Author: Emil Lazarian

CHAIRMAN OF ARMENIAN CC MEETS WITH SPECIAL REP OF CE SECRETARY GENERAL

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 27 2006

YEREVAN, March 27. /ARKA/. Chairman of the RA Court of Cassation
Hovhannes Manukyan and Special Representative of the Secretary General
of the Council of Europe Boyana Urumova discussed the directions of
cooperation in the judicial system.

The press service of the RA Court of Cassation reports that during the
meeting Manukyan pointed out the importance of the draft judicial code,
which is to serve as a basis for drafting procedural codes of Armenia.

The Chairman of the RA Court of Cassation addressed the application
of powers granted to the Court by the RA Constitution. The sides
also discussed the CE-Armenia cooperation program, which envisages
cooperation ion judicial reforms. “We are ready for cooperation
in the spheres that will be recognized as priorities by the CE,”
Manukyan said.

The sides pointed out the necessity of re-organizing the existing
institutes to form new structures, particularly local judicial
government bodies, Council of Judges, judicial department and judicial
services.

In her turn, Urumova reported that CE experts will examine the
draft and present their viewpoint. She pointed out the importance
of professional retraining and addressed the issue of translation of
precedent decisions of the European Court.

MAMMEDYAROV: NK CONFLICT RESOLUTION TALKS HAVE TO BE CONTINUED
Author: R. Abdullayev

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
March 27 2006

“Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution talks have to be continued.

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry is ready to go on negotiations and there
can be no timeout, “Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, Elmar Mammedyarov
told on March 27, adding that “works within the frames of the Paris
process have to be continued”, Trend reports.

“This is the position of the president Ilham Aliyev. However, if
the dialog will be fruitless, we will apply another measures,” the
minister said.

Commenting the statement made the Armenian Foreign minister, Vardan
Oskanyan, claiming that “in the modern state of things next step in
negotiations has to

be done by Azerbaijan”, the minister said that “this sort of statements
have an aim of affecting domestic policies in Armenia.”

“Azerbaijani position remains unchanged. We were talking and we
are talking about the liberation of the occupied lands. Territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan has to be restored. Refugees and forcibly
displaced persons have to be returned to their homes,” Mammedyarov
said, adding that any sort of the conflict regulation has to be in
accordance with the Azerbaijani constitution.

“If we want to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh problem we have to consider
the international law principles as well,” the Minister concluded.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA HOSTS INDIAN DIAMOND AND BUSINESS DELEGATION

Tacy, Israel
March 27 2006

A delegation from India and Dubai of consisting of heads and
representatives of major diamond and jewelry, IT, film production,
metal processing, pharmaceutical, tourism, and food industry
enterprises are visiting Armenia for three days to discuss business
cooperatives with Armenian partners. Armenian Minister Vartan Oskanian
received the delegation, headed by Harshad R. Mehta, Honorary Consul
of the Republic of Armenia in Mumbai. Mehta is the owner of a large
diamond cutting operation in Armenia.

Oskanian briefed the Indian businessmen on Armenia’s business
climate and the government’s investment involvement priorities. Also
participating in the meeting were Ashot Kocharian, Armenian’s
Ambassador to the Republic of India and Reena Pandey, India’s
Ambassador to the Republic of Armenia.

ine/magazine.asp?id=3555

WB PLANS TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAM OF REEQUIPMENT OF HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL SERVICE IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Mar 27 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 27, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia is among 6 countries where
it’s planned to implement a program aimed at estimation of efficiency
of perfection of forecasting and warning systems for the purpose of
reequipment of hudrometeorological services by the World Bank (WB). As
Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by Levon Vardanian, Director
of the Armenian State Service of Hydrometeorology and Monitoring
(Armstatehydromet), the program’s preliminary cost is about 5 mln
300 thousand USD. It was also mentioned that the current isufficient
level of technical equipment of Armstatehydromet has a negative impact
on the country’s hydrometeorological service quality. According to
L.Vardanian, the direct losses the Armenian economy suffered as a
result of dangerous hydrometeorological fenomena are estimated in
the amount of 35 bln drams (about 77 mln USD) a year. He mentioned
that according to experts, usage of hydrometeorological information
enables to prevent 30% of these losses.

YEREVAN DENIES RISE IN GAS PRICE WILL BE COMPENSATED WITH CUT PRICE FOR RUSSIAN ARMAMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.03.2006 22:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ RA President’s Spokesman Victor Soghomonyan refuted
the information that the rise in prices for Russian gas will be
compensated by a reduced price for Russian armament. V. Soghomonyan
told PanARMENIAN.Net reporter that Yerevan officials were surprised
by the publication in Kommersant newspaper. “I cannot say why
the authors of the article made such statements and far-reaching
conclusions. Anyway, the information does not correspond to reality,”
the Spokesman said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY OF TURKISH STATES DOESN’T MEAN FORMATION OF TURAN STATE

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.03.2006 18:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Armenians are worried by the talks on the
establishment of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkish States. Armenian
media write about the intention of Turk peoples to form the state
of Turan which will aim to damage Armenia’s interests,” co-chair of
the Turkish-Azerbaijani interparliamentary cooperation group Nizami
Jafarov. In his words, the formation of the Parliamentary Assembly of
Turkish States doesn’t mean formation of Turan State. “The formation
of the Assembly is important for the maintenance of harmony in the
world and doesn’t conflict with the norms and principles of the
international law. On the other hand people of Armenian origin are
much less in number than Turks.

Over 100 million Turks and about 10 million Armenians live throughout
the globe. Despite this we will discuss the “Armenian issue” after
the formation of the Assembly,” he said.

According to Jafarov, consultations are already being held between
Azerbaijan and Turkey. Other states will join the process later this
year, reported APA new agency.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
KCET
Tomikka Anderson
Publicity Associate
323-953-5308 phone
323-953-5678 fax
KCET.ORG

Contact: Laurel Lambert, KCET (323) 953-5246
March 27, 2006
Cathy Williams, KCET, (323) 953-5243

KCET’s LIFE & TIMES PROFILES ARMENIAN FILMMAKER
MICHAEL HAGOPIAN ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12

(Los Angeles) – Life & Times, KCET television’s signature local news and
public affairs series, profiles Armenian filmmaker Michael Hagopian on
Wednesday, April 12, in a segment that will also be available online at
KCET.org. For 25 years, Hagopian has traveled the world interviewing
survivors of the Armenian mass killings of 1915. Host Val Zavala visits
with the former UCLA professor-turned-filmmaker at his home-based
workshop, which contains about 400 interviews he has captured on film for
his next documentary `Caravans Along the Euprhrates.’ Life & Times airs
Monday – Friday (6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m..) on KCET.

Born in Turkey, Hagopian and his family survived these killings, also
known as the Armenian Genocide, because his father, a skilled physician,
was in great demand. The story of Hagopian’s filmmaking career begins in
Fresno, California, includes stops at prestigious universities, and takes
viewers on a fascinating journey of one man’s passion for communicating
the history of his homeland through film. Hagopian has produced and
directed two documentaries on the Armenian genocide. Now in his 80’s,
Hagopian’s third and current project, `Caravans Along the Euphrates,’ is
significant because it uses survivors to tell the story.

KCET broadcasts the premiere of `Le Génocide Arménien’ (`The Armenian
Genocide’), the 2005 documentary by French filmmaker Laurence Jourdan, on
Monday, April 17 (9:00 – 10:00 p.m.). The encore of `My Son Shall Be
Armenian’ by Armenian-Canadian filmmaker Hagop Goudsouzian airs on Monday,
April 24 (9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.), followed by a repeat of the Life & Times
segment featuring Michael Hagopian. Additional information about the films
and filmmakers is available on KCET.org.

# # #

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE

23-03-2006

Rouben Shougarian, Armenia’s Ambassador to the Italian Republic,
Speaks on the South Caucasus European Integration Plans

On March 22, a round table was held at the initiative of Ambassador
Pietro Ago in the framework of the ‘European strategic scenario’
seminar (Scenario strategico europeo) at the 57th session of the
Defense Institute of Higher Education – Istituto Alti Studi per la
Difesa (IASD) – under the Defense Ministry of the Italian Republic. The
round table was dedicated to the South Caucasus phased integration
into the European architecture.

Over 50 experts and political scientists, including Zaal Gogsadze,
Georgia’s Ambassador to Italy, and Bayram Hasanov, Counsellor of the
Embassy of Azerbaijan, were in attendance at the meeting, and made
their presentations on the subject discussed.

In his presentation Ambassador Shougarian outlined the priorities of
Armenia’s foreign policy emphasizing the similarities and differences
of the Europeanization process in Armenia and the rest of the South
Caucasus.

He also spoke about the NATO-South Caucasus relations development,
frozen conflicts and the search for their resolution presenting
Armenia’s approach to them.

In conclusion, the Ambassador noted that even in with the political
conflicts unresolved it is possible to find common grounds for regional
cooperation among the three countries.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKISH ISLAMIST PARTY LEADER SAYS US “NOT SINCERE” ABOUT KURDISH REBEL GROUP

Anatolia news agency, Ankara
24 Mar 06

Malatya [eastern Turkey], 24 March: [Islamist] Felicity Party [SP]
Deputy Chairman Recai Kutan has said: “I consider that the United
States is not sincere with regard to the [Kurdish rebel group] PKK
[Kurdistan Workers’ Party].”

Coming to Malatya for his party’s provincial chairmanship congress,
which will be held on the weekend, Recai Kutan noted in a statement
to the AA [Anatolia Agency] correspondent the things said by US Joint
Chiefs Chairman General Peter Pace about a joint project to be signed
with Turkey for the elimination of the PKK from northern Iraq, and
spoke as follows:

“I consider that the United States is not sincere with regard to the
PKK. The United States always uses the PKK as a means of blackmail.

As a nation, we generally have a weak memory. Not so long ago, General
Dogan Gures, when he was Chief of the General Staff, stood up to the
West and said openly that US helicopters had delivered material to PKK
members on so-and-so mountain, and given them logistical support. So
what is going on? Currently, Iraq is virtually entirely under their
control. Why do they not say anything to the PKK? Why do they not
get the forces of [Iraqi Kurdish leaders Mas’ud] Barzani and [Jalal]
Talabani to do something? Give these people what for, and prevent
them from infiltrating into Turkey. We are not saying that they all
have to be slaughtered. Just prevent them from sneaking into Turkey
and engaging in terrorist acts.”

“Is there nuclear energy only in Iran?”

Kutan, stating that one reason for General Pace’s visit was an appeal
for cooperation with Turkey against Iran, charged that, on this point,
the United States is being inconsistent.

Asserting that the United States wants at least to carry out an air
attack against Iran, Kutan related that it needs Turkey support in
this regard and said the following:

“The United States, saying that Iran is going to make an atomic bomb,
wants help from Turkey. What this means is this: It wants, by using
this trumped-up rationale, to destroy the nuclear facilities there,
with air strikes even if not a direct attack [i.e. invasion],
and wants to get Turkey on its side in this. But they should ask
themselves this question: Is there nuclear energy in the Middle East
only in Iran? Israel currently possesses both a nuclear reactor and a
substantial number of atomic bombs. There is also nuclear technology
in Pakistan. There is a nuclear power-plant in Armenia. So why is no
priority concern being shown for all of these, but it is being shown
for Iran?”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WORLD MIGRATION BODY READY TO HELP AZERIS REGISTER IRANIAN MIGRANTS

ANS TV, Baku
25 Mar 06

[Presenter] Under the European Neighbourhood Policy, the EU and
the International Organization for Migration [IOM] are working
to reinforce the Azerbaijani-Iranian border. The goal here is to
prevent narcotics being smuggled from Iran to Azerbaijan, and there
are also political aspects because it has been admitted that there
is an influx of migrants from Iran to Azerbaijan. Both economic and
political interests are involved here.

[Correspondent] The next discussions on the implementation of the
project for reinforcing the Azerbaijani border within the framework
of the European Neighbourhood Policy will be held in Brussels in
a few days. The IOM’s representative in Azerbaijan, Sarat Dash,
has told ANS that EU and IOM representatives will participate in
the talks. Immediately afterwards, training courses for Azerbaijani
border guards will start. The border guards will be taught ways of
dealing with an influx of refugees. We should note that the project,
on which 2m euros will be spent initially, envisages fitting the
249-km-long border with Iran with special equipment and beefing up
the infrastructure.

The IOM representative believes that the reinforcement of Azerbaijan’s
southern border will be of major importance towards prevention of
transnational crime, including drugs smuggling from Iran to Azerbaijan.

Sarat Dash admitted that more people have been crossing from Iran to
Azerbaijan in the past few months. He said Iranian migrants are not
being registered currently but the IOM is ready to help the Azerbaijani
government in this respect.

[Dash] The visa regime has been changed in Naxcivan. People can
[easily] travel from Iran to Naxcivan and from Naxcivan to Iran. I
recently visited Naxcivan and talked to officials. They said that many
people were coming and going, but there was no precise information. If
the government wants we could help [a few words indistinct].

[Correspondent] Sarat Dash said that the number of migrants coming
from both Iran and other countries to Azerbaijan is increasing. He
explained this by our country’s economic development. Sarat Dash,
newly-appointed to the post of IOM’s representative in Azerbaijan,
is also thinking of inquiring about IDPs from Azerbaijani districts
occupied by Armenia. The Cabinet of Ministers has asked the IOM for
help in resolving the problem of drinking water in areas where IDPs
are living and for micro-credits to be allocated, he said.

[passage omitted: Sarat Dash to visit refugee camps in April]

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress