Author: Khoyetsian Rose

INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION
PRESS RELEASE

Armenian poll demonstrates progress, observers say

YEREVAN, 13 May 2007 – In a joint statement today, the International
Election Observation Mission for the 12 May parliamentary elections in
Armenia concluded that the elections demonstrated improvement from
previous ones and were largely in accordance with international
commitments, although some issues remain unaddressed.

The mission commended steps taken by the Armenian authorities to address
serious shortcomings, including amendments to the Election Code. The
election campaign was dynamic with extensive media coverage. Election
day was calm, with no major incidents reported, but a few cases of fraud
schemes were observed. Some procedural problems arose during the count
and tabulation of votes as well as isolated cases of deliberate
falsifications.

Some 100 parliamentarians and 300 short-term observers monitored the
elections for the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human
Rights, OSCE/ODIHR, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, OSCE PA, the
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, PACE, and the European
Parliament, EP.

"These elections were a clear improvement and that is good for Armenian
democracy", said Tone Tingsgaard, Special Co-ordinator of the short-term
election observers and Vice President of the OSCE PA. "Now, more work is
needed to further consolidate this young democracy. That will require
joint effort and will by all political forces. I hope we will see that
happen in the years ahead."

Leo Platvoet, Head of the PACE delegation said: "We congratulate the
Armenian people on showing the will to hold democratic elections. Some
challenges remain, such as intertwining between political and business
interests and improvements are still needed to the electoral complaints
procedure. The Council of Europe and its Assembly continue to stand
ready to assist Armenia in this process."

"With their participation in these elections, Armenian citizens have
made a further step towards European democratic values as foreseen and
promoted by the EU Neighborhood Policy. The EU delegation encourages the
Armenian people to continue in this direction in view of forthcoming
elections", said Marie Anne Isler Beguin, who headed the EP delegation.

"Hopefully this election will contribute to restoring the trust of
voters in the election process", concluded Ambassador Boris Frlec, Head
of the OSCE/ODIHR long-term mission. "But the election is not over. We
will continue to follow the post-election developments; only once they
have been concluded, will we have the full picture."

The election authorities generally worked efficiently and were well
prepared for election day. For the first time there was a central and
computerized voter register. Amendments to the Election Code provided
that women constitute at least 15 percent of each party/bloc list.

In its statement, the mission noted that the separation of state and the
ruling party appeared less than distinct in the campaign.

Concerns remain, including gaps in the regulatory framework for
elections, inconsistencies and legal contradictions. Furthermore,
authorities were slow or non-responsive in correcting irregularities in
the election process.

For further information:
Klas Bergman, OSCE PA, tel.: +374 93 733 292, [email protected]

Urdur Gunnarsdottir, OSCE/ODIHR, tel.: +374 93 732 723, [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>

Bas Klein, PACE, tel.: +374 91 458 948, [email protected]

Pietro Ducci, European Parliament, tel.: +374 94 711 828
[email protected]

Ref. 309a07

ARMENPRESS

INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS SAY ARMENIAN POLLS DEMONSTRATE PROGRESS

YEREVAN, MAY 13, ARMENPRESS: In a joint statement
today, the International Election Observation Mission
for the 12 May parliamentary elections in Armenia
concluded that the elections demonstrated improvement
from previous ones and were largely in accordance with
international commitments, although some issues remain
unaddressed.
The mission commended steps taken by the Armenian
authorities to address serious shortcomings, including
amendments to the Election Code. The election campaign
was dynamic with extensive media coverage. Election
day was calm, with no major incidents reported, but a
few cases of fraud schemes were observed. Some
procedural problems arose during the count and
tabulation of votes as well as isolated cases of
deliberate falsifications.
Some 100 parliamentarians and 300 short-term
observers monitored the elections for the OSCE Office
for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
(OSCE/ODIHR), the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE
PA), the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (
PACE), and the European Parliament (EP).
"These elections were a clear improvement and that
is good for Armenian democracy,", said Tone
Tingsgaard, the Special Co-ordinator of the short-term
election observers and Vice President of the OSCE PA.
"Now, more work is needed to further consolidate
this young democracy. That will require joint effort
and will by all political forces. I hope we will see
that happen in the years ahead."
Leo Platvoet, the Head of the PACE delegation,
said: "We congratulate the Armenian people on showing
the will to hold democratic elections. Some challenges
remain, such as intertwining between political and
business interests and improvements are still needed
to the electoral complaints procedure. The Council of
Europe and its Assembly continue to stand ready to
assist Armenia in this process."
Marie Anne Isler Beguin, who headed the EP
delegation, said: "With their participation in these
elections, Armenian citizens have made a further step
towards European democratic values as foreseen and
promoted by the EU Neighborhood Policy. The EU
delegation encourages the Armenian people to continue
in this direction in view of forthcoming elections."
Ambassador Boris Frlec, the Head of the OSCE/ODIHR
long-term mission, said: "Hopefully this election will
contribute to restoring the trust of voters in the
election process. But the election is not over. We
will continue to follow the post-election
developments; only once they have been concluded, will
we have the full picture."
The election authorities generally worked
efficiently and were well prepared for election day.
For the first time there was a central and
computerized voter register. Amendments to the
Election Code provided that women constitute at least
15 percent of each party/bloc list.
In its statement, the mission also noted that the
separation of State and the ruling party appeared less
than distinct in the campaign.
Concerns remain, including gaps in the regulatory
framework for elections, inconsistencies and legal
contradictions. Furthermore, authorities were slow or
non-responsive in correcting irregularities in the
election process.

Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
May 11 2007

Spokesman for the Armenian President urged not to forget the
principle of preservation of friendly-neighborly relations between
the OSCE member-states

Yerevan, May 11. /Mediamax/. The Spokesman for the Armenian President
Viktor Soghomonian urged today not to forget the principle of
preservation of friendly-neighborly relations between the OSCE
member-states.

Viktor Soghomonian said this, commenting today on Mediamax’s request
on the statement of the Spokeswoman of the OSCE Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Urdur Gunnarsdottir, who said
that the refusal to receive the Turkish observers `evidences the
insufficient transparency of the pre-election campaign in Armenia’.

`The official representative of the Armenian Foreign Ministry has
already commented on this issue. In conditions of absence of
diplomatic relations between our countries, the initiative to send
observers really looks strange. What concerns the statement of the
OSCE ODIHR Spokeswoman, in particular, the statement on `the
violation of an important principle of OSCE’, in this case one should
mention another principle not of less importance as well, the
principle of preservation of friendly-neighborly relations between
the OSCE member-states. I am sure that only in this context the
picture will be full’, Viktor Soghomonian stated in an interview to
Mediamax.–0–

Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
May 12 2007

Artur Baghdasarian stated that in case transparent elections are
held, `Orinats Yerkir’ will have weighty grounds to hope for victory

Yerevan, May 12. /Mediamax/. Leader of the `Orinats Yerkir’ party
Artur Baghdasarian stated in Yerevan today that in case transparent
elections are held, his party will have weighty grounds to hope for
victory.

Mediamax reports that Artur Baghdasarian refrained from naming the
percentage of votes, which the `Orinats Yerkir’ party hopes for,
urging to wait for the conclusion of the elections and the
vote-count.

He noted that the party `attentively follows the pre-election
campaign with the help of its 6000 proxies’.

Artur Baghdasarian stated that `during the pre-election campaign the
pro-governmental parties had incontestable advantages’ and urged them
`not to rape the voice of the people’.–0–

CONSTRUCTION GROWS BY 16.4% IN ARMENIA IN JANUARY-MARCH 2007 ON SAME
MONTHS OF 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 11, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-March 2007, construction work
of 32 bln 243 mln drams (about 89.6 mln USD) was done in Armenia,
including construction of production facilities of 23 bln 485 mln
drams. Building and assembly work accounted for 26 bln 596.9 mln drams
of the indicated amount of work, including building and assembly work
of production facilities of 18 bln 324.2 mln drams.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, construction in
January-March 2007 grew by 16.4% on the same period of 2006, including
a 18.2% growth of building and assembly work.

Construction of 93% of the total area of residential buildings put into
operation in January-March 2007 was done with funds of the population,
7% – with funds of organizations.

ARTUR BAGHDASARIAN STATED THAT IN CASE OF FALSIFICATION OF THE RESULTS OF ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA, HE WILL STAND IN THE FIRST LINES OF THE PROTESTERS

Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
May 10 2007

Yerevan, May 10. /Mediamax/. Chairman of the "Orinats Yerkir" Party
(OYP) Artur Baghdasarian stated in Yerevan today that in case of
falsification of the results of parliamentary elections, he will
stand in the first lines of the protesters.

"On the whole, we are concerned by the concluding pre-election
campaign, as we were deprived of equal access to the TV broadcasting
time and the opportunity to place outside advertisements", Baghdasarian
stated, speaking at a news conference in Yerevan today.

Mediamax reports that the leader of OYP stated that "the TV
broadcasting time was filled up by the reports on the pre-election
meetings of the Republican Party of Armenia, the "Prosperous Armenia"
and "Dashnaktsutiun" parties".

Artur Baghdasarian stated that dirty technologies were used against the
"Orinats Yerkir" Party, whereas the party itself "was busy exclusively
by presenting its pre-election program and did not strive to slender
anyone and earn dividends by that".

Leader of OYP stated that the "bribes of electors in Armenia obtained
mass character, but no one underwent criminal penalty for that".

Artur Baghdasarian condemned the dispersal of the "peaceful procession
of the demonstrators" by the "Karabakhi red berets" in the evening
of May 9.

He stated that "Orinats Yerkir" will be attentively following
the authenticity of the lists of electors, the elections and the
vote-counts. Over 6 thousand proxies of the party will be present
in the polling stations, the video-taping of the vote-counts will be
carried out in over 500 polling stations, Artur Baghdasarian informed.

On completion of the voting process, the OYP will make a political
statement.

"We are ready to accept the results of fair elections, but we will
say our resolute "no" to the falsifiers and electoral crimes", Artur
Baghdasarian stated, urging the media, the local and international
observers to attentively follow the process of vote-count.

ARMEN AGHAYAN: VARDAN MALKHASIAN ENJOYS SUPPORT OF ALL OPPOSITIONISTS AT ELECTORAL DISTRICT N 14

Noyan Tapan
May 10 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. "I qualify the decision of Appeal Court
as evidently illegal and self-willed," lawyer Mushegh Shushanian
stated on May 10 at Azdak club commenting upon the May 2 decision
of Appeal Court on Criminal Cases to leave in force the decision
of first instance court about prolonging the term of keeping under
custody member of Consolidation of Armenian Volunteers initiative
Vardan Malkhasian up to June 10.

To recap, it’s already the third time the court prolonges the term of
keeping under custody the defendant making appeals for overthrowing
RA constitutional order by force.

In lawyer’s words, "this once more shows that we have no independent
judicial power." M. Shushanian said that both first instance court
and Appeal Court disregarded the circumstances of their defendant’s
being deprived of possibility of implementing full-value election
campaign for May 12 parliamentary elections and being registered by
majoritarian system at electoral district N 14 of Aragatsotn region.

Armen Aghayan, Political Secretary of Defence of Liberated
Territories public initiative and empowered person Ashot Hakobian
said that candidate for deputy’s post V. Malkhasian has done a
large-scale agitation activity and expects "high result" at the May
12 elections. "Opposition’s unification, which failed at the level of
Armenia, took place, in fact, at electoral district N 13, as at the
moment Vardan enjoys support of all oppositionists," A. Aghayan said.

TWO-MONTH IMPRISONMENT TO FORMER MINISTER OF FOREGN AFFAIRS

Panorama.am
19:21 10/05/2007

The first instance Court of Kentron and Nork-Marash communities met
the NSS claim on two-month imprisonment of former Minister of Foreign
Affairs Alexander Arzumanyan. NSS press secretary, Artsvik Baghramyan,
informed Panorama.am about this. It should be noted that as of today
A. Arzumanyan’s arrest lasts already 72 hours.

Earlier the NSS press service informed that as a result of NSS
investigation activities it became clear that during the period from
April 24, 2007 to April 26, 2007 initiators of "Civil disobedience
movement" former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alexander Arzumanyan,
and former Deputy Minister of Defense Vahan Shirkhanyan, being in
Moscow city of RF came to agreement with Levon Grigor Markos, RF
citizen, being under investigation by the criminal case N 62205103 of
the Prosecutor’s Office for financial frauds and pursuing special
aim in Armenian pre-election period, regarding organization of
transference and legalization of money of suspicious origin. It was
fixed particularly that on April 27, 2007 USD 180,000 was transferred
from Moscow by name of 9 placemen, which in fact was envisaged for
them. Criminal proceeding was instituted due to the fact according to
the features of the 3rd part of article 190 of RA Criminal Code. Within
the framework of the criminal case as a result of investigations
conducted in the mentioned persons’ apartments great sum of money
was found in foreign currency.

The case is in the proceedings of NSS Investigation Department.

TURKEY UNEASY OVER SARKOZY WIN, BUT HOPES FOR PRAGMATISM

Turkish Press
May 7 2007

ANKARA – Nicolas Sarkozy’s election victory gives Turkey another
reason to worry about its EU bid, but many here believe that once
the new French president takes office, his pragmatism will outweigh
his hostility to Ankara’s membership.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan voiced hopes Monday that the French
leader would soften his position on Turkey’s European aspirations.

"We hope we will not see in our bilateral relations from now on the
same attitudes that Sarkozy displayed during his election campaign
regarding our European Union (accession) process and Turkish-French
ties," Erdogan said.

Sarkozy is staunchly opposed to Turkey joining the 27-member bloc,
arguing that most of Turkey’s territory is in Asia and that the idea
of a united Europe would be diluted if its borders stretch that far.

He instead advocates a "privileged partnership" between the EU and
Turkey rather than full membership for the sizeable mainly Muslim
nation.

Political commentator Dogu Ergil suggested Sarkozy could follow the
example of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was also opposed to
Turkey’s accession, but said she would abide by existing agreements
between Ankara and Brussels once she took office in 2005.

Sarkozy had displayed a "certain opportunism in addressing the
worries and fears of French voters," Ergil said. "But once elected,
politicians become statesmen and can no longer be personal."

The mass-selling Milliyet newspaper echoed the same hope.

Sarkozy’s election "will increase the potential of already chilly
Turkish-French ties to worsen… But it is not impossible for Sarkozy,
who is more of a pragmatic politician than an ideologue, to change
his stance once he becomes president."

Questioned as to the possible impact of Sarkozy’s election, European
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso indicated no change in the
EU’s negotiations with Ankara.

"We negotiate with Turkey on the basis of a mandate that was decided
unanimously… We recommend to member states only to take a decision
on whether or not Turkey should join based on the results of these
negotiations," Barroso said.

But some Turkish analysts remain pessimistic.

"The conditions that were applied to the central European countries
are no longer working with Turkey… Sarkozy’s election marks the
arrival of the moment of truth when this de facto situation will
transform into a legal one," EU expert Cengiz Aktar said.

"Turkey’s accession talks appear to be going on but the process
risks to halt officially in 2009 with the campaign for the European
Parliament elections," he said, adding that Sarkozy "will be probably
the one to hammer the last nail into the coffin of Turkish-EU
relations."

In December, the EU froze talks with Turkey in eight of the 35 policy
areas that candidates are required to complete, over Ankara’s rejection
to grant trade priviliges to arch-rival Cyprus.

Turkey has managed to open only two chapters since it won the green
light for talks in October 2005. It cannot formally close any chapter
until the Cyprus dispute is resolved.

Foreign affairs expert Semih Idiz described Sarkozy as a "coarse
representation of the basic fears and concerns of the French people"
on issues such as the integration of Muslims and immigrants as well
as Turkey’s eventual EU membership.

"The rise of a Muslim-populated country and the possibility of it
having an equal say with France in the EU cannot be easy to swallow
for ‘sugar-coated crypto-fascists’," he wrote in Milliyet.

Turkish-French ties have also been poisoned by France’s recognition
of the massacre of Armenians between 1915 and 1918 in the dying days
of the Ottoman Empire as an act of genocide.

According to the Turkish press, Sarkozy also said that if he was
elected president, he would sign into law a bill, passed in the
National Assembly in October, that makes it a jailable offense to
deny the killings were genocide — a label Ankara fiercely rejects.

ARMENIE-TURQUIE : DES AVOCATS CHERCHENT DES DESCENDANTS DE VICTIMES DU GENOCIDE

Agence France Presse
7 mai 2007 lundi 6:07 PM GMT

Des avocats americains qui ont obtenu de l’assureur francais Axa
une indemnisation de 17 millions de dollars pour les descendants de
victimes du genocide armenien ont appele lundi lors d’une conference
de presse a Paris d’eventuel heritiers a se manifester pour obtenir
des indemnisations.

Les avocats californiens d’origine armenienne Mark Geragos, Vartkes
Yeghiayan et Brian S. Kabateck avaient obtenu en octobre 2005 cette
decision au terme d’une mediation menee en Californie entre AXA et
ces descendants qui avaient lance une action judiciaire civile en
nom collectif ("class action").

Aux termes de cet accord, Axa versera notamment trois millions de
dollars a des organisations caritatives armeniennes en France et 11
M USD dans un fonds d’indemnisation des descendants des victimes.

Les avocats ont precise que la liste des noms de personnes
ayant souscrit une police d’assurance-vie avant le genocide
de 1915 est publiee dans l’internet depuis le mois dernier
().

Le s descendants de rescapes du genocide ont jusqu’au 1er octobre
pour se manifester et faire savoir que l’un de leurs ancetres figure
sur la liste publiee dans l’internet, ce qui leur donne droit a une
indemnisation.

"C’est très important que tous les Armeniens du monde regardent cette
liste et disent si leurs ancetres s’y trouvent", a declare Brian S.
Kabateck.

Les montants d’indemnisation peuvent varier en fonction de la police
souscrite a l’epoque, "des petites polices", selon les avocats qui
precisent que la somme d’origine, selon les termes de l’accord,
pourra etre multipliee par 17,5. Dans certains, cas la somme allouee
devra etre partagee entre plusieurs membres d’une meme famille.

Un accord similaire a deja ete signe avec la compagnie americaine
New York Life en 2000 pour 20 millions d’euros.

Par ailleurs, les trois avocats presents lundi a Paris ont indique
qu’ils devaient se rendre a Berlin mardi pour y rencontrer un
responsable du gouvernement allemand pour discuter d’une autre
procedure visant la Deutsche Bank.

Dans cette plainte deposee a l’origine en 2004 a Los Angeles, les
avocats qui representent des Americains d’origine armenienne demandent
a la Deutsche Bank la restitution d’argent depose sur des comptes en
banque avant 1915 et ayant appartenu a des victimes du genocide.

Interroges sur les sommes en question, les avocats ont indique qu’il
etait "difficile de les evaluer etant donne que la Deutsche Bank a
refuse de (les) laisser acceder aux archives".

Les massacres et deportations d’Armeniens entre 1915 et 1917 dans
les dernières annees de l’Empire ottoman, auquel a succede en 1923
la Republique de Turquie, ont fait plus de 1,5 million de morts selon
les Armeniens.

De son côte, la Turquie conteste la notion de genocide.

–Boundary_(ID_/TqaJNGMnI0O+plmK2fI+Q)- –