RUSSIAN AND AZERI PRESIDENTS TO DISCUSS KARABAKH PROBLEM
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.11.2006 16:03 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev meet in Kremlin today. It will be the fourth in
2006 meeting of the Presidents. They are expected to exchange opinions
on the situation in the South Caucasus, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement, the ways of ensuring regional security and resolution
of international problems. Ilham Aliyev and Vladimir Putin will also
refer to the preparation to the summit of the CIS leaders scheduled
for November 28 in Minsk, reports Azeri Press.

ARMENIAN AND NKR OFFICIALS THANKED GREEK PARLIAMENT FOR RECOGNIZING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN 1996
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.11.2006 16:58 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Early November NKR Foreign Minister Georgy Petrosian
departed for Greece to participate in the events dedicated to the
10th anniversary of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the
Greek parliament. As reported by the NKR MFA press office, November
7 Armenian National Assembly Vice-speaker Vahan Hovhannisian and the
NKR FM met with Greek parliament Vice-speaker Giorgio Surlas. The RA
and NKR officials thanked the Greek parliament for the recognition of
the Armenian Genocide in 1996. For his part Giorgio Surlas dwelled
on the ethnic cleansings of Armenians and Greeks in the Ottoman
Empire and stressed the necessity of consistent measures for their
recognition. The sides also discussed expansion of the Armenian-Greek
friendly ties and the current stage of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement, reports IA Regnum.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EUROPEAN COMMISSION REPORT ON TURKEY FAILS TO REFLECT ARMENIAN ISSUES
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.11.2006 17:45 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ This Wednesday, November 8th, the European Commission
released its regular report on Turkey. The political dimension of
the negotiation process has been removed from this document and is
now included in a second report, entitled, “Enlargement strategy and
the and Main Challenges 2006-2007.” As for the Armenian issues, it
should be noted that the regular report failed to denounce the denial
campaign waged by Turkey, both on its own territory and throughout
the Union. Previous mentions of the Genocide in previous reports –
characterized euphemistically as “tragic events” – were not reflected
in this new document. On freedom of speech, only Article 301 of the
Turkish penal code was mentioned. The European Commission failed
to denounce the other provisions of Turkish law aimed at freedom of
speech, especially Article 305, which penalizes the affirmation of
the Armenian Genocide. Finally, in the technical chapters related to
the Acquis Communautaire, the illegal blockade of Armenia is described
using the dismissive terminology, “closed border.”
The European Armenian Federation is troubled by the Commission’s
failure to fairly and meaningfully address Armenian issues,
particularly the issue of Turkey’s denial of the Armenian
Genocide. “The Commission’s report, most notably it failure to
challenge Turkey’s many restrictions of freedom of speech, represents a
true setback in terms of the credibility of this European institution,
particularly in light of its eagerness to criticize France for its
law penalizing the denial of the Armenian genocide,” stated Hilda
Tchoboian, the Chairperson of the European Armenian Federation.
The Federation announced that the European citizens it represents
expect the Commission to fairly and honestly perform its task of
accurately assessing Turkey’s progress, without bowing to political
pressures. Otherwise, European public opinion will turn against the
Commission’s double standards,” added Tchoboian. The Federation also
denounces the arrogance of the Turkish leaders who attempt to force
Europe to abandon its values. “The talks over Turkey’s candidacy
have devolved from a negotiation into a race to see which side can
walk away from European values,” she concluded, reports the EAFJD
communication unit.

RA GOVERNMENT WON’T BUY 90% ARMENTEL STOCKS
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.11.2006 18:14 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During a recurrent sitting on November 9 the Armenian
government decreed to refuse from purchasing 90% of ArmenTel stocks
belonging to OTE Greek company for 341.9 million euros. As reported
by the RA government’s press office, the decision was taken on the
basis of ArmenTel’s regulations, the law “On Joint Stock Companies”
and agreements concluded between the RA government and ArmenTel.
To note, on November 3 VympelCom Russian company announced of the
agreement concluded with OTE on the purchase of ArmenTel’s 90%
package. The Armenian government, the holder of 10% of the stocks
should give consent on selling of the package to the company that
won the tender. The RA government is also ready to sell its 10%
package in case ArmentTel’s new owner refuses from monopoly rights,
reports IA Regnum.

CIS INTERPARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY TO MEET IN SAINT PETERSBURG
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.11.2006 18:33 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The recurrent sitting of the CIS Interparliamentary
Assembly is due in Saint Petersburg November 15-17. According to
the CIS IPA website, the reformation of the CIS, which is marking
its 15th anniversary, prospects and outcomes of cooperation will be
discussed. Laws on security, recommendations on migration issues,
a number of legal documents including the ecological, water and
educational codes will be signed.
The meeting of the speakers of the parliaments of the Caucasian Four
(Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Russia) will be held within the
sitting framework, reports Trend news agency.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HEIRS OF VICTIMS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO RECEIVE COMPENSATION OF ABOUT $8 MILLION
By Aghavni Harutyunian
AZG Armenian Daily
10/11/2006
This week, the heirs of the victims of the Armenian Genocide
will receive about $8 million of compensation from New York Life
insurance company. According to the press release disseminated by the
company, about 2500 people will get $7 million 954 thousand 362. This
compensation sum will amount to $10 million as a result of the court
investigation instituted since 1999. Besides, about $3 million were
already sent to various Armenian benevolence organizations.
According to the geography, the heirs dwelling in Armenia will
receive about $3,7 million, the American-Armenians will get $2,7
million of compensations, while the French Armenians will get about
$650 thousand. In general, Armenians dwelling in 26 countries will
get the compensations.

FRANCE INSISTS THAT TURKEY SATISFIES DEMANDS OF EU REGARDING CYPRUS
By Hakob Chakrian
AZG Armenian Daily
10/11/2006
On November 8, the European Commission confirmed the report on Turkey
and EU enlargement strategy document that demand that Turkey opens its
airports and ports to the Republic of Cyprus and to revise article 301
of the new Turkish Penal Code before the EU summit on December 14-15.
The European Commission also put other demands before Turkey. Despite
PM Erdogan’s statement that no step forward will be taken as long
as the international blockade of northern Cyprus continues. Yet, his
government considered the report acceptable and the Foreign Ministry
officially stated that “though it is rough, it is impartial.”
Meanwhile, Turkish printed media varies in its replies to the
report. It does not try to objectively discuss the report but instead
to use it against Erdogan’s government. As to the Western media,
it looks at the report as “an ultimatum for Turkey and a last chance
for Cyprus.”
The same day, according to Turkish public TV, foreign minister of
France, Philippe Douste-Blazy, responded to the report stating:
“Turkey is obliged to fulfill the European Commission’s demand on
Cyprus the soonest. As one can see, it avoids the obligations. If
Turkey does not take steps in this direction by the year-end, then
its membership to the EU should be reconsidered.”

GEORGIAN GAS PIPELINE NOT TO BELONG TO GASPROM
By Aghavni Harutyunian
AZG Armenian Daily
10/11/2006
Georgia thinks that the military attack from Russia is quite
possible. In the course of official visit to Paris, Gela Bezhoushvili,
Georgian foreign minister, told about this. It’s worth mentioning
that at the same time, Zurab Noghaideli, prime minister of Georgia,
stated that the suggestion to give energy objects in order to pay
for Russian gas to Gazprom is not acceptable for Georgia. Moreover,
he said that this resembles political blackmail. Anyway, according
to Zurab Noghaideli, Georgia is ready to negotiate for the price of
the Russian gas but it won’t be able to hand the magisterial gas
pipe line to the Russians. To remind, few months ago the Georgia
authorities used to speak of the sell of the same gas pipeline from
quite more democratic positions. They used to state that the company
that will pay the highest price for the gas pipeline in the course
of the tender, will become its owner.
It’s worth mentioning that on the background of these gas stories,
several Georgian officials of the gas transfer company, including
its executive director Revaz Uroushadze, were arrested accused of
corruption.

ORHAN PAMUK’S ‘SNOW’ TO BE HEARD IN ARMENIAN
By Anahit Hovsepian in Germany
AZG Armenian Daily
10/11/2006
On November 10, at 7.00 pm “Snow” novel of 2006 Nobel Prize winner
Orhan Pamuk will be declaimed in parts in 5 language at Lev Kopelev
forum in Cologne, Germany.
The international literary soiree, as the event is dubbed in the
invitation letters, will be accompanied by a performance (Grigor
Manukian) and a slideshow.
“Snow” is a wonderful novel, a travel into a village narrated
with great imagination. Parts of the novel will be read in German
by Albrecht Keezer (journalist), in Armenian by Hasmik Hakobian
(translator), in Turkish by Hyula Engin (translator), in Kurdish by
Adnan Dindar and in Russian by Harutyun Harutyunian. The town of Kars
depicted in the novel will be displayed in the slideshow.
The gathering will help give new push to the 54-year-old novelist’s
work that was translated into 34 languages.
The novel that deals with love and fanaticism, traditions and modern
trends place Pamuk among the greatest authors of our time, Kolner
Stadt Anzeiger magazine reports. The magazine intends to organize 4
more such events.

ARMENIAN ECONOMY NEEDS INNOVATIONS
A1+
[04:41 pm] 09 November, 2006
“The number of saunas and night clubs is increasing in Armenia day by
day. They only enhance the sex industry,” announced Edward Aghajanov
in the club “Pastark” today.
He claims that the economy of the country can only develop due to
innovations-due to the shift to knowledge-based economy.
“The 2003 – 2007 project of the RA Government touched upon the
idea of establishing innovative economy in Armenia but it hasn’t
been implemented so far. Armenia cannot develop all the branches of
science at the same time.
We must develop at least a few branches – informational, hi-tech,
medical, biological, etc,” noted Mr. Aghajanov.
Mr. Aghajanov confesses that he has already got tired of referring
to the innovative economy. But he becomes indignant at the fact that
the government decided to allocate only one percent of the 2008 State
budget to the science. “The country that evades feeding its scientific
field will have to feed the science of foreign countries.”
Science is the most expensive pleasure all over the world which it
requires great investments. You cannot promote the country’s future
well-being by exporting tomato paste or rice.
While speaking of the investment field of Armenia, Mr. Aghajanov
qualified it as unattractive.
“Investors need super-privileged conditions as “there will be no
gain without pain.” Armenia can suggest the investors nothing but
poor poverty index and lack of communication systems.