Author: Dabaghian Diana

OPPOSITION DEMANDS PARITY

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 13 2006

When the Constitutional Court stated that the provision of the
amended Electoral Code involving including representatives of the
judicial system in the Electoral Commission is unconstitutional,
the opposition came up with a proposal, which provides for parity in
the electoral commissions, says the leader of the People’s Party of
Armenia Stepan Demirchyan.

"We propose setting up commissions by factions. If the chair is
pro-government, we will insist on a deputy chair from the opposition,
and vice versa," says Stepan Demirchyan. He says in this way parity
will be guaranteed, and the electoral commission will include three
pro-government factions, the Republican Party, the ARF Dashnaktsutyun
and the United Labor Party, and three opposition factions, Ardarutiun,
Orinats Yerkir, National Solidarity.

27TH SESSION OF INTERPARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES IN SAINT PETERSBURG

National Assembly, Armenia
Nov 13 2006

On November 14 the delegation headed by the President of the National
Assembly Mr. Tigran Torosyan will leave for Saint Petersburg to
participate in the works of IPA CIS plenary session and commissions.

Mrs. Hermineh Naghdalyan, member of the IPA CIS Permanent Commission
on Social Policy and Human Rights, Mr. Gagik Minasyan, Chairman of
the CIS IPA Permanent Commission on Economy and Finance, Mr. Grigor
Ghonjeyan, member of the CIS IPA Permanent Commission on Political
Issues and International Cooperation are in the delegation.

Within the framework of the 27th session of Interparliamentary
Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States, on November 15 a
scientific-practical conference will take place in Saint Petersburg on
the theme "The Improvement of Cooperation between CIS Member Nations
in Counteracting the Current Challenges and Threats of Security."

On November 16 a meeting of four Caucasian countries in the
Tavricheskiy Palace is envisaged to hold with the participation of the
presidents of parliaments of Armenia, Georgia, Russia and Azerbaijan.

On November 17 the President of the National Assembly of the Republic
of Armenia Mr. Tigran Torosyan will leave Saint Petersburg for San
Marino to participate in the session of the PACE Standing Committee,
where the issue of approving the Stability Pact for the South Caucasus
will be discussed.

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 10 2006

Arkady Ghukasyan: NKR people will not refuse from its independence
11.11.2006 15:25

`NKR people will not refuse from its independence. For the sake of
long-term peace, stability and economic development in the region, we
re ready for a serious dialogue and cooperation with all the
interested parties, NKR President Arkady Ghukasyan declared in an
interview with `Novoye Russkoe Slovo’ and `Inner Street Press’
newspapers.
Turning to the current state of the Karabakh conflict settlement,
Arkady Ghukasyan pointed out the non-constructive position of the
Azerbaijan President, particularly his refusal from direct talks with
Nagorno Karabakh and establishment of the atmosphere of trust in the
conflict zone, which hinders the final resolution.

KARABAKH IS PREPARING FOR REFERENDUM

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 9 2006

Sergey Nasibyan, chair of the NKR Central Electoral Commission said
36 million drams was allocated for holding the referendum. The voters
registers are ready, and the amended draft of the Constitution will
be printed and distributed to the divisional and district commissions.

We have learned that the text of the Constitution is not ready,
whereas the referendum has already been appointed on December 10. The
local experts cannot understand the reason for this hastiness. We have
delayed the adoption of the Constitution for 15 years and suddenly
we decided to adopt it as soon as possible. The problem is that most
people have not read the text and apparently will not manage. Only
a month is left.

IS THERE ANY CONNECTION BETWEEN CC DECISION AND NA?

A1+
[05:38 pm] 09 November, 2006

Two days ago the Constitutional Court (CC) upheld the claim of the
Opposition and found the involvement of judges in the electoral
commissions anti-constitutional.

"Provided the CC didn’t make such a decision, the provision might
be omitted from the Electoral Code as a result of the Constitutional
amendments," says NA Speaker Tigran Torosyan while commenting on the
CC decision.

Prior to answering the question of A1+, Mr. Torosyan noted that the
Constitutional amendments were of great importance in the political
sphere and were mainly in favour of the Opposition representatives
who were against the amendments. "The Opposition could appeal to
the CC and make it turn down the proposal of judges’ involvement,"
added Mr. Torosyan.

The NA Speaker doesn’t see any reason for rejecting judges’ involvement
in the electoral commissions as "there a lot of countries where
judges are involved in the electoral commissions and this arouses
no problems. As for Armenia, there are two factors mingling with the
endorsement of the proposal. There are two contradicting provisions in
the acting EC. One of them stipulated that the electoral commission
is a state institution whereas according to the other provision it
is an independent free body."

I see a contradiction in this connection which must be taken into
consideration. Besides, provided electoral commissions are state
bodies, contradictions arouse in connection with Article 98 of the
Constitution as it states that judges mustn’t hold other posts in
state bodies."

The NA Speaker informed A1+ that the amendments to the EC, endorsed
during the first hearing, will be put to the second hearing in
December.

PROCEEDING FROM ITS INTERESTS EUROPE CANNOT ALLOW DESTABILIZATION IN SOUTH CAUCASUS

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.11.2006 18:17 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ With assuming presidency in the EU during the
intial half of 2007 Germany will try to make the integration of the
South Caicasian states more real using the European Neighborhood
Policy, transatlantic fellow at the German Marshall Fund doctor Jorg
Himmelreich said. In his words, the German government is aware of the
problems available in the South Caucasus, which ‘represent immediate
danger for the European security.’ According to Dr Himmelreich,
Europe cannot allow destabilization in the South Caucasus proceeding
from its own interests. Besides the European Neighborhood Policy
the EU can use extra instruments for regional cooperation, he said,
reports Mediamax news agency.

MURDER REVEALED

A1+
[05:50 pm] 08 November, 2006

On November 4 the Central department of the police found the dead
body of Sasunik Petrosyan (b. 1968) in Nar-Dos 77/10. The body had
head injuries.

The police revealed that on November 3 at about 10:30 p.m. Petrosyan
was killed by Karen Ts. (b. 1964) in a quarrel.

The police has resorted to measures in order to find and arrest
Karen Ts. The case is being investigated by the Prosecutor’s office
of Kentron and Norq-Marash communities.

TURK YOUNG MAN RUINS PICTURES OF ARMENIAN EXHIBITION

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 7 2006

ROME, NOVEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A Turk young man, who
had done great damage during the exhibition presenting the Armenian
Genocide, was arrested in Italy. The exhibition was organized by
Piedro Kuchukian.

According to Marmara, the Turk young man visited the exhibition and
kicking the pictures, ruined them.

Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the United States
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Vardan Barseghian – Representative of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic

Tel: (202) 223-4330
Fax: (202) 315-3339
Email: [email protected]
Web:

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

On November 16, the Los Angeles World Affairs Council has invited
NKR President Arkady Ghoukasian to speak at the Council’s dinner
program from a stage that regularly features world leaders such as
Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair, U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice, presidents of foreign countries, major
philanthropists, religious leaders and best-selling authors. Please
consider attending this event and also spread the information about
it among the membership of your organizations, family and friends.

His Excellency Arkady Ghoukassian
President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic

Thursday, November 16, 7:30 p.m.
Westin Bonaventure Hotel
404 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90071

This speaking engagement is a great opportunity for independent
Artsakh to spread its story from such a respected podium. The
President plans to speak about Artsakh’s efforts to gains
international recognition of its right to live in freedom, develop
democratic institutions and a full-fledged market economy.

In addition, President Ghoukasian has recently announced that he
will not be seeking a new term in office when his second five-year
term expires next year. Although the first-ever NKR Constitution, to
be adopted at a national referendum this December, would allow him
to run again, President Ghoukasian cited the paramount importance of
Karabakh’s continued democratic development as the main reason for
his decision. President Ghoukasian will use this opportunity to
share his views on the future of Karabakh, its relations with
neighboring countries, its place in the international community and
the prospects for greater US-NKR engagement.

We encourage our Armenian-American compatriots residing in the
greater Los Angeles area to attend this unique event, thus showing
your interest and support for Artsakh, as well as your appreciation
to the LA World Affairs Council for hosting Artsakh’s President.

Please call the LA World Affairs Council at (213) 628-2333 or visit
to register for the event and
get directions, if needed.

I look forward to seeing you there,

KAZAKHSTAN, ARMENIA INK BILATERAL AGREEMENTS

Gazeta, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan today
Nov 7 2006

ASTANA. A number of bilateral agreements were inked as a result
of the closed and open talks that took place Monday, November 6,
in Astana between Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Kazakhstan, and
Robert Kocharyan, President of Armenia, Kazakhstan Today correspondent
reports.

In particular, an intergovernmental agreement was inked on mutual
travels of citizens. Kassymzhomart Tokayev, Foreign Minister of
Kazakhstan, inked the document from Kazakhstan and Gegam Garibadjanyan,
Foreign Minister of Armenia, from Armenia.

Also a Convention on avoidance of double taxation and prevention
of evasion from payments of income and property taxes was inked
as a result of the talks. Natalia Korzhova, Minister of Finance
of Kazakhstan, initialed the document from Kazakhstan and Karen
Chshmarityan, Minister of Commerce and Economic Development of Armenia,
from Armenia.

An intergovernmental agreement on international road communication was
signed by Serik Akhmetov, Minister of Transport and Communications
of Kazakhstan, from Kazakhstan and Karen Chshmarityan, Minister of
Commerce and Economic Development of Armenia, from Armenia.

Vladimir Shkolnik, Minister of Industry and Commerce of RK, and
Karen Chshmarityan, Minister of Commerce and Economic Development of
Armenia, initialed an intergovernmental agreement on promotion and
mutual protection of investments.

An agreement on co-operation in culture was inked by Yermukhamet
Yertysbayev, Minister of Culture and Information, and Asmik Pogosyan,
Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs of Armenia.