GUL: ARMENIA CAN JOIN KARS-AKHALKALAKI RAILWAY PROJECT
PanARMENIAN.Net
22.06.2006 14:27 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “If Armenia wishes it can join the building
Kars-Akhalkalaki railway,” Turkish FM Abdullah Gul said at
a meeting with Azeri President Ilham Aliyev. In the words of
Turkish MFA Spokesperson Namik Tan, inclusion of Armenia in the
project is conditioned with the issue of settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. “We can involve Armenia only after the conflict
is settled. Aliyev and Gul stated it. However, Armenia should make
certain steps and try to find ways of settlement of the Karabakh
conflict,” Tan said, reports RFE/RL.

WILL MONUMENT TO HEYDAR ALIYEV BE SET IN MOSCOW?
PanARMENIAN.Net
22.06.2006 13:53 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The monument to Heydar Aliyev, that was to be opened
in a square next to Baku cinema, will not be erected soon. In the
words of Advisor for Cultural Affairs of the Azeri Embassy in Moscow
Nigyar Akhundova, there are some problems. “Only our Ambassador has
information on whether the monument will be set there or not, but he
is in Baku now and it cannot be cleared out,” she said.
If the monument is not to be set at the location provided before,
what should be done with the pedestal? Meanwhile, June 22 an
authorized protest action was held next to Aeroport metro station
against erection of the monument to former Azeri President, writes
the Nezavisimaya Gazeta.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CANADIAN COMPANY TO SEARCH FOR OIL AND GAS IN ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
22.06.2006 15:14 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Transeuroenegery Corporation, Canada, will launch
exploring works to search for oil and gas fields in three Armenian
regions – Armavir, Krasny and Shoghaghbyur. “I am sure there are oil
and gas deposits in Armenia,” said Head of the Corporation Armenian
Office Mike Smith. “Why should not Armenia have oil and gas, if all
neighbors have them? In the past, in my opinion, Armenia was not
lucky and prospecting works were not a success. However I am sure
Armenia has oil and gas deposits,” he remarked.
According to Smith, scholars searched for oil in Armenia already
in 70s of the past century. “This did not pursue commercial goals,
while we are ready to introduce the necessary technical equipment
and get the responses to the questions of interest,” Smith said.
The Canadian Corporation has concluded an agreement with an exploration
company, which is ready to transport modern equipment to Armenia. “This
equipment will allow exploring the bowels at the depth of 2500 meters,
while causing minimal damage and getting the maximal outcome,” Mike
Smith said. In his words, works will start in September, while the
and first results will be ready in February 2007, reports RFE/RL.

NEXT ECHELON WITH RUSSIAN MATERIAL TO LEAVE FOR ARMENIA FROM AJARIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
22.06.2006 16:01 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The next, fifth echelon with Russian materiel,
owned by 12th Russian military base in Batumi, left Ajaria Thursday
night. The echelon heading for Armenian city of Gyumri is composed
of 18 cars. AMZ-53 automatic machine for pumping oil, MNUG-20 and
MPG-20 machines for pumping fuel, as well as two units of MNUG-14
device for pumping oil, two units of device for pumping oil ZSZh,
17 units of KP-12530 field-kitchens and 24 units of 15- and 4-ton
water containers are in the cars, reports RIA Novosti.
The withdrawal of Russian military bases and equipment takes place
within the agreements between representatives of the Defense Ministries
of Georgia and Russia, concluded in Sochi March 31 this year.

ARMENIA JOINED UN CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE
PanARMENIAN.Net
22.06.2006 16:40 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia has jointed the UN Convention against Torture
and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. As
reported by Head of the Department for Information and Public Relations
of the Ombudsman Grisha Grigoryan, this was possible after Armenian
Parliament ratified the Facultative Protocol of the Convention against
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
In Grigoryan’s words, by that provision Armenia joins the Convention
participant states, thus agreeing with all its provisions. The
facultative Protocol of the UN Convention against Torture and Other
Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment was adopted on
18th of December 2002 and will come into effect on June 22, 2006.
According to article 17 of the Convention, each of the participant
states binds itself to form an independent body to prevent domestic
torture in a year since its entry into force. Mechanism to prevent
torture should be applied in all venues of imprisonment, as well as
psychiatric clinics without any hindrances, reports Novosti-Armenia.

FULFILLMENT OF MOST OF ARMENIA’S COMMITMENTS TO CE CAN BE ASSESSED AS GOOD
PanARMENIAN.Net
22.06.2006 17:15 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During its Spring Session in 2006 the Armenian
National Assembly adopted 103 laws and ratified 36 international
agreements, Armenian Speaker Tigran Torosyan stated at a news
conference in Yerevan. In his words, during the work of the Parliament
changes were introduced to the legislation resulting from new edition
of the Armenian Constitution. “Making Armenian legislation comply
with the Constitution is a necessary commitment of Armenia to the
Council of Europe,” Torosyan noted.
The Speaker specially noted that “in the new edition of the
Constitution not only the President, but also any citizen of the
country can address the Constitutional Court, which fits international
standards,” he said.
As of fulfillment of Armenia’s commitments to the CE, Torosyan
remarked that most of these are already met and can be assessed as
“good”. He reminded that the latest report on Armenia was presented
at the PACE session in autumn 2004. “A more complete report on Armenia
is expected to be presented in October 2006.
It is of high importance to us, as it will speak about the new
edition of the country’s Constitution. The most important thing to
us is holding parliamentary and presidential elections in compliance
with democratic and international standards,” the Armenian Speaker
underscored.

INCIDENT WITH GAREGIN II AT ISTANBUL AIRPORT DID NOT ENTAIL CONSEQUENCES
PanARMENIAN.Net
22.06.2006 17:32 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey does not respect principles, based on which
it is going to join the EU, Armenian Speaker Tigran Torosyan stated
at a news conference in Yerevan, when commenting on the incident with
Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II at Istanbul Airport. In his
words, the incident did not entail consequences.
“Turkey assesses itself, its image, approaches, values, culture. They
have cause for concern. Turks should understand that there is a
simple way to get rid of complexes – to reconsider its approach to
many matters, including recognition of the Armenian Genocide. The
PACE Summer Session will discuss the issue of freedom in Turkey.
According to Turkish media, due to arrival of Garegin II special
security measures were taken at Ataturk airport in Istanbul,
journalists’ entry to the airport territory was banned. Archbishop
Mesrop Mutafian met Catholicos and they left not passing through
VIP, as provided before. Next to the airport entrance a group of
50 people organized a protest action. Lraber, official bulletin of
Constantinople Patriarchy, notes that those protesting threw eggs on
cars of two Patriarchs, who were meeting Garegin II.

YEREVAN AUTHORITIES INTEND TO EVICT RESIDENTS OF FIRDOUSI STREET
Yerevan, June 20. ArmInfo. Yerevan authorities intend to evict the
residents of Firdusi street occupying a territory of 5 ha.
RFE/RL reports, an area of 282 sq/m of the street was transferred
to Hotel Yerevan, anther 50,000 sq/m to the English company City
Center Development.
To note, yesterday, “guided with the state needs and the mediation of
Yerevan mayor,” the Armenian Government resolved to transfer the area
to the above companies for further development. The local residents are
offered $120 per sq/m of premises. However, the residents demand more
compensation to leave their homes. The municipality plans completing
the construction of the area by 2010. The Government’s decision must
be ratified by the President. To note, earlier the authorities evicted
the residents of the street where currently the Northern Avenue is
built and from Byuzand street against their will.
Earlier, the Constitutional Court recognized the rights of these
residents infringed.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PEOPLE ON THE WAY TO THE EU WELCOMES THE CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS WITH A SCANDAL
ArmRadio.am
22.06.2006 17:51
Although the Turkish security forces undertook unprecedented
security measures on the occasion of the visit of the Catholicos of
All Armenians Garegin II to Istanbul, unpleasant accidents still
occurred. A group of chauvinists welcomed the Armenian Supreme
Patriarch in the airport. “Radiolur” correspondent Marlena Hovsepyan
had a talk with the editor-in-chief of the Istanbul based “Marmara”
newspaper Rober Hatechyan over the visit of the Catholicos of All
Armenians to Istanbul and the accident.
At the invitation of Archbishop Mesrop Mutafyan and Ecumenical
Patriarch His All-Holiness Bartholomew I, the Catholicos of All
Armenians left for Istanbul. This was the third visit of Armenian
religious leaders to Turkey during the last 50 years. In 1961 Vazgen
I paid an official visit to Turkey. In 1996 Garegin the First’s visit
was non-official. Garegin the Second’s visit is also of a non-official
character, although he should meet the Governor of Istanbul.
On the occasion of the Catholicos’s visit unprecedented
security measures were undertaken in the Ataturk airport of
Istanbul. Journalists were prohibited to enter the territory of the
airport. Archbishop Mesrop Mutafian met the Catholicos and they left
not passing through VIP, as provided before. Next to the airport
entrance a group of 50 people organized an act of protest. Those
protesting threw eggs on cars of two Patriarchs, who were meeting
Garegin II.
Catholicos of All Armenians was received in the Patriarchy building,
which is guarded around the clock by Turkish security forces.
Rober Hatechyan noted in his interview to our correspondent that
despite the accident, the program of the Patriarch’s visit did not
undergo any changes.
“To be fair, it was not a big accident, ant we do not have to focus
on it.
We were expecting more serious accidents,” the editor of “Marmara”
newspaper said.
Although the accident was not that serious, it wholly expressed
the essence of the people, which has taken the course towards the
European Union.

MORE THAN 40 EVENTS TO BE ORGANIZED WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF “ONE NATION, ONE CULTURE” SECOND ARMENIAN FESTIVAL
Noyan Tapan
Jun 22 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 22, NOYAN TAPAN. More than 40 events will be organized
within the framework of the “One Nation, One Culture” second Armenian
cultural festival to be held on June 23-30 in Armenia and Artaskh. As
Hrachya Ashoughian, producer of the festival’s opening ceremony,
informed at the June 22 press conference, each day of the festival
will be dedicated to one branch of art – theater, cinema, music,
literature, dancing, painting, etc. The festival participants will
also have an opportunity to see Armenian films at the Moscow cinema,
to meet with Armenian cinematographers and writers.
H.Ashoughian also said that the opening of the festival at K.Demirchian
sports and cultural complex will be non-stop and theatrical and dance
items will be performed.
According to Armen Manukian, festival Art Director, the holding of the
festival is especially important for the inhabitants of the Armenian
regions: “The inhabitants of the regions are looking forward to such
events and within the framework of the festival they will have an
opportunity to associate with art figures creating in the Diaspora
and in Armenia,” A.Manukian stated.