SENATOR SCHUMER URGES HOAGLAND TO CLARIFY HIS POSITION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
PanARMENIAN.Net
07.09.2006 14:05 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 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,
reported the Armenian Assembly of America. 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.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TALKS BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN ON UN RESOLUTION PRACTICALLY OVER
ArmRadio.am
07.09.2006 11:45
Practically, Armenia and Azerbaijan have completed the negotiations on
the UN General Assembly resolution, which refers to the situation on
the territories neighboring Nagorno Karabakh, acting press secretary
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Karapetyan said, MEDIAMAX
reports.
“The talks are nearly over. Probably, the resolution will be presented
in the UN General Assembly on September 7. At this point we think we’ll
manage to agree upon the text of the resolution, the content of which
will be acceptable for the Armenian side. It should be noted that the
Armenia side has already agreed to permit the OSCE mission to visit
the inflammation sites. If the core of the resolution is to be UN
support to the OSCE, then we’ll consider it a constructive result,”
Vladimir Karapetyan said.

NEXT OSKANIAN-MAMMADYAROV MEETING TO BE HELD IN LONDON
ArmRadio.am
07.09.2006 12:51
The next round of negotiations on the settlement of the Karabakh
conflict on the level of Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan
will take place September 13 in London, Azeri Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammadyarov told the journalists on Wednesday, “Interfax”
agency reports.
“Most probably, the format of the talks will allow us to have separate
meetings with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs,” Mammadyarov said.

VARDAN OSKANIAN RECEIVED THE MUFTI OF SYRIA
ArmRadio.am
07.09.2006 13:31
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian received the delegation led
by Syrian Grand Mufti Sheikh Ahmed Badr-Eddine Hassun, reported the
Press Service of RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs. The Foreign
Minister highly assessed the visit of the Syrian delegation and the
dialogue between two confessions.
Marking the high level of relationships between Armenia and Syria
and absence of political discrepancies Vardan Oskanian said it’s a
good basis for further development of cooperation. The interlocutors
noted the considerable role of the Armenian community of Syria and
its contribution to the development of relations between the two
states. They also referred to some regional problems and the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict settlement process.

PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION OF IRAN TO VISIT ARMENIA
ArmRadio.am
07.09.2006 15:19
September 11 the delegation headed by the Chairman of the Islamic
Parliament of Iran Haddad Adel will arrive in Armenia, Tehran based
“Alik” newspaper informs.
According to the newspaper the Chairman of the Parliament will visit
Armenia in the framework of his tour to CIS countries. The delegation
comprises Iranian Armenian MPs Gevorg Vardanyan and Robert Beglaryan,
as well as member of the Academy of Sciences of Iran Harmik Davtyan.

JOHN EVANS: THERE ARE SOME ISSUES WHICH ARE SPOKEN ABOUT ONLY IN U.S.
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 07 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. John Evans,
the U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary who finished
his mission to the RA, in response to a question of a correspondent
of the Public Television of Armenia if, however, the Ambassador’s
pronounciation of the world “genocide” was a diplomatic error or a
personal opinion, mentioned that he does not discuss this issue in
Armenia. In his words, there are some issues which are spoken about
in the U.S. Responding the question “However, do you go, because
you pronounced the word “genocide” at a meeting with the American
Armenian community?” the Ambassador said, “They would not say like
that, you say in that way.” He did not exclude that he may once write
a book where there will be exhaustive answers and the complete picture
will be seen. John Evans also informed that he intends to have a rest
in New York for about a year as soon as he returns the Fatherland,
then to return Washington, but not for a diplomatic service: “I have
left the sphere of diplomacy, retired , but it does not mean that I
will do nothing,” the former Ambassador to Armenia said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

JOHN EVANS: ARMENIA IS ON RIGHT WAY
Noyan Tapan
Sept 07 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia is on the right way and
its future is democracy, John Evans, the U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary who finished his mission to Armenia, mentioned in
the interview to the Public Television. In the Ambassador’s words,
Armenia has all the main preconditions for becoming the leading
democratic state of the region, but there is no progress without
retreats. John Evans believed that creation and re-creation of
democracy is everyday work for all countries. And for this reason,
in the Ambassador’s words, the U.S. envisages programs which will
help Armenia to strengthen its democracy. The American diplomate also
explained that democracy is not only free and just elections, though
it’s one of the main elements: democracy is supremacy of the law as
well, independence of the judicial system, power and activity of press.

VARTAN OSKANIAN EXPRESSES GRATITUDE TO JOHN EVANS FOR EFFORTS IN DIRECTION OF DEVELOPMENT OF ARMENIAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 07 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian received on September 6 U.S. Ambassador
to Armenia John Evans, on the occasion of finishing his diplomatic
mission. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press
and Information Department, the interlocuters emphasized that during
the two years of the Ambassador’s officiating, a considerable progress
is fixed in the Armenian-American relations. The sides expressed
confidence that the agenda of bilateral cooperation will involve
new initiatives and spheres. The Minister thanked the Ambassador for
efforts made in development of the bilateral relations, wishing his
success during the future activity.

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW UNION CALLS FOR CONFRONTING “CHALLENGES THROWN DOWN TO COUNTRY AND PEOPLE” WITH UNITED FRONT
Noyan Tapan
Sept 07 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The Presidium of the Constitutional
Law Union made a statement in connection with the fact of the September
6 attack upon the editor of the party’s official body, the Iravunk
newspaper, Hovhannes Galajian, characterizing it as “terrorism” and
strictly condemned the position of using violence and falsehood as
the main method of solving issues. “The ruling elite formed on the
basis of the mafia-clan system as a result of periodically falsified
elections, exhausting itself as a body exercising state power, having
a presentiment of its coming agony and completely giving itself to
the mania of its own reproduction, became the main source of danger
for the people. Public murders and violence in the country have
become everyday phenomenon. Not only well-known people, but also
common citizens become victims of violence,” the Constitutional
Law Union declared. As the party affirmed, the murder of Shahen
Hovasapian, Chief of the Investigation Department of the State Tax
Service attached to RA government, among them was not the first
and will hardly be the last one, until a legal power is established
in the country.” In the party’s opinion, irrespective of the fact,
whether the grave crimes are committed “by state order” or because
of arbitrariness and poisonous atmosphere of protectionism, it’s
the high-ranking officials holding not their place who are to blame
for this.” The party expresses deep condolences to all victims of
violence generated by the system. Declaring about their inflexibility
and resolution to complete the victorious act, the Constitutional
Law Union calls on all citizens of the country, all state officials
and politicians having preserved their dignity with a united front
“to confront the challenge thrown down to the people by the criminal
element.” To recap, yesterday in the evening editor of the Iravunk
weekly Hovhannes Galajian was beaten when leaving the house, as he
affirmed, by two skin-head youngsters. The editor is sure that the
attack is connected with his professional activity.

HMAYAK HOVHANNISIAN: CRIMINAL WORLD HAS LOST SENSE OF FEAR AND MEASURE
Noyan Tapan
Sept 07 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The subject of forming a civil
society in Armenia has become more than actual in the recent days,
when tragic events follow one another. Hmayak Hovhannisian, Chairman
of the Armenian Union of Political Scientists, RA MP, declared at
the September 7 press conference. In connection with the previous
day’s murder of Chief of the Investigation Department of the State Tax
Service attached to RA government, Shahen Hovasapian, and attack upon
editor of the Iravunk newspaper Hovhannes Galajian committed the same
day, Hovhannisian declared: “All this shows that the criminal world has
lost sense of fear and measure and has become so impudent that even
high-ranking officers become its targets.” The MP considers the main
obstacle to establishment of a civil society the fact that “the public
opinion has no impact on political processes in our country.” The
other obstacle of no less importance, in the MP’s words, is “absence
of social mobility” “under which closed castes emerge, which remind
of social structures typical of eastern dictatorships.” Under
such conditions, in the speaker’s words, to pass from one caste to
another becomes impossible and “on the one hand, the society becomes
hardened and, on the other hand, the society becomes separated and
distorted.” As Hovhannisian affirmed, in Armenia even marriages have
“inter-clan, oligarch character”: young people strive for marrying
someone from their caste.” Another obstacle to establishment of civil
society, as the political scientist emphasized, is sense of losing the
integrity of the Armenian society. Today, in his words, an Armenian
perceives himself not as an Armenian but as a resident of Aparan,
Lori or Syunik (Armenian marzes). The very fact is the reason that, in
Hovhannisian’s words, “by the principle of regionalism Nig-Aparans and
other compatriotic unions emerge.” At the forthcoming parliamentary
elections non-partisan Hmayak Hovhannisian is ready to cooperate
with the political forces who will “accept Hovhannisian’s ideas,”
will realize “the necessity to get rid of the class of stable-men
and to establish really a political class.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress