Author: Tumanian Talar

GEORGIAN OPPOSITION DEMANDS AUTHORITIES’ RESIGNATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.03.2009 11:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Lawyers, journalists, teachers, doctors and others
gathered in downtown Tbilisi to denounce what they called Saakashvili’s
repressive rule, chanting "Saakashvili, go away!" and "No Violence."

Georgia’s opposition parties are preparing to launch a wave of street
protests to force Saakashvili out if he doesn’t step down voluntarily
by April 9. Saakashvili has rejected opposition demands and said he
would serve through the end of his term in 2013.

Defense Ministry reinforces the ties between the army and the society
10.03.2009 17:43

Sona Hakobyan
`Radiolur’

`The military-patriotic upbringing of the youth, especially the
students, is of special importance today. It is one of the most
important guarantees of ensuring the security and peaceful life of our
people,’ Rector of the State Engineering University of Yerevan Vostanik
Marukhyan said during Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan’s meeting with
students today.

Addressing the students, the Defense Minister spoke about the problems
the Army faces today, about the problems and reforms.

`Today the most important issue of the Ministry of Defense is the
implementation of reforms. This is evidenced by the analysis of the
security environment and the challenges threatening the country. `One
of these threats is the absence of military-patriotic upbringing,’
Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan declared.

The reforms will be targeted at raising the fighting efficiency of the
Armed Forces. Recently the Ministry of Defense has assumed the
reinforcement of ties between the army and the society, as well as the
army and different structures. It has been decided to expand the
cooperation with schools and higher educational establishments.

Nerses Nazaryan: Crime rate in Yerevan has grown
12.03.2009 15:53

Gita Elibekyan
`Radilour’

`Crime rate in Yerevan has grown in 2008: 600 cases more as compared to
2007,’ Chief of Yerevan Police Department, Major General Nerses
Nazaryan told a press conference today. He noted also that trends of
crime growth have been registered also at the beginning of the current
year.

As for media releases that the situation in Yerevan is not controlled
and shots can be heard periodically, Nerses Nazaryan said the situation
is under control and they do their best to ensure peace in Yerevan.

As for the information that his son is going to be appointed head of
Avan Community after the elections of May 31, Nerses Nazaryan
responded: `My son currently works as Adviser to the Head of Arabkir
Community. He is 23 and has no such aspirations. If he had the
intentions, his name would be the first or the second in the list. The
question is not discussed, but my son would work very well if he were
Head of Community.’

Another false interview on 1NEWS.az website this time with Armenian
Ombudsman

2009-03-12 12:50:00

ArmInfo. Azerbaijani website 1NEWS.az has replenished its line of
false interviews with another interview this time with Armenian
Ombudsman Armen Haroutiunyan. In this connection,
the press-service of the Armenian Ombudsman has disseminated the report
below.

‘On March 11 portal has published an ‘exclusive interview’
by 1news.az special correspondent to Armenia Mark Merkuryev with
Armenian Ombudsman Armen Haroutiunyan entitled "Armen Haroutiunyan:
Human rights protection in Armenia in Crisis". We are very grateful to
the author not-existing in Armenia for such high attention to human
rights problems in Armenia. Such problems are characteristic to any
country in the post-Soviet area including in the South Caucasus. In
this context, ombudsmen should be impartial in their assessments.
However, the comment on the exclusiveness of the non-existing interview
with Armenian ombudsman is not clear. It is a direct violation of both
journalistic ethics and competence as well as the acknowledged
international norms of copyright protection, which may lead to certain
responsibility. Actually, covering human rights issues the author
violates them at the same time. The good selection of texts from
various sources of information accompanied with invented questions is
not the best example of journalistic creativity. The address to the
visitors of the website says: "YOU WILL BE THE FIRST TO BE
INFORMED on our website! The quality is guaranteed." We urge you to
stop such practice of false interviews. We propose you a good format,
an interview with South Caucasus Ombudsman. The impartiality of every
one will reflect the level of pluralism in the given public’, the
source reports.

Armenia, EBRD interested in upholding cooperation

armradio.am
11.03.2009 13:25

The Prime Minister of Armenia, Tigran Sargsyan, received Michael Davey,
the Regional Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD), the newly appointed Director of the EBRD Armenia
Office Valery Razlog and former head of the Office Michel Veinst,
Government’s Information and Public Relations Department informed.

Discussed were issues related to the further development of our
country’s cooperation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development.

Emphasizing the high level and effectiveness of cooperation, the
parties attached importance to the continuation and development of
collaboration especially under the conditions of the current global
financial and economic crisis. Among the priorities of cooperation, PM
Tigran Sargsyan pointed to the expansion of assistance to small and
medium-sized businesses, the private sector and infrastructures, which
is important for overcoming the consequences and impacts of the global
crisis on Armenia.

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]
Internet

PRESS RELEASE

March 12, 2009
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

THIRD ANNUAL ANCA / GENOCIDE INTERVENTION NETWORK
CAPITOL HILL ADVOCACY DAYS SET FOR APRIL 22-24, 2009

— Drive to "End the Cycle of Genocide" Takes on Added Urgency
with Emerging Turkey-Sudan "Axis of Genocide"

WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
and Genocide Intervention Network (GI-Net) have teamed up, once
again, for the third annual Capitol Hill advocacy campaign to
encourage Congressional action to end the cycle of genocide.

The three-day program, titled, "End the Cycle of Genocide:
Grassroots Capitol Campaign," will take place from April 22nd-April
24th, coinciding this year with the actual date of worldwide
commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. The effort will kick off
with a special breakfast briefing on the morning of April 22nd and
will be followed by three days of Congressional visits to encourage
U.S. action to stop the genocide in Darfur, to support the adoption
of the soon-to-be-introduced Armenian Genocide Resolution, and,
more broadly, to strengthen U.S. resolve to act against all
instances of genocide.

"The Grassroots Capitol Campaign is an important opportunity for
anti-genocide activists to demand that their elected officials take
action to end the cycle of genocide," said Genocide Intervention
Network Executive Director Mark Hanis. "Now more than ever, with
the escalating tide of violence in affected regions around the
world, we need to ensure that ending mass atrocities is a priority
for Congress."

The multi-faceted program will coincide with the annual Armenian
Genocide Observance on Capitol Hill, organized by the Congressional
Armenian Caucus, in the historic Canon Caucus Room on April 22nd.
On April 24th, interested participants are invited to join in the
annual protest outside the Turkish Embassy urging the Turkish
Government to deal honestly with its past and end its campaign of
genocide denial.

The End the Cycle of Genocide: Grassroots Capitol Campaign is one
of the nationwide array of anti-genocide activities planned during
the April 2009, Genocide Prevention Month. This effort is
organized by the Genocide Prevention Project, which was "founded in
the Fall of 2008 to build the public will to call on the
international community to take meaningful actions when ‘early
warning’ indicators signal possible onset of mass-scale atrocity
crimes, and to mobilize resources to avert or halt such ongoing
crises and protect civilians from mass atrocity crimes." A full
list of the group’s anti-genocide activities may be viewed at

"This April, as the world commemorates the Armenian Genocide, the
Holocaust, the Cambodian and Rwandan genocides – in fact all
genocides – it is imperative to send a clear message to our elected
officials that genocide and its denial cannot be tolerated," said
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "Clear action in the face
of genocide – by the Administration and Congress – is essential if
we are to give real meaning to "never again."

For more information and to register to participate in Advocacy
Days, activists can visit:

Over the past two years, hundreds of activists from some 30 states
have participated in Advocacy Days, visiting all 100 Senate and 435
House of Representatives offices, meeting with Members of Congress,
their staff and sharing information regarding pending Armenian and
Darfur genocide legislation. Video from the 2008 "End the Cycle of
Genocide" Congressional reception may be viewed at:
9277000822

The need for continued and expanded advocacy to stop genocide has
been underscored in recent months by the expansion of the Turkey-
Sudan "axis of genocide". After the International Criminal Court
issued an arrest warrant for Sudan’s Omar al-Bashir, last week,
multiple media reports have indicated that Turkey is seriously
considering delaying or derailing the arrest of the Sudanese
dictator.

Over the past year, the Sudan-Turkey relationship has broadened, as
marked by:

— Sudan President al-Bashir’s first foreign visit after his
indictment by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on crimes of
genocide was to Turkey.

— Sudan and Turkey have signed a memorandum of understanding to
strengthen military relations and are discussing cooperation on
military technology transfers and training.

— Turkey’s Minister of Trade projects that Sudan will soon be
Turkey’s largest trading partner in Africa.

— Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan has vocally denied the genocide
in Darfur.

To learn more about Genocide Intervention Network visit:

For more information or to register for the Campaign visit:

A1+

ARF to announce candidate soon
[08:15 pm] 10 March, 2009

Member of the so-called NA ad-hoc commission for investigating the
events of March 1-2 Artsvik Minasyan is not satisfied with the trials
of the `Case of Seven’, particularly the decision of the court to
leave the political prisoners out of the trial.

`I am not pleased with the trial in general because it has to be free
of political subtext. All charges against the seven must be topics for
public discussion.’

What do you have to say about the fact that the judge for the `Case of
Seven’ was the first to apply the amendment made to the Criminal Code
according to which trials may proceed without the presence of the
prisoners? In response to that Minasyan said: `That will not play an
essential role in the revelation. This method is foreseen for special
cases.’

As Vice chairman of the standing committee of budget, credit and
financial issues of the National Assembly, Artsvik Minasyan sees the
economy mitigating amid all the confusion.

`The mitigation is not only the impact of the weakening of the global
crisis, but the mitigation of the confusion that rose as a result of
the drastic change of the exchange rate. But that doesn’t mean that
the impact of the global economic crisis has mitigated in Armenia.’

Mr. Minasyan believes that nobody can predict how far the global
economic crisis will go and when we will get out of this situation. As
for the current dollar-dram adjustment, Minasyan was not able to say
how much the authorities can let it go on.

As for the upcoming elections for mayor of Yerevan, the ARF will most
probably present its own candidate and will announce the name soon.

Is it possible to secure equal opportunities for all candidates
running for mayor of Yerevan after the Republican Party appointed
Gagik Beglaryan? In response to that Artsvik Minasyan said that it is
necessary to strive to make it equal for everyone.

ArmBusinessBank expecting reduction of Ukrprombank’s stake in its
authorized capital

2009-03-10 18:14:00

ArmInfo. ArmBusinessBank (ABB) is expecting a 13% reduction of
Ukrprombank’s stake in its authorized capital in the current year,
Chairman of ABB Board Ara Kirakosyan says in an interview with ArmInfo.

A. Kirakosyan said the bank plans capitalization for the current year.
The decision on the first capitalization was adopted on February 5 at
the extraordinary meeting of ABB shareholders. Thus, the authorized
capital of the bank will be increased by 3.050 billion drams by ABB
shareholder company Chrystie Management Inc. The company held a 30pct
stake in the bank as of Jan 1 2009. After the
capitalization, the stake of Chrystie Management Inc will grow to 56%
whereas the stake of Ukrprombank and the Ukrainian Insurance Company
Alpha-Garant will fell to 22%, A. Kirakosyan says. He hops Alpha-Garant
will participate in the next capitalization expected later this year.
As regards the plans for future, A. Kirakosyan does not rule out that a
20-25pct stake in the bank will be sold to
another strategic partner. ‘However, we have not studied this issue yet
and we have no intention to lose such strategic partner as
Ukrprombank’, he says.

By data of ArmBusiness Bank as of Jan 1 2009 the bank’s shareholders
were UKRPROMBANK" Ltd. with 35.0%, ALPHA-GARANT ALC with 35.0%, and
CHRYSTYE MANAGEMENT COMPANY with 30.0%. As of Jan 1 2009 the total
capital of the bank constituted 6.9 billion drams ($22.6 million), the
authorized capital totaled 5 billion drams ($16.3 million). ABB is in
the top ten of leaders in the Armenian banking system by 43.2 billion
drams assets ($140.7 million). The bank completed the year 2008 with
843.7 million drams net profit ($2.7 million), which led it to the 9th
position in the banking system.

President of Kurdish Council of Armenia: Turkey still committing
genocide

2009-03-10 17:39:00

ArmInfo. Turkey committed Genocide of Armenians at the state level in
1915. Now it is committing Genocide of Kurds, President of Kurdish
Council of Armenia Knyaz Hasanov said at a press conference in Yerevan
Tuesday. He said Kurds are severely repressed in Turkey and put against
each other. In particular, thousands of Kurds are forcefully sent to
Iraq to fight against their compatriots
residing in that country.

As regards the participation on Kurds in the massacre of Armenians in
the Ottoman Empire, K. Hasanov said those were separate Kurds and not
the whole nation.

For his part, Chairman of the Public Organization of Greeks of Armenia
‘Patrida’ Eduard Polatov said Greek have always been for recognition of
Armenian Genocide. ‘Armenians and Greek are two nations that have
always been subjected to pressures in the territory of Armenia. The
purposeful genocide was against Armenians and Greeks, the real masters
of today’s Turkey. Instead of repenting, Turkey denies the reality’, E.
Polatov said.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Ardshininvestbank effected first coupon payments
09.03.2009 20:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Ardshininvestbank effected first coupon payments of
AMD 250 000 per coupon, Ardshininvestbank press service informed.

Total Bond volume for current issue comprised AMD 1 billion and was
fully distributed. Income payments will be effected quarterly. The
second payment is planned for Jun. 5, 2009; the third payment and
redemption will be effected on Dec. 5, 2009. Annual yield for coupon
bones totals 10%.

Considering successful distribution of 1st coupon bonds issue,
Ardshininvestbank plans the second issue in 2009