Author: Emil Lazarian

RA FOREIGN MINISTER ON PROGRAM OF ARMENIA-DIASPORA FORUM 2006
By Tamar Minasian
AZG Armenian Daily
06/09/2006
On September 5, RA foreign minister Vartan Oskanian met with the
leadership of RA National Academy of Science. The participants of
the meeting were aimed to discuss the program of Armenia-Diaspora
Forum 2006 envisaged for September 18-20. Within the framework of
the forum “New Responses to Old Questions. The Armenians in the 21st
Century” two-day seminar will be held. Mr. Oskanian informed that it
is expected that the issues of the state, the national identity, the
business relations between Armenia and Diaspora, the migration issues,
as well as the issues of 2020 Diaspora prospects will be discussed.
Mr. Oskanian emphasized the importance of the forum and expressed
hope that the present will take active part in the abovementioned
activities and the discussions, as well as make suggestions for the
settlement of various issues.
In response to the question of Karlen Dallakian about the state
evaluation of the activities carried out by the World Armenian
Congress from the viewpoint of the relations between Armenia and
Diaspora, Mr. Oskanian stated that big sums and efforts have been
invested in the successful activities of that organization and there
are certain results, thought the organization fails to justify the
efforts spent. As an objective reason, he stated that frequently
the interests of various communities of Diaspora clash between each
other. At the same time he said that The World Armenian Congress is
not the only organization that unites Armenia with Diaspora, and the
state can’t be prejudiced to such organizations.
As for historian Ashot Melikian’s concern about the approach of
RA authorities to the issue of Javakhk, Mr. Oskanian said that
they can’t remain indifferent to the given issue, to the fate of
the Georgian-Armenians and they take certain steps to improve the
situation, though it’s an inner issue of Georgia.
The participants of the meeting also touched upon the tense relations
between Antialias and St. Etchmiadzin, the correct choice of the
programs broadcasted over RA Public TV’s Pan-Armenian network, as well
as the issue of double citizenship. Mr. Oskanian stated that all the
abovementioned issues will be included in the agenda of the forum.

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT REPORT NOT OBJECTIVE, SAYS TURKEY
NTV MSNBC, Turkey
Aug 5 2006
The report said there had been a slowing of the pace of enacting
reforms required as part of Turkey’s EU membership bid.
Guncelleme: 21:36 TSÝ 05 Eylul 2006 SalýANKARA – The report handed
down by the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on Turkey’s
progress in meeting the membership criteria of the European Union was
not objective and did not deal with the relevant issues, a Turkish
Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday.
However, Turkey expected some of the more controversial and
questionable statements in the report, which was approved by the
EP’s Foreign Affairs Committee late Monday, to be removed from the
final document to be voted on by the parliament on September 28,
Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan said.
“It is obvious that the report focused on issues which has nothing to
do with common sense and objectivity,” Tan told a press conference
in Ankara. “We hope that those points will be addressed before the
vote in the General Assembly at the end of this month.”
Tan said that a number of issues raised in the report, such as the
so-called Armenian genocide, were included due to political impulses
and did not reflect reality.
“We hope members of the European Parliament will demonstrate common
sense to fix this situation during general assembly meeting,” he said.
–Boundary_(ID_fi5yM0LV+IATflFH+Na0WQ)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CHAIRMAN OF THE EUROPEAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA
ArmRadio.am
05.09.2006 13:13
At the invitation of the Chairman of the Olympic Committee, MP Gagik
Tsarukyan President of the European Olympic Committee Patrick Hickey
will arrive in Armenia on a two-day official visit. Mr. Hickey will
have meetings with Armenian officials and sports leadership. He will
learn about the state of sport in Armenia and will hold corresponding
negotiations.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OTHER SIXTEEN FAMILIES LIVING IN YEREVAN ARE GIVEN CERTIFICATES FOR BUYING FLATS
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. 16 Families, Living At Present In
The Hostel In The Address Of Moldovakan 70, Yerevan, Were Given On
September 1 Certificates For Buying Flats, At The Cost Of 6 Mln 511
Thousand Drams Each (About 16.3 Thousand U.S. Dollars). Before The
Ceremony Of Giving The Certificates, Aram Haroutiunian, The RA Minister
Of Urban Development Mentioned That As It Was In 2005, The Process Of
Giving Certificates For Buying Flats Starts With Inhabitants Of The
Mentioned Hostel This Year As Well: They Were Given 20 Certificates For
Buying Flats In 2005, 19 Of Which Were Used. In Total, 590 Certificates
For Buying Flats Were Given In 2005, 360 Of Which Were Used.
A.Haroutiunian Also Mentioned That Mechanisms Of Work Of Those
Implementing The Program On Giving Certificates For Buying Flats,
The RA Ministry Of Urban Development, The State Committee On Real
Estate Land-Survey Attached To The RA Government, The Migration
Department Of The RA Ministry Of Territorial Administration And
Local Self-Government Bodies, Will Be More Definied, In The Sense Of
Beneficiaries And Flat Surfaces, Terms Of Using The Certificates For
Buying Flats. Gagik Yeganian, The Migration Department Chief Reminded
That The RA Government Made The Decision On Implementing The Program
On Giving Certificates For Buying Flats In 2004 And Undertook By It
The Responsibility Of Providing With Flats More Than 3.5 Thousand
Of Needy Families. The Total Cost Of The Program, Which Solves The
Program Of Integrating Refugees To The Society, Is 25 Mln Dollars. In
G.Yeganian’S Words, The Issue Of Giving Certificates For Buying Flats
To Families Living In Temporary Residences In The Marz Of Kotayk,
And The Program Will Be Implemented In Future In The Direction Of
Solving The dwelling problem of most needy families living in Yerevan.

ARMENIAN DRAM APPRECIATES BY 10.6% AGAINST US DOLLAR IN AUGUST 2006 ON DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. A 2.7% growth in consumer prices
was registered in August 2006 on December 2005, with the Armenian
dram appreciating by 10.6% against the US dollar. According to the RA
National Statistical Service, a similar tendency was registered in the
same period of last year: a 4.5% growth in consumer prices was followed
by a 5.2% appreciation of the Armenian dram against the US dollar. A
0.9% price fall was registered in the Armenian consumer market in
August on July 2006, while the Armenian dram appreciated by 3.7%
against the US dollar in the currency market. The average settlement
exchange rate of the US dollar made 401.9 drams in August 2006,
which is lower by 12.8% (460.99 drams) than the index of August 2005.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SYRIAN MUFTI LAYS WREATH TO MONUMENT OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 04 2006
ECHMIADZIN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On September 3,
Sheikh Ahmed Badr-Eddine Hassoun, the Grand Mufti of the Arab Republic
of Syria, and his delegation visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial
Complex dedicated to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims. As
Noyan Tapan was informed from the Information Services of the Mother
See of Holy Echmiadzin, Sheikh Hassoun visited the Genocide Museum
where he made notes at the museum memory book.
Then the Syrian Mufti laid a wreath to the memorial to the Armenian
Genocide victims and paid the tribute of his respect to the memory
of Genocide victims.
“…If the peoples had really followed their religions… these
massacres would not have taken place. The Armenian people should
recover from this pain and build Armenia in peace,” Sheikh Ahmed
Badr-Eddine Hassoun, in particular, said expressing confidence that
the Armenian people, wherever it be in the Diaspora, should extend
a helping hand to help to restore the Mother Armenia.
“Our pains did not teach us hatred but guided our people to follow
the divine way,” the Syrian Mufti emphasized.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ONLY EDGAR YENOKIAN OUT OF 8 ARMENIAN WRESTLERS MANAGES TO STAND ON PEDESTAL OF HONOR AT WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
GUATEMALA, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The participants of the free-style
wrestling world youth championship completed their competition on
September 4 in Guatemala. Edgar Yenokian (84 kg, Yerevan) peformed
successfully among 4 representatives of Armenia. He gained 3 victories,
was defeated once and took 3rd place winning a bronze medal. So,
only 1 among 8 Armenian representatives of Greco-Roman and free-style
wrestling managed to stand on the pedestal of honor at the world
championship.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OVER 50 PARTIES AND NGOs EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR ORINATS YERKIR’S INITIATIVE
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Heads and representtaives of 14
parties, including ARF Dashnaktsutyun, People’s Party of Armenia,
United Labor Party, National Self-Determination Union, National
Democratic Union, and the Republic Party, as well as of various NGOs
took part in a discussion organized by the RA National Assembly Orinats
Yerkir faction on September 4 within the framework of the initiative
“Political Process in the Name of Legal Elections”.
The main directions of the initiative are amendments to the Electoral
Code to bring it in line with international standards, and a wide
consensus amond parties in support of reforms in the parliament
and ouside it; an efficiently functioning system of training of
election commissions’ members to ensure fair treatment of all parties;
transparency of the election process, efficient mechanisms of public
control; free activities of the mass media, civil society and other
institutions in the election process, which presupposes a number of
legislative amendments. According to the press service of the Orinats
Yerkir Party, over 50 parties, including the Constitutional Law Union,
the Democratic Path Party, the Dashink (Alliance) Party, and several
NGOs, have expressed their support for the initiative. However, not
all those intending to participate in the discussion succeeded in
doing so because the National Assembly did not allocate a hall for the
discussion to be held. According to the same source, presenting their
positions, the discussion participants attached special importance to
measures to ensure the legality of elections, approved the Initiative
in the Name of Legal Elections and discussed the mechanisms of their
possible cooperation in the future.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

220 THOUSAND TONS OF GRAIN HARVESTED IN ARMENIA AS OF SEPTEMBER 4
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. As of September 4, 220 thousand
tons of grain was harvested in Armenia, which is less by 100 thousand
tons than the index as of the same day of 2005. NT correspondent
was informed from Garnik Petrosian, Head of the Plant Cultivation
Development and Plant Protection Department of the RA Ministry of
Agriculture, that it is envisaged to harvest another 100-105 thousand
tons of grain. According to him, the average crop yield of grain
made 14 centners this year. The highest index of average crop yield
was registered in Ararat marz (32 tons), while the lowest index was
in Tavush marz (7 centners). It was noted that as of September 4,
396 thousand tons of vegetables was harvested, which exceeds by 96
thousand tons the respective index of last year. Particularly, 135
thousand tons of potato was already harvested this year against 128
thousand tons as of the same day last year. G. Petrosian said that it
is planned to harvest 800 thousand tons of vegetables until the end
of the season against 600 thousand tons last year. As of September 4,
the Armenian fruit and vegetable processing companies purchased 30
thousand tons of vegetables against 17 thousand tons last year. The
Ararat and Artashat canning plants are the main purchasers. According
to G. Petrosian, 180 thousand tons of fruit was already harvested
against 220 thousand tons as of September 4, 2005. 20 thousand tons
of grapes was already harvested against 8 thousand tons as of the
same day last year.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SYRIAN MUFTI VISITS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MEMORIAL
Yerevan, September 4. ArmInfo. Mufti of Syria Ahmad Badr Al Din
Hassoun visited the Amenian Genocide Complex in Yerevan today.
The press service of the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin reports Mufti
to lay flowers to the memorial and to visit the Armenian Genocide
Museum. He said that if nations actually followed their religions
there would be no such massacres. He noted that the Armenian nation
should overcome this pain and continue to live and to built its
country. Mufti said that Armenians – wherever there are – should help
to restore their native Armenia.