Author: Jilavian Emma

OSKANIAN: THE ACTIONS PLAN WILL BRING ARMENIA’S SOCIAL, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC SYSTEMS MORE IN LINE WITH EUROPE’S

Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 2 2006

RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian issued a statement on the
occasion of signing of the joint statements on the conclusion of
consultations on the Action Plan in the framework of the European
Neighborhood Policy.

"We welcome the Finnish Presidency here, in the person of my friend,
Erkii Tuomioja, the Finnish FM, and the representative of the European
Commission, Torben Holze, representing Benita Ferrero Waldner who
called to say she could not be here, because of local political
commitments in Austria. Thanks also to Ambassador Terhi Hakala
whose tireless efforts have brought us to this day, and also want to
recognize Ambassador Peter Semneby, the EU Special Representative to
the South Caucasus. Although this document will be signed in November,
in Brussels, we appreciate the delegation’s coming here to Armenia,
so that our public can share in this historic occasion.

I would also like to thank the NGOs and civil society for their
engagement and involvement in enhancing the content and make it more
representative of the wishes of our society.

Once the document is signed, we’ll be able to publicly present the
entire document. Let me just tell you that it says clearly, at the
outset, that through this Action Plan, Armenia is invited to enter into
intensified political, security, economic and cultural relations with
the EU, enhanced regional and cross border co-operation and shared
responsibility in conflict prevention and conflict resolution.

And the document, goes on to detail each of these categories, and
sets a 5-year time period during which each of these actions will
take place. This is a huge opportunity for Armenia to become the
beneficiary of a tried and true process to change what needs to be
changed, re-enforce and confirm that which needs to be affirmed –
in a word to strengthen the institutions of state.

The distinction of this document, as the joint statement clearly says,
is that it involves significant measures of economic integration
and political cooperation. It’s called an Action Plan and rightly
so. It is not just a document of intentions, but of concrete actions
to bring Armenia’s social, political, economic systems more in line
with Europe’s since the premise is that we do in fact live in the
same neighborhood and interact together. It opens new partnership
perspectives in very basic fields such as science, education, culture,
and of course in economic development.

These reforms are extremely important for Armenia. We are where we
are today, exactly because we made the courageous economic reforms on
Day 1 of our independence. We knew then and we know even better today
that reforms are our only resource, they are what will strengthen and
empower our society. This document provides the opportunity to move
forward with reforms in a focused, strategic way. It gives us a way
and a means to do what we know we must do – revamp our institutions,
retool our society, rethink our methods and assumptions. We are signing
this on the 15th year of our independence, it will be concluded on
the 20th year of our independence, and we will be able to mark a
new turning point in Armenia’s future as a more democratic, open and
prosperous society," the Foreign Minister’s message says.

FRENCH PRESIDENT IMPRESSED WITH THE WARM RECEPTION IN ARMENIA

Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 2 2006

The President of France Jacques Chirac, who was paying a state visit
to Armenia, left for France yesterday. RA President Robert Kocharyan
and RA First Lady Bella Kocharyan arrived at "Zvartnots" airport to
see off the French President. The farewell ceremony was attended by
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian, NA Deputy Speaker Vahan Hovhannisyan,
Minister of Trade and Economic Development Karen Chshmarityan, Minister
of Culture and Youth Affairs Hasmik Poghosyan, other officials.

RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian told the journalists that the
visit passed on a very high level, "The French President was really
impressed. First of all he was impressed with the warmth of our
people. Thus, I think our people paid the due and expressed its
gratitude to Jacques Chirac."

In Vardan Oskanian’s words, it is obvious that day-by-day our region
acquires greater importance: the regional and international rating of
Armenia rises parallel to economic growth and stability. "President
Chirac’s visit was not only the result of historical ties between
the two peoples, but also of the fact that Armenia today is a factor
of stability in the region and a reliable partner. And I think there
will be similar visits in the future too," the Foreign Minister noted.

FRENCH SOCIALISTS: GENOCIDE RECOGNITION SHOULD BE PRECONDITION FOR TURKEY EU ACCESSION

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.10.2006 14:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Socialist Party of France shares the opinion of
President Chirac that Turkey should recognize the Armenian Genocide
before accession to the EU, a leader of the party, former Finance
Minister of France Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who is going to run for the
President next year, stated yesterday. Friday in Yerevan J. Chirac
stated that Turkey should recognize the Armenian Genocide if it
wants to join the EU. "The stance of the Socialist Party of France
lies in it as well. We believe that acknowledgement of the Armenian
Genocide should be precondition for Turkey’s accession to the EU,"
Dominique Strauss-Kahn noted. He added, that this precondition is a
symbolical one, reports RFE/RL.

MEETINGS OF NKR PRESIDENT

Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
Sept 29 2006

On September 26 NKR President Arkady Ghukassian met with Baroness
Caroline Cox. This time her delegation included representatives
of British and American organizations implementing different
humanitarian projects in Artsakh. Lady Cox congratulated the NKR
people and leadership in the 15th anniversary of the Republic. She
mentioned that in every her visit she is encouraged by the optimism and
assiduousness of the people of Artsakh. On the request of the guests
President Arkady Ghukassian told about the origin of the Karabakh
conflict, the war imposed on Karabakh and the current realities. The
NKR president affirmed the will of the people of Artsakh to be free
and independent. Answering their questions, the president stressed the
necessity to establish mutual confidence as an underlying precondition
for the settlement of the conflict. On the same day NKR President
Arkady Ghukassian met with Russian Member of Parliament Constantine
Zatulin, the director of the Institute of the CIS Countries. They
discussed the current stage of settlement under the auspices of the
OSCE Minsk Group countries. Both parties emphasized the necessity of
the peace settlement and criticized the attempts to instill hatred and
intolerance against each other.

The Guardian (London) – Final Edition
September 27, 2006 Wednesday

Turkey: General insists army has role in politics

Ian Traynor

A leading Turkish general issued a stinging attack on the
centre-right government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan by warning that the
danger of Islamism in the country was reaching "alarming" levels.

Defying EU demands for the military to keep out of politics, General
Ilker Basbug, chief of land forces, warned the Erdogan government
that the top brass still saw itself as the ultimate arbiter of
Turkey’s secularist constitution.

"The Turkish armed forces have always taken sides and will continue
to do so in protecting the national state, the unitary state and the
secular state," he told a ceremony for cadets at a military academy
in Ankara. Islamists were "patiently and systematically" seeking to
erode the secularist order.

The robust defence of the military’s role in Turkish politics is
certain to affect an EU assessment of Turkey’s bid to eventually join
the EU.

The European commission is to issue a report card on Turkey in
November, delayed from next month, and is concerned about curbs on
freedom of expression, persecution of the large Kurdish minority and
the military’s interference in democratic politics, as well as
Turkey’s dispute with the EU members Greece and Cyprus over trade.

Other incidents yesterday showed Turkey ignoring EU criticism,
suggesting a rise in hostility ahead of elections next year.

Prosecutors filed new charges against the Turkish Armenian editor
Hrant Dink for "denigrating Turkishness", an article in the penal
code used to muzzle writers and journalists and which Brussels wants
scrapped.

In the largest Kurdish city in Turkey, Diyarbakir, the state put 56
Kurdish mayors on trial for appealing to Denmark to allow a Kurdish
exile television station to keep broadcasting.

PACE RAPPORTEUR LEO PLATVOET: NAGORNO KARABAKH AND ABKHAZIA WANT TO FOLLOW MY REPORT’S RECOMMENDATIONS
Author: A. Mammadova

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Sept 27 2006

Nagorno Karabakh and Abkhazia want to follow recommendation my report
includes, Leo Platvoet, PACE (Parliamentary Assembly of Council
of Europe) Rapporteur on the Captured and Missing Persons in South
Caucasus exclusively told Trendtoday.

During his visit to Nagorno Karabakh and Abkhazia since September 18
to September 22, 2006, the PACE Rapporteur met the representatives of
the International Committee of the red Cross, organizations engaged
in founding missing persons, families of the missing persons, and
the local authorities.

According to Mr. Platvoet, during the meetings, they again discussed
the issue on moving the political aspect away as far as possible to
focus their attention on the humanitarian aspect.

The diplomat insists that all interested parties should work
together to implement the mechanisms of the International Committee
of the Red Cross. "It was very clear that the families of the missing
understood very well that there is a common sadness on each side and
that cooperation is needed", pointed out Mr. Platvoet.

Answering the question whether the countries are ready to step aside
the politicization of the issue and take concrete steps to solve the
destinies of the missing, Mr. Platvoet answered in the affirmative.

TURKISH PM VOWS TO CONTINUE REFORMS ON FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS, FREEDOMS

People’s Daily Online, China
Sept 27 2006

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed Tuesday that his
government would continue reforms on the country’s fundamental rights
and freedoms, the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.

"One of the most important aspects of our European Union (EU) process
is to establish fundamental rights and freedoms in Turkey, " Erdogan,
who is also the leader of the ruling Justice and Development Party
(AKP), said at a parliamentary group meeting of the AKP.

"As you all know, it is not enough to change laws to establish
fundamental rights and freedoms. It requires a mental change, and
such a change takes time," he was quoted by Anatolia as saying.

Referring to the much-debated Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code,
which sets out up to three years in jail penalties for insulting the
Turkish Republic, Erdogan signaled an amendment on the article.

"If legitimate rights and freedoms are limited while we try to prevent
offensive acts in implementation of the Article 301 of the Penal Code,
we will make the necessary amendments to the article," Erdogan said.

Last week, the European Commission Representative to Turkey Hansjoerg
Kretschmer criticized Turkish army’s habit of intervening in many
civil affairs, including education and religion, attributing the lack
of expression freedom to Article 301.

"We insist that Article 301, which is the reason for the filing
of court cases on a number of people over expressing their ideas
in a democratic manner, should be removed or at least rewritten,"
said Kretschmer.

Noting that relations between Turkey and the EU have gained a dimension
when the bloc started entry negotiations with Turkey on Oct. 3, 2005,
Erdogan underlined that the EU adjustment laws would be high on agenda
in the new legislative year.

He also expressed the government’s determination in maintaining the
reform process without any interruption.

Erdogan’s remarks came as the report on Turkey’s progress towards
accession to the EU and the reforms, which was prepared by European
Parliament (EP) Turkey Rapporteur Camiel Eurlings, is being discussed
in the EP on Tuesday. The voting of the report is to take place
on Wednesday.

Earlier this month, the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee
approved Camiel Eurlings’ report on Turkey, which calls on Turkey to
recognize the Armenians genocide in the period between 1915 and 1923,
and to open its ports to Greek Cypriot traffic.

The draft report also insists that there are persistent shortcomings in
areas such as freedom of expression, religious, minority and women’s
rights in Turkey.

ARMENIA: LIFE WITHOUT HOPE
By Karine Asatrian in Nubarashen

A1+
[05:44 pm] 25 September, 2006

After the abolition of the death penalty, Armenian lifers say they
still face a bleak future.

Twenty-five-year-old Tsolak Melkonian was sentenced to death six
years ago for a murder he committed when he was doing his military
service. Then his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment under
a presidential decree.

But Melkonian is depressed by the sentence that lies before him. "Life
imprisonment is tougher than what I should be getting," he said. "If
there’s no death penalty, I should get 15 years. If they don’t review
my sentence, I am ready to mount a hunger-strike."

Melkonian has already been through several hunger-strikes after
demanding that the courts review his sentence. Shortly after he
committed the murder, he tried to shoot himself in the heart but
survived.

In prison, he has married Lyuda Marutian, an eye specialist who
visited him when he had problems with his vision.

IWPR met Melkonian, a tall thin young man, in the meeting room of
Nubarashen prison, where his wife and grandmother had come to see
him. The new prison governor recently gave inmates the right to three
visits a year.

The meeting room had a divan, two armchairs, a small desk and a
television. Melkonian talked to his grandmother while his wife
made coffee.

"Life imprisonment is too harsh a punishment for a crime committed
by a 19-year-old for which he has repented," said Marutian.

Nubarashen prison is on the outskirts of the Armenian capital
Yerevan. Journalists are only allowed to visit it with the permission
of the justice ministry.

The round building can be seen from a long way off, but if you did
not know, you would not realise it was a prison. There is no fence
or barbed wire surrounding it, and no observation towers. All the
checks on visitors take place inside.

Armenia currently has 71 prisoners serving life sentences, of whom 55
are in Nubarashen. The lifers live on the fifth floor along a long,
narrow and dimly-lit corridor. There are three or four prisoners to
a cell.

No one has been executed in Armenia since 1991, but the death penalty
was only formally abolished in 2003, two years after Armenia joined
the Council of Europe, for which this is a condition of membership. The
president commuted 42 death sentences.

Many of the lifers, supported by human rights defenders, were unhappy
about their new sentences, saying they were left with no hope for
the future.

They pointed out that under the old criminal code under which they
were charged, their sentences should have been reduced to prison
terms of between 15 and 20 years, not life.

"A fixed term of life imprisonment is more severe than 15 to 20 years,"
said Avetik Ishkhanian, head of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia. "A
toughening of the law should not be retroactive."

Armenia’s recently appointed human rights ombudsman Armen Harutunian
disagrees, saying abolition of the death penalty is a big step
forward. "[Life imprisonment] really is more humane," he said. "To
be honest, we have not found any infringement of human rights here."

However, many prisoners disagree, saying that even the improved prison
conditions they live in are hard to endure.

"I think that life imprisonment is a harsher punishment than the
death penalty," said 38-year-old Manuk Semerjian, who has spent 15
years in Nubarashen.

"People are amazed at how I managed to survive and not die," said
Semerjian of his time in prison in the Nineties. "In those years,
nothing was allowed in the cell – no parcels, no meetings. We got
repulsive meals. And twice a day they beat us up."

Semerjian said things began to improve only in 2001, when the
justice ministry took over the prison. That year, Semerjian said,
the beatings stopped.

Nikolai Arustamian, head of the justice ministry’s penal reform
department, cited many improvements that had taken place in the last
five years. He said living conditions had been improved, and the
cells refurbished and provided with televisions.

The prison governor Aram Sargsian, appointed in 2005, says that he
has ensured that conditions are now much better. He said two choices
faced him as head of the jail, "To treat the prisoners like animals,
enrage them and try to restrain them by force, or to create a peaceful
moral and psychological atmosphere, a manageable situation and to
guarantee safety. We chose the second path."

Sargsian said the way inmates were treated depended on what category
they were placed in – "especially dangerous", "dangerous" and "less
dangerous". They are categorised not by their crime but according to
their behaviour in prison.

Many lifers, especially those who fall into the most extreme category,
still appear desperate. They are not allowed to walk in the open air,
and their cells only have high barred windows.

Prominent Armenian human rights activist Mikael Danielian said he
had no evidence of torture being practiced in prisons, but the living
conditions there were "inhuman" and well short of European standards.

At dawn on July 23 this year, four prisoners tried to escape after
sawing through a metal door lock and bolts with a razor. When warders
blocked their way, three of them tried to slash their wrists. Armenian
newspapers reported that they tried to harm themselves because they
were afraid of being beaten.

Conditions are better for those in the "less dangerous" category. They
include Edik Grigorian, Derenik Bejanian and Ashot Knyazian, all
serving life sentences for the most notorious crime in Armenia in
recent years, the shooting of eight prominent politicians inside
parliament in October 1999.

The three men have a fridge, a table and chairs, and two
televisions. They offered this correspondent a cup of hot chocolate
to drink.

One of the three, Knyasian, expressed a common fear among the lifers,
that even if a court orders their release after 20 years, as the
criminal code allows, their lives will effectively be over.

Another lifer, Ashot Manukian, said, "I’ve been in jail since I
was 19. If I get out, I’ll be 39. What can I study, what can I do,
what’s the point? Will I be born again?"

According to human rights activist Avetik Ishkhanian, a change in
the constitution last year means that citizens now have the right to
protest against presidential decrees in the constitutional court.

At the moment, the lifers have more modest hopes – being allowed
to step out of their cells, walk in the courtyard and talk to their
fellow inmates.

RF, ARMENIAN GEN PROSECUTOR OFFICES SIGN COOPERATION AGREEMENT

ITAR-TASS News Agency
September 22, 2006 Friday 05:12 AM EST

The Russian and Armenian general prosecutor offices have signed an
agreement to consolidate cooperation in fighting against crime and
protecting human rights.

The agreement was signed in Yerevan on Friday during Russian Prosecutor
General Yuri Chaika’s working visit to Armenia, a source at the
Russian prosecutor’s office said.

The agreement is aimed at consolidating international cooperation of
the two countries to fight crime, particularly its transnational forms,
and ensuring law observance and protection of human rights and freedoms
in accordance with common principles and international law standards,
the source said.

The prosecutor offices of the two countries intend to continue to
exchange experience in fighting against organised crime, terrorism,
corruption, illegal arms and drug traffic, economic crimes, illegal
migration and other crimes representing threat for the society.

The prosecutor offices will also develop cooperation on issues of
mutual interest in implementation of international agreements on legal
assistance, including on extradition and money laundering prevention
and control over investigation and prison structures.

Assistance will be provided at a request or on the initiative of one
side, the source explained.

The new document will replace the previous agreement on assistance
and cooperation, which was signed in Moscow on January 15, 1993.

During the two-day visit, Chaika will meet with Armenian President
Robert Kocharyan and Catholicos Garegin II of All Armenians.

ARMENIAN PREMIER DENIES ALLEGATIONS ABOUT TENSION BETWEEN REPUBLICAN
PARTY AND PROSPEROUS ARMENIA

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Sept 22 2006

YEREVAN, September 22. /ARKA/. Armenian Prime Minister Arndranik
Margaryan, speaking Thursday on Kentron TV channel, denied allegations
about tension between Republican Party led by him and Prosperous
Armenia headed by prominent entrepreneurs Gagik Tsarukyan.

"Why Republican Party should be in bad terms with Prosperous Armenia,
especially taking into account the fact that the latter is not an
opposition party", he said.

In his words, there are some political forces wanting conflict between
the two parties.

"But there is not a bit of it, and nothing like that will happen,
since I’m in good terms with Gagik Tsarukyan, we have common friends
and we won’t let somebody affect our relations", the PM said.

M.V.-0–