Lev7

http://armenianow.com/images/15/gal/index....beae503271#none so many wrongs with this picture http://armenianow.com/images/15/gal/10.jpg

but if they don't jail or fine them, the opposite, more people will now start openly critizing Turkey, so indirectly, Turkey is shooting itself in the foot

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060921/ap_en_...ovelist_s_trial what is the point of these trials, if they are all thrown away eventually?

looks really good, the view is amazing, I dont like the architecture of the building very much

Yerkir 12.09.2006 12:29 YEREVAN (YERKIR) - Turkish Minister of Economy, Turkey's Special Representative at the talks with the EU Ali Babacan said that Ankara will acknowledge the Armenian Genocide only in case the joint Armenian-Turkish commission of historians confirms the fact. Babacan said it in an interview published by Handelsblad Dutch newspaper and titled "Genocide Recognition by Turkey Not Ruled Out". When asked, whether the Turkish government can admit a decision that will characterize the events taken place at the beginning of the 20th century as Genocide, the Turkish Minister said, "Yes, we will agree with any decision." At the same time Babacan censured the resolution on the Armenian Genocide adopted by the European Parliament and said that "parliamentarians are not historians and the European Parliament is not the institution to announce what really happened." According to him, "all the Turkish archives are open for scientists and Turkey's proposal on formation of a joint commission of historians is still valid," reported Mediamax.

Found: migrants with the mostest Robert Winnett and Holly Watt Survey pinpoints ethnic winners and losers in 'melting pot' Britain For origins of your surname visit www.originsinfo.com/Origins/Default.aspx ARMENIAN immigrants and their descendants are the most successful ethnic group in the country, according to an analysis of “melting pot” Britain. They are followed by the Japanese, Dutch and Greek Cypriots among the groups who are economically and socially most successful. Bangladeshi Muslims and migrants from Sierra Leone and Syria have fared worst. The new analysis places the 42.2m adults registered to vote in mainland Britain in 200 ethnic groups — on the basis of a person’s surname and first name. The information is linked to a marketing database to rank the socioeconomic status of each group. The system, Origins Info, is used by hospitals, retailers and charities to tailor their services to individual ethnic groups. Its developers claim it is reliable even though most married women adopt their husband’s name and some immigrants may have changed their surname to avoid discrimination. Richard Webber, a professor of spatial analysis at University College, London who developed Origins Info, said: “The patterns that this analysis have uncovered are striking. We are hoping it will prove a valuable tool for government and business.” The system can also be used to identify where different ethnic groups live and the ethnic composition of the professions. It reveals that Ripley in Derbyshire is the “most English” place in England with 88.58% of residents having an English ethnic background. The most diverse area is south Tottenham, in north London, which is home to 113 ethnic groups from Bretons to Vietnamese. Southall in west London has the least English gene pool — just 17.82% of residents in the area nicknamed “little India” are of English ethnic origin. Ian Smith, 63, a carpenter, who has lived in Southall since 1978, said: “Of the 90 or so houses in my street I would say there are fewer than 10 English families. Most are Sikhs but there are now more Somalis and quite a few Poles. “Sometimes I do feel slightly intimidated because it can feel like a foreign country at times. But we get on well with our neighbours who are both Sikhs.” The analysis shows the persistence of ethnic clusters decades after the group first arrived in Britain. Greek Cypriots are concentrated in Broxbourne and Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire and Margate in Kent, Italians can be found in Bedford and Waltham Cross and the Dutch in Plockton in the Scottish Highlands and Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales. Cardiff has a high concentration of Maltese residents because it was the port where many disembarked after naval service during the 1940s and 1950s. The Chinese are in Oxford, Harlow and Milton Keynes and Hispanics in Eastbourne, Crawley and Ascot. In Wales, English border areas have been colonised by those with a Welsh background. Overall, there is a disproportionately high number of immigrants in business, law and medicine. An analysis of doctors, using data provided by the Medical Directory, found the proportion of medics with northern Indian roots is more than 10 times higher than for the population as a whole. Spaniards and Romanians are also significantly “over-represented” as doctors. Similarly, Russians, the Dutch and Nigerians are over-represented among barristers. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2350633,00.html

$20 million for one station? I hope the walls are gold plated lol

PanARMENIAN.Net 07.08.2006 17:54 GMT+04:00 /PanARMENIAN.Net/ The 2006 State of World Liberty Index ranks countries from most to least libertarian by compiling information from four freedom indices into one single index. The indices used were: The Heritage Foundation/Wall Street Journal, the Frasier Institute/Cato Institute, Freedom House, Reporters without Borders. The countries were broken into three criteria: individual freedom, economic freedom and government size/taxation and averaged. According to the index, the freest region is Europe whole the freest country is Estonia. "The world is not free," the experts say. The world receives a failing score of 56.9% out of 100. The mangled corpse of the Soviet Union is stretched across the list, with the Baltic states of Estonia (#1), Lithuania (#16) and Latvia (#21) all making the top 25 after embracing free market liberalism, while their neighbor Belarus (#153) and the Asian countries Turkmenistan (#154) and Uzbekistan (#152) dangle in the bottom ten. Armenia (#79), Russia (#124), Kazakhstan (#132), Tajikistan (#141) and Azerbaijan (#137) are also struggling in a post-Soviet world. North Korea is at the bottom of this list, with a score of 6.2%.

Gun, Baku 29 Jul 06 Excerpt from report by Eltac Isazada in Azerbaijani newspaper Gun on 29 July headlined "Our tank has set in motion" and subheaded "While Azerbaijan is spending its military budget on construction and repair work, cash-strapped Armenia is spending money on more up-to-date weapons" Azerbaijan's military spending is rapidly growing. While our military budget totalled 330m dollars just a year ago, the inflow of oil money into Azerbaijan has made it possible to double this figure. Our military spending reached 660m dollars after it increased by another 60m dollars a while ago. It is expected to total at least 1bn dollars next year. But in general, our military budget is not fulfilling its true functions in Azerbaijan. It has become a political tool. The authorities justify the growing military spending with the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani territories. These days we often hear the commander-in-chef, the defence minister and other officials saying that our military spending will increase. Even President Ilham Aliyev has openly said that the rise in military spending is connected with Armenia. Aliyev has repeatedly said on his visits to Azerbaijani regions and during the opening ceremonies of military facilities that Azerbaijan's military budget will increase and equal Armenia's overall state budget. In recent years, the additional funds allocated to the military have been spent more on some construction and repair work, not on improving our army's defence capability and on the purchase of military hardware. And some of the budget funds are spent on the purchase of tables, chairs, cupboards and other equipment for our soldiers and officers. As one can see in the draft military budget, 73 per cent (194m manats [230m dollars]) of the additional funds allocated to the military will be spent on the purchase of equipment and hardware. For instance, 200m dollars of this year's 660m-dollar military budget will be spent only on the purchase of equipment. [Passage omitted: it is impossible to improve the combat readiness of an army by carrying out construction work in military bases] Azerbaijan's Defence Ministry recently purchased nearly 1,000 Kamaz trucks, pieces of sanitary-medical and communications equipment from Russia. One more interesting point is that most of the arms and military hardware the government buys from abroad were produced back in the 1950s and 1960s. Even Armenia, which is at war with Azerbaijan, and neighbouring Georgia are ahead of us on this issue. Unlike Azerbaijan, these two countries buy more up-to-date weapons and military hardware. Under the UN quota, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Uganda recently bought T-72 tanks for at least 900,000 dollars each, says military expert Uzeyir Cafarov. But the technical capabilities of the tanks purchased by Georgia and Uganda were better than those purchased by Azerbaijan. While Georgia and Uganda bought T-72-II and T-72-III tanks, Azerbaijan bought T-72-I tanks. As for Armenia, this country purchased Category A T-80 tanks, which have greater capabilities. Under the UN quota, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan can have 220 tanks each. The prices of weapons and ammunition differ depending on their military and technical capabilities. Therefore, these three countries are free to buy weapons and military hardware that are of the same kind, but differ in terms of their capabilities. This means that international law allows us to spend a lot of money on the most up-to-date weapons. The Armenians are making proper use of this opportunity. But Azerbaijan is spending funds on the cheapest weapons under the pretext of saving budget money. In other words, even if Azerbaijan's military budget grows larger than Armenia's overall state budget, there is little hope that this will help improve the combat readiness of our army. Because in fact, Azerbaijan is spending its growing military budget on the construction of military facilities and new centres [as given], as well as on the purchase of cheap and old weapons, while cash-strapped Armenia prefers more up-to-date weapons.

ara inch bumer soundtrack, you mean from the song, "cherniy bumer" by Serega, because I watched the movie, "bumer" and I don't remember that theme there

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDyf6ZymP6U...search=armenian

lol

My apologies then, I mis-uderstood your post

You know, if every Armenian's mindset was similar to yours, we would not have Armenia at all. Yes, Armenia is landlocked, yes Armenia is surrounded by enemies, yes Armenia does not have sea access, yes Armenia's economy is not so good, but it is a place we all can call home, it is ours, that is the difference. I came to U.S. when I was little, I grew up here, I have a good business here, it is one of the greatest places to live, but still I feel like I am a foreigner here, I can not call this place my home, because my real home is 3000 miles away. And I am planning to go live there and apply the skills that I learned here and hopefully someday Armenia will become a great place to live that even you might consider moving there

I think we should stop talking about Jews and Israel and lets focus on our own country. Let their country get bombed, burned, destoryed, wiped off the map, who gives a SH#T, they never cared for us, why should we care for them?

http://static.flickr.com/72/192642682_2fea4cce66_o.jpg Israeli children are signing bombs that are going to kill Lebanese children, and they say Israel is a civilized country, un-fu$#ing believable!

I am just speechless how can one country enter into another, starts bombing and the world just watches, this is an act of war and the Lebanese army should retaliate, or at least send a strong message

By Edik Baghdasaryan According to a June 22, 2006 Government Decision, 1,177 square meters of land at the intersection of Abovyan and Tumanyan Streets out of a 1,415 square meter plot belonging to the State Committee of Sport was allocated free of charge to the Armenia's Oligarch Number One, member of parliament, president of the Multi Group Concern, president of the National Olympic Committee of Armenia, and founder of the Prosperous Armenia political party, Gagik Tsarukyan. This decision is a classic example of corruption (incidentally, the text of the decision has not been published on the government website). Tsarukyan is erecting so-called "elite" apartment buildings in various parts of Yerevan. One of them, for which Tsarukyan paid the state a trifling sum, is right near Republic Square (See photo). Another is on Abovyan Street and a third, as indicated in the June 22nd government decision, shares an address with the Sport Committee. This building is nearly complete. The fact that the government decision was issued only on June 22, 2006 means that the construction was being carried out illegally until very recently. The Armenian authorities have a special attitude toward this oligarch. All his businesses have been handed over to him with great care so as to spare him any unnecessary expenses. Remember, for example, how he acquired the Yerevan Wine and Cognac Factory. A foreign company had expressed readiness to pay $7 million for the factory, but the Diaspora-Armenian owners of the factory had to sell it to Tsarukyan for $800,000. The taxation agencies avoid disturbing this businessman. According to our calculations, the Tsarukyan-owned Ararat Cement Factory conducts 50 percent of its business in the shadows. This is the "prosperous future" for the Republic of Armenia that the leader of Prosperous Armenia, Gagik Tsarukyan, envisions. http://www.hetq.am/eng/politics/0607-bh.html

sorry, that's the only link I found

WILL ARMENIA EXPORT OIL? Artem Yerkanyan "PanARMENIAN.Net" analytical department PanARMENIAN.Net 23.06.2006 GMT+04:00 International experts are optimistic about the restarted works in search for oil and gas occurrences. In September Transeuroenegery Corporation, Canada, will launch exploring works to search for hydrocarbon in Armenia. The essential equipment will be brought in the near future and very soon it will be possible to say whether Armenia has a chance to enter the cartel of oil exporting states. /PanARMENIAN.Net/ Specialists spoke of the necessity of exploring works still in 1950-ies. In mid 1970-ies the matter grew serious. But at that time the exploration was rather scientific than commercial and no serious funds were invested in it. Now the optimism has grown and Transeuroenegery Corporation has long-term plans. Canadians are ready to spend over $10.5 million on the first stage of the works that will take some 5 years. If things go well new investments will be made. The other day the company leadership concluded an agreement with a foreign company engaged in prospecting of oil and gas, which will deliver modern equipment to Armenia. This equipment will allow prospecting the bowels of the earth at a depth of 2500 km. The works will start in September while the first results will be known in February 2007. The Yerevan office administration is more optimistic about gas than oil. It should be also noted that the gas-well boring is easier. The exploring works will be launched in three Armenian regions - Armavir, Krasnoselsk and Shoghaghbyur. The Armavir sector is rated as the most promising. The only question is how much it will cost. The first serious attempt to set oil and gas prospecting on a commercial path was made 10 years ago. At that time the California Energy Commission came to rather optimistic conclusion on oil and gas occurrences in the Armavir sector and even calculated the presumable amount of oil. January 27, 1997 the Armenian government and the Armenian-American exploration company signed a contract on prospecting in the Armavir license sector. The works were launched the same year however they did not last long. In July 2000, after the death of company owner Alen Poslen, the works were stopped. Since that time the company has just been processing the data received and looking for financial partners. In early 2004 Canada-based Idusmin Energy purchased the rights of the Armenian-American exploring company and resume works in Armavir. In autumn the company was renamed into Transeuroenegery Corporation. Before this the Canadians proceeded to prospecting in the northeast sector near Krasnoselks. In January 2003 the Corporation signed an appropriate memorandum with Geoenergetika CJSC. At that time Indusmin Energy received the right for conduction of exploring works on a territory of 3.5 thousand km2. "I am sure there are oil and gas deposits in Armenia," said Head of the Corporation Armenian Office Mike Smith. According to him, the optimist is conditioned by the fact that there are rich occurrences of hydrocarbon stuff very close to the Armenian border with Turkey. There are also hydrocarbon occurrences in Georgia and foreign companies have already invested over $70 million in oil exploring in Georgia. By the way, Indusmin Energy, which is engaged in prospecting works in two geological sectors in Imeretia, was among the investors. The Canadians put up over $35 million. They bored a well that has given 160-170 tons of oil annually since 1995. In Ninotsminda region, Javakhk, oil is being prospected for a long time already. It's unnecessary to speak of Iran and Azerbaijan. Thus, if all our neighbors have hydrocarbon we should have it too. The problem is that no proper attention was paid to oil and gas prospecting. Now, when the matter is seriously treated we can hope that Armenia will transform from an oil importing country into an exporting one.

http://www.clarku.edu/intranet/media/Balakian.mov

PRESS RELEASE Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Contact: Information Desk Tel: (374-10) 52-35-31 Email: information@armeniaForeignMinistry.com Web: http://www.ArmeniaForeignMinistry.am ARMENIADIASPORA III Armenpress Interview with Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian June 8, 2006 QUESTION: Mr. Oskanian, two Armenia-Diaspora conferences have already taken place. Will the third conference differ from the first two? Armenia Diaspora III is being convened under new historical and geo-political realities and naturally the agenda of the conference and the issues discussed there must reflect on the problems, developments and challenges facing our nation today and in years to come. This year, Armenians around the world will celebrate 15 years of Armenian independence. In that light, ArmeniaDiaspora III is a good opportunity to examine together the path we've traveled, analyze and assess the present and consider the prospects for future development. In these past years, much has changed in Armenian life. Specifically, by overcoming many difficulties, Armenia has entered a period of economic progress, and in recent years has registered serious growth. During the same time period, there have been important changes in the Diaspora too, and the Diaspora has become more focused, allowing for active participation in the processes of proposing and resolving problems. So, today, we have real opportunities, and in addition to the general issues on the Diaspora agenda, and unlike the previous conferences, we will put forward new programs of a pan-Armenian nature around which all Armenians can rally. QUESTION: What are the pan-Armenian issues on the agenda of ArmeniaDiaspora III? We¹ve come a long way over these 15 years, and overcome great difficulties. Over the next 15 years, we must work hard to turn Armenia into the country of our dreams. That can only happen if Armenia¹s expectations of the Diaspora and the Diaspora¹s expectations of Armenia are more evenly matched. The Conference will deal with those issues. At the same time, with independence come questions about identify, about homeland-diaspora relations, about language and religion, and about diaspora institutions. And if our traditional organizations used to look at these questions one way, today¹s youth approaches these issues very differently. They are looking for new answers to old questions. That is why the second half of the conference will focus on exactly that ­ New Answers to Old Questions ­ A Nation-State in the 21st Century. This way, we will have addressed the two fundamental issues facing a people and a country ­ identity and development -- who we are and who we want to become. QUESTION: Can you elaborate on the development program that you have mentioned? Everyone who has visited Armenia comments on the discrepancy in lifestyle and standard of living between the cities and the rural areas. Armenia¹s economic growth indicators are impressive, but that growth really has not reached the villages. If we want to ensure that these rural communities are not destined to remain stagnant, permanent pockets of poverty, if we want to ensure that Armenians are not born into a cycle of poverty, then we cannot allow development to simply take its course. Even at this current fast pace, it will take decades before we reach even the average European level of prosperity. This will be a very broad effort to eradicate rural poverty in Armenia. The strategic objective of this program is reducing poverty in rural Armenia¹s border villages through an integrated approach. The program will provide the necessary intervention in the form of infrastructure and technical support, and in partnership with the residents of the village, the program will support economic development in order to enable the sustainability and viability of rural communities. QUESTION: What is the scope of this program? How will you decide where to begin? The effects of rural poverty and hopelessness on migration, regional stability, geo-strategic and economic security are obvious in these villages. That is why we have decided to begin with Armenia¹s border areas. It¹s going to take a focused, targeted collaborative effort to improve life for our compatriots in these critical border areas. In each of these villages, necessary infrastructure is simply non-existent. Some have no paved roads, others have no running water, some have no gas or electricity. Imagine trying to raise a family or make a living without these basics. Then, in addition to weak infrastructure, they also are often not economically self-sufficient. This is a problem throughout Armenia, but I don¹t think anyone will doubt that the border is critical. QUESTON: Why launch such an ambitious and novel program now? Why now? There are three main reasons. First, we want to build on the international momentum that already exists. Over the next five years, the Millennium Challenge Corporation will build roads and bring irrigation water to Armenia¹s rural areas. In addition, there is the generous new Lincy program that will build roads and schools within and outside Yerevan. There are massive World Bank, USAID, DFID and IFAD programs throughout Armenia. The Armenia Fund, too, has programs throughout Armenia, as well as Karabakh, of course.We want to leverage these programs and locate additional funds in order to bring comprehensive development to the villages. Imagine that a village will, in a few years, have irrigation water and roads, thanks to the MCC, for example. But imagine that there will be no drinking water, no health care, no school, no gas or electricity in that village. Imagine children growing up in a 21st century rural community that has roads and water and electricity, but is without access to telephone, television or internet. We can¹t let that happen. Now imagine what we could do together if the Armenian government, Armenia¹s business community, international organizations, and the Armenian Diaspora came together to leverage the MCC contributions and to build on the MCC momentum. Imagine a country where development is comprehensive, even, fair and just. The second reason to do it now is to sustain the pace of economic development. Look, we¹ve had high growth, at least in part because our point of departure was low. Our economy had collapsed. But the more the economy grows, the harder it will be to maintain double-digit growth. Additional infusion and intervention is necessary and why not target that infusion towards the areas that need it most? Finally, Armenia has, over these 15 years, held a leading role in this region. This may sound surprising, but it¹s true. Georgia has a more favorable geographic position and access to the sea, Azerbaijan has already been pumping massive amounts of oil ­ more than 300,000 barrels a day over the last several years, yet, according to the World Bank, per capita income is still higher in Armenia. This is something to be proud of, but it¹s also something we must work at. We have to keep that edge even with the prospects of additional oil revenues expected for Azerbaijan. We can do that only if we aggressively mobilize our resources and clearly set comprehensive economic development as our goal. QUESTION: What will happen to the various organizations already working towards rural development? This program will make every effort to partner with all existing organizations and programs in order to achieve maximum effectiveness and efficiency. We have already spoken to every single organization, individual and agency (more than 100 in number) with programs in Armenia¹s villages. Our program is not intended to replace or compete with existing programs. On the contrary, we will work with them to build on their efforts, to increase their capacity. Our website will reflect their efforts as well, so that donors and participants receive a complete picture of what is being done, and what is still needed. QUESTION: How will you seek support for this program? This very serious and far-reaching program can only succeed with the active engagement and involvement of a variety of actors and participants. Individual countries have already expressed a willingness to focus their development assistance on our rural areas. International organizations are already focused on rural development. As are individual Diasporans and Diaspora organizations. Now, we must also engage and involve Armenia¹s businessmen, and new elements of the Diaspora. This project is varied and broad enough that individuals can find a variety of ways of getting involved. That is why this topic will form the focus of the agenda of the 3d Armenia Diaspora Conference, to be held in Yerevan, September 18 ­ 20. There, we will explain the program¹s purpose, how it will be implemented, how the funds will be raised and managed, and the key issues of transparency and accountability will be addressed. QUESTION: Will the management of the program remain within the Diaspora Conference? Until the ArmeniaDiaspora Conference, we will have completed the design of the program, the management structure and begun the process of assessing needs and finding sponsors for villages. After the ArmeniaDiaspora Conference, we envision that the Armenia Fund is best situated to take over as the umbrella which will implement the program. This ambitious program is a natural expansion of the Armenia Fund¹s mission ­ to facilitate infrastructure and development programs that are beyond the government¹s capacity. It was a visionary step to create the Armenia Fund, soon after independence, when its additional resources were sorely needed. It has since completed projects which have invaluable, strategic significance for Armenia and Armenians. Now, we are at a stage when we can and should broaden that vision. Fifteen years after independence, we are no longer desperate and focused on everyday survival. Today, we must project a vision for Armenia in 2020. Of course, the breadth and scope of the program will require the Fund to increase capacity, to provide even greater transparency and to involve wider segments of the Diaspora. QUESTION: What you¹ve described is truly inspiring and has vital significance for Armenia¹s development. Are you certain that the program will really come to life? As I said, during these 15 years of independence, our people have withstood horrible, heavy challenges and succeeded in overcoming them and ensuring stable and harmonious conditions for the development of our new Republic. There is an increased sense of responsibility on the part of all segments of our nation toward our future development, and toward resolution of our national problems and issues, together. We are certain that if all our institutions are activated and inspired, and if Armenia¹s and the Diaspora¹s resources are gathered around this program, we will be able to implement this program and provide our compatriots living in rural communities with basic conditions of dignity so that they can live and work. And perhaps the fundamental basis of our conviction is our talented and active people, which has throughout history, in different countries, stood out through its diligence and creative spirit, and has displayed dauntless will and faith. Therefore, together, we can and we must take this program forward in order for our people to develop and prosper in safety and security. This will be the essential message of ArmeniaDiaspora III.

coming from a fact that they did the video themselves, I think it is good

Check out this Armenian rap song mixed with Armenian music - really good H.A.Y.Q. - Kamin Pchir Click Here

Levon, Anahid jan sure is good news