MAN SELLS CAR TO PAY ‘DENIAL’ FINE
By Murat Kaban, Cihan News Agency, Kars
Zaman Online, Turkey
May 17 2006
An unusual protest against the “Armenian Genocide” law facing the
French parliament came from Turkish eastern city of Kars.
Erkan Birdal, head of a foundation which provides support to those
“murdered by Armenian guerillas” in the 1st World War, went on a
hunger strike.
Birdal said he will risk imprisonment and the 45,000 euro fine proposed
by France to those who deny the “Armenian genocide”; and consequently,
he sold his car to pay the fine.
In an art exhibition organized about the Armenian genocide opposite
the governor’s office, Birdal covered his car with slogans criticizing
France and mounted a Turkish flag on the car.
With over 500 signatures collected on the first day of his campaign,
Bridal also claimed he will go on a hunger strike in Paris and Belgium
if the genocide bill is approved.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ZATULIN: RUSSIA IS NOT INTERESTED IN SOMEBODY TRAINING IN SOUTH CAUCASUS LIKE IN IRAQ
Regnum, Russia
May 17 2006
Among South Caucasian countries only Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh are
interest in maintaining the status quo in the region, Member of the
Russian State Duma, Head of the CIS Countries’ Institute Konstantin
Zatulin has declared at the international conference called “Caucasus
without Conflicts and Terrorism. Dialog of Civilizations at Caucasian
Crossroad.”
According to him, Azerbaijan is not interested in maintaining the
current situation, as its interests concerning its territorial
integrity are infringed. “Today, elites of nations criticize the
Soviet rule, but they take from the past what is profitable for them,
in particular, Georgia and Azerbaijan like the borders they had under
the Soviets,” the MP noted. According to Zatulin, Georgia is not
interested in maintaining the status quo either: “it is interested in
soonest settlement of Abkhazian and Ossetian conflicts in its favor.”
According to Zatulin, Armenia has no internal problems that could bring
about collapse of the country, which cannot be said about Georgia and
Azerbaijan. “In Georgia, apart from Ossetian and Abkhazian conflicts,
there is a problem of Samtskhe-Javakheti (Armenian-populated region
in Georgia – REGNUM), there is a problem in Marneuli District, where
Azerbaijani population lives, there is a problem with Megrels and
Adjarians. And in Azerbaijan, apart from Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
there is a problem with Talysh and Lezgin population,” noted the
Russian MP.
“Distance from Russia to Caucasus is less than from the USA, and Russia
is most of all interested in maintaining peace, even with unrecognized
republics. Our priority is peace in the region,” Konstantin Zatulin
noted adding that Russia is not interested in somebody training in
South Caucasus like in Iraq.

ARMENIAN SPEAKER OUSTED FROM RULING COALITION
By Emil Danielyan
Eurasia Daily Monitor, DC
May 17 2006
Armenia’s President Robert Kocharian has banished one of the three
political parties represented in his government after it appeared to
threaten his reported plans to hand over power to a staunch loyalist in
2008. The Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) party officially announced
its withdrawal from the ruling coalition on May 12. Its ambitious
leader, Artur Baghdasarian, also resigned as speaker of the Armenian
parliament.
The move followed mass defections of lawmakers affiliated with
Orinats Yerkir, an exodus widely believed to have been engineered
by the presidential administration. Baghdasarian’s party boasted the
second-largest faction in the National Assembly as recently as last
month, controlling 20 of its 131 seats. It shrank by almost half in
a matter of one week.
The official reasons for the party’s ouster are its socioeconomic
and foreign policy differences with Kocharian and the two other
coalition partners. Both sides have been reluctant to elaborate on
those differences. The coalition has been beset by internal squabbles
ever since its formation in June 2003. Much of the bickering has
been caused by Orinats Yerkir’s periodic public criticism of the
government, a tactic that has been particularly galling for Prime
Minister Andranik Markarian and his Republican Party of Armenia
(HHK). The latter has also had an uneasy rapport with the third
governing party, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (HHD).
Kocharian has repeatedly intervened to salvage the three-party marriage
of convenience that has enabled him to deflect popular disaffection
with the government and somehow mitigate his lack of legitimacy. As
recently as February 6, the HHK, the HHD, and Orinats Yerkir vowed
(apparently under pressure from Kocharian) to continue to stick
together “at least” until next year’s parliamentary election. In a
joint statement, they also agreed to show “mutual respect for each
other and each other’s positions.”
However, the truce did not prove long lasting, with Orinats Yerkir
lashing out at the Armenian government (in which it was represented
with three ministers) on April 11 over its shady privatization policies
(see EDM, April 19). The attack drew an angry rebuttal from Markarian
and his loyalists. Baghdasarian further raised eyebrows in Yerevan with
an April 19 interview with a leading German newspaper, Frankfurter
Allgemeine Zeitung, in which he contradicted the official line by
calling for Armenia’s eventual accession to NATO. More importantly,
he also implied that Kocharian’s hotly disputed reelection in 2003
was fraudulent.
The extraordinary confession (or a slip of the tongue) seems to have
been the final straw for Kocharian, who was reportedly behind the
devastating defections from the Orinats Yerkir faction in parliament
that began on May 5. The defectors, all of them wealthy businessmen
dependent on government connections, offered no clear explanation
for their actions. But newspaper reports citing coalition leaders
said the exodus was masterminded by Kocharian with the aim of forcing
Orinats Yerkir out of the government.
Hayots Ashkhar, a pro-Kocharian daily, indicated on May 15 that
the Armenian president has lost patience with Orinats Yerkir’s
notorious populism, widely attributed to its strong showing in
the last parliamentary polls. “It is more than weird to be part
of the government; have a number of government members, a myriad
of various-caliber officials, protected and reliable businesses;
and play the old tune,” the paper wrote. “This is a violation of the
rules of the game. One deserves to be severely punished for that.”
Interestingly, it was Kocharian who went to great lengths in June
2003 to get parliament to elect Baghdasarian as its speaker, fuelling
speculation that the then 34-year-old politician was being groomed
to become Armenia’s next president. However, it has since become
evident that Kocharian’s preferred successor is his most trusted and
powerful lieutenant, Defense Minister Serge Sarkisian. Some local
commentators suggest that the two men were incensed not so much
by Baghdasarian’s enduring populism as his far-reaching political
ambitions that could interfere with their anticipated handover of
power in 2008. The outgoing Armenian speaker has already attracted
Western interest in his personality with his pro-democracy statements
and stated strong commitment to Armenia’s “integration into Europe
and the Euro-Atlantic family.”
“Artur Baghdasarian has felt like Robert Kocharian’s successor and
begun his pre-election campaign of late,” the independent newspaper
168 Zham wrote on May 11. “In the process, he was doing everything
to distance himself from the current authorities thanks to whom he
had become the number two official in the Republic of Armenia in 2003.”
Announcing his resignation on May 12, the Orinats Yerkir leader
was anxious not to blame Kocharian for the dramatic collapse of
his parliamentary faction, saying vaguely that the Orinats Yerkir
defectors faced pressure “from all sides.” His claims that Orinats
Yerkir is “becoming an opposition force” are therefore unlikely to
be taken at face value by leaders of Armenia’s main opposition parties.
Some of them have made it clear that Baghdasarian cannot join the
opposition camp unless he publicly “repents” his association with
Kocharian.
Baghdasarian has owed his strong electoral performances to a canny
combination of opposition-style rhetoric with covert cooperation from
the ruling regime and wealthy businessmen hungry for political power.
Their defections and his subsequent ouster from the government mean
that Orinats Yerkir will have to operate in a more hostile environment
and with far fewer financial resources.
(Aravot, May 13; Hayots Ashkhar, May 12; 168 Zham, May 11; RFE/RL
Armenia Report, February 6)

MOSCOW PRESSING FOR CFE TREATY RATIFICATION DESPITE ITS OWN NON-COMPLIANCE
By Vladimir Socor
Eurasia Daily Monitor, DC
May 17 2006
Amid a deep secrecy that belies its democratic professions, the OSCE is
preparing to hold a Conference to Review the Operation of the Treaty
on Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) in Vienna at the end of this
month. Some West European chancelleries are seeking ways to give in to
Moscow’s main goal at this conference: ratification of the 1999 treaty
at the expense of a few small countries in Europe’s East. Thus far,
Moscow has only managed to persuade Belarus, Ukraine (during Leonid
Kuchma’s presidency), and Kazakhstan to ratify that treaty.
Originally signed in 1990, the CFE Treaty underwent adaptation at the
1999 OSCE Istanbul summit, in one package with the Final Act that
includes what came to be known as Russia’s “Istanbul Commitments”;
namely, to withdraw its forces from Georgia and Moldova. While the
original 1990 treaty remains in force, the 1999-adapted treaty
never entered into force because Russia has not fulfilled those
commitments. Moreover, Armenian forces deploy Russian-supplied heavy
weaponry exceeding CFE treaty limits in areas seized from Azerbaijan,
out of bounds to international inspection.
Meanwhile, Russia seeks to extend the CFE Treaty’s area of
applicability so as to include the three Baltic states, which were
not parties to the 1990 treaty (they were still occupied by Moscow
at that time). Since the Baltic states joined NATO, Russia seeks
to bring them under the purview of the 1999-adapted CFE treaty and
start negotiations with them about limiting allied forces that might
hypothetically be deployed to the Baltic states’ territories, for
example in crisis contingencies. Legally, however, the Baltic states
cannot join an unratified treaty.
Thus, Russia is now pressing for the treaty’s speedy ratification
by all state-parties, so as to make possible the Baltic states’
accession to the ratified treaty, while still keeping Russian troops
on Georgia’s and Moldova’s territories in Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and
Transnistria. Moscow calculates that Western consent to ratification
of the 1999 treaty in such circumstances would legitimize, prolong,
and even legalize the stationing of Russian troops in Georgia and
Moldova as “peacekeepers.”
To pave the way for such an outcome, Moscow has agreed with Georgia
to close Russian bases and military installations situated deep
inside the country by 2008 (nine years after its pledge to do so);
but it insists on maintaining its “peacekeeping” forces in Abkhazia
and South Ossetia while heavily arming its proxy forces there. Russia
had liquidated most of its treaty-limited weaponry in Transnistria
already in 2001; but retains a part of it to this day, has transferred
another part as well as personnel to Transnistria-flagged forces,
and openly repudiates the obligation to withdraw Russia’s own troops,
styled as “peacekeepers.”
The United States as well as NATO collectively take the position
that ratification of the adapted CFE Treaty is inseparably linked
to fulfillment of Russia’s commitments to withdraw its forces from
Georgia and Moldova; and that the Baltic states would accede to the
treaty, once it enters into force.
Russia has drafted its version of a decision for the CFE Treaty Review
conference and wants negotiations on its basis in the OSCE’s Joint
Consultative Group (JCG), the Vienna forum of the 30 state-parties to
the treaty. Moscow’s draft claims, “Most commitments and arrangements
mentioned in the [1999] Final Act are either already fulfilled or
are in the process of fulfillment, [while] the implementation of
the remaining ones has no direct relevance to the CFE Treaty and
depends on the progress of conflict settlement on the territories
of some State Parties.” It proposes that all state parties should
deem the 1999 treaty as valid from October 2006, start the national
ratification procedures, bring the treaty into force in 2007, and
“discuss the possibility of accession of new participants.”
The translation: Although Russia has far from completely honored
its force-withdrawal commitments, the state-parties (mostly NATO and
European Union member countries) should agree that is has. Thus, they
should: proceed with the Moscow-desired ratification of the treaty;
de-link ratification from the fulfillment of Russia’s withdrawal
commitments, using the conflicts for an excuse; lean on Georgia,
Moldova, and Azerbaijan to accept the situation and ratify the
treaty; and start the procedure of the Baltic states’ accession to
the force-limiting treaty.
Some German, French, Belgian, and other diplomats are now exploring
a solution that could allow Russia to claim that it has fulfilled
its troop-withdrawal commitments. Such a solution would:
1) exempt Russia’s “peacekeeping” troops from the obligation
to withdraw, recognizing their hitherto unrecognized role as
“peacekeepers” and allowing them to stay on;
2) silently tolerate the arsenals of CFE treaty-limited weaponry that
Russia has transferred to proxy forces in Transnistria, Abkhazia,
and South Ossetia, as well as the deployments inside Azerbaijan; and
3) elicit consent from Tbilisi, Chisinau, and Baku with such a
solution.
It would seem that the secrecy surrounding the JCG debates in Vienna
and the ironing out of common positions at the EU in Brussels is a
propitious atmosphere for a compromise with Moscow at the expense
of small countries. Lack of transparency in Vienna also tends to
facilitate undercutting or diluting the U.S. and collective NATO
position on these issues through initiatives from a few important
European capitals.
(JCG documents, May 2006)

MEETING IN PARLIAMENT
National Assembly of RA, Armenia
May 17 2006
On May 17 RA NA Speaker Artur Baghdasaryan received Stephen B. Nix,
Regional Program Director for Eurasia at U.S. International Republican
Institute and political expert Rasa Alisauskiene.
During the meeting issues concerning the activity of the International
Republican Institute in Armenia were discussed. The sides highlighted
the necessity of deepening democratic reforms. The guests presented
Artur Baghdasaryan the results of their researches over different
key problems.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WE PUT EURO ENTRIES TO THE TEST WITH OUR UNIQUE DAZ-OMETER!
Stockport Express, UK
May 17 2006
DAZ Sampson.DAZ Sampson who is flying the flag for the UK is still
hoping to win the Eurovision crown this weekend – with the help of
his hometown Stockport.
The 32-year-old from Edgeley who has been a fan of Eurovision for
years said: “This is my World Cup Final.
“In theory winning Eurovision should be easier than winning Making
Your Mind Up – when I had to compete against some tough UK acts. But
to do it I am relying on votes from everybody in Stockport.”
Reaction in the UK has been positive so far and his Eurovision song
Teenage Life entered the UK charts at number 13 last Sunday. Daz said
he is hoping for a top five placing this week.
Some 37 other countries have entered this year’s Eurovision and Daz
has already made it through with 13 other finalists to the final.
There is a semi-final round this Thursday when 23 other counties will
battle it out to make the final 24.
Last Saturday Daz flew out to Athens with a 20-strong entourage
including his dancers and manager.
“I have a week of press interviews and rehearsals lined up before the
big day, not to mention a few parties,” he said. “I’m really pleased
a couple of my mates are joining me here later on.”
Yesterday (Tues) Daz gave spectators in Athens their first taste of
Teenage Life and received a good response.
He added: “Words can’t describe how happy I am. I am feeling really
optimistic that we can do well out here.”
At the time of going to press Daz was 7th favourite at the bookies to
win with the current favourite being Greece. Daz has placed £10,000
worth of bets on himself and has pledged some winnings to charity.
THE Eurovision Song Contest Final will be broadcast at 8pm on BBC1
on Saturday May 20.
Daz’s Ratings:
Belgium: My personal favourite to listen to as it has got good
harmonies. I would buy this record.
Germany: My second favourite. It’s a very catchy Country and Western
tune that should get on well.
Greece: The singer Anna Vissi is very well known in that part of the
world. One of the favourites, not bad.
Romania: Euro dance and one of the bookies’ favourites but it is sung
in Romanian which may be a problem.
Sweden: Steps meets Abba – a possible winner that will have a top
five finish.
Denmark: An 80s rock and roll song that the arena might go mad for
on the night.
Malta: This reminds me of a Steps record – it’s Euro-pop at its finest
and the Maltese take Eurovision quite seriously so it may get a lot
of votes.
Armenia: This type of song was big three years ago. It’s not bad and
stands a chance of getting through the semis but it will never win.
Belarus: The lead singer is very well known in Belarus and may get
a lot of support.
Bosnia: The group that sings this ballad is Bosnia’s equivalent of
our Westlife. It should make it through to the semi-finals.
F.Y.R Macedonia: Quite a catchy dance tune.
Iceland: This one is quite zany and a bit different. Norway: One of
my friend’s favourites.
Portugal: Another Abba take-off, like Waterloo.
Russia: Supposed to be the dark horse. It will get to the final round
and maybe end up 6th or 7th.
Turkey: Will get a lot of support but average.
Ukraine: This may get a top 15 placing overall.
Bulgaria: Will be lucky to make the final.”
France: Possibly the nil point. It’s very dreary.
Andorra: See you next year.
Albania: Being in Eurovision is a first for Albania and this record
is a very big outsider.
Finland: Scary, reminds me of Slipknot but tragic.
Ireland: For a country that has won Eurovision several times, this
song is an absolute disgrace.
Israel: A wishy washy ballad.
Estonia: A bit dull and is too much like Abba.
Lithuania: Would be better as a World Cup song.
Moldova: Not one that I would vote for.
Netherlands: Lovely girls but not a hope of winning. They will struggle
even to get to the final.
Poland: Will struggle to get to the final round.
Switzerland: This shouldn’t be in the competition.
Daz also had thumbs down for Cyprus, Latvia, Monaco, Slovenia, Spain
and Croatia.
/213/213083_we_put_euro_entries_to_the_test_with_o ur_unique_dazometer_.html
–Boundary_(ID_nRi4Ft0j NVP00xUs08WtIg)–

CEASE-FIRE BROKEN, ONE AZERI SOLDIER KILLED
Author: E.Javadova
TREND, Azerbaijan
May 17 2006
As a result of the cease-fire breaking by Armenian military forces
at 630AM, May 17, one soldier of Azeri Military forces was killed,
Trend reports quoting Ilgar Verdiyev, acting chief of press service
of Defense Ministry.
Armenian forces located in occupied villages of Terter area fired
positions of Azeri army and positions in Tapgaygoyunlu village of
Geranboy area. As a result, private Eldar Rafik oglu Hajigaiobov was
killed in action.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PETER SEMNEBY: AZERBAIJANIS’ SELF-CONFIDENCE CAN BE CONDITIONED BY ENERGY BOOM
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 17 2006
“All of the three South Caucasus states move in different directions,”
EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby stated.
In his words, Georgia heads for the European Union and the West
in general.
“Armenia is still under the influence of the atmosphere caused by
the isolation and its consequences. Azerbaijan adheres to rather
balanced policy towards its partners and neighbours. The increased
self-confidence of Azerbaijanis can be conditioned by the energy boom,”
Mr. Semneby said.
Touching on the “frozen conflicts” in the South Caucasus, the EU
special representative said the European Union supposes that these
conflicts can be settled through creation of atmosphere of trust
between the communities, majorities and minorities in the region.
Mr. Semneby also added that the escalation cannot be ruled out until
the conflicts are settled.
When commenting on the possibility of deploying EU and NATO
peacekeepers in the region, the EU special representative said, “I am
not empowered to speak on behalf of NATO. As for the European Union,
it’s possible. However it will be one of many possibilities.
Everything depends on the will of the parties.”

‘THEY WILL BE OUR WITNESSES’
By Eli Rubenstein
Canadian Jewish News, Canada
May 17 2006
“We have all just spent a very challenging week in Poland. We have
seen the worst level of behaviour that humanity can express, which
resulted in the near destruction of Jewish life in eastern Europe.
But this evening, when I look out at this sea of young faces, here
in our homeland, the land of Israel, and see your commitment and
dedication to Am Yisrael, I know that the future of the Jewish People
is in good hands.”
These words were spoken by Anita Ekstein, Holocaust survivor, hidden
child and national chair of the March of the Living, to Canadian
march participants, at a special ceremony in Israel held on the eve
of Yom Ha’atzmaut.
“I am certain that I speak for all of my fellow survivors,” she
continued, “when I say, that travelling with 500 Canadian Jewish
teens to Poland, and being here together with you in Israel – there is
simply no better feeling in the world. Your presence with us on the
March of the Living fills us, the survivors, with the greatest sense
of hope possible and helps us truly believe that Am Yisrael Chai!”
The March of the Living was founded in 1988 by two Israeli visionaries,
Abraham Hirchson (the current Israeli finance minister) and Dr. Shmuel
Rosenman. The initial goals of the program included combating Holocaust
denial; educating Jewish youth about the history of the Shoah and
the acts of courage and sacrifice that occurred during the Shoah;
strengthening the bonds of Jewish youth with Israel, thereby enhancing
their sense of Jewish identity; fighting anti-Semitism and all forms
of racism; and acquainting the young participants with the richness
of Jewish life that once existed in eastern Europe.
But during the 18-year history of the March of the Living, one aspect
has become a central element of the program: the transmission of
memory from survivor to student, from one generation to the next.
On the 2006 March of the Living, each Canadian delegation was
accompanied by one or more Holocaust survivors who shared their
experiences with the students.
Bill Glied, a survivor from Toronto, explained his reason for
participating. “I am very concerned about the continuation of the
history of the Holocaust… I don’t want the Shoah to disappear into
history like the Armenian genocide. I think I succeeded in helping
the students understand their responsibility to make sure that what
happened should never happen again.”
Ben Younger, a survivor from Montreal, felt transformed by the trip.
“For most of my life, I just could not speak about the Holocaust –
it was too hurtful. But the kids, they opened me up… When I saw
the outpouring of love and affection for me, I said to myself,
‘I’ve got to tell them what happened’…
“Now I feel great. I finally did it… and I will keep speaking
about the Holocaust, in English and in French, to Jewish kids and
Christian kids.”
For David Shentow of Ottawa, a Holocaust survivor (and a former
Auschwitz inmate), the experience was “inspiring.”
“The young people said to me, ‘David you opened our eyes,’ because
I explained to them what it was like to be a survivor. The students
couldn’t do enough for me on the trip. For many of them, I was like
the zayde they never had… The students told me, ‘David, this time
you will walk into Auschwitz and then you will walk out with us’
and they never left my side…
“To me, the March of the Living is not just a journey – it’s a sacred
pilgrimage.”
The 2006 March of the Living was filled with hundreds of meaningful
moments, sad and joyous, painful and uplifting.
At the suggestion of Montreal Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz, the participants
from that city each placed a stone in front of the crematoria in
Birkenau as a memorial to the six million. When they were finished,
they turned around and realized that they had created a large mound,
a temporary yet eloquent memorial to those who perished there. Later,
when the Toronto delegation visited Birkenau, many participants took
dust from the land of Israel and spread it out over the ruins of the
crematoria, reflecting the Jewish custom of burying loved ones with
the earth of the holy land.
In Warsaw, all Canadian groups took part in heartening dialogue
sessions with Polish Christian students, and met with righteous
gentiles.
In Israel, at the Kotel (the Western Wall), many students put on
tfillin or kissed the stones of the Wall for the first time. The
Canadian delegations all participated in Yom Hazikaron ceremonies to
honour Israel’s fallen. Some of the students met with wounded Israeli
soldiers, others met with their Israeli peers for a Shabbat-long
mifgash (gathering together). The Canadian groups visited the new
Yad Vashem Museum, climbed Masada, bathed in the Dead Sea and marched
through Jerusalem’s Old City on Yom Ha’atzmaut.
It was a journey packed with meaningful experiences in both Poland
and Israel.
But, as March participants will tell you, their interaction with the
survivors is what will be cherished among their most precious and
hallowed memories from the trip.
Listening to the survivors’ stories of their childhoods in towns such
as Warsaw, Krakow and Lublin; dancing with a survivor in the courtyard
of the Yeshiva Chachmei Lublin or in Jerusalem; or holding the hand
of a survivor while he or she walked through Treblinka, Majdanek,
Auschwitz-Birkenau or Belzec – these experiences are a life-lasting
legacy from the survivors to each March participant.
Although we hope that every survivor will live the lifespan of our
ancestor Moses (120 years), reality tells us that Holocaust survivors
will not be with us forever, and their ability to take the arduous
two-week journey to Poland and Israel diminishes with each year.
We must try to encourage as many of our young people as possible to
participate in this remarkable journey while the survivors can still
accompany them.
“I go back because of the kids,” said Anita Ekstein, who has
participated in six marches, “so I can share my story with them while
I still can.
“They should learn what happened to our ancestors, because once we
are gone, they will be our witnesses.”
Eli Rubenstein is national director of March of the Living Canada.

RUSSIA’S EXTREMIST ORGANIZATIONS HAVE OVER 6,000 UNDERAGE MEMBERS
MosNews, Russia
May 17 2006
More than 6,000 under-eighteens are registered by police as members of
extremist organizations, Russian Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev
said, addressing the State Duma during “government hour” in the
parliament on Wednesday, ITAR-TASS news agency reports. He stressed
that the involvement of underage persons in extremist activities
threatens the security of society.
Most of the teenagers are registered in Moscow, St. Petersburg,
Rostov and the Samara, Voronezh and Murmansk regions, Nurgaliyev said.
The minister noted that some electronic media were spreading extremist
propaganda. Reports and motion pictures demonstrating various methods
of committing a murder are being obtrusively repeated on various
channels and influence teenagers’ unstable psyche, Nurgaliev said. In
his words it was unfortunately difficult for a journalist not to cross
the fine line between a topical story and unintentional propaganda
of violence and cruelty.
Nurgaliyev cited the case of the murder of an Armenian man committed
by teenagers on March 12. A group of teenagers killed the Armenian
man in a Moscow-Monino suburban train. The man’s wife fortunately
survived in the incident. The attackers were detained and confessed
to their crime. Asked to explain their actions, they said they had
seen such acts reported in the media.
The minister also stressed the necessity of stopping the dissemination
of video tapes and other materials containing Nazi propaganda.
The minister also believes the Public Chamber, a consultative body
recently set up by President Putin, should address the problem and
give its recommendations.