Author: Zaminian Bedik

ARMENIA’S ECONOMIC GROWTH 9.4% IN JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2007

RIA Novosti, Russia
March 20 2007

YEREVAN, March 20 (RIA Novosti) – Armenia’s economic growth between
January and February 2007 stood at 9.4%, while the country’s GDP
totaled 186,8 billion drams ($519.1 million), the national statistics
service said Tuesday.

For the period under review, consumer prices rose 5.1%, year-on-year.

Armenia’s industrial product prices were down 0.9%, its volume of
industrial output was 99%, while its trade totaled 199 billion drams
($552.6 million), up 51.5% compared to the same period in 2006.

Last year, the country’s economic growth was 7%. In line with Armenia’s
2007 budget, GDP growth is expected at 9%, compared with 13.4% in 2006,
and inflation should be 4%.

THE SHORTEST PATH TO AN INDEPENDENT PALESTINE
Charles Jalkh

Global Politician, NY
March 20 2007

Back in the 20th century, one man, inspired hundreds of millions
to march proudly, unarmed, peacefully, and stoically, into hails of
police batons and sometimes bullets, to demand freedom. The Indian
nation rose en masse, in peaceful civil disobedience, forcing the
end of the British occupation. Mahatma Gandhi shamed the brutal
"civilized" world into withdrawal. He did not incite a revolution nor
carried arms, yet planted a seed for humanity and showed by example,
that freedom can be achieved through peaceful means.

The Palestinian people can also achieve their dreams of a dignified
life if they adopt similar peaceful means instead of blowing up humans
in buses, discotheques, and pizza parlors. In this 21st century,
the pen is indeed mightier than the sword, or perhaps, the pen is
the sword. A flower is far more effective than a Kassam rocket. The
power of conviction through peace is mightier than all armies.

Humanity today listens to a lower frequency than the one broadcasted
by the likes of Hamas and Hezbollah. Humanity is more interested in
global issues, climatic changes, planetary resource sustenance, peace,
order, neighborly civilized conduct, economic progress, social justice,
the welfare of all humans, and the enlightenment of the individual.

The people of the world would be much more sympathetic, if
Palestinians, families and children, old and young, descend to the
Gaza beaches on a cool pink summer sunset, armed with candles and
prayers, to demand liberty and offer genuine peace. The world would
then light a billion candles for peace for the tortured Palestinian
and Israeli people. Humanity would pray for the souls of all victims of
these futile wars, and to honor the living, Palestinians and Israelis
alike. For a Soul bares no nationality in the eyes of the Loving God.

Another great historical example is dramatized in the Armenian
tragedy. One and a half million Armenians were massacred at the hands
of the Ottomans in 1915, many more exiled throughout the Middle East
and the four corners of Earth, while what’s left of their homeland got
absorbed by the Soviet Union. Yet, the Armenians rose from underneath
the ashes, as a powerful cultural and economic civilization throughout
the world. The Armenians did not carry arms.

They enlightened the world with music, poetry, art, inventions,
commerce and sciences. And today, Armenia is free without firing
a single bullet. Similarly, the shortest path to an independent
Palestinian state is through peace, and the fastest way to peace,
is through the Love of all life. There is no "holy land"; only Mother
Earth and human life are precious and holy.

Twenty or thirty years into a peace, it would not matter much what
geographical boundary your state controls. Through treaties, trade,
and cultural exchanges with neighboring nations, your citizens would
feel right at home in a larger geographical human extent. Observe how
an Italian, a Lithuanian, or a French feels today in the EU, with the
freedom to travel, to engage in business, even buy property in any
of the union states. Frontiers become irrelevant between humanistic
democracies. What matters, is human freedom and dignity. This is
the essence of the western civilization. It does not mean losing
your cultural peculiarity. It means contributing uniquely to a larger
fragrant bouquet of cultures. For we are all roots to the tree of Life,
and any weak root, diminishes Mother Life for all.

The world in this 21st century is attentive to the sufferings of
people, but is much more repulsed by acts of violence committed in the
name of the "oppressed". The cruelest of all oppressions however are
ignorance, delusion, hatred, and the refusal of peace. The Palestinians
can reenter the conscience of humanity when they lay down their arms,
make true peace with Israel, and turn their attention towards healing
their nation and lifting their people into a new age, a New Palestine,
living side by side with its Semitic cousin Israel.

Charles Jalkh is a Lebanese Freedom Fighter opposed to the Hezbollah.

.asp?ID=2558&cid=2&sid=71

COMMUNICATIONS WITH IRAN PROVIDE EXIT FOR ARMENIA TO OUTSIDE WORLD

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.03.2007 14:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Any communications that connect Armenia with Iran,
let it be a gas pipeline, railway or oil pipeline, are an exit for
Armenia to the outside world, head of "Hay Dat" International Office
Giro Manoyan stated to a press conference in Yerevan.

He said, with this gas pipeline Armenia’s energy independence will
be ensured. "Iran-Armenia gas pipeline is a counterbalance to all
those projects, which bypass Armenia bringing her to isolation:
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and Kars-Baku railway. Having such
dangerous neighbors as Turkey and Azerbaijan we must think about our
own security and exit to the outside world," Manoyan underscored.

The construction of the 141-km gas pipeline was launched in November
2004. Initially Armenia will receive 1.5 million cubic meters of
Iranian gas per day. The second stage supposes construction of
the pipeline from Kajaran to Ararat (150 km). The project totals
$200-250 million. The gas pipeline is built by Iran, Armenia and
Russia represented by GazProm and RAO UES of Russia. In the course
of the coming 20 years Iran will supply Armenia with 36 billion cu
m of gas. The ‘blue fuel’ will be processed into energy for further
export to Iran.

LE PROJET DE WASHINGTON D’INSTALLER UN RADAR DANS LE CAUCASE INQUIèTE L’ARMENIE
par Christophe Châtelot

Le Monde, France
18 mars 2007 dimanche

LA PROPOSITION americaine d’installer dans le Caucase un radar de son
bouclier antimissile n’est pas sans inquieter l’Armenie. Le projet de
l’agence americaine de defense antimissile ne precise pas vers quel
pays caucasien se porterait son choix. Ni quand. Mais ce ne sera
sûrement pas dans ce petit pays enclave, voisin de l’Iran et de la
Georgie et egalement frontalier de l’Azerbaïdjan et de la Turquie,
avec lesquels Erevan n’entretient plus de relations diplomatiques.

Autant dire qu’" il n’est pas dans notre interet de creer de nouvelles
lignes de divisions dans une region instable ", explique au Monde Serge
Sarkissian, ministre de la defense de l’Armenie, lors d’une visite
a Paris, mardi 13 et mercredi 14 mars. " Nous n’avons d’ailleurs pas
recu de proposition americaine ", ajoute le ministre.

Si cette ancienne republique sovietique entend pourtant preserver
ses relations avec Washington, on y est surtout très sensible a
ne pas froisser l’allie – et fournisseur energetique – russe. Et
Moscou a très tôt fait savoir sa ferme opposition au projet americain
d’agrandissement de son bouclier avec l’installation d’elements de
defense en Republique tchèque et en Pologne.

Sceptique sur l’avenir de la proposition americaine pour le Caucase, le
ministre armenien explique toutefois que " le niveau de comprehension
et de consultation " entre les deux puissances sera determinant. Et,
dans ce jeu, l’Armenie sait qu’elle ne pèse pas lourd, meme si
M. Sarkissian defend une " politique d’equilibre " faite de "
collaboration avec l’OTAN tout en approfondissant – les – relations
avec la Russie ".

EQUILIBRISME DIPLOMATIQUE

Un autre element complique le numero d’equilibrisme diplomatique
armenien : les relations privilegiees qu’Erevan entretient depuis
longtemps avec Teheran. Or le bouclier antimissile servirait a proteger
les Etats-Unis contre une attaque de missiles balistiques de longue
portee tires par ce que Washington definit comme des " Etats-voyous
", parmi lesquels figure en bonne place l’Iran, partenaire economique
essentiel pour une Armenie denuee de ressources energetiques.

Poussee a son paroxysme, la politique americaine d’endiguement de
l’Iran pourrait avoir des consequences dramatiques pour l’Armenie.

Mais on en est encore loin. La construction du gazoduc irano-armenien,
dont la première section devrait etre inauguree prochainement, n’est
d’ailleurs pas remise en question. En revanche, la finalisation des
travaux de ce projet, cense abaisser le degre de dependance energetique
de l’Armenie vis-a-vis de la Russie, se fera " probablement avec des
capitaux russes ", reconnaît M. Sarkissian, egalement copresident de
la commission gouvernementale armeno-russe.

–Boundary_(ID_Diu27BOqRMCHzd7qyX2j 4Q)–

Armenia to join the European Equestrian Federation

ArmRadio.am
19.03.2007 11:54

April 15-16 the President of the Armenian Equestrian Federation
Hayrapet Hayrapetyan will participate in the forum of the
International Equestrian Federation to b held in Lisbon
(Portugal). Armenpress was told at the Armenian Equestrian Federation
that the Armenian Federation has expressed the will to join the
Equestrian Federation of Europe, and not that of Asia, which promises
new perspectives to this sport. The question will be discussed with
the leadership of the International Equestrian Federation.

AZG Armenian Daily #049, 17/03/2007

National Interest

FRUITLESS EFFORTS TO PREVENT DEMONSTRATIONS OF ARMENIAN FILMS IN CZECH
TOWNS

In the town of Brno, Czhech Republic, the demonstration of Armenian
"War and Peace" film by director Hovhannisian was preceded by
anti-propaganda and distribution of booklets by Azerbaijan. According
to "Azeri.press" agency, the Azerbaijani side desired in that way to
"spread light upon the truth" of the events in Nagorno-Karabakh. As it
is already clear, the film is about the war in
Nagorno-Karabakh. Certain sources from Prague inform that Fuad
Alkhasov, who poses himself as Karabkah war veteran, had also
organized protest actions before the demonstration of the Armenian
film in Prague.

Organizers of the film festival, being well acquainted with the real
situation in Karabakh, did not leave the turn to answer to the
Armenians. Before the next demonstration of "War and Peace" in the
town of Budovice, detailed information on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict will be represented to the guests.

By Agavni Haroutiunian

A1+

ARMENIAN REFUGEES DEMAND COMPENSATION OF 11 MILLION 200 THOUSAND USD
[02:04 pm] 16 March, 2007

The political-public network `Refugees and International Right’ has
considered the first 200 applications of Armenian refugees addressed
to the NKR President.

The refugees urged the NKR authorities to assist them to get moral and
material compensation from the Azeri officialdom and criminal circles.

The applications covered data on the refugees’ former status, the
reason for their displacement, the amount of material losses they
suffered, etc.

Most of the applications /150/ was submitted by the refugees of
Baku. There were also applications from Kirovabad /19/, Shamakhi,
Zakatalay and other regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as
from Martunashen (NKR) and Artsvashen (Armenia) – territories occupied
by the Azeris. Currently all the above-mentioned refugees live in
Armenia, Russia, USA and Uzbekistan.

The overall material loss is calculated over 11 million 200 thousand
USD. To note, the calculation was made in accordance with the
1989-1990 market prices.

By the way, thirty-six refugees point out they managed to sell or
change their property prior to the migration.

Forty-nine refugees state that they were forcibly displaced by the
Azeri authorities and the others claim to have survived by accident.

Only two refugees from Martounashen and Artsvashen are eager to return
to their former dwelling places. The others have no intention of
returning to the Republic of Azerbaijan.

FOOD SAFETY REPRESENTS ONE OF URGENT PROBLEMS FOR ARMENIAN CONSUMERS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 15 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 15, NOYAN TAPAN. Internation Day of Consumer Rights
Protection is celebrated on March 15. Abgar Eghoyan, Chairman of
Consumer Rights Protection NGO, told NT correspondent that former US
President John Kennedy was the first to speak about the coordinated
principles of consumer rights on March 15, 1962. It was the start
of the movement for consumer rights, which later was reflected in a
UN declaration.

According to A. Eghoyan, food safety is one of the urgent problems
that concern Armenian consumers. "Old and faked foodstuffs, as well
as those without certificates, with wrong marking can be found on
the domestic market," he said.

In the opinion of A. Eghoyan, this is conditioned by the fact that
the economic competition field is not equal for all economic entities
selling food.

Particularly, some foodstuffs "may be sold in streets or fairs without
cheques and tax paid, or may be sold in supermarkets with observation
of all rules."

As progress in the field of consumer rights protection, A. Eghoyan
pointed out the fact that in accordance with a decision of the
Armenian government, since early 2007, 40 foodstuffs have been sold
with marking in the Armenian language, while starting from July,
all foodstuffs sold must have such marking.

He said that it is also an instrument in fight against shadow economy
because shadow import is done by economic entities, which have no
agreements with producers and cannot ensure Armenian marking for
imported goods.

Another improvement is expected in mid 2007. A. Eghoyan said that
their organization has developed a draft order of confiscation and
utilization of dangerous food. It is envisaged that the Armenian
government will approve it in the second half of June 2007. Ii will
rule out sale of dangerous food by the respective structures. "It
is important that destruction of dangerous foodstuffs will be done
at the expense of unscrupulous sellers, as a result of which neither
budget nor consumers will suffer," he noted.

A. Eghoyan also considered important to protect rights of consumers
making use of public services. In his words, it is the most monopolized
sector, where in the recent years prices of gas supply, water supply
and sewerage, telecommunication services have grown without quality
improvement. The NGO considers important to cooperate with the RA
Public Services Regulatory Commission for development of rules of
service provision, as well as to organize works on information,
advice of consumers and protection of their rights at various
instances. Particularly, posters about existence of the Consumer
Rights Protection NGO’s hot line for users of 4 public services are
at all 1,100 post-offices of Haypost.

Since August 2006, the organization has received about 500 alarm
calls, since early 2007 – over 200. 80-90% of problems raised as
a result of these calls have been solved. "We work with supplying
organizations, and if they do not solve problems or issues demand
coordinated approach, we cooperate with the RA Public Services
Regulatory Commission," A. Eghoyan noted.

There are other two Armenian organizations operating in the field of
consumer rights protection.

REPRESENTATIVE OF PENTAGON ANXIOUS ABOUT THE PASSAGE OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

ArmRadio.am
16.03.2007 13:12

US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for NATO and European Affairs
Dan Fata declared that the adoption of the Armenian Genocide resolution
"will create nationalist and anti-American moods among the Turkish
society, which is not of high opinion about the United States even
without it," Mediamax agency reports.

Dan Fata said this during the hearings on the "American-Turkish
relations and future challenges" in the US House of Representatives.

"The adoption of the Armenian Genocide resolution will have a number
of negative consequences. In particular, the reaction of Turkey will
damage the US continuous efforts to reconcile Turkey and Armenia,
will hamper the military actions of the US in Iraq and Afghanistan
and will cause harm to important issues of national security.

The passage of the bill will create nationalist and anti-American
moods among the Turkish society, which is not of high opinion about
the United States even without it. Such emotional reaction will
most probably make the Turkish Government take steps that can cause
considerable harm to our activities in Iraq and Afghanistan. Turkey
has considerable contribution to the global fight against corruption
and the defense of US rights in the region, and all this will be
endangered. If we speak in a broader scope, serious damage will be
caused to the relations with NATO, which will considerably harm the
opportunities of the US to reach its short-term and long-term targets,"
the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense stated.

ARMENIA IN THE 119th PLACE

A1+
[05:00 pm] 14 March, 2007

Today, FIFA published the rating list of the national football
teams. It is noteworthy that the team of Argentine tops the list
leaving behind the world champions Italy and Brazil.

The Armenian team is the 119th in the list. To remind, our team is
to meet the team of Poland on March 28.

Provided our footballers win, the team will move on and secure their
rating as the Polish team is the 24th.

As for our neighbors, the team of Georgia has moved on to the 85th
place whereas Azeris are the 123rd.