Month: March 2007

ANDRANIK MARGARYAN CONGRATULATES WOMEN ON MARCH 8

Armradio.am
07.03.2007 16:20

Dear women in Motherland, Artsakh, Javakhk and Diaspora,

I warmly congratulate you on Women’s Day. The essence of this beautiful
spring day is your inexhaustible kindness and patience, motherhood
and beauty, your devotion, tolerance and commitment to maintain a
strong family, which deserve appreciation and respect. In all times
you have been reinforcing the bases of our statehood and today you
continue doing the same. I’m confident that your growing activeness
in the socio-political life will provide an opportunity to use your
potential for the sake of our state and people.

Dear women, I congratulate you on the occasion of this beautiful
holiday and wish you health and happiness, family warmth and love.

TURKEY TO SUPPORT AZERBAIJANI POSITION RELATING TO ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN CONFLICT

is.pl?s=001&p=0055&n=002353&g
03.03.20 07

Turkey intends to support just position of Azerbaijan relating
to Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. Ambassador of Turkey to Russia,
Tashkent Kurtulush, stated it for AzerTaj.

Particularly, Ambassador underlined, that Turkey as fraternal and
friendly state naturally supports position of Azerbaijan protecting its
interests at diplomatic level. "Armenia occupied 20% of Azerbaijani
territories. It is unjust as there is no occupation of territories
of one state by another in today’s world practice. Turkey advocates
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and return of occupied Garabagh
territories to jurisdiction of Azerbaijan. We believe in solving of
this conflict within the frames of territorial and political integrity
of Azerbaijan and on the basis of principles of international law.

We hope for peace regulation of this conflict in near future",
Turkish Ambassador said.

Answering question on Armenian genocide related claims to Turkey
Ambassador said that Armenia doesn’t want to improve relations and
cooperation with Turkey, and there is no decision in this respect.

On commenting the fact that recently Armenia curtseys before Turkey to
establish bilateral relations, Tashkent Kurtulush declared that there
is no ground for it. "For improvement of relations between Turkey
and Armenia first of all Armenia should fulfill some conditions and
refuse non-friendly policy", diplomat stressed.

Turkish Ambassador to Russia also said that Turkey grieves over
innocent victims of Khojali tragedy together with fraternal
Azerbaijan. Accordingly to him, commemoration events dedicated to
victims were held in his country like in Azerbaijan.

ARMENIAN PEACEKEEPER WOUNDED IN IRAQ WILL BE TAKEN TO AN AMERICAN MILITARY HOSPITAL

Arminfo
2007-03-07 16:23:00

Mar 9 Georgy Nalbandyan, the Armenian peacekeeper wounded in Iraq,
will be taken to a military prosthetics hospital in the US, says the
head of the department of engineer troops of the Defence Ministry of
Armenia Vostanik Adoyan.

To remind, presently Nalbandyan is being treated in germany. In Nov
2006 he was blown up by a mine in Iraq. His comrades from Poland and
Slovenia died, Nalbandyan lost his leg.

ARMENIAN TV CHANNELS GIVE PREFERENCE TO ARFD

Arminfo
2007-03-07 15:03:00

The Yerevan Press Club’s monitoring of Armenian TV channels before
the parliamentary elections has shown that local TV channels give
preference to ARFD, Prospering Armenia and Republican Party.

The president of the press club Boris Navasardyan says that the
monitoring was carried out Feb 1-28 and covered 7 TV channels: Public
Television, Second Armenian Channel, ALM, Armenia, Yerkir Media,
Kentron and Shant.

Navasardyan says that they registered all mentions of parties in news
and commercials, all TV interviews.

ALM is the most political channel but 85.5% of its air time is given
to the party of its owner Tigran Karapetyan.

The dominance of ARFD, Prospering Armenia and RPA is due to their
political weight. Much depends on the competence of leaders and their
readiness to contact with mass media. Navasardyan does not agree
with the view that other parties are debarred from TV: the three
leaders are closely followed by opposition parties Orinats Yerkir and
Constitutional Right Union. Certain discrimination was showed against
three opposition parties: Republic, New Times and Heritage. Navasardyan
says that its is a coordinated discriminatory policy.

The monitoring will be continued in Mar and as soon as the electoral
campaign starts it will be held on a weekly basis.

"HZOR HAYERNIK" TO ASSIST RPA DURING COMING ELECTIONS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 07 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The "Hzor Hayrenik" (Powerful
Fatherland) party will assist the Republican Party of Armenia
during the May 12 parliamentary elections. Shirak Torosian,
the Deputy Chairman of the "Hzor Hayrenik" party, Chairman of the
"Javakhk" compatriotic union who occupies the 40th place in the RPA
proportional electoral lists stated about it at the March 7 press
conference. He expressed confidence that the RPA "will introduce all
its potential" in the affair of both implementation of system changes
in Armenia and settlement of issues, the Armenians of Javakhk are
interested in. Sh. Torosian added that the RPA and "Hzor Hayrenik"
have ideological communities: both are parties professing liberal
values. Responding the question "what system changes the RPA has
brought to life by now," he mentioned: "It will be absurdity to say
that everything is good today. But not only the ruling wing is guilty
of bad tendencies existing among the society." In Sh.Torosian’s words,
opposing figures fostered a wrong policy during the recent years:
they arose problem of changing persons instead of presenting serious
political proposals.

SUREN SURENIANTS: "IT IS STRANGE THAT SOME PARTIES HOPE TO IMPLEMENT SYSTEM AMENDMENTS WITH RPA"

Noyan Tapan
Mar 07 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 7, NOYAN TAPAN. "There are at all no parties in the
ruling camp of Armenia: there is conditional Republican Party which
serves interests of Serge Sargsian’s clan, and there is "Bargavach
Hayastan" (Prosperous Armenia) conditional party which serves interests
of oligarches gathered round Robert Kocharian." Suren Sureniants,
a member of the "Hanrapetutiun" (Republic) party political council
made such a statement at the March 7 press conference.

In his words, it is at least strange in the political situation
created at present that some parties, particularly, the "Hzor Hayrenik"
(Powerful Fatherland) party, are ready to assist the RPA and hopes to
implement system amendments in the country jointly with the latter. In
S.Sureniants’ words, the RPA proportional list can not be considered
political as names of criminal authorities and those people are in
turn mentioned in it who consistently falsified the elections during
the recent nine years. In S.Sureniants’ opinion, those citizens who
were for change of the acting regime will vote for the "Republic"
party at the coming elections. In his words, the two deputies from the
"Hanrapetutiun" party (NT. – party Political Council Chairman Aram
Z.Sargsian and Political Council member Smbat Ayvazian) were the
most principal ones at the Parliament, and just for the principle
they boycotted the NA works continuously for months.

"AZGAYIN MIABANUTIUN" TO SUPPORT AT COMING PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS CANDIDATURES OF A NUMBER OF OTHER OPPOSING FIGURES AS WELL

Noyan Tapan
Mar 07 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The Chairmanship of the "Azgayin
Miabanutiun" (National Unity) party made a decision at the March
6 sitting to support candidatures of a number of opposing figures
nominated for the coming parliamentary elections. As party Deputy
Chairman Gagik Tadevosian informed the Noyan Tapan correspondent, the
"Azgayin Miabanutiun" party will support candidature of NA deputy,
"Zhoghovrdavarakan Ughi" (Democratic Path) party Chairman Manuk
Gasparian at electoral district No3 of the Yerevan communities of
Kanaker-Zeytun and Nor Nork, candidatures of NA Deputies, former
"Azgayin Miabanutiun" members, at present non-partisan Aghasi Arshakian
and Napoleon Azizian at correspondingly electoral districts No6 and
No9 of the Yerevan communities of Ajapniak and Kentron, candidature
of NA deputy "Azgayin Zhovordavarneri Dashink" (National Democrates’
Alliance) party Chairman Arshak Sadoyan at electoral district No12
of the Yerevan communities of Shengavit and Erebuni. The "Azgayin
Miabanutiun" party will, naturally, support No143 school director,
"Azgayin Miabanutiun" member Garegin Kostanian, party Deputy Chairman
Sargis Muradkhanian, non-partisan Khoren Sargsian and "Azgayin
Miabanutiun" member Lyova Galstian proposed by it at electoral
districts No2, 4, 24 and 35. G.Tadevosian also stated that to hold
free and fear elections, the "Azgayin Miabanutiun" party intends to
negotiate with all parties, irrespective of their orientation, and
with a number of parties – in the direction of founding an electoral
coordinating headquarters, also jointly assisting opposing candidates
in other electoral districts as well, after registration of nominated
candidates.

FORTHCOMING PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS WILL BE DECISIVE FOR ARMENIAN PEOPLE, ARMENIAN WOMEN LEADERS CONSIDER

Noyan Tapan
Mar 07 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian public has never been so
much humiliated and so much unprotected, as solutions and decisions
are thrusted upon it in country’s foreign and home political
spheres. Lyudmila Haroutiunian, Chairwoman of Arzhanapatvutiun
(Dignity) Party, expressed such an opinion at the March 7 press
conference. As L. Haroutiunian estimated, the power is not changed
in Armenia of people’s own free will, it is reproduced by the
very power. In her words, no free and transparent elections will
be held in Armenia until the Armenian public becomes honorable and
the latter’s subordination to force, money and other circumstances
is liquidated. "Today’s split of political forces, the fact that the
opposition failed to consolidate speaks about the state of the Armenian
public," the Chairwoman of the Arzhanapatvutiun Party said. In the
words of RA MP, member of RPA Board Hermine Naghdalian, holding of
free and fair elections is possible in the country if every one takes
his vote under his care and takes part in the elections. In her words,
the country’s development in the coming years depends on the upcoming
parliamentary elections. H. Naghdalian is convinced that like many
countries Armenia can also efficiently pass the way of democratization,
as from one election to another not only those being elected but
also electors change. In the opinion of member of PPA Political
Board Ruzan Khachatrian, "if the figures changed from one election
to another, today we would have a little more democratic, free and
safe country." In her words, unless the forthcoming parliamentary
elections are held well and if a negative estimation is formed,
the country will appear in much more complicated situation."

DISCUSSION OF RESOLUTION ON CONDEMNING HRANT DINK’S MURDER POSTPONED AT U.S. SENATE FOR SOME TIME

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 07 2007

WASHINGTON, MARCH 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The U.S. Senate
Committee on Foreign Relations postponed discussion and votion of
the draft resolution condemning Istanbul Agos newspaper editor Hrant
Dink’s murder. It was to take place on March 7. The issue was taken
out by Senator Richard Lugar’s proposal, under pretence of lack of
time and variety of issues being discussed.

The day of holding of the next sitting of the committee is not decided
yet. To recap, the draft resolution presented by democrat Senator,
Chairman of the mentioned committee Joe Biden condemns Hrant Dink’s
murder as well as called on the Turkish authorities to state invalid
Article 301 of the Criminal Code by which freedon of expression
is limited.

BRITISH AMBASSADOR VISITS CHILDREN’S ADMISSION AND ORIENTATION CENTER OF FUND FOR ARMENIAN RELIEF

Noyan Tapan
Mar 07 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The British Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary to Armenia Anthony Cantor on March 6 visited the
Children’s Admission and Orientation Center of the Fund for Armenian
Relief (FAR). NT was informed from the FAR press service that the
ambassador presented a DVD palyer, a karaoke device and cartoons to
the center nurslings. The FAR Children’s Admission and Orientation
Center is a unique organization that provides help to beggar, vagrant,
homeless children aged 3-18, as well children left without care,
subjected to violence and those in difficulty and their families.

Hundreds of such children have found a temporary refuge in the
center. Since 2000, it has accepted over a thousand of children. The
center has a "hot line", gardian family-related and other services.