Has Tanya Been Captured?

A1+

HAS TANYA BEEN CAPTURED?
[04:19 pm] 02 February, 2007

The status of Armenian businessmen Merouzhan Karoyan
and Armen Uzunyan arrested three days ago is still the
same.

Head of the regional police of Samtskhe-Javakhq Kakha
Legashvili said in a telephone conversation with the
correspondent of «Javakhq-Info» that at this moment he
can say nothing except that the two businessmen are
accused of kidnapping a certain Tanya living in
Batumi.

Let us remind you that on January 30 at about 05:00
p.m. the special forces of the Akhalqalaq police
attacked the house of Merouzhan Karoyan and arrested
him and his friend Armen Uzunyan.

About 1000 residents of Akhalqalaq tried to create a
picket and prevent the transportation of the
businessmen to Akhaltskha. Nevertheless, the soldiers
of the special forces fired at the people.

Javakhq-Info

Deficit of 15.4 Million AMD

A1+

DEFICIT OF 15, 4 MILLION AMD
[04:28 pm] 01 February, 2007

The incomes of the RA 2006 State budget surpassed 438.7 milliard AMD,
whereas the expenses were over 454.1 milliard AMD.

To note, in comparison with the 2005 data, the income has increased by
17.6%, that’s to say by 65.8 milliard AMD. It is due to mention that
the taxes and duties increased by 62.4 milliard AMD and the income of
capital circulation – by 3.6milliard AMD.

According to the press service of the Ministry of Finance and Economy,
the income tax of the RA state budget was 35.5 milliard AMD which
exceeds the index of the previous year by 33.3% or 8.9 AMD. The key
sources of the growth were the incomes accumulated from the payments
and commitments of working contracts.

Over 95.2 milliard AMD was allotted from the state budget to the
compensation of the interior debt and over 3.8milliard – to the
exterior debt. The expenses of the state debt lessened 9.1% in
comparison with the 2005 index.

Over 17.1 milliard AMD was allotted to crediting, 16.1 milliard of
which was allotted to the NKR. Credits of over 1.2 milliard AMD were
returned to the state budget, 327.9 million of which was paid back by
Georgia.

On the whole, the RA 2006 state budget was completed with a deficit of
15.4milliard AMD.

Putin: Don’t shift your burden on us

Putin: Don’t shift your burden on us

ArmRadio.am
01.02.2007 17:35

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared at today’s press conference
that the Russian military base in Armenia is not a threat to any
country of the region.

`The Russian military base in Armenia is not targeted against the
interests of any country of the region, including Azerbaijan.

Turning to the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, Vladimir Putin
mentioned that `it is an open question, but Russia is trying to help
both Armenia and Azerbaijan to find a mutually acceptable solution.’

`But it should be your decision. We cannot impose the ways out of this
situation on anyone, since if we try to do that, if we try to impose
any solution, we shall spoil our relations with either the Armenian or
Azerbaijani people,’ said Vladimir Putin.

`Don’s shift your burden on us. You should find a mutually acceptable
solution yourself,’ the Russian President added.

Nobel Winner Pamuk Flies To New York After Cancelling German Trip

German Press Agency
Feb 1 2007

Nobel Winner Pamuk Flies To New York After Cancelling German Trip

Nobel Literature Prize-winning novelist Orhan Pamuk flew to New York
on Thursday, a day after cancelling a promotional trip to Germany and
belgium citing security fears, the Anadolu news agency reported.

Pamuk, 54, has received threats from Turkish nationalists. The
newspaper Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger said his German publisher confirmed
that a national tour set to begin with an honorary doctorate award at
the Free University of Berlin this Friday had been called off.

It said Pamuk was concerned after the assassination last month of
Hrant Dink, an ethnic Armenian journalist in Turkey. Experts said he
was not in greater danger in Germany than in Turkey, but put himself
at risk by leaving his home.

Pamuk was awarded the world’s most prestigious literature prize for
his novels, mostly set in Istanbul. A bid to prosecute him for
insulting "Turkishness" was dropped on a technicality early last
year.

Anadolu reported that in the United States Pamuk would make addresses
to various universities.

BAKU: Safar Abiyev: Armenia will never annex Azeri lands

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Feb 1 2007

Safar Abiyev: Armenia will never annex Azeri lands

[ 01 Feb. 2007 18:37 ]

Azerbaijani Defense Minster, Colonel-General Safar Abiyev received
the delegation led by Deputy Commander of Military Academies of
Turkey, General Selahattin Ugurlu, Defense Ministry press service
told the APA.

Giving information about Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict the minister
said that because of Armenia’s destructive position the problem can
not be solved.
`Armenia intends to annex Nagorno Karabakh and 7 occupied regions.
But Armenia will never achieve its goal,’ he said.
Safar Abiyev also gave information about successful transition of
Azerbaijani Armed Forces to NATO standards. The Minister stressed the
importance of Turkish Armed Forces in the development of Azerbaijani
Armed Forces.
In his turn Ugurlu noted that Azerbaijani Armed Forces have
developed.
Military Attaché of Turkish Armed Forces to Azerbaijan Seyhan Ceyhan
also participated in the meeting. /APA/

Parliamentary election schedule endorsed in Armenia

Mediamax, Armenia
Feb 1 2007

PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION SCHEDULE ENDORSED IN ARMENIA

Yerevan, 1 February: The Central Electoral Commission (CEC) today
endorsed the schedule of main events to prepare for and hold the
election to Armenia’s National Assembly to be held on 12 May.

The accreditation of observers will be carried out until 2 May.
Documents related to the nomination of parliamentary candidates under
the first-past-the-post system and by party lists are to be submitted
from 26 February by 1800 [1400 gmt] on 3 March, while documents for
their registration are to submitted by 1800 on 28 March.

Candidates, party lists and blocs will be registered between 2 and 7
April. The election campaign will run from 8 April to 10 May.

The publication of the ratings of parliamentary candidates, parties
and blocs ahead of the election will be banned from 5 May until the
end of voting which will be held from 0800 to 2000 [0400-1600 gmt] on
12 May.

The electoral register by polling stations will be posted on the CEC
website before 2 April. Updated voter lists will be posted at polling
stations on 10 May. Ballot papers are planned to be printed between 3
and 9 May.

The final number of voters coming to the polls is to be made public
at 1000 [0600 gmt] on 13 May. The preliminary election results under
the first-past-the-post system will be made public at 1400 [1000 gmt]
on 13 May, while under party lists – at 2000 [1600 gmt] on the same
day.

The final election results are to be made public by 19 May.

Nationalistes Turcs relevent la tete, apres l’assassinat de H Dink

Le Monde, France
1 février 2007 jeudi

TURQUIE QUESTION ARMÉNIENNE;
Les nationalistes turcs relèvent la tête, après l’assassinat de Hrant Dink

Sophie Shihab

Dix jours après l’assassinat, le 19 janvier, de Hrant Dink, qui
suscita en Turquie une vague de solidarité sans précédent avec son
combat pour le dialogue arméno-turc, ce sont les réactions des
nationalistes dans le " pays profond " et les ombres dans l’enquête
qui font débat dans le pays. Furieux du slogan " Nous sommes tous des
Arméniens " inscrit sur des milliers de pancartes brandies parmi les
100 000 personnes qui ont suivi les funérailles du journaliste, les
tenants de " la Turquie aux Turcs " se sont, à leur tour, manifestés.

A Trabzon (l’ancienne Trébizonde), la ville du jeune assassin et de
ses complices présumés, le match de football dominical a rempli le
stade de porteurs de banderoles proclamant " Nous sommes tous turcs,
nous sommes tous Mustafa Kemal " ou " Je suis turc, je suis droit, je
suis de Trabzon ". Leur slogan, " les martyrs ne meurent pas, l’unité
du pays est éternelle ", était un clair soutien à la dizaine
d’inculpés issus de leur ville.

Ailleurs, des groupes de fans ont manifesté de même. A Izmir, un
ancien sergent a pris en otage les passagers d’un ferry avec de faux
explosifs, disant protester contre les slogans pro-arméniens. Arrêté,
il a crié aux journalistes : " J’ai fait cela pour la patrie. " Un
des inculpés pour l’assassinat de Hrant Dink avait déjà été montré à
la télé hurlant " Orhan Pamuk, prends garde ! " – une menace contre
le Prix Nobel de littérature, " coupable ", comme Hrant Dink, de
parler de génocide arménien.

Les médias turcs, comme dégrisés après leur couverture exceptionnelle
des condamnations du crime qui ont semblé, au début, unanimes, ont
fait bonne place à ces " contre-réactions ". En pêchant peut-être par
pessimisme après un excès d’optimisme. Selon l’universitaire Cengiz
Aktar, " la foule qui a suivi le cercueil de Dink – ceux qui
partagent sa vision du monde humaniste, démocrate et ouverte – est
une espèce en voie de disparition ". Il parle pourtant de " société
civile naissante " en Turquie, mais rappelle qu’elle a encore besoin,
pour avancer, d’appuis du pouvoir.

" ETAT PROFOND "

Or le gouvernement qui, en cette année électorale, surfe sur la vague
nationaliste issue de la déception européenne, n’a pas embrayé sur le
sursaut civil provoqué par le meurtre : ses chefs n’ont pas assisté
aux funérailles, ne veulent toujours pas annuler l’article 301 du
code pénal qui punit l’" insulte à l’identité turque " et
aborderaient cet assassinat politique comme un simple cas criminel.
Alors que les médias abondent de faits troublants : deux des
inculpés, arrêtés et relchés il y a deux ans, auraient été des
informateurs de la police, la Sécurité à Ankara aurait été informée
d’un projet d’assassiner Hrant Dink, etc.

Tout ceci a relancé le débat sur " l’Etat profond " – dont le premier
ministre, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a, à son tour, reconnu, dimanche 28
janvier, l’existence, le définissant comme " des gangs au sein
d’institutions d’Etat " contre lesquels le gouvernement a des moyens
limités mais qu’il faut " réussir à minimiser et, si possible,
éliminer ". Le renvoi du gouverneur et du chef de la police de
Trabzon n’est qu’un premier pas dans l’enquête sur le meurtre de
Hrant Dink, qui sera menée à son terme, a promis M. Erdogan.

Turkey going to open dialogue with Armenian diaspora

PanARMENIAN.Net

Turkey going to open dialogue with Armenian diaspora
31.01.2007 18:25 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey has assumed a pretentious diplomatic
program. According to website, supposing that Hrant
Dink’s assassination provided the Armenian diaspora with a heavy trump
card for the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide,
Turkish expert Ercan Yavuz writes, `A delegation consisting of 10
members of the Turkish parliament led by head of the U.S.-Turkey
friendship group Egmen Bashi will pay a visit to the United States
February 9-16 to launch lobbying in the Congress. The delegation
members will meet with the Congressmen and NGO representatives. At the
same time Turkish FM Abdullah Gul will visit European states.
Meetings with outstanding figures of the Armenian diaspora are
expected.’

According to the source, establishment of a dialogue with the Armenian
diaspora is another important move in Turkey’s strategic
program. During Hrant Dink’s funeral the Turkish parliament offered
the Armenian diaspora to take part in the opening ceremony of the
Armenian Church on Akhtamar.

www.globalhye.com

Hrant Dink’s brutal murder is blow to democracy and human rights

PanARMENIAN.Net

Hrant Dink’s brutal murder is blow to democracy and human rights
30.01.2007 18:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In a letter dated on January 26, 2007 with heading
from the Armenian National Council from Lebanon and under the aegis of
Mr. Mohammad Baalbaki, President of the Lebanon Press Order, 15
Editors-in-chief representatives the principal Lebanese newspapers
signed a petition to the intention of Mr. Oktay Eksi, Chairman of the
Turkish Press Council, condemning the murder of Hrant Dink and
expressing their solidarity at the Armenian National Committee (Hay
Tad). Independent corespondent Jean Eckian told the PanARMENIAN.Net
journalist that the latter calls this brutal act a blow to democracy
and human rights. It also calls to protection of freedom of thought
and expression.

The Genocide and Karabakh conflict must not be tied with each other

PanARMENIAN.Net

Armenian Genocide and Karabakh conflict must not be tied with each other
30.01.2007 16:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ For the European Union the Armenian Genocide issue
is one more cause of refusing Turkey’s EU bid, stated NKR President’s
Aide for Foreign Policy Arman Melikian to a press conference in
Yerevan. In his words, the European Union also says that the
Armenian-Turkish relations must activate. `If European countries
finally turn back from Turkey, it will turn to Russia, as it already
happened during history. If we hypothetically suppose that Russia,
Turkey and Armenia, and probably Iran too, come to a certain agreement
on the solution of conflicts in the region, the EU will have big
problems with energy resources. Of course, it’s theoretically, but in
policy everything is possible and it is a possible scenario,’ Melikian
said, one more time underlining that it is a purely theoretical
supposition.

Alongside he stressed third countries can use the Armenian Genocide
issue, as well as the Nagorno Karabakh settlement. `These two issues
for some reasons are being tied with each other, which Turkey does,
but they are quite different things. The fact of the 1915 Genocide for
Armenians is truth, which is not subject to discussions. Equally is
NKR’s right to independence,’ said the NKR President’s Aid.