Month: June 2005

A1plus
| 18:52:45 | 22-06-2005 | Politics | PACE SUMMER SESSION 2005 |
PROCESS OF CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS OF ARMENIA IN THE PACE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL
AFFAIRS
Today since 5:00 p.m. by Yerevan time the PACE Committee on Legal Affairs
discusses the Monitoring Committee draft resolution about the constitutional
reforms in Armenia.
Tomorrow, after the main reporter during the discussion of the Monitoring
Committee draft resolution about the constitutional reforms in Armenia, for
expressing the opinion of the Committee on Legal Affairs the floor will be
given to the Committee deputy President Erik Jurgens.
The opinion of the Committee on Legal Affairs about the constitutional
reforms in Armenia is important as the Constitution is first and foremost a
legal document. The Legal Affairs Committee session is closed and the
journalists have no access there
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1plus
| 19:15:09 | 22-06-2005 | Politics | PACE SUMMER SESSION 2005 |
PACE COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AFFAIRS IS DECISIVE ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS
OF ARMENIA
Several minutes ago the PACE Committee on Legal Affairs session finished in
which the Committee expressed their opinion about the Monitoring Committee
draft resolution about the constitutional reforms in Armenia.
The Committee on Legal Affairs has made two decisions. First: in case of
failing the Constitutional reforms for the second time in Armenia the PACE
has the right to raise the issue of stopping the authorizations of the
delegation of Armenia, and second: after the realization of the
Constitutional Referendum it must be put into execution as soon as possible.
This opinion of the Committee on Legal Affairs will sound tomorrow during
the discussion of the Monitoring Committee draft resolution about the
constitutional reforms in Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1plus
| 21:37:05 | 22-06-2005 | Politics | PACE SUMMER SESSION 2005 |
AZERBAIJAN AS «VICTIM»
«I would not like to speak about the Euro integration of Azerbaijan and not
because I am not interested in it, but because in PACE there are more people
more competent about this matter. I want to make a speech as Azerbaijan
tries to connect all the issues to the Karabakh conflict», in answer to the
Azeri delegates Armen Roustamyan, member of the Armenian delegation made
speech.
Mr. Roustamyan mentioned that the propagandizing method of Azerbaijan is an
old one and everyone is well acquainted with it, «Azerbaijan follows the
idea that repeated many times, a lie can be admitted as truth. What does the
NKR conflict have to do with organizing fair and transparent elections and
securing the freedom of speech in Azerbaijan? What Azerbaijan is doing is
called political speculation. » Mr. Roustamyan advised the Azeri delegation
first to admit their mistakes and the reality and then to stop the illogical
policy of representing the victim as the aggressor.

A1plus
| 21:31:32 | 22-06-2005 | Politics | PACE SUMMER SESSION 2005 |
THE AZERI PECULIARITY
As always, the Azeri delegation, passing over the discussed matter, referred
to the land problem. Member of the Azeri delegation Rafael Huseynov
mentioned that for the years after membership to the COE Azerbaijan has
proved that it spares no effort to establish democracy in the country and to
honor its obligations and commitments.
Mr. Huseynov spoke about the `peculiarity’ of Azerbaijan. `Azerbaijan is the
only member country of the COE, 20% of the lands of which are occupied’. We
hope that the PACE will take corresponding steps to call aggressor Armenia
to responsibility and will give Azerbaijan the possibility to become member
of COE with all its territory.
Head of the Azeri delegation Samed Seyidov also made speech. He asked
everyone to be tolerant to Azerbaijan and claimed that Azerbaijan takes
steps to solve all the problems.

A1plus
| 21:08:56 | 22-06-2005 | Politics | PACE SUMMER SESSION 2005 |
OIL HINDERS DEMOCRACY
The report about the activity of the democratic institutions in Azerbaijan
was represented by Andreas Gross and Andres Herkel in PACE.
Mr. Gross mentioned that this year was a turning point for Azerbaijan, `The
oil pipeline was exploited, but before that the Azeri Presidential elections
did not correspond to the democratic standards, and the pre-election
campaign of the coming Parliamentary elections does not either. The more oil
there is in the country, the less the possibilities to become a democratic
country are’.
Mr. Gross mentioned that after the Presidential elections in Azerbaijan it
has been mentioned many a time that the elections do not express the will of
the people. Mr. Gross welcomed the process if reforming the `Electoral
Code’, and the creation of the Public TV Company before the elections, but
he mentioned that still there is much to do. `There is tension in the circle
of authorities which must be eliminated’, he said.
The second co-reporter Andres Herkel found the freedom of speech, and the
securing of organization of meetings and marches as the most important
preconditions of establishing democracy. Mr. Herkel underlined the absence
of dialogue between the Azeri opposition and authorities as the main
problem.
Referring to the political prisoners, he mentioned, `We welcome the setting
free of 100 political prisoners in Azerbaijan 2 days ago, but the process
must have taken place not today, but year ago’. Andres Herkel also mentioned
that the rest of political prisoners must also be set free as among them
there are people with serious health problems.
And the Azeri delegation demanded the PACE to help them to free the lands
occupied by Armenia for the Azeri refugees to be able to return to their
residences.

Pan Armenian News
ROBERT KOCHARIAN AND VLADIMIR PUTIN MET IN MOSCOW
22.06.2005 07:36
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Robert Kocharian met with Russian
President Vladimir Putin in Moscow today, RA President’s press center
reported. During the meeting the interlocutors discussed the process of
fulfilling agreements achieved during the meeting held in Yerevan in spring,
investment and energy programs. They also touched upon the Year of Russia in
Armenia, which proceeds at a high level. The Armenian President noted that
the events held in Armenia include almost all the field of the
Armenian-Russian relations. In his words, the economic relations between the
two countries are developing in harmony with the cultural ties, partly
thanks to the activities of the Armenian-Russian intergovernmental
committee. Besides, the Presidents discussed the EurAsEC Interstate Council
held in Moscow today. Vladimir Putin noted that though Armenia has an
observer status, Robert Kocharian’s participation contributes to expansion
of multilateral cooperation. To note, the Armenian President arrived in
Moscow to take part in the recurrent sitting of the Collective Security
Treaty Organization. Robert Kocharian will also meet with the Armenian
students to discuss the issues they are concerned about.

Pan Armenian News
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES INTERNATIONAL FORUM TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN
22.06.2005 07:13
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Information Technologies youth forum initiated by the
Armenian Ministry of Education and Science and the State Engineering
University of Armenia will be held in Yerevan June 22-25. The forum
participants will focus on applying information technologies in three fields
– social science, medical and biological science as well as engineering
sciences. Specialists will make reports entitled `Current situation with
information technologies in Armenia and prospects of their development’,
`Information technologies and problems of their development in social
science’. The forum will proceed under the chairmanship of Armenian Minister
of Education and Science Sergo Yeritsyan. Awards for best reports will be
handed upon the completion of the forum.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Pan Armenian news
REPORT ON KARABAKH TO BE SUBMITTED TO OSCE PA
22.06.2005 07:54
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The annual session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly will
be held June 30-July 5 in Washington. After the sitting of the political
committee on June 29 the Nagorno Karabakh issue will to all appearances be
included in the agenda. To note, earlier Deputy Chairman of the Armenian
National Assembly, head of the Armenian delegation to the OSCE PA Vahan
Hovhannissian rated Goran Lennmarker’s preliminary report submitted to both
parties as balanced. This fact sparked angry protest from Baku causing
protraction of the final report. According to Vahan Hovhannissian, thanks to
the efforts by the Armenian party Mr. Lennmarker’s report will mention the
status of Nagorno Karabakh as a primary matter. Thus all the other issues
advanced by the Azeri party are derivative. He also informed that the
problem of refugees will be in highlight of the report. `With claming return
of Azeri refugees official Baku should realize that the Armenian party has
the right to raise an analogous claim, that is to insist on return of
Armenians to Baku and Sumgait. However it is hardly possible as Armenians in
Azerbaijan are doomed to violent death’, he resumed, IA Regnum reports.

Pan Armenian News
TURKEY SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
22.06.2005 06:18
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The country, which has been Europe-oriented for 80 years
and now bids for the EU should have enough courage and honesty to
acknowledge its responsibility for the cloudy pages of its history, Deutche
Welle reports. However, when the German parliament condemned the mass
killing of Armenians by Turks 90 years ago, it sparked angry protest from
Ankara. But if it wants to be taken seriously by the EU, it needs to face up
to its past. In a vote June 17, Germany’s main parliamentary parties joined
forces to deplore the systematic murder of 1.5 million Armenians between
1915 and 1916. Berlin is now urging Turkey to set up an independent
committee of Turkish, Armenian and international historians to document what
happened. The resolution looks set to test relations between Ankara and
Berlin. So far, the German government has been a key supporter of Turkish EU
aspirations. Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul described the resolution
as one-sided and “provocative,” and said German lawmakers had ignored
repeated warnings of the harm the resolution would do to bilateral ties. No
one intended to offend the Turkish people and none of the deputies voting
for the resolution meant to spoil relations with Turkey. The matter concerns
recognition of historical truth and reconciliation of the two nations.
Armenia should also be interested in it. “Generations of Turks have grown up
never learning about this tragedy,” he said. “Now that it’s being discussed,
they’re realizing how little they actually know. At the moment, we’re
experiencing a time of complete confusion”, theorist Ahmet Insel says.
Presently there is a possibility of discussion. However the Turkish Justice
Minister prohibited an Armenian Genocide Conference. Armenia, on its part is
not in a hurry to step forward, since Yerevan has not given a distinct
response to Turkish Prime Minister’s Erdogan’s proposal. Though it is quite
understandable, as what’s the use of the Armenian-Turkish historical
commission if the Turkish party is certain to say, `There was no Genocide’.
Germany has been reluctant to address the issue of Turkish and Armenian
history in the past largely due to its own 2.5 million Turkish residents.
However, a member of the CSU/CSU bloc, Erwin Marschewski, said the EU value
system required that countries “shine a spotlight on the dark pages of our
history.”

Pan Armenian News
ARMENIA-TURKEY AND ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN PROBLEMS DATE FROM 1915
22.06.2005 08:01
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The absence of diplomatic relations with Turkey, closed
borders, conflict with Azerbaijan have sprung from the Armenian Genocide of
1915, Armenian NA Deputy Chairman Vahan Hovhannissian stated at the meeting
with Norwegian Parliament President Jorgen Kosmo, RA NA press service
reported. In his words, the Norwegian people, who know the price of freedom
and civilization, can understand the people of Karabakh, who have chosen the
path of democracy. He also noted that Armenia is not against Turkey’s EU
membership if Turkey becomes a European country.