Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MET WITH FOREIGN DIPLOMATS

ArmRadio.am
19.04.2006 16:40

Today Chairman of the National Assembly Arthur Baghdasaryan met
representatives of Embassies of OSCE member states and international
structures accredited in Armenia.

Noting that it is the first time all political forces have
agreed upon the draft of the Electoral Code, the Speaker of the
Parliament thoroughly presented the basic changes, informing that
the draft has been already sent to the Venice Commission and OSCE
for expertise. Arthur Baghdasaryan noted that the joint group of
OSCE and Venice Commission experts is expected to visit Armenia in
June. During the visit discussions on the new Electoral Code and
administrative issues will be organized. US Ambassador to Armenia
John Evans, Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan Vladimir Pryakhin,
Ambassador of the Republic of Italy Marco Clementi and UN Resident
Coordinator Consuelo Vidal stressed the importance of the provision
of legal bases and expression of political will for holding the 2007
and 2008 elections in commitment with international standards.

BAGDASARYAN: HOPES FOR FUTURE MORE IMPORTANT THAN SORROWFUL MEMORIES

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
April 19 2006

Armenia And Turkey Should Negotiate Openly And Freely

BERLIN – “Turkey and Armenia should talk to each other ‘openly and
freely’,” Armenian Parliament Speaker Arthur Bagdasaryan said on
Wednesday Anatolian Times reported.

In an exclusive interview with German Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
newspaper, Bagdasaryan reiterated allegations regarding the “so-called”
genocide, however indicated that, “nonetheless we should not waste our
future because of the past. Hopes for the future are more important
than the sorrowful memories of the past. Turkey also needs this
dialogue.”

Underscoring that he personally favored a dialogue with Turkey,
Bagdasaryan said, “we should sit around a table and resolve our
problems. Of course not all the Armenians share this view.” Turkish
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan had also invited the Armenian President
Kocharian to Turkey to discuss the matters between Turkey and
Armenia. Mr. Erdogan also called the Armenian side to establish a
commission to discuss the historical disputes.

The German newspaper said Bagdasaryan is one of the best placed
nominees that may succeed Armenian President Robert Kocharian whose
term in office will expire in 2008.

Similarly Assoc. Prf. Dr. Sedat Laciner, head of Ankara-based
Internationational Strategic Research Organization (USAK), argued
that Turkey and Armenia need each other and they should not waste
the future for the past:

“I do not mean that the past was not important. The past is important,
but today and tomorrow are more important. We have wasted a lot of
time and Armenians should realise that they have gained nothing. They
relied on French, British and Russians, and they lost their peace and
country. They lost their independence, and now they have another state,
Republic of Armenia. Independent Armenia is an opportunity for both
Turks and Armenians. We have reasonable partners now. The states are
not like the radical groups like the Tashnaks.

Turkey and the Armenian diaspora should protect the young Armenian
state. However the radical Armenians in the diaspora undermine
the Armenian state. As a matter of fact that there is a Genocide
Industry. Many Armenians in the diaspora abuses the problems between
Turks and Armenians. They see the problems as source of influence,
money etc. They know that if the Turks and Armenians solve their
problems no one would need them”.

TIGRAN TOROSIAN: PACE RESOLUTION WILL HELP TO PUT AN AND TO SPECULATIONS OF AZERIS

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 17 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 17, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Resolution
adopted on April 13 at the plenary sitting of PACE on issues on
refugees and forcibly displaced people in Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Georgia will permit to put an and to the speculations
of Azerbaijan. Head of the PACE Armenian delegation, RA NA
Vice-Speaker Tigran Torosian expressed such an opinion at the
April 17 press conference touching upon the discussion of the issue
immediately concerning Armenia at April 10-13 PACE spring session
in Strasbourg. T.Torosian motivated his opinion by the fact that
the adopted document exactly stipulates the data of the UN Supreme
Commissar on issues of refugees, according to which there were a little
more than 83 thousand refugees during the conflict in Azerbaijan and
in late 2004 their number reached 8606. The number of the displaced
persons in Azerbaijan amounted to about 570 thousand people. Whereas,
he emphasized, in the recent years the Azeris have been trumpeting
about existence of 1 mln refugees in the country. He also mentioned
that the attempts of the Azerbaijani delegation to withdraw data not
favorable for them from the report failed. In total, 35 proposals
on the draft Resolution were submitted, 18 of them were submitted by
the Azerbaijani delegation. 5 proposals of editing character out of
the above-mentioned ones were adopted. As a result, the provisions
of the Resolution, according to which refugees can return to places
of their residence remained unchanged. This is a right fixed in the
international documents and not a commitment as the Azeris propose. The
proposal about cooperation among 3 South Caucasian countries for the
purpose of solving the issue of refugees was also preserved in the
document. Azeris spoke against this proposal. Tigran Torosian said
that reporter on the issue, Latvian Deputy Boris Tsilevich in his
speech informed that works connected with refugees are implemented
in Armenia at the high level. Meanwhile he expressed the hope that
if Armenia is provided with the proper international support it will
be able to solve the issue of refugees not within several years but
within only several months.

ARMENIAN TV TO BROADCAST EASTER DIVINE LITURGY INTERNATIONALLY

Armenpress
Apr 14 2006

ETCHMIADZIN, APRIL 14, ARMENPRESS: The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
and the Shoghakat TV Company, working in conjunction with the “First
Channel” of Armenian television (“H1”) have announced live global
telecast of the Pontifical Divine Liturgy on Easter Sunday in Holy
Etchmiadzin. The celebrant will be His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.

Armenian communities throughout the world will be able to watch
Easter Divine Liturgy broadcast live from the Mother Cathedral of
Holy Etchmiadzin on Sunday morning, April 16, 2006, on the Armenian H1
“First Channel” available through satellite providers.

IT’S ALL THE SAME
Aram Abrahamian

Aravot.am
12 April 06

The businessman Levon Poghosian refused of his deputy mandate on
Monday as business and legislative activities are forbidden to
combine. Earlier the deputy Khachatur Sukiasian refused of any post
of “Sil Concern” even of the post of its president. These actions
of business, state and human ethics are exceptions, which affirm the
appropriateness. In general our deputies and officials are indifferent
towards all kind of demands of the law. The deputy Alexander Sargsian
was telling the journalists proudly about his business in the USA
but it left no trace besides the replies of the press.

If we try to describe the general figure of the NA oligarch deputy we
can say that a/ he is too impudent, b/ illiterate, c/ has birdbrain,
d/ is sponsored by one of the officials of the ruling clique. Those
persons even don’t want to give their lost money back to casino,
why should we trust them in the state budget? But we don’t, they live
without our confidence very well.

As we haven’t elected the president, deputies, they don’t have any
dependence from us and don’t want to please us, the citizens. I have
written for four times in the newspaper that mountains of garbage are
appeared in Hambartsumian Street in front of my house. The situation
of yesterday is produced in the photo. And as the district mayor
isn’t elected by the population and isn’t going to be elected later,
he doesn’t worry about what we think of him. The time of elections
will come to an agreement with the ruling clique, will bribe some
people, and will fill some ballot boxes and will be reelected.

So it’s all the same whatever you write.

ANNUAL OWN REVENUES OF GYUMRI INCREASE FROM 100 MLN TO 2.5 BLN DRAMS IN 6-7 YEARS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 11 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN. 6-7 years ago the annual own revenues
of the city of Gyumri made about 100 mln drams, whereas in 2005 they
amounted to 2.5 bln drams (over 5.5 mln USD). According to Mayor
of Gyumri Vardan Ghukasian, this growth in the city revenues was
contributed by the fact that the number of land tax and profit tax
payers has significantly increased due to the urban development
programs being implemented since 2001. It was noted that the
revenues of the city budget are mainly spent on restoration of the
architectural monuments damaged by the 1988 earthquake and on asphalt
laying and repairs of Gyumri streets. V. Ghukasian said that the
mayor’s office provides the possible assistance for development of
small and medium business in Gynmri, thanks to which about 3 thousand
jobs are created in this sector annually. At the same time, there were
previously 75 thousand jobs, whereas now the number of the employed
is small since the big enterprises are not operating. With the aim
of restoring and developing the industrial capacities in Gyumri, the
mayor underlined the necessity of working out a special state program,
with the indication of local resources, opportunities and sectors, in
which the city and Shirak marz will develop. V. Ghukasian noted that
the land tax and property tax privileges, which were established by
the Armenian government for Shirak marz investors a few years ago,
are not quite efficient. In his opinion, in order to develop the
industry of Gymri, privileges (especially profit tax and income tax
ones) like those applied in free economic zones abroad should be set
for investors.

BAKU COMMITTED TO PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO KARABAKH CONFLICT

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS Military Newswire
April 11, 2006 Tuesday 2:15 PM MSK

Azerbaijan wants a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
as soon as possible, but warns that its patience is wearing thin, Ali
Gasanov, head of the Azeri presidential administration’s department
for public and political issues, told journalists on Tuesday.

“We have no territorial claims. We only want to get our lands back.

We have the right to it,” he said.

Commenting on a recent statement by a U.S. Department of State official
that a new war in the Nagorno-Karabakh region would make it difficult
for Azerbaijan to earn money implementing regional energy projects,
Gasanov said that other countries involved in such major energy and
transport projects do not want the Karabakh conflict to be resolved
through the use of force.

“We do not want that, either. But what are we supposed to do? We
have our own rights and we cannot allow the occupation of our lands
to continue. Our patience is not endless,” he said.

All the parties involved realize the negative consequences of a new
war in the region and are doing everything they can to find a peaceful
solution to the conflict, Gasanov said. The OSCE Minsk Group has also
stepped up its activities, he said.

“Armenia understands that it will have to liberate Azerbaijan’s lands
sooner or later,” he said.

LARISA ALAVERDIAN ALSO TO TAKE PART IN DISCUSSION OF OMBUDSMAN’S REPORT AT PARLIAMENT

Noyan Tapan
Apr 10 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN. A regular 4-day session of RA National
Assembly started on April 10. The MPs had not managed yet to approve
the agenda at the end of the first sitting. According to the draft
agenda, 35 issues and 6 international agreements are subject to
discussion. The annual report on the Ombudsman’s activity in 2005
in RA and on violation of human rights and basic freedoms in the
country is also among the issues. As NA Speaker Artur Baghdasarian
declared from the tribune, in accordance with already adopted decision,
former RA Ombudsperson Larisa Alaverdian will be also invited to the
discussion of the issue and will make a speech. Current RA Ombudsman
Armen Haroutiunian also made such a proposal. The parliament declined
Ardarutiun (Justice) faction Secretary Viktor Dallakian’s proposal
about making a decision to record the above-mentioned discussion and
to show it on the Public Television the next day in order to provide
publicity. Only 28 MPs were for the proposal and 14 MPs abstained
from voting.

SERGE SARGSIAN EXPRESSES HOPE THAT IN FUTURE ICRC REPORTS TO REFLECT
REALITY, ABSENCE OF HOSTAGES IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, APRIL 7, NOYAN TAPAN. Serge Sargsian, the Secretary of the RA
National Security Council, the Defence Minister received on April 7
Jakob Kellenberger, the Chairman of the International Committee of Red
Cross (ICRC). Isabelle Barras, the ICRC responsible for Eastern Europe
and Yves Arnoldy, head of the ICRC Armenian delegation participated in
the meeting. Serge Sargsian attached importance to the ICRC activity
in Armenia, mentioning that this considerably supports solution of
some problems arisen in front of the state. Emphasizing that the
bilateral cooperation promotes rather actively and productively,
J.Kellenberger expressed gratitude for the assistance showed by the RA
Government, particularly, the Ministry of Defence. Touching upon the
works implemented till today in the direction of finding out people
lost traceless, the sides facted that beneficial conditions have
always existed in Armenia for the ICRC employees’ activity, and
obstacles have never been created. In this sense considering baseless
the information periodically published in press by the Azerbaijani
authorities about people lost traceless and hostages kept in Armenia,
Serge Sargsian expressed a hope that the ICRC reports will reflect the
reality in future, thus, the fact of absence of hostages in
Armenia. As Noyan Tapan was informed by Colonel Seyran Shahsuvarian,
the RA Defence Minister’s Press Secretary, the participants of the
meeting exchanged opinions concerning the present stage of settlement
of the Karabakh conflict. Within the context of the negotiation
process, the Minister considered causing anxiety the continuous
martial statements of the high-ranking authorities of Azerbaijan and
encouriging of interracial hatred among the people.

Agency WPS
What the Papers Say Part B (Russia)
April 6, 2006 Thursday

ARMENIA: IN SEARCH OF ALTERNATIVES;
Armenia is through with listening to myths about Russia

by Gajane Movsesjan

Armenia may decide that it doesn’t need Russia after all; Armenian
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanjan’s two-day visit to Moscow begins
today. Oskanjan will meet with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov
and Security Council Secretary Igor Ivanov. He met with US Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington the other day.

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanjan’s two-day visit to Moscow
begins today. Oskanjan will meet with his Russian counterpart Sergei
Lavrov and Security Council Secretary Igor Ivanov. Official reports
on the agenda are brief. They indicate that it includes bilateral
relations, the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, regional matters, and
cooperation within the framework of international organizations.
Sources from Armenian diplomatic circles say that this is just a
routine visit, nothing more.

What is interesting, however, is that Oskanjan discussed the same
matters with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington the
other day. Oskanjan and Rice signed an accord on March 27 to the
effect that Armenia will receive $236.5 million under the Millennium
Challenges program over the next five years. The millions will be
used to repair roads in rural areas, reconstruction of irrigation and
drainage systems, and reduction of impoverishment in the agricultural
sector.

Rice herself undermined political undertones of this seemingly
economic event at the signing ceremony when she began elaborating
meaningfully on the necessity of advancement of democratic reforms in
Armenia in the light of the parliamentary and presidential elections
there in 2007 and 2008. Armenian observers took her words as an
admission of Washington’s desire to bring political and economic
processes in Armenia under its own control. Moreover, the program
itself (Millennium Challenges) was taken as but an additional
instrument of American influence with Yerevan.

Shushan Khatlamadzhjan, an analyst with the Armenian Institute of
Civil Society and Regional Development, believes that the
Armenian-Russian strategic partnership is in a crisis. “The problem
is rooted in the lack of transparency of the talks between the
Armenian and Russian authorities,” she said. “Armenian society feels
disassociated from public politics and cannot help ascribing it to
some clandestine accords between the governments of the two
countries… Like a recompense to Armenia for high gas tariffs in the
form of a discount on Russian military hardware as some Russian media
outlets speculated. In short, even pro-Russian political forces in
Armenia begin promoting the necessity to develop foreign policy on
the basis of the actual national interests and not the old myths…”

Now let’s consider the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh. Chairmen of the
OSCE Minsk Group, Russia and the United States have headed the
mission of intermediaries for a decade now. With nothing to show for
it in terms of the formula of a lasting peace. A meeting between the
presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in France was arranged this
February but even it failed as a means of accomplishing anything.
Foreign intermediaries are analyzing the situation again now. The
United States is particularly impatient. American diplomacy put
Yerevan and Baku under pressure in March. Daniel Fried, US
Undersecretary of State for Europe and Eurasia, was dispatched to the
region. Fried announced that the United States wanted a compromise
between the warring sides reached this year.

The United States is impatient and the European Union is certainly
getting active. Armenian analysts and observers ascribe these trends
to the desire on the part of the West to resolve conflicts in the
post-Soviet zone in such a manner as to weaken Russia’s positions. As
far as Khatlamadzhjan is concerned, it is precisely from this
standpoint that specialists should contemplate the renewed debates
over the so-called “Marshall Plan for the Caucasus.” The idea boils
down to substantial economic aid to countries of the southern part of
the Caucasus in return for political concessions. “Russia is in the
situation where a new and effective policy with regard to Armenia
becomes a must,” Khatlamadzhjan concluded.

Khatlamadzhjan also believes that “the myth in Armenia of there being
no alternatives to strategic partnership with Russia is in its last
throes.” “Armenia may solve its regional problems and resolve
conflicts without military and other cooperation with Russia,
accepting instead the plan and investments from the West. There is
the widespread opinion in analytical community here that there can be
no war or peace without Russia, but we shouldn’t make a fetish of
this fact or demonize it,” she said.

Source: Vremya Novostei, April 6, 2006, p. 5

Translated by A. Ignatkin