Author: Maghakian Mike

FRENCH GOVERNMENT DISTANCES ITSELF FROM ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
October 10, 2006 Tuesday 1:56 PM EST
DPA POLITICS France Diplomacy Turkey French government distances
itself from Armenian genocide bill Paris The French government on
Tuesday distanced itself from a bill, drawn up by the opposition
Socialist Party, that would make it a crime to deny that Turkey had
committed genocide against
the Armenian people more than 90 years ago.
The bill, which is to be examined Thursday in the National Assembly,
“does not involve the government” and “is not necessary,” foreign
ministry spokesman Jean-Baptiste Mattei told journalists in Paris.
The proposed law has provoked rage in Turkey, which has threatened
to carry out economic boycotts against French companies. In 2001,
bilateral relations suffered a similar setback when France passed a
law in which the murder of thousands of Armenians in the declining
days of the Ottoman Empire was characterized as “genocide.”
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday said the
proposed law was a blow against freedom of speech and that a “populist
and cheap game” was being played by French politicians.
“This wrong move will change nothing for Turkey but it will change
a lot for France … When did it become France’s duty to get involved
in a problem between Turkey and Armenia? The world is not a campus
for colonizers any more. That era is over,” Erdogan said.
It was not clear if the bill would receive enough votes to pass
through the National Assembly. On Thursday, the majority UMP party
said most of its deputies would not take part in the vote.
The dispute comes less than two weeks after French President Jacques
Chirac, on a visit to Armenia, said he wanted Turkey to admit
the Armenian genocide before it could join the European Union,
a condition no one else has ever set for Ankara.

BLOCKADE OF GEORGIA TO HAVE NO IMPACT ON ARMENIAN CARGO TRANSIT
PanARMENIAN.Net
11.10.2006 15:55 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The transport blockade imposed by Russia on Georgia
will have no impact in the transportation of Armenian cargo through
the Georgian territory, Vladimir Yakunin, the President of the Russian
Railways said at a briefing in Yerevan. In his words, the Armenian
cargo is being transported without any delay and problems. According
to Yakunin, Russia is interested in cargo volume increase and in
“delivering Armenia from extra difficulties in cargo transportation,”
reports Interfax. To note, the 44th sitting of the CIS and Baltic
Council of Railways under the presidency of Vladimir Yakunin started
in Yerevan today.

Armenian and Azeri FMs to Meet in Moscow Today
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.10.2006 13:19 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian and Azeri FMs V. Oskanian and
E. Mammadyarov will meet in Moscow. As Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE
MG for Nagorno Karabakh settlement Yuri Merzlyakov reported at a
news conference in Yerevan, later a meeting of Armenian and Azeri
Presidents is possible. “After the meeting of Armenian and Azeri FMs
speaking of a meeting of Armenian and Azeri Presidents is possible,”
OSCE MG French Co-Chair Bernard Fassier stated in his turn.

YOUTH TO PROVIDE FACTS ON ANTI-CRIMINAL
Panorama.am
17:52 05/10/06
Youth wings of several political parties discussed ways of combating
criminalism in Armenia. Narek Malyan, leader of youth wing of New Times
Party (Nor Jamanakner) said that education and military structures are
indirectly connected with criminalism and corruption. He suggested to
conduct a public opinion poll at the higher educational establishments
to decide the list of the most corrupt professors. Levon Lazarian,
minister of education and science, had said the ministry cannot ensure
the objectivity of the survey.
Naira Karapetyan, representative of People’s Party, suggested to take
actions. Another member of the same party suggested to establish a
youth analytical center that will unveil criminal cases and supply
information to Anti-criminal movement. /Panorama.am/

Baku for early settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
by Ksenia Kaminskaya
ITAR-TASS News Agency
October 5, 2006 Thursday
Azerbaijan hopes for an early settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, Elmar Mamedyarov, the Azerbaijani foreign minister,
told Itar-Tass on Thursday. He arrived in Moscow for talks on
Nagorno-Karabakh settlement with his Armenian counterpart Vartan
Oskanyan.
The Azerbaijani minister said, “Baku hopes the results in the
negotiating process will soon be achieved.” “We want changes and
specific arrangements,” he remarked. “The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh
is deteriorating.” “This should not be so,” Mamedyarov believes. “This
runs counter to the logic of international, regional and interstate
relations.”
At the same time, the minister believes “it is yet early to speak
about a meeting on Nagorno-Karabakh settlement at the summit level.”
“Much depends on the results of the talks in Moscow,” he noted.
“The presidents will be informed of the results, and it is for the
heads of state to decide when they should meet,” he said.

ACLU Sues DEA, Police Officers for Roughing Up Amtrak Passengers
THE TORCH, Fall 2006, Volume 41, Number 3
The Newsletter of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico
A drug enforcement agent and two police offices illegally searched
and roughed up an Armenian couple as the couple’s Amtrak train stopped
in Albuquerque on the afternoon of August 17, 2005.
During the search, one agent pulled bras and underwear from a
personal bag belonging to Diana Arutinova, smiling lasciviously as
the accompanying agents laughed and made coarse jokes. Arutinova and
her partner, Edgar Manukian, told the three agents they had nothing
illegal in their bags and to stop searching. The officers ignored
their wishes.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico sued the
officers on the couple’s behalf, claiming multiple violations of both
Arutinova’s and Manukian’s civil rights.
“This was a gross abuse of power,” said ACLU executive director
Peter Simonson. “The agents had Arutinova and Manukian at their
mercy and they used the opportunity to entertain themselves and to
terrorize the couple.”
Things went from bad to worse after the illegal search. Manukian
asked the officers for their names and badge numbers. Agent Jay
Perry pushed Manukian toward the train door and said, “You want my
name? What are you gonna do about it, —hole?”
Fearing for her husband’s safety, Arutinova stepped in between the
two men, but Perry grabbed her roughly by the arm and shook her so
hard that her head struck the wall. Perry then dragged Arutinova by
the arm back down the hallway toward the couple’s roomette, striking
her head against the wall two or three more times. He stopped only
when Arutinova began to scream.
Manukian took photos of the departing agents, but one officer noticed
the camera and the agents returned. Perry grabbed Manukian’s arm and
yelled, “What the hell are you doing taking pictures of us?
Give me that camera!” The agents seized the camera and walked away.
Simonson said, “Clearly the officers were trying to cover their tracks
by seizing the camera. The act was as cowardly as it was illegal.”
Zachary Ives and Martha Mulvaney of Freidman, Boyd, Daniel, Hollander
and Goldberg PA are litigating the case for the ACLU along with
ACLU staff attorney George Bach and ACLU Legal Director Phil Davis.
The case was filed in federal district court.
The counts against the officers include retaliation for protected
speech, excessive use of force, and unreasonable search and seizure.
The plaintiffs seek compensatory and punitive damages.

FIRST DEBATES ON CONSTITUTION INVOLVING POLITICAL FORCES
Srbuhi Vanian
Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
Oct 3 2006
On September 28 the National Assembly kicked off debates on the draft
Constitution of NKR. The first debates involved the representatives
of political forces and parliament factions. It should be noted that
this is going to be the first Constitution of our republic, and this
fact was appreciated by everyone present (independent from their
opinion about the draft). The debates were conducted by the chair
of the Defense, Security and Legality Committee Rudolf Martirosian,
the chair of the State and Legal Committee Yuri Hairapetian, and
the head of the Task Force on Constitution Armen Zalinian. Speaker
Ashot Ghulian was present too. The text of the draft Constitution was
presented to the members of parliament, organizations and political
parties several months ago, and they had time to study the draft and
come up with proposals and questions during the debates. The members
of parliament long discussed the draft and did not reach agreement
on the way of organizing the debates. Member of Parliament Maxim
Mirzoyan said it would be expedient to discuss every chapter of the
draft separately because it is the basic document of the country and
is intended for a long period. “There should be consistency in every
action. Especially in this case. We should not be afraid of not being
recognized. Let us shake off all the complexes and discuss it part by
part considering the regional, political and military peculiarities,”
he said. Everyone appeared to approve the proposal, but Ashot Ghulian
said the shortage of time may not allow this. “The debates, in fact,
must underlie the adoption of the Constitution, but we are obliged
to take into account the time. It does not depend on our desire
and wish,” said the speaker of the National Assembly. It became
known that the first reading of the draft will be in early October,
and it may be adopted at the end of the same month. In the middle
of the debates two or three people left the hall demonstratively,
and the remaining participants presented their proposals and
evaluations. The ARF Dashnaktsutyun put forward a number of questions
connected with the activities of the local governments (they say the
governors should be elected), human rights and civil rights. It was
mentioned that our system of government is saturated and certain posts
could be eliminated. Besides, it was emphasized that the parliament
majority should name the prime minister. Besides, an individual at a
government office should be a citizen of NKR. “This must be set down
in the Constitution to empower the parliament to give a vote of no
confidence to one minister or another,” said V. Balayan. A. Zalinian
said for the citizenship of a high-ranking government official that
thus the deep love and care of Armenians living outside the country
is doubted. Meanwhile, the adoption of the Constitution will provide
a quite new model of forming executive power to our state, where
the role of the National Assembly will be enhanced. A. Zalinian
elucidated the questions about territorial integrity and borders
put forward by A. Mosiyan. Edward Aghabekian, ARF Dashnaktsutyun –
Movement 88 Alliance wondered if the Constitution enables people to
elect their government and participate in the activities of these
authorities. Member of the Alliance A. Sargissian pointed out the
shortage of time as the greatest drawback in adopting the Constitution,
and proposed holding debates involving the political parties, which
are not represented in the parliament. “The Constitution must first
of all be written for us, for our life, not for displaying it to
the world. In my opinion, it should solve national and territorial
problems, sustain democracy, marking its viable forms for our country,
and decentralize policies,” he said.
Although there was disappointment (several members of parliament
left the hall), during the first debates Armen Zalinian called for
more responsible and balanced approach to the continuing debates on
the constitution. “The Constitution must be the product of efforts
by everyone of us, because it is our present and future,” he said.

ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS REMAIN UNDEVELOPED: ARMENIAN PRESIDENT
ARMINFO News Agency
September 30, 2006 Saturday
Armenian-Turkish relations remain undeveloped, Armenian President
Robert Kocharyan said during a joint press-conference with French
President Jacques Chirac.
He said that Armenia is interested in having a more predictable,
safe and democratic neighbor. In this light, we have no fears about
Turkey-EU membership talks, on the contrary, we would like to see
certain problems to be resolved in this process. Kocharyan hopes that
the system of values, respect for freedom of movement, open borders
and other values applied in Europe will cover Turkey too and not at
the end of the talks but from the very beginning.
In his turn, asked if Turkey will have to recognize the Armenian
Genocide to qualify for EU membership, Chirac said that each country
and nation can develop only if it realizes its past. By admitting its
acts against Jews Germany did not lose its grandeur and reliability,
on the country. A country seeking EU membership must respect human
rights as this is the top value in Europe. Turkey should think well
and recognize and condemn its past, Chirac said.

ARMENIAN BEAUTY TO REPRESENT ARMENIA AT BEAUTY CONTEST “MISS EUROPE JUNIOR- 2006” FOR THE FIRST TIME
ARMINFO News Agency
September 27, 2006 Wednesday
A 19-years-old Mariam Melyan will represent Armenia for the first
time at the Beauty Contest “Miss Europe Junior-2006”, to be held
October 14, 2006, in a Czech town of Liberec, the President of the
International Organizational Committee of “Miss & Mister World”
Contest, Ashot Khachatryan, said at yesterday’s press-conference.
A. Khachatryan noted that M. Melyan has underwent a difficult
selection round in July, 2006, with participation of 40 girls. The
main requirements, besides good physical data , included knowledge of
English, computer and Internet. Today M. Melyan leaves for Prague to
actively prepare for the coming Contest. Moreover, she will take part
in the Contest “Miss Talent” to be held in Tunis on September 30 –
October 6, 2006. Besides M. Melyan, the girls at the age of 20 from
30 countries of the world, including Russia, will participate in the
Contest “Miss Europe Junior- 2006”. To be noted, M Melyan is the only
representative of the Caucasian region in this Contest.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
Government House # 2, Republic Square
Yerevan 0010, Republic of Armenia
Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
27-09-2006
Minister Oskanian Meets with OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs
On September 26, Minister Oskanian met with the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group for the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
The interlocutors discussed the present state of the conflict settlement
process from the perspective of the new initiative introduced by GUAM and
included in the agenda of the 61-th Session of the UN General Assembly.
They also touched upon possible developments and resumption of the process.
Later that day, Minister Oskanian met with Nicholas Burns, US Under
Secretary of State for Political Affairs, and Sheikha Haya Rashed Al
Khalifa, President of the UN General Assembly.