Month: June 2005

INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS DO NOT TAKE NOTICE OF ANY CONSIDERABLE
VIOLATIONS DURING PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN NKR
STEPANAKERT, JUNE 20. ARMINFO. International observers has not taken
notice of any considerable violations in the course of the
parliamentary elections of 4th convocation in NKR.
According to ARMINFO’s correspondent to Stepanakert, in the course of
a press conference in Stepanakert, Observer Zoran Puzich from Croatia
stated that had had visited electoral districts in all the regions in
NKR together with other observes, but did not observed any
considerable rigging. He emphasized the activity of electors, adding
that fair elections were another step towards construction of
democracy in Nagorny Karabakh.
Another observer from Czechia Milan Stephanez (editor-in-chief of
“Czechia” newspaper) says he visited only 9 electoral districts in
Stepanakert, Askeran and Mardakert regions, so he cannot assess the
elections on the whole. But he observed such lacks as poor knowledge
of the Law and definite articles of NKR Election Code by the members
of district electoral commissions, participation of contract military
in voting with a passport of Soviet example, a case when a voter
showed his ballot-paper to a member of the election commission. He
says such and even more considerable violations were characteristic to
the elections in Azerbaijan and Belarus. Yana Gradilkova, another
observer from Czechia (NGO Berkat) thinks the elections free and the
people in NKR do not afraid of asking questions and getting answers to
them.
Greek Observer Kostis Papaioannu has noticed the open interests of the
citizens in the elections, aspiration to protect their right to
freedom of will. He thinks the basic rights and freedoms, in
particular, freedom of speech, are observed in Nagorny Karabakh,
however, it is necessary to further develop them as democracy is an
everyday process. He says he did not notice any serious violations.
Marina Sargsyan, an observer from Czechia, pointed out the activity of
electors, the transparency and all the other democratic principles of
elections, on the whole. She thinks the elections will play their role
in creation of Nagorny Karabakh’s statehood.
It should be noted that a press-conference of the representatives of
the US Observation Mission will take place in Yerevan today.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Permanent Mission of the Republic of Armenia
to the United Nations
119E 36th street, New York, NY 10016
Tel.: 1-212-686-9079
Fax: 1-212-686-3934
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
June 20, 2005
PRESS RELEASE
Nagorno Karabagh successfully concluded its fourth parliamentary elections
On June 19, 2005, the fourth parliamentary elections were held in the
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR) since 1991, when the Republic declared
its independence from Azerbaijan on the basis of a referendum conducted
according to the norms of international law and the existing legislation of
the time. Previous elections to the NKR legislative body were held in 1995
and 2000. About 100 observers from the Czech Republic, Greece, Iran, Russia,
the United Kingdom, the United States and other nations monitored the June
19 parliamentary elections.
Elections in Nagorno Karabakh are held with the intent to secure the
self-governance of the population living within its territory and strengthen
the democratic institutions, which is encouraged by the international
community at large.
In 1992, at the Helsinki CSCE Council of Ministers, the document that
mandated the Minsk Process, referred specifically to Nagorno Karabakh as a
side to negotiations, represented by their elected authorities. The Summary
of Conclusions of the Additional Meeting of the Council of Ministers reads:
“Elected and other representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh will be invited to
the [Minsk] Conference as interested parties by the Chairman of the
Conference after consultations with the States participating at the
Conference.”
Law and order are not just desirable, but also necessary for Nagorno
Karabakh, even if its final status is still undetermined. Popularly elected
authorities become an important factor in the negotiation process and in
implementing whatever agreements may be reached through negotiations. They
are also an expression of the people’s right to self-determination.
The 2005 Parliamentary elections in Nagorno Karabagh were the first held
under a new Electoral Code, which introduced numerous improvements to the
procedures in force during previous presidential, parliamentary and local
elections. Of the nine political parties in Nagorno Karabakh, eight
nominated candidates. Six of the parties ran separate party tickets, and two
parties established a common party ticket for the campaign. Women
constituted 8.5 percent of nominated candidates. Over 70 percent of 89,576
registered voters took part in the elections, exceeding the 25 percent
minimum requirement. Seven parties and 185 candidates were vying for places
in Nagorno Karabakh’s fourth parliament, with two thirds of the parliament’s
33 seats to be elected directly and on third under a proportional system.
The Public International Law and Policy Group Delegation to the June 19,
2005 Nagorno Karabakh Parliamentary Elections issued its preliminary report
concluded: “Nagorno Karabakh has made demonstrable progress in building
democracy and its authorities have made serious effort to conduct the 2005
polls by democratic means. The new electoral code in particular seemed to
have helped unlock the political energies of the Karabakh people while at
the same time channeling these energies in democratic directions by
facilitating the establishment of political parties. Districts appear to be
established on the basis of technical considerations rather than political
considerations. While there remains room for further improvement, there is
reason too for optimism that the people of Nagorno Karabakh can consolidate
the democratic progress witnessed in the June 19 elections.”
As reported by the Public International Law and Policy Group Delegation,
“The general climate at the polling places seemed to be positive and
businesslike. There was no evidence of intimidation or any climate of fear
or uncertainty on the part of voters.” In addition, it noted: “Electoral law
changes introduced by the Central Election Commission opened up the
democratic space for political parties. Competition in that arena adhered to
generally accepted international electoral standards. In their totality, the
evolution of the voting system toward a more democratic process, the nature
of the electoral campaign, and the conduct of voters and officials on
election day are strong signs that Nagorno Karabakh has made significant
progress towards establishing a functioning and we hope sustainable
democracy… We salute the voters, candidates and in particular the Central
Election Commission for demonstrating a serious commitment toward
establishing a democratic system in Nagorno Karabakh and working within its
rules and procedures before and during the election. The election
environment was calm and we have not received any reports of general
intimidation.”
The Public International Law and Policy Group Delegation was composed of
members with a balance of experience in international election monitoring,
democracy building and regional expertise. James Hooper, who led the
American Independent Monitoring Delegation to the 2002 presidential
elections, served with the US Department of State for more than 25 years,
where he followed elections in the Balkans and has subsequently held senior
positions in several nongovernmental organizations. Aleyda Kasten served at
Georgetown University for 20 years as deputy director of the National
Security Studies Program, administrator/researcher of the Department of
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and executive director of the Albert B.
Sabin Vaccine Institute. Vladimir Matic, professor of international
relations at Clemson University and consultant to research institutes,
observed several elections including the 2002 presidential election with the
American Independent Monitoring Delegation and was an assistant foreign
minister in the former Yugoslavia. Louis Sell, a career diplomat and
currently adjunct professor at the University of Maine at Farmington,
previously served in the Soviet Union and the former Yugoslavia and
participated in the 2002 presidential election with the American Independent
Monitoring Delegation. William Spencer, a career US diplomat for 14 years,
has organized and supported electoral processes in the Balkans and more
recently worked closely on human rights and democratization issues in
Afghanistan. Paul Williams, executive director and founder of the Public
International Law & Policy Group, has visited Nagorno Karabakh and is a
professor at American University’s School of International Service and
Washington College of Law.
End.

The Statesman, India
June 21 2005
Victoria clings to Charnock legacy
Mathures Paul
in Kolkata
June 20. – The Calcutta High Court might have changed history books,
removing Job Charnock ‘s name as the city’s founder, but Victoria
Memorial is yet to get away from the colonial hangover. In the sound
and light show, held on its premises every evening, it still claims
Charnock to be the founder of Kolkata and retains 24 August 1690 as
the birthday of the city. It maintains that three villages –
Sutanuti, Govindapur and Kolikata – were purchased by Charnock from
Sabarno Roy Chowdhury for Rs 1,300.
`I’m aware of the mistakes but a substantial amount of money and
expertise is required to make the necessary changes. We have spoken
to the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and during the monsoon, when the
show will not be held, necessary changes will be made. Kolkatans will
get to experience a new version of the show in October,’ says Mr
Panda, curator of Victoria Memorial.
A landmark judgment hammered out by the High Court a couple of years
back stated that Kolkata existed much before Charnock. Although the
programme admits that the Armenians arrived before Charnock, it still
considers Britishers to be the founder of Kolkata. The show makes no
mention of the grave of Rezabeebeh, wife of the late Sookias, who
died in 1630, to establish the arrival of the Armenians before the
Englishmen. The initiative to establish that people lived here much
before Charnock’s arrival was taken by former MP Mr Ajit Kumar Panja.
The popularity of the show seems to be decreasing, for much of the
chairs remain vacant on weekdays. Though the show features an
excellent combination of light and sound with the Raj as the
backdrop, it speaks little about post-Independence days and events
like the Emergency period, Naxalite movement and so on. Even events
like the 1857 uprising, formation of Congress and the birth of Indian
Museum have been left out. While celebrities like Rabindranath
Tagore, Netaji, Swami Vivekanada and others find place in the show,
Mother Teresa, V Balsara, Amartya Sen and Saurav Ganguly are still
waiting in the wings. Also missing is the fact that the first
recording of human voice in the country was done here in the city in
1902 on behalf of the Gramophone Company by Fredrick William
Gaisberg.
`Since the show was produced quite sometime back, Amartya Sen and
Sourav Ganguly have not been featured. The October version will
feature important personalities from the city,’ adds Mr Panda.
;theme=&usrsess=1&id=80611

Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
3325 North Glenoaks Blvd.
Burbank, Ca 91504
Tel: 818-558-7474
Fax: 818-558-6333
Web:
His Holiness Karekin ii
catholicos of all armenians
In the western DIOCESE
his holiness pays pontifical visit
to st. james armenian church, sacramento
June 15, 2004

At 7:00 p.m. on June 15, 2005 His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of
All Armenians, accompanied by His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan
Derderian, Primate, His Eminence Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian, and
Vicar General Very Rev. Fr. Dajad Dz. V. Yardemian, paid a Pontifical
visit to the St. James Armenian Church in Sacramento.
Around 300 faithful were in attendance, anxiously awaiting the
arrival of His Holiness. The Catholicos entered the church while the
choir sang the hymns, `Hrashapar’, `Etch Miadzinn’, and `Oorakh Ler’.
Following the Prayer Service His Eminence welcomed the Catholicos
and invited him to address the faithful. His Holiness conveyed the
blessings of the Mother See and the greetings and love of our
brothers and sisters in Armenia, following which he commended the
efforts of the parish led by Pastor Rev. Fr. Yeghia Hairabedian. He
urged the faithful to remain loyal to their Christian faith and to
always protect their ties with the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Following the ceremony a reception took place in the church hall
hosted by the Parish Council, during which the Catholicos once more
created a spiritual enthusiasm within the faithful.
The faithful approached the Catholicos to receive his blessings,
during which the Pontiff distributed the newly published `I Confess
with Faith,’ recently printed in three languages by the Western
Diocese.

his holiness conducts
official groundbreaking of new center
for organization of istanbul ARMENIANS
June 15, 2004

His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, accompanied by
His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate, His Eminence
Archbishop Vatche Hovsepian, and Vicar General Very Rev. Fr. Dajad
Dz. V. Yardemian, arrived at the center of the Organization of
Istanbul Armenians (OIA) at 9:30 p.m. on June 15, 2005 where he was
greeted by the OIA Board and members. The procession of clergy was
led by the singing of hymns, following which HIS Holiness consecrated
a Stone Cross and conducted the Ground Breaking Ceremony.
Several members of the Organization of Istanbul Armenians provided
their remarks. The organization conveyed their heartfelt gratitude to
the Catholicos who took time out of his extremely busy schedule to
bring his presence to the ceremony.
In his address the Catholicos blessed the faithful in attendance and
commended the service of Istanbul Armenians within the Armenian
Church.
The address to the new OIA Center is:
19726 Sherman Way
Winnetka, CA 91306
Tel. 818-342-6378
OFFICE OF THE WESTERN DIOCESE
June 16, 2005
Burbank, California

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GENOCIDE SCHOLARS URGES TURKEY
TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
YEREVAN, JUNE 20. ARMINFO. To get its place among democratic states
Turkey should follow the example of Germany and recognize the
Armenian Genocide, Turkish Milliyet reports the International
Association of Genocide Scholars to have urged Turkish PM Recep
Erdogan.
The association severely criticizes the Turkish government for saying
that the events of 1915 should be studies by historians. The
association blames Erdogan for not knowing of the hundreds of
worldwide historical studies of the Armenian Genocide. Most of the
historians qualify the events as Genocide. Turkey’s attempts to shift
its responsibility for the events are aimed at revising history so as
to make culprits of the victims.
Among the association members are prominent scientists from different
countries including Turkey.

IN PARIS ARMENIAN AND AZERI FMs FAIL TO ACHIEVE RESULT ON SOME
DEFINITE ISSUE
YEREVAN, JUNE 20. ARMINFO. In Paris the Armenian and Azeri FMs failed
to achieve result on some definine issue.
Armenian FM Vardan Oskanyan says that he and Elmar Mamedyarov failed
to bring their discussions to some definite issue but some aspects are
already visible. In case of additional political will the sides will
reach agreement on the issue and will be able to move on to other
important problems. Oskanyan refuses to specify which issue he means.
He says that the Paris meeting was positive on the whole. The sides
agreed to continue their meetings. The OSCE MG will visit the region
before the next meeting – probably in mid July. All the elements of
the issue are on agenda – from the status of Karabakh to the issues of
refugees and security. For Armenia the key issue is the political
status of Karabakh, says Oskanyan.
He urges the mass media not to try to find out the details of the
peace talks – it is not time for this yet. Any specifications may lead
to unnecessary speculations.
Oskanyan refuses to comment on the possibility of a “flower”
revolution in Azerbaijan. He just hopes that the peace talks will not
suffer and the sides will be able to continue this process and to
achieve results on each stage. Oskanyan also refuses to say if the
Paris agreements were put to paper.
He says that there is some connection between the launching of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the intensification of the
Karabakh peace process.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VARDAN OSKANIAN: NOBODY CAN INDICATE ARMENIA WHAT SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT
TO CHOOSE
YEREVAN, JUNE 20. ARMINFO. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia
Vardan Oskanian would like to see full approval by the Venice
Commission of the Council of Europe the amendments to the Constitution
of the Republic of Armenia.
Commenting on the process of constitutional reforms he stressed this
process is not over, the negotiations are being continued. There is
positive progress, but there is not a final consent. “I’d like as a
citizen and minister to see full approval by the Venice Commission the
draft constitutional reforms in Armenia. It would be an ideal variant
and it is necessary to work in this direction”, the Armenian minister
thinks. Nevertheless, nobody can show Armenia what government system
to choose – presidential, parliamentary or hybrid one.

VARDAN OSKANIAN: IT IS EARLY YET TO SPEAK ABOUT QUARTERING OF
PEACEKEEPERS IN ZONE OF KARABAKH CONFLICT
YEREVAN, JUNE 20. ARMINFO. It is early yet to speak about placement of
foreign peacekeepers in the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Vardan Oskanian stated during
the news conference, Monday. According to him, at the moment there are
more important issues, on which the consent of the parties must be
received in order to start discussion of other issues. The minister
reminded that all the possible issues are included in the agenda of
the negotiations of the foreign ministers. At the same time he
reminded that not always it is possible to discuss all the issues
during the meetings. But at least all the issues including the issue
of peacekeepers must be solved, Oskanian added.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
06/20/2005
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Turnout High in Karabagh Parliamentary Election 2) Lebanon Opposition Vows Change after Winning First Post-Syrian Polls 3) Oskanian Sees More Progress in Karabagh Talks 4) New Monument at Montebello Soorp Khatch Church 5) Gold Expo to Take Place in Yerevan 1) Turnout High in Karabagh Parliamentary Election YEREVAN (Combined Sources)--In the fourth parliamentary election since its independence in 1991, voter turnout in Mountainous Karabagh Republic's (MKR) June 19 election was high. The country's Central Electoral Commission confirmed 73.6 percent visited polling stations. Observers from several countries--including Armenia, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, France, the Czech Republic and the US--expressed their satisfaction with the elections, adding that they did not witness serious voting violations. MKR President Arkady Ghukasian promised an honest vote and warned against any actions which could harm the country's image. A day before the elections Ghukasian stated, "All attempts at violations, whoever the author, will be denounced and initiators punished with the full severity of the law." The ballot was held at 274 polling stations throughout Karabagh, as well as a polling station in Yerevan to uphold the election rights of Karabagh citizens staying in Armenia. "The elections are of paramount international importance for Nagorno-Karabagh," Ghukasian said on Saturday. "We must show the world our attitude towards the elections, which mirrors the irreversibility of democratic transformations and can promote the international recognition of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabagh." Two thirds of parliament's 33 seats were elected directly and the remaining 11, under a proportional system. Results of the poll, which is being monitored by around 100 non-governmental observers, are expected late on Monday or early Tuesday. For the elections to be declared valid, at least 25 percent of the 89,000 people eligible to vote must turn out. The Democratic Artsakh party, led by Ashot Ghulian, claimed the victory under the proportional electoral system receiving 22,393 ballots, the Azat Hayrenik (Free Homeland) came second with 15,381 ballots, and a bloc of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and Movement-88 was third with 14,534 votes. Under the majoritarian electoral system, seven candidates each from the Democratic Artsakh party and Azat Hayrenik won at the polls. Azerbaijan, meanwhile, declared the elections illegal. Qualifying the elections as an important step in strengthening democratic institutions, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said, "Armenia greets the recurrent parliamentary elections held in Nagorno Karabagh." According to him, the citizens of Karabagh expressed their political will and chose the authorities to be responsible for the country and its people. "The important thing for us is that those chosen by the people will always have opportunity to present their wish and will have more serious contribution to the regulation of the Karabagh conflict, as well as internal and social issues of the country," said Oskanian. 2) Lebanon Opposition Vows Change after Winning First Post-Syrian Polls BEIRUT (AFP)--Lebanon's main opposition alliance led by Saad Hariri swept all 28 seats up for grabs in Sunday's decisive final round of the four-stage parliamentary elections, Interior Minister Hassan Sabeh confirmed, ushering in the first legislature not controlled by pro-Damascus factions since the end of the 1975-90 civil war. Hariri, whose five-time premier father Rafik Hariri was assassinated in a February bomb blast that paved the way for the end of Syria's long domination, said it was too early to talk of following him into the prime ministership. But he vowed to end what he said was widespread skepticism in Lebanon about the possibilities of genuine reform. "We have got to show people that we are not only here to talk," he told a nationally televised news conference in front of a huge portrait of his slain billionaire father. Hariri's alliance now controls 72 of the 128 seats in parliament against 35 for the pro-Syrian alliance led by Shiite factions Amal and Hezbollah, and 21 for an unlikely alliance between Christian opposition firebrand Michel Aoun. The new balance of power will allow Hariri to take the premiership if he chooses, but he said he first wanted to try to win over his defeated rivals. "We are trying to get a more broad alliance in discussion with other parties," he said. "Once we achieve that, we will discuss about the prime ministership." Aoun already ruled out any possibility of joining a Hariri-led government, accusing his rival of "vote-buying" and pledging to go into opposition but there was no immediate word from the Shiite alliance. The eight-seat majority won by Hariri's bloc falls short of the two-thirds majority required to unseat President Emile Lahoud but Hariri said in any case he wanted to move cautiously. "This is an issue that is quite sensitive in Lebanon," he said. "We will move with the sensitivity that it needs." The United States, which took the lead with former colonial power France in sponsoring a UN Security Council resolution last September demanding the withdrawal of all foreign troops, hailed the four-stage election as an "important milestone in Lebanon's transformation." "We have full confidence that the parliament and the forthcoming cabinet in Lebanon will be committed to the type of genuine political, institutional, economic reforms that the Lebanese people so desire and so deserve," US ambassador Jeffrey Feltman told reporters. But a European Union observer mission noted a string of complaints about the conduct of the vote, including a "substantial number of allegations of vote-buying." It also called for an urgent overhaul of the Lebanon's sectarian political system, which reserves half the seats in parliament for the Christian minority, saying it breached its international obligations and the principle of equality of votes. The clean sweep in the final round in north Lebanon was a major coup for Hariri, following an unexpected rout by Aoun and his allies in the previous phase. Hariri will now need to use all the business acumen he honed during nine years of running the family empire to put right an embattled economy, burdened by a 35.5 billion dollars debt. The political turmoil sparked by his father's murder in a massive explosion on the Beirut seafront has severely dented confidence. The central bank warned last week that it expected gross domestic product to shrink this year with inflation outstripping growth by two percentage points. Hariri will also need to face continuing US-led international pressure for the disarmament of Hezbollah's military wing, which still patrols the south to the exclusion of the Lebanese army five year's after Israeli troops withdrew. During the campaign, Hariri, who made some electoral deals with Hezbollah, spoke out strongly in favor of the "resistance", in contrast to Aoun who argued its militiamen should be disarmed in accordance with last September's UN resolution. 3) Oskanian Sees More Progress in Karabagh Talks YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian added to renewed hopes for a breakthrough in the Mountainous Karabagh peace process on Monday, saying that he and his Azeri counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov made further progress at a meeting in Paris on Friday. Oskanian described the talks mediated by US, Russian and French negotiators as "positive" and "constructive." "We have not yet managed to bring that issue to a successful resolution," he told reporters. "But common ground is in sight." Oskanian added that he will hold another round of negotiations with Mammadyarov shortly after the mediators' visit to the region scheduled for mid-July. Azeri officials also appeared satisfied with the outcome of Mammadyarov's and Oskanian's first face-to-face encounter in months. "The pace of meetings and the essence of the discussions, in my opinion, are promising," Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov told the Azeri ANS television at the weekend. The two ministers were expected to try to build on understandings reportedly reached by the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan at a meeting on Warsaw on May 15. The Armenian Foreign Ministry referred to the summit as a "yet another step forward in the resolution of the Mountainous-Karabagh conflict." Oskanian cautioned that while the Paris talks proceeded in a "good atmosphere," he and Mammadyarov failed to live up to the presidents' expectations. "The presidents took a step forward, albeit a small one, and instructed us to build upon that and find some solution," he said. "We failed to do that in Paris." The current phase of Karabagh peace talks is part of what the parties and the mediators call "the Prague process" that began a year ago and raised fresh hopes for long-awaited peace. 4) New Monument at Montebello Soorp Khatch Church MONTEBELLO--Special services were conducted at Montebello's Soorp Khatch church on June 12, by Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, celebrating the official opening of a memorial adjacent to the church. The monument, dedicated to the memory of the late Vartig Garabedian, was sponsored by her husband Raphael Garabedian, who was joined by his children Mr. and Mrs. Armen and Jenny Garabedian and Greg Garabedian at the opening. Joining the Archbishop, both during the opening ceremony and during mass were Soorp Khatch's spiritual leaders Rev. Nareg Pehlivanian and Rev. Ashod Kambourian, along with previous Montebello pastors Rev. Nareg Shirikian and Rev. Papken Mauelian. 5) Gold Expo to Take Place in Yerevan LOS ANGELES--Consul General of Armenia Los Angeles invites prospective exhibitors to Jewelry 2005, due to take place September 29-October 3, in Yerevan. The Expo, sponsored by Armenia's diamond and gold craftsmen, will feature jewelry and related products to be available for purchase. Those interested may contact the Consulate 50 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2005 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets.

SPEAKER OF NORWEGIAN PARLIAMENT TO VISIT ARMENIA ON JUNE 22
YEREVAN, JUNE 20. ARMINFO. By the invitation of Chairman of National
Assembly of Armenia Arthur Baghdasarian a delegation headed by Speaker
of the parliament of Norway Jorgen Kosmu will arrive in Yerevan on
June 22.
The same day the Norwegian MPs will meet with Arthur Baghdasarian and
his counterparts, as well as Prime Minister Andranik Margarian and
Deputy Defence Minister Mikael Haroutunian. On June 23 the Norwegian
delegation will visit the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin and town of
Spitak. On June 24 the Norwegian parliamentarians will meet with
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress