Author: Topchian Jane

PALLONE COMMEMORATES 18TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SUMGAIT MASSACRES

Asbarez
-18th-anniversary-of-the-sumgait-massacres/
Feb 26th, 2010

WASHINGTON-Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., Co-Chairman of the Congressional
Caucus on Armenian Issues, issued the following statement Friday to
commemorate the 22nd Anniversary of the Sumgait Massacres.

"Mr. Speaker, this Sunday will mark the tragic anniversary of the
massacres that took place against Azerbaijani citizens of Armenian
heritage in February of 1988, in the town of Sumgait, Azerbaijan. This
3-day rampage, carried out by Azerbaijani nationals left dozens of
Armenians dead, a majority of whom were set on fire alive after being
beaten and tortured. Hundreds of innocent people received injuries of
different severity and became physically impaired. Women, among them
minors, were abused. More than 200 apartments were robbed, dozens of
cars were destroyed and burned, dozens of art and crafts studios, shops
and kiosks were demolished, and thousands of people became refugees.

"Mr. Speaker, these crimes were never adequately prosecuted by the
Government of Azerbaijan, and most of its organizers and executors
were simply set free, many of whom are presently members of the Azeri
Parliament. Despite the attempt by the Government of Azerbaijan to
cover up these crimes, enough brave witnesses came forward to give
an accurate account of the offenses.

"The Sumgait massacres are just another in a long line of Azerbaijan’s
aggressions against the Armenian people. The events in Sumgait were
preceded by a wave of anti-Armenian rallies that shook the city
in February 1988. Almost the entire territory of the city, with a
population of 250,000, became an arena for mass violence against its
Armenian population.

"The attacks also marked the beginning of a larger campaign of
ethnic cleansing targeting the Armenian people, culminating in the war
launched against the people of Nagorno Karabakh. The war claimed nearly
30,000 lives and left over one million refugees in both Armenia and
Azerbaijan. The continued hostilities in Azerbaijan and the military
aggression against the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh in 1992 through
1994 led to the disappearance of a 450,000-strong Armenian community in
Azerbaijan within a span of just a few years. As this April marks the
95th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, we also pause to remember
the crimes committed in Sumgait and the pogroms conducted against
the Armenian people in Azerbaijan.

"Mr. Speaker, this anniversary reminds us yet again of the historical
injustice the Armenian people have faced, unfortunately, throughout
their history. As we join with the Armenian people and all people of
goodwill in remembering these atrocities, I strongly urge Azerbaijan
and Turkey to cease their blockade and aggressive posture against the
Armenian people and work to achieve a lasting peace. It is time for
the United States to do all that it can and to use its geopolitical
influence to send a message that ethnically charged genocides,
illegal blockades of sovereign nations and the constant harassment
of the Armenian people will not be tolerated."

RIGI: US PROMISED MILITARY BASE AND UNLIMITED AID

press tv
Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:40:14 GMT

Jundallah terrorist leader Abdolmalek Rigi confesses to offers of
unlimited support by the US spy agency, the CIA.

In a televised confession on Iranian TV, Rigi said that in a Dubai
meeting with CIA agents, he was promised unlimited support that
included a military base anywhere near the Iranian border equipped
with weaponry and training facilities.

Rigi added that he was to meet a top US intelligence official in the
US military base of Manas in Kyrgyzstan to work the details of the
support US will provide for his group.

The terrorist leader emphasized that the US operatives insisted in
their meetings with him that Iran is their primary focus in the region,
even more important than al-Qaeda and the Taliban.

Rigi added that the CIA agents also explained to him that since a
US military attack on Iran would be very difficult, the intend to
support all anti-Iran groups that have the capability of waging war
inside Iran and destabilize the country.

STATE REVENUE COMMITTEE TO CONTROL FULFILLMENT OF OBLIGATIONS BY FAIR ORGANIZERS

Noyan Tapan
Feb 25, 2010

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 25, NOYAN TAPAN. By instructions of Armenian Prime
Minister Tigran Sargsyan, the State Revenue Committee (SRC) must
control the fulfillment of obligations assumed by the organizers
of fairs. At the February 25 sitting of the government, the prime
minister stated that the government should also take a demanding
approach to fair organizers.

In his words, the government policy is based on the principle
that fair organizers should bear the main burden. In particular,
they should spend their own money to introduce cash registers and
create a general network to provide information to SRC. Besides, fair
organizers shall create working conditions for businessmen, small and
medium entrepreneurs. Whereas, according to T. Sargsyan, the example
of Vagharsh & Sons company showed that the fair organizers try to shift
the financial burden onto small and medium entrepreneurs. As a result,
fair organizers establish various payments, which is inadmissible,
the prime minister underlined.

"Naturally, it causes discontent among workers of fairs. People are
ready to pay as much money as they paid previously. However, if fair
organizers levy additional sums from them, naturally, this affects
the results of their financial activities," T. Sargsyan said.

ARMENIA TO BE AMONG HONORABLE GUESTS OF THE ARGENTINE FILM FESTIVAL

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.02.2010 18:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia will be among honorable guests of
International Film Festival in Argentine to be held in Buenos Aires
between March 6 and 13. "Border", a documentary by Harutyun Khachatryan
and "onded Parallels", a feature film by Hovhannes Galstyan will
be presented at the festival. On March 7 the Day of Armenia will be
held in the frame of the international film festival and reception
will be organized by the Armenian Ambassador in Argentina Vladimir
Karmirshalyan, press service of RA Foreign Ministry reported.

WB SUPPORTS SOCIAL SERVICE DELIVERY IN ARMENIA

States News Service
February 25, 2010 Thursday

The following information was released by the World Bank:

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved a US$5
million loan for the Additional Financing for the Armenia Social
Protection Administration Project (SPAP). The Additional Financing
will expand activities under the ongoing SPAP to further improve the
delivery of social protection and employment services by strengthening
institutions and better targeting social safety net programs.

The Project will target job seekers, including youth choosing
a career path and the rural unemployed, as well as poor and
vulnerable households, current and future pensioners, and people
with disabilities.

The Additional Financing supports several activities that are essential
for further improvement and maintenance of the efficiency of the
social service delivery system, including:

– rehabilitation of the regional social service offices;

– development and widespread use of management information system
and network of information flows;

– introduction of reporting and record-keeping in support of Armenia’s
pension reform program;

– overcoming the institutional and reform bottlenecks for rural
employment;

– improving the targeting, coverage and administration of the social
safety net programs; and

– integration of social services for efficient and coordinated
delivery.

"The implementation of the social reform program requires strong
administrative capacities both at central and local levels," said
Asad Alam, World Bank Regional Director for the South Caucasus. "With
severely constrained fiscal resources, aggravated by the current global
economic crisis, the Government has to continue pursuing a strategy
aimed at increasing the efficiency of use of program resources and,
in that way, expand the scope for increasing benefit levels and ensure
that the most needy individuals and households are protected."

"While the urgent challenge for the Armenian authorities is to mitigate
the economic and social impacts of the current economic crisis, the
measures supported by the Project will lay the foundations for an
effective post-crisis social protection system that provides vital and
sustainable protection to the poor and the most vulnerable groups,"
added Lire Ersado, head of the World Bank team designing the project.

The IBRD Flexible loan has a maturity of 25 years and a grace period
of 10 years included.

Since joining the World Bank in 1992 and IDA in 1993, the commitments
to Armenia total approximately US$ 1.3 billion.

For more information on the World Bank’s activities in Armenia,
please visit:

RA FOR TURKEY’S PARTICIPATION IN REGIONAL PEACE PROCESSES: TURKISH MP

news.am
Feb 25 2010
Armenia

"Armenia-Turkey Protocols do not mention Karabakh issue, as if they
do Armenia would oppose them and the documents would not be signed,"
Head of the Turkish delegation to OSCE PA Alaattin Buyukkaya told in
an interview with Day.az.

According to him, the Protocols are in the interests Turkey, Armenia
and Azerbaijan, as signing the documents "Armenian side accepts
Turkey’s territorial integrity, historians’ commission is assigned
for discussion of Genocide issue and the goal to achieve peace in
the region is set."

"As is known, RA Constitutional Court discredits Turkey’s integrity.

Armenian side to date opposed discussion of the issue by historians and
claimed it was politically motivated. However, signing the Protocols
they agreed that the issue will be discussed by historians.

Meanwhile, Armenia agreed to Turkey’s participation in the regional
peace processes. This means that Turkey’s participation in the
liberation of ‘occupied’ Azerbaijani territories is predetermined,"
said Buyukkaya.

Armenian side has repeatedly stated that opposes discussion of Genocide
issue by historians’ sub-commission, whereas Turkey asserts that it
will be set up to discuss the matter.

NA VOTES DOWN ZHARANGUTIUN OPPOSITION FACTION’S LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE

Noyan Tapan
Feb 24, 2010

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. On February 24, the RA National
Assembly voted down the bill On Making an Amendment to the Law On
Television and Radio authored by Zharangutiun (Heritage) faction
members Anahit Bakhshian and Armen Martirosian discussed in the first
reading the day before. 24 deputies voted for the bill, 70 against,
3 abstained from voting.

The bill, in particular, proposed considering invalid part 14, Article
59 of the law, according to which no television and radio broadcasting
licensing tenders will be announced until July 20 2010. This provision
was included in the law on government’s initiative as a result of
the legislative amendment made on September 10 2008.

According to A. Bakhshian, mentioned provision’s implication
is political and has a goal to continue deprivation of the A1+ TV
channel of the air. According to the deputy, by the bill’s adoption the
authorities will contribute to establishment of freedom of expression,
plurality, as well as formation of an atmosphere of society-authorities
mutual confidence.

The bill had received the negative conclusion of the profile NA
Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs.

According to RA Minister of Economy Nerses Yeritsian, the bill, in
particular, is a regressive step from the strategy adopted by the
RA government of variety of services with use of modern technologies
and modernization of the communication and telecommunication sphere
ensuring a high quality.

PETER SEMNEBY MET ILHAM ALIYEV

news.am
Feb 24 2010
Armenia

February 24, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received the delegation
headed by EU Special Representative for South Caucasus and Central
Asia Peter Semneby.

In the course of the meeting the officials discussed Azerbaijan-EU
relations, Karabakh peace process, as well as cooperation in energy
sphere and regional issues.

As NEWS.am reported earlier, Feb, 23, speaking of the progress in the
Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, Semneby said that it can be hoped for
"but time is running out."

The situation in the region is changing and status quo cannot last
forever, Semneby said. He expressed hope that the momentum achieved
last year will produce concrete results.

The diplomat will hold meetings with Azerbaijani high-ranking
officials, NGO representatives and political parties.

NATO EXPERT GROUP GIVES POSITIVE OPINION OF ARMENIA-NATO PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

news.am
Feb 22 2010
Armenia

A NATO expert group, which was on a visit to Yerevan on February 15-19,
made gave its opinion on the Armenia-NATO individual partnership
program.

The press service of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs told NEWS.am
that the NATO experts gave their opinion on the following aspects:
political issues, relations with neighbors, judicial reforms,
democratic control over the armed forces, formation of democratic
institutions, human rights protection, struggle against international
terrorism, crisis management reforms, public diplomacy, and science
for peace.

On February 19, the NATO delegation and the Interagency Commission
for Armenia-NATO program of action held a joint meeting. NATO experts
made a positive appraisal of the program implementation in Armenia.

FIRE IN PRINTING HOUSE

ire
11:55 am | February 22, 2010

Social

200- square-meter paper rolls burnt to ashes as a result of a February
21 fire in printing house of Musaler village, Armavir marz.

Drug poisoning

Vanadzor citizen A. Simonyan, 1990, was taken to hospital on February
20 with medical poisoning.

Doctors assess her condition as grave.