KAREN KARAPETYAN REFUTES INFORMATION ON SETTING UP A POLITICAL PARTY

Lragir/am
22 March 06

Yesterday Karen Karapetyan, the head of the parliamentary group
People’s Deputy, refuted the information that a political party was
going to be set up on he basis of the group. “I have not decided
on creating or becoming member of a political party yet. If the
members of the group decided to become member of a political party,
I would welcome their step. Every member of the group is free in
their decisions.”

DISCUSSION DELAYED

Lragir/am
22 March 06

The Constitutional Court of Armenia began and postponed the discussion
of the illegitimacy of development in the center of Yerevan on
March 21. Armen Harutiunyan, the ombudsman of Armenia, defends the
interests of thousands of citizens who suffered for the sake of unreal
or suggested elite. The representative of the government is Minister
of Justice Davit Harutiunyan.

The discussion of the question was put off because experts are required
to elucidate the subtleties of the decisions of the government and
courts on eviction.

A RESOLUTION ON THE KARABAKH CONFLICT TO BE ADOPTED AT THE SUMMER SESSION OF THE OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

ArmRadio
22.03.2006 14:22

A resolution on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict will be
adopted at the summer session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

Vice-Chairman of the National Assembly, Head of the Armenian
delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Vahan Hovhannisyan
told “Armenpress” that during his visit to Azerbaijan in April the
reporter on the Karabakh issue Goran Lenmarker will get to know the
Azerbaijani delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and will
pass them the suggestion of the Armenian side to create a joint
committee within OSCE.

According to Vahan Hovhannisyan, the committee on the parliamentary
level will provide the opportunity to have the work with the reporter
be more coordinated, to share information and promote the activities
of the Minsk Group.

The Vice-Speaker reminded that Goran Lenmarker’s report has been
presented, but no resolution has been adopted, since the Assembly
opposed the project suggested by Azerbaijan.

The draft resolution will be developed by summer. Goran Lenmarker is
not expected to visit Armenia.

PRESENTATION OF THE BOOK ON ARMENIAN PAINTINGS TO BE HELD IN CYPRUS

ArmRadio
22.03.2006 11:50

After completing a successful trip of seven cities in the US and
Canada last year, organised by the Tekeyan Cultural Association, art
historian Mayda Saris, art director of the bilingual Armenian-Turkish
language weekly AGOS newspaper of Turkey, has been invited to Cyprus
by the Hamazkayin Cultural and Educational Association Cyprus Oshagan
Chapter, to promote her latest art book, Armenian Paintings: From the
beginning to the Present. The book presentation and lecture will take
place on Friday, 24th Marchat the Utudjian Hall, Nicosia.

The groundbreaking 262 page book with more than 400 illustrations
explores Armenian art from ancient to modern times. The author gives
a comprehensive overview of the origin of the Armenian people, their
folklore, lifestyle, culture, art and faith, which has been a source
of inspiration for the Armenian artists and architects throughout
centuries.

CANADIAN ARMENIAN DELEGATION MEETS WITH PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER

ArmRadio
22.03.2006 10:52

A Canadian Armenian delegation, led by the Primate His Eminence
Bagrat Galstanian, met with The Right Honorable Stephen Harper in
his Parliament Hill office on Tuesday March 21, 2006.

The Primate congratulated the Prime Minister on his recent election,
and thanked him for actively supporting the passage of Bill M-380
by the House of Commons in 2004, which recognized the Armenian
genocide. He also presented a letter from His Holiness Garegin II,
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.

“We highly appreciate this important action” said the Vehapar in his
letter to the Prime Minister, referring to Bill M-380, “and appeal
to you to condemn all similar atrocities throughout the world that
are directed against the well-being of man.”

“We look forward that during your term in office, there may be further
tangible cooperation between Canada and the Republic of Armenia,
leading to official diplomatic representation in Yerevan,” added
His Holiness.

US-SPONSORED BORDER GUARD TRAINING CENTRE OPENS IN ARMENIA

Mediamax news agency
22 Mar 06

Yerevan, 22 March: A training centre of the Armenian border troops,
renovated with money provided by the US government, opened in Yerevan
today.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, US ambassador to Armenia John
Evans stressed the importance of the centre in ensuring the reliable
protection of the Armenian borders and preventing the illegal
transportation of dangerous cargoes and smuggling and trafficking,
Mediamax reports.

According to the diplomat, “the operation of the centre meets the
interests of the Armenian people and the international community”.

The USA invested a total of 214,000 dollars in the renovation of the
centre’s building.

Armen Abramyan, commander of the Armenian border troops, said that
the USA has been supplying Armenian border guards with transport and
technical control facilities, state-of-the-art radio stations and
computers since December 2001.

The building of the Bagratashen checkpoint on the Armenian-Georgian
border was opened in May 2005 with the assistance of the US
government. The construction of a barracks at the Gogavan checkpoint
on the border with Georgia will be completed in the near future.

An official statement released by the US embassy said that “several
groups of Armenian border guards have already attended one- and
two-month courses in preparation for replacing Russian border guards
at Zvartnots airport.” At the same time, Armen Abramyan said that
not all of the Russian border guards at the airport will be replaced,
Mediamax reports.

Mediamax recalls that under bilateral agreements, Armenian and Russian
border guards are jointly protecting Armenia’s border with Turkey
and Iran. Russian, not Armenian, border guards have been working at
the checkpoint Armenia at Zvartnots international airport in the past
few years.

Mediamax notes that the head of the Russian Federal Security Service’s
Border Directorate in Armenia, Lt-Gen Sergey Bondarev, said in January
2006 that Armenian and Russian border guards started to serve jointly
at the checkpoint Armenia. Bondarev said that “joint work has already
proved its efficiency”.

GEORGIAN GOVERNMENT INTERESTED IN INFLOW OF ARMENIAN CAPITAL: GEORGIAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 20 2006

YEREVAN, March 20. /ARKA/. The Georgian Government is interested in
the inflow of the Armenian capital to the Georgian market, Georgian
Ambassador to Armenia Revaz Gachechiladze told reporters.

According to him, tendencies of expanding Armenian-Georgian economic
relations have come into being over the last time.

“Introduction of such Armenian products as ‘Noyan’ juices, ‘Sigaron’
company’s and ‘Ararat-cement’ company’s production into the Georgian
market is a graphic evidence of it,” he said. Gachechiladze emphasized
the fact of the construction of a hotel in Kobuletti (Georgia’s
district) by an Armenian construction company.

“My mission in Armenia is to strengthen friendship and cooperation
between our countries,” the Ambassador said.

THE POLICE TAKE RESPONSIBILITY TO RESPECT HUMAN RIGHTS

A1+
07:02 pm 21 March, 2006

“The law foresees punishment for the police in cases of torture
and violation of human rights as well as for the cruel attitude
and the insulting cases of human dignity,” this is a quotation from
the bill concerning the changes and additions on the RA “Law on the
Police.” The secretary of the “Justice” fraction Victor Dallakyan
liked this quotation and reminded the “barbarous events” which took
place on the night of April 13 on Baghramyan Avenue, he also gave the
names of the journalists who were tortured by the police and informed
that nobody was punished for that “ferocity”.

The police general Ararat Mahtesyan answered that remark and said
that the police acted in the “realm of the law.” He claimed that
they had warned the protestants twice to open the way and not to hold
the traffic. “Yes, at 2 a.m. they wanted to open the streets for the
schoolchildren,” said Victor Dallakyan.

In the bill concerning the changes of the “Law on the Police” the
actions of the police are firmly stated.

There are many interesting formations in the bill which may sound
exotic to us, for instance, “While realizing their duties the police
must be guided by the necessity to protect human and citizens’
rights stated in the RA Constitution, by the principle of egality,
by the regular realization of liabilities. It may also pursuit other
purposes stated by the law.”

The deputy of the “Justice” fraction Tatul Manaseryan mentioned that
the necessity of equality is firmly stated in the law but there
is nothing mentioned about the means of punishment. For example,
let’s take Demirtjan Street where the dwellers can’t rest the whole
day because of the noise made by the cars of the president’s guard
especially the signaling after the midnight. “The president of the
country, whoever it may be, must obey the law,” reminded Tatul
Manaseryan and added that the foreign citizens are also equally
responsible in front of the law who seem to be privileged in our
society. The deputy brought the example of the Embassy cars mentioning
that the inspectors turn pale seeing them. “Today our inspectors learn
how to behave while stopping diplomatic cars in the presence of the
Ambassadors or other officials.” By the way, in Article 5 of the “Law
on the Police” it is written ,”The police must give a chance to people
under custody to use their right of lawyer’s service and must inform
their relatives about their arrest within 3 hours from the moment of
taking them to the police station.” Victor Dallakyan was a little
concerned by the idea of keeping the citizen in the police station
for 3 hours. As for Mahtesyan he thought that they can’t inform the
relatives in 3 hours as they may face the “problem of the telephone.”

Let’s mention that during the discussion of such a vital matter there
were only 8 deputies present in the hall.

THE ISSUE OF THE BUZAND DWELLERS WAS CANCELLED FOR 2 WEEKS

A1+
07:47 pm 21 March, 2006

The Human Rights Protector Armen Harutunyan deserved the explicit
affection of many journalists, court workers and ordinary citizens
today in the Constitutional Court. After the first break of the CC
session the citizens came up to the Protector, even embraced with
him saying o lot of words of praise in his address.

The first Ombudsman Larisa Alavrerdyan was also in the CC but the
people deprived of their houses were not so much interested in her
personality. We asked Mrs.

Alaverdyan to comment on the strategy of the present Protector and
whether she was glad to see the warm attitude of the citizens towards
Armen Harutunyan.

“I always say “Give a person a chance to work,” as for the criticism
I shall have time to return to it,” answered Larisa Alaverdyan.

In today’s CC session Armen Harutunyan could not persuade the
Government and the Chairman that the constructing projects in Kentron
district were realized against the provisions of the RA Constitution
and the international norms. The Minister of the Justice who is at
the same time the Government representative thinks that the 99% of
the citizens who complain of the constructions undertaken in Kentron
complain of the compensation money.

The new assistant and the representative of the chairman Gevorg Mheryan
had nothing to say on this score. While making his speech and answering
the questions he stuck to the Articles of the Protector’s application,
repeated those Articles for a few times and insisted on the same thing-
the provisions in question are fully legal and constitutional.

The CC did not finish the hearings of the application.

It was decided to cancel the hearings for two weeks, to invite
international experts who will say their conclusions on a number of
controversial juridical formations.

Meanwhile the Government representative also wanted to add the issues
requiring experts’ interpretation and was obliged to present the paper
according to which the executive body deemed the “Construction of
Kentron” number 1 income. This decision of the Government has never
been published.

FOREIGN MINISTRY WARNS DEPUTIES ABOUT THEIR ACTIVITIES ABROAD

New Anatolian, Turkey
March 20 2006

The Foreign Ministry yesterday warned deputies to brief Turkish
diplomatic missions beforehand about their possible special contacts
and organizations in foreign countries, so that problems that may
arise can be minimized or prevented.

The warning came in direct link to rallies held in Berlin and Lyon,
France over the weekend to protest the recognition of Armenian genocide
claims in European countries, events which risk souring Turkey’s
diplomatic relations with the two key European Union countries.

The Turkish Parliament also sent the same warning to political party
groups saying that although the persons who make arrangements of
special meetings or organizations are widely known in Turkey, they
might have negative reputations outside of the country. The latest
reference was a thinly-veiled one toward Dogu Perincek, the leader
of the Labor Party (IP), although there was no specific name in
the statement.

It was underlined in the warning that if the deputies inform Turkish
representations before their planned visits and meetings, the problems
coming from these events might be reduced to a minimum level.