Author: Chilingarian Babken

COALITION APPEARED IN A DIFFICULT SITUATION

Lragir, Armenia
Oct 20 2006

The National Assembly will spend all October 24 discussing the draft
Electoral Code. There are three drafts: Victor Dallakyan’s project
including a 100 proportional system of election, Arshak Sadoyan’s
project including electronic voting along with ballots, and the project
of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun, the Republican Party and the United Labor
Party, which provides for 90 seats for the proportional system and
41 for the majority system.

After the speech of Republican Samvel Nikoyan on the previous day
on October 24 the Rafik Petrosyan seeks for courage. He invited
the political parties of the coalition not to break the political
agreement, placing the committee in a difficult situation every time.

"The committee should not be guided by arrangements between the
political forces but by what is good and what is bad for the nation,"
said Shavarsh Kocharyan. And Rafik Petrosyan announced that if the
political agreement is broken, the Republican will insist on keeping
the 56/76 correlation.

According to Rafik Petrosyan, the ARF Dashnaktsutyun broke the
agreement by avoiding to vote to the proposal on a 100 percent
proportional system of election, and the United Labor Party, which was
for this proposal. We expressed our free will, the political agreement
is a compromise, said Grigor Ghonjeyan, ULP. Rafik Petrosyan thinks the
majority system is necessary. First because the political parties are
not established and besides, "People need the support of the members
of parliament elected from constituencies."

Rafik Petrosyan, like the entire Republican Party, did not say what
should be done to make the political parties established and what
support he meant.

Instead, when Aram Sargsyan asked to define the borderline between
electoral corruption and charity, he said people who are poor
take the bribe. Which is the same as support. Rafik Petrosyan said
charity should not be connected with the elections and should not
pursue political aims. Otherwise, you can go to court, recommended
the doctor of law.

The committee led by Rafik Petrosyan did not discuss any of the four
main proposals of the Commission of Venice, including use of ink,
cancellation of election if there is only one candidate, the Central
Election Committee put in charge of printing and distribution of
ballots. The authors did not propose, was Rafik Petrosyan’s excuse.

KOCHARIAN SATISFIED WITH ARMENIA-BELARUS RELATIONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.10.2006 13:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian President Robert Kocharian met with
Belarusian Prime Minister Sergey Sidorsky, reported the RA leader’s
press office.

Robert Kocharian expressed satisfaction with the development
of relations between the two states and remarked that the visit
will contribute to further cooperation. The parties discussed the
Armenian-Belarusian economic relations and marked out cooperation in
information technologies, jewelry and agriculture as a perspective
line. Besides, they exchanged views on the economic policy of Armenia
and Belarus.

Next meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers to be hold

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 21 2006

[ 21 Oct. 2006 15:30 ]

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov will meet with France
officials in Paris on October 23, Tahir Taghizadeh, the chief of
Foreign Ministry Press and Information Department told the APA.

The minister will have the next round of talks on regulation of Nagorno
Garabagh conflict with Vardan Oskanian, Armenian Foreign Minister with
the participation of OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs on October 24. /APA/

Vartan Oskanian: Armenia does not mind Turkey’s accession to the EU

ArmRadio.am
21.10.2006 12:07

Turkey’s behavior regarding the adoption of the bill penalizing
the Armenian Genocide denial is not sincere for a country having a
point restricting freedom of speech in its Constitution, RA Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian said in an interview with the "International
Herald Tribune."

Oskanian noted that this discussion should be held in Turkey and
not in France or Switzerland. It is Turkey that must launch a free
and open dialogue, which does not exist today. "Those who call to
leave the history to historians are challenging the historians." At
the same time Oskanian noted that Turkey minds involvement of third
countries in the discussion.

According to the Foreign Minister, Turkey has made the dialogue between
the two states impossible. Armenia is ready to establish diplomatic
relations with Turkey without any preconditions. Besides, Armenia does
not mind Turkey’s accession to the European Union. "We would like
Turkey to correspond to all European standards and we would like to
see Turkey as an EU member, which would make it possible to cooperate
for creating a safe and prosperous region," the Foreign Minister noted.

Zaman, Turkey
Oct 19 2006

The French Definition of ‘Genocide’
COMMENTARY
by Prof. Dr. Ali Al-Hail

No one, I suppose, would disagree with the French parliamentary
minority Socialist MPs’ definition of genocide as "the organized
killing of a people to end their collective existence."

However, these MP’s, whose parliament building overlooks the Seine
river, seem to have a short memory about the Seine river graveyard.

Thousands of Algerians were reported to have been thrown into the
river, and left to be drowned during the late 20th century (Ahmed
Bin Billa, al-Jazeera TV, 2004). Isn’t that ‘genocide,’ an "organized
killing of a people to end their collective existence?"

The minority Socialist MPs, whose country traditionally favors art,
literature, theatre and poetry, should remember that those who
live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. Beginning with banning
the hijab (a woman’s head scarf) in public places and schools, to
satirizing the Prophet of mercy for all humanity, Mohammed (pbuh),
to more recently considering any denial of the Armenian ‘genocide’,
as a crime, the French National Assembly, who the Statue of Liberty
to the United States, appears to have lots of memory lapses.

Long before the notorious alleged Armenian ‘genocide’ took place in
Turkey in 1915, the brutal and barbaric colonization by the French
constituted numerous genocides against the Algerians, both inside
Algeria and in France itself, from 1832 to 1962, when the Algerians
eventually achieved their independence. About seven million Algerians
were killed during French colonization in Algeria while resisting
French occupation (President Ahmed Bin Billa, al-Jazeera TV, 2004).

Despite requests and appeals from the Algerian president, Butaflieqa
recently publicly asked France to apologize for its horrendous
‘genocides’ in Algeria. France has not yet responded.

Although many Turks, including influential thinkers and politicians,
will not deny that hundreds of thousands of Armenians were killed in
1915 during a relocation arrangement to other parts of the Ottoman
Empire, the issue of a ‘genocide’ was reported to have been conceived
as highly controversial. Some argue that those Armenians who died were
caught amid inter-communal warfare. Thus, it was not "the organized
killing of a people to end their collective existence."

In other words, it was not a ‘genocide.’ A few others in Turkey and
beyond, however, would argue that it was conscious, and as such it was
a ‘genocide.’ Despite worldwide contentious differentiation regarding
the event, Socialists in the French Assembly National, apparently
for election reasons, are determined to legalize their mind-set.

Many in France make the case that sheer politics are behind the
minority Socialists initiative. As such, there are no ethics, good
merits, or otherwise genuine concerns about the Armenian ‘genocide.’
The minority Socialists, by proposing such a bill in order to push
for a law criminalizing denial of an Armenian genocide, aim to gain
Armenian votes during next year’s presidential elections.

One presumes, as do many, that the minority Socialists also aim
to spread anti-Turkish sentiment in order to make it impossible
for Turkey, as a predominantly Muslim country, to join the European
Union. That Turkey already has an appointment from the European Union
for 2010 to negotiate its membership must be kept in mind.

Since there are more or less six million Arabs in France, mainly
from Algeria and other north African countries, this would be an
opportunistic moment for the Socialists in France to push for a
law that considers Israeli occupation forces killings in Gaza and
other Palestinian lands as ‘genocide.’ Approximately 750 Palestinian
civilians, including women and children, were killed by the Israeli
occupation forces since Jan. 25, since Hamas was voted into office
democratically. More than 3,000 civilians, including women and
children, have been either injured or maimed since then.

Additionally, nearly 4,000 civilians, again including women and
children, were arrested. If these killings are not genocide, what
can genocide be? Isn’t this an "organized killing of a people to end
their collective existence?"

Instead of crying over controversial history, without, of course,
endorsing genocides against any human race, genocides in Palestine
are clearly committed daily by Israeli occupation forces, which escape
controversy and global documentation by satellite cameras, including
French TV, the press and media. Had the French Socialists been sincere
about human suffering, they would have assuredly considered Israeli
‘genocides’ against Palestinians since as early as 1948 as real
‘genocides.’ In addition, this would certainly bring them at least
three million votes by Arab French.

HAYASTAN All-ARMENIAN FUND DOES NOT CONSIDER PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED IN NKR AS FAILURE

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 18 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 18, NOYAN TAPAN. The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund does
not agree with the qualifications that the fund’s programs in Nagorno
Karabakh should be considered as a failure, Naira Melkumian, Executive
Director of the fund, stated at the October 18 press conference. She
said that the fund conducts a comprehensive international audit
twice a year. "If the board of trustees had any serious complaints,
it would express them," N. Melkumian noted.

According to her, all documents of the fund were carefully examined
by the head of the fund’s New York local body on September 25-26.

As for accusations that the program-envisaged construction tenders
were held by false documents, N. Melkumian said that they hold such
tenders based on a definite procedure.

In her words, the cases concerning the collapsed sections of
North-South Highway were sent to the NKR Prosecutor’s Office and are
being examined. These sections have been repaired. According to her,
the fund does not bear responsibility for this. "May be it happened
because of bad maintenance of the road," she said.

OUTDOOR GRILLING IN GLENDALE ROASTED
By Eugene Tong, Staff Writer

Los Angeles Daily News, CA
Oct 19 2006

Councilmen say issue turned into a cultural standoff

Article Last Updated:10/18/2006 08:52:56 PM PDT GLENDALE – An ordinance
to legalize outdoor grilling for local businesses – often practiced
at banquet halls catering to Armenian-Americans – has died after
failing to garner enough City Council support.

The 3-2 vote Tuesday night broke down along ethnic lines, with the
council’s Armenian-American majority in favor and Mayor Dave Weaver
and Councilman Frank Quintero dissenting.

Passage required at least four votes on the five-member panel.

Current laws require all commercial cooking to be done indoors.

"Many years ago, we set the rule that commercial barbecues should be
done inside," Weaver said. "We should not move backward."

It was a victory for vocal critics who have complained that excessive
noise, smoke and parking congestion from local banquet halls disrupt
their neighborhoods.

"We are taking (the existing ban) off the books to allow a hazard,"
said resident Margaret Hammond, speaking against the ordinance. "They
should be made to put these grills inside."

Councilman Bob Yousefian, who is Armenian-American, said Wednesday
the city missed an opportunity to create a reasonable law that could
resolve the issue for all parties.

"The reality is there has been grilling outdoors in this city for
at least 30 years," he said. "In those days there were not a lot of
Armenians, there were other races that did grilling outside.

"This issue isn’t about grilling. The issue is the Armenians are
grilling. I tried to change this to make this about grilling instead of
about banquet halls or Armenian banquet halls. But I couldn’t do that."

The proposed ordinance would require grill operators to register
with the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Businesses with
grills larger than 10 square feet and used within 200 feet of homes
need to apply for a conditional-use permit.

There also were specific guidelines for grill construction and fire
safety regulations. In a last-minute attempt to sway the dissenters,
Councilman Ara Najarian proposed the ordinance expire in December
2007 so the council can remove or adjust it if needed.

"This is not a closed deal," Najarian, also Armenian-American, said
Tuesday. "I want to know if the regulations are going to solve the bulk
of the problems. I’m happy to tighten it up if this is insufficient."

After the vote, Yousefian urged the city to enforce the ban on outdoor
grilling, whether they’re operated by banquet halls, supermarkets or
at special events. "If we’re going to enforce the rule, you enforce
it on everyone."

Vrej Sarkissian, president of the Restaurant and Banquet Hall Owners
Association, which represents 13 of the city’s halls, said he was
disappointed by the decision.

Grilling and barbecue using charcoal and copious fanning to whip the
flames – khorovats in Armenian – has been a part of family celebrations
for centuries.

"We put a lot of time and energy into this ordinance, and I think
this is something the majority of the residents wanted," he said.

"I’m disappointed that certain individuals didn’t recognize the
cultural significance of outdoor grilling."

ARMENIA-EU RELATIONS DYNAMICALLY DEVELOPED DURING 5 YEARS

PanARMENIAN.Net
18.10.2006 16:53 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "I am glad with my work as the commission head. I
have established close cooperation with the Armenian authorities and
it’s hard for me to leave. I am impressed to witness the progress of
Armenia’s economy," said in Yerevan head of the European Commission
delegation to Georgia and Armenia Torben Holtze, who is completing
his mission today.

The diplomat also remarked that the Armenia-EU relations were
dynamically developing during the recent 5 years. "These relations
started in 1999 with the signing of a partnership program. In 2003
the relations underwent some changes over the appointment of a special
representative to the South Caucasus. In 2004 Armenia was included in
the EU New Neighborhood program. The Armenia-EU action plan ratified
three weeks ago will mark further strengthening of these relations,"
Mr Holtze said, reports IA Regnum.

THE CLUB OF YOUNG DIPLOMATS WILL HOST HIS EXCELLENCY AMBASSADOR HENRY CUNY OF FRANCE

Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 18 2006

On Thursday October 19, 3pm the Club of Young Diplomats at Yerevan
State University will host outgoing Ambassador of France to Armenia
H.E. Henry Cuny at the Balian Hall in YSU. The Club of Young Diplomats
has always enjoyed the friendly relationships with the French Embassy
and Ambassador H. Cuny. His Excellency has visited the University on a
number of occasions. One of the occasions was the presentation of His
Excellency’s "Le Bonheur Sur Tous Les Tons" (Happiness of Any Kind)
published in Armenia, a unique publication that alters Ambassador
Cuny’s original thoughts on HAPPYNESS. Copies of the book will be
distributed to interested students with author’s signature at the
end of the event. Yet this meeting will be special since it is a
kind of a farewell to students, a segment of the Armenian society
His Excellency favored the most.

An analogous event was organized to farewell H.E. Ambassador Paolo
Andrea Trabalza of Italy in 2004. Thus the Club develops a tradition
of holding special farewell events for outgoing Ambassador’s who have
significantly contributed to strengthening of the relations of their
respective states with Armenia and have integrated into the cultural
life of Yerevan.

Ambassador Cuny completes his mission in Armenia in 10 days and the
Club of Young Diplomats wanted to invite his Excellency over for an
informal interactive meeting with the student body of our Alma Mater,
a kind of a farewell to a special friend and a skilled diplomat. "His
Excellency expressed willingness to meet up with the student body long
before, yet we wanted to host the Ambassador later this month to ask
him sum up on his mission, his President’s visit to Armenia and the
"ARMENIE MONAMIE" the year of Armenia in France program to share his
views and valuable thoughts, feelings about Armenia, Armenian people
and culture as well as on his unique perception of life and happiness",
says Erik Grigoryan, the head of the student club.

"To be hold on the aftermath of President Chirac’s trip to Armenia
and on the eve of the official start of the Armenian Year In France
Program, the meeting will bear the flavor of the traditional friendship
of Armenian and French people and the partnership of the two states",
Mr. Grigoryan added.

TURKEY’S PARLIAMENT CONDEMNS FRENCH GENOCIDE LAW

Focus News, Bulgaria
Oct 17 2006

Ankara. The Turkish Parliament adopted a declaration condemning the
law which Paris adopted a few days ago according to which everyone
denying the mass killings of Armenians in Turkey during World War I
will face legal sanctions, Reuters reports.

"With the adoption of this law the French parliament is causing
irreversible damage to the political, military and economic relations
between Turkey and France," the declaration reads.