PARLIAMENTARY HEARINGS ON STABILITY PACT FOR SOUTH CAUCASUS SCHEDULED MAY 12
Yerkir
11.05.2006 18:38
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Parliamentary hearings on Stability Pact for
South Caucasus, organized by the Political Affairs commission of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), are scheduled
in Brussels May 12. The hearings that are open to the press will
focus on prospects of creation of the pact, similar to that of South
Eastern Europe.
Representatives of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia, as well as
senior representatives of the EU, WB, G8 and members of the European
Parliament will take part in the meeting. Romanian MP Adrian Severin’s
report will be heard at the session, reports the PACE Communication
Department.

TURKISH PM SAYS FRENCH PARLIAMENT WON’T PLACE VIRUS BETWEEN US
NTV MSNBC, Turkey
May 11 2006
The Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he would hold talks
with French officials during his visit to Austria.
Guncelleme: 15:40 TSÝ 11 Mayýs 2006 PerþembeANKARA – Turkey’s ties
with France have a long history and will not be permanently damaged
by a proposal before the French parliament to make it a criminal act
to deny the so-called Armenian genocide.
Speaking at a press conference in Ankara’s Esenboga Airport before
flying to Austria to attend a summit of European Union and Latin
American leaders, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he did not
believe the French parliament would vote in favour of the proposal,
which he described as a ‘virus’.
Responding to a question from journalists as to whether there would
be bans on French products stemming from the proposed legislation,
Erdogan said that it was possible the draft laws outlawing the denial
of the Armenian genocide might be rejected.
Erdogan said he had not held talks with French officials over the issue
but added that in meetings he had had with high level French investors
in Turkey the common view was that the legislation was a major mistake.
–Boundary_(ID_H2DhYyb+HatZowfQM+jwnQ)–

DOCTORS VISITED KARIN TAK
Laura Grigorian
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
10 May 2006
Recently a group of doctors was sent to the village of Karin Tak,
Shushi.
The group included a general doctor, a neurologist, an ENT doctor,
an ophthalmologist, a gynecologist and a surgeon, as well as the
executive director and two pediatricians of the regional hospital of
Shushi. The executive director had also brought charity medicine. A
senior official of the Ministry of Health Karineh Alexanyan said the
visit of doctors was on the occasion of the May holidays. Despite
the bad weather, a lot of people saw the doctors. Within a day the
doctors examined 120 people (the population of the village is 600). 29
were examined by the ophthalmologist, 23 by the ENT doctor, 20 by
the neurologist, 17 by the surgeon, 20 by the general doctor and 11
by the gynecologist. The majority of patients had hypertension. The
reason is, according to Karineh Alexanian, humidity. Some patients
were sent to the hospital of Shushi for inpatient treatment, yet
others were sent to the republic hospital. There were patients who
needed special examination. Karineh Alexanian said later they will
be sent abroad for treatment on a governmental allowance.

TURKS OF EUROPE ACTIVATE “STRUGGLE” AGAINST LAW ON PENALTY FOR GENOCIDE DENIAL
PanARMENIAN.Net
11.05.2006 15:24 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At the meeting of representatives of Turkish
organizations of France it was decided to coordinate activities against
the discussion of the bill, providing for penalty for denial of the
Armenian Genocide, scheduled at the French Parliament May 18.
Leaders of Turkish organizations decided to work out a common platform
for preventing adoption of law and joint lobbying.
Meeting participants decided to send a letter of French President
Jacques Chirac, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, Speakers of
the National Assembly and Senate, as well as political parties,
asking to “impede adoption of the law.” Deputy Chair of Liberty and
Development Turkish Party Akif Gulen, who is one of the four MPs,
who left for Paris to hamper passing the law, urged Turks living in
Europe to activate efforts in domestic affairs of their countries,
reports Turkish Daily News.

AGRICULTURAL INITIATIVE IN MARTAKERT
Srbuhi Vanian
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
10 May 2006
Recently the NKR minister of agriculture Vahram Baghdassarian has
visited the United States. He reports several useful meetings with
local businessmen; during these meetings the investment policy of
the NKR government, the state of agricultural sector and legislation
were presented. V. Baghdassarian said in America they appreciated the
environment for investments in Karabakh as rather positive. There is
willingness to make investments here, some arrangements were reached
and some projects were discussed. The main purpose of the visit to the
Unites States was to reach an arrangement on creating an agricultural
machinery pool in the framework of the agricultural initiative of
Armenia Fund for the region of Martakert. Armenia Fund is carrying out
a program of reconstruction of the region of Martakert on the money
raised during the telethon 2005. Part of the donations will be spent
on agricultural projects in Martakert. V. Baghdassarian said three
years ago the fund organized the visit of a group of experts headed by
Andrea Pampanini to Karabakh, who studied the state of agriculture in
Karabakh and worked out a programme of reconstruction of agriculture in
Karabakh. “The programme includes different branches of agriculture. It
specifies activities, such as the use of new technologies,
purchase of agricultural machines, processing and production,” said
V. Baghdassarian. For the programme of Martakert, the minister of
agriculture said during the talks between A. Pampanini and the board
of trustees of the fund it was arranged to set up a company, which
will deal with the problems of cultivation of the privatized land. A
new machine pool will be created with new equipment and maintenance
facilities. The competition for the positions of the director and
accountant of the company has started. The minister of agriculture
said the company was set up simultaneously with the Agriculture
Support Fund.
Currently negotiations are going on with the government on where
the company will be based. “This company’s purpose is to guarantee
the cultivation of privatized land from tillage to harvest,” said
V. Baghdassarian. The minister of agriculture said it is also planned
to set up an association of farmers.
Recently an extension group has visited Karabakh, and the visit of the
board of trustees is planned to work out the final plan of activities.

“BUSINESS CLASS” LEFT OEP
Anna Israelian
Aravot.am
11 May 06
As the businessmen entered into “Orinats Erkir” for insuring their
business as well as they leave the party for not threatening it.
Yesterday it became clear that those “OEP” members together with
Arthur Baghdasarian who voted against the account of the realization
of privatization of State Estate in 2001-2003 or were absent on 13 of
April don’t leave the party. And almost all deputies who abstained from
the voting /Samvel Shahgaldian, Grigor Margarian, Alexan Petrosian,
Sayad Zakharian, Arshak Mkhitarian/ have written settlements for
leaving the group without explanations. OEP deputy leader Mher
Shahgeldian didn’t interpret the circumstance that 13 deputies from
20 remained in the group. Giving the same answer to all questions;
” We’ll express our official position and approaches one of these
days”. And Hovhannes Margarian simply mentioned that “Orinats Erkir”
had 62 thousand members and it wasn’t a tragedy if 61994 remained.
Instead, the official newspaper of “Orinats Erkir” gives sharp
appraisals.
The main hero of the newspaper is the RPA group leader Galust Sahakian
where it is written; “Each negative speech pronounced by him gives
more results as everybody knows him” but it is mentioned in one of
the publications that there are people who become nervous hearing
Arthur Baghdasarian’s name and his party. First is Galust Sahakian,
that is the RPA parliamentary group leader. It is very interesting
that Galust Sahakian began speaking about “behavior”. But we can
hardly bear it when a person speaks about what he doesn’t have. But
we have always thought that a politician like him must think in first
what he speaks about. For example what Mr. Sahakian thought when he
said that the RPA was against Arthur Baghdasarian’s candidacy as the
NA chairman in 2003.”
There are affirmations that the OEP group distraction had been
coordinated by the President’s personnel, to our question whether
the RPA was interested in it Mr. Sahakian answered; “We don’t have
any connection with it and don’t welcome such demonstrations”. The
explanation of the RPA group why businessmen deputies leave the party
was the following; “I don’t think that this have connection with
business. Simply people felt themselves cheated”. We were interested
whether he had spoken to those deputies, is he sure that they feel
themselves cheated and Mr. Sahakian answered; ” It’s natural that I
have spoken as I also have friendly relations with some of them.
Thus, the OEP is the forth group by its quantity and yields as the RPA
and “People’s deputy” as well as “Justice”. Anyway its representative
can lead the parliament at request. Galust Sahakian assures that they
won’t demand Arthur Baghdasarian’s resignation; “I think we shouldn’t
change the formats and rules of the game in the half way”. But he also
mentioned if Arthur Baghdasarian “sends in his resignation I’ll respect
him more”. But OEP representatives don’t interpret the published news
that Arthur Baghdasarian was ready to take the step by which Galust
Sahakian would respect him. But the OEP deputies assured him not to
take that step. Hovhannes Margarian simply mentioned that OEP leader
doesn’t want to keep his post and authority. And Mher Shahgeldian
repeating Arthur Baghdasarian’s words said; “If we consider that
discrepancies and dissents are so much that it is impossible to work
together we can leave the coalition. This is our approach”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VOICE OF PEOPLE
Aram Abrahamian
Aravot.am
11 May 06
The reasons of air crash, which happened on 3 of May, haven’t been
officially declared yet. The truth will be appeared if the Russian
part wants it. But if the investigation is delayed and is so called
“died” we can say surely that the main guilty part is Russia.
The awful disaster was a shock for us, the citizens of Armenia. For
finding out how our society beared that shock “Aravot” ordered to
its APR Group company to make a Gallup poll from 6-8 of May among
652 Yerevan citizens.
First of all we were interesting from what sources our compatriots have
got information. 6,6% has got that information from the milieu. Only
a person from 652 members mentioned Internet as the source of
information, which is pitiful, of course. It is also pitiful that
radi? has 2,6% in this list. The main part has got information from
TV companies; 30,4% from “Armenia”, 10% from H1, 5,7% from ORT, 5,2%
from RTR Planeta, 3,2% from “Shant”, 2,6% from “Armnews”. The percent
of other TV companies is less than 1%. Nobody among 652 mentioned any
newspaper as a source of information. But TV Companies can’t be glad
because only 12,6% trusts in information given by mass media, 71%
“trusts partly”, 16,4% doesn’t trust at all.
And what or whom those 652 citizens consider guilty for the air
crashes. A part of Yerevan citizens are careful in their answers,
“find difficulty in answer”, it will become clear after finding the
black box. And the first place among certain answers is the ‘Russian
dispatchers” answer, 29,6% which I consider reasonable. Second is
“organized air crash” answer which is surprising for me a little
/10,6%/. Perhaps a part of people is inclined to believe in sensational
versions full of intrigues. Other versions are “use of weapon inside
the airplane” /4,3%/, “conspiracy of foreign countries against Armenia”
/3,8%/ , “terror” /1,8%/ Weather /8,4%/ and”Armavia” company 4,8%/
are also mentioned.
And finally a result of polling which inspires optimism; “Are you or
your family members going to use of air services during 2006”. 23,2%
answered to that question positively, 49,5% gave negative answer and
27,3% didn’t know. So people haven’t been frightened so much.

RECALLED TURKISH ENVOYS RETURN TO POST IN FRANCE, CANADA
Anatolia news agency
11 May 06
Ankara, 11 May: Turkey’s ambassadors to France and Canada returned to
their posts on Thursday after having consultations in Turkish capital
of Ankara regarding so-called Armenian genocide allegations.
Turkey’s Ambassador in Paris Osman Koruturk and Ambassador in Ottawa
Aydemir Erman arrived in Ankara at the beginning of this week to have
consultations over recent baseless Armenian genocide allegations in
these two countries.
Koruturk and Erman participated in meetings held at the Turkish Foreign
Ministry, and were received by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Canadian parliament has adopted a resolution, acknowledging the
Armenian claims, while Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper have
made remarks in which he qualified unfounded Armenian allegations as
“genocide”.
On the other hand, French parliament will debate a bill on May 18th
which makes any denial of the so-called Armenian genocide a crime.

RUSSIAN TV PROBES RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AT MOSCOW NIGHT CLUBS
Ren TV, Moscow
10 May 06
[Presenter Vitaliy Buzuyev] Russia declares freedom for all
nationalities, but in reality it is turning back to the past
and, to some extent, it recalls the USA in the 1960s. A private
rule is implemented in many night clubs in Moscow to allow only
European-looking people in. Yelena Karpukhina reports on discrimination
Russian style.
[Correspondent] Metal detectors, document checks and handbag searches
are a common occurrence for night club visitors. Even a body search
does not embarrass anyone. But a visitor finds it is offending all the
same to be turned away because of their face, but not their passport.
Although there is a face control sign at the entrance, in some cases
this sign can be translated more precisely: Whites only.
David is 22 and he likes to have fun. But despite having higher
education, a prestigious job, registration in Moscow and money he
cannot have access to the night life. We went [to a night club]
together with him to prove this.
We have switched a secret camera on. This is a Friday evening. David,
with his girlfriend and a friend, who is also an Armenian, are going
to dance.
[Unidentified male voice, presumably belongs to a security man] Guys,
we will not let you in without a club card today.
[David] Today?
[Male voice] Today, for sure. I don’t know what the administration’s
orders will be next time.
[David] Why? Don’t you like how we look?
[Male voice] No, just because we are having a birthday party today
and there are a lot of people here.
[Correspondent] At the same time, European-looking visitors are getting
in freely and no one is asking for their club cards. The next club
is located 20 metres away from the first one. The story is repeated.
[Security man] We do not explain reasons for a refusal.
[David Davtyan, captioned as economist] When we arrive [at a club]
we are given a fairly logical explanation. This is either a club
card or a birthday party or something of this sort. Of course,
this is explicable, but when this happens each day and each time,
this becomes not a coincidence, but a regularity.
[Correspondent] Pasha Face Control [nickname] knows everything about
such regularities. He is the most famous club security guy in Moscow.
Pasha’s task is to detect unwanted guests at the first glance. The
criterion of unsuitability is determined by the owner. The rejection
formulae are prearranged.
[Pasha Face Control, captioned as club security] Some owners require
us to give less access to people from the Caucasus. They explain that
these people cause many problems. The standard answer is a birthday
or a corporate party.
[Correspondent] The question of nationality is a sensitive topic
for people from the Caucasus, Latin America, Africa and Asia, or
just for dark-skinned citizens. Cuban nationals Enrique, Alfredo and
(?Caridad) are professional dancers. They take part in shows and give
Latino dance classes for beginners.
Regular customers love them, but they are immediately reminded that
they are foreigners when they go out to have fun anywhere else.
[Enrique, captioned as dancer, speaking Spanish with simultaneous
Russian translation] Once we went to a club with my Russian friends.
The friends were allowed in, but I was not. They said that I was a
foreigner. We had to find another place.
[Carlos, captioned as student] When that happened to me the first
time, honestly, I regretted having come to Russia. We like hanging
out and we never intend to do anything terrible at a discotheque.
This is real discrimination.
[Correspondent] While other clubs harshly turn down people having
dark skin and hair, this club always welcomes them. The owners of
this club understand that southerners, with their body language and
temperament, turn on all the people on the dance floor. Many women
come here only for the sake of them.
Most people present here have heard that blacks cause problems. But
there have not been any conflicts on nationalist grounds on this
dance floor, although it is coloured in all senses.
[Armen Grigoryan, captioned as club promoter] You can see people of
all nationalities there: a Hindu, a Jewish person or a Chinese.
Everyone has equal fun when they get drunk.
[Angelina, captioned as student] I have many dark-skinned friends
from various countries. They dance very well, especially the guys
from Latin America.
[Correspondent] Those whom some white people refer to as coloured
are not seeking any additional trouble. They just will not return to
a club where they have once been turned away. But Moscow is losing
its attractiveness for foreigners each year. They say that it would
be fairer to put up real signs on club’s doors. For example: “Whites
only” or “No entry to blacks and dogs”.

SPEAKER * PARTY * RESIGNATION
Mediamax
Armenian Independent News Agency
May 11 2006
ALERT! Armenian parliamentary speaker Artur Baghdassarian decided
to resign and his Orinats Yerkir Party will leave the ruling
coalition-11.05.06
Yerevan, May 11. /Mediamax/. Armenian National Assembly speaker Artur
Baghdassarian decided to resign and his Orinats Yerkir Party will
leave the ruling coalition.
Member of Orinats Yerkir parliamentary faction Hovhannes Margarian
said this a few minutes ago on the air of the Shant TV channel,
Mediamax reports. The MP said that the decision on the speaker’s
resignation and leaving the ruling coalition was taken this evening
at the enlarged session of the Orinats Yerkir Political Board.
Hovhannes Margarian said that Artur Baghdassarian will officially
announce about his resignation at a news conference tomorrow at 14:00.
Orinats Yerkir, Republican Party of Armenia and Dashnaktsutyun
Party signed a memorandum on creating a coalition after the 2003
parliamentary elections.