ARMENIA COMMITTEE HAS SEVERAL DAYS OF LIFE

Lragir/am
20 March 06

The opposition alliance 17+1 met on March 20 at the Congress Hotel
of Yerevan for the first time in 2006. The main political forces
of Armenia – the National Democratic Union, the Liberal Progressive
Party of Armenia, Nor Zhamanakner, Hayrenik yev Pativ, Hanrapetutyun –
participated in the rally that lasted for an hour and a half.

After the meeting the leader of the Nor Zhamanakner Party Aram
Karapetyan told our reporter that the main problem is to form a
committee “Hayastan” or a civic action group.

“Seriousness is in two things: is there external influence and
financial means? Even if, God forbid, joint work fails, it will not
be a tragedy. Certain people will start a series of certain actions,
and finally a body will form by all means. It is important that 17+1
is safe and sound.” There are two ways.

Either the political parties form the coordinating body or, if not,
there is a proposal to form the committee by a civil movement.”

The leader of the Hayrenik yev Pativ Party Garnik Margaryan also thinks
that if there is not a visible process, it does not mean that nothing
is being done. A number of questions were solved in daily meetings. “I
am hopeful that the civil movement will form, and the movement will
begin. It is a matter of days, and there are all the preconditions.”

NKR PRESIDENT AND PARLIAMENTARIANS DISCUSS ISSUES REGARDING INCREASE OF EFFECTIVENESS OF INTERACTION OF VARIOUS BRANCHES OF POWER

Noyan Tapan
Mar 20 2006

STEPANAKERT, MARCH 20, NOYAN TAPAN. On March 18, President of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic Arkady Ghoukassian had a meeting with
leaders of factions and groups of the NKR National Assembly on their
request. According to NKR Foreign Ministry Information-Analytical
Department, wide range of issues related to the activity of the
Karabakh Parliament, improvement of its legislative activity, increase
of effectiveness of interaction of various branches of authorities,
a number of other current issues including the coming parliamentary
hearings on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement were discussed
at the meeting in which NA Chairman Ashot Ghoulian, Secretary of
the Security Council, Chief of Staff of the President’s Office
Karen Babourian and Minister of Foreign Affairs Georgy Petrossian
participated.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DECLINES INITIATIVE OF “ARDARUTIUN” FACTION

Noyan Tapan
Mar 20 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The regular four-days sittings
of the National Assembly started on March 20. There are about
50 issues and 28 international treaties certified by the RA
President on the agenda. Besides the draft laws, the 2004 report
concerning the RA Civil Service Council and the report of the Public
Television and Radio Company Council concerning the 2005 activity,
2006 program of the RA finance and credit policy, 2005-2007 program
on Privatization of State Property as well as the annual report on
the RA Ombudsperson’s activity and violation of the human rights
and fundamental freedoms in the country are among the issues on the
agenda. The Parliament declines by the vote the initiative of the
“Ardarutiun” (Justice) faction to put the draft on creating a NA
ad-hoc committee studying the law violations implemented during the
referendum on the constitutional amendments taken place on November
27, 2005 in the RA, on the agenda of the NA spring session. On March
17 the profile, the Standing Committee on State and Legal Issues
gave a negative response to the same issue. At the NA sitting the
“National Unity” faction was also for the “Ardarutiun” initiative. The
“ARF” and “Orinats Yerkir” (Country of Law) factions were abstaining,
the “ULP” and “RPA” factions and the majority of “People’s Deputy”
deputy’s group didn’t participate in the vote. Victor Dallakian, the
“Ardarutiun” faction Secretary estimated as negative the fact that
the Government gave a negative estimation to the above-mentioned draft
decision’s being put on the NA agenda. He explained not turning to the
Constitutional Court concerning the made violations with the fact that
the above-mentioned body “is an attache’ of the executive power so they
didn’t want to become participants of “a cartoon.” As for the issue,
NA Speaker Artur Baghdasarian mentioned that he publicly condemned and
condemns the electoral falsifications. He also reminded that 4 criminal
actions have already been brought based on the facts addressed by
him to the Prosecutor of the republic, among them judgement on one
case concerning sentencing to 6 months already exists.

According to the NA Speaker, corresponding bodies must give the legal
estimations of the violations implemented during the referendum,
and the political forces may give only political estimations what
has already been done.

“NEW TIMES” PARTY PREPARES TO HOLD ITS REGULAR CONFERENCE OPEN-AIR

Noyan Tapan
Mar 20 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The “New Times” (Nor Zhamanakner)
party had to turn to the Yerevan Mayor’s Office for holding the party’s
regular conference in the open-air conditions in the territory near
the Yerevan Matenadaran (Armenian repository of ancient manuscripts)
at 15:00 on April 4. The information service of the party gives
explanation in its March 20 message that it’s about a year that the
“New Times” party is in an information blockade, “a continuous process
of not giving halls” to the party for holding conferences and meetings
of its active members has recently added to all these.

ARMENIAN COMMUNISTS CONGRATULATE ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO “ON OCCASION OF CONVINCING VICTORY” AT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN BELARUS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 20 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The Central Committee of the Communist
Party of Armenia congratulated Alexander Lukashenko “on the occasion
of the convincing” victory at the presidential elections held on
March 19 in the Republic of Belarus. As it was mentioned in the
congratulatory message signed by First Secretary of Central Committee
of the Communist Party of Armenia Ruben Tovmasian, “the elections
results again demonstrated the striving of the Belarusian people for
living in a stable country”. In the opinion of the Central Committee
of the Communist Party of Armenia, Belarus made a qualitative leap
in economic development: “Thanks to the chosen way of development
the country was able to avoid negative consequences of the so-called
transitional period. The population of the fraternal Belarus with
their active participation in the presidential elections demonstrated
inflexibility before numerous provocations organized by the criminal
West,” the congratulatory message of the Armenian communists read.

ASHOT HOVAKIMIAN RELIEVED OF POST OF RA AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY TO LATVIA, LITHUANIA AND ESTONIA

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 20 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. By RA President
Robert Kocharian’s March 18 decree, Ashot Hovakimian was relieved of
the post of RA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the
Republics of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Noyan Tapan was informed
about it by the President’s Press Service.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARSHAK SADOYAN: DEEPENING OF POLITICAL PASIVENESS DESTRUCTIVE

Noyan Tapan
Mar 18 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 18, NOYAN TAPAN. Today, when the “Ardarutiun” (Justice)
faction, “Azgayin Miabanutiun” (National Unity) party and other
opposing political forces show some pasiveness, it’s time to take
some steps in the direction of calling to life the good initiative of
the Intellectuals’ Forum Councillor to create civil movement. Arshak
Sadoyan, a member of the NA “Ardarutiun” faction, the Chairman of
the “National Democrates’ Alliance” party stated about this at the
March 17 press-conference, mentioning that he himself and his party
are for an organized political, “without a gun” struggle and have a
definite program of proposals. According to the speaker, if there are
forces which may implement a revolution during the coming few months,
the NDA isn’t against it. Otherwise, it is not only inadmissible but
also destructive to reduce activization of the society with “vain
promises.” So the deputy proposes to hold an enlarged gathering of
political forces during the coming 15-20 days and to adopt a statement
on struggle for the country’s future, freedoms.

Convention of a constituent assembly must follow that, where leading
bodies of an over-party movement in the name of civil society in
Armenia will be elected.

According to A.Sadoyan, the mentioned activities’ program was adopted
still in December, 2005, by the joint decision of 17 parties and 8
public organizations. The speaker expressed sorrow that the People’s
Party of Armenia hasn’t yet expressed its position on the occasion of
this program so he proposed to convene a sitting of the “Ardarutiun”
faction on March 24 to discuss the future actions. The deputy is
also sure that it’s necessary to actively involve the society as
well in the joint struggle to make electoral processes in Armenia as
just as possible. The Electoral Code to be reviewed soon may assist
it greatly. According to Sadoyan, one must reach the one that the
political majority accepts his proposal to hold a parallel electronic
vote, and the proposal of the “National Unity” concerning shooting
the whole electoral process in the polling stations. According to the
deputy’s accountings, this won’t arise great financial problems. This
concerns both publishing abroad special voting papers envisaged for
electronic vote and buying special equipment and video cameras for the
above-mentioned votion. He expects “assistance of democratic forces
of the world, international structures” as the latters officially
stated many times about assisting establishment of democracy in
developing countries.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KHOSROV HAROUTIUNIAN CONSIDERS THAT 2006 TO BE YEAR OF KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

Noyan Tapan
Mar 20 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The Karabakh problem will be solved
by the third President of the Third Republic (Robert Kocharian is
the second President of the Third Republic: “NT”) who will be from
“lower part, people.” David Hakobian, the Chairman of the Marxist Party
of Armenia expressed such an opinion at the March 17 debate at the
“Hayeli” club. In this way he disproved the optimism of his opponent,
Khosrov Haroutiunian, the Chairman of the Christian-Democratic Union
of Armenia, on the issue that the year of 2006 must be the year of
the problem settlement what, according to the CDUA Chairman, doesn’t
at all mean that Armenia must go to compromises under military threats.

According to Khosrov Haroutiunian, during the whole period of
the Karabakh conflict settlement, so beneficial conditions for
the settlement as there are today have never been created: the
international community understands that not to settle the conflict
means to danger one’s own interests, and that one may not settle
this conflict without taking into account the possible usage of the
right to free self-determination of Artsakh. He doesn’t consider
accidental that U.S. Assistant Secretary Daniel Fried and OSCE Minsk
Group American Co-Chairman Steven Mann first visited Azerbaijan:
today the international community has something to say to Azerbaijan,
the ball is in Azerbaijan’s field.

Kh.Haroutiunian considers that results of the Armenian and
Azerbaijani Presidents’ meeting in Rambouillet, and more correctly,
the absence of those weren’t unexpected. He reminded particularly the
RA President’s formulation: “poor expectations.” This, according to
the speaker, wasn’t accidental as immediately before the Rambouillet,
the Azerbaijani side presented its uncompromising position concerning
the Nagorno Karabakh problem, and possibilities of settling the problem
in military way were already spoken about before the Rambouillet.

Khosrov Haroutiunian is far of the opinion that the Rambouillet makes
war developments more probable: the Rambouillet only facted that one
of the sides isn’t yet ready to make decisions in the most serious
negotiation process.

According to him, the Azerbaijani side’s warlike statements,
militarist hysteria aren’t a challenge addressed to Armenia, those are
addressed to the international community. The Azerbaijani political
administration just attmepts to use the situation to put pressure on
the international community and form agreements reached during the
Rambouillet-Prague negotiations in its faviour. David Hakobian in his
turn expressed a viewpoint that the Artsakh problem has already reached
the status that all the variants of the so-called mutual compromises
in the future diplomatic processes have already exhausted themselves:
“Everything or nothing” there is no alternative, and the Rambouillet
proved this again. The issue may not be the subject of a negotiation
process any more, the moment of populating and re-populating historic
Artsakh and adopting a new military doctrine has already come.” In
his opinion, right from the start the Armenian diplomatic tactics is
a defeatist, yeilding, so-called “beggar’s” diplomacy. “Today we have
already come with a victorious sword, and we must be the dectating
part,” the leader of the Marxist Party stated.

HAMLET GASPARIAN: NEWS SPREAD BY AZERBAIJANI MEDIA ABOUT ARMENIAN OFFICERS COMPLETE ASPERATION

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 20 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Only the Armenian
officers’ names are true from the news spread by Azerbaijani media
concerning officers of the RA Police and Ministry of Defence, the other
is a complete asperation. Hamlet Gasparian, the RA Foreign Ministry’s
Press Secretary informed about this, at the media request, commenting
upon the information of the Azerbaijani press. Azerbaijani media
informed that RA Police officer Gevorg Voskanian who participated in
the courses of the George Marshall European Center for Security Studies
in the German city of Garmisch-Partenkirchner, made an attempt of rape
towards representative of Ukraine Natalia Kostroma and was expelled
of the courses for this reason. Major Artem Hakobian, the RA Defence
Ministry’s representative, is defamed in another information. It’s
spoken about the latter that he was rebuked seriously by the
Marshall Center administration for making insulting statements in
the address of Georgia. Hamlet Gasparian stated that Gevorg Voskanian
and Artem Hakobian participated in those courses from September 23,
2005. Just from the beginning of the courses, Major Voskanian’s
health state became poor and he had to return Armenia on October
4 by the Marshall Center’s agreement to get urgent treatment. In
response to the above-mentioned information of the Azerbaijani press,
the Marshall Center also proved this, mentioning that “accusations
against Armenian Police Major Gevorg Voskanian are baseless, he wasn’t
involved in any unpleasant event because of which was expelled of the
courses.” It’s stated on the occasion of the other officer in the same
written response, that Major Artem Hakobian finished with success the
courses with the duration from September 23 to December 16, 2005, and
returned Armenia, and the Marshall Center doesn’t know about any case
connected with the latter. “The administration of the George Marshall
European Center for Security Studies didn’t rebuke any representative
of the RA Ministry of Defence,” is mentioned in the statement. “The
fact that the Azerbaijani side makes a usual attempt to compromise
the Armenian officers participating in the international courses,
proves once more that the policy of the Azerbaijani hatred towards
Armenians reached the state level and this is done in a planned and
consistent way. And under this light, the wild murder of the Armenian
officer by the Azerbaijani “national hero” in Budapest isn’t seemed
at all to be an accidental action,” the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press
Secretary emphasized.

ARMENIAN JAZZ WEEK TO BE HELD IN MOSCOW POSTPONED UNTIL AUTUMN

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 20 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Armenian Jazz
Week that was to be held on March 12-26 in Moscow in connection with
the Year of Armenia in Russia was postponed until autumn. As Noyan
Tapan correspondent was informed from Foreign Relations Department of
RA Ministry of Culture and Youth Affairs, famous Armenian composer
Arno Babajanian’s 85th anniversary will be also marked this year,
so the organizers have tried to hold the Armenian Jazz Day in Moscow
by a larger program, also including the jubilee events dedicated
to the composer: at present the Armenian State Jazz Band conducted
by Armen Martirosian and the Arno Babajanian Fund are working out a
joint concert program.