Month: April 2007

Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918
Fax: 818.246.7353
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
April 5, 2007

Contact: Haig Hovsepian
Tel: (818) 500-1918

POWER Initative: ANCA-WR continues strong push to extend outreach TO
WESTERN STATES

–ANCA-WR BUILDs support for armenian genocide resolutions H. Res. 106
and S. Res. 106

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Armenian National Committee of America – Western
Region (ANCA-WR) continues in its efforts to build and increase support
for H. Res. 106 and S. Res. 106, the Armenian Genocide Resolutions.
Dubbed "Project Outreach Western Region – POWER", the ANCA-WR office has
been mobilizing ANC chapters and Armenian American communities
throughout the western United States. The first phase of POWER
demonstrated outreach to Armenian American communities in Oregon,
Washington, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Montana and the
Greater San Diego area. As more Congressmen joined on as cosponsors to
H. Res. 106 and S. Res. 106 as a result of POWER, local ANC chapters
across the region have continued to attend district office meetings
while advocating for U.S. Congressional recognition of the Armenian
Genocide.

"As we have returned from our trip to Washington, DC to campaign on
Capitol Hill for Darfur Divestment and recognition of the Armenian
Genocide, a renewed and reenergized vigor has emerged," remarked Andrew
Kzirian, Executive Director of the ANCA-WR. "As new cosponsors join H.
Res. 106, and now also the recently introduced S. Res. 106, we move
closer to passing H. Res. 106."

The ANCA-WR continues to work with ANC activists in Alaska, Arizona,
Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Texas, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico and is
currently in the process of reaching out to elected representatives in
other states as well.

Since March 1, 2007, Rep. Brian Baird (WA-3), Rep. Brian Bilbray
(CA-50), Rep. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (CO-7), Rep. Gary Miller (CA-42), Rep.
John Salazar (CO-3), Rep. Duncan Hunter (CA-52) and Rep. Al Green (TX-9)
have joined on as cosponsors to H. Res. 106 from the Western Region of
the United States. Congressman Adam Schiff (CA-29) introduced H. Res.
106 on January 30, 2007.

Since the introduction of S. Res. 106 on March 14, 2007, Senator John
Ensign (NV), Senator Wayne Allard (CO), Senator Barbara Boxer (CA),
Senator Dianne Feinstein (CA) and most recently Senator Sam Brownback
(KS) have joined on as cosponsors of this resolution. Senator Richard
Durbin (IL) introduced S. Res. 106. The Senators from the Western
Region constitute 5 of the 38 total seats in the Western Region of the
United States.

Stay tuned for the next POWER update.

The Armenian National Committee of America is the largest and most
influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working
in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters
throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the
world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American
community on a broad range of issues.

###

PHOTO CAPTION: The Western Region of the United States.

Armenian National Committee of Washington State
c/o Armen Abrahamian, Chair
Bellevue, WA 98008
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
April 5, 2007

Contact: Armen Abrahamian
Email: (818) 500-1918

ANC of Washington State Reaches Out to Congressman Reichert

MERCER ISLAND, WA – The Armenian National Committee of Washington State
(ANC WA) organized a district office meeting with Gwen Fraser, a staff
member of Representative Dave Reichert, on Friday, March 16 in
Reichert’s Mercer Island office. In attendance were constituents Aida
Kouyoumjian, Charlotte Avedian, Armen Abrahamian and ANC of WA Chairman,
Vacheh Haghnazarian.

Congressman Reichert serves as Representative from the Eighth
Congressional District of Washington. As a Representative, he serves on
three committees: Homeland Security, Transportation and Infrastructure
and Science and Technology. Reichert has a leadership role in the
Committee on Homeland Security, and serves as the Ranking Member of the
Subcommittee on Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk
Assessment.

The meeting began with introductions and backgrounds on the Puget Sound
area Armenian community and the work and goals of the Armenian National
Committee of America as a whole. The constituents then discussed
previous Armenian Genocide resolutions and reviewed the status of the
current resolution, H.Res.106, with Fraser.

Haghnazarian and the meeting participants noted that several countries
have appropriately affirmed the Armenian Genocide despite threats by the
Turkish Government. They also noted military, economic, and political
ties with France were not irrevocably damaged following France’s
recognition of the Armenian Genocide and that bilateral economic
relations between the two have increased since then.

Abrahamian noted that Rafael Lemkin, the author of the UN Convention on
the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide, coined the term "genocide" to
describe what happened to the Armenians. He also referred Fraser to a
letter written earlier this month by the International Association of
Genocide Scholars in which the association urges members of Congress to
co-sponsor H.Res.106 as a means of confronting Armenian Genocide denial.

"It was important to meet with Representative Reichert’s office because
we wanted to ensure that our representatives are aware of the strong and
vibrant Armenian-American community in the Seattle area," stated
Abrahamian. "Hopefully through this kind of outreach, we will engage
more Armenian Americans in the political process and especially gain
support for H. Res. 106," he added.

The following week ANCA-Western Region Executive Director, Andrew
Kzirian met with Kim Trinh, Congressman Reichert’s foreign affairs aide
during the ANCA’s "End the Cycle of Genocide" advocacy campaign in
Washington, D.C which was hosted in collaboration with the Genocide
Intervention Network. Kzirian updated Trinh regarding the resolution
co-sponsorship and thanked the Congressman’s office for meeting with his
constituents in Washington State. "These meetings emphasize the
grassroots effort by the Armenian American community to inform elected
officials about issues of key concern to us," noted Kzirian.

The Armenian National Committee of America is the largest and most
influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working
in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters
throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the
world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American
community on a broad range of issues.

###

April 5, 2007

PRESS RELEASE
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
Website: <;

COMMEMORATION OF HOLY WEDNESDAY
LET US BELONG TO THOSE WHO LOVE JESUS
DECLARED THE PRELATE

In accordance with our church calendar, on Holy Wednesday we
commemorate the betrayal of Jesus by Judas and the anointing of His feet.

H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, presided over
Holy Wednesday services at St. Mary’s Church in Glendale, with the
participation of Prelacy clergy.

In his message the Prelate stated that in Jerusalem there were
those who hated Jesus and conspired with Judas against Him, while in Bethany
those who loved Jesus gathered around Him and enjoyed dinner during which
His head and feet were anointed which symbolized His burial. The people of
the day were divided into two groups, those who loved Him and those who
despised Him, said the Prelate, and posed the question of which group do we
belong to. The Prelate continued stressing that today we are granted
another opportunity to repent, to free ourselves from sin, and to belong to
the group that loves Jesus, and concluded by beseeching God to guide our
path with His Holy Spirit during Holy Week and always.

Armenia: The forgotten genocide

The Oakland Press (Oakland County, Michigan)
Thursday, April 5, 2007

By JERRY WOLFFE of The Oakland Press

The massacre of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Turks between 1915
and 1923 is being remembered by two Oakland County residents of Armenian
descent.

The 92nd anniversary of the beginning of the slaughter is April 24.

Souren Abrahamian of Southfield, who will be 100 on June 15, was 8 years
old when 35 members of his family were slain. He will be in the Ford
Community and Performing Arts Center in Dearborn on April 22, when
speakers tell of the genocide.

Abrahamian is the author of "From Van to Detroit," the story of his
journey from the Armenian village of Van to the Motor City. He came to
America in 1921, settling in Highland Park.

"For no reason, in a couple of months we had to leave our homes and
migrate toward Russia," recalled Abrahamian of the genocide’s beginnings
in 1915.

Virginia Haroutunian, 70, of Bloomfield Hills also remembers the pain
and anguish of her mother, Victoria.

Victoria Ahigian-Haroutunian was a genocide survivor. She was among the
thousands of people who were marched by force from parts of Armenia to
the DerZor Desert in Syria, leaving thousands dead along the journey.

Haroutunian’s mother died in 2000 at age 90 of heart failure. Virginia
Haroutunian wrote a book, "Orphan in the Sands," which details her
mother’s tale of survival. She will speak about her mother’s
tribulations at the Plum Hollow Country Club in Southfield on April 11.

Besides the 1.5 million Armenians butchered during the seven-year
period, at least 500,000 were refugees.

"Even though I was born on the safe shores of America and graduated from
the University of Michigan Music School in 1958, my demons were from
another time and place," Haroutunian said, recalling her emotionally
distant mother and telling the story of her mother’s life as a child who
spent time in orphanages.

Her mother went to many cities in Turkey, Egypt, Syria and Greece,
before arriving on Ellis Island in the United States in 1928 Ñ where she
spent 21Ú2 months in segregation.

"She only experienced hatred by the Turks toward the Armenians," said
Virginia Haroutunian, who taught in Pontiac schools for 30 years before
retiring in 1988.

"From the age of 7 onward, she had not experienced love and therefore
could not show it," she said of her mother. "I inherited her pain. I
could not feel affection or show it. Music and food sedated my pain. The
re-evaluation of my mother’s past when I was 50 years old led to an
understanding of my mother and surprisingly of myself."

She said the "Orphan in the Sands" book, "is about the evolution from
the depths of black despair to the liberation of the human spirit."

Her mother, Victoria Ahigian, married Michael Haroutunian in Troy, N.Y.,
on Feb. 24, 1929. He was a cobbler and they took a train back to
Pontiac. Victoria’s cousin, Harry Ahigian, was instrumental in sending
her money to help her buy steerage passage to America.

"I never found out what my mother went through until 1988," said
Virginia Haroutunian. She would say, ÔNobody likes to hear a sad story,’
and she wasn’t proud about the way she was treated." Abrahamian arrived
in the United States in 1921 and roomed with his brother in Highland
Park, where some Armenian survivors lived, and worked in a grocery store
before getting a job working as a civil engineer for the federal government.

When he retired in 1974, he received the distinguished service award, he
said. He still doesn’t understand the failure of the United States to
officially recognize the genocide.

"It’s a crime that the United States doesn’t recognize the Armenian
genocide," said Abrahamian, adding Germany and France have recognized it
but England has not. "We want the Turks to own up to what happened."

Contact Jerry Wolffe at (248) 745-4612 or [email protected].

http://www.theoaklandp ress.com/stories/040507/loc_2007040552.shtml

Armenian National Committee of San Diego County
San Diego, CA
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
April 5, 2007

Contact: Garo Artinian
E-mail: [email protected]

*ANC of San Diego County Welcomes Congressman Hunter’s Agreement to
Cosponsor H.Res.106*

*EL CAJON, CA* – After learning of Congressman Brian Bilbray’s (R-CA-50)
cosponsorship of H. Res. 106 on March 14, 2007, the Armenian National
Committee of San Diego County (ANC of SDC) expressed its appreciation to
Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA-52) whose office confirmed that the
Congressman has agreed to cosponsor H.Res.106, the Armenian Genocide
resolution. Rep. Hunter, a 14-term Congressman and Vietnam veteran, is the
Ranking Member of the US House Armed Services Committee. He has also
declared his candidacy for the 2008 Presidential Elections.

On Wednesday, March 21, 2007 the ANC of SDC met with Hunter’s legislative
aide, Holly Hough in Rep. Hunter’s El Cajon District Office. The meeting
was led by ANC of San Diego County Chairman Garo Artinian and included
fellow San Diego County ANC advocates and Hunter constituents Boghos and
Lena Yerevanian of the San Diego Homenetmen, as well as Ani Lanuza of the
San Diego chapter of the Armenian General Benevolent Union and Serop
Karoghlanian. The group was joined by Saint John Garabed Pastor Datev
Tatoulian, Parish Council Chairman Gary Takessian (AAA), World War II
veteran George Katchigian and San Diego County ANC Board Member Edik
Esmailian.

The ANC of SDC organized the meeting to provide an opportunity for the
community to build its relationship with Rep. Hunter’s office and discuss
current issues of concern to them. Rep. Hunter enjoys one of the largest
concentrations of San Diego County Armenians in his district which extends
east across the county and up to its northeast corner.

Artinian opened the meeting by introducing Hough to the meeting participants
and briefly discussing the San Diego Armenian community. He noted that the
community had a long-standing relationship with the Congressman and
appreciated his past support of issues of concern to them, including
previous Armenian Genocide resolutions.

Hough was familiar with the resolution and was interested in learning more
about the history of the genocide. Artinian referred her to Peter
Balakian’s book, "The Burning Tigris", and pointed out that the first
international humanitarian aid effort by the United States was in response
to the Armenian Genocide. Artinian noted that several US diplomats
courageously reported the details of the genocide as it occurred. He also
mentioned Congressman Howard Berman’s recent "dear colleague" letter drawing
attention to a statement by the International Association of Genocide
Scholars in which the association affirmed the Armenian Genocide.

As pastor of the local community for many years, Father Tatoulian noted that
the Armenian Genocide remains important to subsequent generations of
Armenian Americans who are disappointed with US officials who compromise
history and justice by remaining silent about the Armenian Genocide. Artinian
emphasized that the community expects the United States to be a leader by
acknowledging its American history as it relates to the Armenian Genocide
and, in doing so, encouraging Turkey to dispel the official policy of denial
that clouds its history.

Lanuza noted the community’s concern regarding the recent assassination of
Hrant Dink. Dink, the editor of the weekly Armenian newspaper AGOS, was
killed outside his offices in Istanbul earlier this year. Dink recently
faced prosecution under the infamous "Article 301" of the Turkish criminal
code for "insulting Turkishness", a blanket law used to silence freedom of
expression and dissent in Turkey. The law has been repeatedly used by
Turkish prosecutors to charge individuals who diverge from the Turkish
government’s policy of Armenian Genocide denial.

Members of the group also expressed concern about repeated threats issued by
Turkey against the United States and its armed forces in response to
H.Res.106.

"Thousands of Armenian Americans proudly served and continue to serve this
country," noted Artinian. "It is disturbing that Turkey, a supposed ally,
continues to bully and threaten the United States and the fundamental values
on which it was founded in order to prevent even the discussion of a
resolution that honors the victims of, and the American response to, the
Armenian Genocide."

In the days following the ANC of SDC meeting with Hough in El Cajon, CA,
Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) Executive
Director Andrew Kzirian visited Rep. Hunter’s office in Washington, D.C. to
deliver constituent letters to the Congressman. In the past several months,
the ANC of SDC has also organized local district office meetings with
Representatives Bilbray, Davis, and Filner who are joined by Representative
Issa as co-sponsors of H.Res.106. These activities, in conjunction with both
1) the ANCA’s "End the Cycle of Genocide" advocacy campaign which was
organized in collaboration with the Genocide Intervention Network and 2) the
ANCA-WR’s POWER Initiative have helped to advance Armenian American concerns
in relation to the Armenian Genocide Resolution.

"The ANC of San Diego County was delighted to bring together a broad
cross-section of the local Armenian community for meetings this past month
with Congressmen Bilbray and Hunter," said Artinian. "Their support of
H.Res.106 is a testament to the strength of our local ANC advocates’
grassroots efforts as well as that of our affiliates in our regional and
national offices."

The Armenian National Committee of America is the largest and most
influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working in
coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout
the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA
actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad
range of issues.

###

PHOTO #1 CAPTION: Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA-52).

PHOTO #2 CAPTION: (from left to right) Boghos and Lena Yerevanian, Ani
Lanuza, Edik Esmailian, Hunter legislative aide Holly Hough, Father Datev
Tatoulian, George Katchigian, Garo Artinian, Serop Karoghlanian, and Gary
Takessian.

FRANCOIS HOLLANDE S’ENGAGE A FAIRE PUNIR LA NEGATION DU GENOCIDE ARMENIEN

Agence France Presse
3 avril 2007 mardi 10:42 PM GMT

Francois Hollande s’est engage mardi a Alfortville (Val-de-Marne),
en cas de victoire de Segolène Royal, a presenter devant le Senat lors
de la session parlementaire d’octobre le texte sur la penalisation de
la negation du genocide armenien, a constate une journaliste de l’AFP.

"Il faut aller vite", a declare le premier secretaire du Parti
socialiste lors d’une reunion publique commune avec le parti socialiste
armenien, FRA Dachnaktsoutioun.

Segolène Royal a indique lundi qu’elle etait favorable a cette loi
et a ajoute que "ce sera la position" de son ministre des Affaires
etrangères si elle est elue.

L’Assemblee nationale a vote le 12 octobre 2006 une proposition de loi
punissant d’un an de prison et de 45.000 euros d’amende la negation
du genocide armenien. Mais le texte, qui n’a jamais ete inscrit a
l’ordre du jour du Senat, est reste lettre morte.

Francois Hollande a affirme que la Turquie devait "au prealable"
reconnaître le genocide armenien afin d’entrer dans l’Union
europeenne. Le pays doit aussi appliquer les critères de Copenhague
en matière de droits de l’Homme et economiques.

"La Turquie peut avoir sa place dans l’Europe. Mais si nous la
rejetons, pourquoi ferait-elle des efforts?", a interroge M. Hollande.

Mourad Papazian, premier secretaire de la FRA Dachnaktsoutioun,
a appele a voter pour Segolène Royal dès le premier tour.

"Segolène Royal est favorable a l’ouverture de negociations avec la
Turquie, qui a encore des progrès a faire vis-a-vis des droits de
l’Homme et de la reconnaissance du genocide armenien. Segolène Royal
relaie sur cette question la position de notre parti", a declare
M. Papazian.

–Boundary_(ID_aAB9q32kxx3CxRta5qKgEA)- –

ALICE GULIPIAN EN CONCERT AU DORTOIR
par Michel Roger

La Nouvelle Republique du Centre Ouest
03 avril 2007 mardi
Edition VIENNE

Soprano francaise d’origine armenienne, titulaire d’une maîtrise de
mathematiques, Alice Gulipian est diplômee du Conservatoire national
de Marseille. Elle y a obtenu en 2002 un 1 prix en chant et, en 2004,
un 1 prix en art lyrique. Elle est egalement laureate de plusieurs
concours internationaux et se produit regulièrement en recital avec
l’orchestre du CNR de Marseille.

Elle a ete invitee a donner de nombreux recitals en France et a
l’etranger. Elle a notamment interprete les rôles de Frasquita dans "
Carmen ", Rosine dans le " Barbier de Seville ", Lisa dans " Le Pays
du sourire "– Alice Gulipian se produira ce vendredi au Dortoir
des moines. Elle interpretera des airs d’operas allant du XVII au
XX siècle, de Mozart a Bernstein, representatifs de son repertoire
de soprano lyrique leger. Elle emaillera egalement son programme de
lieder de Schubert, Liszt et Strauss.

Vendredi 6 avril a 20 h 45, Dortoir des moines. Tarif 20 . Nombre
limite de places. Renseignements, reservations : office de tourisme
de Saint-Benoît, tel. 05.49.47.44.53.

–Boundary_(ID_sHQsGXcSpLzGP8FDi8 3blA)–

NAGORNY KARABAKH TO ELECT NEXT PRESIDENT JULY 19

Agence France Presse — English
April 4, 2007 Wednesday

The disputed Caucasus region of Nagorny Karabakh will hold presidential
elections on July 19, a spokesman for the regional parliament said
Wednesday.

"Presidential elections are required 50 days before the end of the
current head of state’s term," parliamentary spokesman Mikael Hajian
told AFP.

President Arkady Gukasian, elected in 1997 and 2002, is
constitutionally barred from running for a third term.

Armenian forces seized Nagorny Karabakh from Azerbaijan during a war
in the early 1990s that claimed an estimated 35,000 lives and forced
about a million people on both sides to flee their homes.

A ceasefire was signed in 1994, but the two countries have cut direct
economic and transport links and failed to negotiate a settlement on
the status of the enclave.

ARMENIA: DEMANDS FOR VOTER PASSPORTS SPARK ELECTION CONTROVERSY
by Gayane Abrahamyan

Eurasianet, NY
April 4, 2007

Reports of pro-government political parties allegedly seizing voter
passports has become one of the most controversial issues surrounding
the conduct of Armenia’s May 12 parliamentary elections. While both
the ruling Republican Party of Armenia and the influential Prosperous
Armenia Party have denied any involvement, opposition parties charge
that the practice could seriously affect the outcome of the vote.

Rosa Sanasarian, a 72-year-old resident of Yerevan’s central Avan
neighborhood, told EurasiaNet that she was forced to hand over her
passport data to district officials to receive a two-month social
welfare payment. The officials stated that they needed the information
to register Sanasarian for the funds.

"People from the district administration told me to vote for the
Republican Party, otherwise they threatened to take away my "paros"
said Sanasarian, in reference to her bi-monthly allowance.

Not all voters, however, object to handing over their passports. In
Charbakh, a suburb of Yerevan, Gurgen Mkrtumian, a 62-year-old
construction worker, said that he handed over to Prosperous Armenia
Party members the passports for all five of the voters in his family
in exchange for 25,000 drams (about $70).

"The party that’s been chosen to win will be elected no matter whether
I vote or not," Mkrtumian explained. "I will at least get the money I
need very much." Mkrtumian said that he intends to stand by his pledge
to vote for Prosperous Armenia in return for the cash. "I have taken
the money and I have given my word as a man," he said.

Members of Armenia’s opposition claim that Prosperous Armenia, named
the frontrunner in many opinion polls, and the ruling Republican Party
of Armenia (RPA) are using the passport scoops to avoid detection of
more overt forms of vote manipulation on election day by international
observers, who are expected to scrutinize this vote more heavily
than usual.

"People are told ‘Look, we take your passport or your passport data
and we will later check whom you have voted for. We have given you a
bribe, so you vote for our candidate,’" charged Grigor Harutyunian,
a member of the political council of the People’s Party of Armenia,
one of the main opposition parties in parliament. "’We will know if
you don’t and it won’t be good for you,’" he claimed voters are told.

Ruzan Khachatrian, a board member of the People’s Party of Armenia,
claims that the practice is not limited to targeting adults alone.

"The passport data are shamelessly gathered even at schools," she
claimed. "The school principals are mainly members of either Prosperous
Armenia or the Republican Parties and force children to bring in
their parents’ passports, promising high grades in return for them."

Both the Republican Party and Prosperous Armenia Party have strongly
denied that they are involved in collecting passports or paying voters
for the information.

In a March 15 meeting with journalists, Parliamentary Speaker Tigran
Torosian, who holds the number two spot on the Republican Party’s list
of candidates, affirmed that the party "has not instructed anyone to
collect passports or [to take] any such kind of steps."

Torosian, however, stopped short of giving guarantees that election law
violations would not occur during the campaign. "The RPA has several
tens of thousands of members. Who can claim to be able to supervise
the activities of these several tens of thousands of members? Nobody,
I think," Torosian said.

On March 7, Deputy Parliamentary Speaker Vahan Hovhannisian, a member
of the ruling council of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, a
member of Armenia’s ruling coalition, called on voters not to give
out their passports and passport numbers, warning that the practice
was a crime.

Meanwhile, economist Vardan Bostanjian, a member of Prosperous
Armenia’s political council and a party list candidate, maintains
that Prosperous Armenia has no need to use "artificial" means to win
votes. "The party has 370,000 members and these people have joined it
because of affection [for the party] and because of their beliefs,"
Bostanjian told reporters on March 22.

Passport grabs are not the only controversy to have marked the
parliamentary campaign, however. Considerable debate has dogged the
activities of a charitable organization connected with Prosperous
Armenia leader Gagik Tsarukian. Wheat and potato seeds have been
distributed to farmers for sowing, free medical care provided in
the regions, and buses provided to transport university students
into Yerevan free of charge. [For details, see the Eurasia Insight
archive]. The Republican Party and opposition People’s Party have
also reportedly undertaken various charitable activities.

Armenia’s election code does not provide clear guidance on how to
qualify such handouts. The code prohibits charitable acts by political
parties only during the official election campaign period.

The campaign for the May parliamentary vote starts on April 8 and
lasts until May 10. The code does not specify how the restrictions
apply to the pre-campaign period.

Nor is the problem a new one. Surveys performed by the Regional
Development Center and Transparency International Yerevan indicated
that 75 percent of voters during Armenia’s 2003 parliamentary vote
had been offered financial incentives to favor a certain party or
candidate.

NOTES: Gayane Abrahamyan is a reporter for the ArmeniaNow online
weekly.

LAVROV SATISFIED WITH HIGH LEVEL OF RUSSIA-ARMENIA RELATIONS

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
April 4, 2007 Wednesday

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov "is satisfied with a high level
of relations between Russia and Armenia and effective cooperation
in international organisations." The Russian minister gave this
judgment to Russian-Armenian relations, summing up the results of the
negotiations with the Armenian leadership. Lavrov rounded off his visit
to Armenia on Wednesday and went on a working trip to Turkmenistan.

Upon arrival in Yerevan on Tuesday, the Russian foreign minister
held talks with his Armenian counterpart Vartan Oskanyan and met
with President Robert Kocharyan on Wednesday. The visit of the
Russian minister is timed to the 15th anniversary of establishing
diplomatic relations between the two countries. The sides "stated with
satisfaction a growing dynamics of political dialogue, intensification
of trade and economic cooperation, noticeable progress in humanitarian
and interregional relations." The talks focused on the implementation
of the agreements the presidents of Russia and Armenia reached during
the Sochi summit last January.

The sides praised highly "the current level of bilateral cooperation in
all directions, which creates possibilities for expanding partnership,
and noted a high level of cooperation within the framework of the CIS
and the CSTO." During the negotiations a special emphasis was laid on
"improving bilateral cooperation within the framework of universal
and regional international organisations, particularly the UN, OSCE
and the Council of Europe."

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was given priority at the meeting between
the foreign ministers of Russia and Armenia. "The conflict pretends
to be called unique, as in the practical aspect the interests of
the United States, Russia and the European Union do not contradict
each other, and with the conflicting parties as well," Lavrov
emphasized. "The Minsk OSCE Group has drafted a concrete project,
which allows for loosing the knot, but the final say is with the
leadership of Armenia and Azerbaijan." "We praise highly the efforts
the sides are taking to settle the conflict," the Russian minister
remarked. "Russia will be ready to act as a guarantor of agreements,"
Lavrov indicated. The ministers "noted the importance of continued
coordinated efforts to counteract international terrorism, transborder
organized crimes and other modern challenges and threats."

The sides "expressed mutual interests in further broadening of
Russian-Armenian multifaceted and mutually beneficial partnership,
which promotes the development of integration processes in the CIS
states, acts as a substantial factor of maintaining peace and stability
in the Caucasus."

In Yerevan the Russian foreign minister visited the memorial to the
victims of genocide in Armenia. Lavrov laid down a wreath of flowers
to the memorial and planted a fir tree on the alley of honorary
guests. On Wednesday, the Russian minister spoke for students and
professors of the Yerevan State University, met with Catholicos of
the Armenian Apostolic Church Garegin II, and had a meeting with
Russian compatriots living in the republic.

The Russian foreign minister left for Ashgabat after his Armenian
visit. During his visit to Turkmenistan Sergei Lavrov is expected
to meet with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov and his
Turkmen counterpart Rashid Meredov.