Author: Jidarian Alex

Armenian party meets intellectuals ahead of polls

Arminfo
4 May 07

Yerevan, 4 May: The implementation of the election manifesto of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation – Dashnaktsutyun [ARFD] will allow
the rapid development for Armenia in all fields, ARFD supreme body
representative Armen Rustamyan said at a meeting with intellectuals
today. Rustamyan said that the implementation of the ARFD manifesto
will allow structural reforms in all fields.

"Society will witness structural reforms in all fields, for which ARFD
takes responsibility," he said.

The election manifesto of the ARFD aims at an increase of pensions to
30,000 drams [80 dollars], and an increase of minimal salary to 50,000
drams [130 dollars]. Besides, the party has worked out a programme on
increasing the Armenian population to 4m people. Dashnaktsutyun
members say that this can be reached through stimulation of birth rate
and immigration, as well as cutting short the death rate and
emigration.

ARFD board member and Armenian deputy speaker Vahan Hovhannisyan said
that the main reasons of emigration were not social and economic
difficulties but the moral issues in the country.

He stressed that the inclusion of intellectuals in the social and
political life of the country is a priority for the ARFD. He also said
that the most important issue for the party is to turn the country’s
community into conscious citizens who do not need to be explained that
they should not take bribes ahead of election and should not follow
the provocations of any forces.

Hovhannisyan considered the second step to be the inclusion of best
citizens into the system of power. The deputy speaker said that ARFD
is the bridge that allows intellectuals to decide their future and
fate.

ARMENIAN LANGUAGE MAY BECOME OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF FIDE

Panorama.am
20:31 04/05/2007

Taking into consideration the last developments in chess federation
of Armenia and the achievements of Armenian chess players, Armenian
language may be announced official language of FIDE, FIDE president,
Kirsan Iliumjinov, announced today in Yerevan.

Iliumjinov is in Yerevan on the occasion of competition between
Levon Aroyan, world cup winner, and Vladimir Kramnik, world chess
champion. The game will run until May 6. Every day the two will
play two games with 25 minutes duration, plus 10 seconds for every
other step.

AZERI FIGHTER BEATS ARMENIAN RIVAL IN EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 4 2007

Azerbaijani universal fighter Elchin Eminov has passed to final after
beating Armenian rival in European junior championship in Medin,
Russia, head coach Ferhad Ojagverdiyev told APA-Sport.

He said Eminov (55 kg) gained absolute victory over the opponent.

Kheyyam Sefikhanov (70 kg) also reached final round in adult
competition. Ramin Mammedov (+75 kg) managed to qualify for
semi-final. Other Azeri sportsmen will fight tomorrow. The championship
finishes on May 6.

AZERI SQUAD TO FACE ARMENIA ON JULY 5

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 4 2007

Azerbaijani U-17 squad will play against Armenian team in 1st Black
Sea Games on July 5, APA-Sport reports.

The match is to start at 18.00 in Giresun, Turkey. Azeri U-17 is
to play other group encounters against Russia on July 3 and Moldova
on July 4. Ukraine, Rumania and Greece will compete in Group B, and
Turkey, Georgia and Albania in Group C. Two teams from Group A and
one from B and C will qualify to semi-final. This gives Azeri squad
more chance to reach semi-final. Final round has been scheduled for
July 7 in Trabzon.

WHICH ALTERATION WAS CONSIDERED IMPROPER, STILL REMAINS UNCERTAIN
By A. Haroutiunian

AZG Armenian Daily
04/05/2007

Anthony F. Godfrey, Deputy Chief of US Mission to Armenia answered the
reporter’s question at NATO conference. His words mainly referred to
the US Department of State Report on Human Rights. To remind, at first
the Report stated that Armenia "has occupied Azerbaijani territories
adjacent to Nagonro-Karabakh", then, after Armenia complained about
inappropriate wording, the statement was altered to "Armenian armed
forces hold territories adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh".

Nevertheless, after Azerbaijan threatened not to take part in the
discussions of security and defense with Washington, the aforementioned
statement was restored in its original phrasing.

Mr. Godfrey said that in result of those changes in the text of the US
Department of State Report confusion occurred, which surely was not
done on purpose. He stated that the position of the United States on
the conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh has not changed. He said that America
count’s upon Armenia’s comprehension of this complicated situation

To a question by "Azg" reporter whether the last alteration should be
considered a result of Azerbaijan’s, the Deputy Chief of US Mission
answered that the USA never used to work under foreign pressure. He
stated that the American authorities have just corrected the wrong
phrasing.

Answering to another question about the new American Ambassador to
Armenia Mr. Godfrey said that the candidature of the next Ambassador
was appointed a year ago. The future ambassador is studying Armenian
at present and is to arrive in Yerevan in late summer.

The diplomat added that the candidature is still to be approved by
the Senate.

HHK DISSEMINATES MEMORANDUM AMONG ITS PROXIES

Panorama.am
17:47 02/05/2007

Internal party processes take place among almost all political parties
10 days before the elections.

Panorama.am sources say that the Armenian Republican Party (HHK)
is disseminating a memorandum among its proxies. Our agency has got
hold of the document and presents it to your interest. The Armenian
text of the memorandum may be found at web portal.

ANTHONY GODFREY: THE CHANGE IN THE HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT HAS CAUSED CONFUSION

ArmRadio.am
03.05.2007 13:34

US Charge Chargé d’Affaires Anthony Godfrey said today that the
changes in the Human Riights Report of the US Department of State
"have caused a confusion."

The American diplomat noted that "the aim of the restoration of the
initial wording was aimed at avoiding a greater confusion.

In Godfrey’s words, "The most important is the fact that the US
position on the Karabakh conflict settlement has not changed.

"We think the status of Nagorno Karabakh should be determined by the
conflicting parties themselves."

–Boundary_(ID_Je9SeGh+QWV1/ASn J4nVqw)–

CRAG ORGANISES COMMEMORATIVE EVENTS IN MEMORY OF THE 1.5 MILLION VICTIMS OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Shiraz Vartanian CRAG – UK

30th April 07

Organised by the Campaign for the Recognition of the Armenian Genocide
(CRAG), over 1500 participated in the annual march in London on 21st
April 2007 to mark the 92nd Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. At
least 10% of the Armenian community came out on this march to remember
the 1.5 million victims of the Armenian Genocide and to press the
British government into ending its denial at long last by recognising
as genocide the crimes of the Ottoman Turks during WWI.

This persistent refusal by the government to recognise the genocide
goes not only against the verdict of historians but also against
its own Blue Book that catalogues the atrocities meted out against
Armenians at the time.

The march started from Marble Arch, headed by the Homenetmen (London)
group of Scouts led by HG Bishop Nathan Hovhanisian, Primate and
president of the Armenian Community and Church Council. It went
through some of the most prominent and busiest streets in London
including Park Lane, Piccadilly Circus, Haymarket, Trafalgar Square,
Whitehall, past 10 Downing Street, the home of Prime Minister Tony
Blair where a letter was handed to him by the chairman of CRAG.

The march concluded at the Cenotaph where wreaths were laid by the
Armenian Ambassador H.E Dr. Vahe Gabrielyan, Mr. Raffi Sarkissian,
Chairman, CRAG and Mr. Ara Palamoudian, Chairman, Armenian Community
and Church Council. This was followed by prayers from Bishop Nathan
Hovhanisian and words of praise to all those that came to show their
support to a community-wide event.

The massive support shown by the local community to this event further
re-enforces the important role CRAG plays within the small community
in order to achieve recognition from a British government that refuses
to recognise the genocide and places its geo-strategic interests with
modern-day Turkey above the ethical considerations relating to this
historical event. Over the years, CRAG has lobbied to secure a number
of achievements, not least the first ever legal recognition in the
United Kingdom by the Edinburgh City Council despite two attempts by
Turkish lobby groups in 2005 & 2006 to thwart such recognition.

Following the march, a Commemorative Evening was held at the Ealing
Town Hall hosted by the Mayor of Ealing, The Worshipful Councillor
Diana Pagan. The Rt Hon Steven Pound, MP for Ealing North, delivered a
powerful address in which he reconfirmed his support for the Armenian
community and his active work in Parliament to press for the government
to recognise the Genocide.

Poems by Armenyak Aramvirtsi on the theme of the Armenian Genocide were
also delivered by children from the Armenian Language Saturday School,
and Miss Anoush Gasparian from the Kevork Tahta Armenian Community
Sunday School represented the voice of the Armenian youth. A wonderful
performance was given by the talented musician and song-writer Sonia
Varoujian.

For further information, kindly log on &
or send CRAG an e-mail message on [email protected].

Armenian president upbeat on building new nuclear power plant

Arminfo
28 Apr 07

Yerevan, 27 April: Armenia must have nuclear power, and we are working
in this direction. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said this
today during a meeting with students and professors of Yerevan State
University. He answered the question whether the Armenian nuclear
power plant will close down in 2016 and what steps should be taken
on this issue.

Kocharyan said that more active work in the area of decision making
will be made in 2008 and 2009. "We currently are carrying out a
serious assessment work. It is desirable that a new nuclear power
plant is built on the basis of the current infrastructure and new
technologies. The issue is what expenses it will require and what
impact it will have on rates. It can always be built, however, the
finances invested must be returned through rates. The capacity of the
plant must be decided on, as well as the amount of investments and
their return, in order not to damage the economy and the population. I
think that as early as in 2012-2013 active work will be implemented
for a new nuclear power plant and the upgrade of the current one,"
Kocharyan said.

The resources of the working Armenian nuclear power plant will
be exhausted by 2016. Armenia is currently discussing the issue
of constructing a new nuclear power plant of 1,000 mW and costing
1.5bn dollars.

L’ARMENIE, SUJET BRûLANT
Par Yves Bourdillon

Les Echos, France
27 avril 2007 vendredi

" Soi-disant genocide ".

Difficile d’imaginer en Turquie un sujet plus sensible que le
genocide armenien. Selon un sondage, 80 % des Turcs prefereraient
renoncer a l’adhesion a l’Union europeenne plutôt que de se resoudre
a reconnaître, selon l’expression consacree ici, ce " soi-disant
genocide ". Pour avoir evoque ces massacres, occultes dans les manuels
scolaires jusqu’a recemment, qui auraient fait en 1915-1917 environ 1,5
million de victimes, soit les deux tiers de la population armenienne
de l’epoque, le prix Nobel de litterature Orhan Pamuk a ete poursuivi
en justice pour " insulte a l’identite turque " aux termes du fameux
article 301 de la loi sur la liberte d’expression.

Le directeur d’un journal turco-armenien, Hrant Dink, a ete tue en
janvier dernier par un jeune nationaliste, Ogun Samast, après avoir
ete designe a la vindicte populaire par des poursuites menees au nom du
meme article 301. Après que 100.000 personnes ont manifeste a Istanbul
au chant de " nous sommes tous des Hrant Dink ", des supporters d’un
club de football ont replique " nous sommes tous des Ogun Samast "…

Après neuf decennies, on pourrait penser qu’Ankara saurait affronter
son passe. Ce serait oublier que la negation du genocide est au
coeur de l’identite nationale de la Turquie moderne inventee par
Mustafa Kemal en 1923. Ce dernier s’est inspire d’une ideologie
nationaliste-reformatrice incarnee par le parti CUP des Jeunes-Turcs
au pouvoir depuis 1909 avec un agenda de purification ethnique.

Reconnaître le genocide serait admettre que l’Etat turc fut fonde
sur des bases criminelles.

–Boundary_(ID_U3JEG5MkQ8M/Y0iHw/f1q w)–