Author: Karagyozian Lena

A1plus
| 11:10:30 | 02-07-2005 | Politics |
IF MAJORITY DOES NOT WANT TO CHANGE CONSTITUTION, NO NEED TO DO IT
Our interlocutor is Tigran Hakopyan, who was once an official at power and
worked for the Constitution but then was dismissed for abusing the
authority. After exceeding the admissible bounds of propaganda he was
dismissed from the post of chairman of the State Committee on TV and Radio.
Tigran Hakobyan is convinced that the amendments to the Constitution will
change nothing in the republic, since if the operating Constitution is
violated, the reformed one will be violated as well. Nevertheless, the
constitutional reform is approaching its logical end. But in T. Hakobyan’s
opinion, there are no discussions held and the society is not aware what
Armenia will benefit from this or that amendment. `Let’s take the clause on
dual citizenship. Some are for it, others are against. But I have heard
nothing but empty talk on this issue’, he noted. `Should the Mayor of
Yerevan be elected or not? I do not know what is correct, since there is no
debate on the topic. If in future proper officials willing to carry out
reforms come to power, they will appoint a figure to work in team and
implement a part of these reforms. If normal President is elected but mafia
clans decide to advance their candidate, he can upset the reforms, since in
Yerevan resistance of elected Mayor to reforms can be disastrous. Being a RA
citizen I was not explained why it is good or bad’, he said.
Tigran Hakobyan is convinced that sometimes an appointed body functions
better than an elected, because he bears responsibility not to the people
but to those, who appointed him. `Look at our parliament or
local-self-government bodies. Presently in Armenia, when a civic society has
not been formed yet and when votes can be `bought’ elective bodies do not
always work efficiently.
Tigran Hakobyan is concerned over the fact that not lawyers but politicians
are discussing the Constitution. `The preparation for the adoption of the
first Constitution was a brilliant example of juridical debate, since all
the lawyers in Armenia whether pro-governmental or oppositional were
involved in the process. Today only several politicians are discussing the
issue’, he said.
The Constitution will be changed via referendum. Whether this `national
examination’ is correct or was the parliament capable of passing all these
changes? However Tigran Hakobyan is not satisfied either with the mentality
of today’s electorate or the National Assembly.
He also considers the demand, according to which minimum 1/3 of the votes is
enough to pass the referendum to be not strict enough. `If the most
important law is being adopted, people should be interested and take part in
the election. If the majority does not see the necessity of changing the
Constitution, there is not need in it’, he resumed.
Diana Markosyan

96TH CONGRESSMAN JIM COSTA JOINS CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS ON ARMENIAN
ISSUES
YEREVAN, JULY 2. ARMINFO. Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny
and Congressional Relations Director Rob Mosher met with
Representative Jim Costa (D-CA) on June 30 to thank him for signing on
as an original cosponsor of the Armenian Genocide Resolution
(H. Res. 316), which was introduced by Representatives George
Radanovich (R-CA), Adam Schiff (D- CA), Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and
Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), and for joining the Congressional Caucus on
Armenian Issues. A long-time supporter of Armenian-American issues as
a member of the California State Assembly, the first-term Congressman
also urged President Bush to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide
in his April 24th commemorative statement. Additionally, he supported
a letter to Foreign Operations Subcommittee on Appropriations Chairman
Jim Kolbe (R- AZ) and Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY), asking that
Congress maintain significant assistance to Armenia and Karabakh in
Fiscal Year 2006. The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public
understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. It is a 501 (c) (3)
tax-exempt membership organization.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

INTERNATIONAL SITUATION FAVORS KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT, SAYS
ILHAM ALIYEV
BAKU, JUNE 30. ARMINFO-TURAN. Karabakh conflict talks are proceeding
in a positive direction, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev said at a joint
press conference with Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Asked about perspectives of the conflict settlement, he said
Azerbaijan’s position is “preferable” both from legal and historical
viewpoints.
Activity at the talks gives reasons to hope, otherwise negotiations
would have no sense, said Aliyev and added that attitude of world
community to the conflict has also changed. He recalled Council of
Europe’s resolution on Karabakh, “which has created conditions for
continuation of negotiations.”
The conflict must be solved with account of Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity and respect for international law, said Aliyev. World
community does not understand position of the Armenian side, which
is based “rather on dreams, than on reality.”
“We believe that breakthrough will be achieved at this stage of the
talks and the conflict will be resolved,” concluded Ilham Aliyev.

Armenian opposition set to stage “velvet” revolution
Arminfo
24 Jun 05
YEREVAN
At present, the Armenian opposition has four allies – the people,
youth, the West and individual representatives of the political and
economic elite who understand that the existing situation in the
republic threatens national security, Vazgen Manukyan, leader of the
National Democratic Union [NDU], said at the 16th congress of the
party.
He said that currently 90 per cent of Armenia’s interests coincide
with those of the West. “The 10-per-cent discrepancy between these
interests is due to the national peculiarities of the Armenian
people,” Manukyan said.
He pointed out that “lawlessness” and “corruption” are terms that
classify the current situation in Armenia. “The ruling regime is
plundering the republic, its economy, nature and the diaspora’s
contribution. If this continues, they will eat up even the “fruits” of
the liberation struggle for Artsakh,” Manukyan said. He said that the
existing situation might remain unchanged for a long time if the
Armenian people do not wish to carry out structural reforms in
Armenia. At the same time, he said that the spirit of the Armenians
has been broken and even if there are the best programmes to develop
the republic, there will be no-one to implement them. “If the current
situation remains unchanged, then the West will lose its hope for
Armenia’s democratic development. The West will tell us – if you are
not in a position to build your statehood, what do you need Nagornyy
Karabakh for? Let it belong to those who deserve to have it,” Manukyan
said.
Despite this, he expressed his confidence that the opposition will win
the struggle with the authorities, but to this end, the opposition
should submit a precise concept of activities and their consequences
to the people.
In turn, Aram Sarkisyan, leader of the opposition Republic Party, who
was present at the NDU congress, said that irrespective of anything, a
national democratic velvet revolution will be staged in Armenia. At
the same time, he said that in order to stage a revolution, the
consolidation of political forces is not so important as the public of
the country.
The leader of the socialist forces of Armenia, Ashot Manucharyan, said
that not only the country’s authorities but also the opposition are to
blame for the existing situation in the country. Manucharyan
criticized the ruling regimes both in Armenia and Nagornyy
Karabakh. He said that the policy of the current authorities of the
Nagornyy Karabakh Republic did not differ from the policy of the
Azerbaijani authorities in the period when Nagornyy Karabakh was part
of Azerbaijan.
[Passage omitted: the congress was also attended by pro-government
forces]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The former defence minister of Nagornyy Karabakh, Samvel Babayan,
critical of parliamentary elections
Mediamax news agency
24 Jun 05
YEREVAN
The former defence minister of Nagornyy Karabakh, Samvel Babayan, said
today that “only idiots” can talk about democratic elections in an
unrecognized republic “under martial law”.
Samvel Babayan said in Yerevan today that he did not stand in the 19
June parliamentary elections in the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic [NKR]
because “issues related to Nagornyy Karabakh are solved in Yerevan,
not in Stepanakert,” Mediamax news agency reports.
“I don’t think that any elections were held in the NKR,” the former
NKR defence minister said in conclusion.

AZG Armenian Daily #117, 25/06/2005
NATO
NATO: MORE THAN A NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY
Military-Political Organization Getting Ready to ‘Swallow’ New Zones in
South Caucasus, Mediterranean and Middle East
On June 23, Nato secretary general made a speech at the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer stated that Nato
might apply force to defend democracy if necessary. “Defending democracy is
essential for out Treaty. If military actions are necessary for supporting
democracy we’ll go for that but without violating [international] laws. The
Balkans are now in peace as we did not hesitate to take up arms”, he said.
Nato is living through a period of changes, getting involved in processes
that were alien to it during the Cold War and in 1990s. If formerly Nato’s
major task was to protect the US and its European allies from the possible
attack of the Soviet Union, then today the Organization is expanding to the
east — South Caucasus, Middle East and North Africa. In effect, Nato,
headed by US, dictates the rules of play to states not included in the
organization.
Nato’s headquarters of Allied Forces in Europe is situated in Mons, Belgium.
A military official advised to forget the role that Nato played before the
end of the Cold War, when the Organization “was a club of western
democracies” and the US and its allies sought to protect themselves from
possible assault.
Today, Nato faces a number of “destabilizing and risky factors” and the
Treaty takes steps to withstand the threats.
By the end of the Cold War Nato, in fact, found itself in idleness. Many
analysts even predicted the Organization’s decline. But Nato did not break
up but instead enlarged gulping 10 new states and launching projects to
develop relations with non-member states.
An American Nato official in Brussels headquarters says that the Treaty does
not intend to bother Russia but welcomes the readiness of South Caucasian
states to cooperate with Nato. He says that Nato’s primary goals for near
future are to expand to South Caucasus, Middle East and Central Asia.
The expansion of Nato to territories of traditionally Russian influence is
emerging as an irreversible progression. We may like it or dislike but
cannot disregard the reality.
By Tatoul Hakobian in Belgium

Armenian delegates mentioned Armenian Genocide in Turkey
23.06.2005 19:03
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Ninety years after the Armenian Genocide, the
members of the ARF’s Youth Organization spoke openly about the
Genocide and even distributed booklets, Zinavor Meghrian and Karen
Mnatsakanian, members of the Youth Organization delegation to
International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) meeting in Istanbul,
told a news conference on Thursday in Yerevan.
On June 16-19, the delegation was participating in the IUSY Black Sea
Area Cooperation meeting, titled “We all are Minorities” and held in
Istanbul, Turkey, attended also by delegations from Georgia, Russia,
Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Bulgaria, Moldova, Serbia, Sweden and
other countries.
The Armenian delegates also were interviewed by the Turkish newspaper
Milliyet. “We discussed the Armenian Genocide from different aspects
during the interview,” Meghrian told the news conference. “We also
spoke of the closed borders and formation of a group of historians,
which we refuse since we have no doubts about the fact of the
Genocide.”
In his turn, Mnatsakanian mentioned that the Turkish youth wrongly
belive the Armenian government is not raising the Genocide issue and
that it is only the Diaspora that is interested in it. “It is because
some young Armenian politicians make such statements,” he said. When
asked to name those politicians, Mnatsakanian said he was referring to
Sargis Asatrian, the chairman of the Armenian Youth Party.

FIFTH UNIVERSAL REGIONAL TRADE -INDUSTRIAL EXPO -FORUM “ARMENIA
EXPO-2005” TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN ON SEPTEMBER 14-17
YEREVAN, June 23. /ARKA/. The fifth universal regional trade
-industrial expo -forum “Armenia EXPO-2005” will be held in Yerevan on
September 14-17.
According to the LOGOS EXPO Centre Press Service Department, the
expo-forumincludes 6 exhibitions to be held simultaneously:
“Industrial Armenia ÅÕÐÎ 2005”, “ÅÕÐÎ 2005 Structure”, “Trans ÅÕÐÎ
2005”, “ÅÕÐÎ 2005 Food and Beverage”, “ÅÕÐÎ 2005
Polygraphy. Pupblishing. Advertisement”, “ÅÕÐÎ 2005 Comp”. In the
framework of expo-forum “Armenia EXPO 2005” Armenian -Russian business
meeting “Cooperation-2005” will be held, in which delegations of
business circles from Moscow and other regions of Russia will take
place. On September 15-17 days of business of the USA, China and
Russia will be held, as well as a contest for the nomination “High
Quality”.
Organizations from 15 countries, namely Armenian, Russia, USA, China,
Iran, Georgia, Turkey, Siria, Ukraine, UAE, West European and Middle
Asian countries, will participate in “Armenia EXPO 2005”. The total
number of participants made about 160-180 companies, and the area of
exposition will cove 1500 square meters. Compared to 2004, growth of
the number of participants and area of the exposition will make
15-20%. The main goals of the forum is search of new markets,
attractions of foreign investments in economy of Armenia,
demonstration of the economic potential of Armenia, search of new
business partners.
The organizer of “Armenia EXPO 2005” is LOGOS EXPO Center with the
official support of RA Ministry of Trade and Economic Development, RA
MFA and the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (Employees) of
Armenia.
The first regional universal forum “ARMENIA EXPO 2001” was held on
November 23-26, 2001. 45 companies from Armenia, Kazakhstan, Germany,
Japan and Austria participated in the exhibition, covering 280 square
meters. The second regional universal trade-industrial forum was held
on September 19-21, 2002jointly with the Union of Industrialists and
Entrepreneurs (Employees) of Armenia. 112 organizations from Armenia,
Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Belarus, Germany, Switzerland, Greece, Russia,
USA, Japan participated in the exposition covering 682 square
meters. The third forum was held on September 12-15, 2003. 180
representatives from Armenia, Ukraine, Belarus, Hungary, Russia,
Georgia, USA, Iran, Egypt participated in the exposition covering 960
square meters. The forth forum was on September 10-13, 2004, in which
196 representatives from Armenia, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Hungary,
Georgia, Syria, Iran, England, Greece, Italy, Germany, Japan, Austria
participated. The exposition covered 1100 square meters.
LOGOS EXPO Center – is the first private exhibition company of Armenia
founded in 1999. For the last 5 years the Center organized over 45
exhibitions. A.H.
–0–

EurasiaNet Organization
June 22 2005
UNITED STATES ADOPTS CAUTIOUS STANCE ON ARMENIA’S DEMOCRATIZATION
Emil Danielyan 6/22/05

The United States has stepped up efforts to promote democratization
in former Soviet states in recent years. Accordingly, opposition
leaders in Armenia are hopeful of receiving Washington’s support for
a renewed push to force President Robert Kocharian’s administration
from power in Yerevan. But US officials seem anxious to squelch such
expectations, insisting that they harbor no regime-change ambitions
for Armenia.
During a visit to Georgia in mid May, US President George W. Bush
offered effusive praise for the Rose Revolution led by Georgian
President Mikheil Saakashvili. [For background see the Eurasia
Insight archive]. Some politicians and pundits in neighboring Armenia
interpreted Bush’s statements as a thinly veiled call for
democratically oriented regime change throughout the Caucasus. Media
outlets in Yerevan have since speculated on who might be Washington’s
preferred successor to Kocharian. [For additional information see the
Eurasia Insight archive].
Members of the Bush administration now adamantly deny they want
political turnover in Yerevan. “We are not in the revolution
business,” a senior Bush administration official said in an
interview. The official went on to downplay Washington’s role in the
recent revolutionary trend, saying the United States was “not
responsible” for the successful popular uprisings in Georgia, Ukraine
and Kyrgyzstan. The official noted that the United States had
maintained good relations with the toppled leaders of the three
ex-Soviet states, Georgia’s Eduard Shevardnadze, Ukraine’s Leonid
Kuchma and Kyrgyzstan’s Askar Akayev. “We didn’t do anything to
trigger those events,” he said.
The senior administration official indicated that recent statements
made by President Bush should not be interpreted as a call for street
protests, or other anti-government action that undermines stability
in the region. “The [Armenian] opposition should not launch a
dangerous revolution or seek to humiliate the [Kocharian] regime,”
the senior administration official said, adding that Washington now
favors an “evolutionary process” of democratization.
Officials at the State Department made a similar point, saying that
the United States supports only the use of “legal means” in any
effort to bring about political change. US enthusiasm for regime
change seems to have cooled markedly since the May 13 violence in
Andijan, Uzbekistan. [For background see the Eurasia Insight
archive].
Armenia’s leading opposition parties have never recognized the
legitimacy of Kocharian’s disputed re-election in 2003, and they have
maintained a boycott of the country’s parliament. [For background see
the Eurasia Insight archive]. Apparently encouraged by Bush
administration rhetoric, opposition leaders have sent signals about
organizing another round of mass rallies aimed at forcing Kocharian
to step down. The first opposition protest effort stalled in 2004 in
the face of stiff governmental resistance. [For background see the
Eurasia Insight archive].
Of late, opposition rhetoric has taken on a more aggressive tone.
Embracing a pro-Western foreign policy agenda, some opposition
politicians have gone as far as to call for Armenia’s withdrawal from
the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty, and the country’s
accession to NATO. Russia and Armenia have traditionally enjoyed a
special strategic relationship. [For additional information see the
Eurasia Insight archive].
Aram Sarkisian, the outspoken leader of Armenia’s most radical
opposition party called Hanrapetutiun (Republic), traveled to
Washington in early June for meetings with White House and State
Department officials. He said the trip reinforced his resolve to
carry out a “revolution.” Sarkisian and other top opposition leaders
feel that they can count on Washington’s support in their
revolutionary endeavors.
“That is a dangerous and false assumption,” countered a State
Department official. He and other American officials indicated that
the US government does not regard regime change as a necessary
condition for Armenia’s democratization.
According to Cory Welt, a Caucasus and Central Asia analyst at the
Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, such
statements can be taken at face value. “From all indications that I
have seen, Armenia is definitely not a target [for the Bush
administration],” he said. “They tolerate the current regime in
Yerevan.”
Kocharian’s government drew praise from two US senators who visited
Yerevan recently. Sen. Charles Hagel, a Nebraska Republican,
professed to be “very impressed with the democratic reforms and
economic development that have taken place in Armenia.” Earlier, Sen.
Norm Coleman, a Minnesota Republican, downplayed Armenia’s troubled
history of tainted elections. [For background see the Eurasia Insight
archive]. “Elections alone don’t make democracy,” he told Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty on May 31.
Coleman’s remarks seemed at odds with the strong US criticism of the
last Armenian presidential election in 2003. The State Department
said at the time that Armenian authorities “missed an important
opportunity to advance democratization.”
The apparent contradiction between Bush’s pro-democracy rhetoric and
statements by other US officials makes it difficult to predict how
Washington might react if the next round of Armenian national
elections, due to occur in 2007, are plagued by irregularities. “I
don’t think the United States knows exactly what it wants right now,
and that’s part of the problem,” said Welt, the political analyst.
Editor’s Note: Emil Danielyan is a Yerevan-based journalist and
political analyst.

PRESS RELEASE
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
Contact: Information Desk
Tel: (374-1) 52-35-31
Email: [email protected]
Web:
Foreign Minister Oskanian Attends Conference on Iraq
Today, Armenia¹s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vartan Oskanian participated in
an international conference on Iraq, at the invitation of the US Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice and the Secretary General of the European Union
Javier Solana. Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the UN, together with Jean
Asselborn, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg which holds the EU
Presidency, as well as Secretary Rice spoke about building a renewed
international partnership to help Iraq. Representatives of the Iraqi
Transitional Government presented their vision and strategy at the
conference held in Brussels.

More than 80 foreign ministers attended the conference and discussed support
for Iraq¹s political transition process, encouraging its economic recovery
and reconstruction, and helping establish the rule of law and public order
in the country.

At the conference, Minister Oskanian said, ³We commend and appreciate the
simple act of convening this conference. It was important for everyone. It
was significant for those in Iraq who need to know that the world continues
to remain engaged, and it is reinforcing for those involved in the effort to
re-build Iraq.

³The people of Iraq need and deserve the persistent political and economic
involvement of all of us around the world. Even countries like Armenia, with
modest resources, can continue to maintain a small, symbolic presence
there,² he said, referring to the 40 non-combat medical personnel who have
been engaged there since the beginning of the year.

³Armenians know well the value of moral support and the driving force of
concerned onlookers. Further, as the foreign minister of a country and a
people still living through the difficult and trying period of transition, I
can tell you that it is only through sustained economic support, through the
long-term investment of serious economic resources, that a society will
begin to believe in the prospect of peace, in the promise of democracy.

³There is a tendency to ignore or neglect problems for which one has no
immediate answer or prospect for solution. Some problems appear too
difficult, too exotic, too unknown, too uncertain, too different for
immediate solutions. It is when these are ignored that the social and
political risks become insurmountable. The Iraqi people have demonstrated a
readiness to move ahead, to risk today for the promise of tomorrow. The
world community cannot desert them on that road,² he said.

The Minister also noted the presence of Armenians in Iraq. ³Iraq is blessed
with natural resources. Those include not just those in the ground, but also
the wealth that is derived from its ethnic diversity. A sizable and old
Armenian community is
part of that mix, and we know that together with the other citizens of Iraq
they look forward to contributing to Iraq¹s prosperous, peaceful future.²

Minister Oskanian concluded by saying, ³Armenia, in turn, looks forward to
developing and strengthening bilateral relations with a peaceful, unified
and democratic Iraq. It is only 200 miles, as the crow flies, between our
two capitals, and the ability to easily communicate and cooperate is an
exciting one for all of us.²

The Minister returns to Yerevan on Wednesday, June 22.