ARMENIA AIDS LEBANON
Lragir.am
27 July 06
Considering the humanitarian crisis that emerged in Lebanon due to
the war and the large Armenian community in Lebanon, meeting the call
of the Lebanese government to render humanitarian aid to Lebanon,
as well as proceeding from the necessity to establish stability and
peace in the region, the government of Armenia decided to allocate
20 million drams to the Ministry of Health from the reserve fund of
the government to buy medicine and first-aid kits, reports the press
service of the government.

HISTORY OF WAR IS WRITTEN BY DISHWASHERS
Lragir.am
27 July 06
Several commanders of squads in Karabakh war wrote a letter to the
president of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, demanding to improve the hard
social state of the liberation soldiers. The liberation soldiers
offer a list of social demands, starting with the status.
“The most important of these demands is the adoption of a status of
participants of Artsakh liberation war. You see, there are participants
of the Patriotic War, veterans of foreign legion, in Ethiopia, where
a civil war took place, there are two groups of veterans. How about
us? Are we Tahiti? They do not recognize the independence of Karabakh,
let alone they recognize that there was a war. They are afraid of
losing their money,” stated the commander of the squad Artsakh Mikael
Apresyan July 27 at the Pastark Club.
“Hence, we have something interesting. Everybody says we won the war,
but there are no people, in other words, there is not a category of
people who participated in the war. It is very strange, the nation
fought, but there are no warriors,” adds Arkady Karapetyan, one of
the pioneers of the Karabakh movement and commander during the war,
who is presently the head of Yerkrapah Union in Artsakh.
The veterans of war say most of the real fighters are now jobless,
homeless, can hardly make both ends meet, whereas heroes, who emerged
out of nowhere, live in villas, ride in expensive cars, get different
awards for military service.
“Now that they distribute awards, they mainly distribute them to
people who did not participate [in the war]. It makes us furious.
Hence people who were in Russia, in Moscow, anywhere else in those
years, are now making decisions and it is not clear who they are
and what they do,” says Arkady Karapetyan, one of the pioneers of
the Karabakh movement, who assures that he knows who did what during
the war. Karapetyan points the books, which allegedly tell about the
movement and war in Karabakh but in fact tell nothing about those
years of the movement, in which the present government had no role.
Mikhael Apresyan, the commander of the squad Artsakh gives an example
of such a book.
“You should read it, it is entitled “Liberation”, by a certain Martin
Baghdasaryan, who deserves a punishment. Imagine these people were
awarded posthumously, whereas these people are driving about here in
jeeps,” says Mikhael Apresyan.
“This Martin, for instance, who wrote the book, used to wash dishes
in a squad in the village of Hatsik,” says Arkady Karapetyan. He says
it is also a service, which cannot be ignored. Karapetyan says they do
not want to be alone to get the laurels. “However, Martin who used to
be a dishwasher, he does not know how it was in the trenches, and who
was in the trenches. This is the problem,” says Arkady Karapetyan. The
veterans of war, who extended their demands to the president, set a
timing of ten days. These ten days have passed but there is no answer
yet. However, the veterans do not answer either what they will be doing
next. More exactly, they answer but they say they won’t do anything.
“We are still working out this process, it is early to tell you
something,” says Mikael Apresyan. “We are gathering signatures among
our guys, among the population, who will join us. Then we’ll see.
Maybe after the holidays they will start thinking anew. It will be
clear in late August,” says Arkady Karapetyan with a smile.
The veterans do not think there is someone in the ruling elite, who
will solve the social problems of thousands of liberation soldiers.
“This disorder, I do not know how to call it, will not solve. One
hundred million, will they give one hundred million to pay benefits
to these guys?” says Mikael Apresyan.
“You see, we do not believe Tsar Batushka, we do not believe that
someone will solve the problems. Why? He’s a weak guy, we haven’t
lived normally after independence to get rid of this weakness, and
now they are imposing this slavery on our youth. This man comes to
power, they take him to Paris, America, this poor guy sees, is afraid,
and he cannot understand what he can do to recover the country he
heads from this state. In other words, if we, the people, do not get
a firm footing on this land, not an official will solve this problem
normally,” states Arkady Karapetyan.

Another 120 People to Arrive in Armenia from Lebanon
ArmRadio.am
27.07.2006 11:19
At today’s sitting RA Government will take the decision of providing
humanitarian aid to the peaceful population of Lebanon, which suffered
because of the military actions in the country. It is expected that
the aid, including medicine, equipments and tents, will be sent to
Aleppo, Syria today to be later conveyed to Lebanon.
The next group comprised of 120 people is expected to arrive from
Lebanon to Armenia today.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Representative Pallone urges Senate to block Hoagland nomination
ArmRadio.am
27.07.2006 12:08
In a July 25th speech on the House floor, Congressional Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) called on the US Senate to block the
nomination of Richard Hoagland to serve as the next US Ambassador to
Armenia, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
In his remarks, the New Jersey legislator outlined the reasons for
his opposition, notably Ambassador-designate Hoagland’s denial of the
Armenian Genocide and his evasiveness and lack of responsiveness to
Senate inquiries. He also highlighted the failure of the Administration
to respond honestly to communications it held with the Turkish
government concerning the firing of current US Ambassador to Armenia
John Evans over his February 2005 remarks affirming the Armenian
Genocide.
Congressman Pallone closed his speech by noting his “fear that
sending an ambassador to Yerevan who denies the Armenian genocide
would represent a tragic escalation in the Bush administration’s
ignorance and support in Turkey’s campaign of genocide denial. The
State Department has reported to Senate offices that they expect
Ambassador Designate Hoagland to be confirmed during a business meeting
early next week. I would urge the Senate to block his nomination
until this administration recognizes the Armenian genocide.”

His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Hagopian met with the Consul General of Lebanon
ArmRadio.am
27.07.2006 12:18
His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Hagopian, Prelate, met with the Consul
General of Lebanon His Excellency Khalil El-Habre, on July 26, 2006
at the Lebanese Consulate in Montreal.
Archbishop Hagopian’s delegation included Rev. Fr. Karnig Koyounian
(Sourp Hagop Armenian Apostolic Church Pastor), Dr. Garbis Harboyan
(Prelacy Executive Council), Mr. Krikor Der Ghazarian (ARF Central
Committee) and Mrs. Anna Boulgarian (ARS Canada Regional Executive
Chairperson).
During the meeting, Prelate Hagopian informed His Excellency that the
Armenian Community has already established a special fund for Lebanon
Relief, and discussed further about pharmaceutical, financial and
humanitarian aid to support Lebanese people during these chaotic days.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Michael Platini to visit Armenia
ArmRadio.am
27.07.2006 13:02
August 2 Deputy President of the Football Federation of France, member
of the Executive Boards of FIFA and UEFA Michael Paltini will arrive
in Armenia on an official visit.
Paltini is arriving at the invitation of the President of the Football
Federation of Armenia Ruben Hayrapetyan, Press Service of the Football
Federation informs.
In the framework of the visit Michael Paltini will have a meeting
with Ruben Hayrapetyan and will participate in the festive ceremony of
opening small football fields in Avan and Kanaker-Zeitun communities
of Yerevan.
To remind, together with UEFA Armenia is accomplishing the “Small
Football Fields” program, under which the Republic will receive 1
million Swiss Franks.
During the visit Michael Platini will have meetings with
representatives of state and public circles of Armenia as well.

MICROSOFT, INTEL and ALCATEL Companies to participate in an international conference in Yerevan
ArmRadio.am
27.07.2006 16:00
Representatives of Microsoft, Intel and Alcatel Companies have agreed
to participate in an international conference in Armenia dedicated to
the development of WiMax and WiFi technologies, which will be held in
September in Yerevan in the framework of the third Armenia-Diaspora
conference, Director of the ” Incubator of Enterprises” Fund Bagrat
Yengibaryan said, MEDIAMAX Agency reports.
October 6-8 DigiTech 2006 international exhibition will open in
Yerevan. 70 Companies, including 15 foreign ones, will participate
in the exhibition. The list of participants will include
Mitsubishi-Electric, Microsoft, National Instruments Companies
and others.
The exhibition will be held in the framework of the month of
information technologies announced by RA Government. 15 different
arrangements, including contests, conferences and exhibitions, are
scheduled to be held in the framework of the month.
President of the Union of Information Technologies Enterprises
Hovhannes Avoyan expressed the hope today that the conduct of these
events will promote the resolution of the problems in IT sphere
Armenia currently faces.

Baroness Caroline Cox paying her 61st visit to Artsakh
ArmRadio.am
27.07.2006 17:20
July 27 NKR President Arkady Ghukasyan received the delegation headed
by Vice-Speaker of the UK House of Lords, Baroness Caroline Cox.
The President congratulated Mrs. Cox on paying her 61st visit to
Artsakh and noted that due to the traditional visits of the “Cox team,”
comprised of representatives of British, Americana and European public
circles, Artsakh has acquired many friends.
On her part Mrs. Cox informed about the program of training of doctors
and nurses of Artsakh by the “Humanitarian Aid: Reinforcement of Trust”
organization and her July 21st speech in the British House of Lords
on the demolition of Armenian khachkars by Azeris.
At the request of the participants of the meeting, Arkady Ghukasyan
answered a number of question about the socio-economic condition of
Artsakh and the prospects of development.

NKR Foreign Minister received Baroness Caroline Cox
ArmRadio.am
27.07.2006 18:00
On July 27, Nagorno Karabakh Republic Foreign Minister Georgy
Petrossian received the delegation led by Vice Speaker of the British
Parliament House of Lords Baroness Caroline Cox.
On the request of the guests the Head of the NKR Foreign Office dwelt
upon the process of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement in the
context of recent regional and world events. “The Nagorno Karabakh
conflict is a complicated one, as a great number of interests are
coming into collision here, which acquire a special urgency from the
standpoint of the recent events in the region and in the world on
the whole,” Georgy Petrossian said.
The Minister noted that the existing format of the negotiations on the
Karabakh conflict settlement did not reflect the core of the conflict.
“Unfortunately, today, the mediators focused their attention not on
the essence of the conflict but on the liquidation of the conflicts’
consequences. We emphasize once more that without the participation
of Nagorno Karabakh – the most suffered party to the conflict,
the achievement and realization of any agreements are impossible,”
Georgy Petrossian said.

Armenians and Azerbaijanis need to meet from time to time, Azerbaijani journalist considers
ArmRadio.am
27.07.2006 17:33
Gita Eibekyan,
Tbilisi
Azerbaijani journalist, publisher and writer Seymur Bayca says that
Armenians and Azerbaijanis need to meet with each other. He has been
to Armenia for five times. He has been invited also to Karabakh. The
journalists wishes to go there, but fears that on his return he
ill face hostile disposition. Seymur, who works at the opposition
“Realni Azerbaijan” newspaper, regrets that Azerbaijanis are
very aggressive on such issues.
Seymur was born in Fizuli and lived there for 14 years. He retrieves
that Armenians and Azerbaijanis lived there in peace.
Seymur says he has many Armenian friends – journalists, writers
and common citizens. He likes Yerevan more than the capital of his
country. “Baku is a very noisy city. Generally I do not like such
cities, I’m afraid of these. Now it has become very hard for me
to live in Baku and I’m going to move,” the journalist says.
Seymur writes predominantly on political and social issues. He is
one of the most famous journalists in Azerbaijan. He was awarded a
number of honorable prizes.
“Now only the journalists are opposition in Azerbaijan. One of
them – editor-in-chief of the “Monitor” newspaper Elmar
Huseynov – was killed last year, and up to now the criminals have
not been called to responsibility. Another opposition journalist was
beaten recently. Doctors say he will stay handicapped. The third one
was sent to jail. Now every opposition journalist is waiting for his
turn,” Seymur states.
The Azeri journalist concludes that from time to time it is necessary
to organize meetings between Armenians and Azerbaijanis.