Author: Tvankchian Parkev

NKR PRESIDENT, NA SPEAKER AND PRIME MINISTER ADDRESS JOINT MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCE ON OCCASION OF GOHAR GASPARIAN’S DEATH

Noyan Tapan
May 18 2007

STEPANAKERT, MAY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. NKR President Arkadi Ghukasian, NKR
NA Speaker Ashot Ghukian and NKR Prime Minister Anushavan Daniyelian
presented a joint message of condolence on the occasion of prominent
singer Gohar Gasparian’s death. The message reads the following:

"We got to know with deep sorrow about prominent singer Gohar
Gasparian’s death.

Gohar Gasparian’s contribution in formation and development of the
Armenian singing art, in the affair of strengthening her deserving
place and role in the world cultural treasury is invaluable.

The death of the "Armenian nightingale" is an irretrievable loss for
all the Armenians, including ones of Artsakh.

On behalf of the NKR people we express sympathy to the unforgettable
singer’s family members, many thousands of admireres of Gohar
Gasparian’s perfect performances, wish them courage of sole and
patience."

MASS DEATHS OF FARM ANIMALS REGISTERED IN SYUNIK AND GEGHANUSH RURAL COMMUNITIES

Noyan Tapan
May 18 2007

KAPAN, MAY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. It is for several days that mass deaths of
farm animals, especially pigs, have been registered in the villages
of Syunik and Geghanush of Kapan region. 85 out of 120 pigs in the
farm of Arshavir Arshakian, resident of Syunik village, have died
over the past month. "Upon noticing it, we called a veterinary –
he said this is brucellosis. Animals were given drugs but we suspect
that they had foot-and-mouth disease: there was foam at their mouths
and their hooves fell off," A. Arshakian said.

During a talk with NT correspondent, head of the village of Syunik
Samvel Sargsian noted that altough animals are being vaccinated with
state funds, this program does not envisage vaccination of pigs.

According to the chief veterinary of Syunik marz Edgar Tokhsants, it
still cannot be said definitely that the animals had a food-and-mouth
disease.

"Veterinary examinations are now ubderway at the republican
laboratory. The situation will become clear in a few days,"
E. Tokhsants said, adding that a big batch of special vaccine has been
received, and starting from May 18, all animals in the communities
considered as suspected pestholes will be vaccinated.

Control has been increased at all points of meat sale.

TURKISH PM SAYS HE FAVOURS CHANGING FREE SPEECH LAW

Turkish Press
May 15 2007

ISTANBUL – Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday
he favoured amending a widely criticised law used to prosecute dozens
of intellectuals, but did not say when his government would do so.

"We are not resisting (changes) to Article 301. If we get a reasonable
proposal, we can work on it," Erdogan told the annual assembly of
media watchdog International Press Institute (IPI) in Istanbul.

Article 301 calls for jail terms of between six months and three years
for "denigrating Turkishness," the Republic and state institutions such
as the government, parliament, the judiciary and the security forces,
and requires an increased penalty if the crime is committed abroad.

Dozens of intellectuals, among them 2006 Nobel literature laureate
Orhan Pamuk, have been charged under the article, mostly for contesting
the official line on the massacres of Armenians under the Ottoman
Empire.

The law has also been blamed for fueling nationalist hatred towards
ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, who was convicted under the
article and was gunned down in January by a suspected ultra-nationalist
after receiving threats.

The European Union, which Turkey is seeking to join, has slammed the
article on many occasions as a threat to freedom of speech and has
urged Ankara to either amend or scrap it.

In a resolution adopted Monday at its general assembly, the IPI urged
Turkey to revise Article 301 and purge its penal code of "all articles
used to restrict journalists` ability to report freely and express
their opinion."

PARLIAMENTARY VOTE OUTCOMES ARE EVIDENCE OF STABILITY IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.05.2007 18:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The results of the parliamentary elections in Armenia
were not surprising. They are evidence of stability in the Armenian
society, First Deputy Chair of the State Duma committee on CIS affairs
and relations with compatriots Ahmed Bilalov said. "The majority voted
for predictable policy pursued by the Armenian leadership. The victory
of pro-governmental political forces is conditioned by the economic
success achieved by the republic during the recent years," he added.

"The amendments introduced in the RA Constitution in 2005 make
the republic parliamentary-presidential and ensure very favorable
conditions for the ruling party.

They allow strengthening positions and rendering serious support to
the next President. "Obviously, the Armenian leadership forecast the
outcomes of the elections, otherwise it could wait a little with the
amendments," Bilalov said, RIA Novosti reports.

The Republican Party of Armenia led by Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan,
Prosperous Armenia party led by entrepreneur Gagik Tsarukyan, AFR
Dashnaktsutyun, Orinats Yerkir party led by former RA NA speaker
Artur Baghdassaryan and Heritage party led by Armenia’s first Foreign
Minister Raffi K. Hovannisian garnered over 5% of votes in May 12
parliamentary election.

ARMENPRESS

INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVERS TO ANNOUNCE
PRELIMINARY FINDINGS ON MAY 13

YEREVAN, MAY 11, ARMENPRESS: The International
Election Observation Mission deployed to monitor the
12 May parliamentary elections in Armenia will
announce its preliminary findings and conclusions at a
news conference on Sunday, May 13.
The mission is a joint undertaking of the OSCE,
comprising the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions
and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly (OSCE PA), as well as the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and the
European Parliament.
The statement will be delivered by PA Vice
President Tone Tingsgaard, Special Coordinator of the
OSCE short-term observers, together with Leo Platvoet,
the Head of the PACE delegation, Marie Anne Isler
Beguin, Head of the European Parliament delegation,
and Ambassador Boris Frlec, the Head of the ODIHR
long-term election observation mission.

Independent Online, South Africa
May 11 2007

Rich arm-wrestler accused of buying votes

May 11 2007 at 07:32AM

Yerevan – Armenia’s ruling elite have unleashed a powerful weapon on
voters ahead of parliamentary elections here on Saturday: Gagik
Tsarukian, the former arm wrestling champion of the world.

After winning his title, Tsarukian founded a multi-million-dollar
petrol station and vodka empire and it is this wealth, not his
muscles, that the small ex-Soviet republic’s political elite appears
to be counting on.

Critics accuse Tsarukian of openly buying votes for his Prosperous
Armenia party, which was formed last year with the support of
President Robert Kocharian – allegedly to siphon votes from true
opposition parties.

Tsarukian acknowledges that he supports the president, but insists he
has a genuine interest in governing.

Whatever the methods, Tsarukian, 50, is becoming popular.

Polls show Prosperous Armenia winning 20-25 percent of the vote on
Saturday, only five to 10 percent behind the ruling Republican Party
of Armenia (HKK).

At a recent rally in the capital Yerevan, even Tsarukian’s
thick-necked bodyguards could not keep supporters from mobbing the
candidate.

They broke through security to swarm around Tsarukian, shaking his
beefy hand or handing him letters and notes pleading for his help.

But media have reported that Prosperous Armenia is offering
supporters more than promises in this election campaign.

Reports say that voters are being given 20 000 Armenian drams (about
R393) in exchange for agreeing to vote for the party and that
Tsarukian has personally financed local reconstruction projects to
win support.

Tsarukian’s fans insist their support is genuine.

"He’s a real man, a great sportsman and a smart businessman. He’s
exactly what Armenia needs," construction worker Artur Gukasian said
after shaking Tsarukian’s hand at a rally.

"And if he wants to help people out sometimes, why not?"

Yerevan political analyst Alexander Iskandarian said Prosperous
Armenia’s popularity showed that Armenia’s democracy was still far
from perfect.

"Unfortunately, the main issue for many voters is how to best sell
their votes," he said.

But given Armenia’s history of ballot stuffing and voter fraud,
vote-selling may actually reflect some progress in Armenia’s
democratic development, he added.

"If some parties are trying to buy people’s votes, at least that
means their votes matter to the outcome of the election," he said.

Saturday’s election is being watched closely by the international
community as a test of this small ex-Soviet country’s commitment to
democratic reform.

Armenia has not held an election judged free and fair by Western
observers since gaining its independence with the collapse of the
Soviet Union.

ARAM SARGSIAN: PUBLIC IS DISPOSED RESOLUTELY AND WE HAVE NO LACK OF
RESOLUTION, EITHER

YEREVAN, MAY 11, NOYAN TAPAN. "Law enforcement bodies exceeded their
authority during the peaceful procession, which took place after the
May 9 rally." Leaders of Impeachment bloc Nikol Pashinian, of Nor
Zhamanakner Party Aram Karapetian and Hanrapetutiun Party Aram
Sargsian stated this at the May 11 joint press conference.

In N. Pashinian’s words, statements of RA Police and Prosecutor
General’s Office, which were spread after the conflict between
demonstrants and Police, are the evidence of the fact that these
structures do not know the legislative field where they work. Thus,
according to the Constitution, before preventing some procession or
demonstration law enforcement bodies should address participants of
these actions twice by loud-speakers and declare about their claims,
which, however, was not done. Besides, they stole the megaphone from
the organizers of the action, so, they deprived them of possibility to
keep under control actions of demonstrants. It was mentioned that both
the rally and the procession were sanctioned by the town authorities.

"We are going to undertake all measures depending on us to call to
liability the respective officials of law enforcement bodies," N.
Pashinian stated.

As regards the circumstance, whether radical opposition leaders
exclude recurrence of such incidents after the elections, A. Sargsian
said: "As political forces, we have been given an order by the public
and we are obliged to fulfil this order. The public is disposed
resolutely and we have no lack of resolution."

As for the statement made by Armenian President Robert Kocharian on
May 10 that some political figures "start to ride the high horse
during the elections forgetting that their last refuge can become
harisa (Armenian national dish), A. Sargsian said: "If a problem of
cooking harisa arises, the people will cook it, no matter whether
Robert Kocharian wishes this or not."

The Library of Congress
S.RES.106
Title: A resolution calling on the President to ensure that the foreign
policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding and
sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and
genocide documented in the United States record relating to the Armenian
Genocide.
Sponsor: Sen Durbin, Richard [IL] (introduced 3/14/2007) Cosponsors
(30)
Related Bills: H.RES.106
Latest Major Action: 3/14/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status:
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

SPONSORS(30), BY DATE [order is left to right]:
Sen Ensign, John [NV] – 3/14/2007Sen Schumer, Charles E. [NY] – 3/14/2007
Sen Snowe, Olympia J. [ME] – 3/14/2007Sen Stabenow, Debbie [MI] – 3/14/2007
Sen Coleman, Norm [MN] – 3/14/2007Sen Boxer, Barbara [CA] – 3/14/2007
Sen Sununu, John E. [NH] – 3/14/2007Sen Feingold, Russell D. [WI] –
3/14/2007
Sen Dodd, Christopher J. [CT] – 3/14/2007Sen Kerry, John F. [MA] – 3/14/2007
Sen Kennedy, Edward M. [MA] – 3/14/2007Sen Lieberman, Joseph I. [CT] –
3/14/2007
Sen Feinstein, Dianne [CA] – 3/14/2007Sen Mikulski, Barbara A. [MD] –
3/14/2007
Sen Reed, Jack [RI] – 3/14/2007Sen Allard, Wayne [CO] – 3/14/2007
Sen Dole, Elizabeth [NC] – 3/14/2007Sen Lautenberg, Frank R. [NJ] –
3/14/2007
Sen Brown, Sherrod [OH] – 3/14/2007Sen Klobuchar, Amy [MN] – 3/14/2007
Sen Whitehouse, Sheldon [RI] – 3/14/2007Sen Menendez, Robert [NJ] –
3/14/2007
Sen Levin, Carl [MI] – 3/19/2007Sen Collins, Susan M. [ME] – 3/20/2007
Sen Brownback, Sam [KS] – 3/21/2007Sen Johnson, Tim [SD] – 4/11/2007
Sen Salazar, Ken [CO] – 4/16/2007Sen Reid, Harry [NV] – 4/18/2007
Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] – 4/19/2007Sen Cardin, Benjamin L. [MD] –
5/7/2007

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:

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I RECEIVES THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BIBLE
SOCIETY IN LEBANON

His Holiness Aram I received the director of the Bible Society in Lebanon
Mike Bassous in Antelias on May 11. The Pontiff and his guest discussed the
activities of the Society and its future projects in Lebanon.

Bassous informed the Catholicos that the "Children’s Bible" prepared by
the joint efforts of the Christian Education Department of the Catholicosate
of Cilicia and the Bible Society, has been published in modern Armenian. The
book includes colorful pictures and has been prepared following pedagogical
methods for the purpose of illustrating the content of the Bible for the
Armenian children.

His Holiness highly praised the work and announced that there will soon be
a book launch for the public at the Catholicosate of Cilicia. The Pontiff
and Mr. Bassous also discussed a number of future projects to be completed
jointly by the Bible Society and the Christian Education Department of the
Catholicosate of Cilicia.

INTERVIEW-ARMENIAN PM SEES VOTE AS SPRINGBOARD TO PRESIDENCY
By Hasmik Lazarian and Margarita Antidze

Reuters, UK
May 10 2007

YEREVAN, May 10 (Reuters) – Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sarskyan
on Thursday gave his strongest signal yet he will seek his country’s
presidency, two days before a parliamentary vote seen as a dress
rehearsal for the presidential race.

Sarksyan, a trusted lieutenant of President Robert Kocharyan, is
leading the Republican party into Saturday’s election to choose a new
parliament for Armenia, an ancient Christian nation wedged between
Iran and Turkey.

"If the Republican party gets enough votes in the … election and
my party puts forward my candidacy for the presidential election,
I will take up this offer with pleasure," Sarksyan told Reuters in
an interview.

Kocharyan is to step down early next year when his second term ends,
triggering a presidential election.

Speaking in his office with a portrait of Kocharyan on the wall,
Sarksyan said he expected his party to win "much more" than 25 percent
in Saturday’s vote and to head a coalition government.

Opinion polls also point to this outcome.

"The presidential election will be an organic continuation of this
campaign as I don’t think tremendous changes can happen in the space
of a few months," said the 52-year-old.

Armenia’s last parliamentary election, in 2003, was described by
Western monitors as falling short of democratic standards. Opposition
leaders have said they will stage street protests if there is ballot
fraud in Saturday’s vote.

But Sarskyan said holding a clean vote was a "matter of extreme
importance" for his ex-Soviet state.

"Our independent republic is 15 years old and it’s time now for the
international community to recognise Armenia as a democratic country."

WELDER

Kocharyan and Sarskyan are both from Nagorno-Karabakh, the mainly
Armenian region of neighbouring Azerbaijan which fought a separatist
war in the 1990s.

A former welder, Sarksyan was at Kocharian’s side in the separatist
administration during the war. For nearly 15 years he has held senior
posts in Armenia’s government including defence minister and national
security minister.

The conflict is still unresolved, bringing instability to a South
Caucasus region that is emerging as a key transit route for oil and
gas from the Caspian Sea.

Armenia also has fraught relations with its neighbour Turkey, in part
because Ankara refuses to recognise as genocide the mass killings of
Armenians in Ottoman Turkey early in the last century.

Its closest ties are with Russia — which has military bases in
Armenia — and with Iran to the south.

"I don’t think there will be big shifts in foreign policy," said
Sarksyan. "We have long-term policies: we are in the European Union
neighbourhood programme, we have strategic alliances which we are
not going to abandon."

But he said Armenia wants its borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey
re-opened. They were closed during the war over Nagorno-Karabakh.

"We are trying to normalise relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey …

We’ll try to bring Armenia out of its blockade."