Author: Hovhannisian John

IFEX, Canada
Int’l Freedom of Expression eXpress
July 20 2006

Editor may face new prosecution for referring to Armenian genocide

Francais: Un journaliste a nouveau poursuivi pour ses propos sur le
genocide armenien
Country/Topic: Turkey
Date: 19 July 2006
Source: Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
Person(s): Hrant Dink
Target(s): journalist(s)
Type(s) of violation(s): charged
Urgency: Flash
(RSF/IFEX) – On 18 July 2006, the Istanbul public prosecutor opened a
new investigation against Hrant Dink, the managing editor of the
Armenian-language weekly "Agos", this time for referring to the
massacre of Armenians in 1915 as "genocide."

Dink used the term in a 14 July interview for the British news agency
Reuters about his suspended sentence of six months in prison for
"insulting Turkish identity." He could face up to three years in
prison if convicted on the new charge.

The Turkish state still refuses to recognise that a massacre of
Armenians took place during the First World War.

For further information, contact Annabelle Arki at RSF, 5, rue
Geoffroy Marie, Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 67, fax: +33
1 45 23 11 51, e-mail: [email protected], Internet:

DEBATES ON ELECTORAL CODE IN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Lragir.am
18 July 06

During the consulation conducted by Speaker Tigran Torosyan on July
18 the representatives of parliament factions and groups continued
the debate on the Electoral Code. The Public Relations Department
of the National Assembly reports that during the consultation they
worked out principles of solutions connected with several proposals
of the Commission of Venice. The next debate on the Electoral Code
is on July 21 at 11 o’clock.

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
July 14 2006

Armenian foreign minister to continue working in post of foreign
policy department head

Source: Trend
Author: A.Mammadov

14.07.2006

The Armenian foreign minister Vardan Oskanyan told that he is going to
continue working in the post of head of the foreign policy department
and doesn’t think to participate in 2008 presidential elections.

"At the moment, I have fully focused on the foreign policy work,"
told Oskanyan, Medimaks news agency reports.

Besides, the minister told that he hasn’t received any cooperation
proposal from the political parties functioning in Armenia,
Trendreports.

REFORMS WILL CRUSH INTERESTS OF ELITE

Lragir.am
14 July 06

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan made a series of
interesting statements on internal policies July 14 at the
Hayeli Club, commenting on Armenia’s possibilities to counter the
challenges of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan. Vardan Oskanyan points to three
resources to play down the factor of oil – internal, Diasporan and
international. According to the foreign minister, Armenia has a long
way to go in all the three directions.

"Today our problem should not be which political force will assume
the responsibility for ruling the country but what our problems are
going to be in the next decade," says Vardan Oskanyan.

According to him, currently Armenia is coming to the finish of a
stage, which is marked by the end of two constitutional terms of
the president. "The two five-year terms of the president is over,
he cannot run a third term. The president must change. We also need
to be able to set serious goals. There was a definite problem of
continuity from the first to the second term, because there were
programs launched by the president which were to be completed. Some
of them finished, others are halfway, but we are probably facing a
more serious problem," says Vardan Oskanyan.

This more serious problem, according to the foreign minister of
Armenia, is setting Armenia on a qualitatively new plane. The minister
believes that Armenia has this possibility today.

"Therefore I would like our intelligentsia, our journalists to be
able to develop these problems in the upcoming one and a half year.

Not only concentrate on the political forces but also concentrate
on problems and see which political force will be able to solve one
problem or another, whether it has the political will or not, whether
it is prepared to do it or not, whether it has the possibility
or not. We must be guided by problems, not political forces or
individuals," says Vardan Oskanyan.

According to him, the problems are different. With regard to the
three resources of problem solution Vardan Oskanyan considers the
second generation of reforms. "Look, the main reason of positive
economic results is that we were brave enough to carry out serious
economic and political reforms. Economic rather than political,"
says the foreign minister. According to him, Armenia is at present
reaping the fruits of these reforms. Vardan Oskanyan thinks, however,
that these are the first generation of reforms.

"We must embark on the second generation of reforms. If we succeed,
believe me that the internal economic resource will be multiplied. I
am not saying will double, I say will be multiplied," says Vardan
Oskanyan.

According to him, democratization is another resource, which also
must be part of the second generation of reforms. "And the second
generation of reforms are the reforms which first of all strike the
economic and political interests of the elite. The problem is which
political force will have the courage," says Vardan Oskanyan.

The second resource, according to Vardan Oskanyan, is the resource of
the Diaspora. According to the foreign minister, Armenia is currently
using 2-3 percent of the Diasporan resource. "Why? Because there are
worries, confidence in the country, abuse, etc.," says Vardan Oskanyan.

"Here are the reforms. New quality in Armenia-Diaspora relations.

The real political force, which will be able to involve the Diaspora,
will lead to a greater contribution of the resource of the Diaspora,"
says Vardan Oskanyan.

Third, the international resource, according to Oskanyan, depends
on the reforms of the first and second resources. "If we manage
to do this, the image of Armenia, the reputation of Armenia will
be improved. Armenia will become reliable, a reliable partner for
others, and there will be a greater influx of investments," says
Vardan Oskanyan.

He does not want to be understood wrongly, making an impression that
something new will be setting off. According to Vardan Oskanyan,
considerable economic and political work has been done, and the
result is there. "But if we connect the issue with Baku-Ceyhan, the
great possibilities of Azerbaijan, we do not have other resources than
these three planes," says Vardan Oskanyan. Therefore, according to him,
it is necessary to place the country on a new quality plane by way of
the next election, and "for right orientation the right goals should
be set". "The goals should decide who must rule this country now,"
says Vardan Oskanyan.

The foreign minister states, however, that the path pointed out by
him should not be determined by a fair election, but the elections
should be determined by this path. "I say this in the context of
international relations, in the context of competition with Azerbaijan,
in the context of being a leader in the region. You see, it would be
a pity. Believe me that in the existing correlation today we are not
worse than out neighbors, I may even say we are good," says Vardan
Oskanyan. He thinks that this reality is not only expressed in figures
but it is also visible. The foreign minister announces that we are
leading in the region, "which took an immense sacrifice".

"But this is the best evidence to the fact that we can be a real
competitor. Because all this has been done using a very small part
of our resources. We have only one way of struggling against oil –
reliance on ourselves, best use of our resources," says the foreign
minister. He states that Armenia’s resource is the three planes
he mentioned, and there is no need to look for anything else
anywhere. Vardan Oskanyan announces that he is optimistic, that
"our people are determined, and this time normal elections will be
conducted." And according to Vardan Oskanyan, pursuing problems and
setting them correctly will favor normal conduct of elections.

"Zerkalo": "Ovanesyan Wanted to be a Hero in Armenia"

Ïðaâî Âûaîða, Azerbaijan
Democratic Azerbaijan
July 12 2006

Milli Mejlis Deputy, Rabiyat Aslanova, cannot give another explanation
to the conduct of Armenian vice-speaker Recently summer session of
OSCE Parliament was finished in Brussels.

As members of Azerbaijan delegation say, session was successful
enough. Particularly, member of Azerbaijan delegation, head of
standing commission of Milli Mejlis on human rights, Rabiyat
Aslanova, informed "Zerkalo", 25 amendments to OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly resolution were proposed on their part. "Some of them were
supported by European parliament members, and they were accepted",
deputy stated. Unlike Armenian delegation, as R. Aslanova holds,
Azerbaijani side was very active and its activity was positive. "In
the course of discussions of the project resolution on human rights,
35 amendments were made, 6 out of them belong to Azerbaijani side,
whereas Armenians proposed just one amendment. And how do you think,
what was their amendment…Ovanesyan just added 4 words to the
one of items concerning development of diplomatic relations among
states, namely, development should be realized via "non-governmental,
political, administrative structures". And it was all he wanted to
say", R. Aslanova underlined.

Armenians always said that Armenia didn’t partake in regional projects,
at the same time pointing to "economic development of Azerbaijan",
she added. "But they fail to tell who can be blamed for it. They
have no courage to confess that they are in isolation due to their
own fault", deputy emphasized.

Armenian delegation holds that Armenia is the winner of this session,
as Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey were defeated. This view belongs
to vice speaker of Armenian parliament, head of delegation to OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly, Vaan Ovanesyan. It is clearly seen in the
interview of Ovanesyan for "Regnum" agency. "In the course of the
meeting of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Georgia and Azerbaijan
proposed two resolutions. First resolution concerns the fact that
conflict should be regulated by return of disputable territories.

Three states – Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey – out of all OSCE
member-states supported this proposal. This time, our cooperation
with USA, Russia, Canada and France was very effective" he continued.

Accordingly to him, in second resolution, Azerbaijan, Georgia and
Turkey underlined that regardless of the status of Kosovo, it won’t
be precedent. "With the help of Russia we managed to succeed: no
state but the mentioned ones voted for adoption of this resolution.

Thus, future status of Kosovo can be precedent, and disputable matters
can be solved", vice speaker stated. V. Ovanesyan also informed that
for the first time the issue on self-determination of nations basing
on Montenegro’s referendum entered on OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
resolutions. "It is good example for finding right balance between
frontiers issue and rights of nation to sell-determination. Voting
showed that solving of matters on this basis is acceptable", he
underlined. At the same time, Commission on Human Rights, humanitarian
issues and democratic reforms of OSCE PA started dispute connected
with national minorities, including Armenian populated region
Zamzkhe-Javakheti (Georgia). "Head of Belgian senate proposed very
important document, but she didn’t explain mechanisms of solving such
issues. We added that national minorities should have possibilities to
show themselves in policy, administrative authorities and NGOs. Canada,
Russia and Monaco supported us. Resolution was adopted by majority of
votes. In turn, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey proposed to enter on
following idea – national minorities are obliged to respect territorial
integrity of country, moreover, no one can justify terrorism. I
prepared the report on this theme, but I couldn’t take floor. Spanish
delegation attacked them. Accordingly to Spanish delegation members,
if country where they live doesn’t respect their rights, national
minorities have right not to respect its territorial integrity",
Ovanesyan said.

Having denied the words of Armenian vice speaker, R. Aslanova
stressed that he attempted to mislead journalists and society. In
fact, in our amendments to OSCE PA resolution there are many items
that would serve interests of Azerbaijan. "I’m reading what documents
states. Frozen conflicts and numerous negative phenomena connected
with them undermine stability, preventing stable development and
impede process of general influence on integration", deputy concluded.

J. Bayramova

–Boundary_(ID_Ck+UolWzPqd/gsDoKjsO0g)- –

Beseiged Kuria alleges cover-up at inquiry
By EMMANUEL ONYANGO, MAXWELL MASAVA

Kenya Times
July 12 2006

Senior Counsel Gibson Kamau Kuria was yesterday reprimanded by the
Kiruki commission for misusing his presence at the inquiry to push
the agenda of the Armenian brothers through shrewd cross examination
of witnesses.

Kuria who represents Winnie Wangui, daughter of Narc activist Mary
Wambui, was further faulted for wasting the commission’s limited time
frame through his lengthy, and at times digressing cross-examination.

So grave were the accusations against Kuria, that commissioner Ahmed
Isaac Hassan interjected and asked him to clarify on whether he had
been instructed by Artur Margaryan and Artur Sargasyan to represent
them at the inquiry.

Kuria has in previous sessions overtly defended the activities of
the Artur brothers during the infamous security breach at the Jomo
Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), contending that the duo had been
provoked by the public and Customs officers into drawing out guns. The
lawyer has also been accusing Customs officers who had witnessed the
standoff of making up tales in order to fix the Armenians.

Trouble started in yesterday’s session when Kuria, during
cross-examination, accused Charles Nambale – the Customs officer
assaulted by Artur Margaryan, of being in the payroll of unknown
politicians who had instructed him on what to say.

"I put it to you Nambale, that you are in the payroll of politicians
who have instructed you on what to say. I also put it to you that
you and Ochieng, created this fiction of a person drawing guns at
the airport," he thundered.

Assisting Counsel Dorcas Oduor immediately interjected to seek for
the commission’s ruling on whether Kuria should be allowed to roam at
large in his cross-examination, or whether he should restrict himself
on matters touching on his client.

Oduor: Honourable commissioners, I don’t wish to interrupt the
cross-examination, but it is an opportune time that Dr Kamau defines
the description of his client. It also time for the commission to
tell us the scope of his cross-examination.

Kuria: As an officer to this commission, I’m trying to assist the
commission to discover the truth. My client has been portrayed to the
public media of being involved with the men who did these things. My
client has been given the opportunity by law to defend her dignity
and I have a duty to clear her name.

Otherwise if cross-examination is not allowed and things remain as
the media has been saying, then even the Assisting Counsel will be
involved in a cover up.

Etemesi (Commissioner): Dr Kuria, I have repeatedly heard you saying
‘My instructions are that the Customs officer refused to prepare
an inventory for the luggage that were seized.’ Are these what your
client told you?

Kuria: One of the witnesses assisting my client (Winnie) has provided
information to the effect that the refusal to have an inventory
prepared is what sparked off the incident.

My client has investigated the matter and has information on what
happened, and it is through cross-examination that we can verify
this information.

Hassan (Commissioner): It would appear, therefore, that if you continue
this way you will be appearing for the Artur bothers. This Commission
has previously had lawyers who have come to represent the brothers
and then vanish. Have you received instructions from the Arturs?

Kuria: I have no instructions from the Arturs. But I have a duty as
an officer of this court to help the Commission to get to the bottom
of this evidence.

Hassan: But you should not misuse your leave to appear before this
commission. You should also not be misused by other people who are
not before this commission.

Moldovan leader says Russian gas price hike, wine ban not political

Infotag news agency
11 Jul 06

Chisinau, 11 July: Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin does not
believe that Russia’s decision to increase the price for gas supplied
to Moldova is politically motivated.

[Russia has increased the gas price for Moldova from 80 dollars per
1,000 cu.m. in 2005 to 110 dollars in the first six months of 2006
and then to 160 dollars starting from 1 July 2006.]

Speaking at a news conference in Chisinau today, Voronin said: "We
indeed do not see politics behind Moldovan-Russian energy supplies
relations. Russia has changed its position on gas supply with regard
to all countries without exception – Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia
and Armenia. Trying to see here something exclusively anti-Moldovan
means nothing but incompetence. If we joined the Russia-Belarus union
tomorrow, which in fact is impossible, then the gas price for Moldova
will not decrease."

According to him, "the situation is different when it comes to Russia’s
embargo on Moldovan wine".

[Russia banned imports of alcoholic beverages from Moldova in late
March 2006, citing sanitary requirements.]

"However, even here the exception confirms the rule. Even though
Moldova has not yet received any official documents proving the low
quality of our produce, it is also very difficult to see politics
behind this decision. Look, at present the Russian market is
practically closed to wine exports from all over the world. In fact,
a wine embargo was imposed on Georgian, French and Chilean wines,"
Voronin said.

He said that "if we are called an independent state, then we must
be independent".

"As regards wine exports, then [we should] rely on other criteria, we
should proceed from quality and look for new markets. Maybe one day we
will thank Russia for helping us diversify the market," Voronin added.

Oskanian: No Opportunities for Rapprochement of Yerevan and Baku Positions Today

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.07.2006 14:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today there are no opportunities for rapprochement
of Yerevan and Baku positions over settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian stated at a joint news conference
with Lebanese FM Fawzi Salloukh in Yerevan today.

There are no contacts between Armenia and Azerbaijan today, he
underscored. The Minister added that the planned visit of the US
Co-Chair of the OSCE MG Matthew Bryza to the region may stimulate
establishing contacts between Armenia and Azerbaijan. However Vartan
Oskanian did not state the American party will assume that initiative.

Speaking on the closing of the Russian-Georgian border the Armenian
FM noted that resumption of the work of Kazbegi-Upper Lars checkpoint
is very important. In his words Georgian authorities promoted Yerevan
and allowed passage of 17 cars through territory of South Ossetia,
however, this does not solve the problem.

Oskanian hoped for soonest solution of the issue, adding that talks
are held with the Russian party on the matter.

Tbilisi Denies Entry to Passengers Coming via Roki Tunnel

Civil Georgia, Georgia
July 10 2006

The Georgian side has stepped up security measures at the checkpoint
in the Ergneti village, at the administrative border with breakaway
South Ossetia, to prevent foreign citizens’ entrance into Georgia
via Roki Tunnel, the Georgian media sources reported on July 10.

These measures came after the Russian side closed down the border
crossing checkpoint with Georgia in Zemo Larsi on July 8 citing
repair works. But the Georgian side has condemned decision as
politically-motivated.

The Zemo Larsi is the only legally operating border checkpoint
with Russia.

Two others are located in breakaway regions of South Ossetia (Roki
Tunnel) and Abkhazia.

Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues Giorgi
Khaindrava said that closure of Zemo Larsi checkpoint aimed to
complicate situation in the South Ossetian conflict zone.

"It is clear that when the only legally operating border crossing
point is closed down than people start searching for other means to
enter into the country and the Roki Tunnel becomes an option. But it
is illegal one," Giorgi Khaindrava told reporters on July 10.

Reportedly several passengers moving from Russia into Georgia and
into Armenia via Georgia are trapped in the conflict zone, as the
Georgian side refuses to let them in.

The Georgian televisions broadcasted Zurab Arsoshvili, chief of the
Shida Kartli regional Financial Police, telling Armenian citizens
return back to Russia and "enter into the country legally though
Zemo Larsi."

"It is impossible to register here those who are coming into the
country as here is no legally operating checkpoint, so there should
be no movement here," he told reporters.

VAHAN HOVHANESIAN SAYS PA OSCE SESSION FOILED GEORGIAN AND AZERI PLANS

Armenpress

YEREVAN, JULY 10, ARMENPRESS: Deputy parliament chairman Vahan
Hovhanesian from the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), who is
also head of the Armenian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly
of the OSCE, back home from the July 3-7 PA OSCE summer session in
Brussels, told a news conference that despite the efforts of Georgia
and Azerbaijan the session passed pro-Armenian resolutions.

Hovhanesian gave an extensive narration of how Georgian and Azerbaijani
delegates had been trying to urge the session to pass a resolution
stipulating that ‘all secessionist republics must return back to who
they belonged before."

He said Georgians and Azeris were also fighting to rule out the
Kosovo and Montenegro conflict resolution models as a precedent for
resolution of other conflicts. He said both proposals were rejected,
instead an Armenian proposal suggesting that Serbia’s demeanor be
commended after Montenegro voted to part with it was adopted.

At the close of its fifteenth annual session the Parliamentary Assembly
of the OSCE elected Goran Lennmarker (Sweden) as its new President,
to serve a one-year term. Over 200 parliamentarians from across the
OSCE region took part in the Session in Brussels, in which the Assembly
also passed the Brussels Declaration which includes recommendations
in the fields of security, economics, environmental affairs and
humanitarian issues.

Hovhanesian also shifted to the Russian decision to close a border
checkpoint on Georgia’s border saying that the Russian decision
hits most Armenian interests. Russia closed the Zemo Larsi border
checkpoint early Saturday morning for an indefinite period, which
has created problems for people traveling between Georgia and Armenia.

"Our Russian counterparts should realize that every step against
Georgia also hurts Armenia’s interests.

Therefore, they should be more flexible and careful," Hovhanesian
said today.