BIOGRAPHIES OF THE NEWLY ELECTED CHAIRMEN OF NA STANDING COMMITTEES
National Assembly of RA, Armenia
June 5 2006
Aramayis Grigoryan was born on October 6, 1965 in the village of
Avshar in the Ararat region.
In 1988 Mr. Grigoryan graduated from St. Petersburg (RF) Institute of
Light Industry From 1985-1987 he served in the Soviet Army, worked as
a quality engineer, head of workshop in Ararat Knitted-Goods Factory.
In 1988-1990 he headed the organi­zational division of the Vedi Council
of Ararat Regional Committee of the Leninist Communist Youth Union
(LCYU). In 1999-2002 he worked first as a deputy director and then
in 2002-2003 as general director of Avshar Wine Factory.
On May 25, 2003 he was elected to the NA from electoral district #
25 and from 2003 he has been a member of the NA Standing Committee on
Financial-Credit, Budgetary and Economic Affairs. He is not a member
of any faction or deputy group and he is non-partisan.
On June 2, 2006 he was elected Chairman of the NA Standing Committee
on Defence, National Security and Internal Affairs.
He is married and has three children.
Mnatskan Petrosyan was born on February 16, 1956 in the town of
Akhaltsikeh in Georgia.
He graduated from the Yerevan Institute of National Economy in 1980
with excellent marks. Economist.
In 1973-1976 he was a worker in the Yerchimshin Trust. In 1980 he
worked as an economist in the Elektrasark Industrial Complex. In
1980-1983 he was the first secretary of LCYU Committee at the Yerevan
Financial and Economic College. In 1980-1985 he gave lectures in the
Yerevan State University (YSU). In 1983-1986 he was an instructor
in the Division of the Communist Youth Organizations in the LCYU
Central Committee. In 1986 he was head of the Accounting and
Statistics Subdivision. In 1986-1989 he was the deputy head of the
Communist Youth Organizations Division. From 1989-1990 he was the
Department Administrator. In 1990-1994 he was the administrative
officer in the Armenia Youth Union. In 1994-1997 he worked as a
chief accountant in the Hayk Association. In 1997-1998 he was the
manager of Echmiatsin branch of Hayeconombank. In 1998-2000 he was
the manager at HayAgrobank, and in 2000-2002 he was deputy executive
director. In 2002-2003 he was the deputy executive director of Arsoil
Armenian Enterprise CJSC.
On December 11, 2003 he was elected to the NA from the proportional
list of the United Labor Party (ULP) and he was on the NA Standing
Committee on Social, Health Care and Environmental Protection
Affairs. He is a member of both the United Labor Party faction
and party.
On June 2, 2006 he was elected Chairman of the NA Standing Committee
on Social, Health Care and Environmental Protection Affairs.
He is married and has two children.
–Boundary_(ID_1wPnDKGfXNh/tRgO+OWpgA)- –
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

“UPBRINGING IS A PERMANENT PROCESS”
National Assembly of RA, Armenia
June 5 2006
On June 3, Vahan Hovhannisyan, NA Vice-President gave a lecture on
the theme “Individual’s Upbringing Problems” for the members of the
Students’ public unions. Speaking about the individual’s upbringing
and its peculiarities in the society, he noted that the theme is
complicated and repeatedly touched upon in the works of different
philosophers.
Vahan Hovhannisyan, NA Vice-President commented on his approaches
on a number of philosophical notions of an individual and society,
emphasizing that they are based on the ideology of ARF party. As he
ensured, the elimination of a nation is a birth of another nation:
there are no Romans, but there are Italians, Portuguese, Spanish, etc.
“The upbringing is the ability of using the knowledge morally. The man
is taught till the end of his life, i.e. the upbringing is a permanent
process, it goes on as the man exists,” Vahan Hovhannisyan noted in
his speech. It was also spoken about individual-society relationships,
religion, Christianity. Touching upon the History of Armenia, it was
noted that the history is a science-providing upbringing.
At the end of the lecture Vahan Hovhannisyan, NA Vice-President
answered the questions concerning the members of the Students’
public unions.

ROUND-TABLE MEETING IN KARABAKH
E. Babayan
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
05 June 2006
In late May the Karabakh branch of the human rights organization
Civic Action Center held a round-table meeting in Stepanakert on
the problems and prospects of development of the non-governmental
sector in Nagorno Karabakh in the framework of the initiative “South
Caucasian Integration: Alternative Start.”
>From Yerevan Georgy Vanian, the director of the Caucasian Centre
of Peace Building Efforts, and Louisa Poghossian, the coordinator
of the project “South Caucasian Integration. Alternative Start,”
participated in the round-table meeting. The first meeting of the
representatives of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia in the framework
of this initiative took place on July 19, 2005 in Yerevan. In March
2006, the second meeting took place, funded by Caritas (France). The
representatives of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Abkhazia, Nagorno
Karabakh and South Osetia took part. On July 8-13 the six recognized
and unrecognized states of this region will meet to discuss the
problems of establishment of democracy and settlement of conflicts,
humanitarian problems in conflict settlement and conciliation,
effectiveness of human rights and peacemaking NGOs, their establishment
in unrecognized states, etc. The director of the Civic Action Centre
Albert Voskanian presented a report on the non-governmental sector in
Nagorno Karabakh, prepared by CAC, Young Democrats NGO and Harmony
NGO. “Although the NKR legislation does not hinder the development
of NGOs in NKR in any way, the development of the non-governmental
sector is very slow.
107 NGOs are registered but the majority do not operate. They say the
reason is the money problem, the lack of opportunities to establish
partnership with organizations abroad. The reason why international
organizations and donors often reject cooperation with Karabakh
NGOs, including humanitarian sphere, is that the country is not
recognized. As a result, the Nagorno-Karabakh refugees do not receive
aid from international funds and organizations.
Nevertheless, certain progress is reported in the non-governmental
sector,” said Albert Voskanian. The participants of the round-table
meeting came up with proposals, namely on cooperation between the
Karabakh NGOs and the Armenian Diaspora, international assistance
to the development of democratic institutions in Nagorno Karabakh,
relations with the government. Most participants approved the draft
report. They think it reflects the state of the NKR non-governmental
sector adequately. Georgy Vanian, Caucasian Centre of Peace Building
Efforts: “It is necessary to shift from office peace building to real
peace building efforts, meet people, work at places, disseminate peace
building ideas, and be consistent. On May 5-17 the Armenian-Azerbaijani
task force of the project “South Caucasian Integration. Alternative
Start” had meetings in Georgia, South Osetia and Abkhazia, our
website was presented (which is an important factor for integration),
the topics of the July 8-13 working meeting of the six states in
Yerevan (including the representatives of South Caucasian NGOs,
and citizens of all these states) were specified. A joint document
will be adopted during these debates, which will be extended to the
societies of all the six states.” Louisa Poghossian, Coordinator
of the project South Caucasian Integration. Alternative Start:
“A tenacious approach and frankness are essential to the settlement
of problems. During the meeting in July in Yerevan we are going to
break up in groups. One of the groups, for instance, will include
representatives of Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh, and will deal
with specific issues. The parties will work out and sign a document
and assume its joint fulfillment.” Recently the Caucasian Centre of
Peace Building Efforts and the Civic Action Centre conducted a survey
among 24 Nagorno-Karabakh NGOs and 3 labor unions to find out the
problems that hinder establishment of relations with international
organizations, participation in international and regional seminars
and trainings. Particularly, as a major obstacle to partnership with
Azerbaijanis NGOs 12 pointed to financial problems, 11 emphasized the
political situation, 6 pointed to the lack of interest, 4 mentioned
the reluctance of the government and politicization of the issue,
2 point to the lack of means of communication, 1 emphasized the
unsettled conflict and 1 pointed to the atmosphere of distrust. One
NGO answered that there are no obstacles at all.
6 participants declined to answer this question. With regard to
cooperation with NGOs of other countries 13 pointed to financial
problems, 3 said the problem is that the country is not recognized,
2 said there are no means of communication, 1 pointed to the low level
of awareness. Three NGOs think there are no obstacles, 7 participants
declined to answer this question. The participants of the survey came
up with the following proposals on overcoming these problems: setting
up direct relations among NGOs 6, development of a civil society 5,
assistance from international organizations 4, elimination of distrust
4, government assistance 3, persuading Azerbaijan that direct relations
with Karabakh are vital 2, prevention of politicization of the problem
2, international conferences 2, exchange of visits 2, engagement in
regional and international projects 3, alternative sources of funding
1, solidarity of NGOs 1, creation of a website with details about
potential partners 1, regular seminars and trainings 1. By the way,
this year the government decided on funding projects of NGOs, which
will promote greatly the non-governmental sector in Karabakh.

FRONT LINE MONITORING AND ITS PURPOSE
Ïðaâî Âûaîða, Azerbaijan
Democratic Azerbaijan
June 5 2006
Elman Mamadov: “Armenians are not punished for some reason” After
announcement of the cease-fire, May 12 1994, OSCE Monitoring Group
was recruited which right from that date started holding monitoring
on front line. It does it time from time now. Monitoring Group members
acting in Azerbaijan and Armenia including representatives of Defense
Ministries of both countries partake in monitoring process.
It should be mentioned that the above monitoring is not highly
evaluated on the part of society. Moreover, not all state circles
know the purpose of the monitoring. Some observers hold that
monitoring aims at defining the way of observance of cease-fire by
both states. The matter is that security of OSCE monitoring group
members was jeopardized many times during monitoring due to violation
of cease-fire by Armenia. On the other hand, it is well known fact that
due to violation of cease-fire by Armenia, many Azerbaijani soldiers
die or have wounds. However, despite this, Armenia is not punished
and OSCE Minsk Group members, entrusted with the task of mediator in
regulation of Nagorni-Garabagh conflict, do not even mention the fact
in their reports. Moreover, some observers hold that monitoring aims
at learning position for peacemaking forces.
Member of Standing Parliamentary Commission on security and defense
issues, deputy, Elman Mamadov, touched upon this subject during
conversation with journalists. He said that outwardly the given fact
can be evaluated as positive: “The process represents some kind
of control cease-fire. Unfortunately, organization that organizes
monitoring applies no punishment towards the side that systematically
violates cease-fire. We can ask: Why do we need monitoring then? What
is the purpose of activity of Monitoring Group? I think this structure
should have more serious purposes. If it is decided to cease fire,
then the side that violates it should be punished in accordance with
OSCE definition. Otherwise, not only monitoring is doubtful but its
purposes as well. It is the very reason that Azerbaijani society does
not know the purposes of monitoring”.
Accordingly to deputy, there were many cases due to which monitoring
process was undermined: “Sometimes Armenians jeopardized lives of
persons realizing monitoring. That is why we demand to punish the
guilty side at international level. If Armenia does not respect
approved laws and rules, then why should Azerbaijan respect them? I
repeatedly said it at international level”.
At the same time E. Mamadov holds that it is worthwhile to hold
monitoring not on Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia but right
on the frontiers of both states: “Today we do not observe development
of relation on due level and we won’t be witnesses of desirable results
of this activity. Undermining of negotiation process is usual for
Armenia, they always do it. The reason is the use of no punishment
which in turn leads to unwanted actions on the part of Armenia. If
Armenians are not punished they will continue their criminal activity”.
Deputy stated that actually monitoring results should be made
public: “Materials should be summarized and then final decision of
representatives of Defense Ministries of both states should be made.
However, up to now we haven’t faced such cases. I think if Azerbaijan
violated cease-fire, we would be punished immediately. Unfortunately,
no rules do exist for Armenia”.
vis.pl?s=001&p=0055&n=001541&g=
–Bou ndary_(ID_Wb7JzMLp6omRGa0fcGytYA)–

ROMANIA SEEKS RESOLUTION TO THE NAGORNO KABARAKH CONFLICT
Today, Azerbaijan
June 5 2006
Romanian Prime Minister Traian Basescu on Sunday met with Azerbaijan’s
President Ilham Aliyev and Armenia’s President Robert Kocharian and
in an attempt to resolve their dispute over the occupied Nagorno
Kabarakh territories problem.
The three heads of state planned to have dinner together on Sunday
evening, Romania’s Mediafax news agency reported. The region has been
Armenian occupation for more than a decade.
The Azeri and Armenian presidents arrived in Bucharest ahead of the
Black Sea Forum for Dialogue and Partnership Summit, to be held in
Bucharest from June 4-6.
Basescu said he hoped the forum would create conditions for ‘an open
dialogue between the participants.’
The Romanian president and his Azeri counterpart expressed hopes
that their talks would end in a resolution of the conflict in
Nagorno-Kabarakh soon, the presidential office in Bucharest said in
a statement.
Nagorno Kabarakh is located in south-west Azerbaijan. Armenians
attacked the Azeri security forces in 1992 and then the region was
occupied by the Armenian forces. More than 1 million Azeris became
refugees. No Azeri was survived in Armenia since then. The EU and
the OSCE named Armenia ‘occupier’ in the region.

ARMENIANS PICKET RUSSIAN EMBASSY OVER KILLINGS IN MOSCOW
Mediamax news agency
5 Jun 06
Yerevan, 5 June: Several dozen people staged a protest rally called
“Stop fascism!” outside the Russian embassy in Yerevan today.
The rally participants protested at recent killings of young Armenians
in Moscow.
The Helsinki committee of Armenia and other nongovernmental
organizations initiated the rally.
“The inaction of the Russian authorities gives us grounds to assume
that fascist groupings are being patronized by certain state structures
of Russia,” Arsen Kharatyan, chairman of the for the development of
science initiative group, said at the rally.
The protest rally had not been authorized by the mayor’s office
of Yerevan.

ALIYEV MEETS WITH ROMANIAN COUNTERPART
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
June 5 2006
On June 4, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with President
of Romania Traian Basescu at the Presidential Palace in Bucharest.
During the meeting, the parties said that bilateral relations are
successfully developing in various fields. The Head of Romanian State
highly appreciated the fact that President Ilham Aliyev arrived
in Bucharest to partake in the Black Sea Forum for Dialogue and
Partnership.
The conversation between two Presidents focused on the ways of
resolution of Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
President Ilham Aliyev noted that the country did not change its
stance towards this matter and remains committed to settlement of
the conflict in line with territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
The meeting also focused on a number of issues of mutual interest.

THE OUTSIDE GAME
Boston Globe, MA
June 5 2006
PROSPERITY IS producing sloppiness in the budget process of the
Massachusetts Legislature. Both House and Senate versions of the
budget contain far too many outside sections, extraneous add-ons to
the financing plan of state government. The House-Senate conference
committee should severely limit them and produce a transparent,
fiscally realistic budget.
The Senate is the worse offender, with 439 in its budget passed last
week. Who could object to the Registry of Motor Vehicles offering Dr.
Seuss license plates to help pay for a museum to honor the author in
his native Springfield? But other outside sections would change policy
significantly, such as one that would shore up Matthew Amorello’s
authority as chief executive of the Turnpike Authority.
The Legislature was supposed to have settled that issue when it
strengthened Governor Mitt Romney’s powers over the turnpike board
in 2004. If lawmakers want to revisit it now, they should do so in
separate legislation.
House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi was proud last year that, at House
insistence, only 34 outside sections were included in the final
budget. But in April the House stuffed the economic stimulus and
supplemental appropriations bills, left over from last year, into
this year’s budget, making a total of 237 outside sections. The Senate
followed suit.
The stimulus bill and the supplemental are stalled because of
disagreement between the two branches. Including them in the
budget is supposed to force the conference committee to resolve the
differences. As it is, the Senate and House have enough disagreements
on core budget issues, such as local aid and healthcare, to keep the
committee busy for the next few weeks, and the budget is supposed to
be passed and signed by the governor before the start of the fiscal
year July 1.
The outside sections constitute a political wish list. The Senate
would revamp the school aid formula, provide incentives for the use
of hybrid vehicles, regulate the state treasurer’s ability to deposit
money in a single bank, discourage construction of an Armenian genocide
memorial on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, and offer a liquor license to
Isabella’s restaurant in Dedham. Some might constitute sound policy,
but all would benefit from separate consideration.
Some involve the expenditure of millions of dollars. Maybe it’s
important that Quincy get $12.1 million to convert its hospital to
a private, nonprofit facility or that payments to nursing homes be
enhanced, as the Senate proposes. But why tack these onto the tail end
of the budget? It’s a device to encourage legislators to throw money
at their favorite projects. To improve policymaking and discourage
overspending, outside sections are a temptation best avoided on
Beacon Hill.

OLYMPIAD R14: ARMENIA AND UKRAINE TAKE GOLD
Chessbase News, Germany
June 5 2006
05.06.2006 The 37th Chess Olympiad in Turin ended on Sunday. Rapid
draws by the Armenian men’s team and the Ukraine women assured both
teams, which were leading by 2.5 and 2.0 points, of Olympic Gold.
China took Silver in the men’s section and USA Bronze. The Russian
women took Silver and the Chinese team won Bronze. Report, games and
final standings.
The Olympiad is over, the prize giving has been executed, the communial
dinner taken and, as we write these lines, the farewell party is under
way. We bring you the results and games, with a few commemorative
pictures. Full illustrated reports will follow, after the ChessBase
team has returned from Turin to Hamburg, Germany.
Turin 2006: After round thirteen (final) The Armenians, going into the
final round 2.5 ahead of the field, had agreed a quick draw against
the Hungarians. This secured them Gold less than an hour after the
start of round 13. China beat the Netherlands 2.5:1.5 to take Silver,
two points behind the winners.
The US team demolished Norway 3.5:0.5, while Israel beat a lackluster
Russian team 3:1. Both USA and Israel had 33.0 points, but the
Americans took Bronze on tiebreak scores.
For complete scoreboard and photos click
id=3159 .

WORLD BANK TO FUND AVIAN FLU PROJECT IN ARMENIA
Mediamax news agency
5 Jun 06
Yerevan, 5 June: The World Bank will allocate a credit to the tune
of 6.26m dollars for preventive measures against avian flu in Armenia.
The Japanese government will allocate a grant to the tune of 804,000
dollars to Armenia within the framework of the project, the director
of the World Bank’s representative office in Yerevan, Roger Robinson,
said in Yerevan on 5 June.
The programme consists of several components: human health, animal
health, compensation to farmers and public awareness. The compensation
fund will total about 750,000 dollars.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress