Author: Chakrian Hovsep

Majority of US House members cosponsor Armenian Genocide Resolution

armradio.am
30.06.2007 11:22

The Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.106) reached an important
milestone today with the number of cosponsors for the human rights
measure growing to 218 ` a majority of the US House of Representatives,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

`We welcome the growth of Armenian Genocide Resolution cosponsors to
the 218 threshold ` and want to extend our appreciation to Congressman
Schiff and his colleagues who helped us reach this mark, as well as to
each and everyone of the two hundred and eighteen cosponsors of this
measure,’ said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. `We look
forward in the coming days and weeks to working with our chapters and
activists across the country in maintaining and expanding the
bipartisan majority in favor of the timely adoption of this human
rights legislation.’

"In gaining 218 cosponsors, we have demonstrated that a majority of the
House strongly supports recognizing the facts of the Armenian
Genocide," said lead sponsor, Congressman Adam Schiff. "While there are
still survivors left, we feel a great sense of urgency in calling
attention to the attempted murder of an entire people. Our failure to
acknowledge these dark chapters of history prevents us from taking more
effective action against ongoing genocides, like Darfur."

Introduced on January 30th by Rep. Adam Schiff along with
Representative 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), the Armenian Genocide resolution calls 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. 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 has 31 cosponsors,
including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and presidential
candidate Hillary Clinton (D-NY).

The Armenian Genocide resolution is supported by a broad-based
coalition of over 47 human rights, religious, civic, and ethnic
organizations, including the (in alphabetical order): American
Federation of Jews from Central Europe (New York, NY), American
Hellenic Council of CA (Los Angeles, CA), American Hellenic Institute
(Washington, DC), American Hungarian Federation (Washington, DC),
American Jewish World Service (New York, NY), American Latvian
Association in the U.S. (Rockville, MD), American Values (Washington,
DC), Arab American Institute (Washington, DC), Belarusan-American
Association (Jamaica, NY), Bulgarian Institute for Research and
Analysis (Bethesda, MD), Center for Russian Jewry with Student Struggle
for Soviet Jewry (New York, NY), Center for World Indigenous Studies
(Olympia, WA), Christian Solidarity International (Washington, DC),
Congress of Romanian Americans (McLean, VA), Council for the
Development of French in Louisiana (Lafayette, LA), Estonian American
National Council (Rockville, MD), Genocide Intervention Network
(Washington, DC), Global Rights (Washington, DC), Hmong National
Development, Inc., Hungarian American Coalition (Washington, DC),
Institute on Religion and Public Policy (Washington, DC), International
Association of Genocide Scholars (New York, NY), Jewish Social Policy
Action Network (Philadelphia, PA), Jewish War Veterans of the USA
(Washington, DC), Jewish World Watch (Encino, CA), Joint Baltic
American National Committee (Rockville, MD), Leadership Council for
Human Rights (Washington, DC), Lithuanian American Community
(Philadelphia, PA), Lithuanian American Council (Rockville, MD),
National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (New York, NY), National
Council of Churches USA (New York, NY), National Federation of American
Hungarians (Washington, DC), National Federation of Filipino American
Associations (Washington, DC), National Lawyer’s Guild (New York, NY),
Polish American Congress (Chicago, IL), Progressive Jewish Alliance
(Los Angeles, CA), Reconstructionist Rabbinical College (Wyncote, PA),
Slovak League of America (Passaic, New Jersey), The Georgian
Association in the USA (Washington, DC), The Workmen’s Circle/Arbeter
Ring (New York, NY), U.S. Baltic Foundation (Washington, DC), Ukrainian
Congress Committee of America (New York, NY), Ukrainian National
Association (Parsippany, NJ), Unitarian Universalist Association of
Congregations (Washington, DC), United Hellenic American Congress
(Chicago, IL), Washington Chapter Czechoslovak National Council of
America (Washington, DC), and the Women’s International League for
Peace and Freedom (Philadelphia, PA).

TO MR. SERGEY KALANTARYAN, HEAD OF THE ELECTION HEADQUARTERS OF NKR
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MASIS MAYILYAN

30-06-2007 16:48:47 – KarabakhOpen

We hereby inform in answer to your letter to the NKR Central Electoral
Commission that in accordance with the powers vested in it by the NKR
Electoral Code, its May 20, 2007 decision N 35/135 on the order of
election campaign of presidential candidates, parties and alliances
registered under the proportional system and parliamentary candidates
running under the majority system and the June 20, 2007 decision N
37/150 on the order of providing airtime for the election campaign of
the candidates running in the July 19, 2007 NKR presidential election,
the Central Electoral Commission regulates the order of election
campaign of the candidates through the media and the order and
schedule of providing airtime on the public channel, which is mainly
observed.

As to control on the Public Television and Radio for compliance to the
order of the election campaign, according to Article 21 Point 7 of the
NKR Electoral Code, the NKR Public Television and Radio Council must
provide control. The Central Electoral Commission has recommended the
NKR Public Television and Radio Council to observe Article 11 of the
NKR law on television and radio and prevent similar breaches of the
election campaign by the Public Television of Artsakh.

AYDIN MAMMADOV: WE CONDUCTED PROPAGANDA WITH FOOTBALLERS AND FANS TO PREVENT CONFLICT IN THE MATCH WITH ARMENIAN

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 29 2007

"We did our utmost to prevent conflict in the match of Azerbaijan
and Armenia teams under 17 in First Black Sea Games. Azerbaijan
Delegation’s head, department head at Youth and Sport Ministry Aydin
Mammadov told APA-Sport. According to him proper proactive measures
were taken to avoid conflict in Azerbaijan-Armenia match to be held
within First Black Sea Games in Trabzon.

"General Secretary of First Black Sea Games Organizing Committee
Alvan Yurtchu phoned us and asked whether we were ready to hold the
match in safe environment. We said there is no problem from our side.

We conducted propaganda with footballers and fans". Youth and Sport
Ministry’s official said they aim to be at least runner-up in the
A group booking spot in the semi-final. Aydin Mammadov said they
expect medals from Azerbaijani sportsmen. Azerbaijan is represented
in 8 kinds of sports of 10.

PACE PRESIDENT GOING TO VISIT SOUTH CAUCASUS

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.06.2007 18:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Rene van der Linden, President of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe, intends to pay a visit to the South
Caucasus. As a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter came to know from the PACE
communication unit, the terms of the visit have not been exacted yet,
but it will take place.

The PACE President announced his intention to visit the South
Caucasus during a meeting with delegations of Azerbaijan, Armenia
and Georgia. It will be a protocol visit conditioned by expiration
of PACE presidential mandate in January 2008.

BLACK SEA ECONOMIC COOPERATION SUMMIT TALK EU, ENERGY

Serbianna.com, MI
June 25 2007

ISTANBUL, Turkey-Leaders and officials from 12 Black Sea countries
discussed closer cooperation with the European Union and new energy
routes through their oil-rich region during a summit Monday in
Istanbul.

The Black Sea Economic Cooperation organization, or BSEC, founded 15
years ago, is aiming to boost its energy sector, particularly as the
EU seeks to diversify its energy routes and supplies.

With combined oil and gas reserves second only to those of Persian
Gulf countries, BSEC members have launched several pipeline projects in
hopes of becoming an energy corridor for Caspian and Black sea energy
supplies to the West. The plans, however, face financial questions
and rivalry from Russia, which has assumed a central role in energy
supply to Europe.

"Securing energy resources is one of the main sources of development,"
said Russian President Vladimir Putin, who attended the summit. In
a closing statement, member countries said they would increase
coordination in the energy industry as well as cooperation with the
European Union.

This year’s summit was the first attended by a representative of
the European Union, in which three BSEC countries, Greece, Romania
and Bulgaria, are members. Others such as Turkey are negotiating
membership. Also attending were ministers and leaders from Turkey,
Greece, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Serbia, Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria,
Georgia, Moldavia and Romania. The U.S. ambassador to Turkey, Ross
Wilson, came as an observer.

On Tuesday, BSEC energy ministers open a three-day energy conference.

"Common projects with the European Union and the reforms by the
organization are the two most significant successes of this summit,"
Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis said, without giving details
of the reforms.

The EU is encouraging the BSEC members’ pipeline projects, as well
as a plan to build a highway around the Black Sea to connect member
nations and boost regional trade.

The 2,000-kilometer-long (1,240-mile-long) ring road project was
launched at a BSEC summit in April, but funding was yet to be
determined. It also was unclear when construction might begin.

Turkey, a founding BSEC member, has initiated several pipeline
projects to supply energy-hungry Western markets. Last year an oil
pipeline opened from Baku, Azerbaijan, through Georgia to Ceyhan,
Turkey’s Mediterranean oil hub. Construction of another, to carry
Kazakh and Russian oil from the Black Sea coast to Ceyhan, started
in April. That pipeline was expected to open in 2009.

However, Turkey faces tough competition from Russia, which has
launched rival projects or studies for linking energy sources from
the Black Sea and Caspian Sea to the EU through Bulgaria, Serbia,
Macedonia and Hungary.

The EU imports more than 40 percent of its natural gas, almost half of
which comes from Russia. Some central and eastern European countries
depend almost entirely on Russian gas.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday that the
"dialogue with the European Union is encouraging." Erdogan’s comment,
made at a closed-door meeting, was provided to journalists by BSEC
officials.

The EU in April launched the "Black Sea Synergy" initiative to promote
peace, energy projects and transportation, saying that since Romania
and Bulgaria became EU members in January, it has a bigger stake in
the region’s stability and prosperity.

Several BSEC countries are still struggling to overcome disputes.

Armenia and Azerbaijan were embroiled in a six-year conflict over the
Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is inside Azerbaijan but controlled
by ethnic Armenian forces. Some 30,000 people were killed before a
1994 cease-fire ended hostilities.

Turkey and Armenia also have no formal ties because of a dispute over
the World War I killings of ethnic Armenians in the last days of the
Ottoman Empire. Armenia calls the killings a genocide; Turkey says
they were a result of civil conflict.

COURT SITTING ON CHALLENGING NA ELECTIONS RESULTS BY MAJORITARIAN SYSTEM AT ELECTORAL DISTRICT N 36 POSTPONED TILL JUNE 29

Noyan Tapan
Jun 25 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Examination of the application of
candidate for deputy mandate Mushegh Saghatelian on challenging the
results of NA elections by majoritarian system at electoral district
N 36 started on June 25 at RA Constitutional Court.

According to the claimant, indeed the number of inaccuracies at
the above mentioned electoral district was 9643, that is, more than
the officially registered 134 it and exceeds the difference of votes
received by the first two candidates, which, according to the Electoral
Code, can be a basis for invalidating the elections. According to
the final protocol of the constituency electoral commission, the
difference of the votes received by the winning candidate and his
main rival made nearly 1000 votes.

B. Stepanian, the Chairman of district electoral commission N 36,
that was recognized as a respondent, and his lawyer V. Grigorian
stated that there is no ground to invalidate the results of the May
12 elections. In their words, though some violations and shortcomings
were registered at the electoral district, they could not have an
impact on the final results of the elections.

Many data in the protocols presented by the respondent party needed
additional clarification, so the Constitutional Court postopned the
sitting until June 29. Before that term CC will demand initial data
from 20 polling stations in order to clarify them. It is planned that
the sides will make final speeches on June 29.

SCHOOL OF YOUNG LEADERS CONTINUES FUNCTIONING IN KAPAN

Noyan Tapan
Jun 25 2007

KAPAN, JUNE 25, NOYAN TAPAN. On the initiative of the Women’s
Republican Council’s Kapan branch, with the sponsorship of the OSCE
Yerevan Office and OSCE Office of Syunik Programs Development, the
4th educational stage of School of Young Leaders started in Kapan. It
will last for a month. This time 29 schoolchildren of different ages,
who have been able to pass the test, will study at the school.

Sven Holdar, Democratization Officer at the OSCE Yerevan Office,
addressing his good wishes to the youths during the solemn opening
of the school, attached importance to their role in the issue of
building a democratic society.

As school headmaster Susanna Martirosian said, though the school
is guided by a clear-cut program, the program has been localized to
some extent this year. "We wish to draw attention to environmental
protection issues, as they exist both in Kapan and in the region in
general. Children should try to contribute to solution of region’s
environmental problems as far as possible, to put forward new ideas
and proposals," the headmaster said.

KIRO MANOYAN: RESPECT FOR NKR PEOPLE’S RIGHT FOR SELF-DETERMINATION THE ONLY WAY FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION

ArmRadio.am
25.06.2007 16:57

Connected with the elections expected in Armenia, Azerbaijan, the
US and Russia, no progress will be registered in the Karabakh issue
in 2008 and even several months after that, Head of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau’s Hay Dat and Political Affairs
Office Kiro Manoyan told a press conference today. According to him,
the meetings on the level of Foreign Ministers and Presidents will
continue, but anticipating serious progress would be groundless.

Kiro Manoyan is assured that under these circumstances in the
coming 1.5-2 years the Armenian side must lay the emphasis on
several approaches. First, it is necessary to foster repatriation,
which should be fulfilled through a state policy. Second, Armenia
must enhance the propaganda activity, which is weak as compared to
that of Azerbaijan. He said there is only one way of the Karabakh
conflict solution – based on the recognition of NKR people’s right
for self-determination, which should be best presented through
correct propaganda.

According to the ARF representative, taking into account the harsh
position of Azerbaijan, the Armenian side must not speak about the
return of territories, especially considering that the negotiations
are not about the concession of territories, but about the status of
Nagorno Karabakh.

Azerbaijan often shows the trend of refusing from earlier agreements:
the proof of this was the last meeting of the Presidents. If the
question is not settled within 5-10 years because of the harsh position
of Azerbaijan, Armenia can recognize the independence of Nagorno
Karabakh, according to Kiro Manoyan. In his words, the Co-Chairs want
the issue to be solved through negotiations, ad their efforts directed
at maintenance of the dialogue between the parties is greatly meant to
exclude the resolution of the issue in a military way. Nevertheless,
according to him, the issue of change of the format of negotiations
can come forward after the change of the NKR President.

US, ARMENIA SIGN AN AMENDMENT TO THE LETTER OF AGREEMENT

ArmRadio.am
20.06.2007 15:43

On June 20 US Charge d’Affaires Anthony Godfrey and Armenian Prosecutor
General Aghvan Hovsepyan signed the Protocol on Amendment 5 to the
Letter of Agreement on Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement between
the Government of the United States of America and the Gov+ernment
of the Republic of Armenia.

Under this fifth amendment to the Letter of Agreement, the US
Government will provide assistance to the Government of Armenia in
the amount of $1,616,927 for implementation of six projects.

Since the signing of the original Letter of Agreement on June 11,
2001, the United States has provided over seven million USD of law
enforcement assistance to the Government of Armenia.

"The American side highly appreciates the cooperation with the
law-enforcement bodies of Armenia. We are proud of the cooperation in
the sphere of law enforcement, said Anthiny Godfrey. "The US intends
to expand the cooperation with Armenian partners in the law-enforcement
field," he added.

LITHUANIA PAYS SPECIAL ATTENTION TO SOUTH CAUCASUS

PanARMENIAN.Net
18.06.2007 17:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Lithuania pays special attention to the South
Caucasus region. On the one hand, we see there the reflection of
our own experience in moving towards European and Euro-Atlantic
structures; on the other hand, we eye this region as very important
for the security and stability of whole Europe," Lithuanian President
Valdas Adamkus said.

"Our vision for South Caucasus: a prospering, Europe-orientated and
having good relations with neighboring countries," he said.

When asked to comment on further interaction between Lithuania and
GUAM member states, Mr. Adamkus said, "We welcome and enthusiastically
support the determination of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine
to enhance democracy, stability and prosperity in the region and to
work closely through coordinated and united efforts towards achieving
these aims.

The initiative of GUAM members to address regional challenges and
realize new vast opportunities places them in a role of true leaders
of the region.

Lithuania appreciates being involved in the activities of GUAM as
the organization tackles questions which are vital to Lithuania and
the whole of Europe, such as the consolidation of democracy, energy
security, development of transport networks, settlement of frozen
conflicts and others.

Furthermore, Lithuania is glad to see that GUAM’s activities and the
ongoing reforms in your countries to bring the EU and GUAM closer to
each other.

Lithuania actively seeks that the EU should be open to tourism,
business and different exchanges for the citizens of GUAM member
countries," Trend reports.