STEVEN MANN: U.S. IS READY TO ASSIST KARABAKH PROCESS IN BEST POSSIBLE WAY
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 16 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “I think the
negotiations process on Nagorno Karabakh problem should continue,”
Steven Mann, OSCE Minsk Group American Co-chairman, declared at the
March 16 joint press conference with Daniel Fried, U.S. Assistant
Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs.
He informed that before coming to Armenia he and Daniel Fried have
met with OSCE Minsk Group another Co-chairmen, had a consultation
with them and coordinated the issues to be discussed in Baku and
Yerevan getting the Co-chairmens’ full support.
As for the issue, why it was decided to hold the Co-chairmen’s
meeting in Istanbul, the American diplomat said that “he wanted to
find a convenient place to tell his colleagues about the results of
his visits to Baku and Yerevan, so the choice of the place wasn’t of
essential importance”.
According to S.Mann, during this visit he and D.Fried wanted to
find out “how to move forward from this moment”. “The fact that no
progress was registered in Rambouillet is a difficult problem but
at the Presidents’ meeting we saw that the sides have readiness to
move forward and the U.S. is ready to assist this process in the best
possible way,” the Minsk Group American Co-chairman declared.
The U.S. Assistant Secretary of State in his turn gave assurance that
the governments of both of the countries represent the interests of
their countries in the negotiations process. Both of the countries
treat the Nagorno Karabakh problem seriously as this is an important
and significant issue for these countries,” Fried mentioned.
As for the issue of pre-term recall of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia
John Evans, the Ambassador himself declared that he serves the
U.S. President and Daniel Fried mentioned that he has worked with
Ambassador Evans for 20 years and will continue working with him as
long as the Ambassador will work”.

PRESIDENT ALIYEV: “ARMENIA WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO RIVAL WITH AZERBAIJAN”
Today, Azerbaijan
March 16 2006
Armenia will never be able rival with Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev stated on March 16 to an opening ceremony of the 2nd
Congress of the World Azerbaijanis.
Azerbaijan strengthens its power mint year by year and this year
its military budget is $600m. “I have charged recently to make equal
the military budget of Azerbaijan to public budget of Armenia in the
near future,” President said. “Armenia will never be able to rival
with Azerbaijan.”
According to Trend, Aliyev stated that Azerbaijan should reconsider
its participation in peace talks on Nagorno Karabakh conflict
resolution if it founds Armenia violating the peace process and
showing unconstructive approach.
“The 12-year peace talks yielded no results, while it is unknown how
long will they continue. We are loyal to peace talks, but our patience
expires when we face with unconstructive position by Armenia. If
Azerbaijan sees the negotiation process to be of imitation character,
it will refuse from participation in it,” he stressed.
“Azerbaijan neither within 10 nor 100 years allow the annexation
of Nagorno Karabakh. Any peace agreement is out question without
repatriation of internally displaced persons,” he assured.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

STATE DEPARTMENT AGAIN REFUSES TO DIRECTLY COMMENT ON REPORTS OF AMB. EVANS’ RECALL
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 15, 2006
YEREVAN, March 15. /ARKA/. For the fourth time in the last week,
the State Department’s official spokesperson has failed to directly
respond to questions raised by journalists during the Department’s
daily press briefing about reports that the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia,
John Marshall Evans, has been recalled due to his truthful statements
on the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA). “It’s certainly disappointing seeing State Department
officials hiding behind their spokesperson to avoid directly answering
questions about whether Ambassador Evans is being recalled because
he had the courage to stand up against what effectively amounts to a
‘gag-rule’ preventing our nation’s diplomats from speaking truthfully
about the Armenian Genocide,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram
Hamparian. ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian, in a March 8th letter to
Secretary Rice, wrote that, “If, in fact, the State Department has
taken punitive steps against Ambassador Evans, you should fully and
openly explain your policies and actions to the American people. If,
on the other hand, the Department has not taken any such steps, you
owe it to the American people to affirm that it is not the policy
of the United States of America to punish its diplomats for speaking
the truth about the Armenian Genocide.”
Questions concerning Ambassador Evans were raised on March 8th and
March 10th and again on March 13th and 14th. Each time journalists
asked for official comments about Ambassador Evans’ reported recall.
Reflecting the growing frustration among journalists over the lack of
a clear response to their inquiries, a member of the State Department
press corps publicly described the answers provided by the official
spokesperson as “a bit of a dodge.” The growing controversy surrounding
reports of Amb. Evans’ recall has resulted in separate letters being
sent to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice from ANCA Chairman Ken
Hachikian and Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), the Co-Chairman of the
Armenian Issues Caucus, as well as formal Congressional inquiries by
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and Grace Napolitano (D-CA).
Speaking last year to an Armenian American gathering at the University
of California at Berkeley, Amb. Evans said, “I will today call it the
Armenian Genocide. . . I informed myself in depth about it. I think
we, the U.S. government, owe you, our fellow citizens, a more frank
and honest way of discussing this problem. Today, as someone who has
studied it. there’s no doubt in my mind [as to] what happened . . . I
think it is unbecoming of us, as Americans, to play word games here. I
believe in calling things by their name.”
Referring to the Armenian Genocide as “the first genocide of the 20th
century,” he said: “I pledge to you, we are going to do a better
job at addressing this issue.” Amb. Evans also disclosed that he
had consulted with a legal advisor at the State Department who had
confirmed that the events of 1915 were “genocide by definition.”
Within days after his remarks and the conclusion of a speaking tour
of Armenian American communities, Ambassador Evans was apparently
forced to issue a statement clarifying that his references to the
Armenian Genocide were his personal views and did not represent
a change in U.S. policy. He subsequently issued a correction to
this statement, replacing a reference to the Genocide with the word
“tragedy.” Later last year, the American Foreign Service Association
(AFSA), in recognition of his honesty and commitment to principle,
decided to honor Ambassador Evans with the “Christian A. Herter
Award,” recognizing creative thinking and intellectual courage within
the Foreign Service. AFSA states, “The purpose of the [award] is
to encourage Foreign Service career employees to speak out frankly
and honestly.” Sadly, as Washington Post staff writer Glenn Kessler
revealed on June 9th, AFSA withdrew its award following pressure from
“very serious people from the State Department” just days before
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan traveled to Washington,
D.C. to meet with President George W. Bush.

RISE IN GAS PRICES TO BE COMPENSATED FOR IN ARMENIA
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 15, 2006
YEREVAN, March 15. /ARKA/. The rise in the price for Russian gas
supplied to Armenia will be compensated for, Chairman of the National
Civil Council for International Affairs, Director of the Institute of
political Research Sergey Markov told reporters in Moscow. According
to him, compensations will be paid in any cases independently of the
rise in gas prices.
“We have a lost of means of compensation. For example, Armenian
students can receive free educations in Russian higher schools, and
Armenian businessmen will have certain tax privileges in Russia,”
Markov said.
He also reported that in discussing the gas prices the sides should
consider the fact that the rise will tell on all the consumers,
including Russian ones. “The task of raising the gas prices is bringing
gas prices to the international level, and no discrimination should
be seen in this,” Markov said.
>>From April 1, 2006, the Russian “Gasprom” company plans to raise the
price for gas supplied to Armenia up to $110 for 1,000 cubic meters.
The negotiations over the “gas issue” with the participation of
Director General of the Armenian-Russian “ArmRosgasprom” CJSC JV
Karen Karapetyan are still under way in Moscow.

ARMENIAN JEWISH COMMUNITY BRINGS PURIM TO YOUNG, OLD AND HOMEBOUND
Federation of Jewish Communitites of CIS, Russia
March 16, 2006
YEREVAN, Armenia -In the Armenian capital of Yerevan, local Jews
felt the joy of this holiday, leaving behind their personal problems
and gathering at the ‘Mordechai Navi’ Jewish Community Center for a
good party.
Plenty of rattles for use during the reading of the ‘Megilat Esther’
were waiting for participants in this Purim festivity. On the eve of
the holiday, Chief Rabbi of Armenia Gersh Meir Burshtein read out
this exciting story, which happened many years ago in the Persian
Empire. The kids did their best to make as much noise as possible,
which was heard even outside the JCC.
After reading the ‘Megilat Esther’, the organizers had prepared a
wonderful kosher feast for everybody, featuring the traditional food
of Purim, with homentaschen and wine.
For homebound Jews, who are either sick or else frail and elderly,
community workers brought the merriment of Purim right to their
homes, by paying home visits and bringing them ‘mishloach manot’ –
traditional Purim treats.
A separate Purim festivity for children also occurred. Held in a
local cafe, the youngsters enjoyed a delicious kosher meal and a
lively Purimspiel. These youngest community members wore carnival
masks and costumes, playing the characters of the Purim story.
Following this, Rabbi Burshtein announced a contest for the best Jewish
dance, which involved both children and their parents, the winners
taking home various prizes. As the party wrapped up and community
members headed home, they took with them the joy of being part of
the amazing history of the Jewish people.
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PUBLIC HEARINGS ON “WHAT ARMENIAN CITIZENS GAINED AND LOST IN 2005” TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN ON MARCH 16TH
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 15, 2006
YEREVAN, March 15. /ARKA/. Public hearings on “What Armenian citizens
gained and lost in 2005” will be held in Yerevan on March 16th. The
National Civil Initiative reported that a special report of the
Armenian Ombudsman Larisa Alaverdyan on “The Situation with Human
Rights in Armenia in 2005” will be presented during the discussions.
The political secretary of “Legacy” party Vardan Khachatryan also
plans to have a talk concerning the evaluations “for” and “against”
the referendum on constitutional amendments held on November 27th,
2005.

“SUPREME COUNCIL” DEPUTY CLUB MARKS 10TH ANNIVERSARY
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 15, 2006
YEREVAN, March 15. /ARKA/. The “Supreme Council” deputy club has
marked its 10th anniversary, says a statement of Chairman of the club
Ruben Torosyan.
The “Supreme Council” deputy club was founded by 22 deputies of
the Supreme Council of Armenia on March 15, 1996. The Presidium was
comprised of Kim Balayan, Vardan Zurnachyan, Ruben Torosyan, Tigran
Kyuregyan, Ferdinand Ghazaryan, Aram Mailyan, Arshak Sadoyan. Ruben
Torosyan was elected Chairman.
In 1997, the club, in association with 11 public organizations,
founded the first human rights organization in Armenia, “Human
Rights 96”. In 2000-2002, the organization held a number of seminars
“Armenia in the 21st century”. A scientific paper entitled “Outlines
of Armenia’s development” was published as a result of the seminars.
During the 2003 parliamentary and presidential elections, the club
formed the Public Commission to supervise the election process. To
supervise the constitutional referendum, the “Supreme Council” club,
in association with 18 political parties and a number of public
organizations, established the Public Commission to supervise the
legality of referendum. The Commission is still working.
In 2005, the “Supreme Council” club, in association with members
of parliaments of different convocations founded the “Center of
Parliamentarianism of Armenia” NGO.

TIME TO CONFRONT REALITY OF LTTE ACTIONS IN CANADA
The Star Phoenix (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)
March 16, 2006 Thursday
Final Edition
Among the most disturbing aspects of the bungled Air India case was
that Canadian taxpayers and innocent citizens helped fund the worst
terrorist attack in this country’s history.
It is equally disturbing to learn that 21 years after that attack,
inept politicians, security and law-enforcement officials continue
to be complicit in the funding of a known terrorist group that has
a record at least as bloody as that of the International Sikh Youth
Federation and the Babbar Khalsa — the groups linked to the airplane
bombings that claimed 331 lives.
According to a report released Wednesday by the New Yorkbased Human
Rights Watch, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam — among the
bloodiest of terrorist organizations despite Canada’s apparent and
nearly unique inability to identify it as such — has been threatening
and abusing lawful Canadians to extort money for what it calls a
“final war” to gain independence from Sri Lanka.
Canada’s reluctance to recognize the LTTE as a terrorist group has its
roots in the former Liberal government’s willingness to sign a pact
with anyone, as long as it brought it votes. In a similar vein, federal
and provincial Liberal leaders, and even those from other parties,
attended rallies and fundraisers, and met on political stages with
those who were openly suspected of masterminding the Air India attacks.
Although Public Security Minister Stockwell Day was most vocal in
condemning the LTTE while campaigning in the last couple of elections,
he has yet to list the Tigers as a terrorist group.
Canada’s major allies, including the United States and Great Britain,
have proscribed the LTTE, and thus have more weapons in trying to
stem the flow of money that funds its bloody campaign.
And there can be little doubt the LTTE meets all the criteria of
a terrorist group. It virtually invented the conscription of child
soldiers and use of suicide bombers. In 1991 Thenmuli Rajaratnam,
a 17-year-old Tamil with connections to and support from the LTTE,
strapped a bomb on her back and used it to kill herself along with
17 others including Rajiv Gandhi, a leading candidate in India’s
federal election.
Canadians should find it chilling that 15 years after this attack, and
almost 21 years after the Air India bombings, this country continues
to dither when it comes to acting against this terrorist organization.
This is especially worrisome since Canada was a leading member of
the OECD task force that looked into ways to combat the financing of
terrorists. In 2002 — just months after terror attacks brought down
the World Trade Centre in New York — this group released a report
that detailed how terrorists are funded (typically through legal
entities such as charities), how they transfer money and what the
world had to do to shut them down.
Chief among its recommendations was the need for international
co-operation and solid police work.
Canada, rather than being the leader it should have on this front
given its experience with violent attacks from Armenian and Sikh
terrorist groups, continues to be considered the weakest link in the
G7, and has among the poorest records in the developed world.
According to Human Rights Watch, that record is so bad in large part
because Ottawa and Canadians continue to see these domestic acts of
terror as foreign problems. It was the same mindset that caused former
prime minister Brian Mulroney to send a letter of condolence to India
when Canadians were blown up in the Air India jet off Ireland’s coast.
In his book, Cold Terror, Stewart Bell details how Canada nurtures and
exports terrorism around the world. He notes it continues even after
the World Trade Centre attacks, and Canada’s loud proclamations of
participating in the “war on terror.” Bell suggests Canada has the
law-enforcement and security forces to help shut down these links,
but lacks the political will.
In the wake of his highly successful trip to visit front-line troops
battling the spread of terrorism in Afghanistan, Prime Minister Stephen
Harper should use the Human Rights Watch report as incentive finally
to shut down at least this wing of the war on our own turf.
As Air India should have taught us, the status quo is not an option.

AZERI DELEGATION VISITED STYRIA
Austria Today
March 15, 2006 Wednesday 8:05 PM (Central European Time)
A delegation led by Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Austria Fuad Ismayilov
has been visiting the federal province of Styria, Austria, the press
service of Foreign Ministry said. In the meeting with President of the
Styrian Chamber of Economy, Peter Muhlbacher, discussed were questions
of the development of economic ties between Azerbaijan and Styria,
and focused on cooperation in the field of tourism and construction.
The sides stressed necessity of expansion of links between businessmen
of two countries, in this connection, touched was the questions of
their participation in fairs and exhibitions conducted in Azerbaijan
and Styria. Training of young Azerbaijani specialists in Styria was
also in spotlight. In the meeting with Governor of the Province Franz
Voves, the Azeri Ambassador updated on the current situation in the
country, informed in detail on the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, as well as on the Austria-Azerbaijan relations. The parties
expressed readiness for cooperation in the political, economic and
cultural fields. Also was underlined the necessity of the strengthening
of cultural and education relations between Azerbaijan and Styria,
and mutual cultural actions. In the meeting with vice-president of
the Austria-Azerbaijan Association Farhad Abdin in Graz, capital of
the Province, discussed was the Diaspora’s activity in this country,
creation of coordination council, as well as protection of investment
of the Styrian businessmen in Azerbaijan.

CONTEST FOR BEST MEDIA COVERAGE OF DISABLEMENT PROBLEM ANNOUNCED IN ARMENIA
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 15, 2006
YEREVAN, March 15. /ARKA/. The Armenian NGO “Bridge of Hope” has
announced a contest for the best mass media coverage of the problem
of disablement in Armenia, Chairwoman of the organization Susanna
Tadevosyan told reporters. She pointed out that the contest among
journalists will be started on April 2, 2006. Tadevosyan stressed
that journalists will help reveal and raise problems of disabled
people among the state’s priority problems.