PUBLIC TELEVISION AND RADIO COMPANY COUNCIL CHAIRMAN ADDRESSES OFFICIAL LETTER TO NA SPEAKER

Noyan Tapan
MAr 16 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN. Aleksan Haroutiunian, the Chairman
of the Council of the Public Television and Radio Company addressed
on March 15 an official letter to NA Speaker Artur Baghdasarain,
on the occasion of broadcasting programs concerning work of the
Parliament. A.Haroutiunian particularly proposed to implement
broadcasting of plenary sittings by the public radio and broadcasting
of a number of programs dedicated to works of the Parliament by
the public television not according to the demand of the law as
it’s at present, but based on an agreement to be signed between the
National Assembly and the Council. The Council Chairman stated at
the same day sitting of the National Assembly Standing Committee of
Science, Education, Culture and Youth Issues, that broadcasting of
the mentioned programs according to the force of the law contradicts
the regulations of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the
obligations undertaken by the Public Television on corresponding to the
European standards. Armenia became the EBU full and equal member in
2005. In the letter addressed to the NA Speaker, A.Haroutiunian also
expressed readiness to meet with all the political forces represented
at the Parliament to discuss the problem jointly. According to
him, the agreement to be signed will function till the end of the
commission of the Parliament of present convening, the type and
volume of broadcasting will remain unchanged, no financial problems
will arise. Responding the Noyan Tapan correspondent’s question, the
Council Chairman informed that he’s ready to come with the NA to such
a solution of the issue “for this isn’t considered as any attempts
made before the elections, but at the same time, for the principle
of editorial freedom of the Public Television is secured.” According
to A.Haroutiunian, in the opinion of European experts, the demand
fixed by the law on broadcasting the mentioned programs contradicts
the RA Constitution and principles of freedom of European mass media
as well. He also noticed that there is not any other member country
either of the European Broadcasting Union or the Council of Europe
where such a demand of the law functions.

NKR SECURITY COUNCIL SITTING

Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
16 March 2006

On March 13, President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Arkady
Ghukassian summoned an enlarged sitting of the NKR Security Council
in the course of which issues related to the current stage of the
negotiations on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement were, in
particular, discussed. Getting acquainted with the activity carried
out in the frames of the process of working out the NKR Constitution,
the President instructed to call a sitting of the Constitutional
Commission in the current week for summing up the results of that ac
tivity. The participants of the sitting discussed also a number of
issues of social-economic development of the republic.

FIRST CERTIFICATION IN SHUSHI
A.Gabrielian

Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
16 March 2006

On March 10, 2006 the certification of 4 junior officials of the
regional administration of Shushi took place. The certification
was held in two stages: a test and an interview. One of the junior
officials did not pass the test.

The chairman of the certification commission Karine Harutiunian
said this is the first certification of civil servants in Shushi,
which was held in compliance with the NKR Law on Civil Service. The
aim of the certification is to upgrade the professional skills and
knowledge of civil servants.

EMPLOYMENT REMAINS UP IN THE AIR
Susanna Balayan

Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
16 March 2006

Recently the passivity of young people in Karabakh, the low level of
their involvement in state building has been considered more often. The
majority of emigrants are young people, say public officials, leaders
of youth organizations, NGOs, whose activity has the same goal –
to involve young people in different projects and initiatives. This
reality is not a problem but an alarm about the situation, which may
bring about unpredictable consequences. For instance, during the ten
post-war years the population of NKR did not change essentially. The
rate of growth of the population is not high, several hundreds, or
1-2 thousand at best, says the statistical service, which is worrying
in all aspects. “We have tried to find out what the present-day youth
takes interest in, learn about their moods,” says Armineh Hayrapetian,
the chairman of Aram Manukian Students Union, “most young people live
without any hopes for improvement or for someone to do something
for them. Education, television, a concert at best or disco, this
is the narrow range of interests of today’s youth.” According to
the leader of Aram Manukian Students Union, this situation emanates
from the lack of a definite state policy on the youth problems. “The
problem of employment among young people is still up in the air,”
says Armineh Hayrapetian, “the majority of university graduates cannot
find jobs. They have to go away and work abroad. On the other hand,
if the speaker of the parliament said in an address that the youth
should not be engaged in politics, what can young people expect at
all? It is difficult to find a job, it is early for them to deal with
politics, what will their future be then?”

Nevertheless, Armineh Hayrapetian says there is progress in this
sphere, for despite the current situation new youth organizations have
emerged recently: Young Democrats, the Club of Young Politicians,
the YMCA, the youth wing of the Azat Hayrenik Party which deals
with environmental issues, and Zepyur. Armineh Petrossian, the
leader of the youth organization Hayki Serund, also agrees that
employment is a serious problem for young people. According to her,
the lack of a mechanism of relations between the government and youth
organizations, the state and the young people, is a serious obstacle
for the organization.

However, she says, there is already such a mechanism. The government
assists the projects of youth organizations rather than the youth
organizations. “All the youth organizations extended projects to
the government until January 30, and the government will decide
which projects to fund,” said Armineh Petrossian, and pointed out
that the organization led by her participates in the debates on the
new bill on the youth since January 2006 together with other youth
organizations. At the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport we were
informed that the bill on the youth has not been adopted in Armenia
yet. Its shortcomings are discussed at the ministry, as well as by
the youth organizations.

Kamo Atayan, Minister of Education, Culture and Sport, said two
chapters of the bill have been reviewed. After the bill is edited
completely, it will be extended to the government. Hopefully the
adoption of the law will help to prevent the migration of young people
from the country.

NATIONALISM REAL THREAT TO CIS

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 16, 2006

YEREVAN, March 16. /ARKA/. Manifestations of nationalism are
the most serious problems and a real threat to the CIS countries,
Director of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, RF Academy
of Sciences, Chairman of the Commission for Tolerance and Freedom of
Conscience Valery Tishkov told journalists in Moscow. According to
him, nationalism has been and will be manifested in many of the CIS
countries, particularly in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. “Twenty-nine
people were killed for racial reasons in Russia alone in 2005. Racism
has an ethnic basis in our country,” Tishkov said.

He also pointed out the serious problem of migration. Many
citizens see only negative in this process, without speaking of its
contribution to the development of construction, trade and service,
population growth. “Migrants used to go to remote regions to carry out
construction work before, whereas we can observe labor and business
migration now,” Tishkov said. He stressed that Russia “was, is and
will be a multinational country.”

ARMENIA MARKS 85TH ANNIVERSARY OF SOGHOMON TEYLERYAN’S RETALIATION ACTION

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 16, 2006

YEREVAN, March 16. /ARKA/. Armenia marked 85th anniversary of action
of retaliation committed by Soghomon Teyleryan in 1921 in Berlin
against the then Ottoman Empire’s Home minister Talaat-Pasha, who
was one of the 1915 Armenian Genocide masterminds. Dashnaktsuthun
Armenian party board member and MP Armen Rustamyan said at the ceremony
dedicated to this event that nowadays the retaliation act hasn’t lost
its significance. It is remarkable, he said, that the patriot was
acquitted by German count and his victim, in fact, remains convicted
forever. Talaat killing was one of Nemesis operation’s actions, which
showed that punishment of those implicated in genocide shouldn’t be
considered as crime, Rustamyan said.

He condemned Turkey’s attempts to use today’s worldwide struggle
against terrorism for tarnishing Teyleryan’s reputation saying his
retaliation action has nothing in common with those inhuman acts
pursuing obscure goals. “Teyleryan’s goal was kind, just and true.

And the court proved it”, the MP said.

Armenian student Soghomon Teyleryan shot down Ottoman Empire’s Home
minister Talaat-Pasha in Berlin on March 15, 1921. Talaat-Pash
was among those Ottoman Empire’s top officials having their part
in orchestrating the 1915 Armenian Genocide. Later Teyleryan was
acquitted by Berlin court’s jurors.

The killing was designed by Dashnaktsutyun party as part of a series of
operations called Nemesis. Under the Dashnaktsutyun-worked out scheme,
Ottoman Empire Home Minister Talaat-Pasha, former PM Said Halim, former
Trapezund governor Jemal Azmi, special organization leader Behaetdin
Shakir and former Naval Forces Minister Jemal-Pasha have been killed.

Besides, former Turkish Military Minister Enver-Paha who headed
counter-soviet movement in Turkistan in 20s, was killed by Russian
Red Army commander of Armenian descent Yakov Melkumov.

ARMENIA: BACKDOOR CENSORSHIP FEARS
By Arpi Harutunian in Yerevan

Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR), UK
March 16, 2006

Newspaper distribution law could severely restrict circulation of
opposition titles.

Armenian journalists are sounding the alarm over legislation that
requires newspaper delivery companies for the first time to apply
for licenses.

Local activists say that the legislation, introduced by Armenia’s
parliament last year in the form of an amendment to existing laws
on mail service and tax regulations, is in fact a hidden form of
state censorship.

“The journalistic community and public organisations of Armenia are
trying to stop this law,” Boris Navasardian, chairman of the Yerevan
Press Club, told IWPR. “Otherwise, we will have to admit that it is
one more mechanism for secret censorship.”

The legislation stipulates that firms pay 11,000 US dollars per year
in order to receive licenses for the right to deliver newspapers.

This requirement will bankrupt many small independent delivery
companies, say observers, and place the country’s newspaper
distribution service firmly in the hands of two state-connected
enterprises, Haipost, Armenia’s postal service, and Haimamul, the
main kiosk vendor.

Haipost, as a self-financing closed joint-stock company, is nominally
independent. However, since all of its shares belong to the state,
it is considered to be closely linked to the government.

Haimamul for its part is fully independent, though its origins indicate
close state ties. The firm was established in 1939 as Soviet Armenia’s
sole concern handling newspaper subscriptions and delivery.

Today it is the largest single distributor, and with about 400 kiosks
and 7,223 subscribers, one of the few that reaches all the country’s
regions.

Rather than censoring the newspapers outright, say media professionals,
government officials can instead pressure these two companies to
prevent publications with offending content from reaching the public,
especially in rural areas.

“I have the impression that the Armenian government is doing
all it can, and even what it cannot, in order to reduce newspaper
dissemination as much as possible,” said Hakob Avetikian, editor in
chief of the daily Azg. “They want to reduce the amount of undesirable
information to the public.”

The critics point to a number of incidents where Haimaimul failed
to distribute certain publications. In October, 2002, for example,
4,600 copies of the Aravot opposition newspapers disappeared from
Haimamul’s kiosks.

Aravot editors’ say that the incident was tied to an article which
was critical of Hrach Abgarian, former adviser to Armenian prime
minister Andranik Margarian.

Members of the Yerevan Press Club and other public organisations say
the new legislation violates human rights and have sent a letter
to parliament demanding the law be changed. IWPR has learned that
the opposition United Labour Party has thrown its weight behind
the initiative.

Press club officials say that the laws violate Article 10 of European
Convention of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Article 19 of
Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as Article 24 of the
Armenian constitution, guaranteeing the right to free expression.

“If we are members of the Council of Europe and if we speak about
European integration, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press,
then we should reject licensing of the media,” said Armen Davtian,
director of the Blitz independent media distribution company, who
compared the situation with licensing of press distribution in Armenia
to that in authoritarian Belarus.

The new legislation comes into force just as a number of small,
independent companies have sprung up to challenge Haipost and
Haimamul’s near-monopoly over distribution.

Last year, for example, the US-funded Eurasia Foundation and George
Soros’ Open Society Institute awarded grants to five companies under
a programme to support alternative distribution channels and improve
delivery to rural areas.

Eurasia officials say that very few of Armenia’s daily newspapers
reach the country’s villages, where much of the population resides.

Some remote towns do not receive a single newspaper, they say.

“Our aim was to create stable companies that would lead to the
weakening of the monopoly of Haipost and Haimamul and become
alternative companies in the newspaper market,” Alisa Alaverdian,
Eurasia’s external relations coordinator, told IWPR.

Now, however, because of the new legislation, these enterprises are
under threat of closure.

Tax officials have paid several visits to the heads of the Blitz
Media Company, one of the new distributors, demanding that they either
suspend their activities or pay for a license.

“I pay annual 1,500 dollars in income tax, and according to what
I know, other small organisations that work in this sphere pay
approximately the same amount,” said Blitz director Davtian. “There
is no logic in this fixed sum of 11 thousand dollars for the license.”

Haikaz Simikian, head of the Simikian distribution company in
Vanadzor with 700 subscribers, one of the five firms to receive
Eurasia Foundation and OSI’s grants, said it’s likely to close if
they pay the license fee.

“This amount is absurd,” said Simikian. “We won’t have any income
under such conditions.”

Eurasia Foundation officials agree that the law comes at a very
untimely moment. “As a result of [our] programme, the circulation of
some newspapers grew significantly,” said Marina Mkhitarian, Eurasia’s
programme coordinator. “[This continued] until the distribution
companies encountered problems with taxation bodies because of their
lack of licenses.”

Government officials for their part defend the legislation by saying
that it in no way restricts the dissemination of the news. Delivery
is being licensed, not subscription, they say, and the law will
strengthen the distribution system and regulate deliveries, especially
to rural areas.

Tamara Ghalechian, spokesperson for the ministry of transport and
communications, said that the high license fee will help weed out
the field and assure that only companies that can provide the best
services will be involved in newspaper delivery.

“The state is establishing a regulating mechanism for companies which
are responsible for organising subscriptions, Ghalechian told IWPR.

Many do not buy this explanation, however. “What sense is there in
subscription, if there is no delivery?” asked Blitz distribution
company head Davtian.

Haipost officials guarantees that the company’s 904 post offices will
deliver all newspapers in a timely manner, even those to far-flung
regions. “We deliver newspapers to subscribers even in the most remote
villages,” said Haipost spokesperson Astghik Martirosian.

Martirosian supports the new legislation whole-heartedly. “If the state
believes that we need such a law, this means that we indeed need it,”
he said.

Interestingly, despite the benefits that their company will allegedly
reap, Haimamul officials say that they are opposed to the law. “The
number of newspapers is already very small and they do not reach
residents in the regions,” said Haimamul executive director Arshaluis
Manukian.

“Laws like this will lead to the total isolation of rural residents
from any information, since companies with small budgets will be
unable to pay and will have to halt their activities,” he said,
calling the legislation “the product of a morbid imagination”.

Arpi Harutunian is a reporter with weekly in
Yerevan. Seda Muradyan, IWPR’s Armenia coordinator, also contributed
to this article.

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ALEXAN HARUTYUNYAN: ARMENIA HAS CHOSEN THE CORRECT SONG AND THE CORRECT SINGER

ArmRadio
16.03.2006 16:05

Armenia has chosen the correct song to present at the “Eurovision,”
President of the Public Television and Radio Company of Armenia Alexan
Harutyunyan has received the first foreign response from the experts
of this most popular European song contest.

The song (“Without your love”), which was presented to the attention
of the Armenian pubic yesterday, has already managed to become a
subject of controversial views and criticism in Armenia.

“Some complain that Andre is going to present an English song at
the ” Eurovision,” some have found Eastern tunes in the song. The
“Eurovision” is a special song festival, and I have to disappoint all
those who were anticipating that we would present Komitas there. And
let’s not forget that the song has been written by one of out best
composers Armen Martirosyan, and has been instrumented by Murzik,
one of our best arrangers. Besides, national musical instruments have
been used,” Alexan Harutyunyan said in his interview to ” Radiolur”
correspondent.

As for the Eastern tunes, Alexan Harutyunyan noted, “Eastern tunes
exist also in Sayat-Nova’s music.”

FINAL ACT – JUGHA CEMETERY A FIRING RANGE

AZG Armenian Daily
17/03/2006

The photo accompanying this article was made only 5 days ago by very
rev. Topuzian, and depicts the Armenian cemetery that only 15 years
ago had 10.000 khachkars but due to Azerbaijani barbarism this number
was reduced to 3.500. A caption by very rev. Topuzian underneath
the photo reads: “As an eyewitness to this sacrilege I can say this
is the evidence of ‘final act’ (Friday, 10 March 2006) when we saw
the great territory of Old Jugha cemetery completely destroyed…
wiped away… transformed into a firing range.”

It goes without saying that other monuments of Armenian history
and culture invisible from the Iranian border were eliminated long
ago. The Azeri state has one goal: to demolish all traces of Armenian
presence to avoid another headache in future.

PUNISHING A CRIMINAL AND MURDERER IS NO CRIME
By Tamar Minasian

AZG Armenian Daily #048
17/03/2006

On March 15, we celebrated the 85th anniversary of Tallat Pasha
assassination, who was one of masterminds and accomplisher of
the Armenian Genocide. On this occasion, the youth branch of ARF
Dashnaktsiutiun held a rally in front of the monument to Soghomon
Tehlerian, the assassin of Tallat. Armen Rustamian, member of ARFD
Supreme Body, stated that the events of the past helped us preserve
our national dignity. He added that we strengthened the spirit of
our people in the fair struggle against our enemies. Rustamian is
confident that many new generations of Armenians will be educated on
the example of Soghomon Tehlerian.

He added that punishing the murderer is no crime.

Rustamian stated that the Turks learnt no lesson from the history
and still try to make falsifications and deny the reality.

The members of Dshnaktsiutiun’s youth branch said that there are
still young people that follow the path of Tehlerian. 17 years old
Dvin who came to Armenia from Canada said that the patriotic feeling
of the Armenians from Diaspora differ from those who live in Armenia.

“There they feel patriotism mixed with homesickness, while in
Armenia patriotism means to preserve and develop the motherland,”
he said. “Tehlerian was 25 when he killed Tallat. He should be a
lofty ideal for us, as he could show to the world that we will not
be silent,” Dvin underscored.