Author: Toganian Liana

SPECIAL ATTENTION TO BE PAID TO THE KARABAKH ISSUE DURING RA PRESIDENT’S VISIT TO RUSSIA

Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 20 2006

"The relations between Armenia and Russia are characterized as allied
and stand out for positive dynamics," says the statement disseminated
by the Press Service of the Russian Embassy in Armenia connected with
RA President Robert Kocharyan’s working visit to the Russian Federation
October 30-31. It is noted in the document that "the recurrent visit
of the Armenian leader is called to bring Russian-Armenian relations
to a higher level of partnership." The statement says also that in
the Republic of Armenia the year 2005 passed under the slogan of
Russia, and correspondingly 2006 was announced the Year of Armenia in
Russia. Conduct of large-scale events in the framework of the national
years fostered the activation of public and business initiatives,
as well as expansion of cooperation in trade and economic, scientific
and educational, information and cultural spheres. According to the
document, during RA President’s visit to Russia special attention will
be paid to the Nagorno Karabakh issue. In this regard it is noted
that "Welcoming the Armenian-Azerbaijani dialogue on all levels,
primarily that on the level of Presidents, Russia proceeds from
the conviction that the conflicting parties should find a mutually
acceptable solution themselves. Russia is ready to provide the most
active assistance both in the bilateral format and as an OSCE Minsk
Group Co-Chair, and to become the guarantor of the agreement reached."

ARMENIA AND BELARUS READY TO HELP RUSSIA AND GEORGIA, IF THEY TURN TO THEM
By Ara Martirosian

AZG Armenian Daily
25/10/2006

In response to the issue whether the tense relations between Georgia
and Russia hinder the cooperation between Armenia and Belarus, the
Prime Ministers said that the latest developments certainly have
negative impact on the trade relations. They added that they have
discussed the issues of finding new transportation corridors in the
course of the negotiations. Besides, RA PM Andranik Margarian added
that Armenia is ready to serve as mediator between Russia and Georgia,
if they only turn to Armenia with the request to help improve the
spoiled relations.

Sergey Sidorski also expressed readiness to assist Russia and Georgia
to improve their relations.

Mr. Sidorski expressed satisfaction with the meeting with RA President
Robert Kocharian, adding that he emphasized the cooperation between
our countries at the international instances.

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS CONTINUE DISCUSSION OF DRAFT AMENDMENTS TO ELECTION CODE

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Oct 24 2006

Armenian parliamentarians continued discussing the draft amendments
to the RA Election Code in the first reading, Tuesday.

Presenting the document, a member of the Republic Party of Armenia
Samvel Nikoyan said that under the bill, the persons having no
citizenship of Armenia will be granted a right to vote in the course
of the elections to the local self-government. The bill says that
secret voting is not only the right but also the duty of a voter.

Electoral registers of servicemen must be prepared at responsible
bodies and not at military units. The bill also reduced the number
of electors at district electoral commissions to make the work of the
electoral commissions easier and more effective. In this connection,
the election commissions will rise in number by 25-30%. The bill
allows observers to control over the voting being next to members of
election commissions. In addition, ballot-papers are to be put into
envelops before their are put into ballot- boxes.

Samvel Nikoyan said some provisions of the bill were not welcomed
by international experts. Thus, the proposal by the National Unity
opposition party to recall the members of election commission if
necessary was criticized by international experts. They think the
given mechanism will make the members of election commissions dependant
on the political forces they were appointed by. They did not welcome
the party’s idea to install cameras at polling stations either. They
think it may exert pressure on voters and violate their right to vote.

ARE WE READY TO SUPPORT THE PRO-ARMENIAN EFFORTS OF FRANCE?
by Lana Mshetsyan’s

Golos Armenii, Yerevan,
17 Oct 06 p 1

The bill criminalizing the denial of the Armenian genocide, which has
been adopted by the French parliament and is waiting to be approved
by the Senate, is certainly something that can be called a turning
point and even a historic event. Not just because it is an event of
great significance, but also because events that seemed impossible
before are now becoming a possibility. There was no doubt that such
events would take place.

Of course, we can be sure that the developments of the last few
decades will accelerate in the sense that more states will recognize
the Armenian genocide and in the sense that we may be more confident
that the process will globalize in the future and achieve its final
goal. But it is hard to predict some other developments as they heavily
depend on Turkey’s response to the adoption of the pro-Armenian law
by France and on the likelihood of yesterday’s threats becoming a
reality tomorrow. A lot is difficult to predict here, a lot of things
can affect us only indirectly and we may have no influence on many
events. For instance, the problem of Turkey’s membership of the EU
or its refusal to fulfil bilateral trade agreements.

At the same time, there might be situations in which our participation
will be unavoidable. We should take a firm position on such situations
and support France in its pro-Armenian policy although it may create
paradoxes. For instance, Turkey is threatening to deport all Armenian
citizens from Turkey. Are we sure that the Armenian authorities will
display an appropriate reaction, i.e. are they ready to deport all
Turks living in Armenia?

Let us note that Armenians living in Turkey are very unfortunate
people because they often earn money doing humiliating jobs. But the
Turks living in Armenia, including Azerbaijanis, who pretend they
are Iranians, are smart and impudent dealers who uncontrollably rob
Armenia. For this reason, this mutual deportation is beneficial for us.

But today the point is whether we are ready to support France in
all its pro-Armenian efforts. Undoubtedly, we are not sure as all
the pro-Armenian initiatives of France are supported with unclear
obstinacy only in the legislative sphere in our country. Isn’t it
a shame for us that France is the only country of the world that
adopted a second law on the Armenian genocide? Why didn’t Armenia
become such a country as well? We can say that this is demagogy as
everything regarding the genocide is so clear in Armenia that it does
not require legislative approval. But not everything is so clear as
the adoption of such laws may insult Turks and even make them angry,
and somebody in our country is scared of this most of all. The French
were not afraid to insult the Turks again and even make them angry.

But one can tell us that Armenia is not France and they have their
own interests in this issue. Who argues? But Ottoman Turkey carried
out genocide against the Armenians, not against the French in the
early 20th century. It is not enough to say "thank you", it is time
to clearly support France in all its pro-Armenian efforts. We should
be ready for any steps that Turkey, which is insulted and angry with
France, might force us to take. France has left no room for us to
doubt, and we are grateful to France for this.

ARMENIAN CASSATION COURT, BELARUSIAN SUPREME COURT CHAIRMEN TO SIGN A COOPERATION MEMORANDUM IN YEREVAN

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 23 2006

YEREVAN, October 23. /ARKA/. Hovhannes Manukyan, the chairman of
Armenian Cassation Court and Valentin Sukalo, the head of Belarusian
Supreme Court, are to sign a cooperation memorandum Tuesday in Yerevan,
the Cassation Court’s press office reports.

The memorandum will be signed after the negotiations, in which the
chairmen of Cassation Court’s two chambers – on civil and criminal
cases – will take part.

Besides, Manukyan and Sukalo will be present at the negotiations
between Armenian Economic Court Chairman Eduard Muradyan and Belarusian
Supreme Economic Court Chairman Bictor Kamenkov.

Another cooperation memorandum will be signed between the two
countries’ economic courts.

LAKE SEVAN LEVEL FALLS BY 8 CM IN AUGUST

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. In August, Lake Sevan level fell
by 8 cm and as of August 31, made 1898.47 m, which is more by 27 cm
than the same day index of 2005. According to the data of RA National
Statistical Service, during the month, leakage of water from Lake
Sevan made 53.982 mln c/m. In August, in the majority of country’s
rivers average monthly outflow of water made 70-90% of the norm.

PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA CONCERNED WITH UNEVEN TAX REVENUES

Panorama.am
15:18 20/10/06

The leadership of Armenia paid attention that tax revenues flow
unevenly from the regions. Seiran Avagyan, adviser to the Armenian
president, said that the head of the republic held a meeting on
the issue.

"Businesses mostly register their head offices in the capital whereas
the production itself is in the regions. So, tax revenues do not flow
to other self-government units," he explained. In the words of the
adviser, it is necessary to define what a branch office means and
launch reforms in economic legislation.

Vahan Movsisyan, head of United Financiers said, "funds are sufficient
only for payment of some four employees in the regions. They cannot
provide any services to residents. That is why rural dwellers do not
pay taxes." /Panorama.am/

HEAD OF OSCE YEREVAN OFFICE ASKS SPEAKER OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT TO
INVITE INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS TO PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA

ARMINFO News Agency
October 19, 2006 Thursday

Today the speaker of the Armenian parliament Tigran Torossyan and the
head of the OSCE Yerevan Office Vladimir Pryakhin discussed the course
of preparations for the coming parliamentary elections in Armenia.

The press service of the Armenian parliament reports the sides to focus
on the amendments to the electoral code. Pryakhin asked Torossyan to
tell him about the electoral reforms, particularly, about the changes
to the law on TV and radio. Torossyan said that in the summer in the
parliament considered the remarks of the experts and in the autumn met
with them personally. During the forthcoming session the parliament
will consider the first reading of the new electoral code and in Dec
the second reading with the final expert resolution. Torossyan noted
that everything must be finished before the elections.

Pryakhin confirmed the OSCE’s commitment to support the electoral
reforms in Armenia and was glad to know that this process will be
finished by the end of this year. He asked Torossyan to invite
international experts to observe the parliamentary elections in
Armenia.

Diaspora Assists in Two Directions – Economic and Political

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.10.2006 17:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, who is
on a working visit in Canada at present, addressed the international
conference titled "Creation of Possibilities for Development and Peace.

Role of Diaspora" initiated by the UN and University for Peace, reports
the RA MFA press office. Vartan Oskanian presented the Diaspora’s
activities in various states and the problems of its development.

When touching upon the Armenia-Diaspora relations, the Minister
remarked that the Armenian Diaspora renders assistance in two
directions – economic (investments, philanthropy and financial
transfers) and political (assistance in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement, the Armenian Genocide recognition and the Armenian-Turkish
relations).

"ARMENIANS ARE GOOD PEOPLE"

A1+
[07:51 pm] 19 October, 2006

"I am very disappointed that I didn’t have a chance to meet with your
president," said Julie Finley, U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE during
the interview with Radio Liberty.

During her two-day visit, Mrs. Finley managed to get acquainted with
the Armenian people and she maintains that Armenians are good people.

She also referred to the Karabakh conflict during the meeting with
the RA NA Speaker Tigran Torosyan. Mr. Torosyan mentioned that he
finds the attempts of transforming the conflict settlement to other
international organisations inadmissible.

Mr. Torosyan also refuted the wide-spread opinion that it is wiser
to freeze conflict regulation procedure in pre-election period in
order to prevent side effects on other procedures. He noted that
the decisions admissible by the community will have their positive
outcome on the election procedure, whereas inadmissible decisions
will remain as such for ever.

The two sides focused on other issues as well.