Author: Tambiyan Samvel

PARLIAMENT ELECTS ALL 9 INTERIM COMMITTEE HEADS

Panorama.am
19:01 07/06/2007

The Armenian parliament elected 9 interim committee chairmen in a
secret ballot shortly. The number of committee went up by 3 in the
new parliament. Ara Babloyan, Armenian Republican Party (HHK) member,
was elected as the chairman of health, social security and nature
protection committee. Babloyan was formerly the head of Arabkir
Medical Center.

Davit Harutunyan, ex-justice minister and HHK member, will chair
the interim committee of state legal issues. Hranush Hakobyan,
with no party affiliation but elected on proportional list of HHK,
was re-elected as the chair of the committee of education, science,
youth and sports affairs. Gagik Minasyan, HHK, was re-elected as the
chair of financial and budgeting interim committee. Vardan Aivazyan,
ex-minister of nature protection, was re-elected as the chairman of
newly established interim committee of economic affairs.

All other committees were divided between the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (Dashnaksutiun) and Prosperous Armenia (BHK).

Dashnaksutiun will be in charge of the interim committees on foreign
affairs (Armen Rustamyan, chair) and interim committee on defense,
internal affairs and national security issues (Arthur Aghabekyan,
ex-deputy defense minister, chair).

Two newly established interim committees were trusted to BHK, interim
committee on human rights and public affairs (Arevik Petrosyan,
chair) and interim committee on European integration (Avet Adonts,
chair). Both were nominated without an alternative opponent.

"THERE ARE STILL TERRITORIES TO BE LIBERATED"

A1+
[03:19 pm] 06 June, 2007

"Minsk group U.S. Co-Chair Mettew Bryza’s announcement on returning the
seven liberated territories to Azerbaijan has strained the situation,"
reads the announcement of the Order of Hay Aryans.

The order considers Bryza’s step a rough breach of diplomatic norms
and an instigation of a war. The Order urges President Kocharian
to refuse meeting with Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan,
unless provocative announcements stop. "We have still territories
to liberate. The Minsk group C-Chairs are unbiased mediators if they
support Mettew Bryza’s announcement."

The Order of Hay Aryans calls on the RoA officialdom to quit the
negotiations and to recognize the NKR independence.

"Azerbaijan must conduct talks with the NKR authorities and RoA
authorities must act according to necessity and expediency," the
Order says.

The Order of Hay Aryans, recognises the liberated territories a part of
Armenia. We shall do our utmost to protect united Armenia’s frontiers
and security.

SERGE SARGSYAN: ARMENIA DOES NOT INTEND TO JOIN NATO

ArmRadio.am
07.06.2007 17:18

"We are in a security system which completely suffices us," RA Prime
Minister Serge Sargsyan declared in an interview with "Moskovskiy
Komsomolets."

"We do not plan to change anything. I don’t think we must joint NATO,"
Head of the Armenian Government said.

As to the NATO Information Center, "the opening of which is being
ascribed to him", Serge Sargsyan stated, "It looks like that my local
ill-wishers have thought out those rumors about the NATO center and
then it reached to you in Russia. The matter is that the NATO office
works in Moscow long ago and on the same conditions, which we have
here. Or may be you think that Russia must cooperate with NATO and
Armenia must butt with the alliance? To tell the truth, I am glad
that some people in Russia consider me as a pro-western politician,
because a lot of people in the West consider me as a pro-Russian
leader. And this is the very confirmation of the fact that actually
I am a pro-Armenian politician".

The Armenian Prime Minister said "part of our Officers study in Russia,
the rest study in the West, and we have never concealed it." In Serge
Sargsyan’s words, "it is beneficial for us to cooperate with Russia,
since being a CSTO member state we can purchase military goods at he
same price as the Russian army.

"We are implementing an Individual Partnership Action Plan with
NATO. It is a good level of cooperation. We intend to deepen these
relations. It is useful," the Prime Minister said.

MEMBERS OF BH NA FACTION TO HEAD EUROPEAN INTEGRATION AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEES

Noyan Tapan
Jun 07 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 7, NOYAN TAPAN. Bargavach Hayastan faction of NA
of fourth convocation, the second largest one in NA, has convened
its first sitting today. BH Chairman Gagik Tsarukian was elected
faction Chairman and member of party Political Board Aram Safarian
as Secretary. As the latter informed NT correspondent, the faction
members will head two standing committees, European Integration and
Human Rights Committees, to be formed in NA.

SERGE SARGSYAN DID NOT USE RIGHT WORDING

Lragir.am
06-06-2007 13:52:37

On June 5 NKR President Arkady Ghukasyan commented on Prime Minister
Serge Sargsyan’s statement he had made when he was minister of
defense. Of course, it was not his initiative but when the reporters
reminded him his rather tough statement a few months ago that the
territories will not be returned. The reporters asked if there is
disagreement between the NKR president and the Armenian prime minister
regarding the problem.

"I don’t think Serge Sargsyan is inclined to return the territories.

Perhaps it was not a diplomatic pronouncement, I repeat the talks
are on the status first of all. If we reach agreement on the status
of Karabakh and get what we want, we cannot avoid discussing the
territories. We must negotiate.

It already depends on the talks where we will reach. It was about
this. That it is impossible, unfortunately, to get what you dream of
in the talks," Arkady Ghukasyan says.

"NATURE AND THEOLOGY" BOOK PUBLISHED

Noyan Tapan
Jun 05 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 5, NOYAN TAPAN. On the initiative of Mother See of
Holy Etchmiadzin, Sevan’s Vazgenian theological school and Yerevan
State University, a book "Nature and Theology" was published where
environmental protection principals are presented as well as the
viewpoint of the Christian Church on the fact that the ecological
crisis arose as a result of human activities.

The school supervisor Archamadrite Mkrtich Proshian mentioned at
the June 4 presentation of the book in Ashot Yerkat hall of Armenia
Marriott hotel that there are ecological problems set not only for the
Armenain nature and people but also for the mankind of the Planet. "Man
does not take enough care of the nature created by God in the case
when first of all man is responsible for environmental conservation,"
said Mkrtich Proshian.

In the words of bishop Pargev Martirosian, head of Armenian Apostolic
Church Artsakh diocese, mankind should have respect for all those
things God created and preserve nature. "Man can’t live only in his
own interest and in prejudice of others," mentioned His Holiness.

The co-author of the book, assistant supervisor of the Vazgen
theological school, clergyman Minas Martirosian informed that it
is already six years the course Green Theology has been taught
in the school. It includes ecology, environmental protection and
ecotheology. In his words, mankind is under the threat of two kinds
of interrelated crises: spiritual and ecological, and in order to
overcome them first of all one needs to clean oneself spiritually as
"the man who undergoes spiritual degration causes nature degration".

Archimandrite Vazgen Nanian, Supervisor of Gevorgian theological
Seminary, Archimandrite Mkrtich Proshian, Supervisor of Vazgenian
theological school, Aram Simonian, Rector of YSU, Konrad Reiser,
ex-Secretary General of World Church Council (WCC), WCC Armenian Round
Table Fund and YSU officials, representatives of other organizations
and environmental organizations were present at the ceremony.

AGBU Press Office
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New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
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PRESS RELEASE

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Cordoba Hosts Third Annual Inter-provincial Festival

AGBU Cordoba held its 3rd annual Armenian Inter-provincial Festival,
organized by the "Liga de Jovenes" (Youth League), at the AGBU center on
March 3, 2007. This event gathered together the far-flung members of the
Argentinean Armenian community. Representatives from Buenos Aires,
Corrientes, Mar del Plata, Misiones, Neuquen, and Rosario attended the
event.

During the festival, the participating youth spent the full day engaged
in various sports, including basketball, volleyball and soccer. They
built a sense of camaraderie and worked to build social connections
between communities that are geographically distant from one another.

As part of the large gathering, an evening of music featured three local
bands, Dzirani, "el Erepuni", and the Sergio Giovoglanian Band, that
performed an array of Armenian music.

The Festival succeeded in its objective of promoting Armenian culture,
forming new ties and friendships, and strengthening relationships among
Argentinean Armenians.

To conclude the festival, community representatives met the following
day to share their experiences, ideas, and projects with one another and
later attended a farewell lunch held at the city’s AGBU center.

For more information on AGBU and its worldwide chapters, please visit

"ARMENTEL" OFFERS NEW TARIFFS
By Ara Martirosian

AZG Armenian Daily
05/06/2007

Economy, Communications

On June 1 "Armentel" tendered an offer of re-balanced tariffs
of fixed telephone connection to the Public Services Regulatory
Commission. The latter will discuss the tender in 90 days period and
make a decision. General director of "Armentel" Oleg Briznyuk said
that "Armentel" might make its offer related to the re-balancing of
fixed telephone connection tariffs according to the requirements of
the acting license.

The tariffs will be based on the cost price. "There are tariffs that
will reduce by 5-6 times, others will rise or stay unchangeable. The
changes in "Armentel" tariffs will not make a transposition in prices
and there won’t be "an outburst in the market", said Oleg Briznyuk. He
also expressed his opinion on the new tariffs, which would not
virtually affect on the profit of the company. He also assured that
the same tariffs in Russia were much more higher than in Armenia.

The new tariffs have been published in the press, also in "Azg"
daily. Particularly, the international call prices will come down,
i.e. per minute tariff of telephone call to Russia will cost 90 AMD
instead of 140-192 AMD, to USA 90 AMD instead of 344 AMD, to Europe
from 90 to 344 AMD instead of the acting 344 AMD per minute tariff.

The local call costs will stay unchangeable: 360 minutes free of cost
call, 5 AMD per minute tariff from the 361st minute, and 9 AMD per
minute tariff from the 1001st minute.

Instead of these the subscribers’ payment will rise to 2040 AMD
for the resident subscribers, and to 4800 AMD for the business
subscribers instead of 1100 AMD. The abovementioned tariffs include
also value-added tax (VAT).

Sporting Life
June 2 2007

Kazakhstan 1 Armenia 2

Armenia registered their first win in six attempts of their Euro 2008
qualifying campaign as they beat Kazakhstan 2-1 in Almaty.

In a game between two struggling teams in Group A, it was the
visitors who showed more purpose going forward and they took their
reward with all three points.

Both Armenia’s goals came within 10 first-half minutes with Robert
Arzumanyan opening the scoring just after the half-hour mark before
Sargis Hovsepyan doubled the advantage from the penalty spot.

Ruslan Baltiyev then got a late goal back for Kazakhstan, also from
the spot.

After a slow start, Armenia finally got a sight of goal in the 21st
minute but Ararat Arakelian sent his shot wide from 25 yards.

Minutes later, they were ahead as Hamlet Mkhitaryan crossed for
Arzumanyan to fire in a left-footed shot from the edge of the area.

They doubled their lead six minute before the break after Aleksandr
Kuchma brought down Samvel Melkonyan inside the area and Hovsepyan
stepped up to blast a powerful penalty into the bottom left-hand
corner of the net.

Chances were hard to come by in the second half.

Five minutes in, Yeghishe Melikyan tried his luck with a free-kick
but it was easily dealt with by David Loria in the Kazakhstan goal.

The hosts had been non-existent as an attacking force but finally
registered a shot on goal in the 70th minute when Murat Tleshev let
fly from 20 yards, only to hit is straight at Armenia goalkeeper
Gevorg Kasparov.

However, the hosts would get on the scoresheet two minutes from time
when Baltiyev hit a penalty straight down the middle for what would
prove to be nothing more than a consolation goal.

RUSSIA’S INVESTMENT IN ARMENIA GROWS

RosBusinessConsulting Database
May 31, 2007 Thursday 9:21 AM EST

Russia’s investment in Armenia staged 3.5 times to $32.670m in the
first quarter of 2007, which is 23.9 percent of the total investment
amount in the republic’s economy. Armenia’s National Statistics Service
announced these figures today. Direct investments went up 15.5 times
to $23.464m. Therefore, Russia is Armenia’s second largest investor
(after Lebanon).

Most of Russia’s investment was allocated to Armenia’s
telecommunications and metallurgical industries: 66.46 percent and
20.8 percent respectively.