Author: Virabian Jhanna

Caucaz, Georgia
June 4 2006

Robert Kocharian has `modest expectations’ from meeting on June 4
with Ilham Aliyev

Yerevan, 4 June 2006 (Regnum – website) – `I have modest expectations
from forthcoming meeting with Ilham Aliyev,’ Armenian President
Robert Kocharian stated to the press. According to him, a variant,
which will enable long-term and peaceful settlement, is being
discussed. `However, I have an impression that the Azerbaijani side
does not wish peaceful conflict settlement at all; militarist
statements made in Baku are evidence of that,’ the Armenian head
stressed.

`There has been no case after establishment of the UN, that some
nation that used its right for self-determination and achieved
independence de-facto, changed its opinion and rejoined the state it
separated from. I do not understand why the Armenian people and
Karabakh residents should be first, who will decide that independence
does not suit them because of some reasons. We have given no occasion
for such conclusions,’ Robert Kocharian resumed.

The meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents will take
place on June 4 in Bucharest.

Armenpress

NGO RESTORES GERMAN PoW CEMETERY IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, JUNE 2, ARMENPRESS; Greta Mirzoyan,
chairwoman of an NGO called ‘Soldier’s Mother’, said
today members of her organization have restored a
cemetery of German prisoners of war who died here in
the late 1940-s and early 50-s.
She said the cemetery was discovered near
Yeraskhavan village in Ararat province when she and
some others members of the organization were visiting
an Armenian military unity near the border with
Azerbaijani enclave Nakhichevan. She said what
remained from the cemetery were several wooden
crosses. Greta Mirzoyan said the cemetery was
recovered with the assistance of Armenian defense
ministry- bigger crosses were put on every grave and
inscriptions were made, “Here Rest German Prisoners of
War, Victims of WW II.”
Mirzoyan said the German embassy in Armenia
commended their action describing it as ‘reflection of
diplomatic and humanitarian attitude of Armenians
towards the German people.”

FAMOUS SPANISH DIRECTOR PEDRO ALMODOVAR’S “RETURN” FILM INVOLVED IN
COMPETITION PROGRAM OF “GOLDEN APRICOT” FESTIVAL AS WELL

YEREVAN, JUNE 1, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. 11 full-length films
created in 2004-2006, among them films of such famous directors as
Pedro Almodovar from Spain, Hou Hsiao-Hsien from Taiwan, Robert
Gudiguian from France, Rakhshan Bani-Etemad from Iran, Krzsystof
Zanussi from Poland, Aleksei German Junior from Russia and others are,
are involved in the competition of the feature films of the “Golden
Apricot” (Voske Tsiran) Yerevan International Third Film Festival. As
Mikayel Stamboltsian, the Director of the festival programs informed
at the May 31 press conference, most part of the chosen films already
got prizes at the best festivals of the world, including Spanish
famous director Pedro Almodovar’s “Return” film which was recently
awarded at the Cannes festival two prizes: the best director’s work
and the best woman performance.

M.Stamboltsian also mentioned that Pedro Almodovar is also invited to
the festival and in most probability, will arrive in Yerevan. The
Director of the festival programs informed that the competition
program of documentary films is still being formed, as there are so
many and various presented films that the selecting commission was not
able to watch them within the fixed term.

M.Stamboltsian mentioned that the number of applications of the
“Golden Apricot” Yerevan International Film Festival has considerably
added this year what proves the festival’s getting wider recognition
in the world. Creators of 58 countries presented 280 films 92 of which
were selected for competition and extra-competition programs.

ARMENIA PRAISES MONTENEGRO INDEPENDENCE VOTE

Serbianna.com, Michigan
June 1 2006

YEREVAN, Armenia-Armenia praised Montenegro’s independence referendum
Wednesday in a statement suggesting it hopes the vote will lend
legitimacy to the sovereignty claims of an ethnic Armenian enclave
in neighboring Azerbaijan.

“We welcome the decision of the authorities and people of Montenegro
on the creation of an independent state,” Foreign Ministry spokesman
Vladimir Karapetian said.

He said Armenia “attaches special importance” to the fact that the
plan to split with Serbia was decided in a referendum, calling it
proof that plebiscites are an internationally recognized way to
“express the rights of the people and resolve such problems.”

Karapetian did not mention Nagorno-Karabakh, an enclave within
Azerbaijan that has been controlled by ethnic Armenians since a
1988-1994 war, but his comments suggested Armenia sees the Montenegro
vote as a precedent for the region, whose claim to sovereignty is
not internationally recognized.

In December 1991, amid the breakup of the Soviet Union, voters in
Nagorno-Karabakh overwhelmingly approved a referendum on independence
from Azerbaijan. Its leaders say it wants to be independent or join
Armenia.

But votes in Nagorno-Karabakh have not been recognized by the
international community, which would also be extremely unlikely
to consider a new referendum legitimate if it were not supported
by Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan vehemently opposes sovereignty for Nagorno-Karabakh and
tension remains high, with sporadic clashes between the Azerbaijani
military and Armenian and Karabakh forces that occupy Nagorno-Karabakh
as well as seven neighboring districts of Azerbaijan. International
efforts to promote a resolution have so far failed.

ARMENIAN LEADER, WORLD BANK OFFICIAL PLEASED WITH BILATERAL RELATIONS

Arminfo
31 May 06

Yerevan, 31 May: Armenia takes first place on the World Bank’s
rating scale by the implementation of the bank’s programmes and by
the improvement of the business and investment climate, the regional
director of the World Bank on Europe, Central Asia and the South
Caucasus, Donna Dowsett-Coirolo, said at a meeting with Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan, the presidential press service has told
Arminfo.

The director of the World Bank’s representative office in Yerevan,
Roger Robinson, also attended the meeting.

The sides highly rated the implementation and results of joint
programmes. Expressing his satisfaction with the fact that Armenia
takes first place on the list, Kocharyan pointed out that the country
does not intend to stop at what it has achieved and will continue
the process of reforms.

The parties touched on tasks and work to be carried out in different
spheres. Kocharyan said that serious steps are being taken in order
to make the work of the customs and tax services more and more
transparent. An attempt is being made to minimize contacts between
the customs and businessmen.

The sides also discussed the fight against corruption. Kocharyan said
that active reforms have started in the judicial-legislative sphere
and that consultative assistance in this issue is expected from the
World Bank.

FIRE ENGULFS SIX RESIDENTIAL BLOCKS IN ARMENIAN CAPITAL

RIA Novosti, Russia
May 30 2006

YEREVAN, May 30 (RIA Novosti) – A major fire has engulfed at least six
residential blocks in the center of the Armenian capital, Yerevan,
but a spokesman for the emergency services said no injuries had yet
been reported.

Nikolai Grigoryan said a fire alarm had gone off at about 4 p.m.
local time (1 p.m. GMT), and eight fire engines had been summoned to
the site.

“There are some problems here because the roads in the area are narrow,
which makes it difficult for fire engines to pass, and accordingly low
pressure in the hoses is preventing us from extinguishing the blaze,”
Grigoryan said.

The spokesman said rescuers had contacted the municipal water supply
service but were told that the pressure in the pumps could not be
raised because of an accident.

He said water was being brought by special water carriers and street
sprinklers. Electricity has been switched off in the area.

ARMENIA TO TAKE PART IN INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF CIS

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
May 30 2006

YEREVAN, May 30. /ARKA/. Armenia will take part in international
exhibition dedicated to the 15th anniversary of CIS. According to the
organizational committee of the exhibition, it will be held under
motto “15 years to CIS: cooperation and integration” in Moscow on
October 25-28.

The exhibition will present export potential, demonstrate latest
achievements of states of the Commonwealth in spheres of economy,
science, techniques, healthcare, education and cultures.

The organized exposition will contribute to creation of conditions
for future development of trade-economic cooperation, increase of
technological level and compatibility of the industry, development
of partnership equal in rights within the frames of the Commonwealth.

Organizers of the exhibition are CIS Executive Committee, governments
of CIS-participant countries, CIS Intergovernmental Council on
fair-exposition activities, “GAO VVC” jsc with the assistance of the
Council of Heads of Chambers of Commerce of Industry of CIS countries.

According to assignment of the RA Government, Armenian Development
Agency will be the organizer of “Armenian” exposition.

HEARINGS ON ABKHAZ RAILWAY UNVEIL FEW DETAILS
Nino Khutsidze, Civil Georgia

Civil Georgia, Georgia
May 30 2006

Officials in Tbilisi are cautious about unveiling details of ongoing
negotiations, involving the Georgian, Russian, Abkhaz and Armenian
sides, regarding setting up of a consortium which will deal with
multi-million project on rehabilitation of the Abkhaz section of
Russo-Georgian railway.

Chief of the state-run Georgian Railway company Irakli Ezugbaia
informed lawmakers about the talks at a session of the Commission for
Territorial Integrity. But no details of these hearings are known as
the session was held beyond the closed doors.

Abkhaz sources reported in early May that the Georgian, Abkhaz,
Russian, and Armenian sides signed a protocol on establishing a
consortium – the Black Sea Railways – which will rehabilitate the
Abkhaz railway during the talks in Moscow on May 4. According to these
reports the consortium will be an open joint stock company where the
Abkhaz side will be represented as “a full-pledged party.”

But the Georgian officials have denied these reports.

“There are no four parties. There are only two parties – Georgian
and Russian. All the rest [the Abkhaz and Armenian sides] are only
invited to participate in the working meetings,” Irakli Ezugbaia told
Civil Georgia on May 30 after the parliamentary commission hearing.

“No decision has been made so far regarding the parties [in the
consortium], because we are still working on mechanisms of setting
up of this consortium. Final political decision will be presented
only after this [work] is over,” Ezugbaia said.

He noted that the protocol signed in Moscow on May 4 is a document
which reflects position of the sides regarding the issue.

Ezugbaia also said that no agreement has been reached so far on
how shares among the participating sides will be distributed in
the consortium.

“There are different positions among negotiating sides about this
issue,” Ezugbaia added.

He also said that the consortium will most likely be registered in
“one of the European states.”

Ezugbaia stressed that the Georgia will push participation of those
Georgian experts in rehabilitation of the railway, who are internally
displaced persons from Abkhazia.

Parliamentarians participating in the commission hearings noted after
the session that “no sufficient answers” were provided by the chief
of the Georgian Railway.

Ezugbaia said he is in charge of “the technical aspects” of the
rehabilitation of the Abkhaz railway, which will cost roughly
USD 200-300 million; hence he is not in a position to comment on
“political aspects of the issues.”

MP Shota Malashkhia, who chairs the Commission for Territorial
Integrity, said after the hearings that the issue related with the
railway consortium is too complicated and “is like a big spider web
of legal questions.”

“We can not see mechanisms of creation of this consortium; we can not
see how the control over this consortium or investments will be carried
out… All the lawmakers [attending the session] have an impression
that the issue is not fully realized,” MP Malashkhia told reporters.

If implemented, the project will revive the Trans-Caucasus Railway,
which stretched more than 2,300 kilometers during Soviet times,
connecting Armenia and Georgian Black Sea ports with central Russia;
the railway, which has been on hold since the conflict in the breakaway
region in the early 90s, operated passenger services and handled more
than 15 million tons of transit cargo per year.

According to the public opinion survey commissioned by the
International republican Institute this April 75% of 1500 surveyed
citizens thought Georgia said that restoration of the Abkhaz railway
will “better suit Georgian national interests.”

PRESS RELEASE
The Heritage Party
7 Vazgen Sargsian Street
Yerevan 0010, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 58.08.77, 52.22.38
Fax: (+374 – 10) 54.38.97
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website:

May 29, 2006

Heritage Party Headquarters Reopened by Court Order?

Yerevan–After a delay of months, the central office of the Heritage Party
was finally reopened by officials from the Service for Mandatory Execution
of Judicial Acts (SMEJA) of the Ministry of Justice at 1:00PM today. The
premises had been forcibly closed on March 4, 2006, when party
representatives had witnessed the unlawful replacement, without prior
notice, of the already-smashed lock of the outside door to the party’s
headquarters. This directive had been given by the management of the
Paronian Theater and carried out by its staff under the watchful supervision
of two unidentified men sitting in a nearby vehicle.

In a quick about-face, the SMEJA officials returned to Heritage’s office at
7:00PM the same day, demanding that the staff vacate the premises, in order
that the outside door be resealed. Deeming this reversal in demeanor as
illegal, a mockery of civil rights, contrary to judicial order, and outside
the domain of justice, Raffi Hovannisian refused to leave the office which
had been unlocked by the very same officials just six hours before and in
compliance with the ruling of the court.

On April 14, the Court of First Instance of Yerevan’s Central and
Nork-Marash communities prohibited the defendant theater from taking any
restrictive action in respect of the office in question and the usage of the
property thereof. This ruling, which for unknown reasons was not enforced
for a full month and a half, is in force until the full and final
examination of the case and pending an ultimate verdict by the court. In the
presence of several media representatives, the premises were inspected by
Raffi Hovannisian, attorney Vahagn Grigorian, and officials from SMEJA and
the Heritage Party; the defendant was absent. Promising he would return in
thirty minutes, director Karapet Shahbazian of the Paronian Theater left
immediately after the arrival of the SMEJA officers, but never came back.
The inspection made it clear that the window of the office of Gevorg
Kalenchian, director of the party headquarters, had been opened even though
he had closed it on the evening of March 3. Moreover, one television set and
two computers were turned on and working. The office staff confirmed that
they had not left any electrical equipment in operational mode when leaving
their place of work on March 3.

The officers from SMEJA prepared a report in connection with the inspection,
but did not wait until the computer expert invited by the party had checked
the data stored in the computers. This examination demonstrated that on
March 8, exactly four days after the main office was put under lock and
further access to it was blocked, someone had gained entry to the main
computer where all information regarding the party, its membership and
activities is maintained.

It now becomes evident as to how the “national security” bodies and the
local lackeys of the incumbent presidency were able to obtain relevant
information about the party’s support base nationwide. As is widely known,
the persecution and pressure upon the local divisions of the Heritage Party
have increased since the middle of March, with party members being
threatened and ordered to leave the party. An example of this took place
just recently in the town of Armavir, where the party’s local office manager
Levon Margarian had been taken into custody on May 20. Before being
released he was told that the region’s law enforcement agency knew about the
forthcoming visit of Raffi Hovannisian and other senior party members. The
police demanded that Margarian make sure the meeting did not take place;
otherwise they would use force to disrupt it.

“The sitting administration of the country has proved yet again that it will
not stop at any unlawful measure to prolong its rule for a few more days,
and the security bodies actually uphold not the rights of law-abiding
citizens and the imperative of national security, but rather the personal
well-being of a select few and their maintenance of power,” Kalenchian
stated.

“We are not afraid,” concluded Raffi Hovannisian, “and we will continue our
national citizens’ initiative until we strike justice.”

Founded in 2002, Heritage has regional divisions throughout the land. Its
central headquarters are located at 7 Vazgen Sargsian Street, Yerevan 0010,
Armenia, with telephone contact at (374-10) 580.877, fax at (374-10)
543.897, and email at [email protected]

NEGOTIATIONS ON NA VACANT LEADING POSTS STILL GO ON

YEREVAN, MAY 29, NOYAN TAPAN. As of May 29, the negotiations on
parliamentary vacant posts still continued. These posts became vacant
as a result of the Orinats Yerkir Party’s leaving the coalition and
the acception of the party representatives’ resignations from the
posts assumed by them within the framework of the coalition
memorandum. The same day it was also envisaged to convene a sitting of
political coalition’s council on the above-mentioned issue.

According to preliminary information, it is envisaged to convene a NA
special sitting on May 31 where, among other issues, the issue of the
election will be also discussed. The agreement on nomination of the
candidature of current NA Vice-Speaker, Vice-Chairman of the
Republican Party of Armenia Tigran Torosian for the post of RA NA
Speaker is considered to be achieved, while one can speak about the
possible candidates for the post of the chairmen of two standing NA
committees and for NA Vice-Speaker’ post that will be vacant in case
of Tigran Torosian’s being elected NA Speaker only at the level of
rumors. As Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by by RPA faction
Head Galust Sahakian, the principle of political balance will be
preserved in the issue of nominating candidates for NA vacant leading
posts and the opinion of the committees will be taken into
consideration when determining the candidates for the posts of the
committees chairmen. According to non-official data, the right of
nominating a candidature of the chairman of NA Standing Committee on
Defence, National Security and Internal Affairs, in all probability,
will be reserved for the ARF Dashnaktsutiun faction though formerly it
was ULP that aspired to this post. The latter wil be given the post of
the Chairman of RA NA Standing Committee on Social, Healthcare and
Nature Protection Issues. To recap, Mnatsakan Petrosian, the only
representative of the faction in the above-mentioned committee, is the
current Vice-Chairman of the Committee.