Armenia Cannot Be Serious Factor For EU Accepting Or Not Accepting T

ARMENIA CANNOT BE SERIOUS FACTOR FOR EU ACCEPTING OR NOT ACCEPTING TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.09.2006 18:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia and Armenians themselves cannot be a serious
factor for EU accepting or not accepting Turkey, political science
doctor, historian Armen Ayvazyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In
his words, it is a problem of Europe, not the Armenians.

"The Armenians are lately raffled off as small change for the sake of
interests of European countries. Even the countries, whose parliaments
recognized the Armenian Genocide do not observe norms according to
the laws adopted. E.g. France, which recognized the Genocide in
a special law. No conclusions are made out of it to apply to the
current situation, the government, which committed the Genocide,
is not indicated. Even largest information agency as Agence France
Presse never utilizes the word "genocide". They write "massacre and
slaughter," the Armenian political scientist remarked.

"Turkey even today pursues a hostile policy regarding Armenia:
the blockade, full support to Azerbaijan in all fields." Ayvazyan
is convinced that one should leave euphoria from recognition of the
Armenian Genocide by various countries. "I believe that one should
deal with this issue more seriously and in a more balanced manner. The
resources and actions of Armenia and the Armenians should be aimed,
first of all, at improvement of the geopolitical situation of Armenia,
rather than participation in the European games with Turkey at our
expense", he said.

Nikolay Pavlov: Caucasus One Of Ganglions Of World Politics

NIKOLAY PAVLOV: CAUCASUS ONE OF GANGLIONS OF WORLD POLITICS

PanARMENIAN.Net
29.09.2006 12:56 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia stands for the development of
inter-civilization and inter-cultural dialogue in the Caucasus, Russian
Ambassador to Armenia Nikolay Pavlov said Friday in Yerevan. "Located
at the turn of the geographical platforms of Europe and Asia, the CIS
and the Middle East as well as in the center of the Caspian and Black
Sea region, the Caucasus remains one of the ganglions of the world
politics," he underscored addressing a scientific conference titled
"Media and new political relations in the Caucasus."

According to the Ambassador, a number of regional and international
factors immediately influence on the unstable situation in the
Transcaucasus.

"Proceeding from the goals of a line targeted at multipolar and
demographic world structure and global stability Russia stands
for the development of inter-civilization, inter-cultural and
inter-constitutional dialogue as well as prevention of conflict
escalation," Pavlov said. In his words, not only the official diplomacy
but also the activities of public forces of the non-governmental sector
and the information field can play a significant role in the resolution
of these tasks. "I am convinced that not only the authorities but
also the publics of the states of the region are responsible for
maintenance of peace," the Ambassador said, reported newsarmenia.ru.

Gruesome Crime Is Latest Blow To Proud Community

GRUESOME CRIME IS LATEST BLOW TO PROUD COMMUNITY
By Doug Moore

St. Louis Post-Dispatch,MO
Sept 27 2006

East St. Louis

Miles Davis grew up here.

This is where Tina Turner cut her teeth and met her then-husband,
Ike.

Katherine Dunham adopted this town as her own. Advertisement

The city’s pride and joy is Jackie Joyner-Kersee, billed as the
world’s greatest female athlete.

For all the big names that come with this small town, it’s the day-in
and day-out perception that East St. Louis is best known for: You
don’t want to be here after dark unless you’re looking for trouble.

But it’s also a town of fiercely proud people who say they love East
St. Louis, even when standing among a row of boarded-up houses and
weed-choked lots. They’re residents, usually the older set, who
remember when the town was a hub of activity. Jobs were plentiful.

Lawns were manicured. The National Municipal League in partnership
with Look magazine hailed East St. Louis as an All-America city 45
years ago.

Now, it’s a city that doesn’t make headlines unless the news is bad.

And usually it’s about murder and vote fraud.

The most recent headlines are almost too gruesome to believe. A woman
allegedly cut a fetus out of her good friend and left the friend,
Jimella Tunstall, to bleed to death. Then, police say, the suspect,
Tiffany Hall, led them to the bodies of her friend’s three children,
found stuffed in a washer and dryer. Police say they had been
drowned.

Unfortunately for a town that has hope for a turnaround, it’s far
from the first time the national spotlight has shined to reveal its
dark side.

Race riots in 1917 have left deep pocks in the city’s landscape and
given residents a wary eye on outsiders.

It was the same year that the violent death of a young boy jarred the
community and the country.

An Armenian baker complained to police that a house of prostitution
was being run next door. Soon after, his 3-year-old son, Alphonso
Magarian, went missing. Nine days later, the boy’s headless body was
found 100 yards away in a dump heap, according to "Race Riot at East
St. Louis," a book by historian Elliott Rudwick.

"Who could do such a thing?" was the outcry from the community then –
and now.

Police are not discussing a motive. Hall has been charged with
Tunstall’s murder and the death of the unborn child, but not the
three children. Other sensational crimes have bolstered the
perception that East St. Louis is a dangerous place. During the
course of several months in 2001, police found the bodies of eight
women who had been dumped there. Serial killer Maury Travis, of
Ferguson, was linked to at least three of them.

A decade earlier, a serial killer targeting children terrified the
city. Parents were afraid to let their children walk to school or
play in the yard. Lorenzo Fayne was convicted of killing six children
in and around East St. Louis from 1989 to 1993.

Eleven children died in a house fire in 1981 while their mother was
out gambling.

Heinous crimes are not the only blemishes that have put East St.

Louis on the national map. Buster Wortman, who died in 1968, ran the
Metro East operations for Chicago-based Al Capone. In the 1980s, with
the city in financial straits, trash collection was stopped. For
seven years, trash piles grew on vacant lots. Abandoned houses became
makeshift landfills. And in 1990, a judge gave City Hall to a man who
had been severely beaten in the city’s jail as a way to help satisfy
a $3.4 million judgment. Two years later, however, an appeals court
gave City Hall back to East St. Louis. A vote fraud case took down
two prominent politicos last year.

The town’s rise as a political powerhouse peaked in the 1950s, when
the population was more than 82,000. Today, countywide elections can
still be decided by East St. Louis voters, but the city’s steep
decline in population has lessened its influence. In 2000, the
population was 31,542, according to the U.S. census. Today, the
number is thought to be well below that.

Railroad jobs gave way to the construction of interstates, which were
built through the city and took down large chunks of neighborhoods.

Factories closed and moved elsewhere, and those who had the means to
move – mainly white families – moved with the jobs. It left a broken
city that has not yet been able to put itself together again.

"The headlines we see today are not all that different than they were
in the paper 50, 75 or 100 years ago," said Southern Illinois
University Edwardsville political science professor Andrew Theising,
who has written extensively on the city. "East St. Louis is exactly
what it was designed to be – a city that was designed to facilitate
profit, both legal and illegal."

He notes that the national award given to the city in 1960 was for
its turnaround of corruption, not for its model as an ideal place to
live.

"Even though some people have very pleasant memories that sound like
bedroom suburb memories, East St. Louis was never designed to deliver
that," Theising said.

Still, says Mayor Carl E. Officer, the brutal deaths of three
children and an expectant mother cannot be discounted as simply more
violence in this impoverished town.

"You don’t ever get used to it," said Officer, who also runs a
funeral home. "We really have to reflect on our faith. I don’t know
of anything else you can draw upon."

Atom-Anti-Terror 2006 Joint Exercise Starts In Yerevan

ATOM-ANTI-TERROR 2006 JOINT EXERCISES START IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 27 2006

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 27, NOYAN TAPAN. The representatives of ruling staff
of anti-terrorist subdivisions of CIS countries announced about the
start of the Atom-Anti-terror 2006 joint exercises at the September
27 meeting at the Marriott-Armenia hotel of Yerevan.

A program of organization and holding of operative-searching events
connected with disclosure and extermination of terrorist groups
penetrating into the country’s territory will be worked out during
the exercises. Employees of RA National Security Service special
subdivision will act as terrorists. A joint military operation of
surrounding and extermination of diversion-terrorist group will be
shown on September 28 at RA Defence Ministry and operation of release
of hostages and neutralization of terrorists will be shown in the
territory of Metsamor ANPP.

As Lieutenant-General Gorik Hakobian, Head of RA National Security
Service, mentioned, it is the first time that such large-scale
exercises are held in Armenia. In his words, these exercises are the
logical continuation of the South-Anti-terror, West-Anti-terror,
Azov-Anti-terror and Caspi-Anti-terror exercises held previously
within the framework of CIS.

"Holding of such large-scale exercises cannot be an end in itself and
has concrete tasks: to work out cooperation elements between special
services and their subdivisions when holding joint anti-terrorist
actions," G.Hakobian said. In his words, another peculiarity of the
current exercises is that for the first time military subdivisions
will also take part in them.

The heads of CIS countries’ anti-terrorist structures and special
services in their speeches touched upon issues of providing security
of atomic energy entities.

It is noteworthy that Secretary of Security Council under RA
President, RA Defence Minister Serge Sargsian and Chief of RA Police,
Colonel-General Hayk Haroutiunian were also present at the event.

Representatives of the Great Eight countries’, OSCE’s, UN’s, Shanghai
Organization’s anti-terrorist structures together with delegations
of CIS countries’ security bodies and special services took part in
the Atom-Anti-terror 2006 exercises as observers.

NRC: Genocide is genocide

Genocide is genocide

NRC Handelsblad (Dutch national newspaper)
28 september 2006

The CDA (Christian Democratic Appeal) and the PvdA (Dutch Labor Party) were
not aware of what it meant to put Dutch Turkish candidates on their
draftlist who deny the genocide committed against roughly one million
Armenians. The Armenian Genocide of 1915 and the late nineteenth century
seems like an old, forgotten issue, but it is not. The massacre is part of
the traumatic past of the Armenians around the world, inclucing those in the
Netherlands. In Turkey, people have no understanding for this. In Turkey,
people are still persecuted for writing texts or commenting on the Armenian
genocide, among them writers Orhan Pamuk and recently Elif Shafak.
Fortunately, Pamuk and Shafak were not convicted.

If Dutch politicians affiliated with the larger parties would begin to doubt
the genocide, they would in essence support the reactionary powers at play
in Turkey. Dutch Turkish politicians should choose who they want to be loyal
to: to Turkey or to their Dutch parties. They cannot deny the Armenian
Genocide in a Turkish newspaper after they have joined their Dutch parties’
recognition. Moreover, the European Parliament wrongfully scrapped the
Armenian genocide from the list of preconditions for Turkey’s accession to
the EU.

Research is no longer needed for the massacre of the Turkish government
against the dissenting Armenians in 1915 and late nineteenth century, which
was the result, among others, of Armenians’ loyalty to Turkey’s enemies
during World War I. An abundance of documents, as well as research and
family stories by Armenians themselves, clearly show that the massacre
indeed took place and that in those days more than a million people
perished. Barely anyone returned and the houses remained empty. There are
photographs of mass executions of Armenians. People can twist around the
exact numbers of murdered and how it happened, but it is still genocide.

According to the law, everyone has the right to his or her personal opinion,
even if it goes against the facts. In the free debate in liberal society,
the truth will catch up with the lie. The ChristenUnie’s (Christian Union)
bill, which calls for the penalization of genocide denial, therefore, has a
reverse effect. If the Netherlands adopts this law, it will fall in the same
trap as Turkey, which penalizes anyone who offends Turkish identity.
Publicly, we should be able to unmask mistakes, and this even applies to the
murder of six million Jews. By penalizing denial, as is now the case,
deniers are given credibility, when there is enough evidence to prove them
wrong.

Political parties are free to put candidates on their list who deny the
Armenian Genocide. However, it is morally objectional, because by brushing
aside the hard facts, deniers offend a minority. While it might be true that
parties would arguably receive a significant amount of votes from Dutch
Turks, it should not be a reason to put them on the list. The PvdA and the
CDA have therefore done well to withdraw the candidates who deny the
Armenian Genocide.

BAKU: OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Met Armenian Foreign Minister

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS MET ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Sept 27 2006

(A1plus.am) – RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan who participates
in the works of the 61st session of the UN General Assembly met the
OSCE Minsk group co-chairs yesterday, reports Trend.

The sides discussed the present state of negotiations in the context
of the new initiative of GUAM (Georgia Ukraine Azerbaijan, and Moldova)
in the UN General Assembly. They referred to the possible developments
and the possibilities of resuming negotiations.

Today Minister Oskanyan is supposed to meat US deputy State Secretary
Nikolas Burns and UN General Assembly President Sheikha Haya Rashed
Al Khalifa.

Armenian Khachkars To Be Exhibited In Louvre For First Time In Histo

ARMENIAN KHACHKARS TO BE EXHIBITED IN LOUVRE FOR FIRST TIME IN HISTORY

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.09.2006 16:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Within the Year of Armenia in France 40 Armenian
Khachkars will be exhibited in Louvre for the first time in the
history, Armenian President’s Advisor Vigen Sargsyan stated at a news
conference in Yerevan. Concerts and exhibitions will be organized
within a year in France. "Armenian artists – Ayvazovsky, Gorky,
Saryan and others – will be exhibited at the National Picture Gallery
in Paris.

Philharmonic and Chamber Orchestras will have concerts," he said.

The Armenian President’s Advisor also reported that 1000 children from
Armenia will visit France. "The Senate and the National Assembly of
France will cover the expenses, as well as Armavia and Rosgosstrakh
sponsor the Year of Armenia in France. A special commission lead by
MP Hranush Hakobyan is formed to choose children," Sargsyan noted.

"Green Light To Those Who Oppress Freedom Of Speech"

"GREEN LIGHT TO THOSE WHO OPPRESS FREEDOM OF SPEECH"

A1+
[06:10 pm] 25 September, 2006

"They have given a green light to those who oppress freedom of speech",
said David Sandukhchyan, lawyer of NGO "Internews" on the basis of
the investigations carried out by their organization. According to
him, during the previous years there was only one example to scare
the journalists – the fact of banning "A1+" from air. And now there
are numerous examples.

There have been 12 cases of hindering the professional activity of the
journalists in late 2005 and early 2006. It is three times more than
in 2004. By the way, the law enforcers did not try to find and punish
those who are guilty. Moreover, the Mass Media themselves did not turn
to the police. According to David Sandukhchyan, it is accounted for
by the fact that "the Mass Media greatly depend upon the authorities".

According to Avetiq Ishkhanyan, head of the Armenian Helsinki
Committee, the authorities accept the majority of the journalists as
enemies. A manifestation of the discrimination was that in connection
with the 15th anniversary of Independence Robert Kocharyan awarded
medals only to several representatives of pro-governmental Mass Media.

According to Ishkhanyan, it is meaningless to expect the authorities to
demonstrate strong will when it comes to the defense of human rights,
as "If they had political will, they would resign, but will they?".

According to him, the only way to have success in this field is to
activate the society.

Abraham Retains Title

ABRAHAM RETAINS TITLE

A1+
[12:25 pm] 25 September, 2006

Armenian professional boxer Arthur Abraham retained his title of IBF
middleweight champion for the third time in 2006. This time he beat
Edison Miranda from Colombia.

Abraham overcame a broken jaw in round five and numerous low blows from
Miranda to score the win. He came out on top of all three scorecards,
winning by scores of 114-109, 115-109, and 116-109. Miranda suffered
the first defeat in his career.

CIA World Factbook: Armenia

CIA WORLD FACTBOOK: ARMENIA

CIA World Factbook
September 22, 2006

Armenia

Current as of 5/22/2006

President — Robert KOCHARIAN

Prime Minister — Andranik MARGARYAN

Min. Chief of Staff of the Cabinet — Manuk TOPUZYAN

Min. of Agriculture — Davit LOKYAN

Min. of Culture and Youth — Hasmik POGHOSIAN

Min. of Defense — Serzh SARGSYAN

Min. of Education and Science — Levon MKRTCHYAN

Min. of Energy — Armen MOVSISYAN

Min. of Environmental Protection — Vardan AYVAZYAN

Min. of Finance and Economy — Vardan KHACHATRYAN

Min. of Foreign Affairs — Vartan OSKANIAN

Min. of Health — Norayr DAVIDYAN

Min. of Justice — David HARUTYUNYAN

Min. of Labor and Social Issues — Aghvan VARDANYAN

Min. of Territorial Administration — Hovik ABRAHAMYAN

Min. of Trade and Economic Development — Karen TCHSHMARITYAN

Min. of Transport and Communication — Andranik MANUKYAN

Min. of Urban Planning — Aram HARUTYUNYAN

Chmn., National Bank — Tigran SARGSYAN

Ambassador to the US — Tatoul MARKARIAN

Permanent Representative to the UN, New York — Armen MARTIROSYAN.