Author: Emil Lazarian

VOLUME ONE OF RICHARD HOVHANNISYAN’S “THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA” TRANSLATED INTO ARMENIAN
ArmRadio.am
19.05.2006 14:53
Now we can read volume one of Richard Hovhannisyan’s English-language
“The Republic of Armenia” book also in Armenian. The Armenian
translation of the book was presented today at the Union of
Writers. The inclusive history of 1918-1919 has been created on the
basis of rich archive materials, which point out the declaration of
republic in 1918 and the challenges of the time.
It took the writer about 30 years to write the three-year story of
the republic.
The book thoroughly presents the territorial disagreements over
Borchalu, Akhalkalak, Kars, Ardahan, Nagorno-Karabakh, Zangezur
and Nakhijevan.
“Richard Hovhannisyan’s historic investigations were considered
prohibited literature in Soviet era,” noted Ashot Melkonyan, Director
of History of the National Academy of Sciences.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE EXCHANGE RATE AND ELECTION 2007
Lragir.am
19 May 06
Fluctuations on the currency exchange market of Armenia are not
related with any external factor. Economist Edward Aghajanov thus
assessed the recent revaluation of the Armenian dram on May 19.
According to him, it is pointless to explain the tendencies on the
Armenian currency market using an economic logic.
“If some of our oligarchs have problems with say the budget, they need
drams, they cause the exchange rate of the dram go down, collect the
drams and solve their problems. And do not forget that next year is an
election year, much money is needed. You know that the oligarchs are
likely to run for the parliament very actively. And most probably our
oligarch guys have already started saving money to spend it lavishly
in 2007,” says Edward Aghajanov. He says some people estimate that
at least half a million dollars is going to be spent for each seat
in parliament.
“See how many of our oligarchs are already opening offices, it
takes money, doesn’t it?” says the economist. According to him,
this illogical situation benefits from the policy of the Central
Bank on revaluation of the dram. Edward Aghajanov believes that this
policy is wrong and leads to a perilous situation. Edward Aghajanov
says the revaluation of the Armenian dram against the dollar caused
the adverse balance of trade of Armenia to go up by 28 percent in
2005. The economist forecasts that it will soar by another 22 percent
in 2006 and will go far beyond 1 billion dollars. The adverse balance
of trade in Armenia is equal to 17 percent of the GDP, whereas when
the adverse balance of trade in the United States topped 5 percent
of the GDP, the economists of this country set the alarm go.
“And what did the Americans do? They artificially caused the exchange
rate to go down. Thanks to this low exchange rate in November
2005 exports in the U.S. exceeded a monthly index of 100 billion
dollars.” Edward Aghajanov is surprised why the Central Bank and the
government are not concerned about the tremendously high percentage
of the adverse balance of trade and the tendency to grow.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER’S VISIT TO VANADZOR
ArmRadio.am
19.05.2006 18:04
On May 19, 2006, Mr. Armen Harutyunyan, the RA Human Rights Defender,
visited Vanadzor for the first time during his term in the office,
which was also his first visit to the marz.
He was the guest in the Armenian Constitutional Right-Protective Center
(ACRPC) and had a meeting with the organization’s chairman and heads
of departmen ts. The CARPC Chairman presented the organization’s
activities;
The Defender met with more than a dozen of representatives of Vanadzor
NGOs in the ACRPC HR Library.
Within the framework of the visit Mr. Harutyunyan met also with
Mr. Henrik Kochinyan, the Governor of Lori marz, and Mr. Samvel
Darbinyan, the Mayor of Vanadzor City.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

INDEPENDENCE OF KARABAKH IS NOT IN RUSSIA’S INTERESTS
Lragir.am
19 May 06
Vladimir Putin told Robert Kocharyan to reject the invitation of the
President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Leluche, who has already
met with the Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliev. Russian political
scientist Andranik Mihranyan is said to have made such a statement
on May 18 in Yerevan. On May 19 he was invited to the Hayeli Club,
and the news reporters tried to find out from him if this information
was true. He said he had not asked Putin or Kocharyan and he does not
know what they talked about, or whether they talked or not. Andranik
Mihranyan said it was Robert Kocharyan’s decision to decline the
invitation and there has been no pressure on behalf of Moscow.
“At least I do not know about it. You know that the heads of state
decide themselves the advantages or disadvantages of taking one step
or another. I think in the current reality it was much more compliant
with the interests of Armenia, therefore Kocharyan did not go to that
summit,” says Andranik Mihranyan.
The meeting in Paris would probably be part of the process of
settlement of the Karabakh conflict if it would take place at all. It
is difficult to tell what its influence and result would be. Andranik
Mihranyan says he is optimistic about the settlement of regional
issues. Mihranyan points to the model of Kosovo to underlie the
settlement of these problems. According to him, Putin and Lavrov have
already announced to the West that the independence of Kosovo should
be assumed as a precedent and be applied to Transdnyestr, Abkhazia
and Osetia. Andranik Mihranyan says it is the duty of the Armenian
diplomacy to extend the list and include Nagorno Karabakh. “In order
for Russia to recognize, the Armenian diplomacy should explain that
this is in the interests of Russia,” says Mihranyan.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

U.S. EXPLAINED EXPEDIENCY OF KARS-GYUMRI RAILROAD TO TURKEY
Lragir.am
19 May 06
Armenia should attempt to have the U.S. State Department push Turkey
to open the Kars-Gyumri railroad and prevent the construction of
Kars-Akhalkalaki not to allow weakening of the geopolitical position
of Armenia, said the Russian political scientist Andranik Mihranyan
May 19 at the Hayeli Club. He said there was a similar effort by the
Turkish-Armenian conciliation committee.
“At least when the Turkish-Armenian conciliation committee existed,
I know that the U.S. State Department pushed Turkey, offering the
argument that it would be a shorter route to supply ammunition to
the American forces deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Unfortunately, this question is presently deadlocked, and generally
the Turkish-Armenian question is deadlocked,” said Andranik Mihranyan.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

‘PRO-ARMENIAN LAW’ IN FRANCE DROPPED FOR NOW
Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
May 19 2006
The legislative bill penalizing those who deny the so-called Armenian
genocide in France has been postponed indefinitely.
The motion discussed in yesterday’s morning session of the French
Parliament was dropped as the allotted time ran out.
Parliamentary Speaker Jean-Louis Debre had to twice pause the tense
session to reestablish order.
Deputies and Armenians supporting the motion accused Debre of extending
other discussions deliberately to drop the motion.
Armenians angered by the result caused a commotion in the parliament’s
audience gallery.
Foreign Minister Philippe Doust-Blazy, speaking on behalf of the
government, objected to the motion and appealed to French deputies
to not to inscribe history with laws.
The Socialist Party (PS), which made the legislative proposal, placed
the genocide bill as a second item on the agenda although it had the
right to arrange it anyway it wanted.
While talks on the first item on the agenda continued, some socialist
parliamentarians reacted saying talks were extended deliberately.
Since the proposal would automatically fail if it were not voted
at the first section where PS had the right to arrange the agenda,
parliamentarians wanted to start the genocide proposal sooner.
President of the parliament Jean-Louis Debre, upset with the protests,
reminded that it was not himself who formulated the agenda but the
socialists.
When the socialist parliamentarians rebelled again, tension increased
in the parliament.
Members of PS accused Debre of his attempts to fail the proposal
since Tuesday.
Members of UMP, who support the proposal, said, “Do not fall into
their trap, they want to deceive you”.
Upon the increase of the tension Debre gave two breaks.
Many parliamentarians, who wanted to discuss the first item on the
agenda, did not make their speech to proceed to the genocide proposal.
It took an hour to proceed to the proposal, but Debre ended the
section after a few talks because of the time constraint. Thus,
the proposal was dropped out of the agenda.
PS Group Leader Jean Marc Ayroult held the government and Debre
accountable for the cancellation of the bill.
Ayroult said UMP did its best to postpone the bill and accused UMD
of playing small tricks to reach its goal.
Armenian Originated French politician Patrik Deveciyan, who was angry
after the session, said the postponement of the bill is a result of
the lobby activities Turkey launched in all areas.
The Armenians who came to the parliament to watch the session created
chaos after the bill was postponed.
The crowd sang the French National Anthem and did not leave the
building.
PS Secretary-General Francois Hollande approached them requesting
them to remain calm.
The Armenians organized demonstrations near the parliament and
protested the decision.
The Turks, on the other hand, chained themselves and taped their
mouths. Some held banners in their hands saying “Do not restrict our
freedom,” and “Do not prevent the realities from being revealed.”
French Government Opposes Genocide Bill
French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy, representing the
government in the parliamentary session yesterday, said if the bill
is enacted the French Parliament will have interfered in history and
cited his opposition to the proposal.
The minister, who recalled the agreement on “leaving the history to
the historians” invoked in the parliamentary discussion regarding the
law of colonialism said, “The French Parliament is again attempting
to interfere in written history.”
The foreign minister said enactment of the bill will harm long-standing
Turkish-French affairs and the dialogue process between Turkey and
Armenia.
Douste-Blazy reminded that more than 300,000 Turkish people lived
together with people of Armenian origins in France, and said the bill
will affect “human relations.”
Armenians name 1915 Events as genocide while Turks accuse the Armenians
of committing massacres against the Muslim population of the Ottoman
Empire during the First World War. “More than 500,000 Muslims were
massacred” according to the Ottoman archives.
While French deal with so-called ‘Armenian genocide’, Algerians urge
France to recognise Algerian genocide committed by the French.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRISHTINA’S STANCE ON KOSOVO IS UNCONSTRUCTIVE – RUSSIAN FM
RIA Novosti, Russia
May 19 2006
STRASBOURG, May 19 (RIA Novosti) – The Kosovan leadership’s
intransigent attitude is delaying a solution over the status of the
troubled Balkan territory, Russia’s foreign minister said Friday.
Sergei Lavrov, speaking at a news conference in Strasbourg, said:
“The position of Prishtina’s leadership, which is insisting on the
unequivocal independence of Kosovo, is very unconstructive.”
Lavrov said a unilateral approach should not be taken to talks on
Kosovo, and that negotiations must be held through the UN and the
Contact Group.
Talks on the UN-administered territory’s status should be concluded by
the end of the year, a view that is shared by the six-nation Contact
Group – the U.S., Russia, Britain, France, Germany and Italy –
Lavrov said.
Earlier, some Russian politicians expressed concern that independence
for Kosovo would create a precedent for recognition of breakaway
regions in the former Soviet Union.
Moldova is dealing with a separatist regime in Transdnestr, while
Georgia has two breakaway regions in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Nagorny Karabakh, a largely ethnic Armenian enclave inside Azerbaijan,
has long been a source of friction between the two Caucasus states.
Formally part of Serbia, Kosovo has been a UN protectorate since
1999, following a NATO military campaign to drive out Yugoslav forces
accused of atrocities against Albanian civilians.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ETHNOGRAPHIC INVESTIGATION OF ALL ANCIENT AZERBAIJANI TERRITORIES WILL BE HELD
Azeri Press Agency
May 19 2006
“It is high time that Azerbaijan to lose in information war. Our not
responding to their propaganda has led to hard results. How long will
we pursue a policy on responding Armenians attacks?
It is already time that we begin to wage on war against their attacks
and be the side that attacks”, Director of History Institute of
Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, parliamentarian Yagub
Mahmudov has told a press conference held today.(APA) Saying the
former leadership of the institute was not busy with this work
quite enough, Yagub Mahmudov said the institute will do its utmost
to expose Armenians real face to world community. “Of course, world
community will not believe to our opinions at first as we are late in
this matter. But we have to do it. We put theory of lost territories
forward.” According to scientist, recently Armenian State Committee
for Real Property, Manuk Vardanian has made a statement that the first
national atlas of Armenia will be published. In that atlas 40 thousand
geographical names will be registered, 7-8 thousand geographical names
characteristic to different nations will be changed and be substituted
in Armenian names. “7-8 thousand geographical names mentioned by
Vardanian, belong to Azerbaijan who were deported from the mentioned
territories. It is known to science that Armenians are not aborigine
population of South Caucasus, they have come there. Tribes considered
to be ancestors of Armenians approximately appeared in the middle I
millennium of BC in upper parts of Efrat river. They have moved here
from Balkan Peninsula. ” Yagub Mammadov said that “Garabagh History”
book which was published some months ago will be translated into
German and French languages.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WORKING GROUP TO DEFEND AZERBAIJANI ARMY OFFICER RAMIL SAFAROV SET UP IN MOSCOW
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 19 2006
The Azerbaijan Youth Parliament in Moscow has set up a working group
to raise public awareness on trial of Azerbaijani army officer Ramil
Safarov, who was jailed to life in prison by Budapest court.
Head of the working group Rufet Azizov told APA that the working
group members met with the lawyer for Safarov, got court documents,
analyzed the Hungarian legislation and investigated youth strategy
on this issue. The working group is going to appeal Hungary’s state
bodies, media and common people.
“Our strategy is to achieve in the Court of Appeal passing a fair
decision, holding of objective information campaign on this issue
and expose Armenians real nature,” Azizov said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NAGORNO-KARABAKH PROBLEM TO DISCUSS IN MOSCOW STATE UNIVERSITY
Author: J.Shahverdiyev
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
May 19 2006
A round table on Nagorno-Karabakh problem will be held at the
initiative of information-analytical center with Moscow State
University, Trend reports quoting Farhad Mamedov, cofounder of
All-republican Youth movement “Forward”.
The similar round table on April 16 was devoted to problems in Dnestr
countries, Osetia and Abkhazia.
Mamedov said the discussion of Nagorno-Karabakh problem was scheduled
to May as a session. “However, we received information that the
problem will be discussed in summer at a round table”,- he said.