ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS EXPRESS GRATITUDE TO THEIR FRENCH COLLEAGUES FOR ADOPTION OF LAW CONDEMNING DENIAL OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 28 2006

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 28, NOYAN TAPAN. On November 28, RA National Assembly
Speaker Tigran Torosian received Head of the French National Assembly’s
France-Armenia Deputy Friendship Group, Francois Rochebloine, group
member Alen Muan Bersan and group Secretary Jean-Pierre Delaunay. He
highly estimated the efforts of the French parliament aimed at right
perception of issues delicate for Armenia, in particular, adoption
of the bill determining a punishment for denial of the Armenian
Genocide. In Tigran Torosian’s words, indeed it is aimed at not
punishing individuals, but expresses a precise attitude towards such
phenomena for the purpose of preventing them.

NA Speaker informed the guests about Armenia’s position on Nagorno
Karabakh settlement and on Turkey. He said that more favorable
situation has been formed at present for solving the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict: principles of nations’ self-determination and territorial
integrity were opposed to each other for a long time and now the
Minsk Group Co-chairs propose a resolution where these principles
are confronted with each other. Touching upon relations with Turkey
T.Torosian said that Armenia is for normal relations without any
preconditions but Turkey puts forward preconditions, which, naturally,
is unacceptable.

F.Rochebloine who visits Armenia for the 15th time mentioned the
great progress Armenia has in all spheres after the 90-s.

At the meeting, they also touched upon issues of cooperation of
Armenian and French delegations in PACE.

According to the report submitted to Noyan Tapan from RA NA Public
Relations Department, the same day the Armenia-France Deputy Friendship
Group met with members of NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations
and RA NA Armenia-France Deputy Friendship Group.

Highly estimating the current level of Armenian-French many-sided
relations Committee Chairman Armen Rustamian attached importance
to further development of interparliamentary relations. Expressing
gratitude for the bill condemning denial of the Armenian Genocide, he
mentioned that it raised to a new level the international community’s
attention towards the Armenian Genocide. A.Rustamian expressed the
hope that the change in the staff of the U.S. Congress in favor of
deputies with a pro-Armenian position will enable to give more serious
attention to the problem of the Genocide in the U.S. as well.

Mher Shahgeldian, Head of Armenia-France Deputy Friendship Group,
also expressed gratitude to the French parliament for adopting the
law determining a punishment for denial of the Armenian Genocide. He
attached importance to necessity to cooperate in the sphere of economy,
to use the French experience in electoral processes.

IRANIAN MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE: THERE ARE CONSIDERABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARMENIAN-IRANIAN COOPERATION IN AGRICULTURE

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 28 2006

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 28, NOYAN TAPAN. During the November 28 meeting
of the Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margarian and the Iranian
Minister of Agriculture Mohammad Reza Eskandari, the sides spoke about
the extension and development of cooperation between the two countries
in various spheres. Noting the the age-long friendship of Armenia and
Iran, the historical and cultural similarities and close links form
a solid basis for developing the relations in an atmosphere of mutual
respect and trust, the Armenian prime minister and the Iranian minister
of agriculture attached special importance to mutual high-level
visits and the active work of the Armenian-Iranian intergovernmental
commission in terms of giving all this a practical character.

On behalf of his country’s government, the Iranian minister expressed
gratitute to the Armenian government for the balanced position that it
shows in international structures with respect to Iran-related issues.

The interlocutors spoke with satisfaction about the qualitative
progress registered in the bilateral economic relations in recent
years, underlining the cooperation in the energy sector: construction
of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, operation of the third high-voltage
line, the hydropower plant on the Arax River to be built jointly,
and in the transport sphere – construction of a new Armenia-Iran
alternative road, which will facilitate the transportation and make
Armenia more attractive for north-south transit transportation. The
sides also pointed out the importance of the construction of a railway
line between Armenia and Iran, the actively developing relations
and cooperation among various administrative territories of the two
countries and the joint programs being implemented in a number of
spheres, including agriculture that may play quite an important
role. In the Iranian minister’s words, there are considerable
opportunities for partnership and experience exchange in agriculture.

Mohammad Reza Eskandari attached importance to the agreement on plant
protection and phyto-sanitary quarantine between the two governments,
the agreement on cooperation in the sphere of livestock farming, and
the mutual understanding memorandum to be signed with the RA Ministry
of Agriculture during this visit. He said that these agreements and
memorandum will become a new stimulus for further cooperation.

According to the RA Government Information and PR Department, at the
conclusion of the meeting, the sides expressed their willingness to
put into practice the high-level agrrements reached through mutual
visits and the work of the intergovernmental commission and the
working groups.

ARMENIAN SINGER TO TAKE PART IN BBC COMPETITION

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 28 2006

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 28, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. 17-year old
singer Silva from Armenia will take part with I Like song in the BBC
competition. The author of the song is Silva’s sister Mane, and her
brother Edgar recorded the song.

The BBC competition is called The Next Big Thing: young gifted singers
who can become stars in future are named with that term in the world
of show business.

Peter Gabriel is the superstar involved in the awarding commission.

He has worked for years in the genre of "world music," studies art of
different peoples, cooperates with musicians from all the continents.

The world famous musician has joint works with Armenian artists
as well, particularly, with duduk players (duduk is an Armenian
national pipe).

The commission chose the best 20 from 1100 recordings: Silva’s
song is among them as well. The best singer is chosen with
the help of computer vote in the following internet site:
thing/.

According to Radio Liberty, the vote finishes at 20:00 according to
Yerevan time, on November 28.

BBC will announce names of the best 6 singers on November 29 and 30,
and the winner will become known on December 9.

FORMER NAGORNO KARABAKH RESIDENTS RESIDING IN RUSSIA EXPRESS INDIGNATION WITH IDEA OF "DELAYED REFERENDUM"

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 28 2006

ROSTOV, NOVEMBER 28, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A group of refugees
from former residents of Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) currently
residing in the territory of Rostov region of Russian Federation sent
a written appeal to NKR President Arkady Ghoukassian, as well as to
the Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group on Nagorno Karabakh. According
to the editorial staff of the Yerkramas (Territory) newspaper of
Armenians of Russia, the authors of the appeal express indignation with
plans of settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict voiced in speeches
and statements of a number of politicians envisaging holding of some
"delayed referendum" on state-legal status of NKR with participation of
"Azerbaijani refugees who have returned."

At that, as the authors of the statement mention, nothing is said
about return of refugee-Armenians to their lands, to Shahumian region
occupied by Azeris, to parts of Martakert and Martuni region of NKR,
and about subsequent participation of Armenian refugees in the supposed
"delayed" referendum. "While, the above mentioned territories are
integral parts of Nagorno Karabakh Republic, the borders of which were
formed in September-December 1991 as a result of free and legal will of
territory’s residents. In this connection we announce to Co-chairs of
OSCE Minsk Group on Nagorno Karabakh that there can be no referendum
and its legal results if the will of the Armenian refugees from NKR
and Nagorno Karabakh regions adjoining it is ignored. There cannot
and will not be a division of refugees into the "first sort," by which
the international mediators mean former Azerbaijani national minority
of Nagorno Karabakh and into the "second sort," among which, to all
appearances, the mediators number representatives of the Armenian
people of Nagorno Karabakh," the appeal read.

The authors of the appeal also call NKR President Arkady Ghoukassian
for providing their right of vote at the Referendum on NKR Constitution
to be held on December 10, 2006, as well as including Armenian refugees
from NKR and former NKR residents who will express willingness into
the electoral rolls for voting and organizing participation in voting
through creating the respective electoral districts where possible,
in the Republic of Armenia, NKR, as well as in the places of their
current residence beyond the bounds of the region.

According to the information of the Yerkramas newspaper, the authors
of the appeal are natives of Nagorno Karabakh who were born and
lived there for the most or considerable part of their life and had
to leave the lands of their ancestors during Azerbaijan’s aggression
against the Nagorno Karabakh people.

GOVERNMENT’S DEVICES ARE PRIMITIVE

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 28 2006

The leader of the Homeland and Honor Party Garnik Margaryan commented
on the situation in Armenia, the anti-criminal movement and its
results in an interview with the Lragir.

– The press has already reported that the outcome of the parliamentary
election of 2007 is already clear. The "specialists" of fraud,
ballot stuffing, disappearance of ballot boxes will do their job,
either in the divisional or the central commission. When we initiated
the anti-criminal movement, many people thought that we were going
to expose separate minor crimes. Thanks God, most people realized
in time that the anti-criminal movement was going to become a wall
against the criminal coup of the criminal regime.

The consolidation of the criminal in the Republican Party was
intended to pull off a criminal coup. An attempt was made to turn the
political party into a monster and seize power by getting hold of all
the government levers. This process is underway, but the regime has
realized that there are forces in the country which would not allow
another crime against the country and people. Realizing this and along
with this the regime tried to take another track. It set up a political
party, the Bargavach Hayastan Party to use the immense economic
potential, which is not the result of work, place these political
parties into political developments and reproduce through them.

The anti-criminal movement will go on, and it has two goals, the first,
as I said, is to prevent a criminal coup, the second is to create a
certain basis to hold out the materials on people who are responsible
for the crimes they commit now to the law enforcement agencies of
tomorrow’s government. Besides responsibility, everything they have
robbed must be nationalized.

The law prohibits charity by political parties. However, Bargavach
Hayastan is lavishly distributing aid. It is interesting to know
on what money. If it is at the expense of the income of business,
let them set up a charity. Isn’t it at the expense of immense profits?

Why are they worried and are distributing everything from vegetables
to agricultural materials? For electioneering they should have waited
until the pre-election period. All this comes to prove that the
government think they are smart, and are trying to forge an electorate
through "charity". This is dangerous for the country.

The regime chose a criminal way, joined the criminal clan, the
criminal penetrated into the four main institutions, the president
administration, the legislative, the executive and the judicial bodies
and started robbing. They live under their own laws, and the government
became a marionette. Isn’t it a tragedy when an Armenian woman, a
teacher, is run down in front of the policeman and the policeman does
not notice the number of the car, the car is not arrested. I believe
that like in the case of the brother of Muk (Ara Abrahamyan – ed.) an
official or an oligarch was driving, his offspring or relative. It
means that the law does not work, there is anarchy in the country.

This is a marionette government, and the world powers are playing
with it. The Property for Debt and other projects show that we have
a marionette government. They agree to give away anything to remain
in their office. However, this time this won’t work. The political
life of marionettes is very short. They are squeezed like a lemon
and thrown away.

The anti-criminal movement, the movement of civil defiance and the
other initiatives show that the unification of healthy forces is a
political necessity. People should become alert and stand up, display
their resolve. The pro-government forces and individuals are trying
to discern controversies among us. But when a person is not sincere,
and wants to do something for the state, together with him I think
about our future. These devices are very primitive.

OPPOSITION SHOULD RUN UNDER MAJORITY SYSTEM

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 28 2006

Should the opposition run for parliament under the majority system?

The Lragir conducted a poll among its readers to find out their
opinion on a question which has become one of the focal topics of the
internal political developments. During the poll that lasted for two
weeks, 93.8 percent of our readers think the opposition should name
candidates from constituencies. 6.2 percent of the participants of
the poll answered no.

UNPRECEDENTED LEVEL OF DONATIONS FROM ARMENIA

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 28 2006

After the telethon Armenia Foundation continues getting a great number
of donations from companies, organizations and individuals.

The sum of the Armenian donations has reached 2 million dollars. The
executive board of the foundation reports that Armenia has not had such
a high rate in terms of both the sum and the number of participants. In
Armenia, large donations were made by the Copper and Molybdenum Factory
100 million drams, the Ministry of Transport 48 million 125 thousand
drams, Karabakh Telecom 40 million, ASHIB 15 million drams, ACBA Credit
Agricole Bank 25 thousand dollars, Armenian Railroad 11 million drams,
the Central Bank of Armenia 10 million 175 thousand drams, the ministry
of defense and Minister Serge Sargsyan 10 million 500 thousand drams,
Molybden Production 15 thousand dollars, as well as Yerevan Foundation,
Flash Ltd., Anelik Bank, Converse Bank, Unibank 5 million drams
each. Armenia Foundation got 3 million 486 thousand drams from the
regional administration of Lori, 3 million drams from the Republican
Party, Armpost, the National Security Service, Yerevan State Medical
University each, as well as donations from different organizations.

ARMENIA IS THE CONTRARY OF EUROPE

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 28 2006

We accept 80-90 percent of European values, and we must adopt them,
said the leader of the National Democratic Union Vazgen Manukyan on
November 28. He thinks we should adopt them before Europe imposes.

Especially that under this government "these values are adopted in
a distorted way."

Nevertheless, Vazgen Manukyan thinks that in the upcoming 15-20 years
Armenia will not enter the European Union, and maybe it will never
do. "The current processes are such that Turkey cannot be admitted
to the EU."

Vazgen Manukyan also announced that the world, including Europe,
realizes that Armenia needs a modern nuclear power plant. "But as
long as there is not a new one, the old one must keep on working."

This is the response to the EU stipulation on closing down the
nuclear plant in the upcoming decade. Vazgen Manukyan thinks that
the European values are based on political competition, whereas in
Armenia it is the opposite. The quality drops with every election,
and the tools of falsification are improved.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FIRST PRESIDENT IS RESPONSIBLE, SECOND GOVERNMENT

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 28 2006

Republican Member of Parliament Rafik Petrosyan stated November 28 at
the Friday Club that the bill on expropriation passed on November 27
has a number of drawbacks. Amazingly, however, lawyer Rafik Petrosyan
voted for the bill. His logic is that no law is worse than a bad law.

Rafik Petrosyan thought so when he voted. Now he thinks that the
opposition will go to the Constitutional Court, and as a result the
law will be refined and made constitutional and almost perfect. If the
opposition does not go to the Constitutional Court, Rafik Petrosyan
thinks that the Republican majority will gradually improve the bill it
passed. In answer to the question whether it was so urgent to adopt
the bill with so many disadvantages, and whether it was adopted to
legalize the past expropriation and decisions on future expropriation,
Rafik Petrosyan says no. According to him, the law, even though it
is imperfect, was necessary to regulate this sphere.

Vardan Mkrtichyan from the opposition thinks that even after the
adoption of the bill the field is not legal because the law is
unconstitutional, and therefore Ardarutiun Alliance is likely to
go to the Constitutional Court. It is clear what it will change –
nothing. The Constitutional Court has already made a decision that the
government decisions on expropriation are unconstitutional, however,
nobody was punished for unconstitutional actions. Republican Rafik
Petrosyan cannot say who should be punished for the illegal eviction
of the citizens.

"Some member of the government? This is already the internal problem
of the government. If they wish, they can reprimand an official who
pushed through the bill in the National Assembly. In fact, there is
not a definite person who could be accountable," Rafik Petrosyan says.

Vardan Mkrtichyan, a member of Ardarutiun Alliance, enumerates people
who are responsible. "First, it is Robert Kocharyan, second it is
the government, the whole government. Why? In 1998 the Constitutional
Court passed a decision that the government does not have the right
to make a decision on this issue, it should be regulated by the law.

The government, however, made a decision, and Robert Kocharyan signed
it," Vardan Mkrtichyan said.

Besides, Rafik Petrosyan says after the decision of the Constitutional
Court and the bill passed by the National Assembly the victims of the
unconstitutional decisions of the government can go to the court and
revise the decision of the court. However, Vardan Mkrtichyan says in
answer that the victims of previous and recent expropriation cannot
go to court because the bill provides for expropriation for primary
interests but does not define what a primary interest is.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FOR REPUBLICAN MAJORITY IT IS UNFAVORABLE TO LISTEN TO RAFIK PETROSYAN

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 28 2006

Recently the Constitutional Court of Armenia has declared some
government decisions and provisions of some laws unconstitutional.

Apparently, the system of public administration, which drafts and
implements laws, is not aware of the Constitution of Armenia. The
majority of this system are Republicans, therefore we asked Republican
Member of Parliament Rafik Petrosyan, lawyer, chair of the State and
Legal Committee, if the public men in charge of public administration
do not know the Constitution.

"Making laws is work, and the one who works may make mistakes.

Similarly, the National Assembly makes mistakes in adopting the laws
due to unawareness or political expediency. The Constitutional Court
was set up, and taxpayers pay their salary, to make the laws comply
with the Constitution," Rafik Petrosyan says.

With deep respect for the opinion of the parliamentarian lawyer,
we nevertheless dared to ask why in that case the lawyers of the
government and the National Assembly get salaries from the taxes that
people pay.

"In the National Assembly, the members of parliament allegedly,
as well as the government, have the right for legislative action.

Usually, the members of parliament are not professional lawyers,
they do not hire assistants to help them through drafting laws, and
sometimes they offer things to the committees that either you have to
draft it anew or you have to throw it away. The government presents 70
percent of bills. They also make mistakes, the National Assembly is a
political body, and sometimes it is not taken into account whether it
is right or wrong, if the majority decides that it should be adopted,
it is adopted," Rafik Petrosyan says.

It means that the lawyers hired at the National Assembly, the
government agencies, the ministries are absolutely redundant, if in
adopting laws the Republican majority places the political aspect
superior to the legal aspect.

"There are lawyers, and I am one of them. When, for instance, the
law on expropriation was adopted, I warned for several times at
the rostrum that they will go to the Constitutional Court and two
provisions will be defined as unconstitutional," Rafik Petrosyan says.

And why does the majority refuse to listen to Republican Rafik
Petrosyan? Petrosyan says they need to do so. In other words, the
majority apparently needs to overlook the Constitution. "No, they
think they are right. In most cases they listen, in 80 percent of
cases. In this particular case, they did not listen because it is
not favorable," Republican Rafik Petrosyan confesses.