Month: October 2006

PanARMENIAN.Net

Atom-AntiTerror 2006 Exercise Over in Armenia
29.09.2006 16:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Atom-AntiTerror 2006 command staff exercise is over
in Armenia. According to Director of the RA National Security Service
Gorik Hakobian, the exercise was a success. In his words, the goals
set within the CIS member states’ cooperation program were
achieved. To note, during the exercise, the Armenian special forces
jointly with the special forces of the Russian Federal Security
Service performed an operation for eliminating terrorists and release
of hostages in the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant.

Such an exercise with the participation of representatives of Armenia,
Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine, was held in
Armenia for the first time. The exercise was observed by
representatives of the G8, anti-terror unit of the OSCE Secretariat
and counter-terror committee of the UN Security Council as well as of
the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, reported IA Regnum.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Days of Armenia in Siberia to Be Held in Krasnoyarsk
Region of Russia October 10-13
29.09.2006 16:48 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Days of Armenia in Siberia will be held in the
Siberia International Exhibition and Business Center in Krasnoyarsk,
Russia, October 10-13. An Armenian delegation will arrive in
Krasnoyarsk to expand economic and cultural ties. Government members,
Mayors of Armenian towns, businessmen and cultural workers will visit
the region. Round table discussions on chemical, wood and tyre
industry will be held. Besides, Armenia will exhibit its alcoholic,
food and textile products. Armenian singers and musicians will give a
concert, reports the Independent News Agency.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Austria: Turkey Not Ready for EU
29.09.2006 17:49 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The leader of Austria’s main opposition party,
Alfred Gusenbauer, said that Turkey is not yet ready to become a
member of the European Union. In an interview with AP days before a
general election in Austria, Gusenbauer, head of the country’s Social
Democrats, said there was a "common understanding" that Turkey was a
European country. However he said it was not yet ready to become a
member of the bloc because "not all European traditions have taken
root in all parts" of the country.

"At least at the moment, Turkey is not mature enough for becoming a
member of the European Union," Gusenbauer said. "I think there has to
be a long path of negotiations and of development to move Europe and
Turkey closer to each other. I cannot predict when the crossing point
will be reached. But it’s clear that without enormous endeavors on
both sides, this is going to be very complicated," he said, reports
ABHaber.

PanARMENIAN.Net

CSTO Member States Call on Georgian Leadership to Release Russian Military
29.09.2006 18:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The member states of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization call upon the Georgian leadership to immediately release
the Russian military, says the statement of the CSTO Secretariat.
Upon completion of the consultations the plenipotentiaries of the
organization voiced `concern about the tensing situation that can lead
to unpredictable consequences’ and called the Georgian side to
`balanced approach to the resolution of the existing problems.’ The
CSTO includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and
Uzbekistan.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Russian Military Bases May Be Evacuated to Russia and Armenia
29.09.2006 18:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The evacuation of Russian citizens can extend to the
Russian military bases, said a military-diplomatic source in
Moscow. `Evacuation is planned by sea from Batumi to Russia and from
Akhalkalaki to Armenia overland,’ the source said. He underscored that
the matter concerns people but not military equipment. `First of all
we will convey the families and those servicemen, whose presence in
the bases is not necessary. The essential staff will remain to ensure
the security of the equipment and territory, reports Interfax.

PanARMENIAN.Net

EU Commissioner to Arrive in Ankara to "Encourage
Turkish Officials for Progress"
29.09.2006 18:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Olli
Rehn will arrive in Ankara on Oct. 2 to encourage Turkish officials to
make more progress on the implementation of reforms before the
European Commission’s annual progress report due on Nov. 8. Rehn’s
impressions from the visit, on which he is to monitor progress in
implementing reforms by meeting representatives of non-governmental
organizations, will play a significant role in the final touches to
the report.

He will also take part in a meeting on "The European Social Model and
Syndicated Rights in the EU Negotiation Process" on Oct. 3. Rehn will
also meet with Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and other Turkish
officials. He told the Strasbourg assembly late Tuesday that Turkey
has to make more progress in implementing reforms. He noted that
controversial Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) will most
likely affect the upcoming progress report on Turkey in a negative
light and urged the Turkish government to abolish or amend the
article.

"Despite the acquittal of novelist Elif Safak, freedom of expression
remains under threat in Turkey," Rehn said Tuesday, arguing that the
mere existence of such judicial proceedings had "a chilling effect" on
journalists, writers and activists, reports ABHaber.

AZG Armenian Daily #186, 30/09/2006

Armenia-Georgia

REVAZ GACHECHILADZE: ONE SHOULD NOT GO TO SUKHUMI OR TSKHINVALI IF ONE
DOES NOT WANT TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH GEORGIAN AUTHORITIES

Revaz Gachechiladze, Georgian ambassador to Armenia, gave his comments
on daily Azg’s publications about arrests of Armenian citizens who had
visited Abkhazia or South Ossetia. Georgian law enforcers report that
starting from June 1 to September 25, 76 foreigners and 67 Georgian
citizens were arrested on charge of illegal crossing of Georgian state
border.

48 of the foreigners were citizens of Russian, 6 of Turkey, 4 of
Azerbaijan, 2 of Iran and Uzbekistan, one of India, Pakistan and
Algeria, 11 of Armenia. 4 Armenians drivers who legally crossed the
so-called South Ossetian border were soon released and their fines
were returned. 7 more Armenians are still in jail. "I want to point
out that not only Armenian citizens were arrested. This procedure
simply became glowing as the Upper Lars control point was blocked
impacting more Armenia than Georgia," said Georgian ambassador.

Yet, Mr. Gachechiladze voiced concern over the situation of the
Armenian citizens. The ambassador even turned to consulate department
asking for a third group disabled detainee to be released. But this
was an exception. Mr. Gachechiladze told daily Azg a few days ago that
the Georgian authorities made another exception by allowing to
transport the special equipment for Charles Aznavour’s concert via
Roki illegal control point.

Georgian ambassador is sure that the Armenian Foreign Ministry
objectively assesses the situation and acts adequately.

To Azg’s remark that Georgian authorities fail to secure awareness
among people, Mr. Gachechiladze once again warned that entry to
Georgia is possible only through legal control points: Upper Lars,
which is currently closed, airports of Tbilisi, Batumi and Kutaisi and
harbors of Batumi and Poti. In regards to Abkhazia, the ambassador
said: "Abkhazia purposefully stamps visitors’ passports, and that is
illegal as that is considered an illegal border crossing. One should
not go to Sukhumi or Tskhinvali if one does not want to have problems
with Georgian authorities." Incidentally, such approach to Abkhazian
and South Ossetian border crossing was adopted at the CIS Summit in
1996.

Asked what should the Armenian citizens who had recently been in
Sukhumi or Tskhinvali do, the ambassador reminded that after the crash
of Armenian A320 plane in Sochi some Armenian citizens were allowed to
pass to Abkhazia via Georgian border. Georgian Penal Code does not
apply to those citizens. As to those who visited Sukhumi and
Tskhinvali in recent years, they should simply not enter Georgia.

Most of the arrested Russian citizens may well be Armenians, as very
few Russians would cross Abkhazian-Georgian border after a visit to
Sukhumi or Tskhinvali.

By Aghavni Harutyunian

AZG Armenian Daily #186, 30/09/2006

Armenian Genocide

DRAFT LAW CONCERNING `DENIAL OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE’ FRENCH SENATE
AGENDA

The draft Law that envisages punishment "for denial of the Armenian
genocide" will be discussed in France, the Turkish Public TV and
"Zaman" newspaper report. In particular, the draft law will be
discussed within the October 12 agenda of the French Senate. The
voting for the draft law will be held on the same day.

According to "Zaman," the draft law is most likely to be adopted. It’s
worth mentioning that the draft law envisages 5 years of imprisonment
and EUR 450 thousand of penalty for those who denied the Armenian
genocide. The draft law was discussed at the French Senate in May,
this year, on the last minute it was excluded from the voting.

By the way, "Zaman" also dwells on the current visit of French
president Jacques Chirac to Armenia, when stating about the
abovementioned draft law. The newspaper emphasized French President
will lay a wreath on the memorial of the victims of the Armenian
Genocide in Tsitsernakaberd.

By Hakob Chakrian

AZG Armenian Daily #186, 30/09/2006

World

DAY OF GERMANY’S UNIFICATION TO BE HELD

"Unification, Right, Freedom." This is the main ideology that the
German people follow since 19th century, even after the World War II,
when the country was split in two parts. Only in the October of 1990,
the German issue was finally settled, the Western and the Eastern
Germanies united. For already 16 years, the Federal Republic of
Germany celebrates the Day of Germany’s Unification on October
2-3. This year the center of the festive celebration will be Kill. In
this connection, Angela Merkel, chancellor of FRG, stated that she is
happy that the festive celebration on the unification day will be held
in Kill for the first time. The representative of Germany’s 16 states,
many political figures and foreign guests will participate in the
celebration arrangements.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZG Armenian Daily #186, 30/09/2006

Home

ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO SHAPE OPPOSITION UNION

According to the statement adopted by 15 opposition parties, the
Armenian people face the danger of losing its state, as all the
spheres are becoming criminal in Armenia and Ra citizens are not
protected in their own country. "Innocent people become victims of
frequent cases. This criminal actions are obviously allowed by Robert
Kocharian and Serge Sargsian couple," the opposition figures came to
such a conclusion at yesterday’s meeting. Aram Karapetian, leader of
"New Times" party, told the journalists that they will take drastic
measures, including public hearings, round tables, to fight the
criminal existing in the republic. He added that the representatives
of the abovementioned parties’ youth branches will also initiate such
meetings. They will gather on October 5 to define their further
actions.

By Tamar Minasian

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress