Author: Toneyan Mark

ARMENIA RECEIVES 433 SIGNALS ON VIOLATIONS OF ELECTION PROCESS DURING PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

Arka News Agency, Armenia
May 16 2007

YEREVAN, May 16. /ARKA/. Armenia received 433 signals on violation of
election process during the parliamentary elections, said the press
secretary of Armenia’s Police, Lieutenant Colonel Sayat Shirinyan.

He said that 233 signals were outside the competency of law-enforcement
bodies and should be solved by district election commissions, the
rest was checked and evidence was gathered on nine of them.

"Out of the nine evidences gathered three were declined and legal
proceeding was initiated on one of them in the Armavir region,"
Shirinyan said.

He said that the signals mostly dealt with bribe of voters, mass
throw-ins of ballots, facts of voting for others.

He said that the signals were received from Yerevan New-Nork community,
Lori, Syunik, Gegharkunik and Armavir regions, and the city of
Gyumri. Some of them were declined, the others are being detected.

According to the CEC preliminary data, Armenia’s National Assembly of
the fourth convocation will be represented by five parties. Under the
proportional representation system the Republican Party of Armenia won
33.8%, Prosperous Armenia – 15.1% and ARF Dashnaktsiutiun – 13.1%. Only
2 opposition parties will be represented in the parliament – "Orinats
Yerkir" 7.04% and "Heritage" 5.98%.

ARMENPRESS

POLICE DENY MEDIA REPORTS ABOUT RESTAURANT OWNER DEATH

YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS: A spokesman for
Armenian police retaliated today to media reports
claiming that a senior police officer threw a witness
out of the window of a room in the police department
on May 12 killing the man.
According to the spokesman, Levon Ghulian, 31, the
owner of Pandok restaurant, was summoned to the police
for interrogation in connection with a murder of a
Samvel Vardanian, who was found shot and killed near
the restaurant on May 9.
"During the questioning Ghulian asked for water and
when the police officer went out of the room he tried
to escape through the second-floor window, but slipped
and fell down and died immediately,’ the spokesman
said, adding that prosecutors have started a probe
into this case.
The police spokesman also reported about a brutal
murder of a 19 year-old girl, identified as Mery
Matevosian, 19. She was found in her apartment in Nor
Nork district with hands and legs tied and with 19
stabs in the neck and body.
The spokesman said police are investigating the
murder.

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
May 11 2007

OSCE Chairman-in-Office Stated his Support on Resolution of
Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr TrendCapital A.Gasimova / Miguel Angel
Moratinos, the OSCE chairman in office, as well as the Spanish
Foreign Minister, met in Madrid with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs
involved in the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh and discussed means of resolving the conflict.

Daniel Soto, a spokesman for the Spanish Foreign Minister, said in a
telephone discussion that the meeting was held at the Spanish Foreign
Ministry. Attending the meeting were Foreign Minister Moratinos, OSCE
Minsk Group co-chairs- French Ambassador Bernard Fassie, the US
Ambassador Matthew Bryza and the Russian Ambassador.

The talks focused on ways to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
as well as ongoing peaceful negotiations between Azerbaijan and
Armenia. The OSCE chairman-in-office stated it will offer every
assistance to resolve the conflict. Finding a solution to the
conflict will be the focus of discussions during the Spanish
Minister’s forthcoming visit to Azerbaijan and Armenia due on 4-5
June. He will also participate in the meeting with the Armenian and
Azerbaijani foreign ministers in Strasbourg.

The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus began in
1988 due to territorial claims by Armenia against Azerbaijan. Armenia
has occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani land including the
Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding Districts. Since
1992, these territories have been under the occupation of the
Armenian Forces. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire
agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The Co-chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France and USA) are holding
peaceful negotiations.

The Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ are responsible for ensuring peace and
stability in the region. They frequently visit the region, meeting
with the disputing parties to achieve a peaceful resolution to the
conflict, as well as take the necessary measures to restore and
reinforce trust between the conflicting parties. They periodically
prepare reports and give an account to the OSCE Chairman-in-Office,
Miguel Angel Moratinos, and Spain’s Foreign Minister, who took up
post this year, on what has been achieved.

Agence France Presse — English
May 12, 2007 Saturday

Armenian opposition cries foul over election

by Mariam Harutunian

Armenians voted Saturday in parliamentary elections billed as a
litmus test for democracy but immediately denounced by a main
opposition party as fraudulent.

"I fear these elections were grossly falsified," said Tigran
Mkrtchian, a spokesman for the pro-Western Country of Law party, the
leading opposition party in opinion polls.

"This has been one of the worst elections possible," Mkrtchian said
of the polls in the impoverished ex-Soviet country, where no election
has been judged fair since independence followed the collapse of the
Soviet Union in 1991.

"We recorded widespread violations in many forms," he said. "Some
pro-government parties were giving bribes of between 4,000 and 20,000
drams (11-56 dollars/eight-41 euros) right in front of polling
stations."

Opposition parties had vowed to organize street demonstrations Sunday
to attempt to overturn the results if fraud was suspected.

Surveys show Armenians are hungry for reform, with an overwhelming
majority supporting radical change, but polls predicted
pro-government parties would come out ahead in the election.
Preliminary results are due Sunday.

Preliminary figures showed voter turnout at 57 percent, the Central
Elections Commission said after polls closed.

The vote was seen as a key test of democratic reform in the small,
mountainous republic wedged between Turkey and Iran.

Hundreds of local and international observers were monitoring the
vote, including more than 300 from the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe, which was to issue a report on the election
Sunday.

The vote was also a dress rehearsal for a presidential election next
year at the end of President Robert Kocharian’s second term.

Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian, Kocharian’s chosen successor, is
expected to use the parliamentary vote as a springboard to launch his
presidential campaign.

More than 20 opposition parties were running and analysts say these
divisions scuttled chances of defeating two pro-government parties —
Sarkisian’s ruling Republican party and the Prosperous Armenia party
headed by millionaire former world arm wrestling champion Gagik
Tsarukian.

Outside a polling station in the capital Yerevan, Samvel Isabekian
said he had voted for Sarkisian, a former defence minister and
military leader in Nagorny Karabakh, a disputed region seized by
Armenia from neighbouring Azerbaijan in the early 1990s.

"I voted for the Republican party because it has the strongest leader
and our country needs a strong hand," said Isabekian, 23.

Speaking to journalists after marking his ballot, Kocharian said he
had voted "for the future of Armenia and for the continuation of
reforms in economic, social and other areas."

"I hope that a real opposition will be present in parliament, not an
opposition that represents the interests of foreign states," he
added, in reference to frequent claims that Armenian opposition
parties are acting on behalf of Western governments.

Sarkisian said the Republicans had "very high chances" of winning the
most votes and that there were no signs of falsification.

"I want this election to be, for our people and for observers, the
best in the history of independent Armenia," he said after voting.

US officials have said the provision of 235 million dollars (175
million euros) in aid to Armenia under the Millennium Challenge Fund
would be threatened if the vote is deemed unfair.

The European Union has warned that a democratic election is necessary
if Armenia wants to continue to participate in the European
Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) programme, under which the EU has pledged
to build stronger economic and political ties with the country.

Cuts in foreign assistance could be disastrous for Armenia, where
more than 30 percent of people live on less than two dollars (1.50
euros) a day.

About 2.3 million of Armenia’s three million people were registered
to vote in elections for 131 seats in the National Assembly.

Ninety of the parliament’s members will be elected from party lists,
while the remaining 41 seats will go to the winners of individual
mandates.

CANADIAN ENVOY SAYS TIES TO GROW DESPITE ‘GENOCIDE’ ROW

Turkish Daily News
May 9 2007

Canadian Ambassador here Yves Brodeur yesterday admitted that his
country’s recognition of the killing of Armenians at the hands of
the Ottoman Empire as genocide did affect bilateral ties, but said
he believed trade and investment relations would grow further despite
differences.

"I do understand that Turkish authorities are upset with the position
adopted by Canada on this issue. It does affect the relationship but
I do believe that despite our differences we have a relationship which
is mature enough to allow for the development of trade and investment
relations," Brodeur said to the Turkish Daily News.

He said: "At the end of the day, Canadian investors and business
people believe in this country’s potential. They can make a huge
contribution to its development and they are interested in a long
term partnership. Turkey needs investors and solid partners if it
wants to maintain the same growth."

Despite the Turkish government’s warning, Canadian Prime Minister
Stephen Harper recognized the killing of Armenians during World War
I years as genocide in a declaration he issued on April 24, a day
of commemoration for the alleged genocide. In 2004, the Canadian
parliament adopted a resolution acknowledging the genocide claims.

SHUSHI – CORNERSTONE OF VICTORIES
By Kim Gabrielian, Stepanakert

AZG Armenian Daily
10/05/2007

May 9th has a peculiar importance in Karabakh, as it covers three
memorable holidays. It’s difficult to give preference to one of
them. The sacrament of these holidays is: it is impossible to win
the struggling people.

The foundation of the Defense Army of Nagorno Karabakh is connected
with the liberation of Shushi. The military actions of Shushi were
realized by the defense forces of Artsakh. Till today the liberation
of Shushi causes the military theorists’ surprise and admiration.

The auhorities of Nagorno Karabakh, and also Azerbaijani authorities
knew that possession of Shushi would mean the possession of the whole
Nagorno Karabakh.

We know today that the Azerbaijani military forces, which were placed
in Shushi at that time, planned to attack and capture Stepanakert, with
the help of the subdivisions of the 4th armed forces of USSR. It would
mean the actual collapse of Karabakh. Fortunately, this intendance
of the enemy was prevented. The defense forces of Karabakh attacked
Shushi and liberate it during a night. It was a brilliant manifestation
of military skills.

It was the base of the foundation of Nagorno Karabakh Defense
Army. Shushi became the cornerstone for the further victories. The
victorious way stretches up to May of 1994, when the enemy was forced
to sign an agreement of armistice.

According to Hovhannes Arzumanian, veteran of WWII, forefather
of Artsakh’s journalism, the soldiers of Kharabakh excel their
grandfathers in courage. And it confirms that the act of motherland’s
rescue passes from father to son.

What happened 15 years ago is now celebrated as a Day of Victory in
Stepankert, despite of Azerbaijan, where May 9th is a day of sorrow.

Today’s military parade in Stepanakert is the manifestation of the
military might of Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army.

THREE POLICEMEN SUFFERED IN YESTERDAY’S SCUFFLE OF MEETING PARTICIPANTS WITH LAW MACHINERY

Arminfo News Agency
2007-05-10 18:51:00

Three policemen suffered in yesterday’s scuffle of participants of
the meeting of several oppositional parties of Armenia with the law
machinery, the first deputy Head of RA Police, Lieutenant-General
Ararat Makhtesyan said at today’s press-conference. To recall,
the meeting, organized by the "Republic" and "New Times" parties
and the "Impeachment" bloc, was held in the evening in the square
near Matenadaran.

According to Ararat Makhtesyan, the indicated parties had appealed to
the Mayor’s Hall at the end of April with request to allow a meeting
in the Freedom Square. However, in view of May 9 festive events in
Yerevan, including in the Freedom Square, it was proposed to hold
the meeting near Matenadaran.

Makhtesyan emphasized that only a meeting but not a procession was
allowed.

According to the meeting participants, they required to set free
recently detained ex-Head of RA MIA Alexander Arzumanyan, suspected
of money-laundering. As Makhtesyan said, no demands were made to the
law machinery. Head of the "Impeachment" bloc and editor-in-chief
of the "Haikakan Zhamanak" newspaper Nikol Pashinyan together with
several associates broke through the row of policemen and rushed to
the doors of NSS. In the opinion of A. Makhtesyan, it provoked clash
of the meeting participants with the policemen, during which three
policemen received physical injuries. The policemen took measures
to recover the public order. However, the General did not specify
them. The Prosecutor’s Office of the Center and Nork-Marash Yerevan
communities is preparing the materials on the incident. Asked if it
was necessary to use the tear-gas, A. Makhtesyan said it has not yet
been clarified who applied it.

According to him, the gas was aimed just against the policemen. In
conclusion, the General said: "The operative situation in the capital
is under full control, everything will be done within the frames
of the law to keep the rights of citizens, assure the public order
and prevent any displays of law-breaking . Decisive measures will be
taken with respect to those who try to destabilize the situation and
the disturbers will subject to liability".

RPA SLOGAN CAN NOT BECOME REALITY UNTIL HALF-CRIMINALIZED REGIME OF KOCHARIAN-SARGSIAN PAIR EXISTS, SUREN ABRAHAMIAN STATES

Noyan Tapan
May 04 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Though the "For You, Armenia" slogan
of the Republic Party of Armenia (RPA) sounds very beautiful, it can
not become reality "as long as the Kocharian-Sargsian pair with its
half-criminalized, half-oligarchic regime exists." Suren Abrahamian,
a member of the Political Council of the Hanrapetutiun (Republic) party
made such a statement on May 4, during a debate with Rafik Petrosian,
the Chairman of the National Assembly Committee on State and Legal
Issues, a member of the RPA faction. He mentioned that today about 90%
of the population of the country has an opposing posture and strives
for reforms. In S. Abrahamian’s words, the responses of voters to
speeches made by Hanrapetutiun representatives during pre-electoral
meetings prove it.

The Republic party participates in the parliamentary elections with
a goal of power shift. In S. Abrahamian’s words, for him and members
of his party the deputy’s mandate is a mean for implementing system
amendments.

R. Petrosian in his turn mentioned that the best way of power shift
is the elections, whereas, in his words, calls made in streets
are anti-constitutional. In response to it, S. Abrahamian stated:
"Impeachment" alliance members are so literate that will never make
anti-constitutional calls."

R. Petrosian also mentioned that one can reach system changes without
power shift, with the help of improvement of laws. Whereas, in his
words, the opposing forces represented at the parliament "did not
do anything except criticizing the authorities few minutes a day and
did not write even a half a line of a law."

Opposing, S. Abrahamian mentioned that the parliament was formed
in 2003 as a result of false elections, and they were not able to
participate in works of a non-legitimate NA.

Responding observation of one of journalists that people compulsory
come to the RPA pre-electoral meetings, R. Petrosian answered that
he is engaged in affairs of his electoral district and has no time to
watch the party meetings on mass media, consequently, he is not aware
if people come or do not come to those meetings of their own free will.

POLITICAL SCIENTIST: THERE IS NO PROGRESS REGARDING SOLUTION OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 3 2007

"There is still no progress regarding the settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. The principles have not been yet agreed. Armenia
continued to occupy Nagorno Karabakh and adjacent regions. Armenians
do not accept the fact.

They call Nagorno Karabakh Armenians as nation basing on the principle
of self-determination," political scientist Vafa Guluzaded said,
APA reports. He said that its aim is to unite Nagorno Karabakh
and Armenia. He also noted that he is against the way of holding
negotiations.

"There has been no improvement in the talks since May 12, 1994. The
co-chairs engaged in imitation. They do not want Azerbaijan to start
war to liberate its lands. Their aim is to give Nagorno Karabakh to
Armenia peacefully. The co-chairs do not refer to the UN Resolutions.

The co-chairing states are unfaithful towards Azerbaijan. It is
nonsense that they recognize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. The
co-chairs say that Azerbaijan should make a trade-off, and the
presidents should prepare their people for peace. What does it mean?

It means that Azerbaijani people should be ready to give their lands.

The recent report of the US Department of State demonstrates the
state’s unfaithful policy. They want to make us yield to shackling
agreement," he said.

The political scientist stated that he is against debating Nagorno
Karabakh’s status.

"Its debate is injustice. The status of Autonomous Province given to
Nagorno Karabakh by the USSR was illegal. They want to own Karabakh,
as they captured Irevan, Zengezur and Goyje. The only status of
Nagorno Karabakh is that it is an inalienable part of Azerbaijan,"
he said.

PALLONE, KNOLLENBERG AND CROWLEY URGE STATE DEPARTMENT TO CLARIFY MISREPRESENTATION OF NAGORNO KARABAKH

ArmRadio.am
04.05.2007 10:41

Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe
Knollenberg (R-MI) were joined by House Foreign Affairs Committee
Member Joe Crowley (D-NY) this week in urging the State Department
to clarify inaccurate language in its 2006 human rights report that
dramatically mischaracterizes the fundamental realities of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, reported the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA).

"Armenian Americans appreciate the leadership of Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairmen Joe Knollenberg and Frank Pallone and Congressman Joe
Crowley in seeking clarification from the Department of State
concerning its patently inaccurate and entirely unprecedented
misrepresentation of Armenia as an occupier of Nagorno Karabagh
and Azerbaijani territory," said ANCA Executive Director Aram
Hamparian. "We look forward to the State Department’s timely response
to their questions and to learning of the steps that the Secretary
intends to take to rectify the damage that this ill- advised and
destructive misrepresentation has already caused to the peace process."

The controversy began earlier this year with the inclusion, for the
first time, of language in the Armenia and Azerbaijan sections of the
State Department’s 2006 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices,
which asserted that Armenia is occupying Nagorno Karabakh and
Azerbaijani territory. While the State Department initially made a
correction to this text, albeit not a fully accurate one, it later
reverted to its original wording following public threats by Azerbaijan
to cancel bilateral security talks in Washington, DC.

During a May 2nd House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearing on
the human rights report, Congressman Crowley, a senior and well-
respected member of the panel, submitted the following question to
the State Department’s witness, Assistant Secretary for Human Rights
Barry Lowenkron: "The statement that ‘Armenia continues to occupy
the Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding
Azerbaijani territories’ in the 2006 State Department Human Rights
report on Armenia has created significant controversy among the US,
Azerbaijan, Armenia and NK. Can you confirm that the references to
Armenia’s forces and NK’s status do not reflect the facts on the
ground and are contrary to current U.S. policy?"

Rep. Crowley went on to "urge that this factually incorrect statement
be removed forthwith" from the report in an effort to preserve its
integrity.

In a separate letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, issued on
Thursday, May 3rd, Reps. Pallone and Knollenberg expressed "strong
concerns regarding inaccuracies in the recent series of changes
to the Armenia section of the 2006 Country Reports on Human Rights
Practices." They argued that, "in addition to the troubling precedent
set by allowing a foreign state to shape the assessments of our human
rights report, we are deeply disturbed that the State Department’s
mischaracterization of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is inaccurate,
unprecedented, and counter-productive to our government’s goal of
actively promoting constructive engagement in the peace negotiations
in the region."

The Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs specifically called on Secretary Rice to
publicly clarify that the report’s language describing Armenia as an
occupier of Azerbaijani territory and Nagorno Karabakh is inaccurate
and does not reflect US foreign policy; the United States views the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict as fundamentally about the self-determination
of the people of Nagorno Karabakh; and this misrepresentation would
not appear in future reports or other official documents.