Author: Tambiyan Samvel

SENATE PANEL TO CONSIDER LEGISLATION CONDEMNING MURDER OF HRANT DINK TOMORROW

armradio.am
05.03.2007 11:27

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is set to consider legislation,
authored by the panel’s chairman Joe Biden (D-DE), condemning the
murder of Hrant Dink, reported the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA).

The resolution, S.Res.65, specifically mentions that Hrant Dink "was
prosecuted under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code for speaking
about the Armenian Genocide," and urges the Turkish government to
repeal this anti-free speech law. It will be "marked up" by the
Committee on Tuesday, March 6th at 2:15 pm.

ANCA activists in the 21 states with Senators on the Committee
are encouraging support for S.Res.65 through phone calls, faxes,
and meetings.

They are also reminding the Senate offices that Hrant Dink’s brutal
murder is a wake up call for the US Senate to pass legislation formally
recognizing and commemorating the Armenian Genocide.

ARMENIA RECEIVED NO PROPOSAL ON INSTALLATION OF U.S. ANTI-AIRCRAFT RADAR

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.03.2007 15:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia has not received any proposals on
installation of U.S. anti-aircraft system elements on its territory,
said Deputy Defense Minister, chief of the RA armed forces general
staff, col gen Mikael Harutyunyan. In his words, Armenia being a CSTO
member does not wish further armament build-up in the region. "The
U.S. should decide where to mount the system but I do not see any
sense in it," he said. Russia and the U.S. had better to reach an
agreement on joint use of the Russian radar station in Azerbaijan,
according to him.

"Anyway, it’s not our business. Our business is to strengthen our
defense and to cooperate with our strategic partner – Russia as well as
with the United States and European countries. We think it’s difficult
for minor states to settle security issues solely. We should enjoy
close relations.

CONFLICT HAS POLITICAL ESSENCE

A1+
[05:54 pm] 05 March, 2007

Samvel Babayan will run for the parliamentary elections in constituency
37, in Syunik. To note, Alexandre Sargsyan, Serge Sargsyan’s brother,
also put forward his candidacy in the same constituency. Taking into
consideration the relations between Serge Sargsyan and Samvel Babayan,
we can anticipate that the struggle will be rather tense.

The members of "Dashink" (Union) Party don’t agree to this. To note,
it was "Dashink" that proposed the candidacy of the party’s leader
/Samvel Babayan/ under majority system.

"When we put forward Samvel Babayan’s candidature we were unaware
that the Defense Minister’s brother would be nominated in the same
constituency", Gnel Ghlechyan, member of the Dashink informed us.

He assures that the struggle will be held in a civilized way, "We
are determined to combat till the end. So far we have no intention to
withdraw. All the rumors that the struggle will be tense, and there
will be confrontations are fabricated. They are aimed at deluding
people. We see the conflict a political struggle not a military one,"
Gnel Ghlechyan says.

As for the Sargsyan – Babayan conflict, Mr. Ghlechyan noted, "The
press is fond of running into extremes; they write articles that
are uncompliant with the reality. As far as I know there isn’t any
personal conflict between Serge Sargsyan and Samvel Babayan.

The conflict is ideological which exists among the pro-governmental
forces", he adds.

In Mr. Ghlechyan’s words Samvel Babayan’s nomination in constituency
37 is determined by the fact that Mr. Babayan enjoys high rating
in Syunik.

"Samvel Babajan has done a great deal for the Syunik residents in
order to preserve their security. People never forget good deeds;
they have fresh memory. All these factors were taken into account
while putting forward Samvel’s candidature", said Mr. Ghlechyan.

International Herald Tribune, France
March 3 2007

Armenian election officials register 29 parties to take part in May
poll

YEREVAN, Armenia: Armenian election authorities on Saturday finalized
the list of parties and candidates that will take part in the May
parliamentary vote, paving the way for the start of the election
campaign, officials said.

Twenty-nine parties will compete for 90 party-based seats and 173
politicians will run for the remaining 41 seats that are awarded to
individual candidates in the country’s single-chamber legislature,
election authorities said in a statement.

In order to get into parliament, a party must win at least 5 percent
of votes, according to Armenian election law.

Among the registered parties are three main pro-government parties,
two centrist groups and a number of smaller opposition parties as
well as a number of other groups.

Parliament was last elected in 2003. (AP)

PRICES FOR SERVICES IN ARMENIA GO UP 0.6% IN FEBRUARY

Noyan Tapan
Mar 01 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 1, NOYAN TAPAN. The 0.6% additional rise in prices
registered in the shere of services served to the population in
February was mainly provided by 0.1-2 additional rise in prices
for flat-communal services, organization of rest, education system,
medical services.

According to data of the RA National Statistical Service, tariffs for
public subsistence, cultural sphere, transport services reduced 4-0.1%
in February, and tariffs for communication of communal character,
legal and banking services remained unchanged as if compared with
the previous month.

POLAND READY TO ACCOMPANY ARMENIA INTO EUROPEAN STRUCTURES

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.02.2007 14:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Poland is ready to assist Armenia in the framework
of the European Neighborhood Policy," Polish Foreign Minister Anna
Fotyga said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net. "We have mastered the
way to the European Union and we are ready to share our experience with
Armenia. A memorandum on cooperation was signed in Yerevan. Contacts
should be established at various levels, including public, economic
and cultural ties. The Action Plan within the European Neighborhood
Policy is an important basis for multilateral relations. You also face
a complex process, which took us 12 years. We would like our eastern
partners to pass this way faster. I do understand that adaptation
to the universal market is a hard task but it’s essential for the
further development of your state," the Polish FM said.

POLAND INTENDS TO PARTICIPATE IN NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

Today, Azerbaijan
Feb 27 2007

Poland is ready to participate in the negotiations for the peaceful
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, stated Polish Foreign
Minister Anna Fotiga in the press conference in Armenia.

She stated they are in good relations with the parties and Poland
intends to play constructive role in the solution of frozen conflicts,
APA reports.

Besides, Polish foreign minister noted that Warsaw can join the process
only after the request of the parties. She also stressed that OSCE
Minsk Group plays important role in the settlement.

"We support the negotiation process and hope soon settlement in
frame of OSCE Minsk Group and in favor of sovereignty of Caucasus
and security of the region," she said.

Fotiga paid a two-day visit to Armenia Feb 25.

URL:

ANTHONY GODFREY: FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS ARE ARMENIA’S INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.02.2007 14:06 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On February 27, the U.S. Embassy in Armenia began
a three-day seminar on "Election Fraud and Related Corruption,
International Standards, and Criminal Procedure Issues." The Press
Office of American Embassy told the PanARMENIAN.Net journalist that
approximately 70 representatives of the Armenian Police, Prosecutor
General’s Office, Central Election Commission, Territorial Election
Commission, Ombudsman’s Office, and First Instance and Review courts
are participating in the seminar series. "Free and fair elections
are not only a political commitment expressed by the Government
of Armenia, but also an international legal obligation for Armenia
under the European Convention on Human Rights and the case law of the
European Court in Strasbourg. Election fraud undermines the social
and political framework of a country," during the opening session,
U.S. Charge d’Affaires Anthony F. Godfrey remarked.

As a follow up to the three-day seminar, the U.S. Mission will send
six prosecutors and two Central Election Commission members to the
United States for additional training.

TO LEARN TO STRUGGLE AGIANST FRAUDS IN USA

A1+
[03:30 pm] 27 February, 2007

Six prosecutors and two members of central electoral committee will go
to the USA on a business tour to study about election frauds. They will
meet different State Governmental Bodies, particularly USA federal
electoral committee, Department of Justice, FBI representatives,
as well as specialists and political experts.

Meanwhile, US Embassy in Armenia has organized a three-day seminar
on election frauds as well as corruption prevention, discovery,
investigation and prosecution.

At the opening of the seminar Anthony Godfrey, US special envoy to
Republic of Armenia, mentioned that election frauds cause demolition
to social-political basis of a country.

ARMENIA JOINS WHO "EUROPEAN IMMUNIZATION WEEK" INITIATIVE

Noyan Tapan
Feb 26 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia joined the "European
Immunization Week" initiative to be implemented on April 16-22 by
the World Health Organization. As Gayane Sahakian, the head of the RA
National Supplementary Immunization Program informed the Noyan Tapan
correspondent, issues concerning immunization will be covered by all
the Armenian mass media during those days. In G.Sahakian’s words,
the WHO initiative goal is to raise the level of the population’s
awareness about importance of vaccinations.