Author: Chilingarian Babken

ARKA News Agency
May 4 2005

Armenian Premier meets with representatives of Armenian Community of
Belarus

Meeting of RA Foreign Minister and OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs to be
held in Warsaw

RA Parliament speaker meets with permanent representative of Belgium
to the OSCE

RA President meets with special representative of EU in South
Caucasus

RA FM presents Armenia’s flag to mountaineers to be hoisted on Elbrus

Armenian President meets RA Agriculture Minister

Ardshininvestbank, Armeconombank, HSBC Bank Armenia, Anelik Bank,
Inecobank and Armenian Savings Bank leading in ARKA News Agency’s
press-rating for 1st quarter 2005

4th “Woman’s World” exhibition to be held in Armenia on May 12-14

*********************************************************************

ARMENIAN PREMIER MEETS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF
BELARUS

YEREVAN, May 5. /ARKA/. Within the framework of the official visit to
Belarus, the Armenian Premier Andranik Margaryan met with
representatives of Armenian community of Belarus. According to the
Press Service of Ra Government, during the meeting with Armenian
Premier, the Head of the cultural-enlightening “Hayastan”
organization Georgi Yeghiazaryan noted that the representatives of
the Armenian community of Belarus are doing everything possible to
preserve the national spirit of and bring the new generation up by
the original Armenian traditions. He also said that Armenian Sunday
school is functioning in Minsk, dance and song “Erebuni” group, which
took the first prize in the Belarus festival of national minorities,
other organizations. Margaryan highly appreciated the events
organized on Belarus on 90th anniversary of Armenian Genocide. At the
instance of the representatives of Armenian community, the Premier
presented the current situation of Armenian-Turkish relations, as
well as the process of international recognition of the Armenian
Genocide.
Margaryan visited Khatin memorial, where he paid tribute to the
perished during the WWII. The Armenian delegation, headed by the
Armenian Premier, returned to Yerevan yesterday. L.V. -0–

*********************************************************************

MEETING OF RA FOREIGN MINISTER AND OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS TO BE
HELD IN WARSAW

YEREVAN, May 5. /ARKA/. The meeting of RA Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanian and OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs will be held in Warsaw,
stated Vardan Oskanian, the RA Foreign Minister. He noted that the
meeting will forestall the meeting of Armenia and Azeri Presidents
Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliev. At the same time, he noted that no
meeting of the Presidents is scheduled in Moscow (during celebrations
of Victory Day – “ARKA”). “So far, there is no special agreement on
any meeting and there is high probability that the meeting won’t be
held”, said Oskanian and added that “everything can change ion the
spot”. The Minister also added that the agenda of the meeting will be
determined by the Presidents themselves.
Note, the meeting of Armenian and Azeri President was to take part
either in Москве on May 9 within
the framework of informal Summit of CIS Heads of States, or in Warsaw
on May 16 within the frames of CU member-states summit. L.V.-0–

*********************************************************************

RA PARLIAMENT SPEAKER MEETS WITH PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF BELGIUM
TO THE OSCE

YEREVAN, May 5. /ARKA/. The Speaker of Armenian Parliament Arthur
Baghdasaryan met yesterday with Bertrand de Crombrugghe, Permanent
Representative of Belgium to the OSCE. As the Public Relations
Department of RA National Assembly told ARKA News Agency, Ambassador
Vladimir Pryakhin, the head of OSCE Mission to Armenia was also
present at the meeting. Baghdasaryan acquainted Crombrugghe with the
reforms in Armenia, in which OSCE plays a great part. He noted that
Armenia is honoring its commitments in accordance with the schedule
set: the RA Parliament is already discussing the constitutional
reforms and agreement has been reached on the Electoral Code. The
sides also discussed the issue of fight against corruption, the
efficient mechanism being RA NA Control Chamber and the
investigations carried out by the Chamber in various areas. Within
the framework of regional cooperation issues, he sides emphasized the
importance of Armenia’s participation in regional economic projects,
establishment of normal relations with neighboring countries. The
participants also noted the inclusion of the South Caucasian
Parliamentary initiative in the Parliamentary Assembly, which
provides opportunities for parliamentarians to discuss political and
economic issues. As the representative of a country to be presiding
in OSCE in 2006, Crombrugghe expressed readiness to assist the
implementation of these programs. L.V. -0-

*********************************************************************

RA PRESIDENT MEETS WITH SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF EU IN SOUTH
CAUCASUS

YEREVAN, May 5. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian met yesterday
with Ambassador Heikki Talvite, Special Representative of EU in South
Caucasus. As the Press Service of RA President told ARKA News Agency,
the participants of the meeting discussed the EU policy in South
Caucasus and in particular, cooperation with Armenia. Robert
Kocharian and Heikki Talvite also took up the negotiation process and
perspectives for Karabakh conflict settlement, as well as the
legislative reforms in Armenia. L.V.-0–

*********************************************************************

RA FM PRESENTS ARMENIA’S FLAG TO MOUNTAINEERS TO BE HOISTED ON ELBRUS

YEREVAN, May 4. /ARKA/. RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan has
presented Armenia’s national flag to three Armenian mountaineers, who
are to hoist it on the top of Mount Elbrus. The press and information
department, RA Foreign Office, reports that Armenian mountaineers
have conquered the Pamirs, Tien Shan and Alsaska mountain ranges. The
head of the group Haik Tonoyan has ascended Ararat twice. P.T. -0–
The Armenian National Mountaineering Federation will take part in
ascent of Elbrus. On May 9, Day of Victory in World War II flags of
peace and victory will be hoisted on the top pf Elbrus.The
three-member Armenian team will dedicate its ascent to the 60th
anniversary of the formation of UN.
About 500 mountaineers from 20 countries are to take part in the
ascent of Elbrus on May 3-13, 2005. P.T. -0-

*********************************************************************

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT MEETS RA AGRICULTURE MINISTER

YEREVAN, May 4. /ARKA/. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan held a
routine meeting with Armenian Agriculture Minister David Lokyan on
Wednesday. According to Presidential Press Service, Kocharyan
stressed the importance of elaboration of agriculture sector funding
concept and the necessity of detailed preparation of subsidy program
for 2006. The sides also talked about the process of implementation
of the program focused to Armenia’s 100 border villages. Idea of
forests protection service creation was discussed as well. M.V. -0–

*********************************************************************

ARDSHININVESTBANK, ARMECONOMBANK, HSBC BANK ARMENIA, ANELIK BANK,
INECOBANK AND ARMENIAN SAVINGS BANK LEADING IN ARKA NEWS AGENCY’S
PRESS-RATING FOR 1ST QUARTER 2005

YEREVAN, May 4. /ARKA/. ARKA News Agency published press-rating of
Armenian banks as of 1st quarter of 2005. According to the
press-rating, leading banks are following: 1. Ardshininvestbank, 2.
Armeconombank, 3. HSBC Bank Armenia, 4. Anelik Bank, 5. Inecobank
(Armenia) and 6. Armenian Savings Bank.
Press-signals analysis shows, the quarter was fare less active than
the same quarter in 2004, considering banking information. As a
result, the number of press-signals reduced 36,6%, comparing with
Jan-March a year earlier. Negative the number of negative signals
grew from 7,5% in the first quarter last year to 11,1% now.
Considering broad information about banks, the information related to
following themes increased for 1st quarter 2005 comparing to the same
period of 2004: General Information About Bank (from 27,4% in 2004 to
27,9% now), Banks Development Policies (from 23,8% to 28,7%) and
Personnel Opinions and Forecasts about Economy (from 7,7% to 12,6%).
Information related to following sections lowered instead: Clients
and Services (from 3,6% to 2,8%) and Digital Illustration of Banking
Activity (from 37,6% to 27,9%). According to ARKA News Agency’s
press-rating for Jan-March 2005, Ardshininvestbank is a leader on
General Information and Digital Illustration of Banking Activity.
Inecobank is ranked first considering information related to
Development Policy. HSBC Bank Armneia is placed first in Clients and
Services ARKA News Agency’s press-rating list’s section. Anelik Bank
was the most active among other banks in expressing opinions and
predicting situations in economy area.
It should be reminded that following banks topped ARKA News Agency’s
press-rating for the first quarter of 2004: 1. Armeconombank, 2.
Conversbank, 3.Anelik Bank, 4. Ardshininvestbank, 5. Armenian Savings
Bank and 6.HSBC Bank Armenia.
ARKA News Agency’s press-rating is grounded not on financial and
economic indices, but on banking activity facts, information about
which is released through media outlets. It means the higher the rate
of releasing actual information about a bank’s activity the more
effective and communicative its policy. Information of advertising
nature isn’t a subject of study and analysis while press-rating is
composed.
See more detailed information in Press-Rating of Banks bulletin #02
(25) for the first quarter 2005. M.V. -0–

*********************************************************************

4TH “WOMAN’S WORLD” EXHIBITION TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA ON MAY 12-14

YEREVAN, May 4. /ARKA/. The 4th international exhibition “Woman’s
World” is to be held in Yerevan on May 12-14. The press service of
the “Expomedia” center reports that the goal of the exhibition is the
promotion of imported goods on the local market, strengthening of
business ties between Armenian businessmen engaged in this sphere, as
well as the study of Armenia’s market for foreign companies. Such
directions as cosmetics, perfume, beauty shops, fitness, goods for
mothers and children, household equipment and chemistry, furniture
and interior will be presented at the exhibition. Both Armenian and
foreign companies working in Armenia will take part in the
exhibition. A fashion show and a conference themed “Woman and
Business” will be held as part of the exhibition as well.
The exhibition has been organized by the “Expomedia” exhibition
project center, with the assistance of the RA Chamber of Commerce and
Industry.
The 3rd international exhibition “woman’s World” was held in Yerevan
on February 12014, 2004. Twenty-two Armenian companies and JVs, which
presented three principal types of products – medical products,
clothing and cosmetics – took part in the exhibition. The “Woman’s
World” exhibition was divided in nine topics: work and rest, beauty
and health, mother and child, beauty shops and cosmetology, perfumery
and cosmetics, personal hygiene, clothing, shoes and decoration,
personal services, household chemical goods. About 3,000 people
visited last year’s exhibition. P.T. -0–

*********************************************************************

Armenian ruling coalition has no regrets about condemning rally incident

Arminfo
3 May 05

Yerevan, 3 May: The Armenian ruling coalition does not regret having
signed the statement of 34 political forces that condemned the Sevan
incident at the rally of the New Times Party.

Commenting on the statement of Armenian President Robert Kocharyan
that by signing the statement the ruling coalition, unaware of the real
picture of the Sevan incident, put itself in an awkward situation, the
speaker of the Armenian National Assembly and the head of the Orinats
Yerkir [Law-Governed Country] Party, Artur Bagdasaryan, said today:
“Orinats Yerkir believes that it was right to sign the statement of 34
political forces. In the statement, we only condemned the participation
of criminal elements in political processes, and the Armenian president
himself said that the essence of the statement was acceptable to him.”

In any case, it is necessary to wait till the end of the investigation.

“As a result of the preliminary investigation, an interesting situation
has already taken shape with regards to incident,” Bagdasaryan said.

The deputy speaker of the Armenian National Assembly and the deputy
chairman of the Republican Party, Tigran Torosyan, who personally
signed this statement, said that by signing it he fulfilled the
decision of his party.

“By signing the statement, the Republican Party did not put itself
in an awkward situation at all. We do not see any problem in having
signed the statement and do not regret having done so. In fact,
the president himself said that he agrees with the essence of the
document and this is the most important thing,” Torosyan said.

The head of the parliamentary faction of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation – Dashnaktsutyun [ARFD], Levon Lazarian, said that by
signing the statement the ARFD only condemned the participation of
criminal elements in political processes, and there is nothing wrong
about that.

[Passage omitted: known details about the rally by the New Times
Party on 20 April in Sevan]

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS ARE DISPLEASED

A1plus

| 17:53:01 | 04-05-2005 | Politics |

Today RA NA President Arthur Baghdasaryan received the Belgium
Foreign Minister special representative and permanent representative
of Belgium to OSCE Bertran de Krombrug. Vladimir Pryakhin, head of
the OSCE office in Armenia was also present at the meeting.

It was mentioned during the meeting that Armenia meets his commitments,
the Constitutional amendments are being discussed in the Parliament,
and an agreement has been reached over the Electoral Code. A reference
was also made to the combat against corruption the working mechanism
of which is the NA Supervisory Chamber with its investigations in
different spheres.

As a good mechanism of solving regional problems they mentioned
the South Caucasian Parliamentary initiative which turned into a
Parliamentary Assembly. It was mentioned that as a permanent structure
will give the Parliaments of the three countries possibility to
discuss regional political and economical problems.

Mr. Krombrug, as 2006 OSCE chairman-in-office, expressed his readiness
to support the realization of the programs mentioning that it is the
first time he has ever been to Armenia and has a good opportunity to
et acquainted with the political and economical life of Armenia and
the perspectives of development.

In the NA the Belgium Foreign Minister special representative and
permanent representative of Belgium to OSCE Bertran de Krombrug also
met members of NA fractions and groupings.

It was mentioned that parties of different political views are
represented in the National Assembly, but they are all united about
the Karabakh conflict and find that the conflict must be settled by
way of peaceful negotiations. The Karabakh conflict discussion within
the OSCE framework was found important. The Armenian political bodies
expressed their worried about the possibility of transferring the
Karabakh conflict to other structures, especially to PACE.

NUMBER OF PRESS FOES INCREASES

A1plus

| 18:16:53 | 03-05-2005 | Politics |

In 2005 the press foe is the state system. This is the resolution
of the National Press Club announces at the ceremony of conferring
the title of the foe of press. The action was started in 2002, when
Robert Kocharyan was bestowed with the title for launching struggle
against freedom of speech.

In 2003 the title was conferred to NA deputy Hranush Hakobyan for
spreading misinformation (on the allegedly positive estimation of
the Venice Commission) before the vote on the law “On Mass Media”

The title is conferred with 50%+1 vote. This year no one overcame this
barrier, however Assistant to Armenian President Armen Gevorkyan was
an obvious leader for his attempts to control e-media. Armen Gevorkyan
was followed by governor of Syunik Suren Khachatryan for consistent
struggle against fredom of speech, Gagik Tsaturyan for stirring
skinheads against the free speech and the «three-head» coalition.

To note, those, who received the title earlier are not deprived of
it. “We just did not want to include the names that have already been
mentioned before”, representatives of the NPC say. We consider that
the press foes are Robert Kocharyan, Grigor Amalyan and deputy chief
of the RA Police Hovhannes Varyan”, NPC member Vardan Vardanyan says.

The NPC statement says in part, “The authorities carry on consistent
struggle against freedom of speech. It refers to the media not
controlled by them.”

–Boundary_(ID_/kHfJX8tQZwMj45uFXKWrw)–

Iran media watch: Radio Iran turns 65

BBC Monitoring research
28 Apr 05

Radio Iran turned 65 on Sunday 24 April. The station was launched
in two rooms at the Tehran Telegraph Centre , and it broadcast the
news in five foreign languages from the first day it went on air,
24 April 1940.

Early days

On its first day, Radio Iran started its programme at 1700 and signed
off at 2230 local time . On its second day it broadcast its programmes
in two parts , part one lasting from 1130-1400 local time, and part
two from 1715-2330. From this day on, Radio Iran broadcast two daily
commentaries in addition to news and music.

As World War II broke out, the development of Radio Iran came to
a standstill and was not resumed until 1947, when new transmitters
were bought for installation in a new building intended as production
studios. These studios were officially opened in 1961. In the meantime,
12 radio stations were set up in provincial capitals.

In its early years Iranian Radio was part of the Ministry of Post,
Telephones and Telegraph. Later on a Publication and Propaganda
section was set up at the Prime Minister’s Office to take care of
affairs relating to the radio. This office was later handed over
to the Labour Ministry, but reverted again to the Prime Minister’s
Office in 1947. In 1953 the Publication and Propaganda Office became
an independent organization. The radio later became a part of the
Ministry of Information in 1963 . In July 1971, National Iranian
Radio and Television was established. Radio Iran was part of this
organization until the Islamic revolution in 1979, when radio and
television became part of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting
(IRIB).

Iranian Radio after the 1979 revolution

Between 1979 and the end of the Iran-Iraq war in 1988, the country’s
main radio station was the national channel of Radio Iran , officially
known as the Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran. After the war,
and along with the economic development which started during the
first term of Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani’s presidency in the early
1990s, several other national and local radio stations were set up
in Iran. One of the most successful ones was Radio Payam, a local
station for Tehran , broadcasting travel news as well as a variety
of programmes featuring extensive use of Iranian music.

The Iranian capital, Tehran, enjoys the luxury of two local channels ,
Radio Tehran and Radio Payam and a range of national stations which
are available on medium wave and FM all over Iran. These national
stations are:

1.Radio Iran ( national network)

This is Iran’s main radio station and the Iranian government’s
official voice.

Apart from news and current affairs, this station broadcasts a range of
cultural, social and entertainment programmes made in its production
groups: Social, art and culture, economy, Islamic culture, knowledge,
children and young adults, politics, history and holy defence.

Listeners who are interested in the news usually tune in to one of the
main news bulletins on this station at 0430, 0930, 1630 and 1730 gmt.

2. Youth (Javan) network

This is a 24-hour -a day channel intended to meet the intellectual
needs of Iranian youth. This channel, like many others was set up
to counter what Iranian officials described as the “Western cultural
invasion”, meaning the influx of foreign programmes beamed into Iran
via satellite television. The channel mainly discusses cultural and
social issues and broadcasts plenty of music.

3. Sports (Varzesh) network

This is a 24 – hour -a – day channel with about six hours of repeat
programmes after midnight. It is exclusively about sport.

4. Health (Salamat) network

This channel broadcasts programmes about public health four hours a
day from 1000 to 1400 local time??? .

5. The Koran network

This channel broadcasts recitations of the holy Koran 24 hours a
day. Other programmes include discussions about the Koran and the
news of Koran-related events in Iran and abroad.

6. Culture (Farhang) network

This channel broadcasts its programmes from 0500 2400 Tehran
time. This channel’s programmes are mainly on music, art, literature
and Iranian studies. This channel also broadcasts the debates of
Iranian nParliament, the Majlis, though not regularly.

7. Islamic culture (Ma’aref) network

This 24 -hour -a- day channel broadcasts programmes relating to
Islamic studies, the Shi’i version of Shari’ah and the rules of
prayers, fasting and other Islamic rites.

Provincial radio

These radio stations are available in various provinces, which have
their own provincial radio stations too.

Local languages and dialects

Until the early 1960s, Iranian radio broadcast 15 minutes of
programmes in Azeri and 15 minutes in Kurdish for the two largest
ethnic minorities of the country. The broadcasts stopped in late 1960
when provincial stations started to broadcast a major part of their
daily programme in local languages and dialects. However, this ended
in the early 1970s, when Persian became the only official language
for all programmes, regional and national.

External services

Meanwhile the external services of Radio Iran broadcasts programmes,
including news and political commentaries, in 25 languages. These
languages are: Arabic, Albanian, Armenian, Bangladeshi, Bosnian,
Chinese, Dari, English, French German, Hausa, Hebrew, Hindi,
Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Kazakh, Kiswahili, Kurdish, Pashtu,
Russian, Spanish, Tajiki, Turkish and Urdu.

Newsgathering

After the early 1970s, Iranian radio made its newsgathering
independent of the national news agency (then Pars News Agency,
now IRNA) and established its own newsgathering service, Central
News Bureau (CNB). This in-house news agency also offers stories and
commentaries to newspapers but very few of them use CNB stories and
dispatches. Central News Bureau is the only permitted news source
across IRIB’s widespread national network. Even international news
can be broadcast only when “processed” by CNB.

Two Men Named Blair
by Bruce Walker

Men’s News Daily, CA
May 3 2005

The pending electoral victory of the Labour Party in the United Kingdom
shows just how wonderful it would be if the Democrat Party actually
did what some hoped it was doing in 1976 and 1992: establishing an
admirable left of center party. The United Kingdom is emphatically
not the United States, but consider just how much Jimmy Carter or Bill
Clinton could have done if they had elevated broad dreams big enough to
encompass all men of good will, the way Tony Blair has done in Britain.

Imagine, also, what Leftists in America could do if they were willing
to spend political capital to try to accomplish goals beyond the
retention of power. Tony Blair is a Leftist in noble tradition of
Eric Blair (George Orwell), who saw the ugliness beneath the rock of
totalitarian Leftism and the self-indulgence of pampered Leftism and
who did not like what they saw.

These two Blairs remind me of the pre-exilic prophets of Ancient
Israel: they were not traitors to their Leftism, any more than
Amos or Micah were traitors to their Hebraic faith; they were men
who called upon those who pranced around saying the right things,
saying to their co-religionists and countrymen things like:

“Woe to them that are at ease in Zion…that lie on beds of ivory,
and stretch themselves upon their couches, and the eat the lambs of
the flock…that drink wines in bowls, and anoint themselves with chief
ointments: but they are not grieved for the afflictions of Jacob.”

The Blairs of Britain understood that unseen injustices which are not
to be spoken in the posh clubs of London or the salons of Paris are
injustices nonetheless and that if we believe in the brotherhood of
man, then we must believe that the enslavement of Iraqi and Afghan
and Syrian and Korean and Iranian is the enslavement of us all.

Jimmy Carter could have faced the Soviet Union more easily than
Ronald Reagan did, because Carter would not only have had overwhelming
majorities in both houses of Congress, but also overwhelming support
within his minority Republican opposition. He could have built Star
Wars and stopped the Soviets cold in both Afghanistan and Poland.

Bill Clinton could have faced down the North Koreans and the
Chinese, instead of selling his soul for thirty pieces of campaign
contributions. He could have used the overwhelming military superiority
of the United States to face real, growing threats to peace and not
innocuous but safe activities like in Haiti and Kosovo.

What these American pols lacked was moral integrity, just like all
the pundits and savants of craven Leftism in modernity have lacked.
Why has Spielberg never made a film about the now manifest treason
of communists in American society and government in the 1940s and
1950? Why has he never made a film about the Gulag or the Armenian
holocaust? Because he, and I am not meaning just to pick on him but
on a whole class of Leftist writers and culturalists, are cowards.

It requires no more courage to attack Nazis in films than it does
for Clinton to send troops into Haiti.

This is the Left, to a vast extent. But then there are men like
Blair & Blair. Sometimes, as if God is trying to remind us that
men choose to be good, men like Eric Blair write masterpieces like
1984, insuring that over time the Left will make him an “unperson.”
Sometimes a Leftist like Tony Blair decides that power is sought
for moral reasons and evil is sometimes fought because it is evil,
not because fighting evil is always popular.

So, as I anticipate a Labour Party victory in the United Kingdom,
something generally I oppose, a part of me is just as happy that Blair
won as it is sad that Conservatives lost. What is the ultimate goal
of conservatives and other normal people? We seek not to destroy our
enemies but to cure them. Tony Blair will make history, be hated,
gain power, and use that power to fight evil. Amen.

Bruce Walker

A1plus

| 15:23:53 | 02-05-2005 | Politics |

COE WORRIED ABOUT THE RA CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS COURSE
COE EXPERTS WILL ARRIVE IN ARMENIA ON JUNE 1

«On June 1 the COE experts will arrive in Armenia. Before that the
RA authorities must represent them the draft constitutional amendments
confirmed by the NA readings. The COE bureau and the political groups
are worried about the course of constitutional amendments in RA»,
announced PACE Armenian delegation member Shavarsh Kocharyan after
returning from Strasbourg.

Mr. Kocharyan mentioned: that was the reason why the heads of the
political groups tries to include the course of constitutional
amendments in RA into the PACE spring session agenda. The issue was
not included because of only several votes.

Let us remind you that mainly the members of the Polish and Russian
delegations voted against. In the failure of including the issue in the
agenda a major role was played by Kolombia and Jaskernia, reporters
about the Armenian issue. «So the Armenian authorities appeared
in a worse situation. As they do not tend to realise improvements,
they are at the center of attention now».

Several COE officials have informed Shavarsh Kocharyan that in the
RA Constitutional amendments must give place to the 3 principles put
forward by the opposition which correspond to the Venice Committee
demands. «As far as the RA authorities do not have the wish to do
it, the Armenian issue will probably enter the PACE summer session
agenda and the RA will be fined. Offers have been made and drafts
have beer represented for the last few years but nothing has changed
in Armenia», mentioned Shavarsh Kocharyan.

According to him, in the COE there are 3 countries ~V Russia,
Azerbaijan and Armenia, which do not correspond to the COEropean
standards by their inner structure and approaches. «Strange as
it may seem, the communist Moldovan authorities are by far more
democratic abd liberal than the RA authorities. The Russian way is
unknown, but this country will somehow solve its problems. The state
of Azerbaijan is worse, but this cannot be a consolation. Comparing
us with Azerbaijan is a shame», said the NA delegate.

Shavarsh Kocharyan is going to give a press conference about the
Strasbourg prting session and RA Constitutional amendments.

–Boundary_(ID_X4aW6U8x9HhvGn1AAqx9jg)–

A1plus

| 14:39:24 | 30-04-2005 | Politics |

PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE RIGHT TO INITIATE REFERENDUM

The idea of referendum appeared in the 18-th century in the US in New
England State and then spread over the other states.

Then it was conveyed to France, Switzerland. After the First World War the
institute of referendum was established in Lichtenstein and later in other
states of Western Europe. `Historically the appearance of the institute of
referendum is bound with the non-confidence of the people to the
parliament’, specialist of constitutional right Vardan Poghosyan says.

«Referendum is a means of exercising direct democracy, when problems are
solved by people, who vote `for’ or `against’. The principal kind of
democracy is representative, that is people elect their representatives –
deputies, President and exercise their power with the help of these people.
Direct democracy cannot replace the representative one. It would be naive to
consider that all the important issues will be solved positively», he
considers.

«Constitutional amendments in the RA can be initiated by the President or
the National Assembly. In a number of countries, the possibilities of
conducting a referendum are much wider and what is the most important thing,
the citizens possess the right to initiate referendum. These states are
Albania, Slovakia, Lithuania, Slovenia, etc.

In semi-presidential states there is no right to hold vote on no confidence
to the President on a civic initiative. `In Austria, Island and Slovakia the
parliament can pass a resolution on withdrawal of the President via a
referendum. If the people do not support the initiative the parliament is
dismissed’, Vardan Poghosyan noted. In his opinion one of the shortcomings
of our Constitution is the absence of people’s right for any kind of
initiative. In 9 European state with the essential number of signatures the
citizens can suggest to hold e referendum on a bill. In Italy a referendum
may be held on cancellation of a law or its separate clauses. `As result of
constitutional changes the people should be rendered the right for civic and
legislative initiatives’, Vardan Poghosyan resumed.

Victoria Abrahamyan

A1plus

| 17:12:40 | 29-04-2005 | Social |

ASSYRIANS WORRIED ABOUT EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS

Today there are 4000 Assyrians in Armenia. According to Razmik Khosroev,
member of the National Minorities Council attached to the RA President,
today the most urgent problem for the Assyrians is that of education.
According to him, a school textbook in Assyrian was published 15 year ago,
and the pupils have to get education in Russian.

The Assyrian schools are closed because of the reduction of cumber of
classes. According to Mr. Khosroev, the reasons of the above mentioned
problems are the shortcomings of the educational system in Armenia. `If it
weren’t for the law that there must be at least 20 pupils in a class, there
would be more classes in our schools and henceforth the schools would not be
closed’.

L’Humanité, France
25 avril 2005

Commémoration Mémoire du génocide arménien

Plusieurs milliers de personnes ont assisté dimanche à Marseille à la
pose de la première pierre d’un mémorial public du génocide arménien,
à l’occasion du 90e anniversaire des massacres perpétrés en 1915 par
le régime des Jeunes-Turcs. « Il a fallu attendre 2001 pour que la
France reconnaisse le génocide arménien, combien de temps faudra-t-il
à la Turquie ? », a déclaré lors de la cérémonie le président
socialiste du conseil régional de Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Michel
Vauzelles, avant de lancer : « Non à l’entrée de la Turquie dans
l’Europe tant qu’elle n’aura pas reconnu le génocide arménien. » «
Nous ne cesserons pas de demander que la Turquie d’aujourd’hui
reconnaisse le génocide de 1915 », a assuré après lui le maire UMP de
Marseille, Jean-Claude Gaudin. Michel et Jean-Noël Guérini, président
du conseil général des Bouches-du-Rhône, ont tous deux souhaité qu’un
lycée de la région soit baptisé du nom d’un « grand résistant
arménien ». « Les Arméniens attendent depuis longtemps ce mémorial
public. Aujourd’hui, on vient de donner une sépulture aux morts », a
estimé Gilbert Kerkerian, d’origine arménienne et conseiller
municipal de la ville de Marseille, considérée comme la deuxième
communauté arménienne de France avec quelque 80 000 personnes. Un
parchemin avec des écrits d’enfants issus de la communauté arménienne
a été inclus dans la première pierre du mémorial, qui doit être
inauguré dans un an.