Author: Antonian Lara

TWO INJURED IN REVIVAL DEPARTMENT

Panorama.am
18:46 01/04/2008

Though, a month passed since the recent events held in country two
injured still are in the hospital in revival department. Panorama.am
reporter was informed about it from the advisor of the Health Minister
Ruslana Gevorgyan.

According to her totally 5 injured keep being cured in the hospitals
of the country, one of which is a soldier and 4 citizens, The soldier
in the revival department is being cured in a hospital named after
prof. L/ Mikaelyan and the other citizen in "Armenia" medical center.

Note that the other three injured are in "St. Grigor Lusavorich",
the medical center #2 and "Erebuni" medical center.

ARMENIA COMES COURTING
by Sergei Blagov

Transitions Online
March 31 2008
Czech Republic

Armenia’s president-elect nudges closer to Moscow amid political
uncertainty at home. From EurasiaNet.

MOSCOW | Serzh Sarkisan, whose controversial election as president
of Armenia precipitated political violence in Yerevan, is hoping
closer ties with Russia can hasten a return of stability in the South
Caucasus country.

Sarkisian — the current prime minister who is scheduled to be
inaugurated as President Robert Kocharian’s successor on 9 April —
flew to Moscow last week for meetings with Russia’s presidential
tandem, President Vladimir Putin and President-elect Dmitry Medvedev.

Already Russia’s closest ally in the region, Sarkisian said he was
committed to "deepening and expanding" Armenian-Russian ties. He also
expressed gratitude for Moscow’s support of the Armenian government’s
handling of the political crisis in Yerevan. "We always felt your
assistance in the election process," Sarkisian said during a meeting
with Putin. "To be honest, we never expected such clear-cut" support.

Putin and Medvedev seemed happy to take the Armenian leader up on
his offer of closer relations. "This is your first visit after the
elections, and, of course, we see special symbolism in this fact,"
Medvedev said.

Putin, meanwhile, clearly indicated that Armenia’s current domestic
difficulties would not hamper the Kremlin’s ability to do business
with Sarkisian. "I know that political processes in Armenia are
complicated," Putin acknowledged. The Russian leader then expressed
confidence that "no matter how the internal political process in
Armenia unfolds, what has been built in the past years in relations
between the Russian Federation and Armenia will be maintained and
will develop in the future."

Sarkisian indicated that his incoming administration would seek to
quickly restore a sense of stability in the country, pledging to
create "an atmosphere of tolerance." The centerpiece of his emerging
stabilization program is an initiative to boost social welfare and
economic opportunity.

The two countries have been doing a lot of business in recent years.

Trade between Russia and Armenia reached $800 million in 2007,
marking a 60 percent increase over the previous year, according to
the Russian official statistics. Moscow voiced expectations that
bilateral commerce would top $1 billion in the near future.

Trade between Russia and Armenia has been hampered by transportation
bottlenecks. For over a year, Sarkisian has been lobbying Russian
officials to expedite the opening of ferry service connecting Russian
Black Sea ports and the Georgian city of Poti, a move that would ease
Armenia’s transport woes. Moscow’s recent decision to ease transport
restriction with Georgia could revive hopes that ferry service could
begin soon.

NUCLEAR ENERGY COOPERATION

One notable bilateral trade development occurred 6 February, when
Atomredmetzoloto, a uranium mining subsidiary of Russia’s nuclear
monopoly Rosatom, created a joint venture in Armenia to develop
uranium reserves estimated at 30,000 to 60,000 tons. The deal was
clinched during a visit to Armenia of Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov,
who was accompanied by Sergei Kiriyenko, head of Rosatom.

In Yerevan, Kiriyenko pledged to participate in a tender to build a
new nuclear power plant in Armenia. The initial estimated cost of the
project is $1 billion. Zubkov and his Armenian counterpart Sarkisian
also inked an agreement covering Armenia’s participation in the
International Enrichment Center in Angarsk, in Russia’s Irkutsk region.

One potential trouble spot in relations centers on energy supplies.

Armenian officials have hoped to ensure, through their expressions of
loyalty to Moscow, that the Kremlin-controlled energy conglomerate
Gazprom would give Armenia a preferential price for gas. Armenia
currently pays $110 per thousand cubic meters (tcm) and this contract
price remains effective till 1 January 2009. That price is far lower
than what some other former Soviet states pay Gazprom.

Yet, even if Gazprom is inclined to maintain Armenia’s favorable rate,
events now seem to mandate that Yerevan will face a substantial
price increase in 2009. Gazprom’s recent pledge to pay "European
market" prices to Central Asian producers means that the gas that
it obtains from the region with cost the Russian company upwards of
$300 per tcm. It will have no choice, then, but to pass costs on to
its customers.

Kashatagh: a blank page 15 years years

30-03-2008 12:58:18 – KarabakhOpen

The opening ceremony of the international conference on the development
of the region of Kashatagh was held in Berdzor on March 28, which is
organized by Tufenkian Fund to raise funding for the development of the
region. The participants of the conference were acquainted with the
results of studies, project proposals and the needs of the population.
On the next two days the potential sponsors will visit the settlements
after which the results will be summed up and agreement will be reached.

President Bako Sahakyan, members of government led by Prime Minister
Ara Harutiunyan, as well as the representatives of the Armenian
ministries of foreign affairs and industrial infrastructures
participated in the conference.

The representative of Tufenkian Fund to Armenia Andranik Gasparyan said
experienced people have gathered in the hall but this experience must
produce fruits.

The head of the fund James Tufenkian said they have two main goals ` to
wake up people, to have them realize the strategic importance of the
region of Kashatagh which is the basis of our national security, as
well as to have people learn about the state of the region, the
conditions in which the people of Kashatagh live. I am proud to say
welcome to Kashatagh, James Tufenkian said.

Mr. Tufenkian displayed a book and said it is the history of the war in
Artsakh where perhaps the names of many participants of the conference
are found. He turned over a blank page and said it is the modern
history of the region of Kashatagh. James Tufenkian said when Kashatagh
was liberated, he was in his comfortable apartment in New York, praying
for victory but did not suffer. He thanked everyone who has come to
live in Kashatagh in such difficult conditions.

He underlined that the conference came to being because Bako Sahakyan
became the president of Karabakh.

There are no representatives of the OSCE, the UN, the U.S.
administration, governments of other countries which do not care about
the security of Karabakh, he said. Instead, James Tufenkian says, there
are representatives of the governments of Armenia and Karabakh,
Armenian organizations, and Karabakh can develop only through their
effort.

NKR President Bako Sahakyan thanked Tufenkian Fund for such an
important initiative. He underlined that the region of Kashatagh is a
strategic unit for the Armenians worldwide. It is not accidental that
for over 70 years our foe used this region as a wedge tapped between
Armenia and Karabakh. We realize the strategic and economic importance
of the development of the region, strong Kashatagh will make us
stronger in the talks, the head of state said. The president of NKR
said the government of NKR is likely to invest immense funds in the
development of Kashatagh and thinks it is a political and economic
priority.

In 2008 the NKR government allocated 3.7 billion drams for the
development of Kashatagh of which 1 billion in construction. The area
of the region is 3 thousand sq km, but there are only two hospitals and
two ruined medical stations. We need to reconsider the policy of
settlement of the region and solution of social problems, said the head
of state, noting that it can be done with assistance from Armenian
organizations.

In the conference participated the Armenian Assembly of America, the
AGBU, the Armenian Relief Fund, the Armenian Relief Society, the
Pan-National Educational and Cultural Union, the House of Cilicia, the
Armenian Evangelist Society, Provence Armenie, the representatives of
the Armenian communities of Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Canada, Armenia Fund,
Agape, Ararat Heritage Trust (U.K.), Armenian Educational Fund,
Armenian Technological Group, Armenia Tree Project, Hayrenik Union,
Hand in Hand, Izmirlian Fund (Switzerland), Najarian Fund (U.S.). The
representatives of Turpanjian Fund, Gurgen Melikyan Fund, Shen also
participated in the conference. The representatives of the ARF
Dashnaktsutyun, Heritage Party, Armenian National Union, National
Unity, Prosperous Armenia, as well as the Karabakh political parties
ARF Dashnaktsutyun and Azat Hayrenik also participated in the
conference.

President’s Spokesman suggests not to disguise the non-constructive
approaches under `brilliant’ ideas

armradio.am
29.03.2008 14:48

RA President’s Spokesman Viktor Soghomonyan declared in an interview
with Mediamax that `official Yerevan has not applied to Baku with any
request.’ The Spokesman said this, commenting on the statement of the
Head of the Department for the International Affairs of the
Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan Novruz Mamedov that
`Azerbaijan must present the grounds for the meeting of the Presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan’ and that `such a meeting is primarily meant
for the reinforcement of the Armenian President’s position incide the
country."

`Mamedov’s statement includes such nuances that it seems that official
Yerevan has applied to Baku with some request. We have not come forth
with an initiative to organize a meeting, although we are ready to
continue the dialogue. It’s clear that the proposal to use the NATO
Summit in Bucharest as an opportunity to organize the meeting between
Serge Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev came from the Co-Chairs. If Baku does
not wish, it’s their problem. There is no need to conceal the
non-constructive approaches with Mamedov’s `brilliant’ isea,’ Viktor
Soghomonyan said.

ARMENIA TO OFFER A 3RD GSM LICENSE

Cellular-News
March 28 2008
UK

Armenia is expected to launch a tender for the country’s third GSM
license this coming May – reports local newspaper, Panorama. The
newspaper reports that the the tender details are still being
confirmed, but will include spectrum in both the GSM900 and GSM1800
bands.

According to some rumors cited by the newspaper, the tender results
will be announced in August and Russia’s Megafon is likely to win
the tender – which rather suggests that it might not be an open
competition.

Armenia currently has two mobile networks, Armentel (majority owned
by Russia’s VimpelCom) and VivaCell (majority owned by Russia’s MTS).

Figures from the Mobile World show that the country ended last year
with a shade under 3 million subscribers – representing a population
penetration level of 61%.

ARONIAN WINS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

A1+
27 March, 2008

Armenian GM levon Aronian is still in sole lead ahead of the final
round of the "Amber-2008" Blindfold and Rapid Chess Tournament held in
Nice, France. The Armenian GM tied with Vladimir Kramnik 1:1 both in
the blindfold and rapid games. Presently, Aronian is the first with
13.5 points, followed by Vladimir Kramnik (Russia), Veselin Topalov
(Bulgaria), Peter Leko (Hungary) and Magnus Carlsen

AN OPERATIVE RESPONSE TO THE NATURE’S NEXT SURPRISE
N. Hovsepian

Azat Artsakh Daily
Published on March 26, 2008
NKR Republic

The unprecendented wind of March 22nd harmed also Shushi. For getting
more complete information about harms we applied to the leader of
regional board of adminisration Vardan Gabrielian. Our interlocuter
informed, that roofs of many buildings were partly harmed and the two
were wholly deprived of roof. Two cases of fire were fixed at that
moment and these two cases were operatively suspended. Villages of
the region were also harmed.

According to the leader of board of administration, preliminary sizes
of the harm will be clear already in the evening of March 24th. The
problem of electricity was difficult. Restoration of electricity
supply demands rather serious works. Fortunately, nobady suffered.

NEW PROGRAMS AIMED AT EXPANSION OF RA-WB COOPERATION ENVISAGED

Noyan Tapan
March 26, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 26, NOYAN TAPAN. A number of issues of bilateral
interest were discussed during the March 26 meeting of Vardan
Khachatrian, the RA Minister of Finance and Economy, and Donna
Dowsett-Coirolo, the World Bank (WB) Regional Director, who has
arrived in Armenia on a working visit. As Noyan Tapan was informed
by the Press Service of the RA Ministry of Finance and Economy, the
sides, in particular, touched upon the process of implementation of
joint programs aimed at development of various economic spheres.

Highly estimating the positive developments recorded in the process
of WB-RA cooperation, the sides also discussed the possibilities of
launching new programs aimed at expansion of cooperation.

ARONYAN SECURES VICTORY WITH ONE ROUND STILL AHEAD

armradio.am
27.03.2008 13:54

Armenian Grand Master Levon Aronyan played a 1:1 draw with Vladimir
Kramnik of Russia in the 10th round of the 17th Amber Blindfold and
Rapid Chess Tournament underway in Nice (France).

Aronyan, thus, became the sole winner of the tournament with one
round still left. The Armenian Grand Master has 13.5 points in the
overall standing and 7.5 – in the rapid chess tournament.

In the overall standing Aronyan is followed by Vladimir Kramnik
(Russia), Peter Leco (Hungary), Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria) and Magnus
Carlsen ( Norway) who have 11 points each.

In the rapid chess tournament Aronyan has 7.5 points is 2.5 points
ahead of Ivanchuk, Carlsen and Leco who share the 2nd to 4th places.

In the blindfold tournament the Armenian Grand Master shares the 1st
to 3rd places with Kramnik and Morozevich.

TAX SERVICE TO CARRY OUT LARGE-SCALE CHECKINGS IN CHORRORD ISHKHANUTIUN

Noyan Tapan
March 25, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 25, NOYAN TAPAN. From March 28 the State Tax Service under
the RA government will carry out large-scale checkings in the editorial
office of the Chorrord Ishkhanutiun opposition newspaper. Noyan Tapan
correspondent was informed about it by Shogher Matevosian, the newspaper’s
editor. Mentioning that it is not a regular checking, she gave assurance
that by acting so the authorities have the goal to find "ways" to hinder the
newspaper’s further printing, just like they acted against the Gala TV
Company of Gyumri.

According to S. Matevosian, the idea of Tax Service’s conducting checkings
is especially conditioned by the circumstance that henceforth Chorrord
Ishkhanutiun will be published as a daily. "This is conditioned by the home
political situation: this newspaper will hinder them," she said.

Nevertheless, as the newspaper’s editor added, it is good that the employees
of the above mentioned service visited the editorial office in a civilized
way and introduced a notification. Formerly, according to S. Matevosian,
they just used to "burst into" the territory of the editorial office.