Arka News Agency, Armenia
July 28, 2006
IMF: ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT MAKES PROGRESS
YEREVAN, July 28. /ARKA/. During the last four years the Armenian
Government has managed to resolve numerous problems and make
progress, IMF Resident Representative James McHugh stated at his
meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan, the
information department, RA Government, reports.
He pointed out that when he was appointed to IMF Resident
Representative to Armenia in 2002 the Armenian Government encountered
problems such as arrears of wages and pensions, high unemployment
level. Most of the problems have been resolved.
At present, the Armenian Government does not have debts. Rather, it
manages to save funds by the end of year. Progress has been observed
in the implementation of the strategic program of poverty reduction,
the level of abject poverty has been reduced, steady economic growth
has been recorded and employment indicators have been improved,
McHugh said.
He also presented the IMF’s future programs in Armenia, pointing out
that the IMF missions for financial sector, statistics, monitoring
and technical assistance are shortly to visit Armenia.
McHugh stressed that, by preliminary estimates, structural reforms
have almost been completed in Armenia.- the economic growth is more
than was expected, progress has been recorded in other fields as
well. In this context, he expressed the confidence that the results
of the IMF’s program will be summed up without problems.
In his turn, the Armenian Premier stressed the importance of IMF
missions’ visits to Armenia. He pointed out that they meet the
priorities of Armenia’s economic policy and the visists may be rather
effective. P.T. -0—

Boston Herald, MA
July 28, 2006
One chapter ends as another begins
By Boston Herald editorial staff
Friday, July 28, 2006
Had Matt Amorello resigned from the Turnpike Authority on July 11 he
might have been seen as a martyr – willing to quit for the simple
reason that a woman died in a tunnel he was charged with ensuring was
safe. He wouldn’t have emerged unscathed, but after the requisite
apology tour he might have stitched together his tattered reputation.
With Amorello, though, it was never about doing the right or
obvious thing. It was about lawyers and liability, politics and yes,
paychecks. It took two weeks and careful negotiations but he finally
agreed to step aside, and we can’t say we’ve shed a tear. The focus
now is rightly and solely on the investigation into the ceiling
collapse that killed Milena Del Valle and the safety of the entire
tunnel system.

But as the saying goes, when the door slams shut on Amorello’s
rear end, a window opens – an opportunity to view both the bricks and
mortar of the Big Dig infrastructure and the stalled `development’
along the Rose Kennedy Greenway with a whole new perspective.

The Greenway was supposed to be our reward for putting up with
nearly two decades of inconvenience. Among Amorello’s greatest
contributions – planting trees and doing the bidding of friends in
the Legislature by granting one of the precious few parcels to a
group that plans a memorial to victims of the Armenian genocide.
Let’s just say Amorello never quite got the `vision thing.’

It’s a little late, but Amorello’s departure still presents an
opportunity to shake the old-school politics plaguing this project
and to ensure that the promise of the Greenway is fulfilled. Gov.
Mitt Romney will select a third new board member to replace Amorello
and the new MTA board will have its first meeting on Aug. 16. Their
work is cut out for them.

EU Observer, Belgium
July 28, 2006
EU gives glimmer of enlargement hope for South Caucasus states
28.07.2006 – 14:34 CET | By Andrew Rettman
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS – EU member states have agreed to insert subtle
pro-enlargement wording into so-called action plans governing future
relations with South Caucasus countries Georgia and Armenia, as
regional tensions simmer over Georgian police action in the breakaway
region of Abkhazia.
The EU action plans – set to be adopted in October – are now likely
to carry the phrase that “The EU takes note that [these countries]
have expressed their European aspirations” with member states’
ambassadors finally coming to agreement after “some discussion” on
Thursday (27 July).
The meaning of the wording is open to debate, with a Finnish EU
presidency official saying “It’s not that sensitive. I mean we are
not talking about enlargement. It’s semantics. You can ponder whether
the aspirations refer to EU membership or European values in the
metaphysical sense.”
But diplomats from the South Caucasus states are reading the text as
a step toward ever-closer EU integration with a potential target of
membership 10 to 15 years from now. “This simply means that Armenia
respects European values in the political and economic sphere,” an
Armenian diplomat said. “But membership is our ultimate goal.”
Western European public opinion has turned against enlargement,
especially in the Netherlands and France, following the no-votes on
the EU constitution last year.
Ukraine is currently battling to get the phrase “the EU recognises
the European aspirations” of Kiev into its draft partnership
agreement with the EU for 2007 and beyond. Commenting on the South
Caucasus wording, an EU diplomat said “That’s not any commitment, but
it’s the minimum the EU could do.”
The draft action plans also allow Georgia and Armenia the option to
formally “align themselves” with “some” future EU statements on
common foreign and security policy topics, despite objections from
the French ambassador that this could lead to cherry-picking and loss
of coherence on EU foreign policy issues.
Azerbaijan – the third South Caucasus country currently negotiating
an action plan with the EU – was not included in the “aspirations”
and foreign policy alignment discussion because it did not request to
have either clause in its action plan text.
The South Caucasus is an important energy route for future gas and
oil pipelines from the Caspian Sea basin to the EU, with a so-called
“trojka” of high-level European Commission and EU presidency
officials planning to go to the region to conclude the action plan
deal in October.
Abkhazia shooting stops
Meanwhile, the Georgian ambassador in Brussels – Salome Samadashvili
– said shooting has stopped in the Kodori Gorge in the breakaway
Georgian region of Abkhazia, but added Georgian police officers on
Friday captured five more rebel fighters and will stay in the area
“for some time.”
Georgian police entered the gorge on Tuesday to unseat local militant
leader Emzar Kvitsiani and reinstall Abkhazian local government
officials after their 12-year long exile in Tbilisi. “Kvitsiani was
running the gorge as a personal fiefdom, extorting money and goods
from local people,” the Georgian ambassador said.
Tbilisi has pledged it remains committed to a peaceful resolution of
the Abkhazia conflict, but separatist leaders in the Abkhazian
capital of Sukhumi broke off talks with Georgia on Friday while
Russian general Valery Yevnevich – who has “peacekeeping” troops in
the zone – has warned his soldiers will fire back if attacked.
Armenia and Azerbaijan are monitoring the situation, with Baku giving
full support to Tbilisi’s “anti-terrorist operations” on its own
“sovereign territory.” The EU has not so far officially reacted to
the Kodori operation – which left one woman dead – but Brussels is
“concerned” about potentially worsening instability in its Black Sea
neighbourhood.

The New Anatolian, Turkey
July 28, 2006
Turkey brushes aside differences with Canada in evacuation effort
The New Anatolian / Ankara
Turkey is winning praise and thanks from Canadians for its
humanitarian efforts to save its people escaping from war-torn
Lebanon, notwithstanding tense relations between the two countries
since April.
Leaving aside tensions stemming from the Canadian government’s
decision to recognize the Armenian genocide claims and Ottawa’s moral
support for Israel in the current Lebanese fighting, a view strongly
opposed by Ankara, Turkish authorities and even citizens rushed to
help the evacuation of Canadians from Lebanon and to provide them
with all kinds of assistance before they left for their homeland.
While Canadian Ambassador to Turkey Yves Brodeur thanked Turkey
yesterday for its hospitality, the country’s newspapers called on
Canadians to take note and bear in mind that Turkey avoided
temptation by brushing aside differences when it comes to
humanitarian efforts. “The port of Mersin and the nearby airport in
Adana were instead opened wide for Canadians coming off chartered
ships,” wrote the Montreal Gazette.
“Although it would have been an easy matter for the Turkish
authorities to find themselves too busy to return calls last week
when Canada requested the use of a Turkish port and airport to funnel
Canadians out of Lebanon as the principal staging post at Larnaca,
Greek Cyprus was overflowing with people from many nations, the
cooperation of Turkey’s government simplified the evacuation process
for many Canadians,” the newspaper wrote. According to unofficial
data, authorities said yesterday that so far some 9,500 foreigners,
most of whom were Canadians and Australians, have been evacuated
through the port of Mersin.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim, who arrived in Adana
yesterday to provide moral support to his country’s citizens escaping
the Israeli attacks in Lebanon, thanked Turkey in Turkish for the
country’s efforts in the humanitarian evacuation effort.
Turkish authorities also announced yesterday that the first
assistance sent by the Lighthouse Association has reached Lebanon.
According to the statement, 60 tons of aid reached and was
distributed in Beirut after a six-day journey.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Arka News Agency, Armenia
July 28, 2006
VIEWS OF CURRENT AUTHORITIES, ARMENIAN PEOPLE ON KARABAKH PROBLEM
DIFFERENT
YEREVAN, July 27. /ARKA/. Views of current authorities and Armenian
people on Karabakh problem are different, Mikael Apresyan, Artsakh
(Karabakh) regiment commander, told journalist on Thursday.
In his opinion, Armenian authorities’ reaction to OSCE Minsk Group’s
statement showed something related to the talks that had been
conducted behind closed doors for years. “It has become clear that
the negotiations have nothing in common not only with Armenian
people’s interests, but also with the whole region’s interests”, he
said.
Apresyan finds cession of liberated territories unacceptable,
especially taking into account the fact that they are Armenian
historic areas. “Not a single inch must be ceded”, he said adding
that there are no acceptable clauses in draft agreement.
OSCE Minsk Group American Co-Chair Matthew Bryza unveiled key
principles of Karabakh conflict settlement last week.
Under this draft agreement, Armenian troops have to withdraw from
Karabakh-controlled “Azerbaijani territories” and peacekeeping forces
will be deployed there instead. M.V.-0—

Vancouver Sun , Canada
July 28, 2006
Happy days! We’re No. 10
Canadian Press
Published: Friday, July 28, 2006
Canada is the 10th happiest country on a map of “world happiness”
showing the degree of well-being of the population of 178 countries,
according to researcher Adrian White of the University of Leicester
in England.
What makes Canadians smile? Free health care, the country’s wealth
and access to secondary-level education are ranked as the top three
reasons Canadians are happy.
Asked why he’s happy to be Canadian, Vancouver resident Tariq Ahmet,
23, said he’s proud of his country.
“It is important for us, as a country of wealth, to be an example for
the rest of the world.”
White, who is known as an analytic social psychologist, used more
than 100 studies to create the first happiness world map, which was
released Thursday.
His research found the countries with the saddest populations are
those recovering from war or in a state of war, and that also have
high poverty rates.
In a press release White said, “when people are asked if they are
happy with their lives, people in countries with good health care, a
higher GDP per capita and access to education were much more likely
to report being happy.”
As for why Denmark ranked as the happiest country in the world, White
said it had the highest satisfaction-with-life rating.
North Vancouver resident Eirk Esmann immigrated to Canada from
Denmark 39 years ago, but said the country has changed a lot since he
left.
“It was harder then, than it is now,” said Esmann. Now, he said, “you
are assured you will have a decent living.”
Asked how Canada compares to Denmark, Esmann said: “It is a little
more laid back than it is here.”
As for why Switzerland, at No. 2, ranks so high in the happiness
stakes, Swiss immigrant Fabienne Burgener said it’s the high standard
of living, strong social security system and the country’s
predilection for orderliness.
“Everyone is very organized, and on time, that is a priority,” said
Burgener, 28, a Vancouver resident who has been in Canada for six
years. “It is a really nice country.”
The Swiss chocolate doesn’t hurt either, she added.
Armenia was close to the bottom of the happiness list, at 172nd, but
Armenian singer Mariam Matossian said it is a country with a lot of
hope.
“Armenia taught me not to take things for granted,” said Matossian, a
Vancouver resident. “They might not have a lot of stuff, I saw joy in
the people who are struggling.”
Study researcher White said that in recent years, there has been a
growing debate, particularly in England, over whether countries
should focus more on societal happiness than on wealth creation.
“When you look at the map, it really hits home that we’re actually
doing quite well [in the West] and it’s the poorer countries that are
deprived of the health care and education that we have.”
“Countries with huge populations like China, India and Russia —
82nd, 125th and 167th, respectively on the map — tend to do quite
badly,” White said.
[email protected]
– – –
WHERE CAN WE FIND HAPPINESS?
A study by Leicester University ranks 178 countries using health,
wealth and education as yardsticks of overall happiness. Canada ranks
10th in the study, while the U.S. is 23rd, China is 82nd and India is
125th.
MOST HAPPY
1. Denmark
2. Switzerland
3. Austria
4. Iceland
5. Bahamas
6. Finland
7. Sweden
8. Bhutan
9. Brunei Darussalam
10. Canada
LEAST HAPPY
1. Burundi
2. Zimbabwe
3. Congo Dem. Rep.
4. Moldova
5. Ukraine
6. Sudan
7. Armenia
8. Turkmenistan
9. Belarus
10. Georgia
On the web:
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Arka News Agency, Armenia
July 28, 2006
NKR PRESIDENT MEETS WITH DELEGATION OF GREEK YOUTH UNION
YEREVAN, July 28. /ARKA/. President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
(NKR) Arkady Ghuykasyan held a meeting with a delegation of the Youth
Union of Greece, which is on a visit to Stepanakert.
The NKR presidential press service reports that Ghukasyan welcomed
the Union’s decision to include the NKR in its yearly itinerary.
According to him, such visits maintain good traditions among young
people in the Diaspora and will consolidate the close ties between
the NKR and the Armenian community in Greece.
During the meeting President Ghukasyan informed the guests of the
origin of the Karabakh movement and answered a number of questions
about the NKR’s past and future plans. P.T. -0–

Agence France Presse — English
July 28, 2006 Friday 2:09 PM GMT
Police detain 27 illegal immigrants at Polish-German border
WARSAW, July 28 2006
Polish border guards and German police detained 27 illegal immigrants
aboard two trucks attempting to cross from Poland to Germany,
officials said Friday.
The immigrants — 12 Chinese, nine Vietnamese, four Armenians, one
Egyptian and a man whose nationality has not been established — were
detained at the western Polish town of Swiecko, border guard
spokesman Andrzej Kaminski told Poland’s PAP news agency.
Checks found 19 people aboard one truck at around midnight Thursday.
Several hours later, eight were discovered in a second truck. None
had identity documents.
The drivers of the two trucks face a jail term of up to three years
if found guilty of people-smuggling. The illegal immigrants are to be
expelled from Poland.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Arka News Agency, Armenia
July 28, 2006
NEINK OMS NEW IMF REP TO ARMENIA
YEREVAN, July 28. /ARKA/. Mrs Neink Oms has been appointed new
resident representative of the International Monetary Fund to
Armenia. The public relations department, RA Government staff,
reports that IMF Resident Representative James McHugh introduced his
successor to Armenian Premier Andranik Margaryan.
According to him, Neink has a 5-year experience in the IMF and works
at the IMF Policy Assessment Department. McHugh pointed out that the
Department deals with strategic policy of poverty reduction and
crediting, which meets Armenia’s present-day tasks. In his turn, the
Armenian premier expressed the confidence that the Armenian
Government’s cooperation with the new IMF representative will be
efficient.
The Armenian Premier held a meeting with James McHugh on the occasion
of his completing his mission in Armenia. Margaryan gave a high mark
to Armenia’s cooperation with the IMF during McHugh’s mission in the
country (since 2002). He pointed out that the positive results of
this cooperation are obvious for Armenia. P.T. -0–

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS General Newswire
July 28, 2006 Friday 2:55 PM MSK
Armenia partly agrees with commission’s conclusions on A320 crash
Yerevan does not fully agree with the conclusions of the Interstate
Aviation Committee on the causes of the May 3 crash of an Armavia
A320 aircraft near Sochi.
“We agree that the human factor played its role. However, we do not
think this is the final result,” head of Armenian civil aviation
Artyom Movsesian told journalists on Friday.
Armenia considers necessary to continue an unbiased investigation of
reasons behind the crash of the airbus, he said. “We tried not to
interfere into the work of the Interstate Aviation Commission all
this time. However, they claim that the existing data is enough to
elaborate the causes of the crash. We think these are preliminary
results,” Movsesian said.
“The question of whether any of the crew was suffering from health
problems or other possible factors still remains unanswered,” he
said.
The crash killed eight crew members and 105 passengers.