Author: Dabaghian Diana

TURKEY BREAKS OFF MILITARY CONTACTS WITH FRANCE
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
November 16, 2006 Thursday 8:54 AM EST
Turkey on Thursday broke off military contacts with fellow NATO member
France in protest against a proposed French law criminalizing denying
that Turkey committed genocide during the First World War.
According to Turkish media sources quoting military chief Ilker Basbug
in Ankara, high-ranking visits will no longer take place between the
two countries.
Last month, deputies in the lower house of the French parliament,
the National Assembly, voted by a large majority in favour of a bill
that would make it a crime to deny that Turkey committed genocide
against the Armenian people more than 90 years ago.
The Turkish parliament condemned the move as a blow to freedom of
speech and warned it would hurt French-Turkish bilateral relations.
While Turkey admits that massacres took place, it vehemently denies
that the deaths of Armenians during the war were part of a planned
genocide.

BILL ON GENOCIDE TO BE INTRODUCED INTO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TILL APRIL 24, 2007
PanARMENIAN.Net
16.11.2006 16:31 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ One of the Armenian community’s prior candidates to
the U.S. Senate was Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), ARF Bureau’s Hay
Dat and Political Office Director Kiro Manoian told a news conference
in Yerevan today. In his words, Armenians are grateful to Senator
Menendez for making the Senate freeze the process of Hoagland’s
nomination for Ambassador to Armenia. “The Armenian community had
agitators in all constituencies and called to vote for the candidate.
We also hope that after the replacement of the House Speaker the
issue will be included in the agenda and another nomination will be
announced,” he remarked adding that an Ambassador denying the Armenian
Genocide cannot represent U.S. interests in Armenia properly.
According to Manoian, newly elected House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
have already stated that the bill on the Armenian Genocide will be
submitted to consideration of the House. “In this view the victory
of Democrats can be rated as an advance, because the Republicans
headed by ex-speaker Dennis Hastert always blocked the adoption of
the resolution,” he stressed.
New Jersey is mostly inhabited by natives of Near East, Iran and
South-East Asia, specifically China and Thailand.

AZERBAIJAN, GERMANY DEVELOP ALL-ROUND RELATIONS
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Nov 16 2006
On November 15, Chairman of Milli Majlis Ogtay Asadov has met with
the visiting state secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife
Management and Safety of Nuclear Reactors of Germany, the deputy of
parliament Mrs. Astrid Kluge and the delegation.
Speaker of Azerbaijan Parliament has told about history of friendly
ties between Azerbaijan and Germany, noting that today the bilateral
relations have entered a new stage of development. Chairman of Milli
Majlis has told: “For 10 months of current year, the trade turnover
between two countries has made 288 million dollars, that for 40
percent is more in comparison with the similar period of the last year.
Financial, bank and other economic structures of Germany actively
work in Azerbaijan, and they have enclosed significant investments in
economy, social and humanitarian spheres of our country. Cooperation
of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Azerbaijan
Republic with corresponding structures of Germany closely cooperate.
Chairman of Milli Majlis also has emphasized development of
inter-parliamentary links. He noted that at discussion of many
questions on the international actions, the deputies support position
of each other.
In detail informing visitors about the Armenia-Azerbaijan,
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Ogtay Asadov has expressed to the German
party gratitude for protection of fair position of Azerbaijan,
support of territorial integrity of Azerbaijani state.
Having thanked for warm reception and the detailed information, Mrs.
Astrid Kluge has noted close cooperation with the Ministry of Ecology
and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan. She has told that the purpose of
present visit consists in carrying out of consultations about expansion
of interaction in the field of ecology and wildlife management.

ARKADY GHOUKASSIAN MEETS WITH AMERICAN ARMENIAN BENEFACTORS
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 16 2006
LOS ANGELES, NOVEMBER 16, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Nagorno
Karabakh President Arkady Ghoukassian met with the representatives
of the Armenian community of U.S. West Coast in Los Angeles. Consul
General of Armenia to Los Angeles, Armen Liloyan took part in the
reception organized for the NKR President. Those present expressed
readiness to do everything possible to assist successful holding of
the telethon to be held on November 23 in U.S. for the purpose of
fund-raising for Artsakh improvement and development.
As NT was informed from the Press Service under NKR President,
A.Ghoukassian also had individual meetings with well-known benefactor
Albert Boyajian, active participant of telethons organized in U.S.
Arkady Avanesian, Chairman of Americans to Artsakh organization Zaven
Khanjian, Chairman of U.S. West Coast Armenian Jewellers Association
Levon Shant Haytayan. Prospects of implementation of different projects
in Artsakh in spheres of economy, education and culture were discussed
during the talks. The necessity to attract additional investments to
Artsakh was especially stressed.
NKR President’s meetings in Los Angeles continue.

ATTORNEY GENERAL AND PRESIDENT CHALLENGED
Hakob Badalyan
Lragir, Armenia
Nov 14 2006
The government in Armenia are characterized by an unprecedented
cruelty towards their fellows in 2006. It is difficult, for instance,
to remember a case when the meeting of the College of the Procuracy
criticized the call-up organized by the ministry of defense declaring
it corrupt. However, the course of events allows suggesting that the
procuracy has lost the sense of reality or carried out a “non-sober
analysis of the conscription”. The minister of defense stated
several days later that if there are irregularities, the guilty
should be punished, and he would join in with pleasure. This is not
but a challenge to Attorney General Aghvan Hovsepyan. If there are
officials in charge of the draft who break the law, Aghvan Hovsepyan
must find them and punish them, at least take them to the bench.
Perhaps, the Attorney General had thought that the minister of defense
would try to avoid, give excuses or call him and offer a deal on
something, including presidency in 2008. However, Aghvan Hovsepyan
forgot for a moment that Serge Sargsyan is ready to make arrangements
on presidency in 2008 only with those who are not citizens of Armenia
and cannot be his opponents, namely the officials of the Kremlin and
the White House. Although, unfortunately for Serge Sargsyan, these
efforts fail. And perhaps this encouraged Aghvan Hovsepyan to get
down to work expecting the minister of defense to give in and meet
him halfway.
Instead the minister of defense went to Yerevan State University, where
he advised the Attorney General to support his words with actions,
if he can, of course. Then he went to the Republic Recruiting Center
to give his support to the officials in charge of conscription not to
make a fuss and start thinking that the minister is not a minister
any more, and he will never be president. And now the question is
put definitely – will the Attorney General be Attorney General? If
Aghvan Hovsepyan fails to find evidence to the evaluations made at
the meeting of the college, the evaluations will turn into political
allegations meant to strike the minister of defense. In this case,
it will turn out that nobody is trying to “drag the Attorney General
into politics” but the Attorney General avoids confessing that he is
in politics. In order to prevent this impression, Aghvan Hovsepyan
should once do a more serious thing than Hakob Hakobyan’s “pilfery”.
Meanwhile, the conscription is a serious thing, especially when the
defense minister calls the Attorney General for seriousness, actually
questioning his consistency or courage to reveal illegality. On the
other hand, Serge Sargsyan has every reason to doubt this because he
knows better how the procuracy artfully immured the applications on
privatization, the elections in 2003 and the irregularities in 2005.
Certainly, Aghvan Hovsepyan can dispel these doubts but the problem
is that this also requires courage, consistency and independence.
Maybe everything starts with independence. But in this case it appears
that the minister of defense does not doubt the Attorney General but
the person who appointed him, the president of the Republic.
Consequently, Aghvan Hovsepyan allows for doubting if Robert Kocharyan
is consistent if he announces about corruption in conscription but
makes no efforts for prosecution. On the other hand, even without
Hovsepyan, Robert Kocharyan’s consistency has been doubted for a
long time now because he, for instance, could have dismissed Aghvan
Hovsepyan long ago, at least for ignoring the same cases of electoral
fraud and privatization, let alone that the Attorney General is not
supposed to go in for choreography and botany. If Robert Kocharyan
failed to dismiss him, it means he is accountable for everything,
and if he fails to place the Attorney General within the circle of
the functions of the attorney general, it means he forced him into
politics. Consequently, the defense minister’s hint that if there
are guilty, it is necessary to prosecute them after announcing about
them challenges not only Aghvan Hovsepyan but first of all Robert
Kocharyan. Thereby, the minister of defense hints that the president
does not have the courage to contend with him and, therefore, he uses
the procuracy. To show that he is brave, the minister of defense flew
to Iraq, whereas Robert Kocharyan only went to Germany.

Oxfam Novib PEN Award for Armenian journalist
ANP (Dutch News Agency)
13 November 2006
The Hague (ANP) – The Armenian journalist Hrant Dink won the Oxfam
Novib PEN Award, Oxfam Novib announced on Monday. The journalist will
be granted the award this Saturday by Mayer of The Hague Wim Deetman
at the occasion of the Crossing Border Festival in The Hague. The
Award includes an amount of money of 2500 euro.
The Awards have the intention of encouraging writers who are being
persecuted. Dink recently was given a suspended prison sentence
in Turkey of half a year, because of writing about the Armenian
Genocide. He also has to face the judge on a critical article he
wrote about a prior lawsuit he was in.
According to Oxfam Novib Dink ows the award particularly to the
exceptional efforts he makes for freedom of the press, freedom of
speech and the Armenian question.

Press Release
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Father Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
HIS HOLINESS ARAM I
LAUNCHES THE MIDDLE EAST-ASIA DIALOGUE
ORGANIZED BY THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA
His Holiness Aram I today inaugurated a unique Middle East-Asia Dialogue
around the theme, “A Recommitment to Spirituality for Mutual Understanding
and Peace.” This dialogue, which brings together around 50 participants from
different religions and communities from both regions, will stress the
essential role played by all religions in the search for justice and peace
in the world today.
In his opening remarks, His Holiness highlighted his main reasons for
organizing the conference:
“The current world is a world of dialogue. The conflicts humanity faces
force nations, religions and cultures to look for solutions through dialogue
and to guide mankind towards justice and peace. Religion should play a
dominant role in today’s societies. Unhappily, religion is sometimes used
for political purposes and violence is sometimes committed in the name of
religion. But in its essence and mission, religion is a source of love,
harmony, justice and peace. Therefore, religions should validate their
calling through dialogue and cooperation.”
Stressing the importance of the conference, the Catholicos said: “the Middle
East and Asia have been a cradle of religions. However, circumstances have
been such that these religions have remained far from, and have sometimes
even been opposed to, one another. The current initiative is unique, because
for the first time the representatives of these continents have come
together. This event presents an opportunity for mutual recognition and
understanding through an honest and constructive dialogue. The conference is
the start of a process, the purpose of which will be the development of
close cooperation between religions in the region.”
The Pontiff then spoke about the uniqueness of religions based in Asia and
the Middle East.
Following His Holiness’ opening remarks, Lebanon’s Minister of Culture, Dr.
Tarek Mitri, welcomed the conference and its participants and conveyed the
greetings of Prime Minister Fouad Seniora.
After the official remarks Ms Dena Merriam and Teny Simonian introduced the
purpose of the meeting. The first session began with messages and speeches
on the general topic of “Compassion and Tolerance,” followed by a discussion
period. The participants in the first session included Father Boulos Wahbe
(Greek Orthodox), the Honorable Master Sheng Yen (Buddhist), His Holiness
Amritanandanayi Devi (Hindu), His Holiness Bour Kri (Buddhist), Judge Abbas
Halabi (Druze), Hares Shahab (Maronite).
The second session, entitled “Prayer: The Heart of Spirituality,” was held
in the afternoon. The presentation was followed by discussions with
participants Archbishop Sebouh Sarkissian (Armenian Primate of Tehran), Dr.
Hamid Ahmad El-Rifai (Muslim Sunni), Sister Morin (Hindu), and Metropolitan
George Saliba (Syrian Orthodox).
Ecumenical relations in the international arena has been a key issue on the
Catholicosate of Cilicia’s busy and wide-ranging agenda, particularly during
the last decade. His Holiness Aram I’s position as Moderator of the World
Council of Churches during the last 16 years and his 30-year contribution to
this movement opened the gates of the international community to this Holy
See.
The main incentive behind the current inter-faith dialogue was the desire of
various circles to learn from the experience of the Catholicosate of Cilicia
and particularly its Head.
##
View the photos here:
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of the
Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

OPPOSITION DEMANDS PARITY
Lragir, Armenia
Nov 13 2006
When the Constitutional Court stated that the provision of the
amended Electoral Code involving including representatives of the
judicial system in the Electoral Commission is unconstitutional,
the opposition came up with a proposal, which provides for parity in
the electoral commissions, says the leader of the People’s Party of
Armenia Stepan Demirchyan.
“We propose setting up commissions by factions. If the chair is
pro-government, we will insist on a deputy chair from the opposition,
and vice versa,” says Stepan Demirchyan. He says in this way parity
will be guaranteed, and the electoral commission will include three
pro-government factions, the Republican Party, the ARF Dashnaktsutyun
and the United Labor Party, and three opposition factions, Ardarutiun,
Orinats Yerkir, National Solidarity.

27TH SESSION OF INTERPARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES IN SAINT PETERSBURG
National Assembly, Armenia
Nov 13 2006
On November 14 the delegation headed by the President of the National
Assembly Mr. Tigran Torosyan will leave for Saint Petersburg to
participate in the works of IPA CIS plenary session and commissions.
Mrs. Hermineh Naghdalyan, member of the IPA CIS Permanent Commission
on Social Policy and Human Rights, Mr. Gagik Minasyan, Chairman of
the CIS IPA Permanent Commission on Economy and Finance, Mr. Grigor
Ghonjeyan, member of the CIS IPA Permanent Commission on Political
Issues and International Cooperation are in the delegation.
Within the framework of the 27th session of Interparliamentary
Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States, on November 15 a
scientific-practical conference will take place in Saint Petersburg on
the theme “The Improvement of Cooperation between CIS Member Nations
in Counteracting the Current Challenges and Threats of Security.”
On November 16 a meeting of four Caucasian countries in the
Tavricheskiy Palace is envisaged to hold with the participation of the
presidents of parliaments of Armenia, Georgia, Russia and Azerbaijan.
On November 17 the President of the National Assembly of the Republic
of Armenia Mr. Tigran Torosyan will leave Saint Petersburg for San
Marino to participate in the session of the PACE Standing Committee,
where the issue of approving the Stability Pact for the South Caucasus
will be discussed.

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 10 2006
Arkady Ghukasyan: NKR people will not refuse from its independence
11.11.2006 15:25
`NKR people will not refuse from its independence. For the sake of
long-term peace, stability and economic development in the region, we
re ready for a serious dialogue and cooperation with all the
interested parties, NKR President Arkady Ghukasyan declared in an
interview with `Novoye Russkoe Slovo’ and `Inner Street Press’
newspapers.
Turning to the current state of the Karabakh conflict settlement,
Arkady Ghukasyan pointed out the non-constructive position of the
Azerbaijan President, particularly his refusal from direct talks with
Nagorno Karabakh and establishment of the atmosphere of trust in the
conflict zone, which hinders the final resolution.