NEW MONUMENT IN YEREVAN TO UNITE MEMORY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AND HOLOCAUST VICTIMS
PanARMENIAN.Net
12.10.2006 14:22 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ October 27 the Jewish community of Armenia will
open a new monument to victims of the Holocaust at the Ring Park
in Yerevan. In the words of head of the Jewish community of Armenia
Rimma Varzhapetyan, the new monument is a rare one, as it is dedicated
not only to the Jewish Holocaust, but also to victims of the Armenian
Genocide. “We are very grateful to Armenian authorities for providing a
lot for the monument,” she said. A large number of guests from various
countries will arrive for the opening of the monument. A round table
discussion of consequences of genocides in 20th century will be
arranged. “We want to prove once again that Jews living in Armenia
work for doing useful deeds. We hope that no malefactor will dare to
profane this memorial,” head of the Jewish community of Armenia said,
reports the Azg.

French MPs Back Armenia Genocide Bill, Turkey Angry
By REUTERS
Published: October 12, 2006
Filed at 1:31 p.m. ET
PARIS (Reuters) – France’s lower house of parliament approved a bill
on Thursday making it a crime to deny Armenians suffered genocide at
the hands of Ottoman Turks, provoking anger in Turkey and raising
fresh doubts about its EU ambitions.
Ankara said the vote would damage ties between the two NATO allies and
French firms operating in Turkey feared they would suffer an immediate
backlash.
“This will be an unforgettable shame on France. France can never
describe itself as a country of freedoms again,” said Turkish Foreign
Minister Abdullah Gul.
Turkey denies accusations some 1.5 million Armenians were massacred
during the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire in World War One,
arguing that Armenian deaths were a part of general partisan fighting
in which both sides suffered.
The French government distanced itself from Thursday’s bill, calling
it “unnecessary and untimely,” and indicated that it might never
become law as it still needs to be ratified by both the upper house
Senate and French president.
But Turkish officials, fearing a nationalist backlash that could put
the pro-European Ankara government on the defensive, said the damage
had already been done.
The legislation calls for a one-year prison term and 45,000 euro
($56,570) fine for anyone denying the 1915 genocide — the same
sanction as for denying the Nazi genocide of Jews.
“Does a genocide committed in World War One have less value than a
genocide committed in World War Two? Obviously not,” Philippe
Pomezec, a parliamentarian with the ruling Union for a Popular
Movement (UMP), said during the debate.
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan hailed the vote as a
“natural continuation of France’s principled and consistent defense
of human and historic rights and values.”
HOSTAGE TO POLITICS
However, analysts saw the move more as a play for Armenian diaspora
votes in next year’s presidential election and said it highlighted how
easily Turkey’s EU candidacy can become a hostage to domestic politics
in EU member states.
“It is the intention of those French politicians who backed this bill
to antagonize Turkey, to push it to the limit and force it to throw in
the towel,” said Cengiz Candar, an EU expert at Istanbul’s Bahcesehir
University.
Some 60 protesters carried a black wreath down Istanbul’s main
commercial street on Thursday and laid it in front of the French
consulate.
Most French people oppose Turkey joining the 25-nation bloc and fear
over its potential membership was one of the reasons why France voted
last year to reject the EU constitution.
Anti-Turkish feeling was palpable as lawmakers left parliament on
Thursday. Influential UMP politician Patrick Devedjian, himself of
Armenian descent, said Muslim Turkey was not a democratic country and
did not deserve EU membership.
“It is like they are asking to enter a club but have already smashed
its windows,” he told Reuters television.
The European Commission warned France that its bill could hinder
efforts to end decades of dispute over the killings and noted that
criteria for talks on Turkey’s possible EU entry did not include
recognition of the Armenian killings as genocide.
An hour after the vote, Turkey’s best-known novelist, Orhan Pamuk, won
the Nobel prize for Literature.
Pamuk recently went on trial for insulting “Turkishness” after
telling a Swiss newspaper nobody in Turkey dared mention the Armenian
massacres. The court eventually dropped charges.
French businesses fear trade will suffer because of the row, with
French exports to Turkey worth 4.66 billion euros in 2005.
“Time will show. But I cannot say it will not have any
consequences,” Turkish Economics Minister Ali Babacan told reporters
in Brussels.

CONGRESSMAN RENZI JOINS US CONGRESS ARMENIAN CAUCUS
PanARMENIAN.Net
12.10.2006 14:42 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At the urging of the Armenian Assembly of America
(AAA), Congressman Rick Renzi (R-AZ) joined the Congressional Caucus
on Armenian Issues and signed on as a cosponsor of H. R. 3361, a
bill that would prohibit funding for a rail link connecting Turkey,
Georgia and Azerbaijan while bypassing Armenia, reports the AAA. “The
Armenian Assembly appreciates Congressman Renzi’s support of the rail
legislation and welcomes him to the Armenian Caucus,” said Assembly
Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. “We look forward to working with
him to strengthen the U.S.-Armenia relationship.”
The South Caucasus Integration and Open Railroads Act, introduced by
Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), along with Co-Chair
Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Caucus Member George Radanovich (R-CA),
is supported by nearly 100 lawmakers to date. Last month, the House
approved the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2006, which
included an amendment which was strongly supported by the Assembly
and sponsored by Representatives Joseph Crowley (D-NY), together
with Congressmen Edward Royce (R-CA) and Brad Sherman (D-CA). The
provision ensures that no Export-Import funding is used for a costly
and unnecessary rail line that would exclude Armenia from economic
and regional transportation opportunities.
Renzi is the second member from the state of Arizona to join the
Armenian Caucus. He serves on the House Financial Services Committee,
the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Resources
Committee.

ADOPTION OF GENOCIDE BILL ONLY FIRST STEP
PanARMENIAN.Net
12.10.2006 15:32 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Adoption of the bill criminalizing the denial of
the Armenian Genocide was quite expected, Head of the Department of
Turkey of the NAS of RA, Doctor Ruben Safrastyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter. In his words, the passage of the bill evidences that the
public and political forces of Europe understand that Turkey may become
an EU member only in case it opens the dark pages of its history.
“The country should find the courage to face the past and accept it
properly,” Safrastyan said.
In his turn Head of Hay Dat Office Kiro Manoyan underscored in a
conversation with a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter that the adoption of
the Genocide bill is only the first step. “Ratification in the Senate
is the next, while the President has to sign it after that. I do not
think serious problems may arise in the Senate,” Manoyan remarked. As
for the threats by Turkey, the Head of Hay Dat Office underscored that
expected sanctions against France will hit as a boomerang upon Turkey
itself. “I believe that statements of the Turkish party within the past
week are bluff. It is in its own interest to recognize the Armenian
Genocide if it really wants to become an EU member,” Manoyan said.

GOVERNMENT, OTE DECLINES RUMORS ABOUT COMPLETING ARMENTEL SALE
Armenpress
Oct 12 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 12, ARMENPRESS: Armenian government said yesterday it
was not notified by Hellenic Telecommunications Organization (OTE),
which owns 90 percent of shares in the national ArmenTel telephone
operator, about ArmenTel’s sale. Armenian transport and communication
minister Andranik Manukian said no official document was received
from Greece about the outcome of an international tender for ArmenTel.
OTE also denied rumors in the media that it has picked a tender winner
for its 90% stake in ArmenTel.
In a statement Wednesday, quoted by Prime-Tass, OTE said the tender
has not been yet completed and the company would make an official
announcement in due time.
On Monday an Armenian news agency and a Russian newspaper reported,
citing their unnamed source, that a consortium from the United Arab
Emirates (UAE) including telecom company Etisalat and investment fund
Istithmar, won the tender for the 90% stake in ArmenTel with an offer
of US$600 million. Etisalat has also denied these reports.
Besides Etisalat and Istithmar, Russian companies AFK Sistema and
VimpelCom have also bid for ArmenTel, as well as a consortium of VTEL
Holdings and Knightsbridge Associates, OTE said earlier.
ArmenTel has a monopoly on fixed-line and long-distance services in
Armenia. The company also had a monopoly on mobile services until
mid-2005.
ArmenTel’s fixed-line subscriber base stood at about 600,000 users
and its mobile subscriber base at about 330,000 users, as of mid
2006. Armenia’s population amounts to about 3.2 million people.

VIRAGE LOGIC ARMENIA BRANCH DEVELOPS STEADILY
Armenpress
Oct 12 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 12, ARMENPRESS: Adam Gablanian, the chief executive
manager of Virage Logic Armenian branch, told a news conference today
that the branch was the best and most dynamically developing structure
of the company.
Gablanian called the news conference to speak about the 10-th
anniversary of founding Virage Logic.
Gablanian said founded in 1996, Virage Logic Corporation rapidly
established itself as a technology and market leader in providing
advanced embedded memory intellectual property (IP) for the design
of complex integrated circuits.
Now it is a global leader in semiconductor IP platforms comprising
embedded memories, logic. The company also prides itself on providing
superior customer support and was recently named Customer Service
Leader of the Year in the Semiconductor IP Market by Frost & Sullivan.
Headquartered in Fremont, California, Virage Logic has R&D, sales and
support offices worldwide. The Armenian branch was established in 1999
and is second in terms of recruited personnel among all other local
IT companies. It has now 110 highly skilled staff, who have regular
training courses to be kept updated on the most latest achievements.
Gablanian also said the Armenian branch is expected to expand twice
and recruit more engineers and specialists in two years.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UNITED ARMENIAN FUND
1101 N. Pacific Avenue # 301
Glendale, CA 91202
Tel: 818.241.8900
Fax: 818.241.6900
For Immediate Release
11 October, 2006
UAF Sent $6.2 Million of Aid
To Armenia By Sea So Far This Year
Glendale, CA – In addition to airlifts, the United Armenian Fund sends
humanitarian aid to Armenia by sea shipments. During the first nine months
of 2006, the UAF sent $6.2 million of relief supplies to Armenia on board 93
containers.
“The UAF would like to thank the following donors who generously contributed
various relief supplies for Armenia,” said Harut Sassounian, the President
of the UAF.
World Vision U.S. Inc. ($1.2 million); Armenian Gospel Mission ($459,000);
Hope for the City ($439,000); Medical Outreach for Armenians ($365,000);
Centre Hospitalier Lucien Hussel of France ($312,000); Armenian Missionary
Association of America ($293,000); World Vision Canada ($251,000); Vahe
Enterprises ($244,000); Mihran Mahmouzian & Jack Mazmanian ($235,000);
Jilland Corporation (Mr. & Mrs. Roubik & Gilda Assatourian ($221,000); Help
the Children International Children’s Charity Foundation ($206,000);
Juliette Serabian of France ($184,000); Fund for Armenian Relief ($180,000);
Armenian Canadian Medical Association of Ontario ($170,000); Friends of
Armenia ($162,000); Consiglio Regionale del Fruili Venezia Giulia of Italy
($112,000).
Also contributing were: The Armenian EyeCare Project ($73,000); Dr. Vartkes
Najarian ($72,000); Foundation Semra of Switzerland ($71,000); George
Asadorian ($67,000); Developmental Services for Armenia ($67,000); Chene of
France ($56,000); Association de Soutien aux Patriotes Armeniens of France
($54,000); Glendale-Ghapan Sister City Association ($51,000); Michael Candan
($51,000); Catholic Medical Mission Board ($50,000); Armenian Ministries of
U.K. ($47,000); Berge & Terry Minasian ($46,000); Komitas Action
Suisse-Armenia of Switzerland ($40,000); AmeriCares ($37,000); Sacred Heart
Medical Center ($36,000); Fresno Armenian Radio Hour ($36,000); Konnect9
World Wide of U.K ($36,000) and American University of Armenia Corp.
($35,000).
Other donors were: Centro Studi e Documantazione della Cultura Armena of
Italy ($33,000); Christlicher Hilfsbund im Orient of Germany ($32,000);
Alvan Tsarik Foundation of Holland ($30,000); Dr. George Katcherian
($30,000); Torkom Postajian ($26,000); Karapet Cuyumdzyan ($22,000); Shoebox
Sharing ($18,000); Aykaram Oganesyan ($18,000); Armenian Relief Society of
Germany ($15,000) and Nork Marash Medical Center ($14,000).
Since its inception in 1989, the UAF has sent $447 million of humanitarian
assistance to Armenia on board 140 airlifts and 1,359 sea containers.
The UAF is the collective effort of the Armenian Assembly of America,
Armenian General Benevolent Union, Armenian Missionary Association of
America, Armenian Relief Society, Diocese of the Armenian Church of America,
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America and The Lincy
Foundation.
For more information, contact the UAF office at 1101 North Pacific Avenue,
Suite 301, Glendale, CA 91202 or call (818) 241-8900.
###

YEREVAN STARTS MARKING 2788TH ANNIVERSARY TOMORROW
PanARMENIAN.Net
12.10.2006 13:28 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian capital of Yerevan celebrates its
2788th anniversary this year. As Chief of the Department of Culture,
Sport and Youth of the City Hall Kamo Movsisyan had stated before,
festivities will be held in the capital October 13-14.
“10 delegations will visit the city during the celebration,” he
said. The festivities will be full of surprises this year and these
will be held under the personal supervision of Yerevan Mayor Yervand
Zakharyan.
The opening ceremony will take place in the National Academic Theater
of Opera and Ballet after Alexander Spendiarov tomorrow, while the
closing will be in the Sport and Concert Complex after K. Dermichyan
October 14.

NATO CONTENT WITH COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
12.10.2006 13:48 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Progress is registered in all directions within the
launching of the NATO-Armenia IPAP,” NATO Secretary General’s Special
Representative for the South Caucasus and Central Asia Robert Simmons
stated at a joint news conference with Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian. In
his words, a wide circle of issues was discussed at the meetings in
Yerevan. He also stressed the Alliance is content with cooperation
with Armenia and Azerbaijan. “I would like to remind that the IPAP is
a NATO document, not that of the EU. The NATO accentuates security,
while the EU stresses economic cooperation and the CE underscores human
rights. Armenia successfully cooperates in all the three directions,”
Simmons said.
In his turn Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian said that a coordination
group is created at the President of Armenia to ensure normal work
in all three directions.
“The documents on cooperation with the NATO, EU and CE are so
extensive, that they demand a more individualized approach,” he said.

RUSSIAN RAILWAY MAY ASSUME MANAGEMENT OF ARMENIAN RAILWAYS
PanARMENIAN.Net
12.10.2006 13:57 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russian Railway Ltd. (RR) is ready to consider the
question of participation in the tender for concession management of
Armenian Railways CJSC (AR), RR President Vladimir Yakunin stated in
Yerevan October 12. In his words, the decision on participation in the
tender should be taken at the level of the RR Council of Directors and,
to all appearance, at the level of the Russian Government, as it is
“a matter of state transport policy.”
In his turn Armenian Railways Director General Ararat Khrimyan informed
that a decision will be passed at the next session of the Government
of Armenia over a tender for passing AR CJSC to concession management
for 30-40 years. “All railways in the world experience structural
reforms and we also approach that phase,” Khrimyan added. AR need
much investment, he said. “The rolling stock is in a condition
that in two years it will be out of use. According to WB estimates,
$170-180 million needs to be invested in the AR within 15 years. “The
arrangement of the tender documents will demand about a year,”
Khrimyan said, reports IA Regnum.