Author: Navasardian Karapet

British envoy says constitutional reform to ensure democracy in Armenia

Arminfo
2 Sep 05

Yerevan, 2 September: If the constitutional changes are approved
in the November referendum, it will ensure Armenia’s democratic
development, the British ambassador to Armenia, Thorda Abbott-Watt,
has told Arminfo.

“It is vital for Armenian citizens to realize this and participate
actively in the referendum,” the ambassador said. Commenting on
heated debates at extraordinary sessions of parliament about the draft
amendments and the opposition’s negative assessment of the document,
Abbott-Watt said the opposition’s presence at the extraordinary
sessions was a positive move.

Predicting the outcome of the upcoming referendum, the ambassador
expressed the hope that Armenia had learnt a lesson from the
bitter experience of the 2003 election and that the referendum on
constitutional changes would go without falsifications.

“The electoral institutions need to be improved, a lot needs to be
changed and we shall follow the process closely,” the ambassador said.

RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE – PRECONDITION OF TURKEY ACCESSION TO EU

Pan Armenian News
01.09.2005 05:33

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The “April 24” Committee of the Federation of
Armenian Organizations of the Netherlands submitted a petition on the
need of inclusion of recognition of the Armenian Genocide and opening
of the Armenian-Turkish border into the preconditions of Turkey’s
accession to the EU to Chairman of the Standing Commission for
European Affairs of the Parliament of the Netherlands Van Heteren –
otherwise the standard of good neighborly relations will not serve
its purpose. Virtually all parliamentary factions were present at
the handing of the petition. Dutch FM Bott has raised the issue many
times, however the standard was not included in the framework document
of talks on Turkey’s accession to the EU. The “April 24” Committee
petition notes the need to include the issue of recognition of the
Armenian Genocide by Turkey in the framework document. The petition
also notes that Turkey keeps denying the Armenian Genocide not only
inside the country, but also in Europe countries. The Committee
document also notes that good neighborly relations between countries
are part of the Copenhagen standard, thereupon Turkey has to open
borders with Armenia before the start of the talks on accession to the
EU, which will be followed by establishment of diplomatic relations
with Armenia. If this is not the case before the beginning of the
talks, these issues should be included in the framework document,
reported the Press Service of the Armenian MFA.

Meetings in Washington and New York

National Assembly of RA (press release), Armenia
Aug 30 2005

RA NA President Artur Baghdasaryan will be in USA on an official
visit from August 31 till September 9 to participate at the World
Summit of the parliaments’ presidents and meet representatives of
USA legislative and executive authorities.

The sponsor of the Washington visit is USA State Secretariat. During
the visit numerous meetings on USA Congress, State Secretariat and
White House are envisaged. At the Center for Strategic International
Studies Artur Baghdasaryan will meet with American experts.

In Washington meetings with US Congress President, Dobriansky, D.Fried
US Deputy Assistants Secretary of State, Director of Europe and Asia
Office, Director of Democratic Programs, G. Fox, Director, Office
of Caucasus and Central Asian Affairs, heads and representatives of
US Republican and Democratic parties , congressmen and senators will
be held.

In New York NA President Artur Baghdasaryan will take part at the
World Summit of Parliament Presidents, official meetings with the
Parliament Presidents and representatives of international structures
are also envisaged.

During the visit other meetings will also take place, including the
Armenian community, talks with American media are envisaged.

NOT THE PRESENT, BUT THE SUM IS IMPORTANT

A1+

| 20:11:57 | 29-08-2005 | Politics |

“In Germany an official or a journalist must not receive presents of
more than 30 Euros from the same person for a year”, said expert of
political PR Rolf Steltemeiter. If the sum of the presents surpasses
30 Euros, the one who gave them will have problems with the tax
services. By the way, in this case the type of the presents does not
matter as even the flowers are included in the sum.

Rolf Steltemeiter, the ex-speaker of the Democratic Part in the
Bundestag, represented his experience of organizing election campaigns
and working with the journalists to the representatives of Armenia and
Georgia in Tsakhkadzor. The international seminar “Ways of working with
Mass Media” was organized by the German fund after Fridriech Naumann.

Mr. Steltemeiter told how they organized dinners for the journalists
twice a week. “It is almost electoral bribery”, mentioned some
people. The Georgian PR experts noted that they are not allowed
to accept even a pen as a present. In Armenia there are no such
restrictions for the journalists by the law, but it is not acceptable
here to, at least theoretically.

The German expert also referred to the image behavior of the Tran
Caucasian political bodies. “There are several Caucasian political
bodies whom I would not like to meet in the street when it is dark”,
he said hinting at their gloomy appearance.

Russian, Belarusian presidents hail economic bloc agreement

NTV Mir, Moscow
27 Aug 05

[Presenter] The stands are full, the horses are at the start line. The
bets have already been placed. The races are beginning in Kazan. The
main race is for the Russian president’s cup and a prize of R5m. Our
special correspondent Sergey Savin joins us live to tell us what is
happening at the racecourse in the capital of Tatarstan and the
results of the meeting of participants in the Single Economic Space
[SES]. [Passage omitted]

How did today’s meeting of the leaders of Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus
and Ukraine, the states that are involved in the Single Economic
Space, go? What did the presidents agree on?

[Correspondent] Yes, Aleksey. Before lunch the meeting of the four
leaders, or as they are calling it in Kazan “summit no 2”, took
place. This involved the countries in the Single Economic Space:
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Russia.

Talk of the mutual benefits from creating the SES began two years ago
and since then work has been fully under way. The presidents described
today’s meeting as extremely constructive. The countries have agreed
that Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan will sign 29 documents in December
and after 1 January 2005 [as received – ITAR-TASS reports the
documents are to be signed by 1 March 2006] another 15 documents will
be signed. Even Ukraine, which is currently noticeably lagging behind
in the integration process, expressed its willingness to take part in
agreeing and preparing the documents.

Here is what the presidents said:

[Russian President Vladimir Putin] We are working on the basis that
the documents that we have drawn up will come into force as sets of 29
and 44 [documents]. This means that each partner must determine for
itself whether these are beneficial for them or not from an economic
point of view.

Therefore, I am in full agreement with Viktor Andriyovych [Yushchenko,
Ukrainian president] that if society or the parliament in any of our
countries has any kind of doubts, then it is best not to rush. It is
better to carefully consider and weigh up all the pros and cons and
only after this take a decision. Anything other than that will be
perceived as something imposed from the outside, which is always
counterproductive.

On the other hand, if we work towards signing 44 agreements by March
next year, everything will be properly worked out and the market
players and the populations of our countries will see that this will
bring benefits, then this is a different situation.

[Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka] We weren’t able to
suspect that literally two years later the idea of a Single Economic
Space would turn out to be so popular. The policies and the agreements
and documents, which we then began to work on, are today needed as
never before because without them we cannot develop our economies at
such speeds and supply the growth in the trade turnover.

[Correspondent] High-level politics is gradually starting to move out
of the limelight on the stage of events in Kazan. The heads of state
have only official bilateral meetings left. Of these it is perhaps
worth mentioning the meeting of the presidents of Azerbaijan and
Armenia. They are planning to discuss the settlement of the situation
in Nagornyy Karabakh.

INTRODUCTION OF RIGHT OF JUDICIAL PRECEDENT IS INEVITABLE IN ARMENIA,
CHAIRMAN OF RA COURT OF CASSATION SURE

YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The discussion promoted at the August
25 meeting of heads of the justice and judicial systems of Armenia
with Tigran Tevrizian, a US retired federal judge of Armenian origin
was dedicated to possibilities of usage of the right of judicial
precedent in Armenia. Hovhannes Manukian, the Chairman of the RA Court
of Cassation mentioned that an approach process of two legal systems,
continental and Anglo-Saxon, is going on in the world. According to
his estimation, usage of particularly, the right of judicial precedent
developed in the American judicial system is unavoidable in the
nearest future, in Armenia which is on the eve of the second stage of
the judicial-legal reforms. H.Manukian mentioned that conditioned by
the implementation of the consitutional reforms, some objective
necessity also arose to change the system. According to him, it is
envisaged, based on the constitutional reforms, to review the laws “On
Judge’s Status,” “On Forming Court” and “On Justice Council”
foundamentally.

LEARN ABOUT TURKISH-ARMENIAN RECONCILIATION AT NAASR

Belmont Citizen Herald, MA
Aug 25 2005

Dr. Moorad Mooradian of Yerevan State University in Armenia
will present “A New Look at TARC (Turkish-Armenian Reconciliation
Commission)” in a free lecture at the Center and Headquarters of the
National Association for Armenian Studies and Research, 395 Concord
Ave. in Belmont on Thursday, Sept. 8 at 8 p.m.

On Saturday, Sept. 10, Mooradian will offer an all-day seminar
at NAASR entitled “Hurting Stalemate or Mediation? The Conflict Over
Nagorno-Karabakh.”

Mooradian’s writings on Armenian political and historical issues
are widely read on a weekly basis in English-language Armenian
newspapers, and he is also the author of a new book on the
Turkish-Armenian Reconciliation Commission. His previous lectures at
NAASR have been to standing-room-only audiences.

One of the most contentious issues in the contemporary
historiography of Armenia and Turkey has been the Turkish-Armenian
Reconciliation Commission. In his new book, “A New Look at TARC,”
Mooradian has examined TARC in terms of conflict resolution theory.
He will offer his evaluation of TARC’s stated goals, its performance,
the quality and competence of its members as reconcilers, and the
course that it has traveled. It is Mooradian’s view that TARC violated
basic conflict resolution theory and practice, and thus was destined
to be minimally, if at all, successful.

Mooradian received a Ph.D. from the Institute for Conflict
Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University after a 25-year
career in the United States Army, from which he retired as a colonel.
He was professor of history and international relations at the U.S.
Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.

Mooradian helped establish a Conflict Studies Curriculum at
Yerevan State University, which now awards both undergraduate and
graduate degrees. He has been teaching at Yerevan State since 1995
as a visiting professor and has developed a Long Distance Learning
Center there so that students may receive instruction from the U.S.
as well as Yerevan. He has also served as an unofficial advisor to
the Minister of Foreign Affairs and has been a Fulbright Scholar to
Armenia. Mooradian is a former member of NAASR’s Board of Directors.

Copies of “A New Look at TARC” will be on sale in the NAASR bookstore
and Mooradian will be available to autograph copies. The event is
open to the public at no charge (donations accepted at the door).

Capitalizing on Mooradian’s presence in the Boston area, NAASR
will feature him in an all-day seminar on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 9
a.m. to 4 p.m., which will examine the various aspects of mediation,
its goals and various processes, in comparison with theory and with
what actually transpired in the Karabakh mediation efforts.

Pre-registration is recommended. Fees for the course will be $75
($60 for NAASR members; $35 for full-time students with current IDs).
Admission is open to all, but enrollment will be limited in order
to encourage active discussion and interaction. It is strongly urged
that participants register by Sept. 1.

For more information on Dr. Mooradian’s lecture or seminar or
about NAASR and its programs, call 617-489-1610, e-mail [email protected],
or write to NAASR, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA 02478.

HEAD OF UNION OF ARMENIANS OF RUSSIA TO PARTICIPATE IN PROCESS OF RELEASE OF RUSSIAN SAILORS ARRESTED IN NIGERIA

MOSCOW, AUGUST 24. ARMINFO.

Head of the Union of Armenians of Russia, UN Good Will Ambassador
Ara Abrahamyan will participate in the process of release of Russian
sailors arrested in Nigeria. According to Gazeta.ru, today Ara
Abrahamyan leaves for Nigeria on a special mission.

According to the source, it is expected that his personal ties and
the previous experience of dealing with African governments will help
achieving release of 11 Russian sailors from custody. The sailors
of African Pride vessel have been kept at an African prison for two
years already charged with contraband. On August 5 the Nigerian court
made a decision that the Russians can be released under pledge and
warranty of the Russian Embassy. The source does not rule out that
the tactics used when releasing the Armenian pilots from the prison
in Equatorial Guinea will be used.

The Armenian pilots working in that country on AH12 plane registered
in Armenia were imprisoned charged with attempted state coup and
espionage. Malabo Court sentenced the crew commander to 24 and
the pilots to 14 years of imprisonment. They were kept in the
prison one year and then were granted amnesty by the president of
that country. Before release of the pilots Ara Abrahamyan visited
Equatorial Guinea. According to some data, he was empowered by
the Armenian Government to undertake some social and economic and
financial commitments to that country. After the commitments were
fulfilled, the Armenian pilots were released. What was the cost of
their released remained unknown, Gazeta.ru writes.

ON THE EVE OF SCHOOL YEAR ARDSHININVESTBANK ORGANIZES FESTIVE ACTION AT “ZATIK” CHILDREN’s HOME

YEREVAN, AUGUST 23. ARMINFO. The staff of “Ardshininvestbank”
organized today a true holiday for 130 inmates of “Zatik” Children’s
Home (Yerevan) on the eve of a school year.

They presented clothes, shoes, stationery, as well as two computers.
Ardshininvestbank allotted more than 2 mln AMD for organizing the
action with gifts. Deputy Chairman of Board of Ardshininvestbank Sergey
Virabyan informed journalists that despite the fact that about 50
mln AMD is being allotted annually from their budget for both charity
and sponsorship, it is their first benevolent action intended exactly
for inmates. The bank also established scholarships for students of
some country’s universities. “Perhaps, such scholarships also will
be established for graduates of the Children’s Home entering to
universities”, Virabyan noted.

Director of “Zatik” Ashot Mnatsakanyan, in his turn, noted that
12 inmates submitted applications for entering universities and
specialized secondary educational institutions this year. He also
informed that they spend their summer holidays at Hankavan and Sevan
resorts every year. 1.900 AMD are allotted monthly from the state
budget for each inmate (higher by 600 AMD than in 2004). Mnatsakanyan
informed that “Karagezyan” Benevolent Foundation financed the repair
of corridors and water-pipe of the home in 2005.

To note, 990 children live in Armenia’s Children’s Homes and only
5% of them are orphans, 45% have one parent, and the rest 50% have
two parents.

42 IRANIAN ARMENIAN SCHOOLCHILDREN ARRIVE IN YEREVAN

TEHRAN, AUGUST 18, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. According to
the Armenian newapaper “Alik” (Tehran), on the initiative of the
Educational Council of Tehran’s Armenian Diocese and under the
patronage of Head of the Diocese Archbishop Sepuh Sargsian, 42
excellent third-formers from Armenian schools of Tehran arrived in
Yerevan on August 18. Their visit to Homeland will last until August
31. On the occasion of their trip to Armenia, the schoolchildren
attended on August 17 a religious service held in St Sargis Church of
Tehran. During the service, the Holy Father wished a good journey to
the children. He congratulated them both on their successful studies
and their trip to Armenia. He blessed the children, presenting a
prayer book to each of them. The service was brought to a close with
the Lord’s Prayer.