The festival of youth performances came to an end

ArmRadio.am
01.07.2006 14:48
The festival of youth performances came to an end today. Different
theatric performances were presented by young actors and directors
from Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanadzor, Stepanakert and Tbilisi.
Today the Union of Theatre Workers awarded diplomas and gifts to many
of the participants, stating that we have a promising and interesting
young people who are the future of our theatre.

Suren Surenyants: We need to accept the suggestions of the OSCE Minsk Group

ArmRadio.am
01.07.2006 15:18
`Member of the Political Council of the `Republic’ party Suren
Surenyants expressed the opinion today that we should accept the
disclosed suggestions of the OSCE Minsk Group. He considers that the
principles listed by the OSCE are sufficient. The Deputy said it could
be predicted that there would be changes in the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict, when Matthew Bryza was appointed new US Co-Chair of
the Minsk Group.
`The revelation of the suggestions means that the world is not going
to tolerate the problem the pendency of the question any longer, Suren
Surenyants considers.
`If things continue this way, we’ll be either imposed humiliating
peace or war,’ said the speaker, not excluding that we’ll find
ourselves in a situation like the one in 1997. The `Republic’ Party
had declared after the Ramboulliet talks that it stands for the rapid
and peaceful resolution of the issue. Surenyants said the Party is
going to issue another statement regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

RA PRIME MINISTER TO BE CONFERED TITLE OF HONORARY CITIZEN OF ARMAVIR

ARMAVIR, JUNE 30, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian,
RA Defence Minister Serge Sargsian, RA Minister of Territorial
Administration Hovik Abrahamian, Armavir Regional Governor Albert
Heroyan and Paylak Manukian, the main specialist of the Armavir
“Sports and Youth” united directorate will be confered title of
honorary citizens of Armavir on the occasion of the 75th anniversary
of Armavir. As the Noyan Tapan correspondent informs from Armavir, the
decision was adopted about it at the June 30 sitting of the Armavir
councillor.

SENATE AID PANEL VOTES SHARP CUT IN AID TO ARMENIA

WASHINGTON, JUNE 30, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. In a departure
from its traditional support for a robust U.S. assistance package for
Armenia, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee voted on June 29 to
dramatically reduce aid to Armenia, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).
Early reports from Capitol Hill indicate that the Senate
Appropriations Committee has approved a million economic aid package
for Armenia as part of its fiscal year 2007 aid bill. This allocation
was broken down into .2 million for Freedom Support Act aid, .96
million for the Democracy Fund, and .8 million for the Child Survival
Health Programs Fund. An additional .8 million was allocated for Peace
Corps programs in Armenia. The panel’s proposal is million less than
the actual allocations for Armenia over the past several years.
In a positive development, the Senate panel approved million for
humanitarian and relief assistance for Nagorno Karabagh, a million
increase over the fiscal year 2006 allocation of million. The panel
also voted to recommend equal amounts of U.S. Foreign Military
Financing (FMF) to Armenia and Azerbaijan, with each appropriated .5
million. The panel did not clarify, however, whether they intended
this parity to extend to the International Military Education and
Training (IMET) and Nonproliferation, Antiterrorism, Demining, and
Related Programs (NDAR) funds.
“We are troubled by the retreat of Senate appropriators from their
long-standing commitment to the U.S. aid program for Armenia and
Nagorno Karabagh – all the more so given Armenia’s impressive domestic
progress, robust and expanding bilateral relations with the United
States, peacekeeping support in Iraq and Kosovo, cooperation in
settling the Nagorno Karabagh conflict, and on other pressing regional
and security concerns,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram
Hamparian. “We look forward to working with appropriators in both
houses of Congress to restore aid to at least last year’s level.”
The Senate Appropriations Committee’s decision stands in contrast to
the House vote earlier this month, which allocated million in
U.S. economic aid for Armenia. Over the course of the past decade, the
Senate has consistently proposed higher levels of aid or Armenia than
the House.
The full Senate is expected to vote on the fiscal year 2007 foreign
aid bill following its return from the July 4th Congressional recess,
after which House and Senate appropriators will hold a conference to
work out differences between their two bills.
In March of this year, the Millennium Challenge Corporation – a newly
established, performance-based foreign aid program – approved a
five-year, 5 million assistance package to build roads and irrigation
systems in Armenia’s rural regions.

Panorama.am
14:42 01/07/06

JUSTICE BLOCK CONTINUES TO EXIST FORMALLY
Suren Surenyants does not exclude the possibility that new
developments start in our internal political life and extraordinary
parliamentary elections be held due to more active engagement in
Karabakh conflict regulations. He preferred not to unveil in what
format their party will participate in 2007 elections.
He noted with pride that unlike ruling coalition, Justice block,
including 8 parties, exists up to today. However, he noted that
Justice block continues to exist only formally without engaging in any
activity.
The chairman of Republic Party Board is sure that the block will not
participate in upcoming parliamentary elections in the same
format./Panorama.am/

PanARMENIAN.Net
Senate Appropriations Committee Voted for $50 Million Assistance to Armenia
30.06.2006 15:31 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The full Senate Appropriations Committee today voted
to render $50 million economic assistance to the Republic of Armenia
in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2007, reported the Armenian Assembly of
Armenia.
In contrast, the House approved bill for FY 2007 provides $62 million
in FSA.
In a positive development, initial reports indicate that the Senate
Appropriations Committee reinstated military aid parity between
Armenia and Azerbaijan for FY 2007. The legislation, which allocates
$3.5 million in military financing to both countries, signals that
Azerbaijan’s continued war rhetoric is not welcome and is in fact
counterproductive.
The Senate Appropriations Committee also requested $5 million in
humanitarian and relief assistance to Nagorno Karabakh.
The next step in the legislative process is for the full Senate to
consider the bill after which, the House and Senate will reconcile the
differences in a conference committee.

Catholicos of All Armenians Announced Persona Non Grata in Turkey
30.06.2006 16:13 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ An investigation has been launched by the Istanbul
Chief Public Prosecution Office into the world leader of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, Catholicos Garegin II, following claims that he
‘denigrated Turkishness’ in remarks made during his recent visit to
Istanbul.
A complaint was lodged at the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecution Office
by both Recep Akkus and the strongly-nationalist Turkish Lawyers
Union. The Istanbul Prosecution Office has opened an investigation
into the matter.
Catholicos Garegin II stated last Sunday evening at a press conference
at the Turkish Armenian Patriarchate in the Kumkapi quarter in
Istanbul that Turkey must recognize the killings of 1.5 million of
Armenians during the final years of the Ottoman Empire as Genocide,
reported Cihan news agency.
Zaman Turkish newspaper writes that 200,000 Armenians died during
forced migrations due to cold weather and bad transportation
conditions.
To note, Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II arrived in Istanbul on
Tuesday of last week as the guest of Turkey’s Armenian Patriarchate
Mesrob II and the Fener Greek Orthodox Partriarchate Bartholomeos.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Azeri Delegation Activities in PACE – Cheap Political Gambling
30.06.2006 17:36 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Discussions titled `Forest fires. Ecological
consequences and influence of policy of territorial planning’ were
held in Strasbourg today, reported the RA NA press office. From the
very beginning the Azeri delegation accused Nagorno Karabakh of
setting up arsons. In this view Armenian parliament speaker Tigran
Torosian delivered a speech. He said in part, `This is really a very
serious problem and I would not take the floor if our Azeri
counterpart hadn’t call on you to urge my assistance as the chairman
of the Armenian National Assembly. I appreciate the confidence of the
Azeri counterparts and want to response to these statements.
For a week already the Azeri delegation keeps on stating that
Armenians set fire to the forests along the border of Nagorno
Karabakh. The mildest assessment I can give to this show is cheap
political gambling. I will explain why. Three years ago Nagorno
Karabakh authorities being concerned over the fires at the near-border
pastures proposed Azerbaijan to work out joint mechanisms for
prevention of fires. Azerbaijan did not response to the proposal. The
difference of the positions of NKR and Azerbaijan on the matter is
obvious. While Baku was setting up clamor NKR Foreign Ministry June 15
requested the Office of the OSCE CiO’s Personal Representative to hold
a monitoring to assess the real situation and refute false accusations
advanced by Azerbaijan. The OSCE mission has been examining the
near-border territories for several days but found nothing what could
prove Azerbaijan’s statements. Unfortunately, spreading hatred and
invented accusations – these are the methods Azerbaijan uses when
discussing any matter. For this purpose they are even ready to falsify
the CoE documents. This is nothing but disrespect for the PACE and the
CoE principles.’

PanARMENIAN.Net
Azerbaijan Should Not Set Hope on Turkey in Karabakh Issue
30.06.2006 17:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The statement by the OSCE Minsk Group proves that
the preceding statement by U.S. Co-chair Matthew Bryza was not
accidental, ARF Bureau’s Hay Dat and Political Office Director Kiro
Manoian stated in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net. In his words
this statement gave an impulse to the public discussion of the
problem, especially in Azerbaijan. `However, there is no confidence
that these discussions may convey an impulse to new talks,’ Manoian
said.
As for the pressure exerted upon the Presidents, he considers that
greater pressure is exerted on Ilham Aliyev than on Robert
Kocharian. `However, this pressure cannot be assessed as positive. In
this case, oil serves as restraining factor for Aliyev. Though he will
hardly sign any document, since he will lose power in this
case. Destabilization in Azerbaijan will do no good to the whole
region. I think during the G8 summit in Saint Petersburg Aliyev will
be asked a precise question and he will have to give a precise
answer,’ Manoian underscored.
At that he remarked that Azerbaijan should not set great hopes for
Turkey in the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh problem. `If Turkey
takes a neutral stand on the matter Azerbaijan will lose. Presently
the West should convince Turkey that its position on Armenia is not
fruitful and should be changed if Turkey really wishes to become a
regional power,’ Kiro Manoian said.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Cypriot Issue Major Danger for Turkey’s EU Membership
30.06.2006 17:52 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The major danger on Turkey’s way towards the
European Union is Greece’s demand to open Cypriot sea- and airports
for Greek vessels and planes, ARF Bureau’s Hay Dat and Political
Office Director Kiro Manoian stated in an interview with
PanARMENIAN.Net. In his words, the stagnant reformation of the
legislation that doesn’t meet European standards is the second
danger. `Even the amendments that have been introduced into the
Turkish Penal Code are far from European demands,’ Manoian remarked.
He also added that Erdogan’s Islamic party is most of all interested
in Turkey’s European integration. `Be Erdogan elected President or
not, the demand to normalize relations with Armenia and open the
border will remain on the agenda. If Turkey open the border with
Armenia Azerbaijan will remain without support in the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement,’ Manoian underscored.