Month: June 2005

AZG Armenian Daily #117, 25/06/2005
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ARMENIA ACCORDING TO REPORT OF RA OMBUDSWOMAN
‘Cooperation for Sake of Open Society’ initiated public discussion of the
annual report of RA Ombudswoman.
The ombudsman’s institute managed to get involved in contradictions with
both executive and legislative and judicial powers. They even confiscated
the computer of the ombudsman office with all the information in it. So, the
discussion was also dedicated to protection of the ombudswoman’s institute.
RA Ombudswoman received 1294 written appeals from 2346 citizens. The report
was based on these facts of human rights’ violation cases. “Since last year,
the violation of the property right became widely spread. There is no
response from either Ra National Assembly or any other instance. People are
left alone and face the cruel facts that they are deprived of their own
property. While they can never buy houses with the money they are given for
that property,” Larisa Alaverdian, RA ombudswoman, said, emphasizing the
cases of the Northern Avenue, the Buzand Street residents and the owners of
Dalma Orchards.
RA Ombudswoman conditioned the cases of abuse of official position, bad
management by not only personal but also qualities of the forces. This
seemed to be caused by bad laws. The report touches upon the importance of
such issues too in a separate section.
“This is the first official report on human rights, that includes mainly all
the spheres of violation of human rights in Armenia. It objectively and
often strictly evaluates the situation,” Avetik Ishkahnian, Chairman of
“Helsinki Committee in Armenia” NGO, said during the discussion. In response
to the issue what impression a foreigner will get about Armenia when reading
this report, he said “A foreigner will think that Armenia is a weak
authoritarian country or a state that is imitating democracy.”
By Karine Danielian

A1plus
| 20:47:28 | 24-06-2005 | Politics | PACE SUMMER SESSION 2005 |
COE WILL BE DISAPPOINTED WITH ARMENIA, IF…
After the end of the Venice Commission working group session the Commission
Constitutional Rights department head Simona Granata-Mengini answered the
questions of «A1+».
– According to the agreement reached by the Venice Commission working group
and the Armenian delegation, how must the governing system be formed.
– As for the formation of the governing system, we came to an agreement
about three main issues. The first refers to the way of appointing the
Government. The President must appoint Prime Minister the candidate who
enjoys the support of the majority in the National Assembly. After the
formation of the Government, if his program is not confirmed by the NA
twice, the President can dissolve the Parliament. The President cannot
resign the Prime Minister but he can offer the Parliament to resign him.
>From now on, the Government will give an account to the National Assembly
only. This is very important, as the President will not be able to control
the Government. The NA is not obliged to take the offer of the President to
resign the Prime Minister.
– And as for the appointing of judges, does the President have to accept the
offers of the Security Council?
– As you know, the order of forming the Security Council is already
regulated. The President and the NA appoint two members each, and the rest
of the members are elected by the Judges. The President is not to appoint
the head of the Council, and the sessions of the Council will be presided
over by the Judge of the Court of Appeal who will not have the right to
vote. We agreed that the President of the country cannot appoint or resign
judges without the offer of the Security Council. At present CoE is working
on the Law on the Court System together with the RA authorities, and now we
cannot discuss the way of appointing the Judges. That must be regulated by
the law.
– And did you clear up when the Constitutional reforms must enter into
vigor?
– This is a very important issue, and the PACE called the RA authorities to
enter the Constitutional reforms into vigor immediately. Technically it is
impossible to do it immediately after the referendum, as many laws must be
changed in order to do it. We have not yet decided which Parliament must
realize the changes – this or the following one. We have come to an
agreement that several changes, for example – the issues about the Human
Rights Defender and the Court system, must enter into vigor immediately. As
for the issues about state structures, an agreement must be reached with
CoE.
– The Venice Commission has expressed its disappointment with Armenia. If
the agreements reached today are not included into the draft Constitution,
will the Venice Commission continue cooperating with Armenia?
– CoE wants Armenia to realize Constitutional reforms, but this is not an
end in itself. If the changes are not included in the draft Constitution,
CoE will be disappointed. Of course, it will leave its negative influence on
Armenia in CoE.

Pan Armenian News
NATO LEAVES KARABAKH SETTLEMENT TO OTHER INTERNATIONAL MEDIATORS
24.06.2005 07:50
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ NATO is not willing to get involved in the security
issues in the South Caucasus, Alliance Secretary General Jaap de Hoop
Scheffer stated when addressing PACE yesterday. When asked by the
Azerbaijani delegation how much NATO is concerned with the Karabakh
problem, the Secretary General responded the Alliance leaves the issue
to other international mediators.

Pan Armenian News
ABDULLAH GUL: NO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN TURKEY’S HISTORY
24.06.2005 06:34
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ We are astonished at the fact that a theme like the
Armenian Genocide was included in the German political agenda’, Turkish
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul stated, Rheinischer Merkur reported. In his
words, German politicians should not have done it. `It a great injustice not
only in respect to Turkey but also to the Turks living in Germany. There was
no Armenian Genocide in the history of Turkey, moreover attitude towards
Armenians was vary loyal’, Gul said. In his words, Russians incited
Armenians against the Empire and as result there emerged a necessity of
resettling the Armenian population. However this resettlement was not
forcible, Turks even covered the expenses of the journey and any violation
was immediately suppressed. `We stated publicly that the historical
commission composed of Turkish and Armenian scientists as well as scientists
from other countries should investigate our archives. Turkey has nothing to
conceal’, Abdullah Gul stated.

Pan Armenian News
SPIEGEL: TONI BLAIR – TURKEY’S LAST HOPE
24.06.2005 04:24
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is Turkey’s last hope,
Spiegel edition’s comment on Turkey’s EU membership says. After the
failure of the EU last summit in Brussels Turkey’s accession to EU
will become a new subject of discussion, Yerkir Online reported.

Pan Armenian News
CRIMEA PARLIAMENT NOT GOING TO REVOKE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION
24.06.2005 04:19
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The adoption of the resolution recognizing the Armenian
Genocide aroused indignation not only in Azerbaijan and Turkey but in
Ukraine as well, APA Azeri news agency reported. Yesterday’s sitting of the
Crimean Supreme Rada was rich will calls to revoke the Armenian Genocide
resolution. Parliament Speaker Boris Deich mentioned of expediency of
revocation, however the deputies rejected the proposal. Deputy Vladimir
Kazanin said the demand on revocation of the Armenian Genocide resolution
was caused by pressure exerted by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. In his
words the Azeri leader, who arrived in Kiev to participate in Mini Davos
Forum on June 17-19, during the meeting with Supreme Rada Chairman Vladimir
Litvin that adoption of such a resolution in inadmissible. The deputy also
informed that Ilham Aliyev urged V. Litvin to exert pressure on the
parliament to revoke the resolution. He also added that the Crimean
parliament did not define the event of 1915 as `genocide’ and the delicacy
manifested by Kiev at present is groundless. V. Kazanin stated that
Armenians have lived in Crimea for over 1500 years and play an important
role in its history. Leader of the Crimean branch of the Republican party of
Ukraine Alexander Gress stated of impossibility of revoking the resolution.
`In the course 90 years no parliament in the world has ever cancelled any
decision referring to the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide victims.
So why should we do it?’ he said. To note, only 13 deputies voted in favor
of including the issue of revocation the resolution in the agenda.

PROSECUTOR GENERAL OF ARMENIA DEMANDS TO SENTENCE ARMENIAN CITIZEN
CHARGED WITH ESPIONAGE IN FAVOR OF AZERBAIJAN TO 13 YEARS OF
IMPRISONMENT
YEREVAN, JUNE 24. ARMINFO. Prosecutor General of Armenia Aghvan
Hovsepyan has demanded to sentence Armenian citizen Andrey Maziyev
charged with espionage in favor of Azerbaijan to 13 years of
imprisonment. Trial on Armenian citizen Andrey Maziyev is at the First
Instance Court of Yerevan communities Malatia-Sebatia under
chairmanship of the judge Tigran Petrosyan. He is charged with three
articles of the Armenian Criminal Code (high treason through
espionage, contribution to preparation of a terrorist act,
contribution to preparation of the murder of a state political
figure).
In his speech, Prosecutor General of Armenia Aghvan Hovsepyan says
that exposure of the given crime allow prevention of heavier crimes.
A.Hovsepyan noted that in October 1999 Maziyev was in Azerbaijan
wherein he was enlisted by Azerbaijani special services. By Jan 4 2005
he was receiving tasks from the special services and fulfilling them
under a nickname “Frolov”. On the whole, he met with representatives
of Azerbaijani special services 18 times and received some 2.5
thous. USD. He sent Armenian Russian language newspaper to the special
services of Azerbaijan, collected information of domestic political
situations in Armenia, on military and defense complex and the
situation in army, information of economic nature, on the atomic power
plant and the nuclear fuel supplied, as well as on NKR. In the autumn
of 2000, in conformity with regular instructions, Maziyev took photos
of the president on the latter’s arrival from a tour. He photographed
the landing plane, helicopters protecting the territory of the
airport, the president and his escort passing by the building where
Maziyev lives. He also took photos of the president in hangar and the
building of the airport. He handed over the photos to the special
services, informing them of the places of snipers. Officers of special
services of the Azerbaijani National Security Ministry Faig Shamilov
(who is announced internationally wanted by Armenia) certain Mahmoud
and Zaur, as well as runners Nodar and Zurab, dealt with Maziyev. The
special services were interested whether Maziyev had acquaintances
among the relatives of Nairi Hunanyan and Mushegh Saghatelyan.
Prosecutor General says that the existing proofs confirm the guilt of
the defendant. At the same time, he pointed out the necessity of
taking into consideration both the aggravating and softening
circumstance, in particular, the fact that Maziyev pled guilty and
contributed to the exposure of the crime. In his turn, Prosecutor Aram
Amirzadyan says that the guilt of Andrey Maziyev is proved without his
own admission, due to numerous witnesses and proofs, in particular,
the confiscated data on the runners, photos of the airport and record
of a telephone conversation with Zaur.
In his speech, Lawyer Hakov Isakhanyan says that he had no intention
to justify the crime of his client, pointing out the softening
circumstances, as it were Maziyev’s admissions and contribution that
helped exposing the crime. Maziyev himself asked to take into account
that he had carried out such a heavy crime as his family had been
subjected to pressure and the Azerbaijani special services were
informed of its arrival in Russia. He sincerely repented of the crime,
asking the court to display more soft attitude to his guilt.
The verdict will be announced on June 28.

Armenpress
PACE AD HOC COMMISSION ON KARABAKH TO MEET AGAIN ON SEPTEMBER 12
STRASBOURG, JUNE 24, ARMENPRESS: A Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE) ad hoc commission on Nagorno-Karabakh issue held its first
meeting Thursday in Strasbourg to discuss a variety of organizational issue
and specify the date and the venue of the next meeting.
An Azerbaijani Trend news agency said the next meeting will take place in
Paris on September 12. It said the OSCE Minsk group cochairmen will also
participate in it. Apart from representatives of Armenia and Azerbaijan the
ad hoc commission comprises also representatives of Russia, France, Germany,
Italy, Sweden and Turkey, representatives of PACE monitoring committee and a
PACE rapporteur on Karabakh-David Atkinson.

PRESENTATION OF 5TH EDITION OF “OUR SON AND NATIONAL ARMY” BOOK HELD
FRIDAY IN YEREVAN
YEREVAN, June 24. /ARKA/. Presentation of 5th edition of “Our Son and
National Army” book was held Friday in Yerevan. Zinvori Mayr NGO
Chairman Greta Mirzoyan says, the book is a peculiar bridge between
the community and army. “The book is necessary for the whole Armenian
nation”, Major-General Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan said at the presentation.
The book’s 5th edition is released in Armenian and Russian languages.
It consists of following parts: Help to Draftees, Rights Protection,
Education, Health and Draftees Living Conditions. The book is released
in 3000 copies. It is published by Zinvori Mayr NGO in association
with Eurasia foundation at the expenses of the U.S. Agency for
International Development and the OSCE.
Zinvori Mayr (Soldier’s Mother) NGO started functioning in 1990 and
has published 7 books about army since then. M.V. —0—

SOME PARTIES IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH REPUBLIC ISSUE JOINT STATEMENT
DENOUNCING VIOLENCE COMMITTED AGAINST DASHNAK CANDIDATE PAVEL MANUKYAN
AS MAJOR CRIME
STEPANAKERT, June 24. /ARKA/. Some parties in Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic – Dashnaktsutyun, Movement 88, Our Home is Armenia and
Communist Party – whose candidates run in for NKR National Assembly’s
seat, issued a joint statement denouncing violence committed against
Dashnak candidate, Pavel Manukyan, as major crime. The political
parties find pressure upon freedom of speech and free thinking
unacceptable and view it as human rights violation and dignity
humiliation. The statement’s authors are urging NKR’s President Arkady
Ghulassyan to take drastic steps to prevent situation destabilization
in the republic. “The situation prompts concern, as such a conduct of
Karabakh’s Defence Minister arouses fear that the country can lapse
into authoritarian regime again”, the statement says. On June 21,
Pavel Manukyan, candidate put up by Dashnaktsutyun party in
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s parliamentary elections, was bitten up by
NKR Defence Ministry’s high-ranking officials. Manukyan accuses the
republic’s Defence Minister Seyran Ohanyan in reprisals against
him. M.V. -0–