PARLIAMENT KNOCKED DOWN GOVERNMENT BILL
Panorama.am
15:23 27/09/06
The extraordinary session of the National Assembly did not adopt the
draft bill “On alienation of property for public and state needs”
collecting only 62 votes.
Earlier the opposition urged the government to take the draft back
suggesting organizing parliamentary hearings and propose a better
version.
Justice Minister Davit Harutunyan said, “The parliament may decide
to adopt the law in three hearings, if it decides to do so, but we
think it may also be adopted in two hearings.” Anyway, the bill
did not pass only because it did not collect four more necessary
votes.

ARMENIAN WOMEN DEMAND HIGHER QUOTA IN ELECTION CODE
Panorama.am
15:37 27/09/06
Armenian women have launched a movement trying to make amendments
in the Election Code. According to proposed changes, the women say
the quota should be 25% instead of present 5%. This means that every
fourth person in proportional list must be a woman.
Ruzan Khachatryan, member of People’s Party of Armenia, told a
press conference today this quota is made to please international
institutions, and European Parliament in particular, to show how
democratic Armenia is.
Twenty-two parties have joined this initiative.
Khachatryan, however, is pessimistic and thinks it will be knocked
down because Armenian Republican Party (HHK), the leading force in
the parliament, has not joined the effort. Khachatryan believes women
can compete with men without quota in case elections are free and
fair.

ARSHAK SADOYAN: ARMENTEL WILL BE SOLD TO PUTIN’S DAUGHTER
Panorama.am
16:12 27/09/06
Deputy of parliament, Arshak Sadoyan, expressed his opinion that
“Putin’s daughter may become ArmenTel’s owner.” Moreover, he said an
Arab company offers a higher price but it will be sold to Russians. If
telephone fees are raised, millions of dollars will go into the pocket
of the buyer, Sadoyan said.
Sadoyan also called everybody to join a demonstration on October 6. He
said they will march from Matenadaran to Public Services Regulatory
Committee demanding from the committee even not to deliberate the
proposal. The deputy believes even slightest pressure is enough to
keep the tariffs as they are.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SINGER HAIKO SPEAKS TO A PRESS CONFERENCE
Panorama.am
17:46 27/09/06
Singer Haiko addressed to the president of the republic to know why
he has awarded him the title of honored artists, Haiko told a news
conference today.
“Because there are many singers who come and go but you stay for a
long time,” the president has answered.
Haiko said he is not involved in politics and will not participate
in any pre-election campaigns.
The singer said he is doing well and the tickets of his upcoming
concert are sold well. Haiko said there will be no dances as it is
not within his style. He said there will be dozens of cameras “to
approach to the international level.”
The singer said he has received no concrete suggestions to participate
in Eurovision contest. He even said he is a little scared from rumors
that he may participate.
The singer is in search of his soul mate. He said he devotes his
songs to those who feel attached.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PARLIAMENT DELIBERATES DRAFT BILL ON TV AND RADIO
Panorama.am
17:50 27/09/06
The National Assembly of Armenia deliberated amendment to the Law on
TV and Radio, among others. The deputies criticized a provision saying
that Public TV has no obligation to broadcast the work of parliament at
set hours. Arshak Sadoyan said the bill is unconstitutional, incorrect
and criminal. Viktor Dallakyan, on the other hand, stated that it is
“a slap in the face of the legislature.” Gegham Manukyan, from the
ruling coalition, also thinks that the bill should not be adopted. He
said if the 5% limit of ads is eliminated, public TV may attract too
many ads and become monopolistic in the market.

HIGH FEST TO KICK OFF IN YEREVAN IN OCTOBER
Panorama.am
18:01 27/09/06
Fourth international theater festival High Fest will run in Armenia
from October 4 to 14. In the words of Arthur Ghukasyan, festival
chairman, theater groups representing 31 countries will stage 74
performances at eleven squares in Yerevan and Artashat. Ghukasyan
said theater actors will also deliver lectures for students.
The event is held under the auspices of prime minister and defense
minister of Armenia. The ministry of culture never supported this
festival, the organizers complain. However, the ministry of culture
promised to release 2 million Armenian drams next year, the organizer
say.

PRESS RELEASE
Federation of Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands (FAON)
24 April Committee for recognition and commemoration of the
Armenian Genocide of 1915
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
PRESS RELEASE
FAON: position of candidate Albayrak of Turkish origin is still questionable
The Hague 26 September – The Federation of Armenian Organisations in
the Netherlands (FAON) welcomes the removal of 3 candidates from draft
lists of Dutch Christian Democrats Party (CDA) and of Dutch Labor
Party (PvdA) for the coming Dutch parliamentary elections, since they
deny the Armenian Genocide. The Armenian Genocide was unanimously
recognised by Dutch Parliament in December 2004. The Dutch parties
have taken their responsibility on time concerning these candidates.
Mr. Sacan (PvdA), Mr .Tonca and Mr. Elmaci (CDA) are no longer
candidates for the elections.
In an earlier letter the Armenian Federation asked the Christian
Democratic Party (CDA) for clarification on the positions of a number
of candidates of Turkish origin who deny the Armenian Genocide (see
). The same question was addressed to other parties with
candidates from Turkish origine.
The Dutch TV programme NOVA on 20 September, with particitapion of MP
Mrs Huizinga Heringa (Christian Union Faction) and the chairman of 24
April Committee of FAON caused commotion, following which the
candidates, according to declarations of the parties, indicated to
share the viewpoint of their party on the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide.
Later, however, the candidates Sacan, Tonca and Elmaci indicated to
not share the viewpoint of their party. This opinion of Tonca and
Elmaci became apparent from their remarks in the Turkish newspaper
Sabah. The Armenian Federation therefore called once more upon the CDA
and PvdA to remove Tonca, Elmaci and Sacan from their lists, which
they did on September 26th.
The Armenian Federation, however, has still major objections with some
of the remarks that PvdA candidate of Turkish origin Mrs. Albayrak
(nr. 2 on PvdA list) made in the Dutch daily newspaper Trouw on 26
September, These remarks appear to be quite similar to the official
denial policy of Turkey. The Armenian Federation urges the PvdA to
give more clarity over Mrs. Albayrak’s precise position, before the
PvdA candidacy list is finalized.
The Armenian Federation also requests a decisive answer from the
political parties regarding the viewpoint on the Armenian Genocide of
a few more members of parliament of Turkish origin: Curus and Eski
(CDA), Orgu from People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), who
is not on the draft list for the coming elections, Ozutok (Greens Left
– GL) and Koser Kaya (Social-Liberal Democrats – D66) . The same
question is also valid for other candidates of Turkish descent for
parliament elections.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

LACHIN RESIDENTS ARE IN A PANIC
28 September, 2006
Today Armen Eghyan, Gevorg Mirzoyan and Gagik Petrosyan, members of the
initiating group «Protection of the Occupied Territories», announced
that Hamlet Khachatryan, head of the Kashatagh administration hinders
the resettlement of the territories and must resign from his post.
«It turns out that this high-rank official is used to bribe taking and
hasn’t got the slightest notion of his post. He realises neither its
meaning nor its military significance», claims Armen Eghyan and adds,
«He treats the local residents as criminals caught red-handed. He
demands bribes from all the citizens who turn to him with any request.
And in case any of the citizens dares to complain of Mr. Mirzoyan, he
merely advises them to leave Kashatagh».
Jirayr Sefilyan, commander of special regiment of Shoushi, and a member
of the above-mentioned group, informed the participants of today’s press
conference about the current state of Kashatagh. He claims that the
number of inhabitants has significantly decreased in the past two years
reaching 7.5 thousand.
52 villages of Katashagh are deprived of electricity and water. The
roads are in an awful state. The villages counter certain problems
connected with education, health care and realization of agricultural
goods. Recently, the authorities of Katashagh have fined a 12-year-old
girl for picking up wood to heat their hearth.
Mr.Sefilyan maintains that administrative obstacles and fining bodies
have greatly increased in Kashatagh. As a result of this, residents
began to abandon the territory and the villages became deserted. All is
done on purpose, claim the members of the group.
;ii d=41408
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
[email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Contact: Lerna Kayserian
Tel: (818) 500-1918
Speier-Poochigian Armenian Genocide Recovery Law Enacted in California
SACRAMENTO, CA — The Armenian National Committee of America – Western
Region (ANCA-WR) welcomed the signing of “Armenian Genocide Bank and Looted
Assets Recovery Act”, SB 1524. The new law, co-authored by Senator Jackie
Kanchelian Speier (D-San Mateo) and Senator Charles ‘Chuck’ Poochigian,
allow victims and heirs recovery – through Californiia Courts – of assets
looted by banks and financial institutions p;operating in the Ottoman
Empire and Turkey during the Armenian Genocide which have been wrongfully
withheld since the Genocide.
The legislation, signed into law this week by Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger, was a key priority for Senator Speier in 2006. The
governor’s signing was made possible, in large part, due to her great
efforts working with the State Senate and Assembly leadership to shepherd
the bill through the legislature along with Senator Poochigian.
“I authored this legislation on behalf of the 900,000 Armenian Americans
living in our state. As a result of the Armenian Genocide, thousands of
Armenian orphans and survivors were robbed of their country, their
families, their ancestral homes, as well as personal property and other
assets, including bank deposits,” said Speier. “The time has come to return
these deposits to their rightful owners.”
The ANCA-WR sponsored and testified in favor of the bill when it was first
introduced and had closely followed its progression through both houses and
onto the governor’s desk.
“We anticipate the new law will encourage banks doing business in Ottoman
Turkey during the Armenian Genocide to do the right thing and return those
assets,” noted ANCA-WR Chairman, Steven Dadaian, who testified in support
of SB 1524 before the legislature when it was considered by the State
Senate Judiciary Committee.
“We hope that recent lawsuits filed on behalf of Armenian American Genocide
heirs will reach a just resolution for the return of those assets and we
applaud all members of our legislature and the Governor for taking this
important precedent setting step to stand up for justice once again,” said
Dadaian.

Turkish politicians trapped
By FRANS BOSMAN and ANNA RIJKSBARON
Het Parool (Dutch national newspaper)
28-09-2006, 11:56
AMSTERDAM – Almost all Amsterdam politicians of Turkish descent refuse to
recognize the genocide that Turkey committed against the Armenians in 1915.
Therefore, half of the councilors that this newspaper approached have no
understanding for CDA (Christian Democratic Appeal) and PvdA’s (Dutch Labor
Party) decision to withdraw members from the national elections’ draftlist,
because they refuse to recognize the genocide.
Most claim to know too little about the issue to give an opinion and ask for
“more research.” Others admit that terrible things happened, in which
hundreds of thousands of people perished, but they do not want to call it a
genocide.
Except for one, most did not let this newspaper know what they were really
thinking. The one who did let us know said that he would be honored if the
PvdA should request a recognition of the genocide. A few were simply afraid
to voice their views. One took back his comments later.
The Turkish politicians struggle with double loyality. If they recognize the
genocide, they will betray their supporters. If they keep the views of their
homeland, they will get in trouble with their parties.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress