A FALSE ALARM
A1+
[02:14 pm] 12 September, 2006
On September 11 the regional police station of Shirak marz got a
signal informing them of the existence of a bomb located at school
37 in Gyumri.
On arriving at the scene the workers of the Shirak rescuers’ board
and Gyumri police station immediately evacuated the school and its
surrounding. They chained the whole territory so that nobody but the
experts could step into the area. The experts of the Russian base 100
were invited for mine clearing but no bomb was found in the territory.
The alarm was aroused via a mobile phone.
TV Company “Tsayg”, Gyumri.

“ARMENIAN ARINER” DON’T APPROVE OF THE US NEW AMBASSADOR
A1+
[03:53 pm] 12 September, 2006
The youth organization “Spirit Guards” of Armenian Ariner Order is
against Richard Hogland’s assignment on the post of the US Ambassador
to Armenia.
“The representatives of the youth of Armenia, who are faithful to
their traditional beliefs and customs, consider the appointment of the
homosexual ambassador to Armenia inadmissible and nasty from the moral
point of view. Besides, Richard Hogland has preconceived and biased
opinion about Armenians,” says Edgar Helhelyan, chairman of the board.
The representatives of the organization were indignant at the decision
of calling former US ambassador to Armenia John Evans back. They think
the official Washington has showed its negative attitude towards
Armenia and Armenians spread all over the world. This attitude is
determined by the fact that Americans have common interests with
Turkey on economic, military and political issues. Edgar Helhelyan
claims that John Evans was one of the unique officials in the USA who
could openly divulge the truth and name the mass murders of 1886 –
1923 committed by the Turkish government genocide.”
By the way, the youth organization “Spirit Guards” released a statement
in this connection. They are going to send it to the Armenian and
American authorities. If this act of complaint doesn’t work they are
going to organize rallies on the day of Hogland’s arrival in Armenia.

“NO COUNTRY HAS THE RIGHT TO RESTRICT IRAN’S RIGHTS”
A1+
[04:35 pm] 12 September, 2006
Tigran Torosyan, RA NA Speaker, met with Iran’s parliamentary Speaker
Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel who arrived in Armenia on two-day official
visit.
The two sides focused on the intensification of bilateral relations,
promotion of parliamentary cooperation in the press conference. Iran’s
parliamentary Speaker claims the parliamentary cooperation between
the two countries is not on the relevant level.
“All countries have equal rights, regardless of their power at
that moment. No country or state has the right to use its power and
restrict the rights of other countries,” declared Tigran Torosyan while
answering the question of an Iranian journalist on Iran’s chances
to use nuclear power for peaceful purpose. He voiced hope that the
questions concerning the Iranian nuclear reserves will be solved
during the negotiation procedure and the interests of our neighbours
will not be neglected.
While speaking of the Armenian genocide Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel avoided
uttering the word “genocide” but he said that before the revolution
the Armenians living in Iran were deprived of the right of organizing
marches and showing their respect and sympathy towards the victims
of April 24 whereas today there have such a right.
While speaking of the energetic plans, Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel noted
that both Iran and Armenia follow the construction of the first gas
pipeline and consider the possibilities of the second one. At present,
the most important thing is to provide Armenia with gas. Then they
may consider the possibilities of exporting gas to other countries
as well. He also mentioned that they have made arrangements with
the Armenian side on oil issue but he didn’t go into details. Both
gas and oil will contribute to the enlargement of goods circulation
which is over 200 million USD today.
Tigran Torosyan attached great importance to Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel’s
visit underlying its significance for the two sides. Mr. Torosyan
also added that regardless of the religious differences in the two
countries, Iran and Armenia are in close friendly relations which is
an outcome of mutual respect.
Gholam Ali Haddad-Adel said that the Armenians of Iran are actively
engaged in social and political life of their country and they have
two deputies in the Iranian parliament.

OSCE OffICE IS CONCERNED OVER CASES OF VIOLENCE AGAINST JOURNALISTS
A1+
[04:40 pm] 12 September, 2006
YEREVAN, 12 September 2006 – The OSCE Office in Yerevan issued the
following statement today:
“The OSCE Office in Yerevan is deeply concerned over recent incidents
of violence and intimidation against local journalists which have
obstructed their professional duties and infringed upon the freedom
of expression.
According to reports, on 6 September, the Editor-in-Chief of Iravunk
newspaper, Hovhannes Galajyan, was attacked and beaten by unknown
men outside his Yerevan home. On 12 July, freelance journalist Gagik
Shamshian, who works for Chorrord Ishkhanutiun and Aravot newspapers,
was threatened and abused.
The Office considers it extremely important for these cases to be
properly investigated and calls for the perpetrators to be punished
in full accordance with the law. Law-enforcement bodies are urged to
undertake prompt measures to ensure the safety of media professionals
in order to promote freedom of expression in the country.
The Office welcomes the statements by the Human Rights Defender
(Ombudsman), the President’s Press Secretary and civil society
organizations, who condemned these acts of violence against
journalists.
The OSCE Office in Yerevan will be closely following developments
related to these cases.”

NEWLY BUILT NORTHERN ELITE AVENUE ON FIRE
Panorama.am
12:15 12/09/06
Yesterday night fire started at Northern Avenue, a newly built elite
community in downtown Yerevan. Later reports said only a semi-built
building was on fire and not the whole street. Several municipality
employees rushed to the place of incident in the middle of the
night. Some citizens said, “This is the damnation of the robbed
residents. It is not possible to build a house on damnation…”
Rescue services report they received the fire alarm at about 9:42
p.m. A fire brigade set off to the place of the incident at 9:50
p.m. At about 23.16 p.m. the firemen could completely eliminate
the fire.
Considerable damage has been caused to the building.
Reminder: The construction of the Northern Avenue started in the
year 2001. More than $200 million was expected to be invested in
this elite community. The investors are either Russian companies or
wealthy Armenian community living in Russia.

NEWLY ELECTED SUPREME BODY OF ARF ARMENIA ORGANIZATION HOLDS NEWS CONFERENCE
Yerkir
12.09.2006 16:13
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Armenian Revolutionary Federation Supreme Body
of Armenia representative Armen Rustamian, National Assembly’s ARF
faction leader Hrayr Karapetian and faction member Spartak Seyranian
spoke Tuesday at a news conference held to present the resolutions
of the Supreme Congress.
More than 100 delegates of the congress discussed the report of the
ARF Supreme Body of Armenia on its activities in the past two years
(2004-2006).
Issues related to socio-economic, internal political and foreign
situations as well as national issues and the parliamentary election
due in 2007 were also discussed. The congress also elected the ARF
Supreme Body of Armenia, which on September 11 elected Armen Rustamian
the SB representative.
Armen Rustamian presented the main resolutions of the congress.
The number of the ARF Supreme Body of Armenia members has been
increased to 21 from 9. Rustamian explained that there is more work
to do. Cabinet ministers representing the ARF as well as more young
people and women have been elected to the Supreme Body.
Rustamian said the congress has concluded that the participation
of the ARF in the coalition government “was justified in order to
maintain the national political course, to boost the democratization
process and resolve socio-economic issues.”
“But our struggle has not yielded desirable results in several
field, including fighting corruption despite Armenia’s joining an
international anti-corruption organization and adoption of several
anti-corruption laws,” Rustamian said.
Speaking of the upcoming elections, Rustamian mentioned that conducting
free and fair elections is the key to overcome the challenges the
country faces.
“The ARF will widely collaborate with political forces in the
National Assembly election but will not participate in election
alliances,” Rustamian pointed out. He added that the party will hold
an extraordinary congress to elect candidates who would run for the
National Assembly under the proportional system. The congress to
be held next year will also nominate a presidential candidate to
represent the party in the next presidential election, Rustamian said.
National Assembly’s ARF faction leader Hrayr Karapetian, in turn,
spoke of the ARF faction’s future activities at the National Assembly.
“The first task of our faction will be to adopt laws stemming from
the constitutional amendments,” Karapetian said. “Those include the
Law on Dual Citizenship that the ARF deems crucial, as well as the
law on independent national audit chamber that would be critical in
fighting corruption.”
The party will also pursue adoption of several other laws, such as
laws bodyguards, consumer basket, and private investigation.

DASHNAKTSUTIUN STANDS READY TO USE ITS ENTIRE POTENTIAL
Editorial
Yerkir.am
September 08, 2006
It is not a secret that only elections based on international standards
can ensure the foundation of election traditions.
But there also is another truth: elections only unearth the
situation that exists before the elections. So, the stronger the
democratic traditions, the better chances for the people to form its
government. Therefore, holding elections without providing people
with proper democratic tools and mechanisms would not yield desirable
outcome. Unfortunately, during all the previous elections, the tools
and mechanisms were not sufficient, and those elections were harshly
criticized both inside the country and abroad.
The Dashnaktsutiun, concerned with these realities, has offered
initiatives that include reduction of influence of non-political forces
on political processes, improvement of the Election Code, cooperation
in election commissions, ensuring the normal election process, and
most importantly, setting up a joint mechanism of registering election
fraud. We continue to believe that forces interested in the future of
the country, regardless of the camp they are, should put aside their
partisan and factional interests and doubts and unite for this goal.
Even now, we are sure that those initiatives are crucial and can
be applied.
We again are making this specific suggestion to all political parties
preparing for the elections, and this time hope to get wider support.
The upcoming elections are unprecedented. The National Assembly
will acquire a serious role in the government under the amended
constitution, and the parliamentary and presidential elections have
never been so interrelated and have never borne such significance
for the country’s future. Therefore, holding free and fair elections
is the only safe means for overcoming this period without losses
and turmoil. Undoubtedly, the picture of the newly elected National
Assembly is to determine future developments.
The outcome of the presidential election, in turn, depends on the
results of the parliamentary election and whether it is held in
accordance with international standards.
This way or another, the government formed in the upcoming election
will have to carry out fundamental reforms aimed at furthering
democracy, settling the Karabakh conflict in Armenia’s favor,
neutralizing internal and external security threats.
The Dashnaktsutiun stands ready to add its entire potential to that
of the healthy forces of this country in order to overcome this
twenty-year period successfully and without losses.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FRANCE:”ARMENIA MY FRIEND”
Sept 21, 2006 – July 14, 2007
by Jean Eckian
Paris september 13, 2006
Yesterday, September 12, Philippe Douste Blazy, french Foreign
Minister and Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, Minister to the Culture
and Communication, launched officially the “Year of Armenia” to
the course of press conference in the presence of their armenian
counterparts Hasmik Poghosyan, Minister to the Culture and the Youth
and Vartan Oskanian, Foreign Minister of Armenia. ” Armenia is close
and faraway, familiar and unknown. This is why this event constituted
a true challenge ” R. Donnedieu de Vabres said. Opportunity to recall
the intimate and old bonds linking France to Armenia and its people,
and also opportunity to make discover with French people the richness
of the Armenian culture and its 3000 years of History. Thus, more
than 500 artistic events and development of the Armenian heritage
will commemorate the friendship France – Armenia between September
21, 2006 (birthday of the Republic of Armenia) and July 14, 2007
(national day in France since the Revolution of 1789). Important
times of this exemplary testimony of friendship between the two
countries will be marked, september 29 by the visit of the french
President Jacques Chirac to Yerevan (1), with the inauguration of
the “Place of France” and the big Concert of Charles Aznavour, place
of the Republic, accompanied by its guests, of which the singer of
Quebec Linda Demay and the french singer star Patricia Kaas. Lastly,
to conclude this year to the festivities, the operation “Thousand
Ambassadors for Armenia”, 1000 children from Armenia will be invited
in France to learn the language of Moliere (french), thus giving to
its true direction to “Armenia my Friend”. France invested a budget
of 1,5 million Euros in this event to which are added the financial
participation of many Armenian associations of France.
–Boundary_(ID_ywd1U0R6PInGmpZ3Sz0APw)–

IRANIAN SPEAKER DID NOT USE WORD “GENOCIDE”
PanARMENIAN.Net
12.09.2006 15:36 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Iranian government and people always respect
the memory of people, who died for the sake of the fatherland,
honor and dignity of their nation, Iranian Mejlis Chair Gholam-Ali
Haddad-Adel stated at a news conference in Yerevan. In his words,
after the revolution of 1979 the Armenian community of Iran got an
opportunity to openly mark April 24, thus commemorating the victims
of the events in 1915. As of the Iranian Parliament recognizing the
Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey, Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel merely
remarked that there a proposals like that in the Parliament.
The IRI Mejlis Chair did not use the word “genocide.”
He spoke of “the events of 1915.”

ARMENIANS TO CONTEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS IN SOUTHERN GEORGIA
Armenpress
Sept 12 2006
AKHALKALAKI, SEPTEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS: The deadline for registration
of parties wishing to contest upcoming local government elections
in Georgia’s mostly Armenian-populated Akhalkalaki region ended on
September 11.
Javakhk-Info news agency said the ruling National Movement and
Georgy-Topadze-Industrialists parties were registered in Akhalkalaki,
while in Ninotsminda, also populated by Armenians, only the ruling
party was registered.
The agency said all registered parties’ slates have only Armenian
names.