Author: Tatoyan Vazgen

ACCORDING TO DATA OF SOCIOMETER, MOST OF VOTERS IN REPUBLIC OF NAGORNO KARABAKH WANT TO SEE BAKO SAHAKIAN IN POST OF PRESIDENT

Noyan Tapan
Jun 18 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 18, NOYAN TAPAN. In the presidential elections of the
republic of Nagorno Karabakh Bako Sahakian, the Head of the National
Security Service, will struggle against Masis Mayilian, the Deputy
Prime Minister, though they "have different political weight." This
prevision was made by Aharon Adibekian, the head of the sociological
center Sociometer, at the June 18 press conference.

According to a social survey data conducted by the center in Artsakh,
45% of voters want to see Bako Sahakian in the post of the future
President of the republic of Nagorno Karabakh, and M. Mayilian,
who received 5% of the participants of the survey, is in second
place. Among the other candidates Hrant Melkumian received 3% and
Armen Abgarian and Vanik Avanesian about 1%.

In response to the question of whom they think is capable to solve
the primary problems of Nagorno Karabakh, 44% of the participants
of the survey mentioned the name of B. Sahakian, about 4.5% that of
M. Mayilian, and about 2.5% mentioned the name of H. Melkumian. The
other two candidates received approximately 1% of the votes.

In response to the question of what characteristic features the
president of the country should have, 38.5% of those asked mentioned
"considerate, thinking about his people", 17% said "educated,
literate", 12.3% "experienced, skillful", 9.5% "incorrupt", and 7.8%
said "patriotic." The answer "making a contribution to the movement"
was mentioned by only 3.5% of voters, whereas, in A. Adibekian’s
opinion, this feature was of primary significance for voters ten
years ago.

In response to a journalist’s question of whether anyone had mentioned
the fact about B. Sahakian being a drug addict, A. Adibekian answered
that among the 700 people taking part in the survey, nobody spoke
about it in that way.

"A person should not be reproached for the mistakes made when he was
young throughout his life," the sociologist added.

Armenia opposition holds rally in Yerevan

Arminfo
15 Jun 07

Yerevan, 15 June: Another rally organized by opposition parties is
under way in Yerevan. About 300 people are in attendance.

Only the leaders of the Impeachment bloc and the Alternative movement
are seen at the rally held near the Matenadaran [institute and museum
of manuscripts in Yerevan].

[Passage omitted: other party leaders did not attend due to various
reasons.]

Addressing the rally, Vahagn Khachatryan of the Impeachment bloc said
that the Constitutional Court’s ruling on 10 June not to invalidate the
parliamentary election had proved that the court totally depends on the
authorities.

"All of us would like not to discuss but to trust the Constitutional
Court’s ruling. But the constitutional court simply does not exist in
this country," Khachatryan said.

Addressing the rally, Melissa Brown, the wife of the former Foreign
Minister Aleksandr Arzumanyan, who is custody, said Arzumanyan welcomed
the rally. She called Arzumanyan a political prisoner fighting for
freedom.

The rally was mainly dedicated to the Nagornyy Karabakh problem. Those
addressing the rally repeated their critical comments regarding on the
Armenian authorities’ policy on the Karabakh issue. It is unlikely that
after the rally the opposition members will hold a march [presumably to
the Republic Square where a complex of the government offices is
located].

BAZE GATHERS IN JERMUK THIS YEAR

KarabakhOpen
15-06-2007 11:26:13

This year the BAZE All-Armenian Youth Gathering will be in Jermuk
and last from July 12-19. 650 young people aged 18-30 from Armenia,
Artsakh, Javakheti and the Diaspora will participate in contests and
have interesting meetings and leisure.

Young people will compete in table tennis, chess, mini-football,
volley-ball, as well as song and dance contests, design of clothes,
woodcarving, drawing, Brain Test, Brain Ring and Baze Poet.

The gathering is organized by the All-Armenian Youth Foundation.

Marianna Hakobyan, officer of the ministry of education in charge of
youth, said 12 young people will go from Artsakh. They are selected
by a contest.

OPPOSITION IS PEOPLE WHO SHOULD RUN FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS WITH A SINGLE CANDIDATE, FELIX KHACHATRIAN IS CONVINCED

Noyan Tapan
Jun 15 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 15, NOYAN TAPAN. "By saying opposition I understand
citizens of the Republic of Armenia and that opposition should run
for the 2008 presidential elections with a single candidate." Felix
Khachatrian, member of People’s Party of Armenia, member of Central
Electoral Commission, stated at the June 15 press conference. In his
words, "the people has a huge energy and seeing the unfairness at
the parliamentary elections, this time the instinct of protecting
its rights will wake up in the people."

As F. Khachatrian affirmed, the parliamentary elections were held
with many violations. In his words, for disclosing them they should
check protocols at each polling station and reconsider the results
of elections in the presence of representatives of law enforcement
bodies, members of constituency, district and central electoral
commissions. In F. Khachatrian’s opinion, there will be few polling
stations where no violations have been registered.

2 BERRY FACULTY MEMBERS HONORED

Rome News-Tribune, GA
June 14 2007

Two Berry College professors have been honored for their work in and
out of the classroom.

Dr. Steven Bell, professor of psychology and education, has received
the Dave and Lu Garrett Award for Meritorious Teaching for the second
time in his career at Berry. The award is given annually to faculty
members judged to best exemplify effectiveness in undergraduate
education during the academic year.

Bell joined the Berry faculty in 1976 as an assistant professor
of psychology. He was promoted to associate professor in 1982
and granted tenure in 1983. From 1992 until 1996, he served as
director of graduate studies. In 1996 he was named coordinator of
the psychology department. He was presented the Dave and Lu Garrett
Award for Meritorious Teaching in 1997 and promoted to the position
of professor in 1998.

Dr. Michael Papazian, associate professor of philosophy and chair
of the religion and philosophy department, is the 2007 recipient of
the Mary S. and Samuel Poe Carden Award for outstanding teaching,
scholarship and service.

A faculty member since 1998, Papazian teaches general education and
upper-level philosophy courses at Berry. He has been department chair
since 2004 and also is advisor for the student organization Philosophia
Religioque. He is a past director of Berry’s Honors Program.

His scholarly accomplishments include the completion of three books
concerned with Armenian studies and numerous journal articles and
presentations.

ORHAN PHAMUK INVOLVED AS AGGRIEVED NOT TO TAKE PART IN COURT HEARING OF HRANT DINK’S MURDER CASE

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 14 2007

ISTANBUL, JUNE 14, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Turkish writer,
Nobel prize winner Orhan Phamuk, will not take part in the court
hearing of the murder case of Hrant Dink, the former editor-in-chief
of the Weekly "Akos".

This information was provided by the Cihan agency.

Orhan Phamuk, expressing his position as an aggrieved party, gave a
statement through his lawyer Haluk Inanj that he can not take part
in the court hearing to be held on July 2 because of his busy working
schedule in abroad.

It should also be mentioned that Yasin Hayal, the defendant charged
with Dink’s murder, threatened Orhan Phamuk saying: "Phamuk should
show some sense." On the basis of this statement, the court has
decided to involve Orhan Phamuk in the case as an aggrieved party.

DOZENS PROTEST OUTSIDE AS NEW CABINET MEETS
By Shake Avoyan

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
June 14 2007

Scores of residents affected by massive redevelopment schemes in
downtown Yerevan protested outside the government building on Thursday
as the new Armenian government were holding their first meeting inside.

Activists representing hundreds of citizens controversially evicted
from their city center homes to give way to multimillion construction
projects accused Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian of going back on his
promise to meet them and discuss ways to settle their problems.

Vachagan Hakobian, who set up a nongovernmental organization to
advocate the property rights of evicted citizens, says the authorities’
inaction to provide solutions to their problems made them resort to
a protest action again after a two-month interval.

"During the pre-election campaign we hoped that the premier would
fulfill his promise after the elections. But two months have passed,
people feel disillusioned and have decided to go outside again,"
Hakobian told RFE/RL, adding that the protest was staged at a very
short notice and therefore was not attended by all who would wish to
join the action.

Many residents whose homes were demolished by city developers are
unhappy with the modest amount of compensations they got from the
state, alleging high-level government corruption. Some have resisted
eviction by filing lawsuits and even building barricades as they
protested the government action as illegal and unconstitutional.

"We will push for a meeting with the prime minister," the activist
said. "He’d better personally tell us whether he will keep his promise
or not so that we decide on our further action."

Meanwhile, the Cabinet members sitting inside seemed untroubled by
the protest action and proceeded with their meeting as usual.

Before passing to the discussion of agenda issues, Premier Sarkisian
urged his Cabinet to work as effectively as possible and show
everything it is capable of. According to him, the need for this is
prompted by the short-term nature of the current government, which
is likely to be dissolved in an eight months’ time in view of the
presidential election in the country.

The government plans to finalize its program of action and submit it
to the National Assembly for approval by the end of this month.

NKR CENTRAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION REGISTERED ALL THE FIVE CANDIDATES TO THE POST OF NKR PRESIDENT

ArmInfo
2007-06-14 13:31:00

Today, 14 June the NKR Central Electoral Commission registered all
the five candidates to the post of NKR president: deputy of the NKR
parliament Armen Abgaryan, the teacher of Artsakh State University,
professor Vanya Avanesyan, the NKR Deputy Foreign Minister Masis
Mailyan, the leader of the Communist party Hrant Melkumyan and the
head of National Security Service Bako Sahakyan.

As ArmInfo’s special correspondent in Stepanakert informs, this
decision was adopted at today’s sitting of the new CEC. According
to the constitution claims, the deputy group ARF Dashnaktiutyun –
Movement -88 was reorganized into the parliamentary faction and Sergey
Shakverdyan and Hamest Suleymanyan were appointed its representatives
in the CEC. To recall, all the candidates but Hrant Melkumyan were
nominated by the civil initiative. The stage of the election campaign
is starting on 20 June.

As chairman of the CEC Sergey Nasibyan informed, 276 polling stations
were formed at the NKR territory and one in Yerevan, in the office
of permanent representation of the NKR in Armenia for the Karabakh
citizens. The number of the NKR citizens which have a right to vote
is about 90thsd people.

SERGE SARGSYAN HURRIED
Hakob Badalyan

Lragir.am
14-06-2007 12:03:15

The impression that the lasting negotiations after the Armenian
parliamentary election created the new pyramid of power, or its
axis was created was false. The government pyramid or the axis has
not been created, the process is just starting. Perhaps this is the
main explanation why the election of May 12 was rather calm. This
election which was considered as crucial, and even the pro-government
Bargavach Hayastan and ARF Dashnaktsutyun parties prepared for it
aggressively, passed in a very, very, too calm atmosphere compared
with its cruciality. Perhaps the reason is the pyramid realized in
time that if a definitive importance is paid to election, it will be
impossible to hold it within a "civil" framework and get the nod of the
international community. Therefore, they decided to turn the election
into a formality, and put off the creation of government until the
post-election period. Therefore, the post-election arrangements between
the government forces do not overlap with the official result of the
election. The official result allowed the Republican Party to get hold
of full power, whereas the party had to seek partners. In addition,
it almost begged and persuaded them to join in. It is evidence that
what happens after May 12 has nothing to do with May 12.

There are substantial proofs, and two of them are enough to show the
struggle for government in Armenia is gathering momentum, and May 12
was just a compromise between the wings of power. The appointment
of the new secretary of the security council and the conference
of the Republican Party on July 14 are concerned. At first sight,
the secretary of the security council had to be appointed one way
or another because after Serge Sargsyan had become prime minister
the post of the secretary was vacant. It is notable, however, that
Robert Kocharyan appoints secretary after two months.

Certainly, nobody doubts that appointments in Armenia are often highly
formal, and when a position remains vacant, it hardly affects the
real life in the country because one or at best two people decide
everything. However, even the formal appointments are signals to the
local and international community. If Robert Kocharyan used to share
the council of security with Serge Sargsyan, now Armen Gevorgyan’s
appointment shows he takes the security council in his hands.

In addition, Gevorgyan cannot be considered as a compromise. He
is perceived as one of the most reliable and devoted people around
Robert Kocharyan.

Consequently, by this appointment the president makes an aggressive
step in the political sphere, showing first that he dominates the key
spheres of the country, and second, by appointing one of his reliable
people he shows this sphere is and will be highly important for him. In
other words, by appointing Armen Gevorgyan Robert Kocharyan reveals
his political plans, and though their meaning is not understood yet,
it is nevertheless clear that the president is not going to stop
dominating the game.

The decision on a new conference of the Republican Party is rather
interesting in this context. In fact, the conference will be held
about a year after the historic conference of July 22. The official
explanation is to elect a new leader of the Republican Party, because
after Andranik Margaryan’s death the party did not have a leader, Serge
Sargsyan was the interim leader. It seems to be a recurrent working
conference. It is interesting, however, why this working conference
is held in vacation time, between the beginning and the end of the
political year, when one does not know the Republican Party is closing
or opening the political year, when the other political forces do not
know if by this conference the Republican Party accounts to them or
they will have to account to the Republican Party.

In the meantime, all this allows thinking that the Republican
Party’s conference is not held to fill in the gaps of the hierarchy
inside the party but to reorganize in the process of the government
hierarchy. The model of July 22 did not work. Serge Sargsyan who
stated on that day "if one wants others to obey him, one must obey",
broke this principle. Hardly a few oligarchs had obeyed Serge Sargsyan
when he though everyone already obeyed, and decided to stop obeying
Robert Kocharyan too early. Meanwhile, it became clear that still
very many do not obey him, many more than those who were believed to
have voted for the Republican Party. Now it is necessary to start
from the beginning. But what will happen if Robert Kocharyan does
not wish Serge Sargsyan to have him obey him any more?

FIRST TWO PARTS OF "TWO PILGRIMS" NOVEL BY ARCHIMANDRITE SAHAK MASHALIAN PUBLISHED

Noyan Tapan
Jun 13 2007

ETCHMIADZIN, JUNE 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The Publishing Department of the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin with the assistance of Catholicos
of All Armenians Karekin II published the first and second parts
of Archimandrite Sahak Mashalian’s three-part novel under the title
"Two Pilgrims." The novel has been published with the sponsorship of
Mkhitar Heratsi Medical University of Yerevan.

As Noyan Tapan was informed from the Information Services of
the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the book is dedicated to
two outstanding figures of Armenian church in the 18th century,
Patriarches Hovhannes Kolot and Grigor Shghtayakir, who with their
mission left an unforgettable trace in the national history of
Armenian people. The life of these two monks who were the pupils of
Hrashagorts Archimandrite Vardan is a great lesson for devout pilgrims
of all times.

Archimandrite Sahak Mashalian, Deputy Head of Gevorgian Theological
Seminary, presents the readers an interesting historical novel, which
is a novelty for our religious literature with its great mystical
deeds and fantastic illustrations.

At first the novel had been written in Western Armenian and was
translated into Eastern Armenian by the Publishing Department.