CIVIL INITIATIVE FOR LAWFUL ELECTIONS
Press Service Of Orinats Yerkir
Lragir.am
05 Sept 06
On September 4 the Orinats Yerkir faction of the National Assembly
held a discussion in the framework of the Civil Initiative for Lawful
Elections”, the main directions of which are:
1. Amendments to the electoral code to make it comply with
international standards and will lead the forces inside and outside
the parliament who are for reforms to consensus;
2. A clear system of training of members of electoral committees,
which will guarantee an equal approach for all the political parties;
3. Transparency of the electoral process, providing pro-active
mechanisms of civil control;
4. Guaranteeing freedom of the media, other institutions of the
civil society in the electoral process, which presupposes several
legislative reforms in the nearest future.
The leaders and representatives of 14 political parties (including
ARFD, People’s Party, Labor Party, National Self-Determination Union,
National Democratic Union, Republic, Orinats Yerkir) and NGOs.
Over 50 political parties and NGOs endorsed the initiative (including
Constitutional Right Union, Democratic Path, Alliance, and other
political parties). However, since the National Assembly refused
to provide the hall, it was impossible to invite all of them to
the discussion.
In presenting their standpoints the participants of the discussion
pointed to the steps intended to guarantee lawful elections, approved
the Civil Initiative for Lawful Elections and discussed the mechanisms
of future cooperation.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WHAT TIGRAN TOROSYAN DID IN STRASBURG
Lragir.am
05 Sept 06
The Times Yerevan informed that the daughter of the speaker of the
National Assembly Tigran Torosyan was admitted to work in the European
Union. Our source informs that Tigran Torosyan, the leader of the
Armenian delegation to the PACE used his position to facilitate his
daughter’s placement in the PACE, not the European Union. Our source
in Strasburg informs that for several months Tigran Torosyan has been
asking the PACE officials to solve the problem of his daughter’s
job. He asked and even made some “sacrifices”. Personal or state,
we will touch upon this in the future.

THE RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS A PREREQUISITE FOR TURKEY’S ACCESSION TO THE EU
ArmRadio.am
05.09.2006 17:40
The European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) voted late
last evening on the Eurlings report on “Turkey’s progress towards
accession” and its 343 amendments. This mostly critical report of
Turkey was adopted by 53 votes, with 6 against and 8 abstentions.
With regard to the question of the Armenian Genocide which was
constantly discussed during the debates, a majority of MEPs from
the main political groups (EPP, PSE, ALDE, GUE) adopted two similar
amendments which reiterates its call on Turkey to acknowledge the
Armenian Genocide as a precondition for its accession.
In addition, the AFET “strongly condemns the racist and xenophobic
‘Talaat Pasha committee for gravely infringing European principles,
and the denialist demonstrations in Lyon and Berlin” organized by
those same organizations.
It calls on Turkey to abolish this committee and end its activities.
The European Armenian Federation informs that the AFET also adopted
a compromise amendment disputed by many MEPs, which expresses a whole
series of obscure proposals such as the opening of the Turkish archives
and reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey.
The AFET committee also invites Turkey “to establish, without
preconditions, good neighborly relations with Armenia and to end the
economic blockade and to open the land border in order to fulfill the
priorities of the Accession Partnership and the obligations defined
within the Negotiating Framework”.
“It is a victory for the Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET) which
confirms that it can resist the pressures of Ankara. We congratulate
the rapporteur and the many members of Parliament who reaffirmed
the political line of the Parliament, which consists in making the
recognition of the Genocide into a prerequisite for accession,”
declared Hilda Tchoboian, the chairperson of the European Armenian
Federation.
“However, we regret the amendment called the ‘compromise amendment’,
which in fact only copied the position of some isolated MEPs who still
support Ankara in its attempt to deny the Genocide and to escape the
political problem that it constitutes,” continued Hilda Tchoboian.

ROMANIAN NATIONAL DEFENCE MINISTER’S VISIT TO ARMENIA POSTPONED FOR INDEFENITE TIME
Noyan Tapan
Sept 05 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The visit of the delegation
headed by the National Defence Minister of Romania is postponed for
indefinite time.
Colonel Seyran Shahsuvarian, the RA Defence Minister’s Press Secretary,
informed Noyan Tapan about it.
Reasons for postponing the visit are not mentioned.
The three-day official visit paid to Armenia by Teodor Atanasiu, the
National Defence Minister of Romania, is scheduled for September 6-8.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DECISION ON NEW TARIFFS OF ARMENTEL TO BE MADE BY MID OCTOBER
Noyan Tapan
Sept 05 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The company ArmenTel submitted a
bid to the RA Public Services Regulatory Commission, proposing that
the tariffs of fixed-line phone and Internet services be increased
next year. It is proposed that the current monthly tariff of 1,100
drams for fixed-line phone services be increased to 3,000 drams (about
7.5 USD), while the tariff for business subscribers be lowered from
4,800 to 4,200 drams.
The company proposes reducing the time, during which the subscriber
may speak on the phone free of charge, from the current 360 minutes
to 280 minutes.
It is proposed that the minumum per-minute tariff be increased from
5 to 6 drams. This tariff will be used from 281st minute to 1,000th
minute. To recap, at present the minimum per-minute tariff of 5 drams
is used from 360th minute to 1,600th minute. ArmenTel proposes that
the maximum per-minute tariff of 9 drams be left unchanged.
According to ArmenTel’s bid, the per-minute charge for using the
Internet through a phone should be raised from the current tariff of
1 dram to 2.4 drams.
According to the bid, it is proposed that the previous payment for
provision of a phone number (24,000 drams) be restored instead of the
current payment of 12,000 drams, and for natural persons it should be
fixed at 28,000 drams instead of the current payment of 14,400 drams.
At the same time, the company proposes lowering the tariffs of
intercity and international calls, as well as calls to mobile
phones. For example, it is proposed that during busy hours (7 am to
11 pm), the tariff of intercity calls be lowered from the current 20
drams to 16.8 drams, and the per-minute tariff for making calls from
a fixed-line phone to a mobile phone – from 70 to 54 drams. During not
busy hours (11 pm to 7 am) it is proposed using a tariff of 13.2 drams
for intercity calls instead of the current 14 drams, and a tariff of
42 drams for calls to a mobile phone instead of the current tariff
of 49 drams.
To recap, the RA Public Services Regulatory Commission must make a
decision about ArmenTel’s bid within 45 days.

IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SIL CONCERN WILL PURCHASE MIKAEL BAGHDASAROV’S SHARE OF VTB-ARMENIA BANK
Noyan Tapan
Sept 05 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The famous businessman Mikael
Baghdasarov has offered SIL Concern Ltd. to purchase his share of the
VTB-Armenia Bank (former Armsavingsbank). Spokeswoman for SIL Concern
Anna Mkrtchian told NT correspondent about it. At the same time, she
noted that SIL Concern is considering this offer, and it’s not yet
clear when the decision about the acquisition of shares will be made.
To recap, M. Baghdasarov owns 30% of VTB-Armenia Bank’s shares, with
the rest belonging to Russia’s Vneshtorgbank (VTB). VTB acquired 70%
of Armsavingsbank’s shares in March 2004. This year Armesavingsbank
was renamed “VTB-Armenia”.

CANADIAN ARMENIAN PHOTOGRAPHER HRAYR HAWK’S EXHIBITION OPENS AT RA FOREIGN MINISTRY
Noyan Tapan
Sept 05 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. Canadian Armenian photographer Hrayr
Hawk’s (Khatcherian) exhibition entitled “Free World of Armenia: with
Hawk’s Eyes,” dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the independence
of Armenia, opened on September 5 at the RA Foreign Ministry. More
than 4 dozens of photos are presented in the exhibition. They picture
historic-cultural monuments, nature, etc. of Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh.
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian mentioned that this exhibition will be
organized in a number of countries of the world as well. In his words,
owing to these photos, foreigners will get acquainted with Armenia. “We
see beauty of the Armenian nature with the help of these photos. And
it is not accidental that annual calendars of the Foreign Ministry
are decorated with H.Hawk’s photographers,” V.Oskanian mentioned.
In H.Hawk’s words, there are such places in Armenia about which even
residents of Armenia do not know, and many of them do not believe that
it is our Fatherland. The photographer mentioned that he attepmts
to present not only Armenia but also people living in Armenia to
the world.
To recap, few months ago H.Hawk published his “Land” and “Hovering
Hawk” albums. The photographer envisages to publish in a separate
album photos of Armenian churches built in different countries as
well as an album dedicated to Artsakh.

SYRIAN MUFTI IS PRESENT AT SAINT LITURGY IN MOTHER SEE
Noyan Tapan
Sept 05 2006
ETCHMIADZIN, SEPTEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The delegation headed by Sheikh
Ahmed Badr-Eddine Hassoun, the Grand Mufti of the Arab Republic of
Syria, was present at the Saint Liturgy celebrated in the Mother See
of Holy on September 3.
At the beginning of the liturgy, Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of All Armenians and the Grand Mufti of the Arab Republic
of Syria, accompanied by a great procession of churchmen, were led
to the Mother Cathedral. The officiating priest was Archbishop Yeznik
Petrosian, the Mother See responsible for interchurch relations.
Then the two spiritual leaders returned the Patriarchate where the
two delegations’ meeting took place. During the meeting, the Grand
Mufti of Syria passed to His Holiness greetings and best wishes of
President of the Arab Republic of Syria Bashar Al-Assad.
The Catholicos of All Armenians, in his turn, thanked for the careful
attitude that the President of Syria and his predecessors have always
shown towards sons of the Armenian nation.
According to the information submitted to Noyan Tapan by the
Information Services of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Gabriel
Geara, the Ambassador of the Republic of Lebanon to the RA, and doctor
Moukhlis Faraun, the Charge d’Affairs of the Arab Republic of Syria
to the RA, were also present at the meeting.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DELEGATION OF EUROPEAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE TO VISIT ARMENIA ON SEPTEMBER 7-9
Noyan Tapan
Sept 05 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. By the invitation of Gagik
Tsarukian, the Chairman of the National Olympic Committee of Armenia,
a delegation headed by Patrick Hickey, the newly elected Chairman of
the European Olympic Committee (EOC), a member of the International
Olympic Committee (IOC), the Chairman of the Olympic Committee of
Ireland, will pay an official visit to Armenia on September 7-9. It’s
his first official visit on the EOC Chairman’s post.
Pamela Vipond, the Deputy Director of the Olympic Solidarity programs
of the IOC and EOC Financial Administration Manager G. De Angeles,
are in the delegation staff.
The goal of the visit is to get acquainted with the Olympic movement
process, dome works, sporting structures and problems arisen in front
of the NOCA.
The guests will meet with the NOCA heads, members of the executive
committee, federation chairmen of different kinds of sport. RA
President Robert Kocharian will receive the delegation.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GLOBAL GOLD MINING DEPRIVED OF ITS LICENCE FOR EXPLORATION OF MARJAN MINE
Noyan Tapan
Sept 05 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Ministry of Nature Protection
deprived the company Global Gold Mining (GGM) of its licence for
exploration of the mine in Marjan (Sisian). The RA Minister of Nature
Protection Vardan Aivazian stated this at the September 5 press
conference. According to him, the company has no longer the right to
carry out work at the above mentioned mine.
However, GGM is continuing exploration of the Marjan mine, so the
ministry has applied to the RA Prosecutor General’s Office.
GGM’s director Ashot Poghosian told NT correspondent that the company
has sent the minister a letter with the indication of the respective
RA law’s provisions, according to which “the unilateral annulation
of a licence through a statement or letter is forbidden”. He noted
that the ministry was obliged to warn in writing the company about
its decision to cancel the company’s licence, and if the company
committed a violation, the ministry was to allow GGM to eliminate
that violation within a 90-day period. After that, the company must
have been given an opportunity for damage compensation repayment. In
the event that compenstaion is not paid, the ministry may apply to
court. Yet, according to A. Petrosian, GGM has never received such
a warning from the ministry.
“If the ministry does not observe the provisions of the RA law and
international agreements and continues making illegal statements,
it means that we have a “textbook” example of confiscation of our
investments,” A. Poghosian said.