Author: Tatoyan Vazgen

Haykakan Zhamanak, Armenia
Jan 16 2008

FACTIONS OF ARMENIAN PARTY CLASH OVER CONTROL OF PREMISES

"Fatherly slap – 2"

It was a war situation again at the CRU [Constitutional Right Union]
since yesterday [15 January] morning, which led to CRU leader Hrant
Khachatryan finding himself in a police station. What happened was
that Hayk Babukhanyan [the leader of a rival wing in the CRU] came to
the CRU [headquarters] with his team and accompanied by the police.
Hrant Khachatryan, however, had locked the entrance door. After their
requests to open the door were turned down, the police began to do
their job. Probably suspecting that Hrant Khachatryan’s team would
not be willing to open the door, they had arrived with a toolbox.

After trying hard, the police brought a power saw and finally opened
the door. Before that Hayk Babukhanyan was saying that according to a
court ruling the party has a vice-chairman – him – and although the
ruling is faulty and illegal, they are obeying it and have come to
work in their offices. But because their previous attempt on Saturday
[12 January] failed, yesterday, Babukhanyan’s team came accompanied
by police. "For a year now, this man has taken the party hostage and
we are deprived of using our property. Hrant Khachatryan is using the
party’s budget alone, he has assigned salaries to himself while our
regional offices get no money at all," Babukhanyan kept saying.

[Passage omitted: Babukhanyan’s team finally entered the headquarters
with the help of police]

When Babukhanyan said he was the CRU chairman, Mr. Khachatryan asked
him: "Hayk, who is the chairman of the party?" "I am," was the
answer. "Hayk, I am asking for the last time, who is the chairman of
the party," Hrant Khachatryan repeated his question. "I am, of
course," Babukhanyan answered. This answer was followed by Hrant
Khachatryan’s slap. This is, by the way, the second time Hrant
Khachatryan has slapped Hayk Babukhanyan. Police immediately took
Khachatryan to a police station. Khachatryan was released about two
hours later after giving an explanation. He said he was not charged
with anything.

Agence France Presse
Jan 20 2008

US actress barred from Cambodia genocide museum for Darfur protest
12 hours ago

PHNOM PENH (AFP) – American actress Mia Farrow was on Sunday forced
to cancel a ceremony in Phnom Penh highlighting human rights abuses
in Sudan after authorities barred her access to the city’s genocide
museum.

Farrow and her group, Dream for Darfur, planned to hold an Olympic
torch ceremony at Tuol Sleng prison — a brutal interrogation centre
under the Khmer Rouge — as part of a campaign to highlight China’s
links to Sudan.

But the Cambodian government, which has close ties to Beijing, banned
the ceremony, calling it "insulting" to the two million victims of
the Khmer Rouge.

Cambodian police, some armed with truncheons and tear gas, blocked
all road access to the museum, and an AFP reporter saw police push
Farrow’s group when they refused to move from the genocide centre.

The star, joined by seven other activists, instead gave white lotus
flowers to a policeman, and asked him to lay them in front of the
museum.

"This flower honors all those who have perished, and celebrates for
all those who have survived," Farrow said.

She told reporters later that the group was "disappointed" they could
not hold the ceremony, while a Cambodian activist who helped organise
the event accused China of quashing the movement.

"As a Cambodian, I am deeply deeply ashamed by the actions of our
Cambodian authorities," said Theary Seng, head of the Centre for
Social Development. "For me, it’s true that China interfered with our
mission."

Farrow’s campaign aims to push China to pressure Sudan into ending
the violence in Darfur, where the United Nations estimates at least
200,000 people have died in five years of war, famine and disease.

In the run-up to the Olympics, China — which is by far the largest
foreign investor in Sudan and absorbs almost two-thirds of its oil
output — has been under mounting pressure to use its clout on
Khartoum.

China was the closest ally of the communist Khmer Rouge, under whose
brutal rule up to two million Cambodians died of starvation, disease
or execution during the late 1970s.

Farrow’s group has organised an Olympic-style torch relay through
countries that have suffered genocide and Cambodia was the sixth stop
after visits to the Sudanese border in Chad, as well as Rwanda,
Armenia, Germany and Bosnia.

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Jan 18 2008

Armenians create website named Djulfa, Azerbaijani region and post
false reports and footages

[ 18 Jan 2008 13:53 ]

`Website registered by Armenians falsifies the history
of Nakhchivan, integral part of Azerbaijan, posts claims that this
territory is an ancient Armenian land and false footages that
Azerbaijanis destroy Armenian monuments in Djulfa,’ parliamentarian
Ganira Pashayeva told APA.

She said that the website named Djulfa is the next subversion of
Armenians against Azerbaijan and added that all should worry about
the fact that Armenians have squatted some of the domains connected
with the names of Azerbaijan, Karabakh, Baku, Sumgayit, Nakhchivan
and the occupied regions.
`The measurers should be accelerated for returning such domains,
including to Azerbaijan and informing the world
community about subversion against Azerbaijan. The relevant bodies
should work out the process of registration of domains connected with
the name of Azerbaijan in order to prevent such a problem in future.
We should inform the world community on the level of media outlets,
different embassies and Foreign Ministry that the materials posted on
this website are false,’ the parliamentarian said.
Ganira Pashayeva said that Armenians are anxious about our informing
world community about vandalism acts of Armenia and their destructing
cultural-historical monuments belonging to Azerbaijanis in occupied
Azerbaijani regions including Nagorno Karabakh and historical lands
of Azerbaijan and areas called Armenian Republic today and Armenians
want to confuse international community.
`Not touching upon Armenian church in Baku is the indicator of the
position of Azerbaijan in such issues. But all religious monuments
belonging to Azerbaijan were destructed in Armenia today. This fact
is enough for criticizing Armenians. To our regret, Armenians and
their scientists posted articles covering these absurd and false
claims against Azerbaijan in several encyclopedias, including
Britanica encyclopedia,’ she said.
MP stressed necessity of establishing body under one of the relevant
state organizations for removing and observing this aggressive policy
of Armenia against Azerbaijanis virtually.
`Especially, special measures should be taken for eliminating
aggressive propaganda of Armenia against Azerbaijani monuments dating
back to Christianity period. We should not allow Armenians to falsify
history of Azerbaijan and present it to world community,’ she said.
/APA/

GM ANASTASIAN HAS SERIOUS FRACTURE

A1+
[01:18 pm] 18 January, 2008

Armenian Grand Masters Ashot Anastassian and Tigran Nalbandian missed
the tenth tour of the Armenian Chess Championship. Anastassian slipped
on the ice and broke his coccyx on the way to the Chess House. He
failed to participate in the tournament because of the serious break.

"I stumbled and fell on the ice on Abovian Street. The fracture is
awfully hurting now. I can neither sit nor lie. The recovery will
probably last ten days."

As of Tigran Nalbandian the latter missed the tournament because of
his father’s poor health.

Nalbandian’s father underwent an operation yesterday, press secretary
of the Armenian Chess Federation Gagik Hovhannissian told A1+. It is
still unknown whether Nalbandian will participate in the tournament
later on.

After the tenth tour Tigran Petrossian tops the list with 6.5
points. Ashot Anastassian takes the tenth place with 3.5 points and
Tigran Nalbandian concludes the list with 1.5 points.

YEREVAN-MOSCOW-SHOUSHI-BETHLEHEM TV BRIDGE TO BE BROADCAST LIVE BY ARMENIAN PUBLIC TELEVISION ON JANUARY 18

Noyan Tapan
Jan 18 2007

YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. On the initiative of "Shoushi
Rebirth" Foundation, Yerevan-Moscow-Shoushi-Bethlehem television bridge
will take place on January 18, which will be broadcast live by the
Public Television of Armenia at 21:30 local time. The foundation’s PR
officer Marina Grigorian told NT correspondent that this day was not
chosen accidentally: a lot of Armenians celebrate Christmas according
to the old style – on January 18 and many of them attend the liturgy
in Bethlehem Church.

According to M. Grigorian, during the TV bridge, the cultural workers
at the Armenian embassy in Russia and the Yerevan municipality will
speak about the importance of Shoushi’s rebirth and development. Video
films about Shoushi, which was a cultural and religious center at one
time, as well as video material about the foundation’s programs will
be demonstrated during the television bridge.

Hovhannesian: We have will and determination to lead our nation’s march
to New Armenia

Yerkir.am
12 Jan 08

ARF presidential candidate Vahan Hovhannesian made his election program
public.
Below is the text of the program’s introduction.

Dear citizen of the Republic of Armenia,

Our country has to enter an entirely new stage of its development. The
government, political, economic and public realities that were formed
since independence and until now do not ensure necessary progress any
more. The external and internal challenges that our state faces, the
challenges that are dictated by the necessity for development as well
as the disaccord between the Constitution and the real life require
serious and large-scale system changes. We have to create prerequisites
for a strong and stable development. We have to give a new and a fresh
breath to all the sectors of life. An Armenian should fully trust his
and his family’s future, has to participate in shaping that future.

By nominating my candidacy, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation is
participating in the presidential race driven by this determination.

We are organized, we have a will and determination to lead our people’s
historic march towards New Armenia, towards a free and fair society. We
believe in the creative potential of a fair country and free citizen.
The wrongful understanding of liberal ideas and their extreme
implementation, the ignoring of a social state, the diminution of the
state’s role in regulating free market have resulted in the current
economic system where the state is ruled though economic groups. They
have monopolized the most lucrative sectors of the economy, have
established an economic system wish lacks competition and serves only
their own interests.

The monopolies have ceased to be only an economic phenomenon. They have
decisive influence on all the fields of the society from state and
constitutional system to the values of the society. Spending vast funds
and using the huge administrative resources, this group is periodically
reproducing itself, halting the development of the political system.
Groups of wealthy people who have political power often put themselves
above the law and ignore the state order of the country, violate human
rights and freedoms, halt the establishment of democratic traditions
and culture and during elections, and by exercising pressure and buying
votes they direct the financially dependant voters.

Uninterested in implementation of effective business methods, by making
the economic activities come out of control, they are brining the
social gap to threatening size, excluding any possibility of reaching a
social solidarity. They are making the social life stagnate and stop
the country’s progress.
I will exclude hate and enmity in the internal life of Armenia. My
principle is not to confront others but prove that we are more
sustainable and fair. My view is directed towards the future.

My goal is to build a Fair country of Free citizens through system
changes and the help of healthy forces. Armenia’s independence and
sovereignty are absolute values for me. Only by bringing our efforts
together we can have a homeland for us and for our children that our
ancestors dreamed of.

I have the determination to reach that goal. I need your votes and
trust.

Sincerely,

Your old friend Vahan Hovhannesian

ALI AKHMEDOV: "CONCEPT OF THE OSCE MINSK GROUP ON THE SETTLEMENT OF THE GARABAGH CONFLICT IS INCORRECT"

Today
litics/42218.html
Jan 9 2008
Azerbaijan

The settlement of the Garabagh problem is more difficult than it may
initially seem, as reported by Ali Akhmedov, deputy chairman of the
ruling party Yeni Azerbaijan and its executive secretary.

"The settlement of the conflict depends not only on the Azerbaijani
authorities", he noted.

A.Akhmedov stressed that the authorities of Azerbaijan do their best
to create favorable international climate for the conflict settlement.

He also mentioned changes in the position of the international
community as compared to the previous years.

"It is all important for the further settlement of the conflict",
he said.

A.Akhmedov noted that the development of the military potential of
Azerbaijan had caused concern of the Armenian side and organizations,
supporting it on the international arena.

"Several international organizations voiced concern over the
development of our military potential. They are concerned over
Azerbaijan’s possible settlement of the problem on basis of principles
of justice by force", Akhmedov added,

Akhmedov said touching upon the mediators’ activity on the settlement
of the Garabagh conflict that the chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group
have not yet found variants, acceptable for both sides.

"This proves that their concept is incorrect", he stressed.

The deputy chairman of the party considers that there are no variants
that would be acceptable for both sides.

"The matter is the release of the occupied lands of Azerbaijan. If
Armenia accept these proposals, another situation may emerge.

Otherwise, in case the Armenian side does not agree to release the
occupied lands of Azerbaijan, it is not clear how the mediators
will seek for the variants acceptable for both sides", the executive
secretary said.

"We hope that the Azerbaijani diplomacy, the power and strength of our
country will change mediators’ attitude to the issue. Azerbaijan is
for the settlement of the conflict only if the territorial integrity
of the country is provided and it does not accept any other variants",
A.Akhmedov concluded.

FM OSKANIAN SATISFIED WITH RESULTS OF 2007

Yerkir
09.01.2008 16:06

Yerevan (Yerkir) – Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian, speaking
at a news conference on January 9, said that he is satisfied with
the results of 2007 as no "regress has been seen in our policies."

The progress in the country’s security and other issues is obvious,
he said.

"We have successfully fulfilled issues in the country’s economic
development, we have furthered mutually beneficial relations with
many countries and international bodies, foreign investments in the
Armenian economy have grown, work has been done to ensure uninterrupted
work of communications and energy resources," Oskanian said.

Oskanian said that Karabakh peace talks continued in 2007, adding,
however, that some principle issues have not been agreed upon
yet. He said that the document produced by the co-chairs sets serious
prerequisites for a peaceful settlement of the conflict. Oskanian
hopes that Azerbaijan would show a political will and would adopt a
constructive position allowing for the settlement of the conflict. He
said that during 2007, Armenia had been actively participating in
the talks in the framework of the "Prague process."

"In 2007, Armenia concurred to its principle of settling the conflict
based on the Karabakh people’s right to self-determination."

Turkey and Azerbaijan continued their destructive policy of isolating
Armenia from the regional projects. He said that no essential progress
was seen in the Armenian-Turkish relations in 2007 because Turkey
continues to put forward preconditions for normalizing the bilateral
relations. He also said that Armenia has shown progress in democratic
reforms: the parliamentary election in May was positively assessed
by international observers setting good grounds for the upcoming
presidential election.

OSKANIAN: ARMENIAN-IRANIAN RELATIONS DEVELOP DYNAMICALLY

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.01.2008 14:53 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian-Iranian relations were dynamically
developing in 2007 due to mutual visits at various levels, Armenian
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian told a news conference in Yerevan.

"The visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad emerged
as importamt factor for the further cooperation between the two
states. Specifically, an agreement on etablishment of RA Consulate
General in Tavriz and Iranian Consulate General in Kapan was signed,"
he said.

Mr Oskanian also mentioned the visit of Iranian Defense Minister
to Armenia.

"Armenia and Iran develop cooperation in energy sector. The
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline was put into operation in March. The
Ministers of Energy signed an agreement on construction of a heat
power plant at Araks River. Consultations on oil-processing plant
building are underway," the Minister said.

Mr Oskanian also stressed the importance of
Meghri-Shvanidzor-Tsav-Daravan motorway. "In October, the Ministers
of Transport signed a memorandum on cargo transportation," he said.

He reminded that in 2007 he twice met with his Iranian counterpart in
Yerevan and New York to discuss bilateral relations, regional problems,
Iran’s nuclear program, the Nagorno Karabakh issue and interaction
within international organizations.

BUSH ENDORSES TURKEY’S BID TO JOIN EU, CALLS IT A ‘CONSTRUCTIVE BRIDGE’ BETWEEN WEST AND ISLAM
By William C. Mann, Associated Press Writer

The Associated Press
January 8, 2008 Tuesday 5:41 PM GMT
Washington

President Bush gave Turkey’s bid to join the European Union a glowing
endorsement on Tuesday and called the Islamic nation a "constructive
bridge" between the West and the Muslim world, offering a much-needed
boost to U.S.-Turkish relations.

"I think Turkey sets a fantastic example for nations around the world
to see where it’s possible to have a democracy coexist with a great
religion like Islam and that’s important," he said.

Bush spoke to reporters following a meeting with Turkish President
Abdullah Gul. The two appeared together on the South Lawn, where Bush
said he supported Turkey’s efforts to fight the Kurdistan Workers’
Party, or PKK rebels, in northern Iraq.

Bush called the PKK an enemy to Turkey, Iraq and "to people who want
to live in peace."

Gul’s visit to the White House is seen as a major sign of improved
relations among NATO allies after five years of acrimony over the
Iraq war and U.S. policy on Turkey’s fight against Kurdish rebels.

It follows a visit by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan two
months ago that resulted in a commitment by Bush to share intelligence
on PKK and not to object to Turkish airstrikes against the Kurdish
guerrillas’ installations in northern Iraq.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said that a key item on Bush’s
agenda was encouraging Turkish leaders to pursue a "long-term political
solution" to the PKK problem, cooperating with Iraqi leaders who
also are concerned about the group’s activities. She said that the
U.S. doesn’t have any particular solution or process in mind, but
wants to play a constructive role in ending a long-standing dispute.

"We are just going to encourage an open dialogue, which they have
had over the past couple of months. And it’s sometimes been in fits
and starts, but overall, a good cooperation," Perino said. "This has
been going on for so long that it’s time to try to put a stop to it."

The PKK has been fighting for two decades to win a Kurdish homeland
in Eastern Turkey.

The meeting with the Turkish leader comes as Bush prepared to leave
later in the day on his first major trip to the Mideast to try to
build momentum for peace in that troubled region.

Gul told reporters at the White House on Tuesday that Turkey would
continue to work alongside the United States toward peace, stability
and prosperity.

"We share a common vision," he said.

In the months leading to Erdogan’s Nov. 5 White House appearance,
however, U.S.-Turkish relations were at their lowest point in many
years.

In 2003, during the buildup to the Iraq war, the Turkish parliament
rejected U.S. requests to send troops into Iraq through Turkish
territory. And a poll last summer showed just 9 percent of Turks saw
the U.S. favorably.

Despite pleas from the Bush administration and personal appeals from
Gul, then foreign minister, and other prominent Turks, the House
Foreign Affairs Committee passed a nonbinding resolution last year
that described as genocide the World War I-era deaths of Armenians
during the final years of the Ottoman Empire. Turkey reacted by
withdrawing its ambassador from Washington.

Despite the improved situation since the Erdogan-Bush meeting, the
situation remains touchy.

"Certainly there is far greater satisfaction in Turkey than there
was as late as three months ago," John Sitilides, chairman of the
Southeast Europe Project at the Woodrow Wilson International Center
for Scholars, said Monday. "It’s all related to the PKK. Now the
United States is seen not as an entity that is holding the Turkish
military back but is working with Turkey."

Still, Sitilides said, Turkey could "respond recklessly" to perceived
U.S. mistreatment with grievous results. "There are 150,000 U.S.

troops on the ground in Iraq whose well-being would be jeopardized
if Turkey decided on an action such as closing off access to the flow
of war supplies."

Gul also met with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. His schedule,
released in Ankara, said he also would meet with Vice President Dick
Cheney on Tuesday and Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Wednesday
before flying to New York to meet at the United Nations with
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

For his part, Bush leaves later Tuesday on his first major trip to
the Mideast, arriving in Israel on Wednesday. He also will stop in the
Palestinian-governed West Bank, which he toured in 1998, and make his
first visits to Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi
Arabia. He plans a brief stop to the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik,
Egypt, which he visited in 2003.

Bush’s primary goals for the trip are to try to build momentum
for the troubled peace process and encourage broader Arab-Israeli
reconciliation. The trip also is intended to reaffirm the
U.S. commitment to the troubled region and efforts against terrorism.