Month: June 2005

Turkish lawyers warn public against new penal code
Hurriyet website, Istanbul
12 Jun 05
The bar association chairmen of 13 provinces, issuing a joint
statement, have warned the public regarding “the dangers that arise
from the changes made in the new TCK [Turkish Penal Code].”
The joint statement, read by Izmir Bar Association Chairman Nevzat
Erdemir, included the following:
“With the changes that have been made, the establishment and operation
of illegal educational institutions is promoted, and the possibility
for these institutions to continue their activities is provided .”
“Should the draft become law in its current state, the way will
be opened to separatist terrorist organizations, those engaging in
missionary activities, and religious orders that want to establish
a state based on religion, and it will not be possible to prevent
structures that are contrary to the founding principles and philosophy
of the Republic of Turkey.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CHURCH AND SOCIETY
A1plus
| 14:36:41 | 13-06-2005 | Official |
On June 15-19 in Danblane, Scotland, the enlarged session of the
“Church and Society” Commission of the European Churches Conference
will take place with the invitation of the Scotland Churches.
Since 2004 Hovakim friar Manoukyan represents the Holy Echmiadzin in
the ECC the “Church and Society” Commission. Before that the Armenian
Apostolic Church was represented by Voskan archbishop Galpakyan.
In the coming meeting the works of the Commission done in 2003-2005,
those to be done in 2005-2006, the issues of the vacant places in the
Commission working groups, as well as issues about globalization,
the EU Constitution, the new structure of the ECC and others will
be discussed.
The meeting to take place in Danblane is the third of the newly formed
Commission. The first two took place in Vavre and Brussels, Belgium,
in May and September, 2004, respectively.

VENICE COMMISSION EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT
A1plus
| 14:23:51 | 13-06-2005 | Politics |
During the ratification of the second intermediate conclusion about
the constitutional reforms in Armenia the Venice Commission has stated
the following, “The Commission regrets that the draft adopted by
the National Assembly from the three possible variants contains only
several contextual improvements and has not taking into account fully
the remarks of the first intermediate conclusion of the Commission”.
The Commission also states, “The adopted draft does not correspond to
the European standards and does not take into account the offers made
by the Venice Commission and the COE. In this respect the Commission
expresses deep disappointment with the absence of progress in the
cooperation with the Armenian authorities”.
The Commission also expressed its regret for the complex political
atmosphere in which the draft constitution was adopted. The
intermediate conclusion is concluded by the following demand of the
Venice Commission, “The draft constitution must be totally reconsidered
before the second reading and it must taking into full account the
previous conclusions of the Commission”.
By the way, in contrast to this NA deputy President Tigran Torosyan
had informed that according to the second intermediate conclusion the
draft adopted by the first reading has been improved in comparison
to the previous one.
In the Venice Commission session the conclusion about the RA Electoral
Code has also been ratified. As far as the Commission is not yet
acquainted with the final version of the Electoral Code, a decision
has been made to represent a conclusion after reading the text.

A1plus
| 15:45:15 | 13-06-2005 | Politics |
PRESIDENT MUST BE RESIGNED BY REFERENDUM
The last week’s poll question of “A1+” was the following, “What
possibility for RA President’s dismissal should the Constitution
provide? “. 222 readers took part in it.
The majority (60.8%) think that the President can be resigned by the
decision of the 2/3 of NA deputies and the referendum. 23% think that
the basis must be the decision of the 2/3 of NA deputies and 2/3 of
Constitutional Court members. 9% think that there must be no bases
for the dismissal of the President, and 7.2% was undecided.
This week the poll question is “Is press free in Armenia?”. Before
voting we offer you to read the materials in the “Article” section
of our site.

HAKOBYAN NOT TO TAKE PART IN THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
A1plus
| 15:04:04 | 13-06-2005 | Sports |
Vladimir Hakobyan who has the highest reputation among the Armenian
chess-players, will not take part in the European Chess individual
Championship which will start on June 17. According to the Armenian
Chess Federation it is accounted for by the fact that Vladimir
Hakobyan has already secured his place in the World Championship and
has decided not to take part in the European Championship.
Vladimir Hakobyan has left for Qatar recently and is realizing coach
work there helping the local best chess-players.
The European Chess Championship will start the coming Friday, in which
the other Armenian chess-players will participate. Besides the medals,
the best players will also gain the right to take part in the World
Championship.

HAYRUSGAZARD EXPECTS $104 MILLION INCOME IN 2005
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JUNE 13, ARMENPRESS: Natural gas consumption in Armenia is
likely to reach 1.7 billion cubic meters by the end of the year,
a tangible growth against 1.33 bln cubic meters of 2004. Karen
Karapetian, the chief executive manager of the joint Russian-Armenian
Hayrusgazard company, the sole importer of Russian gas to Armenia
across Georgia, told a last weekend seminar the company has now 270,000
subscribers. He said this figure is supposed to make 370,000 by the
end of the year.
Karapetian said Hayrusgazard, which is also the contractor for
building the Armenian section of Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, plans
to invest another $15 million in the development of gas distributing
network. Hayrusgazard is one of the biggest Armenian companies with
a 5,000 personnel.
Karapetian said also the company expects to receive this year around
$104 million of incomes, a substantial growth over $88.5 million
in 2004.
The government of Armenia and Russian giant Gazprom hold each 45
percent of Hayrusgazard’s shares and ten percent is held by Russian
Itera. Apart from deliveries of Russian gas to Armenia, the company
is also engaged in sale of electricity to Georgia. The company also
offered export of electricity to Azerbaijan at 2.5 cents per one
K/watt but it refused though it buys electricity from Iran at 4 cents.

Where do we benefit?
Yerkir/arm
10 June 05
Everyone has an answer to this question depending on his or her
awareness, professionalism, position, etc. But most importantly,
the answer should stem from patriotism.
In this regard, the leadership of the Yerevan State University, its
faculties and students adopted a stance that in contrast to that of
the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Education and Science is
highly admirable. According the information we have, Deputy Foreign
Minister Geghan Gharibjanian and Education and Science Minister Sergo
Yeritsian are forcing the YSU students to meet today with a Turkish
delegation in the premises of the YSU.
This meeting is actually forced, since as we were told, students show
little interest — to say the least — in such meeting. Moreover,
many have attempted to explain that supporting a Turkish propaganda
action at this time does not stem from our national interest. But it
seems that Mr. Gharibjanian and Mr. Yeritsian use other criteria when
dealing with this issue.
Nevertheless, the meeting will take place today, and Turks would
trumpet all around the world that they have made another step towards
establishing good-neighborly relations with us on their path to the
“European integration.” It remains to be seen what explanations our
statesmen have to offer.

A dynasty of masters
By Gohar Stepanian
Yerkir/arm
10 June 05
Young engraver Mkrtich Garnetsi lives and creates in Garni. He works
in a small corner of his backyard where he spends most part of his day.
“Sometimes the kids take a tool, and I have to look for it angrily,
but I know one day they will become a sculptor or an artist like me.
My eldest son does his own engravings already,” he says.
The eldest son is 5, exactly the same age when Mkrtich himself
started to paint. Everyone in this family of artists — the father,
grandfather, and sisters — is involved in arts.
Mkrtich engraves the Armenian alphabet, khachkars (cross-stones),
and souvenirs on apricot, walnut and pear wood.
“The walnut wood is the best, it is easy to carve,” says Mkrtich,
whose works are for sale to support his family.
To the left from his house stands the St. Masthots church.
“I engraved the church once, and the buyer found me and the church
with the help of the name on the sculpture,” he says.
The khachkars of Mkrtich remind of the medieval style, while the St.
Mashtots church is the source of his inspiration.

WORLD BANK SET TO RELEASE SECOND CREDIT FOR ARMENIAN JUDICIARY REFORM
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JUNE 13, ARMENPRESS: An official of the Armenian justice
ministry told Armenpress the ministry and World Bank have reached
a principled agreement on implementation of a second credit program
for judiciary reform.
Arthur Tunian, head of a ministry office for program implementation,
said the ministry and the World Bank are engaged in talks to specify
its components. Justice minister David Harutunian had earlier said
the first credit program was assessed highly by World Bank.
In 2000 September the World Bank approved the first US$11.40 million
equivalent (SDR8.6 million) for a Judicial Reform Project in Armenia to
help its authorities in the development of an independent, accessible,
and efficient judiciary, essential to governance, rule of law, and
investment climate. The total cost of the project was US$12.2 million
including US$800,000 from the Armenian Government. The credit was
disbursed on standard IDA terms with a maturity of 40 years including
a 5-year grace period.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKISH MP IMPRESSED BY WARM WELCOME IN YEREVAN
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JUNE 13, ARMENPRESS: A Turkish parliament member from the
ruling Justice and Development Party, Turhan Comez, told Armenpress
he was impressed greatly by what he saw in Armenia. “I was given a
very warm welcome in Yerevan and liked the city very much,’ Comez,
the first Turkish parliament member to have visited Armenia said.
Comez and several Turkish journalists arrived in Armenia last Friday
and met here with students and professors of Yerevan State University,
parliament chairman Arthur Baghdasarian, officials of the foreign
ministry, Yerevan mayor.
Comez said the goal of his visit to Armenia is to seek ways to bridge
differences between the two neighboring nations, though the visit is
unofficial, “but what is important is its results.” He said his trip
to Armenia was a step towards normalization of relations and opening
of borders.
He said Armenian journalists, businessmen and parliament members are
welcome in Turkey. The Turkish MP said then it was a wrong policy
to make relations between Armenia and Turkey contingent on a third
country (Azerbaijan). He said the best way to solve the existing
problems is through dialogue, but when asked to express his views on
the 1915 genocide, he reiterated official Ankara’s views that it was
a painful event, but not a genocide.