Author: Boshkezenian Garik

THE STATE OF THE MEDIA ACCORDING TO THE OSCE OFFICIAL

Lragir.am
9 Aug 06

Armenia made considerable progress in improving the legislation on
the media, runs the report of Miklos Haraszti, OSCE Representative
on Freedom of the Media, reports the news agency ARKA. Haraszti’s
report is based on his visit to Armenia several months ago. Haraszti
says democratization of the media in Armenia is underway, however
the sphere of broadcasting must reflect political and social pluralism.

He thinks that the state of the media in Armenia needs improvement.

The OSCE representative thinks that pluralism is found only in the
press, which has a small circulation.

The lack of pluralism in television is a highly serious problem,
Miklos Haraszti thinks, because the mass media do not give objective
information to the public. The OSCE representative mentioned in
the report that the cases of violence against news reporters are
not many. He also emphasizes that for the past few years no actions
were brought against the media for libel. Haraszti also notices that
despite the adoption of the law on freedom of information, for news
reporters information often remains unaccessible because the law is
not applied duly.

ARMENIAN POLICE SEARCHES FOR PERSON WHO COMMITTED ASSAULT IN ARARAT REGION

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Aug. 7, 2006

YEREVAN, August 7. /ARKA/. The Armenian police searches for the person
who committed an assault in the village of Armash, Ararat region.

The General Prosecutor’s Office reported that a villager was assaulted
and held up on August 4, 2006 at 1:30am.

The police found out that a strange young man took the advantage and
broke in the villager’s house through an open door. He beaten the man
and stole jewelry for AMD 800,000 (about $1960), and took to flight.

The police’s investigation detected that the violator was certain
Zakaryan. As a result, the police initiated a criminal case. The
investigation is under way. R.O. –0–

INFORMATION ON NEW FOREIGN CAR IMPORTS SUBMITTED TO RA COMMISSION ON
ECONOMIC COMPETITION PROTECTION DOES NOT REFLECT REAL MARKET SITUATION

YEREVAN, AUGUST 7, NOYAN TAPAN. At the August 7 sitting, the RA State
Commission on Protection of Economic Competition approved the results
of studies in several commodity markets. According to these studies,
in 2005, eleven economic entities were operating on the new Russian
passenger car market, with Armenia-Lada and Carcomavto accounting
for the largest share of the market.

4,378 new Russian vehicles and 141 used ones were sold in the
market. In 2005, 43 companies were operating on the new "far
abroad" passenger car market, with Muran, Megna, Carcomavto, Fora,
Armenia-Lada, Eurovagen, Euromotors, Avangard Motors companies
accounting for a large share of sales. According to the information
of the State Customs Committee, last year 16,471 passenger cars
were imported into Armenia, 5,524 of which were imported by economic
entities and 10,947 – by natural persons. The comparison of the data
received from the State Customs Committee and economic entities showed
that in 2005, only 552 new foreign cars were imported into Armenia by
economic entities. The commission called these facts in question as
it is possible that the passenger cars imported by economic entities
at the request of natural persons cross the border as belonging to
natural persons rather than to economic entities – importers.

The provisions of the RA Law on Protection of Economic Competition
do not apply to the economic activity of natural persons, while,
according to the commission, the information about imports of new
foreign cars does not reflect the real situation on the market. So,
under the commission’s decision, additional studies will be conducted
on the given market. In the commission’s estimation, Armenia-Lada and
Carcomavto represent an economic entity – a group of persons on the
new Russian passenger car market and account for about 95% of the
market. Muran, Megna, Carcomavto, Fora and Armenia-Lada companies
are operating as a group of persons in the new "far abroad" car
market. Out of these two groups of persons, the former was recorded in
the register of entities with a dominating position. The commission
also studied the market of electric lamps. The studies revealed
that 128 economic entities were operating in the commodity market
"Domestic Electric Lamps" last year. Grand Sun (47.7%) and Carlita
(28%) companies were leading ones in terms of market sales. By the
commission’s decision, Grand Sun was recorded as in the register of
economic entities as one with a dominating position. The commission
made a decision, according to which Armenian Railway CJSC that has no
competitor was also qualified as a company with a dominating position
in the reailway service sector.

NATO DEPUTY CHIEF URGES NEGOTIATED GARABAGH SETTLEMENT

AssA-Irada, Azerbaijan
July 4, 2006 Tuesday

NATO calls on both Azerbaijan and Armenia to seek a negotiated
settlement to the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict, its Assistant
Secretary General Jean Fournet has said. The dispute can be resolved
only in peace and all other means questioning this option should be
given up, he told a news conference in Baku on Tuesday.

We are interested in the continuation of talks. But we have no
intention to act as a part of the OSCE Minsk Group dealing with the
conflict. Asked of the alliances possible role in case the parties
strike an agreement, Fournet said this question could be answered
only after the actual peace accord is reached. The enforcement of
decisions passed by influential international organizations has been
in public domain of late. Particularly alarming is the fact that the
UN Security Councils four resolutions on the unconditional withdrawal
of Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan
have not been implemented yet. Fournet said the issue should not be
addressed by NATO proper. He said all decisions in the alliance are
made based on a consensus and are definitely enforced. Fournet said
he is not inclined to talk of other organizations in this respect but
added that all of their decisions should be properly executed. The
NATO official avoided commenting on the fact that 20% of Azerbaijans
territories are under occupation. Although he repeatedly stated
that the alliance is committed to fighting terror, he failed to put
forth a firm stance concerning Armenias committing an act of terror
against its neighbor. Fournet hinted, however, that NATO has no plans
to eliminate the aftermath of the Armenian terror, adding that the
organization intends only to jointly struggle against emerging threats.

MICHEL PLATINI TOO IMPRESSED BY ARMENIANS’ ATTITUDE TOWARDS FOOTBALL

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Being a member of the FIFA and UEFA
Executive Committee, occupying a number of repsonsible posts in
programs of those structures, Michel Platini has a great contribution
in the world, including in Armenia, in the affair of development
of football. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian stated about it
on July 3, receiving Michel Platini, the Deputy President of the
Football Federation of France, a member of the FIFA and UEFA Executive
Committee. He mentioned that Michel Platini greatly contributed to
implementation of all usefull initiatives for the Armenian football. As
Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Government’s Information and Public
Relations Department, the RA Prime Minister attached importance
to the delegation’s visit especially in this period of time when
Armenia is with great lustre preparing for the Days of Armenia in
France. Touching upon implementation of programs on development of
football and investments, A.Margarian especially mentioned the FIFA
"Goal" program, UEFA "Hat Trick," also the "Small Fields" programs,
implementation of which is being carried out by the Football Federation
of Armenia at a great speed and has arosen considerable enthusiasm and
interest in all marzes and communities of Armenia. Those, according
to A.Margarian, are important as much as they are the first voluminous
works after worsening of the state of sporting infrastructures during
the last years: more than 15 similar fields have already been opened,
and thier number will reach 40. The RA Prime Minister considered
welcoming making of such decisions by the FIFA and UEFA which help the
progress of football just in developing countries as football states
has no such problems any longer. M.Platini mentioned that being in
Armenia for the first time, he is too impressed by the Armenians’
attitude towards football. "Yesterday we saw when opening the small
fields how much energy and love exist in children towards football,
and with what diligence they go in for that sport. It is promising,"
M.Platini said, mentioning in his speech a number of football players
of the Armenian origin as well, having had their contribution in
development of the French football. At the end of the meeting,
at which Jean-Louis Valentin, the Deputy Director General of the
Football Federation of France, and FFA President Ruben Hayrapetian
participated as well, a readiness was bilaterally expressed, within
borders of possibility, to assist development of the Armenian football
from now on as well.

Prime Minister Margarian meet Platini

ArmRadio.am
03.08.2006 14:03

Legendary football player Michel Platini, Vice-President of the French
Football Federation, member of the FIFA and UEFA Executive Committees,
is in Yerevan on an official visits. Today Armenian Prime Minister
Andranik Margarian received the guest.

The visit is takeing place by the invitation of Ruben Hayrapetian,
President of the Football Federation of Armenia. In the frameworks
of the visit Platitni yesterday took part in a number of festive
opening ceremonies of two football fields in Avan and Kanaker-Zeytun
communities of Yerevan. To be reminded Armenia is taking part
in a UEFA development program and is to receive 1 million Swiss
franks. A condition for receiving the grant is opening as minimum
40 minor football fields with artificial grass. Michel Platini is
also supposed to meet with representatives of state institutions and
social organizations of Armenia, Arminfo reported.

LILIT MKRTCHIAN TAKES FOURTH PLACE IN KRASNOTURINSK INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT

KRASNOTURINSK, AUGUST 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The Ladies Chess International
Big Tournament finished in the city of Krasnoturinsk of the Sverdlovsk
region of the Russian Federation. At the last 9th stage representative
of Armenia Lilit Mkrtchian was defeated by Nadezhda Kozintseva (RF)
and took the 5th place gaining 5 points from 9 possible ones.

And 16 years old Yekaterina Lahno (Ukraine) was recognized the
tournament winner, having 7 points.

THE STOCK EXCHANGE DOLLAR RATE MADE UP 410,55 AMD/$1

Yerevan. July 31. ArmInfo. During tender at the Armenian Stock
Exchange ArmEx 21 board lots were sold at the amount of AMD 572,7
million ($1,4 million). The dollar rate made up AMD 410,55/$1, 0,94%
less than on July 28.

Demand volume equaled $660 thousand and the supply volume – $400
thousand. The best demand price was marked on the level of AMD 410,3/$1
(average – AMD 409,27/$1), and the best supply price – AMD 414,00/$1
(average – AMD 414,48/$1). EUR 100 thousand supply was also registered.

The opening price was fixed at the level of AMD 417,01/$1, closing
price – AMD 417,00/$1, minimal price – AMD 417,00/$1 and maximal
price – AMD 417,01/$1.

Totally, in January 4 – July 31, $87,047 million was sold at ArmEx;
the average rate decreased from AMD 453,1 to 410,25/$1, AMD. The
maximal deal volume was detected on July 11 – 38 board lots at
the amount of $3,050 million and at the rate of AMD 417,83/$1, the
minimal volume – July 12 – 1 board lot at the amount of $50 thousand
(AMD 20,893 million) at the rate of AMD 417,85/$1. Since January 4
only 2 EURO exchange deals were driven – on April 6 (EUR 5 thousand,
AMD 554/EUR1) and on June 22 (EUR 1 thousand, AMD 532/EUR 1).

Armenian paper says regional railway project to fail without US funding

Hayots Ashkarh, Yerevan
28 Jul 06

Text of report by Vardan Grigoryan in Armenian newspaper Hayots
Ashkarh on 28 July headlined "The USA is freezing Kars-Akhalkalak"

A decision by the US Congress not to finance the construction of the
Kars-Akhalkalak [Akhalkalaki]-Tbilisi[-Baku] railway at the expense of
US tax-payers reflects new geopolitical goals and priorities of the
USA in the South Caucasus region. In the pivot of these goals and
priorities there is a task to direct the South Caucasus economically
and politically towards the West via the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline and
other energy projects, and at the same time to form new regional
counter balances. It is not at all accidental that the decision of the
US Congress on 26 July was adopted in condition of the complex
situation in the US-Turkish relations.

After Israel’s invasion of Lebanon, when in its turn Turkey demanded
that the USA gave carte blanche for an invasion to northern Iraq, the
Americans made clear to Turkey that the invasion of Iraq meant
Turkey’s good-bye to prospects of joining the European Union. The
abovementioned decision of the US Congress is another important
warning to Turkey which is forming energy and transport corridors
simultaneously in several directions.

The stronger the US positions are in the Middle East and the South
Caucasus, the clearer is the fact that the USA may consider Israel its
only "governor" [in the region] which has no an alternative. Turkey,
in turn, because of its convenient geographic position has not only
alternatives but is looking for them everywhere: in Russia, in the
Muslim world, in the Caucasus-Middle East region which is rich with
energy resources.

Thus, strict political will expressed by the US Congress on 26 July is
evidence of the fact that this is not a victory of the Armenian lobby
over Turkey and Azerbaijan as many people think today. It would be
also naive to think that all this is simply a victory of justice about
which representatives of the Armenian Assembly of America declare.

Does it mean that the problem of the Kars-Akhalkalak-Tbilisi railway
construction which contradicts US interests may be considered closed?
Given recent statements of Azerbaijani and Turkish officials, they are
ready to finance the project without US funding. But there is also
Georgia for which it would be very difficult to oppose strict
political will of the US Congress expressed on 26 July.

This resolution by the House of Representatives may lead to a delay in
the Georgian-Turkish-Azerbaijani talks on the construction of the
Kars-Akhalkalak-Tbilisi railway and to deepening of disagreements
between the parties. As for the construction itself, it will remain
unsettled and will be forgotten later. Or on the contrary, it will be
revived depending on changes in US policy in the South Caucasus.

Panorama.am

15:46 28/07/06

CRIME RATE RISES BY 10 PERCENT

Mnatsakan Sargsyan, deputy chief prosecutor, told an enlarged
prosecutor’s office session today that crime rate has gone up in the
first quarter of 2006 against the equivalent period of last year.

He said 4823 crime cases were reported in January-June, this year,
against 4389 in the equivalent period last year. Serious crimes have
doubled in the reporting time whereas embezzlement of public ownership
has gone down.

Fewer cases were disclosed in the first quarter of the year, reducing
from 87,6 percent to 83,8 percent against last year. 1220 cases of
serious crime were disclosed among the committed 1533. Eleven cases of
bribery were reported this year against 5 cases last year. All 16
cases were disclosed./Panorama.am/