Author: Emil Lazarian

NEWSPAPER DISTRIBUTION LAW COULD SEVERELY RESTRICT CIRCULATION OF OPPOSITION TITLES IN ARMENIA

Caucaz, Georgia
March 19 2006

Yerevan, 19 March 2006 (Arpi Harutunian for IWPR – website) – Armenian
journalists are sounding the alarm over legislation that requires
newspaper delivery companies for the first time to apply for licenses.

Local activists say that the legislation, introduced by Armenia’s
parliament last year in the form of an amendment to existing laws
on mail service and tax regulations, is in fact a hidden form of
state censorship.

“The journalistic community and public organisations of Armenia are
trying to stop this law,” Boris Navasardian, chairman of the Yerevan
Press Club, told IWPR. “Otherwise, we will have to admit that it is
one more mechanism for secret censorship.”

The legislation stipulates that firms pay 11,000 US dollars per year
in order to receive licenses for the right to deliver newspapers.

This requirement will bankrupt many small independent delivery
companies, say observers, and place the country’s newspaper
distribution service firmly in the hands of two state-connected
enterprises, Haipost, Armenia’s postal service, and Haimamul, the
main kiosk vendor.

Haipost, as a self-financing closed joint-stock company, is nominally
independent. However, since all of its shares belong to the state,
it is considered to be closely linked to the government.

Haimamul for its part is fully independent, though its origins indicate
close state ties. The firm was established in 1939 as Soviet Armenia’s
sole concern handling newspaper subscriptions and delivery.

Today it is the largest single distributor, and with about 400 kiosks
and 7,223 subscribers, one of the few that reaches all the country’s
regions.

Rather than censoring the newspapers outright, say media professionals,
government officials can instead pressure these two companies to
prevent publications with offending content from reaching the public,
especially in rural areas.

“I have the impression that the Armenian government is doing
all it can, and even what it cannot, in order to reduce newspaper
dissemination as much as possible,” said Hakob Avetikian, editor in
chief of the daily Azg. “They want to reduce the amount of undesirable
information to the public.”

The critics point to a number of incidents where Haimaimul failed
to distribute certain publications. In October, 2002, for example,
4,600 copies of the Aravot opposition newspapers disappeared from
Haimamul’s kiosks.

Aravot editors’ say that the incident was tied to an article which
was critical of Hrach Abgarian, former adviser to Armenian prime
minister Andranik Margarian.

Members of the Yerevan Press Club and other public organisations say
the new legislation violates human rights and have sent a letter
to parliament demanding the law be changed. IWPR has learned that
the opposition United Labour Party has thrown its weight behind
the initiative.

Press club officials say that the laws violate Article 10 of European
Convention of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Article 19 of
Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as Article 24 of the
Armenian constitution, guaranteeing the right to free expression.

“If we are members of the Council of Europe and if we speak about
European integration, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press,
then we should reject licensing of the media,” said Armen Davtian,
director of the Blitz independent media distribution company, who
compared the situation with licensing of press distribution in Armenia
to that in authoritarian Belarus.

The new legislation comes into force just as a number of small,
independent companies have sprung up to challenge Haipost and
Haimamul’s near-monopoly over distribution.

Last year, for example, the US-funded Eurasia Foundation and George
Soros’ Open Society Institute awarded grants to five companies under
a programme to support alternative distribution channels and improve
delivery to rural areas.

Eurasia officials say that very few of Armenia’s daily newspapers
reach the country’s villages, where much of the population resides.

Some remote towns do not receive a single newspaper, they say.

“Our aim was to create stable companies that would lead to the
weakening of the monopoly of Haipost and Haimamul and become
alternative companies in the newspaper market,” Alisa Alaverdian,
Eurasia’s external relations coordinator, told IWPR.

Now, however, because of the new legislation, these enterprises are
under threat of closure.

Tax officials have paid several visits to the heads of the Blitz
Media Company, one of the new distributors, demanding that they either
suspend their activities or pay for a license.

“I pay annual 1,500 dollars in income tax, and according to what
I know, other small organisations that work in this sphere pay
approximately the same amount,” said Blitz director Davtian. “There
is no logic in this fixed sum of 11 thousand dollars for the license.”

Haikaz Simikian, head of the Simikian distribution company in
Vanadzor with 700 subscribers, one of the five firms to receive
Eurasia Foundation and OSI’s grants, said it’s likely to close if
they pay the license fee.

“This amount is absurd,” said Simikian. “We won’t have any income
under such conditions.”

Eurasia Foundation officials agree that the law comes at a very
untimely moment. “As a result of [our] programme, the circulation of
some newspapers grew significantly,” said Marina Mkhitarian, Eurasia’s
programme coordinator. “[This continued] until the distribution
companies encountered problems with taxation bodies because of their
lack of licenses.”

Government officials for their part defend the legislation by saying
that it in no way restricts the dissemination of the news. Delivery
is being licensed, not subscription, they say, and the law will
strengthen the distribution system and regulate deliveries, especially
to rural areas.

Tamara Ghalechian, spokesperson for the ministry of transport and
communications, said that the high license fee will help weed out
the field and assure that only companies that can provide the best
services will be involved in newspaper delivery.

“The state is establishing a regulating mechanism for companies which
are responsible for organising subscriptions, Ghalechian told IWPR.

Many do not buy this explanation, however. “What sense is there in
subscription, if there is no delivery?” asked Blitz distribution
company head Davtian.

Haipost officials guarantees that the company’s 904 post offices will
deliver all newspapers in a timely manner, even those to far-flung
regions. “We deliver newspapers to subscribers even in the most remote
villages,” said Haipost spokesperson Astghik Martirosian.

Martirosian supports the new legislation whole-heartedly. “If the state
believes that we need such a law, this means that we indeed need it,”
he said.

Interestingly, despite the benefits that their company will allegedly
reap, Haimamul officials say that they are opposed to the law. “The
number of newspapers is already very small and they do not reach
residents in the regions,” said Haimamul executive director Arshaluis
Manukian.

“Laws like this will lead to the total isolation of rural residents
from any information, since companies with small budgets will be
unable to pay and will have to halt their activities,” he said,
calling the legislation “the product of a morbid imagination”.

Arpi Harutunian is a reporter with weekly in
Yerevan. Seda Muradyan, IWPR’s Armenia coordinator, also contributed
to this article.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIANS’ VISIT NOT ELABORATED

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
March 17 2006

Baku, March 16, AssA-Irada
Three Armenian representatives joined an event of the European security
body in Baku on Thursday.

It is still unclear how the three employees of Armenia’s ministries of
foreign affairs and transport, as well as another government official,
succeeded in coming to Azerbaijan to attend the 14th economic forum
of the OSCE.

Commenting on the matter, Deputy Prime Minister Abid Sharifov said
the visit was paid through the OSCE, but declined to elaborate in
which Azeri embassy the Armenians had acquired their visas. “Do I
have to report to you?” he enquired in reply to journalists’ questions.

Sharifov noted that the Azeri government does not interfere with the
conduct of events on the level of OSCE. He said that although Azeris
and Armenians have attended the same conferences before, it would
be wrong to interpret this as cooperation with the aggressor nation,
which is out of the question.

“I repeat that the fact Armenians attended the same conference does not
mean cooperation. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan are OSCE member states.”

Frank Geerkens, head of the OSCE Chairmanship Unit, said Armenia’s
participation at the forum as an OSCE member is “natural”.

“Today’s event pursued economic goals. As for the Upper Garabagh
conflict, the OSCE representatives visited Armenia and Azerbaijan last
month. The organization is interested in the conflict settlement and
is making efforts to achieve this,” Geerkens said.

The head of the OSCE Office in Baku, Maurizio Pavesi, stated that the
permission to visit Baku was provided by the Azerbaijani government
proper and advised journalists to approach officials with this
question instead.

The hard-line Garabagh Liberation Organization (GLO) strongly condemned
Armenians’ attendance. Its members staged a protest, trying to disrupt
the discussions. But the police prevented the attempt, detaining four
of them.

In a statement, the organization said it considers the fact the
government did not prevent the visit as an insult to the memory of
those who died in battles for Garabagh and a severe blow dealt upon
the Azerbaijani people’s interests.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

I WAS MISQUOTED, ARMENIAN NOW CLAIMS
By Cyrus Ombati

Standard, Kenya
March 20 2006

One of the two men at the centre of mercenary saga, has denied claims
that he told off Internal Security minister John Michuki.

The German Spitz that is among the six dogs that Artur Margaryan
shipped from Dubai. Pic by Robert Gicheru

Mr Artur Margaryan on Sunday clarified that all he said was that
the minister had asked Kenyans not to discuss the matter until
investigations are concluded

“Listen carefully, and you must run this, I said the Internal minister
had asked all not to talk on the issue they don’t know until the
matter is investigated conclusively,” he said on Thursday.

Michuki said the mercenary saga was under investigations and urged
leaders to stop politicising it. Margaryan maintained that he feared
no one apart from God.

“Christianity began in Armenia before spreading to Rome. It is God
who is protecting me,” he said.

He was referring to last Thursday’s incident where a mob threatened
to lynch him as he left the Standard Group offices. Margaryan said he
knows how to handle hostile crowds and had expected such a situation.

He said no one has threatened him since he set foot in the country and
that he loved Kenya. He refused to divulge details of his questioning
by police on Friday.

He referred us to his lawyers who he said had more information.

Margaryan was on Friday summoned by the team appointed to investigate
the saga. He later recorded a statement over the matter.

Businessman Raju Sangani was also questioned and asked to explain
his relationship with Margaryan. He reportedly said he was a friend.

Baktash had earlier been quizzed in connection with some of the cars
that Margaryan is using.

The investigating team is headed by Nairobi area deputy CID boss Isaiah
Osugo and has so far questioned MPs Kalonzo Musyoka and Raila Odinga.

On Sunday, Margaryan maintained he was in the country to invest for
the benefit of Kenyans. He said he would put up an investment that
will benefit at least 2,000 Kenyans.

Vicious dogs

Meanwhile, the six dogs he promised are finally in town. The dogs
arrived from Dubai in cages and are guarding Artur Margaryan’s Runda
compound.

Margaryan warned that the animals were dangerous to uninvited guests.

They are five black Dobermans and a white one, whose breed we could
not ascertain immediately, named Amigo.

Margaryan said they were capable of guarding his premises without
a guard.

“They will attack you if you jump into the compound. I don’t care
who you are, if you step here because they will maul you,” he warned.

He briefly played with the animals in the compound before stepping
out, warning journalists against taking their pictures. Only Amigo
barked. Last Thursday, Margaryan said he would import dogs to guard
the compound.

As he left, he ordered them back then locked the main gate. One of
the dogs started barking as Margaryan drove off in the company of
his girlfriend.

He termed the police officer, who was attacked by a dog last week,
a thief.

Said he: “I don’t know if he was a policeman because I was not here.

He is a thief and anyone who does so will be attacked by the dogs.”

Police investigating the incident were reluctant to comment on the
issue, saying they had been warned against doing so. Margaryan said
he was in the country to stay, adding that he would not run away as
widely anticipated.

He said he had business to do in the country, which he claimed would
benefit more than 2,000 Kenyans.

“I have no plan to leave. I am not going to run away because I am
here legally and I love Kenya,” he said.

He said his brother, Artur Sargarsyan, was in Dubai and had no plans
of coming back soon, unless he was provided with security

Unravelling the mystery

Trade minister, Dr Mukhisa Kituyi, wants the two foreigners deported.

Kituyi, who described them “funnily dressed”, said they were in the
country illegally. He said they should be investigated and action taken
against them. He wondered why there was sluggishness on the side of the
Government to respond to calls by Kenyans for action against the duo.

“I wonder why two funnily dressed foreigners can hold the country
at ransom. The Government is letting down Kenyans,” Kituyi told
journalists in Busia yesterday after attending a funds drive in aid
of Busia Friends Church.

He said the continued presence of the foreigners was portraying the
Government negatively. “These funny looking people should not be in
the country. Their deportation is long overdue,” he added.

And the Anglican Church of Kenya has demanded speedy investigations
into the mystery surrounding the two alleged Armenian mercenaries.

The Provost of the All Saints Cathedral, Peter Karanja, said Kenyans
should be patient and give the Government a chance to unravel the
mystery surrounding the two foreigners. He said the Government should
handle the matter with sobriety and come clear over the issue.

“It is only fair and reasonable to judge someone after he has been
proven guilty and this applies to both Kenyans and foreigners,” Karanja
said after conducting the Sunday Service. He said though the church
was not certain about anything, it would only be fair for everyone
to be taken as innocent until he is proven guilty in a court of law.

Judging from the display of arrogance and confidence, the provost said
there was so much to be investigated and brought to light. He regretted
the scenes that took place last week outside the I&M Bank Tower when
Margaryan strolled into the streets and was confronted by a mob.

“The issue of national security is a serious matter,” he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NEW RIDDLE AS AKASHAS NOW DISOWN ARMENIAN CONNECTION
Story By Nation Team

Standard, Kenya
March 20 2006

The man at the centre of mercenary allegations yesterday admitted to
having connections with the family of slain drug baron Ibrahim Akasha.

And for the first time Mr Artur Margaryan displayed what he said was
an Armenian passport to prove his nationality, but refused flip over
the cover, making it impossible to confirm his claims.

Separately, two members of the Akasha family disputed the claims that
they had connections with the two brothers who have been described
as mercenaries by some politicians.

“We don’t know the two,” said one family member who spoke on condition
that their names would not be published.

Last weekend, the Saturday Nation reported that a Mercedes Benz
used by Mr Artur Margaryan was registered in the name of a son the
notorious narcotics dealer Ibrahim Akasha who was shot dead in the
Netherlands five years ago.

On Friday, one of slain Akasha’s sons was among the people interviewed
by police investigating the mercenary allegations. Mr Margayan has
denied reports that a Mercedes Benz parked in his compound belonged
to a member of this family.

Also questioned on Friday was Mr Margaryan and prominent Nairobi
businessman and real estate dealer Raju Sanghani.

Mr Margaryan’s elder brother, Mr Artur Sargasyan, is believed to be
still in Dubai despite earlier indications that he would return to
Kenya before the weekend.

Mr Margaryan spoke of his nationality days after Immigration minister
Gideon Konchellah had said the two foreigners were from the Czech
Republic. Yesterday, Housing Minister Soita Shitanda called on his
Internal Security counterpart John Michuki to order the arrest of
the two brothers until their mission in Kenya was ascertained. The
gripping saga unfolded as Vice President Moody Awori and senior
Government officers avoided Press inquiries on the mystery that has
left Kenyans wondering just who the two Artur brothers were.

Mr Margaryan said he did not wish to comment on investigations by the
police and would abide by Mr Michuki’s statement that public debate
on the matter should cease until investigations were complete.

He told journalists outside his residence: “I will show you my passport
but I’m not giving any more information on this until I have cleared
my name. The men (Mr Michuki) I saw on TV the other night said
investigations were going on and we should not say anything about
this matter until they have concluded investigations. They have taken
statements from all of us.”

Authorities have given no indication about the progress on their
investigations. Sources say senior police officers are under
instructions not to give any information to the media on the
mercenaries saga.

Not even the Nairobi deputy CID boss Isaiah Osugo, the officer
appointed to lead investigations, would comment on the matter.

Reached for comment, Government spokesman Alfred Mutua said: “I can’t
talk to you now, I’m going for a meeting.”

Mr Shitanda, however, said: “The unclear circumstances about their
business needs thorough investigations.”

These sentiments were shared by Assistant minister Bonny Khalwale
who said of the two foreigners should shed light on their business
in Kenya.

Kabete MP Paul Muite, who chairs the Legal Affairs and Administration
of Justice Committee in Parliament, said: “The committee is
investigating this matter and these people very seriously.”

And Kanu Secretary General William Ruto said their access to the VIP
lounge at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport last week was an
indication that the two foreigners had State protection.

Tinderet MP Henry Kosgey challenged government and the Orange
Democratic Movement leaders mentioned in connection with the foreigners
to come clean and tell Kenyans who the foreigners were.

In Busia, Vice President Moody Awori yesterday declined to comment
on the issue.

Mr Awori, who attended a church function in Busia town, was approached
by reporters to explain the government position on the saga, told them:
“Please leave me alone!”

Mr Sargasyan declared at a press conference last week that they were
related to the Armenian Prime Minister and that he was also running
for President.

But sources within the Armenia government said the two did not have
permanent residence in that country and thus did not qualify to run
for office.

The office of the Armenian Prime Minister denied that the duo is
related to the leader, Mr Andranik Markaryan. The Armenian Prime
Minister’s Press secretary, Mery Haroutyan, said the Prime Minister
did not have any relatives by the names Artur Margaryan and Artur
Sargasyan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OUT OF ARMENIA
By Boris Gulko And Gabriel Schoenfeld

The New York Sun
March 17, 2006 Friday

The first intercontinental chess tournament in history concluded this
week. The first half was played in Morelia, Mexico, and the second,
across the Atlantic Ocean, in Linares, Spain. This superclass event
was won by the young grandmaster Levon Aronian, who lives in Germany
but plays under the flag of his native Armenia. After his outstanding
victory at the close of 2005 in the World Cup, and on the heels of this
new and equally stellar achievement, Aronian has propelled himself
to the very summit of the chess elite. Together with Veselin Topalov
and Viswanathan Anand, he forms a triumvirate of the best players in
the world. In his encounter with Peter Svidler in the Morelia-Linares
tournament, he won in classical positional style, gathering minuscule
advantages step by step and not giving his opponent an opportunity to
fight back in open struggle. Indeed, Svidler was forced to surrender
without having a chance to fire a single shot.

ARONIAN VS. SVIDLER (white) (black) Grunfeld Defense

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5 Ne4 5.Bh4 c5 Not happy with results of
the opening in this game, playing against Ivanchuk on the following
day, Svidler steered to the same position but deviated here to
play 5…Nxc3 6.bxc3 dxc4 7.e3 Be6 8.Qb1 c5?! but after 9.Qxb7 Bd5
10.Qb5+ Nd7 11.Nf3 Rb8 12.Qa4 cxd4 13.cxd4 Qc8 14.Rc1 e6 15.Bxc4 Rb4
16.Qa6 Bb7 17.Qa5! but he could not capture the c4 bishop because
of mate on d8 and fell into an inferior position. 6.cxd5 Nxc3
7.bxc3 Qxd5 8.e3 cxd4 9.Qxd4 Qxd4 10.cxd4 e6! Discussion of this
move dates back to 1970. In the game of origin, Taimanov-Uhlmann,
black received a terrible position after 10…Nc6 11.Bb5 Bd7 12.Nf3
Bg7 13.Rb1. The move played in this game was introduced in the same
year in Donner-Hort and for a long time was considered sufficient to
produce equality. Now, however, the old estimate has been called into
question. 11.Rb1 Black’s idea is that after 11.Bf6 he has 11…Bb4+
12.Kd1 0-0. 11… Be7! 12.Bxe7 Kxe7 13.Bd3 Nc6 Black has to blockade
the c- file. In case of 13…Nd7 14.Nf3 b6 15.Be4 Rb8 16.Kd2 Nf6 17.Bc6
Bb7 18.Bxb7 Rxb7 19.Rhc1 white would obtain control over the only open
file on the board. 14.Nf3 b6 15.Ke2 Bb7 16.Rhc1 Rhc8 Only this move
is a novelty, and an insignificant one. The game Sarkissian-Bobras,
2005, continued from this position with 16…Rac8 17.g4 h5?! 18.g5
and led to a clear advantage for white. The attempt not to enable
white to fix the black center with a pawn on g5 via 16…h6 17.h4 h5
18.Rc3 Rac8 19.Rbc1 Na5 20.Rc7+ Kd6 21.Rxc8 Rxc8 22.Rxc8 Bxc8 23.Ne5
Ke7 24.f3 would leave white with a comfortable advantage because of
the dangerous g2-g4 thrust, creating either a weak black pawn on h5
or giving white a passed-pawn on the h-file.

17.g4! h6! 18.h4 Na5 19.g5! hxg5 20.hxg5 Here black has fewer
problems than in the previously mentioned Sarkissian-Bobras game
because he is rid of the h-pawns. But white’s position is still more
comfortable. 20… Rxc1 21.Rxc1 Rc8 22.Rxc8 Bxc8 23.Ne5 Bb7

(See diagram)

24.a3! A characteristic subtle touch, depriving black of counterplay
in the variation 24.Kd2 Nc6 25.Ng4 Nb4. 24… Nc6 25.Ng4 Nb8 26.Kd2
Bc6 27.Kc3 Nd7 28.f4 a5 29.e4 b5 30.Bc2 f5? Black collapses under
pressure. Svidler had hoped to create a fortress, but its structure
is completely insecure. The problems are obvious in the variation
30…Bb7 31.Kd3 Ba6 32.Ke3 Bb7 (the best chance for black to draw
is in the line 32…b4 33.axb4 axb4 34.Bd3) 33.Bb3 Bc6 34.Ne5 Nxe5
35.fxe5 where white plays d4-d5, heads to c5 with his king, and wins.

31.exf5 exf5 32.Ne5 Nxe5 33.dxe5 b4+ 34.axb4 axb4+ 35.Kxb4 Bd7 36.Bb3
Bc6 37.Kc5 Be8 This loses immediately, but other moves didn’t save
the day. For example 37…Bf3 38.Bg8 Bd1 39.Bh7 Kf7 (Or 39…Bh5
40.Kc6 Bf3+ 41.Kb6! Bh5 42.Kc7 and black is in zugzwang.) 40.e6+! Kg7
(40…Kxe6 41.Bxg6 Bc2 42.Kd4 Bb1! 43.Bh7 Bc2 44.Bg8+ Kd6 45.Bc4
with two decisive threats 46.g6 or 46.Bd3) 41.Kb5! Bc2 42.e7 Kf7
43.Bxg6+ Kxe7 44.Kc5 Ke6 45.Kd4 and the white bishop goes to c4 or d3,
transposing the game into the same winning position. After 37…Bd7
38.Bg8 Ba4 39.e6 Bd1 (39…Bb3 40.Bf7 Bxe6 41.Bxg6 the game also
transposes into the same winning position.) 40.Kd5 Bf3+ 41.Ke5 Bd1
42.Bf7 Bh5 43.Kd5 Bf3+ 44.Kd4 Bh5 45.Ke5 black is in zugzwang again.
38.e6 1-0.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE FATE OF NORTH AVENUE RESIDENTS TO BE DECIDED AT THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT

Lragir/am
20 March 06

This was stated by the ombudsman of Armenia Armen Harutiunyan who has
already appealed to the Constitutional Court for this issue. Armen
Harutiunyan said it is necessary to do everything possible to achieve
a balance between the interests of the government and the residents
of North Avenue. “On the request of the inhabitants of North Avenue
I appealed to the Constitutional Court; only there can the question
get an objective resolution,” stated the ombudsman.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ESTABLISHING A POLITICAL PARTY IS HARD WORK

Lragir/am
20 March 06

If political parties are established in Armenia, which will operate
in political competition, our attitude towards them is normal,
announced Mher Shahgeldyan, Chairman of the Committee of Defense,
Internal Affairs and Security. He said this in answer to the question
about the establishment of Artashes Tumanyan’s political party and
his unexpected resignation. Mher Shahgeldyan declined to comment on
Artashes Tumanyan’s step. The member of parliament representing the
largest political force in Armenia stated from their experience that
setting up a political party is a complicated and hard work.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

REGULAR MISINFORMATION SPREAD BY AZERI MEDIA

ArmRadio
20.03.2006

Reports of the Azeri media on firing Azerbaijani positions by military
units of Nagorno-Karabakh on March 14-19 are misinformation and
do not correspond to reality, Press Service of the NKR Ministry of
Defense informed.

The Press Service mentioned that it is the Azeri side that periodically
violates the cease-fire regime.

It should be noted also that a number of Azerbaijani media had spread
a report about the breach of the cease-fire on March 18 and 19, in
the result of which two Azerbaijani servicemen were killed. However,
no names were mentioned, no official statement was issued by the
Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Franco-Turkish groups rally against Armenian genocide memorial

Agence France Presse — English
March 18, 2006 Saturday 7:38 PM GMT

LYON, France, March 18 2006 — Several thousand people joined a
boisterous rally in this southeastern French city Saturday organized
by Franco-Turkish associations opposed to the construction of an
Armenian genocide memorial.

The meeting turned rowdy when another group, students staging their
own protest against a controversial new employment contract for youths,
began throwing bottles and police stepped in with tear gas to separate
the two groups.

Police estimated the pro-Turkish gathering at about 3,200 protestors,
who carried signs claiming “There never was an Armenian genocide”.

“We do not want a monument erected. It is a verdict without a
judgment,” said Sevda Gog, a representative of the Franco-Turkish
committee, which plans to petition the Socialist mayor of Lyon,
Gerard Collomb.

In 2001 France declared to be genocide against Armenians the events
that took place under the Ottoman empire from 1915 to 1917, leaving
1.5 million dead, according to Armenian estimates. The French decision
angered Turkey.

In 2003 Collomb announced that Lyon would build an Armenian memorial,
though plans were suspended on the advice of the regional commission.

Armenians say their kinsmen were slaughtered in an orchestrated
genocide under the Ottoman Empire, a theory many countries have
endorsed, much to Ankara’s ire.

Turkey rejects the genocide label and argues that between 300,000
and half a million Armenians and at least as many Turks died in civil
strife during World War I when Armenians took up arms for independence
in eastern Anatolia and sided with Russian troops invading the
crumbling empire.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FOR ARMENIA QUITTING THE TALKS IS EQUAL TO WAR

Lragir/am
18/03/06

The leader of the Christian Democratic Party of Armenia Khosrov
Harutiunyan stated on March 17 that Armenia should not quit the
negotiations for the settlement of the conflict over Karabakh.
“Armenia has no right to quit the negotiations. It would mean a
declaration of war,” said Khosrov Harutiunyan.

He said he did not remember that Karabakh has ever participated in the
talks since 1994. Khosrov Harutiunyan thinks, however, that Karabakh
participated in the talks indirectly. According to the leader of the
CDP, the international community also admits that it might be easier
to reach an agreement in bilateral talks, but the implementation of
this agreement would be impossible without the consent of the third
party – Karabakh.

Khosrov Harutiunyan thinks the famous statement of NKR President
Arkady Ghukasyan and the famous interview of Armenian President Robert
Kacharyan are addressed to the world. According to the leader of the
Christian Democratic Party, it is important to display a character,
and it is important how this character is perceived by the central
players in world politics.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress