Author: Tvankchian Parkev

ARMENIAN DEFENCE MINISTER, BRITISH ENVOY DISCUSS COOPERATION

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
16 May 06

Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan received British ambassador to Armenia
Anthony John James Cantor. They discussed Armenia’s involvement in
peacekeeping missions.

Serzh Sarkisyan said that the teaching of English to officers is an
important element of Armenian-British military cooperation. The sides
also discussed the forthcoming visit by Deputy Defence Minister Artur
Agabekyan to the UK.

Serzh Sarkisyan received Michael Lemon, a professor at National
Security University and the former US ambassador to Armenia. The
minister stressed the importance of cooperation with National Security
University in drafting Armenia’s national security strategy.

Michael Lemon noted the positive development trends in Armenia and also
transparency in the process of drafting the strategy. US ambassador
to Armenia also took part in the meeting.

[Video showed the meetings]

COURAGE NEEDED FOR SETTLING THE KARABAKH CONFLICT

A1+
[04:20 pm] 17 May, 2006

Two State Department officials said Tuesday they were optimistic
about the possibility of a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and
Armenia over the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabach. “The two
sides are closer to an agreement than they have been in the past,”
said Matthew Bryza, a State Department European affairs expert. He
spoke to a meeting of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, which
was convened to examine humanitarian suffering in the region a dozen
years after the war over Nagorno-Karabach ended.

Bryza said the Armenian and Azerbaijani governments will have to show
political courage to bridge the final gaps. “We look at these next
couple of months as a real window of opportunity,” he said.

A second State Department official, David Appleton, said one sign
of progress is that the Azeri government is asking the U.N. refugee
agency to draw up plans for the return of the displaced to their
homes once a peace agreement is signed.

Baroness Caroline Cox, the British humanitarian and member of the
House of Lords, who has visited Nagorno-Karabach 60 times, criticized
the United Nations for refusing to provide relief to the people
of the enclave under its policy of not doing work in “unrecognized
territories.” She said the policy deprives the suffering people of
the region of much-needed aid.

“U.N. organizations working in Azerbaijan have been very vocal on
behalf of displaced Azeris but have been silent about Armenians
suffering at least as severely,” the baroness said. “This asymmetry
is unjustifiable,” she added. “The Karabach authorities have made
repeated requests for help to the U.N. for assistance, but these have
been unsuccessful.”

LIKELIHOOD OF RETURN OF MIGRANTS DIMINISHES DAY BY SAY, SAYS ARA ABRAHAMYAN

Lragir.am
16 May 06

On May 16 the meeting of the Board of the World Congress of Armenians
is going on in Yerevan, discussing the activity of the organization in
the past two years and future plans. The congress was initiated in 2003
by the leader of the Union of Armenians of Russia Ara Abrahamyan. He
says that over the past two years the congress did considerable work,
but the key issue of the meeting of the board is the future.

“The core issue is to establish an organization which would enable
working out a national policy. It is the Armenian ideology. It is one
of the key concerns,” says Ara Abrahamyan. He underlines the importance
of development of a youth branch of the Congress, for the youth is the
future. Another key issue, according to Ara Abrahamyan, is to establish
branches of the Congress all over the world, including an organization
of West Armenians, which would operate under the World Congress.

“It is very important to define the relations between Armenia
and the Diaspora to have definite devices. The Diaspora-Diaspora
relations, as well as the Diaspora-Diaspora-Armenia relations are
of core importance. It is important to set up an economic Diasporan
organization to improve people’s social condition. It should be
established in Armenia, of course, with the help of the Diaspora,
all together, to create conditions, jobs for economic migrants to
get back, because later it will be impossible to have them back,
for they will have been integrated in those countries,” says Ara
Abrahamyan. According to him, if we fail to create and implement such
a program now, later the return of migrants will be very doubtful.

URSULA PLASNIK: RESOLUTION OF CONFLICTS IN CAUCASUS DEPEND ON DEMOCRACY AND RULE OF LAW

ArmRadio.am
16.05.2006 16:00

After the meeting with OSCE Chairman-in-Office Karel de Gucht, the
Foreign Minister of Austria Ursula Plasnik declared that the settlement
of the “frozen” conflicts in Transnistria, Nagorno-Karabakh and South
Osetia “depends on democracy and rule of law over OSCE territory.”

“Reinforcement of democracy is the basic precondition for establishment
of long-term peace,” Ursula Plasnik said.

VERSION: SHOOTING ABOARD A-320 AT MOMENT OF CRASH

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.05.2006 15:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At the moment of coming in land some passengers
manages to call relatives – their cellular phones broadcast everything
happening in the saloon at those tragic moments, the Zhizn newspaper
writes.

“Everyone in Yerevan speak that sounds like shooting were heard before
the plane fell,” states journalist of the Novoye Vremya Armenian
newspaper Nora Kananova.

In her words, “Allegedly former Security Service chief Karlos Petrosyan
got a call late at night from his son Aram, who was aboard A-320
airbus and shots were heard. It was the moment, when the plane fell
into the sea…”

Meanwhile, Zvartnots Yerevan airport security service states there were
no armed people among passengers of the crashed liner. “It is ruled
out. We admit only those armed people aboard, who are licensed.” said
airport Spokesperson Gevorg Abrahamyan. There were several people
aboard the plane who had licenses for carrying arms, however the
security service states they were unarmed in the saloon. Only the
crew had arms.

However, in experts’ opinion, relatives could take sounds of
the tearing edging for shots. “There was no explosion when A-320
fell. However, overload was so powerful that the liner was torn at
the last moments.

The sound is very much like shots. Most probably the relatives heard
sounds of the collapsing airplane,” said an expert, who investigates
the causes of the air crash. “The crew would have reported about
shooting aboard, however the pilots did not report about any emergency
situations. Or maybe they did not have time?

However, if there was shooting, its signs would have been found on
fragments of the plane, but not such are found,” the Zhizn writes.

On the night of May 3 a Yerevan-Sochi plane of Armavia Armenian air
company crashed in the Black Sea 6 km away from Adler airport. All
113 passengers, including 6 children and 8 members of the crew, died
as a result. Among them were 26 Russian citizens, one Ukrainian and
one Georgian citizen, while the rest were Armenian citizens.

AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTER TO LEAVE FOR STRASBOURG TOMORROW

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 16 2006

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov will fly to Strasbourg
tomorrow to attend the 116th session of the Council of Europe Committee
of Foreign Ministers on 18 and 19 May.

The Ministry told APA that human rights and cooperation between the
Council of Europe and the European Union will be priority on the
agenda. The Russian Federation will take over the presidency of the
Committee of Ministers from Romania, for a period of six months.

At the invitation of Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis,
the Ministers will hold an informal meeting with Martti Ahtisaari,
the United Nations Special Envoy for the future status of Kosovo. The
Ministers will also discuss other major priorities resulting from the
Council of Europe’s Third Summit in Warsaw, namely: the reinforcement
of the Council’s action in support of democracy and good governance,
the development of intercultural dialogue and the Organisation’s
process of internal reform.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, will present the priorities
for his presidency at the end of the session.

Within the session, Elmar Mammadyarov and his Armenian counterpart
Vardan Oskanyan will hold next round of negotiating process for the
settlement of the Nagorno Garabagh conflict in the framework of the
Prague process. The Ministers will exchange views on new proposals
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs presented to the conflicting sides in early
May. It will be determined after the meeting of the two Ministers
whether there will be a need for the meeting of the Azerbaijani and
Armenian Presidents.

Minister Mammadyarov will also attend GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine,
Azerbaijan and Moldova) Foreign Ministers meeting in Kiev on 21
May.

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
05/16/2006
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1) Turkey Must Recognize Genocide to Become Member of EU
2) Bill Grants Legal Rights to Genocide Survivors and Heirs to Recover Bank
Deposits
3) Canadian Prime Minister Reaffirms Recognition of Armenian Genocide
4) Microsoft Opens Office in Armenia
5) Talabani Slams Interference in Iraq by Iran And Turkey

1) Turkey Must Recognize Genocide to Become Member of EU

YEREVAN (Yerkir/Armenpress)–Secretary General of the International European
Movement Henrik H. Kroner visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial
(Dzidzernagapert) on Tuesday to honor the victims of the Armenian genocide.
Kroner was accompanied by Victor Yengibarian, head of the organization’s
mission to Armenia, and Giro Manoyan, director of the ARF Bureau’s Hai Tad and
Political Affairs Office.
While visiting the Genocide Museum, Kroner wrote in the visitor’s book:
“Let’s
hope no such genocide will take place again in Europe and world. And the
European values are the guarantees of our unification.”
Speaking to journalists, Kroner said it is a shame that this crime against
humanity has not been recognized thus far.
He said until Turkey recognizes the Armenian genocide and opens border with
Armenia it cannot become member of the European Union.
“The European Union has been established to avoid such tragedies in the
future. I think Turkey will never become an EU member unless it admits its
past,” Kroner said. “The process has just begun and will take long years.
Ankara will have to admit it in the end.”
Earlier in the day, Kroner met with ARF Supreme Body of Armenia
representative
Armen Rustamian at the Simon Vratsian Center in Yerevan. The parties discussed
the International European Movement’s programs regarding Armenia’s integration
in Europe.

2) Bill Grants Legal Rights to Genocide Survivors and Heirs to Recover Bank
Deposits

–California Senate Judiciary Committee Unanimously Passes SB 1524, but
Partners Bill with Controversial Legislation

SACRAMENTO–Legislation that would grant Armenian genocide victims and their
heirs access to California courts to recover bank deposits wrongfully withheld
since the Armenian genocide, unanimously passed the California State Senate
Judiciary Committee on May 9.
The same committee, however, chaired by Senator Joe Dunn of Garden Grove,
also
voted to accept a hostile amendment that attaches a highly controversial and
unrelated bill to the bi-partisan supported Armenian Genocide Bill, which
endangers its ability to be signed by the Governor and become law.
The “Armenian Genocide Bank and Looted Assets Recovery Act” SB 1524, authored
by State Senators Jackie Kanchelian-Speier and Charles “Chuck” Poochigian, and
sponsored by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), was presented
for consideration in the Senate Judiciary Committee, on May 9. The bill would
allow victims and heirs recoverythrough California Courtsof assets looted from
commercial entities operating in the Ottoman Empire and Turkey during the
Armenian genocide, which have been wrongfully withheld since the Genocide.
Speaking in support of the bill, Katia Kermoyan-Khodanian spoke of the dire
need for this legislation and recounted the harrowing experience of her
relative Markar Kermoyan who had lost his bank deposits and assets during the
Armenian genocide without any recourse.
Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA – WR) Chairman
Steven Dadaian, spoke in support of the Bill, informing the committee that
California has a public policy interest in protecting the rights of its almost
1,000,000 strong Armenian American community by granting California courts
jurisdiction over banks operating in the Ottoman Empire during the Armenian
genocide.
Dadaian also reminded the Committee that only five years ago the State
enacted
the “Armenian Genocide Era Insurance Act” based on the same public policy.
Lending the Greek community’s support was Steven Miles, Executive Director of
the American Hellenic Council, who spoke strongly of the deep bond between
Greeks and Armenians forged in the common persecution and Genocide their
communities faced in Turkey from 1915-1923.
Don Engstrom, from the Consumer Attorneys Association of California, also
expressed support for the legislation.
The hostile amendment, binds SB 1765 to SB 1524 that entitles lawsuits to be
filed for wrongfully repatriated Mexican Americans during the 1930s.
Speaking strongly in opposition to the binding of these two separate and
distinct Bills, the ANCA’s Steven Dadaian informed the Committee that while
his
organization supports the correcting of all historic wrongs, he nevertheless
views the effort as an attempt to “hijack the Armenian Bill with legislation
that has thrice been vetoed by consecutive administrations. We encourage each
bill to be weighed on their own merits separately. It is illogical and unfair
to do otherwise.”
Senator Senator Bill Morrow (Vice-Chair) voted against the hostile amendment,
while Senators Joseph Dunn (Chair), Dick Ackerman, Martha Escutia, and Sheila
Kuehl supported the move.

3) Canadian Prime Minister Reaffirms Recognition of Armenian Genocide

In a meeting with Armenian National Committee (ANC) of Canada representatives
during a special reception, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper reaffirmed
his country’s recognition of the Armenian genocide.
ANC Ottawa member Aris Babikian expressed the Canadian Armenian community’s
gratitude for the Prime Minister’s principled stance on the stance on the
issue. He also committed to working closely with the Prime Minister’s
office on
behalf of the ANC of Canada.
During the meeting, Harper reaffirmed his government’s and his party’s policy
regarding the Genocide. He said that this policy is based on principles and
not
political or economic considerations.

4) Microsoft Opens Office in Armenia

The world’s leading computer software manufacturer, Microsoft, opened an
official representation to Armenia on Tuesday, demonstrating its interest in
the country’s growing information technology (IT) sector.
Vahe Torossian, Microsoft’s vice-president for Central and Eastern Europe,
said the company is keen on capitalizing on the “amazing” level of education
and skills of local computer specialists.
“One thing which amazed me when I started my role here is the amazing quality
of high technical, engineering, mathematics, physics, and other skills that we
have in the region and especially in Armenia,” Torossian told a news
conference
in Yerevan. “We are here to demonstrate and try to develop a very wealthy and
healthy IT system,” he said.
Microsoft’s decision to open an office in Yerevan was welcomed by Prime
Minister Andranik Markarian who met Torossian and other top company executives
earlier in the day. Markarian, according to his press service, proposed that
the Armenian government and Microsoft form a “joint working group” that would
deal with concrete ways in which the US giant could contribute to further
growth of Armenia’s IT industry.
Speaking to reporters, the French executive of Armenian descent said
Microsoft
will boost the sector by commissioning computer programs from local software
developers. He said it has already placed orders with five Armenian firms.
“It’s thoroughly clear that from every dollar that Microsoft will invest in
Armenia, every single partner will generate around seven or eight dollars,”
Torossian said, adding that the company intends to create a “very strong”
network of such partners.
Armenia’s IT industry employs thousands of well-paid specialists and is seen
as the most advanced in the region, having expanded substantially over the
past
decade. The mainly American foreign companies involved in software development
and other IT-related activities have been the main driving force behind the
growth.
IT experts warn, however, that the sector’s further expansion could stall
unless the Armenian government embarks on a sweeping overhaul of its system of
higher education. They say the number and especially the professional level of
young people graduating from the IT programs of local universities still
leaves
much to be desired.
Armenian officials hope that Microsoft’s plans to release Armenian-language
versions of its world-famous products will spur greater computer use in the
country. According to Torossian, the company will complete the ongoing
translation of its Windows XP operating system into Armenian “before the
end of
the summer.” The Armenian versions of other, more advanced systems will be
available next year, he added.
Torossian admitted that Microsoft sales in Armenia and virtually all other
parts of the former Soviet Union are seriously hampered by poor protection of
copyrights. He estimated that as much as 90 percent of software sold in
Armenia
is pirated.
“We have very good laws,” said Grigor Barseghian, the newly appointed head of
Microsoft’s Yerevan office. “They simply need to be enforced. That is the main
obstacle to our activities at the moment.”
A government statement said the problem was also on the agenda of Markarian’s
meeting with the visiting Microsoft executives, but gave no details.

5) Talabani Slams Interference in Iraq by Iran And Turkey

BEIRUT (UPI)–Iraqi President Jalal Talabani lashed out at neighbors Iran and
Turkey for interfering in Iraq’s domestic affairs, warning that Baghdad could
reciprocate.
Talabani was quoted as saying Tuesday in the Saudi daily Al-Sharq al-Awsat
that “Iraq is not a weak country. [Our] neighbors can create problems for us
and we also are capable of causing problems for them.”
He said, “If Iran allows itself to interfere in Karbala because it is a
Shiite
city and Turkey feels it can interfere in Kirkuk, that will open the way for
very dangerous consequences.”
“In that case,” he added, “Iraq will also have the right to interfere in
Khozestan in Iran on the grounds that it has an Arab population and the same
applies to Alexandrite in Turkey which has an Arab population.”
Talabani stressed, however, that Iraq and Iran have had historic relations
which were both positive and negative “but there is always room for agreement
and also between Iraq and Turkey agreement is possible.”
He acknowledged that the two countries have plausible reasons to interfere in
Iraq since the Kurdistan Labor Party attacks Turkey from Iraq’s Kurdish north;
a Kurdish group in Iran has done the same, taking refuge in northern Iraq.
“Nevertheless, we need to find a solution in order to eliminate all the
pretexts used by Iran and Turkey to hit Iraqi territories,” he added.

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US TO URGE DEVELOPMENT BANKS TO ADJUST FOCUS

ArmRadio.am
15.05.2006 17:50

The United States in upcoming meetings with the African Development
Bank (ADB) and European Bank for Reconstruction Development (EBRD)
will urge the regional institutions to adjust their focus to best
serve the poor, says a senior official of the US Treasury Department.

Clay Lowery, Treasury assistant secretary for international affairs,
said when he meets with the EBRD, which gathers in London on May 21-22,
he will present the US view that the bank’s focus should shift away
from the countries it has assisted since its founding in 1990 to
still-poor areas of Southern Europe and the former Soviet Union –
such as Armenia, Georgia and parts of Russia.

EBRD should “graduate” countries that are now part of the European
Union – countries whose average annual income per capita has grown
to $10,000. Areas needing more help have an average annual income
per capita of $2,000, he said.

ARMENIANS IN MOSCOW SELL TICKETS FOR GROUP TOUR TO SHUSHA

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 15 2006

Members of the Coordination Council of Russian Azerbaijani Youths
(CCRA), post-graduate of the Moscow State University Rufet Azizov
and fifth-year student of tourism economy faculty of the University
Orkhan Akbarov visited APA Information Agency.

They talked about the activity of the CCRA in Moscow, their activity
for restoration of the broken sovereignty of our country as well as
their political struggle with Armenians in Russia. The students said
they are facing difficulties in this work alone complaining of lack
of support from the Azerbaijan’s Embassy.

“The map of Azerbaijan’s province Garabagh is sold in a shop called
“Armenia” in the center of Moscow. The students cannot stage any
unsanctioned actions. The Embassy has not responded positively to
their appeal,” the CCRA members said.

The CCRA 15 members prevented the opening of the exposition of the
alleged “Nagorno Garabagh Republic” in a tourism exhibition in Moscow
in a protest action several days ago. They were taken to police by
the exhibition organizers and were set free. The protesters wearing
clothes written the words “End Armenian aggression!” on and wrapping
themselves with Azerbaijani flags shouted slogans-“Nagorno Garabagh
is Azerbaijan’s territory!”, “Don’t believe in lies of Armenians,
the exhibits demonstrated in the exhibition belong to Azerbaijan!” ,
“Welcome to the military zone!”, “Nagorno Garabagh is in the hands
of separatist , aggressive and terrorist regime!”.

The tourism exhibition was opened in Moscow on May 11. Though
the alleged “Nagorno Garabagh Republic” was not in the list of
participants, it was announced that on 13 May there would be a stand
on tourism potential in the alleged republic. The CCRA members
informed the Azerbaijan Embassy about it on May 12. Though the
Embassy officers Shamil Garayev and Javanshir Akhundov talked to the
exhibition center representatives, it gave no results. The exhibition
organizers said they would remove awareness-raising materials but
not the stand. So, the Azerbaijani students decided to prevent the
opening of the exposition, and they achieved their aim. The opening was
broken but the stand was displayed in the exhibition till the end-14
May. The students say that by demonstrating tourism opportunities in
Azerbaijan’s region of Shuha, which has been occupied by Armenians,
the invaders sell tickets for group tour to the city for lovers of
summer and winter tourism.

The visitors to APA also reported that Armenian Year in Russia is
celebrated and Armenians are organizing different political events as
well as publicizing information on alleged destruction of Armenian
graveyards in Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan. Our students regret that only
concerts were organized in the framework of the Azerbaijani Year in
Russia last year, there was no political action on the invasion of
Nagorno Garabagh.

The Embassy of Azerbaijan in Russia told APA that the Embassy is
closely cooperating with the CCRA, however, it is not allowed to hold
any action as it has not been registered officially.

ROBOTIC DEVICE TO HELP RECOVER FLIGHT RECORDERS FROM BLACK SEA CRASH – REPORT

Airline Industry Information
May 15, 2006

Airline Industry Information-©1997-2006 M2 Communications LTD

A robotic device is to be used by authorities in Russia in an attempt
to locate the flight recorders from the Armenian aircraft that crashed
in the Black Sea on 3 May.

The aircraft, which was operated by Armavia, crashed in heavy rain
and poor visibility as it was approaching the airport in Adler. A
total of 113 people are thought to have died as a result of the crash.

According to the ITAR-Tass news agency the device, which includes
a video monitor and a hydraulic apparatus that will be used to try
to lift the recorders, was being loaded onto a ship in the port of
Novorossiisk, The Associated Press reported.

In addition the Russian news agency revealed that Transport Minister
Igor Levitin said an operation to recover the flight recorders would
begin on Tuesday (16 May).

–Boundary_(ID_Xw93mq3SNSXIJiiVWGn72A)–