Author: Karakhanian Suren

Today.Az, Azerbaijan
March 29 2009

OSCE to hold monitoring on contact line of Azerbaijani and Armenian
armed forces

29 March 2009 [16:24] – Today.Az

OSCE will hold monitoring on the contact line of Azerbaijani and
Armenian armed forces on March 31, said the press service for the
Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan.

The monitoring is held in line with the mandate of personal
representative of OSCE chairman-in-office on the contact line of the
armed forces of Azerbaijan and Armenia near Mezem village of Gazakh.

The Azerbaijani side will be represented by field assistants of
personal representatives of OSCE chairman-in-office Peter Kie and
Irzhi Aberle.

The opposite side, recognized as Azerbaijani land by the international
community, will be represented by personal representative of the OSCE
chairman-in-office Anzhei Kaspshik and his field assistants Imre
Palatinus, Vladimir Chountulov and Zhaslan Nurtazin.

/Day.Az/

URL:

Interfax, Russia
March 27 2009

All issues of Rapid Reaction Forces to be settled at CSTO summit in
June – Armenian official

MOSCOW March 27

The CSTO Rapid Reaction Forces will not get involved in the
Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, Armenian National Security Council
Secretary Artur Bagdasarian told Interfax-AVN.

"It would be wrong to establish links between the Nagorno-Karabakh and
the creation of the Rapid Reaction Forces. The goal is clear as a day:
these forces can be used in case of a military aggression against one
of the signatories of the treaty. This means that in case of military
aggression against Armenia or for example another CSTO member state
the Rapid Reaction Forces will be activated in line with the signed
international agreements," Bagdasarian said.

There remain many issues linked to the activity of these forces, and
the final decision on them will be made in Moscow at the CSTO summit
this June, he said.

The Armenian National Security Council made a decision to delegate a
contingent to the Rapid Reaction Forces, he said.

Russia’s president earlier voiced an initiative that Russia will
assist equipping these forces, he said. "Only a political decision has
been made at this stage. The Rapid Reaction Forces are being formed.

This presupposes institutional and legislative reforms. This will take
some more time," Bagdasarian said.

FURTHER EXPANSION OF NATO COULD HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON ALLIANCE VITALITY

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.03.2009 21:34 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ German Minister of Defense Franz-Josef Jung has
noted that further expansion of NATO could have a negative effect on
Alliance vitality.

"An Open Door Policy should be effected with care toward countries
seeking NATO membership. We must set clear limits for Alliance
expansion in new NATO strategy."

"Granting NATO membership to aspirant countries of Albania and Croatia
is on NATO Jubilee Summit agenda. Macedonia can gain NATO membership
upon settling the country name issue with Greece. Inviting Ukraine
and Georgia to join NATO is still a possibility, as announced at
2008 Bucharest Summit," Saarbrucker Zeitung cited Franz-Josef Jung
as saying.

COMMITTEE FOR POLITICAL PRISONER’S FREEDOM

LRAGIR.AM
13:06:45 – 26/03/2009

The Human Rights Defense of Armenian Civil Society issued a
statement through which it announces that the Armenian government,
the law enforcement bodies, the Armenian courts committed a number
of illegalities, in which result the prisoners of the "case of 7"
are deprived of their freedom only for their political views. The
Civil Society considers all the prisoners of the "7 case", as well
as Gagik and Vardan Jhangiryans political prisoners, and sets up a
commission for their freedom. The members of the committee are Vardan
Iskandaryan, Harutun Harutunyan, David Vardanyan, Vahe Jughuryan and
Karo Karapetyan.

The commission demands transferring the political prisoner Shant
Harutunyan to a public hospital from the psychological hospital and
stop the political persecution against him and all the other political
prisoners charged in the "7 case".

Former USSR political prisoners from different countries joined
the statement.

COMMUNIST PARTY BOYCOTTS MAY 31 ELECTIONS

A1+
08:10 pm | March 24, 2009

Politics

First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party
of Armenia Ruben Tovmasyan believes that the party has nothing to
do with the May 31 elections and calls on all political parties to
follow the Communist Party and boycott the elections.

"It is already clear who the next mayor of Yerevan is going to be and
it makes no sense to participate in the elections. We don’t take part
in elections just to participate," told "A1+" Tovmasyan.

The Communist Party of Armenia is of the opinion that there have not
been free, fair and transparent elections in Armenia for the past
20 years.

"What we have seen are corruption, falsifications, assaults, even
murders. We are now faced with the three and future resolutions on
Armenia in the PACE," told "A1+" today first secretary of the Central
Committee of the Communist Party.

According to Tovmasyan, the current social-economic crisis in the
country creates all the conditions needed to falsify the elections
once again and he is sure that the opposition can’t win under these
conditions.

"These authorities have made the country ill and must leave. This is
a rotten regime."

Tovmasyan recalled how Armenia was during the Soviet times. "Soviet
Armenia was created from scratch and made it to the top by exporting
its products to 133 countries of the world."

Tovmasyan said that he recently participated in the discussion with
the topic "Global crisis and Armenia" and, in his words, he didn’t
find any terms to cooperate.

"The Communist Party of Armenia is of the belief that all objects
of strategic importance must be state-owned, including the mining
industry, the energy sector, transportation, alcohol, communication,
etc. If we don’t do that, the crisis will grow deeper in Armenia,"
said Tovmasyan.

US RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE ARMENIA-TURKEY DIALOGUE

armradio.am
23.03.2009 17:57

Armen Rustamyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National
Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, sent a letter to Howard Berman,
Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the US House of
Representatives. The letter reads:

"Dear Chairman Berman:

I have the pleasure to write you upon the introduction of legislation
recognizing the Armenian Genocide, and to share with you and your
colleagues our compete support for the adoption of this measure
affirming the commitment of the United States to the cause of
genocide-prevention. Armenia aspires for the universal recognition
and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, and sees it both as a
restoration of an historical justice and as a way to improve the
overall situation in the region, while also preventing similar crimes
in the future.

The Armenian people in our homeland, in the United States and
around the world, remain grateful for the hard work that you and
your colleagues, including, of course, Congressmen Adam Schiff and
George Radanovich, have devoted over the course of many years to
secure US recognition and official commemoration of this crime. I
am confident that the proponents of this process and also rightly
convinced that the lack of official recognition of the Armenian
Genocide by the United States has thus far in fact served to make
Turkey’s position in the issue of resolving the Armenian-Turkish
relations more uncompromising. We value these efforts and are, this
year, particularly encouraged by the clear statements of President
Barack Obama and senior members of his Administration in his regard
during the elections.

Please know that I remain available to share with your Congressional
colleagues, either in writing in person, the principled stand of the
Republic of Armenia in support of universal recognition of the Armenian
Genocide. I am confident that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide
by the United States not only would not hamper, but on the country will
contribute to the prospects of a thorough dialogue between Turkey and
Armenia. A clear and principled stance by the US can only assist in
developing awareness that the recognition of the Genocide is not at all
a demonstration of anti-Turkish sentiments, but a necessity emanating
from the need to condemn this crime against humanity. Furthermore,
any durable improvement of Armenia-Turkey relations must rest upon
a foundation of shared respect for truth and justice.

Thank you for your friendship with the people and government of the
Republic of Armenia and for all your support and assistance over
the years."

ECTHR HAS RETURNED 14 VERDICTS ON ARMENIA SO FAR
Gita Elibekyan

"Radiolur"
20.03.2009 15:26

"Our legislation would be in a better condition if it was in line
with international documents: this was the question raised during
the forum of lawyers. Some stated that unable to succeed in Armenian
courts, many Armenian citizens apply to the European Court of Human
Rights. Every citizen of the Republic of Armenia can apply to the
European Court if he considers that his rights were violated.

Statistics shows that Armenian citizens apply to the European Court
of European of Human Rights more recently than citizens of other
countries.

Every year the Court receives 100 applications from the Republic
of Armenia.

However, the European Court qualifies most of those applications as
unacceptable, since as Judge of the European Court Alvina Gyulumyan
noted, Armenians view the European Court as the court of forth
instance.

"The ECtHR is not a court of fourth instance. It’s a body that defends
the rights consolidated in the European Convention.," she said.

However, the European Court faces one problem. There are hundreds
of thousands of applications, the consideration of which will take
years. That is why applications from Armenia from the years 2003-2004
find their solution only today."

"Fourteen verdicts on Armenia have been returned so far," Alvina
Gyulumyan said.

ENERGY MINISTERS OF BSEC MEMBER COUNTRIES CONDUCT THEIR FIFTH MEETING

ARMENPRESS
March 20, 2009

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, ARMENPRESS: "Energy Security Challenges in Black Sea
Region" topic was discussed today in Yerevan at the meeting of energy
task groups of BSEC member countries. The discussions which kicked
off March 18 are held chaired by the Republic of Armenia. Starting
from May 1, 2007 Armenia with 2-year term is coordinating the works
of the energy task groups of the BSEC and from November 1, 2008 it
assumed the six-month chairmanship of BSEC.

Representatives of Russia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova,
Romania, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, Egypt and Iran participated at
today’s meeting. Azerbaijan and Albania were absent.

Representatives from USA and EU, UN, USAID, World Bank were invited to
be present at the discussion which was headed by the Secretary General
of BSEC Altay Efendiyev. Issues on "Extended Black Sea region’s
increasing role in increasing of regional, EU and general energy
security", "Development of Cooperation with EU in the Energy Sphere,"
"Regional Energy Researches" etc. were discussed. During the meeting
the participants also discussed EU-BSEC joint actions program.

SCR SAYS CONCERNED ABOUT ARMENIAN TRANSPORT MINISTER’S RECENT STATEMENT

ARKA
March 19, 2009

YEREVAN, March 19. /ARKA/. The leadership of South Caucasus Railways
(SCR) says RA Transport Minister Gurgen Sargsyan’s recent statements
can harm the reputation of the Armenian-Russian large-scale project.

"We are currently creating all necessary preconditions to ensure
long-term effectively and financial stability of Armenia’s rail
transport. Our aim is to enhance the quality of consumer services,
expand the country’s transport business and integrate into the Eurasian
transport logistic system.

To achieve this goal, we need relevant authorities’ understanding
and proper attitude," SCR Director General Shevket Shaidulin said
in his open letter to RA Minister of Transport and Communication
Gurgen Sargsyan.

During the March 17 meeting with reporters, the transport minister
said SCR fulfilled only 28% of its investment program and partially
implemented its commitments to the Concession agreement.

"I inform you that SCR investments totaled 2.5bln rubles (with
cash drive) in 2008, with 1bln rubles being actualized (with the
input of main funds). The rest of the money will be invested in
2009 programs. Under the Concession agreement, we have earmarked
612mln rubles for our main fund, which is 61% of total concessionary
commitments in 2008," Shaidulin said in his letter.

In early 2009, SCR and the RA Ministry of20Transport set up a joint
commission to monitor fulfillment of the concession agreement.

Together with the RA Ministry of Transport and Communication, the
company worked out a common vision of solving existing problems.

"However, the dialogue you have drawn into is neither constructive
nor effective. Armenia’s rail transport is facing major problems. To
address them, we need a constant watch and conscientious approach,"
Shaiduin said, pointing out the company’s flexible tariff policy.

"Amid the crisis, we have to maintain low tariffs without economic
reserves, so that we can preserve transportation rates, secure profits
and keep working with a busy schedule," the SCR director general said,
adding SCR is a national company aiming to boost Armenia’s economy.

On 1 June 2008, SCR, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Russian Railways,
received property owned by Armenian Railways under the February 13,
2008 concession agreement the parties concluded for 30 years, with a
right of extension for another 20 years after the first 20 years of
operation.

US REPRESENTATIVES RENEW DRIVE FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION

AZG DAILY
19-03-2009

Armenian Genocide

Introduce Bipartisan Armenian Genocide Resolution

Legislation calling on the U.S. President to properly recognize
the Armenian Genocide was introduced today in the U.S. House of
Representatives, two weeks before President’s Obama’s April 5th trip to
Turkey and roughly a month before the White House’s annual April 24th
commemoration of this crime against humanity, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).

The measure, H.Res.252, is spearheaded by lead sponsors, Adam Schiff
(D-CA) and George Radanovich (R-CA) and Congressional Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), and cosponsored
by over 70 House colleagues. The resolution is identical to the
one introduced in both the House and Senate in the 110th Congress,
which was adopted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, over
intense pressure from the Turkish Government and Bush Administration,
and publicly endorsed by then-candidate for President Barack Obama,
his Vice President Joe Biden, and current Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton.

"Armenians in the U.S. and around the world thank Adam Schiff, George
Radanovich, Frank Pallone and Mark Kirk for leading Congressional
efforts toward U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide," said Aram
Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. "The election of Barack
Obama, who has spoken repeatedly, forcefully, and with great clarity
about the need for American recognition of the Armenian Genocide,
marked a truly welcome break from the flawed policies of the past on
this score. We look, in the coming days and weeks, for the President
to honor his pledge, to fully support this legislation, and to raise
the discourse in Washington, DC on the Armenian Genocide from level
of Turkey’s threats and denials up to the level of the core moral
and humanitarian values of the America people."

In the days leading up to the introduction of the Armenian Genocide
Resolution, Representatives Schiff, Radanovich, Pallone and Kirk
sent a letter to President Obama urging him to end the complicity
of past Administrations in Turkey’s genocide denial by properly
characterizing the Armenian Genocide. That sentiment was reiterated
by the International Association of Genocide Scholars, in a March
7th letter sent to President Obama.

The resolution comes six-weeks prior to April 24th, the worldwide
commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. U.S. Presidents have marked the
annihilation of 1.5 million Armenians from 1915-1923 by the Ottoman
Turkish government every year since 1994, though have refrained from
the proper characterization of this crime under threats and pressure
from the Turkish government.

"There is going to be heavy focus on encouraging President Obama to
make a strong statement of recognition on April 24, because it will
be important in setting the tone of the discussions on the Armenian
Genocide Resolution in Congress," Rep. Schiff told Armenian Weekly
Editor Khatchig Mouradian earlier today. "The Turkish lobby will
be spending millions — like they did in past years. They will also
argue that the recognition of the genocide will cut off reconciliation
between Armenia and Turkey, and that this is not the right time. The
truth is, after 94 years, if this is not the right time, I don’t know
when that right time can be."

Rep. Radanovich concurred, noting, "President Obama made a clear
promise to the Armenian community during his campaign and to do
anything short of properly recognizing the Armenian genocide as such
would be a direct slap in the face to Armenians around the world." In a
statement issued earlier today, he went on to note that "The Armenian
constituents in my district have been staunch advocates of the truth
and to them I promise not to give up this fight."

As Members of Congress prepared to introduce the Armenian Genocide
Resolution, thousands of Armenian American activists contacted their
legislators through phone, mail and the ANCA WebFax system urging
them to become early cosponsors of the legislation.

The Armenian Genocide legislation is expected to the referred to the
House Foreign Affairs Committee.