AZG Armenian Daily #241, 16/12/2006

Concern

VANDALS PAINT MEMORIAL PLAQUE TO VICTIMS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN BLUE
IN POLAND

Unknown vandals painted the memorial plaque to the victims of the
Armenian Genocide in blue in city of Lyublin, Poland. The memorial
plaque is placed on the monument to the victims of the Armenian
genocide erected near the church of Pope of Rome John-Paul II. It’s
worth mentioning that in 2005, in Warsaw the vandals painted the
plaque on the wall of the Armenian Embassy to Poland. Till now, the
police haven’t found the guilty.

By Aghavni Harutyunian

AZG Armenian Daily #241, 16/12/2006

Diaspora

GLENDALE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL SUPPORTS BABAJANIAN

Recently, "Azg" reported that the Glendale city administration made a
decision to support Arman Babajanian, editor-in-chief of the "Yerevan
Time" newspaper. Yesterday a message, signed by 3 members of the
Glendale Municipal Council, was published. In particular, the message
says, "In a few years spent here, in Glendale, California, You have
successfully founded and published the Armenian "Los-Angeles Time"
newspaper, providing local and international news and reviews. You are
the author of a famous TV-show, which has been broadcast on the local
26-th channel by §Armenia Media Group of America¦". The City
administration made decision to support Mr. Babajanian by the means of
representing to the public his achievements.

By Gohar Gevorgian

AZG Armenian Daily #241, 16/12/2006

Cinema

PARAJANOV’S FILMS TO BE SHOWN IN FRANCE

It is envisaged that within the framework of Armenia’s year in France
the retrospective session of Sergey Parajanov’s films will take place
in one of French cities on March 14-31, 2007. Another arrangement
dedicated to Parajanov will be held a bit later in Paris. Amatouni
Virabian, head of RA State Archive, stated that the arrangement
includes photo exhibition entitled "In Battles of Two World Wars." The
photo exhibition will contain the photo chronicles of the Armenian
detachments fighting in the structure of the French Army in the World
War I.

By Aghavni Harutyunian

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
December 15, 2006
CONTACT: Karoon Panosyan
E-mail: [email protected]

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY APPOINTS COMMUNITY RELATIONS DIRECTOR IN WESTERN OFFICE

Beverly Hills, California – The Armenian Assembly is pleased to
announce the appointment of Narine Zardarian as Community Relations
Director.

Based in the Assembly’s Western Region Office, Zardarian will expand
the Assembly’s grassroots outreach in California and beyond as well as
assist with the Assembly’s government relations program.

"As the Assembly prepares to celebrate 35 years of service and
accomplishments, we are pleased to welcome Narine Zardarian to our
staff," said Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. "Zardarian’s experience
in state politics, coupled with her previous work on behalf of the
Armenian community, will make her a strong asset to our team."

Prior to joining the Assembly, Zardarian served as a Field
Representative for California State Assembly Majority Leader Dario
Frommer (D-Glendale). While working for Frommer she served as lead
advisor on issues related to the Armenian community, such as helping
propose a bill that allowed teachers to receive single subject
credentialing in the Armenian language. This bill, which enabled
schools in California to offer Armenian as a language elective in High
School, was later passed in the California State Assembly Education
Committee by Frommer.

"I look forward to the opportunity to strengthen and expand the
Assembly’s relationships with Armenian communities throughout the
state," said Zardarian. "Together we can tackle the immense challenges
before us on the state and federal level."

Zardarian graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles
with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a minor in Spanish in 2003.

The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness
of Armenian issues.  It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership
organization.

NR#2006-107

Photograph available on the Assembly’s Web site at the following link:

-107-1.JPG

Caption: Back row: Executive Director Bryan Ardouny, left, and
Development Director Andy Zovko. Front row: Western Office Director
Lena Kaimian, left, and newly appointed Community Relations Director
Narine Zardarian.

A1+

STRIKE IN GYUMRI
[07:52 pm] 15 December, 2006

Today the teachers of the Gyumri school N15 have gone on strike. Only
five teachers have decided to keep working. According headmaster
Hamazasp Khachatryan, the teachers demand their salary which they have
not received for a year.

On December 12 the headmaster asked them to wail a little longer as
the school has debts. Mr. Khachatryan considers this step of the
teachers hasty. Nevertheless, the teachers claim they should have
taken it earlier. According to teacher of physics Tamara Araqelyan,
she has to get more than 320 thousand AMD for 2005 and 2006.

The headmaster avoided answering questions about the volume of the
debt to the teachers.

The teachers try to solve the problem through the Shirak
governor. They claim if there is no solution they will go to higher
instances.

Armenuhi Minasyan

TV Company `Tsayg’

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1+

«IT’S A MATTER OF TASTE»
[08:27 pm] 15 December, 2006

«No individual can pose serious threat to the RA», said
Secretary of the Security Council adjunct to the RA President Serge
Sargsyan answering the question if leader of the «Union of Armenian
Volunteers» Zhirayr Sefilyan was a dangerous person that he was
arrested.

«Have you read in the announcements of the national security that
Zhirayr Sefilyan is seriously dangerous for the RA? There are
3000-4000 citizens of Armenia in prison at present and separately none
of them is dangerous for the country. Some of them can be dangerous
for the society, others – for other individuals», said Serge
Sargsyan.

Asked by «A1+» what he personally thinks about Karabakh hero
Zhirayr Sefilyan, Serge Sargsyan answered, «Sefilyan was one of the
thousands who fought in Karabakh, but if you think you can compare him
with Monte Melqonyan or with other commanders, it’s a matter of
taste».

A1+

BALANCE IN THE REGION DEPENDS ON THE SETTLEMENT OF THE KARABAKH CONFLICT
[01:15 pm] 15 December, 2006

`The Assembly regrets that, despite the three meetings between the
Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan organised in 2006 and the
increased efforts by the Co-Presidents of the Minsk Group, no
significant progress can be registered to date towards a peaceful
settlement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict’, says the Provisional
version of the draft resolution `Honouring of obligations and
commitments by Armenia’ adopted by PACE’s Monitoring Committee at its
meeting in Paris on 13 December 2006.

The report will be discussed the the January session. It adds that
`it is in the interest of both countries to end this conflict as soon
as possible, ruling out the use of force, in accordance with the
commitment entered into at the time of their accession. Without a
final settlement, prospects for stability and prosperity in the entire
region remain precarious’.

`The Assembly itself is committed, notably through the "Ad Hoc
Committee of the Bureau on the implementation of Resolution 1416
(2005) on the conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region dealt with by
the OSCE Minsk Conference", to help engender a positive negotiating
climate and foster dialogue at the parliamentary level and between the
populations of the two countries concerned, and also with the
population of Nagorno-Karabakh, while refraining from interfering in
the negotiation process’.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1+

NO AMENDMENTS WITHOUT CONSULTING MASS MEDIA FIRST
[03:30 pm] 15 December, 2006

«A few months away from the forthcoming parliamentary elections, the
Assembly attaches special importance to pluralism of the electronic
media and the reform currently in progress, since equitable access to
the electronic media by all political parties is an absolute
prerequisite for the holding of free and fair elections», says the
Provisional version of the draft resolution «Honouring of obligations
and commitments by Armenia».

The Assembly has noted that «the revision of the constitution has
paved the way for greater independence of the bodies which regulate
the electronic media. Nonetheless, legislative amendments subsequently
drawn up by the government without first consulting media or Council
of Europe representatives have met with strong criticism, not least
concerning the membership of the National Television and Radio
Commission (NTRC) and the method of appointment of its members. The
Assembly urges the Armenian authorities to consult the Council of
Europe’s experts and take into account their recommendations before
adopting amendments to the broadcasting legislation».

The Assembly also calls on Armenia to adopt an open, transparent
process of appointment of members of the Public Television and Radio
Council, as recommended by the Venice Commission.

«Apart from reforming the legislation, the Armenian authorities must
take steps to ensure the freedom and pluralism of public television
and radio on a day-to-day basis».

With regard to the print media, which are reputed to be free and
pluralist but play only a minor role in the provision of public
information on account of their small circulation, the Assembly notes
with satisfaction that no criminal libel proceedings have been
instituted against journalists for some years now. Since the reform of
the Criminal Code in 2004, libel has been punishable by a prison
sentence only in the event of a repeat offence. The Assembly welcomes
this progress and encourages the Armenian authorities to decriminalise
libel completely and repeal Article 318 of the Criminal Code, which
establishes the offence of "insulting a representative of the public
authorities".

A1+

NCTR MUST RESIGN
[07:46 pm] 15 December, 2006

The initiative «Cooperation for the sake of open society» which
represents more than 60 organization of the civic society has sent an
open letter to the members of the National Committee of TV and Radio
urging them to resign.

The letter says, «According to the article N83.2 of the RA amended
Constitution, half of the members of the Committee are appointed by
the President for a term of six years, and the other half are elected
by the Parliament, again for a term of six years. At the same time,
according to the 117th article of the Constitution, the members of the
Committee remain in office until the term is over. In case the term is
over or some of them leave office early, their posts are given to
people either elected by the Parliament or appointed by the President.

Today, the different terms of office of the members of the Committee
create a situation where six years will be needed in order to secure
the balance demanded by the Constitution.

The only way to settle the situation is to resign all the members of
the Committee at once and to create a new Committee in compliance with
the Constitution. We call on the members of the National Committee of
TV and Radio to leave office after which the President and the
Parliament will form a new Committee.

We believe that you will demonstrate political will and will make the
right choice».

A1+

ACCUSED OF BRIBERY
[08:43 pm] 15 December, 2006

Head of the regional military commissariat of Akhalqalaq Avtandil
Mazmanashvili has been arrested. He is accused of bribery.

The law enforcers of Georgia have arrested A. Mazmanashvili at the
moment when he was taking 700 laris from a soldier from the village of
Dilsika. A criminal case has been initiated. No further details are
reported, `A-Info’ reports.