Author: Chilingarian Babken

"STATE OF THE ARMENIAN CULTURAL LEGACY IN NAKHIJEVAN" EXHIBITION OPENED IN STRASBURG

ArmRadio.am
09.12.2006 12:15

RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian had a meeting with the Deputy Mayor
of Strasburg, head of the municipal community Rober Grossman. The
meeting was followed by the opening of the "State of the Armenian
cultural legacy in Nakhijevan" exhibition in the Hall of the Strasburg
Municipality, during which the Foreign Minister delivered a speech.

"This exhibition does not only prove the presence of Armenia in
this region, but also denies the policy of periodic demolition of
centuries old Armenian monuments belonging to whole humanity," said
Vartan Oskanian. He underlined that this state vandalism has caused
the negative reaction of the international community, particularly
the European Parliament. "But Azerbaijani authorities are deaf to
calls to end the destruction and continue prohibiting international
experts and parliamentarians visit the sites," the Armenian Foreign
Minister stressed.

ARMENIAN CB BOARD NOT TO CHANGE REFINANCING INTEREST RATE

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Dec 8 2006

YEREVAN, December 8. /ARKA/. The Board of the Central Bank of Armenia
made a decision Tuesday not to change the refinancing interest rate,
4.75%.

The refinancing interest rate increased by 0.25% on October 3, 2006.

The CBA launched a new policy for regulation of inflation – targeting
– on January, 2006. The main leverages here are interest rates,
particularly the refinancing interest rate.

FESTIVAL OF DOCUMENTARY FILMS TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN

Yerevan, December 6. ArmInfo. International Festival of Documentary
Films "Entry to Open World" will be held at Yerevan Art Center
"Narekatsi" on December 10-11.

The Art Center told ArmInfo that within two days, the Armenian
spectators will enjoy the works by documentary film directors from
Sweden, Australia, USA, Mexico, India, Iran and Armenia. The short
and long films tell about the life of ordinary citizens who have to
struggle against big and small problems they face. Street musicians,
refugees, illegal migrants, beginner politicians. It is not the full
list of the real heroes of the documentary films. The entry to the
demonstration of the films is open.

FOOTBALL EUROPE: ARMENIA SALUTES SHAHGELDYAN AGAIN

UEFA (English)

Dec 5 2006

FC MIKA striker Armen Shahgeldyan has been named as Armenia’s Player
of the Year for the second time having first landed the award while
at FC Ararat Yerevan 13 years ago.

Second award The experienced striker, who has scored eight times in
48 international appearances for Armenia, got 14 goals in 26 domestic
appearances this season. The 33-year-old, who was also Armenia’s Player
of the Year in 1993, received 191 points in the poll organised by the
Football Federation of Armenia in which coaches, club presidents,
referees and football writers all had a vote. FC Pyunik defender
Robert Arzumanyan came second with 161 points while third-placed FC
Banants midfielder Samvel Melkonyan earned 101 points.

DRAFT "ON RELATIONS OF RA AND ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC SURB CHURCH" DISCUSSED IN FIRST READING

Noyan Tapan
Dec 05 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA National Assembly discussed
in the first reading on December 4 the draft law "On Relations of the
RA and Armenian Apostolic Surb (Holy) Church." The latter’s working
out arises of the constitutional amendments adopted in 2005. In words
of Tigran Torosian, the author of the draft, NA Speaker, it is not
aimed to reduction of rights and freedom of activity of religious
organizations acting according to the order fixed in the RA by the
law, but it regulates special relations of the Armenian Apostolic
Surb Church, having almost 2000-year history and being an important
and inseparable part of the Armenian people’s national identity,
and the RA. The draft, particularly, regulates issues connected with
the role of the church in spheres of spiritual, historic, cultural
heritage, education. According to it, the church may found or sponsor,
within the framework of the RA legislation, kindergartens, educational
institutions, decide the content of the "History of Armenian Church"
subject at state comprehensive schools, organize free-will educational
courses at state higher and comprehensive educational institutions. The
draft also envisages that the RA recognizes the civil validity of
marriages carried out with canonical ritual by the Armenian Apostolic
Surb Church. Such a marriage is considered legal from the moment
of wedding. For a complete, legal recognition, a marriage must be
fixed at the civil register what may be done by presenting a church
certificate affirming existence of the marriage. A divorce announced
by the church is also recognized by the state.

RA PRESIDENT’S ADVISER: DRAFT STRATEGY OF NATIONAL SECURITY IS SECOND MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENT AFTER CONSTITUTION

Yerevan, December 4. ArmInfo. The Adviser for national security affairs
under RA President, Garnik Isagulyan, calls the draft Strategy of
National Security of Armenia the second most important document after
the Constitution.

In the "Urbat" discussion club, G. Isagulyan reminded that an
Inter-departmental Commission was created in the beginning, 2006,
by the RA President’s decree, to work over the document. "RA
Defense Minister, the Secretary of the National Security Council,
Serzh Sarkissyan, had come out, February 16, with a report on the
main principles of the national security. His report was taken as a
basis for further work. Multiple amendments and additions have been
introduced ever since. Large discussions of the developed project
are underway at present", Isagulyan said.

According to him, the document authors have concluded of inexpediency
of its adoption as a Law since it will hamper the introduction of
amendments in it. "According to the decision made, the Strategy will
be approved by the Government after the Inter-departmental Commission
session., then it will be submitted to the President’s approval",
G. Isagulyan said. He did not call the exact terms of approval of
the Strategy of National Security.

IN RATING OF COUNTRIES ON FREEDOM OF PRESS, ARMENIA GATHERED 25.5 POINTS

Yerevan, December 4. ArmInfo. According to the regular annual
investigation of the "Reporters Without Borders" organization, Armenia
takes the 101-102 places (25.5 points) by the level of the freedom
of press, having slightly increased its indicators against 2005,
when the country was at 102-105 places (26.0 points).

The neighboring Georgia, having gathered 21.0 points, has turned out
to be at the 89th place instead of the 99th place in 2005. Azerbaijan
has also advanced, though it is still behind of Armenia being at the
135-136th places instead of the 141st place in 2005. Russia with 48.67
points has turned out to be in an unenviable state by the degree of
the freedom of press. It was given the 147th place by the "Reporters
Without Borders".

As RBC reports, over 160 countries were evaluated by the level of
observance of the freedom of speech. The facts of its violation,
expressed in the arrests and convictions of journalists for the
professional activity, as well as in the acts of physical influence,
negatively reflected on the reputation of states.

As the experts note, it seems the northern climate favourably affects
the freedom of speech: only Ireland of the four leader- countries by
the level of the freedom of speech is noted for comfortable weather
conditions, that one can not say of Finland. Along with it, all these
countries are united by a high standard of living.

The term "freedom of press" is nearly absent in such countries as
Eritrea, Turkmenistan and Northern Korea, which traditionally close
the rating. Interestingly, the United States of America have lost 9
positions within a year.

Public Radio, Armenia
Dec 1 2006

Armenia not discussing the opportunity of joining the GUAM
01.12.2006 16:55

RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said in a press conference today
that as before the Armenian side opposes the GUAM initiative to
transfer the issue of frozen conflicts to the UN General Assembly.
The Foreign Minister mentioned that adoption of such a resolution
could seriously harm the process of the Karabakh conflict resolution,
which has been proceeding in a constructive course recently.
Vartan Oskanian stated also that `putting in one basket’ all the
conflicts on the post-Soviet space is unacceptable for Armenia. `The
mediators have been repeatedly saying that the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict substantially differs from other confrontations,’ declared
Vartan Oskanian.
The Foreign Minister declared that `Armenia is not discussing the
opportunity of joining the GUAM, since the ideological basis of the
organization does not proceed from our interests.’

ACTION TO TAKE PLACE IN MOSCOW AGAINST CONCERT OF THE "VOICE OF ARTSAKH" GROUP
Author: R.Agayev

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Nov 30 2006

Within the closing of the Armenian Year in Russia, the concert of the
"Voice of Artsakh" group will take place in Moscow International Music
Home. The Azerbaijani diplomats take all steps to prevent the next
Armenian provocation, Trend Special Correspondent in Moscow reports
with reference to the Azerbaijani Embassy in Russia. The Azerbaijani
Embassy has forwarded a protest note to the Russian Foreign Ministry,
after which the Russian diplomats have orally assured the Azerbaijani
side that the concert will not take place.

Although the posters of "Voice of Artsakh" still remain in Moscow,
the announcement has been deleted from several Armenian websites.

Irrespective of the oral assurance of the Russian diplomats and the
efforts of the Azerbaijani Embassy, the tickets for the concert of
"Voice of Artsakh" are sold in the box offices of the Music Home. The
personnel of the Music Home told Trend that they have been told
nothing about the cancellation of the concert and the tickets for
the concert are still on sale. For assurance, we purchased a ticked,
in which it was written that the concert of "Voice of Artsakh" will
take place in Moscow International Music Home on December 4, at 19:00.

In relation with this, the International Fund "Karabakh" and the
activists of the Coordination Center of the Azerbaijani Youths appealed
to the Prefecture of the Central Administrative District of Moscow
for conducting a picket in front of the building of the music Home. A
protest action against the Armenian provocation will take place in
front of the Moscow International Music Home on December 4.

The appeal says that "We consider the performance of this group
impossible, because they will represent unrecognized separatist
regime of Nagorno-Karabakh, and the so-called "Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic"". The goal of the rally is to protest against and prevent
the next provocation of Armenia directed against not only Azerbaijan
and Azeri people, but also against Russia whose official position
includes supporting and recognizing the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan. The "Voice of Artsakh" group can not perform on behalf
of the unrecognized republic in the territory of Russian Federation.

Armenian occupied 20% of Azerbaijan. They have committed large
scale aggression acts, held ethnical cleansing against the Azeri
people and turned more than 1 million Azerbaijanis into refugees and
internally displaced persons. Exactly through the support of Armenia,
occupant regime of terrorists and extremists has been created in the
occupied Azerbaijani territories and they want to present themselves
as "independent republic" which has not received international
recognition. These facts have been repeatedly confirmed by the
Russian senior officials. However, certain forces within the country
try to break the centuries-old, good-neighborhood and fraternal
relations between Azerbaijan and Russia through provocations and
inadmissible actions. The protest action will take place under the
following slogans: "Russia and Azerbaijan are strategic partners!",
"Russian and Azerbaijani peoples are fraternal peoples!", "Russian
and Azerbaijani peoples are against all separatists, extremists,
bandits and terrorists!", "Armenian separatists do not differ
from others", "Karabakh is Azerbaijan territory!", "Armenia is an
occupant!".

BRITISH PARLIAMENTARIAN VISITS AZERBAIJAN

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 30 2006

Azerbaijani vice-speaker Valeh Aleskerov has today met with the
member of House of Lords in the British Parliament Baroness O’Cathain,
Parliament Press Service told the APA.

Highly estimating the development of relations between Azerbaijan
and Great Britain, vice-speaker said that mutual visits of state
representatives play a great role in the development of cooperation.

Vaaleh Aleskerov informed the guest about the reforms and democratic
processes carried out in different spheres in Azerbaijan.

"Economic, political and cultural cooperation between Azerbaijan
and Great Britain is developing. BP Company closely partakes in the
production and transportation of oil and gas. At the same time British
companies take great interest in non-oil sector in our country,"
he said.

Valeh Aleskerov highly estimated Great Britain’s support of
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity in the settlement of Nagorno
Karabakh conflict.

Baroness O’Cathain said Azerbaijan’s influence is increasing day-by-day
in the region.