JUSTICE MINISTER SAYS HIGHER SALARIES OF JUDGES NOT A PANACEA FOR CORRUPTION
Armenpress
Oct 19 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 19, ARMENPRESS: Justice minister David Harutunian
warned yesterday that an expected rise of salaries of court judges
should not be reviewed in the context of an anti-corruption struggle,
saying judges must have high salaries so that to enjoy the trust of
the society.
“It is not a secret that the weight of any position is decided by the
amount of salary set for it and the rise of court judges’ salaries
supposes a higher degree of their independence,” he argued.
The minister said one of the ways to fight corruption in the system
was to introduce innovations such as providing by judges detailed
explanations of their verdicts. Besides, he said, all court acts and
rulings will become accessible to all through Internet.
He said one of the innovations is that parties in the court trial will
be allowed to cite previous rulings on similar cases as precedents.

OSCE PLANS TO EXTEND ITS ELECTION MONITORING MISSION IN ARMENIA TO 90 DAYS
Armenpress
Oct 19 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 19, ARMENPRESS: Deputy parliament chairman Vahan
Hovhanesian, who is also head of Armenian Delegation to the OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly and Samvel Nikoyan, a Delegation member,
met today with the visiting U.S. ambassador to the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe, Julie Finley.
Armenian parliament press service said Julie Finley stressed that next
national elections in Armenia must be in conformity with international
standards saying the OSCE would like to extend its mission’s presence
in Armenia to monitor preparations for the next parliamentary elections
to 90 days. She said the presence of observers during pre-election
campaign as important as on the voting day.
The Armenian officials were said to underline the importance of fair
and transparent polls saying the parliament is set to pass a set
of changes to election code which were approved by the OSCE and the
Council of Europe.

OBSERVERS TO COME TO ARMENIA AFER THE ELECTIONS
A1+
[02:40 pm] 19 October, 2006
Vahan Hovhannesyan, Deputy Speaker of the RA National Assembly and
head of the Armenian delegation in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly,
and Samvel Nikoyan, member of the Armenian delegation met with Julie
Finley, US ambassador to the OSCE.
Mrs. Finley highlighted the importance of holding just and fair
elections in Armenia in compliance with democratic criteria. At the
same time she attached great importance to the long-term (90-day)
presence of the OSCE observers’ mission in Armenia. In her words,
the presence of observers during the pre-election period is as vital
as during the elections.
Vahan Hovhannesyan and Samvel Nikolyan also focused on holding just
and fair elections in Armenia underlining that the amendments to the
Electoral Code will be soon endorsed. The amendments have already
been subjected to the OSCE and EU Venice Commission observation and
supported by the parliamentary forces.
The parties also referred to the activity of Central Election
Commission and to the importance of having complete and precise lists.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VERSUS CLIMATE CHANGES
A1+
[01:02 pm] 19 October, 2006
The Committee on Sustainable Development of the Council of Europe
Congress is organising a hearing to be held in Yerevan (Armenia)
on 19 October to discuss innovative approaches carried out at local
and regional level in dealing with the challenges of climate change.
The hearing, which will take place in the Ani Plaza Hotel from 1.45
pm to 6.30 pm, will be opened by Armenian Ecology Minister Vardan
Aivazyan and the Chair of the Sustainable Development Committee
Gaye Doganoglu. Gotelind Alber, a specialist on climate policy, will
present the perspectives for the next 100 years and policies at the
international level.
The participants will examine a variety of stake-holders’ responses
to the challenges of climate change. They will examine innovative
approaches aimed at fostering a new energy culture, a mobility society
and sustainable urban planning. The case studies are based on the
policies in the cities of Pamplona (Spain), Oslo (Norway), Paris
(France) and Miskolc (Hungary), as well as the Lower Austria Region.

THERE MIGHT BE PROGRESS IN KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTELEMENT BY 2007
A1+
[03:09 pm] 19 October, 2006
“I don’t understand what the Republicans mean by saying that the
Karabakh conflict settlement will be frozen by 2010. I assume that
there might be progress in the conflict regulation by 2007,” announced
Hovhannes Hovhannisyan in club “Pastark” today. He doesn’t exclude
that the progress might be perceived after the meeting of Armenian
and Azeri Foreign Ministers scheduled on October 24 in Paris.
Hovhannes Hovhannisyan is concerned about the fact that the compromise
in the Karabakh issue can be unilateral – only by the Armenian
side. He claims that the conflict can be regulated in the realm of
the regional global issues. While speaking of the regional issues
and Russian-Georgian relations, Mr. Hovhannisyan said, “RA Foreign
Ministry doesn’t possess the flexibility required for small countries
like Armenia.
Today our authorities cannot make independent decisions. There is no
need to deceive us by Russian criminal money spent on the construction
of a few buildings in Yerevan. Armenian-Russian relations are based
on fair elections.”
Hovhannes Hovhannisyan is convinced that if the forthcoming elections
are fabricated, the next generation will have to struggle for the RA
independence again.
By the way, asked the question whether their party doesn’t intend to
join Raffi Hovannisian-Vazgen Manoukyan alliance, Mr. Hovhannisyan
answered, “I don’t exclude anything. I can say one thing definitely;
they postpone their announcement as they cannot find a hall. The
people entitled to give halls criticize the present authorities but
say that in case they give a hall, their children will be deprived
of their daily bread,” said Hovhannes Hovhannisyan.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

LARGE POTENTIAL FOR STRENGTHENING ARMENIA-CANADA COOPERATION AVAILABLE
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.10.2006 15:04 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian during his working
visit to Canada met with his Canadian counterpart Peter Mackey,
reports the Press Office of the Armenian MFA. During the meeting the
parties appreciated the bilateral cooperation level, noting large
potential for strengthening cooperation is available. Oskanian and
Mackey specially stressed the role of the Armenian community of
Canada. Tens of thousands of Armenians residing in Canada actively
take part in the social life of the country, the Canadian FM said.
Besides, the interlocutors exchanged opinions over regional issues,
specifically Armenian-Turkish relations. Vartan Oskanian thanked the
legislative and executive authorities of Canada for recognition of
the Armenian Genocide. The FMs discussed opportunities to activate
Armenian-Canadian contacts within international organizations as
well. At the instance of Mackey, Oskanian presented the current state
of Armenian-Turkish relations, the Karabakh settlement, Yerevan’s
position on the GUAM resolution on frozen conflicts presented during
the UN GA 61st session.

A-320 CRASH RESULT OF CRIMINAL SCUFFLE ABOARD?
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.10.2006 15:30 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The crash of A-320 liner of Armavia Armenian
Company was a result of a criminal scuffle aboard, former pilot of
Armenian Airlines having 42 years of experience Vladimir Poghosyan
told journalists in Yerevan Thursday. In his words, before the flight
a criminal scuffle of two groupings took place, however they were
allowed aboard. Thus, the scuffle continued in the plane. He remarked,
“calls from 4 Russian citizens indicated there was firing aboard.”
The Armenian pilot believes that according to the scheme of approach
landing, the crew had to make a decision on landing at the altitude
of 600 meters, however, “as the weather did not meet the required
minimum of the airport, no crew had the right to land.” “Thus, I
cannot understand, why the crew decided to land in Sochi,” Poghosyan
said. In his opinion, investigation by an independent Armenian
commission is necessary, as official investigation is not over yet,
reports Novosti-Armenia.
According to the preliminary conclusion of the International Aviation
Commission, inappropriate actions of the liner’s captain resulted
in A-320 crash. No failure of engines or systems was registered,
the plane responded to the robot pilot and crew actions, the level
of fuel was enough for completing the flight successfully.
A-320 liner of Armavia company crashed over the Black Sea on the night
of May 3 during approach landing in Sochi airport. All 105 passengers
and 8 crewmembers aboard died.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN FOCUS OF DUTCH PRESS
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.10.2006 16:03 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Genocide is kept in focus of the Dutch
press. Big article is published in the Hague-based Volkskrant, part
of front page and on page 4, about the Israeli denial of genocide,
title “Israel want to know no other genocide,” subtitle: Stress on
uniqueness holocaust and Turkish pressure make Armenian genocide claim
impossible, the Federation of Armenian communities of Netherlands
told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. It is a rather accusing article for
Israel, featuring Yair Auron, professor in history and George Hintlian,
Armenian historian and sociologist.
In Trouw a small article that Sezer has not congratulated Pamuk
on winning Nobel Prize yet, while he normally would have to come
first. Mehmet Ali Birand calls it inappropriate. The silence of the
president probably meant to make clear that he does not like Pamuk’s
texts about the Armenian Genocide.
They suggest Erdogan did congratulate Pamuk also was meant in his
fight with Sezer, the newspaper writes.

OSCE MG CONSULTATIONS SCHEDULED OCTOBER 23
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.10.2006 16:06 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Co-chairs of the OSCE MG for settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict will hold consultations prior to the Paris
meeting of Armenian and Azeri FMs, to be held October 24. The co-chairs
are supposed to meet October 23, Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE MG
Yuri Merzlyakov told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, the
Paris meeting will have the ordinary format. “The Ministers will meet
tete-a-tete first, then the co-chairs will join them,” Merzlyakov said.

AZERIS AND TURKS OF ROMANIA “CRITICIZE” FRANCE FOR GENOCIDE BILL
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.10.2006 17:09 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Yesterday a protest action took place in front of
the French Embassy in Bucharest against the French Parliament adopting
a bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide.
Representatives of the Azerbaijani and Turkish communities, Tatar and
Turkic national minorities took part in the action. The participants
“criticized the scandalous legislation, adopted by the legislative of
that country.” The demonstration participants, having Turkish and Azeri
flags, demanded that France “be careful with human rights.” Having
handed the resolution to the Embassy, the participants of the rally,
widely covered by the media, laid a black wreath to the French
diplomatic mission, reports APA.