Author: Emil Lazarian

MAMMADYAROV: BAKU POSITION ON KARABAKH UNCHANGEABLE
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.03.2006 22:21 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijan is ready to proceed with the talks
on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told journalists. “The negotiations should
be continued and our MFA is ready for the dialogue,” he said. In his
words, Azerbaijan’s position remains unchangeable. “We insist on the
liberation of the seized territories, return of the refugees to the
residence,” Mammadyarov said.
The Azeri FM noted that the conflict should be settled is accord
with the principles of the international law and “demands of the
Azerbaijani Constitution”. “If the dialogue is fruitless we will have
other possibilities to settle the conflict,” reported RIA Novosti.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

U.S. AND ARMENIA TO SIGN MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE COMPACT MARCH 27
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.03.2006 22:51 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The U.S. government’s Millennium Challenge
Corporation (MCC) is set to award a $235 million grant to improve
Armenia’s transportation and agricultural infrastructure. Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice, who chairs the MCC board, is scheduled to speak
at the signing ceremony March 27, the State Department said. Armenian
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, and MCC Chief Executive Officer
John Danilovich also are scheduled to make remarks at the compact’s
signing. Danilovich approved the grant in December 2005 but also
wrote a letter to Armenian President Robert Kocharian warning that
the United States has concerns about the country’s respect for human
rights and free elections following Armenia’s constitutional referendum
in November 2005. The $235 million is scheduled to be awarded over
several years; some of the grant money could be withheld if Armenia
does not meet MCC goals of “sound policies and good governance.”
The Millennium Challenge agreement for Armenia aims to combat rural
poverty through improving economic performance in the agricultural
sector, according to the State Department’s announcement. The compact
features two programs: a rural road rehabilitation project and an
irrigated agriculture project. The compact is expected to affect 75
percent of Armenia’s rural population and to boost annual incomes of
poor farmers.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DENIZ BAYKAL: TURKISH RULING PARTY ALIKE MASONIC LODGE
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.03.2006 23:02 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The ruling party of Turkey is like Masonic lodge,
secretary general of the Republican People’s Party, parliament member
Deniz Baykal stated at a briefing. “The Justice and Development party
resembles Masonic lodge. Party fellows settle their relations line
Masons, they show an original manner of solidarity, and the party
regulations base on specific inter-party laws. The party members
divided the Turkish laws in two parts – for themselves and for the
others. Such policy will inevitably have serious consequences,”
Baykal noted, reported Turkish media.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CSTO GOING TO EXPAND ACTIVITIES
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.03.2006 23:28 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)
is going to expand its activities, head of the information department
Alexander Bazavlyuk informed. In his words, the CSTO is planning
to engage in combating drug traffic, illegal migration, illegal
circulation of finances. The organization also plans to deal with
emergency situations and carries out corresponding exercise.
“Presently the issue is discussed on a normative level. Anyway we will
address it at the nearest session to be held in Minsk this June,”
he noted. When touching upon the number of member states Bazavlyuk
noted that not only the CIS member states but also foreign states
show interest in the CSTO.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address: Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel: (374 10) 517 163
Fax: (374 10) 517 301
E-Mail: [email protected]
March 27, 2006
His Holiness Karekin II Receives UN Resident Coordinator
On March 15, His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians,
received Ms. Consuelo Vidal, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident
Representative to Armenia. It was the first visit of Ms. Vidal to
the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
His Holiness welcomed Ms. Vidal to the center of Armenian spiritual
life, congratulated her on her appointment and wished her a productive
tenure in Armenia. The Catholicos reflected on the long-standing
successful cooperation between the Republic of Armenia and the United
Nations in the spheres of rural development, healthcare and fostering
democratic governance.
During the meeting, the Pontiff of All Armenians also presented the
facts surrounding the willful and deliberate destruction of tens
of thousands of Khatchkars (Stone-Crosses) in Julfa (Nakhijevan),
stating that these acts of intolerance are crimes against culture and
religion which affect all of humanity. His Holiness urged Ms. Vidal
to pursue this matter further through the appropriate UN agencies,
since UNESCO had been notified on numerous occasions in the past few
years of the danger facing these historic Armenian Christian monuments.
Ms. Vidal thanked His Holiness for the reception and assured him
of her readiness to be of assistance to the Armenian Church and the
Mother See at all times.
##
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BAKU: NEXT KOCHARIAN-ALIYEV MEETING MAY BE HELD IN MAY
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.03.2006 20:46 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The next meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani
Presidents Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev may be held in May 2006,
head of the department of external relations at the Azeri president
administration Novruz Mamedov informed. In his words, unlike the
Rambouillet meeting the next one may take place within the framework
of an international event, reported ANS Azeri TV Channel.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BAKU GOING TO AMEND POLICY ON KARABAKH ISSUE
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.03.2006 21:16 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated that
“Armenia’s non-constructive position on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement forces Baku to amend the policy on the issue.” “We adhere
to the peaceful negotiations but they however have not yielded any
result yet. Under such conditions we have to reconsider our policy,”
Aliyev said. Delivering a speech at the ceremony of handing the
combat banner, opening of the museum and monument to Heydar Aliyev
at the Academy of the Ministry of National Security Ilham Aliyev
noted that “Azerbaijan’s position on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
is unchangeable – the territorial integrity of the country should be
restored.” At that he added that the potential of the peaceful talks
has not been exhausted yet. “Armenia should know that we can solve the
problem by force any moment,” Aliyev said. He noted that Azerbaijan
is increasing its military budget every year and this tendency will
be maintained. “Expansion of the defense budget is the sovereign
right of each state. This is a natural process in a country whose
sovereignty was infringed and which experiences a military conflict,”
the Azerbaijani President stated.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

“A1+” IS PARTICIPATING IN A COMPETITION
A1+
02:53 pm 27 March, 2006
Today “A1+” placed an order to participate in the competitions of
radio frequencies.
Today is the deadline for the orders for participation in the
competitions for licensing the broadcasting of radio programs by
the frequencies FM 90.7 MHz and FM 90.3 MHz in the territory of
Yerevan. The Television and Radio National Committee announced about
the competition in December 2005. The names of all the participants
of the competition will be known later.
The competition packets will be opened on April 7.
Let us remind you that these are the 11th and 12th competitions
“A1+” is participating in. As for the previous 10 competitions,
“A1+” did not get the license to broadcast.
By the way, April 2 is the 4th anniversary of depriving “A1+” of air.

GENOCIDE DENIERS WILL BE PUNISHED WITH LAW
ArmRadio.am
27.03.2006 17:45
Genocide deniers should be punished with law; this year the European
Armenian Federation will come forward with a new initiative. The
demonstration of Turks in the city of Lyon made the French be more
watchful.
It is known that the French law prohibits denying the fact of the
Armenian Genocide. The French, however, intend to enlarge the law to
punish all those who will make the fact of the Genocide a topic of
discussion or will deny it.
The necessity of this became apparent after the Turks organized a
rally denying the Armenian Genocide in Lyon. It was accompanied with
slogans denying the Genocide.
Furthermore, there is the necessity of a law that will become a serious
obstacle in Turkey’s way to joining the European Union. In the recent
years there was an intention to execute a law against genocide in EU
member states; the development of the law was, however, hindered. The
European Armenian Federation Office intends to launch activities to
bring the law into force.
Germany is also working out a law to punish the Genocide deniers.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FIFTH FORUM OF WORLD ALLIANCE OF CITIES AGAINST POVERTY
Lragir.am
27 March 06
>From March 29 to April 1 Arthur Baghdasaryan, Speaker of the National
Assembly of Armenia, will be in Spain on a working visit. During the
visit the speaker will meet with the President of the Spanish Senate
Xavier Rojo and the president of the Congress of Deputies of Spain
Manuel Marin Gonzalez, informed the Public Relations Office of the
National Assembly of Armenia.
On March 29 Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan and the president of the Senate
of the Kingdom of Belgium Ann Marie Lysine will open the fifth forum
of WACAP in Valencia, during which four Armenian cities will become
members of the alliance.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress