Author: Taslakhchian Andranik

FM TERMS ANY SANCTION ON IRAN AS ‘HOSTILE’

Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran
Dec 17 2006

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Sunday that Tehran will
consider imposing sanctions on Iran by the UN as ‘hostile’.

He made the remarks in a joint press conference with his Armenian
counterpart Vartan Oskanyan.

Referring to any sanctions against Iran as "ineffective", Mottaki
expressed the hope that the parties to the dispute on Iranian nuclear
program would return to negotiation.

"We believe that halt of talks before the US mid-term elections was
politically motivated and therefore it should be revised," he said
emphasizing the need for negotiations.

He reiterated that there are comprehensive ways to resolve the
outstanding issues and ambiguities.

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GIVE THE LIBERATED TERRITORIES TO REFUGEES
[02:54 pm] 14 December, 2006

The public network `Refugees and International Right’ made an
announcement in the name of millions of refugees of Nakhijevan . The
announcement says that the adoption of the NKR Constitution fully
complies with the radical interests of the Artsakh residents. It will
become a momentous incentive in the negotiation process and will lead
it in the rational direction.

The authors say that the adoption of the law on the NKR citizenship
will be the next priority of the NKR people and authorities.

The public network claims that the OSCE Minsk group Co-Chairs, Mettew
Bryza, Yuri Merzlyakov and Bernard Fassier, as well as all the
high-rank officials who ignore the issue of half million refugees of
Nakhijevan and former Azeri Soviet Armenia or remain silent for some
reasons, must bear full responsibility for the unfavorable bilateral
negotiations.

`As the Azeri side ignores the fair demand of the refugees-to
compensate the material and moral harms caused by the Azeri
authorities, `Refugees and International Right’ network is determined
to do its best to return the territories of former Aghdam, Fizulu,
JIbraili and former Azeri Armenia to the above-mentioned refugees with
the right of ownership and as a partial compensation of the harm
caused by the authorities of Azerbaijan’, says the announcement.

Nine organizations signed the announcement.

PROSPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT OF IT, AGRICULTURE, SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESS
ARE ATTACHED IMPORTANCE IN ARMENIAN-INDIAN RELATIONS

DELHI, DECEMBER 15, NOYAN TAPAN. Meetings of the delegation headed by
RA NA Speaker Tigran Torosian started on December 13 in Delhi, the
capital of India. Ashot Kocharian, the Ambassador of Armenia to India
takes part in them. The Parliament of India, Sansad, consists of two
houses: the Rajya Sagha, the Council of States (250 members), and the
Lok Sabha, the House of the People (545 members). Issues of
development of the interstate and interparliamentary relations were
discussed during the meeting with Somnath Chatterjee, the Speaker of
the House of the People. Mr.Chatterjee, welcoming the high-ranking
guest at the Parliament of India, touched upon the newest developments
of the Armenian-Indian friendship, having two thousand-year history,
mentioning generality of viewpoints and interests, the two sides’
faithfulness to solution of problems based on peace and cooperation in
international relations. He expressed gratitude for the assistance
shown by India in the issue of membership to the UN Security Council
and readiness to assist the UN reformation from now on as well. The
Lok Sabha Speaker attached importance to the two sides’ united
position in the anti-terrorism struggle, mentioning that India is
inflexible in spreading peace and well-being, in policy of widening
cooperation between the peoples. Mr.Chatterjee touched upon the
necessity of development of science, high technologies, trade and
economic ties, mentioning that five hundred of Indian students get
education in Armenia. National Assembly Speaker Tigran Torosian
mentioned in the return speech that it is interesting and useful to be
in one of ancient cradles of civilization. The NA Speaker touched upon
the active and effective cooperation of the two countries, mentioning
that time and developments open new perspectives of deepening of the
economic, scientific, cultural ties of Armenia and India. Deepening of
the economic ties was attached importance within that context: growth
of the goods circulation volumes, giving of three hundred of Indian
tractors were mentioned with praise. It was mentioned that the
cooperation and mutual assistance will continue in international
structures. Mr.Torosian emphasized the balanced and impartial posture
of India concerning the South Caucasian region, and, particularly,
such a delicate issue as the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is. The
interlocutors expressed mutual confidence that Armenia will continue
assistance to international organizations of India, particularly, at
the UN, and similar assistance will be shown to Armenia by India. The
RA NA Speaker also mentioned that a group of parliamentary friendship
with India functions at the Parliament of Armenia, and added that
creation of a similar group at the Parliament of India would support
development of the interparliamentary ties. During the meeting the
sides also touched upon the cooperation of the two parliaments’ staffs
and exchange of experience. According to the information submitted to
Noyan Tapan by the RA NA Public Relations Department, the
parliamentary delegation headed by Armenian National Assembly Speaker
Tigran Torosian took part on December 14 in sitting of the Lok Sabha
and Rajya Sabha of India, during which the those presiding the
sittings addressed welcome speeches in honour of the National Assembly
Speaker and the delegation headed by him. The National Assembly
delegation had a meeting with Lal Krishna Advani, the Indian Sansad
opposition leader as well. Mr.Advani mentioned that time by time he
has opportunities to make sure that there are differences among
parliaments of different countries, but the meeting with the Armenian
National Assembly Speaker strengthens the friendship and assures that
there are no differences between Armenia and India: Armenia is a
friendly and democratic country. T.Torosian mentioned that the two
countries unite the common values what is the most interesting.

Mr.Torosian attached importance to the visit to India not only as a
rear possibility of direct contact with one of the most ancient
civilizations, but also as a possibility of future development of the
relations with a country which has an important role in the world
policy and is famous with the widest democracy.

He mentioned that the democracy in Armenia is still young, it is only
fifteen years that the independence of the country was re-established,
but it is already obvious that with presence of democracy parliaments
has a great role, and parliaments may be considered formed if the role
and meaning of the opposition is great there. At the NA Speaker’s
request, Mr.Advani gave information about the activity of the
opposition at the Indian Parliament. Advani himself has been in the
sphere of policy for more than half-century and during those years he
only once (during six year) was in the authorities staff, on the
Deputy Prime Minister’s post, the opposition headed by him has one
hundred thirty-eight votes at the Parliament /the ruling party has one
hundred forty-five votes/, according to the Parliament regulations,
the opposition head has a Minister’s status. Mr.Advani mentioned that
in some countries the opposition is perceived as a country
enemy. Fortunately, it is not like this either in India or in Armenia,
otherwise, the head of the legislative power of Armenia would not meet
with the opposition head, having an opposition representative in its
delegation. At the request of RA National Assembly delegation member
Alexan Karapetian, Mr.Advani presented the regulations rights of the
opposition at the Parliament of India. Bhairon Singh Shakhawat, the
Vice-President of India, Rajya Sabha Speaker, welcoming his Armenian
friends, attached importance to the existence of active democracy in
the two countries, which very quickly responds problems of the
country. He qualified the Armenian-Indian interparliamentary ties as
friendly and heartfelt ones, expressing confidence that the NA
Speaker’s visit will strengthen the relations aimed to progress and
development. NA Speaker Tigran Torosian, expressing gratitude for the
invitation and reception, mentioned that Mr.Shakhawat’s visit to
Armenia became a start for a good tradition for continuation of which
all the preconditions exist. He expressed a wish that this tradition
is spread not only on parliaments but on peoples’ friendship as
well. Mr.Torosian mentioned that the cooperation of the Parliaments
completes wonderful ties of the two states: the cooperation in
international structures, commercial and economic, scientific-cultural
relations, and expressed a confidence that natural continuation for
development of interparliamentary ties will be activization of the
intergovernmental commission the last sitting of which was convened
three years ago. He also expressed a hope that to strengthen the
interparliamentary ties, a group of deputies’ friendship with Armenia,
like the one acting at the RA National Assembly, will be formed in the
Parliament of India. The NA Speaker expressed satisfaction with the
fact that the two countries and peoples have complete mutual
perception on such delicate issues as the Nagorno Karabakh and Kashmir
problems are. Bhairon Singh Shakhawat, the Vice-President of India,
Rajya Sabha Speaker agreed with the NA Speaker, qualifying the
cooperation as excellent one. He expressed gratitude for the
assistance shown when joining the UN Security Council and attached
importance to prospects of development of the information
technologies, agriculture, small and medium business. Other issues
which are mutually attached importance to where also discussed during
the meeting. The delegation members laid a wreath in Rajhat to the
monument to Mahatma Gandhi, NA Speaker Tigran Torosian left a writing
in the honourary guests’ register.

GEORGIANS LIVING IN JAVAKHK ARE AGAINST ARMENIANS’ BUYING HOUSES

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Dec 14 2006

AKHALKALAK, DECEMBER 14, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Some
inhabitants of the village of Hokam, the region of Akhalkalak, (mainly
teachers) wrote letters of protest to corresponding departments of
Georgia with a request to prohibit selling houses of Adjars of the
village to Armenians. According to A-Info, the most part of Adjars
moved to Hokam at the end of 1980s wants to return the Fatherland. The
latters intend to sell their houses got from the state as presents
before returning. Armenians living in Hokam and neighbouring Gumburdo
expressed wish to buy the Adjars’ houses what arose displeasure among
Georgians of Hokam. Tbilisi did not respond the Georgians’ request yet.

OSCE MONITORING UPSET BY AZERI SIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.12.2006 17:43 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ December 13 the OSCE mission was scheduled to hold
a recurrent monitoring at the contact line of the NKR and Azeri armed
forces in the Fizuli direction near the settlement of Karakhanbeyli.

According to the schedule, the observing mission headed for the
monitoring site accompanied by representatives of the NKR Ministries
of Foreign Affairs and Defense. However the Azeri side did not bring
the observers out to the coordinated site and the OSCE mission members
proceeding from security interests decided to cancel the monitoring.

EU DOESN’T RECOGNIZE REFERENDUM OUTCOMES IN NAGORNO KARABAKH

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.12.2006 15:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The European Union is aware that a "constitutional
referendum" has taken place in Nagorno Karabakh on 10 December
2006. The EU recalls that it does not recognize the independence
of Nagorno Karabakh. It recognizes neither the "referendum" nor its
outcome, says the EU statement.

"The EU reiterates its firm support to the OSCE Minsk Group and
its Co-Chairmen, and their efforts towards a settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The EU considers that conducting such a
"referendum", thus pre-empting the outcome of the ongoing negotiations,
did not contribute to constructive efforts at peaceful conflict
resolution. It calls on all parties to the conflict to intensify
their efforts to find a negotiated solution to the conflict," the
document says.

PRESS RELEASE
Council of Europe Press Division
Ref: 783b06
Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 25 60
Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 39 11
[email protected]
internet:

Chair of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers: Declaration on
the "constitutional referendum" in Nagorno Karabakh on 10 December 2006

Strasbourg, 13.12.2006 – "Following the "constitutional referendum"
organised in Nagorno Karabakh on 10 December 2006, and which is no
recognized by the international community, the Chairmanship of the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe reiterates its full
support to the OSCE Minsk Group and its Co-Chairmen in their efforts
towards a settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. It notes with
concern that conducting such a "referendum", thus pre-empting the
outcome of the ongoing negotiations, cannot contribute to the resolution
of the conflict. It calls on all parties concerned to intensify their
efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, in accordance with
the commitment undertaken by Armenia and Azerbaijan upon accession to
the Council of Europe".

* * *

Présidence du Comité des Ministres du Conseil de l’Europe :
Déclaration sur le "référendum constitutionnel" tenu au
Haut-Karabakh le 10 décembre 2006

Strasbourg, 13.12.2006 – " Suite au "référendum constitutionnel"
organisé au Haut-Karabakh le 10 décembre 2006, et qui n’est pas
reconnu par la communauté internationale, la Présidence du Comité
des Ministres du Conseil de l’Europe réitère son plein soutien au
Groupe de Minsk de l’OSCE et à ses co-présidents dans leurs efforts
pour parvenir à un règlement du conflit du Haut-Karabakh. Elle note
avec préoccupation que la conduite de ce " référendum ", qui
préjuge du résultat des négociations en cours, ne peut contribuer
à résoudre le conflit. Elle appelle toutes les parties concernées
à intensifier leurs efforts en vue de trouver une solution pacifique
au conflit, conformément à l’engagement pris par l’Arménie et
l’Azerbaïdjan lors de leur adhésion au Conseil de l’Europe ".

To receive our press releases by e-mail, contact :
[email protected]

A political organisation set up in 1949, the Council of Europe works to
promote democracy and human rights continent-wide. It also develops
common responses to social, cultural and legal challenges in its 46
member states.

Armenia: PACE Monitoring Committee calls for free elections and media
reform

Strasbourg, 14.12.2006 – At a meeting in Paris yesterday, PACE
Monitoring Committee welcomed Armenia’s constitutional reform, carried
out with Council of Europe assistance, which has created conditions
conductive to the implementation of many of the country’s commitments.
However, in a draft report the committee also warned that an improved
political climate, and dialogue between the ruling coalition and
opposition, would be necessary for the constitution to work effectively.

`Simply passing legislation is not enough to implement democratic
reforms in the country. The laws must be applied,’ the committee
stressed. `Armenia must now furnish proof of how far it has progressed
along the road to democracy and European integration: the forthcoming
elections must comply with European standards for free and fair
elections, and media coverage of the election campaign and the elections
must be pluralist and unbiased.’

The report, by Georges Colombier (France, EPP/CD) and Mikko Elo
(Finland, SOC), is due to be debated by PACE at its January plenary
session.

Draft resolution on the honouring of obligations and commitments by
Armenia (provisional version)
< sManager/defaultArtSiteView.asp?ArtId=3D584>

Arménie : la Commission de suivi de l’APCE appelle à des
élections libres et à une réforme des médias

Strasbourg, 14.12.2006 – Lors d’une réunion tenue hier à Paris,
la Commission de suivi de l’APCE a accueilli avec satisfaction la
réforme constitutionnelle de l’Arménie, conduite avec le concours
du Conseil de l’Europe, qui établit des conditions favorables à la
réalisation d’un grand nombre des engagements du pays. Dans un
projet de rapport, la commission avertit néanmoins qu’une
amélioration du climat politique et un dialogue entre la coalition au
pouvoir et l’opposition seront indispensables pour que la Constitution
ait une portée réelle.

« L’adoption de lois ne suffit pas à elle seule pour mettre en
=9Cuvre les réformes démocratiques. Il faut que les lois soient
effectivement mises en =9Cuvre », a souligné la commission. «
L’Arménie doit faire preuve de ses avancées dans la voie de la
démocratie et de l’intégration européenne : le prochain scrutin
doit respecter les normes européennes en matière d’élections
libres et équitables et la couverture médiatique de la campagne
électorale et des élections doit être pluraliste et impartiale.
»

Le rapport, élaboré par Georges Colombier (France, PPE/DC) et Mikko
Elo (Finlande, SOC), sera examiné par l’APCE lors de sa session
plénière de janvier.

Projet de résolution sur le respect des obligations et engagements de
l’Arménie (version provisoire)
< uresManager/defaultArtSiteVoir.asp?ArtId=3D584>

ED126b06

YES, I’M A VIRUS FOR ARMENIANS
Nursun Erel

The New Anatolian, Turkey
Dec 13 2006

>From reading the last few days of The New Anatolian, you may have
noticed that I was recently in Yerevan.

So what kind of impressions did I get from my 10-day visit to our
neighbor?

Let me honestly share a few with you.

An Armenian non-governmental group, the Caucasus Center, invited me
there; their aim for this project was discussing stereotypes in both
societies. The British Embassy in Yerevan was among the supporters
of the project.

So how did it go?

Well, it was perfect for proving the existence of certain stereotypes
in Armenia (also in Turkey I believe), so it really reached its goal.

One example came on the second day of my program in Yerevan. I was
supposed to meet with the journalism school students at Yerevan State
University. But the long-planned meeting was surprisingly cancelled
at the last moment by the university rector, Aram Simonyan. Sources
told me that the rector gave a strange reason for the cancellation:
"The Turkish journalist could spread some virus to the students."

But somehow the students of the Yerevan State University didn’t share
their rector’s view, so they came to my hotel. We had a lot to say to
each other, but while we were talking, all of a sudden they started
to get strange telephone calls, and one by one they had to leave,
apologizing and saying, "We have a problem at the university." Later
I was told that the strange calls came from their professors asking
them to leave the meeting and return to the university.

But if I could have talked to them more on that day, in fact I’d have
been critical of the Turkish press. I would have given some examples of
stereotypes trafficked in even by well-known columnists. How they make
errors, and how they apologized later. I’d tell them about my peculiar
experience investigating Ataturk’s old speeches in the archives of
the Turkish Parliament too.

I can hear you asking, "Why don’t you tell those stories here?"

No.

First, because I don’t want to infect your beautiful minds with my
infectious opinions, with a virus called "tactlessness."

Secondly, I’m sorry that right now I’m very preoccupied desperately
struggling to correct how my words were twisted by an Armenian weekly
called Pan Armenian.

And thirdly, isn’t it easier to have such prejudices towards each
other?

So we don’t have to remove any of our stereotypes.

Let’s keep them in our minds.

I promise that I also won’t say anything to my Turkish friends about
Orhan Pamuk’s image in Armenia, that none of his books has been
translated into Armenian. I won’t tell them that during my first
three days in Yerevan, no one so much as mentioned the name of Pamuk,
our recent Nobel winner. So let the Turks believe that he’s a hero in
Armenia because of his controversial remarks words about the Armenian
"genocide."

Yup, it’s very easy to live like a virus, with all our stereotypes,
don’t you agree?

U.S. SENATE RETURNS HOAGLAND NOMINATION TO THE PRESIDENT

A1+
[03:20 pm] 12 December, 2006

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Senate, having failed to confirm Dick
Hoagland to serve as Ambassador to Armenia, returned his nomination
to the President on December 8th, upon the adjournment of the 109th
Congress, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
[Ho. He. Dashnaktsutyan Washington-ee Hai Tahd-ee Krasenyag].

"With the adjournment of the 109th Congress, we renew our call upon
the President to recognize that – as a matter of basic morality – a
genocide denier should never represent the United States in Armenia,
and that – as a matter of diplomacy – a denier of the Armenian Genocide
simply cannot effectively promote U.S. interests or advance American
values in Yerevan," said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian.

Among the options available to the President after the convening of
the 110th Congress in January are to offer an entirely new nominee,
to resubmit Hoagland’s nomination for a second round of consideration,
to make a recess appointment of Hoagland circumventing the Senate
confirmation process, or simply to allow the ambassadorial post in
Yerevan to remain empty.

Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) placed a hold on the Hoagland nomination on
September 12th. In announcing this decision, the New Jersey legislator
cited the principled stand taken by former U.S. Ambassador John Evans,
who was fired for speaking truthfully about the Armenian Genocide,
underscoring his "great concerns that Mr. Hoagland’s confirmation
would be a step backward."

Citing the opposition of the Armenian American community and the
growing controversy within Congress surrounding the nomination, Senator
Menendez was joined on December 1st by incoming Senate Majority Leader
Harry Reid (D-NV) in calling on President George W. Bush to withdraw
the Hoagland nomination and propose a new candidate to serve in this
important diplomatic post.

They stressed that, in light of the broad-based opposition within
Congress, the extensive media coverage this issue has received,
and the strong stand of the Armenian American community against the
nomination, "it would serve neither our national interests nor the
U.S.-Armenia relationship to expect Ambassador-designate Hoagland to
carry out his duties under these highly contentious and profoundly
troubling circumstances."

According to Section 6 of Rule XXXI of the Standing Rules of the
Senate: "Nominations neither confirmed nor rejected during the session
at which they are made shall not be acted upon at any succeeding
session without being again made to the Senate by the President;
and if the Senate shall adjourn or take a recess for> more than
thirty days, all nominations pending and not finally acted upon at
the time of taking such adjournment or recess shall be returned by
the Secretary to the President, and shall not again be considered
unless they shall again be made to the Senate by the President."