Author: Torgomian Varazdat

LE SENAT CHILIEN VOTE UN DOCUMENT CONDAMNANT LE GENOCIDE DES ARMENIENS

RIA Novosti, Russie
6 Juin 2007

EREVAN, 6 juin – RIA Novosti. A l’unanimite, le Senat chilien a
adopte un document condamnant le genocide des Armeniens et appelant
le gouvernement du pays a appuyer le peuple d’Armenie.

Selon un porte-parole du ministère armenien des Affaires etrangères
cite par l’agence News-Armenia, le socialiste Ricardo Nunes Munoz
etait l’auteur du projet de cet arrete senatorial.

Le document parle, entre autre, de la "politique consequente" de
l’Empire ottoman visant a aneantir le peuple armenien et rappelle
les resultats de ce genocide mene de 1915 a 1923 et dont plus de 1,5
millions d’Armeniens sont devenus victimes.

Ces "actes effroyables ont ete le premier nettoyage ethnique du XXe
siècle", rappellent les representants du Senat chilien. D’après ce
document, accomplir des demarches appropriees est un devoir "etique
et moral" du Chili, qui doit notamment se joindre a la decision de la
sous-commission de l’ONU contre la discrimination et la protection
des minorites de 1985 et qui presente ses actes justement comme
un genocide.

"Nous proposons au gouvernement chilien d’approuver cette decision
et de se joindre a la resolution de l’ONU, en vertu de laquelle en
Armenie, qui se trouvait sous le joug de l’Empire ottoman, un petit
peuple sans defense a fait l’objet d’un genocide cruel, qui exige une
compensation morale de la part de la communaute internationale et en
premier lieu de la part des autorites turques", peut-on encore lire
dans la declaration du Senat chilien.

Le genocide du peuple armenien a ete reconnu par les parlements
de l’Argentine, de la Belgique, de la Bulgarie, du Venezuela,
des Pays-Bas, de la Grèce, de l’Italie, du Canada, de Chypre, du
Liban, de la Lituanie, de la Pologne, de la Russie, de la Slovaquie,
de l’Uruguay (ce pays a ete le premier a avoir reconnu en 1965 le
genocide des Armeniens), de la France, de la Suisse et de la Suède,
ainsi que par 40 Etats americains.

La Turquie nie traditionnellement le massacre d’environ 1,5 million
d’Armeniens pendant la Première Guerre mondiale et reagit febrilement
aux critiques parvenant de l’Occident au sujet du genocide des
Armeniens.

–Boundary_(ID_Do+KsBiPR0JRW1d0bl9 YOQ)–

"CONSUMER RIGHTS PROTECTION" NGO APPEALS TO ARMENTEL TO CANCEL 67 MILLION DRAM DEBT ILLEGALLY ATTRIBUTED TO 520 SUBSCRIBERS

Noyan Tapan
Jun 07 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 7, NOYAN TAPAN. Debts for international calls attributed
to 520 subscribers, who filed complaints to ArmenTel company in the
period of May 1, 2006 to May 23, 2007, should be cancelled. Abgar
Yeghoyan, chairman of "Consumers Rights Protection" NGO, made this
demand at the June 6 press conference.

According to him, ArmenTel cancelled the debts of subscribers –
victims of Internet fraud in th period of up to May 5, 2006, whereas
now the company cancels only 65% of such debts. In his opinion, 400
victims who have paid their debts fully or partly "should be refunded
65% of the paid sum as fixed-line phone communication prepayment for
making international calls."

A. Yeghoyan said that the problem should receive a technical solution
in order to avoid such things in the future. The NGO chairman proposed
using the automatic blocking of international call access in case of
accumulation of some amount of debt on the subscriber’s account. In his
words, ArmenTel does not keep the public informed. "It is impossible
to protect the consumer from such danger by placing announcements in
the press several times," he said, adding that the service provider
must issue brief information about all possible dangers and the ways
to avoid these dangers.

The total amount of debts of 520 subscribers, who have applied to
ArmenTel, makes 67 million drams.

ELMAR MAMMADYAROV RECEIVES VLADIMIR RUSHAILO

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 7 2007

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov received chairman
of CIS Executive Committee Vladimir Rushailo. Foreign Ministry
press center told APA Vladimir Rushailo stressing the importance
of developing humanitarian cooperation, strengthening relations
in cultural and education fields in the CIS area emphasized that
Foundation on Humanitarian Assistance was established. Vladimir
Rushailo also spoke of the 11th international economic forum to be
held on June 8-10 in Saint Petersburg.

In his turn Elmar Mammadyarov highly evaluated carrying out projects
on humanitarian aid saying that Azerbaijan is attaching importance to
Azerbaijan-CIS states relations. Emphasizing Azerbaijan’s economic
and political significance Vladimir Rushailo said it created big
opportunities for maintaining stability in the region and regulating
the Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict. He also hoped for expected fruitful
results in the bilateral peaceful negotiations to be held within the
forum. The meeting made an exchange of views on the issues of mutual
importance.

LENNMARKER AND MORATINOS ENCOURAGE SETTLEMENT IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH

ArmInfo
2007-06-07 13:29:00

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
President strongly encouraged Azerbaijan and Armenia to reach an
agreement on the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
when they visited the two countries on Monday and Tuesday this week.

"There is now a golden opportunity for an agreement," OSCE
Chairman,Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos,and OSCE PA
President Goran Lennmarker both stated during the visit.

Moratinos,who had asked Lennmarker to join him on the trip because
of his extensive experience in the region,visited Baku on Monday and
Yerevan on Tuesday.The Azeri and Armenian Presidents,Ilham Aliyev
and Robert Kocharyan,will meet in St.Petersburg on Saturday, 9 June,
to discuss the conflict.

An ongoing mediation effort by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs, France,
Russia and the U.S., has brought Armenia and Azerbaijan closer to a
framework agreement on the basic principles for a peaceful settlement
of the conflict.

Deputy Secretary General Tina Schon accompanied Lennmarker on the
visit.

BAKU DOMINATING TALKS WITH ARMENIA – AZERI EXPERT

Trend news agency
6 Jun 07

Baku, 6 June: Losing out to Azerbaijan in the diplomatic arena,
the Armenians are preparing to demonstrate their power resources,
the head of the Centre for Political Research and Innovations,
political expert Mubariz Ahmadoglu, has said.

In his opinion, only similar steps by Azerbaijan will put an end
to this.

The political expert thinks that the negotiations between the
presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia on the settlement of the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict maintain stability in Armenian society. That Armenia
is interrupting the negotiating process due to the population’s
discontent with the possible return of the seven occupied districts
is of benefit to our country.

"Azerbaijan will make use of discontent and hysteria in Armenia,"
the political expert said.

Ahmadoglu said that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has disclosed
details of the negotiations. The head of state said that the latest
talks discussed immediate withdrawal from the seven occupied districts
of Azerbaijan. The president said that the Armenian leadership has
agreed with this, while the deployment of a peacekeeping force in
the region is the desire of the Armenian side. Lacin can be used as a
land corridor only after the status of Nagornyy Karabakh is determined
and refugees return to their homes.

Azerbaijan is dominant in military and economic-political issues,
Ahmadoglu said.

"The president’s statement caused alarm in Armenia and Nagornyy
Karabakh. It is interesting that the statements by the French and
Russian co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group during their regional visit
confirmed the position of President Aliyev. Moreover, they stressed
that Nagornyy Karabakh is part of Azerbaijan. We can say that the
negotiating process is continuing in a direction that was shown in
the Azerbaijani president’s statement," the political expert said.

MATTHEW BRYZA: AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS ARE CLOSE TO REMOVE DIFFERENCES

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 6 2007

Yesterday Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian
Affairs, OSCE Minsk Group US Co-chair Matthew J. Bryza met with
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov, Economic Development Minister Heydar Babayev and Industry
and Energy Minister Natig Aliyev in Baku, Mr.Bryza told the APA.

All the spectra of bilateral relations, including energy issues were
debated at the meetings. Mr.Bryza stressing that Nabucco project was
on focus publicized that they debated US cooperation with Azerbaijan,
Georgia, Turkey and Greece in this field. The US Co-chair touching
on the solution of Nagorno Karabakh conflict stated that Azerbaijani
and Armenian Presidents are very close solve most remaining obstacles
to an agreement on basic principles.

"The remaining differences can be entirely removed. It is possible,"
he said.

DASHNAKS STILL TIGHTLIPPED ON COALITION TALKS
By Ruzanna Khachatrian

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
June 4 2007

A senior member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) expects
a final decision on whether his party will continue its presence in
the ruling coalition within hours.

"We are approaching the finishing line," ARF Bureau representative
Hrant Markarian told RFE/RL on Monday. "I think the answer will be
published tomorrow. It is either this way, or that."

Earlier on Monday the ARF Supreme Council of Armenia held yet
another meeting to discuss the party’s immediate plans. However,
ARF representatives still avoid giving specific answers regarding
their participation in the possible coalition.

Discussions between the ARF leadership and President Robert Kocharian
regarding a new political coalition began still last week.

The ARF leadership then reportedly received "new proposals" from
the head of state on the terms of the party’s continued presence in
Sarkisian’s government, where it currently holds four portfolios.

The party’s Supreme Council met on Friday, but made no decisions
apart from instructing its collective leadership to draft a response
to Kocharian’s proposals.

"The ARF Dashnaktsutyun has presented its positions and they must be
preserved. Of course, this implies keeping political independence,"
ARF Supreme Council representative Armen Rustamian told RFE/RL late
last week. "The question of portfolios is the very last and easiest."

According to sources outside the party, the Republican Party (HHK)
and Prosperous Armenia (BHK) will be two constituents of the emerging
political coalition with established terms of cooperation with the
ARF in two fields of government responsibility, giving the party two
government posts – that of the minister of education and science,
and the minister of agriculture, as well as two regional governors’
offices. The sphere of labor and social welfare may also figure as a
subject of negotiations. The same sources predict that the ARF may
retain the posts of parliament vice-speaker, the foreign relations
committee chairman and the chairman of the committee on national
security, the interior and defense affairs.

No one from the ARF wished either to confirm or deny this information.

The assumed cooperation format gives the ARF political freedom to
withhold its support to the single presidential candidate from the
coalition in next year’s presidential election, which is said to be
a demand from the party’s worldwide structures.

Meanwhile, Dashnak endorsement may prove a major boost to Prime
Minister Serzh Sarkisian’s chances of succeeding Robert Kocharian as
president next year. Observers believe this is the reason why he is
ready to share power with the center-left nationalist party despite
the fact that his HHK has won an outright majority in the Armenian
parliament. Dashnaktsutyun, by comparison, will have only 16 seats
in the 131-member National Assembly.

Sources outside the BHK say that the party, which came a distant second
in last month’s parliamentary polls, may count on three ministries
in the new government – health, urban development, and part of the
environment ministry to be restructured. The same sources suggest
there are also offers of deputy ministers’ and regional governors’
positions to the party.

TOP OSCE LEADER URGES PROGRESS IN KARABAKH TALKS
By Karine Kalantarian

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
June 5 2007

A visiting top leader of the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe (OSCE) has urged the parties to the Karabakh conflict to
"take the important moment to achieve progress in the negotiations."

OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel
Moratinos said during his meeting with his Armenian counterpart Vartan
Oskanian in Yerevan on Tuesday that there are sufficient grounds for
the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Robert Kocharian and Ilham
Aliev, to achieve progress during their meeting in Saint-Petersburg
on June 9.

The OSCE official said the dialogue of the two heads of state
contributes to the speediest resolution of the problem.

"We will do everything for a speedy solution to be found," the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office said. "The parties today are close to a settlement."

Expanding on his statement, the official said the sides are showing
political will to reach a solution.

"It is better to be optimistic. The parties to the conflict should
be encouraged with optimism, one shouldn’t make false predictions,"
Moratinos emphasized.

Answering a Spanish journalist’s question about disputable points on
which the sides have not yet reached agreement, Oskanian said, "[Among
them is] first of all the issue of the right to self-determination
of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. It is impossible to speak about
any other matter without it… We should be able to focus on the main
issue, and that is Nagorno-Karabakh’s status."

Also on Tuesday the OSCE Chairman-in-Office had a brief meeting with
Nagorno-Karabakh leader Arkady Ghukasian in Yerevan.

"I agree that the main issue is the status of Nagorno-Karabakh,"
Ghukasian told RFE/RL after the meeting. "I cannot imagine what
optimism we can speak about unless we come to agreement on this issue."

Unlike the OSCE official, Ghukasian does not pin great hopes on the
upcoming Kocharian-Aliev meeting.

"I don’t think this meeting can have any significant importance. I
think it will be a routine meeting," he said, but added. "I don’t
think there can be a limit [of routine meetings], considering that
negotiations have no alternative."

ARMENIA POSTS 44% INCREASE IN FOREIGN INVESTMENTS IN Q 1

ARMENPRESS
Jun 04 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 4, ARMENPRESS; Foreign investments in the Armenian
economy in the first quarter of 2007 rose 44.6 percent from a year
ago to $136.6 million. This figure did not include money received by
the government and the Central Bank from external sources.

Armenian National Statistical Service said almost 30 percent of
direct investments or $26.4 million, generated from privatization of
different entities.

This not counting the amount of direct investments from a year ago
rose 16,3 percent and that of indirect investments grew 37.5 percent.

1 The biggest foreign investment in January-March, $67.1 million,
came from Lebanon, followed by Russia with $32.6 million.

Some 65 percent of foreign investments in real sector of economy and
63 percent of direct investments went to the communication sector,
6.6 percent of direct investments went to aviation and 6.5 percent
to food and beverage sectors.

St. Petersburg Times (Florida)
June 2, 2007 Saturday
Editions of CLEARWATER TIMES; LARGO TIMES; NORTH PINELLAS TIMES

A LESSON OF HISTORY

Apo Torosyan, whose grandparents died in the Armenian genocide of the
World War I era, will exhibit his work at the Florida Holocaust
Museum on Saturday to Sept. 16. The Bread Series/Immigration
Installation will include paintings made with bread, mounds of earth,
newspaper, sound and video. Focusing on oppression and dislocation,
Torosyan hopes to educate the public about the danger of ignoring
history’s lessons.

If you go

When: Today-Sept. 16.
Opening reception: June 12.
Where: Florida Holocaust Museum, 55 Fifth St. S, St. Petersburg
For more information: (727) 820-0100 flholocaustmuseum.org