Author: Takmazian

VISHINSKY’S NAME-NO MORE
Haroutyun Gevorkyan

Hayoc Ashkharh
14 Sept 2007

Yesterday evening the National Assembly finished its four-day fall
session, summing up the results of the discussions on the appointment
of Prosecutor General for the term of 6 years. As a result of the
secret ballot, Aghvan Hovsepyan was appointed Prosecutor General,
having received 118 votes for and 3 votes against his candidacy. 125
people out of the total number of 131 MPs participated in the voting.

Appointed by the National Assembly for the first time after the
Constitutional Amendments, the Prosecutor General, who has twice
accepted this post by the President’s Decree, made the following
statement in his conclusive speech, "the election of the Prosecutor
by such a high percentage of votes is the best guarantee for working
independently. You carried out a historic mission today: for the
first time in its history, the Parliament of independent Armenia
elected the Prosecutor of General. All your speeches and questions
will serve for me as a guideline within the scope of performing my
functions as a Prosecutor."

Before the voting, the deputies spent the last day of the four-day
session addressing questions to Aghvan Hovsepyan.

In response to the questions of the deputies, including lawyers
and attorneys, who pointed out the imperfections of the judiciary,
the Prosecutor General informed that "No international structure
or human rights organization conducting studies in our country has
ever given conclusions with negative assessments on the activity of
our Prosecutor’s Office. In particular, they all made a positive
assessment on the adoption and application of the new law on the
Prosecutor’s Office.

It’s a great pity that in some people’s opinion our prosecutorial
system operates according to Vishinsky’s methods. This is offensive to
me and should have been offensive first of all for to the legislative
body. The representatives of the International Office of the Red Cross
visited us a week ago and expressed a great satisfaction with our
work. I announce it from this high tribunal, with all responsibility."

Touching upon the issue of the accomplishment of attorney services,
A. Hovsepyan mentioned, "Unfortunately, the functions of attorney
services are not sufficiently accomplished in our system. I really
want the Prosecutor to have worthy opponents in the court, capable of
protecting our citizens’ rights and interests to a full extent. But
when the attorney commits fraud in relation to his/her client and
swindles him/her out of money, we cannot avoid prosecuting this person
just because hi/she is an attorney."

A. Hovsepyan thoroughly introduced the scope of the competences
vested with the independent investigative body, with the purpose of
clarifying the current misunderstandings. "The press already publishes
misinformation as if this body is going to prepare the officials’
dossiers, collect information about them etc. Whereas, this particular
body will not have an operations-investigative function. Its staff
will not include inspectors and agents; no dossiers will be prepared.

Only interrogators will work there. Neither will the body be governed
by the Prosecutor General. This body will simply operate under the
Prosecutor’s direct control, the draft law about its functions being
in the process of elaboration and still subject to certain changes.

By the way, according to the requirements of the exisitng law, all
the criminal cases, regardless whether they are being investigated by
the National Security Service or the tax, customs or police system,
are also under prosecutorial control."

At the end, the Prosecutor General also answered the questions of
the journalists.

"Mr. Hovsepyan, are there new openings in connection with the murder
of the Prosecutor of Lori marz?"

"The investigative group continues its activities in Vanadzor.

Today I have signed a decree on conducting a service investigation. I
deem it necessary to underline that we presently have no appeal on
committing illegal actions against the witnesses. I have assigned
a service investigation only with the purpose of verifying the
information published in the press.

I would also like you to take into consideration the fact that there
are certain people and groups for whom the disclosure of the crime
is not advantageous."

"Would you clarify who prevents the murder of the Prosecutor of Lori
marz from being disclosed?"

"Simply, any effect has its counter-effect. Some people want to create
an impression as if the investigative group wants to interrogate
everybody in Vanadzor, and they catch people in the street with that
purpose. This is absolutely wrong. The interrogated are only those
people whose testimony is necessary."

AZERBAIJAN’S WAR-HELICOPTERS FLY TO MUROVDAGH

TREND
15.09.2007 14:24:10

Azerbaijan, Baku / Тrend corr I. Alizadeh, V. Mammadov / Between
10:00 – 11:00a.m. on 15 September, Azerbaijan’s 5 or 6 war-helicopters
implemented flights from Ganja city in the direction of Murovdagh
(chain of mountains in the west of Azerbaijan) occupied by Armenian
Armed Forces in March 1993.

According to the residents of the nearby villages, the helicopters
were flying to Azerbaijan’s military unit.

A spokesman for Azerbaijan Defence Ministry, Ilgar Verdiyev, neither
confirmed nor disproved the reports.

"The helicopters owned of the Azerbaijan Defence Ministry’s Air Forces
can implement flights over Azerbaijan. That are previously planned
trainings implemented within the framework of military trainings,"
he added.

On 14 September, Armenian Armed Forces were seen flying over
Azerbaijan’s occupied Aghdam region. The trainings being held all
day long involved heavy equipment, war-helicopters.

Verdiyev refused to comment whether the flights towards Murovdagh
implemented by Azerbaijani war-helicopters were a reply to the
Armenia’s trainings.

THIS YEAR’S TELETHON WILL RAISE FUNDS FOR MARTUNI

Lragir.am
14-09-2007 10:55:29

The next telethon of Armenia Foundation will be held in November to
raise funds for the reconstruction of the region of Martuni, said
Michel Tancrese, coordinator of Artsakh programs, to karabakh-open.com.

According to Mr. Tancrese, the program of the reconstruction of Martuni
will be identical to those of Martakert and Hadrut. The difference
is that the program of Martuni does not include gasifying and roads.

FOX NEWS: U.S. MAY ATTACK IRAN WITHIN 8-10 MONTHS

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.09.2007 12:20 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The military operation against Iran may start
within 8-10 months, Fox News reported citing a source in the Bush
administration. By that time, the names of the presidential contenders
will be known but there will remain enough time till the elections
scheduled for November 2008.

The Bush administration is calculating the expenses and discuss the
advantages of the operation.

The main plan supposes severe bombings during a week with a following
blow on Iran’s nuclear facilities, location of which is already known.

However, experts think that the operation will not completely destroy
Iran’s nuclear plans. Moreover, Iran may strike a counterblow on
Israel or the U.S. military bases on its territory.

Economic blockade of Iran may serve as alternative to war. However,
critics suppose that the blockade will rather strike at the population
than the regime.

The TV Channel reports that the discussion of bombing plans followed
Angela Merkel’s refusal to support any new UN sanctions against
Iran. Germany fears of the damages its economy might suffer. In short,
"diplomatic" attack on Iran is going out of breath failing to properly
suppress the Ahmadinejad administration and thus forcing U.S. to take
resolute action.

Other powers concerned in the issue preferred to neglect the recurrent
information escape. European politicians may play an old game: let
the U.S. undertake the "dirty work". If it succeeds European states
will garner economic profits. If not, their own relations with Iran
will not be damaged.

And last but not least. Iran itself did not react to the news
yet. Nevertheless, the leadership preferred to obtain new security
guarantees. ArmRosgazprom, the branch of Russia’s Gazprom, has
purchased the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline. Thus, being included in the
sphere of Russian energy interests is a more significant guarantee
than it can seem prima facie, Baku-based Echo newspaper reports.

ARMENIA DEFEATS MALTA 1:0

armradio.am
13.09.2007 10:42

Yesterday the Armenian national football team defeated the team of
Malta 1:0 in an away friendly match.

Arthur Voskanyan scored on the 26th minute of the match.

SIX YEARS AFTER 9/11 ATTACKS, NEVADANS LIVE WITH CHANGES
David Jacobs

Reno Gazette Journal, NV
Posted: 9/9/2007

Tuesday marks the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist
assaults on U.S. soil.

Those attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., and the crash of
United Airlines Flight 93 in Pennsylvania continue to affect lives
in many ways. From military deployments of loved ones overseas to
security lines at airports, there are daily reminders of 9/11.

Here are some recollections from some local residents as their
lives evolve.

Military family

Susan Fisher of Reno was getting ready to go to the National
Championship Air Races at Stead, when her daughter called. The date
was Sept. 11, 2001.

‘My daughter said, ‘Mom, turn on the TV.’ I said, ‘What channel? She
said, ‘Any channel!’"

About this time, Fisher’s son, Ben Miller, 18 at the time, walked
into the room.

"By this time, they (broadcasters) were speculating terrorists" were
involved. My son said, ‘Mom, are we going to go to war?’ I said, ‘Yeah,
I imagine we probably will. And he said, ‘I’m going to die, aren’t I?’"

Just about a month before the terror attacks, Miller had enlisted in
the Nevada National Guard.

"That scene replayed in my head every day when he was gone" to
Afghanistan, Fisher said.

"The timing of it all was pretty incredible."

Miller was in Afghanistan about a year.

During his deployment, Fisher led the fundraising efforts to
equip the Guard’s base there with Wi-Fi technology that remains in
place. Fisher’s work allows U.S. soldiers to communicate with loved
ones back home.

"Most of them (the soldiers) have laptops," Fisher said. "They can
just stay in their bunks and do e-mail and instant messaging."

One of the soldiers who used the equipment was Sgt.

Patrick Stewart, of Fernley, who died Sept. 25, 2005.

The Chinook helicopter on which he was a flight engineer was shot
down 180 miles southwest of Kabul, Afghanistan.

"Their (Stewart family’s) greatest comfort was knowing that the
hour before he left for that last mission, they were able to instant
message. They were able to say ‘I love you.’"

"That just made everything worthwhile," Fisher said of her Wi-Fi
outreach.

Soldier’s story

Miller served with the Nevada Guard as a Chinook mechanic.

"I definitely wouldn’t have been deployed to Afghanistan had 9/11
not happened," he said this week.

"It delayed my school, delayed my life.

"But I signed up for that reason — money for school, for protecting
our country and serving. When my time came, and I was called, it was
time to go. It’s what had to be done."

Miller, who turns 25 in October, is an international business major
at the University of Nevada, Reno. He also recently re-enlisted with
the Guard for another three years.

"If I get called again, it’s my duty," the sergeant said. "I have to
go again."

Middle East native

For businessman Mostafa Saba, six years ago was a time of personal
transition. About that time, he moved to Reno from Illinois, along
with his family.

A native of Iran, he owns the Shaban Mart off West Seventh Street.

Though the store specializes in Middle Eastern food, he has branched
out to include items from various countries, including Bulgaria,
Armenia and Turkey. The store even carries date cookies from Saudi
Arabia — by way of suburban Detroit.

Saba’s Middle Eastern market features images from his homeland,
including a photo of a 16th century mosque.

"Everybody is very nice to us," said Saba, 67, who is Muslim. "They
(customers) are talking to us all the time. We have a lot of American
people (customers) coming and going."

Saba said he has had no problems in the six years since 9/11.

"Why should I?" he asked rhetorically. "I am always an American,
35 years living here as an American."

Tourism

Ruben Chachagua, 45, could feel the economic impact of 9/11 pretty
quickly.

He’s a chef at a Lake Tahoe-area restaurant, where his specialty
is Mexican cuisine. But with airline flights grounded after 9/11,
he wasn’t cooking as many meals for tourists. Business bounced back,
but Chachagua still feels the impact when he travels to airports.

"It a little bit of hassle with the security and stuff, but you have
to understand that it has to be done," he said. "But I come from a
country that is even worse."

He’s from El Salvador. "Security there was even rougher, especially
at the time I was there, in the 1980s during the civil war."

Vigilance, getting used to it

Since the 9/11 attacks, Jeanne Coughlin thinks more about security
and her surroundings.

"Thoughts go through your mind when you sit while shopping in crowded
conditions," said the 77-year-old from Southern California, who has
family in Reno. "…

You just wonder if there’s anything to be concerned about. I think it
(9/11) has made you more cautious, aware, wherever you are, no matter
what you are doing."

Lu Leung, 32, of Las Vegas, spends about a third of his time
traveling. Some of his frequent stops include Reno, the San Francisco
Bay Area and Lake Tahoe.

"It takes a little bit longer, and people actually take it a lot
more serious," he said of the airport check-in system. "There is a
lot more awareness.

People are more tolerant with the procedures. They have become
accustomed to the changes. That’s just the way it is."

SENSOY: WE EXPECT JEWISH INSTITUTIONS IN US TO HELP TURKEY IN THE CONGRESS

The New Anatolian, Turkey
Sept 7 2007

Turkey’s Ambassador to Washington Nabi Sensoy has made a call to all
Jewish institutions to stand against injustice targetting a friendly
country, namely Turkey, in the U.S. Congress.

Sensoy’s call to Jewish institutions in the U.S. was aimed at defeating
a resolution in the U.S. Congress, on the incidents of 1915.

In a statement to the Jewish Advocate newspaper, Sensoy indicated
that Jewish institutions should stand at an equal distance to all
sides and oppose a resolution in the U.S. Congress that would place
a friendly country, Turkey, in a difficult position.

Sensoy sent a written statement to the Jewish Advocate and stressed
that the declarations made by the Anti-Defamation League executives
on Aug. 21 have shocked Turks and has caused disappointment.

Abraham Foxman, the National Director of ADL, said earlier in a
statement that his organization had come to share the view that the
incidents of 1915 "were indeed tantamount to genocide," but added
that the organization maintained its opposition against bringing the
issue to U.S. Congressional floor for a resolution.

Sensoy, in his letter, mentioned that Armenia refused a proposal by
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to collaborate within
a joint committee to study the incidents of 1915 under the light of
historical archives.

"Despite being shocked and disappointed, we maintain our desire to keep
and deepen our ties and relations with the Jewish community in the
U.S., Israel and elsewhere. The Turkish Jews are Turkey’s cultural
richness that can not be taken away. The 500 years of friendship
between Turks and Jews are strong enough to leave behind this issue",
added Sensoy.

PROGRAMS ON CULTURE, INFORMATION, SPORTS AND RELIGION FINANCED FROM RA STATE BUDGET IN AMOUNT OF 13.6 BLN DRAMS IN 2006

Noyan Tapan
Sep 6, 2007

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. In 2006, programs on culture,
information, sports and religion were financed from the RA state
budget in the amount of 13.6 bln drams (about 38.85 mln USD) or 99.5%
of the envisaged amount. Expenditures of the sphere grew by 30.6%
or about 3.2 bln drams as compared with 2005. Expenditures on art,
museums, exhibitions, other cultural establishemnts, and on restoration
and preservation of monuments and cultural values accounted for most
part of this growth. The RA deputy minister of finance and economy,
chief treasurer Atom Janjughazian stated this at the September 5
joint sitting of the RA National Assembly standing committees when
presenting the execution of the 2006 state budget of the RA.

According to him, 1.9 bln drams was allocated from the state budget
for the program on museums and exhibitions, which was 100% of the
envisaged amount.

About 3 bln drams was allocated for financing the program on art. The
fulfilment index made 99.7%. Most of the indicated expenditures was
spent on subsidizing cultural organizations. Cinematography received
all the envisaged sum of 482.9 mln drams. Allocations for restoration
and preservation of monuments and cultural values made over 775.6
mln drams.

1.2 bln drams or 98.1% of the annual program was allocated from
the state budget to sports. The deviation from the program was due
to savings.

In 2006, state budgetary expenditures on television programs amounted
to 3.2 bln drams, on publications and editing – 625.4 mln drams,
on youth programs – 316.2 mln drams. 180.2 mln drams was allocated
to political parties that received 3% and over of votes at the
parliamentary elections, as well as to NGOs and trade unions as
material assistance.

SEMNEBY: SOUTH CAUCASUS STATES PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO ACTION PLANS WITHIN ENP

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.09.2007 16:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The conference dedicated to strengthening ties
between the EU and its neighbors held in Brussels September 3 is a
very important step for all member states, EU Envoy for the South
Caucasus Peter Semneby said.

"I am glad that Foreign Ministers from the South Caucasian states
participated in the conference. This indicates that these states pay
special attention to the Action Plans within European Neighborhood
Policy.

It’s very important to fulfill the commitments set by the Action Plans,
specifically those regarding democratic institutes, human rights and
media freedom.

These are fundamental tasks for establishment of close and trustful
relations with the European Union member states," he said, Trend
reports.

INVESTIGATION AGAINST MAYOR OF DIARBAKIR
By H. Chaqrian, Translated by A.M.

AZG Armenian Daily #161
06/09/2007

Situation in Turkey

As it was earlier reported, on September 3 the statement of Diarbakir,
Osman Baydemir, about the town’s readiness to a war made a great
clamor among Turkish political circles. The "Grey Wolves" organization
marked that statement as a challenge against the Turkish people and
demanded the law-enforcement structures of Turkey to take measures
against the Mayor.

As CNN-Turk reports, on September 4, the Prosecutor’s Office of
Diarbakir started an investigation against Osman Baydemir, taking for
background his latest statement. The investigation will tell, whether
a criminal case is to be roused against him or not. To be reminded,
Osman Baydemir, a Kurd by origin, is a member of the "Democratic
Society" party, and Diarbakir is considered by Kurds the capital of
"Northern Kurdistan".