Month: March 2007

Arka News Agency, Armenia
March 26 2007

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT MOSCOW MAYOR DISCUSS ISSUES OF COOPERATION

YEREVAN, March 26. /ARKA/. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan held a
meeting with a Russian delegation headed by Moscow Mayor Yuri
Luzhkov. The delegation came to Armenia to take part in the
ceremonial opening of the Moscow Palace in Yerevan.
The RA presidential press service reports that Mayor Luzhkov pointed
out that the "Yerevan" trade center opened in Moscow on March 24 is
one of the largest trade centers in Moscow and has serious prospects.

"The new trade center will not only contribute to the cooperation
between the two capitals but also strengthen Armenian-Russian
strategic partnership," Luzhkov said.
He also stressed active cooperation with the city’s Armenian
community, "which is the most disciplined and has the highest
educational level among the national communities of Russia’s
capital."
Mayor Luzhkov also informed the Armenian President of the
construction of the wholesale market of Armenian products and other
structures in Moscow.
According to him, among other initiatives of economic cooperation are
rather successful Russian investment projects in Yerevan’s
construction sphere. The Moscow Mayor also pointed out that he pays
frequent visits to Yerevan and is impressed by the city’s constantly
changing appearance. P.T. -0–

Liberal Party of Canada (press release), Canada
March 26 2007

Press Releases

Statement from the Hon. Stéphane Dion, Leader of the Opposition, on
the Death of Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan
March 26, 2007

It was with great sadness I learned of the death of Armenian Prime
Minister Andranik Margaryan on Sunday, March 25, 2007.

Throughout his nearly seven years as Prime Minister, Mr. Margaryan
served his country as a passionate advocate of a strong, independent,
prosperous and democratic Armenia.

On behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada, our Parliamentary caucus
and all Canadians, I offer my heartfelt condolences to Mr.
Margaryan’s wife and three children, and to the people of Armenia,
who have lost a man of great leadership and love for his country. May
they all take comfort in the knowledge that we share their sorrow.

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MWC News, Canada
March 26 2007

Turkish politician held over murder

Global
Written by Agencies

Turkish police have detained a right-wing politician for
interrogation in connection with the killing of an ethnic Armenian
journalist, a news channel has reported.

Police detained Yasar Cihan, head of the local branch of the
conservative and nationalist Great Unity party in the port city of
Trabzon, private NTV television reported on Sunday.

The detention came several hours after Patriarch Mesrob II, the
spiritual head of the Armenian Orthodox community in Turkey,
criticised the authorities for failing to find those who ordered the
killing of Hrant Dink.

Dink was killed outside his paper, Agos, in Istanbul in January.

Prosecutors have pressed charges against 10 suspects, including some
former members of the youth wing of Great Unity.

According to NTV, police were still looking for another leading
member of Great Unity, Halis Egemen.

Dink’s killing prompted international condemnation as well as debate
within Turkey about free speech, and whether state institutions were
tolerant of militant nationalists.

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NRCU – Ukrainian Radio, Ukraine
March 26 2007

Viktor Yanukovych offers condolences to Armenia in connection with
death of Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margarian

"Ukraine deeply mourns over the news about the sudden death of the
Prime Minister, whose life was an example of self-devoted service to
the nation at the stage of revival and establishment of the Armenian
statehood," the Premier said in his telegram to the Armenian
government.

The telegram also said Ukraine appreciates a contribution by Andranik
Margarian to the development and facilitation of the Ukrainian –
Armenian relations, enhancement of efficiency of trade-economic ties
between the two countries.

NTV MSNBC, Turkey
March 26 2007

US Senate committee to vote on Turkish resolution

Turkey has objected to references to the so-called Armenian genocide
in the draft text of the resolution.

WASHINGTON – The US Senate’s Committee on Foreign Relations is to
vote on Wednesday on a draft resolution condemning the killing of
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, it was announced Monday.
Haberin devamý

The draft resolution, tabled by Senator Joseph Biden, also calls on
Turkey to remove article 301 from the country’s statute books.

The controversial article covers the crime of insulting Turkish
identity, and has been used to prosecute a number of Turkish
journalists academics and writers, including Dink, who was gunned
down in Istanbul on January 19.

Other sections of the draft resolution call on Turkey to establish
diplomatic, political and commercial relations with Armenia.

Both Ankara and the Bush Administration have spoken out against
references to the so-called Armenian genocide in the text of the
resolution.

AKI, Italy
March 26 2007

FRANCE: ROYAL CONDITIONALLY BACKS TURKEY’S EU BID

Paris, 26 March (AKI) – Socialist presidential candidate Segolene
Royal has stated she supports Turkey’s application to join the
European Union "in principle," but not until the 27-member bloc is
revitalised. "I support the bid in principle but not now because
Europe is stalled, and before expanding, we have to re-start it,"
says Royal in her new book, ‘Maintenanant’ (Now), published in France
on Tuesday.

Royal, who with conservative UMP party candidate Nicolas Sarkozy and
centrist UDF nominee Francois Bayrou are three current frontrunners
in France’s presidential race, is the only one have expressed support
for Ankara’s EU bid.

But like France’s president Jacques Chirac (from the UMP party),
Royal says in her book that French voters will have the final say in
a referendum, and "it will be the job of the head of state to to
defend their decision."

Royal had previously been criticised for "evasive" previous remarks
stating that her position on Turkey’s bid was "that of the French
people."

Royal said no "geographical" argument should be used against Turkey
joining the EU. "Turkey is not a territory but a political project,"
her book states. Religious arguments also do not hold up: "Europe is
not Christian club…. it contains millions of citizens who are
Muslims," she states.

Provided Turkey achieves the economic, democratic and other reforms
required of it by the EU, Europe has much to gain geopolitically by
admitting the country, "in a world haunted by a clash of
civilisations," Royal argues.

"Democrats in Turkey are ardently partisan, and their European
perspective helps to consolidate a Europe based on the rule of law.
It also helps combat those elements that want to deny the genocide of
the Armenians," Royal’s book states, referring to the killings of up
to 1.5 million Armenians they claim were carried out between
1915-1923 by Ottoman Turks.

Royal said last October that Turkey needs to recognise the mass
killings of Armenians as genocide if it wants to join the EU. Sarkozy
and Bayrou both back a ‘special partnership’ for Turkey with the EU
while far-right candidate Jean-Marie Le Pen – currently trailing
fourth in opinion polls – rejects even this.

The presidential election is slated for 22 April with a run-off on 6
May.

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The Messenger, Georgia
March 26 2007

Young people from minority backgrounds see their future in Georgia
By M. Alkhazashvili
(Translated by Diana Dundua)

Young people aged 12-17 living Tbilisi, in the predominantly ethnic
Azeri Kvemo Kartli province and in the predominantly ethnic Armenian
Samtskhe-Javakheti province were asked the following question, "To
which country do you link your and your family’s future in five
years?"

100 young people were polled in Tbilisi, fifty each in Marneuli and
Gardabani districts in Kvemo Kartli and fifty in the Akhaltsikhe and
Akhalkalaki districts of Samtskhe-Javakheti.

The poll was conducted by the Business and Consulting company BCG
Research at the request of the Fund ALPE in February of the present
year and was published in the newspaper 24 Saati.

Results of the poll asking the question, "To which country do you
link your and your family’s future to in five years?"

People’s Daily Online, China
March 26 2007

Chinese premier telephones Armenian president to express condolences
over PM’s death

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Monday telephoned the Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan to express his heartfelt condolences over
the death of Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margarian.

Also on behalf of the Chinese government, Premier Wen conveyed
sincere condolences over the death of the prime minister, to the
Armenian government and the Armenian people as well as members of
Margarian’s family.

Margarian died of a heart attack on Sunday. He had been hospitalized
several times in recent years.

Source: Xinhua

NTV MSNBC, Turkey
March 26 2007

Right wing politician detained over Turkish-Armenian journalist’s murder

Though having a high profile, the BBP is not represented in the
Turkish parliament.

Güncelleme: 15:21 TSÝ 26 Mart 2007 PazartesiTRABZON – The provincial
head of a Turkish right wing political party has been taken into
police custody over the murder of prominent Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink.

Yasar Cihan, who is the leader of the Grand Unity Party (BBP) in the
Black Sea province of Trabzon, was detained Sunday after being linked
to the slaying of Dink, who was gunned down outside the offices of
the Argos newspaper in Istanbul on January 19.

Cihan was taken into custody after police acted on information
provided by Erhan Tuncel, one of the persons accused of planning
Dink’s murder.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Press TV, Iran
March 26 2007

Sarkisyan appointed Armenia’s acting PM
Mon, 26 Mar 2007 17:23:00

Armenian Defense Minister, Serzh Sarkisyan, has been appointed
acting Prime Minister, after Andranik Markaryan died Sunday of a
heart attack at the age of 55.

President Robert Kocharyan on Monday accepted the Cabinet’s
resignation due to Markaryan’s death. The Armenian leader charged the
Cabinet with continuing their duties until a new Cabinet could be
formed.

Parliamentary elections in Armenia are scheduled for May 12, and
after the first session of a new parliament, the Cabinet will resign
again.

Markaryan was Armenia’s prime minister since May 2000. In 1997, he
was elected chairman of the Republican Party, which came to head the
ruling coalition in Armenia in 2003.