“NONSENSE TO BE THE SUCCESSOR OF ILLEGAL AUTHORITY”
Aravot.am
01 Aug 06
– leader of “National Unity Party” Artashes Geghamian says.
Mr. Geghamian, how do you explain internal political situation in
Armenia when the authority powers are more active, than the opposition
powers? While the world worries about settlement of different important
problems, Kocharian-Sargsian couple makes efforts to dispart the
public, create hostility among our despaired people. Their only goal
is to prolong their authority at any cost. This is very anxious,
and when I try to analyze current events in Armenia, I remember the
famous proverb to this situation: feast during the plague. How do
you explain different people’s membership into Republican Party, in
your opinion why did the defense minister become Republican? They,
I mean Kocharian-Sargsian couple, have chosen very simple policy,
they try to distract people’s attention from the serious problems
of the republic focusing them on internal political events. It’s
obvious that it has no connection with the future of Armenia, with
its problems, which need in immediate solution. The ruling party
held its special congress but no party member raises any mental
new idea. They didn’t discuss any problem, which could be decisive
for the fate of country development. So internal political events in
Armenia have nothing general with the fate of Armenia. Anyway, how do
you explain defense minister’s membership into Republican Party, what
object does it purpose? If you follow the press, it will be clear for
you that they try to create such an impression, in particularly among
Minsk Group co-chairs’ countries, that Kocharian-Sargsian couple are
the only sober-minded statesmen who are tolerant in the NK conflict
peaceful settlement and ready to make a compromise that’s why they
are criticized both inside and outside the country. Mr. Sargsian
wants to prove the international community that he has become the
member of a party with Njdeh’s ideology, and prepares adoption of
mutual concessions passing through dangers. He wants to pretend
himself as a hero. There is also another point. Serge Sargsian and
Robert Kocharian fell the coming danger and realize very well that
the time of giving answers has already come. They couldn’t cheat our
people for 8 years assuring that there will be more perspective and
positive settlements in NK conflict, while we witness that great
economic projects, Baku-Tbilisi-Jeihan, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzrum oil
pipelines have already been constructed, and Armenia is out of those
developments. Today it is spoken more and more that defense minister
is Robert Kocharian’s successor. Is it true?
Nonsense to be the successor of illegal authority. As regards the
wishes, there is a Russian famous proverb “wishing is not harmful”.
Margaret Yesayan
–Boundary_(ID_U5kv2YNjg6mXzpW9KoeL7A)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Vote on Hoagland Nomination Delayed till September
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.08.2006 14:36 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), the Ranking Democrat
on the Foreign Relations Committee, was joined today by Senator John
Kerry (D-MA) in forcing a month-long delay in the Committee’s vote
on the controversial nomination of Richard Hoagland to replace the
current U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).
The controversy within the Foreign Relations Committee over the
Hoagland nomination began with Senator Biden’s June 23rd letter
asking Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to respond to a series
of questions, including specific inquiries about reports that the
current Ambassador had been recalled due to his having “accurately
described the Armenian Genocide as genocide.”
“The ANCA welcomes the leadership of Senators Biden and Kerry in
ensuring that the Foreign Relations Committee has the time to more
carefully consider the implications – for both our foreign policy and
our values as a nation – of confirming a U.S. Ambassador to Armenia
who is on record denying the Armenian Genocide,” said ANCA Chairman Ken
Hachikian. “We appreciate, as well, the principled efforts of Senators
Allen, Boxer, Chafee, Coleman, Dodd, Feingold, Kennedy, Reed, Sarbanes,
and others to seek an honest explanation of the firing of Ambassador
Evans, to explore the role of the Turkish government in his recall,
and to insist that the Administration clearly articulate its stand
on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.”

Armenian Lobby Won Small Victory
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.08.2006 14:41 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The decision by the Foreign Relations Committee to
delay the vote on Hoagland’s nomination is the result of purposeful
activities of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA),
ARF Bureau’s Hay Dat and Political Office Director Kiro Manoian told
a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, the voting of the Senate
once again proved the successful work of the Armenian lobby for the
international recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
As for the further steps in this direction, Manoian said, the vote
was delayed till September only. “I do not know what will happen next,
but we proceed with activities,” he remarked.
To remind, Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), the Ranking Democrat on
the Foreign Relations Committee, was joined by Senator John Kerry
(D-MA) in forcing a month-long delay in the Committee’s vote on the
controversial nomination of Richard Hoagland to replace the current
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans.

Israel’s Operations Crime against Humanity
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.08.2006 14:43 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House
of Cilicia tersely condemned the bombing of a building in the southern
Lebanese city of Qana, calling it a massacre. “What has happened in
Qana, South Lebanon by Israel, is outrageous, inhumane and against
all international laws and conventions,” the Catholicos said in a
statement to the international press. “I simply do not understand how
Israel describes as ‘a technical error’ the shelling with his advanced
and sophisticated war machine a building where children, women, sick
and disabled people have taken refuge. All sorts of justifications
or clarifications provided by Israel are unacceptable in the face of
this human tragedy,” said Aram I.
Aram I emphatically added that “This war must end. It must stop
immediately and without any condition. Innocent people are being
killed, families are being destroyed; Lebanon is on the brink of
collapse and people are still dealing with diplomacy. One cannot
remain indifferent before human slaughter… We must protect human
life by all means. The UN and the powers of this world must act firmly
on this basis. This is the realistic way of dealing responsibly with
this complex and critical situation. First protection of life and only
then creation of proper conditions for diplomacy and for the settlement
of the conflict. Therefore, I add my voice to the Spiritual Leaders,
both Muslem and Christian, of Lebanon, to appeal to the international
community, for an immediate cease-fire.”

Leyla Aliyeva: Referendum in Karabakh Pregnant with Big Problems for Baku
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.08.2006 14:55 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijan has serious ground to press for a national
referendum, Azeri political scientist Leyla Aliyeva said. According
to her if legal conditions are created for conduction of a referendum
in Karabakh, the items of the referendum should exclude controversy
between the principle of territorial integrity and the right to
self-determination. “The items of the referendum should refer to
various levels of autonomy. It’s another matter, who will determine
these items. Anyway, conduction of the referendum in Karabakh only
is pregnant with big problems for Baku,” she said. “The only logic
used by the Co-chairs is that Baku should hold immediate talks with
Karabakh. This standpoint is supported by all the international
mediating missions. Anyway, Karabakh does take part in the talks but
not as a side in conflict but as a concerned party,” she remarked.
Aliyeva said some progress has been achieved. “The optimist of
the mediators may be explained by this fact. Compromise on a
stepwise plan was achieved. The sides also agreed that the talks
on Nagorno Karabakh’s status will be delayed for 10 years. I think
it’s an advance,” she said. At the same time the Azeri political
scientist said that “in order not to lose this achievement the
mediators apply cautious wordings. “These wordings base on the
agreements achieved. They leave open the issue of the referendum and
territorial integrity, which in our case conflict with in other. If
earlier representatives of some foreign states used to say that the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict should be resolved within the framework
of territorial integrity, so now such statements can be heard very
rarely. The wording on the referendum does not answer the question
what’s more important self-determination or territorial integrity,”
Aliyeva considers, reported Realazer.com.

Armenian Consul General Condemned Act of Vandalism in Rostov
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.08.2006 15:07 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Representatives of the Armenian intelligentsia and
journalists fathered August 1 evening in the Consulate General of the
Republic of Armenia in Rostov-on-Don to discuss the desecration and
the attempt to set fire to the Museum of Russian-Armenian Friendship
located in the Surb Khach Church.
As reported by Yerkramas, the newspaper of Armenians of Russia,
Ararat Gomtsyan, the RA Consul General to the South Federal Okrug,
condemned the act of vandalism and called on law enforcement to find
and punish those guilty. Chairman of the town community Artem Surmalyan
and professor Minas Bagdyrov also addressed the meeting participants.
To remind, on July 31 night malefactors damaged the Museum of
Russian-Armenian Friendship located in the Surb Khach Church. As
reported by the Yerkramas, the newspaper of Armenians of Russia,
when coming to work the museum employees saw outraging inscriptions
of the museum walls. The vandals could not enter the museum but broke
the windows. Experts suspect skinheads; law enforces have not issued
any versions so far.

Mayor of Kars Stated Necessity of Opening Border with Armenia. Baku Concerned
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.08.2006 15:17 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Opening of the border with Armenia is beyond the
competence of the Kars municipality head, Azerbaijani Consul General
in Kars Hasan Zeynalov said. In his words, the Armenian-Turkish border
may be opened only in case Armenia fulfills three conditions. Armenia
should abandon its claims for the Armenian Genocide recognition by
Ankara, its territorial claims to Turkey and free the “occupied”
territories of Azerbaijan.
Hasan Zeynalov remarked that some forces in Turkey interested in
opening the border with Armenia. “However, I would like to emphasize
that opening of the border with Armenia is beyond the competence either
of the Kars municipality head or any other individuals concerned,”
he underscored, reported APA.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PM RECEIVES WFP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Armenpress
YEREVAN, AUGUST 2, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Prime Minister Andranik
Margarian received today the delegation headed by the executive
director of the World Food Program James Morris who is in Armenia
within the framework of the regional visit.
Governmental press service informed Armenpress that during the
meeting the prime minister highly underscored the work of the WFP
in Armenia starting from 1993 and noted that WFP has contributed to
the improvement of the condition of most needy people and refugees,
in the development of communities.
During the meeting the interlocutors also referred to the consequences
of drought registered in a number of Armenian settlements during
this year. The prime minister asked in case of possibility to support
Armenia to smoothen the consequences of the drought.
James Morris said he is satisfied with the pace of implementation of
WFP programs in Armenia and said that he has managed to visit Lori and
Tavush provinces and get acquainted with the pace of implementation
of the programs right in the place.
Morris also expressed satisfaction about the cooperation with the
Armenian government and Labor and Social Affairs Ministry. He said he
is impressed with the economic growth in Armenia and with the efforts
of the Armenian government directed towards overcoming the poverty. He
expressed readiness to continue cooperation in the coming years.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

POLITICAL ACTIVITIES HINDER BUSINESS
Lragir.am
02 Aug 06
The State Tax Agency of Armenia published the list of 1000 big
taxpayers in the first half of 2006. There are changes compared with
the first quarter of 2006, but the first troika remained the same:
Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum 13.447 billion, Armentel 8.331 billion,
Armrusgasard 5.647 billion drams.
Flash remains the fourth with 4.065 billion. Petrol Service descended
from the sixth to the seventh place. Vivacell descended from the
seventh to the eighth place. Grand Tobacco remained in the ninth place,
and in the first quarter the Atomic Power Plant of Metsamor descended
to the twelfth place and was replaced by IMT.
The loss of two A320 of Armavia owned by Mikhail Baghdasarov had an
impact on the income of another company owned by the same person.
Mika Armenia Trading was the 14th in the first quarter (655 million).
As of the first half of the current year, it is the 20th with 935
million drams or plus 280 million.
Unsuccessful political career of the former head of the Kocharyan
administration Artashes Tumanyan had a negative impact on the income
of Mets Aniv. In the first quarter of 2006 this company was the 43rd
with 185 million, in the first half of 2006 it is the 47th with 413
million drams.
The companies owned by Gagik Tsarukyan, who has recently stepped u
a politically activity, also moved. Multi Lion descended from the
80th to the 82nd place, Multi Group descended by 39 points, from the
129th to the 168th place. Ararat Cement also had a record decline,
descending from the 104th to the 175th place.
Arsoil owned by the leader of the Labor Party Gurgen Arsenyan, which
became a coalition party, was the 21st and became the 22nd. Avshar
Winery owned by Aramayis Grigoryan, who became the chair of the
Committee of Defense, Internal Affairs and National Security, descended
from the 18th to the 21st place.

ARTHUR BAGHDASARYAN HAD MEETINGS IN EUROPE
Lragir.am
02 Aug 06
We have learned that the leader of Orinats Yerkir Party has had
a series of meetings in Europe recently. During the meetings with
officials and representatives of different foundations promotion of
democracy in Armenia, free electons and freedom of the media were
discussed. In particular, the problem of A1+ was touched upon. In the
future the leader of Orinats Yerkir Party is going to visit a number
of European countries.