GEORGIA CUTS TSKHINVALI FROM RUSSIA
By Aghavni Harutyunian
AZG Armenian Daily
12/10/2006
Yesterday, the Georgian side has blocked Tskhinvali-Gory transportation
road near Ergneti settlement. Regnum agency informed that this step
completes the isolation of the South Ossetia from the South to the
North. The South Ossetia is connected with Russia only through Zarsi
road. At the same time, the Georgian authorities have arrested some
of the South Ossetian officials in Ergneti and released them after
a while. But, as the road was already blocked yesterday, one can’t
say how the South Ossetian officials returned home.

170 TOUR OPERATORS TO VISIT ARMENIA TODAY
By Karine Danielian
AZG Armenian Daily
12/10/2006
Within the framework of the Year of Armenia in France, today 170
tour operators will arrive in Yerevan. The aim of the one-day visit
is to get acquainted with Armenia’s potential in tourism, drawing up
projects and organizing a new influx of tourist to Armenia.
Agents who organize international tourism will visit Garni, Geghard,
Zvartnots, Tsitsernakaberd and other sites of interest in proximity
to the capital. The visit program is so condensed and limited that
the guests will not have time to know Armenia as it is.

HAKOB HAKOBYAN WILL BE SET FREE FOR TWO DAYS
A1+
[06:33 pm] 11 October, 2006
Tomorrow the Government session will make a decision about convening
a special NA session on October 13 at midday. The session will discuss
the issue of depriving NA deputy Hakob Hakobyan of immunity.
Factually, Hakobyan will be set free tonight, until the Parliament
decides what to do.
According to our sources, Robert Kocharyan has held a consultation with
the participation of the main political powers and demanded to vote
for depriving Hakobyan of immunity. Leader of the Republican faction
Galoust Sahakyan confirmed the information about the consultation
but refuted that about the demand to vote. Let us inform you that
the voting will take place with ballots; 66 deputies are needed in
order to secure quorum, and the deputy can be deprived of immunity
in case 50%+1 deputies vote for it.
Galoust Sahakyan also refrained from giving assessment, “We will be
able to answer all the questions when the investigation is over and
the case is in the court”. Asked the question if the Republican party
is being compromised on purpose, Galoust Sahakyan said, “For years
the members of our party preserved their reputation, and in this
pre-election year attempts are made to stain our name”. According to
Galoust Sahakyan, it is the opposition which is trying to compromise
the Republican Party.
The opposition has not yet decided how to vote. Member of the
Justice faction Stepan Zaqaryan informed that the issue has not
yet been discussed in the faction, but they have questions to the
Public Prosecutor and to Hakobyan himself as they need to know
what has happened. He said that according to several sources, the
representatives of the Full Contact Karate federation were sent to
the site on purpose, “We do not exclude the possibility that Hakob
Hakobyan may have attempted to defend himself”, Zaqaryan said.
Member of the Orinats Yerkir Hovhannes Margaryan learned from the
Friday special session from us and said that the party has not
discussed the issue yet.
“National Unity” has not discussed it yet, but according to Alexan
Karapetyan, “the decision will not be in favor of the authorities”.
Member of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Gegham Manoukyan said he has always
been against the immunity of the deputies. “The deputies, like all
the other citizens of the RA, have equal rights and responsibilities
and must equally be protected by the law”.
As for People’s Deputy faction, we learned from Karen Karapetyan that
the faction is not going to vote unanimously and each deputy is free
to vote as they wish.

“LEADER OF APNM IS ON THE RUN, AND NOT LEADER OF ARF”
A1+
[07:01 pm] 11 October, 2006
“I have no doubt that the leaders of the Armenian Pan-National
Movement are very competent about political murders as their head
is on the run due accusations of political murder”, said member of
the ARF Dashnaktsutyun bureau Vahan Hovhannisyan in answer to the
accusations of Yerjanik Abgaryan.
Member of the APNM administration Yerjanik Abgaryan said in an
interview to “A1+” yesterday that when the APNM came to power, the ARF
which was opposition used to organize political murders. He reminded
that the murders stopped once the activity of the party was stopped,
and restarted as soon as the representatives of the ARF were released
from prison. “If the APNM organized murders in order to accuse the
ARF of them which they never managed to do, it is natural that they
would stop it when we were in prison and restart their activity as
soon as we were set free. But even the court was unable to prove
that the ARF had a finger in the murders. I think the decision of
the court is enough for those who speak about law and lawfulness”,
Vahan Hovhannisyan commented.

“I WOULD REMAIN PRESIDENT IF I WANTED”
A1+
[07:14 pm] 11 October, 2006
President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Arkadi Ghoukasyan rendered a
press conference today in order to inform that journalists and through
them to the society that he is not going to be nominated for the post
of the NKR President for the third time.
Mr. Ghoukasyan made the announcement in answer to the opinions that
it is his desire to be nominated for the third time that makes him
adopt the NKR Constitution.
“I would not pay attention to the gossips if it weren’t for two
important factors: the reputation of Nagorno Karabakh as a country
faithful to democratic values, and the importance of the Constitution
in the life of the country”, Arkadi Ghoukasyan announced.
Explaining why the Constitution is being adopted now the President
said that a number of objective circumstances prevented them from
adopting the Constitution earlier.
“I assure you that I never intended to be nominated for the third
time. Even if the Constitution gives me that right, it doesn’t mean
that I will make use of it. Power has never been an aim in itself for
me. If I wanted to preserve the post of the President, theoretically
I would choose an easier way through changing the corresponding law
in the Parliament”, the NKR President said.
At the end of his speech Arkadi Ghoukasyan voiced hope that
his announcement will put an end to the gossips which harm the
international reputation of Nagorno Karabakh.

ISN’T THE DRAFT THE OFFICIAL POSITION OF FRANCE?
A1+
[07:35 pm] 11 October, 2006
France benefit from the adoption of the law criminalizing the negation
of the Armenian Genocide, announced French Ambassador to Azerbaijan
Bernard du Chaffaut. He underlined that the draft has been brought
to the Parliament by the oppositional Socialist Party.
Bernard du Chaffaut also mentioned that even if the draft is adopted
in the National Assembly, it will not mean that it will come into
force at once. For that the Senate must confirm it; and even if the
Senate does so, it still will not be the official position of France
to the issue, agency “Trend” informs.
The French diplomat mentioned that the adoption of the draft cannot
have negative influence on the French-Turkish relations and the
relations of France with other Moslem countries. The Ambassador claimed
that the attitude of France will not affect the membership of Turkey
in the EU and that the President of France is for Turkey’s membership.

CRIMINALS WANT TO GRAB POWER
A1+
[05:15 pm] 11 October, 2006
Shadow economists and criminal elements in Armenia are tired of serving
others and want to grab power, deputy Shavarsh Kocharyan warns. He says
that the political, economic, administrative and criminal structures
have united into one which will result in handing the power on to
each other like batons.
Referring to the arrest of NA deputy Hakob Hakobyan, Shavarsh Kocharyan
said that “this way the authorities sort out their relationship”,
otherwise other deputies would be punished too in similar
circumstances. “He has broken the laws of the game”, Kocharyan said.
According to him, Hakob Hakobyan may be punished by losing a
significant sum of money.
The Parliamentary elections are to be held in six months, but the
opposition unites in the anti-criminal movement instead of uniting
for gaining power.
According to the head of the National Democratic Party, this is rather
strange; that’s why his party did not join the movement.
He also claimed that combat against criminals is the business of the
authorities and not that of the opposition as they do not have police
or courts.

“THEY HAVE INSULTED OUR PARTY”
A1+
[05:49 pm] 11 October, 2006
“Those who are guilty must be punished”, said Armen Ashotyan from
the Republican faction in connection with the arrest of Hakob
Hakobyan. “You should not look upon all this as a process in the
context of pre-election campaign” he added.
As for the incident with former Minister of Internal Affairs Suren
Abrahamyan, the deputy voiced confidence that “not a single member
of the Republican party has anything to do with it”, and “the head
of the party must not be blamed for the act”.
“It’s not favorable for the Republican party to meddle with suchlike
incidents. The Party is interested in revealing all the details
connected with the case.
I’ll tell you more: the organizers of the case have insulted our
party. They think that the people are so naive that they will believe
in downright deceit”, he mentioned.

IT SPECIALIST CRITICIZES ARMENIAN INTERNET SITES
Panorama.am
13:49 11/10/06
Armenian internet sites are “dead” since their pages open for more than
8 seconds, Hovanes Avoyan, director of Lycos’s Armenian representation,
told a news conference today.
In his words, Armenia is poorly presented in the internet. “If our
local users have to wait until the page opens, no one will wait more
than 8 seconds abroad,” Avoyan mentioned. Speaking about the reasons
of such failures, Avoyan said the internet connection is bad. He also
said it is disconnected for hours and even for days. Among reasons,
Avoyan also mentioned the technical capacities.
Some 110 companies work in the sphere of IT today in Armenia 30%
of them with foreign capital. Some 5,000 people are employed in the
field. IT attracts $100 million private and government investment
annually.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ON-LINE PROGRAMMING MARATHON TO BE HELD
Panorama.am
15:28 11/10/06
On October 14 a Web Open Source All-Armenian on-line marathon will
be held in Armenia, Hovanes Avoyan, directory of Lycos’s Armenian
representation who is also the chairman of the organizational committee
of the marathon, told a news conference today.
As of today, 73 groups and individuals have registered to participate
in the event. The marathon aims to show the capacities of Armenian
experts in the field of IT.
The event will run for 24 hours. To participate interested parties
are encouraged to register at http:webos2006.com. Best participants
will get prizes.