Author: Antonian Lara

DISTINGUISHED PARTICIPANTS

A1+
[05:37 pm] 15 June, 2007

It is a great honour for the Swedish Parliament to host the 3rd
Council of Europe Forum for Democracy.

And it is a true pleasure for me to welcome you all to the Swedish
Parliament. Sweden has taken over the important task to chair this
Forum after last years Forum in Russia. Next years Forum will be held
in Spain.

You will travel back through Swedish Parliamentary history as you
move later this afternoon from the Plenary Hall to the Former 1st
and 2nd Chambers. In 1971 Sweden changed from a two-chamber system
to a unicameral system. Tonight you will move from our capital to
the historical city of Sigtuna.

Sweden is known as one of the worlds oldest democracies. What
is referred to as the First Swedish Riksdag meeting dates as far
back as 1435. Many years later, in 1766, Sweden took an important
step towards full-fledged democracy as freedom of press came into
force. When our constitution was written in 1809, nearly 200 years
ago, the fundaments of our parliamentary democracy was completed. The
pillars of the parliament ~Aã deciding the state budget, making laws
and exercising scrutiny of the government ~Aã were finalized. In
Sweden, the creation of the Ombudsman system has proved to be one of
our most successful inventions to safeguard the rights of the citizens,
an invention that has been extensively exported. For newly established
democracies, the development of parliaments capacity to scrutinize
governments is of highest importance for safeguarding the democracy.

Not only new and emerging democracies need to fight for the values of
democracy. Every nation needs to work constantly in protecting and
promoting the values of democracy and Human Rights. In the Swedish
Parliament we work on a daily basis to promote gender equality,
multi-cultural dialogue and pluralism. We strive to find actions
against intolerance and various forms of discrimination. Major formal
decisions are taken here in the Chamber. But also small steps are
important to strengthen fundamental rights of every individual.

The initiative of the Council of Europe to hold a series of conferences
on Democracy, gathering representatives from parliaments, governments,
local and regional bodies and non-governmental organisations is worth
every support.

It is only through open and frank exchange of views that we reach out
to new and emerging democracies. It is only through broad and public
debates that we reach out to the citizens of our countries.

I am confident that this Forum will form a major contribution to
further strengthening our joint democratic endeavour.

International cooperation, dialogue and exchange of experiences
are crucial to guide us through future action at national and local
levels. We need a lively debate to reach way outside this plenary
hall. Todays debate in Stockholm should be tomorrows discussions in
our respective countries. Each and every one of us can contribute in
our different capacities.

–Boundary_(ID_S2Z6vtEax7IfLhdRlzKKpQ )–

RULING NEW AZERBAIJAN PARTY PREFERS TO DISCUSS ISSUE OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

TREND News Agency, Azerbaijan
June 14 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr. Trend S.Ilhamgizi / The Deputy Chairman of
ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP), MP Ali Ahmadov, said commenting on
the party’s participation in Karabakh Forum organized by the opposition
that the ruling party prefers to discuss the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh
with international organizations that may assist in resolving the
problem, but not to discuss it within the country. He stressed that
responsible State bodies are functioning in the direction of the
conflict settlement. To resolve the conflict, Azerbaijan’s President,
Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister, Elmar Mammadyarov, are continuing
peaceful talks with Armenia.

According to Ahmadov, the basic participation of the Azerbaijani
community and political parties in this process may be their support
to the works and talks implemented by the State Head and their unity.

"Of course, the position of Azerbaijani society in Nagorno-Karabakh
issue is unanimous. Everybody wishes to see a solution to this conflict
and restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

Therefore, we consider that we should present the conflict to
discussions outside the country. We should try to inform the
international community of Azerbaijan’s goal and position," Ahmadov
said.

Ahmadov said that NAP’s absence from the events dedicated to the
Karabakh issue does not mean that their part is indifferent towards
the complicated situation. "On the contrary, NAP tries to assist in
resolving the conflict in a more beneficial manner," Ahmadov said.

According to him, NAP made a prompt reaction to the statement of
Russian Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Yuri Merzlyakov, who changed
his position afterwards.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries started in 1988
due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenia has
occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani lands including the Nagorno-Karabakh
region and its seven surrounding districts. From 1992 to the present
time, these territories have been under Armenian occupation. In 1994,
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a cease-fire agreement at which time
the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group
(Russia, France and USA) are holding peaceful negotiations.

PRESS RELEASE
The Heritage Party
31 Moscovian Street
Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 53.69.13
Fax: (+374 – 10) 53.26.97
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website:

June 13, 2007

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN TO HEAD HERITAGE DELEGATION

Yerevan–Today the Heritage Party’s parliamentary group held its first
meeting at its office in the National Assembly. The meeting adopted
the by-laws of the Heritage delegation, and then elected Raffi K.
Hovannisian as its chairman and Stiopa Safarian as its secretary.

In addition, MP Larisa Alaverdian was nominated to represent Heritage
in the Parliament’s Standing Committee on European Integration, Vardan
Khachatrian in its Committee on Defense, National Security and
Internal Affairs, Anahit Bakhshian at the Committee on Science,
Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Stiopa Safarian at the Committee
on Foreign Relations, Zaruhi Postanjian at the Committee on State and
Legal Affairs, and Armen Martirosian at the Committee on Social
Affairs, Health Care and Environment.

Founded in 2002, Heritage has regional divisions throughout the land.
Its central office is located at 31 Moscovian Street, Yerevan 0002,
Armenia, with telephone contact at (374-10) 536.913, fax at (374-10)
532.697, email at [email protected] or [email protected], and website
at

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT: EFFECTIVE REFORMS ARE THE PROSPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY

ArmInfo
2007-06-12 15:20:00

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan met General Executive director of
"millennium challenges" corporation, Ambassador John Danilovich and
the members of the delegation headed by him, Tuesday.

As press-service of the president informed ArmInfo, the president said
about the importance of cooperation between the Armenian government
and Millennium Challenges Corporation, as well as supporting of the
programmes directed to deepening of reforms and resolving of important
for the republic problems.

He also added that overcoming unequal development of the capital city
and the regions is one of the important problems. For his part, John
Danilovich was pleased with the level of bilateral cooperation. He
shortly presented future programmes of the corporation and the results
of his discussions on the future programmes with representatives
of the Democratic Party which is the majority in US Congress. the
country’s development via the effective reforms>, – Robert Kocharyan
said. He also added that the results of the parliamentary election
allow to continue the chosen way.

Touching on the election, John Danilovich said that their results are
very much important for the corporation too. For his part, Kocharyan
added that the shortcomings and violations over the election were
revised in details and members of some election commissions were
made answerable.

NOBODY WILL TAKE TERRITORIES UNLESS WE RETURN

Lragir.am
12-06-2007 17:54:42

In commenting on the meeting of the presidents of Armenia and
Azerbaijan in Saint Petersburg Igor Muradyan, political scientist,
said no crucial issue regarding the conflict over Karabakh was
discussed there, it was another portion of pressure on the sides
which is determined by geopolitical processes. "It’s just another
portion of pressure. They need to deploy missiles. Who needs this
Gabala? These missiles are related to European policies. The United
States are in panic when Europe gets a little out of control. The
policy of connecting Eastern Europe to NATO and the European Union is
the project of the United States, aimed, on the one hand, to having
a reliable partner in Europe, and on the other hand, to divide Russia
and Western Europe. The events in Ukraine are against not only Western
Europe but also Russia," Igor Muradyan says.

According to him, it is pointless to discuss the statement by the
speaker of the upper chamber of the Russian Duma Sergey Mironov that
there is hope to sign an agreement by the end of this year. "There
are always people in Russia who try to present the government policy
in a peculiar way. First Primakov used to do it, now the speaker was
entitled to this role, an unserious man, who is neither a political
nor an administrative figure. He is a man who talks too much. He
was entitled to this role. This man has no idea of the process,"
Igor Muradyan says.

He thinks the status quo is favorable for Russia, simply Russia
is afraid that the issue may be solved under the United States’
concept because, according to Igor Muradyan, the power which builds
a nuclear plant and solved the Karabakh issue will become dominant
in the region. "The uncontrollable territories are tools of missile
strategy. As soon as a problem of missiles occurs, debates on the
issue of territories are sparked," Igor Muradyan says.

He says the best period for Karabakh is not the office of Arkady
Ghukasyan but the office of George Bush. The political scientist
says at least the Republicans in the United States leave it up to
conflict sides to seek a solution with the assistance of the United
States, meanwhile the Democrats come to solve, and God knows what
solutions they will come up with. "The only hope is that they are
not the classical Democrats, they are other Democrats, not Clinton’s
Democrats. Even this woman Hillary, she is not Clinton’s wife but a
figure with a quite different thinking," Igor Muradyan says.

According to him, nobody will take these territories unless we return.

However, Igor Muradyan says the American party had proposed to
leave three liberated territories to Karabakh, as well as to grant
the right to make a decision on the status: either part of Armenia
or independence. Igor Muradyan thinks they are trying to persuade
Azerbaijan to be satisfied with less to get something at least. "We
will agree if Azerbaijan agrees.

Meanwhile, our leadership has such a stance. They are told the same,
they accept someone’s proposal as the future reality. Therefore, they
want to get ahead of the events. And what does it mean? It means to
sell the lowlands of Karabakh, exchange it in return for their posts,
Igor Muradyan says." He says this is the problem that worries the
Armenian government; if the issue of territories will emerge sooner
or later, it is necessary to make best use of it for the sake of power.

Meanwhile, without these territories not only Karabakh but also
Armenia will stop existing, Igor Muradyan says. According to him, after
giving away these territories no people will remain in Karabakh. "No
one will remain in Karabakh after returning the territories, and it
will become a picnic spot."

PRESS RELEASE
The Heritage Party
31 Moscovian Street
Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 53.69.13
Fax: (+374 – 10) 53.26.97
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website:

June 12, 2007

HOVANNISIAN, HERITAGE ENTER PARLIAMENT

Yerevan–Heritage Party chairman Raffi K. Hovannisian and his six
colleagues from Heritage’s proportional list picked up their
parliamentary mandates today from the Central Election Commission.

Armenia’s first ombudswoman Larisa Alaverdian, theology professor
Vardan Khachatrian, educator Anahit Bakhshian, political scientist
Styopa Safarian, civil rights lawyer Zaruhi Postanjian, and university
lecturer Armen Martirosian then joined Hovannisian in walking to the
National Assembly building on Baghramian Boulevard and taking their
place in the Republic’s legislature.

Heritage, which most observers agree earned an overwhelming vote of
confidence in its first-ever parliamentary elections and in fact took
first place in Yerevan, was later officially registered with but six
percent of the total vote. In view of this glaring manifestation of
vote theft, Heritage had not taken part in the National Assembly’s
opening session pending last Sunday’s judgment of the Constitutional
Court on the validity of the polls.

Founded in 2002, Heritage has regional divisions throughout the land.
Its central office is located at 31 Moscovian Street, Yerevan 0002,
Armenia, with telephone contact at (374-10) 536.913, fax at (374-10)
532.697, email at [email protected] or [email protected], and website
at

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

AGBU School Alumnus & Teacher Appointed to Head Montevideo Philharmonic

Uruguayan-Armenian conductor, Alvaro Hagopian, has been appointed the
musical director of the Philharmonic Orchestra of Montevideo for
popular music programs in the South American nation of Uruguay. A
teacher of Armenian music at the AGBU Nubarian-Manoogian School in
Montevideo, Hagopian has also taught at the local Nersesian
Educational Institute and directed AGBU’s "Grung" choral group since
1993.

A native of Montevideo, Uruguay, Hagopian is an alumnus of the AGBU
Nubarian-Manoogian School and a graduate of both the Falleri-Balzo
Conservatory and the University of the Republic’s School of Music,
where he studied orchestral administration with Federico Garcia Vigil.

A longtime aficionado and authority on Armenian music, Hagopian has
helped popularize the genre to non-Armenian audiences through his
performances with orchestras throughout the Americas and Europe.

Before his appointment as musical director late last year, Hagopian
has had many opportunities to work with and conduct the Philharmonic
Orchestra of Montevideo, including as maestro for a major performance
of Mozart’s opera "The Magic Flute," pianist and assistant director
for the Orchestra’s "Tango Galas" Egyptian tour, and supervisor to the
"Adagio at Zitarrosa" series of concerts.

For more information on the AGBU Nubarian-Manoogian school in
Montevideo, Uruguay, please visit

For more information on AGBU’s schools and cultural groups around the
world, please visit

40 new centres of VivaCell will function in Armenia in 2007

ArmInfo
2007-06-08 18:05:00

A total of 40 new centres of the second mobile communication operator
VivaCell will function in Armenia in 2007.

As ArmInfo was informed from the press-service of VivaCell, 12 new
VivaCell service centers have been already launched in Abovyan,
Etchmiadzin, Charentsavan, Goris, Qajaran, Megri, Stepanavan, Ararat,
Masis and Yeghvard cities and in the villages of Tsaghahovit and
Baghramyan, and another 22 service centers are scheduled to be launched
by the end of June 2007."VivaCell has a huge customer base now across
the country, in all towns and villages of Armenia. Taking this into
consideration, we have to do our best to make our services and products
accessible to the population ", said the General Manager of VivaCell
Ralph Yirikian during the press briefing to announce the opening of the
second generation of VivaCell regional service centers. After opening
20 service centers both in Yerevan and marz centers
during the previous two years, the Company is now extending its service
centers network in the regions of Armenia.

GABALA RADAR BASE JOINT USE NOT TO TELL ON ARMENIA’S RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA AND U.S.

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.06.2007 16:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The core of Vladimir Putin’s proposal on joint with
the U.S. use of the Gabala radar base is not the implementation of
the project but cooperation possibilities, political scientist Stepan
Grigoryan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Azerbaijan will benefit from this proposal, according to him. "Actually
Azerbaijan assumes significance in the region. However, there are
negative aspects as well. The Muslim world can disapprove such
cooperation. Furthermore, Baku will arouse Iran’s circumspection,"
he said.

"However, this cooperation will not tell on Armenia’s relations with
Russia and United States," he added.

Vladimir Putin told Bush their two countries could use Gabala radar
system in Azerbaijan to develop a shield covering all of Europe,
during talks at the G8 summit.

Mr Putin said the base could detect incoming missiles from so-called
rogue states aimed at Europe or the U.S.

THE LARK FARM TO OPEN 4TH GOLDEN APRICOT FILM FESTIVAL

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.06.2007 15:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Lark Farm shot by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani will
open the 4th Golden Apricot film festival to be held in Yerevan July
9-14, festival founder Harutyun Khachatryan told a news conference
in Yerevan. Taviani brothers, scriptwriter Antonia Arslan and some
actors will attend the premiere, he said, Novosti Armenia reports.

The Lark Farm is a joint work of Italy, Spain, UK, France and Belgium
with a 9.7 million-euro budget.

The film examines the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by Turkish forces
in 1915. Paolo and Vittorio Taviani have sought to recreate the events
of the period by concentrating on the fate of one Armenian family.

The film’s screenplay is based on a novel by Antonia Arslan-a
literature professor now living in Italy-and deals with the history
of Arslan’s family, a respectable middle-class Armenian family living
in a provincial Turkish city.

Golden Apricot, which is rated as the most prestigious in the region,
will kick off in Charles Aznavour Square, at the Moscow cinema.