Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

THREE VERSIONS DEVELOPED FOR FINANCING CONSTRUCTION IN EARTHQUAKE ZONE

NOYAN TAPAN

JU NE 25

6,985 homeless citizens, including 1,800 single elderly persons are
currently registered in the earthquake zone.

Approximately 77 bln drams (about 252 mln USD) is needed to provide
them with apartments, the prime minister Tigran Sargsian said at the
June 25 sitting of the interdepartmental commission which was set up
with the aim of developing and implementing programs on provision of
apartments to the families left homeless by the 1988 earthquake.

Accoring to him, three versions have been developed for financing
the construction of apartments for homeless people. By one version,
the state will hold a tender for a private construction organization
and assume an obligation to allocate sums from the state budget to
this organization within 23 years. Every year the payments will be
made at market prices.

The second version envisages creation of a mortgage fund. In the words
of the chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia Arthur Javadian, the
fund, which will also have a state participation, will provide part of
the sum, then mortgage securities will be issued against this sum and
placed within a year, after which the fund will allocate the remaining
sum. It is envisaged providing the mortgage credit for 15 years at
9% interest rate. By calculations, construction of 1 square meter of
housing space will cost 235 thousand drams, which, in the opinion of
chairman of the State Committee of the RA Cadastre Manuk Vardanian,
is a very high price. The third version is provision of vouchers.

The RA minister of urban development Vardan Vardanian announced
that there are 619 incompleted construction facilities in Gyumri,
only 136 of which are fit for further construction. According to the
minister, if 60 fifty-apartment buildings are constructed in Gyumri,
the housing problem will be solved. However, the deputy mayor of
Gyumri Gagik Manukian said that none of these incomplete facilities
is fit for further construction.

It was decided to work out a concept on implementation of the above
mentioned work and solution of the problems by August 1 of this year.

IS EMZAR KVITSIANI HIDING IN SOKHUMI?

The Messenger
June 25 2008
Georgia

Sakartvelos Respublika carries rumors that rebel warlord Emzar
Kvitsiani, whose abortive insurrection two years ago in Abkhazia’s
Kodori Gorge led to the Georgian government reasserting control of
the area, is hiding out in the de facto Abkhaz capital of Sokhumi
surrounded by Russian security:

"Emzar Kvitsiani, wanted by the Georgian government, is in Sokhumi and
Russian special services are protecting him. [Georgian news portal]
Abkhazeti.ru reported this based on information from Sokhumi.

It was unpleasant for Abkhazians for Kvitisiani to show up on
their territory, because he was fighting on Georgia’s side in the
Georgian-Abkhazian conflict, but Russian security does not allow
anyone to confront him.

According to the website, Abkhazians are also displeased with the
situation because they don’t want another war to start star. Locals
are astonished by the fact that the situation in Abkhazia is now
controlled by Russian and local Armenians.

There are currently 15 000 Russian soldiers in Abkhazia, located
mainly in Ochamchire and Tkvarcheli."

NO ALTERNATIVE WAY TO NKR REGULATION

Panorama.am
17:07 24/06/2008

The regulation of the NKR conflict should not be less effective than
what we have today, said the president of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan in
a meeting with the representatives of Armenian Community in Russia.

"Nagorno Karabakh has never been under the structure of Azerbaijan. It
has been transferred to Soviet Azerbaijan by illegal decision of a
faction body," said S. Sargsyan.

He said that in a meeting with the president of Azerbaijan they
have made arrangements to continue the negotiations according to the
document they do have at the moment. At the same time the president
of Armenia has reaffirmed Armenian position towards the issue.

PACE SUMMER SESSION OPENS IN STRASBOURG

ITAR-TASS
June 23 2008
Russia

STRASBOURG, June 23 (Itar-Tass) — The summer session of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) started its
work on Monday with the adoption of the agenda at a meeting of the
PACE Bureau. The session will last until June 27. The situation with
democracy in Europe is on the top of the agenda.

The discussion of the functioning of democratic institutions in Turkey
and Armenia will be held under the "urgent debate" item. Serb President
Boris Tadic, who is going to speak at the session, will again raise
the question of Kosovo.

Other items on the agenda include the functioning of democratic
institutions in Azerbaijan, ways to counter the pollution of the Black
Sea, a report on the results of monitoring the elections in Georgia
and Macedonia, as well as the problem of the abandonment of newborn
babies by their parents.

THE SESSION OF NA TEMPORARY COMMITTEE

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
June 19, 2008
Armenia

The session of NA Temporary Committee investigating the reasons of
March 1-2 development, took place yesterday, headed by Samvel Nikoyan.

The temporary committee improved the bill of the regulations and came
to a decision to pass the amended version of the regulations.

By the decision of the committee a letter will be sent to Levon
Ter-Petrosyan, to participate in the works of the committee.

By another decision of the committee a letter will be sent to
the leader of "Heritage" party Raffi Hovhannisyan, proposing him
to nominate two candidates from the faction to be included in the
committee, because the proposal made by "Heritage" party to include
Sasun Mikaelyan and Myasnik Malkhasyan in the committee is against
NA decision.

The next session of the temporary committee will take place today.

SUPREME COUNCIL FOR INCOME MANAGEMENT CULTURE FORMED IN ARMENIA

ARKA
June 19

A Supreme Council for Income Management Culture has been formed
in Armenia.

"The Council has been formed under a comprehensive program of improving
tax and customs administration elaborated by the order of President
Serge Sargsyan and submitted to the public," RA Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan stated at a government briefing.

He said that the Council’s task is to coordinate tax and customs
administration, exercise supervision over the process and maintain
ties with the public and various business organizations.

Premier Sargsyan also reported that a monitoring group will be formed
at the Supreme Council to enable Armenia’s citizens to present their
proposals to the Council for further discussion.

"Thus we will establish feedback with the public to discuss the
implementation of the program, positive and negative effects of
reforms, which will ensure smooth reforms," Premier Sargsyan said.

At his meeting with businessmen on May 29, RA President Serge Sargsyan
emphasized that the Government and the private sector must have
identical business interests, which requires necessary conditions
for rapid business development.

The President pointed out the necessity for greater mutual
confidence. A businessman applying to government bodies must be sure
they are partners doing their work, which must be trusted.

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT SETS UP BODY TO PROBE MARCH UNREST

Mediamax News Agency
June 16 2008
Armenia

Armenian parliament made a decision today at its extraordinary session
on setting up a temporary committee for investigating the 1-2 March
events [post-election opposition protests] in Yerevan, which led to
the death of 10 people.

Mediamax reports that 93 MPs voted for the approval of the resolution.

The main author of the resolution on establishing the committee,
supported by the [governing] coalition, was independent MP Viktor
Dallakyan.

According to the draft resolution, the temporary committee is to
investigate the 1-2 March events in Yerevan and present its conclusion
at a parliament session no later than 25 October 2008; determine the
lawfulness of the actions of the police; find out the circumstances
of the death of the 10 citizens; present proposals concerning legal
and political decisions, which would rule out the possibility of such
events taking place again.

RPA MEMBER SAMVEL NIKOYAN ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF NA AD HOC COMMISSION

Noyan Tapan

Ju ne 16, 2008

YEREVAN, JUNE 16, NOYAN TAPAN. Samvel Nikoyan, the Secretary of the RPA
faction, was elected Chairman of the ad hoc parliamentary commission
on study of the March 1-2 events in Yerevan and their reasons formed
on June 16. The Chairman was elected at the commission’s first
sitting convened on the same day. As S. Nikoyan informed Noyan Tapan
correspondent, it was decided to reserve the right of nominating
a candidature for the post of commission Vice-Chairman for the
Zharangutiun (Heritage) faction. As the faction has not introduced
its two members to the commission yet, the issue of the election
has been postponed. The commission will approve its regulations and
working plans at the next sitting to be held on June 17.

DM SEYRAN OHANYAN PARTICIPATED IN THE SITTING OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL

armradio.am
13.06.2008 17:22

On June 12 RA Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan participated in the
sitting of the North Atlantic Council held in NATO Headquarters on
the level of Defense Ministers of the countries participating in
the Kosovo operations. The Armenian Defense Minister reconfirmed the
resoluteness of Armenia to continue its support to ensuring stability
and security in Kosovo and informed his counterparts about the doubling
of the Armenian peacekeeping forces in Kosovo.

During the conversation with NATO Secretary General Jaap de
Hoop Scheffer the latter welcomed the decision to increase the
number of Armenian peacekeepers in Kosovo in the current complex
military-political situation.

In the framework of the visit to Brussels, Defennse Minister Seyran
Ohanyan met with the Special Representative of the NATO Secretary
General Robert Simmons. Issues related to the implementation of the
Individual Partnership Action Plan, the process and perspectives of
NATO-Armenia cooperation were discussed.

Seyran Ohanyan had meetings with the Defense Minister of Greece
Evangeles Meymarakis. Issues related to Armenian-Greek military
cooperation were discussed. The Ministers reconfirmed the readiness
to expand the bilateral cooperation. The Defense Minister of Greece
highly appreciated the mission Armenian peacekeepers are carrying
out in Kosovo.

TDSB APPROVES HIGH SCHOOL COURSE ON GENOCIDE

680 News
tent=20080613_064328_4920
June 13 2008
Canada

Toronto – A controversial high school course on genocide has been
unanimously approved by the Toronto District School Board.

The Globe and Mail reports about 50 protestors waved Turkish flags
and picket signs outside the board’s North York office Thursday night
objecting to the inclusion of the Armenian genocide as one of the
course’s three-case studies.

Meanwhile, a group of Ukrainian-Canadians sat in meeting to support
the inclusion of the Ukrainian genocide.

Board members say they hope the new course will help promote
cross-cultural understanding and awareness of the dangers of
stereotyping and prejudice.