Author: Nahapetian Lilit

Michael Harutyunyan received AAA Regional Director Arpi Vartanian

armradio.am
04.07.2007 17:17

RA Defense Minister Michael Harutyunyan received the Regional Director
of the Armenian Assembly of America in Armenia Arpi Vartanian.

At the beginning of the meeting she congratulated Michael Harutyunyan
on assuming the Defense Minister’s office.

The parties turned to Armenia-US relations, particularly in the sphere
of military cooperation, US assistance to Armenia, the process of
peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

Arpi Vartanian presented to the Minister the developments in the US
concerning Armenia and NKR.

RA NA FINISHES SPECIAL SESSION, CONCLUDING AGENGA

Noyan Tapan
Jul 03 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. On July 3, the RA NA in the second
reading and completely adopted four bills authored by the RA
government, which envisage making amendments and addenda to the RA
laws "On Simplified Tax," "On Fixed Payments," "On the 2007 RA State
Budget," "On the RA International Agreements." The adoption of the
parcel of legislative amendments and addenda related to the sphere
of television and radio failed due to lack of quorum.

So, the RA NA finished the special session, which had started on
June 27, concluding the agenda. The NA autumn session will start on
September 10.

TRIAL BEGINS IN MURDER OF TURKISH-ARMENIAN EDITOR HRANT DINK

Democracy Now, NY
July 3 2007

[parts omitted]

And finally in Turkey, eighteen suspects went on trial Monday for the
murder of Turkish Armenian editor Hrant Dink. Dink was slain outside
his office in January in what many believe was a political killing
for his efforts to challenge Turkish denial of the Armenian genocide.

More than one thousand people demonstrated outside the courtroom
Monday demanding a fair proceeding. Several Turkish newspapers have
reported one of the main suspects said he murdered Dink on the orders
of police officers. The lead-up to the trial has brought accusations
of lackluster investigations and state interference.

Fethiye Cetin, Hrant Dink’s lawyer: "Of course our suspicions continue
because it is a general problem. What happened during the Semdinli
investigation is a clear sign of it. Firstly, all control over the
legal system must be removed. This is the biggest problem."

Cetin was referring to the recent overturning of a forty-year jail
term for two paramilitary officers over their role in a controversial
bombing of a bookstore in the eastern town of Semdinli two years ago.

DO NOT BREACH CONSTITUTION!

A1+
[12:34 pm] 02 July, 2007

July 2, at 10:30 a.m., a number of NGOs organized a protest action at
Freedom Square in support of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. They
moved from the square to the National Assembly. To remind, today
the NA is to hold a hearing on the scandalous bill endangering the
further transmission of the radio station.

Bush, Pelosi and Clinton Support PKK

by Scott Sullivan

cle/26346.html
June 30, 2007 12:12 PM EST

The British Sun newspaper last Tuesday carried a story quoting British
intelligence sources that Iran is moving elite units of the Islamic
Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) into southern Iran facing Iraq and
even into Iraq itself (see Investors Business Daily report on 6/26/07,
`Iran Picks a Fight’). These Iranian deployments pose a direct threat
to British troops who are responsible for stability in southern Iraq.

According to British intelligence, Iran would not undertake such
provocative deployments unless Iran was preparing to confront UK forces
in southern Iraq.

Again, by way of backdrop, Iran in southern Iraq is taking Basra and
one-third of Iraq’s territory and oil reserves, while in northern Iraq
Massoud Barzani is taking Kirkuk and another one-third of Iraq’s
territory and oil reserves.

In other words, Iran and the Kurds are demolishing Iraq. And what is
the response from President Bush and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to such
naked aggression? Blissful silence.

Even worse, Bush is preparing US forces to confront Turkey, not Iran
and the Kurds. Just this week the State Department reissued its warning
to Turkey to refrain from attacking PKK camps in northern Iraq. This
State Department warning means that Bush is in accord with Bill
Clinton’s recommendation that the PKK be taken under US protection in
northern Iraq.

Again, to be sure that the situation is crystal clear, Iran and the
Kurds are demolishing Iraq, while the US is preparing to confront
Turkey, a fellow member of NATO.

Pelosi’s attraction to the PKK comes as no surprise. Pelosi has deep
ties with the Greek Lobby here in the US. The Greek Lobby has long been
pro-Kurdish and anti-Turkey. Pelosi has taken the lead in pushing
through Congress the Armenia Genocide resolution, which will destroy
all prospects of US-Turkish cooperation against Iran.

In short, Iran and the PKK now find in their corner the powerful team
of Bush, Pelosi, and Clinton. Moreover, it is now rumored that Paul
Wolfowitz will join this pro-PKK team when he takes a high position at
the American Enterprise Institute. He has never condemned the PKK.

Finally, Iran and the PKK got an additional boost from Red China this
week. The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a written statement, similar
to that from the US, warning Turkey against intervening against PKK
camps in northern Iraq.

In sum, a powerful united front which is anti-Turkey and pro-PKK is
shaping up, involving President Bush, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and
Bill Clinton. On the international side, the anti-Turkey front
involves, as of today, Iran and Red China. Not to worry. Turkey will
prevail.

British House of Commons considers facts of genocide denial

arminfo
2007-06-30 22:55:00

On June 27 the British House of Commons considered facts of genocide
denial.

The press service of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia reports that the
British MPs heard a report by the chief executive of Aegis Trust James
Smith who drew parallels between the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and the
tragic events in Darfur. Smith informed the MPs that a recent
exhibition on the Rwandan genocide of 1994 was put off for three weeks
because of indirect references to the Armenian Genocide.

To remind, it was Turkey who insisted on changing the Armenian Genocide
section and the UN did that.

In his turn, Ambassador of Armenia to the UK Vahe Gabriyelyan said that
such meetings are important as they inform the public of the facts of
genodice denial. Armenia has repeatedly said that the Darfur events
were a genocide and Armenian organizations will do their best for
covering this genocide and for preventing similar tragedies in the
future.

The event was organized by the British-Armenian parliamentary group,
Genocide Prevention parliamentary group, Armenian Solidarity, The
Armenian Genocide Trust and Aegis Trust.

ARMENIAN FM HAILS ARMENIAN, AZERBAIJAN INTELLECTUALS’ CONTACTS

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
June 29, 2007 Friday 10:04 AM EST

Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian told Tass on Friday he hailed
Thursday’s trip by a group of Armenian and Azerbaijan intellectuals
to Stepanakert, Yerevan and Baku.

"Now the lack of trust between the two peoples is one of the obstacles
at the settlement negotiations. Trust should be restored by all
means. Otherwise it will be difficult to make a compromise decision. In
this sense it is a very positive development intellectuals from
Armenia and Azerbaijan at the initiative of Armenian and Azerbaijani
ambassadors in Moscow have gathered together and decided to make this
trip," the Armenian foreign minister said.

He especially noted the fact that both ambassadors – Armen Smbatian
and Pollad Byul-Byul-ogly – were former culture ministers.

The authors of the idea, backed by the presidents of both countries at
the St. Petersburg summit, were the Armenian and Azerbajani ambassadors
in Moscow, Oskanian said.

He hopes that "the initiative will be built up from."

Smabatian highly appreciated the results of the visit to the Azerbajani
capital, the minister said.

US EMBASSY DEDICATED THE INSTALLATION OF FOUR LASER SHOT SHOOTING SIMULATORS AT RA POLICE ACADEMY

armradio.am
29.06.2007 12:37

On June 29, 2007, the US Embassy in Armenia dedicated the installation
of four Laser Shot shooting simulators at the Training Center and
Police Academy of the Republic of Armenia. The dedication ceremony
took place at the Police Training Center in Kanaker. Present at
the ceremony was Artashes Andriasyan, Head of the Training Center,
Eduard Chibukhchyan, Head of the Training Department of the Police
Academy, William Douglass, Transnational Crime Affairs Officer at
the US Embassy in Yerevan, and representatives of Laser Shot, Inc.

The US Government invested over $95,000 dollars to purchase the
simulators and provide training for technical personnel at the Academy
and the Induction Center through the US Embassy’s International
Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Office.

The Laser Shot simulator systems donated by the US Embassy will be
the first in Armenia. Police personnel will use live-action videos
to simulate life-threatening situations. The trainees will use laser
guns to simulate live fire exchanges. The systems will train Armenian
law enforcement personnel in tactics, marksmanship and combat skills
in a safe, controlled environment.

This project is only one part of the US Government’s comprehensive
law enforcement assistance program in the Republic of Armenia. The
U.S. Embassy in Yerevan was the largest contributor by far to the
renovation of the Kanaker Police Induction Center and is the biggest
contributor to the development of new curricula in that facility. The
Embassy has renovated a number of other buildings in Armenia’s law
enforcement community, such as the National Bureau of Expertise, the
Border Guards Training Facility in Yerevan and the Vanadzor Customs
House training center. The Embassy has donated equipment for training
in many areas, such as physical conditioning, and we have also donated
equipment for the computer infrastructure in all these facilities. The
Embassy is working with the Government of Armenia to establish
a nationwide, computerized border management information system
and a nationwide computer network for the police. The US Embassy’s
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Office provides
about $3 million a year in law enforcement assistance to Armenia.

SIX ARMENIAN WRESTLERS OF GRECO-ROMAN STYLE TO TAKE PART IN EUROPEAN YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP

Noyan Tapan
Jun 28, 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 28, NOYAN TAPAN. The representative team of Armenia
left for Belgrade on June 27 in order to take part in the Greco-Roman
Wrestling Youth Championship of Europe. Babken Karapetian (50kg,
BKMA), Norik Khachatrian (55kg, Yerevan), Vahram Khachatrian (60kg,
BKMA), Arman Papian (66kg, Yerevan), Aram Stepanian (74kg, Gyumri),
and Arthur Shahinian (84kg, Apaga village in Etchmiadzin) were included
in the team. The team was accompanied to the competition ground by
Armen Babalarian, the master trainer of the team.

The championship will start on June 29.

RESULTS OF THE INTEGRATED STATE EXAM

KarabakhOpen
28-06-2007 14:56:36

Recently the high-school students have taken the integrated state
exam in the Armenian grammar and literature, which is a novelty. The
society is worried about the results. It has become known recently
that they had reason to worry because the experts who made the tests
were inexperienced. The tests contained ambiguities which affected
the results. This shortcoming was revealed after the students appealed
against the results of the tests. The marks were raised.

Armine Sargsyan, the acting director of the testing center of the
NKR Ministry of Education, said 776 students took the integrated exam
(A+B), 16 failed. 1378 students took the state exam (A), 48 failed.

Carlen Margaryan, head of the department of education, culture,
sport of the City Hall, said 12 out of 820 students failed the A+B
test in the capital.

The NKR Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport decided to hold
another exam in July considering the psychological nuances.