Month: October 2006

OPENING OF SURP KHACH CHURCH OF AKHTAMAR SLATED ON NOV 4
By Hakob Chakrian

AZG Armenian Daily
20/10/2006

Surp Khach church of Akhtamar Island will be opened on November 4,
Lraber newspaper of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople quoted
owner of the reconstructing company Cahit Zeidalan as saying. He said
that the reconstruction works ended on August 30 and currently the
church’s surroundings are being refurbished. He also said that prime
minister Erdogan had attached high importance to the reconstruction,
and most likely the opening will take place on November 4.

Zeidalan considers the reconstruction work to be of high quality
and exemplary for the world. Yet, it’s clear from the above picture
that the constructors have "forgotten" fix crosses on the dome and
on the chapel.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN MOVIE FEATURED IN TURKEY

AZG Armenian Daily
20/10/2006

"Golden Apricot" International Film Festival in cooperation with
Turkish Anatolu Kyultur NGO has organized featuring of Armenian movies
in Istanbul.

Harutyun Khachatrian’s "The Return of the Poet" was featured at
Diarbekir’s Cultural Center on Oct. 7 and at Istanbul’s Bogazici
University on Oct. 10. Besides this film, the filmmaker’s "Return to
the Promised Land" and "Documentalist" as well as Albert Mkrtchian’s
"Joyful Bus" were featured at Belgi University in Istanbul. Film
critic Artsvi Bakhchinian from Yerevan delivered lectures on the past
and present of the Armenian cinema during each screening.

NIKOLAY RIZHKOV: WE HAVE NO ARMENOPHOBY IN RUSSIA AND WE CAN NEVER HAVE

AZG Armenian Daily
20/10/2006

Nikolay Rizhkov, member of the Federal Council of the Russian
Federation, Co-Chair of the Armenian-Russian Interparliamentary
Commission, met with Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, on
October 17. In the course of the meeting, Karekin II expressed concern
about certain cases of bad attitude to Armenians in Russia. The Press
Office of St. Etchmiadzin informed that Catholicos of All Armenians
confirmed his friendly attitude to Russia and its people and stated
that one should spare no efforts to settle the issue.

In response, Nikolay Rizhkov stated that there is no armenophobia in
Russia and they will try hard to prevent any xenophobic action.

DELEGATES FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES DEMAND FROM UNESCO TO CARRY OUT INTERNATIONAL INVESTIGATION IN OLD JUGHA
By Nana Petrosian

AZG Armenian Daily
20/10/2006

The representatives of the parliaments from various countries
have met with the Koichiro Matsuura, UNESCO Secretary General, and
appealed to him with official request to carry our international
investigation in Old Jugha, Nakhijevan, where historical monuments
of Armenian cultures were destroyed. They called for condemning
the destruction of old Armenian cemetery in Nakhijevan by the army
of Azerbaijan. The delegation was formed at the initiative of the
Armenian-Swiss parliamentary group thanks to the mediation of Charles
Aznavour, ambassador of Armenia to UNESCO. The parliamentarians have
submitted relevant documents that include proofs of the guilt of
the Azeri authorities in the crime to the UN Council for Education,
Science and Culture. The delegation has also signed a memorandum in
which they demand to build a Christian monument on the place of the
destroyed Armenian cemetery.

POWER OF ARMENIAN WOMEN IN BUSINESS
By Gohar Gevorgian

AZG Armenian Daily
20/10/2006

The Program for Development of Armenian Average and Minor Enterprises,
in collaboration with US AID and "Logos Expo" Center initiated
"Armenian Women in Business 2006" Second National Trade Exhibition
at Arno Babajanian Concert Hall. Over 60 Armenian business women will
represent the production of their companies, including food, clothes,
textile production, perfume, publishing activities, applied arts,
hand crafts, souvenirs, carpet weaving and other spheres.

The exhibition is aimed to open new opportunities for businesswomen in
the home and foreign markets. It will also help to inform about their
activities and capacities. The exhibition will last till October 21.

It is expected that a press conference, meeting of business women,
round table and gala concert will be held within the framework of
the program.

FEUDALS WILL BE ELECTED BY MAJORITARIAN SYSTEM

A1+
[05:43 pm] 19 October, 2006

Vazgen Manukyan, leader of the National Democratic Union (NDU), claims
that both the authorities and the Opposition lack the features and
force to guide the nation.

"The point is that there is people have no confidence in the country’s
future well being. Elections will be held in Armenia but people don’t
believe they will be just and fair," announced Vazgen Manukyan in club
"Pastark." He says that "corruption, criminal and illegality reign
in the country."

"I think this is an interval after different groupings. How can
we speak of perfect future, if there is no collision between the
authorities and the Opposition?" says Mr. Manukyan.

While speaking of the newly formed "Alternative" social-political
organization, Vazgen Margaryan noted that the name of the structure
doesn’t suggest that it is really alternative. "At first they declare
that they are guided by the principles of the Armenian National
Movement introduced by me. Then they pass on to Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s
article written in 1997. This is inadmissible for me," says Vazgen
Manukyan and adds that we live in a different epoch and we must attach
new approaches to the old ideas.

As for the case of deputy Hakob Hakobyan, Mr. Manukyan says that it is
upon the court to decide whether he is guilty or innocent. Mr. Manukyan
sees criminal coloring in Hakobyan’s actions. "He is but a feudal.

If they say that this small feudal did 20-million USD harm to the
state, can you imagine the total harm done to the country?" says
Mr. Manukyan.

The NDU leader claims that the Opposition didn’t support the
deputy. They merely didn’t participate in bringing an action against
Hakob Hakobyan.

"The authorities chose Hakob Hakobyan as a scapegoat.

As the Opposition’s voice was not decisive, we stayed aside."

As for the 2007 elections, Mr. Manukyan mentioned that in comparison
with 1996 elections, candidates running for the parliament elections
will have to spend huge sums of money as "Armenia has turned into a
country of feudals where a few feudals struggle for the leadership
in the same constituency".

OSCE OFFICE HEAD DISCUSSES THE AMENDMENTS TO THE LAW ON TV AND RADIO

A1+
[05:31 pm] 19 October, 2006

YEREVAN, 19 October 2006 – The Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan,
Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, discussed today with Tigran Torosyan,
the Chairman of the Armenian National Assembly, the electoral reform
and amendments to the law on TV and Radio.

Mr. Torosyan informed Ambassador Pryakhin that the amendments to the
Electoral Code are expected to be adopted early December. Welcoming the
readiness by the Armenian authorities to improve election legislation,
Ambassador Pryakhin reiterated the concern expressed by experts
of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
(ODIHR) and the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe that a
late adoption of amendments might jeopardize the preparations for
the May 2007 parliamentary elections.

Ambassador Pryakhin said the OSCE was ready to assist Armenia
in conducting elections according to international standards,
and that the OSCE/ODIHR was ready to send an observation mission
provided an invitation was issued by the Armenian authorities in a
timely manner. The Chairman of the National Assembly agreed that the
invitation should be issued as soon as possible.

Speaking about the law on TV and Radio, Ambassador Pryakhin expressed
hope that public hearings on the draft amendments would be held
before the new draft was submitted to Parliament. The previous draft
was rejected in a first reading on 3 October. He also suggested an
expert review of the amendments could be carried out with the help
of the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media.

The Head of the OSCE Office also informed Mr. Torosyan about the
assistance projects that have been implemented by the Office in order
to support the Armenian authorities in preparations for the elections
and in the area of capacity-building of the legislature.

"DISPUTABLE" DEPOSITORS WILL BE COMPENSATED

A1+
[07:33 pm] 19 October, 2006

The order to compensate the deposits stored in the bank by June 10,
1993, has changed.

It was decided to include the names of disputable depositors subject to
compensation by May 12, 2006, into the information database, provided
they present corresponding documents, their applications are attached
to the registration list, they have got a right to compensation but
their data are not included in the information database.

This also refers to the depositors who have presented the corresponding
documents but their applications were turned down for certain reasons.

These amendments are aimed at the investment of more efficient
mechanisms in the compensation system.

"ARMENIANS ARE GOOD PEOPLE"

A1+
[07:51 pm] 19 October, 2006

"I am very disappointed that I didn’t have a chance to meet with your
president," said Julie Finley, U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE during
the interview with Radio Liberty.

During her two-day visit, Mrs. Finley managed to get acquainted with
the Armenian people and she maintains that Armenians are good people.

She also referred to the Karabakh conflict during the meeting with
the RA NA Speaker Tigran Torosyan. Mr. Torosyan mentioned that he
finds the attempts of transforming the conflict settlement to other
international organisations inadmissible.

Mr. Torosyan also refuted the wide-spread opinion that it is wiser
to freeze conflict regulation procedure in pre-election period in
order to prevent side effects on other procedures. He noted that
the decisions admissible by the community will have their positive
outcome on the election procedure, whereas inadmissible decisions
will remain as such for ever.

The two sides focused on other issues as well.

EXPLOSIVE FOUND NEAR PETROL FILLING STATION

Panorama.am
13:05 19/10/06

Rescue press services report an emergency call received from district
police office on October 18 at 10:32 a.m. saying an explosive was
found near Yerevanian Lake in the vicinity of Lchap petrol filling
station. At about 12:30 Alfa services of National Security Services
neutralized MP-2 type mine.

Respective services investigate why the mine appeared on the vicinity
of Yerevanian Lake bridge.