Month: March 2007

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION TO BE DISCUSSED BY ISRAELI KNESSET
By Agavni Haroutiunian

AZG Armenian Daily
13/03/2007

Representative of the Israeli bureau of "Hay Dat" Georgette Avagian
expressed hope that the "Meres" party of Israel will raise the question
of the Armenian Genocide in the Knesset. Radio Liberty informed that
Ms. Avagian assured that if not this time, the resolution will be
adopted on the next time.

Arabian parties refused to take part in the discussion. Israel-Turkey
and Israel-Azerbaijan parliamentary cooperation groups may also have
negative influence.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SOCIAL-DEMOCRAT HNCHAKIAN PARTY TO SUPPORT CANDIDATURES OF TATUL MANASERIAN, MANUK GASPARIAN AND VIKTOR DALLAKIAN NOMINATED BY MAJORITARIAN SYSTEM FOR PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 12 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 12, NOYAN TAPAN. At the upcoming parliamentary
elections, the Social-Democrat Hnchakian Party will support the
candidature of Tatul Manaserian nominated by majoritarian system
at electoral district N 5, candidature of Manuk Gasparian nominated
at electoral district N 3, Viktor Dallakian nominated at electoral
district N 30. Noyan Tapan was informed about it from the Press
Service of Party’s Central Board.

OSCE MG: SOONER STEPANAKERT JOINS TALKS BETTER IT WILL BE FOR THE WHOLE PROCESS

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.03.2007 20:33 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Meetings with authorities of Nagorno Karabakh must
be continued and deepened," OSCE Minsk Group French Co-Chair Bernard
Fassier stated to a press conference in Yerevan. He said, The OSCE
MG has no guilt in the fact that representatives of Nagorno Karabakh
do not participate in talks. "But when we begin talks over status,
presence of Nagorno Karabakh will be necessary, it will be impossible
to settle this issue without Nagorno Karabakh," Fassier stressed.

Alongside he noted that he does not refer to details of talks between
Armenia and leadership of Nagorno Karabakh. "We know the stance of
Arkadi Ghukassian, as well as he knows our stance. Participation
of Karabakh side in the negotiations is not excluded, and sooner it
happens better it will be for the whole process, Bernard Fassier said.

MEETING BETWEEN ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTERS TO BE HELD ON MARCH 14 IN GENEVA

Noyan Tapan
Mar 12 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 12, NOYAN TAPAN. On March 13, RA Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian will leave for Geneva to take part in the sitting of
UN Human Rights Council. As Noyan Tapan was informed from RA Foreign
Ministry Press and Information Department, RA Foreign Minister is to
make a speech at the sitting. The same day V. Oskanian is to leave for
Bern where he will meet with the President of Swiss Confederation, the
Head of Department of Foreign Affairs Micheline Calmy-Rey. A meeting
between Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers with participation
of OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs will take place on March 14 in Geneva.

BERNARD FASSIER DOES NOT EXCLUDE POSSIBILITY OF NAGORNO KARABAKH’S PARTICIPATION IN NEGOTIATIONS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 12 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 12, NOYAN TAPAN. "We should not only continue, but
also deepen meetings with Arkady Ghoukassian." OSCE Minsk Group
French Co-chair Bernard Fassier stated this at the March 12 press
conference held immediately after his meeting with NKR President
Arkady Ghoukassian. He reported that the whole complex of important
issues, including the issue of return of refugees to the places
of their permanent residence, was discussed during the meeting with
A. Ghoukassian. In his words, the circumstance that representatives of
Nagorno Karabakh do not take part in the negotiations process is not
the decision of OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs. "I know that formerly
Nagorno Karabakh participated in the negotiations, but before I
assumed my powers in the Minsk Group.

Now this practice has changed. Certainly, when they speak about the
status of Nagorno Karabakh, they cannot discuss this issue without
people living in Nagorno Karabakh," B. Fassier stated.

65-70 THOUSAND TREES TO BE PLANTED IN YEREVAN THIS YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Mar 12 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 12, NOYAN TAPAN. Yerevan’s Master Plan envisages
to increase the green areas of the city by 1,824 ha and the
green area surface per resident of Yerevan from 5 to 19.5 square
meters until 2020. Head of Nature Protection Department of Yerevan
Mayor’s Office Armen Martirosian stated this at the March 12 press
conference. According to him, in 2006-2020, it is envisaged to
inventory Yerevan’s green areas, for which 71 mln drams (about
200 thousand USD) will be allocated. The maps of these areas will
also be drawn starting from 2008. A. Martirosian said that a city
tree-planting event, during which 2,000 trees and bushes will be
planted only in Nor Nork community, is scheduled for April 14. All
in all, 65-70 thousand tress will be planted in Yerevan this year.

U.S. ACTIVELY TO SUPPORT EFFORTS AIMED AT PEACEFUL SOLUTION OF KARABAKH CONFLICT

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.03.2007 18:00 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "We are for peaceful solution of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, U.S. Ambassador to Baku Ann Dercy stated. She said, the
United States is a OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair on the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement and intends to support the peaceful process
of solution.

"We shall actively support efforts aimed at peaceful solution of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The most optimal variant of settlement is
peaceful way," Ann Dercy stated, APA reports.

ARMRUSGAZPROM TO MAKE INVESTMENTS OF OVER 192 MILLION DOLLARS IN 2007-2009

Noyan Tapan
Mar 12 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 12, NOYAN TAPAN. At the March 12 sitting, the RA
Public Services Regulatory Commission approved ArmRusgazprom’s
investment program of 68 bln 232.6 mln drams (192.2 mln USD) for
2007-2009. According to the commission, 40 bln 295.1 mln drams will be
invested this year. The program’s purpose is to extend and reconstruct
the gas transportation and distribution systems, as well as the Abovian
underground gas depot. The commission instructed ArmRusgazprom to
submit the 2008-2010 investment program of the company until November
1, 2007.

TURKISH MFA "CONDEMNED" VERDICT OF SWISS COURT TOWARDS DOGU PERINCEK

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.03.2007 18:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey "condemned" the verdict of Swiss court,
according to which leader of Turkish Workers’ Party Dogu Perincek
was convicted of racial discrimination for denying the Armenian
Genocide. "The court’s verdict is inappropriate, baseless and
disputable. This decision is unacceptable for the Turkish nation,"
the statement of Turkish MFA says, according to which the verdict of
Lausanne court "violates freedom of speech". The Turkish MFA has also
"condemned" the coverage of legal process by Swiss Media" calling it
"subjective", RFE/RL reports.

The court in Lausanne handed Perincek a suspended fine of SFr 9,000
($7,336) as well as a one-off financial penalty of SFr 3,000. The
court also ruled that Perincek would have to pay SFr 1,000 to the
Swiss-Armenian Association as a symbolic gesture, which appeared as
civil plaintiff. Perincek has to pay all costs, which exceed SFr 15
000. According to the Swiss law of anti-racist discrimination the
defendant also was threatened by 3 years of imprisonment. Being in
Switzerland in 2005 Perincek twice declared that the Armenian Genocide
is an "international lie".

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CASES OF BUBONIC RABBIT-FEVER REGISTERED IN TSOVAGYUGH VILLAGE OF GEGHARKUNIK MARZ

Noyan Tapan
Mar 12 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Ministry of Health on March
9 received an alarm call that cases of rabbit-fever were registered
among residents of Tsovagyugh village of Sevan region (Gegharkunik
marz). The sanitary and epidemiologic studies conducted by experts
of the ministry showed that 6 laboratory approved cases and 10
suspect cases of rabbit-fever were registered in the village. Ruslana
Gevorgian, advisor to the minister of health, told NT correspondent
that all necessary measures are being taken to prevent the spread of
this infection. Particularly, mass preventive vaccination of villagers
is being done, and possible ways of infection’s transmission are
being examined.

According to R. Gevorgian, rabbit-fever is transmitted to humans via
rodents, while in 2006 the number of rodents grew in Tsovagyugh, so
epizootic studies are being conducted in the village and in adjacent
areas. The cases registered in the village are bubonic forms of the
disease, which proceed without hospitalization. Preventive measures
will continue in Tsovagyugh.