Author: Emil Lazarian

HAMLET GASPARIAN: NO VISIT OF ARMENIAN PRESIDENT TO WASHINGTON ENVISAGED
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 25 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 25, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. No visit of the
Armenian President to Washington is envisaged. RA Foreign Ministry
Spokesperson Hamlet Gasparian declared this commenting upon the report
of Turkish “Zaman” newspaper, according to which in the interview
given to “Zaman” some days ago Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister
Arman Kirakosian said that, allegedly, the Armenian President will
probably pay a visit to Washington soon. “Drawing such a conclusion
from Deputy Minister Kirakosian’s answer I think is the consequence
of partial distortion of either the translation or his words,” Hamlet
Gasparian mentioned. According to him, “in the interview to “Zaman”
last Friday Mr Kirakosian spoke not about the visit of our President
after the visit of Azerbaijani President Aliyev to Washington but
mentioning very good relations with U.S. spoke about the possibility
of such a visit in general”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RAFFI HOVHANNISIAN: IT IS NECESSARY THAT REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA INSIDE ITSELF ALSO PURSUE ITS NATIONAL INTEREST ON THE FAIR BASIS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 25 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 25, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Though the Republic
of Armenia makes certain, separate efforts for involving as many states
as possible in the issue of recognition of the Armenian Genocide,
this is not at the proper height. Raffi Hovhannisian, Chairman of
the Zharangutiun (Heritage) party, expressed such an opinion in his
interview to Noyan Tapan correspondent on April 24, at the memorial
complex to the victims of the Armenian Genocide. According to him,
this is not only a day of the memory of the past, but also a day when
we should assume commitments towards the future. And these commitments,
according to him, belong to the whole Armenian people, be it in the
Republic of Armenia, in Artsakh, in Spyurk and everywhere. “This
day is not only a day of estimating our losses, learning lessons
from the past but also a day when we should look in the direction
of the future,” R.Hovhannisian said. According to R.Hovhannisian,
we should build the modern Armenian history so that henceforth no
one, neither our enemy nor our neighbor, can “play on” the security,
sovereignty of Armenia and on the lives of its citizens. “This is
the problem of our generation, the problem of the whole Armenian
people. If our generation is able to fulfil this commitment, Armenia
and the Armenian people will be together, will be strong and legal,”
he mentioned. Meanwhile, according to R.Hovhannisian, it is necessary
that the Republic of Armenia inside itself also pursue its national
interest and commitment towards the future on the fair basis. “Thus,
the political, scientific and legal ways should be perfected, we
should unite our efforts and be higher than dissociation, we should
build our country proceeding from the national interest, sovereignty
of the state and the rights of the citizens,” the Chairman of the
Zharangutiun party added.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ON APRIL 24, ARMAVIR RESIDENTS ORGANIZE PROCESSION TO MEMORIAL TO GENOCIDE VICTIMS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 25 2006
ARMAVIR, APRIL 25, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On April 24,
the population of Armavir, regional and municipal authorities,
representatives of organizations organized a procession to the town
park and laid wreaths to the memorial to the victims of the Armenian
Genocide. The same day divine services took place in all the churches
of the region.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RESIDENTS OF VANADZOR PAY TRIBUTE OF THEIR RESPECT TO MEMORY OF VICTIMS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 25 2006
VANADZOR, APRIL 25, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Early in the morning
of April 24, a liturgy was served in the Vanadzor Surb Astvatsatsin
Church in commemoration of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. A
divine service took place before the khachkar (cross-stone) in front
of the church. The ruling officials of the region, many collectives,
student and working groups laid flowers and wreaths to the khachkar.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THEY STAND IN ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VISTIMS’ MEMORY IN KRASNODAR
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 25 2006
KRASNODAR, APRIL 25, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Armenians of
Krasnodar gathered on April 24 in the territory of the Armenian Surb
Hovhannes Avetaranich (John the Evangelist) church to stand in memory
of the Armenian Genocide victims of 1915-1923 in Turkey. According to
the “Yerkramas” (country) newspaper of Armenians of Russia, after the
divine service, dedicated to this tragic data in the history of the
Armenian people, a mourning demonstration took place on the square in
front of the church. Representatives of the Armenian Diaspora of the
city and the guests having made speeches condemned the bloody crime
commited in the Ottaman Turkey against the whole people, and called
on the world community to cotradict Turkey’s entering the European
community. Citizens of Krasnodar gathered on the square were able to
get acquainted with specially prepared stands on which photo facts
irrefutably proving the Armenian Genocide conducted in Turkey were
presented.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UNIDO TO ASSIST ARMENIA WITH INNOVATION ACTIVITY DEVELOPMENT
Noyan Tapan
Apr 25 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 25, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Ministry of Trade and
Economic Development is working out jointly with the UN Industrial
Development Organization (UNIDO) Armenia Office a program on
financing of the measurus envisaged by the 2005-2010 Program on
Development of Innovation Activity in the Republic of Armenia. NT
correspondent was informed about it from Ashot Khandanian, Head of
the Science, Technologies and Innovation Policy Department of the
ministry. According to him, it is intended that the measures will be
financed from the RA state budget and with funds to be provided by
donor organizations and the private sector. The UNIDO has expressed a
willingness to assist with financial resources of donor organizations
for the purpose of financing the 2005-2010 Program on Development
of Innovation Activity in the RA. It was noted that the allocation
of budgetary resources was outlined in the RA draft law on state
assistance of innovation activity. The draft law is expected to be
passed in third reading by the RA National Assembly during the next
four-day session.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE MARKET IS RISKY BOTH FOR PEOPLE’S HEALTH AND THEIR POCKETS, CHAIRMAN OF UNION OF ARMENIAN CONSUMERS STATES
Noyan Tapan
Apr 25 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia’s consumer market is risky
both for people’s health and their pockets. Chairman of the Union of
Consumers of Armenia Armen Poghosian expressed this opinion during
a debate at the Pastark Club on April 25. In his words, about 30%
of the consumer’s money is spent “to no avail” due to low quality of
goods and services. He said that since 2001, the Union of Consumers has
warned not to by goods made in Turkey. According to him, the Armenian
consumer should decline to buy such goods not because of their low
quality but because they are Turkish. He reminded that when the
French Senate recognized the fact of the Armenian Genocide, Turkey
imposed a ban on the import of French goods as protest. Calling on
Armenian consumers to give preference to local goods, A. Poghosian
noted at the same time that the local commodities are not perfect
either. Studies have revealed that 64% of information on labels is
not exact. Particularly, most labels do not contain information about
production and expiry date of foodstuffs, additives, in many cases
the exact contents are not indicated. Chairman of the Consumer Right
Protection NGO Abgar Eghoyan pointed out that the key problem is that
consumers are not aware of their rights. They may return and exchange
a low quality commodity in case they have a cash register check, which
is often not given to the purchaser. A. Eghoyan noted that a lot of
outdated, faked, improperly processed or labeled foodstuffs without
the appropriate certificates were discovered during a monitoring on
foodstuffs security, which has been conducted by the NGO over the
last 6 months. Laboratoty tests of 8 types of Turkish goods revealed
intestinal bacilluses harmful to human health in 4 of them. Among
these products were “Tofita” sweets and “Goldfresh” chocolate bars.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HISTORIANS TO HANDLE ‘ALGERIAN GENOCIDE’
By Ali Ihsan Aydin, Paris
Zaman Online, Turkey
April 25 2006
France, overlooking the suggestion to “resort to historians” when
it issued the so-called Armenian Genocide Law five years ago, now
seeks assistance from historians in the face of accusations of having
committed genocide.
“Memory study cannot be conducted by politicians; it is neither the
business of parliamentary representatives nor that of senators,”
the French foreign minister Philippe Douste-Blazy said.
Politicians should leave history to the historians, the minister added
last week. Algerian President Abdelaziz Buteflika accused France of
having committed genocide in Algeria.
Talking to a French radio, “Memory studies are conducted by historians
and researchers,” said Doust-Blazy in response to a comment suggesting
that “Buteflika insulted France by mentioning genocide.”
Before he came to France, Buteflika held the country responsible for
“conducting genocide against the Algerian identity” between 1830
and 1962.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERBAIJAN, RUSSIA AGREE ON ARMS TRANSIT
Turan news agency, Baku
25 Apr 06
Moscow, 25 April: Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigoriy Karasin
met Azerbaijani ambassador Polad Bulbuloglu in Moscow today. They
agreed on the procedure for the transit of Russian military cargoes
from Georgia to Russia via Azerbaijan.
A report from the Russian Foreign Ministry’s information and press
department said that during the meeting the sides exchanged official
notes endorsing the bilateral agreement on the issue.
To recap, this is about the withdrawal of hundreds of pieces of
armoured hardware, artillery and other heavy weapons from the Russian
bases in Akhalkalaki and Batumi. Part of the weapons from the bases
will be transferred to the Russian base in Gyumri in Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY DENIES ZAMAN SPECULATIONS
Armenpress
Apr 25 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 25, ARMENPRESS: Armenian foreign ministry has denied
today media reports that president Kocharian is likely to visit the
United States of America.
A spokesman for foreign ministry, Hamlet Gasparian, said it was wrong
to conclude from an interview by Armenian deputy foreign minister
Arman Kirakosian to Turkish daily Zaman that Kocharian was going to
visit Washington after Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev.
He said the conclusion was either a wrong translation of the interview
or a distortion of Kirakosian’s words.
Gasparian said in a last week interview with Zaman Arman Kirakosian
did not say Kocharian would visit Washington following Azeri president
Aliyev’s visit, but singling out good relations between Washington
and Yerevan did not exclude that Kocharian may visit the U.S.A. in
any time in future.
Meantime Azeri president Ilham Aliyev has left today for a four-day
official visit to Washington. In the USA he is scheduled to discuss
various issues with president George Bush, vice-president Dick Cheney,
defense secretary Rumsfeld and secretary of state Condoleezza Rice. The
outgoing US Ambassador in Baku Reno Harnish was quoted by local media
last week as saying that the Karabakh problem will be high on Aliyev’s
Washington agenda.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress