Author: Chavushian

A1plus

| 14:05:13 | 01-07-2005 | Politics |

ARMENIA AT THE CENTER OF THE `BIG GAME’

Why isn’t the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settled? This is conditioned not by
the points of view of the immediate participants of the conflict but by the
profits of the superpowers. `The conflicts are means to preserve the
influence of Russia’, this is the opinion of the Armenian Center for
National and International Studies expert Stepan Safaryan. `If the conflicts
are settled, the `big game’ will be over and one of the playing powers will
be ousted from the region’. {BR}

Today during the discussion titled `The Place and Role of Armenia in the
Region’ the participants cleared out that the players of the `big game’ are
Russia and USA as superpowers, and Europe has the mission of spreading the
Euro Asian oil programs and the Western values. According to the Center
expert, the tandem USA-EU acts more efficiently against Russia, than the
latter manages to use their disagreements against them.

By the way, in June the workers of the Armenian Center for National and
International Studies carries out a social survey in which 40 experts and
1500 citizens took part. One of the interesting facts about the survey is
that the society is divided into 3 equal parts answering the question
«Should Armenia become member of the NATO? ». More than half of the experts
who are for Armenia becoming member of the NATO explain it this way,
«Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan must be in the same security system».

The majority of the participants of the survey think that at present in
Armenia the influence of Russia is great, and in Georgia and Azerbaijan –
that of USA is great. It is also mentioned that Armenia is a leader in the
Defense, Education and Science and Culture fields. Georgia is leader in the
Inner and Foreign policy field, and Azerbaijan, according to the
participants of the survey, is not leader in anything.

ARMENTEL TO LOWER MOBILE COMMUNICATION TARIFFS IN ARMENIA STARTING JULY 1 2005

YEREVAN, June 29. /ARKA/. ArmenTel telecommunication company will
introduce new lowered tariffs for mobile communication services
in Armenia starting July 1, 2005. According to the source in the
company, all the settlements of accounts with the subscribers will
be carried out not in USd, but in Armenian national currency. The
cost of 1 minute talk for the holders of Easy Card prepayment system
will make AMD 99 instead of AMD 134. The tariff for international
(addition to international tariff of ArmenTel) will also be lowered
to AMD 99. The sending of SMS will cost AMD 19, against former AMD 27.

According to ArmenTel, the one time guarantee sum for SIM-card holders,
paid by the subscriber as prepayment for the card activation and
returned to him in 11 months will make AMD 22 thou against AMD 55,2
thou. The monthly subscriber fee for 1st year will make AMD 5 thou
(previously – AMD 6676). The cost for all types of local calls is
set at AMD 45 against AMD 56 per minute. The cost of 1 minute of
international call is lowered from AMD 53 to AMD 30. Sending of SMS
will cost AMD 16 instead of former AMD 22.

OTE Greek Telecommunications Company purchased 90% of shares of
ArmenTel IN 1997 for $142,47 mln. Till the Ra Government deprivet the
company of its exclusive right on November 4, 2004, ArmenTel was the
monopolist in the market of mobile communications in Armenia.

Note, starting from July 1, 2005 K-Telecom company with its VivaCell
trademark will enter the Armenian mobile communication market. ($1 =
AMD 443,22). L.V. -0–

ARTHUR BAGHDASARYAN ENHANCING ARMENIAN-CANADIAN RELATIONS

A1plus

| 14:07:39 | 29-06-2005 | Official |

On June 19 RA NA President Arthur Baghdasaryan received the Canadian
Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Armenia Christopher
Vestdal.

During the meeting the perspectives of enhancing the relations between
the countries and their parliaments were discussed. With the request
of the Ambassador the RA NA President informed him about the course of
Constitutional reform in Armenia and the democratic processed within
the country.

The Ambassador found important the role of the Parliament in the
processes and mentioned that the political success and economical
growth open wide perspectives of development for Armenia. He also
expressed the readiness of his country to contribute to the economic
development of Armenia and Canadian-Armenian cooperation in the
scientific, educational and cultural fields.

During the meeting the invitation of the RA NA President Arthur
Baghdasaryan to visit Canada was reconfirmed and details about the
visit were discussed.

ARMENIA HAS ADVANCED ON THE PATH OF REFORM

A1plus

| 20:16:49 | 28-06-2005 | Official |

Today Armenian President Robert Kocharyan received the AGO Monitoring
Group of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, headed by
German permanent representative to the CoE Roland Wegener.

The parties discussed Armenia’s honoring the commitments to the
CoE, specifically the constitutional reform process. Mr. Wegener
noted of considerable progress judging from the draft constitutional
amendments. He stressed the importance of the atmosphere of consent
on the project calling it a positive stimulus for referendum.

In his turn Robert Kocharyan noted that Armenia has advanced on the
path of reform and intends to complete the process till the end of the
current year. The President mentioned the presentation of the draft
to the society as a priority task. It’s is the deposit of success,
the President noted.

The members of the Ago Group also showed interest in the Armenian
economy development and Karabakh settlement process.

Russia to hold military drill with China in September – air force chief

Interfax news agency, Moscow
27 Jun 05

Rostov-na-Donu [southern Russia], 27 June: The first joint
Russian-Chinese military exercises will take place in September this
year on China’s territory.

This was reported on Monday [27 June] by army Gen Vladimir Mikhaylov,
commander-in-chief of the Russian air force, at a news conference in
the Interfax-South agency’s press centre in Rostov-na-Donu.

“In line with an accord reached by the Chinese and Russian defence
ministers, the first Russian-Chinese exercises will take place in
September this year on China’s territory,” the commander-in-chief
noted.

He specified that it is proposed to involve “a large quantity
of aviation equipment” and also Russian air force sub-units
in the exercises. Together with this, he also reported that a
Sodruzhestvo-2005 [Commonwealth-2005] exercise would be taking place
in August this year at the Ashuluk proving ground (Astrakhan Region).
Military pilots from Russia, Armenia, Belarus and Tajikistan would
be taking part in it.

A1plus

| 17:07:59 | 24-06-2005 | Sports |

ONLY THE FIFTH

The European Chess Championship of women has just finished. In the
last round Elina Danielyan played draw with Katerina Lahno and took
the 5th place with 8.5 points.

Lilit Lazarian took the 9th place with 8 points. The winner was
Katerina Lahno from Ukraine.

A1plus

17:04:21 | 24-06-2005 | Politics |

`WE MUST UNITE’

«The Armenian won the Karabakh war because they left aside individual
interests and united together. If we want to win today, we must unite. The
society thinks that each party has its interests, that’s why they do not
unite», said secretary of the Social powers and Intelligentsia Union Ashot
Manoucharyan during the National Democratic Union 16th session and added,
«If you can unite, do it, and if you cannot, you are to blame for the
situation».

Leader of the Republican party Aram Sargsyan did not agree with the idea and
announced that not the parties but the society must be united. `The parties
will never be more united than they are’, he said and added that every party
and every person may have committed mistakes and must confess them, the best
way of which is to organize a revolution.

Let us also mention that the National Democratic Union session as one of the
unique sessions at which representatives of almost all the political parties
were present.

Arshak Sadoyan, who was also present, greeted the participants and referring
to the revolution theme said that the present authorities will not resign by
their own will.

As for the governing parties, member of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation Levon Lazarian and Orinats Yerkir Party Artak Araqelyan greeted
the participants. The latter agreed with the ideas of the oppositional
bodies and said that he feels their concern about the country.

Announcing that in past they were allies with the National Democratic Union,
Levon Lazarian highly appreciated the political past of their leader Vazgen
Manoukyan considering him one of the most experienced political bodies.

Anatolian Times, Turkey
June 24 2005

New Initiatives Planned On Armenia

source: Hurriyet

In order to reduce recent tension over the so-called Armenian
genocide claims, the Turkish government has started to shift some of
its policies.
After ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Balikesir Deputy
Turan Comez’s visit to Armenia earlier this month, he began to
prepare a comprehensive new program about Armenian relations along
with the Republican People’s Party’s (CHP). Under the new program,
Turkey hopes to advance relations with Armenia while avoiding any
missteps.

First of all, there are plans to form a joint parliamentary group to
discuss common problems. Also, the government will propose a student
exchange program with Armenia.

Moreover, 20 Armenian journalists will be invited to do research in
Turkey into the so-called Armenian genocide. And finally some
football, volleyball and basketball teams will hold friendly matches
with their Armenian counterparts.

ARFD YOUTH UNION CHARGES LEADER OF YOUTH PARTY OF ARMENIA WITH MAKING
IRRESPONSIBLE STATEMENTS

YEREVAN, JUNE 23. ARMINFO. The representative of the Youth Union of
ARFD Zinavor Megryan accused today the leader of the Youth Party of
Armenia Sargis Asatryan of making irresponsible statements about
“Armenia having no claims to Turkey concerning the Armenian Genocide.”

Megryan says that 4 representatives of the ARFD Youth Union took part
in the June 16-19 Istanbul conference on the prospects and protection
of national minorities in Europe. The event was organized by EUSY
(Turkey) and attending it were youth representatives of the Kurdish
PPK party.

The Armenian delegates raised the Armenian Genocide issue and it
turned out that Turkish youths were completely unaware of the fact due
to Turkey’s many year policy of silence and also owing to “Armenian
politicians like Asatryan who coming to Turkey says that Armenia does
not need the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and that the whole
process is initiated by the Armenian Diaspora.”

Megryan says that the Armenian delegates provided their colleagues
with printed materials about the Armenian Genocide and discussed the
issue with them a lot outside the conference hall.

Megryan says that the Azeri delegates called Nagorno Karabakh an Azeri
territory and the local population as Armenian national minority
living in Azerbaijan but the chairman of the conference asked the
Azeris no to politicize the event.

INTERVIEW WITH THE OBSERVER

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
22 June 05

The head of the Chair of Armenian Language and Literature of Tehran
University Andranik Simonian was invited to Nagorno Karabakh to
monitor the election. After the polls we had a talk with him. N.O.: Mr
Simonian, first of all, I would like to know your point of view about
the parliamentary election, an important political event for Nagorno
Karabakh. Andranik Simonian: This is Artsakh, therefore, everything
should be perfect here. I am in Karabakh as an observer, and being an
observer means assuming moral responsibility for this extremely
important political event. That is to say, when observing
irregularities he or she must point them out. But I did not come
across such cases. Why? It is not through mistakes that the people of
Artsakh have gained independence now. I am happy to have participated
in such an important event for the people of Artsakh, and I hope that
the candidates to parliament, independent of which party they belong
to, will place the interests of Artsakh above all. I wish the heroic
people peaceful life. N.O.: Will, in your opinion, the attitude of the
international community towards Karabakh change after the election?
Can this election act as an incentive for the international community
to recognize Karabakh? A.S.: The tendency of the 21st century is that
the world live a peaceful life; it is also felt that the small peoples
with no rights are able to stand up for their rights. The people of
Artsakh are already self-determined, and have achieved what they
aspired to. That is to say, there is no need to serve anything to
Artsakh on the tray. The problem is that these small highlands want
the world to recognize its achievement. And this will take time. It
does not matter that the recognition is late; this will not change
anything for the Artsakh people. Today there are observers from many
countries here. Here are my colleagues who work for scientific
research institutes. Most probably they will present their reports on
the results of the elections in the form of scientific works. As a
result we will achieve the ratification of the act of recognition of
Karabakh. N.O.: Is this your first visit to Karabakh? A.S.: No, I have
been here for several times. For the first time I traveled to Artsakh
with my wife, child and friends to participate in the ceremony of
opening of the monument to Monteh Melkonian. Monteh was my close
friend; in Yerevan we lived in the same house. He used to persuade me
to come to Karabakh but I was very busy and could not come. After his
death I travel to Artsakh often. This is a special occasion, a special
day and atmosphere. Stepanakert is flourishing and prospering, life is
in full swing. That there are controversies in the election programmes
means that the Artsakh people are politically mature. Why not, let the
candidates have different programmes, oppose to one another,
dispute. Let the person win who tells the truth, has a clear programme
and has a clear vision of prospects for its realization. Let the
people win.

NVARD OHANJANIAN.
22-06-2005