VICTORY OF CHRISTIAN-DEMOCRATES IN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS OF SLOVAKIA TO GREATLY SUPPORT PROCCESS OF RECOGNITION OF GENOCIDE
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 19 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 19, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. According to
preliminary data, the Christian-Democratic Party of Slovakia, which
had a great role in the issue of presenting at the country Parliament
the resolution on the Armenian Genocide, also has a great possibility
to win in the parliamentary elections held in Slovakia on June 17.
As Ashot Grigorian, the head of the Armenian community of Slovakia
explained in the intervew given to Noyan Tapan, possibilities of the
Christian-Democratic Party are also great in the issue of making
a part of the coalition and getting minister’s portfolio. In the
case if that happens, according to A.Grigorian, Jan Carnogursky,
the first founder of the Christian-Democratic Party, leader of up to
the recent years, first Prime Minister of Slovakia and the Justice
Minister up to the recent times will be appointed on the post of the
Foreign Minister of Slovakia. The latter stated at the meeting with
A.Grigorian that Armenia, being a very old country, having a rich
culture and good diplomatic school, had implemented a successful
diplomatic work in relations with Turkey during the recent years,
and the Christian-Democratic Party will in future as well assist
Armenia in those diplomatic works. According to Carnogursky, the Iraq
war provoked processes of creation of the Kurd state which are a great
threat for Turkey. Against the background, Armenia has a greater chance
to strengthen its diplomatic victories in the issue of recognition
of the Genocide. According to Ashot Grigorian, it’s probable after
the Christian-Democrats’ making a part of the coalition that Slovakia
proposes recognition of the Armenian Genocide as a pre-condition for
Turkey’s membership to the European Union.
Ashot Grigorian called on the Armenian community of Slovakia to give
their votes during the elections to the Christian-Democratic Party,
assisting just by it the Armenian-Slovakian relations’ being more
effective in both economic and political sphere and recognition of
the Genocide in other countries of the world.

NETHERLANDS TO CONTINUE ASSISTING ARMENIA WITH ECONOMIC REFORMS
Noyan Tapan
Jun 19 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The Netherlands as a country co-charing
the IMF and WB Dutch Constituency will continue providing assistance
to Armenia.
Before 2005, the Netherlands provided assistance of 4.7 mln euros
for co-financing the programs implemented in Armenia by the above
mentioned donor organizations, while this year this assistance will
amount to 5 mln euros. Mrs.
Agnes Van Ardenne, MFA Minister for Development Cooperation of the
Netherlands, stated this at the conference of the IMF/WB Constituency
Meeting in Yerevan on June 17-18.
According to her, the Netherlands also assist Armenia in such spheres
as state finance management, democratization and NGO development.
It was noted that in 2005, the Dutch Constituency member states signed
a memorandum on mutual understanding, under which the Netherlands
expressed a willingness to assist the Constituency’s developing
countries with attraction of direct foreign investsments. Agnes Van
Ardenne expressed a hope that in accordance with the Dutch Business
Program signed in 2005, Armenian and Dutch businessmen will be able
to set up joint ventures.

IMF/WB DUTCH CONSTITUENCY MEETING IN YEREVAN WAS PRODUCTIVE
Noyan Tapan
Jun 19 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The IMF/WB Dutch Constituency meeting
held in Yerevan on June 17-18 was a productive one. Gerrit Zalm,
Deputy Prime Minister, Finance Minister of the Netherlands, stated
this during a press conference to summarize the Yerevan meeting.
The IMF Managing Director Rodrigo de Rato, the finance ministers and
chairmen of the central banks of the Netherlands, Armenia, Georgia,
Moldova, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Israel,
Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as more than 70 other officials
from these countries, IMF and WB participated in the meeting.
Issues related to the IMF/WB annual meeting to be held in Singapour
this year were dicussed at the meeting, particularly, the issue of
quotas of IMF member states. Representtaives of the financial secors
of the member states made the following reports: “Current Events in
WB and IMF”, “Strategic Review of the IMF”, “Fiscal Space: Domestic
Resource Mobilization”, “Current Account Imbalancies in Transition:
Vulnerabilities and Policies”, “Productivity Growth, Job Creation
and Demograthic Change: How are Countries of the Dutch Constituency
Doing?”.
According to the IMF Executive Director Jeroen Kremers, the population
of the Dutch Constituency member states is 125 mln, which is almost
equal to Russia’s polulation. The total quaota of the member states
is 5%, which is twice as much as that of Russia.
In the opinion of G. Zalm, Armenia has excellently organized both
the meeting and the cultural and tourism program for the meeting
participants.
According to him, the next meeting of the IMF/WB Dutch Constituency
will be held in Moldova in 2007.

RA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY AND OSCE YEREVAN OFFICE ASSIST WITH WOMEN’S BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Noyan Tapan
Jun 19 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 19, NOYAN TAPAN. Although Armenia is ahead of many
countries by the share of production made by small and medium
enterprises (SME) in Armenia’s GDP, there is still much to be done
in the country in terms of SME development, especially involvement
of women in this sphere. Head of the OSCE Office, Ambasador Vladimir
Pryakhin expressed this opinion during the seminar “SME Development
for Sustainable Development” and the opening ceremony of an exhibition
to display production of small and medium enterprises run by women.
The events were held on June 17-18 by the Businesswomen Assistance
Center Foundation, the RA Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI)
and the OSCE Yerevan Office. According to V. Pryakhin, the subjects
discussed at the seminar were chosen in anticipation that they will
promote exchange of experience and knowledge necessary for women’s
business.
The RA CCI Chairman Martin Sargsian and the Businesswomen Assistance
Center Foundation Director Lilia Gevorgian attached special importance
to the seminar as the first step in the cooperation between these
bodies, expressing a hope that it will be continuous.
Nani Oskanian, Chairwoman of the Association of Diplomat Spouses
(the wife of the Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian), noted
that the asistance provided by state, business assistance bodies and
international organizations is especially nevessary for Armenian
businesswomen so that they can conduct their business efficiently
and enter foreign markets.

BRINGING TURKEY’S FOREIGN AND HOME POLICY IN CORRESPONDENCE WITH EUROPEAN STANDARDS IS COMPULSORY
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 19 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 19, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The delegation of
the Czech Republic Senate’s Committee on Foreign Relations, Defence
and Security has arrived in Armenia on a working visit. On June 19,
the members of RA National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign
Relations met with the delegation.
As Noyan Tapan was informed from RA NA Public Relations Department,
Committee Chairman Armen Rustamian attached importance to cooperation
between the two countries’ parliaments emphasizing the necessity of
activization of bilateral contacts that can be efficient both in the
respect of exchange of experience and cooperation in spheres of policy,
economy, trade and culture.
Rostislav Slavotinek, Vice-Chairman of Czech Republic Senate Committee
on Foreign Relations, Defence and Security, also attached importance
to activization of political, interparliamentary and trade-economic
contacts, cooperation in the legal-contractual field. Committee member
Jaromir Stetina mentioned that two months ago a conference dedicated
to the Genocide of 1915 was organized at the Senate on his initaitive
and the initiative of the Armenian community of Czech Republic, as
well as under the patronage of former President of Czech Republic
Vatslav Havel. The deputy expressed the hope that the Czech Senate
will adopt a statement recognizing the Armenian Genocide in autumn.
In response to the question of the Czech party, whether there is
some improvement in the Nagorno Karabakh settlement lately and
whether the OSCE Minsk Group has exhausted itself and there is a
necessity of a new format, Armen Rustamian said that there is no
necessity of a new format as the Minsk Group has been engaged in the
settlement since 1992, deeply masters the issue and has submitted
three valuable proposals during the past eight years. And as for no
improvement in the negotiations process, according to A.Rustamian, in
difference to Armenia, Azerbaijan constantly declines the proposals
submitted to it and refuses to sign any document, which contradicts
its conception of problem settlement. In his opinion, the process of
conflicts settlement can be crowned with success only by development
of regional partnership, which is greatly hampered by Azerbaijan and
Turkey with the policy carried on by them, which draws dividing lines
in the region and delays the settlement of the problem.
In connection with EU-Turkey and Armenia-Turkey relations the
Chairman of RA NA Committee on Foreign Relations said that Armenia
has repeatedly announced about its readiness to establish relations
without any preconditions, in response to which the Turkish side
puts forward preconditions, they are put forward in the context of
Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, as well. As for Turkey’s membership
to EU, Armen Rustamian said that the European Union is not only
a geographical area, but first of all a system of values and for
becoming a EU member a country should adopt the European values in
this context attaching importance to the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide, because, while Turkey has not recognized the Genocide,
there is no guarantee that it will not recur again.
Agreeing to Armen Rustamian, the Czech party added that the
negotiations with Turkey on membership to EU will continue for
another 10-15 years and bringing Turkey’s foreign and home policy in
correspondence with the European standards is obligatory.

RA PRIME MINISTER AND RF PRESIDENT’S AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE EXPRESS ANXIETY ON OCCASION OF VIOLENCES COMMITTED UPON ARMENIANS IN RF
Noyan Tapan
Jun 19 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 19, NOYAN TAPAN. At the June 16 meeting of RA Prime
Minister Andranik Margarian and the delegation headed by Dmitry Kozak,
the RF President’s Authorized Representative to the South Federal
Okrug of the Russian Federation, the sides attached importance
to stimulation of the bilateral mutually benefitial cooperation
of administrative subjects of Armenia and Russia, particularly,
among separate regions of the South Federal okrug, taking into
account both their being close to Armenia in the geographic sense,
and presence of the great Armenian community. A.Margarian emphasized
that possibilities of development of an effective cooperation not only
at the level of the two states’ Governments but also at the level of
separate administrative subjects are also periodically discussed at the
Armenian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation.
Mentioning that the first event organized within the framework of the
Year of Armenia in Russia in 2006 at the regional level was holding
of the days of Armenia in the region of Rostov, A.Margarian thanked
Vladimir Chub, the Governor of the Rostov region who was present at
the meeting with the RF delegation staff, for the warm reception of
the Armenian delegation, preparing and holding the events at a high
level. The RA Prime Minister expressed confidence that events to be
held in the marz of Astrakhan in June and in the country of Krasnodar
in August within the framework of the year of Armenia in Russia will
take place as successful as those ones were.
The interlocuters emphasized that improvement of the transport
communication between the two countries may considerably assist
stimulation of the mutual cooperation, particularly, regular usage
of the Poti-Caucasus railway-ferry direction and re-opening of the
Abkhazian part of the Georgian railway, what will give possibility
to increase volumes of goods circulation.
During the meeting A.Margarian expressed anxiety on the occasion of
cases of violences and murders committed upon Armenians in the Russian
Federation during the recent period. He expressed confidence that
the administration of the Russian Federation including ones of its
separate administrative subjects as well will take serious steps to
reveal those quilty and to call them to account as well as to prevent
similar events from now on.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Government’s Information and
Public Relations Department, D.Kozak as well expressed anxiety on the
occasion of the above-mentioned cases and condemned them. He assured
the RA Prime Minister that those are not led especially against
Armenians, and the authorities of Russia do their best to reveal and
exclude similar crimes.

RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION BECOMES INTERREGIONAL ORGANIZATION
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 19 2006
MOSCOW, JUNE 19, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A conference of the
Association of Friendship and Cooperation with Armenia was held
in Moscow. It made a decision to reorganize the Association from
a regional NGO into an interregional one, as well as to change its
name. According to the Yerkramas (Territory) newspaper of Armenians
of Russia, now this Association of people’s diplomacy will be named
Russian-Armenian Friendship and Cooperation Association.
Prominent Russian public figure, writer, political scientist Viktor
Krivopuskov was reelected its President for a five-year term.
The conference called on the RF leadership and the Russian people
on behalf of the organization to join the international community’s
condemnation of facts of vandalism in Azerbaijan manifested in December
2005 in the city of Old Jugha (Julfa) towards the Armenian medieval
cemetery and four thousand khachkars (cross-stones) – masterpieces
of small architecture and property of the world civilization being
under UNESCO’s protection.
The delegates of the conference made proposals to the Presidents of
Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia about manifesting a political will
and devotion to age-old traditions of these peoples to live in peace,
friendship and consent when solving the Nagorno Karabakh problem. Only
the way of peaceful and fair negotiations, in the opinion of the
Russian-Armenian Friendship and Cooperation Association, can bring
the Armenian and Azerbaijani peoples mutual consent, neighborhood of
friendly hearths and happiness in their families.
In a special statement the organization condemned the cases
of murders of citizens, in particular, of Armenian nationality,
committed in Moscow and in other regions on the ethnic ground over
the past months. The conference expressed anxiety in connection with
the negligence of law enforcement and special services responsible
for prevention and disclosure of murders, well-timed isolation of
persons infected with the poison of xenophobia, racial discrimination
and nationalism introduced from without. The conference also made
an appeal to the Armenian Diaspora in Russia, to the people and
media with a request not to dramatize the situation, not to extend
estimations to criminal actions of some degenerates to the whole
public-political situation in Russia, to more actively use the holding
of Year of Armenia in Russia for strengthening and developing the
age-old friendly ties between the Russian and Armenian peoples.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

“HAMSHEN” ARMENIAN ENSEMBLE FROM SOCHI RECOGNIZED BEST DANCING GROUP AT SEA BREEZE FESTIVAL
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 19 2006
KRASNODAR, JUNE 19, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The “Hamshen”
folk ensemble of Armenian music, song and dance of the Center of
National Cultures of the settlement of Lazarevski, city of Sochi,
received grand prix in the Folk Dance nomination at the festival
held in Sochi within the framework of the Sea Breeze National Contest
of Young Talents. The festival was held by the “Children of Russia”
fund for support to development of children’s creation, and performers
and creative collectives from many regions of Russian Federation took
part in it.
According to the Yerkramas (Territory) newspaper of Armenians of
Russia, the Hamshen ensemble performed dance “Berd” (“Fortress”)
and a pot-pourri from folk dances of Armenians of Hamshen (Armenians
of Hamshen came from the region of Hamshen in the territory of the
historic Armenia, currently in Turkey).
As Honored Worker of Culture of RF Vitali Postnikov, principal
ballet-master of the State Philharmony of Vologodski region, chairman
of festival’s jury, mentioned, “Hamshen” was the only group that
presented folk dance at the professional level. Besides the Winner Cup,
the “Hamshen” ensemble was given a special diploma for preservation
of national traditions and a valuable present.
The “Hamshen” ensemble cannot take part in the “One Nation – One
Culture” Second All Armenian Festival of Culture though it had applied
for participation earlier. The reason is that no funds were found in
the Krasnodar territory for financing the tour of the young artists
to this festival.

ARMENIANS OF ANAPA MARK KHACHKAR DAY
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 19 2006
KRASNODAR, JUNE 19, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A traditional
holiday, Khachkar Day, was marked in the village of Haykodzor, Anapa
region, Krasnodar territory. The holiday is dedicated to the date of
placing a khachkar (cross-stone) in this Armenian village. The 15th
anniversary of khachkar’s placing is marked this year.
According to the Yerkramas (Territory) newspaper of Armenians of
Russia, the festivity started with a prayer of clergymen of the
Armenian Apostolic Church, after which head of the city-resort of
Anapa Anatoli Pakhomov made a greeting speech. Diplomas were given to
the most active public figures of the Center for Armenian National
Culture of Anapa Region from the city administration. Diplomas were
also given on behalf of the Center to the people who spared no efforts
to the advantage of the region and the Armenian community.
The festivity was accompanied by a feast and performances of creative
folk groups, among which there were not only Armenian groups but also
those representing other peoples of Krasnodar territory, for instance,
Greeks and Cossacks.

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS TO LEAVE FOR ISTANBUL FOR WEEK
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 19 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 19, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Karekin II Catholicos
of All Armenians will leave for Istanbul for a week.
Ara Gochunian, the editor-in-chief of the Istanbul “Zhamanak” (Time)
newspaper informed Radio Liberty, that “as in the case of Karekin I,
it is a return visit for the visit paid by Supreme Patriarch of the
Greek Orthodox Church Bartholomew I, who participated in 2001 in the
closing ceremony of the event dedicated to the 1700th anniversary of
adopting Christianity as the state religion in Armenia.” At the same
time, according to the same source, His Holiness Patriarch pays the
first patriarchal visit to Istanbul during his enthronement.
Unlike the visit paid by latter Karekin I Catholicos, the Istanbul
viceregent will receive His Holiness Karekin II. “Vazgen I Catholicos
once visited Ankara as well where he met with high-ranking officials
of the capital of Turkey. The present visit of the Catholicos of
All Armenians is not official, has a status of an interchuch visit,”
Ara Gochunian mentioned.