Author: Varosian Antranik

TURKEY NOT TO RECOGNIZE AZERI KARABAKH "REFERENDUM"

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
Dec 11 2006

Ankara, 11 December: Turkey has announced that it will not recognize
the results of the referendum held yesterday in Upper Karabakh,
a province of Azerbaijan under Armenian occupation.

A statement by Turkish MFA [Ministry of Foreign Affairs] indicated that
"international laws were ignored" in yesterday’s referendum held for
adoption of the "Upper Karabakh Republic’s Constitution".

"At the end of the referendum, the Upper Karabakh region of Azerbaijan
was defined as the ‘Upper Karabakh Republic’ and as a ‘sovereign,
democratic, legitimate, social state’," the statement noted.

The statement also pointed out that Turkey considers this vote as
"a proof of the Armenian occupation of the Azerbaijani territory
which is against international laws."

In the statement, the MFA condemns this act which is a new violation
of Azerbaijan’s political unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity
by Armenia.

Noting that more than one million Azerbaijani have become refugees
in their own country due to the invasion, the statement said, "it is
obvious that this move to hold a ‘constitutional referendum’ in the
Upper Karabakh region is one that ignores efforts to find a peaceful
solution (to the problem)."

The Turkish MFA also called on the international community to condemn,
and not to recognize the results of the so-called referendum.

A NUMBER OF PARTIES DEMANDS TO GIVE CITIZENSHIP TO ZHIRAYR SEFILIAN, EXCLUDING HIS DEPORTATION FROM COUNTRY

Noyan Tapan
Dec 12 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. A number of political parties
and organizations expressed a demand today to immediately set free
Zhirayr Sefilian and give him the RA citizenship. It is mentioned
in the statement spread on December 11 that at the night of December
9-10, about 15 masked and armed employees of the RA NSS, "seriously
violating Articles 11 and 12 of the RA Code on Criminal Procedure,
arrested before the society’s eyes, in the presence of his wife,
Zhirayr Sefilian, the Artsakh freedom fighting devoted participant,
bearer of the "Martakan Khach" (Martial Cross) order of the first
degree, former commander of the Shoushi special battalion, head of the
"Defence of Liberated Territories" public initiative, coordinator of
the "Armenian Volunteers’ Unity" being created initiative, reserve
lieutenant-colonel. Vardan Malkhasian, a member of the "Hayrenik ev
Pativ" (Fatherland and Honour) party political council, a member of the
"Armenian Volunteers’ Unity" being created initiative was arrested
on the same day, at his own home, before the family members’ eyes,
not taking into consideration the family mother’s poor health state.

During the same period of time, about 40 RA citizens were taken to
the National Security Service in different settlements of the RA,
their flats were searched and fate of many of those taken is unknown
till now. The statement authors most strictly condemn "any display
of nasty way of action reminding the 37th year of the 20th century"
stating that "the faint authorities, already used all the civilized
resources long ago, will not be able to implant the atmosphere of
fear beneficial for them, but the opposite, they will be given the
fair justice of the society." "We demand to immediately set free
Zhirayr Sefilian, Vardan Malkhasian and their companions-in-arms. We
also demand to give the RA citizenship to Zhirayr Sefilian, the son
entirelly devoted his whole conscious life to the Fatherland, excluding
his deportation from Armenia," is said in the statement. The statement
is signed by the "Nor Zhamanakner" (New Times), "Hayrenik ev Pativ"
(Fatherland and Honour), "Hanrapetutiun" (Republic), "Zhoghovrdavarakan
Ughi" (Democratic Path), "Zhoghovrdavarakan Hayrenik" (Democratic
Fatherland), People’s Party of Armenia, Democratic Party of Armenia,
"National Self-Determination Union," "Constitutional Right Union"
parties of Armenia, Liberal-Progressive Party of Armenia "Orinats
Yerkir" (Country of Law) party, Social-Democratic Hunchak party of
Armenia, "National Democrates’ Union," "Nzhdehian Tseghakron" party as
well as the concillor of the Intellectuals’ Forum, "Civil Disobedience"
movement, "In Defence of Nagorno Karabakh" organization committee.

ZHARANGUTIUN PARTY CONSIDERS ZHIRAYR SEFILIAN’S ARREST AS MANIFESTATION OF PANIC OF CURRENT REGIME

Noyan Tapan
Dec 12 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. On December 11, the Zharangutiun
(Heritage) Party made a statement condemning the fact of arrest of
Coordinator of the Defence of Liberated Territories public initiative,
devotee of Artsakh liberation fight, Zhirayr Sefilian and some of
his companions-in-arms. According to the statement, "this is a bright
evidence of democracy imagined by the current regime." The Zharangutiun
considers that this illegal action carried out under the name of the
law reaffirms the agony of the regime having got into a panic.

REPORTS OF PACE CO-RAPPORTEURS FOR AZERBAIJAN WILL BE HEARD IN PARIS
Author: A.Ismaylova

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Dec 9 2006

The Head of the Azerbaijani Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe (PACE), Samad Seyidov, exclusively informed
Trend that the next meeting of the PACE Committee on Honoring of
Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe
will take place in Paris on December 13. The meeting will also focus
on the questions regarding Armenia and Azerbaijan.

He said that the reports which will take common character, will be
included in the agenda of the PACE winter session. The co-rapporteurs
of the PACE Monitoring Committee Andreas Herkel and Toni Lloyd will
make speeches over Azerbaijan. The representatives of the Azerbaijani
delegation to PACE will also attend the meeting.

The winter session of the PACE will take place on January 22-26, 2007.

MENSUR AKGUN: ARMENIA IS BETTER THAN TURKEY FOR EU

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 7 2006

Though Turkey has offered to open a port and an airport, it was
possible for Greeks to accept this offer. Because, according to their
view point, their recognition by Turkey side is more important than
opening the port and airports," the executive director of Turkey
economic and Social Studies Foundation, one of the main specialists
of Turkey in EU told the APA Turkey bureau.

He said that Greeks tries to rescue from the restriction of Annan
plan. Greeks consider that they will be able to make Turkey adopt
it in the period when EU membership process continues. Turkey is
fair to settle this problem in the frame of EU. But Greece part of
Cyprus insists to solve this problem in the frame of EU. " Mensur
Akgun also said that he does not believe that Turkey will step back
on Cyprus problem.

"The problem will be settled in the frame of UN. The problem will
continue if EU does not lift the isolation policy applied to Northern
Cyprus republic. I do not believe that Turkey will step back, though
EU delays some issues in the discussions with Turkey," he said.

Mensur Akgun stressed that Cyprus problem does not detain Turkey’s
EU membership.

"Turkey will not be the member of EU early than 10 years. That is
why EU can discuss the issues concerning Turkey’s membership," he said.

Saying that Karabakh and Cyprus conflicts are alike, Akgun stressed
that UN resolutions on both conflicts did not find its settlement.

"Security Council has several resolutions concerning Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. No-one, even EU does not put pressure on Armenia
for execution of the resolutions. It has two reasons. First, Armenia
is not a country willing to be member of EU, second, EU has special
sympathy to Armenia. No-one can deny that Armenia is better than us
for EU," he said.

NATO SEC. GEN. ASSESSED HIGHLY ARMENIA’S CONTRIBUTION TO ALLIANCE’S PEACEKEEPING

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.12.2006 18:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian met
with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, reports the RA MFA
press office. The parties discussed the process of implementation of
the Individual Partnership Action (IPAP) launched in January 2006. They
also gave a positive estimation to the sitting of the Council of
the North-Atlantic Alliance held in 26+1 format in June. Minister
Oskanian informed that the IPAP Armenian committee responsible for
the implementation of the plan held 8 sittings dedicated to the
various issues.

Expressing NATO’s readiness to deepen cooperation with Armenia Jaap
de Hoop Scheffer strssed the importance of strengthening democratic
processes in Armenia, pointing out to NATO’s assistance in reformation
of the defense system of the republic and assessed highly Armenia’s
contribution to NATO peacekeeping activities.

The interlocutors marked out the role of the Yerevan-based NATO
Information Center informing the public with the Armenia-NATO
cooperation. Minister Oskanian gave a high estimate to the elaboration
of the Strategy of National Security formed with the assistance
of the Alliance of International Consulting Group. For his part,
the NATO Sec. Gen. briefed on the outcomes of the Riga Summit. The
parties also referred to the Armenia-Turkey relations and the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict settlement.

VAHAGN CHAKHALIAN’S DEFENDER INTENDS TO APPEAL AGAINST SENTENCE AT APPEAL COURT

Noyan Tapan
Dec 06 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The real purpose of moving
the trial on case of Vahagn Chakhalian, presidency member of the
United Javakhk Democratic Bloc, to Gyumri was to pass him to the
Georgian authorities, which was planned beforehand. Armen Aghayan,
Javakhk Board member, reported this at the December 6 meeting with
journalists at the Pakagits club. He said that immediately after the
end of the trial representatives of police presented RA Police Chief’s
order on banishment from Armenia to V.Chakhalian and accompanied
him to the Armenian-Georgian border. V.Chakhalian’s defender Tigran
Hayrapetian said that according to the law, administrative banishment
is carried out when a foreign citizen’s activity threatens to the
country’s national security, public order and customs, citizens’
rights and freedoms. It was mentioned that when making the decision
on banishment they disregarded the law’s provision, according to
which a foreign citizen’s leaving Armenia is prohibited if a criminal
case was instituted towards him, an investigation is going on or he
has not served his punishment yet. The defender considers that they
should not have made such a decision, as the sentence has not come
into a legal force yet.

T.Hayrapetian said that the defence party is going to appeal against
the sentence at RA Appeal Court on Criminal and Military Cases,
which cannot examine the case without the defendant’s presence.

EFFICIENCY OF THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS : PUBLICATION OF THE REPORT OF THE GROUP OF WISE PERSONS

Panorama.am
13:27 05/12/06

The Council of Europe has made public the report of the Group of
Wise Persons, set up during the Warsaw Summit (May 2005) to examine
the long-term efficiency of the control mechanism of the European
Convention on Human Rights.

Under the chairmanship of Gil Carlos Rodríguez Iglesias, the Group
has made proposals on how to tackle the backlog of pending cases
(around 89 000 at the end of September 2006).

The Chair of the Wise Persons" Group will present his report to the
Ministers" deputies on January 17th 2007.

In March 2007, a colloquy, organised in San Marino, which currently
holds the Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, will provide
an opportunity to launch a multilateral debate on the Court"s future
development in the light of the report.

–Boundary_(ID_Sac0dwe9FJrlhp8GBogjWA)–

1.5 YEARS ON PROBATION AND EXILE

A1+
[07:08 pm] 04 December, 2006

Today the trial of Vahagn Chakhalyan, member of the presidium of
democratic union "United Javakhq" was over. Let us remind you that
he was accused of illegal crossing of the state border.

The court of the first instance of Shirak region decided to put Vahagn
Chakhalyan on probation for 1.5 years. After the court arrived at the
verdict, the police stopped Chakhalyan returning to Yerevan and said
they had an order to banish him from the country.

Nevertheless, they represented no legal ground for the decision.

The police refused Chakhalyan’s request to leave the country the next
day together with his pregnant wife.

STATEMENTS IN DEFENCE OF ARA ABRAHAMIAN CONTINUE TO COME IN

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Dec 04 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Noyan Tapan
agency continues receiving letters in defence of Ara Abrahamian,
the Chairman of the Union of Armenians of Russian and of the World
Armenian Congress, "relating to quoting in mass media of Armenia
disrespectful statements of some politicians." As it was mentioned in
the statement of the AN-12 plane staff, members of which were set free
in 2005 from the New Guinea prison owing to A.Abrahamian’s activity,
"Ara Arshavirovich gave us second life. We, as people, who directly
felt on themselves Ara Arshavirovich’s huge kindness, wastefulness
and nobility of soul, felt deep indignation and perplexity with some
A.Arakelian’s shameless expressions addressed to Ara Abrahamian. We
have no goal to defend Ara Abrahamian with this letter. He did not need
any protection. With his activity aimed to show assistance to Armenian,
the Armenian people, everybody who turns to him, Ara Arshavirovich has
found long ago the acquired authority and respect towards him. And
didn’t the authorities of Russia with population of many millions,
arising of Ara Arshavirovich’s authority, address to him with a
request to show assistance in liberation of Russian sailors. And
the result is well known to all of us. And some mass media, instead
of displaying constructiveness and impartiality, just the opposite,
aroused passion, getting down to the level of gutter press. Nobody
may defame Ara Arshavirovich’s name and wipe off with some words all
those services that he has and not only for the Armenian people. It
is not accidental that his activity is highly appreciated by many
states and international organizations. And who is the author of all
those, softly called, impolite expressions. Did he do anything for the
Armenian people or taken apartly for anybody… Let’s stop and join
our vote in favour of the Armenian people’s well-being and uniting of
Armenia and Ara Abrahamian’s call to work." A letter with a similar
content was received from refugees from Baku. "… it seemed to all
of us that one must not expect assistance from anywhere. And what
our response and happiness was like when we got to know that there is
an organization, there is its head in the person of Ara Abrahamian,
a man with capital letter which is not indifferent to fate of 100
refugees and 30 families from the disaster zone. Ara Abrahamian
did not only buy with his personal money dwelling space for us, but
also showed financial aid for its privatization." It is gratifying
to mention that the humane treatment displayed by him towards us is
just one from the long list of his kind deeds."