Month: October 2005

STUDENTS DO NOT WANT TO BE SUBORDINATED TO PARTIES

A1+
| 20:43:21 | 13-10-2005 | Politics |

Today the students of the Yerevan State University and the
State University of Economy gathered in front of the government
building. They urge to declare invalid the decision of June 23 on the
order of formation of the administration council of higher education
institutions.

“According to the order, the council may include people, who are not
engaged in the educational field”, a four-year student said.

It is hard to say how the government will react to the protest. It is
known that the order came into force 13 days ago. Some students also
informed that tutors are afraid to take part in the protest actions,
however the students are encouraged by scientists. Chairman of the
Armenian Association of political scientists Arman Vardanyan said
that the protest action will bear a lasting character.

NSDU’S “YES” WILL BECOME “NO” IF…

A1+
| 20:20:03 | 13-10-2005 | Politics |

The National Self-Determination Union, who spoke out for the
constitutional amendments is not going to join any other party with
analogous position.

“They should join us, since we are the initiators” NSDU leader Paruyr
Hayrikyan considers.

Till the end of the next week is going to hold talks with all the
political forces, which we treat seriously. “If we reach consent with
those who adopted the NSDU idea on formation of alternative national
power with enthusiasm and they will vote against the amendments we
will support them.

If it does not happen will give ok to the amendments”

To note, P. Hayrikyan said that he and Stepan Demirchyan agree on
creation a state with strong presidential system. “Strong presidential
system implies strong parliament and the U.S. is a bright example of
it”, he stated.

PRE-ELECTION VIOLATIONS IN STEPANAVAN

A1+
| 17:44:00 | 13-10-2005 | Politics |

October 16 the election of the Mayor of Stepanavan will be held. Two
candidates – the incumbent Mayor Sargis Karakeshishyan and 29-year-old
Artak Alexanyan. Several days are left before the election but the
situation is becoming more and more tensed.

October 3 election posters of Artak Alexanyan were stuck to the walls
of the town buildings. The nest morning the posters were found torn.

8 members of the election commissions took part in Sargis
Karakeshishyan’s election campaign. Artak Alexanyan’s staff produced
a complaint to the Stepanavan central commission, then to the Couth
of First Instance on Vanadzor. Violations by the passport departments
were as well fixed.

October 11 Artak Alexanyan’s made some video shots, which show how
the potential voters receive bribe on the form of wheat. There are
also rumors that on the initiative of Karakeshishyan money is being
delivered (10 000 AMD for each vote).

This information was provided by the election headquarters of Artak
Alexanyan. A1+ did not succeed in finding out the originality of the
material. However we possess some data that the incumbent Mayor not
only gives bribes but also exerts pressure upon the voters saying
that he is supported by Robert Kocharian and Serge Sargsyan.

HAYRIKYAN SAYS “YES” TO SPITE OPPOSITION

A1+
| 17:40:06 | 13-10-2005 | Politics |

The National Self-Determination Union will declare its finite position
on the constitutional amendments on October 15, NSDU leader Paruyr
Hayrikyan stated during today’s press conference.

“As you see we are not adherents to fanatic approach towards
the issue. We prefer practical approach”, P. Hayrikyan said. The
NSDU leader supposes that the constitutional amendments provide
for progress. In his opinion, the draft gives the parliament the
possibility to discuss and make decisions.

“Dual citizenship is a strategically important for Armenia. Some
politicians say they will vote against the amendments over this
clause. I think that they did not come to understand the core of the
issue”, he noted.

In his opinion, dual citizenship first of all refers to those2-3
million people and their descendants who left Armenia during recent
15 years and now being Russian citizens are forced to relinquish from
Armenia “thanks” to our constitution. “There are over 100 million
people of Armenian origin throughout the globe. And we wish to reduce
this number”, he said.

The NSDU named all the positive sides of the constitutional amendments
including the dual citizenship, parliament formation, availability of
the Constitutional Court, formation of the Justice Council. Paruyr
Hayrikyan does not share the opinion that the President’s immunity
is a negative clause. “A President should be immune not only during
the office but after it as well”, Hayrikyan considers.

PRESIDENT PRESS SECRETARY SAYS R. KOCHARIAN ASSIGNED TO ELIMINATE FLAWS IN VOTERS’ LISTS

Armenpress
Oct 13 2005

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 13, ARMENPRESS: Responding to the question of the
Armenpress correspondent on the attitude of the Armenian President
Robert Kocharian towards the flaws in the voters’ lists, the President
Press Secretary Victor Soghomonian said “Armenian President instructed
the chief of the police who is responsible for the voters’ lists to
undertake necessary steps for the elimination of the existing flaws.”

According to the press secretary, Robert Kocharian assigned the chief
of the police to improve the works connected with the voters’ lists.

YOUNG WOMAN THREATENS TO SET FIRE TO COURT OFFICERS

A1+
| 21:49:34 | 13-10-2005 | Politics |

Today resident of Buzand Street Hovik Hovhannisyan was summoned to
the central police station.

The policemen and court officers surrounded Hovhanissyan’s house and
threatened to pull it down. The sister of the accused in her turn,
demanded to return her brother and threatened to pour petrol upon
the court officers.

To remind, Hovhannisyans’ case is presently in the Court of Appeals.

To note, the court officers and policemen also tries to pull down the
half-ruined house belonging to the Muradyans, who showed resistance.

AMERICAN SIDE INTERESTED IN IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION

AZG Armenian Daily #185
14/10/2005

Samuel Bodman, US energy secretary, stated during the meeting with
Armen Movsisian, RA energy minister, that the American side is
interested in the construction of Armenia-Iran gas pipeline. Press
office of RA Foreign Ministry informed that in the course of
the meeting in Washington Armen Movsisian said that the official
Yerevan expects the assistance of the United States in securing the
safe exploitation of the Armenian NPP, as well as in the issues of
developing alternative energy sources in Armenia.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN POLICY – TEMPORIZING OR PASSIVE

A1+
| 21:23:39 | 13-10-2005 | Politics |

“The constitutional referendum will by no means impact upon the RA
foreign policy”, the is the opinion of Armenian political scientists,
who today took part in the discussions dedicated to the Armenian
foreign policy. The meeting was held in Congress Hotel with the
participation of RA MFA representative. The political scientists
concluded that Armenia’s foreign line is reactive, temporizing and
passive.

Head of the department of political programming of the RA MFA Sarmen
Baghdasaryan noted, however, the international processes including the
NATO and EU enlargement, anti-terror struggle in Iraq and Afghanistan,
in which Armenia is taking part. Unlike opposition political scientists
David Shahnazaryan, Vahan Papazyan, Stepan Safaryan and others,
the MFA representative voiced assurance that the positive outcome
of the referendum will have a positive impact at the development of
the country. In his words, “yes” implies democratic changes targeted
at reconciliation of opposite principles of self-determination of
nations and territorial integrity.

All the participants agreed on one fact: the report of the
International Crisis Group is a positive step and testifies that the
mood of the international political community changes in favor of
Nagorno Karabakh.

OMBUDSMAN SUPPORTS RESIDENTS OF BUZAND STREET

A1+
| 21:03:49 | 13-10-2005 | Politics |

The National Citizens’ Initiative (NCI) today continued its series of
public hearings with a town-hall meeting on “Violations in Property
Alienation.” By means of the event, NCI brought a new stimulus to the
civic movement against the human rights infringements taking place
during implementation of the new construction plan for Yerevan. On
August 24, at the time of the first hearings devoted to this issue,
NCI had underscored the need to prepare a special report.

Illegalities and arbitrariness are still so widespread in Armenia that
this autumn the country’s ombudswoman Larisa Alaverdian had come up
with a special report in this regard. “The human rights defender had
been criticized for her 2004 annual report, where the facts pertaining
to the sad state of human rights were either under-expressed or
entirely missing. That gap has been filled by the special report,”
Alaverdian said. She also expressed a conviction that even after the
revelation of relevant evidences, unlawful acts continue unabated.

Despite the invitations that were sent to a range of state bodies,
there were very few government officials who took part in the
session. Chairman Karen Davtian of the Bureau for the Implementation
of Yerevan’s Construction Investment Plans attempted to substantiate
the legitimacy of property alienation. According to him, the number
of disgruntled citizens is small because approximately 1200 residents
of that area already have signed pertinent contracts and received
compensations. In the words of Davtian, the complaints by many are
baseless since those people do not possess any documents that confirm
their right to proprietorship.

However, the scores of citizens who participated in the public
roundtable with their private testimonies maintained the contrary
and presented their own counter evidence as victims of the state’s
“eminently false domain and needs.” Sedrak Barseghian in particular,
pointed out that the company, which received the permission to carry
out construction in that zone has an enormous debt to the state. The
Biuzand Street residents Vachagan Hakobian, Levon Ghasabian, Gohar
Gharibian, and Iskuhi Bilian on the other hand, testified that the
state authorities were evicting the inhabitants from their homes
without recompensing them.

Chairman of Helsinki Committee Avetik Ishkhanyan called to appeal to
the European Court of Human Rights, since the report of the Ombudsman
has big advantage.

U.S. ALLOCATED FUNDS TO RA PARLIAMENT

A1+
| 21:01:29 | 13-10-2005 | Politics |

The U.S. allocated $2 million to the RA national Assembly. The
memorandum was signed today by Chairman Artur Baghdassaryan and
representative of the U.S. Agency for International Development
Robin Phillips.

In the course of the event Artur Baghdassaryan stated, “The world
belongs to optimists, pessimists are playing the role of observers. The
optimism of the Speaker lies in his confidence that after the
referendum on November 27 the Constitution will strengthen the role
of the parliament. And the parliament should be ready for it. $2
million will be spent on these preparations. NA specialists training,
technical re-equipment and international exchanged will take place.

Artur Baghdassaryan said he hopes that the nation-parliament ties
will also activate.

The NA-USAID cooperation is planned till 2007.