Month: March 2007

ANCA Exec Director: It Is Sad That American Government Does Not
Respect Moral Side of Armenian Genocide Recognition Issue

Arminfo
2007-03-16 11:40:00

ANCA Executive Director Aram Hambarian stated once more that Richard
Hoagland, pretending to the post of the US Ambassador to Armenia,
denies the Armenian Genocide.

To remind, the US Embassy in Armenia has spread a statement the day
before, in which the comments of A. Hambarian on the candidacy of
Richard Hoagland to the post of the US Ambassador to RA were called
inappropriate. Commenting on this statement in an interview to
"Yerkir" daily, A. Hambarian underlined once more that R. Hoagland
denied the fact of the Armenian Genocide in his speech in the US
Congress Senate. "He answered in writing to senators that there was no
Genocide and prejudiced the Armenian pogroms in the Ottoman Empire",
Hambarian said.

According to him, it is sad that the American Government does not
respect the moral side of this problem. The US State Department is
much behind of the US Congress, the American society, the American
Mass Media and the US States by its policy. "We urge the US
authorities to recognize the Genocide, however, it remains the
protector of Turkish interests" , Hambarian said.

According to him, the US representatives both in Yerevan and in
Washington are well aware that the policy they follow on this issue is
incorrect and unfair. "I hope that all the employees of the US Embassy
in Armenia will talk of the Armenian Genocide with the same courage
and sincerity like the former US Ambassador to RA John Evans did",
A. Hambarian said.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Reconstruction of St. Cross Church on Akhtamar is a political decision
16.03.2007 16:13 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Opening of the Armenian St. Cross Church on Akhtamar
will contribute to constructive dialogue between the two states, RA
Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs Hasmik Poghosian told a news
conference in Yerevan. `Reconstruction of the church is a political
decision. Nevertheless, the church will be open for attendance and
it’s a positive fact for Armenia. The final composition of the
Armenian delegation will be determined next week,’ the Minister said,
reports Novosti-Armenia.

The Turkish government has assigned $1.5 million for reconstruction of
the church. The works were accomplished by the Turkish Ministry of
Culture and Tourism jointly with the administration of Van city. The
church is a unique monument of Armenian medieval architecture. It was
built in 915-921 AD by architect Manvel under the rule of King Gagik
Artsruni.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Armenian Genocide resolution blocked in U.S. Congress, Zatulin says
16.03.2007 17:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `The passage of the Armenian Genocide resolution by
the U.S. Congress is as a matter of fact blocked by the
military-industrial establishment lobbying Turkey’s interests. Not all
are ready to back such a document in Europe either, though most of
European states recognize the Armenian Genocide,’ Director of the
Institute of SIC Studies Nikolay Zatulin writes in an article titled
`Bill on Genocide won’t let memory fade.’

Fearing of possible consequences, modern Turkey tries to deny the
national coloring of this crime and its responsibility for the tragedy
of the Armenian people, according to him. `Besides moral condemnation,
stain on the history of the Turkish people included in the number of
outcasts of world civilization, Turkey may also face demands for
material compensations, territorial claims and claims for cultural
values, which are in deplorable state on the Turkish territory. Europe
demonstrates a cool attitude about Turkey’s arguments. This is the
evidence of Europeans’ unwinking memory and unwillingness not see
Turkey within the European family with its system of values,’ says the
article published by RIA Novosti.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Millennium Challenge Program in Armenia may be stopped

16.03.2007 17:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Millennium Challenge Program in Armenia may be
stopped if big problems are witnessed in the republic, for example if
election is declared invalid, postponed or cancelled,’ said John
Danilovich, Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge
Corporation. `I am hopeful that there will happen nothing of the kind
in the near future. A month ago I had a conversation with Armenian
President Robert Kocharian,’ he said. When asked by Congressman
Knollenberg whether recall of funds allocated to Armenia is possible,
Mr Danilovich said, `The allocated funds are not subject to
return. The money is spent immediately upon going into the program,
reports RFE/RL.

The U.S. government is expected to allot $235 million to Armenia for
fiscal 2008.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Chechelashvili: GUAM works at formation of peacekeeping party
16.03.2007 18:29 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The GUAM works at formation of peacekeeping party,
said Valeriy Chechelashvili, GUAM Secretary General, First Deputy
Foreign Minister of Georgia. The general staffs of the GUAM member
states are engaged in the work, he said adding that a GUAM police
contingent will be formed as well, reports Novosti Georgia.

A1+

HEARTH OF THE ILLNESS ERADICATED
[12:51 pm] 16 March, 2007

`I was the first person to discover the illness. I
immediately aroused an alarm and informed the Ministry
of Health. The representatives of the ministry
immediately came, checked the information and found
six cases of illness’, Gevorg Tovmasyan, village head
of Tsovagyugh informed A1+. To remind, cases of
tularemia were discovered in Tsovagyugh a week ago.
Tularemia is a serious contagious disease passing via
animals.

Currently there are ten bacilli-carriers in the
village.

Ara Asopyan, the RA chief infectiologist and the
director of the `Norq’ infectious hospital, claims
that the `the hearth of the disease is already
eradicated’ and the bacilli-carriers are not
increasing. `The patients weren’t even taken to
hospital; they got treatment in their homes’.

Both the chief infectiologist and the village head
exclude the possibility that the cause of the disease
is water. Gevorg Tovmasyan says that only two
bacilli-carriers are elderly people, the others are
children.

This gave ground to assume that the hearth of the
infection might be the school canteen. But it turned
out that half of the patients didn’t attend the
canteen. `The infection is spread through rodents
which move from one settlement to another’, says the
village head and adds, `Can you name any city where
there aren’t rodents’.

To note, Tsovagyugh has got 4500 inhabitants. 2300
people have been inoculated.

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PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE HELD ON THEME "PROTECTION OF PROPERTY RIGHT"

YEREVAN, MARCH 15, NOYAN TAPAN. The process of sale of the real
property for the state needs was implemented with numerous violations
of the RA Constitution, European Convention on Human Rights, in the
consequence of what the RA citizens’ property and other rights were
violated. During the March 14 public hearings on the theme "Protection
of Property Right," Larisa Alaverdian, the event organizer, Chairwoman
of the "Against Illegal Wilfulness" public organization made such a
statement.

In her words, the goal of the hearings is to found out problems
connected with human rights violations being continued till now,
particularly, dangers of the RA law "On Sale of Property for Society
and State Needs" and decision No108 of the RA Government made on
January 25, 2007, "in the sense of vulnerability of the property
right."

According to the characteristics of Vachagan Hakobian, the "Protection
of Own Right" NGO, based on the mentioned and other decisions of the
Government which were in future recognized as anti-constitutional, the
Yerevan Mayor’s Office, using levers of force structures,
administrative and judicial systems, implemented and now continue
implementing RA citizens’ mass removal from the flats belonging to
them.

Vardan Mkrtchian, a RA National Assembly deputy stated that "the
struggle for re-establishment of citizens’ rights will continue as
long as they are changed and corresponding laws are correctly used."

OVER 5 DOZENS OF ISSUES INCLUDED IN DRAFT AGENDA OF MARCH 19-22 NA
PLENARY SITTINGS

YEREVAN, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN. Regular four-day sittings of RA
National Assembly are to start on March 19. As Noyan Tapan
correspondent was informed from RA NA Public Relations Department, 48
issues and 6 international agreements are included in the draft agenda
formed at the March 16 working consultation of parliament
leadership. Four out of the questions were discussed at the February
27 sitting and are only subject to voting.

Azeri expert says attack on Iran "dangerous" for Azerbaijan

Day.az website, Baku
14 Mar 07

Well-known Azerbaijani political scientist Eldar Namazov has commented
on the situation around Iran.

The conflict over the Iranian nuclear programme will most likely
deepen, Namazov said.

"The Iranian authorities have formed a certain public opinion in the
country and it is unlikely that they will be able to change their
policy. Otherwise, this would lead to a serious problem in the
election and to the defeat of the ruling elite," he noted.

"This state of affairs is dangerous for Azerbaijan because there are
numerous facilities on Azerbaijani territory that either partly or
fully belong to US companies. They could turn out to be soft targets
for military response," Namazov said.

He expressed a serious concern about possible military actions in Iran
as there will be an influx of refugees to the neighbouring Azerbaijan
and this could be "a serious blow to the Azerbaijani economy".

Namazov said that one out of every seven people residing in Azerbaijan
is a refugee or an involuntary migrant. He said Azerbaijan is
interested in settlement of the conflict over the Iranian nuclear
programme by diplomatic and political means. "Unfortunately, the
course of developments makes the chances of this happening small," he
said.

Namazov also touched on Washington’s official statement on the plan to
deploy anti-missile defences in the South Caucasus. The political
scientist noted that "this statement is not a declaration of intention
as the US Senate said that this is a desirable but not a vitally
necessary step for the anti-missile defence programme".

"As this is not a vitally necessary step for this programme, then it
is most likely a move to take soundings of the people’s opinions,"
Namazov said.

"As for the deployment of the anti-missile defences in Poland and
Czech Republic, this has stirred debates in the European Union,"
Namazov said. [Passage omitted: more about Europe’s reaction]

Ajax keep hold of Manucharyan
Friday, 16 March 2007

Armenian international striker Edgar Manucharyan has
agreed a new deal at AFC Ajax, keeping him in
Amsterdam until the summer of 2011.

Original deal
The 20-year-old’s original contract was due to expire
on 30 June 2008, but the former FC Pyunik trainee has
signed fresh terms running from July 2007 till June
2011. Capped eleven times by Armenia, he made his
debut for Ajax at AZ Alkmaar on 18 September 2005. He
has now played eight Eredivisie games, and scored his
first goal in a UEFA Cup win against FK Austria Wien
this season.

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