remained a modest worker for his people."

The Primate noted he had sent personal letters of sympathy on behalf of the
Diocese to President Robert Kocharian and His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.

LONGEST TENURE SINCE INDEPENDENCE

"The outpouring of support and expressions of sympathy over the past few
days have signified both respect for the Armenian statehood and for Andranik
Margaryan as an individual and a statesman," Ambassador Tatoul Markarian
told the assembled people.

Prime Minister Margaryan had served in the position since 2000. He has had
the longest tenure of all prime ministers since Armenia’s independence. But
he is remembered not because of the time he put in the office, but what he
did while in office.

"He will not be distinguished merely by the length of his tenure, but rather
by his significant accomplishments in the economic, social and political
arenas during Armenian’s transition to, and strengthening of Armenia’s
statehood," Ambassador Markarian said.

Noting Prime Minister Margaryan’s deep political conviction and vision for
Armenia’s future, Ambassador Markarian emphasized that the "indelible mark"
the prime minister left on Armenia’s political scene.

"His patriotism, respect for national tradition and the Armenian Church,
devotion to family values, and personal modesty have earned the respect,
admiration, and love of his compatriots," the ambassador said.

As a sign of the Armenian people’s ultimate respect, the ambassador noted
that the prime minister was laid to rest in Yerevan’s National Pantheon on
Wednesday, March 28, 2007, surrounded by massive crowds.

"Tens of thousands of Armenians braved the inclement weather to pay their
love and respect to the late leader," the ambassador said. "His legacy will
live on as Armenia becomes stronger economically and politically. His
personal integrity and great political accomplishments guarantee him a place
in the modern history of Armenia."

Prime Minister Margaryan was born in 1951 in Yerevan, the descendant of
Genocide survivors from Mush. It was this crucial issue which sparked his
interest in politics when, in 1965, he participated in the 50th anniversary
commemorations of the Genocide held in Soviet Armenia. A prominent
dissident, his political life began in 1968, when he joined the National
United Party which advocated for Armenia’s independence and defended the
Armenian cause. In 1974, he was arrested, tried, and served two years in
the Soviet Gulag.

He was a strong supporter of Karabagh’s defense and the Armenian army. A
founding member of Armenia’s Republican Party, he became its leader in 1997,
serving until his death. He was elected to the Armenian National Assembly
in 1995, and became the head of the Unity faction in 1999.

Appointed prime minister in May, 2000, he served with distinction following
the tragic assassinations in the Armenian Parliament in October 1999, making
an essential contribution to restoring domestic political stability in the
country. Since 2003, he headed the coalition government in Armenia.

On the 15th anniversary of the formation of an independent Republic of
Armenian, President Robert Kocharian awarded the prime minister the nation’s
top honor – the Order of Soorp Mesrob Mashdots — in recognition of his
"outstanding contributions to state-building and economic development of
Armenia."

Prime Minister Margaryan is survived by his wife, three children, and five
grandchildren. Following the requiem service, attendees gathered at a
reception in the Haik and Alice Kavookjian Auditorium organized by the Fund
for Armenian Relief (FAR).

— 4/3/07

E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News and
Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,

PHOTO CAPTION (1): Dozens of clergymen from the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern) join Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate, in
New York City’s St. Vartan Cathedral during a requiem service for the late
Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan on Thursday evening, March 29,
2007.

PHOTO CAPTION (2): Archbishop Barsamian presides over a requiem service
honoring the late prime minister of Armenia, Andranik Margaryan, on
Thursday, March 29, 2007, inside St. Vartan Cathedral.

PHOTO CAPTION (3): Armenian Ambassador to the United States Tatoul
Markarian offers thoughts on the life of the late Armenian prime minister.

PHOTO CAPTION (4): The Primate delivers his remarks during the requiem
service for the late Prime Minister Margaryan of Armenia, which was held
Thursday, March 29, 2007, in New York City’s St. Vartan Cathedral.

RUSSIAN POLITICIANS MULL POSSIBILITY OF THIRD TERM FOR PUTIN

NTV Mir, Moscow
1 Apr 07

The leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) Vladimir
Zhirinovskiy, senator and member of A Just Russia party’s central
council Sergey Lisovskiy and member of presidium of One Russia party
general council Andrey Isayev were studio guests of the Russian NTV
Mir programme "Sunday night with Vladimir Solovyev", broadcast on
01 Apr 07. They were invited to discuss the possibility of amending
the constitution to allow the president to stay for the third term
and to change the duration of presidential term to seven years. The
proposal to this effect was made last week by Federation Council
speaker Sergey Mironov.

Zhirinovskiy, in his usual populist manner, started by saying that
the Federation Council is "a holiday resort" and its speaker, happy
with just being re-elected to the third term himself, would like this
situation to last and last. "He wants to stay on for the fourth and
the fifth terms. That is, he favours the Turkmen-Belarusian option".

Moreover, since Mironov is not responsible for anything he does,
he does not realize that by proposing such a thing he actually
"undermines the president", who "said it hundred times already that
he wouldn’t stay and saw no need for that".

Isayev added that such proposals have been voiced "at least four or
seven times", and each time Putin "waved them away like irritating
flies".

The discussion then generally deviated towards One Russia party’s real
and perceived popularity, dissentions within the party and Mironov’s
re-election as Federation Councils chairman.

Steering the process onto its designated tracks, the host of the
programme Vladimir Solovyev suggested that Mironov, as the third
most important person in the country, might have already consulted
the lawyers before he decided to come up with his proposal yet again.

"There must be a procedure to bring to life whatever Mr Mironov is
having in mind," Solovyev said, adding that "technically, this would
be possible, after all".

Lisovskiy challenged his opponents to name any man other than Putin
who would be able to maintain in balance One Russia, which he called
a "political monopoly". Isayev retorted that Putin would "remain a
political leader of the country even after his presidency". He argued
that Putin can continue pursuing his course even when he steps down.

"He is not an ordinary official, who just has a post with no
influence. His will continue to have influence in the country. It
will be useful and beneficial when political and administrative
leadership are not combined in one person". In Isayev’s view, Putin
can become a leader of the majority party, like George Washington,
for instance. He said he was confident that the man to succeed Putin
would continue his policy, albeit in "a slightly different way and
with a different team". For his party "it is most important to stay
on the course taken by Putin".

Zhirinovskiy said the best option would be to get rid of the Federation
Council and the presidency altogether and introduce the parliamentary
system, which would result in the "real freedom".

Solovyev pointed out that Putin’s rating remains so high because he
is not associated in the public mind either with the executive or
legislative authority, the trust in both of which is much lower. He
said it was evident that the public genuinely loves Putin and many
politicians have built their careers by demonstrating their devotion
to Putin. "The most shining example of this we saw in the Federation
Council, when it was said: m’lord, I love you so much, just don’t go
away too soon!"

Summing up the discussion, Lisovskiy said the fact that Mironov could
say whatever he wanted to say in the Federation Council, just as any
other of its members, is in itself a major achievement of the upper
chamber. He said, he is personally against the third term for the
president, even though there are some positive tactical aspects to
this proposal. However, strategically the consequences of such move
would be negative.

Isayev, who throughout the discussion was busy warding off criticism
continuously levelled against his party by his debating opponents,
insisted that his was "the only party with open and free discussion
between its left and right wings". He even admitted voting against
Mironov’s election as St Petersburg representative in the Federation
Council. However, Mironov owes his re-election solely to One Russia’s
support, he said. Putin, he said, is "not just a good man, he is
associated with a certain political course". This course presumes a
"gradual transition to a normal political structure of the state, and
one of imperative conditions of this is rotation of presidency". "He
could be very influential and enjoy a very high level of public
support. But we must understand that authority is not just some lofty
thing, but a function of governing society. And this function must
be performed within a set term. In demanding a third term for Putin,
they mean third terms for themselves."

Zhirinovskiy said the matter was not about the third term per se,
but the fact that "by the end of the third term, the question of the
fourth term would immediately arise, then the fifth". This is because
"politics is like money, alcohol or narcotic – the doses just keep
increasing until everything collapses". "Would they want to leave
after another four years, in 2012, after being in power for 12 years
already? Whatever for? Why wouldn’t Lukashenka, Nazarbayev, Rahmonov,
Karimov?"

Asked whether they personally think that Putin will remain for the
third term, Isayev and Lisovskiy said they did not think so.

Zhirinovskiy disagreed saying he will stay because "a scenario of
military conflict in southern Russia will be played. America will
be bombing Iran, there will be lots of refugees fleeing to Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia. Georgia will attack Abkhazia and Ossetia,
and there are Russian citizens there. In the conditions of total
mobilization, with `arise, the mighty country!’ [quote from WW2
patriotic song], they will hold a quick referendum and things will be
quickly changed to suit the occasion. Just as it happened in Dagestan
in 2000. As usual, the war and America would help us."

At which point Solovyev rounded up the discussion saying let’s wait
and see what happens after December parliamentary election.