FRENCH ARMENIANS CONDEMN DESECRATING OF MEMORIAL TO VICTIMS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN LYON
AZG Armenian Daily
20/04/2006
The Coordination Board of the France based Armenian Organizations
strictly condemned the act of desecration of the memorial to the
Victims of the Armenian Genocide in Lyon that was due to be unveiled
on April 24.
Earlier, by the order of the Turkish government, the Turkish consulate
in Lyon tried to hinder the construction of the memorial. On April 17,
the Turkish vandals wrote statements denying the genocide and praising
the Turks on the columns of the memorial.
“By taking such steps the Turkish nationalists living in France join
the neo-Nazi scoundrels that desecrate the Holocaust memorials,”
the statements of the France based Armenian organizations reads. The
organizations demand that the French political and the judiciary powers
should response this act with strictness, “as such vandalism cases
violate not only the rights of the Armenian community but also those
of all the French citizens and the republic, as well as violate such
values as memory, truth and justice.” The authors of the statement
demand that the vandals should undergo criminal prosecution.

THE OPENING OF THE ARMENIA-TURKEY BORDER IN THE LIGHT OF ARMENO-IRANIAN RELATIONS
By Khajag Mgrdichian
AZG Armenian Daily
20/04/2006
For most Armenian political and intellectual circles, the blockade
forced on Armenia by Turkey-and the fact, that the Armeno-Turkish
border still remains closed-are proof of Turkey’s antagonistic
attitude, if not outright animosity towards Armenia and the Armenian
people. This much is undeniable. Aside from the economic consequences
of the blockade, in the realm of international relations, aggravating
the lack of formal diplomatic ties with the decision to implement
a blockade, can easily be construed as an act of war, a casus
belli. Therefore, to ask Turkey to normalize relations with Armenia by
opening the borders, may be received as an attempt to end the present
belligerent policy. It is not by chance, that the speech delivered
at an Armenian Assembly gathering by Assistant to the Secretary
of State, Daniel Fried was received with applause, when he stated:
“Now we hope, but also anticipate, that a solution on Nagorno-Karabagh
will result in an open border with Turkey, which is a consistent goal
on our agenda with Ankara. From Yerevan, I went to Ankara and I made
this point with the Turkish government that we want the border open,
and we want it open as soon as possible.”
So far, high-ranking American officials, succeeding ambassadors-the
last of whom, John Evans-have declared, that in the light of the
existing blockade, they approach with understanding Armenia’s special
relationship with Iran.
In regards to the importance of relations with Iran, a similar opinion
is expressed in a document titled “Strategic Defense Guidelines of the
Republic of Armenia” where one reads the following: “In conditions
of an economic-transportation blockade, from the point-of-view of
neutralizing Armenia’s isolation, Iran’s significance becomes more
salient as a country securing an essential strategic road to Asia
and the Middle East for Armenia.”
However, it is clear, that intent on the encirclement of Iran, the
United States has partially completed that aim with its military
presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, the mistrust of the Gulf’s Arab
states towards Iran and the stress in Azerbaijan-Iran relations. Daniel
Fried has said in Baku, that the danger to the security of Azerbaijan
does not come from Armenia, it comes from other countries (referring
to Iran). Fried justifies American aid to Azerbaijan, saying, “Our
security cooperation with and assistance to Azerbaijan is meant
to improve Azerbaijan’s posture against those threats, not against
Armenia.”
Iran’s encirclement could be completed by reversing the progress of
her relationship with Armenia.
However, that progress cannot be justifiably slowed down, as long as
the Turkish-Azeri blockade of Armenia continues. It is by lifting that
blockade, that Armenia’s special relationship with Iran may become
not only unjustifiable, as far as the United States is concerned,
but objectionable, as well.
According to Fried, the United States follows with considerable
apprehension Armenia’s energy ties with Iran. According to him,
America-as in the case of other Caucasus countries-tries to find
alternate sources of fuel for Armenia. Therefore, it is clear, that
the increasing interest, shown recently by the United States on the
matter of the opening of the Armenia-Turkey border, is motivated by a
desire to end State Department’s present tolerance of the Armenia-Iran
special relationship, by securing other accessible sources of energy
for Armenia’s needs.
In political terms, the U.S. efforts to encircle Iran are
understandable. However, the U.S. attempt to replace the present
Armenia-Iran relations with those of Armenia-Turkey, denotes a
failure to grasp the historical context of existing Armenian-Turkish
relations. For Armenia, what is being dealt with here is not a simple
act of shutting the back door and opening the front one. More than just
political, both relationships have strategic ramifications. Opening
the borders does not nullify the Turkish threats to the security of
the Armenian people and state.
Furthermore, it jeopardizes the Armenian quest for justice and
reparations for the genocide committed by Turkey. In sum, the issue
is not one of replacing the 10 cubic meters of natural gas being
pumped from Iran with an equal amount from Turkey or Azerbaijan;
those relationships are not as simple as the spokesmen of the US
State Department’s foreign policy would make us believe.
Most worrisome of all, however, is the danger of having Armenian
circles, that may be lured and end up swallowing-hook, line, and
sinker-these simplistic notions concerning the complex relationships
discussed above.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GEORGIAN NGO RESPONSES ST. ETCHMIADZIN
AZG Armenian Daily
20/04/2006
Georgiy Andreadze, head of “National Lobby” Georgian NGO, believes
that Georgia has both the moral and the legal rights to demand
back the so-called “Georgian” churches in the territory of Armenia
and Israel. He thinks this step will be a deserved response to the
equivalent demand of the Armenian side.
“Regnum” agency informed that Andreadze believes that the so-called
Georgian churches are situated mainly in the territory of the current
Northern Armenia.
According to him these territories belonged to Kvemo Karteli long
ago. We hope that these suppositions are no territorial claims and
do not reflect the official position of Georgia.

UNDP ALLOCATES $100 THOUSAND FOR EACH OF CITY COMMUNITIES
By Karine Danielian
AZG Armenian Daily
20/04/2006
RA Fund for Social Investments and UNDP signed a memorandum,
yesterday. According to it, a joint social program will be carried out
in the city communities of Masis, Dilijan, Vedi, Abovian and Ijevan
cities of Armenia. The program includes solution of such issues as the
streets’ illumination, reconstruction of the streets, kindergarten
and school edifices, restoration of the city infrastructures. It
is envisaged to spend about $ 100 thousand for each community. The
program will be carried out in 2007-2008.
“The program will contribute to the transparent governance of the
communities and to decentralization.
The publicity will have full access to the information about the works
carried out within the program. Before passing to the practical steps,
we will hold meetings in the communities and the community members
will decide which problems to settle first of all,” Ashot Kirakosian,
executive director of RA Fund for Social Investments, said in the
interview with Azg. Mrs. Consuelo Vidal, UNDP Resident Coordinator,
also emphasized the importance of implementation of such programs.

8 COMMUNITIES INSTEAD OF 13 IN YEREVAN
By Ara Martirosian
AZG Armenian Daily
20/04/2006
Community Heads Appointed or Elected?
As it is known, the issue of Yerevan’s status was one of the key
issues before constitutional amendments were adopted. After a long
wait the amended constitution declared that the capital should have
the status of a community and its head should be elected.
Currently two options of Yerevan’s governance system are being
discussed.
According to sources close to the government, the first option
suggests decreasing the number of communities from 13 to 8 and then
making elective the posts of city mayor and community heads.
The second option suggests making mayoralty elective and leaving the
community heads to be appointed by the government.
It’s hard to say now which option will have more appeal for the
authorities but one can assume that the latter will strive to pass
the first one. Why?
For the post-Soviet Armenian authorities the issue of elective
mayoralty was an argumentative issue. Neither the former nor the
present-day presidents and authorities wanted to have elective
mayoralty in Yerevan. While taking the mayor’s office, Vano Siradekhian
openly stated that it is inadmissible to have elective mayor. The
same opinion dominates today, and the authorities stubbornly refuse
to yield to the EU’s demand. Elective mayoralty used to be viewed as
a threat to the executive power as the overwhelming majority of our
country’s human and natural resources is concentrated in the capital.
Therefore, the option of elective mayor and community heads is
preferable for the authorities. The danger of this option lies in the
fact that Yerevan will get divided and cease being one united organism
with all negative consequences stemming out. This separates Yerevan
with its mayor and community heads tangled up in their interests
and powers, with no vertical subordination to the authorities and
consequent irresponsibility. This may suit well for the authorities
but would be disastrous for the capital.
The mess in the city construction will continue, green zones will
keep vanishing, garbage-collecting and transport issues will remain
unsolved as the mayor and community heads will go on blaming each
other for the city’s problems.
For Yerevan and its residents elective mayor and appointed community
heads should be more preferable as it will help keep the capital
united, will secure vertical subordination and will make clear who
is responsible for city maintenance. For the abovementioned reasons,
it’s hard though to believe that this option will be chosen.

THE SHAGHAT INHABITANTS ARE NOT READY FOR SOWING
A1+
[01:11 pm] 20 April, 2006
In the village Shaghat of Sisian region the sowing areas of grain
annually curtail. The peasants face such a problem because of fuel
increase and difficulties connected with the realization of local
products. The inhabitants of Shaghat have realized only 50 – 60
hectares autumn sowing instead of the 350 hectares of the previous
year and they will supply this lack with the spring sowing. Now it
is time for spring sowing but the peasants complain that they are
not ready for sowing.
The agricultural work is also lingered by the fact that the village
is adjacent to the borderline. It has 1030 hectares lands 230 hectares
of which is not cultivated because of the above – mentioned fact.
About 1000 hectares pasture and meadow lands are not available for
usage either.
According to the data of the previous year average harvest per 1
hectare grain sowing area was 12g. The Community Chief Hovhannes
Arzumanyan claims that the low index of the crop yield is determined by
a number of factors, such as the poor quality seed, unfavorable weather
conditions, the wrong land cultivation and the lack of technical
means. The harvesting is postponed because of the combine absence.
There are 80 hectares potato sowing areas in the village. On this
score, they counter the problem of realization and have to sell their
product with 50 – 70 AMD.
Soon the village will have milk purveyance service in the initiative
of “Ashtarak milk” company which will contribute to the problem
of realization.
COMPENSATION WILL BE GIVEN TO 1300
About 1300 out of 47 000 Sisian citizens who put their money in
“ArmKhnayBank” by June 10, 1993 will get compensations. 140 families
have applied to the social service of the Sisian regional centre
since April 12 and 300 applications were taken on the whole.
The regional centre workers will visit and register the citizens who
are included in the compensation list but cannot go to the regional
centre because of health problems.
“Syuni” TV channel of Sisian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

“I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE MAP”
A1+
[05:54 pm] 19 April, 2006
“The RA Foreign Minister mentioned that if the Azerbaijani side
expresses fidelity to principles, which can contribute to reaching
fundamental agreement. In my opinion that will take place after
the return of the refugees. It is included in the program of
the Minsk group, and the two sides confirm that together with the
sovereignty right. We want the two Presidents to sign that fundamental
agreement. You must have courage”, announced Mary-Ann Isler Begen,
co-chair of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary cooperation Committee. She
also spoke about a certain map, “We would like to see the map which
was made or will be made the special representative”.
Deputy Foreign Minister Armen Bayburdyan represented the impressions
of the Armenian side. “We have an impression that Azerbaijan is
elated with the perspective of the large amounts of money thinking
they will spend it on their army. Instead of paying attention to the
negotiations the Azeri Government pays attention to other things. If
the international community and the EU can explain to Azerbaijan that
the negotiation process has no alternative and the peaceful settlement
is the only option, that will contribute to finding a solution for
the conflict. ”
He also thanked the EU for supporting the process of settlement of
the conflict.

THE EUROPEANS REPRESENTED THE KEY TO THE SOLUTION
A1+
[05:26 pm] 19 April, 2006
Armen Roustamyan Opposes
During the 8th session of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary cooperation
Committee in Armenia critical announcements were made about the
settlement of the Karabakh conflict. In particular, member of the
Committee Hannes Svoboda announced that the Armenian armed forces
must leave the occupied lands, they must be given a special status;
a referendum will solve the status problem, the refugees must return
to their houses, and peace-keeping forces must be allocated in
those areas.
By the way, he said all this as an agreement with the Armenian
side. Several other Europeans claimed that the areas are occupied
by the Armenian side and it is not a secret for anyone. NA deputy
Armen Roustamyan had to answer these claims, “The RA did not occupy
any lands. The history of the conflict is that Azerbaijan committed
aggression against the Karabakh people in answer to their raising the
issue of sovereignty. We must not forget the 1988 events in Sumgayit;
there are facts, and we can prove whatever we say with facts.
This aggression was beaten by the Armenian forces and control was
established over the areas according to the 51st article of the UN
legislation. We ask you to check everything yourselves.”
He informed that the getting acquainted with the history of the
conflict the Europeans will make sure that the RA is a side involved
in the conflict and not one that started it, “RA cannot fully replace
NKR in the negotiations. We cannot represent the sovereignty right
instead of the Karabakh people and decide their fate.”
“We demand that Karabakh participate in the negotiations and this
is a necessity in order to make the negotiation process more real,”
Armen Roustamyan said informing the European concerned with the
Karabakh conflict those options which are acceptable for Armenia,
“Our approach is clear: Karabakh must make use of its sovereignty
right unconditionally and without restrictions. Speaking about
sovereignty as part of Azerbaijan when they will speak about the
defense of the rights of national minorities in the territory of a
country is completely out of this context. Naturally, the variant
acceptable for us is independence.”
Roustamyan informed that Armenia has seen what autonomy offered by
the Azeri side means by the example of Nakhijevan. “The Autonomous
Republic of Nakhijevan had the highest status in the former USSR.
And in that status all the Armenians were evicted from there while
according to the data of the year 1927, 40% of its population was
Armenian. Today there are no Armenians there. You have also seen
what they have done with the cultural heritage. Seeing all this,
how do you imagine that the Karabakh people will ever agree to have
that highest status as part of Azerbaijan? It is absurd. ”
The head of the NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations also said it
was totally absurd that the Armenian side too is required to refrain
from militant statements, as “it is no secret that the Armenian side
does not want a new war.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FUTURE IN EFFICIENCY
A1+
[06:13 pm] 19 April, 2006
Today Robert Kocharyan received the delegation of the participants
of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary cooperation Committee 8th session.
Underlining the importance of establishing a private cooperation
plan with Armenia as soon as possible within the framework of the
EU New Neighborhood policy, Robert Kocharyan said that it will give
them the possibility to have coordinated relations with the EU and
to go forward, “We see the future of Armenia in efficient governing,
efficient political system and economy, and it can be reached only
by means of radical reforms,” the head of the country underlined.
At the request of the European Parliamentarians the President
represented the recent development of the negotiations of the peaceful
settlement of the Karabakh conflict and the approaches of Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A 6-DAY ACTION OPPOSITE THE PRESIDENT’S RESIDENCE
A1+
[06:49 pm] 19 April, 2006
Four women and a man were standing opposite the President’s residence
today with posters demanding justice in their hands. A police car
was parked nearby.
These people have been here for the last six days demanding justice
for their sons and relatives who were sentenced to life imprisonment
yesterday for the murder of two soldiers in a NKR military basis. Even
after the court decision the relatives of the accused continue to
demand justice.
Sister of Hayk Zalyan, Liana Zalyan mentions that their only aim is
to make the President’s administration listen to their demand. “We
want our innocent boys to be set free. It they do not want to reveal
the real murderers let them not punish the innocent”.
The parents of the boys also invite attention to the fact that
during the trial yesterday Movses Mkrtoumyan, the father of one of
the murdered soldiers, announced that he does not believe that the
accused are guilty.
As for the participants of the act of complaint, none of the workers
of the President’s residence is interested in them. On the first day
they took their letter to the waiting room themselves. While taking
it the workers of the waiting room informed them that the answer will
be ready in a month and will be sent by mail. As for the other days,
no one has ever tried to meet them.
“We do not know how long we will sit here. Perhaps until we are
received,” Liana Zalyan says. The mother of Musa Serobyan who was
sentenced to life imprisonment too thinks that they must visit
different organizations so that everyone comes to know their problem.