Author: Boshkezenian Garik

ARMENIA SHOULD KEEP DISTANCE FROM HISTORY TO NORMALISE RELATIONS WITH TURKEY
Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
March 15 2006
YEREVAN – “Armenia should maximally keep the distance from the
history. Only in this case normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations
is possible”, expert, political scientist Stepan Grigoryan stated in
an interview with Armenian PanARMENIAN.Net news site.
In his words, ARF Dashnaktsutyun is guilty in conclusion of the Moscow
Treaty on March 16, 1921, which signed it on behalf of Armenia. “It was
exactly when we lost everything and the Kars Treaty, signed October 13
of the same year, merely fixed that loss,” he remarked. In his words,
no party will win anything in case of revision or denouncement of
the Moscow Treaty.
“I am repeating, if we do not refer to history, but start establishing
relations with Turkey, it will notably weaken Azerbaijan’s position
in the region. In fact Armenia is able to break the Turkey-Azerbaijan
tandem for its interest”, Grigoryan emphasized.
Dr. Nilgun Gulcan from ISRO aggrees Grigoryan: “Armenians live in the
past more than today. They are obbsessed with the past. They made the
1915 a legacy and first one to believe was themselves. They live in
a created world not in the 21st century. Ankara has made enermous
efforts to normalise the relations, however no one step has been
taken by the Yerevan Governmet. Good relations between Turkey and
Armenia would help both sides. We need dialogue even to discuss the
past. Without dialogue both side can only create more biases.”

LAND BERLIN COURT PREVENTED POLICE FROM PROHIBITING “TALAAT PASHA ACTION”
PanARMENIAN.Net
15.03.2006 21:52 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The court of Land Berlin yesterday evening prevented
the police from prohibiting the so-called Talaat Pasha Action scheduled
for March 18-19. However the human rights advocating organizations
and political figures supported the police and censured the court’s
decision, which will be appealed in the supreme legal instances. They
called upon the leadership to bar actions targeted at denial of
genocides and crimes of war, reported Yerkir Media TV Channel.
To remind, the other day the German police barred a series of rallies
the Turkish organizations planned to hold in Berlin in mid March. The
prohibition was based upon Article 189 of the German Criminal Code,
which bars to express “disrespect for the dead”. In its statement
the German authorities used expression “dead in 1915” to avoid term
Armenian Genocide. The rallies are planned to start with an event
titled Talaat Pasha Action within “Big Program – 2006” initiative
advanced by a number of Turkish political figures urging the Bundestag
to withdraw the Resolution on the Armenian Genocide.
It should be also reminded that in 2005 the Bundestag apologized to
the Armenian people and adopted a resolution saying that Germany being
an ally to Turkey during World War I bears responsibility for the
Armenian Genocide. The Resolution also calls upon Ankara to recognize
the Armenian Genocide.

US EMBASSY IN ARMENIA ONCE AGAIN REFUTES REPORTS OF POSSIBLE WITHDRAWAL OF AMBASSADOR JOHN EVANS
YEREVAN, MARCH 14. ARMINFO. The US Embassy in Armenia has once again
refuted the reports of possible withdrawal of Ambassador John Evans.
This followed the Mar 10 letter of Congressman Frank Pallone,
Co-Chairman of the Armenian Issues Caucus, to US Secretary of State
Candoleezza Rice, where he expressed his extreme disappointment that
Evans “is being forced from office based upon truthful and forthright
statements last year about the Armenian Genocide” and asked for an
explanation as to why Evans was removed from his post.
To remind, in a briefing Mar 7 Evans said that like all diplomats he
served his president. Nobody can expect to hold his office for ever.
He said that he did not know when he was to leave Armenia, but he had
not personally sent in his resignation. He said that he did not know
for how long he would stay in office, but he would stay US ambassador
to Armenia until he went onboard the plane to leave the country.
In this turn, Deputy Assistant Deputy of State for Europe and Eurasia
Matthew Bryza told journalists in Yerevan that there were no plans of
Evans’ withdrawal. He called him an excellent leader of an excellent
team. He said that he would prefer not to comment on the president’s
decisions, including those concerning staff changes.

ARMENIA AGREES TO COVER EXPENSES OF BAKU-BASED TRASECA SECRETARIAT
Armenpress
Mar 14 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS: Armenian constitutional court ruled
today that an agreement signed by Armenia on funding of the TRASECA
secretariat that is seated in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, does
not breach the constitution.
Transport and communication minister Andranik Manukian said all 12
members of TRASECA agreed in 2005 April to provide funds for the
secretariat to cover its expenses, which were earlier covered by the
European Commission. Manukian said the secretariat’s annual budget
makes 600,000 euros and each country’s contribution will be about
50,000 euros.
He also said the European Commission will provide 2 million euros for
examination of the technical condition of Yerevan-Tbilisi railway,
as well as 1,800,000 euros for repair of destroyed sections of the
railroad. Armenia has already received 5.5 million euros from the
European Commission as part of TRASECA program.
OSCE OFFICE HELPS OPEN AARHUS CENTER IN TAVUSH YEREVAN, MARCH 14,
ARMENPRESS: The OSCE Office in Yerevan has supported the opening of
an Aarhus public environmental information Center in the capital of
Armenia’s Tavush province, Ijevan.
“The Center will promote public access to information, participation
in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters —
the three main pillars of the Aarhus Convention ratified by Armenia
in 2001,” said Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, the Head of the OSCE
Office. “Serving as a unique link between governmental authorities
and non-governmental organizations in the field of environmental
policy-making and awareness raising, the Center will help create a
climate of transparency in environmental affairs and contribute to
the democratization and good governance in the region.”
The OSCE Office in Yerevan supports the establishment of a network
of Aarhus Centers in Armenia to promote the principles and values of
the international Aarhus Convention and to address security related
environmental issues.

HUNGARIAN COURT TO ISSUE AZERI OFFICER’S VERDICT MID-APRIL
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
March 9 2006
Baku, March 7, AssA-Irada
The Azeri officer charged with killing an Armenian colleague at a
NATO course in Budapest in 2004 stood trial on Tuesday.
The proceedings started with the presentation of the last forensic
expertise that examined the officer’s psychological condition during
the crime. Its results overlapped with those of the first expertise,
which does not favor the defendant, the Azeri embassy in Hungary said.
Armenia insists on the accuracy of the first examination indicating
that Safarov’s actions were premeditated, while the defense says he
was in emotional distress when reacting to the Armenian officer’s
insults of the Azerbaijani state and people, which is confirmed by
the second and third one. Under Hungarian laws, the defendant may
face from 15 years to life in prison for his actions.
Defense lawyer Adil Ismayilov said that the judge referred to the
first expertise, which was drawn up prior to the trial, i.e. during
the investigation, but did not approve the last two examinations
which are likely to mitigate the sentence.
Ismayilov said that in conclusion, the court scheduled two final
sessions of the trial. The closing statements will be heard on April 4,
to be followed by the issuance of a verdict on April 13.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DANIEL FRID TO VISIT YEREVAN AND BAKU
Prime News Agency, Georgia
March 9 2006
Tbilisi. March 09 (Prime-News) – Daniel Frid, Deputy Secretary of
State on Europe and Eurasia, will visit Yerevan and Baku.
Sean McCormack, official representative of the US Department of State,
stated about that to journalists.
According to him, Daniel Frid will visit the region the next week.
Aim of the visit will be to discuss results of the recent meeting
between Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents in France.

YEREVAN UNDERGROUND CELEBRATES THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY
YEREVAN, MARCH 10. ARMINFO. On March 11 the Yerevan
Underground(Subway) aft.
K. Demirchyan CJSC will celebrate its 25th anniversary by an official
opening and a concert at Arno Babajanyan Concert Hall.
In an interview to ARMINFO, Director of the Underground ( Subway)
Vahagn Hakobyan mentioned that nearly 800 million people has been
using underground ways starting from the day of its
foundation. According to his data, the daily number of passengers is
50 000 people, with 6,000 of them being exempts.
Despite the one way ticket payment is 50 drams, the cost value is 92
drams, he underlined. V. Hakobyan stated that the remaining 42 drams
are subsidized by the RA State Budget. Thus, in 2005 the subsidies
made up 697 million drams, in the current year this figure will be
increased by 177 million drams. V.
Hakobyan mentioned also that the wages fund of underground personnel
was increased by 11 million drams in January 2006 due to the
assistance of Yerevan Municipality, which became the 100% shareholder
of the Underground in accordance with a relevant Governmental
decision. Since January 2006 the wages of the employees increased by
20%, and the average wages are now 54 000 drams.
According to V. Hakobyan, introduction of an electronic card system
instead of the present token system is currently settled, as well as
acquisition of new equipment, and water draining problem and
automation of all systems are being considered. 400 mill drams are
necessary for settlement of all the above problems, V. Hakobyan
says. For this purpose the Yerevan Underground is negotiating with
World Bank, RA State Government and Yerevan Municipality. The director
mentioned that during 2005 Underground CJSC received 145 million of
the 400 million with help of the Municipality. In fact, two escalators
were repaired. V. Hakobyan said under the Master Plan of Yerevan in
2010 a new underground station “Ajapnyak” will be put into
exploitation, with some $5 million have already been spent on the
construction. Three more stations will be put into operation by 2020.
At present 10 underground stations are operating in Yerevan with the
railway runs 12.1 km. The number of employees of “Yerevan Underground
CJSC aft K.
Demirchyan is 1,200 people, including 55 having 20 year of length of
service and 100 have been working in the infrastructure since the very
day of its operation on March 7, 1981.

Zaman, Turkey
March 11 2006
UK: No Armenian Genocide Took Place
By Foreign News Desk, Istanbul
Published: Saturday, March 11, 2006
zaman.com
Apparently, the British government does not regard the 1915-16
incidents during the Ottoman era as “Armenian genocide.”
In a letter sent by the British Foreign Ministry upon the initiatives
of a UK-based Turkish institution, it is stated the incidents do not
fit the category of genocide. British diplomats speaking to Zaman
also confirmed this. London refutes the claims in the Blue Book (Mavi
Kitap) that caused a crisis between Turkey and UK. The book, said to
be “the biggest support” for the so-called Armenian genocide, claimed
more than 1.5 million Armenians were slaughtered during the
incidents.
The Committee for the Protection of Turkish Rights (CPTR) fighting
against the claims of Armenian genocide with the participation of
various non-governmental organizations has reached a new point in
their works. The committee has been trying to annul the unilateral
“so-called genocide” decisions of the municipalities of Gwynedd and
Edinburgh and has obtained a letter from the Foreign Ministry about
the result of a meeting it held with top level ministry officials.
According to the letter, the evidences on the incidents “are clearly
far from convincing the British government.” Therefore, “the 1915-16
incidents do not fit the definition of genocide in the UN Convention
on Genocide in 1948.” The letter also points out “it is very hard to
fully understand the incidents that took place more than 90 years ago
and developed under the circumstances of the First World War,” and
reasserts that the official view on this issue is quite “clear”.
British diplomats Zaman met in London said the 1915-16 incidents are
a massacre and tragedy, but confirmed they do not have sufficient
evidence to describe the incidents as genocide, according to the UN
Convention on Genocide in 1948.
British sources added both the present and former governments
followed the same line for the 1915-16 incidents. The fact that the
British Foreign Ministry clarified its attitude about the Armenian
incidents has been appreciated by the Turks.

OSCE MG: SPRING 2006 IMPORTANT MILESTONE IN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT
PanARMENIAN.Net
13.03.2006 18:33 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Spring 2006 is an important milestone in resolution
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, US Department of State Senior
Advisor for Eurasia, OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Steven Mann stated
upon his arrival in Baku. “We think we will achieve considerable
results in 2006,” Mann said, reporting that during the two-day visit
to Baku he is scheduled to have meetings with Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov. The discussions
will focus on the resolution of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. He is also
scheduled to hold meetings with representatives of civil society and
entrepreneurs. Mann accompanies Assistant Secretary for European and
Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried during the latter’s regional visit to
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, and Turkey. On March 14-15, Assistant
Secretary Fried will meet with Georgian officials, while March 15-16
he will hold talks in Yerevan. On March 16 Mr. Fried will depart
for Ankara, Turkey, and will return to the United States on Friday,
March 17, Trend agency reports.

CE SECRETARY GENERAL SENDS FOLLOW-UP LETTER ABOUT SECRET PRISONS TO ARMENIA
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 13 2006
YEREVAN, March 13. /ARKA/. Secretary General of the Council of Europe
Terry Davis has written to Armenia as a follow-up to his inquiry in
the context of the alleged CIA secret prisons and rendition flights
in Europe. According to the CE Yerevan office, Davis has written
to the Foreign Ministers of 37 of the 46 Council of Europe member
states asking to complete or clarify their replies in response to
his initial request of 21 November 2005. According to the press
release, letters were also send to the following countries: Andorra,
Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark,
Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova,
the Russian Federation, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine and United
Kingdom. The deadline for the replies to the follow-up letters has
been set for 7 April.