Author: Hunanian Jack

Today.Az, Azerbaijan
May 5 2008

Anne Derse: "Development of the independent media as a strong
institution to support Azerbaijan’s democratic development is under
attack"

05 May 2008 [17:25] – Today.Az

The speech of US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne Derse, made during her
visit to the north-western region of Azerbaijan:

Ladies and gentlemen,

Thank you for inviting me. It is an honor to celebrate World Press
Freedom Day in the Center that is named after the National Hero of
Azerbaijan, courageous journalist Chingiz Mustafayev, who fell while
performing his duties as a journalist in 1991.

"Our liberty depends on freedom of the press and that cannot be
limited without being lost." So spoke Thomas Jefferson over 200 years
ago. Without a free press, citizens have no access to independent
information about their government and its policies and
performance. Without a free press, citizens do not have the
information they need to hold government accountable, and
consequently, the risk of corruption, malfeasance and mismanagement is
great, especially in an oil rich state. Without a free press, there
can be no public exchange of ideas about national challenges and
priorities Without a free press, there is no real freedom.

That is why it is important that governments that respect freedom
vigorously uphold the right of journalists to work freely, without
fear of violence and persecution, and why it is important that media
adhere to the highest ethical and professional standards in carrying
out their important responsibility to inform the public. Criticism of
the government and government leaders is not treason, it is a hallmark
of true democracy. The US believes that libel and defamation should
not be criminal offences, journalists should not be imprisoned for
expressing their views, incidents of violence or harassment against
journalists to intimidate them into silence should be vigorously
investigated and prosecuted and governments in developing democracies
should work with civil society to develop a free, independent and
objective media to defend the people’s rights.

Speaking as the representative of a government which supports
Azerbaijan’s independence and sovereignty, which has great respect for
the people of Azerbaijan and for Azerbaijan’s history, culture and
accomplishments, and for Azerbaijan’s great potential as a leader in
the region, I must say that the recent physical attacks and the
ongoing smear campaign against Azadliq journalist Agil Halil and
continuing pressure and threats against pro-opposition and independent
journalists show that development of the independent media as a strong
institution to support Azerbaijan’s democratic development is under
attack. Current attitudes towards the media are more reminiscent of
Azerbaijan’s Soviet past than its democratic future. Many Azerbaijanis
and international observers who support Azerbaijan’s goals of
maintaining independence and promoting freedom, in the face of strong
regional pressures, share this view.

Throughout his short but meaningful life, Chingiz Mustafayev fought
for his people’s right to know. He traveled to the zones, swept by war
to report on tragic consequences of war and its innocent
victims. Scenes from Khojali, taped by Chingiz Mustafayev shook the
world and still continue to touch all peace-loving peoples. These
works demonstrate Chingiz’s courage and commitment to his motherland,
his profession, and the principle of media freedom. The best way to
honor his memory – and those of other pioneering Azerbaijani
journalists – is for us to support all journalists seeking to exercise
that fundamental democratic right in support of Azerbaijan’s
democratic future, and freedom for all Azerbaijanis.

Independent journalism serves the public by addressing and stimulating
a debate on issues of national concern. Just as Chingiz did,
journalists today have a responsibility to report on key issues of
national import, including Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan’s democratic
reforms, the use of its energy revenues, and corruption. I am doubly
happy to see the young generation of Azerbaijani journalists guided by
the courageous work of those, like Chingiz Mustafayev, who made
today’s journalism in Azerbaijan possible.

Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in renewing our commitment to
media freedom and wishing success to all the journalists in Azerbaijan
and everywhere else in the world.

Thank you.

URL:

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 5 2008

Seyran Ohanian: `Individual motives inside the army caused the capture
of 4 Armenian citizens by Azerbaijani side’

[ 05 May 2008 13:21 ]

Yeravan-APA. `People guilty in Azerbaijan-capture of four Armenian
citizens will be punished’, said Seyran Ohanian, Armenian defense
minister, APA reports.

He confirmed that Armenian citizens Vanik Zmboyan, Artem Zohrabian,
Karen Torosian and Agasi Enokian had been captured in Nakhchivan
direction of the front. The minister acknowledged that incident based
on individual motives inside the army caused the capture of
above-mentioned persons. Armenian newspapers reported that incident
happened inside military unit as a result of offences against the
newcomer soldier. `There was a problem between the newcomer and his
fellow soldiers and he called his friends to help him. A number of
civilians arrived in military unit in cars and have beaten offenders
of the young soldier. According to unofficial sources, commander of
the military unit have been forced to shoot into the air to calm down
scuffles and called police officers. When police arrived the civilians
escaped from the scene. One of the drivers not known the territory
moved to the mined area and entered into the Azerbaijani territory. As
thus four Armenian citizens have been captured by Azerbaijani
side’. It is interesting that Armenian newspapers couldn’t explain how
the vehicle passed through the mined area and described it as a
miracle. Seyran Ohanian said they kept situation around the captives
on focus. `We regularly keep in touch with Azerbaijani side. The
captives are in normal conditions and will be returned soon. We have
to reason from this incident and to increase attention to the
education-instructional work in military units. The fact will be
investigated and all guilty people, including commanders of military
units will be punished’.

Azerbaijani side spread information that captured Armenians entered
into the Azerbaijani territory to commit terrorist attacks and
sabotages.

Interfax News Agency, Russia
May 4 2008

Armenia reduces copper, ferromolybdenum output in Q1

YEREVAN May 4

Armenia reduced copper concentrate production 6.8% year-on-year in
January-March to 14,895 tonnes, the National Statistics Service said.

Ferromolybdenum production fell 7.7% to 1,267 tonnes.

Zinc concentrate production grew, by 12.8% to 1,165 tonnes, molybdenum
concentrate was up 1.1% to 2,048 tonnes, aluminum foil soared
85.4-fold to 1,051 tonnes and converter copper rose 9.5% to 1,655
tonnes.

Armenian opposition to nominate single-whole candidates at local
government election

2008-05-04 17:38:00

ArmInfo. The opposition parliamentary faction Heritage has been
observing various options of
participation in the local government election. As a member of the
Heritage party faction Larisa Alaverdyan told ArmInfo correspondent,
the party still has no candidate to local government election. For his
part, another deputy from the Heritage party Vardan Khachatryan added
that at present the party is observing suggestions of other opposition
parties about nomination of single-whole candidates at the local
government election.

To note, local government election in Armenia will be held on 18 May.
According to official data of Central electoral Commission of Armenia
no candidate from the opposition has nominated his candidacy at the
forthcoming election.

OSCE WILL ARRANGE ANOTHER MONITORING OF AZERBAIJANI-ARMENIAN CONTACT LINE

DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
April 30, 2008 Wednesday

The press service of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reports that
monitoring the state of affairs on the Azerbaijani-Armenian contact
line in the environs of the settlement of Alibeili (Tovuz district)
will take place on April 29.

The monitoring will be arranged in accordance with the mandate of
the personal representative of the OSCE chairman.

Monitoring of the situation from the Azerbaijani side will be carried
out by Personal Representative, Andrzei Kaspsic, and his assistants
Peter Key and Antal Herdic.

The situation from the side of the territories occupied by the Armenian
army will be monitored by personal representative’s assistants Imre
Palatinus, Irgi Aberle, and Jaslan Nurtazin.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER OUTLINES COUNTRY’S FOREIGN POLITICAL

Interfax News Agency, Russia
April 30 2008

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian briefed the heads of the
diplomatic missions accredited in Yerevan about Armenia’s foreign
political priorities on Wednesday.

"Armenia will continue to the strengthen strategic partnership with
Russia and will take steps to expand cooperation and friendly relations
with the United States," Nalbandian said.

"The European direction has become among the priorities for Armenia’s
foreign policy," he said.

As regards international organizations, Nalbandian said Armenia
would develop cooperation with the UN, the OSCE (Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe), the Council of Europe and other
international institutions.

Armenia is also willing to normalize relations with Turkey without
any preconditions, he said.

"Armenia attaches significance to ties with its close neighbors,
with which its enjoys friendly cooperation, and is also prepared to
make every possible effort to normalize relations with the neighbors
in relations with which it still has some problems," he said.

PROJECT SHOULD BE AFFIRMED BY PEOPLE

Panorama.am
20:26 29/04/2008

Today the Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan presented the government
project to the National Assembly. The project covers five major points
which were presented to our reader yesterday when the Government
affirmed the project.

The Prime Minister stated the key points of the project: the disruption
of the public, unhealthy psychological atmosphere, high level of
shadow economy, corruption, misbalanced level of competition, poverty.

"The basis of our project is, first quickness, second society and
economy based on knowledge, third security, fourth protection of
psychological and cultural values, and fifth ensuring freedom for
modern man," said the Prime Minister and added that the current
project should not only be affirmed by the NA and coalition, but also
by people.

TURKISH ORGANIZATION DECIDES TO STRUGGLE AGAINST FACT OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE WITH ELECTRONIC LETTERS AND DISKS

Noyan Tapan
April 28, 2008

ANKARA, APRIL 28, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Union of Struggle
Against Ungrounded Assertions of Genocide has made a decision to
struggle against the fact of the Armenian Genocide with electronic
letters and disks.

As the Cihan agency reported, Union Chairman Savash Egilmez stated
this.

"Every year Armenians mark April 24 as a commemoration day of the
Armenian Genocide victims and wish that day to be accepted by the whole
world. And we together with university representatives have decided
to send 5 thousand disks and 50 thousand electronic letters made in
the French, English, Russian, and German languages to presidents,
parliamentarians, NGOs, media of a number of states of the world,
in which we, refuting the Armenian lies, present reality," Savash
Egilmez stated.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

PREPARATION OF THE HOLY MURON IN ANTELIAS

The preparatory works for the blessing of the Holy Muron (Holy Oil) to take
place on June 7, 2008 in the Antelias headquarters of the Catholicosate of
Cilicia have already started. Following the morning service on April 25,
Cilician Brotherhood members and Seminary students started breaking up the
ingredients of the Muron while reciting sections from the book of Psalms.

The more than 40 individual ingredients of Muron, including flower types,
roots and oils had already been brought from different regions around the
world ranging from the Arab countries to the Far East. Carefully following
the instructions of our forefathers, the Grand Sacristan placed these
ingredients in the laurel and olive oils. His Holiness Aram I then lit the
flame on which Muron will be boiled in special pots for a period of 48
hours.

Members of the Cilician Brotherhood, spent two nights following the process
of the preparation of Muron, while singing hymns and reading the Bible under
close guidance from His Holiness Aram I. On several occasions, His Holiness
visited the site of the preparation and checked the scent of the Muron and
its golden color- the result of a combination of several ingredients. His
Holiness blessed those working on the preparation of the Muron and asked God
to accept the prayers of all and to spread his heavenly blessings upon our
people particularly on the day of the blessing of the Holy Muron.

The Holy Muron, symbol of the grace of the Holy Spirit, is traditionally
blessed every seven years. Only the Catholicos can consecrate the oil which
is then distributed to the various dioceses for distribution to the
parishes. Prior to its blessing, the Muron remains for forty days on the
altar of the Cathedral. The Muron Blessing is expected to attract a large
number of pilgrims from various parts of the world.

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View the photos here:
tos/Photos259.htm#2
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

LEVON TER-PETROSYAN’S SUPPORTERS RALLY IN YEREVAN DEMANDING RESIGNATION OF SERZH SARKISIAN

Azeri Press Agency
April 24 2008
Azerbaijan

Yerevan-APA. Thousands of supporters of Levon Ter-Petrosyan marched
towards the so-called "genocide" monument in Yerevan.

APA reports quoting Armenia sources that about 10,000 opposition
supporters gathered in front of the monument to artist Martiros Saryan
and stopped the traffic in the centre of the city Bagramyan Avenue. The
police called on them to go along the pavement, but they started
march under the leadership of the opposition leaders. The number of
the protesters increased. Passing by the president’s residence they
shouted "Serjik, go away!" and demanded the resignation of the new
president Serzh Sarkisian. They also shouted "Levon – president!" Levon
Ter-Petrosyan and his wife joined the protesters near the memorail.