ARMENIAN LEADER AWARDS OUTGOING US ENVOY FOR EFFORTS TO EXPAND TIES
Mediamax news agency, Yerevan
6 Sep 06
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has awarded the outgoing US
ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, the Mkhitar Gosh Medal, Mediamax
news agency reported on 6 September.
The ambassador was awarded for his “significant contribution to
the deepening and development of friendly Armenian-US relations”,
the agency quoted a presidential decree as saying.
Presenting the medal to the ambassador at a farewell meeting in
Yerevan, Kocharyan said that “serious progress” had been made in
Armenian-US relations during Evans’ two-year tenure.
In turn, Ambassador Evans said that Armenia’s admittance to the
Millennium Challenge programme was the most significant achievement
in relations between the two countries, the agency said.

OFFICIAL RELEASE OF OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL
Lragir.am
06 Sept 06
The Office of the Attorney General made an official release on with
the assassination of Shahen Hovasapyan, the head of the Department
of Investigations of the Tax Agency in the morning of September 6
in Yerevan.
“On September 3, around 9.15 in Byron Street in Yerevan an unknown
person (persons) killed Shahen Hovasapyan, the head of the Department
of Investigations of the Tax Agency who was in his GAZ 3102 car with
the number 005 LL 03,” runs the statement of the procuracy.
The procuracy states that car was blown up, endangering the life of
many people, through a bomb, which detonated by remote control. When
the car went off, besides Shahen Hovasapyan, his son Grigor Hovasapyan
and the driver Andranik Charchyan were in the car. The son and the
driver are alive.
The press secretary of the Attorney General informed that the
Department of Investigations of the Office of the Attorney General
instituted legal proceedings under Article 104 Part 2 of the Crime
Code of Armenia – intentional murder, no extenuating conditions.
Investigation is underway.

SENIOR ARMENIAN TAX OFFICIAL KILLED IN BOMBING IN YEREVAN
AP Worldstream
Sep 06, 2006
A senior Armenian tax official was killed Wednesday by a bomb that
detonated as he was getting into a car, city police said.
Shagen Ovasepian, head of the operations department of the State Tax
Service, died of blood loss after the blast, which occurred around
9:30 a.m. (0530 GMT) as he sat down in his car, Yerevan city police
said in a statement. His driver suffered light shrapnel wounds.
In a separate incident, the editor of an opposition newspaper said he
was attacked and beaten by unknown assailants near his home Wednesday
morning.
Ovannes Galadzhyan, of the newspaper Iravunk, said he received a
phone call a few days earlier from people warning that they would
break his legs.
“Since I have no personal enemies, I can communicate that this attack
was connected with my professional duties,” he said.
Organized crime is widespread in this poor, former Soviet republic,
and gang-related killings are common. As well, Armenian politics are
tense and occasionally violent.
In 1999, gunmen burst into parliament and killed the prime minister,
parliament speaker and six other officials and lawmakers.

CATALAN DEPUTIES CALL FOR RECOGNITION OF ALLEGED GENOCIDE
Turkish Daily News
Sep 06, 2006
Having received a letter from an Armenian group, two Catalan deputies
have come up with a proposal calling for debates in the Spanish
Parliament on the so-called Armenian genocide at the hands of the
Ottoman Empire in the last century.
Rosa M. Bonas and Joan Puigcercos submitted the proposal in June to
the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Spanish Parliament, urging the
recognition of the so-called genocide on the grounds that it was a
crime against humanity.
“We’ll make changes in the proposal by taking out an article pressing
Ankara to recognize the [alleged] Armenian genocide,” Bonas told the
Anatolia news agency.
She stressed that they do not want to oppose Turkey.
Bonas said she has always been sympathetic to tiny and victimized
communities — she herself is Catalan — but noted she learned about
the so-called genocide only after the Armenian committee’s letter.
The Catalan deputy also expressed hope that she would not be
misunderstood by the Turkish public and said, “I’ve always defended
Turkey’s European Union membership in the European Parliament and
I’ll continue to do so.”
The Turkish ambassador in Madrid, Volkan Vural, said Turkey has taken
action at the level of the Spanish Foreign Ministry and the Spanish
Parliament as soon as they heard about the proposal and sent letters
to the two deputies and the head of the Spanish Parliament’s Foreign
Affairs Commission, saying that the proposal would harm Turkish-Spanish
relations.
“In Ankara, the Foreign Minister reacted [to the proposal],” Vural
told Anatolia.
He said the possibility of the proposal’s approval was very weak and
added: “It is clear that it will have no legal meaning even if it is
adopted. It will become clear how wrong and unfortunate an approach
it is to intermingle past events with politics.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA 0 – BELGIUM 1
Sportinglife.com, UK
Sept 6 2006
A Daniel van Buyten goal ensured Belgium returned to winning ways
with a hard-fought victory over Armenia on Wednesday.
Rene Vandereycken’s team could only draw 0-0 with Kazakhstan on August
16 in the Group A curtain-raiser, but managed three points in Yerevan
despite not having it all their own way.
The early exchanges failed to produce any clear-cut chances of
interest.
Armenia midfielder Hamlet Mkhitaryan hit a left-footed shot over the
bar, while at the other end Luigi Pieroni and Karel Geraerts fired
wide of Gevorg Kasparov’s goal.
The Armenians, playing their opening game after having been given
the day off on Saturday, held their own in the first half-hour.
Samvel Melkonyan’s right-footed effort flew wide of Stijn Stijnen’s
goal, and Koen Daerden became the first player to be cautioned after
fouling Melkonyan.
Pieroni forced the first save of note in the 30th minute, Kasparov
catching his left-footed strike from outside the box.
The Armenia stopper was called into action by the same player five
minutes later, this time denying Pieroni with his feet.
Standard Liege midfielder Geraerts then volleyed wide as the visitors
continued to pepper the hosts’ goal.
The Belgians reaped the reward for their pressure four minutes before
half-time when Van Buyten’s header from Jelle van Damme’s cross found
the top corner.
Stijnen opted to punch crosses from Mkhitaryan and Aghvan Lazarian
to safety as the Armenians pushed for a leveller after the break.
Feyenoord defender Pieter Collen was forced off through injury just
before the hour mark, with Anderlecht’s Anthony Vanden Borre coming on.
Van Damme was the second Belgian to have his name taken midway through
the second period for a foul on Mkhitaryan.
Vanden Borre and Pieroni were also booked as the Belgians’ frustrations
at failing to extend their lead grew.
But Club Brugge goalkeeper Stijnen coped comfortably with any efforts
Armenia could muster as Belgium stood firm to secure three valuable
points.
Teams
Armenia Kasparov, Hovsepyan, Arzumanyan, Dokhoyan,
Melikyan,Khachatryan, Karen Aleksanyan, Lazarian (Arman Karamyan
76),Mkhitaryan (Galust Petrosyan 81), Samvel Melkonyan,Shahgeldyan
(Aram Hakobyan 72).
Subs Not Used: Feliks Hakobyan, Bagdarasyan, Pachajyan, Tadevosyan.
Booked: Khachatryan.
Belgium Stijnen, Hoefkens, Simons, Van Damme, Van Buyten,Daerden
(Goor 65), Englebert, Collen (Vanden Borre 59),Geraerts, Dembele
(Defour 77), Pieroni.
Subs Not Used: Vandenbussche, De Decker, Huysegems, Vandenbergh.
Booked: Daerden, Van Damme, Vanden Borre, Pieroni.
Goals: Van Buyten 41.
Att: 8,000
Ref: Gerald Lehner (Austria).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKISH SPOKESMAN: EP REPORT “FAR FROM COMMON SENSE AND OBJECTIVITY”
Anatolia news agency
5 Sep 06
Ankara, 5 September: “It is obvious that the [EP – European Parliament]
report (on Turkey) focused on issues which has nothing to do with
common sense and objectivity. We hope that those points will be
addressed before the vote in the General Assembly at the end of this
month,” Turkish MFA spokesman Namik Tan said regarding the Turkey
report which was adopted by the Foreign Affairs Committee of the
European Parliament, yesterday.
Upon a question, Tan said that the report, which was prepared by
Christian Democrat MEP Camiel Eurlings, would be voted at the General
Assembly on 28 September 2006.
Tan noted: “Several matters in the report which are far from being
real and written with political impulses do not reflect EP’s esteem
and seriousness.”
He mentioned as example issues like the so-called Armenian genocide.
Tan said: “We expect the EP would encourage Turkey-EU relations. We
hope MEPs will demonstrate common sense to fix this situation during
general assembly meeting.”

EP’S TURKEY REPORT ANGERS BRUSSELS
By Emre Demir, Suleyman Kurt, Strasbourg, Ankara
Zaman Online, Turkey
Sept 6 2006
The Turkey report approved by the European Parliament (E.P.) Foreign
Affairs Committee on Monday drew strong reaction from Brussels after
Ankara’s response.
President of the E.U. Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso said recognition
of the so-called Armenian Genocide would not be a precondition
for Turkey’s E.U. membership. Some European parliamentarians
say the Armenian issue was being used to hinder Turkey’s
E.U. membership. Ankara reacted to the report saying that it was
“lacking commonsense and objectivity.” The report, compiled by Dutch
legislator Camiel Eurlings, contained an article that requires Turkey
to recognize the so-called Armenian Genocide, a possible stipulation
mentioned for the first time last year, to gain E.U. membership. There
were some last-minute additions to the report, which also claimed
Turkey had committed genocide against its Greek Pontus and Syrian
populations.
Ankara strongly objected to the report and emphasized: “The efforts
to assert non-objective conditions on issues such as the so-called
Armenian Genocide, which requires serious professional studying and
discussions, was met with great sadness by Turkey.” Spokesman for the
Foreign Ministry Namik Tan demanded that this mistake be corrected
at the next E.P. General Assembly meeting.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said there was no need
to exaggerate the report and Turkey had not accepted any preset
conditions relating to the so-called Armenian Genocide, adding that
Turkey’s stance was very strong.
E.U.-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Commission Co-Chairman Joost Lagendijk
and Turkish origin-legislator Cem Ozdemir called the report a new
obstacle for Turkey’s E.U. journey. The two legislators said this
report would weaken the reformists’ hands in Turkey, and added:
“If you aggravate Turkey’s conditions every year, you give the image
that the E.P. is against Turkey’s E.U. membership.”
The report’s author, Camiel Eurlings, said yesterday that the “spirit”
of the report did not change with the last minute additions; however,
the tone of its voice had. Eurlings said he believed Turkey should
recognize the so-called Armenian Genocide; however, this condition
cannot be held as a pre-condition as it is not in the Copenhagen
Criteria.
‘EP Report Berates Turkey’
The European media evaluated the E.P. Foreign Affairs Assembly’s
harsh report and assessed that the deepest immediate division between
Turkey and the E.U. was related to Turkey’s decision not to open its
ports to Greek Cyprus. The International Herald-Tribune wrote that
E.P. legislators had harshly criticized Turkey; while The Times of
London emphasized that the report predicted a suspension of Turkey’s
E.U. membership negotiations.

TURKEY REJECTS EU CALL TO RECOGNISE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
AFX UK (Focus)
Sep 05, 2006
ANKARA (AFX) – Turkey denounced today a European Union report saying
that Ankara must recognise the 1915-1917 genocide in Armenia as a
condition for joining the EU.
“We are dismayed by efforts aiming to impose preconditions that are
far from objective on questions that require serious academic inquiry,”
the Turkish foreign ministry said in a communique.
A report adopted by the EU parliament’s foreign affairs committee
last night deplored Turkey’s lack of progress in implementing reforms
needed to join the EU, and alluded specifically to Ankara’s refusal
to acknowledge the Armenian genocide.
“Certain elements of the report … written with political
considerations are not compatible with the credibility of the European
parliament,” the Turkish foreign ministry said.
Armenians estimate that up to 1.5 mln of their forebears perished in
systematic killings orchestrated by the Ottoman Empire between 1915
to 1917.
Ankara rejects all accusations of genocide, estimating the number of
Armenian deaths at 300,000 and arguing they were not a consequence
of deliberate extermination but a combination of war, disease, famine
and ethnic conflict.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

12-MONTH INFLATION TO EXCEED PLANNED 3% IN 3RD QUARTER OF 2006
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Sept 6 2006
YEREVAN, September 6. /ARKA/. At the end of the 3rd quarter of 2006,
12 -month inflation is expected to exceed the planned 3%, says a
protocol of the sitting of the Board of the Central Bank of Armenia
(CBA) “On refinancing rate”.
Among the risks and inflationary pressures are both internal and
external factors. Concerning the external factors, the protocol says
that in August the trends formed early in 2006 – USD devaluation
against the EURO (5.1% in August 2006 compared to August 2005),
high rates of rise in prices for raw materials, particularly for oil
(26.8%) – were maintained.
Among internal risks is setback in agricultural production, which
forms serious inflationary pressures on the consumer market.
Besides, the increase in cash incomes has influenced the price for
nonfoods and services. The CBA Board believe that further influence
should be expected.
The CBA Board members also attach importance to the fact that huge
on-budget expenditures expected before the end of the year, especially
during the last few months, will cause an inflation rise, which will
be evident in the first half 2007. This phenomenon, accompanied by the
aforementioned factors, will cause considerable inflationary pressures.
According to the protocol, 7.2% inflation was recorded in August
2006 compared to August 2005. An 8% rise in prices for food products
(alcoholic beverages and tobacco inclusive) was recorded. A 5.3%
rise in prices for nonfoods and a 4.5% rise in prices for services
were recorded. 2.7% inflation was recorded compared to December 2005,
and 0.9% inflation compared to July 2006.
The highest inflation (compared to August 2006) was recorded in such
groups of products as sugar (35.2%), fruit (25.2%), and vegetables
and potatoes (49.2%). Since the beginning of 2006, the price for
these products has risen by 30.7%, 7.9% and 8.4%.
As regards nonfoods, the highest rise in prices for jewelry was
recorded (31.9%), for gardening implements (23%), for personal cars
and petrol (8.8%), for building materials (5.7%). Since the beginning
of 2006, the highest inflation was recorded in the following services:
shoe repair (5.1%), medical service (6.9%) and communication (10.6%).
A 20.4% rise in the USD import prices was recorded in the 2nd quarter
of 2006 compared to the corresponding period of 2005. The prices for
both consumer goods and for raw materials rose as well.
3% inflation is budgeted in Armenia this year.

ARMENIA RESTORES CEMETERIES IN FORMER AZERI VILLAGES
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
5 Sep 06
[Presenter] Armenians are replying with great mercy to the destruction
of cultural monuments by Azerbaijan. A cemetery in the village of
Saral in Lori District formerly populated by Azerbaijanis has been
restored. The barbarous destruction of the cross stones at the Armenian
cemetery of Old Juga [the Culfa town in the Azerbaijani exclave of
Naxcivan] still remains in people’s memory. But the pages of our
history and today’s events have ones again showed that the Armenians
are not vindictive people.
[Correspondent over video of cemetery] Sixty-five Azerbaijani
tombstones have been restored in Lori District. The Azerbaijani
cemetery in the village of Nor Khachakab has also been restored. The
Vanadzor office of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly examined the
destroyed Azerbaijani cemeteries in Lori District in April. Eighteen
former Azerbaijani-populated villages were inspected and the village
of Saral was chosen for restoration.
[Head of the Vanadzor office of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Artur
Sakunts, captioned] We decided that the cemeteries should be restored
first. The cemeteries belong to those people who as a result of the
conflict have left their residence and moved to Azerbaijan.
We have agreed with our Azerbaijani colleagues that they will restore
the Armenian cemeteries in Azerbaijan.
[Correspondent] The local authorities will keep an eye on the
Azerbaijani cemetery. The governor of Nor Khachakap said that the
cemetery would be in the focus of attention and the villagers would
protect it.
[Head of the Azerbaijani National Committee of the Helsinki Citizens’
Assembly, Arzu Abdullayeva speaking in Russian with Armenian
voice-over] Peace is the result of cooperation and it is made up of
such small inputs.
[Correspondent] About 30 young people from Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Karabakh had an opportunity to familiarize themselves with their
culture in the district’s Gugark camp and speak about peace.
[Passage omitted: participants in the meeting stress the importance
of such meetings]
[Correspondent] The regional programme is being implemented by the
Armenian and Azerbaijani national committees of the Helsinki Citizens’
Assembly, and the aim of the programme is to build confidence through
similar cultural events carried out by different representatives of
the conflicting sides, in particular by young people.
David Ovanesyan, Lilit Georchyan, Vanadzor, “Aylur”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress