EASTERN DIOCESE READIES PREPARATIONS FOR GENOCIDE 90TH ANNIVERSARY
REMEMBRANCE

YEREVAN, January 28 (Noyan Tapan). The law “On Parties,” in essence,
froze the desperate situation formed in this sphere and closes the way
to formation of new political forces. Vigen Khachatrian, a member of
the “Club of Political Dispute,” declared this during the discussion
of the amendments to the law “On Parties” organized on January 27 in
the club. According to him, under the formed conditions when really
the parliament and parties don’t form the executive power and aren’t
able to control it effectively the amendment introduced to the law
gives new levers for control over the parties to the executive power.
Khachatrian also said that this “innovation” will contribute to
strengthening of monopoly positions of pro-governmental parties.

According to him, the amendments introduced to the law are really
aimed at limitation of political competition as the most important
condition of modern democracy. “Not encouraging but hampering
principles are the basis of the amendments.” In Khachatrian’s opinion,
the main provision of the Constitution, according to which the parties
are free to be formed and contribute to formation of political life of
the country, should be fixed and developed in the law. According to
another proposal of the speaker, they should introduce additions to
the law taking into consideration the demand of Article 7 of the
Constitution, according to which the structure and work of the parties
can’t contradict the democratic principles. According to Vigen
Khachatrian, the law badly reflects the mechanisms that will provide
fulfilment of the constitutional demand regarding publicity of
financial activity of parties. Samvel Nikoyan, an MP, a member of the
“Republican Party of Armenia” faction, and Stepan Zakarian, an MP, a
member of the “Ardarutiun” (“Justice”) faction, made reports during
the discussion.

MOST LIKELY EUROPEAN COURT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS TO BEGIN EXAMINATION OF
SUIT OF LAND FUND SHAHUMIAN-GETASHEN

YEREVAN, JANUARY 28. ARMINFO. Most likely, this year the European
Court for human rights will start consideration of the suit of the
land charitable fund Shahumian-Getashen on invalidating a number of
clauses of the European convention on defence of main freedoms and
human rights. ARMINFO was informed in the press office of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.

According to the resource, the claim of the fund was registered in the
secretariat of the European Court. The land charitable fund
Shahumian-Getashen, speaking on behalf of the residents of the
Armenians villages of Shahumian and Getashen districts, displaced as a
result of the policy of the authorities of Azerbaijan on expulsion of
Armenians during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict from 1991-1992, at the
end of 2004 appealed to the European Court for human rights to receive
a material and moral satisfaction for the violated rights for easy use
and protection of property of the displaced population. Now the
aforementioned territories are under the control of Azerbaijani armed
forces, where Armenian populated areas, the property of the Armenians
are destroyed, and the program of resettlement of Azerbaijan is being
implemented. The fund expects from the court to recognize violated the
1st clause of the 1st protocol of the European Convention for defence
of main freedoms and human rights.

The clause says that every natural person or legal entity has the
right easily to use his property. Besides, the fund expects that the
court will recognize violated the 8th clause of the convention,
according to the first point of which “everybody has the right for
respect of his personal and family life, apartment and
correspondence”. Besides the fund demands to oblige Azerbaijan for
material and moral compensation for infringement of the rights.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA DOES ITS BEST TO PROTECT NAGORNY KARABAKH: NKR PRESIDENT

YEREVAN, JANUARY 28. ARMINFO. Armenia is doing its best to protect
Nagorny Karabakh. One thing is when issues are raised by Karabakh
representatives the other thing is when they are presented by Armenia,
says Karabakh’s President Arkady Ghoukassyan.

In this context our opportunities are enlarging and if Karabakh is
involved in the talks it will be able to defend its position
itself. Ghoukassyan notes that the Armenian army is the key guarantor
of the security of the Karabakh people and state. “If we have a fully
fledged structure this is our army. I am sure that having a strong
army we will have future. The situation is so that so far the regional
problems have been settled by the army. May this not be the case in
the future and we can settle our problems in political ways.”

ARRESTED LEADER OF ARMENIAN ARYANS GOES ON HUNGER STRIKE

YEREVAN, JANUARY 28. ARMINFO. The recently arrested leader of the
Armenian-Aryan Order party Armen Avetissyan has gone on hunger strike.

The reason is that Avetissyan has been placed in the same cell with
criminals who used violence against him. Avetissyan’s lawyer Melania
Arustamyan and an ombudsman representative are now in the cell to
inquire into the situation.

Thursday MPs Viktor Dallakyan and Manuk Gasparyan asked Yerevan’s
Prosecutor Hrach Badalyan to change the measure of restriction against
Avetissyan.

To remind, Avetissyan was arrested for kindling ethnic, racial and
religious strife.

AZERI STANCE ON KARABAKH CONFLICT “UNCHANGED”, PRESIDENT TELLS OSCE MISSION

Turan news agency
28 Jan 05

BAKU

President Ilham Aliyev today received the co-chairmen of the OSCE
Minsk Group and the fact-finding mission which will investigate
settlement on the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

Welcoming the guests Aliyev expressed his hope that the mission’s work
will be effective. He also noted the significance of the new format of
the talks on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, which are now
being held between the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers.

Aliyev said that Azerbaijan’s position on settlement of the conflict
remains unchanged. The conflict must be resolved only and only on the
basis of international legal norms – the principles of territorial
integrity and inviolability of state borders, Aliyev said.

He said that the illegal settlement of Armenians on the occupied
territories is one of the major difficulties on the way to achieving a
lasting peace. Aliyev said he was certain that the mission’s scrutiny
of the real situation on the occupied land would facilitate the end of
Armenia’s illegal activities on those territories.

The Russian co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, Yuriy Merzlyakov,
thanked Aliyev for Azerbaijan’s professional preparation of the
documents presented to the mission. “This is all very important for
the mission to accomplish the work on the occupied territories around
Nagornyy Karabakh,” the Russian diplomat said.

Saying that the OSCE Minsk Group intends to intensify its activities,
Merzlyakov hoped that successful results would be attained as a result
of the sides’ serious mutual efforts in peaceful negotiations.

THEME OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO BE INCLUDED INTO TURKISH SCHOOL HISTORY
TEETBOOKS, BUT “IN LIGHT OF HISTORICAL TRUTH”

YEREVAN, January 27 (Noyan Tapan). The “Consumer Expo Food Expo” first
Armenian-Georgian-Turkish joint exhibition scheduled for late February
or early May 2005 in Tbilisi was postponed for indefinite
time. Rafayel Kakoyan, Director of “Expo Service” center, informed a
Noyan Tapan correspondent that holding of the exhibition was postponed
by the request of the co-organizer “Ekspres danismanlik reklam
orgsnizasyon” Turkish company because of Armenian-Turkish political
disagreements. To recap, the organization of the exhibition had
already been postponed for technical reasons, at first it was planned
to hold it in December 2004.

FRANCE INTERESTED IN RESOLUTION OF KARABAKH CONFLICT WITHIN SHORTEST
TERM

YEREVAN, JANUARY 28. ARMINFO. France is interested in resolution of
the Karabakh problem within the shortest term and is ready to do
everything possible for it, French co-chairman of OSCE Minsk Group on
settlement of Karabakh conflict, Bernard Fassier says at a
press-conference in Baku.

<France is a friend of both Azerbaijan and Armenia,> Fassier says,
adding that French-Armenian friendship is well-known, while still much
is not known about French-Azerbaijani friendship. In this connection,
he brought several examples confirming the existence of
French-Azerbaijani friendship. At the same time, Bernard Fassier says
that Minks Group and its co-chairs cannot solve the problem instead of
Azerbaijan and Armenia, they can only contribute to establishment of a
dialogue between the governments of the two states. The OSCE Minsk
group is accused of doing nothing for 10 years, it is wrong, he
says. The co-chairmen cannot say anything concerning liberation of any
region of Azerbaijan this year, it is the governments that are to make
such decisions. The French diplomat says that together with his US and
Russian colleagues, he will meet the leadership of Azerbaijan
today. As regards the resolution of PACE on Karabakh, he says that the
document was not adopted by European states, but by their parliaments.

The diplomat says he was appointed to the post of OSCE MG co-chairman
by the French Government on January 1, 2005. He told that he served in
the Armed Forces as an officer for 25 years and than started his
diplomatic service. He has been engaged in diplomacy for some 20
years. The guest notes that he was in Baku yet in the Soviet period of
time, this visit to Azerbaijan is the first in the period of the
country’s independence. He is well-informed of the South Caucasus and
Karabakh problem as since joining the French Foreign Service in 1987
he has held the position of Vice Director for the USSR (1987-1990),
and has worked for the French Embassies in Switzerland (1990-1993) and
Georgia (1993-1997). Senior Deputy High Representative and Head of the
Rule of Law unit Ambassador Bernard Fassier joined the OHR in August
2002. Ambassador Fassier’s most recent appointment was as the French
Ambassador to Belarus (1997-2002). Fassier says he held posts which
to some extent prepared him for his current position. During his work
in Georgia, he coordinated distribution of humanitarian aid by the EU
for the South Caucasian states.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PARUYR HAIRIKIAN REQUIRES FROM FOREIGN MINISTRY OF ARMENIA STEPS ON
CANCELLATION OF MOSCOW AND KARS TREATIES OF 1921

YEREVAN, JANUARY 28. ARMINFO. Leader of the party Self-determination
unity Paruyr Hairikian demanded from the Ministry of foreign affairs
of Armenia to cancel the Moscow and Kars Treaties of 1921 signed by
Soviet Russia and Turkey.

During the news conference he reminded that in 1921 he Soviet Russia
“gifted” Turkey a number of native Armenian lands – Karsa, Ardahan,
Bitlis, and Nakhichevan and Nagorny Karabakh were transferred to
Azerbaijan. “Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Erdogan states that the
Armenians have the right not to admit the Kars and Moscow Treaties,
but Vardan Oskanian declares that Armenia does not consist in the
revision of the Kars and Moscow Treaties. Erdogan more cares of
Armenia than the Armenians themselves”, Hairikian stated, requiring
form the foreign political office of Armenia to start the process of
revision of the aforementioned Treaties.

PACE RESOLUTION ON NAGORNY KARABAKH IS UNFAVORABLE FOR ARMENIAN SIDE:
VAHAN HOVHANNISIAN

YEREVAN, JANUARY 28. ARMINFO. The resolution of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe on Nagorny Karabakh is unfavorable
on the whole for the Armenian side. Vice Speaker of National Assembly
of Armenia, member of the bureau of the party ARF Dashnaktsutiun Vahan
Hovhannisian stated during the news conference at the National press
club, Friday.

Of course, there are separate provisions in the document, proceeding
from the interests of the Armenian side, the vice speaker said. Among
them the call on to the authorities of Azerbaijan to begin a dialogue
with representatives of Nagorny Karabakh on determination of the
status of this region. Despite the fact that the PACE resolution on
Nagorny Karabakh is of recommendation nature and cannot have a legal
influence on the process of settlement of the Karabakh conflict within
the framework of OSCE Minsk Group, it is dangerous that Azerbaijan
succeeded to bring the discussions concerning the Karabakh problem
from the format of OSCE Minsk Group to other international instances
who know little about the kernel of the Karabakh conflict, Vahan
Hovhannisian stressed. And it is the omission of the Armenian
diplomacy, he said. “All the experts, including the cochairmen of the
OSCE Minsk Group, who have examined the genesis and the history of the
Karabakh conflict, know well in whose side is the truth.

Just that’s why, beginning from 1998 the positions of the Armenian
party concerning the Karabakh conflict have been taken into
consideration in all the proposals of OSCE Minsk Group. And that’s why
these proposals were rejected by Azerbaijan, the vice speaker
said. According to him, Azerbaijan, realizing the fact that it cannot
reach a success in the negotiation process within the framework of the
OSCE Minsk Group, as it is difficult to mislead the cochairmen, has
transferred the discussions of the Karabakh conflict to international
instances who know about it a little. Just for this reason the
Armenian side has declared that PACE is not the most favorable arena
for discussion of the Karabakh problem. However, it the fact is
important that no one of the international structures supports the
militarist aspirations of Azerbaijan in the Karabakh problem, and in
the process of peaceful negotiations the Armenian party will be able
to reach certain achievements.

The negotiation process for settlement of the Karabakh conflict is
going on, it means this issue has not reached a deadlock”,
Hovhannisian said. He stressed that a special advice format with the
participation of the heads of Armenian delegations to international
structures will be established at the National Assembly for increase
of the efficiency of the parliamentary diplomacy.

ARFD CONDEMNS STATEMENT BY PACE RAPPORTEUR ON KARABAKH

YEREVAN, JANUARY 28. ARMINFO. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Dashnaktsoutyun party considers inadmissible the statement by PACE
rapporteur on Karabakh David Atkinson that the principle of a nation’s
self-determination right is not applicable to the Karabakh people,
says ARFD member, parliamentary vice speaker Vahan Hovhannissyan.

Especially inadmissible is the statement that “if Azerbaijan agrees to
Karabakh’s independence PACE will not object.” This is in fact a call
on Azerbaijan to toughen its position in the Karabakh
issue. Hovhannissyan says that ARFD warned that Atkinson’s report
might be biased as he “reeks of oil” and that Armenia should do its
best to invalidate this report. “One should not underestimate the
factor of Azeri oil and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline in the Karabakh
issue,” says Hovhannissyan noting that his statements do not refer to
the British government but its cdertain officials.

Commenting on the acknowledgement of Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity by some states Hovhanissyan says that this principle is more
clearly formulated than that of a nation’s self-determination and
that’s why the international community prefers the former to the
latter. That’s exactly why Armenia should not react to such statements
so acutely. “We should stay immune to such statements. Armenia too
recognizes Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity but without Karabakh who
has never been part of independent Azerbaijan,” says Hovhannissyan.