ARMENIAN DELEGATION NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN BSEC PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY IN BAKU ON NOVEMBER 22-23
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 20 2006
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian delegation will not
participate in the 28th session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC) in Baku on November
22-23. The reason is that no guarantees of the delegation members’
security have been provided.
According to Gagik Minasian, the head of the Armenian delegation, the
Chairman of the RA National Assembly Standing Committee of Financial,
Credit, Budgetary and Economic Isuues, he applied officially to the
Azerbaijani side in anticipation of guarantees but his application
remained unanswered. G. Minasian had to apply to the International
Secretariate of the PA BSEC, whose headquarters are in Istanbul. He
received official informatiom from the Secretary General Alexey
Kudryavtsev that the Azerbaijani authotities have not responded to
his verbal and written applications.

2 FOREIGN CITIZENS GET STATUS OF REFUGEES IN ARMENIA IN JANUARY-OCTOBER, 2006
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 20 2006
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The Department on Asking Refuge of
the Migration Agency of the staff of the RA Ministry of Territorial
Administration got in January-October of 2006 529 applications from
foreign citizens, including 512 ones for temporary refuge, and 16 ones
for getting status of refugees. As the Noyan Tapan correspondent was
informed by Ruzanna Petrosian, the Deputy Chief of the department,
269 people from those asking for temporary refuge were citizens of
Lebanon, 176 were from Iraq, 67 were citizens of Israel.
All the applicants for getting temporary refuge, who are in Armenia,
got the right of refuge for 1 year term.
2 people, from Turkey and Iran, were given status of refugees.
R.Petrosian mentioned that rest of applications are still at the age
of discussion.

NKR’S ACHIEVEMENTS WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT DIASPORA’S ASSISTANCE, ARKADY GHOUKASSIAN EMPHASIZES
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 20 2006
SANTA ANA, NOVEMBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A reception in
honor of Nagorno Karabakh President Arkady Ghoukassian was organized
last week in the U.S. city of Santa Ana (state of California).
NKR President expressed gratitude to his American compatriots for their
assistance of many years to Artsakh in the issue of its socio-economic,
cultural and spiritual development. The President emphasized that
Nagorno Karabakh’s achievements would be impossible without this
assistance, be it during operations or at present, in the period of
NKR post-war restoration. The meeting participants expressed readiness
to continue providing assistance to the republic by implementation of
various development programs there. They also emphasized extension
of Spyurk’s active participation in the fund-raising to be held on
November 23 in U.S., which is aimed at further development of Nagorno
Karabakh, in particular, Hadrut region.
As Noyan Tapan was informed from the Press Service under NKR President,
well-known benefactors Kosti and Marian Shirvanians, Ralph and Savi
Tufenkians, Hakob and Mina Shirvanians, Vardges and Mary Najarians,
Vahe and Veronik Karapetians, Roger and Elen Hovhannisians, Hakob
Baghdasarian and others took part in the reception. Consul General
of Armenia to Los Angeles, Armen Liloyan also took part in the event.
Prospects of Nagorno Karabakh’s all-round development and
Armenian Diaspora’s role in this issue were discussed during
Arkady Ghoukassian’s meetings with such influential persons, as
Doctor Artur Mesropian, Albert Bojayian and Harry Turpanjian in Los
Angeles. In particular, the issue of introducing the practice of
early cardiologial diagnostics in NKR was discussed in the talk with
Mr Turpanjain. The NKR President also met with heads and activists
of the Armenian Assembly of America (AAA) Los Angeles Office. Issues
relating to Nagorno Karabakh settlement, as well as Nagorno Karabakh
socio-economic development, republic’s further democratization were
discussed at the meeting.

MARCH FOR HUMANITY AMERICAN ARMENIAN ORGANIZATION MEMBERS VISIT RA EMBASSY TO U.S.
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 20 2006
WASHINGTON, NOVEMBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Members of the
March for Humanity American Armenian organization visited on November
15 the Embassy of Armenia to the U.S. and met with Ambassador Tatul
Margarian as well as with the Embassy staff.
The group members organized a march from Los Angeles to Washington
and, going through 12 states (almost 5 thousand km), organized
demonstrations in 11 big cities of the U.S. from June to November of
this year to draw attention at the importance of the international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, the group members are students of higher
education institutions of Los Angeles. During the march they organized
meetings at educational institutions of the states, presenting people
of the same age the necessity of recognition of the Armenian Genocide,
preventing new genocides, especially the Darfur genocide. Owing
to the march, the problem of the international recognition of the
Armenian Genocide was covered by local periodicals and TV companies
of California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Illinois, Indiana
and Ohio.
The march was over on November 15 with the march from the White House
to Congress after what the participants met with Congressmen Frank
Pallone and Joe Knollenberg, Co-Chairmen of the Congress Armenian
Caucus.

PROGRAM OF TEACHING GEORGIAN IN KINDERGARTENS ARISES DISSATISFACTION AMONG ARMENIANS OF JAVAKHK
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Nov 20 2006
AKHALKALAK, NOVEMBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The European
Center for Minorities Issues in Georgia started implementation of
the program on teaching the Georgian language to Armenian children in
Akhalkalak kindergartens No1,2,3. For that purpose the kindergartens
were provided with corresponding technics (TV sets. DVDs). The
Akhalkalak Mayor’s Office and “Akhalkalak” community union assists
the program implementation.
According to the A-Info agency, the program on teaching the Georgian
language to Armenian children in kindergartens was accepted in Javakhk
with dissatisfaction. Davit Rstakian, a deputy of the Akhalkalak
Regional Sakrebulo, for example, considers obligatory teaching of
Georgian to small children as serious violation of the human rights. In
his words, the issue of official usage of the Armenian language in
parallel to Georgian must first of all be solved in Javakhk, after
what one may think “about obliging children to study Georgian.” “And
the European Center for Minorities Issues, instead of solving the
minorities’ problems, helps the central authorities to implement the
political program.” D.Rstakian said.

ARMENIAN PEACEKEEPER TO UNDERGO TWO MORE SURGERIES
Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 20 2006
Armenian peacekeeper Georgy Nalbandyan, who was injured in Iraq,
will undergo two more hard surgeries.
The lieutenant injured on November 10 is in Germany, in the regional
medical center of Landschtul located near the Ramstein military base
of the US Air Forces.
According to Mediamax agency, Georgy Nalbandyan will stay in Landschtul
medical center for at least a month.

OSCE TO PRESENT EXPERT REVIEW ON THE DIGITAL RADIO AND TELEVISION BROADCASTING IMPLEMENTATION DRAFT
Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 20 2006
Presentation of the OSCE Expert Review on the Digital Radio and
Television Broadcasting Implementation Draft Plan of the Republic
of Armenia followed by the public discussion will take place on 22,
November 2006.
The event is organized by the OSCE Office in Yerevan, Office of the
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (OSCE RFOM) jointly
with the Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation-Armenia in
co-operation with the Ministry of Transport and Communication of the
Republic of Armenia.
The expert review has been provided by the OSCE RFOM at the Ministry’s
request and is available online in Armenian and in English at
The event will be opened by Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, Head of
the OSCE Office in Yerevan, Mr. Vruyr Araqelyan, Deputy Minister of
Transport and Communication and Dr. Ana Karlsreiter, Advisor to the
OSCE RFOM. The author of the Exert Review, Dr. Katrin Nyman Metcalf,
will share her views on the best international practices in the
digital switchover plans and in particular present recommendations
with regard to the Armenian draft plan.

GORAN LENMARKER WILL KEEP HIS POSITION AS RAPPORTEUR ON THE KARABAKH ISSUE
Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 20 2006
President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Rapporteur on Nagorno
Karabakh Goran Lenmarker has declared that he will extend his term as
Rapporteur on NKR issue. According to Day.az., the President of the
Parliamentary Assembly said during the conversation with Vice-Chairman
of the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan Bahar Muradova that special attention
is paid to the Karabakh conflict. He noted also about the possibility
of his forthcoming visit to Azerbaijan.
Let us remind that Goran Lenmarker was elected President of the
OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in July 2006. He was appointed OSCE PA
Rapporteur on Karabakh issue still in 2002.

UNION OF RUSSIAN ARMENIANS TO PARTICIPATE IN 2007 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS
Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 20 2006
President of the Union of Russian Armenians Ara Abrahamyan declared
in Yerevan today that the organization headed by him will participate
in the parliamentary elections to be held in Armenia in 2007.
Meeting Armenian writers today, Ara Abrahamyan said more than 500
thousand Armenian citizens reside in Russia, and the Union of Russian
Armenians is obliged to participate in the elections to defend the
interests of these people.
Ara Abrahamyan said that during the meeting in January the Union
will determine the force together with which it will participate in
the elections.

RUSSIAN AND FRENCH CO-CHAIRS OF THE OSCE MINSK GROUP TO ARRIVE IN YEREVAN NOVEMBER 21
Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 20 2006
November 21 OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Yuri Merzlyakov of Russia
and Bernard Fassier of France will arrive in Yerevan. “Armenpress”
was told at the US Embassy in Armenia that American Co-Chair Matthew
Bryza will not arrive in the region because of the crowded schedule.
The Co-Chairs will have meetings with RA president Robert Kocharyan
and Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian. The mediators will leave Yerevan
for Baku.
The visit of the Co-Chairs is targeted at discussing the properness
of the meeting between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan. The
meeting may be possibly held November 28 in the framework of the
summit of CIS leaders.
It is not certain so far weather Yuri Merzlyakov and Bernard Fassier
will visit Stepanakert or not.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress