Author: Boshkezenian Garik

RUSSIAN ACCOUNTS CHAMBER CONGRATULATES SARGSYAN ON APPOINTMENT AS PRIME MINISTER OF ARMENIA

Arka News Agency, Armenia
April 9 2007

YEREVAN, April 9. /ARKA/. Head of the RF Accounts Chamber Sergey
Stepashin congratulated Serge Sargsyan on his appointment as Prime
Minister.

Stepashin reported in his message that he has known Sargsyan as
a statesman and a loyal patriot, and regards this appointment as
a worthy appreciation of the selflessly devoted activity in the
difficult years of restoration of the Armenian independence.

Stepashin expressed confidence that the Armenian-Russian relations
will keep developing in the interest of both countries.

TURKEY SUSPENDS NEGOTIATIONS WITH "GASE DE FRANCE" BECAUSE OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
By Paruyr Qeshishian

AZG Armenian Daily
10/04/2007

The construction of the "Nabuco" gas pipeline, which is to connect
Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungaria, is suspended due to reasons of
political matter. On April 5 the "Botas" company, Turkey, stopped
negotiations with "Gase de France" on the construction of the
pipeline’s Turkish part.

According to official Ankara, the talks were stopped because of the
official position of France on the Armenian Genocide.

According to the legislation adopted by the French Parliament in
October 2006, denial of the fact of the Armenian Genocide is a
punishable crime. The law will finally come into power after being
approved by the Senate and the President of France. In that case
Turkey’s membership in the EU will become seriously dubitable.

Three days before the negotiations with "Gase de France" were suspended
"Nouvelle d’Armenie" revue published a statement of Segolene Royal,
socialist candidate for the post of the President of the French
Republic, that he shall approve the law about the Genocide in case
of being elected.

IN SERGE SARGSIAN’S WORDS, CHANGES ARE NOT ENVISAGED YET IN GOVERNMENT STAFF AND PROGRAM

Noyan Tapan
Apr 06 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 6, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsian
participated on April 6 in the annual general meeting of the RA
National Academy of Sciences where results of the 2006 scientific
and scientific-organization activity of the RA NAS were discussed. As
Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Government’s Information and Public
Relations Department, the Prime Minister in future envisages to meet
with scientists of the Academy and intellectuals of the republic to
more closer get acquainted with the problems they are interested in.

After the meeting, responding journalists’ questions connected with
the RA Government’s and Prime Minister’s future activity, S. Sargsian,
particularly, mentioned: "I do not think that serious changes must
be in the government staff now as there are almost 40 days to work,
and it will be our most important problem to secure continuation of
the government works. However, no change is envisaged at the moment."

S. Sargsian does not think that any changes must be in the program
of the government activity. However, in his words, the Government
must send the program to the National Assembly. The Prime Minister
mentioned that after the elections that political force which will
make the government, must already send a new program to the NA.

Touching upon the issue of appointments of the National Security
Secretary Council and Defence Minister, S. Sargsian abstained from
foretelling.

TIME TO SHIFT FROM COMPLIMENTARY TO BALANCE POLICY
By Ruzan Pogosian

AZG Armenian Daily
06/04/2007

The policy of the Armenian authorities, which is accepted as a
policy of complimentarism, is reaching the point where it cannot
be applied any longer. New processes in the world policy bring
forth new geopolitical circumstances as split of South Caucasus
and American-Iranian difficulties, which are forcing to revise
the complimentary policy of Armenia. Ruben Safrastian, head of
the Oriental Studies Institute of the Armenian National Science
Academy, during a discussion at the "Pastark" politics club said that
the new policy of Armenia must be based upon balance rather than
complimetarism. He is sure that such shift in foreign policy will
strengthen the positions of Armenia in the relations with both its
allies and rivals. Mr. Safrastian considers that proceeding with the
policy of complimentary will sooner or later result in sheer isolation
of Armenia and difficulties with its partners.

Safrastian noted that Azerbaijan will benefit from the possible war
against Iran and that Armenia must be ready for rapid actions. The
policy of the United States diminished the influence of Iran, which
provided balance of forces in South Caucasus, and strengthened the
positions of Turkey. Nevertheless he assured that the actions of the
USA will never be aimed against Armenia directly. He also said that
it is inconsistent to draw parallels between Iraq and Iran, as Europe
and Russia are not inclined to perceiving Iran as a nest of Islamism
as it was the case of Iraq. Safrastian assured that military actions
against Iran in any case wont’ be started earlier than May 2007.

To the opinion of Ruben Safrastian the run for world recognition of
the Armenian Genocide must be continued by all means. Giving it up
would mean offending the national dignity of the Armenian people,
threatening the influence of the Armenian lobbies worldwide and the
integrity of Armenia and Diaspora. He stated that the recognition of
the Genocide is not only a national interest of Armenia, but is also
associated with the modern global processes.

AS OF APRIL 4, OBSERVERS OF 13 LOCAL AND 4 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS REGISTERED AT RA CEC

Noyan Tapan
Apr 05 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Central Electoral Commission
(CEC) refused on April 4 the accreditation applications of the
"Scarp Resort Center" and "Syuniats Ashkarh" educational-cultural
and social NGOs for implementing observations at the parliamentary
elections. The reason is absence of issues of democracy and human
rights protection in the latters’ regulations. As a result of an
additional study of the regulations of the "Gyumri Students’ Council"
NGO, the CEC decided to accredit the latter’s observers.

So, observers of 13 local and 4 international organizations have
already been accredited to implement observation mission at the
parliamentary elections.

The deadline for accreditation of observers is May 2.

‘NO ELECTION CAN BE PERFECT’

A1+
[08:56 pm] 05 April, 2007

CIC 9 countries are engaged in the NA forthcoming elections. Leader
of CIC observers’ mission Vladimir Rushaelo met Garegin Azaryan,
chairman of RA CEC as well as other CEC members.

Vladimir Rushaelo has told the reporters that they dwelt over a number
of issues concerning the upcoming elections. Today the observer mission
has opened a headquarters in Yerevan and plan to open 4 more in RA
regions.’ We intend to visit all 41 election sites, and on the very
election day – over 60% of electoral stations. Our long-term staff
will work in the initial stage. It is not implemented only in Armenia,
but in all over the world. The latter allows observing the election
procedures and the preparatory works. We need to have 29 observers;
the list of the names is already agreed,’ mentions Vladimir Rushaelo
and adds that the number of the observers may exceed 150 on May 12.

‘At present we work with RA Executive bodies to decide how many people
we will need taking into account site administrative situation, the
number of the candidates running for the elections and other issues
peculiar to the Republic of Armenia.’ CIC acting secretary states.

Presently, the Mission group is studying RA Legislation, particularly
RA Electoral Code which greatly differs from general international
norms. The group has reached to the conclusion that Armenia should
be guided by legal norms due to International Election Convention.

What concerns free and transparent elections, Rushaelo noted that
"No election is pure and sterile. Some technical shortcomings are
inevitable." The observer mission group will make the final results
public based on the questionnaire formed by the group.

Mr. Rushaelo assures, "We are not going to give preference to any
candidate; our main goal is to make RA NA elections take place
according to RA Electoral Code."

ARMENIAN BRANDY IS BETTER THAN FRENCH: RUSSIA’S FM

Arminfo
2007-04-04 15:33:00

Â"Excuse me, Mister Caroff but the Armenian brandy is better than the
French oneÂ", Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov told President
and Director General of the Yerevan Brandy Company, having tasted a
little of "ArArAt" brandy.

During his visit to YBC, Sergey Lavrov had highly appreciated the
Company’s traditions. The Russian FM appended his signature on the
Barrel of Peace, that should be opened the day of signing a peaceful
agreement on Nagorno Karabakh.

During the excursion, Director General of YBC Herve Caroff told
the Russian guest that the Company produces 6 mln bottles of brandy
annually, 90% of which are for export. According to him, the lion’s
share of the brandy export falls on Russia, that is 2,5 mln bottles.

To note, the YBC is a constituent part of Pernod Ricard French group
of companies, the second producer of alcohol drinks on a global scale.

–Boundary_(ID_eEkoWgRqDKuylpcIxOZoVA)–

BRITISH ARMENIAN GROUP IS THE LARGEST LOBBY ORGANIZATION IN BRITISH PARLIAMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.04.2007 15:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 114 British parliamentarians are for recognizing
the Armenian Genocide by the United Kingdom, Co-Founder and honorary
Secretary of the British Armenian Group Odette Bazil stated to a news
conference in Yerevan on Tuesday. She said, in order to include the
resolution in the agenda one third of signatures of the 665-member
parliament are necessary.

"For this purpose the British Armenian Group cooperates with other
organizations, which protects rights of victims of other genocides,"
she said adding that it is difficult to deal with pro-Armenian lobby
in the United Kingdom, since very influential Turkish and Azeri lobby
organizations work there.

O. Bazil also said that from the moment of establishing the group the
organization has rather enlarged and reached certain success. "When
the group was established only 6 parliamentarians were included in it,
and now their number has reached 106. This is the largest lobby group
in the British Parliament," she noticed.

O. Bazil informed the British Armenian Group also cooperates with
extraparliamentary organizations of the Armenian community in Great
Britain, particularly with "Armenian Solidarity" and "Nor Serund"
(New Generation), "Novosti Armenia" reports.

KARABAKH SETTLEMENT TO BE A CENTRAL TOPIC OF OSKANIAN-LAVROV MEETING

ArmRadio.am
03.04.2007 12:08

In response to the question of RIA Novosti about the expectations
from Sergey Lavrov’s visit to Armenia, RA Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian said: "We attach great importance to this visit primarily
because such visits on the high level are necessary for maintaining
the pace of development of bilateral relations. The visit is also
important for us from the perspective of the opportunity of getting
familiar with Russia’s stances on the processes ongoing in our region,
in the immediate neighborhood and on the global levels. I’m sure a
useful exchange of opinions will launch on the situation in Iran,
the Kosovo issue, Russian-Georgian relations, the reforms in most
important international organizations and other urgent issues.

Minister Lavrov’s visit overlaps with the 15th anniversary of
establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Russia, and
it will enable us to evaluate the way passed and plan the future deeds.

Certainly, the bilateral relations are deep and the agenda is broad,
Armenian-Russian relations are developing in all directions. We shall
discuss all these issues, laying an emphasis on issues of cooperation
in the spheres of security, transport and energy. The settlement of
the Karabakh issue will be a central topic of discussion.

RF FOREIGN MINISTER TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA ON OFFICIAL VISIT ON APRIL 3

YEREVAN, APRIL 2, NOYAN TAPAN. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
will arrive in Yerevan on official visit on April 3. As Noyan Tapan
was informed from RA Foreign Ministry Press and Information
Department, during the visit RF Foreign Minister will meet with RA
President Robert Kocharian, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and
Acting Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian.

On April 3, S. Lavrov will meet with V. Oskanian. The meeting will be
follo wed by Ministers’ joint press conference. The same day Russian
Foreign Ministry’s delegation will visit Tsitsernakaberd where a
ceremony of laying a wreath to the memorial of victims of Armenian
Genocide will take place.

The next day S. Lavrov will visit Yerevan State University where he is
to make a speech.