Author: Karakhanian Suren

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Oct 5 2007

Prosperous Armenia Party comes out against withdrawal of Article 301
from Armenian Criminal Code

ArmInfo. The Prosperous Armenia Party doesn’t support the draft law
"On amending the Criminal Code of Armenia", which stipulates
withdrawal of Article 301 (calls of forced overthrow of the
constitutional system in Armenia) from the Criminal Code of Armenia.
To recall, the draft law was submitted for consideration of the
Armenian parliament in September by Heritage Party member Zaruhi
Postanjyan.

Aram Safaryan, a member of the parliamentary faction of Prosperous
Armenia, said at the Oct 5 press- conference at Pastark club that it
is wrong to withdraw this article only to "help some veterans of the
Karabakh war", namely Zhirayr Sefilyan, the leader of the Union of
Armenian Volunteers, and his companion-in-arms Vardan Malkhasyan.
They were arrested on Dec 9, 2007, on the suspicion of calls of
forced overthrow of the constitutional system in Armenia. "My opinion
is that there are no political prisoners in Armenia," the MP said.

ARMENIAN PHILATELIC UNION AND HAYPOST TO ORGANIZE MAJOR PHILATELY EXHIBIT

ARMENPRESS
Oct 05 2007

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 5, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian Philatelic Union will
organize a national philatelic exhibit from October 9 to 13, 2007 at
the Citadel Business Center in Yerevan. HayPost (Armenian Post) company
will play a major role as one of the primary sponsors for the event.

Hovin Musaelian, chairman of the Armenian Philatelic Union, told a
news conference today that the exhibit’s goal is to bring together
all Armenian philatelists, to restore the best traditions of the
past, to stir up interest in philately and to catch up with world’s
developments in philately.

The exhibit will be devoted to the 15th anniversary of first ever
stamp issued by the independent Republic of Armenia.

HayPost for its part will be organizing a special event each day
during the exhibit in order to celebrate a cultural or educational
landmark devoted to Armenians. During the day of the inauguration,
HayPost is panning to issue the first Tsitsernakaberd miniature
sheet devoted to the World Stamp Day. The date of the inauguration
(October 9) will also celebrate the World Post Day as celebrated by
all Universal Postal Union member states.

October 10, 2007 will be devoted to Armenian Youth.

HayPost will announce the results of the National Letter-Writing
Competition organized jointly by the UPU and UNESCO under the theme of
"Write a letter to someone to tell them why the world needs tolerance",
the winner of which will be sent to Berne, Switzerland in 2008 to
compete in the international competition.

On this same Youth Day, HayPost foresees to put into circulation the
Sparrow stamp, the author of which is 8-year-old Eva Karapetian.

HayPost will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Scout
Movement on October 11, 2007 during which it will issue a special
postmark in honor of the Scout Movement and the Europa 2007 stamp
which won the best stamp award during the PostEurop Europa 2007 stamp
competition on September 12, 2007.

October 12, 2007 will be devoted to the 50th anniversary of Matenadaran
the stamp of which is planned to be put into postal circulation. A
stamp devoted to Bagrat Nalbandian, plenipotentiary of the People’s
Commissar of the USSR Communication, is planned to put into postal
circulation on October 13.

RUSSIA STRENGTHENING POSITIONS AS ARMENIA’S MAJOR ECONOMIC COUNTERAGENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.10.2007 16:44 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Russian and Armenian Prime Ministers certified
in Moscow that the trade and economic cooperation between Armenia
and Russia has approached the level peculiar for military-political
relations, Russian Ambassador to Armenia, Nikolay Pavlov said.

"Russia is strengthening positions as Armenia’s major economic
counteragent. The trade index is growing, serious programs of
industrial cooperation are being developed," he said.

"The commodity turnover between our states has increased over 70
per cent against the last year’s index. Both sides are interested in
further development of bilateral trade. The Prime Ministers agreed on
delivery of Armenian building materials for construction of Olympic
facilities in Sochi," he noted.

"Export of Armenian building materials to Russia will become an impulse
for establishing efficient execution of the Kavkaz-Poti ferry line,"
Amb. Pavlov said, Novosti Armenia reports.

SOME DOCUMENTS REGARDING DINK MURDER DESTROYED BY POLICE

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.10.2007 18:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A file on Erhan Tuncel, one of suspects in Agos
editor Hrant Dink’s murder was destroyed, since it contained "state
secret."

During the previous court session, Dink family lawyer Erdal Dogan
demanded to make public these documents, however, the police security
service said they were destroyed.

The lawyers were aware of the contents of the file, but the court
did not have the possibility.

"This secret can’t be kept back from the court. It’s violation of
law and a legal scandal," said Dogan, RFE/RL reports.

Tuncel was a police’s stool-pigeon in Trabzon.

"GOLDEN APRICOT" IN SHOUSHI
By Haroutiun Khachatrian, Director of the international film festival "Golden Apricot"

AZG Armenian Daily
06/10/2007

On September 23-30, in Shoushi (Artsakh) the first festival
"Golden Apricot in Shoushi" was held on the initiative of the
"Golden Apricot" film festival foundation and under the patronage of
"Karabakh Telecom". The Chairman of Honor of the festival was the
Mayor of Yerevan Ervand Zakharian. The opening ceremony was held in
movie theatre "Yerevan" (Shoushi), reconstructed by means of "Shushi
Renaissance" foundation. More than 40 feature and documentary films of
"Golden Apricot" festival program were shown in "Yerevan".

"Shushi – Golden Apricot" 2007 film festival is not only a cultural
event. It has deeper meaning and intention, as it is held in a town
that has been a cultural center for centuries. Today Shoushi is
of a great importance as it carries the motto "The crossroads of
civilizations and cultures".

The aim of the festival in Artsakh is not only to continue
the film days; it’s already 4 years that we invite well-known
cinema professionals of different ethnic, national and religious
affiliations. Thanks to the festival our country becomes a tangible
territory, where we can discuss not only creative and cooperation
programs, but also present the past and the present of our country.

RICE TELLS TURKEY AGAIN: IRAN IS TROUBLE MAKER

The New Anatolian, Turkey
Sept 28 2007

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told Turkey that the Americans
consider Iran a trouble maker and hinted they are unhappy with the
growing energy cooperation between the two countries.

Turkey recently signed a deal with Iran to develop its rich natural
gas fields and also export Iranian gas to Europe through anew pipeline.

The warning by Rice came as she met with her Turkish counterpart
Ali Babacan on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly
meetings.

Turkish diplomatic sources said Babacan asked the U.S. to help end
PKK terrorism.

Babacan and Rice discussed Iraq and war on terror, draft resolutions
submitted to the U.S. Congress regarding the incidents of 1915,
Cyprus and the peace process in the Middle East.

According to sources close to the meeting Babacan also informed
Rice about the developments regarding the upcoming Istanbul meeting
of countries neighboring Iraq. Rice said that the U.S. pays utmost
attention to ending PKK terrorism not only in Iraq but everywhere in
the world. She also told Babacan that she will attend the Istanbul
meeting next month.

Babacan reminded Rice about the possible negative impact of
resolutions in the U.S. Congress on the incidents of 1915 may have on
Turkish-U.S. relations. Some congressmen influenced by the Armenian
lobby are trying to get the U.S. to recognize the 1915 incidents
as an act of genocide against Armenians by Turks. In return, Rice
assured Babacan that the U.S. administration is against the adoption
of such resolutions.

On Cyprus, Babacan reiterated Turkey’s views and touched on proposals
made by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President
Mehmet Ali Talat to speed up the Cyprus peace process through more
direct talks between the Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders instead
of waiting for the issues to be solved at the committee level.

In regard to Iran, Rice argued that Iran is a trouble making country.

"The Iranian nuclear topic is a serious problem," said Rice. Babacan,
on his part, stressed that Turkey does not want a nuclear power in
the region and that it abides by the resolutions of the U.N. Security
Council.

Finally, Rice informed Babacan on an upcoming conference on "Peace
in the Middle East" and stressed that the U.S. pays high attention
to Turkey’s views on Lebanon and Syria.

Other contacts

Babacan’s contacts in New York also covered talks with several
foreign officials.

In a meeting with the Belgian Foreign Minister Karel de Gucht Babacan
brought up the issue of terrorist Fehriye Erdal and said Erdal should
be tried again (in Belgium).

Sources said that de Gucht told Babacan that he is closely watching
the re-trial process of the terrorist. During the meeting with Babacan,
de Gucht also informed him that Belgium supports Turkey’s EU process.

Meeting Lavrov

In a meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov,
Babacan and Lavrov reiterated their commitments to a memorandum
of understanding signed by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and
Russian President Vladimir Putin, aiming to increase bilateral trade
volume to 25 billion USD.

Lavrov told Babacan that Russia is pleased with Turkey’s efforts to
re-activate the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).

Both Babacan and Lavrov touched on the importance of preserving Iraq’s
territorial integrity. "I will attend the Istanbul meeting of countries
neighboring Iraq, on October 31," noted Lavrov.

In regard to Cyprus, Lavrov said he supports a solution based on the
mission of good offices of the U.N. Secretary General.

In a meeting with the Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen, Babacan
requested that PKK activities in the Netherlands be forbidden.

Meanwhile, in a speech delivered at the meeting of the Group of Friends
of Alliance of Civilizations Initiative, Babacan said: "The Istanbul
Action Report prepared by high level officials of the initiative
makes important proposals to ease the tough relations between the
West and Islam. I am thankful to the high level representative of
the initiative –former Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio– and the
Group of Friends," Babacan noted.

Babacan also met Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, Secretary-General of the
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).

DIPLOMATS SHOULD "MAKE INVESTMENTS"

A1+
[02:11 pm] 28 September, 2007

September 28, 2007, RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan received the
representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Heads
of the Armenian diplomatic and consular corps serving abroad. They
gathered in Yerevan for the annual meeting.

The Prime Minister noted that after the successful conduct of the
parliamentary elections good opportunities have opened for presenting
our country abroad to the full and creating beneficial conditions.

For this purpose he emphasized the importance of the active work of
the diplomatic corps.

The Head of the Government drew the diplomats’ attention to two
main issues: to active work directed at the protection of rights of
RA citizens and RA companies overseas, and to the launch of a more
targeted activity on economic matters.

According to the Prime Minister, the Armenian Government is doing
its utmost to ensure favorable working conditions for our diplomatic
representatives abroad. Almost all suggestions of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs for 2008 have been taken into consideration and have
found reflection in the draft budget, Sargsyan said.

During the meeting the Prime Minister answered the questions the
diplomats were interested in and listened to their opinions related
to achievement of desired results in case of coordinated work with
the Government.

LEVON TER PETROSYAN: A MEANS OF GAINING POWER?

Panorama.am
21:17 27/09/2007

SIM president Hrand Khachatryan is not trying to make predictions
about Levon Ter Petrosyan’s return to the political arena, but places
importance on the clashes between political forces before the campaign
process kicks off, in other words the situation has to be where they
can easily orient the public. He also pointed out that those supporting
Ter Petrosyan are not looking at things in a temporal manner, but as a
means of gaining power. In other words, the purpose has again become
the toppling of the government, something which Khachatryan says he
won’t participate in. "I was one involved in the ANM movement, and
in the founding of the Republican party. I hope they’re not offended,
but I had immediate participation in those activities. Those issues,
which the parties named as part of their platform, have not been
realized. I repeat, every issue is part of the others, and some
are ranked as more important. After 1990, those issues, such as
the Karabakh issue, weren’t given their proper importance. There
were those who only put up obstacles," Khachatryan said. According
to Khachatryan, the concept of freedom was always important to the
ANM, but that they tried to do things too quickly, a kind of ‘market
therapy,’ as said by the first president during his speech, making
others wonder if ANM needs some help with the use of language.

OSKANIAN CONCERNED BY TER-PETROSIAN STATEMENT ON KARABAKH
By Anna Saghabalian and Astghik Bedevian

Radio Liberty, Czech Republic
Sept 27 2007

Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian expressed concern Thursday about
former President Levon Ter-Petrosian’s latest criticism of Armenia’s
policy towards the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, saying that it could
make Azerbaijan more intransigent.

In his first public speech in nearly a decade, Ter-Petrosian referred
on Friday to the unresolved state of the conflict as the "greatest
crime" committed by the current Armenian government. He said Azerbaijan
is less and less prepared to make concessions to the Armenian side
because of its soaring oil revenues, a large part of them channeled
into a military build-up.

"From now on, they will not agree to any concessions. I don’t know what
needs to be done to get out of this situation," stated Ter-Petrosian.

"The Karabakh problem concerns all of us, the entire nation, and we
must be really careful in our statements to avoid giving Azerbaijan
more reason to toughen its position," Oskanian said, commenting on
the remarks. "I am concerned that the recently made statement may
have such a consequence."

Samvel Nikoyan, a senior member of the governing Republican Party
(HHK), went farther, accusing Ter-Petrosian, widely acclaimed in
Azerbaijan for his more conciliatory line, of seeking to create a
"mood of defeatism and panic" in Armenia. He also said Ter-Petrosian
will stand no chance of returning to power if he decides to contest
next year’s presidential election.

"The public wants to see a person with a strong will hold the post of
president," Nikoyan told a news briefing. "Woe to the country whose
president can be forced by his ministers to step down."

Ter-Petrosian was forced to resign in early 1998 under pressure from
his key administration members, including then Prime Minister Robert
Kocharian, for advocating an international peace plan on Karabakh
which they rejected as "defeatist." The plan put forward by the OSCE
Minsk Group called for the liberation of most of the Armenian-occupied
Azerbaijani districts around Karabakh and would indefinitely delay
agreement on the disputed region’s status.

Kocharian and his allies stood for a "package" peace accord that
would recognize and legitimize Karabakh’s secession from Soviet
Azerbaijan. But that did not prevent the Kocharian administration
from largely accepting the Minsk Group’s existing peace proposals
that also envisage a gradual settlement of the dispute

Oskanian and other Armenian officials have argued that unlike the 1997
peace deal advocated by Ter-Petrosian, those proposals stipulate that
Karabakh’s status will be determined in a referendum to be eventually
held in the Armenian-populated territory. Ter-Petrosian allies counter
that they set no time frame for the holding of such a referendum and
do not specify its practical modalities.

Oskanian also confirmed on Thursday that he and Azerbaijan’s Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov will hold separate talks with the Minsk
Group’s U.S., French and Russian co-chairs on the sidelines of the UN
General Assembly in New York next week. He said the talks will be a
"continuation of what the co-chairs presented to Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Karabakh during their last visit" to the conflict zone.

"Particularly interesting will be Azerbaijan’s response to that,"
he added without elaborating.

The mediators toured the conflict zone last week without announcing
an agreement on a fresh meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani
presidents. They hope that the two leaders will make another attempt
to cut a framework peace deal before the presidential elections due
in both Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2008.

While in New York, Oskanian will also meet with Turkey’s new Foreign
Minister Ali Babacan. "The main question for us will be whether
there will be changes in Turkish policy towards Armenia after the
re-appointment of the [Turkish] government with a new mandate," he
told journalists. "Armenia’s position remains the same: to normalize
[Turkish-Armenian] relations without preconditions."

KARABAKH ISSUE CANNOT BE MANIPULATED

Lragir, Armenia
Sept 27 2007

The Karabakh issue cannot be manipulated in the pre-election period,
stated Member of Parliament Samvel Nikoyan, secretary of the Republican
faction, who held a news conference on September 27 at the Pastark
club. He made this statement in commenting on the September 21 speech
of the ex-president Levon Ter-Petrosyan.

Samvel Nikoyan says Ter-Petrosyan should not have made such pessimistic
statements regarding the Karabakh issue because such statements allow
Azerbaijan to highlight its superiority and make its stance tougher.

"In Azerbaijan the pubic does not trust their army and are not
convinced that it will succeed in case a war starts. Meanwhile, the
statements by the Armenian politicians about our weakness change it
and complete the foe’s propaganda against us," Samvel Nikoyan says.

He emphasized that after the war there was progress towards the
settlement of the Karabakh conflict. "At that time Azerbaijan waged
a war, now it is confined to void statements. As to their stance,
now it is even milder than before," Samvel Nikoyan thinks.