MONEY AS THE END AND MEANS
Aram Abrahamian
Aravot.am
08 sept 06
Armenian politicized circles discuss two themes today” the growth
of violence and the coming parliamentary elections. It seems, nobody
denies the ties between those two themes. The parliament itself has no
authority in Armenia: it isn’t a legislative body and is nothing as a
state institution. In that case you’ll ask why the whole criminal world
directly or indirectly participate in the electoral processes. Just
for the above-mentioned reason: legislative activities and state
institutions are as far from them as Schubert’s symphonies. The only
sacred thing for the representatives of our criminal is the MONEY;
they make great efforts to have it more.
As money is the end in this ”pre-electoral fight”, so money and
power must be the means, and now money and power are accumulated
and assigned before ” decisive battles”. As it is known money is
used to give electoral bribes, as for power, it is necessary for
administrative levers and own interests. Is it possible for different
“power centers” not to have discrepancies, the part of which can be
solved by shoots and blasts? Is it possible for media, which detects
all those mechanisms not to be oppressed?
In time, when ”October 27” happened, there were people who were
saying that Karen Demirchian and Vazgen Sargsian wanted to fight
against corruption, but terrorism prevented that fight. I consider
such explanation as a ”black humor” . The services of those state
men towards the Homeland are enormous but why should we ascribe
their intentions, which they have never had to them. Now the official
explanation of Shahen Hovasapian’s murder is that he wanted to collect
taxes fairly but the taxpayers persisted by terrorism. Mr. Hovasapian
also had great merits but that version will lead the investigation
by a wrong direction.
–Boundary_(ID_Z/0sVCJ0vIMO90ToqXYlKA) —

GUESTS WIN WITH MINIMUM SCORE IN ARMENIA-BELGIUM MEETING HELD IN YEREVAN
Noyan Tapan
Sept 08 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN. By the group tournament schedule
of the selection stage of the 2008 Europe Championship of football,
the national team of Armenia received the Belgian team on September
6, in the republican sports ground after Vazgen Manukian. Daniel
van Buyten scored the only goal of the meeting on the 40th minute,
and the Belgians won with the score 1:0. The national team of Armenia
will compete in Yerevan with Finns on October 7, and in Serbia with
the local national team on October 11.

FOOTBALL YOUTH NATIONAL TEAM OF ARMENIA IS OUT OF FUTURE STRUGGLE
Noyan Tapan
Sept 08 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN. It became clear on September 6
that the football youth national team of Armenia would not continue
the struggle in the Euro 2007 Championship. In Norway the local youth
team finished the meeting with Bosnians with the score of 1:1, when
it was necessary for the Armenian team’s continuing the struugle that
Norwegians won with the score of 1:0.

SHAVARSH KOCHARIAN DOES NOT FOLLOW “IMMORAL EXAMPLES” AND DOES NOT LEAVE “ARDAROUTIUN” FACTION
Noyan Tapan
Sept 08 2006
ATTENTION, CORRECTED !!! YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN. Commenting
upon NA Deputies Victor Dallakian’s and Tatul Manaserian’s leaving the
“Ardaroutiun” (Justice) faction, Shavarsh Kocharian, the Chairman
of the National Democratic Party stated at the September 8 press
conference that his party will never take that step as he, in his
own words, “does not follow immoral examples.” At the same time,
in Kocharian’s words, the NDP dampened participation in works of the
“Ardaroutiun” faction, and it will last as long as “the faction will
not review the whole way it passed, will not give estimations and
be ready to act in other way and not in the same way.” As for the
inner-political processes in the country, the speaker mentioned
that there are a number of dangers in the political life. In
Shavarsh Kocharian’s words, the authorities’ striving in Armenia for
reproduction became a tradition “as the system is autoritarian.” In his
words, shady business, presence of criminal elements united with the
authorities, “stamping” in the Eurointegration issue and demographic
state of the country with low indexes of birthrate are classified among
dangers. Speaking about the draft to the new electoral code, Kocharian
considered necessary establishment of electronic control. According
to the program of those controls, a computer, video camera, scanner
and a monitor attached to ballot-box must be placed in every polling
station. They will fix number of papers entering the ballot-box
every moment. And the scanner must fix the number of passports, and
if any passport has already appeared anywhere, it will at once raise
alarm. The NDP expected that it was possible to get the financial
assistance of 4 mln dollars necessary for the program from money
allocated by the U.S. Depatment of State, but, in Kocharian’s words,
the OSCE Ambassador and U.S. Embassy representatives, seeing that
only the given party is interested in that affair, did not express
readiness to help.

GERARD CAFESJIAN AND EDUARDO ERNEKIAN AWARDED ST MESROP MASHTOTS ORDER
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 08 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. By RA President
Robert Kocharian’s September 8 decrees Gerard Cafesjian and Eduardo
Ernekian were awarded St Mesrop Mashtots orders in connection with
the 15th anniversary of proclamation of the independence of the
Republic of Armenia, for their significant services rendered to
the homeland. As Noyan Tapan was informed from RA President’s Press
Office, RA Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to China and
Germany Vasili Ghazarian and Karine Ghazinian were awarded Mkhitar
Gosh medal in connection with the 15th anniversary of proclamation
of RA independence, for their significant services in the sphere of
diplomacy. By another decree of the President, Jivan Movsisian, Chief
of the Agency of Contacts with the Diaspora of RA Foreign Ministry,
was given the diplomatic title of RA Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary.

UN GA RESOLUTION ON FIRES IN TERRITORIES ADJACENT TO NKR ON THE WHOLE ACCEPTABLE FOR ARMENIAN SIDE
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 08 2006
NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The
A/60/L.60/Rev.2 draft resolution initiated by Azerbaijan on fires in
territories adjacent to Nagorno Karabakh was adopted on September
7, at the 60th session of UN General Assembly. As NT was informed
from RA Foreign Ministry Press Service, Armenia had negotiated on
the draft resolution and had come to agreement in the issue of its
content and formulations. As a result, the document, on the whole,
became acceptable for the Armenian side. RA Foreign Ministry provided
the resolution text, the statement by H.E. Mr. Armen Martirosyan,
Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Armenia to
the United Nations, as well as the English original variant of the
Co-chairs’ statement. Below is the resolution, Armen Martirosian’s
statement and Co-chairs’ statement: Sixtieth Session of the UN
General Assembly Azerbaijan: resolution The situation in the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan The General Assembly, Seriously concerned by
the fires in the affected territories, which have inflicted widespread
environmental damage, Stresses the necessity to urgently conduct
an environmental operation to suppress the fires in the affected
territories and to overcome their detrimental consequences; Welcomes
the readiness of the parties to cooperate to that end and considers
such an operation to be an important confidence-building measure;
Takes note of the OSCE intention to organize a mission to the region
to assess the short-term and long-term impact of the fires on the
environment as a step for preparation of the environmental operation;
Calls upon, in this regard, the organizations and programs of the
United Nations system, in particular the United Nations Environmental
Programme, in cooperation with the OSCE to provide all necessary
assistance and expertise, including, inter alia, the assessment
of and counteraction to the short-term and long-term impact of
the environmental degradation of the region, as well as in its
rehabilitation; Asks the Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group of the OSCE to
provide a report to member States of the General Assembly by April
30, 2007. Statement by Armen Martirosyan, Ambassador, Permanent
Representative of the Republic of Armenia to the United Nations:
“The draft resolution at hand addresses an issue, which we thought
had been brought to a close, two weeks ago, through discussions
with the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, the Minsk Group Co-chairs and
the OSCE Chairman-in-Office’s Personal Representative. A decision
was taken to send a mission of experts under the OSCE to assess the
fires. The authorities of Nagorno Karabagh had already accepted this
proposal, and Armenia was certainly ready to use its good offices to
facilitate such a mission. It was our understanding that Azerbaijan
had also agreed. Given all this, it was surprising to see a draft
resolution circulating at the UN on this same issue, especially since
it called for a parallel mission under the UN auspices. This approach
was unacceptable. We considered such a step to be an obstacle to
continuing negotiations. And, since it was clearly intended to pursue
other political ends, Armenia opposed this motion. However, as a
result of our consultations with the Minsk Group Co-chairs, we have
come to agreement on a text that simply reiterates support for the
OSCE mission. In this regard we would like to welcome the readiness
of all the parties to negotiate in the spirit of compromise under
the able and very effective mediation of the Minsk Group Co-chairs.
Nevertheless, although we support the content of the agreement, we
continue to remain opposed to the general idea of this agenda item and
a UN resolution under it. That is the reason Armenia dissociates itself
from the consensus on this resolution. Statement of the OSCE Minsk
Group Co-Chair Countries: “The Russian Federation, France, and the
United States of America, as the Co-Chair countries of the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Minsk Group, remain committed
to promoting a peaceful, negotiated resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. In this capacity, we take with great seriousness concerns
raised by either side to the conflict regarding threats to the
security and stability of the region, as well as any developments
that pose new obstacles to the negotiation process. Accordingly,
we have examined closely the information provided by the Government
of Azerbaijan regarding fires in the eastern part of the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. We also note
the report of the Personal Representative of the Chairman-in-Office
of the OSCE, who, at the request of the Government of Azerbaijan and
direction of the Chairman-in-Office, has carried out a monitoring
mission to the affected areas. We note, in particular, that fires
of both natural and manmade origin are a regular occurrence in the
region in question. The question of whether more extensive fires
this year are a cause of ecological concern requiring international
attention to their suppression is one that can only be answered
through a technical examination of the situation. Therefore, the
Co-Chairs stand ready, together with the Personal Representative of
the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, to lend their immediate assistance to the
organization of an OSCE mission, with the support and expertise of
the United Nations Environmental Programme, and to report to the UN
General Assembly 011 the results of the mission, as requested in the
present resolution, as well as to the OSCE. We commend the spirit of
goodwill demonstrated by both Armenia and Azerbaijan in agreeing to
cooperate to address the situation raised through this resolution. We
hope the agreement reached today reflects a new readiness by both
sides to engage in further measures to build confidence that will
advance the process of negotiations, and we will redouble our efforts,
through the OSCE’s Minsk Group, to promote such activities. We note
that over the past two years, the Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group have
worked intensively with the Foreign Ministers and Presidents of Armenia
and Azerbaijan to identify core principles of an agreement that would
lead to a just and lasting settlement. Our nations, reinforced by
the voices of the Group of Eight leading nations at their summit in
St. Petersburg in July, have called on the Presidents of both Armenia
and Azerbaijan to accept now these core principles as a basis for
resolution of the conflict, and to prepare their publics for peace,
and not war.
We reiterate that call today and restate the readiness of our
governments to lend full support to the achievement and implementation
of a peace agreement.”

RA FOREIGN MINISTER HIGHLY ESTIMATES BRAZIL’S DECISION TO OPEN EMBASSY IN ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 08 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On September 8, RA
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian was handed the copy of her credentials
by Ambassador of Brazil to Armenia Renate Stille. Minister Oskanian
congratulated Mrs Stille on the occasion of her appointment and wished
her succes in her responsible mission. During a tete-a-tete talk held
after the handing ceremony Vartan Oskanian touching upon the high
level of relations between the two countries especially mentioned that
Brazil was one of the first countries to recognize the independence
of Armenia. The Foreign Minister highly estimated the decision to
open Embassy of Brazil to Armenia that will be the first one in
the region and expressed confidence that it will be very favorable
from point of view of development of Armenian-Brazilian bilateral
relations. Minister Oskanian also informed Mrs Ambassador about the
Armenian side’s intention to found an Embassy in the capital of Brazil
in the near future. Mrs Stille in her turn expressed satisfaction
in connection with the current level of cooperation between the
two countries. The sides attached importance to strengthening and
extension of the legal field created between the two countries,
efficient cooperation at international organizations, activization
of trade and economic relations.

ARMENIAN PEACEKEEPERS SHOULD TAKE PART IN PEACEKEEPING MISSION IN LEBANON, FORMER RA DEFENCE MINISTER IS CONVINCED
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 08 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Armenian
peacekeepers should take part in the peacekeeping mission in
Lebanon. Former RA Defence Minister Vagharshak Haroutiunian gave such
assurance at the September 8 seminar-discussion at the Armenian Center
for National and International Studies. In Haroutiunian’s words,
Armenian forces can implement two, fighting and rear functions in
Lebanon. In his opinion, Armenia should take part in the rear and
restore the infrastructures with the help of sappers. In the opinion
of arabologist, YSU lecturer, former RA Ambassador to Syria Davit
Hovhannisian, Armenia “has a great act” to do in Lebanon in several
respects. In particular, Lebanon has an important role in the region,
there is a large Armenian community there, the Catholicosate of the
Great Cilician House is there. Davit Hovhannisian gave assurance that
“the Armenian community will feel itself safer with the presence of
the Armenian soldier.”
From: Baghdasarian

IN DPA CHAIRMAN’S WORDS, A GROUP OF KILLERS HAS APPEARED IN ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Sept 08 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN. The series of violence acts
committed in the recent months in Armenia is conditioned by launch of
preelection processes. Chairman of the Democratic Party of Armenia
(DPA) Aram Sargsian expressed such an opinion in his interview
to Noyan Tapan correspondent. In his words, “each time Robert
Kocharian gathers representatives of power structures and gives
them a telling-off, but this does not change the picture.” As the
DPA Chairman affirmed, a group of high-level killers has appeared in
the country, as the committed murders were planned and were done by a
cool calculation. In particular, in Sargsian’s words, the murder of
Cheif of the Investigation Department of State Tax Service attached
to RA government, Shahen Hovasapian, is a crime planned, organized
by a whole group, especially as installation of a radiocontrolled
device in a high-ranking official’s car “is not done for no particular
reason.” Shahen Hovasapian was killed in the morning of September 6.

ISSUE OF PUTTING ON AGENDA DRAFT DECISION ON SETTING UP NA AD HOC COMMISSION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE REMAINS UNSETTLED
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 08 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The draft decision
on setting up a National Assembly ad hoc commission to examine issues
of the Armenian Genocide – the initiative of Tatul Manaserian, who
recently left the NA Justice faction to become an independent deputy,
has been in circulation in the RA National Assembly since May 3. It
is proposed setting up such a commission “in order to clarify the
chronology of the Armenian Genocide, prevent diverse comments, condemn
the genocide and adopt a common position on recognition of the Armenian
Genocide.” Among the commission’s tasks will be expressing opinions
about various cases of genocide organized and committed by Turkey or
committed with the assistance of Turkey in order to underline their
lasting character and the clear tendency to exterminate the Armenians,
as well as to formulate demands for condemnation and recognition
of the Armenian Genocide, including material, financial and moral
compensation. It was envisaged to discuss the draft at the September
8 sitting of the NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Issues
with the aim of making a conclusion about putting the draft on the
agenda of the autumn session that starts from September 11. However,
as NT correspondent was informed from the committee chairman Rafik
Petrosian, the discussion of the issue did not take place due to
Tatul Manaserian’s absence from the sitting.
From: Baghdasarian