Author: Antonian Lara

Armenia denies knowledge of US plans to deploy radar in Caucasus

ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow
2 Mar 07

Yerevan, 2 March: Armenia has not received any official information from the
USA on the possible deployment in the country of elements of an anti-missile
defence system, an official spokesman of the Armenian Foreign Ministry,
Vladimir Karapetyan, told ITAR-TASS today.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry has learnt about the US plans to deploy a
missile-tracking radar in the Caucasus from the press, the diplomat said.
[Passage omitted: background]

Armenian opposition accuses international organizations of backing
authorities

Arminfo
2 Mar 07

Yerevan, 2 March: Participants of the rally held by the Alternative
movement in Yerevan today issued a petition to international
structures, accusing them of indirectly backing the incumbent
authorities in Armenia.

In their letter to the OSCE, PACE [Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe], EU and diplomatic missions [of foreign countries
in Armenia], they criticized them for recognizing the rigged results
of the 2003 presidential and parliamentary elections, and the November
2005 constitutional referendum. The petition also calls to change the
way observers monitor elections, suggesting that they should observe
the voting process at certain polling stations from the beginning all
the way through.

MOST PART OF ELECTORS WILL VOTE FOR RPA’S PROPORTIONAL LIST, SERGE
SARGSIAN IS CONVINCED

KAPAN, MARCH 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The most part of electors will win for
the proportional list of RPA. RA Defence Minister, RPA Board Chairman
Serge Sargsian declared this in his interview to journalists during
his two-day working visit to Syunik region. He said that he personally
took part in making up RPA proportional list. "The list includes
party’s old figures, former deputies, ministers, who ensured economic
growth, took part in country’s development. There are also community
heads, people who have just joined the party," S. Sargsian said. The
Chairman of RPA Board who had mentioned at an occasion that expects
25% votes for RPA, said that "25% is not a very serious burden and
weight for RPA members" answering the question of a viewer of Kapan’s
Khustup TV, whether traveling about regions helps to raise their
percents. "RPA is ready to overcome a higher barrier and it is still
early to speak about percents. But traveling about regions has very
little connection with percents, elections. As a Defence Minister I
do my duty, meet with servicemen to keep the fighting efficiency of
our army," S. Sargsian said.

He refuted the statements of "many oppositionists and yellow press"
that allegedly these visits are a preelectoral campaign.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
Government House # 2, Republic Square
Yerevan 0010, Republic of Armenia
Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 565601
Email: [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE

26-02-2007

Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian Meets With
Foreign Minister of Poland Anna Fotyga

On February, 26 Minister Oskanian welcomed the Foreign Minister of Poland
Anna Fotyga, who was in Armenia on the first leg of a regional visit.

Welcoming Polish Foreign Minister on her first official visit to Armenia,
Minister Oskanian expressed his hope that this visit would significantly
bolster relations between the two countries.

The Polish Foreign Minister expressed her confidence that as a result of her
visit friendly relations between the two countries will continue to deepen
and involve new spheres of cooperation.

The Foreign Ministers emphasized the high level of bilateral political
relations, which is greatly fostered by the absence of differences on most
international issues.

During the meeting, the two colleagues shared opinions on several issues of
mutual interest. Poland is among the countries with which there is close
cooperation in the framework of the European Neighborhood Policy of the
European Union. Minister Oskanian highlighted the possibility of sharing
Poland’s experience in the process of European integration and noted that
there were already steps being taken in this direction, among them those
within the framework of Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Action Plan.

The Foreign minister of Polland expressed the readiness of her country to
assist Armenia in all possible ways in choosing cooperation spheres within
the EU Action Plan and in their further realization.
The two also discussed regional issues, among them those of energy security;
they also touched upon the current status of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
resolution process.
The meeting was followed by the signing of a memorandum on "Cooperation
between the Foreign Ministries of Armenia and Poland on European
integration, 2007-2008" and a joint press conference.

IN WORDS OF RA NAS HISTORY INSTITUTE DIRECTOR, PROCESS OF RECOGNITION AND CONDEMNATION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE FINISHED

Noyan Tapan
Mar 01 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 1, NOYAN TAPAN. "The process of recognition and
condemnation of the Armenian Genocide is finished," Ashot Melkonian,
the Director of the History Institute of the RA National Academy of
Sciences expressed such an opinion at the February 28 discussion on the
theme "Armenian Response to Propaganda of Turkey and Azerbaijan." In
his words, the fact of recognition of the Armenian Genocide by 18
countries of the world prove the Armenian people’s victory in that
issue. "If the U.S. Congress will accept or will not the resolution
on the Armenian Genocide recognition, it is minor as 36 U.S. states
has already recognized it," A.Melkonian mentioned.

"We must from now on drum issues relating to the political, legal side
of the problem," A.Melkonian said, adding: "The issue more relates
now to specialists of international studies, lawyers, politicians."

ENERGY IS A POLITICAL TOOL, POLISH FM SAYS

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.02.2007 14:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Energy has become a political tool which is used by
many states," Polish Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga said in an interview
with PanARMENIAN.Net.

"It doesn’t refer to Russia only. The current policy of "mature"
EU member states is to be somehow independent from Russia’s gas. It
doesn’t mean that we refuse from the Russian pipeline. A transit state
has a number of advantages. As to diversification of energy resources,
Poland proceeded to application of technologies of production and
export of coal. We also intend to develop nuclear energy. The energy
issues are very serious and Poland is ready to hold talks with all
partners for ensuring security priorities," she said.

FORMER COMMUNITY HEAD OF DALAR VILLAGE CHARGED WITH MURDER AND EMBEZZLEMENT

Noyan Tapan
Feb 27 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 27, NOYAN TAPAN. The Investigative Department of
the RA Prosecutor General’s Office completed the investigation of the
criminal case opened in connection with the murder of Tigran Petrosian,
community head of the village of Dalar. NT was informed about it
from the press service of the RA Prosecutor General’s Office. The
investigation revealed that while working as the community head of the
village of Dalar (Ararat marz), G. Badalian, resident of this village,
abused his official position: out of 10 million 981.7 thousand drams
collected by the village administration as land tax, property tax,
local duties, as well as payments from land and property lease and
property alienation, he transferred 8 mln 995.5 thousand drams to the
account of the village administration of the territorial treasury unit,
paid 97 thousand drams (about 276 dollars) to village resident Khachik
Harutyunian for garbage collection work, and embezzled the remaining
money – 1 mln 891.8 thousand drams. Besides, abusing his official
position, G. Badalian in 2005 collected 15 thousand kg of grain of
the total cost of 1 mln 800 thousand drams from community members –
against land tax, then in September of the same year, he collected 212
thousand drams for construction of a water pipe in Sarian Street of the
village. Of the collected sum, he spent 400 thousand drams on the pipe
construction, embezzling the remaining 1 mln 612 thousand drams. During
an inventory at the village administration in December 2005, the newly
elected community head Tigran Petrosian revealed violations committed
by G. Badalian and informed law enforcement bodies about it, as well
as in June 2006 he brought a lawsuit on nonpaid rents for leased land
plots to the court of first instance of Ararat marz. G. Badalian
decided to take revenge and kill T. Petrosian. At about 9:30 am
August 30, 2006, G. Badalian followed in his car T. Petrosian on
his way to work. Reaching the yard of the village administration’s
building, G. Badalian fired at T. Petrosian from his single-barreled
gun four times.

T. Petrosian was wounded in chest and abdomen and died on the
spot. Taking into consideraion the evidence obtained, G. Badalian was
charged according to Article 104 Part 2 Point 2 and Article 179 Part
3 Point 1 of the RA Criminal Code. On February 22 the criminal case
was sent to the court of first instance of Ararat marz for essential
examination.

POLISH FOREIGN MINISTER LAYS A WREATH DEDICATED TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE’S VICTIMS MEMORIAL

AZG Armenian Daily
28/02/2007

Polish Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga laid a wreath at the
Tsitsernakaberd Memorial dedicated to the victims of the Armenian
Genocide in Ottoman Turkey, 1915. The Polish Foreign Minister also
put a note in the Memory Book. She visited the Museum-Institute of
the Armenian Genocide and was told the history of the tragic events
of 1915. "It is impossible to forget the barbarity of the past,"
A.Fotyga wrote in the Memory Book.

To note, the Polish Seim recognized the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman
Turkey. The Armenian Genocide is also recognized by the parliaments
of Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Uruguay, Venezuela, Holland, Greece,
Italy, Canada, Cyprus, Lebanon, Lithuania, Russia, Slovakia, France,
Switzerland and Sweden.

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Feb 22 2007

FM Gül: We are all from Trabzon

"We’re all from Trabzon," said Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül
at an Ýstanbul meeting on Wednesday to support Trabzon residents in
their efforts to improve the image of the city.
"We have always been proud of Trabzon," Gül said at the Atatürk
Cultural Center, where the Trabzon Foundation and the Association for
Trabzon Residents have organized a four-day conference in order to
give a thorough picture of Trabzon.
An unemployed youth from Trabzon, Ogün Samast, 17, has been charged
with killing Hrant Dink, an ethnic Armenian writer, in Ýstanbul last
month. The man who confessed to inciting Samast, Yasin Hayal, is also
from Trabzon. In 2004 he was behind the bombing of a restaurant in
the town.
Last year, a 16-year-old boy was jailed for shooting dead an Italian
Catholic priest as he prayed in his church in Trabzon.
The people of Trabzon should not be led to anger over recent
incidents, "These are the kind of events that can happen anytime,
anywhere," Gül said.

RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEPUTY TATUL MANASERIAN: ARMENIA SHOULD REDUCE
ITS ECONOMIC DEPENDENCE ON RUSSIA

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. "Today we depend seriously on one
country – Russia, which is considered a strategical ally but this
alliance can change at any moment", RA National Assembly deputy Tatul
Manaserian said during a talk with NT correspondent. In his opinion,
Armenia should reduce its economic dependence on Russia. To
substantiate his opinion, T. Manaserian presented the situation when
Russia stopped exporting diamonds to Armenia (2003-2004).

"We received diamonds from our strategical ally by quotas, and it
formed over 50% of our exports. Exports have declined since these
quotas are no longer in effect," he said. He expressed conviction that
Armenia should try to be a diversified country both in terms of
investments and economic interests.

Responding to the question whether freedom of doing business in
Armenia is so great that the authorities state it, T. Manaserian
noted: "If you do a small business not disturbing anyone, you can do
it. But if your business, so to speak, gathers momentum, in that case
you must offer a share to the circles which consider power and
business as the same thing."