Author: Ekmekjian Janet

ROBERT KOCHARYAN: CURRENTLY THE NEGOTIATIONS PROCESS IS IN AN ACTIVE PHASE
ArmRadio.am
25.04.2006 17:52
MEDIAMAX Agency informs that RA President Robert Kocharyan declared
today in Yerevan, “I see no connection between the activation of
the process of settlement of the Karabakh conflict and the situation
around Iran.” The President said this in response to the question of
a Lithuanian journalist during the joint press conference with the
President of Lithuanian Valdas Adamkus.
Robert Kocharyan declared that “he does not feel any pressure from
the US in the settlement process.” RA President underlined that the
American, Russian and French Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group “have the
same position and work coordinately.”
Robert Kocharyan said that “currently the negotiations process is
in an active phase,” noting that it is not the result of pressure on
the part of the mediators.
“The mandate based on which the Co-Chairs are launching their
activity does not envisage execution of pressure on the parties to
the conflict. The mediators solely simplify the efforts of the parties
directed at finding a solution, ” RA president said.

MOSCOW POLICE ARREST TEENAGER IN CONNECTION WITH FATAL STABBING OF ARMENIAN STUDENT
PRAVDA, Russia
April 24 2006
Police arrested a teenager in connection with the fatal stabbing of
an Armenian student on a Moscow subway platform over the weekend,
a city prosecutor’s official said.
The killing was the latest in a wave of attacks against dark-skinned
immigrants from the southern Caucasus regions and former Soviet
Central Asia.
Sergei Marchenko, a spokesman for Moscow prosecutor’s office, said
in televised comments that a 17-year-old boy was detained Monday and
had confessed to the Saturday evening killing.
Russian news agencies said investigators had classified the attack
as simple murder, but were considering classifying the killing as a
hate crime.
The ITAR-Tass news agency said the victim – a 17-year-old Armenian
native and Moscow university student – was standing with a group of
acquaintances when seven people got off a train and attacked them,
stabbing him once in the chest. The victim died on the spot.
The incident prompted sharp criticism from the Union of Russian
Armenians, a civic organization in Moscow.
“It’s not important what nationality the killed person is. This
concerns everyone. This is a problem for all of Russia,” union chief
Ara Abramian said on Ekho Moskvy radio. “If we have extremism and
nationalism, we should call these things exactly what they are and
then maybe these incidents won’t be repeated.”
Law enforcement authorities often classify attacks on minorities as
simple “hooliganism” with no racial motivation, fueling the anger of
Kremlin critics who say the government does little to stem hate crimes.
Several attacks on foreigners and ethnic minorities have occurred in
Russia in the past few weeks, and the country has seen a marked rise
in xenophobia and racism in recent years, with rights groups accusing
the government of inaction.
Assailants, often young skinheads or other nationalists, have committed
hundreds of attacks on foreigners from Africa, Asia and Latin America,
dark-skinned immigrants from former Soviet Central Asia and the
Caucasus Mountains region, and Jews. Dozens have died.
Rights activists say hate groups are emboldened by what they believe
is the authorities’ mild approach to prosecuting hate crimes, and
complain that neo-Nazi and other extremist literature and propaganda
is widely available on the streets and on the Internet.
Also Monday, Russian news agencies reported that a 25-year-old Tajik
man was killed and another 25-year-old Tajik was wounded after being
attacked in Moscow on Sunday. Prosecutors were investigating the
crime as a possible racial attack, the AP says.

TURKISH EMBASSY IN BAKU REGISTERED NO INCIDENTS RELATING TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.04.2006 20:19 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Turkish Embassy in Baku registered no incidents
relating to the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey, stated Embassy
Spokesperson Bulent Ugur. “Due to the anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide the Turkish MFA has instructed all its diplomatic missions
to take special security measures,” he remarked.
In his words, “reports from Ankara said incendiary mixtures might be
thrown on the Turkish Embassy in Baku. Responding to reports of this
kind is part of routine work. However, as expected, no incidents were
registered,” B. Ugur said. When speaking at Asia University on April
24 Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Turan Morali also confirmed there
was “a threat against the Embassy by phone,” Trend reports.

PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN’S ADDRESS ON THE OCCASION OF THE DAY OF COMMEMORATION OF THE GENOCIDE VICTIMS
ArmRadio.am
24.04.2006 13:48
RA president Robert Kocharyan issued an address on the occasion
of the day of commemoration of the Armenian Genocide victims. The
address particularly says, “Dear compatriots, today we pay homage to
the victims of the Armenian Genocide. Osman Turkey and its successor
bear full responsibility for this crime.
The whole further history of the Armenian people, which suffered
the Genocide, carried the heavy results of this tragedy. The pain
is even stronger, since we have to struggle for the recognition
and condemnation of this black page of the history. The Republic of
Armenian, as the homeland of Armenians and as the expresser of the
interests of Diaspora Armenians will continue this struggle. We are
grateful to those countries, organizations and individuals that assist
us. The comprehension that this is the problem of the whole mankind
and the most effective way of preventing similar crimes increases
year by year.
The struggle of Armenians has no pretext of revenge. We look forward,
since our best response to denial should be the strong statehood,
the progress and prosperity of Armenia.”

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILLBOARD CRUMBLES FROM WATER DAMAGE
By Christopher Loh/ Staff Writer
Watertown TAB & Press, MA
April 24 2006
A billboard at 160 Arsenal St., promoting awareness of the April 1915
Armenian Genocide, looked as though it had been vandalized, as a large
section in the middle was torn from the top all the way to the bottom.
However, Watertown Police said it doesn’t appear to have been
vandalism.
The billboard’s collapse couldn’t have happened at a worse time,
because this past weekend was the 91st Anniversary Commemoration of
the Armenian Genocide.
The billboard’s condition was reported to the Watertown Police
Department on Saturday, April 22, at 5 p.m.
Police said Clear Channel, who owns the billboard, investigated the
matter Monday morning, but found no evidence of foul play.
Lois Catanzaro, director of public affairs for Clear Channel, said
company representatives had gone to the site, and believed the damage
was caused by water.
Daniel Hejinian, a representative of Peace of Art, the company who
owned the advertisement, said the cause of the damage could be many
things, and that Peace of Art is looking to replace the billboard
with another concerning the Armenian Genocide.
The representatives removed the remaining remnants of the
billboard. Currently an old United States Navy advertisement is
displayed.
Police are still investigating the matter.

Armenians say Patrick ally despite ties to Turk lobby
By Kimberly Atkins
Boston Herald
April 22 2006
Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Deval Patrick attended a State House
event yesterday marking the 91st anniversary of the Armenian genocide –
just days after the Herald exposed his ties to a lobbyist working to
block U.S. recognition of the Turkish government’s slaughter of 1.5
million Armenians.
The Herald reported Wednesday that a Washington, D.C., fund-raiser for
Patrick was hosted by Bernie Robinson, a consultant to the Livingston
Group, a lobbying firm that took in millions of dollars from the
Turks to fight a congressional plan to recognize the genocide.
Yesterday Patrick spent roughly an hour at the commemoration ceremony
hosted by Rep. Peter Koutoujian (D-Waltham). Patrick didn’t speak,
but Sharistan Melkonian of the Armenian National Committee said his
presence reinforced the belief of the Armenian community that Patrick
is an ally, not an adversary.
“He has a history of very strong support around the issue that most
Armenians care about, like human rights and civil rights and justice,”
Melkonian said.
In a letter to the Herald, Patrick said “reports of my association
with those who deny the Armenian genocide are completely false.”
Patrick also took umbrage with gubernatorial rival Attorney General Tom
Reilly, who told the Herald that he “wouldn’t want to have anything
to do with” anyone associated with such a firm. Patrick said he was
“disappointed to see my political opponents trying to exploit this
tragedy.”

ARMENIA-EU NEGOTIATIONS SECOND ROUND TO BE HELD IN EARLY MAY IN
BRUSSELS AS PART OF ENLARGED EUROPE – NEW NEIGHBORS EU PROGRAM
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 20 2006
YEREVAN, April 20. /ARKA/. The second round of Armenia-EU negotiations
is to be held in the beginning of May in Brussels as part of Enlarged
Europe – New Neighbors EU Program, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanyan said at a news conference given Thursday after meeting with
his Austrian counterpart Hans Winkler in Yerevan.
In his words, the program will give a new impetus to cooperation
between Armenia and European Union and raise it to a new level. He
said the program will pay special attention to democratic reforms in
Armenia, especially taking into account parliamentary and Armenian
presidential elections expected in 2007 and 2008. Oskanyan stressed
that if the elections are conducted in wrong way, Armenia will loose
not only moral, but also financial support from European institutions.
Austrian Foreign Secretary Hans Winkler, in turn, noted that
the program adoption will lay proper groundwork for deepening
cooperation between the countries. He also expressed hope that
Armenian parliamentary and presidential elections will be up to
European standards.
EU Three delegation headed by Austrian Foreign Secretary Hans Winkler
arrived in Armenia on Thursday as part of his regional visit. The
delegation is made up of Austrian and Finnish Ambassadors to Armenia,
EU Special Envoy in South Caucasus as well as European Commission
and European Union representatives.
The delegation members are set to meet Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan and Armneian National Assembly Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan
in Yerevan. M.V. -0–

OBSERVERS JOINED MILITARY EXERCISE IN KARABAKH
Lragir.am
20 April 06
NKR President Arkady Ghukasyan, the Primate of Artsakh Diocese
Archbishop Parghev Martirosyan and Defense Minister of Armenia Serge
Sargsyan watched the military exercise of the armed forces of Karabakh
on April 19. In an interview during the exercise Arkady Ghukasyan
said the army has become more effective. NKR Defense Minister Seyran
Ohanyan said this exercise is particularly important because the
army was ready for action. “We laid special emphasis on cooperation
of types of troops and involvement of aviation,” said Seyran Ohanyan.

BAKU SPEAKS OF INTENTION TO FORM ‘AZERI AUTONOMY’ IN ARMENIA
Yerkir
19.04.2006 12:21
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Azerbaijan’s Way political movement has created an
initiative group to return “western Azeris, expelled from Armenia,
to their native lands and providing autonomy to them.”
Leader of the movement Ilgar Gasymov reported, ”in 1948-53 and 1988
over one million Azeris were expelled from Armenia.” ”We plan to
hold mass actions worldwide from April 24 to May 8. Turkish and Jewish
organizations will support the events,” he remarked.
Gasymov also reported that signatures will be collected and Azeri
representatives in the PACE will present those documents. Fazil
Gazanfaroglu and others considered “return of Azeris deported from
Armenia” as a demand of the day.
Gazanfaroglu reported he will submit the issue in the Milli Mejlis
agenda.
To note, the statement on ”return of western Azeris, deported from
Armenia, to their native lands and providing autonomy to them,”
drawn by Azerbaijan’s Way movement, is sent to the Azeri leader,
Speaker and FM, reports Trend.
–Boundary_(ID_1aQOz0g/Q5mbDyYXtj8zrQ)–

HAYK DEMOYAN: VERDICT ON AZERBAIJAN’S ANTI-ARMENIAN POLICY WAS PRONOUNCED IN BUDAPEST
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 18 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 18, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Armenian side
is satisfied with the verdict on the case of murder of officer of RA
Armed Forces Gurgen Margarian, according to which Azerbaijani officer
Ramil Safarov was sentenced to life imprisonment without the right
of amnesty during the first 30 years. It is the strictest punishment
envisaged by the Hungarian legislation.
Lawyer Nazeli Vardanian representing the interests of the aggrieved
party declared this at the April 18 press conference. She considers
it unprobable that the verdict can change as a result of appealing
against it by the Azerbaijani side in the Appeal and Cassation Courts
as in Hungary the Appeal Court does not carry on new examination,
it only finds out violation of the material and judicial right, and
the Cassation Court examines newly-revealed circumstances but there
are no such circumstances in the case. The possibility of criminal’s
extradition is also excluded: the verdict envisages life imprisonment
without the right of pardon within 30 years and in case of pardoning
30 years later, according to the verdict, Safarov has no right to
visit Hungary for 10 years. The verdict envisages that all judicial
expenditures, about 10 thousand dollars, should be paid by Safarov. As
representative of RA Defence Ministry, historian Hayk Demoyan
characterized, in fact, the verdict was pronounced on Azerbaijan’s
anti-Armenian policy. This was the second serious reaction from Europe
after the response of the European Parliament to destruction of the
Armenian cultural monuments in Nakhichevan. Azerbaijan was warned that
solving issues by medieval methods is not acceptable for the world and,
in particular, for Europe. The European justice and human values won
in Hungary, H.Demoyan emphasized. The Prosecutor’s speech qualified
the murder as cruel and inhuman murder with numerous aggravating
circumstances. According to the Prosecutor, the premeditation is
conditioned by the fact that having a knife Safarov decided and bought
an axe 2 days before the murder, he grinded it and waited until 04:45
am, at first he decided to kill Gurgen Margarian who was stronger.
He intended to kill another Armenian serviceman, too but the murder
was prevented by the police. The circumstance that Gurgen Margarian
was killed only because of his national belonging was also among
the aggravating circumstances mentioned by the Prosecutor: Ramil
Safarov abused Hungary’s hospitality, as well as Gurgen Margarian’s
confidence that he was protected: he never closed the door before
going to bed. According to the press conference participants, the
court expressed a special gratitude to the Armenian side for being
reserved and mentioned with regard to the Azerbaijani side: “I do not
know a culture and a state where a murderer can be heroized”. The
participants of the press conference said that the claim of the
aggrieved party on compensation of the moral and material loss by Ramil
Safarov and Azerbaijani Defence Minister (according to the preliminary
calculations, this is 8-10 mln forints (about 500 thousand dollars)
was separated and will be examined by another judge. And on May 3,
the legal procedure on forcible actions of Ramil Safarov towards the
prison supervisors will start.