AUTHORITIES PRESS COUP CHARGES AGAINST WAR VETERAN
By Astghik Bedevian

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Dec 12 2006

Law-enforcement authorities on Tuesday pressed coup charges against
a prominent Lebanese citizen of Armenian descent who was arrested at
the weekend for allegedly plotting to overthrow Armenia’s government.

Zhirayr Sefilian, the leader of a nationalist group opposed to Armenian
concessions to Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, appeared
to have avoided deportation from the country and looked set to stand
trial there instead.

The National Security Service (NSS) says Sefilian, a veteran of
the 1991-1994 war in Karabakh, set up a clandestine organization to
mount an armed uprising against the government during parliamentary
elections due next spring. Dozens of its alleged members were also
briefly detained over the weekend.

A court in Yerevan was considering behind the closed doors late
Tuesday the NSS’s request to keep Sefilian under arrest pending
investigation. The suspect was expected to be remanded in pre-trial
custody.

The NSS’s decision to formally charge Sefilian with publicly calling
for a "violent change of constitutional order" suggested that he will
not be deported from Armenia despite claims to the contrary made by
his friends and associates.

"I rule out his deportation," Sefilian’s Lebanese-Armenian wife,
Nanor Parseghian, told RFE/RL earlier in the day. "First of all,
because his passport’s validity period has expired and no third
country will agree to take him in and transfer to Lebanon."

The case against the decorated war veteran was condemned by more
than a dozen Armenian opposition parties. In a joint statement issued
late Monday, they accused the authorities of stifling dissent ahead
of the upcoming elections and demanded his immediate release from jail.

A similar statement was also released by 18 members of Armenia’s
parliament, most of them representing opposition factions. Three of
them also offered to pay bail on Sefilian’s behalf.

The inquiry was launched by the NSS under an article of the Armenian
Criminal Code that was invoked by state prosecutors in their
controversial criminal case against the country’s leading opposition
groups that tried unsuccessfully to topple the government with a
campaign of street protests in spring 2004.

U.S. AID TO ARMENIA LINKED WITH CLEAN POLLS
By Ruben Meloyan

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Dec 12 2006

The provision of $236 million in additional U.S. economic assistance
to Armenia is conditional on proper conduct of its forthcoming
parliamentary and presidential elections, U.S. officials said on
Tuesday.

The five-year aid package is part of the U.S. administration’s
Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) program that seeks promote economic
and political reforms around the world. Armenia and neighboring
Georgia remain the only ex-Soviet states eligible for the scheme. The
Millennium Challenge Corporation, a U.S. government agency managing
it, has already disbursed the first $1.4 million installment of the
sum earmarked for Armenia.

"In order for Armenia to continue to receive this funding, the Armenian
government must maintain a high level of performance in ruling justly,
investing in people and promoting economic freedom," Anthony Godfrey,
the U.S. charge d’affaires in Yerevan, told reporters in Yerevan. "Only
by continuing to institute democratic reforms, including ensuring a
free and fair process in the run-up to the 2007 and 2008 elections,
can Armenia make sure that its people can continue to benefit from
this $236 million program."

Earlier this month, the MCC reaffirmed Armenia’s eligibility for
the program despite serious concerns about the Yerevan government’s
democracy and human rights records that were expressed by the
corporation’s chief executive, John Danilovich. In a May letter to
President Robert Kocharian, Danilovich said that a "continued negative
trend in Armenia’s policy performance would endanger the continuation
of the recently signed [MCA] Compact."

Godfrey warned that the MCC might therefore reconsider its decision
in the course of the next year. "Normally the board will review
eligibility criteria one time per year," he said. "But in the case of
a sharp drop in any of the [MCA eligibility] indicators or categories,
it can make a more abrupt decision."

"But it’s our great hope that that won’t happen," the U.S. diplomat
added.

Alex Russin, an MCC executive in charge of the compact’s
implementation, made it clear that next year’s parliamentary elections
will be a crucial test for the Armenian authorities’ stated commitment
to democracy and rule of law. "We are concerned about the upcoming
elections, and I hope that it will be a chance for the government
and the Armenian people to demonstrate greater improvement over what
happened last year," Russin said in an apparent reference to the
disputed November 2005 referendum.

The U.S. government strongly criticized the referendum and previous
Armenian elections that were marred by serious fraud reported by
local and international observers.

SENATE VOTE ON NEW U.S. ENVOY TO ARMENIA AGAIN DELAYED
By Emil Danielyan

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Dec 12 2006

The U.S. Senate has again delayed the confirmation of President
George W. Bush’s choice of the new U.S. ambassador to Armenia over
his administration’s reluctance to term the mass killings of Armenians
in Ottoman Turkey a genocide.

The Senate failed to vote on the nomination of career diplomat Richard
Hoagland before going into winter recess late Monday. This means that
Bush will have to again nominate Hoagland for the vacant post or to
propose another candidate to the new, Democrat-controlled chamber
next month. He also has the option of making a so-called "recess
appointment" that does not require Senate confirmation.

The previous U.S. ambassador, John Evans, is believed to have been
recalled by the Bush administration because of his public description
of the slaughter of more than one million Ottoman Armenians as
genocide. Hoagland refused to use the politically sensitive term
with regard to the 1915-1918 massacres during confirmation hearings
at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this summer, angering the
influential Armenian-American community and pro-Armenian members
of Congress.

The panel twice delayed a vote on the nomination before endorsing it
on September 6. Hoagland’s confirmation by the full Senate seemed a
forgone conclusion until a pro-Armenian Democratic senator, Robert
Menendez of New Jersey, put a "hold" on it a week later.

Menendez reaffirmed his opposition to Hoagland’s appointment after
securing his reelection in last month’s mid-term congressional
elections that saw both houses of Congress fall under Democrat
control. He was joined on December 1 by the new Senate Majority Leader
Harry Reid, a longtime advocate of Armenian issues, in urging Bush
to propose another nominee.

The incoming Democratic chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee,
Joseph Biden, likewise criticized the Bush administration for its
refusal to explicitly recognize the Armenian genocide, but eventually
voted for its ambassador-designate to Armenia. Armenian-American
sources say Biden is therefore unlikely to block Hoagland’s
appointment.

The Senate’s failure to fill the vacant diplomatic post was welcomed
by the Armenian National Committee of America, a lobbying organization
strongly opposed to the Hoagland nomination. "With the adjournment of
the 109th Congress, we renew our call upon the President to recognize
that — as a matter of basic morality — a genocide denier should
never represent the United States in Armenia," Ken Hachikian, the
ANCA chairman, said in a statement.

Another, less radical advocacy group, the Armenian Assembly of America,
has also expressed its solidarity with Evans but now seems reluctant
to drag out the confirmation process. Assembly leaders argue that
Hoagland has not explicitly denied the Armenian genocide.

They also believe that the absence of a U.S. ambassador in Yerevan
is damaging U.S.-Armenian ties.

TURKEY MUST RESPECT ARMENIA BEFORE ENTERING THE EU
By Aghavni Harutiunian

AZG Armenian Daily
12/12/2006

So as to become a member of the EU Turkey must fulfill its commitments
and achieve economical, political, regional and social progress. The
regional policy of Turkey is promoting difficulties and tension in
South Caucasus and harms affects hampers the progress in the Republic
of Armenia. This statement was made by head of the Armenia Support
Group, Congressman Joe Knollenberg at the Representatives’ Chamber
of the US Parliament. The Armenian Assembly of America reports that
the 13 yearlong blockade of a European Council member-state is an
intolerable fact. Therefore, before becoming an EU member, Turkey
must accept its faults and respect its neighbors, particularly Armenia.

ETHIOPIA: SHOE FACTORY REVIVED BY ITALIAN CONTRACT
Issayas Mekuria

Addis Fortune (Addis Ababa) – Ethiopia
Dec 12 2006

Anbessa Shoe Factory is ready to export shoe upper to Italian Co.
Adelchi after a contractual agreement between the companies. This
will be the most demanding order Anbessa has yet to fulfil.

The state-owned Anbessa Shoe Factory S.C signed a 104,000-dollar
contract with La Nuova Adelchi SPA, enabling it to supply the Italian
company with semi-finished shoe products.

Eniyew Zeleke, general manager of the Factory and Adelechi Sergio,
owner of the Company signed the contract on November 18, 2006; Anbessa
was to provide 13,000 pairs of shoe upper, without soles to Italy in
two phases.

"This contract is going to revive our factory from demise," a
machine operator that has worked at Anbessa for the past 32 years
told Fortune. "We are truly happy."

Anbessa Shoe Factory is the first of its kind to be established in
the country. An individual, whose identity remains unknown, founded
the Factory in 1939 and ran it for the following three years. As of
1942, Mardious Darmar, an Armenian citizen, owned it and renamed it
Darmar Shoe Factory. He managed it for 33 years until in 1975, Darmar,
which at that time had a capital of 217,000Br was nationalized by
the Derg Regime and renamed Anbessa Shoe Factory and Awash Tannery
for the next 17 years.

In 1993, Anbessa Shoe Factory was reorganized with a capital of
6.3 million Birr. This Factory, which has 16 outlets in Addis Abeba
and its regional towns, employs 650 workers and has the capacity to
manufacture 350,000 to 360,000 pairs of shoes every year.

Although Anbessa Factory had previously exported its products, such
as 5,000 bowling shoes to Canada, it has never received an order to
produce the volume of shoes as contracted with Adelchi. According to
the agreement, Anbessa Shoe Factory is to provide Adelchi with its
first supply of shoe upper in December 15, 2006.

Alemu Hailu, head of the Factory’s marketing department, told Fortune
that Anbessa has already prepared and packed 4,000 shoe uppers
readied for export. He said that as soon as the letter of credit
(LC), processed by the banks, is finalized the items would be shipped.

Adelechi first came to the country to purchase its first Ethiopian
shoe products from Peacock Shoe Factory, owned by Dire Industries Plc
in 2005. This Italian company sells over 11 million pairs of shoes
a year, in many countries in the world. It is famous for offering
moccasins for sale. It has over 1,600 workers and also has factories
in Albania as well as Bangladesh.

Upon his visit to Ethiopia in 2005, Adelchi Sergio, ordered a supply
of 27,000 dollars worth of moccasins from Peacock Shoe Factory,
which the latter is still in the process of supplying. Anbessa has
also signed a contract with Peacock to supply it with 100,000 parts
of the shoe upper.

Moreover the Italian company has also requested sandals from Ramsse
Shoe Factory Plc, located in the Addis Abeba Industrial Estate.

Zelalem Habte, general manager of Ramsse refused to comment on the
details of the terms of the agreement.

"We refrain from making any comment on the matter until we have
shipped our first export items," he said.

Ramsse, which is said to have imported new machineries from Italy
a month ago, has another factory in Addis Ketema District known as
Kuas Meda, where it supplies shoes for local consumption.

Sources from the Ministry of Trade and Industry told Fortune that after
Adelchi receives and evaluates the quality of the first batch of shoes
supplied by Anbessa, it intends to shift its shoe upper supply business
from other supply companies in Albania and award it to the state-owned
factory. According to the sources, the reason for this shift is due
to the ample supply of leather in Ethiopia and reduction in cost.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry, in 2006-2007, aim for 300 million
dollars in shoe exports.

5.html

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKEY TO ANNOUNCE RESULTS OF HELICOPTER TENDER ON TUESDAY
By Cihan News Agency

Zaman Online, Turkey
Dec 12 2006

Turkey is to announce the result of its helicopter tender, which has
been carefully followed by international defense industry giants.

The tender, worth at least $2 billion dollars, will top the Turkish
Defense Industry executive committee meeting headed by the prime
minister in Ankara on Tuesday.

The committee is to decide on either the Italian Mangusta2 Westland
proposal or the South African Denel ‘Rooivalk’ proposal for the attack
helicopter deal.

The South African helicopters are using French engines which may be
an obstacle because of discord over the Armenian ‘genocide’ between
the two countries.

The contract is for the purchase of 50 helicopters and then
co-production of 20 helicopters with an option for 21 more.

Turkish authorities had cancelled a previous tender in 2004 when a
deal for US Bell Textron’s King Cobra collapsed over price, technology
transfer and licensing problems.

In a June Defense Industry Executive Committee meeting, Turkey
short-listed the Italian and South African companies for the $2
billion dollar attack helicopter deal.

Eurocopter of France and Russian Kamov were eliminated in the tender.

ARMENIAN PHOTOSITE CELEBRATES ITS 3RD ANNIVERSARY

AZG Armenian Daily
12/12/2006

The opening of photo exhibition on the occasion of the 3 years’
anniversary of the Armenian Photosite () took place at the
Yerevan State Puppet Theatre, on December 11, 5:00pm. The ceremony
of awarding the winners of "Panorama" photo-competition will be
held during the exhibition. The mentioned competition was organized
thanks to the joint efforts of the Armenian Photosite, Yerevan.ru
and AG Print Company. Armenian Photo-site is a virtual space for
participation of professional and armature photographers. Participants
of the site are being provided an opportunity to solve their issues
of self-identification and self-recognition effectively.

The site provides a virtual space for searching and finding new rules
and expressions of photography. The main criterion of the site is a
high artistic level of the works presented there. In spite of the
fact that the site functions for only 3 years there are about 300
participants.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESIDENT BUSH REAFFIRMS HIS SUPPORT FOR TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF AZERBAIJAN

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Dec 12 2006

U.S. President George Bush reaffirmed his support for territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan while receiving credentials from newly
appointed Ambassador Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary of Azerbaijan
Yashar Aliyev, at the White House, on December 8, AzerTAc’s Washington
D.C.-based correspondent reports.

Presenting credentials to President Bush, Ambassador Y. Aliyev said
Azerbaijan has always felt U.S. support of its efforts to build and
strengthen a sovereign state.

He added that Azerbaijan will continue to follow the path of political,
economic and social reforms. The Ambassador expressed confidence that
as a super power and co-chair of the OSCE Minsk group, the United
State will continue its efforts to achieve fair and long-lasting
solution to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

President Bush said that with establishment of the national Oil Fund to
ensure transparency of the revenues from the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil
pipeline, Azerbaijan can be serve as an example for other countries
with rich natural resources.

He said he believes that Azerbaijan’s role as an energy supplier to
Europe and a transit country, will keep growing, and welcomed ongoing
political and economic reforms here.

The U.S. President called for continuation of democratic reforms to
promote the rule of law, civil society, independent media, market
economy and effective democratic institutions.

On the role of Azerbaijan in fighting terrorism, he named the country
U.S. strong ally. The President said Azerbaijan’s future lies within
the EuroAtlantic community, and promised to help the country strengthen
its ties with NATO and the European Union.

President Bush said the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan
continues to hinder stability in the South Caucasus. He called on
the sides to resolve the conflict peacefully and find the ways of
building confidence between the people of Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The President said the United States supports territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan, and as the OSCE Minsk group co-chair, together with
Russia and France, will continue its efforts towards urgent and
peaceful resolution of the conflict.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

IYAD BIN AMEEN MADANI: UNLIKE LEBANON WE DO NOT SUPPORT ARMENIANS

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 12 2006

"Saudi Arabia is aware of the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict and ruinous
cultural monuments in the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

Azerbaijani ambassador to Saudi Arabia gives information about it in
his meetings with officials," Minister of Culture and Information
of Saudi Arabia Iyad bin Ameen Madani visiting Azerbaijan told
journalists, APA reports.

The minister said that the steps taken in the direction of settlement
of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia are reflected in the
Saudi Arabia’s mass media.

"Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Azerbaijan also closely observes the
problem and takes corresponding steps. Our country supports Azerbaijan
in all international organizations and forums. Unlike Lebanon we do
not support Armenians," the minister said.

GEORGE BUSH: "THE USA SUPPORTS THE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF AZERBAIJAN"

Today, Azerbaijan
Dec 12 2006

Azerbaijan Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to U.S
Yashar Aliyev presented his credentials to the President of the USA
George Bush.

Yashar Aliyev said that the U.S. cooperation is highly appreciated in
Azerbaijan in the ceremony where President George Bush, the officials
of protocol department and nine newly appointed ambassadors attended.

"We have always felt the U.S. support in the establishment and
strengthening of sovereign country. Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev
during his visit to White House in April stressed that our countries
share the same values," he said.

The Ambassador Yashar Aliyev stressed that he believes that the U.S.,
the co-chair country of OSCE Minsk Group and one of leading countries
of the world will try to settle Armenia-Azerbaijani problems and
Nagorno Karabakh Conflict. President Bush noted, that he’s glad to
meet new ambassador in Washington and highly estimates the friendship
with Azerbaijan.

"Azerbaijan that established State Oil Fund for distributing the
oil incomes of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan can be example for some other
countries. We support economic and political reforms in Azerbaijan,"
he said.

George Bush emphasized the important role of Azerbaijan in fighting
against terrorism and pointed out that Azerbaijan is strong partner
of the U.S.

US will support Azerbaijan’s cooperation with NATO and EU.

The American President stressed that Azerbaijan and Armenian conflict
continues to break the stability in South Caucasus and called for
the sides to settle the problem peacefully and to look for the ways
of building confidence between these countries.

"The USA supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Being the
three co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group we will try to continue our work
with leaders for regulating the conflict soon."

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