YEREVAN 21ST IN THE LIST OF MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES

ArmRadio.am
13.12.2006 15:22

Yerevan – the capital city of Armenia – is the 21st in the list of
30 most expensive cities for foreigners. These are the results of the
research published by the CA International consulting agency, Novosti
Armenia reports referring to the saint-petersburg.ru web edition.

The top five of the most expensive cities of the world includes
Harare (Zimbabwe), Luanda (Angola), Oslo (Norway), Moscow (Russia)
and Kinshasa (Congo).

When making the rating, experts of the ECA International took into
consideration 125 different economic factors like the cost of luxury
goods, consumer goods, restaurant menus, etc. in more than 250 cities
of 113 countries.

GEORGE BUSH CALLS TO SETTLE THE KARABAKH CONFLICT IN A PEACEFUL WAY

ArmRadio.am
13.12.2006 16:11

US President George Bush has called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to
resolve the Karabakh conflict in a peaceful way. Azerbaijani APA
agency informs that George Bush said this during the meeting with the
Azerbaijani Ambassador to the US Yashar Aliyev. The US President said
that the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan continues to shake
the tranquility in whole South Caucasus and called on the parties
to settle the issue exceptionally in a peaceful way. " Being one of
the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries, together with Russia and
France and your leaders we shall try working in the direction of
rapid peaceful settlement of the conflict," George Bush noted.

MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS TO MEET WITH THE SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTER

ArmRadio.am
13.12.2006 13:30

Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Yuri Merzlyakov has already
left for Madrid. Let us remind that the Minsk Group Co-Chairs are
due to meet with the future OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Spanish Foreign
Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos to inform the latter about the process
of the Karabakh conflict settlement, Russian Foreign Ministry Group
on Nagorno Karabakh informs. The source refused to say, however, when
exactly the meeting will take place and whether the parties will be
content with one meeting.

Starting January 1, 2007 Spain will assume OSCE chairmanship for
one year.

The Spanish Foreign Minister is expected to visit the Karabakh conflict
zone at the turn of the year.

FINAL OUTCOMES OF KARABAKH REFERENDUMS ANNOUNCED

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.12.2006 13:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ December 12 the NKR Central Electoral Committee on
referendum totaled the outcomes of the universal vote on the draft
Constitution held December 10, 2006, reports the NKR MFA press office.

Basing on the protocols furnished by the election commissions
the Central Committee fixed the following: the number of people
eligible to vote made 90077, the number of ballot papers provided
for the polling stations made 94029, the number of registered voters
(according to signatures) made 78389. 15640 voters failed to fill in
the papers properly. 77279 voted for the adoption of the Constitution,
554 voted against, the number of inaccuracies – 0.

LEGISLATION BLOCKING US FUNDING FOR ARMENIA RAILROAD BYPASS GOES TO THE PRESIDENT FOR HIS SIGNATURE

ArmRadio.am
13.12.2006 10:54

Legislation containing a provision enforcing a long-sought ban on US
financing of a proposed railroad that would bypass Armenia, having
been approved in its final form by both the House and Senate, was
sent to the President yesterday for his signature into law, reported
the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

"Armenian Americans look forward to the President’s signing into
law the principled stand of the United States against Turkey and
Azerbaijan’s efforts to institutionalize their illegal blockades
of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh," said ANCA Executive Director Aram
Hamparian.

The Senate voted by unanimous consent on December 6th in favor of
a reconciled version of the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Bill
(S.3938). The House had approved this version on December 1st. Both
the House and Senate measures were based on the South Caucasus
Integration and Open Railroads Act of 2006 (S. 2461 / H.R. 3361),
introduced in the Senate by Rick Santorum (R-PA) and in the House by
Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), the Co-Chairman of the Armenian Caucus.

The proposed new Caucasus rail line – at the urging of Turkey and
Azerbaijan – would circumvent Armenia. Promoters of the project
have sought, even at the planning stages, to secure US financing
for this undertaking, prompting Congressional friends of Armenia to
preemptively block such attempts. In October of 2005, the European
Commission voiced official opposition to the proposed Caucasus railroad
bypass of Armenia. A formal statement by the Commission’s Directorate
General for Transport and Energy noted that its construction was
both unnecessary and inefficient in light of the existing railroad
connecting Kars, Gyumri, and Tbilisi.

On March 8th of this year, responding to a question on the railroad
bypass from Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA) during a hearing of the
International Relations Committee, Assistant Secretary of State Daniel
Fried asserted that, "The proposed railway would bypass Armenia and
thus not be beneficial to regional integration. We have no plans
to support such a railway financially. The Administration has not
allocated or expended any federal agency funds or otherwise provided
financial support for the intended project."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE DELEGATION HEADED BY TIGRAN TOROSYAN LEAVING FOR INDIA

ArmRadio.am
13.12.2006 11:05

December 13 the delegation headed by Armenian Parliament Speaker Tigran
Torosyan will leave for India on an official visit. The delegation
comprises Mnatsakan Petrosyan, Grigor Margaryan, Alexan Karapetyan
and Razmik Martirosyan.

In Delhi the Armenian delegation is due to meet with the President of
India Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, Chairman of the Council of
States Bharion Singh Shekhawat, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnat Chatterjee,
opposition leader Advani, Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Head
of the National Congress Party Sonya Gandi, Delhi Chief Minister
Sheila Dixit.

December 17 the delegation will return to Yerevan.

"MAIN ASPECTS OF CYBER SECURITY IN ARMENIA" PUBLICATION TO BE PRESENTED 14 DECEMBER

ArmRadio.am
13.12.2006 11:35

The presentation of the publication "Main Aspects of Cyber Security
in Armenia" followed by the discussion will be held 14 December, 2006.

The event is organized by the OSCE Office in Yerevan in co-operation
with Cyber Security Task Force.

Representatives from the National Assembly, President’s Office,
Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defense and Justice, Police, National
Security Service, Constitutional Court, General Prosecutor’s Office,
NGOs and international community will discuss international standards
and draft legislation of Armenia on information security.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EUROPEAN UNION: NEW CONCESSIONS FOR TURKEY

ArmRadio.am
13.12.2006 11:27

Two days before the European summit in Brussels, diplomats representing
Member-States reached an agreement that represented a major retreat
from European values and the Union’s own standards.

The 25 Member-States have decided, consistent with the Commission’s
recommendations, to suspend negotiations on 8 out of the 35
chapters governing Turkey’s progress toward compliance with EU
standards. Undermining the impact of this half-step, they failed to
set any deadline for Turkey’s ratification of the Ankara Protocol –
a key document that would, at least implicitly, amount to Turkish
recognition of Cyprus. Questions also remain on the future status of
open track, as well as their connection to the timing of the Protocol’s
ratification. While not bringing any close to this complicated process,
the 25 Member States insisted that, up until 2009, the European
Commission will release annual reports on Turkey’s compliance with
its commitments.

"The Member States’ decision confuses – rather than clarifies –
the EU’s relations with Turkey,", declared Hilda Tchoboian, the
Chairperson of the European Armenian Federation. "The Council can
only restore Europe’s credibility in this area by fixing a reasonable
deadline for Turkey’s ratification of the Protocol."

The Federation regrets the silence of Member-States regarding
Turkey’s many other failings – such as its denial of the Armenian
Genocide and its criminalization of speech recognizing this crime,
as well as violations against the Kurds and other the cultural and
religious rights of minorities. These constitute a clear affront to
European values.

The Federation stresses that, along with Turkey’s refusal to ratify
the Ankara Protocol, it continues to violate its own agreements
regarding the European Neighborhood Policy by refusing to lift its
illegal blockade on Armenia.

"We regret that pro-Turkish governments within the Union have succeeded
in pressuring those within Europe who are working to ensure that Turkey
– in spirit and in practice – adopts European values and standards. It
is the right and responsibility of all European citizens to take
a stand against those who would grant Turkey undeserved access and
privileges at the expense of European values and to the detriment of
Europe’s future."

ARMENIAN PRELACY OF CANADA TO HOST ANNUAL TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY

ArmRadio.am
13.12.2006 13:18

The second annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony will be held at
the Armenian Prelacy of Canada under the Auspices of His Eminence,
Archbishop Khajag Hagopian, Prelate, on the evening of December
15, 2006.

A night of caroling and treats await the invited guests, including
members of Prelacy Religious and Executive Councils, representatives
of sister organizations, youth associations and recipients of honorary
medals bestowed by the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia.

ARMENIAN AMERICANS CALL ON DEUTSCHE BANK TO RETURN STOLEN ARMENIAN GENOCIDE-ERA ASSETS

ArmRadio.am
13.12.2006 12:20

Armenian Americans from all fifty states are calling on Deutsche Bank,
the Germany-based financial giant, to stop obstructing the return of
stolen Armenian Genocide-era assets, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).

The grassroots campaign is fueled by citizens throughout the country
troubled that Deutsche Bank continues to block the rightful return of
assets belonging to heirs of Armenians killed in the Armenian Genocide,
despite the good faith efforts toward a settlement by lawyers for
a group of Armenian Americans who have filed a class action lawsuit
against the firm.

Activists are sending letters directly to Dr. Josef Ackermann,
the Chairman of Deutsche Bank. The WebFax letter allows concerned
individuals to call on Dr. Ackermann to "personally ensure that
Deutsche Bank fully lives up to its legal, financial, and moral
obligations by returning all assets your firm unlawfully holds from the
victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 to 1923." The
letter goes on to criticize the firm’s current conduct, noting that,
"compounding your firm’s guilt in this matter has been its illegal and
immoral conduct in the years following the Armenian Genocide. Rather
than taking steps to return stolen property, Deutsche Bank actively
avoided meeting its responsibilities through acts of evasion and
concealment, as well as other measures intended to prevent these funds
from being recovered by survivors and the heirs of victims. Now,
having profited from the use of these funds over the course of the
last nine decades, your firm is today actively obstructing efforts
to secure their rightful return."

Deutsche Bank has more than $1.32 trillion in assets and over
67,000 employees operating in nearly 1,600 branches across 73
countries. Experts estimate that Deutsche Bank illegally withheld more
than $20,000,000, in World War I-era dollars, from Armenian victims and
survivors of the Armenian Genocide. A class action lawsuit against the
firm to secure the return of these assets has been filed by attorneys
Mark Geragos, Brian Kabatack, and Vartkes Yeghiayan.

The lawsuit states that the Deutsche Bank systematically thwarted the
recovery of millions of dollars in assets deposited by Armenians prior
to and during the Armenian Genocide. In addition, the lawsuit seeks
damages for Armenian assets forcibly taken by the Ottoman Turkish
government during the Armenian Genocide. The same three lawyers
recently settled similar lawsuits against New Y ork Life and AXA for
a total of $37.5 million for the wrongful withholding of insurance
policy proceeds held from the Armenian Genocide era.