Author: Nahapetian Lilit

The New Anatolian, Turkey
Oct 27 2006

Tefal third company named in boycott against France

Consumers Union named Tefal as the third company to be brought under
the boycott campaign against a new French company every week
following the French Parliament’s decision on October 12, 2006
concerning the so-called Armenian genocide. Consumers Union had
initiated the boycott campaign with
Total (Elf) petroleum retailer in the first week and brought L’oreal
under the boycott in the following week.
Consumers Union Chair Bülent Deniz called on the Turkish consumers
not to buy products by French company Tefal. Deniz said `From today
to the day that the unfortunate decision by the French Parliament is
withdrawn, we are not buying the products by French Tefal and its
subsidiaries Moulinex and Rowenta.’
Deniz expressed his confidence that the boycott against Tefal would
be supported by the consumers, like the Total and L’oreal boycotts
initiated in the first two weeks, and stressed that the boycott would
be decisively maintained until the legislation that criminalizes the
denial of the so-called Armenian genocide is withdrawn.

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GALUST SAHAKYAN, «REAL CRIMINALS ARE NOT PUNISHED»
[01:01 pm] 27 October, 2006

more images Today the NA deputies started their day putting wreaths
to the memorial to the victims of October 27, 1999.

«Regardless of the fact that seven years have passed by, those who
knew the victims, those who worked with them, and those who were in
the Parliament hall that day will never forget the pain they
suffered», NA Speaker Tigran Torosyan said.

He is convinced that hatred and malice lay in the basis of the October
27 tragedy. «Those people who died that day lived for ideas, for plans
and principles. The best tribute to their memory will be the
development of Armenia, the realization of the plans and ideas for
which they lived».

Head of the Republican Party faction Galust Sahakyan informed that
seven years after the tragedy they suffer because they lost their
friends, but they also strive for the realization of their
plans. Galust Sahakyan thinks that the main criminals guilty for
October 27 are not punished yet, «and one day we will learn who
delivered the blow».

The head of the faction is sure that the blow was from outside. As for
the announcements of the October 27 criminals that the present RA
authorities realize their plans, Galust Sahakyan answered, «They are
not Marx or Engels; I am not supposed to study their words or comment
on them».

PanARMENIAN.Net

Sweden to Pay Greater Attention to Relations with Armenia
27.10.2006 14:13 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today newly appointed Sweden’s
Ambassador to Armenia Hans Gunnar Aden (residence in
Stockholm) handed credentials to RA President Robert
Kocharian, reported the RA leader’s press office.
Congratulating the Ambassador with the appointment the
President Kocharian expressed consent with the current
level of the Armenian-Swedish political dialogue. For
his part Hans Gunnar Aden said that henceforth Sweden
will pay a greater attention to relations with South
Caucasian states and described the recent visit of
President Kocharian to Sweden as an impulse to the
development of bilateral relations. The parties also
remarked that new possibilities are being created
within the European Neighborhood Policy.

Robert Kocharian marked out the significance of the
economic constituent of the Armenian-Swedish relations
and the priority of contractual and legal field,
organization of business forums, etc. The parties also
referred to some regional tasks and the Armenia-Turkey relations.

TRETIAKOV GALLERY TO EXHIBIT "ARMENIAN-ART: XX CENTURY"

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[04:23 pm] 26 October, 2006

The exhibition "Armenian Art: XX Century" opens in the Tretiakov
Gallery, Moscow, on October 27 within the framework of the celebrations
and events connection with the year of Armenia in Russia.

Over 50 works by the Armenian XX-century painters and sculptors will
be exhibited in the gallery, including painters Minas Avetisyan,
Sargis Mouradyan, Mher Abeghyan, Lavina Bajbuek-Melikyan and sculptors
Nikolay Nikoghosyan, Getik Baghdasaryan, etc.

Special importance will be attached to Martiros Saryan’s paintings
of the period 1930 – 1960.

On the whole, the works exhibited in the gallery depict the historical
background of the Armenian Fine Arts in the second half of the XX
century. They combine the atmosphere and colour characteristic of
the Armenian Fine Arts.

The exhibition will be open by November 26.

NATIONAL SELF-DETERMINATION UNION TO TAKE PART IN 2007 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS ONLY IN A BLOC

Noyan Tapan
Oct 26 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The National Self-Determination
Union will take part in the 2007 parliamentary elections only in a
bloc. Party Chairman Paruyr Hayrikian said this at the October 26 press
conference. In his words, it is not time to solve issues independently
today, as there are preconditions for creating a united ideological
front in Armenia. As his party’s allies Hayrikian sees "all forces
having some ideology who will fight for preservation of Armenia’s
independence and sovereignty." Touching upon Armenian-Russian
relations, P.Hayrikian said: "U.S. occupied Iraq, but did not
become owner of any oil-well. And Russia through its spies took in
its hands all Armenia’s enterprises and institutions of strategic
importance." In the words of the National Self-Determination Union
Chairman, "an agents network belonging to Moscow secret services,
full of thousands of spies and instigators" acts in RA, which "poses
great danger for such a small country as Armenia." In response to
the question of a journalist, besides RA Prime Minister, whom else
he considers a special services agent, P.Hayrikian said that Andranik
Margarian was his friend and he wishes to see him "released" from this
status. The National Self-Determination Union Chairman also expressed
indignation in connection with the circumstance that December 20
formerly proclaimed Day of Official of Cheka" was announced Day of
RA National Security Employer. "Disclosure of the Armenian sector of
agents network of the National Security Committee is among the common
problems of the Armenian people and has a basic importance for our
people," P.Hayrikian concluded.

UNITED JAVAKHETI DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE CONDEMNS THE HZOR HAYRENIK PARTY

Lragir.am, Armenia
Oct 25 2006

The Statement of United Javakheti Democratic Alliance

In answer to the statements of the deputy leader of the Hzor Hayrenik
Party Shirak Torosyan in the October 24 edition of the Iravunk
Newspaper, United Javakheti Democratic Alliance, realizing its
responsibility for the stability in Javakheti and the protection of
the national and civil rights of the Armenian population, considering
the dangerous situation in the region, condemns the efforts of several
marginal political sets and the criminal groups, which joined them,
to dissolve the alliance and stain its activities.

In Javakheti, which remained within independent Georgia after the
collapse of the Soviet Union, different forces emerged to defend the
political and civil rights of the Armenian population of Javakheti
but were unable to unite and direct the potential of the Armenians
of Javakheti at the urgent and effective settlement of the problems
of this region.

At the same time, certain people living in Armenia and pursuing their
personal goals in the political sphere of Armenia, who joined the
Hzor Hayrenik Party, have succeeded in manipulating the feelings of
the citizens of Armenia from Javakheti in their constant efforts to
enter the National Assembly.

United Javakheti condemns the efforts of these people, who are members
of the Hzor Hayrenik Party, to use Javakheti for their own interests
confined to Armenia. The fact that the deputy leader of the Hzor
Hayrenik Party, a certain "international expert" Shirak Torosyan has
usurped the post of the president of the Javakhk Union of Compatriots
is unacceptable from the point of view of the elementary rules of
political ethic. The alliance commends the wish of Javakhk Union of
Compatriots to assist in settling the problems of the Armenians of
Javakheti. Nevertheless, Javakhk Union of Compatriots cannot remain
a toy in the hands of the leadership of the Hzor Hayrenik Party,
suffering from political and ideological bancruptcy.

United Javakheti considers the efforts of the Hzor Hayrenik Party to
monopolize the right to act on behalf of the Armenians of Javakheti
as groundless and destructive.

United Javakheti Democratic Alliance condemns the politically dangerous
and intolerable efforts of the leadership of the Hzor Hayrenik
to interfere with the home political developments in Javakheti and
control them from Yerevan. The alliance warns that this political
party will be accountable for the possible destabilization of the
situation in the region.

United Javakheti Democratic Alliance condemns the efforts to denigrate
the alliance in the Armenian media. Using the unawareness of the public
in Armenia, primitive and condemnable efforts are made to distort the
reality. Unfortunately, the Hzor Hayrenik Party has again taken up an
underlying role in these processes. The local elections in Javakheti
on October 5 were marred by brazen cases of electoral fraud, and the
assertions of the Hzor Hayrenik Party about the "absolute victory"
of the "pro-Armenian forces" in the elections are a vivid example
of moral decay. (For instance, how can an election be considered as
democratic, if communities with 7000 voters and 100 voters send an
equal number of delegates to the "sakrebulo"?)

Over two years of its activities United Javakheti has displayed
resolve to defend the security and the civil rights of the Armenians
of Javakheti and has earned the trust of the population. "30 percent"
of United Javakheti despite the administrative resource used by
the government of the country and the immoral campaign conducted by
their local proxies, shows the real importance of United Javakheti
for the population.

United Javakheti Democratic Alliance is convinced that the Armenian
government will reconsider the decision on the arrest of Vahagn
Chakhalyan, a leader of the Alliance, provoked by certain marginal
forces and on an absurd charge.

OSKANIAN: NO GROUND FOR MEETING OF ARMENIAN AND AZERI PRESIDENTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.10.2006 13:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ There are no grounds for a meeting of the Armenian
and Azeri Presidents Kocharian and Aliyev, Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian
told RFE/RL. In his words, the question of the meeting of the two
Presidents will be decided only after the meeting with E. Mammadyarov
in Brussels November 14 and the regional visit of the co-chairs of
the OSCE MG.

Oskanian called the Prague meeting "normal and constructive." "I
cannot say that there are specific points of contact, but there is
an opportunity to make positions of the parties closer. There are
no final results yet, but this meeting was the continuation of the
Moscow one, where new ideas over the issues, over which the parties
had differences, were voiced," the Armenian FM said. He also reported
that those principles were discussed during his latest visit to Nagorno
Karabakh. "The Karabakh party is familiar with the documents on the
bargaining table. Of course it does not mean they agree with all its
items. We agree wit the principles, but the document is something
more than mere principles. We have differences over details in the
document and with the OSCE MG co-chairs," Oskanian added.

EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICANEWS RELEASE
1 AMERICAN AVENUE
YEREVAN, ARMENIA
TELEPHONE (+374 10) 464700
FAX (+374 10) 464742
E-MAIL: [email protected]

October 24, 2006
Yerevan State University Presents Armenian Translation of Public
Administration Book as Part of U.S. Government Program
On October 23, 2006 Yerevan State University (YSU) presented an Armenian
translation of Robert Denhardt´s "Theories of Public Administration" book,
as well as a CD of 1,500 pages of Armenian-language resources on Public
Administration. This was one of the results of a three-year Educational
Partnership Program between Arizona State University (ASU) and Yerevan State
University funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the
U.S. Department of State.
The program, entitled "Refashioning the Social Sciences and Practitioner
Training in Public Administration," facilitated the development of an M.A.
degree program in Public Administration at YSU, encouraged professional
training and curricular reform through reciprocal semester visits of ASU and
YSU faculty in the social sciences and Public Administration, and enriched
the dynamic new program in Armenian studies at ASU. As part of the program,
nine YSU professors developed approximately 30 new courses in Public
Administration during their intensive study and collaboration at ASU. In
addition, ASU faculty members traveled to YSU to teach courses and work on
resource development with their local partners. At present, 20 students are
enrolled in the M.A. program in Public Administration, and they expect to
graduate in May of 2006. Emphasizing the success of the Arizona State
University-Yerevan State University partnership, YSU representatives stated
that they hoped to expand the program to the undergraduate level.

PRESS RELEASE
THE ARMENIAN TECHNOLOGY GROUP
1300 E. Shaw Ave, Suite 149
P.O.Box 5969
Fresno, CA 93755-5969
Tel: 559-224-1000
Fax: 559-224-1002
Email: [email protected]

ATG Seed Farmer Honored with Gold Medal

Yerevan, Armenia – At the second Armenian International AgroForum
Conference that took place in Yerevan, Armenia on September 22-23,
2006, Hovhanness Galoyan, an ATG farmer from Karnut village, near
Gyumri in Shirak Marz, was recognized by the Government of Armenia for
his exceptional achievement in the seed industry, and awarded him a
Gold Medal.

This is the second time in two years that the Armenian Government is
honoring the California based Armenian Technology Group (ATG) a Gold
Medal for its accomplishments in the rural agricultural development in
Armenia.

While awarding the medal, the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Davit
Lokyan praised the work done by Galoyan and declaring that "this year
the average wheat yields were very low in Armenia (1.5-2.5 MT per
hectares)…. Galoyan harvested 6-6.5 MT per ha!"

A farmer working under the directives of the ATG, Galoyan has mastered
the production of high quality certified wheat seed in Armenia. He is
a member of the Seed Producers Support Association (SPSA) founded by
ATG in 1998. The association has 47 members who are specialized in
production of certified high quality wheat, alfalfa, corn and barley
seeds that are appropriate for different growing zones in Armenia.
This award is the result of a long and dedicated efforts of long term
US based ATG technical farm advisors such as Roger Culver, and Roger
Benton who lived and worked with the farmers in Armenia for over 12
years.

" I am so pleased that our farmers are getting some recognition! They
are the backbone of Armenia’s rural economy," said Roger Benton,
retired UC Extension Agent and a long time ATG technical advisor and
previous in-county director from his home in California. "ATG farmers
worked so hard to help feed the nation and their families. I remember
particularly when our seed growers literally saved thousands of people
from possible starvation and famine, by supplying clean and treated
seed to over 12,000 farmers to plant their winter wheat in 2000. May
God Bless them all!"

"ATG supplied the best of Western wheat growing knowledge together
with an initial variety of high quality wheat seed to the farmers of
Armenia", said Nubar Tashjian, President of ATG. "To the credit of the
Armenian farmers, they readily adopted the Western methods together
with the wheat seed and the benefits realized are history. Those
farmers adopting ATG supplied seed and methodology improved wheat
production many times over greatly benefiting Armenia. I commend the
Armenian farmer for his industry and intelligence. I congratulate
Mr. Galoyan for his achievement, a medal well deserved ".

The ATG Seed Multiplication Project has been funded through USDA
Foreign Agricultural Service – Food for Progress. Other major sponsors
are the Lincy Foundation, The Bertha and John Garabedian Charitable
Foundation, PACC and other organizations and individuals in the United
States.

ATG is a California based non-profit, public benefit corporation with
offices in Fresno, Yerevan and Stepanakerd, NK. The organization can
be reached at 559-224-1000. Tax deductible donations could be mailed
to ATG 1300 E. Shaw Ave. Suite 131; P. O. Box 5969, Fresno, CA
93755. You can also visit the ATG web site at and
donate on line.

Rural Armenia News Service

Brought to you by ATG, Inc.
(Armenian Technology Group)

For more information about how you can help rural Armenia,
contact ATG at [email protected]

If you no longer want to receive news articles from RuralArmenia,
please notify us at [email protected]

TEHRAN OFFERS MEDIATION IN RUSSIAN-GEORGIAN STANDOFF

Armenpress
Oct 23 2006

TEHRAN, OCTOBER 23, ARMENPRESS: Iran’s foreign minister Manouchehr
Mottaki said October 22 his government was ready to help Russia and
Georgia to defuse tensions, IRNA news agency reported.

"If the two sides consider Iran’s mediation necessary, Tehran will
agree to step in and solve the issue to strengthen regional ties,"
Manouchehr Mottaki said after talks with visiting Georgian counterpart
Gela Bezhuashvili in Tehran.

In a related development a survey conducted by a Georgian newspaper,
Kviris Palitra, found that the majority of Georgians pin their hopes
on the US expecting it to press Russia to end its sanctions against
Tbilisi. The question asked by the newspaper ran, "Which country to
do you expect to show active efforts to help diffuse the standoff
with Russia."

The majority of respondents, some 72 percent, said they pinned
their hopes on the USA and 17 percent believed Ukraine could play a
role. Ukraine was followed by the Baltic states, Germany, Azerbaijan,
Turkey, Great Britain and China.

The last in the list of nations able to help Georgia and Russia end
their confrontation was Armenia.