Author: Badalian Vardan

IS ARF DASHNAKTSUTYUN READY TO "DIVORCE?"

A1+
[06:42 pm] 19 September, 2007

If the Republicans decide to repeal the agreement on collaboration
with the coalition, the ARF Dashnaktsutyun is ready. "We accept all the
three options, to recall our minister, to send ministers on holiday at
the pre-election period and finally, the ARF Dashnaktsutyun is ready
to work in the same way," ARF Dashnaktsutyun Supreme Body member Armen
Rustamyan said in response to the Republican’s astonishment at the
fact that the ARF Dashnaktsutyun will have its presidential nominee.

Rustamyan condemned the general belief that everything is
predetermined, "This is a means to distort the political sphere,
to stir up passiveness and lead to stagnation."

Armen Rustamyan also explained the party’s decision to name two
candidates. By nominating Armen Rustamyan and Vahan Hovanisyan to
the presidential election Dashnaktsutyun practiced the experience
of developed political systems. "If we are considering a party’s
commitment to democracy, the party should first display democracy
inside it. It is one of the simplest and most important expressions
of democracy," Armen Rustamyan says.

The ARF Dashnaktsutyun member gave a positive answer to the question
whether it means that Armen Rustamyan and Vahan Hovanisyan will be
competing to win over the ranks of the party. "It is going to be
an open and transparent competition. We will have meetings with our
ranks in the regions, invite supporters, present our approaches and
our points of views. The logic of Dashnaktsutyun is: no matter who
is selected, people will eventually support Dashnaktsutyun," Armen
Rustamyan says.

According to Rustamyan, the difference is that of persons. "I may
put the stresses in my way, and Vahan in his way. We share ideas,
nevertheless there is difference in style."

In reply to the question, why Serge Sargsyan does not support the
ARD Dashnaktsutyun, Rustamyan said, "I think it inadmissible that
the president and the parliament majority should present the same
political force as the mechanism of checks and balances does not work
in that case." Armen Rustamyan says being part of the coalition or
collaborating with the coalition does not mean you have no right to put
up a presidential candidate. "First, we are not against Serge Sargsyan.

We are not guided by the idea of being against someone. We are not
looking for enemies in this country. On the contrary, we want to
bring everyone together for the sake of something. They may tell
us that our visions are not for the sake of something but against
something, there are no such problems, you gave the wrong evaluation
of the problems. They’re welcome, let us have a debate, argue about
the subject, the problems instead of humiliating and defaming one
another," Armen Rustamyan says. He says the ARF Dashnaktsutyun is
ready for a political, ideological debate.

What will the ARF Dashnaktsutyun do in case Serge Sargsyan decides
to retrieve the Dro or Vahan Hovanisyan +30 case to make the party
more obedient?

"They can recall. We also have a lot to recall. Let them recall. We
have openly presented our biography, our past to people, and everyone
knows everything," Armen Rustamyan said coldly. "People can see and
understand everything."

Ideological struggle only with Levon Ter-Petrosyan Armen Rustamyan
has a normal attitude toward Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s nomination to
the presidential election. "In addition, it will be better if he is
nominated," Armen Rustamyan says.

According to him, the nomination of the former president will be
helpful to the presidential election in terms of politics and
ideology. "I know that when we were opposition, there were two
ideologies in the Armenian reality: one was nationalistic, the other
was cosmopolitan, internationalist," Armen Rustamyan says, stressing
that if Levon Ter-Petrosyan runs in the race, the race will have much
more ideology.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT AWARDS MEDALS AND TITLES TO SCIENTISTS

ARKA
18/09/2007 20:55

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan signed a decree on Tuesday
awarding medals and titles to scientists on the 16th anniversary of
the republic’s independence, presidential press office reports.

Surb Mesrop Mashtots medal was awarded to academician Vladimir
Barkhudaryan for contribution to history science.

Ph Dr Vazgen Gabrielyan, a professor at Yerevan State University got
Movses Khorenatsi Medal.

Ph Dr Vazgen Melikyan, the director of education department of
Synopsis-Armenia, and Academician Alpik Lazarian got honorable titles.

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email [email protected]
Internet

PRESS RELEASE
September 19, 2007
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

SENATOR MURRAY, CONGRESSWOMAN RICHARDSON COSPONSOR ARMENIAN
GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

— Both are First-Time Supporters of Federal Armenian Genocide
Legislation

WASHINGTON, DC – In a sign of the growing momentum toward the
adoption of Congressional legislation recognizing the Armenian
Genocide, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and newly elected
Representative Laura Richardson (D-CA), this week, added their
names as cosponsors of this human rights legislation, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

"Armenians in Washington, California and around the nation are
encouraged to see Senator Murray and Representative Richardson –
both first-time supporters of federal legislation commemorating the
Armenian Genocide – join the growing Congressional majority in
support of the recognition of this crime against humanity," said
Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. "We look forward
for Members of Congress – at long last – to have the opportunity to
steer America back to the right side of this fundamental issue of
justice and basic human rights."

Prior to her election to the House this August, in a special
election following the death of Congresswoman Juanita Millender-
McDonald, Representative Richardson had pledged in a letter to the
local ANC-South Bay chapter that she would cosponsor H.Res.106.

The House version of the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.106,
was introduced on January 30th by lead author Rep. Adam Schiff,
along with Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA), Congressional Armenian
Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI),
Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Rep. Thaddeus
McCotter (R-MI). With Rep. Richardson’s support, the legislation
now has 226 cosponsors.

A similar resolution in the Senate (S.Res.106), introduced by
Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. John Ensign
(R-NV) currently now has 32 cosponsors, including Senate Majority
Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton
(D-NY). Both resolutions call upon the President to ensure that
the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate
understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human
rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the United
States record relating to the Armenian Genocide.

The ANCA website – – provides an opportunity for
activists to send a free ANCA WebFax urging their legislators to
make public statements in support of the Armenian Genocide
Resolution. Below is text from a memo sent by the ANCA to
Congressional offices this week outlining seven key areas of
support for the Armenian Genocide Resolution.

#####

Armenian Genocide Resolution: H.Res.106

1) Majority support: H.Res.106 has been cosponsored by more than
225 Representatives from 39 states.

2) Bipartisan support: H.Res.106 enjoys strong support among the
House Democratic leadership, as well as among senior Republicans,
including the House Republican Policy Committee Chairman, Chief
Deputy Minority Whip, and the Ranking Members of the Rules,
Education and Labor, Judiciary, and Armed Services committees.

3) Committee support: H.Res.106 has been cosponsored by 23
members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. An identical
resolution considered by this same panel in the 109th Congress was
supported by both the Chairman and Ranking Member and passed
overwhelmingly by a vote of 40 to 7.

4) Grassroots support: The Armenian Genocide has been officially
recognized, through legislation or proclamation, by 40 U.S. states.

5) Coalition support: H.Res.106 is supported by the Genocide
Intervention Network, National Council of Churches, American
Values, Jewish groups including the Zionist Organization of America
and Americans for Peace Now, as well as by a diverse coalition that
includes organizations representing the Ukrainian, Greek, Filipino,
Polish, Hungarian, Arab, Bulgarian, Latvian, Romanian, Lithuanian,
Slovakian, and other communities.

6) Academic support: H.Res.106 has been endorsed by the
International Association of Genocide Scholars, the leading group
of experts in Holocaust and genocide studies.

7) International support: The Armenian Genocide has been
recognized by a growing number of nations, including Canada, Italy,
Sweden, Belgium, France, Argentina, Russia, and Switzerland.

"IF THE AIM IS MEETING, IT IS MORE SECURE TO ARRIVE VIA ARMENIA"

KarabakhOpen
18-09-2007 11:40:13

Vahram Atanesyan, leader of the Democratic faction and chair of
the Standing Committee of External Relation of the NKR parliament,
says Azerbaijan’s claims that the representatives of international
organizations should arrive in Karabakh via Azerbaijan are not an
obstacle. "If it were a problem, Azerbaijan would have hindered
the visit of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to Karabakh. A number
of international officials have arrived in Karabakh along the
road Goris-Stepanakert over the past 15 years, including the CoE
Secretary General Terry Davis. In other words, if there is a wish,
Azerbaijan’s claims which are heard all the time can be ignored. I
think the European officials who refer to it as an obstacle to their
visit are simply reluctant to come. The EU’s special representative
for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby who has been stating about
his likelihood to visit Karabakh cancelled his visit. I think Peter
Semneby has not made up his mind about what and to who he is going
to talk in Stepanakert," Vahram Atanesyan said.

The member of parliament said in 2001 the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs
arrived in Karabakh via the Azerbaijani border so it is not news. He
thinks it does not mean anything. "The point is not the way to visit
Karabakh but the kind of contacts. Since opening the corridor in
1992 a lot of foreign politicians have visited Karabakh via Armenia,
and it did not change the attitude of the international community and
organizations toward Karabakh and the Karabakh issue. It is necessary
to focus on essential issues and the developments underway in the
region and outside it," Vahram Atanesyan said.

He thinks we must keep up with the economic and communication
competition to remain a geostrategic factor in the South Caucasus.

"Otherwise, the historical, cultural and emotional arguments are
just arguments."

Arthur Mosiyan, the representative of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Central
Committee, sees a political context. "If the aim is meeting, it is more
secure to arrive via Armenia. This is the reality, no matter whether
Azerbaijan acknowledges it or not." He thinks by politicizing the issue
of arrival in Karabakh they impede the dialogue between the parties.

"It is high time to give an adequate response to Azerbaijan. Armenia
and Karabakh who uphold a dialogue offer a too mild stance compared
with Baku’s tough stance. It pushes Azerbaijan to make its stance
tougher, and in this context Karabakh must take adequate measures,"
Arthur Mosiyan said.

DESTRUCTION OF CHRISTIAN CEMETERIES; THE AZERBAIJANI PROVED TO BE TALENTED STUDENTS OF OTTOMAN-TURKS

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.09.2007 GMT+04:00

Once again Baku confirmed the fact that all the statements about the
imaginary "genocides" of the Jewish and Russian Nations committed by
the Armenians are nothing but an attempt to hide their own deeds.

After destruction of a medieval Armenian cemetery in Old Jugha in
Nakhichevan and understanding that for destroying old cemeteries
Azerbaijan will maximum have to fear of some reproach from EC and even
UNO, Baku now headed for the cemeteries where Christians and Jews
are buried. With the unacceptable excuse of motorway construction
Christian cemeteries, where a large number of Armenians, Jews and
Russians are buried, are being destroyed in Baku.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ As the Chief Engineer of Civil Service Trust
Firuz Askerov announced, "The rumors about pulling down the graves
in Narimanovski Cemetery are mere fabrications. They are here to
work on the construction of the road near the cemetery." According
to him, up to this day 134 graves have been moved from this cemetery
to the Cemetery of Govsanakh. F. Askerov mentioned that besides Azeri
graves there are also Russian, Georgian, Tatar graves in the cemetery
(by the way, there was no mention about the Armenian graves). He
underlined that "only the graves which impede the construction works
will be removed."

Nothing was mentioned about the dates of the completion of the
construction works.

According to the co-chairman of the Russian community in Azerbaijan
Alexander Alekseev, at present, by instructions of officials,
using the building machinery supposedly for the road construction,
burial places and gravestones are being destroyed. "The instruction
of the Baku mayor itself is not correct from juridical point of view,
since according to the sanitary regulations decision of 1977, which is
still in force, before any construction works are carried out on the
territory of cemetery, the cemetery must be closed for 50 years. This
cemetery is not closed, it still functions, and the last funerals in
this very cemetery were registered two weeks ago," said A. Alekseev.

What is going on in cemetery at the moment may be qualified as nothing
else but vandalism; graves and gravestones are being destroyed,
150 m of the cemetery has already been covered up with earth, there
are no trees left. Destruction of more than 100 graves is more than
just a crime. If the reburial is necessary, it can be done in a more
civilized way, the way it is accepted all over the world. The Jewish
News Agency says, that according to several members of Jewish Diaspora
in Baku, "the ones working on the cemetery dig the graves and treat
the bodies of Jewish people buried there as debris." The director of
the cemetery said that there had been no problems with the relatives
of the deceased so far.

There is nothing new or surprising about the way Azeri treat the
deceased. It is the country’s policy of extermination of people of
other nationality. Russian and Jewish cemeteries in Azerbaijan will
have the same fate as the Armenian cemeteries in Sumgait, Gandzak,
which were destroyed and cleaned out. The Armenian graves made of
marble were swept away, and after the notes on the gravestones were
erased, they were sold as construction materials. The Armenian Church
in Gandzak is turned into chaikhana, the Armenian temples in Karabakh
are left in ruins. The Azerbaijani proved to be talented students of
Ottoman-Turks; as it is well-known they also pulled down more than
3000 memorials of the Armenian Architecture. Thus Baku’s unwillingness
to allow the UNESCO Mission on cultural memorial protection and the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Mission to visit
Azerbaijan is more than understandable. Once again Baku confirmed
the fact that all the statements about the imaginary "genocides"
of the Jewish and Russian Nations committed by the Armenians are
nothing but an attempt to hide their own deeds.

NKR PARLIAMENT APPROVED PRIME MINISTER’S CANDIDACY

armradio.am
14.09.2007 14:57

At a special plenary sitting the National Assembly of the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic approved Arayik Harutyunyanï~^’s candidacy for the
Prime Ministerï~^’s position.

ArmInfo correspondent reports from Stepanakert that all 32 MPs present
at the sitting voted for the candidate.

Let us remind that September 10 NKR President Bako Sahakyan sent
a letter to the Parliament, in which he nominated the President of
the ï~^"Free Motherlandï~^" Party Arayik Harutyunyan for NKR Prime
Ministerï~^’s position.

–Boundary_(ID_6b5M1FSNGDIYeTaWigtU+Q)- –

ROAD TO FINALS STARTS TO CLEAR

uefa.com
Thursday 13 September 2007
Switzerland

This week’s UEFA EURO 2008~Y qualifiers have moved several teams
to within touching distance of next summer’s finals, but with games
still left in October and November, so far all that can be said for
sure is that co-hosts Austria and Switzerland will be there.

uefa.com examines the seven groups, each of which carry two qualifying
places.

Group A Poland drew in Portugal and Finland this week to maintain
first place. Finland are two points behind but the same distance
ahead of Portugal after they conceded a late equaliser on Wednesday
at home to Serbia. That team are a further point back, though both
the Portugal and Serbia have four games left rather than three in the
sole eight-nation group. On 13 October Poland welcome Kazakhstan,
Portugal visit bottom side Azerbaijan, Finland visit fifth-placed
Belgium and Serbia go to Armenia.

Group B Scotland’s stunning 1-0 win in France took them to the top
of the group, one point ahead of Italy following their 2-1 triumph
in Ukraine. France, whose only two defeats have been inflicted by
Scotland, are a further point back, with Ukraine six more adrift though
they have a game in hand. Scotland play Ukraine on 13 October, as
Italy meet Georgia and France go to the Faroe Islands. Italy’s trip to
Scotland on 17 November is the only remaining meeting of the top three.

Group C Reigning champions Greece came away from Norway with a 2-2 draw
to remain two points clear with a game in hand. Turkey joined Norway
on 17 points as they defeated Hungary 3-0, though still have to meet
their two main rivals, while Bosnia-Herzegovina are four points behind
after a surprise home loss to bottom team Moldova. That nation are
Turkey’s 13 October opponents, with Greece playing Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Four days later Norway go to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Turkey meet Greece.

Group D Leaders Germany sat out Wednesday’s qualifying action but
their position was strengthened as the Czech Republic, in second,
beat the third-placed Republic of Ireland 1-0. Germany, who have
four games to go rather than their main rivals’ three, lead the Czech
Republic by two points with Ireland now six adrift of second place. A
draw in Ireland on 13 October would book Germany’s qualification,
while an away win would also take the Czech Republic through. The
top two then meet in Munich four days later.

Group E Croatia remain unbeaten at the top and defeated Estonia and
Andorra this week to go three points clear. England’s 3-0 wins against
Israel and Russia have lifted them to second, and lead their Wembley
victims by three and two points respectively. England play Estonia
in the only 13 October game and four days later Croatia could all
but seal qualification with a home win against Israel, and indeed
victory will be enough if Russia do not defeat England in Moscow.

Group F Sweden sat out Wednesday’s action and were joined on
19 points by Spain, who beat Latvia 2-0, though the Scandinavian
nation have a game in hand. Own-goal defeats for Northern Ireland in
Latvia and Iceland have left them three points behind, with Denmark
two further back, though like Spain they still have four fixtures
remaining. Denmark welcome Spain on 13 October while Sweden go to
Liechtenstein.

Group G The Netherlands needed a late goal to win 1-0 in Albania,
and like Romania now have 20 points from eight games. Still unbeaten,
the top two play in Romania on 13 October while Bulgaria, two points
back but with one fewer fixture remaining after defeating Luxembourg
3-0, are not in action that day.

OPPOSITION MAY JOIN FOR MONEY

Lragir.am
12 Sept 2007

On September 11 Arshak Sadoyan, leader of the Alliance of National
Democrats, called the opposition leaders not to step up black PR
against one another. "I call the opposition figures to be appropriate
and avoid mutual denouncement," Sadoyan said, ARKA reported. In
commenting on the meetings of the opposition leaders initiated by
Paruir Hairikyan, he said the meetings are a waste of time. "Instead
of solving abstract issues we must solve definite problems," Sadoyan
said. According to him, it is necessary to create a joint mechanism
to control the election.

He said the opposition may come together before the presidential
election due to financial problems. Arshak Sadoyan also said in
the upcoming election he will support the leader of the National
Democratic Union Vazgen Manukyan. "Vazgen Manukyan may be the main
opposition candidate," said the leader of the National Democrats.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH U.S. EMBASSY THE VANADZOR AMERICAN CORNER OPENED IN ARMENIA

Lragir.am
12-09-2007 15:43:00

On September 12, in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Armenia
was officially opened the Vanadzor American Corner, the U.S. Embassy
reported.

In his opening remarks Ambassador Rudolf Perina, U.S. Charge d’Affaires
a.i. said, "This American Corner will make accessible to the residents
of Vanadozor and Lori Marz the diverse resources available at the
Corner and will facilitate the dialogue and mutual understanding
between Armenia and the United States."

American Corners are small American-style libraries located throughout
the world that help increase mutual understanding between the United
States and the host country. A network of over 370 American Corners is
operating globally through partnerships between the U.S. Department
of State and local host organizations. American Corners provide
information about America in a variety of formats, including reference
books, works of fiction, journals, and videos. These resources focus
on such topics as studying in the United States, American society,
U.S. history, conducting business in the United States, and English as
a Second Language. The Corners also provide computers with Internet
access, and offer a variety of public programs including speakers
and workshops. The American Corners are open to the general public
and access is free of charge.

Currently American Corners are in operation in Yerevan, Gyumri and
Vanadzor. Soon, on October 1 the U.S. Embassy will open the American
Corner in Kapan.

American Corner program officially started in Armenia in 2005. The
Corners hold a variety of public events, including "Americans at the
American Corner" public lecture series in English by U.S. diplomats
and "Armenians at the American Corner" Armenian presentations by
USG education and exchanges program alumni, American movie showings,
and English conversation club meetings initiated by U.S. Peace Corps
volunteers.

PM SERGE SARGSYAN CONDOLES WITH IAN PORTERFIELD’S FAMILY

armradio.am
12.09.2007 15:11

RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan extended condolences connected
with the death of Ian Porterfield, the chief coach of the Armenian
national football team. The Prime Minister’s message of condolence
says, in part:

"It was with great pain that I learnt about the untimely death of
the chief coach of the Armenian national football team Ian Porterfield.

During the short term of his activity he managed to give new breath
to the national team of Armenia. The results of his work found their
expression not only on the score-boards, but also became a source of
inspiration for thousands of football fans and faith for all of us.

I deeply mourn the loss. I extend my condolences to Ian Porterfield’s
family and friends, his trainees and all football-loving people
of Armenia."