Month: October 2006

MECHANISM TO DISCUSS GENOCIDE BETWEEN TURKEY AND ARMENIA NEEDED

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.10.2006 13:59 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "There should be initiatives to boost mutual
understanding and dialogue," Armenian Patriarch in Turkey Mesrob II
said in regard to French bill which aims to criminalize denial of
the Armenian Genocide that will be voted in the French parliament
on October 12th. Releasing a statement, Mesrob II underlined that
all countries, especially Turkey and Armenia, should make necessary
arrangements to discuss and examine the matter of the Armenian
Genocide.

Indicating that all efforts hampering freedom of expression would harm
the process of dialogue between Turkish and Armenian communities,
Mesrob II stressed: "initiatives to boost mutual understanding,
dialogue and empathy should be undertaken without wasting time,"
Turkishpress writes.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT NOT AWARE OF ARMENTEL TENDER RESULTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.10.2006 14:43 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Government has not received any document
from OTE Greek Company on the results of the tender on selling 90%
of shares of ArmenTel telecommunication company, Minister of Transport
and Communication Andranik Manukyan said. In his words, in compliance
with the law, OTE Greek Company has to officially inform about the
outcomes of the contest. "The OTE has not addressed the Government
yet. When they do I can say exactly which proposals they have made
and which company the Government prefers," the Minister said. "HSBC is
dealing with the issue. It is the business of OTE whom they will sell
their shares, however, the agreement of the Government is necessary,"
Andranik Manukyan said. According to unofficial reports 90% of
ArmenTel shares, owned by OTE, were sold to Arab consortium Emirates
Telecommunications Corporation (ETISALAT)/Istithmar PJSC/Emergent
Telecom Ventures (ETV) at $600 million, reports IA Regnum.

ALMOST 400 GEORGIAN CITIZENS EXPELLED FROM RUSSIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.10.2006 14:54 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Within past few days Moscow courts passed 380
decisions on expelling Georgian citizens from Russia owing to breaking
the migration legislation. October 5 and 6 courts considered 327
cases and decided to administratively expel 305 persons. Another 70
decisions on deportation were taken within the following days.

Owing to deportation of illegal migrants, detaining criminal
authorities and closing of gambling houses, the Georgian party accused
Russian authorities in xenophobia and nationalism. Along with that
Georgian President M. Saakashvili urged all compatriots on October
9 to return to the fatherland from Russia, irrespective of their
citizenship, reports Lenta.ru.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SIMMONS TO DISCUSS ARMENIA-NATO COOPERATION IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.10.2006 15:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today NATO Special Representative for the South
Caucasus and Central Asia Robert Simmons is arriving in Armenia
within a regional visit, reports the Press Office of the Armenian
MFA. During the visit Simmons is scheduled to meet with Armenian
President Kocharian, Defense Minister Sargsyan and FM Oskanian. The
current NATO-Armenia cooperation, implementation of the IPAP will
be discussed with Armenian leaders. Besides, Simmons will visit the
NATO Information Center. The NATO Special Representative will also
meet with accredited ambassadors of NATO member states in Yerevan.

LAVROV: WE ARE AND HAVE BEEN ALLIES WITH ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.10.2006 15:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Historical and spiritual closeness of the
two peoples is the pledge for Armenian-Russian union, Russian FM
Sergey Lavrov stated in Moscow on the Public TV Company of Armenia
at a reception in honor of celebration of the 15th anniversary
of Armenia’s Independence. "We are and we have been allies with
Armenia. Historical and spiritual closeness of the two peoples is
the pledge for Armenian-Russian union," he said. "Many Armenians
now work and live in Russia. Call the name of Armen Jigarkhanyan –
there is no Russian, who does not know or love him," the Minister
remarked. "Of course we have separated as republics of the USSR,
however we are overcoming that hard period," Sergey Lavrov added,
reports Novosti-Armenia.

BLOCKADE OF GEORGIA TO HAVE NO IMPACT ON ARMENIAN CARGO TRANSIT

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.10.2006 15:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The transport blockade imposed by Russia on Georgia
will have no impact in the transportation of Armenian cargo through
the Georgian territory, Vladimir Yakunin, the President of the Russian
Railways said at a briefing in Yerevan. In his words, the Armenian
cargo is being transported without any delay and problems. According
to Yakunin, Russia is interested in cargo volume increase and in
"delivering Armenia from extra difficulties in cargo transportation,"
reports Interfax. To note, the 44th sitting of the CIS and Baltic
Council of Railways under the presidency of Vladimir Yakunin started
in Yerevan today.

BAKU-KARS-AKHALKALAKI RAILWAY PROJECT TO COST $400 MILLION

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.10.2006 16:03 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijan and Turkey will assign joint funds for
the Baku-Kars-Akhalkalaki railway construction, Turkish Ambassador to
Azerbaijan Turan Morali told reporters October 11. He remarked that
the construction will cost some $400 million. "A Turkish delegation
has arrived today to discuss the issue. The construction of this
railway will promote the development of political, strategic and
economic relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan," Morali said.

According to the Ambassador, transportation of cargo by the railway
will cost three times cheaper than by other kinds of transport,
reported Trend news agency.

TURKISH MEDIA LIE SAYING ARMENIAN LEADERSHIP AGAINST GENOCIDE BILL

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.10.2006 16:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Hurriyet Turkish newspaper in an article titled
"Chorus of voices rises to condemn French genocide denial bill"
reports of some "sources from Armenia" which say that the Armenian
Genocide bill has already lost the support of leading Armenians,
from President Robert Kocharian to top ranked Armenian Orthodox
Church members. The article says, in part, that President Kocharian
allegedly told French President Jacques Chirac, during his visit
to Yerevan last week, that "this law, if enacted, will ruin the
small steps we have taken towards peace with Turkey, it will ruin
our relations." Kocharian then allegedly asked Chirac to remove the
debate on the bill from the French Parliament’s agenda.

As PanARMENIAN.Net came to know from reliable sources, the information
spread by the Turkish media on the threshold of the voting on the
French bill penalizing the Armenian Genocide denial is absolutely
false. This is mere misinformation that suits the Turkish policy.

NEW QUALIFYING EXAMS FOR ADVOCATES

A1+
[04:44 pm] 11 October, 2006

After an interval of five years licensing exams were held for advocates
in Armenia. 75 points of the overall 100 was considered the passing
threshold. The pretenders took written and oral exams. Of all the
310 applicants only 207 passed the threshold of the qualifying exams.

As for who will get license, chairman of the Chamber of Advocates
Ruben Sahakyan and President of the qualifying committee Yenoq Azaryan
found it difficult to say. They represented the course of the exams
in every detail and claimed that everything was extremely fair and
transparent. The procedure excluded any possibility of promptings
or supporting the applicants. The tests were made by computer,
enveloped immediately after printing without even reading and sealed
with two seals.

By the way, Mrs. Catharine Matis, the chairman of the US Chamber of
Advocates, also arrived in Armenia in order to follow the course of
the exams. She was on the whole content with the organization of the
exams and claimed that the US Court system has gained its independence
thanks to the institute of advocates.

Ruben Sahakyan thinks that advocates can make a revolution in Armenia
too in case they are more active, "We lived 70 years in the USSR
and another 16 years in independent Armenia. The court system of the
United States was formed during 230 years. I’m sure that in about 100
years we will have an independent court system too", Mr. Sahakyan said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIANS AND AZERIS BEING EXPELLED FROM MOSCOW

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.10.2006 12:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The search for illegal migrants resulted in
toughening of document examination of Armenians and Azeris, reports
the Echo of Moscow.

According to the source, last Tuesday a check was conducted in one
of the Moscow cafes. Witnesses say the policemen told they "were
ordered to expel Armenians and Azeris from Moscow." As result, four
people were taken to the police station. It should be noted that the
documents of those detained were in complete order.