Author: Karabekian Emil

NAKHIJEVAN AS A PART OF ARMENIA – A MISTAKE OR…?

AZG Armenian Daily
06/04/2007

On the front cover of an audio CD with the national anthems of
Turkish republics, published by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism
of Turkey, Nakhijevan, Nagorno-Karabakh and the security area are
drawn as a part of the Republic of Armenia. Azerbaijani mass media
report that the first to notice the mistake was the Turkish Embassy
in Azerbaijan. "Such a rough mistake can cause serious diplomatic
misunderstanding," says the Embassy’s message. The Culture Ministry of
Turkey replied that it is a mere misprint and promised to correct it.

TURKEY SUSPENDS PIPELINE TALKS WITH FRANCE OF GENOCIDE CLAIMS

NTV MSNBC, Turkey
April 5 2007

Turkish Energy Minister Hilmi Guler refused to confirm or deny
the report.

ANKARA – Turkey announced Thursday it had halted talks with French
energy firm Gaz de France over the multi-billion dollar Nabucco
pipeline project as a response to the French parliament’s approving
a bill recognising the so-called Armenian genocide.

Haberin devamý

The pipeline project, with a budget of $6.1 billion, involves bringing
natural gas to Europe from the central Turkish republics and Iran.

The international project involves constructing a pipeline through
Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary to Austria. Under the plans
for the 3,300 kilometre pipeline, Gaz de France is to be one of the
partners in the project. If completed on time in 2011, the pipeline
could carry up to 31 billion cubic metres of gas to Europe each year.

However, on Thursday, the Reuters News Agency quoted an unnamed
Turkish official as saying all negotiations with Gaz de France would
be suspended until after the French presidential elections in response
to the passing of a bill last year by the French parliament recognising
the so-called Armenian genocide.

Turkey strongly rejects claims that the Ottoman Empire carried out an
act of genocide against its Armenian citizens during the First World
War, though acknowledges that many thousands of Turkish and Armenian
civilians died during the turmoil of war.

–Boundary_(ID_R79yjF0jv9LtettWpiHDyA)–

ADAM SCHIFF: THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION IS NOT IN A DEADLOCK

ArmRadio.am
06.04.2007 17:47

"The Armenian Genocide resolution (H. Res. 106) introduced in the US
House of Representatives has not entered a deadlock. Currently the
co-authors are working to increase the number of Congressmen supporting
the bill. Now we are strong as never, having more than 180 supporters,"
US Congressman, co-author of the Armenian Genocide resolution Adam
Schiff said in an interview with the "Armenian Reporter" review.

He expressed confidence that having this many supporters short after
the introduction of the resolution is a very good start. "I think
the biggest and the most important challenge we should resist and
overcome is the Turkish lobby," the Congressman noted.

He added that these days the Congress is primarily centered on the
Iraqi issue. Therefore, any other foreign policy issue has to wait
a little.

"Nevertheless, I don’t think time is already "pressing." I’m more
concerned with the success of the resolution than the day of its
adoption. I’m very optimistic and I have great hopes that it will
pass," Adam Schiff underlined.

PRESS RELEASE
Gavar Special School in partnership with Focus on Children Now, Inc.
33 Miqaelyan Street
Gavar, Gegharkunik 1201
Republic of Armenia
Contact: Lavrik Arevshatyan
Tel: [374] 264.24308
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

Glendale, CA based Focus on the Children Now, Inc. (FCN), an organization
whose mission is to assist needy children in Armenia, has recently
completed its first successful clothing drive. Collected were over 2000
items of clothing intended for the most disadvantaged people in the
Republic of Armenia. Gavar Special School was selected as the first
organization to receive a donation of 15 large boxes of gently used
clothing to be used for the special needs resident students, with
remaining clothing to be distributed within the larger Gavar community.

A large portion of the clothes were collected by Eileen and Audria Amirian
of Glendale, California through activities held at Clark Magnet High
School and La Canada Preparatory School. Students and families brought
over many clothes with them to school where the items were collected by
Mr. Vahik Rostami and taken to Prime Linen which donated laundry
facilities and 1,500 square feet of storage space for holding and
organizing the clothes in preparation for shipment to Armenia.

Brothers, Robert and Avo Amirian and Mr. Varooj Kureghian as well as the
Amirian Sisters sent the first shipment of clothing to Gavar Special
School which arrived on March 12, 2007 in Gavar, Republic of Armenia. The
Staff and Volunteers of Gavar Special School have received the packages
with enthusiasm, which have been unpacked and categorized for
distribution. Over 200 people will receive items, with priority given to
the 92 special needs children of Gavar Special School. Most of the
students come from extremely poor family situations being that the
Gegharkunik Region of Armenia from which Gavar Special School draws its
student body is the poorest in the country.

Focus on the Children Now, Inc will continue its work to help some of the
most disadvantaged communities in the Republic of Armenia by partnering
with various community organizations around the country. Many of these
organizations were met through the recommendations of Peace Corps
Volunteers who live and work in rural Armenia.

In the future, Focus on the Children Now, Inc will continue to send
shipments of gently used clothing. If you wish to donate items to help
the most disadvantaged in rural Armenia, please contact Mr. Varooj
Kureghian at 818-517-7080.

EGGS VERSUS JUSTICE

A1+
[08:52 pm] 04 April, 2007

Today Court of First Instance of Kentron and Norq communities decided
to prolong the term of Zhirayr Sefilyan /Commander of Shushi special
regiment/ and Vardan Malkhasyan / member of the Fatherland and Honour
Party/ for two months.

Meanwhile, their friends, acquaintances, as well as representatives
of public and political organizations assembled in the Tekeyan Centre
to watch a film on Jirayr Sefilyan.

"Jirayr is a real hero. He hasn’t quitted Armenia regardless of the
obstacles and he will never do it," says one of Sefilyan’s adherents.

Deputy Tatul Manaseryan, noted, "The struggle started by Zhirayr
still continues with more severe methods.

Vigilance is not a solution to the matter; one must be armed with
prudence and patience."

After an hour’s meeting the presentees headed for the court with
posters "Release Zhirayr Sefilyan and Vardan Malkhasyan!"

To note, Court of First Instance of Kentron and Norq Marash was
chained by the policemen. The rally participants threw eggs at the
court building with shouts, "Freedom", "Shame on you!" etc.

The police remained indifferent to their action at that moment. But
a few minutes later A1+ came to know that some rally participants
had been detained, among them Armen Eghyan, Karo Karapetyan, Kadmos
Baghiyan, members of Protection of Liberated territories Initiative
and Vahan Sargsyan, former police head of Kotayk Marz.

AZERBAIJAN VALUES RUSSIA’S MEDIATION EFFORTS

ArmRadio.am
04.04.2007 13:20

"We agree with Russia that without rule of law in international
relations we are destined to the endless and useless discussion of
resolution of regional conflicts, and consider that with all its
significance the right for self-determination should not be commented
as promotion of any activity violating the territorial integrity
of sovereign and independent states," Azerbaijani Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammaryarov wrote in an article printed in today’s issue of
"Rossiyskaya Gazeta" on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of
establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Azerbaijan.

"Azerbaijan highly assesses the role Russia plays in the settlement of
the Karabakh conflict as an OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair country. Russia’s
mediation efforts are an essential element in the development of
progress in the negotiation process between Baku and Yerevan for the
accomplishment of the four UN Security Council resolutions, decisions
of the OSCE and other international organizations, which should lead
to the liberation of the occupied territories, return of refugees
to native lands and provision of a high-level autonomy to Nagorno
Karabakh within Azerbaijan," the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister wrote.

SARKISIAN NAMED ARMENIAN PM
By Emil Danielyan

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
April 4 2007

President Robert Kocharian announced late Wednesday the widely
anticipated appointment of Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian as
Armenia’s new prime minister.

In a separate presidential decree signed the same day, Sarkisian was
relieved of defense minister’s duties which he has performed for
nearly seven years. It was not immediately clear who will run the
Defense Ministry until the formation of a new government required by
Armenian constitution.

The constitution gives Sarkisian 20 days to form his cabinet and have
its composition endorsed by the president of the republic. He will
then have another 20 days to submit the cabinet’s plan of actions to
parliament for approval, meaning that the outgoing National Assembly
will almost certainly be unable to vote on it because of parliamentary
elections scheduled for May 12.

In any case, Sarkisian, who has long had the reputation of Armenia’s
second most powerful man, will have to step down immediately after
the elections in line with another constitutional requirement. He
will likely be re-appointed prime minister if his Republican Party
(HHK) win the vote.

Sarkisian’s appointment was essentially decided by Kocharian and
leaders of the HHK and two other government parties the day after
the sudden death on March 25 of Prime Minister Andranik Markarian,
also a Republican. They agreed that the HHK should continue to control
the post by virtue of having the largest parliament faction.

Even before Markarian’s death, Sarkisian, 52, was believed to be
planning to become prime minister as part of his apparent strategy
of succeeding Kocharian as Armenia’s president early next year.

A native of Nagorno-Karabakh and philologist by education, Sarkisian
rose to prominence during the 1991-1994 war with Azerbaijan. He
commanded Karabakh Armenian forces before being named Armenia’s
defense minister in 1993. He later served as minister of interior
and national security and briefly headed Kocharian’s staff until the
start of his second stint as a defense minister in May 2000.

ATTACK IS WAGED UPON GYUMRI MAYOR AND PEOPLE ACCOMPANYING HIM

Noyan Tapan
Apr 03 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Gyumri Mayor Vardan Ghukasian and people
accompanying him were waged an armed attack near the crossroads of
the village of Parpi, on the Yerevan-Gyumri main road, on late April
2. A burst of shoots was fired on the latters’ cars. As a result,
3 people died, 6 were injured.

Gyumri Mayor Vardan Ghukasian (a Council member of the Republican Party
of Armenia) and Deputy Mayor Gagik Manukian are among the injured
people. As the Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by RPA Press
Secretary Edvard Sharmazanov, the injured people are in the Yerevan
Gregory the Illuminator (Grigor Lusavorich) hospital at the moment,
Gagik Manukian’s operation passed successfully and the latters’
life is not in danger now. To recap, the Gyumri Mayor and people
accompanying him were leaving Yerevan for Gyumri. They participated
in the RPA Council sitting in Yerevan.

NEW TIMES PARTY SAYS NATIONAL SECURITY SERVICE TRIES TO CANCEL ITS ACTIVITY

Panorama.am
19:13 02/04/2007

"We just love prosecutor’s office," Aram Karapetyan, leader of New
Times Party, told a meeting with reporters, saying he forwards cases
to the office giving chance to prosecutor’s office officials to engage
in professional work.

"The prosecutor’s office "likes" us too because it sends replies to
our applications," the leader said.

Most of the cases Karapetyan submits concern "libel" to his address
made in the media.

The party leader believes state officials try to stop them from
participating in the elections. "According to our sources, National
Security Services have applied to the ministry of justice to cancel
the activity of New Times Party saying it is funded from abroad,"
Karapetyan says.

Karapetyan also said he has clear evidence that the Armenian
Republican Party (HHK) and Prosperous Armenia (PA) collect passports
in communities and also distribute money. Speaking of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (Dashnakcutiun), he said that Dashnaks
distribute their "propaganda leaflets."

Karapetyan also said, "three TV channels refused to cooperate with
the party after his speech aired in "Shant" TV." The leader said his
party will use the paid time stipulated by law in full. They have
plans to spend 60 million drams.

INDIA LOSES OUT TO ARMENIA IN SUPER-GROWTH COMPANIES

Economic Times, India
ses_out_to_Armenia_in_super-growth_cos/articleshow /1835262.cms
March 30 2007

NEW DELHI: Amid domestic firms’ growing appetite for merger and
acquisitions and a robust economic expansion, India has surprisingly
lost its place as the world’s second largest home to "super growth"
companies to a relatively unknown Armenia.

According to a new study released today by global consultancy major
Grant Thornton, there was a huge 56 per cent plunge in the number
of super growth companies in India. These are the companies with
significant above-average growth in areas like turnover and employment.

While the US has retained its top position on Grant Thornton
International’s Super Growth Index for third year in a row, India
suffered a dramatic drop to 14th position as the country’s proportion
of super growth companies halved from 34 per cent to 15 per cent.

India has been replaced by a newcomer Armenia at the second position
with 38 per cent proportion of super growth companies there, as
against 44 per cent in the US.

The other top five countries in the league include Ireland (third),
the UK (fourth) and South Africa (fifth), all of which have improved
their rankings.

Other major climbers on the index include Russia, Philippines,
Argentina and Italy.

However, Hong Kong, another strong performer in 2006 at third place,
has also dropped out of the top ten list to 11th position this year.

Other major fallers in the chart include Malaysia and New Zealand.

According to Grant Thornton International’s Alex MacBeath, fall of
last year’s two strongest performers India and Hong Kong was the most
significant finding in the survey.