Author: Emil Lazarian

POLICE ARREST MAN SUSPECTED OF KILLING AVIASERVICE HEAD
Armenpress
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 6, ARMENPRESS: Armenian police have arrested a man,
Robert Sarkisian, who is charged with killing Arthur Khalatian, head
of Aviaservice company, whose body was found in a car in Zar village
of Kotayk province on September 30.
The arrested man had an accomplice, Henrik Hovnikian, who is on the
run. The police said Robert Sarkisian, a resident of Byureghavan town,
and the second man who is his cousin, plotted and killed Khalatian
to seize his apartment in downtown Yerevan.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARGENTINA MAY PASS LAW TO DESIGNATE APRIL 24 AS GENOCIDE REMEMBRANCE DAY
Armenpress
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 6, ARMENPRESS: Armenian ambassador to Argentina,
Vladimir Karmirshalian, told Armenpress that this Latin American
nation may pass a law to designate April 24 as the official Armenian
Genocide Remembrance Day.
The ambassador said the local Armenian community is working hard to
push for such a law. He said two major Argentinean states of Buenos
Aires and Cordoba have passed laws designating April 24 as the Day
of Armenian Genocide Remembrance.
These state laws make teaching genocide at schools an obligatory
subject of curriculum. The town of Buenos Aires has also passed a law
designating April 24 as the Day of Remembrance of Armenian Genocide.
Argentina’s parliament has passed several resolutions since 1985
condemning the Armenian genocide and demanding that Turkey acknowledges
this crime. The Senate of Argentina passed a harsh resolution in 2005
July demanding that Turkey admits this crime, but Argentine has passed
no law to recognize the Armenian genocide officially.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZG Armenian Daily #190, 06/10/2006
Visit
TRAIAN BASESCU: HISTORY IS FOR BOOKS ONLY
“We’ll not do anything affecting our neutrality on the Black Sea in
our relations with all countries of the Black Sea,” Traian Basescu,
president of Romania, stated yesterday at the meeting with students
of the Yerevan State University while answering a question whether
Romania is going to recognize the Armenian Genocide.
Basescu is sure that history and historic disputes should be
kept in the books and in the peoples’ memory but not put it as a
precondition for the future. In his opinion, the main criterion on
the path of joining the EU and NATO should be friendly relations with
neighbors. “Historical disputes should not be transferred to the EU
or NATO,” he said.
The Romanian president presented to the students his country’s history
of the last decade, inner political developments and the road of
European integration. By the end of the meeting, rector of YSU Aram
Simonian awarded Mr. Basescu a diploma of emeritus doctor of YSU,
a gilded medal and expressed hope that the president’s visit will
spur further development of Armenian-Romanian relations.
Yesterday, the Romanian president also visited Yerevan Brandy Factory
where following the tradition he left his signature on the oak barrel
of peace that was seperated in 1994 on occasion of cease-fire in
Nagorno Karabkh war. Afterwards, he received a 400-liter barrel of
brandy as a gift.
By Tamar Minasian and Aghavni Harutyunian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZG Armenian Daily #190, 06/10/2006
Turkey
TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY EXPRESSES REGRET ABOUT STATEMENTS MADE BY FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC
In the course of his visit to Armenia, French president Jacques Chirac
made statements in which he demanded recognition of the Armenian
genocide from Turkey. He put forward the issue of recognition of the
Armenian genocide as a precondition for Turkey for becoming a EU member
state. These statements caused indignation of the Turkish circles.
Generally, EU structures didn’t give any positive evaluation to these
statements, either. Only the central French newspapers supported
President Chirac in his statements, emphasizing that he broke taboos.
Anyway, the Turkish Foreign Ministry also represented its response
to the above statements.
According to the pro-governmental “Yeni-Sharaf,” the Turkish Foreign
Ministry expressed regret that the French President made pro-Armenian
statements in the course of his visit to Armenia. At the same time,
the foreign ministry expressed bewilderment that the recognition of the
genocide is no criteria for becoming an EU member state. They stated
that being well aware of that fact, Chirac created the illusion that
the claims of the Armenians are EU criteria and caused the indignation
of the Turkish people.
By Hakob Chakrian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DEPUTY CURSES CORRUPT AUTHORITIES
Panorama.am
15:20 05/10/06
Convention on Corruption raised a clamor in the parliament giving
chance to the opposition to criticize corrupt authorities. The
convention is signed in New York on October 31, 2003. Independent
deputy Tatul Manaseryan has been trying since yesterday to clarify
why Armenia does not call World Bank (WB) to responsibility for its
report which says that corruption is growing in Armenia especially
in customs. “We must be persistent and punish the corrupt officials
or else we must call for responsibility those institutes that make
discrediting statements,” Manaseryan said. The deputy informed his
colleagues that WB has assigned its units to name officials who are
involved in bribery or give bribes. Manaseryan hoped that Armenian
officials will also be named.
The convention proposes publicity and transparency in the fight
against corruption. It also obliged those countries that ratify it
to set up expert groups that will fight against corruption.
United Working Party (UWP) will vote for the convention because the
party leaders say it is compatible with the party directives. UWP
leader, Gurgen Arsenyan, even cursed those officials who are engaged in
corruption wishing them not to enjoy the property they have collected
through bribery.
Justice block secretary, Grigor Harutunyan, believes that the
convention is under discussion at the parliament now only because of
elections. Vahan Hovhannisyan, vice speaker, tried to take the blame
from the executive saying it was the obligation of the parliament
to ratify it. “If we were not ready for that, let’s confess it,”
also saying many other countries have not ratified it yet. Justice
Minister David Harutunyan also said ratification is a long process.
If the parliament ratifies the convention and after 30 days it
comes into effect, several legislative amendments are expected. Time
will show how the government will launch the actual fight against
corruption. /Panorama.am/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkish Daily News
Oct 6 2006
EU wants to trap Turkey
Friday, October 6, 2006
After the European Parliament made unfavorable alterations to its
report on Turkey, all eyes turned to the EU Commission’s progress
report. There is no consistency in the decisions taken and reports
published by the EU when it comes to Turkey.
Orhan Kilercioðlu
After the European Parliament made unfavorable alterations to its
report on Turkey, all eyes turned to the EU Commission’s progress
report. There is no consistency in the decisions taken and reports
published by the EU when it comes to Turkey. In other words, the
decisions and reports by the EU are constantly altered, and member
countries seem to be competing with each other to introduce their own
agenda and interests. This tendency has become acute, particularly
after the decision on Dec. 17, 2004 to begin accession negotiations.
Naturally this attitude is annoying to Turkey, which is trying to
adopt the Copenhagen criteria but which is constantly accosted with
new demands not previously cited as preconditions for membership. The
EU even deems it appropriate to demand that Turkey adhere to certain
conditions that even its own members do not.
While some EU member countries are harshly critical of Turkey,
others support it and emphasize its importance to the continent. In
other words, the EU appears to be confused and undecided on the
matter of Turkey.
The mainly technical negotiations between Turkey and the EU for
membership are constantly being diverted with the introduction of
certain political interests into the process. While Turkey needs to
confront the claims on the so-called Armenian genocide, it now has to
face new fictitious stories about genocides perpetrated against the
Pontus Greeks and our Assyrian Christian brothers. We are waiting to
see what the EU will make up in its next report.
Why don’t any of these reports mention the genocide Greece
perpetrated against Turks in Ýzmir, Manisa, Uþak and other provinces
during our War of Independence? Why is there no mention of the mass
murders perpetrated against Turkish Cypriots by Greek Cypriots? No
one talks about the massacres on Cyprus in the 1950s and 1960s.
The double standards practiced by the EU are upsetting the Turkish
nation. We can add to the number of such examples. What about the
inhumane treatment suffered by and the limitations imposed on freedom
of religion of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace, which
continues today? We can also mention the illegal immigrants being
left to die by Greece in Turkish waters. Not a word of criticism can
be heard from the EU on these issues. We see in the newspapers that
three Turks were removed from a party’s list of parliamentary
candidates in Holland because they refused to accept the Armenian
“genocide.” What kind of freedom of speech and democracy is the EU
practicing?
It appears that the EU has no compunction about limiting the
freedom of speech and freedom of religion of some people and even
tries to criminalize its most basic tenets. They may argue that such
laws are only practiced by Holland. If this is the case, how can it
turn to us and criticize Turkish laws because they include similar
clauses?
Why does the EU insist on forcing Turkey to reassess and change
Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK)? How can it intervene in
the way our Sunni and Alawite brothers live and create useless
tension?
The biggest mistake the EU committed was to accept Greek Cyprus as
a member. Even though the EU countless times claimed it would never
admit countries that have problems with their neighbors, it still
accepted Greek Cyprus. Why would it do such a thing? Everyone knows
the reason. It now wants Turkey to open its ports and airports to
Greek Cypriot cargo. Isn’t the attitude a little strange?
It is obvious that the EU is currently making its own rules and
that the reports it publishes and decisions it takes have nothing to
do with the much-praised criteria. As the screening process
continues, Turkey is faced with incredible pressure from the union.
Turkey is being forced into a direction it does not want.
In conclusion, the union is committing serious errors when it comes
to its relations with Turkey. It is violating the principles it wants
Turkey to adopt. It needs to abide by signed agreements and past
promises. It needs to stop using its own domestic political concerns
to push Turkey into a corner. It needs to be sincere. If not, it will
be the EU that will suffer the consequences.
–Boundary_(ID_cn/ZmIY0SByvpmpXH+Y+ Jw)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Foreign Ministers of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan met in Moscow
Public Radio of Armenia
Oct 6 2006
06.10.2006 15:55
Today in Moscow the Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov met
with his Armeniana and Azerbaijani counterparts Vardan Oskanian and
Elmar Mammadyarov.
The Russian Foreign Minister positively assessed the results of the
meeting with the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, who
arrived in Moscow to discuss the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. In Sergey Lavrov’s words, “the meeting was productive,”
strana.ru informs.
“It was not accidential that Moscow was elected a place for
trilateral meeting, since Russia has played an important historic
role in Transcaucasia, particularly in the settlement of the Karabakh
issue,” the diplomatic source of Moscow informs. The conversation
in this format mainly focused on the search for ways of the conflict
resolution.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The visit of the CoE Ad Hoc Committee on Nagorno Karabakh to the region postponed
Public Radio of Armenia
Oct 6 2006
06.10.2006 14:43
At the suggestion of the President of the Council of Europe Ad Hoc
Committee on Nagorno Karabakh Lord Russell Johnston the visit of the
committee members to the region has been postponed.
PR Department of the National Assembly told ArmInfo that during the
meeting with the Heads of Armenian and Azerbaijani delegations to the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Tigran Torosyan
and Safar Abiev Mr. Johnston noted that this is not a proper time for
the members of the committee to visit the region. I would be better
to postpone it till next year and to hold discussion in Strasburg,
featuring members of Armenian and Azerbaijani delegations.
The agenda of discussions will be fixed soon.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
October 6, 2006 Friday
PRESSURE ON ILHAM ALIYEV IS INCREASING;
Effectiveness of Karabakh talks questioned in Baku
by Sohbet Mamedov
PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV IS URGED TO SEND AN ARMY TO LIBERATE THE
OCCUPIED TERRITORIES; Azerbaijani hawks demand a military solution to
the Karabakh problem. The authorities are coming to see it as the
only option.
Chairmen of the OSCE Minsk group for Karabakh conflict resolution
came to Baku yesterday when the Russian-Georgian relations were at
their all-time low, the crisis fomented by the situation with
Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In Azerbaijan itself, dissatisfaction is
mounting concerning the Europeans’ efforts as mediators. Voices in
Baku urge President Ilham Aliyev to send an army to liberate the
occupied territories. Promoters of this solution refer to the lack of
results in the negotiations dragging out for over a decade already
and to sharply-worded statements made by official Yerevan. Telling
Al-Jazeera TV-station the other day, “As I see it, relations between
Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh will continue their development and we
will form a federation one fine day. As for the relations between
these two countries, let the future generations decide the matter…”
President of Armenia Robert Kocharjan made Azerbaijani hawks happy.
Made on the eve of OSCE Minsk Group chairmen’s arrival, Kocharjan’s
statement added fuel to the fire and strengthened the positions of
the circles in the Azerbaijani establishment that had never believed
in negotiations. Matthew Bryza of the United States, Yuri Merzlyakov
of Russia, Bernard Faciet of France (three chairmen), and OSCE
Chairman’s Envoy Andrzej Kaspcik met with Foreign Minister Elmar
Mamedjarov and Aliyev himself, yesterday. The meetings took place
with anti-Armenian actions of the opposition unfolding in the
streets. Activists of the non-governmental organization Karabakh
Liberation Organization (KLO) undertook to stage a protest action in
front of the Foreign Ministry when the negotiations were taking place
inside. It made a statement demanding no more visits of OSCE Minsk
Group chairmen to the region as pointless and disbandment of the OSCE
Minsk Group itself. KLO leader Akif Nagi said. “Since the UN General
Assembly is discussing conflicts in GUAM countries, Azerbaijan should
demand that the UN force Armenia to fulfill all four resolutions and
that it contemplate sanctions against Armenia. Azerbaijan should
launch a war and liberate the occupied territories all on its own
otherwise.” Practically all parties of the opposition and even some
deputies of the national parliament agree with Nagi.
The possibility of the use of military might as a solution to the
problem is even discussed in official structures of Azerbaijan and
mentioned by Aliyev himself. Azerbaijan has been upping war spending
for years. Defense expenditures in the 2007 budget, will top this
years figure by 26.7%. Already endorsed by the Cabinet, the draft
budget was forwarded to the presidential administration. A source in
the government of Azerbaijan says that sum total of war spending will
reach $900 million ($200 million more than in 2006).
Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, October 3, 2006, p. 6
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Russian military slam Georgia over restricted transit
RIA Novosti
October 06, 2006
MOSCOW, October 6 (RIA Novosti) – Only 10 percent of the applications
Russia made to Georgia concerning troop and hardware transit through
the country in 2006 were approved by Tbilisi, a high-ranking Russian
military officer said Friday.
Under a bilateral agreement signed in March 2006 in Sochi, Russia
transits its military cargo and personnel through Georgia in support
of the 102nd Russian military base in Armenia.
“Only nine out of 88 applications for overflights were approved in
2006,” Colonel-General Alexander Skvortsov, deputy chief of the General
Staff, said, adding the remaining requests were ignored by Tbilisi.
The Russian 102nd military base in Gyumri, about 120 kilometers
(75 miles) from the Armenian capital Yerevan, is part of a joint air
defense system of the Commonwealth of Independent States, which was
deployed in Armenia in 1995.
Skvortsov told Russian lawmakers that at the moment the Russian base
in Armenia is being supplied exclusively by air.
“Russia does not use land routes through Georgia, but only air transit
to deliver troops and hardware to the 102nd military base,” he said.
He said the situation is not extremely urgent, because previously
stored supplies allow the base to function normally for now.
But the situation could change in the future if the need for supplies
grows, he said.
Part of the military equipment being removed from Russian bases in
Georgia will be transferred to the Gyumri base when Russia completes
its withdrawal from Akhalkalaki and Batumi by the end of 2008.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress