Author: Emil Lazarian

ARF DASHNAKTSUTYUN KEEPS TRADITIONS AND SECRETS
Lragir.am
29 Aug 06
Hrair Karapetyan, the leader of the parliamentary faction of the ARF,
announced August 29 at the Pastark Club that the tenth general meeting
of the ARF will take place on September 7, which will outline the
manner and purpose of participation of ARF in the election.
Although today it is already clear that “the ARF runs in the
elections alone”. As it became clear from the following words of
the ARF representative, besides being a century-old and traditional,
the ARF is also reticent as usual. The opening of the General Meeting
of the ARF will take place at the hall of the government and will be
open for everyone, whereas the meeting itself will be confidential.
Hrair Karapetyan did not know where the meeting will take place, but
he noted, “Since the resolutions, circulars of the General Meeting
are published, it is pointless to speak about confidentiality.”
Besides, the ARF is not only reticent but also conformist. The ARF
is for a 100 percent proportional system. Hrair Karapetyan announced
that if as a result of a political arrangemeent 90 seats are elected
under the proportional and 41 seats are elected under the majority
system in 2007, the ARF will consider it a progressive step compared
with the present 47/56 proportion. And if the proportion set down
in the Electoral Code remains, ARF will agree to it and hope that
eventually in 2012 there will be a 100 percent proportional system in
Armenia. And the race of political rats determined by the developments
connected with the Republican Party and Bargavach Hayastan does not
worry ARF. “In fact, there is a process of moving from one party to
another, but even in the years when our friends were in prison, and
the party was banished, not a single member quit the ARF.” It became
clear that it is very difficult to become member of the ARF. “It is
difficult to become a member.
Mass membership is impossible. Only one out of 20-30-40 applications
are accepted.” In addition, “Our electorate is sustainable.” At
the same time, Hrair Karapetyan states that the ARF gets more
votes at every election, and he is hopeful that this tendency will
continue. “Unfortunately, however, in voting people do not take into
consideration the age of the political party, and the influence of
the Soviet anti-Dashnaktsutyun campaign persists.
People do not trust the ARF.” Hrair Karapetyan thinks that now the
true history is taught at schools and the time will come when the
ARF will be evaluated duly.
The chair of the parliamentary faction of the ARF, likely to run
in the election alone, notes that there are political parties whose
programs have a number of points in common with the program of the
ARF, and cooperation with these parties is not only possible but also
inevitable. The struggle inside the government is also inevitable
and natural, which will become tenser as the elections draw nearer,
says the ARF representative.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PM: OFFICIALS WERE PRESENTED WITH ARMS NOT FOR COMMITTING MURDERS
Yerevan, August 29. ArmInfo. Various officials were presented with
arms not for committing murders but for their good work, Armenian
Prime Minister says in an interview to Haykakan Zhamanak when asked
to comment on the reports that he has granted weapons to 589 people
this years: 3 of them have committed murders from the weapons.
Margaryan says that there is a specific attitude towards arms in
Armenia. Besides, one should take into account the 80-year Soviet
past when people were forbidden to possess firearms and also the
Karabakh conflict. Many of those granted arms took part in various
operations and weapon was the best prize for them. One should not
regard the arms as just means of shooting. In some 5-10 years the
Karabakh conflict will be resolved, the syndrome of “fire-eater”
will be overcome and people will stop giving arms as presents.
At the same time, Margaryan notes that he did not grant arms just to
anybody. There is a special procedure. However, he refuses to name
them as this is secret information.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ASSEMBLY HOLDS BRIEFINGS IN MICHIGAN AND NEW JERSEY
ArmRadio.am
28.08.2006 14:13
The Assembly’s Executive Director Bryan Ardouny traveled to Farmington
Hills, Michigan and Wayne, New Jersey to meet with local supporters
and discuss critical issues facing the Armenian-American community.
In those meetings, Ardouny provided an update on his meetings with US,
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh government officials during his recent
trip to Armenia, as well as a legislative update. He also answered a
variety of questions asked by supporters regarding the Appropriations
Bill for FY 2007, the pan-Armenian Genocide Resolution, the Rail
Measure and the confirmation hearing of US Ambassador to Armenia
Designate Richard Hoagland.
“We have had numerous successes throughout this Congressional cycle
from House approval of a provision to prevent Export-Import Bank
funding of a rail bypass of Armenia to the resounding International
Relations Committee vote last September on affirming the Armenian
Genocide,” said Ardouny. “However we have many challenges ahead and
it’s heartening to meet with so many committed activists. I would
like to especially thank the Assembly’s Regional Council Members for
making these events possible.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ILHAM ALIEV TO MEET WITH US MEDIATOR MATTHEW BRYZA
ArmRadio.am
28.08.2006 17:05
Today in Lyublyana Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev will meet with
the US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza.
The President of Azerbaijan is paying an official visit to Slovenia
and this morning he held talks with his counterpart Yanosh Drnovshek.
Ilham Aliev participated also in the “Caspian perspectives 2008”
international conference in Bled city. Matthew Bryza also arrived in
Slovenia to partake in the conference.
At the conference Armenia is represented by Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanian.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE US SHOULD USE ENERGY RESOURCES OF THE REGION TO HELP SETTLE CONFLICTS IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS
ArmRadio.am
28.08.2006 17:53
Former Special Adviser to US President on Assistance to post-Soviet
countries Richard Morningstar considers that the US should use
energy resources of the region for the development of regional
economic cooperation and settlement of the conflicts in the South
Caucasus. Richard Morningstar said this in an article published in
the Central Asia – Caucasus magazine.
“How can we speak about real cooperation in the region if the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains unsettled and Armenia cannot gain
profit from the region’ s development? The Unites States should
continue presenting to the parties the benefits that will become
available in the result of the conflict settlement and should
encourage to go on with the efforts to reach a fair solution,”
declared the ex-diplomat, who is currently teaching in Harvard and
Stanford Universities.
Richard Morningstar considers also that “Turkey should aspire to
reach compromises with Armenia and play a positive role in the Nagorno
Karabakh process.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

V.OSKANIAN PARTICIPATES IN “CASPIAN OUTLOOK 2008” FORUM IN SLOVENIA
Noyan Tapan
Aug 28 2006
YEREVAN, AUGUST 28, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Forign Minister Vartan Oskanian
participates in Bled (Slovenia) in the August 27-28 “Capsian Outlook
2008” forum jointly organized by the Foreign Ministry of Slovenia
and the Ljubljana Institute for Strategic Studies. As Noyan Tapan was
informed by the Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information Department,
during the forum which is dedicated to relations of the European
Union and South Caucasus, a discussion will take place concerning the
geopolitical meaning of South Caucasus and Caspian regions for the EU,
as well as concerning economic, strategic and political prospects.
Heads of states, Foreign Ministers, NATO and EU Special Representatives
to South Caucasus, high-ranking officials of international
organizations, famous international experts, politicians participate
in the forum. RA Foreign Minister’s speech is envisaged during the
“Caspian Outlook 2008” forum.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKADI GHUKASIAN: GENERATIONS NOT TO FORGET S.KAPUTIKIAN’S INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTION IN AFFAIR OF KEEPING AND ADDING NATIONAL VALUES
Noyan Tapan
Aug 28 2006
STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 28, NOYAN TAPAN. NKR President Arkadi Ghukasian
sent a telegram of condolence on the occasion of the Armenian famous
poetess Silva Kaputikian’s death. The message submitted to Noyan
Tapan by the NKR President’s Press Office, particularly, reads the
following: “We got to know with pain and grief about the death of Silva
Kaputikian, the Armenian people’s great daughter, an Armenian prominent
poetess of the 20th century and an old friend of Artsakh. The NKR
people and authorities express their deep sympathy to Mrs.Karapetian’s
relatives and friends, to all those who grieve this irreparable loss
for our nation and culture. The bright memory of Silva Kaputikian,
a person and a poetess, will remain sparkling. Generations will not
forget that invaluable contribution that she had in the affair of
keeping and adding national values.”

SERIOUS STEPS MUST BE TAKEN AGAINST OBLIGED GATHERING OF MONEY IN SCHOOLS, DEPUTY MAYOR OF YEREVAN SAYS
Noyan Tapan
Aug 28 2006
YEREVAN, AUGUST 28, NOYAN TAPAN. Obliged gathering of money being
fulfilled in secondary schools is a crime, and every step must be
taken to exclude such cases. Kamo Areyan, the First Deputy Mayor of
Yerevan stated about it at the August 28 press conference. In his
words, schools are not prohibited in any way to have extra-budget
financial resources, but it must be “based on the principal of
free will.” K.Areyan informed that if similar cases are found out,
directors of given schools will be discharged. The Deputy Mayor called
on parents to also struggle against that phenomenon.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

“DEVELOPMENT OF CIVIL SOCIETY RIGHTS” NGO INTENDS TO SUE ARMWATERCANAL CJSC
Noyan Tapan
Aug 28 2006
YEREVAN, AUGUST 28, NOYAN TAPAN. “Armenia’s water system is corrupted”.
Artashes Barseghian, chairman of the NGO “Development of Civil
Society Rights”, and Hovik Arsenian, lawyer of the same NGO, made
this statement at a press conference on August 26. Particularly,
A. Barseghian said that living in the village of Qaghtsrashen of
Ararat marz for the past three years, he witnessed illegal actions
committed by officials of the water system, collected information
about it and intends to bring a lawsuit against Armwatercanal CJSC. H.
Arsenian added that by applying to court, they want to make the
company fulfil its obligations towards consumers based on agreements
signed. According to A.
Barseghian, over the past three years, the company collected 1 bln
drams from about 100 villages of the marz, however, no single pipe was
replaced or repaired in the indicated period. Besides, the company is
responsible for the quality of drinking water, whereas the tests done
by the laboratory of the National Institute of Health after Avdalbekian
revealed that the drinking water in the villages of Qaghtsrashen and
Dvin do not meet the requirements. Despite the fact that the water
poses a danger to consumers’ health, Armwatercanal requires that the
village inhabitants pay for it, otherwise threatening to cut off their
water supply. In A. Barseghian’s opinion, all this is a manifestation
of corruption. “I intend to invite tourists from abroad, but how can
I carry out my plans: these people will drink not clean water and
become infected,” A. Barseghian said resentfully.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERI, ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET IN SLOVENIA
Yeni Musavat, Baku
28 Aug 06
Excerpt from report by Seymur in the Azerbaijani newspaper Yeni Musavat
on 28 August headlined “Ilham Aliyev will meet Matthew Bryza today”
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and his Armenian
counterpart Vardan Oskanyan met in Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana
yesterday [27 August]. Andrzej Kasprzyk, the personal representative
of the OSCE chairman-in-office, is also in Slovenia.
[Passage omitted: President Ilham Aliyev, who is visiting Slovenia,
to meet OSCE Minsk Group’s US co-chair on 28 August]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress