Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

SPEAKER OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT: "UNLIKE AZERBAIJAN, ARMENIA HAS NO CLAIMS REGARDING THE RIGHT OF NAGORNO KARABAKH PEOPLE FOR SELF-DETERMINATION"

Today.Az
y.az/news/politics/44411.html
April 21 2008
Azerbaijan

According to speaker of Armenian Parliament Tigran Torosyan, who
visited unrecognized "Nagorno Karabakh Republic", execution of the
right for self-determination of "the people of Nagorno Karabakh"
was blameless.

The declaration of main principles of international law fixes that
the self-determining people may choose between three options of
self-determination by its own will, not by the will of Azerbaijan
or any other state: separation and annexation with another country,
separation and declaration of independence or any other political
status, the people wills to choose", said Torosyan upon completion
of the commission on inter-parliamentary cooperation of the so-called
"Nagorno Karabakh Republic" and Armenia.

"In this context one of the concessions made to Azerbaijan by the
people of Nagorno Karanakh, is declaration of independence and we
respect this concession", said Torosyan.

He said, execution of right for self-determination by "the people
of Nagorno Karabakh" was blameless and "there is hardly a similar
example in the world history, or in the period, when the right for
self-determination was declared a norm of international law, which
has a supreme status".

Touching upon the recognition of the so-called "Nagorno Karabakh
Republic" by Armenia, Torosyan noted: "Armenia’s recognition of Nagorno
Karabakh is not a problem. This can be made any time. Yet this should
not be a single action. We will do the due step when time comes".

According to the speaker, the current opportunities of the Armenian
side "are not compared with opportunities, which existed in the late
1980 and early 1990s". "We are able to protect our two states and
our people", said Torosyan.

ICONS IN THE BEGINNING
by Chris Sheedy

The Sun Herald (Sydney, Australia)
April 20, 2008 Sunday

For 120 years it’s been the preferred lodging for film stars, writers,
royalty and politicians but Raffles Hotel Singapore began life as a
10-bedroom bungalow.

When Tigran Sarkies migrated to Malaysia from Armenia in the early
1880s, he hoped to prosper from the business opportunities the Orient
had to offer. The 23-year-old bought a large home in Georgetown,
Penang, in north-west Malaysia and by 1884, he had turned it into
the Eastern Hotel.

Tigran’s brother Martin, 33, joined him in buying a second site,
also in Georgetown, and in 1885, the Oriental Hotel opened for
business. Younger brothers Aviet and Arshak joined the venture and
the Sarkies became renowned as successful hoteliers with ambitions
to expand. But Penang was too small a market, so they began casting
an eye further afield in Singapore.

The brothers knew they’d struck gold when they found a large bungalow
on the corner of Beach and Bras Basah roads. The property had been a
boarding house for the Raffles Institution (a boys’ school named after
Sir Stamford Raffles, a British colonial official who founded modern
Singapore in 1819). It needed minor alterations and in December 1887,
the Raffles Hotel was opened. It had only 10 rooms but in six years
two new wings were added.

Demand for luxury hotels was growing, however, so in 1897, Tigran
announced plans for extensive and elaborate additions to create "one of
the handsomest hotels in the East". Renowned architect Regent Alfred
John Bidwell replaced the old central block with a grand three-storey
building in the Renaissance style, which opened in 1899. It featured
a Carrara marble floor, a 500-seat dining room, 100 suites, and the
huge veranda so closely associated with the hotel today.

Fast facts

1910-1915 Raffles bartender Ngiam Tong Boon invents the Singapore
Sling cocktail (the exact year is unknown).

1942 Japan occupies Singapore during World War II and Raffles is
renamed Syonan Ryokan (Singapore Inn). When Allied forces liberate the
nation, more than 300 Japanese troops commit suicide inside the hotel.

1987 The Singapore Government declares the hotel a national monument.

2008 Eight Raffles hotels and resorts operate internationally – in
Singapore, Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Beijing, Dubai, LA, The Grenadines
and Paris – and 13 more are in development.

AWARDS FOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

armradio.am
22.04.2008 13:56

President Serzh Sargsyan today signed a decree on awarding prizes
to persons who had a considerable contribution to the recognition of
the Armenian Genocide.

In compliance with the decree, the 2007 Prizes were awarded to Yuri
Barseghov (Russia) for the two-volume work titled "The Genocide of
Armenians: Turley’s Responsibility and the Duties of the International
Community" and Ives Ternon (France) for considerable scientific
contribution to the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

Acording to another presidential decree, Roger V. Smith (USA) was
awarded a "Movses Khorenatsi" medal for considerable contribution to
the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

Turkish parliamentary commission debates proposal to soften law limiting free speech

Associated Press Worldstream
April 18, 2008 Friday 8:06 AM GMT

ANKARA Turkey — A parliamentary commission on Friday began debating
the government’s proposal to soften a law that restricts freedom of
speech and has been used to prosecute intellectuals.

Turkish lawmakers will vote next week on the amendment to Article
301 of Turkey’s penal code, and parliament as a whole could vote as
early as April 22.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s governing Justice and Development
Party commands a comfortable majority that is expected to approve
the changes.

The law, which currently makes denigrating Turkish identity or
insulting the country’s institutions punishable by up to three years
in prison, has drawn criticism from the European Union, which Turkey
wants to join.

It was used to prosecute Nobel Prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk and
ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink for comments they made about
the mass killings of Armenians by Turks in the early 20th century.

In 2007, Dink, then editor of the minority Agos newspaper, was shot
outside his office, allegedly by a hardline nationalist teenager. His
killing led to international condemnation and debate within Turkey
about free speech.

Under the government’s proposal, the president would have to approve
any prosecution under Article 301. Also, the crime of denigrating
Turkish identity would be replaced with denigrating the "Turkish
nation" an effort to eliminate the hard-to-define "Turkishness"
now in the law.

The proposal also would decrease the maximum punishment to two years,
meaning it could be completely suspended. In Turkey, if a sentence does
not exceed two years, courts are allowed to postpone any punishment
indefinitely, unless the offender commits the same crime again.

Erdogan’s government has been criticized lately for slowing progress
on reforms required for Turkey’s EU membership goal, while focusing
on lifting a ban on Islamic-style head scarves at universities.

But the government appears to be focusing on EU reforms again since
Turkey’s top court recently agreed to hear a case on whether to ban
his Islamic-oriented party for violating the secular principles of
this predominantly Muslim country.

PETER SCHIDER: "I HOPE AZERBAIJAN WILL NOT REPEAT ARMENIA’S MISTAKES DURING ELECTIONS"

Today.Az
/politics/44372.html
April 18 2008
Azerbaijan

Day.Az interview with respectable president of PACE Peter Schider.

-Which of the principles of the conflicts resolution -territorial
integrity or the right for self-determination-does PACE prefer while
assessing the conflict areas?

-As a rule, two parties are represented in a conflict. Each has its
own position and it is always difficult to reach a compromise. But
the main principles of the Council of Europe in such situations are
sovereignty and peaceful way of the conflict settlement. Therefore I
think that such conferences, as one held with my participation in Baku
and devoted to the legal bases of the conflicts resolution in GUAM,
are a good start for the adherence to the principles of the Council
of Europe.

-Do you agree that the unilateral declaration of Kosovo’s independence,
will have a negative influence on the resolution of other conflicts,
in particular, that of Nagorno Karabakh?

-Yes, I think such concerns do exist. The European Union should take
into account all consequences of the developments on this issue. This
threat does exist, it should be a signal for others and all in Europe
are responsible for elimination of this threat.

-The situation in Kosovo showed that double standards still exist
in the world and decisions, profitable for the West and the United
states are adopted in the end. Do you agree with it?

-This issue has been the subject of discussions and, as you know,
the opinion of some members of the Union did not coincide with
others. In the result, it was decided to follow the general policy
of the European Union. This decision is important for the future of
the Union, but at the same time it carries the said threats.

-Presidential elections will be held in Azerbaijan in autumn of this
year. What PACE expects from this event?

-We expect the elections to be held in line with the due standards of
the Council of Europe. I hope the elections will be democratic. This
is mainly important for the country, itself. And I think Azerbaijan
will cope with this task.

-Some appeal to PACE with a request to impose sanctions on Armenia
for violence, committed by the country’s authorities against their
citizens during presidential elections. Do you think Azerbaijan will be
able to avoid such negative developments during the coming elections?

-I think the events, connected with the elections in Armenia, were
harmful for the country. And I hope Azerbaijan will be wise and learn
from this example.

AKCAM’S BOOK ABOUT ARMENIAN GENOCIDE PRESENTED IN ATHENS

PanARMENIAN.Net
18.04.2008 15:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Presentation of "A shameful Act: Armenian Genocide
and the Question of Turkish Responsibility" book by Turkish scholar
Taner Akcam took place in Athens on April 16, the RA MFA press office
reported.

"I am often asked why Turkey keeps up its policy of denial. I
think that it’s conditioned by moral reasons. Each nation has its
heroes. It’s hard to accept the shortcomings of these heroes and it’s
even harder to realize that they were criminals and liars.

Degradation of heroes is pregnant with grave consequences and can
deliver a serious blow on national dignity. That is why Turkey should
be a developing democracy and its people should learn to face up the
history," Akcam said.

Armenia’s Ambassador to Greece Vahram Kazhoyan, Greece parliament
vice speaker Anastasios Nerandzis, MPs, university lecturers and
representatives of the Armenian community also attended the ceremony.

On April 15, the book was presented in Thessaloniki.

EDUARDO ERNEKIAN CONGRATULATES TIGRAN SARGSYAN

armradio.am
17.04.2008 11:59

Entrepreneur Eduardo Ernekian sent a congratulating message to Tigran
Sargsyan on his appointment. The message says, in part:

"Dear Mr. Sargsyan,

I congratulate you on your appointment to the post of Prime minister
of the Republic of Armenia.

I have no doubt that under your leadership the Armenian Government
will manage to deepen the economic growth, registering greater
achievements. I have had the opportunity to cooperate with you on
different projects in the past. On this occasion I want to reconfirm my
long-term commitment to participate in the development of the pivotal
spheres of the country and support the Government’s economic policy."

POST-BUCHAREST CAUCASUS: ACCUMULATION OF THREATS
by Andrei Areshev

DEFENSE and SECURITY
April 16, 2008 Wednesday
Russia

HIGHLIGHT: LACK OF STABILITY IN THE CAUCASUS MAKES IT A BRIDGEHEAD
OF THREATS AND MENACES; The lack of stability in the Caucasus plays
into the hands of the Alliance.

The NATO summit in Bucharest chose to table the matter of membership
of Georgia and Ukraine in the Alliance. The evaluation of this decision
cannot help being ambivalent.

Some experts believe that time is playing into the hands of Moscow
and the Old European countries that protest the rapid expansion of the
Alliance. The assumption is that the period between now and December
may bring about some changes in Kiev and Tbilisi that will call for
postponement of the matter or its actual removal from the agenda.

Had this development been possible, it would have been ideal for all
involved parties beginning with the peoples of Ukraine and Georgia
subject to total indoctrination these days. They are told again and
again that membership in the Alliance will pave their way to well-being
and prosperity.

It is time to disabuse ourselves of the illusions and admit that
the process of NATO’s eastward expansion has gone so far that the
absorption of Georgia and Ukraine by the Alliance is really a matter of
time. The United States is out to secure the important geopolitical
regions of the post-Soviet zone and first and foremost Ukraine,
Caucasus, and Central Asia.

The Ukraine and Georgia stand on the threshold of the Alliance and
their eventual membership in NATO poses a real threat to Russian
security.

"Russia will definitely take steps to secure its interests on the
state borders," Chief of the General Staff, Yuri Baluyevsky, said.

"There will be military steps, among others." The sooner these steps
are taken the better because words alone have been patently unable
to check NATO’s eastward advance.

Tbilisi may send its regular army to conquer Abkhazia and South
Ossetia and solve the problem posed by the runaway territories. ""We
bought several billion dollars worth of military hardware these last
several years," President Mikhail Saakashvili told servicemen of the
Sachkhere military base on April 8. "Our lives – yours as well as
mine – are dedicated to promoting the unity of the country. We will
know no rest until Georgia is reunited. The struggle for our freedom
is not over yet. Our victories await us."

Observers point out more and more indications of the forthcoming
Georgian aggression. Some Georgian political scientists claim that
"Russia itself has been forcing hostilities in Abkhazia on Georgia."

"Russia may go too far in the matter of recognition of the
self-proclaimed republics," Georgy Khutsishvili of the International
Center for Conflicts and Negotiations said. "It may officially
recognize them or actually annex these territories, sparking Georgia’s
reaction."

Tension over Nagorno-Karabakh is mounting too. OSCE Minsk Group
Chairman Matthew Bryza said in Bucharest that the talks over its
status should end in a mutually acceptable compromise. It was not
the negotiations Bryza was talking about. He spoke of the "status"
of Nagorno-Karabakh and the necessity of its revision, clearly
meaning that Armenia should make new concessions to Azerbaijan. Some
pro-Western "experts" in Armenia referring to the conclusions of the
International Crisis Group are already calling for economic sanctions
against their own country.

Observers believe that designers of "the brave new world" are out to
make solutions to the Abkhazian, South Ossetian, and Karabakh problems
diametrically polar to the Kosovo precedent. The key part in the
process is to be played by NATO. Structures like the Commonwealth or
CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization are helpless to prevent
it from happening. Not even Kazakhstan followed Russia’s example
and lifted economic sanctions off Abkhazia, and this is not even the
most vivid example of discord between members of the Commonwealth and
CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization over latent conflicts in
the Caucasus.

The situation being what it is, unprecedented importance is attached
to Moscow’s determination to prevent more bloodshed.

NUMBER OF GAS NETWORK SUBSCRIBERS 530,000 IN ARMENIA AS OF APRIL 15

ARKA
April 17, 2008

YEREVAN, April 17. /ARKA/. The number of subscribers of gas network was
530,000 in Armenia as of April 15, the Press Service of ArmRosgasprom
reported.

According to the report, 529,231 were connected to the gas network as
of April 1. The number of actual gas consumers increased by 2,872 in
March only. In 2007 increase in potential subscribers of ArmRosgasprom
was 10.1% and increase in real gas consumers – 17.6% in Armenia.

"ArmRosgasprom" enjoys the monopoly for supply and distribution of the
Russian natural gas on the domestic market of Armenia. The company was
established in 1997. Its capital is $580mln currently. The shareholders
are "Gasprom" open joint stock company (57.59%), Armenia’s Ministry
of Energy (34.7%) and "Itera" oil and gas company (7.71%).

OPINION: SUSPENSION OF SUBSIDIES FOR GAS PRICES NOT TO REDUCE COMPETITIVENESS OF ARMENIAN GOODS

ARKA
April 16, 2008

YEREVAN, April 16. /ARKA/. Suspension of subsidies for gas prices
in Armenia will not reduce competitiveness of Armenian goods in the
world market, Acting Minister of Energy of Armenia Armen Movsisian
said in his interview to the country’s Public Television. Currently
Armenian prices are still at a lower and reasonable level than in
the neighboring countries, Movsisian said.

In particular, gas price for population in Azerbaijan that is an
exporter of gas itself is about $185 per 1,000 cubic meters and for
industrial enterprises – $305.

$300 per 1,000 cubic meters for domestic consumers and $210 and more
for industrial enterprises are set in Georgia, whereas in Armenia
gas prices are $245 per 1,000 cubic meters and $153 respectively.

Compared to other countries with no energy and gas resources, great
difference can be seen; particularly in Bulgaria gas prices are $435
per 1,000 cubic meters for domestic consumers and $250 for industry,
in Latvia and Lithuania – about $400 and in Turkey – $350 per 1,000
cubic meters, Movsisian said.

On April 6 2006 "Gasprom" open joint stock company and the Government
of Armenia signed an agreement setting strategic principles of
cooperation in gas and energy projects on the territory of Armenia
for 25 years. Under the agreement, the price for Russian natural
gas supplied to Armenia is to rise from $56 to $110 for every 1,000
cubic meters. In this respect, the Government decided to mitigate
the prices through subsidies and allocated $188.8mln for partial
compensation. According to the decision, the government provides
subsidy of 25,000 Drams for 1,000 cubic meters for citizens with
monthly consumption of up to 10,000 cubic meters and $52.01 of the
$146.51 price for industrial enterprises consuming over 10,000 cubic
meters of gas monthly.

But due to unprecedented rise in gas consumption volume the subsidies
were expired as early as in January 2008 and the Government took
measures to prolong subsidizing till the end of the heating season
to prevent the population and industrial enterprises from additional
financial burden in the winter months.

Effective from May 1 new prices for gas approved by Armenia’s Public
Services Regulatory Commission will come into force, that is – 90,000
Drams (including VAT) per 1,000 cubic meters for population and $146.51
(in Dram equivalent, including VAT) for subscribers consuming over
10,000 cubic meters of gas monthly.