Month: November 2006

UNITED JAVAKHK CONDEMNS PASSIVE POSTURE OF ARMENIAN MEDIA IN ISSUE OF COVERING POLITICAL PROBLEMS IN JAVAKHK
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 21 2006
AKHALKALAK, NOVEMBER 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The “United
Javakhk” democratic alliance condemns the passive and scared posture of
Armenian mass media in the issue of covering the political problems
preceeding in Javakhk. This is said in the November 20 statement
spread by the alliance. The statement authors demand “to display civil
resoluteness, throw down the timidity unworthy for a journalist and
display boldness in the sphere of informing the society about the
struggle for the rights of Armenians of Javakhk and securing Armenians
of the region.”
The demonstration of protest of the Armenians of Javakhk at the RA
Bavra border post on November 20 was actively covered by Georgian and
Russian TV companies, and “United Javakhk” characterized absence of
Armenian TV companies and other media as “an exclusive, unpardonable
and intolerable disgrace.”
The “United Javakhk” democratic alliance also informs that today
at the Armenian-Georgian interstate border “about 100-person police
detachment of special meaning armed with self-firings is placed at
the Georgian authories’ command to implement demonstrative control of
the demonstration participants.” The alliance condemns the Georgian
authorities’ “policy having no prospects to frighten the Armenians
of Javakhk with the means of threat of using fire-arms and mass
prosecutions and forewarn of possible negative consequences,” is said
in the statement.

MORE PEOPLE LEAVE KARABAKH THAN ARRIVE
Lragir, Armenia
Nov 21 2006
We have learned from the NKR National Statistics Service that 1578
children were born in Karabakh in the first three quarters of 2006,
which has increased by 53 or 3.5 percent compared with the first
three quarters of 2005. The death rate was 933 and has decreased by
44 or 4.5 percent. The rate of the natural growth of the population
totaled 645, and has increased by 17.7 percent or 97 compared with
the same period in 2005.
653 people were officially reported to arrive in Karabakh and 899
people to leave it. The rate of mechanical decline totaled 246. By the
way, over the past few years this is the first time when mechanical
decline is reported.
In the first three quarters of 2006 124 families with 444 members
of family, including 197 children moved from Armenia and other CIS
countries to NKR.
The rate of marriage totaled 594, which has increased by 8.4 percent
compared with the first three quarters of 2005, whereas the rate of
divorce was 89, declining by 7.3 percent. The ratio of marriage to
divorce was 100 to 15.

ON WHICH LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT DID CONFUSION OCCUR?
James Hakobyan
Lragir, Armenia
Nov 21 2006
The ruling party in Armenia is an amazing thing. One of its leaders
is fond of accusing journalists of making “analyses when they are
not sober”, meanwhile the government, which includes this leader too,
decides to promote production of vodka in Armenia. However, besides
this controversy, there is another one. The head of state encourages a
healthy life, whereas the government, which is allegedly implementing
the pre-election program of this president, spurs the production of
alcohol. Although, on the other hand, there is nothing surprising
about the decisions of the government of a country where a sportsman
advertises vodka.
It is surprising that the government, for instance, does not care
about the fact that the industry in Armenia declined in 2006. This
gives rise to an absurd situation. The government states that its
goal is to boost exports. They are announcing that the government
makes sufficient efforts to encourage local industries. Instead,
however, production and exports are declining. Hence, either it is
not true or the government does not perceive the difference between
export and import. The second option is quite possible considering
the bad command of Armenian of our officials. And since these words
sound rather similar, in other words, the difference is not big,
the members of government simply mixed these words, and thought they
wanted to promote exports, they accidentally promoted imports.
The way out could be a test for the members of government. This can
be done without interrupting work. For instance, the prime minister
may suddenly say to a minister during a meeting of the government,
like a teacher in class, for instance, “Mr. Abrahamyan, export this
document from the hall of the meetings of the government, please,”
or “Mr. Manukyan, import these customs data to your folder.”
In this case, however, the question occurs who should test the prime
minister. President Robert Kocharyan could do but first someone else
should test him to find out on which level of the Armenian government
the terms “export” and “import” are confused that results in the
decline of production.
Although it is also possible that the decision on promoting the
production of vodka will settle all the problems, and the industries
will start growing again. Simply the producers have not managed to
replace the assembly line for the production of alcohol. And since
all the factories undertook transition simultaneously, production
was brought to a halt, and the rate of production and exports declined.

ARA ABRAHAMYAN WON’T MAKE HOVANES BAGHRAMYAN
Lragir, Armenia
Nov 21 2006
The head of the Society of Political Scientists Hmayak Hovanisyan gave
a sincere but tough evaluation of the leader of the World Congress
of Armenians, the Union of the Armenians of Russia Ara Abrahamyan
November 21. He asked at the Pastark Club why the Armenians were not
attacked in Russia when Hovanes Baghramyan represented the Armenians in
Russia, whereas now when Ara Abrahamyan is representing the Armenians,
accidents occur regularly.
“Today the nation is represented by Ara Abrahamyan, an oligarch.
Meanwhile, the skinheads, the Russian nationalists protest against
the oligarchs who have given rise to such a social polarization in
Russia, which is strange to the traditions in Russia where equality
within community has always been upheld,” Hmayak Hovanisyan says. He
advised Ara Abrahamyan “to go to Russia instead of making stupid
speaches in Armenia and explain to the mayor of the city of Kondopoga,
for instance, that the cross is a Christian value.”
Hmayak Hovanisyan referred to an article in the Russian media, the
Komsomolskaya Pravda published in 12 million copies where the mayor
of Kondopoga where ethnic clashes took place several weeks ago asks
the reporter why “they punish for the expression “kill crusaders” but
the persons who shout “kill the Russians” get away with it.” Hmayak
Hovanisyan says most Russians may be thinking that the Armenians
are Muslim.
“Instead of making speeches here with all the TV channels covering his
stupid speeches, he had better explain to the mayor of Kondopoga and
thousands of other people in Russia, as well as the editorial board
and the editor-in-chief of the Komsomolskaya Pravda that the cross
is a Christian symbol, which is holy for both the Armenians and the
Russians,” Hmayak Hovanisyan said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WHY DO THEY REMEMBER HMAYAK AND FORGET ABOUT SERGE?
Lragir, Armenia
Nov 21 2006
Member of Parliament Hmayak Hovanisyan voiced indignation November
21 about the statement on Shant Channel that he defected from one
party to another for several times in his political career. Hmayak
Hovanisyan stated that he was beside the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation Dashnaktsutyun in 1990 and supported the reestablishment
of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun in Armenia because he believed that “a
leftist alternative to the liberal All-Armenian Movement was necessary
because the Communist Party was paralized.” After Dashnaktsutyun
Hmayan Hovanisyan was not member of any party and only in 1998 he
set up the People’s Party of Armenia with Karen Demirchyan. After
the People’s Party he did not enter any other political party.
The member of parliament was surprised why Shant forgot about
Serge Sargsyan’s passages from one party to another and remembered
about Hmayak Hovanisyan. “He was a member of the Communist Party,
assistant secretary of the regional committee, in other words, he
was a nomenclature figure. Then he became member of the All-Armenian
Movement, a liberal figure. After the Communist Party he became a
member of the rightist, liberal All-Armenian Movement. Then he became
a Nejdehian, i.e. anti-Christian. From atheism to Christianity,
liberalism, from Christianity to anti-Christianity. So, you forget
about Serge Sargsyan, and stick to Hmayak Hovanisyan,” says the member
of parliament.

ALLIANCES BY HMAYAK
Lragir, Armenia
Nov 21 2006
The leader of the Society of Political Scientists Hmayak Hovanisyan
presented November 21 at the Pastark club the possible ideological
alliances in the opposition, which are essential to the political
success of the parliamentary election in 2007 against the non-political
plans of the government.
As a possible alliance, Hmayak Hovanisyan pointed to the partnership
of Arthur Baghdasaryan, Raffi Hovanisyan and Vazgen Manukyan. Hmayak
gave a conventional title to it – Euro-Atlantic Alliance. The other
alliance envisaged by Hmayak Hovanisyan is conventionally entitled
Angloamerican or Atlantic. According to the leader of the Society
of Political Scientists, it would include the All-Armenian Movement,
the Alternative, Hovanes Hovanisyan and Aram Zaveni Sargsyan.
In the alliance of the pro-CIS forces, the supporters of an integrated
post-Soviet economic space, a ruble zone he includes Stepan Demirchyan,
Artashes Geghamyan, the Constitutional Right Union. Hmayak Hovanisyan
refers to Samvel Babayan as the nationalist pole. According to
Hmayak Hovanisyan, time will show who will join him. The political
scientist says as far as he can see, Sambel Babayan will run in
the election alone. And Hmayak considers him as a nationalist pole
because he thinks that Babayan is for settling the Karabakh issue by
the smallest possible compromise. At the same time, he relies on the
support of Europe.
“France, Russia, Iran. There are shared interests. In other words,
an alliance of supporters of the Indoeuropean civilizations may emerge.
I think he will go alone, but life will show who will join him,”
Hmayak Hovanisyan says.
According to Hmayak Hovanisyan, Aram Karapetyan can represent the
absolutely pro-Russian pole. He thinks life will show who his possible
allies will be. Hmayak Hovanisyan believes that if pro-geopolitical
alliances emerge, the international community will grow more interested
in holding a fair election in Armenia.

VARTAN OSKANIAN RECEIVED THE OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS
Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 21 2006
November 21 RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian received the OSCE Misk
Grouop Co-Chairs on the Karabakh conflict settlement Yuri Merzlyakov
and Bernard Fassier.
The interlocutors continued discussing the questions raised during
the November 14th meeting in Brussels.
The parties dwelt on the issues of the agenda of the possible meeting
between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan to be held in the
framework of the summit of CIS leaders in Minsk November 28-29.
The Co-Chairs were received also by President Robert Kocharyan.

GOVERNMENT DELEGATION FROM ARMENIA MEETS WITH PRELATE AND EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 21 2006
His Eminence, Archbishop Khajag Hagopian, Prelate, and the Armenian
Prelacy of Canada’s Executive Council met with a government delegation
from the Republic of Armenia at the Prelacy.
The delegates, Mr. Alexan Karapetyan, National Assembly Deputy and
Secretary of Faction for “National Unity” and Mr. Aramais Grigoryan,
Head of the Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and
Internal Affairs, took some time after their conference in Quebec
City to visit Montreal’s Armenian community center.
During the extensive meeting, Prelate Hagopian, Prelacy Council members
and the delegates discussed many topics, including issues and projects
related with Armenia and Armenian Diaspora, which topped the agenda.
The delegates also took the opportunity to tour the Prelacy and
familiarize themselves with the Prelacy’s mission, objectives and
projects.

TURKEY OWES 3.5 BN TO HEIRS OF GENOCIDE VICTIMS
Yerkir, Armenia
Nov 17 2006
Turkey owes about £3.5 bn to the heirs of the Armenians killed
and robbed in genocide of 1918 in Baku; Azerbaijan, in turn, owes
£134,149,000, according to Khachatur Dadayan of Armenia’s National
Academy of Sciences. The figures appear in his book titled “Baku and
Armenians” and published by Noravank Foundation.
Dadayan’s study is based on the conclusions of a commission set up
by England, France and United States in December 1918 in Baku; only
7 out 30 members of the commission were Armenians. The commission
had suggested that Armenian population submit applications for
compensating the massacres and robberies occurred in Baku in 1918. In
1919, the commission concluded that 453.1 million rubles should be
paid to Armenians.
It also concluded that the money should have been paid by Turkey since
that country was considered the founder of Azerbaijan; in addition,
Turkish troops had entered Baku and submitted the Armenians to massacre
along with the local Azeris on September 15, 1918.
To calculate the sum that was to be paid to Armenians, the author
used the operations of Stepan Lianosian with English banks in 1919.
Lianosian had received a payment guarantee for 400,000 pounds and
issued 4 million rubles in the North-Western Republic.
November 1 was taken as the beginning point for calculations. Dadayan
says that Azerbaijan adopted a constitutional act on October 18,
1991, according to which, it is the successor of the Azerbaijani
Republic that existed between May 28, 1918 and April 28, 1920; this
means Azerbaijan has also assumed the obligation to make financial
reparations.
After applying a 5% banking interest for the periods between November
1918 and April 1920, and 1992-2006, the author concluded that the
successor of the First Azerbaijani Republic owes the heirs of the
victimized Armenians 134,149,000 pounds.
However, the commission has also recognized Turkey to be responsible
for what had happened and concluded that Turkey’s debt was 59,210,000
pounds. If the 5% banking interests for each year between 1918 and 2006
is added to this sum, Turkey’s debt accumulates to 4.552 bn pounds;
3.518 bn of this sum is the money owed to Armenians.
The author of the book believes that even in case Turkey and Azerbaijan
refuse to recognize the Armenian Genocide, they cannot deny to pay the
reparations because all the legal grounds exist for such reparations.
–Boundary_(ID_hvr9IogSzYJH15I+o6lvd Q)–

YEREVAN SPEAKS AND PRESENTS
Nvard Davtyan
Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 21 2006
In 2006 the Armenian Radio is celebrating the 80th anniversary;
the TV is 50.
It comes out that many of the NA Deputies started their career from
the radio. However, it’s not the only reason why the Deputies listen to
and like the radio, which always provides interesting and professional
programs, unbiased and correct political analysis.
Nevertheless, sometimes the Deputies themselves exceed the limits of
precision in their speeches, forgetting that a great number of radio
listeners are following them.
MP Arshak Sadoyan is one of the few Deputies whose love for radio and
radio-listeners is not a secret. “Dear radio-listeners,” this is how
Arshak Sadoyan always starts his speeches at the National Assembly.
Arshak Sadoyan loves the radio. One thing he feels sorry for is that
the frequency on which the parliamentary sittings are aired does not
allow having a broader audience.
The Deputy remembers the times when the radio was his only and
best friend. “That period of my life had an important role in the
formation of my personality,” he says. “In the 9th grade I injured
my leg and I had to spend 1.5 years in bed. In this period radio
was my only friend day and night. I was listening to news, music,
everything that was broadcasted,” Arshak Sadoyan recalls.
The politician attaches the same importance to television.
The radio set is always turned on also in MP Viktor Dallakyan’s office.
The Public Radio arouses the bright and sweet memories of his
childhood, when he was impatiently waiting for juvenile programs.
Today he has subsisted these with political and analytical programs
again broadcasted at the Public Radio of Armenia. “I want to say
that compared to other media the Public Radio is more objective when
presenting and commenting on political events,” Viktor Dallakyan says.
Opposition MP Stepan Zackaryan started his political career from the
radio. He was the first Director General of the radio from 1996.
Before that he worked as editor, editor-in-chief and Vice-President.
These were the best years for the Deputy. “Some years ago the Public
Radio was out of competition, but during the hard dark and cold years
the responsibility of the radio was even greater,” the MP says.
Today the radio remains the main source of information for a great
number of people. And this has been the case for already 80 years.