Author: Talalian Arpi

RURAL COMMUNITIES IN SHIRAK AGAIN HIT BY NATURAL
DISASTER

GYUMRI, JULY 4, ARMENPRESS: A hail and a heavy rain
on July 3 overnight damaged hectares of
crops-vegetables and potato- in the northwestern
province of Shirak. According to local authorities,
some 15 rural communities were affected, especially
the villages of Hovuni, Marmashen, Kapa and some
others.
Farmers and experts estimate that the damages
amount to 70-100 percent, meaning that in some
communities actually all crops were destroyed.
The hail also damaged some buildings in these
communities, broke windows of houses and torn away
roofs.
That was the second disaster that hit some of these
villages in less than a month. Farmers lament they are
not able to restore the damages. A special commission
set up by the governor’s office is touring these
communities to asses the amount of damages.

On June 26, the House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee
voted by an overwhelming margin to support a resolution urging Japan to
"formally acknowledge, apologize, and accept historical responsibility
in a clear and unequivocal manner for its mi

Asahi Shimbun
Published: Jul 04, 2007

Though this document, which is likely to be approved by the House, is
non-binding it has clearly displeased Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s
administration while generating anxiety about the state of Japan-U.S.
relations

In many ways, it is understandable that Tokyo should feel unhappy.
Since it recovered its independence in 1952, Japan has been a model
citizen of the world. It has never even threatened a country with
aggression while creating a free and prosperous society at home. Unlike
Turkey, locked into denial of the Armenian genocide and Russia, whose
KGB-trained ruler refuses to express regret for Soviet atrocities,
Japan has publicly and frequently apologized for the evils of the Showa
Era. Moreover, Japanese can point at the hypocrisy of American
politicians, who mostly sat silently while their government legitimized
torture in the wake of 9/11, berating the Japanese for the sins of
their ancestors. Unfortunately, Japan’s government may have shown
contrition for the war crimes, but frequent statements, including by
the prime minister, either making obtuse differences between broad and
narrow coercion, or minimizing the extent of war crimes seriously
undermined the credibility of its apologies. An advertisement entitled
"The Facts" published on June 14 in The Washington Post and signed by
lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the opposition
Minshuto (Democratic Party of Japan), as well as by former diplomat
Hisahiko Okazaki, one of Abe’s best-known advisers, had a particularly
negative impact.

DEBUT DU PROCèS DES MEURTRIERS PRESUMES DE HRANT DINK EN TURQUIE

La Croix
AFP
2 Juillet 2007

Le procès des meurtriers presumes du journaliste turc d’origine
armenienne Hrant Dink, dont l’assassinat avait bouleverse la Turquie en
janvier, s’est ouvert lundi a huis-clos devant un tribunal d’Istamboul

Le procès des meurtriers presumes du journaliste turc d’origine
armenienne Hrant Dink s’est ouvert avec presque deux heures de retard,
lundi 2 juillet. Les forces de l’ordre avaient boucle la rue menant
au tribunal de Besiktas, dans le centre d’Istamboul.

Quelque 2.500 manifestants, la plupart vetus en noir, se sont
rassembles sur une place avoisinante sous une banderole sur laquelle
on pouvait lire : "Nous sommes tous temoins. Nous voulons la justice".

La foule a applaudi l’arrivee de la veuve du journaliste, Rakel,
qui a participe brièvement a la manifestation, se joignant aux chants
proclamant : "Nous sommes tous Hrant Dink, nous sommes tous Armeniens".

Les avocats de la partie civile avaient fait savoir lors d’une
conference de presse vendredi que la procedure risquait de laisser dans
l’ombre des elements cruciaux de l’affaire, d’autres protagonistes,
notamment des forces de l’ordre, n’etant pas poursuivis.

"Une negligence intentionnelle de la police "

L’organisation responsable du meurtre "ne comprend pas que les
accuses", a declare lundi aux journalistes devant le tribunal l’avocate
de la famille Dink, Fahriye Cetin. "Il y a une negligence de la police
et de la gendarmerie que l’on pourrait qualifier d’intentionnelle,"
a-t-elle estime.

"Les forces de securite en activite a Trabzon, où le meurtre a
ete planifie, a Istamboul, où il a ete execute, et a Ankara, où les
renseignements sont rassembles, n’ont pas ete incluses dans le dossier,
alors que leurs liens avec les suspects, le non accomplissement de
leur devoir, leur dissimulation de preuves et meme leur apologie du
crime et du criminel ont ete etablis", avait-elle deplore vendredi.

Au premier rang des accuses figure Ogun Samast, chômeur de
17 ans originaire de Trabzon (nord-est) et proche des milieux
ultra-nationalistes de cette ville, d’où sont originaires la plupart
les 17 autres prevenus.

C’est lui qui, de son propre aveu, a tue de deux balles dans la tete
et une dans le cou Hrant Dink le 19 janvier a Istamboul, devant les
locaux de l’hebdomadaire bilingue turc-armenien Agos, que dirigeait
le journaliste.

De 18 a 24 ans de prison requis contre Samast

Le ministère public a requis a son encontre de 18 a 24 ans de prison
pour meurtre, ainsi que de 8,5 ans a 18 ans de prison pour port d’arme
illegal et appartenance a une organisation terroriste. Le huis-clos
a ete ordonne en raison de son âge.

Aux côtes de Samast, les deux dirigeants de l’organisation et
commanditaires de l’assassinat – selon l’acte d’accusation -,
Yasin Hayal et Erhan Tuncel, encourent des peines de prison a vie
incompressibles.

Hayal a deja passe 11 mois en prison pour un attentat a la bombe
visant un restaurant McDonald’s a Trabzon, qui avait fait six blesses
en 2004. Il est egalement poursuivi pour avoir profere des menaces a
l’encontre du prix Nobel de litterature 2006 Orhan Pamuk, connu pour
ses positions contestataires sur la question armenienne.

Dink militait pour une reconciliation entre Turcs et Armeniens

Des peines allant de 7,5 ans a 35 ans de prison ont ete requises
contre 15 autres comparses supposes, selon leur degre d’implication
dans l’assassinat.

Selon l’acte d’accusation, Tuncel, qui etait egalement informateur
de police, avait a deux reprises en 2006 fait savoir aux forces de
securite que Hayal preparait un attentat contre Hrant Dink. Mais,
poursuit l’acte, faisant partie lui-meme du complot, il n’a pas dit
que l’assassin serait une troisième personne.

Hrant Dink, qui militait pour une reconciliation entre Turcs et
Armeniens, s’etait attire la haine des cercles nationalistes pour avoir
ouvertement qualifie de genocide les massacres d’Armeniens commis en
Anatolie entre 1915 et 1917, une qualification rejetee par la Turquie.

–Boundary_(ID_eVXnJFTr4w9gnz8AW+GTfQ)–

VARTAN OSKANIAN: THERE IS NOTHING NEW IN ILHAM ALIYEV’S BELLICOSE STATEMENTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.07.2007 17:34 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ There is nothing for Armenia in Ilham Aliyev’s
bellicose statements, Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
told a news conference in Yerevan. Aliyev’s words can be described
as self-affirmation.

"At least, I want to believe it. Armenia adheres to a peaceful solution
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

Ilham Aliyev rattles the saber for internal use.

However, he forgets that under conditions of globalization his words
belong to the masses.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijani President said the following, "We are
approaching liberation of Karabakh. We have enough strength to defend
our lands. Azerbaijan’s position is supported by the world. Sooner
or later Karabakh will be liberated. From the military viewpoint
Azerbaijan is the strongest state in the region. No one wants
war. However, Azerbaijan is ready to take action. The sooner Armenia
understands it and quits our lands the better."

INTERVIEW: BAGHDAD ARCHBISHOP ON VIOLENCE-PLAGUED IRAQ

ChristianToday, UK
aghdad.archbishop.on.violenceplagued.iraq/11389.ht m
July 3 2007

A prominent Iraqi Christian, Archbishop Avak Asadourian from Baghdad,
shares his views on the situation in the violence-plagued country.

by Juan Michel, World Council of Churches Posted: Tuesday, July 3,
2007, 9:40 (

Enlarge this pictureBaghdad’s Armenian Archbishop Avak Asadourian
is Primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church (See of Etchmiadzin) in
Iraq and General Secretary of the Council of Christian Church Leaders
in Baghdad, set up last year with 17 church leaders from across the
Catholic, Oriental and Eastern Orthodox and mainline Protestants.

Last month, Archbishop Asadourian was in Amman, Jordan, to address the
World Council of Churches at its international conference ‘Churches
together for peace and justice in the Middle East’.

Below is Archbishop Asadourian’s blunt and open account of the
situation in Iraq, described in an interview with the World Council
of Churches’ Juan Michel.

Why did Baghdad’s church leaders establish this council?

To take care of our faithful in these difficult times and to keep in
touch with other Christian bodies. The council presents the needs of
our people to humanitarian organisations and channels their help.

What is the situation of Iraqi Christians today?

The situation is the same for all Iraqis, Christians or Muslims,
and it is a tragic one. Bullets do not discriminate between religions.

Every day terrorist attacks are targeting people who could be the
cornerstone of a new Iraq: professionals, physicians, and engineers.

And this is resulting in an across-the-board brain drain, which is
a shame since it takes decades to train qualified people.

Are Christians being targeted because of their religion?

The situation is the same for all Iraqis, Christians or Muslims,
and it is a tragic one.

Not as such, except lately when Christians living in a certain area
of Baghdad have been ordered to leave or be killed. The violence is
targeting everyone in the same way. Of course, in a context of complete
lawlessness, some thugs do whatever they want. They can threaten you,
kidnap or kill you.

Recently, two Christian priests, one Orthodox and the other Chaldean,
were killed. In my church, 27 members have died because of the
violence since 2003. Although not personally targeted, they were
simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Another 23 members have
been kidnapped. Since many Christians are relatively well off, they
become targets for possible ransom, just like well-off Muslims do.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, some
1.2 million people have fled Iraq since the start of last year. What
about the Iraqi Christians?

Before the war, Christians made up some 7 to 8 per cent of the
population. Today, they are 3-4 per cent. Christians are also moving
north within the country, to relatively safer areas. The churches are
emptying. In my own church, we used to have some 600 to 700 faithful
worshipping every Sunday. Today, they are 100 to 150. The reasons are
several: they might be afraid of going out, but they also might simply
not have petrol in their cars – queues at gas stations are three to
five kilometres long – or they might have moved out of Baghdad.

What were Muslim-Christian relations like before the war and what
are they like today?

We Christians were in the country before Islam arrived, especially in
the northern part. But faith-based distinctions were never an issue:
Sunni, Shia, Christian. Our relationships were very amicable. These
differences only became an issue after the war started.

However, we work to maintain bridges. We have twice visited the
country’s most prominent Shia cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani,
as well as the Sunni leadership. And I want to give credit where
credit is due. High-ranking Muslim clerics deserve credit for their
efforts in trying to prevent the present conflict from evolving into
a full-blown civil war.

Are you experiencing the impact of clashing civilisations?

I don’t see a clash of civilisations but a bungled war with tragic
results for both sides. It seems to me that the occupying powers did
not do their homework well. It is one thing to take over a country,
and another thing to run it properly in order to allow people to
be able to exercise freedom. Security is needed to make democracy
viable. Democracy is not only a concept, but also a way of life.

Today in Iraq, we need basic freedoms, like freedom from fear, freedom
to work, to travel in order to satisfy basic needs. One of the tragic
features of the current situation is the fact that they have stolen
the nights of Baghdad from us.

What do you think would be a possible way out?

The occupying powers have to enforce the Geneva conventions and
guarantee the security of the country. If they were able to bring
about security, a lot of problems would be solved. Ours is a rich
country. We have land, water, brainpower, the second largest oil
reserves in the world – which ultimately instead of being a blessing
has become a curse.

My message to my flock is: do not be afraid, but be careful. Confront
this dire situation with optimism, and pray and work for a better
future.

How could churches outside Iraq help you?

I wonder whether churches outside Iraq are speaking about this issue
boldly enough to be heard. If they were able to advocate effectively
with their governments, they should tell the occupying powers to fulfil
their promises of a better life for Iraq. Promises of a bright future
should now be substantiated. One key point in the story of the Good
Samaritan is that he not only extended help, but his help was complete
and effective.

Some US churches have been asking for a timetable for the withdrawal
of US troops from Iraq. What do you think about this?

At this point in time, I don’t know… It’s a two-edged sword. Is it
going to bring about peace or play into the hands of terrorists? But
an occupation is never acceptable and is always something temporary
that should eventually come to an end.

My message to churches outside Iraq, especially to those in the
occupying countries, is: help us to make life better for the Iraqi
people, to alleviate its suffering, to keep their governments’ promises
for a better future in all walks of life, and ask for God’s help in
this humanitarian endeavour.

NOVRUZ MAMEDOV: THE VISIT OF AZERI INTELLECTUALS WAS A "TACTICAL STEP"

amradio.am
03.07.2007 14:24

Head of the Foreign Relations Department of Azerbaijani President’s
Executive Staff Novruz Mamedov told the journalists that "the visit
of a group of intellectuals to Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia should
not be assessed as the change of strategy of conflict resolution,
it’s a new tactical step."

This "tactical step," according to Novruz Mamedov, "has its positive
sides, which must be used."

"The visit gave us comprehensive information about certain issues. It
is necessary to analyze the results of the visit. All the methods
should be applied for the resolution of the Karabakh conflict,"
Mamedov added.

OYAK’S PARTNER AXA RELEASES LIST OF INSURED VICTIMS OF FORCED ARMENIAN EMIGRATION
CaÐri CobanoÐlu Ýstanbul

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
July 3 2007

Insurance company AXA, the French partner of the Armed Forces Pension
Fund (OYAK Group), has released a list of insured Anatolian Armenians
who lost their lives during the forced emigration by the Ottoman
Empire during World War I. The list includes 7,000 names.

In 2005, AXA had agreed to pay $ 17 million to the heirs of those
who died during emigration.

The list released on the Internet includes the policy numbers and
names of those who were insured by AXA at the time when they lost
their lives.

AXA at the time unleashed a wave of anger in Turkey after they agreed
in October 2005 to settle a class action lawsuit by descendants of
the victims of alleged genocide of Armenians under Ottoman rule.

The case was settled in a California court accusing the company of
failing to pay death benefits for the insurance policies purchased
by Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire prior to an alleged genocide.

Eventually, the case was settled for $17 million in the United States.

The influential Armenian diaspora at the time hailed the settlement
as a boost for their international campaign to have the World War I
killings of Anatolian Armenians recognized as genocide, an accusation
Turkey categorically rejects.

AXA made an announcement on their Web site,
, on which a notice of claim form
was also released and called on those who find their ancestor’s name
on the list to submit a written notice of claim no later than Oct. 1,
2007, to the Settlement Fund Board of AXA. An Armenian version of
the notice of the form was also put on their Web site.

It is expected that the number of heirs of those 7,000 persons may
reach tens of thousands.

The deal, which was harshly criticized by the Turkish public, also
dealt a blow to OYAK, an industrial venture representing the army
pension fund and AXA’s partner in Turkey since 1999. OYAK announced
after the deal that it was reviewing the situation in the light of the
"sensitivities of the Turkish people."

Recently, the sale of OYAK Bank, pending official approval, to Dutch
ING Group for $2.7 billion in cash has triggered a rumble of discontent
from various segments of Turkish society. Almost everyone considered
the sale to contradict what was previously said by the OYAK Group,
the parent conglomerate, which conducted a nationalistic — and
somewhat anti-foreign capital — campaign during its participation
in the privatization of Ereðli Iron and Steelworks (Erdemir) in 2005.

With the assistance of this atmosphere created through this campaign,
OYAK won the tender and became the biggest iron and steel producer
in the country.

–Boundary_(ID_2swkwU4/XtW1GE+MygMDIQ)–

Azerbaijani nationalist is insulted because of Azerbaijani Ambassador
to Russia Polad Byulbyuloglu’s visit to Nagornyy Karabakh

arminfo
2007-06-29 11:00:00

The leader of the Azerbaijani Karabakh Liberation Organization [KLO],
the known nationalist Akif Nagi is
insulted because of Azerbaijani Ambassador to Russia Polad
Byulbyuloglu’s visit to Nagornyy Karabakh.

, – Nagi said and added that . He demanded to dismiss Byulbyuloglu from
his post and said that .

To recall, Armenian and Azerbaijani ambassadors to Russia headed a
group of intelligentsia representatives that visited Stepanakert,
Yerevan and Baku and met Arkadiy Gukasyan, Robert Kocharyan and Ilham
Aliyev.

BANKING SYSTEM OF ARMENIA IS ONE OF MOST DEVELOPED SPHERES OF COUNTRY’S ECONOMY

ArmInfo
2007-06-25 20:44:00

The banking system of Armenia is one of the most developed spheres
of the country’s economy, Chairman of the Union of Banks of Armenia
Stepan Gishyan said today at the annual meeting of the Union.

He said that the average annual growth of Armenia’s banking system
makes up 20-24%, while the country’s economic growth makes up
10-12%. Nevertheless, he said, the level of penetration of the
banking system into the country’s economy is still low. "If the
specific weight of the total size of deposits of physical persons
in GDP does not exceed 50%, this indicator in Armenia in 2006 made
up 5,4% in all", he said. S. Gishyan noted that the Union of Banks
welcomes all the steps of the commercial banks aimed at the opening
of branches in the country’s regions and extension of the sector of
banking services. "However, presently, the work aimed at increase
of the level of penetration of the banking system into economy is
yet unsatisfactory. In view of this, its is necessary to join the
efforts of the government, the parliament and the whole society for
the available monetary flows to be directed to the banking system,
that will allow to lessen the shadow economy", Gishyan said.

He informed that the country’s commercial banks over the last 3 years
assured high level of profitability. He said that the last year was
successful for all 21 commercial banks of Armenia, that is confirmed
by good final indictors. He also said that all the banks completed
the year 2006 with profit and the total indicator of the net profit
made up 17 bln drams.

In 2006, the assets of 21 commercial banks grew by 20% to 544.2 bln
drams by Jan 1, 2007. The volume of credit investments grew by 21,23%
to 254.5 bln drams. He added that long with growth of the assets,
liabilities of the country’s commercial banks grew by 18,35% to
424.1 bln drams, the volume of deposits with fixed period, attracted
from the physical and juridical persons, exceeded 150 bln drams. The
authorized fund of the commercial banks for 2006 grew by 32,8%, while
the fund of the total capital – by 26,54% to 80,1 and 120,1 bln drams,
respectively. By S. Gishyan’s forecasts, these indicators in 2007 will
much exceed those of 2006. "Use of the Diaspora’s financial potential
may contribute to the growth of Armenia’s banking system and it is
necessary to develop special programmes for its attraction", he said.

According to S. Gishyan, every commercial bank of Armenia strives
to meet the international standards as to closer unit with the
international banking system. "The banking system of Armenia has
reached much over its 16-years of existence. Of course, there were
some omissions, however, the banking system takes the lead over the
banking systems of CIS countries by a number of indicators. It does
not even yield to the banking systems of many developed countries,
which have a 100-year-old history", he emphasized.

S. Gishyan thinks that competition among the presently functioning
commercial banks of Armenia is growing, as a result of which quality of
the banking service continuously improves, new banking technologies,
services and financial tools are implemented, the credit interests
rates are reduced.

"The principles of corporate management are implemented in RA
commercial banks, all the banks work with the shareholders, the state
control agencies, the Central Bank, the Tax Service and the public,
assuring the maximum transparency", S. Gishyan said. He added that
the assets of the commercial banks have a great liquidity and are
characterized by high level of diversification.

OPENING CEREMONY OF THE SLOVAK CONSULATE IN ARMENIA TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN JUNE 28

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
June 25 2007

On June 29th the official delegation of the Slovak Republic headed by
Olga Algaerova, State Secretary, first Vice Minister of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic, will arrive in Armenia. On
the same day the official opening ceremony of the Slovak Consulate
in Armenia will be held.

According to the information DE FACTO received at the Press Office
of the Slovak Consulate in Armenia, other members of the delegation
are Augustin Chisar, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of the Slovak Republic in Armenia, Stefan Rozkopal, the Head of the
CIS Department of the MFA of the Slovak Republic, Gagik Martirosian,
the Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic in Armenia, Metod Spacek,
the Chief Staff of the State Secretary, and Martin Pangrac, the Second
Secretary of the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Armenia.

In the course of the visit the Slovak delegation will hold a number
of official meetings and a press conference.