Author: Antonian Lara

REPORTS OF POSSIBLE SETTLEMENT OF MESKHETI TURKS IN SAMTSKHE JAVAKHETI
IS PROVOCATION
MOSCOW, JUNE 6. ARMINFO. The reports of possible settlement of
Meskheti Turks in mostly Armenian region of Georgia Samtskhe Javakheti
is provocation, RIA Novosti reports the leader of the Go Ahead
Georgia! movement Irakly Patiashvili.
The withdrawal of the Russian base from Samtskhe Javakheti is believed
to deal a serious social and economic blow on the local Armenians for
whom the base was almost the only source of income and
employment. This will reportedly lead to the Armenians leaving the
region with Americans troops coming instead of the Russians and
Meskheti Turks replacing the Armenians as ethnic population.
Nobody is going to turn Armenians out of Javakheti while their social
problems can and must be resolved, says Patiashvili not specifying
though who might be interested in spreading such provocative reports
and how the Georgian authorities are going to resolve the Javakheti
Armenians’ problems.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian president decorates top army officers for bravery
Noyan Tapan news agency
6 Jun 05
Yerevan, 6 June: A group of servicemen of the Armenian Defence
Ministry have been awarded orders and medals for bravery and loyalty
under Armenian President Robert Kocharyan’s decree of 4 June.
The Vardan Mamikonyan Order was given to the commander of military
unit No 14018, Col Stepan Galstyan, and Deputy Defence Minister Lt-Gen
Alik Mirzabekyan, a source in the press service of the Armenian
president said.
The Fighting Cross Order of the second degree was given to the deputy
commander of military unit 14018, Col Egor Gambaryan.
The chief of the air equipment team of military unit 53661, Capt
Grachya Arakelyan, the aviation technician of the same unit, Senior Lt
Gevorg Khurshudyan, and the aviation technician, Senior Lt Artur
Nikogosyan, were awarded medals for their military contributions.

Reuters South Africa, South Africa
June 6 2005
Armenia says Eq. Guinea coup plot pilots pardoned

Mon June 6, 2005 12:25 PM GMT+02:00
YEREVAN (Reuters) – Equatorial Guinea has pardoned six Armenian
flight crew convicted last year of plotting to overthrow the
president of the tiny West African country, Armenia’s Foreign
Ministry said on Monday.
The Armenians were among dozens of foreigners jailed in Equatorial
Guinea and Zimbabwe over the aborted coup, which Mark Thatcher, son
of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, has been accused
of helping to finance.
The pardon was issued by Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang
Nguema Mbasogo, Hamlet Gasparyan, spokesman for the Armenian Foreign
Ministry, told Reuters.
The six have been held in the notorious Black Beach prison in
Equatorial Guinea’s capital, Malabo. Rights group Amnesty
International said in April they risked starving to death.
Mark Thatcher has denied any role in the coup plot.
The Armenians were employed by an aircraft leasing company to fly
cargo around Africa. They have denied being involved in the plot and
Amnesty said their trial was “grossly unfair”.

EXPERT OF VENICE COMMISSION ADVISES ARMENIANS “TO DEMOCRATIZE” THEIR MENTALITY
YEREVAN, JUNE 2. ARMINFO. If the authors of the draft constitutional
amendments of Armenia do not accept the remarks of the Venice
Commission of the Council of Europe, then Venice experts will be very
disappointed and come out with the same strict statement they made
recently. Member of the Venice Commission Gianni Buquicchio stated
after the meeting with the representatives of the ruling coalition
of Armenia, who are the authors of the draft amendments.
Of course, the Venice Commission is not authorized to apply any
sanction against the countries, who does not respect its proposals,
nevertheless, the Council of Europe, European Union and OSCE consider
the opinion of the commission, he stressed. Despite the fact that
the draft amendments was considerably elaborated, three issues are
principal for the Venice Commission – to ensure balance between
the branches of power, independence of judiciary and expansion of
the authorities of local self-government bodies. According to the
Venice expert, the parties has not reached a consensus regarding
these three issues.
Mr. Buquicchio said that the meeting with the representatives of
the coalition was very effective and passed in constructive and
friendly atmosphere. Commenting on the statements of several Armenian
politicians on that the recent statement of the Venice commission was
of a political nature and was aimed to ensure parity between Armenia
and Azerbaijan in CE, Gianni Buquicchio stressed that the statement
contained only political estimation of the draft amendments. At
the same time the Venice expert expressed hope for that a document,
which meets European standards and elaborated in the atmosphere of
political consensus, will be submitted to referendum in October of
this year. He said that the Constitution of Armenia must satisfy all –
firs of all Armenians, then Europeans.
In his turn, Vice Speaker of Armenia’s National Assembly, Head of the
Armenian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe, expressed hope for that the remarks of the European experts
will be accepted. At the same time he said that serious work must be
done for that.

NOT POLICEMEN, BUT LEGISLATORS ARE RESPONSIBLE
A1plus
| 19:41:10 | 03-06-2005 | Politics |
The Venice Commission experts find the acceptance of their offers on
the law on the freedom of assembly not more important than the way
the law will be put into practice.
According to Venice Commission secretary Gianni Bukikio much depends
on the Armenian policemen. The COE is going to organize trainings
for them. NA deputy President Tigran Torosyan does not agree with
him. According to him, the policemen are the least responsible,
and the first are they – legislators.
By the way, Mr. Torosyan thinks that the amendments must be adopted
as soon as possible and there is no need to wait for new offers,
as best ideas can be born every day.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr. Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
HIS HOLINESS WILL PRESIDE OVER AN INTERNATIONAL
ECUMENICAL CONFERENCE
Antelias, Lebanon – His Holiness Aram I traveled to Geneva on June
4 to preside over a meeting of the chancery of the World Council of
Churches’ (WCC) executive committee and to hold meetings with senior
officials from the WCC.
His Holiness will also deliver the opening remarks of the international
ecumenical conference to be held in Geneva. It is the first time
ever that WCC organizes such a conference. Around 200 senior
representatives of all the world’s religions will participate
in the conference. Primate of the Diocese of Tehran, Archbishop
Sebouh Sarkissian will participate in the meeting on behalf of the
Catholicosate of Cilicia.
His Holiness will both preside over the conference and be the keynote
speaker. Rev.Fr. Masdots Tchobanian, the Christian Education officer
of the Catholicosate of Cilicia accompanies His Holiness to Geneva. The
delegation will return to Antelias in five days.
##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates
of the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the
Ecumenical activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer
to the web page of the Catholicosate, The
Cilician Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is
located in Antelias, Lebanon.

FEDERATION EURO-ARMENIENNE
pour la Justice et la Democratie
Avenue de la Renaissance 10
B-1000 Bruxelles
Tel: +32 2 732 70 26
Tel/Fax: +32 2 732 70 27
Email : [email protected]
COMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE
pour diffusion immediate
1er juin 2005
Contact :Talline Tachdjian
Tel:+32 2 732 70 26
PENALISATION DU NEGATIONNISME : POSITIONS INCOHERENTES DU PS ET DE L’EXECUTIF BELGES
— La Ministre de la Justice confirme que les evenements de 1915 correspondent bien a un genocide
— Selon elle, ce genocide n’entre pas dans le cadre du projet de loi sanctionnant le negationnisme
Bruxelles, Belgique (31 mai 2005) – La Commission Justice du Senat
a examine ce jour le projet de loi n°3-1135, visant a reprimer la
negation, la minimisation, la justification ou l’approbation du
genocide commis par le regime national-socialiste allemand pendant
la seconde guerre mondiale. Mesdames Christine Defraigne (Mouvement
Reformateur) et Fauzaya Talhaoui (SP.A-SPIRIT) ont ete proposees et
designees rapporteurs du projet de loi.
Dans son expose introductif, Mme Laurette Onkelinx (PS), Ministre de
la Justice, a affirme qu’ ” au sujet des massacres et des deportations
qui se sont deroules en Turquie ottomane en 1915, a titre personnelle
et en tant que femme politique, [elle] souscrit totalement a la
resolution adoptee par le Senat en 1997 “. Elle ajouta que ” ces faits
correspondent bien aux critères enonces en 1948 par la Convention des
Nations unies […] pour definir le crime de genocide “. Cependant,
la Ministre a precise qu’ ” au nom de la separation des pouvoirs ,
elle se refuse a voir initier des poursuites sur base de l’opinion d’un
homme ou d’une femme politique ou sur base d’une decision ou d’une
resolution prise par un organisme politique “. Elle refuse ainsi de
se rallier aux amendements demandant la prise en compte du genocide
des Armeniens dans ce projet de loi, considerant que ce serait une
double violation du principe de separation des pouvoirs.
Durant les debats, differents senateurs ont exprime le souhait
d’auditionner des experts sur cette question. Le Senateur Alain
Destexhe a precise que le refus meme d’employer le mot de genocide
etait une forme de negation, en faisant reference aux propos du
Ministre bruxellois Emir Kir (PS).
M. Jean Cornil (PS) a rappele la position de son parti qui condamne
les massacres de 1915, en rappelant du bout des lèvres qu’il s’agissait
bien d’un genocide, dont il a neanmoins minimise la portee en precisant
qu’il n’avait pas ete reconnu par une juridiction internationale et
que ” seul un tribunal international pouvait qualifier l’histoire “.
Mme Isabelle Durant (Ecolo) s’est dit prete a retirer son amendement
pour ” faire le nettoyage necessaire ” dans le cadre du travail sur
ce projet de loi, mais qu’elle ne souhaitait pas omettre la question
du genocide armenien. Elle proposa une reconnaissance effective de
ce genocide par l’adoption d’une loi identique a la loi francaise
reconnaissant ” publiquement le genocide armenien de 1915 “.
A la question posee par M. Marcel Cheron – ” Que se passe-t-il si
dans ce pays un citoyen minimise le genocide armenien ?
La loi de 1995 est-elle applicable ? ” – le President de la Commission
Justice, Hugo Vandenberghe (CD&V) et Mme Onkelinx ont repondu par
l’affirmative s’il y a incitation a la haine.
Parmi les dix amendements deja deposes, certains, comme celui de Mme
Isabelle Durant et M. Marcel Cheron (Ecolo), et de M. Roelants du Viver
(MR), Christine Defraigne (MR), Alain Destexhe (MR) et Jean-Marie
Cheffert (MR), demandent implicitement l’inclusion du genocide
des Armeniens dans l’article 8 du projet de loi en se referant aux
resolutions adoptees par le Parlement belge et/ou europeen.
D’autres, adoptent une formulation plus explicite, comme l’amendement
des senateurs MR qui proposent de nommer specifiquement quatre cas
de genocide averes, ” le genocide des Juifs et des Tsiganes commis
pendant la seconde guerre mondiale, le genocide des Tutsi et Hutus
moderes commis par le regime Habyarimana et le Hutu Power au Rwanda,
le genocide des Cambodgiens commis par le regime des Khmers rouge
et le genocide des Armeniens commis par le regime Jeune-Turc sous
l’Empire Ottoman “.
Les amendements presentes par Mme Clotilde Nyssens (Centre democrate
humaniste) et par M. Willems (VLD), prefèrent maintenir le projet de
loi tel qu’il est actuellement, a savoir sans la mention du genocide
de 1915.
“Ceux qui s’abritent derrière les juridictions internationales
savent pertinemment qu’elles ne sont pas mandatees pour qualifier
et pour condamner le genocide des Armeniens. Toutes ces juridictions
n’ont pu etre mises en place que sous l’impulsion et avec la volonte
des autorites politiques ” a precise Laurent Leylekian, Directeur
de la Federation Euro-Armenienne. ” Il n’y a donc pas de scrupules
legalistes a avoir en la matière car c’est bien au legislateur de dire
le Droit. Mais si reellement la Ministre de la Justice est genee par
de telles considerations, elle devrait en coherence avec elle-meme
proposer et defendre la creation d’une juridiction internationale
chargee de juger le crime imprescriptible de l’Etat turc ” a conclu
Laurent Leylekian.
Le projet de loi sera a nouveau a l’ordre du jour de la Commission
Justice du Senat mardi prochain. Cette dernière examinera et votera
les amendements deposes.
#####
–Boundary_(ID_KNl9NFyU84Y17DgnNkTawQ)–

KARABAKH HOLDS MORE DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS THAN AZERBAIJAN
Armenpress
BAKU, JUNE 2, ARMENPRESS; Azerbaijani defense minister Safar Abiyev
urged Thursday a delegation of top US officials to place pressure on
Armenia and force it to give back several Armenian-controlled regions
around Nagorno-Karabakh.
“We want a peaceful resolution of the conflict … For this to
happen Armenia must first of all pull out its troops from Azerbaijani
territories..
Let them not force us to take other measures,” he was quoting as
telling to Charles Wald, deputy commander of US forces in Europe,
Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel and James McDougal, a senior official
of the Department of Defense. Charles Wald said that the US is for
a negotiated settlement of the conflict. Wald was the first US top
official who announced two years ago during a visit to Azerbaijan about
US plans to deploy “movable military bases” in Azerbaijan. Experts
say he may have discussed this issue in Baku Thursday.
In a related development chairman of Nagorno-Karabakh central election
commission, Sergey Nasibian, tossed aside statements in Baku that
the June 19 parliamentary elections are not valid. Nasibian said the
people of Karabakh had settled the issue of their political status
back in 1991 declaring its independence from Azerbaijan.
“Nagorno-Karabakh is a de facto established sovereign state that holds
legitimate presidential, parliamentary and local government elections,”
he said, adding also that preparations for transparent and democratic
June 19 elections go ahead. He also cited international observers’
assessments of previous polls in Karabakh, who described them as
more transparent and fair than polls in Azerbaijan. He then shrugged
off Azerbaijani allegations that polls in Karabakh would jeopardize
efforts for peaceful regulation of the conflict.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KHALAFOV: BAKU CAN AGREE WITH ARMENIA BEING PROVIDED WITH ADDITIONAL ARMS IN NO WAY
Pan Armenian News
31.05.2005 03:12
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ When commenting on statements over transferring to
Armenia the Russian arms, being withdrawn from Georgia, Deputy Foreign
Minister of Azerbaijan Khalaf Khalafov stated, “While Armenia pursues
an aggressive policy against Azerbaijan and occupies part of our
territory, providing still more arming of the aggressor country will
have a negative impact on the peace process and on the strengthening
of security and stability in the region on the whole. Azerbaijan can
agree with it in no way.” Having accentuated that the South Caucasus
refers to a region, on which the treaty on Conventional Armed Forces
in Europe spreads, Khalaf Khalafov urged all countries of region to
refrain from actions threatening the security and stability, Regnum
news agency reported.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

President’s meeting with OSCE intermediaries not elaborated
Baku, May 27, AssA-Irada
President Ilham Aliyev discussed settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict over Upper Garabagh with the mediating OSCE Minsk Group (MG)
co-chairs on Friday. The gist of the meeting is not disclosed.
French co-chair of the OSCE MG Bernard Fassier told a news conference
later on the same day that the meeting with Aliyev, which was not
originally scheduled, took place on the initiative of the Azerbaijani
President.*