RA FOREIGN MINISTER TO PAY TWO-DAYS VISIT TO NAGORNO KARABAKH

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 27 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 27, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian will pay on April 27 a two-days visit to the Republic
of Nagorno Karabakh for regular consultations. RA Foreign Minister’s
meetings with the NKR President, heads of the Parliament and Government
as well as with the Foreign Minister are envisaged in Stepanakert. As
Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, Vartan Oskanian will make a speech in the
Stepanakert University as well.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARAM KARAPETYAN WOULD RATHER SEND ALPHA IN ANOTHER DIRECTION

Lragir.am
27 April 06

On April 27 Aram Karapetyan, the leader of the Nor Zhamanakner Party
(New Times), told news reporters at the Pastark Club about the recent
incident and the developments that followed. Twelve armed and masked
soldiers of the Alpha Detachment of the National Security Service
raided the car of Aram Karapetyan and the car of his bodyguards,
searching for illegal weapon, at midday. Whereas, the license for
the gas guns of Aram Karapetyan and his bodyguards has been signed
by the deputy chief of the Police of Armenia Hovanes Varyan.

At the Pastark Club Aram Karapetyan repeated his assessments. “I
would rather enquire how much weapon the prime minister gave, and how
many people were killed with these guns. Or how many times a drunk
government official shot at the ceiling of a café, and I would rather
send Alpha in that direction,” announced Aram Karapetyan.

Aram Karapetyan thinks that Alpha’s operation lacked professionalism,
“it means everything is very bad,” however, he declines to give more
details. Aram Karapetyan says the force agencies wanted to televise the
operation, however, they changed their mind when Alexan Harutiunyan,
the president of Public TV Channel, said each episode of the video
would guarantee additional 1000 votes for Aram Karapetyan.

–Boundary_(ID_WMfchKJkvzCC0ciABNBJyw )–

20 ARMENIAN POLITICAL PARTIES TO FOLLOW PROVISIONS OF PLAN “LET’S WIN TOGETHER WITH WOMEN”

Noyan Tapan
Apr 27 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 27, NOYAN TAPAN. 20 Armenian parties have expressed
readiness to follow the provisions of the plan “Let’s Win Together
with Women”. Last year the Institute of National Democracy announced a
general actions plan “let’s Win Together with Women” aimed at involving
women in politics. The goal of the plan is to increase the women’s
number on the ruling positions and to encourage their participation
in the electoral processes. According to the report provided to Noyan
Tapan, the Institute of National Democracy has founded the “Woman
Leader” forum, in which women representing NGOs, political parties,
governmental and business spheres are included.

ARMENIANS ASSASINATED IN RUSSIA

Lragir.am
27 April 06

Armenia must be neutral in the U.S.-Iran conflict and temporize, and
the best way of temporizing is change of power, believes the leader
of the Nor Zhamanakner Party (New Times).

According to him, the question of accepting or rejecting deployment
of American peacemakers in the liberated territories cannot have an
answer that would favor us: if we accepted it, we would have problems
with Iran, if not, with the United States. If we had problems with
Iran, at least 150 thousand refugees would come to Armenia, Iran
would station forces in the liberated territories, preventing the
United States, and considering the position of Nakhidjevan and Turkey,
it would be difficult to prevent an attack on Maghri, forecasts Aram
Karapetyan. He believes that the special services of Iran have worked
hard enough to be able to provoke instability in the countries of
the South Caucasus. This somber picture will not become reality if
Armenia remains neutral.

Russia will not be neutral. Aram Karapetyan thinks Armenia can enter
a confederation with Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan.

However, this does not suggest breaking relations with the United
States. Aram Karapetyan assures that he has never met a serious
politician or analyst who would suggest breaking relations with the
United States and neglecting the 1.5 million Diasporan Armenians in
the United States. Similarly, the Armenian community of Russia cannot
be neglected.

For the nationalist tensions in Russia, Aram Karapetyan says the
assassination of the Armenian young man in Russia was intended; they
killed a native of Karabakh. “Russian-Georgian relations are bad,
but in Russia they do not assassinate Georgians.” According to Aram
Karapetyan, the actions of nationalists in Russia are coordinated,
and they push Armenians because “there is no trust in the Armenian
leadership.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ONLY CANDIDATE FOR GORIS MAYOR’S POST IS CURRENT MAYOR

Noyan Tapan
Apr 27 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 27, NOYAN TAPAN. The only candidate nominated for the
Mayor’s elections to be held on May 21 in Goris is current Goris Mayor,
member of the Republican Party of Armenia Nelson Voskanian. Noyan Tapan
correspondent was informed about it by Spokesperson of RA Central
Electoral Commission Tsovinar Khachatrian. The issue of candidate’s
registration will be discussed at the sitting of district electoral
commission N 37 to be convened on April 30.

TURKEY CONDEMNS CANADIAN PM’S REMARKS ON 1915 INCIDENTS

The New Anatolian
Turkish Press
April 26 2006

Press Review

Turkish Foreign Ministry officials are protesting the Canadian
government over Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s remarks last week
describing the events of 1915 as an “Armenian genocide.” Turkish
diplomats described Harper’s remarks as grossly prejudiced, since
the allegations have not been proven by unbiased historical studies.

According to ministry officials, such remarks do not contribute to
a dialogue between Turkey and Armenia, and have a negative impact on
Turkish-Canadian relations. In related news, in his annual message to
mark the tragic events of 1915, US President George W. Bush on Monday
called on Turks and Armenians to forge a dialogue in order to normalize
their relations. As expected, resisting Armenian pressure in his annual
speech to mark April 24, the date claimed as a commemoration of the
genocide claims, he didn’t use the term “genocide,” and said, “Today
we’re remembering one of the horrible tragedies of the 20th century.”

AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT VISITS WASHINGTON
Shahin Abbasov and Khadija Ismailova

EurasiaNet, NY
April 26 2006

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev began a three-day visit to
Washington on April 26 that could help determine whether the Bush
Administration pursues a military option against Iran as part of its
ongoing effort to thwart Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

The key talks of the hastily arranged trip will come on April 28,
when Aliyev is scheduled to meet with US President George W. Bush.

Aliyev has long sought a photo-op with Bush out of the apparent belief
that the US presidential imprimatur of approval would greatly enhance
the Azerbaijani leader’s legitimacy. Aliyev’s election win in 2003
was marred by widespread irregularities and police repression against
demonstrators. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. US
officials had resisted inviting Aliyev to a White House, feeling
that an Oval Office meeting would be perceived internationally
as undermining the Bush Administration’s global democratization
mission. The administration’s ardor for pressing an international
democratic agenda has cooled perceptibly in recent months, as its
concern over Iran’s nuclear program has risen. [For background see
the Eurasia Insight archive].

Apparently aiming to burnish his image, Aliyev on April 26 met with
representatives of prominent non-governmental organizations that
promote civil society, including Freedom House, Human Rights Watch and
the Open Society Institute. [EurasiaNet operates under the auspices
of the Open Society Institute].

Aliyev’s discussions with various US officials are expected to focus
on geopolitical issues in the Caucasus, including the response to
Iran’s nuclear program, breaking the stalemate in Nagorno-Karabakh
peace talks and Caspian Basin energy-related issues.

US officials are believed to be most interested in discussing Iran,
Azerbaijan’s southern neighbor. Since the announcement earlier this
month that Aliyev would be traveling to Washington, Baku has buzzed
with speculation that the Bush administration wanted to enlist Aliyev’s
support for a blitz against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

Such plans were reported by the American weekly magazine The New
Yorker. However, US officials have denied the magazine report.

Nevertheless, Bush on April 18 emphasized that “all options remain
on the table,” including the potential use of force, as Washington
ponders ways to contain Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

All indicators show that securing Azerbaijan’s participation in any
offensive military operations against Iran will be an extremely tough
sell for Washington. Azerbaijani officials have shown no interest
in confronting Iran. On April 20, Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir
Taghizadeh indicated that Azerbaijan remains interested in balancing
its relations with both Iran and the United States. “In general
Baku’s position remains unchanged in two directions: Every country
has right to develop a nuclear program with peaceful goals, and our
region is vulnerable enough due to existing conflicts [to preclude]
adding a new source of tension,” Taghizadeh said.

Azerbaijani public opinion is also solidly opposed to a potential
conflict with Iran. Local newspapers and broadcast media have carried
reports in recent weeks critical of Bush’s confrontational approach,
and have urged the government to refrain from granting basing rights
to US forces, or providing any other form of assistance that would
facilitate an attack against Iran. In urging Baku’s neutrality in the
standoff, the reports have expressed alarm over a possible flood of
Iranian refugees into Azerbaijan, or retaliatory strikes by Tehran
against Azerbaijani targets.

Iranian officials have done nothing to discourage speculation
in Azerbaijan about military retaliation. Azerbaijani media have
given prominent play to recent comments made by Iranian National
Security Council chief Ali LAlijani, who said that an attack against
Azerbaijan’s economic lifeline, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline,
could not be excluded in the event hostilities between the United
States and Iran.

Aliyev moved quickly to quash expectations that Azerbaijani officials
could be persuaded to change their minds, telling members of the
Council on Foreign Relations during a closed-door meeting April 26 that
Baku would not be a participant in “any kind” of military operation
against Tehran. Although Aliyev appears committed to sitting out any
possible military clash between the United States and Iran, he may
be playing a diplomatic role aimed at heading off a conflict.

On April 19, Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar visited
Baku ostensibly for talks on mutual security issues. However, some
political analysts in Baku believe that Najjar passed an Iranian
message for Washington to Azerbaijani officials. Najjar helped fuel
such conjecture by saying Azerbaijan can act as a mediator in the
US-Iranian dispute. “Azerbaijan is our closest neighbor and … Ilham
Aliyev can convince the United States to understand Iran’s position
properly,” Najjar said.

Other observers say Najjar’s visit was designed to remind Baku of the
high risks it would take if it opted to join an American coalition
against Iran. Uzeyir Jafarov, a Baku-based military expert, said
Najjar probably delivered a blunt message that Azerbaijan could not
expect to escape unscathed if Iran was attacked. “The Iranian minister
likely reminded Ilham Aliyev that in case of [Baku’s] participation
in any action against Iran, Azerbaijan would be the first to suffer,”
Jafarov said.

Hikmet Hajizade, the political analyst and vice-president of
FAR-center, a Baku-based NGO, suggested that the consequences could
be devastating for Azerbaijan. “Even pre-attack tension will impact
our interests. … If military action takes place, Azerbaijan could
experience retaliatory strikes against the BTC pipeline. Besides,
one day we could find Iranians naval vessels along the Azerbaijani
coast.” At the same time, Hajizade indicated that the worst possible
geopolitical scenario in the Caucasus for Azerbaijan could involve
a nuclear-armed Iran. “Azerbaijan’s interests [might] suffer more if
Iran develops its nuclear weapon,” he said.

If Aliyev is indeed acting as a messenger, there would seem to
be an opportunity in the near future for the Azerbaijani leader
to pass along any back-channel communication conveyed by the Bush
Administration. Iranian President Mahmmoud Ahmadinejad is planning to
visit Baku on May 4 to attend a summit of the Organization of Economic
Cooperation. Jafarov said that President Aliyev could update the
Iranian leader on any US proposals, counter-proposals or ultimatums
at that time.

A few opposition politicians and political experts in Baku have
suggested that Aliyev explore the possibility of a quid pro quo
involving Azerbaijani support for a US attack against Iran in exchange
for Washington’s unequivocal support for Baku on the Nagorno-Karabakh
question. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

Currently, the United States is a member of the OSCE Minsk Group that
is acting as the chief mediator between Azerbaijan and Armenia. [For
background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. Some recent statements by
Azerbaijani officials have prompted speculation of a possible linking
of Iran and Karabakh. On April 22, for example, Deputy Foreign Minister
Araz Azimov caused a sensation when he suggested that some Azerbaijani
regions currently under Armenian occupation could become embroiled
in a possible US-Iranian conflict, the Turan news agency reported.

Hajizade and other experts downplay such a connection. “The Karabakh
conflict is not just about United States’ will and the question is:
will the Washington able to push on Russia, which in its turn would
push Armenia to give up [some] of its claims. So far I do not see any
opportunity for US-Russia agreement on the issue,” Hikmet Hajizade
said.

Vardan Oskanian, the Armenian foreign minister, dismissed the
possibility of a US-Azerbaijani quid pro quo involving Karabakh. “It
is not a way that the United States operates. And such a deal would
not end with any positive result,” Oskanian said on April 19.

Editor’s Note: Khadija Ismayilova and Shain Abbasov are freelance
journalists based in Baku.

A LYON, LE MEMORIAL DU GENOCIDE ARMENIEN INAUGURE DANS LE CALME
Yves Bordenave Article paru dans l’edition du 26.04.06

Le Monde, France
25 Avril 2006

Jules Mardirossian peut se rejouir. Cet homme, ne il y a 68 ans
a Lyon, president de l’association pour le memorial lyonnais du
genocide des Armeniens, a reussi son pari : depuis lundi 24 avril,
pour le 91e anniversaire du genocide perpetre par les Turcs entre
1915 et 1918, un memorial se dresse en plein coeur de Lyon, sur la
place Antonin-Poncet. Trente-six stèles, feuilles de pierres blanches,
emergent du bitume. S’elevant a 3,46 mètres du sol, l’oeuvre concue par
l’architecte Leonardo Basmadyian interpelle le regard des passants
afin qu’ils se souviennent “du genocide armenien et de tous les
autres genocides”.

Lundi en fin d’après-midi, environ deux mille personnes ont assiste a
la ceremonie d’inauguration. Elle s’est deroulee dans le calme et le
recueillement, en presence du maire de Lyon, Gerard Collomb, des elus
de l’agglomeration et de Dominique Perben, ministre des transports,
et candidat declare aux municipales de 2008 a Lyon, qui representait
le president de la Republique. Un important service de securite avait
ete deploye par la prefecture du Rhône qui redoutait des incidents.

Dans cette ville qui compte environ 40 000 personnes d’origine
armenienne et autant d’origine turque, la decision unanime, votee en
2004 au conseil municipal, d’edifier un lieu dedie a la memoire du
genocide armenien, a suscite de nombreuses reactions. Selon Jean-Yves
Secheresse, l’elu (PS) charge du dossier, des lettres d’indignation –
parfois d’insultes – et des petitions emanant le plus souvent, de la
communaute turque ont afflue a la mairie. Quatre recours en refere
ont ete deposes devant le tribunal administratif par une association
de riverains et une elue UMP qui voulaient conserver cette place
en l’etat.

Plus recemment, l’edification du monument a provoque des protestations
virulentes, et des manifestations, parfois violentes.

Les dernières datent du 17 avril : “Il n’y a pas eu de genocide”
proclamaient des inscriptions taguees sur le site.

Un mois auparavant, le 18 mars, une manifestation a l’appel de
plusieurs associations franco-turques, rassemblant des jeunes
Turcs venus de l’agglomeration lyonnaise et des regions voisines,
brandissant des pancartes negationnistes et faisant le signe des
Loups-Gris (mouvement turc d’extreme droite), avait degenere (Le
Monde du 21 mars). “On savait que ce memorial allait entraîner des
mouvements de rejet, mais pas a ce point-la”, deplore M.

Mardirossian, qui soupconne le consulat de Turquie a Lyon d’avoir
fomente ces debordements.

Le consulat rejette ces accusations, mais ne dissimule pas son
hostilite. “Nous sommes contre le memorial, car il n’y a pas eu de
genocide, plaide Derya Tutumel, de l’ambassade de Turquie en France.

Des deux côtes, les populations ont souffert des evenements tragiques
de cette epoque.” Et d’interroger : “A quoi sert ce genre de
monument, sinon a encourager la haine ?” Au cours des derniers mois,
le consul general de Turquie a Lyon, Ozer Aydan, s’est adresse a deux
reprises par courrier a M. Collomb pour le convaincre de surseoir a
la realisation du memorial. Ces requetes sont restees sans effet.

–Boundary_(ID_HSpqV6sZEbLrpTN2mQc6mw)–

SEX, LIES AND AN UNUSUAL TAKE: EGOYAN SUSPECTS THE FURORE OVER HIS FILM IS DUE TO THE WAY THE SEX SCENES WERE SHOT
Ong Sor Fern , Film Correspondent

The Straits Times (Singapore)
April 26, 2006 Wednesday

EVER since his new film debuted at the Cannes Film Festival last May,
arthouse director Atom Egoyan has been talking about sex.

Over the telephone from his office in Toronto, the amiable 46-year-old
Canadian reveals a lively sense of mischief when he talks about
shooting explicit sex scenes.

‘It’s very liberating. I have fun and just enjoy it. Especially
knowing your characters are going to be punished for it and not you,’
the Egypt-born, Canada-raised Armenian chuckles uproariously.

Where The Truth Lies, which opened here last Thursday, is the most
mainstream offering from the director better known for boutique
arthouse fare like Exotica (1994) and the Oscar-nominated The Sweet
Hereafter (1997).

It tells of a journalist (Alison Lohman) who is determined to ferret
out the story behind the break-up of celebrated comedy act Vince
Collins (Colin Firth) and Lanny Morris (Kevin Bacon).

The truth involves a lot of torrid sex, including a three-way between
Firth, Bacon and actress Rachel Blanchard and a steamy lesbian scene
for Lohman.

In the United States, the censors slapped the movie with an NC17
rating instead of the Restricted rating the distributor was hoping for.

NC17 bars those under 17 from entry and is often associated with
pornographic films while an R rating allows minors entry if accompanied
by adults.

In the end, the film was released unrated in its original edit in the
US. In Singapore, the film has been passed uncut with an R21 rating.

The director says he is still bemused over the furore.

‘I’ll never know exactly why we fell afoul of them. My suspicion is
that they are not used to seeing actors of this renown in scenes that
are so exposed and shot in a high Hollywood studio style.

‘We’ve come to expect sex scenes to be shot in a very gritty way.

That may be the shock of the scenes.’

For the director, the sex was only part of the story he was trying
to tell in this adaptation of Rupert Holmes’ novel of the same name.

What intrigued him about the book was its insider’s perspective on
the cult of celebrity. Holmes is also a pop star best known for his
1979 novelty hit Escape (The Pina Colada Song).

Egoyan, who is married to actress Arsinee Khanjian, says: ‘What’s
interesting to me is not that we need celebrities, but what is the
toll on these human beings that we put into this position?

‘Are they capable of withstanding these pressures, especially when
they are the subject of so much projection, the contrast between the
very, very public and the very, very private in their lives.’

In his script adaptation, he chose to expand on the character of the
young journalist in order to explore this theme.

The director, who has also written original scripts, has made two
other book adaptations, The Sweet Hereafter (1997) and Felicia’s
Journey (1999).

Asked whether he prefers creating stories or adapting someone else’s
work, there is a thoughtful pause before he launches into a lengthy,
reasoned response.

‘Writing your own script, you are faced with a lot of moments of
crises. You always have to justify why the story needs to be told.

When you are adapting, its right has already been ascertained by
another artist.’

He adds a heartfelt confession: ‘I feel much more vulnerable when
I’m writing my own scripts.’

Besides less worry over the story, this film offered him a chance to
make old-school Hollywood glamour.

The detail-oriented director confesses that he was obsessed with things
like diffusion and colour lenses in order to achieve the right look
for the film.

‘Much of this film is told from the point of view of Lanny. Certainly
if he was hiring a director, he wouldn’t hire Atom Egoyan. He would
hire Stanley Donen or Vincente Minnelli,’ he laughs self-deprecatingly,
naming two directors who shaped the legendary MGM musicals of the
1950s.

But with this sleek film, he proves Lanny wrong.

Where The Truth Lies is showing in cinemas.

[email protected]

‘My suspicion is that they are not used to seeing actors of this
renown in scenes that are so exposed and shot in a high Hollywood
studio style’.

ALIYEV’S VISIT IN US MEDIA SPOTLIGHT

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
April 26 2006

Baku, April 25, AssA-Irada
President Ilham Aliyev started his first official visit to the United
States on Tuesday.

Aliyev will hold a meeting at the Council on Foreign Relations on
Wednesday. On the following day, the president will open the sixth
business and investment conference of the US-Azeri Chamber of Commerce,
a source from the US embassy in Washington has said. The event will
be joined by high-ranking officials of the Azerbaijani government
and senior US politicians and analysts.

On Friday, President Aliyev will meet US counterpart George Bush
at the White House. Meetings have also been scheduled with US Vice
President Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

The White House press service has said the two presidents will
discuss regional security, energy cooperation and democratic
development. Documents pertaining to economic and political cooperation
between the two countries will be signed during the visit.

The visit is in US media spotlight because Washington sees Azerbaijan
as its key regional ally and reliable partner. Observers believe that
the visit is an indication of the ever-strengthening cooperation
between Baku and Washington. Some maintain that the visit should
be looked upon from the angle of US-Iranian stand-off over Tehran’s
nuclear program.

An article in the Washington Post on Tuesday said President Aliyev had
succeeded in getting everything he wanted from the Bush administration,
as the US is now considering providing Azerbaijan with some sort
of assistance.

The Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh will
also be high on the visit agenda. Washington wants to see Azerbaijan
a prospering and democratically developing country. The visit is
also taking place at a time when crude price in world markets is on
the rise.

The United States, which cooperates with oil-rich Azerbaijan, supports
the multi-billion dollar Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan main export pipeline to
take Azeri oil to international markets.