REPORTERS WILL COME TO ARMENIA
Karine Asatryan
A1+
[12:25 am] 29 June, 2006
The membership of the PACE Committee on Nagorno Karabakh issue was
confirmed today. Member of the RA delegation Tigran Torosyan had
made an offer to revise it in January. The Committee will have 10
members. Leo Platvoyet who is preparing a report on missing persons
in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan is also included in the Committee.
“I think this structure of the Committee is far more balances and
efficient as the previous one where there were people who have never
engaged in the Karabakh conflict and are far from understanding it”,
Mr. Torosyan said.
The visit of the PACE Committee is scheduled for fall but there
are problems: the PACE Monitoring Committee is to visit Armenia in
October, and the Committee on political issues is to visit Azerbaijan
in November; and the majority of the members of this Committee are
also members of the above mentioned two.
“Today’s discussion with Lord Russell Johnston and the head of the
Azeri delegation brought us to the conclusion that the delegation must
visit Yerevan, Baku and Stepanakert in late October”, Mr. Torosyan
said. Nevertheless, he mentioned that the visit may as well take
place in November.
By the way, Mr. Torosyan also met the CoE Secretary General. During
the meeting they spoke about the fuss made by the Azeri side about the
alleged arson of the forests in the area near Karabakh. The Azeris
are distributing the PACE delegates photos which have probably been
taken in Azerbaijan as there are notes in Azerbaijani on them.
Terry Davis asked the RA NA President if it is not strange that
the NKR authorities found the right way and turned to the personal
representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office asking for a monitoring
while the Azeris kept fussing. According to Tigran Torosyan, “this
is the continuation of the disgraceful behavior of the Azeris who
kept telling lies about Armenia and NKR”. According to Mr. Torosyan,
Mr. Davis accepted that there are serious problems and promised
“to find solutions”.

NAGHDALYAN WILL MAKE A REPORT ABOUT POVERTY OF WOMEN
Karine Asatryan
A1+
[01:33 pm] 28 June, 2006
The issue about the situation of women in Armenia will probably
be heard in the next PACE session. But it will be represented not
separately, but as part of the report discussing the situation of
women in South Caucasus. According to Hermine Naghdalyan, member of
the Armenian delegation to PACE, in this connection the situation is
not very different in the three South Caucasian countries.
Slight progress can be noted in Georgia. As for Armenia and Azerbaijan,
few women participate in making decisions and few women are engaged
in small and medium business. Mrs. Naghdalyan finds it important
that there is a national program about the situation of women in
Armenia. This is important in the context of the PACE report on the
poverty of women in the CoE member-countries which is to be made soon.
Hermine Naghdalyan has been appointed reporter on the theme.
By the way, on the initiative of the PACE Committee on gender equality,
a day is dedicated to women in the CoE. On this day the members of the
Committee meet women who have launched successful activity in social
and political life and “try to understand the secret of their success
in order to advocate the experience so that more women can follow the
same path”, Hermine Naghdalyan says. The third meeting of women within
the framework of the PACE took place late in the evening yesterday.

RATINGS OF TV CHANNELS ARE NOT VERY HIGH
A1+
[01:55 pm] 28 June, 2006
Do think the RA authorities must make the whole pack of the Karabakh
negotiation procedure public, just like RA President’s press secretary
Viktor Soghomonyan “threatened”? This is the poll question of the
“A1+” website this week. In order to get the overall impression of
the public opinion we would appreciate as many participants of the
poll as possible.
Until then we represent the results of the previous poll which testify
to the fact that the rating of the Armenians TV Channels is very
low. Asked the question “Which TV Channel do you prefer to watch? ”
25% of the participants of the poll marked the option “H1”, the Public
Television of Armenia. “Armenia” and “Yerkir-Media” had 10% of the
votes. The rest of the votes were distributed as follows: “Kentron” –
4$, “ALM” – 2%, “AR” – 1%, and “H2”- 1%. 12% of the participants of
the poll prefer to watch “other channels”. 797 readers participated
in the poll.
It is noteworthy that the majority of the voters does not like
Armenian channels at all. 17% prefers “Russian channels”, and 18%
prefers “none of the mentioned channels”.

ERDOGAN WILL ADDRESS THE PACE SESSION
Karine Asatryan
A1+
[02:53 pm] 28 June, 2006
The plenary sitting of the PACE summer session will start soon. Today’s
sitting is interesting not only thanks to the theme to be discussed
which is “Freedom of Expression and Respect for Religion”, but also due
to the speech of the Prime Minister of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
By the way, it is not yet known if he will meet the journalists. As we
have already informed, leader of the National Unity Artashes Geghamyan
is also going to make a speech on the above mentioned theme.
Today Chairman of the Council of Federation of the RF Parliament
Sergey Mironov will address the session, and tomorrow RF deputy Foreign
Minister Alexander Grushko will deliver the message of the Ministers’
Committee. Head of the Azeri delegation Samed Seidov will make a speech
tomorrow. He will speak about the environmental issues of the region.
After the break today the parliamentarians will discuss the realization
of the resolutions adopted in the 3rd Warsaw Summit in 2005.

ERDOGAN’S GOD WOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED
Karine Asatryan
A1+
[04:01 pm] 28 June, 2006
“I can curse but I won’t. But I can’t help saying that in 1915 the
Turks massacred the Armenians and do not accept it. I can’t help
saying that Turkey has occupied part of Cyprus”, announced Danish
deputy Run Lyund after the speech of the Prime Minister of Turkey,
Recep Tayyip Erdogan who considered certain restrictions of the
freedom of speech normal.
According to Erdogan, there are sacred values – national, religious
and others stirring of which causes terrorism. Erdogan considered the
fuss and mass rallies in connection with the caricatures of prophet
Mohammad natural. According to him, there is growing tension between
the West and the Islamic world.
Erdogan called on Europe to take into account the fact that 10-15%
of the population of the European capitals is Turks and their rights
must be respected.
Referring to the speech of Mr. Lyund, the Turkish Prime Minister
mentioned that the discussion of the Armenian Genocide is neither
criticism, nor offence.
But it is the concern of the historians and not the
politicians. According to him, Turkey called on Armenia to discuss what
took place in 1915 on the scientific level, but Armenia refused. By
the way, Erdogan referred to the Jewish Holocaust mentioning that as
a true Moslem he is convinced “that their God would not have allowed
anything of the kind”.
During the discussion of the report on “Freedom of Speech and Respect
for Religion” Armenian delegate Artashes Geghamyan made speech. He
reminded how the Turks destroy Armenian monuments, how the Armenian
pupils in Turkey are deprived of the possibility to study the history
of Armenia and the Armenian Church, and, which is most important,
that Turkey keeps Armenia in a blockade.
The discussion is under way, there are still many amendments offered
to be made. Nevertheless, according to delegate Yurgens from the
Netherlands, if the amendments are adopted, the balance of the report
will be violated.

ARONYAN WILL PLAY WITH SVIDLER
A1+
[05:24 pm] 28 June, 2006
Best chess player of Armenia Levon Aronyan will play with Peter
Svidler from Russia on 15-10 August in Mainz, Germany. They will play
for the title of the champion of “Chess-960”.
Secretary of the Armenian Chess Federation Gagik Hovhannisyan told
“A1+” that in contrast to common chess the rules of “Chess-960”
are different. Before each game the computer chooses positions for
the players. There are 960 such positions, hence the name of the
tournament.
Last year Aronyan participated in this tournament and won the right
to compete with the present champion, Peter Svidler.

“DOCUMENT OF THE SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT WITH 5.5 TERRITORIES”
A1+
[06:10 pm] 28 June, 2006
“We know the current situation in the negotiations about the settlement
of the Karabakh issue and what document has been represented. The
announcement of Matthew Bryza is not complete. The document mentions
the 5 territories which Armenia is going to give to Azerbaijan. The map
also says where the peace-keeping forces will be allocated”, announced
Aram G. Sargsyan, the leader of the Democratic Party of Armenia.
According to Mr. Sargsyan, he would not make these revelations if
it weren’t for the announcement of the OSCE Minsk group US co-chair
Matthew Bryza. The leader of the Democratic Party is concerned by
the announcement of the RA Foreign Ministry, “The Foreign Ministry
confirmed that they are ready to accept these conditions but Azerbaijan
does not agree. According to the document, there will be a referendum
in Karabakh in 10-15 years. Nevertheless, Azerbaijan claims there
can be a referendum in Karabakh only in accordance with the demands
of the Azeri Constitution”.
That is to say, according to them, the referendum about the status
of Karabakh can take place in the whole territory of Azerbaijan
only. Mr. Sargsyan announced with all responsibility, “When it comes to
the Karabakh issue, the RA authorities adopt a policy of treachery. We
demand Robert Kocharyan to reveal the document about the settlement
of the issue and to put it to open discussion”.
If the RA authorities are really ready to give 5 territories to
Azerbaijan, why does Azerbaijan refuse to sign the document? “They have
realized that Armenia agrees to all their demands. Appetite comes with
eating. Now they want not five but seven territories plus Karabakh”.
Aram G. Sargsyan assured that the document is not acceptable for the
NKR authorities either. According to him, Robert Kocharyan must either
resign or resort to repression. As for the announcement of Bryza, Mr.
Sargsyan said, “In connection with Iran it is very important for the
USA to have NATO armed forces in the region. It means we will become
enemy N1 for Iran”.

RUSSIANS ARE FOR CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
Karine Asatryan
A1+
[06:39 pm] 28 June, 2006
“Unfortunately, the majority of the Russians think capital punishment
must be preserved”, said Chairman of the Council of Federation of
the RF Parliament Sergey Mironov.
According to Mironov, the Russians condition this by the cruel activity
of the terrorists, especially during the Beslan tragedy. “But the 10th
moratorium must be turned into a by-law after which the 6th protocol
must be ratified”, the Russian official said after the meeting with
the PACE President. Let us remind you that the 6th protocol of the
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
demands abolishment of the death penalty.
According to the Chairman of the Council of Federation, even if they
have the necessary amount of votes in the Parliament to ratify the
6th Protocol, “they realize the sentiments of the majority of the
TF citizens”. According to Mironov, there is still much to be done
before the ratification of the protocol abolishing death penalty.
Let us remind you that the RF has been member of the CoE for ten
years now.

RUSSIA HAS NO FACTS
Karine Asatryan
A1+
[07:32 pm] 28 June, 2006
Russia has no facts and videos about forest fires in the area near
Nagorno Karabakh, Chairman of the Council of Federation of the RF
Parliament Sergey Mironov informed a news conference in Strasbourg.
Speaking about the settlement of the Karabakh issue, Sergey Mironov
underlined that according to the official attitude of the Russian
Federation the conflict must be settled between the two sides, that
is Armenia and Azerbaijan. “And any decision acceptable for both
sides will be approved by Russia”.
According to Mironov, Russia will always be the guarantee for the
peaceful settlement.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSCE REPRESENTATIVES RECORDED NO EVIDENCE OF FIRES
A1+
[07:46 pm] 28 June, 2006
According to the note of the NKR Foreign Ministry the office of the
personal representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office carried out
monitoring of the contact line of the Karabakh and Azeri armed forces
near the settlement of Yusifjanlu.
>From the Armenian side assistants of the personal representative
of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, federal commanders Peter Key, Irzhi
Aberle and Gunter Folk participated in the monitoring.
The monitoring took place according to the schedule, and there were
no violations of ceasefire, NKR Foreign Ministry reports.
The representatives of the NKR Ministries of Defense and Foreign
affairs who were accompanying the OSCE monitoring group mentioned that
despite the statements of the Azeri side about the fires in the forests
the participants of the monitoring recorded no evidence of fire.