Author: Vardanian Garo

WHO ACCELERATES FIGHT AGAINST COUNTERFEIT MEDICINES

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 15 2006

The World Health Organization (WHO) and more than 20 international
partners are today launching a comprehensive package of measures
to help national authorities safeguard their populations from the
dangers of counterfeit medicines.

At the opening of the first official meeting of IMPACT (the
International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Taskforce) in Bonn,
WHO and its partners are unveiling a programme covering legislation,
law enforcement, regulation, technology and communication. IMPACT is
also issuing a warning against buying medicines from rogue web sites
as well as cautioning governments that existing laws against medical
counterfeiters are inadequate and do not act as deterrents.

Counterfeit medicines range from products containing no active
ingredients to those containing highly toxic substances. They can
harm patients by failing to treat serious conditions, can provoke
drug resistance and in some cases kill.

The latest estimates jointly elaborated by WHO, the OECD, and the
Pharmaceutical Security Institute show that more than 30% of medicines
in some areas of Latin America, South East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa
are counterfeit. In emerging economies, the proportion is estimated
at 10% but in many of the former Soviet republics it can be as high
as 20%. In wealthy countries, with strong regulatory mechanisms,
counterfeits account for less than 1% of the market value, but 50%
of illegal Internet sales are counterfeit.

By the end of 2007 IMPACT aims to have all 193 WHO Member States
formally collaborating to stem global and national counterfeiting of
medical products.

ARMENIAN DEFENSE MINISTER HOLDS MEETINGS IN BAGHDAD
Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
November 14, 2006 Tuesday 11:02 PM EST

Armenia’s Defense Minister and National Security Council chairman
Serge Sarkissian, now visiting Iraq, held a number of meetings in
Baghdad Tuesday, the Defense Ministry’s press service said.

As he met with Iraqi Defense Minister, Major General Abdul-Qader
al-Odeidi, the two men discussed the political situation in Iraq,
the goals for national and regional security, and the problem of
ethnic Armenians living there.

Operative situation in Iraq came into focus of his meeting with
General George Casey, the commander of U.S. troops in Iraq.

Sarkissian also met with Major General Bronislaw Kwiatkowski of
Poland, the commander of the multination Center-South division, and
got familiarized with the situation in the zone of its responsibility.

After official functions, Sarkissian visited Armenian peacekeepers
to see conditions in which they perform their duties.

A total of 46 servicemen from Armenia were attached to the division
under Polish command in January 2005.

NKR PRESIDENT’S MEETINGS IN DETROIT

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 14 2006

Issues related to the Karabakh conflict resolution, as well as
the prospects of socio-economic development of Nagorno Karabakh
were discussed during NKR President Arkady Ghukasyan’s metering
with Congressman Joe Knollenberg in Detroit, NKR President’s Press
Office reports.

Congratulating Joe Knollenberg on his reelection to Congress,
Arkady Ghukasyan expressed gratitude for the assistance in promoting
NKR interests. For his part, Joe Knollenberg, who co-chairs the
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, expressed his willingness
to continue addressing NKR questions.

In Detroit NKR President had a meeting with representatives of the
Armenian community.

Turning to the situation of the Karabakh conflict settlement, Arkady
Ghukasyan declared that the people of Artsakh will not be frightened
by Azerbaijani militant statements. He underlined that NKR Defense
Army is able to show proper resistance to any infringement against
the freedom and independence of Nagorno Karabakh.

UN ORGANIZES ‘FEDERATION OF CIVILIZATIONS’ DIALOGUE
By Petros Keshishian

AZG Armenian Daily
15/11/2006

A number of political and religious leaders represented a program
on settlement of the relations between the Western states and the
Islamic world to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. The document was
elaborated by 20 authors, including Desmond Toutou, Archbishop of
the Anglican Church, and former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami.

The report dedicated to the opening of "Federation of Civilizations"
dialogue will be read in Istanbul during a special arrangement that
will be held at the initiative of the UN. The 20 members of the working
group have been elaborating the rport for a year. The document is
directed to settle the deepening contradictions between the Western
states and the Islamic world. It will also defines possible ways of
overcoming the mutual fear and mistrust.

It is stated in the report that the contradictions are caused by
political reasons and not by cultural or religious differences. While
the growth of the tension is conditioned by the conflicts in the Near
East and Iraq.

ARMENIA IN LEAD IN THE REGION ACCORDING TO STANDARD OF LIVING

Panorama.am
15:54 14/11/06

Armenia is at the 80th place among 177 countries, UNDP Report on
Human Development 2006 says. According to the statistics, Armenia
considerably is ahead of regional countries: Georgia is at 97th place,
Azerbaijan – 99th, Iran – 96th and Turkey – 92. As compared to last
report, Armenia went up for 3 points.

The report takes into consideration mortality rate, education, GDP as
per one person. UNDP publishes such reports annually starting from
1990. The report also considers health care, cultural development,
criminal state and ecology.

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 11 2006

EU-Turkey relations force out the Armenian issue (analysis)
11.11.2006 15:10

Tatul Hakobyan
"Radiolur"

In the first half of this year the meetings of representatives of
Armenian and Turkish Ministries of Foreign Affairs registered no
progress in Yerevan-Ankara relations. Despite the bilateral
arrangement to conceal these contacts from the press, there was an
outflow in Armenian and Turkish media, following which
Armenian-Turkish contacts suspended, yielding no results.
During the past 15 years after Armenia’s independence there have been
no diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey. At different
times Ankara has been suggesting different preconditions to Yerevan
-Armenia should refuse from the Armenian Genocide, recognize the
territorial integrity of contemporary Turkey, suspend its military
presence in Nagorno Karabakh and adjacent territories. Thus, the
Turkish side presents preconditions, which hinder the progress of the
Armenian-Turkish dialogue.
Recently after a break of several months, the Armenian-Turkish
dialogue resumed on the level of Foreign Ministers.
Abdullah Gul declared in Moscow that on the whole the borders are
open, since there are air flights between Armenia and Turkey and 70
thousand Armenians work in Turkey. However, RA Foreign Minister
characterized Gul’s statement as unfair. `First, the number of
Armenians living and working in Turkey is much less. Second, open
borders assume direct contacts between the peoples and working
transport communications,’ Vartan Oskanian stated.
Actually today Armenian-Turkish relations have entered a phase that
the normalization of these is associated with pressures and
expectations of third parties. Thus, those in Yerevan hope that in
case of accession to the EU, Turkey will have to lift the blockade,
that is to say that Armenian-Turkish relations are conditioned by the
wishes of Europe.
By the way, November 7 the European Commission issued a report titled
`Strategy of enlargement: the challenges of 2006-2007,’ in which
Ankara was severely criticized. Regarding the Armenian issues, the
regular report failed to denounce the denial campaign waged by
Turkey, both on its own territory and throughout the Union. Previous
mentions of the Genocide in previous reports – characterized
euphemistically as "tragic events" – were not reflected in this new
document.
On freedom of speech, only Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code was
mentioned. The Commission failed to denounce the other provisions of
Turkish law aimed at freedom of speech, especially Article 305, which
penalizes the affirmation of the Armenian Genocide. Finally, the
illegal blockade of Armenia is described using the dismissive
terminology, "closed border."
Sure, Europeans say strictly say that Turkey cannot enter the
European Union with closed borders, but they do not undertake serious
measures to make Ankara lift the blockade before full membership to
the European Union. This means that Turkey can keep the borders
locked up until Turkey’s accession to the EU, and this day may come
in 10 or 15 years. Americans also escape to undertake concrete steps
and exert pressure to make Ankara lift the blockade of Armenia. As
for our friend Russia, the latter even benefits from the closed
Armenian-Turkish border, since in case the border is opened the
question of appropriateness of Russian presence in Armenia will come
forward.
Thus, like in the past, Europeans, Russians and Americans try to make
the lack Armenian-Turkish relations serve their interests.

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 10 2006

LEADER OF LABOR PARTY OF NETHERLANDS IS SUSPECTED OF ENGAGEMENT IN
TURKEY’S CAMPAIGN ON DENIAL OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

The political parties of the Netherlands sharply criticized the
leader of the social- democratic labor party, Voiter Boss, who has
recently stated that Holland had acted hastily when determined the
events in Anatolia as the Armenian Genocide.

According to the "Yeni Shafrag" Turkish newspaper, the
representatives of Christian-democratic, liberal and Christian
parties had accused the labor party leader of its position being in
conflict with the common opinion of Holland’s society. The Dutch
politicians called Boss liar and claimed he had paid homage to the
Turkish elector. The source reports the statement of the labor
party’s leader was made to assure the voting in favor of Turkey.

ENDURING GRATITUDE: ARMENIAN DIASPORA MOBILIZES ON BEHALF OF LAND THAT TOOK IN FOREBEARS
By Christopher Atamian

The Daily Star – Lebanon
Nov 10 2006

Armenians the world over owe a special debt to Lebanon and the Lebanese
people. From 1915 to 1923, starved Armenian refugees – victims of a
genocide at the hands of Ottoman Turks – came straggling across the
desert into what is now Syria and Lebanon. Whether out of compassion –
so say idealists – or demographic politics – so say cynics – Armenians
were welcomed with open arms.

Statistics are hard to come by, but by most measures some 50,000
Armenians started their lives again in the land of the Cedars –
principally in the Karantina camp (they later moved on to Bourj
Hammoud) and in the village of Anjar.

With time, as most Lebanese will tell you, Armenians became successful
in all areas of life in Lebanon and numbered as many as 250,000 to
350,000. At the height of their presence, the Armenians operated 40
schools and opened the only Armenian university in the diaspora –
Haigazian University.

Many Armenians left Lebanon during the Civil War and the diaspora
spread elsewhere. But many remained. As many as 150,000 to 200,000
still call Lebanon home.

It is no surprise, then, that Armenians from all over the diaspora
have responded to the war in Lebanon this past summer with the same
compassion once extended to them. In France, an Armenian Web site –
– reported from Lebanon throughout the 34-day
Israeli offensive.

The exposure meant a lot to people stranded in Beirut or Broummana or,
for that matter, Southern cities such as Tyre.

"The support of Yevrobatsi meant that we felt that someone out there
understood what was happening to us during the Israeli bombings
and that we were not alone," says Nada Haddad, who served as a
correspondent for the site from Beirut.

In New York and Washington, curator and Aleppo-born cultural critic
Neery Melkonian, who spent her adolescence in Beirut, led protests by
a group of repatriated Armenian-Lebanese demonstrating against the
war. The collective Melkonian formed – Armenians in Solidarity with
Lebanon – issued a mission statement of sorts, outlining its support
for Lebanon.

"We deplore the Bush administration’s approval of Israel’s excessive
military response to a political conflict," the statement read. "We
believe that all countries in the region have the right to exist
in peace and security. All sides to the conflict must recognize
this reality."

Finan cial support for Lebanon has also begun to arrive from
organizations in the Armenian diaspora, ranging from small individual
donations to million-dollar cash infusions. The Armenian Network
recently donated several thousand dollars through the charity organ
of the Armenian Diocese, the Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR).

Most recently, Harut Sassounian, president of the United Armenia Fund
(UAF), boarded a plane to Beirut on November 2. The purpose of his
trip was to lend assistance to 28 Armenian schools currently operating
in Lebanon.

The UAF is a collective effort of several Armenian-American
associations, including the Armenian Assembly of America, the Armenian
General Benevolent Union (AGBU), the Armenian Missionary Association
of America, the Armenian Relief Society, the Eastern Diocese of the
Armenian Church of America, the Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic
Church of America and the Lincy Foundation (the latter being the
charity arm of multi-billionaire Kirk Kerkorian’s operations).

All in all, the UAF will donate a total of $4.7 million to Lebanon’s
Armenian schools.

The support coming from the Armenian diaspora is also more than
immediate and urgent. Mid- to long-term assistance is in the works
as well. On November 22, three youth organizations – the Armenian
Students Association, the AGBU Young Professionals and the Armenian
Network – are teaming up with the Hye Q’s, the Armenian Gay and
Lesbian Association of New York, at a downtown nightclub called Earth
to party and raise money for both Armenia and Lebanon.

As one Armenian-Lebanese aptly puts it: "Lebanon took in our
grandparents. It’s our second home. The least we can do now is give
back as much as we can to the country."

Given their history, Armenians have tended to look out for themselves
and to donate disproportionately to Armenia and Armenian causes.

Now, perhaps wealthier and more confident than in the past, they are
returning a long-term favor to those who, in their hour of gravest
need, opened their arms to them some 90 years ago.

Christopher Atamian is a New York-based writer and journalist of
Armenian-Lebanese origin who writes on culture and politics for The
New York Times, Gourmet, New York Press and more.

tion_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=76788

MARTIAL LAW ON EVERY OCCASION

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 9 2006

In Armenia, the legislation on martial law was adopted in 1992. The
government of Armenia has worked out a new bill on martial law and
presented to the National Assembly on November 9. When Member of
Parliament Victor Dallakyan saw Arthur Aghabekyan, deputy defense
minister at the hall of the National Assembly before the meeting, he
announced that the bill must be presented by the minister of defense
as the government had notified. In about two hours after starting the
meeting Tigran Torosyan informed that the government had replaced its
representative and the deputy defense minister Arthur Aghabekyan would
present the bill on martial law. Perhaps opening a water pipeline is
more important than this issue, said Victor Dallakyan.

The Republicans, the United Labor Party, the National Solidarity,
the People’s Deputy, Ardarutiun were not present, only 4 or 5 members
of parliament were present: Victor Dallakyan, Arshak Sadoyan, Manuk
Gasparyan, Speaker Tigran Torosyan. Only Victor Dallakyan discussed the
question with the representatives of the government, and stated that
the purpose of the bill is "to declare, impose martial law on various
occasions, not to hold presidential and parliamentary elections,
to restrict the activities of the citizens, political parties and
the media."

Victor Dallakyan says the provision that martial law can be imposed
when the life and security of the citizens is threatened can be
interpreted arbitrarily. For instance, "talking loudly can be defined
as a threat." Victor Dallakyan thinks that a number of points of the
bill are unconstitutional and allow for arbitrary interpretations.

The member of parliament thinks it is natural that martial law
is declared if another country shells the territory of Armenia,
but he is against imposing martial law "in case any other weapon is
used. In other words, if our neighbor shoots the gun for several times,
martial law will be imposed."

Victor Dallakyan says it is unacceptable to impose martial law
in the region of Syunik but restrict the rights of the political
parties, citizens and media all over the county. In particular,
the government proposes a provision, which allows confiscating
recorders and cameras of journalists, hold meetings, marches, search
the apartments of the citizens under martial law. The bill does not
set at least approximate timing of martial law. "In other words,
they can organize a provocation at the border and the president may
remain in office until the year 3001. Or if people in a political
party speak loudly, it may be considered as a different type activity
and the political party may be banished."

Victor Dallakyan states that the powers of the president under martial
law do not comply with the powers of the president set down in the
Constitution. The bill contains "points reminding the times of Stalin"
and in case it is adopted, "we will appear in the time of Pinechet."

POLAND TO BE A MEDIATOR IN IMPROVING ARMENIA-TURKEY DIALOGUE

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 7 2006

Poland came out with proposal to propose Armenian interests to
Turkey and visa versa. Armenian side has already responded on the
proposal, Bogdan Borusewicz, the Marshal of the Polish Seym, said at
the press conference in Yerevan today. He said that despite the lack
of diplomatic relations between Turkey and Armenia the both countries
are of interest to each other. He pointed out that relations between
the two states should be improved by means of the ‘small steps’ policy.

The Marshal said that the closed border is a bigger problem for
Armenia rather than for Turkey. "If the closed border is a question
of principle for Armenia it is only a local one for Turkey", said.

Mr. Borusewicz. He added that Poland is for Turkey’s membership in EU
even if the process will take 15 years. "I think Turkey’s membership
in EU will benefit for Armenia as well", the Marshal said.

In his turn, Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Tigran Torossyan agreed
with Borusewicz that Turkey’s entry into the EU is not contrary to
Armenia’s interests as each EU member state should comply with the
European values. Simply it would be strange if Turkey joined the EU
without opening its border with Armenia. Torossyan is not optimistic
in the matter as he has met with Turkish representatives and has
seen that Turkey has a stiff approach to the problem of its relations
with Armenia.

The speakers said that the Armenian-Polish cooperation is quite
developed. Torossyan expressed hope that the visit of Borusewicz will
increase the role of Poland in Armenia, while Borusewicz said that
his visit will help to enhance the image of Armenia in Poland. The
sides noted that the economic cooperation is not active because of
Armenia’s blockade. In 2005 the Armenian-Polish trade turnover was
just $17 mln. In order to attract Polish investments Armenia should
become a more predictable country. Borusewicz noted that Armenia has
big potential for democracy development.