Author: Jagharian Tania

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

OCTOBER 19-25, 2007

HIGHLIGHTS:

"PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: POLITICAL TRADITIONS AND CULTURE

AUTHORITIES INTERVENING WITH THE EDITORIAL POLICY OF BROADCAST MEDIA

EDITORS OF "CHORRORD ISHKHANUTIUN" AND "HAIKAKAN ZHAMANAK" DETAINED DURING
THE CRACKDOWN ON THE MARCH

"PRESS CLUB" CYCLE: POLITICAL TRADITIONS AND CULTURE

On October 24 another "Press Club" show went on the evening air of "Yerkir
Media" TV company. The guest of the program host Ashot Melikian, the
Chairman of the Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression, was the Deputy
Chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia, deputy of the RA National
Assembly Galust Sahakian. The subject for discussion was the upcoming
presidential elections, in particular, the formation of political traditions
and culture, the possibility of civilized debate between the power and
opposition.

The next program of "Press Club" cycle will be aired by "Yerkir Media" on
Wednesday, October 31 at 21.40.

The "Press Club" cycle is produced under a project of Media Diversity
Institute, supported by Open Society Institute Assistance
Foundation-Armenia.

AUTHORITIES INTERVENING WITH THE EDITORIAL POLICY OF BROADCAST MEDIA

On October 19 Yerevan Press Club, Committee to Protect Freedom of
Expression, "Asparez" Journalist’s Club of Gyumri, Vanadzor Press Club,
Helsinki Committee of Armenia, Vanadzor Office of Helsinki Citizens’
Assembly released the following statement:

"We, the public organizations, express our concern over the negative and
unacceptable developments that have been recently observed with regard to
freedom of expression. The print media have been reporting that for several
days already correspondents of broadcast media do not come to press
conferences, organized at various press clubs. A supposition was made that
this attitude is imposed by various power agencies. We realize that media do
not have to cover all press conferences; however, the simultaneous and
unanimous display of indifference to events of public importance only comes
to confirm the version of intervention by "invisible hand".

We receive alarming information that over the past week heads of private TV
companies were invited to various agencies, where they were "persuaded" to
ignore the public events, appearances of certain opposition figures, not to
invite them to studios, not to interview them and not to show them on air.
In particular, the TV companies have received a "recommendation" not to
cover (either positively or negatively) the rally of a number of political
forces, scheduled for October 26.

We remind that impeding the legitimate professional activities of
journalists is a criminal offence. Moreover, Clause 2 of Article 164 of the
RA Criminal Code refers to the commitment of the same offence by an
official, using his/her position.

Having no common political preferences or dislikes, all of us think it to be
an urgent necessity that information and opinions be disseminated freely, in
particular, ahead of presidential elections, and we call on authorities to
abstain from interfering with the editorial policy of media, primarily the
broadcasters, since it irreparably damages the freedom of expression and
pluralism as cornerstone principles of democracy", the statement of six NGOs
said.

On October 22 the statement of the founder of "GALA" TV company of Gyumri
Vahan Khachatrian was disseminated. The statement was prompted by attempts
of various power agencies to exert pressure on the TV company that had
occurred over the past week.

The statement of Vahan Khachatrian says in particular: "Dear compatriots,
every TV company owner must first of all realize that television is not a
private but a public asset.

The medium is to give impartial and diverse coverage of all processes in the
society. It must introduce the public to the whole spectrum of political
processes equally, allowing people to make its own conclusions.

The Independent News Channel of Gyumri ("GALA" is the abbreviation of the
Armenian name of the TV company – Ed. note) was established and formed on
the basis of these very principles and throughout its two-year activities
remains loyal to these principles.

I would like to stress that the stance of "GALA" TV company will not change
in future either, and I, as the company owner, would be stopping any
attempts of intervention made by any structures or persons."

EDITORS OF "CHORRORD ISHKHANUTIUN" AND "HAIKAKAN ZHAMANAK" DETAINED DURING
THE CRACKDOWN ON THE MARCH

On October 23 at 19.00 at one of the central streets of Yerevan the police
applied force against several dozens of march participants, who disseminated
leaflets and informed with loudspeaker the citizens about the opposition
rally, scheduled for October 26. As YPC was told by the Chief Editor of
"Chorrord Ishkhanutiun" newspaper Shogher Matevosian, who took part in the
march, their way was first blocked by the police, later joined by the "red
berets" – the special troops. The representatives of law enforcement bodies
demanded that loudspeaker be not used and then applied force and tear gas,
Shogher Matevosian said. Over a dozen of march participants were detained
and taken to the Police of Center community of Yerevan, including
journalists – Shogher Matevosian herself and the Chief Editor of "Haikakan
Zhamanak" daily Nikol Pashinian. The detained left the police at about 4.00
in the morning of October 24. All that time representatives of parties,
NGOs, journalists were gathered by the building.

According to Shogher Matevosian, during the crackdown on the march the
correspondent of "Chorrord Ishkhanutiun" Gohar Vezirian was injured and had
to seek medical assistance. The Editor of "Chorrord Ishkhanutiun" noted that
currently the condition of Gohar Vezirian has deteriorated. Violence was
exercised against Nikol Pashinian, too.

According to the press release of the RA Police of October 24, due to public
disorder and resistance (as a result of which "four police officers with
corporal injuries needed medical assistance") the Investigative Department
of the Police of Center Community of Yerevan instituted criminal proceedings
on Articles 258 ("Public disorder") and 316 ("Violence against power
representative") of the RA Criminal Code. Some of the detained, including
Nikol Pashinian and Shogher Matevosian, as suspects on the case, were
committed to not leaving the places of permanent residence, the press
release of the RA Police stresses. The document, however, fails to dwell on
the march participants injured and the application of special means.

On the same day, October 23, in Nor Nork community of Yerevan the police
detained four members of the youth wing of the Armenian National Movement,
who were also distributing leaflets, announcing the upcoming rally of
October 26. As YPC was told by the photo correspondent of "Haik" newspaper
David Jalalian, having been informed about it, staff of "Haik" arrived at
the police department. According to Jalalian, when the police noticed he was
taking pictures, they prohibited the shooting "on administrative premises".
The journalist’s camera was taken away. It was soon returned – with shots
deleted.

When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.

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Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
_____________________________________ _______
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
0002, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 10) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 10) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site:

"AUTHORITIES CROSSED THE RUBICON"

A1+
[06:10 pm] 24 October, 2007

"This is the first time famous people, editors of two newspapers and
political figures, have been detained and bruttaly tortured. This
comes to testify that the authorities have crossed the Rubicon," RA
Helsinki Association Chairman Avetik Ishkhanian, Chairman of Armenian
Helsinki Committee told A1+.

Reminder: October 23 at least a dozen supporters of Levon
Ter-Petrosian, among them Nikol Pashinian, the editor of "Haykakan
Jamanak," Shoger Matevossian, the editor of "Chorrord Ishkhanutiun"
were reportedly detained by police on Tuesday as they urged Yerevan
residents to participate in a rally to be held by Armenia’s former
president this week.

According to Avetik Ishkhanian, journalists are pursued, tortured and
subjected to political pressure especially at the pre-election period.

The authorities take rough measures at pre-election periods. They
terrorise and arrest people thus creating an atmosphere of fear among
the public.

The recent events are resulted by the authorities’ carelessness
but they tend to turn into a wave of complaint . "The plot
was well arranged. We face recurring repressions aimed at power
preservation. The recent incident is incompliant with a legal country,"
he said.

SERJ SARKISIAN AND CONDOLEEZZA RICE DISCUSS NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 24 2007

Armenian Prime Minister Serj Sarkisian visiting US met with US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, APA reports quoting Panarmenian.

They exchanged views on democratic and economic reforms carried
out in Armenia, technical assistance to Armenia for preparations to
presidential elections, solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

Following this, Armenia’s relations with neighboring states, security
and energy issues, Armenia’s participation in international peaceful
missions and other issues arousing mutual interests were touched in
the meeting.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT DISCUSSES NAGORNO-KARABAKH NEGOTIATIONS WITH OSCE MINSK GROUP’S CO-CHAIRS

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 24 2007

Armenian President Robert Kocharian received the Co-Chairs of the OSCE
Minsk Group on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on 24
October – Yuri Merzlyakov ( Russia), Matthew Bryza ( United States),
and Bernard Fassier ( France), as well as the OSCE Chairman-in-Office’s
personal representative Andrzej Kasprzyk, who arrived in Yerevan
within the framework of a regional visit.

"During the visit, the interlocutors discussed the current stage
of the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh confrontation,
particularly the issues still unresolved," a spokesman for the Armenian
President reported to Novosti-Armenia new agency.

Within the framework of the visit to the South Caucasus the OSCE Minsk
Group’s Co-Chairs will visit Azerbaijan on 26 October and will meet
with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, as well as are
supposed to be received by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

HE MANAGED TO MEET TOROSYAN

A1+
[04:33 pm] 23 October, 2007

The RA NA Speaker Tigran Torosyan had a breakfast meeting with the
President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The
ambassadors of both countries, the RA Minister of Foreign Affairs
Vardan Oskanyan, the RA Minister of Energy Armen Movsisyan, Iranian
Minister of Foreign Affairs and the head of the intergovernmental
commission Manuchehr Motaki, Samare Hashemi, a senior advisor of
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the member of the Iranian Parliament
Nategh Noori and other officials participated in the meeting.

The parties discussed the results of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to
the RA, the perspectives of bilateral relations and the reinforcement
of inter-parliamentary relations.

The parties expressed their satisfaction with the results of the
visit considering Armenian-Iranian productive collaboration a good
example for intergovernmental relations.

We should remind that Iran’s President returned earlier than it was
planned and did not make a speech at the NA.

SHEVARDNAZDE SUGGESTS THAT WEST BOYCOTT SOCHI OLYMPIC GAMES

ARMENPRESS
Oct 22, 2007

TBILISI, OCTOBER 22, ARMENPRESS: Georgia’s former president Eduard
Shevardnadze has suggested that the leading Western nations boycott
the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Russia if the Kremlin refuses to
regulate the Abkhazian conflict.

Shevardnadze, who was ousted by Mikhail Saakashvili in 2003 "revolution
of roses" made the remark during a recent visit to Germany where he
was received by Dietrich Genscher.

"We discussed the Abkhazia conflict with Genscher and the
Russian-Georgian relations. I praised Putin for (allowing) ethnic
Georgians’ return to Gali region, but I also said that that was
just the beginning. If Russia refuses to settle the South Ossetian
and Abkhazian conflicts, it should be punished like the former Soviet
Union was punished back in 1980 when the USA and many Western countries
boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games for Afghanistan invasion,"’
Shevardnadze said to a Georgian Kviris Palitra newspaper.

YEREVAN UNIV. HONORS AHMADINEJAD

PRESS TV
Oct 23 2007
Iran

Rector of the State University of Yerevan has awarded an honorary
doctorate to President Ahmadinejad, currently visiting Armenia.

"Iranian Armenians have a significantly active presence in the
country’s social and political life," the Rector of Yerevan State
University Aram Simonyan said at the ceremony held in honor of the
Iranian President.

Scientific cooperation between Iran and Armenia in various fields
would be mutually beneficial, he said, adding that the two countries
enjoy good bilateral ties in matters relating to higher education.

He expressed hope that bilateral academic and scientific relations
would be further expanded.

HISTORIANS WEIGH IN ON THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
by The Stiletto

Blogger News Network

Oct 22 2007

One of the especially specious arguments against the Armenian Genocide
Resolution was that Congressmen are not historians, and are unqualified
to determine whether the systematic slaughter of Armenians by the
Ottoman Turks constitutes ¡°genocide.¡±

For the sake of discussion, let¡¯s accept this sophistry and agree
that Congress should take its cue from historians whose job it is
to know these things. Earlier this month, scholars and academics of
genocide studies gathered at McGill University (Montreal) for the
Global Conference on Genocide Prevention signed a petition urging
Congress to recognize the Armenian Genocide by approving floor votes
on HR/SR 106. In his opening remarks, symposium chair Payam Akhavan,
S.J.D. noted, ¡°The 20th century has been described as the Century
of Genocide. It opened in 1915 with the mass killing of almost 1.5
million Armenians in Eastern Anatolia by the Ottoman Empire.¡± Among
those who signed the petition: Rom¨¦o Dallaire, former commander of UN
peacekeeping forces in Rwanda; Yehuda Bauer, Holocaust historian and
scholar, Yad Vashem and Hebrew University; and Dr. Gregory Stanton,
President of Genocide Watch.

Not content to publish not one, not two, but three editorials
against HR/SR 106 in the space of two weeks (perhaps more than one
of the genocide deniers on its staff wanted his own crack at it),
The Wall Street Journal also sacrificed G-d knows how many trees to
allow Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan a platform to spew
anti-Armenian propaganda and genocide denial:

Efforts to rewrite the history of the events of 1915 through
legislative fiat and vilify Turks are not new to the U.S. Congress.

But past attempts were always contained through support in Congress
and from successive presidential administrations. This time, it seems
that the House of Representatives may be forced to take sides and pass
unilateral judgment on a historic controversy that is as contentious
as it is complex.

The truth is that the Armenian allegations of genocide pertaining to
the events of 1915 have not been historically or legally substantiated.

Erdogan asks, ¡°why the Republic of Armenia is obstinately evading
Turkey¡¯s offer to establish a Joint History Commission to examine
together the events of 1915 through bilateral dialogue – all the
while openly supporting efforts to defame Turkey.¡±

The truth is, Erdogan can¡¯t handle the truth. Like all Turks, he has
been brainwashed from childhood to believe that ¡°many Turks lost their
lives during the mutual killings.¡± It goes without saying that the
word ¡°genocide¡± never appears in Turkish schoolbooks ¨C but then,
there are no references whatsoever to the mass murders.

Instead, schoolchildren are taught that the ¡°events of 1915¡å ¨C a
code term used only by Armenian genocide deniers ¨C were attributable
to ¡°treacherous¡± Armenians who had joined the Russian Imperial army
in attacks on the Empire.

Conservative pundits who know as little about Turkish culture as
they do about Ottoman Turkish history marveled that Turks would
be ¡°insulted¡± by a symbolic resolution passed by the government
of a country a world away ¨C even as they scrambled to scotch the
resolution so that the bratty tot would get what he wanted and shut
up. The Stiletto can explain: Every morning in school, Turkish children
recite an oath that inculcates them with the idea they are a superior
breed of human:

I am a Turk, I am honest. I am a hard worker. My rule is to protect
those younger and to respect my elders, and to love my country and my
nation more than myself. My goal is to enhance and to get higher. May
my life be a present to the Turkish people. Honorable, unreachable
Ataturk! I give my oath to continue towards reaching the targets
you showed, to walk on the road you have opened, in the country you
created. How happy I am to say I am a Turk.

Hard as it may be for right-thinking people to believe, it is entirely
within the realm of possibility that Erdogan sincerely believes that
Ottoman Turks did not ¨C and are too decent and honorable to – commit
genocide. Unfortunately for Turkey, the governments of 22 nations
worldwide and 40 states here in the U.S. know different because their
schoolbooks and newspapers aren¡¯t censored, and their writers and
journalists aren¡¯t prosecuted (or murdered) for telling the truth.

It is Turkey that needs to constitute historical commissions to undo
decades of lying to and brainwashing its citizens. Armenians know
all too well the truth of the matter. They need a stinkin¡¯ ¡°Joint
Commission¡± like Jews need Mahmoud Ahmadinejad telling them whether
there was a Holocaust.

–Boundary_(ID_2wmLFSMrY8Ydpx+bcFJUIg) —

Hayots Ashkharh Daily, Armenia
Oct 20 2007

PRIME MINISTER’S US MEETINGS

Within the frameworks of his visit to the United States, Prime
Minister Serge Sergsyan had a meeting with Robert Gates, the US
Secretary of Defense on October 18.
Touching upon the high level of relations between the United
States and Armenia, the Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with
the development of the bilateral military political cooperation as
well as gratitude to the American side for providing continuous
assistance to the armed forces of Armenia.
In his turn, Robert Gates highly appreciated Armenia’s
participation in the anti-terrorist coalition, as well as the
Armenian forces’ peacekeeping mission in Iraq. The parties discussed
the issue of Armenia’s further participation in the Iraqi
reconstruction activities. They also touched upon the possibility of
Armenia’s involvement in the coalition efforts of Afghanistan.
With regard to the issue of providing a US military support to the
South Caucasian countries, Serge Sasrgsyan particularly attached
importance to maintaining proportionality while providing military
assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Touching upon the Karabakh conflict, Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan
reconfirmed that Armenia sticks to the idea of peaceful and speedy
conflict settlement through mutual concessions. He expressed hope
that the current discussions within the frameworks of the Minsk Group
will produce a desirable result. Robert Gates once again reconfirmed
that the United States supports the efforts aimed at the peaceful
conflict settlement within the frameworks of the OSCE Minsk Group.
After the meeting with the US Secretary of Defense, the Prime
Minister paid a visit to the central office of `Millennium
Challenges’ Corporation (MCC), where a meeting was held between the
Head of the Armenian Government and Ambassador John Danilovich, the
MCC Chief Executive Director.
Touching upon the issue of the Armenian-American economic
cooperation, the Prime Minister highly appreciated Armenia’s
involvement in the `Millennium Challenges’ American program, which is
mostly targeted at promoting economic development and reducing
poverty in rural areas.
Ambassador Danilovich spoke about the Governing Council’s session
which is going to be held in November with the purpose of discussing
the annual executives of the state parties. He mentioned that in its
preliminary report, the office gives a positive assessment to
Armenia’s 2007 executive. The Prime Minister noted that in accordance
with the `Millennium Challenges’ 2007 country development
classification, Armenia has made a transition from a `low-income
country’ to a `medium-income country’. And this pushes Armenia to a
more active and consistent work. Mr. Sargsyan added that the
Government of Armenia has enshrined more pretentious goals in the
2008 State Budget, and the activities carried out in that direction
will have their positive impact on the MCC indices as well.
During the second half of the day, Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan
had a meeting with the US Vice President Richard Chaney in the White
House. A wide range of issues regarding the Armenian-American
relations were discussed during the meeting.
Touching upon the high level of the Armenian-American relations,
the Prime Minister emphasized the willingness of continuing and
deepening them, as well as expressed gratitude for the US political
and economic assistance provided to Armenia after gaining
independence. With regard to the process of the democratic reforms
currently under way in Armenia, the Prime Minister mentioned that the
RA authorities are determined in their efforts to build a modern
democratic state. Vice President Richard Chaney once again
underscored the United States willingness to continue supporting
Armenia in the process of implementing those reforms.
During the meeting which lasted longer than expected the parties
thoroughly discussed the current political process in the Near East;
they also touched upon the settlement of the NKR conflict and the
Armenian-Turkish relations. Introducing Armenia’s attitude towards
the issue, Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan mentioned that although the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide continues to remain on the RA
foreign policy agenda, the country is ready to take practical steps
for regulating the relations with Turkey without preconditions.
With regard to the Karabakh issue, Head of the Armenian Government
mentioned once again that Armenia sticks to its attitude towards
peaceful and speedy settlement of the Karabakh conflict. He expressed
hope that the negotiations held within the frameworks of the Minsk
Group will finally produce positive results.
Vice President Chaney reconfirmed the United States interest in
the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations and welcomed the
fact that during his visit to the United States the RA Prime Minister
appointed a number of meetings with the representatives of the
Armenian community.
The delegation led by Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan left
Washington for Los Angeles in the evening of October 18.

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 19 2007

Armenia’s prime minister content with Armenian-US military cooperation

YEREVAN, October 19. /ARKA/. RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsian is
content with the level of Armenian-US military cooperation, the press
service of the RA Government reports.

During his meeting with US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on
October 18, Sargsian thanked the USA for its assistance to the RA
Armed Forces.

Gates highly appreciated Armenia’s active participation in the
Anti-Terrorist Coalition and peacemaking mission in Iraq.
The parties discussed Armenia’s further assistance to Iraq and
possibilities of the Armenian peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan.

The RA Prime Minister attached importance to the US balanced military
support to Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Sargsian and Gates discussed the activities of the RA Government.
Both parties attached importance to the effective political and
economic reforms in the country, the aim of which is to improve the
country’s social life.

The Armenian governmental delegation headed by RA Premier Serge
Sargsian paid a visit to the USA on October 17. The delegation
returns on October 23. -0–