JUNE VISITS
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[07:56 pm] 12 June, 2006
On June 13 RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan will leave for Paris
where he will meet Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov together
with the OSCE Minsk group co-chairs.
On June 14 Minister Oskanyan will leave for Brussels to participate
in the meeting of the NATO and Armenia (format 26+1) together with RA
Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan. During the meeting the course of the
realization of the Individual Partnership Action Plan Armenia-NATO
will be discussed.
On June 19 Minister Oskanyan will leave for Kiev on official visit
where he will meet the President and the Foreign Minister of the
country.
On June 20-21 the Foreign Minister will be in Geneva and will leave
for Georgia on official visit on June 27.
From: Baghdasarian

DISABLED MINERS ON HUNGER STRIKE
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[08:42 pm] 12 June, 2006
more images “We are not begging. We are asking for the money we
deserve”, claim Ilya Barseghyan and Vladimir Hovsepyan, former miners
from Kapan. They have been on a hunger strike since yesterday in the
Garegin Nzhdeh square of Kapan. Together with 170 other miners they
have been deprived of their disability pension. The former disabled
workers of “Dino Gold Mining Company” (former Kapan ore mining and
processing enterprise) have not received any compensation for the
last 20 months.
The authorities of the Company refuse to pay them saying that the
miners were not disabled under the present authorities. The owner
of “Dino Gold Mining Company” refused to sign a collective contract
with the trade union of the company. There is no way for the miners
to solve the problem and get at least their pension of 15 thousand
AMD a month. There is no Law on working disability and they cannot
even turn to court.
The hunger strikers in the Kapan square announce that they will keep
on strike until their rights are restored. This is the second case
during the last few years that the disabled miners have gone on a
hunger strike in Kapan.
TV Company “Sosi”, Kapan

HAPPY BIRTHDAY
A1+
[08:58 pm] 12 June, 2006
Today Robert Kocharyan sent a congratulating message to RA Prime
Minister Andranik Margaryan on his 55th birthday.
The message says, “Dear Mr. Prime Minister, I congratulate you on your
55th birthday. I wish you good health and success in your political
activity for the welfare of the Armenian nation”.
NA President Tigran Torosyan also congratulated the Prime Minister.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ANCA CALLS ON SENATORS TO DEMAND FULL EXPLANATION OF EVANS FIRING
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 12 2006
WASHINGTON, JUNE 12, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA) urged U.S. Senators to demand a
full and open explanation of the highly controversial firing of the
current U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, before the Senate
moves to confirm a new envoy to Yerevan. In June 9th letters, ANCA
Chairman Ken Hachikian encouraged Senators to vigorously investigate
the reasons behind the Administration’s decision to recall the
Ambassador more than a year prior to the end of his normal term of
office. The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the Fresno Bee
have reported that the State Department’s actions against Ambassador
Evans were due to his comments, made during February, 2005 speeches
to Armenian American audiences, accurately and openly describing the
Armenian Genocide as a clear instance of genocide. Despite more than
60 Members of Congress having called for an official explanation of
the Administration’s policies and actions on this matter, over the past
four months the White House and State Department have yet to offer any
meaningful explanation about the dismissal of this highly-regarded,
35-year veteran of the Foreign Service. Hachikian stressed, in his
letters, that, “The U.S. Senate cannot, in good conscience, approve the
nomination of a new ambassador to Armenia until the circumstances of
the current envoy’s highly controversial firing are fully, officially,
and openly explained to Congress and the American people. More broadly,
the Administration needs to honestly explain its policies and actions
concerning the Armenian Genocide. This is especially true given
that serious questions remain unanswered concerning the role that a
foreign nation – the Turkish Government – played in Ambassador Evans’
firing.” The ANCA letter closed with Hachikian urging Senators to delay
the final approval of the incoming ambassador until the Administration
clearly and openly explains its policies and actions in connection to
the firing of Ambassador Evans. Hachikian’s letters to the 18 members
of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee addressed their special
oversight during the panel’s upcoming confirmation hearing for the
President’s nominees to serve as the next Ambassador to Armenia.

ARMENIAN AND BULGARIAN PARLIAMENTS TO SIGN AGREEMENT ON COOPERATION
PanARMENIAN.Net
12.06.2006 17:04 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian Parliament Speaker Tigran Torosian
met with Bulgarian Ambassador to Armenia Stefan Dimitrov to discuss
the possibilities of strengthening interparliamentary ties between
the two states, reported the RA NA press service. During the meeting
Stefan Dimitrov conveyed the congratulatory address by Chairman of the
Bulgarian National Assembly Georgi Pirinski over Tigran Torosian’s
election to the post of the Speaker. The interlocutors also touched
upon the signing of the agreement on cooperation that will become
a legal basis for the development of ties between the parliamentary
friendship groups, standing committees and administrations. In this
view Tigran Torosian marked out the importance of activities within
international organizations. The parties stressed the importance
of exchange of legislative experience and cooperation between the
Armenian and Bulgarian parliaments.

KHACHKAR IN COMMEMORATION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS UNVEILED IN TOULON
PanARMENIAN.Net
12.06.2006 17:16 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Ambassador to France Edward Nalbandian
and Mayor Hubert Falco unveiled a monument-khachkar inaugurated in
the French town of Toulon in memory of the Armenian Genocide victims,
reported the RA MFA press office. Prefects, parliamentarians, members
of the local self-government, heads of the Armenian organization of
France and hundreds of members of the Armenian community attended
the solemn ceremony. When delivering a speech Edward Nalbandian
remarked that during the recent several years numerous monuments,
which symbolize the condemnation of the crime by the French people,
were erected in various French cities in commemoration of the Genocide
victims. “Some 40 ancient khachkars (cross stones) will be represented
in Louvre at an exhibition titled “Armenia Sacra” within the framework
of the Year of Armenia in France,” Edward Nalbandian said.

ROBERT KOCHARIAN HIGHLY ASSESSED LEVEL OF ARMENIAN-SWISS RELATIONS
PanARMENIAN.Net
12.06.2006 17:40 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian President Robert Kocharian met with
Head of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Micheline
Calmy-Rey, reported the RA leader’s press service. During the meeting
Robert Kocharian expressed satisfaction with the current level of the
Armenian-Swiss relations and assessed highly Switzerland’s assistance
in the process of reforms in Armenia, especially the activities of the
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. For her part Micheline
Calmy-Rey remarked that being interested in stability and security
Switzerland closely watches the development of the South Caucasian
region. In her words, official Bern sympathizes with Armenia and this
is the service of the Armenian community of Switzerland.
Noting rather modest index in the economic sector the interlocutors
stressed the necessity of more coordinated economic cooperation
between the two states. In this context the parties marked out the
importance of the Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation as
well as the cooperation within international organizations.

RA FM AND NATO PA REPRESENTATIVES DISCUSSED ARMENIA’S EUROPEAN INTEGRATION
PanARMENIAN.Net
12.06.2006 18:21 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian met
with the delegation of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, reported the RA
MFA press office. The delegation includes members of the subcommittee
for future security and defense potential, the committee for defense
and security and subcommittee for democratic administration of the NATO
PA as well as 25 members of the NATO PA International Secretariat. The
delegation is led by Turkey’s representative Vahit Erdem and Bulgaria’s
representative Chetin Kazak.
The meeting participants discussed the issues referring to the
NATO-Armenia relations, Armenia’s integration into European structures
and regional cooperation. Vartan Oskanian briefed on the priorities
of Armenia’s foreign policy, constituents of the security system and
relations with the neighbor states. The Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement was also discussed in a general way.

VARTAN OSKANIAN TO PARTICIPATE IN NORTH-ATLANTIC COUNCIL-ARMENIA SITTING
PanARMENIAN.Net
12.06.2006 18:35 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ June 13 Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
will depart for Paris to meet with Azeri FM Elmar Mammadyarov and the
OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs, reported the RA MFA press office. June
14 the Armenian Minister will leave Paris for Brussels, where he and
Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan will take part in the North-Atlantic
Council-Armenia sitting in 26+1 format during which the Armenia-NATO
Individual Partnership Action Plan will be discussed.
June 19 Vartan Oskanian’s formal visit to Kyiv is scheduled; June
20-21 the Armenian Foreign Minister will be in Geneva to participate
in the sitting of the U.N. Council on Human Rights. June 27-28 Vartan
Oskanian will be visiting Georgia.

IN 2007 YEREVAN WILL HAVE TWO-TIER ROAD
Lragir.am
12 June 06
The general architect of Yerevan Samvel Danielyan stated June 12 that
in a year, in June 2007 a two-tier road junction connecting Koryun,
Heratsu, Khandjyan and Charents streets will be built, reports the
news agency ARKA. According to Samvel Danielyan, it is going to be a
highway without traffic lights and bus stops, with separate sections
for cars and pedestrians. The cost of the project was not told, but
the general architect of the city said the project was put out to
tender. 12 bids were made. According to Samvel Danielyan, the tender
will last till October 2006, and the road works will be carried out
by stages, because traffic in this part of the city is highly dense.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress