Author: Nahapetian Lilit

Russia-Turkey Relations Became Normal and Friendly

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.06.2006 15:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia-Turkey relations have become normal and
friendly, Senior Research Fellow of the Institute of World Economy and
International Relations Victor Nadein-Rayevsky stated in an interview
with a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, when answering a question on coming
visit of Turkish President Ahmet Sezer to Moscow. He reminded that 90%
of Turkish export goes to Russia. "Turkish economy has strengthened a
bit during past 2-3 years. As of discussion of international problems,
these are discussed at any meeting of that level. Russia cannot play
any role in EU-Turkey relations, as the issue of Russia’s accession
to the EU is not on the agenda. As of regional conflicts, of course
these will be subject to discussion between Putin and Sezer," the
Russian scholar believes.

"I DON’T REMEMBER WHAT I HAVE DONE"
Anna Israelian

Aravot.am
23 June 06

The advocate Ashot Sargsian who is the representative of the assign
of the former circuit power director of Arzni Ashot Mkhitarian doesn’t
believe in the former mayor of New Hachn Armen Keshishian’s affirmation
The former mayor of New Hachn refused of his pre-investigating
testimonies about the murder in the court. What is the defendant’s
strategy?

Refusing of his testimonies was as strange for me as it was for his
defender. When Armen Keshishian declared that he was refusing of
pre-investigating testimonies, his defender asked Â"I was present
in all your testimonies from what testimonies do you refuse?Â" It
is obvious for me that it was the result of arrangement between
the defendant and defender, which is natural. The point is that
Armen Keshishian has described in the first two testimonies all
his actions, how he shot, how policemen captured him, how he shot
the remained cartridges to the air. Then when the defender began
giving advices Armen Keshishian began losing his memory and he didn’t
remember anything in his other testimonies about the murder. He was
trying to assure the judge the same on of these days. It is proved
by Armen Keshishian detailed description that he was sober, without
any emotion. But now they have changed their strategy and they try to
assure the court that the murder was committed at the emotional moment.

In this way they try to avoid of punishment.

Another direction of testimonies of the former mayor of New Hachn is
that as if Ashot Mkhitarian himself provoked his murder as there was
a case when he threatened him by the gun, punched him and cursed him
in the presence of his parents, sister and children.

I didn’t understand during my interrogation whether Armen Keshishian
was Ashot Mkhitarian’s friend or wasn’t. It is written even in the
accusation conclusion that they were friends since childhood but
the hostility started in 2004 after the NA additional elections
when Mkhitarian hadn’t done the agreement about defending their
candidate. But according to Armen Keshishian’s testimony they have
never been close friends. He had to make friends with him as he was
like a prisoner. I don’t understand it.

An investigating examination will be made on 26 of June by your
interference. Which is the aim?

The aim is the following; in my deep assurance it happened in this way;
illegal construction was simply an occasion for Armen Keshishian for
managing to commit Ashot Mkhitarian’s murder in the most profitable
way. Being a jurist and understanding very well the difference between
104 and 105 articles of the criminal code formed a situation during
of which Ashot Mkhitarian had done illegal actions, offended and
cursed him after which he found himself in an emotional situation
and committed the murder. And when Armen Keshishian understood that
he wouldn’t manage to be re-elected as the mayor of New Hachn being
in Ashot Mkhitarian’s opposite field decided to kill him. The final
decision he made on 23 of September, the day before murder. And
he mentioned about it in his testimony; when he learned that Ashot
Mkhitarian had cursed him he said his father; Â"He will answer for it
after week-endÂ". He went to the constr uction on Saturday when the
workers finished their work, suddenly he started to shout at them and
Ashot Mkhitarian came listening it. The latter asked ‘have you come
with the police?", then Armen Keshishian shot at Ashot Mkhitarian at
once. If he didn’t have any intention for murder he would shoot at
the air but he aimed at his heart.

–Boundary_(ID_yXSyx7dp5E2l8bAGkLcPEw)–

It’s time for Georgian authorities to listen to the demands of Javakhk
Armenians

ArmRadio.am
24.06.2006 13:55

Issues concerning Javakhk Armenians, particularly questions related
to reinforcement of political stability, defense of human rights and
improvement of socio-economic conditions, provision of the right to
use the Armenian language equally with the Georgian continue to remain
in the focus of non-governmental and other organizations. The-above
mentioned questions will be addressed today at the sitting of the NGO
of the "United Javakhk" democratic alliance," President of the "Sports
and Cultural Union of Javakhk" Vahagn Chakhalyan said in his interview
with "Radiolur" correspondent. Representatives of Armenian communities
of Akhalkalak, Aspindza, Akhaltskha, Ninotsminda and Tsalka regions are
participating in the conference. The Georgian authorities have already
developed concrete programs regarding some of the above-mentioned
questions. For instance, recently the Georgian Government provided
about US$700 thousand to Georgian citizens – victims of natural
disasters – to move to Javakhk. These 220 families will be settled in
Tsalka, Akhalkalak and Ninotsminda regions. In the opinion of Javakhk
Armenians, these are not Georgians, as it is officially presented,
but Svans, who months ago became a reason of an interethnic clash.
The Georgian side explains this with the fact that the houses in the
Javakhk are cheaper, but Javakhk Armenians consider this a policy of
gradually changing the demographic composition of the population.

"The right of using Armenian equally with the Georgia is also among
the primary concerns of Javakhk Armenian. We do not say the Georgian
is not necessary, we just say the Georgian language should not replace
the Armenian," Vahagn Chakhalyan said.

TREND, Azerbaijan
June 23 2006

Armenian MP of Georgia fond of Azeri music

Source: Trend
Author: N.Kirtskhalia

23.06.2006

Vice Speaker of the Georgian parliament banned MPs to hear the music in
mobile telephones. He took away a mobile hand-set of MP Koba Pkhakadze,
who gave his phone to Armenian MP of the Georgian parliament, Vano
Bayburt, to hear Azerbaijani music.

Bayburt said that he was fond of Azerbaijani music and hears in a
loud tone. It excited protest by the Vice Speaker of the Georgian
parliament, Mikhael Machavariani.

The latter made notes and take out telephone from Pkhakadze.

PRESENT ORDER OF GIVING RA CITIZENSHIP TO REFUGEES TO FUNCTION TILL LATE THIS YEAR

YEREVAN, JUNE 23, NOYAN TAPAN. The present order of giving RA
citizenship to refugees displaced from Azerbaijan, according to
which a refugee gets RA citizen’s passport and is taken out of the
registration as a refugee, addressing to the passport department,
will function till the end of the year. As Ara Haroutiunian, the Chief
of the Department on Refugees Issues of the Migration Agency of the
RA Ministry of Territorial Administration informed the Noyan Tapan
correspondent, refugees will be given RA citizenship from 2007 on a
universal basis. Thus, they must address to the passport department,
after what their documents will be presented to the President’s staff,
and the President will make the final decision. A.Haroutiunian informed
that more than 75 thousand refugees from 311 thousand ones have been
given RA citizenship by now, among them 2513 people in 2005, about
400 during 4 months of the current year.

According to him, most part of refugees is of the false opinion
that adopting citizenship they will lose a number of privileges,
including the one of getting a flat." Whereas, according to the RA law
"On Refugees’ Social-Economic and Legal Guarantees," they do not lose
those privileges.

PRAVDA< Russia
June 23 2006

Ex-Soviet nations meet in Belarus to discuss defence and economic
cooperation

Leaders of Russia, Belarus and four Central Asian nations –
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan – sat down for a
summit of their Eurasian Economic Community in the Belarusian
capital, focusing on plans to form a customs union.

Opening the talks, Belarus’ authoritarian president, Alexander
Lukashenko, also said they would discuss ways to coordinate
strategies for joining the World Trade Organization.

Talks on forming a customs union were also moving slowly, he said,
and the pact’s members so far had agreed on just over half of all
customs tariffs. "The process isn’t advancing as quickly as we would
like it to happen," Lukashenko said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who took over from Lukashenko on
Friday as the chairman of the group, tried to sound optimistic,
saying that "we are paying a close attention to forming the customs
union and have an intention to form it quickly."

Numerous previous attempts by the ex-Soviet nations to form a customs
union and coordinate their economic policies have failed because of
sharp differences in size and level of development of their
economies, as well as fears of Russian domination.

The same six leaders and Armenia’s president planned later Friday to
take part in a summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organization,
according to the AP.

Lukashenko, dubbed "Europe’s last dictator" by the United States and
other Western nations for his relentless crackdown on dissent, has
repeatedly accused the West of harboring aggressive intentions and
sought to build closer economic and military ties with Russia and
other ex-Soviet nations.

MURDER IN YEREVAN IN DAY LIGHT

Panorama.am
16:40 22/06/06

At 14.47 today Yerevan police duty department received an emergency
call saying that shootings are heard near 29 Sebastia street. The
operative group which reached the place of incident has discovered the
body of Sedrak Zatikyan killed in gun shot. Sedrak Zatikyan was the son
of freedom fighter Vahan Zatikyan and was a member of elders in Malatia
Sebastia community. The gun shootings also killed a passer-by – Karine
Sargsyan. A criminal case is instituted on the incident.

THE "KAISER" AND GERMANY 2006 ARE MAKING FRIENDS!
By Appo K. Jabarian
Executive Publisher/Managing Editor

USA Armenian Life Magazine
Hye Kiank Armenian Weekly
June 16-23, 2006

I would have loved being in Germany starting this June 9. Alas! That
didn’t happen. But the next best thing that happened when Jochen
Scherr, my German friend , invited me to the Goethe Institute,
a German cultural center in Los Angeles.

On Friday morning, several dozens of expatriate Germans gathered at
the center to see the opening ceremonies of the long-awaited "Germany
2006" international soccer extravaganza. Opening they saw. We all
saw. The very first match of the tournament pitted the host nation
Germany and Costa Rica. Germany won 4-2.

32 nations converged on German soil to compete through July 9 for
the Federation International de Football Association 2006 World Cup.

According to several sources, the worldwide audience watching this
18th FIFA World Cup, organized by Germany, is estimated to be at over
2 billion soccer fans. The 32 qualified nations are among the 205
nations that have competed during a period of nearly two years for a
spot in the World Cup. 205 nations were divided into six continental
football (soccer) conferences as follows:

– Asian Football Confederation "AFC" with 45 national teams. Qualified
national teams are: Iran, Australia, Japan, Korea, Saudi Arabia;

– Conference of African Federations "CAF" with 52 national
teams. Qualified national teams are: Ivory Coast, Angola, Ghana,
Togo, Tunisia;

– Central and North American Confederation "CONCACAF" with 35 national
teams. Qualified national teams are: Costa Rica, Trinidad, Mexico, USA;

– South America Confederation "CONMEBOL" with 10 national
teams. Qualified national teams are: Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador,
Paraguay;

– Oceania Football Confederation "OFC" with 11 national
teams. Qualified national teams are: none;

– Union of European Football Associations "UEFA" with 52 national
teams.

Qualified national teams are: Germany, Poland, England, Sweden,
Yugoslavia, Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, Czech Republic, Croatia,
France, Switzerland, Spain, Ukraine.

Armenians and friends may ask: "Where is Armenia?" Armenia couldn’t
qualify.

Armenia is a part of the Union of European Football
Associations. According to FIFA World Ranking, she ranks 44th among the
52 European national teams, and 109th among the world 205 teams. That’s
not bad for a country with a population of less than 4 million that
re-emerged as an independent state only 15 years ago. If it’s any
consolation, let’s look at China with a population of over 1.2 billion,
and India with nearly 1 billion. But no, Armenians would only compare
themselves, and compete with the top world soccer powerhouses such
as Germany, Italy, England, France, Spain, Brazil, etc.

The next question that may be asked: "Is Armenia represented?"

Of course! The valiant team of Iran (despite its tragic loss against
Mexico 1-3) has an Armenian player on its team. His name is Andranik
Teymourian. He wears jersey no. 14. Teymourian represents his country
of birth Iran, and his country of ethnic origin Armenia with flying
color. During the game against Mexico, Teymourian was the Iranian
player who was targeted the most to be subjected to fouls by several
Mexican players.

How about Alecko Eskandarian? Alecko is the American Major League
Soccer’s top scorer. Had he not been subjected to head injury nearly
a year ago he would have surely been qualified to be on team USA. Now
he has recovered and continues to out-perform his competitors. He
has a lot going for him. He is young, energetic, and currently the
top scorer of MLS. Many soccer experts think that his time will come
and he will represent USA with elan.

How else is Armenia represented at this World Cup? Armenia,
Armenians and friends around the world solemnly remember that
several countries out of 32 qualified, have recognized the Armenian
Genocide, and represent Armenians in a much more valuable arena:
political righteousness and morality. Germany, along with USA,
France, Argentina, Poland, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands,
has officially recognized the genocide at the hands of Turkey.

Armenians and friends also remember when Greece and France officially
recognized the genocide respectively in 1996, and 1998, both received
the blessings of the one and one half million martyred saints. France
became the gracious host of the spectacular 16th FIFA World Cup
tournament in 1998. A blessing that was well earned. An added blessing:
France became the world champion.

Speaking of Greece, the underdog Greeks astonished the world audience
and became great Greeks, the champion of Europe in 2004.

And now, Armenia, Armenians and friends around the world continue
to remember with gratitude that Germany has not only recognized the
genocide but also legislated a law against the denial of the Armenian
genocide. It is in the spirit of political courage and integrity
that Germany is putting to good use this World Cup’s official slogan
"A time to make friends".

Franz Beckenbauer, Germany’s most popular soccer player, coach and
manager ever, known as the "Kaiser", was one of the architects of
then West Germany’s victory in 1974 World Cup. The "Kaiser" is now
the President of the Organizing Committee Germany 2006 FIFA World
Cup. He wrote in the February/March 2006 issue: "… in Leipzig, a
city that in 1974, when DFB hosted a World Cup for the first time,
belonged to the GDR in a divided Germany, but has since become
one of the unmistakable symbols of the peaceful transformation
of the political situation both in Germany and Europe. … We do
not want to attach excessive ideological significance to the 2006
World Cup in Germany. Nonetheless, I consider it one indicator
of how different cultures have come together in recent years in a
Europe with many states. At the beginning of the 21st century, 82
million people … live together peacefully in Germany. And here,
following reunification in 1990, millions of people who were moulded
and divided by two different political systems have joined together
in an open society."

Kermania (Germany) of Central Europe is civilized, blessed, vibrant
and reunified. Can Ermania of the Caucasus and of the Armenian
Highlands in Western Ermania (Armenia) emulate their Kerman "Kaiser"
cousins? It’s not a question of "if" but "when!" So, can we all start
working toward securing Armenia’s participation in South Africa 2010
FIFA World Cup? Next, can we jointly endeavor for the Armenia 2030
FIFA World Cup possibly in a reunified homeland?

PRESS RELEASE
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
Contact: Information Desk
Tel: (374-10) 52-35-31
Email: [email protected]
Web:

Minister Oskanian Addresses Inaugural Session of UN Human Rights
Council, in Geneva

Minister Oskanian attended and addressed the first session of the
newly-formed UN Human Rights Council. The opening ceremony on Monday
was attended by UN SG Kofi Annan as well as High Commissioner for
Human Rights, Louise Arbour.

In his statement, on Wednesday, June 21, Armenia¹s Minister
congratulated the Council on its inaugural meeting and wished the
Council well in its mandate to place the third pillar of the UN ­
human rights ­ on a par with the other two ­ peace and security,
and development.

The Minister said, ³Globalization and the electronic media enhance our
knowledge and increase our liability. It is as easy to look into our
neighbor¹s living room as our own. To hear the screams next door and
do nothing will be as difficult as ignoring uproar at home. We are now
the first generation who simply cannot afford to do so. And ironically,
we are the first generation that is able to afford to systematically,
fundamentally address the problems ­ and even the crises. We can muster
the time, skills and resources to construct a new pro-active, daring,
spirited international system that not only has the moral authority
but also the tenacity to protect the powerless.²

The Minister addressed the linkage between human rights and
development. He said, ³I know that it is only when the preconditions
for a full and free life of dignity are in place, only then are markets
powerful engines of development, only then is critical infrastructure
sustainable, and only then do individuals stand up to demand and
protect individual and collective human rights.

He continued, ³In Armenia, we are tackling this greatest challenge
through a public-private partnership that will engage the government of
Armenia, Armenia¹s business community, the international community and
individual countries, as well as our generous Diaspora, to embark on
eradicating rural poverty through a comprehensive, integrated approach.
Our intent is to meet the Millennium Development Goals, and to replace
hopelessness and desperation with a sense of self-worth and security.²

In speaking about Armenia¹s neighbors and regional security, Minister
Oskanian noted that ³Armenia has and continues to promote stronger
international mechanisms to prevent and eradicate the crime of
genocide, and all of its precursors ­ including efforts, too often
successful, at not just cleansing a region of its indigenous people,
but also erasing their memory. Armenians have survived and gone on to
live through each of these attempts. Even today, in the 21st century,
we have watched helplessly as the spiritual and cultural markers of
our people are decimated.²

He went on to refer to the destruction of the Jugha Cemetery
in Nakhichevan, Azerbaijan. ³This violation of the memory and
spirit of centuries of Armenian existence on lands which are today
Azerbaijan¹s is cynical and dangerous. These huge, exquisite, unique
stone crosses which were both sculpture and tombstone are now gone ­
2,000 of these medieval markers were destroyed just a few months ago.
The gravemarkers are gone, and Armenian and international fears that
Azerbaijan¹s authorities might in fact not be serious about peace
have been reinforced. After all, their organized, violent, armed
response to peaceful calls for self-determination two decades ago,
was the first attempt at ethnic cleansing in the soviet space and
ignited the conflict which remains unsettled today. This most recent
manifestation of organized violence, in a place where no Armenians
live today, and far from the Nagorno Karabakh conflict area, tells
us that neither Azerbaijan¹s methods nor its intent has changed. Such
unambivalent, callous demolition of culture and history also destroys
trust and peace.²

In speaking about the present state of negotiations with Azerbaijan
on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the Armenian
Foreign Minister said, ³If Azerbaijan¹s one step forward, one step
back approach in the negotiations was simply alarming, their recent,
desperate offers of autonomy are concrete examples of a retreat
from the letter and spirit of these talks, and clearly not in sync
with international trends. Offering autonomy to a people who have
for nearly two decades been in control of their lives on their own
historic lands is at the very least, self-deception.²

–Boundary_(ID_j1u2Uv3wKJqS rlZQc4W+qA)–

MANAGING DIRECTOR OF ICF RODRIGO DE RATO: ARMENIA MOVES FORWARD BY CONFIDENT STEPS IN RIGHT DIRECTION

Yerevan, June 19. ArmInfo. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan has
met with Rodrigo de Rato, the Managing Director of the International
Currency Fund.

During the meeting, Andranik Margaryan highly appreciated the level of
RA cooperation with ICF and the World Bank just after the Armenia’s
gaining independence. The reforms in a number of spheres, carried
out by these organizations, allowed to achieve sufficient results in
economy and to fix a progress, to start implementation of the strategic
program for poverty-fight, to fix an economic growth, etc. A. Margaryan
called RA joining the World Trade Organization in 2003 one of the
examples of such a cooperation, which became a serious stimulus for
activation of trade relations and attraction of foreign investments.

According to Margaryan, a sufficient growth of export volume has been
already fixed in 2005 as a result of successive increase of export,
compared to the previous years. Moreover, as a result of cooperation
with international organizations, Armenia is recognized a country with
average level of income per head, according to the WB’s classification,
and it took the 27th place in 2005 among 157 countries of the world
on liberalization of economy and is recognized a "free country, in
general". A. Margaryan noted the significance of ICF assistance to
the policy of inflation mitigation, carried out by the RA Central Bank.

In his turn, Rodrigo de Rato assured A. Margaryan that the annual
meeting of ICF and WB representatives, being held these days in
Yerevan, is conducted efficiently and in a constructive situation. He
also positively evaluated the results of Armenia-ICF cooperation for
the past years, the level of economic growth in Armenia, reduction
of the foreign debt volume and decrease of the poverty level in the
country. According to him, Armenia moves forward wit confident steps
in aright direction. He also highly appreciated the level of economic
reforms, implemented in Armenia. The meeting participants noted the
importance of such meetings for both the assessment of the work done
and for specification of the following steps.