NUMBER OF TOURISTS ARRIVING IN ARMENIA GROWS BY 11.6%
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 12 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. 122 thousand 528 tourists arrived
in Armenia in 2006 January-June against 109 thousand 750 tourists in
the same period of 2005. The growth made 11.6%. According to the data
of reports received by RA National Statistical Service from hotels,
26.8% out of 21 thousand 825 tourists (against 20 thousand 474 tourists
in January-June 2005), who visited RA and stayed at 35 hotels, fell
to CIS countries (32.8% in January-June 2005), out of which the
share of tourists who arrived from Russia made 19.8% (19.9%), from
EU countries 30.4% (27.6%), out of which from France 11.2% (8.4%),
from Germany 5.3% (5.8%), from Great Britain 5% (5.1%), from other EU
countries 9% (8.3%). The share of tourists who arrived from another
countries made 42.8% (in January-June 2005 39.7%), from U.S. 22.4%
(19.5%), from Iran 5.7% (7.7%).
119 thousand 451 people left the country in the first half-year of
2006 for the purpose of tourism, which exceeded the index of 2005
January-June by 13.3%. 3 thousand 297 tourists left the country on
trips organized by tourist companies in this period, which is more
by 88.5% than the index of January-June of 2005.
30 thousand 633 tourists (RA residents) were accomodated in dwellings
for collective and individual tourists’ stay in the territory of the
republic in 2006 January-June. As compared with the same period of the
previous year the growth made 14.1%. 49.9% of internal tourists (15
thousand 291 tourists against 9 thousand 534 in 2005 January-June)
moved in the republic for the purpose of rest and leisure, 4.6%
for treatment (1418 against 1455 tourists) and 33.8% on business
(10 thousand 358 against 13 thousand 156).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AUA TEAM CLIMBS TO THE PEAK OF MASIS
Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 12 2006
On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of Armenia’s independence
the 15th anniversary of foundation of the American University of
Armenia (AUA), a group comprised of six faculty members and friends
of the University climbed to the peak of Masis mountain on August
27. Today AUA President Haroutyun Armenian shared his impressions
with journalists.
Before heading for the peak of Masis, the group underwent certain
physical and psychological training, climbing to the peaks of some
Armenian mountains – Azhdahak, Ara Ler, Armaghan, etc. The team
started its tour from Dogubayazet city of Turkey.
“The first expression on the peak of Masis was protest,” AUA President
Haroutyun Armenian said.

NA AUTUMN SESSION LAUNCHES
Margaret Yesayan
Aravot, Armenia
Sept 12 2006
Unlike all previous sessions the parliamentarians weren’t in festive
mood and suits in the first sitting of the NA autumn session.
Everybody was tired and strained. It is clear that this is their last
session and the spring session will be held after parliamentarian
elections. Another six months and nowadays parliament will fight for
re-electing and the right to enter the NA building.
As usual, parliamentarians were carrying out a difficult work to form
the agenda. It was formed with difficulty, and parliamentarians who
had already voted for that agenda, left the hall at once. There were
some obvious changes, in particularly Victor Dallakian who had left
“Justice” faction took his seat not on the former place, next to
Stepan Demirchian but behind Arshak Sadoyan and in front of Artashes
Geghamian, that was the place where Aram Zaveni Sargsian must sit if
he didn’t boycott the works of the parliament. Tatul Manaserian who
had also left “Justice” took his seat a little farther, on the row
for independent parliamentarians.
Gagik Tsarukian, Lyova Sargsian, Samvel Alexanian were absent,
but the opposition was present except Aram Zaveni Sargsian, Smbat
Ayvazian and Albert Bazeyan.
Though Tigran Torosian as the NA chairman opened the session for the
first time, but nobody congratulated him. Instead, there wasn’t any
lack of disputes and disagreement. Hmayak Hovhannisian was constantly
complaining that the personnel hadn’t given him all necessary drafts
and he tried to explain that omission by dismissals made by the NA
chairman. Aram Gaspari Sargsian proposed to invite the leaders of power
structures to get information about detections of frequent murders,
blasts and other crimes. Tigran Torosian admitted the proposal but he
didn’t promised it would be in the near future as the authority was
very busy because of the visit of the chairman of Islamic Republic
of Iran and his delegation.

FREE BUT RESPONSIBLE
Aram Abrahamian
Aravot, Armenia
Sept 12 2006
If UN General Assembly adopted a resolution without any serious
cause 10 days ago where Karabakh was named “Occupied territory of
Azerbaijan”, do you imagine the reaction of our opposition? It would
be said by all means that it was the result of “talentless diplomacy”
of “treacherous authority”. The former opposition hasn’t forgotten
“Lisbon’s decision” in ’96 up to the present day /in reality it was
the OSCE acting chairman’s declaration/. It seems, nowadays opposition
isn’t engaged in such problems. While it is worth to speak about UN
resolution avoiding of above mentioned qualifications.
Azerbaijan succeeded in discussion and conclusion of a Karabakhian
problem in the UN, though no country in the General Assembly thinks
that fires are broken out every year and by natural reasons. We should
remind that Armenia always argues that OSCE is engaged in Karabakh
problem and put the problem out from agenda. I think the problem
isn’t the lack of diplomatic mastery but the internal situation of
our country, and this kind of resolutions should be observed as a
message if not as a punishment.
Those who make a decision in the UN or other international instances
are perfectly informed about our situation. They are well informed
that Armenia is a country where a/ parliamentary and presidential
elections are rigged for 11 years, b/ the authority has drawn
impossible figure of voters after constitutional referendum, c/
the killer gets conditional sentence and the deserter is sentenced
to 4 years’ imprisonment, d/ where illiterate and backward persons
become parliamentarians /in spite of their criminal inclination/ and
their number will be multiplied in the next parliament. Though there
are countries in the world where the situation in this case is worse
for 100 times but those countries have internal resources to persist
foreign attacks. We must correspond with democratic standards to have
play cards in our national problems.
So our authority must be “free but responsible” as it says.
Certainly, not only the authority.

ARMENIA VIOLATES CEASE-FIRE AS OSCE MONITORS KARABAKH FRONT LINE – AZERI TV
ANS TV, Azerbaijan
Sept 12 2006
[Presenter] An incident has occurred during the OSCE’s monitoring of
the contact line between the Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces
near the villages of Qiziloba and Qapanli in Azerbaijan’s Tartar
District. The Armenians fired on Qapanli with incendiary shells.
Sahin Rzayev has the details.
[Correspondent by phone] The Armenians fired on Qapanli with incendiary
shells when the OSCE was carrying out monitoring of the contact line
between the Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces near the villages
of Qiziloba and Qapanli in Azerbaijan’s Tartar District.
Villagers said that the bombing had taken place about 15 minutes after
the OSCE representatives left the village, i.e. when the monitoring
was in progress.
The shells mainly hit the house of [name indistinct] Cafarov. He said
that he first had heard a strong rumble and when the shells exploded
smoke appeared in the yard. Luckily, no one was hurt as there were
no inflammable objects in the affected area.
The OSCE representatives visited the head of the Tartar district
executive authorities at about 0930 local time [0430 gmt]. They
were briefed on the situation in the front line zone. They were
told that Armenian regularly fired at the Azerbaijani army positions
and villages from the front line. The OSCE representative were also
informed about fires that Armenians set to the occupied territory and
to territory adjoining front line villages. At about 1030 [0530 gmt]
the OSCE representative headed for Qapanli. The monitoring lasted
for about one hour.
Sahin Rzayev, ANS Qarabag bureau.
[Presenter] The Defence Ministry press service is unaware of the
incident.

35 MLN USD ALREADY SPENT ON CONSTRUCTION OF ZVARTNOTS AIRPORT’S TERMINAL
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 12 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. 35 mln USD has been spent on the
construction of the arrival hall of Zvartnots International Airport’s
terminal. The arrival hall will operate starting September 14, the
airport director Juan Pablo Gechijian told reporters on September 12.
According to him, 63 mln USD is needed for the construction of
the 4-story terminal. According to him, the capacities of the new
terminal’s arrival hall are twice as much as those of the current
one. It can service 2 million passengers a year. Last year Zvartnots
serviced 1 mln 119 thousaned passengers.
J.P. Gechijian said that there are 12 “migration” tables in
the arrival hall and 6 tables for granting entry visas. All the
electric and mechanical equipment and the air conditioning system
are computer-run. The hall also has a heating system.
It is envisaged to put the terminal into operation in May 2007.

NEGOTIATIONS ON NK PROBLEM ARE DRAGGED OUT BECAUSE OF CONTRADICTIONS AMONG MEDIATORS, ARMENIAN EXPERTS BELIEVE
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 12 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. Uncertainty reigns in the
peaceful settlement process of the Karabakh conflict. It’s reason is
the mediators’ new position. Sergey Shakariants, an expert of the
“Caucasus” analytical center stated about it at the September 12
press conference.
In his words, in spite of the fact that the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chairmen impose the conflicting sides to make definite concessions,
the Co-Chairmen themselves understand well that the sides are not
able to take concrete steps.
“Each of the OSCE MG Co-Chair countries pulls the blanket on itself,
and the negotiations are dragged out because of contradictions among
them,” Sergey Shakariants stated.
He explained that the OSCE MG review its approaches on the Karabakh
conflict settlement process, and just it is the reason for delay of
the problem solution. In the expert’s words, the mediator’s interests
may conditionally be devided into the U.S. interests on one hand,
and interests of France and Russia, on the other hand. Shakariants
especially spoke about the U.S. positions. In his words, the U.S. is
aimed to create a society in the NKR, formed of two communities:
Armenian and Azerbaijani. “An attempt of implementation of the
Cyprus variant is made, and then the U.S. gets possibility to bring
peace-keepers to Karabakh, and they need it for implementation of the
Iranian program. The U.S. is not interested in the Nagorno Karabakh
fate, as it considers the latter to be a bridgehead for possible war
provocations against Iran,” the expert stated.
At the same time, in his words, implementation of that plan stopped
because of the Lebanese-Israeli conflict when it was found out
that the regular army is not able to lead war actions against
Shiite partisans. “The U.S. stopped implementation of that plan,
and it is not excluded that they will review their programs and, it’s
possible, they will do their best to blow up Iran from inside,” Sergey
Shakariants stated. In his words, it was found out that the U.S. is
at all alone in the issue of Iran, and even their devoted allies,
like Great Britain and Israel, do not want to struggle against Iran.

OSCE ‘DEEPLY CONCERNED’ ABOUT VIOLENCE AGAINST ARMENIAN JOURNALISTS
By Emil Danielyan
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Sept 12 2006
The Yerevan office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe added its voice on Tuesday to serious concerns expressed by
Armenian media and human rights groups about recent reported attacks
on local journalists.
“The OSCE Office in Yerevan is deeply concerned over recent incidents
of violence and intimidation against local journalists which have
obstructed their professional duties and infringed upon the freedom
of expression,” it said in a statement.
“The Office considers it extremely important for these cases to be
properly investigated and calls for the perpetrators to be punished
in full accordance with the law. Law-enforcement bodies are urged to
undertake prompt measures to ensure the safety of media professionals
in order to promote freedom of expression in the country,” added
the statement.
The statement seems to have been prompted by the reported September 6
beating of Hovannes Galajian, editor of the opposition-linked “Iravunk”
newspaper, by two unknown men. The Armenian police have launched a
criminal investigation into the incident but have not charged anyone
yet. Galajian and his staff have attributed the violence to their
hard-hitting coverage of the Armenian government and its loyalists.
The OSCE office, which monitors the state of press freedom in Armenia,
also cited the saga of Gagik Shamshian, a freelance journalist who
claims to have been harassed by a local government chief allegedly
angered by his news reporting. The police controversially launched
criminal proceedings against Shamshian last month after he accused
the official’s brother of attacking him with a large group of other
men in June.
Armenian media associations have also denounced as politically
motivated the prosecution of Arman Babajanian, the editor of the
independent “Zhamanak Yerevan” newspaper who was convicted of
illegally avoiding military service and sentenced to four years
in prison by a Yerevan court last Friday. While admitting to draft
dodging, Babajanian claimed that he was jailed because of his strong
opposition to Armenia’s leadership.
The prison sentence is quite harsh by Armenian standards. Young
Armenian men found guilty of draft evasion have usually been jailed
for between two and three years.
“Given the history of politicized prosecution of journalists in
Armenia, we are skeptical about the appropriateness of this sentence,”
the executive director of the New York-based Committee to Protect
Journalists (CPJ), Joel Simon, said in a Monday statement that cited
RFE/RL’s coverage of Babajanian’s arrest and trial.
“Physical assaults against journalists [in Armenia] also continue,
and CPJ research shows that officials do little to apprehend and
prosecute the perpetrators,” the statement said.
From: Baghdasarian

BREAKAWAY AZERI REGION SAYS UN RESOLUTION ON FIRES “ACCEPTABLE”
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan, in Armenian
Sept 11 2006
[Presenter] The Nagornyy Karabakh foreign ministry considers the UN
[General Assembly] resolution on the fires on the contact lines
between the Azerbaijani and Karabakh armed forces to be acceptable.
The Karabakh leadership is deeply concerned about the fires that damage
agriculture, and asked the office of the personal representative of
the OSCE chairman-in-office on 15 June to conduct monitoring on the
border with Azerbaijan.
The OSCE held the monitoring with a two-week delay and prepared the
well-known report that denies Azerbaijan’s accusations.
[Karabakh president Arkadiy Gukasyan] It is clear that Azerbaijan
is deliberately making a fuss, because they themselves have started
the fires and this propaganda campaign. The matter is that since the
very beginning, we have asked various international organizations to
send a mission [to the scene] and we ourselves want the international
community to have a clear impression and understanding of what is
going on in Nagornyy Karabakh, especially in border areas.
Azerbaijan’s aim is the same – to discredit everything connected
with Karabakh.

SENATOR BLOCKS VOTE ON AMBASSADOR NOMINEE TO ARMENIA TO PROTEST U.S. GENOCIDE POLICY
By: Donna De La Cruz, AP Worldstream
Associated Press
Sept 12 2006
A senator put a hold Tuesday on the nomination of Richard Hoagland to
be ambassador to Armenia to protest the Bush administration’s refusal
to classify the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians as genocide.
Last week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 13-5 to send
Hoagland’s nomination to the full Senate for a vote. Until Democratic
Sen. Robert Menendez lifts his hold, however, the Senate cannot vote
on Hoagland’s nomination. Under Senate rules, any senator can block
nominations or legislation.
Menendez said all Americans must recognize the atrocities committed
between 1915 to 1923 in Armenia, during the waning days of the Ottoman
Empire, amounted to genocide. The Bush administration and Turkey,
successor to the Ottoman state, admit many Armenians died but reject
the genocide classification.
“Mr. Hoagland has declined to acknowledge the mass killings of the
Armenians as genocide, and has said that if confirmed, he would work
to represent the president’s policy,” Menendez said. “I have great
concerns that Mr. Hoagland’s confirmation would be a step backward.”
The Foreign Relations Committee chairman, Republican Sen. Richard
Lugar, has said the Senate should not withhold confirmation of Hoagland
“based on disagreements with administration policy.” Lugar has said
Armenia, which borders Iran, Turkey and Azerbaijan, is an important
country that should not be left without a U.S. ambassador.
Hoagland would not use the word genocide at his confirmation hearing
in June to describe the killings. The current ambassador, John Evans,
reportedly had his tour of duty cut short because, in a social setting,
he referred to the killings as genocide.
Turkey, an important NATO ally, has strongly denounced the
characterization, and U.S. policymakers are wary of antagonizing that
country major ally.
The Bush administration does not question that Ottoman troops killed
or drove from their homes 1.5 million Armenians starting in 1915. In
a presidential message on the 91st anniversary April 24, President
George W. Bush called it “a terrible chapter of history” that “remains
a source of pain for people in Armenia and for all those who believe
in freedom, tolerance and the dignity and value of every human life.”
As in previous such messages, he omitted using the word “genocide.”