Author: Zaminian Bedik

TURKISH PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION RETURNS FROM NAKHICHEVAN

Anatolian Times, Turkey
April 17 2006

ARALIK – The ruling Justice & Development Party (AKP) deputy Mahmut
Kocak and 14 deputies returned to Turkey on Sunday concluding their
2-day visit to Nakhichevan.

The parliamentary delegation visited Nakhichevan upon the invitation
of Vasif Talibov, chairman of the Nakhichevan Assembly.

Kocak told A.A correspondent that they had the opportunity to see
the economic and social problems of Nakhichevan.

Kocak said both Azerbaijan and Turkey exerted efforts for establishment
of peace in the Caucasus, and stated that intransigent policy of
Armenia was problem in the region.

Kocak said policy of Armenia should be constructive and in line with
the facts of the history and should contribute to the regional peace.

Christians from around the world mark Easter Sunday at Jerusalem holy site

AP Worldstream; Apr 16, 2006
ARON HELLER

Thousands of Christian pilgrims from around the world gathered on
Sunday at Jerusalem holy sites to celebrate Easter Sunday, marking the
day with prayer and hymns.

The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Michel Sabbah, the top Roman
Catholic official in the Holy Land, celebrated Mass at the Church of
the Holy Sepulcher, built over the skull-shaped rocky mount believed
to be the place where Jesus was crucified.

Easter Sunday marks the resurrection of Jesus and caps holy week,
which includes Palm Sunday, when Jesus return to Jerusalem, and Good
Friday, which marks his crucifixion. Thousands filled the narrow
streets of the Old City of Jerusalem on Friday as well, retracing the
route that Jesus followed on his way to the crucifixion.

On Sunday, Armenian priests cloaked in black gowns and head dress
followed Sabbah into the candlelit church singing the Lord’s
Prayer. The Catholic priest emerged from the Sepulcher with a flame
and lit worshippers’ candles that gradually illuminated the painted
dome ceiling erected in the Crusader era.

Worshippers crowded into the grotto-like church as organs played
solemn tunes. Outside, the masses, including some from Serbia, Greece
and England, marched past droves of pictures of Jesus on a cloudy,
overcast day.

Crowds were larger than in recent years, encouraged by a relative lull
in Israeli-Palestinian violence.

Although police did not have an exact crowd size for the Easter Sunday
celebrations, the Israeli Tourism Ministry said 90,000 tourists are
visiting the country for Easter and the Jewish holiday of Passover
this year, up 20 percent from last year.

Israel’s tourist economy suffered during the Palestinian uprising,
which erupted in late 2000. But the flow of visitors has steadily
increased since a cease-fire was declared in early 2005, despite
recent tensions between the sides following Hamas’ victory in
Palestinian legislative elections.

The Easter services underlined one of Christianity’s doctrinal
differences: Roman Catholics believe Jesus Christ was buried in the
Holy Sepulcher, while many Protestant denominations believe he was
buried in the nearby Garden Tomb.

There will be other processions through the Old City this week when
Orthodox Christians, who follow a different calendar than the Western
Church, celebrate Good Friday and Easter Sunday according to their own
tradition.

Armenian opposition official criticizes handover of power plant to Russia

Arminfo
14 Apr 06

Yerevan, 14 April: At a briefing in the parliament today, the
secretary of the opposition Justice bloc, Viktor Dallakyan, sharply
criticized the sale of the fifth unit of the Razdan thermal power
plant to Russia’s Gazprom as compensation for softening the
consequences of the rise in Russian gas prices.

Dallakyan said that Iran had offered a more advantageous option for
investing in the fifth unit of the Razdan power plant. Iran offered
Armenia a 150m-dollar loan for completing the unit and 90m dollars for
building a high voltage line and would be obliged to buy electricity
generated by the power plant. As a result of this deal, Armenia would
have made a profit of 100m dollars per year. Most importantly, the
unit would have remained Armenia’s property. However, Armenia refused
to accept such a profitable deal in favour of Russian interests.

“The Armenian authorities signed an absolutely unfavourable deal with
Russia, under which Armenia will get only 250m dollars and lose
ownership rights to the unit. Russia aims to make Armenia
dependant. And this is not only against Armenia’s energy security but
also its national security,” Dallakyan said.

PBS HOPES THAT ITS PROGRAM ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE WILL HELP AMERICAN
PUBLIC WILL GAIN A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THIS EVENT

Yerevan, April 14. ArmInfo. Our sincere hope is that the American
public will gain a greater understanding of these important events in
world history, Jan McNamara, PBS Corporate Communications Director,
says in an interview to ArmInfo speaking about THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
documentary film and the follow-up panel, THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE:
EXPLORING THE ISSUES to be telecast on PBS Apr 17.

It is part of the mission of public television to engender responsible
discussion and illuminate complex issues.

We have received numerous messages from across the country protesting
and praising THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE and the follow-up panel, THE
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE: EXPLORING THE ISSUES. We are committed to offering
both programs, which we sincerely hope will help more Americans
understand this important chapter in world history. Both programs were
fed last month to PBS stations.

The final decision about what programs air in a specific market are
made individually by local stations. Implicit in PBS’ decision to
accept THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE for distribution is its recognition that
the overwhelming majority of historians have concluded that a genocide
took place.

FAREED ZAKARIA’s Foreign Exchange on most PBS stations

mp;PHPSESSID=e4698441e428fb3b4831448897ca1f47

In Focus: Genocide?
The word genocide didn’t exist until World War II when it was used to
describe the horrors of Nazi atrocities. In this week’s In Focus we
preview a new PBS documentary that examines whether the word should be
used in reference to the hundreds of thousands of Armenians who
perished in 1915 as a result of actions by the Turkish government. The
film airs this week, check local listings
( .php) for times.

IN MARTAKERT THEY DO NOT KNOW WHEN WORK STARTS

Lragir.am
13 april 06

The money raised during the telethon in November 2005 was to be spent
on the reconstruction of the region of Martakert, NKR. Moreover,
the administration of the region does not know yet which part of the
17 million dollar program will be implemented. During the telethon
pledges of 7.7 million dollars were made, but only 3.5 million dollars
was raised. According to Jirayr Gabrielyan, the deputy head of the
administration of Martakert, the priorities are now being outlined.

Water is the major problem of Martakert. Several years ago
65-70 million drams was allocated to build a water pipeline in
Martakert. They built the pipeline then found out that it was not
built correctly, and the water did not get to the region. Another
130 million dollars was allocated for the same purpose. Now they are
building again. Recently a block of 24 apartments was built for army
officers. Presently 19 thousand people live in the region. The problem
of housing is another major problem.

The deputy head of the administration of the region said natives of
Martakert living in different countries will be invited to Karabakh
in June. The administration of the region will use the occasion of
the anniversary of liberation of Martakert to attract the attention
of the natives of Martakert. Many people who could not get adjusted
to life in other countries return already.

ROBERT KOCHARIAN AND BERNARD FASSIER DISCUSS RECENT DEVELOPMENTS OF NEGOTIATION PROCESS OF KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 13 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 13, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA President Robert
Kocharian received Bernard Fassier, the French Co-Chairman of the
OSCE Minsk Group, on April 13. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the
RA President’s Press Office, recent developments of the negotiation
process of the Karabakh conflict settlement were discussed.

BEST BETS TONIGHT
By Free Press News Services

London Free Press, Ontario, Canada
April 12 2006

Must-see

Human Edge: 10 p.m., TVO. Human Edge presents the world premiere of
The Armenian Genocide. Written, produced and directed by Emmy-winning
filmmaker Andrew Goldberg, the documentary explores the 1915-1923
genocide when more than a million Armenians perished, most under the
rule of the Ottoman Empire. It will be preceded at 8 p.m. by a panel
discussion on TVO’s Studio 2.

INVALID VERSIONS
Aram Abrahamian

Aravot.am
11 April 06

The progress report of the US State Department about Armenia was rather
strong, serious infringements during the elections and referendum,
obedient Parliament to the President, corruption of law keepers,
limitation of the freedom of the press etc. There is no doubt that
the strong tone of the report depends on the circumstance that
Armenia made another step to yield its sovereignty to Russia. When
establishments of various spheres are sold to different countries,
it’s a business. But when the establishments of vital importance are
sold to a country it is a policy, of course. The report of the State
Department was the answer of that policy.

There are two cures for improving the current situation; a/to get
out under Russia’s patronage, b/ to take real steps to democracy
and legality for the US State Department not have any reason to
reproach. But the simple analyze shows that our authority can use
neither of above-mentioned cures. The first is difficult both for
objective and subjective reasons. The general reason among the
objective reasons is that our country solves the problems of its
security with the help of Russia. The main subjective reasons are
that Russia assists all type of our elections and referendums as well
as the circumstance that the part of our officials of high rank have
a joint business with the RF authority officials and that business
isn’t transparent.

The reasons of not taking steps to democracy and legality tare very
obvious; our ruling clique tries to keep its post that’s why they are
afraid of any demonstration of free will. And if they don’t draw 80%
of votes for their pro-authority party in the coming elections the
life will stop for it.

Naturally the disuse of a cure depends on another. Russia is interested
in acting such a half-authoritarian regime in its “outpost” as it is
at it; it is impossible for the vassal to be more progressive that
the suzerain is.

POLICE TRAINING CENTRE TO LAUNCH THE FINAL STAGE OF ITS RENOVATION

ArmRadio.am
12.04.2006 11:18

The Police Training Centre will launch the third final stage of its
renovation on April 13.

Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan,
Major-General Ararat Mahtesyan, First Deputy Head of the Armenian
Police, Mr. Anthony Godfrey, Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy
in Armenia will pay a working tour around the Centre, which will be
followed by a short presentation of the accomplished and anticipated
activities.

Renovation of the center is part of a large-scale Police Assistance
Programme launched by the OSCE Office in Yerevan in 2004. The program
envisages three key components: refurbishment of the Police Training
Center, development of the curriculum in line with international
standards and introduction of a community-policing model in one of
Yerevan districts.

Refurbishment of the Training Centre has been made possible with
financial contributions from the Governments of the USA, Belgium
and Sweden.