Author: Maghakian Mike

ELIF SHAFAK’S BOOK TO BE TRANSLATED INTO ARMENIAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.06.2007 16:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During a recent book fair in Saloniki Armenian
publishers reached agreement with Turkish counterparts on translation
of Elif Shafack’s The Bastard of Istanbul into Armenian, said
Vahan Khachatryan, chairman of the national association of Armenian
publishers.

The book describes the events of 1915-1917 as the Armenian Genocide.

Elif Shafak was charged of "insulting Turkishness" under Article
301 of the Turkish criminal code. In October 2006 the accusations
were dropped.

AS ARAM MAYILIAN AFFIRMED, PARLIAMENTARIANISM IS ON VERGE OF
DISAPPEARANCE IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, JUNE 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The May 12 elections were grave-diggers
of parliamentarianism: proceeding from the level of their holding, we
can conclude that parliamentarianism in on the verge of disappearance
in Armenia. Aram Mayilian, former Deputy of Supreme Council, stated at
the June 4 discussion. In his words, in general, presence of high-class
parliamentarianism is the evidence of high level of the nation, which
today cannot be registered in the respect of Armenia. In A. Mayilian’s
words, a sad situation has been formed especially in the home political
field: on the other hand, opposition’s liquidation has started, on the
other hand, a one-party system has been established, which, in its
turn, created a one-pole social system.

In the opinion of Alvard Petrosian, member of parliamentary faction of
ARFD, nothing will be so bad as oppositionists present this. Though, as
she mentioned, she is sorry for some experienced politicians’ having
been left out of the parliament, as their active deputy activity would
contribute to full formation of parliamentarianism.

Touching upon the current situation in the opposition field, A.
Petrosian said that "a whole nation is searching for opposition,"
which, as she affirmed, is the evidence of opposition’s defeat. "Did
you see some politicians escaping the opposition, and if these people
came to power, do you imagine would would happen?, the ARFD member
concluded.

SARKOZY SUGGESTS TO ESTABLISH MEDITERRANEAN UNION
By Petros Keshishian

AZG Armenian Daily
02/06/2007

French President Nikolas Sarkozy said in the interview to one of
the French periodicals that he supports the idea of establishing the
union of Mediterranean states.

He believes that the new union will be cooperate with the EU and will
shape joint structures in the future.

It’s likely that the new union may have also a political body,
i.e. the Mediterranean Council.

French President emphasized that one of the main issues of the union
will be the elaboration of a joint immigration policy, as well as
the economic and trade development, the shaping of legal states and
preservation of environment.

He added that the joint economic development might help establishment
of the Mediterranean Investment Bank.

According to the French President, the union will become an alternative
for Turkey’s membership to EU.

It’s worth mentioning that Mr. Sarkozy is against Turkey’s entrance
to EU, as he believes that Turkey is an Asian state.

Mr. Sarkozy is expected to make definite suggestions on the issue at
the EU Summit in Brussels on June 21-22.

STATE ACADEMIC CHOIR TO PERFORM CONCERTS AT SAINT GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR CHURCH AND IN ARTSAKH

Noyan Tapan
May 31 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 31, NOYAN TAPAN. The concert of the State Academic
Choir of Armenia dedicated to the 70th foundation anniversary of the
choir will take place at the Saint Gregory the Illuminator Church
(Surb Grigor Lusavorich) on June 2. As Karine Khodikian, the RA
Deputy Minister of Culture and Youth Issues stated at the May 30
press conference, the choir, headed by RA People’s Artist, conductor
Hovhannes Chekijian will perform models of spiritual choir music.

K. Khodikian mentiond that on the initiative of the Ministry the
choir will have concerts in Artsakh as well. Besides, a concert of
the State Chamber Orchestra of Armenia will take place in the yard
of the Ghazanchetsots church of Shoushi on the occasion of creation
of the Armenian Army and the 15th anniversary of the liberation of
Shoushi. Concerts will be held in Artsakh also by the "One Nation,
One Culture" fund.

In the Deputy Minister’s words, on the occasion of creation of the
Armenian Army and the 15th anniversary of liberation of Shoushi,
the Ministry implemented various events, including the "Victorious
kochari (Armenian national circular dance) in Shoushi" festival
of dance ensembles, a competition-exhibition of paintings and art
photos as well as a concert of the State Philharmonic Orchestra
of Armenia. K. Khodikian also stated that within the framework of
the events the Ministry gave 3478 books to the central library of
Stepanakert.

ANOTHER 520 SUBSCRIBERS USING DIAL-UP INTERNET CONNECTION RECEIVE BILLS FOR NOT MADE CALLS

Noyan Tapan
May 31 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 31, NOYAN TAPAN. Since November 2006, the Association
of Armenian Consumers has received complaints from 520 subscribers
using dial-up Internet connection services. According to complaints,
they received from ArmenTel company bills of the total amount of 67
million drams, whereas they actually did not made international phone
calls and a program of international calls started to function in their
computers after visting some websites. The chairman of the association
Armen Poghosian stated this at the May 31 press conference. Thanks
to efforts of their association, these bills were recognized as
invalid. According to him, the mode of actions of ArmenTel and the
RA Services Regulatory Commission does not give hopes that consumers
will be protected in such cases in the future.

To recap, in the period preceding March 2007, about 400 subscribers
applied to "Protection of Consumer Rights" NGO with complaints about
bills received for international phone calls they had not made. Also
to recap, in May 2006, such bills sent to another 400 subscribers
were recognized by court as invalid.

TURKEY PAYS MONEY FOR DENIAL OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN U.S.

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.06.2007 14:19 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ U.S. Department of Justice files obtained this week
by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) reveal details
about Turkey’s new lobbying contract with DLA Piper, including a
controversial – although not entirely surprising – provision that
seeks to prevent even "debate" in the United States on legislation
"that harms Turkey’s interests or image."

According to the contract, Turkey is to pay DLA Piper $1.2 million for
the year and an additional $750,000 to The Livingston Group, headed
by Robert Livingston, a former Congressional leader who resigned in
1998 after a personal scandal.

"These new Department of Justice filings reveal just how deeply Dick
Gephardt has sunk, compromising his integrity by turning against a
human rights issue he energetically supported as an elected Member
of Congress," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We are
especially troubled by the provision in the contract that seeks to
export Turkey’s Criminal Code Article 301 to the United States by
requiring DLA Piper to prevent even ‘debate’ on issues Turkey considers
harmful to its image. This requirement, which falls far outside the
American democratic tradition, is, sadly, entirely consistent with
Turkish government’s efforts to suppress freedom of expression by
criminalizing speech that ‘insults Turkishness.’"

As a member of the House, Gephardt cosponsored legislation recognizing
the Armenian Genocide, as recently as H.Res.193 in 2003, and dating
all the way back to H.J.Res.192, more than 20 years ago, during the
99th Congress, the ANCA reports.

FIFTH TRUCK CONVOY LEAVES RUSSIAN MILITARY BASE IN GEORGIA

RIA Novosti, Russia
May 29 2007

TBILISI, May 30 (RIA Novosti) – The fifth military convoy left a
Russian military base in Georgia Wednesday as part of a 2006 deal
on the withdrawal of Russian military bases from the South Caucasus
country, a spokesman for Georgia’s Defense Ministry said.

"The truck convoy crossed the Georgian border mid-afternoon Moscow time
(8.00 a.m. GMT) and headed to the Russian military base in Gyumri in
Armenia," the official said.

The Akhalkalaki base located in a region with largely ethnic Armenian
population will be completely withdrawn before the end of the year,
while the base in the Black Sea port of Batumi is to close by the
end of 2008.

Russia has agreed to dispatch five truck convoys and 10 trains to
withdraw the remaining equipment from the Akhalkalaki base by the
yearend.

Russia completed the pullout of its military garrison from the Georgian
capital, Tbilisi, handing over control of its headquarters to Georgia’s
Defense Ministry, last December.

Thirteen of the garrison’s 387 personnel will remain in Georgia
overseeing the withdrawal of Russia’s two Soviet-era bases.

Georgia’s Western-leaning leadership, which is seeking to join NATO, is
uneasy about Russia’s continued military presence, and has repeatedly
urged Moscow to close its Soviet-era bases.

BAKU TO HOLD MEETING OF MINISTERS OF EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY OF OIC

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 29 2007

The meeting of Education and technology Ministers of Organization
for Islamic countries will be held in Baku in 2008, deputy foreign
minister vagif Sadikhov told the press conference, APA reports.

Vagif Saikhov gave the detailed information on the 34th Session of
the Islamic Conference of Foreign ministers (ICFM) held in Islamabad
on May 15-17. He said the session accepted three resolutions on
Azerbaijan. One of them condemns Armenian occupation of Azerbaijan
territories, the other destruction of Azerbaijan cultural monuments
by Armenians. The third covers humanitarian-technical assistance to
Azerbaijan. According to Vagif Sadikhov since Azerbaijan’s joining
OIC this body always supported Azerbaijan’s position on Nagorno
Karabakh issue.

Organization for Islamic Conference was established in 1969.

Azerbaijan became OIC member in 1993.

PM SERGE SARGSYAN RECEIVED RAO UES CEO ANATOLY CHUBAIS

ArmRadio.am
29.05.2007 17:20

RA Prime Minister Sere Sargsyan received today the delegation headed by
Chief Executive Officer of RAO UES Anatoly Chubais, who is in Armenia
to participate in the sitting of the CIS Electric Energy Council.

Anatoly Chubais first congratulated RA prime Minister on holding
successful parliamentary elections and wished success to RA Government
and the Prime Minister. He presented to Serge Sargsyan the circle of
the questions discussed during the Council’s sitting. Anatoly Chubais
stressed the importance of the agreement on formation of a common
CIS energy market the Heads of Governments signed in Yalta recently.

Highly assessing the cooperation with Armenia in the sphere of energy,
CEO of RAO UES underlined that the company headed by him has always
felt the interested support of the Armenian authorities.

RA Prime Minister expressed willingness to continue the mutually
beneficial cooperation in the energy sphere, expressing his
appreciation for the creation of a common energy market.

At the request of the interlocutor, RA prime Minister presented the
state of Armenia’s economy, the results of the Government’s activity
during the recent years.

Day, Azerbaijan
May 26 2007

Azeri minister says peacekeepers to be deployed in Karabakh

26 May: Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov on Friday [25
May] spoke about plans for the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict over Nagornyy Karabakh.

"The sooner Armenian leadership understands that there is no
alternative to a peaceful solution to the conflict within territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan, the sooner an agreement will be reached. The
sooner the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict is settled, the better it will
be for Armenia, Azerbaijan and the region as a whole," Mammadyarov
stressed.

"The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan cannot be called into
question. The withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan and possibilities for displaced persons’
return to their homes are being discussed at the current stage of the
negotiations," he said.

He added that all the seven districts around Nagornyy Karabakh that
are currently under [Armenian] occupation should be returned to
Azerbaijan and no-one can doubt it.

According to the minister, the parties have reached an agreement on
the deployment of a peacekeeping force in a security zone. At the
same time, it is not known yet what countries will take part in
maintaining peace in the region.

"An opinion exists that the countries of the region and the countries
that co-chair the [OSCE] Minsk Group [mediating in the talks] should
not be represented in the peacekeeping contingent," Mammadyarov said.

He went on to add that a "reasonable width" of the Lacin [district
connecting Nagornyy Karabakh with Armenia] corridor should be ensured
for the security of Azerbaijani citizens.

He said: "A reasonable width means the security guarantee issue. The
Lacin road goes through mountains and in this case security of the
population and cargo transportation should be guaranteed. Why did we
agree to [the presence of] the peacekeeping force? Because that is
the issue of security for Azerbaijani population which will return
there. In this case, when we are speaking about the implementation of
this process, military experts should calculate from what places the
road can be and cannot be subject to shooting."

The main thing is to escape a risk of the resumption of hostilities,
he said.

Mammadyarov added that he would to the end keep to diplomatic efforts
in the Karabakh settlement. "However, everything depends on these or
other points," he said.