TER-PETROSYAN WILL COME FORWARD WHEN HE DECIDES
Lragir.am
21 June 06
One of the topics of the debate between Samvel Nikoyan, Republican,
and Andranik Hovakimyan, All-Armenian Movement, was the upcoming
parliamentary election.
According to the deputy leader of the All-Armenian Movement, it is
pointless to speak about a political National Assembly unless the
situation changes, because everything will be decided beforehand.
“It is not important what costumes they will be wearing, liberal or
nationalist. Especially that these notions are distorted, and it is
not clear who a liberal is, for instance.” As a result, according
to the representative of the All-Armenian Movement, the parliament
will again be appointed. The coalition does not have a role in this
matter. “There are centers, known to everybody, which predetermines
everything.” Andranik Hovakimyan disagrees to the accusation that
the All-Armenian Movement is passive. According to him, the reason
is the wrong idea about political activities, for by saying activity
most people understand protest meetings.
“The society is devoid of the right to vote, and distrust towards
political parties is growing, their role diminishes,” says the deputy
leader of the All-Armenian Movement, adding that even the political
parties in power are devoid of the possibilities of a political
party. “We know the degree of our possibilities,” objects Samvel
Nikoyan. According to him, nothing strange happened.
“The home political sphere is a little calm, but there are also
internal processes, there is nothing unpredictable. The emergence
of new political parties and the divorce of the Orinats Yerkir Party
and the coalition are significant events.” By the way, the Republican
suggests, “The home political processes and developments, suspension
of arrangements cannot be related to foreign political problems. Arthur
Baghdasaryan said what he had stated a year ago in Maydan.”
Andranik Hovakimyan declined to publish the political platform of
the All-Armenian Movement. He only said that Ter-Petrosyan will come
forward when he decides.

OSCE MEDIA WATCHDOG NOTES IMPROVEMENTS IN ARMENIAN MEDIA LEGISLATION, CALLS FOR MORE PLURALISM
Organization for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE)

June 21 2006
/noticias.info/ YEREVAN, 21 June 2006 – Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE
Representative on Freedom of the Media, said today that Armenia has
made significant progress in improving media legislation, but actual
media pluralism remained limited to the print media.
“I am pleased that since 2005 there have been very few atrocities
reported against journalists. It is similarly welcome that criminal
libel cases have not been initiated since several years,” said
Haraszti, who was on a three-day official visit to Armenia at the
invitation of the Government.
“However, the coverage of political life still remains one-sided,
both in private and public-service broadcasting. This confines actual
pluralism to the diverse, at times even partisan, but economically
very weak print media.”
The aim of the visit, co-organized by the OSCE Office in Yerevan,
was to assess the state of freedom of the media, giving special
attention to the upcoming changes in the legal framework, required
by amendments to the Constitution adopted in November 2005.
The OSCE Representative expressed his appreciation for having been
received by President Robert Kocharian. He also met the Chairman of
the National Assembly Tigran Torosyan, and other government officials,
as well as broadcast operatives, journalists and media NGOs.
“We see good pieces of legislation, such as the Constitutional
amendments on broadcasting, and the Freedom of Information law,” added
Mr. Haraszti. “However, implementation is behind the blueprints in
some fields. For example, the broadcast law reform required by the
Constitution is still missing, as are the implementation rules for
the law on Freedom of Information.”
Haraszti suggested that pluralizing the composition of the
broadcasting boards would lead to diversity in the licensing of private
broadcasters, and to more objective news coverage in public television,
saying that: “Media reform should be accelerated, especially in view
of the upcoming elections.”
The Representative on the Freedom of the Media regularly conducts
assessment visits in the OSCE region and presents his reports to the
Organization’s Permanent Council. The reports include an analysis of
the media situation and offer practical recommendations for improving
the freedom of the press.

OIC FMS’ 33RD SESSION ENDS IN BAKU
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
June 21 2006
On 21 June, the 33rd session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign
Ministers has come to an end in Baku.
In a 3-day session, attending were representatives form 50 countries,
including delegates of the OSCE, the Council of Europe, UNESCO,
the International Organization for Migration.
IN the course of session, discussed were the questions the Moslem
counties concerned with, regarded the Palestine, Iraq, Kashmir
problems, the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the
events occurring in Somali and Sudan, as well as the tension related
to Iran’s nuclear researches. In the lectures, also were seriously
condemned the cartoons to Prophet Mohammad published in the some
Western press organs and the tension it has caused.
As stated, OIC regards all the religions with respect and will further
continue its activity with a view of expansion of inter-civilization
dialogue.
The session emphasized necessity of development of the political,
trade-economic, cultural, scientific and other links among the OIC
member countries. The projects being implemented in the frame of OIC
were also in focus. A 10-year plan of activity of OIC was discussed,
and necessity of strengthening of mutual cooperation was underlined.
The session has adopted the Baku Declaration, a communique, and
numerous resolutions on the discussed questions.
After the session ended, FM of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov and
Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Conference Ekmeleddin
Ihsanoglu held a briefing for media representatives.
In the Declaration, Minister Mammadyarov said, regarded were the
questions the Moslem world is concerned. In the Declaration, the
participants condemned the aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan and
demanded immediate withdrawal of the occupant forces from the Azeri
lands. Also was addressed to the world community in connection with
destruction of the historical and cultural monuments in the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan, condemned the ecological pollution as a
result of this aggression. The session participants stressed necessity
of support of the OIC member countries in restoration of territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan.
OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu stressed the historical
importance of the session for the point of discussed questions and
adopted resolutions.
The session has been in focus of the international community either,
he underlined.
** A group of the participants of the 33rd session of the Islamic
Conference of Foreign Ministers have familiarized with the Heydar
Aliyev Foundation, 21 June.
** The same day, a group of the conferees have been in the Sangachal
Terminal.

REPUBLICAN SUGGESTS CREATING THREATS AND BATTLING THEM
Lragir.am
21 June 06
If Andranik Hovanisyan, deputy leader of the All-Armenian Movement
thinks that dual nationality is not beneficial for Armenia, and
they battled it with the Republican Party in 1995, Samvel Nikoyan,
Republican, thinks that dual nationality would solve the problem
of unification of Armenians, and the way for investments in Armenia
would open for the Diaspora.
In answer to the remark of Lragir.am that Ernekyan, Tufenkyan,
Kerkoryan, Gafesjyan made big investments in Armenia not being
citizens of Armenia, Samvel Nikoyan says they are individuals,
“whereas our objective is cooperation with the entire Diaspora.
And the entire Diaspora does not consist of these individuals.”
Samvel Nikoyan admits that powerful countries such as the United
States and Russia do not encourage dual nationality, whereas we need
dual nationality, because “we are not a powerful country but we want
to be powerful, and one of the possible ways of becoming powerful is
the Diaspora.” Andranik Hovakimyan, All-Armenian Movement, assures
that there are people in the Diaspora, who feel attached with the
homeland independent from all, and on the contrary, there are people
who do not know where Armenia is independent from all.
Nikoyan admits that the adoption of dual nationality creates threats
for the national security, but the Republican is able to battle
these consequences. Samvel Nikoyan declined to answer the question
of Lragir.am “What is the point of creating a source of threat first
and then battle it.”

DID GOVERNMENT RAISE QUESTION OF A1+?
Lragir.am
21 June 06
Miklos Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media,
stated in a news conference on June 21 in Yerevan that during his
meetings the Armenian government raised the question of A1+. Unlike
his meetings with the leadership of Armenian, Haraszti did not meet
with the head of A1+. He announced, however, that he knew about the
problem of the TV company, which had been closed down. Haraszti knew
that the TV company was forced off air, then applied for 12 times
and was denied frequency every time. Miklos Haraszti said it is an
example of shortcomings in licensing. He added that he would dwell
on the process of licensing in his reports and offer proposals.
According to the OSCE representative, the assessment of bids for
license should be more transparent and it is necessary to reduce
the role of vote or restrict it at all. Miklos Haraszti assesses the
change of the order of setting up the National Television and Radio
Committee as essential and positive: if formerly the committee was
set up by a person, presently it is set up by a representational body.

TURKEY DOWNPLAYS U.S. FUNDING BAN ON ‘ANTI-ARMENIAN’ RAIL LINK
By Emil Danielyan
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
June 21 2006
Turkey on Wednesday played down the significance of a likely legal
ban on U.S. involvement in its plans to build a rail link with Georgia
and Azerbaijan that would bypass Armenia. Official Ankara said at the
same time that it has begun exploring possible Armenian participation
in the far-reaching regional project.
A committee of the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved
a legal amendment last week that forbids the U.S. Export-Import Bank
from financing construction of the Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi railway
estimated to cost $400 million. The measure, strongly advocated by
Armenian-American lobbying groups, is likely to be passed by the full
House. Similar legislation is also expected to be debated in the U.S.
Senate.
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan told RFE/RL that U.S.
restrictions could not thwart the project’s implementation. “I don’t
think so,” he said. “I think the three countries have enough funds.
So we can finance the project in one way or another.” Azerbaijan,
Georgia and Turkey are keen to start work on the railway “as soon as
possible,” he said.
A senior official at the Azerbaijani Ministry of Transport, Sadreddin
Mamedov, likewise dismissed the congressional measure at the weekend.
“If American companies do not finance the project, we will find other
sources [of financing]: Japanese banks, the Asian Development Bank
or somebody else,” he told the Baku daily “Ekho.” Besides, he said,
Azerbaijan has “sufficient resources” to foot a large part of the
construction bill.
Still, Turkish media reports suggest that Ankara is now willing to
show more flexibility on the issue. According to the official Anatolia
news agency, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul told Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliev in Baku on Tuesday that “Armenia can also join
these projects if it wants.”
Tan confirmed that Gul raised the issue with Aliev but made it clear
that Armenian involvement in the regional railroad is conditional on a
solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. “The fact of the matter is
that we have to include Armenia into the project after the solution
of the problem,” he said. “That was the discussion which took place
between Aliev and Gul.” The Azerbaijani leader was “positive” about
the Turkish proposal, added the official.
Armenian officials argue that there already exists a railroad
connecting Turkey to the South Caucasus via Armenia and that the
Turkish government should reactivate it instead of spending hundreds
of millions of dollars on building a new one. “The Turkish Daily News”
quoted on Wednesday an unnamed official in Ankara as agreeing that
the Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi link will make no economic sense if
Turkey lifts its economic blockade of Armenia.
“But there are some realities on the ground which can not be
ignored,” countered Tan. “There is a problem and that problem should
be solved. Armenia must exert some efforts and try to find ways to
solve it.”
A Karabakh settlement is also a key Turkish precondition for a broader
normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations. In addition, successive
Turkish governments have demanded that Yerevan stop campaigning for
international recognition of the 1915 genocide of Armenians in the
Ottoman Empire. Gul reportedly stated in Baku that the establishment
of diplomatic relations between the two estranged nations and reopening
of their border is therefore “not a subject of discussions” at present.
Senior Turkish and Armenian diplomats have held a series of
confidential meetings over the past year but failed to make any
progress towards a Turkish-Armenian rapprochement. Tan stood by his
earlier statement that more such talks are possible in the coming
months. “We have talked to them and I think we will,” said the Turkish
Foreign Ministry official.

HE DOES NOT MIX SEPARATE CASES OF CRUELTY WITH MASS ACCIDENTS
Lragir.am
21 June 06
Miklos Haraszti, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, in
Yerevan for a two-day visit, stated June 21 that recently no cases of
violence or physical assault against journalists have been reported
in Armenia. He said it is very important because the evaluation of
the rights of journalists and absence of self-critique is based on
this. His statement that there is no violence aroused laughter among
journalists, and they reminded Haraszti that two years ago on April
5 bodyguards broke a camera, on April 12 the police beat several
journalists, then in Tsaghkadzor the photographers taking pictures
of the villas of government officials and oligarchs were attacked by
bodyguards. Miklos Haraszti says he knows separate cases and he does
not mean that there is no violence at all. He means that there are
no systematic and mass accidents involving journalists.
By the way, Miklos Haraszti also wondered why the government, accused
by the majority of Armenian journalists of violation of the freedom
of media, does not apply the article on libel, which provides for
accountability of journalists. Being against this article, Miklos
Haraszti, nevertheless, wanted to know why it is not applied by the
government if it is against freedom of speech. Discerning an assertion
in the words of Miklos Haraszti that the government of Armenia is not
up for violation of freedom of the media, otherwise they would use the
article on libel, we will make an attempt at explaining Mr. Haraszti
why the article on libel is not applied in Armenia. This article is
not applied for the simple reason that it is impossible to libel the
government of Armenia, for whatever is written is true. But there
is another, a more forceful reason for not applying this article. By
applying this article the government will, in fact, create a precedent
of application of law in Armenia. And in order to prevent a precedent
of application of law, the government is ready to bear libel.

THERE ARE SEVERAL WONDERFUL LAWS IN ARMENIA
Lragir.am
21 June 06
Considerable progress was reported with regard to the legislation
on freedom of the media in Armenia, and the state of the media does
not use all the possibilities and is limited to some extent. Miklos
Haraszti, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media came to this
conclusion during the two days spent in Armenia. On June 21 he met with
Armenian journalists and told about his impressions from his visit.
It is interesting that Miklos Haraszti was invited to Armenia by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, but the program of his visit
was worked by the OSCE. In accordance with the program, Haraszti met
with the representatives of the government and the non-governmental
sector of Armenia. He also met with the president of Armenia. During
the news conference Miklos Haraszti announced that despite his
meetings, they learn about the state of freedom of the media in
Armenia from statistics, publications, the OSCE Yerevan Office.
Haraszti’s impression is that only press is free in Armenia. He said
he found out that there is perfect pluralism of opinions.
However, he says, pluralism in press is not observed in such
influential media as TV companies. According to him, public events
are not covered objectively.
Miklos Haraszti says the main cause of this state is legislation,
and only legislative improvements will enable having independent TV
channels. Haraszti also mentions the fact that monopoly of air should
be battled as well. It should be set down in the law that the same
group of owners cannot have more than one TV company.
On the other hand, however, he says the law is not enough to guarantee
freedom of press. He said there are several excellent laws and
emphasized the law on freedom of information. But according to him,
it needs to be applied. Nevertheless, he considers upgrading of
legislative mechanisms as a key issue. With this regard, Haraszti
emphasized the bill on distribution of press, which has already
been introduced to the National Assembly. The bill provides for
licensing companies for distribution of press. Haraszti disapproves
this approach. According to him, it is very important that the
parliamentarians recognize the importance of free competition
in distribution of press. According to the OSCE representative,
distribution should be as free and competitive as press itself.

ISTANBUL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW MEETS GAREGIN, URGES SOLIDARITY
By Benjamin Harvey, Associated Press
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
June 21 2006
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I urged the world’s Orthodox churches
to minimize differences and seek solidarity as he met with the head
of Armenian Apostolic Church on Wednesday.
Deep divisions are prevalent throughout the Orthodox Church. Although
Bartholomew controls several Greek Orthodox churches around the
world, including the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and is
considered the spiritual leader of some 250 million Orthodox worldwide,
relations with two of the largest churches, in Russia and Greece,
remain tense. The Armenian Apostolic Church also operates independently
and is not under his jurisdiction.
The two spiritual leaders met under heavy security and after a
brief religious ceremony in Istanbul, the formerly Greek Byzantine
city of Constantinople that is the seat of Bartholomew’s Orthodox
Patriarchate. Garegin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, was accompanied
by clerics wearing long black robes and black hats. His hat bore a
jeweled cross and he held a staff with a golden handle.
“We must always keep in mind that we aim only for the glory of God,”
Bartholomew said in a speech to Garegin II in which he touched on the
ancient split between the two churches. “He himself taught us this:
‘May they all be one.’ It is a sacred goal.” Bartholomew praised what
he called the ongoing “unofficial theological meetings” between the two
churches, saying the dialogue between them began in the fifth century.
Armenian Christians pride themselves on being descendants of the first
people to adopt Christianity as their official national religion. The
Armenian national church was established in A.D. 301.
That predates the Roman Empire’s edict of A.D. 313 tolerating
Christianity, which was previously illegal, and was 94 years before
it became the official religion of Rome and the Orthodox lands of
the East.
Garegin arrived in Istanbul on Tuesday for a weeklong visit to the
Armenian community here and to hold talks with Bartholomew. He is
expected to visit several Armenian churches in Istanbul, as well as
Armenian graveyards and other religious sites including the Haghia
Sophia. Both Armenians and Greeks had huge roles in the history of
the city, though their numbers have dwindled to just a few thousand
combined.
Police tightened security to protect the visiting cleric from
Turkish nationalists who protested his arrival on Tuesday night,
prompting the police to accompany Garegin out of the airport through a
separate entrance. Garegin has angered Turks by saying their ancestors
committed genocide against Armenians around the time of World War I,
an allegation vehemently denied by Turkey.
Turkey, which has no diplomatic relations with Armenia, denies that
Turks committed genocide, saying Armenians who lived under the Ottoman
Empire were killed in internal fighting among ethnic groups as the
empire collapsed.

ARMENIAN SPIRITUAL LEADER IN ISTANBUL
Zaman, Turkey
June 21 2006
Head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Karekin II, came to Istanbul
Tuesday as a guest of Turkey’s Armenians Patriarch Mesrop II and
Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew.
Karekin II, welcomed by Bartholomew, will hold week-long meetings
with several leaders.
Karekin II, who traveled from Erivan on Armenian Airlines, was expected
to leave the airport via the VIP Hall at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport,
but left instead in a vehicle convoy for security reasons.
A crowd of nearly 50 gathered at the airport protested the arrival
of Karekin II.