Author: Chmshkian Vicken

‘I have no Intention to Run for Presidential Office’
Zaman (Istanbul)
05.29.2005 Sunday
POLITICS
ISTANBUL — Turkish Minister of Justice Cemil Cicek said that those,
who believe he “intends to become president “, try to set a trap for
the Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Emphasizing that he has no problems with his party, Cicek noted:
“I have no such intention. No one should fall into this trap. I
am ready for any kind of sacrifice for the unity and integrity
of my party. I would not do any business against my party and the
government. ” Minister Cicek also expressed that his remark “This is
a stab in the back against Turkish nation”, as he uttered to defined
a conference on Armenians that was planned to be conducted at the
Bogazici (Bosphorous) University, should be evaluated within the
framework of freedom of thought.
It has been claimed that Cicek had exhibited a different attitude
than his party during negotiations regarding the new Turkish Penal
Code (TCK) in order to become president in 2007. Answering Zaman’s
questions, the Minister of Justice stressed that these claims are
only gossip. Cicek indicated that the political circles that are
disturbed with the AKP want to stir the party and similar attempts
would increase as presidential elections approach.
My remarks should be considered within the framework of freedom of
thought as well.’
Minister of Justice Cicek has also sat on the agenda by his tough
statements about the conference on Armenians that was to be held at the
Bosphorous University. After Cicek’s statement “This is a stab in the
back against Turkish nation”, the conference was cancelled. Standing
behind his statements, Cicek does not believe that relations with the
European Union (EU) will be damaged. He notes: “Why would my reaction
affect the EU negatively? My remarks should be evaluated within the
framework of freedom of thought. There has been prepared a law, which
makes saying ‘Turks did not commit genocide’ a crime in Brussels,
the EU’s capital. Why is saying this free but objecting to this is a
crime? This is also a freedom of thought. I am a politician. I have
thoughts and ideas. I have to express them.”

THE HIGH EXCHANGE RATE OF THE ARMD HARMS THE PRODUCERS
A1plus
| 19:29:15 | 30-05-2005 | Economy |
“The ARMD rate is not important. What is important is that it must
contribute to the development of the economy”, said economist Eduard
Akhajanov today during the discussion with the theme “Economy and
Currency Policy” in hotel Yerevan. He and member of the Central Bank
council Vache Gabrielyan were the guests of the political debates
club today.
According to the economist, the year 2004 was unique and dangerous for
Armenia. Last year the quantity of import was more than the quantity
of export. According to Akhajanov, the high exchange rate of the
ARMD harms the producers. He offers to change the direction of the
currency policy and to choose a new model of economic development.
According to him, it is necessary to have an economy based of
knowledge, but every year the allotments to the science from the budget
become less and less. If in 2004 it was 0.2% of the budget, in 2005
it was only 0.16%. The economist also complained that the Armenian
banks are not in active participation in the economic processes.
As for Vache Gabrielyan, the priority of the Central Bank is the
stability of costs. As for how the CB is able to realize that priority,
that is another question. According to Eduard Akhajanov, nothing can
be demanded from the CB today as it cannot do anything.

PARTNERSHIP IN THE NAME OF OPEN SOCIETY CALLS ON AUTHORITIES TO
RECONSIDER AMENDMENTS TO ELECTORAL CODE
YEREVAN, MAY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The May 26 regular seminar organized by
the Partnership in the Name of Open Society initiative was dedicated
to the discussion of the bill “On Amendments and Additions to RA
Electoral Code” adopted in the second reading and completely. Vardan
Poghosian, Chairman of the Democracy NGO, declared that the main goal
of the seminar is to represent all flaws of the law, which, according
to him, is not only anti-constitutional but it doesn’t suppose at all
holding of normal and fair elections. “The new bill in comparison with
the previous one is, in essence, a step back.” Thus, in Vardan
Poghosian’s estimation, the law adopted obviously contradicts Article
98 of the Constitution, according to which judges have no right to
take other state post. Meanwhile, the Central Electoral Commission is
a state body and membership to it is, correspondingly, a state
service. Poghosian expressed bewilderment in connection with the
bill’s provisions, according to which electoral rolls in military
units aren’t subject to publication. Besides, according to him, the
provision about giving qualification certificates to commission
members without norms fixed by the law, provision about withdrawing
the clause on compulsory presence of signatures of 3 commission
members on a voting-paper and others need specification. On behalf of
the Partnership in the Name of Open Society initiative Vardan
Poghosian called on country’s authorities to reconsider the bill and
bring it into line with the international norms.

The Standard (St. Catharines, Ontario)
May 26, 2005 Thursday
Final Edition
Mr. Safety has a playground
by Glenn Kauth, The Standard
For retired Niagara Regional Police Sergeant Harry Artinian,
commitment drove his success during his 26 years as the community
safety officer for Niagara schools.
“If people don’t see that you’re committed, they’ll sense it,” said
Artinian, a 75-year-old St. Catharines resident. “I had 55 schools I
had to look after as the safety officer for the city of St.
Catharines. And I never stopped and I never looked at the clock.”
Inside his home, that commitment is visible everywhere. Awards of
recognition from mayors, police chiefs and school officials cover a
basement wall, and he still has a two-foot wooden statue of Elmer the
Safety Elephant next to his bar.
During his years as the safety officer, he kept a logbook of every
traffic accident involving a child, along with the child’s name and
his or her school. He used the book to determine which schools
qualified for his annual safety plaques for having no accidents
during the previous year.
Artinian hoped his successor as safety officer would use the book to
continue the awards. He was disappointed, though, when the Niagara
Regional Police cancelled the program after he retired in 1989.
Because of Artinian’s dedication to teaching kids about traffic
safety using Elmer’s seven safety rules, the City of St. Catharines
named a playground in Montebello Park after him in 1989.
According to Councillor Joe Kushner, Artinian was a “natural choice”
for the decision to name it the Sgt. Harry Artinian Playground. At
the time, the city was expanding the play equipment in the park to
better serve the surrounding neighbourhoods.
“When we think of Harry Artinian, we think of the safety elephant,”
said Kushner. “Harry was extremely enthusiastic in that role in
encouraging children to play safe, whether in parks or out on the
streets…. He promoted safety whenever he could.”
While his Elmer safety talks were his main source of fame, Artinian
was also involved in other community activities. He gave driving
safety courses to adults throughout his career and he played a big
role in the city’s ethnic groups, particularly his own Armenian
community. According to Kushner, Artinian was very involved in
organizing the Folk Arts Festival.
Today, adults in St. Catharines continue to recognize “Sergeant
Harry” on the streets and at the malls.
During a visit to the playground, Eilish Donnelly, who went to St.
James Catholic School in the 1960s and ’70s, remembered getting up in
front of the students to receive the safety plaque from him.
“(He) was always very genuine, and the kids really liked him,” said
Donnelly, who added it was a “big deal” to be chosen to receive the
plaque. “I remember he always came and did the presentations himself.
He never sent anyone else.”
According to Artinian’s wife, Shirley, he gets recognized everywhere,
“even at the airport in Calgary.”
The two had travelled there recently when a man called out “Sergeant
Harry.” The man had gone to school in St. Catharines before moving
west to join the RCMP. When Artinian meets such people, his first
question is “What school did you go to?”
Today, Artinian is still active in the safety business. He runs a
company, called High Risk Avoidance, that provides safety seminars
and driver training for seniors wanting to upgrade their skills.
In fact, while baby boomers recognize him everywhere, the seniors he
teaches will often recognize him as well, some of whom were teachers
and principals in the schools he visited.
Meanwhile, the future generations of kids will see his name. Besides
slides and swings, the playground in Montebello Park features a large
stone marker bearing his name and his motto: “The key to safety is
repetition.”
Kids will also likely see his name on his next project: an
autobiographical book on his life as a school safety guru.
Niagara Landmarks is a weekly series that explores various parks,
bridges, buildings, monuments and statues around the region. If you
have a suggestion you would like to see featured, call us at
905-684-7251, ext. 249, or send an e-mail to
[email protected].
GRAPHIC:
Photo: Staff Photo by Denis Cahill; Harry Artinian looks down the
children’s slide at Montebello Park Wednesday. For 26 years, he tried
to get the message of safety across to students, and he still has the
Elmer the Safety Elephant statue to show for his efforts.

NTV MSNBC, Turkey
May 26 2005
Oskanyan calls on the EU

The European Union should put more pressure on Turkey to open its
border with Armenia, The Armenian foreign minister said Thursday.

May 26 – Oskanyan called Turkey’s preconditions «unacceptable.»
Turkey has indicated the countries might establish political ties if
Armenia agreed to join a joint commission to investigate the
killings.
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan called on the EU to be more
assertive and make Ankara open «the last closed border in Europe.»
«It’s the Turkish side that keeps it closed which we do not
understand, and we expect that the EU be more assertive on this
matter, asking Turkey to open the border with Armenia,» he said
during a visit to Helsinki.
Oskanyan, who met with his Finnish counterpart, Erkki Tuomioja,
called Turkey’s preconditions «unacceptable.»
«We have to follow the example of other European countries, there are
hardly any two countries in Europe or anywhere else that do not have
differences in the interpretation of their past. But those things do
not stop them from having normal ties and having diplomatic
relations, trade relations, and communication as neighbours,»
Oskanyan said.
Armenia has previously insisted Turkey should not become an EU member
until it acknowledges genocide. Turkey has indicated the countries
might establish political ties if Armenia agreed to join a joint
commission to investigate the killings.

Karabakh peace to ensure major oil pipeline’s security – US mediator
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
26 May 05
The USA has always supported a peaceful settlement to the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict, the US co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, Steven
Mann, has said commenting on whether the Karabakh conflict could
jeopardize the functioning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan [BTC] oil
pipeline.
He said that the BTC project was implemented at the time when peaceful
negotiations were being held. It is important that the armistice has
been preserved for 11 years.
The companies that have made investment into the project know better
about how dangerous the conflict is. They have invested over 4bn
dollars into the project, and this sum is a guarantee of trust and
secure functioning of the pipeline, the US co-chairman of the OSCE
Minsk Group said.

Pan Armenian News
ARMENIAN TRIO TO PERFORM FOR AUSTRIAN AUDIENCE
26.05.2005 05:13
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ June 3 an Armenian trio will give a concert in Austria,
reported Allgemeine Zeitung. During the event Haydn, Schuman and Shubert
works will be performed. Trio members are Isabella Melkonian (piano), Anna
Melkonian (violin) and David Melkonian (cello). All For Children
organization has arranged the event. The gain of the concert will be
provided for meeting the needs of an Armenian chilren’s center. The concert
will be held in Viennese Teresianum.

Armenpress
KARABAGH DIPLOMAT DOWNPLAYS UKRAINIAN OFFER
STEPANAKERT, MAY 26, ARMENPRESS: Nagorno-Karabakh deputy foreign minister
Masis Mailian downplayed a recent Ukrainian foreign minister’s statement
that his government could deploy peacekeeping troops in the Karabakh
conflict zone.
Mailian cited an OSCE Budapest summit resolution stipulating that such
troops could be deployed only after all sides to the conflict achieve a
political settlement of the conflict. Mailian said it was early to speak
about the possibility of deployment of international peacekeeping forces
since no political document on the conflict resolution was signed. He also
said the ceasefire regime established in 1994 has been maintained for 11
years without international peacekeepers, and due to the balance of forces
of the conflicting sides.

Socialistworker.co.uk, UK
May 24 2005
Reviewes:
Mesmerize: System of a Down
Columbia Records
Few bands as left wing as System of a Down have enjoyed the level of
mainstream success achieved by this second generation Armenian
quartet.
The band attended a recent award ceremony with band members dressed
as George Bush and Osama Bin Laden and holding hands as they walked
on stage.
In the first single taken from on Mesmerize, `B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your
Own Bombs)’, Daron Malakian and Serj Tankian end with a frenetic
appeal during the outro: `Why don’t presidents fight the war? Why do
we always send the poor?’ It is simply incendiary.
`Sad Statue’ veers from eulogy to raging condemnation. The song takes
the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of the waywardness of the American
Dream and the disenfranchised generation left behind.
Trevor Byrne

A1plus
| 14:53:29 | 24-05-2005 | Official |
RA PREMIER DECREED
By decree of the Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan deputy
governor of Shirak region of Armenia Artsruni Aghajanyan was dismissed
form the office.
Ruben Sanoyan will replace him at the post.