Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS ISSUE JOINT STATEMENT

Azeri Press Agency
July 22 2008
Azerbaijan

OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Matthew Bryza (USA), Bernard Fassier
(France) and Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia) have issued the joint statement
on Tuesday.

Co-Chairs have welcomed the constructive achievements reached
at the meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents on July 6
in St. Petersburg, Russia, APA reports. They have also expressed
satisfaction with their trip to the region on June 27-28. "At this
important juncture, the Co-Chairs call on all parties to refrain from
maximalist initiatives on the ground, at the negotiating table, and
in their public statements, and to avoid all belligerent rhetoric,
as we work together in pursuit of a peaceful settlement". Co-chairs
noted that there was no military solution to the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. "Both Presidents called for invigorated Minsk Group talks
during their meeting in St. Petersburg. The Co-Chairs look forward
to meeting again with the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers
in the coming weeks to press forward with negotiations on the Basic
Principles for the peaceful settlement of the conflict".

ON THE EVE OF RUBEZH-2008

A1+
21 July, 2008

On July 21 Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian received
the Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization
(CSTO) Nikolay Bordyuzha.

Edward Nalbandian and Nikolay Bordyuzha discussed issues related to
Armenia’s upcoming presidency of the CSTO and the arrangements to be
implemented in that period.

Minister Nalbandian confirmed that Armenia attaches great importance
to its presidency and assured his interlocutor that our country will
continue working in the directionto further reinforce collaboration
between the CSTO member states.

The interlocutors exchanged views on agenda issues and ways of
their solution. In this context the parties discussed the process
of preparation of the forthcoming sitting of the CSTO Collective
Security Council.

The parties also referred to questions connected with the "Rubezh 2008"
military exercises to be held in Armenia.

ILLEGAL COLLECTION OF SIGNATURES

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on July 19, 2008
Armenia

Yesterday, at 16:00 p.m. a group of activists darted across the
Northern Avenue and moved forward shouting. The posters stretched above
their heads read, `Release the Detainees!’

Seeing the march of this group of people looking like vagabonds, the
people standing at the bus-stop thought that the function was devoted
to the `political prisoners’. But before reaching the forepart of
Baghramyan Avenue, they continued yelling, `Levon, President!’ However,
after moving forward a little more, they got a sunstroke and fainted,
lapsing into silence.

At the same moment, the function of collecting illegal signatures was
continuing in the Northern Avenue. These activities are continuously
repeated, making an impression that the passers-by are queuing up to
sign some papers.

Whereas the blanks are filled in by the activists participating in the
sit-in protest, and each of them has 100 times participated in the
process of collecting illegal signatures by putting different names and
false signatures.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Turkish Daily News: Armenian and Turkish officials held two round of
talks during past three months
19.07.2008 17:05 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Two rounds of talks between Armenian and Turkish
officials during past three months mark an important stage for future
relations, Turkish Daily News reports.

Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry Ertugrul Apakan and his deputy
Unal Cevikoz headed the Turkish delegation during the first round,
which took place in May, and the second round in July. Both rounds
were carried out in Bern, Switzerland, which is considered an
impartial country that has hosted similar secretive talks on issues
like Cyprus and Iran.

Babacan, down played the significance of the talks, kept secret until
now while admitting yesterday that from time to time officials from
his ministry have contacts with their Armenian counterparts. "These
contacts are important for normalization of relations. There are
problems and also disagreement over events of 1915, but we favor a
constructive approach and dialogue to overcome these," he said.

A spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, Burak Ozugergin, issued a
similar written response, noting that Turkey recognized Armenia in
1991 and since then there have been contacts between Ankara and
Yerevan. "There is no need to attribute different meanings to these
contacts," Ozugergin added.

EX-DEFENDANTS FOR ATTEMPT TO USURP POWER DEMAND RESIGNATION OF ARMENIAN PRESIDENT

ArmInfo
2008-07-18 10:51:00

The former defendants for attempt to usurp power and violate
constitutional order demand resignation of Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan.

In the statement received by ArmInfo, the ex-defendants say:
‘For personal power and preservation of robbed property a group of
irresponsible and improvident people are endangering the future of
Armenia and Artsakh. By infringing the people’s right to vote you
cannot consider yourself in power of Armenia. The fact you maintain
your power through blood and violence against peaceful demonstrators
does not mean that you have broken the spirit of people’s fight
against you’. The statement was signed by Karapet Rubinyan, Suren
Surenyants, Samvel Gevorgyan, Norayr Norikyan, Khachik Simonyan, Masis
Ayvazyan, Hovhanness Ghazaryan, Gurgen Mikaelyan, Gor Sargsyan, Grigor
Manukyan, Misak Hovakimyn, Avetik Nersisyan, Khachik Gasparyan, Levik
Khachatryan, Nver Sargsyan, Samvel Haroutiunayn, Zhirayr Sefilyan,
Tigran Baghdasaryan and Hamlet Abrahamyan.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT MEETS WITH A GROUP OF ARCHEOLOGISTS

JULY 18
ARMENPRESS

Armenian President Serzh Sargsian met today with a group of
archeologists.

Presidential press service told Armenpress that during the meeting
the interlocutors discussed a number of issues on the development of
archeology in Armenia, the implementation of educational programs
in the sphere. The sides also pointed out the necessity of special
attention of the state towards archeology.

The participants of the meeting also referred to other issues of
mutual interest.

DOCUMENTARY FILM: TRUE ART

Panorama.am
17:35 18/07/2008

"Documentary films are true art but the style of watching this kind
of films is not developed in Armenia and our audience does not watch
it," said film director Bagrat Simonyan.

The authors of documentary films produced in the "Golden Apricot"
fifth international film festival met with the journalists. The film
of two Armenian authors Spartak Gharabaghtsyan and Ashot Movsisyan
tell about the Turkish vandals who annihilate Armenian khachkars in
Nor Djugha. Accorind to the author the film is a message of alarm
to people.

The jury chairwoman of "Armenian Panorama" competitive part is Anahit
Nazaryan from the USA. Note that the festival will last till July 20.

ARMENIAN OMBUDSMAN UNHAPPY WITH ARRESTS OVER MARCH EVENTS

ArmInfo
July 11 2008
Armenia

The Armenian human rights commissioner has said that the arrest of
people pending trial over the post-election disturbances last March
runs counter to the provisions of the European Convention on Human
Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Arminfo news agency reported on
11 July.

Speaking at a news conference in Yerevan, Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan
criticized Armenian courts for the failure to take into consideration
the arguments of the defence and to consider restrictive measures
other than arrest, as recommended by the European Convention on Human
Rights and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, Arminfo
added. Harutyunyan said he mentioned these shortcomings in his 2006 and
2007 annual reports. However, they were ignored, which has led to the
establishment of bad practice, Arminfo quoted Harutyunyan as saying.

The ombudsman said he would not participate in the work of the
temporary parliamentary commission for the investigation of the
March events, if he "feels that the format of his participation in
the commission’s work becomes senseless", Arminfo said in a separate
report. "Everyone would have benefited if Armenia’s whole political
spectrum was represented in the commission," Harutyunyan said.

TURKISH MINISTER DISCUSSES STATUS OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS

Anatolia news agency
July 16 2008
Turkey

Turkey’s foreign minister expressed thought on Wednesday [16 July]
that there were serious problems in Turkey regarding freedoms.

Foreign Minister Ali Babacan once more reaffirmed his support for
the remarks he made at the European Parliament last May and said that
there were serious problems in Turkey regarding freedoms.

"Some of them have been solved, but there are still many problems to
be solved in coming days," Babacan told the private NTV channel.

Replying a question on the status of religious freedoms in Turkey
at the external relations committee of the European Parliament in
May, Babacan said that not only non-Muslim minorities in Turkey
had problems regarding religious freedoms but the Muslim majority
experienced similar problems as well.

On Kirkuk referendum, Babacan said that for what the referendum would
be held and who would vote were not so certain.

"We (Turkey) think that an approach like ‘let’s hold the referendum
and let’s take this step if the votes in favour are around 51 per
cent’ will cause a disaster in Kirkuk and entire Iraq because Kirkuk’s
demographic structure has been manipulated and been changed in time,"
Babacan told the private news channel.

Babacan said Turkey saw Kirkuk as a small model of Iraq in which
different groups were represented.

"Any disagreement in Kirkuk may be spread to entire Iraq," he said.

Babacan said any step in Kirkuk should be taken with a compromise of
all groups in the city.

The foreign minister said that Turkey had launched a more-active
Iraq traffic.

On relations with Armenia, Babacan said that Turkey’s priority in
its foreign policy was to have zero problem with its neighbours.

"We have taken many unilateral steps to normalize our relations with
our neighbour Armenia so far," Babacan also said.

Babacan said that there were direct flights between a few cities in
Turkey and Armenia’s capital Yerevan and there was indirect trade
between the two countries.

The foreign minister also said that Turkish President Abdullah
Gul wrote a letter to Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan after he
was elected, and similarly Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan and he sent
letters to their colleagues in which they said that Turkey was ready
for a dialogue and was willing to normalize relations.

Babacan said that Senate’s or House of Representatives’ adopting
a resolution that recognized the Armenian allegations regarding
incidents of 1915 would seriously harm Turkish-US relations.

"We (Turkey) think that politicians should look ahead, and historian
and experts should deal with history," the foreign minister said.

Babacan said that Turkey was economically vital for Armenia and told
the private channel that it was the Armenian government who would
either undertake responsibilities to open a new page or maintain the
status quo.

PSRC APPROVES PROCEDURE AND TERMS OF LICENSE AND FREQUENCY PROVISION TO THIRD MOBILE OPERATOR IN ARMENIA

ArmInfo
2008-07-16 12:20:00

Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) of Armenia approved the
procedure and terms of license and frequency provision to a third
mobile operator in Armenia Wednesday.

Head of PSRC Department for Telecommunication Gevorg Gevorgyan
said the parties interested must apply for participation in a tender
within 10 days after it is announced. The companies that will pass the
pre-qualification stage will be named within 40 days. The winner will
be declared within 90 days. The tender is to be announced on July 18
after relevant announcement in The Financial Times. In conformity with
the package of documents approved by the PSRC applicants are to pay
10,000 euros for registration. The opening offer for 15-year license is
10 million euros. The third operator must have relevant experience and
ability to invest at least 200 million in development within 2 years.

The following codes will be provided to the third operator +374 (0)
55 and +374 (0) 95. If the operator fails to use the provided codes
by at least 60% by the end of the year, the PSRC has a right to take
back the unused numbers. The third operator will be provided with GSM
frequency and an opportunity to provide 3G services including voice
and data transmission.

The frequencies will be provided within the following limits: 880-890,
925-935, 1745-1765, 1840-1860, 1910-1915, 1950-1965, 2140-2155 MHz.

For his part, PSRC Chairman Robert Nazaryan told media the entry of
a third operator in the Armenian market will stiffen the competition,
which will reduce tariffs and upgrade the quality. The third operator
will be given a right to provide Internet services as well. With
development of telecommunication technologies in future the third
operators may provide also fixed-line telephony services using its
radio frequencies. R. Nazaryan said that the Armenian market is
attractive for a big operator since both the existing operators have
1.7 million subscribers whereas the population totals 3.2 million
people. He underlined that the third operator may buy over the
subscribers if it provides high-quality and accessible services.