Author: Jagharian Tania

RA NA SPEAKER’S ADDRESS ON OCCASION OF DAY OF MEMORY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS

Noyan Tapan
Apr 23 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 23, NOYAN TAPAN. RA National Assembly Speaker Tigran
Torosian addressed to the Armenian people on the occasion of the day
of memory of the Armenian Genocide victims. The message, the text
of which was submitted to Noyan Tapan by the RA NA Public Relations
Department, says:

"Dear compatriots,

Our people today again pays tribute of its respect to memory of the
victims of the Armenian Genocide planned and committed in the early
20th century by Ottaman Turkey. The number of those countries which,
recognizing and condemning that terrible crime, not only express their
moral assistance to our people, but also affirm their responsibility
for civilization and human fate, and assure that moral values are
for them higher than different political and group interests and
small-minded accountings.

Bowing our heads in memory of the Armenian Genocide martyrs, we must
not only chase with firm succession the unreserved recognition of
one of the most violent events of the human history but we are also
obliged to strengthen with our unity and work the two Armenian states
as the best monument in memory of the victims and the most important
quarantee of safe and honourable life of our compatriots living in
the Fatherland and Diaspora."

ALL CONGRESSMEN ELECTED FROM COLORADO ASSIST ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 23 2007

WASHINGTON, APRIL 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The congressmen
elected from the state of Colorado unanimously spoke on April 18 for
adoption of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate resolutions
concerning the Armenian Genocide.

As the Armenian Assembly of America (AAA) states, Congressman Mark
Udall (democrate) from Colorado was the first congressman who spoke
for that resolution.

AAA Colorado Armenian American Action Committee (ARAMAC) State Chair
Pamela Barsam Brown closely cooperated with the state legislators’
office.

"Colorado senators and representatives showed great assistance in
the issue of re-affirming the U.S. position in the Armenian Genocide
issue," Barsam Brown said, expressing a hope that senators of other
states will follow their example.

In addition to the Congress assistance, the Armenian Genocide was
recognized in Colorado at the state and city councils’ level. Governor
Bill Ritter and Mayor John Hickenlooper made a statement concerning
the Armenian Genocide.

The Colorado legislative body also proposed a joint resolution by which
April 24 is from now on announced in Colorado as the day of memory of
the Armenian Genocide. "We appreciate the active assistance of the
Colorado delegation in the issue of affirmation of the indisputable
fact of the Armenian Genocide," Bryan Ardouny, the Executive Director
of the Armenian Assembly of America said. "We welcome devotion and
activeness of Pamela Barsam Brown and the Armenian community of
Colorado in the affair of this success."

NKR FOREIGN MINISTER GEORGY PETROSSIAN’S COMMENTARY

KarabakhOpen
23-04-2007 18:02:41

NKR Foreign Minister Georgy Petrossian’s commentary on mass media’s
question concerning the statement of the Chairman of the CE Committee
of Ministers Fiorenzo Stolfi on the forthcoming presidential elections
in the NKR

Question: Mr. Minister, how will you comment the statement of the
CE Committee of Ministers, Foreign Minister of San Marino Fiorenzo
Stolfi concerning the information that the forthcoming elections in
Nagorno Karabakh cannot create favorable conditions for the conflict
settlement since they predetermine the region’s status?

Commentary: The statement of the Chairman of the CE Committee of
Ministers denotes once more that the European officials of even
such high level are poorly aware of the Karabakh conflict’s essence
and process. Representatives of different European structures try to
compensate this gap by using stereotyped answers, as Foreign Minister
of San Marino Fiorenzo Stolfi did. However, similar standard approach
to the Karabakh problem as a whole, and the process of civil society
building in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in particular, which has
recently become established in the international structures is
counterproductive and dangerous. The indulgence to the caprices
of the Azerbaijani side, which is more often demonstrated by the
European officials, can be perceived as an attempt to bring Nagorno
Karabakh back to the past. In connection with this, I would like to
remind Mr. Fiorenzo Stolfi that any attempts to deprive the people
of Nagorno Karabakh of the right to democratic development and civil
society strengthening are condemned to failure.

Under the conditions of democracy the elections are crucial institute
of demonstrating political role of the people as the source of
power. The forthcoming presidential elections in the NKR are not
an exception. They cannot impact the Karabakh conflict settlement
process and cannot predetermine Nagorno Karabakh’s status, as their
main function is to form power through democratic mechanisms. The
NKR’s status was determined by the will of people of Nagorno Karabakh
at December 10, 1991 referendum in conformity with the norms of the
international law and the national legislation which was in force
during that period.

It should be noted that we have repeatedly invited the representatives
of various European structures to visit Nagorno Karabakh and get
acquainted with the situation on-site to overcome the stereotypes
and clichés, which have become established among European officials
regarding Nagorno Karabakh.

–Boundary_(ID_9JznwB1kvoZZzum+BA7+iw)- –

US STATE DEPARTMENT CHANGES WRONG EXPRESSION CONSIDERING NAGORNO
KARABAKH AS OCCUPIED AZERBAIJANI TERRITORY

WASHINGTOM, APRIL 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The US State
Department has changed the expression in its annual report on human
rights, according to which "Armenia continues the occupation of
the Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno Karabakh and seven surrounding
Azerbaijani territories."

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Washington Office
reported that a changed text was put on the State Department’s website
this week.

According to the new text, the Armenian forces have occupied large
sections of the Azerbaijani territory adjacent to Nagorno Karabakh;
Armenian officials claim that they have not "occupied" Nagorno
Karabakh proper.

At the same time, the report’s part on Azerbaijan, which contains a
similar expression, has not been revised yet.

WORLD OPPOSED TO U.S. AS GLOBAL COP
by Eli Clifton

Inter Press Service
Thursday, April 19, 2007

WASHINGTON – The world public rejects the U.S. role as a world leader,
but still wants the United States to do its share in multilateral
efforts and does not support a U.S. withdrawal from international
affairs, says a poll released Wednesday.The survey respondents see the
United States as an unreliable "world policeman", but views are split
on whether the superpower should reduce its overseas military bases.

The people of the United States generally agreed with the rest of the
world that their country should not remain the world’s pre-eminent
leader or global cop, and prefer that it play a more cooperative role
in multilateral efforts to address world problems.

The poll, the fourth in a series released by the Chicago Council
on Global Affairs and WorldPublicOpinion.org since the latter half
of 2006, was conducted in China, India, United States, Indonesia,
Russia, France, Thailand, Ukraine, Poland, Iran, Mexico, South Korea,
Philippines, Australia, Argentina, Peru, Israel, Armenia and the
Palestinian territories.

The three previous reports covered attitudes toward humanitarian
military intervention, labour and environmental standards in
international trade, and global warming. Those surveys found that the
international public generally favoured more multilateral efforts
to curb genocides and more far-reaching measures to protect labour
rights and combat climate change than their governments have supported
to date.

Steven Kull, editor of WorldPublicOpinion.org, notes that this
report confirms other polls which have shown that world opinion of
the United States is bad and getting worse, however this survey more
closely examines the way the world public would want to see Washington
playing a positive role in the international community.

Although all 15 of the countries polled rejected the idea that,
"the U.S. should continue to be the pre-eminent world leader in
solving international problems," only Argentina and the Palestinian
territories say it "should withdraw from most efforts to solve
international problems."

The respondents tend to agree that the US should do "its share in
efforts to solve international problems together with other countries"
in: South Korea (79 percent), United States (75 percent), France (75
percent), China (68 percent), Israel (62 percent), Peru (61 percent),
Mexico (59 percent), Armenia (58 percent), Philippines (55 percent),
Ukraine (52 percent), Thailand (47 percent), India (42 percent)
and Russia (42 percent).

In a majority of countries — 13 out of 15 — publics believe
Washington is "playing the role of world policeman more than it
should," including France (89 percent), Australia (80 percent), China
(77 percent), Russia (76 percent), Peru (76 percent), Palestinian
territories (74 percent) and South Korea (73 percent).

Seventy-six percent of those polled in the United States also agree
that their country plays too big a role as a global cop, but 57 percent
of Filipinos disagreed with the statement, and Israelis were evenly
split on the issue.

Majorities think that the United States cannot be trusted to
"act responsibly in the world" in: Argentina (84 percent), Peru
(80 percent), Russia (73 percent), France (72 percent) and Indonesia
(64 percent). But majorities or large percentages in the Philippines
(85 percent), Israel (81 percent), Poland (51 percent), and Ukraine
(49 percent) say the superpower can be at least "somewhat" trusted
to act responsibly.

Although most of the countries involved in the poll had majorities who
believe the U.S. was too involved in policing issues of international
concern, there were mixed views about whether it should reduce its
military presence around the world. Only five out of 12 publics
favoured decreasing the number of overseas U.S. military bases:
Argentina (75 percent), Palestinian territories (70 percent), France
(69 percent), China (63 percent) and Ukraine (62 percent).

Majorities in the Philippines (78 percent), United States (68 percent),
Israel (59 percent) and Poland (54 percent) favour maintaining or
increasing the current levels of U.S. military bases.

Armenia and Thailand lean in favour of maintaining current levels
or reducing base locations, while India was divided. No country
favoured increases.

The survey clearly shows that the perception of the U.S. role in
the world is negative and getting worse, but some publics did have
significant numbers who felt relations between their country and the
United States are getting better.

Most of the respondents in India (58 percent) and China (53 percent)
felt relations were improving, while pluralities agree in Australia (50
percent), Armenia (48 percent), Indonesia (46 percent), and Thailand
(37 percent). Majorities or pluralities in Poland (60 percent),
South Korea (56 percent), Israel (52 percent), Ukraine (52 percent)
and Russia (45 percent) say relations with the U.S. are about the same.

No countries had majorities or pluralities who say relations with
the United States are getting worse.

IF KOSOVO IS GRANTED INDEPENDENCE, KARABAKH WILL GET ADDITIONAL TRUMP CARDS

Yerkir
20.04.2007 13:03

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – The issue of Kosovo conflict settlement and
recognition of its independence is a political, and not legal one,
political scientist Alexander Iskandarian told PanARMENIAN.Net. He
said, the question is very serious and critical especially for Europe,
more serious, than the Nagorno Karabakh problem.

"There are 2 million Albanians residing in Kosovo, refugees from the
region live in Europe, and it is already a headache for Europeans. And
then we should not forget that Serbia has rather complicated relations
with Europe and something needs to be done." Iskandarian also noted,
from the other side experience shows that no settlement of conflicts
leaves any direct influence on other conflicts.

"But there exist indirect influence. In any cases, if Kosovo is
granted independence, Nagorno Karabakh, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and
Transdnistria will get additional trump cards. Alongside he said,
currently the international law is under the process of washing
out. "It’s clear, that recognition of independence may be stretched
in the course of the time, but if it takes place politically, legal
registration will result in changes in international law," Alexander
Iskandarian said.

U.S. Undersecretary Nicholas Burns stated "the United States together
with other countries plans to cosponsor a new resolution in the United
Nations, which will allow the Provisional Government of Kosovo to
declare independence.

We think after the adoption of this draft resolution Kosovar leaders
will declare independence. Right after it the United States and other
countries will recognize that independence. We are now engaged in a
period of intense diplomacy to bring about Kosovo’s independence as
soon as possible."

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN: EVERYBODY TO WIN ON MAY 12: HERITAGE THAT ELDERS PASSED TO US TO WIN

Noyan Tapan
Apr 20 2007

KAPAN, APRIL 20, NOYAN TAPAN. Raffi Hovannisian, the Chairman
of the "Zharangutiun" (Heritage) party met with voters on April
19 in Kapan. The latter presented the 12 main directions of the
"Zharangutiun" parliamentary activity: free expression and free person,
free country, establishment of legality, anti-corruption struggle,
etc. According to the characteristics of the first Foreign Minister of
Armenia, the power of law will win on May 12 as well as the "heritage"
"which elders passed to us" will win. "And we are obliged to pass to
our heirs such a country that is the country of our dreams, Raffi
Hovannisian stated. "Republicans, "Bargavach Hayastan" (Prosperous
Armenia), ARF, everybody will win on May 12. It will be not a victory
of a person, but we do all these for the holy tricolour and in front
of the obedient God, and we are the masters in our own country. All
fragmentary party lists which are for serving us, but not for ruling,
will get down after these elections," Raffi Hovannisian stated.

The latter inspired the Kapan population, mentioning that the people,
standing in the square, in front of the mountain of Khustup are heirs
of Nzhdeh and nobody "can and has a right to speak on behalf of the
Great Sparapet." "Let nobody humble Nzhdeh and his ideology. Let
them prove it on May 12 and say that "We are masters of our belief
and Fatherland," Raffi Hovannisian concluded his idea.

5TH SITTING OF ARMENIAN-CHINESE INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMISSION TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN ON APRIL 20

Noyan Tapan
Apr 19 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The 5th joint sitting of the
Armenian-Chinese intergovernmental commission will be held in Yerevan
on April 20. The delegation headed by Syu Tunka, Head of the European
Department of China’s ministry of trade, Chinese Co-Chairman of the
Armenian-Chinese intergovernmental commission, will arrive in Armenia
in order to participate in the sitting.

The Chinese ambassador to Armenia Tso Syuelian will take part in
the sitting. The RA Deputy Foreign Minister, Co-Chairman of the
Armenian-Chinese intergovernmental commission Armen Bayburdian will
chair the sitting from the Armenian side.

According to the RA MFA Press and Information Department, a round
table dedicated to the 15th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic
relations between Armenia and China will also take place on April 21
in the hall of sittings of the RA National Academy of Sciences.

PRACTICE OF SIGNING LABOR CONTRACTS FOR SOME TERM WITHOUT ANY MOTIVATION SPREAD IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Apr 19 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 19, NOYAN TAPAN. Currently Armenian Trade Unions
Confederation unites 24 branch trade unions with local trade committees
of 900 enterprises, which in total include 300 thousand members. Noyan
Tapan was informed about it by Boris Kharatian, Vice-Chairman of
Confederation.

B. Kharatian said that the Labor Code giving trade unions possibility
of development was adopted only two years ago. And RA law "On
Trade Unions" operating since 2000, in his words, did not regulate
employee-employer-state relations.

As B. Kharatian affirmed, the sphere of trade unions will develop
in Armenia parallel with establishment of unions of employers. He
said that unions of employers are not formed in Armenia. Therefore
there are some spheres where branch trade unions work and have the
possibility to sign contracts only with individual employers.

In the words of Vice-Chairman of Confederation, working collectives
mainly raise questions on signing working contracts. In B. Kharatian’s
words, signing of contracts for some term without any motivation is
spread in Armenia. "A contract is signed for some term only when an
employee does some work limited by term," B. Kharatian said.

LATVIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT ARMENIA

ArmRadio.am
19.04.2007 11:41

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia Artis Pabriks will arrive
in Armenia tonight.

In the framework of the visit the Mr. Pabriks is scheduled to have
meetings with the leadership of Armenia. The meetings will take place
on April 20. The morning of April 21 the Foreign Minister of Latvia
will leave Yerevan.

Let us remind that Mr. Pabriks is visiting Armenia as part of his
regional visit.