MNATSAKAN PETROSIAN ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF NA STANDING COMMITTEE ON
SOCIAL, HEALTHCARE AND NATURE PROTECTION ISSUES

YEREVAN, JUNE 2, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. By the results of the
secret ballot held on June 2 at the parliament, member of the United
Labor Party faction Mnatsakan Petrosian was elected Chairman of RA NA
Standing Committee on Social, Healthcare and Nature Protection
Issues. He was the Vice-Chairman of the above-mentioned committee. 72
out of 131 MPs took part in the voting, 71 of them voted for the
candidature, 1 voted against. M.Petrosian was born on February 16 1956
in the Georgian town of Akhaltsikhe. In 1980 he graduated from Yerevan
Institute of People’s Economy, he is an economist by speciality.

He started his working activity in 1973, worked at different
enterprises, as well as at Armeconombank and Armagrobank. Before being
elected RA MP on December 11 2003 by a proportional system he held the
post of the Deputy Director of the Arsoil company. He is a member of
the United Labor Party, is married, has two children.

ARAMAYIS GRIGORIAN ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF NA STANDING COMMITTEE ON
DEFENCE, NATIONAL SECURITY AND INTERNAL AFFAIRS

YEREVAN, JUNE 2, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. By the results of the
secret ballot held at the parliament, independent MP Aramayis
Grigorian was elected the Chairman of NA Standing Committee on
Defence, National Security and Internal Affairs. 72 out of 131 MPs
took part in the voting. There were 71 ballot-papers in the
ballot-box. 70 MPs voted for A.Grigorian, 1 voted against.
A.Grigorian was born on October 6 1965 in the village of Avshar,
Ararat region.

In 1988 he graduated from the Institute of Light Industry of Saint
Petersburg (RF), he is an engineer-technologist by speciality. He
started his working activity in 1987 at the factory of knitted wear in
Ararat. Before being elected an MP on May 25 2003 he held the post of
the Director General of Avshar wine factory. At present he is the
owner of the same factory. He was elected an MP by a majoritarian
system, from Ararat electoral district N 25. He is non-partisan. He
is married, has three children.

CHANGE ENVISAGED IN NA ARF FACTION’S STAFF

YEREVAN, JUNE 2, NOYAN TAPAN. In connection with being elected as
Rector of Armenian Engineering University on June 2, member of NA ARF
Dashnaktsutiun faction Vostanik Marukhian will soon prematurely resign
his MP commission. He had been elected RA MP by a proportional system
in 2003, so the next candidate of ARF Dashnaktsutiun’s preelection
list will replace him at the parliament.

As Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed by Armen Rustamian,
representative of ARFD Armenian Supreme Body, Chairman of RA NA
Standing Committee on Foreign Relations, at the June 3 sitting of the
Supreme Body it will be clarified who will replenish the parliamentary
faction’s staff in the future.

HAYK BABUKHANIAN CALLS ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES FOR ACTIVIZING THEIR
EFFORTS IN PROTECTION OF RIGHTS OF THEIR CITIZENS IN RUSSIA

YEREVAN, JUNE 2, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. As a state Armenia
should more actively protect the rights of its citizens living in
other countries, but Armenia, in essence, is doing nothing in this
direction. Hayk Babukhanian, Deputy Chairman of the Constitutional Law
Union, declared this at the June 2 discussion at the Hayeli (Mirror)
club dedicated to cases of violence towards Armenians that have become
frequent recently. According to him, one should not consider the
recent murder of the 19-year-old boy in Moscow out of touch with the
processes going on in Russia. “We see that there is a problem of
racialism and Fascism in Russia and the Armenian authorities should be
consistent in the issue of protection of the rights and interests of
their citizens in this country.” In the opinion of another participant
of the discussion, former Armenian Parliament Vice-Speaker Karapet
Rubinian, national hatred and Fascism existing in Russia is first of
all the problem of Russia itself: “These phenomena did not do good any
country in the world, especially as we speak about such a
multi-national state as Russia.” Karapet Rubinian expressed confidence
that today’s Russia has sound forces capable of resisting
manifestations of Fascism and racialism, but these forces in Russia,
as well as in Armenia, are marginalized, and everything is decided
only by forces of authoritarianism dominating in this country. In his
opinion, the best solution of this issue for Armenia is return of
Armenians from Russia to the homeland. According to Hayk Babukhanian,
the reason of such processes is that Russia is a non-formed state and
has not been determined yet, whether it wants to become a superpower
or a democratic state. Undoubtedly, different groupings arise in this
period, which look for those guilty in the problems of their country
and one cannot exclude that Russia’s enemies, who want to blow up it
from within, can stand behind these groupings. In this context we
should also consider the problems of Russia in the Caucasus increasing
day by day.

RUSSIAN OFFICERS’ EVIDENCES ABOUT BAKU AND SUMGAYIT CASES INVOLVED IN
“CONTINUATION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE” BOOK

YEREVAN, JUNE 2, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Russian officers’
evidences and memories about Baku and Sumgayit events are involved in
the “Continuation of Armenian Genocide” book that was published by the
“Zinvori Mayr” (Soldier’s Mother) public organization. All the
materials of the book are gathered from the Russian press. As Greta
Mirzoyan, the Chairwomen of the “Zinvori Mayr” organization during the
June 2 presentation of the book, the book title is not accidently
chosen as we “got sure that the process of the Armenians’ genocide has
not stopped after 1915.” Mrs. Mirzoyan attached importance to
publication of the book from the diplomatic veiwpoint as well, as
constantly raising this issue at international conferences taken place
in Strasbourg and Geneva, the Armenian delegation was not able to
present a corresponding document concerning the cases. Meanwhile
Azeris spread in Moscow numerous false documents and brochures about
those cases. According to Greta Mirzoyan, after publication of the
book the organization got numerous similar materials from different
people. “This proves that the book is very actual, and the time came,
by summing up all memories as a factual material, to show those
displays of vandalism which took place in Azerbaijan,” she
emphasized. The Chairwoman of the “Zinvori Mayr” organization also
mentioned that materials gathered during the recent period of time
will also be published in already completed way in a collection. The
book will soon be translated in English.

IT WOULD BE BETTER TO REACH AGREEMENT IMMEDIATELY AFTER MAY 12 1994,
VLADIMIR KAZIMIROV SAYS

YEREVAN, JUNE 2, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “Undoubtedly, after
Nagorno Karabakh ceased to take part in the negotiations process, a
step back was done,” Ambassador Vladimir Kazimirov, former
Plenipotentiary of RF President on Nagorno Karabakh, Co-chairman of
OSCE Minsk Group from Russia (1992-1996), declared to Noyan Tapan
correspondent. According to him, in the decisions of OSCE Budapest
summit of 1994 at the level of the heads of the states, as well as in
the mandate of the Minsk conference Co-chairmen it was written that
the negotiations should be conducted between the conflict sides: “No
word “state” is mentioned there, there is no clause mentioning that
the negotiations should be conducted by sovereign states. Whereas, the
decisions of the Budapest summit of 1994 are the highest ones, as
summits at the level of foreign ministers were conducted only after
this,” Ambassador Kazimirov declared. He reminded that in the first
half of the 90-s the western powers did not like Russia’s active role.

In particular, according to him, nothing about the already established
ceasefire was said in the resolution of the OSCE Permanent Council of
May 19 1994 that met in Vienna. “The things even reached the point
that representatives of some western countries demanded that the
agreement be signed in another city but not only in Moscow. Whereas,
the agreement prepared with Moscow’s active participation worked while
all the previous agreements were failing,” V.Kazimirov declared. (NT:
the agreement “On Ceasefire” was signed among Armenia, Nagorno
Karabakh and Azerbaijan with Russia’s mediation on May 12 1994 in
Moscow). According to him, no terms of action were specially mentioned
in the text of this document for the agreement to work termlessly. ”

One more useful resolution was found in July 1994, which was accepted
by all sides and figured in public statements, including the highest
level, according to which ceasefire will be observed by the sides
until concluding an agreement on ceasing the armed conflict.” However,
in Vladimir Kazimirov’s opinion, “it would be better to reach
agreement immediately after the agreement “On Ceasefire” signed on May
12 1994, as the inertia of the agreement on truce permitted to move
forward,” whereas, the moment was missed.

PanARMENIAN.Net

PACE Delegation Lad by Leo Platvoet to Arrive in
Armenia

02.06.2006 15:54 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ PACE delegation led by Leo Platvoet
will arrive in Armenia June 4, RA NA Speaker, head of
the Armenian delegation to PACE Tigran Torosian told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, the purpose of
the visit is to prepare a regional report on missing
and refugees. The delegation members are scheduled to
meet with the committee on missing at the Armenian
parliament. They are also expected to visit Georgia
and Azerbaijan,’ Torosian said.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Azerbaijan Tries to Defile Armenia in Sight of International Community

02.06.2006 16:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ According to some Azeri media, Armenian Ambassador
to Iran Gegham Gharibjanian offered `official Tehran to engage
Armenian forces for stifling rallies in South Azerbaijan.’

The Azeri side has many times made provocative statements aiming at
defiling Armenia in the sight of the international community. However,
this statement is targeted not against Armenia but against Iran,
political scientist Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan told a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter. In his words, Baku wants to represent Iran as a state
incapable to solve its domestic and external problems
independently. `As a matter of facts the things are quite
different. First, the rallies of the Turkish-speaking Iranians are not
so numerous as the Azeri press writes. Second, the failure of
Pishevari and Sattar khan’s adventures proved that Iran is capable to
suppress any dissent that jeopardizes the unity of the state,’ he
remarked.

As for the rallies of the Turkish-speaking Iranians, now Azerbaijan
tries to address a message to the Unites States as if saying `Look,
Armenians want to help Iran.’ Armenia really enjoys friendly relations
with Iran. But our army is changed with other tasks and Baku perfectly
knows how it can solve them,’ the Armenian expert said.

To note, acting Spokesman of the RA MFA Vladimir Karapetyan told
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter that `Gegham Gharibjanian has been appointed
Deputy Foreign Minister in early 2005.’

PanARMENIAN.Net

Greeks Going to Return Previous Status to St. Sophia Church in
Istanbul

02.06.2006 17:17 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `Free Agia Sophia Council in America’ organizations
has launched an international campaign to make St. Sophia an Orthodox
Church again, American politician of Greek origin Chris Spiru stated a
press conference in Manhattan. He presented the plan of the
organization and emphasized that the matter concerns an international
movement initiated in the U.S. which purposes the objective to
retransform the Great Church of Saint Sophia in Constantinople into a
Cathedral for all Orthodox believers.

He said the Turkish government calls and uses the Church as a museum,
organizes trade exhibitions, concerts and fashion shows in it.
Sacrilege and desecration is taking place. We will use all the
juridical and religious methods to achieve our goal,’ Spiru
underscored. In his words, simultaneously a collection of signatures
will be organized. `Muslims grew indignant over the caricatures of
Prophet Mohammed. We assert our right to pray in the church, which is
a symbol for all Orthodox believers. I think, the moment when Turkey
is striving to join the European Union is quite appropriate for it,’
Mr. Spiru said, reported Greek.ru.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanARMENIAN.Net

NKR MOD: Azeri Media Reports Cannot Be Taken Seriously

02.06.2006 17:49 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `If Armenians wished to eliminate and plunder Azeri
villages they would have done it 13 years ago,’ head of the press
office of the NKR Ministry of Defense, lieutenant colonel Senor
Asratyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. He said Azeris themselves
demolished the houses while retreating in 1993. `It is an awkward
propaganda campaign that had nothing in common with the reality. It
cannot be taken seriously,’ Asratyan underscored.

To note, Azeri press news agency has spread information that
`Armenians started setting fire to the houses in the seized villages
of Yusifjanly, Novruzlu, Baghmanlar, Sarijalu and Saybaly of the
Aghdam region of Azerbaijan.’