Month: March 2007

OSCE KICKS OFF ARMENIAN VOTE MONITORING
By Karine Kalantarian

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
March 21 2007

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe announced
Wednesday the start of its observation mission for the May 12
parliamentary elections in Armenia which it hopes will be more
democratic than the ones held until now.

As always, the crucial mission will be organized and led by the OSCE’s
election-monitoring body, the Office for Democratic Institutions and
Human Rights (ODIHR). It has already deployed 13 election experts
for that purpose. They will be joined by 29 long-term observers from
various OSCE member states later this week.

The Warsaw-based body also plans to dispatch some 300 short-term
European and American observers to polling stations across Armenia
on voting day. This is slightly more than the number of OSCE/ODIHR
observers who monitored the previous Armenian parliamentary elections
of May 2003. In addition, small groups of monitors are due to be
deployed by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the Council of Europe,
and possibly the European Parliament.

Ambassador Boris Frlec, a Slovenian diplomat who will head the
OSCE/ODIHR mission, expressed hope that the elections will mark
significant improvement over the previous Armenian polls that were
marred by serious fraud reported by OSCE observers. "Regrettably,
Armenia’s elections have so far fallen short of OSCE commitments for
democratic elections," he told reporters in Yerevan. "The upcoming
elections is a chance to turn this negative trend around."

Similar hopes have repeatedly been voiced by the United States and the
European Union. The Armenian authorities have assured them that they
are committed to ensuring the freedom and fairness of the upcoming
vote. They point, in particular, to the recently enacted amendments
Armenia’s Electoral Code that are mostly based on Council of Europe
recommendations.

According to Frlec, it is the "political will" of the Armenian
government that will matter the most. "I believe that the recently
amended election code of Armenia provides a sound framework for
democratic elections," he said. "But the real challenge for the
authorities is the implementation, in good faith, of the election
code so that this and future elections will be held in accordance with
[Armenia’s] OSCE commitments. It is all about political will."

OSKANIAN AGAIN ISSUES ELECTION WARNING
By Hovannes Shoghikian

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
March 21 2007

Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian reiterated on Wednesday his warnings
that Armenia will face "very bad consequences" in the international
arena if it fails to ensure that its approaching parliamentary
elections are democratic.

"We need fair elections like bread and water to be able to correctly
and legally manage our next decade," he said.

Oskanian warned throughout last year that fresh vote rigging would
cause the country "not only moral but also material damage." It was an
apparent reference to hundreds of millions of dollars in additional
aid promised to Yerevan by the United States and the European Union
in return for a clean ballot.

Oskanian went further on Wednesday, warning of possible ramifications
for Armenia’s international standing and its ability to secure a
pro-Armenian solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "If we fail
to hold normal elections, there may be cases where we will be stung
in such a way that we won’t be able to offset the damage," he told
a new conference. The U.S. State Department’s recent reference to
Karabakh as an Armenian-occupied territory was a clear indication of
such danger, he said.

"Armenia continues to occupy the Azerbaijani territory of
Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories," the
State Department said in its latest human rights report. Armenian
opposition leaders have blamed President Robert Kocharian and his
government for the "anti-Armenian" statement.

According to Oskanian, State Department officials subsequently admitted
"factual errors" in the statement. "During our discussions the State
Department admitted that that was an obvious mistake on their part,
and if they manage to overcome bureaucratic hurdles, they will try
to make a correction in that document," he said.

RULING PARTY REFUSES TO INVESTIGATE ‘ROGUE’ GOVERNOR
By Astghik Bedevian

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
March 21 2007

The governing Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) on Wednesday refused
to investigate allegations that the controversial governor of the
southeastern Syunik region affiliated with the HHK bullied a prominent
opposition leader and obstructed his recent visit to the area.

The leader, Vazgen Manukian, toured Syunik last week together with
several other senior members of his National Democratic Union (AZhM).

He alleged on Tuesday that local authorities prevented them from
holding indoors gatherings with voters. He said they were even barred
from spending a night in the regional capital Kapan and were barely
able to check into a hotel in the nearby town of Goris.

Manukian claimed to have received a threatening phone call in his
hotel room from an unknown man who warned him to stay away from Syunik
until the May 12 parliamentary elections. He said he is confident
that the anonymous caller is connected with the Republican Governor
Surik Khachatrian, also known for his "Liska" nickname.

Goris and surrounding villages have long been considered an exclusive
zone of influence of Khachatrian and members of his extended family.

Khachatrian, who is seen as a protege of Defense Minister Serzh
Sarkisian, has tolerated little dissent both in the Goris area and
the rest of Syunik.

"The people of Syunik live under an ordinary feudal system," charged
Manukian. Branding the governor as an "uneducated criminal," the
veteran oppositionist said the HHK should bring him to account if it
is serious about its promises of turning Armenia into a democratic
and rule-of-law state.

"This is not a separate case of insults and intimidation of a single
citizen," he said. "This is a phenomenon illustrating the situation
in Armenia."

But the HHK’s parliamentary leader, Galust Sahakian, made it clear
that the ruling party, which plans to win the upcoming elections,
has no intention to censure Khachatrian or look into Manukian’s claims.

"That is not a matter of political evaluations," he told RFE/RL. "Mr.
Manukian had better ask law-enforcement bodies to conduct an
investigation."

Manukian, whose party is boycotting the vote, did not deny that
one of the aims of his trip to Syunik was to campaign against
Aleksandr Sarkisian, the defense minister’s flamboyant brother
who is running for parliament in a constituency that encompasses
the Goris area. His main challenger is Samvel Babayan, the former
military leader of Nagorno-Karabakh who claims to be in opposition
to Armenia’s leadership.

In a recent interview with RFE/RL, Manukian said that he will try to
help Babayan get elected because he believes "every ballot cast for
Aleksandr Sarkisian is an insult to the Armenian people."

The AZhM leader came up with another argument at a news conference
on Tuesday. "If Serzh Sarkisian’s brother is defeated there, that
will be a big blow to Serzh Sarkisian," he said. "And I want Serzh
Sarkisian to get a big blow."

ARMENIA AND ISRAEL ARE TO ACTIVATE CONSULTATIONS AT THE FM LEVEL

Regnum, Russia
March 21 2007

Armenia and Israel have to take real steps to activate bilateral
cooperation. The need to enhance cooperation was voiced on March 21
at a meeting in Yerevan of Armenian FM Vardan Oskanyan and ambassador
of Israel in Armenia Ehud Gol (based in Jerusalem) who handed to
minister copies of credentials.

As REGNUM was informed at the press office of Armenian foreign
ministry, the officials agreed that boosting bilateral relations can
be realized through exchange visits, consultation between foreign
ministries, and extending legal base. The parties also discussed
regional problems and perspectives of the Palestinian-Israeli and
Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts’ settlement.

Ehud Gol was appointed ambassador of Israel in Armenia in 2007. He
is also holding the posts of Israel’s ambassador in Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.

ARMENIAN FM TO DISCUSS GLOBAL ISSUES WITH RUSSIAN COUNTERPART

Regnum, Russia
March 21 2007

Visit of minister of foreign affairs of Russia Sergei Lavrov to
Armenia is planned for early April, REGNUM reports Armenian foreign
minister Vardan Oskanyan to inform at a news conference March 21 at
the REGNUM’s Yerevan press office.

Oskanyan said that the meeting agenda would be extensive and deep.

"Of course, first of all, issues of bilateral relations are to be
discussed – they are multifaceted and lie practically in all the
spheres: security, political dialog, economic and social issues,
and issues of culture and education," Oskanyan observed.

According to the Armenian FM, the issue of Nagorno Karabakh will be
one of the most important topics discussed. "We are to talk about
regional issues related to the energy field, transport, and security.

Besides, based on my earlier experience of meetings with Sergei Lavrov
and other high-ranking officials of the Russian foreign ministry,
global topics will also be discussed."

"I always use the opportunity to learn the position of Russia on
several important subjects that directly or indirectly influence
Armenia’s external policy," Vardan Oskanyan added. He mentioned, in
particular, issues related to Iran, Middle East, Palestine, Kosovo,
expansion of NATO, reforms at the United Nations Organization and the
OSCE. "All this is really a matter of our interest and concern. And
this meeting will give us a good chance to hold such a discussion,"
the minister concluded.

KARABAKH CONFLICT A FAR CRY FROM SETTLEMENT – OSKANIAN

ITAR-TASS, Russia
March 21 2007

YEREVAN, March 21 (Itar-Tass) – The Armenian Foreign Minister,
Vartan Oskanian, stated here on Wednesday that the sides involved
in the Karabakh conflict were "still a far cry from any agreement,
which was borne out by the outcome of the recent Geneva meeting of
the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan".

"This was quite a complicated and difficult meeting, and no progress
was achieved. However, there was no regress, too. Differences on
many problems have still not been smoothed out," Oskanian told a news
conference in the Armenian capital.

The ministers will continue their talks to pave the way to a new
meeting of the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, which is to
be held after the parliamentary elections in Armenia, scheduled for
May 12, the foreign minister stated. He is sure that "the sooner the
Karabakh conflict is settled, the better for everybody".

According to Oskanian, he was not attaching any particular importance
to the official statements of the Azerbaijan side. "The principal
milestones for us are the negotiations and the document discussed
at the talks, as well as the Azerbaijan statements, made at the
negotiations, which differ very much from the public pronouncements
of the Azeri side," he stressed.

At the bedrock of the document now discussed and of the draft
principles of Karabakh settlement "is a formula of which the Armenian
side could previously only dream", the minister noted.

"All the documents, which the co-chairmen had tabled up to 1998, began
with a preamble, stressing the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,"
Oskanian recalled.

After 1998 (when President Robert Kocharian came to power – Itar-Tass),
the essence of the document was altered to stipulate the right of
the Nagorny Karabakh people to self-determination, which is to be
decided by a national referendum, the minister acknowledged.

"The legal foundations of Nagorny Karabakh’s independence are solid,"
the Armenian foreign minister underscored. "Karabakh has never been
a component part of the independent Azerbaijan," he added.

TURNING OVER IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPELINE TO JV WOULD BE LOGICAL – FM

ITAR-TASS, Russia
March 21 2007

YEREVAN, March 21 (Itar-Tass) – Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian finds it logical that a gas pipeline from Iran to Armenia
should be turned over to the Russian-Armenian joint venture
ArmRosgazprom.

The Armenian and Iranian presidents, Robert Kocharian and Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad, opened on Monday the 141 kilometer-long pipeline having
a 40-kilometer stretch in Armenia.

ArmRosgazprom is a company handling the gas transportation in
Armenia. It is owned by Russia’s Gazprom, the Armenian government
and the energy group ITERA.

"There is no decision on this mater so far," Oskanian told a news
conference on Wednesday.

The opening of the gas pipeline is a "program of great strategic
importance for Yerevan," he said.

"The supplies of Iranian gas to Armenia are of great significance for
the republic’s energy diversification, they make it more independent
and less vulnerable to different unfavorable factors," Oskanian said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CONSTRUCTION OF PETROLEUM REFINERY, IRAN-ARMENIA RAILWAY TO CONTRIBUTE TO STRENGTHENING OF ARMENIA’S ENERGY SECURITY

Arka News Agency, Armenia
March 21 2007

YEREVAN, March 21. /ARKA/. The implementation of the program on
constructing a petroleum refinery and the Iran-Armenia railway will
contribute to the strengthening of Armenia’s energy security, said
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian.

"I think that it will be a rather positive development," he said.

Oskanian pointed out that the projects are on the initial stage,
however, they are on the agenda of the Government’s activities.

He said that it will be possible to make detailed comments on the
issue after the research of the projects’ economic advisability.

According to Russian publications, the company "Gasprom oil" has
recently confirmed that it is looking for a possibility to construct
a petroleum refinery in Meghri (the Syunik region in Armenia next to
the border with Iran). The matter concerns a refinery with 7mln tons
of oil per year. The total cost makes USD 1.7bln without accounting
transport infrastructure which will cost another $1bln.

On March 19, during the opening ceremony of the Iran-Armenia gas pipe
line in Meghri, Presidents of Armenia and Iran Robert Kocharyan and
Mahmud Ahmadinejada discussed the possibility of constructing the
Armenia-Iran railway.

PRESIDIUM OF ARMENIA’S NAS APPROVES CANDIDATES FOR DIRECTORS

Arka News Agency, Armenia
March 21 2007

YEREVAN, March 21. /ARKA/. The presidium of the Armenian National
Academy of Sciences (ANAS) approved the candidates for directors in
the non-commercial organizations of the NAS scientific center.

Vigen Goginyan was approved for the office of the
scientific-technological center of microbiology and deposition
of microorganisms. G. Sargisov is commissioned for the scientific
center of zoology and hydro-ecology, and Ararat Malkhasyan – for the
scientific-technological center of organic and pharmacologic chemistry.

State non-commercial organizations of the ANAS Scientific Center were
formed by the Government’s decision on March 12, 2006.

CONGRESS DEBATES ARMENIA GENOCIDE
By Michael Scher

United Press International
March 21 2007

WASHINGTON, DC, United States (UPI) — In 1896 former U.S. Minister to
the Ottoman Empire Oscar Straus convinced President Grover Cleveland
to ignore a controversial resolution passed by both the Senate and
the House of Representatives that would have called for the Ottoman
Sultan to stop his killing of ethnic Armenians.

More than 100 years later the U.S. Congress is at a similar crossroads
on the very same issue. House and Senate Resolutions 106 call for
American foreign policy to recognize the killings of Armenians by
the former Ottoman Empire as ‘genocide.’ The Republic of Turkey is
the official successor state to the Ottoman Empire because of the
Treaty of Lausanne in 1923.

Being the official successor state is part of the reason for the
Turkish government wanting to deny that the Armenian killings were
a genocide, said Brian Kabateck, a senior partner in Kabateck,
Brown & Keller, a law firm that has represented about a half-dozen
Armenian-Americans in cases against U.S. insurance companies and
banks that have denied claims and accounts to relatives of deceased
Armenians who took out insurance and had accounts before they died in
the Armenian Genocide. Kabateck said that the Ottoman state seized
property and businesses and that Turkey would be responsible for
reparations to Armenians and the nation of Armenia if they admitted
that what the Ottoman state did was genocide.

Kabateck`s suits throw into light the fact that there are 1 million
or so Armenians living in the United States. The main sponsor of
Resolution 106 in the House is Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., whose
constituency has a large population of Armenians.

Schiff is sponsoring this legislation because he believes that the
U.S. cannot have the moral authority it`s projecting in the current
Darfur crisis without recognizing a genocide that happened 90 years
ago. He said it is important for the United States to recognize the
killings as genocide despite the fact that Turkey is a friend and
an ally.

‘More often with friends than foes you have to speak candidly,’ Schiff
said. ‘I happen to believe … that the final act of genocide is the
denial of genocide.’

In 2004 a similar resolution, also sponsored by Schiff, was met with
resistance from the Bush administration because it feared it would
damage relations with Turkey, Schiff said. Schiff said that if the
current resolution passes it will affect U.S.-Turkey relations, but he
believes the Bush administration should spend less time appealing to
Congress not to pass the resolution and work on repairing the damage
it did to relations with Turkey because of the Iraq war.

‘They keep saying now is not the time,’ Schiff said. ‘It`s been 90
years. If this is not the time, when is?’

A central tenet of this bill is to recognize that what happened was
genocide, Schiff said. This is something the Bush administration is
protesting fearing a negative impact on relations with Turkey.

However, in every letter the administration sends to Congress it
recognizes what happened was genocide, Schiff said.

Tuluy Tanc, the minister counselor at Turkey`s Embassy in Washington,
said that while this resolution will most likely not result in
restrictions on the U.S. military or hurt cooperation between Turkey
and the United States over security in Iraq, it will hurt the Turkish
people.

‘There will be a reaction and Turkey will be deeply hurt,’ Tanc said.

‘How the government will react I cannot say, but there will be feelings
of unfairness towards a friend and an ally. … This will be like a
little slap in the face.’

Tanc said that the Armenian lobby`s presentation of facts to the
U.S. Congress was one-sided and that Congress was not taking into
account the Turkish side of the story.

For instance, Tanc provided Ottoman Empire census documents that showed
there were only 1.5 million Armenians living in Turkey at the time
of the killings. Historians claim 1.5 million Armenians were killed,
which Tanc said was part of the inaccuracies in the current resolution.

Mehdi Noorbaksh, an associate professor of international affairs at
the Harrisburg University of Science and Technology in Pennsylvania,
said that if this resolution passes it will have a negative impact
on U.S.-Turkey relations.

‘It will be a disaster in a sense for Turkey,’ Noorbaksh said. ‘I
really do not think this administration is ready for a resolution
like this. … This will not help the United States.’

It will be necessary for the current Islamist government in power in
Turkey right now to react strongly to this in order to remain in power,
Noorbaksh said.

Some 20 other nations have passed resolutions similar to Resolution
106 and have gotten similar threats of dissatisfaction from Turkey,
said Aram Hamparian, executive director of the Armenian National
Committee of America. When France passed a similar resolution in 2001
it was met with a stern reaction from the Turkish government, however,
the very next year trade rose by 22 percent between France and Turkey.

The United States has a long history of weaker resolutions of the
genocide dating back to the 1980s that have not hampered relations with
Turkey, Hamparian said. In 1981 President Ronald Reagan recognized the
Armenian Genocide in a speech about the Holocaust. In 1984 Congress
passed a resolution setting April 24 as a day of remembrance of
the Armenian Genocide. In 1996 and 2004 resolutions were passed
that limited the usage of U.S. aid to Turkey that was being used to
fund the Turkish lobby in the United States. Throughout all of these
resolutions, trade with Turkey has steadily increased Hamparian said.

‘U.S. relations with Turkey will certainly endure this (resolution
106),’ Hamparian said.