pigh

ARMENIA GETS more U.S. aid per capita than any other country but Israel. It earned this distinction not only through the fervent interest of so many Armenian Americans but also by portraying itself -- and for a time living up to the image of being -- a true democracy in the post-Soviet world. Sadly, reality has moved far from that image, as incumbent president Levon Ter-Petrossian has claimed reelection after a vote marred by fraud and has arrested or sent into exile or underground much of his political opposition. Almost as sadly, the U.S. government has reserved its strongest condemnation thus far for the opposition, even as Armenia slides toward authoritarian rule.

Armenia embarked on its post-Soviet independence with great and legitimate hopes five years ago. Unlike so many other republics in the region where former Communist bosses simply repainted themselves as democrats, it chose as its leader a scholar and former dissident in Mr. Ter-Petrossian. But more than a year ago, the president started down the slope toward rule by Diktat, banning a major opposition party and gagging much of the press. Parliamentary elections last year were widely condemned for violations of fairness.

In the just-completed presidential election, Mr. Ter-Petrossian enjoyed 1,050 minutes of coverage on state television, compared with 65 minutes for his leading opponent -- a former prime minister and onetime ally named Vazgen Manoukian. According to international observers, the vote itself was marred by "significant and serious breaches in the law." The observers' preliminary report suggested that such breaches were not enough to sway the election, but now that Mr. Ter-Petrossian has claimed just shy of 52 percent of the vote -- he needed 50 percent to avoid a runoff -- the legitimacy of his victory is in strong doubt.

Opposition rallies in the capital of Yerevan were huge and largely peaceful, but fighting broke out on one occasion when the election commission refused to order a recount. Now the incumbent has sent troops and tanks into the capital, imposing a virtual state of emergency. Opposition deputies have been beaten and kicked out of parliament. Troops have stormed into opposition party headquarters and shut them down.

In the face of this, the State Department has mustered nothing more than to say it is following events "with great interest" while finding "regrettable and unfortunate" the opposition violence. What is truly regrettable is not just this mealy-mouthed American response but the sight of a small nation with a sad but courageous history watching its chance at self-rule being stolen

Armenian Debacle

The Washington Post
Date: Oct 1, 1996

Start Page: A.18
Section: EDITORIAL

Sona ****** wrote:
> You wrote so SURLY "No pregnant women were beaten,
> no kids injured..." check the world news sometimes.
> Keep yourself updated. Nad why are you SO SURE ?
> http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0302/armenia.html

The link you posted says NOTHING about pregnant women being beaten, as well as kids. If it wasn't the source of information you intended to refer, then please post the correct link.

Thank you.

Best regards,
Karen Vrtanesyan

Hrayr ****** wrote:

> I have spoken with at least 15 different family members
> in Armenia the last two days. They ALL say that there
> have been far more deaths than what is "officially"
> being reported. Cause you know, the government will
> happily report they killed 40 people? On one hand you
> say that Levon, Serge, and Robert are the same, and yet
> you believe what the official government controlled
> media tells you?

There is no mass media at this point in Yerevan. While pro-Levon web sites, being hosted on the American soil, continue to spread disinformation, some idiot in the government ordered to shut down all the local news sources. Thus my information is based on:

A. an investigation conducted by Dr. Dilanyan, a friend of mine who personally phoned 41 medical workers from Yerevan hospitals and collected data from them: http://dilanyan.livejournal.com/174846.html

He is ready to confirm what he wrote under the oath.

B. information from another my friend Anna *******, who has also phoned number of her colleagues in different medical institutions in Yerevan.

C. The fact that I live in the center of Yerevan and have witnessed some of the events from the window of my apartment. Like shot being fired INTO the sky, not into the crowd. I am ready to repeat this under an oath.

D. My interviews with people living in the middle of the area affected by the riot, who eye-witnessed the events from the windows of their apartments.

On the other side, as I have already mentioned in my blog, the further are people from the center of the city, the higher is the imaginable body count: http://ahousekeeper.livejournal.com/181447.html

Please understand, that the people you talk to, if they are not eye witnesses, may be as well victims of the same disinformation campaign of spreading rumors and gossips, that is now being conducted in the Diaspora.

I am not asking you to believe the information I provide. What I ask you all is to involve critical thinking when getting and passing information to others around you.

> Stop being naive and stop defending killers who attacked people peacefully sleeping without any provocation.

Let me see how long are you going to stay peacefully asleep if you decide to establish a tent camp in Times Square. 1 day? 2 days? 9 days?

No, I am sure you will be arrested in less than 10 minutes, no matter how important your cause is. So who's naive here?

Best regards,
Karen Vrtanesyan

VARTAN OSKANIAN: ARMENIA'S FOREIGN POLICY WAS EFFECTIVE DESPITE MANY OBSTACLES

armradio.am
09.01.2008 15:02

RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian declared in Yerevan today that the year 2007 was productive for the foreign policy of Armenia, despite a number of regional and global difficulties. Speaking to a press conference today, among these difficulties Mr. Oskanian pointed to the absence of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey, the tension in Georgian-Russian and American-Iranian relations, the unsolved conflicts and intensification of GUAM activity in international organizations, the unstable situation in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East.

The Foreign Minister noted that in 2007 there was some tension between Russia and the United States and disagreement on certain issues, particularly Kosovo, the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), the US missile system, etc.

According to Vartan Oskanian, although all the factors enlisted created serious obstacles for the complementary policy of Armenia, it was effective.

The Minister expressed confidence that this was greatly promoted by the positive assessment of the parliamentary elections by the international community, which reinforced the international reputation of the country.

ARMENIANS TEND TO MARRY AT LATER AGE

ARMENPRESS
Dec 11, 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS: In Armenia couples are tying the knot at a later age now than several years ago, according to a joint study conducted by the UNICEF and WHO Armenia Offices.

It has found that males tend to marry when they are 25.5 years old. Their marriage age has increased from 22.5 some 6-7 years ago. Females marry when they are 22.3 years old, up from 21.


The study has uncovered many differences in marriage habits of people in different regions of the country. Armenians in rural areas tend to marry earlier than those living in towns.

According to the study, later marriage is very strongly associated with higher levels of education.

Another finding of the study is that on average every married woman gives birth to 1.7 babies. This figure is higher for women living in rural areas.

Women with higher education prefer to have less children-1.5- than women with lower educating levels.

Women in well-off families have on average 1.5 children.

CRIMINAL CASE AGAINST "KARABAKH" COMMITTEE DISAPPEARS FROM RA PROSECUTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE

Noyan Tapan
Nov 5, 2007

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. NT correspondent was informed
that the criminal case (containing several dozen volumes) against
the "Karabakh" committee has disappeared from the RA Prosecutor
General's Office. An internal investigation was launched by the
Prosecutor General's Office in order to reveal the circumstances,
under which the case disappeared. The criminal case was initiated in
1988, as a result of which the members of the "Karabakh" committee
were imprisoned for several months.

Noyan Tapan
Sep 6, 2007

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. A project presenting national
minorities' culture will be held in Armenia on the initiative of the
Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation's Armenian branch and
Narekatsi art union.

As Aram Talalian, a senior lecturer at Yerevan State Conservatory,
said at the September 6 press conference, days of Jewish music and
poetry will be held on September 9-18 in Yerevan, Gyumri, Kapan,
and Vanadzor within the framework of the festival. According to him,
works by Jewish artists, including those of composer Willie Winer
residing in Armenia will be presented.

A. Talalian also said that music and poetry days of Assyrians,
Kurds, Greeks, and other national minorities will be also organized
in Armenia in the future.

Mehr News Agency, Iran
Aug 26 2007

IRAN AND ARMENIA TO COLLABORATE ON TV SERIES

TEHRAN, Aug. 26 (MNA) -- During a meeting in Yerevan last week Iran's
cultural attaché to Armenia together with Armenian cultural officials
reached a preliminary agreement to make a joint TV series.

The project was initially proposed by Iran's cultural attaché Reza
Atufi in order to extend cinematic ties between the two nations. It
is intended that the series should feature the cultural and social
life of people in the two countries.

Atufi pointed out that Iranian TV series have shown great
developments in recent years and many of them are now appropriate for
broadcasting in Armenia.

Iranian director Qasem Jafari, who also attended the meeting, went on
to say that he will submit a film script to Armenian officials. He
also emphasized the mutual capabilities of the two countries for
embarking on this project.

The Deputy Director of Armenian Public Television and Radio Levon
Galstian announced that although Iran and Armenia have established
political and economical relations, their peoples are not familiar
with each others' culture and lifestyle.

He went on to say that this cultural vacuum can be filled by
appropriate films and TV series.

Armenian National Cinematheque's director Garegin Zakoian also warmly
welcomed the proposal of the production of a collaborative TV series.
He mentioned that this project will help revitalize the Armenian
filmmaking industry.

The participants at the assembly agreed to put the proposal to the
Council of the Armenian Public Television and Radio Company.

ANCA WELCOMES WHITE HOUSE WITHDRAWAL OF HOAGLAND NOMINATION AS US AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA

Decision Follows Extensive ANCA Nationwide Campaign to Block Appointment of Genocide Denier as U.S. Envoy

WASHINGTON, DC – Following a year of Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) led Armenian American community opposition to the controversial appointment of an Armenian Genocide denier as U.S. envoy to Yerevan, the White House, today, announced the withdrawal of the nomination of Dick Hoagland as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia.