Author: Emil Lazarian

TURKEY WISHES TO APPEAR AS EU ALLY AND EUROPEAN DIPLOMACY WEAPON
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.09.2006 14:38 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Sending of Turkish peacekeepers to Lebanon is
by no means a growth of Ankara’s imperial pretensions, though some
forces in Armenia think so,” head of the department of international
relations at the institute of political and military analysis Sergey
Markedonov told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, Recep Tayyip
Erdogan despite his “stormy Islamic youth” has staked on Turkey’s
Europeanazation and its accession to the EU.
“However presently Europe demonstrates the whole world its fear to
participate in the peacekeeping operation.
In this situation Turks wish to appear as EU’s ally and even a weapon
of European diplomacy. For Israel a move of the kind made by Turkey’s
is quite admissible, since Turkey has been an ally to the Jewish state
for many years,” he remarked. However the Russian political scientist
considers that the Tel Aviv-Israel relations has considerably cooled
over the situation in Iraq.
“Anyway Turkey is a more favorable “peacekeeper” for Israel. Thus,
Ankara on one hand aspires for Europe and is ready to demonstrate
its loyalty towards the EU. On the other hand this operation will
become a test for relations with Israel. Third, this goal will not
be publicly announced in Turkey, since many Turks feel sympathy for
Hezbollah. Thus Turkish military should know how to behave in the
radical Islamist world. With this move Turkey will acquire a good
notion of the situation in Lebanon, Helbollah’s relations with Iran
and Iran’s intentions,” Markedonov said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MIKHAIL ZABELIN: “WE SHOULD INVITE THOSE TAKING NEGATIVE STANCE ON US TO AZERBAIJAN TO CONVINCE THEM THEY ARE WRONG”
Today, Azerbaijan
Sept 6 2006
“I was pleased that Russian prominent politicians did not attend the
latest events in Khankendi (Stepanakert),” Azerbaijani parliament
member, head of Russian community of Azerbaijan Mikhail Zabelin stated.
He said the community he leads sends an immediate inquiry after any
event that harms Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Stating that the number of cases on Russian politicians visiting the
Armenian-occupied Azerbaijani territories has decreased recently,
Mr.Zabelin said they should be invited to Azerbaijan in order to
change their mind, APA reports.
“I invited Russian parliamentarian Konstantin Zatulin, who was in
Nagorno Karabakh, to the meeting of the Presidium of International
Council of Russian Compatriots held in Baku. He accepted my invitation
and arrived in Baku. I took him to the Martyrs’ Alley and told him
the truths and even I asked him, “how it happened that you did not go
to Nagorno Karabakh this time”. He did not answer my question. I think
we’d better invite those taking negative stance on us to Azerbaijan. We
should change their mind, open their eyes to see the truths. Then they
would leave Azerbaijan as friends. I see my duty must be namely this,”
the parliament member underlined.
Commenting on considering the person visiting Nagorno Karabakh without
informing Azerbaijan as unwelcome, Mr.Zabelin disagreed with that.
“I would not do that. You need to convince an individual that he
took a wrong step. By declaring them unwelcome we make them move
away from us. As a result, they are dissatisfied and visit Nagorno
Karabakh when they are invited again. There are people, who have no
idea of Azerbaijan and its Nagorno Karabakh problem. We should work
with them,” he said.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN EDITOR ‘ATTACKED BY THUGS’
By Karine Kalantarian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Sept 6 2006
The editor-in-chief of one of Armenia’s best-selling newspapers claimed
to have been attacked and beaten up on Wednesday by well-built men
resembling the notorious bodyguards of government-connected wealthy
businessmen.
“After I left home in the morning two young men with shaven heads
attacked me from behind, toppled me to the ground and began kicking me,
mainly trying to target my head,” Hovannes Galajian of the “Iravunk”
bi-weekly told RFE/RL by phone. “When other people came out of the
building they immediately fled.”
“They didn’t say anything. They were silent. They didn’t even swear
at me,” he said, adding that he immediately reported the incident to
the police and will undergo a medical examination by forensic experts
on Thursday.
Galajian said he believes that the alleged attack was in retaliation
for critical articles published by his paper, but would not specify
“Iravunk” reports that might have angered influential individuals.
“We have trodden on many toes and the pool of suspects,” he said.
“Iravunk,” which is linked to a small opposition party, is known
for its hard-hitting coverage of the Armenian government and its
loyalists. Galajian’s description of his alleged attackers matches the
appearance of about two dozen thugs that tried to disrupt an April 2004
opposition rally in Yerevan and attacked photojournalists and cameramen
who filmed their actions. Media reports at the time said the well-built
men work as bodyguards of “oligarchs” supporting the ruling regime.
Galajian was among the editors of Armenia’s leading newspapers who
issued a joint statement last July expressing serious concern about
what they described as a growing harassment of journalists critical
of the government. The statement cited in particular a June attack
on a freelance journalist whose news reporting allegedly infuriated
a local government chief in Yerevan.

CATALAN DEPUTIES CALL FOR RECOGNITION OF ALLEGED GENOCIDE
Turkish Daily News
Sep 06, 2006
Having received a letter from an Armenian group, two Catalan deputies
have come up with a proposal calling for debates in the Spanish
Parliament on the so-called Armenian genocide at the hands of the
Ottoman Empire in the last century.
Rosa M. Bonas and Joan Puigcercos submitted the proposal in June to
the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Spanish Parliament, urging the
recognition of the so-called genocide on the grounds that it was a
crime against humanity.
“We’ll make changes in the proposal by taking out an article pressing
Ankara to recognize the [alleged] Armenian genocide,” Bonas told the
Anatolia news agency.
She stressed that they do not want to oppose Turkey.
Bonas said she has always been sympathetic to tiny and victimized
communities — she herself is Catalan — but noted she learned about
the so-called genocide only after the Armenian committee’s letter.
The Catalan deputy also expressed hope that she would not be
misunderstood by the Turkish public and said, “I’ve always defended
Turkey’s European Union membership in the European Parliament and
I’ll continue to do so.”
The Turkish ambassador in Madrid, Volkan Vural, said Turkey has taken
action at the level of the Spanish Foreign Ministry and the Spanish
Parliament as soon as they heard about the proposal and sent letters
to the two deputies and the head of the Spanish Parliament’s Foreign
Affairs Commission, saying that the proposal would harm Turkish-Spanish
relations.
“In Ankara, the Foreign Minister reacted [to the proposal],” Vural
told Anatolia.
He said the possibility of the proposal’s approval was very weak and
added: “It is clear that it will have no legal meaning even if it is
adopted. It will become clear how wrong and unfortunate an approach
it is to intermingle past events with politics.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA 0 – BELGIUM 1
Sportinglife.com, UK
Sept 6 2006
A Daniel van Buyten goal ensured Belgium returned to winning ways
with a hard-fought victory over Armenia on Wednesday.
Rene Vandereycken’s team could only draw 0-0 with Kazakhstan on August
16 in the Group A curtain-raiser, but managed three points in Yerevan
despite not having it all their own way.
The early exchanges failed to produce any clear-cut chances of
interest.
Armenia midfielder Hamlet Mkhitaryan hit a left-footed shot over the
bar, while at the other end Luigi Pieroni and Karel Geraerts fired
wide of Gevorg Kasparov’s goal.
The Armenians, playing their opening game after having been given
the day off on Saturday, held their own in the first half-hour.
Samvel Melkonyan’s right-footed effort flew wide of Stijn Stijnen’s
goal, and Koen Daerden became the first player to be cautioned after
fouling Melkonyan.
Pieroni forced the first save of note in the 30th minute, Kasparov
catching his left-footed strike from outside the box.
The Armenia stopper was called into action by the same player five
minutes later, this time denying Pieroni with his feet.
Standard Liege 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.
Stijnen opted to punch crosses from Mkhitaryan and Aghvan Lazarian
to safety as the Armenians pushed for a leveller after the break.
Feyenoord defender Pieter Collen was forced off through injury just
before the hour mark, with Anderlecht’s Anthony Vanden Borre coming on.
Van Damme was the second Belgian to have his name taken midway through
the second period for a foul on Mkhitaryan.
Vanden Borre and Pieroni were also booked as the Belgians’ frustrations
at failing to extend their lead grew.
But Club Brugge goalkeeper Stijnen coped comfortably with any efforts
Armenia could muster as Belgium stood firm to secure three valuable
points.
Teams
Armenia Kasparov, Hovsepyan, Arzumanyan, Dokhoyan,
Melikyan,Khachatryan, Karen Aleksanyan, Lazarian (Arman Karamyan
76),Mkhitaryan (Galust Petrosyan 81), Samvel Melkonyan,Shahgeldyan
(Aram Hakobyan 72).
Subs Not Used: Feliks Hakobyan, Bagdarasyan, Pachajyan, Tadevosyan.
Booked: Khachatryan.
Belgium Stijnen, Hoefkens, Simons, Van Damme, Van Buyten,Daerden
(Goor 65), Englebert, Collen (Vanden Borre 59),Geraerts, Dembele
(Defour 77), Pieroni.
Subs Not Used: Vandenbussche, De Decker, Huysegems, Vandenbergh.
Booked: Daerden, Van Damme, Vanden Borre, Pieroni.
Goals: Van Buyten 41.
Att: 8,000
Ref: Gerald Lehner (Austria).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKEY REJECTS EU CALL TO RECOGNISE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
AFX UK (Focus)
Sep 05, 2006
ANKARA (AFX) – Turkey denounced today a European Union report saying
that Ankara must recognise the 1915-1917 genocide in Armenia as a
condition for joining the EU.
“We are dismayed by efforts aiming to impose preconditions that are
far from objective on questions that require serious academic inquiry,”
the Turkish foreign ministry said in a communique.
A report adopted by the EU parliament’s foreign affairs committee
last night deplored Turkey’s lack of progress in implementing reforms
needed to join the EU, and alluded specifically to Ankara’s refusal
to acknowledge the Armenian genocide.
“Certain elements of the report … written with political
considerations are not compatible with the credibility of the European
parliament,” the Turkish foreign ministry said.
Armenians estimate that up to 1.5 mln of their forebears perished in
systematic killings orchestrated by the Ottoman Empire between 1915
to 1917.
Ankara rejects all accusations of genocide, estimating the number of
Armenian deaths at 300,000 and arguing they were not a consequence
of deliberate extermination but a combination of war, disease, famine
and ethnic conflict.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA RESTORES CEMETERIES IN FORMER AZERI VILLAGES
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
5 Sep 06
[Presenter] Armenians are replying with great mercy to the destruction
of cultural monuments by Azerbaijan. A cemetery in the village of
Saral in Lori District formerly populated by Azerbaijanis has been
restored. The barbarous destruction of the cross stones at the Armenian
cemetery of Old Juga [the Culfa town in the Azerbaijani exclave of
Naxcivan] still remains in people’s memory. But the pages of our
history and today’s events have ones again showed that the Armenians
are not vindictive people.
[Correspondent over video of cemetery] Sixty-five Azerbaijani
tombstones have been restored in Lori District. The Azerbaijani
cemetery in the village of Nor Khachakab has also been restored. The
Vanadzor office of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly examined the
destroyed Azerbaijani cemeteries in Lori District in April. Eighteen
former Azerbaijani-populated villages were inspected and the village
of Saral was chosen for restoration.
[Head of the Vanadzor office of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Artur
Sakunts, captioned] We decided that the cemeteries should be restored
first. The cemeteries belong to those people who as a result of the
conflict have left their residence and moved to Azerbaijan.
We have agreed with our Azerbaijani colleagues that they will restore
the Armenian cemeteries in Azerbaijan.
[Correspondent] The local authorities will keep an eye on the
Azerbaijani cemetery. The governor of Nor Khachakap said that the
cemetery would be in the focus of attention and the villagers would
protect it.
[Head of the Azerbaijani National Committee of the Helsinki Citizens’
Assembly, Arzu Abdullayeva speaking in Russian with Armenian
voice-over] Peace is the result of cooperation and it is made up of
such small inputs.
[Correspondent] About 30 young people from Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Karabakh had an opportunity to familiarize themselves with their
culture in the district’s Gugark camp and speak about peace.
[Passage omitted: participants in the meeting stress the importance
of such meetings]
[Correspondent] The regional programme is being implemented by the
Armenian and Azerbaijani national committees of the Helsinki Citizens’
Assembly, and the aim of the programme is to build confidence through
similar cultural events carried out by different representatives of
the conflicting sides, in particular by young people.
David Ovanesyan, Lilit Georchyan, Vanadzor, “Aylur”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FOOTBALL TEAMS OF ARMENIA AND BELGIUM TO MEET IN YEREVAN
ArmRadio.am
06.09.2006 10:39
In the qualification round of the Euro 2008 the Armenian national
football team will welcome today the team of Belgium. The Armenian
team headed by Scott started training a week ago. Roman Berezovski,
Artavazd Karamyan and Edgar Manucharyan will not participate in
the match. The team includes skilled players Karen Dochoyan, Hamlet
Mkhitaryan, Romik Khachatryan, Arman Karamyan and Armen Shahgeldyan.

THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA ALLOCATES 250,000 US DOLLARS TO ARMENIAN SCHOOLS
ArmRadio.am
06.09.2006 13:57
The “Khatchig Babikian” Fund, operating under the sponsorship of
the Catholicosate of Cilicia, will donate 250,000 US Dollars to the
Armenian national schools of Lebanon, announced His Holiness Aram I
during a special interview with the Catholicosate’s Communications
Office.
“As we had previously announced through the media, the yearly income
of this fund will be channeled for use in educational, cultural,
social and publishing projects. However, considering the hardships
created in Lebanon as a consequence of the recent war, we decided to
exceptionally grant the largest part of the fund’s allocation this
time to our schools. We believe this was a wise decision considering
the importance of the Armenian school in the life of the community,”
said His Holiness Aram I during the interview.
“The Catholicosate of Cilicia and We, personally, will continue to
consider the Armenian school as one of the most important aspects of
our mission,” Aram I added.
The decision was taken on September 1 to make the grant for the
academic year 2006-2007. The Khatchig Babikian Fund was established
recently at the Antelias headquarters of the Catholicosate of
Cilicia. It is run by a special committee under the direct supervision
of the Catholicos.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA STATE TAX SERVICE OFFICIAL KILLED IN YEREVAN
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.09.2006 12:43 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The service car belonging to Shahen Hovasapyan,
the head of the operating and investigating department of RA State
Tax Service, exploded in Baryon street, Yerevan, September 6 at about
10 a.m. local time. Shahen Hovasapyan died immediately; his driver
was gravely injured. The crime is being investigated by the Armenian
Office of Prosecutor General, reported IA Regnum.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress