Author: Chmshkian Vicken

DEPUTY RETURNS TO PARLIAMENT AFTER LONG BREAK
Panorama.am
15:21 02/10/06
Tigran Arzakantsyan, deputy of parliament, appeared at the session
today for the first time after long break.
Arzakantsyan was beaten in Moscow late March this year. After that
incident he did not appear in the building of NA parliament. The
deputy said he was engaged in education. He said he is going to
nominate himself at 2007 elections. Meanwhile, he is recovering his
health saying he has some health problems.
Speaking about the rumors that Ruben Hairapetyan, NA deputy, had said
he will beat Arzakantsyan wherever he meets him, the deputy said, ”
I can also beat many but that is not a solution. If he has problems,
we may meet and settle them.” Speaking about the incident in Moscow, he
said a case is initiated and soon the happenings will be unveiled. The
attackers also robbed very expensive cell phone of Arzakantsyan and
a watch costing $50,000.
Tigran Arzakantsyan is from so called business deputies. He owns
alcohol company “Great Valley”.
Being unpartisan, he was nominated on the proportional list of
Republican Party. It should be noted that Ruben Hairapetyan recently
joined the same party.

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]
Internet
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
October 2, 2006
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
ANCA WELCOMES SENATE ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION
TO BLOCK U.S. SUBSIDY FOR ARMENIA RAILROAD BYPASS
WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
has welcomed the adoption by the U.S. Senate of legislation
protecting U.S. taxpayers from funding an unnecessary and costly
proposed railroad between Turkey and Georgia that would, if built,
circumvent Armenia.
The Senate, during its final day in session before the November 7th
mid-term elections, passed the measure by unanimous consent as part
of its reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank. On September
21st the Senate Banking Committee, during its consideration of the
Export-Import bill, had agreed to add the railway language, offered
initially as an amendment by Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), to the
larger measure. The Menendez Amendment was ultimately accepted as
a “manager’s amendment” by Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL)
and Ranking Democrat Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) and unanimously approved
by the panel.
“Armenian Americans welcome the Senate’s strong stand against the
efforts of Turkey and Azerbaijan to institutionalize their
blockades of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh,” said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian. “We appreciate the leadership of Senators
Santorum and Menendez in introducing the Railway legislation – as
well as the vital support this measure received in the Banking
Committee from Senators Shelby and Sarbanes.”
The language adopted by the Senate reads as follows:
SEC. 11. PROHIBITION ON ASSISTANCE TO DEVELOP OR PROMOTE CERTAIN
RAILWAY CONNECTIONS AND RAILWAY-RELATED CONNECTIONS.
Section 2(b) of the Export-Import Act of 1945 (12 U.S.C. 635(b)) is
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(13) Prohibition on Assistance To Develop or Promote Certain
Railway Connections and Railway-Related Connections.–The Bank
shall not guarantee, insure, or extend (or participate in the
extension of) credit in connection with the export of any good or
service relating to the development or promotion of any railway
connection or railway-related connection that does not traverse or
connect with Armenia and does traverse or connect Baku, Azerbaijan,
Tbilisi, Georgia, and Kars, Turkey.
The U.S. House, this July, adopted the railway language as part of
its version of the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Bill,
following a successful effort within the Financial Services
Committee, spearheaded by Representatives Joseph Crowley (D-NY),
Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Ed Royce (R-CA), to amend this text to the
EXIM measure. Both versions are based on the South Caucasus
Integration and Open Railroads Act of 2006 (S. 2461 / H.R. 3361),
introduced in the Senate by Rick Santorum (R-PA) and in the House
by Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), the Co-Chairman of the Armenian
Caucus.
The proposed new Caucasus rail line – at the urging of Turkey and
Azerbaijan – would circumvent Armenia. Promoters of the project
have sought, even at the planning stages, to secure U.S. financing
for this undertaking, prompting Congressional friends of Armenia to
preemptively block such attempts. In October of 2005, the European
Commission voiced official opposition to the proposed Caucasus
railroad bypass of Armenia. A formal statement by the Commission’s
Directorate General for Transport and Energy noted that its
construction was both unnecessary and inefficient in light of the
existing railroad connecting Kars, Gyumri, and Tbilisi.
The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) is the
official export credit agency of the United States. Ex-Im Bank’s
mission is to assist in financing the export of U.S. goods and
services to international markets.
#####

CHIRAC CONSIDERS PRODUCTIVE TO CARRY NK CONFLICT SETTLEMENT PROCESS OUT OF OSCE MG
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Sept 30 2006
The President of France Jacque Chirac told on September 30 in Yerevan
that he considers contradictive to carry out the regulation process
of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict from the framework of OSCE Minsk Group
and joining of other international organizations, particularly UNO,
to this process, Trend reports.
The French President said this by answering the questions presented
by Medimaks at the joint press-conference with the Armenian President
Robert Kocharyan.
“The co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group splendidly work over the recent
period, and they are the best experts for Nagorno-Karabakh problem,”
he said.
I consider that if the instances that are well familiarized with the
conflict are involved in the settlement of the problem, it will be
productive, the French President stressed.
In addition, Chirac underlined that the final proposals put forward
by the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group are serious and voiced his
hope that Yerevan and Baku will accept them.
The Armenian president Robert Kocharyan stressed that the solution
to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be found by a professional team
of negotiators, but not international forums where the decision was
made through voting.

ARMENIA’S STATE BUDGET FULFILLED FOR 65.1% FOR INCOMES AND 61% FOR EXPENSDITURES
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 29 2006
YEREVAN, September 29. /ARKA/. According to the results of
January-August 2006, the annual program of Armenia’s state budget for
2006 is fulfilled for 65.1% for incomes and 61% for expenditures, the
press service of the Armenian Ministry of Finance and Economy reported.
According to it, the state budget incomes for the first eight
months of 2006 totaled about AMD 269bln, and the expenditures –
AMD 277.2bln. Compared to the corresponding period of 2005, the state
budget incomes increased by 18.5% or over AMD 42bln, and the expenses –
by 22.4% or AMD 50.8bln.
According to the press service, the budget program for nine months,
approved by the Armenian government, has been already implemented by
90.9% and 79.7% respectively.
As a result, the state budget deficit in January-August 2006 totaled
AMD 8.2mln.
The state budget financing owing to internal resources totaled AMD
3.7bln, and AMD 4.5bln – owing to external resources. The state
budget financing owing to the treasury bonds totaled AMD 3.3bln (AMD
20.6bln of issue, AMD 17.3bln of payment). AMD 97.2bln was allocated
for payment of bill, and AMD 464.9mln were used from the balance of
budget spare funds.
At the same time, about AMD 9.2bln ($20mln) was received from the
World Bank under the loan program on poverty reduction. AMD 4.7bln
was allocated from the state budget for external liabilities: the
EBRD – AMD 1.8bln, World Bank – AMD 2.1bln, and the U.S. Government
– 749.8mln.
The Armenian parliament adopted the law “On State Budget for 2006” on
November 11, 2005. The budget revenues totals AMD 497bln, the budget
expenditures – AMD 566.8bln, and the budget deficit – AMD 69.8bln.
($1 – AMD 382.16).

COURSES FOR REPORTERS OF REGIONAL MASS MEDIA TO BE ORGANIZED IN ARMENIA
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Sept 28 2006
YEREVAN, September 28. /ARKA/. Under the program “Mass media’s role
in monitoring Government’s activities” implemented by the Armenian
office of the British Council, three-day courses for journalists will
be organized in October-November 2006.
According to the information reported to ARKA, the goal of the program
sponsored by the British Government and the UN Development Program is
improving journalists’ professional skills in covering and commenting
on the government bodies’ activities.
The applicants must have at least 2-year experience in journalism
and work for a regional mass media outlet.
The mass media outlets who representatives will take part in the
courses will take part in a grant contest for the creation and
broadcasting of TV and radio programs.
The deadline for applications is October 6, 2006.

ALLEGED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE NOT A HISTORICAL REALITY: TAN
NTV MSNBC, Turkey
Sept 28 2006
A number of electoral candidates of Turkish origin have been struck
off their party’s lists to contest the November 22 ballot.
Guncelleme: 17:51 TSÝ 28 Eylul 2006 PerþembeANKARA – It is a worrying
development that some political parties in Holland have banned ethnic
Turkish candidates from standing in elections unless they accept that
the Ottoman Empire committed an act of genocide against its Armenian
community during World War One, a spokesman for the Turkish Foreign
Ministry said.
“We are deeply worried about the one-sided approach of our ally
Netherlands’ political parties on the so-called Armenian genocide as
this puts a limit on the freedom of expression” said Foreign Ministry
spokesman Namik Tan said Thursday. “It is not possible to accept
allegations on so-called Armenian genocide as historical reality.”
Three candidates of Turkish origin were removed from party lists for
the forthcoming elections on November 22 as a result of lobbying by
Holland’s Armenian community.
Tan said that Turkey had done all that had been asked of it to assist
in looking into the incidents of 1915.
“Turkey has opened all archives, including military ones, so that
the incidents of 1915 can be studied from a scientific perspective,”
he said.
“Turkey offered to establish a committee of historians from both
Turkey and Armenia to study the incidents of 1915.”
–Boundary_(ID_OI/qhuuza0728eH0UjpYfQ )–

PanARMENIAN.Net
Robert Kocharian Regrets at Absence of Diplomatic
Relations between Armenia and Turkey
30.09.2006 16:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The leaders of states do not exchange messages.
Communication is exercised at the level of the Foreign Ministries and
diplomatic missions, RA President Robert Kocharian said when
commenting on the fate of the letter sent by Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan regarding the formation of a commission of
historians for investigation of the Armenian Genocide issue. `I regret
at the absence of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey and
I have already proposed to form an intergovernmental commission for
normalization of relations between the two states but have not
received any response so far,’ the Armenian leader said.

Prime-Tass English-language Business Newswire
September 27, 2006 Wednesday 1:04 PM EET
Russia’s UES export arm buys Armenian Power Grids for $73 mln
Inter RAO UES, the export and import arm of Russia’s electric power
monopoly UES, has bought 100% in Armenian Power Grids for U.S. $73
million from the U.K.’s Midland Resources, Andrei Rappoport, chairman
of Inter RAO UES’ board of directors, said at an official ceremony
late Tuesday, ITAR-TASS reported.
Inter RAO UES also plans to invest a total of $20 million in Armenian
Power Grids, Inter RAO UES’ General Director Yevgeny Dod said.
UES now controls about 60% of Armenian power facilities, including
the Sevan-Razdan hydropower plant, Dod said.
Midland Resources Holding bought a 100% stake in Armenian Power Grids
from the Armenian government for U.S. $37.015 million in 2002.
Armenian Power Grids, which operates a 36,000-kilometer power grid
system, serves more than 913,000 consumers in Armenia.
UES holds 60% in Inter RAO UES, or RAO UES International, while
Russia’s state-owned nuclear power monopoly Rosenergoatom holds 40%.

Anatolia news agency, Ankara,
27 Sep 06
Turkish Foreign Ministry: Impossible to accept Armenian genocide
allegations
Ankara, 28 September: “We are deeply worried about the one-sided
approach of our ally Netherlands’ political parties on so-called
Armenian genocide as this puts a limit on the freedom of expression,”
said Namik Tan, spokesman of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, on
Thursday [28 September].
“It is not possible to accept allegations on so-called Armenian
genocide as historical reality,” told Tan.
The candidacy of several individuals of Turkish background were
annulled in the Netherlands as they refused to accept the so-called
Armenian genocide before the upcoming elections on 22 November.
“Turkey has opened all archives, including military ones, so that the
incidents of 1915 can be studied from a scientific perspective.
Turkey offered to establish a committee of historians from both
Turkey and Armenia to study the incidents of 1915,” stressed Tan.

EU RAPPORTEUR SEES ADOPTED PROGRESS REPORT ON TURKEY AS “FAIR”
Anatolia news agency, Ankara,
27 Sep 06
Strasbourg, 27 September: EP [European Parliament] Turkey rapporteur
Camiel Eurlings said (regarding the Turkey report) that it has mainly
returned to its first shape.
Speaking after the voting of the report, Eurlings said that the
current shape of the report is fair.
Expressing pleasure on withdrawal of the call on recognition of
so-called Armenian genocide before Turkey’s EU full membership,
Eurlings said that it is not right to ask for new pre-conditions
from Turkey.
The proposal of Greek parliamentarians for Turkey to recognize
so-called Pontus Greek and Syrian genocide was rejected during the
voting of the report.
The expressions about Pontus Greeks and Syrians was included in the
part about Armenians, and stated that Turkey should adopt the same
attitude towards other minorities like Pontus Greeks and Syrians.
The report calls Turkey to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia
and lift economic obstacles with that country, stressing that studies
of historians, academicians and researchers on historical archives
should be supported and encouraged.
The report noted that Turkey should solve its border problems in a
friendly way.