Month: November 2006

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 23 2006
ARA ABRAHAMYAN SENT HARUTIUN ARAKELYAN INTO FURY

The clash between the president of the World Congress of Armenians
Ara Abrahamyan and the Ramkavar Party may raise to a national level.
When the Ramkavar Party announced that the Congress makes no efforts,
and came out of this organization, the head of the Congress Ara
Abrahamyan announced to the media that the Ramkavar Party took this
step because it did not get support for 2007 they expected from Ara
Abrahamyan. The president of the World Congress of Armenians also
said some unpleasant words about the leader of the Ramkavar Party of
Armenia Harutiun Arakelyan as well. Arakel replied to Abrahamyan on
November 23 at the Friday Club. `As to the words of abuse addressed
to me and the political party, I think it is because of the difficult
childhood he had. He grew up in a basement, then he was a warehouse
porter. This affected his way of thinking. I do not want to go down
to his level,’ Harutiun Arakelyan said. Nevertheless, perhaps
reluctantly, Harutiun Arakelyan gave a hard evaluation of Ara
Abrahamyan, up to a `warehouse porter.’
`I was very angry, terribly angry. I had never been so angry before.
I will be chasing him everywhere. Let him try to implement a national
project. We will chase him like a fly with a flapper,’ says Harutiun
Arakelyan. According to him, if Ara Abrahamyan says he helped the
Ramkavar Party in some way, and now the political party has lost this
support, he is lying. Harutiun Arakelyan says Ara Abrahamyan did not
back the Ramkavar Party in the parliamentary election in 2003.
Harutiun Arakelyan states that the Armenian schools benefited from
the distribution of computers rather than the Ramkavar Party. `Why
shouldn’t we milk the dairy cow?’ says the leader of the Ramkavar
Party of Armenia, who says it was in favor of the educational system
of Armenia.
After 2003, Harutiun Arakelyan says, the administration of the
Ramkavar Party decided that a political party, especially if it is a
traditional party, should not depend on one person, `be it Ara
Abrahamyan or Harutiun Arakelyan.’ The leader of the Ramkavar Party
says Ara Abrahamyan wanted the Ramkavar Party to become member of the
organizational committee of the World Congress of Armenians. The
Ramkavar Party thought that it is good for the nation, and worked in
the organizational committee despite some circumstances. However,
later he realized that nothing serious is being done, and there are
other purposes than the problems of the nation, and decided to come
out of the Congress. However, before coming out, according to
Harutiun Arakelyan, they wrote several letters to Ara Abrahamyan
calling him to be watchful and get down to work. Harutiun Arakelyan
says the deputies of Ara Abrahamyan told them about the inefficiency
of the leadership of the World Congress of Armenians. The leader of
the Ramkavar Party declines to say the names of these people, saying
that the deputies asked him not to tell. `They telephone and ask not
to tell any names,’ says Harutiun Arakelyan.
`The dangerous thing is that the failure of such organizations, for
the first time 50 years ago, after Wold War II they came together in
New York, they failed, the idea is becoming clear that our nation is
unable to organize. This is a complex. An attempt is made, failure,
the second fails too. I think when such organizations fail, there
must be a change of generation to come up with a new style of work,
new ideas to be able to bring together the Armenians worldwide,’ says
the leader of the Ramkavar Party. He assures that presently they are
getting a lot of letters and complaints against Ara Abrahamyan.
`Didn’t they know that an illiterate person is leading such an
organization.’

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 23 2006
ARMENIA DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE?

Paruyr Hayrikyan, the leader of the National Self-Determination
Union, Ruben Hovsepyan, ARF Dashnaktsutyun, and Levon Zurabyan,
supporter of the All-Armenian Movement, discussed the Armenian
genocide and other questions on November 23 at the Hayeli Club.
According to Levon Zurabyan, the question of the Armenian genocide is
a moral question and it was very bad to politicize it. `By shifting
the question of recognition of the Armenian genocide to the political
sphere we denigrate it. Politics is a trade of political interests
and by turning the question of the genocide into a political question
we are turning it into a subject of political trade.’ At one time
Levon Zurabyan, the press secretary of the former president Levon
Ter-Petrosyan said the administration of the first president
maintained the issue on the moral level and, therefore, they
succeeded in forcing out Turkey from a strong alliance with
Azerbaijan and separate the Turkish-Armenian relations from the
Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. On the days of the war a great amount
of wheat was brought to Armenia from Turkey. Levon Zurabyan does not
think that it was under the pressure of the international
organizations, because the same international organizations are
persuading Turkey to open the border, however Turkey does not agree,
and `Armenia became enemy number 1 of Turkey. After shifting the
issue of the genocide to the political sphere Turkey has an
opportunity to put a question mark beside the fact of the genocide.’
Meanwhile, the administration of the present president, according to
Levon Zurabyan, raised the issue formally and, in fact, pursues two
purposes, which have nothing to do with the genocide: to distract
peoples’ attention from economic problems and corruption in Armenia,
and to get the political assistance of people who deal with the
genocide in the Diaspora, outside Armenia.
Ruben Hovsepyan, member of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party, which is the
political supporter of the president, disagrees. Of course, he would
agree to view te Armenian genocide from the moral aspect `if in the
world morality were a way of life, a rule in relations, and all the
questions were settled in accordance with the rules of morality. If
we refer to a question as morality in this irregular, tought world,
you are sure not to reach anywhere.’
Levon Zurabyan thinks that the question of the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide is manipulated in both international problems and
the home affairs of one state or another. Ruben Hovsepyan disagrees
because he states that many do not recognize the Armenian genocide,
`they wait America to recognize to recognize one after another.’
According to him, however, our presidents did not politicize the
issue. `The world is in such a state, Turkey is in such a state.’
Paruyr Hairikyan thinks the recognition of the genocide arouses a
smile, `it is the same as to ask a criminal to plea guilty. No. A
criminal is punished and forced to recover the damage.’ Paruir
Hairikyan draws parallels with the territorial claims between Japan
and Russia and believes that the more claims we make against Turkey,
the more friendly Turkey would be. Meanwhile, the leader of the
National Self-Determination Union thinks that Armenia did not do as
much as France did. Armenia does not have a law which punishes the
denial of the genocide. `Generally, Russia set down the genocide in
1921 in the Russian-Turkish agreement, the initiative of recognition
of the genocide was not made by the Armenians, but the European
parlaiment in 1987. Meanwhile, for the political government of
Armenia, the recognition of the genocide is a game.’ But not because
of the bad intentions of the government. `We deal with unawareness,
let alone illiteracy.’
`If you have to live at the expense of denying your parents, you will
be lost,’ says Paruir Hairikyan evaluating the policy on the
recognition of the genocide adopted by the All-Armenian Movement and
adds that `you cannot sacrifice the hand for the small finger, but
you can sacrifice the small finger for the hand.’

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 23 2006
WHOEVER COUNTS, PENSION IS LOWER THAN BASKET OF GOODS

Member of Parliament Aram Sargsyan, the leader of the Democratic
Party stated November 23 at the Hayeli Club that if the government
decided to raise the salaries of the high-ranking officials in
mid-2007, it is an effort to use these officials in the parliamentary
election in 2007. Member of Parliament Gagik Minasyan, the other
party of the debate who represents the Republican Party, disagrees.
He thinks that this initiative of the government is intended to help
create a middle class.
This was not the only controversy. The ruling Republican Party thinks
that the black economy in Armenia mounts to 50 percent. According to
the opposition, the black economy is up to 70-75 percent. According
to the representative of the opposition, only in imports of fuel a
monthly 10 million dollars is not taxed. According to the Republican,
it is estimated to increase tax collections by 27 percent as a result
of a crackdown on black economy.
`You are trying to be responsible for someone else’s fault,’ said
Aram Sargsyan referring to the state budget drafted by the government
and President Robert Kocharyan. Gagik Minasyan answered that he wants
to be responsible for the document which is not solving all the
problems but estimates a 9 percent growth of the GDP, a raise in
salaries, etc.
`I am saying that the basket of goods is 70 thousand drams. I might
as well say 200 thousand because the government failed to set down
the basket of goods. It means the government policy has failed,’ Aram
Sargsyan stated. Gagik Minasyan disagreed with … the numbers.
According to him, the basket of goods is 15 thousand drams. Gagik
Minasyan who stated this knew very well that the minimum retirement
benefit is 12 thousand drams.
From: Baghdasarian

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 23 2006
CHOOSING BETWEEN GOOD AND WISH

The minister of transport of France does not know yet what a bugbear
his statement about the likelhood of France to tender for concession
management of the Armenian railroad is for the Armenian government.
Perhaps the French minister has not heard the desire of the Armenian
minister of transport and communication that the Russians take up the
management of the railroad. Perhaps during the visit of Jacques
Chirac to Armenia the French minister of transport Dimonique Perben
took the statements about spurring French-Armenian economic
cooperation and French investments in Armenia too close to his heart.
Of course, most of these statements were made by the president of
Armenia, and the French minister has no reason to doubt the words and
commitment of the president of Armenia. Perhaps, however, he had been
guided by the logic of the government subordination in France,
whereas the situation is different in Armenia, especially in the
pre-election period, and it is possible that the question of the
Armenian railroad will not be solved the way Robert Kocharyan would
like to, for instance, but the way Andranik Manukyan, minister of
transport would want. Of course, there is no guarantee that Robert
Kocharyan prefers the French management to the Russian management,
and the honor and touching phrases addressed to Chirac is not enough
to judge. Meanwhile, the French minister of transport seemed to have
been encouraged by these statements when he stated about the
likelihood to bid for the management of the railroad. The Russians
alone can make a fabulous tender because they are not going to
fulfill it anyway. On the other hand, in order to make the railroad
attractive it is necessary to open the Turkish-Armenian border, and
in this case the role and potential of France would be invaluable. In
this aspect, it would be certainly logical that a French or another
European company took up the management of the railroad. After taking
up the management of the Armenian railroad the European company would
launch active lobbing for opening the Turkish-Armenian border or at
least for the operation of the Kars-Gyumri railroad to make it
lucrative and attractive. Even if the border were not opened, and the
Turkish and Armenian relation remained the same, it would be possible
that at least Kars-Gyumri would be operated, at least for transit.
Armenia offered such a proposal to Turkey but Turkey rejected it.
Now, in fact, there is possibility to get the European capital
interested in this matter. The Armenian railroad cannot attract the
Russians for a simple reason – it cannot be used for shipment of
Russian goods. It cannot be a transit route either. The relation with
Georgia and the increasingly fast pace of Georgia towards NATO almost
exclude the operation of the Abkhazian railroad. Hence, for Russia
the Armenian railroad is just another company, the key of which is in
its pocket.
Meanwhile, the Armenian government has to face up to a serious
choice: to act as always or to do what is good. It is not clear yet
which government of Armenia should make the decision. It is also
possible that the French minister took this fact into consideration
when he announced their likelihood to bid for management. Perhaps he
thought that not this government will accept the tender. Despite the
wish of Robert Kocharyan and Andranik Manukyan.
HAKOB BADALYAN

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 23 2006
Andranik Margaryan: Armenia is ready to participate in CIS
reformation
23.11.2006 17:25
Armenia is ready to actively participate in the reformation of the
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Armenian Prime Minister
Andranik Margaryan said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
In his words, the past 15 years showed that despite all the
difficulties, the CIS is performing its important function of
restoring the economic and humanitarian ties between the newly
independent states and developing and accomplishing joint activates
in the spheres of security and new world challenges. Nevertheless,
the Prime Minister considers that CIS definitely needs to be reformed
to best correspond to contemporary requirements. “I do believe that
implementation of reforms will raise the relations between the member
states to a new quality level and will endorse the improvement of the
international rating of the Commonwealth as an influential regional
organization,” Andranik Margaryan noted, adding that the priority
directions of the CIS reforms are economic integration, security and
stability, as well as development of humanitarian cooperation.
The issue of CIS reformation will be discussed in more detail on
November 24 in Minsk during the sitting of the CIS Council of Heads
of Governments, the Prime Minister concluded.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 23 2006
Recurrent Azeri misinformation
23.11.2006 17:02
The information of the Azeri Ministry of Defense, according to which
divisions of the armed forces of Armenia located near Seysulan
settlement, opened long fire in the direction of Azerbaijani
positions starting 10:45 a.m. on November 22 does not correspond to
reality, Press Secretary of the NKR Ministry of Defense Senor
Asratyan told `Armenpress’ correspondent. According to him, there has
been no cease-fire violation from the Armenian side.

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 23 2006
Opening of the Armenian-Turkish border will endorse development of
Turkey’s eastern regions
23.11.2006 16:42
The report issued by the UN today suggests Turkey to endorse the
tourism of Armenians to raise the quality of life of settlers of
eastern regions.
`Investments should be made in tourism in order to attract visitors
from Iran, Georgia and Armenia,’ the reports says, `Reuters’ reports.
The authors of the report call on Turkish authorities to pay monthly
cash benefits to about 5 million poor residents of eastern regions.
`About 60% of the population of the regions lives beyond the poverty
line. Besides, poverty is continuous, since it passes from generation
to generation,’ the report says.
Some Turkish officials have declared many times that opening of the
Armenian-Turkish border will promote the development of tourism in
the eastern regions of Turkey.

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 23 2006
Presidents of Armenia and Cyprus met in Nicosia
23.11.2006 15:13
The meeting of the Presidents of Armenia and Cyprus Robert Kocharyan
and Tassos Papadopoulos was held in Nicosia.
The negotiations were preceded by the festive welcoming ceremony. The
meeting of the Presidents was followed by Armenian-Cypriot talks in
an enlarged format.
Let us remind that the delegation headed by President Robert
Kocharyan comprises RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, Justice
Minister David Harutyunyan, President of the Central Bank Tigran
Sargsyan, other officials. Signing of documents and a joint press
conference are expected after the talks.

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 23 2006
Matthew Bryza: There is certain progress in the Karabakh conflict
settlement
23.11.2006 13:54
The US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza declared that
Armenia and Azerbaijan have achieved certain success in the
`perception of the interconnection of returning the so-called
`occupied territories’ and the issue of status.’
The American mediator said this during the meeting with journalists
in Vienna on November 16, Mediamax agency reports.
`There is progress. When I was in Vienna in June, the Co-Chairs
declared that we intend to take a break and wait for the reaction of
the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan regarding the main
principles suggested by the mediators. We told the Presidents: you
can improve these principles or decline these, but we do not want you
to blame the mediators for lack of progress.’
`During the recent months Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan had
three meetings. Since there was acceleration of the process of
improvement of the main principles we proposed, we suggested to
organize the meeting of the Presidents, which will be most probably
held November 28 in the framework of the CIS summit in Minsk,’ said
Matthew Bryza.

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 23 2006
UN Office in Armenia initiates `16 Days of Activism Against Gender
Violence Campaign’
23.11.2006 11:30
The UN Office in Armenia in partnership with the Peace Coalition has
initiated the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign.
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence runs from 25th
November to 10th December and symbolically links human rights and
gender violence issues. It highlights the UN International Day for
the Elimination of Violence Against Women, World AIDS Day, the
International Day for the Abolition of Slavery and the International
Human Rights Day.
Participants of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence
/Armenia – 2006 are more than 20 NGOs working on women and human
rights issues, international organizations, government structures and
mass media. These activities are focused on cultural and regional
dimensions of violence against women, including trafficking, and will
take place all over regions of Armenia.