OLIGARCHS ARE NOT INTERESTED IN FAIR SOCIAL SYSTEM
Lragir.am
22 July 06
Society is feudalized, stated Alvard Petrosyan, ARF July 21, the news
agency ARKA reports. Petrosyan said the notion of oligarch is equal
to that of feudal for her. The member of parliament emphasized that
the oligarchs or feudalists are not interested in creating a fair
social system, which would protect the interests of workers. The
lack of social protection is the reason why a “middle class” is not
forming in Armenia. It is not forming, and in the next election they
will again cheat people.

CHURCH IS BUILT IN STEPANAKERT, CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS ARRIVED
Lragir.am
22 July 06
On July 22 the first stone will be laid in the fundament of the first
church in Stepanakert. The Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin B
arrived in Stepanakert to participate in this ceremony.
Several buildings will be pulled down in the neighborhood of the
polyclinic of Stepanakert. In accordance with the plan, an immense
compound will be built to become the seat of the Artsakh Diocese.
Compensation for expropriation will mount so high that it is not
clear how much only the preparation for building will cost.
Over the past 10 years the only church in Stepanakert was in the hall
of the Home of Culture. Although there is an ancient church in the
downtown, which somehow appeared in the territory of a restaurant.
They say the church, which is called Vararakn, was built by the
Armenian King Vachagan.
In November an American started building a church in Stepanakert
on Hekimyan Street in memory of his son Hakob. The building will be
over soon.
There are churches in almost every village in Karabakh. Although
fanatic believers are hardly found in Karabakh, the way to the church
has always been open.

PRODUCTION OF PRECIOUS STONES DECLINED
Lragir.am
22 July 06
Production of precious stones in Armenia is declining, announced
the president of DCL Gagik Abrahamyan July 21, the news agency ARKA
reports. According to him, it is caused by the international crisis,
and does not depend on the Armenian producers. Abrahamyan also said
that the crisis is temporary.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KARABAKH CONSTITUTION DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR SEMI-PRESIDENTIAL GOVERNANCE
Lragir.am
22 July 06
On July 21 Edward Aghabekyan, the mayor of Stepanakert, gave a news
conference and presented a report on the past 6 months. During the news
conference he made a number of interesting statements. For instance,
the mayor of Stepanakert says the draft Constitution of Karabakh
makes think that it was written hastily. “As if we are in a hurry,”
said Edward Aghabekyan. The draft is imperfect, especially with regard
to the institution of local government. There is not a clear division
of powers. “First they said the draft provides for semi-presidential
governance but I did not find any signs of semi-presidential governance
there,” said Edward Aghabekyan.
Edward Aghabelyan was elected mayor of Stepanakert two years ago in
tense struggle with a pro-governmental candidate. He is the leader
of Movement 88 Party, which allied with Dashnaktsutiun, forming the
only opposition faction in the National Assembly with three members
of parliament.
When Aghabekyan was elected mayor despite the plans of the government,
experts said the government would do everything to prove that
Aghabekyan is unable to settle problems. Such an attitude of the
government is evident. It became known, for instance, that this year
the government cut subsidies to communities by 30 percent.
“With such a growth of the GDP cutting subsidies cannot be explained,”
said Edward Aghabekyan. Moreover, it became known that the cut-down
included the most sensitive social programs, namely repair of roofs
of buildings damaged during the war, and repair of houses of killed
liberation soldiers. After the war out of 263 blocks of Stepanakert
the roofs of 26 buildings were repaired only. The problem is urgent for
the people of Stepanakert, and it may give rise to a social protest.
According to the mayor, although the parliament adopted the law
on local governments in 1998, the powers and duties of government
agencies and municipalities are not clearly set down thereby enabling
abuse. The mayor says the powers of local government must be broader.

219 LEBANON ARMENIANS WERE EVACUATED TO YEREVAN
Lragir.am
22 July 06
On July 21 219 Lebanon Armenians were evacuated from Aleppo to Yerevan
by two special flights. 60 citizens of Lebanon with Armenian origin
are registered with the Armenian Embassy to Lebanon, who want to come
to Armenia. Citizens of Lebanon, Armenian citizens of other countries
who are in Lebanon, as well as relatives of citizens of Armenia are
granted a three-month visa free of charge. Already about 380 Armenians
have been evacuated to Armenia.
On July 23 128 Armenians, including 53 children, will fly from Tel
Aviv to Yerevan. The representative of the Armenian foreign ministry
will fly to Tel Aviv to facilitate problems with documents on the spot.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GAGIK TSARUKYAN DECLINED REPUBLICAN’S INVITATION
Lragir.am
22 July 06
The extraordinary assembly of the Republican Party on July 22 did not
have many guests. Few parties, even too few parties had been invited.
It became clear that the reason is the peculiarity of the assembly
rather than that of the Republican Party or other political parties.
“Considering the peculiarity of this assembly, it is not an ordinary
assembly, no programs will be presented, therefore we considered it
necessary to invite our colleagues in the parliament.
People’s Deputy and Businessmen groups were also invited,” says
Tigran Torosyan.
>From among colleague parties only Dashnaktsutiun was represented
by leaders, namely Armen Rustamyan, member of the ARF Supreme Body,
and Spartak Seyranyan. From party chiefs the minister of communication
and transport Andranik Manukyan was invited, whose party is known with
the name “Solidarity”. Whereas Gagik Tsarukyan of Bargavach Hayastan
Party (Prosperous Armenia) did not show up at the assembly as a guest,
although the Republicans say he had been invited.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkey May Follow Israel Example and Send Troops to Iraq
PanARMENIAN.Net
21.07.2006 15:45 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey can follow the example of Israel and send
troops to Iraq to destroy bases of the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK),
Head of Hay Dat Office, ARF Dashnaktsutyun Bureau Responsible for
Foreign Policy Affairs Kiro Manoyan stated in Yerevan. In his words,
Turkey may venture to do it only with the support of the US. At
that the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Bureau representative underscored that
Turkish PM Erdogan’s latest statements are meant for internal use
first of all. “Elections will be held in Turkey soon and its quite
understandable that Erdogan has to made populist statements. This
refers to possible Turkish membership at the EU as well. They
understand very well themselves that 10-15 years of negotiations
are not a limit and Turkey might never become a full EU member,”
Manoyan said.
He stressed that election of Erdogan as President will not put an
end to the Kemalist era. “Islamists, whom the PM leads, merely want
to limit the sphere of activities of the General Staff, determining
the foreign and internal policy of Turkey,” Manoyan underscored.

Arab-Israeli Conflict Dangerous to Middle East Armenian Community
PanARMENIAN.Net
21.07.2006 16:54 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A few months will be necessary for attaining any
peace in the Middle East, Head of Hay Dat Office, ARF Dashnaktsutyun
Bureau Responsible for Foreign Policy Affairs Kiro Manoyan stated
in Yerevan.
In his words, preservation of Lebanon as an independent state is the
point. “In worst case Lebanon will face civil war: if relations between
Hezbollah and Lebanese exacerbate. Then the Armenian community will
have to leave the country. Unfortunately, our country cannot host that
number of refugees and they will probably go to the West. Moreover,
the current Arab-Israeli conflict is dangerous to Middle East Armenian
community,” Manoyan stressed.
He also added that if the international community cannot stop Israeli
invasion, 20-25km of South Lebanon will be annexed. “This war is a
conflict between two branches of Islam, it is not another Arab-Israeli
conflict. The Iranian factor is present as well and it proves its
superiority over the US forces in Iraq almost every day,” Manoyan said.

Bryza to Visit Karabakh During Regional Visit
PanARMENIAN.Net
21.07.2006 17:11 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ US Co-Chair of the OSCE MG for settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict Matthew Bryza will visit Stepanakert
on a two-day working visit July 29, NKR MFA Press Service
reports referring to the Office of Personal Representative of
the OSCE Chairman-in-Office. During the visit to Stepanakert NKR
President Arkady Ghoukassian will receive the US mediator, reports
Novosti-Armenia.

OSCE MG to Discuss Outcomes Bryza Regional Visit in Paris
PanARMENIAN.Net
21.07.2006 17:17 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Co-Chairs of the OSCE MG for settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict intend to hold next consultations in Paris
in early August, said Yuri Merzlyakov, Russian co-chair of OSCE
Minsk Group.
The main goal of the meeting is consultation on the outcomes of
regional visit of US Co-Chair of the OSCE MG Matthew Bryza. In
Merzlyakov’s words, it is not known now which decisions may be adopted
at the meeting and whether the issue of organization of the next round
of meetings between the parties will be discussed. “We will decide,
when we will meet. I do not know the evaluations that the US co-chair
will make,” the Russian diplomat underscored, reports Trend.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress