Author: Basmajian Ani

ARMENIA HAS APPEARED IN BLOCKADE

A1+
[07:21 pm] 03 October, 2006

Russia has stopped air, land, sea, railway and postal communication
with Georgia. Willingly or unwillingly Armenia will suffer from the
Russian-Georgian relations. Georgia is the main transit for taking
Armenian goods overseas. Will the Russian – Georgian relations have
their side-effect on the Armenian economy. We offer our Internet
readers to answer the following question via on-line polling.

Last week we offered our readers to present their evaluation on the
level of informative and a telecommunication technology which is
considered to be the most developed field in Armenia.

Five percent of those surveyed think it is excellent, six percent
say it is good and twenty-one percent find it satisfactory. 64
percent think that our economy lingers and we are left behind other
countries. Four percent couldn’t give a definite answer to our
question. 326 readers participated in the polling.

ARMENIE : JACQUES CHIRAC INAUGURE A EREVAN UNE "PLACE DE FRANCE"

Agence France Presse
30 septembre 2006 samedi

Le president francais Jacques Chirac a inaugure samedi une "Place de
France" dans le centre de la capitale armenienne Erevan en soulignant
"l’emotion" qu’il ressentait au cours de cette première visite d’Etat
d’un president francais.

M. Chirac accompagne de son epouse Bernadette et d’une importante
delegation francaise a inaugure cette elegante place circulaire bordee
d’arbres devant plusieurs milliers de personnes qui agitaient des
drapeaux armeniens et francais, a constate un journaliste de l’AFP.

Ancienne Place de l’Opera, elle abrite l’opera national d’Armenie et
la Philharmonie.

Evoquant sous les applaudissements cette "place de France que je
voudrais aussi place de la paix", Jacques Chirac a plaide pour que
"le temps de la paix" succède a celui de la dispute autour du Nagorny
Karabakh, une enclave habitee en majorite par des Armeniens et qui
a fait secession de l’Azerbaïdjan après un conflit meurtrier ayant
debute a la fin des annees 1980.

Un cessez-le-feu est intervenu en 1994 mais la situation reste tendue
en depit des efforts de mediation de l’Organisation pour la securite
et le cooperation en Europe (OSCE).

"Je veux croire que le temps de la paix est venu. Je veux le croire
parce que je connais le prix de la guerre", a-t-il declare.

Le chanteur francais d’origine armenienne Charles Aznavour, l’actrice
Line Renaud, la chanteuse Nana Mouskouri, et l’acteur Jean-Claude
Brialy, etaient egalement presents.

"C’est avec une emotion profonde que je decouvre la terre d’Armenie",
a lance Jacques Chirac qui a fait part egalement de son "emotion"
devant "l’histoire heroïque et tourmentee de ce peuple d’Armenie
issu de la plus haute antiquite". "Emotion quand je pense a tous
les survivants de cette tragedie qui durent prendre les chemins d’un
douloureux exil", a-t-il ajoute.

Son homologue armenien Robert Kotcharian a de son côte rappele
que "notre amitie a tenu l’examen du temps, a travers les moments
difficiles de l’Histoire", et il a qualifie la France de "partenaire
fiable sur les scènes internationale et europeenne".

Tandis que les hauts-parleurs diffusaient des chansons de Charles
Aznavour et d’Edith Piaf chantees par Mireille Mathieu, les deux
presidents ont ensuite pris un long bain de foule, suivis par leurs
epouses, puis par Charles Aznavour, ovationne dès son apparition sur
la place.

Arrive vendredi soir, le president francais Jacques Chirac venait de
rendre hommage aux victimes des massacres d’Armeniens de 1915-1917
en deposant une gerbe au pied du "Monument du genocide des Armeniens"
de la colline de Tsitsernakaberd a Erevan.

La France est devenue en 2001 le premier grand pays europeen a
qualifier de genocide le massacre, sans designer explicitement les
Turcs comme en etant les responsables.

Le groupe socialiste a l’Assemblee nationale francaise prevoit l’examen
le 12 octobre d’une proposition de loi faisant de la negation du
genocide un delit punissable d’un an d’emprisonnement et de 45.000
euros d’amende.

Ce texte divise les groupes politiques au-dela du clivage droite-gauche
et avait provoque la colère de la Turquie.

–Boundary_(ID_HZOVWXuWoApd5zVwyFBOIA)–

PRESIDENT KOCHARIAN CONGRATULATES TEACHERS

Armenpress
Oct 02 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS: On the occasion of Teachers Day
president Robert Kocharian addressed a message of congratulations to
Armenian school teachers today.

In the message Kocharian wished all teachers good health and success,
saying that school teachers are on the forefront now of a broad
educational reform, which he said is very important for shaping the
country’s tomorrow.

Kocharian also said secondary education continues to remain in the
government’s limelight. and pledged every effort to improve teachers’
social and working conditions.

Prime minister Andranik Margarian also congratulated teachers in a
message, assuring them that the government is determined to continue
school reforming and improving teachers’ social conditions.

Today, Azerbaijan
Sept 23 2006

Azeri official: "Monument to Armenian general can harm Azeri-Georgian
relations"

23 September 2006 [15:58] – Today.Az

A monument to Armenian general Gurgen Dalibaltian who fought against
Azerbaijan during a war in Nagorno Karabakh will be erected in
Akhalkalaki.

APA Bureau in Georgia reports that this intention of Armenians was
not welcomed in Georgia. Georgian living in Akhalkalaki, Soso Tetavdze
says that monuments to Georgian martyrs haven’t been erected yet but
Armenians want to make a monument to an Armenian here. "We are to
blame," he said.

Akhalkalaki Mayor Artur Yerimyan said they have consulted all bodies
of the city and there is no concern for making the monument.

MP and Armenian-language Vrastan newspaper editor-in-chief Van Bayburt
says Dalibaldyan was born in Georgia and a good-will man for Georgia
but he didn’t get the rank of Colonel-general in Garabagh War.

Chairman of foreign affairs committee of the Georgian Parliament,
Konstantin Gabashvili says it is necessary to request local authorities
and governor’s office to take measures if the monument causes standoff
in the region.

Azerbaijan’s embassy in Georgia spokesman Elkhan Polukhanov told
APA bureau that relevant bodies of Azerbaijan were informed of the
happenings.

"Azerbaijan’s embassy notified Georgian Foreign Ministry orally. We
contacted Georgian Culture, Monuments and Sport Ministry. Ministry
representative Zurab Chipashvili told us that the monument can be
made if the ministry permits. But Deputy Minister Nika Vasheishvili
said the decision of local authorities is enough if the place for
monument is suitable. Azerbaijan will make an official reaction if it
is confirmed that Georgian officials authorize the monument building.

We know that Georgia is tolerant toward all nations living here. But
permitting construction of this monument can harm friendship between
our countries," he said.

Georgian officials didn’t take a stance on the issue.

80-year-old Armenian General Dalibaltyan approved the place for his
8-meter-high monument.

URL:

BELGIUM HONES ITS MEASURES AGAINST BRAND PIRACY

Markenbusiness, Germany
20.09.2006

Trademark News

The Belgian customs were not adversely astonished this May when a
consignment of 600 bottles of Armenian ‘champagne’ fell into their
hands. Champers from Armenia? The name is protected as a designation
of origin and is only allowed to be borne by sparkling wine that is
produced and bottled in the French region of Champagne itself

These East European bottles clearly represent a case of fake
produce. Admittedly the find was only a drop in the ocean, because
since 2004 the Belgian customs have confiscated around 11,400 fakes
purporting to be the select drink from France. In recent years,
altogether 26 million product imitations have been seized, consisting
primarily of cigarettes, drugs and food items. As a logistic hub for
the trade in forged items, Belgium has been occupying third place
in Europe for years. In 2005, in consideration of the number of
counterfeited articles confiscated, the country managed peak position
for the first time.

And so the Belgian Government is expressing a desire to strengthen
its struggle against brand piracy. The Secretary of State responsible
for modernization of finance and for the struggle against tax evasion,
Herve Jamar, has now announced some concrete steps to be taken. Three
main measures will form the main thrust: inspection by the customs is
due to be intensified and the remit of the authorities will be extended
by a new administration of justice to control of both the Belgian
internal borders and the outer boundaries of the EU itself. Also
announced was an extensive educational campaign. In the near future,
companies affected by brand piracy should be gathering round a table
to collectively develop an information campaign, which will enlighten
consumers of the dangers and risks inherent in forgeries. Jamar
noted that product forgery was being increasingly trivialized within
society. The campaign should reverse this trend.

Associated Press Worldstream
September 13, 2006 Wednesday

Lawyer: Student arrested in killing of ethnic Armenian in Moscow

A student at a police preparatory school has been arrested on
suspicion of killing an ethnic Armenian teenager, a lawyer for the
victim’s family said Wednesday.

The suspect has been charged with murder motivated by ethnic hatred,
lawyer Simon Tsaturian told state-run Channel One television.

The victim, Vigen Abramyants, a 17-year-old student at a Moscow
university, was stabbed to death on a Moscow subway platform in
April. The attack came amid a wave of hate crimes that has plagued
Russia.

A high school student was initially detained in the attack, and
prosecutors said he confessed, but Channel One said he was later
released for lack of evidence.

Tsaturian said the suspect now in custody, whom he identified as
Nikita Sinkov, was a student at a school that prepares young people
for police careers.

Moscow prosecutors could not immediately be reached for comment.

ANS TV, Baku, in Azeri
14 Sep 06

AZERI, ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS TO MEET IN NEW YORK ON 25-26
SEPTEMBER

The Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers will have another
meeting on the sidelines of the 61st session of the UN General
Assembly on 25-26 September.

This decision was taken after [Azerbaijani Foreign Minister] Elmar
Mammadyarov and [Armenian Foreign Minister] Vardan Oskanyan met the
[OSCE Minsk Group] co-chairs [on 12-13 September], the head of the
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s press and information policy
department, Tahir Tagizada, has said. He added that although the
talks had been difficult, they could be described as positive.

ROUND TABLE TO BE HELD IN ATATURK CULTURAL CENTER DEDICATED TO 88TH ANNIVERSARY OF LIBERATION OF BAKU FROM ARMENIAN OCCUPIERS
Author: J.Shahverdiyev

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
14.09.2006

On September 15, a round table will be held in Ataturk Cultural Center
dedicated to the 88th anniversary of liberation of Baku by the forces
of Azerbaijan and Turkey from the occupation of Armenian bolsheviks
on 15 September 1918, Trend reports with reference to the Center.

It was stated that on September 15 at 11:00, the participants will
visit the monument of Turkish soldier in Martyrs’ Avenue, and at
12:00, a round table will be held in the Center. The round table will
bring together the scientists, members of the Azerbaijani-Turkish
Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group and the representatives of
Turkish Embassy in Azerbaijan.

The event was initiated Ataturk Cultural Center.

OIC TOURISM MINISTERS TO HOLD NEXT MEETING IN SYRIA IN 2008
Author: S.Agayeva

Trend
13.09.2006

The next meeting of the Tourism Ministers Organization of the Islamic
Conference (OIC) will be held in Syria in 2008. The decision was made
at the Tourism Ministers Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
which was held on 11 – 12 September in Baku,Trendreports.

As a result of the Forum two documents were approved, a Resolution
and the Baku Declaration. The Declaration included material which
condemned the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan, fires in the
occupied territory of Azerbaijan, as well as termination of the
culture and historic heritage of Azerbaijan.

"It is an important decision." Abulfaz Garayev, Azerbaijani Minister
for Culture & Tourism, said.

This material serves as a serious warning to Armenia, as well as to
Countries that support the Armenian aggressors.

According to the Minister, during its chairmanship at the organization
over the subsequent two years, Azerbaijan will contribute to the
development of tourism in Islamic countries. Participants of the
conference took a resolution to intensify relationships to protect
the culture and historic heritage in the territory of the OIC member
countries.

The Ministers decided to hold meetings to discuss actual problems in
2007 and 2008 in Pakistan and Iran respectively.

NO ARMENIAN OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE INVITED TO FESTIVAL IN TURKISH REGION OF KARS

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Sept 10 2006

No official representative from Armenia has been invited to the
festival in Kars, Turkey, on 13-15 September after the dissatisfaction
of Azerbaijani media and public.

Only folklore groups from Armenia will attend the festival,"
Azerbaijani consul to Kars Hasan Zeynalov told the APA exclusively.

The consul said the consulate met with the Kars local authority
regarding this matter.

"They promised there will be no discussions on opening Armenia-Turkey
border in the festival. I made remarks to Kars local authority that
Armenia has territorial claims against Turkey and aggressive policy
against Azerbaijan. In this case, opening of the border is out of
question," Mr.Zeynalov said.

The consul also said the issue regarding opening of Armenia-Turkey
border was discussed in the previous two festivals in Kars.

Azerbaijani participants left the event earlier protesting to this
discussion.

Kars local authority had stated that it will make efforts for the
opening of Turkey-Armenia border.