Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

ARMEN RUSTAMIAN: ARF WILL HAVE QUALIFIED AND DECISIVE PRESENSE IN
PARLIAMENT

YEREVAN, MAY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. "The Armenian Revolitionary Federation
(ARF) will have qualified and decisive presence in the parliament."
Armen Rustamian, reprrsentative of the ARF Armenia Supreme Body,
stated this at the May 4 meeting with intellectuals. In his words, the
ARF is a political force ready to implement its programs in a
consistent way.

Presenting the pre-electoral program of the Dashnaktsutyun, ARF member
Artsvik Minasian noted that among their priority goals are to increase
the Armenian population to 4 million by 2012, which is possible in
case of encouraging emigration, increasing the birth rate and
preventing immigration.

According to ARF member Ara Nranian, industry should be developed to
ensure economic growth of Armenia. "The economic policy we propose
will result in such GDP growth that will make Armenia a competitive
country," he said.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT IMPOSES $50 MLN PENALTY ON AGRC

Arminfo Agency
2007-05-04 19:39:00

Having inspected the activity of the Ararat Gold Recovery Company
(AGRC) owned by the Vedanta Resources corporation (India), the Armenian
Ministry of Finances and Economy has drawn up an act worth about $50
mln, a copy of the document sent to ArmInfo says.

In accordance with the act, the largest penalty worth about $30
mln was imposed on the company as a result of inspection held in
2004-2005-2006 and in the first quarter of 2007. It turned out that
the AGRC has been implementing its gold recovery activity without
the required documents. Particularly, the company turned out to lack
a licence agreement, a document on reaffirmed reserves, as well as a
project on developing the Sotk gold deposit. Besides, to deliberately
conceal the profit earned during 1999-2006 by means of overrating
the amortization of tangible and intangible assets, the company
increased the production costs by about $20 mln. In this connection,
about $4,5 mln penalty has been imposed on the enterprise. Smaller
penalties have also been imposed on the company for a number of other
financial violations disclosed by the inspectors.

To note, the Armenian Government which is discontent with the AGRC
activity forces the company to leave Armenia. The well-informed
source told ArmInfo that the AGRC may be sold to a Russian company for
$80-90 mln. This issue is currently being discussed in London. Four
Russian investors are claiming to the company. The Vedanta Resources
corporation, the owner of AGRC, is controlled by the family of Anil
Agarwal, a large Indian entrepreneur. The AGRC has suspended gold
mining in Armenia because of the serious reprimands of the Armenian
Government which considers the investor to fail implementing its
obligations. The leadership of the company denies all the complaints
of the Government and considers them unsubstantiated. Most part of
the AGRC Indian personnel have already left Armenia.

According to the latest explorations, the gold reserves in the Sotk
deposit exploited by the AGRC made up 80 tons (2,6 mln ounces), in
Meghradzor – less than 1 ton. The ARGC was going to increase the ore
output to 4 tons per year (130 thsd ounces) by the end of 2008.

IN EUROPE ISLAM BECOMES THE SECOND RELIGION AFTER CHRISTIANITY

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.05.2007 GMT+04:00

Many believers come together every day to pray in 300 mosques in
Germany, where in about 100 mosques extremist tendencies are to
be observed.

Islam has become a part of the European Society. In Germany alone,
Islam is the second religion after Christianity. According to the
facts provided by the country’s Ministry of Home Affairs, there are
from 3.2 to 3.5 million people of Islamic origin living in Germany.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The wording "of Islamic origin" is of principle
significance in this regard, because as the Ministry of Home Affairs
mentions, not all the people having Islamic origins are loyal to
their original religion.

In 1961 an agreement about taking on Turkish labor forces for the
German market was signed between Germany and Turkey. In 1973 the
German government seized the enrollment of the new workers. At
the time there were more than 900.000 Turks living in the Federal
Republic of Germany. There are completely different viewpoints on
how the Germans get along with the large number of immigrants. The
politicians have started to use the term "parallel worlds" oftener
than before, meanwhile expressing their concern about the growing
intolerance of the Muslim immigrants. In fact, the Turks, like all
the other national minorities are inclined to self-isolation, which
has its impact on all aspects of life. About 800.000 Muslims, mainly
originating from Turkey, have German citizenship. At the same time
the Turks also make the largest Islamic group not having citizenship
of the Federal Republic of Germany; 1.8 million. The Bosnians are in
the second place (200.000 people), then come the Iranians (100.000
people), the Moroccans (80.000 people) and the Afghans (70.000).

According to the Federal Department the 1-2 percent of Muslims living
in Germany is involved in organizations, whose activities and aims
maybe regarded as anti-constitutional. Many believers come together
every day to pray in 300 mosques in Germany, where in about 100
mosques extremist tendencies are to be observed.

This is just statistic data. In fact, Muslims in Europe, particularly
the Turks possess enough levers to lobby this or that law in Bundestag,
or in Parliaments in Belgium, and the Netherlands. Due to their hard
efforts the Karabakh issue, as well as the issue of the Armenian
Genocide are misinterpreted in Germany, in Turkey’s and Azerbaijani’s
favor. The interviews with German politicians, appearing in Azeri
press from time to time clearly show that a very active work of
writing a "new history" of Azerbaijan and, to some extent, of Turkey
is underway. France makes an exception on account of a strong and
organized "old" Armenian Community, which unlike others, has the
clear-cut and exact vision of its aims and tasks. At the same time,
the main difference between the majority of Muslims of Germany and
France is that those living in France at least speak French.

In Germany the Muslims originating from Turkey either speak German
very poorly or do not speak the language at all.

According to the German Minister of Home Affairs, the Muslim Central
Council in Germany condemns the Federal government, which, according
to the organization, doesn’t seem to be willing to equalize their
rights with that of Christians. The government demanded to establish
a common institution, which would introduce the interests of all the
Muslims living in Germany.

The established Coordinating Council, where the 4 largest associations
are enrolled, introduces the interests of only 10 percent of
Muslims. In Minister’s opinion this doesn’t allow the Coordinating
Council to speak on behalf of all Muslims, with the number of 3.4
million living in the country, Deutshe welle writes.

The Coordinating Council demanded from the government to introduce
separate physical training classes in schools for Muslim boys and
girls. However, the Federal Powers didn’t conceal that they were
against the request. "Gender equality is one of the most fundamental
laws existing in Germany, which is not subject to any change. The bases
for any dialogue with the Muslims are provided by the FRG Constitution,
where the main regulations are not subject to be revised."

As it has been mentioned many a time the demographic reasons may become
one of the most essential barriers for Turkey to be integrated into
EU. Turkey, with its population of 70 million people, may "swallow"
Europe, like it was about to happen 600 years ago during the Ottoman
times. The only difference between those and the present days is that
yataghan has been replaced by the demographic factor.

"PanARMENIAN.Net" analytical department

DIRECTOR OF AMERICAN ORGANIZATION ON GENOCIDE RESEARCH APPEALS TO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO ADOPT RESOLUTION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Noyan Tapan
May 03 2007

LOS ANGELES, MAY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA) West Coast Office welcomed the initiative of Samuel
Edelman, Director of the State of California Center for the Study
of the Holocaust, Genocide, Human Rights and Tolerance, to request
three key members of the House of Representtaives of the US Congress
to adopt a resolution on the Armenian Genocide.

S. Edelman sent letters to Congressman Adam Schiff, head of the Foreign
Relations Committee of the House of Representatives Congressman Tom
Lantos, and speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi. The
letters contain a request to assist with adoption of Resolution 106. In
the letter addressed to Nancy Pelosi, Edelman asks the speaker of the
House of Representatives to quarantee the passage of the resolution
by the House of Representatives as quickly as possible. S. Edelman
points out the gravity of the crime of genocide and availability of
American records on the fact of the Armenian Genocide.

"These three letters prove that the State of California Center for
the Study of the Holocaust, Genocide, Human Rights and Tolerance has
joined all conscious people in the world in the issue of calling the
Armenian Genocide the first genocide of the 20th century," Head of
the ANCA Western Coast Office Andrew Kizirian said.

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email [email protected]
Internet

PRESS RELEASE
May 3, 2007
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

REPS. PALLONE, KNOLLENBERG AND CROWLEY URGE STATE DEPARTMENT
TO CLARIFY MISREPRESENTATION OF NAGORNO KARABAGH

— State Department Report Reverts Back to
Incorrect Language Following Azerbaijani Pressure

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank
Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) were joined by House
Foreign Affairs Committee Member Joe Crowley (D-NY) this week in
urging the State Department to clarify inaccurate language in its
2006 human rights report that dramatically mischaracterizes the
fundamental realities of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict, reported
the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

"Armenian Americans appreciate the leadership of Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairmen Joe Knollenberg and Frank Pallone and Congressman Joe
Crowley in seeking clarification from the Department of State
concerning its patently inaccurate and entirely unprecedented
misrepresentation of Armenia as an occupier of Nagorno Karabagh and
Azerbaijani territory," said ANCA Executive Director Aram
Hamparian. "We look forward to the State Department’s timely
response to their questions and to learning of the steps that the
Secretary intends to take to rectify the damage that this ill-
advised and destructive misrepresentation has already caused to the
peace process."

The controversy began earlier this year with the inclusion, for the
first time, of language in the Armenia and Azerbaijan sections of
the State Department’s 2006 Country Reports on Human Rights
Practices, which asserted that Armenia is occupying Nagorno
Karabagh and Azerbaijani territory. While the State Department
initially made a correction to this text, albeit not a fully
accurate one, it later reverted to its original wording following
public threats by Azerbaijan to cancel bilateral security talks in
Washington, DC.

During a May 2nd House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearing on the
human rights report, Congressman Crowley, a senior and well-
respected member of the panel, submitted the following question to
the State Department’s witness, Assistant Secretary for Human
Rights Barry Lowenkron: "The statement that ‘Armenia continues to
occupy the Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven
surrounding Azerbaijani territories’ in the 2006 State Department
Human Rights report on Armenia has created significant controversy
among the U.S., Azerbaijan, Armenia and NK. Can you confirm that
the references to Armenia’s forces and NK’s status do not reflect
the facts on the ground and are contrary to current U.S. policy?"

Rep. Crowley went on to "urge that this factually incorrect
statement be removed forthwith" from the report in an effort to
preserve its integrity.

In a separate letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, issued
on Thursday, May 3rd, Reps. Pallone and Knollenberg expressed
"strong concerns regarding inaccuracies in the recent series of
changes to the Armenia section of the 2006 Country Reports on Human
Rights Practices." They argued that, "in addition to the troubling
precedent set by allowing a foreign state to shape the assessments
of our human rights report, we are deeply disturbed that the State
Department’s mischaracterization of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict
is inaccurate, unprecedented, and counter-productive to our
government’s goal of actively promoting constructive engagement in
the peace negotiations in the region."

The Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs specifically called on Secretary Rice
to publicly clarify that:

1) The report’s language describing Armenia as an occupier of
Azerbaijani territory and Nagorno Karabagh is inaccurate and does
not reflect US foreign policy;

2) The United States views the Nagorno Karabagh conflict as
fundamentally about the self-determination of the people of Nagorno
Karabagh; and

3) This misrepresentation would not appear in future reports or
other official documents.

The text of the complete letter is provided below.

ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian, in an April 3, 2007 letter to
Secretary Rice, expressed the Armenian American community’s
profound concern that, "such statements fundamentally misrepresent
the well-documented reality in the region, contradict the
Department’s previous human rights reports, and undermine the
credibility of the United States as an impartial arbiter destined
to a leadership role in the OSCE Minsk Group peace process." He
added that, "These unprecedented assertions are both factually
inaccurate and counter-productive to our government’s aim of
reaching a durable resolution to the Nagorno Karabagh conflict. To
say that Nagorno Karabagh is an Azerbaijani territory and that
Armenia occupies Nagorno Karabagh and other territories is to
ignore the very fundamentals of this conflict. These statements
only serve to send the wrong message to the Azerbaijani side and
further complicate the peace negotiations."

The Armenia report can be viewed online at:
9.htm

The Azerbaijan report can be viewed online at:
1.htm

#####

Text of Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Letter
to Secretary Rice Regarding Erroneous Statements in the
2006 State Department Human Rights Report

The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
Secretary
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520

Dear Secretary Rice:

We are writing to express our strong concerns regarding
inaccuracies in the recent series of changes to the Armenia section
of the 2006 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.

Over the course of the past several weeks, the Department of State
has issued erroneous language about Armenia being an occupier of
Azerbaijani territory and Nagorno Karabagh. The report was
subsequently revised with more balanced, although still not fully
accurate, wording and then revised again to restore the original
language. These changes were made following widely reported
threats and pressure by the Azerbaijani government, including its
public declaration that it had postponed planned bilateral security
talks in Washington, DC.

In addition to the troubling precedent set by allowing a foreign
state to shape the assessments of our human rights report, we are
deeply disturbed that the State Department’s mischaracterization of
the Nagorno Karabagh conflict is inaccurate, unprecedented, and
counter-productive to our government’s goal of actively promoting
constructive engagement in the peace negotiations in the region.

It is simply wrong to assert that Nagorno Karabagh is Azerbaijani
territory or that Armenia occupies Nagorno Karabagh and other
territories. This formulation frames the conflict solely in terms
of land, ignoring the reality that the current conflict is about
the self-determination of the people of Nagorno Karabagh.
Furthermore, the State Department has never made similar assertions
in previous reports.

We are concerned that such misrepresentations, rather than bringing
the parties together, will undermine our nation’s credibility as an
impartial mediator and jeopardize prospects for successful
negotiations. It could also have an impact on US-Armenia
relations.

Therefore, we call upon you to publicly clarify that:

1) the report’s language describing Armenia as an occupier of
Azerbaijani territory and Nagorno Karabagh is inaccurate and does
not reflect US foreign policy;

2) the United States views the Nagorno Karabagh conflict as
fundamentally about the self-determination of the people of Nagorno
Karabagh; and

3) this misrepresentation would not appear in future reports or
other official documents.

Our common aim should be to focus on workable diplomacy that brings
the parties together in the spirit of conflict resolution, not to
cause additional tension by introducing new and controversial
elements into an already complex negotiating process.

Thank you for your consideration of this important matter. We look
forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,

FRANK PALLONE, JR.
Member of Congress

JOE KNOLLENBERG
Member of Congress

GEGHAMIAN REVERTS TO PRO-RUSSIAN RHETORIC
By Ruzanna Khachatrian

Radio Liberty, Czech Republic
May 2 2007

Artashes Geghamian, a top opposition leader, signaled a radical
re-orientation of his economic and foreign policy agendas towards
Russia as he visited eastern Armenia on an election trip on Wednesday.

"Unfortunately, some of my colleagues keep saying, ‘Let’s go to Europe,
let’s go to America,’ whereas I say ‘Russia,’" Geghamian said, meeting
with opposition supporters in Martuni, a small near the eastern coast
of Lake Sevan.

The outspoken leader of the National Unity Party (AMK) did not
elaborate on the remark. Visiting the northwestern city of Gyumri on a
similar campaign trip late last month, he said Armenia should integrate
its economy into Russia’s in order to achieve sustainable development.

The statement harked back to Geghamian’s past reputation of a
staunchly pro-Russian politician. As recently as during the 2003
presidential election campaign, he called for Armenia’s accession to
the Russia-Belarus union and replacement of the Armenian dram with
the Russian ruble.

Geghamian radically revised his pro-Russian discourse following the
success of Western-backed revolutions in neighboring Georgia and other
former Soviet republics, which raised hopes for similar regime change
in Armenia among local opposition leaders. Addressing an AMK congress
in February 2005, he described the United States as the "main pillar of
the democratization and strengthening of the Republic of Armenia." The
dramatic U-turn did not earn him much support in the West, though.

GEORGIAN TROOPS TO GUARD IRAQ-IRAN BORDER

Interfax, Russia
April 30 2007

TBILISI. April 30 (Interfax) – The Georgian military contingent in
Iraq is to be the third largest military force in the Arab country
soon and will guard the Iraqi-Iranian border from June 2007, the
Georgian Defense Ministry said on Monday.

On Monday, the third day of his current visit to Iraq, Georgian Defense
Minister David Kezerashvili inspected the surroundings of Alkuta,
a town 60 kilometers from the Iranian border that will be the base
of a 2,000-strong Georgian brigade, the ministry told Interfax.

The brigade will guard the Iraqi-Iranian border.

"Until now, a Polish contingent has been carrying out this mission,
but from June the border will be guarded by Georgian troops. An
Armenian, Ukrainian, Salvadoran, and Kazakh units will be under
Georgian command," the ministry said.

The chief of the Georgian military general staff, Col. Zaza Gogava,
and the commander of the Georgian land forces, Lt. Col. Alexander
Osepaishvili, are accompanying the minister on his visit.

"Kezerashvili also familiarized himself with the service conditions
of the 33rd Battalion of the Georgian Defense Ministry, which is
deployed in Baghdad, and visited Baqubah, where the 31st Battalion
of the Defense Ministry is deployed," the ministry said.

It said that, in terms of numbers and the nature of tasks, the Georgian
contingent will rank third after the U.S. and British forces from
the summer as foreign armed forces in Iraq go.

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:

A GATHERING IN BIKFAYA COMMEMORATED THE 92ND ANNIVERSARY
OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

The Saint Mary’s Monastery in Bikfaya was flooded with the Armenian youth
on the evening of Monday April 23, the eve of the Armenian Genocide
commemoration day. Primate of the Diocese of Lebanon, Bishop Kegham
Khatcherian presided over the event organized by the joint committee on
commemorating the Genocide. The members and supporters of all
Lebanese-Armenian political organizations, sports’ unions and youth
movements gathered around the Armenian Genocide monument to pay their
respect to the Genocide’s one and a half million victims.

The Seminary students participated in the event by carrying out the requiem
service.

Vazken Jamgotchian delivered the opening remarks of the event saying that
once more Armenians come to bow before the memory of their victims and
reaffirm its pledge to remain loyal to their legacy. Jamgotchian underlined
that Armenians should not wait for April 24 to pursue its cause and
commemorate its martyrs. Rather, they should lead lives where national
struggle, loyalty to national values and demanding accountability from
Turkey are everyday concerns.

The main speaker of the event, Benjamin Betchakdjian, pointed out that
events dedicated to the victims of the Genocide not only commemorate the
memory of the martyrs, but remind everyone that the Armenian cause remains
unresolved and the struggle for justice continues. He stressed that April 24
is also a day of contemplation to think about committed deeds, achievements
and mistakes and to correct them.

Two videos were screened after the speeches. The first depicted the horror
of the Armenian Genocide, included accounts by foreign historians and
information on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by European
countries. The second video portrayed the recent pilgrimage to Deir Zor of
370 Armenian students from Lebanon.

A march from Antelias to Bikfaya by the members of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation’s Youth association preceded the event.

##
View the photos here:

ARTUR BAGHDASARIAN’S INERT POSITION IS UNINTELLIGIBLE FOR ARAM
KARAPETIAN

YEREVAN, APRIL 28, NOYAN TAPAN. At the April 28 press conference
Chairman of Nor Zhamanakner (New Times) Party Aram Karapetian confirmed
the fact that the recording of overheard talk of former RA NA Speaker,
Orinats Yerkir Party leader Artur Baghdasarian with the Vice-Ambassador
of Great Britain, the shorthand report of which was lately published
by the Golos Armenii newspaper, was put near the entrance of his
apartment by an unknown person before. At the same time, he said that
for him it is not clear yet who overheard that talk in February.

A. Karapetian stated that he does not understand OYP Chairman Artur
Baghdasarian’s inert position in connection with the publication in
press. "If such thing was done towards me, I would apply to the court
to try to find out the reality," he said. Besides, the statement of
employees of National Security Service that they learnt about that
meeting from press is also surprising.

The NZP Chairman said that he constantly receives facts about illegal
activity of this or that state official from unknown persons: "They
bring to the office, throw into the car." In A. Karapetian’s words,
these people are "patriots: they understand that such non-competent
political state cannot continue."

Today, Azerbaijan
April 28, 2007

Yuri Merzlyakov:"Meeting on June 10 in St. Petersburg depends on
Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev"

28 April 2007 [12:18] – Today.Az

"There are some variants concerning the meeting of Azerbaijani and
Armenian Presidents. One of them is organizing the presidents’
meeting on June 10, 2007 in St. Petersburg. But much depends on Ilham
Aliyev and Robert Kocharian," said Yuri Merzlyakov, OSCE Minsk Group
Russian co-chair.

He underlined that the meeting will take place on June 10 in St.
Petersburg if the presidents agree.

OSCE Minsk Group French co-chair Bernard Fassier told the APA that
the Presidents will not possibly meet before parliamentary elections
in Armenia.

"We said in our latest statement that we will try to arrange a
meeting between Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharian after parliamentary
elections in Armenia. We are making arrangements for the meeting at
present. I hope that the presidents will meet on June 10 in St.
Petersburg," he staid.

Armenian president Robert Kocharian said at Yerevan State University
that he will meet with Azerbaijani President on June 10 in St.
Petersburg.

URL: