Author: Nahapetian Lilit

DECISION OF APPEAL COURT ON GALA’S CASE TO BE MADE PUBLIC ON APRIL 14

YEREVAN, APRIL 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Civil Appeal Court (chairman –
Judge Tigran Sahakian) on April 14 will make public the decision on the
case "Gyumri mayor’s office versus Chap LLC – owner of Gala television
company". The court started examining the case on April 11. Chap LLC’s
representative Karen Tumanian filed an appeal petitioning to overturn
the February 29 decision of the Shirak regional court and to send the
case to the same court for new examination. The mayor’s office has not
responded in any way to the appeal.

In the words of Chap LLC’s representative, in passing the sentence, the
court made violations of Procedural Law and Substantive Law. A number
of articles of the RA Constitution, the European Convention on Human
Rights, the Civil Procedure Code were violated as well.

To recap, the Shirak regional court (chairman – Judge A. Khachatrian)
sustained the claim of the mayor’s office requesting "to eliminate
violations of the ownership rights" and ruled to oblige Chap LLC to
dismantle its broadcasting antenna from the television tower
representing the property of the mayor’s office. By the same decision,
the court rejected the claim filed by Chap LLC with the request "to
establish a compulsory servitude" against the mayor’s office.

EU WARNS TURKEY OF ‘LONG WAY TO GO’ BEFORE MEMBERSHIP
by Sibel Utku Bila

Agence France Presse
April 10 2008

European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso urged Turkey on Thursday
to speed up democracy reforms, saying that "there is a long way to go"
before it catches up with membership criteria.

Barroso, accompanied by Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, was
visiting Ankara amid simmering political tensions that pose a new
threat to the country’s struggling membership bid.

"It is important to keep the path of reform," he told reporters after
talks with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "There is still a
long way to go… a lot of work to do."

He urged Ankara to focus on improving freedom of speech, the rights
of women, trade unions and religious and ethnic minorities.

Barroso said he was confident that two new policy areas would be
opened for negotiations with Turkey by July, bringing the total to
eight out of 35 chapters that candidates are required to complete.

With his government under fire for slackening its EU reform drive,
Erdogan reassured that Ankara was "putting all its efforts and
determination" behind the country’s accession bid.

"Our common objective is membership and we cannot accept any other
alternative," he said, referring to opposition by EU countries such
as France and Germany, who advocate special partnership rather than
full accession for the mainly Muslim nation.

A pending court case threatens Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development
Party (AKP) with closure on charges that it is seeking to undermine
Turkey’s secular order and replace it with an Islamist regime.

The case "is not common, to say the least, in a normal, stable and
democratic country," Barroso said, urging the verdict, expected to take
up at least six months, should be compatible with European standards.

Rehn has earlier signalled that Turkey’s accession talks could be
derailed if the AKP is banned.

AKP supporters see the court case as a fresh attack by hardline
secularists, whose prominent members include senior judges, the
military and some academics, after the party’s re-election for a
second term in July with almost 47 percent of the vote.

The AKP has disowned its roots in a now-banned Islamist movement and
pledged commitment to democracy, launching a series of reforms that
led to the start of Turkey’s EU accession talks in 2005.

But critics argue that the AKP aims to advance its Islamist ambitions
under the guise of improving religious freedoms in line with EU
norms, and point to the abolition of a ban on the Islamic headscarf
in universities and the prohibition of alcohol in restaurants run by
AKP municipalities.

Many Turks are frustrated with what they see as inadequate EU support
for the country’s much-cherished secular system.

Keen to mend its pro-EU credibility, the government submited to
parliament this week a proposal to amend a law the EU has denounced
as a threat to freedom of speech in Turkey.

Barroso welcomed the draft as "a step in the right direction."

The proposal aims to soften Article 301 of the penal code, which
calls for up to three years in jail for "insulting Turkishness"
and has been used mainly against critics of Turkey’s official line
on Armenian massacres under the Ottoman Empire.

The provision has landed dozens of intellectuals, among them 2006
Nobel literature laureate Orhan Pamuk, in court.

Some — including slain ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink —
were convicted, but their sentences were suspended and no one has
yet been jailed.

Turkey’s membership bid took a serious blow in 2006 when Brussels
froze negotiations on eight chapters over Turkey’s refusal to grant
trade privileges to EU member Cyprus, which Ankara does not recognise.

Erdogan stressed Thursday that Ankara was in favour of a rapid
settlement to Cyprus’ 34-year division between its Turkish and Greek
communities, which lies at the core of the dispute.

ARMENIA’S FORMER DEFENCE MINISTRY OFFICIAL ARRESTED

Public TV
April 11 2008
Armenia

[Presenter] Zohrab Galstyan, an aide to former Deputy Defence Minister
Manvel Grigoryan, has been arrested late in the evening of Tuesday [8
April], the information department of the Police said today. Following
certain Ara Marukyan’s [also traces as Marutyan] complaint to the
police, a criminal case was launched on the article that deals with
threatening with a murder, serious harm to health or destruction
of property. Marukyan told the police that on April 6 former Deputy
Defence Minister Manvel Grigoryan and his aide Zohrab Galstyan had
threatened to kill him and his family members.

JEWISH COMMUNITY RECOGNISED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Panorama.am
19:31 10/04/2008

Jewish community of Armenia applied to Israeli Knesset for recognizing
the Armenian Genocide. Today the representatives of the Jewish
community Rima Varzjapetyan, Yevgenia Pliner-Ghazaryan and Rubina
Avagyan met with the journalists.

"The question of the Armenian Genocide recognition is already
raised and we are sure that Israel will accept it," said Rima
Varzhapetyan. "I think that we are wrong to say that Jewish people
do not want to recognize Armenian genocide in order their holocaust
is not forgotten, but the free experts have not yet gave their final
decision and comments," the head of the community and added that for
the Armenian Jewish people the question is obvious and they accept it.

According to her we can not say that Israel as a country recognizes
Armenian genocide. "It is the time to put the question of Armenian
Genocide on the table of discussion in Knesset. This year the active
discussions are being held and the question is put in the agenda,"
she said.

T. SARGSYAN. "SOME MORE DAYS AND EVERYTHING CLEAR"

Panorama.am
15:19 11/04/2008

"We need to wait a while and everything will be clear," answered Prime
Minister Tigran Sargsyan to the question about the possible changes in
the Government staff, today in a meeting with journalists. According
to him now some negotiations and discussions are being held on this
regard and any comment could disrupt the general activities.

Note that only the minister of foreign affairs Vardan Oskanyan
announced that he could not act in the new government anymore.

To the question that the political coalition seemed was not inspired
by his appointment he answered that it was the first time he heard
such things.

At the same time he mentioned that the future of Armenia was written
in the pre election project of the president and the government has
put its agreement on the paper.

To the question how the Prime Minister is going to fight against the
oligarchic system and corruption in the country, he answered that he
had an experience in dealing such problems yet in the bank system,
not the sphere is larger and he will manage it either.

As for his last announcement on being rude and demanding leader he
commented that the position and duties of every minister should be
revised and clarified.

In the end to the question of being intercessor between the government
and opposition he answered: "Give me some time and you’ll get the
answers, remember it is the second day I am acting like a Prime
Minister."

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian National committee of America – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 208
Glendale, CA 91206
Tel: 818-500-1918
Fax: 818-246-7353
Email: [email protected]

Contact: Ovsana Khodabakhsh
(818) 621-0245

April 11, 2008

Burbank AYF joins with Burbank ANC to commemorate the 93rd Anniversary
of The Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Burbank Chapter is taking over the
major duties this year from the Armenian National Committee (ANC) of
Burbank in organizing the commemoration of the 1915 to 1923 Armenian
Genocide, which left 1.5 million Armenians dead and 500,000 more
ethnically-cleansed from their ancestral homeland.

On Tuesday, April 22 at 6 PM, Burbank AYF chairman Shunt Jarshafdjian
will accept a proclamation from Burbank Mayor Marsha Ramos, at the
beginning of the city’s weekly council meeting.

Jarshafdjian will be joined by fellow AYF members Ovsana Khodabakhsh and
Raffi Prudian, as well as Burbank ANC member Vahe Shahinian.

After the presentation by Mayor Ramos commemorating the victims of the
brutal genocide perpetuated by the Turkish Government, there will be an
8 PM candlelight vigil on the steps of Burbank City Hall, in memory of
the innocent men, women and children who were murdered from 1915 to
1923.

Members from an Armenian-American scouting organization, the Homenetmen
Sipan Chapter of Burbank, will officially kick-off the candlelight vigil
with the presentation of the colors and the flag salute.

Speaking at the candlelight vigil will be Hovan Tashjian of the Armenian
Cultural Foundation (ACF) of Burbank and AYF Central Executive Casper
Jivalagian.

There will also be a poetry reading accompanied by the playing of a
duduk.

# # # # #

PRESS RELEASE
The Armenia Fund
Governmental Buiding 3, Yerevan, RA
Contact: Hasmik Grigoryan
Tel: +(3741) 56 01 06 ext. 105
Fax: +(3741) 52 15 05
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

10 April, 2008

A Number of the Armenia Fund’s School Furnishing Projects Accomplished

Yerevan, April 10, 2008 – The Armenia Fund accomplished several furnishing
projects during the month of March including the Parakar Art school, school
N10 in Abovian, Kotaik region, schools N 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 in Artik, Shirak
region, secondary school in Kndzoresk, Siunik region and School N78 in
Yerevan. All these projects have been initiated and financed through
contributions from the Armenia Fund’s French Affiliate.

The Art School after Hovik Edgaryan located in the village of Parakar with a
population of 7000 was renovated in 2007 with funds from the Armenia Fund
French Affiliate. The furnishing project at a total cost of 13,758,549 AMD
includes items such as chairs, tables, sofas, hangers, mirrors, drawers,
desks, two looms, an oven and a shaping machine for producing ceramic items
and a computer. The project is named in memory of the late Loussintac and
Sahak Tchopourian.

Around 200 students from Parakar and nearby villages of Tairov, Merdzavan,
Ajgek, Baghramyan, Norakert, Ptghunk, Arevashat, Musaler attend different
classes at the school. Piano, brass band, dancing, painting, tapestry,
pottery and carpet-making classes have classrooms of their own. With
facilities for ceramics and carpet-making classes available now, the school
administration has started registering pupils who want to enroll on it.

The instructor of the painting class Liparit Shahinyan said they now have 26
children attending the class instead of the 12 they had earlier this year,
as they now have 12 easels instead of 6 and more tables and chairs in the
classroom. "There was always much interest in painting and pottery classes,
but we did not have enough facilities for all those who wanted to join us.
We are grateful to the Armenia Fund and our donors for their timely
assistance and the stimulus the new environment provides. It is not only
pupils who enjoy the new painting tools, it is us, the teachers, who are
inspired to do better," said the instructor. Anahit and Anush have been
attending the painting classes for 2.5 years now. They said they always
enjoyed them but with the new furnished room and tables of their own they
enjoy the classes better. Anahit, 13, is quite certain about her future
profession and is seriously planning to become a fashion designer.

Two years ago a class for brass band opened at school. Today it has 10
students and a nice display of a dozen instruments – trumpet, clarinet,
trombone, baritone, and viola -on the wall in the classroom. The instruments
lay idle in the Parakar secondary school where they belonged in and were
passed over to the art school so that the brass band class could use it.
With the support of the local municipality they were repaired and now make
an impressive collection of Soviet era brass instruments.

Principal of the school Almast Svajyan was greatly excited when showing
around the school that was no longer just a nicely renovated and an orderly
place which could do with new and more pieces of furniture earlier this
year.

Appropriate maintenance is felt in every corner of the building. Although
the school was renovated only seven months ago, it is not without the
efforts of Ms. Svajyan and her team that the building is kept in good
repair; a lot is currently being considered and done to add to it. The
curtains obtained by the school management for the concert hall are a
perfect match with the chairs. "We are all so pleased with the new
interior; it’s an incredible change. We really appreciate the efficiency
with which acquisition of the furniture was organized. And we know that not
every school in Armenia enjoys the conditions we do today. Many thanks to
the Armenia Fund and our friends in France for the school we have," said Ms
Svajyan.

Fittings such as pictures, small rugs and other decorations are part of the
principal’s plans. According to her due to the Armenia Fund renovation and
furnishing projects the school has now four job openings – one for an
administrative assistant and three for support staff. On April 6 the school
hosted the festival of sport dances in which groups from Yerevan, Gyumri,
Vanadzor, Sisian and Echmiadsin participated.

Within the Armenia Fund upcoming project banisters will be built along the
stairs and a fence put up around the building so as to provide safety for
school children and prevent the flowers and grass from being trampled.

Similarly eight classrooms for a donation of 3,688,300 AMD drams were
furnished in N10 School in Abovian city. The school received tables, chairs,
blackboards and hangers. The classrooms were sponsored through the
French-Armenian Association for Friendship, Normandy Association for
Armenian Solidarity and in memory of late Mihran, Nvart Hatsagortsian.and
their son Jirair.

The municipality of Vaulx en Velin in France with a total cost of 5,510,000
AMD drams funded five classrooms in schools number 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 in
Artik, Shirak region. It is planned that the municipality will go ahead with
the full furnishing of these schools.

School 78 located in the center of Yerevan received new furniture with a
total cost of 4,283,200 AMD drams. It includes desks, chairs, tables,
bookshelves, blackboards, as well as hangers.

The secondary school in Kndzoresk, another beneficiary of the Armenia Fund
project, received sport facilities with donation from Michel Tchaloyan. The
project was implemented in memory of Melik and Jirair Melik Mardirossian.

The Armenia Fund Executive Director Vahe Aghabegians welcomed the successful
accomplishment of the projects. "By giving our young generation modern
schools with appropriately furnished classrooms we make yet another step
towards a better life for them. We want them to choose to stay and study in
their home communities and truly enjoy their learning. The Armenia Fund is
doing its best to support the government in its attempts to provide schools
to the standard and thus solve the most basic problem existent in the
country’s educational system today," says Mr. Aghabegians.

###

The Armenia Fund

AZERBAIJAN’S SINGLE POPULAR FRONT PARTY ASSESSES EACH LOST DAY AS A STEP ISOLATING AZERBAIJAN FROM KARABAKH

Today.Az
cs/44152.html
April 9 2008
Azerbaijan

The Single Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan held a session today.

Day.Az reports with reference to the press service for the party that
during the session the sides discussed sociopolitical situation in
the country.

The first discussed was Azerbaijan’s participation in the NATO summit
in Bucharest.

The party appreciates the statement in which the heads of NATO
member-states and governments adopted a final declaration recognizing
the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. At the same time, the party
representatives doubted that such a position was also expressed
towards Armenia.

"Azerbaijani authorities should undertake skillful measures. Each
lost days is a step isolating us from Nagorno Karabakh. The party
considers that the final declaration adhere to "double standards",
the press service for the party says.

INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION GROWS BY 3% IN ARMENIA IN JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2008 ON SAME MONTHS OF 2007

Noyan Tapan
April 7, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 7, NOYAN TAPAN. Industrial production of 108 bln 29.7
mln drams (about 351 mln USD) in current prices was made in Armenia
in January-February 2008. Production of 105 bln 502.7 mln drams was
sold, including sales of 8 bln 967.1 mln drams in CIS countries and
sales of 21 bln 649.8 mln drams in other countries.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, the industrial
production index made 103% as compared with January-February
2007, while the same index without production and distribution of
electricity, gas and water made 99%.

COMPETITION TO INCREASE IN ARMENIAN MARKET OF RETAIL BANKING SERVICES

YEREVAN, APRIL 5, NOYAN TAPAN. Great hopes in terms of increasing the
competition level in Armenia’s banking services market are linked with
ProCredit Bank (Germany), which has starting operating in our country
since early 2008, because it will specialize in provision of retail
services and crediting of small and medium business, the chairman of
the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) Tigran Sargsian said.

In his words, ProCredit Bank has submitted to the CBA "quite an
aggressive business program which means that in 2008 the amount of this
bank’s credits will grow, it will open branches, and tens of thousands
of citizens will have the opportunity to use services of ProCredit
Bank".

It was stated that the growth of retail banking services in Armenia is
also evident from the indices of the first quarter of 2008, which have
increased considerably as compared with the same period of last year.