Month: October 2006

ARMENIAN VICE-SPEAKER: COMMUNICATION QUALITY WILL ENHANCE UPON SELLING ARMENTEL

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.10.2006 17:03 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "I do not know for sure who bought ArmenTel, I do not
know the details, but I am sure that our communication quality will
enhance. Arab communication is just fabulous," Armenian Vice-Speaker
Vahan Hovhannisyan stated at a news conference in Yerevan. In his
words, irrespective of who becomes the next owner of ArmenTel, the
most important thing is effectiveness, transparency of the deal and
absence of corruption.

90% of ArmenTel shares, that were held by OTE Greek company,
according to unofficial reports, are sold to Arab consortium Emirates
Telecommunications Corporation (ETISALAT)/Istithmar PJSC/Emergent
Telecom Ventures (ETV).

EU AND NATO SUPPLEMENT EACH OTHER TO CERTAIN DEGREE

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.10.2006 17:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The EU and NATO supplement each other to a certain
degree, Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian stated in an interview with
the Hayastani Hanrapetutyun (Republic of Armenia). In his words,
the EU refers more to economy, institutional reforms, while the NATO
relates more to security and includes and number of other directions
as well: democracy, civil control of the army, as well as serious
security dialogue. "These are really serious programs, issuing from
the interests of our country and the entire region. Thus, we should
deal with it with seriousness.

Our having accepted it as a program, and a commitment to a certain
degree, means that we should fulfill it to register progress in all
those directions," Vartan Oskanian stated.

ARMENIA GOT MOST NUMBER OF PRIZES AT NEW CINEMA, 21ST CENTURY FESTIVAL

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.10.2006 17:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ New Cinema, 21st Century International Festival
was held in Smolensk Russian town. Its primary task is to recreate
the joint cinema screening space in the CIS and Baltic states. 16
countries took part in the event.

The prize for best script in the full-length fiction films was awarded
to Mariam by Edgar Baghdasaryan.

Armenian documentary Faith, Hope, Love by Armen Khachatryan shared
the documentary grand prix with a Russian film. Two Armenian pictures
were awarded diplomas: documentary Hello, Fellini by Arman Yeritsyan
and Recollections of Sayat-Nova by Levon Grigoryan. No country,
even Russia, got that number of prizes.

TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN WILL NOT MANAGE TO ISOLATE ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.10.2006 17:56 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The fact that Turkey and Azerbaijan are trying to
isolate Armenia is not a secret, Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian stated in
an interview with the Hayastani Hanrapetutyun (Republic of Armenia). In
his words, another matter is that they will not succeed. "We struggle
against it as far as possible. The international community helps us
in that respect – at least in the political plane," he said.

In his words, the US Congress has already passed an exact resolution
against the building of Kars-Akhalkalaki railway, the EU is not going
to support that project financially or politically.

"However, it is not necessary for Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia. If
they got the funding, they may implement the project. However, we
think it is excessive waste of money, time and energy and it will not
promote confidence in the region. However, if they decide to take
that way I am sure it will not harm Armenia, but will have serious
political consequences for Turkey," the FM said.

Answering a question whether the building of Kars-Akhalkalaki railway
is possible, the Minister said, "I find it difficult to say for
sure. There is no European or American financial support, however
oil finances are so abundant that I do not rule out that they will
find the means from their financial sources and may resort to that
step only to isolate Armenia."

HET PAROOL: NEVER BEFORE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE GOT AS MUCH ATTENTION IN DUTCH POLITICS

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.10.2006 18:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Never before the Armenian Genocide got as much
attention in the Dutch politics as in the previous weeks. A small
lobby with many branches in Binnenhof had unexpected success, writes
the Het Parool, a Dutch daily newspaper published in Hague.

Addie Schulte, the author of the article titled Armenian Lobby Is
Strong, thinks that "the Netherlands has spared herself a big deal
of misery."

It started a month ago with a letter to CDA (Christian Democrat Party)
and a press release. The Federation of Armenian Organizations in
the Netherlands (FAON) and its 24 April Committee asked if candidate
Member of Parliament Ayhan Tonca distances himself from his earlier
denial of the Armenian Genocide. "Tonca were a straight denier", says
Inge Drost, spokeswoman of the Armenian Organizations. The Armenian
lobby did not get a direct answer to the letter to CDA. But after the
attention paid by media, the matter gained momentum, which seems still
to continue," Drost said. In fact it concerns a historical question,
and the struggle for its recognition is not political, says Mrs. Drost.

"But the policy of denial is guided by Ankara".

"Turkey is doing a rearguard action: almost all historians recognize
the Genocide. But we cannot just pass over, because Turkey wants
to become a member of the European Union. That is unthinkable
without recognition of the Genocide," Drost underscored, FAON told
PanARMENIAN.Net.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE: TURKEY THREATENS FRANCE WITH DEPORTATION OF 70 THOUSAND ARMENIANS

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.10.2006 18:34 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Turkey should deport 70 000 Armenian migrants if
the bill on punishment for denying the Armenian Genocide is adopted
by France Parliament," Yashar Yakish, Turkey former Foreign Minister
and chairman of the Parliament’s Adaptation Commission to the EU
said, reported APA. Having told about the strong Armenian lobby,
numbering 400 thousand, he said 70 000 Armenians work illegally in
Turkey. "They will have problems when Turkey government sends them
back to Armenia. Armenia should realize its responsibility. It can
be said that Armenia is taking the punishment for France," the former
Turkish FM said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MTC CONSIDERS REPORTS ON ARAB CONSORTIUM BUYING ARMENTEL RUMOR

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.10.2006 18:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ MTC Russian company is sure in its victory
in the tender for buying 90% of ArmenTel shares, owned by OTE
Greek company. The results of the tended in the opinion of a MTC
representative will be known by the weekend. "Our being a leader at the
cellular market of Russia is the ground for confidence in our victory,"
MTC Spokesperson Kirill Alyavdin told RFE/RL. He considered media
reports on Arab consortium Emirates Telecommunications Corporation
(ETISALAT)/IStithmar PJSC/Emergent Telecom Ventures (ETV) buying
ArmenTel as "rumor".

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NEW MONUMENT TO HOLOCAUST AND ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN YEREVAN
By Ruzan Poghosian

AZG Armenian Daily
11/10/2006

The Jewish community of Armenia will unveil a new monument to the
Holocaust and the Armenian Genocide in Circular Park in Yerevan
on October 27. The monument will come to replace a memorial plaque
erected in 1999. Head of the Jewish community, Rima Varzhapetian,
says the new monument is unique as it is dedicated not only to the
Holocaust but also the Armenian Genocide, thus uniting the sufferings
of the two peoples.

"We are very thankful to the Armenian authorities for providing a site
for the memorial plaque to the victims of the Holocaust in 1999. An
idea to erect a new monument to the Armenians who saw the first
genocide of the 20th century and to the Jews exterminated during
the WWII has been haunting me since that time. I am very pleased
that my idea has become reality thanks to the support of the Jewish
community, the Republican Party, Nushikian Association and others,"
says Rima Varzhapetian.

A great number of guests from different countries will be invited to
the unveiling ceremony and round tables will be held to discuss the
consequences of the genocides of the 20th century. "We want to prove
once again that the Jews of Armenia strive for good deeds and have
no aim of doing harm to the state. We are hopeful that no scoundrel
will dare to deface the monument as it is dedicated to the memory of
nations who were victims of barbaric actions," Mrs. Varzhapetian says.

SOCIAL CARDS ARE NO OBLIGATION FOR PENSIONERS
By Gohar Gevorgian

AZG Armenian Daily
11/10/2006

Many people who refused to have social cards were deprived of their
right to get pensions, when about three years ago RA law "On social
cards" was adopted.

In the interview to "Azg," most of them explained their decision to
refuse having social cards by religious reasons.

After three years of struggle in the court instances, the Armenian
Constitutional Law Protection Center and the lawyer of the center
Arayik Papikian were a success. According to the verdict ofm RA
Constitutional Court, the first of the cases on the issue of the
pensioners was legally settled, on October 4. The Constitutional Court
recognized the second point of the article # 11 of the abovementioned
law as invalid by its decision # 649. The pensioners Manoushak
Kocharian and Hranoush Davtian won their case. Besides, all of the
sub-legislative acts that used to force the pensioners get the social
cards lost their legal force. Thus, according to the verdict of RA
Constitutional Court, the social card is not an obligatory document
any longer and the citizens can get them due to their own will.

The representtatives of the Armenian Constitutional Law Protection
Center assured that the pensioners will get their pesnions, benefits
and salaries that they failed to get for about 20 months.

HESSEN PRIZE TO ATOM EGOYAN
By Anahit Hovsepian, Germany

AZG Armenian Daily
11/10/2006

On October 6, Frankfurt Book Fair 2006 presented Canadian-Armenian
filmmaker Atom Egoyan with the Best International Literary Film
Adaptation prize for "Where the Truth Lies" – adaptation of Rupert
Holms’ book of the same title. The jury said that Egoyan’s style help
"see" the book through, it requires intent watching and that is the
reason why Egoyan won the Hessen prize.

Brokeback Mountain, Pride and Prejudice and Gabrielle also won prizes.