Author: Topchian Jane

EX-PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA STATED: "I HAVE NO AMBITIONS"

Mediamax
December 6, 2007

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Ex-President of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosian accused
the present authorities of the republic of "imitation of foreign and
internal policy, which hides one aim – personal enrichment".

Mediamax reports that Levon Ter-Petrosian, nominated as a candidate for
the position of the President for the upcoming elections of February
19 of 2008, said this in an interview, published today in the Moscow
"Kommersant" newspaper.

"I will say right away that I have no ambitions. I will get nothing
from the new presidency. On the contrary, I will lose freedom. But the
state, established by two men well known to you, pestered me. This
is a regime corrupted from top to bottom. This is a kleptocracy, in
which everything is obeyed to the laws of the criminal world. Complete
plunder of the country.

This is an imitation of foreign and internal policy, which hides one
aim – personal enrichment. They have created a pattern, which does
not even have a faint resemblance of a balance of authorities. There
is a neatly built pyramid", Levon Ter-Petrosian stated.

Ex-President noted that after the terrorist act in the Armenian
parliament, realized on October 27 of 1999, "the authorities started
concentrating all the levers in their hands".

"Some 5-10 years more and this will turn into a catastrophe in
all the spheres: economic, social, the Karabakh settlement, in the
issue of preservation of Armenia’s blockade. And even in the issue
of demography, since the emigration will only become stronger. This
predetermined by step.

I am ready to become a tool, which will allow getting rid of these
authorities. Then I will leave and give the people a chance to choose
a new President", Ter-Petrosian stated.

KOCHARYAN CONGRATULATED PUTIN

A1+
[02:37 pm] 04 December, 2007

Robert Kocharyan has sent a congratulatory foreword to Vladimir
Putin for the victory of the elections to the Russian State Duma. "I
congratulate with the victory of the "United Russia" party in the
State Duma’s elections. This victory is the result of the trust of
the Russian citizens toward the state construction direction that
you head", wrote Robert Kocharyan.

In the congratulatory foreword President Kocharyan expressed
certainty that the newly elected State Duma will continue contributing
reinforcement of Armenian-Russian relations.

REFEREE NAME UNKNOWN

Panorama.am
21:49 04/12/2007

The name of the referee of the women national football team is not
known. Tigran Israelyan, the press secretary of the football federation
said that it is vague when the position will be covered.

Note that Mher Mikaelyan, the former referee of the team trained the
teams of 17 and 19 years old and governed "College" club. We tried to
find out the real reason of his resignation, but the press secretary
said that there are not any specific reasons.

According to the talks spread Harutunyan’s resignation is connected
with several unsuccessful games of his team.

Note that the leader of the women football team sent in his resignation
in November 29.

ARMENIAN NPP TO BE COMPLETELY DECOMMISSIONED IN 2043

2007-12-04 15:42:00

ArmInfo. The Armenian NPP will be completely decommissioned in 2043,
that will take 238,75 mln Euro or $310,37 mln, the released strategy
of ANNP decommissioning, recently approved by RA government, says.

The document notes that the plant’s decommissioning will be carried
out state-by-stage, that will facilitate the financial load. It
is scheduled to shutdown the operating second power unit of ANPP
in 2016. Construction of the nuclear waste repository, that will
take 52,5 mln Euro, is the biggest project within the frames of
the adopted strategy. It is scheduled to build the repository at the
operating NPP site. Another large expenditure items include the plants’
decommissioning, that will take 36,6 mln Euro, as well as expenses
for processing, storage and burial of wastes.- 38,7 mln Euro.

The expenditure item does not include the costs for destruction
of NPP’s buildings and structures, drawing-up of the plant’s
decommissioning detailed plan and other engineering- technical
documentation, that will take 35 mln Euro. The whole work has been
divided into several stages.

The first preparatory stage of the ANPP decommissioning licensing
during 2008-2011 costs 5,7 mln Euro. The post-operational period covers
a period of 2016-2023 and costs 70 mln Euro. The non-radioactive
equipment disassembly stage will cover a period of 2023-2030 and
will cost 29 mln Euro. The last stage, disassembly of the equipment
not subject to decontamination, has been scheduled for 2037-2043,
that will cost 40 mln Euro.

As RA Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan told journalists, shutdown
of the presently operating NPP is considered in parallel with the
new NPP draft construction till 2016. To note, the Armenian NPP was
transferred to the financial control of "Iter RAO UES" CJSC, being
a subsidiary of RAO "UES of Russia", in September, 2003. Two power
units of Russian sample WWER-440 with total capacity of 815 MW have
been installed at ANPP. The first unit was commissioned in 1976,
the second one – in 1980. In the beginning, 1989, the plant was
removed from service for political reasons, and in the beginning,
1995, the NPP’s second unit with capacity of 404 MW was restarted.

ARMENIAN WRESTLERS WON FOUR MEDALS IN FRANCE

Panorama.am
21:48 27/11/2007

Armenian wrestlers won three bronze and one silver medal in Anri
Delaner international wrestling competition in Nice, France. The
information is provided by Lyova Vardanyan, the chief secretary of
the Armenian wrestling federation.

According to him, Tigran Sahakyan won a silver medal in 84kg.stage,
and Karen Mnacakanyan – 60kg, Artur Shahinyan – 84kg, Arman Geghamyan –
96kg won bronze medals. Note that the competition named after Delaner
started in November 24 and finished today.

Seven sportsmen and the referee Levon Djulfalakyan presented our
country in France. 144 sportsmen from 19 countries participated in
the competition.

AT SUGGESTION OF MAYOR OF YEREVAN, ARMENIAN KHACHKAR TO BE SET UP IN ARMENIAN PARK OF NICE IN NEAR FUTURE

Noyan Tapan
Nov 28, 2007

NICE, NOVEMBER 28, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. An agreement was
signed between Yervand Zakharian, the Mayor of Yerevan, who was in
Nice on an official visit between November 22 and 25, and Jaques Peira,
the Mayor of Nice, which envisages a close cooperation in the spheres
of education, health, culture, economy, to name but a few. According to
the made preliminary agreement, the health institutions of our capital
will receive technical assistance from the union of hospitals of Nice,
exchange and retraining programs of doctors will also be implemented.

During the meeting held in the municipality of Nice the Mayor of
Yerevan expressed tankfulness to his French colleague for a warm
reception, mentioning that the Armenian-French friendship has deep
historical roots. In the words of Yervand Zakharian, Anatole France
has called the friendship of our peoples a family one.

During the discussions the two mayors attached importance to the
necessity for developing the relations between Yerevan and Nice as
sister cities.

Issues concerning city transport were also discussed.

According to the information provided by the Information and Public
Relations Department of the municipality of Yerevan, the delegation
led by the Mayor of Yerevan, also visited the Saint Mariam Armenian
church in Nice, where they met with the representatives of the
Armenian community. Yervand Zakharian answered the questions of
the representatives of the Armenian community, introduced the
social-economic situation of Yerevan and the development tempos,
as well as the large-sclae construction work being implemented in
the capital.

The delegation also visited the "Garden of Armenia" park, which is
situated in the center of Nice, where, at the suggestion of Yervand
Zakharian, an Armenian khachkar (commemorative cross-stone) will
be set up in the near future. The Mayor took part in the opening
ceremony of the new exhibition of the Museum of Modern Art of Nice,
as well as in the operation of the New Year festival lighting of Nice.

The delegation returned to Yerevan on November 25.

PUTIN: INTERACTION WITHIN CIS INDISPUTABLE PRIORITY FOR MOSCOW

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.11.2007 17:56 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
is not a chessboard for Russia. Moscow is interested in peaceful
environment in the Commonwealth, Russian President Vladimir Putin
said when addressing a diplomatic reception in Kremlin.

Interaction within CIS is an indisputable priority for Moscow, he said.

"This space is not a chess board for geopolitical games. Peace
and glory are vital for a normal democratic development of all
states. Adoption of CIS concept offers useful guidelines for all
member states," he said, RIA Novosti reports

DECLARATION OF ARMAN BABAJANIAN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF DAILY "ZHAMANAK YEREVAN" FROM PLACE OF CONFINEMENT

Noyan Tapan
Nov 29, 2007

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. Arman Babajanian, the
editor-in-chief of the Daily "Zhamanak Yerevan", who has been
sentenced to imprisonment, spread a declaration on November 28,
which, in particular, runs as follows: "I am given an opportunity
for a regular pre-term conditional release in December and I expect
the international and local lawyer organizations of Armenia to show
interest with regard to the activities of the state officials led by
illegal instructions from the presidential residence of Armenia. The
pre-electoral processes launched before the forthcoming presidential
elections have coarsed the position of the presidential institute with
regard to my problem, for the implementation of which illegal steps
and means not used until now will be taken in the near future. I want
to believe that due to the united efforts of the local and foreign
lawyer organizations, as well as of mass media, it will become
possible to eradicate the political persecutions and encroachments
upon free speech in the country. I hope that due to the consistent
and persistent work of the current lawyers, my release will become a
reality by the oder envisaged by law and I will return to my creative
work due to your assistance."

AMBASSADOR ARAM GRIGORIAN RELIEVED OF POST OF ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR IN TURKMENISTAN AND TAJIKISTAN

Noyan Tapan
Nov 30, 2007

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. On November 30, RA President Robert
Kocharian signed decrees on relieving Aram Grigorian of the post of
the RA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Turkmenistan
and Tajikistan.

AZG Armenian Daily #222, 01/12/2007

Karabakh Conflict

CO-CHAIRS BRYZA AND FASSIER REMAIN "SMILING"

OSCE MG US Co-chair Matthew Bryza mentioned that November 29 meeting
was an opportunity for the two sides to pass the Co- chairs’ best
proposal of compromise on the Basic Principles. According to him, at
present the Co-chairs do their best proposing formulations of
compromise. Bryza hopes that the sides will agree with the proposal
before the elections.

In the declaration of OSCE Ministerial Council there will be a note
connected with the issue of the settlement of Karabakh conflict.

To the question of ":Azg" daily about the warlike announcements of
Azerbaijani Defense Minister the US Co-Chair answered that the three
Co-chair countries are sure that there is no military way for the two
countries in the resolution of the issue. M. Bryza thinks that
settlement of Karabakh conflict is a peaceful process, where there is
no place for war.

French Co-chair Bernard Fussier announced that there was no new
proposal for Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers, but the Basic
Principles were presented fully". According to him, most of the
principles are settled by the two sides. Part of the principles
remains as difficult issues".

At the end of the year or in January the Co-chairs will be again in
the region "to ask the presidents about their answers, what is
adoptable and what new ideas are developed on the basis of them".

Bernard Fussier again reminded about the comparison with a building of
a house. "We definitely advise the sides to finish the construction of
the foundation of the building and on the basis of it to start the
peaceful settlement".

By Agavni Haroutiunian, Madrid, translated by L.H.