Author: Toganian Liana

COLD WAR RETURN POSSIBILE

Panorama.am
18:06 16/07/2007

Azerbaijan can any time announce about the uselessness of its
armament quota. Politician Stepan Grigoryan announced his point
of view concerning that today. As regards to his words the Russian
partnership with the USA and UN has gone for the worse during the
last weeks. He reminded that Russia lately terminated the armament
treaty with Europe wigned in 1990, a treaty that preserved military
stability in the back cold war Europe.

That treaty is directly connected with the security of our area,
as far as in the 1999 established armament quota for the three
south-caucauses countries joined the treaty do not let Armenia and
Azerbaijan have more than 220 tanks. The politician thinks that if
those quotas were a restraining factor for Azerbaijan , then now they
do not even work. "Azerbaijan will announce that it is a matter of
days ,it is useless to keep the quotas and the military escalation
will be unavoidable", he said and added that the restart of the war
is close to the reality.

In answer to the question if Russia’s such step means that the ……in
Europe ceases its existence, S.Grigoryan said, "If some other country
took that step, it wouldn’t mean anything, but Russia is a key member
of the treaty and it is senseless without that country.

PASHINYAN SAYS OSKANYAN’S STATEMENT "PITIFUL"

Panorama.am
17:30 17/07/2007

Nikol Pashinyan, member of "Alternative" public-political initiative,
named Oskanyan’s statement on Kosovo’s possible independence "pitiful."

"The whole world is saying that Kosovo’s independence will be a
precedent for other unrecognized states whereas Vardan Oskanyan
declares that in case of granting independence to Kosovo, they may
not grant independence to any other states." Pashinyan also referred
to Oskanyan saying not granting independence to Kosovo may also
be dangerous on the logic that if Kosovo is refused, other states
may not be granted independence, too. In Pashinyan’s words, these
statements made by Oskanyan recently in a press conference are an
"evidence of pity" of our foreign diplomacy.

SEFILYAN’S DEFENDER IS LOOKING FOR AN INDEPENDENT LINGUIST

A1+
[07:16 pm] 12 July, 2007

"We will break the heads of those who return the liberated
territories", this statement was not in the accusation of Colonel
Zhirayr Sefilyan, the commander of a battalion in Shushi.

This was the rudest announcement in the Zhirayr’s speech at the
gathering of "Union of Armenian Volunteers". However harsh it was,
it way not perceived as an appeal to subjugate the power by force. But
this was enough for arresting Zhirayr Sefilyan and Vardan Malkhasyan
according to the Article 301 of the RA Criminal Code.

"Zhirayr Sefilyan and Vardan Malkhasyan are political prisoners,
since they are persecuted not for a criminal crime, but for ideas and
activities", announced Vahe Grigoryan, Sefilyan’s defender during the
"Problem of political prisoners in the RA" discussion organized by
National Civil Iinitiative. He mentioned that he was unable to get
an explanation from the Court why he should defend Sefilyan. Vahe
Grigoryan decided to turn to a linguist to clarify the meaning of the
word "appeal". However, he has found out that it was very difficult
to find an independent linguist in Armenia.

The participants of the discussion tried to find out the constitutional
order that Zhirayr Sefilyan or Vardan Malkhasyan were going to ruin.

The lawyer offered to imagine the list of the words, the articulation
of which in the public may result in persecution. "We should write in
the preface of the Constitution that "the Armenian nation is coward,
whose real freedom is limited for restricting further possible danger".

The defenders of Zhirayr Sefilyan are going to apply to the
Constitutional Court for checking the compliance of the Article 301 of
the Criminal Code with the Constitution. Since the defenders have not
found out Sefilyan’s sin they have to prove his innocence. "We should
prove that Sefilyan’s words reflected his opinion simply. One should
analyze Sefilyan’s speech from philosophic, cultural, historical,
sociological and psychological point of view".

ARMENIAN, FRENCH LEADERS DISCUSS BILATERAL TIES

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
12 Jul 07

[Presenter] A meeting between Armenian President Robert Kocharyan
and French President Nicolas Sarkozy has ended in the Elysee Palace
in Paris. A "Haylur" correspondent Lusine Lazarian, who is also in
Paris, has the details of the meeting by phone.

[Correspondent reports from Paris by phone] The newly-elected French
president, Nicolas Sarkozy, received the Armenian president for the
first time after his election as president. The meeting lasted for
about an hour.

The Armenian and French presidents discussed relations between the
two countries.

At the end of the meeting, the Armenian president said that the
meeting was very useful. Kocharyan noted that all proposals of the
past to develop bilateral ties between the two countries was again
discussed at the meeting with the newly-elected French president.

Kocharyan also expressed his satisfaction with the atmosphere of the
meeting and added that the discussions would be continuous.

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
July 12, 2007

CONTACT: Christine Kojoian

E-mail: [email protected]

Armenian Assembly of America and ArmeniaNow.com
Announcement of Partnership

Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly of America and ArmeniaNow.com
internet journal are pleased to announce the beginning of a partnership
project, intended to reach Armenia and the Diaspora with news of the
Assembly’s advocacy from the U.S. capital and matters of general
interest from Armenia.

The cooperation between the Armenian Assembly and ArmeniaNow will
facilitate more efficient and broader coverage on issues in Washington
of special interest to Armenia and Armenians worldwide. Specifically,
when news of particular interest breaks on Capitol Hill, ArmeniaNow
journalists will provide informed, fact-based reports for the journal’s
readers. In 2007, ArmeaniaNow.com was reporting 150,000 visits per
month.

"ArmeniaNow is a leading online news service in Armenia with a proven
record of disseminating balanced and factual reports to a growing
worldwide audience," said Assembly Board of Trustees Member Anthony
Barsamian.

The cooperation also makes it available for Armenian Assembly and
ArmeniaNow associates and interns to work in the ArmeniaNow newsroom in
Yerevan and the Assembly’s Washington, Los Angeles and Yerevan offices,
where they will gain a better understanding of the inner workings of
Congress, a sharper picture of U.S.-Armenia and Armenia-Diaspora
relations, as well as an appreciation of journalism in an emerging
democracy like Armenia.

"This is a natural partnership for the shared goals of ArmeniaNow and of
the Assembly," said John Hughes, editor of ArmeniaNow.com. "Our aim is
to make our journal the premiere source of information for local and
Diaspora Armenians. At the same time, we are pleased to serve an
advocacy role for the Assembly, whose work is consistent with our
general philosophy of strengthening Armenia’s place in the world."

The partnership is made possible through an Assembly grant to ArmeniaNow
which, in addition to creating a consistent presence for Assembly news
through a designated link on the website, will also make it possible for
ArmeniaNow to expand its influence by opening regional bureaus and
upgrading its technology.

"We are encouraged by the quality of their work product, by the
independence and integrity of their newsroom operation, and their
commitment to open and independent journalistic standards," said
Barsamian.

Since its inception in 2002, ArmeniaNow has stood as a model for other
local media in Armenia by serving as a newsroom laboratory and training
journalists and editors in the concepts and standards of western-style
journalism.

Based in Yerevan, ArmeniaNow is published by New Times Journalism
Training Center, a Non-Governmental Organization. Since 2003, The NGO
has been supported by the Armenian General Benevolent Union.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
and awareness of Armenian issues. It is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt
membership organization.

NR#2007-069

SOMEDAY TURKISH PEOPLE WILL UNDERSTAND AND ADMIT FILM, ITALIAN PRODUCER SAYS

arminfo
2007-07-11 08:30:00

Producer Gracia Volpi said at a press conference in Yerevan, Tuesday.

She joins the film’s directors Taviani Brothers who do not rule out
that the Skylarks Farm will be demonstrated at schools in Turkey. Ms
Volpi said the Turkish party exerted pressure on the creative staff
in the course of shooting. "It is easier to tell and write about
the Genocide of Armenians than to shoot a film about it. However,
we tried to be as objective as possible when shooting the Skylarks
Farm. Positive Turk characters once more prove that we were far from
creating ‘a black image’ of Turks," Ms Volpi said. To recall, the
film was demonstrated in Yerevan for the first time on July 9 at the
opening ceremony of Golden Apricot the 4th International Film Festival.

LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE RESPONSIBLE

Lragir.am
11-07-2007 16:05:53

Despite its short parliamentary biography the Heritage Party has
received lots of complains from the citizens and residents of
Armenia. Member of Parliament Zaruhi Postanjyan, Heritage Party,
presented some of them to news reporters on July 11. The member of
parliament, who is a professional lawyer, presented complains against
the judicial system.

For instance, the office of military prosecutor violates the rights
of heirs of the wronged person, the investigators refuse to provide
the results of examinations.

During the investigation the charged person is kept in custody,
and people often remain in prison for over a year without an enacted
verdict, isolated from their families and the society. According to
Zaruhi Postanjyan, 1000 people are currently in custody, whereas only
50 to 60 percent could be kept in custody, without isolating people
from the society and spare money the government spends on prisoners.

Most complaints the Heritage Party involve beating and torturing
of people.

Zaruhi Postanjyan said Gagik Begdoyan, for instance, got an injury
of the lung during the interrogation at the office of prosecutor and
had an operation. "If a healthy person enters the law enforcement
agency and leaves it with an injury, the law enforcement agency is
responsible," Zaruhi Postanjyan says.

ARA ABRAHAMIAN: "WORLD ARMENIAN CONGRESS CAN DO MORE UNDER CIRCUMSTANCE OF SOLIDARITY OF DIASPORA"

Noyan Tapan
Jul 10, 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. "The World Armenian
Congress has not managed to unite the whole Diaspora as yet, which is
a pity," Ara Abrahamian, the Chairman of the World Armenian Congress,
declared on July 9.

Ara Abrahamian made an opening speech at the first conference of
the Youth Union of the World Armenian Congress, saying: "The work
we did is not enough to contribute to the settlement of the world
Armenian problems as well as those of the Republic of Armenia, we
can do more." According to him the World Armenian Congress has not
managed to create a branch in the United States.

According to Ara Abrahamian, the American-Armenian Diaspora is
not united at present and there is a struggle at the level of
organizations. In his opinion, this fact does not contribute to
activities in favour of Armenia, moreover, under a circumstance where
Armenia is in a tricky situation in comparison with its neigbour
countries. For example, according to Ara Abrahamian, in case the
relations between the United States and Iran, as well as between
Russia and Georgia become complicated, there may be serious problems
for Armenia, as the Karabakh problem has not been settled as yet.

Ara Abrahamian stated that a conference dedicated to the issue of
to what extent the Diaspora may be useful in the Karabakh conflict
settlement will be organized by the World Armenian Congress in October.

SERGEY LAVROV: RUSSIA’S STANCE ON KOSOVO PROCEEDS FROM INTERNATIONAL LAW

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.07.2007 16:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A solution on Kosovo’s status, which will not satisfy
Belgrade and Pri~Ztina, will not pass into the UN Security Council,
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated. "Any solution is
possible basing on the consent from both parties involved. Any other
solution cannot pass through the Security Council," Lavrov told the
journalists commenting on coming consultations over the Kosovo status
in the UN Security Council scheduled for Monday.

The RF FM noted that Russia’s stance proceeds from the international
law and is not dictated by artificial schemes, RIA "Novosti" reports.

Currently there are two documents on the table in front of the
UN SC. Russia offers to continue talks between Pri~Ztina, which is
seeking independence, and Belgrade right up to a compromise solution,
which would satisfy both sides. According to Moscow, after it the
international community must provide all security measures for
returning refugees. The draft resolution introduced by the United
States, France and Great Britain offers to adopt the Marti Ahtisaari
Plan, which grants independence to Kosovo, after 120 days given to
Belgrade and Pri~Ztina for additional talks.

ACTIVITIES AMOUNTING TO NEARLY 12M USD IMPLEMENTED IN YEREVAN’S CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT SPHERE IN FIRST SIX MONTHS

Noyan Tapan
Jul 09 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 9, NOYAN TAPAN. Activities amounting to nearly 4bn
249m drams (nearly 12m USD) have been implemented in the first six
months of 2007 in Yerevan’s construction and development sphere. Frunz
Basentsian, the Head of the Construction, Development, and Communal
Utilities Department of Yerevan Mayor’s Office, reported at the July 9
press conference that reinforcement measures of three accident-prone
buildings of third degree have been already completed, and five more
accident-prone buildings will be reinforced by the end of the year.

F. Basentsian said that light networks of 22 streets were repaired,
Sebastia street was fundamentally repaired, 315 sq. m. was asphalted,
as well as a new irrigation network of the Achapniak community was
built in that period.

In his words, another 105 sq. m. will be asphalted, 4 streets will be
fundamentally repaired, 5 underground passages and street crossings
will be built, as well as the Lambada bridge which will be repaired
by the end of the year. It was also mentioned that it is envisaged
to complete the restoration of Hanrapetutiun Square’s fountains
in September.