Author: Emil Lazarian

ARAM SARGSIAN IS READY TO TURN TO THE COURT
Margaret Yesayan
Aravot.am
07 Sept 06
And prove that Frenchmen and RA authorities “have drunk” the Armenian
Cognac.
Erve Karof, the president of Brandy Factory of Yerevan has sent an
open letter to NA parliamentarian, DPA leader Aram Sargsian as the
latter accuses the factory of not saving the valuable, old alcohol
of Armenian brandy and intention to sell the factory. It’s known
that according to the agreement signed between the RA government and
“Perno Rikar” the owners of the factory are obliged to save and not
to expire the old base alcohol of cognac. It seems, the director of
factory threatens Aram Sargsian in his open letter: ”I inform you
that we assume us the right to arrange actions against you that will
be necessary for defending our interests”.
This story has started some years before when Aram Sargsian has
addressed questions to the RA government for many times to find out
what happens at the brandy factory. The government has sent a short
answer to Aram Sargsian, which says nothing. The parliamentarian has
asked the same question from the NA pulpit, and the NA minister has
answered that time that there is a truth in the parliamentarian’s words
and the prosecutor’s office is engaged in it. Aram Sargsian has talked
to the prosecutor general lately, and the latter has informed him
that they are engaged in cases of alcohol takeover. The parliamentary
meant just it. Once the director of the factory and Aram Sargsian
have flied together on plane. DPA told about the conversation in the
plane; ”As you have noticed there is a threat in the open letter,
and I’m not surprised. When I was introduced to Mr. Karof in plane I
didn’t pay attention to his words but now I understand that it is in
his style. We were talking in Russian: he has worked in Moscow and
has learned the lexicon of oligarchs. I want to say that I’m ready
to prove in legal form that my facts are true or I want to remind
that I have no problem to solve my problems in other way.”
Aram Sargsian said that open letter was simply an advertising pamphlet
as there was no elucidation about the certain questions. He doesn’t
say whether he admits my accusation or doesn’t. The point is our
national wealth, which has been sold very cheaply to the Frenchmen. I
want to stress that my accusations aren’t addressed to France, I’m
simply surprised how the representative of French people can make
such declaration.” Aram Sargsian is sure that the RA government is
guilty because it sold an enormous and serious factory by $28 million,
which gave us a golden profit.
Besides the government doesn’t follow at all how the points of
agreement are realized. According to their official facts, they
have already sold a plenty of cognac/ two times more than the base
alcohol is/ but they haven’t stored up enough. This means we won’t
have appropriate alcohol for the variety of Armenian brandy and the
best cognac trademarks will disappear. I think that just because
of our government this person assumes him a right to speak to the
NA parliamentarian in that way. Aram Sargsian also thinks that
not only the French side but also the Armenian government must be
responsible. ”I will fight until we get rid of these authorities,
there isn’t another way”.
–Boundary_(ID_EM0moBPlCnwgh0xwd 13C3A)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VAN BUYTEN EARNS BELGIUM WIN
uefa.com 1998-2006
Wednesday, 6 September 2006
A Daniel Van Buyten goal ensured Belgium returned to winning ways
with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Armenia. René Vandereycken’s
team could only draw 0-0 with Kazakhstan in their opening UEFA EURO
2008â~D¢ qualifier on 16 August, yet they managed three points in
Yerevan despite not having things all their own way.
Slow start
The Armenians, playing their first game in the section, held their
own in an opening half-hour of limited opportunities. Midfielder
Hamlet Mkhitaryan hit a left-footed shot over the bar for the hosts,
while at the other end Luigi Pieroni and Karel Geraerts fired wide
of Gevorg Kasparov’s goal.
Pieroni denied
Samvel Melkonyan then sent a right-footed effort wide of Belgium keeper
Stijn Stijnen before visiting forward Pieroni forced the first save of
note in the 30th minute, Kasparov smothering his left-footed strike
from outside the box. The Armenia custodian was called into action
by the same player five minutes later, this time denying Pieroni with
his feet.
Pressure pays off
R. Standard de Liège midfielder Geraerts then volleyed wide as the
visitors continued to pepper the hosts’ goal. The Belgians reaped
the reward for their pressure four minutes before half-time when Van
Buyten’s header from Jelle Van Damme’s cross found the top corner.
Belgium comfortable
In the second period, Feyenoord defender Pieter Collen was forced
off through injury just before the hour, with Anderlecht’s Anthony
Vanden Borre coming on. Despite the enforced switch, the Belgians
coped comfortably with Armenia’s attemps to restore parity to secure
the first win of their Group A campaign.
–Boundary_(ID_xj3MpxqxOZQh4BTOaE4+GQ)- –
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN AND AZERI YOUTH MEET IN ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
07.09.2006 13:23 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian and Azeri youth had a meeting at Gugark
children’s and youth camp in Lori region of Armenia. The event, called
Mutual Trust Camp, was organized with participation of Helsinki Civil
Initiative organization. Young people from Azerbaijan, Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh participated in the initiative.
Within the framework of the project, Azeri participants visited an
Azeri cemetery not far from Vanadzor town, which was lately restored
by the Vanadzor branch of Helsinki Civil Initiative NGO.
Within a few days the Azeri participants learned to Armenian Kochari
and make a declaration of love in Armenian, while Karabakh residents
got an opportunity to taste pilaf and traditional tea, reports Day.az.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OPEN UP THE LISTS, HMAYAK IS COMING
Lragir.am
07 Sept 06
“I want to clarify something once and for all. Hence, I have always
been guided by my own ideas. Whenever I cooperated with one political
force or another, I had only one purpose: to bring into being my own
ideas through the possibilities of that organization,” confessed Member
of Parliament Hmayak Hovanisyan, political scientist, September 7 at
the Pakagits Club in connection with the parliamentary election and
in an effort to shut the mouths of people “who are trying to stain
his faultless biography”.
And people are trying to stain the “faultless” biography by remembering
and reminding Hmayak that he ran in one parliamentary election on
the ticket of the People’s Party and in the other election on the
ticket of the National Unity Party. And judging by this “consistency”,
people are trying to find out which party ticket Hmayak Hovanisyan will
prefer. But before answering this question the political scientist
first states which idea he prefers, by the way, it is his idea about
the underlying necessity to form a political class.
“I’ve told Robert Kocharyan for a number of times, Serge Sargsyan
in 2002, 2001 that I consider forming an effective political
class, political elite in the country to be a priority. Not a
stable-fashion establishment but an effective political class,”
says Hmayak Hovanisyan. He does not approve the forces which become
engaged in politics to guarantee the security of their own capital
and have turned this capital into a political resource. He says he
will meet the force which will set an aim to push forward professional
legislators, professional politicians.
“I know I will be encountering challenges. Yes, I will. I will be
looking through the lists. If I see that one team of another, with me
as one of the coaches, may, in fact, reach that level and represent
those political qualities in the parliament, and if this team considers
me worth, I will think about it,” says Hmayak Hovanisyan.
But when someone asked what may happen if no team invites him, Hmayak
Hovanisyan said, “Don’t be so naive.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SENATOR SCHUMER URGES HOAGLAND TO CLARIFY HIS POSITION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
PanARMENIAN.Net
07.09.2006 14:05 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On the eve of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
consideration of Richard E. Hoagland as America’s next Ambassador to
Armenia, Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), sent a letter to Hoagland
criticizing the Administration’s policy on the Armenian Genocide
and urging the nominee to clarify his position on the matter,
reported the Armenian Assembly of America. In his letter, Schumer
also expressed concern that the current Ambassador, John M. Evans,
is being prematurely replaced for properly recognizing the Armenian
Genocide. “I am concerned that the Senate is reviewing your nomination
for this post as a result of Ambassador Evans’ departure, possibly
because of statements he made which, in my view, accurately describe
the Armenian Genocide as such,” Schumer wrote.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

JOHN EVANS: THERE ARE SOME ISSUES WHICH ARE SPOKEN ABOUT ONLY IN U.S.
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 07 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. John Evans,
the U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary who finished
his mission to the RA, in response to a question of a correspondent
of the Public Television of Armenia if, however, the Ambassador’s
pronounciation of the world “genocide” was a diplomatic error or a
personal opinion, mentioned that he does not discuss this issue in
Armenia. In his words, there are some issues which are spoken about
in the U.S. Responding the question “However, do you go, because
you pronounced the word “genocide” at a meeting with the American
Armenian community?” the Ambassador said, “They would not say like
that, you say in that way.” He did not exclude that he may once write
a book where there will be exhaustive answers and the complete picture
will be seen. John Evans also informed that he intends to have a rest
in New York for about a year as soon as he returns the Fatherland,
then to return Washington, but not for a diplomatic service: “I have
left the sphere of diplomacy, retired , but it does not mean that I
will do nothing,” the former Ambassador to Armenia said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

JOHN EVANS: ARMENIA IS ON RIGHT WAY
Noyan Tapan
Sept 07 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia is on the right way and
its future is democracy, John Evans, the U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary who finished his mission to Armenia, mentioned in
the interview to the Public Television. In the Ambassador’s words,
Armenia has all the main preconditions for becoming the leading
democratic state of the region, but there is no progress without
retreats. John Evans believed that creation and re-creation of
democracy is everyday work for all countries. And for this reason,
in the Ambassador’s words, the U.S. envisages programs which will
help Armenia to strengthen its democracy. The American diplomate also
explained that democracy is not only free and just elections, though
it’s one of the main elements: democracy is supremacy of the law as
well, independence of the judicial system, power and activity of press.

VARTAN OSKANIAN EXPRESSES GRATITUDE TO JOHN EVANS FOR EFFORTS IN DIRECTION OF DEVELOPMENT OF ARMENIAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 07 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian received on September 6 U.S. Ambassador
to Armenia John Evans, on the occasion of finishing his diplomatic
mission. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press
and Information Department, the interlocuters emphasized that during
the two years of the Ambassador’s officiating, a considerable progress
is fixed in the Armenian-American relations. The sides expressed
confidence that the agenda of bilateral cooperation will involve
new initiatives and spheres. The Minister thanked the Ambassador for
efforts made in development of the bilateral relations, wishing his
success during the future activity.

HMAYAK HOVHANNISIAN: CRIMINAL WORLD HAS LOST SENSE OF FEAR AND MEASURE
Noyan Tapan
Sept 07 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The subject of forming a civil
society in Armenia has become more than actual in the recent days,
when tragic events follow one another. Hmayak Hovhannisian, Chairman
of the Armenian Union of Political Scientists, RA MP, declared at
the September 7 press conference. In connection with the previous
day’s murder of Chief of the Investigation Department of the State Tax
Service attached to RA government, Shahen Hovasapian, and attack upon
editor of the Iravunk newspaper Hovhannes Galajian committed the same
day, Hovhannisian declared: “All this shows that the criminal world has
lost sense of fear and measure and has become so impudent that even
high-ranking officers become its targets.” The MP considers the main
obstacle to establishment of a civil society the fact that “the public
opinion has no impact on political processes in our country.” The
other obstacle of no less importance, in the MP’s words, is “absence
of social mobility” “under which closed castes emerge, which remind
of social structures typical of eastern dictatorships.” Under
such conditions, in the speaker’s words, to pass from one caste to
another becomes impossible and “on the one hand, the society becomes
hardened and, on the other hand, the society becomes separated and
distorted.” As Hovhannisian affirmed, in Armenia even marriages have
“inter-clan, oligarch character”: young people strive for marrying
someone from their caste.” Another obstacle to establishment of civil
society, as the political scientist emphasized, is sense of losing the
integrity of the Armenian society. Today, in his words, an Armenian
perceives himself not as an Armenian but as a resident of Aparan,
Lori or Syunik (Armenian marzes). The very fact is the reason that, in
Hovhannisian’s words, “by the principle of regionalism Nig-Aparans and
other compatriotic unions emerge.” At the forthcoming parliamentary
elections non-partisan Hmayak Hovhannisian is ready to cooperate
with the political forces who will “accept Hovhannisian’s ideas,”
will realize “the necessity to get rid of the class of stable-men
and to establish really a political class.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR VLADIMIR KARMIRSHALIAN HANDS HIS CREDENTIALS TO PRESIDENT OF CHILE MICHELLE BACHELET
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 07 2006
SANTIAGO, SEPTEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On September 5,
Vladimir Karmirshalian, RA Ambassador to Argentina, Uruguay and Chile
(residence Buenos Aires) handed his credentials to President of the
Republic of Chile Mrs Michelle Bachelet assuming the responsibilities
of RA Ambassador in this country. During the tete-a-tete conversation
with participation of Deputy Foreign Minister of Chile Alberto
van Klaveren as well, held after the official ceremony of handing
the credentials, Ambassador Karmirshalian presented the prospects
of RA-Latin America cooperation emphasizing that in difference to
Argentia and Uruguay, relations with Chile are still at the stage
of formation. He proposed immediately starting to create the legal
field first of all attaching importance to elaboration and signing
of agreements in political, economic and cultural spheres. As NT was
informed from RA Foreign Ministry Press and Information Department,
the President of Chile also attached importance to the necessity to
create a legal-contractual field and proposed signing a document on
cooperation between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries,
which will enable to prepare and coordinate agreements in another
spheres through the foreign political departments. President Bachelet
especially mentioned that only Armenia in the South Caucasian region
has accredited its ambassador in Chile. She expressed the hope that
she will have a possibility to visit Armenia by the end of her tenure.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress