Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

OVER 100 BABIES BORN IN ARMENIA AS RESULT OF INSEMINATION OUTSIDE
MOTHER’S BODY

YEREVAn, MARCH 26, NOYAN TAPAN. Yerevan’s Scientific Research Center
on Health Care of Mother and Child is the only one in Armenia where
insemination outside the mother’s body is done. Karen Jinanian, Head
of the Laboratory Diagnostic Unit of the center, told NT correspondent
about it. According to him, this field of medical science has been
established in Armenia and it is not inferior to those in other
countries: 100-200 inseminations outside the mother’s body is done in
the country annually, with efficency making up 25-40% as throughout
the world. K. Jinanian said that two programs on insemination outside
the mother’s body are currently being implemented at the center. The
first program, which has been implemented since 2002, aims to
eliminate problems related to fertility of women. By the way, the
first 3 babies were born under this program in February 2003. The
second program implemented since 2006 aims to overcome men’s problems
related to fertility. The first baby with the use of this method was
born in Armenia recently – on February 8. On the whole, until now over
100 babies have been born in Armenia as a result of insemination
outside the mother’s body. In the words of K. Jinanian, these children
do not differ in anything from other children born in the natural
way. He explained that insemination outside the mother’s body ensures
genetic heredity. "This allows Armenian men to be more confident and
bold as no donor sperm is used in this case," the laboratory head
said. An insemination outside the mother’s body done at the center
costs 700-1,000 dollars, whereas, for example, it costs 25 thousand
dollars in the US. K. Jinanian pointed out that in addition to
Armenian citizens, those from other countries: the US, Russia, Georgia
have applied to the center. According to the RA Ministry of Health, no
official statistics on sterility of women of reprodictive age exist in
Armenia. According to the same source, 3.4% of women examined in 1998
had primary sterility, and about 28.5% – secondary sterility.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Karabakh: EU can use tools for supporting negotiation process
24.03.2007 15:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ EU’s Special Representative in the South Caucasus
Peter Semneby confirmed his intention to visit Nagorno Karabakh in
near future, but he could not say the exact date. Mr. Semneby told
this after meeting with Nagorno Karabakh President Arkadi Ghukassian
in NKR representation in Yerevan held March 23. He said, he visited
Yerevan from Moscow only for a day and is going to depart for
Brussels, and that’s why he will not have time to visit the Nagorno
Karabakh. Commenting on activation of his regional visits Semneby
underlined that the EU is interested in the region and the problems
that the countries of South Caucasus have. He also noted the new
European Union member-states brought nearer the EU to the South
Caucasus. `The European Union is not only an observer of events that
take place in the Black Sea region but also its direct participant,’
Mr. Semneby said.

Answering the question about pressure on the Nagorno Karabakh
authorities by European structures and OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs,
Peter Semneby underlined that there exist expectations from the
international community, and first of all from OSCE MG that the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict parties will agree with compromise
offers. Alongside he said that the conflicting parties, Azerbaijan,
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh must agree on it willingly. Mr. Semneby
says the EU can use all tools and instruments at his disposal in the
framework of European Neighborhood Policy in order to support the
negotiation process and OSCE MG’s efforts. `I am sure a lot can be
done for encouraging contacts and strengthening confidence building
measures,’ the EU Special Representative noticed.

Commenting on appropriateness of military statements by the Azeri side
parallel to peace process, Peter Semneby stated, `I do not want to
comment on any statements by this or that country. Confidence and
reconciliation is necessary for settling the conflict. This is a very
important aspect and just here the European Union can make an
important contribution,’ IA Regnum reports.

ARFD TO PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS WITH SLOGAN "OUR OLD FRIEND IS
DASHNAKTSUTIUN"

YEREVAN, MARCH 23, NOYAN TAPAN. On the eve of the May 12 parliamentary
elections ARFD has chosen the slogan "Our Old Friend is
Dashnaktsutiun." Hrayr Karapetian, RA National Assembly ARFD faction
head, stated this at the March 23 press briefing. In his words, during
its preelection agitation ARFD will remain loyal to its traditional
strategy: it will state party’s programs, will present political
principles. ARFD will not use swearing, methods of discrediting its
rivals, but, of course, if they spread slanders about ARFD, the party
"will answer them." H. Karapetian also assured that media publications
on collecting electors’ passports by Dashnaktsutiun in Aragatsotn are
not true. In his words, they are also aware of such actions done by
some political forces, they collect facts and if they have sifficient
number of reliable facts, they will apply to the respective, including
law enforcement, bodies. H. Karapetian reaffirmed that ARFD is ready
to fight possible electoral falsifications jointly with another
political forces.

SIX MEMBER DELEGATION TO LEAVE FOR TURKEY

Panorama.am
18:50 22/03/2007

The composition of the delegation to leave for the opening ceremony
of St. Cross Church in Turkey is clear, Gayane Durgaryan, public
relations officer of the ministry of culture and youth affairs,
told a news conference today.

In her words, Mkrtich Minasyan, chairman of architects union,
Artiom Grigoryan, head of cultural monument preservation agency,
Ruben Safrastyan, director of Academy of Sceinces Eastern Studies
Institute, Pavel Avetisyan, director of Academy of Sciences Institute
of Archeology and Ethnography and Murad Hasratyan, PHD in architecture
will leave for Turkey. Gagik Giurjyan, deputy minister of culture
and youth affairs, will head the delegation.

GOVERNMENT SELLS ITS SHARES IN ARMENTEL TO RUSSIAN COMPANY

ARMENPRESS
Mar 22 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 22, ARMENPRESS: The government of Armenia has decided
today to sell 10 percent of its shares in ArmenTel telephone operator
to the Russian VimpelCom that had bought the company from the Greek
OTE last year.

The government said the price of 10 percent stake was set based on
the fact that 90 percent were sold to VimpelCom last year at 342
million euros.

In the wake of selling ArmenTel to the Russian company the government
said it would sell the remaining 1,883,771 shares to Russians given
it declined all type of exclusive rights that had been granted to OTE.

POLLS IN TURKEY SHOW SUPPORT FOR RELIGIOUS AND ETHNIC PLURALISM

ArmRadio.am
20.03.2007 12:48

Most Turks believe the state should help preserve different religious
and ethnic groups in the face of rising nationalism, according to a
poll published Monday.

The poll by the Konda institution published in the Milliyet daily
showed that 66.4 percent believe the state should support efforts
to protect ethnic differences as opposed to 33.6 percent who say it
should not, the Turkish Daily News reports.

A total of 76.4 percent said the state should be involved in efforts
to preserve different religious groups while 23.6 percent said it
should not.

The poll, conducted among 48,000 people countrywide in October, comes
at a time of intense debate over surging nationalism following the
murder of an ethnic Armenian journalist by a suspected ultranationalist
grouping.

Turkey is home to tiny minorities of Jews, Armenians and Greeks,
as well as a sizeable Kurdish community in the Southeast, where
separatist rebels have waged a bloody 22-year campaign for self-rule.

Improving the freedoms of its Kurdish and non-Muslim minorities is
one of the key elements in Turkey’s troubled accession talks with
the European Union.

Last year, the EU partly froze Turkey’s membership talks over its
failure to grant trade privileges to Cyprus, an EU member it does
not recognize.

ARMY ON ALERT AMID TENSIONS

The New Anatolian, Turkey
The New Anatolian / Washington
March 20 2007

Turkey has put its army on alert to stave off any attacks by Kurdish
terrorists during Nevruz, a spring festival, amid unprecedented
political problems, reported The Washington Times yesterday.

Andrew Borowiec, in an article in Monday’s edition of the right-wing
daily, stated that the crisis includes a widening rift between military
commanders and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, warnings of more
attacks by Kurdish extremists and a rising nationalist fervor that
is worrying Turkey’s European partners.

The daily stated that Erdogan’s government is facing the possibility
of strained relations with Washington over the prospect of a separate
Kurdish state in northern Iraq and the threat that U.S. Congress
might brand the World War I deaths of Armenians under Turkey’s Ottoman
rulers as genocide.

The Times said military leaders have warned that regardless of Turkey’s
application for membership in the European Union, the army will remain
the ultimate guardian of the republic.

The daily cited Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) Gen. Ilker Basbug’s remarks
stressing Turkey’s right to send its troops to Iraq in pursuit of
Kurdish terrorists waging a 32-year war for independence.

Underlining that while Kurds have prepared to celebrate Nevruz, the
daily added that terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militants
have threatened terrorist attacks over the holiday, particularly
against the country’s thriving tourist resorts.

"A number of Kurdish politicians, including members of the legally
recognized Democratic Society Party (DTP), have been rounded up for
interrogation," wrote Borowiec. "In the predominantly Kurdish area of
Diyarbakir in southwestern Turkey, the authorities refused to grant
permission for festivals."

The daily stated, "The Turkish political scene was marred by
growing tension between the senior military cadres and Mr. Erdogan,
increasingly accused by the army of Islamic tendencies."

The Times cited the 1997 "postmodern coup," in which the army was
instrumental in removing from power Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan,
who was known for his political commitment to militant Islam.

"Although Mr. Erdogan has never indicated any intention of abandoning
Turkey’s secular system, the military and secularist circles resent
his appointments of Islamic politicians to government posts as well
as the fact that his wife wears a headscarf in public buildings,
which is banned by law," the daily added.

ARMENIAN CHILDREN TO GET OPPORTUNITY FOR TREATMENT IN EUROPEAN CLINICS

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.03.2007 14:59 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ From April 13 to 18 German physicians will work in
the Children Association of Armenia; they will select ill children,
whose treatment is impossible in Armenia. The program does not
suppose treatment of those children who suffer from cerebral palsy,
poliomyelitis, ontological diseases, epilepsy and schizophrenia.

Sabah, Turkey
March 17 2007

Prayer for martyrs

The minister Gül attended the memorial ceremony for the martyrs of
the ministry of foreign affairs. Gül prayed with the relatives of
martyrs and gave message to the USA "do not forget Armenian
terrorism."

Gül to the USA: "never forget terrorism"

Gül gave messages to the USA at the memorial ceremony held for the
martyrs of the ministry of foreign affairs.

The minister of foreign affairs Abdullah Gül gave the USA the message
"do not forget Armenian terrorism" as the so-called Armenian genocide
bill was submitted to the Senate. Gül reminded of many diplomats
killed by Armenian terrorist organizations. Gül added: "I hope the
ones assuming the so-called genocide bills a policy for themselves
will remember these terrorist actions."

FORUM PRESS OPENED, FORUM DEBATE TO OPEN

Panorama.am
20:51 15/03/2007

Forum Press Club will organize press conferences each week without
topical restrictions, Viktor Mnatsakanyan, chairman of F-industry
media holding, told Panorama.am.

In his words, Forum Debate will start functioning starting April. The
forum will organize debates with political figures and experts on
top issues of the week.

Today Forum Press Club held its first press conference today. They
guest was Elizabeth Petrosyan, director of Forbes-Armenia.