Author: Chavushian

WALID AL-MOUALEM: IT’S NECESSARY TO FIND A POLITICAL SOLUTION TO THE KARABAKH CONFLICT
Anna Nazaryan

"Radiolur"
02.06.2009 17:18

"It is necessary to find a political solution to the Nagorno Karabakh
issue through immediate dialogue, a solution that will benefit the
interests of both Armenians and Azerbaijanis," the Foreign Minister
of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, said during a joint press conference with
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian. According to him, it is
necessary to find a solution that will lead to the normalization of
relations between the two neighboring countries. Any other solution
will harm both peoples and will exert a negative influence on the
region, as a whole. "It’s necessary to demonstrate courage and
political will to reach a fair solution," the Syrian Minister said.

Speaking about the resolutions on Nagorno Karabakh adopted during
the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the member states of the
Organization of the Islamic Conference held in Damascus last week,
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian expressed regret that
the attempts of Azerbaijan to speculate the religious principles
of the member states of the Organization of the Islamic Conference
and the dangerous attempts of that country to ascribe a religions
nature to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict resulted in the adoption
of such documents. According to Minister Nalbandian, those cannot
contribute either to20the settlement of the Karabakh issue or the
reinforcement of stability and security in the South Caucasus. The
harm the ongoing negotiations, since the documents were adopted on
the basis of distorted information. Thos resolutions distort the
nature and essence of the conflict and the ongoing talks.

"The Armenian people have centuries-long tradition of living in peace
and friendship with Muslim nations. The relations between Armenia
and Syria are one of the most vivid examples of that," the Armenian
Foreign Minister concluded.

Two Armenian servicemen surrender to Azerbaijan – commission

Interfax
June 1 2009
Russia

Armenian soldiers Ogan Arutyunyan and Gevorg Tomosyan have crossed
the contact line between the Azeri and Armenian Armed Forces and
turned themselves in to Azerbaijan’s servicemen, the Azeri state
commission for prisoners of war, missing persons and hostages said
on its website on Monday.

The Armenian servicemen, both born in 1991, voluntarily crossed the
contact line in Azerbaijan’s Geranboi district, the commission said.

Arutyunyan and Tomosyan have been detained, it said. The Azeri Defense
Ministry is carrying out an investigation.

INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS REGISTER THAT THE GENERAL ORGANIZATION OF ELECTIONS CORRESPONDS TO EUROPEAN STANDARDS

ARMENPRESS
June 1, 2009

YEREVAN, JUNE 1, ARMENPRESS: The observing mission of CoE Congress
of Local and Regional Authorities welcomes the first elections of
Council of Yerevan Elders.

"We express satisfaction that the Yerevan citizens elect their
council and that the process was conducted in a normal way. The
congress delegation welcomes the fact that by these elections Armenia
on its own possibilities contributed to the implementation of local
democracy. On the whole the elections were positive," during today’s
press conference organized for the presentation of the initial report
the head of observing mission Nayjel Mermagen (UK) said.

According to him, the general organization of the elections
corresponded to the international standards. A considerable progress is
registered compared with the 2008 elections of local self governmental
bodies held in Yerevan.

"The congress delegation also noted that those who have their role in
politics in Armenia must change their attitude and behavior to ensure
the improvement of democratic process of elections. The elections
have to be clear, fair and transparent even out of the polling station
and an electoral culture must be formed," N. Mermagen noted.

The observers registered certain flaws in the election process. They
will involve all the details, all the registered flaws in their final
report which cannot affect the legality of the election results. Noting
that some flaws carried an organizational character N. Mermagen did
not wish to go into details today.

Observers representing the United Kingdom, France, Estonia, Hungary,
San Marino, Poland, Italy and Belgium were present in the polling
stations before their opening, walked round more than 200-230
stations being present from 5 minutes to two hours, in some places
they visited for the second time unexpectedly, they were also present
at the closing of stations and final calculation.

CoE Congress of Local and Regional Authorities was the only
organization which had an international observation mission. From May
3-6 the Congress delegates observed the pre-election procedures but
the short-term observers were in Yerevan from May 27 by now. They met
the representatives of authorities, opposition, mass media, NGOs and
Ambassadors accredited in Armenia.

The Congress observers are ready to listen to notifications of any
organization which will be taken into account in the final document. It
will be presented during the autumn session of the Congress in mid
October.

"The CoE wishes to see the consolidation of democracy in Armenia. Our
presence in these elections as well as the report to be prepared will
contribute to the consolidation of democracy," head of the Congress
delegation noted.

PRELIMINARY REPORT OF YEREVAN PRESS CLUB ON MONITORING THE COVERAGE OF ELECTIONS TO YEREVAN COUNCIL OF ELDERLY BY TV CHANNELS

ArmInfo
2009-06-01 12:28:00

ArmInfo. On April 16 – May 29, 2009 Yerevan Press Club with the
financial support of the Open Society Institute monitored the coverage
of elections to the Council of Elderly of Yerevan of May 31, 2009,
by the broadcast media.

The preliminary results were reported at Friday Debate Club, Monday.

The research was administered in two stages: first stage – April 16
– May 1, 2009 (ahead of the pre-election promotion); second stage –
May 2-29, 2009 (period of pre-election promotion).

The monitoring covered 7 TV channels: 3 national ones – First Channel
of the Public Television of Armenia, "ALM", Second Armenian TV Channel;
4 channels of Yerevan – "ArmNews", "Yerkir Media", "Kentron", "Shant".

The monitoring object was all programs, aired at the evening prime
time of the abovementioned TV channels, containing references to six
parties and one party bloc/their leaders/representatives, running in
the elections of Yerevan Council of Elderly; as well as the airtime,
allocated for pre-election promotion of parties/bloc.

THE COVERAGE BY THE TV CHANNELS STUDIED both ahead of (April 16-
May 1, 2009) and during (May 2-29, 2009) the official pre-election
promotion, if one judges by the proportion of neutral and connotational
references, was characterized by relative impartiality. Thus, during
the pre-election promotion 95.8% of all references to parties/bloc,
running in elections, were neutral.

In terms of the nature of coverage the 7 political forces, running in
elections, can be conventionally classed into four categories. The
monitoring group classed with the first category the Popular Party,
which received greatest attention both during the sixteen days (April
16 – May 1, 2009), directly preceding the pre- election promotion
(44,481.6 sec.), and during the four weeks (May 2-29, 2009) of the
pre-election promotion itself (112,144.1 sec.). The main distinctive
feature in the coverage of the Popular Party was the fact that the
lion share of the airtime it received (94.7% before the pre-election
promotion and 89.1% during the pre- election promotion) came from
"ALM" TV channel, owned by the leader of Popular Party Tigran
Karapetian. Tigran Karapetian himself (heading the electoral list
of the party) got 98% of all airtime, allocated to his party at both
stages of the research.

The second category includes four parties, making up until recently
the ruling coalition: "Prosperous Armenia" (82,291 sec. on all 7 TV
channels on May 2-29), "Dashnaktsutiun" (66,987.8 sec.), Republican
Party (58,126.2 sec.),"Orinats Yerkir" (57,113.6 sec.). In terms of
aggregate volume of coverage, these four parties immediately follow
the Popular Party, yet the attention to them was distributed much
more evenly among all channels studied than it was in the case of
Popular Party.

The third category includes Armenian National Congress bloc that
is somewhat behind the quartet of the second category, but is also
the only of the 7 political forces, running in elections, to have
a negative balance of connotation references (0 positive versus 4
negative ones) during the pre-election promotion. Unlike 4 out of 5
parties, classed with the first and the second categories, the Armenian
National Congress has not received explicit attention on any of the TV
channels: while it was the leader during the pre-election promotion
in terms of coverage on the First Channel of Public Television of
Armenia, the gap between it and its rivals was insignificant.

Finally, the fourth category included the Labor Socialist Party of
Armenia, which was an explicit outsider in terms of the interest
received from TV channels during the pre-election promotion –
both overall, and on 6 of the 7 studied. It received the least
coverage and was referred to much more seldom than its rivals. The
Labor Socialist Party of Armenia was also the only that received no
connotation reference.

THIS PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN was most intensively covered by "ALM" TV
channels. The aggregate airtime this channel gave to 7 parties/bloc
was more than twice as much as that given by the other two most
active TV channels, "Yerkir Media" and "Kentron". Notably, 62.1%
of all airtime, allocated by "ALM" to 7 parties/bloc, was given to
Popular Party. Another significant feature is the fact that all three
TV channels that made up the trio of leaders in terms of attention to
elections had distinct political preferences, as mentioned above. This
can be interpreted to the effect that the wish of TV channels to
contribute to the victory of a certain political force is a more
powerful factor, stimulating their interest in elections, than their
mission to inform the public about important political campaigns.

DURING THE PRE-ELECTION PROMOTION the most balanced coverage of
elections was that on the air of the First Channel of the Public
Television of Armenia. The time, allocated to parties/bloc in the
editorial coverage, was distributed relatively evenly: Armenian
National Congress (greatest volume) received 4,639.9 sec., while the
Labor Socialist Party of Armenia (least volume) had 2,392.7 sec. In
terms of frequency of reference the first here was the Republican
Party of Armenia (67), the last – the Labor Socialist Party of Armenia
(15). 97.4% of references of parties/bloc on the PTA First Channel
were neutral.

In terms of airtime allocated to all parties/bloc during the
pre-election promotion the most balanced, after the PTA First
Channel was the Second Armenian TV Channel. These two are followed by
"ArmNews", "Shant", "Kentron", "Yerkir Media", "ALM".

In terms of frequency of reference to parties/bloc during the
pre-election promotion the most balanced, after the PTA First Channel,
was "Shant". These two are followed by the Second Armenian TV Channel,
"ArmNews", "ALM", "Kentron", "Yerkir Media".

Finally, in terms of the third dimension of balance, the share of
neutral references to the parties/bloc during pre-election promotion,
"Yerkir Media" TV channel (99%) surpassed even the PTA First Channel
(97.4%). The third in this ranking is "Shant" (97.3%), followed by
"ArmNews" and "Kentron" (96.3% each), Second Armenian TV Channel (96%),
"ALM" (90.6%). 9 out of 10 connotation references, recorded on the
air of "ArmNews", and 12 out of 13 on the air of Second Armenian TV
Channel were received by Republican Party of Armenia and they all
are positive. In other words, but for the particular liking these
broadcasters have to Republicans, their performance along this
dimension of balance would look much better, too.

In this regard it is important to note that ahead of elections
and during the pre- election promotion, all negative references to
parties/bloc, their representatives were made not by the TV journalists
themselves, but were contained in the opinions voiced by discussion
program/newscast participants. Meanwhile, the positive references in
some cases were made by journalists.

The data above show that the paid airtime for pre-election promotion
was only fully used by pro-governmental forces. This once again
brings forth the long- debated issue of the unduly excessive tariffs
for political advertising that do not contribute to ensuring equal
opportunities for pre-election campaigns.

At the same time, a whole number of materials were recorded during
the monitoring that can be perceived as pre-election promotion by
indirect signs, sometimes quite eloquent, that are not, however,
accompanied by an appropriate title on the TV screen. The monitoring
group is not aware of any investigation into such issues being made
by the National Commission on Television and Radio that is to control
the adherence of broadcast media with the electoral legislation.

Overall, it is necessary to note that the insufficiently distinct
definitions and omissions in the legislation, the lack of an adequate
control over its implementation remain the main factors that disallow
eliminating the traditional deficiencies in the election reporting,
along with the lack of plurality in the broadcast sphere.

JUNE 1 – DAY OF OPEN DOORS IN THE PARK OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

National Assembly of RA
May 29 2009
Armenia

The gates will be open in the park of the National Assembly on June
1, continuing the newly formed tradition. On the occasion of the
International Children’s Day a celebration for the little children
will be organized in the territory of the Armenian Parliament.

The National Assembly prepared many surprises during the event, which
will be held under the slogan "Everything For the Little Ones." A
festive concert will take place with the participation of the Armenian
beloved pop singers, too.

On June 1, at 6 p.m. we invite everybody to the park of the National
Assembly.

IRAN’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS AZERBAIJAN WILL NOT IMPROVE REGARDLESS OF THE RESULTS OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS: LEADER OF SOUTH AZERBAIJAN NATIONAL AWAKENING MOVEMENT

Today.Az
cs/52657.html
May 29 2009
Azerbaijan

Interview Day.Az with Dr. Mahmudali Chehraganly, leader of the South
Azerbaijan National Awakening Movement, who is currently in political
emigration in the United States.

– What do you expect from the upcoming presidential elections in
Iran? Will the results of these elections change something in the
country?

– No changes will happen. The dominant ideology of Iran did not undergo
any changes. Iranian autocracy behaves as if it were a representative
of the God on earth.

– Who, do you think, will win these elections: the reformers,
conservatives, or …

– Elections and presidency are a kind of a show in Iran. All these
reformers and conservators are the government camp. For example,
the representative of the moderate clerics Mehdi Karrubi, former
Premier Mirhuseyn Musawi and current President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,
in fact, do not differ much from one another. They just want to show
that people elect their President by themselves. These four candidates
have been serving the ruling regime for already 30 years.

– How does Iran assess Obama’s peacemaking gestures?

– The Iranian authorities build their policy irregardless of the
gestures and policies of the US Presidents. Iran is playing its own
game whatever representatives of the United States or Europe say. As
for the people of Iran, they are sick and tired of living in isolation
and conflict situation. They support an adequate response to Barack
Obama’s peacemaking gestures.

– And what does the US public think of Obama’s policy on Iran?

– Changes have occurred in the approach of the US authorities not
the public. The United States had been at war for eighth years under
George Bush’s reign. The Balkan wars, Afghanistan and Iraq have left a
deep moral, social and economic trace on the US public. The US people
do not want war any longer. The US public does not want to spend
U.S. taxpayers’ funds on wars. The US budget debts reach 2 trillion
dollars. In addition, war has left many killed and wounded. In the
result of economic crisis the U.S.A faced the difficulties that it
has not had since the Second World War. Taking this into account,
the U.S. administration wants to take time out to gather powers
again. And softening of position on Iran is connected with this.

– Do you have regular contacts with the US political circles? What
do the politicians think of Iran’s policy and its nuclear program?

– Naturally, I have regular contacts them and I am watching the
U.S. media closely and I am taking part in various events. The United
States are looking forward to the end of this year. They want to
know exactly what is behind the nuclear program and the strategy of
Iran. Great events are expected around Iran from the beginning of
the next year. New alliances might appear. The U.S. elite wants to
improve the economic and moral situation in their country and allow
the Iranian regime to learn more about it. Then it will decide what
to do with Iran.

– Does Iran intend to make compromises due to international pressure?

– It is necessary to distinguish between the people of Iran and
the authorities. The Iranian public wants to live in an atmosphere
of cooperation with the rest of the world. But this country is not
ruled by the people. The authorities do not intend to disavow their
positions.

– How will the election influence the relations between Iran and
Azerbaijan?

– Iran’s attitude towards Azerbaijan will not improve regardless of
who wins the presidential elections in Iran. Armenia and Armenians
are a strategic partner of Iran. Iran’s attitude towards Azerbaijan
will not change.

SERZH SARGSYAN EXPRESSES READINESS TO GRANT AMNESTY "IF THERE IS SUCH PUBLIC DEMAND"

Noyan Tapan
May 29, 2009

YEREVAN, MAY 29, NOYAN TAPAN. RA President Serzh Sargsyan at the
March 28 interview to journalists stated that he is ready to use
his constitutional right of granting an amnesty to people detained
on cases of the 2008 March 1-2 mass disorders, if "there is such
a public demand." Therefore he called country’s political forces,
public figures, the Public Council for presenting their proposals on
the necessity and conditions of amnesty to the presidential residence:
"And if as a result it proves that there is such a wish in society,
I will immediately use my constitutional right and will apply to the
National Assembly for adopting a law."

The country head is content with Yerevan Council of Elders election
campaign, the coverage was balanced and unbiassed, the political
forces had an equal possibility to present their conception of Yerevan
development, used various promotion technologies and means. "My
appeal, by address, my request to the political forces is not to
create unnecessary tension, to continue in that spirit and to finish
their election campaign, election activity within these several days
and to hold good elections on May 31 that can become a ground for
population and international organizations to say that these were
the best elections in the Republic of Armenia," the RA President said.

According to the President, Armenia’s political forces and coalition
partners have good possibilities in the May 31 elections and in
Yerevan government new system. "As a Yerevan resident and as the
President of the Republic of Armenia I think that no one doubts what
I want. My wish is obvious and I should say that I am glad that the
Republican Party managed to organize well this process and to approach
the elections with very good possibilities. I think no one calls in
question at least this fact," the President said. He also expressed
satisfaction that their coalition partner Bargavach Hayastan party
also treated the elections with responsibility and is among the leaders
today. "I think no one doubts that BH will play its role in the issue
of Yerevan government. Certainly, I wish our other coalition partner,
Orinats Yerkir also to succeed, the same regards Dashnaktsutiun,
I think being a constructive opposition ARFD plays a great role in
the issue of Yerevan government and I think that their participation
in Yerevan government will only do good to our country and Yerevan."

President’s main expectation from Yerevan Council of Elders elections
is a legal and fair process, the results of which will be equally
acceptable for both the authorities and the opposition.

The interview to journalists took place in the territory of Sardarapat
memorial complex the President visited on the occasion of the Republic
Holiday, May 28, the 91st anniversary of Sardarapat heroic fight.

ARMENIAN REVOLUTIONARY FEDERATION TO FORM OPPOSITION FRONT IN YEREVAN MUNICIPALITY

ARKA
May 26, 2009

YEREVAN, May 26. /ARKA/. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Dashnakstutiun (ARF-D) will be able to open a national opposition
front after the May 31Yerevan City Council Elections, ARF-D mayoral
candidate Artsvik Minasyan said.

"We believe establishment of a national municipality in Yerevan is
a priority issue for Armenia, as the capital city must balance and
control the government’s centralized policy," the mayoral candidate
was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

Minasyan stressed that there is no such party that can oppose to the
government decisions on Yerevan.

"This is the reason why the next mayor should be an oppositionist,
he added.

Six political parties (the Republican Party of Armenia, Prosperous
Armenia, Orinats Yerkir, ARF-D, People’s Party, Socialist Labor Party
of Armenia and the Armenian National Congress) have put up candidates
for the Yerevan City Council elections.

BRUCE FEIN: ATTACKING GENOCIDE EDUCATION FOR SCHOOLCHILDREN

fein-attacking-genocide-education-for-schoolchildr en/
May 26th, 2009

Watch Bruce Fein, who has emerged in recent months as the nation’s
most vocal and energetic genocide-denier, attacking the state of
California’s recent efforts to foster a commitment among its millions
of public school students to ending the cycle of genocide.

In testimony before the Senate Education Committee, Fein, speaking as
counsel for the Turkish American Legal Defense Fund, sought to defeat
legislation, SB 234, that recommends that oral histories about genocide
be offered to California schoolchildren. State Senator Joe Simitian,
who serves on this panel, effectively challenged Fein’s flawed and
immoral assertions.

Fein’s hateful and twisted comments stand as a powerful testament to
the need for a stronger Armenian American voice in the United States,
and an urgent call to action by individuals across the country to
support the ANCA Endowment Fund Telethon on Sunday, May 31st.

Fein regularly travels across the United States to oppose state-level,
municipal, academic, faith-based, and civil society condemnations
and commemorations of the Armenian Genocide.

Don’t let this "poster child for genocide denial" have the last
word on Armenian history. Fight back by getting involved in civic
activism by volunteering, voting, and voicing your views to your
public officials and the media. And, of course, by making a secure
on-line contribution to the ANCA Endowment Fund:

Iran has little to offer to dissuade Yerevan from moving ahead in
talks
23.05.2009 16:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ For the past 3 centuries, the Caucasus has been the
thermometer for gauging power balances in the Iranian-Turkish- Russian
triangle. Since its independence from the former Soviet Union,
Azerbaijan has allied with linguistically, ethnically and culturally
similar Turkey, while Armenia allied first with Russia and more
recently with Iran. As regards Georgia, although it has attempted to
cast its sights further afield, forging ties with the West in general,
and the US in particular, it failed to escape the Russian grip, to
which testify the events of summer 2008, Al Ahram Arab periodical says
in an article entitled Caucasian triangles.
`Moscow has been keeping a close eye on the Turkish-Armenian
negotiations. Their success would usher in the Nabucco pipeline, which
would break Moscow’s monopoly with regard to the overland flow of
energy supplies to Europe. In addition, with the Armenian barrier
removed, Turkish influence in the Caucasus would outstrip that of its
Russian and Iranian rivals, as Ankara would be on good terms with all
three South Caucasus republics, in contrast to Russia and Iran’s good
relations with only one of them, Armenia,’ the article says.
According the newspaper, Iran, has little to offer to dissuade Yerevan
from moving ahead in its negotiations with Ankara. `It certainly
cannot vie with either Moscow or Ankara in offers of military or
economic aid. The most it has been able to do so far is to supply
Armenia with cheap energy in exchange for Armenia’s support against
Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan fears that Ankara is preparing to sell it out
on the question of the return of Armenian occupied Nagorno-Karabakh,
which has not been made a point in the Turkish-Armenian negotiations,’
the author stresses.
`The Iranian-Turkish-Russian interplay in the Caucasus is instructive
on the dynamics of international power politics. It teaches us, above
all, that national interests prevail over ideology and sectarian or
ethnic allegiances in the forging or dissolution of bilateral
alliances,’ Al Ahram reports.