Month: November 2006

VARTAN OSKANIAN SAID POLICY OF ISOLATION INADMISSIBLE
PanARMENIAN.Net
01.11.2006 18:11 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian took part
in the 15th sitting of the FMs of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation
Organization (BSECO), reported the RA MFA press office. Addressing
the meeting Minister Oskanian said that despite the existing problems
the BSECO member states have much in common. In order to create
a harmonic atmosphere for the resolution of political issues this
commonness should prevail over the differences. He also underscored
that the efforts to isolate some BSECO member states via construction
of a transport circle are inadmissible.
When touching upon Bulgaria and Romania’s accession to the EU Vartan
Oskanian said this will create new possibilities for close cooperation
between the EU and BSECO taking into account the fact that some states
are members on both organizations. The RA FM proposed to examine
the experience to raise the efficiency of the BSECO activities and
implementation of institutional reforms.
A joint declaration was adopted upon the outcomes of the
sitting. Serbia accepted the presidency in the organization. Within the
sitting framework Vartan Oskanian met with Russian FM Sergey Lavrov to
discuss bilateral relations, regional issues and the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement.

GEORGIAN FM DOESN’T SEE ‘INSUPERABLE OBSTACLES’ IN RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
01.11.2006 18:21 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bejuashvili does
not see any insuperable obstacles in relations with Russia. In
an interview with Imedi TV Channel the Minister said, “All the
obstacles and problems available in the Georgian-Russian relations
are surmountable. Political will and wish are essential for their
settlement. In his words, “Georgia is ready for constructive talks
with Russia.” The Georgian FM who is scheduled to meet with Russian
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov today, said, “I am in a working mood
and see no reason for pessimism,” reports ITAR-TASS.

TURKISH FM SAYS ARMENIA’S BORDER MOSTLY OPEN
PanARMENIAN.Net
01.11.2006 18:52 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “The Armenian-Turkish border is mostly open,”
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said. In his words, 70 thousand
Armenians live and work in Turkey at present and send finances to their
relatives in Armenia. “Besides, there is air communication. This
is a political issue and for most part depends of the Armenian
government,” the Turkish FM said, reports RFE/RL. To note, Abdullah
Gul is participating in the BSECO FMs’ sitting in Moscow.

SAINT PETERSBURG AUTHORITIES BARRED NATIONALIST ‘RUSSIAN MARCH’
PanARMENIAN.Net
01.11.2006 17:39 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The ‘Russian march’ as well as other actions were
prohibited by the Saint Petersburg authorities on the Day of National
Unity celebrated November 4. Governor Valentina Matviyenko said
she will not allow ‘any nationalist manifestation’. All the appeals
received by the administration have been rejected. The initiators of
the ‘Russian march’ describe their procession as ‘the most important
action of the year symbolizing national solidarity of the Russian
people.’ They were going to march from the Oktyabrsky concert hall
down the Nevsky Avenue.
Valentina Matviyenko said the city administration will undertake
tough measures to prevent conduction of unauthorized actions. “No
‘Russian action’ will be held in Petersburg,” the Governor said.
Meanwhile Fontanka.ru reports that the authorities just offered the
action initiators to change the route.
Earlier Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov prohibited the ‘Russian
march’. However nationalist say they will hold the action despite
the decision of the city administration. Annual ‘Russian march’ has
been held twice. This time it’s being organized by the Movement of
Illegal Migration, reports Lenta.ru

RA PRESIDENT MET FIRST RUSSIAN VICE PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF ENERGY
PanARMENIAN.Net
01.11.2006 18:30 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian President Robert Kocharian met
in Moscow with First Russian Vice Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev
and Energy Minister Victor Khtistenko. The details of the meetings
are not announced. Robert Kocharian returned to Yerevan tonight,
reports RFE/RL.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN CHURCH CONSECRATED IN NORTH WESTERN RUSSIAN CITY
Armenpress
Nov 01 2006
KALININGRAD, NOVEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS; The Primate of the Armenian Church
Diocese in Russia, Bishop Ezras Nersisian, was in the north-western
town of Kaliningrad lately to consecrate a newly built Armenian Church
of Saint Stepanos.
The Armenian Bishop also consecrated an Armenian cross-stone (khachkar)
presented to the Smolensk-Kaliningrad Diocese of the Russian Orthodox
Church and erected in front of its headquarters. After the first
liturgy in the Armenian Church Bishop Nersisian addressed the present
flock calling on them to rally around the church to serve the Armenian
nation and its Church.
The church was built on a donation of Yuri Kajoyan, Armenia’s honorary
consul in Kaliningrad and chairman of the board of trustees of local
Armenian cultural autonomy. Kajoyan was awarded by Catholicos Karekin
II the Armenian medal of Saint Gregory the Illuminator.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FORMER CULTURE MINISTER AND CURRENT PARLIAMENT MEMBER QUESTION TURKS TALENT TO PRODUCE WORTHY LITERATURE
Armenpress
Nov 01 2006
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: A former Armenian culture minister
Hakob Movses questioned today the national identity of a Turkish
writer Orhan Pamuk who was awarded Nobel Literature Prize this year
saying the Turkish nation was incapable of producing a work of art
or literature of world significance and value.
“I am not a racist but I can say with certainty that this is simply
impossible,’ the former culture minister argued. “Man must have
genetics in order to have spirit and genius, genius that derives from
the Latin ‘genus,” Movses who is the author of several collections
of poetry and prose claimed.
Movses claimed that many people in Germany where Pamuk’s books were
issued in millions of copies suspect him of being a pureblooded
Turk. “Nevertheless I am happy that a Turkish writer was awarded
this prize, because if ideas and culture enter a barbaric tribe it
means it has not yet lost all chances to become a civilized nation,”
he said. He also praised Pamuk for referring to the Armenian genocide.
Pamuk, whose novels include “Snow” and “My Name is Red,” was charged
last year for telling a Swiss newspaper in February 2005 that Turkey
was unwilling to deal with two of the most painful episodes in recent
Turkish history: the massacre of Armenians during World War I, which
Turkey insists was not a planned genocide, and recent guerrilla
fighting in Turkey’s overwhelmingly Kurdish southeast.
“Thirty-thousand Kurds and 1 million Armenians were killed in
these lands, and nobody but me dares to talk about it,” he told the
newspaper. A parliament member Alvard Petrosian from the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARF) also welcomed the decision to award
the most prestigious prize to the Turkish writer, saying, however,
it was a political decision rather.
Ms. Petrosian, also author of several books of prose, echoed the
former culture minister questioning the ability of the Turkish nation
to produce a worthy literature.
“I have read only several poems of Turkish poets, but I cannot believe
that Turks can have good literature. Even if Pamuk is a pureblooded
Turk, which I strongly doubt, it is not enough to say that Turkish
literature is good. There may be a couple of good Turkish writers but
their literature is not good,” she claimed, describing literature as
‘something like milk that feeds a nation, but Turkey definitely lacks
that sort of milk.

NEW DRINKING WATER PIPELINE INAUGURATED IN ARAGATSOTN PROVINCE
Armenpress
Nov 01 2006
ASHTARAK, NOVEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: A new water pipeline was inaugurated
today in Tsakhkahovit village of Aragatsotn province. Its construction
was funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development
(IFAD), while the government contributed to the purchase of pipes.
The water pipeline is fed by springs on Armenia’s highest Mountain
of Aragats taking water to several villages situated on its foot. The
construction cost was $270,000.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA’S PERMANENT POPULATION UP TO 3.2 MILLION
Armenpress
Nov 01 2006
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS; Armenia’s permanent population
by October 1, 2006 rose to 3, 220,800 people. The share of urban
population was 2.062 million and that of rural population 1.158
million people.
Population growth over the beginning of the year made 1,600 and 3,200
people from a year ago. Armenia’s national statistical service said
27,362 babies were born in January-September of 2006.
Before the collapse of the former Soviet Union Armenia had a 3.8
million population, but at least 1 million people have left the country
since the break-up and the resulting collapse of the Armenian economy
that was coupled with war with Azerbaijan. The majority of Armenians
have gone mainly to Russia, in search of employment.

LAW-ENFORCEMENT BODIES REPORT 12 PERCENT CRIME RISE
Armenpress
Nov 01 2006
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: Armenian law-enforcement agencies
reported a 12 percent rise in the number of crimes committed in
January-September of 2006 against the same time span of the past year.
According to fresh data, released by Armenian national statistical
committee, overall 7,529,000 crimes were reported in the first nine
months of the year, of which 68 were committed with use of firearms.
The rise from a year ago was 15.3 percent. The committee said 54
murders and 20 murder attempts were committed. Overall 837 crimes
were committed against individuals, an unprecedented 42 percent rise
from a year ago. The committee said 588 crimes against individuals
were disclosed.
The national statistical committee said also 1,677 crimes against
public security and population’s health were reported, of which 1,320
were traced down and disclosed. It also said 420 cases of road traffic
were reported, which killed 145 people. A fall in the number of crimes
against public property was reported.
Overall 258 such cases were revealed, 14.3 percent down from a year
ago. Also 215 corruption crimes were reported.
The number of crimes rose 32.9 percent in Yerevan, where 3,535 crimes
were registered. Crime rates went up also in Aragatsotn (15 percent),
Lori (23.3 percent) and Tavush (5.8 percent) provinces. In other
provinces it was down. The number of juvenile crimes was 379, by 8
more from a year ago, 149 were reported in Yerevan.
Out of 14,406 wanted criminals police tracked and arrested 1,332.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress