FORMER US AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA BECOMES DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL GOLD INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION OPERATING IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Dec 14 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14, NOYAN TAPAN. Former US ambassador to Armenia
Harry Gilmor who held this position in 1993-1995, was elected
as independent director of the international cooperation Global
Gold. NT correspondent was informed about it from the press service
of the corporation’s Armenian office. Global Gold is engaged in the
mining, development and research of gold ore industry in Chile and
Armenia. The corporation is registered in the US, with its market value
making 30 million USD. Recently Global Gold increased its capital by
another 13 million USD. In Armenia the corporation operates in the
Northern-Central zone where the Hankavan and Tuchmanuk deposits as
well as 13 other explored areas are located.

LE QUID ATTAQUE SUR SA PRESENTATION DU GENOCIDE ARMENIEN: DECISION LE 24 JANVIER

Agence France Presse
13 decembre 2006 mercredi 1:19 PM GMT

La 11e chambre de la cour d’appel de Paris a reporte au 24 janvier
2007 sa decision sur l’action en justice intentee par plusieurs
associations contre le Quid pour sa presentation jugee contestable
du genocide armenien dans son edition 2003.

Le Quid avait fait appel de sa condamnation civile prononcee par le
tribunal de grande instance (TGI) de Paris, le 6 juillet 2005.

En première instance, le TGI de Paris avait estime que la presentation
par le Quid de cet episode historique etait fautive "au regard des
exigences attendues d’un ouvrage a vocation pedagogique qui se prevaut
d’un souci d’exactitude et de neutralite".

La societe editrice Robert Laffont et la societe Quid avaient ete
condamnees a payer solidairement a chacune des associations un euro
de dommages-interets.

Le Comite de defense de la cause armenienne (CDCA), auquel s’etaient
jointes plusieurs associations, dont J’accuse et Memoire 2000,
remettaient en cause la presentation faite par le Quid 2003 du massacre
des Armeniens par la Turquie, estimant qu’elle aboutissait a nier le
caractère genocidaire de cet evenement historique.

Le CDCA reprochait notamment aux auteurs de l’ouvrage d’avoir
ecrit pour l’annee 1915: "Transfert d’Armeniens vers les province
meridionales de l’Empire ottoman (…) nombreux decès (epidemie,
maladie) pendant le voyage". Une presentation qui, selon les
plaignants, conduisait a gommer "les massacres et donc forcement
l’aspect genocidaire".

–Boundary_(ID_fueLVtollkZptB+ 2PONf2g)–

79% OF YEREVAN’S POPULATION HAS 24-HOUR WATER SUPPLY, DIRECTOR OF YEREVAN WATER COMPANY CLAIMS

Noyan Tapan
Dec 14 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14, NOYAN TAPAN. 79% of Yerevan’s population has a
24-hour water supply, even though water losses make 80%. Serge Popoff,
Director General of the company Yerevan Water, stated this during
the December 14 press conference. According to him, in the past six
months enough work has been done to improve the sector. Particularly,
the Kanaker-Zeytun district currently has water supply 9 hours a day
instead of the previous 3 hours, 65 water pressure messuring devives
were installed, 1,376 illegal connections were relealed.

S. Popoff said that in the past 6 months 500 mln drams (about
1.3 mln USD) has been invested in the sector. It is envisaged to
invest 800 mln drams in 2007, which will allow to build new chlorine
stations and to re-equip completely several operating ones. Besides,
a new laboratory to control drinking water quality will be put into
operation soon. Starting February 1, five instead of nine branches
will operate. It was noted that all pumps in the city yards will be
replaced. According to S. Popoff, although the company has benefited
from the dram’s appreciation, it cannot reduce the drinking water
tariff, because its change is connected with two other factors –
electricity and inflation.

NATIONAL UNITY CONSIDERS ZHIRAYR SEFILIAN’S ARREST AS PART OF AUTHORITIES’ LONG-RANGE PLAN

Noyan Tapan
Dec 14 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The arrests of Zhirayr Sefilian,
the Commander of the Shoushi special battalion, the Coordinator of
the Defence of Liberated Territories public initiative, and Vardan
Malkhasian, a member of the Homeland and Honor Party’s Political
Board, make part of the long-range plan of the authorities. The plan’s
goal is to beg the international community’s indulgence towards the
falsifications to be committed at the forthcoming parliamentary and
presidential elections. This was mentioned in the draft statement
submitted by the National Unity Party for the discussion of the
parties making part of the Anti-criminal Movement. In the opinion
of the latter’s authors, artificially inflaming the home political
atmosphere in the country, they make an attempt to inspire the
international community that only the current ruling duet – RA
President Robert Kocharian and Defence Minister Serge Sargsian can
settle the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. "The Kocharian-Sargsian duet
tries to create an illusion among the international community and
especially the OSCE Minsk Group country-co-chairs that allegedly the
Nagorno Karabakh settlement is fraught with very serious consequences,
even with the danger of a coup d’etat," the document read. According to
the statement, the authorities have already fulfilled this scenario
at the 2003 presidential and parliamentary elections. At present
the authorities will also try to prepare a rich soil for falsifying
the forthcoming elections "in advance convincing the international
community that only under conditions of majority of criminal-oligarch
forces at the newly elected NA supporting Kocharian-Sargsian duet
it will be possible to ratify the document of Nagorno Karabakh
settlement approved by Kocharian." As Gagik Tadevosian, the Board
member of the National Unity Party, stated, the party did not take
part in opposition’s rallies in connection with Sefilian’s arrest,
as it was preparing its own analysis, which was expressed in the
above mentioned statement.

BAGRATASHEN BORDER MARKET LIQUIDATED BY DECISION OF ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT

Noyan Tapan
Dec 14 20066

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14, NOYAN TAPAN. In accordance with the RA Law on
Joint Stock Companies, at the December 14 sitting, the Armenian
government made a decision on liquidation of the Bagratashen
border market CJSC. NT was informed about it from the RA Government
Information and PR Department. The decision is conditioned by the fact
that due to the closure of the trade market by the Georgian side,
the Bagratashen border market has not operated for a year and its
further activity is no longer expedient.

ARMENIAN YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS INITIATE MOVEMENT FOR RELEASE OF ZHIRAYR SEFILIAN AND VARDAN MALKHASIAN

Noyan Tapan
Dec 14 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14, NOYAN TAPAN. Over ten youth organizations of
Armenia have issued a statement, in which they demand releasing the
coordinator of the public initiative "Liberated Territories Protection"
Zhirayr Sefilian and member of the political board of the Homeland
and Honor Party Vardan Malkhasian.

Considreing as absurd the accusation that these persons tried to
carry out a military coup in Armenia, the statement authours note
that these men, who are well-known to the Armenian public, have
repeatedly presented in the press their real programs, the main
goal of which is the protection and resettlement of the liberated
territories. "Being aware of the role of the youth in prevention of
such steps by the authorities, we start a public initiative, whose main
objective is the release of Zhirayr Sefilian and Vardan Malkhasian,"
the statement reads.

PRESENTATION OF BOOK "CYBER SECURITY PROBLEMS IN THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA" PUBLISHED WITH OSCE FINANCING TAKES PLACE IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
Dec 14 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia is the first regional
country to cooperate with the OSCE in the fight against cyber
crimes through the creation of certain institutions. Director of
the OSCE Yerevan Office Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin stated this
during the December 14 presentation of the book "Cyber Security
Problems in the Republic of Armenia" published with the financing of
the OSCE. According to him, the annual losses of the world banking
system from cyber crimes amount to 15 billion dollars. V. Pryakhin
attached importance to the ratification of the Council of Europe
Cybercrime Convention by Armenia in March 2006 and the creation of
the Working Group on Cyber Security in March 2005. The group was
created on the initiative of the OSCE Yerevan Office and is composed
of representatives of the RA President Staff, the NA Staff, the
National Security Council and the Police. By the way, the round-table
discussions held by the working group in March 2006 formed the basis
of the book’s publication. The book has the following chapters:
"The European Approaches to the Fight against Computer Crimes", "The
Legal Regulation of Cyber Security in the RA", "The Cyber Security
Peculaiarities in the Internet and Military Sphere: Statistics", and
"Information Security Management".

ZHIRAYR SEFILIAN DEFENCE COMMITTEES FORMED IN YEREVAN, BEIRUT, MONTREAL, TORONTO AMD LOS ANGELES

Noyan Tapan
Dec 14 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The committee "Support for Zhirayr
Sefilian" was created in Yerevan on December 14. NT was informed from
member of the public initiative "Liberated Territories Protection"
Armen Yeghian that the committee’s tasks, goals and composition will
be announced on December 15.

According to him, committees for defence of Zh. Sefilian are being
formed in the Diaspora. Such committees have already been created
in Beirut, Montreal, Toronto and Los Angeles. The committees staged
protests in front the Armenian embassy in Canada and the Armenian
consulate in Los Angeles, demanding that Zh.

Sefilian be released and granted Armenian citizenship. To recap,
the Lebanese citizen Zhirayr Sefilian, who is the coordinator of the
initiative "Liberated Territories Protection" and commander of the
special Shushi battalion, and Vardan Malkhasian, leading member of
the same initiative, were arrested by the RA National Security Service
on December 10. A criminal case was opened against them based on the
RA Criminal Code’s Article 301 "Public Calls to Change Constitutional
Order by Violence". The court chose a 3-month arrest as a measure of
restraint against them.

REFERENDUM EVALUATED BY OBSERVERS
Svetlana Khachatrian

Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]
14 Dec 2006

The delegations of observers from the Moldavian Republic of
Transdnyestr, the Republic of South Ossetia and the Republic of
Abkhazia shared their impressions in a news conference. Ljubomir
Ribjak, member of the Transdnyestr parliament, said they were one of
the first observers to arrive earlier so they had a possibility to
follow the preparations. Two days before the referendum L. Ribjak
and Claudia Treskova had visited a number of villages and reported
100 percent readiness to hold a referendum. In a village, he said, a
woman gave us a hug after she learned that we are from Transdnyestr. I
was amazed that not only in Stepanakert but also in a remote village
they know about Transdnyestr, he said. Ljubomir Ribjak stated that
the outcome the referendum is another expression of the will of NKR to
be free and independent. The deputy foreign minister of the Republic
of South Ossetia Allan Pliyev said they observed the referendum in
Stepanakert, Martuni and Martakert, followed the voting and talked
to voters. He stated that the people of Karabakh made a free vote. He
said they did not see a reason why the outcome of the referendum should
not be recognized. "Starting with this moment Karabakh completed the
establishment of the state," he said. Galust Trapizonyan, member of
the Abkhazian parliament said he had visited several polling stations
in Stepanakert, Shushi, and n oticed the activity of voters. December
10 is the international day of protection of human rights. On the
same day the people of Karabakh upheld their right to be independent
by this referendum, said the Abkhazian observer.

PRESIDENT SAYS IT IS OUR INTERNAL PROBLEM
Norair Hovsepian

Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]
14 Dec 2006

On December 11 soon after the release of the preliminary results of
the referendum on NKR Constitution NKR President Arkady Ghukassian
met with the observers and reporters. "Today we are happy to announce
that the majority voted for the NKR Constitution, and I congratulate
everyone," said Arkady Ghukassian, and thanked everyone for their
work. "The results of the referendum impress.

About 98.6 percent said yes. This fact shows that the establishment
of an independent and sovereign state in Karabakh is irreversible,"
he said. "The adoption of the Constitution is not an end in itself,"
stressed Arkady Ghukassian, assuring that since the declaration
of independence the country has not only managed to overcome the
consequences of the war imposed by Azerbaijan but also went ahead of
this country by achievements of democratization of the society. In
answer to the question if Artsakh needs a constitution, and if it can
be helpful for the development of the country, Arkady Ghukassian said,
" The Constitution is the summary of our achievements after becoming
independent.

I think it is a very important step on the track for reinforcing
statehood and democratization." In addition, it helps to be more
flexible in solving both internal and external problems. "People who
have a balanced Constitution and uphold the European values stand a
good chance to be recognized by the international community rather
than a totalitarian country," said Arkady Ghukassian assuring that
if Azerbaijan had a document like the constitution of Artsakh, the
question would be solved more quickly and easily. Azerbaijan rejects
the fact that the constitution was adopted by referendum, and in this
connection the president said there is no reason why the international
community should accept this stance. The reporters reminded that
the president had promised to make efforts for the adoption of the
basic law of the country before he leaves office. Arkady Ghukassian
said he considered it as one of his important goals. With regard to
current problems requiring solution, he assured that there are many
such problems, and he would make sufficient efforts to solve them by
the end of his office. The guests who had arrived in NKR on the eve
of the referendum wanted to know about the preparations and debates on
the draft constitution. President Ghukassian pointed out transparency,
freedom of expression of opinion and proposals for all the citizens
of NKR. He also emphasized the contribution of the political forces
and generally the citizens in improving the draft. The next question
was if the provisions of the constitution will be brought into being
successfully. "In fact, the adoption of the constitution is not a
solution of problems, but by adopting it we have a new possibility for
democratization of the country," Ghukassian agreed. According to him,
this is a lasting process, which is facilitated by a constitution. "By
adopting a constitution we solved a very important problem: there is
no important issue for NKR which can be solved without taking into
account the opinion of people," said the head of state. In connection
with the settlement of the conflict, the president said Artsakh is the
most interested party but the existing circumstances do not enable
it to set up relations with different countries and international
organizations. "However, this is not a unilateral process. The stance
of the Azerbaijani leadership is not constructive, which would
facilitate the settlement. The problem can be settled if there is
mutual confidence, which lacks now," said the president. In connection
with the influence of the Constitution on the talks, the head of state
assured that "it fits the process mediated by the Minsk Group", and
expressed his surprise why Azerbaijan had a negative attitude towards
the referendum in NKR from the very beginning. "This means that we
may hardly reach agreement in this situation because if Azerbaijan
does not accept the right of NKR to live as it wants, we cannot agree
on any other question. Azerbaijan has to accept the right of NKR to
live the way it chooses. Adopting or not adopting a constitution
is our problem. We do not interfere with the internal problems of
Azerbaijan. We have much to say about the Azerbaijani constitution
and laws. But this is their choice. Azerbaijan should do the same in
connection with Nagorno Karabakh." In answer to the question whether
the constitution will help NKR to become involved in the talks,
the president said: "The participation of NKR is necessary for the
process rather than us because otherwise it is impossible to settle
this issue. The mediators, Armenia and Azerbaijan acknowledge this,
and we too. The fact that Karabakh is not participating in the talks
means that Azerbaijan is not ready for the settlement of the problem."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress