Author: Tigranian Ani

RA DEFENSE MINISTER MET WITH THE AMBASSADOR OF BULGARIA

armradio.am
03.07.2007 17:36

RA Defense Minister Michael Harutynyan received the Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bulgaria to Armenia Stefan
Dimitrov.

Mr. Dimitrov congratulated Michael Harutyunyan on assuming the Defense
Minister’s office. He conveyed the congratulating message of the
Defense Minister of Bulgaria Mr. Vesselin Bliznakov.

Expressing gratitude, Michael Harutyunyan handed an invitation to
the Defense Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria to pay an official
visit to Armenia.

Stefan Dimitrov informed the Minister that in the first half of
September the newly appointed Military Attaché of the Republic of
Belarus will arrive in Armenia, whose appointment will enhance the
military cooperation between the two countries.

The parties turned to the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
issue, as well as a number of questions related to regional security
and stability.

–Boundary_(ID_wWVoEMD6V0Y99xl2lUg/DA) —

IN TURKEY, 18 SUSPECTS CHARGED OF KILLING OF ETHNIC ARMENIAN JOURNALIST GO ON TRIAL

Pravda, Russia
July 3 2007

More than six months after the killing of an ethnic Armenian
journalist, 18 suspects went on trial.

Hrant Dink was gunned down on Jan. 19 and his killing led to
international condemnation and debate within Turkey about free
speech. Dink was hated by hardline nationalists for describing the
mass killings of Armenians early in the last century as genocide.

The trial was taking place behind closed doors because the alleged
teenage gunman, Ogun Samast, is a minor.

But lawyers, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not
allowed to report details of the case, said two of the key suspects,
Yasin Hayal and Erhan Tuncel, claimed they worked for the security
forces. The alleged gunman had remained silent during the trial.

Critics accused authorities of failing to act on reports of a plot to
kill Dink, and it is unclear whether allegations that could potentially
be embarrassing for top officials will be explored in the trial.

Hayal, accused of providing gun and money to Samast, wrote some 20
letters to court officials and police explaining his links to security
forces, according to his lawyer, Fuat Turgut.

"The police manipulated us, now they should protect us," Turgut quoted
Hayal as saying in his letters.

Tuncel, who is suspected of masterminding the killing, reportedly
told the court that he was paid by police for gathering intelligence,
according to a lawyer who attended Monday’s hearing.

Turkey had vowed a thorough investigation, and the governor and police
chief of the Black Sea city of Trabzon, the hometown of Samast, were
removed from office because of negligence. Some security officials
who posed for photographs with the gunman as he held a Turkish flag
were also dismissed.

There has been no evidence that directly implicates any police or
government officials in the slaying of Dink outside his office.

Many Turks are convinced that a so-called "deep state" a network of
state agents or ex-officials, possibly with links to organized crime
periodically targets reformists and other perceived enemies in the
name of nationalism.

"This trial will be a test of whether this quagmire will be dried
up or not," lawyer Kezban Hatemi, representing Dink’s family, told
reporters before the hearing Monday. "The indictment lacks evidence
and there is a need to find out real culprits."

Dink sought to encourage reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia.

But he was prosecuted under Article 301 of Turkey’s penal code,
which bans insults to Turkish identity, for his comments on the mass
killings of Armenians by Turks in the early 20th century.

"ASSASSINATION OF HRANT DINK TRIAL BEGINS"

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
July 2 2007

ISTANBUL (A.A) -02.07.2007 -A high court in Istanbul started hearing
18 suspects accused of participation in the assassination of Hrant
Dink, a Turkish journalist of Armenian descent, on Monday. Twelfe of
them are in prison.

52-year-old Dink, editor-in-chief of the Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos,
was shot dead in front of his office in Istanbul on January 19th, 2007.

The hearing will be held behind closed doors since O.S., accused to
be the hitman, is below 18.

Fethiye Cetin, one of lawyers of Dink family, said that Turkish
Parliamentary Human Rights Commission Chairman Mehmet Elkatmis and
parliamentarian Cavit Torun also participating in the hearing.

-INDICTMENT-

The prosecutor asks for life imprisonment for Erhan Tuncel and Yasin
Hayal on charges of inciting to murder, while he demands that O.S.

should be sentenced to prison terms between 18 to 24 years.

Prison terms ranging between 7.5 and 35 years are requested for
Mustafa Ozturk, Tuncay Uzundal, Zeynel Abidin Yavuz, Ahmet Iskender,
Ersin Yolcu, Salih Hacisalihoglu, Alper Esirgemez, Irfan Ozkan, Osman
Alpay, Erbil Susaman, Numan Sisman, Senol Akduman and Veysel Toprak.

RECURRENT MILITANT STATEMENTS OF THE AZERI PRESIDENT

armradio.am
02.07.2007 17:32

Speaking at the meeting with the graduates of the Police Academy of
the Azeri Ministry of Interior Affairs, President Ilham Aliyev declared
that "Armenia must voluntarily liberate the occupied Azeri lands, which
will help to escape from a new war for Nagorno Karabakh." "Azerbaijan
is the most powerful state from the military perspective, and our
neighbors must understand it. Armenia must voluntarily withdraw its
forces from Azerbaijani territories. Only in that case shall we be
able to definitely declare that there will not be a new war," Ilham
Aliyev said.

In his words, "Azerbaijan is ready to liberate its territories in every
possible way, including the military one. "None of us wants to suffer
losses. Azerbaijan is gaining strength and is ready to undertake any
action at any moment," the Azerbaijani President declared.

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
June 30 2007

HRW: Dink trial a test for Turkish judiciary

The Turkish judiciary must hold accountable any security forces found
responsible for negligence or collusion in the murder of
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, a leading human rights group
said yesterday.

Evidence that will be heard in the trial, beginning on Monday, may
raise serious questions about the possible involvement of security
forces in the killing, the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW)
said in a statement.
Dink, who had called for reconciliation between Turks and Armenians,
was slain by a teenage gunman in January in downtown Ýstanbul. The
teenager, who confessed to having shot him, said he did so because
Dink "insulted Turkish-ness." The indictment alleges that one of the
three main defendants had operated as a police informer and the
police had repeatedly been informed that another defendant was
planning to kill Dink.

"Hrant Dink’s murder trial is a critical test of the Turkish
judiciary’s independence. We will be closely watching how the court
handles any evidence that may implicate the security forces" said
Holly Cartner, HRW Europe and Central Asia director. "The Turkish
authorities failed to protect Hrant Dink, despite evidence that his
life was at risk. They must now ensure that those responsible are
held to account and, where appropriate, prosecuted."

The statement said the HRW is also deeply concerned by the statements
and conduct of some officials that point to possible bias and "raise
questions about their ability to act impartially in the Dink case,"
noting a statement by head of the Ýstanbul police, Celalettin Cerrah,
soon after the killing that ruled out any political connection in the
killing and said the gunman was motivated by "nationalist
sentiments."

"In this climate of growing intolerance and violence against minority
groups, the Turkish authorities must fully investigate Dink’s murder
and bring all perpetrators to justice," said Cartner. "Failure to
ensure justice in this case would send a dangerous message."

30.06.2007

Today’s Zaman Ýstanbul

NKR LEADER DISCUSSED KARABAKH PROBLEM WITH AMBASSADORS OF ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN TO RUSSIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.06.2007 17:07 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Arkadi
Ghukassian hosted the delegation of Armenian and Azeri intelligentsia
at the head of Armenia’s Ambassador to Russia Armen Smbatyan and
his Azeri counterpart Polad Bulbuloglu, the NKR Presidential Press
Office reports. At the meeting with the participation of Artsakh
intellectuals the participants underscored the necessity to create an
atmosphere of mutual confidence between the two nations and societies
of conflicting sides.

Arkadi Ghukassian stressed the importance of the initiative, noting
that it may form a sound and constructive atmosphere around the
settlement process of the Nagorno Karabakh problem. Once again he
confirmed the position of Nagorno Karabakh that artificially implanted
intolerance and calls for war only hamper the peace process.

Participants of the meeting expressed hope that the dialog between
representatives of intelligentsia from both sides will continue and
in future, involving wider circles from conflicting parties.

THERE ARE NO OLIGARCHS IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY

A1+
[04:39 pm] 27 June, 2007

"The parliamentary majority should be responsible for the government
programme, regardless of the fact which party the president
represents," Republican Eduard Sharmazanov told reporters June 27.

Today Eduard Sharmazanov presented the government programme endorsed
by the National Assembly June 26 at the "Friday" Club.

Yesterday the oppositional factions voted down the programme. While
commenting on their step, Eduard Sharmazanov said, "I understand that
political forces have a constructive attitude towards the programme."

The Republican deputy thinks that the ARF Dashnaktsutyun is rather
a government than an oppositional party, though the latter will put
forward its candidate at the presidential elections.

The Republican Party of Armenia has always brought arguments why people
should vote for the Republicans, he said. According to him, the party
possesses the potential to put the government programme into force.

According to Sharmazanov, there aren’t oligarchs in the Republican
Party.

"Corruption is vice. The upper and lower echelons of the power should
combat against corruption with joint efforts," he said.

While speaking of Gyumri Mayor Vardan Ghukasyan’s possible resignation,
Eduard Sharmazanov said, "I can say nothing in this view. I wish
him success."

CAUCASUS-POTI FERRY PARALYZED

Panorama.am
16:45 27/06/2007

Caucasus-Poti ferryboat has been paralyzed. Arsen Ghazaryan, chairman
of the Union of Industrialists and Businessmen, blamed the Russian
bureaucracy saying the ferry does not have any problems at Georgian
port but Russia does not grant entry on different grounds.

"They say the ferry does not comply with standards and is not ready
for float," A. Ghazaryan said. In his words, Upper Lars is being
repeated again and Russia tries to force the ferry to work with this
or that company or wants to gain shares. Ghazaryan says the ferry
owner largely suffers damages saying the owner is paying 15 employees
every day. "He really undergoes damages," the chairman said.

PRESIDENT OF GREECE: ONE SHOULD BE NEITHER CAPTIVE OF PAST NOR FORGET IT

ArmInfo
2007-06-27 15:45:00

One should be neither captive of the past nor forget it,
President of Greece Karolos Papoulias said at today’s meeting with
the professor-teacher staff and students of the Yerevan State
University. "Armenia and Greece belong to the huge region which
extends among the Mediterranean, Back and Caspian Seas. Many peoples,
which populate the region, have tragic fortunes", the president said
and added that situation of the transient period after the USSR
collapse, rise of national conflicts together with the regional
problems, including the competition of superpowers, the situation
around Iran, uncertainty in the issue of Turkey’s membership in EU
create a difficult atmosphere in the region.

However, Karolos Papoulias expressed hope that the history lessons
will give their benefit and cooperation in the region may overcome
the problems. As a historical lesson, he gave an example of France and
Germany which, despite the longstanding enmity, are now the example of
cooperation and pillar in EU. In the context of regional problems, the
president emphasized that one should not allow creation of separating
lines in the region. One should be neither a captive of the past nor
forget it.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

A DELEGATION REPRESENTING THE GERMAN CHURCHES
VISITS HIS HOLINESS ARAM I

A delegation representing all the churches of Germany, both Catholic and
Protestant, visited His Holiness Aram I on June 25 as part of a general
Middle Eastern tour.

The delegation wants to be closely informed about the challenges and
conflicts in the Middle East and particularly the Christian presence in the
region.

Recent political and ecumenical developments were discussed during the
meeting that lasted over an hour. The Catholicos provided a detailed account
of the developments thus far in Christian-Muslim dialogue and stressed the
possibility of strengthening cooperation with European churches.

The delegation also met the Spiritual Leader of the Maronite Church,
Patriarch Sfeir, in Lebanon. Its members will also visit Egypt, Syria and
Jerusalem.
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