Author: Virabian Jhanna

ARMAN BABAJANYAN WAS SENTENCED TO FOUR YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT

Lragir.am
08 Sept 06

On September 8 the first instance court of Center and Nork Marash
communities sentenced Arman Babajanyan, the editor of the Times
Yerevan to four years of imprisonment for forging documents and
avoiding military service.

Arman Babajanyan confessed that he avoided military service and
regretted. The counsel for prosecution Janna Kotikyan was not present
when the justice Mnatsakan Martirosyan was passing the verdict. She
had demanded 1 year of imprisonment for forging documents and 4 years
for avoiding military service, all in all 4.5 years of imprisonment.

The jugde decided, however, that the accusation that Arman Babajanyan
had stolen document is not grounded, and this charge was dismissed.

And in a way that is clear to the judge only, Arman Babajanyan was
sentenced to 4 years of imprisonment. Arman Babajanyan may go to the
court of appeals within 15 days.

NEW AMBITION OF THE CRIMINAL AND THE BLACK ECONOMY

Lragir.am
08 Sept 06

"The assassination of Shahen Hovasapyan, the attack on Hovanes
Galajyan show that there is a very big danger. The criminal and the
black economy have a new ambition, they are tired of serving the
government, they want to be the government," said Shavarsh Kocharyan
September 8 at the Pastark Club.

Shavarsh Kocharyan says, the similar situation, i.e. a criminal
government, is in most Latin American countries, which cannot overcome
it for over several decades. According to the leader of the National
Democratic Party, Armenia is facing this danger.

"Afterwards, there will be elections, in Latin America the
elections are fair, but only these clans compete. There are no unfair
elections. Every observer states the elections is fair. The rules of
the game are definite, if someone wins, please, but they play under the
same rules. God forbid we have such Armenia," says Shavarsh Kocharyan.

Armenia sets up national council for cooperation with EU
by Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency
September 7, 2006 Thursday 04:01 PM EST

National Council for Cooperation with the European Union was set up
in Armenia on Thursday.

This decision was adopted at the government’s meeting.

Alongside with that, a commission for coordination this cooperation
was formed. Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margarian will head
both structures, an official at the government’s press service told
Itar-Tass.

Baku trying to transfer the Karabakh fires to the UN

08.09.2006 11:36
Tatul Hakobyan
"Radiolur"

Despite the fact that the UN has adopted four resolutions on Nagorno
Karabakh, it has never been engaged in the negotiations. This factor,
however, does not keep Azerbaijan from the attempts to transfer
the issues related or not related to the conflict settlement to the
agenda of the General Assembly. This was the case particularly in
the fall of 2004, when due to a serious diplomatic work, the report
titled "the situation on the occupied territories of Azerbaijan"
was included in the agenda of the General Assembly.

To remind, Azeri authorities were assuring that official Yerevan
is leading a policy of resettlement on the territories under the
control of Karabakh forces. Armenia threatened that it would leave
the negotiations if the UN yielded to the pressure of Azerbaijan. The
OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries found a balanced way out of
the crisis. Azerbaijan does not insist on the discussion of the
Karabakh issue in the UN. Instead, it Yerevan and Stepanakert agreed
to allow the OSCE fact finding mission to visit the territories under
NKR control.

Most probably, another OSCE fact-finding mission will arrive in
the conflict zone, this time to investigate the case of fires. A
it is known, because of the unprecedented heat this summer, fires
occurred at the contact line, as well as on some territories under
the control of Azerbaijan and Karabakh, and Baku insists that this
is the intentional activity of Armenia. It should be note that fires
on these territories occur every year. But way did Baku get concerned
with the fact only this year?

Adviser to the President of Nagorno Karabakh David Babayan considers
that. " First Azerbaijan wants to show that these territories are
occupied by Armenia, because it is not logical why Armenia had to
agree to allow the fact finding mission to carry out investigations
on these territories, if these are under NKR control."

Besides, Babayan notes also other reasons. Particularly, in this
way Baku is trying to conceal the destruction of khachkars in
Nakhijevan. "Azerbaijan is trying to create a balance between the
barbaric destruction of Khachkars and natural fires. It cannot be ruled
out either that Azerbaijan is trying to transfer the issue of fires
to the UN for the sake of its interior market. It wants to show its
people that it is doing something," David Babayan notes. During the
meeting with journalists on September 5 RA Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanian did not exclude that the issue of fires may be included in
the agenda of the UN General Assembly. "Azerbaijanis want to discuss
the question in the UN. It is their right, but the UN can hardly do
more here than the OSCE. We do not see the necessity of it and we
do believe that Nagorno Karabakh and
Azerbaijan can find edges of cooperation as it regards the fires
at the
contact line.

Acting press secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Vladimir
Karapetyan said that practically, Armenia and Azerbaijan have completed
the negotiations on the UN General Assembly resolution, which refers
to the situation on the territories neighboring Nagorno Karabakh.

"The talks are nearly over. Probably, the resolution will be presented
in the UN General Assembly on September 7. At this point we think we’ll
manage to agree upon the text of the resolution, the content of which
will be acceptable for the Armenian side. It should be noted that the
Armenia side has already agreed to permit the OSCE mission to visit
the inflammation sites. If the core of the resolution is to be UN
support to the OSCE, then we’ll consider it a constructive result,"
Vladimir Karapetyan said.

Generally, David Babayan does not consider it positive that attempts
are made to transfer issues form the OSCE to the UN. On the other
hand, he insists that it is the international structures that have
undertaken the step.

"Everyone knows that Azerbaijan demonstrates a very stiff position at
the bargaining table. It is somehow profitable for the international
community to have the frozen situation – the impasse – progress. For
this reason they want to direct the populist step of Azerbaijan to
a constructive field and to create a mechanism for the conflicting
sides to have contacts," Babayan says.

ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN END TALKS ON UN KARABAKH RESOLUTION – SPOKESMAN

Mediamax news agency
7 Sep 06

Yerevan, 7 September: Armenia and Azerbaijan have, in fact, completed
the talks over the text of a UN General Assembly resolution concerning
the situation in districts adjacent to Nagornyy Karabakh, Vladimir
Karapetyan, acting press secretary of the Armenian Foreign Ministry,
has told Mediamax.

"The negotiations have almost been completed. It will be probably
submitted to the UN General Assembly on 7 September. At the moment,
we think that we can agree on the text of the resolution which will
be acceptable to the Armenian side. It must be noted that the Armenian
side has already agreed to an OSCE mission visiting the areas affected
by fires. If the core of the resolution will be UN support for the
OSCE mission, we will consider it to be a constructive result,"
Karapetyan said.

TIME IS ACHILLES HEEL OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND CRIMINAL CORPS
Hakob Badalyan

Lragir.am
07 Sept 06

If there was anyone who wanted evidence and facts on the criminal
ruling the country, on September 6 they got two at once. The editor of
the Iravunk Newspaper was attacked and the head of the Department of
Investigations of the Tax Agency Shahen Hovasapyan was assassinated. At
first sight there is no cause and effect relation between these two
accidents, but it is a mistake to divide these two.

Both the attack and the assassination, as well as all the previous
attacks and killings are grouped under the "flag" of the organized
Republic of Armenia. And if the Republic is organized, it means
everything is organized.

One only has to find out who the organizer is. The government had
put forward the idea of an organized state, aspiring to be by far
the most organized in the region. In other words, the government is
the organizer of everything. This is perhaps absolute truth. The only
problem is who the government is. Who do we consider government, the
president, the National Assembly, the government, the law enforcement
agencies or all together? Who is government in the Republic of
Armenia? This question, which appears rather banal and rhetorical, has
in fact an essential meaning. All the answers depend on the answer
to this. Unfortunately, at present and regularly, there is only
one answer to this question – the criminal is in power in Armenia,
which kills and violates whenever, whoever, wherever and however it
wants. And the formal government, which appears as the three branches
of power, cannot give facts to prove the opposite.

There are as many facts on the criminal rule as one may wish:
the crossroad of the Nairi Cinema, the forests of Tsaghkadzor, the
roundabout in Malatia, the roundabout of the Thermal Plant of Yerevan,
the Ashtarak-Gyumri road, Byron Street. The list can be continued. And
the guilty did not get an adequate punishment, the punishment they
deserved. And what punishment can there be if the punishment is
provided for by the law, whereas the law enforcers keep violating the
law? What is punishment if those who are supposed to institute the
punishment beat journalists and steal their cameras and recorders as
trophy? Usually, when there is nothing else to plunder in the area of
the war, those who are used to plundering roll up their sleeves and
get down to work at peace, and in order to do everything "honestly",
they declare war to the society to justify themselves later that they
did not steal, they took away the trophy.

In this situation, it is natural that it is possible to stay in power
only with the support of the criminal, because this is the other rank
of people for whom trophy is a value, a meaning of life.

Consequently, a plunderer government has formed in the country
the Armenian society has to deal with in the 21 century. In such
a country, expecting a public event other than assassination and
assault is utopia. If the public wants to have other expectations,
it should first of all realize that expectations from the present
government are illusions.

In this case, the question occurs what and from whom the public may
expect if it cannot rely on the government. The answer is as clear
as it could be. Especially if we ask the question "what expectations"
before all the other questions. In this situation, the public may have
only one expectation – to remain alive. And if this is the expectation,
the public can rely only on itself for its security. There is only
one way out: either everyone should stay at home to remain alive or
everyone should go to the streets to remain alive. But not now. The
time will come. Do not get cheated by the "lure" of the criminal and
leave the positions earlier.

Having people come out is the only and the last chance of the
administrative criminal, so that they are ready to make each
other a "lure" for the public. In other words, we already know the
Achilles heel of the criminal. It is the time. Therefore, let’s get
synchronized. And let them wage the war against one another. Like the
brave hero of Haszek says, "Let’s meet after the war, at 18 o’clock."

TURKEY’S GROWING PAIN TOWARDS EU ACCESSION

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
Sept 6 2006

Emre Ozkan, JTW – Ankara / The Committee on Foreign Affairs of the
European Parliament (EP) approved Turkey Report late on September 4th,
which was prepared by Christian Democrat MEP Camiel Eurlings.

EP, in the report, repeated its call for recognition of so-called
Armenian genocide prior to EU full membership of Turkey. Different
from previous reports, the report claimed that Turkey committed
genocide against Pontus Greeks and Assyrians besides Armenians.

The report also complains that the pace of the reforms slowed in 2005
and the implementation of reforms still remains uneven, underlining
that significant further efforts are required in regard to fundamental
freedoms and human rights, in particular freedom of expression,
women’s rights, religious freedoms, trade union rights and cultural
rights, and the further strengthening of the fight against torture
and ill-treatment.

According to Hurriyet, Eurlings said that the report is positive and
urged Turkey to take steps on the path to democratization.

Eurlings said that he welcomed the report in general. Noting that
the report strongly condemned PKK terrorism, Eurlings said that PKK
terrorism couldn’t be considered legitimate, adding that the report
shows that they will never tolerate terrorism.

On the other hand, the report of the EP which requires Turkey to
recognize the so-called Armenian genocide as well as Pontus and Syrian
genocides was even reacted by European Union circles: "Let’s not
offend Turkey. We are being ridiculous. This report has no balance."

The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said it strongly rejected the
EP report compiled by the Dutch legislator Camiel Eurlings, saying
that it was incompatible with the prestige and gravity of the EP.

Moreover, Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has dismissed
elements of the report adopted on Turkey’s progress towards meeting
the criteria of European Union membership. "The resolutions adopted
by the European Parliament are not binding," Erdogan said during a
press conference in Ankara. "We have not accepted anything about the
so-called Armenian genocide. Our stance on that issue is obvious."

Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan said that the controversial
report would not contribute to the improvement of ties between Turkey
and the European Union. "The report lacks commonsense and objectivity."

Spokesman Tan added that the European lawmakers should act with
consideration and amend the draft report.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the European Parliament
was dreaming if it felt that Turkey would change its position on issues
such as accepting claims that the Ottoman Empire had carried out an
act of genocide against its Armenian population during World War I.

Assos. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ozcan, Head of European Studies Center of
Ankara based think-tank International Strategic Research Organization
(ISRO), argued that the report is asking for impossible things from
Turkey. "Turkey cannot bring stones from the Moon", he stated. He
also mentions that how Belgium explains her acts in Congo or France in
Algeria? "If you are going to hold Turkey accountable for acts in its
past, then how will you explain your own past of genocide respectively
in Congo and Algeria and violence in the World War II", he added. He
emphasized that the report will be amended in the coming meetings.

Stating that he is not happy with the report of Eurlings, Mixed
Parliament Commission Co-chairman Joost Lagendijk also said: "Instead
of encouraging Turkey’s membership, Eurlings has put more provisions.

Turkey will think that the EP will keep demanding new provisions
every year. The report confused me, it does not have a balance."

The controversial report asks Turkey for recognizing so-called Armenian
genocide as well as Assyrian and Pontus genocides. With this report,
so-called Pontus and Assyrian genocides have entered in an official
EU report for the first time.

The report raises questions on Turkish public opinion about the
objectivity of the EP and EU officials. The report will be voted in
the general session of the EP in Strasbourg, which will take place
between September 25th and 28th.

ARMENIANS IN THE ISTANBUL TOURNAMENT

A1+
[03:40 pm] 06 September, 2006

Armenian chess players play successfully in the international chess
tournament in Istanbul. David Qalashyan who represents Armenia and
David Haroutyunyan and Georgi Bagaturov who represent Georgia currently
share the second place with 5.5 points each.

The list is topped by Spartak Vysotskin from Ukraine who has 6.5
points.

There are 2 more rounds left.

PROSECUTORS DEMAND TOUGH JAIL TERM FOR ARRESTED EDITOR
By Ruzanna Stepanian

Radio Liberty, Czech Republic
Sept 4 2006

A state prosecutor demanded on Monday four and a half years’
imprisonment for the arrested editor-in-chief of an independent
Armenian newspaper who is standing trial for dodging compulsory
military service.

Zhanna Kotikian, the trial prosecutor, stood by the accusations that
Arman Babajanian of "Zhamanak Yerevan" stole and forged in 2002 legal
documents belonging to the family of a former friend living in the
United States to avoid being drafted to the Armenian Armed Forces.

She described this as a grave crime, citing Armenia’s unresolved
conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh.

"Our country is in such a state that even having an extra soldier is
essential for it," Kotikian said in her concluding remarks made at
a district court in Yerevan.

The speech drew sarcastic applause and jeers from a group of "Zhamanak
Yerevan" staff present in the courtroom.

The demanded punishment is quite strict by Armenian standards. Local
draft evaders, most of them members of Christian sects opposed to
military service, are usually sentenced to between two and three
years in prison.

Babajanian’s defense attorney, Robert Grigorian, condemned the
prosecutor’s demand as an "outburst of anger that has nothing to do
with justice." Grigorian said his client should only be convicted of
draft evasion and handed a suspended jail term.

While admitting that he illegally evaded the two-year service,
Babajanian insisted during the two-week trial that he did not steal and
forge the marriage certificate of the Los Angeles-based Vahe Abovian
and his wife Armine as well as the birth certificates of their two
children for that purpose. He said he got hold of the papers through
a middleman who was never questioned by law-enforcement authorities.

Under Armenian law, young men who have at least two children do not
have to serve in the army. Babajanian, 30, studied at an Armenian
religious seminary and had his service deferred until 2001 before
moving to California in 1998. He set up and began publishing his
paper in the Los Angeles area, home to a sizable Armenian community,
in 2003. He launched its publication in Armenia just weeks before
being arrested by law-enforcement officers in his office more than
two months ago.

In a June statement released from his prison cell, Babajanian claimed
that the case against him is aimed at muzzling an "independent and
incorruptible media outlet supporting the removal of the illegal
regime and the establishment of a legitimate government in Armenia."

The prosecutors, however, have denied any political motives.

The young editor was due to deliver his final speech on Monday but
asked the judge for more time to prepare it. The trial will resume
and most probably end on Friday.

NATIONAL TEAM OF BELGIUM TO ARRIVE IN YEREVAN

A1+
[06:18 pm] 04 September, 2006

The national football team of Belgium will arrive in Yerevan
tonight. On September 6 Armenia will meet with them in the first match
within the framework of the qualifying round of "EURO-2008". Our
opponents will arrive in Yerevan without leading defenders Vincent
Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen. The guests will have training in the
"Hanrapetakan" stadium tomorrow. The match will take place the day
after tomorrow at 09:00 p.m.

As for the Armenian national football team, goalkeeper Armen
Hambardzoumyan and strikers Ara Hakobyan, Aram Voskanyan and Edgar
Manoucharyan have traumas. Roman Berezovski and Artavazd Qaramyan have
refused to play in the national team for different reasons. Factually,
the main players of the team are out and the coach of the team,
Ian Porterfield will try to make the best of it.