Author: Karagyozian Lena

AGREEMENT ON INTERPARLIAMENTARIAN COOPERATION BEING PREPARED
National Assembly of RA, Armenia
June 13 2006
On June 12 RA NA President Tigran Torosyam received Bulgarian
Ambassador to Armenia Mr.Stephan Dimitrov.
The issues of strengthening the interparliamentarian relations
were discussed during the meeting. Mr. Dimitrov conveyed Bulgarian
Parliament Speaker Georgi Pirinsky’s congratulatory message to RA
NA President T. Torosyan on the occasion of assuming office and
readiness of cooperation deepening between two Parliaments. The
issues of signing the Cooperation Agreement between Armenian and
Bulgarian Parliaments was discussed as well, which will become as a
legal basis for the development of ties between friendship groups,
standing committees and staff.
RA NA President T. Torosyan highlighted the steps that will
follow the signing of the Agreement: the specific work both in
the sphere of interparliamentarian relations and in international
structures.The issues of deepening bilateral ties, exchange of
legislative experience,solidarity and cooperation of two Parliaments
were mutually evaluated.

AMBASSADOR RUBEN SHUGARIAN HANDS HIS CREDENTIALS TO PRESIDENT OF
PORTUGAL

LISBON, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA Ambassador Ruben
Shugarian handed his credentials on June 6 to President of Portugal
Anibal Cavaco Silva.
Ambassador Shugarian met on the previous day with Rui Quartin Santos,
the Portugal Foreign Ministry’s Secretary General, State Protocol Head
Manuel Corte Real, Chief of Europe Countries’ Department Liliana
Arango and Emilio Rui Vilar, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of
the “Gulbenkian” fund.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, during the conversations the RA Ambassador
spoke about Armenia, the region, integration of Armenia within the
framework of the European Neighborhood Policy, the Armenian-Turkish
relations and the present stage and process of the negotiations on the
Nagorno Karabakh problem.

TURKISH PROSECUTOR GENERAL OFFICE RECOGNIZED DINK INNOCENT
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.06.2006 17:58 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Turkish Prosecutor General’s Office has decided
that there were no components of crime in the actions of Hrant Dink,
the editor of the Armenian-language weekly Agos and he should be
recognized innocent. The Prosecutor General’s Office of Turkey does
not agree with court verdict sentencing Dink to 6-month imprisonment
for articles in his newspaper that allegedly insult Turkish national
dignity. The Prosecutor General’s Office noted that according to the
Turkish Criminal Code, any critical opinion, if it does not contain
insulting, should not be penalized, reports RFE/RL.

VARDAN OSKANYAN: NO ALTERNATIVE TO DIALOGUE IN THE SETTLEMENT OF THE KARABAKH CONFLICT
ArmRadio.am
08.06.2006 14:58
During the meeting in Bucharest Presidents of Armenia and
Azerbaijan did not manage to agree on questions not agreed upon in
Ramboulliet. The parties, however, decided to continue the talks.
“There is no alternative to dialogue in the settlement of the Karabakh
conflict. The parties agreed that the Foreign Ministers will hold
another meeting in case the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs consider it
is necessary,” Vardan Oskanyan said.
Mr. Oskanyan did not rule out the possibility of the meeting on the
level of Foreign Ministers and expressed the hope that it will be
possible to agree upon at least some document of principle in 2006.
“In Bucharest and Ramboulliet the Presidents did not manage to come
to an agreement on a very complex issue,” Vardan Oskanyan noted.
In response to the question what the hopes for positive resolution are
based on, the Foreign Minister said, “Every time when new formulations
or approaches on questions of principle are suggested, each of the
sides hopes it will manage to persuade the other party during the
meeting. This failed in Bucharest, we need to try again.”
RA Foreign Minister underlined that the position of the Armenian side
has not changed. Yerevan is ready to discuss issues of eliminating
the results of the conflict only in case Azerbaijan recognizes the
right for self-determination of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Vardan Oskanyan declared that Armenian does not feel pressure on the
part of the mediators and does not consider that the parties will
face such pressure in the future.

RENOVATED BUILDING OF NATIONAL CENTER FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OPENED IN YEREVAN
Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 5 2006
YEREVAN, June 5. /ARKA/. The renovated building of the RA National
Center of Small and Medium Business has been opened in Yerevan.
Executive Director of the Center Ishkhan Karapetyan reported that
the Center implements programs in all ten regions of Armenia.
“The center is the principal structure implementing the government
policy of small and medium business development,” he said.
According to him, the Center is implementing various programs
of supporting small and medium businesses, holds consultations
for beginners, introduces new technologies and provides credit
guarantees. Karapetyan stressed that the programs are mostly
implemented in Armenia’s regions, particularly in borderline regions.
On December 2, 2004, the RA Government approved a program of small
and medium business facilitation for 2005. A total of AMD 300mln were
allocated for the implementation of the program from the RA state
budget.

ARMENIAN YOUTH SEES ITS POLITICAL “PROGRESS” MAINLY OUTSIDE OF PARTIES
Noyan Tapan
June 05 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 5, NOYAN TAPAN. Only 30 of more than 80 parties acting in
Armenia have youth wings or permanently acting youth structures. Their
majority does not promote a regular, organized party activity. The
parties of the ruling coalition, the United Labor Party, the Orinats
Yerkir (Country of Law) opposition party, the National Unity, the
People’s Party of Armenia, the Hanrapetutiun (Republic) party, the
Democratic Liberal Union of Armenia, the People’s Party have more or
less actively working youth wings and structures.
Parallelly, there are some parties in Armenia (the Youth Party of
Armenia, the Progressive Party of Armenia, the Ardarutiun (Justice)
party), the majority of the members of which are young people. As
it was mentioned in the report provided to Noyan Tapan from the
Information Analyses and Programs Elaboration Department of Center
for Organization of Youth Events of RA Ministry of Culture and Youth
Affairs, young people see their political “progress,” satisfaction of
their political requirements mainly outside of parties. Mass surveys
conducted within the framework of the youth national report show
that only 3.6% of youth is a member of any party and only 5% trusts
any party. According to the results of the surveys conducted within
the framework of the youth national report, the participation of the
youth in mass actions of protest, rallies and processions is extremely
low. Only 11% of youth has participated in rallies and other actions
of protest and their 88% does not at all accept this way of political
participation considering it non-efficient or just an adventure.

Los Angeles Daily News, CA
June 3 2006
Boxing: Darchinyan finds spotlight
BY ROBERT MORALES, Staff Writer

If you got it, flaunt it. That’s Vic Darchinyan’s motto. He hits
hard, and every time he fights he is hopeful of putting that power on
display.
Darchinyan, of Australia via Armenia, will defend his International
Boxing Federation flyweight title against Luis Maldonado of Mexico in
what is now tonight’s main event at Thomas & Mack Center in Las
Vegas.
Although everyone expected the fireworks of the night to come in the
fight between Jose Luis Castillo and Diego Corrales, it won’t be
surprising to see Darchinyan put on his own show.
Corrales-Castillo was canceled Friday when Castillo did not make the
135-pound weight limit.
“If you can show your power, people really love you,” said
Darchinyan, who is trained by Hall of Famer Jeff Fenech, a former
bantamweight and featherweight champion out of Sydney, Australia.
Darchinyan is 25-0 with 20 knockouts. His first four victories
produced just one knockout, but he has knocked out 19 out of his past
21 opponents. Some of this power, Darchinyan said, is God-given.
The rest comes from a love for boxing that motivates him to train the
way a champion should train. The thinking is, God-given ability is
one thing, but if a fighter’s work ethic is poor, he will not be able
to be all that he can be.
“I just love my training,” Darchinyan said. “I love to show people my
power. But I am not very old and I feel like I am becoming much more
powerful and my punch is coming harder.”
Since Darchinyan is a small fighter, and he’s not American, he is not
well-known here. But his fight will be televised by Showtime. Don’t
think he won’t take advantage of the exposure – with a bang, perhaps.
“It is a very good opportunity for me,” Darchinyan said. “I have won
a lot of my fights by knockout since winning the title. It is very
important for me to win by knockout. … I feel I am the strongest
puncher in my division, and the most powerful puncher pound-for-pound
in boxing. If anyone hits harder than me, I’d like to know his name.
As always, I look forward to showing the world my power, and my
style.”
Darchinyan has made three title defenses, each of which he has won by
knockout.
Maldonado, ranked No. 8 by the IBF, is no slouch at 33-0-1 with 25
knockouts.
“He is a good, strong fighter,” Darchinyan said.
So is Darchinyan.
– Robert Morales

PanARMENIAN.Net
Lavrov Discussed Karabakh Issue with Turkish Leaders
03.06.2006 15:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At the meetings of Russian FM Sergey Lavrov with
Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Parliament Chair Bulent Arinc in
Ankara wide discussion over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline was held. In spite of the information
available, official reports did not detail the talks.
After a meeting with Turkish FM Abdullah Gul the day before, Sergey
Lavrov said Russia intends to actively participate in settlement of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. He underscored his county makes efforts
for attaining dialogue between the parties.
In response to a request of the Turkish PM on Russia’s support in the
North Cyprus issue, Lavrov said his country supports the plan of the
UN Secretary-General and Russian businessmen will continue investments
in the Northern Cyprus, reports AzerTag.

ROBERT KOCHARYAN WENT HALFWAY TO CHANGE OF POWER
Lragir.am
02 June 06
On June 1 we learned that the change of power in Armenia in 1988 is
the most significant change of power for the country. This is the
opinion of Dashnaktsutiun. Deputy Speaker Vahan Hovanisyan,
Dashnaktsutiun, stated this opinion during the meeting of the National
Assembly on June 1. However, he says, this important change of power
stopped halfway, and can you imagine who is to blame for this
incomplete change of power? Not the former regime, of course, but
President Robert Kocharyan.
`If the president, elected in 1988, disbanded the parliament and held
a new parliamentary election, our recent history would be different,
and maybe it would be more civilized,’ stated Vahan
Hovanisyan. However, he says, it did not happen, and the change of
power stopped halfway.

RA FOREIGN MINISTER MET HIS KAZAKH COUNTERPART IN ASTANA
ArmRadio.am
02.06.2006 12:11
RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan is on a two-day official visit
to the Republic of Kazakhstan.
During the meeting with the Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Kasimzhormat
Tokaev the parties discussed a number of questions of mutual and
international importance. The Ministers expressed appreciation for
the level of political relations between the two countries. The
interlocutors expressed interest in deepening economic cooperation,
which is considerably promoted by the activity of the Armenian-Kazakh
Intergovernmental Economic Cooperation Commission, as well as the
legal field and the lack of political disagreements between the
two countries.
The Ministers stressed the importance of cooperation within the
CIS, CSTO and The Eurasian Economic Cooperation Organization and
international organizations.
Special attention was paid to issues of energy and transport. On this
occasion Minister Tokaev presented the position of Kazakhstan on a
number of regional issues, particularly Kazakhstan’s envolvement in
the Kaspian region.
Considering that Kazakhstan claims OSCE Presidency in 2009, RA Foreign
Minister presented the latest developments in the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict.
At the end of the meeting, Minister Oskanyan invited his Kazakh
counterpart to pay an official visit to Armenia any time.
The same day Vardan Oskanyan had a meeting with President Nursultan
Nazarbaev and delivered a speech at the Diplomatic Academy of
Kazakhstan.