Author: Tambiyan Samvel

Georgy Petrosyan: CoE representatives cast doubt on the institute of
elections

armradio.am
04.07.2007 14:50

Commenting on the recent statement by the President of the Council of
Europe Committee of Ministers, Foreign Minister of Serbia Vuk Jeremic
that the forthcoming elections in the NKR can not promote the conflict
settlement and even impede the negotiation process, NKR Foreign
Minister Georgy Petrosyan said: `It arouses regret that the
representatives of the Council of Europe, the organization, which is to
protect and propagate the ideals and principles of pluralistic
democracy, human rights and rule of law by means of integration
processes, censure the conduct of elections. Thus, they cast doubt on
the election institute itself as an important element of democracy,
which contradicts the CoE Charter. And if the European officials don’t
want to contribute to the democratic processes in the NKR then we have
the right to expect that they, at least, won’t impede the strengthening
of democratic institutes in our republic.’

`We are deeply convinced that the democratization is an important
precondition for the Karabakh conflict settlement, since the democracy
presupposes the creation of mechanisms, which allow solving any
conflict exclusively in a peaceful way. Namely to this the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic is striving for. It would be natural if the
representatives of various European str

Regnum, Russia
July 4 2007

Armenian MP: Robert Kocharyan unwilling to become the youngest
retiree

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan will do his utmost to preserve
the power after his resignation, Armenian MP Viktor Dallakyan
announced at a news conference today and added that `Kocharyan is
unwilling to become the youngest retiree.’

According to the MP, `despite the fact that under the new Armenian
constitution, president of Armenia practically becomes like Queen of
the United Kingdom,’ the current prime minister aspiring for
presidency is trying to establish a unipolar system of power in the
country. `Serzh Sargsyan, representing political majority in the
country, wants to become president and appoint a person from his camp
to the prime minister’s post,’ he said. Thus, Dallakyan predicts
fight between the acting president, Robert Kocharyan, and Prime
Minister Serzh Sargsyan.

Speaking on chances of the opposition at the presidential election in
2008, Viktor Dallakyan noted that if the opposition nominates a
single candidate, it can become serious rival for the current
authorities.

Besides, the MP called ex-president Levon ter-Petrosyan a powerful
political figure. `However, before discussing his candidature at the
presidential election, he must present his political platform.’

As for the presidential election in Nagorno Karabakh, according to
Dallakyan, it will not influence Armenia’s life, moreover, nothing
extraordinary must be expected from it. `I can surely say that no
document regarding the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement will be
signed before the presidential election in Armenia,’ he noted.

PROBABILITY OF ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION N 106 BY CONGRESS IS GREAT THIS
YEAR, ARPI VARDANIAN CONSIDERS

YEREVAN, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Arpi Vardanian, the Regional Director of
the Armenian Assembly of America in Armenia and in Nagorno Karabakh,
stated in her interview to Noyan Tapan correspondent that they will do
everything possible for reaching a convincing victory in the issue of
U.S. Congress’ adopting Resolution N 106 on recognition of the Armenian
Genocide.

In her words, the Armenian lobbying organizations of the U.S. have
firmly decided to continue their efforts aimed at increasing the number
of Resolution’s supporters.

A. Vardanian said that the adoption of Resolution N 106 is a long
process, in which not only lobbying organizations, but also the whole
Armenian community takes part. "The position of our community’s members
also playes a great role. They respond very actively to Resolution’s
support by this or that Congressman. Such actions of the community
strengthen the results of the lobbyists’ work," A. Vardanian said.

In her words, the Armenian community’s active position becomes of
special importance also in consideration of the activity of the Turkish
lobbyists, who in spite of their small number, try to counteract to the
efforts of the Armenian lobbyists and to undertake steps for reducing
the number of Resolution’s supporters.

Arpi Vardanian did not exclude the possibility of home and foreign
political factors’ influencing the process of adoption of Resolution N
106, for instance, the position of Turkey itself in relation to Iraq,
and the home political situation in Turkey itself.

Meanwhile, she said that the probability of adoption of Resolution N
106 by Congress this year is great. Among the factors, which can
contribute to its adoption, the Regional Director of the Armenian
Assembly of America in Armenia and in Nagorno Karabakh mentioned the
position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi,
who had been a member of the Congress’ Armenian Caucus for many years,
as well as the circumstance that today democrats make majority in
Congress, and they usually take a pro-Armenian position. Besides, the
fact that the subject of the Genocide receives a special resonance in
the world, including the U.S., has much influence.

It should be mentioned that according to the latest data, 217
Congressmen spoke for Resolution. Resolution N 106 was submitted on
January 30, 2007 for the discussion of the House of Representatives by
the members of the Republican Party, Adam Schiff, George Radanovich and
the Co-chairmen on Armenian Caucus, Frank Pallone and Joe Knollenberg.
The project is called a "House Resolution," as only the approval of the
House of Representatives is needed for its adoption.

Armenian president, PACE head discuss relations

Arminfo
4 Jul 07

Yerevan, 4 July: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan received PACE
[Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe] President Rene van
der Linden.

The presidential press service reported that the parties discussed
issues related to cooperation with European bodies. They also discussed
prospects of Armenia’s economic development as well as a number of
regional issues, including the possibilities of improving the relations
between Armenia and Turkey in its bid for the membership of the
European Union.

THE FAVORITE IS KNOWN

AZG Armenian Daily
04/07/2007

On July 3 an article was published in RIA Novosti news agency’s
website titled "Elections in NKR: the favorite is known".

Various Gallup polls show that NKR former Head of National Security
Service Bako Sahakian is the indisputable favorite of the coming
presidential elections in Nagorno Karabakh, according to "RIA
Novosti". It mentioned that the overwhelming majority (75-80%) of
the questioned are the supporters of Bako Sahakian.

The second place may take the other candidate Deputy Foreign Minister
of NKR Masis Mayilian. According to the same Gallup poll Masis Mayilian
may have 10-17% of votes and is inferior to Bako Sahakian.

According to experts Bako Sahakian’s evident superiority can be
explained with several circumstances. The main of them is that,
first of all, all the powers in parliament (not only in office
but also in opposition) support the candidacy of the former Head
of National Security Service. Secondly, Bako Sahakian is a more
foreseeable political figure than his rivals. Thirdly, he is well
known in the political circles of Armenia. And lastly, Bako Sahakian
is distinguished by his clear and realistic pre-election plan. It
mainly refers to social sphere.

It is foreseen to build dwellings, to raise medium wages (about twice,
and it will be more than $300), the pensions and benefits (2.5 times,
and it will be more than $100), according to pre-election plan of
Bako Sahakian. He also promised to struggle against corruption in
all spheres. The candidate announced that his pre-election plan is
mainly directed to the creation of a state where democracy, freedom
and peace will be. It will also provide the state security and will
gather together the society. Conditions will be created for honorable
life of people.

CALOUSTE GULBENKIAN AU SERVICE DU PATRIMOINE

Le Figaro, France
02 juillet 2007

ARMENIEN de Turquie, Calouste Gulbenkian (1869-1955) a bâti une immense
fortune dans les petroles du Proche-Orient en meme temps qu’il se
prenait de passion pour l’art sous toutes ses formes, avec un goût
très sûr. Il crea une fondation ayant pour but l’art, la science et
la bienfaisance, qui dispose aujourd’hui d’un patrimoine financier
s’elevant a 3 milliards d’euros et dispose d’un budget annuel de 110
millions d’euros. Toutes ses collections, 6 000 pièces qui comptent
parmi les oeuvres majeures, sont desormais reunies dans le Musee
Gulbenkian, a Lisbonne, où 1 500 d’entre elles sont exposees.

Elles ratissent très large, de la numismatique a l’egyptologie,
en passant par les tapis persans, l’art chinois et japonais, les
enluminures et, bien entendu, la peinture, depuis les primitifs
italiens jusqu’a Manet, Renoir, Monet, Degas. Quant aux generations
suivantes, il ne les aimait pas ! Si le Centre Gulbenkian, a Paris,
demeure, malgre ses nombreuses activites, un lieu peu frequente
par les Francais, son nouveau directeur, João Pedro Garcia, a bien
l’intention de booster la vieille institution et d’en faire " un
pont entre la culture portugaise et l’Europe ". Il a ouvert dans ses
locaux du 51, avenue d’Iena, une grande retrospective Maria Elena
Vieira da Silva, qui aurait eu 99 ans cette annee. Comme toutes les
manifestations de cette fondation privee (notamment des concerts),
elle est d’accès gratuit.

–Boundary_(ID_yrBwGdlZz2i7GboNbYt/dQ)–

ARARAT DOES NOT MANAGE TO REACH SECOND STAGE OF INTERTOTO CUP TOURNAMENT

Noyan Tapan
Jul 2, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The second leg of the first stage of
the Intertoto Cup Tournament between Yerevan Ararat and Soligorsk
Shakhtior took place in the Republican sports ground of Yerevan on
July 1. Though the footballers of Ararat won with a record of 2:0,
the Shakhtior team passed to the following stage with the result of
the two meetings. It had defeated Ararat with an account of 4:1 at
the first game.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Elif Shafak prosecuted for `insulting Turkishness’ receives Freedom of
Speech award
30.06.2007 16:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Turkish Union of Publishers has handed the
Freedom of Speck award to writer Elif Shafak, the author of `The
Bastard of Istanbul’, which once caused prosecution against her. When
speaking during the ceremony Ms. Shafak said this award is very
important for her and fills her with strength.

Besides, the Turkish Union of Publishers has issued a report which
rates 2006 as the most negative year as regards freedom of speech. In
2006-2007 legal proceeding were launched against 43 writers and 24
publishing houses, the report says, Turkish media reports.

Arizona University professor, renowned Turkish writer and Zaman
columnist Elif Shafak stood trial under article 301 of the Turkish
Criminal Code, which provides for imprisonment up to 3 years. The
novel of the 35-year-old writer tells about the events in 1915 in the
Ottoman Empire.

Charges against her were, however, dropped. The Beyoglu (Supreme)
Court in Istanbul decided that there was not sufficient evidence for
the crime, so Shafak could not be prosecuted.

GOLDEN GUITAR – 2007 REPUBLICAN FESTIVAL OF SINGER-SONGWRITING BEING HELD IN YEREVAN AND DILIJAN

Noyan Tapan
Jun 28, 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 28, NOYAN TAPAN. The Golden Guitar 2007 republic
festival of singer-songwriting is being held on June 21-30 in Yerevan
and Dilijan on the initiative of the RA Ministry of Culture, the
Ovation producer center, and the Culture Development Charity Fund. As
Samvel Mesropian, the festival’s Director, reported at the June 28
press conference, the obligatory condition for participation in the
festival is the songs’ performance only in Armenian and to the sole
accompaniment of a guitar.

Karine Khodikian, the RA Deputy Minister of Culture, said that
the genre of singer-songwriting has been ignored in recent years
in Armenia. In her words, the Ministry is trying to contribute to
the popularization of that genre by assisting in the festival’s
organisation. It was mentioned that 1.5m drams was allocated from
the state budget for the holding of the first festival in 2006,
while 2.5m drams (nearly 7 thousand USD) has been allocated this year.

In the words of Eduard Zorikian, a song writer, the festival’s goal
is to sum up the latest achievements in the genre of art of singing,
to reveal new musicians performing their own songs, and to contribute
to the activization of creative contacts among them.

It was also mentioned that festival’s gala concerts will take place
on June 29-30 at the Yerevan H. Paronian Theater of Comedy.

ACTION PROGRAM OF ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT FOR 2008-2012 TO SOLVE PRIORITY PROBLEMS

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
June 26 2007

YEREVAN, June 26. /ARKA/. The action program of the Armenian Government
for 2008-2012 is aimed at solving the priority problems, Armenian
Prime-Minister Serge Sargsian said in presenting the government action
program for 2008-2012 in the National Assembly of the country.

Due to scanty means available in Armenia the government cannot afford
itself using them inefficiently, Sargsian said.

The government program is of targeted nature and is aimed at solving
priority problems, which, in their turn, will ensure sustained
progressive development," the Prime-Minister said.

Among the priorities Sargsian pointed out the provision of national
security and sustainable development. He also added that the executive
authorities should continue the policy of maintaining macroeconomic
stability and reducing the poverty.

"Our efforts aimed at military construction have already produced
certain results, but still there are problems to be solved," the
Prime-Minister said.

According to Sargsian, the second priority is to form an efficient
management system at all the levels, including the state, local
governments and private sector. "Corruption, "shadow" economy,
unequal competition conditions – the solving of these problems means
providing efficient management and requires changing the technologies,
means and methods of management," Sargsian said.

According to him, the government should encourage introduction of
corporate management system in the real sector of economy.

"This process needs to be started with the state enterprises and
enterprises with state involvement: those enterprises should introduce
corporate management standards on a mandatory basis," he said.

He also pointed out the necessity to apply the concept of partnership
between the state and private sectors to ensure development and
implementation of important national and local programs.

Sargsian pointed out that the state should not interfere in the
sphere where the private sector is able to provide development on
its own. The state system should also refrain from functions that
may lead to market deviations.