RA PRESIDENT CONSIDERS RELATIONS WITH NATO WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION POLICY OF ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 23 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Issues relating
to NATO-Armenia cooperation were discussed at RA President Robert
Kocharian’s May 23 meeting with Special Representative of NATO
Secretary General on South Caucasian Issues Robert Simmons. Positively
estimating the process of the Armenian Individual Partnership
Actions Plan with NATO, Robert Simmons mentioned that considerable
progress was registered in the issue of fulfilment of the program’s
provisions in a short time. In this context they attached importance
to implementation of the respective reforms in the country’s defence
system and to strengthening of democracy. Considering relations with
NATO within the framework of Armenia’s European integration policy,
the President said that an interdepartmental commission has been formed
lately for the purpose of confronting the work with different European
structures and for moving forward in a more systematized way. The
commission will periodically inform the President of the process of
actions in this direction. “Our goal is not to lag behind the planned
work, on the contrary, to move forward at quicker rates and to fully
implement the joint programs,” Robert Kocharian stressed. As Noyan
Tapan was informed from RA President’s Press Service, Robert Kocharian
in general outline also touched upon the recent developments in the
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA SUCCESSFULLY STARTS IMPLEMENTATION OF IPAP, ROBERT SIMMONS SAYS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 23 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The May 23 joint press
conference of Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakosian and
Special Representative of NATO Secretary General of South Caucasian
Issues Robert Simmons was dedicated to issues of cooperation between
Armenia and NATO within the framework of the Individual Partnership
Actions Plan (IPAP) and the Partnership for Peace program. Both of the
speakers expressed satisfaction with the level of cooperation between
Armenian and NATO within the framework of IPAP and Partnership for
Peace. According to A.Kirakosian, IPAP can be considered as one of the
components of Armenia’s integration to European structures. Robert
Simmons in his turn declared that Armenia successfully started the
implementation of IPAP. According to him, cooperation within the
framework of IPAP is long-lasting and it cannot be finished until
2015. The program accentuates the reform in the sphere of defence. In
particular, it is planned to direct NATO’s resources to the improvement
of the work of the frontier and other services.
In R.Simmons’ opinion, the reforming of the Armenian army will be
beneficial both for Armenia itself and for NATO, which is interested
in partners that will take part in peacekeeping missions: “We are for
having more partners. We have mutual interests.” He pointed to the
wish and interest of NATO in development of relations of partnership
with Armenia. According to him, the Armenian government also treats
development of these relations positively: “The relations between
NATO and Armenia do not contradict our relations with the other
countries. NATO does not make Armenia join the alliance and does not
want Armenia to break off its good relations with other countries. We
have no problems in the respect of your interrelations with Russia,”
Robert Simmons declared. As for the difference in the position of NATO
in the issue of presence of the Russian military bases in the territory
of Georgia and Armenia, the Special Representative of NATO Secretary
General declared: “The issue about the bases should be decided by
the receiving side: Armenia is not against presence of the Russian
base in its territory, quite a different thing is Georgia, which is
against this.” In connection with the Nagorno Karabakh problem Robert
Simmons mentioned that NATO supports the OSCE Minsk Group’s efforts
in the process of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and
hopes that the sides of the conflict will reach a mutually acceptable
solution. As for the possibility of quartering NATO troops in the
Karabakh conflict zone, Robert Simmons declared that the sides of
the conflict first should reach an agreement and only then decide
what troops should be quartered in the conflict zone.

ACCORDING TO SHAVARSH KOCHARIAN, NA REGULATIONS NOT CORRESPOND WITH INNERPOLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS
Noyan Tapan
May 23 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. The regulations of the Parliament of
Armenia do not correspond with those situations which may be created
in Armenia.
Shavarsh Kocharian, the Chairman of the National Democratic Party
made such a statement at the May 22 sitting of the Parliament. The
Deputy considered natural the circumstance that the NA Speaker’s
resignation but not the agenda of the sitting was being discussed
at the Parliament. “If the second figure of the country resigns,
presenting very serious accusations to the NA in the sense that
anti-democratic laws were adopted, then in this case not to have
an opportunity to discuss means that the regulations have only one
function: not to allow that political forces are able to hold a normal
discussion in similar situations,” Shavarsh Kocharian emphasized. To
recap, the NA regulations do not envisage discussion of the Parliament
Speaker’s resignation, and the resignation is adopted if the NA Speaker
insists on it in five days after presenting it for the first time.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HMAYAK HOVHANNISIAN: MAYBE TYPE OF RESIGNATION CHOSEN BY NA SPEAKER IS ALSO CONSEQUENCE OF FEAR
Noyan Tapan
May 23 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. The Parliament is obliged to
discuss issues connected with the National Assembly Speaker’s
resignation. Independent Deputy Hmayak Hovhannisian stated about it at
the May 22 sitting. “We have today entered a field of contradictions
which we are obliged to discuss as the Parliament is not a gathering
of noble ladies,” the Deputy mentioned. According to Hovhannisian,
the matter is that the elective head of the highest representative
body avoids to leave the post by touching upon the issue of his
confidence, but prefers to resign by the means of an application. He
considered strange the circumstance that estimating positively the
three-years joint activity with partners of the ruling coalition,
the NA Speaker mentions at the same time that a serios regress from
the way of democratic development took place.
“Expressing gratitude to each other, we do not fulfil at the same time
our obligation in front of the people, to arise all the sharp issues,”
the speaker mentioned. Touching upon the fact, that NA Speaker Artur
Baghdasarian points out in the context of reasoning his resignation
the atmosphere of all-embracing fear existing in the country, the
Deputy supposed that “maybe, the type of resignation chosen by him
was also a consequence of a fear.”

HASMIK POGHOSIAN APPOINTED RA MINISTER OF CULTURE AND YOUTH ISSUES
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 23 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. By RA President Robert
Kocharian’s May 22 decree, Gevorg Gevorgian was discharged the post
of the RA Minister of Culture and Youth Issues. As Noyan Tapan was
informed by the RA President’s Press Office, by another decree,
Hasmik Poghosian was appointed on that post. Hasmik Poghosian was
born in 1960 in Yerevan. She left the Pushkin School in 1977. She
left the Sayat-Nova Music School with gold medal in 1974.
She studied at the Biology Department of the Yerevan State University
in 1977-1982, was offered graduade studentship in 1982-1985. She worked
as a Biology teacher at the Yerevan No182 school in 1985-1993. She
has worked since 1986 up today at the Armenian Union of Cultural
Cooperation with Foreign Countries as an Assistant, Senior Assistant,
Department Head, Responsible Secretray, Union Chairman’s First
Deputy. She was elected the Union Counci Chairwoman in 2005. She is
married, has two sons. She is non-partizan.

ACCORDING TO VICTOR DALLAKIAN, THERE IS NO COALITION ANY MORE, AND NEW MAJORITY MUST BE CREATED
Noyan Tapan
May 23 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. The National Assembly Speaker’s
resignation may not be considered not to be an agenda issue of the
Parliament, and deputies have a right to touch upon that issue. Victor
Dallakian, the “Ardaroutiun” (Justice) faction Secretary stated
about it at the May 22 NA sitting, in responce to Tigran Torosian’s
persuasions to pass to discussion of the agenda issues. “Nobody has a
right to advise deputies and say that they do not speak in connection
with the agenda: I told you, isn’t the NA Speaker’s resignation
an issue of the agenda?,” Dallakian mentioned. According to him,
a serious event took place in the country which must be estimated
by deputies. Dallakian stated that today the coalition making the
parliamentary majority, which has 50-55 deputies, makes an attempt
“to re-form parliamentary works.” The “Ardaroutiun” faction Secretary
mentioned that there is no coalition any more, and there are two ways
in the created situation: dissolution of the Parliament and holding
of new parliamentary elections, or resignation of the Government and
formation of a new parliamentary majority.

ANDRANIK MARGARIAN: COOPERATION WITH NATO IS ONE OF IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF MULTIFOLIATED SECURITY SYSTEM OF ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 23 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Issues relating
to implementation of the Individual Partnership Actions Plan of
Armenia with the NATO were discussed at the May 22 meeting of RA Prime
Minister Andranik Margarian with Robert Simmons, the NATO Secretary’s
General Special Representative for South Caucasian Issues. Observing
development of relations with the NATO within the framework of the
policy addressed to Armenia’s European integration, the Prime Minister
mentioned at the same time that the cooperation with the North Atlantic
Alliance is also one of important components of the multifoliated
security system of Armenia. Within that context, Andranik Margarian
attached importance to widening of Armenia’s political dialogue
with the NATO and reforms in the system of defence. The Government
head of Armenia assured that they will be implemented in parallel to
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, improvement of the general
security situation in the region and especially of the Armenian-Turkish
relations. The Prime Minister emphasized that by that cooperation,
Armenia has never contradicted different systems of security to
each other and has acted in the field of mutual benefit and mutual
interests. Presenting the process of activity of the Committee created
in November, 2004, by the RA Prime Minister’s decision to implement
the Individual Partnership Actions Plan with the NATO, Andranik
Margarian mentioned that after adopting the program on December 16,
2005, by the North Atlantic Alliance, it has already held three working
meetings. The Committee members prepared certificates concerning works
implemented after adoption of the IPAP, planned events and lists of
assistances necessary for their implementation were presented.
Robert Simmons, expressing satisfaction with the process of works
being implemented, emphasized that the NATO’s interest in the
successful implementation of the Individual Partnership Action Plan
with Armenia, especially from the viewpoint of great attention paid
by the alliance towards the South Caucasian region during the recent
years. He considered his appointment as well to be one of displays
of that attention and interest. The Actions Plan adopted in December,
according to Robert Simmons, was a big step forward of the cooperation
with Armenia and expresses Armenia’s interests, assisting reforms
in the military sphere and strengthening of democracy. Simmons
also emphasized that the NATO has always specially mentioned that
it welcomes widening of the Euroatlantic cooperation and does
not observe it as rivalry with other systems. He mentioned the
necessity of organizing soon a wide public awareness process to have
a right notion concerning NATO activity, goals. The NATO Secretary’s
General Speacial Representative thanked the RA Government’s head
for keeping the work of the interdepartmental commission in the
center of attention and for organizing works at a high level. He
spoke favourably about the Armenian Ambassador’s work in Brussels as
well. “Though the visit hasn’t finished yet, but I can say that the
results are rather impressing. A considerable progress was fixed in
the joint work during the last six months,” Robert Simmons mentioned,
emphasizing that this is a process, that continuous efforts must be
made to reach defined goals which, according to him, coincide with
program goals of Armenia with the EU. As Noyan Tapan was informed
by the Government’s Information and Public Relations Department,
the Prime Minister assured that Armenia will continue assisting all
efforts of the NATO which will be addressed to development of the
constructive dialogue, development of the regional cooperation among
the South Caucasian states. He assured that from now on the Government
of Armenia will follow with attention implementation of the Individual
Partnership Actions Plan as well as of aimed events presented within
that framework by interested ministries and departments, expecting
expert’s and technical assistance of the NATO international staff
and member countries as well in it.

VRAM GYULZADIAN: BEING PART OF AUTHORITIES, OYK WAS ABLE TO UNDERTAKE AT PARLIAMENT ROLE OF OPPOSITION AS WELL
Noyan Tapan
May 23 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. During the last three years, the “Orinats
Yerkir” (Country of Law) party, being a part of the Government, was
able to undertake at the Parliament the role of the opposing force
as well. Vram Gyulzadian, a member of the “OYK” faction stated about
it at the May 22 sitting of the National Assembly. According to him,
“being an opposition does not mean only to abuse the country President
and Defence Minister.” He expressed his astonishment on the occasion
that opposing forces of the Parliament “gives a hostile reception”
to the “Orinats Yerkir” party’s becoming opposition. “It seems we
came to this field to remove them.” “We have stated many times that we
have our way and that we must go in that way, we do not want to hamper
anybody and we do not need anybody’s salvation,” the “OYK” faction’s
representative stated. Gurgen Arsenian, the Chairman of the United
Labour Party mentioned on the same day in the interview to journalists
that the United Labour Party has never been opposing one. According to
him, during the 2003 presidential elections, the United Labour Party,
having supported Robert Kocharian’s candidature, critisized at the
Parliament the coalition’s activity, considering that it does not
assist implementation of Kocharian’s pre-electoral promises.

PRESS RELEASE
The Heritage Party
7 Vazgen Sargsian Street
Yerevan 0010, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 58.08.77, 52.22.38
Fax: (+374 – 10) 54.38.97
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website:
May 23, 2006
The Subsequent Impediment Against Heritage Party
Yerevan–On May 20, Heritage Party Chairman Raffi K. Hovannisian accompanied
by high-ranking party members was paying a visit to the Armavir region to
hold consultations with members of the party’s local divisions. At his first
stop, at Miasnikyan, it became apparent that the visit was being watched by
the local police department. Before the meeting, the law enforcement bodies
had questioned Heritage Party’s local representative about the objective and
time of the visit, about the members of the visiting delegation, and had
insisted that they be informed as soon as the delegation arrived.
The meeting at Miasnikian was not over when word came from the town of
Armavir. There, party’s local staff member Levon Margarian was taken into
custody. He was told that the local law enforcement body knew about the
forthcoming visit of Raffi Hovannisian and the other senior party members.
The police demanded that he make sure that the meeting did not take place
otherwise they would use force to disrupt it.
Upon arrival at Armavir, the Heritage Party leadership saw the local police
units standing on the sidewalk across the party’s regional division
headquarters. It was apparent that they were called to intimidate and ensure
that the meeting did not take place. This notwithstanding, the get-together
between the party leadership and local residents did take place. Afterward,
Raffi Hovannisian went to the local police precinct and informed of his wish
to meet with the district police chief, Colonel Gevorgian. Initially, he was
told that this would be arranged in 15 minutes, but later he was informed
that Gevorgian had convened an urgent meeting and could not meet him. Talks
with the deputy police chief or any other person in command were also ruled
out under the same pretext. Subsequently, the request for a formal
explanation was submitted to the officer on duty, Lieutenant Melkonian.
It is clear that all this was centrally orchestrated. On May 22, the
executive board of the Heritage Party forwarded a letter to Armenia’s Police
Chief Haik Harutiunian requesting him to give an explanation and assessment
of these unlawful and unconstitutional acts.
Throughout his visits Raffi K. Hovannisian was accompanied by chairman
Hovsep Khurshudian of the Heritage Party’s Regulatory Commission, board
member Gevorg Kalenchian, and political secretary Vardan Khachatrian. In Mr.
Khachatrian’s words, the party members expect that “the police uncover the
architects of this illegal act and give a legal evaluation of what took
place.”
Founded in 2002, Heritage has regional divisions throughout the land. Its
central headquarters are located at 7 Vazgen Sargsian Street, Yerevan
375010, Armenia, with telephone contact at (374-10) 580.877, fax at (374-10)
543.897, and email at [email protected]

FORUM 18 NEWS SERVICE, Oslo, Norway
The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one’s belief or religion
The right to join together and express one’s belief
========================================== ======
Tuesday 23 May 2006
TURKMENISTAN: DEMOLITION OF PLACES OF WORSHIP CONTINUES
In large-scale demolition projects in Turkmenistan, those expelled from
their home get no compensation and often nowhere to live. Amongst the
buildings demolished are religious communities’ places of worship. The
last surviving pre-revolutionary Armenian Apostolic church and a
family-owned Sunni mosque in the eastern port of Turkmenbashi have been
destroyed, Forum 18 News Service has been told. Exiled human rights
activist Vyacheslav Mamedov told Forum 18 that the mosque “was used on
Muslim festivals and for family events like weddings, funerals and sadakas
[commemorations of the dead].” The former Armenian church “was a very
beautiful building,” Mamedov recalled. He told Forum 18 that there is
widespread anger and fear over the destruction of the town’s historic
centre. Amongst places of worship in Turkmenistan, known to Forum 18 to
have been demolished in the past, are mosques, an Adventist church, and a
Hare Krishna temple.
TURKMENISTAN: DEMOLITION OF PLACES OF WORSHIP CONTINUES
By Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service <; The demolition of historic 19th century buildings in the central part of the Caspian port town of Turkmenbashi [Türkmenbashy, formerly Krasnovodsk], including the last surviving pre-revolutionary Armenian Apostolic Church in Turkmenistan, has been completed this month on the orders of President Saparmurat Niyazov. The authorities completed demolition of the church in February 2005, having previously refused to hand it back to the local Armenian community for worship. The Armenian embassy in the capital Ashgabad [Ashgabat] confirmed to Forum 18 News Service that it had been informed about the destruction of the historic church in Turkmenbashi, but the ambassador Aram Grigoryan was out of the country on 22 May and unable to comment on the destruction. No-one was available for immediate comment at the Armenian Foreign Ministry in Yerevan on 22 May, or at the headquarters of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Echmiadzin near the Armenian capital. Also demolished amid the wholesale destruction of the century-old heart of Turkmenbashi, which began in 2004, was a family-owned Sunni Muslim mosque. Human rights activist Vyacheslav Mamedov told Forum 18 on 22 May that the local Etrekov family started building the mosque on their own land, near the Turkmenbashi Hotel, in 1993 and began using it for prayers in 2001 as it neared completion. "Until its demolition in July 2005, it was used on Muslim festivals and for family events like weddings, funerals and sadakas [commemorations of the dead]," Mamedov told Forum 18. He himself left Turkmenbashi in 2004, as the campaign was beginning, and is now a refugee in western Europe. The former Armenian church, built a century ago and consecrated by the then Catholicos (head of the Armenian Apostolic Church) in 1904, was confiscated by the Soviet authorities and turned into a warehouse. In 1993, Mamedov - as a local journalist and human rights activist - had supported attempts by the local Armenian community to form a cultural and religious centre in the town and regain possession of the church. He said the authorities consistently refused to register the community or allow it to function. "It was a very beautiful building," Mamedov recalls. "When we were trying to get it back in 1993, I remember looking inside and it was just used as a store for the local administration's old furniture and car parts." Mamedov - who has obtained a copy of a secret local administration order from November 2005 detailing which streets are to be destroyed - said there is widespread anger and fear in Turkmenbashi over the destruction of the town's historic centre, reactions confirmed by the exile Turkmenistan Helsinki Foundation. But Mamedov said the town's main Sunni Muslim mosque and the Russian Orthodox church are located close together in the newer parts of the town and are not in immediate danger of demolition. In massive construction redevelopments in Ashgabad and elsewhere in Turkmenistan, those expelled from their homes ahead of demolition get no compensation and often nowhere else to live. Among places of worship bulldozed in Ashgabad was the Seventh-day Adventist church, built in the 1990s and which was destroyed in 1999 at only one week's notice. The authorities claimed the land was needed for a road-widening programme, but for some years the site was derelict. The Adventists have never been given any compensation and are not allowed to build a new church to replace the one destroyed. Shortly before Ashgabad's Adventist Church was demolished, in August 1999 a Hare Krishna temple outside the eastern town of Mary was demolished. A mosque was among buildings in an entire settlement, Darvasa in the central Kara-Kum desert, which was destroyed in autumn 2004 after President Niyazov flew over in a helicopter and regarded the settlement as unattractive. Darvasa's mainly ethnic Uzbek residents were given just two hours to leave. One visitor to the settlement before its destruction told Forum 18 that the mosque had only just been completed when it was destroyed. Other mosques in Turkmenistan have also been destroyed, apparently in some cases for failure to honour the President Niyazov's books of alleged "spiritual writings" (see F18News 4 January 2005 < e_id=481> and 19 November 2003
< e_id=187>). (END)
For a personal commentary by a Protestant within Turkmenistan, on the
fiction – despite government claims – of religious freedom in the country,
and how religious communities and the international community should
respond to this, see < 728>
For more background, see Forum 18’s Turkmenistan religious freedom survey
at < 672>
A printer-friendly map of Turkmenistan is available at
< s/atlas/index.html?Parent=asia&Rootmap=turkme& gt; (END) © Forum 18 News Service. All rights reserved. ISSN 1504-2855 You may reproduce or quote this article provided that credit is given to F18News Past and current Forum 18 information can be found at