Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

MONEY WILL NOT RESTORE FAITH
A1+
| 14:03:05 | 05-10-2005 | Social |
“Money is not important, what is important is that we are ignored”,
the residents of the North and Main Avenues say.
Today from 11:00 a.m. they were gathered opposite the President’s
residence and cried, “Kocharyan, leave us”. Let us remind you that
the residents of the North and Main Avenues demand full compensation
for their houses.
Today the head of the Yerevan urban development investments
office Karen Davtyan and the Municipality Realty Administration
head Gagik Mazmanyan were “waiting” for the marchers opposite the
President’s residence. Karen Davtyan arranged a meeting with them,
and Mr. Mazmanyan claimed that the majority of the problems have been
solved, and only a small amount has remained which is on the way of
being solved.
Despite the promises, the marchers do not believe in nay financial
compensation, that’s why tomorrow they will continue their meeting
opposite Robert Kocharyan’s residence.

COALITION WILL NOT BREAK POLITICAL CONSENT
A1+
| 22:00:58 | 04-10-2005 | Politics |
“I think it is at least untimely to speak about the changed of power
now, when 1.5 year remained till the next state election”, Armenian
NA Speaker Artur Baghdassaryan stated during today’s press conference
when commenting on the possible development in case of failure of
the referendum and change of power.
He also noted that he does not see any reason to complain about the
draft alleging the clauses rated as progress. When touching upon the
NCTR and in part the A1+ issue Artur Baghdassaryan said, “At first
the members of the commission were appointed by the president, now
half composition of this body will be appointed by the parliament.”
The NA Speaker divided the society into 4 parts: supporters of the
constitutional amendments, opponents, those who are unaware and need
explanation and those, who try to derive profit from the issue.
The NA Chairman focused at the return of deposits, which is a
constituent of the Orinats Yerkir election campaign. He stated
that thanks to hard and consistent policy a political agreement was
achieved. He ruled out the possibility of breaking the consent by
his party fellows.
He also noted that the funds allocated for the return of deposits
will be provided by the state budget for the next year.
PARLIAMENT TO RECEIVE GUESTS
Artur Baghdassaryan also informed of the events scheduled for October.
120 international delegates, parliamentary delegations from 15 states,
members of over 20 international organizations and observing missions
will arrive in Armenia to take part in the Rose Roth NATO PA Seminar.
The sitting of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly will be held.
A sitting of parliamentary friendship groups will be convened.
The 15-th anniversary of the parliament will be celebrated in November.

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:
THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA PARTICIPATES IN THE “AMMAN PROCESS” MEETING OF
MECC
The “Amman Process” annual meeting for discussing the issue of emigrants in
the Middle East was held in Amman, Jordan on September 15-18. The meeting
was organized by the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC).
The directors of MECC Units and representatives from the World Council of
Churches (WCC), MECC and various organizations from Europe and the Middle
East attended the meeting. Miss Nora Arisian from Damascus participated in
the meeting on behalf of the Catholicosate of Cilicia.
The attendants discussed the reports of work undertaken in this field and
the hardships emigrants face in the international and regional levels. They
decided to continue their annual meetings in order to render more effective
the cooperation between Middle Eastern and European ecumenical organizations
and regional exchanges.
##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

ARMENIAN SPEAKER FORCED TO REVIVE CONTROVERSIAL BILL
By Astghik Bedevian
Radio Free Europe, Czech Rep.
Oct 3 2005
Risking renewed friction with his government allies, parliament speaker
Artur Baghdasarian was forced on Monday to revive a controversial
bill that would partly compensate hundreds of thousands of Armenians
who lost their lifetime bank savings following the Soviet collapse.
The move came after Baghdasarian was again challenged by an opposition
lawmaker to honor a key campaign promise which helped his Orinats
Yerkir (Country of Law) party to do well in the last parliamentary
election.
The partial restoration of the savings, wiped out by the hyperinflation
of the early 1990s, was a major theme of Orinats Yerkir’s discourse
in the run-up to the 2003 vote. The pledge struck a chord with a
considerable part of Armenia’s electorate still reeling from the
post-Soviet economic collapse.
Baghdasarian and his party drafted last year a bill that calls for
$83 million in public funds to be paid to the former deposit holders
within the next ten years. But its passage by the National Assembly
was blocked by the government which argued that the modest sum
would make little difference and should instead be spent on social
programs. The government’s stance was endorsed by the World Bank and
the International Monetary Fund.
The issue came under renewed spotlight last December when a maverick
opposition parliamentarian, Hmayak Hovannisian, unexpectedly managed to
force a parliament debate on it after collecting a sufficient number
of signatures from fellow lawmakers, including those representing
Orinats Yerkir. However, Baghdasarian avoided putting his bill to the
vote after President Robert Kocharian set up an ad hoc commission of
government experts charged with looking into the problem.
The commission submitted a confidential report to Kocharian last
month. According to Armenian press reports, the authorities decided
not to make it public.
The confidentiality of the process led Hovannisian to press for
another parliament debate on the issue. Baghdasarian responded by
making sure that the Orinats Yerkir bill, co-sponsored by 36 lawmakers,
is included on the parliament agenda.
However, Galust Sahakian, the leader of the Armenian parliament’s
largest faction controlled by Prime Minister Andranik Markarian’s
Republican Party (HHK), indicated on Monday that the parliament
majority will block any discussion of the bill at least until the
government formally proposes its budget for next year. The draft
budget approved by ministers last week does not envisage any financial
compensation to the former deposit holders.
Sahakian made it clear that the HHK continues to believe that the
loss of the population’s Soviet-era savings was irreversible and
that Armenia is too poor to even partly restore them. “The savings
can not be the monopoly of any party. They belonged to the people,”
he told RFE/RL in a stern rebuke to Orinats Yerkir
Baghdasarian’s party is often accused of resorting to populism.
Still, its overt refusal to get the government to address the
contentious issue in one way or another would damage the ambitious
speaker’s credibility in the eyes of his supporters.

IRAN’S AMBASSADOR EXPLAINS HIS GOVERNMENT POSITION ON IAEA RESOLUTION
Armenpress
Oct 3, 2005
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 3, ARMENPRESS: In a brief interview to Armenpress
Iran’s ambassador to Armenia, Alireza Haghighyan, explained his
government’s position on a recent resolution adopted by the Board of
Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding
Iran’s nuclear programs.
According to the ambassador, the resolution was an epitome of pressure
by certain powers with excessive ambitions on other members of the IAEA
Board of Governors and was politically motivated presenting illegal,
illogical demands to the Islamic Republic of Iran, and goes beyond
the obligations of the IAEA. Haghighyan went on saying that despite
numerous efforts of the states, sponsoring the resolution, it was
put to a vote, which is evidence of lack of international consensus
on Iran’s nuclear programs.
The ambassador said Iran has always remained committed to its
international obligations and all inspections and reports by the IAEA
clearly indicate compliance of Iran with the provisions of disarmament
treaties, especially with NPT and the peaceful nature of Iran’s
nuclear activities. The ambassador said Iran considers the excessive
insistence of the sponsors of this resolution on imposing illegal
conditions on Iran as a move in the direction of the deprivation of
all member states from their rights and welcomes all efforts aimed
at achieving success and full understanding on nuclear issues solely
in the framework of NPT, IAEA Statute and the Safeguard Agreement.
He said the Islamic Republic f Iran regards the IAEA and its Statute as
the only competent authority in creating nuclear technological balance
and views any irresponsible, unilateral and illegal interventions of
the Agency as a threat to future international management. He also
said submitting Iran’s nuclear dossier to UN Security Council does
not promote resolution of the issue.

AZG Armenian Daily #176, 01/10/2005
Karabakh diary
NKR PRESIDENT RECEIVES AGBU REPRESENTATIVES
On September 29, Arkady Ghukasian, NKR President, received Levon Kebabjian,
member of the AGBU Central Board, and Ashot Ghazarian, head of the AGBU
Armenian Office.
NKR President discussed issues concerning the construction of Norashen
village, in Hadrut initiated and supported by AGBU. Arkady Ghukasian
promised that NKR authorities will spare no efforts to overcome all the
obstacles that may occur during the construction works.
The sides also discussed other projects that are to be implemented by AGBU
in NKR in future.

Pan Armenian News
ARMENIAN-ITALIAN FRIENDSHIP DAYS STARTING IN YEREVAN OCTOBER 5
30.09.2005 05:35
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ October 5 – November 5 Days of Armenian-Italian Friendship
will be held in Armenia, RA MFA Spokesman Hamlet Gasparian stated during
today’s press conference. In his words, the exhibition of the treasures of
St. Lazarus Island, which will last till the end of the year, will become
the core of the events. He also informed that the idea of organizing the
events occurred during Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian’s visit to
Venice last autumn. In his words, this cultural event has a political ground
as well, since Armenia is engaged in the EU New Neighborhood Policy. In his
turn Italian Ambassador to Armenia Marco Clemente stated that the Italian
government did its best to make the events accessible for the Armenian
people. `Italy will fill whole Yerevan with its love, friendship and the
desire to strengthen relations. We should take every opportunity to bring
together our national and cultures,’ he said.

AMID DISQUIET, TURKISH SUPPORT FOR EU MEMBERSHIP WANES
Middle East Times, Egypt
Sept 29 2005
ANKARA — Turks are losing their enthusiasm for EU membership amid
increasing doubts on whether their mainly Muslim country will ever
be welcome in the bloc and mounting pressure on Ankara to tackle its
most nationally explosive issues, analysts say.
Ankara’s four-decade drive to join the European Union has always
enjoyed strong public support, but the latest polls suggest a
significant drop as the country gears up for long-craved accession
talks on October 3.
A survey released in early September by the US-based German Marshall
Fund of some 1,000 Turks showed that only 63 percent believe that EU
membership would be a good thing, compared to 73 percent last year.
“I have no faith in the EU, they will never allow us in,” said Cengiz
Aybar, a 34-year-old lawyer. “Even if membership talks begin they
will go on forever with no result.”
Hulya Aslan, a 41-year-old retired banker, was just as pessimistic,
arguing that Turkey would never be welcome because of its Muslim faith.
“They are only playing with us,” she said. “They will try to extract
as many concessions as possible before selling us off.”
The main reason for the sour mood is a mounting debate in Europe on
whether Turkey should actually become a member of the bloc. This is
giving Turks the feeling that they are being badly treated, Cengiz
Aktar, director of the EU center at Istanbul’s Bahcesehir University,
said.
Rejection of the EU constitution in referenda in France and the
Netherlands earlier this year, influenced in part by opposition to
Turkey’s membership, has taken its toll on the euphoria in Turkey that
followed the EU’s commitment at a December 17 summit in Brussels to
begin accession talks.
In Germany conservative leader Angela Merkel, whose Christian Union
bloc narrowly won the September 18 general elections and is aiming to
lead a ruling coalition, has long wanted to offer Turkey a “privileged
partnership” rather than full membership.
In France another political heavyweight, Nicolas Sarkozy, president
of the ruling UMP party and a possible successor to President Jacques
Chirac, argues against opening membership talks with Turkey for the
immediate future.
“These are not the expressions of new partnership but of new animosity
– Turkey is presented like a bitter enemy of Europe,” Aktar said.
“This has created a bitter and negative environment of which even
the most pro-EU circles in Turkey have had enough,” he added.
Adding to what appears to Turkey like a U-turn on the EU’s commitment
is increasing pressure on Ankara to take steps that many would
consider betraying the country’s basic policies, said Cigdem Nas,
of Marmara University’s European Community Institute.
Tensions have flared over the divided island of Cyprus since July,
when Turkey extended a customs union agreement to the bloc’s 10 newest
members, including Cyprus, but insisted that the move did not amount
to recognition of the island’s internationally acknowledged Greek
Cypriot administration.
The EU hit back by insisting on proper recognition.
Another hot topic is the massacres of Armenians under the Ottoman
Empire during World War I, the forerunner of modern-day Turkey.
Armenians claim that up to 1.5 million of their people were slaughtered
in an Ottoman “genocide”, a claim that Turkey strongly rejects.
“Turkey is being gradually pushed into an internal settling of accounts
and this creates a backlash in a country where nationalism runs high
and the EU has come to symbolize all the foreign pressure on Ankara,”
Nas said.
The past few months have seen the rise of several new civic
organizations that take their names from armed resistance groups
that fought against allied occupation during Turkey’s 1919-21 War of
Independence, and which say that their aim is to save the country from
“treasonous collaborators”.
“Even though there is an ideological anti-EU movement in Turkey,
many know that the EU will be to the country’s benefit. So support
of EU membership will once again increase,” Nas predicted.
“But cornering Turkey on national issues such as Cyprus and the
Armenian massacres would lead to a further backlash,” she warned.

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
September 28, 2005, Wednesday
ARMENIA BOUGHT TEN NEW RUSSIAN SU-27 FOR ITS ARMY
Armenia bought ten new Su-27 Russian fighters. Colonel Seyran
Shakhsuvaryan, the press secretary of the Armenian Minister of
Defense, confirmed the information. Colonel Shakhsuvaryan didn’t
specify which country sold the operational aircraft. Earlier deputy
Armenian Minister of Defense, Lieutenant General Artur Agabekyan
stated that, “Armenia buys new or refurbishes the possessed military
equipment as and when needed, and at this point the military
equipment of the Armenian Armed Forces is in normal condition”. Some
Armenian sources with reference to Agabekyan reported that the new
fighters were purchased from Slovakia.
Source: Regnum news agency, September 26, 2005
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Timeline: Azerbaijan
BBC News Online
29 September 2005
A chronology of key events:
1828 – Turkmanchay treaty between Russia, Persia divides
Azerbaijan. Territory of present-day Azerbaijan becomes part of
Russian empire while southern Azerbaijan is part of Persia.
1848-49 – World’s first oil well is drilled south of Baku.
1879 – Nobel brothers set up oil-production company.
1918 – Independent Azerbaijani Republic declared.
1920 – Red Army invades; Azerbaijan is declared a Soviet Socialist
Republic.
Soviet rule
1922 – Azerbaijan, part of Transcaucasian Soviet Federative Republic,
becomes founder member of Soviet Union.
1936 – Transcaucasian Soviet Federative Republic dissolved ;
Azerbaijan becomes full republic of Soviet Union.
1967 – Heydar Aliyev becomes head of Azerbaijani KGB; becomes head of
Azerbaijani Communist Party in 1969.
1982 – Heydar Aliyev becomes full member of Soviet Politburo and first
deputy chairman of USSR Council of Ministers.
1987 – Heydar Aliyev leaves Politburo and Council of Ministers.
Soviet era ends in violence
1988 – Nagorno-Karabakh region seeks to become part of Armenia. Ethnic
Azerbaijanis begin to leave Karabakh and Armenia and ethnic Armenians
leave Azerbaijan. At least 26 ethnic Armenians and six Azerbaijanis
are killed in violence in Azerbaijani town of Sumqayit.
1990 – Ethnic strife between Armenians and Azeris escalates. Azeri
nationalist Popular Front rallies support amid growing disorder.
Trouble flares along border between Nakhichevan exclave and Iran as
rioters destroy border installations. Tension eases after Soviet and
Iranian authorities agree to ease restrictions on crossing between the
two countries.
Dozens die in interethnic violence in Baku. Popular Front
demonstrators demand resignation of communist authorities. Soviet
troops use force to end unrest, killing at least 100 people. Azeri
nationalists put death toll at several hundred.
Ayaz Mutallibov becomes Azeri Communist Party leader.
Communist Party later retains power in multiparty elections but
parliament has an opposition for the first time.
1991 – After failed coup attempt in Moscow, Azeri parliament votes to
restore independence. In elections boycotted by opposition, Mutallibov
becomes president.
Heydar Aliyev becomes leader of the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhichevan.
Leadership of Nagorno-Karabakh declares the region an independent
republic. Inter-ethnic hostilities escalate.
War over Karabakh, political unrest
1992 – Hostilities develop into full-scale war over Karabakh. More
than 600 Azerbaijanis are killed as they flee an Armenian attack on
Karabakh town of Khodzhaly. Ethnic Armenian forces break through
Azerbaijani territory to create a corridor linking Armenia to
Karabakh, President Ayaz Mutallibov resigns. Abulfaz Elchibey, leader
of nationalist People’s Front, becomes president in Azerbaijan’s first
contested elections.
1993 – Armenia launches offensive into Azerbaijani territory around
Karabakh.
Rebel army commander Col Surat Huseynov takes control of Azerbaijan’s
second city, Gyandzha, and marches on Baku. President Elchibey invites
Aliyev to return to the capital and subsequently flees.
Aliyev assumes leadership. Huseynov becomes prime minister and is
placed in charge of defence and security forces. Referendum indicates
massive loss of public confidence in Elchibey. Aliyev wins
presidential elections boycotted by Elchibey’s People’s Front.
1994 – Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh sign a ceasefire
accord. Ethnic Armenians remain in control of Karabakh and a swathe of
Azerbaijani territory around it.
Aliyev cracks down hard on People’s Front. Azeri forces mount Karabakh
counteroffensive.
Nineteen people killed in two Baku underground station explosions
described by authorities as terrorism.
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh sign a ceasefire. Ethnic
Armenians remain in control of Karabakh and a swathe of Azerbaijani
territory around it.
Three members of the special police force are arrested after the
assassinations of the deputy head of parliament and Aliyev’s security
chief. Special police units led by Rovshan Javadov storm the
Prosecutor’s Office and their colleagues are released.
President Aliyev describes the incident as a coup attempt and declares
a state of emergency. In a separate incident, rebel forces capture key
buildings in second city Gyandzha but are driven out by Aliyev’s
forces.
Despite his denial of involvement in rebel activity, PM Huseynov is
dismissed and flees to Russia.
“Contract of the century”
1994 – Azerbaijan signs what it calls the “contract of the century”
with a consortium of international oil companies for the exploration
and exploitation of three offshore oil fields.
1995 – Government troops crush rebellion by Rovshan Jovadov’s special
police. He and dozens of other rebels are killed.
Nagorno-Karabakh, now acting as an independent republic, holds
legislative elections. Robert Kocharyan, formerly head of Karabakh’s
State Defence Committee, becomes executive president.
The New Azerbaijan Party, led by President Aliyev, wins the majority
of seats in independent Azerbaijan’s first multi-party elections,
which, observers say, fail to meet international
standards. Azerbaijan’s new constitution is approved in a referendum.
1996 – Incumbent President Robert Kocharyan retains his post in direct
presidential elections in Karabakh.
1997 – Robert Kocharyan leaves Karabakh to become prime minister in
Armenia. Foreign Minister Arkadiy Gukasyan is elected Karabakh
president.
Former PM Surat Huseynov is extradited from Russia. Following a
lengthy trial for high treason he is eventually sentenced to life
imprisonment.
Aliyev and his Armenian counterpart Levon Ter-Petrossian agree to OSCE
proposal for staged Karabakh solution. The Armenian leader is
criticized at home for making too many concessions and subsequently
resigns.
The first oil is produced by the Azerbaijani International Operating
Company under the “contract of the century”.
1998 – Opposition activists arrested at protests against what they say
are unfair elections in which Heydar Aliyev is returned as
president. International observers report irregularities.
Death penalty abolished.
Into the new millennium
2000 – Assassination attempt on Karabakh President Arkadiy Gukasyan
fails. Samvel Babayan, Karabakh’s former defence minister, is jailed
for 14 years for masterminding attack.
2001 – Azerbaijan becomes full member of Council of Europe, though
council officials criticise it over human rights record.
US-brokered talks on Nagorno-Karabakh, held between Azerbaijani and
Armenian presidents, end without result.
US lifts aid ban, imposed during Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, after
Azerbaijan provides airspace and intelligence after 11 September
attacks.
Talks between five Caspian countries on ownership of the sea continue
all year but are inconclusive. Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey reach
agreement on oil and gas pipelines linking Caspian fields with Turkey.
Azerbaijan officially shifts to the Latin alphabet for the Azeri
language, the fourth alphabet change in a century.
2002 May – Pope John Paul II makes his first visit to Azerbaijan and
appeals for an end to religious wars.
2002 August – Referendum on amendments to constitution said to get
strong support from voters. Critics allege irregularities, say poll is
ruse to allow president to hand over power to his son.
2002 September – Construction work starts on multi-billion-dollar
pipeline to carry Caspian oil from Azerbaijan to Turkey via Georgia.
Political succession
2003 August – Aliyev appoints his son, Ilham, as prime minister.
2003 October – Ilham Aliyev wins landslide victory in presidential
poll said by observers not to reach international
standards. Opposition protests met with police violence; hundreds
arrested.
2003 December – Heydar Aliyev dies in a US hospital, aged 80. He was
being treated for heart and kidney problems.
2005 March – Thousands mourn after journalist Elmar Huseynov, an
outspoken critic of the authorities, shot dead in Baku.
2005 May – Western diplomats voice concern after police use force to
prevent opposition rally in Baku on eve of opening ceremony for
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipleine.
2005 September – Police use force to break up opposition demonstration
in Baku just weeks before parliamentary elections.
International consortium in huge oil deal; takes the oath of office,
swears to serve the people with dignity.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress