Author: Vardanian Garo

ARMENIAN OFFICIALS REFUSE TO ATTEND MEETING IN AZERBAIJAN

Today, Azerbaijan
May 31 2006

Armenian defense officials refused to attend a meeting of military
chiefs from ex-Soviet republics in neighboring Azerbaijan, saying
officials there could not guarantee their safety, an Armenian official
said Tuesday.

According to the Associated Press, an Azerbaijani official said,
however, that Baku had demanded Armenia be excluded from the
Commonwealth of Independent States defense ministers’ meeting,
beginning today in Baku, because Armenia was occupying Azerbaijani
territory.

Tensions between the two ex-Soviet republics remain high over
Nagorno-Karabakh — an enclave within Azerbaijan that has been
controlled by ethnic Armenians since a war in the early 1990s that
killed 30,000 people and drove about 1 million people from their homes.

Sporadic border clashes regularly break out, and a lack of resolution
has hampered development throughout the strategic Caucasus region.

Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Seiran Shakhsuvarian said
a delegation would not attend the Baku meeting because Azerbaijani
officials could not guarantee the Armenians would be adequately
protected.

Azerbaijani Defense Ministry spokesman Ilgar Verdiyev said Armenia’s
complaints about a lack of security “do not correspond to reality.”

“We came out against the participation at the meeting of
occupier-countries – Armenia – which occupies 20 percent of territory
long held by Azerbaijan,” Verdiyev said.

‘WE DECIDED TO MURDER ARMENIAN RESIDENTS OF ISTANBUL’
By Hakob Chakrian

AZG Armenian Daily
31/05/2006

On May 17, Alparsalan Arslan, member of Grey Wolves group, rushed into
the Ankara’s Supreme Court Council and opened fire on the officials
of the council’s third department.

This terrorist act aroused the indignation both in Turkey, and in USA,
in EU and other countries. On May 25, the Turkish Police arrested
Erhan Timurogli, one of the allies of Arslan, in Ankara. He admitted
the accusations brought by the court and was imprisoned.

Timurogli was accused of murder, of preserving and using explosive
materials, of attempt to seize the power by violence.

According to “Yeni Sharaf” newspaper, Timurogli stated in the court
that he is the old friend of Arslan and they were going to carry out
a number of terrorist acts in Istanbul, including the murder of the
Supreme Court’s Third Department’s Head, and murders of the Armenian
residents of Istanbul.

THIS YEAR GOLDEN APRICOT YEREVAN INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL TO BE OPENED WITH FIRST ARMENIAN FICTION FILM “NAMUS”

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 31 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 31, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Golden Apricot
(Voske Tsiran) Yerevan international third film festival will be
opened with the first Armenian mute fiction film, “Namus” by Hamo
Beknazarian shot in 1926 in the Hayfilm studio. The “Namus” having
a history of 80 years has been lately digitalized and restored
at the Arte French TV company and shown at the Balzac most famous
cinema of Paris. Informing about it at the May 31 press conference,
Mikael Stamboltsian, Director of the festival’s programs, declared
that this time the festival’s opening and closure ceremonies will
be more “festival” that in the previous years. Festival’s general
producer Armen Mazmanian mentioned that the Golden Apricot’s opening
and closure ceremonies will have two accentuations: the opening and
closure in the square of Moscow cinema will be a manifestation of a
people’s holiday and inside the cinema it will have a reserved and
solemn format fit for festivals and will have a small art feature.

In difference to the previous festival, this time the Armenian and
English texts will correspond to each other. A.Mazmanian is convinced
that festivals themselves are luxurious and unprecedented events,
so there is no need to overload them with superfluous musical
shows. A.Mazmanian also mentioned that like the previous years,
a Holiday of Apricot will be organized this year.

ROBERT KOCHARIAN FAMILIARIZES HIMSELF WITH WORK ON DEVELOPMENT OF CONCEPT OF COURT AND LEGAL REFORMS AND PREPARATION OF LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE

Noyan Tapan
May 30 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian President Robert Kocharian
on May 30 conducted a consultation with the participation of the
working group set up in order to develop a concept of court and legal
reforms and prepare a necessary legislative package. The President
said that he intends to familiarize himself with the process of
work, to have an idea how rapidly the work proceeds and when it
will be completed. Presenting the work done, the head of the working
group, Justice Minister David Harutyunian said that European, more
specifically Lithuanian model has been selected as a guide for reforms.

According to him, the development of the package of a court concept
has been completed, and the working group has begun discussing the
prosecutor-related section.

He noted that legislative work will soon start in parallel. The
consultation participants also discussed some issues, which are
related to adoption of a number of important tasks and approaches and
with respect to which there were some disagreements in the process
of work. According to the RA President’s press service, Robert
Kocharian appealed to those present to be above narrow departmental
interests and try to find some reasonable solutions. In his words,
the reforms are aimed at forming balanced relations of the jusicial
power and efficently functioning bodies to fight crime. Instructing the
consultation participants to proceed in accordance with the schedule,
the President said that if it is possible to adopt the whole package
until the autumn, it will be a significant step forward from the
viewpoint of creating an independent court and legal system.

JAVAKHK INTELLECTUALS TO DISCUSS THOROUGHLY STATE EXISTING IN REGION

AKHALKALAK, MAY 26, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Javakhk
Intellectuals’ Union envisages to convene on May 31 its 3rd conference
where the state existing in Javakhk will be thoroughly discussed.

According to the “A-Info” agency, Azat Shipaktsian, the Javakhk
Intellectuals’ Union Chairman informed that the conference will
seriously touch upon security guarantees of Javakhk Armenians, giving
the Armenian language status of the second state language in parallel
to the Georgian language in Samtskhe-Javakhk, and other problems.

Armenia, Ukraine to boost military cooperation

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
24 May 06

[Presenter] Ukrainian army chief of staff Col-Gen Serhiy Kyrychenko,
who is paying an official visit to Yerevan, has highly rated the
combat readiness and experience of the Armenian army, which may have a
positive influence on military cooperation between the two countries.
Cooperation programmes between the Armenian and Ukrainian armed forces
have been confirmed by agreements.

[Correspondent] The military delegation led by Ukrainian army chief of
staff Col-Gen Serhiy Kyrychenko, who is paying an official visit to
Armenia, met representatives of the Armenian Defence Ministry. Then
the delegation visited the Tsitsernakaberd genocide memorial.

[Serhiy Kyrychenko, speaking in Russian with Armenian voice-over] This
is a very important friendly visit aimed at developing military
cooperation. Today we have the opportunity to continue cooperation
between the Armenian and Ukrainian armed forces. The talks promise
that the current work will promote the development of military
cooperation between the two countries in various spheres, including in
the military-technical sphere and peacekeeping.

[Correspondent] Serhiy Kyrychenko visited the Humanitarian Mine Action
Centre and the Vazgen Sarkisyan Military Institute. At a news
conference, Kyrychenko spoke about spheres of military cooperation
between Armenia and Ukraine, such as a military strategy,
military-technical cooperation, training, joint military exercises and
peacekeeping. Armenian army chief of staff Col-Gen Mikael Arutyunyan
noted that there was a sufficient basis for this.

[Mikael Arutyunyan, speaking in Russian with Armenian voice-over] We
discussed issues of mutual interest and we hope that in the near
future, we will have prospects of cooperation in the
military-technical and other spheres.

[Correspondent] Kyrychenko denied reports about arms supplies to
Azerbaijan over the last two years.

[Serhiy Kyrychenko] I flatly deny that Ukraine has sold weapons to
Azerbaijan.

[Correspondent] However, Azerbaijani and other sources have reported
that Ukraine has sold T-72 tanks and planes to Azerbaijan and that
several dozens of Azerbaijani planes are being repaired in Ukraine.

Ayk Ovannesyan, Karen Grigoryan, Romik Khachatryan, “Aylur”.

THEY DIDN’T DESERVE THEIR POSTS
Anna Israelian

Aravot.am
25 May 06

Deputy of “National Unity” group Gagik Kostandian marks in this way
the circumstance that the OEP members awry grounds about his economic
activities.

”Can anybody prove the opposite today that it is possible to supply
goods to the Ministry of Defense without serious contacts or agreement
with first figures”, – Arthur Baghdasarian interpreted in this way the
circumstance that the ”NU” member Gagik Kostandian’s establishment
performs orders of the Ministry of Defense. ”Geghamian speaks against
Serge Sargsian but the member of his fraction supplies goods to the
Ministry led by Serge Sargsian. W tried to find out what goods the MD
“NU” member has supplied. It was found out that it was spoken about
”Gor” LTD the director of which was Gagik Kostandian in 1996-1999
and now his wife fills that post. ”I have inherited that fabric from
my father”, – the deputy affirmed.

“We aren’t engaged in mediation buying a computer from a place and
selling it in another, Mr. Kostandian alludes to Arthur Baghdasarian’s
brother business. But as we know he has already sold his ”Computer
City”. -But we are producers”. According to the ”Gor” company
owner deputy ”That fabric was built in 1988, we have neither bought
it nor taken. We have formed an industry, which has already had
300 workers. We don’t have any debts to the state. We mainly produce
uniforms. We make the fur and fabric into ready-made production. And we
mainly export it to Russia and Iran”. That’s why they didn’t have time
to perform great orders in Armenia. ”There were years when contests
for our army had been declared. We had lack for 1-2 times when there
were honest contests and we won there. We don’t have monopoly but we
are the single producer.”

Gagik Kostandian had declared from the NA pulpit that the information
as if ”NU” was ”indirectly financed and engaged in supplies”
was ”false and old”.

To our question when had they supplied Mr. Kostandian answered; 2
years ago; ”But when I became the member of the opposition we didn’t
allowed for taking part in those contests. And it doesn’t only refer
to the Ministry of Defense but to other contests in which we wanted
to participate legally.”

Buy Gagik Kostandian’s remarks OEP members ”proved once more that they
didn’t deserve those posts which they filled. If they deserved they
would know when we had won those contests and in what conditions. If
the chairman of the commission of Defense, National Security and home
policy doesn’t know such things so neither he nor the NA chairman
filled right posts. If the chairman of the commission wanted to give
right information let him study the facts”.

Gagik Kostandian was ready ”to perform the orders of Ministry of
Defense, Police and private establishments. But they don’t place
orders because he is from the opposition. Never mind. We’ll wait.”

–Boundary_(ID_of0yAh5UWKcoHDz9Pq5lvQ)–

MOSCOW GOVERNMENTAL DELEGATION HERE IN ARMENIA

ArmRadio.am
25.05.2006 10:50

The second sitting of the Cooperation Commission of Moscow and RA
Governments will be held today in Yerevan. The sitting will be presided
over by Head of Moscow Central Administrative Unit, Russian Co-Chair
Sergey Baydakov and Head of the Moscow Representation in Yerevan,
Armenian Co-Chair of the Commission Makar Nahapetyan.

The process of accomplishment of the decisions taken during the
previous sitting will be discussed. Reference will be made to the
further steps and programs directed at the development of cooperation
between Moscow and RA Government.

In the framework of the three-day visit the Moscow delegation will
have meetings with RA Minister of Territorial Administration Hovik
Abrahamyan and the Mayor of Yerevan Yervand Zakharyan.

ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH CONDEMNS DA VINCI CODE FILM
by Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 23, 2006 Tuesday 07:30 AM EST

The Armenian Apostolic Church has strongly criticized the book by Dan
Brown The Da Vinci Code and the same-name film that has been screened
in Yerevan’s cinemas.

“The Echmiadzin Church warns all believers that the content of the
novel The Da Vinci Code and the film adaptation contradict the Orthodox
Church teaching as crystallized in the Bible and the sacred church
traditions and distort the Christian truths,” the spokesman for the
Armenian church in Echmiadzin, the Reverend Vagram Melikian said.

“The Armenian Apostolic Church condemns this manifestation of
disrespect for the Christian faith and shrines and this insult to
the religious feelings and dignity of Christians,” he said.

BLACK BOX RECOVERED FROM BLACK SEA AIRBUS CRASH SITE – MINISTER

RIA Novosti, Russia
May 22 2006

SOCHI, May 22 (RIA Novosti) — Emergency teams have recovered one of
the two flight recorders from an Airbus that crashed in the Black Sea
May 3 with the loss of 113 people, Russia’s transportation minister
said Monday.

Igor Levitin said the black box recorded the conversation between
the pilot and crew and had been buried under 20-50 centimeters of silt.

Levitin said the search for the other box, which recorded flight
data and was thought to be lying 3-5 meters (10-16 feet) away from
the first one, would continue into the night.

Rescuers’ data showed that the A-320’s black boxes were at a depth of
496 meters (1,627 feet) and 5 meters (16 feet) apart from each other.

The airliner operated by Armenia’s Armavia flying from the Armenian
capital, Yerevan, came down May 3 in stormy weather six kilometers
(3.7 miles) from Adler airport, which services the popular Russian
resort of Sochi.