ARAM SARGSIAN IS READY TO TURN TO THE COURT
Margaret Yesayan
Aravot.am
07 Sept 06
And prove that Frenchmen and RA authorities “have drunk” the Armenian
Cognac.
Erve Karof, the president of Brandy Factory of Yerevan has sent an
open letter to NA parliamentarian, DPA leader Aram Sargsian as the
latter accuses the factory of not saving the valuable, old alcohol
of Armenian brandy and intention to sell the factory. It’s known
that according to the agreement signed between the RA government and
“Perno Rikar” the owners of the factory are obliged to save and not
to expire the old base alcohol of cognac. It seems, the director of
factory threatens Aram Sargsian in his open letter: ”I inform you
that we assume us the right to arrange actions against you that will
be necessary for defending our interests”.
This story has started some years before when Aram Sargsian has
addressed questions to the RA government for many times to find out
what happens at the brandy factory. The government has sent a short
answer to Aram Sargsian, which says nothing. The parliamentarian has
asked the same question from the NA pulpit, and the NA minister has
answered that time that there is a truth in the parliamentarian’s words
and the prosecutor’s office is engaged in it. Aram Sargsian has talked
to the prosecutor general lately, and the latter has informed him
that they are engaged in cases of alcohol takeover. The parliamentary
meant just it. Once the director of the factory and Aram Sargsian
have flied together on plane. DPA told about the conversation in the
plane; ”As you have noticed there is a threat in the open letter,
and I’m not surprised. When I was introduced to Mr. Karof in plane I
didn’t pay attention to his words but now I understand that it is in
his style. We were talking in Russian: he has worked in Moscow and
has learned the lexicon of oligarchs. I want to say that I’m ready
to prove in legal form that my facts are true or I want to remind
that I have no problem to solve my problems in other way.”
Aram Sargsian said that open letter was simply an advertising pamphlet
as there was no elucidation about the certain questions. He doesn’t
say whether he admits my accusation or doesn’t. The point is our
national wealth, which has been sold very cheaply to the Frenchmen. I
want to stress that my accusations aren’t addressed to France, I’m
simply surprised how the representative of French people can make
such declaration.” Aram Sargsian is sure that the RA government is
guilty because it sold an enormous and serious factory by $28 million,
which gave us a golden profit.
Besides the government doesn’t follow at all how the points of
agreement are realized. According to their official facts, they
have already sold a plenty of cognac/ two times more than the base
alcohol is/ but they haven’t stored up enough. This means we won’t
have appropriate alcohol for the variety of Armenian brandy and the
best cognac trademarks will disappear. I think that just because
of our government this person assumes him a right to speak to the
NA parliamentarian in that way. Aram Sargsian also thinks that
not only the French side but also the Armenian government must be
responsible. ”I will fight until we get rid of these authorities,
there isn’t another way”.
–Boundary_(ID_EM0moBPlCnwgh0xwd 13C3A)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MINOR ARMENIAN PARTY CALLS FOR REVOLUTION “TO GET RID OF REGIME”
Regnum, Moscow
6 Sep 06
6 September: The opposition New Times Party [NTP] believes that
the recent events in Armenia – the killings of the head of the
investigation department of the Armenian Tax Service, Shagen Ovasapyan,
and the incumbent head of the village of Dalar, as well as the beating
of the editor-in-chief of Iravunk newspaper, Ovanes Galadzhyan – show
that it is high time for the resignation of heads of law-enforcement
agencies.
The press service of the party said that the security agencies
prosecute political parties instead of fighting criminal elements. The
state agencies’ activities are aimed at keeping power for their own
benefit, the party said.
A domestic policy and socioeconomic atmosphere in the country are
being destroyed because of the lack of radical and structural changes
which undermines all spheres of public life as well. The leadership
of the party believes that now it is more than important to get rid
of the criminal regime through revolution. Given this, the NTP calls
on the public to unite and resolutely fight crime to exclude criminal
elements from public life.

ARMENIAN PAPER CRITICAL OF RUSSIAN MP’S INITIATIVE ON CIS BREAKAWAY REGIONS
Armenian newspaper 168 Zham, Yerevan
7 Sep 06
Text of Armen Bagdasaryan’s report by Armenian newspaper 168 Zham
on 7 September headlined “‘Deputy commander for political affairs’
of the outpost”
Yesterday [6 September] the number of “great friends of the Armenian
nation” has increased. The deputy speaker of the Russian State Duma,
Vladimir Zhirinovskiy, said in Moscow that referendums should be
held in the post-Soviet unrecognized states: Dniester, South Ossetia,
Abkhazia and Karabakh and those states should become independent. But
do not think that Zhirinovskiy is a holy man as five minutes later
he said that it would be better if the unrecognized states join
Russia. Generally speaking, he thinks that all former Soviet republics
should also join Russia so that to live better.
They say in Russia: “What the authorities think, Zhirinovskiy
says.” What he said was really painful for us as it showed real
traditional politics of Russia towards Armenia.
Let us explain. Abkhazia is striving to become independent from Georgia
and there is impression that it would not be against unification
with Russia.
South Ossetia also wants to join Russia as it intends to unite with
Russia’s North Ossetia. The Dniester region is not an ethnic entity
as Russians and Ukrainians live there jointly, and they simply do not
want to remain within Moldova. It is no secret that in all these three
conflicts Russia has secretly supported the unrecognized republics.
The situation is absolutely different in case of Karabakh. Here there
is an independent state: the Republic of Armenia (which incidentally
does not border Russia). It is not clear why the NKR [Nagornyy Karabakh
republic] should fight for the secession from a foreign state and
join another foreign state where more Armenians have been killed
over the recent several months than during the liberation of Shushi
[fighting over the Karabakh town of Shushi in 1992].
The most funny thing is that the Russian traditional political
establishment thinks that we are simply softies. The reality is that
Russia has interfered in Karabakh’s destiny three times (during the
rule of tsars, in Soviet times and nowadays), and all three times
the problem was settled in favour of Azerbaijan. Russia, in fact,
only verbally is our “strategic partner”, but in reality it treats
Armenia as a slave: it closes roads when it likes, takes what it
wants for debt and so on.
As for the unsettled conflicts, it is evident that here Russia plays a
serious role as well. The point is that a settlement of the post-Soviet
conflicts, including Karabakh, is not beneficial for Russia. If
the Karabakh conflict is settled, Armenia will get rid of Russia’s
influence and will stop being Russia’s outpost. For this reason it is
clear that Russia should do its best that the conflict is not settled.
But they in Russia already see that Armenians have already started
realizing this. They see that two simultaneous processes go on
in Armenia: anti-Russian mood is growing and processes around the
Karabakh settlement are becoming more active. How to stop that? This
is what Vladimir Volfovich [Zhirinovskiy] said in this regard: “What
compromise is all this about? Never. They are your historical lands
including [Azerbaijani exclave of] Naxcivan. Do not agree to anything,
we are with you.”
We have already seen several times what their “we are with
you” means. As a rule, not a single Armenian remains on these
territories. Instead, patriotic spirit grows certainly in accordance
with the slogan “forever with the Russian people”.

AZERI MAN KILLED IN MINE BLAST IN WESTERN DISTRICT – TV
ANS TV, Baku
7 Sep 06
A villager has been killed in a mine blast in Azerbaijan’s Goranboy
District, private ANS TV reported on 7 September.
The 20-year-old man hit an antitank mine on the morning of 7 September
as he was riding a horse near the Azerbaijani-Armenian contact line. He
lost his leg in the blast and died on the spot, the TV said.
ANS said vehicles and domestic animals had hit mines several times
in the area.

RA OMBUDSMAN STRICTLY CONDEMNS REGULAR VIOLENCE TOWARDS MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE
Noyan Tapan
Sept 07 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN. “Attacks upon journalists in the
recent period in our republic, impeding journalists’ work deliver a
serious blow to our country’s authority and threaten complete provision
of rights of freedom of speech and accessibility of information in
Armenia.” This was mentioned in RA Ombudsman Armen Haroutiunian’s
September 7 statement in connection with the attack upon the Iravunk
newspaper’s editor Hovhannes Galajain the previous day. The Ombudsman
calls on law enforcement bodies to be more consistent and expects that
any case of impeding journalists’ professional activity, especially
any violence will be disclosed by the proper bodies and such actions
of criminal bodies will be disclosed and those guilty will serve an
adequate punishment with the whole severity of the law.

NKR PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES “CILICIA” SAILING VESSELS CREW ON OCCASION OF HISTORIC NAVIGATION
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 07 2006
STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. NKR President
Arkadi Ghukasian congratulated “Cilicia” Armenian sailing vessel crew
which finished its sailing. The telegram, submitted to Noyan Tapan
by the NKR President’s Acting Press Sectretary, particularly, reads
the following: “I whole-heartedly congratulate you on the occasion
of finishing the realy historic sailing.
You accomplished a real feat in the name of Armenia and Artsakh, in
the name of the Armenian people. Your “Cilicia” sailing vessel which
has become legendary, on the mast of which the flag of the Republic
of Nagorno Karabakh was also waving, overcoming in two years 15
thousand sea miles and stopping in 63 ports of 26 countries of Europe
and Mediterranean Sea basin, became the symbol of kindness and peace
characteristical for our people from old ages. Owing to your patriotic
mission, the Old world got to better know ideas and values professed
by us, history and culture of our world-spread people, and, of course,
the truth about the national-liberating struggle of Artsakh. It is
deeply symbolic that the end of the navigation coincided with the 15th
anniversary of proclaiming the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh. Even
our ill-wishers had to accept your contribution in the affair of
propaganda of the Armenian people’s interests. Artsakh attentively
looked after your navigation, worried about you and admired your
courage. You personify the Armenian people’s valour and valiance. You
are real heroes.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT CREATES COUNCIL ON EU RELATIONS
AP Worldstream
Sep 07, 2006
Armenia’s Cabinet said Thursday that it is creating a national council
for cooperation with the European Union and a government commission
that will coordinate relations with Brussels.
The commission will be chaired by Prime Minister Andranik Margarian,
and the council will include civil society groups, the government
press service said.
While it seeks to improve ties with the West, Armenia is Russia’s
closest ally among the three ex-Soviet republics of the Caucasus
Mountain region.
The speaker of parliament triggered a political scandal in the nation
of 3.3 million in April, when he reportedly told a German newspaper
that Armenia’s future lies with the European Union and NATO.
President Robert Kocharian quickly disavowed the remarks, saying
Armenia’s close military ties with Russia and other regional countries
provide sufficient security and that it has no plans to join NATO.
The speaker, Artur Bagdasarian, later resigned after his liberal
party quit the governing coalition because of dissatisfaction with
the government’s foreign policy and the pace of democratic reform.

AZNAVOUR GOES ON TOUR TO U.S. WHERE HE FOR THE LAST TIME PERFORMED 60 YEARS AGO
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 07 2006
PRAGUE, SEPTEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. After parting of
60 years, French Armenian world famous chansonnier Charles Aznavour
returned American stage where he for the last time performed in
1948. “I can not live with the past and I always attempt to find those
themes which move the society at the moment,” Aznavour confessed in
an interview given to one of the American newspapers. According to
Radio Liberty, world famous chansonnier is now preparing to record a
new disc. The new songs tell about refugees living in backyards of the
big city, abandoned villages getting older, racialism and, of course,
about love. “Young people are always and everywhere caught in my trap,
when they fall in love,” 82-year old Aznavour jokes, who never stops
to confess: “I love the life.”

VAN BUYTEN EARNS BELGIUM WIN
uefa.com 1998-2006
Wednesday, 6 September 2006
A Daniel Van Buyten goal ensured Belgium returned to winning ways
with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Armenia. René Vandereycken’s
team could only draw 0-0 with Kazakhstan in their opening UEFA EURO
2008â~D¢ qualifier on 16 August, yet they managed three points in
Yerevan despite not having things all their own way.
Slow start
The Armenians, playing their first game in the section, held their
own in an opening half-hour of limited opportunities. Midfielder
Hamlet Mkhitaryan hit a left-footed shot over the bar for the hosts,
while at the other end Luigi Pieroni and Karel Geraerts fired wide
of Gevorg Kasparov’s goal.
Pieroni denied
Samvel Melkonyan then sent a right-footed effort wide of Belgium keeper
Stijn Stijnen before visiting forward Pieroni forced the first save of
note in the 30th minute, Kasparov smothering his left-footed strike
from outside the box. The Armenia custodian was called into action
by the same player five minutes later, this time denying Pieroni with
his feet.
Pressure pays off
R. Standard de Liège midfielder Geraerts then volleyed wide as the
visitors continued to pepper the hosts’ goal. The Belgians reaped
the reward for their pressure four minutes before half-time when Van
Buyten’s header from Jelle Van Damme’s cross found the top corner.
Belgium comfortable
In the second period, Feyenoord defender Pieter Collen was forced
off through injury just before the hour, with Anderlecht’s Anthony
Vanden Borre coming on. Despite the enforced switch, the Belgians
coped comfortably with Armenia’s attemps to restore parity to secure
the first win of their Group A campaign.
–Boundary_(ID_xj3MpxqxOZQh4BTOaE4+GQ)- –
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SCHUMER CALLS ON HOAGLAND TO CLARIFY POSITION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 07 2006
WASHINGTON, SEPTEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On the
eve of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee consideration of
Richard E. Hoagland as America’s next Ambassador to Armenia, Senator
Charles Schumer (D-NY) sent a letter to Hoagland criticizing the
Administration’s policy on the Armenian Genocide and urging the
nominee to clarify his position on the matter. According to the
Armenian Assembly of America (AAA), in his letter, Schumer also
expressed concern that the current Ambassador, John M. Evans, is
being prematurely replaced for properly recognizing the Armenian
Genocide. “I am concerned that the Senate is reviewing your nomination
for this post as a result of Ambassador Evans’ departure, possibly
because of statements he made which, in my view, accurately describe
the Armenian Genocide as such,” Schumer wrote. “We commend Senator
Schumer for his critical examination of Ambassador-designate Hoagland
and his strong support of reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide,”
said Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. “We have a fundamental
policy disagreement with the Administration. The U.S. should squarely
affirm the historical truth of the Armenian Genocide.”