RUSSIA CAN RECONSIDER POSITIONS ON UNRECOGNIZED REPUBLICS’ STATUS
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.03.2006 21:54 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia can reconsider its positions on the status
of unrecognized republics in the post soviet space, Polity Foundation
President, Deputy Chairman of the Editorial Board of Russia in Global
Affairs Vyacheslav Nikonov stated. In his words, Russia adheres to
the principle of territorial integrity of Georgia and Moldova. “At
the same time Russia builds its policy on two principles, these being
the protection of rights of national minorities and the protection
of Russian citizens living in these republics,” he emphasized.
“Russia adheres to the principle of territorial integrity but if the
threat to the national minorities increases Moscow can review its
positions, especially if the status of the unrecognized republics will
be raised in view of reconsideration of Kosovo’s status,” Vyacheslav
Nikonov said, reported RIA Novosti.

MAMMADYAROV: BAKU POSITION ON KARABAKH UNCHANGEABLE
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.03.2006 22:21 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijan is ready to proceed with the talks
on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told journalists. “The negotiations should
be continued and our MFA is ready for the dialogue,” he said. In his
words, Azerbaijan’s position remains unchangeable. “We insist on the
liberation of the seized territories, return of the refugees to the
residence,” Mammadyarov said.
The Azeri FM noted that the conflict should be settled is accord
with the principles of the international law and “demands of the
Azerbaijani Constitution”. “If the dialogue is fruitless we will have
other possibilities to settle the conflict,” reported RIA Novosti.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

U.S. AND ARMENIA TO SIGN MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE COMPACT MARCH 27
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.03.2006 22:51 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The U.S. government’s Millennium Challenge
Corporation (MCC) is set to award a $235 million grant to improve
Armenia’s transportation and agricultural infrastructure. Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice, who chairs the MCC board, is scheduled to speak
at the signing ceremony March 27, the State Department said. Armenian
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, and MCC Chief Executive Officer
John Danilovich also are scheduled to make remarks at the compact’s
signing. Danilovich approved the grant in December 2005 but also
wrote a letter to Armenian President Robert Kocharian warning that
the United States has concerns about the country’s respect for human
rights and free elections following Armenia’s constitutional referendum
in November 2005. The $235 million is scheduled to be awarded over
several years; some of the grant money could be withheld if Armenia
does not meet MCC goals of “sound policies and good governance.”
The Millennium Challenge agreement for Armenia aims to combat rural
poverty through improving economic performance in the agricultural
sector, according to the State Department’s announcement. The compact
features two programs: a rural road rehabilitation project and an
irrigated agriculture project. The compact is expected to affect 75
percent of Armenia’s rural population and to boost annual incomes of
poor farmers.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

YEREVAN COGNAC DISTILLERY SUSPENDS COGNAC EXPORTS TO RUSSIA
Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS Business and Financial Newswire
March 27, 2006 Monday 5:29 PM MSK
The Yerevan Cognac Distillery (EKZ), Armenia’s largest exporter of
alcohol products, has temporarily suspended shipments of cognac to
Russia, the EKZ press service told Interfax.
The suspension is due to the introduction of new excise stamps in
Russia starting April 1, an EKZ representative said. The press service
said this is only a temporary technical problem and EKZ will resume
cognac exports to Russia as soon as the company receives new stamps.
Armenian Wine-Makers Union chairman Avag Arutyunian told Interfax
that, of the 31 producers of alcohol products in Armenia, 26 of them
handle exports, which are mainly comprised of cognac and are primarily
shipped to Russia.
Armenian alcohol exporters have not been exporting products to Russia
for two weeks and have not been taking new orders since they have
been unable to attain the new stamps, he said. Russia has informed
Armenian exporters that the stamps will not be ready for at least a
month, he said.
Exports of Armenian cognac increased 250% to 9.078 million liters in
2005 from 2.591 million liters in 2004. The Yerevan Cognac Distillery
accounts for almost half of cognac output in the country.
France’s Pernod Ricard acquired the Yerevan Cognac Distillery for $30
million in May 1999. Its trademarks are registered in 48 countries
and its products are sold in 25 countries.

DENIZ BAYKAL: TURKISH RULING PARTY ALIKE MASONIC LODGE
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.03.2006 23:02 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The ruling party of Turkey is like Masonic lodge,
secretary general of the Republican People’s Party, parliament member
Deniz Baykal stated at a briefing. “The Justice and Development party
resembles Masonic lodge. Party fellows settle their relations line
Masons, they show an original manner of solidarity, and the party
regulations base on specific inter-party laws. The party members
divided the Turkish laws in two parts – for themselves and for the
others. Such policy will inevitably have serious consequences,”
Baykal noted, reported Turkish media.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CONDEMNATION OF DESTRUCTION OF ARMENIAN KHACHKARS ECHOES FROM RUSSIA
By Ruzan Poghosian
AZG Armenian Daily
28/03/2006
On March 17-19, within the framework of the Days of Armenian Culture
in Russia the Armenian embassy to Moscow organized discussions on the
history and culture of Nakhijevan as well as on ways of condemnation
of the destruction of Armenian khachkars.
On March 17, “Nakhijevan – Witnesses of Culture and History” photo
exhibition of eminent armenlogist and specialist in the history of
Nakhijevan, Argam Ayvazian, opened. The film “The Stolen Melody:
Jugha” of the author’s “Destroyed Armenia” film series was shown
at the cultural center of the Union of Armenians of Russia. A
round table with the participation of Armenian organizations,
Russian intelligentsia, scientists and mass media representatives
was staged on March 19. After the discussions an application was
composed for the Russian president, government, State Duma, Russian
Church and political and non-governmental organizations. “We condemn
the destruction of Armenian historic-cultural monuments of Old Jugha
by Azeri authorities in 1998-2006. Today, when the Armenian and Azeri
sides are seeking for a regulation to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,
official Baku shamelessly has completed the last stage of vandalism
in Nakhijevan by destructing more than 27.000 Armenian monuments.”
“We inform with resentment that Azerbaijan continues its policy
of distortion of historic facts of Russia, Armenia and the whole
Caucasian region disclosing the truth from its own people and the
world community. All these contradict to the UN Declaration of 1948
on cultural and historic heritage. We call for state and non-profit
organizations of Russia, the Russian Orthodox Church, mass media to
condemn the aforesaid acts of vandalism as well as to demand the Azeri
authorities follow undertaken obligations and international regulations
for protecting other nations’ historic and cultural heritage.”

ANCA SHARPLY CRITICIZED TURKEY’S LOBBYIST
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.03.2006 23:14 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey’s top Washington, DC lobbyist, former
Louisiana Congressman Bob Livingston, in perhaps his most strident
attack to date, has accused Armenian Americans of seeking to impose a
“tyranny of the minority” by urging the Congress to adopt human rights
legislation concerning the Armenian Genocide, according to documents
obtained this week by the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA).”It’s truly the height of hypocrisy for a paid foreign agent
for Turkey – a government that violates the rights of its citizens
on a wholesale basis – to try to diminish the role that American
citizens play in the formulation of our nation’s foreign policy,”
said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.
In letters sent to Congressional offices last September, prior
to the House International Relations Committee’s consideration of
Armenian Genocide legislation, Livingston, escalated his rhetoric to
unprecedented levels, arguing, in his capacity as a paid agent of a
foreign government, that he believed the measure “cater[s] to a small
minority of citizens promoting the narrow goals of the minority at
the expense of America’s broader interest.” He went on, in an example
of overstatement rare even by Washington, DC standards, to contend
that Armenian Genocide legislation “is the truest expression of the
tyranny of the minority.” The panel rejected Livingston’s attack,
voting 40 to 7 to approve the legislation.

CSTO GOING TO EXPAND ACTIVITIES
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.03.2006 23:28 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)
is going to expand its activities, head of the information department
Alexander Bazavlyuk informed. In his words, the CSTO is planning
to engage in combating drug traffic, illegal migration, illegal
circulation of finances. The organization also plans to deal with
emergency situations and carries out corresponding exercise.
“Presently the issue is discussed on a normative level. Anyway we will
address it at the nearest session to be held in Minsk this June,”
he noted. When touching upon the number of member states Bazavlyuk
noted that not only the CIS member states but also foreign states
show interest in the CSTO.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIANS OF U.S. PROTEST AGAINST TURKISH DEFENSE MINISTER
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.03.2006 23:33 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) led a
demonstration of over 2,000 Armenian Americans today outside the
Beverly Hills Hotel during a speech given by Turkish Defense Minister
Vecdi Gonul, a key figure in the Turkish state’s campaign to deny the
Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America
– Western Region (ANCA-WR). Among the thousands of participants in
today’s protest were Congressman Brad Sherman (CA-27) and Burbank Board
of Education President Paul Krekorian. Before inviting Congressman
Sherman to speak, ANCA-WR Board of Directors member Raffi Hamparian
underscored the failure of the US State Department to live up to
American values. “At the same time that the US government is condemning
Belarus for suppressing freedom of expression, the US State Department
is preparing to fire our Ambassador to Armenia for simply telling the
truth about the Armenian Genocide,” said Hamparian. “Congressman Brad
Sherman is not only a friend of the Armenian American community,
he is an ally and a champion of justice and human rights,” said
Hamparian in welcoming Congressman Sherman.
“It is not only those with Armenian heritage who demand that the truth
be recognized. Friends of Turkey should demonstrate that Turkey accept
the Armenian Genocide,” said Congressman Sherman in his remarks to the
crowd. “Where will Turkey be among the family of nations if it does
not recognize the truth? I will work in Congress every day until the
historical truth of the Armenian Genocide is recognized,” he concluded.
Congressman Sherman also commented on Turkey’s failure to provide
access to US military bases in Turkey and necessary passage over its
land and air space during the invasion of Iraq three years ago. “The
casualties stemming from today’s conflict in Iraq are, to some extent,
a direct result of Turkey’s refusal to allow the US-led coalition to
open a northern front,” said Congressman Sherman. In his remarks at
the luncheon, the Defense Minister addressed the issue of Turkey’s
actions during the run-up to the Iraq War. He directly contradicted
the position of his American counterpart, Secretary of Defense
Donald Rumsfeld, who has repeatedly said on national television
that Turkey’s refusal to allow US-led coalition forces to open a
northern front has significantly contributed to the strength of the
Iraqi insurgency. “Turkey has supported the US led war on Iraq from
the beginning,” said the Defense Minister. He added that “Turkey
promotes good neighborly relations.” This assertion also stands in
sharp contrast to the actions of the Turkish government, which, on
one hand, blockades and seeks to isolate Armenia, and on the other,
denies the Armenian Genocide and continues to harvest the economic,
demographic, and geopolitical fruits of the genocidal crime it
committed against the Armenian nation nine decades ago.
“Defense Minister Gonul’s remarks are consistent with his government’s
campaign to portray a rosy image of itself – despite the facts on
the ground.
Increasingly, however, the American public is seeing through these
transparent efforts, and looking instead to Turkey’s actual conduct –
such as its blockade of Armenia, abysmal human rights record, attempts
to revise history, and, more broadly, its increasingly antagonistic
relationship with the United States,” said Hamparian after listening
to the Defense Minister’s speech.
Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul’s visit to Southern California, home
to the largest Armenian population in the US, came exactly one month
prior to the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on April 24th.
California, which is one of 38 states to have recognized the Armenian
Genocide, last year adopted legislation permanently designating the
week of April 24 as California’s week of remembrance of the Armenian
Genocide. The effort to enact legislation on the Armenian Genocide
was led by state legislators such as Senators Chuck Poochigian
(R-Fresno) and Jackie Speier (D-San Francisco), and signed into law
by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2005. California has also adopted an
education curriculum that includes teaching of the history of the
Armenian Genocide, and the Los Angeles Unified School District is
among many public school systems in the state that continue to train
its teachers on implementing a curriculum that teaches about this
crime against humanity.

PACE RAPPORTEURS TO VISIT ARMENIA IN AUGUST
PanARMENIAN.Net
27.03.2006 23:56 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ PACE rapporteurs on Armenia Georges Colombier and
Mikko Elo are expected to visit Armenia in August, RA NA Vice-speaker,
head of the Armenian delegation to PACE Tigran Torosian stated at
a news conference today. In his words, the report prepared by the
parliamentarians will be submitted to the PACE Fall Session. The
Vice-speaker noted that Armenia has honored almost all the commitments
to the Council of Europe. Now changes should be introduced into 60
laws according to the reviewed Constitution.
Tigran Torosyan noted that the government has already started the
work. The first draft amendments will be submitted to the RA parliament
at the end of the spring session. The matter specifically concerns
the legislation of the juridical system, relations between the state
and the Armenian Apostolic Church and the local self-government.